From the late 50’s, through the 60’s and onwards, electric organs (and keyboards) gave talented youngsters, who learned piano at an early age, a vehicle to become rock stars. The complement to guitar and vocals provided impetus for classical roots to become entwined with modern progressive and popular music. Mimicking orchestral fullness and haunting melody adding a new direction - allowing individuals, bands and producers to develop a BIG sound.
Here is a variety that enchanted my teenage years.
Gimme Some Lovin' - The Spencer Davis Group
1967. First experience of Steve Winwood (later on to Traffic and Blind Faith) mastering the Hammond organ, loading the song with richness, taking the lead position against a drum and bass beat. Never get tired of listening to this.
This Wheel’s On Fire - Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and the Trinity
Brian Auger smashes into a rocking organ solo to close the track. memorable. A hit single in 1968.
Note: Julie Driscoll re-recorded the song in the 90’s with Adrian Edmonson for the theme to Absolutely Fabulous.
Sylvia - Focus
No shame in revisiting this well known (overplayed) 1972 hit record for dutch musicians Focus. Jan Akkerman on lead guitar versus Mr Van Leer on organ and mental vocals. Wonderful pop air guitar stuff.
Fire - The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
Yes, he did have a flaming crown live on stage and dancers with giant red telephones on their heads. If you were sober - you didn’t think you were. Another 1968’er.
Keyboardist Vincent Crane went on to form Atomic Rooster with Carl Palmer (later, ELP). Which leads me on to….
America - The Nice
An arrangement of Leonard Bernstein’s tune from West Side Story and a bit of Dvorak’s New World Symphony thrown in. The band’s second single - also 1968.
Note: The track concludes with P P Arnold's three-year-old son speaking the lines 'America is pregnant with promise and anticipation, but is murdered by the hand of the inevitable.'
The single was released under the title 'America (Second Amendment)' as a pointed reference to the US Bill of Rights provision for the right to bear arms. (Thanks Wikipedia). The Nice were P P Arnold’s backing band for a while.
One of my first festivals was Strawberry Fair on Midsummer Common in Cambridge (1969?) where Keith Emerson wrestled with his Hammond L100 live on stage and culminated with knife throwing into the wooden casing of the Hammond. The original knife was given to him by one the band’s roadies - Lemmy.
Bonus Track
'Riders on the Storm' - The Doors. Ray Manzarek is actually playing a Rhodes Electric piano but this had to be included - as one of the most atmospheric songs featuring the electronic keyboard. If you don’t like this…..oh dear, I’m sorry. The studio recording is likely to be the last time Jim Morrison sang. Shortly after, he mysteriously died in Paris.
Hammond Organ invented (patented) in 1934 by Laurens Hammond
Ones that didn’t quite make it…..
Al Kooper - Bob Dylan's Like A Rolling Stone
Gary Brooker of Procul Harum - A Whiter Shade of Pale
Comments