C or D: Emitt Rhodes?

I've been aboard for years and prefer "Mirror" over the first. If you can find it, I say buy it.

Does anyone know what ever happened to him? I think he's still alive and after a 4th album whose name escapes he pretty much disappeared from music. And considering he was a teenager when he started that must've put him in his early 20's at that point.

I have heard that Rhino Handmade or Hip-o-Select are working on a box of all his stuff which I'm looking forward to.

Finally, just found this interview from 1997 which might be of interest

http://www.buhdge.com/audio%20buhdge/rhodes_audio.htm

i'd like him better if his name was "emit," as in emit death rays from my intergalactic fender rhodes.

Just found this after finally getting as copy of his first record; it's one of the saddest things I've read in a while

http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=583&IssueNum=33

there is a comp out now on Hip-O select which combines all three of the solo albums and some other things (although not everything) that apparently sounds amazing. I really love his first album.

kewl!

That's a good article ^up there too.

'you take the dark out of the night' = amazing song

Sad and kind of o_O interview on WFMU that aired today.

i once had a long confused (maybe drunken) conversation with a friend where I said "this guy sounds more like mccartney than mccartney!" and my friend said "you think he sounds like mccartney? i don't hear that at all!" and we went back and forth for a long time. but it turned out i had been saying emmitt miller, the old minstrel "lovesick blues" guy and had completely confused my friend. true story!

anyway, been meaning to get that hip-o comp -- worth it? i've only heard the s/t.

i like that story. reminds me of the time when i was drunk and i kept saying something like: "i hate george clinton! why does everyone love george clinton so much! i don't trust him!" and my friends looked at me weird cuz i meant to say bill clinton.

I can only imagine what a mindf**k of a record McCartney and Rhodes would've made together if they had joined forces back in the day.

but it turned out i had been saying emmitt miller, the old minstrel "lovesick blues" guy and had completely confused my friend. true story!

haha!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4ZIjbRj8xs

anyway, Emmit Rhodes s/t is absolute classic, it includes "Somebody Made For Me" one of my all time favorite pop songs

I like This American Dream as well

what's interesting about that FMU interview? i can't listen to it right now. worth it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTHgr19CaRk

Maybe that should have its own thread.

Been listening to the Hip-O-Select. The American Dream drags a little but the s/t is great and don't notice too much of a dropoff in quality in the other two.

anyone ever see this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLL8CsVeOiE

No!

Awesome

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLYUJbvBFU4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypoMlWQ9xwU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL4Tcw77LNo

dope

I'd wondered for eons why this guy disappeared after 1973, and just read that his ABC contract demanded 6 albums over the span of 3 years and he couldn't keep up. They sued him and he started working behind the scenes instead. Imagine chasing a guy this talented away from a recording career because he worked slowly. jfc!

RIP
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emitt_Rhodes

RIP Emitt.

https://www.brooklynvegan.com/emitt-rhodes-rip/

I'd wondered for eons why this guy disappeared after 1973, and just read that his ABC contract demanded 6 albums over the span of 3 years and he couldn't keep up. They sued him and he started working behind the scenes instead. Imagine chasing a guy this talented away from a recording career because he worked slowly. jfc!

True but then I wonder why he didn't reduce his workload by just getting Leland Sklar and Waddy Wachtel and whoever to play on his records instead of trying to do everything himself - he'd even taken up the saxophone on his final (70s) album!

He was really into doing stuff by himself. I actually was just looking at my vinyl Farewell To Paradise (his last album for ABC/Dunhill), and his liner notes are very defensive about controlling all aspects of his music as an artist.

I've always been amazed he never found work as a professional songwriter, but I guess he was a little too early for that to be a viable career path.

Farewell To Paradise liner notes (for context, I believe he already been sued by ABC/Dunhill for breach of contract before recording the album)

If gold is valuable because it is scarce, then sincerity must even be more valuable because there is so precious little of it. I'm seldom attracted to liner notes. I've only taken the time to read just a few...those I have, in so many words, praised whomever for his or her musical genius. I find it difficult to do the same.

If I possess a talent, it surely must be patience. Someone said something about the world stepping aside when a man knew what he wanted. I've known for some time and the world hasn't yet made it any easier for me. Those things I cherish most I worked long and paid dearly for. I am a recording artist not just a songwriter or musician. I have taken total responsibility of my art. Avoiding the temptation of using others to conceal my weaknesses. My works are sincere and entirety my own.

Re-Upping broken Youtubes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgmioAfzhXE

The Merry-Go-Round on Hollywood Palace w/Don Knotts

Cool! Have The Bangles weighed in yet?

Susanna tweeted, but she's the only one I follow. Dunno about the others.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLYUJbvBFU4

"Birthday Lady" promo film

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypoMlWQ9xwU

"Really Wanted You" promo film.

I remember seeing a clip of him on the Whistle Test, but it's not up atm.

There's also a Palace Guard clip up ("Falling Sugar") but I don't think Rhodes is in it. The guy miming drums doesn't look like him.

That Brooklyn Vegan notice has some good stuff but too many popups. They do have vimeo embeds though, so there's that. Anyway here is a link to the doc, The One Man Beatles. https://vimeo.com/266426996

This is probably his last interview: https://mediumfidelitymusic.wordpress.com/2020/07/19/example-post-3

Flatmate who confirmed his passing is in the vimeo.

anyone ever see this?

― buzza, Sunday, January 27, 2013 3:46 PM

No!

― Leopard Skin POLL-Box Hat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, January 27, 2013

will finally watch this!

It's kind of bittersweet and sad and depressing- surprise! - but well-done and affectionate. Now is a perfect time to watch.

A few of the singles off the last album, none of which I have listened to yet, are credited to Emitt Rhodes, Richard Thompson and The Bangles. Not 100% sure what this means.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbndpazF_DU

https://joeromersa.disco.ac/playlist-new/3888115?date=20200722&user_id=61581&signature=0Fv07nNrCKE58bD4f6pdviksEqo%3AaI7He6nO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn28MvHuREk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49w0SsrqKmg

Morbius's sister recently posted a high school photo of him on Friendbook and for a beat or two I really thought it was something from the Emitt Rhodes group. #OneThread

My top artist of the year, 0.005%ile.

And The Merry-Go-Round came in number five.

you love to see it

I owe it all to you guys and this thread. Mulțumesc!

it's been a journey for sure!

Yeah, a real journey...to the nearest Red Lobster!

lol

Never gets old.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvSVMtuDf6w

the photos from the magic mountain music festival are super cool

Wonder if anyone ever revealed who "You're a Very Lovely Woman" was supposed to be about.

Finally watching that video I just posted. Not sure if there is anything new in it.

I walked by a hand car wash on an industrial street of woodside queens this morning and heard With My Face On the Floor blasting. It was an odd location for that.

This cool, new-to-me track giving me heavy Emitt Rhodes vibes though I think Rhodes would've taken this up several notches lyrically
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QziYUqeSVe0

HB, ER!

So he got a Grammy RIP nod.

And something kind of sweet on social media about him.

So he got a Grammy RIP nod.

Ah, didn’t know. That’s great.

#WhenWorldsCollide

I also think any Eagle who says they weren't blowing rails and listening to this song from five years earlier on repeat when they wrote "Hotel California" is lying.https://t.co/F7RAWxN0lB

— Tyler Mahan Coe (@TylerMahanCoe) May 7, 2021

!

But came to post this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7kR8IcJGR8

I came to watch the Merry Go Round (and Jerry Butler) but stayed for the Happy Jack dance party.

!!!

Ha, dan otm.

Came to post that today is apparently a special day for Emitt.

Just saw a Father's Day weekend photo of Emitt on F-Borad, very sweet.

New cover of "Promises I Made" by Black Keys guy mentioned here.

Feels a little too slow to me upon first listen, but the story is nice.

“And of course the Emitt Rhodes song at the end [Promises I’ve Made]. I think that was the first song I recorded, and it was on the day that Emitt died. That was what set the fire for everything because I liked this new recording set-up and how it turned out, so I just kept going”.

Sounds like he was trying to make sound like something off Abbey Road. #onethread

Sixth anniversary of the release of Rainbow Ends today.

I just won a vinyl American Dream (2nd edition) on eBay!

Wow!

Mrs. Redd is watching some new Star Trek thing and there is an Emitt-looking guy on the screen right now.

No doubt headed to the Space Lobster.

That vinyl copy of American Dream I got is gorgeous...the prior owner(s) took really good care of it. Might be my favorite Emitt release.

Also noticed some Emitt included on the playlists last shared here: Obscure Singles Heard at CVS

“Isn’t It So” is my jam.

Not sure what this adds but, one of his exes posted it so: https://www.splicetoday.com/music/the-rise-and-fall-of-singer-songwriter-emitt-rhodes-the-one-man-beatles

And then someone else close to him eplied about the relatively happy ending.

Where is that? Do you have to register to see it?

What, the reply? They mentioned it on Friendbook.

Is “Isn’t It So” about his mother? Although it is obvious written to seem as if it is about an ex.

The algorithm just fed me this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJu1yaIQZr4

Forgot that he was on the soundtrack of The Royal Tenenbaums.

^^That's what led to him getting his publishing back.

Have got "Isn't It So" on repeat right now.

"Lullabye" is the one on the Wes Anderson soundtrack.