THE SONS OF CHAMPLIN - "Loosen Up Naturally" (1969)

 

When you think about 1969 San Francisco Haight Ashbury psychedelic hippie bands, the names that immediately come to mind are Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and Big Brother And The Holding Company, but there were so many more bands than that, and one of them was The Sons Of Champlin.

Unlike the more prominent groups, The Sons Of Champlin featured a horn section, but they never got the recognition or the kudus that bands in a different part of the country, like Blood, Sweat, & Tears, or Chicago Transit Authority, aka Chicago, received.

As fate would have it, Bill Champlin, the singer for The Sons Of Champlin ended up being the lead vocalist for Chicago in 1981 for three decades.

THE SONS OF CHAMPLIN - "1982-A" 

WALTER BECKER - "11 Tracks Of Whack" (1994)

 

Before he passed away in 2017, I was lucky enough to see Steely Dan "Live' in Las Vegas at The Palms Theater, and I think it was one of the best concerts I have ever been to, and one of the highlights of the show was Walter Becker's monologue and introduction to one song, and it was at that moment I realized how important he was to Steely Dan's music!

Walter Becker was a very talented and creative musician and here's just one song that will prove it from his 1994 solo album titled "11 Tracks Of Whack."

WALTER BECKER - "My Waterloo" 

FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE - "I-95" (2007)

 

Rich here to ask if you've ever been in a long-distance relationship that required hours of driving just to see the Love of your Life? Back in the summer of 1973 I was briefly engaged to a girl who lived in the farmlands of North Dakota, 600 miles from me. On Friday mornings after working all night and with no sleep, I'd hop in my car and drive more than 10 hours to see my fiancée, only to make the long drive back home on Sunday -- something I was committed to doing because I thought I was in love.

 

There are a lot of things you see on the highways and truck stops on a long road trip like that, and back in 2007 Fountains of Wayne accurately captured the tiresome sights and sounds of Roadside America accurately, as well as the yearning that spur such endeavors.

FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE - "I-95" 

CHRIS SPEDDING - "Friday The 13th" (1981)

 

Wednesday the 13th will just have to do.

As a musician, by 1981 Chris Spedding had pretty much done it all! 

He was in eleven different bands, produced the first Sex Pistols records, and it was time to have some fun and show off what he could really do, like play the guitar in the styles of multiple guitar players including Albert King, Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix and a host of others, and do it all in one song!

CHRIS SPEDDING - "Guitar Jamboree" 

SAMMY HAGAR - "Marching To Mars" (1997)

 

I'm not a big fan of Van Halen or Sammy Hagar, but I am a big fan of this song with it's slinky guitar multiple changes, and driving drums.

I just never get tired of it because it's just that good!!

SAMMY HAGAR - "Marching To Mars 

THE BEAU BRUMMELS - "Bradley's Barn" (1968)

 

The Beau Brummels' first album came out in 1965, and by the time "Bradley's Barn came out in 1968, their shining star had pretty much fizzled out, but they were still making some really good music.

The soaring voice of lead vocalist Sal Valentino is distinct and unmistakable throughout this album.

In 1971 Sal started a new band called Stoneground with Steve Price and Cory Lerios, who both went on to form their own band in 1975 called Pablo Cruise, while Sal Valentino basically retired from the music business.

THE BEAU BRUMMELS - "Deep Water" 

THINKMAN - "The Formula" (1986)

 

"The Formula" is the best David Bowie album that David Bowie never made, or at least I think that's what Thinkman thought.

In reality, Thinkman was singer, songwriter, and producer Rupert Hine. 

Rupert produced albums by everybody from Stevie Nicks to The Fixx, Rush, Suzanne Vega, and Tina Turner, so I'm pretty sure he knows what he's talking about.

THINKMAN - "The Formula"