February 9:
♫ Welcome everybody
to the first issue of ‘news, views and music’ since…the last one. OK, so we’ve
run out of anniversaries/ events to celebrate this week, but chances are if
you’ve been reading these articles since the beginning then you’ll know what to
expect by now so its business as usual! We’ve been added to a couple more
search engines this week and had some good responses from our post on the csny
‘4waysite’ (make sure you visit them sometime if you haven’t already!) Thanks
also to those of you who have signed our guestbook already – keep those
comments and ideas flooding in! In the meantime enjoy our latest cornucopia of
events from the AAA this week, starting with some very sad news indeed…
♫ Buffalo Springfield
The eldest member of the
Springfield, Dewey was born in Canada on September 30th 1940 and is
just 9 days older than John Lennon (if you’ve read about a different date for
Dewey’s birth then chances are you’ve been reading the original Springfield
record sleeves, where Dewey’s age was always marked down from what it really
was – not unusual in rock and roll, such as the Stones also used to knock five
years off Bill Wyman’s age). When the band were formed in 1965 Dewey was their
most experienced musician by far, having become the regular sideman of another
then-famous Young – Faron Young – played drums for LA band ‘The Sons Of Adam’
who supported the Beach Boys on one of their 1964 tours and fronted his own
locally-successful band ‘Sir Raleigh and the Coupons’, making two higly
collectible singles along the way. However his mid-60s stint with The Dillards
came to nought when the future bluegrass stars decided to ditch their electric
instruments in favour of more traditional music, axing the band’s rhythm
section along the way.
It was thanks to that groups’
leader Doug Dillard, however, that in early 1966 Dewey first heard about an
up-and-coming American/Canadian band that were after a drummer. Legend has it
that the Buffalo Springfield first coined their name on the day that Dewey –
the last member to join the group – first met the rest of the band. Their
unusual name was taken from a steamroller company which - depending on whether
you read Neil’s, Stephen’s or Richie’s account – was either copied, given with
the company’s permission or stolen! Either way, the band were said to be
demurring over whether the ‘Buffalo Springfield’ name was right for them until
Dewey enthusiastically told them their music was ‘heavy’ enough to deserve the
name!
Like the rest of the band,
Dewey seemed to click quickly with the quirky Springfield
Despite being 3/5ths
Canadian, the band had the perfect ‘American’ image to match the times, with
Stephen Stills dressed as the quintessential ‘cowboy’, Richie Furay the
all-American boy-next-door and Neil Young the exotic and brooding
‘Indian’. The Springfield’s music too
was deeply unusual and much praised at the time, even for the mid-1960s when
the mania new bands and new styles was probably at its peak, with one critic
memorably describing the Springfield sound as ‘a bunch of folkies backed by a
Stax-Volt rhythm section’. The future looked even brighter when – after a
couple of false starts with the Neil Young songs ‘Clancy’ and ‘Burned’ – the
Springfield broke big with the Stephen Stills song ‘For What It’s Worth (Stop,
Hey, What’s That Sound?)’.
Alas the band would never
have another hit again. All the promise shown in the Springfield’s early days
never quite translated to the studio, owing to a combination of the band’s
rowdiness (Neil left the band no less than four times during the next 18
months) and the inexperience of faithful band managers Charlie Greene and Brian
Stone, who had decided to cut out the middleman and ‘produce’ the band’s
records themselves, despite having never set step inside a recording studio
before. In retrospect, the band simply went through too much too quickly,
having been together as a ‘band’ just a mater of months before making the big
time (although at least the other members – unlike Dewey – has known at least
one other member of the band for a couple of years by that time) and simply
didn’t know each other that well before the strain of touring and recording got
on everybody’s nerves. Whatever or whoever the cause (and every band member has
been blamed for the collapse by somebody), the Springfield collapsed every
single time that true stabilising break-through success seemed on the cards
(Bruce got deported from America on drugs charges on the eve of a 1967 tour;
Neil quit the band the first time when the band were booked for the prestigious
Johnny Carson show and a second time right before the band’s appearance at the
1967 Monterey Pop Festival).
Dewey’s reported habit of
speaking his mind all the time was also less appreciated in the Springfield
Martin’s distinctive drum
sound played a major part in the band’s success and he attempted several
different styles over the course of the band’s lifetime, including light and
feathery pop on songs like ‘Rock and Roll Women’, rock and roll on ‘Mr Soul’,
‘rockabilly on ‘Go And Say Goodbye’, shuffle on ‘Pretty Girl Why’, some jungle
rhythms on Stills’ early latin experiment ‘Uno Mundo’ and a thrilling
orchestral landscape on the mournful ‘In The Hour OF Not Quite Rain’. Dewey
also had a wonderful earthy tone that came in handy for several backing vocals
(‘For What It’s Worth’ being the most famous example) as well as a cameo
singing the opening of Neil’s ‘Mr Soul’ on the guitarist’s pop-art collage
‘Broken Arrow’ and his sole recorded lead vocal for the band, ‘Good Time Boy’. That
song – written by Furay especially for the drummer – sums up Dewey’s
live-for-the-moment zest-for-life personality nicely (it wasn’t for nothing
that Dewey was described as ‘generous’ and ‘sincere’ on the back of the
Springfield’s first album cover!) A further vocal, on Furay’s ‘Nobody’s Fool’,
remains un-issued strangely, despite the mountain of off-cuts and rarities
packed into the box-set ‘Buffalo Springfield’ (1998).
Following the Springfield’s
demise after a farewell gig in May 1968, Dewey announced that he planned to
make a record with his wife Jane, but instead formed his own ‘successor’ group
‘The New Buffalo Springfield’. The only member included from the Springfield ’s line-up, Dewey seemed to be flogging a dead
horse but seemed reluctant to let the dream and promise of the Springfield Springfield
Dewey was slightly more
successful with his early ‘70’s band ‘Medicine Ball’, who released an eponymous
album in August 1970 with a guest appearance by Springfield
Had the Springfield
lasted just a little longer and had a few more lucky breaks, Dewey’s name would
be known by everybody, not just the few aficionados who carry the Buffalo
There are still plenty of
classic Dewey Martin moments, though, so here is an AAA top five tribute:
5) ‘In The Hour Of Not Quite
Rain’ (B.Springfield ‘Last Time Around’, 1968): Only Furay and Martin appear on
this fascinating track, written by Richie as part of a ‘write a song for the
Buffalo Springfield’ competition, run by American radio station KHJ during
1968. Alas there was hardly any band left to take part in the competition by
the time the results were announced – a shame because competition winner
Mickeala Callen’s moody lyrics are a fascinating slice of complex poetry that
work well with Richie’s sinister, multi-layered music. Without the other
Springfielders left to carry the sound, Richie chose to use a thick and heavy
orchestral arrangement that brings out the best in Dewey’s playing. His usually
bright and breezy energetic sound is reduced to a half-tempo plod and yet this
sluggishness, with a few bright tinklings on the cymbals, does much to benefit
the mood and feel of the song.
4) ‘Bluebird’ (B.Springfield
‘Again’, 1967): What with the 1,111 guitars (or so the sleeve says anyway and
there seems to be so much going on in this track it’s easy to be convinced!)
it’s easy to miss all the twists and turns that Dewey goes through in order to
keep up with this most complex of Stephen Stills songs. Like the rest of the
band, Dewey comes charging out of the box with a pulsating drum pattern that
must have been exhausting to play, adding in drums fills of all sorts whenever
the song seems to be calling for one. Like Love’s ‘7 and 7 Is’ from a similar
time or anything featuring Keith Moon, this is drum playing on the verge of
being out of control without ever quite going over the edge (although is it
just me or do I detect Dewey – and thereafter the band – slowing down slightly
during Stills’ lengthy acoustic solo near the end of the song?) Even better –
from Dewey’s point of view anyway – is the Springfield
3) ‘Mr.Soul’ (B.Springfield
‘Again’, 1967): Dewey tried to get his soul hero and fellow AAA artist Otis Redding
to record this song until its author Neil Young nixed the idea. A shame as this
soul-rock hybrid would have been perfect for the gentle giant – especially if
he was backed by Martin on his recording too. Like ‘Rain’, Dewey has pared back
the sound a great deal, leaving out all of his usual accessories and kit rolls
in favour of a simple rock and roll groove that gives plenty of space for first
Young and then Stills to show off their improvised guitar playing. Neil’s angry
venomous lyrics lamenting the cost of fame (in the days before he really had
any!) find their perfect accompaniment in the Springfield
2) ‘Can You Dig It?’ (The
Monkees ‘Head’, 1968): The easiest way for fellow AAA-loving listeners to get
their hand on Dewey’s playing outside the Springfield is to listen to the work
Martin and Stills did on the Monkees’ seminal 1968 film soundtrack recording
‘Head’ (see review no 27). While ‘Long Title’ is a joyful rock and roll groove,
‘Can You Dig It?’ shows off much more of Dewey’s skill and – like most of
Tork’s handful of songs – is extremely complex, taking in several time changes
and differences of mood along the way. Dewey and percussionist Michael Glass
kick up quite a storm between them, dominating the textures of Tork’s song of
change and Eastern mysticism, keeping the band tight in the first half before
backing off to let everyone into a fierce free-flight acoustic solo in the
second half. The closest thing on record to a Dewey Martin drum solo, this is
proof of the drummer’s talents and how good he was when given room to stretch
away from a band as wide and diversified as the Buffalo Springfield.
1) ‘Good Time Boy’
(B.Springfield ‘Again’, 1967): Dewey drums and sings on this track, specially
written by Richie to give him something to sing that would match his carefree
personality. Dewey’s military-style drumming at last gives him a chance to show
off his skills without the band’s three guitarists getting in the way and his
vocal is confident, growly and suitably expressive, even if the scat section
and hoarse finale is perhaps a little too outré for most Springfield fans. As
the lyrics put it ‘’cause now I’m with you, that’s why they call me good ole
Dew, and I can’t change right now it seems, but its alright to be a good time
boy.’
♫
Beatles news: Onto happier things now, with the new that we might finally have
something AAA-related to celebrate Comic Relief with this year along with the
usual cook books and red nosed-novelties. Stella McCartney, Paul’s youngest daughter,
has been commissioned to design three T-shirts celebrating red nose day on
March 13 including a photograph of the Beatles taken by her mother Linda (at
the Sgt Peppers Launch Party on June 1st 1967 I believe) but with
added red noses. Both Ringo and – surprisingly given his otherwise faithful
support of his daughter’s achievements – Paul have been quiet about this latest
Beatles product, but Macca and George in particular have always done a great
deal for charity and the idea seems to have been well received by the Beatles
community in general. I can’t comment any more yet as my T-shirt is due in the
post but if you would like your own (or the other prints available of
much-missed comedy heroes Morecambe and Wise, plus a red-nosed rabbit) then visit
www.bbc.co.uk/rednoseday and
place your orders now. The Beatles T-shirts is available in a range of sizes
for babies, children and adults.
♫
CSN news: Boo-hoo, the release of the Graham Nash set ‘reflections’ has been
pushed back in the UK to February 16th, although it went ahead as
planned on Feb 2nd and our American cousins seem to be enjoying a
great deal given some of the comments I’ve been reading on CSN’s ‘4waysite’. Expect
a review when my set arrives!
Two other quite possibly ‘phantom’ releases for you too. Apparently
the two Stephen Stills/ Manassas albums are being prepared for a 2CD re-release
sometime soon, although its not clear if any of the out-takes from the sessions
(which include half-a-dozen tracks left off the second album alone) will be
released for the first time or not. The first double Manassas
♫
Pink Floyd news: Another set already out that seems to have slipped quietly
through the net of music reviewers is David Gilmour’s 1984 concert at the
Hammersmith Odeon in 1984. The video of this concert has been long deleted and
is so rare that – shock horror – even I haven’t got a copy of it (indeed, I’ve
never even seen it anywhere), so this DVD release is very welcome indeed
despite being – gulp – the third solo Gilmour-in-concert DVD of the past five
or six years. Unlike recent Gilmour
concerts, this one is dominated by solo rather than Floyd material,
mainly taken up with Gilmour’s under-rated second solo album ‘About Face’. Most
collectors will probably want it for Nick mason’s guest appearance on
‘Comfortably Numb’ and ‘Run Like Hell’, though. It’s not as yet clear whether
the extras included on the original video – promo videos for ‘Blue Light’ and
the Gilmour-Pete Townshend collaboration ‘All Lovers Are Deranges’ – will be
included on the DVD.
♫
Neil Young news: Finally, a mention too for a live Neil Young DVD that seems to
be listed with some regularity among traders, even though any review or
official announcement has passed me by. Titled ‘Rock At The Beach’, this set
was recorded during one of Neil’s many creative returns to forms in 1989, at Long Island Beach
Another Neil Young release that snuck out quietly while everybody
was paying attention to the deluxe ‘Archives’ set (which has been delayed for
the 9th time in 20 years, incidentally, but not cancelled. Not yet
anyway) is ‘Hot Summer Nights In London’, a curious mish-mash of a DVD
containing a short concert of Neil solo in ‘After The Goldush’ mode 1971 and a
short concert featuring Crazy Horse in 1976. Again, this DVD never seems to
have been available in any mainstream shops, but is listed in several traders’
columns. More news if and when and who and where and above all why.
♫
Anniversaries: Happy Be-Bop-A-Lula Birthdays this week go to Peter Tork
(Monkees 1966-68) who turns 63 on February 13th and Mick Avory
(drummer with The Kinks 1963-85) who turns 65 on February 15th.
Anniversaries of events this week include: the Beatles’ famous appearance on
the Ed Sullivan TV show, the event that more than anything turned them into
global – or at least American, which h in this period was almost the same thing
– superstars (February 9 1964), the first live appearance of Paul McCartney’s Wings
exactly eight years later, the mammoth 14-hour session that results in the
recording of all but two tracks of the fab four’s debut album ‘Please Please
Me’ (February 12th 1963), Pink Floyd finally break the record of
‘longest stay in the US charts’ when Dark Side Of The Moon clocks up 402
consecutive weeks (February 13th 1982) and finally two important
dates in the history of the Who: Valentine’s day 1970 was the date that the
‘orrible ‘oo played their ‘Live At Leeds’ set and February 15th the
following year saw the first life performance of the band’s ‘Lifehouse’ project
(which, after several struggles, became classic album ‘Who’s Next’).
