Thursday, December 13, 2007

Rolling Stone magazine issue #103 March 2, 1972

Vintage issue # 103 of Rolling Stone magazine dated March 2, 1972 and featuring a classic cover illustration of Bob Dylan which accompanies part one of Bob Dylan: An Intimate Biography by Anthony Scaduto.

The issue also features a classic article by gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson called Fear and Loathing in New Hampshire, and the chilling finale to Joe Eszterhas classic expose Nark - A Tale of Terror.

There are also good reads on London’s fifties phenomenon the Teddy Boys, singer Mahalia Jackson, J. J. Cale, Roberta Flack, New York recording studios, Mitch Ryder, and Al Green.

Album reviews are on Everything Put Together Falls Apart by Paul Simon, Pictures At An Exhibition by Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Into the Purple Valley by Ry Cooder, Garcia by Jerry Garcia, Street Corner Symphony by The Persuasions, Naturally by J. J. Cale, Islands by King Crimson, Jackson Browne by Jackson Browne, Footprint by Gary Wright, Brain Capers by Mott the Hoople, Loose by Crazy Horse, Sanctuary by Dion, Aerie by John Denver, Sunfighter by Paul Kantner and Grace Slick and many, many more. A review of several albums of Memphis blues music is also provided.

The film reviews are of the classic Dirty Harry starring Clint Eastwood and of Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange which starred Malcolm McDowell.

Book reviews are of The Collected Poems of Frank O’Hara, Shedding Skin by Robert Ward and Beyond Freedom and Dignity by B. F. Skinner.

Rolling Stone magazine issue # 102 February 17, 1972

Vintage issue # 102 of Rolling Stone magazine dated February 17, 1972 featuring the famous nude photo of Janis Joplin on the cover.

Besides the article on Joplin which accompanied the release of a new book on her life, there is a feature length article on John Lennon, and good reads on Isaac Hayes, street drugs, Soho, Jimi Hendrix, the film Play It As It Lays, and screenwriter Joe Eszterhas' expose NARK: A Tale of Terror.

Album reviews are of Nilsson Schmilsson by Harry Nilsson, Don't Knock My Love by Wilson Pickett, the Jackson Five's Greatest Hits, Grin by Nils Lofgren, Hot Rocks by the Rolling Stones, Shake Off The Demon by Brewer & Shipley, Linda Ronstadt's self-titled album, Year Of Sunday by Seals and Croft, Roots by Curtis Mayfield, Asylum Choir by Leon Russell and Marc Benno, Quicksilver's self-titled album, The Dave Clark Five's self-titled album, and many, many more.

The single American Pie by Don MacLean is also reviewed.

Rolling Stone magazine issue # 101 February 3, 1972

Vintage issue # 101 of Rolling Stone magazine dated February 3, 1972 and featuring the classic cover of the Grateful Dead colorized in red and blue.

Besides the excellent feature length interview (part II) of Jerry Garcia, gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson weighs in with his political analysis called Fear and Loathing in Washington: The Million Pound Shithammer. Other articles are Airport Intrigue: Fed Slueths Are Watching You, an interview with Joe Cahill of the Irish Republican Army and a fictional piece called The Sheik.
There are good reads on Bob Dylan and The Band, Santana, Don McLean commenting on his single American Pie, and Viv Stanshall.

There's a review of 1971 which declared Rod Stewart as the Rock Star of the year, Boston as the best new band, and Tapestry, What's Going on and Who's Next as the best albums of the year. There is even a fascinating diagram that shows the relationships between the top 100 names in music, how they were connected and who knew who. Trust me you'll get lost in it.

The columns Perspectives and Random Notes are fascinating time capsules which provide glimpses of the events and perspectives of the time. The column Acoustics covered stereo equipment and musical instruments that were oming to market.

Album reviews are of the Concert for Bangla Desh, Happy Just To Be Like I Am by Taj Mahal, Al Green Gets Next To You by Al green, Bonnie Raitt by Bonnie Raitt, Muswell Hillbillies by the Kinks, Brian Jones Presents The Pipes of Pan at Joujouka by the Rolling Stones, Live by Sonny & Cher, and many, many more.

A review of the best singles released in 1971 is also provided. Finally there is a look back at some of the great recording artists of Atlantic Records.

Book reviews are of Falling by Harris Dulany, Deer Run by Edward Connolly, The Motorcycle Betrayal Poems by Diane Wakoski and The Wild Boys by William Burroughs.

Rolling Stone magazine issue # 100 January 20, 1972

Vintage, highly collectible issue # 100 of Rolling Stone magazine dated January 20, 1972 and featuring the classic cover of Jerry Garcia. The inside cover is Malcolm McDowell in custume for the filming of A Clockwork Orange.

The interview of Jerry Garcia is excellent. There is an article On Set With "The Godfather": Crime and Nostalgia which is a "must have" for any fan of The Godfather movies. The feature length article A Clockwork Utopia about the filming of A Clockwork Orange is a classic. There is even a tongue-in-cheek illustrated article entitled A Salute To Industry: an In Depth Report on Contemporary Toking (with laboratory notes) which features photos of all of the state of the art drug paraphenalia.

There are good reads on bluesman Larry Johnson, the radio wars between WMEX and WRKO in Boston, Carly Simon, the Kent State Trials, The column Random Notes is a fascinating time capsule which provides a glimpse of the events and perspectives of the time.

Album reviews are of Wild Life by Paul McCartney and Wings, The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys by Traffic, Gonna Take a Miracle by Laura Nyro, Madman Across the Water by Elton John, Other Voices by The Doors, American Pie by Don McLean, Straight Up by Badfinger, Live Evil by Miles Davis, Carole King Music by Carole King, Black Moses by Isaac Hayes and Stones by Neil Diamond.

Finally there is a special review called New Orleans in the Seventies featuring the music of Allen Toussaint, Lou Johnson Jean Knight and others.

Book reviews are of Confession from the Malaga Madhouse: A Christmas Diary, Armed Love and Dealer: Portrait of a Cocaine Dealer.

The film reviews are of Dirty Harry, Fiddler on the Roof and The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight.

Rolling Stone magazine issue # 99 January 6, 1972

Vintage issue # 99 of Rolling Stone magazine dated January 6, 1972 and featuring a classic cover of the reclusive Cat Stevens. Besides the feature length cover story on Cat Stevens, there are good reads on Cheech & Chong, Bob Dylan, the dope business at Syracuse University, hashish in the Holy Land, Earl Scruggs, Stone the Crows, and the Lyman Family.

The column Random Notes is a fascinating time capsule which provides a glimpse of the events and perspectives of the time.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Rolling Stone magazine issue # 96 November 25, 1971

Vintage issue # 96 of Rolling Stone magazine dated November 25, 1971 and featuring a classic cover illustration by Ralph Steadman that accompanies the conclusion of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - A Savage Journey into the Heart of the American Dream by Hunter S. Thompson.

Here's the section of the piece that was the inspiration for the illustration: "The sight of a 344 pound police chief from Waco, Texas, necking openly with his 290 pound wife when the lights were turned off for a Dope film was just barely tolerable......"

Toooo funny!

Rolling Stone magazine issue # 95 November 11, 1971

Vintage issue # 95 of Rolling Stone magazine dated November 11, 1971 and featuring a truly classic cover illustration by Ralph Steadman. Hunter S. Thompson, (aka Raoul Duke ) the gonzo journalist himself, weighs in with his seminal piece, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - A Savage Journey into the Heart of the American Dream along with 12 more Steadman illustrations.

If you came of age in the seventies, you were well aware of this journalistic work of art, which begins with "We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold. I remember saying something like "I feel a bit lightheaded; maybe you should drive..." And suddenly there was a terrible roar all around us and the sky was full of what looked like large bats, all swooping and screeching and diving around the car...".