A couple of weeks in LA has left me feeling rejuvenated for the coming Folk activity in May. First there is the Tigerfest with Monica Queen, Phoebe Kreutz and The Stantons. Later on the 18th of May there is a gig at the Wee Red Bar - more details to follow. There is also an updated mix of Francis Bacon would approve on Myspace Thanks to Liam for this.
After a combined month of holidays by the Gadgee and myself (whilst Liam was busy in Edinburgh on various projects) the momentum is back.
Anyway, back to LA. A relaxed experience with some sunshine to boot. Not much on the music front really. Narrowly missed out on seeing the New York Dolls in a small venue. After queuing for half an hour, the over officious doorman wouldn't let me in for a lack of swipeable photo id. A two minute argument paid no dividends. Must be my uncanny resemblance to Osama Bin Laden that cost me that one ! Och well, no cross dressing ex junkie action for me then !. Wandered down the road and caught a NZ band on their way back from SXSW. Ryan McPhun and the Ruby Suns . Okay, rubbish name but with a set that sounded like St Jude's dosed up on Prozac and sunshine, they succeeded in cheering me up. Nice folk as well.
LA is the home of one of my favourite all time bands - Love. I have been fortunate to catch the rejuvenated Arthur Lee over the last few years. However, Love's proper career (ie the band that included the late Bryan McLean - writer of Alone Again Or) lasted between 66 - 68. This line up released three albums (though Lee kept the name going). I had heard, but never owned the missing non album tracks from this period. In LA Love was frequently playing where I stayed and I returned to the UK with the missing songs on CD. One of these I discovered had a rough promotional film made - the single Your Mind and We Belong Together. .
They were contemporaries of The Doors, but refused to tour or promote material. Love were uncommunicative in interviews (known as "Hate" by some of the loved up hippy bands of the time) and had a drug fuelled destructive bent. Record label Elektra understandably concentrated on The Doors. Thankfully recorded music survives intact for future generations. I had been enjoying Love's music for years before I knew a single thing about the band beyond their song titles and the musicians names. It was good to put a story to the music.