Friday, May 31, 2013
WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC : RIGHTS INFORMATION
Though it most often goes without saying, and we post a notice like this one in our Pages, once in a while we post a notice like this one in our posts. We want to reminds readers that the content of this blog is Copyright Wes Bryan and Christine Trzyna with all rights reserved including Internet and International Rights.
We are linking to a good many web sites, favoring the official web sites of various famous and important musical artists as well as reference sites and music videos. If we link to your site or a video you uploaded and you don't want us to reference it, please let us know (you can always leave a comment), and we'll take down the link. The content of other people's sites remains their own.
We also appreciate hearing about any link that is down or video that has been removed from its source, such as YouTube!
Thank you for your consideration and courtesy!
Christine Trzyna and Wes Bryan
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
WIRED FOR SOUND A GUITAR ODYSSY : THE AMAZING STORY OF THE GUITAR : DVD/FILM REVIEW
WIRED FOR SOUND A GUITAR ODYSSY, subtitled THE AMAZING STORY OF THE GUITAR, features some of the "Guitar Gods" of the 20th/ 21st century: Scotty Moore of Elvis Presley's Blue Moon Boys, Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Hank Williams Jr., not to mention Rock and Roll performers like Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones and Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins...
They talk about the guitar as an instrument itself, and there is plenty of historical film footage and interviews in this one! There's a visit to Orville H. Gibson's work shop... and well, this is like a biography of the instrument itself.
What we learned?
Americans coming through Liverpool brought American records and American guitars which were sold in the stores, some so precious that they were kept behind glass.
The DVD/film is C 2000 Cottonport Holdings Nashville.
They talk about the guitar as an instrument itself, and there is plenty of historical film footage and interviews in this one! There's a visit to Orville H. Gibson's work shop... and well, this is like a biography of the instrument itself.
What we learned?
Americans coming through Liverpool brought American records and American guitars which were sold in the stores, some so precious that they were kept behind glass.
The DVD/film is C 2000 Cottonport Holdings Nashville.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Saturday, May 25, 2013
BOB DYLAN : NO DIRECTION HOME : A MARTIN SCORSESE PICTURE
Circa 2005, Apple presents a Martin Scorsese Picture- 2 CD set.
Lots of Joan Baez and Maria Muldaur interviews on Bob. Especially early Bob in New York. Have you seen it?
Lots of Joan Baez and Maria Muldaur interviews on Bob. Especially early Bob in New York. Have you seen it?
Thursday, May 23, 2013
(465) JOAN BAEZ : SHE OWNED THE LABEL PROTEST SINGER
BBC - Joan invading Britain. When Less is More. Simply beautiful voice, and a strong connection to the Americanfolk and country music.
Joan Baez and Bob Dylan worked together and were involved very early on. She says she introduced him to audiences and he moved on and didn't look back of return the favor. Yet they both stayed true to themselves.
JOAN BAEZ OFFICIAL! There's an excellent biography here that explains the social causes Joan has backed through many years, a discography, and so much else.
Joan Baez and Bob Dylan worked together and were involved very early on. She says she introduced him to audiences and he moved on and didn't look back of return the favor. Yet they both stayed true to themselves.
JOAN BAEZ OFFICIAL! There's an excellent biography here that explains the social causes Joan has backed through many years, a discography, and so much else.
Monday, May 20, 2013
(464) BOB DYLAN OFFICIALLY GENIUS
BOB DYLAN OFFICIAL SITE Still touring, but you knew that!
Probably the most prolific songwriter of the 21st century, Bob Dylan is officially a genius - a creative genius. Many of his songs stand as poetry without the music. He's literary.
I remember sitting around with a group of songwriters talking about Bob. The question was "How does he do it?" The answer seemed to be that Bob used newspapers - stories and headlines - as inspiration. He was living many lives vicariously through the news.
Bob seemed to be cagey - sometimes inarticulate - on some interviews. He would protest being a protest singer. He would put on people he thought were putting him on. He didn't want to be stereotyped in terms of what sort of music he was writing and singing and was annoyed to be portrayed as a "jingle jangle man." He was not so mellow. And private; you heard very little about the true loves of his, had no idea.
Maybe he just didn't want to close any doors on what he would write about or which direction he would go. Still today there is understood to be a Bob Dylan sound, and it has a lot to do with his distinctive voice, which is not the best voice in the music business. No three octave range or high notes for Bob but some artists with that range have covered his songs and made them their own.
One of the most successful songwriters financially, he made millions early and could have retired and been OK, say after his motorcycle accident. He went off somewhere and disappeared. Ex-Beatle George Harrison pulled him out of a funk to be on stage in his Concert for Bangladesh in 1971, and they were lifelong friends who respected each other and recorded and played together in The Traveling Willburys.
Probably the most prolific songwriter of the 21st century, Bob Dylan is officially a genius - a creative genius. Many of his songs stand as poetry without the music. He's literary.
I remember sitting around with a group of songwriters talking about Bob. The question was "How does he do it?" The answer seemed to be that Bob used newspapers - stories and headlines - as inspiration. He was living many lives vicariously through the news.
Bob seemed to be cagey - sometimes inarticulate - on some interviews. He would protest being a protest singer. He would put on people he thought were putting him on. He didn't want to be stereotyped in terms of what sort of music he was writing and singing and was annoyed to be portrayed as a "jingle jangle man." He was not so mellow. And private; you heard very little about the true loves of his, had no idea.
Maybe he just didn't want to close any doors on what he would write about or which direction he would go. Still today there is understood to be a Bob Dylan sound, and it has a lot to do with his distinctive voice, which is not the best voice in the music business. No three octave range or high notes for Bob but some artists with that range have covered his songs and made them their own.
One of the most successful songwriters financially, he made millions early and could have retired and been OK, say after his motorcycle accident. He went off somewhere and disappeared. Ex-Beatle George Harrison pulled him out of a funk to be on stage in his Concert for Bangladesh in 1971, and they were lifelong friends who respected each other and recorded and played together in The Traveling Willburys.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
FOLK SINGER BOB DYLAN INVADES BRITAIN AND GOES ELECTRIC
Bob Dylan went to England as an established "American Folk Singer" and went Electric and fans protested. Bob was protesting being called a "Protest Singer."
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
WHAT DID ELVIS HAVE TO DO WITH BOB DYLAN? Quote
"When I first heard Elvis' voice I just knew that I wasn't going to work for anybody; and nobody was going to be my boss. Hearing him for the first time was like busting out of jail." - Bob Dylan
Monday, May 13, 2013
NEIL YOUNG ON SONGWRITING : NOT THE TIME FOR INTERROGATION OR ANALYSIS
"When i write a song, it starts with a feeling. I can hear something in my head or feel it in my heart. It may be that I just picked up the guitar and mindlessly started playing. That's the way a lodt of songs begin. When you do that, you are not thinking. Thinking is the worst thing for writing a song. So you just start playing and something new comes out. Where does it come from? Who cares? Just keep it and go with it. That's what I do. I never judge it. I believe it. It came as a gift when I picked up my musical instrument and it came through me laying with the instrument. The chords and melody just appeared. Now is not the time for interrogation or analysis. Now is the time to get to know the song, not change it before you even know it. It is like a wild animal, a living thing. Be careful not to scare it away. That's my method, or one of my methods, at least. - Neil Young.
This quote and others from Neil Young are from his recent memoir.
This quote and others from Neil Young are from his recent memoir.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
(463) BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD DEBUT ALBUM 1966 : THAT CALIFORNIA ROCK SOUND
NEIL YOUNG,
DAVID CROSBY,
STEPHEN STILLS,
RICHIE FURAY,
JIM MESSINA
...
We can think of them as a kind of Supergroup that spawned other groups and a whole lot of music that changed the sound of Rock and Roll and has provided us some of the most renown songwriters and most memorable music.
Buffalo Springfield was short but sweet and helped define the California Folk Rock sound of the mid 1960's.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
DVD : ED SULLIVAN PRESENTS ROCK N ROLL REVOLUTION : THE BRITISH INVADE AMERICA - AMERICA FIGHTS BACK
I performed on the Ed Sullivan show, and a while back we contacted the owners of the archive to see if they have preserved that performance. Never heard a thing. These days the Ed Sullivan Show (SOFA Entertainment) has their own YouTube station.
This DVD is a series of Ed Sullivan show performances of The Beatles, Gerry (Marsden) and the Pacemakers, The Rollings Stones, The Animals, The Byrds, Bob Dylan, The Hollies, Herman's Hermits, James Brown, The Supremes, The Righteous Brothers, The Lovin' Spoonful, The Mamas and the Papas, The Beach Boys...Well selected by SOFA ENTERTNAINMENT to truly present the American and British bands that were hitting the charts about the same time in the min 1960's. As you can see from the list, it touches on the American Invasion of Britain as well.
Hosted by Graham Nash and Michelle Phillips, Producted by Andrew Solt, Greg Vines, Leslie Tong, and written by Andrew Solt... C 2011 SOFA Entertainemtn.
This DVD is a series of Ed Sullivan show performances of The Beatles, Gerry (Marsden) and the Pacemakers, The Rollings Stones, The Animals, The Byrds, Bob Dylan, The Hollies, Herman's Hermits, James Brown, The Supremes, The Righteous Brothers, The Lovin' Spoonful, The Mamas and the Papas, The Beach Boys...Well selected by SOFA ENTERTNAINMENT to truly present the American and British bands that were hitting the charts about the same time in the min 1960's. As you can see from the list, it touches on the American Invasion of Britain as well.
Hosted by Graham Nash and Michelle Phillips, Producted by Andrew Solt, Greg Vines, Leslie Tong, and written by Andrew Solt... C 2011 SOFA Entertainemtn.
Monday, May 6, 2013
(462) SINGER -SONGWRITER FRED NEIL : COVERED BY A NEW GENERATION OF ARTISTS
FRED NEIL - OFFICIAL SITE!
We link to a lot of official sites and we're glad to know that one of them is dedicated to Freddy Neil. Fred recorded with Gram Parsons, Vince Martin... His songs were covered by Peter, Paul and Mary... and so many others you may know about. A little closer to today, Fiona Apple, Chris Robinson, and The Black Crowes, have covered songs he wrote. Here's Fred's Dolphin Song:
The Black Crowes
Linda Ronsandt
Freddy Neil, the songwriter
We link to a lot of official sites and we're glad to know that one of them is dedicated to Freddy Neil. Fred recorded with Gram Parsons, Vince Martin... His songs were covered by Peter, Paul and Mary... and so many others you may know about. A little closer to today, Fiona Apple, Chris Robinson, and The Black Crowes, have covered songs he wrote. Here's Fred's Dolphin Song:
The Black Crowes
Linda Ronsandt
Freddy Neil, the songwriter
Saturday, May 4, 2013
FROM WES BRYAN ARCHIVES : POST (376) FRED NEIL STUDIO MUSICIAN : CAPITOL RECORDS
FRED NEIL : What a voice! And a great person!
Freddy was six foot two, a freckled face, red hair. I met him in Saint Petersberg, Florida in December of 1957. He paled around with me and Ersel Hickey in New York and became a real good friend. He was a lot of fun - very comical - a prankster.
One time as I was walking across Broadway with some business people, I heard a loud voice, someone yelling for me with some profanity thrown in. I turned around and there he was, laughing at me. Freddy was turned loose in a big city.
Fred had a couple records on Capitol Records but his claim to fame was the song "Everybody's Talking," the movie Midnight Cowboy's theme song.
NICK VENET WAS THE PRODUCER ON THIS HIT.
Fred signed a contract with Southern Music, a division of Hill and Range, and became a big writer.
I wrote a song for Buddy Knox called "Bye Bye Helloa" and Freddy played all the instruments on the demo. It was recorded in a little studio in the Brill building. Freddy also worked in the studio with Bobby Darin.
Freddy was six foot two, a freckled face, red hair. I met him in Saint Petersberg, Florida in December of 1957. He paled around with me and Ersel Hickey in New York and became a real good friend. He was a lot of fun - very comical - a prankster.
One time as I was walking across Broadway with some business people, I heard a loud voice, someone yelling for me with some profanity thrown in. I turned around and there he was, laughing at me. Freddy was turned loose in a big city.
Fred had a couple records on Capitol Records but his claim to fame was the song "Everybody's Talking," the movie Midnight Cowboy's theme song.
NICK VENET WAS THE PRODUCER ON THIS HIT.
Fred signed a contract with Southern Music, a division of Hill and Range, and became a big writer.
I wrote a song for Buddy Knox called "Bye Bye Helloa" and Freddy played all the instruments on the demo. It was recorded in a little studio in the Brill building. Freddy also worked in the studio with Bobby Darin.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
SINGER-SONGWRITER NEIL YOUNG ON SINGER - SONGWRITER FRED NEIL
pages 199 and 200 from Neil Young's recent music memoir
The Grove in Coconut Grove Florida.
"The Grove was intoxicating, and I stayed there on and off for years. I had a suite in a local hotel called the Rangoon. There were a lot of high rollers in and out of the hotel all the time. Fred Neil, the great folksinger/songwriter who wrote "Everybody's Talkin." which ws eventually used in the movie Midnight Cowboy, was there hanging out at the dock a lot with some of his friends. (It is ironic to me that someone as seminal and influential as Freddy Neil would become more known for a movie song than the influence he had on a generation of musicians, including Stephen Stills, but that's the way it goes.)
The Grove in Coconut Grove Florida.
"The Grove was intoxicating, and I stayed there on and off for years. I had a suite in a local hotel called the Rangoon. There were a lot of high rollers in and out of the hotel all the time. Fred Neil, the great folksinger/songwriter who wrote "Everybody's Talkin." which ws eventually used in the movie Midnight Cowboy, was there hanging out at the dock a lot with some of his friends. (It is ironic to me that someone as seminal and influential as Freddy Neil would become more known for a movie song than the influence he had on a generation of musicians, including Stephen Stills, but that's the way it goes.)
