The 500 - #373 - Volunteers - Jefferson Airplane

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

Album # 373

Album Title: Volunteers
Artist: Jefferson Airplane

Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Acid Rock, Folk Rock
Recorded: Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco
Released: November, 1969
My age at release: 4
How familiar was I with it before this week: Not at all
Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: We Can Be Together

The Vietnam War, or Second Indo-China War (1955-1975), was ever-present when I was a teen and young adult in the 1980s. Not in reality, but in film. 

Vietnam themed films of the 1980s

This wasn't new subject matter. Films about the conflict in Vietnam were being released even as the war raged on -- John Wayne's The Green Berets, is probably the most recognizable example.

The Green Berets featuring John Wayne (1968)

However, unlike The Green Berets, which was decidedly pro-military, the films of my youth examined the war more critically. In the late 70s and early 80s, the returning Vietnam veteran, physically and emotionally wounded from the experience, loomed large in society. So, understandably, they became an important part of contemporary storytelling.

Vietnam veterans hold a silent march
past the White House - April 22, 1971. 

Additionally, many film-makers, including Oliver Stone (Platoon, Born On The Fourth Of July), had participated in combat during this war. 

It was a time when I was becoming a movie buff. The 1980s was also a decade when video-cassette-recorders (VCRs) were an affordable option for families. Additionally, I was fortunate to live a $1 bus ride away from dozens of movie theatres, including The New Yorker, a revival house or repertory cinema, which exposed me to war-themed films from the 70s, including Taxi Driver, Apocalypse Now, The Deer Hunter and Coming Home. 

Vietnam themed films of the 1970s

These films not only helped me develop my understanding of this turbulent period in history, they were also my first exposure to the music of that time. As a result, I became a fan of The Doors, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Rolling Stones and, this week's featured artist, Jefferson Airplane. 

Promotional photo (1966) Top Row - Casady, Slick Balin
Bottom Row - Kaukonen, Kantner, Dryden (l-r)

Volunteers was the fifth release by American psychedelic rock group Jefferson Airplane. It also marked the final release by the group's classic line-up: Marty Balin (vocals), Paul Kantner (guitars, vocals), Grace Slick (vocals), Jorma Kaukonen (guitars, vocals), Spencer Dryden (drums) and Jack Casady (bass).

The record was controversial not only because of its lyrics, which were anti-war and anti-government, but also because it contained profanity. The record company, RCA, was initially hesitant to release the album because of the R-rated language, but a precedent had been set when they released the soundtrack to the Broadway musical Hair in 1968. 

Original Cast Recording of Hair - released by RCA (1968)

The times and issues have changed, but frustration with government decision making continues today. Many Ontarians are justifiably angry about the federal and provincial mishandling of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, including the unreliability of vaccine availability. Consequently, I returned to virtual learning with my Grade 7 class this week. 

As I played Volunteers, the themes of frustration, loss, nature, community and ecology found a way to resonate with me in 2021 as they must have with young anti-war protesters in 1969 -- when the second Indo-China War raged into its third decade under a fourth U.S. administration.

What about you? 

Got a favourite Jefferson Airplane song...or a favourite film about the war in Vietnam? 

 

The 500 - #374 - Siren - Roxy Music

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

Album # 374

Album Title: Siren
Artist: Roxy Music

Genre: Art Rock, Glam Rock, Art Pop
Recorded: AIR Studios, London
Released: October, 1975
My age at release: 10 (Guest blogger, Doug Hampson, was 16)
How familiar was I with it before this week: One Song
Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: Love Is The Drug

Last November, posted about album #396 on The 500, For Your Pleasure, by British Art Rock band Roxy Music. The post included a contribution from my long-time friend Bill Gudgeon who worked as an FM Radio disc jockey and band manager in the 1970s. Within minutes of the blog hitting my social media feed, I received a call from Doug, a friend I met 20 years ago through Bill.

Doug Hampson enjoying his favourite pasttime.

"I just read your Roxy Music post," Doug began, "I have a great story about that band." As he shared his tale with me, I quickly looked at The 500 List to discover that Roxy Music had another record, Siren, their fifth release, at position #374.

"Would you be willing to share that story next April, Doug?" I asked.

"Absolutely," he replied enthusiastically and, even through the phone line, I could imagine his face with the familiar grin my friends and I have all come to love from the guy we call "Dougie".  

Doug plying the waters of Ontario

From Doug:

On February 8, 1975, at the tender age of 16, I went to my first real concert. It was Roxy Music at the London Arena in London, Ontario. The only thing I knew about the group was the song Mother of Pearl from their third record, 1973's Stranded.

Album Cover for Stranded by Roxy Music (1973)

During the winter of 1975 I was a member of a local Boy Scout troop. Our fearless leader, Scout Master Larry, announced he was working security for the upcoming Roxy Music concert. He suggested that the concert would be an excellent outing for our troop and he would be able to monitor our safety while working at the show.

London Arena (1920) from The Western Archives

We couldn’t believe we were going to have this opportunity. We had to make preparations and began saving money in earnest. As luck would have it, we ended up with enough cash for our tickets, with money to spare. 

A partial ticket stub from the London show 

So, we did what most teenagers in the 1970s would do; we bought a bag of marijuana. One of the more experienced members of our group rolled the entire contents into doobies (marijuana cigarettes) and, after sneaking it past security, we each received three joints. 

With the passage of time, and perhaps those three joints, my memory about the event is a bit of a blur. However, I vividly remember the start of the show. The house lights dimmed and Roxy Music took the stage. The first five members were long-haired and freaky-looking. They went to their respective instruments and began playing. After a minute or two, out strolled a dashing man in a tuxedo. All I could think was, "Who the hell is this guy?"

Roxy Music (1975)

Then he started singing. What a voice! I later learned this was Bryan Ferry, founder, lead singer and principal songwriter for Roxy Music. But, I wasn't interested in details at the time; I was too busy having the time of my life on this "scout-sanctioned" outing. That feeling of excitement about live performances has never gone away. I still experience the same anticipation and electric delight when I attend a concert to this day.  Thanks, Larry.

More from me:

Roxy Music went on to release this week's album, Siren, eight months after the London performance. It featured one of their biggest hits, Love Is The Drug, which peaked at #2 in the UK and #3 in Canada. The video features Ferry dressed in a British air pilot's uniform, while sporting a gold and black eye-patch. This wasn't a fashion choice. Ferry had injured the eye a few days before the scheduled video shoot. Regardless, it created a buzz among Roxy Music devotees and many began to arrive at their concerts wearing the eye-patch as an accessory. 

Bryan Ferry in the Love Is A Drug video

Roxy Music released eight records between 1972 and 1982 before disbanding. Ferry continued with a successful solo career, while the other members found success with other bands. The group would reunite multiple times between 2001 and 2011 before declaring that they were disbanding permanently.

Roxy Music inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

In 2014, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by John Taylor and Simon Le Bon of the group Duran Duran, who, like dozens of other artists, cite Roxy Music as a formative influence. 

The 500 - #375 - Late For The Sky - Jackson Browne

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

Album # 375

Album Title: Late For The Sky
Artist: Jackson Browne

Genre: Rock, California Rock
Recorded: Three studios - California
Released: September, 1974
My age at release: 9
How familiar was I with it before this week: Somewhat
Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: Before The Deluge

Mad Men was a period drama set in Manhattan in 1960 and focused on the lives of employees at the fictional Madison Avenue advertising agency, Sterling-Cooper. In the Season One finale, an episode called The Wheel, protagonist Don Draper is tasked with developing a campaign for Kodak's new projector which houses photo-slides in a "donut-shaped" wheel on top.

Pitch Meeting in S:1 Ep:13 The Wheel on Mad Men

Here, in the dark and cigarette-smoke-filled room, Draper confidently launches an unexpected sales pitch as he patiently clicks through a series of sentimental family photographs.  

"In Greek, nostalgia literally means 'the pain from an old wound'. It's a twinge in your heart, far more powerful than memory alone. This device isn't a spaceship. It's a time machine. It goes backwards and forwards and takes us to a place where we ache to go again. It's not called 'The Wheel'. It's called 'The Carousel'. It travels the way a child travels ... around and around and back home again."  

I've reached the age where I am prone to prolonged bouts of nostalgia. They are sometimes predictable. Conversations with my high-school friend Terry are a common trigger. The discovery of old photographs or a forgotten song that was part of my teenage soundtrack will provoke a wistful reflection or take me back to a place where I "ache to go again".

And then there is the music of Jackson Browne.  

Jackson Brown (1974)

What is it about Jackson Browne? 

Browne writes songs that gently push the listener toward a contemplative and dreamy state of melancholy and nostalgia. However, most remarkably is the fact that these songs have always had a kind of power over me. Even when I first heard his music at the age of 12 or 13 I was filled with a yearning, or ache, to go back to a simpler time. Which is absurd. I was living in the simplest time of my life. What was I trying to "go back to"...last Wednesday?

Late For The Sky is the third studio release for Brown, a Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist and songwriter. It is also the third of three records on The 500 List. I wrote about album #391, The Pretender, last December and For Everyman at #450 in December, 2019 -- which seems like a lifetime ago!

Late For The Sky was released in 1974 in between the other releases. It captures Browne at the high-point of the "classic period" of his career.

For Everyman (1973) and The Pretender (1976) 

This year, Late For The Sky was deemed "culturally, historically and aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and has been selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry. 

Library of Congress - Washington DC

It is a sublime and beautiful record with gorgeously crafted, often heartbreaking, lyrics that blend magnificently with stunningly structured, rich music. Browne was only 24 when he recorded it, but it has the sound of an artist more mature. 

Late For The Sky, much like Don Draper's carousel slide-projector, is "a time machine" which will transport you to a place where you "ache to go again."  

30 Day Challenge #3 - Meatless March

This is the third entry in my series of monthly challenges. In January, I quit alcohol and sugar and reported on the things I learned. In February, I took the 100 push-up challenge, logging at least 100 push-ups, usually in four sets of 25, every day for 30 days and wrote about it here. 

An Update

A quick addendum to last month's post. I have some regrets about doing 100 push-ups a day. I needed to visit my osteopath twice in the to try to fix some back issues. When Darren, my osteopath, learned of my challenge he bluntly stated: "That wasn't a good idea".  

The David Clinic in London, Ontario

It seems I over-developed my pecs without compensating for the strain that would put on my back. Additionally, overworking the serratus muscles, along the back of the rib cage. Darren recommended a workout regimen from Russian author and weightlifter, Pavel Tsatsouline, which is detailed in his book Enter The Kettlebell. 

Rather than working on a group of muscles to their maximum on a daily basis, Tsatsouline's system constantly surprises your body which uses kettlebells. However, the fundamentals of the program can be applied to other exercises, such as push-ups. Consequently, I adapted my workouts in March and I think I'll start investing in kettlebells this summer, rather than renewing my gym membership. The savings from one will eventually offset the other.

Meatless March

Although I intended to adapt to a pescatarian diet this month, instead of meat, I really didn't end up eating that much fish. Instead, I embarked on a a mainly vegetarian diet which included about a dozen eggs and a couple cans of tuna over the 31 days.

My main source of protein came from beans and nuts. I made, and purchased, a lot of bean burritos. Burger King also introduced its plant-based Impossible Whopper, so I enjoyed the "fast-food" experience a couple times too.

The meatless Impossible Whopper - now available in Canada

What I learned

Of the three monthly challenges I have taken so far, March was the easiest. Because I like vegetables and beans, making the switch was effortless. It was just a matter of choosing not to consume meat products. I've also been enjoying vegetarian lunches for a few years now, so most of my day was the same.

I plan to continue being "mainly meatless" and I will certainly abstain from any "cheap" or "processed" meats. No more frozen pepperoni pizzas or chicken nuggets, even when they are on sale at Costco. My meat purchases will be fewer, and will come from local, sustainable sources. 

Today, I registered for the wait-list for my Covid vaccine. This made me pause and think about the many zoonotic (animal based) pandemic threats we are likely to face if we don't change our ways. Covid 19 likely came from a wet-market in Wuhan, China. The next could be from a factory farm in Nebraska or Kansas. Collectively, we need to consume less meat. I'm not gong to climb on a soapbox and try to persuade others. I'll just work on the change within my control.

Final Notes

Despite my dietary choices, I gained weight this month because I increased my intake of carbohydrates and sugars. If I am going to continue with this meatless plan, I will have to restrict the comfort-food-carbs and refined sugars my body seems to crave. 

One thing I won't change and that is continuing to be an agreeable dinner guest. When we return to a time when we can break bread with each other, I will enjoy any meal a friend or family member serves up. 

Next Up

In April, I am doing a 15 to 30-minute stretching routine every day. Let's see how that treats me! I'll update next month. 

 

The 500 - #376 - Post - Bjork

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

Album # 376

Album Title: Post
Artist: Björk

Genre: Art Pop, Electronica, Trip Hop
Recorded: Six studios - Nassau, Bahamas, and London, England
Released: June, 1995
My age at release: 29
How familiar was I with it before this week: One Song
Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: Hyperballad - selected by my my teaching colleague Sandra Snooks

Post is the second studio release by Björk, pronounced Be-Yurk, not Be-York, which is how I've said it and heard it for decades. The Icelandic artist is well known for two events, neither of which has anything to do with her music. 

In March, 2001, she arrived on the red carpet for the Academy Awards in a "swan dress". The bold choice was "widely criticized as outrageous and outlandish", with film critic Emmanuel Levy calling it the "fashion faux-pas of the year". Meanwhile, Boston Globe reporter Jay Carr wrote that "the wraparound frock made her look like a refugee from the more dog-eared precincts of provincial ballet." Comedian Joan Rivers made a joke about Björk "spreading newspapers on the bathroom floor", before remarking that "the girl should be put in an asylum."

The "crazy" dress would dominate "water-cooler talk" for days and eclipse any conversation about the award winners that included Julia Roberts for Erin Brockovich and Russell Crowe for Gladiator, which also won picture of the year.

Then, in 2008, Björk attacked a photographer from the New Zealand Herald at the Auckland International Airport, falling to the ground awkwardly as she ripped the back of his shirt. This was her second violent altercation with paparazzi. In February, 1996, she grabbed television reporter Julie Kaufman and took her to the ground, banging Kaufman's head on the concrete floor.

New Zealand Reporter shows the
evidence of the confrontation with Bjork

Consequently, Björk earned the reputation for being "crazy" and "unhinged". It was unfortunate because it overshadows her immense talent. It also makes me wonder if the same behaviour from a male celebrity would be judged as harshly. 

The aforementioned Russell Crowe has had multiple altercations with paparazzi and media. Interestingly, the Wikipedia entry about his behaviour reports Crowe as having "a bad temper". A further Google search about Crowe's many conflicts is awash with descriptions such as "rowdy", "hot-headed", "nasty" and "violent".  Absent are the words "crazy" or "unhinged", which, it seems, are usually reserved for female performers who behave badly.

Crowe arrested in 2016 for an assault charge.

Recently, my wife and I watched Framing Britney Spears. This HBO documentary profiles the pop-singer's turbulent life, including her confrontations with paparazzi and the infamous "head-shaving incident". 

As I watched, I was troubled by the casual and cruel way Spears, now 39, was mocked while suffering through a public mental-health breakdown. Late night talk show hosts took easy and mean-spirited shots at her with jokes that any good comic would dismiss as "low-hanging fruit". 

She was even the punchline for a Family Feud question: "Name something that Britney Spears has lost." Contestants unsympathetically giggled out point-scoring responses that included, "her mind" and "her children".

I'll readily admit that I made both "Britney" and "Bjork" jokes in reference to some of the choices they made. This isn't an effort to virtue signal, I went for the same "low-hanging fruit" for the sake of a laugh, and I remained uniformed about the events that led to these choices. 

Consequently, I approached Bjork's Post with an open-mind and was delighted by what I discovered. Although I was familiar with the album's opening track Army of Me, the rest of the record was virgin territory.

Post was positively reviewed as "genre roulette" in The San Francisco Chronicle, a term which delighted me. I am a massive fan of artists who make every track on their record a surprise. Indeed, one of my favourite records of all time is Queen's 1975 record,  A Night At The Opera, #231 on The 500. 

Post is a record full of surprises, featuring industrial music, trip-hop, experimental sounds and even a big band jazz number. Listening to it reminded me of the famous saying (often erroneously attributed to Mark Twain) about the weather in New England: "If you don't like it, wait a few minutes and it will change". 

Speaking of change, attitudes toward the infamous swan dress have certainly shifted. It is now celebrated as "iconic" and was "re-imagined" by designer Valentino for the 2014 Paris Fashion Week, whose interpretation received high praise from critics.

I'll close with a quote from one of my favourite musicians, Geddy Lee of Rush. When asked about his listening habits in 2000, he said of Björk; 

"She's awesome. She is not for everyone's taste, but she is damn well for my taste, I love her. She is a real artist, she's deeply talented and her voice is as compelling as any voice I have ever heard."

Geddy Lee