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VOLUME 58, sent March 14, 1997
Topics in this issue:
1. A new live VH1 Benefit Concert with SW & others
2. Re: City of Hope concert, invitation & date
3. RE: Hearing Aids
4. Re: hearing aids?
5. Junction 7 release- pushed back again!
6. New blues singer from Minnesota (SW revisited?)
7. other musicians
8. need concert video (3 posts)
9. Re: SW's drug use
10. Re: VH1 All Star Garage Band!
11. Web-site announcements
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From: LoudnCraig@aol.com
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 23:41:20 -0500 (EST)
Subject: A new live VH1 Benefit Concert with SW & others
One night only April 10th at the Universal Amphitheater in LA: Steve
Winwood, Sheryl Crow, the artist formerly know as Prince, The Wallflowers
and very special surprise guests! It's a benefit for the Save the Music
Foundation and the fourth annual VH1 Honors concert. Tickets go on sale this
Saturday for $153. $58. and $38. There is a disclaimer that this is a special
event & the line up of schedule is subject to change. They disclaim any
responsibility for artist appearances and/or other aspects of the presentation.
WHILE YOU SEE A CHANCE - I'll take it.
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From: vankirks@ctrvax.Vanderbilt.Edu
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 13:53:54 -0600
Subject: Re: City of Hope concert, invitation & date
What was the exact date of the concert? (Original live show, not TV
broadcast.)
And Les, Steve's picture was on the invitation. He is so average looking, that
he is difficult to caricaturize. I have a tee-shirt from a local jam SW
participated in, and you'd never recognize him. You just have to assume he's
the one with the red hair.
--Shannon
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Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 16:48:56 -0500
From: "Gregg Williams"
Subject: RE: Hearing Aids
The devices Steve was wearing the night of the concert are not hearing aids but,
head phones to replace the on stage monitors. I know that Phil Collins started
using them on the last Genesis concert and swears buy them. The head phones
are form-fitted to each person and block out all extraneous noises.
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From: HildreLind@aol.com
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 17:18:56 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Re: hearing aids?
I have worked in television for almost 14 years, much of it live television, and
have worked with a variety of what are called "bugs." >>
To me it looked like they were ear monitors.
Todd Rundgren wears a brand named Crystal Ear Monitors when performing
live, and they look very much the same. They serve the dual purpose of being
able to hear directly what is being fed into the mics while screening out a lot of
unneeded decibels. (Thanks to Pete Townshend for hastening awareness &
technology in this area.)
I thought Steve looked great in the Garage Band session! His voice was as
delightful as ever and he seemed to be having a good time playing. Love the
short hair and am surely going bonkers over those gray temples. I find that as I
grow older, men who I once found attractive years ago are becoming more
handsome...
Looking very much forward to the new release.
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From: MomeyKate@aol.com
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 14:00:28 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Junction 7 release- pushed back again!
Just checked Virgin Records page again - They list a JUNE 3 release date for
Junction 7. Rats!
Mary
[AFAIK, this info is available only on the AOL Virgin site, not on the Web-site
yet. -BG]
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From: MomeyKate@aol.com
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 22:25:21 -0500 (EST)
Subject: New blues singer from Minnesota (SW revisited?)
Hi, Smiling Phasers:
Thought you'd be interested in a new local star, "Kid" Jonny Lang, from
Roseville, Minnesota. His single, "Lie to Me" debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's
Heatseekers Chart, and his album is No. 2 on Blues Albums Chart. He is 16
years old, plays the guitar, sings great (like Joe Cocker, to my ear) and lists
blues artists as his major influences.
According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, March 9, 1997 Sunday edition:
"Lang follows the masters of blues guitar- B.B. King, Albert Collins, Stevie
Ray Vaughan - and calls Otis Redding his favorite singer. But sometimes his
youth shows through. While recording "Lie to Me" in Memphis and
Minneapolis, David Z(producer who has worked with Prince, Fine Young
Cannibals, Big Head Todd and the Monsters...) once remarked how his voice
reminded him of a young Steve Winwood. " He hadn't even heard of him. He
said, 'Who's that?'," David Z said."
Jonny Lang is very talented and has a great future ahead of him. Maybe he
should familiarize himself with Steve's work- It might help him to have a
35yr+ career, too!
Mary from MN (It's almost Spring , and my thoughts are turning to a new SW
album)
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Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 14:32:14 +1000
From: PETER NUTTALL
Subject: other musicians
When it comes to imagining who would collaborate well with Steve, I always
think about guitarists. Past collaborations tend to confirm this, Hendrix,
Clapton, Walsh, not to mention Dave Mason. A couple I'd like to hear Steve
play with are Robbie Robertson and Stephen Stills. I've always been a big
admirer of The Band and think Winwood/Robertson would be a great
combination. Though Stills reached superstar status with CSN(Y), he's largely
underrated as a guitarist. He's also a multi talented musician with a wide range
of musical styles and one of only a handful of vocalists whom I consider would
blend well with Winwood.
I also agree with another list member about Carlos Santana but can't imagine
someone like Elton John, but we all have our own tastes and preferences.
However, what I'd like to see most is a reunion of Clapton/Winwood.
Whenever they have played together it's been fantastic music and it would be
great to see the potential that Blind Faith showed finally come to fruition,
CFMWH and WA remain classics from it's only album.
I can't remember if I mentioned this in a posting or in a message to another list
member but, has anyone heard the duet Steve did with Ruby Turner?(When
Something Is Wrong With My Baby) I thought it was brilliant, classic
R&B/soul, I have it live on video, great stuff.
About Steve's drug use, I imagine like most artists of the time he smoked his
share of dope but, as far as the harder stuff is concerned there doesn't seem to
be very much documented about it. However, at the end of BF's Do What You
Like, the band members can be heard calling out musical notes, and Steve says
"H", this may be a reference to a bum note someone plays or may have a more
sinister meaning, either jokingly or serious. Make up your own mind.
BTW fantastic news about the new album, I'll have try and find out the release
date for Australia.
Peter
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From: "Mary Katsikas"
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 13:54:04 EST
Subject: need concert video
Am I the only one that didn't see the VH1 concert? PLEASE HELP me find a
video tape of it so that I can enjoy it too. If it is going to be rebroadcast, I
would like to know so that I can get someone in my area to tape it for me. I
don't get VH1 on my TV. Of course, reading all the glowing reviews is nice,
but I want to see it for myself. Please, please I ask for your assistance.
Thanks.
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 11:37:03 +0000
From: wayne fullwood
Subject: VH1
Hello Bobbie,
Didn't get to read your email until today, so I missed the Winwood thingy !!
Any chance of a copy on video tape ???? Do you have it ?? If not could you put
a small note on your page asking other subscribers ?? Please!!! I'd love to see
it!!!!
Cheers, Wayne.
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 14:10:11 +0100
From: Istituto Cervantes Napoli
Subject: VH-1 Garage Band show
I've read with great interest the news of an all-stars show on video with Our
Winwood on it. Although there were alarming comments from subscribers
about Steve's thinning and graying hair and put on weight - even Our
Winwood's MORTALITY!!! - is there anyone who would like to trade a video
copy of this show with a poor European subscriber deprived of VH1? I think
looks are important but much more is the MUSIC. I would do with an audio
copy also.
I notice Steve was aging straight from the photographs on English magazines
VOX and Q in 1994 - Far from Home interviews. Still, he's human after all -
it's just when he sings and plays that he's DIVINE!!!
Ellie
[I've told all who've asked that I do indeed have a copy, but my cable company
was screwing up that day and the quality is extremely poor; so could some of
you kind souls out there please contact these desperate folk via private email
and work out a deal with them? Thanks! -BG]
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From: MomeyKate@aol.com
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 21:33:40 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Re: SW's drug use
I'm responding a little late to A. Schulberg's post in vol. 51- Eric vs. Steve- (in
response to my saying that Steve has a happy, well-balanced life)- Arnie says "I
thought that Winwood's use of heroin and other "downer" drugs was well
known and evident throughout Low Spark..."
I have read several articles (mostly in Musician magazine, by Timothy White)
where the interviewer asks SW about this. SW always admits to pot and acid
use in late sixties- early seventies, but says he saw what drugs did to people
and was never a junkie. So, according to the man himself, he used some drugs
early in his career but gave them up after his brush with "death" (peritonitis).
I'm not an expert on drug use or abuse, the only drug I've used is alcohol. This
aspect of SW's life is not one of my favorite subjects, but, since the issue has
been raised several times in SP, I wanted to restate that SW has gone on to a
happy and well-adjusted life with a wife and family and other interests other
than "rock and roll". In my opinion, SW has found contentment in life much
more successfully than other rockers. And, being a huge fan of his work, I'm
glad for him!
Thanks for all the interesting posts to read!
Mary from Minnesota
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From: MomeyKate@aol.com
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 22:03:26 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Re: VH1 All Star Garage Band!
Well, it's over! And I only watched the videotape a dozen or so times, so far! I
thoroughly enjoyed the City of Hope concert as you all seemed to, as you said in
your posts. Saturday was a fun day- seeing SW on TV most of the day and
night....
My votes for high points- Gimme Some Lovin' (of course); Bitch, by Sheryl
Crow; Gloria, by John Mellencamp; Hold on, I'm Coming, by Steve W. and
Don Henley (and any other time SW opened his mouth).
I'm not a big Henley fan, but I like his voice, and "One of these nights" is my
favorite Eagles song, so- to hear SW's duet with Henley just reaffirms in my
mind what a GREAT singer SW is! No comparison.
On a more superficial note ( I'm glad I'm not the only one remarking on SW's
bad haircut - it grew out, and he looked wonderful at the Grammys- refreshed
and rejuvenated!) : Harsh lighting and no makeup at the concert also had
something to do with it. Sheryl Crow was the only one who looked terrific.
Anyway, it's not important... he obviously was enjoying himself and he
sounded great!
I have wondered, though... Steve never seems to look the same way twice ...
very chameleon-like to me. Or is it just video/ TV/ photo variation? I've never
been lucky enough to meet him. I have seen him in concert 5 times in the last
8 years, and he has always sounded terrific and looked the same! Some things
are better appreciated in person!
Looking forward to May 20 ...meet you at Junction 7,
Mary from MN
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From: "BobbieG."
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 09:48:45 -0700
Subject: Web-site announcements
I found an area on the Web which lists the daily chat events that are going on. I
will try to remember to add the AOL chatroom "Steve Winwood Fans" weekly.
To see it for yourself, please go to http://www.ubl.com/chat/
Also, Virgin informs me that the URL for the Gabfest section has changed; it is
now http://www.virginrecords.com/gabfest.html Please check it out to see the
entry on Smiling Phases, and drop them an email to let them know you
appreciate the recognition of our group!
Bobbie
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END OF SMILING PHASES, VOL 58
