Téléphone "Enregistrements Originaux" 1977-1980 (1982 comp)****

So, it was a gap of exactly 40 years between hearing of Téléphone for the first time and buying a record by them, which I finally did last week after a trip to Paris - I have a tradition of getting records by local rock bands in every country I visit. The first time I heard of them was in the summer of 1985 during the first (and possibly best) Greek rock festival Rock In Athens. Which triggers a trip into memory lane; so if you're only want to read about the album, skip the red letters. The festival was part of the celebrations of European Capital of Culture, a new institution conceived by Greek minister of culture, former movie star Melina Mercouri and her French counterpart Jack Lange. As such, it was co-organized by the Greek Ministry of Culture with the help of a French concert promoter - which accounts for the inclusion of Téléphone in a line-up that also included The Clash, The Cure, Depeche Mode, The Stranglers, Talk Talk, Culture Club, and Nina Hagen: all New Wave bands either on the rise or at the height of their powers - with the exception of Téléphone, and of The Clash for whom it was the last concert ever. It could never have happened without the support of a progressive like Melina; the governing left-of-center Socialist party wasn't any different to the others when it came to its relation to underground youth movements. In the same year, the first punk LP by Stress was censored, and on November a 15-year old youth was shot by riot police in the aftermath of a big demonstration. Rock concerts of the time invariably ended up in riots and tear gas, and Rock In Athens was no exception. Another dark moment of the festival was the reception Culture Club got: they were booed and pelted with plastic bottles by homophobic members of the audience. Apparently Boy George's parting words to them were: "If I wasn't a nice lady I would have shown you my arse." At the time I was too young to attend the festival, but I followed the relevant news closely. Music writers were ecstatic but mainstream press was mostly derisive. I used to get the Sunday edition of Rizospastis (the official newspaper of the Communist party) for its extensive cultural insert, and was shocked by their vehemently anti-rock coverage; I distinctly remember reading that by inviting a band called The Stranglers, one glorifies violence and anti-social behavior, misguiding and corrupting youths. I was taken aback, because to me the communists were the good guys: they had formed the popular liberation army against the Nazis, fought against the colonels' dictatorship, and were at the forefront of the workers' rights and peace movements. Anyway, things would change pretty soon; in 1987 the KNE (Communist Youth) festival featured a reggae artist (Maxi Priest) for the first time. Unfortunately though, I missed it. You see, I was invited to the event by a girl called Julia who was also my high school's student council president. Short hair, slim figure with big boobs - I didn't know her well but I wouldn't mind getting to know her better. At some point, she introduced me to a slightly older guy who I suppose was her instructor. He starting giving me the speech: similar to that of insurance salesmen, only he wasn't selling anything, he was trying to get me to join KNE. That kept me busy for an hour, after which the rest of our company came back from the music stage at the other end of the festival grounds, raving about Maxi Priest and his band. I was so mad at Julia for luring me in like that and making me miss the show, you can bet I never spoke to her again! Anyway, rock wasn't the capitalist devil anymore. As I've written in a previous post, next year's KNE festival featured Ten Years After. Of course I went with a different company, a bunch of longhairs who weren't into politics, just rock. That also happened to be my first real rock concert.

As for Téléphone, I hadn't heard of them prior to 1985 - or since. At the time, their inclusion in Rock In Athens lineup ensured some coverage by Greek state radio and TV (not that we had any other kind). I wasn't impressed by what sounded to my ears as second rate New Wave, and that was the impression I had of them, until recently. Then I heard people mention them as "The French Rolling Stones" and thought maybe I should give them another chance - it's been after all 40 years, and my musical taste has evolved. So when I found this limited yellow vinyl reissue at a Paris record shop, I told myself it' do as a souvenir from our latest Paris trip. This compilation was initially released in 1982, and contains tracks from three LPs released between 1977 and 1980. Their eponymous debut (1977) almost justifies their reputation: "Hygiaphone" is pure Chuck Berry rockabilly, "Dans Ton Lit" sounds more like New York Dolls, and "Flipper" is a 6-minute long funk rocker. "Téléphomme" starts off as a bluesy ballad, but after 3 minutes turns into a hard rocker reminiscent of Rory Gallagher. From Crache Ton Venin ("Spit Your Venom", 1979) we also get four tracks, or is it five? "Ne Me Regarde Pas / Regarde Moi" consist a single track in the LP tracklist, but were split for the 7' single and are presented here apart: the former is power pop reminiscent of The Knack or Sniff'n The Tears, the latter an aggressive hard rocker. "Fait Divers" is rousing pub rock, while "J'suis parti de chez mes parents" is another straight-up rock'n'roller, and "Tu Vas Me Manquer" is among the best punk/funk hybrids not written by Ian Dury. The original vinyl LP had a transparent plastic outer sleeve; when it was removed, the inner sleeve revealed that the band had posed in the nude - the clothes were only painted over the naked photos on the outer sleeve! Judging from the tracks included here, Au Cœur De La Nuit (1980) is far less aggressive: "Le Silence" is acoustic blues, while "Laisse Tomber" is a more electric take on blues and soul. "Pourquoi N'Essaies-Tu Pas?", on the other hand, rocks as hard as their older stuff - a bit like Some Girls-era Stones, actually. The song selection for this compilation provides a good balance between rock, blues, punk and funk. 12 tracks, 6 on every side, is also a good number for a vinyl LP. It's not the ultimate Best-Of, though, as it omits some of their more popular singles ("Anna", "Metro C'est Trop", "La Bombe Humaine", "Argent Trop Cher") in favor of album-only tracks. What counts, nevertheless, isn't what's missing but what's there - and, based on that, this is one hot piece of Francophone rock'n'roll! There's been a limited reissue on yellow vinyl last year, but original copies are easy, and cheap enough, to find online.

**** for Hygiaphone, Dans Ton Lit, Fait Divers, Tu Vas Me Manquer, Téléphomme, Laisse Tomber, Flipper

*** for Ne Me Regarde Pas, Regarde-Moi, Le Silence, J'Suis Parti De Chez Mes Parents, Pourquoi N'Essaies-Tu Pas?

Kyoto Record Stores

As you may know, I make a habit of mapping out the record store situation in every city I visit, at least to the extend permitted by the length of my visit. I did spent enough time in Kyoto to visit most of its record shops (as well as many food markets, Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, Zen gardens, tea houses, and.. and...) BUT unfortunately most of my notes were erased. Either by a malicious note-eating virus or by a clumsy swipe of my fingers on my mobile screen. I figured nevertheless that it wouldn't be right to bypass Kyoto because it is an amazing town which you must visit if you can; and may I make a suggestion? in tourist guides you'll find a multitude of historic and cultural sites -mostly temples- and you'll want to visit them all because they all look gorgeous in the photos (and up-close, too, make no mistake) but you'll wear yourself out if you try. Choose three or four temples and diversify your experience by spending more time in the food market, the "geisha district" Gion with its quaint wooden houses, visit the Arashiyama bamboo forest, the informative and entertaining Samurai and Ninja museum, and of course as many record stores as you can. I'm telling you, Japanese record stores are a whole other level. So let me try to piece together a guide to Kyoto's record stores using the photos I took with my mobile and whatever memories still linger on 3 months after the fact:

A great thing about it is that most record stores are bundled within walking distance to each other, pretty close to the famous Nishiki Market. You may want to start from Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station; here, you'll find the local Tower Records branch on the 9th Floor of the Kawaramachi OPA department store - it was weird for me at first, but one gets used to it: record stores in Japan are very rarely storefront businesses, instead you'll find them either situated within shopping malls, or more often in apartments within office or even residential buildings. Now this branch of Tower Records may not be as massive as, say, the 8-story one in Shibuya Tokyo (I'll tell you more about it on another post) but it's still quite big by the criteria of 2025. Lots and lots of new LPs (¥ 4000-7000) and CDs (¥1500-3000). That's not nearly as expensive as it looks; at the time of my visit ¥1000 was worth roughly €6 or $7. Now, these prices are inclusive tax but there's a neat little trick you'll want to take advantage of; overseas travelers may have the tax deducted from their purchases provided they don't make use of them while they're on Japanese soil - just google it, it's a bit too complicated to explain here. Most record stores will not provide that service, but Tower Records does. Since you're there, you simply must visit the local Book Off store at the 8th floor - it's a used books chain but also carries 1000s of used CDs (¥330-1300), relatively few vinyls but an unbelievable variety of manga comics. 

Starting from as little as ¥110, they make for a fine and cheap souvenir, because what says "Japan" better than Manga? Even if one doesn't speak the language they're nice to browse through for the art - Just check them out well if you're buying them as presents for your friends' kids, because the artwork is often naughtier than one would expect, even for titles that seem to be targeted to the younger teens. Just a few meters further, on the 4th floor of the Takashimaya Shopping Center you'll find Face Records, which is a much more stylish affair. Important Note: in Japan there is No Ground Floor - or, rather, the ground floor is called the 1st Floor, the floor above it is the 2nd Floor, etc. Face carries (mostly used) vinyl, as well as some hi-fi equipment. You'll find Rock, Pop, Jazz, and J-Pop LPs, mostly under ¥2000. For the adventurous, there's a  special offers corner (mostly J-Pop) at ¥100 - that's $0.67(!) for a random vinyl souvenir of your Japanese trip. At the opposite side of the street, inside a gallery connected to the market, there's a shop called Take.J (Ishizumi Shinkyogoku Building 3F, 563 Nakanomachi). Go up the stairs to the 3rd floor and you'll come across a cramped apartment full of CDs (only ¥500-1000). Very good for Rock and Metal, also Soul and J-Pop. And this is the last time I'll be that specific in my descriptions since my notes from here on were erased. 

Nearby, you'll find a shop called Banana Records. I don't remember much about it, except that it's directly above a camera shop (Camera no Naniwa Kyoto Store, 372 Narabutsucho). Here is what internet sources say "A wide selection of LPs, CDs, and EPs across various genres, including rock and jazz. Also small accessories like bags, second-hand clothing, cassettes". Confusingly, it's another shop in the neighborhood that uses the banana logo: Joe's Garage (Fusaya Building 2F, 572 Obiyamach) You'll see the banana sign at street level; then you need to go up the stairs through a place full of bric-a-brac called "chacharhy💗"; only then you'll find the record shop. Decent prices, as I remember, and a wide selection - especially in the field of classic rock.

I can't say I remember any details from my visit to Toradra Record (3rd floor YOGI Building, 456-6 Matsugaedacho) but this is how they describe themselves "Our store always has approximately 5,000 LPs and 3,000 CDs for sale. We handle and sell all genres, focusing on rock and jazz, as well as J.pop, soul, blues, reggae, world music, club music, hip hop, soundtracks, and classical music". Art Rock No.1 is at the 7th floor of an apartment building (Assorti Kawaramachi Nijo Building, 374 Ichinofunairicho). A nice collection of 70s-80s rock, jazz, and J-pop vinyl, and decent prices. Another record store perched high (6th floor) is Jet Set Records. This should be of interest to DJs as it carries more dance/funk/jazz, along with the usual rock stuff. Then to another apartment building (Morris Building 2F, 485 Kami-Honnoji-mae-cho) which hosts not one but 2 record stores: 100000t on the 2nd floor and Workshop Records on the 3rd. The former was a bit messy, while the latter had a nice selection of classic rock, jazz, soul, and j-pop records and CDs, all properly catalogued.

Another shop I really liked was Happy Jack. It's on the 3rd floor of a shopping center (Tobee Building 302, 224 Eiraku-cho). Not so big, but had all the things I like; especially 60s/70s rock, garage, psychedelia, soul, jazz, and j-pop of course. Nice prices also. Of course not all record stores are hidden in apartment buildings - these next ones were in the galleries in the market. First, and for me best, was Supermilk Records (495 Nakasuji-cho). At first glance it didn't look like much, but I found some super cool Japanese punk and metal records between ¥300-1000. Also a nice selection of jazz, soul and rap. Now I know I took photos of it, but I can't find them in my mobile anymore - as if the disappearing notes weren't bad enough, now photos go missing too?

 

There were two more stores with an actual storefront: Jeugia is an entertainment store selling vinyl, CD, DVD and other stuff, and Shimizuya which had mostly J-pop CDs and DVDs. I didn't find anything of interest in any of them, and neither did I find something at the last Kyoto record shop I visited, Poco A Poco, an underground shop situated at one of the shopping galleries (Daishinville B1F, Dori Sanjo, Teramachi). Now these are all the record stores I visited in Kyoto, but by no means all of them. This source lists 48 record stores in the city, though I wouldn't know whether it's up to date. Anyway, 48 is a bit too much for most of us, so by cross-checking the previous list with other internet sources and crossing out those inconveniently located, I arrived at this additional list of shops that I haven't personally visited but seem to be worth your attention: First one is Parallax Records, on the next corner to Happy Jack (Shin-kyogoku uta-no Koji Building 2F, 407-1 Sakuranomachi) and specialized in noise/experimental/electronic music, mostly on CD. Hitozoku (above the Morikawa tobacco store, 271-4 Kitakurumaya-cho) specializes in electronic and world music vinyl, mostly used. Vivrant (Teramachi Ayanokoji Building 4th Floor, Teianmaenocho 586) offers "a wide selection of used LPs/45's specializing in Soul, Funk, Disco, Rare Groove, Jazz, Hip Hop etc". Black Ark (Kawara-machi Kaikan 202, 253-1 Ichinomachi) focuses solely on reggae music, used vinyl mostly. Vinyl 7 (492 Shimohonnouji -mae -cho, near Jet Set) seems to specialize in funk and disco. Still in the neighborhood (ION Building 2F, 340-1, Daimonji-machi) one can find Prototype Records (google reviews describe it as "a cool little spot with a decent but limited collection" but also praise its "impressive reggae and jazz section"). Poohyokocho (370-1 Kameyacho) seems to focus on folk and country and Hard Bop on jazz (of course). Its address is Tkaragaike Building 1F-3 ,474 Kami-Honnoji-mae-cho, apparently it's "tucked away in a nondescript building, requiring a small sign at knee height to locate". Unfortunately (or not) Kyoto doesn't have the equivalent of Tokyo's Disk Union which is, like, the Mecca of 2nd hand record stores - you'll have to go to Osaka for the closest branch; it'll take you all of 14 minutes with the shinkansen bullet train. And, let's face it, you're going to Osaka anyway. If not to stay, then at least for a daytrip, as I did. Not enough time for record hunting. But enough to visit the Shogun castle, built by Toyotomi in the 16th Century - way before he switched to making airconditioners and the like. And to eat takoyaki, of course. Basically, I stopped at every food stand and sampled everything I could, all over Japan, and especially in Osaka. It was worth it.

Shakin' Street "Shakin' Street" 1980****

Shakin' Street were formed in Paris in the mid-60s by guitarist Eric Lévi and singer Fabienne Shine. Fabienne was born in Tunisia, moving to France as a child, like so many of the "pieds noirs" did after the countries of the Maghreb gained independence. Soon she embarked on a "career" as a model, actress, and singer. I use the word "career" in brackets, since her biggest claim to fame pre-Shakin' Street seems to be appearing as a... female tree in Roger Vadim’s Barbarella, and joining Led Zeppelin's entourage. Apparently she dated Jimmy Page, and followed the band on tour, not as a groupie but as a fellow musician - according to her bio, at least. Page and Plant encouraged her to form her own band, which she soon did. She must have thought "what do they have that I do not?" and not come up with the obvious answer "one is a virtuoso guitarist and the other has an exceptional voice". Well, Fabienne didn't have a great voice but what she had was a shit-ton of attitude - and sometimes, certainly around the time that punk broke out, that's way more important. Her singing style actually reminds me of a more shouty Patti Smith. Soon, Shakin' Street found themselves at the epicenter of a musical revolution, appearing on the second European punk festival at Mont-de-Marsan (1977) alongside The Clash, Police, Eddie & The Hot Rods, Damned, and Lou Reed, among others. A little-heard LP called Vampire Rock followed. Fabienne somehow managed to get Blue Öyster Cult's Sandy Pearlman to listen to it; he liked it, and that led to a recording deal with Columbia Records and a relocation to San Francisco. More importantly, when it turned out that original lead guitarist Armik Tigrane had sold his guitar to buy heroin, Pearlman arranged for the perfect substitution: Ross "the Boss" Friedman, formerly of punk/hard rockers Dictators. Together they recorded this well-received album, and started gathering a live following, even securing a place in the historic Black and Blue tour, which was co-headlined by Black Sabbath and Blue Öyster Cult. Ross Friedman must have made quite an impression on that tour, because when Ronnie James Dio -then the lead singer for Black Sabbath- was asked to recommend a guitarist for this new heavy metal band called Manowar, Ross "the Boss" was top of his list. The loss of the lead guitarist curtailed Shakin' Street's progress, and pretty soon the rest of the band also went their separate ways. The music on this album isn't easy to categorize; there are elements of punk, heavy metal, new wave, power pop, and AOR. If I had to choose one label, that would be "High Energy Rock'n'roll", as befits a band named after a song by MC5. "No Compromise" makes for a strong opener, a galloping garage rocker with powerful vocals and a short but sweet solo. "Solid As A Rock" and "No Time To Loose" are also fast rockers, with a somewhat more radio friendly chorus, and backing vocals repeating the title creating a nice hook for the songs. "Soul Dealer" is a somewhat slower, with a nice repeated riff, Patti Smith-like vocal delivery, and a B.Ö.C.- like solo by Ross the Boss. Nice percussion bit at the end, too. "Susie Wong" is a poppier new wave number. It's a good song, but it highlights Fabienne's vocal limitations; she's an energetic singer who can shout and scream as well as anyone in the louder songs, but not a great fit for the melodic ones. Really, depending on your taste, her voice can be an asset or a liability. "Generation X" introduces itself with a classic boogie guitar riff followed by Fabienne's bloodcurdling screams. The guitars remind me of Ronnie Montrose while the lyrics seem to reference The Who's "My Generation". "So Fine" has a Sixties swing to it, think The Ramones covering The Ronettes or Beach Boys. "I Want To Box You" starts off as aggressively as the title suggests; generally the trick with the backing vocalists repeating the song title ("box you!") works well - but here it sounds out of place - like a disco chorus on a Motörhead rocker. Certainly it's the heaviest track here, with Ross the Boss going wild on guitar. All in all, this is a wild rock and roll album, not quite garage punk nor heavy metal but something in between. It's very much up my alley, but it's not without its flaws: firstly, as I mentioned earlier, Fabienne isn't the best singer; her passion and conviction shine through, but her voice and technique leave something to be desired. Secondly, it's the songs: while they're energetic, and catchy enough to stick to your brain for a while, they're not particularly original or remarkable. Still, a fun album to play loud, and easy to get hold of, in vinyl at least (not so much on CD). Next time you find a cheap copy at a record fair, don't pass it by.

P.S. The band reunited in 2004 and have been intermittently active since then - or at least were, until 2019. I couldn't find any signs of activity since. Eric Lévi sat out the reunions, focusing on film music and his successful new age project, +eRa+.

**** for No Compromise, Solid As A Rock, No Time To Loose, Soul Dealer, Generation X, I Want To Box You

*** for Susie Wong, Every Man Every Woman Is A Star, So Fine

Bob Dylan "The Bootleg Series Vol. 12: The Best Of The Cutting Edge 1965–1966" 2015 (comp)****

A few months ago I went to the movies with my girlfriend and our friend Anastasia to see A Complete Unknown. It was at a cinema I used to go as a kid, ZEA at Pasalimani. How good it is to visit one of the few surviving neighborhood movie theaters in the age of multiplex entertainment! It was just as I remembered it - with a more advanced audio and video system, of course, and minus the psychedelic liquid light projections it used to show during the intermission - it was all that was missing to take you back to the 60's! The movie certainly brought that decade back to life, and featured fantastic music (of course!) and great performances by all the actors, who even sang themselves - now, anyone can imitate Dylan's characteristic singing voice, but Joan Baez must be more difficult, kudos to Monica Barbaro for that! As you may know, the story arc concerns Dylan's coming to New York to conquer the city's folk scene, and culminates with his decision to go electric, betraying all the people who believed in him by following his own muse. I was so familiar with the rock mythology behind it that watching the film was like watching the movie adaptation of a favorite book. Would they be faithful to the story? Which episodes would be included, which would be left out, and which would be invented in order to tie everything together? In the end I left satisfied, and so did the girls, even though they weren't the Dylanophiles that I am.

Soon after I watched the movie, I came across this CD. The Bootleg Series Vol. 12: The Cutting Edge 1965–1966 focuses in this most prolific and revolutionary stage of Dylan's career, covering an incredibly productive 14 month-period during which the artist recorded 3 electric folk rock masterpieces (Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61, and Blonde On Blonde) and shocked the folk music world with his electric performance on the stage of Newport Festival, which provided one of the centerpieces of the movie. Cutting Edge comes in  three different editions: The standard one (a.k.a. The Best Of The Cutting Edge) is comprised of 2CDs featuring previously unreleased demos, rehearsals, and outtakes from the sessions that produced the aforementioned albums. The Deluxe Edition (6 CDs) also contains many half-finished rehearsals, false starts and whatnot. That much detail may be too overwhelming for most of us, but it allows one to track the development of certain songs in the studio. The Collectors' Edition (18 CDs) contains everything recorded during those sessions plus some hotel room demos - not sure that anyone sane would ever go through all of it. I already own some of Dylan's Bootleg Series, and always marvel at how he keeps changing his songs, trying out different tempos and arrangements; sometimes the finished product bears only passing resemblance to the original demo. And neither does it stay the same after it's committed to vinyl, Dylan keeps trying on different arrangements live. Before buying this compilation I looked it up at the metacritic website to see what reviewers were saying about it, and came across an unbelievable metascore of 99/100. How can any collections of demos and outtakes be so good? I asked myself, so I bought the CD and delved in. Amazingly, it's almost as good as advertised; I mean there's no escaping the fact that, however great these songs are, there are even better versions of them out there, which most of us are very familiar with. CD 1 opens with a barrage of acoustic demos: ballads "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" and "She Belongs to Me" sound as charming as ever, while the delirious "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream" works well as a solo acoustic number - the lyrics, at least, are more discernable - and what a surreal, comedic, ride of a song it is! There are two more ballads included here in acoustic demo form, which weren't used by Dylan but given away to ladies with whom he had affairs with: "I'll Keep It with Mine" to Nico, "Farewell Angelina" to Joan Baez. Another unused song is acoustic blues "California" - though some lyrics were recycled for "Outlaw Blues", a storming electric blues version of which is also included on CD 1. It's no surprise that the electric numbers are the best here; after all Dylan had gathered some fantastic musicians, including Michael Bloomfield (a.k.a. the Jewish blues wunderkind from Chicago) on guitar. He puts in some scorching solos on the (also unused at the time) blues "Sitting on a Barbed Wire Fence". Dylan actually adlibs in this song "I got this woman in LA/ she makes the sweat run down my brow/ she's good alright, but she ain't as good/ as this guitar player I've got right now" "Subterranean Homesick Blues", "On the Road Again", "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry" are presented in rough-and-ready intense garage rock versions, while "If You Gotta Go, Go Now" (featuring backing vocalist Angeline Butler) has a New Orleans jazz groove that makes it sound like a prequel of The Basement Tapes. This, too, didn't appear in any of Dylan's albums, but it charted in the UK when it was covered by Manfred Mann, and again by Fairport Convention. A charming rendition of "Mr. Tambourine Man" is unfortunately incomplete - if it was finished, it could have surpassed the final album version. The most interesting moment of the CD is listening to back-to-back versions of "Like a Rolling Stone": Take 5 is typical harmonica-heavy Dylan folk rock, while take 11 is transformed by the introduction of Al Kooper's organ. Al recounts the story in the liner notes: he took his guitar along and invited himself to the recording sessions, hoping to play on the album. When he heard Bloomfield plug in and play, he realized he didn't have a chance himself, so he sat on the sidelines watching the proceedings. At some point, organist Paul Griffin left his place and moved to piano. Kooper had played keyboards before but he wasn't an organist - he didn't even know how to turn on a B-3 Hammond, but the other guy had left it on, so he sat in his place and, out of nowhere, came up with this fantastic melody. Dylan loved it, and changed the song structure to bring the organ to the fore; from that moment on, Kooper stopped being a guitarist and made a career for himself as an organist instead. I was delighted to see that little episode make the cut and get included in the movie. Disc 1 closes with 11-minute epic "Desolation Row". Once again, the sparse instrumentation allows one to focus more on the lyrics. And again, what a lyric - I mean, "they're selling postcards of the hanging" what kind of pop song starts off like that? CD 2 is, if anything, even better than the first. We get, slightly different, full band versions of classic Dylan tracks which mostly appeared on Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde On Blonde, often backed by The Hawks, soon to become known as The Band. On each track, the band sound spontaneous but tight - even the first takes included here sound like the songs had been well rehearsed beforehand. CD2 doesn't feature many solo demos or abandoned songs - with the exception of "Lunatic Princess" and the fantastic "She's Your Lover Now", both of which are cut short. The latter remains a band favorite although there has never been a full band version of it; the only finished take is a solo piano demo available only in the Collector's Edition of The Cutting Edge. Up-tempo versions of "I Want You" and "Just Like A Woman" are interesting to hear; pity that the latter flounders toward the end. All in all, what a great outpouring of songs, all created in such a short period of time. Listening to these songs again, I appreciate the garage rock intensity of the electric numbers, even though none of them trump the overtly familiar album/single versions; but above all I'm impressed by the quality of the lyrics. All the surrealistic imagery and the ingenious wordplay; no-one else wrote like that at the time, at least not in the world of popular music. Was it Nobel Prize-worthy? Irrelevant! None of it was written with literary prizes in mind, but it sure makes a solid case for young Dylan as a rare songwriting genius. At the film, when everyone is awed by his songs, their reaction seems exaggerated to convince us of the hero's brilliance. I think that's because we grew up with his songs, so we're taking them for granted. But imagine hearing them for the first time, coming out from the mouth of such a young person! Or listening to Jimi Hendrix for the first time, producing all those strange sounds with his guitar, or hearing the incredible sound mélange that was Sergeant Pepper - those were the days, bring me more sixties biopics please! I hear they'll be making four different Beatles films, one from the perspective of each member, now those I want to see! And you know Dylan will be making a cameo to introduce the Fab Four to marijuana - wouldn't it be fun if they cast Chalamet for the role? It'd be like one of those Marvel films where Daredevil makes an appearance at a court room scene of an Avengers movie, in his alter-ego as blind lawyer Matt Murdoch of course. And where's that Arthur Lee biopic I've been waiting for? How can a story like his not move Hollywood filmmakers?

***** for Bob Dylan's 115th Dream Solo Acoustic, Subterranean Homesick Blues Take 1, Outlaw Blues Take 2, On the Road Again Take 4, If You Gotta Go Go Now Take 2, It Takes a Lot to Laugh It Takes a Train to Cry Take 8, Like a Rolling Stone Take 11, Visions of Johanna Take 5, She's Your Lover Now Take 6, Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again Take 13, Tombstone Blues Take 1, Positively 4th Street Take 5, Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window? Take 1, Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues Take 3, Highway 61 Revisited Take 3, Queen Jane Approximately Take 5

**** for Love Minus Zero/No Limit" Take 2, I'll Keep It with Mine Take 1, She Belongs to MenTake 1, Farewell, Angelina Take 1, California Take 1, Mr. Tambourine Man Take 3, Like a Rolling Stone Take 5, Sitting on a Barbed Wire Fence Take 2, Medicine Sunday Take 1, Desolation Row Take 2, Desolation Row Take 1, Lunatic Princess Take 1, Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat Take 8, One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later) Take 19, Absolutely Sweet Marie Take 1, Just Like a Woman Take 4, Alternate Take, Pledging My Time Take 1, I Want You Take 4

*** for You Don't Have to Do That Take 1, Highway 61 Revisited Take 7 (False Start)

 

The Who with Orchestra "Live At Wembley" 2022 (rec.2019)***

The first time I saw The Who live was in Amsterdam during their Quadrophenia and More Tour (2013). It was a rewarding experience; Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey were in good form despite their age,  and the rest of the band supporting them ably - especially Pino Palladino on bass and "Ringo's son" Zak Starkey on bass. The visuals were also excellent, but I remember thinking that it took a very proficient and well-rehearsed 10-piece band to produce a result that only came somewhat close to the original 4 members. Later, a DVD, recorded at Wembley Stadium during that tour, came out as Quadrophenia Live in London. I didn't buy it, despite the fact that it could have served as a nice souvenir of the concert. I figured that any time I want to listen to Quadrophenia start to finish, I can play the studio version. And if I want to listen to The Who live, I have the expanded Live At Leeds and The Kids Are Alright. Why, then, did I buy Live At The Wembley recorded at the same location as Quadrophenia Live, and even reprising half of that album, only 6 years later? Well, of course it's the orchestra thing. How much does it add to the original songs? First thing first: Metallica S&M, this isn't. Where, on that album, rock band and orchestra combined to produce intensely heavy music in an epic scale, here the orchestra just plays a supportive role, not unlike the expanded 10-piece band I remember from the Quadrophenia concert in Amsterdam. Townshend and Daltrey are in similarly good form - better than what can be reasonably be expected, given their age. When they are not accompanied by the orchestra, as in "Substitute" and "The Seeker", they sound like an older, slightly blunted, version of themselves. The acoustic version of "Won't Get Fooled Again" is different enough to previous ones to be of interest, but frankly rather weak. It was interesting to hear the orchestra replace the synths on tracks like "Baba O’Riley" and "Eminence Front" resulting in a more organic sound. Often it adds some welcome bombast, as in the fanfares of "Pinball Wizard" or melodrama, as in "Behind Blue Eyes" and "Love Reign O'er Me". Lesser known tracks like "Imagine A Man" (1975) and "Hero Ground Zero" (2019) gain from new orchestrations; new blues track "Ball And Chain" (2019) isn't up to the same level as the classics, but it's good to have a live version of it. An acoustic rendition of "Tea and Theater" from 2006's Endless Wire (recorded during a different concert, too) makes for a puzzling inclusion, and rather anti-climactic closer. This set was also released on triple vinyl, but my own version is the 2CD and Blu-Ray set. The Blu Ray offers Stereo, DTS 5.1, and Dolby Atmos audio, but no video! All you get on your screen are some photos! That was an unwelcome surprise, for sure! Since it's not made specifically clear on the package that this is an audio-only BluRay, I -and almost everybody else who purchased it- naturally assumed we were getting a video recording of the concert with surround sound. I mean, it's not some ancient archive recording. It's a huge production at Wembley stadium in 2019! Many buyers felt cheated. After all, to be honest the PCM 5.1 sound (I can't judge the Dolby Atmos sound channel, since I don't have the appropriate equipment to listen to it on) isn't all that revelatory - slightly bigger and more vivid, especially in the orchestral parts, but I'm guessing that, had they known that there was no visual content in the BluRay, many buyers would have gone for the vinyl version instead. The official response to complaints was that "the Wembley concert wasn’t filmed for DVD or Blu-ray. The only filming was choosing  for the live back screens at the show." So the cameras were transmitting while a director chose which camera feed to project on the back screen. Although the primary material wasn't recorded, apparently we still have the visuals as they were projected on the back screen. Well, some of those visuals are available for free on youtube; they look quite good and complement the sound on those youtube videos perfectly! It's a pity they didn't also make them available to paying customers, to watch on their TV while listening to that nice crisp digital sound on BluRay, instead of watching a stupid slideshow. Anyway, purely music-wise, this is The Who (or, more correctly, Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend) in respectably good form, playing some of their most famous and beloved songs. True, these "live with orchestra" versions can't compare to the studio ones, or with live recordings by the original band in their prime. It would be unreasonable from us to expect that. But they are just different enough for fans to want to listen to. If you are fans, if you already own their classic studio albums and some essential live Who from their 60's and 70's, and you are still not satiated, you may want to get this one, too. It certainly makes for a fun listen, and the orchestra adds a welcome new dimension. Too bad for the missed opportunity; some nice visual content might have elevated this to a 4* set. 

**** for Eminence Front, Imagine A Man, Pinball Wizard, Hero Ground Zero, Behind Blue Eyes, 5:15, Love Reign O'er Me,  Baba O’Riley

*** for Who Are You, Join Together, Substitute, The Seeker, Won't Get Fooled Again (Acoustic), Ball And Chain, The Real Me, I’m One, Tea & Theatre (Acoustic)

** for The Punk And The Godfather, Drowned, The Rock

Cindy Blackman Santana "Give The Drummer Some" 2020***

Photos: the Santana band, featuring Cindy Blackman-Santana on drums, at Ziggo Dome Amsterdam, 24-06-2025

As I said previously, we greatly enjoyed the Santana concert at Ziggo Dome a few days back. The guitarist was of course the main draw, but his wife/drummer Cindy Blackman Santana gave an equally admirable performance, including a quite (physically) demanding drum solo, which came more than two hours after the start of the concert. My girlfriend and I were both so impressed we that we decided to buy her CD even though we had no idea what it would sound like - based on what I had read about her, I thought it'd be pure jazz but as it turns out that was only one of the colours she had in her palette.

Talking of Cindy Blackman as being the drummer of Santana band, or the wife of the guitarist, is of course reductive, as she is quite well-known in her own right. I, like most pop and rock fans, first became aware of her as that hot female drummer who appeared in Lenny Kravitz videos but, in reality, when she joined Kravitz's band she was already a well-respected jazz musician whose recordings as band leader went all the way back to 1987. Give The Drummer Some is her 11th solo album - as well as her first since marrying Carlos Santana in 2010. Previously she used to record more often; probably the demanding tour schedule of Santana was too time-consuming, but she used that time well. When she entered the recording studio after a 10-year absense she had 17 songs ready, all but one her own original compositions. I haven't followed her career closely, but this CD seems to be an anomaly: she used to be a straight-up jazz artist, but this one leans more on rock, pop, and R&B. Also, where she previously mostly contained herself to drumming, this time it's her singing that comes to the fore. She possesses a fine soulful voice; not a belter like Aretha, but perfect for the lighter pop-R&B material. Her drumming on this album is, as expected, impeccable - funky on the groovier numbers, strong on the rockers, inventive in the jazzier pieces. Sometimes it's overshadowed by the guitars, which is to be expected when one has Carlos Santana on board - his contributions here are fantastic, often better than on his own recent albums. Another heavyweight guitarist is John McLaughlin (Mahavishnu Orchestra, Miles Davis Band). His solos here, especially on "We Came To Play", are of dizzying speed and complexity. Vernon Reid (Living Colour) is an old associate of Cindy's, and balances rock and jazz very well. A surprising inclusion is that of Kirk Hammett (Metallica). To be fair, after Metallica had Marianne Faithfull guest on one of their songs, made a collaborative album with Lou Reed, and given a concert with a symphony orchestra, one should stop being surprised every time they step out of the Heavy Metal field. I guess they're so good at that one thing they do, you forget they're not one-dimensional. In this case, Hammett puts his heavy riffs and shredding solos in the service of the groove, providing us with the hardest rocking moment of this record. Combine this with jazz instrumentals, R&B dance tracks, funk rockers, and rapping by Santana Band vocalist Andy Vargas, and you've got a lot -maybe too much- diversity. On the whole, this is an uneven album featuring nevertheless great musicianship. A bit poppier than I had hoped, I expected a jazzy affair with the drums more to the fore - despite the consistently strong drumming there are barely any drum solos. I'm thinking that some of these songs would work better incorporated in a Santana album, while the jazz and R&B/dance tracks could form the basis for two different CD's. But it's Cindy's album, maybe she wanted to demonstrate her expertise in different styles at the expense of consistency and flow. The cover art reminds me of Santana's Africa Speaks, not surprising since the two albums belong to the same period, while the CD is hosted in a similarly flimsy cardboard case. Usually while I listen to an album I make a few notes on each track, which I later work into my review. This time, though, I think I can present them as-is, so here's my track-to-track presentation of Give The Drummer Some:

1. "Imagine"*** funk rock remake of the classic John Lennon ballad, not entirely convincing but featuring great guitar by Carlos Santana. I don't really care for the vocals on this one, it had me (mistakenly) thinking "This gal is no singer". It's the only cover on this CD, obviously chosen because the message of the song is important to the Santanas.

2. "We Came To Play"**** funk jazz instrumental. Solid drumming but totally overshadowed by John McLaughlin's masterful guitar arpeggios. Settles into a repetitive groove for the last minute.

3 "She’s Got It Going On"**** a funky pop number that reminds you she used to be in Lenny Kravitz's band, also despells previous doubts about her singing abilities.

4 "Miles Away" *** a short atmospheric jazz number with trumpet (inspired by Miles Davis?)

5 "Everybody's Dancin'" **** a self-described "feelgood song". Superb R&B with beautiful guitar fills by Carlos Santana.

6 "Velocity" *** a pure jazz number, great interplay between the drums and electric piano (Neal Evans).

7 "I Need A Drummer" *** upbeat funk rock. The song was inspired by a jam Cindy had with Prince, his influence is all over this one.

8 "Superbad" **** The title isn't the only part of this song that's reminiscent of James Brown. John McLaughlin limits himself to just one shredding solo, this time. Now that I think of it, this sounds a bit like Funkadelic when they had Eddie Hazel on guitar.

9 "You Don’t Wanna Break My Heart" *** a ballad of the Lenny Kravitz school. Carlos' emotive guitar solo elevates this.

10 "Evolution Revolution"**** OK, guitarist Vernon Reid is an obviously good fit, but Metallica's Kirk Hammett? His familiar heavy riffs nevertheless fit this song very well, and give Cindy an excuse to bang the drums even more savagely to match the two guitarists' aural attack.

11 "Change Is In Your Hands"*** another heavy funk rocker with Vernon Reid guesting on lead guitar and Andy Vargas (current Santana Band vocalist) on rap vocal. Uplifting political message.

12 "Dance Party" *** based on an electronic loop, not my kind of thing but interesting thanks to Bill Ortiz's contribution on trumpet.

13 "Fun Party Splash" *** a much better dance party number than the previous one, with a disco beat and energizing guitar by (who else?) Carlos Santana.

14 "Social Justice"*** another "message" song by the politically attuned couple. Carlos Santana and Andy Vargas guest.

15 "Twilight Mask" *** atmospheric instrumental with prominent low bass and Carlos Santana on free jazz improvisations. Goes on for 9 minutes, which is a bit too long.

16 "Mother Earth"*** Cindy hitting pots and trash can lids, basically everything that was around when she got a musical idea she wanted to put down immediately. Sounds way better than my description lets on.

17 "Black Pearl"**** An atmospheric jazz piece with great guitar by Carlos Santana and Vernon Reid.

Santana "Sentient" 1987-2024(rec) 2025 (comp)***

Photos: Santana Live at Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam. Tuesday 24 June, 2024

We recently went to Ziggo Dome for a Santana concert. It was the second time I saw the band live - the previous one was waaay back in 1991 at Leoforos Alexandras Stadium in Athens. I was mesmerized by Carlos' guitar, and still think of it as the best guitar playing I've ever witnessed live - and I've seen a lot of concerts starring a lot of famous guitarists. At the time I had recorded the concert on my walkman, and -despite the awful sound quality- every listen would reinforce that conviction. That cassette went wherever cassettes go when you're not paying them attention, but there's a better recording of that concert out there on youtube so you can judge for yourself. This time around, Carlos' playing was a little less impressive, but what do you expect? the man is 77 years old - it's difficult to grasp that he was only 43 back then, quite younger than what I am now, but it felt like I was seeing a legendary beast from a bygone age; Woodstock was like the Jurassic period to me, but I was less removed from it then than I now am from that warm Athens night when I first saw Santana live. And if Carlos' fingers are a tad less nimble than they used to be, Tuesday's concert didn't make for an inferior experience. First of all, this time Santana have a lot more hit songs than they did then; especially the ones from multi-Grammy Award winner Supernatural (1999), they played 5 off that one on the Ziggo Dome concert. Secondly, it's a terrific band: David Mathews was impressive on keyboards throughout, bassist Benny Rietveld played a masterful solo, the vocalists, percussionists, and the rest of the band were also great. But my girlfriend and I were most impressed by wife Cindy Blackman Santana on drums. So, at the end of the show, we went to the merchandise stall and got both Santana's latest vinyl and Cindy's new(ish) CD (to be presented next week)

First of all, "Sentient" may be Santana's newest LP, but it mostly contains older, semi-forgotten, recordings and collaborations, going back as many as long as three decades. Which one can guess by taking a look on the collaborators: Miles Davis (R.I.P.)? Michael Jackson (R.I.P.)? Actually, Miles was already dead when "Get On" was included on Paolo Rustichelli's Mystic Man (1996) which means tha Carlos and the Italian keyboardist were playing along to Davis' trumpet samples. Not bad, though. It's a chillout tune with a semi-electronic Latin beat and a small funky vocal sample. So far that sounds like something you might listen at a Balearic beach bar in the 90's - but the superb playing by the musicians elevates it tremendously. The LP contains another track from the same CD, "Vers Le Soleil". No Miles here - just Carlos and Paolo, relaxed vocals and dramatic synthesized strings. Both are "Sentient versions", meaning they've been reworked for inclusion here. I wouldn't know how much, but the new versions are great, especially Carlos' guitar which is just magical. Another reworked version is "Please Don't Take Your Love" featuring Smokey Robinson, originally recorded for the soul legend's comeback LP Time Flies When You're Having Fun (2009). Smokey's ageless vocal combines with Carlos' classy blues licks to create one of the highlights here. Opener "Let the Guitar Play" was released last year as a Record Store Day single, and features veteran rapper Darryl McDaniels (of Run-DMC) on vocal. I don't know why all those old rockers think they're modernizing their sound by adding unrelated rap segments; to be honest, I find it intrusive and would have prefered the track as an instrumental. "Whatever Happens" off Michael Jackson's last album Invincible (2001) features some nice acoustic guitar and intricate production. It wouldn't have sounded out of place on Supernatural. A second MJ composition "Stranger In Moscow" is included here in a, previously unissued, instrumental version recorded live in 2007 at a small club, backed by renowned drummer Narada Michael Walden and his band. Santana's guitar literally sings, as it copies the tone of MJ's vocal on the original ballad. A great gift for the diehard fan who may already own all the other, rare but previously released, pieces. Another previously unreleased track is "Coherence", credited to Santana and wife/drummer Cindy Blackman. It's an adventurous jazz fusion piece featuring great musical interplay between the couple. The vinyl version of Sentient closes with a masterful instrumental called "Blues For Salvador" from the eponymous 1987 album - I guess its inclusion is justified by the fact that it comes from a "solo" Carlos Santana LP, and thus new in the official Santana-the-band discography. As you may have already guessed, this is a hodgepogde of different styles, even more so than Santana's (in)famous string of commercial "collaboration" albums of the early 00's. It's nevertheless nice to bring all those scattered tunes together, and Carlos' playing is inspired throughout irregardless of song style. Not essential for the casual listener, but good for diehard fans who want to collect everything from their favorite artist, as wll as those who, like me, wanted a souvenir of the Oneness tour (although I believe the band didn't play any of these tunes live). The album cover you see here is exclusive to the European market - basically, it swaps the international edition's front and back covers. The CD version of the album contains extra tracks: two more Rustichelli collaborations called "Rastafario" and "Fool Moon", as well as "I'll Be Waiting", a soul ballad from Moonflower.

**** for Please Don't Take Your Love, Get On, Blues For Salvador

*** for Let The Guitar Play, Stranger In Moscow, Whatever Happens, Vers Le Soleil, Coherence

Frenzee "What’s Wrong With Me" (2024)****

Sometime ago I wrote a post on a record by Xylouris White. As I explained then, Giorgos Xylouris of Xylouris White is a Greek-born singer and lute player. As a young man, he immigrated to Australia and has made records blending Cretan folk with jazz and new wave. More importantly, he is also a member of a famous Cretan mountain clan; his uncle Nikos Xylouris started as a traditional folk musician but transcended all that to become one of the country's most beloved and respected singers of all time. He died in 1980, aged only 43, passing the torch of Cretan music champion to Giorgos' father, better known with the nickname "Psarantonis". What I didn't know until I watched documentary "A Family Affair" is that there's yet another generation of Xylourises: Giorgos' kids Apollonia, Adonis, and Nikos. They were born and raised in Melbourne Australia, where they were exposed to a lot of different music styles; Cretan, of course, but also punk rock and a lot of AC/DC. The whole family has since remigrated back to Crete, where the Xylouris youths hatched this little dynamite. It all  started during the pandemic lockout: the boys, who earn their daily bread playing traditional instruments at weddings and festivals, switched to electric guitar and drums and started jamming, while their sister became the singer, main lyricist, and general frontperson of the group during the live performances. They released an EP in '22, and this LP last October (or is it a mini-LP? despite having 9 tracks, it's actually only 20 minutes long). The music is very fast and energetic, reminiscent of Black Flag, of Riot Grrrl archetypes Bikini Kill,  or -closer to home- fellow Aussie troublemakers Amyl And The Sniffers. Favorites: opener "100°C" which somehow carries echoes of Rage Against The Machine, followed by "Sales", "Data Collector" and "Pink Tax"; these remind me a bit of Motörhead - until the vocals kick in, that is. Then the resemblance evaporates; Apollonia spouts the lyrics like a machinegun. "Angry" is the longest track, and it's one of those cases where the title says it all. It's also -along with the eponymous closer- the closest Frenzee get to thrash metal (think Suicidal Tendencies). The whole of the album really is a great little blast of manic energy and righteous anger. Highly recommended, I can't wait to witness this band live!

***** for 100°C, Angry

**** for Sales, Data Collector, Pink Tax, Ask Me Again, What's Wrong With Me

*** for Rats In Here, Fear No Fear

UNCUT: The 500 Greatest Albums of The 1960's ...ranked!

There's a case to be made of the Sixties as the best decade in music, in general. A quick look at the Top Ten of this list will confirm that: I challenge you to make up a list of albums recorded in any decade (though these 10 records were recorded in a space of only 5 years) that can go head to head to this one. It's just impossible. Here you have pop perfection (Pet Sounds), orchestral psychedelia (Forever Changes), fluid jazz-folk (Astral weeks), electric folk rock (Blonde on Blonde), tough R&B (Let It Bleed), the precursors to punk (The Stooges) and new wave (Velvet underground & Nico), and The Beatles, who are at once of multiple genres and of a genre of their own. Scrolling down you'll find some of the most important landmarks in jazz, blues, pop, rock, folk, country, soul, and even avantgarde and world music. As usual, I'm adding links to albums already presented in this blog. If I live to be 150 years old and lucid enough, I should be able to complete the task I set out to do with this blog, and 227 out of these 500 entries will be leading to a record review by yours truly - a roundabout way to say I own almost half of these albums. In the meanwhile, it'd be interesting to compare this list to two similar ones presented here: Uncut's previous Ultimate Record Collection of The Sixties (featuring 657 unranked LPs) and Classic Rock's Real 100 Greatest Albums Of The 60s, focusing on the underrated masterpieces of the era.

1 Velvet underground Velvet underground & Nico 1967
2 Beatles Revolver 1966
3 Love Forever changes 1967
4 Beatles The Beatles (= the white album) 1968
5 Rolling Stones Let it bleed 1969
6 Beach Boys Pet sounds 1966
7 Bob Dylan Blonde on blonde 1966
8 Beatles Abbey road 1969
9 Van Morrison Astral weeks 1968
10 Stooges The Stooges 1969
11 Bob Dylan Highway 61 revisited 1965
12 Bob Dylan Bringing it all back home 1965
13 Velvet underground The Velvet underground 1969
14 Nick Drake Five leaves left 1969
15 Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely hearts club band 1967
16 Dusty Springfield Dusty in Memphis 1969
17 Kinks The Kinks are the Village green preservation society 1968
18 Rolling stones Beggars banquet 1968
19 John Coltrane A love supreme 1965
20 Neil Young Everybody knows this is nowhere 1969
21 Beatles Rubber soul 1965
22 Jimi Hendrix Are you experienced 1967
23 Scott Walker Scott 4 1969
24 Leonard Cohen Songs of Leonard Cohen 1967
25 Sly and the family Stone Stand! 1969
26 Flying burrito brothers The gilded palace of sin 1969
27 Miles Davis In a silent way 1969
28 Aretha Franklin I never loved a man the way I love you 1967
29 Velvet underground White light/white heat 1968
30 Dr. John Gris-gris 1968
31 Pink floyd The piper at the gates of dawn 1967
32 Jimi Hendrix Electric ladyland 1968
33 Byrds The notorious Byrd brothers 1968
34 Isaac Hayes Hot buttered soul 1969
35 Zombies Odessey & oracle 1968
36 Byrds Younger than yesterday 1967
37 Doors The Doors 1967
38 Led zeppelin Led zeppelin 1969
39 Captain Beefheart and the Magic band Safe as milk 1967
40 Otis Redding Otis blue - Otis Redding sings soul 1965
41 Johnny Cash Johnny Cash at Folsom prison 1968
42 Can Monster movie 1969
43 Scott Walker Scott 3 1969
44 Bob Dylan The freewheelin' Bob Dylan 1963
45 Led zeppelin Led zeppelin 2 1969
46 Beatles A hard day's night 1964
47 King Crimson In the court of the Crimson king 1969
48 Band The Band 1969
49 Fairport convention Unhalfbricking 1969
50 Byrds Sweetheart of the rodeo 1968
51 Simon and Garfunkel Bookends 1968
52 Nico The marble index 1968
53 James Brown Live at The Apollo, october 24, 1962 1963
54 Incredible string band The hangman's beautiful daughter 1968
55 MC5 Kick out the jams 1969
56 Charles Mingus The black saint and the sinner lady 1963
57 Kinks Something else by the Kinks 1967
58 Laura Nyro New York tendaberry 1969
59 Band Music from big pink 1968
60 Bob Dylan John Wesley Harding 1967
61 Fairport convention Liege & lief 1969
62 United States of America The United States of America 1968
63 Miles Davis Sketches of Spain 1960
64 Elvis Presley From Elvis in Memphis 1969
65 Simon and Garfunkel Sounds of silence 1966
66 Laura Nyro Eli and the thirteenth confession 1968
67 David Axelrod Song of innocence 1968
68 Rolling stones Aftermath 1966
69 Buffalo springfield Buffalo springfield again 1967
70 Jimi Hendrix Axis : bold as love 1967
71 Buffalo springfield Buffalo springfield 1966
72 Kinks Arthur, or the decline and fall of the British empire 1969
73 Joni Mitchell Clouds 1969
74 Van Dyke Parks Song cycle 1967
75 Monks Black monk time 1966
76 Crosby, Stills & Nash Crosby, Stills & Nash 1969
77 Nina Simone Wild is the wind 1966
78 Who The Who sell out 1967
79 Tim Buckley Happy sad 1969
80 A Christmas gift for you (Phil Spector) 1963
81 Aretha Franklin Lady soul 1968
82 Roberta Flack First take 1969
83 Small faces Ogden's nut gone flake 1968
84 13th Floor elevators Easter everywhere 1967
85 Bob Dylan Nashville skyline 1969
86 Nico Chelsea girl 1967
87 David Bowie Space oddity 1969
88 Temptations Cloud nine 1969
89 Alexander 'Skip' Spence Oar 1969
90 Sonics Here are the Sonics!!! 1965
91 Love Da capo 1966
92 Beatles Help! 1965
93 Byrds Mr. Tambourine man 1965
94 Creedence clearwater revival Green river 1969
95 Caetano Veloso Caetano Veloso (Tropicália) 1968
96 Rolling stones Between the buttons 1967
97 Ornette Coleman This is our music 1961
98 Bert Jansch Bert and John 1966
99 Pentangle The Pentangle 1968
100 Left banke Walk away Renée/Pretty ballerina 1967
101 Bee gees Odessa 1969
102 Shirley Collins & Davy Graham Folk roots, new routes 1964
103 Silver apples Silver apples 1968
104 Soft machine The Soft machine 1968
105 Four tops Reach out 1967
106 Scott Walker Scott 2 1968
107 Pink floyd More (soundtrack) 1969
108 Procol harum Procol harum 1967
109 Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg 1969
110 Creedence clearwater revival Willy and the poor boys 1969
111 John Fahey The transfiguration of Blind Joe Death 1965
112 Who Tommy 1969
113 Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood Nancy & Lee 1968
114 13th Floor elevators The psychedelic sounds of the 13th Floor elevators 1966
115 Bert Jansch Bert Jansch 1965
116 Bob Dylan The times they are a-changin' 1964
117 Incredible string band Wee tam and the big huge 1968
118 Shirley & Dolly Collins Anthems in Eden 1969
119 Traffic Mr. Fantasy 1967
120 Terry Riley A rainbow in curved air 1969
121 Os mutantes Os mutantes 1968
122 David Axelrod Song of innocence 1968
123 Merle Haggard Mama tried 1968
124 James Carr You got my mind messed up 1967
125 Moby grape Moby grape 1967
126 Bill Evans Sunday at the Village Vanguard 1961
127 Jefferson airplane Volunteers 1969
128 Pretty things S.F. Sorrow 1968
129 Incredible string band The 5000 spirits or the layers of the Onion 1967
130 Bobbie Gentry Ode to Billie Joe 1967
131 Ray Charles Modern sounds in country and western music 1962
132 Townes Van Zandt Townes van Zandt 1969
133 Karen Dalton It's so hard to tell who's going to love you the best 1969
134 Beatles With the Beatles 1963
135 Who The Who sings My generation 1965
136 Albert Ayler Spiritual unity 1964
137 Impressions The young mod's forgotten story 1969
138 White noise An electric storm 1969
139 Rolling stones Their satanic majesties request 1967
140 John Barry Midnight cowboy (soundtrack) 1969
141 Grateful dead Live/Dead 1969
142 Jerry Lee Lewis Live at the Star club, Hamburg 1964
143 Traffic Traffic 1968
144 John Coltrane Giant steps 1960
145 Creedence clearwater revival Bayou country 1969
146 Small faces Small faces (1967) 1967
147 Townes Van Zandt Our mother the mountain 1969
148 Bert Jansch It don't bother me 1965
149 Neil Young Neil Young 1968
150 Pink floyd A saucerful of secrets 1968
151 Terry Riley In C 1968
152 Davy Graham Folk, blues & beyond ... 1964
153 Mickey Newbury Looks like rain 1969
154 Jerry Lee Lewis Another place another time 1968
155 Judy Henske & Jerry Yester Farewell Aldebaran 1969
156 Bobbie Gentry The delta sweete 1968
157 Dillard & Clark The fantastic expedition of Dillard & Clark 1968
158 Frank Zappa Hot rats 1969
159 John Coltrane Ascension 1966
160 Max Roach Members, don't git weary 1968
161 Tim Buckley Blue afternoon 1969
162 Creedence clearwater revival Creedence clearwater revival 1968
163 Moondog Moondog 1969
164 Merle Haggard I'm a lonesome fugitive 1967
165 Captain Beefheart and the Magic band Trout mask replica 1969
166 Gabor Szabo Dreams 1968
167 Oliver Nelson The blues and the abstract truth 1961
168 Smokey Robinson and the Miracles Going to a go-go 1965
169 Red krayola The parable of Arable land 1967
170 Fred Neil Fred Neil 1966
171 James Brown Live at the Apollo, volume II 1968
172 Nina Simone Pastel blues 1965
173 Ornette Coleman Free jazz : a collective improvisation 1961
174 Byrds Fifth dimension 1966
175 Doors Strange days 1967
176 Tim Buckley Goodbye and hello 1967
177 Tim Hardin Tim Hardin 1966
178 Ronettes Presenting the fabulous Ronettes featuring Veronica 1964
179 Country Joe and the Fish Electric music for the mind and body 1967
180 Jefferson airplane Surrealistic pillow 1967
181 Beatles Magical mystery tour 1967
182 Supremes Where did our love go 1964
183 Amon Düül II Phallus Dei 1969
184 Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell United 1967
185 Red crayola God bless the Red krayola and all who sail with it 1968
186 Jeff Beck Truth 1968
187 Stan Getz & João Gilberto Getz/Gilberto 1964
188 Kevin Ayers Joy of a toy 1969
189 Nina Simone High priestess of soul 1967
190 Solomon Burke Rock 'n soul 1964
191 Francoise Hardy Tous les garcons et les filles 1962
192 Gene Clark With the Gosdin brothers 1967
193 Temptations Puzzle people 1969
194 Glen Campbell By the time I get to Phoenix 1967
195 Karlheinz Stockhausen Kontakte 1964
196 Cream Disraeli gears 1967
197 Dionne Warwick Here I am 1965
198 Johnny Cash Johnny Cash at San Quentin 1969
199 Pentangle Basket of light 1969
200 Ennio Morricone The good, the bad and the ugly (soundtrack) 1966
201 Harry Partch The world of Harry Partch 1969
202 John Coltrane Meditations 1966
203 Love Love 1966
204 Bill Evans Waltz for Debby 1961
205 Donovan Sunshine superman 1966
206 Patty Waters Sings 1965
207 Scott Walker Scott 1967
208 Turtles The Turtles present The battle of the bands 1968
209 Booker T and the MG's Soul dressing 1965
210 P.F. Sloan Songs of our time 1965
211 Richard Harris A tramp shining 1968
212 Sam Cooke Mr. Soul 1963
213 Dorothy Asby Afro-harping 1968
214 Fairport convention What we did on our holidays 1969
215 Johnny Horton Honky-tonk man 1962
216 Mulatu Astatke & his Ethiopian quintet Afro-latin soul 1966
217 Alice Coltrane A monastic trio 1968
218 Bloomfield, Kooper & Stills Super session 1968
219 Bobby 'Blue' Bland Two steps from the blues 1961
220 Bobby Hutcherson Dialogue 1965
221 Jake Thackray The last will and testament of Jake Thackray 1967
222 Lee Hazlewood Trouble is a lonesome town 1963
223 Leonard Cohen Songs from a room 1969
224 Muddy Waters Folk singer 1964
225 Simon and Garfunkel Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme 1966
226 Four tops Greatest hits 1967
227 Kinks Sunny afternoon 1967
228 Caravan Carvan 1969
229 Dillard & Clark Through the morning, through the night 1969
230 Harvey Mandel Cristo redentor 1968
231 Herbie Hancock Speak like a child 1968
232 John Lee Hooker Don't turn me from your door 1963
233 Lalo Schifrin Bullit (soundtrack) 1968
234 Tammy Wynette D.I.V.O.R.C.E. 1968
235 Meters The Meters 1969
236 Bill Evans Interplay 1963
237 Blue cheer Vincebus eruptum 1968
238 Bobby Gentry & Glen Campbell Bobby Gentry & Glen Campbell 1968
239 David Bowie David Bowie 1967
240 Duke Ellington And his mother called him Bill 1968
241 Frank Sinatra September of my years 1965
242 Glen Campbell Wichita lineman 1968
243 Herbie Hancock Fat Albert Rotunda 1969
244 Nina Simone I put a spell on you 1965
245 Nina Simone Nuff said! 1968
246 Roy Harper Sophisticated beggar 1966
247 Serge Gainsbourg Initials B.B. 1968
248 Tom T. Hall Ballad of forty dollars and his other great songs 1969
249 Albert Ayler New grass 1969
250 Eric Dolphy Out to lunch! 1964
251 Herbie Hancock Maiden voyage 1965
252 Herbie Hancock Empyrean isles 1964
253 Merle Haggard Swinging doors 1966
254 Roy Orbison Crying 1962
255 Santana Santana 1969
256 Thelonious Monk Underground 1968
257 Them The angry young Them 1965
258 Various Artists     Mountain music of Kentucky 1960
259 Allman brothers band The Allman brothers band 1969
260 Aretha Franklin Aretha now 1968
261 Beach boys The Beach boys today! 1965
262 Priscilla Paris Priscilla sings herself 1967
263 Seeds The Seeds 1966
264 Biff Rose The thorn in mrs. Rose's side 1968
265 Charles Mingus Blues & roots 1960
266 Desmond Dekker Israelites 1969
267 Miles Davis Miles smiles 1967
268 Sandy Bull E pluribus unum 1969
269 Kaleidoscope Side trips 1967
270 Monkees The Monkees 1966
271 Yardbirds The Yardbirds (a.k.a. Roger the Engineer) 1966
272 Bob Dylan Another side of Bob Dylan 1964
273 Beach boys Smiley smile 1967
274 Charles Mingus Oh yeah 1962
275 John Coltrane Ballads 1962
276 Ornette Coleman Ornette! 1962
277 ? and the Mysterians 96 tears 1966
278 Shirley Collins The power of the true love knot 1968
279 O.S.T. Easy rider (soundtrack) 1969
280 Ike & Tina Turner River deep, mountain high 1966
281 Terry Callier The new folk sound of Terry Callier 1965
282 B.B. King Live at the Regal 1965
283 Brigitte Fontaine Comme à la radio 1969
284 Howlin' Wolf Howlin' Wolf (The rocking chair album) 1962
285 Johnny Paycheck The lovin' machine 1966
286 Merle Haggard Strangers 1965
287 Nirvana (60's) All of us 1968
288 Odetta Sometimes I feel like cryin' 1962
289 Quicksilver messenger service Happy trails 1969
290 Delfonics La la means I love you 1968
291 Vanilla fudge Vanilla fudge 1967
292 Beach boys Summer days (and summer nights) 1965
293 Blood, sweat & tears Child is father to the man 1968
294 Bo Diddley Bo Diddley is a gunslinger 1960
295 George Jones The race is on 1965
296 Joe South Introspect 1968
297 Miles Davis E.S.P. 1965
298 Rolling stones The Rolling stones 1964
299 Sonny Rollins Alfie (soundtrack) 1966
300 Art Blakey & the Jazz messengers Like someone in love 1967
301 Johnny Winter The progressive blues experiment 1969
302 Richard M. & Robert B. Sherman Chitty chitty bang bang 1968
303 Rotary connection Rotary connection 1969
304 Bonzo dog band The doughnut in granny's greenhouse 1968
305 Booker Little Out front 1961
306 Everly brothers Roots 1968
307 Fairport convention Fairport convention 1968
308 Free Tons of sobs 1969
309 James Brown Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud 1969
310 Procol harum Shine on brightly 1968
311 Smokey Robinson and the Miracles Make it happen 1967
312 Beatles Please please me 1963
313 Monkees Headquarters 1967
314 Francoise Hardy Ma jeunesse fout le camp … 1967
315 Gilberto Gil Gilberto Gil 1968
316 Procol harum A salty dog 1969
317 Roy Harper Folkjokeuponus 1969
318 Fugs The Fugs (aka second album) 1966
319 Young tradition The Young tradition 1966
320 Big Brother and the Holding company Cheap thrills 1968
321 Don Cherry Complete communion 1966
322 James Taylor James Taylor 1968
323 Lesley Gore I'll cry if I want to 1963
324 Miles Davis My funny Valentine 1965
325 Sun Ra The futuristic sounds of Sun Ra 1962
326 Electric prunes Release of an oath 1968
327 Joe Harriott & John Mayer Indo-jazz fusions 1967
328 Judy Garland Judy at Carnegie hall 1961
329 Ray Charles Genius sings the blues 1960
330 BBC Radiophonic workshop BBC Radiophonic music 1968
331 Electric prunes Mass in F minor 1968
332 Walter Carlos Switched-on Bach 1968
333 Donovan Barabajagal 1969
334 Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer songbook 1964
335 Francis Albert Sinatra & Antônio Carlos Jobim Francis Albert Sinatra & Antônio Carlos Jobim 1967
336 Gil Evans Out of the cool 1961
337 Jim Sullivan U.F.O. 1969
338 Prince Buster Fabulous greatest hits 1968
339 Sandy Bull Inventions 1965
340 Small faces Small faces 1966
341 Blind faith Blind faith 1969
342 Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & the Trinity Open 1967
343 Gal Costa Gal Costa 1969
344 Beau brummels Bradley's barn 1968
345 Smokey Robinson and the Miracles Away we a go-go 1966
346 Sam Cooke Ain't that good news 1964
347 Jeff Beck     Beck-ola 1969
348 Gil Evans The individualism of Gil Evans 1964
349 John Fahey The new possibility : John Fahey's guitar solo Christmas album 1968
350 Johnny Cash Orange blossom special 1965
351 Joni Mitchell Song to a seagull 1968
352 Manitas de Plata The art of guitar 1968
353 Doors The soft parade 1969
354 Yes Yes 1969
355 Argent Argent 1969
356 Eric Burdon & the Animals Winds of change 1967
357 Henry Mancini Breakfast at Tiffany's (soundtrack) 1961
358 Pentangle Sweet child 1968
359 Phil Ochs Tape from California 1968
360 Raymond Scott Soothing sounds for baby 1962
361 Horace Silver Song for my father 1965
362 Walker brothers Take it easy with the Walker brothers 1965
363 Cecil Taylor Unit structures 1966
364 Dino Valente Dino Valente 1968
365 Don Rendell & Ian Carr quintet Dusk fire 1966
366 John Barry The Ipcress file (soundtrack) 1965
367 Judy Collins In my life 1966
368 Otis Redding The dock of the bay 1968
369 Phil Ochs I ain't marchin' anymore 1965
370 Sun Ra The heliocentric worlds of Sun Ra : volume 1 1965
371 Monkees Head (soundtrack) 1968
372 Caetano Veloso Caetano Veloso (Irene) 1969
373 Cream Fresh Cream 1966
374 Gilberto Gil Gilberto Gil 1968
375 Jefferson airplane After bathing at Baxter's 1967
376 Byrds Turn! Turn! Turn! 1965
377 Monkees Pisces, aquarius, capricorn & Jones Ltd. 1967
378 Shangri-La's Leader of the pack 1965
379 Thelonious Monk It's Monk time 1964
380 Various Artists     Tighten up : volume one 1969
381 Fleetwood mac Then play on 1969
382 John Coltrane My favorite things 1961
383 Max Roach We insist! : Max Roach's Freedom now suite 1960
384 Moody blues Days of future passed 1967
385 Buck Owens and his Buckaroos I've got a tiger by the tail 1965
386 Del Shannon The further adventures of Charles Westover 1968
387 Jack Bruce Songs for a tailor 1969
388 Mitch Ryder and the Detroit wheels Jenny take a ride 1966
389 Pat Kilroy Light of day 1966
390 Patsy Cline Sentimentally yours 1962
391 Robbie Basho The falconer's arm II 1967
392 Roger Miller The one and only 1965
393 Doors Waiting for the sun 1968
394 Dion Wonder where I'm bound 1969
395 Humble pie As safe as yesterday 1969
396 John Fahey Requia 1967
397 Lee Morgan The sidewinder 1964
398 Muddy Waters Muddy Waters at Newport 1960
399 Roy Orbison In dreams 1963
400 Various Artists Tropicália : ou panis et circensis 1968
401 Beatles Beatles for sale 1964
402 Brigitte Fontaine Brigitte Fontaine est … folle! 1968
403 Georgie Fame & the Blue flames Rhythm and blues at the Flamingo 1964
404 International harvester Sov Gott Rose-Marie 1968
405 Jackson C. Frank Jackson C. Frank 1965
406 John Coltrane Impressions 1963
407 Stevie Wonder For once in my life 1969
408 Blues magoos Psychedelic lollipop 1966
409 Fugs The Fugs first album 1965
410 Nazz Nazz 1968
411 Chocolate watchband The inner mystique 1968
412 David Ackles David Ackles 1968
413 Ennio Morricone Svegliati e uccidi (soundtrack) 1995
414 Bobby Bare The streets of Baltimore 1966
415 John McLaughlin Extrapolation 1969
416 Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington Recording together for the first time 1961
417 Phil Ochs Rehearsals for retirement 1969
418 Stan Getz Focus 1961
419 Steve Reich Live/Electric music 1968
420 Easybeats Friday on my mind 1967
421 Townes Van Zandt For the sake of the song 1968
422 Antônio Carlos Jobim Wave 1967
423 Elvis Presley Elvis is back! 1960
424 Sam Cooke Night beat 1963
425 Dubliners A drop of the hard stuff 1967
426 Leaves Hey Joe 1966
427 Tony Williams Lifetime Emergency! 1969
428 Thelonious Monk Straight, no chaser 1967
429 Tony Bennett I left my heart in San Francisco 1962
430 Art ensemble of Chicago Message to our folks 1969
431 Curtis Amy & Dupree Bolton Katanga! 1963
432 Etta James At last! 1960
433 Little Richard The explosive Little Richard 1967
434 Pharoah Sanders Karma 1969
435 Roy Harper Come out fighting Genghis Smith 1968
436 Taj Mahal The natch'l blues 1968
437 Groundhogs Blues obituary 1969
438 Isley brothers This old heart of mine 1966
439 Tim Hardin Tim Hardin 2 1967
440 Wayne Shorter Speak no evil 1966
441 Zodiac Cosmic sounds 1967
442 Dionne Warwick Valley of the dolls 1968
443 John Mayall Blues breakers with Eric Clapton 1966
444 Margo Guryan Take a picture 1968
445 Temptations Gettin' ready 1966
446 Bert Jansch Jack Orion 1966
447 Lee Hazlewood Love and other crimes 1968
448 Muddy Waters     Electric mud 1968
449 Paul Bley Closer 1966
450 Peter Brötzmann Machine gun 1968
451 Sir Douglas quintet Mendocino 1969
452 Spooky tooth Spooky two 1969
453 Tyrannosaurus Rex Unicorn 1969
454 George Harrison Wonderwall music 1968
455 Beach boys Friends 1968
456 Charley Pride The country way 1967
457 Eartha Kitt In person at the Plaza 1965
458 5th Dimension Stoned soul picnic 1968
459 Impressions This is my country 1968
460 Andrew Hill Judgment! 1964
461 Joe Cocker With a little help from my friends 1969
462 John Coltrane Africa/Brass 1961
463 Loretta Lynn Don't come home a drinkin' (with lovin' on your mind) 1967
464 Who Magic bus : the Who on tour 1968
465 Various Artists The rock machine turns you on 1968
466 Wilson Pickett The wicked Pickett 1966
467 Alice Coltrane     Huntington ashram monastery 1969
468 Country Joe and the Fish I-feel-like-I'm-fixin'-to-die 1967
469 Dr. Strangely Strange Kip of the serenes 1969
470 Eddie Gale Eddie Gale's  ghetto music 1968
471 John Lennon & the Plastic Ono band Live peace in Toronto 1969 1969
472 Frank Sinatra & Count Basie Sinatra at the Sands 1966
473 Free design Kites are fun 1967
474 Melanie Melanie 1969
475 Morton Subotnick Silver apples of the moon for electronic music synthesizer 1968
476 Mothers of invention Freak out! 1966
477 Sun Ra The magic city 1966
478 Supremes I hear a symphony 1966
479 Wilson Pickett The exciting Wilson Pickett 1966
480 Archie Shepp Four for Trane 1964
481 Bee gees Idea 1968
482 Deep purple Shades of Deep purple 1968
483 Stan Tracey Jazz suite : inspired by Dylan Thomas's 'Under milkwood' 1965
484 Joan Baez Joan Baez 1960
485 Marvin Gaye In the groove 1968
486 Various Artists Tonight let's make love (soundtrack) 1968
487 William Bell The soul of a Bell 1967
488 Robert Johnson King of the Delta blues singers 1961
489 Yardbirds Five live Yardbirds 1964
490 Boz Scaggs Boz Scaggs 1969
491 Charles Lloyd Soundtrack 1969
492 Watersons Frost and fire : a calendar of ritual and magical songs 1965
493 Reverend Gary Davis Harlem street singer 1960
494 Bonzo dog band Gorilla 1967
495 Blossom toes We are ever so clean 1967
496 Harry Nilsson Pandemonium shadow show 1967
497 Pharoah Sanders Tauhid 1967
498 Sonny Rollins The bridge 1962
499 Max Romeo A dream 1969
500 AMM  AMMMusic  1967