January 2005 Newsletter Desert Island Records – by Russ Garvey When I think of a list of music or records that meet the best of label, I’m reminded of the BBC program called Desert Island Records, wherein the featured guest is required to come up with a list of 10 recordings that he or she could not live without if stranded on a desert island. The idea is not to pick the 10 best recordings of all time (whatever they might be) but to pick records that are important to you. Now, it would be nice if these recordings also exhibited some degree of relevance to the general public, i.e., groundbreaking, trend setting, genre changing, etc. It would also be nice if other folks have actually heard, or at least heard of, the listed record or artist. I think the other big qualifier is that you should own the recording -- not wish you owned, might have owned, gee, I really should buy this one, and so on. You should already have it in your collection, folks! I listed these parameters because you will always leave people wondering why some great recordings are not on your list. So here goes….10 records that are important to me, in my collection, some earth shattering, and all I’m sure you’ve heard of. Until I get to the end of this list, the records will appear in no particular order. The top two or three will be most important. 10. I’m going to start with a record that probably does not exist. Oh no, I just broke all my rules! But I have a good reason. I feel it’s important to list some classical music but I’m not really a student of the style; I just know what I like. Tchaikovsky’s “Waltz of the Flowers”, from the Nutcracker Suite Johann Strauss II’s “The Blue Danube Waltz” Vivaldi’s “Concerto in C” Chopin’s “Les Sylphides” Beethoven’s “9th Symphony” If I can get all of these on one record, I’m taking it with me. 10b. Okay, okay, if you won’t allow #10, then let’s substitute “Who’s Next” by The Who. With Keith Moon bringing the drum kit forward to a lead instrument, if you will, Pete Townshend’s writing and signature windmill chords, and Roger Daltry’s voice and swinging mike, it’s difficult excluding this group. This happens to be my favorite album of one of the best “live” rock and roll acts. 9. Chicago’s second album “Chicago”. Just an amazing group of classically trained musicians playing some good (and different) rock and roll. If you have not heard this in a while, you need to drag it out again. This album contained five hit singles, two of which are contained in the excellent suite Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon. . 8. Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Texas Flood.” Uh…..it’s Stevie Ray, what else is there to say? 7. Harry Nilsson’s “Harry.” During his “LA period,” John Lennon was asked by a reporter to name America’s best act and he replied, “Harry Nilsson.” I think the response was, “Harry who?” Harry is best known, of course, for his “I Guess the Lord Must be in New York City” from the film Midnight Cowboy. That song also appears on this album. This record is a great example of Americana music. 6. Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours.” Just a monster album when it was released with at least six hit singles. I also think Lindsey Buckingham doesn’t get the attention he deserves as a musician. 5. Jethro Tull’s “Aqualung.” I just really like Ian Anderson and I really like this album. 4. Jimi Hendrix Experience “Are you Experienced.” I’d pick this just for ”Hey Joe.” But this album also includes “Purple Haze,” “Manic Depression,” “The Wind Cries Mary,” “Fire” and “Foxy Lady.” 3. The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” The mother of all concept albums and the record that changed the way we listen to the radio. Before Sgt. Pepper, top 40 AM radio made up a large part of our youthful universe. This album, with no singles released, helped launch album rock FM radio. This carnival musical ride the Beatles launched included “A Day in the Life” -- a seminal piece that some consider their best. 2. Leo Kottke’s “The Best.” I own all 25 of Leo’s records. Choosing just one proved difficult so I picked this compilation. Leo Kottke is simply a virtuoso on finger style guitar, especially the 12-string. John Fahey, a master in his own right, was “accused of cloning some sort of Frankenstein megaguitarist” with the release of Leo’s first album on Tacoma records, according to the liner notes by Dr. Demento. His style is so unique (a mixture of blue grass, classical and finger style), that the University of Minnesota named a music course after him. His droll sense of humor and deep voice are a delight in concert venues. I’ve seen him perform seven times and am always amazed at the number of guitar players in the audience. In Chicago, while watching and listening to him race through a particularly difficult passage of a song, I heard a f- -k uttered softly two rows behind me. That says it all. 1. The Beatles “Abby Road.” If I was only allowed one record, and if I could play only one side of one record for the rest of my life, it would have to be the B side of Abby Road. After George Harrison’s “Here Comes the Sun” and the #2 cut, we get that marvelous and imaginative medley of tunes starting with “You Never Give Me Your Money” and ending with “The End.”. Listen for the various bridges between these tracks: two on the drums, two on the guitar, one with crickets and bells, and, my favorite, a series of descending and ascending guitar chords bridging “Mean Mr. Mustard” and “Polythene Pam.” And for those folks who claimed the Beatles really didn’t know how to rock and roll, cue up “The End” to hear the drum solo intro to some answering guitar riffs that are about as hard rock as it gets. The recording of this album ends the career of the most influential musical group of the last century or, at least, the second half of it. I can’t think of a more appropriate way to go out then with, “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make”. Well, there you have it. Picking just ten is difficult, which is why we don’t get to pick 15, 25 or 50. As I look over my list, I realize who did NOT make it. It is sort of like picking the best baseball team of all time and realizing that Stan Musial, Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle make up your reserve outfield. Yikes! So that’s why we don’t see Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Satchmo, Errol Garner and Frank Sinatra. Also missing in action are Led Zepplin for chrissake, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Byrds and The Yardbirds. How about Neil Young, not to mention C,S & N. Or Pink Floyd, The Moody Blues, and…and…oh my god, Bob Dylan! Ooooh, my head hurts, I’ve gotta go lie down! President's Corner Hello, Everyone, Season's Greetings, and Happy New Year. Happy Festivus! Just a few words about the past year, before moving on to the new. Thanks to Tony and Sallie Williams, and to Michael and Rosemary Burger for hosting the November and December meetings. Both were great successes, and a lot of fun. As Michael Burger said, our club could not survive financially without the generosity of the members who host, and pay for, meetings at their homes. Special thanks to Mike VansEvers for shouldering a disproportionate share of the load. Our officers remain the same for 2005 as in 2003 and 2004, with Jim Maher continuing as newsletter editor, and Michael Burger continuing as treasurer, and me as president. Per Pete Townshend, "Meet the new boss; the same as the old boss." Hopefully, we're steering the club in the directions our members would like it to go, rather than bossing anybody; new input is always welcome, not to mention hard to come by. We start off 2005 at an old favorite meeting place, the home of Russ and Judy Garvey, and the famed, cockpit-sized listening room, which contains about as much gear as an actual cockpit; everything but the bar. Compliments about their beautiful new kitchen area will be accepted. Due to CES, the meeting night has been changed to Monday, January 3rd, still at 7:30 p.m. Speaking of CES, several club members will be attending, some with money burning a hole in their pockets, so look for some new and exciting equipment to listen to in the coming few months. By the way, Tom Burdell, and Mike Knapp, some of your equipment is at least two to three weeks old, so let's get busy with some non-antiques. As long as my Victrola is still working, I won't be jumping on the new gear bandwagon, but we can't let the rest of you off the hook that easily. In the coming months, I hope we'll be having a couple of in-home concerts, as well as continued meetings at each other's homes. Mike Knapp will be hosting February's meeting, so we'll finally get the chance to hear Mike's new system, with speakers by Harley Day. Everyone who's heard them has been raving about them, so it will be fun to actually hear them for ourselves. Russ Garvey was kind enough to compile his best of list for us, and he took perhaps the most challenging route possible by limiting himself to just 10 discs. To those of you who haven't done this, it's a very interesting thing to do. You don't have to wait for me to invite you to submit a list, just send it to me, and we'll get it in a future newsletter. By the way, 2004 and 2005 dues are due now. Please see Michael Burger. Thank you. See you soon, Peter Fiskio President, TBLS email: pfiskio1@tampabay.rr.com phone: 813-805-6514