Relix Aug. 1992

[gypsyball]

Courtesy Of FBL

[the feathered one]

To quote the Encyclopedia of Rock Vol 2: Liverpool to San Francisco, published in 1976 by Aquarius Books -

Blue Cheer: The early San Francisco bands progressed at a tangent to the influence of the British Power Rock bands like Cream and the Jeff Beck Group, but many of their second and third generation outfits were completely overawed by the Britons. Accordingly, when Blue Cheer - Paul Whaley, drums (from Sacramento`s Oxford Circle); Dick Peterson, bass, lead vocals; and Randy Holden, lead guitar - erupted on the scene with shatteringly loud performances and an excessively overburdened version of `Summertime Blues, a hit in summer 68, there seemed little to distinguish them from the British trios apart from extra volume. By their second album, `Outsideinside`, Holden had been replaced by Leigh Stevens. It is their most interesting album, noteworthy for Paul Whaley`s most interesting heavy drum technique.
Like the Grateful Dead they abounded in mystique and local legend but failed to project their aura of excitement on any of their four albums.

I had to rely on crap like this to try and find out about my favourite band back in those early days, because Blue Cheer had not been a band to be widely quoted in the British rock tabloids of the day. And when anything else surfaced, half the time the authors of those articles got their facts wrong as well, one of the most famous quotes being the reference to Bruce `Leigh` Stephens.

[Festooned Piglips]

the said:

To quote the Encyclopedia of Rock Vol 2: Liverpool to San Francisco, published in 1976 by Aquarius Books -

Blue Cheer: The early San Francisco bands progressed at a tangent to the influence of the British Power Rock bands like Cream and the Jeff Beck Group, but many of their second and third generation outfits were completely overawed by the Britons. Accordingly, when Blue Cheer - Paul Whaley, drums (from Sacramento`s Oxford Circle); Dick Peterson, bass, lead vocals; and Randy Holden, lead guitar - erupted on the scene with shatteringly loud performances and an excessively overburdened version of `Summertime Blues, a hit in summer 68, there seemed little to distinguish them from the British trios apart from extra volume. By their second album, `Outsideinside`, Holden had been replaced by Leigh Stevens.

While this 'fact' is wrong, it is of course not entirely off base as it may seem.
I would venture to say that although Leigh was the guitarist many INITIALLY heard and saw with the band, we all know that Randy Holden was the spiritual, actual original guitarist in the band, as they were inspired by him, thus making Leigh a 'guitarist-for-hire' until Randy came along and made them whole.
(For all you naysayers and doubters out there, ever wonder why they basically disbanded after Randy`s departure? Sure they continued on in name only, but think about it.....)
It`s easy to see how this information got mixed up until the advent of the internet, but with Randy coming out of his self-imposed musical exile around the same time as everyone got connected to the internet, the truth can finally be known!!!!!!

[frankenpint]

They seemingly "disbanded" after the 3 rd album because Paul was no longer in the band at that point. Blue Cheer thrives best when Paul is behind the drum kit. Probably the reasin why randy so desperately needed him to pull off his bogus version of Blue Cheer.

[rowenafaire]

misinformation abounds in the music business, period, before, during and after the internet! blue cheer are hardly unique in having details mixed up, rumours amplified and blame passed round from one person to the next. the fact that they have had so many guitarists just adds fuel to that fire. there are any number of rumours and jokes that have been reported as fact about bands and members of bands everywhere, from "paul is dead" to "randy holden is a god" to the marianne faithfull mars bar, and on it goes. people gossip and journalists embroider and there's not a lot you can do about it. a LOT of music journos are just fans who write and their writing is slanted accordingly. even the best, most honest and honourable get their facts wrong, often being mislead by the players themselves either through ego or mischief. so while you MAY get the facts eventually, it may NEVER happen. lester bangs was a great WRITER but he was an opinionated drunk who mislead a lot of people; the others well a lot of them aren't such good writers but ... so patience, brethren, the pieces fall together over time and some may be forever lost, but the quest remains....

[wholelottashakin]

Oldhippieman, where did you see the ad? It would be great if there were to be some serious press for this tour, 'bout time ...

Now if only Leigh would show up, just for SUMMERTIME BLUES.

[mikethedrummer]

The Marianne Faithfull Mars bar??? THAT sounds intriguing - care to elaborate?

[rowenafaire]

well, i'll be...! i thought everyone had heard that one by now...in '67 when the stones were busted during an acid trip in keith richards house, marianne faithfull was amongst the crew, and having had a bath had wrapped herself in a fur rug - and nothing else. titillating enough in itself, the persistent rumour that came out of that incident was that when the police arrived they found mick jagger consuming a mars bar secreted in marianne's c--t. she and everyone present has denied this for over forty years now but the rumour lives on...

[frankenpint]

That's because the Mars bar was actually secreted in her ASS. You are getting this story mixed up with the infamous Mud Shark incident!

So....Blue Cheer dudes...any interesting groupie stories you'd like to share on this forum. As Dickie always sez..."Keep the filth!"

[mikethedrummer]

Apparently I wasn't reading closely enough and somehow thought that story had something to do with Blue Cheer. Hell, Paul and Janis, Paul and Linda, why not Paul and Marianne, too?

[Capzz]

mikethedrummer said:

Apparently I wasn't reading closely enough and somehow thought that story had something to do with Blue Cheer. Hell, Paul and Janis, Paul and Linda, why not Paul and Marianne, too?

Are you referring to Linda as Linda Keith? The chick Hendrix and Keith Richards used to bang?
I never heard of that one....

[mikethedrummer]

No, Linda Eastman, the one Paul used to bang before she married the "other" Paul.

[Eric Albronda]

Mike the Drummer,
Thank you for the encouraging words you sent ---always nice to know the results of change.
Eric