canned heat classic or dud?

The album with John Lee Hooker is a total classic, though. Not so much the two band sides, although those are fine, but the first two sides, one with Hooker alone, and the second Hooker with White playing harmonica or piano, constitute the best album Hooker ever made (in my opinion, obviously). And Hite, who produced, clearly deserves a lot of the credit.

But classic mainly for that weird voice, really. He's the one who commited suicide in 1970, isn't he? Sad. I would have loved to hear more of that voice.

Whatever, their performance of "Woodstock Boogie" in the Woodstock movie (the extended version) is hilarious. The bassist can't stop thrashing his head to and fro like he's auditioning for Venom ten years early. Some audience member crashes the stage mid-song just to bum a smoke from "The Bear". Classic.

"Bulldoze Blues" is the song.

The album with John Lee Hooker is a total classic, though. Not so much the two band sides, although those are fine, but the first two sides, one with Hooker alone, and the second Hooker with White playing harmonica or piano, constitute the best album Hooker ever made (in my opinion, obviously). And Hite, who produced, clearly deserves a lot of the credit.

― Vornado (Vornado), Monday, April 25, 2005 1:12 PM (4 years ago) Bookmark

I fuckin' love this album

just wanted to post about it I guess

whatever, ill high five that. love that record, love that band.

I think "Goin' Up the Country" is terrific. Stone Cold Classic.

although (full disclosure) I sort of like hippies & don't want to "aim cannons at them"

but yeah. love that bluesy pop sound.

boogie with the canned heat is kind of a desert island disk imo

stand by my earlier comments: a few excellent, oddball singles, and a lot of pedestrian boogie 'n' blues.

"It's an adaptation of an old Henry Thomas song. I forget which one (and it predates Thomas, obviously)."
"Bulldoze Blues" is the song.

Cool, never knew this! Does anyone know what song Canned Heat is "adapting" at Woodstock?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V55FfDnkQ6o

They called it "Woodstock Boogie," but I'm sure it's pilfered from something much older, maybe Rev. Gary Davis? The lyric is:

Little red rooster told the little brown hen,
Meet you at the barn about half past ten
Said let's do the boogie

A bit of it turns up in "New Boogie Chillun" by George Thorogood, and I saw Lydia Lunch cover this with The Devil Dogs years ago.

"one kind favor" is great. destroy the second LP of "living the blues" though...

OTM, that song is amazing but OTM to your 2nd point too. There is a lot of dull stuff to wade through but the Canned Heat I like, I really really like

What the hell - how come I can see that Youtube video here at work for the first time??

It's the Power of the Boogie

Future Blues is so damn good. Vinyl usually > CD, no arguments there, but this is one of those albums that just sounds like a different (better) record on wax. Incredible guitar tones courtesy of new recruit Mandel, who just sizzles on this. Hot damn. Cozy up, nurse a j, and don't forget to boogie!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZXRWgKe1x8

Holy shit - again this thread gets revived and AGAIN the Youtubes are unblocked!
It IS the power of the boogie!

Ever wake up with bullfrogs on your brain?

Was "Poor Moon" ever released as a proper single?? I thought it was the B-side to the not-so-awesome "Sic Em Pigs." Damn what an amazing song.

Poor Moon rules! Wanna find that on vinyl.

love canned heat so much

Was "Poor Moon" ever released as a proper single??

Yes, afaik. There's two versions of it, a longer one with different bits is on the (brilliant) "Uncanned!" comp., I prefer that version

love canned heat so much

― one dis leads to another (ian), Friday, November 4, 2011 11:00 AM (5 months ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

tell me what albums to buy

i feel like i've heard a million new indie bands that basically want to be canned heat

amteurist: ALL OF THEM

REALLY?

The first time I heard "Going Up the Country" I thought it was like 30 years older than it really was.

You guys, the Montreux 1970 videos and the Playboy After Dark videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTXbG1oCbjM

And the Woodstock videos, Monterey video (only one?), and Beat Club videos.

Reading Rebecca Davis' Alan Wilson biography (Blind Owl Blues). She states that Wilson did not sing in falsetto, but in the upper part of his normal voice. (I actually thought this was so, listening to one song - I can't remember which - where Wilson hits some lower notes. Didn't hear that shift that you expect with the switch from falsetto to normal voice or vice versa.)

Yes, that's not falsetto.

is that bio good?

Just started it - so far so good! She has done two versions of it; the latest one came out just three years ago. Looks so far to me like a proper job and well-researched.

I haven't read the updated version but I enjoyed it when I read it. It's a thousand times better than Fito's terrible Canned Heat book

ILM Canned Heat posse heard "Get Off My Back" from Hallelujah?

Certainly.

Yeah. Hearing some of these things for the first time, like "Pulling Hair Blues" from Live in Europe. Just Wilson and Taylor for nine minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4ZvA5thVYk

... In Phsychedelic Color

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNzVkOTM1ZWItYzc5NC00YWI0LTg3YjItZjU1NzVkNzI1YWJhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUyNDk2ODc@._V1_SY1000_CR0,0,666,1000_AL_.jpg

Don't know anything about Canned Heat, except they are another one of those west coast Bill Graham bands I never listen to. However! Last week I was playing "Martinis & Bikinis" by Sam Phillips for a friend, and we were noticing the awesome bass playing. So we look at the credits and see a few familiar names. Colin Moulding (OK), Jerry Scheff (sure), Marvin Etzioni (from Lone Justice) and then ... Larry Taylor. Taylor's name seemed familiar but a brain fart kept it from coming to mind. Anyway, Larry Taylor was Canned Heat's bassist, who went on to be a kickass session guy. He played bass on all the Monkees albums, tons of Tom Waits' stuff, plus piles of one-off sessions. Pretty cool.

You mean, The Mole. I think he was a session guy before and during Canned Heat?

I have Uncanned which has a lotof their best stuff on it.
Pretty great.

& yeah enjoyed them on Monterey etc etc.

xpost Yeah, I have no idea!I think he was a permanent member of Canned Heat, though, so it wasn't just a session gig.

Yes, he was permanent in Canned Heat, but he obviously had a reputation around LA as a musician. This track helps explain why...

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

I guess the thing with Canned heat was being extreme music nerds to start off with so having a couple of members whose nicknames referred to their sight problems isn't that odd.
Wasn't at least one of them active in rediscovering delta blues artists and getting them back out playing.

After Son House's 'rediscovery' in 1964, it was evident that House had forgotten his songs due to his long absence from music. Wilson showed him how to play again the songs House had recorded in 1930 and 1942. Wilson played House's old recordings for him and demonstrated them on guitar to revive House's memory.[8]

Hite was introduced to Alan Wilson by Henry Vestine and the two of them helped convince blues pianist Sunnyland Slim (1906-1995) to get back into the recording studio to record. In 1965, aged 22, Hite formed a band with Wilson. Vestine joined soon after and this trio formed the core of Canned Heat. The trio were eventually joined by Larry Taylor (bass) and Frank Cook (drums).

Also, Hite allegedly owned 15,000 78s!

bill barth, henry vestine and john fahey tracked down skip james in hospital in mississippi in 1964. al wilson sounds very jamesish to me

Listening again to a nice vinyl Future Blues this morning and as always thinking it funny that Al Wilson's last issued vocal is him telling a groupie to go to hell (on "London Blues").

Blues/boogie rock generally isn't my thing, but every song sung by Alan Wilson = Classic

Heat fans should look for an obscure made-in-Florida indie film by exploitation director William Grefe called The Naked Zoo (1970) which features a scene of the band playing “One Kind Favor” at a “house party” - actually a separately shot sequence later inserted into the film’s party scene. It’s the Harvey Mandel lineup. Also the film stars Rita Hayworth near the end of her career. Weird to think of Canned Heat and Rita Hayworth appearing in the same film.

lobby poster of that is upthread, but w/o info you've provided, thanks!
Also, this revive reminds me I still want to hear the Al Wilson anthology:

(2-CD set)His was the voice of the Woodstock generation who asked 'baby, do you want to go' in the Canned Heat anthem Going Up the Country. Now Severn Records releases The Blind Owl, a compilation of Alan Wilson's greatest works with the legendary band he helped form. The Blind Owl features 20 songs of satisfying blues boogie including My Time Ain't Long, Mean Old World, and the band's breakout recording On the Road Again, plus Wilson's prophetic Poor Moon and fan favorite Time Was. In September of 1970 Alan overdosed, making him a member of the 27 Club. Still his legacy remains strong today as proven in this collection of remarkable recordings. The Blind Owl is a must for serious blues collectors as well as fans of 60's psychedelic rock. Packaged in 2-CD digipack with cover art provided by The 27s book.
more info:
https://www.amazon.com/Blind-Owl-Alan-Wilson/dp/B00

They've also got the bio by Rebecca Davis, praised upthread:

Blind Owl Blues; 2nd edition (March 28, 2013)

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51Vj8amKwIL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDsSYL2GcaY

I listen to a lot of 60s music, but I've always been put off listening to Canned Heat (I did hear their record with John Lee Hooker). Just looking at their dreary album covers gives me enough of the blues. Even though I suspect they're probably better than Quicksilver Message Service or Country Joe and the Fish, both of whom I have listened to...

Heat fans should look for an obscure made-in-Florida indie film by exploitation director William Grefe called The Naked Zoo (1970) which features a scene of the band playing “One Kind Favor” at a “house party” - actually a separately shot sequence later inserted into the film’s party scene. It’s the Harvey Mandel lineup. Also the film stars Rita Hayworth near the end of her career. Weird to think of Canned Heat and Rita Hayworth appearing in the same film.

I posted about it upthread, however the youtube of them performing seems to have disappeared.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04lGp3-QztM

Still throwing down hard in '73.

From this episode Hosted by Curtis Mayfield and also featuring the Spinners, Jose Feliciano, and Ravi Shankar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyP2w8TeF1E

Just looking at their dreary album covers gives me enough of the blues.

...yet I've started listening to Ten Years After! Can I resist the lure of a copy of Boogie with Canned Heat from the same library?

The record with John Lee Hooker is awesome