...and I must say I thought -- hey, that's pretty darn good writing there, pardner. And more important, right on the money, in terms of the band in question. (You can click on it to enlarge and read, if you're of a mind to.)
Anyway, as a result, I suddenly recalled the video below, which just blew me away, as I think it will you.
A latter day version of the Grape, doing business as The Moby Grape Guys, with their signature tune "Omaha" at SXSW in Austin back in 2010.
That's genius original Grape guitarist Jerry Miller stage right, and original frontman Skip Spence's son Omar channeling his dad on lead vocals and guitar on the left. If memory serves, that's also original drummer Don Stevenson (a super nice guy, BTW, who's been known to peruse our work at PowerPop on occasion) on percussion and vocals stage center.
Bottom line: if the performance above doesn't put you in seriously good spirits, it's time to check in with your physician.
I mean -- really. That's like one of the greatest rock-and-roll songs of all time, done to absolute perfection.
Make America Grape Again!!!
20 comments:
That might be better than the original!
Jerry Miller is scary good.
Captain Al
We need to get some hats and shirts made - in spectacular PURPLE, of course - with the Simels' MAGA slogan on them :-)
1/my favorite grape songs - 8:05, Mr. Blues, Hey Grandma
1.5/as they play in my memory juke box, my college dorm room comes to mind - it had a riverfront view - in my youthful naivete i had no idea how expensive that real estate was
2/and speaking of moby fillintheblank - among my books is a paperback copy of Moby Dick: Todd edition - it came to my attention at Amazon a couple years ago when I was looking for Todd Rundgren stuff, at a price of $4.99
it is still available, although the price has gone up: Kindle edition $0.99, paperback $9.99, hardcover $20.99
ISBN 9781717979780
Publisher description:
Most modern readers don't know that Melville's work addresses the timeless themes of God, sea monsters, and ambergris. That's because his books are about whalers doing things a really long time ago that nobody could relate to -- until now. L. Q. Puffbuster has adaptated this classic to help modern readers relate to the original source material. Specifically, modern readers named Todd. The main character has been renamed "Todd" so the trials of this mid-19th century whaler will have special poignancy for readers also named Todd (or reader that know somebody named Todd). Critics agree: this book is better now.
2.2/this is a print-on-demand book - mine was printed 04 August 2022 in Middleton DE - one wonders how many copies are extant
2.3/the word "adaptated" - seen at the Amazon description, and on the back cover of the book in my hand - is apparently equivalent in meaning to "adapted"
Perhaps one of the best debut albums ever. recorded and one I still revisit I am still the proud owner of the original release , with the "finger" these 58 years later
rob
Moby Grape is a sad story in the annals of Rock & Roll. Yes, their first record is among the finest debuts by any band anywhere, and a record that is almost unbelievably great. The two records that followed it, Wow (a bit too indulgent, but some great songs) and Moby Grape '69 (an underrated, mostly ignored excellent record that rivals the debut) are evidence that they weren't a one and done band. Stupid record company decisions, too many drugs, and the most evil scumbag of a manager who stole the rights to everything, including their name. That horrible person was Matthew Katz, who deserves his place in hell.
Having plowed through the new Skip Spence bio, I have been in a real Grape mood in recent weeks. In addition to the great clip posted by Steve I highly recommend this little gem featuring Jerry Miller and an obviously delighted Steve Van Zandt. Who has more fun than Steve VZ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdiovKhvC4E
Mr. MInimac
Their live version of "Seeing" from this same show is also terrific.
For the OG band, type in "Moby Grape Mike Douglas" on youtube search. You get "Omaha" and "8:05" live (really live) on TV circa 1967. Skip is really enjoying himself. I love this band. The best and the cutest.
Had the "finger" poster on my bedroom wall along with a "Rolling Stones, Now" promotional poster I got from Doug Gillette at Gillette's Records after he was done displaying it. The Dylan Greatest Hits poster was on the inside of my bedroom closet door as I wasn't very fond of Glaser's artwork. More about my bedroom later:)
So much to say. But I gotta run, for now. Maybe later. I'm just bursting with stuff to express. I haven't even read your piece yet. You made my Monday.
VR
Hokey smokes, Bullwinkle! That is one hot number. The Grape were before my time, so I never got into them with my predilection for imports. I'll def have to catch up.
Fantastic performance!
Thank you, Steve.
That just might be your best post yet... previous article and video.
I always liked the Grape... it's a shame what happened to them.
If you dig deeply and have patience the post Columbia Records Moby Grape will reward you. Both solo records and band recordings (not always under the Moby Grape name) have much going for them though none are perfect.
I don't mean to rain on anyones parade but I think Skip's album Oar is more strange and sad than particularly good. Jerry Miller's work will not let you down.
Captain Al
Months before the self-titled record came out, Moby Grape had a major word of mouth reputation in California. My cousin lived near Modesto. We were close. Wrote regular letters and sometimes phoned long distance and such. Our families would visit each other during Easter and summer vacation from school. Additionally, we often made arrangements to meet each other in Fresno or Bakersfield for concerts. The Stones was one of the earliest ones.
Late summer 1966 my cousin started hitchhiking to San Francisco on the weekends. She was strong-willed and independent. Like Sandy and me, she was an early bloomer and good looking. Blessed. None of us needed braces or much make-up. She used to drive the guys at the local pool nuts. So, getting a ride was never a problem. She took her dad's collectible Derringer with her in case there was trouble. She enjoyed her experiences there and began spreading the good tidings to us.
She told us about the places, the people, the vibe, but mostly about the bands. At this time the only new Bay Area band that had records out was the Airplane. She told us about the other groups. Which ones had deals and which ones didn’t. She told us Moby Grape was her favorite. She had seen them live successive nights at the Matrix and she liked everything about them. They were cute and sexy. Especially Skip, Peter and Mosley. Most fuckable, indeed.
Sandy’s older brother, Vic, had the major hots for my cousin. In early 1967 he and a friend were gonna drive to San Francisco and check it out. The hippie thing had been going on for about a year in L.A. But the word was that it was a different and better scene in the Bay Area. Less friction. He picked up my cousin from Modesto on the way. They slapped her brand-new Surrealistic Pillow 8-Track in the deck and headed for the Haight. She had purchased tickets for the Fillmore but was gonna show them around a little when they got to San Francisco. She knew the bands and her way around. This was a few months before the Summer of Rot set in. The tickets my cousin bought were for Otis Rush/Grateful Dead/Canned Heat. However, due to a scheduling shuffle, the acts playing that night turned out to be B.B. King/Moby Grape/Steve Miller Blues Band. Sandy’s brother said all three acts were great. But the Grape was unique. And oh, so tight that night. Plus, my cousin already told us that Peter, Skip and Mosley were crazy cute.
Shortly after this performance, Moby Grape went to L.A. to begin sessions for their debut. When it was released within a week of Sgt. Pepper, Sandy and I each bought a copy. In situations when we each wanted the same record, one of us would buy the mono and the other, the stereo. We’d alternate with each purchase. While I ended up with the stereo Pepper ($2.69), I got the mono Moby Grape ($1.99). We bought Moby Grape at White Front. The store was having a sale on all MGM-Verve mono LP’s. All were $1.49. I splurged and got The Best of Eric Burdon & the Animals Vol. II; Absolutely Free; The Velvet Underground & Nico; Bill Evans Trio-Town Hall; Howard Tate-Get It While You Can and Laura Nigro-More Than a New Discovery.
We were anxious to finally listen to this band that we had heard so much about. I had the key to my uncle’s house so we figured we’d play it through his state of the art component system. We were blown away. The musicianship, the harmonies, the no nonsense production and the varied nature of the songs. The way it played out was perfectly sequenced. And did I mention the songs!?!. From “Hey Grandma” to “Indifference” there wasn’t a turd in the bunch. I still play it often and after 57 years have never gotten tired of it.
The Grape were huge in California. The album charted #24 on Billboard. I bet the lion’s share of the sales were in Cali. Everybody I knew had it.
I finally got to see Moby Grape live when a gang of locals went to the Monterey Pop Festival. They were great! One of the highlights along with Jimi, the Who, Otis Redding and Janis. A friend of ours, Greg Eckler of the Light, got a chunk of Jimi’s guitar. The next month they opened for the Yardbirds at the Santa Monica Civic. They were firing on all cylinders. The Yardbirds were also in superb form. Other bands that night had to struggle through every possible sound or equipment problem imaginable. The rookie promoter kept getting on stage to apologize and that he’d never put on a show before. The bands who suffered were Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band, Strawberry Alarm Clock and West Coast Pop. Thankfully they got it dialed in for the headliners. A month or so later, I saw them again when they opened for Hendrix. Good times. I saw the Grape several times afterwards but the first three were the best for me.
VR
I never got around to describing my nedroom:(
My one time seeing The Grape was at The Anderson Theater down the block from where The Village Theater (soon to be the Fillmore East) was. They co-headlined with Procol Harum. They were amazing. The "Miller's Blues" performance was one for the ages but the set got cut short because the show was running so late the crowd outside for the late show was getting rowdy.
Skip was very unhappy that they were stopped from finishing the set. I believe Moby Grape were in NYC recording their second album at this time so the days were numbered for Skip and the band at this point.
Still an amazing night. Steve did I describe the show accurately?
Captain Al
CaptainAl—
Right on the money.
VR concert rule - Always go to the late show
If you got the time & money go to both
I wrote a Monterey addendum on this comment but I hit a couple wrong keys and lost it. Kinda frustrating. Blogger should have a universal "undo." Don't feel like rewriting it.
But I will mention another Moby Grape show at the Cheetah on Venice Pier. It was Moby Grape, Spirit & Genesis (Jack Ttanna's band with Kent Henry on lead). Except it was the fake Moby Grape. People were not happy. Including three guys from the real Moby Grape. They were in the audience booing and hissing and heckling:)
Last time I saw them with Skippy was at the Kaleidoscope a couple months after the Bogus Moby Grape gig. Hour Glass opened (much better live than their albums).
The last original Moby Grape ticket I bought was for their appearance at the Palm Springs Pop Festival. They fuckin' canceled. So did Jeff Beck. Pissed me off, as it wasn't the first time they canceled a show I bought tickets for. All was not lost. Procol Harum were great and we got a real nice taste of Mick Taylor in Mayall’s band. Plus, Gram & the Burritos.
VR
VR
Please do the rewrite. I’d love to here about you seeing The Grape at Monterey Pop!
Captain Al
For Al and anyone else hanging around this dead thread:
Monterey
A bunch of free spirits from San Bernardino came together and wound their way to the Monterey Pop Festival. It was everything we dreamed it would be. The vibe was electric, while simultaneously smooth and chill. Like that inner warmth you feel when you’re coming on to hallucinogens. The warmth that makes your entire being smile. The setting was stunning. Out of a vivid cibachrome dream. So magnificent that you couldn’t help but be one with it. Breathe with it. Be it. Surrender.
We arrived in Monterey at sunrise Saturday morning. Rather than catch some Z’s before the afternoon shows, we backtracked and went for breakfast in Carmel. Then we met my cousin in Pebble Beach. She had hitchhiked there and was staying at her boyfriend’s house for the duration of the festival. Some blonde-haired guy she met in the Haight who looked like Wayne Maunder. He was 24 and she was 13. She was livin’ her fantasies. In that respect, she was a step or two in front of us. Yep, for the short time being, Sandy and I were still virgins. To guys, not each other. We were just waiting for the right thing. We envied her. The guy was hot. She answered the door wearing nothing but her underwear, disheveled hair and a just fucked smile. Like us, she had no tan lines on her boobs. I couldn’t wait for her to tell us all about the sex they were having.
Her boyfriend had some really potent black Afghani hash. What a great buzz! Our brains were doing double backflips from the rush. My cousin was a lucky girl. Grade A smoke. Grade A hunk. And from the looks of it, Grade A sex. Sandy giggled and jokingly whispered in my ear, “You think she might share with us.” Like that would ever happen. The guy seemed cool and he was a stone fox. Of course we coveted him.
A bunch of guys from different Inland Empire bands were on their way up the coast. They were gonna meet us at the Pattee Arena gate before the afternoon show. The guys couldn’t leave Berdoo until the wee hours of the morning because they had Friday night gigs at local clubs.
What kinda irked me about us traveling post rush hour Friday night was that we missed what might have been Moby Grape’s first Southern California gig. They played the Hullabaloo in Hollywood that night. I lobbied to make the show part of the travel plan. But me and Sandy got outvoted. Fuck it, though. We were gonna see them at Monterey the following night anyway.
The drive up was a lot of fun. Guess that’ll be part 2. Manana, or whenever,
VR
Okay VR:
You've taken us through the Moby Grape foreplay of getting us up to the Monterey Festival. What happened at the show with the Grape? This east coast Grape fan is waiting to hear the rest!
Captain Al
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