The Rolling Stones – “Automatic Changer”.

"Automatic Changer" - later known as "Let it Bleed", it was going to be the summer lp of  Rolling Stones, but by different circumstances, it was postponed. The main  problem  was the continued absences of Brian Jones to the recording sessions and his manifest lack of interest in everything that had to do with the group. In view of this, tired of his attitude Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and Keith Richards moved to Brian's house to communicate friendly that his services were no longer available; so they quickly set out to look for a substitute guitarist: Mick Taylor, introduced as the new member of the Rolling Stones, at a massive press conference in Hyde Park, London on June 13^th..

The recording sessions for “Automatic Changer” officially started on February 9, 1969 at the Olympic studios in London with Jimmy Miller like a producer and engineer Glyn Jones; abruptly interrupted in the early hours of July 2, when they were informed by telephone that the Brian´s body found floating in the pool of his house. He was dead.

Two days later, the Rolling Stones gave a free concert in memory of Brian in the same place where just a month ago they had presented Mick Taylor, Hyde Park. Meanwhile, one acetate of the disc had already been made in monaural version, with an alternative "line-up", almost definitive. which ís presented here, it contained a total of 9 songs:

Side A: (20:48)

1.Midnight rambler.(6:57)

2.Love in vain.(4:18)

3.If you need someone - a.k.a" Let it bleed ",(5:25)

4.Monkey man.(4:11)

Side B: (21:45)

1.Give me some shelter - a.k.a "Gimmie Shelter";(4:21)

2.You got the silver now - a.k.a "You got the silver".(2:49)

these last two sung by Keith;

3.Sister Morphine.(5:26)

4.Loving cup.(6:05)

5.Country honk.(3:03)

Shortly thereafter, and with the most advanced recording sessions, the engineer Glyn Jones made a second cut of the album, where the songs sung by Keith were changed for Mick's as a vocalist and the song that closed the acetate:"Honky Tonk" was eliminated.

This new version was given for good, which was prepared for the final mixes with a view to publishing the album in mid-July under the title of "Automatic Changer". Robert Brownjohn following the title of Lp, had already made the cover; the famous cake that was the final artwork, although the album changed title. After Brian´s death, the group recording:"Honky tonk woman" in the BBC TV to "Top of the Pops" to promo a new single: "Honky tonk woman / You can not always get what you want #2”; The Hyde Park concert on July 5, the Rolling Stones and Brian's funeral on July 10 in Cheltenham who only accused Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman, the Stones did not return to the studio and dedicated themselves, after trying to recover from the sad news, to prepare the American tour.

Between October 17 and 26, at the "Sunset Sound" studios in Los Angeles, the Rolling Stones returned to the "Automatic Changer" project, but with the conviction that the title and content should change, because the declared summer of love had been especially bloody, like the murders carried out by the Manson family, against the actress Sharon Tate and a group of friends, or later on the marriage "La Bianca". The session on October 26 was the last dedicated to polish "Let it bleed". Then, they got into the promotional winter tour from November 6 to December 7 with an appearance on the CBS show: Ed Sullivan Show recorded on November 18.

The day after the publication of "Let it Bleed" on December 5, the Rolling Stones gave a concert at the Altamont Speedway, in Livermore, Ca. A free festival that included other groups such as Jefferson Airplane or Crosby, Still , Nash and Young. As closing to the show, The Rolling Stones .., but in the middle of the song "Sympathy for the Devil", a spectator, was assassinated in front of stage by one of the members of sure of the show, an "Hell´s Angel", scene that can be seen in the movie,

The “incombustible” Stones, were already involved in the new recording sessions of their future project: "Sticky Fingers", which will have a good account in the future, also with an alternative "line up", the result of another found acetate with alternate “line-up” in mono also. Bit.ly/69RSAc Now, enjoy the reconstruction, mono version, of the early "Let it Bleed" when it was called "Automatic Changer".

 

The Kinks: “Where Was Spring?” – Unreleased 1969 album.

After the release of the album: "The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society", on November 22, 1968, the BBC commissioned Ray Davis to write more songs for a television serie, which was to be called: Where was Spring?. A British television sketch comedy program, which was first aired by the BBC at night time every Monday, between the months of January to February. A total of 12 episodes were recorded of which only six were aired; of an approximate duration of 25/30 minutes per episode, with music perfomed by North Kensington Festival Wind Ensemble, arranged and directed by Stanley Myers and songs by the Kinks: “Where Did My Spring Go", "When I Turn off the Living Room Light", "We Are Two of a Kind", "Let's Take Off Our Clothes" and "Darling I Respect You", an one outtake “Till death us part two”, from september 1968.

Where Was Spring?, It was a love serie with Eleanor Bron and John Fortune, two stalwarts of the British satire scene in the 1960s, produced by Neil Sheerin. The show were of a series of two-handed sketches performed by Bron and Fortune, mostly playing married or romantic couples though often not seen romantically..

There were also animated sequences supplied by Klaus Voormann, designer of the cover for the Beatles' Revolver album. Almost all the episodes were lost, because it is believed that master tapes were accidentally destroyed by overwriting them.

The BBC proposed to Ray Davies, the possibility of making an EP with the songs of the program and later an LP adding new ones, but none of the options came to fruition because the group had a secret agreement with Granada TV, to carry out a film and an LP that later would be known as: Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire).

The project of "Arthur" was unveiled on March 10 and with it faded the EP or Lp: There was Spring ?. The recording sessions for "Arthur" officially began on May 1, 1969, with the songs "Drivin '" & "Mindless Child Of Motherhood"; immediately after Ray Davis returned from the United States.

The reconstruction that is brought here, in Lp format, translates to the side A the original EP of five tracks, once the themes that Ray Davis did not want to include in his day were discarded: "We Are Two of a Kind", "Let's Take Off Our Clothes" and "Darling I Respect You". Side B: begins with the song "Did you see his name?", written for the:"The Eleventh Hour TV Show", plus that material recorded before the date of March 10 available Bit.ly/69kkWS to complete an Lp. All tracks, MONO,  because are taken from sample tapes where there is no stereo mix.  

Side A: (13:12)

1. Where Did My Spring Go.(2:10).

2. When I Turn Out The Living Room Light.(2:19).

3. Pictures In The Sand.(2:47).

4. Berkeley Mews.(2:36).

5. Till Death Do Us Part.(3:18)

Side B: (14:13)

1. Did You See His Name.(2:00).

2. Plastic Man.(3:04).

3. Groovy Movies.(2:33).

4. Creeping Jean.(3:11). 

5. King Kong.(3:23).

 

The Doors - "The Celebration Of The Lizard" - (Rejected Version).

"The Celebration Of The Lizard" is the lost album of the Californian group “The Doors”, officially began recording at the Sunset Sound Studios in november 1967 with the song: "The Unknown soldier"; followed by "Spanish Caravan" in January 1968.

The sessions continued on February 19 & 20 at the TTG Sound Studios in Hollywood, Ca. with what should be the main theme of the album: "The Celebration Of The Lizard". A long piece, about 17 minutes, although it seems that there were versions that far exceeded that duration, composed of seven poems with musical accompaniment of the band. 

The original plan was that this poetic musical piece to occupy one side of the album: B, while on the other would be the rest of the tunes, the two previous and others that would be completed until April : "My Wild Love"; "Five to One" or "Wintertime Love". After making a acetate, with what the boys wanted, the producer Paul Rothchild decided that this did not have enough quality and convinced the group to abandon definitely the idea of "The Celebration Of The Lizard" song and LP. Note: All songs are MONO versions.

Side A:(17:50)

1- Five To One.(4:28)

2- My Wild Life.(Alt.).(2:35)

3- Spanish Caravan.(2:59)

4- Wintertime Love.(1:54)

5.-We Could Be So Good Together.(2:25)

6- Unknown Soldier.(3:25)

Side B:(17:01)

1- The Celebration Of The Lizard.

  a.Lions In The Street.

  b.Wake Up!.

  c.Little Game.

  d.The Hill Dwellers.

  e.Not To Touch The Earth. 

  f.Names Of The Kingdom.

  g.The Palace Of Exile. 

However, the fact that the original project was abandoned; brought discontent among the members of “The Doors Bit.ly/68DRS4 Rothchild was becoming ever more perfectionist demanding take after take. Jim stopped being interested in the process of recording after his masterpiece is rejected. He retired and revolted and took refuge in alcohol.The sessions were getting worse and worse. Jim left the others waiting for hours and hours or wasn´t going to the studio.But the problems not finished here, Electra Records release a single: "The Unknown Soldier"/"We Could Be So Good Together",many radio stations avoid playing the song due to its war anthem.

The recording sessions were extended until the end of May, with a new song: "Waitting for the sun" that would give title to the new version of the album, although it was not included either; in addition to the update of two old themes from September 1965: “Hello, I Love You” and “Summer almost gone”; because there was not enough material to complete the album.

In June, the single: "Hello I Love You"/ "Love Street" is released, but is seen by many as a cheap way to reach positions in the “billboard” list,became the band's first hit album in the UK. Finally, “Waiting For The Sun” is officially released on July 12th, 1968 in stereo and mono mixes. This is the final album in which a complete mono mix is produced and released in the U.S.

As revenge, The Doors decide from then to include in the concerts “The Celebration Ofr The Lizard”.

Ok.., until here, this quick story.., the artwork: photos from three different places: black and white -TTG Studio February 19, 1968 "The Celebration of The Lizard” recording sessions. Booklet, an outtake "Waiting of the sun" photo sessions; and two more from Westbury Music Fair 1968, on April 19. The cover design from Bob Mage The Forum, Inglewood, Ca. Dec 14.68 poster concert. 

Enjoy it.

 

Buffalo Springfield Again (Unreleased pre-sales Stereo & Mono versions)

 

The second álbum from Buffalo Springfiled which name was "Stampede" was to be released in the spring 1967 to capitalize the hit: "For what it´s worth". A super hit recorded December 5 1966 and released on January 9.1967. the song reached Top Ten nationally, becoming one of the greatest rock hits the 20th Century. 
This great song was composed by Stephen Stills when witnessed the police violence ts in November, in which local law enforcement unfairly cracked down on the counterculture 'loiterers'. Influenced by the emerging madness and civil unrest of the 1960s..

But it was the same song that destroyed them because the band was not ready to attain superstardom so quickly, besides not bringing them very good luck. Since its publication the group was involved in problems that came one after the other such as the departure of vocalist/guitarist Neil Young had to briefly leave the group in January due to epileptic seizures,and bassist Bruce Palmer was arrested for marijuana possession and deported back to Canada. All this and more made the album "Stempede" was delayed first, being suspended afterwards.With the group almost separated, in mid-October, a different lp was compiled, called "Again". It was released on November 17.1967.

This is a reconstruction from a unreleased pre-sales version bit.ly/34hxe2 made only with composition from Stills & Young. The others three songs: "A Child's Claim to Fame", ”,”Sad Memory” and “God Time Boy” by Richie Furray, momentarily were out for being considered of inferior quality.

Side A:(17:09)

1.Rock & Roll Woman.(2:44)
2.Mr.Soul.(2:27)
   (Alternate version)
3.Broken Arrow.(5:40)
   (Alternate version)
4.Everydays.(6:16)
   (Alternate version) 

Side B: (16:18)

1.Expecting To Fly.(3:40)
2.Bluebird.(9:00)
   (1973 long version)
3.Hung Upside Down.(3:38)

Bonus track:

Bluebird.(3:06)
(Unreleased single version). 

The opening track "Rock & Roll Woman" allegedly includes vocals by Crosby, who also  had a hand in its composition; whether true or not, Stills acknowledges the genesis of the song was from jamming with Crosby. Young's extended piece "Broken Arrow" begins with "Mr. Soul" a song recorded live in the studio. Followed by “Everydays” by Stephen Stills with Jim Fielder on bass, replacing absent Bruce Palmer. At the end you can hear a unreleased piece called: “Raga #1“. as closure of side A.

The B side opens with “Expecting to Fly,"it was for a Neil Young solo project rather than for Buffalo Springfield. Phil Spector Wrecking Crew associate Jack Nitzsche provided the musical arrangements for "Expecting to Fly"; it does not feature any members of the Springfield. Nitzsche would continue to work with Young through the early 1970s on both his solo debut album and his best-selling Harvest, also becoming a member of Young's backing bands Crazy Horse and The Stray Gators.“Bluebird“ is a 1973 extended version from 2nd Buffalo Springfield compilation album. Another song by Stills closes the album: “Hung Upside Down”.

(UPGRADE!)

(The Pre-sales MONO version).

Side A:(17:22)

1.Rock & Roll Woman.(2:43)

2.Mr.Soul.(2:34)

   (Alternate version)

3.Broken Arrow.(5:38)

   (Alternate version)

4.Everydays.(6:27)

   (Alternate version) 

Side B: (17:12)

1.Expecting To Fly.(3:41)

2.Bluebird.(8:58)

   (1973 long version)

3.Hung Upside Down.(3:25)

4.Bluebird.(Reprise). (1:07)

The cover is the original drawing bit.ly/35rW4 by the American artist Eve Babitz without the group's photo montage.

Ok, enjoy it!  
Merry Xmas and happy NewYear!.

See you soon with more and better.

"Once Upon A Time in... Hollywood" - (AEC version)

This album is a special edition. The intellectual author is AEC "Album back from dead", I have simply given it physical life considering that it is a very good and intelligent contribution. In this compilation the line-up proposed by AEC has been respected, except: "Dinamite Jim" which has been changed to "Get Together", a song that Tarantino wanted to include in the soundtrack but it was not possible due to author rights. But let's see a summary of what AEC says on his blog:

Most of the music featured in the film is supposedly being heard on car radios broadcasting L.A.'s Boss Radio station KHJ on three days in 1969: Feb. 8 , 9 and Aug. 8. But if you look at the soundtrack for the film as compiled by director/writer Quentin Tarantino you'll find that songs are from years before and after 1969. It seemed to me that it would have been better to use songs that would have actually been played on the Top 40 station on those particular days.

But how do you know what songs were being played on KHJ on those particular days? While you can't be absolutely certain, there is a great resource for finding what the top hits on KHJ were on those weeks: https://93khj.blogspot.com/2008/05/khj-survey-index.html. I used the charts for the weeks of Feb. 5 , 12, and Aug. 6 to determine a new soundtrack for the film.

One important point is that not all of the songs featured in the film are on the official soundtrack album. I found this nice list of all the songs in the order they appear in the movie: https://screenrant.com/once-upon-time-hollywood-movie-soundtrack-songs/. At once point I planned to replace all the songs, but in order to keep hold of my sanity I decided to focus only on the 22-track soundtrack album.

Three songs on the soundtrack are actually on the KHJ lists: "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" by the Bob Seger System, "Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show" by Neil Diamond and "Mr. Sun, Mr. Moon" by Paul Revere & the Raiders. So they're all kept. Also, in the film two other Paul Revere and the Raiders' songs, "Good Thing" and "Hungry" are in a scene where they're heard from an album playing rather than being heard on the radio. So I kept them. Finally, I also kept Jose Feliciano's "California Dreamin'" because I felt it was pivotal to the scene.

In other cases, I replaced a band's song with one by the same group, but which appears on the KHJ lists. These include replacing Deep Purple's "Hush" with the band's "River Deep, Mountain High"; and The Box Tops' "Choo Choo Train" with their song "Sweet Cream Ladies March Forward."From there, it was a matter of trying to find songs from KHJ's lists that matched the basic feel of the songs I was replacing.

I am kind of shocked that Tarantino didn't use "Quentin's Theme" which is originally from the "Dark Shadows" TV show and was a minor hit on KHJ's list. I mean, how appropriately coincidental is that?. Tarantino takes a number of liberties with "Once Upon a Time in ... Hollywood" regarding timeline, and that doesn't stop with the song selection. One part of the film shows a party at the Playboy Mansion, bit.ly/Ou-HH even through Hugh Hefner didn't move into the mansion until 1972. Plus, some characters are based on real people, and others are fabrications. And of course the climatic ending is a complete alternative history. So in that mindset, creating a soundtrack of songs from different years isn't far-fetched and Tarantino was more than likely going for a certain feel rather than historic accuracy. And on top of all that, licensing issues might have dictated what songs were available.

Still, I personally think my version would have worked just as well and have the added luxury of being tied to the time and place.

AEC. 

(for more information, please visit: http://albumsbackfromthedead.blogspot.com/ ) 

The line-up:

1.Can I Change My Mind. (2:53) (*)

Tyrone Davis 

2.Crimson and Clover. (3:25) (*)

Tommy James and the Shondells 

3.Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man. (2:16) (*)

The Bob Seger System

4.You Showed Me. (3:12) (*)

The Turtles

5.River Deep, Mountain High. (5:48) (edit) (*)

Deep Purple 

6.Mendocino. (2:36) (*)

Sir Douglas Quintet

7.I’m Living in Shame. (2:57) (*)

Diana Ross and The Supremes

8.Sweet Cream Ladies March Forward. (2:12) (**)

The Box Tops

9.Proud Mary. (3:04) (*)

Creedence Clearwater Revival

10.Good Thing. (3:02) (^^)

Paul Revere & The Raiders

11.Hungry. (2:54) (^)

Paul Revere & the Raiders

12.This Girl is in Love with You. (4:07) (*)

Dionne Warwick

13.I Got a Line on You. (2:39) (*)

Spirit

14.Long Green. (3:12) (**)

The Fireballs

15.Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show. (3:24) (+)

Neil Diamond

16.The Nitty Gritty. (3:00) (***)

Gladys Knight and the Pips

17.Mr. Sun, Mr. Moon. (2:46) (*)

Paul Revere & the Raiders

18.What Kind of Fool Do You Think I Am?. (2:04) (***)

Bill Deal and the Rhondels

19.California Dreamin’. (4:08) (++)

Jose Feliciano

20.Get Together. (4:36) (***)

The Youngbloods

21.I’d Wait a Million Years. (3:18) (***)

Grassroots

22.Quentin's Theme. (2:01) (***)

The Charles Randolph Grean Sounde

(93 KHJ Boss 30 - June 15.1966) (^)

(93 KHJ Boss 30 - November 30.1966) (^^)

(93 KHJ Boss 30 - July 3. 1968) (++)

(93 KHJ Boss 30 - February 5.1969) (*)

(93 KHJ Boss 30 - February 12.1969) (**)

(93 KHJ Boss 30 - February 19.1969) (+)

(93 KHJ Boss 30 - August 6.1969) (***)

Enjoy it. See you soon with more and better.

 

Prince: "Camille" - Unreleased 1987 Project - Unedited

"Camille" was one of the many projects Prince left unpublished. Realized in a moment of change of the singer, surrounded of mystery as far as his conception, because for it Prince resorted to the magic and the spiritism in search of a new identiti as artist 

Apparently this work was inspired by the 19th century French intersex spirit: "Herculine Barbin", who also used the alias "Camille" and was the subject of the 1985 film Mystère Alexina.

Years later, with the artist (Prince) deceased, a few copies were distributed promotionally without any type of artwork, with only eight his ten original songs with the setlist slightly altered. Here´s the original and complete project.

On August 1986 Prince abandoning his double Lp “Dream Factory”, shortly after breaking up his backing band “The Revolution”. Between September & October, at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California with the engineer: Susan Rogers, recorded a new project. In it, Prince experimenting with his vocals in an artificially pitched-up style, achieved either by using a pitchshifter or by recording his vocals at a slower tempo and then speeding up the tape to create a higher, androgynous tone.

At the end of October he had completed an album which he planned to release pseudonymously under Camille's name as a self-titled debut with next setlist:

Side A: (22:17) 

1.- Rebirth of the Flesh.(4:57)

2.- Housequake.(4:29)

3.- Scarlet Pussy.(4:15)

4.- Shockadelica.(3:29)

5.- Good Love.(5:05)

Side B: (21:30) 

1.- U Got The Look.(4:16)

2.-If I Was A Girlfriend.(4:47)

3.- Strange Relationship.(4:21)

4.-Feel U Up.(3:42)

5.- Rock In A Funky Place.(4:22) 

But a few days later, on November 5, Prince edit the album once again leaving it with only eight songs, removing: “Scarlet Pussy", which was released as the B-side of the 1988 single "I Wish U Heaven" and “U Got the Look”, also released later in 1987 as a single from double LP “Sign o' the Times”: 

Side A: 1.-Rebirth of the Flesh. 2.-Housequake. 3.-Strange Relationship. 4.-Feel U Up.

On August 1986 Prince abandoning his double Lp “Dream Factory”, shortly after breaking up his backing band “The Revolution”. Between September & October, at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California with the engineer: Susan Rogers, recorded a new project. In it, Prince experimenting with his vocals in an artificially pitched-up style, achieved either by using a pitchshifter or by recording his vocals at a slower tempo and then speeding up the tape to create a higher, androgynous tone.

At the end of October he had completed an album which he planned to release pseudonymously under Camille's name as a self-titled debut with next setlist:

Side A: (22:17) 

1.- Rebirth of the Flesh.(4:57)

2.- Housequake.(4:29)

3.- Scarlet Pussy.(4:15)

4.- Shockadelica.(3:29)

5.- Good Love.(5:05)

Side B: (21:30) 

1.- U Got The Look.(4:16)

2.-If I Was A Girlfriend.(4:47)

3.- Strange Relationship.(4:21)

4.-Feel U Up.(3:42)

5.- Rock In A Funky Place.(4:22) 

But a few days later, on November 5, Prince edit the album once again leaving it with only eight songs, removing: “Scarlet Pussy", which was released as the B-side of the 1988 single "I Wish U Heaven" and “U Got the Look”, also released later in 1987 as a single from double LP “Sign o' the Times”: 

Side A: 1.-Rebirth of the Flesh. 2.-Housequake. 3.-Strange Relationship. 4.-Feel U Up.

Side B: 1.-Shockadelica. 2.-Good Love. 3.-If I Was A Girlfriend. 4.-Rock In A Funky Place. 

With this new set list, the project with catalogue number 1-25543, was planned for January 1987, preceded by the single: “Shockadelica / Housequake”, But was canceled. Why?. It seems that there were several reasons, one of them tell us: Prince informed Warner Bros. that his image would not appear on the cover and that he would not acknowledge the album as his own work; something that Warner´s executives did not like to and everything indicates this could be the main reason.

Although there is another version that says: Prince had gotten involved in somewhat dark matters of spirits and magic, Camille Bit.ly/88PCC was really a spirit that had possessed the singer, but this entity had abandoned it before that he finished the project, when Prince returned to himself, he had lost interest in publishing this new work dictated from another dimension.

Prince later invoked, once again to Camille for new future project, but the singer this time was possessed by a more demonic entity named “Spooky Electric”. Which led him to a new project:“The Black album” (released in 1994).

Or maybe the solution is simpler than all of the above, without that nothing said was not true: Prince instead decided to expand on the project by incorporating new tracks, resulting in the three-disc set “Cristal Ball”. 

Whatever it was,"Camille" was suspended and when the project was developed into "Crystal Ball", (1st sequenced on 30 November 1986), seven of the eight tracks were kept, only "Feel U Up" was removed. But when Warner forced to Prince to reduce the content of the project to two discs, only four tracks were survived: "Housequake"; “If I Was Your Girlfriwnd” & “Strange Relationship” recorded in 1982; with “U Got The Look”. This new work was renamed as: “Sign o' the Times”. 

Others songs from this unreleased project, (I speak of “Camille”), as: "Shockadelica," was later included as a B-side of "If I Was Your Girlfriend". "Good Love" was later released on the "Bright Lights, Big City" film soundtrack in 1988. "Feel U Up'" recorded in 1981,was released in 1989 as the B-side of "Partyman". The opening track "Rebirth of the Flesh,", released: 28 August 2001 - NPG Music Club Edition # 8 mp3 download.

Photo: Although "Camille" never had a final cover, if there were several sketches, one of them a stick figure with X's for eyes or the model (Cat Glover) - professional choreographer, backing vocalist and dancer on "the Sign o' the Times Tour" and "Lovesexy Tour" - with a head of heart, photos later used in the video "U got the look", or in the double Lp: “Sing O´The Times”. Here I used the second.

That´s all. Enjoy a very good album that Prince should have published officially, in its full version that I bring here.

See you soon.