GENERATIONS

In 1971 I went briefly on the road with Carlos Santana and his band. It was an almost schizophrenic experience. For one, the thing that most often connected me directly to the music – the output of the singer songwriter – was not a factor. Santana the group was more overtly just about the music, […]

This video is a link from You Tube. All copyrights remain with the original copyright holders. For years a backup singer text (for Delaney & Bonnie, Joe Cocker, Eric Clapton and Leon Russell), Rita was making her first record produced by the distinguished David Anderle at A&M Records, one of the few to whom Los Angeles really was home […]

“With Pete Townshend at the wheel, the six-liter Mercedes was traveling up the Ml north of London at speeds approaching 130 miles per hour and never, it seemed to me, below 110. I watched from the rear seat as we overtook cars driving on the motorway as if they were parked. Townshend was talking animatedly […]

Little Richard paces the stage of the Whisky à-Go-Go on the Sunset Strip. Mick and Keith watch from the shadows. Little Richard bulges against the confines of his gold lame suit. A gold cape is draped across his shoulders. The heavy pancake make-up on his face is starting to run from the sweat he’s building […]

The guitars of Keith Richards and Mick Taylor start the strong chording that sets up an oscillating rhythm almost like a submarine’s Klaxon, and Mick sings, “Everywhere I hear the sound of marching, charging feet, boy / For the summer’s here and the time is right for fighting in the street, boy.”  Bill Wyman’s bass […]

The Los Angeles set starts big, but in the tradition of show business pacing, it slows to allow Keith a steel guitar spot (“No Expectations”). Mick sits next to him on a stool. Then the set kicks up again with “Midnight Rambler.” It is another song from the dark side, a song of encompassing menace, […]

This video is a link from You Tube. All copyrights remain with the original copyright holders.

At one time or another, I also photographed the rest of the Apple roster. Mary Hopkin, the young discovery from Wales, was as sweet as she was reputed to be, though with a certain wariness. Probably no entertainer had been as repeatedly warned of the wicked, wicked ways of show biz as Mary was by […]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c_MLSv6DYI&feature=youtube_gdata_player “Well, Ethan, you can see that there is no hope for you here,” said Derek, indicating the clusters of people. “Let’s go down to Peter Brown’s office.” By comparison, Peter Brown’s office was like a church. It was large, high-ceilinged, with subdued lighting, quiet, and empty, with a huge portrait of John and Paul […]