From: les@jmdl.com (onlyJMDL Digest) To: onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Subject: onlyJMDL Digest V2000 #186 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: les@jmdl.com Errors-To: les@jmdl.com Precedence: bulk Archives: http://www.smoe.org/lists/onlyjoni Websites: http://www.jmdl.com http://www.jonimitchell.com Unsubscribe: mailto:onlyjoni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe onlyJMDL Digest Sunday, May 14 2000 Volume 2000 : Number 186 The 'Official' Joni Mitchell Homepage, created by Wally Breese, can be found at http://www.jonimitchell.com. It contains the latest news, a detailed bio, Original Interviews, essays, lyrics and much much more. --- The JMDL website can be found at http://www.jmdl.com and contains interviews, articles, the member gallery, archives, and much more. --- Ashara has set up a "Wally Breese Memorial Fund" with all donations going directly towards the upkeep of the website. Wally kept the website going with his own funds. it is now up to US to help Jim continue. If you would like to donate to this fund, please make all checks payable to: Jim Johanson and send them to: Ashara Stansfield P.O. Box 215 Topsfield, MA. 01983 USA ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Joni in FL tickets found a home! ["Debby Magill" ] Greetings from a long lost friend [Rich Newirth ] The Concord Show (set list/concert stuff) [MGVal@aol.com] SF/BayArea/Concord concert (warning - concert content) [Richard Goldman <] Just saw the Joni Concert at the concord pavillion (sf) [B4INSF@aol.com] Re: The Concord Show (set list/concert stuff) [SCJoniGuy@aol.com] The Concerts ["Jamie Zubairi" ] Re: SF/BayArea/Concord concert (warning - concert content) [Linda Worster] Wally Breese, NRH [RoseMJoy@aol.com] Wally- always in my heart and mind [jw1327@rcn.com] Re: Those Swinging Rock 60s (md-2) [MDESTE1@aol.com] Re: Those Swinging Rock 60s (md-2) ["James L. Leonard" ] Re: Those Swinging Rock 60s (md-2) [IVPAUL42@aol.com] concert length? ["Eric G. Postel" ] Re: concert length? [FMYFL@aol.com] Re: concert length? [Vince Lavieri ] Re: JMDL Digest V2000 #249 ["Mike Hicks" ] Talk about weird... [Mark Domyancich ] Re: JMDL Digest V2000 #249 ["Mike Hicks" ] Re: Those Swinging Rock 60s (md-3) [MDESTE1@aol.com] joni concert - and Wally [Anne Sandstrom ] Re: concert length? [MGVal@aol.com] Re: Urge for controversy [philipf@tinet.ie] California Dreamin [philipf@tinet.ie] life measured in joni songs...richard's review [pat holden Subject: Joni in FL tickets found a home! Hey everyone! I want to thank you for your responses regarding my FL tickets and for your thoughtful concerns about my car accident. Everyone who wrote was so kind and it really was refreshing. You made the sadness about my not going to see Joni a lot less painful. Jimmy Stewart (I should have known by the name alone!) came to my rescue and purchased my tickets for a friend. I was so relieved and happy that it went to a true fan because I know that it will be appreciated. Have a very happy Mother's Day and know that no matter whether we are mothers or not, we all need and can give the nurturing that mothers are all about in the first place! Thank you all again! The world truly needs more people like you :~) With hugs ~ Debby in not so Mad Beach ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 01:15:04 -0700 From: Rich Newirth Subject: Greetings from a long lost friend Just got home from Concord and was compelled to resubscribe after (what Les?) two years or so to briefly check in and say hello. The concert tonight was absolutely wonderful. It by far exceeded my expectations. It was one of those experiences that really makes one glad to be alive. Joni herself was obviously having a blast and really seemed to take in all of the warmth and affection of the crowd. As I've not been around for ages, most people won't know who I am, but I was here from pretty close to the beginning. Tonight was a reunion of sorts. I had as my absolutely fabulous date the incomparable MG who made the experience even more of a delight. It was also great to briefly see Leslie again and meet Mark from Seattle (another old-timer). As I'm sure people have already talked about the LA concert, the setlist may very well have been the same. Joni played all of Both Sides Now and then Be Cool, Judgement of the Moon and Stars, Hejira, For the Roses, and Trouble Man. (I may have left something out but I'm sure someone will fill in the blanks.) For me, I'd have to go back to 1979 to even compare this to another Joni concert that was so moving and memorable. Anyway, I'm somewhat speechless and feel a bit silly posting something after all this time. And, I'll probably unsubscribe again in a few days because I'm going on vacation on Wednesday for the first time in 2 1/2 years (so, I guess I haven't taken one since I've been unsubscribed). For the real old timers who remember me, I'll just tell you I'm about to take my dream vacation. I'm flying to Boston, visiting my ex and picking up "our" dog, the incredible George, from him and going on vacation for a week in Provincetown with the creature who I've missed so much for the last few years. A pile of books, George on my lap, Cape Cod and the beach, and no cares. Bliss. So, I've missed you guys. But life has been crazy for a while. Too much work, basically. I know I haven't said much about the concert. She was just so amazing and funny and "on", in great voice, and it was perfect. It's nice popping in. I think I'll do it more often from time to time. Anyone who wants, feel free to drop me a line. It'd be nice to catch up. Les, you're the best for starting this and making it what this list is. The cyber-community thing is kind of weird, but seeing MG and the rest, makes me realize that there is this strange kind of specialness about the relationships we make on the net. I must grab something to eat and go to bed. Sweet dreams everyone. Rich ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 04:45:47 EDT From: MGVal@aol.com Subject: The Concord Show (set list/concert stuff) To paraphrase my favorite sportswriter, "it was a concert of big innings." As Kakki pointed out, the concert was almost 2 shows in one: the BSN presentation and the "other" songs. And just as in LA, Joni was in fine form. Incredible form, really. I went to the show a bit skeptical, worrying that her voice would be lost within the orchestration. I worry no more. She belts, she croons and she jazzes something fierce. We had a slightly different show from LA. Instead of running the first half through to Both Sides Now, she stopped at "Don't Go To Strangers," left for intermission and came back with the rest of the line up. She was clearly having a great time and her almost campy opening vocals for "You've Changed" drew a laugh from the audience which just about put her in stitches as well. She pantomimed through nearly all of the songs and seemed to dive right into them; heart and soul. For the more "end of love" songs, she sometimes seemed to be torn between the song's intention and her face splitting grin that said: "this is fun!" Although I knew the set list, I was still startled to hear her glide into a superlative "Be Cool." So wonderfully jazzy and I know that list member Rich Neuwith and I must have resembled nothing more than spastic Bobsey Twins as we jiggled in our seats to the beat. Going from there to "Judgment of the Moon and Stars" was such a jump! She went from light, cool jazz singing to a really big swooping sound on "Judgment." The vocal delivery and orchestral arrangement packed such a punch, it was almost like listening to her sing and act in a tiny play. Can you believe that "Hejira" had a silly edge? During the line: "these things that you and I supressed," both her and Klein exchanged a goofy couple of smiles. Those two have such a shorthand between them for their on-stage interaction. The jazzy/salsa beat of Hejira made it less of a song about a solitary journey fraught with introspective pain and more of a celebration of "traveling in some vehicle." As a matter of fact, the entire concert seemed to be a celebration of sorts. She clearly loved singing with the orchestra, her voice was full and rich, like a wonderful brocade. Even with the most melancholy of songs, she was never far away from a side splitting grin. On a side note, it was wonderful to meet up with Rich Neuwith again who so graciously asked me to be his date for the evening. We caught up with Leslie, Steve and Mark Scott before the show started and at intermission as well. Leslie looked incredibly elegant in black velvet! I started out in a more formal mood but as the sun started to set in the Bay Area, I hurriedly ran back to my car and changed into winter tights and zipped polar fleece on under my blazer. Leslie's husband Steve looked spiffy in his tux and Mark was a particularly toothsome dish in a white linen jacket with a Van Gogh tie. I was able to recognize him even without his trademark ponytail. (:-D Now it's just after 1:30 out here and I'm up waaaaaaaay over my bedtime. People in Miami, you have a treat in store for you! MG ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 02:00:41 -0700 From: Richard Goldman Subject: SF/BayArea/Concord concert (warning - concert content) Wow...it's 12:30 AM... I just got home... and am still floating about 3 feet off the ground. I just read the LA reviews (I hadn't read them before now because I wanted to be surprised ...and OHMYGOD! was I!!!). So first of all; THANK YOU so much, Kakki and Scott and Phyllis and Rick and everyone else who wrote such eloquent and fabulous reviews of the LA show. The SF concert was pretty much identical in content. Same exact setlist. The orchestra was sublime... I saw a couple of the brass players I know from the SF Opera and Ballet orchestra, but didn't get to say hi: I will talk to them sometime in the next few months and find out how it was for them. They looked to be having a blast. The sound at the Concord Pavilion is incredible: it won architectural acoustic awards when it was built and still is fantastic. Speaking of having a blast, it was very evident that Joni was just radiant with joy. I can only ditto what the previous LA reviewers have said about her energy, and happiness: same energy, same strength and happiness. She commented on how fabulous it was to be singing with such a 'big band' behind her ! Band indeed! She was so relaxed! and her spoken intros to each song so comfortable and easy-flowing, and natural-feeling. Like Rick, I had tears rolling down my cheeks all though ACOY too. I didn't expect that to happen, but when the musical string intro began, I too felt all lumpy in my throat, and when the soft snare beat began, and those first words "just before our love got lost...", those tears welled up, and rolled down throughout. So much and many facets and chapters of my life I have measured in Joni Mitchell songs... So many people's lives have touched mine: many gone now, so many people I felt should have been here to experience this genius in concert. And maybe they were there.... feeling our feelings somehow through us, and knowing that Joni was performing, and it was good. It was very VERY good. I had no idea this was going to get so mushy and emotional..... She did the same thing with "Klein", as she introduced him, in Hejira ('the things that you and I suppressed'), pointing at him and both of them laughing ! and sitting up front and watching them do that, I burst out laughing! The 'samba' beat was irresistable: I couldn't sit still and just rocked and danced in my seat, along with Joni just shakin' her booty up on stage. It was, in a word, amazing. Now...the attire: in the first part, she had on a 'gathered silk' jacket, that came down to her ankles and only opened up slightly below her waist. It was golden and what appeared to be pink: it shown amazingly in the light. She had similar colored shiny silk pants on underneath. Gorgeous. Part 2, she wore a black (was it charcoal?) pants suit, the pants pleated about every 6 inches from hips to ankles, and white blouse, with (was it red?) neckscarf? I hope I'm remembering this correctly. I'm sure someone will clarify it. Very 70's, very hip and very flattering. All I can say is ditto on what previous reviewers have said about the 'new' stuff. Omygod omygod omygod. FTR, and "Ludwig's Song" flipped me out. Be Cool, so so very very. Hejira, with Larry on the bass and the full orchestra: I can't find words... Joni was transcendant. OH! and she changed a lyric! in FTR! instead of "And they introduce some band, but they seem so much confetti, Looking at them on my TV set". She changed the words 'so much confetti' to " so much (or so many) wankers..."! Brilliant! AND: one of the very best parts of the evening for me was meeting Jim, the WEBMASTER! Our seats, courtesy of a friend at the venue, were in the front row of the front orchestra: omygod: it was unbelievable. There was a semi-circle of about 10 rows of seats in front of us: these never went on sale, but were saved for performers, guests, management, producers, vips. So... between our front row, and the 'front vip' section, was a large aisle parallel to the stage, from which we watched folks during the 30 minute wait til the 8:30 start time. I noticed this tall handsome guy in a tuxedo, visiting with various people, and ...jubulant? excited? he was quite energetic, and had a big VIP sticker on his lapel, and I thought to myself, "This MUST be Jim", and "I'm gonna go ask him if it is", and I did, and sure enough, it was! and Jim I have to say what a pleasure to meet you in person. You have such wonderful energy, and what a good friend (friend is way too small a word) you must have been to Wally, and how you must have thought about him tonight. (Thank you *so* much Vince, and Ashara, for writing and saying what you did). And what a gift, Jim 'lamadoo', you are to this list, Webmaster, and what a absolute JOY to run into you and to get to kibbitz with you before the show, an during the intermission (I could barely talk during intermission: I felt like I had my breath taken away, she was so amazing). Anyway, thank you! thank you! thank you! for all you do. I hope I get to visit with you again here in SF. Ok, so I have babbled enough. It's 1:30 AM now. It was a cool clear night in Concord, California. I saw many friends I hadn't expected to see at the concert. There was much deja-vu'ing going on. I went with 15 friends and we picnic'd on the lawn in the cool/cold breeze before the concert. We all sent waves and waves of love up to the stage. I probably won't have much of my voice left tomorrow, as I whooped and hooted so much after each song, I couldn't control it! I've seen Joni 4 times in the past 30 years, and tonight was definitely the deepest, most profound, richest concert of all: perhaps like a good red wine that mellows and ripens with age. You folks who will see this concert soon are in for the treat of a lifetime. OH! and I don't know if she did this in LA, but...in SF, when she came out for her encore "Trouble Man", she had a lit cigarette in her hand (!) and.. she never puffed on it, not even once, but just held it and sang. It was perfect. I'm not sure I can sleep tonight, but I'm going to lay down and float... RichardSF 'I'm floating in my dreams....' - JM ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 05:43:17 EDT From: B4INSF@aol.com Subject: Just saw the Joni Concert at the concord pavillion (sf) I left this show wishing for more Joni. Her treatment of the standards she recorded for her latest album compared to her original work just did not add up. A retrospective tour of her work would be most appreciated. The crowd and myself came alive when they recognized her Art, standing and cheering her to give them more of Joni. I would imagine a concert set in stages of her career would be wildly successful and give her audience what they most yearn for...a taste of the Joni that made them buy a CD of her arranging, magnificently, standards sung by the world's greatest singers. I hope that a future tour finds Joni embracing her body of work the way she embraces jazz. William Faure ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 08:23:36 EDT From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Re: The Concord Show (set list/concert stuff) << The jazzy/salsa beat of Hejira made it less of a song about a solitary journey fraught with introspective pain and more of a celebration of "traveling in some vehicle." >> That's just part of Joni's genius...she can change the definition of a song merely by simply re-arranging it! I'm so glad to hear she's having such a good time...thanks again for all the reports! Welcome back Rich, enjoy George & your vacation and re-sub when you return, OK? ;-) Bob NP: Linda Worster, "Heart to Heart" ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 13:30:48 +0100 From: "Jamie Zubairi" Subject: The Concerts Just a shortie to thank everyone for sending the reports over from California. I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO jealous of you guys. It sounds like a gig to die for! Jamie Zubairi IN LONDON ENGLAND! JoniJoniJoniJoniJoniJoni come to LondonLondonLondonLondon If anyone manages to see her by chance, ask if she is coming to London to do some shows please! ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 10:05:27 -0400 From: Linda Worster Subject: Re: SF/BayArea/Concord concert (warning - concert content) Many thanks to all who posted about last night's concert. Richard had me crying first thing this morning with this: > So much and many facets and chapters of my >life I have measured in Joni Mitchell songs... So many people's lives >have touched mine: many gone now, so many people I felt should have been >here to experience this genius in concert. And maybe they were there.... >feeling our feelings somehow through us, and knowing that Joni was >performing, and it was good. It was very VERY good. >I had no idea this was going to get so mushy and emotional....breath>. > I'm glad you did get mushy and emotional. Thanks for sharing that, Richard. This describes exactly what happens almost everytime I listen to the BSN album. Now I know WHY I am crying... well said! Joni reaches into so many aspects of my life, your life... so many people I have spoken with have had this experience of her. All these years of having her music in our hearts... I dearly hope she KNOWS what an impact she has made for good in this world... how deeply she has touched so many lives... Linda ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 11:25:57 EDT From: RoseMJoy@aol.com Subject: Wally Breese, NRH Hey Guys, First I want to say Thank You for all the concert reviews. I've been reading every post religiously since I've rejoined the list about a month or so ago. I've been meaning to contribute, but I've been extremely busy preparing for the upcoming concert at MSG, NYC. You'll understand why, later. I concur Vince, this would be a wonderful Tribute to Wally! I can't help but to think a lot about him especially lately, wishing he could be here right now to share with us in all of this. I'd like to believe he is here with us in our hearts. So, I feel compelled to share with you all my little "Wally" story. I was surfing the web one day for some Joni content and came upon Wally's homepage. If it hadn't been for that site, I would have never known about her '98 Tour. I hopped right on Ticketmaster.com and purchased two not so good tickets to the MSG show in NYC 11-8-98. My husband was reluctant to go with me (not sharing in my Joni love), so I asked my daughter Corinne to go along with me. She did so without any hesitation to see Dylan. (not a Joni fan either) When we arrived at the venue, I was even more upset to learn that our seats were not only nose bleeders, but behind the stage as well.(boo hoo)Now mind you this was my first Joni concert and having been a fan since 1968, you can understand why, but grateful to be there nonetheless. I snuck in my newly acquired digital camera and began shooting away from my seat, zooming in as close as I could get. I bought a signed lithograph and hurried home during one of Dylan's sets in fear that the litho would get torn in the dismantling crowds. As soon as I got home I immediately began viewing my JPGs on my now full disk. Some were too dark, others were just OK. I E-mailed Wally that night bitching and complaining over how disappointed I was with my seating.( yadda, yadda,yadda) I also sent a few attachments of my better shots. He E-mailed me back thanking me for my less than perfect pictures saying what a shame it was, since my photos were so realistic. The next day when I got home from work exhausted, I logged on to jonimitchell.com and lo and behold there was one of my photos posted on the homepage!( Tour info 11-8-98 for anyone caring to view this) He gave me full credit of course since I wasn't the official photographer that night. I was honored! I cried to my husband Jim, "Come see." This was the kind of human being this guy was (sobbing now) I miss him terribly! Wally, I said, you've made my day. It was that day I considered Wally to be a personal friend of mine and our friendship grew over the last remaining years. I lost my brother Richard to cancer just before Wally, so you see to me guys I've lost two brothers. I bugged Jim Johanson about doing the photography for the concert in New York and he has been so kind as to allow me this photo shoot. I'll be using Richard's Nikon camera. This one's dedicated to Wally Breese. It means more to me than you can imagine. A lot of time and energy have been going into the preparations. Wish me Luck and say a prayer that I don't get too star struck.:-) Signed with Love, Rose Marie ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 12:03:10 -0400 From: jw1327@rcn.com Subject: Wally- always in my heart and mind >and the one who should be here, thrilling over these concert reviews, >isn't with us, and I think it would be cool for each of us to send a >warm thought and thank you his way... Dear Vince, Ashara: You words about our dear brother Wally inspired me to write- I too have missed Wally's presence dearly over these last few amazing weeks. What would he have thought of the TNT Tribute? The concerts? Etc- What an amazing man! And what a gift to all of us- as well as Joni fans the world over. Ashara- you in particular are "putting your money where your mouth is" and memorializing Wally in a very real and practical way. Thank you for that! (the check is in the mail, BTW!)- Let us never forget Wally's contribution. Never. He did it all from the heart. And. I guess I would be less than honest if I didn't fess up- I really wish Joni herself would perhaps acknowledge him in a bit more public way- The thank you on BSN was nice, but I mean he was instrumental is getting mother and daughter back together after all that time. I know Wally would cringe at hearing me say that- but there it is! I respect Joni and her privacy etc etc etc. Just a word....that's all. Anyway- random thoughts and feelings about my dear absent brother. I truly regret not being able to meet up with him the last time I was in San Francisco - he said we'd meet for "lunch or something" if he felt up to it- alas, he didn't. Thank you, Wally. Thank you. James (PS- maybe a kind of bizarre coda to this note, but I recently had a colonoscopy- everything's ok-another event with a "Wally factor"- thank you again, Wally) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 12:25:18 EDT From: MDESTE1@aol.com Subject: Re: Those Swinging Rock 60s (md-2) In a message dated 00-05-13 09:50:20 EDT, jll@tampabay.rr.com writes: << they did help set the stage for the "communal" era to follow. Young people the world over were suddenly honorary Californians, vicariously enjoying the thrills of surfing, drag racing, and "Girls On The Beach." >> My opinion was based on the fact that from the mid 50s to the early 60s there had always been gimmic songs and such that got everybody doing a "big" thing. The Twist, Walking the Dog, the Chalypso, etc. There were hula hoops and numerous other things which purported to be "the big thing". many (like the hula hoops) became HUGE and made people lots of money. There were also a number of dance oriented songs which carried on about one area of the country or the other. Dancing in the Streets by Marth and the Vandellas. Pallisades Park by Freddie cannon to name two others. Dancing featured literally a trip all around the country with mentions about all the places where people would be dancing. Right on the heels of this phase in music history came the song Surfin USA. The paralell with the Vandellas song is so great as to insinuate the Beach Boys as pure copycats. as in "Hey what a great idea we do a song about surfin instead of dancing". The "Car songs" of the Beach Boys also stuck to the nerve of an emerging fad among pubescent teenage boys who were then going to high school and getting their first drivers license. "Be True to your School" capitalized on what was already a going thing, the pre game football pep rally. I dont intend to diminish one bit Brian Wilsons musical artistry. Good Vibrations was a true genius. But to say that the Beach Boys invented the 60s or were instrumental in what became known as the 60s is IMHO a stretch. Lots of bands contributed to the phase known as "the 60s". I will add that performances by the Beach Boys at any Fillmore Show was few and far between. Ive looked it up and so far I havent found one. Appearances at free concerts in the park or anywhere else I have not found. Woodstock anyone ? nope. Monterrey ? nope. Leaders at anti-war rallies, protests against any of the popular causes ? havent found any. I absolutely could be wrong but my peripheral research didnt come up with anything. So what about the 60s did they "start" or participate in. Probably the most direct connection would be the mysticism aspect for which the drummer befriended the Manson family. Now THAT was real sixties stuff but the darkest chapter in Beach Boy history. <<>> I have a hard time believing that Brian invented the confessional topic in songwriting. I could pop up with "I Enjoy being a Girl" from the 50"s musical Flower Drum Song as a pretty graphic confessional song. Just because it wasnt done in 4 part harmony doesnt change the lyrics. Having said all this about my view that the Beach Boys had little or nothing to do with the 60s allow me to point out that the band itself was among my careers followed post. I LOVE their music. Little Deuce Coupe was actually part of my club sets. One of the all time best concerts I ever went to was their performance as a post Giant game special concert. They played for an hour and a half and were incredible. Carl Wilson has always been a very underestimated guitar player. Of course it must be said that without Dick Dale you dont have the beach boys sound. fact is they knocked off several Dale songs in their first two albums (Misrilou for one). That aside, they wrote a million great songs and their tallents were legion. I just cant connect the Beach Boys to the era known as the 60s in any significant way. The surf thing that launched their carreers also launched the Beach Blanket Annette Funicello movies not the anti-war movement. That had to wait for the far more political bands that followed. The Beach Boys were not political and therin lies the minimal connection to the most political of all musical movements. The 60s. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 13:15:43 -0700 From: "James L. Leonard" Subject: Re: Those Swinging Rock 60s (md-2) I believe "Surfin' USA" (1963) pre-dates Martha and the Vandellas "Dancin' In The Streets." The Beach Boys were to have headlined Monterey Pop but pulled out at the last minute, due to Brian Wilson's insecurities over "not being hip enough" in comparison to the other bands (this was at the point at which Brian was taking LSD, smoking tons of pot, and working on Smile, the never-completed follow-up to Pet Sounds, which, had it not been for Brian's mental breakdown, would have been The Beach Boy's initial foray, in 1967, into psychadelia and politics). Also, The Beach Boys (minus the still-mentally ill Brian, who would not work with the band again until 1976, and then only for a short time) helped *close* the Fillmore East in 1971. They played a series of concerts earlier in the week (and *had* performed at the Fillmore East on previous occasions) and were one of the bands featured by Bill Graham, along with the Airplane and the Allmans and a few others, on the very last night that closed the Fillmore East. The Beach Boys problem of not being remembered as a socio-political "'60s" band stems from the fact that their leader and creative genius was struck down by mental illness in his prime ( in 1967). His musical answer to The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's, to have been called Smile, would have been just the second album by a major band to go in this direction that Brian himself inspired, and would have upped the ante...just as Pet Sounds had upped the ante after Rubber Soul. The Beatles and Brian were "in a race," as Brian and McCartney put it, and that race, along with many other family problems, insecurities, and heavy drug use, crippled Brian before he could make his first profound "counter-culture" statement, which would have been Smile. Parts of Smile have surfaced over the years, including the single "Heroes and Villians," "Surf's Up," "Wonderful," "Wind Chimes," "Vegetables," and "Cabinessence," all of which appeared for the first time in close-to-intended form on the 4-CD Good Vibrations box set. Brian Wilson was never the same after his crippling mental breakdown during the Smile period. Yet, his legacy as a producer and arranger in the early and mid-'60s is tremendously profound. To write off The Beach Boys, or Brian Wilson, to the degree that you have, is robbing them, and yourself, of the glory they richly deserve. - ----- Original Message ----- From: To: ; ; Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2000 9:25 AM Subject: Re: Those Swinging Rock 60s (md-2) > In a message dated 00-05-13 09:50:20 EDT, jll@tampabay.rr.com writes: > > << they did help set the stage for the "communal" era to follow. Young people > the world over were suddenly honorary Californians, vicariously enjoying the > thrills of surfing, drag racing, and "Girls On The Beach." >> > > My opinion was based on the fact that from the mid 50s to the early 60s there > had always been gimmic songs and such that got everybody doing a "big" thing. > The Twist, Walking the Dog, the Chalypso, etc. There were hula hoops and > numerous other things which purported to be "the big thing". many (like the > hula hoops) became HUGE and made people lots of money. There were also a > number of dance oriented songs which carried on about one area of the country > or the other. Dancing in the Streets by Marth and the Vandellas. Pallisades > Park by Freddie cannon to name two others. Dancing featured literally a trip > all around the country with mentions about all the places where people would > be dancing. Right on the heels of this phase in music history came the song > Surfin USA. The paralell with the Vandellas song is so great as to insinuate > the Beach Boys as pure copycats. as in "Hey what a great idea we do a song > about surfin instead of dancing". The "Car songs" of the Beach Boys also > stuck to the nerve of an emerging fad among pubescent teenage boys who were > then going to high school and getting their first drivers license. "Be True > to your School" capitalized on what was already a going thing, the pre game > football pep rally. I dont intend to diminish one bit Brian Wilsons musical > artistry. Good Vibrations was a true genius. But to say that the Beach Boys > invented the 60s or were instrumental in what became known as the 60s is IMHO > a stretch. Lots of bands contributed to the phase known as "the 60s". I will > add that performances by the Beach Boys at any Fillmore Show was few and far > between. Ive looked it up and so far I havent found one. Appearances at free > concerts in the park or anywhere else I have not found. Woodstock anyone ? > nope. Monterrey ? nope. Leaders at anti-war rallies, protests against any of > the popular causes ? havent found any. I absolutely could be wrong but my > peripheral research didnt come up with anything. So what about the 60s did > they "start" or participate in. Probably the most direct connection would be > the mysticism aspect for which the drummer befriended the Manson family. Now > THAT was real sixties stuff but the darkest chapter in Beach Boy history. > > << and confessional topics in his songs,>>> > > I have a hard time believing that Brian invented the confessional topic in > songwriting. I could pop up with "I Enjoy being a Girl" from the 50"s musical > Flower Drum Song as a pretty graphic confessional song. Just because it wasnt > done in 4 part harmony doesnt change the lyrics. > > Having said all this about my view that the Beach Boys had little or nothing > to do with the 60s allow me to point out that the band itself was among my > careers followed post. I LOVE their music. Little Deuce Coupe was actually > part of my club sets. One of the all time best concerts I ever went to was > their performance as a post Giant game special concert. They played for an > hour and a half and were incredible. Carl Wilson has always been a very > underestimated guitar player. Of course it must be said that without Dick > Dale you dont have the beach boys sound. fact is they knocked off several > Dale songs in their first two albums (Misrilou for one). That aside, they > wrote a million great songs and their tallents were legion. I just cant > connect the Beach Boys to the era known as the 60s in any significant way. > The surf thing that launched their carreers also launched the Beach Blanket > Annette Funicello movies not the anti-war movement. That had to wait for the > far more political bands that followed. The Beach Boys were not political and > therin lies the minimal connection to the most political of all musical > movements. The 60s. > > > ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 13:19:28 EDT From: PPeterson4@aol.com Subject: New York Tickets Anyone want to buy tickets to the May 22 New York gig? I have Section 203 Row A Seat 1; Section 203 Row D Seat 1; and Section 202 Row C Seat 2. I bought these singles (although the ones in Section 203 are three rows apart on the aisle) because I couldn't get two together. After checking Ticketmaster daily for weeks, I finally got two together, so I'm selling these. E-Mail me if you're interested. Paul Peterson ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 12:28:17 -0500 From: Patti Haskins Subject: Dallas Morning News review of LA show Joni Mitchell reveals new side at LA concert Rarely seen star has fun with other people's songs 05/14/2000 By Thor Christensen / The Dallas Morning News LOS ANGELES - Joni Mitchell has performed so few concerts over the years that the only lasting image of her onstage dates to 1970, when she bombed at the massive Isle of Wight festival in England: As the film cameras rolled, the singer pleaded with the rowdy crowd to settle down and listen to her - and when it didn't, she burst into tears. So her show Friday night at the Greek Theatre came as nothing less than a shock: Beaming and dancing and spinning jokes, Ms. Mitchell was the complete antithesis of the stage-shy recluse she's known for being. Maybe she drew inspiration from the hero's welcome given to her by the capacity hometown crowd. The predominantly female audience practically dropped to its knees and worshiped her between songs. ("Joni - you are SO beautiful!" one fan blurted out.) Yet Ms. Mitchell undoubtedly also found strength in numbers. Backed by an impeccably tight 50-piece orchestra, she strolled confidently on top of the band's gigantic wall of sound, and "Stormy Weather" and Rodgers and Hart's "I Wish I Were in Love Again" came out sounding less like pop standards than mystical overtures by Tchaikovsky. Those two tunes are on Both Sides Now, her new album filled with symphonic versions of torch songs, jazz numbers and her own classics "Both Sides Now" and "A Case of You." She's launched a rare mini-tour to support the CD (no Dallas dates are expected), and she told the audience she had so much fun making the album she's going to record another one like it. Hearing her work simple, dusky magic with 60-year-old love tunes like "Don't Worry 'Bout Me" and "Sometimes I'm Happy," it's easy to see why she's so comfortable with this music. Instead of trying to live up to her status as folk-rock goddess and singer-songwriter icon, she's now free to simply be a singer. And at age 56, she remains a dazzling vocalist. Back in the '60s, while folk colleagues such as Joan Baez were trying to bellow like Kate Smith, Ms. Mitchell was busy studying the jazzy nuances of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, and her homework paid off Friday. Her husky, playful voice was a perfect match for an orchestra that constantly switched from jazz to classical styles and back. And Ms. Mitchell showed an uncanny knack for knowing just when to grab a note and lift it slowly to the stars. "I didn't know if you guys would be able to handle this much classicism," she told the crowd near the end of the concert. As long as she sounds as inspired as she did Friday night, we'll handle as much classicism as she wants to give us. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 13:48:08 EDT From: Tejas4x4@aol.com Subject: Re: More news from L.A. As I rise out of lukerville.. What a great evening, the BSN show and then to top it off by meeting a group of JDML'rs at the Bel Air Hotel. What a fun and interesting group. I enjoyed the converstions had by all. A special thanks to Kakki for coordinating the effort and her giving ways... Can't wait for the next time. Frank (tejas4x4@aol.com) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 14:02:31 EDT From: RoseMJoy@aol.com Subject: Ref: Wally Breese Sorry guys, but there was a typo with that NY concert date. It was Nov. 1, 1998. I guess I confused it with her birthday.;-) I'm compiling a photo gallery. I'll fill you in on the URL address when it's finished. Later, I'm in a hurry and my husband is bitching. They're taking me out for Mother's Day. Lucky gal I am. LOL Rose Marie ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 12:18:24 -0600 From: Bounced Message Subject: Many thanks from NY From: "Frederick Freeman" Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 11:10:03 -0000 Thank you to all of you on the west coast for the report. I am so excited for "ACT II" in NY on the 22nd. Hejira is one of my favorites, and "Trouble Man" was one of the highlights of Painting with Words and Music. I'm not too familiar with the songs from FTR. I'll have to do my homework before the show. I was thinking she might change things up for later shows, though. I do hope I get to hear "Hejira". Question. Did she play guitar on Hejira? If not, who did the opening riff, the orchestra? I can't imagine it without a guitar in the begining. Maybe pizzicato? I'm still hoping she adds something from HOSL like "Dont Interupt the Sorrow", or Court and Spark "Down to You" would be perfect with an orchestra. By the way, how does one get a copy of the HOSL demos. I'd love to hear them. My favorite album changes periodically, but right now it's HOSL. Counting the days to 5/22 NP: National Public Radio Frederick ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 14:56:09 EDT From: IVPAUL42@aol.com Subject: Re: Those Swinging Rock 60s (md-2) In a message dated 5/14/00 12:28:11 PM Eastern Daylight Time, MDESTE1@aol.com writes: << Appearances at free concerts in the park or anywhere else I have not found. Woodstock anyone ? nope. Monterrey ? nope. Leaders at anti-war rallies, protests against any of the popular causes ? havent found any. >> The Beach Boys did perform at least a couple of concerts with the Grateful Dead in the summer of '73. While I would not say the Beach Boys were a singular leader in the breakthrough music of the late '60s, "Pet Sounds" was widely acclaimed, even by the Beatles, and it can be safely said that th Beach Boys were a part of the changing tide in music in the late '60s, even if they were not at Woodstock or other such festivals. I don't think that would be an accurate criteria to base such a judgment. Paul I ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 13:45:44 -0500 From: "Eric G. Postel" Subject: concert length? Thanks for all the reviews. Not counting the intermissions, about how long is Joni onstage total? Thanks, Eric ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 15:27:26 EDT From: FMYFL@aol.com Subject: Re: concert length? In a message dated 5/14/00 3:08:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time, ericpostel@compuserve.com writes: << about how long is Joni onstage total? >> I believe she's about 5' 5" :~) I'm sorry Eric, just in a goofy mood today! Your question is a good one, and hopefully some of the west coast JMDLer's will answer it sans a smartass comment like I just made. Jimmy ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 16:59:23 -0500 From: Vince Lavieri Subject: Re: concert length? Jimmy, my reply was going to be, 'not enough.' :-) (the Rev) Vince NP: Covers, again! FMYFL@aol.com wrote: > In a message dated 5/14/00 3:08:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time, > ericpostel@compuserve.com writes: > > << about how long is Joni onstage total? >> > > I believe she's about 5' 5" :~) > I'm sorry Eric, just in a goofy mood today! Your question is a good one, and > hopefully some of the west coast JMDLer's will answer it sans a smartass > comment like I just made. > > Jimmy ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 17:17:50 -0500 From: "Mike Hicks" Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V2000 #249 > Date: Fri, 12 May 2000 14:10:24 -0400 (EDT) > From: les@jmdl.com (JMDL Digest) > To: joni-digest@smoe.org > Subject: JMDL Digest V2000 #249 > Reply-to: joni@smoe.org > I think that Joni will perform a nice, long solo acoustic set to open the > show, will take an intermission, and will then return with the orchestra to > perform the BSN album from start to finish. I hope you're right about the accoustic set. I will see her in Atlanta the 19th. Got a table down in the front. I can't wait. This will be my first time ever seeing her live. mike > ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 15:55:53 -0500 From: Mark Domyancich Subject: Talk about weird... The second I walked into Staples this afternoon "Come In From The Cold" started playing on the speakers! This is the second time I've heard it there. Keep those reports coming! I wish so badly I can see her but I am a poor, wayfaring college student (anyone wishing to send me a tape of any of the shows please do!) :D - -- Mark Domyancich Harpua@revealed.net tape trading: http://homepage.mac.com/mtd/ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 17:25:27 -0500 From: "Mike Hicks" Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V2000 #249 > Date: Fri, 12 May 2000 14:10:24 -0400 (EDT) > From: les@jmdl.com (JMDL Digest) > To: joni-digest@smoe.org > Subject: JMDL Digest V2000 #249 > Reply-to: joni@smoe.org > Unless Charlie Daniels, Doug Kershaw, or Jon-Luc Ponty are in the orchestra, Just noticed the Kershaw bit. Saw him in college. One of the best shows I ever saw. Mike > ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 17:04:59 EDT From: MDESTE1@aol.com Subject: Re: Those Swinging Rock 60s (md-3) In a message dated 00-05-14 13:12:05 EDT, jll@tampabay.rr.com writes: << I believe "Surfin' USA" (1963) pre-dates Martha and the Vandellas "Dancin' In The Streets." >> It may have predated Dancing in the Streets but it didnt predate "Sweet Little Sixteen" of which surfin USA is pretty much a knock off. They're really rockin is Boston Philadelphia PA Deep in the heart o Texas Around the Frisco bay all over manhattan and down the carribean all the cats wanna dance with sweet little sixteen Now if Surfin USA didnt duplicate everything about this song then I give up./ After this the question is not whether Brian Wilson was a tallent or even groundbreaking etc. he was. the fact that as the sixties got going Brian went tube city assurredly crippled his chances to make contributions. But the fact is the sixties were mainly political music wise. they were also cutting edge in terms of concerts and multi media presentations. The Beach Boys were missing all those elements. As all kinds of other bands from the san Francisco sound group (The Dead, Airplane, Quyicksilver, Country Joe, Santana, etc etc etc produced album after album Brian was suffering in his own world. had he been around maybe he would have been among the leaders of the whole thing. But history cant be rewritten. That is all I have said. Im not anti-beachboy. Im a realist. That doesnt necessarily diminish his career. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 17:02:07 -0400 From: Anne Sandstrom Subject: joni concert - and Wally Jamie wrote: > Just a shortie to thank everyone for sending the reports over from California. I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO jealous of you guys. It sounds like a gig to die for! Oh, I promised I wouldn't whine through the surgery or the lost/found cat or the chemo or anything, but WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! I wanna go! When it comes down to it, I also want to make absolutely sure I'm around for a long,long time. Besides, I'd absolutely disgrace myself during Judgement of the Moon and Stars. Just reading that she did it, I started crying. They'd probably have to have security cart me away. Of all her songs, the emotional impact of hearing that one done with orchestra would be overwhelming. On a slightly different note, I'm so glad everyone is remembering Wally. I can tell you that for me (and based on what I know of his life, for him too), the biggest fear isn't dying, it's being forgotten. This isn't the same road Wally was on, but it's similar enough territory. Any of you who've been through this will likely recognize it too. Again, I'm probably assuming a lot here in thinking I know something of Wally (and please correct me Jim, if you think I'm wrong.) What looks to 'outsiders' like bravery or determination comes down to only one thing - love. One thing I do know - Jim, for Wally to withstand the physical punishment of this disease for so long, he had to have an an unending, unquestioning, unwavering source of love, you. All my best to you, Jim. lots of love Anne ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 17:37:18 EDT From: MGVal@aol.com Subject: Re: concert length? In a message dated 5/14/00 12:08:04 PM Pacific Daylight Time, ericpostel@compuserve.com writes: << Thanks for all the reviews. Not counting the intermissions, about how long is Joni onstage total? >> She performed for under 90 minutes, I believe. Although I thought that she was fabulous, I did have problems with short show but then I was spoiled by the lengthy recent CSNY concert and my years of going to Dead shows. MG - still humming ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 22:50:56 +0100 From: philipf@tinet.ie Subject: Re: Urge for controversy Pat wrote: >Urge was one of the songs Joni taught me herself and one >which I played for years as part of my own sets. Thanks for putting this to bed, Pat. It's always fascinating to hear from you about pre fame Joni. Hope no one minded my flippant attempts at humour during this thread. The hot weather here for the past week has made me a bit giddy. Philip ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 22:51:58 +0100 From: philipf@tinet.ie Subject: California Dreamin Thanks for all the concert reports that everyone has sent in. They are a joy to read. If Joni is having such fun with this tour, maybe she will come to Europe as well. Here's hoping...... much Joni Philip ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 17:56:40 -0500 From: pat holden Subject: life measured in joni songs...richard's review richard goldman wrote: <> Richard, Ive heard you say this before...that your life could be measured in Joni songs. And as I said, ditto; I just HAD to throw in a "me too" here. It is so true. I may not have seen Joni perform A Case of You Live, but I sure do cry when I hear it on the BSN CD. It is so beautiful, endearing touching....everything you've said. And like you, I especially love A Case of You for the people close to me that it brings to mind. Thanks so much for sharing. OH yea, and I throw in a 'me too' with Colin and say you do look a lot younger than your years. :) Special thanks to everyone else for sharing such intimate details about the concerts, I know I wont be seeing her this time, but I feel as if I have. I can well imagine all of it! I find it fascinating to see and feel the excitement, love, tears....all the different views and feelings. As many of us have reiterated...this list is fantastic for many reasons. Our Joni community reaches out above and beyond; I love that. Thank you Les for giving us all a special place to share and to just let it all out. Special thanks to WallyB, I know I never met him cyberly or otherwise, but I feel like I did...and I also feel that his spirit lives on in each and every one of us. While Im into my own little gush mode here....a very warm welcome to all the new comers....it is true, just because i sometimes neglect to send out a special welcome or note, it doesnt mean i havent noticed...it means that my life is moving way too fast/crazy. Anyway, enjoy this wonderful group :)))) Mags - -- - --------------------------------------------------------------------- _~O / /\_, ___/\ /_ - ----------------------------------------- ------------------------------ End of onlyJMDL Digest V2000 #186 ********************************* ------- Post messages to the list at ------- Siquomb, isn't she?