It’s a long journey from Saskatchewan to Laurel Canyon, or so a young Roberta Joan Anderson may have believed when she picked up a Pete Seeger Songbook in the early 1960’s and began to teach herself to play guitar. Afflicted by a childhood case of polio, the young lady quickly developed an original playing style by teaching herself a variety of alternate tunings. It wasn’t long before she was playing her own compositions in and around her hometown of Saskatoon, where audiences quickly came to appreciate her unique talent. Leaving the prairies for the coffee houses of Yorkville ON, the woman soon to be known to the world as Joni MItchell set out on a musical expedition unparallelled in the history of Canadian music.
A fortuitous encounter with musician David Crosby led to the recording of her debut album Song To A Seagull, the first of ten albums included in the recently released box set “Joni Mitchell- The Studio Albums 1968-1979.” When considering Songs To A Seagull in the context of her larger body of work, one is struck by the observation that Joni’s writing style remained largely unchanged over the course of a decade of album releases. Open tunings allowed her to quickly move beyond the folk-based writing style of her contemporaries. She was not a female Dylan, or even a folk musician in the purist, “Greenwich Village” sense of the word. She was unique. Song To A Seagull was a competent debut, establishing her ethereal vocal style over a set of melancholy if meandering tunes such as “Michael From Mountains,” an early “relationship” song which set a thematic tone for subsequent albums.
It wasn’t long before she was back in the studio recording her 1969 album “Clouds.” A significant step forward from her debut, the album featured several of her early classics. “Chelsea Morning” reveals a pop sensibility so effectively utilized in future recordings. The ubiquitous “Both Sides, Now” further emphasized an uncanny ability to craft classic material. Joni had yet to score a hit single but other musicians were having success with her tunes, most noticeably Judy Collins who recorded “Both Sides, Now” for her 1967 album “Wildflowers.”
By 1970 her songs were becoming positively anthemic in the form of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s “Woodstock,” although the version Joni included on her third album “Ladies Of The Canyon” was a far more subtle affair. The canyon of course refers to Laurel Canyon, the epicenter of laid-back California hippiedom where sandal-clad strummers did their best to feign love and peace while sleeping with the drummer next door. “The Circle Game” picks up where “Both Sides, Now” left off, while “Big Yellow Taxi” was as catchy a number as she would ever write. By this time Joni was beginning to compose on piano, broadening her writing skills to allow for jazz-oriented material such as “For Free”, a taste of what was to come during her mid-seventies triumphs. With the introduction of wind and string arrangements the instrumentation became more complex. Her vocals soared with unabashed beauty.
The following year saw the release of “Blue,” a near-perfect portrayal of musical intimacy many consider to be the most endearing album of her career. It was also a commercial success, reaching the Billboard top 20 in September of 1971. “Blue” marked an advancement in lyrical sophistication as Joni sings of romantic and social insecurity in her newly adopted Southern California locale. “River” certainly captured this spirit, as Joni searches for “a river to skate away on” to escape romantic challenges. “Carey” was atypical for the album, but no less brilliant than her melancholy, piano-based tunes. The wonderful “ A Case Of You” proved Joni had not forgotten her Canadian roots with lyrics such as “I could drink a case of you and still be on my feet.” Top L.A. musicians Stephen Stills and Russ Kunkel offered professionalism without undermining the subtle nature of the music. Joni had truly arrived.
With its Sunshine Coast B.C. photographed album jacket ,“For The Roses” followed in late 1972. Despite its suggested rootsiness, highly skilled jazz musicians Tom Scott and Winton Felder added depth and colour to the album’s musical palette. Despite a penchant for confessional songwriting, Joni contributed yet another pop classic in the form of “You Turn Me On, I’m A Radio,” her first top 40 hit under her own name.
By the mid-seventies the music world had undergone significant changes. A formerly diverse collection of independent record labels amalgamated into corporate music entities. The era of arena rock bought in vast amounts of revenue from both concert and vinyl records sales. Motown had progressed from a hit making assembly line to a socially conscious music vehicle with topical releases from Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. In 1974 Dylan released “Blood On The Tracks.” That year also saw the release of “Court & Spark,” by all accounts a monumental album in the history of modern popular music. The album included a virtual who’s who of L.A. session musicians who clearly understood Joni’s vision for creating sophisticated pop music. From the subdued piano chords of the brilliant title track to Joni’s interpretation of Annie Ross’ neurosis-fueled “Twisted,” the album was a marvel of insight and originality. “Peoples Parties” was a Woody Allen film rolled into three minutes of social insecurity. “The Same Situation” bemoaned the fate of the world by declaring “heaven full of astronauts and the lord on death row.” Robbie Robertson’s lead guitar positively burned on “Raised On Robbery,” while “Down To You” was a masterpiece of instrumental arrangement. Fueled by a top ten single in the form of “Help Me,” The Village Voice declared “Court & Spark” to be the album of year. Accolades poured in as the album rose to the number two position on the Billboard charts.
In retrospect her follow up “The Hissing Of Summer Lawns” was nearly as strong a release, although critics at the time did not agree. Perhaps the inclusion of the Drummers Of Burundi was too offbeat for some, and the album received a thrashing from several major industry publications. It was a shame, because “Hissing” contains some Joni’s finest material. The opener “In France They Kiss On Main Street” was a slice of youthful exuberance far removed from the bedroom confessions of her earlier work. The title track offered insightful observations of the California lifestyle of her musical contemporaries. “Shades Of Scarlet Conquering,” with its “Gone With The Wind” inspired eloquence, was a vocal tour-de-force.
In 1976 Joni took to the road for a solo driving trip across the U.S. The fresh air obviously served her well, inspiring her to write the songs included on her next album “Heijira,” an arabic word for “Journey.” Continuing an unprecedented streak of musical excellence, “Heijira” featured famed bassist Jaco Pastorius, whose fretless bass runs gave the album its distinctive, fluid tone. The metaphorical “Coyote” substitutes a hungry wolf for a male suitor incongruous with Joni’s musical ambitions. “Amelia” is perhaps the album’s most successful track, as a lonesome steel guitar conjures up the image of Amelia Erhart on her mysterious flight across the Atlantic. The legendary vocalists of the jazz era are evident on “Blue Motel Room,” with Joni’s smokey delivery echoing the ghosts of Billie and Ella. “Furry Sings The Blues,” featuring Neil Young’s distinctive harmonica, is a quirky tribute to bluesman Furry Lewis. “Heijera” may be a rather humourless affair, but its certainly a fine addition to the Joni canon.
In terms of open spaces, Joni’s next album “Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter” was her most experimental to date. A strictly non-commercial affair, it suggested a desire to branch out from the more cohesive nature of her past few albums. Joni always had an affinity for the bass guitar, and Jaco Pastorius’ nimble bass lines provide the foundation for a number of the lengthy, orchestral tracks. Over sixteen minutes in duration, “Paprika Plains” best exemplifies the sonic experimentation Joni was dealing in at the time.
On the subject of experimentation, in 1979 Joni collaborated with another great bass player Charles Mingus on an album simply entitled “Mingus.” A legend in the world of the 50’s and 60’s jazz, Mingus was much more than a bass player- his true genius lay in musical arrangements in the tradition of Duke Ellington, albeit with a dash of Sun Ra’s eccentricity thrown in for good measure. With Pastorius again on bass, Joni added poignant lyrics to Charlie’s classic “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat.” The two collaborated on “The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines,” employing the cinematic, film-noir feel which coloured much of his classic material.
“Mingus” was more than a competent bookend to a decade of artistic excellence. From her modest beginnings on the Canadian prairies, Joni had arrived at the upper halls of the jazz echelon. After ten albums of near-perfect recordings, the reward was more than deserved.

One of the more interesting musical trends in the 1980’s was the emergence of the “indie” rock scene. In contrast to the major record labels domination of the music charts in the late 1970’s, the early 80’s saw a plethora of independent record labels release dynamic new music which quickly caught the attention of college radio stations and alternative music fans. By the mid-eighties bands like R.E.M., The Smiths and a host of other guitar-based groups had not only achieved critical acclaim but were shifting some serious units for their label owners.
Into this musical landscape stepped three young men from Kelowna B.C., collectively known as The Grapes Of Wrath. Recently signed to Vancouver’s independent label Nettwerk, Kevin Kane, Tom Hooper and older brother Chris were soon to release their debut album “September Bowl Of Green.” Although recorded on a limited budget, the album’s first single “Misunderstanding” clearly showed the band had a knack for writing catchy, melodic pop-rock songs.
Three singles were eventually released from the album, and all are featured on recently released collection appropriately entitled “Singles.” Containing many highlights of their career to date as well as two newly recorded tracks, the collection traces the band’s progression from the indie guitar style to a more complex and original sound.
“O Lucky Man,” drawn from the Tom Cochrane- produced 1987 album “Treehouse,” marked a step forward both in terms of songwriting and quality of production. Multi-layered rhythm guitar tracks retain some of the “indie” feel, while the band’s signature vocal harmonies give the track its commercial appeal. “Peace Of Mind” is a wonderfully melodic piece of songwriting which served as the band’s first entry into the Canadian singles charts, reaching the number 57 position in October of 1987. The melancholy “Backward Town,” arguably their finest tune, is a poignant commentary on smalltown Canadian life accented with shimmering guitar and Tom Hooper’s McCartney- influenced bass lines.
In 1989 the band added keyboard player Vince Jones to the line-up, resulting in a more textured sound for their 1989 album “Now And Again.” Production duties shifted to Anton Fier, an American drummer closely associated with experimental New York musicians like Bill Laswell and The Lounge Lizards. Reaching the Canadian top thirty in 1990, “What Was Going Through My Head” was a terrific Lennon-esque composition enhanced by a subtle string arrangement and gentle acoustic guitar. The production, slightly reminiscent of the radio hits of the late 1960’s, was not unlike something from the seminal band Big Star’s early albums. Similar qualities would apply to the top twenty hit “All The Things I Wasn’t” a heartfelt ballad containing some of the band’s finest harmonies. “Do You Want To Tell Me,” featuring famed steel guitar player “Sneaky” Pete Kleinow(Flying Burrito Brothers), was a more uptempo affair which proved the Grapes capable of flexing some musical muscle when required.
Released in 1991, their follow-up album “These Days” was produced by John Leckie, a London-based producer whose credits include The Stone Roses, XTC and Simple Minds. Leckie’s production jettisoned the American guitar band influence in favour of the more atmospheric sound of the U.K. bands of the early 1990’s. The result was a dense and gritty style best exemplified by “I Am Here,” the band’s first single to reach the Canadian top ten. “You May Be Right” followed suit in both production and popularity, reaching the number seven position on the charts in October of 1991.
The singles collection also contains two new compositions which hint at the possibility of a new album in 2013. ”Take On The Day” is a well-constructed work in the tradition of their most successful ballad material, while “Good To See You” more than proves the band has retained their touch for creating melodic, radio-friendly pop hits.
“Singles” is a welcome addition to the Grapes’ discography, and serves as an important contribution to the band’s legacy. Considering the quality and diversity of the material, it is a legacy which will continue to grow within the pantheon of Canadian music history.

A fine work from Dave Thompson,who is obviously a genuine fan of Reed, Iggy and Bowie. What I found impressive is that in a musical world filled with commentary, anecdotes and gossip about these artists the author actually found some fresh facts to write about. I thought I had read it all re the Velvet Underground but Thompson comes up with some great new material. While some of the Bowie material seems familiar, especially regarding Tony Defries and Mainman, there are lots of insightful comments on Pop, Nico, Mott and the other cast of characters who influenced the so-called glam scene. The author wisely calls it a day when reaching Bowie "Let's Dance" period and Reed's awful early 80's output, and nicely concludes with comments on two ground-breaking but sadly neglected Reed albums, namely "Street Hassle" and the criminally under-rated "Take No Prisoners."

You would expect a book about the most decadent record label of the decadent 1970's to be a bit of a shocker, but sadly this is not the case with "And Party Every Day." Written by one of labels founders and Neil Bogart-sidekick Larry Harris, the book focuses too much on the records exec's and too little on the musical acts. Casablanca's roster included Kiss, Donna Summer, Village People and outrageous funksters Parliament, yet Harris tends to stick the record business side of things, which is interesting but not overly exciting. He paints a reasonable picture of label head Bogart, but even this portrayal is surprisingly detached. Overall it's a decent read, but certainly no earth-shaker.

Maybe it's the fact that I have been waiting for years for a decent songbook from Lou Reed, but I find this book rather disappointing. The song selection is decent but omits some crucial songs- Vicious, Candy Says, Kill Your Sons should have been included. The layout is a bit odd, with the tab pages placed in between the songs with chords- they should have all been together at the end of the book. The photo selection is disappointing too- no photos from Lou's 70's period when he was the master of cool. So I will continue to wait for a comprehensive Reed songbook with all the Velets songs and the crucial 70's tunes as well. Don't get me wrong, the book will appeal to folks who haven't figured out the chords to his songs on their own , but to hardcore fans it's kind of an odd package.

This is a great book for any Keith fanatic. Besides the obvious Keith-worship from the author(note Kris Needs is the actual author) the book is filled with intimate details of Keith's life. I have read a substantial amount about Keith and this book never fails to offer fresh insight. The author has interviewed and hung out with Keith on numerous occasions and offers some excellent behind-the-scenes anecdotes. All hail the Human Riff.

This book is well worth the money for any fan of The Cramps. Great interview with Lux and Ivy, nice photos, lots of information you won't find elsewhere. The Cramps were a great cult band who fused rockabilly with B-movie horror film imagery. The result were unique and powerful especially in the early days of the band. Songs The Lord Taught Us is their best album by a long shot. Once original guitarist Bryan Gregory and producer Alex Chilton were out of the picture it was never the same. It's better to burn out than fade away.

Very nice hard cover book with many previously unseen photos. Over half the book is dedicated to the Banana album with the second half focused on the remaining studio albums, 1969 Live and solo material from each member. Nice interview with Sterling at the end of the book. Although some of the text will be familiar to hardcore fans, I still recommend this book for its great photos,artwork and interesting facts.

Ribowsky contributes a vital addition to the Motown story. While the early chapters on the rise of the group from the Detroit projects sound a bit familiar ie traces of Call Me Miss Ross, Ribowsky offers solid insight into The Supremes' peak years and particularly the demise of Flo Ballard. The writer has some harsh words for Berry Gordy and Diana yet the tale is well balanced as it details Flo's numerous personal problems. While the band released superlative pop singles, the situation behind the scenes was competitive and grim- facts which the author captures most effectively. Worth the purchase, especially if you haven't read the Diana book or Mary Wilson's Dreamgirls.

This is definitely a well written book and I'm sure any Iggy fan would enjoy it a greal deal. It's well researched and covers the full spectrum of The Ig's early years, his period with The Stooges and his subsequent solo career. It doesn't hide the fact that Iggy was a wild man either. I was unaware that he was such a "high achiever" when he was young, voted the kid mostly likely to succeed in high school. I guess he did succeed in some ways but the book makes you wonder what his life would have been like had he not got into all that "hard partying." The book also covers his relationship with David Bowie, who helped rescue Iggy from the outer edge of sanity. After reading this work I can see why the author chose to call it "Open Up and Bleed", which pretty much sums up this performer's approach to his life and music.