COUNTRY CROONER HAD A ROWDY BEGINNING
Baby faced country music legend Glen Campbell, who dabbled a couple of times as an actor in western movies alongside the mercurial man of the wild west, who else
but John Wayne, is best known for his mega hits of the 70`s like Rhinestone Cowboy and Galveston.
but John Wayne, is best known for his mega hits of the 70`s like Rhinestone Cowboy and Galveston.
Campbell was a flamboyant performer in his time who had lots of charisma and knew how to distort the boundaries of country music with a bit of rock and cabaret, but like Australia`s own John Farnham, he could not write his own songs.
He sang everyone elses songs, but unlike John Farnham, Campbell has never possessed a powerful voice which is capable of sending shivers down your spine or giving you goosebumps.
He sang everyone elses songs, but unlike John Farnham, Campbell has never possessed a powerful voice which is capable of sending shivers down your spine or giving you goosebumps.
Campbell, who is now in his early seventies
and still touring, has a pleasant voice but certainly nothing to write home about. I want to take you back in time when Glen Campbell briefly was a 12 string guitar legend, a wildman axeman who laid down some mighty good riffs on an album which cost me $1 at a garage sale years ago.
The album is called `The Electric 12` by the Bandits. Going by the liner notes on the back of the album cover, you would have to assume the Bandits were basically a back-
ing band for bandleader Glen Campbell.
and still touring, has a pleasant voice but certainly nothing to write home about. I want to take you back in time when Glen Campbell briefly was a 12 string guitar legend, a wildman axeman who laid down some mighty good riffs on an album which cost me $1 at a garage sale years ago.
The album is called `The Electric 12` by the Bandits. Going by the liner notes on the back of the album cover, you would have to assume the Bandits were basically a back-
ing band for bandleader Glen Campbell.
The twelve songs which feature on the album are a mixture of originals and
covers, including the Beatle`s classic `I Feel Fine`, Everly Brothers' `Cathy's Clown` and Chuck Berry`s `Memphis`.
covers, including the Beatle`s classic `I Feel Fine`, Everly Brothers' `Cathy's Clown` and Chuck Berry`s `Memphis`.
The biggest catch is that the album is completely instrumental from start to finish, not one word is sung by Glen Campbell or anyone else. Experimental stuff!
Although you`d have to attribute some of the albums primitive blues fire power to the lead guitarists Jerry Kolbrak and David Gates, it`s easy to hear Glen Campbell's
piercing 12 string rhythm rollicking like a paddle steamer in the mix.
Although you`d have to attribute some of the albums primitive blues fire power to the lead guitarists Jerry Kolbrak and David Gates, it`s easy to hear Glen Campbell's
piercing 12 string rhythm rollicking like a paddle steamer in the mix.
The Electric 12 by the Bandits is definitely not a pretty sounding album, it`s raw and as rough as guts and it sounds like it was recorded in two days on a shoestring budget and it needed a big lick in production before it ever went near a record shop.
In a nutshell, I would describe the Electric 12 album as being prototype country blues infused tin pan alley pop and skiffle. I like blues more than I like 60`s country and
tin pan alley, so I might be biased, but my favourite tune on the album is a slow Texas blues stomper called `Baby What You Want Me To Do`.
In a nutshell, I would describe the Electric 12 album as being prototype country blues infused tin pan alley pop and skiffle. I like blues more than I like 60`s country and
tin pan alley, so I might be biased, but my favourite tune on the album is a slow Texas blues stomper called `Baby What You Want Me To Do`.
'Banditos` is another song on the album which rocks convincingly. Good luck in finding a copy of the Electric 12 by the Bandits, it never was released on CD to my knowledge and it`s probably as rare
as rocking horse poo on vinyl.
The album has a case for being belatedly recognised as the first ever heavy rock
guitar album to come out of america. You cant complainnabout the singing either, it`s right up Steve Vai`s alley.
Glen Campbell, back in his younger days was a gun for hire in the studio on guitar and thats how he made his name originally. And even though he was good on guitar, he happily admits he was not a virtuoso by any means in fact he only got the session muso gig because he could both read and read and transpose which made him invaluable for artists who turned up with a few scraps of paper with lyrics and chords and the melody line and had to rely on the studio muso's to come up with the backing track for their vocals.
ReplyDeleteCampbell's renditions of Wichita Lineman and By The Time I Get To Phoenix, showed that he'd crossed from country to country /pop seamlessly
If you're looking for mellow music, . . . or have an elevator that you havent already got musac in, Geln Campbell in your man.