Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/3e9bzp2v
"Give a Little Bit" - Supertramp
"Give Me an Inch Girl" - Robert Palmer
"You Never Give Me Your Money" - The Beatles
"You Give Love a Bad Name" - Bon Jovi
"What You Give" - Tesla
"Tell Me What You Want (And I'll Give You What You Need) " - The Doobie Brothers
"Give Blood" - Pete Townshend
"Give It to Me" - J. Geils Band
"Give Peace a Chance" - Plastic Ono Band
"Give Me Love, Give Me Peace on Earth" - George Harrison
"I'll Give You Money" - Peter Frampton
"Give One Heart" - Linda Ronstadt
"Give It Away" - George Strait
"Give Me a Highway" - John Kilzer
"Don't Give Up On Your Love" - Glen Burtnik
"You Get What You Give" - The New Radicals
"Give Me Back My Hometown" - Eric Church
"He Gives Us All His Love" - Randy Newman
"My Baby Gives It Away" - Pete Townshend and Ronnie Lane
"Something's Gotta Give" - The John Butler Trio
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Saturday, 16 December 2023
Hearts In Her Eyes
YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/24sx64hc
Andy and I were talking about obscure records. You know, the kind you own that you don't think anybody else does.
It started off with a discussion of Rick Wakeman. Andy said he had the Strawbs albums, the group Wakeman was in before Yes. I said I bought Rick's initial solo album, "The Six Wives of Henry VIII," but I not only did not own any Strawbs albums, I didn't know anybody who did.
And then I couldn't remember whether I had the second Rick Wakeman solo album, I couldn't even remember the name. But online right now I can see it was "Journey to the Centre of the Earth" and I did. But I stopped there.
Then I asked Andy if he had any Stone the Crows albums. He said he did, and I was stunned, then he said it was his roommate. All I could think about was Les Harvey being electrocuted on stage. And the next album being entitled "Ontinuous Performance," sans the "C," in tribute to Les. And of course Stone the Crows featured Maggie Bell, who was on Swan Song but had no success, however her vocal abrasives on "Every Picture Tells a Story" were divine. One of the few women who can hold their own with Rod the Mod.
And eventually we went deep into the Yes albums and tributaries. Like Badger, we both had the initial one, with the Roger Dean cover, and I even had the subsequent one featuring Jackie Lomax on vocals.
How about Horslips? I had an album by the group.
And then City Boy. Andy had not even heard of them.
But Andy bought all the Genesis albums in order, whereas I went back after Peter Gabriel's solo record, but we both agreed "Foxtrot" was great.
And then I brought up Rachel Sweet, who I said I saw at the Whisky. Thinking about it now, I'm not so sure. I just checked, she did play the Whisky in '79, and I did own her album, I'm going to have to think deeper about it. And Dyan Diamond, she had that one great track, I saw her at the Whisky, what ever happened to her? There are women with the same name, is she that newscaster?
Andy said he was the assistant for the agent for Rachel Sweet. And that he went to see a Stiff lineup, and the opening act was the Records.
THE RECORDS!
And I said even though the first album had the hit, the second one, "Crashes," was not only better, it's one of my favorite albums of all time.
I said that, and then I thought about it, and I realized it was true.
I mentioned "Girl in Golden Disc." And then there was "Hearts Will Be Broken" and "Man With a Girlproof Heart" and the exquisite "I Don't Remember Your Name."
"There I was
In the middle of a crowd
At a party I didn't want to go to
There I was saying goodbye
To someone I never said hello to
Was he the man
Who shook my hand
At the door when I arrived
My girlfriend said
You're the host
Might as well be the Holy Ghost
Alive
I don't remember your name
I think it's best
That I level with you"
YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/nhhxr7pk
Not as good as Joni Mitchell's "People's Parties," but damn close.
And then Andy mentioned Will Birch and I said I've gotten e-mail from him and then I said that on the second album Jude Cole was a member of the group, did Andy know Jude's Reprise album with that great opening cut, "Start the Car"? It was so good, I was surprised he gave up and became a manager.
And then Andy mentioned "Hearts in Her Eyes," and how the Searchers had done a cover.
I own that album, but the track is more significant because I remember hearing the Searchers' version the night I met my ex-wife. It was playing over the stereo and it emboldened me to talk to a woman who turned out to have a boyfriend and I told Miles we had to leave, after all this party featured babies, and we were expected at the Rainbow. But then...
"Some girls have a whole lotta
Trouble finding one boy
Others want a lover and some
They just want a fun boy
My girl, she's smart
She's never ever
Gonna give up her heart
And she's wise
She's got hearts in her eyes
She's got hearts in her eyes
Like a kid in a toy shop
She can't stop
She wants all the boys
She's got hearts in her eyes"
And then I couldn't get it out of my head.
I was weaving through the novices on the way to ski in the sun on Swingsville. By this time in the afternoon it's the only slope at Vail with light on it, it faces west. And I'm zipping along singing "Hearts in Her Eyes" to myself.
Like a kid in a toy shop I couldn't stop.
And I just entered the bedroom, about to strip off my ski clothes, and I was still singing "Hearts in Her Eyes."
Maybe you'll be singing it too.
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Andy and I were talking about obscure records. You know, the kind you own that you don't think anybody else does.
It started off with a discussion of Rick Wakeman. Andy said he had the Strawbs albums, the group Wakeman was in before Yes. I said I bought Rick's initial solo album, "The Six Wives of Henry VIII," but I not only did not own any Strawbs albums, I didn't know anybody who did.
And then I couldn't remember whether I had the second Rick Wakeman solo album, I couldn't even remember the name. But online right now I can see it was "Journey to the Centre of the Earth" and I did. But I stopped there.
Then I asked Andy if he had any Stone the Crows albums. He said he did, and I was stunned, then he said it was his roommate. All I could think about was Les Harvey being electrocuted on stage. And the next album being entitled "Ontinuous Performance," sans the "C," in tribute to Les. And of course Stone the Crows featured Maggie Bell, who was on Swan Song but had no success, however her vocal abrasives on "Every Picture Tells a Story" were divine. One of the few women who can hold their own with Rod the Mod.
And eventually we went deep into the Yes albums and tributaries. Like Badger, we both had the initial one, with the Roger Dean cover, and I even had the subsequent one featuring Jackie Lomax on vocals.
How about Horslips? I had an album by the group.
And then City Boy. Andy had not even heard of them.
But Andy bought all the Genesis albums in order, whereas I went back after Peter Gabriel's solo record, but we both agreed "Foxtrot" was great.
And then I brought up Rachel Sweet, who I said I saw at the Whisky. Thinking about it now, I'm not so sure. I just checked, she did play the Whisky in '79, and I did own her album, I'm going to have to think deeper about it. And Dyan Diamond, she had that one great track, I saw her at the Whisky, what ever happened to her? There are women with the same name, is she that newscaster?
Andy said he was the assistant for the agent for Rachel Sweet. And that he went to see a Stiff lineup, and the opening act was the Records.
THE RECORDS!
And I said even though the first album had the hit, the second one, "Crashes," was not only better, it's one of my favorite albums of all time.
I said that, and then I thought about it, and I realized it was true.
I mentioned "Girl in Golden Disc." And then there was "Hearts Will Be Broken" and "Man With a Girlproof Heart" and the exquisite "I Don't Remember Your Name."
"There I was
In the middle of a crowd
At a party I didn't want to go to
There I was saying goodbye
To someone I never said hello to
Was he the man
Who shook my hand
At the door when I arrived
My girlfriend said
You're the host
Might as well be the Holy Ghost
Alive
I don't remember your name
I think it's best
That I level with you"
YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/nhhxr7pk
Not as good as Joni Mitchell's "People's Parties," but damn close.
And then Andy mentioned Will Birch and I said I've gotten e-mail from him and then I said that on the second album Jude Cole was a member of the group, did Andy know Jude's Reprise album with that great opening cut, "Start the Car"? It was so good, I was surprised he gave up and became a manager.
And then Andy mentioned "Hearts in Her Eyes," and how the Searchers had done a cover.
I own that album, but the track is more significant because I remember hearing the Searchers' version the night I met my ex-wife. It was playing over the stereo and it emboldened me to talk to a woman who turned out to have a boyfriend and I told Miles we had to leave, after all this party featured babies, and we were expected at the Rainbow. But then...
"Some girls have a whole lotta
Trouble finding one boy
Others want a lover and some
They just want a fun boy
My girl, she's smart
She's never ever
Gonna give up her heart
And she's wise
She's got hearts in her eyes
She's got hearts in her eyes
Like a kid in a toy shop
She can't stop
She wants all the boys
She's got hearts in her eyes"
And then I couldn't get it out of my head.
I was weaving through the novices on the way to ski in the sun on Swingsville. By this time in the afternoon it's the only slope at Vail with light on it, it faces west. And I'm zipping along singing "Hearts in Her Eyes" to myself.
Like a kid in a toy shop I couldn't stop.
And I just entered the bedroom, about to strip off my ski clothes, and I was still singing "Hearts in Her Eyes."
Maybe you'll be singing it too.
--
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--
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Friday, 15 December 2023
Give Songs-SiriusXM This Week
Tune in Saturday December 16th to Faction Talk, channel 103, at 4 PM East, 1 PM West.
If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app. Search: Lefsetz
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If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app. Search: Lefsetz
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Thursday, 14 December 2023
Tony Visconti-This Week's Podcast
Producer of T. Rex and David Bowie and this guy was SO good I was pinching myself throughout our conversation.
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/tony-visconti-135374248/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tony-visconti/id1316200737?i=1000638545667
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7dSf651ZY8yz3YILGrPGE3?si=2TAlbS0WSyGXRhvqiILH-Q
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/7eb59938-5a0a-4a71-b3e5-20ddce982e27/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-tony-visconti
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https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/tony-visconti-135374248/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tony-visconti/id1316200737?i=1000638545667
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7dSf651ZY8yz3YILGrPGE3?si=2TAlbS0WSyGXRhvqiILH-Q
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/7eb59938-5a0a-4a71-b3e5-20ddce982e27/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-tony-visconti
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Wednesday, 13 December 2023
Re-Jeffrey Foskett
Beautiful Bob, thank you.
Jeff really cherished your friendship. I've always admired you a lot and have immense respect for you. It's amazing how you pump out sometimes two newsletters a day, always offering interesting and well-thought-out perspectives. When Jeff told me he was friends with you, I was seriously impressed. I know you're a fan of the Beach Boys (and Jan and Dean), so it must have been great talking about surf music with Jeff.
Yesterday, I didn't just lose a friend; I lost a piece of my soul and my history. Jeff introduced me to the harmonies of The Beach Boys, and through them, I discovered a world of color and joy that I never imagined being a part of.
Thinking back on the 40 years we spent together — the laughter, the music that we believed had the power to change lives, and the unbreakable bond of brotherhood — I can't help but feel thankful. Grateful for every moment, every note, and every bit of wisdom he shared with me.
As you know, Jeff had a larger-than-life personality. His talent, his laughter, and his ability to make everyone feel seen and heard were gifts he freely and generously shared. He had a way of filling every room with his presence, leaving a lasting mark on everyone he met.
Jeff taught me that love is a beautiful and essential part of our lives, but it comes with the painful cost of loss. However, as I reflect on Jeff's extraordinary life and the profound impact he had on mine, I realize that this pain is the price we pay for the privilege of knowing and loving someone like him.
I remember Jeff mentioning that you were coming to a show at the Vilar in Beaver Creek. I was worried for the band, knowing that some members were sick, and the road was taking a toll on them. I asked Jeff how the show went, and he said it was terrible. I got nervous you may pan Mike and the band. I've become very protective over the years. Jeff mentioned that he spoke to you about it, and you ended up writing something positive and nice. You're a good man Bob, just like Jeff. And trust me, he knew what he meant to you.
Life is going by way too fast and we seem to be losing our heroes, younger and younger.
I hope to grab a lunch with you someday like we said we would years ago. Tomorrow is never promised.
Thank you for the wonderful story about my dear friend Jeff. - I just can't believe he's gone.
XO STAMOS
____________________________________
Happy Chanukah. I enjoyed your email on Jeff Foskett. I met Jeff through Roger Daltrey over twenty years ago because Roger wanted to help me get bigger names for my Rock Camps and Brian Wilson would be perfect. Six month later Brian and Jeff were mentoring bands at Rock n Roll Fantasy Camps and it was one of my game changers. I remember when I advertised Mark Farner of Grand Funk and Jeff called me to say "I will do anything to be at that camp to jam with one of my hero's." He was a fan of music.
Jeff had an amazing soul and a love for music and could sing and play many instruments and would give so much of himself to all the camp attendees.
He was so well respected by musicians from Jeff Beck to Roger Daltrey and I loved that you dedicated a story on one of the greatest side men ever.
David Fishof
Rock n Roll Fantasy Camp
____________________________________
Dear Bob,
Thank you for this. Jeffrey WAS a good guy and he DID live his dream and he DID die too young. Our band (America) toured with The Beach Boys many times in the 70's when Carl and Dennis were still with us, but when Jeffrey came onboard it was clear that this guy was devoted to adding his sparkle and intimate knowledge of those incredible songs to the live Beach Boys show...and his voice was PERFECT.
We had all grown up with The Beach Boys catalogue and wanted it to sound the way we heard it on the records and so did Jeffrey. We became friends from that point on moving in and out of each others lives as careers progressed over the decades and we crossed paths or shared bills. After we played our set we watched countless performances from the wings of everything from "Surfer Girl" and "Be True To Your School" to "Good Vibrations" and Billy Hinsche doing "Wipeout"! Then we would get up with them for encores, usually on Jeffrey's mic with him, and sing Fun Fun Fun and I Get Around with our friends and it was awesome…a career high point hard to explain!
Jeffrey was solid and consistent, reliable, talented and generous. When we covered "Caroline No", my favorite Beach Boys song, for our Back Pages album Jeffrey worked with me and arranged and sang all the background vocals, and I'm as proud of that as any work I've done. He even graciously put together a band to play at my wedding to Penny 22 years ago and there was that voice!
Wonderful memories flood back as I think of Jeffrey, as well as the shock of hearing about his diagnosis and the ensuing battle he put up. You may even remember him backstage at our Ace Theater show June, 2019,? He will be missed by many but I'll never forget all those shows and all those songs that Jeffrey enhanced so beautifully. My heart goes out to Diana, his family, and everyone who knew and loved him. For me it's a comfort when our dear friend, Henry Diltz, always says when someone passes, "Don't worry, he's just stepped into the other room." Dewey Bunnell
____________________________________
Darian Sahanaja from Brian Wilson's band referred to Jeff onstage as the "CEO of Falsetto", a title he very much deserved.
As the engineer on many of Brian's solo albums I had the pleasure of knowing Jeff and working with him for many years. Jeff was the organizer both on the road and in the studio, and also Brian's "go to guy" on the tours. Jeff organized the recording of "Brian Wilson Presents Smile" in 2004 as well as the Smile tour and the Pet Sounds tour that preceded it. I recently was compiling all of Brian's solo material , listening to shows I had not heard in 20 years or more, and there were Jeff's falsetto vocals taking the part in the vocal stack once occupied by Carl Wilson. It was the role he also played in the Beach Boys for many years beginning in 1980 and one he returned to before his illness made singing impossible.
And you're right we are losing to many too soon… Jeff is the fourth member of the extended Beach Boys family to die in the last few years. First was Eva Leaf, longtime friend of Brian and Melinda and godmother to their children, then Nick Walusco from Brian's band who died suddenly in 2019 followed in November of 2021 by Billy Hinsche who had been a long time member of the Beach Boys touring band as well as touring with Brian in recent years. And now Jeff joins them as well as Carl and Dennis Wilson up yonder…..
And the losses will of course continue, claiming friends, heroes and enemies…. So enjoy it all while you can in the meantime…..
Mark Linett
____________________________________
Thanks for the piece on Jeff. He was an incredible talent, musician and singer. He was also a blast on the road and I have many fond memories. "Fosque as Mike used to call him!
He put together the band that played at our wedding. Will miss him.
John Meglen
____________________________________
When we did the first and second Beach Boys and Chicago tours together Jeffery was nothing short of a musical miracle worker. A grand guy, very accomplished player and a car guy. Owned a Cobra that was his pride and joy. We went joy riding a few time in that little car.
He used to missed. But now he gets to go play with Carl again.
Mark Hogue
____________________________________
I met Jeff Foskett when I did sound for a corporate gig and Papa Doo Run Run was the after-dinner-mint band. At the time, they were better than the real Beach Boys. The next time I saw Jeff I was mixing monitors for Chicago on a Chicago-Beach Boys summer tour of sheds and state fairs. Jeff was the high harmony and also played all the lead guitar solos, but not from down stage center, where he should have been, but far upstage right. And they never lit him for his solos. So the Chicago sound and stage crew took it upon ourselves to light Jeff with our flashlights whenever he played a solo that summer. RIP Jeff.
Harold
____________________________________
Thank you for acknowledging the immense talent and humanity that was Jeffrey. Amazing how small the world is. I had no idea you knew Jeff but I'm thrilled you got to know him and were close. So was I. We've been great friends and bandmates since 1980. There will never be another Jeff Foskett!
I put together a brief montage tribute here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNxzNQGxzkY
Robby Scharf
____________________________________
Really really beautiful remembrance and tribute to what a beautiful person he was. He could be just lauded for his talent, but it's thoughtful that you focused on what matters most… the person he was.
Mindi Abair
____________________________________
I saw Jeffrey perform dozens of times both with The Beach Boys and with Brian's band. I only had the pleasure of one conversation with him when Danny Zelisko and Chuck Morris introduced us at the 50th Reunion Tour in Phoenix back in 2012.
Although it was eleven years ago it seems like just yesterday as I clearly recall our conversation. It was brief and to the point.
After I told him how much I noticed the importance of his role in the live shows I had seen, he said, "Honestly, the first thing I say out loud every morning is 'Thank you.' I really believe I'm the luckiest man on the planet. You're going to love the show tonight but not as much as I will because I'm like a groupie onstage playing with my idols!"
Not a bad way to earn a living, huh?
I'm so sorry for your loss. He will be missed.
Coop
RICK COOPER MUSIC
____________________________________
"... Jeffrey Foskett was a Beach Boys fan. The fact that he got to play with his idols? You can't ask for much more than that."
When I saw Brian perform SMiLE in 2004, a show I'd waited over 35 years to see, I watched Jeffrey a lot. Sometimes through my tears. And because he was a fan, it felt as if he represented me on that stage, and I got to experience just a little bit of what he must have been feeling.
I'm shedding more tears today. Thank you for this Bob.
John Paris
____________________________________
Bob, I to am deeply saddened to hear that Jeffrey Foskett has died. I wasn't aware then, but I think the first time I saw him with The Beach Boys was back in 1981. Carl had issued his debut solo album and did not tour with them that year. That night was memorable because, I was so visibly upset about Mike Love making fun of Brian, that Bruce Johnston came over to me mid-song to ask what's wrong.
Many years later, I was at the same venue (Westbury Music Fair) to see Brian and his brilliant band (Wondermints + Jeffrey). My friends and I were standing by our seats soon after the doors opened. Out of nowhere, Jeff came over to hang out with us. It was as if he was both a friend and a fellow fan. Super nice guy and super talented. It broke my heart when he left Brian to go back with Mike and Bruce's "Beach Boys" cover band. But, it's more than devastating to lose him forever.
Love and Mercy to his family, friends and all who knew and loved him
Jeff Douglas
____________________________________
I remember Jeff vividly from seeing him on stage at the Brian Wilson smile shows. He was such a joyful presence on stage. You could see how he was the glue who tied the band together. Bless that man for helping to bring such beautiful music to life on stage and on the smile recording in 2004. So truly sorry to hear of his passing.
Bill Higgins
____________________________________
Bob - such an amazing tribute to an amazing guy!! I got to know Jeff when we signed Mike Love to a records and publishing deal and met him with The Beach Boys . We also released Jeff's last album "Voices". A tragic loss for music!
Ira Sallen
BMG
____________________________________
My first reaction was "Really nice guy".
Berton Averre
____________________________________
We have lost a lot of common friends over the last few years. But when I heard about Jeffrey yesterday, it really hurt. I couldn't explain him better than you did. We talked often while he was in Texas, until he couldn't. We had a hundred projects we wanted to do together. Put all his amazing talents aside, let's remember what a mensch he was. A gem…….
David Spero
____________________________________
Thanks for writing this Bob. I had the pleasure of seeing Jeffrey on stage with Brian's band on the Pet Sounds Live tour about 20 years ago, and again a few years later. He always seemed so genuine, and what a voice.
I'm sorry your good friend is gone
Best Regards
John Caddell, Dublin, Ireland
____________________________________
He made a great contribution. RIP
Ray D'Ariano
____________________________________
so sad.
he was so great.
as it said, on the back of his guitar, "smile."
i think he would prefer that we try to do that, when we think about him and the brilliant role that he played in helping to deliver such good vibrations.
David Breslin
____________________________________
Jeff Foskett was a pal of mine. I worked with him on a Beach Boys session with Brian, et al back in 1984 and recently did an interview with him. I am sad at his loss too. Good piece. Thx
Spencer Proffer
____________________________________
Thanks for your kind words about Jeffery Foskett. I saw him sing and play with Brian Wilson many times in the last two decades and with the Beach Boys before and after that. I was really saddened to learn he passed away.
Being a big BB and Brian fanboy, I feel blessed to have heard Pet Sounds performed live three times and the complete version of Brian's Smile also. But also I heard many other shows. Brian's Gershwin show was one of my favorites. Jeffrey told me that was the hardest show he ever had to do. Another highlight was Jeffrey and two others singing "How High the Moon" with Jeff Beck, a Les Paul and Mary Ford hit from the 50s. That was during the 2013 tour.
Jeffrey was stellar. Once I watched him skillfully cover for Brian when Brian stumbled on a note or two. He was really great.
Be well. Joe Bouchard
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Hey Bob, Jeffrey was a very good friend of mine, and I loved him as much as I loved his harmonies. Everything you said about him was completely true, and I don't have words to express my sorrow. Thank you for writing about him. I send you peace and love my brother Mark Hudson
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This is beautiful..
I met Jeffery in 1982 and bonded with him immediately. What you've written here, the emotional part of it, is exactly what I've been feeling since I got the news last night.
Thanks, MC
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He did a solo album about 20 years ago called Twelve And Twelve (the only rock album I know of named after an AA book) featuring a mini Who's Who of Sunshine/Power pop guest stars: Brian Wilson, Larry Ramos, Marshall Crenshaw, etc.
My favorite track on there is the one he did with Doug Fieger, "Baby It's You" - the key line is in the first bridge: "and when you sing to me it takes me away...
you sing me to another world" - could have been written about Jeffery Foskett himself.
Vince Welsh
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I clearly remember Jeff from the audience at the beach boys reunion tour.
He legit stole the show at moments
I'm really sorry for your loss Bob.
Gregory McLoughlin
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Bob: This is really sad, but your column captured the essence of Jeffrey Foskett's remarkable role in all versions of The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson's band.
He was also the perfect choice to do the introductions on many of their tours. His intro to the 2012 50th Anniversary tour is a classic.
John Small
Fort Myers, FL
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so right about Jeff… I hope I pass long before you because your missives are the best and I would miss them.. if we ever meet, I'm sure we would be friends but I'm sorry for your loss and mine as well and as you said I too met Jeff and when you become his friend you were friends for life. what a great soul he was
Silver Hammer, LTD.
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I knew Jeff from his days in Santa Barbara, late 70's early 80's. Never called him Jeffrey, maybe that came later, same with the religion. Anyway, I met him when he was playing around town as the Pranks with Randell Kirsch or Reverie Rhythm Rockers and I like to think we were friends. He used to live on the Mesa at the Love Foundation and I would visit and check out the sound studio with a ton of records. He gave me an acetate of a Grateful Dead bootleg that I still have somewhere. That was when he was playing with Mike Love. I moved to LA but kept in touch and called him and found out he was in LA and told me to meet him at the Bonaventure Hotel. I asked him if he was playing and he said he was playing some corporate gig. When asked he just kinda said was playing with some friends and told me to sit at the soundboard and we would hook up after. So the curtain goes up and it's the Beach Boys playing to about 300 people. Talk about an intimate concert. A little later I met him at Angel Stadium for a larger Beach Boys concert and saw him in the back with a big foam cover over the microphone so no one could tell he was hitting the high notes and turning his guitar so the audience couldn't see him playing lead. We fell out of touch but the local musician network kept track, which was how I found out he passed yesterday. He was always a mensch and I can't ever remember him actually getting mad about anything. RIP Jeff.
Alan Fenton
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that's really sweet Bob..
I was just looking through all my recents texts with him.. What you didn't write is that he was one of the funniest "sons of bitches" (his words) on the planet.. We were all reflecting yesterday on our many years with Jeff. I literally travelled with world with him on tour with Brian Wilson for 25 years..
The time on the bus or in the airport lounge or the hotel were some of funniest times ever.
We would laugh and laugh and laugh.
Melinda sent me a video today.. Jeff was filming some shenanigans on the 50th BB reunion tour and although you couldn't see him in the video, he was completely cracking himself up, a laugh that came from the belly.. His laugh was distinct and contagious and it just made you feel him. Its strange we won't hear it again.
When she told Brian about his passing yesterday the first thing out of his mouth was "Tell Diana I love her" typical Brian very concerned about who he left behind.. Then he was quiet, teary and sad the whole day.. I can't imagine what he feels losing someone that loved him so and the feeling was mutual. The respect for the art and the music they shared. Brian could listen to Jeff sing all day long.. I guess we all could.
Damn cancer.. we will all miss him and his incredible biting humor and that laugh.
Jean Sievers
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I met Jeff once in 2008. Brian was touring his new record, "That Lucky Old Sun". I had tickets to the Boston show, and when they announced a meet and greet at the Faneuil Hall Newbury Comics, I skipped sophomore chemistry at Northeastern University and jumped at the chance. Jeff stood steadfastly next to Brian, almost like a gatekeeper...a trusted confidant. Already a fan, I made a point to say hi to Jeff. No other patrons in the room knew who he was. What a gentle, kind soul. He was so gracious and grateful. That quick encounter had such an impact on young me. Be kind, be real, and don't be above anything or anyone. The world lost someone special and it's our duty to spread some of Jeff's goodness. We owe it to him.
Nick Fede
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Seeing the news about Jeff sort of stopped me in my tracks yesterday, having not heard his name in some time. My little story about Jeff... I met him in early 1981 before things really took off for him. He had an ad in The Recycler selling a guitar, an old Kalamazoo electric (a low priced line of Gibson). It looked like a surf guitar, which eventually made sense. Being he was in Santa Barbara he wasn't getting a ton of response, well except for me down here in LA. Just so happened that the following weekend he was playing a gig at The Troubadour with his band The Pranks and invited me down to meet him and talk more about the guitar. Of course they killed it! Sounded like a rough and tumble version of The Beatles meets The Byrds. Hung out afterwards with his bandmates Randy Kirsch and Bo Fox and chatted awhile. He was such a nice guy, I decided to drive up to see him on the weekend where he worked at Fancy Music in Santa Barbara to get the guitar. He handed me a cassette of a live recording of The Pranks along with the Turquoise Kalamazoo guitar. We kept in touch on and off for a couple of years but eventually lost touch. I used that guitar all through the 80s and still have it today, along with that recording of his band The Pranks. So after hearing the news yesterday, I went to my boxes of hundreds of demo tapes and found it. Will find time this week to transfer and clean up The Pranks tape in Pro Tools and somehow see if I can find the other members, and see if there's a way I can post it for all those interested to take in.
Cheers,
Andy Zuckerman
The Institute Of Noise
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An incredibly sad loss. Your insights into his humanity were a great testament to the man.
I have been a fan of his for years. His cd STARS IN THE SAND have some incredible vocals and if ever there was a tribute to the sound of The Beach Boys it was the track THRU MY WINDOW. His other cds, VOICES, TRIBUTES AND RARITIES, TWELVE AND TWELVE and ELUA ALOHA (with Jeff Larson) are all gems. Too bad that many will have heard of Jeffrey Foskett only after his death.
Michael Elder
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I first saw Jeff with the Beach Boys back in the 80's. Carl Wilson was still in the band and he introduced this new, young member who was going to sing one of his favorite songs - "The Warmth Of The Sun". Up stepped this young guy who opened his mouth and filled the stadium with his incredible, beautiful tenor/falsetto voice and it was 1964 all over again. I was a big BB fan so I needed to know who this guy was. Later I found out he was from Willow Glen, the same little suburb of San Jose where I live.
Fast forward to just a few years ago I was attending an Al Jardine show at the Rio in Santa Cruz and saw Jeff in the lobby. I approached him and told him about that first concert that I saw him at and he got a kick out of it. He was very kind to me and very humble.
One of my favorite recordings of Jeff's is on the Brian Wilson "Live At The Roxy" album - his falsetto on the refrain in "Kiss Me Baby" is even more beautiful than Brian's vocal on the original studio recording.
He might not have been famous, but he was an incredible singer and a successful human being - who was loved and will be missed by many...
Patrick Whitaker
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I worked with The Beach Boys (booking their shows) in the 1980's and Jeff Foskett was already part of the band. He had a beautiful voice, almost as angelic as Carl Wilson. Those harmonies will live forever. Jeff was a sweetheart and so damn talented.
Very sad to hear this news.
ADAM KORNFELD
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I met Foskett back in my L.A. days (1987-1991), probably at The China Club.
He was a very kind, warm man. I next saw him in the early 2000s at a Brian Wilson show in Rome. He immediately said hello afterwards and intro'd me to Brian. So real, so thoughtful, so kind. He was a light in the darkness and anyone who knew him will remember who he was and how he was: genuine.
Joe D'Ambrosio
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Yes, when Brian's band has sounded its best in recent years, one thing was sure... Jeffrey was doing Brian's high parts. Flawlessly, which is saying a lot. Better than Matt Jardine, who was pretty darned good, just not as good as Foskett. With Jeffrey it sounded 100% convincing.
I met him just briefly backstage years ago, and he made a good try at helping me meet Brian, no luck, but he tried and I was grateful. Thanks for filling us in more about him, which I sure didn't know. Obviously a class act... and what a talent, played many different instruments too.
Well, he's sure on a lot of concert videos.
Pete Wernick
"Dr. Banjo"
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This is terrible.
I remember going to see The Beach Boys on their 50th Anniversary Tour. It was at a Seattle-area winery, and when I walked into the winery to buy a bottle for our group, I walked under the ramp from backstage to the stage. There was a guy sitting next to the railing on that ramp, stone still, wearing a Hawaiian shirt. It looked odd, so I moved around to get a look, and it was Brian Wilson! He was being kept backstage waiting like a prop - there were no other people around him. This was worrisome.
After playing Heroes and Villains (Brian sang it!), Mike Love told everyone (which many of us knew of course) that the song was from, "that dad-burned Smile Album" which, for a Brian fan who knows the back story is a horrible comment.
Foskett walked over to Brian (who was fantastic that night) and rubbed his back. My first thought was, "that guy is a really good guy".
Gary Lang
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So sad about Jeffery's passing, here's my Foskett story:
I subbed for Jeff in the Endless Summer Band (with Mike Love and Dean Torrance) back in the 80's for a 2 week tour hitting all the spring break beaches in Florida doing 2 and 3 shows a day in various venues. It was during a time when Love wasn't touring with the BB's but Brian was. After that we stayed in touch, we would meet on the West coast when I was out there, and meet on the East coast when he was out here, either with the Beach Boys or Brian's solo band. When we were together we would alway end up chatting about the Beatles, and how jealous Jeff was that I got to work with a Beatle, namely John Lennon, on the Double Fantasy project. Of course, I was super jealous that he was working with the BB's and Brian Wilson. He was especially bummed that I never received a Platinum record for contributing to Double Fantasy. Apparently after John was killed, the rumor was that someone didn't want any of those to go to the musicians.
Anyway, one day I received a call from Jeff, he wanted to make sure I was going to be home, since there was going to be a delivery. Apparently, Jeff had browbeaten executives from Geffen to authorize a Platinum record in my name. It proudly hangs on my wall, and it always reminds me of Jeffrey. Now, even more.
That's the kind of man Jeffery Foskett was.
Keep up the amazing work, Bob.
Eric Troyer
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(Note: Jeffrey gave me a gold record for "Smile.")
Jeff really cherished your friendship. I've always admired you a lot and have immense respect for you. It's amazing how you pump out sometimes two newsletters a day, always offering interesting and well-thought-out perspectives. When Jeff told me he was friends with you, I was seriously impressed. I know you're a fan of the Beach Boys (and Jan and Dean), so it must have been great talking about surf music with Jeff.
Yesterday, I didn't just lose a friend; I lost a piece of my soul and my history. Jeff introduced me to the harmonies of The Beach Boys, and through them, I discovered a world of color and joy that I never imagined being a part of.
Thinking back on the 40 years we spent together — the laughter, the music that we believed had the power to change lives, and the unbreakable bond of brotherhood — I can't help but feel thankful. Grateful for every moment, every note, and every bit of wisdom he shared with me.
As you know, Jeff had a larger-than-life personality. His talent, his laughter, and his ability to make everyone feel seen and heard were gifts he freely and generously shared. He had a way of filling every room with his presence, leaving a lasting mark on everyone he met.
Jeff taught me that love is a beautiful and essential part of our lives, but it comes with the painful cost of loss. However, as I reflect on Jeff's extraordinary life and the profound impact he had on mine, I realize that this pain is the price we pay for the privilege of knowing and loving someone like him.
I remember Jeff mentioning that you were coming to a show at the Vilar in Beaver Creek. I was worried for the band, knowing that some members were sick, and the road was taking a toll on them. I asked Jeff how the show went, and he said it was terrible. I got nervous you may pan Mike and the band. I've become very protective over the years. Jeff mentioned that he spoke to you about it, and you ended up writing something positive and nice. You're a good man Bob, just like Jeff. And trust me, he knew what he meant to you.
Life is going by way too fast and we seem to be losing our heroes, younger and younger.
I hope to grab a lunch with you someday like we said we would years ago. Tomorrow is never promised.
Thank you for the wonderful story about my dear friend Jeff. - I just can't believe he's gone.
XO STAMOS
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Happy Chanukah. I enjoyed your email on Jeff Foskett. I met Jeff through Roger Daltrey over twenty years ago because Roger wanted to help me get bigger names for my Rock Camps and Brian Wilson would be perfect. Six month later Brian and Jeff were mentoring bands at Rock n Roll Fantasy Camps and it was one of my game changers. I remember when I advertised Mark Farner of Grand Funk and Jeff called me to say "I will do anything to be at that camp to jam with one of my hero's." He was a fan of music.
Jeff had an amazing soul and a love for music and could sing and play many instruments and would give so much of himself to all the camp attendees.
He was so well respected by musicians from Jeff Beck to Roger Daltrey and I loved that you dedicated a story on one of the greatest side men ever.
David Fishof
Rock n Roll Fantasy Camp
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Dear Bob,
Thank you for this. Jeffrey WAS a good guy and he DID live his dream and he DID die too young. Our band (America) toured with The Beach Boys many times in the 70's when Carl and Dennis were still with us, but when Jeffrey came onboard it was clear that this guy was devoted to adding his sparkle and intimate knowledge of those incredible songs to the live Beach Boys show...and his voice was PERFECT.
We had all grown up with The Beach Boys catalogue and wanted it to sound the way we heard it on the records and so did Jeffrey. We became friends from that point on moving in and out of each others lives as careers progressed over the decades and we crossed paths or shared bills. After we played our set we watched countless performances from the wings of everything from "Surfer Girl" and "Be True To Your School" to "Good Vibrations" and Billy Hinsche doing "Wipeout"! Then we would get up with them for encores, usually on Jeffrey's mic with him, and sing Fun Fun Fun and I Get Around with our friends and it was awesome…a career high point hard to explain!
Jeffrey was solid and consistent, reliable, talented and generous. When we covered "Caroline No", my favorite Beach Boys song, for our Back Pages album Jeffrey worked with me and arranged and sang all the background vocals, and I'm as proud of that as any work I've done. He even graciously put together a band to play at my wedding to Penny 22 years ago and there was that voice!
Wonderful memories flood back as I think of Jeffrey, as well as the shock of hearing about his diagnosis and the ensuing battle he put up. You may even remember him backstage at our Ace Theater show June, 2019,? He will be missed by many but I'll never forget all those shows and all those songs that Jeffrey enhanced so beautifully. My heart goes out to Diana, his family, and everyone who knew and loved him. For me it's a comfort when our dear friend, Henry Diltz, always says when someone passes, "Don't worry, he's just stepped into the other room." Dewey Bunnell
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Darian Sahanaja from Brian Wilson's band referred to Jeff onstage as the "CEO of Falsetto", a title he very much deserved.
As the engineer on many of Brian's solo albums I had the pleasure of knowing Jeff and working with him for many years. Jeff was the organizer both on the road and in the studio, and also Brian's "go to guy" on the tours. Jeff organized the recording of "Brian Wilson Presents Smile" in 2004 as well as the Smile tour and the Pet Sounds tour that preceded it. I recently was compiling all of Brian's solo material , listening to shows I had not heard in 20 years or more, and there were Jeff's falsetto vocals taking the part in the vocal stack once occupied by Carl Wilson. It was the role he also played in the Beach Boys for many years beginning in 1980 and one he returned to before his illness made singing impossible.
And you're right we are losing to many too soon… Jeff is the fourth member of the extended Beach Boys family to die in the last few years. First was Eva Leaf, longtime friend of Brian and Melinda and godmother to their children, then Nick Walusco from Brian's band who died suddenly in 2019 followed in November of 2021 by Billy Hinsche who had been a long time member of the Beach Boys touring band as well as touring with Brian in recent years. And now Jeff joins them as well as Carl and Dennis Wilson up yonder…..
And the losses will of course continue, claiming friends, heroes and enemies…. So enjoy it all while you can in the meantime…..
Mark Linett
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Thanks for the piece on Jeff. He was an incredible talent, musician and singer. He was also a blast on the road and I have many fond memories. "Fosque as Mike used to call him!
He put together the band that played at our wedding. Will miss him.
John Meglen
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When we did the first and second Beach Boys and Chicago tours together Jeffery was nothing short of a musical miracle worker. A grand guy, very accomplished player and a car guy. Owned a Cobra that was his pride and joy. We went joy riding a few time in that little car.
He used to missed. But now he gets to go play with Carl again.
Mark Hogue
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I met Jeff Foskett when I did sound for a corporate gig and Papa Doo Run Run was the after-dinner-mint band. At the time, they were better than the real Beach Boys. The next time I saw Jeff I was mixing monitors for Chicago on a Chicago-Beach Boys summer tour of sheds and state fairs. Jeff was the high harmony and also played all the lead guitar solos, but not from down stage center, where he should have been, but far upstage right. And they never lit him for his solos. So the Chicago sound and stage crew took it upon ourselves to light Jeff with our flashlights whenever he played a solo that summer. RIP Jeff.
Harold
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Thank you for acknowledging the immense talent and humanity that was Jeffrey. Amazing how small the world is. I had no idea you knew Jeff but I'm thrilled you got to know him and were close. So was I. We've been great friends and bandmates since 1980. There will never be another Jeff Foskett!
I put together a brief montage tribute here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNxzNQGxzkY
Robby Scharf
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Really really beautiful remembrance and tribute to what a beautiful person he was. He could be just lauded for his talent, but it's thoughtful that you focused on what matters most… the person he was.
Mindi Abair
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I saw Jeffrey perform dozens of times both with The Beach Boys and with Brian's band. I only had the pleasure of one conversation with him when Danny Zelisko and Chuck Morris introduced us at the 50th Reunion Tour in Phoenix back in 2012.
Although it was eleven years ago it seems like just yesterday as I clearly recall our conversation. It was brief and to the point.
After I told him how much I noticed the importance of his role in the live shows I had seen, he said, "Honestly, the first thing I say out loud every morning is 'Thank you.' I really believe I'm the luckiest man on the planet. You're going to love the show tonight but not as much as I will because I'm like a groupie onstage playing with my idols!"
Not a bad way to earn a living, huh?
I'm so sorry for your loss. He will be missed.
Coop
RICK COOPER MUSIC
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"... Jeffrey Foskett was a Beach Boys fan. The fact that he got to play with his idols? You can't ask for much more than that."
When I saw Brian perform SMiLE in 2004, a show I'd waited over 35 years to see, I watched Jeffrey a lot. Sometimes through my tears. And because he was a fan, it felt as if he represented me on that stage, and I got to experience just a little bit of what he must have been feeling.
I'm shedding more tears today. Thank you for this Bob.
John Paris
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Bob, I to am deeply saddened to hear that Jeffrey Foskett has died. I wasn't aware then, but I think the first time I saw him with The Beach Boys was back in 1981. Carl had issued his debut solo album and did not tour with them that year. That night was memorable because, I was so visibly upset about Mike Love making fun of Brian, that Bruce Johnston came over to me mid-song to ask what's wrong.
Many years later, I was at the same venue (Westbury Music Fair) to see Brian and his brilliant band (Wondermints + Jeffrey). My friends and I were standing by our seats soon after the doors opened. Out of nowhere, Jeff came over to hang out with us. It was as if he was both a friend and a fellow fan. Super nice guy and super talented. It broke my heart when he left Brian to go back with Mike and Bruce's "Beach Boys" cover band. But, it's more than devastating to lose him forever.
Love and Mercy to his family, friends and all who knew and loved him
Jeff Douglas
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I remember Jeff vividly from seeing him on stage at the Brian Wilson smile shows. He was such a joyful presence on stage. You could see how he was the glue who tied the band together. Bless that man for helping to bring such beautiful music to life on stage and on the smile recording in 2004. So truly sorry to hear of his passing.
Bill Higgins
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Bob - such an amazing tribute to an amazing guy!! I got to know Jeff when we signed Mike Love to a records and publishing deal and met him with The Beach Boys . We also released Jeff's last album "Voices". A tragic loss for music!
Ira Sallen
BMG
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My first reaction was "Really nice guy".
Berton Averre
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We have lost a lot of common friends over the last few years. But when I heard about Jeffrey yesterday, it really hurt. I couldn't explain him better than you did. We talked often while he was in Texas, until he couldn't. We had a hundred projects we wanted to do together. Put all his amazing talents aside, let's remember what a mensch he was. A gem…….
David Spero
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Thanks for writing this Bob. I had the pleasure of seeing Jeffrey on stage with Brian's band on the Pet Sounds Live tour about 20 years ago, and again a few years later. He always seemed so genuine, and what a voice.
I'm sorry your good friend is gone
Best Regards
John Caddell, Dublin, Ireland
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He made a great contribution. RIP
Ray D'Ariano
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so sad.
he was so great.
as it said, on the back of his guitar, "smile."
i think he would prefer that we try to do that, when we think about him and the brilliant role that he played in helping to deliver such good vibrations.
David Breslin
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Jeff Foskett was a pal of mine. I worked with him on a Beach Boys session with Brian, et al back in 1984 and recently did an interview with him. I am sad at his loss too. Good piece. Thx
Spencer Proffer
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Thanks for your kind words about Jeffery Foskett. I saw him sing and play with Brian Wilson many times in the last two decades and with the Beach Boys before and after that. I was really saddened to learn he passed away.
Being a big BB and Brian fanboy, I feel blessed to have heard Pet Sounds performed live three times and the complete version of Brian's Smile also. But also I heard many other shows. Brian's Gershwin show was one of my favorites. Jeffrey told me that was the hardest show he ever had to do. Another highlight was Jeffrey and two others singing "How High the Moon" with Jeff Beck, a Les Paul and Mary Ford hit from the 50s. That was during the 2013 tour.
Jeffrey was stellar. Once I watched him skillfully cover for Brian when Brian stumbled on a note or two. He was really great.
Be well. Joe Bouchard
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Hey Bob, Jeffrey was a very good friend of mine, and I loved him as much as I loved his harmonies. Everything you said about him was completely true, and I don't have words to express my sorrow. Thank you for writing about him. I send you peace and love my brother Mark Hudson
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This is beautiful..
I met Jeffery in 1982 and bonded with him immediately. What you've written here, the emotional part of it, is exactly what I've been feeling since I got the news last night.
Thanks, MC
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He did a solo album about 20 years ago called Twelve And Twelve (the only rock album I know of named after an AA book) featuring a mini Who's Who of Sunshine/Power pop guest stars: Brian Wilson, Larry Ramos, Marshall Crenshaw, etc.
My favorite track on there is the one he did with Doug Fieger, "Baby It's You" - the key line is in the first bridge: "and when you sing to me it takes me away...
you sing me to another world" - could have been written about Jeffery Foskett himself.
Vince Welsh
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I clearly remember Jeff from the audience at the beach boys reunion tour.
He legit stole the show at moments
I'm really sorry for your loss Bob.
Gregory McLoughlin
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Bob: This is really sad, but your column captured the essence of Jeffrey Foskett's remarkable role in all versions of The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson's band.
He was also the perfect choice to do the introductions on many of their tours. His intro to the 2012 50th Anniversary tour is a classic.
John Small
Fort Myers, FL
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so right about Jeff… I hope I pass long before you because your missives are the best and I would miss them.. if we ever meet, I'm sure we would be friends but I'm sorry for your loss and mine as well and as you said I too met Jeff and when you become his friend you were friends for life. what a great soul he was
Silver Hammer, LTD.
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I knew Jeff from his days in Santa Barbara, late 70's early 80's. Never called him Jeffrey, maybe that came later, same with the religion. Anyway, I met him when he was playing around town as the Pranks with Randell Kirsch or Reverie Rhythm Rockers and I like to think we were friends. He used to live on the Mesa at the Love Foundation and I would visit and check out the sound studio with a ton of records. He gave me an acetate of a Grateful Dead bootleg that I still have somewhere. That was when he was playing with Mike Love. I moved to LA but kept in touch and called him and found out he was in LA and told me to meet him at the Bonaventure Hotel. I asked him if he was playing and he said he was playing some corporate gig. When asked he just kinda said was playing with some friends and told me to sit at the soundboard and we would hook up after. So the curtain goes up and it's the Beach Boys playing to about 300 people. Talk about an intimate concert. A little later I met him at Angel Stadium for a larger Beach Boys concert and saw him in the back with a big foam cover over the microphone so no one could tell he was hitting the high notes and turning his guitar so the audience couldn't see him playing lead. We fell out of touch but the local musician network kept track, which was how I found out he passed yesterday. He was always a mensch and I can't ever remember him actually getting mad about anything. RIP Jeff.
Alan Fenton
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that's really sweet Bob..
I was just looking through all my recents texts with him.. What you didn't write is that he was one of the funniest "sons of bitches" (his words) on the planet.. We were all reflecting yesterday on our many years with Jeff. I literally travelled with world with him on tour with Brian Wilson for 25 years..
The time on the bus or in the airport lounge or the hotel were some of funniest times ever.
We would laugh and laugh and laugh.
Melinda sent me a video today.. Jeff was filming some shenanigans on the 50th BB reunion tour and although you couldn't see him in the video, he was completely cracking himself up, a laugh that came from the belly.. His laugh was distinct and contagious and it just made you feel him. Its strange we won't hear it again.
When she told Brian about his passing yesterday the first thing out of his mouth was "Tell Diana I love her" typical Brian very concerned about who he left behind.. Then he was quiet, teary and sad the whole day.. I can't imagine what he feels losing someone that loved him so and the feeling was mutual. The respect for the art and the music they shared. Brian could listen to Jeff sing all day long.. I guess we all could.
Damn cancer.. we will all miss him and his incredible biting humor and that laugh.
Jean Sievers
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I met Jeff once in 2008. Brian was touring his new record, "That Lucky Old Sun". I had tickets to the Boston show, and when they announced a meet and greet at the Faneuil Hall Newbury Comics, I skipped sophomore chemistry at Northeastern University and jumped at the chance. Jeff stood steadfastly next to Brian, almost like a gatekeeper...a trusted confidant. Already a fan, I made a point to say hi to Jeff. No other patrons in the room knew who he was. What a gentle, kind soul. He was so gracious and grateful. That quick encounter had such an impact on young me. Be kind, be real, and don't be above anything or anyone. The world lost someone special and it's our duty to spread some of Jeff's goodness. We owe it to him.
Nick Fede
____________________________________
Seeing the news about Jeff sort of stopped me in my tracks yesterday, having not heard his name in some time. My little story about Jeff... I met him in early 1981 before things really took off for him. He had an ad in The Recycler selling a guitar, an old Kalamazoo electric (a low priced line of Gibson). It looked like a surf guitar, which eventually made sense. Being he was in Santa Barbara he wasn't getting a ton of response, well except for me down here in LA. Just so happened that the following weekend he was playing a gig at The Troubadour with his band The Pranks and invited me down to meet him and talk more about the guitar. Of course they killed it! Sounded like a rough and tumble version of The Beatles meets The Byrds. Hung out afterwards with his bandmates Randy Kirsch and Bo Fox and chatted awhile. He was such a nice guy, I decided to drive up to see him on the weekend where he worked at Fancy Music in Santa Barbara to get the guitar. He handed me a cassette of a live recording of The Pranks along with the Turquoise Kalamazoo guitar. We kept in touch on and off for a couple of years but eventually lost touch. I used that guitar all through the 80s and still have it today, along with that recording of his band The Pranks. So after hearing the news yesterday, I went to my boxes of hundreds of demo tapes and found it. Will find time this week to transfer and clean up The Pranks tape in Pro Tools and somehow see if I can find the other members, and see if there's a way I can post it for all those interested to take in.
Cheers,
Andy Zuckerman
The Institute Of Noise
____________________________________
An incredibly sad loss. Your insights into his humanity were a great testament to the man.
I have been a fan of his for years. His cd STARS IN THE SAND have some incredible vocals and if ever there was a tribute to the sound of The Beach Boys it was the track THRU MY WINDOW. His other cds, VOICES, TRIBUTES AND RARITIES, TWELVE AND TWELVE and ELUA ALOHA (with Jeff Larson) are all gems. Too bad that many will have heard of Jeffrey Foskett only after his death.
Michael Elder
____________________________________
I first saw Jeff with the Beach Boys back in the 80's. Carl Wilson was still in the band and he introduced this new, young member who was going to sing one of his favorite songs - "The Warmth Of The Sun". Up stepped this young guy who opened his mouth and filled the stadium with his incredible, beautiful tenor/falsetto voice and it was 1964 all over again. I was a big BB fan so I needed to know who this guy was. Later I found out he was from Willow Glen, the same little suburb of San Jose where I live.
Fast forward to just a few years ago I was attending an Al Jardine show at the Rio in Santa Cruz and saw Jeff in the lobby. I approached him and told him about that first concert that I saw him at and he got a kick out of it. He was very kind to me and very humble.
One of my favorite recordings of Jeff's is on the Brian Wilson "Live At The Roxy" album - his falsetto on the refrain in "Kiss Me Baby" is even more beautiful than Brian's vocal on the original studio recording.
He might not have been famous, but he was an incredible singer and a successful human being - who was loved and will be missed by many...
Patrick Whitaker
____________________________________
I worked with The Beach Boys (booking their shows) in the 1980's and Jeff Foskett was already part of the band. He had a beautiful voice, almost as angelic as Carl Wilson. Those harmonies will live forever. Jeff was a sweetheart and so damn talented.
Very sad to hear this news.
ADAM KORNFELD
____________________________________
I met Foskett back in my L.A. days (1987-1991), probably at The China Club.
He was a very kind, warm man. I next saw him in the early 2000s at a Brian Wilson show in Rome. He immediately said hello afterwards and intro'd me to Brian. So real, so thoughtful, so kind. He was a light in the darkness and anyone who knew him will remember who he was and how he was: genuine.
Joe D'Ambrosio
____________________________________
Yes, when Brian's band has sounded its best in recent years, one thing was sure... Jeffrey was doing Brian's high parts. Flawlessly, which is saying a lot. Better than Matt Jardine, who was pretty darned good, just not as good as Foskett. With Jeffrey it sounded 100% convincing.
I met him just briefly backstage years ago, and he made a good try at helping me meet Brian, no luck, but he tried and I was grateful. Thanks for filling us in more about him, which I sure didn't know. Obviously a class act... and what a talent, played many different instruments too.
Well, he's sure on a lot of concert videos.
Pete Wernick
"Dr. Banjo"
____________________________________
This is terrible.
I remember going to see The Beach Boys on their 50th Anniversary Tour. It was at a Seattle-area winery, and when I walked into the winery to buy a bottle for our group, I walked under the ramp from backstage to the stage. There was a guy sitting next to the railing on that ramp, stone still, wearing a Hawaiian shirt. It looked odd, so I moved around to get a look, and it was Brian Wilson! He was being kept backstage waiting like a prop - there were no other people around him. This was worrisome.
After playing Heroes and Villains (Brian sang it!), Mike Love told everyone (which many of us knew of course) that the song was from, "that dad-burned Smile Album" which, for a Brian fan who knows the back story is a horrible comment.
Foskett walked over to Brian (who was fantastic that night) and rubbed his back. My first thought was, "that guy is a really good guy".
Gary Lang
____________________________________
So sad about Jeffery's passing, here's my Foskett story:
I subbed for Jeff in the Endless Summer Band (with Mike Love and Dean Torrance) back in the 80's for a 2 week tour hitting all the spring break beaches in Florida doing 2 and 3 shows a day in various venues. It was during a time when Love wasn't touring with the BB's but Brian was. After that we stayed in touch, we would meet on the West coast when I was out there, and meet on the East coast when he was out here, either with the Beach Boys or Brian's solo band. When we were together we would alway end up chatting about the Beatles, and how jealous Jeff was that I got to work with a Beatle, namely John Lennon, on the Double Fantasy project. Of course, I was super jealous that he was working with the BB's and Brian Wilson. He was especially bummed that I never received a Platinum record for contributing to Double Fantasy. Apparently after John was killed, the rumor was that someone didn't want any of those to go to the musicians.
Anyway, one day I received a call from Jeff, he wanted to make sure I was going to be home, since there was going to be a delivery. Apparently, Jeff had browbeaten executives from Geffen to authorize a Platinum record in my name. It proudly hangs on my wall, and it always reminds me of Jeffrey. Now, even more.
That's the kind of man Jeffery Foskett was.
Keep up the amazing work, Bob.
Eric Troyer
____________________________________
(Note: Jeffrey gave me a gold record for "Smile.")
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Tuesday, 12 December 2023
Jeffrey Foskett
He was a really good guy. And I'm not just saying that because he died.
I knew who Jeffrey was before I knew him. He was the guy on stage with Brian Wilson, the one hitting the high notes, the one who turned his big red guitar around during the show so we could see where it was painted "Smile."
But I don't remember exactly how we met. Maybe over e-mail. I could comb the archives but I don't want to, I'm too creeped out that he died.
He was sick. Diagnosed and originally treated in the Bay Area he went to MD Anderson in Houston and they kept him alive, year after year. He'd check in on a regular basis, apropos of nothing. Tell me he was getting treatment, asking how I was and really wanting to know.
Before that we'd connect at shows. I remember when he took me to meet Brian on the tour bus. Prepping me regarding what to expect.
And the last time I saw him was with Mike Love, a few years back at the Vilar in Beaver Creek. He introduced me to Mike Love and Bruce Johnston and we all had a very interesting hang in the dressing room.
And Jeffrey was not a typical musician, he was clean, and always was, no dope and no drink. And a believer, as in religion. But you wouldn't know all this if he didn't tell you. And he'd had bariatric surgery, he used to weigh over 300 pounds, he'd reference this now and again. That was the funny thing about Jeffrey, he held nothing back, either about himself or those around him. He would testify not in a gossipy way, but an honest way, as if you were buddies since second grade.
And then he had to go off the road, because of his treatment, but then he went back out, even though he could no longer sing.
Let's see...
Jeffrey checked in on February 11th, and that was the subject of his e-mail, "Checking in".
And then again on March 3rd.
And on March 20th he said:
"I am praying for your health. Interestingly, my pre infusion drugs are Tylenol, Benadryl and Pepcid. Benadryl must be the key to no nausea.
I hope your pemphigus is under control and that you are comfortable.
Thank You for supplying me with interesting reading in the LL.
Stay Healthy. God Bless You
Jeffrey"
And on June 20th:
"Just checking in after reading 'The Infusion'. Is your pemphigus at least under control to where you are comfortable to sleep, walk, drive, etc.?
I am doing great. For me, there is no better place than MD A. They are keeping me thriving
I'm still praying for you my friend
Love and Blessings - Jeffrey"
And on July 24th, regarding antisemitism:
"Hi Bob,
I am a Stone Christian. Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. Are these emails for real? I am so thoroughly disgusted that I want to crawl into a hole. From our private email exchanges, You know that I pray for you and your ongoing health situation on a daily basis. The person that wrote this garbage is a stain to all of humanity. On one hand I am grateful that you published them on the other, it literally sickens me. What happened to the world? I guess I have been so caught up in healing that I have ignored other truly important aspects of my surrounds.
I am sorry for the personal attacks on you and your Religion. It is disgraceful. My heart literally hurts
God Bless You - Jeffrey"
Where do you find friends like that? Believe me, they're rare. And when one is that genuine, thinking of you, regularly checking in, you have an ethereal bond that goes beyond regular friendship.
When I heard of Jeffrey's passing I thought I'd heard from him more recently, in October or so, I was surprised to find his last missive was in July. Which makes me think he had a rough time of it. And one thing they don't tell you about cancer is it's painful. But Jeffrey had such belief in MD Anderson that he convinced me, after years of treatment on a regular basis, that he'd be here for years to come.
But he's not.
And many people have no idea who Jeffrey Foskett is. But those he touched, they'll never forget him, because he was genuine, because he was a good guy. Fake was not in his bones.
What angers me most is he can't read this, he can't know how much he meant to me, how he touched me.
I don't know what to do with this empty feeling. My contemporaries are dying on a regular basis. It used to be a rare event, usually through misadventure, but now... You can't metabolize these passings. Some before their time, like Jeffrey, at 67, others like Christine McVie, who didn't make it to 80, never mind Jeff Beck. And then Ryan O'Neal. We bonded over having CML. He was a funny guy, he lived in the present, if he brought up the past it was like you'd been there together. He was honest about his son, he had to show me his Tesla Model X, and now he's gone at 82. That might seem old to some, but if you're a boomer, if you're past Medicare age, that's scary. You count on those years, you think you'll be active until sometime shy of 90, and then you won't be so great, but you'll continue to enjoy TV and a good meal and music, if you can still hear. We keep pushing finality into the distance, But one by one team members are falling by the wayside. They might be gone, but their legend lives on, even if they were not famous.
So if you've been to a Brian Wilson show, if you've seen the Beach Boys in the past decade, you experienced Jeffrey Foskett. He was the glue that held it all together. The utility man who provided what the legends no longer could. And he didn't want notice, he was glad to be the midwife for some of the greatest music of all time.
Yes, first and foremost Jeffrey Foskett was a Beach Boys fan. The fact that he got to play with his idols?
You can't ask for much more than that.
He was cut down before his time, but he exceeded his dream.
May he live in an endless summer ever after.
I knew who Jeffrey was before I knew him. He was the guy on stage with Brian Wilson, the one hitting the high notes, the one who turned his big red guitar around during the show so we could see where it was painted "Smile."
But I don't remember exactly how we met. Maybe over e-mail. I could comb the archives but I don't want to, I'm too creeped out that he died.
He was sick. Diagnosed and originally treated in the Bay Area he went to MD Anderson in Houston and they kept him alive, year after year. He'd check in on a regular basis, apropos of nothing. Tell me he was getting treatment, asking how I was and really wanting to know.
Before that we'd connect at shows. I remember when he took me to meet Brian on the tour bus. Prepping me regarding what to expect.
And the last time I saw him was with Mike Love, a few years back at the Vilar in Beaver Creek. He introduced me to Mike Love and Bruce Johnston and we all had a very interesting hang in the dressing room.
And Jeffrey was not a typical musician, he was clean, and always was, no dope and no drink. And a believer, as in religion. But you wouldn't know all this if he didn't tell you. And he'd had bariatric surgery, he used to weigh over 300 pounds, he'd reference this now and again. That was the funny thing about Jeffrey, he held nothing back, either about himself or those around him. He would testify not in a gossipy way, but an honest way, as if you were buddies since second grade.
And then he had to go off the road, because of his treatment, but then he went back out, even though he could no longer sing.
Let's see...
Jeffrey checked in on February 11th, and that was the subject of his e-mail, "Checking in".
And then again on March 3rd.
And on March 20th he said:
"I am praying for your health. Interestingly, my pre infusion drugs are Tylenol, Benadryl and Pepcid. Benadryl must be the key to no nausea.
I hope your pemphigus is under control and that you are comfortable.
Thank You for supplying me with interesting reading in the LL.
Stay Healthy. God Bless You
Jeffrey"
And on June 20th:
"Just checking in after reading 'The Infusion'. Is your pemphigus at least under control to where you are comfortable to sleep, walk, drive, etc.?
I am doing great. For me, there is no better place than MD A. They are keeping me thriving
I'm still praying for you my friend
Love and Blessings - Jeffrey"
And on July 24th, regarding antisemitism:
"Hi Bob,
I am a Stone Christian. Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. Are these emails for real? I am so thoroughly disgusted that I want to crawl into a hole. From our private email exchanges, You know that I pray for you and your ongoing health situation on a daily basis. The person that wrote this garbage is a stain to all of humanity. On one hand I am grateful that you published them on the other, it literally sickens me. What happened to the world? I guess I have been so caught up in healing that I have ignored other truly important aspects of my surrounds.
I am sorry for the personal attacks on you and your Religion. It is disgraceful. My heart literally hurts
God Bless You - Jeffrey"
Where do you find friends like that? Believe me, they're rare. And when one is that genuine, thinking of you, regularly checking in, you have an ethereal bond that goes beyond regular friendship.
When I heard of Jeffrey's passing I thought I'd heard from him more recently, in October or so, I was surprised to find his last missive was in July. Which makes me think he had a rough time of it. And one thing they don't tell you about cancer is it's painful. But Jeffrey had such belief in MD Anderson that he convinced me, after years of treatment on a regular basis, that he'd be here for years to come.
But he's not.
And many people have no idea who Jeffrey Foskett is. But those he touched, they'll never forget him, because he was genuine, because he was a good guy. Fake was not in his bones.
What angers me most is he can't read this, he can't know how much he meant to me, how he touched me.
I don't know what to do with this empty feeling. My contemporaries are dying on a regular basis. It used to be a rare event, usually through misadventure, but now... You can't metabolize these passings. Some before their time, like Jeffrey, at 67, others like Christine McVie, who didn't make it to 80, never mind Jeff Beck. And then Ryan O'Neal. We bonded over having CML. He was a funny guy, he lived in the present, if he brought up the past it was like you'd been there together. He was honest about his son, he had to show me his Tesla Model X, and now he's gone at 82. That might seem old to some, but if you're a boomer, if you're past Medicare age, that's scary. You count on those years, you think you'll be active until sometime shy of 90, and then you won't be so great, but you'll continue to enjoy TV and a good meal and music, if you can still hear. We keep pushing finality into the distance, But one by one team members are falling by the wayside. They might be gone, but their legend lives on, even if they were not famous.
So if you've been to a Brian Wilson show, if you've seen the Beach Boys in the past decade, you experienced Jeffrey Foskett. He was the glue that held it all together. The utility man who provided what the legends no longer could. And he didn't want notice, he was glad to be the midwife for some of the greatest music of all time.
Yes, first and foremost Jeffrey Foskett was a Beach Boys fan. The fact that he got to play with his idols?
You can't ask for much more than that.
He was cut down before his time, but he exceeded his dream.
May he live in an endless summer ever after.
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More From Frampton
I'm going to play live until my fingers won't move up and down the fretboard anymore. So far so good, even though I have adapted my playing to the constantly changing, weakening muscle situation.
Still writing for a new solo release ….and it's for me! When, and only when, I have enough tracks that totally blow me away, I will release it.
Even though I'm where I am health wise, this is the best time in my life! Family and dear friends are so important.
Who am I to complain?!?! Next year is my 60th year of touring! And in the immortal words of my super talented, old compadre, Steve Marriott, "It's been a gas, it's really been a gas!"
I would love if both of you would be my guests at the Greek in April. Be great to see you.
Peter
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Still writing for a new solo release ….and it's for me! When, and only when, I have enough tracks that totally blow me away, I will release it.
Even though I'm where I am health wise, this is the best time in my life! Family and dear friends are so important.
Who am I to complain?!?! Next year is my 60th year of touring! And in the immortal words of my super talented, old compadre, Steve Marriott, "It's been a gas, it's really been a gas!"
I would love if both of you would be my guests at the Greek in April. Be great to see you.
Peter
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Monday, 11 December 2023
Final Aspen Live
Now everybody wants to go to BottleRock.
I can't say that I've completely decompressed from the conference. Someone said it was like a high school reunion, but I thought it was more akin to summer camp. I don't want to see everybody at a reunion, but at Aspen Live? Count me in. It's so weird being connected after being isolated. You get caught up in the drift, the group becomes the focus and everything else recedes. Being in constant contact strengthens relationships, and that's what it's all about at Aspen Live, who you meet, who you hang with, they end up being your closest contacts in the business.
And this year attendance was up, but even better was the panels.
I remember the old days, debating file-trading, arguing about this and that. But this time the panels were informative, far different from the depressed speeches you get at the normal conference. You know, where they get six talking heads of varying status and they reluctantly say almost nothing. And then they go back into their silo and it's like they were never there. In Aspen, we're all together all the time, and you get to know someone best on the lift, not that everybody was a skier.
So BottleRock... You might remember when it cratered, about a decade back, leaving debt and a bad taste in everybody's mouth. Well, these three guys from outside, newbies who knew nothing, paid all the past debts and proceeded to lose five and a half million the first year out. They just didn't understand the music business, which looks easy but is ultimately complicated. And then they pivoted.
BottleRock is now a high end enterprise. A festival for adults. Capacity is limited by the venue, so...
There's VIP. FOR $6000! Talk about extreme, on first glance it appeared to be a colossal rip-off. But then we heard you got to hang backstage, meet the talent, stand right up front during the show...
And that still wasn't enough to close me.
But the piece-de-resistance is the food and wine. Yes, in Napa they get the foremost wineries to appear, with an explanation of the vintages, expertise and then consumption. And if you're not into wine, they have Pappy Van Winkle, which is as rare and expensive as a home concert by Ed Sheeran. Well, I don't think Ed Sheeran does house concerts, but you get the idea. You're up close and personal with the best wine and the best chefs and they serve oysters backstage and by time the three dudes were done talking, we all wanted to go. That was the buzz that night and the day thereafter, people would come up to you and start talking about BottleRock, their desire to attend.
And then there was Dayna Frank, proprietor of the legendary First Avenue, you know, the club in Minneapolis where Prince recorded songs for "Purple Rain."
Well, Dayna was the driving force behind Save Our Stages and now Fix The Tix, you read about the Senate bill they got introduced last week, the Fans First Act.
A lot of people talk, but Dayna does. With a sense of humor. You could sense the power inside her without feeling bludgeoned, but entranced.
And then there was the story of her attending the brokers' convention in Nashville under an assumed name. You've got no idea the tools the secondary market has at their disposal.
And when it comes to ticketing... I heard a lot of inside information from the source, one on one, but you weren't there and I can't repeat it. The code of the road, the music business is a club and if you're not in it, you don't know. And most of what's worth knowing never hits the news. But you could get so much in conversation in Aspen.
And I must tell you, after more than ten inches of snow Friday day and night, Saturday, although sporting cold temperatures, served up skiing conditions as good as they get. Period. The packed powder of your dreams. And then...
There was the crud, which is snow that is not powder, that has been skied, that is chopped-up yet not packed down. And we skied the crud bumps on the Face of Bell...
For one of the smallest major ski areas, Ajax, the main mountain in Aspen, has a wealth of very serious terrain. It's an experts' paradise. And stunningly, everything except the bottom, which is uber-steep, was open. If you came from the east coast your head would have exploded.
Then again, Aspen is not as together as Vail. They've still got slow lifts, when every lift at Vail is high speed, they've even replaced high speed fours for sixpacks.
And there was a line for the gondola, to get up the hill. And the gondola holds eight, but they were letting up cars with three or four, unless six people were in a group, no car had more than five. And this is just heinous. At Vail, when there is a line, when it's crowded, they force ten people into every gondola car, it's almost like the subway, pay attention, it's very efficient, to your benefit.
However, today at Vail was a disappointment compared to Aspen. Because Vail is all about the Back Bowls, a feature no other ski area in the U.S. provides. What they have in Jackson and Sun Valley are nice, but they don't compare. In Vail, the ridgeline of the Bowls is six miles long, if you're unfamiliar, check out the seven bowls here: http://tinyurl.com/mf46z59d The Back Bowls contain 2,785 acres, and Ajax/Aspen Mountain only has 673 total! But the Bowls face south, and that means they're in the sun and need more snow to open, and if the Back Bowls are not open you can't get to the treed wonderland of Blue Sky Basin with its own 525 acres, which faces north, but needs access from the south-facing Back Bowls. So today we were limited to the front, and not all of it was open. And if we don't get more snow before Xmas, it's going to be a clusterf*ck.
But I had that great day in Aspen. But now I'm back to reading the news, I'm not in a hot house of constant contact and input.
I miss it.
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I can't say that I've completely decompressed from the conference. Someone said it was like a high school reunion, but I thought it was more akin to summer camp. I don't want to see everybody at a reunion, but at Aspen Live? Count me in. It's so weird being connected after being isolated. You get caught up in the drift, the group becomes the focus and everything else recedes. Being in constant contact strengthens relationships, and that's what it's all about at Aspen Live, who you meet, who you hang with, they end up being your closest contacts in the business.
And this year attendance was up, but even better was the panels.
I remember the old days, debating file-trading, arguing about this and that. But this time the panels were informative, far different from the depressed speeches you get at the normal conference. You know, where they get six talking heads of varying status and they reluctantly say almost nothing. And then they go back into their silo and it's like they were never there. In Aspen, we're all together all the time, and you get to know someone best on the lift, not that everybody was a skier.
So BottleRock... You might remember when it cratered, about a decade back, leaving debt and a bad taste in everybody's mouth. Well, these three guys from outside, newbies who knew nothing, paid all the past debts and proceeded to lose five and a half million the first year out. They just didn't understand the music business, which looks easy but is ultimately complicated. And then they pivoted.
BottleRock is now a high end enterprise. A festival for adults. Capacity is limited by the venue, so...
There's VIP. FOR $6000! Talk about extreme, on first glance it appeared to be a colossal rip-off. But then we heard you got to hang backstage, meet the talent, stand right up front during the show...
And that still wasn't enough to close me.
But the piece-de-resistance is the food and wine. Yes, in Napa they get the foremost wineries to appear, with an explanation of the vintages, expertise and then consumption. And if you're not into wine, they have Pappy Van Winkle, which is as rare and expensive as a home concert by Ed Sheeran. Well, I don't think Ed Sheeran does house concerts, but you get the idea. You're up close and personal with the best wine and the best chefs and they serve oysters backstage and by time the three dudes were done talking, we all wanted to go. That was the buzz that night and the day thereafter, people would come up to you and start talking about BottleRock, their desire to attend.
And then there was Dayna Frank, proprietor of the legendary First Avenue, you know, the club in Minneapolis where Prince recorded songs for "Purple Rain."
Well, Dayna was the driving force behind Save Our Stages and now Fix The Tix, you read about the Senate bill they got introduced last week, the Fans First Act.
A lot of people talk, but Dayna does. With a sense of humor. You could sense the power inside her without feeling bludgeoned, but entranced.
And then there was the story of her attending the brokers' convention in Nashville under an assumed name. You've got no idea the tools the secondary market has at their disposal.
And when it comes to ticketing... I heard a lot of inside information from the source, one on one, but you weren't there and I can't repeat it. The code of the road, the music business is a club and if you're not in it, you don't know. And most of what's worth knowing never hits the news. But you could get so much in conversation in Aspen.
And I must tell you, after more than ten inches of snow Friday day and night, Saturday, although sporting cold temperatures, served up skiing conditions as good as they get. Period. The packed powder of your dreams. And then...
There was the crud, which is snow that is not powder, that has been skied, that is chopped-up yet not packed down. And we skied the crud bumps on the Face of Bell...
For one of the smallest major ski areas, Ajax, the main mountain in Aspen, has a wealth of very serious terrain. It's an experts' paradise. And stunningly, everything except the bottom, which is uber-steep, was open. If you came from the east coast your head would have exploded.
Then again, Aspen is not as together as Vail. They've still got slow lifts, when every lift at Vail is high speed, they've even replaced high speed fours for sixpacks.
And there was a line for the gondola, to get up the hill. And the gondola holds eight, but they were letting up cars with three or four, unless six people were in a group, no car had more than five. And this is just heinous. At Vail, when there is a line, when it's crowded, they force ten people into every gondola car, it's almost like the subway, pay attention, it's very efficient, to your benefit.
However, today at Vail was a disappointment compared to Aspen. Because Vail is all about the Back Bowls, a feature no other ski area in the U.S. provides. What they have in Jackson and Sun Valley are nice, but they don't compare. In Vail, the ridgeline of the Bowls is six miles long, if you're unfamiliar, check out the seven bowls here: http://tinyurl.com/mf46z59d The Back Bowls contain 2,785 acres, and Ajax/Aspen Mountain only has 673 total! But the Bowls face south, and that means they're in the sun and need more snow to open, and if the Back Bowls are not open you can't get to the treed wonderland of Blue Sky Basin with its own 525 acres, which faces north, but needs access from the south-facing Back Bowls. So today we were limited to the front, and not all of it was open. And if we don't get more snow before Xmas, it's going to be a clusterf*ck.
But I had that great day in Aspen. But now I'm back to reading the news, I'm not in a hot house of constant contact and input.
I miss it.
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Sunday, 10 December 2023
Peter Frampton Responds (and more!)
From: Peter Frampton
Subject: What a lovely surprise!!
Dear Bob,
Just now flying home from NY after playing the, "Artists for Action", "Sandyhook Promise" show with Mark Barden and family, whose son Daniel was killed at Sandy Hook.
Sheryl Crow, Kevin Bacon and Jimmy Vivino's great band were all on hand plus a slew of great talent. It was an incredible feeling to be a part of, "doing something" for gun reform.
Then as soon as the WiFi came on the plane home, I saw your lovely piece about "Wind of Change". It's still one of the best experiences in my life. Having a completely blank slate not knowing what I was doing but enjoying being in charge of the whole album making process for the first time. Freedom!
Prod/engineer Chris Kimsey deserves a huge mention and thank you. Couldn't have done it without him.
Thanks again, it brought back great memories of that leap off the musical diving board that I'm still very proud of today.
Peter
PS. Clem is a phenomenal guitar player. A wonderful but different style of playing.
____________________________________
From: Chris Kimsey
Hi Bob, what sweet memories you evoke and these are in my DNA, as this album was the game changer for me as an engineer and associate producer. Peter and I had such an amazing bond and love of music. We would hang out listening to so much good music. We loved to explore the SOUND on recordings, forever reading the liner notes .
The Wind of Change album was a pure joy recorded at Olympic Studios, my first encounter with Ringo! And Peter wanting a LIVE more open drum sound asked him to take the tea cloths off the drums. A first for Ringo….!
Peter the innovator at work!! Amazing.
Nice one Bob,
Peter is the best, his songs and playing will never fade away and continue to give the world outstanding original pieces that are destined to be a precious treasure of our musical culture.
Chris K
____________________________________
I am part of that small coterie you mention and still a huge Peter fan. Saw him w Humble Pie right before he left and then picked up his first solo and album and the ones after. Loved them all. Saw Frampton's Camel tour soon after and bought the live album from Peaches Records the day it came out. Met him at a backyard party in Nassau late 70's and he was very nice to us. Few years later saw him w Bowie and he played great and seemed happy. Over the years i have met him a few times and listened to everything he puts out. Recently saw the Ryman show and I am still blown away by the songs as much as the incredible playing he still does. Your words capture my feeling and love for the guy. And his book was a great read as well.
Thank you for writing this. Van Fletcher
____________________________________
Peter's accomplishments as a guitarist/writer/vocalist were just amazing and I felt was not recognized as much when he played with Humble Pie's Live at Fillmore. As a guitar player I followed him with his solo career. Yes, " Wind of Change Album" was a great LP! Peter had a great approach as a writer. Peter used Jazz chords with his rhythm and solos pushing him ahead of the typical 4 -Chord heavy Rock music of his time. A couple of other songs that may be forgotten from " Wind of Change " were :
Jumping Jack Flash
The Lodger
Thanks for the recap of Peter's music and brief history. I plan to see Peter's Solo Tour Spring 2024 at a local Chicago venue which is a more intimate place for R& R and select acoustic Frampton songs!
Marc/Chicago area
____________________________________
Thanks Bob. Great memories of the early 70's music. I played with Mylon and we opened for Humble Pie about 10 times in 70-72 just at the Eastown Theatre in Detroit alone!
But when we opened for Mountain, at Filmore and other places, it was funny but Frampton was always there.sometimes with Penny backstage and on the side cheering everyone on. He was a true muso!
I'm so glad you mentioned the Atlanta Rhythm Section. Barry Bailey was a legend in Atlanta and his playing is a perfect example of "overlooked guitarist" (ask Al Kooper about Barry). He could peel off the solo in "I'm So Into You" without looking anywhere but dead-on into the feel....He was an incredible southern gentleman super talent and he would be smiling at seeing his band's name in your post. Unfortunately MS took Barry a couple years ago and Mylon passed away in Sept. Your recall and the way you express how meaningful that music meant to you, is a special
blessing for those of us here and gone.
Marty Simon
Toronto
____________________________________
Hey Bob,
Although I'm a few years younger than you (too young to see Frampton with Humble Pie) a friend with an older brother turned me on to Rockin' The Fillmore and I instantly became a fan of not only Pie but Frampton as well. I heard Wind of Change on my local Philadelphia rock radio station and literally had my Mom (I was too young to drive) take me to, I believe Korvetts Dept. Store to find and buy the album.
It hit me like a ton of bricks (still does) and I bought every one thereafter up to and including I'm In You.
My memory is he was often the opening act for a lot of concerts in Phila at the Spectrum and I would buy tickets ($5!) and go to shows just to see him! He even was 3rd on a bill with Humble Pie in '75 billed as Goodbye To Pie tour and we were convinced he would come out and jam with HP but alas he did not.
Just want to thank you for bringing to light one of my favorite alltime artists. Frampton consistently delivers and the joy on his face when he is playing live is a wonderful reminder that joy is a big part of what music is all about!
Cheers
Tom Gillam
New Braunfels TX
____________________________________
My high school friend and I went to see Peter just before the pandemic. We were like you – into Frampton from Rockin' The Fillmore onwards, time-wise.
For our meet and greet, my friend brought his 1972 copy of Winds of Change to sign, and I brought a Django Reinhardt record. Frampton said he was surprised by both of them being the record to sign. We explained the era we got into him had us buying Winds of Change the day it came out, and I explained that it was he, with his gypsy jazz forays and mentions that made me the Django fanatic I am today. If it weren't for getting into him, we'd be lesser guitar players and I'd have never heard of Django.
It was a nice moment of gratitude expressed after 50 years of admiration. It's nice to read this. Though no one in our high school knew who he was until January of 1976, apparently we weren't alone.
Great story. Agree with all of your observations about Clemson, who we saw in the Pie a few times. Pretty good, but not Frampton.
Gary Lang
____________________________________
"I was raised by a bearded toothless hag"..you forgot the best song (jam) on the album. Jumping Jack Flash. Seems Mr. Frampton still had some Humble Pie left in him. Different strokes for different folks.
Richard Klufas
____________________________________
"Don't Fade Away" from solo elpee #2 Frampton's Camel.
Scott Hazlewood
____________________________________
Yeah. I wasn't with A&M then but shine on should have been a hit or at least a hit on album radio. I still play it.
Cheers Bob!
Richard Pachter
____________________________________
I could never figure out why "Nowhere's Too Far (For My Baby)," was not on the live album
To me that was his biggest hit before the live record, still my favorite song by him :-)
Thanks for the great writing
Peter Stema
____________________________________
Couldn't agree more, Bob. I've been singing "All I Want To Be (Is By Your Side)" around our house for decades and only discovered Wind of Change a few years ago. One of my new favorites.
Steve Gillan
____________________________________
Tremendous call on "Wind Of Change' from Peter Frampton. That album, and the follow-up "Frampton's Camel" are two vastly underrated albums. I might spring for the SACD versions now,
Sky Daniels
____________________________________
Those early Pie albums with Frampton were all killer, as were the Frampton's Camel albums.
Ross Field
____________________________________
Bob
I saw Lee Michaels and drummer Frosty show before 71 and my ears rang for a week!
Stan Goman
____________________________________
Like you, came to Frampton after wearing out my copy of Humble Pie's Live At The Fillmore. Bought Wind of Change immediately upon its release. Was not what I was expecting but stuck with it in my university dorm room at Acadia U. In Nova Scotia and it quietly became one of my favourite albums - along with Wishbone Ash's Argus, Rory Gallagher's Taste and Roxy Music's 1st - those were the days indeed.
Mike Campbell
____________________________________
Good to see the mention of Lee Michaels whose talent and reputation were unfortunately overshadowed by the lame and unrepresentative hit, "Do You Know What I Mean".
I saw him at the Hollywood Bowl when I was sixteen. He was sandwiched between the Grass Roots and headliner Credence Clearwater. The Grass Roots performed a nice set. Then the virtually unknown Michaels comes on, just him on a Hammond B-3 and drummer Frosty. The two had a unique, high-energy sound that just blew everyone away. Then Credence comes on and is, relatively speaking, boring. Standing still, playing their hits perfectly. No match for the tsunami unleashed by Lee Michaels and Frosty, so we left early. An excellent representation is the album simply titled "Lee Michaels" which was recorded live in the studio. Listen to opener "Tell Me How Do You Feel" and "Stormy Monday" (crank it up!) and you hear the real Lee Michaels.
Thanks, Bob!
Gary Goff
____________________________________
From: Don Strasburg
Always love this song
"Heighty Hi"
https://open.spotify.com/track/4HCBOzwH6I2GM0qPEGFxCi?si=a71a512e42fe4572
____________________________________
I was intrigued by your description of the 1971 Lee Michaels concert - just him and a drummer - so I looked him up on YouTube and found this great footage and thought you might enjoy it, if you hadn't seen it yet. https://youtu.be/K02bv-51nAU?si=ZPBkLx-5qTk7QYjS
This was filmed in August of 1971, just a few months after you saw him, which appears to have been on May 29th. The records show a concert at the Fillmore East that night with Fanny, Humble Pie and Lee Michaels. If it was anything like the video above, you saw a great show.
I knew little of Lee Michaels other than "Do You Know What I Mean," but when it was all over the radio, I boasted to my friends that Lee Michaels was my uncle. He was not. No relation at all, as far as I know, but that didn't stop 12-year-old me from trying to get some street cred from having the same last name.
Best,
-John Michaels
____________________________________
Yeah those were the days. My college guitar playing buddies drove down from the icy Northern Tier of NY State, Saint Lawrence University. Colder than a hooker or a politician's heart. Two seasons: Fourth of July and winter. Till global warming, Call it hoax but it's 60 WABC dee-grees in my home state of Connecticut. Surely you remember that chant on that 77 spot on the dial, if I remember correctly. But I ramble on. In the cold winter of 1972, there was a show at RPI, Rensellaer Polytechnic Institute. Opener was Frampton with the Winds of Change LP hot off the pressing plants, and Mahavishnu John McLaughlin was the second act on the bill. J Geils, the perennial favorite party college band were the headliners, but once Mahavishnu John McLaughlin got done with his amazing groundbreaking set, we left halfway through J Geils's set, which I kinda regret. But get this. On the way way home me and my college guitar posse stopped at a gas station along the NY Northway…So a guy all in white comes up to us crazed high college kids and asked us for directions. I mean how to ge on the Thruway in Rensall-whatever…So John McLaughlin asked us for DIRECTIONS! Talk about fans meeting the artists when you least expect it.
Chip Lovitt
____________________________________
I'm in you , I mean I'm with you all the way with Mr.Frampton. Hahahaha
The first time Humble Pie played the Fillmore East, I had enough money to take the train from Canarsie Brooklyn but failed to find enough money for a ticket. I wasn't about to ask anyone for money. So I sat by the ground level fire doors and listened. I already had the "Safe As Yesterday Is" LP. That's how much I was into Humble Pie and Peter Frampton.
When most guitarists emulated Eric Clapton during that time period, Peter seemed to be coming from a different place. More melodic, less cliched blues licks. I loved Pie & Frampton. I couldn't wait for Peters solo lps.
I was at the Fillmore ( snuck in through the upper fire escapes) for the Rockin the Fillmore shows. I actually hear me yell out on the LP "yeah" while Marriott was talking to the audience. Hahahaa. The night after the Fillmore shows wrapped up, my friend who knew I loved Humble Pie called me and told me to meet him downstairs in back of my building (Bayview Projects).
I see my friend pull up in a CAR !!!! He didn't have a license !!! Not only that, he didn't have a car. I noticed the ignition had been popped. !!!!! So we drove from Brooklyn to the Oak Beach Inn on Long Island in a stolen car. Jeezzzz
Before Humble pie went on I had to use the restroom. As I approached the bathroom door, Steve Marriott came out of another door, the dressing room. He asked me if I wanted a slice of pizza. Hahahaha. There I was, a young punk asked to go into one of my fav band's dressing room. Wow. All they had to eat were a few pizza pies and soda. Catering has come a long way since then. Haha. I must've been in there less than 3 minutes as the road manager said "Hey Kid you have to go now". I'll always remember just looking at them and how they were dressed so cool. The show was identical to the Fillmore show, even when Peter takes off his sports jacket. Hahaha
Fast forward 16 years. I made a name for myself as a drummer. I've already played with John Waite & Julian Lennon. In '87 I got the Bowie Glass Spider tour. Who's in the band playing guitar? Peter Frampton!! Talk about a dream gig.
I did ask him if he remembered a kid eating pizza with them at the Oak Beach Inn. ( OBI). He laughed and said no. Hahaha. A great musician, funny and the sweetest guy. Man, I am one lucky guy. Happy Holidays Bob, Alan Childs
Subject: What a lovely surprise!!
Dear Bob,
Just now flying home from NY after playing the, "Artists for Action", "Sandyhook Promise" show with Mark Barden and family, whose son Daniel was killed at Sandy Hook.
Sheryl Crow, Kevin Bacon and Jimmy Vivino's great band were all on hand plus a slew of great talent. It was an incredible feeling to be a part of, "doing something" for gun reform.
Then as soon as the WiFi came on the plane home, I saw your lovely piece about "Wind of Change". It's still one of the best experiences in my life. Having a completely blank slate not knowing what I was doing but enjoying being in charge of the whole album making process for the first time. Freedom!
Prod/engineer Chris Kimsey deserves a huge mention and thank you. Couldn't have done it without him.
Thanks again, it brought back great memories of that leap off the musical diving board that I'm still very proud of today.
Peter
PS. Clem is a phenomenal guitar player. A wonderful but different style of playing.
____________________________________
From: Chris Kimsey
Hi Bob, what sweet memories you evoke and these are in my DNA, as this album was the game changer for me as an engineer and associate producer. Peter and I had such an amazing bond and love of music. We would hang out listening to so much good music. We loved to explore the SOUND on recordings, forever reading the liner notes .
The Wind of Change album was a pure joy recorded at Olympic Studios, my first encounter with Ringo! And Peter wanting a LIVE more open drum sound asked him to take the tea cloths off the drums. A first for Ringo….!
Peter the innovator at work!! Amazing.
Nice one Bob,
Peter is the best, his songs and playing will never fade away and continue to give the world outstanding original pieces that are destined to be a precious treasure of our musical culture.
Chris K
____________________________________
I am part of that small coterie you mention and still a huge Peter fan. Saw him w Humble Pie right before he left and then picked up his first solo and album and the ones after. Loved them all. Saw Frampton's Camel tour soon after and bought the live album from Peaches Records the day it came out. Met him at a backyard party in Nassau late 70's and he was very nice to us. Few years later saw him w Bowie and he played great and seemed happy. Over the years i have met him a few times and listened to everything he puts out. Recently saw the Ryman show and I am still blown away by the songs as much as the incredible playing he still does. Your words capture my feeling and love for the guy. And his book was a great read as well.
Thank you for writing this. Van Fletcher
____________________________________
Peter's accomplishments as a guitarist/writer/vocalist were just amazing and I felt was not recognized as much when he played with Humble Pie's Live at Fillmore. As a guitar player I followed him with his solo career. Yes, " Wind of Change Album" was a great LP! Peter had a great approach as a writer. Peter used Jazz chords with his rhythm and solos pushing him ahead of the typical 4 -Chord heavy Rock music of his time. A couple of other songs that may be forgotten from " Wind of Change " were :
Jumping Jack Flash
The Lodger
Thanks for the recap of Peter's music and brief history. I plan to see Peter's Solo Tour Spring 2024 at a local Chicago venue which is a more intimate place for R& R and select acoustic Frampton songs!
Marc/Chicago area
____________________________________
Thanks Bob. Great memories of the early 70's music. I played with Mylon and we opened for Humble Pie about 10 times in 70-72 just at the Eastown Theatre in Detroit alone!
But when we opened for Mountain, at Filmore and other places, it was funny but Frampton was always there.sometimes with Penny backstage and on the side cheering everyone on. He was a true muso!
I'm so glad you mentioned the Atlanta Rhythm Section. Barry Bailey was a legend in Atlanta and his playing is a perfect example of "overlooked guitarist" (ask Al Kooper about Barry). He could peel off the solo in "I'm So Into You" without looking anywhere but dead-on into the feel....He was an incredible southern gentleman super talent and he would be smiling at seeing his band's name in your post. Unfortunately MS took Barry a couple years ago and Mylon passed away in Sept. Your recall and the way you express how meaningful that music meant to you, is a special
blessing for those of us here and gone.
Marty Simon
Toronto
____________________________________
Hey Bob,
Although I'm a few years younger than you (too young to see Frampton with Humble Pie) a friend with an older brother turned me on to Rockin' The Fillmore and I instantly became a fan of not only Pie but Frampton as well. I heard Wind of Change on my local Philadelphia rock radio station and literally had my Mom (I was too young to drive) take me to, I believe Korvetts Dept. Store to find and buy the album.
It hit me like a ton of bricks (still does) and I bought every one thereafter up to and including I'm In You.
My memory is he was often the opening act for a lot of concerts in Phila at the Spectrum and I would buy tickets ($5!) and go to shows just to see him! He even was 3rd on a bill with Humble Pie in '75 billed as Goodbye To Pie tour and we were convinced he would come out and jam with HP but alas he did not.
Just want to thank you for bringing to light one of my favorite alltime artists. Frampton consistently delivers and the joy on his face when he is playing live is a wonderful reminder that joy is a big part of what music is all about!
Cheers
Tom Gillam
New Braunfels TX
____________________________________
My high school friend and I went to see Peter just before the pandemic. We were like you – into Frampton from Rockin' The Fillmore onwards, time-wise.
For our meet and greet, my friend brought his 1972 copy of Winds of Change to sign, and I brought a Django Reinhardt record. Frampton said he was surprised by both of them being the record to sign. We explained the era we got into him had us buying Winds of Change the day it came out, and I explained that it was he, with his gypsy jazz forays and mentions that made me the Django fanatic I am today. If it weren't for getting into him, we'd be lesser guitar players and I'd have never heard of Django.
It was a nice moment of gratitude expressed after 50 years of admiration. It's nice to read this. Though no one in our high school knew who he was until January of 1976, apparently we weren't alone.
Great story. Agree with all of your observations about Clemson, who we saw in the Pie a few times. Pretty good, but not Frampton.
Gary Lang
____________________________________
"I was raised by a bearded toothless hag"..you forgot the best song (jam) on the album. Jumping Jack Flash. Seems Mr. Frampton still had some Humble Pie left in him. Different strokes for different folks.
Richard Klufas
____________________________________
"Don't Fade Away" from solo elpee #2 Frampton's Camel.
Scott Hazlewood
____________________________________
Yeah. I wasn't with A&M then but shine on should have been a hit or at least a hit on album radio. I still play it.
Cheers Bob!
Richard Pachter
____________________________________
I could never figure out why "Nowhere's Too Far (For My Baby)," was not on the live album
To me that was his biggest hit before the live record, still my favorite song by him :-)
Thanks for the great writing
Peter Stema
____________________________________
Couldn't agree more, Bob. I've been singing "All I Want To Be (Is By Your Side)" around our house for decades and only discovered Wind of Change a few years ago. One of my new favorites.
Steve Gillan
____________________________________
Tremendous call on "Wind Of Change' from Peter Frampton. That album, and the follow-up "Frampton's Camel" are two vastly underrated albums. I might spring for the SACD versions now,
Sky Daniels
____________________________________
Those early Pie albums with Frampton were all killer, as were the Frampton's Camel albums.
Ross Field
____________________________________
Bob
I saw Lee Michaels and drummer Frosty show before 71 and my ears rang for a week!
Stan Goman
____________________________________
Like you, came to Frampton after wearing out my copy of Humble Pie's Live At The Fillmore. Bought Wind of Change immediately upon its release. Was not what I was expecting but stuck with it in my university dorm room at Acadia U. In Nova Scotia and it quietly became one of my favourite albums - along with Wishbone Ash's Argus, Rory Gallagher's Taste and Roxy Music's 1st - those were the days indeed.
Mike Campbell
____________________________________
Good to see the mention of Lee Michaels whose talent and reputation were unfortunately overshadowed by the lame and unrepresentative hit, "Do You Know What I Mean".
I saw him at the Hollywood Bowl when I was sixteen. He was sandwiched between the Grass Roots and headliner Credence Clearwater. The Grass Roots performed a nice set. Then the virtually unknown Michaels comes on, just him on a Hammond B-3 and drummer Frosty. The two had a unique, high-energy sound that just blew everyone away. Then Credence comes on and is, relatively speaking, boring. Standing still, playing their hits perfectly. No match for the tsunami unleashed by Lee Michaels and Frosty, so we left early. An excellent representation is the album simply titled "Lee Michaels" which was recorded live in the studio. Listen to opener "Tell Me How Do You Feel" and "Stormy Monday" (crank it up!) and you hear the real Lee Michaels.
Thanks, Bob!
Gary Goff
____________________________________
From: Don Strasburg
Always love this song
"Heighty Hi"
https://open.spotify.com/track/4HCBOzwH6I2GM0qPEGFxCi?si=a71a512e42fe4572
____________________________________
I was intrigued by your description of the 1971 Lee Michaels concert - just him and a drummer - so I looked him up on YouTube and found this great footage and thought you might enjoy it, if you hadn't seen it yet. https://youtu.be/K02bv-51nAU?si=ZPBkLx-5qTk7QYjS
This was filmed in August of 1971, just a few months after you saw him, which appears to have been on May 29th. The records show a concert at the Fillmore East that night with Fanny, Humble Pie and Lee Michaels. If it was anything like the video above, you saw a great show.
I knew little of Lee Michaels other than "Do You Know What I Mean," but when it was all over the radio, I boasted to my friends that Lee Michaels was my uncle. He was not. No relation at all, as far as I know, but that didn't stop 12-year-old me from trying to get some street cred from having the same last name.
Best,
-John Michaels
____________________________________
Yeah those were the days. My college guitar playing buddies drove down from the icy Northern Tier of NY State, Saint Lawrence University. Colder than a hooker or a politician's heart. Two seasons: Fourth of July and winter. Till global warming, Call it hoax but it's 60 WABC dee-grees in my home state of Connecticut. Surely you remember that chant on that 77 spot on the dial, if I remember correctly. But I ramble on. In the cold winter of 1972, there was a show at RPI, Rensellaer Polytechnic Institute. Opener was Frampton with the Winds of Change LP hot off the pressing plants, and Mahavishnu John McLaughlin was the second act on the bill. J Geils, the perennial favorite party college band were the headliners, but once Mahavishnu John McLaughlin got done with his amazing groundbreaking set, we left halfway through J Geils's set, which I kinda regret. But get this. On the way way home me and my college guitar posse stopped at a gas station along the NY Northway…So a guy all in white comes up to us crazed high college kids and asked us for directions. I mean how to ge on the Thruway in Rensall-whatever…So John McLaughlin asked us for DIRECTIONS! Talk about fans meeting the artists when you least expect it.
Chip Lovitt
____________________________________
I'm in you , I mean I'm with you all the way with Mr.Frampton. Hahahaha
The first time Humble Pie played the Fillmore East, I had enough money to take the train from Canarsie Brooklyn but failed to find enough money for a ticket. I wasn't about to ask anyone for money. So I sat by the ground level fire doors and listened. I already had the "Safe As Yesterday Is" LP. That's how much I was into Humble Pie and Peter Frampton.
When most guitarists emulated Eric Clapton during that time period, Peter seemed to be coming from a different place. More melodic, less cliched blues licks. I loved Pie & Frampton. I couldn't wait for Peters solo lps.
I was at the Fillmore ( snuck in through the upper fire escapes) for the Rockin the Fillmore shows. I actually hear me yell out on the LP "yeah" while Marriott was talking to the audience. Hahahaa. The night after the Fillmore shows wrapped up, my friend who knew I loved Humble Pie called me and told me to meet him downstairs in back of my building (Bayview Projects).
I see my friend pull up in a CAR !!!! He didn't have a license !!! Not only that, he didn't have a car. I noticed the ignition had been popped. !!!!! So we drove from Brooklyn to the Oak Beach Inn on Long Island in a stolen car. Jeezzzz
Before Humble pie went on I had to use the restroom. As I approached the bathroom door, Steve Marriott came out of another door, the dressing room. He asked me if I wanted a slice of pizza. Hahahaha. There I was, a young punk asked to go into one of my fav band's dressing room. Wow. All they had to eat were a few pizza pies and soda. Catering has come a long way since then. Haha. I must've been in there less than 3 minutes as the road manager said "Hey Kid you have to go now". I'll always remember just looking at them and how they were dressed so cool. The show was identical to the Fillmore show, even when Peter takes off his sports jacket. Hahaha
Fast forward 16 years. I made a name for myself as a drummer. I've already played with John Waite & Julian Lennon. In '87 I got the Bowie Glass Spider tour. Who's in the band playing guitar? Peter Frampton!! Talk about a dream gig.
I did ask him if he remembered a kid eating pizza with them at the Oak Beach Inn. ( OBI). He laughed and said no. Hahaha. A great musician, funny and the sweetest guy. Man, I am one lucky guy. Happy Holidays Bob, Alan Childs
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