Badlands is a razor sharp dissection of youthful arrogance taken to its extreme, succeeding due to its humanizing and detailed look at its main character. The film originally seemed to be primarily about the dangers of those wanting to take advantage of underage girls, with the scenes having a rhythm of the leads trying to find safety for themselves, then something always going wrong. The first scene of the runtime is of Holly, played by Sissy Spacek, discussing a potentially traumatic childhood experience that may disorient her as to what is or isn’t normal. Crucially, her and her father suddenly move. While Holly’s dad, like many others, is a bit stubborn and protective, Kit, played by Martin Sheen, offers her additional support. This is shown in the fish scene. Regardless, he is quick to set off red flags, like faking signatures. The story gets a lot more interesting when Holly becomes a little older, having a more nuanced view of what’s going on, while still being childlike. She is a very important character for the development of the themes, characterized by many moments like her awkwardly delivering a joke she probably read in a magazine, as if trying to acclimate herself to her surroundings as much as possible and make what she can out of it from a staged source.
Kit is a troubled and multi-layered role, acting realistically like an extreme example of youthful rebellion and overconfidence. He is constantly characterized by small absurdisms that prove how little thought he’s put in his behavior, not unlike how a child might follow what they want without considering the consequences. One example is his rudimentary home and defense mechanisms, put together in a way that’s not sustainable in the long term or even that effective in the short. Another is that at a point where he should carefully consider his options, he leaves his decision up to pure chance. Logically, his behavior continues to make no sense, with his extreme thoughtlessness very compelling, possibly due to it making him vulnerable to the audience. Despite the movie featuring narration from only Holly, we learn so much about Kit, including his contradictions or otherwise strange lines of logic which seem forced to justify his impulse behavior to himself. He shows disdain for bounty hunters that doesn’t extend to the police, but he later treats the police with the same disrespect. He is also misogynist, probably as that’s the only way he can justify how little agency or freedom he gives Holly, due to him trying to live his own fantasy.
Kit is both unpretentious and uncertain of himself. What is suggested is that his behavior might be desirable to many people and the difference between them and him is that he doesn’t have the ability to comprehend how untenable his choices are and he lacks an ability to empathize. He wants to be cared about and take what he wants. His decisions follow those goals, with little more to consider. Just like how Kit doesn’t seem to understand his own behavior, neither does Holly. She treats everything like a strange adventure that doesn’t have much real value or impact. She discussed Kit like he’s a fictional character or someone unrelated to her, whose attributes are described as descriptions instead of beliefs that might be intended to inform her on a way of thinking. Her barely involved attitude makes for a very compelling contrast to the “act for the sake of acting” Kit, with some of the finest moments of the film coming from when Holly metaphorically reaches the point where he does become “real”, with her not knowing anything better to do than just be direct, like how Kit had been when describing his wants or actions.
The many wide shots of terrain give the sense of endless possibilities and are nice to look at, though overtime they seem more and more fruitless and flat. The ground leads to everywhere, but it is not in and of itself anything, and feels endless. Due to a few methodical scenes followed by a fast action, the film manages to shock you by first giving the audience uncertainty or numbing them with more mundane scenes that also tell us about the leads or the world they’re in before something happens. This is helped by the score, which shows us how they feel due to the tropical tone, like we’re watching some light escapade, which creates a brilliant surreal atmosphere that makes the story feel not real.
A fairly common issue with these sorts of movies is the characters falling in love very quickly without seeing much of why. Considering the tight and snappy pace of the story, it is probably for the best to not have had more scenes of the leads bonding. A potential work around for this would be for the movie to start with the two already dating. Another minor complaint is that the mumbling of the characters, while there for a reason, means it is sometimes really difficult to hear what’s being said.
SPOILERS
One of the most heart wrenching scenes of the film is when Kit unexpectedly and brutally shoots Holly’s dad, like the act is nothing. One of Spacek’s strongest moments is when she asks if he’ll be okay while watching his lifeless body. One of Sheen’s best is of his face painted with disbelief that he did that. He tries to keep a calm and tempered attitude over the killing, probably to keep Holly from getting upset, but also due to not knowing what this says about himself. He even says to her he’s fine with her calling the police, partially realizing that what he’s done is wrong and not trusting himself to make the right decision. After this we get him cooking up a convoluted scheme that has no way of working, like he has found some way to justify his actions as a coping mechanism. The destruction of youth for Holly continues with the long shots of her house burning down, including her toys and pictures.
One initially confusing part details Holly walking with a woman to where Kit wants them, with them not knowing what he will do with his gun, the woman possibly thinking he’ll kill her and the man she’s with. Her demeanor is surprisingly calm. However, the quiet and conversational leads might be giving them hope that if they are simply non-aggressive they’ll be allowed to live. You can also hear her holding back tears, not being entirely calm. This scene also shows how in a moment of panic, destruction can come in rapid succession, with Kit trying to solve all his issues with his gun, though getting sloppier and sloppier with how he’s using it. It is not unlikely that the couple survived their murder attempt.
It progressively becomes less apparent to the leads and the audience why they’re even running away from the authorities other than out of a force of habit. You see Kit start to realize this when he doesn’t kill someone he told an obviously suspicious lie to. There would be no reason to kill him logically, though it could be justified to Kit as preventing a witness from causing trouble for them. Of course, the pointlessness can also be applied to his other victims. The difference is that the earlier ones were done when the sense of love and adventure Kit had was stronger. There’s a fine scene of the two dancing in pitch black to a song about a love that’s ended, like our lead is celebrating his dark and horrible journey before it stops being fun and ends, with some understanding it will. This comes to a breaking point when Holly decides to stop going with him. As an aside, we see his face up close right before she says she isn’t going to go with him, letting us really see him right before it really becomes clear how idiotic this all is to him and that the ordeal is running on fumes; the last moment he will feel free.
The reason why Holly loses interest is because someone like Kit becomes less interesting upon a deep exposure. There’s nothing to him other than his look. Her being able to talk to the rich man after most of his killings humanizes his victims and gives her an opportunity to see that it’s unnecessary to be murdering people. While not consciously, Kit removes avenues that could give Holly the opportunity to see the error of his behavior, like his friend or her father. Holly may realize that she’s been manipulated by the end, with her face in the last scene suggesting this, her eyes lacking a romantic view of Kit and comprehending better what’s happened to her. One issue with this is that she seemingly accepts him murdering her father, which you think would be a deal-breaker.
One reason why people, like Holly, would like this guy is because he is reasonably nice and doesn’t seem to even understand that he’s doing something wrong, with his “heart being in the right place”. He is often compared to James Dean, someone known for living in states of uncertainty while regardless looking cool. Even if you don’t know who James Dean is before watching this, you can gauge who he is from his appearance in a magazine and the comparisons to him clearly being reverent. If you are more familiar with James Dean, while he’s obviously no murderer, he gets boiled down to just this figure of “cool”, when the man himself as well as his characters are deeply complicated and troubled. While Kit is also troubled, not in the same way. Even in James Dean’s most famous film, his character is shaken by death. Nonetheless, Kit is liked partially because of a resemblance to a more empathetic person.
The message of Badlands seems to be to be wary of charismatic figures, who might take advantage of people that want something more interesting in their lives. He clearly has some degree of respect from the cops, which logically would make no sense as he killed one. His use of humor, like when talking to the police; kissing Holly when she wants to stop running; or looking like an underdog, when he calls the law “bastards” that will probably blame him for an overturned car, are ways that manipulators and violent people can make themselves look normal or likable to those around them. Holly is also just a teenager, so is very impressionable. One issue with this is his brutal response to Holly’s dad. What would make more sense, and help explain why Holly likes him, would be if the dad was shown to be problematic and/or he wasn’t killed and instead was just prevented from seeing Holly somehow. If the filmmakers didn’t want the dad in the meat of the story, they could have Kit kill him in a way where he could lie to Holly and say he is alive.
Many characters clearly admire Kit to a surprising degree. Arguably, this should have been more prevalent throughout the film, instead of being consolidated in the end with the police officers, but this works as essentially a twist. Just as someone like Billy the Kid, you know about his story after the fact, so does Kit get written into time once he’s no longer a threat and people see him as someone to laugh with or at. Someone seems to have an understanding of this, as Kit spent his imprisoned period in solitary confinement probably because he was a bad influence on others. His audio recording of his views on life and how others should act are reasonably common among “young rebels”, which feeds off of the view of himself he’s garnered. Despite this, he’s not saying anything profound, instead something that very well could’ve come from one of Holly’s magazines. Him burying his belongings and giving more to the police gives something for potential “fans” of his to look for or idolize, like they’re artifacts. He even gave his body to science after his death. In the beginning, Kit complains about someone littering, saying that if everyone did it the whole town would be a mess. Certain “outlaw” figures are celebrated for something positive about their behavior. That may be the intention of the reference to littering, though obviously that’s too minor a moment and it’s not even something the police would know about him, but it shows his mind is not focused on hate or killing, but supposed social injustices like anyone else, which adds a layer of irony to the character that is funny and might lighten his most extreme traits to the audience.
Probably my favorite scene of the film is Holly pondering over what could have been for her while looking at old photos, really taking in and thinking on the fact that she easily could have been anywhere if things went a bit differently at numerous points. Thus, there is no reason why her current situation should be looked at as the best it can get. Just like how those pictures of people living their lives represent possibilities, we also see Kit simply existing, like he’s another part of history or possibility and no more. The final shot of the sky is a touching one. Most of the film depicts Kit unable to transcend or get anywhere. One issue Holly had with him is that he would not be able to get a job, while he enjoys their mindless traveling. However, due to his actions, he has found a way to transcend simply being a bum. In turn, he does rise above and possibly is remembered fondly or not by people for years to come. Kit often seems mindless and driven by a desire to feel fulfilled, so now he is getting an experience that takes him to an ending point, a point where he no longer has to worry. He has gone above being a person, compared to the photos of people living and is now an ethereal idea that exists in the mind or “in the clouds”. This is foreshadowed by Kit burying those photos before Holly leaves him and he turns himself in. Now that those mementos of his humanity are gone, he can become a concept.
Kit, possibly with some limited understanding that he’s become a figure of cool, enjoys his newfound attention and respect while being slightly celebrated by the police at the end, clearly trying to enjoy his presence before he’s sentenced to death. There’s a wonderful dichotomy of law enforcers loving someone because they broke the law. They even say things like that he didn’t specifically cause one of them trouble and that they wish him luck, clearly not taking the degree of his crimes into account. In the beginning, Kit wasn’t respected enough to even be given a cigarette, but at the end he stands above them like he is on a stage. He’s now someone that has some focus and can partially satisfy his fear of dying alone. He even tries to assure this by letting himself be captured in a way that would make for a good story after a very thrilling chase scene, knowing that in this way he can continue to matter. He even says he always wanted to be a criminal, though he probably lied by saying he didn’t want to be as big of one out of thoughtlessness or for the sake of the myth, unless he was hoping to be a criminal in a way where he wouldn’t ruin his life. This is a bit doubtful due to how extreme his actions quickly become. While you think he would have mentioned his desired criminality earlier, note that we pretty much only know what Holly is told and it is possible he is just making all this up as he goes, maybe without realizing it. His relative ignorance over himself here and in many other scenes adds to the appeal.
Regardless of how likable Kit is, the film is still a tragedy. To emphasize this twisted coming of age tale, as well as Holly’s “loss of innocence”, even once Kit is gone from Holly’s life she marries her defense attorney’s son, showing she will continue to be defined and exist by this incident that she had little control in. Just like how we last see Kit in a plane and then the sky, we earlier saw Holly go up in a plane after leaving him. Kit seems to understand what he’s done and finally feels bad for the woman he loved, acknowledging killing her dad and saying they should talk more later, even at the end not thinking ahead that such a chance will never come, just like he did with any kind of future with Holly. He also referred to her dad’s death as if he didn’t take part in it, but the point is he has left complete and utter self-absordment. To the detriment of her prospering in life on her own terms, Holly will also go into the verbal history book of these events, also existing as a story more so than a living person.
OVERVIEW
Kit being often described by Holly shows that he, and by extension this story, is told as a tale filtered through the mind of another person and not just Kit himself doing his thing. It’s possible that even the filmed moments are not supposed to be taken as literal, and instead a personification of what Holly is saying. Kit has become folklore that the people in the movie might look up to or show interest in, and despite some variety in how you can interpret Badlands, you can’t deny; isn’t that terrifying?
The Godfather Part II packs a punch even in its very, very first scene. Al Pacino as Michael Corleone has a deep look of contemplation on his face as his hand is kissed. Solemn background music plays. From these few seconds you know everything you need about him. This also follows along from the ending of the original film, of him being accepted as leader. Also matching is that “business” scene being very tight and dark while the following scene in Sicily is bright and open. “Part 2” continues the trend of a ton of iconic scenes, which usually include some sort of turning point for the characters involved, but admittedly the main reason they’re iconic is because of something shocking, or bombastic performances, music, and scenery. Something like Vito Corleone, played by Robert De Niro, with his towel wouldn’t hit hard with subtler acting and music. Practically any movie as long as three and a half hours is trying to be an event, so we’re being given event cinema with fiery moments.
Robert De Niro gives a much more understated performance than he usually would. It’s interesting hearing him essentially impersonate how Marlon Brando speaks, as if trying to be one with him instead of giving his own take. His scenes focus on the events and less so on how he feels about the events. Vito doesn’t show much emotion, this is especially prevalent when compared to Michael. When looked at in context of the first film, it makes sense Vito would be the type of person to keep his emotions close to his chest and to only suggest them in a few moments of brutality. One favorite scene is Vito seeing the Statue of Liberty, with it treated as a symbol of freedom and opportunity. It’s shown from behind a boat, as if the boat Vito is arriving from is blessed with significance and providing him an opportunity he wouldn’t otherwise get. This admittedly does seem to go against the theme of his family business in America being what destroys them all. Considering Vito’s success, the message could be that something like a life of crime is manageable only in the short term before we see someone like Michael looking like he’s always about to have an aneurysm. Regardless, you can’t say that anyone here prefers America. Vito has a prejudice against Americans, with it being implied Michael would agree. In fact, a major theme of the series is the communal Italian style of staying with family as opposed to the individualistic American one. The American-born Michael typically acts the part.
The segments set in the past are so good that it’s a shame we see comparatively very little of it. Not that it’s necessary to see Vito’s rise in as much detail as Michael’s story, but it’s still so interesting. The scenery is also beautiful. While the film as a whole is certainly about Michael, and the past segments essentially serve to underline him with what he’s being compared to and what legacy he has inherited, the overall saga of The Godfather has gone on to include one more film and various editions that include more scenes. There was even a proposed 4th film that would barely feature Michael. Considering the series is about the family and not just Michael himself, it would be preferable to see more of Vito.
The Vito scenes have very little talking. This is emphasized by Vito’s accent being heavier than anyone else’s. What is mostly seen in these two movies is Vito creating a life for himself, his family, and his future. By extension, Michael destroys, even when it is not advantageous. The Michael scenes are also filled with talking and many plots and characters to follow. While the storyline is fascinating, the most iconic moments feature quiet moments, which tell us more about the characters than the dialogue does. While the crime plots play massively into the themes and characterizing what causes Michael to do what he does, they would be almost meaningless and comparatively dull without the great responses of quietness.
Despite this film ostensibly being about paralleling Vito and Michael, the last scene of child Vito fades into Michael’s son Anthony, as if to suggest he will also have a storied life that reflects his family past. Considering that Anthony’s middle name is Vito and in the first part, he is the only person there to see Vito die, what is implied is that he will follow a similar path as Vito, especially because just like Michael he might be inclined to learn from the failings of his father. Seeing as Michael makes many enemies, like when he has the heads of the Five Families killed last film, there might be less pressure on Anthony. Vito is often mentioned to Michael as essentially something to look up to and be compared to. Anthony in turn might feel like Vito, had a blank slate. Anthony’s future is left in the air to give both hope and dread that the same issues of the past will be repeated, especially due to the parallel between him and Michael having to replace Sonny.
The antidote to Michael’s cold cynicism is depicted near the end with his brother Fredo simply talking about a fond childhood memory. While he is not considered bright, he manages to live better in part because of it, not so focused on worrying about everything. Their sister Connie also gets a better end of the deal due to her being a woman, who is in turn undervalued and not expected to get in the dirty work. This does lead to some humorous implications, like her apparently having gotten over Michael killing her husband. Admittedly, it wouldn’t have done her any favors to bring that up.
It would have been better for Vito to have more scenes of bonding with his friends and family, to showcase him forming connections. This problem would be helped by putting the saga in chronological order, where this would be followed by him doing things like fighting for peace in the families and having scenes with his friends. Other issues include, Michael V. Gazzo as Frank Pentangeli starting off as too hammy, though this makes good contrast from when he’s later silenced in the court scene. Maybe this is true to life, but a senator insults Italians and Michael’s family to his face, which feels really on the nose? “Hi, now that we’re at our meeting let me say I’m racist and hate you.”
SPOILERS
It is a bit too absurd when Fredo gets upset at Michael, insisting he’s smart, when the issue they’re having is over him almost getting Michael murdered. Why not include this scene in response to something a lot more minor, like a business mistake where in response Michael yells at him? After the almost-whacking, Fredo could then be like he is at the end, speechless. Still, this scene is framed very well, with Fredo’s fate suggested by him being captured from under an aquarium. It also features a great performance from John Cazale, begging to rectify the fact he is the most underutilized male member of the Corleones at that point. We also see Michael’s uncaring and cold attitude towards him.
Tom becomes more of a family member to Michael when it’s needed, as opposed to their bond naturally growing. One favorite scene shows Michael being a little vulnerable to him and accepting him as his ideal replacement. Essentially the opposite happens with Fredo, who originally had a lot of control due to natalism, but lost any kind of familial bond with Michael due to his cockup. This series as a whole, while being all about complicated relationships with family, doesn’t treat it as sacred. While Vito takes immense joy in his family, barely able to leave his mother in the beginning, and holding Michael at the end, his view of family is simplistic. Vito last installment didn’t like Carlo Rizzi not being full Sicilian or take Tom seriously, to contrast now Michael is trusting in someone not in his “in” group. Seeing as much of the most tragic events in the series are the result of Michael being made the Don when no one really wanted it, the story may be claiming that it’d be better if these sorts of affairs didn’t need to be passed down through generations and instead whoever the best person is. This would fit with Vito having told Michael to “think as people around you think” and that that makes anything possible, as if understanding something puts you ahead of those that don’t but are more closely related, even ahead of someone like Fredo who doesn’t think. However, even close friends of the Corleone family turn on them, so maybe you just shouldn’t become a violent gangster?
Kay, being American, is essentially considered the wrong choice for the purposes of the Mafia life. If Michael could have been with someone who wouldn’t question him, like his previous wife, he may have had more opportunities due to staying “closer to the heritage of his family”. Kay’s infamous abortion epitomizes how she is “taking away” from Michael. Outside of the mentality of the Corleones, her behavior is frankly justifiable due to the violent man that baby may have ultimately become. If you look at Kay as representing a newer way of thinking, one influenced from a minority or Feminist perspective, then someone like Michael is bound to become outdated no matter who he trusts or what happens. The way to survive is to modernize, which typically includes consulting more points of view, like being tolerant of something like an abortion or more generally accepting those outside his own bubble. In fact, by the end of the film Michael’s thought process has become so narrow due to others being killed or turning from him due to his own behavior that he is basically alone.
Michael not being the intended Don and his war background could explain why he is so quick to violence. He sees that the violent behavior of others gets what they want and in theory keeps his family safe, with family being held as so important, but he doesn’t have the understanding of how this will affect his relationships. The war background of needing to destroy your enemy could be informing his mindset. Michael saying “You’re still my brother” to Fredo in the moment suggests he is at least kind enough to forgive him for what he did, like family holds them together. When Michael ultimately has him killed, that line becomes chilling, as if he was trying to manipulate Fredo into a false sense of security. Arguably, Michael disowning Fredo and then forgiving him was all a ploy to get him to the point where he could be killed. He even forgives him after Connie, who earlier was arguing with him, finally bends down to him, like she’s finally at a state where he can control her, so he does this to strengthen his grip on her and his own internal sense of ability. If the war taught him he needs to survive, all of this could be viewed as a more covert way to survive, by being able to defeat anyone.
Michael killing Fredo matches the unhinged vengeance Vito had. That scene places significant importance on family to show just how far Michael is willing to fall to apparently feel revenge or at least consistent with his own worldview. The only difference is that Michael’s killing is seen as worse due to the victim being a well meaning family member. Logically, there is no reason to see it as any lesser than the other killings. He is still murdering parents, siblings, offsprings, and thus the first time he ever did so should be looked at as horrific, but cinematic language encourages you to root for a protagonist, especially one who in the first film wanted to avenge his father. That same mindset led him to what he did to Fredo. That same mindset leads him to almost try to force Kay to stay with him, and otherwise still being extremely manipulative, with apparently her abortion in part being done to make him hate her. As an aside, give an Oscar to Pacino for his eyes in that scene alone, they’re terrifying! That mindset isn’t new to Michael, with Vito doing the same thing, getting revenge with murder around the end of his story.
The ending scene partially explains some of Michael’s behavior. Everyone judges him and berates him, supposedly those “smart enough” to lead. Once he has the control, he acts as a facsimile of this, wanting respect and to not be harmed, with his only way of gaining it by lashing out and turning to threats of violence. Him sitting by himself shows him as a tragic figure essentially being pushed into a fate of sadness. He already has to be alone, even if just for a moment, but through both a combination of his behaviors that scare people, Sonny’s choice to berate him, and Vito’s choice to turn to crime fueled by a desire to help him have all lead to numerous deaths in the family and Michael faced with being alone for real, with everyone away physically or emotionally.
In theory Michael should feel at home with his siblings, due to them being his age, but no matter what he fails to connect, partially because of his upbringing and poor support network. Thus, his “American” way of acting could in part be seen as Michael being pushed to find something that works for him, and that if he didn’t feel so isolated in youth he wouldn’t have wanted to be distant later on. This is all shown due to his sadness being depicted in the chronological first scene of adult Michael and last in this film, both back to back. In fact, the reason everyone seemingly becomes desensitized to violence is because they’ve grown around it. Fredo’s murder is just revenge, not because he hates him. It could possibly be justified to Michael as “business”, which is something American culture is obsessed with. He once more broke Michael’s rule; “don’t ever take sides with anyone against the family.” Seeing as Michael is now the patriarch, he can define what the family is, and specifically Fredo out of it, as the American dream involves making your own rules, your own path.
Fredo gives the audience a reason to rewatch these movies, as this scene reveals that he, the most progressive and supportive member of Michael’s family will merely be pushed away. If this scene was shown before the first film, you might think Fredo will move everyone to accept Michael, instead of Michael pushing them away. However, this film is about the end of a gangster, implicitly saying that those that would partake in this lifestyle are dooming themselves to loneliness. Even if Michael wanted to impose his values on his children when no one else is impressionable enough to be interested, Kay shows that times will change and a Michael-type can’t keep people under your thumb like maybe he once could.
OVERVIEW
The shot of Jesus covered in dollar bills is really all you need to know. It is perhaps the most important in the film. While the Corleone family consistently practices religion, that doesn’t save them from their own selfishness. It is monopolized on as a way to gain trust and suggest they are humbled to God. Instead of following the Bible, they follow themselves, allowing the world of business to corrode all. Any decision that at least causes stress or at most murder is the result of a battle for power, aka money. Those men in turn are close minded and depressed, with no respect for even religion. The scene of someone saying his “Hail Marys” emphasizes how little a belief in God means if it gets in the way of corporatization. Despite this, the movie does not offer many answers as to what it is trying to say. As an example, while the ending scene is about duty to family vs duty to country, it doesn’t say which you should pick. Even if you look at it as “you should do the opposite of Michael”, he engages in behavior that could be described as fitting either.
The Godfather Part II is one of the tales to end all tales. It continues to be “everything”, as the first film was, but it grows upon its themes and takes them to a natural conclusion. It is an experience and something to be marveled at. Some think a third film was unnecessary and that the story was completely told already. However, someone like Michael very well can change in interesting ways and get into interesting situations. What is he left as after many years of dealing with the events of this story? While Part 2 doesn’t demand a sequel the way “1” does, we are in a cycle, so let’s see it through.
What makes The Godfather great? What makes it the best in the eyes of many? It seems to just be taken for granted that it is. While you can cite the committed and thought provoking acting, which can be analyzed and acclaimed for its subtlety and impact, many other movies have such a thing. Many others have great stories and epic scales. Many others are historical in nature. One element that both adds and subtracts to this is the great length of the film. The risk is being too slow or uneventful. However, such a length yields a much greater level of development for the characters than would normally be possible for a shorter story. It also will naturally appeal to critics that want to see something different or more atmospheric, especially when living in periods of sameness in the industry. Despite this, it does hit on various aspects that critics typically like, such as crime, novel adaptations, and roots in non-American cultures.
Another key factor is surely the time. After the “Hays code” that had a stranglehold on the film industry finally started to die off, many filmmakers jumped at the opportunity of making more violent stories. While this film is certainly violent, it is also noticeably less so than other examples of the gangster genre, being less inclined to celebrate or bask in its own gruesomeness. Many reviews of movies in general mention the time they came out in, being particularly biting in the culture it’s coming from. The less bloody Godfather can be compared with the later more bombastic Goodfellas. The later film uses rock and R&B music queues and a more cavalier attitude to its brutality that may be considered too excessive or glorifying of its subject matter. The earlier outfit treats its few killings as tragic, with them representing the failures of the characters to physically stop it, the government, or the methodology and nature of this sort of lifestyle as a whole. No one romanticizes their situation. There are a lack of shots that soak in the scenery and music that pumps adrenaline or greatly intensifies a scene, treating it as popcorn affair. The music as used is less noticeable and more of a backdrop. While Goodfellas ends with a loud punk anthem, here we end with a somber orchestral score. Even the last scene of the film is primarily about a life of crime being detrimental to a healthy family, a theme that is prevalent in many, many scenes of this three hour epic.
Understandably this story has been analyzed heavily since first premiering. Notably protagonist Michael Corleone, played by Al Pacino, constantly evolves in different ways, with almost nothing directly stated, but instead suggested. Take his sunken eyes after intense encounters and progressively aged face, as if succumbing to what goes on around him. He nicely, but firmly, pushes his family to accept him in whatever thing he wants or has to do. He is typically barely touched by events on the outside, losing control to only get his way, like he wants to impress someone or seem tough. Why he might want to feel tough is expanded upon in the second film. Events in this story are often driven by small moments that may either lead to little or brash responses, with them hanging around in the minds of those involved but not confronted beyond a potential reference. The famous restaurant scene is one example. Another is the baptism one. Especially that latter scene makes use of contrast, which this movie engages in often.
Considering the desire of the film to be extremely detail-oriented, it is a minor shame that various plots and characters are relatively thin. Examples include Michael in Sicily not having the significance it could. What is something he can learn other than what he learns in his final scene there? Some of the characters that appear in those segments also lose relevance. There are some you’d think would have an opinion on Michael or his lifestyle, so what is it they think or feel? The characters of Luca Brasi and McCluskey clearly have a point, especially when taken as part of the themes of the government’s participation in crime and loyalty to your own pack, but a little more of them would simply emphasize those moments better due to more clarity of what they’re here for. Considering the needs of the story to not be longer than it has to be, these issues are excusable and frankly very minor. A more egregious issue caused by this is the roles of Fredo Corleone, played by John Cazale, and Tom Hagen, played by Robert Duvall. Both characters are featured all too briefly. Considering the nature of the film, there is potential over how they would affect the journeys of the more prominent roles. However, there is inadvertently a way to fix this that anyone can apply, which will be discussed later.
Vito Corleone, played by Marlon Brando, is portrayed as generally ethical and thoughtful. However, considering his much more hotheaded children, namely Sonny, played by James Caan, this does suggest Vito may have raised them with too much influence from the criminal life, as if this corrodes even the more well meaning of people that would choose this. Even beyond the core Corleone family, someone like the new in-law of Carlo takes their seeming vast control as a challenge and he in turn creates issues due to his desire to have power over them. Despite Vito not liking Carlo, Vito’s own children are similarly shortsighted. Vito’s meeting with the “Five Families” shows novitiate in how to get his way, wanting to better things, but too late. What does help Vito quite a bit is his willingness to do favors for people and act confident, both of which are less honest and more shady, so there is a beautiful contrast where much of the film focuses on him while old and essentially retired.
This novitiate doesn’t come from Brando poorly portraying someone supposedly used to power and set in his ways, but of someone simply tired of the old troubles, though also far too familiar with them for his own good. It’s even mentioned that some don’t like him due to being stuck in the past. While Michael and the others look up to him, they also show a desire to improve on his ways. Note that Vito is often surrounded by claustrophobic and gloomy spaces. While there are many shots of depressing and claustrophobic scenes of characters in business rooms discussing death, the shots in Sicily are much wider, being filled with open areas of grass, blue skies, and community, all of which lack elsewhere in the story.
The few times something inane or methodical happens, like someone shopping, there is always about to be something big. It gets to the point where it’s extremely obvious what is to occur based on that way of halting the pace. Another difference between the cold and quick “whackings” of Goodfellas is that here, many of the killings are botched. It gets a bit absurd and removes some of the threat of the opposing forces. Some scenes like the horse one feature a bit of hammy acting, though that is not much of an issue overall.
SPOILERS
To go against his brother’s bloodlust, it might have been more interesting if Michael initially was not so inclined towards violence. If he did commit violence, he’d only do it out of a necessity. The movie is about Michael’s development and how he changes, so it would help in this theme for Michael to be the nonviolent one. Perhaps after his brother is killed, Michael finally feels pushed to bloody retribution? Even as is, it seems that going through World War 2 changed him into being desensitized to such brutality, but it’s still a shame we couldn’t see more of “innocent Michael”. If we started with some scenes before Michael goes to war, that would add to the tragedy by giving him more to lose.
Other minor issues are some scenes, like Michael talking to Sollozzo at dinner, not having English subtitles. Him saying Michael’s father is outdated and his shooting is business are important motifs of the story, which would be emphasized by right after Michael escalating his development by shooting him merely for revenge, with the event actually putting stress on his family. Tessio was betraying the Corleones since the beginning. More of an understanding from the leads that someone is trying to sabotage them would create suspense. That would in turn mirror the suspense of Michael. Will he get killed? Will he escape the failings of or legitimize his family? The tragic nature at the heart of the story is of someone doing what many do, trying to make their family proud, ultimately creating destruction for everyone involved. One key scene that represents this is the death of Michael’s wife in a car bombing intended for him. Her only existing in the romantic Sicily scenes idealizes her to Michael, with her representing his ideal mate that would act as he’d like. Considering Michael’s apparent safety and ties to a normal person who is now his father-in-law, he is offered freedom from the family business while also embracing his roots due to his father coming from Sicily. When she dies, so does his chance to move on. He now has almost no choice but to return to his girlfriend Kay…
Despite his respect, Vito also fails to do the right thing. This is mainly shown with Sonny, someone who lacked self control to compose himself when needed. As opposed to Vito, he didn’t typically show respect to those he had issues with, like in the excellent introductory scene of him smashing a camera then throwing money on the ground, not respecting the cameraman enough to look at him. He ultimately died after essentially a petty quarrel. Considering this, you’d think that if Carlo hadn’t been a problem, then odds are someone else would’ve come along and killed him as retaliation in a similar manner. The “be a big shot” mentality Vito gave his children only goes so far, especially when you are in a profession where doing that will cause people to want to shoot you and your family. Even in more minor ways, Michael being forced to quickly get in Sonny’s shoes and find himself a wife leads to unhappiness for him and Kay, even if you don’t factor in the sequels.
Unlike movies that jump ahead in time at the end to tell us what the protagonist is up to, this movie ends almost immediately after the climax that resolves some of the plots and characters. The film deals with constantly escalating stakes. To keep us all on edge, it ends at a point of uncertainty if it is all over or to get even more maddening. Seeing as this story is about Michael’s arc, it makes sense it ends at just the point he is at the top. Just like how we started the movie in Vito’s office, now that office is Michael’s and he’s ready to do his own deeds.
While the ending works fine, it works better as essentially the end of one part. This is the break before the rest of the story. It’s hard to look at this movie on its own without the second. More notably, various plot threads, like witnesses seeing Michael kill two people in a restaurant, his relationship with his wife Kay, and even just seeing more of what Michael will become as the Don are just not elaborated on much. They aren’t the concern of this film. That is a shame, due to them being brought up, but there is a resolve.
The first two films are far stronger treated as one six and a half hour movie, which may be how people watch them on home media. There have even been official edits that combine them. Many of the side characters, namely Fredo and Tom, have comparatively little to do here compared to in the second movie. As such, it could make you wonder why they’re included when taking this first epic on its own, but the second film pays off on this. Not only that, but it makes use of the fact they have minimal roles here. Obviously once Vito and Sonny die, they and to a lesser extent Connie will feel distress from the shift this creates in their lives. While before they had the opportunity to keep to their own devices due to a stable family unit and Sonny and Vito to do the heaviest lifting, now a jaded Michael is running the show.
Vito calling for peace because of what happened to his son means a lot more when we see what happens with his family in the next film, as if Vito can see the future and wants to leave a positive mark while he can. We see the violence he faces as a young man in part two and obviously that would be traumatizing. While most mobsters claim their murders are “business”, Michael’s are typically personal, but that eventually evolves, which furthermore emphasizes the new vs old. Vito’s view on killing also clearly changes, with parallels stretching across both pictures. One benefit of specifically the chronological edit of the story is seeing Michael pre-war before getting sent off as a child, though admittedly even in the one scene of him pre-war played by Pacino isn’t so upbeat.
Even part two suffers due to being separate. We don’t learn much about Vito’s friends, but their minimalist roles work more when you think of them growing in prominence and diversity in the events of part one, just like how Vito’s kids progressively fill his role. The sequel is overtly about the contrast of Vito and Michael, but the first film is no less about that. We start with Vito making criminal deals in the dark while Michael sits outside in a bright party. At the end, Michael’s way of concluding the main threats is exactly opposite what Vito wanted. Vito’s idealism is elaborated on with him actually having to be in Michael’s youthful perspective. The last scene of part one is Michael literally being closed off from family, which we see Vito never did or would want his kids to do.
OVERVIEW
Essentially, the reason why this effort is considered the best is because of many factors. These span from complex storytelling and characters, while managed expertly here, are sometimes done wrong in other stories, thus that in and of itself doesn’t make the film; to simply attractive scenery and a large scale. There are many memorable and iconic moments, some perhaps due to including humor, like the fish scene. Such scenes almost are cheats, as is the trend for critically acclaimed films to be about real tragedies, to be long, and historical. Namely, it comes down to the right time. 1972 was the moment to burst through the scene with new and old faces, all filled with credentials to bring together a beautifully told story about the human experience and a lot else from feminism to family to embracing your culture to managing a claustrophobic business life to doing things you don’t want to do but are expected to. However, not every movie, like a short one, can be an experience in the way this film can. While some movies are criticized for being too broad in appeal or too busy, this film makes it work due to only including what can fit in a throughline of the story of these characters’ reflective experiences. Such a well balanced work erases some of the admittedly minor quibbles. And just like the fact that this film is based in history, it in turn begs to become history, with its depiction of aging and going on through generations. The Godfather is great because it is and has everything.
Klute is a story about many things, though the most of it is certainly not the character of John Klute. He feels fairly aloof to the main struggle of the protagonist. Jane Fonda brings a wobbly confidence to her portrayal of soft hearted and unassuming prostitute Bree Daniels. Moments of extreme exposure; like unexpected sex scenes, her opening up to her therapist, and her nudity in her first appearance of the film are contrasted with her generally being closed off to others, and especially herself. You get the sense that she might not know why she does what she does consciously, and that the purpose of the story is for her to figure that out. She does discuss her feelings, but that is merely her interpretation. The level of fakery she has when trying to act a certain way to people and her relatable struggles make for a very compelling character. It speaks volumes to see things like her running to her friends and other comforts, with the screen covered in colorful lights, as if trying to run to safety. Later, she’ll sit in an uncomfortable silence, with pondering or a misplaced sense of control on her face.
At the time, you would expect a sex worker to be depicted poorly, but Bree is given lots of humanity in her relatable struggles and likable demeanor, while also showing an ability to figure people out in such a way that she can get ahead. Bree’s paranoia seems to serve the purpose of humanizing her and to say that men who treat her badly are to blame for why people like her have such a hard life. That being said, another interpretation the film might be claiming is that doing this profession is the problem. Elements like the stress the plot puts on Bree and prostitution promoting “junkies” and violence could make you think the movie is anti-sex work. Her manipulative tactics could be seen as communicating, “This is why the job is bad, prostitutes lie to you!”
The inciting incident, Klute investigating a disappearance, largely takes a backseat to Bree’s story. It gives the impression that there’s supposed to be some parallel between Bree, who we ultimately learn a lot about, often literally because of confessions to her therapist, and Klute, who we learn very little about. Such a parallel doesn’t come naturally to the mind, with you having to dig into the film to pull out meaning, possibly so much where we’re taking large leaps to “figure out” the point. What may be being suggested if you take the anti-sex work interpretation is that such a lifestyle will lead to these sorts of troubles with law enforcement and those that find it embarrassing to be with a prostitute. Taking a view that the message is pro-sex work is at least acceptable as it’s how some survive, finding a parallel gets tricky.
The worlds of Klute and Bree are often filmed in darkness, as if they share feelings of insecurity and exclusion. Bree of course knows that others will be with her and either feel ashamed or hope others don’t find out about her. However, it is possible Bree wants to be known. She says she likes her job, as it gives her a sense of control and that she’s the “best actress in the world”. Based on that profession, it’d be for the best if she was well known to the point that people wanted her above others. She is shown at one point finding comfort in the arms of her pimp, as if striving for affection from someone that indirectly gives her money and even more affection. Klute on the other hand has a practiced neutrality, showing little emotion as that’s his job. He is sometimes shown to be incompetent, which might weigh on him or suggest he was once worse before mostly becoming stoic. How he feels about himself is not much said. The connection the two leads have in the pro-sex work interpretation is that one has a very official and legal job and the other is ignored or sometimes harmed by the law. The story is partially about both those extremes coming together and bonding.
Why does this story have to be a murder mystery? The movie noticeably changes gears when it gets into a scene of just detective work that doesn’t relate to Bree. The point seems to be to elaborate on Bree’s paranoia. She apparently often fears being watched. That’s all well and good, but Klute drives the mystery scenes, leaving Bree to feel pushed to the side. Ideally the inciting incident and plot movers could relate more to the main character, like if for whatever reason she was driven to be more actively involved or we only saw scenes from her perspective or that she was in. Arguably those scenes serve to characterize Klute, whose role does prove important, but he could still be shown in ways that also relate to Bree. He is someone that can be determined to get his way, another way he mirrors Bree. His lack of personality brings out many of Bree’s personality traits. Her desire to best him, someone apparently dignified and all business, tells us a lot about Bree, her need to feel important and desired.
SPOILERS
Bree thinking tracking down her old friend Arlyn Page is impossible, only for her and Klute to essentially partake in the same scene multiple times of them talking to people about her is fairly ridiculous, especially when they find her and are very disrespectful for no reason. More scenes of Bree with that old friend may have added a new layer to the story, but it’s understandable such a thing may not have been important. Talking about her more with her therapist would have done a lot to make Arlyn feel like she’s adding something to the story of Bree, not just of the mystery. Considering Klute’s colder demeanor, this demonstrates a way where Bree is becoming more like Klute.
At the end, the character of Peter Cable, who recruited Klute to investigate the whole situation in the first place, turns out to be the killer. This character is rather bizarre. In the beginning, the case of the missing man is fruitless, and thus Cable is good to go. There is no reason for him to want to keep the case going. One interpretation is that he wants to have a stronger case for there being “no evidence” of the incident by getting a detective to say as much, with Klute only getting the information in part from his romance with Bree driving him. That may be true, but in practice this is merely a contrivance so you expect the culprit less. Would anything change for the worse if the wife of the victim hired Klute instead?
In the finale, Cable finds Bree and just tells her his whole character, as well as the point of the character. This is extremely on the nose, introducing a litany of questions. Why would he be telling her all this information about who he killed and why? While it makes sense he doesn’t think it will matter as he’s going to kill her, there is little to suggest why he would share these supposed deep insecurities. While Bree’s conversations with her therapist are written as if she has a lack of confidence in herself or what she’s believing, Cable merely says everything straight. He hates feeling like this and he blames her and he will just directly tell her that. Why not have more subtlety on the matter instead of explaining it to the audience? It’s also obvious that the scene will end with him trying to kill her, so much of this is time wasting. Instead of showing a recording of him killing Arlyn, why not have him say that he did it to shave off the time? The ultimate murder attempt of Bree is unbelievably silly, with extremely quick cuts that force us to the end. We had previously seen Klute struggling to find Bree, but now he’s right there. Cable falls out the window, as if the film needs the most overly dramatic method possible of ending him. Why would we even have the scene of Klute arguing with someone over the phone to get info on Bree, couldn’t that have been replaced with something like him quickly finding a clue of her whereabouts? Despite how slow the movie is, this is all ungodly sudden.
Another one of the weaker scenes of the film is when Klute attacks Bree’s pimp. This would only serve to distance him from Bree and he hasn’t been shown to be this much of a hothead. This is in turn not resolved, though Bree does lose trust in Klute. Another weak moment is Bree’s discussion about feeling love to her therapist. It is written and performed so clunkily. It admittedly would be difficult to essentially describe love, but Bree’s proclamations about finding love so foreign and not knowing how she could feel this way lack the vulnerability you’d expect her to have about saying this, with her lines almost emotionless. It also doesn’t match the nature of the romance we’ve seen, which is questionable. While it is underdeveloped, that probably is for the best. If you look at their entanglement as not real, but just Bree trying to get to someone that is “hard to get”, it makes sense that she might feel for him, as he’s a challenge for her. If we take the romance as trying to be a real relationship, barely anything even happens to show why they like each other. Essentially no reason is given for Klute to want to sleep with Bree. There’s also not much of a clear sign of its fakeness, which gives the impression this might not be the authorial intention.
In the last scene of the movie, Bree is unwilling to start a real relationship with Klute or possibly even make significant changes to her life, showcasing that while he did push her in the direction of change in her life, she really has a long way to go. However, the idea that Klute and Bree dating is what is changing her perspective in life asks for us to see more of their romance, especially because in practice he isn’t behaving differently than anyone else that just wants things from her. What makes him different is that he needs something from her without seeming to open up to it. Sure, he will have sex with her, but he won’t act like she will satisfy him or is getting anything from it. What would Bree see in him if not a challenge? Thus, why would she discuss him like he’s there for her, remaining when she’s been a mess, when we haven’t seen him be there for her outside of trying to get his job done? Even them in bed together seems to be more about him doing it for the sake of getting her to give more support in the case. This is the biggest fault with the film, it needs to pick if Klute is aloof and uncaring, only caring about work or if he’s emotionally invested, someone who will fight a pimp he thinks is bad for Bree or try to form a real connection that could make for a long term relationship. Klute still has importance due to exposing her to a type of man and a situation that is asking her to reflect on what she is doing with her life, as opposed to him being special and the person who will bring Bree a better life or escape from her trauma. Thus, it makes sense the solution she sees is to just move away, a simple solution that does create a big change, but leaves many other things alone. The seeds are still planted for more, like the new people she will meet, wherein various interactions will leave impressions on her that will shape her over time, which can give her healing and clarity.
OVERVIEW
If this movie was the same, except the lead role was done poorly, the movie would not be good. However, Jane Fonda really delivers a compelling performance as a woman broken and unsure of how to fix herself or if it’s worth it to do so. The story is really about her journey. Thus, it makes sense this movie is called Klute, because his purpose is to facilitate the start of her journey and her change. No one else had as strong of an effect on her in these events. While the writing of the title character is mixed and a bit inconsistent, it is solid enough to communicate the point of the story, about a call girl lost in the world.
ON THE CORNER AND OFF THE WALL
Shamefully, after watching this movie I wrote down Donald Sutherland’s name in my notes as Donald Pleasence. I feel vindicated due to my friend calling him Kiefer Sutherland.
For those not in the know, fan albums are the attempts of me and many others to take songs and put them on an album, typically they’re made to improve upon something, such as an existing album or to take non-album tracks and put them on an album.
Death is a classy early punk band that packed politically charged lyrics with aggressive and funky playing. They’re great players, which shows in a lot of my favorite songs of theirs being instrumentals. Still, “Politicians In My Eyes” is an iconic track. Their catalog is a bit confusing. It consists of the occasional non-album single and three LPs recorded with the classic lineup, one of which was not released for decades; then they reformed without their deceased guitarist David Hackney and are still actively recording. On top of all this, the bundle has gone through many name changes. I’ve defined the band as whatever includes its two constant members, Bobby Hackney on bass and vocals and Dannis Hackney on drums. Another amusing discovery is that before David died, the other two members formed a new band called “Lambs Bread” and released several obscure albums. If you consider that even in the music labeled “Death” the guitarist changed, then there’s no reason not to consider Lambs Bread more of Death. The cherry on top is that the guitarist of reformed Death, Bobbie Duncan, had played in Lambs Bread. It is worth noting that much of Lambs Bread is so obscure that I couldn’t find it online. I will still list the info I found.
Another frustrating fact is that while a lot of 70s classic lineup demo material has been released, some doesn’t come with a recording date. The release with this problem is listed as being cut vaguely from 1974 to 1976. It’s also said to mostly predate the band’s 1975 studio recordings. How I’ve ordered things, any song without a known recording year I’ll assume is 1976, which leaves one album’s worth of material with confirmed dates of some 1973 or 1975 and a follow up. However, I suspect that if I did have all the dates the first album would be the 1973 tracks and a ton of demos, then the second would be the studio sessions and what came after. Fortunately, the sequences I’ve made are still strong regardless.
Alternate ideas for this album title were the group’s early name RockFire Funk Express, their first album’s name …For the Whole World to See, or my Spotify playlist Introduction By David. I picked the one I did as it’s been a little joke that’s run through my mind for a while. This album is a bit longer than I’d have liked, but some of the band’s completed albums are similarly lengthy. Also note that for the World album, originally Death were to record twelve tracks, but only got to do seven. This resulted in a little under thirty minutes. Thus, you can imagine that those twelve songs may have totaled around forty-five minutes if completed. Another concern is that the album is front loaded with too many instrumentals, but I wanted to preserve the actual sequencing for World within this one. Otherwise, I might have moved one of the instrus to around the middle of side b.
Death – Can You Give Me A Thrill??? (1979) – YouTube, Spotify
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
“Can You Give Me A Thrill???” (Recorded Between 1974-1976)
“People Look Away” (Recorded Between 1974-1976)
“The Storm Within” (Recorded Between 1974-1976)
“David’s Dream (Flying)” (Recorded Between 1974-1976)
“We Are Only People” (Recorded 1976)
SIDE B
“North Street” (Recorded 1979 Or 1980)
“Restlessness” (Recorded 1979 Or 1980)
“Open Road” (Recorded 1979 Or 1980)
“Dannis On The Motor City Drums” (Recorded Between 1974-1976)
Anything I couldn’t find by Lambs Bread is simply not linked. However, you can find some of their material for purchase on their website: https://www.lambsbreadband.com/
“We’re Gonna Make It” (1992 (Featuring Death’s classic lineup))
“The Masks” (2011)
“Keep On Knocking” (2011)
“Cease Fire” (2017)
“Give It Back” (2018)
“World In Disguise” (2023)
There are modern-era live recordings and a documentary for those interested. Considering how there are no released demos of the studio material of the 70s and 80s other than just once, I bet there are some that were recorded, but not released. Hopefully they will be in due time. More new music, such as LPs, would also be nice.
This is a passion of mine and if one person likes what I do, I’ll feel honored. I like suggestions on what artist to cover next, so if you know of one you’d like me to look at, feel free to suggest ‘em!
For those not in the know, fan albums are the attempts of me and many others to take songs and put them on an album, typically they’re made to improve upon something, such as an existing album or to take non-album tracks and put them on an album.
This project became a bit of a mess. I wanted to cover the many, many alternate versions of tracks. Just like Black Flag, Misfits loved to go in the recording studio just to do the same songs over and over, with most not released until compilations many years later. The various Box Sets are sequenced absurdly, with them being sorted in a very strange order. Releases claiming to be comprehensive tended to miss things. Also like Black Flag, Misfits is just okay. I think on average Danzig’s Conservative Merry-Men are better, for all their absurdity, but Damaged is still solid.
The first two albums are my fan albums (which feature no overlap with the two proper (extremely short) LPs), followed by a chronological mix of official albums and self-made compilations of alternate versions for those that don’t want to leave anything behind, other than the post-Danzig era.
Believe it or not, but Static Age is one of my all time favorite album covers. The music itself is okay. Halloween is a bit better, and the rest I’ve heard is just whatever, but I’ll still raise a glass to that cover.
“Static Age” (Remixed 1985 and Released on Legacy of Brutality)
“TV Casualty” (Remixed 1985 and Released on Legacy of Brutality)
“Some Kinda Hate” (Remixed 1985 and Released on Legacy of Brutality)
“Hybrid Moments” (Remixed 1985 and Released on Legacy of Brutality)
“Come Back” (Remixed 1985 and Released on Legacy of Brutality)
“Angelfuck” (Remixed 1985 and Released on Legacy of Brutality)
“Theme For A Jackal” (Remixed 1985 and Released on Legacy of Brutality)
“She” (Remixed 1985 and Released on Legacy of Brutality)
“Spinal Remains” (Remixed 1985 and Released on Legacy of Brutality)
“Where Eagles Dare” (Remixed 1986 and Released on Disc 1 of the 1996 Box Set)
“Skulls” (Remixed 1986 and Released on Disc 1 of the 1996 Box Set)
“Astro Zombies” (Remixed 1986 and Released on Disc 1 of the 1996 Box Set)
“20 Eyes” (Remixed 1986 and Released on Disc 3 of the 1996 Box Set)
“Violent World” (Remixed 1986 and Released on Disc 3 of the 1996 Box Set)
“Mephisto Waltz” (Recorded August 8, 1986)
“Hate Breeders” (Recorded August 8, 1986)
“Cough/Cool” (Remixed 1987)
“Braineaters” (Recorded September 10, 1987)
“Nike A Go Go” (Recorded September 10, 1987)
“Devils Whorehouse” (Remixed September 10, 1987)
This is a passion of mine and if one person likes what I do, I’ll feel honored. I like suggestions on what artist to cover next, so if you know of one you’d like me to look at, feel free to suggest ‘em!
For those not in the know, fan albums are the attempts of me and many others to take songs and put them on an album, typically they’re made to improve upon something, such as an existing album or to take non-album tracks and put them on an album.
The Stooges are one of the all time great rock bands. Personally, that’s mainly off the strength of their middle effort, Fun House. Still, it was clear there was more to love. There are a lot of live recordings and stray tracks, so it’d be fun to see what can be done, especially because many have given a shot at what could be called the “fourth” Stooges album. My love is mainly with the classic lineup of singer Iggy Pop, bassist Dave Alexander, guitarist Ron Asheton, and drummer Scott Asheton, so I wanted to see what we could cook from them mainly.
On top of their two studio albums, I found eight stray tracks. Two live 1970 tracks are “Going to Ungano’s” and “Have Some Fun”/“My Dream Is Dead”. They suffer from poor sound quality and the first not being a song. However they’re still fun listens, so I’ve linked to them in their natural environment, Live at Ungano’s, August 17, 1970. Two tracks I hear are from 1968 are actually from 1971, “Ron’s Jam” and “What’s You Gonna Do”. Apparently two members of the Stooges, including famous singer Iggy Pop, were absent from these, so they’re getting tossed. The remaining four make for a surprisingly lengthy album of thirty-four minutes. It will be listed below with the surrounding albums. While noticeably less cohesive, it’s still a fine listen.
Alexander was later replaced. Nothing came of this period between him leaving and the first breakup other than some live recordings that weren’t released for a long time. I am not very fond of these due to low quality. There might be unreleased material with or without Alexander I don’t know about. I’m highlighting the following releases as they contain songs not featured elsewhere.
Have Some Fun: Live at Ungano’s (2010) (Recorded 1970) – YouTube, Spotify
You Don’t Want My Name… You Want My Action (2009) (Recorded 1971) – YouTube, Spotify
The band then famously reunited with James Williamson on guitar, Ron moved to bass, and the gang retitled “Iggy and the Stooges”. I was able to get one album’s worth of high quality strays for the follow-up to Raw Power that would’ve made a slightly lesser, but still solid installment. In parentheses are the compilations these are sourced from or some other identifier.
Raw Power (1973) (Highlighting the superior Iggy mix) – YouTube, Spotify
Jesus Loves The Stooges (1974) (Recorded 1972-1973) – YouTube, Spotify
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
“I Got a Right” (Born in a Trailer)
“I’m Sick of You” (Born in a Trailer)
“Louie Louie” (More Power)
“Scene of the Crime” (More Power)
“Gimme Some Skin” (More Power)
“Open Up And Bleed” (More Power)
SIDE B
“Money” (More Power)
“Cock In My Pocket” (2022 Mix)
“Jesus Loves The Stooges” (Jesus Loves The Stooges)
“Heavy Liquid” (Live at Richards, Atlanta, Georgia, October 1973)
“Born in a Trailer” (Jesus Loves The Stooges)
PERSONNEL
Iggy Pop – vocals
James Williamson – guitar
Ron Asheton – bass
Scott Asheton – drums
Now what of other tracks recorded around this time, sometimes of high fidelity? Well, I either found those other ones really poor songs or more often poor quality. I also didn’t want to bother sifting through the countless releases compiling various live tracks and other oddities, but just know they’re there if you like fuzzy guitar riffs and yelling. My current game is collecting stray tracks, so I thought of an idea.
Let’s say Iggy and the gang breakup, as happened in real life, then the record company asked for another album. Having no desire or ability to make a sixth studio album, and to embrace the punk rock spirit, Iggy took those low quality strays and made a giant and unlistenable compilation. Worried this would damage his career, he credited it as “Twiggy and the Tooges”. He also did himself a favor and got to work on the Kill City album. This album is two and three-quarters hours long. If it was released, it probably would have taken up about four LPs. Note that there’s no rhyme or reason to what versions of songs are picked. (I also don’t count this as a “fan album”. No way I’m relistening to these to make sure they’re sequenced well.)
The Shit Box (1975) (Recorded 1972-1974) – YouTube, Spotify
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
“Instrumental” (Heavy Liquid)
“I’m Hungry” (Raw Power (50th Anniversary Legacy Edition))
“Hey, Peter” (Raw Power (50th Anniversary Legacy Edition))
“Doojiman” (Raw Power (50th Anniversary Legacy Edition))
“Johanna” (Heavy Liquid)
SIDE B
“Rubber Legs” (Heavy Liquid)
“Pinpoint Eyes/Cry For Me” (Heavy Liquid)
“Tight Pants” (Heavy Liquid)
“Head On” (Rehearsal) (Raw Power (50th Anniversary Legacy Edition))
SIDE C
“I Need Somebody/Sweet Child/I Like The Way You Walk” (Morgan Sound Studios, Ypsilanti Michigan March 1973)
“Can’t Turn You Loose” (Morgan Sound Studios, Ypsilanti Michigan March 1973)
SIDE D
“Hey Baby” (Detroit Rehearsals Spring 1973)
“Wild Love” (Heavy Liquid)
“Till The End Of The Night” (Heavy Liquid)
“Head On Curve” (Heavy Liquid)
SIDE E
“I Come From Nowhere” (New York & Detroit Rehearsals, 1973)
“Old King Live Forever” (New York & Detroit Rehearsals, 1973)
“Look So Sweet” (New York & Detroit Rehearsals, 1973)
“Mellow Down Easy” (New York & Detroit Rehearsals, 1973)
“Move Ass Baby” (New York & Detroit Rehearsals, 1973)
SIDE F
“My Girl Hates My Heroin” (New York & Detroit Rehearsals, 1973)
“She Creatures of the Hollywood Hills” (Jesus Loves The Stooges)
“I’m a Man” (Jesus Loves The Stooges)
“Ballad of Hollis Brown” (Jesus Loves The Stooges)
SIDE G
“Purple Haze” (Jesus Loves The Stooges)
“I’m So Glad” (New York & Detroit Rehearsals, 1973)
“New Orleans” (Live, The Whisky A Go Go, Los Angeles, 16 September 1973)
“Rich Bitch” (Live, The Academy Of Music, New York City, 31 December 1973)
SIDE H
“Wet My Bed” (Bimbos 365 Club S.F Jan 1974)
“Delta Blues Shuffle” (Jesus Loves The Stooges)
“Fire Engine” (Jesus Loves The Stooges)
“I Got Nothin’” (Bimbos 365 Club S.F Jan 1974)
Of course there would later be a well regarded live album:
Kill City is not a Stooges album. It’s a collaboration between the two main minds of the latter day Stooges. It’s also a forgotten oddity, so for my money worthy of being featured. It, like all the other material, showcases Iggy and his gang as not perfect Gods of rock, but those that experimented and at times failed. Still, just because some of this is not perfect doesn’t mean it’s not sharp and helps to define five great musicians from Motor City. You could call them the Motor City Five. Attached below is my friend, Ken’s, concept for a follow-up to Raw Power. I had no part in this.
This is a passion of mine and if one person likes what I do, I’ll feel honored. I like suggestions on what artist to cover next, so if you know of one you’d like me to look at, feel free to suggest ‘em!
For those not in the know, fan albums are the attempts of me and many others to take songs and put them on an album, typically they’re made to improve upon something, such as an existing album or to take non-album tracks and put them on an album.
Black Flag is a band that started off with a lot of recordings and not a lot of albums. Eventually they stabilized with few strays and a lot of albums. It seemed like a fun challenge to sort this all out despite not being terribly fond of the band. The product of the early tracks is an album I’m calling Nervous Breakdown. It contains every unique track pre-Damaged, not including anything re-recorded later. Surprisingly, the result is a shockingly short twenty minutes. Due to a lot of historically relevant alternate versions being left on the chopping block, I made an album of those alternates. There’s enough recordings between these two to make three full LPs. In between Damaged and My War are more alternates and four unique cuts. I decided to make a very short EP and a fuller alternate version album. Finally, two 1985 EPs are combined to create a disparate album, but not anymore than the official My War or Family Man. Minuteflag is left as an EP due to it being a collab with Minutemen and thus it’s own thing. Also, the alternate versions albums haven’t been listened to and were merely ordered in as close to recording date as possible.
In parentheses is the release a track came from.
Black Flag – Nervous Breakdown (1981) – YouTube, Spotify
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
“Nervous Breakdown” (Nervous Breakdown) (Recorded January 1978)
“Fix Me” (Nervous Breakdown) (Recorded January 1978)
“I’ve Had It” (Nervous Breakdown) (Recorded January 1978)
“Wasted” (Nervous Breakdown) (Recorded January 1978)
Black Flag – I Can See You (1985) – YouTube, Spotify (Tracks either from the The Process of Weeding Out EP or the I Can See You EP. All apparently recorded March 1985.)
This is a passion of mine and if one person likes what I do, I’ll feel honored. I like suggestions on what artist to cover next, so if you know of one you’d like me to look at, feel free to suggest ‘em!
For those not in the know, fan albums are the attempts of me and many others to take songs and put them on an album, typically they’re made to improve upon something, such as an existing album or to take non-album tracks and put them on an album.
With my recent Buddy Holly fan album and story project, I canonized his two proper studio albums as having happened as I didn’t want to alienate those that would prefer to enjoy the official albums as is. My plan was to continue this methodology for the post-Buddy years. On top of that, considering the fact that Jerry Allison is by far the only consistent member, I came up with some fun albums based on the logic that any song with Jerry is the Crickets. I then listened to my albums with this concept in mind. While some may still prefer listening to the official albums as they are and slotting the stray track ones in, I have found many of the official and personal sequences problematic for a few reasons: Some of these tracks are quite bad and some albums have tracks that would fit better elsewhere. Thus, I’ve decided to publish my stray track sequences here, as well as certain story ideas that can’t be reused, then I’ll write the narrative around what I think would make the best albums, with new sequences that arrange any track how I see fit.
For those that are fans of Jerry Allison or Sonny Curtis, I hope I can do them justice by accumulating so many rare recordings, especially because some are quite solid. One example is that Allison, Curtis, and famed Crickets bassist Joe B. Mauldin did some better known recordings as the Crickets, but also some obscure ones under different names. Those obscure ones are gathered and treated like just any other Cricket track.
During the Bobby Vee and later Jerry Naylor eras of the group, there is shaky and unreliable personnel info. Thus, things are listed vaguely.
Any album without a tracklist is an official album, not a construction of mine (unless where noted).
Based on some research, I think that almost every recording credited to Sonny Curtis as a solo artist prior to his 1979 solo album features the then-current Crickets lineup. There’s a few cases where either a track from a Crickets album is released as a solo Sonny single or the personnel is simply known to include them. However, his first two singles and flipsides have worse odds of featuring them, but I still wanted to include those regardless. The other oddity here is from the 1955 recordings he did. Him and Buddy Holly did six songs together. Five were released on my Buddy Holly & The Two Tones project, but one more, “Queen of the Ballroom”, was excluded due to their being a version with Buddy on vocals. This track almost definitely lacks Jerry Allison, but I didn’t want any of these early rarities to go absent from these albums, so here they are.
The primary source I used for information was Praguefrank, as well as Discogs, Nor-Va-Jak Music, and the Discography of American Historical Recordings.
The first post-Buddy lineup
The Crickets & Their Buddies Volume 2 (1959) – Archive.org
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
Billy Walker – “On My Mind Again” (Recorded April 8th, 1957)
Hal Goodson & The Raiders – “Who’s Gonna Be The Next One Honey” (Recorded May 2nd, 1957)
Hal Goodson & The Raiders – “Later Baby” (Recorded May 2nd, 1957)
Johnny “Peanuts” Wilson – “I’ve Had It” (Recorded November 10th, 1957)
The Roses (Robert Linville, Ray Rush, David Bingham) – backing vocals (track 3)
Buddy Holly – guitar (track 6)
Larry Welborn – bass (track 6)
Dudley A. Brooks – piano (track 8)
Johnny Mann, Alan Davies, Bill Lee – backing vocals (track 8)
The Crickets – In Style With The Crickets (1960) – YouTube, Spotify
PERSONNEL
Earl Sinks – lead vocals (tracks 2-6, 8-12)
Sonny Curtis – lead guitar (tracks 1-12), lead vocals (tracks 1, 7)
Joe B. Mauldin – bass (tracks 1-12)
Jerry Allison – drums (tracks 1-12)
Dudley Brooks – piano (tracks 1, 2, 3, 7)
The Roses – backing vocals (track 12)
Tommy Allsup – rhythm guitar (tracks 1-5, 7-10)
A common issue with the one-off singers is they can’t sing very well. Bobby Vee and Johnny Burnette are personal least favorites. However, there are some gems. David Box is excellent and by far the group’s best singer that went for a Buddy Holly-vocal style. “You Made Me Love You” also has phenomenal backing vocals.
The Crickets & Their Buddies Volume 3 (1960) – Archive.org
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
Derrell Felts – “It’s A Great Big Day” (Recorded February 13th, 1959)
Jimmy Bowen – “You Made Me Love You” (Recorded February 21st, 1959)
The Everly Brothers – “(Til) I Kissed You” (Recorded July 7th, 1959)
The Everly Brothers – “Oh What a Feeling” (Recorded July 7th, 1959)
Jack C. Smith – “Honeysuckle Rose” (Recorded 1959, Released May 1960)
David Box – “Don’t Cha Know” (Recorded August 11th, 1960)
SIDE B
Derrell Felts – “Lookie Lookie Lookie” (Recorded February 13th, 1959)
Jimmy Bowen – “Eenie Meenie Minnie Moe” (Recorded February 21st, 1959)
The Everly Brothers – “Let It Be Me” (Recorded December 15th, 1959)
The Everly Brothers – “Since You Broke My Heart” (Recorded December 15th, 1959)
Jack C. Smith – “There’ll Never Be Another” (Recorded 1959, Released May 1960)
David Box – “Peggy Sue Got Married” (Recorded August 11th, 1960)
Derrell Felts – lead vocals, probably guitar (tracks 1, 7)
Sonny Curtis – lead guitar (tracks 2-4, 8)
George Atwood – bass (tracks 2, 8)
Jimmy Bowen – lead vocals, guitar (tracks 2, 8)
Don Everly – lead vocals, probably guitar (tracks 3-4, 9-10)
Phil Everly – lead vocals, probably guitar (tracks 3-4, 9-10)
Chet Atkins – guitar (tracks 3-4)
Lightnin Chance – bass (tracks 3-4)
Floyd Cramer – piano (tracks 3-4)
Jack C. Smith – lead vocals (tracks 5, 11)
David Box – lead vocals, lead guitar (tracks 6, 12)
Ernie Hall – drums (track 6)
Howard Collins – guitar (tracks 9-10)
Barry Galbraith – guitar (tracks 9-10)
Mundell Lowe – guitar (tracks 9-10)
Lloyd Trotman – bass (tracks 9-10)
Hank Rowland – piano (tracks 9-10)
Johnny Burnette & The Crickets – Dreamin’(1960) – YouTube
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
“Dreamin’” (Recorded January 7th, 1960)
“Kaw-Liga” (Recorded January 7th, 1960)
“You’re Sixteen” (Recorded September 19th, 1960)
“I Beg Your Pardon” (Recorded September 19th, 1960)
“Singing The Blues” (Recorded November 29th, 1960)
SIDE B
“It’s My Way” (Recorded September 19th, 1960)
“That’s The Way I Feel” (Recorded November 28th, 1960)
“Little Boy Sad” (Recorded November 28th, 1960)
“I Love My Baby” (Recorded November 28th, 1960)
“(I Go) Down The River (Recorded November 28th, 1960)
PERSONNEL
Johnny Burnette – lead vocals (tracks 1-10)
Howard Roberts – guitar (tracks 1-2)
Glen Campbell – guitar (tracks 1-2)
Jerry Allison – drums (tracks 1-10)
Johnny Mann Singers – backing vocals (tracks 1-2)
Joseph Gibbons – guitar (tracks 3-10)
Vincent Terri – guitar (tracks 3-4, 6)
George Callender – bass (tracks 3-10)
Ernie Freeman – piano (tracks 3-4, 6)
Milton Pitman – guitar (track 5, 7-10)
Johnny Burnette & The Crickets – Let’s Think About Living (1961) – YouTube, Spotify
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
“Let’s Think About Living” (Recorded November 29th, 1960)
“It’s Only Make Believe” (Recorded November 29th, 1960)
“Oh Lonesome Me” (Recorded November 29th, 1960)
“Dream Lover” (Recorded November 30th, 1960)
“You’re So Fine” (Recorded November 30th, 1960)
SIDE B
“Blue Blue Morning” (Recorded November 30th, 1960)
“Pledge Of Love” (Recorded November 30th, 1960)
“Honestly I Do” (Recorded September 22nd, 1961)
“Fools Like Me” (Recorded September 22nd, 1961)
“God, Country And My Baby” (Recorded September 22nd, 1961)
PERSONNEL
Johnny Burnette – lead vocals (tracks 1-10)
Joseph Gibbons – guitar (tracks 1-7)
Milton Pitman – guitar (tracks 1-7)
George Callender – bass (tracks 1-7)
Jerry Allison – drums (tracks 1-10)
Tommy Allsup – guitar (tracks 8-10)
Dick Glasser – guitar (tracks 8-10)
Clifford A. Hils – bass (tracks 8-10)
unknown – mandolin (tracks 8-10)
Bobby Vee & The Crickets – Rock Around With Bobby Vee (1961) – Archive.org
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
“Stagger Lee” (Recorded September 12th, 1961)
“Party Doll” (Recorded September 13th, 1961)
“Come On Baby” (Recorded September 13th, 1961)
“Lonely Weekends” (Version 2) (Recorded September 20th, 1961)
“Mountain Of Love” (Recorded September 20th, 1961)
SIDE B
“No One Knows” (Recorded September 20th, 1961)
“I’m Feeling Better” (Recorded September 28th, 1961)
“Shanghaied” (Recorded September 1961)
“Keep A Knockin’” (Recorded September 1961)
“It’s Too Late” (Version 2) (Recorded September 1961)
PERSONNEL
Bobby Vee – lead vocals (tracks 1-10)
Tommy Allsup – guitar (tracks 1-7)
Red Callender – bass (tracks 1-7)
Jerry Allison – drums (tracks 1-10)
Cliff Crofford – lead vocals (track 7)
Sonny Curtis, Joe B. Mauldin, Howard Roberts, Earl Palmer, Ernie Freeman, and Gene Garf have been credited as being part of both sets of Bobby Vee recordings. The main four players listed above are probably on at least most of all the Bobby Vee tracks.
Bobby Vee & The Crickets – Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets (1962) – YouTube, Spotify (Personnel matches the previous Bobby Vee album.)
Despite Bobby Vee’s recordings with Allison being credited as The Crickets, the reunion of Sonny Curtis, along with newbies Jerry Naylor and Glen Hardin, is in my eyes the closest we get to more of the Crickets sound. Mauldin is sometimes credited as being part of the group from the early to mid 60s, but that does not seem to be true. Oftentimes, other players are credited as having partaken in them. There’s some very barebones recordings from 1961 of Allison singing that I suspect were recorded with help from the Bobby Vee-era lineup, but that’s just speculation. If there had been an album of this, I would have made them a Jerry solo album, but as just three recordings, they’re included here. This album probably would have only been released like this if the band needed material quickly, as the flow isn’t great. Still, these songs, as well as the whole Naylor era, are mostly good.
The Crickets – Fell In Love With A Face (1962) – YouTube, Spotify
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
“Fell In Love With A Face” (Recorded February 2nd, 1962)
“Never Ever Told Me” (Recorded February 2nd, 1962)
“There’s No Better Way To Die” (Recorded February 2nd, 1962)
“Bottom Of The Sea” (Recorded February 2nd, 1962)
“I’m Not A Bad Guy” (Recorded March 9th, 1962)
“I Don’t Need A Friend” (Recorded September 18th, 1961)
SIDE B
“I Believe In You” (Recorded March 19th, 1962)
“The Real Thing” (Recorded June 4th, 1962)
“My Little Kim Ruth” (Recorded September 18th, 1961)
“It’s All Right With Me” (Recorded September 18th, 1961)
“Smooth Guy” (Recorded February 29th, 1960)
“So You’re In Love” (Recorded February 29th, 1960)
“Break It Easy” (Recorded June 19th, 1962)
PERSONNEL
Jerry Naylor – lead vocals
Sonny Curtis – lead guitar, lead vocals (tracks 11-12)
Red Callender – bass
Jerry Allison – drums, lead vocals (tracks 6, 9-10)
“Looking All Over Town” (Recorded October 17th, 1962)
“Teardrops Fall Like Rain” (Recorded October 17th, 1962)
“Farewell, My Bluebell” (Recorded October 23rd, 1962)
“The Ballad of Batman” (Recorded 1962)
“Batmobile” (Recorded 1962)
SIDE B
“Lost And All Alone” (Recorded April 3rd, 1963)
“Don’t Try To Change Me” (Recorded April 3rd, 1963)
“Surfin’ Special” (Recorded June 14th, 1963)
“April Avenue” (Recorded June 14th, 1963)
“A Harlem Girl” (Recorded July 17th, 1962)
“Brand New Doll” (Recorded July 17th, 1962)
PERSONNEL
Jerry Allison – drums
Sonny Curtis – lead guitar, vocals
Red Callender – bass
Jerry Naylor – lead vocals
Glen D. Hardin – piano
Tommy Allsup – guitar (tracks 5-6)
Glen D. Hardin and Joe B. Mauldin have sometimes been credited as playing bass. Ernie Freeman has been credited on piano.
The Crickets – California Sun / She Loves You (1964) – YouTube, Spotify
PERSONNEL
Jerry Allison – drums
Sonny Curtis – lead guitar, vocals
unknown – bass
Jerry Naylor – lead vocals
Glen D. Hardin – piano
Buzz Cason – backing vocals
Glen D. Hardin and Joe B. Mauldin have sometimes been credited as playing bass. Ernie Freeman has been credited on piano.
Despite my criticism of some of the one-off projects, this album is solid other than the Everly Brothers tracks. If it wasn’t obvious, Eddie Cochran is rivaled only by Holly himself and a few others, but that track is out of place for the Crickets. Still two great cuts, regardless.
The Crickets & Their Buddies Volume 4 (1964) – Archive.org
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
Eddie Cochran – “Cut Across Shorty” (Recorded January 8th, 1960)
The Raiders – “Dardanella” (Released November 1961)
The Everly Brothers – “No One Can Make My Sunshine Smile” (Recorded September 20th, 1962)
The Everly Brothers – “Dancing On My Feet” (Recorded September 20th, 1962)
Lucille Starr – “The French Song” (Recorded October 24th, 1963)
Joe Carson – “Be A Good Girl” (Recorded February 10th, 1964)
SIDE B
Eddie Cochran – “Three Steps To Heaven” (Recorded January 8th, 1960)
The Raiders – “What Time Is It?” (Released November 1961)
Lucille Starr – “Sit Down And Write A Letter To Me” (Recorded October 24th, 1963)
The Everly Brothers – “The Facts Of Life” (Recorded January 16th, 1964)
Joe Carson – “Guess You Don’t Love Me Anymore” (Recorded February 10th, 1964)
PERSONNEL
Jerry Allison – drums (tracks 1-11) (Possibly not on track 10)
Eddie Cochran – lead vocals, guitar (tracks 1, 7)
Sonny Curtis – lead guitar (tracks 1, 3-7, 9-11)
Conrad ‘Guybo’ Smith – bass (tracks 1, 7)
Tommy Allsup – guitar (tracks 2-4, 8)
Unknown other musicians, possibly Bobby Keys on sax (tracks 2, 8)
Don Everly – lead vocals, probably guitar (tracks 3-4, 10)
Phil Everly – lead vocals, probably guitar (tracks 3-4, 10)
Billy Strange – guitar (tracks 3-4, 10)
Red Callendar and/or Pat Vegas – bass (tracks 3-4)
Ray Johnson – piano (tracks 5, 9)
Lucille Starr – lead vocals (tracks 5, 9)
Joe Maphis – guitar (tracks 5, 9)
Bill Pitman – guitar (tracks 5, 9)
Wilbur Pitman – bass (tracks 5, 9)
Herb Alpert – trumpet (tracks 5, 9)
Joe Carson – lead vocals (tracks 6, 11)
James Burton – guitar (tracks 6, 11)
Billy Mize – steel guitar (tracks 6, 11)
Bob Morris – bass (tracks 6, 11)
Billy Armstrong – fiddle (tracks 6, 11)
Bobby Bruce – fiddle (tracks 6, 11)
Glen D. Hardin – piano (tracks 6, 11)
Ray Pohlman – bass (track 10)
Hal Blaine – drums (probably on track 10)
Leon Russell – keyboard (tracks 10)
Harold Cliner – trombone (track 10)
Kenneth Shroyer – trombone (track 10)
John Audino – trumpet (track 10)
Anthony Terram – trumpet (track 10)
Sonny Curtis (Possibly with The Crickets) – Beatle Hits Flamenco Guitar Style (1964) – Archive.org
PERSONNEL
Sonny Curtis – lead guitar
Likely present
Jerry Allison – drums
Glen D. Hardin – keyboard
Tommy Allsup & The Crickets – The Buddy Holly Songbook (1964) – YouTube, Spotify
PERSONNEL
Lynn Bailey – bass
Jerry Allison – drums
George Tomsco – guitar
Tommy Allsup – guitar
Buzz Cason – piano
The Crickets – Surfing, Bo Diddley, and Beatles!! (1964) – YouTube
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
“Don’t Breathe A Word” (Recorded June 14th, 1963)
“Bring Back My Surfboard” (Recorded June 14th, 1963)
“Don’t Say You Love Me” (Recorded June 28th, 1963)
“A Beatle I Want To Be” (Recorded Late 1963)
“So Used To Loving You” (Recorded Summer 1963)
“Right Or Wrong” (Recorded August 1st, 1963)
SIDE B
“Playboy” (Recorded December 12th, 1963)
“(They Call Her) La Bamba” (Recorded March 23rd, 1964)
“All Over You” (Recorded March 23rd, 1964)
“I Think I’ve Caught The Blues” (Recorded August 27th, 1964)
“Bo Diddley Bach” (Recorded June 1964)
“I Pledge My Love To You” (Recorded June 1964)
PERSONNEL
Jerry Allison – drums, lead vocals (track 10)
Sonny Curtis – lead guitar (absent from track 10)
Red Callender – bass (absent from track 10)
Jerry Naylor – lead vocals (absent from track 10)
Glen D. Hardin – piano (absent from track 10)
Buzz Cason – backing vocals, lead vocals (track 10)
Tommy Allsup – guitar (track 10)
George Tomsco – guitar (track 10)
Stan Lark – bass (track 10)
Glen D. Hardin and Joe B. Mauldin have sometimes been credited as playing bass. Ernie Freeman has been credited on piano.
“Lord Of The Manor” and the Carson tracks are the ones here I like.
The Crickets & Their Buddies Volume 5 (1968) – Archive.org
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
Joe Carson – “Release Me” (Recorded February 10th, 1964)
Joe Carson – “Who’ll Buy The Wine” (Recorded February 10th, 1964)
The Everly Brothers – “I Used To Love You” (Recorded November 12th, 1965)
The Everly Brothers – “It’s All Over” (Recorded November 12th, 1965)
Rusty Steagall – “Motel Rooms And Coffee Shops” (Recorded March 1st, 1966)
SIDE B
Joe Carson – “I’ll Be There” (Recorded February 10th, 1964)
Joe Carson – “Fraulein” (Recorded February 10th, 1964)
Rusty Steagall – “Playboy Heart” (Recorded March 1st, 1966)
The Everly Brothers – “Lord Of The Manor” (Recorded February 27th, 1968)
Jammë – “Empty Feelings” (Recorded 1968)
PERSONNEL
Jerry Allison – drums (tracks 1-10) (Possibly not on tracks 3-4)
Sonny Curtis – guitar (tracks 1-4, 6-7, 9)
Joe Carson – lead vocals (tracks 1-2, 6-7)
James Burton – guitar (tracks 1-4, 6-7, 9)
Billy Mize – steel guitar (tracks 1-2, 6-7)
Bob Morris – bass (tracks 1-2, 6-7)
Billy Armstrong – fiddle (tracks 1-2, 6-7)
Bobby Bruce – fiddle (tracks 1-2, 6-7)
Glen D. Hardin – piano (tracks 1-2, 6-7)
Doris Hallcom – bass (tracks 3-4)
Jim Gordon – drums (probably on tracks 3-4)
Don Randi – harpsichord (tracks 3-4)
Leon Russell – keyboard (track 4)
Rusty Steagall – lead vocals (tracks 5, 8)
Don Lanier – guitar (tracks 5, 8)
Glen Campbell – guitar (tracks 5, 8)
Larry Knechtel – bass (tracks 5, 8)
Don Randi – keyboard (tracks 5, 8)
Terry Slater – bass (track 9)
Don Adey – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (track 10)
Timmy Smyser – bass (track 10)
Paul Downing – lead guitar (track 10)
These two Sonny Curtis albums, as well as some Crickets or Sonny material from around this time, are incredibly strong and deserved to have been released on Crickets albums. In fact, I’ll go as far as to say that Style is the best work covered in this post, being comparable in quality with Buddy Holly.
Sonny Curtis (Possibly with The Crickets) – The 1st Of Sonny Curtis (1968) – YouTube, Spotify
PERSONNEL
Sonny Curtis – lead guitar
Glen D. Hardin – keyboard
Likely present
Jerry Allison – drums
Sonny Curtis (Possibly with The Crickets) – The Sonny Curtis Style (1969) – YouTube, Spotify
PERSONNEL
Sonny Curtis – lead guitar
Likely present
Jerry Allison – drums
Glen D. Hardin – keyboard
Lee Dresser & The Crickets – El Camino Real (1969) – Archive.org
PERSONNEL
Rick Cathaway – bass
Jerry Allison – drums
Lee Dresser – lead vocals, guitar
Glen D. Hardin – piano
Eric Clapton & The Crickets – Eric Clapton (1970) – YouTube, Spotify
PERSONNEL
Eric Clapton – lead guitar, lead vocals
Delaney Bramlett – rhythm guitars, backing vocals
Stephen Stills – guitars, bass (track 11), backing vocals
Leon Russell – piano
John Simon – piano
Bobby Whitlock – organ, backing vocals
Carl Radle – bass
Jim Gordon – drums
Bobby Keys – saxophones
Jim Price – trumpet
Jerry Allison – backing vocals
Bonnie Bramlett – backing vocals
Rita Coolidge – backing vocals
Sonny Curtis – backing vocals
The 70s is the beginning of the downfall of the Crickets. This era is consistently okay, with this album of mostly Buddy Holly covers being one of the better efforts.
The Crickets – Rockin’ 50’s Rock’n’Roll (1970) – YouTube, Spotify
PERSONNEL
Sonny Curtis – lead vocals, lead guitar
Jerry Allison – drums, vocals
Jerry Scheff – bass
Glen D. Hardin – piano
This is one of the weaker albums I constructed simply because it spans from the mid 60s to the early 70s. It was one reason I found issue with this “stray track” idea. Note there’s two 1972 Sonny Curtis tracks I could not find: “Sunny Mornin’” and “Lights Of L.A.”.
The Crickets – Million Dollar Movie (1971) – YouTube
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
“Million Dollar Movie” (Recorded Mid 1968)
“We Gotta Get Together” (Recorded August 27th, 1964)
“Everybody’s Got A Little Problem” (Recorded August 28th, 1964)
“Now Hear This” (Recorded January 1st, 1965)
“Thoughtless” (Recorded January 2nd, 1965)
“Rave On” (Recorded January 3rd, 1965)
SIDE B
“A Million Miles Apart” (Recorded Mid 1968)
“Last Call” (Recorded July 1966)
“Love Is All Around” (Recorded Fall 1970)
“Here, There And Everywhere” (Recorded Fall 1970)
“Unsaintly Judy” (Recorded Spring 1971)
“You Don’t Belong In This Place” (Recorded Spring 1971)
PERSONNEL (Only confirmed contributions listed)
Jerry Naylor – lead vocals (tracks 4-6)
Sonny Curtis – lead guitar (tracks 1, 7-12), lead vocals (tracks 7-12)
Jerry Allison – drums (tracks 2-6) (Probably on every track), lead vocals (track 2)
Glen D. Hardin – (Possibly plays piano on tracks 1, 7-12)
Buzz Cason – lead vocals (tracks 2-3)
Tommy Allsup – guitar (tracks 2-6)
George Tomsco – guitar (track 2)
Stan Lark – bass (track 2)
Lynn Bailey – bass (tracks 3-6)
Johnny Rivers & The Crickets – L.A. Reggae(1972) – YouTube
PERSONNEL
Joe Osborn – bass
Miss Bobbye Hall – congas, bongos
Jerry Allison and/or Jim Gordon – drums
Dean Parks and/or Larry Carlton – guitar
Herb Pedersen and/or Michael Georgiades – backing vocals
Gary Coleman – percussion
Larry Knechtel and/or Jim Webb and/or Michael O’Martian – piano/organ
A Long Way from Lubbock is an officially released album, though one frustrating issue is that it pointlessly takes recordings from the previous two 1973 albums. There were two much better ideas that could have been used for a follow up. There’s basically one album’s worth of strays listed below that have no overlap with previous albums. The other idea is to cut out the dud tracks and make these albums all much shorter. The Remnants album is bizarrely forty minutes long. The album listed below was all recorded in 1973, except for “Carolyn Walking Away”, where that’s just a guess.
The Crickets – A Long Way from Lubbock(1973) – Archive.org
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
“That Is Not What I Need”
“Carolyn Walking Away”
“Rock’n Roll (I Gave You The Best Years Of My Life)” (Recorded October 1973)
“My Mama Sure Left Me Some Good Old Days” (Recorded October 1973)
“An American Love Affair”
“He’s Got A Way With Women”
SIDE B
“You Make It Way Too Hard”
“Ain’t Protestin’” (Demo version)
“Ain’t Protestin’” (Band version)
“Bony Moronie”
“I Like Your Music”
“Now & Then It’s Gonna Rain”
PERSONNEL
Sonny Curtis – lead vocals, lead guitar
Ric Grech – lead vocals, bass, piano
Jerry Allison – lead vocals, drums
Nick Van Maarth – lead vocals, guitar
Albert Lee – lead vocals, guitar, piano
Steve Krikorian – vocals
Lee Dresser & The Crickets – To Touch The Wind (1975) – Can’t find
PERSONNEL
Lee Dresser – lead vocals (tracks 1-12), guitar, banjo, harmonica (tracks 2-6, 8-12)
Larry McNeely – banjo (tracks 1-12)
Pat Smith – bass (tracks 1, 7)
Al Garibaldi – drums (tracks 1, 7)
Dan Crary – guitar (tracks 1, 7)
Pete Jolly – piano (tracks 1, 7)
Red Rhodes – steel guitar (tracks 1, 7)
Joe Osborn – bass (tracks 2-6, 8-12)
Jerry Allison – drums, hambone (tracks 2-6, 8-12)
Ron Dasaro – organ (tracks 2-6, 8-12)
Doug Gilmore – hambone (tracks 2-6, 8-12)
Glen D. Hardin – piano (tracks 2-6, 8-12)
Al Perkins – steel guitar (tracks 2-6, 8-12)
The Teesdale Street Choir – backing vocals (tracks 2-6, 8-12)
Originally this album spanned into the 80s with a few solo Sonny singles. Two issues with that is that those 80s tracks almost certainly lacked Jerry Allison and Sonny’s real solo career where Jerry was absent is quite confusing. Many of the released albums are unavailable online and I later found more stray tracks. There’s also some repeats from one album to another. Thus, you can think of this as the last release of his for quite a while with Jerry before they went separate ways into less documented music, though it’s quite short. I liked that the 1973 strays perfectly make up their own album, while this is everything after in the 70s. Note that a track called “When It’s Just You And Me” is from 1975, but isn’t accessible. If it was, it would make this one a bit longer.
The Crickets – Reunion(1978) – Archive.org (All tracks recorded in 1978 except where noted otherwise.)
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
“It’s Only A Question Of Time” (Recorded July 10th, 1975)
“Where’s Patricia Now” (Recorded February 1976)
“The Breeze”
SIDE B
“Mulholland Drive”
“It’s Only Rock’n’Roll”
“Cruise In It”
“Rock Around With Ollie Vee”
PERSONNEL (Only confirmed contributions listed)
Sonny Curtis – lead vocals, lead guitar (tracks 1-7)
Jerry Allison – drums (tracks 3-7)
Joe B. Mauldin – bass (tracks 3-7)
Mauldin, Curtis, Jennings, and Allison
Note that half of Rollin’ and a 1982 track called “Dream Well All Of You Children” are missing. Also, the three Sonny Curtis albums listed below are not fan albums and instead are official. I’m writing out the tracklisting to make it more explicit what I do have. The personnel notes will be absent for solo Sonny due to this article being more about Jerry.
Sonny Curtis (1979) – Archive.org (Missing Two Tracks)
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
“The Cowboy Singer”
“Walk Right Back”
“So Used To Loving You”
“Tennessee”
“Do You Remember Roll Over Beethoven”
SIDE B
“It’s Not Easy Being Fifteen”
“I Fought The Law”
“I’ll Stay With You” (Can’t find)
“Cheatin’ Clouds” (Can’t find)
“Ain’t Nobody Honest”
Sonny Curtis – Love Is All Around (1980) – Archive.org
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
“Love Is All Around”
“You Made My Life A Song”
“Eager For The Edge”
“The Real Buddy Holly Story”
“Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover”
SIDE B
“Wild Side Of Life”
“The Cowboy Singer” (Same recording as on the 1979 album)
“I Fought The Law” (Same recording as on the 1979 album)
“Walk Right Back” (Same recording as on the 1979 album)
“The Clone Song”
With one exception, the personnel for the Waylon Jennings albums won’t be listed due to how confusing it all is.
Sonny Curtis – 1981 and 1982 loose tracks – Archive.org
“Good Ol’ Girls” (From Rollin’ (1981))
“Married Women” (From Rollin’ (1981))
“Rollin’” (From Rollin’ (1981))
“More Than I Can Say” (From Rollin’ (1981))
“I Like Your Music” (From Rollin’ (1981))
“The Christmas Song” (Chestnut Roasting On A Open Fire) (1981)
“Together Alone” (1982)
“Love is All Around” (From Sonny Curtis (2007)) (Unsure of recording date, very roughly guessing 1982)
“Hung Up In Your Eyes” (From Sonny Curtis (2007)) (Unsure of recording date, very roughly guessing 1982)
“My Worst Enemy” (From Sonny Curtis (2007)) (Unsure of recording date, very roughly guessing 1982)
“Party Of The First Part” (From Sonny Curtis (2007)) (Unsure of recording date, very roughly guessing 1982)
Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson & The Crickets – WWII(1982) – YouTube, Spotify
PERSONNEL
Waylon Jennings – guitar, vocals
Jerry Allison – drums
Gene Chrisman – drums, percussion
Chips Moman – guitar
Reggie Young – guitar
Willie Nelson – guitar, vocals
Bobby Emmons – keyboards
Johnny Christopher – guitar, backing vocals
Bobby Wood – piano
Toni White – backing vocals
Mike Leech – bass
Jerry Bridges – bass
Waylon Jennings & The Crickets – It’s Only Rock & Roll (1983) – YouTube, Spotify
Waylon Jennings & The Crickets – Never Could Toe the Mark(1984) – YouTube, Spotify
Most of the Payne stuff feels like a parody of the band, with the new lead singer doing a bad Holly impression. It’s a shame Allison and Mauldin didn’t make Crickets albums with Waylon Jennings or Sonny, especially because most of the Crickets’ 60s and 70s songs lack Mauldin and now that he’s back they’re either inactive or making such poor material.
Gordon Payne & The Crickets – Jigger, Crank & Jive (1988) – Archive.org
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
“Back Home In Tennessee” (Released 1988)
“Blackmail” (Released 1988)
“I Can’t Hold On Any Longer” (Released 1988)
“For A While We Helped Each Other Out” (Released 1988)
SIDE B
“I Got A Woman” (Recorded Late 70s-Early 80s)
“She’s Got A Right To Cry” (Recorded Late 70s-Early 80s)
“Do You Ever Think Of Me” (Recorded Late 70s-Early 80s)
“Let’s Do It Again” (Released 1988)
PERSONNEL
Gordon Payne – lead vocals, lead guitar (tracks 1-8)
Jerry Bridges – bass (tracks 5-7)
Jerry Allison – drums (tracks 1-8)
Joe B. Mauldin – bass (tracks 1-4, 8)
The Payne lineup
Gordon Payne & The Crickets – T-Shirt (1988) – Archive.org
“I Think I’m In Love” (From Spectrum (1987), though recorded in 1985)
“Now I’ve Got A Heart Of Gold” (From Spectrum (1987), though recorded in 1985)
“Monetta” (Recorded 1990)
“Evening Shade” (Recording date guessed 1990)
“I Fought The Law” (Recorded June 1990 in Torino, ITA)
Sonny Curtis – No Stranger to the Rain (Released September 1990) – Archive.org
“I’m No Stranger to the Rain” (Possibly the same recording that was on the previous album, Spectrum)
“Hello Mary Lou”
“You’re the Lesson I Never Learned”
“When Amarillo Blows”
“Back When Has Been Lover”
“I Saved My Last Name for You”
“Bad Case of Love”
“Think It Over”
“That’ll Be the Day”
“More Than I Can Say”
“Well, All Right”
“Rock Around with Ollie Vee”
“Midnight Shift”
Gordon Payne & The Crickets – Double Exposure (1993) – YouTube, Spotify
PERSONNEL
Gordon Payne – lead vocals, probably guitar
Sonny Curtis – lead guitar
Jerry Allison – drums
Joe B. Mauldin – bass
Glen D. Hardin – keyboard
Too Much Monday Morning is a shockingly good album that goes to show how much a shame it was that this lineup wasn’t more often all together. Naylor, and especially Sinks and Box are good, but Curtis’ voice feels more at home with the Crickets. After this album, the band would go back to being an oldies act, often redoing their own songs needlessly. Admittedly, not many people are out asking for the next hot Sonny Curtis and the Crickets album.
The Crickets – Too Much Monday Morning (1996) – YouTube, Spotify
The Everly Brothers, Eric Clapton, Nanci Griffith, Bobby Vee, Albert Lee, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Rivers – guest vocals
Many, many more guest performers. Only ones that have previously worked with the Crickets are listed here.
Mike Berry & The Crickets – About Time Too! (2005) – YouTube, Spotify
PERSONNEL
Sonny Curtis – lead guitar, rhythm guitar, lead vocals
Jerry Allison – drums, lead vocals
Joe B. Mauldin – bass, backing vocals
Mike Berry – lead vocals, backing vocals
Chas Hodges – piano, backing vocals, guitar
Chad Hodges & Jerry Allison – Before We Grow Too Old (2007) – Archive.org
PERSONNEL
Jack Clement – dobro
Jerry Allison – drums, lead vocals (tracks 7, 10)
Chas Hodges – piano, lead vocals, guitar
There seems to have been a whole album of John Beland tracks recorded, but this is the only one I could find. The Limitations’ “Well… All Right” I also can’t find.
The Crickets & Their Buddies Over The Years (2013) – Archive.org
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
J.J. Cale – “I’m A Gypsy Man” (Released 1976)
John Beland – “True Love Never Runs Dry” (Recorded 1978)
Bobby Vee – “Buddy Holly Medley” (Recorded April 16th, 1989)
Dale Hawkins – “Rain On The Roof” (Recorded 1990s)
David Falconi (Might be misspelling his name) – keyboard (track 3)
Joe B. Mauldin – bass (track 3), possibly plays bass on tracks 4-7
Dale Hawkins – lead vocals, guitar (tracks 4-7)
Ray Flack – lead guitar (tracks 4-7)
Joe Osborn – possibly plays bass on tracks 4-7
unknown – piano (tracks 4-7)
Joell Le Sonier – accordion (tracks 8-9)
Margot Buchanan – backing vocals (tracks 8-9)
Sam Brown – backing vocals (tracks 8-9)
Sonia Jones – backing vocals (tracks 8-9)
Gerry Conway – drums (tracks 8-9)
Brian Hodgson – bass (track 8)
Paul Henry – guitar (track 8)
Rufus Thibodeaux – fiddle (tracks 8-9)
Nick Payne – harmonica (track 8)
Lonnie Donegan – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (tracks 8-9)
Sticky Wicket – washboard (track 8)
Vic Pitt – bass (track 9)
Chad Hodges – performer (track 10)
Dave Peacock – performer (track 10)
Albert Lee – guitar (track 10)
Track 2’s personnel information is especially confusing, but it does seem Allison, Mauldin, and Curtis are on it in some capacity.
This is a passion of mine and if one person likes what I do, I’ll feel honored. I like suggestions on what artist to cover next, so if you know of one you’d like me to look at, feel free to suggest ‘em!
For those not in the know, fan albums/album edits are the attempts of me and many others to take songs and put them on an album, typically they’re made to improve upon something, such as an existing album or to take non-album tracks and put them on an album.
The recent release of the “final” Beatles single got me wondering how long of a Beatles “reunion” album you could make and if that could become a fan album. Considering that the John Lennon demos come from the late 70s or early 80s, ideally the other tracks would come from that same time period. That didn’t get very far, so I decided to include cases after the band’s breakup where there’s just three members together and extend the timeframe out more. This created two issues. The album is still too short and there’s a severe lack of Paul. Paul and George almost never seemed to collaborate after the breakup. Thus, I turned to some sources that might be too strange.
The best is an edit of “Grow Old With Me” by “Rarebeatles” that surprisingly effectively mixes John’s vocal, George Martin’s orchestration, and the backing track of the Ringo cover that featured Paul on bass. An edit like this may have been an ideal “b-side” to “Now and Then”. Another source was the mid-90s jam between everyone but John, for obvious reasons. These may be too informal, but I like them. Note that tracks that don’t feature all three Beatles or were originally from released albums are excluded, to not have duplication. Finally there are two tracks from the “Everyday Chemistry” edit, which takes stems from different solo Beatles songs. They were mainly included to give more length and I simply like them.
This edit is not very fluid, due to the different sources, but I found it an interesting listen. Other similar concepts for this lower the number of Beatles needed to just two or stay in one time frame. Those are indeed more cohesive, so this should be looked at as an experiment to be more Beatley in numbers than style. This is pretty much the closest we’ll ever get to a “true” reunion we can actually make. I also worked on this project months ago and only now got around to finishing and releasing it. For those that want a little narrative for this album, here is what I thought of:
After John Lennon returned to music in 1980, he decided to get the other Beatles together to record an album. After some resistance, he barely managed this. The band began recording, often not together, before John tragically died. The others were not terribly keen on continuing the project, so took a break before realizing John would want them to finish it. Thus, they decided to play by their own rules and do some informal jams, as they were prioritizing having fun, before the daunting task of adding overdubs to some unused John recordings. Due to knowing that he wouldn’t be on every track, and being more interested in their solo projects, the remaining three figured why bother being on every track if it was already fine by their standards? A 1973 outtake called “I’m The Greatest” that happened to feature everyone but Paul was dug up and included as “the imagined single that carried us to this point”. Its mocking lyrics of Paul were favored by George and Ringo due to him not wanting to contribute his own songs to the LP. The album was then named 40 in reference to John. The cover was a then-recent picture of the band. The record received negative reviews, with critics noting the severe lack of cohesion. There was more praise for the tracks that used all the band members and didn’t draw from many or informal sources. Some considered just releasing the singles, “Free As A Bird/Grow Old With Me” and “Now And Then/Real Love”. The remaining members were not new to such criticism and didn’t much care, having solo careers waiting for them.
Mia Barcia-Colombo, Giovanna Clayton, Hillary Smith – cello (track 1)
Mike Valerio – double bass (track 1)
Linda McCartney – backing vocals (track 2)
Denny Laine – backing vocals (track 2)
Al Kooper – electric piano (track 2)
Herbie Flowers – bass (track 2)
Ray Cooper – tambourine (track 2)
Jeff Lynne – backing vocals, guitar, producer (tracks 3, 9)
Joe Walsh – guitar (track 5)
Jim Cox – piano (track 5)
Allison Lovejoy – accordion (track 5)
Rhea Fowler – violin (track 5)
Bianca McClure – violin (track 5)
Lauren Baba – violin (track 5)
Isaiah Cage – cello (track 5)
Billy Preston – organ, piano (track 7)
Klaus Voormann – bass (track 7)
Jérôme Leroy – conductor (track 1)
Paul McCartney, Giles Martin, Ben Foster – string arrangement (track 1)
Jack Douglas – string arrangement (track 5)
George Martin – orchestral arrangement (track 5)
This is a passion of mine and if one person likes what I do, I’ll feel honored. I like suggestions on what artist to cover next, so if you know of one you’d like me to look at, feel free to suggest ‘em!
The Filme Diary 