Something/Anything?

Andy and his stall. He was selling records, flipped out of his box mostly, on the market when I arrived there in 1966. Wind from the Urals? Hmm, that means you went on a pleasant summer day, should be there when it is really cold! Blame the Fens. I moved out of the city after two years, stayed in that house for a while then moved to where I was until 12 years ago, 30 years and a little minute or two. Out there they have gentle Suffolk hills and woodlands that break off the Polar winds. How the heck Andy stood out on his stall for all of those years beats me, but then the vegetable woman was ancient when I arrived in '66 and was still there 12 years ago without having aged a day! Must be a deep freeze process...

Chris, we crossed paths again. The gig with Tim Bogert and Carmine Appice was indeed at the LSE, not that I remember it well owing to a bottle of Calvados.

Loudest gig for me Peter was The Can one night in Berlin. My ears ring when I think of it and that is after exposure to the Who, Ten Years After and other volume generators. Edgar Broughton Band, in the days when they were rated as the Hot Rats or Beefheart band of the UK, Jeff Beck's band too, yes loud but not in the league of those Germans, mind you the vocalist (screamer) at the time was Japanese. I only have to hear Yoo Doo Right and feel queasy, I couldn't stand them to begin with but after that I avoided the Can ever again.

Best wishes to you too Mark. Yes, Albert Lee has played with everyone ! He even came to this area years back to visit an mutual friend who moved over in the early '80s to the eastern Charente. This guy, John Theaker whose claim to fame was he was the drummer on 'Fire' (Crazy World of Arthur Brown) had played with Albert Lee whilst on the US West coast with the 'scene' that was happening from '68 to '73 ish. Sounds like wild times from what John used to tell me !

Hi Peter. Good to hear from you. Happy New Year by the way. Yes, indeed, the ubiquitous Nils Lofgren. One of those people like Albert Lee who's always dependably there in the background. I've never given him the attention he probably deserves. Somehow I'd never even heard 'Shine Silently' before. Thank you kindly, Mr. Bird.

Never had the chance to see him unfortunately. He's done loads of 'covers' Live with some well respected musicians like The Boss etc. Possibly one of those musicians who never had the acclaim he deserved ? Quite the contrary to some artistes grossly overrated in my opinion ie Beefheart & Lemmy and others.

Nils was a gymnast when he was young Peter, which explains the ease with which he used to jump on the stacks at the side of the stage and play from on high. We saw him 3 times in the 70s. Quite a showman and a fine guitar player. A bit wasted playing all those years with Springsteens band in my opinion.

Mark, Quite agree about Todd Rungren. I saw him at the UAE in the early days and he was pretty good. 'I Saw The Light' is, as you say uplifting but can I propose one piece of music of about the same era even more sensational ? In fact, I would put this song up there with the greats of 'feel good' sounds.

'Shine Silently' is for me simply superb. Nils Lofgren joined up with Neil Young in his early days and later even became a member of Crazy Horse. The first clip is the original studio track for the single.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaKyZTyHfGg

The second clip is the same song performed live in Holland and is stunning with it's cool guitar work. Lofgren worked a lot with Dire Straits which becomes evident when you hear this version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLzgGKWj6rs

The loudest gig I ever attended remains Status Quo in St Andrews Church, Norwich in 1972. My ears are still ringing !

First time I saw him he was playing with Tim Bogert and Carmine Appice at the LSE,I think. A smallish venue and the volume was fine. 1990 at Hammersmith Odeon was the gig of mega decibel levels…a real shame. I guess the DVD you mention is the one with Imogen Heap guesting, amongst others, and as you say it was wonderful.
Saw The Edgar Broughton Band around '73? I’d put them in the box marked ‘Wretched’ too!

That was brave of you, Carl! The Edgar Broughton Band played one of the first gigs I ever went to and their volume was quite enough for me. Never again, I vowed. As for our Mr. Loaf, Chris, I found him a very engaging personable individual when interviewed, but as for his music... I won't even begin. I'm saddened to hear that about Jeff Beck. I have a DVD of his recent band live at Ronnie's and it is truly wonderful - but then one can adjust the volume on a telly.

Beck was the loudest. So loud in fact that we left.

I saw Motörhead at the Leicester de montfort hall in the early eighties and before any notion of sound safety levels were introduced. I was half deaf for the next month.

Good gig though :)

Wretched sums them up perfectly Mark, in fact I’ve just googled them and discovered they weren’t exactly the most critically acclaimed band in the history of music! Don’t get me started on Meatloaf please… Todd is a fine musician and we will have to forgive him for his momentary lapse of reason!
My ears have probably been present at a couple of hundred gigs and I can honestly and perhaps surprisingly say Jeff Beck was the loudest. So loud in fact that we left. My head felt like it might explode.

How are your ears, Chris? Weren't GFR one of the loudest - as well as one of the most wretched - bands in history? What was Todd thinking of in taking them on? Maybe it simply brought in the dosh to finance his next 'elpee's worth of toons'.

Thanks for reminding me Mark. I’d forgotten it was time for my second coming…
Love ‘I saw the light’ though. Why on earth did he produce GFR? Had the misfortune to see them live once…thought you had to have talent before you got a producer…

Tell me, Chris, tell me... (I nearly typed 'Christ')

There is a scandalous rumour that ‘Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite’ is something to do with a 19th century circus performer…but I know the real truth…

Interestingly, John Lennons original handwritten lyrics for 'Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite' are going up for auction on 21 May in New York. Estimate $300,000 to $500,000. It's the day before my birthday in case anyone's struggling with what to buy me this year!