SWEET LINDA DIVINE - "Good Day Sunshine" (1969)

 

Linda Tillery just turned 78 about a month ago, and I hope she's doing fine. Fifty-seven years ago after her stint with The Loading Zone, she came out with this really fine solo LP called "Sweet Linda Divine."

It was produced by the phenomenal Al Kooper, a real person, that's Al, not AI and it shows. 

Why, at this point in time Linda wasn't a superstar is anybody's guess.

This has got to be the only record by a female vocalist that also has two instrumental songs on it, but Linda is also a drummer, so why not show off her skills? 

Here's a very unique Beatles' cover that shows just how talented this lady is! 

SWEET LINDA DIVINE - "Good Day Sunshine" 

THE LOADING ZONE - "Don't Lose Control (Of Your Soul)" (1968)

 

Let's talk about Linda Tillery aka Sweet Linda Divine, because if you don't know who she is, then you should, and I'm gonna take care of that for you right now, or at least some of it in this, and my next two posts.

Linda has a voice from the heart, and if that ain't enough, she plays the drums too.

Her first gig was with the San Francisco band called The Loading Zone, and they came out with this album in 1968.

I read that when The Loading Zone opened up for Big Brother And The Holding Company one time, after the gig, and because Linda was so awesome, Janis Joplin said she didn't ever want that band opening for them again because Linda's vocals made her look bad.

For a long time, I thought this was one of the strangest album covers I'd ever seen, especially back in 1968. 

THE LOADING ZONE - "Don't Lose Control (Of Your Soul)

CORNERSHOP - "Handcream For A Generation" (2002)

 

I don't exactly know why, but I really like Cornershop and their take on popular music. I will admit sometimes it goes on repetitiously for too long, but other than that, it's full of surprises and it's made to dance to!

Cornershop were from Wolverhampton, UK and formed in 1991 by brothers Tjinder and Avtar Singh. The group is fleshed out by David Chambers and Ben Ayres.

This album titled "Handcream For A Generation" was their fourth, and came out in 2002, and is well worth a listen.

CORNERSHOP - "People Power" 

One Last Swim Before Summer's End - Webb Wilder And The Beatnecks, Poolside (1986)

 

Rich here. And here it is, October already! Living in the Pacific Northwest, I always lament the end of Summer, which is that all-too-short wonderfully beautiful, temperate period before our gray days and rain return.

 

So before the Pacific NW Gloom Descends altogether with Daylight Savings Time, it's a perfect time to remember the best days of our long 70-degree days, tanned bodies in shorts and t-shirts, baseball as it's meant to be played (in the sunshine), and hanging around the pool. 

 

And who better to capture the quirkiness of the best summertime poolside culture than the underknown rock 'n' roll humorist, Webb Wilder, whose music Wikipedia describes as a combination of "straight-ahead rock & roll with the surf guitar of the Ventures and the twang of Duane Eddy, drawing on the feel of blues, R&B, country/rockabilly and film noir . . .(and a) sound incorporating influences from Americana music as well as from the British Invasion." Now, THAT's a great bio that interests me!

 Happy swimming, poolsiders!

WEBB WILDER AND THE BEATNECKS - "Poolside" 

KEEP ON TRUCKIN' (1937 - 1971)

 

In 1968 Robert Crumb introduced the underground world to truckin' with this comic strip.

 

In 1969, the Los Angeles band Spirit released this album called "Clear," and on it was a song titled

I'M TRUCKIN'

In 1970, The Grateful Dead released an LP called "American Beauty," and on it was probably one of the most iconic truckin' songs.

TRUCKIN' 

 

Also in 1970, a much more obscure band, a group from Wisconsin by the name of Tongue released this album called "Keep On Truckin' With Tongue," and something a little closer to the original version.

KEEP ON TRUCKIN'

Then in 1971, Eddie Kendricks took his turn at Truckin' lyrics.

KEEP ON TRUCKIN'

Over the years there's been Truckin' songs by everybody from Dave Dudley to Hot Tuna, but most people agree that the original concept was that of Blind Boy Fuller, and this 78 RPM release in 1937.

TRUCKING MY BLUES AWAY No.2 

THE QUINTET OF THE HOT CLUB DE FRANCE FEATURING DJANGO REINHARDT & STEPHANE GRAPPELLY - "Limehouse Blues" (1942)

 

Django Reinhardt is considered by many to be the greatest guitar player in all of history, and he definitely, and without a doubt, is the best two-fingered guitar player that ever existed.

In 1928 a fire caused by a candle severely damaged his hand, and only left him with the two fingers functioning on that hand, but somehow, through sheer determination, he managed to work through it.

Django and violinist Stephane Grappelly were a duo who made music that is unsurpassed to this day.

After some 30 years, Stephane changed his name back to it's original spelling as Grappelli, and I was lucky enough to see him perform in the seventies as that name. It was one of the most beautiful concerts I have ever attended. 

The band was fleshed out with bassist Louis Vola, and rhythm guitarists Roger Chaput and Joseph Reinhardt (Django's brother). 

Here's a little sample of why people think these guys were so magnificent. 

THE QUINTET OF THE HOT CLUB DE FRANCE - "Limehouse Blues"   

TOMMY JAMES - "Christian Of The World" (1971)

 

I'll admit that I probably wasn't really paying a lot of attention back in 1971, so I guess it slipped by me that Tommy James was throwing his whole religious card into the game of music.

I mean the cover from his solo LP called "Christian Of The World" was pretty much a 100% giveaway, but I am one of those who didn't realize that "Draggin' The Line," along with his smash hit with The Shondells, "Crimson And Clover" were Christian songs.

What a brilliant disguise! 

While not overtly Christian, this song is about Christian values.

Two different charts had this song at #2, and #4 in the U.S. 

Tommy James - "Draggin' The Line"