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 Rock's In My Head JUNE 7: CROSBY, STILLS, NASH and YOUNG Earlier that spring Bill Graham announced a list of shows for the remainder of the season and a new sound system would be installed over the summer. One of the announced shows was to be a six night engagement featuring Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, no opening act and only one show per night at 9PM. These would sell out in an unprecedented time. My SASE returned without tickets, a true first for me. At my girlfriend’s senior prom it was decided at our table that the group of us, four guys and their dates, would attempt to purchase tickets for the next evening’s performance of CSNY. One attempt in the street only found us talking to a speed dealer who did not have any tickets and we didn’t need any speed, so the conversation didn’t last long. Our lady friends took it upon themselves to wait on line for “stand by” tickets. The show was scheduled for 9PM, and the box office usually released the “stand by” tickets about an hour before show time. However, tonight was different as the girl in the ticket booth, after listening to our girl’s tale of woe took pity on them giving each girl two tickets, totaling eight tickets, all seated together in the fourth row center. The CSNY show was recorded each night and the best performances from the week were compiled and released as FOUR WAY STREET. The show started with solo sets from each performer doing a few of the classic tunes they were known for. KING MIDAS IN REVERSE, a HOLLIES classic was done by Nash. Stephen Stills did solo piano work on 49 BYE BYES, Crosby scored with TRIAD. But for me the highlight was acoustic Neil Young. Geez, what a great start to a show. And the band didn’t even do their collective electric set yet.It only got better. CROSBY STILLS NASH and YOUNG Apr 23, 2018
 Rock's In My Head We are on a train with a large group of about 12 attending the late show featuring Jethro Tull, John Sebastian, and Clouds. This May 22 bill was like no other. Clouds is a power trio from Scotland who shared management with Jethro Tull, so they landed the opening slot. Clouds, after assaulting our ears with their loud music, if that’s what it could be called, was followed by John Sebastian, complete in his stoned out Woodstock tie dye outfit playing acoustic guitar, and harmonica. From a power trio to a stoned acoustic singer, we were mesmerized and then to throw in JETHRO TULL as the closer, what the hell ? It made no sense. At this point Tull was a five piece outfit, adding John Evans on piano, and the band was playing tunes from their recently released BENEFIT album. Still I pined for the THIS WAS era tunes and the only one they played this night was DHARMA FOR ONE which is the drum solo. I was having a tough time liking their new music. And their worst music was yet to come. Jethro Tull / CLOUDS / John Sebastian Apr 23, 2018
 Rock's In My Head MAY16: THE GUESS WHO/ COLD BLOOD/ BUDDY MILES EXPRESS @ FILLMORE EAST We headed back to Fillmore East for a show with The Guess Who, Cold Blood,and The Buddy Miles Express. An odd bill for me as I had no true interest in seeing any of these acts but my brother was a Guess Who fan and wanted to see the band so being a good sibling I took him to the show. It turned out to be not what I expected, as a matter of fact it was quite entertaining and a great bonding moment. Buddy Miles did THEM CHANGES, Cold Blood had Lydia Pense who was pleasing to the eyes and ears, and Guess Who had Randy Bachman on guitar, a guy I never heard of before. The Guess Who / Buddy Miles Express / COLD BLOOD Apr 23, 2018
 Rock's In My Head APRIL 4: TEN YEARS AFTER/ STONE THE CROWS @ CAPITOL THEATRE, PORT CHESTER, NY At one of house parties a group of at least a dozen of us had decided to go see the movie WOODSTOCK(a 3 hour event unto itself)which was having a limited run in only one theater in Manhattan.The plan was hatched to also follow our viewing of the movie with a trip to The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester to see TYA later that same evening. Some at the party said they would do just the movie, some the movie and the concert. An early morning train was taken to Penn Station followed by a subway ride to the theatre to catch the 1PM movie. Woodstock (the movie) was over 3 hours in length. By 5pm we were walking toward the Port Authority to take a train to The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester .And this show was worth the trip with STONE THE CROWS opening. I now had a new favorite female singer, MAGGIE BELL. TEN YEARS AFTER was loud, and more theatrical than what I saw on the big screen a few hours ago.They were stars now or at least ALVIN LEE was as he is now standing center stage when before he was slightly to our right. Hmmmm.Two long train rides home and a trip to the local diner, finally walking in my house about 3AM, having spent a long day of rock and roll. Ten Years After / Stone The Crows Apr 23, 2018
 Rock's In My Head The set list posted was done so but not by me as tonight was a strange show for the AIRPLANE. This is from my notes... MAR 25: Jefferson Airplane at Suffolk Community College with Country Joe and The Fish, now that is a show worthy of my 2 bucks. We had great seats surrounded by lots of fun people, all sharing in the good times. The Fish were The Fish which meant great fun doing an extended set of tunes. When The Airplane came out they were a four piece band, Jack, Jorma, Sammy (who on drums?), and Paul. No Grace Slick to be found and Marty joined in later for a song or two. All in all this was a very disappointing show, not a true Airplane extravaganza, not even a HOT TUNA thing, not too good even for the two bucks admission. Jefferson Airplane / Country Joe and the Fish / Hot Tuna Apr 23, 2018
 Rock's In My Head FEB 28: TEN YEARS AFTER / DOUG KERSHAW/ ZEPHYR @ FILLMORE EAST It was only one full week after Savoy Brown and I was back doing what I loved to do.This time it was a late show on a Saturday night, a midnight extravaganza featuring TEN YEARS AFTER, Zephyr, and Doug Kershaw. Kershaw, a Cajun violinist (fiddle player) was just okay, a bit too quirky for me. Zephyr had a fabulous guitarist, Tommy Bolin, and their girl singer, Cindy Givens, was a blast; Hard Charging Woman, Huna Buna, St James Infirmary, great tunes played by a pretty decent band ( I would follow Tommy Bolin’s career for a few years until his untimely death in 1976). Finally TYA, my favorite band for the moment, with our fourth row Fillmore East seats, this was the night of nights to remember with a full set of their usual fare followed by an eighteen (18) song encore featuring many, many Chuck Berry tunes. No matter how cold it was outside, this band was hot inside. Goin’ Home (funny how I slipped that there) we took what was labeled by the late night LIRR riders as the notorious “drunk” train. Ten Years After / Zephyr / John Hammond Jr. Apr 23, 2018
 Rock's In My Head FEB 21: SAVOY BROWN/THE KinKs/ RENAISSANCE @ FILLMORE EAST New York is always cold and this night it was extremely cold and then at the Fillmore The KinKs cancelled out at the last minute making my already sour mood worse.  The VOICES OF EAST HARLEM started the night off by showing a video of the ensemble singing, running down the streets of Manhattan. Suddenly the video shows the group turning onto Second Avenue, oh look the Fillmore marquee on the screen, then, the actual group is running down the aisles toward the stage singing to the song being played on the video. Very cool. RENAISSANCE was the left over Yardbirds, quite different from what I expected. Last up, when Savoy Brown hit the stage they BOOGIED and then they BOOGIED some more. Chris Youlden was great on vocals, performing with a top hat while smoking a cigar, Noonan (a Fillmore stage hand but truly a playwright of some note) danced to the beat while Kim Simmonds rocked out on guitar. Nice show. But The KinKs cancelled and despite Savoy Brown saving somewhat of the show, my evening was a bust, no KinKs. savoy brown / Renaissance / Voices of East Harlem Apr 23, 2018
 Rock's In My Head FEB 7: DELANEY, BONNIE and FRIENDS with ERIC CLAPTON/ SEALS AND CROFTS/WILBERT HARRISON@ FILLMORE EAST With a bottle or two of red wine and two tickets to see Delaney Bonnie Friends with Eric Clapton we head out into a bitter cold night Saturday night. ERIC CLAPTON was now touring as a member of DBF. This was a dream come true show with Clapton away from that Blind Faith fiasco in MSG of last summer. Eric Clapton was the man tonight with the Fillmore East acoustics making him sound amazingly good. This was so much better than The Garden sound system when he played with Blind Faith. Seals and Crofts opened this night as did Wilbert Harrison. Both acts paled in comparison to the guitarist revered as GOD. Delaney, Bonnie, and Friends with Eric Clapton / Wilbert Harrison / Seals and Crofts Apr 23, 2018
 Rock's In My Head JAN 24: My 18th BIRTHDAY with QUICKSILVER MESSENGER SERVICE and Country Joe Fish at FILLMORE EAST This beautiful but cold Saturday morning began when my brother purchased the new Quicksilver album SHADY GROVE as my present. When we got home from the record store Mom asked if there was anything special I wanted for my birthday. While she probably meant for dinner, maybe a special meal, I selfishly requested two tickets to see Quicksilver for that evening. Twenty bucks slipped into a HAPPY BIRTHDAY card, a quick kiss on the cheek and away I went. Real proof of age as I was now legal to drink in New York State, I got a bottle of wine for the train ride in. With a pack of Marlboro Reds, two round trip LIRR tickets and money for two Fillmore tickets my birthday gift money was well spent. Thanks Mom. Eric Mercury AKA THE ELECTRIC BLACK MAN opened the show with COUNTRY JOE AND THE FISH following. Then Quicksilver Messenger Service with Nicky Hopkins (piano) and Dino Valenti on vocals gave us quite a show. Not the Quicksilver I was expecting but a San Fran jam fest no less. Quicksilver Messenger Service / Country Joe & The Fish / Eric Mercury Apr 22, 2018
 Rock's In My Head Jan 18:THE DOORS / LONNIE MACK at The FELT FORUM, my second shot at seeing this legendary band. But again, the rants and poems by Morrison while the group played a pedestrian beat in the background made me think...ah, he (Morrison) is not that good.Yet the women in the crowd loved him, they actually roared with delight at his antics and his profanity. Lonnie Mack opened the show and was as good as last time I saw him. John Sebastian joined the Doors on harmonica for their opening tune ROADHOUSE BLUES. The Doors / Lonnie Mack Apr 22, 2018
 Rock's In My Head Dec 6 :JETHRO TULL/FAT MATRESS/GRAND FUNK RAILROAD @ FILLMORE EAST Tickets arrive and away we go. A few bottles of wine for the train ride and some Marlboro Reds, orchestra seats far back on the right side. Grand Funk Railroad opened and were loud, very loud, fast and so loud, with a hair flowing lead guitarist running about on the stage. Geez, they got an encore and then another encore...WHAT? An opening act at Fillmore East getting multiple encores? Grand What? It was unusual even with my limited concert experience to see an opening band called back more than once. I was not too impressed saying so later to my friends. Oh, not too cool on my part as most everyone in our little group loved them. Then, FAT MATTRESS hit the stage, a band which was basically Noel Redding the ex-bassist for Hendrix's Experience, now on his own playing lead guitar and singing. Seems like he hooked up with a bunch of his drinking buddies to form this band. Fat Mattress was not particularly good, terrible actually. They did a tune called ALL NIGHT DRINKER to which I think Noel wrote because he was a drunk and proud of it. Then JETHRO TULL hits the stage opening with NOTHING IS EASY and played most of their new album STAND UP. Jethro Tull / Fat Mattress / Grand Funk Railroad Apr 22, 2018
 Rock's In My Head NOV 29: JEFFERSON AIRPLANE/ YOUNGBLOODS/ JOSEPH EGER’S CROSSOVER @ FILLMORE EAST The day after seeing The Stones I was back on the train to enjoy Jefferson Airplane once again. Man, I loved that band. Tonight they were sharing the bill with another San Franciscan band, The Youngbloods. Joseph Eger was a classical horn player trying to infuse rock and jazz into what he did, hence CROSSOVER, which was strange even for a Fillmore opening act. Crossover was followed by The Youngbloods who played a nice, truly enjoyable, laid back set. Jesse Colin Young had a great voice, smooth as silk. Then, THE AIRPLANE landed even hotter than the last time. Happy Thanksgiving weekend, I couldn’t believe it, with The Airplane and The Rolling Stones Joseph Egar's CROSSOVER / The Youngbloods / Jefferson Airplane Apr 22, 2018
 Rock's In My Head NOV 28: THE ROLLING STONES/ IKE AND TINA TURNER/ TERRY REID @ MADISON SQUARE GARDEN I tried in vain to get STONES tickets for their MADISON SQUARE GARDEN performance. Skipping school the day tickets went on sale, I took the train after my Dad’s train so as to not be caught, to Brooklyn and then by subway to my cousin’s house off of Church Ave. When I arrived I asked my aunt not to say anything to my mom, her sister, when the spoke next. She just smiled.The box office was to open at 10AM, which it did and the shows were SOLD OUT in a manner of minutes. No tickets. However, The Rock Gods must have found redemption as a few night later while going to the aforementioned Cocker Show, I hit the Garden Box Office and found eight (8) tickets at 5 bucks each for a newly announced afternoon matinee show of... The Rolling Stones, Ike and Tina Turner and Terry Reid@ MADISON SQUARE GARDEN for November 28, 1969 the day after Thanksgiving at 2PM. Hallelujah, I'm in. Terry Reid (third time for me) was killer as an opening act. Ike and Tina's Revue was tight but should have been called Tina Turner's Revue, Then the point I had anticipated, light dimmed finally THE ROLLING STONES. The Rolling Stones / Ike and Tina Turner Revue / Terry Reid Apr 22, 2018
 Rock's In My Head NOV 22: JOE COCKER and THE GREASE BAND/ FLEETWOOD MAC/ KING CRIMSON Going nearly a month without a show was tough. While working out some personal difficulties with my folks I was doing well in school, meeting more and more new “friends" and still pulling full time hours in the cassette factory when I saw the VILLAGE VOICE ad: Joe Cocker at Fillmore East. The  bill also included (Peter Green’s) Fleetwood Mac and King Crimson who recently got some radio play. So, why not? Great seats arrived. King Crimson opened the show and performed most of their amazing debut THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING (which I bought the very next week) followed by Peter Green's FLEETWOOD MAC which was simply outstanding. Greenie was playing the blues so sweetly and the band tight, so very, very tight. Peter Green became a guitar idol for me at that moment. Joe Cocker and The Grease Band held their own, opening with HITCHCOCK RAILWAY from his second album, and he threw in two Beatle tunes before closing with WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS. Having seen Cocker two times in as few months, I was not sure if I wanted to see him again for a while. But FLEETWOOD MAC, yes I will be back. Joe Cocker and The Grease Band / (Peter Green's )Fleetwood Mac / King Crimson Apr 22, 2018
 Rock's In My Head OCT 25: THE WHO “TOMMY” @ FILLMORE EAST Six nights, just THE WHO WOW was this loud as THE WHO brought their own sound system, all 45 speaker cabinets worth to premier their rock opera TOMMY, mixed in with a few hits and misses. First time a band played FILLMORE EAST midweek and for 6 consecutive days AND allowed to use their PA.Two sets with an intermission between. WOW is all I wrote in my notebook after the show. The Who Apr 22, 2018
 Rock's In My Head SEPT 20: CROSBY, STILLS, NASH and YOUNG/ LONNIE MACK @ FILLMORE EAST The following weekend we two, my girl and I, were back at the same hall, almost the same orchestra seats as the TYA show, middle section a few rows back from the stage to see Crosby Stills Nash who now added Neil Young. This show was originally schedule as CROSBY,STILLS and NASH for August but was postponed. Now, a month after Woodstock here they were as CSN&YOUNG. Ahhhhh... The opening act, Lonnie Mack playing his Flying V Gibson was very tasty, and of course he did his version of Memphis. CSN played Suite:Judy followed by a few tunes before Neil joined in as did a bass player and drummer. The highlights were Broken Arrow, Wooden Ships and the closer, Down By The River. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young / Lonnie Mack / The Move Apr 21, 2018
 Rock's In My Head SEPT 13: TEN YEARS AFTER?MOTHER EARTH/ THE FLOCK @ FILLMORE EAST. I grabbed some good Orchestra tickets for the Saturday night early show fully anticipating another great night of scorching TEN YEARS AFTER blues/rock. The show was as advertised, great. The Flock, a horn ensemble with a violin player to boot opened the festivities for the evening and closed their set with a KinKs tune, TIRED OF WAITING. Very cool. Mother Earth was next up. “Boring as boring can be” is the way I described that act to my friends. Still to this day one of my all time LEAST FAVORITE ACTS is Tracy Nelson fronting MOTHER EARTH. TYA, that’s what was printed on the buttons we were handed as we entered the venue, rocked the house (Spoonful,Good Morning Little School Girl, I Can't Keep From Crying, Hobbit,Help Me and of course I’m Going Home, the same exact set as played a few weeks ago in Freeport (and I bet same set they played at Woodstock) with a few Chuck Berry encores thrown in. TYA did Chuck Berry better than Chuck Berry. Alvin Lee was tearing it up, Leo Lyons’ head bouncing along to his bounding bass, Chick Churchill standing, clapping, leading the audience from atop his Leslie, and Ric Lee pounding out the back beat. Sold, they were my new FAVORITE live band, a sentiment which could change nightly. Sweating we hit the night air totally satisfied and spent. The gang walked slowly through the Village proudly wearing our TYA buttons. Ten Years After / Mother Earth / the flock Apr 21, 2018
 Rock's In My Head SEPT 3 : MC-5/ THE STOOGES/DAVID PEEL and The LOWER EAST SIDE @ THE PAVILION With only one full day of my senior year of high school under my belt I needed a rest so I took the afternoon off from work and travelled back to The Pavilion grabbing tickets at the door to see The MC-5, The Stooges with David Peel and The Lower East Side. These bands, two from Detroit, and Peel from NYC,were not my usual fare of British blues bands or San Franciscan hippies. These guys were what has been called “radical chic”. After seeing a TV news segment about The Stooges I knew that this band intrigued me and I should make an attempt to see them LIVE when they hit town. This particular show was enlightening to say the very least. It started late, finished later, and the crowd, not as dense in population as the Led Zeppelin show a week earlier, can best be described as “crazy”. The Stooges had a nice droning sound with a lead singer with....ah, charisma? Eventually he had no shirt and pants that barely stayed on his hips while shaking his skinny ass toward the crowd. His performance had every one’s attention...I WANNA BE YOUR DOG, 1969 OKAY, What were they doing? What were they saying? I didn't exactly know what was happening musically but I knew this was different, very, very different. The stars of the evening,The MC5 were awesome, almost in the way The Who did it for me a few months previously. These guys were loud, fast, riotous, revolutionary, all with a coordinated choreography. The dance steps were just as amazing as the music was loud. I took something away from this show… on the car ride home I heard a new Creedence song on the FM radio and thought to myself, "What is that shit?", yeah, The 5 and Stooges helped steer me in new direction; guitars, bass and drums...loud and louder if possible, and the lead singer doesn't necessarily need to know how to sing. Who needs love songs anyway? And I needed to skip school the next day. MC5 / The Stooges / David Peel and The Lower East Side Apr 21, 2018
 Rock's In My Head AUGUST 30 : LED ZEPPELIN/BUDDY GUY & Jr. WELLS/ RAVEN @ PAVILION, Queens , New York My END OF THE SUMMER celebration show was to finish the season where it started with Led Zeppelin. One full year to the day since I saw The Rascals, in a stadium only a football’s throw away I was ready for LED ZEPPELIN, BUDDY GUY &JR. WELLS and RAVEN. Originally to be at The Singer Bowl this show was rescheduled for the opened air, standing room only, the former site of New York State Pavilion at The World's Fair. This show would prove to be a totally different experience for me. Standing Room Only, first come first in, no reserved seating and I was very reluctant. Yet, we got there early enough to be one of the first in line, standing outside prior to opening the doors, hoping to find a viewing spot in front, maybe at mid stage. Originally, there were about 60 or so of us standing there. A girl about my age showed up and engaged many of the 60 in a conversation. She was obviously very high. What bothered me the most, was not her slurred speech or her falling down. No, it was the bugs that swarmed in her long, dirty, hair. Those bugs freaked me out and my girlfriend was crazed beyond belief anytime this girl got close to her. But the druggie’s plan worked for when the doors opened, “BUGGY” was the first thru the door and made her way to the stage, cutting every one standing in the line. We got a spot stage right, in front of where I knew Jimmy Page would stand. RAVEN was as most opening acts would be, an opening act and forgetable when they finished but Buddy Guy/ Jr. Wells was a great addition to the bill. Buddy played angelically, and nasty as sin when need be. At one point a balloon from the audience was bounced to him mid song to which he captured and used as a slide on his guitar. To my amazement the balloon did NOT break. This spot where we were standing became dangerous as LED ZEPPELIN time grew nearer, and more so as the show progressed. About the time they performed MOBY DICK, I had had enough and was up stairs walking around the balcony area having given up our prime location. And yes, this IS the show where Bonzo collapsed on the drums to end the night. And the “Bug girl” was seen on stage with the band..NOTE: My ticket stub is featured on the LED ZEPPELIN website. Led Zeppelin / Buddy Guy & Junior Wells / Raven Apr 21, 2018
 Rock's In My Head AUGUST 9: JEFFERSON AIRPLANE/ JOE COCKER/ SPONTANEOUS SOUND @ FILLMORE EAST IT’S BEAUTY THAT KILLED THE BEAST: It’s a week before those "3 Days of Arts, Music and Fun” aka WOODSTOCK that Fillmore East hosts Jefferson Airplane and Joe Cocker. SPONTANEOUS SOUND, a one man percussionist (if that’s what he was) ran amok on the stage, banging, hitting cymbals, drums, bells, the works, with long hair flowing and with no shirt; What an idiot, I thought. After his fifteen minutes of fame was over I was both confused and amused. Joe Cocker was up next and having had his first LP on heavy rotation in my room, Cocker turned out to be not what I expected at all. He was a visual experience, hands gesturing as he sings, yet this British white dude sounded like Ray Charles. Familiar cover songs he introduced were played and each seemed to take on a new persona, they became Joe Cocker tunes: LET’S GO GET STONED, FELLIN’ ALRIGHT, BYE BYE BLACKBIRD and of course WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS. The AIRPLANE was a trip, really a trip. I had been waiting a long time to see these guys, since that NEWSWEEK article and that conversation with my neighbor many months ago and now here I was. As the final scene from the King Kong movie played behind the band, they tuned up and “It wasn’t the airplane, it was beauty that killed the beast” and away we went with Ballad of You, Me and PoohNeil with The Glenn Mc Kay Headlights behind the band projecting images on the screen.The amps cranked up really loudly, three vocalists, a bass player who stalked around, a drummer who with his cowboy hat looked like a sheriff and a guitarist making the strangest feedback. Jefferson Airplane / Joe Cocker / Spontaneous Sound Apr 21, 2018