After the Gold Rush is one music fan’s journey though an old friend’s LP collection. Each episode investigates one album pulled randomly from the stacks.
I never know what I’m going to pull out of the stacks at After the Gold Rush. Peter’s collection spans nearly 40 years and includes everything from Tchaikovsky to Madonna. This time around it’s The Isaac Hayes Movement by Isaac Hayes.
Though I didn’t know a damned thing about this record when I first laid eyes on the odd, swirling cover photo, I did have some slightly-nerdy-yet-not-obsessive knowledge of Hayes. He made his name as one half of a two-man hit songwriting team for Stax Records in the 1960s. He worked with lyricist David Porter to write hits like “Soul Man,” “Hold On, I’m Coming,” and “There’s Something Wrong with My Baby” for the iconic soul duo Sam & Dave.
Then at some point after co-writing and producing hits for Stax, he recorded Hot Buttered Soul, considered the defining album of his career. Known in part for its unorthodox structure – the album contained only four long, drawn-out, dramatic soul epics on which he’d jam with the band for more than ten minutes – Hot Buttered Soul was still a big success for Stax.
That’s all I knew. (Except, of course, that Hayes had voiced the character of Chef on South Park and was a Scientologist. But let’s just ignore that for now.)
“Okay, let’s cut to the chase. What does the record sound like?”
From the moment I dropped the needle on track one, “I Stand Accused,” I felt like a stage was being set. There’s only a few moments of a slow, ascending-descending piano line before a little electric guitar melody weaves in and Hayes croons “Ooooh-ooooh-ooooh.” The rhythm section drops in and Hayes starts a rap, talking directly to a woman, asking her, “Can I talk with you for a moment?” He goes into an explanation of his life story, how he was raised well, used to sing in the church choir, respected his elders – all of which sets him up as an honest man who just recently, as a “grown man,” committed a crime in the eyes of “the court of love.”
He finally gets to his point, telling this woman – who wears another man’s engagement ring – that “at night I toss and turn, I try to keep it out of my mind, but you see, I find myself thinking about you…” Then he drops into a baritone and sings “I stand accused / of loving you….”
I have to admit that I almost started laughing the first time I heard it – the change is that dramatic. Hayes goes on to drape the song in all the production flourishes that thrived during the 1960s – armies of horns and strings, choirs of girl-group back-up singers. Big, dramatic arrangements for big, dramatic songs.
If you wanted to understand how records were made in the 1960s, you could do worse than spend some time with “I Stand Accused” – or any of other three songs found here. The live sound of the core band, the way the horns and back-up singers create pick-up lines into the choruses, the understated use of electric guitar throughout, the bombast and drama that brings to mind both Phil Spector and George Martin – it’s all here.
In fact, by the time the instrumental intro on the side-two Hal David-Burt Bacharach cover “I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself” warmed up, it was clear to me that this album wasn’t about Hayes’s writing skills – he didn’t write any of the songs – it was all about his chops as a producer and arranger.
And though that production style feels a bit everything-and-the-kitchen-sink at times, it’s still a unique and often ballsy example of how records were made in the late 1960s, during a time when some artists were successful enough to wrangle creative control from their labels and follow their muses as far as they could. (Brian Wilson and Pet Sounds comes to mind.)
It’s clear that Hayes wanted to create lavish, extravagantly romantic records. He wanted to make grand gestures. And he did. His 12-minute take of George Harrison’s “Something” is proof of his grand vision: It’s funky and confident, and Hayes uses the musicians – especially the rhythm section and horns – to create a drive and desire utterly apart from Harrison’s wistful love song. And late in the track, when you least expect it, a country-style fiddle solo flies in. Even with everything that’s happened so far, it’s still a surprise.
“So what is the story?”
Though it’s not nearly as famous as Hot Buttered Soul, The Isaac Hayes Movement spent six weeks at number one on Billboard‘s Soul Albums chart and nearly 75 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart. That’s not too shabby. Still, very little has been written about the album, probably for two reasons: It was essentially a replica of Hot Buttered Soul – right down to the four-song track list and long opening rap – but didn’t include any original songs or a hit single. Hayes released another LP that year, …To Be Continued, which did slightly better on the charts and featured another David/Bacharach song “The Look of Love.” A year later, Hayes hit it big with his soundtrack to the 1971 blaxploitation flick Shaft. The album spent two weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts and “Theme from Shaft” won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Hayes’s story continues on like many stars from the 60s – highs, lows, riches, bankruptcy – through bare years in the ‘80s and ‘90s before a late-career resurgence. In Hayes’s case, it was his television work, including on South Park, that kept him busy and on the map.
While The Isaac Hayes Movement may be little more than a continuation of the Hot Buttered Soul template, it’s still a powerful statement made by a hit-maker and ace producer, who was able to indulge himself and make the kind of record he wanted to make during a time when he could do little wrong. Think of it as the transition from his first big solo record and what lay only one year away: a number-one hit and an Oscar for “The Theme from Shaft.”
In early 2007, my stepfather Peter and I were sitting next to his wood stove drinking coffee and talking about music. I mentioned that I was thinking about starting a vinyl collection. I had flirted with records back in the late ‘90s after receiving a cheap Sony turntable as a present. But I had donated it and my fledgling collection to a friend before a cross-country move.
As we talked, I told him that there had been a lot of press about LPs lately, signs that lots of folks were buying records, and labels and bands were pressing vinyl and pairing it with mp3 downloads. Obviously amused that another old thing had become new again, he told me there were at least a few boxes of records out in one of his barns. Curious, I suggested we check them out.
His memory served us both: We found four heavy, sealed cardboard boxes and hauled them back into the house, one by one. As the old dry tape gave way and I opened each box, that distinct dusty smell of moldy record sleeves wafted out.
I saw both early promise and amusing red flags: I recognized the sleeve for Talking Heads’ Fear of Music not from my recent music memory, but from our living room when I was a kid. Likewise with Madonna, Rod Stewart, and The Pointer Sisters. But then I saw a Brian Eno record. Discreet Music. I wasn’t expecting that. And an ancient Muddy Waters LP. Then there was a huge stash of classical, which, I’ll admit, meant nearly nothing to me. Names went on and on: Pharoah Sanders, Eric Satie, Bob Marley, and, of course, the Beatles.
I asked if I could borrow the boxes, and he agreed on the spot. After all, the reminded me, they had lived in various barns for at least 20 years.
Later that day I realized that, from classical through to folk and blues, then ‘60s rock ‘n’ roll, ‘70s experimental music and reggae, then the cocaine-gloss of all the ‘80s pop, this was Peter’s musical history in several chapters. In fact, it occurred to me that one could tell the story of Baby Boomers largely through their record collections.
I’ve now decided to pull one record at a time from the stacks. It may be random; it may be something I’ve been listening to for a while. I’ll listen to it, write about my impressions, and then do a little research to find out what the album’s story is. And occasionally, I’ll check in with Peter and find out, for example, why the hell he bought Tubular Bells or The Selecter’s Celebrate the Bullet.
I’m calling this series After the Gold Rush because that’s what I consider this stash of plastic: a lucky strike of memories, music, and a classic format that was abandoned long before its time. It has its ups and downs, sure, but there’s gold in them there boxes—and I’m determined to find it.
Matt Bushlow is a freelance writer living in Burlington, Vt.
Hi! i’m josh riggs and most of this stuff was invented, conceived, produced etc before the 09, but in this the year of our lord eco=-crash (and/or) recovery year of 2009 i was clumsy enough in all the right ways to stumble over these(my) annual choice pleasures!
1.Urs Fischer: Marguerite de Ponty @ New Museum (NYC) – 3 floors of rot, wood, eats, blobs, sheetrock, chains, surreal installations by an artist that is my big time in the 09! Made me feel like peeing on something inanimate.
http://www.newmuseum.org/exhibitions/417/urs_fischermarguerite_de_ponty
2.Sun Araw – Horse Steppin’ on YouTube – hazed out sleep junkie surfs up! YouTube has replaced the MTV basshead in all of us…even though it was released in the 08′ – i’m a late bloomer!
3.Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey – In 7th grade I chugged a bottle of this stuff with some of my degenerate friends. It seemed like a good idea at the time and made my high as a georgia pine until I puked my guts out and vowed never to touch the stuff again. 15ish years later 1 sip changed my direction in adult libations-will be sippin’ for many years to come!
4.Men With No IQ’s – 80′s BLACK metal 4 realz ya’ll! Insane Mississippi brutal rock afro-oddball scene I wish I was a part of. Obscure-only thing I have found is 2 songs on this Myspace site. Oh Myspace…what happened to you in 2009???????????
http://www.myspace.com/menwithnoiqs
5.Hotel Gault/Chez L’Epicier/Zone Orange – 3 choice spots on my annual Montreal tour de force! Made my 2009 trip one of the best ever! Lux!
http://www.hotelgault.com/
http://www.chezlepicier.com/
http://www.galeriezoneorange.com/
6.Dylan Nyoukis Live @ No Fun Stockholm 2009 – vox art to the fucking maximum voltage! Wish I could have seen it in the flesh…mope…
7.Richard Kern – I’m not sure why it took me this long to find him considering I am such a huge Terry Richardson fan? In my opinion his work is better and it makes me tingle-ROAR!Patrick Tsai runner up!!!!!(PHOTO DUDES!)
http://www.richardkern.com/
http://www.hellopatpat.com/mldd_e.html
8.Eating sushi for hours alone at Sakura in BVT = Pure Bliss!
9.The Sinful Dwarf (1973) – Orlof, the creepy dwarf in the skuzz pit slum of London keeps kidnapped girls in the basement nice an high on smack for his mommies pimp rough trade! GRINDHAUS shit with a killer soundtrack and somewhat watchable if yr into that kinda thang!(sorry JOSH i saw it 1st!) I also saw Daisies and that totally blew my noggin”! Sedmikrasky!
10.Black Beauty – My band w/ amigo Josh! We can clear a room in 1/2 a song! Gives me yet another excuse to drink beer on Thursday night! THIS IS GOING TO BE SUCKS! – a hopeful 2010 release (avail @ Pure Pop!) maybe’zzzzzzz~! shameless self promo’!
11.Listening to Oneohtrix Point Never, Blood Stereo, Omar Soulyman, Areski & Brigitte Fontaine, Endless Boogie, WaVVes, The JACK Quartet/Iannis Xenakis, The Clash, Brainbombs, Sensational, A&E, The Legendary Stardust Cowboy, Kito Mizukumi Rouber, Mozart, The Beatles, GAS, Preggy Peggy & the Lonely Babymakers, Borful Tang and of course Justin Bieber! (I prob left out about 70 others but…)
I Wanna Hold Your Hand ($4.88) - Before the Back To The Future Trilogy or Forrest Gump, Robert Zemeckis made his film debut with this charming tale of three young women who want to encounter The Beatles during their legendary 1964 New York visit for three very different reasons.
Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny ($8.88) – Skeptical audiences skipped this one at the box office, all but ensuring we’ll never see a sequel. It’s too bad, because this Tenacious D origin story/fantasy epic is a sturdy piece of comedy loaded with inspired gags, hilarious cameos and classic D tracks.
Cry-Baby ($9.88) - John Waters‘ 1990 nostalgia fest stars a very young Johnny Depp as a 50′s gang member who falls in love with a straight-laced girl. Spoofing the conventions of teen musicals and mainstream portrayals of sub-culture, Cry-Baby is endlessly entertaining.
Nashville ($6.88) - Robert Altman directed a handful of truly great films in his vast career, and Nashville is one of the best. It features most of Altman’s hallmarks, including massive group action, overlapping dialogue and a dizzying number of intertwining plot threads. Even people entirely disinterested in the music culture of Nashville, Tennessee will find a lot in this film to fascinate them.
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai ($6.88) – Allright, this is not a music-themed film by any stretch of the imagination. It is a great movie by the incomporable Jim Jarmusch about a modern man living by the samurai code who owes a life-debt to a local mobster. It gets a little complicated from there. Why is it on this list? Well, RZA did the music. Duh.
When all that Beatles stuff came out a coupla weeks ago, mountains of hyperbole, most of it warranted, were tossed around. For example, many people remarked that the band’s creative evolution was the broadest in all of rock. From their conventional beginnings, through their psychedelic studio alchemy to the majesty of Abbey Road’s side 2 suite, it’s hard to dispute that The Beatles covered more ground in their seven or so years then any had before them or has since.
On the other hand, maybe that’s something of a rigged accolade. There was a lot of room for rock n’ roll to open up in the early sixties. Throughout the decade, many artists pushed boundaries and pioneered innovations. The Beatles, with their vast financial resources and army of “best-in-the-biz” studio mechanics, could easily streamline cutting edge-trends into their sound.
The Beatles were a great band, and if anyone deserves the “best-of-all-time” title, it’s those lads, but isn’t their embodiment of the 60′s sound more a result of their ability to follow trends than build them?
Consider a band like Big Star. In three short years, Big Star went from upbeat power-pop to music that was despaired, esoteric and nigh unclassifiable. This did not go-with-the-proverbial flow of their contemporaries. Big Star cultivated their own sound and subsequently evolved via their own aspirations and frustrations. Sure, they proudly wore their influences on their sleeve (Velvet Underground, The Kinks and yes, The Beatles.) What separates their evolution from a band like The Beatles is that Big Star didn’t streamline. In fact, they seemed incapable of making their music palpable for mass audiences. Their third (and dare I say best) album didn’t see release for a half a decade after its creation because labels deemed it “un-listenable”.
So, speaking of Big Star, Rhino’s Keep An Eye on the Sky release of just about everything you could ever want or need by the band is an absolute must-own. I didn’t realize how in-need of a clean-up job their material was before listening to the glorious job the ever-reliable Rhino has done with Big Star’s material. You know how a sip of water can make you realize how thirsty you’ve been? That’s the sort of sensation one has listening to this set for the first time.
In honor of this fantastic release, we’ve compiled a list of what we consider to be highlights from the set.
1. “Oh My Soul” – The opening track of Radio City, Big Star’s second album, is one of their finest. Lively and jaunting, it features some of Alex Chilton’s most creative songwriting and guitar work. The remastered version’s added fidelity highlights the nuance of the song’s arrangement.
2. “Downs (demo)” - In it’s official incarnation on Third/Sisters Lovers, “Downs” is a particularly eccentric piece. It sounds both over and under-produced. The demo version, a simple and straight-forward solo-acoustic rendition, reveals a tight structure and fantastic melody. Both are on the box set. Compare and contrast!
3. “Hot Burrito #2 (live)” & “Slut (live)” – Big Star weren’t shy about covering their favorite songs. On these versions of songs by The Flying Burrito Brothers and Todd Rundgren respectively, Big Star meet the originals halfway by not corrupting their essences while making them their own.
4. “I Got Kinda Lost (demo)” – Contrary to the stripped-down “Downs” demo mentioned earlier, this version of “I Got Kinda Lost” features the whole band performing the song together. The raw and immaculate performance is invigorating, leading up to a highlight of the entire box-set. “How was that?” asks a member of the band at the song’s conclusion.
“It’ll do” replies what I can only assume is an engineer or producer, making the understatement of the 70′s.
5. “For You” - I hate to use the word sublime, but it really describes this song. Composed and sung by drummer Jody Stephens, it’s a simple tribute to the object of Stephens’ affection. “For You” features a haunting string arrangement that benefits greatly from Keep an Eye on the Sky’s remastering job. This track is reason enough alone to buy the set.
The Beatles – Abbey Road
The music is tempered with uncertainly and longing, suggestive of adventure, reflecting a sort of vague wisdom; it’s wistful, earnest music that also feels deep, even though it really isn’t. But above all it just feels happy and joyous, an explosion of warm feeling rendered in sound. And then, the perfect capper, finishing with a song called “The End”, which features alternating guitar solos from John, George, and Paul and a drum solo from Ringo. It was an ideal curtain call from a band that just a few years earlier had been a bunch of punk kids from a nowheresville called Liverpool with more confidence than skill. This is how you finish a career. (Read the Full Review)
The Beatles – The Beatles
If The Beatles feels more like a collection of songs by solo artists, they’ve also each got more going on than we’d realized. John is even more hilarious than we’d imagined, wanting nothing more than to puncture the Beatles’ myth (“Glass Onion”), but he’s also displaying a disconcerting willingness to deal with painful autobiography in a direct way (“Julia”). Paul’s getting disarmingly soft and fluffy (“Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”, “I Will”), while simultaneously writing the roughest, rawest tunes in his Beatles oeuvre (“Back in the U.S.S.R.”, “Helter Skelter”). George is finding a better way to channel his new Eastern-influenced spiritual concerns into a rock context, while his songwriting toolkit continues to expand (“While My Guitar Gently Weeps”, “Long Long Long”). And even Ringo Starr writes a decent song, a country & western number with weirdly thick and heavy production (“Don’t Pass Me By”). Listening as the tracks scroll by, there’s a constant feeling of discovery. (Read the Full Review)
The Beatles – Past Masters
Past Masters is the ugly but brilliant sibling of the Beatles discography. Originally released as two separate discs in 1988, it’s a catchall for all the stuff the Beatles officially released during their existence that wasn’t intended for their albums (and didn’t end up on the after-the-fact album Magical Mystery Tour). It’s slapped together chronologically, so it begins with an unprepossessing alternate take of “Love Me Do” and ends with the ludicrous doodle “You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)”. And, between them, it includes some of the best pop songs ever recorded– scratch that: some of the best pop singles ever recorded. (Read the Full Review)
The Beatles – Let It Be
As the 1960s wound down, so did the Beatles. The symmetry was perfect: youthful energy, optimism, and camaraderie had given over to cynicism, discord, and looking out for number one. As the decade’s final year began, the White Album was still riding high on the charts and the Yellow Submarine soundtrack was days away from release. But the Beatles were in serious trouble. Nothing about being in the band was enjoyable or easy. The power vacuum left by the death of manager Brian Epstein a year and a half earlier had never been satisfactorily filled; Apple Corps, the multi-media company started by the band a year earlier, was bleeding money; and toughest of all, the once-Fab Four didn’t generally enjoy being in the same room together. All were either married or close to it, closing in on 30, and tremendously weary of all they’d been through. (Read the Full Review)
In addition to the release of the remastered Beatles catalog, The Fab Four also have their very own video game coming out this week. This is entirely precedented, as Metallica and Aerosmith both have similar titles out. Furthermore, 50 Cent released an action-shooter earlier this year called Blood in the Sand. Perhaps this is a sign of things to come. Are we going to see more video game vehicles for popular bands and musicians? We’ve consulted our oracle, and the answer is yes. Here are some titles you can look forward to:
Hello. It's me.
Todd Rundgren’s Utopia – In Todd Rundgren’s Utopia, the player takes control of singer/songwriter/producer legend Todd Rundgren. Navigating a post-apocalyptic urban wasteland, Rundgren does for the city what he did for XTC, Meat Loaf and The Psychedelic Furs, he makes it better. Conjuring his magic powers, Rundgren converts the chaotic sprawl into a Utopia, block by block.
Noel quit before the fight was over.
Street Fighter: Oasis - In this old-fashioned brawler, players pick from an Oasis-themed roster of fighters and duke it out to see who’s the true Champagne Supernova of the fighting ring. All of the significant rivals of Oasis members are featured here; George Harrison, Damon Albarn, the Stewardess that kicked Liam off an airplane, the dude that punched Noel onstage as well the Gallant Gallaghers themselves. Featuring lovingly rendered 8-bit versions of all your favorite Oasis songs.
Voulez-vous etc...
Leisure Suit Serge Gainsbourg – A traditional point-and-click adventure starring the person who made being a sleazy-old-man cool (caveat, Ryan O’Neal made it uncool again). Guide Serge through swingers parties, orgies, hot-tub soirees and bikini volleyball tournaments in order to cultivate inspiration for his next classic album.
G-G-SPACE-A-L-L-I-N
Learn To Type with GG Allin – Contrary to the adult nature of the previously listed title, this one’s for the kiddies. Hosted by a digital GG Allin, beginner typers are tutored and entertained in tandem. GG will offer words of encouragement as you type along to the lyrics of a generous selection of his songs.
Buy the GTC: Special Edition and recieve a Limited Edition GTC Lapel Pin
Grand Theft Consumer – Gamers can put their morality aside and indulge their darker impulses as a record company executive. The aim of the game? Making money. Over the course of this epic adventure, players will try to break bands that sound exactly like prior label successes, negotiate exclusivity deals with box stores, issue over-priced “special editions” to wring extra cash out of super-fans and cynically exploit the deaths of any artists on their roster, all for maximum profit.
It’s been a gloomy summer in Vermont, where rain has become an almost daily occurrence. Fortunately, with our brutal winters, we’re all used to staving off seasonal malaise. Join us as we embrace the transcendent nature of music with our sunny songs for a rainy summer.
The Kinks - Love Me Til the Sun Shines
Dave Davies was not as prolific as his brother Ray, but he rarely disappointed. This lovely little love song is no exception.
Velvet Underground – Here Comes the Sun
Although this song dismisses the uplifting nature of the sun, its bright melody and upbeat rhythm make it the catchiest song about heart break out there.
Husker Du – Celebrated Summer
A nostalgic paean to summers past. Husker Du in top form, as they often were.
Pavement – Summer Babe (Winter Version)
“I saw your girlfriend and she was her eating fingers like they’re just another meal”. Yep. That captures the ideal summer experience.
The Beach Boys - Warmth of the Sun
Probably the most appropriate song on this list. Any collection of early Beach Boys songs would make for a great summer soundtrack.
Loving Spoonful - Summer in the City
I have a theory that every person who’s ever heard this song loves it. Infectious!
Fleet Foxes – Sun Giant/Sun it Rises
A serene counterpoint to the previous entry. Let it wash over you with thoughts of warmth and tranquility.
Pogues – Sunny Side of the Street
This song evokes the Church Street experience, where half the street is usually shaded. Perhaps it would be more optimistic to say half basks in the sun.
Katrina & The Waves – Walking on Sunshine
Philip J Fry’s favorite song, as evidenced by his numerous renditions. Need I say more?
George Gershwin – Summertime (Sam Cooke version)
An American standard, this song has been covered countless times. This is one of many great versions of this wonderfully languid classic.
Jimmy Cliff – Hello Sunshine
Reggae and summer go together like peanut butter and fluf.
The Beatles – Rain
This song may call attention to what this list is meant to help us forget, but it’s a perfect endcap to this set, embracing the cleansing beauty of the rain, reminding us that it always precedes sunshine.
