Cause baby, I cleansed my soul...


Arthur Lee Of 60's Rock Band Love Passes Away
Arthur Lee, the eccentric singer/guitarist with influential 1960s rock band Love, has died in a Memphis hospital after a battle with leukemia, his manager said on Friday. He was 61.
This is sad news, as it always is when we lose one of these special people.

I had searched high and low for years looking for Love because I'd heard that Jimi had gotten "Hey Joe" from these guys. I finally got a vinyl copy of "Forever Changes" and was absolutely stunned. It didn't have "hey Joe" but damn! This was insanity and it was too cool for words! I just couldn't figure out what I was listening to. It was folkie like the Byrds, it was psychedelic like the Jefferson Airplane, and it was orchestral like the Doors; although I identified it more as later Zeppelin or early Pink Floyd. I mean these guys opened the record with this orchestral, mariachi thing with a trumpet solo. Yes, a trumpet solo! I just could not wrap my head around this music. I liked it, I thought. I knew I didn't dislike it but I couldn't stop listening. A few years after I wore out that worn out record Rhino released "Love Story" and again I was mesmerized by the uniqueness, audacity, musicality and weirdness of Aurthur Lee.

I'm not sure if I get it yet but I will try with renewed energy now that he is gone. (Is that bad? That I plan to try harder now that he's not here to appeciate it.)

Rhino's Tribute

Technorati Tags: , , ,

Comments

Post a Comment