[In the late 60s] I roadied (lol) for a hometown band signed to Buddha records -- Jennifer's Friends. Their first single was written by Vanda and Young -- "The Land of Make Believe". They opened for Neil Young and Crazy Horse in a basement made into a music venue (The Stone Balloon). I was lucky enough to sit 6 feet to Neils left that night and got to hang out with the band in the green room later.
The song mainuh's referring to is a terrific sort of post-Sgt. Pepper psychedelic pop ditty that appeared on the Easy's great second album Vigil in 1968; it's been covered a lot, actually (in Britain and Europe), as so many Vanda and Young songs were back in the day.
Here's the original (as it appeared on the B-side to the Easy's epochal "Good Times.")
And here's the Jennifer's Friends version.
Not as good as the Easy's, but totally credible, IMHO. Producer Lewis Merenstein, incidentally, is best known today for having been behind the console for the recording of Van Morrison's Astral Weeks, so obviously he had something on the ball.
Mainuh didn't say it, but apparently Jennifer's Friends were from the New Haven CT area. He did, however, inform me that JF's keyboard player Mark Lipson is now a cantor.
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Besides his other credits, Merenstein also produced the three studio albums recorded by Glass Harp in the early 1970s, featuring guitarist Phil Keaggy.
And did you know the Jennifer's Friends' drummer is my sister Val's ex-husband, Kevin weaver? xoxo klg
I had no idea he'd ever been a musician.
That's the same thing people say about me!!
Kevin Weaver...small,small world.
Part of Kevins drumset, I was told,had come from Ron Bushey, another Clinton,CT guy,Iron Butterfly ;-)
rob
I don't remember getting any of my kit from Ron. Could be right.
Also, Mark is a Cantor; Ben died in a tragic boat accident years ago; not sure where Matt and Barry are hiding.
Kevin, hi it's rob mullen.
Rick Bosworth told me about Bushy...another fake fact I guess, lol
We actually made up a flier at Hand High to sell your kit (Slingerland?)
I guess you mentioned that to Rick.
Ya'll actually set up at my parents family room to practice before a gig.
Better memory than I have of all of that years ago. I do know I had Gretsch drums.
The Buddha Records label always makes me smile.
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