Here’s are YouTube compilations of Shindig! which was on TV from 1964-1966. I preferred it to Hullaballoo, the other rock and roll show from the era. As I recall, Shindig! was less structured.
Category: Music
Art Rupe
This is a great box set of music on Specialty Records. There are lots of reissues of individual artists, too.
New Drive-By Truckers album soon
The Drive-By Truckers are a great band. If you don’t know them, start with 2003’s Decoration Day. Here’s information on their upcoming album. It has a link to the YouTube video of the title track.
Bob Dylan on the Tribute to John Hammond recorded 9/10/75
Here are three videos of songs that later appeared on Dylan’s 1976 album Desire. Read the excellent notes by Swingin’ Pig.
“Simple Twist of Fate” is here on Facebook.
Drums are a key part of James Brown’s records
I was not a fan of James Brown growing up. In the early days of CDs, there was a CD called The CD of JB. I got it and have been buying all of the great reissues ever since. I think Brown has had even more influence on modern music than the Beatles.
Drums are a key part of his sound and he had many great drummers.
Cassette tapes
Cassette tapes were introduced in 1963. They were most popular in the 1980s and the 1990s because of portability – they could be played on a Walkman.
Music on cylinders from a century ago
Twitter thread and article on how low streaming pay hurts musicians
Touring doesn’t make up for it.
Twitter thread discussed in the article:
Richard Manuel
Today is the late Richard Manuel’s birthday. He was one of three lead singers for The Band and played piano (or sometimes drums). Manuel’s singing could really convey pain, frailty, and heartbreak. He’s one of my favorite vocalists ever.
One of his greatest vocals is on 1970’s “The Shape I’m In”. Two of my favorites are “Saved” and “The Great Pretender” from the 1973 covers album Moondog Matinee. I love the way he hits the high note near the end of “The Great Pretender”. “Saved” appears to be a commentary on his own substance abuse problems.
Check out The Richard Manuel Archive for some excellent articles on The Band.
The Isley Brothers 1959-1969
The Isley Brothers have been around since the 1950s. They have had hit records in a variety of styles since then.
“Shout” was recorded in 1959. It has been covered numerous times.
They had a 1962 hit with “Twist and Shout” which is also known for the version by the Beatles from 1963 with John Lennon on lead vocals.
“This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)” was recorded for Motown’s Tamla label in 1966. The Isley Brothers were on Motown until 1968 and their records sound more like Motown records than their own original records. They also recorded “I Guess I’ll Always Love You” in 1966. Holland-Dozier-Holland wrote the first one with Sylvia Moy and the second by themselves.
The 1969 record on their own label “It’s Your Thing” was their biggest hit at that time. They wrote and produced it.
Sad! 