Adventure of forming a Rock n' Roll Band in Los Angeles.
Chronicles of early years into our different phases.



Thursday, March 31, 2011

SISTER ROSETTA THARPE -----------THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE












This electrifying divine woman is a considerable influence and inspiration to me, as I grew up listening to Gospel music in Baptist churches.  She was also a huge stated influence for icons like Elvis, Little Richard and Chuck Berry to name just a few.

Here's an excerpt from an article discussing the magnitude of Sister Rosetta Tharpe's influence on Elvis.
As a child Rosetta accompanied her mother, traveling evangelist Katie Bell Nubin, and was described as tearing up the churches with songs such as I Looked Down The Line and God Don’t Like It. By the age of six she had mastered the guitar. Later, as one of forerunners of soul music’s ‘earth mamas’ (the big, statuesque black women with big, belting contralto voices such as Mahalia Jackson and Etta James) Rosetta tore up the clubs and churches often reducing her audience and congregation "to an emotional pulp".
Rosetta Tharpe’s records rose high on the race charts in America and influenced not only Elvis but other rockers including Jerry Lee Lewis and his hybrid of hillbilly, blues and gospel. As a recording artist she shocked her more pious black listeners with songs such as I Want A Tall Skinny Papa and delighted white listeners with Rock Me and This Train. Parallels can be drawn with Elvis physically and lyrically suggestive rendition of songs such as Shake, Rattle and Roll (in which he essentially used Big Joe Turner’s version rather than the softer lyric version sung by Bill Haley and the Comets), his rocking delivery of Jailhouse Rock and his mainstream ‘balladeering’ style on Love Me Tender.

 http://www.elvisinfonet.com/tharpe.html






Friday, March 25, 2011

SIMPATICO : Producer joined on to record us

We posted flyers in search of musicians and a producer.  The next day we got an e-mail from a really cool kid in Atwater.  We met him a day after at his studio, we played some songs, he played some riffs on a wurlitzer organ, showed his huge reel to reel, and we are really looking forward to working with him to get a lo fi feel in a radio ready quality format as soon as we get a drummer.

With no real grasp for humble intentions, we are aiming to have the same Simpatico as Lou Reed and his masterful producer, Tom Wilson.  The relationship between all of the members, including the producer, is what really makes the magic.