Tag Archives: 1960’s music
Will You Take Me As I Am, a book by Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell is one of the most celebrated artists of the last half century, and her landmark 1971 album, Blue, is one of her most beloved and revered works. Generations of people have come of age listening to the album, inspired by the way it clarified their own difficult emotions. Critics and musicians admire the idiosyncratic virtuosity of its compositions. Will You Take Me As I Am — the first book about Joni Mitchell to include original interviews with her — looks at Blue to … Continue reading →
George Harrison
George Harrison is, quite simply, one of the greatest guitarists in rock and roll history. Not the most technical musician, and certainly not the flashiest, but when it comes to being in a band — playing precisely what the song asks for, contributing ideas, and acting as one voice among several, he has been only occasionally equaled, and never surpassed. While capable of some impressive soloing, Harrison’s true talent lies in his creative lead playing and strong songwriting. As a member of the Beatles, Harrison … Continue reading →
Neil Young
Neil Young was born November 12, 1945 in Toronto, Ontario to Rassy and Scott Young. As a youth, he survived diabetes, polio, epilepsy and the divorce of his parents. His father was a highly respected sportswriter for The Toronto Sun and has authored several books, including Neil & Me, a 1984 title covering his relationship with his musician son. At a club in Fort William, Ontario in ’65, The Squires crossed paths with an American folk-rock band called The Company, which featured a … Continue reading →
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell was born Roberta Joan Anderson on November 7, 1943, in Fort Macleod, Alberta, Canada. At the age of nine, Mitchell contracted polio during a Canadian epidemic, but she recovered after a stay in hospital. It was during this time that she first became interested in singing. Joni Mitchell moved to New York City in 1967, and took up residence in the arty Chelsea district. She met Elliot Roberts in the fall and he began to manage her career, helping to open up the … Continue reading →
Circus Maximus: The Wind
Does anyone remember this song ? Circus Maximus was a United States band in the late 1960s, who combined influences from folk music, rock, and jazz into a form of psychedelic rock. The band was formed in 1967 by jazzist Bob Bruno and Jerry Jeff Walker. Bruno’s song “Wind”, from their eponymous first album, became a minor hit in the United States, particularly through airplay on “progressive” FM radio stations. In late December 1967, they performed in an unusual pair of “Electric Christmas” concerts together … Continue reading →
Delmore Schwartz and Lou Reed
To understand Lou Reed you could begin where he began: the works of American poet and author Delmore Schwartz and the novels of proto-grunge writer Hubert Selby jnr, author of Last Exit To Brooklyn and Requiem For A Dream. In 1962, Delmore Schwartz began teaching creative writing at Syracuse University. One of his students was future songwriter Lou Reed (Take A Walk On The Wild Side), who dedicated several songs to his mentor (European Son). Schwartz told Reed at one point, “You can write-and if … Continue reading →