My Favorite Albums of All Time (Part 13)

 

My Favorite Albums of All Time (Part 13)

Tosh Berman on Manfred Mann

 

Tosh Berman on Manfred Mann

"Come Into My Music Box" by Paul Jones

 

Tosh Berman's review of Come Into My Music Box" by Paul Jones

The World of Tosh Berman: Wednesday, April 28, 2021 (The Who)

 

https://tosh.substack.com/p/wednesday-april-28-2021  

My commentary on the 1960s era of The Who on my Substack blog. Come to read! And subscribe!

PAUL JONES - COME INTO MY MUSIC BOX, 1969 (COLUMBIA)

 

PAUL JONES - COME INTO MY MUSIC BOX, 1969 (COLUMBIA)

There are so many great singers from the British Invasion era, but my favorite voice from those times is Paul Jones. Brian Jones had the good taste to think of Paul being the vocalist before approaching Mick Jagger for the Rolling Stones. Instead, Paul Jones ended up being the lead singer in the band, Manfred Mann. His work with that band is exceptional. The Manns were unique because they were basically Jazz musicians who did pop but thought out their arrangements in the school of jazz or rhythm n' blues. They did the best cover versions of Bob Dylan's music as well. The band could be crass in their commercial taste, but always with the sophistication of a master musician. At the height of the swinging 60s, Jones left Manfred Mann to become an actor and solo artist.  Although his solo career has its peaks and lows, the one thing that never failed him was his voice. He can sing the alphabet, and he would bring out the complexities of joy, despair, and love within the letters. If one has to choose his best solo work, it would be 1969's "Come Into My Music Box."  

The album title is a very descriptive approach to the music on this record. We have everything from "Aquarius" (from the ultimate 60s musical "Hair") to The Band's "The Weight." It is like Jones wanted to express all his love on one LP.  The album, in a manner, is a compilation, due that are five separate producers (John Burgess Norman Newell, Peter Asher, Mort Shuman, and Paul Jones), including Tony Visconti making the arrangement and conducting on the song "Pick Up In The Morning." Listening to this 52-year old album, it is clearly a record to define the end of the 1960s. 

Paul Jones's solo either had a blues obsession, but he can also portray himself as a West End musical singer. "I'm Here To Nudge Your Mind" and "Aquarius" come off as a groovy version of the mainstream world of theater. There are traces of early Bowie, which suggests that David followed Paul Jones's presence in the pop world. By chance or design, Paul covers my two favorite songs from the 60s. Donovan's "Celeste" and Procol Harum's "Homburg."  "Celeste" suits Jones's voice, and he does take a Donovan baroque Folkie song into a theatrical song piece. "Hamburg" in Paul's world becomes a baroque psychedelic pop masterpiece. Using filters on the vocals can be seen as overkill. Still, it is powerfully effective when it kicks into his voice with echo. 

"Come Into My Music Box" is very much a variety show set on the LP format. It's a series of puzzles that fits perfectly together. In theory, this could have been a disaster. Still, the choice of songs and the genius of Paul Jones's approach to his material is a superb listening experience. 

February 24, 2014

February 24, 2014

My all time favorite album is Michel Legrand’s “Play For Dancers” which is the U.S. title for “Archi-Cordes.” So when I woke up this morning to do my regular ritual of putting this album on my turntable, I noticed two things.  One, my turntable was missing, and two, the album was gone as well.  In fact, 1,406 pieces of vinyl were gone, missing, not in front of me, and not in the house.  I slowly looked up from the space that was formerly occupied by my record player and I noticed that the Sony wide-screen TV set is as well, now an empty space.  I had to sit down as panic slowly crept up from the left arm to my neck and eventually settled in my brain.  

Although a total surprise, I shouldn’t be.  As I wrote in a previous journal entry, we have been having trouble with a borrower's issue, where our thoughts were kidnapped and then returned to us.  When I walked around the house, I noticed that all the windows were secured and the doors were locked.  I immediately felt that an ex-girlfriend who had a key may have came in and took my precious items away.  Having my first cup of coffee, I realize that this is not the situation due that my wife has strict rules about me making keys for ex-girlfriends, and two, I really don’t have an ex-girlfriend.   This case was getting more troubling to me as the minutes dragged on.  Especially when I noticed that the only piece of art that I have in my collection (of one) is missing as well.  Richard Hamlton’s painting of Mick Jagger and Robert Fraser being arrested called “Swinging London, 67.” Shit, how much more pain can one take on a Monday morning.  The fact that someone (and let’s face it, we have to presume it's the Borrowers at this point and time) took albums, that I think only I can care about.  For instance is there anyone out there that would want the entire vinyl catalog from Paul Jones?

Also over the years, I have been slowly collecting all films and TV appearances from my favorite actor from the late 60’s and early 70’s, Pete Duel, who starred in the TV series “Alias Smith & Jones.” He was born with the name Pete Deuel, but had it changed because he consulted a numerologist who advised him that his original name was unlikely.  Nevertheless the troubled actor shot him self and died in the morning of December 31, 1971.  

Now, noticing that my old VHS tapes of Duel’s performances on “Alias Smith & Jones” were missing like my record collection, I decided to take stock of my life at this moment.   Ever since I left my job one and a half years ago, I have been just focusing on working on my memoir.   But it seems that every fifth page of writing, I noticed the amount of money in my bank account would go down as well.  The more I spend time writing, the less money comes in.   I thought “fuck it, ” I’m moving to Tokyo.  My wife and I purchased tickets to leave for Japan on February 26th, hopefully in time to see the cherry blossom trees on Meguro Dori, as well as trying to locate the old Michel Legrand and Paul Jones albums from the local record shops in Shinjuku and Shibuya.  It is time to make a fresh start.  The one thing I know how that I must keep up on my writing of this journal, and finish off my memoir.  After that, I will let fate take over my life.

Recent Vinyl Buys

I have been looking for the album for awhile and now have it.  "Jack Good's Oh Boy" was recorded in a TV studio in London on October 19, 1958.  Starring a very young Cliff Richard and the always fantastic John Barry Seven.  With appearances from Vince Eager, The Vernons Girls, and smoothy singer Peter Elliott.  Hardcore British late 1950's culture.  Probably one of the first and of course the earliest example of the Rock n' Roll variety show.  Totally fascinating.  Purchased this album from Rockaway Records in Silverlake.

Here is an example of the original show.  From 1959:  Including the fantastic Billy Fury

Oh Boy Part 1

Oh Boy Part 2

Another episode of Oh Boy (April 4, 1959)

Oh Boy Part 1 April 4, 1959

Oh Boy Part 2 April 4, 1959

Oh Boy Part 3 Aprio 4, 1959 (a great Chris Andrews sequence)

One of my all time favorite singers is Paul Jones. He was the lead singer for Manfred Mann, and starred in the very odd but wonderful film "Privilage."  This is a solo album of his from 1967 or 1968.  Not perfect mind you, but nevertheless a wonderful odd work by Mr. Jones.  I just purchased this album from Mono Records in Echo Park. 

The Mike Leander Sound

Mike Leander, arranger, songwriter, and the man behind Gary Glitter. But alas, he had a huge music past. For instance


Marianne Faithfull singing "As Tears Go By." Arranged by Mike Leander (with interview by Brian Epstein)


Marianne Faithfull singing "Summer Nights" Arranged by Mike Leander

And he worked for Atlantic Records where he worked as a Producer and Arranger and recorded this song


The Drifters singing "Under The Boardwalk" (Arranged by Mike Leander)

Even the great Billy Fury

Billy Fury singing "In Thoughts Of You (Produced and Arranged by Mike Leander


Billy Fury singing "I'll Never Find Another You"

As an one -off studio project, Leander and the Kink's manager of the late 60's got together to write, produce a single called "The Changing of the Guard." The lead singer is Robert Wace, the Manager of The Kinks. The video down below is Wace's voice but not his face or body. They found a good looking bloke on King's Road - and his moment of fame


Marquis of Kensington singing 'The Changing of the Guard" (1967)


The great and totally underrated Paul Jones. A song by Mike Leander for the film "Privilege"


Paul Jones singing "Privilege" (1967) Produced and Written by Mike Leander


The Punk and Horror version of Paul Jones singing "Privilege" Produced and Written by Mike Leander (this is a classic!)


Patti Smith singing "Privilege" Shot sometime in 2007

Gary Glitter and Mike Leander were really tight as friends, and it took many years for the both of them to discover the sound of "Gary Glitter."

Here are the results:


Gary Glitter "Do You Wanna Touch Me" Co-written, produced and arranged by Mike Leander


Gary Glitter "Hello, Hello I Am Back Again" (Co-written, Produced and Arranged by Mike Leander


Gary Glitter "Rock and Roll Part 2" (Co-Written, Produced and Arranged by Mike Leander

The Who, Ossie Clark, and Paul Jones/ Uber-Mod London Freak Out

This is a little fascinating TV history- super early footage of The Who with an interview with one of my all-time favorite singers Paul Jones. London designer Ossie Clark is also featured as well. The documentary is from 1966, and I believe it's from a Canadian TV show.



Part One



Part Two



Part Three