I post a weekly diary of historical notes, arts & science items, foreign news (often receiving little notice in the US) and whimsical pieces from the outside world that I often feature in "Cheers & Jeers".
OK, you've been warned - here is this week's tomfoolery material that I posted.
CHEERS to Bill and Michael in PWM, our Wyoming-based friend Irish Patti and ...... well, each of you at Cheers and Jeers. Have a fabulous weekend .... and week ahead.
ART NOTES — an electoral-themed exhibition of works by the noted Pittsburgh Courier photographer Charles “Teenie” Harris is at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania through December 5th.
Political photos to Dec 5thHAIL and FAREWELL to two from the field of music: the songwriter John D. Loudermilk— whom I profiled just last year, and whose song Tobacco Road has been recorded by musicians from the world of country, rock, jazz and R&B — who has died at the age of 82 …….. and to the Canadian-born boy soprano turned actor Bobby Breen— who has died at the age of 88 …. and whose death now leaves (besides Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr) only three people alive who are pictured on the cover of the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper album: Bob Dylan, Dion (and the Belmonts) DiMucci and the sculptor Larry Bell.
THURSDAY's CHILD is Larry the Cat— the chief mouser at No. 10 Downing Street, who has been deemed a ‘civil servant’ …. and thus remains at his post for new prime minister Theresa May …. even after David Cameron had to resign.
Larry the Downing St. CatWHILE THE EFFECTS of discrimination against the transgendered in Asia may be hidden, relative to other parts of the world …. they are no less insidious.
CONGRATULATIONS to the veteran TV host Jane Pauley— who was announced this morning as the replacement for Charles Osgood as host of CBS Sunday Morning (although Osgood continues at his other job: “I’ll see you on the radio”).
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Bart the Cat— who was buried after an accident, then dug itself out of its grave …. and who has now recuperated,and been adopted.
Bart the “Zombie” CatBRAIN TEASER — try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC.
IT WILL BE a BITTERSWEET time at a film awards ceremony in Wales next week, who are planning to present a lifetime achievement award to the Welsh-born star of the Monty Python troupe Terry Jones— whom I will always recall as the waitress in their 1970 Spam routine — because at age 74, Jones has been diagnosed with a severe variant of dementia (primary progressive aphasia) which affects his ability to communicate.
Reader Suggested OLDER-YOUNGER BROTHERS? — from both BlackSheep1 as well as Maudlin— a young Neil Innes (member of the Bonzo Dog Band and musical director for Monty Python) and a young David Duchovny (“X-Files”).
Neil Innes (born 1944) David Duchovny (born 1960)...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… fifty years ago this summer, a landmark blues/rock album (in general) and British blues (in particular) was released — and it might do well to have a look at John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers w/Eric Clapton album.
John Mayall, Eric Clapton, John McVie & Hughie FlintI have written about John Mayall in these pages often; suffice it to say, he is one of Britain’s leading promoters of the blues (and particular the Chicago blues style) since his move from his native Manchester to London in 1963. While he had an earlier album release, this was his breakthrough album at the age of 32.
From a period of only two years, he went from having as his lead guitarist Eric Clapton, then Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green to future Rolling Stones axeman Mick Taylor. In fact, many UK musicians who went on to fame in the 1960’s passed through his band at some point or another (including future members of Free, Cream, Colosseum, Frank Zappa’s Mothers and Canned Heat).
Upon relocating to California in the late 60’s, he had an innovative drum-less band for several albums (and then a jazz phase) before returning to his Chicago blues style which he continues with to this day ….. with an extensive tour schedule for someone who will turn age 83 in November. (He is at the left on the album cover above).
Mayall still tours at age 82At age 71, Eric Clapton needs no introduction, but this recording came at a critical time of his development. He had left the Yardbirds for being “too commercial” and had joined John Mayall in 1965 for the reason that he knew of Mayall’s purity for the blues. Briefly bassist Jack Bruce joined the band, which Clapton remembered when it was time to form Cream (interestingly, just before this album’s release).
John Mayall often refers to this as the Beano album— for the comic book that Eric Clapton is reading in the album cover photo. Eric Clapton later was a guest performer on a 1970 Mayall album and reunited with the Bluesbreakers for John Mayall’s 70th Birthday concert in 2003 (available on CD as well as DVD).
Planning to tour in 2017Pictured third-from-left (above) is bassist John McVie— who remained with John Mayall for another year-or-so …. just enough time to perform with guitarist Peter Green as well as drummer Mick Fleetwood. The band they formed came from the last names of Mick and John: Fleetwood Mac. If you only know them for their 1980’s hits (such as “Go Your Own Way” or “Dreams”) you should know their early albums were among the best that blues-rock has to offer.
McVie is a low-key individual to this day, yet at age 70 still participates whenever Fleetwood Mac reunites for a tour.
A colon cancer survivorBy far the least-known performer on the album (excluding the occasional horn/reed sidemen) was drummer Hughie Flint— on the right in the photo above — who was also from John Mayall’s hometown of Manchester, England and met John Mayall while he was teaching music at a local youth club. A jazz drummer by training, Flint made the move to London with Mayall in 1963-64, and remained with him for two years.
Afterwards, he joined forces with Manfred Mann guitarist Tom McGuiness to form McGuiness-Flint— which had some success in Britain (with minor hits such as “When I'm Dead and Gone," and "Malt and Barley Blues") … yet could never achieve a commercial breakthrough over the next seven years. After stints in the late 70’s to early 80’s with other bands (including the Bonzo Dog Band briefly) he largely retired from music and leads a quiet life at age 75. And he was recently featured prominently by Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward on his radio program, recounting the drummers who had influenced him in his youth.
Hugh Flint today, at age 75The album has a mix of tunes: some Chicago blues classics (by Otis Rush and Little Walter) plus Eric Clapton’s first vocal performance (on his hero Robert Johnson’s “Rambling on my Mind”) in addition to to some originals by John Mayall — one of which is the slow blues “Have You Heard”, which is perhaps the album’s most enduring original. Hughie Flint also has a short drum solo on the band’s rendition of Ray Charles’ What’d I Say— with Clapton coming back-in with the riff to the Beatles’ “Day Tripper” for good measure.
The album was named by Rolling Stone as #195 on its 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list and still sells to this day. Indeed, at a John Mayall show I saw just three years ago, he performed two songs on the album: “All Your Love” by Otis Rush and “Parchman Farm” by Mose Allison.
My favorite tune is one of the album’s shortest. Key to Love — with a tight horn section (including Alan Skidmore and future Mayall band-mate Johnny Almond) — has a blistering solo by Clapton that completes a tour-de-force in only two minutes.
Put a smile on your face and dry away your tears ….. Life is bound to get better as you live your years …. Somewhere in this world, the one you waited for …. Come along and find you, turn the key to your door
It hurts my soul, babe, when I find you feeling rough …. Life is so bad, baby: when you find the key to love
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