Here In 1975 - still here    
Kene at Large
home | interviews | photos | features |BGN issue list | reviews
links | contact us

5/10/2021

 

Monday, May 3, 2021

Alex explaining
Saturday 1 may 21. Mad Painter records at Lowell Street Peabody (photos). "An e.p.'s worth of toons"! Numero uno: "Lie to Me", a grand Funk railroad-ish ballad. my bass line was a cross between GFR's "Mean Mistreater' (Live Album version!) and procol Bore-um's "Simple Sister"; Al Hendry on drums sounded like he was playing the verse of GFR's "Heartbreaker"! Alex Gitlin- vocals and keyboards, Tom Hamilton-engineer. Next up was a cover of Uriah Heep's "Stealin'" a song I have loved since Rock Concert on tv, September 1973. My notes has a "Mel Schacher" reference; probably because we tried doing big, splashy Grand Funk Live endings on the toons. "The River' (all originals by Alex Gitlin) is an Animals-esque gospel raver; basically rhythm section crosses "Got My Mojo working" with Zimmerman's Newport version of "Maggie's farm" with a Grand Funk railroad "Footstompin' Music" ending. "Don't Do This" based on a Jacques Behove (?) riff is first Small Faces album r and b where they were trying to sound like Booker T and the MGs. Schmel herbie came in to lay down guitar as Al Hendry and I were leaving to meet Gee Julie; let's plug Himalayan Kitchen! (like 'em on facebook!)"

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

Alpo and Jeff
Saturday 1 may 21 1131. Cindy Budgen, Corilla DeVille and North Shore Groupie News. I DID approach her about recording as The SURReal Kids in the Wilhelmnia Borgioli role. Objective; play pre-revolver Beatles songs with Keith Berry/Chuck Richards chords (pinkie tricks!) and vocals you'll be Felice to hear! (John Felice DID reach into his pocket for a quarter so I could buy "all kindsa gurls"/"common at noon" for BGN review: PAYOLA!). Cindy's music news from a text on my $399 Apple phone (Rotten to the Core!): "I drive by Alpo and Jeff's (Wilkinson) graves often"....sounds like an unplugged gig to me! Where's the paparazzi! NOT following GG Allin! "Right now I'm all about doing a Phil Haynen "The Dawgs" project-would love to have you do a song or two with me on that!" I'm in lady gaga mode now, doin the duets....oy! Lastly "we (Corolla?) did a song for Asa's tribute'...North Shore ALWAYS rocked in a real Kids kinda way; South Shore; Haven of Hardcore! (1-2-3-4! yet ANOTHER song? yikes!)"

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Larry Newman
Friday 30 Apr 21. Lt Larry Newman of the Corps but not the Korps was at Lowell Street this day mixing the Kenne Highland Air force cut for volume two Asa Brebner tribute (becoming a regular Sun studio there, thenk yew vera much). he posted a bit, so he and Al Hendry have a tight Stonesy groove on "I'm in Love" (local Boston rock photog Kathy Chapman "LOVES" this song and we love her!) (that's the Royal "we" as I DO have Royal Descent, Dead People fact). Rhythm section is Larry on bass and Al Hendry drums. I was there when Schmel Herbie Hind did a clean Stones-y rhythm guitar on this cuzzin to "that's cool"/"lil queenie" and I believe larry did the Chuck Richards/keef berry leads. captain easychords was pounding away like a Willie loco playing "all the way from memphis' meets Roxy music's "Virginia Plain". John Keegan had me "really doing the Brontosaurus' with his baritone sax ala Roy Wood on the Move's "California Man" or Cub Koda's King Usenovich 45s as played to me and the Gruberger Brothers around 0400 9 July 74). I do a Jim dandy vocal, keeping in that "head's in '73" mode and Gee Julie and Larry harmonize, Julie's voice ridin' over the top in a Joplin-esque "down on me" mode ala that first Big Brother album on mainstream. Hope the rest of the album's this good! Did my vocal in one take! "be great or be Gone"- david Briggs producing Grin with Martha Hull's future husband on drums!".....

 

Thursday, May 6, 2021

Monntag 3 may 2021. 0500. World On Fire PBS, world war two drama that spans countries. TWO jazz jokes. American doctor in paris to French West African jazz player helping in hospital as germany invades; "Chaos?! You like chaos; you play jazz!". British singer to another: "well, if th' Germans listened to modern jazz, thoid suren-dar!". wikpedia 1939 in jazz: benny Goodman, Charlie Christian, Duke, Django.....the ONLY thing that shook ole Schickelgruber up was Swing Kids! (on youtube!). Imagine if we cranked Yoko Ono's FLY album with Ornette Coleman et al at the Viet Cong? (American tanks DID go into battle blasting "whole lotta love' on 8-track!) Is rap a secret weapon or CIA torture device? "and the monkey speaks his mind"! (youtube)"....

 

Friday, May 7, 2021

Patti Smith at Pall's Mall
Freitag 7 May 21. I overslept so about 0550 caught WBCN and the American revolution on PBS channel two. ending credits; Patti Smith doing "My Generation" ("John Cale has just put his bass through the ceiling!"). So this recording NOT the "Gloria" b-side owned by Solomon Gruberger released April 1976. There was a WBCN live at Paul's mall/jazz Workshop live broadcast since bootlegged) from 9 jan 76. (I was "refrigerator rappin" and lissenin' to "Freebird" 31 Dec 75) (while I was actually at that show!!-ed). When I told Dino records of Hopelessly Obscure bassist Jim Condon's death, he said "oh I liked that guy! My dad taped Patti Smith at the jazz workshop on 8-track and I GAVE it to him"; "don't YOU want to be on the winnin' side?!". Having a crepe at Mister Crepe and coffee number three I googled THESE facts from "when I was Young": patti's Horses recorded August- 18 Sept 75; I was smoking a WIUS dj's "Thunderfuck" hash as WIUS had BOC/Aeroshit/Savoy Brown et al at some outdoor college bash September '75 (future Gizmo/IU freshman Ted Niemeic at same show!). Horses released 10 Nov 75; yes! a WIUS promo copy BUT me, as usual, blasting my black Sabbath 8-tracks in the morning out there at IU. Highland meets Niemec 5 Dec 75 (and rich Coffee two months previous, as we jammed on BLACK OAK ARKANSAS!). January 1976: patti plays paul's mall. the "Gloria" b-side recorded in Cleveland 26 jan 76. I join marines after listening to promo copy of first ted Nugent album with "Stormtrooper"! Patti and MX-80, Bloomington sunday 14 march 76 (Eddie Flowers and I interviewed her!). Gizmos: 20 march 76! Eddie and I see patti Smith at SUNY Brockport NY April '76; as I was passed out dawg ass drunk in between the folding chairs ("kan, ah hate people who do that at concerts"-Stenson Eddie Flowers (LOL!!! Perfect! -ed)), Paul-IV-V (that's paul from 145 in kenglish, he of Syracuse NY's The Flashcubes!) also in audience. eddie yells out "remember Bloomington?!". patti smiles! Ken joins the Korps, I mean Corps, 28 april 76 and after Infantry training school camp Pendleton Cali (same as lee Harvey Highland!), September '76 meets patricia ragan and patti's "Gloria" is BLASTING as she opens her north Virginia door! That's side A of the album; Saturday 12 march 77, meet our (BGN) editor, Oedipus plays Live at the rat on WTBS, I see real Kids at rat, Sea King and Third rail at the Club, meet the Dirt kids and Miss Lyn puts on side TWO of the album, starting with "Redondo Beach"! NOW, truth WILL be told! I "pretended" to like patti coz I wanted to pull birds, mate! (Oh Kan, Ah hate guys that do that-ed) And I'd rather play "rattlesnake shake" than do it! Incidentally, WHEN my Kenne Highland Air Force album DOES come out on Dino, it's got that 1968 WBCN sound SO if you're inclined, listen to your maharishi album or paint to the first Quicksilver album or smoke dope in a barn listening to Blind faith OR go see Biggie Ratt at the Ararat!" (those were the days right Mach Bell??-ed)......

Saturday, May 8, 2021

BCN DJs WITH Maxanne
After Coast to coast AM ended 0500, dashed downstairs, "TV eye on me" and PBS, channel two was reprising WBCN and the American revolution. I may even have liked Bruce Springsteen at the Harvard Square Theater or whatever in Bonnie Raitt and his pre-Born to Run live WBCN performance makes younger and less BRUCE. But the GEM is maxanne talkn' 'bout breakin' Aeroshit and Queen, albums Brockport NY stoners played for me back in '73 AFTER I'd written that thousand dollar hit "Kiss of a Rat'. AND watching the final hour it was maxanne mentioned John Cale put his bass through the ceiling at that January 1976 gig. But right now, typically, I'm diggin' on Alvin Lee Alive at the palladium '83 (Suicide getting BOOED off stage five years earlier opening for ramones and Runaways!). he's riffin' away tossin' in Stones "Bitch" and "Sunshine of your Love"....never heard this riffage before! All set for a mad painter practice in six hours, being in a '70s state of mind, man….(no wonder I "cannot get a gurl")".....

 


home | interviews | photos | features |BGN issue list | reviews
links | contact us

Copyright © 2019 Kenny Highland. All rights reserved.