Post by Pete70s on Dec 27, 2006 22:51:33 GMT -5
This is one of my all-time favorite albums, that (thanks to iTunes) I now have remastered complete with 8 bonus tracks! (Varese Sarabande, a label I THOUGHT went out of buisness, has released this on CD as well):
John Phillips- "John, The Wolfking of L.A." (1970)
After the demise of The Mamas and Papas in 1968, John was left to go solo. Being the talented writer/arranger he was, you would have THOUGHT he would have had a successful solo career, right?
Well, things didn't exactly happen that way. Mama Cass became a superstar, while John's only solo album tanked, spawning only one top 40 hit single, "Mississippi". A real shame, as this album is one of the most heartfelt, REAL artitstic statements of its time. Even more of a shame is that John BARELY mentions it in his autobiography.
Of course John was heavily using drugs at this point, he said in later years that he "was doing cocaine and heroin every fifteen minutes" during this time.
Very heavily influenced by country music, as groups like The Byrds, Poco and The Flying Burrito Brothers were breaking new territory, "Wolfking" is full of honky tonk piano, pedal steel guitar and sweet acoustic guitar licks, which gave it appeal to fans of both the country and singer/songwriter genres. Backed by L.A.'s best session musicians (Hal Blaine, Larry Knechtel, Orville "Red" Rhodes, Buddy Emmons, James Burton, Joe Osborn), "Wolfking" is a true masterpiece.
One year after the Wolfking album, John reunited the Mamas and Papas (due to a contractual obligation), for one final album, the R&B influenced "People Like Us". As his drug and alcohol problems worsened, he would not release another note of new music until shortly before his death in 2001, when an aborted album from the mid-70's, "Pay, Pack and Follow" surfaced (originally slated to be released on Rolling Stones Records, as he was friends/drug buddies with Mick & Keith at the time). The posthumous release of "Phillips 66" later that year was a fitting farewell, but "Wolfking" was his finest moment as a solo artist.
So here's a rundown:
"April Anne"- A weepy pedal steel guitar lick kicks off the opening track, a gorgeous song with some great lyrics. Can't tell if he's using the word "Faggot" or "Fagged" though. Don't really care, I just love the line "But she chose the drunken gigolo instead".
"Topanga Canyon"-Very relaxing song, though it's about going to Topanga to get drugs.
"Malibu People"- "....really know how to live"
"Someone's Sleeping"- More awesome pedal steel playing.
"Drum"- a great country tempo drives this song about a drum set being stolen outside a gig (for drug money).
"Captain (The Mermaid)"- I hear a bit of Gospel in this.
"Let It Bleed, Gennivieve"- A somewhat disturbing song about his then-wife, Gennivieve, miscarrying their child as he's unconsious from a drug binge. Rock stars......
"Down The Beach"- Somewhat more uptempo, the song features a gravelly-voiced, jazz-inspired scat section in the middle. Allegedly written about his break-up with Michelle.
"Mississippi"- The hit single, and the most uptempo song on the album, with solo's from Larry, Joe, and James, and a two-second drum break near the end that sounds like it was spilced in. "Hit it, Hal!"
"Holland Tunnel"- More Gospel influence on the closing track. Sing-song chorus makes it a fitting song to close with.
Despite the heavy subject matter, these songs are just SO catchy.. I love this album! Here's a link to a myspace page I found with three tracks posted (as well as one from "Pay, Pack & Folow"), so you can check them out. Let me know what you think.
profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=116198410
BTW- Looking at the front cover tells me where Dylan got the idea for the cover of "Desire". And looking at the BACK cover (which, unfortunately, I can't find a scan of) makes me wonder if Jethro Tull saw this when they conceived "Aqualung".
Well, anyway, NOW I can finally retire my vinyl!!!
John Phillips- "John, The Wolfking of L.A." (1970)
After the demise of The Mamas and Papas in 1968, John was left to go solo. Being the talented writer/arranger he was, you would have THOUGHT he would have had a successful solo career, right?
Well, things didn't exactly happen that way. Mama Cass became a superstar, while John's only solo album tanked, spawning only one top 40 hit single, "Mississippi". A real shame, as this album is one of the most heartfelt, REAL artitstic statements of its time. Even more of a shame is that John BARELY mentions it in his autobiography.
Of course John was heavily using drugs at this point, he said in later years that he "was doing cocaine and heroin every fifteen minutes" during this time.
Very heavily influenced by country music, as groups like The Byrds, Poco and The Flying Burrito Brothers were breaking new territory, "Wolfking" is full of honky tonk piano, pedal steel guitar and sweet acoustic guitar licks, which gave it appeal to fans of both the country and singer/songwriter genres. Backed by L.A.'s best session musicians (Hal Blaine, Larry Knechtel, Orville "Red" Rhodes, Buddy Emmons, James Burton, Joe Osborn), "Wolfking" is a true masterpiece.
One year after the Wolfking album, John reunited the Mamas and Papas (due to a contractual obligation), for one final album, the R&B influenced "People Like Us". As his drug and alcohol problems worsened, he would not release another note of new music until shortly before his death in 2001, when an aborted album from the mid-70's, "Pay, Pack and Follow" surfaced (originally slated to be released on Rolling Stones Records, as he was friends/drug buddies with Mick & Keith at the time). The posthumous release of "Phillips 66" later that year was a fitting farewell, but "Wolfking" was his finest moment as a solo artist.
So here's a rundown:
"April Anne"- A weepy pedal steel guitar lick kicks off the opening track, a gorgeous song with some great lyrics. Can't tell if he's using the word "Faggot" or "Fagged" though. Don't really care, I just love the line "But she chose the drunken gigolo instead".
"Topanga Canyon"-Very relaxing song, though it's about going to Topanga to get drugs.
"Malibu People"- "....really know how to live"
"Someone's Sleeping"- More awesome pedal steel playing.
"Drum"- a great country tempo drives this song about a drum set being stolen outside a gig (for drug money).
"Captain (The Mermaid)"- I hear a bit of Gospel in this.
"Let It Bleed, Gennivieve"- A somewhat disturbing song about his then-wife, Gennivieve, miscarrying their child as he's unconsious from a drug binge. Rock stars......
"Down The Beach"- Somewhat more uptempo, the song features a gravelly-voiced, jazz-inspired scat section in the middle. Allegedly written about his break-up with Michelle.
"Mississippi"- The hit single, and the most uptempo song on the album, with solo's from Larry, Joe, and James, and a two-second drum break near the end that sounds like it was spilced in. "Hit it, Hal!"
"Holland Tunnel"- More Gospel influence on the closing track. Sing-song chorus makes it a fitting song to close with.
Despite the heavy subject matter, these songs are just SO catchy.. I love this album! Here's a link to a myspace page I found with three tracks posted (as well as one from "Pay, Pack & Folow"), so you can check them out. Let me know what you think.
profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=116198410
BTW- Looking at the front cover tells me where Dylan got the idea for the cover of "Desire". And looking at the BACK cover (which, unfortunately, I can't find a scan of) makes me wonder if Jethro Tull saw this when they conceived "Aqualung".
Well, anyway, NOW I can finally retire my vinyl!!!
