Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on June 6th, 2019

Pioneering "swamp rock"-styled instrumentalist and legendary New Orleans musician Dr. John died of a heart attack on the morning of June 6, his family announced in a statement several hours later. He was 77. "The family thanks all whom have shared his unique musical journey, and requests privacy at this time," the statement said. Born Malcolm John ("Mac") Rebennack in New Orleans on Nov. 21, 1941, Dr. John's mother was a professional model, and as a baby Mac himself once appeared in soap company ads. But a stronger influence was his father, who owned a local record store. From an early age, Mac grew up listening to the likes of Big Bill Broonzy, and later played guitar and piano in school bands. As a teenager, he hung out around N.O. recording studios, befriendign and learning from the likes of local N.O. legends Professor Longhair, Huey Piano Smith and Fats Domino band members Walter Nelson and Roy Montrell. By 1956, on the strength of this unique grounding, Rebennack had graduated to backing Longhair, Frankie Ford (of "Sea Cruise" fame), Joe Tex, Leonard James, and the following year recorded an unreleased instrumental album. From 1963 to 1965, Rebennack spent time in federal prison for heroin possession after tough-on-crime N.O. District Attorney and JFK conspiracy theorist Jim Garrison conducted an underworld sweep of the city. Later in the '60s, Rebennack worked as a producer/session player with the Minit Records label in N.O. and Ace Records in Baton Rouge, and helped form and signed with the black artists co-operative label AFO (All For One) Records. The label's roster also boasted one Prince Lala, whose mystical voodoo trappings Rebennack would later re-work for his Dr. John persona. By the mid-'60s, Rebbenack was working as a sessionman in Los Angeles for the likes of Phil Spector, Sam Cooke and Sonny and Cher, and, through his growing interest in voodoo, gradually metamorphosed into "Dr. John The Night Tripper," the latter part of the name said to be an answer to the Beatles' "Day Tripper." Signed to Atco Records, Dr. John released his first album, Gris Gris, in 1968, which was comprised of a number of songs written during his pre-L.A. period, and the follow-up Babylon was released the following year. Both were startingly original recordings, combining traditional Creole chants and N.O. influences with the emergent psychedelic movement. Like The Band before him, Dr. John's reputation spread at first largely by word of mouth, with his name constantly appearing in interviews with major rock celebrities. Two of these, Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton, later appeared on his 1971 LP Sun, Moon and Herbs. By this time, Dr. John was firmly established as a cult attraction, appearing onstage in garish beaded robes and feathered head-dress with backed by similarly attired dancing girls and musicians. His voodoo obsession continued on 1972's Gumbo album, though it was 1973's In the Right Place that marked a shift toward more mainstream rock, and became one of his biggest sellers. From that album, standout cut "Right Place Wrong Time" became his sole 1970s US Top 40 hit, reaching No. 9 in May 1973, though he followed that a few months later with the No. 42 "Such a Night." That same year he also worked in Triumvirate, a short-lived trio with Mike Bloomfield and John Hammond Jr. His 1974 set, Desitively Bonnaroo, was also well received by critics and its title track recalled his hit "Right Place Wrong Time." Though the album only peaked at No. 105 on the charts, it would later be immortalized in rock history by being the namesake of the annual Bonnaroo rock festival in Tennessee. Dr. John appeared in The Band's farewell concert film The Last Waltz in 1978, and three years later released the first of several solo-piano LP's, Dr. John Plays Mac Rebennack. In the late 1980's, he began reaching back to his N.O. roots, while also subtly mainstreaming his appeal.

Further reading on Super Seventies RockSite!: "Dr. John Binge-A-Thon"

His 1989 LP In a Sentimental Mood collected old blues and saloon standards and earned him a Grammy, for his duet with Rickie Lee Jones on "Makin' Whoopee." Later albums included Bluesiana Triangle which detoured into jazz, and Goin' Back to New Orleans, which he recorded with fellow N.O. legends Al Hirt, Pete Fountain, Danny Barker, Alvin "Red" Tyler and the Neville Brothers, and earned him another Grammy. By now, Dr. John's gruff baritone had become familiar to millions through a succession of TV commercial jingles. In 1991, rap group PM Dawn sampled his "I Walk on Gilded Splinters," and two years later rising alternative rock star Beck sampled the same track for his folk-rap slacker anthem, "Loser." In 1993, Dr. John published his autobiography, Under a Hoodoo Moon and a year later appeared on the Windham Hill album Crescent City Gold, along with fellow N.O. vets Tyler Allen Toussaint, Earl Palmer, Lee Allen and Edward Frank. In addition to his six Grammy wins, Dr. John was honored with an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011, on his first nomination. In 2014, he released his 30th studio album, a Louis Armstrong tribute entitled Ske-Det-De-Dat: The Spirit of Satch. The musician had not been seen in public much since late 2017, when he canceled several gigs, and had lately been resting at his N.O. area home, according to a 2018 interview with his publicist Karen Beninato. "It's with the deepest of sympathy that we acknowledge the passing of the Legendary Dr John," said his former managers Peter Himberger and Ed Gerrard in a statement. "We managed Mac for 20 years and celebrated his many accomplishments including Grammy's, Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Induction, performance's at the White House, Super Bowl, numerous sessions with some of Rock n Roll elite.... He was one of a kind and like his lyric to his song Big Shot, 'It never was, never gonna be, another big shot like me.'...RIP to the Nite Tripper..." - The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock/The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll/Billboard, 6/6/19.

On June 5 The Who announced a new pop-up shop and fan experience in London ahead of their upcoming Tommy orchestral gig at Wembley Stadium on July 6. "The Who @ 52" shop in Soho will offer an exhibition of rare and archive memorabilia, pinball competition on a full-size, retro Tommy pinball machine, new Who merch, and a drawing for a ticket to the show. The temporary space at 52 Brewer Street in London's Soho and will be open between 10am and 6pm on June 14 and 15. The concert will mark the release of its new The Who's Tommy Orchestra CD with a live version of their seminal album performed by a full symphony orchestra. Opening acts include Kaiser Chiefs, Eddie Vedder, Imelda May and Connor Selby. Later in 2019, The Who will embark on a tour of the US. In April, guitarist Pete Townshend announced the band's long-shelved "Lifehouse" project will be made into a graphic novel instead of an ambitious rock novel as originally planned. - New Musical Express, 6/5/19...... During an event-filled Head of State visit with Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family in early June, Pres. Donald Trump found time to chastise one of his most vocal critics, Bette Midler, on Twitter on June 5. "Washed up psycho @BetteMidler was forced to apologize for a statement she attributed to me that turned out to be totally fabricated by her in order to make 'your great president' look really bad. She got caught, just like the Fake News Media gets caught. A sick scammer!," the president snarled on the popular social media outlet. The Trump quote in question was allegedly from a 1998 People magazine interview, in which he (allegedly) said: "If I were to run, I'd run as a Republican. They're the dumbest group of voters in the country. They believe anything on Fox News. I could lie and they'd still eat it up. I bet my numbers would be terrific." Though the quote was found to be fake back in 2015, Midler tweeted an apology on June 3: "I apologize; this quote turns out to be a fake from way back in '15-16. Don't know how I missed it, but it sounds SO much like him that I believed it was true! Fact Check: Did Trump say in '98 Republicans are dumb?" But her apology apparently wasn't good enough for the president, who must have only seen the tweet after a full day spent being booed by thousands of protesters in London. Midler responded to the president's indignant post with a series of her own tweets, and this time there was no apology. "Because there are SO MANY LIES, most of them generated by Trump himself, that the task of separating the truth from the lies is impossible. Which is just how he likes it," the diva posted on June 3. She also fired off a series of tweets mocking his ill-fitting tuxedo, accused him of lying about the size of the protests in London, and even suggested "he slam his dick in a door": "Trump said he was greeted by thousands in the UK, but they were actually thousands of protesters. How does he always hear the opposite of the truth? Donald, if you're reading this you SHOULD NOT slam your dick in a door!" - Splinternews.com, 6/5/19...... A new multi-media art exhibit by Elton John's longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin will open at L.A.'s Galerie Michael on June 7. The exhibit will feature 20 unseen, life-size sculptures and artwork made from barbed wire, shattered guitars and various American flags. "This is inspired by things that inspire me," said Taupin, who has been creating visual art since the age of 17 and whose work has previously appeared in museums and exhibits throughout the U.S. Taupin, 69, says his "Bernie Taupin: The Artist, The Raconteur & His Blowtorch" exhibit is a comprehensive overview of his work. "It's certainly one of the largest that I've ever presented. This is very much me in the moment," he noted. Taupin said veterans and family members of veterans who were killed in action donated the flags to him. The flags include images of Captain America and Johnny Cash along with chicken wire. Taupin said using the US flag was an obvious choice, calling it an "iconic" artifact. The British-born songwriter said he is fascinated with the American flag because it is a "thrilling representation of the drama that this country is built upon. The good and the bad." The exhibit runs until June 30. - AP, 6/6/19...... In other Elton-related news, the superstar and his Rocketman doppelgänger Taron Egerton have responded to Russia's decision to censor the film in the country by cutting out around five minutes of the film that involve kissing, sex and oral sex between men in an attempt to downplay the sexuality of one of the world s most famous gay celebrities for a conservative Russian audience. "We reject in the strongest possible terms the decision to pander to local laws and censor Rocketman for the Russian market, a move we were unaware of until today," the May 31 statement issued by John and movie studio Paramount read. "Paramount Pictures have been brave and bold partners in allowing us to create a film which is a true representation of Elton s extraordinary life, warts and all," the statement continued. Posting on Instagram on May 31, Taron Egerton said he was "crestfallen that the decision was made to censor our movie for the Russian market." "I in no way condone this decision and feel disappointed I wasn't made aware and given the chance to fight this move. Love is love. No compromises," he wrote. Meanwhile, Elton's half-brother Geoff Dwight has slammed the biopic for its portrayal of their mutual father, Stanley Dwight (played by Steven Mackintosh in the movie). Speaking to the DailyMailOnline, Geoff said their father wasn't at all homophobic, as portrayed in the film. "Dad didn't have a homophobic bone in his body. When Elton came out, dad didn't care. He didn't even mention it, because it wasn't important to him," Geoff said. "This coldness is a million miles away from what dad was like. He was a product of a time when men didn't go around hugging each other and showing their feelings every minute of the day, but he had plenty of love in him for all of us," he added. Stanley Dwight died in 1991. Elton -- whose real name is Reginald Dwight -- and Geoff have only spoken once since then. But Dwight denied there was a feud, saying: "There's no ill feeling from me toward Elton, far from it. I love him, but our paths have gone in different directions." - New Musical Express, 6/3/19...... The Eagles announced on June 5 they are adding a third date to their upcoming Hotel California Las Vegas residency at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sept. 27 and 28. The band's final show will now be on Oct. 5, and the three appearances will be the first time the Eagles have played the iconic Grammy-winning 1976 album in its entirety live. The Vegas shows, which will be the Eagles' only North American performances in 2019, will also include an additional set of the band's greatest hits. The Eagles current lineup consists of Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit with recent additions Vince Gill and founding member Glenn Frey's son Deacon Frey. - Billboard, 6/5/19...... Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Joan Jett joined the recently reunited "grrrl group" Bikini Kill at their Brooklyn's Kings Theatre show on June 4 for a rendition of "Rebel Girl." Jett, who collaborated with Bikini Kill on the studio recording of "Rebel Girl" and two other tracks from their 1998 compilation album The Singles, played guitar on the song during the performance. Jett produced the tracks on The Singles as well as playing guitar on them and contributing vocals. - New Musical Express, 6/5/19...... Kool & The Gang have been tapped to receive Philadelphia's Marian Anderson Award during a gala in November. The award, named after the pioneering African-American opera singer, is given in Philly to "critically acclaimed artists who have impacted society in a positive way." Kool & The Gang, who recorded several albums in Philadelphia, said in a statement they're "truly honored" to receive the award and that "Funky Philly" played an integral part in their career. Past winners of the award include Dionne Warwick, Jon Bon Jovi, Maya Angelou and Quincy Jones. Kool & The Gang's previous honors include two Grammy Awards and seven American Music Awards. - AP, 6/5/19...... Bob Dylan will release The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1975 Live Performances, featuring five concerts from his legendary '75 tour, on June 7. The set contains a wealth of music over 14 discs, with a whopping 148 tracks, 113 previously unreleased, recorded during the wildly unorthodox tour, which was less a traditional tour than a rambling, ragtag caravan featuring at various times Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Roger McGuinn and Ramblin' Jack Elliott, among others. With its release, every official recording from the 1975 leg of the tour finally out to the public, with some of the performances previously released on the 1976 live album Hard Rain, then on 2002's double-disc The Bootleg Series Vol. 5: Bob Dylan Live 1975. The Rolling Thunder Revue tour is also featured in an upcoming Martin Scorsese documentary, and the trailer for the film was released on June 3. "The tour was a catastrophe," Dylan explains in the clip, which features interviews with the legend and other members of the tour. "It wasn't a success. Not if you measure success in terms of profit. We didn't have enough masks on that tour," he continued, as scenes of the circus-themed tour flashed on the screen. "Life isn't about finding yourself or finding anything, life is about creating yourself." The documentary is out June 12. Meanwhile on May 10, the Bob Dylan Archive Collection in Tulsa, Okla., opened a new Dylan exhibit that showcases 12 pastel portraits painted by the musician. "Bob Dylan: Face Value and Beyond" will run through Sept. 15 at the museum, which has more than 100,000 items from Dylan's 60-year career. - Billboard, 6/5/19...... The Rolling Stones have announced an eclectic lineup of opening artists on their forthcoming 2019 No Filter tour of North America. The recently rescheduled tour will kick off with openers St. Paul & The Broken Bones in Chicago on June 21 and wrap on Aug. 31 in Miami with Juanes. The Glorious Sons and The Beaches will playing the only Canadian date, in Ontario on June 29, to celebrate Canada Day Weekend. Other openers on the 17-date tour include Guy Clark Jr., The Revivalists, Bishop Gunn, The Wombats, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Vista Kicks and KALEO. Meanwhile, birthday tributes to Charlie Watts poured in on June 2 when the Stones drummer turned 78. Mick Jagger wrote: "Happy birthday dearest Charlie, love Mick, as well as sharing a vintage picture of the pair, with Ronnie Wood tweeting "Happy Birthday Charlie," and sharing a more recent pic of them together. Watts is a member of the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame and was ranked number 12 on Rolling Stone's 2016 "100 Greatest Drummers of All Time" list. - Billboard/NME, 6/5/19...... Roky Erickson, the hugely influential former lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter for the '60s psychedelic band The 13th Floor Elevators, died on May 31 in Austin, Tex. He was 71. Born in Austin on July 15, 1947, Erickson first rose to regional prominence as a member of Austin-based band The Spades, with whom he recorded an early version of "You're Gonna Miss Me" -- the song that eventually became the Elevators' debut single. Released in 1966, the latter version reached No. 55 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was seen as seminal in the development of psychedelic and garage rock. That same year, the group performed the single on an episode of Dick Clark's American Bandstand in front of a cluster of cardboard palm trees. Despite that early (albeit minor) chart success, The 13th Floor Elevators' forward-looking brand of rock (they are widely considered the first truly psychedelic band) never gained a foothold in the mainstream. Nonetheless, the group -- whose core lineup consisted of electric jug player Tommy Hall and lead guitarist Stacy Sutherland -- went on to develop a rabid cult following with their unique, reverb-drenched sound, which centered around Erickson's impassioned vocals and surreal lyrics. The band dissolved following the release of their last studio album Bull of the Woods thanks in part to Erickson's increasing volatility brought on by his drug use and bouts of schizophrenia, and the singer would cycle in and out of psychiatric hospitals for the remainder of his life. Erickson's struggles with mental illness would eventually be chronicled in the Independent Spirit Award-nominated documentary You're Gonna Miss Me in 2007. Following the news of Erickson's death, those he inspired have been coming out to pay tribute. "It's almost unfathomable to contemplate a world without Roky Erickson," ZZ Top frontman Billy Gibbons said in a statement. "He created his own musical galaxy and early on was a true inspiration." "His musical legacy speaks for itself," added Erickson's agent Dave Kaplan. "He's an incredibly influential artists and 'You're Gonna Miss Me' is one of the 10 or 20 greatest rock and roll songs of all time." - Billboard, 5/31/19...... John Gary Williams, the lead singer for the R&B vocal group The Mad Lads who sung "I Want Someone" and "Don't Have to Shop Around," died at his home in Memphis in late May. He was 73. Williams formed The Mad Lads with William Brown, Julius Green and Robert Phillips in Memphis and recorded on Stax Record's Volt label. With Williams' high tenor voice and the group's soft soul harmonies, The Mad Lads had several songs on the Billboard R&B chart in the 1960s, including "I Want a Girl" and "By the Time I Get to Phoenix." In the middle of his recording career, Williams was drafted into military service and served in the Vietnam War. He also recorded as a solo artist in the 1970s. - AP, 5/30/19.