IMPORTANT NOTICE
00individual decided to publish his entire 260+ page book; THE 00INDIVIDUAL COUNTER-CULTURE COMPENDIUM 1960’s and 1970’s Sex, Drugs, and Rock ‘n’ Roll Volume 2 – The 1970s – online, in chronological posts, in lieu of an actual hard copy like he self-published Vol 1- the 1960s – in 2017 (now out of print – but still available online).
This post is the half-way point of the 260 page book with plenty more fun ahead!
Type “compendium” in search – select any post all the way back to first page post.
THERE IS A LOT OF 1970’S ROCK HISTORY TO COVER IN 260 PAGES;
The WHO – WHO’S NEXT – Decca DL 79182 – August 1971
This is one of those albums that was so good that it immediately clicked with Rockers’ DNA.
It is nearly impossible now for those who hear The Who’s songs weekly on TV themes and countless other media avenues to know that back then the Counter-Culture were strongly against Corporate America and their exploitation of the Counter-Culture – and “selling out” to the Man was about the lowest thing one could do.
The Who baptizing the “Monolith”
However, times and considerations change and those who followed the saying, “Don’t trust anyone over thirty”, one day became thirty and realized that if someone had a talent, a song, an idea, a product, or a concept that people would pay for then they wisely took that option. Actually many took it much earlier; in their twenties or late teens. Many years later, the time was right, so The Who wisely “contributed” their songs Baba O’Reilly as the theme to the TV series CSI: NY and Won’t Get Fooled Again as the theme to the TV series CSI: Miami – both gleaned from their “Who’s next” album. Smart business, and a source of continued exposure and promotion for their concerts, albums, music and Rock. But it was the original TV series CSI (Las Vegas) that had the fortune and insight to acquire the Who’s Who Are You? as its extremely-popular and perfectly-branded theme.
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In 2009, CSI had a worldwide audience estimated to be over 73.8 million viewers. In 2012, CSI was named the most watched show in the world – for the fifth time! That is a phenomenally priceless once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for world exposure for The Who and a definite show of love for the TV series and its theme.
1971 was a historic and powerful year – the Rock World’s minds were blown by Who’s next!
WHO’S NEXT Side one: 1. Baba O’Riley 5:08, 2. Bargain 5:34, 3. Love Ain’t for Keeping 2:10, 4. My Wife 3:41, 5. The Song Is Over 6:14 Side two: 6. Getting in Tune 4:50, 7. Going Mobile 3:42, 8. Behind Blue Eyes 3:42, 9. Won’t Get Fooled Again 8:32.
Roger Daltrey – lead vocals, backing vocals, harmonica Pete Townshend – guitars, organ, VCS3 & ARP synthesiser, backing vocals, piano on “Baba O’Riley”, lead vocals on “Going Mobile”, co-lead vocals on “Baba O’Riley”, “Bargain” and “The Song Is Over” John Entwistle – bass guitar, backing vocals, brass, lead vocals and piano on “My Wife” Keith Moon – drums, percussion
T.REX- ELECTRIC WARRIOR Reprise 6466 – September 21, `971
Marc Bolan was the Elfin King of Glam Rock, and many claim as the genre’s originator.
After a stint as a Folkie, and with the band John’s Children, Bolan released albums as part of a duo: Tyrannosaurus Rex. Then changed the name to T.Rex, went Electric Warrior, Banged a Gong, wore boas, glitter, eyeshadow, and became a Glam genre precursor to friend and rival David Bowie’s ’72 rise as Ziggy Stardust.
Ironically enough, Bolan had a fear of cars and died in a car accident at 29.
Electric Warrior was number 1 on the UK charts and was the Best-Selling UK Album of 1971: 1. Mambo Sun 3:40 2. Cosmic Dancer 4:30 3. Jeepster 4:12 4. Monolith 3:49 5. Lean Woman Blues 3:02 6. (Bang A Gong) Get It On 4:27 7. Planet Queen 3:13 8. Girl 2:32 9. The Motivator 4:00 10. Life’s a Gas 2:24 11. Rip Off.
The album cover art went on to become a famous bold iconic ‘70’s image.
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PINK FLOYD – MEDDLE – Harvest SMAS 832 – October 30, 1971
It was the night before Hallowe’en in 1971 that an interdimensional cross-rip of truly transcendent proportions in Rock released a sublime monster to the world – Pink Floyd’s “Meddle”. The Winter of Meddle had begun.
Pink Floyd is 00individual’s favorite band – their sound takes him back to his homeland, the place where his soul dwells. He grew up with them with each album they released through their music. His kindred spirit simpatico relationship with them reached a semi-actual realization when he was Front Row Center for Three Nights at the L.A. Sports Arena: here’s a quote from that rare experience to prove his point; “… it was hard not to make eye contact with David and Roger as 00individual was the same guy wearing the black neon Pink Floyd DSOTM logo t-shirt every night in the same seat – in the front row – in the center. Nick and Richard were set a bit farther back so he never made eye contact with them On about the end of the second night David acknowledged his presence with a smile to the guy who just kept yelling, “The Best! The Best!” Hey, 00individual is a fan, that’s what fans are for! By the third night David acknowledged him early on with a smile and that was, well, beyond cool. 131When “Meddle” was released he was right there lovin’ every second. If ever there was a record that could actually take you away with the power to transcend space and time, it was Meddle – the doorway to other dimensions – and side two’s Echoes was the key.
Echoes was a masterpiece and immediately became 00individual’s favorite all-time “single” and he played it an obscene amount of times – it was just too good – with every listen he would feel as though he was connecting to something known but not fully experienced. Trippy!
The beauty of this album is its balance – Echoes takes you on a wondrous trip that seems to start up again once the album is flipped-over.
One of These Days really extends and Rocks the “Echoes” ride with space age sophistication in a compact sonic package laced with a hyper-nitroglycerin bolero, that after a righteously well-placed God-like vocal finally shoots its load and soars out into the vastness of space – then builds the bolero up again, soaring and swooping to eventually and literally end in a Pillow of Winds, a spacey slide guitar lullaby. Fearless expands on the”Obscured By Clouds” Floyd with typical Floydian insight and then we get to take a very refreshing walk on the beach at San Tropez – what a classy, spacey, ’40’s upbeat piece! Then there’s Seamus – even 00individual’s dogs, Bosco, Beau and Shyloe, would join in (dogs dig the Blues, especially the harmonica!) and then after all has calmed down you can flip Meddle over and start the whole pleasurable, cerebral, Space Rockin’ Ride all over again, and again, and again.
During the Winter of Meddle the album traveled to Aspen, Colorado for a visit with friends – after a hundred plays they probably never wanted to hear that album again OR they became addicted like 00individual.
Become addicted – if you’re not already: Pink Floyd – Meddle: 1. One of These Days 5:57
2. A Pillow of Winds 5:10, 3. Fearless 6:08 4. San Tropez 3:43 5. Seamus 2:16 1.Echoes 23:29
A special plus was the album cover art; cool clear blue rings of submarine water hovering above the ear is the literal and symbolic ability to hear –Groovy!
The custom version of the album cover (page 131) uses images from actual photos taken at: PINK FLOYD 1975 at the L.A. Sports Arena FRONT ROW CENTER for THREE NIGHTS!!! (See page 69.)
David Gilmour, Roger Waters, Richard Wright, Nick Mason – 00 thanks you! Pink Floyd enhanced his life experience!
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LED ZEPPELIN IV Atlantic SD 7208 November 8, 1971z
One way to convey the truly unique Vibe of the 1965 through 1975 era is to show examples like this: Led Zeppelin (1969), Led Zeppelin II (1969), Led Zeppelin III (1970), Led Zeppelin IV (1971), a three year explosion of just one band’s releases of classic historic landmark albums of the Classic Rock Era.
In 1971 Rockers were listening to brand new, never-before heard album releases; The Who’s “Whos next”, Pink Floyd’s “Meddle”, Traffic’s “Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys”. The Stones’ “Sticky Fingers” and “Led Zeppelin IV”. Whew! And that was just five releases by five bands! The zenith years of Rock album releases; 1969, 1970, and 1971 led up to the mid-‘70s Pinnacle of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Most of 00individual’s peers were in their late teens, early twenties when Led Zeppelin’s debut album took Rock and Blues to a lysergic level. Led Zeppelin II was a monster, and the acoustic ballads of the equally excellent Led Zeppelin III expanded the boundaries of Hard Rock.
Then came the mighty Led Zeppelin IV! Released the end of ’71, it had a presence, a power, it superseded and overtook everything in sight. This was a heavy album with a transcendent quality – it seemed to come from an evolved state; Page, Plant, Bonham and Jones melded I, II, and III into a Rock ‘n’ Roll Masterpiece.
This was also an album that served as a Cultural Landmark; by the end of ’71 the Vibe was beginning to wind down a bit, just a bit, but noticeable. With 1972 there was a definite change in the air, a strange serious mood was insinuating itself into the normally carefree trippy days and nights of years gone by – it was as if the cultural climax was drifting to the outskirts of life.
Back in ’71/’72 Led Zeppelin IV stood at the crossroads as a historic marker of the past and the future of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Led Zeppelin IV – Side one: 1.Black Dog – John Paul Jones Jimmy Page Robert Plant 4:54 2. Rock and Roll – John Bonham Jones Page Plant 3:40 3. The Battle of Evermore Page Plant 5:51 4. Stairway to Heaven – Page Plant – 8:02. Side two: Misty Mountain Hop – Jones Page Plant – 4:38 6. Four Sticks – Page Plant – 4:44 7. Going to California – Page Plant – 3:31 8. When the Levee Breaks – Bonham Jones Memphis Minnie Page Plant 7:07.
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BOB DYLAN’S GREATEST HITS VOL. II – Columbia KG 31120 – November 17, 1971
Volumes have been written about the Legendary Icon that is Bob Dylan, so 00individual will instead let Dylan speak for himself: “Watching The River Flow 3:34 Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right 3:38 Lay Lady Lay 3:17 Stuck Inside Of Mobile w/the Memphis Blues Again 7:05 I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight 2:38 All I Really Want To Do 4:02 My Back Pages 4:22 Maggie’s Farm 3:52 Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You 3:23 She Belongs To Me 2:48 All Along The Watchtower 2:32 The Mighty Quinn 2:45 Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues 5:26 A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall 6:49 If Not For You 2:44 It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue 4:15 Tomorrow Is A Long Time 3:03 When I Paint My Masterpiece 3:24 I Shall Be Released 3:02 You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere 2:46 and Down In The Flood 2:47.” Thanks, Bob.
TRAFFIC – THE LOW SPARK OF HIGH HEELED BOYS – Island ILPS 9180 – Nov. 1971
By late ’71 Traffic’s sublime psychedelia of their ’67 debut album had become a sophisticated jazzy affair with “Low Spark”. The 12 minute title track was a perfect enjoyable kick-back soundscape for a joint/bowl break, a leisure cruise day or night, or just diggin’ the Vibe. The rest of the album’s tracks, especially Light Up and Stew, made for a solid early ‘70s album classic. Hidden Treasure – Jim Capaldi, Stevie Winwood 4:16 The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys C & W 12:10 Light Up Or Leave Me Alone C & W 4:55 Rock & Roll Stew Capaldi 4:29 Many A Mile To Freedom – J. Gordon, R. Grech 7:46 Rainmaker C&W 7:29. Cover cut corners.
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