Hi Richard, nice piece as always. I've been listening a lot to Burning Spear recently, which drew me back to Sinead's Throw Down Your Arms. It's my favourite album of hers, actually.
As for Ochs, - and it might be an obvious choice - but the track 'Pleasures of the Harbor' gets me every time I hear it. There is also an acoustic version of 'Crucifixion' I have on a box set of his - 'Farewells & Fantasies' if memory serves - which is also another terrific performance.
TBH, I'm no longer in sync with the overt politicking of the likes of Bragg, but 'The Man in The Iron Mask' and 'The Saturday Boy' are tops.
And I still have a lot of time for Rory, I'd say my favourite album is Mouth to Mouth, 'Hunger is the Best Sauce' - lip smacking fun!
Thanks Martin. I love these alternative track/album choices, and you've made me want to go and listen to them all. I almost chose 'Pleasures of the Harbor' as my Ochs pick. I got the album on vinyl a few years back and it's sitting by my deck now, next to Rory's Angry Love, a record from the Our Price days. I'd dug that out as the title track is dedicated to Victor Jara; what I'd forgotten was how good the songs sound production-wise: it really bursts from the speakers, and with some nice separation of all the instruments RM is playing.
Must get that Ochs box. And must write something about Rory one of these days, just such an amazing musician.
Great post, Richard. I've just purchased Sinead's autobiography and am looking forward to reading it, especially after what you've said here. I should add that I just finished reading a biography of Janis Joplin and Kristofferson was a big fan, friend, and supporter of her as well.
It was On the Road with Janis Joplin, by John Byrne Cooke, who was her road manager during Big Brother, Kozmic Blues, and Full Tilt Boogie. He's the one who found her when she overdosed. His father was Alistair Cooke, and I highly recommend the book.
I'm now starting on Buried Alive by Myra Friedman, who worked for Albert Grossman after being at Decca and Columbia, and who was friends with her.
Janis is going to be the first in my Women in Rock series. I am only reading auto/biographies by people who were on the inside as I'm focused on the psychology and factors for success. I do think biographies like Echols' can be useful for looking at artists in context and exploring their contributions, but not my own focus at this time.
Great piece, Richard. Fela Kuti stands out to me as one of the greatest protest artists. He also paid the ultimate price for his political dissent and protest music. Yet, despite beatings, imprisonment, near death, torching of his compound, and horrific raping of his wives at the hands of the Nigerian Army, Fela never backed down and returned stronger with his artistic yet caustic response and criticism of the government.
I am also a big fan of Country Joe McDonald, who is best known for his time with the rock band Country Joe & The Fish. However, he recorded several folk songs before teaming up with The Fish (compiled on an LP titled Country Joe McDonald - "The Early Years"). After he left the band in 1970, he recorded multiple solo records. Many are in protest of war and the environmental threat. One that immediately stands out is his 1971 album titled 'War War War,' whose lyrics are based on the poetry of Robert William Service.
McDonald was clearly a folk artist at heart and very influenced by Woody, Seeger, and Dylan (as well as many early folk singers). Some of his solo albums are well worth investigating and I think you may dig them.
Thanks, Michael, and apologies for the slow response. I love Fela Kuti's work. Like Victor Jara, and Phil Ochs to an extent, he is an example of a musician who genuinely scared the authorities, which is not something that can be said about some of the more commonly identified protest singers of the late twentieth century. Given my angle on protest singers who were remembered in song, I'd be curious to know to what extent this has been the case for Fela. It's not something I've looked into yet, but could be an interesting angle for a future post.
I listened to quite a bit of Country Joe McDonald when I was younger. There was an extended period where my fascination with late 60s counterculture led me to listening to many artists and he was one. I haven't really continued listening to his work since those days and, though I did hear some of the material beyond 'the Fish', I don't recall it so well now. I'll make a note to remedy that when I get a chance.
Hi Richard, nice piece as always. I've been listening a lot to Burning Spear recently, which drew me back to Sinead's Throw Down Your Arms. It's my favourite album of hers, actually.
As for Ochs, - and it might be an obvious choice - but the track 'Pleasures of the Harbor' gets me every time I hear it. There is also an acoustic version of 'Crucifixion' I have on a box set of his - 'Farewells & Fantasies' if memory serves - which is also another terrific performance.
TBH, I'm no longer in sync with the overt politicking of the likes of Bragg, but 'The Man in The Iron Mask' and 'The Saturday Boy' are tops.
And I still have a lot of time for Rory, I'd say my favourite album is Mouth to Mouth, 'Hunger is the Best Sauce' - lip smacking fun!
All the best. Martin
Thanks Martin. I love these alternative track/album choices, and you've made me want to go and listen to them all. I almost chose 'Pleasures of the Harbor' as my Ochs pick. I got the album on vinyl a few years back and it's sitting by my deck now, next to Rory's Angry Love, a record from the Our Price days. I'd dug that out as the title track is dedicated to Victor Jara; what I'd forgotten was how good the songs sound production-wise: it really bursts from the speakers, and with some nice separation of all the instruments RM is playing.
Must get that Ochs box. And must write something about Rory one of these days, just such an amazing musician.
All the best.
Great post, Richard. I've just purchased Sinead's autobiography and am looking forward to reading it, especially after what you've said here. I should add that I just finished reading a biography of Janis Joplin and Kristofferson was a big fan, friend, and supporter of her as well.
Thanks Ellen. Is that Alice Echols' book on Janis by any chance? I haven't read it but it's been on my list for a while.
It was On the Road with Janis Joplin, by John Byrne Cooke, who was her road manager during Big Brother, Kozmic Blues, and Full Tilt Boogie. He's the one who found her when she overdosed. His father was Alistair Cooke, and I highly recommend the book.
I'm now starting on Buried Alive by Myra Friedman, who worked for Albert Grossman after being at Decca and Columbia, and who was friends with her.
Janis is going to be the first in my Women in Rock series. I am only reading auto/biographies by people who were on the inside as I'm focused on the psychology and factors for success. I do think biographies like Echols' can be useful for looking at artists in context and exploring their contributions, but not my own focus at this time.
I enjoyed this v much Richard. My intro to protest came through Red Wedge in the 80s.
The first gig I went to.
Thanks Margaret!
Great piece, Richard. Fela Kuti stands out to me as one of the greatest protest artists. He also paid the ultimate price for his political dissent and protest music. Yet, despite beatings, imprisonment, near death, torching of his compound, and horrific raping of his wives at the hands of the Nigerian Army, Fela never backed down and returned stronger with his artistic yet caustic response and criticism of the government.
I am also a big fan of Country Joe McDonald, who is best known for his time with the rock band Country Joe & The Fish. However, he recorded several folk songs before teaming up with The Fish (compiled on an LP titled Country Joe McDonald - "The Early Years"). After he left the band in 1970, he recorded multiple solo records. Many are in protest of war and the environmental threat. One that immediately stands out is his 1971 album titled 'War War War,' whose lyrics are based on the poetry of Robert William Service.
McDonald was clearly a folk artist at heart and very influenced by Woody, Seeger, and Dylan (as well as many early folk singers). Some of his solo albums are well worth investigating and I think you may dig them.
Thanks, Michael, and apologies for the slow response. I love Fela Kuti's work. Like Victor Jara, and Phil Ochs to an extent, he is an example of a musician who genuinely scared the authorities, which is not something that can be said about some of the more commonly identified protest singers of the late twentieth century. Given my angle on protest singers who were remembered in song, I'd be curious to know to what extent this has been the case for Fela. It's not something I've looked into yet, but could be an interesting angle for a future post.
I listened to quite a bit of Country Joe McDonald when I was younger. There was an extended period where my fascination with late 60s counterculture led me to listening to many artists and he was one. I haven't really continued listening to his work since those days and, though I did hear some of the material beyond 'the Fish', I don't recall it so well now. I'll make a note to remedy that when I get a chance.
Thank you for sharing!🙂
Thanks Mitchell!
https://open.substack.com/pub/jochap/p/my-life-through-music-music-that?r=39i1aq&utm_medium=ios