Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
Bonnie Raitt, of course.
  

    
In regards to women musicians from the 50s and behind the scenes,
Carol Kaye is such an excellent example. It seems to me a number of the
good ones were in country (Skeeter Davis, Rose Maddox, Patsy Montana),
blues (The Duchess, Lavelle White), and rockabilly (Janis Martin, Lori
Collins, JoAnn Campbell) or were sort of one-off players, like Bonnie
Guitar, and behind the scenesters like Estelle Axton. These are women
whose stories I'd much rather read than the same rehashes about Patsy
Cline, Tina Turner, or Brenda Lee (though I think Brenda Lee is
underrated), Joni Mitchell or Bonnie Raitt.  
  

    
David,

I totally believe that David Byrne did that. I once watched (and have
a witness who is one of my second-in-commands for the Music Awards)
David Byrne yank Tina's hair and smack her across the face just before
an encoure at the Armadillo World HQ. It wasn't head-turning smack but
it was enough to watch Tina's eyes tear up and her look completely
shocked as he then pushed her up the stairs to play the encore. 

Cindy Wilson from the B-52s was standing next to us and saw it too.
She turned to me and said, "You don't know, it's really hard on the
road." 

That whole scene is stuck in my mind and I would bet neither David nor
Tina remember it.
  

    
M, I agree, the lesser known artists and bands are the ones that
interest me too. I am particularly interested to talk to
instrumentalists because I think they faced different hurdles. I just
heard from June and she has signed on to help with the new project. I
am hoping that she can put me in contact with some of her bandmates (at
least her sister). Besides Carole Kay and Fanny, I am going to include
Goldie and the Gingerbreads, Birtha,Isis, Ten Wheel Drive (Genya
Raven), Sly and the Family Stone (does any one know if Cynthia and
Rosie are still alive?), and Tret Fure (thanks for the suggestion
Dave). I have some contact info for Grace Slick and would like to
include her, as well as Bonnie Raitt (whom the Nevilles might be able
to hook me up with, but I know their plates are pretty full right now.
I heard Cyril and his family were staying with Eddie Wilson, so I KNOW
his plate is full). I would love to talk to Aretha, the Wilson sisters,
and Suzi Quatro, but I know how those kinds of things can go. I am
trying to keep between 1965-1975, but might move out a little further.
I am also trying to limit it to rock/soul/pop artists. Any other
suggestions?
  

    
Is Marcia Ball well enough known and enough into rock as opposed to blues?
  

    

I think Tret Fure is active in Local 1000 (the touring musicians' "local," of
which I am a member), if you need to reach her.

I saw Paul Kantner today (I asked <digaman> to interview him for my radio
show, and I engineered).  Paul had great praise for Grace's piano playing,
and credited Nicky Hopkins (with whom the Airplane toured in '69) for inspir-
ing her to take her own piano playing in impressive new directions on "Blows
Against the Empire."  Who even remembers that Grace played the piano?  But
she's all over those early JA albums.

Paul also added that he hassles Grace "at least ten times a year" about her
refusal to perform.  "Who retires from being a musician?" he mused.  "It's
not like you're working.  Why would anyone retire from _playing_?"
  

    
David, I am also interested in Grace's instrumental work with the
Great Society. I really liked some of their stuff and I think they are
often overlooked as a source of interesting music. 
After our conversation, I went in and looked at Tret's work before she
began working with Olivia Records and found that she had played with
Spencer Davis for and year and on one of his albums, as well as the
fact that Lowell George produced her first album.I can tell I'm going
to find out some really interesting stuff researching this book. When I
met Tret, it was through June Millington, as they both were playing
with Chris Williamson. I think I can reach her that way but may need
help. I have Grace's phone number, which she was kind enough to give me
when I was working on the last book. I never used it, but may ask some
help in letting her know the call is coming. Any idea about the Sly
women?
  

    
Gail, I thing Marcia is certainly well enough known, but I've never
thought of her as a rocker. Lousianna musicians are hard to categorize,
however. I think the musician in that vein, who is definitely a
rocker, is Tracy Nelson. I believe she plays piano, if I remember my
album credits. Anyone seen her play or sat in with her? 
  

    

Cris is in Oregon, or was the last time I saw her 15 years ago.  I have a
street address but no email nor phone.  Email me and I'll give you whatever
info I have that you need.

I know nothing about the Family Stone women, sorry.  But I can ask around.
<lolly> might know a few people, and I can ask some people I know in the SF
music scene.

Listen to the newly-remastered "Blows Against the Empire" and the recently-
reissued/remastered "After Bathing at Baxter's" for some fiine examples of
Grace's piano playing.  There area bonus tracks on both discs.

I won't have time to edit today's interview before I go on the road, but week
after next I'll be able to give you a transcript of Paul's comments about
Grace's playing.
  

    

There's a band you need to know about from the '60s San Francisco scene: Ace
of Cups.  And if I'm not mistaken, <lolly> was a member for a while.
  

    

And of course: Joy of Cooking, with Toni Brown and Terry Garthwaite.
  

    
Whom I've just done a Fresh Air piece on and whose e-mail addresses I
have. 
  

    
Ace of Cups, of course. Good memory, David. 
  

    
They sang backup on the first Quicksilver album, I believe. Probably
did some other backup work, too. 
  

    
But they also played instruments. I believe there's an album out on a
British label, and did they ever release the one they were doing for
Grunt or not? 
  

    

They're also on a couple of tracks on Jefferson Airplane's "Volunteers."
And yes, out own <lolly> was with the band in its last year or so.

Is there a website? Of course there is:

www.theaceofcups.com
  

    
Ellen Willis wrote about Ace of Cups in her New Yorker column but I
wasn't sure there was any recorded material out there by them. I sure
hope that there is. Of course Joy of Cooking. Bob Christgau was a big
fan and wrote lots about them, esp in the Voice. Ed, thanks for the
offer of the email, I could sure use it. I can tell I am going to have
to some serious adding to my music collect. I am looking forward to
hear the remasters of the Airplane stuff. Would appreciate anything
anyone can turn up on the Family Stone folks. They are very unique and
I hope that they are alive and willing to talk. One of the reasons that
I want to do this book now, as opposed to later(my original plan) is
that a lot of these musicians are still alive and I want to get more of
their stories before they go. We've already lost some great ones
(Laura Nyro jumps to mind). Sounds like I need to talk to Lolly. 
  

    



John Adams writes:


I knew Carole Kaye was important before I heard her playing, because she had
a column in _Guitar Player_. Ditto for Bonnie Raitt--the first issue I bought
had her on the cover--and for seeing (I think) Ellen McIlwaine reviewed.

(That was back when _Guitar Player_ was written for musicians.)

Speaking of whom, I still get shivers when I hear her do "Covered up in
Aces"--hmm, how interesting. I was thinking of Elizabeth Barraclough there.
(If you folks have to scribble, I figure I ought to show my goofs.) I better
get my turntable fixed and start through those albums again. Who wrote that
song, anyway--was it hers? I can't tell from what I see on line.

Also in the "what happened to" category: Jo Ann Kelly. I've heard one
fantastic record by her on Epic, late sixties, and then nothing. (I don't
think she's the Jo Ann Kelly who works in editorial for Rodale.)

I had an interesting time watching Warren Zevon while sitting with Connie the
second time I saw him at Juanita's in Little Rock, but the story is too long
to tell. (This was the time after all his equipment got stolen from his
truck.)

Were there two Isises? (Ises?) I recall seeing a guitar/bass duo called that
in Fayetteville in the late seventies.

Back to Elizabeth Barraclough: It was a big deal to me when I got a copy of
Todd's _A Wizard, A True Star_ with the Patti Smith poem on the little card
which looked like a band-aid. (Hmm...) I've always wondered--Todd seemed to
intersect with a fair number of female musicians, and he's got a sort of
feminine vibe about him. Is there a story of some sort there?

The little Ace of Cups I've heard never blew me away, but the Grace/Zappa bit
on that Airplane box did. There isn't any legitimately released Ace of Cups,
is there?

Fanny never got their due. Any band that can improve a Beatles song is
worthy...I'm thinking of "Hey Bulldog"--_Charity Ball_, right? (I guess you
couldn't name an album _Pity Fuck_ at the time, which is maybe too bad.)

I have to ask: What about male groupies, gay and straight? That's a story we
never hear.

And was Tina Weymouth telling it true about David Byrne being a not-
particularly-attractive cross-dresser during his college days? There seems to
be a real strange dynamic between them. It was interesting to listen to The
Heads album, _No Talking, Just Head_ (or was it just _No Talking_?) and
listen to all those women doing the vocals.

I've got pleasant memories of Cindy Bullens and Marshall Chapman LPs from the
late seventies--I recall Chapman in particular being a pretty fine player. I
gotta dig those out, too.

Oh, and Ruth Underwood kicked ass, which brings me to of Frank Zappa's quote
about his wife, Gail:

"Gail was a groupie," reveals Zappa. "And an excellent groupie too. It didn't
matter to me that she had slept around with other beat men. We got married in
New York when Gail was nine months pregnant. It's not because I believe in
having a certificate to prove you're married; it's just that in America it's
difficult to get into hospital if you're an unwed mother-to-be." (The
interview is on line, but there's no author credit.) ("beat men"?)

Thanks,

      John A
      see me fulminate at http://www.jzip.org/
  

    
There's a perfectly legit Ace of Cups record for sale on Big Beat, a
subsidiary of British Ace, which proudly pays royalties when they can
chase down the recipients. More info at
(http://www.theaceofcups.com/acesite4.html)
  

    
One of the most amazing shows I ever saw in my life was Ace of Cups, Sons of
Champlin, and The Band, at Winterland.   I went to see The Band, and was
blown away by both opening acts, too.   God, what a night!
  

    
Evidently a second album on the way, too (hi there, all). The albums
are all taken from tapes of old performances, I think; but I do know
the Ace girls get together as frequently as they can (given that they
are scattered all over Hawaii and California) to play together. 
I'm no longer involved musically (still great friends with all of
course!) although Gary is correct that I performed with them for the
last year or so of their existance, and at that time it was no longer
an "all-girl band" since we also had Denise's husband Noel Jewkes (wow
talk about a ridiculous misfit!! but how great to have a chance to work
with him) and Mary Gannon's partner Joe Allegra playing too. We did a
few gigs, including one at the Family Dog at the beach and one
"festival" in Puerto Rico - long boring story! - as well as a fair
amount of backup singing, mostly with the Bloomfield/Gravenites crowd,
including some recordings and performing dates. We were indeed signed
to Grunt records and I have long suspected that the travails of trying
to record our album caused of the failure of that label...
  

    
Slip - and yes, Rik, wasn't that show fantastic!
  

    
<lolly>, I wouldn't blame anyone but the Airplane dysfunctional family
for the demise of Grunt. I mean, you folks may have contributed, but I
think they *worked* at it!
  

    
slip (is that what you write when you are responding to an earlier
post? I'm new in the virtual neighborhood.) Lolly would love to get in
touch with you and set up an interview if you're willing? I have asked
Dave Gans to connect us (I figured he would know the best way). I am
very interested to hear about Ace of Cups and am ording the album
today. Thanks to all of you for the links and the info. Any and all are
appreciated. 
Slip (do I do this twice if I'm responding to two different messages?)
John Adams, there is a little info out there on male groupies, mostly
the gay ones. The Rolling Stone groupie book from 1970 featured one gay
male groupie from Chicago. Cynthia Plaster Caster knew a couple of
them but believed one was dead and thought the email she gave me for
the other guy was outdated. In the Groupie Issue, RS discussed a
sexually ambiguous male groupie named Pogo. I discuss it in the book in
Chapter Five. I think there is a story out there on the male groupies
but I'm not the one to write it. 
  

    
Slip John Adams, I believe there were many Ises. The one I am talking
about was an all woman's band from NYC started by Goldie and the
Gingerbread alum Carol McDonald. Anyone know her? I have two great
reasons to want to talk to her. I know that Gillian Gaar has
interviewed her in the last decade or so, so I hope she is still out
there.