Buddy Holly (1949-1959) – Nine Fan Albums & Alternate History (Take 2)

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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.

I’ve decided to make a few revisions to my earlier fan albuming of the great Buddy Holly. 50s LPs’ common track sequencing is better than I’ve given it credit for, so I’ve decided to respect that. Thus, all these albums have twelve or thirteen tracks. I’ve also left alone the two official albums, so they can be slotted in. Conveniently, the amount of tracks recorded before those albums and the ones after fit the twelve or thirteen track rule nicely, so I won’t have to have pre and post “the main two” album tracks on the same LP. I’m unsure of what to do with the later official albums by the Crickets without Holly. Maybe I’ll do a stray track version and also a version that fixes the weak sequences?

As I like to do, I want to define what counts as a band track or a solo track. Based on the nature of these recordings, every track without Bob Montgomery is more or less solo Buddy, seeing as he was clearly the intended star of the show and most recordings credit him as a solo artist. However, seeing as there were band names and bandmates that have been unfortunately understated historically, “The Two Tones” name will be utilized for the period where the backing band was reasonably in flux, such as when Bob, Sonny, Jerry, and the various bass players were sometimes there and sometimes not. The members were mostly just Buddy’s friends and not session players. When Jerry and Joe are present, that’s what counts as “The Crickets”. Originally, I was going to utilize the fact that every Crickets track has Jerry and say he was the only necessary player to make something the Crickets, but defining a band by one person drives me crazy.

This next idea might be a little controversial. Seeing as Holly’s fellow musicians had identities and musical statements, I’ve decided to include recordings where Holly is backing another vocalist, specifically one of his bandmates. I will not be including every track to ever feature Holly, just the ones where someone was really in his circle. If Buddy and the Crickets formed in the 70s, they might’ve taken this approach, with someone else occasionally getting vocals for the sake of it. Finally, let’s have a little fun and build some alt history around this! There is certainly a lot of untrue information below, so be warned!

The History of Buddy Holly, as it pertains to his LPs

A young boy named Buddy Holley became interested in music in the late 40s. After recording a twelve-track album at home in 1949, he submitted it to Columbia Records to be released, but they responded back saying, “This sound quality is worse than a Charley Patton record.” Upon asking for the tracks back, Columbia admitted that confusing it for their own material, they junked it. Fortunately, one track was preserved on what Holley had intended to be a single for the album, “My Two-Timin’ Woman”. While future historians were hopeful there’d be a b-side, on the other end was merely “Chattanooga Choo Choo” by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra, albeit falsely credited to Buddy. As his interest in music grew, Holley began performing with artists. The first notable one was Bob Montgomery. While initially only doing informal jams, in mid 1952 they decided to become an official group. The two credited themselves, “Buddy and Bob” and at points under both of their full names. For the sake of symmetry, an “e” was added to the first letter of their names. Due to another artist being named “Buddey Folley and Bobe Montgomeery”, this was changed the other way, with both “e”s being removed. The two failed to obtain a recording contract, though continued to tape informal performances. Frequently during Montgomery’s hyena howling, the tape recorded burst, rendering the material lost. In a later interview, he went on to say, “I wish I wasn’t too cowardly to simply destroy all our recordings upfront, instead of being sneaky about it.”

Interested in other projects, Montgomery would occasionally leave the group. After a particularly thoughtless incident of him not showing up to a performance, Holly fired him. He was replaced by Jack Neal. During a recording session where the two cut two tracks, Montgomery returned to announce that he had a car now. Back in the fold, Buddy and Bob would continue to record and busk. Deciding to expand their group, the duo searched for more players. They only got as far as up the street, as Bob’s car broke down. Through the window they saw high school associates Sonny Curtis, Larry Welborn, and Don Guess, allegedly under the name, “The Beatles”. After a sprint under the name “Buddy & Bob & The Pidles”, Holly decided the name was too long and Montgomery’s name should be removed. After a disagreement and a power struggle, Montgomery left and took Welborn with him. When asked why, Welborn said, “I won’t be on some of these recordings, so I gotta go for this story to make sense.” After offering some wine and chocolates, Buddy won back the two, though not consistently. Curtis and Guess also were inconstant, with different people being available at any given time.

By the time thirteen tracks were finished, the group signed with Sun Records, who would distribute, after Buddy Holly strummed his guitar for three hours to get the record deal while Bob Montgomery and Sonny Curtis whistled “Sweet Adeline”. They were surprised this worked as they needed the talent scout to fill in on fourth. In trying to think of a name for the group, Buddy Holly came up with “Buddy Holly and his Holy Buddies”. Montgomery wanted it to go “Bob Montgomery is the most important member of this band.” Curtis reached a compromise between the two with “The Two Tones”. Holly thought his name would be included, which the others disagreed with doing. The encounter went as follows: “But there’s three of us, that name suggests there’s two. “Okay, then it refers to guitar tones.” “What’s that to do with anything?” “I don’t know, but we’ll kick you out if you keep at it.”

BUDDY HOLLY & THE TWO TONES – FOR THE LOVE OF TEXAS (Cover and title of re-release. Original omitted Holly’s name and was in a white sleeve.)

TRACKLISTING

SIDE A

1. “I Hear the Lord Callin’ Me”
2. “I Gambled My Heart” (1-9)
3. “I’ll Just Pretend” (1-2)
4. “Take These Shackles From My Heart” (1-3)
5. “Footprints In The Snow” (1-4)
6. “Because You Love Me”
7. “My Two-Timin’ Woman” (1-1)

SIDE B

1. “I Saw the Moon Cry Last Night”
2. “Flower Of My Heart” (1-5)
3. “Door To My Heart” (1-6)
4. “Gotta Get You Near Me Blues” (1-8)
5. “I’ll Miss My Heart”
6. “Soft Place In My Heart” (1-7)

PERSONNEL

• Buddy Holly – vocals (tracks 2-5, 7, 9-11, 13), guitar (tracks 1-13)
• Jack Neal – vocals (tracks 1, 8)
• Bob Montgomery – vocals, guitar (tracks 2-5, 9-11, 13)
• Sonny Curtis – fiddle (tracks 2, 9-11, 13), vocals, guitar (tracks 6, 12)
• Don Guess – bass (tracks 2, 11, 13), steel guitar (tracks 9-10)
• Larry Welborn – bass (tracks 6, 9-10, 12)

While the record didn’t make great waves commercially, it was considered strong enough for a follow-up to be put into motion, though the boys would have to record their own way as before. Holly tired of the folk sound and was determined to move on. Deciding to embrace more of the new genre of rock upon hearing Elvis Costello, Holly recruited drummer Jerry Allison. “He was so small, but could bang so loud,” he later said. Montgomery and Welborn soon left the group due to not wanting to leave folk. Holly, Curtis, Guess, and Allison proceeded to complete the album, with one folk side and one rock side.

BUDDY HOLLY & THE TWO TONES – BABY, WON’T YOU COME OUT TONIGHT? (Cover and title of re-release. Original omitted Holly’s name and was in a white sleeve.)

TRACKLISTING

SIDE A

1. “Dallas Boogie”
2. “Memories” (1-18)
3. “You And I Are Through” (1-10)
4. “Baby, It’s Love” (1-15)
5. “Queen Of The Ballroom” (1-17)
6. “This Bottle”

SIDE B

1. “One in a Million”
2. “Down The Line” (1-13)
3. “Baby, Let’s Play House” (1-12)
4. “Moonlight Baby” (1-19)
5. “I Guess I Was Just A Fool” (1-20)
6. “Don’t Come Back Knockin’” (1-21)
7. “Love Me” (1-22)

PERSONNEL

• Buddy Holly – vocals (tracks 2-5, 8-13), guitar (tracks 1-13)
• Larry Welborn – bass (tracks 1, 3, 6-9)
• Sonny Curtis – vocals (tracks 1, 6-7), guitar (tracks 1, 6-7, 10-13), fiddle (tracks 2, 4-5)
• Bob Montgomery – vocals, guitar (tracks 2-5, 8)
• Don Guess – bass (tracks 2, 4-5, 10-13)
• Jerry Allison – drums (tracks 3, 8-13)

Decca, impressed with Holly’s singing ability, offered him a contract. It was agreed between him and Decca that he should be the sole singer and namesake. Curtis and Guess promptly left for this reason. “I’ve finally done it, I’m a star!” Due to poor rehearsals, Holly and Allison were fired and Curtis and Guess were brought in as a new act. When they didn’t gel as a duo, Holly was brought back in to stabilize them. Curtis’ country leanings proved problematic for what Decca wanted, so in Holly’s willingness to be the lead, accepted the poppier sound, as that meant he could sing lead. After a stint with percussionist Doug Kirkham, Allison was brought back as to quote Guess in an interview, “He was able to hit the drum.” The single “Blue Days, Black Nights” proved a success and more material was produced. Guess was considered to be an ill fit and flexing his clout, Holly had him briefly fired. As Curtis began to exert dominance, he had Guess come back. Holly then fired him again, to which Curtis again rehired him. After being rererefired and rererehired, Curtis proceeded to quit along with Guess.

Holly, not wanting to be pigeonholed to being considered part of a band, recorded some material with session men. Unbeknownst to him, Guess was among them, having been since hired by Decca for such recordings. It’s suspected by Holly historians that he had not noticed him due to having grown out a Walrus mustache. To the horror of the singer, the record was credited as “Buddy Holly & The Two Tones”. WIth the record done, Holly took two takeaways from his experience, he is sick of the Two Tones name and the material without Allison is simply too lacking for that reason. And thus, Jerry would be affixed to the fold, rendering Holly a member of a band.

BUDDY HOLLY & THE TWO TONES – HOLLY IN THE HILLS

TRACKLISTING

SIDE A

1. “Midnight Shift” (1-23)
2. “Blue Days, Black Nights” (1-27)
3. “It’s Not My Fault” (1-31)
4. “I’m Gonna Set My Foot Down” (1-32)
5. “Rock-A-Bye Rock” (1-34)
6. “Because I Love You” (1-35)

SIDE B

1. “Modern Don Juan” (2-7)
2. “Rock Around With Ollie Vee” (2-1)
3. “Changin’ All Those Changes” (1-33)
4. “Girl On My Mind” (2-4)
5. “Ting-A-Ling” (2-5)
6. “You Are My One Desire” (2-9)

PERSONNEL

• Buddy Holly – vocals (tracks 1-12), guitar (tracks 3-6, 8-11)
• Grady Martin – rhythm guitar (tracks 1-2), guitar (tracks 7, 12)
• Sonny Curtis – lead guitar (tracks 1-2, 4, 9), guitar (tracks 3, 5-6, 8, 10-11)
• Don Guess – bass (tracks 1-2, 7-8, 10-12)
• Doug Kirkham – percussion (tracks 1-2)
• Jerry Allison – drums (tracks 4-6, 8-11)
• Harold Bradley – guitar (tracks 7, 12)
• Floyd Cramer – piano (tracks 7, 12)
• Farris Coursey – drums (tracks 7, 12)
• Dutch McMillin – alto sax (tracks 7, 12)

Wanting to leave the band name behind him, Holly left Decca. Working on ideas for songs, Allison and Holly jammed out a series of covers over one night. Looking for a reliable bassist, they then got Larry Welborn. When asked why he rejoined due to originally leaving over a disagreement with the musical direction, Welborn simply said, “Money.” Despite these recordings not being intended for release, Sun Records obtained them through a bootlegger whose name, while not identified, used the pseudonym, “Todd From Germany”. For a quick buck due to his success at Decca, the material was released. While Holly was horrified, finally something was credited to “Buddy Holly”. The release just credited to “Buddy Holly” was a misprint that Holly himself witnessed. Afterwards, the name was changed to “Buddy Holly & The Two Tones”.

BUDDY HOLLY & THE TWO TONES – RIP IT UP

TRACKLISTING

SIDE A

1. “Bo Diddley” (2-27)
2. “Blue Suede Shoes” (2-21)
3. “Gone” (2-11)
4. “Good Rockin’ Tonight” (2-17)
5. “Honky Tonk” (2-20)
6. “Shake Rattle And Roll” (2-22)

SIDE B

1. “Brown-Eyed Handsome Man” (2-26)
2. “Blue Monday” (2-19)
3. “Have You Ever Been Lonely” (2-15)
4. “Ain’t Got No Home” (2-24)
5. “Holly Hop” (2-25)
6. “Rip It Up” (2-18)

PERSONNEL

• Buddy Holly – lead vocals (tracks 1-4, 6-10, 12), guitar (tracks 1-12)
• Jerry Allison – drums (tracks 1-12), additional vocals (tracks 6, 12)
• Larry Welborn – bass (tracks 1, 7)
• Unknown – second guitar (tracks 1, 7)

Upon release of Rip It Up, Holly shamefully announced it was a failure and he feared the worst for his career. Welborn promptly quit, but Allison later claimed to have had enough faith in Holly to think things would work out. Despite this, he auditioned to appear in other bands, though he was only accepted by vocal groups, who promptly fired him after hearing him sing. While Holly stayed home and practiced music, Allison was more sociable, often trying to meet new people. Through this he met Niki Sullivan. When Holly discovered Sullivan shortly thereafter, he was impressed. Allison later confessed that he thought Sullivan was Holly due to their similar appearance, and when he learned of his mistake, he pretended he knew all along. A recording of the “That’ll Be The Day” track was overdubbed with Sullivan’s vocals before being sent to producer Norman Petty. Petty liked the song so much that the group was recruited to record more. Needing a new bassist, Buddy Holly searched, ultimately finding the teenage Joe B. Mauldin. Upon Sonny Curtis turning down the offer, Niki Sullivan was christened as the group’s rhythm guitar player.

Before committing to the band, Petty had them back other artists, often without Niki, who was often not interested. These recordings were later released on an album. During the sessions for the group’s first LP, Norman Petty made a deal. Allison discussed it in a 2001 interview, “Norman knew that as just one act, our airplay was limited, so tracks were credited to different names: ‘Buddy Holly’, ‘The Crickets’, ‘Buddy Holly & The Crickets’, ‘B. Holley’, ‘Buddy, Jerry, n’ Joe’, ‘Buddy & The Hollies’, etc.” “That’ll Be The Day” was released as “The Crickets”, to distinguish it from the recent tarnish to Holly’s name and became a huge hit. Fans often confused Buddy for Niki, which frustrated Buddy as Niki was apparently absent from many tracks and thus didn’t deserve to be considered the star of the show. Niki in turn was sick of being pelted with flowers on the street. Still, the group was rejuvenated. They kept working and ultimately finished…

BUDDY HOLLY & THE CRICKETS – THE “CHIRPING” CRICKETS (Same as official version) (Cover and title of re-release. Original omitted Holly’s name.)

The success of the record caused the band to hit the road and begin touring extensively. While some feared this would cause Holly to become irritated, the opposite happened. He was so happy to be winning that he was reported as always having a smile, saving kittens from trees, and fixing Niki Sullivan’s glasses. Still, the touring and lack of obscurity caused the others to become exhausted. This got to the point of everyone wanting to take a break. To aid in stress, outtakes from the first album were used to fill some slots on the second Crickets album. Notably, the material was incomplete to the point of lacking much guitar. Speaking of guitar, Niki Sullivan while on break fell in love with a pretty fair maiden, whose name he did not know. He thus quit the group. Holly, Allison, and Mauldin then cut a few tracks from scratch and Holly overdubbed guitar lines on the outtakes.

BUDDY HOLLY & THE CRICKETS – BUDDY HOLLY (Same as official version) (Cover and title of re-release. Original omitted The Cricket’s name.)

Buddy Holly was praised for its distinct and innovative playing and more emotional and ballad-driven tracks, which had been considered not commercial enough for The “Chirping” Crickets. In the views of some, it was considered Holly’s magnum opus. Holly finally felt like he had made it. When Joe asked how he felt about an LP being credited to just his name, Buddy was said to act like he didn’t care, then was later heard cheering on the toilet. He licensed his image to commercials and merchandise and received increasing respect from his bandmates. He had essentially made two teenagers celebrities. Thus, Jerry and Joe had begun to show interest in recording their own music or backing other artists. They had to put a pause on this for the time being, as the next Buddy Holly & The Crickets record was due soon. In exchange for more money, they had to get the album out as soon as possible. The result focused on more lighthearted songs, even featuring two novelty numbers with lead vocals by Jerry Allison. Holly was lukewarm on them, but wanted to keep the peace, especially as that meant there were two fewer songs to come up with. This also meant he had more pull for a controversial decision.

Holly became interested in session players or otherwise new talent he hadn’t worked with. He felt limited by mostly having worked with teenagers with often different interests to him. To dip the toe in this new sound, he had three lead guitar parts played by Tommy Allsup, who was recruited as the band’s new guitar player, replacing Niki. Sonny Curtis had asked to rejoin, but was turned down. Joe was frustrated at not being featured on “Heartbeat”, which instead included George Atwood on bass. Buddy said Joe’s performance wasn’t up to his liking.

After listening to what had been finished, The Crickets felt they could do better. Unsure of where to go, the group focused on a second album of backing other people. Buddy was not particularly interested, but put his name to it, anyways. In looking for options for the next proper LP, Joe and Jerry felt they should reconnect with their past and start out by jamming with people they used to play with or see where trends were going with teenagers (which they of course were in tune with, being teenagers themselves). Buddy was interested in pop, especially that didn’t originate from Texas and thus he became interested in the New York music scene. Hoping to get a fresh start, Buddy formed a new band in secret consisting of Allsup, George Atwood, and Bo Clarke on drums, all of whom had appeared on the last Crickets record. This lineup cut two tracks before Holly felt it wasn’t working and fired them. Due to contracting reasons, Allsup remained a Cricket.

Holly was given a reminder his album of backing other artists was late. He then formed a new band with Sanford Bloch on bass, Ernest Hayes on piano, and Panama Francis on drums. After some recording, Francis proved an issue and was replaced with Phillip Kraus. After some recording, Kraus proved an issue and was replaced with Clifford Leeman. Holly returned to The Crickets and powered through to the end. The tracks without The Crickets would be saved for a solo project.

Niki Sullivan is not on this record.

BUDDY HOLLY & THE CRICKETS – THE SOUND OF THE CENTURY

TRACKLISTING

SIDE A

1. “Well… All Right” (3-31)
2. “Take Your Time” (4-5)
3. “Fool’s Paradise” (4-6)
4. “Think It Over” (4-7)
5. “Real Wild Child”
6. “Mona” (3-28)

SIDE B

1. “Lonesome Tears” (4-8)
2. “It’s So Easy” (4-9)
3. “Oh, You Beautiful Doll”
4. “Heartbeat” (4-10)
5. “Come Back Baby” (4-15)
6. “Reminiscing” (4-16)
7. “That’s My Desire” (From Buddy Holly (1958) bonus tracks)

PERSONNEL

• Buddy Holly – lead vocals (tracks 1-4, 6-8, 10-13), guitar (tracks 1-12), backing vocals (tracks 5, 9), rhythm guitar (tracks 7-8, 10)
• Jerry Allison – cymbals (track 1), cardboard box (tracks 2-4), lead vocals (tracks 5, 9), guitar (tracks 5, 9), drums (tracks 6-8, 10-13)
• Joe B. Mauldin – bass (tracks 1-5, 7-9, 11-13)
• Norman Petty – organ (tracks 2-4), percussion (track 9), piano (track 13)
• Vi Petty – piano (tracks 3-4)
• The Roses (Robert Linville, Ray Rush, David Bigham) – backing vocals (tracks 3-5, 7-9)
• Glen “Bob” Clarke – drums (tracks 5, 9)
• Tommy Allsup – lead guitar (tracks 7-8, 10)
• George Atwood – bass (track 10)
• King Curtis – tenor saxophone (tracks 11-12)
• Al Caiola – guitar (track 13)
• Donald Amone – rhythm guitar (track 13)
• William Marihe – backing vocals (track 13)
• Robert Bollinger – backing vocals (track 13)
• Robert Harter – backing vocals (track 13)
• Merrill Ostrus – backing vocals (track 13)
• Abby Hoffer – backing vocals (track 13)

The Sound Of The Century was finished late, but still received massive acclaim, which put the pressure on for the group to best themselves. Holly, still determined to try a new style, went to his band, saying he wanted to go to New York and embrace more trends. Tommy felt Buddy had a stronger musical vision and thus wanted to go with him. The group, unable to meet in the middle, said they’d split for now. Jerry and Joe could continue as the Crickets, while Buddy would finally go solo. He was said to have missed them and that it’d be strange not having their names or the band listed on his future records. Buddy returned to work. After some recording, now with strings, asked to be included by executives, Bloch, Hayes, and Leeman proved to be an issue and were fired. With neither the backing other artists album or his solo album done, Holly felt desperate. He considered calling Joe, Jerry, and maybe Niki or Sonny, to finish his records, but he wasn’t willing to give up so easily and would try something slightly less desperate.

Following a lead, Holly went to Clear Lake, Iowa to the “Surf Ballroom”. He went to see up and coming country artist Waylon Jennings. He knew he had teamed up with Atwood and Clarke. During their performance, Buddy fell in love with Waylon’s style. Despite allegedly having intended to take the others and leave Jennings, Holly instead decided to have the three of them and Allsup back him. When asked why Buddy was asking for the others back, he said he wanted to do what was most comfortable for Waylon. Thus, the quintet did two tracks Waylon was working on. Buddy liked them so much he wanted them on his solo album, instead of the secondary release. Waylon then became sick and was unable to play, which caused the others to finish both records without him. Holly & His Buddies Volume 2 was released to decent rates, though not being considered as interesting or desirable. Holly was at least proud to have released it before 1958 and to have received a letter of congratulations from Jerry and Joe, who sent him a copy of their new single credited to “Sonny Curtis & The Crickets”.

BUDDY HOLLY – TRUE LOVE WAYS

TRACKLISTING

SIDE A

1. “Love’s Made A Fool Of You” (4-11)
2. “Wishing” (6-20)
3. “Early In The Morning” (4-12)
4. “Now We’re One” (4-14)
5. “When Sin Stops”
6. “That’s What They Say” (5-28)

SIDE B

1. “True Love Ways” (4-17)
2. “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore” (4-19)
3. “Raining In My Heart” (4-21)
4. “Moondreams” (4-23)
5. “Jole Blon”
6. “What To Do” (5-24)

PERSONNEL

• Buddy Holly – lead vocals (tracks 1-4, 6-10, 12), rhythm guitar (tracks 1-2), lead guitar (tracks 5-6, 11-12)
• Tommy Allsup – lead guitar (tracks 1-2), guitar (tracks 5, 11)
• George Atwood – bass (tracks 1-2, 5, 11)
• Bo Clarke – drums (tracks 1-2, 5, 11)
• Unknown – rhythm guitar (track 2)
• Al Chernet – guitar (tracks 3-4)
• George Barnes – lead guitar (tracks 3-4)
• Sanford Bloch – bass (tracks 3-4, 7-10)
• Ernest Hayes – piano (tracks 3-4, 7-10)
• David “Panama” Francis – drums (tracks 3-4)
• Phillip Kraus – drums (tracks 3-4)
• Sam Taylor – alto saxophone (tracks 3-4)
• Helen Way – backing vocals (tracks 3-4)
• Harriet Young – backing vocals (tracks 3-4)
• Maeretha Stewart – backing vocals (tracks 3-4)
• Theresa Merritt – backing vocals (tracks 3-4)
• Waylon Jennings – lead vocals (tracks 5, 11)
• King Curtis – saxophone (tracks 5, 11)
• The Roses (Robert Linville, Ray Rush, David Bigham) – backing vocals (tracks 5, 11)
• George Tomsco – guitar (tracks 6, 12)
• Stan Lark – bass (tracks 6, 12)
• Doug Roberts or Eric Budd – drums (tracks 6, 12)
• Al Caiola – guitar (tracks 7-10)
• Doris Johnson – harp (tracks 7-10)
• Clifford Leeman – drums (tracks 7-10)
• Abraham Richman – tenor saxophone (tracks 7-10)
• Sylvan Shulman, Leo Kruczek, Leonard Posner, Irving Spice, Ray Free, Herbert Bourne, Julius Held, Paul Winter – violins (tracks 7-10)
• David Schwartz, Howard Kay – violas (tracks 7-10)
• Maurice Brown, Maurice Bialkin – cellos (tracks 7-10)

True Love Ways was another hit. Holly had already gotten started on recording demos in his apartment for his next record. Due to slimy deals that resulted in him making very little money, he had to start touring as soon as possible. Holly then bought a bus from 1927 and hit the road. They were stressful and cramped and resulted in Clarke and Atwood quitting. Jennings, feeling indebted to Holly, said he wouldn’t leave. The group soon found the young and spirited Carl Bunch, who Holly called “Jerry 2”. Unable to find a bassist as soon as anyone would like, Jennings was recruited. Touring continued to be a stressful endeavor, with everyone missing the ease of flying. As much could be said for Carl, who got frostbite. Possibly due to a reported disliking of Carl, Holly then chartered a flight for only him, Jennings, and Allsup. Ultimately and infamously, through contrivances, Waylon and Tommy were replaced by popular artists Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. The plane soon crashed after takeoff. Holly’s body wasn’t found.

Those that knew Holly, and even those that didn’t, were shattered. Norman Petty, not to turn down an opportunity to make money, licensed several old recordings of Buddy Holly, mainly from the Two Tones era, and overdubbed them with a band called The Fireballs. These were considered shoddy and like cash-ins, with people really wanting new material. Petty then found the apartment tapes and overdubbed them. Jennings insisted on being an advisor for the sake of accuracy and managed to convince Petty to not overdub certain tracks, as he had heard Buddy say he wanted things “As they had been – stripped back.” He only got Petty to go along with this when he said it would cost less.

BUDDY HOLLY – GIANT

TRACKLISTING

SIDE A

1. “You’re The One” (6-30)
2. “That Makes It Tough” (5-27)
3. “When You Are Lonely”
4. “Peggy Sue Got Married” (5-25)
5. “Crying, Waiting, Hoping” (5-26)
6. “Learning The Game” (5-29)

SIDE B

1. “Wait Till The Sun Shines Nellie” (5-31)
2. “Slippin’ And Slidin’” (6-29)
3. “Dearest” (5-32)
4. “Love Is Strange” (6-31)
5. “More And More/Untitled Instrumental” (5-7)
6. “Smokey Joe’s Café” (5-9)

PERSONNEL

• Buddy Holly – lead vocals (tracks 1-2, 4-10, 13), guitar (tracks 1-13)
• George Tomsco – guitar (tracks 1-2, 4-10)
• Lyn Bailey – bass (possibly tracks 1, 8, 10)
• Stan Lark – bass (possibly tracks 1, 8, 10, definitely 2, 4-6, 9)
• Doug Roberts – drums (possibly tracks 2, 4-6, 9, definitely 1, 8, 10)
• Keith McCormack – rhythm guitar (tracks 1, 7-10)
• Waylon Jennings – lead vocals (tracks 3, 11), handclaps (track 1)
• Slim Corbin – handclaps (track 1)
• Eric Budd – drums (possibly tracks 2, 4-6, 9)

Giant was considered a fitting tribute to Holly, feeling like a culmination of his different styles. His past band members and friends were reported to have liked the record. After Holly, Waylon Jennings and Tommy Allsup started solo careers. Niki Sullivan tried continuing his career, but soon essentially retired. Most of the minor players became session men and were always eager to do interviews and shows that focused on Holly. Jerry Allison, Joe B. Mauldin, Sonny Curtis, and to a lesser extent Norman Petty weren’t so inclined to remain in the shadow of their friend and mentor, and their story continues…

BUDDY HOLLY & THE CRICKETS – HOLLY & HIS BUDDIES VOLUME 1

TRACKLISTING

SIDE A

1. Jim Robinson – “A Whole Lot Of Lovin’”
2. Jim Robinson – “It’s A Wonderful Feeling”
3. Jack Huddle – “Starlight”
4. Jack Huddle – “Believe Me”
5. Sherry Davis – “Broken Promises”
6. Sherry Davis – “Humble Heart”
7. Fred Crawford – “By The Mission Wall”

SIDE B

1. Buddy Knox – “Swingin’ Daddy”
2. Buddy Knox – “Whenever I’m Lonely”
3. Gary Dale Tollett – “Go Boy Go”
4. Gary Dale Tollett – “Gone”
5. Gary Dale Tollett – “The Golden Rocket”
6. Gary Dale Tollett – “I Overlooked An Orchid”
7. Gary Dale Tollett – “Look To The Future”
8. Gary Dale Tollett – “Honey Honey”

PERSONNEL

• Jim Robinson – lead vocals (tracks 1-2)
• Buddy Holly – guitar (tracks 1-15)
• Jerry Allison – cardboard box (tracks 1-2), drums (tracks 2-15)
• Vi Petty – piano (tracks 2, 4)
• Joe B. Mauldin – bass (tracks 1-4, 7-9, 14-15)
• The Roses – backing vocals (track 1)
• The Bowman Brothers – backing vocals (tracks 2, 4, 7)
• Jack Huddle – lead vocals (tracks 3-4)
• Sherry Davis – lead vocals (5-6)
• Jack Vaughn – rhythm guitar (tracks 5-6)
• Unknown – bass (tracks 5-6)
• The Picks – backing vocals (tracks 5-6, 14-15)
• Gene Medley – backing vocals (track 6)
• Fred Crawford – lead vocals (track 7)
• Norman Petty – organ (track 7)
• Buddy Knox – lead vocals (tracks 8-9)
• Gary Dale Tollett – lead vocals (tracks 10-15), guitar (track 14)
• Ramona Tollett – backing vocals (tracks 10-15)
• June Clark – backing vocals (tracks 10-13)
• Niki Sullivan – backing vocals (tracks 10-13)

BUDDY HOLLY – HOLLY & HIS BUDDIES VOLUME 2

TRACKLISTING

SIDE A

1. Ben Hall – “All From Loving You”
2. Ben Hall – “Rose Of Monterey”
3. Jim Robinson – “Man From Texas”
4. The Norman Petty Trio – “Moondreams”
5. Rick Tucker – “Patty Baby”
6. Rick Tucker – “Don’t Do Me This Way”
7. Charlie Phillips – “Sugartime”

SIDE B

1. Charlie Phillips – “One Faded Rose”
2. Carolyn Hester – “Scarlet Ribbons”
3. Carolyn Hester – “Wreck Of The Old ’97”
4. Jerry Engler – “I Sent You Roses”
5. Jerry Engler – “What A’ You Gonna Do”
6. Lou Giordano – “Stay Close To Me”
7. Lou Giordano – “Don’t Cha Know”

PERSONNEL

• Ben Hall – lead vocals (tracks 1-2)
• Buddy Holly – guitar (tracks 1-14), bells (track 12), falsetto vocals (track 14)
• Sonny Curtis – fiddle (tracks 1-2)
• Weldon Myrick – steel guitar (tracks 1-2)
• Dena Hall – bass (tracks 1-2)
• Jim Robinson – lead vocals (track 3)
• George Atwood – bass (tracks 3, 7-8, 10-12)
• Unknown – drums (tracks 3, 13-14)
• Vi Petty – piano (tracks 3-4, 6)
• The Picks – backing vocals (tracks 3-4, 6)
• Norman Petty – organ (track 4)
• Mike Mitchell – percussion (track 4)
• Unknown – bass (tracks 4, 13-14)
• Rick Tucker – lead vocals, guitar (tracks 5-6)
• Bo Clarke – drums (tracks 5-6, 11-12)
• Don Guess – bass (tracks 5-6)
• Bill Pickering – backing vocals (track 5)
• Bob Lapham – backing vocals (track 5)
• Jack Vaughn – rhythm guitar (tracks 7-8)
• Charlie Phillips – lead vocals (tracks 7-8)
• Jimmy Blakely – steel guitar (tracks 7-8)
• Carolyn Hester – lead vocals (tracks 9-10)
• Jerry Allison – drums (track 10)
• Jerry Engler – lead vocals (tracks 11-12)
• Lou Giordano – lead vocals (tracks 13-14)
• Phil Everly – guitar (tracks 13-14), falsetto vocals (track 14)
• Joey Villa – falsetto vocals (track 14)

LINKS

1. Buddy Holly & The Two Tones – For The Love Of Texas (1955) – YouTube
2. Buddy Holly & The Two Tones – Baby, Won’t You Come Out Tonight? (1956) – YouTube
3. Buddy Holly & The Two Tones – Holly In The Hills (1956) – YouTube, Spotify
4. Buddy Holly & The Two Tones – Rip It Up (1957) – YouTube, Spotify
5. Buddy Holly & The Crickets – Holly & His Buddies Volume 1 (1957) – Archive.org
6. Buddy Holly & The Crickets – The “Chirping” Crickets (1957) – YouTube, Spotify
7. Buddy Holly & The Crickets – Buddy Holly (1958) – YouTube, Spotify
8. Buddy Holly & The Crickets – The Sound Of The Century (1958) – YouTube
9. Buddy Holly – Holly & His Buddies Volume 2 (1958) – Archive.org
10. Buddy Holly – True Love Ways (1959) – YouTube, Spotify
11. Buddy Holly – Giant (1959) – YouTube

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!

Syd Barrett 1971-1974 Stray Tracks Review

Syd Barrett with Stars in 1972

February 16th, 1971 Show for Sounds of the Seventies

The spacious guitar and vocals are beautiful. The “pleases” sound pleading. An announcer says Syd was writing lots of new songs. That appears to be false, so it’s curious where he got that information from. “Love Song” doesn’t get a chance to really take off as this version is shortened for some reason.

“Last Minute Put Together Boogie Band (‘Cambridge’ – January 27th, 1972)”

It’s hard not to love an audience clapping for Syd as he goes on stage. Musically, all you get is a little noodling, probably not even by Syd. Still, this doesn’t hurt to have.

Last Minute Put Together Boogie Band ‎- Six Hour Technicolour Dream Cambridge Show (Only the tracks with Syd) (January 27th. 1972)

Starting “Drinkin’ That Wine” with the singer saying it’s the sort of track you listen to while going to church and getting drunk is a pretty amusing way to start this, perfectly capturing its tone of a bluesy hippie band. “Number Nine” has a great instrumental section. The singer is very soulful, most notably on “Gotta Be A Reason”. Near the end of Reason, the guitar sounds similar to the playing on “Interstellar Overdrive”.

Steve Peregrin Took Tracks, “Molecular Lucky Charm” and “Syd’s Wine”

Syd’s presence is not confirmed. The sound quality is not great, especially for the vocals. The guitar playing and noises create a really solid atmosphere and seem like something Syd would come up with. The entrancing guitar is reminiscent of “Terrapin”. Syd used a lot of tap percussion, like bongos, which Wine has. I think it’s pretty likely Syd is on these. Regardless of the vaSydity, these are interesting psychedelic folk tracks that also feel like T. Rex for obvious reasons.

The 1974 guitar recordings

The 1974 recordings do feature Syd’s proficiency and unique style. While they are obviously incomplete, they do satisfy an itch for those willing to scratch the bottom of the Syd barrel. These prove that Syd still had guitar talent in 1974. These aren’t nearly as directionless as people say. You can detect some care in the playing. These would work as guitar lines of a full song. I wonder who the bassist is. “Boogie #2” has some cool psychedelic guitar playing in the beginning. “If You Go, Don’t Be Slow #1” has particularly warm sounds, though overall there’s sadly too little going on. Most of the tracks could benefit from more to make them last the time they do, but they’re still nice to listen to and not a bad way to spend twenty minutes.

“Boogie #2 (Fragment – Bernard White ‘94 Mix)”

This is too fragmented to get much out of. It’s certainly far less listenable than the original version of this song. The mix doesn’t even sound very different.

“Was That Okay”

This is just Syd saying he thinks something was okay. No music! Of course this is the best track of the lot!

The 1974 recordings with bass and drums added by Richard Hall

A fan version by a Richard Hall adds bass, drums, and minor effects, which brings this to another level, medleying many songs and amplifying the impact they need. Here you get the softer side of Syd’s playing, the jam side, the meaner side. If this album was finished and released at the time, with Syd then retiring, it might be considered a solid and appropriate send off, with him touching on his various eras, while still being extremely solid all the way through.

OVERVIEW

One of the more elusive Syd projects is Stars, a band with bassist Jack Monck and drummer John “Twink” Alder that was only around briefly in 1972. While some of their shows were recorded, none have surfaced. While I wouldn’t turn down any Syd content, these don’t interest me compared to most of his canon because they were playing songs Syd already recorded in studio with Pink Floyd or for his solo work. That is unless there were really some new songs or new sections for old songs. However, we kind of get some Stars material in the above recordings. While the 1971 stuff’s bassist is usually credited to David Gilmour, Monck has also sometimes been. It’s not impossible it really was Monck. The Took recordings probably have Twink on drums (It’s not for certain as Duncan Sanderson is also credited on drums on the compilation album which features them). The closest we get to Stars is the Boogie Band, which has a concert recording where Monck and Twink are on every track, and Syd is on some.

While these later recordings aren’t as approachable as earlier ones, they still are solid, especially in their guitar playing and offer a fascinating final musical chapter for this otherworldly person. For those interested in more artistic expression from Barrett can go to his painting and sculpting. Every bit of Syd is well worth at least a single listen/experience.

Syd Barrett 1970 Stray Tracks Review

Green Onions

February 24th, 1970 Show for Top Gear

It’s fascinating hearing the acoustic and tap percussion versions of these band or folk tracks. The “Baby Lemonade” vocal is very psychedelic and warm. “Effervescing Elephant” comes off lighter without other instruments. “Gigolo Aunt” is especially interesting because of the different instrumental ending. The guitar sound and percussion perfectly match the tone of “Terrapin”, better than the album version. The instrumental portion manages to feel more intimate. “Two Of A Kind” has all these benefits, plus it’s got no other known version. It makes you wish a whole album was done like this. This warm sound makes this the greatest set of Syd Barrett live recordings available.

“Baby Lemonade (Take 1 – February 26th, 1970)”

An effective version of the track, though not as good as the album version. The singing could be better.

“Baby Lemonade (Take 1 – Alt Mix – February 26th, 1970)”

This is better than last one, as the double-tracked vocals are replaced with single-tracked and a little ambiance. It does go on a little long.

“Maisie (Take 1 – February 26th, 1970)”

Essentially just a few seconds of guitar playing.

“Maisie (Take 2 – Alt Mix – February 26th, 1970)”

Just seems like a more rough around the edges version of the album version, almost like it’s a rehearsal. It’s only really worthwhile for those really interested in hearing these stages of development.

“Waving My Arms in the Air” and “I Never Lied to You (Both Take 1 – February 27th, 1970)”

Very haunting guitar and vocal, especially the “No one in the land, no one” part.

“Gigolo Aunt (Take 9 – February 27th, 1970)”

Clearly different guitar and vocals from on the Barrett album, here more washed out. It’s pretty fun.

“Bob Dylan Blues (February 1970)”

This shows off the playful and worldly folk artist inside Syd, with upbeat singing and plenty of enthusiasm. This was written in 1965, which explains the “youthfulness” compared to his more melancholic lyrics. His singing is beautiful.

“Birdie Hop (Take 1 – Jenner ’74 Mix – June 5th, 1970)”

Really unintentionally creepy vocal and guitar. The sound quality makes it hard to appreciate.

“Birdie Hop (Demo – June 5th, 1970)”

This sounds about the same, though in better quality.

“Rats (Take 1 – Chatter – June 5th, 1970)” and “Wined and Dined (Takes 1 and 2 – Chatter – June 5th, 1970)”

As always, these chatter recordings are not as interesting as they could be, due to being relatively monotonous. Syd calls rats his “fetish”.

“Rats (Demo – June 5th, 1970)”, “Wined and Dined (Demo – June 5th, 1970)”, and “Effervescing Elephant” (Take 2 – July 14th, 1970)”

The folk versions of band tracks are consistently enjoyable.

June 6th, 1970 Show at the Olympia Exhibition Hall, London, England

The guitar on “Terrapin” has a lot of passion, it’s a shame the vocals are hard to hear. As an instrumental, the track goes on a little too long. The guitar is also often more intense, like when it rocks out on “Gigolo Aunt”. It’s easy to imagine Floyd versions of solo Syd, with more powerful playing and improvisation. “Effervescing Elephant” is a strange choice for this show, especially as something other than the first or last song. It’s a step away from being a quick acoustic guitar number, here married to some rocking band tunes. It’s fun hearing this version of “Octopus” that can rock out, though sound quality is as always a limitation. Fortunately, it does have more audible vocals. This show is interesting for it being Floyd-ish, but it’s too difficult to hear to get much out of it.

“Milky Way (Take 5 – June 7th, 1970)”

Not one of the best unreleased tracks, though it does still have the elements that make Syd great, just not as in full effect or utilized as well as they sometimes are.

“Milky Way (Take 5 – Jenner ’74 Mix – June 7th, 1970)”

This sounds very similar production-wise, though it’s a little lower quality.

“Love Song (Take 1 – July 14th, 1970)”

There’s more quietness and shyness, making this track haunting. This is a more depressing number, especially with how the guitar bangs out notes.

“Dominoes (Take 1 – July 14th, 1970)”

Doesn’t go anywhere, essentially a flubbed take.

“Dominoes (Take 2 – July 14th, 1970)”

There is still the added “insecure vocal”, which is not best on the album, but it’s great to have it here in the bonus tracks. The “time goes by” line is a favorite part, emphasizing how sad Syd sounds. He also does the Annette Hanshaw “That’s all.”

“Dolly Rocker (Take 1 – July 14th, 1970)”

It’d be interesting to hear a band version of this, as it seems made for the insecure folk style. The lyrics are fun. Syd wakes up a little with the “ocean” line, showing the innocence in his voice.

“Let’s Split (Take 1 – July 14th, 1970)”

This is one of the weakest available Syd songs, feeling very incomplete. It has plenty of potential to be great, as it does have good elements; it’s just noticeably less polished than album tracks or tracks like “Dolly Rocker”. Fortunately there are fan versions that remove the flubs.

“It Is Obvious (Takes 2, 3, and 5 – July 17th, 1970)”

Take 3 seems designed for a band version, with a deepened voice that seems designed to shout over a drummer! Take 2 is more of a typical folk rendition. Take 5 is the most interesting, with Syd trying to have a warm vocal, as if to evoke how you’d sing to a small child. Based on his state, it’s slightly unsettling, but in a good way.

“Word Song (Take 1 – July 17th, 1970)”

Syd also seems to be going for that “for a child” voice, but not as much. Possibly unintentionally, he is mostly emotionless. The guitar fills in for parts where you’d expect singing, which makes for a cool effect.

“Word Song (Take 1 – Jenner ’74 Mix – July 21st, 1970)”

Very similar to the other version, though the guitar sounds a little different, as if made louder, possibly to try to make it a “guitar song”, instead of a “singing song”.

“In The Beechwoods – Milky Way (Mash-up)” by Doctor Robert

These two tracks fit together surprisingly well. “Milky Way” was probably the intended lyrics for Beechwoods. The more I listen, the less they seem awkward together. That being said, Syd’s 1970 folk vocal doesn’t match up perfectly, though well enough for repeat listens and for this to be my favorite version of “Milky Way”.

“Let’s Split” Edit to Remove Errors

While some of the awkward elements are still present, like the “work in progress” guitar playing, and thus this still feels like a very rough version of the song, the edits for cohesion make it a little easier to appreciate it, especially with the whistling finishing off the tune nicely.

Syd Barrett 1968-1969 Stray Tracks Review

Syd in 1969

“Silas Lang (Take 1 – May 6th, 1968)”

As is practically always the case, the guitar work is fantastic, with some particularly favorite guitar work at the beginning. The guitar playing sounds like it’s being sent from space. Later, it’s surprising for some drums and sax to break out of nowhere. The track meanders in some ways, like when Syd is basically playing the same note, but it’s overall pretty funny.

“Lanky (Part One) (Take 1 – May 14th, 1968)”

The psychedelic percussion is entrancing. This is a playful cut that doesn’t feel its length, a glorious runaround.

“Lanky (Part Two) (Take 1 – May 14th, 1968)”

Apparently this is just an excerpt of the percussion on “Rhamadam” and it feels like it. It’s a hundred seconds of nice percussion jamming, but it’s so bare bones that it seems designed to fit in a longer piece, which it probably was.

“Golden Hair (Take 1) (Three Different Ones) (“Instrumental version” from Opel comp – May 14th, 1968, Dry Mix – May 14th, 1968, and Gareth Cousins ’88 Mix – May 28th, 1968)

Not bad if you’re interested in hearing the individual elements of a song, but they fail at being their own thing, sounding like a work in progress. Listening to these different versions got progressively more and more irritating, due to the repetitiveness.

“Late Night (Instrumental) (Take 2 – May 28th, 1968)”

While this is similarly dry and incomplete, you can at least now more easily appreciate the quality guitar playing and drumming. The “Inside me I feel” part is especially good, due to how much the instruments pop.

“Golden Hair (Take 5 – June 8th, 1968)”

The more childlike and exposed vocal performance is so interesting.

“Swan Lee (Take 5 – Malcolm Jones Alt Mix – June 8th, 1968)”

The guitar playing is a lot poorer here than on the proper track.

“Swan Lee (Take 5 – Backing Track – June 20th, 1968)”

This track being more fully realized makes it quite entrancing in its own right.

“Clowns and Jugglers (Octopus) (Take 1 w/chatter – July 20th, 1968)”

Sounds very rough around the edges, with the guitars stabbing out. For that, it’s inferior to other versions.

“Clowns and Jugglers (Octopus) (Take 1 – July 20th, 1968)”

The guitar and vocals don’t blend well. Syd’s voice awkwardly transitions to and fro the “Isn’t it good to be lost in the woods?” part. 

“Clowns and Jugglers (Octopus) (Take 2 – July 20th, 1968)”

It’s great hearing this by a proficient band like Soft Machine, especially with keyboards now present. That keyboard does add a little more to the unsettling nature, banging along. The vocal seems too unrehearsed, while it is basically perfect on the proper album version. The keys added to the album version would perhaps make for the ultimate “Octopus”.

“Swan Lee (Take 5 Excerpt – April 10th, 1969)”

There’s something brilliantly creepy about this, but the guitar playing could be better.

“Opel (Take 9 Chatter – April 11th, 1969)”

A bit of nothing from a recording session.

“Opel (Take 9 – Jenner ’74 Mix and Opel version – April 11th, 1969)”

This is one of Syd’s many masterpieces. The vocals perfectly portray passion and Syd’s divorced nature from other people. The lyrics blend his poetic wordiness with the more direct representations of his emotional state beautifully. The guitar is light and ethereal, while hauntingly marching on in the back of the piece. The Jenner mix just seems like a lower sound quality version of the Opel release.

“Opel (Orchestral Backing)”

This is a fan mix that I found amusing enough to cover. This makes me wish this was in high quality, preferably with Rick Wright on piano. What we get is some beautifully sonic piano and orchestra, with the violins especially good.

“It’s No Good Trying (Take 5 – April 11th, 1969)”

An effective folk version of this magnetic cut.

“Love You (Take 1 – Jones Mix – April 11th, 1969)”

More than most other folk tracks, this feels like Syd is in the same room as you, running through a track passionately. This is by far the most electrifying and well-constructed alternate version of this classic.

“Love You (Take 1 – Opel version – April 11th, 1969)”

This doesn’t sound anything like the bootleg “Jones mix”. This one feels much more rushed. Thus, I suspect one or both aren’t actually take 1.

“Love You (Take 2 – Jones Mix – April 11th, 1969)”

This one is still enjoyable, but seems less rehearsed.

“Love You (Take 3 – April 11th, 1969)”

Syd sounds tired and depressed. The track really doesn’t seem to work when he sounds as out of it as he does here.

“Rhamadam” (2010 Mix – Possibly Recorded April 23rd, 1969)”

The jazzy bass and drums are very solid. The instruments groove extremely well together. The piece is so warm and approachable that it doesn’t feel its twenty minute length. Especially with the hi-hat, this feels jazz inspired, which recalls some of Pink Floyd’s early recordings. A motor sound showcases the experimental Syd. With the keys, it feels a little like the Residents.

“Swan Lee (Silas Lang) (Take 9 – April 11th, 1969 (Further Overdubs Added April 25th, 1969))”

A great unnerving track with more striking guitar playing and vocals.

“Clowns and Jugglers (Octopus) (Take 2 – May 3rd, 1969)”

This amusingly adds a little funk to this song.

“Octopus (Takes 1 and 2 – June 12th, 1969)”

While take one is flubbed, take two is a moody and striking folk version of the track. There’s a slightly comical vocal on the “Isn’t it good?” part, but it adds an aura of weirdness to it that is likable. We even get some new lyrics.

“Octopus (Take 11 Excerpt – Rough Mix – June 12th, 1969)”

This just sounds like the official version of the track.

“Just Before You Disappear”

Chipmunk Syd. I have a soft spot for this sped up version of Octopus. Not sure why it exists, but it’s novel.

“Golden Hair (Take 6 – June 12th, 1969)”

An initially striking version of the track that loses appeal due to the points that feel like Syd trying to learn the song.

“Long Gone (Take 2 – July 26th, 1969)”

Very good guitar playing, but rough singing.

“Dark Globe (Take 1 Choral – Jenner ’74 Echo Mix & Jones ’87 Dry Mix – July 26th, 1969)

The very fun backing vocals give a new flavor to the track. The vocals on the Jones mix are not layered together as well.

“She Took a Long Cold Look at Me (Take 4 – July 26th, 1969)”

This more youthful vocal makes for an interesting experiment, but it’s not nearly as impactful as the studio album version.

“She Took A Long Cold Look (Take 5 – Jones ’87 Dry Mix – July 26th, 1969)

Obviously a beautiful track, but it basically just is the studio album version.

“Wouldn’t You Miss Me (Dark Globe) (Take 1 – July 26th, 1969)”

This track with Syd’s cold vocal gives such a different and strong vibe that this is one of the crown jewels of alternate versions of Syd songs. The album version feels like a breakdown, while this is trying to avoid that breakdown. Still, it’s not as good as the album version.

“Religious Experience (Take 10 – OOPS Mix – December 18th, 1969)”

While Syd Barrett recorded with the Soft Machine, it was the post-Kevin Ayers line-up. Now, he’s recording with Ayers himself! Note that this is more of an Ayers track with Syd being a guest. This “take 10” version is best left to bootlegs, as it’s very difficult to hear the singing.

“Singing a Song in the Morning aka Religious Experience (Take 103 – December 18th, 1969)”

Despite how repetitive it is, this cut doesn’t get old. There’s such a warm feeling to the “loving jam session at a campfire” vibe, with more and more people joining in.

Syd Barrett – The Madcap Laughs (1970) Review

The Madcap Laughs is the first Syd Barrett solo album, though as far as I’m concerned it’s the second. Madcap is a far more sensible follow-up to The Piper at the Gates of Dawn than A Saucerful of Secrets was. Despite this, Madcap is in many ways a subversion from what you might’ve expected. Instead of getting the type of production on tracks like “Jugband Blues”, you get a much more simplistic style at times, including many pure folk tracks. At the same time, you get some band tracks. Those band tracks, while often keeping at least a toe in folk, have psychedelic elements that make them feel like Pink Floyd, with a big omission being the keyboard. “No Man’s Land”, “Here I Go”, “Late Night”, and especially “Octopus” all seem like a keyboard away from being on a hypothetical Floyd album that follows Piper. Even “Golden Hair”’s light touches make it seem like a reasonable fit. “No Good Trying” and “Love You” of course do have keys, but the different style of keyboardist Mike Ratledge is apparent.

The lyrics are often magically nonsensical, though still make their point just as strong or stronger than more straightforward ones. “Yes you’re spinning around and around in a car with electric lights flashing very fast…” This quality is especially noticeable on the love songs. “Terrapin” is sung slowly with a psychedelic entrancing guitar. “Well, oh baby, my hairs on end about you.” captures the track’s vibe well. That all being said, the song would’ve been a better side-a closer. It’s quite long. “No Good Trying” shows Syd’s still great at doing jam tracks, feeling like it could’ve been a new direction for him that combines the free and lucid Pink Floyd with a more jazz-esque group like Soft Machine. “Love You” captures the spirit of slightly manic and very hard to explain falling-into-love. It’s a lovely lighthearted romper. This ‘love for life’ style is so joyful that it’s sad Syd didn’t do it more. “No Man’s Land” is the half-way point between the last two songs, it’s got great rocking out and feels like an extension of Floyd.

“Dark Globe” overtly discusses Syd’s depression and disillusionment. Arguably we were led into this by the garble at the end of the previous track. That could be seen as the entrance into the darker Syd. Globe seems to be about Syd falling to his death and asking if he’d be missed, with a heart wrenching and angsty vocal. While the next track, “Here I Go”, is on the surface another fluffier cut, Syd’s voice is cold, like he’s trying to relive a teenage experience after feeling emotionally broken. In fact, the song was written in 1965, when he first started writing music. It ends with a great mini-jam. That’s not the most exciting way to end side-a. Side-b’s opener would’ve been a better choice.

“Octopus” is rightfully the most well known track here. Its lyrics describe a mythical fairytale land. The line, “close our eyes to the octopus ride” suggests a darker subject, that you should ignore something approaching in favor of something unbelievable. Syd’s voice then gets colder as he sings about being “lost in the woods”. The lyrics continue to take baby steps into darkness, as does the vocal, which becomes more and more strained, like it needs air. This striking metaphor for Syd creeps under the surface, with the double-tracked vocals and other effects amplifying the otherworldliness. This track is the one you should hear from this album if you only do one and is my favorite.

“Golden Hair” is another highlight, imitating the style of “spacious instrumentals” with Syd’s slow strumming and singing. The lyrics are fantastic, like a bedtime story being read to you. That being said, Syd didn’t write them. This is yet more of a look into his interest in fairy tales and poetry. There’s a sudden transition to the more simplistic “Long Gone”. As if to be an antithesis to the earlier love songs, this one is about a romance crumbling. That cold style of “just singing and guitar” goes on for four tracks. They are understandably very personal and intimidating. The nonsense lyrics now feel like they’re being sung by a man who’s really lost it. To apply a “concept” to the album, it could be about a man who has a relationship he loves, it ends, can’t accept it and lets it consume his mind, with him thinking about the good and bad times and in the case of Hair, a poem from his youth. This is represented in lines like, “You feel me away far too empty, oh so alone. I want to go home. Oh, find me inside of a nocturne – the blonde.” As he loses it more, the lyrics become more strange.

While these four songs are great, they don’t mesh so well with the others due to stylistic differences. It would’ve been nice to get a full album of mostly or all band tracks and another of mostly or all folk tracks. The studio chatter also does remove from the experience, pulling you out of the spell you’re put under. The final track, “Late Night”, is unsettling, with passionate lyrics and a sound atmosphere. The lyrics are very innocent, being about missing a girl and her kisses. The stress in his voice, lines like, “when the rooftops shone dark”, and considering what we’ve just heard make this seem like it’s about a suicide. Still, maybe you can get away with sending this to someone you’re into without the context of what’s come before, as the lyrics are very romantic.

OVERVIEW

The quiet sounds tying off the record might be considered lacking in comparison to the “bigger” “Bike” track of Piper, though it does thematically fit with what The Madcap Laughs is going for. It doesn’t want to blow you out. The biggest strength and weakness is how Syd it is. As a Syd fan, it can be a lot, though it’s still so flavorful and captivating. A non-Syd fan might not be able to appreciate it beyond a few out of context cuts, as it’s like listening to someone’s disturbed thoughts.

Pink Floyd – Meddle (1971) Review

“The Ear Album”

Meddle is a monumental Pink Floyd album and their first that at least mostly lands on its feet after the departure of Syd Barrett. Still, it’s not completely consistent, but its low points aren’t particularly bad. After the first two albums took extreme cues from Barrett’s song-by-song styling, the third and fourth were more experimental, making a lot more sense as a whole. They also seemed like attempts to replicate Syd’s presence. In 1971, they let go of Syd, but went back to the song-by-song formula. What we get is a fluid and stand out album that shows the group not getting too caught up with themselves, while also showing technical proficiency.

Meddle’s a-side is casual and light, playing with blues, psychedelia, folk, and other genres, all masterfully handled by the vocals and guitar. The vocal and guitar textures really make this album, mostly handled by David Gilmour. The more space rock the group was post-Syd, the more desperate they seemed to justify keeping the band name after losing the person who was so adept at space rock and by extension their sound. David does his own thing finally. The others follow suit, backing this newer idea. In the past, the group had prominent bass, keyboard, and drums. A criticism you could levy here is that they take a backseat. Despite that, they’re extremely solid.

“One of These Days” is a great mix of building atmosphere, rocking out, and driving guitars. The track is constantly throwing appropriate new sounds into the mix. It could theoretically be criticized for going for that older, jam-based angle, especially as the opener, but it makes such a strong impression and is so enjoyable that it really works. It is a little jarring compared to the next four tracks, which are comparatively so light. Driving drums and the keyboard are nice nods to the older style and rock in general, making for a fusion style that doesn’t let you forget you’re listening to a rock record.

“Echoes” was apparently culled from a lot of different musical ideas over the years and it does sound like it. It comes off as incoherent at points, with awkward pacing and jumps to different sections of the piece. Some of the more ambient-inspired portions seem like they’re being played too slow or with pressure to suggest it’s supposed to be big and epic. The descending riff is an example of the latter. The volume is too low, with the instruments at times feeling muddled and indistinguishable. It’s easy to imagine it was forced to be as long as possible for the purpose of being a grand finale. It also doesn’t tonally fit with the lighter, earlier tracks, but that’s admittedly a minor complaint. The great Syd-era instrumentals generally said, “What can we do with this particular musical idea?” and explored it in different ways. This track feels like an attempt to replicate that, with the aforementioned multi-sourced elements failing that.

Despite the criticism of “tone”, it’s possible that the side-a style would not have been as consistently high quality for an entire album. It would’ve been better to try something different, like using some of the highlights from the next record, Obscured by Clouds.

OVERVIEW

While I praised this album for being more “original”, it is not entirely. Syd Barrett had been dabbling quite a bit in psychedelic folk, which paints “A Pillow of Winds” and many others. It’s hard to say for sure what makes this album work so much better than previous, but it seems it’s likely that the guitars are not Syd-like. They’re David Gilmour and Roger Waters-like. This 1971 effort will prove to be an oddity. The band will soon return to their original goal of “blowing you out”, which they tried from 1968-1970. The difference is that they’ll succeed. Whether or not Meddle played any part of that is up for debate. You can hardly shake it on its own merits, though.

Syd Barrett Solo Era – Three Fan Albums (Take 2)

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 is a very belated continuation of my re-do of fan albums for Syd Barrett that co-exist with officially released albums, as if Syd released the three official albums as they are, as well as some extra ones that collect all the stray tracks. I already did this once, but wanted to try again seeing as there were ways to improve. Before, the first two ‘fan’ solo-Syd albums collected proper Syd songs and ones where he played on someone else’s song. The other artist’s songs are excluded now. For those curious, the six of those songs are “Singing a Song in the Morning” aka “Religious Experience” by Kevin Ayers, “Drinkin’ That Wine”, “Number Nine”, and “Gotta Be A Reason” by Last Minute Put Together Boogie Band, and unconfirmed contributions on “Molecular Lucky Charm” and “Syd’s Wine” by Steve Took. What’s left for the first album are all of the strays from 1968-1970 except for one outlier. Next is a live album of all Syd’s solo live recordings except for one that never had a studio version, so it was moved up to the studio album previously mentioned. Finally, there’s his instrumental 1974 recordings, topped off with the 1969 instrumental “Rhamadam”. That third album is exactly the same as it was the first time I fan albumed Syd, with it being the only one I have no changes to make.

Listed below are links to the Syd and Pink Floyd fan albums, then the links for these. For Syd + Floyd live, I’ll just say to listen to each show as if it’s an album, with my tracklists being the same as the running order. Maybe I’ll play around with that properly later, but I’m not so interested now. I have a “creative mode” idea with Syd’s material, which I’ve been working on for a while. Stay tuned!

SYD BARRETT – TWO OF A KIND (1970)

TRACKLISTING

SIDE A

1. “Swan Lee (Silas Lang)”
2. “Birdie Hop”
3. “Dolly Rocker”
4. “Milky Way”
5. “Word Song”

SIDE B

1. “Let’s Split”
2. “Bob Dylan Blues”
3. “Lanky (Part One)”
4. “Opel”
5. “Two Of A Kind”

SYD BARRETT – DOMINOES (1971)

TRACKLISTING

SIDE A

1. “Dominoes”
2. “Baby Lemonade”
3. “Terrapin”
4. “Gigolo Aunt”
5. “Effervescing Elephant”
6. “Love Song”
7. “Baby Lemonade”

SIDE B

1. “Terrapin”
2. “Gigolo Aunt”
3. “Effervescing Elephant”
4. “Octopus”

SYD BARRETT – BOOGIE PARTY

TRACKLISTING

SIDE A

1. “Boogie #1”
2. “If You Go, Don’t Be Slow #1”
3. “Chooka-Chooka Chug Chug”
4. “Ballad Of The Unfinished”
5. “Boogie Down”
6. “Untitled”
7. “Boogie Up”
8. “John Lee Hooker”
9. “If You Go, Don’t Be Slow #2”
10. “Boogie #2 – More Echo”
11. “Boogie #3 – Resolution”

SIDE B

1. “Rhamadam”

LINKS

1. Syd Barrett & Pink Floyd – The Tea Set (1966) – The Filme Diary
2. Syd Barrett & Pink Floyd – Projection (1967) – The Filme Diary
3. Syd Barrett & Pink Floyd – The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn (1967) – YouTube, Spotify, Archive.org
4. Syd Barrett & Pink Floyd – Lights (1967) – The Filme Diary
5. Syd Barrett & Pink Floyd – Tomorrow’s Morning (1968) – The Filme Diary
6. Syd Barrett – The Madcap Laughs (1970) – Spotify, YouTube
7. Syd Barrett – Two Of A Kind (1970) – YouTube
8. Syd Barrett – Barrett (1970) – Spotify, YouTube
9. Syd Barrett – Dominoes LIVE! (1971) – YouTube
10. Syd Barrett – Boogie Party (1974) – YouTube

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!

Pink Floyd – 1970: Devi/ation (2016) Review – Long And Unfinished

Pink Floyd in 1970

Pink Floyd took to 1970 with a shift in style. The space rock and music based on filling atmosphere has been significantly minimized. In its place is a style that’s decidedly more “down to Earth.” They’re better for it, as they were unable to blow you out with amazement, so instead will suck you in with intimacy. The two best examples of this are tracks featured live here and in studio form on the band’s 1970 album, Atom Heart Mother. Those two tracks are “Fat Old Sun” and “If”. Both take advantage of a light guitar sound and connect with a feeling of reflection. They speak on how people might be without dwelling in poetic lyrics that suited Syd Barrett better than the rest of the group. “Green is the Colour” works for similar reasons. “Embryo” seems like it wants to impress you and rock out, but plays like a dragged out experiment. The version here of “Careful With That Axe, Eugene” feels a little out of place, due to fitting in more closely with their late 60s material than early 70s. It still is a nice recording/version of that song.

There are three versions of “Atom Heart Mother Suite”. This is perhaps the most textbook “love it or hate it” Pink Floyd song. The most damning thing you can say is that after the first false ending, you hope that’s the end and you can move on now. The choir and brass give the impression it’s supposed to be operatic, which comes off as very pretentious. They’re trying so hard to have this great experience, but are also going through the motions. Parts will be played like they’re supposed to be climactic or relief from a climax, but they sort of just happen and end without build-up or commitment from the whole group. The notes are telling one story and the playing usually another. The shortest version is about eighteen minutes. The tedium of it makes one not look forward to the next time it appears in this compilation. The main riff near the start and end are good, so this could’ve been salvaged as just a two or three minute ditty. The “Live in Montreux” version is the best for having minimal vocals and brass. Those elements missing ground the piece a little.

The seller for this album to some is the unreleased material from a soundtrack album called Zabriskie Point. Those that want to dig deep in the band’s catalog will appreciate this, though much of the material sounds very incomplete, like demos. Most aren’t too bad, because they’re mostly short. Practically all the material from these box sets sound like they could be a finished and released song, even if a little thin, but not many of these. There are good songs, though. The good ones include “On the Highway” and “Auto Scene, Version 2”. They’re pleasant guitar pieces. “Auto Scene, Version 3” is a warm rocker. “Aeroplane” ups the ante, but not too much. It’s a fun space rock song that isn’t stunning, but doesn’t outstay its welcome and goes at a good pace. Of the soundtrack songs, the earliest tracks tend to be better. It seems it might’ve been deliberate to end this album with the less complete-sounding tracks and then another version of “Atom Heart Mother Suite”. You can easily stop before then if you want. The other boxsets lead with studio material, then live tracks, but this set is the other way around.

“Explosion” has the same issues as the group’s long experiments. “The Riot Scene” and “Love Scene, Version 1” are just a little keyboard noodling. They’re very nothing. “Looking at Map” is the same, though it’s a band piece. Its lack of much ambition is immortalized by that title. Guess the band couldn’t afford an article. As much can be said about “Love Scene, Version 7”, which includes what sounds like mistakes from being an unpolished demo. Both versions of “Take Off” can’t decide if they want to be space rockers or not. “Love Scene, Version 2” and “Take 1” are the best of the ones that feel really incomplete. They have good ambience, but don’t feel essential. “Unknown Song (Take 1)” is another nice guitar number, though it’s too long. It might’ve been one of the better Zabriskie Point tracks if shortened. “Love Scene (Take 2)” is very pleasant, but far too long. It’s like something you’d meditate with. Finally, “Crumbling Land (Take 1)” is ruined by the vocals. They’re too processed and throw-off what the intended tone is supposed to be. Is it supposed to be otherworldly or a little guitar number?

OVERVIEW

1970: Devi/ation has its share of gems, like some good alternate versions of already good songs and the earlier Zabriskie Point tracks praised. The main positive is David Gilmour’s sweet vocal that really shines at being ethereal or chilling. “Fat Old Sun” is a good example of his talent there. His guitar playing is also very effective at the various styles or feelings it needs to be or have. The guitar-led instrumentals can either really set the tone of a composition at best and at worst, with some Zabriskie material, be nice as background music. The weakest material feels less necessary than the weak material on the 1968 and 1969 sets. At least those feel more like the band is trying to do something. That being said, it is no problem to have as much as possible, especially the elusive soundtrack recordings, as they fill an interesting piece of history. The weaker live tracks make the album less-accessible due to being so long, with even the announcer sounding amusingly unenthused. Those wanting good material should catch the tracks that I like and those initiated in the Pink Floyd cult should check out it all.

Syd Barrett – Two Of A Kind (1970) Album Edit (Take 1)

We’re back for the first Syd Barrett fan solo album. In my chronology, this is the second Syd solo effort, with the first being the released, The Madcap Laughs. This album hits very hard. The songs have a personal and emotional nature rarely rivaled even slightly by other musicians. Two Of A Kind is currently the best fan album of mine, though the next Syd Barrett one could possibly beat that. The “best fan album of mine” was previously declared by another Syd album, Projection. This one’s impassioned lyrics and weighty guitar playing give it an edge. This is also the first fan album of mine where the order I listened to the songs in was perfect, though “Lanky Part 1” was listened to partially first, then I decided to listen to it later on. My only complaint is the shortness of this album and the next Syd fan album. There wasn’t enough material for 40 minutes, instead both were about 30 minutes. It would’ve been nice to have a little more, but what we get is excellent material that is mostly better than The Madcap Laughs. It might be novel to listen to these two efforts as one 60 minute album.

The cover for this fan album was found on Getty Images. It seems to be a good representation of Syd’s degrading mental state, though the picture is from 1967, instead of 1970. The title is the name of the last song here. It felt appropriate. In between this fan album and the next one is Syd’s last officially released album, Barrett.

SYD BARRETT – TWO OF A KIND

TRACKLISTING

SIDE A

1. “Swan Lee” (Syd Barrett)
2. “Birdie Hop” (Syd Barrett)
3. “Religious Experience” (Kevin Ayers)
4. “Lanky Part 1” (Syd Barrett)

SIDE B

1. “Just Before You Disappear (Octopus Part 2)” (Syd Barrett)
2. “Opel” (Syd Barrett)
3. “Milky Way” (Syd Barrett)
4. “Two Of A Kind” (Richard Wright)

BONUS TRACKS

1. “Swan Lee (OOPS Stereo)”
2. “Swan Lee (Backing Track)”
3. “Swan Lee (Melk Weg Version)”
4. “Swan Lee (Silas Lang) Take 1 (May 6th, 1968)”
5. “Swan Lee (Silas Lang) Take 1 (Backing Track May 6th, 1968)”
6. “Swan Lee Take 5 (Malcolm Jones Alt Mix June 8th, 1968)”
7. “eeL nawS (Malcolm Jones Fragment June 8th, 1968)”
8. “Swan Lee Take 5 (Backing Track June 20th, 1968)”
9. “Swan Lee Take 5 Excerpt (With Alt Vocals April 10th, 1969)”
10. “Birdie Hop (Melk Weg Version)”
11. “Birdie Hop Take 1 (Peter Jenner 1974 Mix June 5th, 1970)”
12. “Religious Experience Take 10 (OOPS Mix December 18th, 1969)”
13. “Opel (Melk Weg Version)”
14. “Opel Take 9 Chatter (April 11th, 1969)”
15. “Opel Take 9 (Peter Jenner 1974 Mix April 11th, 1969)”
16. “Milky Way (Melk Weg Version)”
17. “Milky Way Take 5 (Peter Jenner 1974 Mix June 7th, 1970)”
18. “Two Of A Kind (Melk Weg Version)”
19. “Vegetable Man (May 1968 Reel Mix)”

PERSONNEL

• Syd Barrett – guitar (tracks 1-8), lead vocals (tracks 1-2, 5-8), producer (not track 3, possibly not producer on more)
• Kevin Ayers – guitar (track 3), lead vocals (track 3)
• David Sinclair – organ (track 3)
• Richard Sinclair – bass (track 3)
• Richard Coughlan – drums (track 3)
• The Ladybirds – backing vocals (track 3)
• Peter Jenner – producer
• Malcolm Jones – producer

Two Of A Kind (1970) – Archive.org, YouTube

Barrett (1970) – Spotify, YouTube

Headquarters (1967) Review

The band from this album’s photo session.

The Monkees finally have creative freedom over their work. Their first two albums were corporate and crumby. How do they do on their third album, Headquarters? Let’s see. Due to the flow of this album, I’m going to be reviewing the tracks in the order they appear on the album.

The album starts with “You Told Me”. I like how the song starts with the band members shouting “One, two, three!” It’s silly and lighthearted, but it doesn’t detract from any of the more serious elements of the album. This is especially amusing as this parodies the opening of the Beatles album, Revolver, which starts the same way. Knowing that makes it even more clear that this is not establishing itself as something that should be taken too seriously. The Monkees’ first two albums appeared to be asking for more respect than they earned. This track, written by band member, Michael Nesmith, seems to comment on the band not having control. According to some, they were initially promised more freedoms than they got, so lines like, “All these things you said you said sincerely”, seem to refer to that. The track also discusses someone wanting to break out of their situation. This is complemented by good singing and guitar playing by Nesmith.

“I’ll Spend My Life With You” is the second track, sung by Micky Dolenz. This one discusses the singer saying he’ll spend his life with a good girl. He’s happy to go with someone reasonable. The singer indirectly says he’s getting smarter and he used to be more foolish. I like that the song’s not stating things directly. This song is very sincere and honest. Its style is different from the previous track. In fact, this album doesn’t have a ton of repeating styles. “You Told Me” was a country inspired faux-parody. This one is a quiet, subtle piece about the singer’s emotions. The simplistic instruments work well with the lyrics and good singing.

“Forget That Girl” is the third track, sung by Davy Jones. This one is very pop-styled, but the subtle vocals and clever use of instruments make it sound more complex than it is. The guitar and the maracas amplify the song. Davy’s vocals are very good. It’s weird listening to the older albums with uninspired vocals, because in Headquarters and later, they’re often the best part. Next is a silly rag song called “Band 6”. This album is going for its own aesthetic. “Band 6” is silly like in past albums, but it has an intelligent spirit. It seems to be parodying outtake tracks by having a sloppy quality with the instruments. The drumming is overly intense, the music stops, a voice says “I think you got it now, Micky [Dolenz, the drummer]”. This one is a fun interlude that once again shows the heart of the band. It leads very well into the next track.

We’re back to Nesmith for “You Just May Be The One”. Its vocals are a bit too simplistic, but the piece does a good job of painting the singer’s interest in a girl that they clearly care about. This track is one of the more serious on the album. It doesn’t come off as parody or anything of that manner. It’s a diverse song that dances around a lot with its instruments. The next song, “Shades of Gray” is beautiful. It speaks of breaking into the world and learning of life. The singers learn that things are more complex. Davy Jones’ vocals are absolutely superb. They excellently show the breaking of childlike innocence. Peter Tork is also very good, but has a little bit of wood in his voice. The instruments paint the tone perfectly. They emphasize the idea of growing up and experiencing the realism of life. Some lyrics are overly dramatic and over stylized, but the lyrics overall work. A particularly great line is, “It was easy then to tell truth from lies… The foolish from the wise.” A particularly moderate line is, “Life was such a simple game, A child could play.” Davy Jones does not sound good when saying the word “child”.

“I Can’t Get Her Off My Mind” is another Jones piece. It’s a simple rag. It sounds like a saloon song, just like Band 6. A piano of all things is the song’s dominant instrument. The singing is really good, though the lyrics are not anything special. They’re not bad, but it’s just Jones singing about how he can’t get a girl off his mind. They’re so boring. The piano overpowers the song, which is not a good quality, but it pulls attention away from the lyrics. Overall, the track is alright.

“For Pete’s Sake” has often polarized me. Some parts of it are quite good, others are not. Lines like “Love is understanding” are both good and bad to me. It summarizes the song, but it’s so bland, but the blandness works, but it’s… Is it good because it’s weird, or is that a bad thing? The instruments lack much detail and life, but that works, but I don’t really know how. This song discusses how love helps people. The simple premise isn’t bad, but the song’s paper thin… but that kind of works. I also flip flop on the ending. “We gotta be free!” is yelled a few times. The line speaks to the concept of breaking out of creative constraints and it’s sung well, but it’s so off putting and it doesn’t mean anything in the song. There are things that are genuinely good. Micky’s vocals are what fans love. He’s really good. “And what we have to be is free” is a particularly well sung line. He’s good at vocal complexities, not necessarily instrument complexities.

“Mr. Webster” is an odd one. The song tells a story about a Mr. Webster. The story isn’t interesting and the words don’t sound good. The vocals are once again good and the instruments are well played. They have a good energy and pace. It doesn’t come off like a Monkees song, it’s more like a Beatles song, though “Mr. Webster” has a harmony by Micky and Davy. “Sunny Girlfriend” is very much a Michael Nesmith song. It’s about a girl and it’s country inspired (more so than the others). You can tell that the singer loves this girl, based on what he says and how. The lyrics once again aren’t particularly good, but not bad. The high energy, lightly played instruments give the feeling of a sunny day. It’s the kind of instrumentation you’d hear at a park.

“Zilch” is another interlude. It’s a fun break from the more standard songs. It shows the band’s fun spirit and life. It doesn’t detract from the album’s aesthetic or tone and it works well if you just listen to it on its own. The song has a trippy, unnatural feel, which adds to the odd sound of the piece. It sounds cool. The band whispering “Zilch” at the end adds to the trippy feeling. This one’s pretty fun. “No Time” has the highest intensity of all the tracks. It’s very quick paced and exciting. Micky is shouting of how he has no time for a girl. He has real energy and spirit in his voice, but he’s also out of energy for the girl. It’s a good balance. The song was written by all four Monkees. This song seems like a reference to their real life situation. They got no time for the system stopping them from making their own music. Lines like, “You don’t seem to make no sense”, are particular examples. The writing feels like a group effort, which helps bring the piece to life. The line, “Nevermind the furthermore, the plea is self defense”, is so good. It’s like the band can’t contain their emotions and those great lines pop out.

“Early Morning Blues And Greens” seems like filler, but it’s still good. It doesn’t feel wholly like filler. It’s a low energy, very basic Davy song. This has one of the best uses of low energy instruments I’ve heard so far in the Monkees catalog. They’re mostly quiet, but they very well compliment the song’s tone and Davy’s vocals, which are quite good. Davy communicates a lot in his vocals. He’s tired, he’s waking up, he’s young, he’s old. The vocals have a detail and character that is very expressive. A particularly good line is “I will drink my coffee slow”. It’s very well sung.

This album continues to best itself, that has never been truer than with “Randy Scouse Git”. The track starts with a powerful and impressioning use of the timpani. There’s buckets of character in Micky’s voice. He seems exceptionally passionate about the matter. The lyrics are filled with metaphors. The lyrics are very interesting and descriptive. The singer wants more from the “wonderful lady”. This song summarizes all the album’s styles and concepts. There’s quieter moments, crazy moments, sincere moments, and in between, though Micky never gets too quiet. There’s a lot going on in the kind of way Micky’s singing and the instruments are being played and it’s blended so well. A lot’s going on. After some loud, crazy drums, it all goes quiet and you hear the drumsticks hit the ground. Just like at the beginning, the timpani is played and it sounds exceptional. The piano solo around the middle is so good, as well. This song exemplifies the writing prowess of Micky Dolenz and his abilities as a musician.

The band really seemed to care about this album. It’s finally a chance to prove themselves as real musicians. They, for the most part, play their own instruments. There’s themes to this album, unlike the last two. Headquarters is about growing up and learning new things. It’s about being a crazy, young guy. It’s about girls. There’s a solid flow from one track to the next. They fit together very well. Few tracks are like another and when they are, they’re not next to each other. This album is kind of their first. The Monkees will push themselves even further after this…

Next Album: Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.