Friday 3 July 2020


Normally I wouldn't do this, but I think my reasons will become more than apparent shortly.
Ever since last week I've been on quite a trip involving a certain Arthur Lee and his band Love. It all began with the re-run of their 'live' performance from Glastonbury 2003, broadcast last Friday evening on BBC2. Continued with the story of Arthur Lee's prison sentence, and his release just 18 months before that festival show. Then his death from leukemia in 2006 at the age of 61. It's quite a read and reveals some mysteries that were never fully publicised, even by a reluctant and humiliated Lee. Here's part of it, from a post prison interview in 2002 >click here
On to the music and here I should say I know we have had the band Love as recently as last January on the FMS, however while these shows were advertised as Love with Arthur Lee the backing band was in fact called Baby Lemonade*Mike Randle (lead guitar), Rusty Squeezebox (not real name), David Green (drums) & bassist Dave Chapple. Along with The Forever Changes String & Horn Ensemble from Sweden, it would be right to say they were playing Love songs, but Arthur Lee was in fact the sole connection to LA's legendary 60s band**. 
Finally, there's one song I have been playing continuously all this week, so it has to be this Friday's Star Track. 
'You Set The Scene' Arthur Lee's magnificent opus, which provided the finale to the 1967 critically acclaimed LP 'Forever Changes', is actually three songs all run into one track.
So we are heading back to Glastonbury one more time for:
This is the time and life that I am living 
And I'll face each day with a smile

The only video I could find is a squashed widescreen version***, but it sounds great nonetheless. 

* Name taken from a Syd Barrett track on his 'Barrett' LP ©1970.
** One of the first racially-diverse American rock bands, their music drew on an eclectic range of sources including folk rock, hard rock, blues, jazz, flamenco, mariachi and orchestral pop ! And influenced many famous bands that followed.
*** There is the entire show available (all 57 minutes worth) as a none squashed version. Click this link


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