Phillip Rauls PhotoLog

New Documentary titled "Promoting Music Means Promoting People" creates a Buzz

2012-01-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

Announcing the release of a new YouTube photo documentary featuring an authentic story that takes place during an magical period of popular music history. This time-traveled chronicle offers captivating photographs, cutting-edge music while producing heartfelt memories of the past. Based upon the powerful impact of popular music and how it propelled people's lives through the haze of the youth movement, this YouTube entry is fittingly titled, "Promoting Music Means Promoting People." Released in January and produced by photographer & former record industry veteran Phillip Rauls, the slide show production has been subtitled 'From Memphis to Miami' and encompasses a 10 year window starting in the mid-60's during an early stage of his career. Rauls background may have lacked the glamorous schmooze and headline-catching demeanor of others but in truth his low-profile was exactly by design. The visual story begins in 1965 with photos capturing the times and displaying many of Rauls original photographs while exhibiting his roots planted firmly within the heritage of Memphis Music. The story travels through his working stint with The Gentrys as Road Manager during the band's heyday while the narrative shifts as Phillip becomes the advertising & promotion manager for a local record distributor when STAX Records hires him away after striking gold. Soon afterwards he surfaces on the national radar scene when he joins the ranks of Atlantic Records & their affiliate labels while jet-setting among the rock stars and then relocates to Miami as their Artist Relations Manager of the South. The slide show spotlights some of Rauls best archive photographs along with a delightful collection of eye-candy and album covers originating from various photographers, artists and graphic designers. The documentary focuses on the powerful effect of still images plus the vast offering of diversified music that has been generated from these legendary recording artists, all of which Rauls promoted and worked with during the early stages of their illustrious careers. The production tastefully uses several of the artist's cutting-edge songs in an effort to acknowledge Rauls longtime support for Progressive Rock while being instrumental in promoting this new genre of music that contained a deliberate lack of musical purity.

Rx Holiday Prescription; Laugh-it-up

2011-11-29T10:15:00.000-08:00

That's right Boys & Girls! 'Tis the Season to be Jolly. The holidays are upon us again. It's that grand time of the year when we can all sit back with our family and friends and laugh a little while poking fun of our year of mistakes, miscues and mindless mix-ups. What's a seasonal get-together with folks without a good laugh? Our RX prescription for the holidays recommends it's good for the spirit to belt-out a couple of loud roars. Even Santa knows that. With that being the theme, let us highlight some hilarious cartoons from the past and honor the noble creators & cartoonist who have poured their souls into making us laugh.

Here's several of my favorites cartoons from the past and present.

"I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose." Woody Allen

"When people are laughing, they're generally not killing each other." Alan Alda

"Laughter on one's face is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life." Hugh Sidey

Photolog Quiz ~ Identify the Photographs

2011-09-27T19:45:00.000-07:00

Every since childhood when we were old enough to sit in our grandmother's lap, there was always this little game that Grandma would entertain us with by parading a series of pictures from her photo album before us with the explanation of, "Okay pumpkin, can you tell me the name of that picture?" After studying the image for a few moments and secretly wishing that the doorbell would ring or the egg timer might go off, no other response could be offered other than, "No Grandma, I give up - who's is that?" At that very moment the suspense became intensified as you anxiously awaited the correct answer. Well, now we can relive that very same unforgettable experience. Yet, this time you can employ the excitement of photo recognition without being exposed to Grandma's denture breath or her wool jacket reeking of moth balls.
Of course, you know we're only kidding as we dearly love our Grandmother. But by all accounts this thought stimulating exercise is exactly what your brain has been waiting for. Go ahead and roll-up your sleeves and dust-off your bifocals because THE PHOTOLOG has unveiled a brand new quiz for all the obsessive Einsteins out there who's daily lives have become engrossed and even consumed by Facebook.

Are you ready? Here's how you play. Simply study the photographs below and then match the exact title of the picture from the selection of names listed beneath each picture. It's that easy. Just like the game Grandma taught us. Answers at the end of the posting. Ready? Let's have some fun!

PHOTO #1A. Tex Montana & The Lincoln Continentals
B. Sam & Dave & The Stax-Volt Review
C. Randy & The Radiants
D. Barenaked Ladies
E. Dress rehearsal at the 10th grade talent show

PHOTO #2A. The Youngbloods
B. The Greatful Dreadful
C. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
D. Humble Pie
E. Krackerjack - Stevie Ray Vaughn's first group

PHOTO #3A. Recess at The Youth Detention Center
B. The Joe McDaniel Appreciation Society
C. Captain Harrison's worst nightmare
D. The Gaisman Park Earl Vance Club
E. The Rat Pack

PHOTO #4A. Convicted felons of the federal banking scandal
B. Test volunteers for the medical marijuana program
C. Tryout rejects from Pee Wee's Playhouse
D. Selection of candidates for Adopt a Homeless Adult Campaign
E. Tom Petty's posse

PHOTO #5A. Quicksilver Messenger Service
B. The Four Horsemen Of Norte Dame
C. Escapees from the penal farm's work release program
D. Boston Celtics championship backcourt from 1963
E. The Gruesome Foursome

PHOTO #6A. Sneaking Sally Through The Alley
B. Reverend Al Sharpton being caught stretching the truth
C. Yogi Berra losing his balls
D. Exactly the same moment that you visited the restroom
E. Jackie Robinson stealing home in the World Series

PHOTO #7A. Scott Shannon
B. Rick Dees
C. Las Vegas Mafia Boss
D. The Werewolf of London
E. Best man at Elvis Presley's wedding

PHOTO #8A. The Edgar Winter Group
B. Kings Of Leon
C. Laddie & The LaSabres
D. Fleetwood Crack
E. The Allman Joy - Duane & Greg Allman's first group

PHOTO #9A. The WHO's Roger Daltry counting existing live band members
B. Official response to Obama's Stimulus Package
C. A 63 year old Shirley Temple impersonator
D. Poster boy for Viagra
E. Greatest white blues singer ever

PHOTO #10A. Lady Gaga
B. Hilary Clinton
C. Freak Show Annie
D. Monica Lewinsky
E. Circus Contortionist

Congratulations! See, that wasn't so bad. You've just completed The Photolog's official survey to test your awareness. This study will also determine if you are a serious candidate of Adult Attention Deficit Disorder or a victim of cronic absentmindedness caused from spending way too-much time on the social media. Either way, the remedy for those ailments would be to look away from the screen of your electronic device and...get a life. With that being established, the correct answer to all photos is...the answer "E".

Copyrighted material (c) Rauls Media LLC - All Rights Reserved

Photo acknowledgement listed when available

Larry Raspberry ~ Juking And Jiving

2011-08-01T14:15:00.000-07:00

Rock N' Soul icon Larry Raspberry is a cross between DJ Dewey Phillips, Mick Jagger and The Energizer Bunny. A splendid combination of Juking and Jiving. Photo (c) from 1968 - Story by Phillip Rauls. All rights reserved.

This is the conclusion of 2-Part posting on entertainer Larry Raspberry

The seventies decade brought a groundswell of welcomed changes to pop culture. That particular term, pop culture, hadn't even been invented at this stage as it was coined years later in association the lifestyles of baby boomers. And guess who was riding in the midst of that cultural wave heading into mainstream? Larry Raspberry. By all accounts and considering recent career circumstances (see previous posting), Larry was now an accomplished vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist, band leader, song writer and record producer. That pretty much covers the entire gamut in the music world. Except Larry was far from finished. His newly formed band, "Larry Raspberry and The Highsteppers" was packing'em like sardines at the local night clubs and performance venues. Yet, despite these noteworthy achievements, Raspberry was without a current record deal to further his career.

The band was the hottest ticket item in the entire Mid-South playing from the venues of The High Cotton to Solomon Alfred's to Trader Dick's and beyond. (L-R) Jerry McKinney, Bill Marshall, Larry Raspberry, Carol Ferrante Raspberry, Rocky Berretta, Joe Mulherin, Greg "Fingers" Taylor.

Meanwhile in early 1972 the planetary stars begin to align in Raspberry's favor. As a charter member of the original Larry Raspberry posse dating back to the mid-60's, I had since relocated to Miami, Florida while on assignment for Atlantic Records. In the days before the Internet, I had kept-up with newspaper and magazine articles keeping me informed of the status of Larry Raspberry. Plus, we had shared occasional phone calls yet I was buried in a workload of my own with new found company tasks. During that period a frequent visitor to Miami was none-other-than STAX Records President Jim Stewart. On a summer evening while attending a dinner with Stewart at his favorite restaurant, Benihana's in Ft. Lauderdale, he told me of his desire to sign Larry Raspberry and his band to STAX's new pop music expansion program. With strong inside support coming from two of Stewart's key lieutenants, STAX attorney Craig Benson and in-house producer, Don Nix, Jim Stewart stated that the label's expansion program was a perfect match for the likes of Larry Raspberry. Wow! What an outstanding idea. Aside from being in absolute and total agreement with Stewart's claim, I admired the sound of Larry Raspberry being on a Memphis-based pop label.

A short period later while on a business trip to Memphis to gather radio airplay for artists I represented, local disk jockey Ron Michaels informed me of a Larry Raspberry performance that night in the Overton Square district at Lafayette's Music Room. Without letting anyone know I was in town on business, that evening I managed to attend the popular night spot. But upon arriving, the room was packed and I was subject to waiting impatiently outside for entrance. But listen to this; Once inside, I shuffled around an array of excited fans and settled-in the open space at the rear of the club. About that time I glanced around the room when my eyes just about popped-out of my head. I could not believe what I was seeing. There sitting front and center of the night club was my very own mother while sitting beside Larry Raspberry's very own mother, Mrs. Raspberry. No lie! Both of our dear mothers were sitting there together and attending this concert by Larry Raspberry. It was all I could do but run up to them and hug their necks while thanking them for their support to a great band. There had to be a hidden message there by their presence at this show. And indeed there was.

As expected, in 1974 Raspberry would go on to sign with the new STAX expansion program and record a fine album at Ardent Recording Studio with production support from Don Nix and Vince Alfonso. The album would be released on STAX's avant-garde division, Enterprise Records, a label known for its advancements into the popular music arena. A newly formed STAX pop music promotion team would also be created to spearhead the project. The album title was "Highsteppin' and Fancy Dancin'" and received considerable nationwide airplay on the album radio format. With the launching of ground-breaking successes combined with conflicting priorities from the record label and joined with bone-headed mistakes originating from the distribution company, the band would go on to tour middle America and the Western states under the banner of the "Don Nix-Larry Raspberry & The Highsteppers Review". The tour sent a lightning bolt through the CBS Records distribution system and can be referenced in the above link while previously appearing in a related story.

Larry Raspberry would hit his artistic stride with his three albums released in the 1970's. Rarely has there been an artist whose music emulates such pure raw energy and good time lyrics. His music could be considered as a good pill for a bad day while literally putting a bounce in your step and grin on your face.

The Enterprise Record (STAX) album featured the hard-hitting, get-outta-your-seat songs like; "Rock & Roll Warning", "Baby Get Out of Bed", "Dixie Diner", "Jive Assp" plus the mellow tune, "Fool In Sheep's Clothing." This is truly an underrated album and had it not been for STAX Records decline this album was destined for gold.

The "In The Pink" album was everything that it implied. And more! Produced by the same team from the previous outing and mixed by Ardent's John Fry and Ron Capone, the album featured soul-busting songs like; "Let Me Rock You", "Let My Fancy Flow" and cover songs such as "Hyway 61/Good Rockin' Tonight" plus James Brown's "Think."

Released on Mercury Records, the "No Accident" album was released to high acclaim and new found fame. This time critics defined his music as coming from a 'Funk-Punk-Soul-Rocker' artist. Songs like; "Older Woman", "Hard Way Out" and "Ain't Enough of Your Lovin" were convincing enough to propel him to these new definitive heights.

As the music world became saturated with rock star wannabes, Larry Raspberry had already entered into the video world with his debut on film. Supported by a loyal fan base, a noted film company had taken notice and approached Larry on the making an authentic rock documentary on The Highsteppers. Being an ideal opportunity Raspberry was anxious to begin filming. The title of the movie was coined from a song written by Raspberry titled "Jiveassp" and performed nightly as a highlight from their stage show. The movie remains a rock classic for Larry Raspberry fans and music lovers alike while still being available for purchase through his website.

Still another chapter into the life of Larry Raspberry was when he gainfully explored the rich debts of the acting field. Often not content with his own status quo, Raspberry eagerly pushed for higher ground by signing-on to play the lead role of 'Frank N. Furter' in the local production of "The Rock Horror Picture Show". Dressed in nylon hose, a colored wig and make-up, Raspberry would strut his stuff down the runway to his adoring fans. Yet that unforgiving role would lead to another acting gig as in 1981 he landed a key role in the Marius Penczner film production of "I Was A Zombie For The FBI". Except this time Raspberry's acting skills would actually make it to the cable TV circuit as the movie became a cult favorite. It appeared that something actually might be taking place here when Raspberry would score still another acting roll. This time he would play Disk Jockey Dewey Phillips in the TV Docu-Drama titled, "This Is Elvis."

With these distinct career advancements, it was only a matter of time while in 1983 Larry Raspberry and his family would pack-up their bags and move to sunny Los Angeles. Seeking to further his pursuit and bring himself closer to the entertainment mecca, it was the perfect course for advancement. By this time several of Raspberry's friends had already moved to California including Booker T. & The MG's guitarist Steve Cropper and the band's legendary bass player, Donald "Duck" Dunn. While Larry was getting settled into the community he would stay with friends including Duck Dunn and keyboardist Jay Spell while seeking a permanent residence. But the transition didn't take long as within months Larry would seek to extend his stage accomplishments by enrolling into acting school. Plus, with his songwriting background already well established Larry would sign-on as a staff writer with noted music publisher, Screen Gems.

The West coast was a perfect fit for Raspberry as upon relocating he kept-up a healthy performance schedule within the region. Pictured here in Portland, Oregon in 1989, Raspberry cast a bright stage presence as he headlines the bill. (L-R) Larry Raspberry-piano, Greg Morrow-drums, Tommy Cathy-bass and George Bradfute-guitar.

Still another feather in Raspberry's cap was when his publishing affiliation with Screen Gems and later Chrysalis Music would land his songs being recorded by artist such as; The Everly Brothers, Carley Simon, Carl Perkins and Jimmy Buffett. Plus, when not performing with his own band, Raspberry would make personal appearances with various members of the hitmaker community in a new group they formed called "The Rock For Real Revue". The band consisted of former chartbusters who each sang their own hit tunes while the spotlight shifted from song to song. Raspberry would go on to release several albums on his own record label that are a must for music lovers.

Pictured together in 1994 are friends since youth and former business associates Phillip Rauls and Larry Raspberry as they take a moment to visit at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, California.

Editor's Summary; First and foremost, Larry Raspberry is a great performer. Better still, he is an even better person. I've never known him to harbor ill to anybody. He came from a strong family foundation and he's in a longstanding and wonderful relationship with his wife. That tells me he knows something about the game of life. I can tell you first hand as over the years I've seen a few of his performances. Larry is a one man show. He doesn't just go through the motions. He fires everyone up - the band - the audience - the bartenders - the waitresses and security guards parked a half block away. He's a first class guy who always plays by the golden rule. When things don't go so swell he is always accountable for his performances. Many artists will lay blame on the sound man or an equipment malfunction. If the stage is too small with inferior lighting, Raspberry will light-up his audience with a larger than life presence while taking advantage of any shortcomings. He loves to perform and will drive miles to entertain an audience. I suspect that Larry's idea of a little rest and relaxation is entertaining his next door neighbor over the back yard fence. To find and nurture talent can be an exhausting challenge. Trust me, I know stardom behind the microphone when I see it and Larry has that stage swagger. Of course he doesn't have the elements of today's flashy rock star that draws football stadium size crowds. His amplifiers aren't the size of Volkswagens. No stage outfits that dress like the homeless. No profanity. No vulgarity. Just good old rock songs that tell stories we can all associate with. That's not too shabby for an artist who admittedly would offer that his heyday was probably with the previous generation. But still, his shows are for all ages and draw smiles from even the youngsters. In conclusion, we hope this has been fascinating reading for all because Larry Raspberry is no less than a fascinating person.

Copyright (c) Rauls Media LLC - All rights reserved

Larry Raspberry website: http://home.earthlink.net/~lraspberry/

This posting is dedicated to the loving memory of; Ms. Billie Ruth (Sam) Parker, Jay Spell and Rocky Berretta. All former Highsteppers. RIP

Highsteppers b/w press photo by Fred Toma

That's His Real Name...Larry Raspberry

2011-07-14T12:30:00.000-07:00

Ever the perennial showman, Larry Raspberry needs no introduction to Rock N' Soul audiences. Photo by Phillip Rauls (c) 1967

This is Part 1 of a 2-Part posting on performer Larry Raspberry

Holy Toledo! Where do I start? This guy's got more legendary stories about him than Moses. And believe me, his real name is actually...Larry Raspberry. Seriously. It's not a stage name or some kind of nickname. The reason I know that to be a fact is that I went to grade school with him and personally knew his mom, pop and his sister. They were the undisputed Raspberrys. The only one listed in the phonebook. Plus, that's not the kind of name that you make up. If that's your real name, then brother you're stuck with it forever. Listen to this; Back years ago while he was performing a song this fan came running up to the stage front and asked, "Hey man, is that your real name?" And he smiled while responding, "Yep, Larry's my real name." You get the picture.

As far back as I can remember, Larry Raspberry has always been a superstar. Not in the Elton John or Bruce Springsteen sense but more in the Jerry Lee Lewis or Leon Russell vain. You dig? As a matter of fact, Jerry Lee Lewis and Leon Russell were two of his earliest inspirations. An example of the music that influenced him was the time when he talked me into joining him to see a concert by Ike & Tina Turner at the all black night club called, The Club Paradise. The place was packed and we must have been in our late teens or early twenties at the time and the only white people there. Man oh man. After the concert, I felt like I had been baptized and collected their concert flyer stapled to a nearby telephone pole. Plus, Larry Raspberry knew a thing or two about that soul-gritty Memphis Music also. He had soaked-up much of his surroundings as you can probably tell. As a matter of fact, Larry's original music is the essence of Blue-eyed-Soul. He often refers to his style of music as "Jukeing and Jiving." Okay, try to Google that. When you stop and think about it, I don't think he really cared for all that rock stardom stuff. I really believe he liked having the reputation of being a flying-under-the-radar artist. Perhaps he liked being separated from all those polished superstars and enjoyed the blue-collar work ethic that was associated with his original music. "Razz" - as most people called him, is a down-to-earth guy with both feet firmly planted on the ground. That is, when he's not standing in a row boat (above) and playing air guitar with the boat paddle.

Sometimes back, somewhere in the mid-60's, Razz and I were sitting in his bedroom and listening to his record collection. He was at the controls and began playing artists I'd never heard of before like Mose Allison, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers and Hedgehoppers Anonymous. Larry was always ahead of the curve with music trends. He had a very accurate pulse for recognizing the groove in a new song. As a matter of fact, because of this unique talent, many of Larry's friends considered him as their mentor. Including myself (L).

Larry Raspberry's first musical success came with a high school band sensation he formed called, "The Gentrys." They were a garage band before garage bands were even called garage bands. He was the lead singer, the guitarist and kindred spirit of the popular group. They started out playing high school dances held at local gymnasiums such at the YMCA, CYO's, VFW's and even played at the naval base. Their popularity attracted local record producer Chips Moman who would record the band. The Gentrys would go on to have a huge hit with million selling single titled, "Keep On Dancing" that peaked on the Billboard charts at number #4 in 1965. Both The Gentrys and their producer never looked back as their careers took off from that very point. The band toured with a ever-changing number of excellent musicians who rotated through the group as The Gentrys would go on to play the American music scene for the next decade. There were concerts with The Beach Boys, Dave Clark Five, Sonny & Cher, Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels, Paul Revere & The Raiders and many more. Also, The Gentrys performed on major TV programs such as Shindig, Hullabaloo, Dick Clark's American Bandstand and Where The Action Is. They were also featured in a full length Hollywood movie called, "It's a Bikini World."

Some of the stories about Larry Raspberry and The Gentrys comes from the first hand experience of working with both he & the band. You see, Larry gave me my first job in the music business. Be that as it may, I have worked in various capacities with him and the band such as road manager and later a promotion executive for several of Larry's record labels. If the truth be known, I've admired Larry Raspberry for several decades and promoted both him and his music until I was blue in the face. Anyone who has ever worked with Larry will tell you the same. Recently I spoke with old friend and former bassist of the band, Ronnie Moore. Ronnie reminded me of this unforgettable little morsel about The Gentrys. Moore recalled, "We were in Los Angeles filming American Bandstand and sky high from all the events taking place. Plus, at the time we were the headliners for a week at The Whisky-A-Go-Go. Opening for us all week was a little known band at the time, The Buffalo Springfield." Moore further explained, "Our hit single and album status had us topping the bill as The Buffalo Springfield hadn't scored a record deal at that point. We got up on stage and played our standard set which included "Keep On Dancing" and a couple of other songs that probably sounded bubble gum. We were all dressed in our Gentrys uniforms and had a couple of dance steps we would always do with the stage set. Our set would end with the audience response being good, nothing spectacular." Moore continued, "But several of us thought The Buffalo Springfield (below) were terrific. Man, they were decked-out in threads we'd never seen before. Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Richie Furay looked outstanding wearing all the new fashionable hippie gear. When the band started playing, they performed all their own material and we were completely blown-away. Both bands became good friends while Jim Messina borrowed my bass several nights in a row and I never knew it could sound so good. Wow, The Buffalo Springfield were mesmerising! For the first time ever, I thought The Gentrys had been upstaged and came-off sounding a little weak. The experience of playing at The Whisky, on Sunset Strip in Hollywood, really affected us, both in a good way and also a reconstructive way. It changed our total perspective of how we sounded and appeared. Man, on the way home, several of us were down in the dumps and felt we should have done better." Larry Raspberry added to the story by offering, "Vocalist Jimmy Hart had been pushing for sometime for the band to drop the beatlesque stage suits and dress more like The Rolling Stones, ala natural. He felt it would connect us better with our audience and re-energized the band. Plus, we all agreed that we needed to perform better material or write our own songs." Ronnie Moore concluded the story by saying, "Raspberry thought long and hard about these decisions. I think we went home and wanted to regroup as it was definitely an education for the band."

One of the many renditions of The Gentrys was (above) this talented group who pounded the pavement of the music circuit from the mid-to-late 1960's. (L-R) Ronnie Moore-bass, Larry Wall-drums, Larry Raspberry-vocals/guitar, Jimmy Hart-vocals, Bruce Bowles-vocals, Stuart Paine-keyboards.

Upon returning home, numerous changes were made in the band as they abandoned the outdated uniforms and dropped the synchronized music steps. Alterations in music were also made as it was apparent that the landscape of pop music was rapidly changing. Sometimes later and after placing a rather impressive 6 chart records on Billboard Hot 100 chart, plus numerous record releases on several labels combined with consecutive years of tireless touring, Larry Raspberry would seek artistic expansion and depart The Gentrys, a band he originated some years earlier. This time he would venture deeper into his musical journey.

After The Gentrys and following an enormous music trend that leaned towards guitar oriented music, Larry Raspberry joined keyboardist Ken Woodley and drummer/recording engineer Richard Roseborough in forming a group called, Alamo. By now yours truly had joined Atlantic Records as Southwest Regional Promotional Director. In the meantime, Atlantic's home office in New York had become very interested in the talents in Larry Raspberry and the group. Hmm...imagine that.

Alamo, just like The Gentrys, had several variations of band members. The original band was a trio and consisted of; (L-R) Ken Woodley, Larry Raspberry and Richard Roseborough. After signing the band to Atlantic and prior to their album release, the label put together several quick showcases in an effort to view the band on stage. One concert was staged on Long Island N.Y. before a very large crowd that included the members of the Atlantic hierarchy. Another appearance was in New Orleans at The Warehouse concert hall while opening for still another Atlantic act, The Allman Brothers Band. After returning home to Memphis and performing several shows in front of local crowds, friction began to set-in with band members and Larry Raspberry was out. Within days of hearing the news, the corporate officers at Atlantic were apparently displeased upon hearing the status of Raspberry's departure and seemed to lose all enthusiasm on the Alamo album.

Realizing that it wasn't a good fit anyway, Raspberry would move on. But he would land successfully on his own two feet. With interest still being high at Atlantic, he would score a new artist contract with the label for the release of a single. Yet, this time he would record in his own name. Even better, he would venture into still another new category by not only being a solo performer but now to becoming a songwriter as well. Plus, with his veteran status now being apparent, he was able to record with an all-star cast at the renowned Muscle Shoales Recording Studio.

Raspberry performed numerous solo gigs on the East Coast and through-out the deep South while producing artistic growth but with mixed results. That's when he returned home to the familiar grounds of Memphis and sought to regroup. This strategy is an all-familiar pattern for many ambitious performers while desiring to expand their repertoire. After a helpful recommendation from long time friend Don Nix, Raspberry decided to travel to Europe for a period and seek a sabbatical far away from his surroundings.

Next, Larry Raspberry ventured into the production arena by producing a local Memphis group by the name of, "The Scandal." With the production assistance of engineering wizard Ronnie Capone, Raspberry put out a single on the band however a tragic auto accident fatally injured one of the vocalist leaving the group without their leader. As Raspberry regrouped from this terrible misfortune he began singing with a vocalist from the band who sang perfect harmony to his unique pitch. Within a short period she would join him full time as they would form a new group called, "The Highsteppers." Incidentally, Larry's singing counterpart, besides being an outstanding vocalist, was also a local beauty queen by the name of, Carol Sue Ferrante. In 1969 Ms. Ferrante would become a local celebrity as she would go on to win the prestigious Miss Memphis Award. Plus, upon winning that title, in 1970 Carol would soon become a member of an all-exclusive club of only 8 members to go on and also win the Miss Tennessee Award. But listen to this, the story gets even better. Next, Mr. Larry Raspberry and Ms. Carol Sue Ferrante would then be joined together in marriage while hitting the road and touring as an authentic Rock & Roll family in his new group called, "Larry Raspberry & The Highsteppers." Now, try and top that. Correct me if I'm wrong but that's the same equivalence of earning about a thousand merit badges.

Next Posting; Part 2 of Larry Raspberry - "Jukeing and Jiving"

Photo of The Buffalo Springfield by Henry Diltz

Copyright (c) 2011 Rauls Media LLC - All rights reserved

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall...

2011-06-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

For generations photographers have been trying to come-up with different subjects to capture. Those images come in many different shapes and sizes. There are no limits or restrictions in the showcasing of an expression. The truth of the matter is, in photography itself, you can throw the rule book out the window and simply snap anything that catches the eye. Sometimes back, I became interested in photography and it's artistic possibilities. Shortly afterwards I began experimenting by taking a wide range of pictures while hoping to create something innovative. Then one day I took a photo in the mirror. That picture came out rather unusual while the circumstances surrounding the photo intrigued me. At first, the idea appeared to be an exercise in narcissism and looked kinda goofy. But believe it or not, it's a lot more common than one might think. As a matter of fact, many camera people take their own pictures and use them as their identification photos. Often you see these photos used as personal and professional profile pictures. Looking back in history, for centuries there have been famous artists who have painted their own self-portraits so why not apply this same practice to photographers. Granted it's not for everybody but the experience of taking your own picture is a rewarding expression while effortlessly taking a photo of it's originator at the same time. Heck, that's what they invented mirrors for in the first place, to reverse an image. So, before you draw conclusions, consider as you take a picture in the mirror that reflects your background, now you have a supporting story to share with others. Of course let us make ourselves perfectly clear, we're not talking about those mirrored photos of the two Congressmen who recently posted their revealing photos on Facebook or Twitter. Nope. That's not what we're talking about.

With all things considered, my interest in this undefined self-captured art began at a early stage and sent me on a long journey of exploration. Nowadays, in the 21st Century, people do it all the time and think nothing unusual of taking photos of themselves with their cell phones and passing them around for viewing. As a matter of fact, it has become quite fashionable to communicate within a network of friends with self-captured photos. No doubt I'm not the first one to showcase this phenomenon, and I'm sure that I probably won't be the last. Yet, the uniqueness of this story addresses the fact that I've photographed this topic while taking the pictures over a 40 year time span. Certainly not an impulse decision in capturing an idea. So, in no particular order, here's my photo journal of reflections titled, "Mirror, Mirror On The Wall..."

Hollywood Harley. Across the street from The Chinese Theatre is an upscale shop that hosts a gallery of souvenirs and collectible relics. While walking through the isles I came across a poster of Clark Gable sitting on his Harley Davidson motorcycle with a mirror positioned beside the image. Picture taken in Hollywood in 2010.

Who wears short-shorts? In New Orleans in 1972 while visiting a pad in The French Quarter, I snapped this reflection of the trendy household fashions of the day. Notice the two melted candles in the forefront and mounted on chrome candlestick holders that were a wedding gift left-over from their second marriage. How about that cheap synthetic leather couch behind me, the type that sticks to your skin when you get up. Displayed on the wall is the quintessential abstract oil painting. In the upper left hand corner notice the stack of 8-track tapes which were discontinued back in the 1960's. While looking around the living room I was beginning to wonder, "What the heck am I doing here? Would somebody please call me a taxi."

Big Brother Is Watching. In Toronto in 1976 while attending a Billboard Convention, record rep Andy Philpot and myself stare into a mirrored globe that offers a reflection of the hotel room and high-rise office buildings.

Grandma's Curtains. In Jackson MS in 1980 I shot this photo of my brand new Summer hat purchased earlier in the day. The background is highlighted with Grandma's handmade curtains. One week prior, I broke my little finger playing softball while in this picture I'm wearing a splint on my pinkie.

Peace Sign. In Japan in 2007 I snapped this shot while displaying the peace sign in the reflection. Many of the streets in Japan offer tight spacing around street corners. Safety mirrors are conveniently placed to assist in a vehicle's maneuvering in these visually impaired situations.

Cruise Mirror. Photo taken on a cruise ship in 1974 en route to The Bahamas. The reflection in a glass door seemed like a good opportunity to snap a picture. Perhaps it's me but I just don't enjoy the idea of taking a cruise ship to anywhere. However, I do enjoy boating on smaller vessels but a ship this large and out to sea for several days just doesn't seem to excite me. Bah Humbug!

Coral Gables Mirror. Talk about a living room from the Love Generation, here's my pad from the 70's displaying (on the far left) a framed picture taken from The Rolling Stones album, "Exile On Main Street." In the center is a mirror reflection of a dolphin that was caught on Jerry Wexler's boat. On the far right is a framed emblem taken from a Woodstock movie poster. Of course the guy in the middle is yours truly who apparently was proud to display all this crap. Picture taken in Coral Gables, Florida in 1974.

VW Hubcap. Have you ever had a picture taken in the reflection of a Volkswagen Hubcap? Well, there's a first for everything. While sunbathing on the lawn, the results of this picture produced a surreal image. Photo taken at my residence on Raleigh-LaGrange Rd. Memphis, TN 1971.

Nesbitt Mirror. This is the photograph stated earlier that started this entire conquest. As you have it, located just inside the doorway at a weekend getaway called "Nesbitt" are the remains of a broken wall mirror sitting on the floor that greeted you upon entry. While standing there in my bathing suit I couldn't resist the opportunity to photograph this skinny 100 pound geek who was experimenting with his first camera. Photo taken in Nesbitt, MS in 1967.

Editors conclusion; In all of the individual photos, please note that it was never important for my face to be exposed in the picture. You see, the mission was not about me, but instead centered on the self-captured art of reflection. Consider this posting as a photo journal that creates curiosity while lending interpretation. Staying true to this objective for a 40 year time frame is certainly worthy of this showcasing. We hope you agree.

Copyrighted (c) story and photographs with exception to clip art and stock photo - Rauls Media LLC 2011 - All right reserved.

Remembering a Picturesque Japan

2011-03-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

Appearing in a postcard-like setting, The Golden Pavilion (kinkaku-ji) in Kyoto, Japan was built in 1398 and represents a key portion of Japanese cultural heritage. The building is one of the most popular attractions in the country and originally served as a Buddhist temple. All photos by Phillip Rauls.

Nobody will disagree that the tragedy in Japan has taken a toll of mammoth proportion. The people of that country are going through some very tough times and we send our deepest regrets and prayers to a nation in recovery. This disaster struck a deep cord here in the U.S. while there's been a few tears shed in my household as well. Although this natural disaster happened over 5000 miles from the U.S. shore, the effects have lingered into my residence just outside the Seattle area. As many of my friends and colleagues are keenly aware, all of my wife's direct family members and many of our good friends live in Japan. Some of them live within the direct confines of earthquake's epicenter and this created much worry for all concerned. Yet, let us breathe a sigh of relief as all of our family and friends from that area are safe and accounted for. But take nothing away from the catastrophe, situations like this make you think about your immediate surroundings.

Many people who have previously traveled to Japan find the country fascinating and enjoy the unique culture that exist within the island nation. By all accounts, Japan is one of America's biggest allies and stands as a well-educated society located within a sophisticated nation. Upon viewing the images from the recent catastrophe, I was compelled to turn back the clock and reminisce about some of my great memories while visiting Japan. As the Japanese people clear their heads and mend their wounds, let us stroll down memory lane and mirror some of the country's natural beauty that canvass the city and the countryside. Here captured from the pre-earthquake days are some treasured photos as viewed from the camera lens of THE PHOTOLOG. I hope you enjoy.

One of the first things you'll notice about Japan is the contrast of both the old and the new. This diversity adds charm that is well appreciated and attracts many tourist annually.

Above is the Tokyo University of Science located in the city and surrounded by remarkable statues and century old landmarks.

Stone lanterns line the walkway to the statue of Omura Masujiro located at the historic Yasukuni Shrine. He was the 19th Century Japanese leader and theorist of the Bakumatsu period.

The morning sun is captured beneath the canopy of a garden shop as downtown pedestrians shuffle by on their way to work.

An office building reflects a clear blue sky in the background while hosting a large billboard that advertises chocolate bars.

Artwork is displayed curbside by a vendor located on the ground floor.

Of course it's important to travel with locals as they know all the good shopping malls and commerce locations for tourist.

Many Japanese restaurants display their menus outside their entrance while offering a tantalizing view of their cuisine. Yum!

Although this editor is quite fond of the local food, it is advisable for all westerners to search for the nearest location of a McDonald's Restaurant as the traditional Japanese breakfast consist of chilled sardines, salted plums and pickled radishes.

Unlike the U.S. much of the transportation in Japan is provided by bicycle and scooters creating thousands of parking lots filled with all types and styles as far as the eye can see.

Here's still another parking lot crammed with wall-to-wall scooters. Check-out this goofy white one as I don't know if I'd want to be seen on this ugly dog.

Here's a colorful mosaic of a green leaf Japanese maple and featured in the walkway of this train station.

The Japanese Bullet Train, officially known as "Shinkansen", travels at speeds up to 200 MPH and is remarkably quite with a very smooth ride. This high-speed railway is the main source of travel for millions of commuters with a sophisticated network that connects all major cities.

In the background is a massive Japanese Black Pine that is split at it's base while in the foreground is a workman who mows the grass and manicures the lawn.

This long beautiful walkway is the path coming from the Hachiman Jingu Shrine located in the city of Kamakura.

Here we made a key pit stop to get fuel, beverages and snacks as we prepare to depart the city and venture into the countryside on a scenic photo mission.

Automobile car clubs are very popular in Japan as within minutes of departing we encountered a van club on a cruise touring the outskirts of the city.

This streetside passage is lined with tall bamboo trees and bordered with a decorative stone wall topped with reed fencing.

In the countryside there are hidden treasures like this single lane tunnel going beneath the hillside enroute to our destination.

There are many rivers and canals that flow through the ocean side cities and fishing villages such as this one that resembles the same sea wall that was toppled by the recent tsunami.

Many of the backstreets in rural Japan are very narrow as compared to western streets. Plus, they are unusually clean while many are bordered with various shades of greenery that is nurtured by the refreshingly damp climate. Just the way I like it.

Decorative Japanese stonework produced locally comes in all various shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, the airlines will not allow tourist to return home while packing a 4 foot long - 300 pound stonework inside their suitcases.

Bamboo stalks are bound together overhead to cover a small rock garden that is used primarily for meditation.

Feeding time at a koi pond produces open mouths for a school of fish hoping to score the big meal. Koi fish are actually an ornamental species of a carp and quite popular in Japan.

Here a streetside vendor sells a grilled item in the shape of a fish called "Taiyaki." It's a tasty snack similar to a pancake with a center portion containing red beans.

Being an island nation and surrounded by ocean, the Japanese have a special relationship with the sealife that is so very important to their daily existence. Pictured along a walkway is a boardering wall that displays the many species within their culture while being created into artwork that will last for many generations to come.

Copyright 2011 (c) Rauls Media LLC - All Rights Reserved

Long Before March Madness...

2011-02-22T16:30:00.000-08:00

Classic photo taken in 1963 of a division rivalry between the Treadwell Eagles and Kingsbury Falcons held on campus at the Memphis State Field House. Here hoops star Jimmy Hawkins of The Eagles snags a key rebound while reaching high from behind is Falcons (#21) Barry Cochran. In the background looking on are Treadwell teammates Richard Ennis (#14) and Don Meyers. During this era, it was quite an accomplishment for two high school teams from adjoining neighborhoods to fill a 4,000+ seat arena and still turn away eager attendants at the door. (photo by Bob Williams)

Long, long time ago, back in the day when March Madness was a term used when referring to a frustrating weather cycle, that's when people would pour into the local gymnasiums and attend the game of Basketball to cheer on the local boys and fraternize with members of the community. Times were simple and uncomplicated back then. It was a time when basketball sneakers were called tennis shoes and jock straps often doubled as sling-shots. Hard to believe but during that dated period practically all basketball shoes were manufactured by Converse while being only available in High Tops and made of canvas. Seems some of us remember those days as it was a time when after sitting in a classroom for an entire day guys would flood into the gymnasium after class in search of playing a little round ball and breaking a sweat. Looking back I recall entering into the gym with the afternoon sunshine beaming it's florescent rays through the dusty windows while the odors from yesterdays workouts still lingered. Plus, the sound of shoes squeaking and leather balls bouncing on the hardwood floors would be an enticement to athletes and music to the jock's ears. That's when the coach's whistle would echo loudly through the building as he summoned his troops to gather around. Coach would always clear his throat and then go into character, "Listen up girls cause tomorrow's game gonna be a real dog fight." He continued, "Y'all better eat your Wheaties for breakfast and bring your hard hats cause tomorrow I'm gonna need your best game." Just in case you didn't know, that's typical of a coach's motivational speech to a team of high testosterone gym rats looking to rid themselves of pent-up energy. And those pep-talks usually worked because prior to any of those games, players would be fidgety and grind their teeth while their mouths would be dry and stomachs filled with butterflies. Ask any player before the big game if he was nervous and he'd probably say, "No way." But as players took the floor their knees sorta wobbled while feeling kinda queasy. Such uncertainty was common among players as some wondered if they needed to return to the locker room and do their business. Never fail though as with any game and prior to the opening toss-up, players always scanned the gym and checked-out all the cute cheerleaders on both sides. Buzzer sounds. Game on.

The game of Basketball was invented in 1891 by physical eduction instructor Dr. James Naismith and developed for a YMCA exercise program as an indoor activity. It's popularity spread fast as many school systems invoked the game to be taught in their youth programs as an exercise activity. Not to mention also but domestically practically everyone has participated in playing the game at one time or another as it teaches the importance of team sports. The game brings out the competitiveness in all our personalities as winning a game can be a major confidence builder. Plus, Basketball is especially fun to watch and to celebrate in their victories. Incidentally, for some people being on the losing side of a game however can be major source of both sour grapes and a chapped ass. Yet, by all accounts, Basketball is an national tradition with the game now being celebrated all over the globe. And it was developed right here in America. Just like Rock & Roll. Basketball is an on-going science that is constantly evolving with individual contributions and personal touches provided from many sources. Combine the mechanics of strategic competition and bound by a few governing rules, add a time clock ticking and some physical boxing-out, throw-in a little sky-walking for colorful flare, and you got the very entertaining game of Basketball.

Early heroes in my neighborhood were Basketball players who could pack a gymnasium by their mere presence. I would circle the games on my calendar and count the days for them to arrive. Names like Earl Gillespie, Doc Hoffman, David Sission, Larry Burns, John Hillman, Don & Larry Mansfield, Ronnie Annis, B.G. Petty and Larry Higinbothom.
Probably the most revered of them all was the legendary Mike Butler (on right). Coach would give us the scouting report on Butler by saying, "Y'all better be careful and watch out for this guy cause he can really light-it-up." Mike Butler was so good that he was the first local boy to go into the pros and make it big time. Plus some of his games were nationally televised. Playing professional Basketball was the dream of many a local athlete. It seemed like it sure beat the heck out of working down at the car wash.

The pro game was exciting to watch as cable TV brought your favorite Basketball players into your living room. With games accessible almost every evening, you'd get to know all the players by their nicknames such as; Hondo, Mr. Clutch, Silk, Iceman, Cap, Chocolate Thunder, The Enforcer, The Dream, Chief, Worm, Diesel, The Glove, Dr. J and Larry Legend. Sometimes the games could get so intense that players would have these little love spats amongst themselves and literally go at each others throats. But Basketball fights generally don't last long as sometimes the same players would ride back together in the same vehicle while returning to the same hotel.

Another local boy who made it in the 'Bigs' was Hank McDowell. An example of his staying power was his 9 year tenure in the NBA as he played with the Portland Trailblazers, Denver Nuggets and a professional stint in Europe. Below is McDowell slamming one home for the Houston Rockets at the Summit Arena. Hank also had an array of cute little nicknames such as; Big Mac Attack, McGillacutty and Big Foot.

Of course, you didn't need to play in the big leagues to be tagged with some ridiculous nicknames as this guy had a few to his credit such as; Lefty, P Q , Bird Legs, Coach ZZ (Zig Zag), El Boneia and Filll...

Great Basketball moments can become ingrained in you head and locked-in your memory forever. Especially if the moving events are captured with the frozen images of a camera. That's when you got visual poetry in motion.

University of Memphis jumping jacks John Kilzer and Ken Dunek stretch for a rebound coming high off the rim. Both players were crowd favorites and sported the nicknames assigned to them from fellow teammates of, "Gooder Yaka" (Kilzer) and "Conrad Kubeack" (Dunek).

Another U of M Basketball player Steve Meacham snags a loose ball while putting on a little emphasis in the effort. "Meach" was also a local favorite and his pretty boy looks got lots of attention.

In closing, allow me to say that experiencing the comradeship of being on a Basketball team can far exceed any expectations every imagined. The spirit of brotherhood and going into competition together for a big game is unification at it's finest. The locker room banter and laughter in the huddle still rings as the finest moments that I ever experienced. Nothing will ever replace those memories. Thank you my teammates for letting me be on the same Basketball team with you.

(Top row) John Kilzer, Malcomb McKinney, Dennis Isbell, Ron Franz, Mike O'Keefe. (Front row) Dexter Reed, Phillip Rauls, Mike Butler, Mike King and Jeffery Wyatt.

This posting is dedicated to the memory of Tommy King

Copyrighted story (c) Rauls Media LLC 2011 All rights reserved

Photograph and cartoon identification provided by their listed sources when accessible.

Ike Martin contributed to this story.

Joni Mitchell ~ An Artist's Journey

2011-01-27T17:00:00.000-08:00

It's confession time, okay? Finally I'll admit the fact. It's not easy to say... but I'm a closet Joni Mitchell fan. There, I've said it. As much as I've tried to conceal the truth, I am just now freeing myself of the secret that has been kept inside me for many years. Privately I've been obsessed with her music for decades. She's my Bessie Smith, Billy Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, all rolled into one. That's a pretty bold statement coming from a guy who cut his teeth on R&B music and even promoted several of Aretha's Franklin's biggest hits - mind you. But Joni Mitchell is one of the most respected singer/songwriters in history and no doubt she set the bar for modern music. In short, she is my all-time unrestricted favorite female artist. To this very day, Joni Mitchell never ceases to amaze me with her captive lyrics while still continuing to inspire me with her evolving talents. But you may ask, why am I just now coming to the forefront by revealing this secret? After all, she has not held reign over the pop charts for some time now. Plus, she's already been inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame way back in 1997. Maybe you are asking, what's the big deal? Why keep this love affair with her music under wraps? Well, if the truth be known, as a former promoter of the imperious field known as Rock Music, this category is a man's game and previously dominated exclusively by the male species. Right? So with that being the case, secretly I didn't want any of my friends to accuse me of being ... a girly man.

In spite of those obvious shortcomings, consider this posting as my official paean to Joni Mitchell. I'll admit that sometimes us macho-guys have real difficulties in revealing our sensitive sides. But now the cat's out of the bag. Let me explain. Let it be known that I have spent countless hours alone while indulging myself with her splendid sounds and thought-provoking lyrics. Yet, when I would have any guests visit my house, I would mask my passion for her soft pliable tones by always pulling-out the Zeppelin albums and cranking the volume up to 10. This little charade would always bring out a loud, "Yeah, kick-out-the-jams!" from visitors. Later when my house guest would saddle-up on their Harley choppers and depart, I would always resume my Joni Mitchell pilgrimage. As you have it, many music promoters want their careers to be associated with artists who play ear-piercing Les Paul guitars blasting thru Marshall stacks. While some Rock promoters liken their backgrounds to be associated with screaming vocalists or keyboardists playing high frequency synthesizers that can break glass. Still, several of my distinguished colleagues want to be mentioned only in connection with Blues artist or Jazz musicians. And that's cool too. But Joni Mitchell's soft and romantic lyrics combined with her innovative cord changes don't quite fall under the category of say...Rock Music. Oh-but wait you say! Quite contraire my dear blog editor. Joni Mitchell is the poster-child of Pop Music in the late 20th Century. And to those well-informed music lovers, I gladly acknowledge the fact.

Much has been documented about this great artist. Somehow I feel that I owe something back to Joni Mitchell for the enormous contributions that she has given me. My question is, how could she have known the exact thoughts that I was feeling inside for all those many years? To put it into proper perspective, there's an entire generation of devoted followers who clung to her every word while interrupting her lyrics and using them as road maps towards guiding their own lives. And I happen to be one of those who hold reverence. Let us review a brief snap-shot of her brilliant career.

Joni Mitchell is a Canadian-born singer/songwriter whose career path started in the mid-1960's as she began singing in small clubs in Toronto and then ventured to a blossoming folk scene in New York City's Greenwich Village. Joni's youth is not without flawed circumstances while as a child at the age of 9 she was diagnosed with polio. She helped herself recover from this dreadful disease by learning to sing while spending idle time in the children's recovery ward. Years later and after she began preforming in coffeehouses on the local folk scene Mitchell gave birth to an out-of-wedlock daughter which she was unable to raise. With no real job or home she was forced to give up her daughter for adoption. She kept the matter secret for much of her career yet made reference to this later in several of her songs. On the rebound Joni Mitchell married folk singer Chuck Mitchell which she later openly admits was for "all the wrong reasons." The twosome performed as a duo and worked the club circuit for a period however the marriage didn't last and Joni decided to go her own way. Her first notoriety came in 1968 when Judy Collins recorded "Both Sides Now" written by Mitchell and became a huge top 10 hit. Upon that success, Mitchell began playing coffeehouses on the East Coast while continuing to build a name for herself. At this early stage, Joni was approached by a budding talent agent named Elliot Roberts who would manage her career for years to come. While playing in a small club in Coconut Grove, Florida, another folk singer named David Crosby, formerly of The Byrds and later Crosby, Stills & Nash, entered the club and became quite taken by her performance. Crosby was so impressed that he convinced Mitchell into joining him on a trip to Los Angeles where he introduced her to friends. Within a short period, Crosby's name recognition helped Mitchell obtain a solo artist contract with Reprise Records, a subsidiary of power house Warner Brothers Records.

Joni Mitchell would record two respectable albums with the label yet her paper-thin soprano vocals and acoustic backing lacked the punch for mainstream acceptance. Joni Mitchell's third album titled "Ladies Of The Canyon" was released in April, 1970 was a reference to the lifestyle inside of Laurel Canyon in Southern California. This breakthrough album was programmed heavily with FM Radio's new found influence while AM Radio airplay was strong. Her experimentation and refinement with open-tuning on the guitar and introduction of the Dulcimer into her music were both innovative and pioneering accomplishments. Supported by these essentials, retail activity reflected a star in the making. It was during this noted period that the youth movement gained added recognition and refused to be ignored. Protest songs and soul-searching music became in vogue as the counter-culture established it's presence. At this time, Joni Mitchell's music would come into the forefront and develop from being called Folk Music and evolve to becoming a dominant force known as, Folk-Rock. This marked a significant period which her music would set it's hooks into the mainstream of American music while striking gold.

The thriving music scene in California was now home for Mitchell as she began hanging with (below) her musical counterparts such as (L-R) newcomer Jackson Brown, Joni Mitchell in center, Mama Cass of the Mama & Papas, talent agent and manager of several notables, David Geffen, and vocalist Ned Doheney on the far right. Times were good for the Love Generation as the movement was well on it's way to creating an icon.
The Laurel Canyon area was home to many artists including former member of The Hollies, Graham Nash. Joni Mitchell and Graham Nash soon became an item and moved-in together. Out of that relationship came several notable songs including Crosby, Stills & Nash's "Our House" penned by Nash and "Willy" written by Joni Mitchell. Her composition "Woodstock" also recorded by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young became a big hit for the boys as Joni would chalk-up still another hit song while building up her catalog. It now appeared that the grass was even greener as Graham Nash and Joni Mitchell's relationship became the focal point of the new counter culture while appearing to be the ideal couple living the free lifestyle in the warm California sun. But Mitchell soon became confused with love's illusions as the restless poet within her compelled Joni to move on and seek artistic heights. Aside from being a single woman again, she kept her sense of humor as her next single "Big Yellow Taxi" was a noted hit while the song's intention was to point the finger at the nation's total disregard for ecology. The success from this hit single helped propel the "Ladies Of The Canyon" album to her first platinum sales award and peaking in 1970 on Billboard's LP chart at #27.

Mitchell's next release was the critically acclaimed "Blue" album which was her most introspective work to date. Released in June of 1971, this album also gained platinum status and clearly separated her from the herd of singer-songwriters pouring onto the scene. Noted changes in this album are her compositions now included Joni moving from guitar to piano for most of the album while lyrically she became more self-analytical. At times Mitchell even confesses a revealing self-portrait of her endless frustrations of the complications of romantic relationships. Featured guest on the album were James Taylor on guitar, Stephen Stills guitar & bass, Russ Kunkel on drums, and Sneaky Pete on pedal steel. The album peaked on Billboard LP charts at #15.

By now, Mitchell had clearly matured as an artist and hit her stride. Her work was drawing praises from music critics as with every new release her albums became more musically sophisticated. In October of 1972 Mitchell released her first album on David Geffen's new Asylum label titled "For The Roses." It featured horns, woodwinds, reeds and strings on her compositions which was a departure from her previous outings. This diversity no doubt expanded her popularity within Pop audiences. And example of this growth was her hit single from the album "You Turn Me On (I'm A Radio)" and offered a twanging country style not heard before on her music. A personal favorite was the album's cover and inner photo that had you hypnotized and starring deeply into her soul. "For The Roses" was certified gold and hit #11 on the Billboard's album chart.

It was well over a year later before Joni Mitchell's next album hit the stores. But worth the wait as in January of 1974 she released the dazzling "Court And Spark" album. Songs like "Help Me" and "Free Man In Paris" blanketed the radio while the title song still
rings out with fond memories. This album sounds just as good today as it did the day it was released. Musicians on the album were an all-star cast featuring Tom Scott, Max Bennett, Wilton Felder, Robbie Robertson, Milt Holland, Chuck Findley, Joe Sample, Jim Hughart, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Susan Webb, Cheech & Chong, Jose Feliciano, Larry Carlton, Dennis Budmir, and swamp-rocker Wayne Perkins (as seen here). Joni Mitchell's growth as an artist had spread to the very top of the Pop and Rock arena as "Court And Spark" conquered the #2 spot on the album chart while selling over 4 million copies. Clearly this album stands alone while offering to be one of the finest albums in modern music history.

Joni's next offering was in October of 1974 with the release of "Miles Of Isles." This album was a selection of live performances and displayed her growing appreciation of Jazz-fusion. Again, like in her previous outing, the work of arranger Tom Scott and his LA Express is highlighted while the album scored a #2 on Billboard's LP chart. "The Hissing Of Summer Lawns" was released in October of 1975 and met with mixed reaction. Clearly the album (#4 1975) was a elaborate collection of complex songs that included African rhythms while venturing into the stage of world music. Significantly, Joni Mitchell was no longer a Folk singer. This album underlined Mitchell's desire to expand and explore into new horizons but it was not without critics. Just about the time that Mitchell was about to lose some of her core audience with this seemingly uncharted course, she began to acquire new listeners who enjoyed the journey. During this phase, another key element entered into the mix of her schooled journeymen, the adventurous Jaco Pastorius (right) and his fretless bass. In November of 1976, the ever-restless Joni Mitchell released the "Hejira" album (BB chart #13) which prominently featured Jaco Pastorius and his spine-tingling lead bass runs. His style of playing was very important to Mitchell's sound and helped propel her to a new plateau. In an interview with Musician Magazine, Mitchell acknowledged his peculiar tones and claimed that "Jaco never played the root of a cord and had this unusual wide, fat swat of a sound" a tone that she craved for her songs. "Hejira" turned out to be a splendid album and struck the heart of many listeners while bearing her soul out-there for her audience. Songs like "Coyote" offered a return to Mitchell's confessional testimony of the growing conflicts of her romantic affairs (and break-ups) with a who's who in the music industry. Still, as the women's movement was gaining national attention, "Amelia" was Mitchell's contribution to the campaign while being an eye opener to a legend some had forgotten. Also on the album, "Furry Sings The Blues" was a touching story of a real down-and-out blues singer that she had paid a visit to in Memphis and shared a song about the dark experience. "Hejira" is a definitely a 5-Star classic album and highly recommended for the library of every music lover.

Mitchell's appreciation for Jazz rhythms continued while in 1977 the release of "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter" (BB #25) as she departs from her confessional style songwriting and enters new territory with her delivery. "Mingus" was her next work (BB #17 1979) and a collaboration with noted Jazz bass player Charlie Mingus prior to his death. Both albums sold well considering Jazz music generally doesn't reach chart positions of this nature. No small feat for Mitchell and certainly a testament to the steadfast support of her fans.

The Eighties decade produced four credible albums; "Shadows And Light" (BB #38 1980) which was a live album featuring Jazz-Rock guitarist Pat Metheny and the aforementioned bassist, Jaco Pastorius of Weather Report along with a cast of great musicians. A video from this concert tour was later released and highly recommended for music lovers. Yet, music critics were having a field day trying to dismantle Mitchell's musical journey while claiming her work was unadventurous and lacked depth. Questions lurked; Was she a Adult Alternative artist - a Pop Rock artist - or a Jazz Fusion artist? Of course, everyone's entitled to their own opinion but Mitchell refused to be pigeon holed into a senseless catagory and forged on with her musical journey. In 1982 Mitchell signed a multi-year contract with Geffen Records and released "Wild Things Run Fast" (BB #25). The label's debut album was met with popish reviews with her material being targeted as commercial. That year also marked an additional union for Joni Mitchell as she married her new bassist, Larry Klein. In October of 1985 "Dog Eat Dog" was released (BB #63) as the album was co-produced by high-tech wiz kid, Thomas Dolby. With Joni Mitchell's reluctance and David Geffen's insistance, Thomas Dolby weaved his magic on the album combined with a well-chosen guest appearance by Michael McDonald. On this album Mitchell's material notably shifted to the social issues of the day. Her final album of the decade was "Chalk Mark In A Rainstorm" (BB #46 1988) and featured a tasteful series of duets with Peter Gabriel ("My Secret Place"), Willie Nelson ("Water"), Billy Idol & Tom Petty ("Dancin Clown") and Don Henly ("Snakes And Ladders"). This noteworthy selection of songs were certainly a welcomed return to Mitchell's finer days as she radiated the positive on this memorable album. Not to mention she was happily in love during this time also.

Although it's hard to believe, especially with so many grand achievements at this stage for Joni Mitchell, but the Nineties decade proved to be the absolute grandest period of all. Listen to this; Mitchell's 16th album titled "Night Ride Home" (BB #41 1991) was praised by all music critics and album reviewers alike while being hailed as a return to the familiar form of her "Hejira" album. With hints of a career resurgence, in 1994 Mitchell released the well received "Turbulent Indigo" album (BB #47) that yeilded her second Grammy Award this time for the "Best Pop Album." A short time later she was awarded the prestigious honor of "Billboard's Century Award" which was perhaps an award long overdue. Closing out the decade in 1997, Joni Mitchell was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Certainly no walk in the park. Plus, from her haunted past, Mitchell was joyfully reunited with her daughter that she had reluctanly put-up for adoption during her younger years. Going into her 5th decade of public appearences, Mitchell began to wind-down her performance schedule and focus on her longtime love of painting by opening exhibitions held in London, New York and throughout her native homeland of Canada. She did however perform on several TV programs during this time and also a brief concert tour with Bob Dylan and Van Morrison. In the 21st Century Joni Mitchell recorded several albums yet it was becoming obvious that her vocal range had become limited as her singing became huskier. This issue Mitchell attributed to vocal nodules and a compressed larynx. Plus her longtime smoking habit was also rumoured as a contributing factor.

Mitchell's remaining album catalog; "Taming The Tiger" Sept. 1998, "Both Sides Now" Feb. 2000, "Travelogue" Nov. 2002, "The Beginning Of Survival" June 2004, "Dreamland" Sept. 2004, "Songs Of A Prairie Girl" April 2005, "Shine" Sept.2007 and several compilations of greatest hits albums.

Joni Mitchell's body of work stands completely alone in a musical catagory made of her own creation. She inventend sounds with her open-tuning guitar and introduced alternative metering never before heard in musical compositions. She produced or co-produced all her albums and provided her own photographs or paintings for album art. She has maintained control of her master recordings and music publishing from the very begining. Mitchell found contentment in staying ahead of the game with her complex arrangements and lush textured style which made her music sometimes undefined yet thrilling to experience. She strived to constantly recreate herself in every aspect of her work. Her artistic depth far exceeds her contemporaries as her poetry and philosophy captured the emotions of an entire generation. Her dexerity and grace always accompanied during her long and adventurous journey. She is regarded as one of the greatest singer/songwriters of all time.

The entire selection of Joni Mitchells albums, CD's, Videos and Books can be purchased by entering the Amazon.com website posted on THE PHOTOLOG's front page.

Photos credits; Henry Diltz, Joel Bernstein, Simon & Schuster Publicity, Rolling Stone Magazine, Wayne Perkins collection, Musician Magazine, MacLeans Magazine.

Joni Mitchell's website: http://jonimitchell.com/

Copyrighted story (c) Rauls Media LLC 2011 All Rights Reserved

Santa Claus' Prevailing Question...

2010-12-01T04:00:00.000-08:00

Despite denials from just about everyone, this past year has been about being "just a little bit naughty or a little bit nice." With equal parts to both, it's confession time for all as the new season approaches and we now prepare for the holidays. Hallelujah! The Photolog wishes all it's viewers a Seasons Greetings, Happy Hanuka, Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all. Look for us to return in January with a delightful new season of stories and photographs.

The ed.

A Marketing Ploy Featuring.. Creedence Clearwater Revival

2010-09-06T20:10:00.000-07:00

This is a story about a savvy marketing strategy that was conceived by a management team of a well-recognized record distributor. It takes place back in the days of the independent distribution battles and their territorial disputes. Now, as you probably know, the mention of an independent distribution battle or territorial dispute might not pop-up on the radar screen as an every day mainstream topic, but wait till you hear this doozy. This noteworthy account can be special to Pop-Culture and music enthusiast as it entails the release of a legendary album by one of the all-time greats of Rock N' Roll, Creedence Clearwater Revival.

If we turn back the clock to those glory years of rock, 1969 & 1970, this gambit takes place upon the release of Creedence Clearwater Revival's third album, "Green River." The group's previous two albums sold like hot cakes and established the band as the most popular rock band in America. Their record label, Fantasy Records, was based out of San Francisco and riding a wave of success created by this legendary Bay area band. Although Fantasy was not considered a major label at the time, CCR's popularity had catapulted the label into recent prominence. During this era most record labels depended upon the services of the independent record distributors to market their product. These distributors, or 'indies' as they were known, were located throughout the country and provided the regional muscle to merchandise product for the labels. A vast majority of the distributors were locally owned and not necessarily linked together other than housing many of the same record labels. As a matter of fact, and on many occasions, some of the indies would compete among themselves for business from the same accounts. At this particular level there was considerable revenue to be generated especially if you were the exclusive source providing the sale of a highly anticipated record album. And that's where this story of competitiveness begins.

The scene opens with two marketing mavericks, Hot Line Record Distributor's co-owner Jim Crudgington and General Manager, Dwight "Moon" Mullins, as they were discussing a game plan to capitalize on CCR's forthcoming summer release. Hot Line was a highly visible distributor located in Memphis, TN and serviced many Mid-South record stores, Five-and-Dimes, Head-Shops and Mom-and-Pop music shops. Hot Line's circle of influence combined with their aggressive strategies on Creedence's first two albums had connected the wholesale distributor with many of the retail stores in lieu of receiving this monumental new release. However, as with many successful campaigns, several of the regional distributors got wind of Hot Line's exclusive representation of Fantasy Records and aspired to get a piece of the action.

Word got back to Jim Crudgington that the smell of money was in the air as key accounts within his own back yard were being solicited for this album. Supported by these actions, Crudgington had to move fast. The good news was, Hot Line's long-standing association with Fantasy had established the distributor with a substantial credit line giving the company the green light to proceed with the status quo. On the other hand, any newcomers had to go through due-process by producing reputable financial sources to back them before engaging in the business at hand. This was common practice in the music industry and similar to producing a credit application for an newly established corporation. But in this case it required a considerable collateral backing to proceed in this agreement. Case being, if you wanted to participate in the distribution of this label, you better have strong financial backing. After all, Fantasy Records had developed a worthy catalog of artists and had sold tons of product. Plus, Creedence Clearwater Revival had become the hottest ticket item in America.

As the release date rapidly approached, Crudgington and Mullins had finalized their strategic plan. Supported with good timing and keen savvy, the twosome came up with the innovative idea to travel to the pressing plant that serviced the entire region. Stay with me here. Here's how it all came down. First, Crudgington and Mullins would journey by commercial airline to the city of Terra Harte, Indiana where the pressing plant was located. Second, they had made advance reservations to rent a huge 35 foot U-Haul truck where they would drive this vehicle to the pressing plant and back-up the truck to the loading dock. At that location they would time their arrival and wait for the precise moment that the plant would complete the pressing of the very first 25,000 copies of Creedence's "Green River" album. Third, their advance coordination with all parties allowed them to fully load the U-Haul truck to it's capacity while the phonographs records were freshly sealed in their album jackets. The unmarred vinyl were so pristine that you could still feel the warmth generated from the pressing process. Now that's a hot record.

Hold on, we're not through yet. Listen to this; Next, old "Crudgie" and "Moon" had alerted every single record shop in the region that they were in transit and on their way. Every one-stop record distributor, retail outlet and even the water-bed stores selling records were telephoned that Hot Line was coming to their town. This long extensive trip down the "Green River" highway featured literally dozens and dozens of cities and towns with stores anxiously awaiting their arrival with open arms. Some of the stores were actually serviced in the middle of the night as to accommodate the time frame allotted to them. Every friggin' music account in the region was drop-shipped from this rolling record distributor. The tires on the U-Haul were burning-up the highway and reaching stores located in Southern Indiana, Eastern Illinois, central Kentucky and throughout the state of Tennessee. All were serviced within a 52 hour period while within the next few days retail customers were standing in line and waiting at the counters to purchase this new Creedence Clearwater Revival album.

Back on the home front, when the good people working at the competing record distributors heard about this overnight caper, their mouths dropped open in disbelief. It appeared that while they were napping and dozing off in the middle of the night, cha-ching cha-ching was taking place in their own back yard. This all happened so quickly and without advance notice that some of those distributors in question actually still had their pen and applications in hand while delving in the process. Fantasy Records would go on to authorize several of those distributors awaiting approval but when the regional accounts were solicited for new business by their sales people, they were told their stores had already been serviced of product courtesy of Hot Line Distributors. Several days later when Hot Line's record buyer, June Colbert, contacted Fantasy Records to re-order a second allotment on the "Green River" album, a dumbfounded customer rep replied, "My God lady, what happened to the first 25,000 you ordered?"

The "Green River" album shot up the Billboard charts to the number #1 top position and achieved multi-platinum status. The album also produced multiple hit singles including "Green River" and "Bad Moon Rising" both peaking the singles chart at the number #2 position. Now in the 21st Century, and forty years later, all of these songs are still featured daily over the popular airwaves of modern music channels.

The moral of the story is, it seems guys like this no longer exist. Guys who roll-up their sleeves while facing a challenge and can not be denied. The truth of the matter is, this marketing scheme was not about spending a ton of money, it was about making a ton of money. Now days, huge advertising budgets combined with an entire regiment of workers would have been deployed into the region in an attempt to take care of these matters. But not with these two guys. They were just a couple of marketing mavericks doing what they do. They don't make'em like that anymore.

This story is dedicated to the memory of Jim Crudington (center) and Dwight Mullins (in rear). RIP.

A companion story about Creedence Clearwater Revival can be resourced by clicking-on; "The Stakes Are Rasied"

Copyright 2010 (c) Phillip Rauls - Rauls Media LLC - All rights reserved

Maybe It Wasn't My Time To Go

2010-08-16T12:01:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, a long time ago back when AM radio ruled the airwaves and music was on 45 RPM's, a very unusual thing happened to me one afternoon. It was a situation that I'll never forget as it changed my life forever. It was an awful scary moment and a very close call. Allow me to share this story.

It was the summer of 1969 and I was returning from my lunch break back to my job at STAX Records located at 926 E. McLemore in Memphis, TN. While driving down the freeway with the windows down and radio blasting the Mitch Ryder tune, "Devil In A Blue Dress," I was minding my own business and didn't have a worry in the world. I was getting ready to take the very next exit when I noticed a small boy standing on the approaching overpass and leaning over the bridge railing. He was little guy with his head and shoulders barely appearing above the railing. As my car advanced at a rapid pace, I began starring at this image through my windshield and noticed this kid suddenly lifting something very large over the railing and aiming to drop this projectile upon my car. To avoid catastrophe I quickly changed lanes yet the young boy still managed to hoist a heavy 4X6 wooden beam off the side of the overpass and heading downwards towards my moving vehicle. I had to think fast. Fearing death I quickly squinched my body into a ball and pressed hard against the door while expecting the worst. Crashing through the windshield at the speed of a rocket, an enormous wooden beam slammed through the glass. I thought I was dead.

The beam sliced through the glass like it was tissue paper. Glass cinders sprayed throughout the vehicle like buckshot being spewed from a shotgun. The projectile exploded through the thick windshield and into the passenger-side bucket seat and completely unhinged the bolted seat from floorboard. With the car traveling at freeway speed I managed to open my eyes and regain my senses. I struggled to bring the car to a stop and pulled over to the center median. Immediately I threw the car into park and turned-off the ignition. That's when I discovered fragments of glass were stuck in the corner of my eyes, embedded in my hair and the corner of my mouth while my ear canal was caked-up with splintered glass. Stunned by the event, I glanced around and it appeared that death had just missed me by an inch. Not believing what had just happened, I was mad as hell and wanted revenge.

With the car being stationary and parked in the center median, I jumped out from the vehicle and began to chase the little varmint who created this havoc upon my life. Running across the opposing side of the freeway with oncoming traffic slowing to catch a view, I weaved in-between cars in a desperate chase to catch the juvenile. I ran up the embankment but the youngster had a head start on me and sought shelter by running in-between houses and disappeared out of sight. As I stood in the backyard of an unfamiliar neighborhood, I feared of being out of my element and the blind possibility of being bated into a trap.

Completely exhausted after the chase and still trembling from the incident, I walked several blocks down McLemore Ave. and into the offices of STAX where I phoned police to report the accident. After making the call I walked back to my vehicle on the freeway to be interviewed by the police who had already arrived.

If a picture from the crime scene could tell a thousand words, the officers could plainly see the near-death encounter that I had experienced. As they were making out their reports, I was still shaking and removing glass splinters from my clothing. I shook my head in disbelief yet it was a scary thought as to what might have happened if I'd only caught the little boy. Perhaps cooler heads prevailed and a second crime was avoided. The officers listened intently and were compassionate to my story yet chalked the incident up to just another neighborhood crime. The police officers then called for a wrecker and offered to drive me to my destination.

As you can witness, this was not a pretty picture. It was an ugly occurrence and definitely a close call. Although this happened over forty years ago, I've often thought about the little boy who dropped the board through my windshield and racked my brain to wonder why. He couldn't have been more than seven or eight years old. I've imagined that maybe he was completing an initiation to join a street gang or something. Did someone dare him to do this? Maybe there were witnesses who were watching nearby and judging for approval. Perhaps it was a gang ritual. Who knows? Why would such a young person engage in this unjust behavior? Someone had to instruct him to perform this crime. Right? Or was he simply a poor misguided youth and acting independently while bored and wanting something to do? Had the young boy been caught, do you think that he could have explained his behavior? Those are the kind of questions that a police investigator or child physiologist might have demanded.

Moving on and wondering what can you do about such a meaningless crime? You gather your senses and just let it go. Perhaps we all have comparative stories about incidents that have almost taken our lives. It's human nature to want to share these close calls with others. Perhaps to unload the negative energy associated with the circumstances. Plus, it's good to educate others while sometimes our stories serve as a form of metamorphosis as we rid our soul of the experience. But sometimes these crimes are hard to forget. Sources tell me these incidents occur in our lives to serve like a wake-up call telling us that we need to reevaluate something. Like a reality check maybe. Plus, a near catastrophe can serve as a tipping point. It can be mother natures way of stopping us in our tracks and questioning our direction. I believe this to be true. Often I'm told by others that I should count my blessings as this accident could have been much worst. Point taken. I believe this is good advice. Now that I stop and think about it, I guess it really wasn't my time to go.

A famous quote by The Dalai Lama;

"Be kind whenever possible......

It is always possible."

Copyrighted story (c) and photographs by Phillip Rauls
2010 Rauls Media LLC - All rights reserved

Dalai Lama photo by unknown source

Best Summer Concert of 2010?

2010-07-28T18:00:00.000-07:00

Most everybody who embellishes the summer season remembers their vacation period by the great concerts which they attended. Seems this summer season has been packed with more major tours than recent years. Now days one must carefully pick-and-choose which shows to attend depending upon their budget. As most are aware, there's only so much entertainment dollars to go around. With concerts being so expensive and so many of our favorite artists coming to town, I'm shaking my piggy bank upside down trying to salvage all my bucks. But I don't mind telling you, just recently I attended one of the best concerts that I have ever witnessed. And you know what? After purchasing several tickets at a hefty price, the concert was worth every penny!

Without further ado, a concert billed as a 'double-headliner' show located at The Snoqualmie Casino just outside of Seattle featured two premier British Super groups, YES and Peter Frampton. Plus, it was an outside concert with a scenic backdrop of the beautiful Cascade Mountains. Man-oh-man! I was definitely in my own element and had to pinch myself for a reality check. Sitting in the ninth row and located dead center of the stage I was witnessing two of my all time favorites. Up first was the great Peter Frampton who opened the show. Yet, when he took the stage, my eyes literally popped-out of my head. It appeared that Peter Frampton wasn't the same image of the young superstar that I'd remembered from his classic album covers of the 70's. Somehow he looked a little different. The Peter Frampton that I'd remembered had this long shoulder-length blond hair and a huge boyish smile. But not any more. I had to study his appearance for a moment and try to re-adjust my premonition. Now in the 21th Century, it appeared that he still maintained the boyish smile but might have lost some of that long flowing blond hair. Not that there's anything wrong with it of course. Yet with all things considered, that was over 30 years ago and it seemed I was still time-locked into that dated vision. Much has transformed from that era and now that I think about it, I wasn't the same-looking yokel from the 1970's either. So there you go. After making that rude adjustment and putting the time changes into proper perspective, I was back on the same page as one of the great rock stars of all time, Mr. Peter Frampton.

Frampton's performance was filled with loud roars from the audience and flawless versions of his catalog including; "Show Me The Way," "Lines On My Face," "Baby, I Love Your Way" and the timeless hit, "I Can't Stand It No More." Peter Frampton's backup group was superb and included Seattle band member Dan Wojciechowski. But when Frampton performed the homegrown classic, "Black Hole Sun" originally sung by Soundgarden, the crowd responded with a mammoth applause. Frampton's charm could be felt in every seat as he made the connection by telling stories between each song. He spoke of the recent flood in Nashville which destroyed all his band's equipment and how special this tour was to assemble after experiencing such a major set-back. Throughout his commanding performance Peter Frampton flashed his pearly whites and displayed a remarkable sparkle in his eyes that could be viewed all the way to the back row. After his performance, he mingled backstage with YES band members as seen here with long time friend and associate YES drummer, Alan White.

As the afternoon proceeded, the sun began to set behind the mountains and a cool summer breeze cast itself across the arena. It was almost like the nice weather had been choreographed while rescuing the audience from a hot afternoon scorcher. Silence began to spread through the audience as the stage lights went down. Softly in the background the YES theme song began to play as people scrambled from the aisles and into their seats. Taking the stage were veterans of over 40 yeas in the music business and the undisputed pioneers of the Progressive-Rock movement...YES. From my viewpoint I was thrilled beyond comparison as I had worked with the band dating back to the late 60's and early 1970's. To me this was somewhat of a homecoming as I had developed a longstanding friendship with band members over the years. This concert brought that bond full-circle and I was anxious to make a connection with band members and their music. Seen here are legendary YES drummer, Alan White & myself, Phillip Rauls former Atlantic Records Artist Relations & Regional Promotional Manager.

In looking back, perhaps no other band has remained as consistent and true to their music while touring the globe like the group YES. Their music has been coined everything from Classical-Rock to Art-Rock to Symphonic Rock to Prog. Yet all categories aside, their songs have always gone through a series of complex changes which, in itself, is precisely what's so appealing about their music. Although the band has released over 50 record and video albums, not always have they made radio friendly records. Sometimes the band's compositions were very lengthy while making airplay difficult. But there was always an Atlantic A&R executive available to edit their songs into shorter versions to accommodate radio demands and receive desired airplay. In the early 70's when popular music was transitioning from dance music into music for the astute listener, YES broke all the traditional rules while their melodic sounds stimulated the mind rather than activating the libido. As a former Memphis Music promoter, marketing the band sometimes got rather adventurous as converting that mindset to the broadcast media was an uphill battle. At times I was chastised while carrying that banner and told to grab a number and stand in line. But YES continued to produce outstanding albums while touring the U.S. relentlessly. As mainstream radio evolved from hammering away with leftover hits from yesterday...I was knocking on their door while lobbying for airplay with brand new albums by the up-and-coming newcomer...YES.

Back to the YES concert at the Snoqualmie Casino and much to the delight to the audience, the band opened with their powerhouse songs, "Yours Is No Disgrace," and "And You And I," and "Perpetual Change," and "Roundabout" and "Starship Trooper" followed with "I've Seen All Good People" while never missing a beat. The lighting and sound were superb as the crowd cheered with overwhelming approval. The current band lineup sported a new look while joining original YES members, Chris Squire (seen below), Steve Howe and Alan White. New at keyboards was Oliver Wakeman, the son of longtime keyboardist Rick Wakeman. Missing from this current tour was original vocalist Jon Anderson who was at home suffering from respiratory problems. On this summer tour of 2010, Anderson was replaced by perhaps the band's next generation singer, Canadian Benoit David. We certainly hope Jon Anderson recovers from his complications and returns with the band at some point as he is a crowd favorite. Yet, take nothing away from enormous talent of Benoit David as he preformed admirably in Anderson's absence. Considering the extreme difficulty of singing the high-pitched notes combined with the complicated changes set by Anderson's vocal legacy, newcomer Benoit David nailed every pitch and sang with impeccable precision. And that accomplishment is certainly not an easy task. On the traditional YES standards such as "Owner Of A Lonely Heart" and "Heart Of The Sunrise," Chris Squire's Rickenbacker bass slid into unison with Steve Howe's precision guitar as talented drummer Alan White provided a polished beat.

This performance was the last show of their North American Summer tour. It was my dream come true to witness both Peter Frampton and YES on the same ticket during this phase in their careers. While glancing around the audience, I noticed there was a wide ranging age group that appeared to be spellbound with this performance. Most were dressed in shorts and sandals while others were browsing at the concession stand and purchasing YES posters and Frampton's new CD titled, "Thank You Mr. Churchill." Respectfully, I can truly say that both Peter Frampton and YES epitomizes the essence of an authentic and genuine rock group. Not once during either performance did I hear band members spew-out political hatred. There was no vulgar behavior. None of the performers were covered with head-to-toe body art. No pierced-nostrils or eyelids. No cursing. No drug lingo. Just pure love songs & I miss you songs from two of Rock's finest. From my perspective, this was absolutely the best summer concert of 2010. I hope you agree.

Pictured above: Phillip Rauls and Chris Squire of YES.

Copyrighted (c) story and photos by Rauls Media LLC - All Rights Reserved

Photolog Quiz ~ Name the Celebrity

2010-06-27T19:30:00.000-07:00

Hello Boys & Girls. Prepare yourselves for a stimulating mental exercise. In this contest you'll rack your brain to recognize the correct name of the American icon. It's easy to play. Just roll-up your sleeves and sharpen your pencil and match the name to the photo. Go ahead, test you skills while having fun. Be the first one on your block to participate in this crock. The answers are posted in the bottom of this posting and they might surprise you. Here's a chance to win big. Contest winners will receive all expense paid cruises aboard the luxury vessel The Octane Onslaught sailing in the murky waters of The Gulf of Molasses. Contest rules apply worldwide with exception to The Vatican where somehow they seem to have their own set of rules. Participants may enter unlimited entries because our current administration has created an entitlement society that supports the brazen disregard of conventional rules anyway. Canadians may enter also only if they promise not to mention the word, Hockey. Okay. Is everybody ready? Let's name the Celebrity!

Contestant Number 1.

A. Nick Jonas
B. Donny Osmond
C. Leonardo DiCaprio
D. Les Paul
E. Jeff Beck's replacement

Contestant Number 2.

A. DJ Alan Freed
B. Louis Armstrong
C. Donald Trump
D. Gatemouth Brown
E. Carla Thomas' father

Contestant Number 3.

A. Bonnie Parker
B. Patty Hearst
C. Helen Of Troy
D. Miley Cyrus
E. Hanoi Jane

Contestant Number 4.

A. Gene Simmons
B. David Crosby
C. George Carlin
D. Bill Clinton
E. Father of Relativity

Contestant Number 5

A. Oprah Winfrey
B. Dolly Parton
C. Texas and Alaska
D. Tracy Lords
E. The Queen Of Soul

Contestant Number 6.

A. Bobby Darin and Wayne Newton
B. Brooks and Dunn
C. Pete and Repeat
D. Spanky and Alfalfa
E. Old Blue Eyes and Blue Suede Shoes

Contestant Number 7.

A. The Shoe Bomber
B. Robert Downy Jr.
C. Lawrence of Arabia
D. Timothy McVeigh
E. The Killer

Contestant Number 8.

A. Amelia Earhart and Howard Hughes
B. Penny Marshall and Rob Riner
C. Sonny and Cher
D. Sandra Bullock and Jesse James
E. Joni and Jack

Contestant Number 9.

A. Lou Reed and Conan O'Brien
B. Johnny Cash and Iggy Pop
C. Siegfried and Roy
D. Richard Petty and Calvin Klein
E. Bob Zimmerman and Ziggy Stardust

Contestant Number 10.

A. Bob Marley
B. Tommy Chong
C. Abby Hoffman
D. Vladimir Lenin
E. All of the above

Congratulations! You have successfully completed The Photolog's Celebrity Quiz. The correct answer to all the questions is...

Answer selection "E"

Elvis at STAX Recording Studio

2010-05-31T20:18:00.000-07:00

True story. The year was 1973 and Elvis Presley along with the executive team at RCA Records came up with the innovative idea to produce an album recorded in the epicenter of soul music, STAX Records. Elvis had a deep appreciation for gospel and soul music dating back to his early days as a youth. Plus, his 1969 recordings at Chips Moman’s American Sound Studio in Memphis was a huge success while producing several of his biggest chart busting singles. But now, recording still another album under similar circumstances would enable him to further tap into his roots. This presented an added opportunity to record an album at a studio known worldwide for the development of soul music. On paper this looked like an outstanding idea. Yet, as the story proceeds, you be the judge.

Just about everyone who has ever lived in Memphis during that time has their own individual stories of brief glimpses of The King. Either it be a sighting at a Cadillac dealer or Lansky Brothers Clothing store or maybe coming out of the Memphian Theater late at night after one of his private viewing parties. Occasionally he was seen while riding his Harley Davidson on North Parkway Blvd. Yet, while Elvis was considered the prodigal son of Memphis, most of his studio albums were recorded in Nashville. With that being established and make no mistake, getting him to commit to record an album at STAX was a very big deal. As the sessions preceded there were whispers around the studio about his arrival. Reason being, it was known factor that Elvis had the reputation for sometimes not showing up for work. Everyone locally was keeping their fingers crossed for him to keep his commitment. Significantly, STAX president Jim Stewart was gleaming with pride over the forthcoming sessions and helped organize the security clearance for all the people involved. At the time I worked for STAX and coordinated the Pop Music Development at the soul label. With rumors being circulated, I wanted to be engaged in company business and received numerous phone calls inquiring about his arrival. Although I had never been an avid Elvis fan, I had enormous respect for his accomplishments. Needless to say, Elvis brought lots to the table while I was curious as to the outcome. There had been suggestions that Duck Dunn, Al Jackson Jr, Bobby Manuel and the Memphis Horns were invited to participate. But as with many of Elvis' ongoing activities, there was a vow of secrecy around these recordings. Jim Stewart obviously had personal clearance to attend the sessions however he was not the type to interface with all the madness. It was a known among associates that Stewart preferred a controlled atmosphere and shied from activities outside his comfort zone. Barring any last minute changes, Stewart offered his VIP guest badges to his secretary-receptionist while giving his second clearance badge to me.

The recording sessions routinely began in the evenings being The King was a nocturnal creature and only came out after dark. Around 10 PM on a Monday night I arrived at the McLemore Ave studio and discovered the rear parking lot was completely full. With no space available I proceeded down College Street in search of a parking spot. But all the curb sites were also taken and I had to settle on parking on the next street over. This South Memphis neighborhood was known for high crime and definitely not the ideal location to leave your automobile unattended after dark. Plus, several years prior I had encountered a dangerous incident at the rear of the STAX building whereas I had been accosted by the notorious neighborhood thug known as ‘Football.’ This guy was a nuisance and known for jumping out at people and demanding money or their jewelry. Man, I was so scared of the unexpected that I ran down the sidewalk until I reached the gated area of STAX. Whew! Tough neighborhood.

To enter the gates I showed my employee I.D. badge while the STAX security guards allowed me to proceed inside the parking area. But wait a minute. Once inside, I could not believe what I was seeing. The parking lot was completely full of three huge 40 foot trailers parked next to the studio entrance. While stopping in my tracks I noticed that the trailers had RCA logo’s displayed across their rear doors. As I scanned the lot I noticed enormous cables and wires strung from the trailers and running into the rear entrance of the building and down the hall into the recording studio. I thought to myself, “What kind of deal is this?” My curiosity was high so I took a quick look inside the trailer and there sitting at a mixing board was an engineer who was apparently channeling the sound from inside the recording studio and directly back into the mobile recording unit. Okay, so now I get it. It’s was the RCA soundboard on wheels and it appears they’re not even using the STAX sound equipment from within the studio. It made me wonder if the RCA recording crew were even using the STAX studio microphones. In spite of the entire process of coming to Memphis to record an album at STAX, they were only using the ambiance of the studio to produce whatever results accomplished. Dang! How cheesy is that?

Once I'd recovered from that stunning revelation, I entered the building into Jim Stewart’s office located just inside the rear entrance. His secretary arrived several hours prior and had already encountered The King and his entourage. She was giddy from her experience and excited to share a nice little ditty about Elvis. She spoke of Elvis temporarily stopping the recording session earlier because he wanted to watch Monday Night Football on TV. Only problem was there wasn’t a television in the entire building. That's when a member of the road crew was sent out on a mission to purchase a TV large enough for all to view. Stewart’s office was conveniently selected for the football viewing party being there was a wet bar there and utilized for dispensing liquid refreshments. Stewart’s secretary went on to add to her story, “It was a good old boy party.” By the time I had arrived, the game was over but the room was still thick with smoke. Although Elvis was never publicly aligned with being a smoker, somehow there was a steady trail of Tiparillo butts left behind in his wake. So, after several hours delay to view the great American pastime, NFL Football, the recording sessions proceeded.

As the sessions clock ticked-on into the night, Elvis returned to the studio to TCB. As Elvis cleared his throat and approached the vocal mike, he paused for a moment and appeared confused. He looked around while deciding that the mood inside the room just wasn’t right. That’s when he suggested to pause the recording session while complaining of the bright lights overhead. He demanded that someone please remove the bright lights in the ceiling light fixtures. Elvis said the glare was annoying him and they needed to be replaced with colored light bulbs as to reflect a more creative mood. Groovy man. The King has spoken. So, the session was stopped again, this time a union custodian was brought in and consulted with the lighting options. That’s when a decision was reached by the brain trust of engineers, musicians and of course the lighting expert...the custodian. Considering the circumstances, the ceiling of the STAX Recording Studio was at least 25 + feet high as the building originally housed an old movie theatre. To remedy the situation, a long extension ladder was required to reach the ceiling and replace the bulbs, which, by the way, had to be sought out and purchased in the middle of the night. Not the easiest of task. Ever tried searching for 25 colored light bulbs in South Memphis under those circumstances?

It gets worse. After a long delay just to create an artistic vibe within the studio, the session resumed. Now inside the recording studio there were cool blue lights draping down the walls. The atmosphere was like being on stage at The Metropolitan Opera during a dramatic love scene. But wait, something was still wrong. As the musicians plugged-in their instruments and the back-up singers approached their microphones, suddenly there was a silence about the room. That’s when Elvis walked in the vocal booth and noticed the very same thing. It appeared the entire studio had become so dimly lit that no one could read the sheet music or printed lyrics. Heavens forbid. What now?

The session stopped once again while the custodian was called back and instructed to change the lights back to the original bulbs.

Imagine the site of dozens of musicians impatiently sitting around in their chairs while occasionally glancing at the watches. All while losing a good buzz.

Meanwhile, back in Jim Stewart’s office, I had become bored and very comfy while lying on the couch. I began to yawn and nod when all of a sudden...Elvis appeared in the doorway. I immediately leaped from the couch and startled him. Suddenly The King froze in his tracks as apparently not recognizing a familiar face within in the confines of his personal football lounge. That's when Elvis whisked his long black cape across his body and walked out the doorway. About that time, the sound of an army of footsteps came marching down the hallway as The King and his cronies were departing the building after deciding to call it a night.

EPILOGUE: As mentioned earlier, somehow everyone from Memphis seems to have their very own Elvis story. And now I have mine. My story might not be the most flattering of stories but as some would say...at least I have a story. Not much was said about those recordings after Elvis departed. I returned to Jim Stewart's studio office numerous times after that occasion. Believe it or not, the TV purchased for that single viewing event remained sitting there in his office for several years. No one ever came back and claimed the darn thing. After that recording, only once would Elvis venture back inside a recording studio to record an album. His final studio work was at Quadraphonic Sound Studio in Nashville in April of 1975. Oh yes, about the status of the STAX sessions, an album did come out years later but in the raw form and titled "Follow That Dream" and widely considered as an inferior recording. I often hear music fans complaining about records companies not releasing the material of an artist despite what an exuberant fan might view as a potential goldmine. To them I say, there is enormous volatility in the music business and sentimentality does not sell records. These STAX sessions are a perfect example of why record companies and recording artists are opposed to releasing "can" material that has been scrapped.

Copyrighted story (c) Rauls Media LLC 2010 All rights reserved Duplication prohibited

McLemore-College street photo; (c) Scott Stegenga

Dinosaur image; (c) Gary Larson

Color Photos Captured............ Somewhere Along The Way

2010-04-19T12:30:00.000-07:00

The impulse of snapping pictures can produce many different and unusual images. Such as nature shots, sports photography and news journalism just to name a few. I have friends who enjoy taking pictures of sports car rallies while others who prefer shooting landscapes. Somehow I'm caught in the middle and treasure photographs that tell a story or reflect unique circumstances. Especially if the image puts the viewer in the photographer's shoes. Their view can sometimes be the angle we completely missed. Either it be a professional photographer or a amateur, the art of capturing the moment and showing it off is indeed a treasure to behold. From my perspective, to be a good photographer you don't need lots of expensive equipment or a big studio located on main street. With today's technology all you need to capture that special picture is to simply be a Johnny on the spot with a decent camera and a passion for the art. Although I never had a photo on the cover of Life Magazine, I did however, have photos published in various publications. Heck, now that I think about it, all I ever had when taking photographs was a bit of luck, some good timing and the balls to produce the outcome. Moving away from our regular theme of pop archives and the music business for a moment, this posting features color photos from THE PHOTOLOG'S library dating all the way back to the early years and bringing us to current times. At the top of the page is a prime example of the spontaneous impulse photographers can have when seeing a photo opportunity. It's a picture taken in 1976 while staying at a hotel in Toronto. Here inside my room and hanging from the ceiling is a globe shaped lighting fixture that offered a mirrored reflection. Somehow I captured this Dalhi-styled photo resulting in a fish-eyed self-portrait which I have titled, "Watching Big Brother."

Below are a sampling from THE PHOTOLOG's gallery all while being captured...Somewhere Along The Way.

Displayed here is a statue of distinctive form and photographed at The St. Louis Art Museum. Located in the plush greenery of the city's Forest Park, here lies a museum with many exhibits ranging from ancient artifacts to 20th Century modern art. I was fortunate to capture this photo whereas now days most museum's do not allow cameras inside their facilities. This sculpture was captured in a room of undiffused light and without a flash. Notice the fine lines in the scales of the reptile skin plus the attention to detail in the male figure from head to toe. I welcome viewers who might recognize this fine piece to identify the statue's name and it's creator. This photo was taken with a Canon 35mm SLR using 400 speed film.

This is one of my favorites as it was taken on a crowded backstreet in Paris. Standing here in 1971 are a group of young school children dressed in their sharp blue uniforms while stopping at a curbside vendor selling fresh pastries. In the background is their school teacher stopping for a chat with the people passing by. Parked directly between them appears to be a Austrian-built Puch moped that was a popular means of transportation in Europe at the time. Taken with my dependable old Yoshika 35mm that had an automatic light meter built-inside the camera.

Here's another one of my favorites as it reveals jellyfish whirling around in a tank with natural light colors. This radiant photo appears almost to be in high definition and taken in 2007 at the Churaumi Aquarium in Okinawa, Japan. These bell-shaped jellyfish are free-swimming marine coelenterates while having characteristics of gelatinous tentacles. This photo was taken with newly purchased Panasonic Lumux 12X optical zoom. These cute little pink creatures look so friendly that I wanted to just stick my hand down inside the tank and stroke them. Not.

As some of you already noticed, I have an affinity for shooting sunsets. And in my neighborhood they electrify the sky almost every evening. In Northwestern Washington, about half way between Vancouver, B.C. and the city of Seattle, there is something about the positioning of this geographic location boosting the climate circumstances to produce radiant sunsets. And from this location I've taken a few photographs. As a matter of fact, I've taken so many from this exact location that my computer hard drive probably has over a zillion sunsets. In the lower background is the mountain range known as The Olympics located on The Olympic Peninsula. At a distance in the bottom of the photo is Whidbey Island and The Saratoga Passage. Taken again with my digital Panasonic Lumux 12X zoom.

Here's a capricious couple of misfits commonly known as double trouble, or, two little stinkers, or...the terrible twins. And that's what I call them on good days. Just kidding. It's a light-spirited photo from 1976 of a pajama-clad boy named Jon-Eric and a miniature Schnauzer known as Ahmet. Now seriously, who would name their dog Ahmet? This photo was taken with my long time camera companion, a Canon 35-175mm SLR that I purchased second-hand and used exclusively for more than 10 years.

While beach combing in San Clemente, CA last year, I came across this picturesque piece of driftwood lying in the sand. As I looked at it's unusual shape for a moment, I thought it resembled a bonsai tree that was caught in a violent windstorm. Shaped by mother nature, I couldn't take my eyes off this piece. I was so captured by this driftwood that I ended-up carrying it around for almost an hour until I decided to photograph it for posterity sake. This photo was snapped with my wife's pocket size Pentax Optio A10 digital camera.

There's something about the majesty of a mountain that gives it power over the natural forces in it's surroundings. Photographed many miles from it's base and located in northern California's Cascade Range, here stands Mount Shasta towering above all at 14,162 feet high. This popular scenic location for tourist offers fishing and boating, camping, biking & hiking, skiing and of course taking pictures of beautiful surroundings.

Appearing in postcard form, here's a photograph which I am very proud. Taken with a Minolta Maxxum 3000i with 70mm lens, I took this photo while flying over Manhattan after a weekend visit with friends in Dover, Massachusetts. The year was 1992 and I was very fortunate to capture a view of city from this elevation. It was an unusually clear day when suddenly before my eyes the moment appeared to snap a picture. The aircraft flaps were in a downward position as we were on our decent into the Kennedy Airport. That's when I captured this beauty of The Twin Towers standing in it's almighty glory. Now as I look back and study this photo, I think about the absence of this monumental structure and wonder why someone would want to destroy it. God Bless America.

Additional original photos may be viewed at Flickr site; PHILLIP'S LENS

Pt.3 Remembering Jimmy Griffin

2010-03-02T20:30:00.000-08:00

This is the conclusion of a three part story titled, Remembering Jimmy Griffin. Please refer to previous postings for continuing storyline.

Upon leaving the group Bread in 1974, Jimmy Griffin's longtime career goal of being a solo artist began to manifest itself when he signed with international giant Polydor Records. Recognizing that solo careers were not built in a single day, Griffin prepared to enter still another phase in his ambitious course. Now with a new record label, he hoped to ride a wave of success with a fresh batch of female targeted songs released on his self titled album, "James Griffin."

A second album on Polydor produced even more of his soft rock compositions. Why not? After all, Jimmy Griffin could have written the book on love songs. Griffin would release two fine albums on Polydor yet despite the fact both albums being well produced and marketed globally, the music industry was an unpredictable business. After several single releases from both albums, rational logic seemed nil as Griffin's songs failed to produce the fruit expected from his efforts. For whatever reasons for this lack of chart success, his determination did not waver while his spirit grew stronger. But Griffin's next endeavor would be his boldest undertaking to date with a task far more challenging than just making an new record album.

In spite of Jimmy Griffin's many successful years of living in sunny Los Angeles, by the early 1980's he had decided to move back to his hometown of Memphis, TN. But this valiant move makes you wonder what lured him back to a musical city that seemed to have lost it's luster. Considering STAX Records had recently closed it's doors with many of the area's key players and songwriters having moved out of the area, what could Griffin have been thinking? As with many industries leaders, it's a well-known factor that top-notched professionals need their equivalent to push themselves competitively while having to stay on top of their game. Considering Griffin's storied career as a very accomplished session musician, songwriter and recording artist, this move went against conventional wisdom. Yet looking back, the following thoughts must have played into the picture. By now Griffin had entered into a different phase of his life considering he was presently married and raising two young children. From his years with BREAD he had made sound investments with his royalties while still receiving music publishing residuals. Maybe at the time Griffin just wanted to plant both feet on solid ground and regroup. Perhaps he just wanted his children to be raised in a balanced environment and far removed from the entertainment mecca of Hollywood. You can't blame him for that. It takes a very smart, insightful person to realize when it's time to put the past behind him and move on. Maybe it was time for him to enjoy all the accolades he so richly deserved.

But Griffin wasn't the type to sit on his hands as he still had a few tricks up his sleeve. Upon relocating he spent no time resting and immediately began knocking on doors of the area's rich offering of recording studios in search of breeding grounds for a writer's environment. Within a short period, his investigation paid off as he had found an innovative location to hang his creative hat, The Daily Planet - Shoe Recording Studio. Located just three blocks from his residence in the upscale neighborhood of Hyde Park in mid-town Memphis, Griffin was ready to begin a new recording project. At the time, I was operating a promotion and marketing service from the recording facilities to be used for the sessions. It was at that very moment when I first became captured by the power of Griffin's gravitational force. With the top local musicians booked for the occasion, this time Griffin's recording project was paired with another seasoned veteran, the former vocalist and guitarist from The Hollies, Terry Sylvester.

Terry Sylvester was gifted with enormous talent having been a major contributor in the movement known worldwide as The British Invasion with dozens of monster hits by The Hollies. He was also a member of an early Merseybeat pop band, The Swinging Blue Jeans, a British rock group who had the hit, "The Hippy-Hippy-Shake." Sylvester's vocal range complimented Griffin's unique pitch while also being a resourceful songwriter himself. Pictured here are (L-R) Phillip Rauls, Terry Sylvester and Jimmy Griffin while all smiles as the sessions produce an infusion of multiple sounds coming from a smattering of influences. The album titled, "Griffin Slyvester" was well packaged and released internationally on Polydor Records. Yet for some unexplained reasons, at the time the album was not released in the U.S. marketplace. Despite those circumstances, domestic airplay still existed in certain markets. In any event, aside from all the recent changes in Jimmy Griffin's life, changes were indeed a frequent dynamic which took place throughout his career. But it was during this period that even more change would prevail, this time rather unsuspectingly as Griffin would stumble upon the true love in his life. And this all came about as Griffin met his future wife within the confines of these very recording sessions.

Griffin, now in his mid-40's and sounding better every day, releases a single on a small independent Memphis label named SHOE Records with a song titled, "Lonely Girls" B/W "Heartbeat." The plug side was written by reputable writers John Paul Daniel and Swain Schaefer as the song allowed Griffin to continue working while he sorted-out answers to his family matters. Although the song was a local hit and peaked within a few months, it became painfully obvious that Griffin was looking down the road and considering his next move.

Jimmy Griffin's next project was in 1985 when he briefly ventured back to the West coast and teamed-up with ex-Eagles Randy Meisner and vocalist Billy Swan to form the trio named Black Tie. Their effort produced one LP "When The Night Falls" while being produced by T-Bone Burnett. But the album was released on a small label and lacked the marketing muscle of say, an Elektra or Polydor Records, two of Griffin's previous labels. Despite the album going mostly unnoticed, the single from the album titled, "Learning The Game" peaked at #59 on Billboard's country chart.

Griffin's next strategy proved to be a winner when he began pitching his tunes in the modern-day breeding grounds for singer-song writers, Nashville, TN. This was a more likely place for him and his new wife to settle as he felt right at home in this laid-back environment. Here he teamed with singer Rick Yancy and Richard Mainegra to form The Remingtons. Their union produced the noted albums, "Blue Frontier" and "Aim for the Heart" on an RCA distributed label. Their single release "A Long Time Ago" made it into the coveted Top 10 of Billboard's country chart. In 1992 a second single titled, "Two-Timin' Me" broke into the Billboard's Top 20. At last, Jimmy Griffin had found the right fit...both personally and professionally. Plus, he was back on the charts again.

In 1997 there was a BREAD reunion tour which brought members back together again for a swan song. Now in his 50's, Griffin's appearance was as youthful as ever while still being the centerpiece for the band. Plus, he'd never sounded better in his entire life. Rhino Records released a repackaged Best of Bread album that Jimmy Griffin was very proud. He remarked to me that now twenty five years after the band's break-up they were still experiencing chart success and worldwide notoriety. And he was right.

Sadly, on January 11th, 2005, Jimmy Griffin passed away after a six-month battle with cancer. To the very end, he still was writing songs and eagerly following music industry trends.

EDITORS PERSPECTIVE: This is a story that is special to me. It's not often that I want to go down this particular road and recall events while putting together a story of this nature. As you have it, I considered Jimmy Griffin to be a very good friend and it's not easy to write about my friend in the past tense. Plus, it's difficult to summarize his extensive career in only three postings. Sometimes I'm remarked that civic leaders in his own hometown would award accolades to every chittlin-circuit headliner and garage band flame-out while ignoring the scores of accomplishments in Jimmy Griffin's distinguished career. To put in perspective, Jimmy Griffin has been awarded more gold records than some artists have gained mere chart records. Reflecting back to the 80's, Griffin and I traveled together on business trips numerous times. From my perspective, Griffin had a music insider's knowledge with an outsider's understanding. I suspect that he was determined to prove there was life after BREAD. Hell, I would too. And yes, we experienced a few struggles together. We did some soul-searching excercises together as something you'd expect from a person searching for the best avenue of redemption. The music business can have that effect on a person. More recently, Griffin and I talked over the phone when possible. On occasions, we'd correspond through the mail by sending tapes and photographs. I can tell you first hand, Jimmy dearly loved his family and treasured the opportunity of sharing his music with people. That was the kind of person he was. On occasions I could sense an aura of an angelic nature about his presence. He had the combination of God given talent, self-confidence and assurance to see it through. I think the mantra of what Jimmy Griffin lived by was all about wanting to achieve the highest levels of accomplishments. Yet, the question isn't why Griffin would push himself so hard to reach those goals. It's, why not? He's the only person I know who can actually say that they had won an Oscar. That's a remarkable achievement. But he didn't brag about anything or even mention his accomplishments. He wasn't the type to say he was bigger or better than others. He was a very unassuming person and I was deeply honored to be his friend. Jimmy Griffin was the cat's meow.

Pictured in his hotel room in 1984 at The Plaza Hotel in New York, here Jimmy Griffin closes a music publishing deal while relaxing in the open breeze of his window. (c) Phillip Rauls

Pt.2 Remembering Bread's Jimmy Griffin

2010-02-01T14:02:00.000-08:00

This is the second of a three part story on music legend Jimmy Griffin. Please refer to previous posting for continuing storyline.

Webster's Dictionary defines the word BREAD as; Food in general, shaped into loaves, and baked. Something that nourishes. A staple food made of flour and regarded as necessary for sustaining life.

However, in slang terms or hip phrasing, BREAD has a completely different meaning such as; The results of earning a days work. A means of support. A depiction of paper money. Moola. Jack. Greenbacks. Cash.

Yet in my humble opinion, the term BREAD significantly refers to none other than, James A. Griffin and Company. By that I mean he was the catalyst who precipitated forming the group. If we turn back the clock to the year 1968, and by industry standards, Jimmy Griffin was already considered a veteran. Prior to the formation of BREAD he had written dozens and dozens of songs for other artists. In 1970, Griffin co-wrote the lyrics for "For All We Know," featured in the film Lovers and Other Strangers. The song won the Academy Award for Best Song. Plus, Griffin had numerous singles released on himself in addition to the individual credit of having a solo album under his belt also (see previous posting). But without the notoriety of being an artist with a hit record to his favor, Griffin was still virtually an unknown artist. That's when Griffin decided to pool his resources with two LA session men and songwriters, David Gates and Rob Royer, and form a new group named Pleasure Faire. Although the group was not a commercial success, their album established a penchant for their next artistic phase. At that point the threesome formed BREAD while it was with the intention that all parties would participate in the songwriting, vocal harmonies and production and Griffin and Gates would share lead vocals. To accurately set the stage, it was a time the country was sharply divided over the Viet Nam War while anachronism spread the surface like a prairie fire. Protest songs filled the airwaves while leather sandals filled the streets. When Jac Holzman of Elektra Records signed Griffin's new group BREAD to a artists contract, nobody knew what to expect as they were an untested band having to release a new record during a period of chaos and uncertainty. It was the era of Beat writers when Rock critics loved to line-up and tee-off on bands of this nature. Elektra Records had experienced recent success with the psychedelic group Love and huge albums by The Doors. This contributed to the LA based company moving beyond the reputation of being a small folk music label with new found creditability. But to say the least, it was not the ideal time to release a new album by a unknown group who sang...pretty love songs.

Breads first album in 69 was the self-titled album released in a well-saturated rock market. The album cover depicted pictures of band members placed on paper currency. Yet, here's where the story of their album reaches a very unorthodox twist. At the time Rolling Stone Magazine held considerable clout with record buyers and the publication ran a review written by Lester Bangs, one of their leading music critics. Bangs had the fevered reputation of giving out supportive compliments to rock bands like tossing man-hole covers through windshields. But remarkably, the reviewer boldly stated that BREAD should be compared to the Beatles, Byrds, Bee Gees and Buffalo Springfield. He went on to say, "Make no mistake, kids, this album is no synthetic bullshit. The three boys in the group wrote all their songs, and we're proud of them." Bangs continued, "They also played all their own instruments, everything from guitars to recorders to Moogs, and their lyrics have the simple eloquence of all folk poetry. A highly refined amalgam of the sweetest, most successful elements in both rock and country. Bread's songs are mostly about love and just good old rock and roll, but they have not shut their eyes to all the misery and injustice in the world. Buy this album today. You're sure to get your money's worth: twelve highly polished numbers, just like a years supply of hit singles. A new incarnation of images you'll love forever." Lester Bangs - Rolling Stone Magazine

Gasp! Somebody please pass me the oxygen mask. Here's a journalist so outspoken with opinions that he stirs his coffee with the pen of Hunter S. Thompson. And now he's raving about the group? Go figure. But the flattering review in Rolling Stone seemed to set a distinct tone for the band's forthcoming success. And listen to this, several months later Bread's debut single, "It Don't Matter to Me" peaked on Billboard pop singles chart at #10. An absolutely incredible start for a new group under these unusual circumstances!

Drummer Mike Botts would join the band on their second album while Larry Knechtel would come on board at bass and keyboards shortly afterwards. The next few years Bread would experience remarkable heights with a string of huge Billboard hit singles. By the 70's they were releasing monster hits like a Gatling gun spews-out lead. Their second album produced several gold singles such as their number #1 hit, "Make It With You." Other hits were, "It Don't Matter To Me," peaking at #10, "If," reaching to #4, "Baby, I'm-a Want You," at #3, "Everything I Own," at #5, and "Guitar Man," reaching #11. Their highly accredited album catalog lists the following titles; "On The Water," "Manna," "Guitar Man," "Lost Without Your Love," "Baby I'm-a Want You," "The Sound Of Bread," and "Best of Bread." After a brief break-up and hiatus from the charts, the band re-formed in 1977 to release the single, "Lost Without Your Love," which reached #9. Together the group produced 7 classic albums resulting in 7 gold albums awards. Much of their success goes to the combination of making radio friendly records, excellent song writing, masterful production and unmatched harmonies. Plus, Elektra Records had a talented promotion staff who worked jointly with the marketing muscle of WEA* distribution. The vast coordination of these numerous tasks working together at the same time while producing successful results is nothing short of a remarkable feat.

(*Warner-Elektra-Atlantic)

>

As with many successful bands during this period and after several demanding years of the extreme rigors of stardom, stagnation within the group had begun to take it's tole. By the middle 70's it was common knowledge the two front men and creative forces of Bread were experiencing problems. Jimmy Griffin and David Gates decided they could not work together anymore and decided to call it quits. Versions of the split vary but in all reality the magic element of creativity had frayed from the group. One item that had become glaringly apparent was the issue of David Gates' compositions and lead vocals had been consistently selected to be released as Bread singles. This left Griffin's songs ending-up as mere B-sides or album cuts. Take nothing away from Gates' enormous talent but Jimmy Griffin was definitely not to be considered as yesterdays lunch. This posture reduced Griffin's role in the band to playing second-fiddle to Gates and by contrast it went against the bylaws of the formation of the band. As it was, there were well defined balanced contributions within the band that were not being honored. You see, Bread, the group, was designed legally as a corporation and Jimmy Griffin was an co-owner. And now most of Griffin's vocals were being relinquished to background or harmony parts. Yet, Griffin was consistently pushed-up in the band's mixes, while sometimes being doubled and triple tracked to create Bread's patented sound. Griffin's influence in the recording process and live performances was paramount to the band's success. Plus, his youthful appearance was always marketed as a center piece while being prominently displayed on the band's album covers. As a leader of the group, he felt this oversight was inconsistant with the formation of the band. In the evolutionary scale of musicianship, Griffin felt his contributions were being reduced while having to take a lesser role and backseat to Gates. As trifle as this argument may sound, such disputes are the rough underbelly of the business side. These things happen in rock bands especially when stardom reaches the global heights that Bread achieved.

The complexities of maintaining a hit group under these circumstances can reach far beyond one's imagination. Differences of this nature are common in the business as the very same thing happened with The Beatles, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, YES, The Allman Brothers Band and etc. Aside from this happening in the entertainment industry, this also happens in other arenas where team efforts are praticed such as athletics, politics and etc. Case in example, have you ever seen a successful team with two head coaches? Ever see a team with two quarterbacks? Two presidents. You get the picture.

The most insightful analysis in situations like this are always resolved when solo careers bloom from the ashes. Both Gates and Griffin pursued solo paths while contributing even more songs to their expanding fan base. Years after the band broke-up, they were still experiencing international chart success. Look at it this way, Bread's music had such a profound impact upon American audiences that a new radio format was created to show-case their original style of soft rock music, Adult Contemporary Radio.

Next Posting; Beyond Bread, Part #3 of Remembering Jimmy Griffin.

Copyright (c) Rauls Media LLC 2005-2010 All Rights Reserved

Remembering Bread's Jimmy Griffin

2010-01-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

This is the 1st of a 3-part posting on music legend Jimmy Griffin

...............James A. Griffin 1943-2005....................

On this fifth anniversary of the passing of music legend James "Jimmy" Griffin, it's only natural to honor his past with a career epilogue. Although much of Jimmy Griffin's creative endeavors are already posted throughout the Internet, I certainly won't try to compete with those well documented discographys and biographies as this is not a collection of his entire body of work. However, this is a personal account of time spent with this outstanding individual. In looking back, and in certain times in our lives, I played a variety of roles in our relationship. I was his friend, his neighbor, a business associate, his record promoter, his song plugger, his consultant, his alibi, and most enjoyable of all...his sidekick. Never once during the course of those events were there any disagreements, fights, arguments, strained relations or outstanding debts. Jimmy was a good EGG and I'm proud to say that I knew him. With that being said, let it be known that he and I had a similarity with something in common. And that would be the affinity for being in the company of beautiful women. If you've ever heard the songs and alluring tones of Jimmy's singing voice or witnessed the captivating effects of his lyrics, I'm sure you'd agree, he definitely knew something about reaching out and touching the hearts of females.

A brief glimpse into Jimmy's background reveals that he grew up in the musical rich city of Memphis, TN. His early influences were local with so many artists calling Memphis their home as the community was fertile grounds to develop his skills. Jimmy was raised in a neighborhood known as the Treadwell-Grahamwood area and attended Kingsbury High School. This section of Memphis would produce many fine musicians including Jimmy's immediate neighbors, Charlie Musselwhite and Johnny & Dorsey Burnette. After graduating in 1963, Jimmy took a trip to California to visit the Dorsey Brothers who had since relocated to Los Angeles to pursue careers in the music business. There his old neighbors were experiencing moderate success as professional musicians. Young Jimmy liked what he saw and never looked-back.

Within a short period of arriving in Los Angeles, Jimmy's good looks and help from the Dorsey Brothers, secures a recording contract with Frank Sinatra's Reprise Records. There he is immediately groomed to fit the mold of a Teen idol. At Reprise, Jimmy has several single releases along with this EP all being produced in a assembly line cookie-cutter form with songs targeted at teenage girls.

As the hit machine attempts to capture the right sound combination, Griffin's budding young record producer named Jimmy Bowen, recruits the services of key session men such as Jack Nitzche, Hal Blaine, Leon Russell and Glen Campbell.

Despite several single releases with no major chart action to build upon, the record company remains committed to support Griffin. Yet, in hindsight and looking back with assessment, it appears all of Griffin's early releases sounded as if he was being produced to sound similar to Bobby Vee or Gene Pitney.

As Griffin continues to release singles, he also begins developing his writing skills and teams with songwriter Michael Gordon to write songs for many recording artist such as; Gary Lewis, Brian Hyland, Leslie Gore, Ed Ames, Bobby Vee, The Standells, Sandy Nelson and Cher.

Later in 1963 while shooting the cover of his first album, Summer Holiday, Griffin meets his first wife, Mikki. Following that event they would soon get married yet only stay together for a brief period.

In 1964 Jimmy lands several small acting rolls in the movies titled, "For Those Who Think Young" and "None But The Brave."

In 1965 while still searching for a hit, Jimmy Griffin changes record labels and switches to Imperial Records.

Finding that stardome is no easy task, Jimmy again changes record labels and music producers in 1967.

In 1967 while still signed to the security of a solo artist contract, Jimmy senses distinct changes in music styles and youth culture in general. At that point he seeks to revise his plans and plots a different course.

In 1968, Griffin re-shuffles the deck and teams with new song writing partners Robb Royer and David Gates to form a new band called, BREAD.

More about Jimmy Griffin's new group in the next posting...

Next Posting; Part II - Remembering Bread's Jimmy Griffin

The Don Nix Photo Exhibition

2009-12-09T14:43:00.000-08:00

Although Don Nix might be categorized as a Blues-Rock artist, or a Pop artist, additionally he too is a successful record producer and arranger. Yet, let us not forget he is also a songwriter of major significance with credits a mile long. But now Don Nix steps into still another arena as he unveils his portfolio of black & white photographs capturing an important period of popular music. Don Nix's first photo exhibition titled Dirty Negatives opens December 4th and runs through December 31th at The Robinson Gallery located in Memphis TN. Placed there are over 40 of his archive photographs available for purchase through this exhibition. Photos in this exhibit were taken with Nix's first camera given to him years ago by side-kick and fellow songwriter, Sid Selvedge. Little did Don Nix know that one day his photography might stand alone in recognition with still another of his momentous career achievements.

Starting in the early days of STAX Records when he was a member of the soul labels house band named the Mar-Keys, Don Nix's career had so many adventures he simply had to carry a camera just to capture the rapid pace of pop celebrity. Pictured above is Don standing next to one of his prize photographs taken of Blues legend, Albert King.

Highlights of the exhibit include this timely shot of a young Steve Cropper from Booker T. & The MG's appearing in portrait form. (c) Don Nix - All Rights Reserved.

Known for his signature "Flying V" guitar, Albert King was the inspiration for many guitarist such as Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton. (c) Don Nix - All Rights Reserved.

Here Nix captures fellow "Mad Dog & Englishmen" member, Joe Cocker as he poses in front of a roadside billboard featuring his favorite beverage. (c) Don Nix - All Rights Reserved.

A favorite Don Nix photo was his shot of George Harrison standing beside a pond at his home in Friar Park at Henley-On-Thames in London in 1975. (c) Don Nix - All Rights Reserved

Attending the opening at the Robinson Gallery were local VIP's such as attorney Reed Malkin and his wife, Diane Malkin. Seated beside them and providing event coverage is Phillip Rauls of THE PHOTOLOG. (Copyrighted photo & story coverage - All rights reserved)

Also in attendance was longtime Memphis mainstay Ward Archer, owner of up-and-coming Archer Records along with independent record producer, Carl "Blue" Wise.

Pictured here are (L-R) exhibition host Don Nix along with his brother Larry Nix of the noted recording industry firm L. Nix Mastering and Phillip Rauls.

Attending the event was longtime Don Nix fan and executive director of NARAS - Memphis Chapter, Jon Hornyak, while pictured here with Phillip Rauls.

The evening was highlighted by a Don Nix performance that included his famed "Going Down" while accompained by guitarist Terry Wall and Dan Cochran on bass. (Not pictured Joel Williams on drums).

Don Nix has opened the doors for many Southern-roots artist and inspired many on their career paths. To view his vast musicial history please click-on a two-part story listed below;

"Don Nix International Man of...Music" (Part 1)

"Don Nix Home-Grown Distortion-Prone" (Part 2)

The Jerry Wexler Memorial Event

2009-10-31T23:00:00.000-07:00

On an exceptional trip to New York City over the past weekend, I traveled there to attend the memorial of a former music industry colleague, the legendary Jerry Wexler. His name is symbolic with many music industry icons covering the musical alphabet starting from A to Z. I was delighted to attend the occasion and profoundly honored by the invitation. The event was co-sponsored by Atlantic Records and Rolling Stone Magazine while being coordinated by Wexler's son & daughter, Paul and Lisa Wexler.

As I ventured across country from Seattle to attend, there was much going on in the city to keep one occupied during this last weekend in October of 09. Plus not to mention, the weather there at the time was exceptional. My single purpose was to attend the Wexler Memorial but there were also other major activities in the city taking place simultaneously. First, there was the World Series game between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies. Then there was the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concert at Madison Square Gardens. Next there was The New York Marathon, a huge event I might add. And of course please don't forget, it was also Halloween weekend. These factors are what produce the vibrant pulse of the city and yield it's energetic charm. In this current cycle of a poor economy, the business climate of entertainment, commerce and fashion were all in full swing.

With expectations being high for The Jerry Wexler Memorial, attendants came to the event from many different locations. Here are some highlights of this landmark occasion courtesy of THE PHOTOLOG.

The Jerry Wexler Memorial was held at the prestigious Director Guild Theater in the heart of Manhattan. Despite the familiar drawbacks of attending a traditional memorial, there was an uplifting spirit and positive vibe in the air.

As you entered into the lobby of the building there was a beautiful oil painting of Jerry Wexler displayed for viewing. As I stared at the picture and drifted away for a moment, I was filled with memories of this remarkable man.

Jerry's son Paul Wexler was the emcee of the grand occasion. His sister Lisa's band named, "Big Sister" performed several songs also. Both Lisa and Paul performed admirably.

A video of Wexler's achievements was shown to the audience displaying archive photographs dating back to his childhood with his parents and family and young adult years. There were also photos from his years while serving in the Armed Forces combined with significant early career pictures at Atlantic with Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin. Pictured above is a shot from the 60's of the signing of Wilson Pickett (seated) at the Atlantic offices. Standing (L-R) is Nesuhi Ertegun, Jerry Wexler, Henry Allen, Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Greenberg.

Unable to attend the memorial, Jerry Greenberg is seen here delivering a personal video message commemorating Wexler's brilliant career. Wexler hired Greenberg in 1967 while the two worked closely for many years.

Mark Meyerson was an A&R executive at Atlantic while serving as Jerry Wexler's assistant in the late 60's through the middle 70's. Meyerson delivered a marvelous speech and credited Wexler for his career start.

As the individual speakers completed their stories including a powerful delivery by Wexler's official biographer David Ritz, there were also written notes from Steve Cropper and Zelma Redding reflecting their memories of Wexler. Next, the lights went down and the performers took the stage. Standing on far left is Bonnie Raitt while Allen Toussaint is seated at the piano.

Song crafter Joe South delivers his hit song, "Walk A Mile In My Shoes" while drummer Anton Fig and band leader Jon Tiven provide support (bassist Jerry Jermont in background).

On the right here is William Bell as his powerful voice sends chills through the audience while famed Memphis keyboardist Spooner Oldham (left) and Muscle Sholes guitar legend Jimmy Johnson (center) provide the rhythm. There was also an outstanding vocal performance by Lou Ann Barton plus a show stopping song and story by Betty Lavette that highlighted the memorial.

After the memorial concert two former STAX Records colleagues William Bell and Phillip Rauls reunite and share stories.

Legendary drummer Benard Purdee, former Atlantic Artist Relations Coordinator Barbara Harris and noted bassist Jerry Jermott are all smiles.

Memorial speaker and now 20th Century Fox's Senior VP of Legal Affairs, Mark Meyerson (L) along with former Atlantic A&R executive, Jim Delehant (C) and former Atlantic promotion executive Phillip Rauls catch-up on old times at the Directors Guild Theater.

Long time associates Jon Tiven and Phillip Rauls chat backstage and reminisce about the good old days dating back to The Rock Writers Convention. Tiven organized the band for the Jerry Wexler Memorial event and is also an accomplished producer with multiple credits.

The memorial ended with old friends exchanging hugs and kisses and wondering what might be the next occasion that brings all parties together. Those thoughts might be foreign to some but such is the case with many who were attending this occasion. I know personally that my time spent with Jerry Wexler is a highlight of my career - and also grand moments in my life. Case being, for years I'd brag about the dolphin that was displayed above my fireplace and the fact that it was caught while fishing aboard Jerry's boat named, "The Big A" as in, 'The Big Atlantic.' That small claim to fame was the beginning to many a late night story about Wex. There were many of those stories being exchanged at this memorial. And rightly so. Let's hope that at some point in time there will be a Jerry Wexler video documentary for all of us to embrace.

Love you Jerry. More bass please.

A previous posting of the legend of Jerry Wexler can be viewed at The Photolog's archive by clicking Jerry Wexler.

Copyright (c) Phillip Rauls - Rauls Media LLC - All Rights Reserved.

Field Trip Photos ~ Hollywood 1975

2009-09-06T20:14:00.000-07:00

High Rise Office Building on Sunset Strip, Hollywood, CA 1975

From The Photolog's archives, here's a brief sequence of photos taken while on a business trip to Hollywood, California in 1975. These pictures were all from the same roll and shot while in-between appointments. With no particular theme in mind, I was snapping away in awe of being in the epicenter of the entertainment business. Some of my all time favorite pictures are the ones of architectural and landscape images. Especially those which capture a frozen period in time. Here I've posted a few snap-shots that ask questions while telling a few stories. Hope you enjoy.

All photos copyrighted (c) all rights reserved - reproduction prohibited.

Hollywood 1975. Here's a vintage snapshot of Hollywood. The Bank of America Building is located in the center. To the right is the Capitol Records tower known for it's resemblance to a 'stack of wax.' On it's right is the historic Broadway Hotel with it's huge neon sign mounted on the roof. In the far background and located high upon the mountain side is the famed Hollywood sign overlooking the city.

Tricks On Nix. In the early days of tagging, here's some artwork remnants left behind from the gloomy days of President Nixon's run in office. That period encouraged anarchy amongst the counter-culture of Hollywood. On the left here and while promptly fleeing the scene is Michael Moore's granddad while carrying an bag containing paint balls and spray paint.

Towers Records Tape Department. Long, long time ago, there was an item called a C-A-S-S-E-T-T-E tape. It was about the same size of a pack of Marlboro's. To operate you inserted the cassette inside a tape player and it could produce the sounds of your favorite band. Unlike an iPOD, the cassette contained a moving tape that rolled around inside this plastic box thingy. However, when you accidentally left the cassette tape exposed to the sun, it would melt and become toast.

Elevated view of Sunset Strip. As the path of the Strip curves through town, notice the sparseness of the Hollywood Hills on the left. You could actually see trees and dirt along the hillside. Nowadays, it's replaced with boutiques, condos, office buildings while still being inhabited by a different form of dirt.

Jeans Sign. Hard to believe but back in the early 70's bluejeans were just becoming the preferred slacks acceptable as ladies and men's everyday fashion wear. Here covering an entire wall was my enticement to purchase a pair of bell bottom jeans. With a complimentary bag of popcorn.

Playboy Magazine Music Poll. Playboy Magazine's prestigious annual music poll decided to give recognition to fifty folks who were not included in Esquire Magazine's "Heavy 100 People Of Rock." Here tacked to the wall at Rogers & Cowan Agency is a page from that infamous list. P.S. That's my buddy Don Nix second from the top.

Obscenity Headlines. On the flight home, I snapped this picture displaying bold headlines announcing a recent court ruling. Pictured in the upper left of the newspaper is an article and photo about Sonny & Cher.

Just capturing the times... Hope you enjoyed my trip.

Music Biz Unsung Heroes ~ Early Years

2009-07-31T11:31:00.000-07:00

Something that has always fascinated me are people who have the divine ability to lead others. Call it charm, call it charisma or whatever term you choose. In my humble opinion these people are real champions. Better still, I really admire the people who take the initiative to direct others while not considering themselves as actual leaders. I'm speaking of the faceless people who lead by example while not expecting anything in return. Simply put, people who avoid the spotlight. Presumably there's still a few people out there who fit that mold. Now that I think about it, I don't think anybody actually sets out their goals to be a... unsung hero. After all, recognition comes with a price and there's lots of folks who just don't want all the attention...and that's cool too. But don't get me wrong, I have the uttermost respect for people who do accept a high-profile role in leadership. Yet secretly and deep down inside, I've always kinda admired those folks who weren't trying to set the whole world on fire. Know what I mean? Kinda like a bass player in a band who always keeps things thumping while everyone always focuses on the guitarist and vocalist. Like the guy backstage who organized the big premier showing but has no desire to get on stage himself. Or like the Cinderella team that comes from behind to win the championship. Yeah, those are my guys.

In turning back the clock, when I broke-in the music business, the industry was growing rapidly. After the initial Beatle surge, there were tons of new product, lots of fresh faces plus new found technology advances that kept the wagon wheels turning. The time period was similar to the wild-wild West with an open frontier waiting to be conquered. During that time, there were no rule books or printed material to guide you through the open terrain. To survive - you simply had to fly by the seat of your pants. Everyday you were constantly being challenged and frequently used your gut-instinct to pull you through. Plus, to further mess your mind, there were many distractions and luring enticements to draw you off-task. Quite possibly, many of the sensational stories that you heard about those pioneering days, were probably true. That said, integrity was recognized, in a business of sharks. During my journey through the record industry, I came across many heroes who I admired. Those individuals held high standards and I always tried to practice the same. It is my intent as the author of this posting to give those people their recognition long overdue. Which brings us to the topic of this posting. Here's a brief story on several people who I consider as my heroes. Or my buzzer-beaters. They're my bottom-of-the-ninth inning homers. They're my Audie Murphy's. Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to you, MUSIC BIZ UNSUNG HEROES.

TUNC ERIM worked for one record company his entire career. That achievement alone is a remarkable feat considering he worked for Atlantic Records for over 25 years. In a high burn-out business, Tunc was indeed an industry survivor. He served in a variety of executive positions at Atlantic from A&R manager to assistant to chairman Ahmet Ertegun. Tunc's smooth personality established himself as a kindred spirit to many of Atlantic's artists who bonded with his easy going style. Plus, the radio media also connected with Tunc as many radio stations wouldn't speak with any representatives from the company other than him. Seems Tunc was Atlantic Records to many people. Often referred to as part of Atlantic's Turkish mafia and linked with Ahmet Ertegun, Nesuhi Ertegun and Arif Mardin, Tunc would often laugh-off that connection by saying, "Being connected to those Rock & Roll moguls ain't so bad."

RON SAUL was an early player on the music scene and recognized for his classy style while often being seen with a gorgeous female on each arm. He broke into the business in Seattle as a distributor rep and quickly became Mercury Records Promotion Man of The Year. Closely aligned with KJR Radio's national recognition as a force in breaking records, Saul then moved to accept a position in 1970 as West Coast Regional Promotional Manger for MGM Records while relocating to Los Angeles. Within 6 months Saul was lured to an executive position at Warner Brothers Records as National Promotion Director. There his timing was perfect as he was associated in establishing pivotal WB artists such as; The Kinks, Gordon Lightfoot, The Doobie Brothers, James Taylor, Van Morrison, America, Neil Young and Alice Cooper. Saul's credibility heightened when he was individually responsible for breaking the hit, "Spirit In The Sky" by Norman Greenbaum. In 1974 Ron Saul partnered with Phil Spector in establishing a label through Warner Brothers by signing Cher and Dion as the company's first artists. He was then offered a contract with Motown in 1975 as National Promotion Director as he helped the label celebrate it's most successful years in the pop arena by breaking The Commodores and Lionel Riche. Ron Saul was a true pioneer in the business and won many national awards as one of the best in the industry.

PETER GIDION started out in Detroit as local and regional promotional manager covering Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo. At that position he soon became an immediate favorite and earned the nickname of "Peter The Leader." He established many artists in the region such as; Jackie Wilson, Buddy Holly, Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, Rick Nelson, Elton John and The WHO. Upon that platform Gidion then moved to LA as National Promotions for MCA Records and began working monster records by Lynyrd Skynyrd, Neil Diamond and movie soundtracks like JAWS, CAR WASH and AMERICAN GRAFFITI. In 1977 Peter Gidion moved to New York and joined world leader EPIC Records while helping establish the Meatloaf classic, "Bat Out Of Hell." Next he helped start newcomer Infinity Records along with associate Ron Alexenberg with new hits by Sprya Gyro and breaking the Rupert Holmes smash, "The Pina Colada Song." Later he helped start another label with Alexenberg called Handshake Records. Gidion went on to have a second career as an executive in the Music and DVD packaging business.

JOHN KING started out as the editor of a radio industry tip-sheet called The Gideon B. Matthews Radio Report. As a reference to the progress of regional hit records, King quickly drew command of radio programmers in lieu of factual information on chart records. Although King was originally from Memphis, his career took him to stops in Miami FL, Pine Bluff AR and Houston TX. Known among friends for being a stylish ivy-league hybrid, he always wore his uniform of a oxford cloth button-down collar shirt, faded blue jeans, Bass weejuns penny loafers with white socks and topped-off with a brown corduroy sports jacket with elbow patches. In the early 70's King became the marketing director at Ardent Records where he was responsible for organizing the National Rock Writer's Association. This unofficial fraterity was made-up of the leading music critics from all over the country and featured a who's-who of Rock journalist. In 1973, King hosted a Rock Writers convention at Lafayette's Music Room in Memphis featuring Ardent Records pre-punk sensation Big Star while helping launch their careers from this very platform. Nowadays King hosts a novel internet music station called TIGER RADIO.

STAN FOREMAN is a true Northwest legend known for his successful radio background combined with his years as a respectful force in the record industry. Foreman served in radio for 15 years before he joined Capitol Records in 1975 as their Promotion Manager for the Northwest. Based out of Seattle, there he was responsible for helping establish key artists such as; Heart, Bob Seger, Steve Miller Band, M.C. Hammer and Billy Squire while laying ground breaking work for Capitol Records Paul McCartney in his numerous solo projects. After retiring from Capitol Records in 1999, Foreman moved to the Palm Springs, CA area where he now plays music shows as a piano-vocal artist under the name of "Stan The Man Old Time Rock & Roll Dance Party."

LINDA ALTER personifies exactly what this posting is all about; People who succeed in their mission while quitely flying under the radar. Noticeably, she is the only female in this story. That's because when she entered into the business in the middle-to-late 60's there wasn't a lot of women who could tell men what to do. That of course sounds strange considering nowadays it's a common pratice for women to hold executive postions. But in the days before the women's movement was accepted into mainstream, Linda's advancement into this arena was a bold and noteworthy accomplishment. Starting out as a counter-clerk at Poplar Tunes Record Store in Memphis, Linda soon became the singles buyer and then advanced to the Billboard reporter and album buyer for the entire chain. From her position she could wedge much clout by moving enormous amounts of product into regional stores, juke box vendors and mom and pop retail shops. Linda soon became a promotion person for Shelter Records and later joined Arista Records where she prospered until being struck with an illness that took her life. Sadly, Linda Alter died in 2005 after experiencing her final years in a convalescent facility.

There you have it. Heroes who didn't try to be the top banana. I'll close this posting by sharing something I read recently by the Seattle Mariners right fielder, Ichiro. He made a comment to Ken Griffy Jr. after some fun jestering in the team's clubhouse. Griffy had been boasting to Ichiro when he told him that he needed to hit more home runs. Ichiro responded by saying, "You can hit a hundred home runs in batting pratice but it's the runs you score in a real game that counts."

All photographs (c) by Phillip Rauls. Copyright protection applied.

Atlanta Pop Festival 40th Anniversary

2009-06-28T13:00:00.000-07:00

"While driving to the Atlanta Pop Festival in 1969, I pulled along side a Chevy Impala with Hawaii tags and asked the folks..Hey..Where y'all headed?..and a black kid in the back seat with these huge ears said...Washington D.C. Then this same kid asked if he could bum a cigarette and borrow my car jack. About that time a voice from his car summoned..Hey Mutt, Get back in the car..Then they drove off down the road with a cloud of smoke pouring outz the exhaust..So, that's when I split and headed towards the Raceway." PR

In what is widely regarded as one of the top concerts events of all time, the Atlanta International Pop Festival of 1969 was held over the Fourth Of July weekend at the Atlanta International Raceway. The concert featured the entertainment industry's top bands and attracted extremely large crowds from distant locations. Attendance for the Atlanta Pop, as it would be later coined, ranged from estimates of over 100,000 people to 250,000. The concert was organizied by promoter Alex Cooley and set the stage for the greater acknowledged Woodstock Festival which took place later that summer. The holiday weekend event was canvassed by a heat wave that soared to temperatures of over 100 degrees and set-up an additional story within. Yet strangely enough, only a few photographers have captured this historic milestone and put the landmark event into documentation form. With that being the case, several months back I was speaking with my friend Carter Tomassi, a well-respected photographer who has also chronicled the pop festival on his web site. Carter suggested that I post an updated story on my blog in honor of the 40th anniversary timeline. So, with his recommendation in mind, I decided to piece together a photo journal of previously unviewed festival photographs and share with fellow concert attendees and loyal PHOTOLOG blog enthusiasts.

With the plan in motion, allow me to set the stage for unveiling my previously unseen photos. Please note that I attended both Atlanta Pop Festivals but not as a professional photo journalist with distinguished credentials. Please let it be known that I wasn't admitted free into the festival nor was I invited backstage to meet the stars and partake in munching-on strawberries with bottles of Perrier. If the truth be known, I attended both as a curious hippie who at the time was a young label representative and working for Atlantic Records. I was fortunate to score a stage pass and decided to capture my own photo journal of the event. At the time I was experimenting with my very own opaque settings of which I was keenly fond. Always using 400 speed film, I improvised f-stop settings and ulitized timing. And now, 40 years later, and fortunate to still be around to share my memories, allow me to dust-off my snap shots for review. In spite of recent technology advances in the photography world, Photoshop was not used in a single picture. As you can probably tell, the pictures are what they are. I hope these Black & White jewels stimulate your imagination.

Okay, let's start from the begining. Below are the opening moments for those who prefer the big picture while others just might enjoy reliving the events. Word traveled fast about the festival as we made arrangements to attend weeks in advance. I had ventured to the concert from Memphis, TN with my then-girlfriend along with another couple. We were to meet up with a bunch of folks who were also in the biz; a couple of disk jockeys, a fellow record promoter and several local recording artists and song writers. I'd had recently purchased a new SLR camera and anxious to put it to use. With the stage set, here's how the event came down on 35mm film.

While approaching the festival some distance away, people began to arrive on the scene via their bikes, their autos while some walked long distances on their bare footsies.

Note some distance away are three white pointed buildings. Those were the festival's ticket offices. The grassy lawn area in between was being reserved for parking. Remember the Beetle and the Covair? Two claustrophobic transportation Slugs?

As mid-day approached, traffic began to arrive from all directions and occupy the available parking spaces. My oh my! What a difference an hour can make. Didn't they have car-pooling in 1969?

The landscape became a sea of automobiles with every make and model on parade while people began to tail-gate and party down.

Long lines began forming at the ticket offices and the fashion show of people watching was in high-gear. A good rule was to always wear sun glasses to disguise your abvious starring.

Never tell someone to meet you at the ticket window as it may take all day for them to arrive. That is unless she is a drop-dead knock-out beauty with a wealthy dad who just happens to like you. Dream on Bubba.

Before entering the festival, everyone secured comfortable surroundings as most who attended the event slept in their cars, vans or slept on the ground. There wasn't a Hilton nearby and Days Inn was kinda full that weekend.

But those who envisioned the chaos of three days of sex, drugs and Rock & Roll...had sorta planned ahead. Pictured here is yours-truly hunkering down in his "Homeboy Hotel"

By dusk the crowd was anxious for the next big act to hit the stage as the audience flashed the peace sign in the spotlight.

Bear Hite of Canned Heat answers the call and wails on the band's hit song "Let's Work Together" and performs without a shirt revealing his portly upper torso.

Next Canned Heat's Blind Al performs the band's monster hit "Going Up The Country" as the crowd went absolutely wild.

On stage and in the spotlight is Blues Project's Al Cooper performing in his white patent leather shoes. Cooper went on to join the legendary Blood, Sweat & Tears while still later recording the influencial album "Super Sessions" with Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills.

Johnny Rivers seemed a little out of place at the Festival yet when he sang his monster hit, "Memphis, Tennessee" from his 'Live From The Whisky' album the audience screamed with approval.

Creedence Clearwater Revival's rendendtion of "Put A Spell On You"
stole the show as John Forgerty's Rickenbacker Guitar rang-out with magic.

Recognize this guy? He played for years with Stevie Ray Vaughn as he is a legendary bass player. That's a young Tommy Shannon and here he is at the Pop Festival playing behind Blues legend Johnny Winter.

Speak of the Devil...Here's my all-time favorite Blues-Guitarist Johnny Winner looking very picturesque while glowing in the spotlight.

Early the next day we managed to get up front as the sun began to bear down. Damn, it was hot!

Booker T. & The MG's knocked the crowd dead as Steve Cropper and Duck Dunn put on a terrific show in the blazing hot sun.

Band members acknowledged my being on stage when drummer Al Jackson Jr. asked, "Hey Man, How'd you get up here?"

Several friends were gathered center stage as the crowd began to get tightly squeezed-in. Smiling in center of the picture is recording artist Larry Raspberry with musicians (on right) Ken Woodly, Chuck Ledsinger and David Mayo.

WMPS Disk Jockey Scott Shannon and Electra Records rep Terry Fletcher display the trendy fashions of the day. Draw your own conclusions...

There's no truth to the rumor that the guy in center here who is being carried-out had just seen the fashion statement from the previous photo. However, there was some bad cool-aid going around and the hot blazing sun didn't help matters.

Thankfully a local group of off duty firemen came to the rescue and hosed-off a receptive crowd of toasted concert goers.

Of course when the suggestion of a wet T-shirt contest came-up, I was lurking nearby.

No one minded the muddy mess that was being created from the circumstances.

On the afternoon of the final day, the crowd had began thinning-out. Can you imagine cleaning-up the garbage that was left behind?

A unusual thing about attending events like this. You don't realize the magnitude of curcumstances until later. Truthfully, I don't think anyone considered documenting the Atlanta Pop Festival with history in mind. Most were just taking pictures of their friends and favorite Rock bands. Although this posting is lengthly, it's far short of my remaining photos of the event. And I treasure them all. Guess I should do a book.

A previous posting on the historic Atlanta Pop Festival featuring color photographs can be viewed by clicking the link of THE PHILLIP RAULS PHOTOLOG.

Copyrighted photos and storyline by (c) Rauls Media LLC 2009 - All Rights Reserved - Duplication Probhited

NW Float Trip Creates Big Splash

2009-05-08T19:00:00.000-07:00

Ever spend an entire day floating down the rapids of a raging river in an inflated raft? Imagine bouncing around the boat and being thrown from side to side like captured inside the spin-cycle a coin-operated washer. All while being scared to death and not knowing what to expect next. As you approach every twist and turn of the river you begin gritting your teeth as huge rocks lie in the path of the raft making navigation intense. All while thinking you're going to flip-over into the cold rapids of the river? Sounds exciting and similar to an adventurous scene from an Indiana Jones movie. Right? Well, maybe not so dangerous as the story sounds but certainly a experience to brag about for years to come. Such is the case in this actual story as selected members of the Northwest Record community were invited on a river raft expedition sponsored by radio station KZFN in Moscow, Idaho.

Nestled in the beautiful backdrop of the Salmon River Canyon, this scenic area was the ideal location to stage an grandiose event. The event was organized by Program Director and part-owner, Gary Cummings, who welcomed all dare licks from the Seattle music industry to partake in this wild weekend of fun and frolicking. "I came-up with the idea one night when my septic tank began acting-up and accidentally spilled-over into my music library" chuckled Cummings. "Not really and all joking aside, I wanted to do something special to show the radio station's appreciation to a wonderful group of professions for all their support to the local community." Cummings popular radio show combined with his efforts in the area's civic work established him a key player in community interests. But little did Cummings know that asking record folks to take two days off from work to witness the area's beauty was like asking their expense accounts to do their thing.

To begin this adventure required all participants flying over from Seattle and touching-down into the lost metropolis of Pullman, WA. The airport was located somewhere in the middle of a giant wheat field making you wonder if you'd landed in the right location. Next you had to shuttle over to the hotel located in Moscow Idaho which was some 35 minutes away. Upon arrival at the hotel, Cummings had organized a dinner party that evening in preparation to count heads and conduct a gut-check prior to the event the following morning. "Everybody got their life insurance policies paid and up-to-date?" Cummings asked. Suspicious heads turned cautiously while some people began squirming in their seats wondering if he was kidding. But Gary's zany sense of humor was contagious and the festive dinner party preceded well into the evening with some folks getting a little tipsy.

The following morning the departure for the raft trip began at 6 AM while the hotel lobby was littered with caffeine addicts in search for their favorite beverage. But nobody told them the bus departure was exactly one hour prior to the opening of the hotel restaurant. Ugh...no coffee, no donuts. But that's when the sarcastic desk clerk declared, "Hey man, we're only in Moscow okay?" Seems some of river rafters who were from the heartland of Starbucks city and still a little hung-over from the dinner party were unprepared for this shock. At that time everyone boarded onto the bus and began the 3 hour trek to the river destination. In route, the morning sun was extremely bright whereas if you forgot your sun glasses...you were considered a moron.

By 7 AM the bus ride was beginning to rock. All I remember is someone began serving drinks while other people began singing. Around 7:30 AM people began getting a little antsy as the bus made it's first pit stop. It was about that time when I first began to smell the sweet fragrance of...insense...or something foreign...like burnt rope. Hey man, what's burning? Giggles abound.

Back on the highway the river ran along side the road and posed a delight for those on the bus. It won't be long now before we reach our destination and floating down the river too.

But wait. After viewing this sign we wondered what we'd got ourselves into. I was starting to have flashbacks to the dinner party where Gary Cummings was asking about our life insurance policys. Surely he was kidding. Wasn't he?

After traveling for almost 3 hours the bus arrives at riverside during the midday sun as people begin to unload their essentials.

The troops have arrived and anxious to get started. But hey, how many people can you get into a raft? (*editors note - this photo was later published as Motly Crue's x-rated "Nightmare" album cover)

Wow! This is indeed the group that I'd like to raft together with, not including the dudes ofcourse.

These three oarsmen were out on a weekend release program from the state.

With everyone aboard, finally the rafts depart the shoreline. Plus, the weather conditions were perfect and the water was calm.

A pair of two-man rafts were exchanging waves as they departed shore. However, all of a sudden, the air was filled with that funny frangrance again.

Ah yes, looks like someone's got the right idea. Let the women-folk do all the work.

I'm not sure but I think this rouge group of Boy Scouts were trailing our raft group and harassing us by asking, "Hey, yall got any beer?"

Whoa! Looks like our raft was begining to speed-up while just around the next curve appeared to be serious white caps.

There's those same guys again. This time they're asking for something called Zig Zags.

Some major white caps and a speeding current contributed to the thrill.

Several hours later everyone arrived safely and proud of their finish.

Back on shore rafters were all smiles and in a celebrative mood...

...While others were showing off their tans.

However, nobody was paying any attention to her tan...except for Mr. Woody.

I promise I don't know this person. Really.

Are photographers allowed to have fun?

Where the heck are the fashion police when you need them?

Here's a picture of some escapees from the local asylum.

A touch football game broke out when we ran out of beer.

I'm betting on these guys because they're all so cute!

The adventurous raft expedition ended with a long bus ride back to the hotel in Moscow several hours away. The following morning everyone was dragging from the trip and shuffling to catch their individual flights to return to work. Needless to say, this was a trip of a lifetime and I am extremently grateful to our gracious host, Mr. Gary Cummings of KZFN Radio. As the editor of this story, I can truly say that a brief blog posting can only do so much justice to describe such an event. While constructing the story, I must have gone through more than 200 photographs and regret not being able to use them all. My appologies to those individuals who's pictures were not included in this memorable occasion and done so because of space capacity alone.

THE OFFICIAL 1991 KZFN FLOAT TRIP GROUP PHOTOGRAPH

Double-click on photo to enlarge.

Please leave your thoughts in the comments section below for all to review.

Raft outfitter; Salmon River Experience

All photographs and storyline copyrighted material (c) 2009 Rauls Media LLC Duplication Prohibited - All Rights Reserved - Inquiries Are Welcomed

The PhotoLog Celebrates it's 5th Birthday!

2009-04-01T01:03:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it's been 5 years since the very first posting of The PhotoLog? Five frickin' years mind you. Man, that's a long time ago. It's seems like only yesterday that we were digging through our memorabilia in search of that special photo in need. Yet, in reality, we're still searching for that special picture while plugging away for a ever-fresh storyline. More importantly, we've had a blast doing so while reconnecting with many old friends in the process. With all things considered, your feedback supports that we've always kept the editorial content enlightening while consistently maintaining the high-road. We've strived to be original while fashioning ourselves somewhere between the humor of Andy Rooney and Dennis Miller. But as a result, we've probably ended-up sounding more like a Rodney Dangerfield. That's not so bad because if the truth be known, it's our belief that positioning yourself somewhere in the mix certainly beats not positioning yourself in the mix at all. Looking back, we confess the building of a blog from scratch while aiming to connect with a global audience has not been without it's challenges. We're under no illusions here. As you have it, they don't give away scholarships or humanitarian awards for such. I mean...bloggers are bloggers. We're like that proverbial army of worker ants determined to build a mountain of information. Surely that outta get you something, right? But if the truth be known, the information highway doesn't offer many perks. By that I mean we haven't received any invitations to tour The White House as of yet. Plus, the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame ain't come knocking at our door. I mean, living in Seattle, you'd think someone at least would offer up a free Starbucks or something. Perhaps a Microsoft grant maybe? But nooooo. (Play background music please; "Poor, Poor Pitiful Me.")

Beyond a doubt, we hope that we've created an atmosphere of good spirit. From day one our goal has been to build a blog that is referenced for archive purposes while combining a light-hearted attitude to boot. We call it a 'Cyber-Book.' To be honest, we've had our fair share of those critics who nitpick our flaws. Call it the realities of going public or call it professional jealousies. One such critic responded that the blog's, "Always about you" while his associate claimed, "It's a self-serving blog." Of course, neither of those jocks have blogs. Better still, neither of those guys even have websites. Maybe I should have named the blog, "John Doe's Photolog" instead of using my own name. Perhaps I should'a used their personal photographs instead of including my own. But heck, what do those mudslingers know anyway? Webster's Dictionary calls those people, 'Gutter Snipes.' Those folks careers landed them emceeing Bingo contests down at the casinos. Furthermore, I don't recall those guys being on the road with any music icons or photographing any Rock legends. (Pssssss....Blowing-off steam....Thank you)

Looking back, we are very thankful of our supportive audience. If a blog can gauge it's popularity from the amount of it's visitors who have actually viewed the site, we're proud to say that our global traffic has come from over 135 different countries. At first we were reluctant to go public but that's when we came upon a inspirational article that changed our attitude. Five years ago in a BUSINESS WEEK cover story the magazine touted that, "Blogs Will Change Your Business." In the accompanying article they wrote: "...you cannot afford to close your eyes to them, because they're simply the most explosive outbreak in the information world since the Internet itself. And they're going to shake up just about every industry."

That was 5 years ago. Long before the blogging world became a dominate factor. Before the Internet posed a threat to take over any businesses. That was several years before the print media went into a tail-spin. Several years before the Smart Car. Before Facebook. That was 5 long years ago. My oh my, how time slips away. I was so much older then. But I'm younger than that now. Long before Windows Vista tanked. The very same time that MSNBC and CNN started to take a nose dive. That was 5 long years ago. About the same time that CBS's Katie Couric was sucking-up to the Kerry-Edwards ticket. Oh yes, we remember.

Now don't get us wrong. We're not trying to suggest that we invented the blog. No way that we'd attempt to steal that distinction away from Al Gore. We found out early that the formula for a successful blog was adding photographs while sprinkling-in a little satire. During the initial period of trial-and-error we ended-up finding our groove. We were just fortunate enough to be on the launching pad at an early stage. But maybe, just maybe, we helped bring to the forefront the popularity of Pop Culture blogs. We're well aware that we haven't been the best blog or most knowledgeable. Plus we're careful not to take our self's too serious. But this is our moment Man. Now's our anniversary. With that being said, we proudly stick-out our chest and flex our muscles. Guess it's now okay for us to pull a Red Auerbach and fire-up a big fat victory cigar to celebrate. Happy 5th Birthday Photolog. "Keep On Blogging".

STAX Records Radio Documentary

2009-03-09T11:59:00.000-07:00

Standing at the entrance of STAX administrative offices is former label promotion and marketing executive Phillip Rauls. The label relocated it's offices in the early 70's after purchasing an enormous church facility as now the company was located on Holy grounds.

This is the announcement a newly produced radio documentary on STAX Records and narrated by the Rev. Jesse Jackson. This program captures perhaps the best cast of former STAX Records insiders to date. Broadcast earlier in the U.K. and Western Europe, British producer Sam Gregory preserves key moments for listeners to relive the story of the Soul music label. With interviews coming from noted STAX artists, producers and managers, this program is skillfully chronicled to tell the real story of the company's journey through music history. This broadcast will keep you glued to your speakers for it's 51 minute duration and features significant interviews by label's key personnel such as; Steve Cropper, William Bell, Wayne Jackson, Don Nix, Al Bell, Deanie Parker, John Fry and Phillip Rauls.

To hear playback of the British radio documentary please follow link to download program: Legendary Labels The STAX Records Story

Music Cartoons That Tickle The Ribs

2009-02-28T10:15:00.000-08:00

Lots of folks who claim being in touch with active trends such as art, music, and humor are indeed the very same people who subscribe to the morning newspapers. Or what's left of them. Seems that my morning paper keeps getting thinner and thinner. It's sad to witness what's become of the longtime tradition of the press. Who knows, maybe that's the results of mainstream ideas being watered down by left-wing editors imposing their socialistic views. As a guy who has worked with the media his entire career, sometimes I wonder how I survived the madness and the newspaper business didn't. Fortunately, I can still get the morning paper at my residence way out here in the boonies. I love reading the paper with my morning coffee. Personally, my reading habits have never changed. You see, every morning I always scan the sports section first for the latest game day scores. Then I read my horoscope allowing me to plot my daily strategy. All while saving the best for last when I finally indulge myself into my favorite page, the cartoon section. Ah yes, now we're talking. There I feast on everything from sophomoric humor to mindless comedy. Then I flip over to the editorial cartoons for a more sophisticated satire with a political twist. Doesn't matter about the content though, just as long as I laugh or smile at it's zany tones.

My favorite cartoons are the one's which score big with musical themes. Those rib ticklers hit home. It's smart how cartoonist target mainstream audiences while recognizing the widespread acceptance of Pop Culture. For example, who would'a thunk that households nowadays might embrace the topic of heavy rock bands like Led Zeppelin or Aerosmith in the funny papers? Time seems to have a way of catching-up with the modern trends of our society. I like it though, kids and adults laughing together at the same comic. As you have it, these cartoons bridge the generation gap together for a moment. Who knows, does that mean in the future that similar advances in the cartoon world will exceed our expectations? Intrepid forecasters suggest that someday comical fashion statements like neck & facial tattoos or eye-brow rings will be openly accepted in the classrooms of our Middle Schools or the neighborhood chapter of The Girl Scouts? Hmm...Unless I'm mistaken, that's a slippery-slope.

By all accounts, I have learned so much from the comics. They can just about put humor into any situation. Simply put, I have learned to laugh at the serious and non-serious side of our existence. With that being the topic, let's review some favorite cartoons that reflect that essence.

The cartoon above always makes me think of former colleagues Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman. In the early days of progressive rock, synthesiser's were the key instrument in parlaying the techno-rock sound. Emerson and Wakeman were spectacular showmen and the architects in the classical rock movement.

The American Idol TV Show debuted in 2002 and has since become one of the most popular shows on television. Auditioning contestants that come on the show are subject to the judge's flattering comments, or, as seen above, a humiliating review - Simon Crowell style. The song being referred to in this cartoon is by legendary Canadian rock group, The Guess Who.

Has this ever happened to you? Spend an entire day humming a song and then you gotta pay a friendly visit to the doctors office to get it diagnosed.

Funny how you can get a read on a person's personality by thumbing through their music collection. For example, if they got the Miles Davis music collection or some Charlie Parker albums, you tend to think they're pretty cool. Right? And if they got Hanna Montana or The Jonas Brothers, you know they probably got kids. Or at least you hope they got kids. However, if you get cornered in their music library when they pull out their favorite albums by Yanni or Jamiroquai or Clay Akin, just play it cool and ask them if they possibly have the latest albums by either Celine Dion or Kenny G?

LAUGHTER IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL

Mario Medious Keeping Heavy Company

2009-01-22T15:37:00.000-08:00

This is the conclusion of a two-part posting on record executive Mario Medious. Please refer to the previous posting for continuing storyline. Copyright (c) 2009 All Rights Reserved.

As the music business moved into the 1970's, it introduced new fashion statements such as Rock T-shirts and satin jackets. Hippies and freaks sporting Afro's and wearing sandals could hold creditability in the business community just like their straight counterparts. The era was similar to the Wild West in the 1800's where there were no commonplace guide lines to govern the biz. This allowed many opportunists to prevail while trailblazing through the doors of the new counter-culture. An example of the times was when Rolling Stone Magazine printed a story that proclaimed, "The music business was the last of the gold mine industries." Yet, to succeed in the record business came with a price and only the strong survived. There were many pitfalls and occupational hazards to ravage the good intentions of newcomers. Be that as it may, there were many ambitious entrepreneurs who became victims as their careers flamed-out prematurely. Times were moving so fast the development of survival skills were still unfolding. Considering the big bucks being passed around and splurging of freebies there was no shortage of individuals willing to represent record companies as their marketing specialists. Problem was however, a great deal of those who jumped on the band wagon turned out to be flash-in-the-pan promoters. But make no mistake, Mario Medious was not one of those meager opportunists. He was the real deal. He had a real love of music and a keen sense for adventure. By this time "The Big M" had built-up quite a name for himself within the elite circles of Rock. His pedigree in Rock allowed him to be on everyone's VIP list. Plus, he was one of those gifted individuals who only required an hours sleep in the evenings to get him through the next day. As Atlantic Records Special Projects Manager, he always seemed to be everywhere needed and with no apparent down time. For example, Mario would be in New York attending a industry function in the daytime while promoting a concert in Hollywood that night. Burning the candle at both ends was a walk in the park for Mario. He had that special plumbing that allowed to go the distance.

Mario reminisces the times but is steadfast in explaining circumstances, "Despite what some may view as a business of pleasures, the key to being successful in the music industry was - you still had to work." He continued, "Shit man, it required the personal discipline of bouncing out of bed every morning and taking care of business, you dig." Of course that should be a no-brainer but Mario said when it comes down to the physical willpower of getting up early, "It's all between you and the alarm clock, you understand."

As Special Projects Manager, Mario stayed alert when it came to street-talk about an up-and-coming band or a vibe about an new Atlantic record starting to create a buzz. Mario said, "The Atlantic field staff had several cats who had a great pulse on the action out there." He continued, "There was John Carter on the West coast, Dick Wooley the Southeast and Phil Rauls in the South." Mario explained, "You see, going door-to-door (to the media) and creating something out of an unproven band took a certain kind of cat. And these guys could generate things by simply picking-up the phone, you understand. And they did it for the music man. They played the game because they loved good music, you dig."

But the field staff had their work cut out for them. On a early road trip with The Allman Brothers Band, Mario was escorting Duane Allman to the radio stations for interviews. After a gig at the Fillmore in New York Mario set-up an interview with WPLJ Radio's Mike Turner. Several minutes into the interview, Duane had accidentally let-go of a couple of F-bombs over the air. During a break DJ Turner scolded Mario about Allman's choice of words and instructed him about the station's strict policy about cursing over the airwaves. Mario pulled Duane Allman off to the side and warned him, "Look man, you can't be talking about fucking over the air. Plus you can't be using cuss words on the radio, you dig?" Allman acknowledged his mistake and agreed by saying, "Okay man." When the interview continued Mike Turner opened the mike and resumed. That's when Duane Allman apologized over the airwaves by saying, "Hey man - I'm really sorry and I promise I won't fucking cuss no more."

Not all of Mario's road trips with The Allman Brothers were cake-walks as he encountered challenges while traveling with the band. "Man, I was with the band sitting in their van late one night after a show when their road manager 'Twiggs' got into an dispute with a club owner for not paying the band. That's when he went back into the club to settle-up payment and got into this huge fight and ended up defending himself by stabbing the club owner to death. Creepy stuff, man." Mario continued, "They were great bunch of guys and serious musicians but we faced challenges together. When traveling with The Allman Brothers through Texas, back in the old days people didn't like Blacks and Whites traveling together and that's when these redneck bystanders would yell shit at the band by saying, "You Hillbilly Nigger Loving Motherfuckers." Funny thing though...but in a freaky sense, The Allman Brothers Band probably felt that was a compliment.

Another Mario Medious road story was when traveling on the West Coast portion of Led Zeppelin's U.S. tour, Mario escorted Robert Plant for an interview to KSAN Radio in San Francisco when upon completion they slipped out the back door of the station. It was a sunny afternoon and there weren't any fans around so they decided to let the limo return to the hotel and walk back. After walking uphill for several blocks and window shopping for a while, Mario suggested, "Hey Percy, let's catch a ride back to the hotel." Plant agreed when Mario recommended to just 'thumb-a-ride' instead of waiting for a cab. The story continues, "Man, this dude stopped and picked us up when I asked if he was going to the concert tonight?" The driver said, "What concert?" Mario responded, "The Led Zeppelin concert! It's tonight man." The driver looked confused and said, "Shit man, I hate that band. The Rolling Stones are the world's greatest band and that's all I care about." Mario rolled his eyes and responded, "Lookie here Jack, Led Zeppelin's the worlds greatest band and sittin' here in your back seat is their vocalist, Robert Plant." The driver then glanced into his rear view mirror and replied, "Yeah, right." Mario saw an opportunity when he invited the driver to the show and told him he'd leave tickets at will-call plus back stage passes for after the show. The driver agreed and showed-up later that evening with his flower girl while receiving coveted third row seats. Mario laughed as he continued, "The show started with 'Communication Breakdown' and this dude's eyes started popping-completely-out his head. I thought his eyeballs were gonna explode!" Later after the show he came back stage. Mario said, "This dude was so blown-away that he was about to pee in his pants - couldn't believe the fantasy he'd just experienced." Holding his side while still laughing Mario concluded, "I blew his mind, man! Dude could hardly contain himself when he started shouting, "Led Zeppelin's the greatest rock band in the entire world. Absolutely the greatest!"

One of the greatest experiences for a record executive is when he is responsible for the actual signing of a prospective band to the label. This endorsement could be his badge of honor or his ultimate defeat. In other words, it's his ass that's on the line and responsible for the band's success or it could be his ticket out the door. With that being said, one night Mario and Atlantic artist Dr. John were attending a show at Boston's premier rock club, The Boston Tea Party. Sometimes during the show, Mario was backstage when he heard a band on stage playing his favorite song, 'Serve Me Right To Suffer.' "When I heard the song it blew me away," said Mario. That's when he rushed stage front to get a look at the band playing the song. "Holy Shit," I said when discovering the guys playing the song were all White boys. They were a Boston band known as The J. Geils Band whose hipster front-man was WBCN disk jockey, Peter Wolf. Local critics were even claiming comparisons to The Paul Butterfield Blues Band. "Man, they sounded so Black that I thought they were Brothers, you dig." Mario was so excited about the band that the very next day he rushed back to the Atlantic office and began his pilgrimage to sign the band. "But listen to this," said Mario. "Jerry Wexler (R) and Ahmet Ertegun thought I was crazy. Both told me I was nuts and the band was nothing more than a bunch of White boys trying to play the blues." Mario was disturbed by their rejection and responded to Wexler and Ertegun by saying, "Man, why am I even out there on the road if I can't sign this band?" Deeply frustrated, Mario was ready to quit. However, as a true warrior, he was taught to never fold. You see, if Mario was nuts or foolish to try and sign The J. Geils Band, then perhaps he was crazy like a fox. He was very adamant about signing the band and kept up the pressure. Within weeks, Wexler finally became convinced and caved-in to Mario's persistence. "Shit man," Mario laughed, "I think they finally gave-in just to shut-me-up." But before the band would sign a label deal there was one very important stickler that still remained. Up to that point, Wexler had arranged to have the group sign to Atco Records, the company's Pop music label. But vocalist Peter Wolf and guitarist J. Geils (pictured with Mario) demanded the band be signed to the same label as Ray Charles, LeVern Baker and Aretha Franklin. After careful consideration and a tactful hold-out, Wexler eventually saw the band's latest ploy as any true Rhythm & Blues fanatic might view the circumstances. When you stop and think about it, how prestigious it is to be on the same prominent label as those industry giants. The band's point was made and respectfully honored as The J. Geils Band was signed to Atlantic Records. Over the next few years, The J. Geils Band would release several huge albums for Atlantic including their monster LP titled "Bloodshot" that produced three hit singles and reached gold status.

With all things considered, The Big M wasn't the type to offer a 'I-told-you-so-prophecy.' He was more inclined to go about his business in a humble manor. Furthermore, Mario had bigger fish to fry. By 1973, Mario Medious had been on the road extensively with many of the labels top bands including Emerson, Lake and Palmer. After a 18 month hiatus from the recording studio and no new album, it had become apparent that something was wrong with the label's super-trio, ELP. Their body of work had bridged many gaps between rock fusion and classical music. Mario was recruited to investigate when he discovered the band was unhappy with Atlantic Records. That's when Keith Emerson, Greg Lake and Carl Palmer decided to form their own record company, Manticore Records. The next addition to the plan was Stewart Young, their manager, and the cards began to fall into place. While Young and the band had long appreciated Mario's keen business savvy, that's when The Big M was offered 20% of the company to form a partnership with the group and to manage their new record label. Mario accepted and became President of the company and the final piece was assembled with a distribution deal with Atlantic Records. Upon that agreement Emerson, Lake and Palmer released "Brain Salad Surgery" on Manicore Records. The single from that album titled, "Still, You Turn Me On" propelled ELP's new album to reach celebrated gold status and launched a well received world tour.

Editors Summary: Well, there you have it. From payroll clerk in the accounting office at Atlantic to the President of Manicore Records. Mario Medious' colorful career has been a magic carpet ride. His background falls into that same distinctive category of many flamboyant adventurers. Still another example of his achievements was when Ahmet Ertegun, pictured here on left with Mario and Teresa Sohn, was having some difficulties in re-signing superstar Stephen Stills and sent Mario to Stills' home to convince him to ink the deal. Mario came back and told Ertegun, "No prob man, I took care of it, done deal." Ahmet was speechless. Mario's playful banter opened the doors for many artists while his cutting-edge wardrobe drew glaring stares. And to no surprise, Mario did everything with class and style. His motormouth could out talk anybody including Muhammad Ali, Charles Barkley or Gary Paton. His competitive nature didn't shy away from any obstacles. Through his unique use of language, he had the ability to connect. Mario clicked with everybody and knew when to nudge it up a notch or tone it down a bit. Plus, I never saw him wig out on anybody. Interesting enough, there wasn't a prior role model for him to follow in their footsteps. Reason being, he invented the shtick. Plus, there wasn't a previous format that played progressive blues and rock for him to set his goals. Furthermore, there wasn't even a genre of progressive blues rock music until he arrived on the scene. He worked outside the confines of company assignments, and succeed nevertheless. Talk about a trailblazer. He never played the card of a race victim and would be the first to point the finger of a colleague who did. Jerry Wexler thought Mario was a fluke of nature and such a remarkable person that he called him a "Freak." Producer Tommy Dowd (R) personally signed for Mario's first American Express Card and called him his true friend. And if a recording artist did not believe in the almighty power of a music promoter, Mario would drop them like a bad habit. When dining with an artist who was a vegetarian and they were ordering Tofu and rice noodles, he'd order Bar-B-Q ribs with chittlens on the side. When people were in awe of Eric Clapton and calling him Slowhand or God, Mario boldly addressed him as, "Yo' Clap." Personally, I think the world of my old friend. We've known each other for over 40 years. I always connected well with Mario and discovered a long time ago that we were a good team together. Back in the days when the world was black and white, he ignored all barriers and made me proud to be his friend. Although I could never beat him in tennis, or snag as many chicks as he could, I always considered him a mentor. During The Big M's reign of glory, there were no rule books, no score cards or leader boards to shine over his successes. Didn't matter cause he always came out the winner anyway. He is my main man alright. Mario Medious is a chart bustin'-street hustling-dirty cussing-nose dustin'-Blues lovin'.....MAMA JAMA!

Mario "Big M" Medious and Phillip Rauls pictured here in Las Vegas in 2005 while attending the Atlantic Records Employee Reunion. Mario Medious has managed and produced several prominent recording artist including Funk star Rick James. Nowadays, Mario lives in South Florida and is a praticing certified public accountant. He is also a highly respected Tae Kwon Do instructor.

Copyright (c) 2009 All Rights Reserved Duplication Prohibited

The Original Mama Jama ~ Mario Medious

2008-11-29T08:00:00.000-08:00

This is part 1 of a 2-part story on record executive Mario Medious.

Industry legend Mario 'The Big M' Medious and his 1939 Cadillac.

In a business that has a reputation for attracting flashy characters with colorful personalities, how could a low profile straight-shooting accountant who kept the books at Atlantic Records surface to become the hottest promotion man in the entire business? Not since the days of the legend of Clark Kent has a person emerged to parallel his status. In similar fashion, Mario “The Big M” Medious would depart the bookkeeping department and reappear in the promotion department sporting a brand new wardrobe. Even the company’s senior brass were shaking their heads in disbelief as this slender young man shed his eyeglasses, black tie and conservative suit only to reinvent himself and dazzle key radio personnel and Rock legends alike. This is the story of Mario Medious becoming the next super hero among the label’s prestigious roster of stars. As the curtain opens...

The year was 1968 and after spending 3 ½ years pushing a pencil as payroll clerk, Mario Medious joined Atlantic’s well recognized promotion team known as “The Heavies,” a name coined for the departments advanced marketing achievements.
Gifted with good looks and a mile-a-minute rap, Mario’s conversion into the promotion department was a perfect match as the Atlantic corporate inner-structure was experiencing a changing-of-the-guard. Plus, music was also making a big transition as Rhythm & Blues and Jazz product were being overshadowed by the label's Pop Music newcomers such as; The Buffalo Springfield, The Young Rascals, Cream, Aretha Franklin, Vanilla Fudge, Otis Redding and Sonny & Cher. Supported with these transitions in motion, here’s how Mario Medious made his mark. You’ve heard the old saying that “Timing is everything.” Well, in Mario's particular case, his timing was perfect.

In the late 1960’s, there was a youth movement spawned by the dawning of The Age Of Aquarius. Wrong was right, bad was good and indifference got the upper hand. Ivy league clothing and the buttoned down look were no longer in style. Plus, Top Forty Radio was also beginning to lose it's luster. During that eminent period radio’s FM bandwidth was expanding with growing numbers of new radio stations coming on the air. Times were changing as it was now attractive for station owners to operate multi-optional programming at the FM level rather than the AM position. Many station managers’ who were budget conscious began hiring young programmers with little or no experience. As a default of circumstances, these stations were in search of their own broadcast identities and in turn began experimenting with different music formant's. Many were playing all new music as the jocks were fresh out of college and never seen the likes of a record salesman. Mario saw an opportunity there and began beating a path to these radio stations. “Man, I’d blast into these so called ‘Underground’ stations wearing my fur coat, lime-green suit and with my Afro all puffed-up and they’d think I was a Rock Star or something,” said Mario. He continued, “These jocks would be sitting there in the control room starring with their mouths wide open and I’d start up a conversation with them about the Blues." He continues, "Cause you see nobody knows more about the Blues than me." If they're playing something I didn't like then I'd say, "What y'all playing that shit for?" Then I'd ax them, “Hey you Farmers ever heard the song, 'Whole Lotta Love' by Led Zeppelin?" They’d sit there and look at you like you were from outer space. Then I’d tell em, “Y'all want your station to sound good don’t you? Shit Man, y'all gotta get with the program Jack cause this song’s in S-T-E-R-E-O.” Mario laughed as he told the story and said he treated them all like an adventure. He concluded, “Before I’d be out the drive way heading back to the office they’d be blasting my songs over the airwaves.”

Atlantic promo head Jerry Greenberg (R) who was also general manager from that era shared an observation by saying, “Shoot, Mario would depart the office with some new releases and go out on the road for a field trip and no one would hear from him for two weeks.” Greenberg continued, “Then all of a sudden all this major airplay began pouring-in from all these radio stations. I didn’t know what the heck was going on out there and it really appeared to be suspicious." Ha! Greenberg laughed. "But that’s when I began to figure out all this airplay coming-in was from the same cities that Mario had just visited on his road trip.” Mario defended his actions by saying, “Shit man, I didn’t have no time to call-in no airplay reports. Man, I'd be too busy for all that stuff, you dig?" Greenberg rolled his eyes and smiled while continuing his story, “When Ahmet and Jerry stormed into my office that day (Wexler & Ertegun) demanding to know what was going-on out there with our product, that's when I showed them all this new airplay being generated by Mario. About that time a dumbfounded Ahmet Ertegun stopped in his tracks and leaned over my desk and asked, “Are you talking about the same guy from accounting?”

Besides Mario avoiding to call-in daily with feedback, another corporate side-step for him was Atlantic's weekly promotion and marketing meetings. Mario stated, "Man, the entire staff would meet in the conference room once a week for these boring-ass meetings. We'd sit around and all these guys be talking bout' nothing but singles. Hell man, I didn't promote no singles...I was an album guy." Mario continued, "Plus, I didn't promote no artists unless they could play the Blues. Nothing but the Blues cats, you dig. If they couldn't play the Blues, I wouldn't mess with 'em. Shit man, I quit going to those meetings cause they be a waste of my time." Mario laughed and continued, "Man, they'd call me on the phone when I'd be out of town and ax me if I was coming to the next sales meetings and I'd tell 'em I was waaay too busy to attend cause I'd be on the road jamming with Gregg Allman and Stephen Stills."

Greg Allman and Stephen Stills jamming in Mario's hotel room.

Sometimes earlier, Mario had become good friends with Stephen Stills dating back to the days of The Buffalo Springfield. The two hung out together often and shared experiences that only Mario could parley. "When I was in the accounting department, Stephen Stills, Neil Young and Richie Furay would all come to my office to get their royalty checks, you see. Cause when they were in New York we'd always hang out after their shows. One night they were in town when Otis Redding (R) was in town preforming at The Apollo. Ahmet (Ertegun) and I went down to Otis's show and after the gig we all got shit-face drunk together. That's when I suggested we take Otis over to Ondines Club on East 58th where The Buffalo Springfield were playing. Dig this man, while the band was playing, Stephen Stills axed Otis Redding to come up on stage and jam with them. Otis got really excited and jumped up immediately from his seat and ran up on stage but he was so drunk that he tripped and fell flat on his face. Passed out cold right there in front of everybody. I ain't lying."

By the early 70’s Mario was building quite the reputation. People were talking about him as he began carrying some heavy weight with key FM radio stations. Boston, Philadelphia and New York were all his radio playgrounds. When he strolled into a radio station, he’d always leave with airplay results. This was done with a combination of a flashy wardrobe and his street-hustler charm. His clothing apparel resembled something between a Sly Stone stage outfit and the Curtis Mayfield “Superfly” look. By all accounts Mario even invented his own dialect with brand new words that he had created. He was way ahead of the game long before Ebonics was established. His speed-rap sales pitch often included a word that he recently coined which was the word…”Mama Jama.” What pray tell you ask is a “Mama Jama?” Hate to tell you this but in the freaky world of The Big M, it was the same equivalent to about 400 motherfuckers. With that being said, “Mama Jama” was used in practically every sentence that Mario spoke.

In as much as Mario was the buzz of insiders in the music industry, media journalist and major magazines began picking-up on his vibe. When you stop and think and put it in perspective, Mario’s gig with Atlantic was to drum-up media support for the artists he represented. However, it was not unusual for him to inadvertently create publicity about himself all while befriending an artist. An example was when he was listed in Esquire Magazine's roster of Heavy 100 People of Rock as "Hottest Promo Man in the Biz." Later JET Magazine posted a picture of Mario sitting beside Little Richard while hanging out at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. On still another occasion Mario was featured in an impressive two-page article about himself in the October 1972 issue of Rolling Stone Magazine. In that distinctive article written by Stu Werbin, it talked how Mick Jagger was dazzled by Mario's wild shenanigans. Or how about when he was included on the cover of The Eagles “Hotel California” album? He’s the one standing behind the band in the white suit with top hat on the album jacket. In the book titled “S.T.P.” about The Rolling Stones journey through America, author Robert Greenfield talks about Mario Medious' observations of the pretentious clowns hanging around backstage at a Rolling Stones concert. Hard to believe but it was Atlantic's corporate assignment for Mario to go on the road with the Rolling Stones. Hmm...Tough job. In Fred Goodman’s noted book titled, “The Mansion On The Hill,” Mario is glowingly acknowledged by the author as ‘One of a Kind Goodwill Ambassador to the Underground.’ Goodman went on to say, "Mario proved to be the perfect FM promotion man. Plus he was the perfect businessman for a group of people who loathed business. He was like a house hippie to Atlantic Records." And you know what...he was right.

Artist Relations-promo rep Phil Rauls (L) spent time in the Rock trenches with Mario and remembers these thoughts, "The thing that impressed me about Mario was he always thought he was 18. Mario could rock with the best of them and on many occasions he'd party till sunrise. I'd be dragging and he'd still be going strong. All the artists liked Mario and wanted The Big M to go on tour with them. I think he kind of insulated them when they were off stage. That's when Mario became the show. He knew all the right people and pulled all the right strings. More importantly, he always carried the best stash. Man, without Mario on the road with you, the party would be dead at 2 AM and we'd end up at some pancake house eating cold hash browns." Rauls chuckles and remembers hooking-up with Led Zeppelin in Texas as they arrived from the West Coast. He continues his story, "When Zeppelin arrived in Dallas for the Southern leg of their U.S. tour, all they could talk about was 'Mario-this' and 'Mario-that.' There were stories about throwing TV's out the windows at The Continental "Riot" House and fishing for sharks out the windows at The Edgewater Hotel in Seattle. Robert Plant and Jimmy Page and Bonzo were gushing with stories about Mario Medious and what a real Mama Jama he was. Plant must have called Mario a Mama Jama a hundred times." Rauls concludes, "Man, as his counterpart, Mario was a tough act to follow - I probably could've stayed home from that tour and nobody would have noticed."

NEXT POSTING: Part two of The Mario Medious story featuring stories of Led Zeppelin, J. Geils Band and Emerson, Lake and Palmer.

Copyright (c) 2008 All Rights Reserved Duplication Prohibited.

Greg Allman & Stephen Stills photo by Shelia Foote

All Photographs licensed through www.philliprauls.com

LIST YOUR FAVORITE PEEPS pass it on..

2008-10-31T16:30:00.000-07:00

Recently I received a pleasant email from an associate and surprisingly the content occupied my mind for an entire day. The message was very stimulating and sent me on a exploratory mission. Let me explain. Using your imagination, try to create a list using those special words that inspire you. By that I mean express your inner self by listing only those important subjects in your life or titles or the individuals that completely rock your world. This can be a positive jolt of energy if you put some thought into the process. And Bingo! What a mind cleanser. I found this exercise very rewarding as it removed my mind from the horde of daily news rubbish. You can list yours below in the comments section or just make a list and send it to your network of friends. Go ahead, give it a try. You won't regret it...I promise.

IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER...HERE IS A LIST OF MINE...

...Clean Air, Blogging, Midori, Pacific Northwest, Hamachi, Progressive Rock, Country Roads, God, Down Pillows, Integrity, Triple A Radio, Sauvignon Blanc, Q Tips, Cleavage, John Lennon, Mountains, J.E. & Tina, Fillet Mignon, Thesaurus, YES, Solitude, Phil Jackson, Yamaha, Space, G.O.P., Clean Sheets, Seinfeld, Laser Technology, Led Zeppelin, Fresh Water, The Bible, Potato Chips, Charles Krauthammer, Memphis Music, Cruise Control, Carmex, Family Guy, Joni Mitchell, No Smoking Laws, Soba Noodles, Homer Simpson, Pentel Rolling Writer, Sony, Organic Fruit & Vegetables, Ahmet Ertegun, Black Labradors, BMW's, Granddaughter Natalie, Glucosamine, Japanese Gardening, Pat Riley, WMC-FM 100 in 1972, Photography, Nestea, Lefthanders, Ama Ebi, Herman Hesse, Waterfront, NBA All Star Game, Short Hikes, Robert Palmer, Fireplaces, Good Health, Friends, Calamari, Douglas Firs, Jon Anderson, Four-on-Four Half Court Basketball, Fox News, Music Archives, Bud Light, On-Line Payments, Family Members, Blue Herons, Robert Plant, Inspirational Movies, Nike, King Crab, Crowded House, Commuter Lanes, Altec Lansing, Richard Gere, Amazon.com, Home, Peter Guralnick, Sports Section, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tax Refunds, Jimmy Page, Vintage Motorcycles, Cantaloupe, Jesus Christ, Laughter, Talk Radio, School Of Rock, Miso Soup, Jim Stewart, The Internet, Watermelon, John Mayer, Tone Soap, Classy Females, Les Paul Guitar thru Marshall Amps, Good News, Harvesting Mussells, Paydays, Jack Johnson before being overplayed, Char Broiled and most of all....Sleep.

Promoting Records By Helicopter

2008-09-07T12:45:00.000-07:00

Here's one for the record books. That's right, you're reading it correctly. We're talking 'Promoting Records while delivering them to Radio Stations in a Helicopter.' Seriously, no joke. In a business where just about every marketing tactic has already been employed, why not try this idea. No way you say! With fuel cost being so expensive, how pray tell could a hair brain scheme like this gain approval? But never underestimate the inventive ideas exercised from the creative minds of record executives. After all, these are the same guys who brought you the likes of Tiny Tim, Weird Al Yankovic and Barry Manilow. Anyway, here's the deal. All you gotta do to make this plan successful is just land a helicopter at the front door of any radio station and hand deliver a newly released record to the disk jockeys. And presto. Done deal. DJ's will absolutely love the idea. Receiving a record in that manner will make the Jocks feel so special they'll put the record on the air immediately. And half the battle is just getting the record on the air in the first place. Right? As you have it, once the airplay obstacle has been accomplished...then you're jobs done. Finished. Over. That's when you can go celebrate with an afternoon cocktail. This story sounds like an ill-concocted pipe dream but believe it or not, it actually took place.

The year was 1978 when I was Regional Promotional & Marketing Manager for Hollywood based 20th Century Fox Records. As the story unfolds, a newly surfaced Pop artist by the name of Bobby David was beginning to create a strong buzz around the Nashville area. Plus this artist had the right ingredients of good looks and great songwriting. 20th Century saw a star when they signed Bobby David to a recording contract. The company was so impressed they signed him upon first listen to his innovative album. His self titled LP was recorded at Boomer Castleman's Creative Workshop in Nashville and chocked-full of potential smash hits. Bobby's base of operations was located in Music City where he had an investor who was a successful broker in the mining business. Financial backing and support were definitely not an issue while Bobby David's investor owned a helicopter and employed a full time pilot. Considering circumstances, the idea came up to fly Bobby around in this helicopter to all the area radio stations and drum-up support for his new album release. That's when you-know-who was commissioned to make it work. Immediately I began to roll-up my sleeves and scheduled an eight city helicopter tour to promote this exceptional songwriter.

At first the plan sounded inconceivable and something directly out of a fantasy playbook. But when you're drafted to organize something of this magnitude, sometimes you fly by the seat of your pants. First, I had to schedule only visits to certain radio stations that could provide proper landing space to accommodate a Bell Jet Ranger Helicopter. By that I mean we couldn't just land in any downtown suburban location. Sliced and diced pigeons were not part of the plan. Hence we were subject to land at stations located at rural transmitter sites or the ones which offered large parking lots to simulate a safe landing pad. Plus, none of the sites could be surrounded with telephone poles that were connected with electrical wires or cables lines that were strung-out holding up radio stations broadcast antennas. Okay, try to schedule a weeks trip through that navigational minefield. However with all things considered, the scariest portion of this plan was...I'd never even been in a helicopter before.

As the details were ironed out, we were ready to go. Upon departure Bobby David's personal charm (L) immediately put us at ease. The cockpit was so loud that we had to wear headsets to communicate. Bobby David had been up before and provided flight attendant and tour guide services. In the key of "Thank you Jesus". He also shared his appreciation of the panoramic view from the bubbled cockpit as there was much to survey. It's one thing to fly in a passenger jet forty thousand feet above ground but it's another to hoover only several hundred feet about surface. My camera lens were snapping away and caught this smoking field of burning crops (double-click to enlarge). The helicopter pilot was a veteran aviator from the Viet Nam war. His no-nonsense personality somehow blended with Bobby David's colorful non-stop chatter. By all accounts I was
starting to relax (L) and recall the actual purpose of our mission. I'd considered myself well prepared for the forthcoming events yet amazed at what I was learning in the meantime. An example was listening to the jargon used by air flight controllers which was far different from any language used by say, Ham Radio or CB Radio operators. These guys in the tower had a dialect of their own. Sounded as if they were talking with marbles in their mouths.

First stop on our tour was WVLK Radio in Lexington, KY where after pulverizing a couple of mockingbirds and mother robins, we landed on the grass lawn in front of the building. Disk Jockeys were pouring out the station to view the helicopter while after flying for over two hours Bobby David was climbing over the fence and racing with album producer Boomer Castleman for a quick visit to the "head."

Next stop was WVOV Radio in Huntsville, AL. where Program Director Dana Andrews and the lovely Pam Bell interview Bobby David from the control room. So far we were batting a thousand as every radio station we visited put the record on the air immediately.

Upon landing at WJDX-WZZQ Radio in Jackson, MS we were greeted by among others, the station mascot. (L-R) Phillip Rauls, Bobby David, Q Mascot and Program Director Wayne Harrison.

After flying through a very scary thunder storm and praying desperately for safe landing, we eventually plotted down in the parking lot at Kicks 104 in Nashville. In this photo legendary radio Programmer Michael St. John shares a smile and interviews Bobby David.

In Memphis, TN the helicopter landed in the parking lot of WHBQ Radio where neighbors living near-by were frightened from the aircraft noise. Locals residents being unaware of the promotion placed an emergency call to the Federal Aviation Authority (the FAA) and complained of circumstances. In an effort to calm the neighborhood, I approached a little old lady who was standing near-by and whispered, "Psst, Please don't tell anyone but that's Elvis landing at the radio station." Problem solved.

After hop, skipping and jumping from city to city for a entire week, I was ready to put my feet firmly on the ground. I was dizzy under the influence of helicopter-lag. Yet from that once in a lifetime experience I had made many new friends. Plus, I took care of some important business while in the process. Bobby David went on to become a very successful song writer with many artists recording his compositions. His solo album still remains as one of my all time favorites. About every month or so, I dust-off the old Dual Turntable and play Bobby's great album. Songs like "Crossfire," "You Are My Fantasy" and bar room rocker, "What A Way To Go." Every time I listen to his album, I'm start to reminisce about this marvelous trip. What an rare experience of traveling a four state area under those extraordinary circumstances. It was a once in a lifetime experience and I will forever cherish those memories.

The Journey of Legend Jerry Wexler

2008-08-15T11:26:00.000-07:00

August 15, 2008. Legendary Music Producer Jerry Wexler has passed away at his home in Florida at the age of 91. Wexler's death was attributed to several years of a deteriorating heart disease. Wexler who was formerly Senior VP with Atlantic Records and later associated with Warner Brothers Records, was a giant among the industry artists with whom he helped develop. Joining Atlantic in 1953 after a stint as a journalist with Billboard Magazine, Wexler was responsible for helping shape the future of the music business by changing the name of music coming from black artists formerly known as "Race Music" and changed to the modern day term of "Rhythm & Blues."

A young Jerry Wexler helped build the Atlantic label from a small R&B label to the musical empire that exists today. Legendary artists like Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett, Percy Sledge and other greats including the "Queen of Soul" herself, Aretha Franklin, were early notches in Wexler's career belt. Wexler, who had made the transition from journalist and turned record producer, was also involved in the daily mechanics of the company's powerful promotion department. Teamed with the late Ahmet Ertegun, this dynamic duo came to be known both jointly and individually as the greatest record executives on the planet.

In the early days Jerry Wexler was ahead of his time and wired to the timely trends of Southern music while being responsible for several key distribution deals such as the one with Memphis based STAX Records. Both companies benefited greatly from this agreement and paved the way for many Soul artists to reach stardom.(L-R) Jerry Wexler, Jim Stewart, Bob Kornhauser, Juggy Gales, Solomon Burke, unidentified and Johnny Beinstock.

Later distribution deals soon flourished as Atlantic would ink successful agreements with Capricorn Records, Chimneyville Records and Alston Records that would literally put those companies on the musical map. In this photo Wexler is second from left with Ertegun standing right of him.

Modern trends hit the music business in the late 1960's and early 70's as Wexler began to weave his magic into Chips Moman's American Studio in Memphis, Rick Hall's Fame Recording Studio and Barry Beckett's studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Upon that recognition, Pop Music soon became a priority when Atlantic artists Dusty Springfield, Herbie Mann, Donny Hathaway, Danny O'Keefe, Delaney & Bonnie Bramlett, Duane Allman, Boz Skaggs, Doug Sahm, Cher and New Orleans favorite Dr. John, all with the help of Jerry Wexler helped redefine Southern Music. Soon Wexler was off to his next location of Criteria Recording Studio in Miami where many Atlantic artists would record; The Bee Gees, Black Oak Arkansas and Derek & The Dominos to name a few.

Wexler's next move was one that many saw as a losing cause and train wreck in the making. That's when Wexler opened an office in Nashville, TN and signed country artist, Willie Nelson. It was now official, as the label that helped develop and bring to the forefront...Soul Music, Jazz Music, Pop Music and Heavy Metal, had now entered the Country & Western arena with Willie Nelson's new album, "Phases & Stages." A short period later, Willie Nelson would depart the label and sign a long term contract with Columbia Records while Atlantic folded it's tent and closed it's Nashville operations.

During the same period, much was transpiring in Wexler's life. Here's a capsule of events that weren't so rosy for Wexler. By now, David Geffin had entered the picture and made life miserable for Wex. The two had disagreements over business issues and guess who got the upper hand? That's when Jerry Wexler moved to Miami. There were many significant changes within the music business during that period as Wexler would respond to circumstances by saying, "The longhairs are taking over the business." In short, the popularity of R&B music had taken a back seat and this was Wexler's baby. Plus, Wexler ended-up getting a divorce during that time. Back in New York, Ahmet Ertegun had re-asserted his power at the home office after Wexler's departure and developed a new regime of company officers. Believe it or not, Wexler soon moved back to the Big Apple, but things had changed and Wexler's authoritative pulse just wasn't the same.

Editors note: As the author of this posting, I wanted to publish something on the day of Jerry Wexler's passing. I was kinda prepared yet somehow unprepared for his death. Reason being, Wexler didn't show up at the recent Atlantic Records Employee Reunion in Las Vegas. We were told that he didn't travel any more. Ahmet Ertgeun made a speech at the party and read a personal note sent from Jerry Wexler that touched the souls of everyone in attendance. Be that as it may, when summarizing Wexler's career for this posting, I realized that it would take a month-of-Sundays just to capture his entire body of work. I'm sure that I probably left-out much about his brilliant career (Bob Dylan, Dire Straits, Linda Ronstadt). Please forgive me but somehow a man like Jerry Wexler just can't be epitomized in a single posting. Also, please note that I didn't share any of my stories from personal experiences with Jerry Wexler. After all, I worked for Atlantic and lived both in Memphis and Miami during a time of enormous growth and prosperity for the company. Yet, that sequence of time also began a period of moderate decline for Wexler's influence. But on this sacred day of his passing, none of that is important. By all accounts, my faires can't even touch the surface of this industry legend. But please do me a favor, considering your interest in Jerry Wexler by the viewing of this posting, please obtain a copy of his book ""Rhythm & the Blues." Much of what I've omitted from this transcript was for a specific reason. Wexler's candid stories are very interesting reading and reveals much about his journey through the history of recorded music.

RIP Jerry Wexler. Travel well my friend.

A Home-Grown Distortion-Prone Don Nix

2008-07-28T11:27:00.000-07:00

This is the conclusion of a two-part posting on Rock Music's DON NIX. Please refer to previous story for continuing storyline.

What do you get when you combine part-musician, part-songwriter, part-producer and part-innovator? Well, you probably already know the answer by now as Don Nix combined all those special talents. Plus, he was in the thick-of-things from the get-go. Don Nix was an important piece to the Blues-Rock puzzle as his body of work leaves behind a notable trail of recordings. Back in the days when local bands were transitioning from playing Rhythm & Blues to just plain old Blues, Don Nix was there bridging the gap of uncharted waters with his pioneering ideas for roots artists. "Man, we'd go in the studio and use a harmonica microphone to record the snare drum just to capture a little distortion" says Nix. Concepts of this nature were not mainstream and considered a little controversial at the time. Looking back to the late 60's and early 70's, and if the truth be known, not everyone was on board with the adversity of Don Nix's ideas. Those who were critical of his ideas were often the one's sitting on the sidelines and associated with unsigned cover bands.

Admittedly, Don Nix is not your everyday chart topping superstar. To be fair, I really don't think that stardom was his lone destiny in the first place. Nor do I believe that he wanted all the uninvited attention that goes with the territory. Yet, this unusual posture is exactly what drew my attention to Don Nix in the first place. Considering this unique mode, he made an timely impression upon me and became one of my early mentors. All while not trying to make a timely impression upon me or become any one's mentor. Like some musicians from that Memphis era, Don Nix got into the music business and the next thing you know, things happened. Many of the fortunate souls from that STAX era, like Nix, were so happy they didn't have to get a day job and worked extra hard to maintain that unparalleled freedom.

Although Don Nix was a successful solo artist with numerous albums, his early phase participation in the production and songwriting for other artists helped shape many careers (see previous posting for details). Don Nix specialized in the formation of background singers, choir harmonies, and the soulful blend of gospel singers. That career distinction earned him the wilful eye of Beatle George Harrison when in 1971 Harrison was preparing the staging for The Concert For Bangladesh and contacted Nix for his participation. It was Don Nix's reputation and unique friendship with George Harrison that earned him the duty of organizing the background singers for this special concert event. The film, record album and concert benefit were a huge commercial success and remains as a classic event in Rock history. Somehow I wonder what it was like sitting at home when the phone rings and it was George Harrison calling to say, "Ello' Don, Can you possibly make it to Madison Square Gardens next weekend and help out with vocalist? Jolly good, Cheers." When you consider Don Nix's career took many unexpected twists and turns down through the years, you'll notice he always landed on his feet. And fortunately I was there to witness Don Nix's wild ride on several occasions. Like most who know of this fine artist, many share a special story. Considering my association and first hand experiences, I too would like to tell one of my many Don Nix tales.

THE YEAR was 1974 when Don Nix's album "Hobos, Hero's and Street Corner Clowns" was released on Enterprise (STAX) Records. It's Southern-soaked music welcomed a new era of college-age listeners to the label. A short time later STAX released another album that was co-produced by Don Nix titled "Highstepping and Fancy Dancing" by Larry Raspberry & The Highsteppers. Immediately upon release a tour was organized including both artists which was closely coordinated with CBS Records...the most powerful distribution system on the entire planet. Chart listings and concert reviews poured-in for both STAX artists as radio interviews blanketed the airwaves. Plus, several advertising campaigns were implemented while the CBS promotion and marketing staffs rolled-up their sleeves in preparation to flex their marketing muscle. After several successful Nix-Raspberry concert dates through the vast state of Texas, the tour rolled into San Francisco for a well-anticipated performance at The Great American Music Hall.

Press photo from The Great American Music Hall. (L-R) Rick Swig-Epic Records, Phillip Rauls-STAX Records, Larry Raspberry-STAX artist, Barbara Cotteril-guest, Dave Sholin-KFRC Radio/The GAVIN Report, Don Nix-STAX artist and Don DeGraf-Epic distributor.

An enthusiastic crowd combined with numerous media personnel packed the legendary music hall to view the concert. Managing editor Gary Taylor of leading industry magazine, The Gavin Radio Report, greets Phillip Rauls as he enters the hall. But get this. Sliced watermelon was served to all the guest as a special memoir to the down home event. Um...Wasn't that special. Band members wondered if they should perform barefooted as to fit the theme. Yet, as events unfolded and prior to the band's arrival to the concert hall, a very disappointing incident occurred earlier in the day. During the afternoon, a scheduled stop for both artists had been booked at the retail giant Tower Records. Both artists were excited for an in-store appearance which was supported by a live radio broadcast promoting their arrival. Upon their entrance they made themselves available inside the store for signing autographs and fan photos. But despite the hoopla of their appearance, combined with the live remote, substantial airplay, and a huge advertising campaign with publicity to match...guess what happened next? Or better still, guess what didn't happen next? Somehow a blundering mistake was made by somebody at CBS Records as they forgot to stock the Tower store with new STAX albums by Don Nix and Larry Raspberry. Both artists had ventured all the way across country for this concert and then visit the Tower Store for the big in-store promotion when somebody botched the event as they actually forgot to place their albums in stock. Imagine that. Not one record in the entire store by either artist. In turn, both artists ended-up signing their autographs on paper napkins that were supplied by a nearby restaurant. I couldn't believe what I was seeing and shook my head in disbelief. This was totally unacceptable. Rather than selling brand new albums to the fans who were standing in line and having the artists put their signatures on their album jackets, Nix and Raspberry were subjected to undergo this humiliating experience. Man, I thought to myself, "Some major heads gonna roll for this blunder." Sure enough, they did. Days later CBS Records conceded their mistake by conducting an executive search for a new San Francisco Branch Manager.

The West Coast portion of the tour resumed days later while the final Nix-Raspberry concert was held in Los Angeles. By now the tour had included two noted guest performers who had joined the review in route, Blues legend John Mayall and vocalists Claudia Lanier. In Los Angeles after a series of afternoon interviews and topped-off with a spirited evening performance, band members were ready to relax and celebrate the tour's conclusion. There was a commemorative mood in the air when John Mayall offered to host a after-concert party at his place. Whoa! I'd never been to one of them-thare Hollywood parties. A little R&R was definitely in order as band members and myself piled into the van and drove-up the winding and narrow roads to reach his Hollywood Hills estate. Upon arrival at Mayall's luxurious residence, we were pleasantly surprised by his selection of hostesses. There standing at the door greeting us were several completely nude models from Penthouse Magazine. Stark naked. My eyes completely popped out of my head as it was quite different from what I expected. Needless to say, they were all very beautiful and well endowed. I tried not to stare but about every couple of minutes throughout the entire evening, I was ordering a new drink from the hostesses just to capture a close-up view. I must have introduced myself to the beauties a hundred times as later in the evening and as the night rolled-on the hostesses began to yawn when they saw me approaching. Heck, they didn't have these kinda parties like this in my hometown. Yet, before the night was over, band members were feeling no pain and began stripping-down to their birthday suits while jumping from Mayall's second floor balcony into his swimming pool below. Including me too. Naked.

Back home, Don Nix had this fine, super-fine home located in the plush midtown neighborhood known as Chickasaw Gardens. All the beautiful homes in Memphis along Central Avenue had that rich Southern tradition being located about 75 yards from the street. It had big white columns stretched over the front looking very colonial. When you drove by in your car, it darn-near took a half a minute just to pass the mansion. One could easily view the chrome shining from his Bently sitting in his 3-car garage. I could imagine just walking to the mailbox located at curbside which probably took about ten minutes just to retrieve the mail. Anyway, you get the picture. In 1975 Don Nix had scheduled a trip to London to work on a record project when he gave me the keys to his 5 bedroom estate and asked me to watch his house while he was out of the country. "Sure," I said while thumbing through my little black book in search of available chicks. Come to find out while he was out of the country, a burglar broke-in his house and stole his entire collection of antique Civil War rifles, pistols and irreplaceable relicts. All on my watch. Man, I dreaded facing him when he returned. Yet, despite those unfortunate circumstances, when he came home, he kept his cool and never accused me of anything or suggested otherwise. At that very moment, somehow Nix's even keel calmness was forever registered within my consciousness.

Nix's multiple solo albums have paved the way and opened doors for many Southern roots artist. His body of work is spread over 5 decades while he's still plugging away. Here's a collection of several of Nix's past and current albums.

Beyond a doubt Nix's watershed is his writing of the legendary song "Going Down." Artists who have recorded this classic song are; Freddie King, Jeff Beck, John Lee Hooker, Joe Walsh, Peter Green, J.J. Cale, Brian Ferry & Roxy Music, Deep Purple, Pearl Jam and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

"I Don't Want No Trouble" was released in 2006 with the album title personifying Nix's true personality. Guess we all mellow out with age and convert into a passive mode. Not that there's anything wrong with it.

Don Nix's latest entry is titled "Passing Through" and is a timeless beaut. Recorded with the Fredrick Knight title song and spiced with soulful William Brown vocals and the Issac Hayes string section, Nix displays a smooth side of his work.

Don Nix also has the dubious distinction of writing a book with his collection of stories while traveling down the rock & roll highway. "Road Stories And Recipes" is a must read for all Pop-Culture enthusiast.

Although some of these Don Nix treasures are out of print, most are still available through various sources via the internet.

Story by Phillip Rauls (c) Copyright 2008 All Rights Reserved

Don Nix International Man of... Music

2008-06-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

This is the first of a two-part posting on Rock Music's Don Nix.

DON NIX may not have the name recognition of some of his colleagues and you're not likely to catch him where the flashbulbs are going off. It appears he's more likely to be spending his time collaborating with someone on a new song or producing a CD. But his career is a remarkable story as he is an industry survivor in a business that takes no prisoners. Don Nix began his musical career as the baritone sax player in the high school band sensation named The Mar-Keys. In the early 60's they recorded the sexy hit song titled "Last Night" for Satellite Records. Previously know as the Royal Spades, The Mar-Keys became the bedrock of the small record label that would soon change it's name to STAX Records. At that time no one envisioned the splintering of career paths set forth by The Mar-Keys or the phenomenal growth the small label would endure. Including Don Nix. Consider the fact that if you ever want to read an intriguing lesson within the history of Rock music, check-out the names of the individual members of The Mar-Keys. That info will blow your mind. There's Steve Cropper, Duck Dunn, Wayne Jackson, Joe Arnold, Don Nix, Packy Axton, Smoochy Smith, Terry Johnson and produced by legendary producer, Chips Moman. You could start the beginning scene of a full length movie at that point with the unfolding story of The Mar-Keys and STAX Records. The storyline might go like this...After the Mar-Keys next came Booker T. & The MGs, then came The Memphis Horns, then came Carla Thomas, William Bell, then Otis arrived...and so forth and so on. The point of the matter is, anyone attempting to document those years in a book or a movie and then try to minimize Don Nix's participation during those years, well...I would say they didn't do their homework.

The real story here is Don Nix always hung around some heavy hitters. On more than one occasion STAX's President and co-founder Jim Stewart would share a flamboyant story of the escapades of Don Nix over lunch gathering or a dinner party. The truth of the matter is, Jim Stewart was influenced by Nix's music direction and artistic suggestions. At a early stage both saw the changing of music styles upon the landscape of American music. During that cycle consumer trends were showing that single recordings (45 RPM's) were on the decline while college-age record buyers were purchasing albums of Pop and cross-over artists. Particularly those in the Blues field and blue-eyed soul artists. The Billboard charts didn't lie as Pop music was the clear path into the future. If you wanted to remain competitive, you better jump on the Pop band wagon. So, Don Nix began his entrance-level pop production at STAX with artists Molach, Paris Pilot and Sid Selvidge. Jim Stewart recognizing the same pattern, did likewise (see Jim Stewart ~ The Midas Touch).

Yet, if we turn back the clock to the mid 60's to first time I saw Don Nix perform, it was a summer night at a dance held at the Memphis Fairgrounds. At that time Nix was a young man and as skinny as a rake. Don't know how he could blow that huge barry sax with his thin frame and then turn around and puff on Marlboro's between songs. But Don Nix had a real cool stage presence and moved smoothly about the stage. Somehow his personal appearance differed slightly from his stage appearance. He was sorta a hybrid character and resembled a cross between a greaser and a beatnik while wearing black upon black...draped with more black. Whatever the case, he was very intriguing and I knew I had to get to know him. Months later, that impromptu meeting with Nix would occur when mutual friend Larry Raspberry of The Gentrys and myself rode my motorcycle over to the Bitter Lemon Cafe to catch some music. It must have been sometimes in 1966 or 67 when I first met Nix. Talk about a hip-talking white boy. Man, Don Nix was a non-stop, mile a minute jokester who held no punches. He kept us all in stitches and never ran out of material. Every night Nix would hold court at the Lemon with supporters flocking to his side. People would actually jockey for position to gain a seat at his table. One night Nix came in the back door of the Bitter Lemon with a guy who had this long silver hair hanging-down to his shoulders. That dude's name was Leon Russell. When Nix and Russell walked past our table, it was the first time that I'd been exposed to the sweet fragrance of Patchouli oil. No way I could pronounce the stuff much less even spell it-but at that very moment I knew I had to have some. Point is, after smelling that delightful fragrance, I swore that I'd never again wear Old Spice or English Leather cologne.

Hanging-out with Don Nix was like a psychedelic experience as I never knew what to expect. Everything appeared surrealistic and seemed like a magic carpet ride. For example, one night we were hanging-out at the Bitter Lemon when members of Paul Revere & The Raiders entered the coffee house. They had the number # 1 song in the country at the time and actually got-up on stage and performed. Free. The club was very small and only sat about 75 to 100 people. But I felt privileged to witness the event as it was a night to remember. I was so stunned that I turned to Don Nix and asked, "Did I actually see what I think I saw?"

Don Nix would go on to produce and write songs for several very pivotal STAX artists such as Delaney & Bonnie and Albert King. Like many artists from that period, their notoriety would follow yet remain long term. But the bubble was about to burst at STAX with in-house discontent over an administration shift. Seems that key insiders who held together the delicate studio chemistry at the label got seriously pissed off and split town. Call it a power play or call it a hijacking, the STAX tailspin had just begun when a certain Vice President began to blindly disassemble Jim Stewart's legacy. As time would tell, Don Nix would also leave and travel extensively moving both to California and then later to France. All while venturing towards surrounding himself with Rock music's elite. Shortly after STAX's closure, British guitar legend Jeff Beck comes to Memphis to record an album at Steve Cropper's new TMI Recording Studio. Wouldn't you know that Beck records a classic version of the Don Nix penned "Going Down." Things were looking up for Don Nix. After that Nix signs with Electra Records for a solo album that gained international recognition. And then comes a second Electra album with himself and Jeanie Greene and Lonnie Mack called "Alabama State Troopers." Nix then reconnects with old friend and pianist-producer-artist Leon Russell who signs him to his fledgling Shelter Records for a solo album that receives glowing reviews. Nix was even recognized in Penthouse Magazine as one of 100 influential people to watch. Then into the picture enters the Mad Dog and Englishman himself Joe Cocker to stir-up the mayhem and madness into Nix's life. That's when Don Nix signs-on to produce new Shelter Records artist Freddie King for his breakthrough album. And if that wasn't enough, Nix would go on to work on separate album projects with blues legend John Mayall and then bring to forefront blues master Fury Lewis and still have time to hang with the likes of superstars Eric Clapton and George Harrison.

Like many of Don Nix's associates, most remain his friends for life. Such is the case as the former STAX music publisher, Tim Whitsett (R), who held the title of President of East/Memphis Music Publishing, and shares one of his many escapades with Nix. Tim Whitsett remembers this memorable account; "I didn’t think it was funny at the time but in January 1974 a contingent from STAX Records attended the MIDEM conference in Cannes, France. On my first night there, Don and I joined our colleagues at a stylish restaurant on Le Croissant. I couldn’t pronounce anything on the menu, but made sure to sample all of it, washing everything down with brimming glasses of fermented grape from every vineyard in France. After the dishes were cleared, cigars and brandy enhanced our table’s bonhomie. At that time, someone brightly suggested: “Let’s go the casino.”

"By now my legs was very wobbly. Probably from the Jet lag, no doubt. I wished everyone luck at the casino and tottered off towards our hotel. Alas, Don caught up with me, and, using my elbow as a rudder, steered us both to the casino, and thence to the roulette table."

Whistett continues, "The action in a French casino bears very little resemblance to that in an American casino. In fact, the word ‘action’ does not at all describe the somnambulant ritual surrounding a French roulette table. Monsieur le croupier laconically bids everyone to place their bets, then gives the wheel a half-hearted sissy whirl. The wheel goes round and round interminably in the slowest of slow motion. When at last it stops, there is silence. No good old American whooping or hollering from the bettors. Merely a few Gallic shrugs."

"If the truth be known, I did not want to be in the casino. The air was hot and garlicky with wall-to-wall Gauls, and heavy with le cigarette smoke; visibility was limited to fourteen inches. Everyone was speaking French, which I thought very pretentious. My pulsing head badly wanted to lay itself down on the plump goose-feathered pillow back in the hotel room. But Don Nix would not let me depart. He had an idea up his sleeve and needed me to hang."

“Pretend like I’m blind,” Nix said while grabbing my arm. “You have to hold my hand and lead me around the casino.” “Aw-no Don, please.” I said. Then he squinted shut his eyes, grabbed hold of my hand, and shoved me into the crowd. As we walked around the casino, Nix made a very convincing blind man. I don’t know what I made, but I was embarrassed and felt like I was making an utter fool of myself.

Considering at the time, Don Nix was in the Buffalo Bill phase of his life. He had shoulder length hair, a neatly trimmed mustachios and goatee. A short leather jacket adorned with fringes on the sleeves. And, of course, that phase wouldn’t have been appropriate without the obligatory Buffalo Bill leather hat, which was never removed, not even in the shower. Indeed, Don Nix felt the same way about that hat as Sitting Bull felt about the white Stetson that Buffalo Bill had given him. When a relative once touched it, Sitting Bull snatched it away, declaring “Pahaska (Long Hair) gave me this hat! Only the hand that placed it on my head may touch it!”

So there we were, me and Buffalo Bill, trying to part a sea of sweating flesh. I’m saying “Par-dohn, Par-dohn,” as I shuffled through the casino and feeling like an idiot, wondering why I let Don rope me into this, and noting with some surprise how people were actually making room with overt sympathy as we progressed through the crowd. Then suddenly a little lady of eighty (or thereabouts) came to my rescue. Her hair was blue, in the fashion of her age and social status. I gauged her wealth as high by virtue of the thick pearl ropes round her neck, the blindingly bright diamonds affixed to her pendant and the fox fur wrap draped over her shoulder (a ludicrous accessory in the heat of the casino and offensive to those who might be repulsed by the poor fox who had his head still attached).

This little lady, barely five feet tall in her high heels, materialized right in front of us. Looking up at Don with eyes round and glowing in ardent desire, she exclaimed, “Ah! J'adore simplement votre chapeau!” And as she burbled this, which roughly translates as “Oh, I simply adore your hat!,” she reached way up and snatched the hat right off Buffalo Bill’s head. It was the kind of jester that makes a blind man’s vision return.

Don roared aloud like a wounded buffalo. “Nobody touches my hat!” That is also a rough translation, for he shouted much more as he chased the traumatized little lady back into the crowded casino.

As for moi, the diversion allowed me to escape - out of the casino and back to my hotel where a plump pillow was awaiting my head. Next day, when I saw young Don, his chapeau was firmly in place. I never thought to ask after the fate of the little ole lady. Neither did Don ever volunteer how she fared when he caught up with her. Between friends, some things are best left unsaid.” shares long time friend and associate Tim Whitsett.

Next Posting; A Home-Grown Distortion-Prone Don Nix

Rock & Roll Attitude (or Demeanor 101)

2008-05-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

Ever stop to think about the origin of Rock music itself? As you probably know, the where-and-whens of Rock have been studied and well documented for years. However, I'm talking about concept of Rock itself, the idealistic source that spearheaded the cause. It wasn't something developed by scientists in a laboratory. Nor was it created by engineers from surveys or blueprints. Don't see any results coming from focus groups or pending legislation here. As you have it, Rock Music was not an invention of such. Yet it's been around since the 1950's and served for decades as the backbone of the youth movement. It can be linked to the curled-up lip of Elvis when he smiled. It might be associated with high testosterone levels or changing hormones of teenagers. Or connected with someone just acting pompous and wanting to be accepted by their peers. Whatever those results may prove, the concept of this arrogant demeanor derived from the single component of having just a pure raw unadulterated attitude. You know what I mean, it's the kind of attitude that teenagers develop when their parents tell them to be home before curfew.

The original source of 'Rock Attitude' was developed from none other than young people themselves. No surprise there. And if you can grasp the errant ways of youth, that behavior makes it easier to understand it's rebellious ways. Remember the old song, "I'm just a Sinner not a Saint." Yet, here we are in the 21st Century and still support popular icons from previous generations who were daring and controversial. But let us explore this demeanor for a moment by viewing individuals who have personally endorsed this posture. With that being the agenda and accepting the fact that pictures don't lie, let's take a little walk through The Photolog archives and view some individuals who parlay that spirit.

It's safe to say that The Rolling Stones had that Rock & Roll Attitude when they signed with Atlantic Records and posed for their press shot in their birthday suits...err...partially nude. While band members were holding their album jackets covering their privates, we'd like to thank them for sparing us the details. Or non-details. The album cover was designed by Andy Wharhol and displayed a male crotch in tight blue jeans.

Here's a classic photo featuring free spirited DJ Dave Adcock of WZZQ-FM Radio in Jackson, MS as he greets the camera lens with his special Rock & Roll Attitude displaying his personalized two nostril salute.

Now here's a photograph for the record. It's a rock group that dressed-up to be...The Dog Police. In reality, it's Memphis music group who headlined as The Tony Thomas Trio but moonlighted as The Dog Police and definitely had that Rock Attitude.

What-the-hey! Shown here are The Red Hot Chilli Peppers acting-a-fool while being interviewed on air by KISW Radio in Seattle. No one ever accused The Peppers of not having that attitude. (L-R) Phillip Rauls-EMI Records, Flea-The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Damon Stuart-KISW Radio, Anthony Kiedis-The Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

The front page of industry rag Radio & Records featured The Who's Keith Moon promoting his new album that bears his last name. Never one to be out done, MCA Record's Jon Scott has a contest to select the prettiest moon. That's when the threesome paraded into the office of the newspaper to 'hand' deliver this fine moon. (L-R) Keith Moon-The Who, Candy Tusken-R&R manager, Jon Scott-MCA Records, and Moongirl Fineass, butt model.

Got Rock & Roll Attitude?