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VOLUME 19, sent Jan 9, 1996
Topics in this issue:
Re: Reach for the Light
1. MATTGREY@aol.com (Matt)
2. BobbieG.
3. MATTGREY@aol.com
Winwood/Mason relations (and Joe Walsh)
4. Andrew
Covers
5. vankirks@ctrvax.Vanderbilt.Edu (Shannon)
SW and fame (and Joe Walsh)
6. vankirks@ctrvax.Vanderbilt.Edu (Shannon)
The Newbies Note:
7. KATHOLOGY@aol.com
8. Veaeners@aol.com
Re: Welcome to the Canteen
9. ASchulberg@aol.com (Arnie)
Want to see SW on 'MTV Unplugged'?
10. RSMarcolin@aol.com (Bob)
Hunting for the first SDG album
11. pdc@buller.se (Timmy)
Anybody have any tour books?
12. BobbieG.
Found a new bootleg
13. BobbieG.
Morgan Rehearsal review, pt. 1
14. RRopek@aol.com (Dan)
Hopes for the new album
15. MEBK@aol.com (Jonathan)
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1*1*1*1*1*1*1*1*1*1*1*1
From: MATTGREY@aol.com
Date sent: Tue, 19 Dec 1995 17:33:00
Anybody that defends Winwood's "Reach for the Light" by noting that Phil
Collins, Billy Joel and Randy Newman have recorded similar tracks or have
made similar career moves is doing Mr. Winwood a huge disservice. The only
time I should hear Collins and Winwood in the same breath is when some Lite
FM adult contemporay DJ announces what artists are coming up. There's no
better way to indict "Reach for the Light" than to compare it to something Phil
Collins recorded.
2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2
From: "BobbieG."
Date sent: Wed, 3 Jan 1996 10:49:13
In Volume 18 MattGrey@aol.com wrote
>Winwood gives us "Reach for the Light...you might find a Star.?"
Just to be nit-picky here, the chorus is
"Reach for the light, you might touch the sky
Stand on a mountaintop and see yourself flying
Reach for the light to capture a star
Come out of the darkness and find out who you are"
These may be cliched, but things get to be cliches by being
truthful, and personally, I find it rather moving.
>songs like "Arc of A Diver", or "Fall from Grace" or "Midland
>Maniac".
I'm not familiar with 'Fall From Grace', and I thought I'd heard them
all. Is this from a bootleg?
---
Bobbie
3*3*3*3*3*3*3*3*3*3*3*3
From: MATTGREY@aol.com
Date sent: Wed, 3 Jan 1996 23:52:36
I'm starting to like "Reach for the Light" I guess I should have expected it to
grow on me. Still, I'm looking forward to more new material.
4*4*4*4*4*4*4*4*4*4*4*4
From: Andrew
Date sent: Wed, 3 Jan 1996 12:48:12
i was just curious if anyone knew how or if Steve Winwood and Dave Mason
get along. i know the whole Mason/Traffic relationship was rocky (in and out
of the band constantly) and they never wrote together, but i just wondered if
they were buddies...
seeing as the only original members of Traffic in '94 were Steve and Jim
Capaldi, i thought it wouldve been nice if Dave was there to play Feelin'
Alright and Join Together and all those. i respect them not playing those tunes
without him, though...
i hear Dave is in some sort of sad incarnation of Fleetwood
Mac. Sorry, just sorry...
(and to risk backlash, i like the song from Highlife with Joe Walsh, but
methinks any further collaboration could be creative suicide. joe hasnt had 'it'
since the James Gang... boycott the eagles!)
--
{ andrew j hermann
5*5*5*5*5*5*5*5*5*5*5*5
Date sent: Wed, 03 Jan 1996 11:49:06
From: vankirks@ctrvax.Vanderbilt.Edu (Shannon)
BobbieG@AzStarNet.com wrote:
>. . .mentioned 2 covers of 'Can't Find My Way Home' that I
>hadn't heard of before: Yvonne Elliman and Blind Melon. Can
>anyone confirm these?
I'm not home right now to check this, but I think it's Yvonne Elliman who
sings "Can't Find..." with Eric Clapton on his Timepieces compilation album;
it's a live cut.
--Shannon
BTW, heard these?
On MTV, Denis Leary said, "I've got two words for Don Henley: Joe Walsh!"
On a different occasion:
Joe Walsh said,"I was in the Eagles? Cool."
6*6*6*6*6*6*6*6*6*6*6*6
Date sent: Wed, 03 Jan 1996 12:00:13
From: vankirks@ctrvax.Vanderbilt.Edu (Shannon)
Matt's posting was great and I told him so. I really love meeting all these
people who love Steve's music. Can you believe the number of people in their
20s who are passionate about Steve's music? It just knocks me out.
Unfortunately, Steve has never made it easy for his fans with his apparent
love/hate relationship with making music/fame. (I mean, where is the video
collection? The live album?) They'll just have to learn to be frustrated--er,
patient--like the rest of us!
Joe Walsh? Cool. As I told Matt, I just hope Steve isn't his usual reticent self
and takes a back seat when it comes to the guitar solos.
Cheers,
--Shannon
7*7*7*7*7*7*7*7*7*7*7*7
From: KATHOLOGY@aol.com
Date sent: Wed, 3 Jan 1996 23:08:45
Here's an editorial for you Bobbie, no offense intended, just an opinion..
Traffic stills sucks. LOL
K
8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8
From: Veaeners@aol.com
Date sent: Thu, 4 Jan 1996 20:59:23
Hi! I have no clue what this newsletter is supposed to be for but it sounds
intriguing. I'm only 15 and I think Steve Winwood is wonderful. I first heard
him when I was around 10 and there's just something about him that stands
out. I don't know what but it's there. People say he's too mellow, but I find it
very relaxing. On the chat line you all seem like you know a whole lot about
him and his songs. Sorry I don't, I just like his tunes. I just wanted to share my
appreciation for him.
Veaeners
9*9*9*9*9*9*9*9*9*9*9*9
From: ASchulberg@aol.com (Arnie)
Date sent: Thu, 4 Jan 1996 14:08:39
You'll probably know right away that I'm an old-timer when I tell you that I
asked for, and received, Welcome to the Canteen on cd for the holidays. Hard
to believe it was 25 years ago but I used to play the **** out of that album.
Mason had returned to the fold (again!) and the triple drumming of Capaldi,
Gordon and Reebop meant that this version of Traffic really cooked. To those
who have overlooked or never heard of this album, check it out. You will enjoy
it.
Pretty amazing that it's available, 'cause I don't remember this as a major
selling album. Then again, which Traffic albums were? Maybe Low Spark?
New Years Resolution: I will write and submit a review of the boot I have of
Traffic on tour in 1994 at Shoreline Ampitheater. Excellent recording and the
show was superb.
Arnie Schulberg
10*10*10*10*10*10*10*10*10*10*10*10
From: RSMarcolin@aol.com (Bob)
Date sent: Sat, 6 Jan 1996 12:59:45
Hey, what does everyone think of petitioning Mr. Winwood to perform on the
"MTV Unplugged" format? I know all the "sell out" nay-sayers will jump all
over him, but I think he would be perfect for the show and he would really
enjoy it if it were done on his own terms. Can't you just picture him singing
"Georgia" up to some Traffic and on through his solo stuff! I just wanted to see
what everyone thinks.....Bob
[MTV can be e-mailed at feedback@mtv.com, if anyone else is interested in
seeing this! -BG]
11*11*11*11*11*11*11*11*11*11*11*11
From: pdc@buller.se
Date sent: Sun, 7 Jan 96 12:43:53
I want to buy the first Spencer Davies Group LP that they made. I have been
looking for it everywhere, but I haven't found it yet. It has to be in its original
pressing, and not a re-issue. Do you know anyone who wants to sell it? Thank
you for your trouble.
Keep Smart,
Timmy Atkins
12*12*12*12*12*12*12*12*12*12*12*12
From: "BobbieG."
Date sent: Sun, 7 Jan 1996 13:47:06
I would like to start a list of all the musicians who went on tour
with SW or with Traffic. I have the tourbooks from the '92 tour
(Refugees of the Heart tour) and the '94 tour (Far From Home), so I know who
played on those tours; but I need all the help I can get on anything previous.
Does anyone have any tour books or magazine articles? I know Rolling Stone
used to list musicians when they used to publish the tour dates, but I haven't
kept any that are old enough.
Whatever you can send me would be appreciated, especially if it's documented
and not just your recollection, although I will use those too!
---
Bobbie
13*13*13*13*13*13*13*13*13*13*13*13
From: "BobbieG."
Date sent: Sun, 7 Jan 1996 19:48:23
I was out today buying the boys some jeans and some new comforters, taking
advantage of the after-Christmas sales, and I decided to treat myself by running
into PDQ Records, the best place in Tucson for used CDs and vinyl, and I
PICKED UP A NEW BOOTLEG!! Unbelievable! So here is a quick review
(Scott has already added this to the Home Page, BTW).
The title is "Valerie: Live in New York, Radio City Music Hall,
1989"
The tracks are -
Take It As It Comes (5:32)
While You See a Chance (5:18)
The Finer Things (5:34)
Glad (3:42)
Higher Love (5:12)
Valerie (4:07)
My Love's Leavin' (5:40)
Back in the High Life Again (5:32)
The interesting thing is that Glad segues straight into Higher Love, the way
we're always used to hearing it segue into Freedom Rider. The quality in
EXCELLENT. It must have been recorded right from the soundboard.
---
Bobbie
14*14*14*14*14*14*14*14*14*14*14*14
From: RRopek@aol.com
Date sent: Sun, 7 Jan 1996 20:28:18
This turned out a bit long, so it seemed wise to make this a two part review. I'll
wrap things up in in the following Volume. Note: the track numbers coincide
with that of the bootleg discs, but I have corrected song titles where known, or
otherwise given more descriptive titles, i.e. "Instrumental Song # 1", that are
not on the bootleg.
DISC ONE
TRACK/TITLE/TIME/COMMENTS
1. "Key To the Highway" (6:17) - Eric Clapton fans will note this song was
one of the great jams on "Layla and other assorted love songs". This version,
while not nearly as firey, does have a similar arrangement - rolling guitar
figures with punctuating organ fills. Nice.
2. "Instrumental song # 1" (8:29) - Not a "jam", because the song structure is
pretty well arranged - Clapton plays chords with Winwood again playing
supportive organ. Some nice ascending riffs near the end, the song reminds me
of a combination of "Angel" and "Little Wing", by Jimi Hendrix. Ginger is
uncharacteristically awkward throughout.
3. "Instr. song # 1 -reprise" (1:34) - A less assured fragment of the above.
4. "Change of Address" (14.34) - Slower, and much longer than the version
released as a promo. The tune begins with a rolling drum pattern, followed by
E.C. riffing on Baker, then by Winwood's organ, first mirroring Clapton, then
soloing over the five beat chord pattern. Although anchored tightly to the
restrictive chord pattern, there is a lot of nice, short jamming, and great
interplay.
5. "Jam #1" ("African Chants") (15:11) - Jazzy organ riffs from S.W. start
things off, E.C. weaves guitar fills and G.B.'s complex rhythmns pull
everything together to propel this fascinating jam. Described as "African
Chants" - "Vocals by Ginger Baker" in the boot notes - there is some off mike
vocalizations by someone. Although the phrases sound middle-eastern or
African, it is certainly NOT Ginger, nor any of the group. There may indeed
be an additional percussionist (unless this track was overdubbed), since there
are clearly two playing at times.
6. "Jam # 2" (6:31) - A rather uneventful guitar exploration, that finally settles
into a modified "Lawdy Mamma" riff. There are no audible keyboards, but the
drums manage to keep things afloat.
7. "Jam # 3" (9:28) - A fast paced organ led improv accompanied by an
understated guitar vamp - the instrumnents switch places at about the 2 minute
mark. The pace is lively as the guitar and organ chase each other in bursts,
creating a tight/interesting jam.
8. "Instrumental song # 1", tk. 2 (5:35) - Very similar to take one, although
Clapton's chording is more self-assured.
9. "Well All Right", tk. 1 (7:40) - Instrumentation: guitar/bass/drums. A bit
shaky on the intro, but a solidly funky run-through thereafter. Interestingly, the
song has essentially the same structure that eventually ended up on the lp,
although this take is by far the best/most complete of the nine attempted in this
set. Especially pronounced here however, is Clapton's guitar, which is run
through a Leslie speaker; the sustained organ-like sounds create a great texture.
That texture is mostly muted by the various overdubs on the "Blind Faith" lp.
In fact, after listening to this, the keyboards on the released track sound almost
tacked on, and the song a bit overproduced - Heresy !
Dan
15*15*15*15*15*15*15*15*15*15*15*15
From: MEBK@aol.com (Jonathan)
Date sent: Sun, 7 Jan 1996 21:39:53
i only hope that in his next project winwood can both avoid washed up sidemen
(i.e., capaldi) and avoid doing everything himself, which seems to be the
alternative. i'd love to see him do something like sting did with his "dream of
the blue turtles" album. certainly winwood has as much talent as sting but he
has been unwilling to try something new since "where the eagle flies" and his
"go" records.
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END OF SMILING PHASES, VOL 19
