July 31, 2019 Playlist

"Living The Blues" by Canned Heat (1968)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Canned Heat "Living The Blues"  1968 (USA)
The Grateful Dead became an enormous cultural phenomenon in the 1970's to 1990's (even during the grunge rock era they were one of the top-grossing touring bands in the world), so it is easy to forget that back in the 1960's they had many peers and in fact were not particularly popular compared to their competition. Take for example this week's classic band, Canned Heat: they made the American Top 40 three times between 1968 and 1970, and their albums sold much better than the Dead back in the 60's - in fact, this week's CAOTW even made it onto the R&B charts. Living The Blues is actually a pretty weird album, consisting of a half dozen of the trad blues numbers they were mostly known for ("Going Up The Country" was the hit), then a 20-minute psychedelic blues suite "Parthenogenesis", concluding with a jaw-dropping 41-minute concert recording "The Refried Boogie" taking up the last two sides of this double album (at the time and for many years after, the longest rock song released on a record). Although a version of the band still exists and tours today, with drummer Adolfo de la Parra being the only continuous member since way back in 1966(!), the original core trio who started the band all had tragic ends. Al Wilson, their main songwriter and the singer with the weird high-pitched voice died of a drug overdose a few weeks before Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin did the same, and in 1981 their other gruff-voiced lead singer Bob "The Bear" Hite also died of a drug overdose at one of their concerts. The brilliant and underappreciated lead guitarist Henry Vestine died of a heart attack on tour in 1997, though he had been in and out of the band numerous times over the decades - the first time he quit the band was the week before they played at the Woodstock festival! 
(N) = New Release
   
Artist Song Album Year Country
Jefferson AirplaneWhite Rabbit
   --> The House At Pooneil Corners (live)		The Woodstock Experiencerec. 1969, rel. 2009USA
The BandThe Genetic Method
   --> Chest Fever (live)		Rock Of Ages1972Canada/USA
 
 
Grateful DeadDark Star
   --> China Cat Sunflower
   --> The Eleven
   --> Turn On Your Love Light (Bobby Bland - live)		Road Trips Vol. 2, Part 2
Carousel Ballroom
San Francisco, CA
February 14, 1968		rec. 1968, rel. 2009USA
   
 
Canned HeatGoing Up The CountryLiving The Blues
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1968USA
Canned HeatParthenogenesisLiving The Blues
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1968USA
Canned HeatBoogie MusicLiving The Blues
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1968USA
   
 
The Allman Brothers BandIn Memory Of Elizabeth Reed (live)Live At Fillmore East1971USA
SantanaMantra
   --> Kyoto (Drum Solo) (live)		Lotus1974USA/Mexico
NektarDesolation Valley (live)Sunday Night At London Roundhouse1974UK/Germany
   
 
Grateful DeadTruckin'
   --> The Spanish Jam
   --> The Other One (live)		Audience recording
Roosevelt Stadium
Jersey City, NJ
August 6, 1974		1974USA
   
 
75 Dollar Bill Every Last Coffee Or TeaI Was Real (N)2019 (Thin Wrist)USA
      
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