Gary Pig Gold has EIGHT QUESTIONS for BIG BOY PETE

Allow me to quote, word-for-most-accurate-indeed-word the shrinkwrapped stickerhype affixed to Mono-Tone Records’ The Cosmic Genius of Big Boy Pete 1965-1977, the very first of two (so far!) volumes of audio esoterica culled from the great man’s already voluminous discography:

Like an English Kim Fowley produced by Joe Meek or a one man Barrett era Pink Floyd, Big Boy Pete is the unsung hero of the sixties! This first ever vinyl compilation features his best 60s stuff on one side and seven unreleased gems from the 70s on the other – ranging from wild and fuzzy garage to psych pop and freaky country-rock!

What more could ever I hope to add to that?? So instead then, Let’s let the Big Boy speak for himself:

Gary Pig Gold remembers: He Was A Rebel

From amongst the many many projects, digital and otherwise, my To M’Lou Music label was involved with at the turn of the last centuries, the one I look back on most fondly – especially this month of all months, as The Man Himself would have, should have turned 82 (!) on the 17th – was/is a project I cobbled together which remains very dear indeed to both my heart and both of my ears.

Pat Blythe – Celebrating Anniversaries……and music

Well….I have three anniversaries this month. As of this writing on February 15, thirty-six years ago today, I married my sweetie. First wedding (and reception) ever held in Sparkles. For those of you old enough to remember, Sparkles was THE de rigueur lounge, club and disco in Toronto at that time. I have no idea what possessed me to book the place for a wedding! Maybe availability, maybe because it was an “all-in-one” since there was a restaurant below that would cater….who knows? Cost of the wedding, including food and non-alcoholic beverages, $1,350 for 65 people. One thing I’ll never forget…..the best man wanting to begin a speech with, “today, Chris got married in a place higher than he is”.

LIVE A LITTLE, WATCH A LITTLE:Gary Pig Gold’s Top Ten Elvis Movies

In honor of The King and what could have been – what should have been – his 87th (!!) Birthday this month, may I suggest one and all hook to your platform of choice immediately to watch Any or All of…

GARY PIG GOLD with 50 YEARS of ACUTE SCHIZOPHRENIC PARANOIA BLUES

“MUSWELL HILLBILLIES isn’t just a better country-rock album than anything by Wilco or Son Volt;

It’s a better country-rock album than anything by The Byrds.”

When the esteemed J.R. Taylor first wrote this in The New York Press awhile back, I couldn’t help but laugh. J.R.’s always tossing around outrageous statements like this, and obviously loves a good scrape as much as anyone else who chooses to live – or write – within the confines of New York City. But then just the other day, I found myself listening yet again to that 1971 Kinks klassic in question …and I’m certainly not laughing anymore.

Gary Pig Gold knows THE SHADOWS KNOW. Now You Can, Too.

For those still salient enough to peg the launch of British Rock to the evening of February 9, 1964, when those “youngsters from Liverpool” landed as if from nowhere onto the stage of The Ed Sullivan Show, think of this:

A dozen years ago, a different U.K. band celebrated its fiftieth (!!)anniversary with a series of sold-out concerts at London’s mammoth O2 Arena.

At the height of their success, this band placed an astounding twenty-eight hits atop the European charts, have all told released over one hundred albums worldwide, and their lead singer was knighted by his Queen before Elton, Tom Jones, Jagger or even Paul McCartney was.

Gary Pig Gold is TAKIN’ CARE OF RANDY

As he turns 78 (!) this very September the 27th, may I suggest Each and Every One of you DBAWIS’ers adhere to these

HAPPY BIRTHDAY THIS MONTH from GARY PIG GOLD To Both ROGER AND JIM McGUINN

It’s becoming increasingly obvious, with every passing year and with every passing trend, that The Byrds were just about the greatest rock’n’roll band America ever produced. Sure, I bet lots of other musicians in 1964 were inspired enough after first viewing A Hard Day’s Night to want to throw together their very own guitar gangs. and Yes, from a half-century-plus perspective the bridging of Dylan’s words with the Beatles’ licks and hair-do’s was a hybrid just itching to happen. But it took a pack of visionary crazies like The Byrds to not only pull it off, but actually shove it right up to the top of the charts for all to hear, see, and forever be amazed by. Hard to believe that within a year of that first Beatle movie, Messrs. McGuinn, Clark, Crosby, Hillman and Clarke had the Number One record on the planet with the still contemporary-sounding “Mr. Tambourine Man.”

Gary Pig Gold goes FIFTY YEARS WITHOUT ED

It’s hard to fathom a world where any imaginable sight, sound, or moving image of your fave rave pop star isn’t a mere mouse of a click away. But back in that Gold Age when the roll was still an essential part of rock, families instead gathered ’round their communal box every Sunday evening at eight to turn on and tune completely into the beauty, the splendor, the downright wonder which was The Ed Sullivan Show. And then, only if you were pubescent and/or lucky enough, at the top of any such given hour ringmaster Ed might just include in his introductory announcement, “And for all the youngsters out there…” before intoning – and quite often mispronouncing – none other than the name off the label of your latest, most current constantly-played 45.  

Gary Pig Gold Went To A Dance, Lookin’ For IMANTS

IMANTS KRUMINS:

Above-ardent Fan, Collector and Champion of Good Music

(and Credit Risk Analyst for the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce by day)

born April 6, 1952, Leamington Spa, England

died June 9, 2011, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

age 59