The Stereo Lounge

Authored by Dale Nickey:

Click for other story songs>>>>>> 10  9  8 7 6 5 4 3 2

The story song is the toughest gig in songwriting. The song lyric format is tailor-made for the cut and paste Felliniesque’ imagery of a Dylan; or the run and gun pop couplets of The Beatles and  The Beach Boys.  However, constructing a story with a beginning, middle and satisfying end; with rich characters and a good tune in the span of a few minutes? YOU try it. I have yet to succeed. I’ve written a wedding song and a Christmas Song. Both forms are childs play compared to the story song. Here is my number 1 pick…..

LILY ROSEMARY AND THE JACK OF HEARTS (Bob Dylan)

Upon first listen, one might think “Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts” is just another of Dylan’s marathon, stream of consciousness curios. I did. However with the aid of repeated herbally enhanced  listenings, the mind-boggling brilliance of this masterpiece revealed itself.  Dylan had somehow exceeded the bar he had set for himself in the 60’s at a time when people least expected.

But first some background….

After Dylan’s trilogy of 60’s masterworks, (“Bringing It All Back Home”, “Highway 61 Revisited”, and “Blonde on Blonde”), Dylan laid down his chopper, busted up his neck and became a mere mortal. His comeback album “John Wesley Harding” was generously bequeathed the title of masterpiece (it wasn’t). After Dylan issued his ramshackle, supersized slab of mediocrity  “Self Portrait”; the 1970 release “New Morning” was lauded as a ‘return to form’ by critics. Yeah, it was…kinda…. But, the Babe Ruth of Rock had just posted a 23 Home Run /80 RBI season. Clearly, our hero had lost a step. Fans and critics were discreetly concerned. No doubt Dylan was as well.

Fast forward to 1975. Dylan rewarded the faithful with “Blood On The Tracks”. Perhaps the finest album in Dylan’s career. Maybe the finest in ANYONE’S career. Break-up songs were nothing new at the time. But, Dylan upped the ante with an unflinching, drop-dead genius divorce album. Just as Woody Allen’s “Annie Hall” had revolutionized the landscape of romantic comedy in film; Dylan’s new album had forever altered the landscape of the relationship record. Prior to ‘Blood’, Dylan seldom came off well in relationship songs. His snarky, nasal bray was not the most sympathetic medium for an artist already too condescending, judgmental, and full of himself. With “Blood On The Tracks”, we now had a kinder, gentler Dylan. Moreover, time and circumstance had weathered his trademark sneer into raspy, world-weary croon that suited him (and the audience) better.

At first blush, this protracted horse opera seems odd man out on an album full of finely detailed psychodramas.  However, look closer and you’ll find it not only belongs on “Blood On The Tracks”, but in a sense ties the whole album together. The whole yarn is analogous to a poker game. However, the face cards are real flesh and blood humans. Set in the ‘Wild West”; the story is all about bluffing, calculation, duplicity and cheating. The stakes are life, love and lucre. Big Jim is the kingpin of the town and owns it’s only ‘diamond’ mine. His wife Rosemary enters the cabaret looking like “a queen without a crown…” When Rosemary starts “drinkin’ hard and seeing her reflection in the knife….” Suddenly, Rosemary morphs into the queen of spades. Dylan turns in a career vocal performance full of camp, pathos and fun. He hits the mark on every verse.

There are story songs and then there is “Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts.” The scope of the story and characters can only be described as ‘cinematic’. Indeed, two screenplays have been inspired by this song. Dylan switches effortlessly from first to third person in his narrative. He gives us flashbacks, character studies, quick cuts….and it all makes sense and comes together. The best thing about this song is that no video exists. It’s theater of the mind. We know that young Robert Zimmerman was a  disciple of old time Radio Theater as a child in Hibbing Minnesota in the fifties. The pictures he painted in his mind of far away places and exotic people inspired him to leave stifling small town rural America for New York to seek his fortune. Our culture would be forever altered if there had been an MTV to do Dylan’s visualizing for him.

“Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts” is an unqualified masterpiece. Dylan captures lightning in a bottle with every line. Throw your ear-buds away please. Do not listen to this song as background music for jogging, blogging, housework or any other peripheral activity. Some songs demand and deserve your undivided attention and enjoyment. Close your eyes hit the play button, and let the curtain rise on the greatest “story song” yet written.

NOTE:

Dear Stereo Loungers:

Thanks to all of you who followed this coundown to it’s conclusion. Lists are silly and subjective….But, it keeps me off the streets at night.

I will not be doing your legwork for you this time. It’s far more rewarding to discover music as an active participant. Seek this song out. Pull up a couch, turn off the lights, close your eyes and listen on a good stereo like god intended.

Word has just come in that founding Yes guitarist Peter Banks died on March 7. He was 65.

Peter Banks was an eclectic and acrobatic guitarist who holds the distinction of being a founding member of the Progressive Rock band Yes.  Banks appeared on the first two albums before he was replaced by virtuoso Rock guitarist Steve Howe. The band achieved world renown while Banks continued to work in various bands and as a solo artist until his death.  Peter Banks was haunted by the success of Yes after his departure. He was proud of his legacy, but at the same time harbored feelings of being cheated from the rewards of the band’s success. A success that was built largely on the template he helped design. The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame has been tardy and negligent in failing to induct Yes into The Hall. A timely induction would have given Peter Banks the recognition and closure he deserved as a founding member of (arguably) the greatest Progressive Rock band in history.

In addition to the two albums he recorded with Yes, he also appeared on several Yes compilations and anthologies after his departure. His post-Yes band, Flash recorded three albums  during the early 70′s. He also recorded several fine solo albums that showcased his evolution and invention as a guitar player. The following video is a wonderful snapshot of the musician and the man. Accompanied by his beautiful guitar playing.

With age and circumstance, thoughts turn to infirmity and mortality.  Not by choice I assure you. However, sometimes even the heaviest concepts can be  fodder for beautiful evocative art.

Brian Eno is such an amorphous artist, it’s hard to post a definitive video or “live” performance in the traditional sense. He’s producer, musician, writer, artist, collaborator, videographer and musicologist all rolled into one. However, the ambient instrumental “An Ending (Ascent)” is surely one of Eno’s most beautiful pieces of music. Here we have a remix version with a stunning video superimposed on top. Coolest thing I’ve seen or heard in quite a while.

Brian Eno:

Ed Cassidy was a one off. Probably the oddest candidate for Rock stardom ever minted. Cassidy came to the party late in life but made the most of his visit and had remarkable staying power.

Cassidy is most famous as the bald drummer in the legendary 60′s rock band Spirit. Cassidy formed Spirit in 1967 with his step-son guitarist Randy California. In an era when flowing locks was the default fashion statement for all rockers, Cassidy was a striking anomaly with his shaved head and black attire. Prior to Spirit he was a member of another legendary L.A. outfit The Rising Sons (1964); a band that sported two young guitar toting visionaries; Taj Majal and Ry Cooder.

Cassidy was born in 1923. He served in the Navy during World War II. After his discharge from the armed services, became a fulltime musician during the golden age of Jazz and rubbed musical shoulders with a host of legends during the 1950′s. These included, Art Pepper, Julian Cannonball Adderley, Roland Kirk, Lee Konitz and Gerry Mulligan.

Spirit was an adventurous and extremely musical concern. The band is best represented by their most famous song, “I Got A Line On You”. A tune that maintains its power and hipness quotient over 40 years after its release. Cassidy died in San Jose on December 6.

Eddie Jobson 

(Jethro Tull, Roxy Music, Frank Zappa, YES, UK, King Crimson, Curved Air)

If Mozart were reincarnated as a rock musician he would most likely comeback as Eddie Jobson. Like Mozart, Jobson was precociously talented on both keyboards and violin from an early age. He was the featured soloist at the age of seventeen for B-list proggers Curved Air before Roxy Music snapped him up and made him a star member ( at age eighteen) of their studio and touring band for the next three albums. Due in part to Jobson, Roxy became one of the biggest bands in Europe.  His trademarks were a decidedly androgynous sex appeal and a custom made see-through Plexiglas violin.  Onstage, Jobson brought a glammy, confident swagger that enhanced the appeal of the electric violin as a Rock instrument.  After Roxy Music, Jobson said thanks (but no thanks) to an offer from Procol Harum  and joined the finishing school that was Frank Zappa’s road band in 1976.  After Zappa, he then established his own brand as both electric violinist and world class multi-keyboardist in the progressive all star unit UK.  After three albums, UK folded.  Jobson remained in the Prog elite-league as a member of Jethro Tull and was breifly a member of the 1983 platinum version of YES; going as far as to appear in the video for “Owner Of A Lonely Heart” before ultimately turning down the gig. King Crimson fans can also enjoy his work on the live album “USA”, where he surrepetitiously replaced much of the violin work of previous bowsman David Cross.

Jobson’s first legendary burst of genius was his epic electric violin solo on Roxy’s “Out Of The Blue”. After all that had gone on before, this 1975 electric violin solo finally demonstrated -once and for all- the boner inducing potential of the instrument in a Rock context. Eddie’s solo comes at the end of this video and is worth the wait.

Number 4…….

Jerry Goodman – The Mahavishnu Orchestra

 With his buffed physique, aggressive attack and lightning speed; Goodman was among the first electric violinists to bring real rock attitude and volume to an instrument more associated with delicacy and nuance. I saw him stand on stage and slug it out for two hours with John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham, and Jan Hammer at the Roxy in 1974. For that reason alone he earns his spot on this list.

Authored by: Dale Nickey

Novi Novog – Studio and stage virtuoso

Recording Credits: Prince/Michael Jackson/Ronnie Montrose/Frank Zappa/Carly Simon/Bonnie Raitt/ Jennifer Warnes/Spinal Tap/Terrance Trent D’arby/James Taylor…..(too many others to list)

Yes, she plays Viola not Violin. Her work is part of the soundtrack of our lives. The peppy string work on Prince’s “Raspberry Beret” is Novi; as is the down-homey fiddle work on the Doobie Brothers “Blackwater”.  Novi not only advanced the cause of her unorthodox instrument of choice but also enhanced the profile of the female rock instrumentalist at a time when they were scarce to the extreme. In the studio, she is a songwriters dream with her spooky ability to instantaneously interpret material and improvise parts that sound carefully composed. Those interested in hearing more of her playing should seek out the fine instrumental work she did with her band The Freeway Philharmonic.

Novi video footage is tragically scarce.  So, at the risk of self-service, I would like to share a ‘war story’ about a recording of mine she played on.  A very tired (and underpaid) Novi had just completed a very intense and productive two hour session on a rock ballad.  Somehow, I managed to take advantage of her generous nature and cajoled her into improvising some riffs over a song I had been fussing with for months titled “Sleeping”.  A half  hour later I had the vital element on the gateway track to the album. As Novi packed up, she mildly lamented how much better the track might have been had she not been required to “wing it”. All I know is I walked away with one of the top 5 rock viola/violin performances of all time (IMO). ClickhereforSleeping