Various Artists "1965-2005 - Quarant'Anni Fa Nasceva Il Piper" 1964-1970 (rec) 2005 (comp)****

During my last visit to Rome, I kept searching for a good compilation of Italian 60's garage/beat music and was surprised by how few of them circulate, when the production of beat singles in the era was massive. If only I had the time and money, I'd search for the originals 45s which I'm sure wouldn't be too hard to find. As it is, I had to make do with this compilation suggested to me by the helpful clerk (or owner) of Soul Food Records. It was issued to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Roman Piper Club (now 50 and going strong). An impressive feat for any night club, my twisted mind ascribed its longevity to Mafia connections (this being Italy) but an internet search didn't yield any results - either there was nothing there or the Mob actually hides its activities rather than advertise them on the net (you'd think?). Anyway, I had to give up on my aspirations of presenting a juicy story worthy of Scorsese's "Casino" and settle for one about a historic club that used to embody the essence of the Swinging 60s' Rome. All the groups on this compilation (and many more besides) played the Piper stage, for an audience of the local fashionable Mods, peppered with Italian and visiting celebrities. Most of the songs are Italian-language covers of contemporary hits. Some I spotted immediately while others required research, but below you can find mention to all the original versions next to the song titles. As most covers are rather faithful to the originals, in some cases there's no further description necessary. The album commences with "Che Colpa Abbiamo Noi" by English expats The Rokes. A pleasant enough folk-rocker but choosing this track over the amazing "Piangi Con Me" deserves criminal prosecution. Dino & The Kings play a rockabilly version of country legend Hank Williams' "Hey, Good Lookin'". Though unmentioned by the compilers, it was apparently arranged by Ennio Morricone,. Is there any genre this great composer hasn't been involved in? Rita Pavone is probably the most familiar name on the cover, and she nails The 4 Tops' "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" like an Italian Diana Ross. Equipe 84 were also very successful but their entries here are nothing special.

Franco-Egyptian singer Ricky Shayne sings the praise of Mods on "Uno Dei Mods" while Evy (another French expat) tells off pseudo-mods in "L'abito Non Fa il Beatnick" (Clothes Don't Make a Beatnik) based on Spencer Davis Group's "Keep On Running". Patty Pravo features on dozens of old photos from the Piper Club, she was evidently the club's house singer as well as its public face, with her pretty ye-ye girl looks. So, of course, she's represented by 2 songs while her backing group Cyan (consisting of English musicians-for-hire) by a further 2, sung in English for a change. The group composition "Under One Flag" even makes a rare attempt at political commentary.

Another Italian-based English group were Sopworth Camel, who later shortened their name to Camel - no relation to either the American psych band Sopwith Camel or English proggers Camel. Their version of Cream's "Sitting On The Top Of The World" is the heaviest track here. The Group's "See Saw" is apparently an R&B original, but I can't get it out of my mind that they nicked it from Ray Charles. Uncredited on the cover, it features Lucio Dalla on lead vocals. The Primitives' "Yeeeeeeh!" is a garage-soul dynamite. One of the more celebrated English imports, they spent some years in Italy, also releasing an LP there, which I have on vinyl and will present sometime. Their drummer was to find later success as a member of the Dire Straits. 

The Bad Boys play bubblegum pop while The Motown play folk-rock. The Trip are a bit out of synch with the rest of the groups here, as they were progressive rather than pop. Their song "Bolero Blues" is a heavy R&B instrumental. Since there can be no 60's tribute without The Beatles, we get two Italian Beatles covers by Mike Liddell & Gli Atomi (Nelle Mani Tue/We Can Work It Out) and I Meteors (Lasciami Con Le/I Feel Fine), the latter a garagey rough live version. The Pipers' "Amore Lo Sai" is typical R&B side recorded live (where else?) at the Piper Club, while I Balordi puzzlingly chose to cover Napoleon XIV's demented novelty "They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha Haa!". The Senate's "L’Ombra Di Un Lontano Amore" is a soul/pop composition by this Scottish band that included future members of the Average White Band. I New Dada put in the wild rocker "Batti I Pugni", deliciously reminiscent of Hamburg-era Beatles. 

Saving the best for last, we get a true kick-ass garage classic, "Un Ragazzo Di Strada" by I Corvi. I know that it's "just" a cover of The Brogues' classic nugget "I Ain't No Miracle Worker" but for once here is a cover that more than matches the originals' fire and even improves on the lyrics. No wonder it was more successful than the original ever was and has known many covers - not least by that likeable Spanish vagrant Tonino Carotone. Nowadays the Piper Club mostly operates as a techno/house club (damned Mafia had to ruin that, too!) but also sometimes hosts live indie bands. If you happen on one of those occasions, don't miss the opportunity to see a gig at a club that's witnessed acts like Pink Floyd, The Who, Procol Harum, The Byrds in their prime - not to mention the irrepressible I Corvi...

***** for I Corvi – Un Ragazzo Di Strada (I Ain't No Miracle Worker, Brogues/Chocolate Watch Band)

**** for Dino & The Kings-Così Come Sei (Hey, Good Lookin' Hank Williams),Rita Pavone-Gira Gira (Reach Out, The 4 Tops), I Dik Dik-Sognando La California (California Dreamin', Mamas and Papas), The Four Kents –Se Io Ti Regalo Un Fiore (Gimme Little Sign, Brenton Wood), Ricky Shayne – Uno Dei Mods, Wess  –Senza Luce (A Whiter Shade Of Pale, Procol Harum), La Ragazza 77  –Il Beat...Cos’è (The Beat Goes On, Sonny & Cher), Evy– L’Abito Non Fa Il Beatnik, Sopworth Camel – Sitting On The Top Of The World (Cream), The Group –See Saw, The Primitives –Yeeeeeeh!, The Trip – Bolero Blues, I Meteors Lasciami Con Lei (Live) (I Feel Fine, Beatles), New Dada - Batti I Pugni

*** for The Rokes-Che Colpa Abbiamo Noi (Cheryl's Going Home, Bob Lind). Equipe 84– Resta (Stay, Maurice Williams), Rocky Roberts & The Airedales – (Hold On I'm Coming, Sam & Dave),  Patty Pravo– Ragazzo Triste (But You're Mine, Sonny & Cher), Renato Zero –Non Basta Sai, Cyan – Mama, Papa (Fernando Arbex),I Kings  –La Risposta (Blowin' in the Wind, B. Dylan),Patty Pravo – Qui E Là (Holy cow, Lee Dorsey), Rocky Roberts – Ehi Joe! (Hendrix, B. Roberts), The Motowns – Prendi La Chitarra E Vai, Equipe 84 – Io Ho In Mente Te (You were on my mind, Barry McGuire), Mike Liddell & Gli Atomi – Nelle Mani Tue (We Can Work It Out, Beatles), I Pirañas – Sophie (Lindberg, by Robert Charlebois & Louise Forestier), The Pipers – Amore Lo Sai (Live), The Senate – L’Ombra Di Un Lontano Amore, Sopworth Camel – Sei La Mia Donna (Only One Woman, Marbles), I Quelli – Una Bambolina Che Fa No No (La poupée qui fait non, M. Polnareff), I Beans – Un Marinaio (A Salty Dog, Procol Harum), Cyan– Under One Flag, I Balordi – Vengono A Portarci Via, Ha, Haa (They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha Haa! Napoleon XIV), I Giganti –Ora Siamo Qui (Here It Comes Again, Fortunes)

** for Mal - Betty Blue (If I Only Had Time, John Rowles). Gepy & Gepy –Baby È Un’Abitudine L’Averti Qui, Patrick Samson & The Phenicians– Shibidibibbi, The Bad Boys – Shaly N 1

Quella Vecchia Locanda "Il Tempo Della Gioia" 1974*****

This album has been on my list for quite some time, based on the reviews I'd read on the progarchives website. But can you really trust progheads? They're into some pretty weird stuff. Last months' Prog magazine had a "100 greatest artists of all time" feature and who do you think was number 1? Yes... as in the band Yes, not as in yes you guessed it right. If you were thinking the Beatles, they barely sneaked in the list at No.80: Nice little band, catchy melodies, just not complex enough for the fans of "Prog". Anyway I was in the Vecchia Locanda's hometown last week (Rome, of course) holding a handful of Italian prog CD's, and listening to song samples on Discoteca Laziale's listening stations. I scanned the barcode for "Il Tempo Della Gioia" and, even judging from those limited samples, my mind was blown! I hadn't heard such a marriage of rock and classical music from the days of The Moody Blues - only these guys are more complex and progressive, closer to King Crimson."Villa Doria Pamphili" opens with a minute of classical piano, followed by mournful violin and melodic Italian singing. I've said it before, English is the best language for rock but damn if those ballads don't sound better in Italian. I don't understand the language but the translation of the lyrics goes like this "Going down on the ground when it's soaked of dew/then offering her the hands/Waiting for the wind to take here all the stars...Sweet the harmony plays with the nature/it rises and then slips over the lawns/The joy for the matchless moment vibrates inside us/in that roar there is all its glory". I figured it'd be something all poetic like that. Probably makes more sense in Italian, too. After a couple of grandiose symphonic fanfare moments, the song segues into the exquisite baroque instrumental "A Forma Di" with its cascading pianos and choral arrangements taking us back a couple of centuries. Until now the guitars have been very discreet, letting the keyboards and violin take the spotlight. "Il Tempo Della Gioia" is more modern, keeping the classical elements but incorporating them into a more free-form jazz rock frame. Drums and electric guitar make their appearance. "Un Giorno, un Amico" is another, almost 10-minute long, jazzy track with many shifts and different tempos. It's distinguished by some absolutely fiendish violin playing, among the best I've ever heard on a rock album. Near the end, the violin is almost matched by a frantic saxophone, but then it abruptly stops. "È Accaduto una Notte" starts off with choral vocals before returning to baroque territory with some gentle acoustic guitar and flute. From the 6th minute onwards, it keeps gathering speed and intensity and ends with a big bang 2,5 minutes later. Quella Vecchia Locanda gave their best with this album, but it was met with lukewarm response and they disbanded soon after. Too bad - only 5 tracks (34 minutes) of this excellent music just isn't enough. Well, there's still their debut album from '72, somewhat less classical-minded yet also revered by prog fans. I've put it in my amazon basket and will probably order it as soon as I'm finished listening to the huge pile of yet-unlistened CD's I've got in front of me...

***** for Villa Doria Pamphili, A Forma Di

**** for Il Tempo Della Gioia, Un Giorno, un Amico, È Accaduto una Notte

Rome Record Shops

so much pasta to choose from...

...so much pizza...

...not to mention CD's (photo:Discoteca Laziale). Choices, choices!

I recently returned from a trip to Rome and Barcelona, in celebration of my birthday. It was just what the doctor (should have) ordered: Great food, great company, lots of beautiful sights, and sore feet from endless walks trying to soak it all in. Like I always do, I also made some time to browse the local record shops for bargains or just for an acquaintance with the local rock scene - so here is my report. Far from a complete guide to Rome record shops, as there were too many things to do and monuments to see for a short stay of 3,5 days - but I'll also be sharing my notes from a preparatory internet search. My first stop was not on the list: We stopped to rest our feet and have some coffee at the beautiful Galleria Alberto Sordi (former Galleria Colonna) by the Via Del Corso, near the Fontana Di Trevi. Among other shops, there's a 3-story bookshop/DVD & CD shop of the Feltrinelli chain. Somewhat similar to fnac or Public in other EU countries, but heavier on the books and music and lighter on the electronics. Nice ambience, good variety of Italian and international music, nice to browse around if you happen to be in the neighborhood - but nothing special. If you have some time to kill, I'd recommend the Discoteca Laziale near the Termini station (Via Giolitti 263). Lots of space, good presentation, affordable prices (many offers around €10, the rest €15-20), big variety in new CD's (and some LP's) and listening stations - what else can you ask? I spent some time there listening to obscure Italian 70's prog and got some very interesting CD's of which I'll be writing about shortly. While not as celebrated as their English or German counterparts, Italian groups of the era were at least their equals. I've already presented albums by Le Orme and Area, expect much more in the future... 

Transmission Records

On the other side of the tracks and just past some ancient arches, there is a more run-down Roman neighborhood. Walking around you'll discover some non-touristy, definitively unhip but charming nevertheless cafes. There (Via dei Salentini 27) you'll also find Transmission Records. It looks small but don't let that fool you. CD's are displayed without cases, just the cover or a photocopy, meaning that you can pile thousands of them in a very small space. Practical solution, but not for me: I like reading the tracklist on the back and, if possible, even the liner notes in the insert. This store packs a lot of more recherché items, compared to Laziale - independent labels and underground groups. All kinds of genres, but very well stocked in dark wave - what do you expect when it's named after a song by Joy Division? The average price of CD's was €10 for used and €15-20 for new, LP's mostly around €15. But I did also unearth some classic Italian prog CD's for €6. Next stop, one of the most famous Roman record shops, Soul Food (S. Giovanni in Laterano 194). Really small but with lots of character and crammed with all kinds of stuff, including CD's (once again just the covers), T-shirts and books. New and (mostly) used LP's take up most of the space. Unlike other used record shops where you have to go through a lot of junk to find the hidden treasure, most LP's here belong to the treasure category. Price-wise no real bargains but you have to pay for quality. Nothing ridiculously overpriced though, unlike certain London record shops.

"Soul Food", indeed

You'll find a lot of garage, power pop and alternative albums - some of which you'll probably never have seen in the shops. Expect to pay €12-20 for new CD's and €15-25 for Lps. Most used CD's go for around €8, unless they're really rare. Supposedly it had a smaller brother store called Junk Food with all the cheaper stuff, but it must have closed. Same for Doctor Music at the Via dei Gracchi, which was also on my list. Goody Music which I had written down as a record shop, nowadays just sells DJ equipment. The rest of my list I didn't have time to check out, but I'll share it with you - just remember, it could be outdated and/or inaccurate. 

* Radiation Records (Pigneto/ Circonvallazione Casilina 44), a lot of new and used vinyl and CDs

* Elastic Rock (Monteverde/ Viale dei Quattro Venti 239) New & used vinyl & cds, supposedly cheap.

* Millerecords Music Store (Via Merulana 91) is a modestly-sized shop specialized in vinyl.

* Pink Moon (Via A. Pacinotti 3/c) for new & used vinyl and cd's
* Go to Hellnation (Via Nomentana 113) for punk & hard core.

* Invito alla Lettura (Centro Storico /Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 283) is a bookshop where you supposedly can also find records but, judging from the website, I wouldn't expect much.

* Alpacha Distro (Via Fanfulla da Lodi 5) is mentioned in some guides, but the website hasn't been updated for more than a year, so it's probably closed.

Some of them didn't seem that great while others sounded quite promising but were just out of walking distance for me. Well, maybe another time. Just another of many reasons to return. For now, like that old song goes, "Arrivederci Roma"!

2ND VISIT TO ROME, JUNE 2022. They say that if you toss a coin behind your back at the Fontana Di Trevi, you will return to Rome. Well, I did, and what do you know? It worked, because 6 years later there I was again! Of course I went looking for records this time, too. As my hotel was near Termini station, I started with Discoteca Laziale. My impression this time: nice space, a good CD selection, limited variety on vinyl, many books and music-related T-shirts (€21-26). I went by Transmission, but found it closed during nominal working hours, which was a pity because it normally has good stuff. Very close to it, there are another two, smaller, record shops: Il Mangiadischi (Via degli Equi 25) looks small but has a nice selection in jazz and soul. Used LP's €6-15, new €20+. A few (unknown to me) new vinyls for €10, CD's mostly €5. Ultrasuoni (Via dei Marsi 24) is techno-oriented, with some disco and very few pop/rock LP's. Not my scene, but I did find a soundtrack I liked for only €5. From there I kept on walking away from the center to a neighborhood called Pigneto, which media have dubbed "The Brooklyn of Rome". Well, I've never been to Brooklyn, but it reminded me of the working class neighborhood where I grew up (Nikaia), albeit with a sprinkling of trendy bars and some nice street art. No palazzos here, but according to vinylhub there should be 4 record shops within a couple hundred meters from each other. No such luck! Ghost Records (registered on Via Gentile da Mogliano 19) is an actual ghost. 

Alpacha Distro is supposed to be found on Via Fanfulla da Lodi 5. All that's there is a yard which seems to sometimes function as a community meeting place. Bluetopia (Via del Pigneto 116) should be easy to find, but nooo... google reviews are fairly recent, so it hasn't closed down, but there's nothing there. Maybe when the shutters are closed it becomes invisible? Thankfully, Radiation Records (Via Romanello da Forlì 14) was open, and it's probably the best record store in Rome: really big, with a variety of styles but an emphasis in indie, punk, reggae etc. New CDs mostly €8-12, used ones cheaper, plus 1-in-5 is free. New LPs €15-25, some offers for €10. Used LPs mostly €8-15. For those who don't feel like going to Pigneto, Radiation has a smaller brother in Monti (Via del Boschetto 94), a central neighborhood near the Forum with narrow cobbled streets and nice bars and restaurants. Here you can buy T-shirts, many used CD's €5, others around €12, used and new vinyl mostly €12-25. Wide selection of records: indie, Italian, reggae etc. Also in the center, there's Millerecords (Via Merulana 91). Mainly used vinyl: rock, soul, classical, prog, Italian music. LP's cost mostly €15-25. Nice selection of Italian prog €25-50, some new 180gr prog reissues €25-28, and a few CD's around €10.

Soul Food was closed for vacation at the time, but it's a must-visit, also centrally located (Via di S. Giovanni in Laterano 194). I visited two more record shops, on the other bank of the Tiber near Trastevere. Pink Moon is a big two-story shop. Most new LP's are on the ground floor, including a good selection of Italian prog (reissues €22-27), classic rock, metal, some bootlegs etc. The 1st floor is less well-ordered but searching may provide you with some unexpected treasures. Used LP's (indie, classic rock, pop) mostly €8-15, CD's €5-10.

The last one I had time to visit was Elastic Rock. Lots of interesting stuff here, but I found it a bit chaotic, not so nice to browse. At the front you'll find some CD's for €3, inside used €7-10 and new for various prices, as well as LP's (new €15-35, used €8-20) Classic rock, jazz, Italian, a bit of everything. Now, even though this time I had more time, I still didn't get to check all the shops on my list, but I'll try to mention most of the rest below:

Welcome To The Jungle (Via Monte Zebio 44A, near the Vatican) gets really good reviews. Large selection of Rock, Jazz, Indie, Prog etc.

Inferno (Via Nomentana 113) is apparently a sort of successor to Hellnation, which used to be in the same neighborhood. It's specialized in punk and metal.

Round Midnight (Via di S. Orsola 10) is a "collector's" record shop. Visitors don't give the best feedback; seems like the owner isn't the most friendly/helpful type.

Not Perfect (Via Giuseppe Galliano 10) is, admittedly, not the best name for any kind of business. But, browsing the online shop, it seems to have cool stuff (rock, pop, new wave, alternative etc) and affordable prices.

Chicken Records is a "small and cozy record shop" far from the city center (Via Rovigno d'Istria 14a)

Vinyl Room (Via della Frezza 53a, near the Piazza Di Popolo) sells mostly new but also some used vinyl (rock, pop, reggae, folk)

This time I neglected to throw a coin in the Fontana Di Trevi, but I hope to be able to go back and update this post in the future. Visiting Rome is always an enjoyable (not to mention tasty) experience...

Jeff Buckley "Grace" 1994*****

Jeff Buckley only released one studio album during his lifetime but it was enough to elevate him to the pantheon of rock legends. His untimely death at the age of 30 has deprived the world of a rare talent but ensured he'll always be remembered as the romantic tragic hero. One of the lesser known facts I discovered about him while researching his background for this review is that he was 1/4 Greek (on his maternal mother's side). Glad as I was to find out we had that in common, there's no doubt his considerable vocal talent was inherited from his father Tim, who managed in his short life span (dead at 28 - creepy coincidence or what?) to revolutionise the art of singing. With such a large shadow hanging over him, it's not strange that Jeff was a late bloomer. Although he tried to shake off comparisons to a father whom he barely knew, the similarities (from his looks to his impressive vocal range) are uncanny. Arguably, though, he was more influenced by artists like Robert Plant, Van Morrison, Pakistani religious singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and...Nina Simone. Strange as it sounds, the high drama of his delivery has more in common with jazz divas like Simone or Billie Holiday than with any male singer I can think of. After Buckley, other singers like Antony Hegarty and Rufus Wainwright treaded that road but, being gay, they added a camp dimension to it. Incidentally, the father/son (non) relationship between Tim and Jeff is the main theme of the film Greetings from Tim Buckley, which focuses on Jeff's "public unveiling" as a singer during an all-star concert tribute to his father. Up to then he had played guitar with some grunge/punk groups but barely ever sang. 3 years later his debut album "Grace" initially alienated and confused listeners by refusing to fit in any category: It's not Alternative, Experimental, Hard Rock, Folk or Jazz, but has elements of all those genres. Musically reminiscent at times of Led Zeppelin (sans the monster riffs), Bowie and The Smiths, what really defines it is Jeff's passionate, soaring vocal spanning the whole range from tenor to a soprano-like falsetto. Despite the initial low sales, it continues to rise in popularity and has become a staple of "all-time-best" lists.

The album opens with a couple of songs written with early collaborator and experimental guitarist Gary Lucas, "Mojo Pin" and "Grace". They're followed by the heart-breaking "Last Goodbye": "This is our last goodbye/I hate to feel the love between us die/But it's over/Just hear this and then I'll go/You gave me more to live for/More than you'll ever know". It's a mid-tempo song with lush strings and the one with the biggest commercial potential, so a videoclip was promptly made and ensured the band some exposure through MTV. "Lilac Wine" is a jazz ballad made famous by Nina Simone and "So Real" (the 3rd single) a folk rocker whose chorus and distorted guitar could nevertheless easily belong to Radiohead. The greatest of the record's many highlights is, undoubtedly, his transcendental reading of the Leonard Cohen ballad "Hallelujah". It's followed by "Lover, You Should've Come Over", a breakup ballad that equals The Smiths at their self-pitying best. Then we get the two extremes of the album posed side by side, as the medieval serenity of "Corpus Christi Carol" gives way to the Pearl Jam-ish grunge of "Eternal Life". The album closes with "Dream Brother", a more experimental track sounding like The Velvet Underground would if fronted by a theatrical singer like Scott Walker. I can hardly think of a more promising debut than "Grace". Jeff Buckley died in a swimming accident before completing his 2nd album, so there's no telling where he would go from here. Some artists never manage to surpass their initial burst of energy. His father, on the other hand, progressed in leaps with each release. If Jeff was anything like his old man in this respect, his demise was a loss of incalculable proportions for popular music.

***** for Grace, Last Goodbye, Lilac Wine, So Real, Hallelujah

**** for Mojo Pin, Lover You Should've Come Over, Corpus Christi Carol, Eternal Life, Dream Brother

Roger McGuinn & Chris Hillman featuring Gene Clark "City" 1980***

I got a bunch of LP's recently which were on sale by a Delft record shop. I stopped collecting vinyl some time ago, because of all the space it takes up and difficulty in use: you can't rip them to your portable device or listen on the car nor take them with you everywhere you move: at the moment I and my record player are residing in different countries. But these were 70's albums who have either never been released on CD or, like in this case, whose reissues are long out of print. Plus these items seemed so rooted in their period that it seemed right to own them on vinyl and, of course, one can't argue with the price: €5 for 3 LP's and you get to discover what former Byrds were up to at the dawn of the 80's. Also, the album cover is bonkers: Hillman and co. have exchanged their cowboy nudie suits with "sensible" haircuts & ties, posing dressed as their idea of city slickers amid pictures of skyscrapers while McGuinn proudly displays his mobile telephone: It'a a big square box with an antenna which seems to weigh at least a couple of kg's, but he's holding it to his ear - so a telephone it must be.

...wait till you see the charger!

Anyway, I figured that even if the music was bad (and I haven't heard anything really bad from these guys) at least its deliciously silly cover and relative rarity as an album would make it a worthwhile addition to my record collection. Well, the content proved to be satisfying beyond expectation (admittedly an easy task as my expectations were rather low) as it wasn't plagued by the sterile sound and "modern" recording techniques that ruined so many 80's productions. Surprisingly, it also rarely sounds like The Byrds as the blueprint seems to be the laid-back soft rock of The Eagles. Hillman's opener "Who Taught The Night" takes that West Coast sound and rocks it out a bit, while listening to the beginning of "One More Chance" was a mild shock: Was it obligatory that everyone must record a reggae song in the 70's? What could have driven McGuinn the world's whitest singer to attempt something so foolish? Eric Clapton I blame you for this abomination! But when the shock subsided and the folky chorus and blues-rock guitar kicked in, I found that it somehow worked well as a song. McGuinn emerged unscathed from flirting with ridicule and, to my knowledge at least, wisely never tried it again. "Won't Let You Down" is the most Byrds-sounding track here, with beautiful harmonies and McGuinn's trademark 12-string on the fore. It's the first of only two numbers written and sung by Gene Clark. They had released a fairly good album as a trio the previous year, but Clark dropped out of the project during the recording of "City" so he's downgraded to guest status here. "Street Talk", "Skate Date" and "Deeper In" are upbeat and kind of new wave-ish. "City" and "Givin' Herself Away" repeat the questionable trick of putting folk rock to a reggae-like beat and come out sounding like a mixture of Tom Petty and Police.

  

"Ha, ha, we had you fooled with the ties -

  this is what we really look like!" 

"But you said you have covers
for all mobile types!"

Worse crimes have been committed in the effort of sounding modern. The second Clark track "Painted Fire" is a kind of Southern blues rock with boogie woogie piano and "Let Me Down Easy" a country ballad with beautiful vocals and pedal steel guitar. It's a throwback to their earlier country rock sound, in an album going for a more contemporary sound. The trick is to play to your strengths while opening up to new influences and I daresay Hillman and McGuinn pull it off quite nicely. So kudos for that! While in no way essential listening, this album is certainly worth more than its current obscurity, as it should satisfy the numerous fans of the West Coast soft rock/country sound of The Eagles, America, Fleetwood Mac etc...

**** for Who Taught The Night, One More Chance, Won't Let You Down

*** for Street Talk, City, Skate Date, Givin' Herself Away, Deeper In, Painted Fire, Let me Down Easy

David Bowie "The Next Day" 2013****

I woke up this morning to the news of Bowie's death and at first didn't believe it. I had to check a few different websites to make sure it wasn't a hoax: in the world of twitter and the blogosphere, news of this kind are very untrustworthy. Plus, if any pop star would stage his own death in an elaborate disappearing act, that would be him. But a secret 18-month battle against cancer is at once too pedestrian and too morbid to be fake. As I write this on the afternoon of January 11, and in the absence of an official denial, I'm convinced that David Bowie is indeed dead. Very few can be said to have influenced rock music as drastically as he. And no-one has done so across so many decades and styles. His ability to embrace change and reinvent himself was legendary,  something also evident in his very recent record entitled "★" (or, as people refer to it, "Black Star"). It would probably make an appropriate album to present on a day like this but, since I still don't have a copy, I'll be presenting his 24th and penultimate album "The Next Day". The recording sessions were conducted under complete secrecy, so it appeared out of nowhere after a decade of silence that had everyone thinking he had permanently retired from music. The lack of publicity around the album's creation was hailed as a genius trick of promotion but it wouldn't have worked if it wasn't for a very good record, enough to make people realize that they had actually missed Bowie during his absence. Musically, it creates a bridge between his 70's Berlin heyday and recent "alt-rock" past. The album cover duplicates his iconic "Heroes" album, with a white square with the title "The Next Day" pasted over it. So he's simultaneously referencing his past and making allusions to transcending it. His old producer Tony Visconti is back on the controls and the sound is somewhat similar to his late 70's new wave albums. The title track is reminiscent of "Beauty and the Beast" from the Visconti-produced 1978 "Heroes" album. Lyrically very dark, like most of the album, it's the story of a man lynched by a mob presumably in the Dark Ages: "Here I am/Not quite dying/My body left to rot in a hollow tree". "Dirty Boys" utilizes a blues/funk saxophone riff while "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" is the first great moment, a classic rocker with a catchy chorus, pulsing bassline and atmospheric synths. "Love is Lost" is as bleak as its title, all new wave synths and angular guitar. It's followed by the lead single. the slow and desolate "Where Are We Now?" about being "lost in time" in Berlin. "Valentine's Day" is a melodic pop number with a soft "sha la la" chorus and a beautiful guitar licks. But don't be fooled into thinking it's a love song: I told you it's a really dark album - it tells of a massacre taking part in a typical American high school. "If You Can See Me" comes across as a mix of punk and krautrock while "I'd Rather Be High" is infinitely more listenable, a dreamy and melodic mid tempo number. This time the narrator seems to be a disillusioned soldier: "I’d rather be high/I’d rather be flying/I’d rather be dead/Or out of my head/Than training these guns on those men in the sand". The next 3 songs remind me of Bowie's 80's plastic funk period. "Boss Of Me" has a prominent saxophone and "Dancing Out In Space" distorted guitar, while "How Does the Grass Grow" has a catchy but silly 60's style chorus. It's followed by the straight-up guitar rocker "You Will Set the World on Fire" and the high melodrama of "You Feel So Lonely You Could Die". Arguably what Bowie does best, a dramatic slice of pure misery accentuated by soaring strings, piano and retro doo-wop backing vocals. And, just when you thought it doesn't get more dramatic than this, he tops it off with "Heat" where he sings in a deep, Scott Walker-like, baritone voice over a slow, creepy, avant-garde noise. Another extraordinary album from an artist who remained restless and always relevant, even when he was in his late 60's. We may never see his like again...

**** for The Stars (Are Out Tonight), Where Are We Now?, Valentine's Day, I'd Rather Be High, You Feel So Lonely You Could Die

*** for The Next Day, Dirty Boys, Love is Lost, Boss of Me, How Does the Grass Grow, You Will Set the World on Fire, Heat

** for If You Can See Me, Dancing out in Space

Whitesnake "The Silver Anniversary Collection" 1978-2000(rec.) 2003(comp)***

About a month ago I saw Whitesnake for the 1st time at the Forest National arena in Brussels. The concert took place under heavy guard as it was the first gathering of so many people after the terrorist attacks at Le Bataclan in Paris, with some of the perpetrators still at large and reportedly loose in the city of Brussels. It was part of their "Purple" tour, a powerful incentive for me as the Deep Purple Mark III-IV repertory is rarely played live. Ian Gillan-fronted Deep Purple prefer to ignore the existence of records made with other singers, Blackmore has cut ties to his past and only Glenn Hughes occasionally revisits those songs. Yet Coverdale was the lead singer during those years and, knowing that his voice wasn't waned considerably, I was eager to listen to the likes of "Burn" and "You Keep On Moving" live. An unexpected bonus came when Coverdale sang one of my all-time-favorite ballads, the rarely performed "Soldier Of Fortune" from the 1974 Stormbringer album. It was an intimate, unadorned, performance with only an acoustic guitar for backing. The rest of the Purple tracks were performed with gusto, but there's such a thing as trying too hard. The band's two guitarists (Joel Hoekstra & Reb Beach) are quite skillful but they seemed anxious to put in as many solos as possible, trying to be compete with the ghost of Ritchie Blackmore, and that's a game you can't win. The ghost of Blackmore is unbeatable, not least by Blackmore himself who knows better than to take it on. Just ask Tommy Bolin! Anyway, that meant more hard rock and less ballads - which is fine with me. That said, despite the band playing their ass off during the Purple numbers, the highlights were the familiar Whitesnake hits from the 70's and 80's. The band was more relaxed and seemed to enjoy playing them. Coverdale was in good state vocally, while his appearance belied his age: lean, with the same blond mane he had in the 80's (probably even he has forgotten his real colour), unwrinkled face and bleached teeth. I'd swear when the lights momentarily went out I could still make out a disembodied smile, as if he was Alice's cheshire cat. Anyway I thought it'd be good to present a Whitesnake album in my blog but I hadn't brought any with me to Brussels, so it had to wait until I got back to my stash in Delft.

"... I guess I'll always be a Soldier of Fortune"

 The "Silver Anniversary Collection" covers 25 years of Whitesnake and related side-projects and, if you add its sister collection "The Early Years", you'll have all (some would say more than) you'll ever need from this band, 50-odd tracks in total. I'll present them chronologically as I usually do with retrospectives of this kind. After the dissolution of Deep Purple in '76 amid drug problems and following a badly-received Blackmore-less tour, Coverdale went into a bluesier direction, initially under his own name and later under the Whitesnake moniker, starting with 1978's Snakebite whence we get Bobby "Blue" Bland cover "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City", one of their finest blues numbers which is rightfully still in their live set. From the same year's Trouble we get FM rocker "The Time Is Right for Love" and soulful ballad "Love to Keep You Warm". From 1979's Lovehunter there's only the short goodbye-number "We Wish You Well" - not much, but that album is in no danger of ever be forgotten because of its epic cover art. Move on to 1980's Ready an' Willing featuring arguably the best 'Snake line-up with star guitarists Micky Moody and Bernie Marsden, bassist Neil Murray and Deep Purple alumni Jon Lord and Ian Paice. Hence we get R&B flavored rocker "Fool for Your Loving" (ostensibly originally written for B.B. King), excellent Free-like ballad "Blindman" and Southern Rock-style "Ain't Gonna Cry No More". 

That line-up's live prowess is demonstrated on live cuts "Walking in the Shadow of the Blues" and "Ready an' Willing" from the same year's Live...in the Heart of the City while sexually charged album titles continue with 1981's Come an' Get It, represented here by funk rocker "Don't Break My Heart Again", semi-acoustic Zeppelin pastiche "Till the Day I Die", electric blues "Lonely Days, Lonely Nights" and funky Deep Purple Mk.IV-sounding "Hit an' Run" . From 1982's Saints & Sinners we only get hard blues "Victim of Love" while 1984's Slide It In (those sexual innuendos on the title kept getting lewder and funnier) is a typical hair metal album of the 80's. "The Deeper the Love" is the "sensual" ballad, "Now You're Gone" is AOR and "Love Ain't No Stranger" sounds like a mix of Free and the Scorpions. Better yet are driving FM Rock"Guilty of Love" and Zeppelin-ish blues "Slow an' Easy". The apotheosis of that stage in the band's career came with the eponymous Whitesnake (released in Europe as 1987) featuring the archetypal 80s soft metal ballad "Is This Love" and one of the best hard rockers of the decade, "Still of the Night". Check the video for a trip back in time - it even stars the future Mrs. Coverdale as the ultimate 80's pin-up.

 

Does it matter that its monster riff is borrowed from Led Zeppelin's "Black Dog"? Of course not, after all Zeppelin also borrowed heavily from other sources. Power ballad "Here I Go Again '87" is a re-hash of an older Whitesnake hit with a catchy chorus, and hit no.1 in its new, polished, incarnation. Other tracks from "1987" included here are typical hair metal fare "Straight for the Heart", ballad "Looking for Love" and "Give Me All Your Love" with its welcome mix of hard rock and blues a la Gary Moore. 1989's Slip of the Tongue followed the same recipe with 1987, with diminished results. Ballad "The Deeper the Love" was a surefire hit, burt the rest wasn't so strong. "Judgment Day" is a return to the hard rock days of Deep Purple and "Now You're Gone" a competent but forgettable cut of AOR. The comparative lack of success drove Coverdale to join forces with Jimmy Page in supergroup Coverdale•Page for a sole album in 1993. Though that both were past their prime, this collection manages to evoke past glories, most notably in the Led Zeppelin soundalikes "Pride and Joy" and "Shake My Tree". "Take a Look at Yourself" is a typical 80's ballad of the kind Eric Clapton or Joe Cocker produced at the time (yawn). 1997 saw the release of the unplugged Starkers in Tokyo. Two understated emotive cuts are included here, "Sailing Ships" and the aforementioned Purple ballad "Soldier of Fortune". From 1998's Restless Heart we get the electric blues "Too Many Tears" and from Coverdale's solo LP Into the Light (2000) the short intro of the same name, Aerosmith-like hard rock "Slave" and bluesy ballad "Love Is Blind", complete with strings. All things considered, Coverdale could just as well retire from recording after 1987 without anyone noticing his absence. But since his voice is still in such a good shape and he's amassed a rich back catalogue of hits, you'd do well to catch him live - if bluesy hard rock is your thing or feel nostalgia for the 80's...

Whitesnake at Forest National/Vorst Nationaal, Brussels 1-12-2015

***** for Fool for Your Loving, Still of the Night

**** for Pride and Joy (Coverdale•Page), Is This Love, Walking in the Shadow of the Blues (live), Guilty of Love, Blindman, Give Me All Your Love, Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City, Here I Go Again '87, 

*** for Don't Break My Heart Again, Hit an' Run, The Time Is Right for Love, Love Ain't No Stranger, Too Many Tears, Victim of Love, Judgment Day, Take a Look at Yourself, Sailing Ships, Soldier of Fortune, Ready an' Willing (live), Slow an' Easy,  She Give Me…, Shake My Tree, The Deeper the Love, Love to Keep You Warm, Love Is Blind, Ain't Gonna Cry No More Love Is Blind Lonely Days Lonely Nights, Till the Day I Die, 

** for Straight for the Heart, Now You're Gone, Looking for Love, Into the Light, Slave,  We Wish You Well

Antwerp Record Shops

Antwerp Train Station

I recently visited Antwerp for the purpose of meeting a cousin whose ship was docked on the harbor there. I've been constantly travelling between Belgium and Holland during the last years, so I must have passed through Antwerp close to a hundred times but this was just the 3rd time I stepped out of the train and into the city. The first sights that greet the visitor are the impressive art-nouveau train station and the diamond district around it, still hosting a considerable Orthodox Jewish community. The nearby zoo attracts many visitors and was the focus of my first visit as we were with a family of friends with children. The second one was short and purely professional, but this time I had enough time to visit the city center. Like with all the Flemish cities I've visited so far, the old town is a real beauty - but contrary to e.g. Brugges, it feels less like walking through a museum and more like a bustling metropolis (for BENELUX standards, that is - the city is home to almost 1 million people). With a couple of hours to kill, I decided to do what I always do in a new city and seek out the record shops. I did make a google search on my mobile, but  I found the first one by accident above an international press shop in Melkmarkt, where I went looking for the latest English music magazines.

The Vinyl Outlet

It's called Tune Up Records and has a really nice atmosphere and a couple of coffee tables on the corner. It only sells vinyl and has a rather good collection. Music lovers are bound to find something to their taste, though price-wise there don't seem to be any real bargains. Just a few hundred meters further, on Lange Koepoortstraat, one can find the similarly vinyl-only Vinyl Touch and, on the opposite side, The Vinyl Outlet. Being a real bargain hunter, I spent some time on the latter which offered 4 LP's or CD's for €10. At the time all CD's were reduced to €1 per piece, although it took a lot of searching to unearth some worthwhile items. Right next to the Outlet, there's another big record store, The Rocking Bull. (Sint-Jacobsmarkt 77). This shop sells everything music-related, including lots of T-shirts, posters and badges - with a (serious) emphasis on Metal. There's a bargains section, too, and I got a few CD's here, too. 

The Vinyl Touch

The Rocking Bull

Which brings us to the reason I went to Lange Koepoortstraat at the first place, Fat Kat Records. It seemed very promising from what I've read, but it was closed on the day of my visit (Sunday). In any case, it won't be staying in that address for long, as it's soon moving to new premises in Vleminckstraat. The last record shop I visited in Antwerp was the local FNAC store. Although technically not record stores, shops of the French FNAC chain offer (new) music CD's alongside books, DVD's, games and electronics. Antwerp's FNAC is rather large and sports a big variety in CD's and lots of special offers, as well as listening stations (always a big plus).  It's situated inside the grand bazar shopping center. Time limitations meant I didn't get the chance to visit some other shops I found on the internet, but here are some addresses for your information: There's Chelsea Records on Kloosterstraat 10 (lots of second hand CD's and LP's - sounds like my kind of shop), Wally's Groove World on Lange Nieuwstraat 126 (mostly dance-related stuff, yucks!) and Coffee and Vinyl on Volkstraat 45, selling new and 2nd hand records as well as, presumably, coffee. Hope to check them out on a later visit and update the post with useful info for fellow record collectors...   

UPDATE 2022: I was in Antwerp yesterday for another reason, and thought to take a moment and check the record store situation again. Which is when I realized that my blogpost is woefully outdated: Fat Kat and Vinyl Touch closed their doors permanently sometime during the corona pandemic. Tune Up Records moved to a new address (Melkmarkt 20), this time on the ground floor, on a small square. Still a very good collection in classic rock, jazz, soul, alternative etc. Used LP's mostly €10-25, new ones €25+. I also visited one of the city's oldest record stores (25 years): Backtrack Record Shop (Sint-Katelijnevest 40) is small but likeable. Sells new LP's for the usual prices plus other music related items like mugs, slipmats etc. Next to it there's a shop called War Records. Seems to be all about dance music; yesterday there was a DJ playing and a small crowd gathering outside, I could not get in and check the merchandise. Grey's Vinyl Treasures (Korte Nieuwstraat 6) is one for the collectors: you'll find collectible music from around the world (psych, prog etc) at somewhat steeper prices, as well as other nice LP's for €15-30. Another shop in the historic center (Kaasrui 4) is Record Collector. Good for jazz, soul, and classic rock, all 2nd hand. About half the records in the shop cost €15-10, while the other half are on sale for €3- €5- €7. Some good stuff in here, too. It was almost closing time, so once again I didn't get to go to Chelsea, Wally's or Coffee and Vinyl, but they're all thankfully still going strong. I hope to visit them next time, as well as those other record stores I found on the internet: Sound Architecture (mostly electronic music, Simonsstraat 21), Inside Records (Sint-Jacobsmarkt 76), Morbus Gravis "Music Space" (Lange Kievitstraat 30), Panoply Books & Records (books/comics/CD's/DVDs/vinyl, Wolstraat 1), Djingel Djangel (Bordeauxstraat 7a), Bananarama (Pelikaanstraat 3, near the zoo), and Sugar Pie Records (Gierstraat 3). I think most of them weren't around 6 years ago, so it's not all bad news: shops close, others open. It's the way of life - or, in any case, of commerce.