OBTWWOIP Status

Sincere apologies for the long hiatus. Moving into uni, getting settled, and starting classes totally threw me off my game. As of yesterday, OBTWWOIP is back up and will be running intermittently (i.e. when I somehow manage to find free time in my Engineering schedule).

To those of you who are actually reading this blog, muchas gracias! Hopefully you learn something new every time you come. Got a request? Feel free to leave it in a comment or tweet at me.

- Megan

A Memory of Richard Wright

Today in 2008, we lost Richard Wright, the keyboardist for Pink Floyd, at the age of 65. To be fair, Wright was more than a keyboardist, he also played synth, organ, bass, harpsicord, harmonium, and performed backing vocals. He was also a songwriter, though not as prolific as David Gilmour or Roger Waters, and produced a significant amount of lyrics for Division Bell, Wish You Were Here, Dark Side of the Moon, and Meddle.

At 12, Wright taught himself how to play guitar. In 1962, he enrolled in the Regent Street Polytechnic where he met future bandmates Waters and Gilmour. The three formed The Pink Floyd Sound in 1965. In 1967-68, Wright wrote and sang many of his own songs. He is not credited with lead vocals on several Syd Barrett penned tunes from The Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

Wright performing in Munich in 2006.

Typically, Wright contributed to the long, epic songs such as "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," "Atom Heart Mother," and "Echoes." He also extensively contributed to "Time" and "Breathe," and sang alternating lead vocals with Gilmour on "Breathe." But as the sound and goals of Pink Floyd changed, Wright focused more on his keyboard style for the extended instrumental breaks in songs like "Dogs," "One of These Days," and "Interstellar Overdrive."

Wright was forced to resign from Pink Floyd by Waters during the The Wall sessions. Waters threatened to axe the tapes if Wright didn't leave. However, he was kept on as a salaried session musician. He was the only member to not attend the film premiere of Pink Floyd-The Wall (1982) and Pink Floyd's Final Cut (1983) is the only album Wright does not appear on. He continued to appear alongside Pink Floyd as a salaried musician following Waters's departure.

One of the last times Pink Floyd played together (L to R): Gilmour, Waters, Mason, Wright

In November 2005, Pink Floyd was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame. Wright was unable attend due to cataracts surgery. In 2006, Wright joined Gilmour and Nick Mason for the recording of the PULSE DVD. In 2008, Wright died of cancer while he had been working on a new solo album. His contributions to the music world have been and will continue to be missed.

Woodstock Day 15: Blood, Sweat, & Tears

Formed in 1967, Blood, Sweat, & Tears played at Woodstock on August 18th at 1:30 am. At the time, their line-up consisted of David Clayton-Thomas on vocals, Bobby Colomby on drums, Jim Fielder on bass, Dick Halligan on keyboard and flute, Jerry Hyman on trombone, Steve Katz on guitar and harmonica, Fred Lipsius on alto sax and piano, Lew Soloff on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Chuck Winfield on trumpet and flugel horn as well. Their belend of jazz, psychedelic, soul, and R&B was a perfect addition to the musical diversity of Woodstock.

Clayton-Thomas singing at Woodstock.

In 1969, BS&T already produced two hit albums: Child Is Father to the Man and Blood, Sweat & Years both released in 1968. This allowed the band to choose from a bevy of popular and well-known songs and their set was well received. Most of their songs from the set were not taped and their performance wasn't included in the 1970 film Woodstock. However, their set was played flawlessly and with a lot of feeling. But sax player Lipsius felt that Woodstock was the worst gig that the band had played, claiming that Clayton-Thomas sang off key that night, which would have been the only time in the band's history that it had ever happened.

The band continued to be highly successful until their disbandment in 1981. However between Woodstock and the break-up, the band had so many incarnations that only one original member remained at the end. In 1983, the band restarted with Clayton-Thomas at the wheel until 2004. The band had an ever changing roster and still continues to change very often. Though active today, the band is very different than they were in the 60s and 70s, most likely due to lack of the influence of the original members.

The eponymous Blood, Sweat, & Tears album (1968).

BS&T put out some great hits: "Spinning Wheel," "More and More," "Fire and Rain," and "And When I Die." 1968's Blood, Sweat, & Tears was featured in the 2006 book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Website: http://www.bloodsweatandtears.com/

Woodstock Day 14: Bert Sommer

Bert Sommer played on Friday, August 15th as the third act for Woodstock at about 7:15 pm. Sommer was a folk singer and fit in quite well with the Friday line-up. He wrote a song called "We're All Playing For The Same Band" at and about the Woodstock Festival. The song peaked at #48 on the Billboard Hot 100. Sommer was active from 1967-1978.

Sommer performing the song "Jennifer" at Woodstock.

Sommer's performance was not included in the 1970 film Woodstock nor in the Woodstock album that was issued in the same year. If his performance had been included in either instance, his stardom could have been sealed as it was with other acts at the Festival.

Bert at Woodstock.

After Woodstock, he was a member of the baroque-pop group Left Banke. He co-wrote and sang on their hit "Ivy Ivy/Suddenly." He also played Woof in the original Broadway production of Hair and his hair is featured on the original playbill.

Sommer died in 1990 in Troy, New York at the age of 41 from a respiratory illness.

Woodstock Day 13: John Sebastian

John Sebastian, ex-member of The Lovin' Spoonful, played on Saturday, August 16th at 3:30 pm at Woodstock. Sebastian wasn't originally scheduled to play at Woodstock, but he took the best filler spot available. Sebastian was also high during his set so it very spontaneous and casually played. At the end of his set he had a funny comment: "Just love everybody all around ya and clean up a little garbage on your way out and everything gonna be alright." Clearly a mellow guy at an apropos venue and his set was highly memorable - I mean it's hard to forget a fully tie-dyed man.

Sebastian at Woodstock

Sebastian left The Lovin' Spoonful in 1968 and in the same year he composed the music and lyrics for the musical Jimmy Shine which premiered on Broadway. In 1970, Sebastian released his LP John B. Sebastian which featured him accompanied by various Los Angeles artists. In 1976, he had a #1 single, "Welcome Back," the theme song for the sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter. He is cited to be a major influence to many rock and blues rock artists.

Sebastian returned for Woodstock '94 and played harmonica for Crosby, Nash, Stills, and Young. (don't worry, I'll get to them too!) In 2008, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He's still fairly active today, mostly in the songwriting department.

To see what Sebastian is up to these days, visit his website: http://www.johnbsebastian.com/

Woodstock Day 12: Janis

At 2 am on Sunday, August 17th, Janis Joplin and the Kozmic Blues took the stage. Having made her name at the Monterey International Pop Festival in 1967 with her previous band Big Brother & The Holding Company, Joplin went solo in 1968. So obviously Joplin was up onstage at Woodstock with a full ensemble at her disposal. With the performance being so late, the set lacked Joplin's usual power and improv from her back-up band. Even with this, Joplin's performance was still a highlight of Woodstock.

Joplin's psychedelic Porsche.

The set consisted mostly of material from Joplin's first album I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! (1969), the most popular of which is "Kosmic Blues." Of the set, her last two songs were the highlights: "Piece of My Heart" and "Ball and Chain." "Piece of My Heart" was a regular of Big Brother and The Holding Company and "Ball and Chain" was a Big Mama Thorton cover. "Can't Turn You Loose" was the only song that Joplin's ensemble sang.

Her set was included on At Woodstock (1993) and in the film Woodstock (1970) as they were recorded straight from the soundboard. Due to Joplin's insistence, her friend and ensemble member Peggy Caserta's vocals were not included in either recording due to an argument (Joplin blamed Caserta for allowing Joplin to shoot heroin before her set).

Joplin at Woodstock.

On October 4, 1970, Joplin died of a heroin overdose at the age of 27. Another member of the "27 Club"? We may never know. But Joplin made a huge impact on the music scene in the late 60s and her possible contributions could have continued to change the music world.

Woodstock Day 11: Quill - Not Just for Hedgehogs

As the first band on the 2nd day of Woodstock, Quill played from 12:15 to 12:45, though drummer Roger North maintained that they played 40 minutes - an extreme exaggeration given that Quill only played 4 songs with a total running time of 18 minutes. In their song "Waitin' for You," Quill handed out some percussive instruments to the crowd so they could participate. This kind of idea works well in clubs, not so much in a crowd of 500,000 people.

Quill at Woodstock

Ever heard of Quill? If you have, you probably went to Woodstock or you've got extensive musical knowledge. They were a Boston, MA psychedelic rock band that was active from 1967 to 1970. They produced one album entitled The Quill in 1970. Quill was hardly known before and after Woodstock. Due to technical recording issues, Quill's performance was excluded from the 1970 Woodstock film and their label, Cotillion Records (Atlantic), refused to promote the band.

Quill's line-up consisted of Jon Cole on vocals and bass, Dan Cole on vocals and percussion, Roger North on drums and percussion, Norman Rogers on vocals and guitar, and Phil Thayer on keyboard, sax, and flute. The week before Woodstock, Quill spent time entertaining stage crew, hog farmers, and festival workers at the local motel. They also played some local goodwill concerts at prisons, mental institutions, and halfway houses to help promote the festival and soothe community members.

Quill's audio performance of "Driftin'" at Woodstock.

It's not to say that Quill wasn't successful, though they did have one of the strangest tours in music history. Quill opened for The Who, The Jeff Beck Group, The Grateful Dead, The Kinks, Deep Purple, and Janis Joplin. They even got to jam with Jimi Hendrix backstage one night at Woodstock. If their performance had been included in Woodstock, it would have sealed Quill's success in the same way the movie had for other bands that performed, especially since Quill was so well received by the mad-clad teens. So go listen to The Quill and listen to their sweet sound.

Woodstock Day 10: Mountain

Mountain, a blues-rock band heavily influenced by Cream, played on August 16th at 9 pm. Their set at Woodstock was their fourth gig EVER! How cool is that?! Their line-up consisted of Leslie West on vocals and guitar, Felix Pappalardi on bass and back-up vocals, Norman D. Smart II on drums, and Steve Knight on keyboard. However, almost immediately after Woodstock, Smart was replaced by their roadie Corky Laing who ended up being a lot better than Smart (Fun fact: Laing is Canadian).

Though the band was well-recieved, Mountain's performance was excluded from 1970's film Woodstock. However, the recordings of "Blood of the Sun" and "Theme for an Imaginary Western" were included on the second volume of Woodstock performances (Woodstock II [1970]). In 1970, Mountain released Climbing! which contained "Mississippi Queen" (featured in the cult film Vanishing Point in 1971), one of the band's greatest hits which peaked at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Mountain at Woodstock

After Woodstock, Mountain was established as a premiere 60s rock band. But the quintessential Mountain era called it quits in 1972. Laing and West have been performing since with a rotating door of additional members. The band is still active today and has quite a number of reunions. Check out "Mississippi Queen" - it's important to expand your musical palette.

For news and tour dates and history: www.mountainrockband.com
Twitter: @lwestmountain

Woodstock Day 9: Sweetwater

Originally, Sweetwater was supposed to the be the first act of Woodstock, but because they got stuck in the traffic jam they arrived late, and Richie Havens played in their slot instead. However, Sweetwater was still the first band to play at Woodstock.

Sweetwater, formed in 1968, was a psychedelic rock band hailing from Los Angeles. From 1968 to 1969, they toured with The Doors and opened for Eric Burdon & The Animals in 1968. At the time of Woodstock, the line-up consisted of Nansi Nevins for lead vocals and guitar, August Burns on cello, Albert Moore on flute and backing vocals, Alan Malarowitz on drums, Elpidio Cobian on conga drums, Alex Del Zoppo on piano, and Fred Herrera on bass.

Sweetwater at Woodstock.

For those who attended Woodstock, Sweetwater's set was found to be just so-so. Their jams weren't too special, the multi-vocal parts were chaotic sounding, and there were some strange solo parts (as heard in "My Crystal Spider"). However, the group was asked to come back for Woodstock '94.

In general, Sweetwater was a short-lived band. They produced only 3 albums (Sweetwater [1968], Just For You [1970], Melons [1971] ) and were only active from 1968 to 1971. In 1969, Sweetwater slowed when Nevins was severely injured in a car accident. Nevins experienced brain damage in the years following the collision and one of her vocal chords was permanently damaged. By 1994, half of the band had died of either natural causes or car accidents and only Nevins, Herrera, and Del Zoppo performed at Woodstock '94.

The view of Sweetwater from the crowd at Woodstock.

People only remember headliners at big festivals like this, so it's important to learn about the lesser known bands that were there too. It's Music History for a reason, not The Highlights of Music History - every artist and band had something to contribute and Sweetwater's contribution was supporting and working on the archetype psychedelic '60s sound.

Woodstock Day 8: Canned Heat

Canned Heat played on August 16th at about 7:30 pm and they barely made it to the gig. Two days before the Festival, their guitarist Henry Vestine left the band after he had an argument with bassist Larry Taylor at Fillmore East. Vestine was then replaced by Harry Mandel. Also, drummer Adolpho de la Parra complained about how they had no time to practice before the gig and left the band the same day, but not for long. Manager Skip Taylor gained access to de la Parra's locked room and helicoptered the band to Woodstock just in time.

Canned Heat while playing "A Change is Gonna Come/Leave This Town" at Woodstock

At the time of their gig, the line up consisted of Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson on guitar and harmonica, Bob "The Bear" Hite on vocals, Harvey "The Snake" Mandel (his third performance with the band) on guitar, Larry "The Mole" Taylor on bass, and Adolpho "Fito" de la Parra on drums. During jams Hite often refers to his bandmates by their nicknames (as heard in the song "Woodstock Boogie," a 30 minute jam from the Festival that was extended from a 6 and a half minute song called "Fried Hockey Boogie" off their album Boogie with Canned Heat [1968]).

They played their big hits at the time: "Going Up The Country" (which became the title track of the movie Woodstock, even though their performance was not shown) and "On the Road Again." While they were playing "A Change is Gonna Come," a man climbed up on stage. Instead of kicking him off, Hite shared a cigarette with him.

Canned Heat's line-up today: The Mole, Fito, The Snake, and Dale Spalding

By 1969, Canned Heat had already added a psychedelic element to their blues-rock band and their Boogie rock kept everyone dancing. But in 1970, Mandel and Taylor parted ways for a new band and started to the tear the group apart. In 1972, Canned Heat became shattered when Wilson committed suicide at age 27, just weeks before the deaths of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin (we'll investigate the "27 Club" later). Since then, Canned Heat has had a rotating door of members and yet is still active since their inception in 1965. Be sure to listen to their music, it's an excellent mix of blues-rock and psychedelic. They have so many excellent songs despite the nearly constant changes to the line-up.

For news and tour dates: www.cannedheatmusic.com