My copy of ‘Great Lakes’
In August 2000 I went to a music festival in Athens, Georgia. It was a fascinating and rewarding few days on a number of fronts (I got introduced to a lot of very good music). I am glad I got to see a part of the USA outside of a big city. One of the bands I saw at the legendary 40 watt club was Great Lakes. This band, along with Of Montreal were the main bands that made an indelible impression on me. I brought the self-titled debut by Great Lakes in September from Kindercore Records in the USA (it was not yet issued in the UK!). It became a favourite album to listen to especially on my journeys home from Brixton on the bus. I clearly recalling listening to it as the rain fell outside one evening. It also accompanied me on long bus rides down to Bromley to see relatives and friends. This was the beginning of a very happy time for me.
I could give a long complicated history of where this particular album fits into the Athens, Georgia music scene, namely what was called the ‘Elephant 6 Collective’. As well as the then core of the band (Ben Crum, James Huggins III, Dan Donahue) it included other (then local) musicians from such as Scott Spillane from Neutral Milk Hotel and Kevin Barnes and Dottie Alexander from Of Montreal amongst others. I particularly I really like Heather MacIntosh’s cello playing on tracks such as ‘Parachutes’. There is a tremendous sense of camaraderie and warmth on the album. There are songs about a mother’s protective love (Giants and tigers), the unknowability of another human being (Parachutes), and lovely instrumental interludes (a banana). The music is gently psychedelic but also very melodic and focussed. I know that the then three core members lived in the same house when they recorded this (in fact they may have recorded this in this house!) and this closeness shows. I think the songs benefit greatly from Ben Crum’s vocals which have strong elements of what is called ‘alt-country’ which bring a unique element to the music.
Sadly I cannot find any tracks from this album on Youtube. I wish I could share these songs – particularly ‘A little touched’ which is one of the songs I think describes me (Got the headphones on and it’s all too much).
I was absolutely delighted to find out that the band were coming to the UK in the summer of 2001 (I think it was August and I got to see the band at Toynbee Hall in the East end (I have been to number of enjoyable gigs there). It was a great evening with an almost party feel as it was clearly a gang of friends playing together and happy to be doing this. The album had just been released in the UK on Track and Field records, who are responsible for organising some of the most enjoyable gigs I have been to and issuing some great records. One band member was so surprised I knew the album he came up to me and chatted to me.
As result of this gig I dropped an email to Ben Crum of the band and we have remained in email contact since (on and off!). It has been a very enriching experience to be in correspondence with one of the musicians whose music has played such an important role in my life and I am always grateful for Ben’s courtesy and friendship.
I have managed to see the band a few times since 2002. There have been some great gigs at the Water Rats near Kings Cross. However possibly my favourite gig was at the Betsy Trotwood where various ‘Elephant 6’ musicians played solo sets. This evening is up there with seeing ‘Smile’ premiered and seeing the Impressions live in the pantheon of great evenings of my life.
I am very glad to say that Great Lakes are still going with a different line-up. I can really recommend the bands’ 2011 album ‘Ways of escape’ which is just a beautiful, mature and melancholic work.
10: Minnie Ripperton- Come into my garden
My copy of Minnie Ripperton’s ‘Come into my garden’
There is nothing more enjoyable than hearing something playing in a record shop and instantly needing to get that record. I got introduced to Os Mutantes and The Parliaments (George Clinton’s soul group which eventually became Parliament) this way. I came across this record this way. I was in an independent record store in Edinburgh during the festival in August 2002 when I heard this album playing and I just had to get it.
Minnie Ripperton was just 23 when she recorded this, her first solo album but she was already a music industry veteran. She had been in The Gems and the Rotary Connection (which she was in with Phil Upchurch and Sidney Barnes) as well as recording some solo tracks in the mid-sixties as ‘Andrea Davis’ on Chess.
This album continues on from the psychedelic soul of Rotary Connection and greatly benefits from the lush production, orchestral and arrangements
I managed to find a Wikipedia entry for this album which mentions that this album moves away from the psychedelic rock of the Rotary connection into something more soulful and reflective. The most famous track from this album is ‘Les Fleurs’ and its gently feminist and ethereal lyrics set the tone for the album.
Minnie Ripperton – Les Fleurs- uploaded by Minnie S Garden
However my favourite track from the album is 'rainy day in Centreville'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55xb0LYWqt4
Minnie Ripperton- Rainy day in Centreville uploaded by ejaydee
Tragically Minnie died of breast cancer at age of 31 leaving behind her beloved husband Richard Rudolph and two children Marc and Maya, who is now a successful actress.
I am including this album because I feel it is important that I have an album by a woman, especially an African American woman in this list.
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