Happy Birthday Janis Joplin. She would have been 74 today if she had not sang for awhile and then flew off. A history of Birdsong

Happy Birthday Janis Joplin. She would have been 74 today if she had not sang for awhile and then flew off. A history of Birdsong

 

     To celebrate her short but powerful life we will watch a few of her amazing videos. Her talent had no end and will never be matched by another. So, I will not waste my time trying to explain her infectious joy or her awe-inspiring music. However, I will let Robert Hunter say goodbye with a Birdsong which was written for her. Happy Birthday Janis 

  Here is one of the few complete live performances besides Woodstock. It's from Frankfort, Germany and is breathtaking. 

   

   This following is not my words but a helpful guide to hear a bevy of Birdsongs 

Bird Song was written for Janis within a couple months after she died, and our first version comes from a Crosby/Garcia rehearsal at the Matrix on 12-15-70. They spend some time going over the intro - the song's new to Crosby, and Garcia himself isn't sure how to go from one section to another, so the rehearsal ends quickly after some flailing around!

It had to wait a couple months to be debuted in a Dead show; but was played from February to August 1971. (The Bird Songs from 2-19, 4-28, and 7-31 have been released. The last live 1971 Bird Song, from 8-23, is available on a horrible AUD; presumably the full SBD is in the Vault, but they haven't shared it with us.) 
This is a good example of a '71-style Bird Song: 
http://www.archive.org/details/gd71-04-21.sbd.kaplan.8227.sbeok.shnf 

There is one famous acoustic/electric Bird Song....on Garcia's first solo album, recorded in summer '71, with Garcia playing all the guitars (and an organ). This one is introduced with a big crash (the same way they did it on 7-31-71!)...there's not really a jam of course, but there is a nice shimmery Dead-like outro. 
(This is also one of the few songs on the album for which there isn't a basic or alternate take on the All Good Things set.)

After Keith joined, they tried it out a couple times at rehearsals, for instance on 9-29-71. This one has an interesting arrangement that starts guitars-only, with bass & drums not coming in til the chorus - Garcia plays a very sweet outro.
http://www.archive.org/details/gd71-09-29.sbd.cousinit.16891.sbeok.shnf 

But for whatever reason, they dropped it for the next 10 months. The song was dramatically re-introduced on 7-18-72 - Garcia, ironically, starts playing it while Weir explains that Pigpen isn't feeling well... Garcia is a fireball in this show; Bird Song isn't as gentle as it was in '71 - and it now has the 'false start' in the middle jam.
http://www.archive.org/details/gd1972-07-18.sbd.miller.32878.flac16 

Bird Song was played steadily over the next year until 9-15-73, when they stopped again... Some folks (like me) consider this the peak period for Bird Song. The last '73 version is available only in an AUD, though (perhaps the first-set SBD will appear someday).
http://www.archive.org/details/gd73-09-15.aud-sbd.cotsman.16174.sbeok.shnf 

Bird Song then disappeared for 7 years until the Dead, on an inspired whim, decided to include it in their 1980 acoustic sets. Here's one good Radio City example: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYA16z2-xFg 

And here's a (rather dark) video of the very nice 10-16-81 acoustic Melkweg version: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJdaePiSUXY 

The song crossed back over into their electric sets on 11-30-80, and stayed there til the bitter end. (The ending jam was dropped in this phase, as far as I know.)
http://www.archive.org/details/gd80-11-30.sbd-aud.sacks.2416.sbeok.shnf 

But while the Dead switched to electric Bird Songs, Garcia kept playing it acoustically with John Kahn from 1982 to 1986. (One of these, from 2-28-86, has been released.)
This is a rather shaky video from this era (1-31-86) that illustrates these quick, ragged Bird Songs. Garcia takes flight in the solo - the way he switches to chords for a stretch reminds me of the 7-31-71 version! 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-h8e-lkZMc 

And on 12-17-87, Bob Weir joined them for an acoustic set which included Bird Song and, believe it or not, Victim or the Crime... I think pretty much the whole set is on youtube, but here's the Bird Song. (Warning: it's a shortened version, with Joan Baez distracting the players!) 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZzKKndi4jg 

This is another acoustic Garcia/Weir/Kahn version, a bit longer & smoother - I think it's from 3-22-89? This one has the end-of-jam chord series I think started being used in the late '80s.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teIBSOQBWfE 

The 9/24/94 acoustic Bird Song is also worth special mention, as the jam goes 'out' much more than earlier acoustic Bird Songs do.

Keith Richards turns 152 years old today. The American Dream.

Happy Birthday to the immortal Keith Richards, who turns 152 today( in Keith years. ) The American Dream,  An editorial by Kevin Long. 

 

          Happy Birthday to the immortal Keith Richards, who is celerbrating another year of not detoxing ever other month. When he realized it was his actually Birthday, he perked up and replied"I buy if you fly".  I paused for a moment and said you have to be the luckiest addict since Robert Downey JR. "Bloody Hell",  while handing me another pile of cash. I paused and asked ,"you think we need all this extra money for just one more guest"?. His soul vessel then replied, "he is the only guest" and "A bender is not a party". I started to get a bad case of "peek out the window ides " combined with an adventurous but romantic relationship with the shadow people. It was surreal  because I never even met him suddenly I am his personal stash spot. I was overwhelmed with questins and hearing the lunacy led to more confusion. This is one way  orange Hitler steals minds. My morning routine was a familiar sensation. I woke up covered  in chill bumps and sweat.  Just when I let myself believe.............. I woke up with A severe case of "Sobriety". Damn,  cold Turkey is a cruel gift  especially from Keith. It was nice of him to not buy all the drugs in the old folks village. 

In breaking news,  Keith Richards is still alive two hours into his celebration. I am a huge "Who fan",   so growing up I was not brave enough to like both bands. It's similar to living in N.Y and rooting for the Mets and Yankees. However, I do love the junky years of The Rolling Stones vast catologue of music. Sister Morphine, Sticky Fingers, Loving Cup are anthems. I am almost convinced it was a dream. A long intense vived one, similar to the night terrors I had when I was sprung on Spice. But it's early and I think Keith left a spoon full of tar for my morning shot. Damn! "Brown Sugar" why you feel so good? Hunter S. Thompson once wrote something to the effect of , "He has not done more drugs than anybody". If he was not such a lightweight I would have him over to the house more often.. I respect the British invasion and fleecing us of our fragile American culture. Why do Americans have to love  " The Stones" and "Jesus". They have way to many amazing times build around this Band.. In my humble opinion,  Keith was just an average addict when you put him next to legends llike Townsend and OX. Musically speaking he is not qualified to be Pete's guitar tech. Keith is wearing  a crown declaring himself" king of intoxication". Real addicts ain't got time or are experienced in arts and crafts. Shit, I bet even that kid Johny Manzil runs out of foil nightly.  Why did Netflix make another documentary glorifing Keith's life of an addict. Besides, if the world knows you are a party god only because you wrote and told us every time you open your mouth. I call Bullshit! That child star that was left "Home Alone" every Christmas while I was growing up. I guess it was a matter of time with all he dealt with in childhood. I will end with a question. If you are a guitar Jedi in one of the biggest bands of all time than why in the hell is your appititite for drugs still the topic of every documentary or discussion? I guess it beats the story of the worst guitarist to ever play in an iconic group. "Happy Birthday Keith"  Don't forget  to tweet how wasted you are tonight. Impossible I have a reputation to think of and I already made the tweet weeks ago & set the timer. I suddenly was overwhelmed with pity & empathy for this rich spoiled old ..... Sorry, it passed! He needs to mix more happy drugs with the trailer park pick up. 

 

Translation* for those who are not used to reading an article by me. It's not only Satire, it's a tastless cheap shot. 

Words:Kevin Long

Photo: Lori in the sky with Diamonds. 

Today is the birthday of Jerome "Jerry" Garcia and while I Miss Him More than Ever, I Know He's Smiling: An editorial by Greg Heffelfinger

Today is the birthday of Jerome "Jerry" Garcia and while I Miss Him More than Ever, I Know He's Smiling: An editorial by Greg Heffelfinger

Every great writer in music history has written about Jerry Garcia. He's an icon for millions recognized by people all over the planet. His time on earth was short but he accomplished more than most could in ten lifetimes. He lived it no way but his own. Not many people can say that. The music that he plays touches my soul like no one else ever will. He was known as Jerry G of the Grateful Dead. At the same time, he wasn't married to the Grateful Dead. Part of his charm would be that even between tours, he had to play. He truly was a musical vessel that will be missed for as long as I can see. He started in humble, somewhat tragic circumstances and overcame that to be adored by so many people it made the naturally outgoing man, a little nervous. So many estimated prophets called for his attention and he always just called himself as a guitar player. There is a quote from the eminently quotable man," I would be happy playing as a nobody at some Mission St bar for the rest of my life." To know that he was so empathic and so conscious that he stayed in a analogue to an abusive marriage in The Grateful Dead just to keep paying the bills for people, says everything. I'm not here to praise him to death but I think we should all acknowledge a special being was here for awhile and dusted off those strings so many times for us. His lived life, his way, and I'm grateful for it.

Rock Scully always said that all the skeleton imagery freaked him out a little. He would never take a picture in a graveyard, for example. He was a real person not just a guitar player. I love little tidbits about him because he showed only so many cards on stage even though he gave all to us when he was done. His sound and charisma drew so many to him. And the taping policy, because he used to travel and tape bluegrass bands,let him leave it with us. Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions might be one of the most influential unknown bands ever. Because the man practiced all the time and sometimes literally slept with his guitar, I know he just wanted to get the music out. I feel like he's looking down on his little brother Bobby and smiling because there are so many roads to find what you are looking for. There were so many roads to ease his soul and he went down one that took him early. Thankfully we had him here for awhile. 

Happy Birthday Jerry

(8/1/42-8/9/95)

Written by: Greg Heffelfinger

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