How 'bout a BC/Stooges tour?

[Festooned Piglips]

riffraff said:

(p.s.... FP should make a new years resolution to stop wasting so much time posting on this board and get back to finishing the remixing which has delayed RH from releasing final remastered versions of his past material and getting on to the business of the new material.)

Maybe you should make a resolution to stop telling people what to do!
Furthermore, I spend no more time writing on here than you do reading it.
Hey, maybe I should spend quality time like you do; you know, getting my sphincter all bunched up trying to do promotion for Blue Cheer, while telling others what do do with their time.
In regards to Randy`s new material, you cannot rush art, and Randy`s recorded work is no exception.
I don`t know why Randy gets a bad rap on here.
Blue Cheer was inspired by his work, and they were practically made for Randy.
Here is a direct quote from his website:
"The Other Half'ssets at concerts, Holden would plug in all the bands amps to his
guitar and do a solo. Even though it was experimental, The audience response exceeded expectations.
Some present at those shows and seeing this part of the show made it known to Holden the new band on
the block Blue Cheer were the only ones close to doing what he was doing, saying that was really his
band."
`Nuff said

[wholelottashakin]

Festooned said:

riffraff said:

(p.s.... FP should make a new years resolution to stop wasting so much time posting on this board and get back to finishing the remixing which has delayed RH from releasing final remastered versions of his past material and getting on to the business of the new material.)

Here is a direct quote from his website:
quot;
`Nuff said

RIGHT! Unless you really are as dumb as you are stupid, and it appears you are ... that quote was WRITTEN BY RANDY ... those are his claims ... NOT FACT

Actually, your continued banal postings only make those of us who did not think much of Randy before now despise him ... I wouldn't go see him if he were playing across the street and a $1,000 were attached (by him) to the ticket.

HE ATTEMPTED TO STEAL THE BLUE CHEER NAME, dillwad ... and continues to claim to have created a band on which he merely appeared for three songs ...

and now, following the wisdom of others on the board, i cease to acknowledge that you exist

[otherhalf]

I think what is inferred in the quote from Randy Holden’s website is simply the idea that Randy Holden ought to have been playing with Blue Cheer rather than the Other Half! I certainly don’t believe that RH had any significant influence over the sound that BC established with Leigh Stephens. If you compare Vincebus Eruptum with the roughly contemporary Other Half album the sound of the two bands is very different, with the Yardbirds (particularly), the Stones, the Standells and LA bands like Love coming across as influences on the Other Half, and the Blues, Hendrix, Soul (subsequently a much stronger influence on Outsideinside) and the anarchic sounds that Whaley and Co. established with the Oxford Circle being influences on Blue Cheer. Of the two bands, as represented on album, I think Blue Cheer created by far the most original sound. Randy Holden himself makes the relevant point very succinctly when he says of Blue Cheer: “....they had a unique sound of their own before I came along”. www.furious.com/Perfect/randyholden2.html (para 5)

Something that doesn’t normally get mentioned is the possibility of influence/benefits running the other way. Looking again at the evidence of the recorded music, I think Dickie and Paul gave Randy the perfect musical environment (and the freedom) to develop that seriously heavy but majestic and melodic sound that he is known for. RH plays some outstanding short solos on the Other Half album, but when he stretches out on the final track it sounds interesting but, in my view, is far from being a cohesive piece of music. It sounds half formed and tentative compared to the overall power and strong identity of any track you might choose from Vincebus Eruptum.

Dickie and Paul had the ability to slow things down but keep the music seamless, inexorably powerful and full of interest and little surprises. I think their work on Peace of Mind and Fruit and Icebergs is outstanding and, with their support, Randy has moved from excelling at short, intense solos to being able to build, sustain and manipulate that intensity over much longer and more cohesive pieces. I think New Improved represents a major step forward for Randy as an artist. It set the pattern for Population II and I doubt whether Pop II would have been able to sound quite the way it did if Randy had not had that stint with Blue Cheer. I think Chris Lockheed deserves some credit for Pop II as well. He’s a fine drummer and it’s a pity he’s not recorded more.

Of course, once Randy had left BC, they recorded side 2 of New Improved and BC4.....so not a lot of enduring influence there!! This isn’t a knock against Randy, I think he’s a great guitarist, although just one of a number who have passed through Blue Cheer. This Guitar God stuff just gets in the way though. His best work has been produced in the company of unbowed mortals who’ve added their own creative flair to the pot and, for me, his last Guitar God album demonstrated rather a lack of such input and seemed (although it has its moments) a bit of a megalomaniac affair.

With Duck, BC can get close to both the avant-garde rawness of Leigh Stephens and the carefully controlled intensity of Randy Holden, and of course he brings his own style to the band too. In my view No Relief is one of the best things they’ve ever recorded. For the first time since New Improved I’m reminded of Dickie’s playing on Side 2....that slow but inexorable rolling bass. There are fine lyrics, a great vocal, fantastic playing and a sound like a massive rolling sea with cross currents and breakers. There’s something of the sixties about it (reminds me just slightly of Cream’s Tales of Brave Ulysses and Steppenwolf’s The Pusher) but it is also very much of today. Perfect modern Blue Cheer music.

[blues man]

very well put Other Half,......I definately find RH songs with BC and Pop II to have a style similar to Cream only heavier and more psychedelic,...you know come to think of it Randy could have even been Clapton's replacement for Cream at the time had they not disbanded,...he probably would have had a lot of solo room with them for sure - what a scenario that would have been, eh?

[poopypants]

Although the thought of Randy being in Cream is quite interesting, I seriously doubt it would gave lasted very long. No offense, but Randy is a type of guy who wants to do his own thing, ragardless of anyone else, and Ginger Baker, who is probably a much stronger personality than Randy, would not let that happen. I could not see those two working together for very long.