1971.04.05

Thanks for some of the suggestions about what to write about next -

So, I’m thinking about 1971. I was 12 years old, waiting to become 13 years old in August, 1971. I was already fairly obsessive about popular music. It’s one thing to look at all of the info and say, “I was so hip in 1971!” – but, a quick look at the release sheets of the day would indicate otherwise – there just wasn’t that much ultra-hip stuff coming out in the US then!

I had been a regular patron of the downtown hippie record store(s) for a while by 1971 – I found them initially by looking it up in the phone book! When I first went in there, the hippies were very nice to me, offered me free licorice…and played me whatever records I asked about. I also heard about new music from the FM radio and my older brother. This is largely before I had any “music friends” (beyond my original childhood friends).

All of the info on these sheets comes from Phonolog New Release Sheet that we got at Wallach’s Music City in Lakewood, CA. I think the way it worked was that they would give us the “week old” sheets, rather than merely throwing them in the trash. Alas, while my brother & I might’ve successfully hoarded these sheets for 35+ years…we don’t seem to have a contiguous “full set” – shock, horror! Some weeks are sadly missing.

So, I have noted what was of interest to me than (and now)…regardless of how you remember it, this is the way it was. The order stuff came along. So, let’s enjoy the simplicity of “my picks” for 1971. There’s some neat stuff in there. I can totally see how my musical taste was being shaped, changed. It was no longer the 60’s…

Phonolog Reports – New Releases

Week of April 5, 1971

Caught my eye:

THE GROUNDHOGS – Split (United Artists UAS 6800) CD
MOTT THE HOOPLE – Wildlife (Atlantic SD 8284) CD
THE NICE – Elegy (Mercury SR 61324)
YES – The Yes Album (Atlantic SD 8283) CD

I actually waited and got a British Liberty copy of “Split” by The Groundhogs (it had a better cover!); I didn’t buy Mott The Hoople “Wildlife” at this time, but I already had “Mad Shadows”; I knew The Nice had 60’s records – but didn’t get this at the time (cover looked like those big balls on “The Prisoner”); To be honest, I didn’t come back to “The Yes Album” until I got “Fragile” a few months later (but I am certain I heard “All Good People” on the FM radio).

Also of interest:

TED HEATH ORCHESTRA – Beatles, Bach & Bacharach (Phase 4 SP-44148)
DOOBIE BROTHERS – self-titled debut LP (Warner Brothers WS 1919)
MARVIN, WELCH & FARRAR – self-titled (Capitol ST-760) ex-Shadows
BUDDY MILES – Message To The People (Mercury SRM-1-608)
FRANK SINATRA / ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM – Sinatra & Company (Reprise FS-1033)

My dad might’ve been interested in the Ted Heath Orchestra or Frank Sinatra / Antonio Carlos Jobim. Easy listening!

Notable singles:

BLOODROCK – A Certain Kind / You Gotta Roll (Capitol 3089)
ROD STEWART – Country Comfort (Mercury 73196)
THE DOORS – Love Her Madly / Don’t Go No Further (You Need Meat) (Elektra 45726)
THE FORTUNES – Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again / I Gotta Dream (Capitol 3086)
THE JACKSON 5 – Never Can Say Goodbye / She’s Good (Motown 1179)
JIMMIE HASKELL – Zachariah (End Title) / William Tell Overture (ABC 11296)

I was aware of Rod Stewart, but I don’t remember this single; I loved this Doors single at the time of it’s release (non-LP B-Side, too!); I remember both The Fortunes and The Jackson 5 being on the AM radio – which I still ‘sort of’ heard. The Jimmie Haskell 45 is from the movie that was written by The Firesign Theatre (DVD).