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BENZ-LGB · #16 11-20-2007, 10:20 AM

On John Fogerty (from the Wiki):

John and his brother, Tom Fogerty, Doug Clifford, and Stu Cook formed the band in El Cerrito, California in the late 1950s as Tommy Fogerty and the Blue Velvets. The name was changed to The Golliwogs in the mid 1960s, but the band remained unpopular.

The government tried to draft Fogerty in 1966 but instead he joined an Army reserve unit. He served at Fort Bragg, Fort Knox and Fort Lee. Fogerty was released from the army in 1967.

By 1968, things started to pick up for the band. The band released its first album, the self-titled Creedence Clearwater Revival, and also had their first hit single, "Suzie Q". Other hit singles of the band were "Proud Mary", "Fortunate Son", "Up Around the Bend", "Lodi", "Green River", "Down on the Corner", "Travelin' Band", "Lookin' Out My Back Door", "Bad Moon Rising", "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" and "Who'll Stop The Rain."

Many people are unaware that Creedence performed at Woodstock in August 1969. They were the first band to be signed, but Fogerty was unhappy with the band's performance during their set, so he wouldn't give permission for any portion of their performance to be included in "Woodstock," the film which documented the legendary rock festival.

In 1971 Tom, upset by John's prominence, left the band. Stu and Doug were hit with a bombshell by Fogerty later that year when he informed them that, for their next LP, the band would adhere to a new democratic formula, and each of the members would be responsible for a third of the record. Cook and Clifford, who had only wanted more of a voice in the business decisions, not the onus of having to write and sing on at least six songs between them, resisted this arrangement. However, Fogerty insisted that they either accept his terms, or he would quit the band, so they reluctantly agreed. Mardi Gras turned out to be their last, and according to many (including John) worst, album. Fogerty officially left the band after CCR's last show in Denver, CO. They were booed off the stage and the crowd threw objects at them. One person threw a quarter at John, which John kept in his pocket for years.

However, his influence was not forgotten with his departure. His guitar playing with CCR would later lead Rolling Stone to name him the 40th greatest guitarist of all time.[1]

In the early 1970s Fantasy Records recommended to the Creedence members that they bank their royalties somewhere in the Caribbean for tax reasons, and all four members did that (as did Fantasy). But at some point, Fantasy decided the Caribbean bank was not stable and told three Creedence members to withdraw their money. But no one told John Fogerty and he lost millions while the others avoided the loss. Some say that Fantasy withdrew its money and when the CCR members were about to withdraw their money, they found out that the bank stopped existing the same day Fantasy ended their account, leaving CCR with nothing. As the group split up John was forced to fulfill the contract the group had signed, leaving him in despair. [citation needed]

[edit] Solo recording career
John Fogerty began a solo career, originally under the name The Blue Ridge Rangers for his 1973 debut, on which he played all of the instruments and covered others' hits, such as "Jambalaya" (which was a Top 40 hit) and some gospel songs like "Have Thine Own Way, Lord" and "Working On A Building". John Fogerty was released in 1975. Sales were slim and legal problems delayed a follow-up, though it yielded two minor hit singles, "Rockin' All Over the World" and "Almost Saturday Night". The Georgia Satellites later combined the two songs as "Almost Saturday Night/Rockin' All Over the World". Creedence Clearwater Revival's former music publisher (affiliated with Fantasy Records) filed a suit against Fogerty, claiming that his new, solo compositions sounded too much like his former work as songwriter for Creedence.

John had legal trouble with Fantasy records from the time Creedence had broken up. Fantasy decided to hold John to his contract after Creedence disbanded. Fogerty had stated that the other members of the group were set free, but the label told him that they would maintain ownership of his future recordings. John stated that he owed Fantasy around 46 tracks.

It was after the breakup of the band in 1972 that John became so bitter towards his bandmates and Zaentz that he decided to stop playing Creedence material during his live shows. John didn't want anyone else making money off his work. He had cut ties with Fantasy Records by giving up his future royalties.

After the John Fogerty album was released, John worked on an album that would have been titled Hoodoo. Covers for the album were created and a new single was cut. In April 1976, John released, "You got the Magic/Evil Thing" which did poorly. The album was rejected by Asylum Records on the eve of its release.

Feeling rejection, John moved his family to a farm in Oregon and didn't release a new album for eight years. John stated that he instructed Asylum Records to destroy the master tapes for "Hoodoo" sometime in the 1980s. John is somewhat of a perfectionist, often destroying unreleased material. Fogerty says that he was unable to write music during this period of his life.

Creedence did reunite briefly in 1980 at Tom Fogerty's wedding. A few photos exist of the band together.

Personally, I prefer Jim Morrison over JF.

BENZ-LGB · #17 11-20-2007, 10:25 AM

On Jim Morrison (also from Wiki):

James Douglas Morrison (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971) was an iconic American singer, songwriter, writer, film director, and poet. He was best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the popular American rock band The Doors, and is considered to be one of the most charismatic and influential frontmen in the history of rock music.[1] He was also the author of several poetry books, a documentary, and a short film. Morrison died in Paris at the age of 27.

Early years
Morrison was born in Melbourne, Florida, to Admiral George Stephen Morrison and Clara Clarke Morrison. Morrison had a sister, Anne Robin Morrison, who was born in 1947 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and a brother, Andrew Lee Morrison, who was born 1948 in Los Altos, California. Jim Morrison was of Scottish and Irish ethnic heritage.

In 1947, Morrison purportedly witnessed a car accident in the desert, where a family of Native Americans was injured and possibly killed. He referred to this incident in a spoken-word performance on the song "Dawn's Highway" from the album, An American Prayer, and again in the songs "Peace Frog", and "Ghost Song", all linked by the spoken line from "Dawn's Highway":

Indians scattered on dawn's highway bleeding
Ghosts crowd the young child's fragile eggshell mind

Morrison believed the incident to be the most formative event in his life and made repeated references to it in the imagery in his songs, poems, and interviews.

With his father in the Navy, Morrison's family moved often. He spent part of his childhood in San Diego, California. In 1958, Morrison attended Alameda High School in Alameda, California (near Oakland). However, he graduated from George Washington High School (now George Washington Middle School) in Alexandria, Virginia in June 1961.

Morrison went to live with his paternal grandparents in Clearwater, Florida, where he attended classes at St. Petersburg Junior College. In 1962, he transferred to Florida State University where he appeared in a school recruitment film.[2]

In January 1964, Morrison moved to Los Angeles, California. He completed his undergraduate degree in UCLA's film school, the Theater Arts department of the College of Fine Arts in 1965. Jim made two films while attending UCLA. "First Love", the first of the two films, was released to the public when it appeared in a documentary about the film called "Obscura".

[edit] The Doors
Main article: The Doors

Jim (far left) with his bandmates in The Doors. From left to right: Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger and John Densmore.In 1965, after dropping out of UCLA, Morrison led a Bohemian lifestyle in nearby Venice Beach. Photographer Joel Brodsky took a series of black-and-white photos of Morrison. Known as "The Young Lion" photo session, the pictures included the shot that was later featured on the Best of the Doors LP cover.

Morrison and fellow UCLA student Ray Manzarek were the founding members of The Doors. Shortly thereafter, drummer John Densmore and guitarist Robby Krieger joined. Krieger auditioned at Densmore's recommendation, and was then added to the lineup.

While it is widely believed that the Doors took their name from the title of Aldous Huxley's The Doors of Perception (a reference to the 'unlocking' of 'doors' to perception through psychedelic drug use), Huxley's own title was a quote from William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, in which Blake wrote that "If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite."

In June 1966, at the famed Whisky-A-Go-Go, The Doors were the opening act for the Northern Irish group Them, whose leader was Van Morrison. According to Ray Manzarek, in his book, Light My Fire, "Jim was transfixed by Van. He studied his every move. He put the eye on him and he absorbed....The last night... saw us all in a monster jam session...Jim Morrison and Van Morrison onstage at the same time! And singing 'Gloria.'"[3]

Although Morrison is known as the lyricist for the group, Krieger also made significant lyrical contributions, writing or co-writing some of the group's biggest hits, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Love Her Madly" and "Touch Me."[4]

Decades before music videos became commonplace, Morrison and The Doors produced a promotional film for "Break On Through," which was to be their first single release. The video featured the four members of the group playing the song on a darkened set with alternating views and close-ups of the performers while Morrison lip-synced the lyrics. Morrison and The Doors continued to make music videos, including "The Unknown Soldier", "Moonlight Drive", "Light my Fire", and "People Are Strange".

The Doors achieved national recognition after signing with Elektra Records in 1967.[5] The single "Light My Fire" eventually reached number one on the Billboard Pop Singles chart.[6] Later, The Doors appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, a popular Sunday night variety series that had introduced The Beatles and a young, wriggling Elvis Presley to the nation. Ed Sullivan requested two songs from The Doors for the show, People are Strange, and Light My Fire. The censors insisted that they change the lyrics of "Light My Fire" from "Girl we couldn't get much higher" to "Girl we couldn't get much better." This was reportedly due to what could be perceived as a reference to drugs in the original lyric. During the rehersal, Jim changed the lyrics to be in compliance with host Ed Sullivan. Morrison then proceeded to sing the song with the original lyrics on live TV. He later said that he had simply forgotten to make the change, which Manzarek corroborates to the present day. This infuriated Sullivan so much that he refused to shake their hands after their performance. They were never invited back.[7]The producer of the show reportedly screamed at the monitors as Morrison sung the lyric, that The Doors would never do the Ed Sullivan show ever again. Jim came back to that comment by stating "Hey, we just did the Ed Sullivan show."

By the release of their second album, Strange Days, The Doors had become one of the most popular rock bands in the United States. Their blend of blues and rock tinged with psychedelia included a number of original songs and distinctive cover versions, such as the memorable rendition of "Alabama Song", from Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill's operetta, "Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny". The band also performed a number of extended concept works, including the songs "The End", "When The Music's Over", and "Celebration of the Lizard".

In 1968, The Doors released their third studio LP, Waiting for the Sun. Their fourth LP, The Soft Parade, was released in 1969. It was the first album where the individual band members were given credit on the inner-sleeve for the songs they had written.

After this, Morrison started to show up for recording sessions inebriated (he can be heard hiccuping on the song "Five To One"). He was also frequently late for live performances. As a result, the band would play instrumental music or force Ray Manzarek to take on the singing duties.

By 1969, the formerly svelte singer began to change his appearance. He gained weight, grew a beard, and began dressing more casually - abandoning the leather pants and concho belts for regular slacks, jeans and T-shirts.

During a 1969 concert at The Dinner Key Auditorium in Miami, Morrison attempted to spark a riot in the audience. He failed, but a warrant for his arrest was issued by the Dade County Police department three days later for indecent exposure. Consequently, many of The Doors' scheduled concerts were canceled.[8] In the years following the incident, Morrison has been exonerated. In 2007 Florida Governor Charlie Crist suggested the possibility of a posthumous pardon for Morrison.[9]

Following The Soft Parade, The Doors released the Morrison Hotel LP. After a lengthy break, the group reconvened in October 1970 to record their last LP with Morrison, L.A. Woman. Shortly after the recording sessions for the album began, producer Paul A. Rothchild -- who had overseen all their previous recordings -- left the project. Engineer Bruce Botnick took over as producer.

JM is the only Bruin I've ever liked.

BTW, Go Bruins, beat Oregon!

(Hey Carl, JM's family and your family were practically neighbors!)

LaRondo · #18 11-20-2007, 02:36 PM

Rockin' all over the world
Ever since, it became my credo ...

cmac2012 · #19 11-20-2007, 04:07 PM

Didja ever hear Fogerty's "I saw it on TV?" Good tune.

(the song title didn't have a question mark, just my question)

LaRondo · #20 11-20-2007, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

Didja ever hear Fogerty's "I saw it on TV?" Good tune.

(the song title didn't have a question mark, just my question)

I don't think so. Maybe I did. I have to check.

I loved his Blue Ridge Ranger solo album. Boy that was a story ... I think I was 18 back then. I borrowed it from my best buddy's brother, who really wasn't gonna lend that brand new album to anyone. Because of the good standing with his brother, I got to copy and paste it on music cassette.

The drama unfolded when I returned it.

My buddy's brother complained, it was all warped and unplayable. I said, impossible! I need to see it.

Sure enough, it refreshed my memory. I had it sitting on the cars reardeck! Summertime, vinyl record, reardeck ... not a good idea.

I didn't see it when I returned it, because the vinyl warped inside the cover ...

Chris Bell · #21 11-21-2007, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

Yeah, that's a new development all right.

Unless of course, you count all the people over the last 30 or 40 years hungry for someone to thumb their nose at so they can elevate their wounded sense of self and civic glory.

BTW, I was in Sunnyvale/Santa Clara t'other day. Lord help us, let me out of this place if I can figure the streets out. If it wasn't non-descript neighborhoods near industrial areas, it was soul-less banks of apt. buildings. Shopping malls and chain stores wherever I look. And then the damned Lawrence Expressway, a freeway with traffic lights. Oh boy.

I'll take Berkeley any day to those burgs. Chain store/franchises are kept at a distance in B-town, very few of them, instead we have locally run stores and restaurants -- some of the best coffee houses I've found in the bay. Now that I'm living in Redwood City (my heart's still in Berkeley) I've been forced to go to Starbucks often as not. I much prefer Peet's or the two Roma coffee shops in Berkeley -- better coffee and much nicer atmosphere.

BTW, didja hear about the new restaurant on the moon? Great food but no atmosphere.

Don't get me wrong, I have no great feeling of affintiy for the south bay. Just our local governments are not run by a bunch leftist idiots who put with and encourage this kind of crap....
http://www.insidebayarea.com/search/ci_7329052?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com

Frankly the San Jose I grew up in does'nt exist anymore. I've been here long enough to see all the walnut an plum orchards that I played in when I was a kid get buldozed for condos and apartments. No, the San Jose I grew up in does not exist anymore and whats replaced it is a nasty overpopulated, overpriced toilet.. Both my wife (who was also born here) and I can't wait to get the hell out of here. The only advantage to living in the south bay is we don't have to put up with a local government that tolerates the BS from a bunch of self absorbed petulant little children like the Berkely tree sitters.

cmac2012 · #22 11-22-2007, 07:27 PM

Well I'll grant you good taste at any rate. I've heard about the vanished groves of the peninsula and San Jose. I was born in Lemon Grove (near SD) and there aren't many (or any) lemon groves to be found there any more.

Oh well, Berkeley has a loopy city govt. One good thing that has come out of that is a minimum of box stores and national chains. Some object mightily to this but I like the ambiance and local business.

I don't know the city govt., I don't even vote for them. I lived there by accident. Still, it's about my favorite burg in the Bay area though some Palo Alto neighborhoods are to die for ($$$$) as well as parts of Marin (also $$$).

cmac2012 · #23 11-22-2007, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaRondo

I don't think so. Maybe I did. I have to check.

It came out years after their hey-day:

"I know it's true, oh so true, cuz I saw it on TV."

Funny and on the mark.

LaRondo · #24 11-25-2007, 02:30 AM

Heris some saxophone related input. You may or may not know Gato Barbieri, He wrote among other film music, the soundtrack to "Last Tango in Paris"

For the most part, I think he played a barritone sax, but there might also be tenor sax recordings.

Europa

I want you

SwampYankee · #25 11-26-2007, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaRondo

I can't say enough about him, although, he's only human just like the rest of us. He too, will have to say goodbye when the day comes.

The day came when I saw him on my kids' Wiggles "Santa's Rockin'" DVD.

I've never been able to look at him the same after seeing his rendition of "Rockin' Santa"!

Jim B. · #26 11-26-2007, 07:43 PM

I was just there (to Berkeley) yesterday (went to the Berkeley Rep. Theatre to see "After the Earthquake" by Haruki Murakami. Really good play, but man, those play goers. It smelled like great coffee and tons of education in the lobby!! )

The word hasn't reached Berkeley that it is OK for women (wo-persons?) to wear dresses and skirts!!! I know you shouldn't generalize (but have you ever seen it rain up?)..

...but there sure aren't any attractive girls around there.

But what a great place for good restaurants, bookstores and theatres. WOW!!
Even the bumper stickers are getting updated for the times ("I can see through your patriot act", etc.)

It was sure interesting to spend some time there. I had not been back for years.

The Toyota Prius is the "Staff Car" of Berkeley. I have never seen so many in my entire life in one place. They are literally EVERYWHERE in Berkeley.

No place like quite like it anywhere else. I really think they would like to drive stakes in it, and separate it from the rest of California, and declare it to be its own country.

I got a ride there in a friend's 2003 BMW 525i sedan. Man, what a neat little car. I liked it a LOT!!!! They are sure nice cars.