TIM BUCKLEY AT THE BEEB

Artist: TIM BUCKLEY; Title: MORNING GLORY; Label: BAND OF JOY; Format: CD; 

Cat. No.: BOJCD 009; Year: 1994; Country: UK

Tracks: Dolphins; Honey Man; Morning Glory; Coming Home To You (Happy Time); Sing A Song For You; Hallucinations/Troubadour; Once I Was.

Looking now at this set of Tim Buckley's stuff recorded for the BBC - live on the Old Grey Whistle and a session for John Peel's Radio 1 show.

The opening two tracks come from a performance from BBC 2's Old Grey Whistle Test broadcast on the 21st May 1974.  The opener is "Dolphins" written by Fred Neil is one that had been in Tim Buckley's live set since the late 60's - but which didn't make it on to record till 1974's 'Sefronia' hence the Whistle Test appearance.  Next up is "Honey Man" again from 'Sefronia' and the following track on the parent LP. This is Tim Buckley in his full sexed-up funk mode, which pretty much came about by hanging out with Sly Stone - and between 'Starsailor' and 'Greeting From L.A.' Tim was working as Sly's driver amongst other things!

The next batch of songs recorded on the 2nd April '68 as a session for John Peel's show, and in the main are taken from the 'Goodbye & Hello' set.  And generally better suited to the minimal set of musicians that the slightly overdone arrangements on the original LP.  The reason it's just Tim Buckley, guitarist Lee Underwood and Carter CC Collins - was the cost of bringing over the full band (not to mention the still slightly sniffy attitude of the Musicians Union around this time).  Onto the songs then!

First up is "Morning Glory" and one of those songs that still does it to me - and well worth checking in this version rather than aforementioned 'Goodbye & Hello' set.  Next up is another personal fave "Coming Home To You (Happy Time)" from the 'Blue Afternoon' LP (which is an LP worth checking out!) and one of that you're likely to hear me do on the open mic night at my local. It's followed by "Sing A Song To You" - again originating from the 'Goodbye...' LP and again excellent.  Next up is the biggie - the 11 minute plus opus that is "Hallucinations/Troubadour".  It's what you tend to associate with Tim Buckley from this period - launching into a piece that could go anywhere and morph unexpectedly into something you don't expect - in this case "Troubadour" and in the case of 'Pleasant Street' from the 'Dream Letter' set recorded on the same visit 'You Keep Me Hanging On'.  The proceedings are rounded off with "Once I Was" - another great tune and flute-free (unlike the original LP version).

GEORGE HARRISON - DON'T BOTHER ME - THE MEXICAN BEATLES EP

1971 Mexican EP from the Fab Four released on Apple.  Cat. No. EPEM-10536

This is a bit of a good one - Mexican Beatles EP, which I picked up from the Oxford branch of Our Price on a school trip to Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford - and what caught my eye was that all four tracks showcase George Harrison as singer and writer.  Plus how well these four - one from 1963 the remainder from the 1965/66 period work as a set.

First up is George's debut composition to make it onto tape (that's if you discount the instrumental co-written with John Lennon 'Cry For A Shadow' recorded in Hamburg and released on Polydor as a B Side) "Don't Bother Me" from the Beatles 2nd LP 'With The Beatles'.  And it pretty much sounds like George's first use of the trusty Rickenbaker - it's subsequent use being a major influence on the Byrd in particular.  Next up is the downright brilliant opener to 'Revolver that is "Taxman"- here in the generally better known stereo version - how you tell this apart from the mono version being is that here you get the taxman Mr Wilson - taxman Mr Heath - whereas the mono doesn't has and a noticeably different guitar solo, in both cases courtesy of Paul McCartney.

Side Two gives you the 2 George Harrison songs from 'Rubber Soul' set.  First up the very Byrds-styled "If I Needed Someone" - complete with the David Crosby styled harmony vocals from from Lennon & McCartney.  The connection being reinforced so when you consider that the Hollies covered this, and Graham Nash's subsequent involvement with David Crosby.  Also I seem to remember the legendary John Peel rating the Hollies version as being one of his personal favourites .  The proceedings are rounded off with another good one in the shape of "Think For Yourself"- McCartney on fuzz bass, and a definite move in the direction of psychedelia.