Gram Parsons

mo6020

Placidcasual79 said:

mo6020 said:

Placidcasual79 said:

Are you a country fan @barnstorm ?  I've downloaded some Townes Van Zandt recently too - after hearing about him on a podcast about working session players with big beards in Nashville. 

What podcast is that, please? It sounds right up my street…

Sorry - not a podcast - it's a Youtube Chanel - but lots of interesting stories about working musicians and stars in the Country/Nashville scene.....this is the guy - Ottis Gibbs - 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYX2MTovE0vYjD8touqRH7Q

Cheers

Placidcasual79

mo6020 said:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYX2MTovE0vYjD8touqRH7Q

Cheers

 No worries mate - I don't know a lot about that Nashville/Country thing. But I found the channel pretty interesting.... though I guess it's more rock'n'roll stories than anything else. There is a lot of content on the channel, session players who've played with legends etc..... 

Hope you enjoy it - if you get chance @mo6020 - I'd be interest to know what you think of it.......

Vintage65

mudslide73 said:

+1 for GP and Grievous Angel. A Song For You and $1000 Wedding are worth the price of admission alone. $1000 Wedding has some incredible Emmy/Gram vocal interplay that can still make be blub after all these years. 

I like this one.

Fingers657

Another very talented rebel rich kid that died to young because of drugs and alcohol.
He didn’t even make the 27 club.

Offset

I've always hankered after a Nudie suit like the one Gram wore.  I know I'd look an utter twat in it, but I don't care.  In my mind I'd look as cool as fuck.

Fingers657

Offset said:

I've always hankered after a Nudie suit like the one Gram wore.  I know I'd look an utter twat in it, but I don't care.  In my mind I'd look as cool as fuck.

In the mid 1970s I went to see Dr Hook at Hammersmith Odeon and they came on stage dressed as the Bay City Rollers.
Not a cool look but bloody funny.

Placidcasual79

Vintage65 said:

mudslide73 said:

+1 for GP and Grievous Angel. A Song For You and $1000 Wedding are worth the price of admission alone. $1000 Wedding has some incredible Emmy/Gram vocal interplay that can still make be blub after all these years. 

I like this one.

That is a very beautiful song isn't it? His voice really sounds sad and full of longing for a rich kid in his 20's living his dream.

Offset

Placidcasual79 said:

That is a very beautiful song isn't it? His voice really sounds sad and full of longing for a rich kid in his 20's living his dream.

Very astute comment @Placidcasual79 ;;;.  It's what made him great - no, brilliant.  The pathos and sorrow (Hot Burrito #1) alternated with joy (Viva Las Vegas) is just brilliant from one so young and so privileged.  His death was a tragic loss, and I'd love to have seen what he'd have done had he lived.  So many artists owned their existence to Gram.

* EDIT - 'Viva Las Vegas'?!?!?!  SOAP AND WATER!!!  'Ooh Las Vegas' - get a grip man!!!

For those of you interested in a Brit take on him, check out Camden's The Rockingbirds' first album.  Not Gram, sure (who could be?)  but you can tell where their heads and hearts were.  I still love it 31 years after it was released.

Placidcasual79

Offset said:

Very astute comment @Placidcasual79 ;;.  It's what made him great - no, brilliant.  The pathos and sorrow (Hot Burrito #1) alternated with joy (Viva Las Vegas) is just brilliant from one so young and so privileged.  His death was a tragic loss, and I'd love to have seen what he'd have done had he lived.  So many artists owned their existence to Gram.

You mean artists owe their existence to him because he influenced their style or his image/lifestyle appealed? Or I think it said in that article I read that he started country rock and laid the path for bands like Wilco.....

I've only got into his stuff over the past couple of days - seems he crammed a lot into a short period of time.... but I can really imagine his back catalogue suiting one of those albums were different artists record versions of his songs?  You know the sort of thing I mean?

I like the Flying Burrito Brothers record a lot and the two solo records are really good.  They seem quite mature for someone of his age to have made. I know he seemed restless or easily bored - moving band and location regularly - but I think if we'd have got a coupe more years out of him he may have made a real classic album?

Offset

I think he influenced their musical direction, although plenty mirrored his lifestyle for sure.

As to his back catalogue suiting an album of covers... this has a couple of gems on it. Worth checking out.

Placidcasual79

Offset said:

I think he influenced their musical direction, although plenty mirrored his lifestyle for sure.

As to his back catalogue suiting an album of covers... this has a couple of gems on it. Worth checking out.

Ah - I genuinely didn't know about that. Thanks @Offset I will have a look at that. 

mo6020

Placidcasual79 said:

mo6020 said:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYX2MTovE0vYjD8touqRH7Q

Cheers

 No worries mate - I don't know a lot about that Nashville/Country thing. But I found the channel pretty interesting.... though I guess it's more rock'n'roll stories than anything else. There is a lot of content on the channel, session players who've played with legends etc..... 

Hope you enjoy it - if you get chance @mo6020 - I'd be interest to know what you think of it.......

I’ll give it a proper watch tomorrow and let you know mate. 

Offset

An interesting thing about Gram... I've been to Nashville a fair few times, and if you go down the main drag all the music bars have live acts who will play a song of your choice for some bucks in the bucket.  Every time I've been, I ask for some Gram - and every time I ask, the musician/s look blankly me at me as they've never heard of him.

I dunno if it's generational but it astounded me.  Ask them for some Emmylou and they'll trill away - so how can they not have heard of Gram?!

Placidcasual79

Offset said:

An interesting thing about Gram... I've been to Nashville a fair few times, and if you go down the main drag all the music bars have live acts who will play a song of your choice for some bucks in the bucket.  Every time I've been, I ask for some Gram - and every time I ask, the musician/s look blankly me at me as they've never heard of him.

I dunno if it's generational but it astounded me.  Ask them for some Emmylou and they'll trill away - so how can they not have heard of Gram?!

Thats interesting isn't it... I wonder why? I know he didn't have any huge selling records but he played with some well known people; members of the Bryds and Elvis' backing band. He can't be an unknown?

Hope you dont mind me asking @Offset - were you working in Nashville or seeing the sites? Bit of both? What was it like?

Offset

Placidcasual79 said:

Offset said:

An interesting thing about Gram... I've been to Nashville a fair few times, and if you go down the main drag all the music bars have live acts who will play a song of your choice for some bucks in the bucket.  Every time I've been, I ask for some Gram - and every time I ask, the musician/s look blankly me at me as they've never heard of him.

I dunno if it's generational but it astounded me.  Ask them for some Emmylou and they'll trill away - so how can they not have heard of Gram?!

Thats interesting isn't it... I wonder why? I know he didn't have any huge selling records but he played with some well known people; members of the Bryds and Elvis' backing band. He can't be an unknown?

Hope you dont mind me asking @Offset - were you working in Nashville or seeing the sites? Bit of both? What was it like?

Not at all.  I visit purely for pleasure.  We have a very close (American) friend who lives there so I always have a place to doss.  I first went exactly ten years ago and I've been back 5 (?) times since.  It's changed immensely over that period, but it's still massive fun.  I'm hopefully going to visit next year.

Nashville (or as my mate calls it, Nash Vegas) is a total blast.  The downtown area around Lower Broadway is where you'll find all the 'famous' bars (Tootsie's Orchid Lounge and Honky Tonk Central are two of my faves) with great live music everywhere you go.  Lots to see, hear and experience and it's pretty safe.  No longer cheap however.

There are lots of great bars away from the downtown area and suburban Nashville where my mate (and some other friends) live is very nice.  I love the place and I've never grown tired of it, although Broadway does become a bit samey after a few visits.  Beer and grub is also cheaper further out.  I always look forward to being back there.

Just don't ask anyone if they know any Gram... :-)

Placidcasual79

Offset said:

Placidcasual79 said:

Offset said:

An interesting thing about Gram... I've been to Nashville a fair few times, and if you go down the main drag all the music bars have live acts who will play a song of your choice for some bucks in the bucket.  Every time I've been, I ask for some Gram - and every time I ask, the musician/s look blankly me at me as they've never heard of him.

I dunno if it's generational but it astounded me.  Ask them for some Emmylou and they'll trill away - so how can they not have heard of Gram?!

Thats interesting isn't it... I wonder why? I know he didn't have any huge selling records but he played with some well known people; members of the Bryds and Elvis' backing band. He can't be an unknown?

Hope you dont mind me asking @Offset - were you working in Nashville or seeing the sites? Bit of both? What was it like?

Not at all.  I visit purely for pleasure.  We have a very close (American) friend who lives there so I always have a place to doss.  I first went exactly ten years ago and I've been back 5 (?) times since.  It's changed immensely over that period, but it's still massive fun.  I'm hopefully going to visit next year.

Nashville (or as my mate calls it, Nash Vegas) is a total blast.  The downtown area around Lower Broadway is where you'll find all the 'famous' bars (Tootsie's Orchid Lounge and Honky Tonk Central are two of my faves) with great live music everywhere you go.  Lots to see, hear and experience and it's pretty safe.  No longer cheap however.

There are lots of great bars away from the downtown area and suburban Nashville where my mate (and some other friends) live is very nice.  I love the place and I've never grown tired of it, although Broadway does become a bit samey after a few visits.  Beer and grub is also cheaper further out.  I always look forward to being back there.

Just don't ask anyone if they know any Gram... :-)

Wow - it sounds incredible..... you should be working for the tourist board there @Offset ; 

I think of it - like New Orleans (I've never been there either!) - as a lively downtown with busy streets in the evening with bars open and bands playing....I like to think that the bar bands in these places are next level and low key amazing lol 

Handy to have friends there as well! Hope you enjoy your next trip.....

Jez6345789

I think this thread answers you question and it much the way I feel about GP you just have to dig in and find what you like and the rest either grows on you or you move on. I still love Gilded palace and the GP and grievous stuff but there are other diamonds in the mine.

Actually stayed in the Joshua tree inn whilst driving through the southwest and desert a few years ago. Although not that sort of obsessive fan just seemed the thing to do as airbnb in the deserts are stupid money for a tin shack. Lol

Vintage65

Jez6345789 said:

I think this thread answers you question and it much the way I feel about GP you just have to dig in and find what you like and the rest either grows on you or you move on. I still love Gilded palace and the GP and grievous stuff but there are other diamonds in the mine.

Actually stayed in the Joshua tree inn whilst driving through the southwest and desert a few years ago. Although not that sort of obsessive fan just seemed the thing to do as airbnb in the deserts are stupid money for a tin shack. Lol

Did you ask for room 8?  

mo6020

Placidcasual79 said:

Offset said:

Placidcasual79 said:

Offset said:

An interesting thing about Gram... I've been to Nashville a fair few times, and if you go down the main drag all the music bars have live acts who will play a song of your choice for some bucks in the bucket.  Every time I've been, I ask for some Gram - and every time I ask, the musician/s look blankly me at me as they've never heard of him.

I dunno if it's generational but it astounded me.  Ask them for some Emmylou and they'll trill away - so how can they not have heard of Gram?!

Thats interesting isn't it... I wonder why? I know he didn't have any huge selling records but he played with some well known people; members of the Bryds and Elvis' backing band. He can't be an unknown?

Hope you dont mind me asking @Offset - were you working in Nashville or seeing the sites? Bit of both? What was it like?

Not at all.  I visit purely for pleasure.  We have a very close (American) friend who lives there so I always have a place to doss.  I first went exactly ten years ago and I've been back 5 (?) times since.  It's changed immensely over that period, but it's still massive fun.  I'm hopefully going to visit next year.

Nashville (or as my mate calls it, Nash Vegas) is a total blast.  The downtown area around Lower Broadway is where you'll find all the 'famous' bars (Tootsie's Orchid Lounge and Honky Tonk Central are two of my faves) with great live music everywhere you go.  Lots to see, hear and experience and it's pretty safe.  No longer cheap however.

There are lots of great bars away from the downtown area and suburban Nashville where my mate (and some other friends) live is very nice.  I love the place and I've never grown tired of it, although Broadway does become a bit samey after a few visits.  Beer and grub is also cheaper further out.  I always look forward to being back there.

Just don't ask anyone if they know any Gram... :-)

Wow - it sounds incredible..... you should be working for the tourist board there @Offset ; 

I think of it - like New Orleans (I've never been there either!) - as a lively downtown with busy streets in the evening with bars open and bands playing....I like to think that the bar bands in these places are next level and low key amazing lol 

Handy to have friends there as well! Hope you enjoy your next trip.....

It’s more like Vegas, but swap the casinos out for Honky Tonks. 

My dad lives there so I’m out there fairly frequently, too. 

Stuckfast

Gram wasn't from Nashville though. He was originally from the deep south somewhere and wound up in LA. California had its own country scene thanks to Bakersfield. 'Country rock' probably owes more to Bakersfield acts like Buck Owens than to Nashville country.