You Know Who... Is Sailing Smoothly

-
Birthday girl, Valerie Simpson
It’s funny to think that last night I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to do a show today. I didn’t think I had enough material. However, the flood gates just opened, and at the end of the day, I actually ran out of time, with the Santana/McLaughlin performance of “Taurian Matador” being cut off three minutes before it ended. (I was able to cheat the system and upload the complete recording for the show reel.)
In any event, it being the end of summer, we are balls deep into festival season, so there are some great performances from the Reading Festivals of years past, and then some other prog-rock goodies. I decided to dedicate the last part of the show entirely to birthday girl, Valerie Simpson, showcasing not only recordings she produced, but also wonderful reinterpretations of songs that she wrote (along with her late husband Nick Ashford).
Good stuff.

 
Click here to check it out:
LIC Radio 8/26/2025
 
 
Gerry Mulligan Quartet
“It’s Sandy at the Beach”
(Gerry Mulligan)
Unknown venue, Châteauvallon, FR, 8/26/71
First official recording released on Carnegie Hall Concert  (CTI, 1975)
 
 
Terry Reid
“Hand of Dimes”
(Terry Reid)
From The Driver  (WEA, 1991)
 
 
Terry Reid
“Ooh Baby (Make Me Feel So Young)”
(Terry Reid)
From Seed of Memory  (ABC, 1976)
 
 
Joe Jackson
Joe Jackson enjoys a good sazerac 

“One to One”
(Joe Jackson)
From Live 1980/86  (A&M, 1988)
Recorded at Apollo Theatre, Manchester, UK, 10/15/80
Studio version released on Beat Crazy  (A&M, 1980)
 
 
Joe Jackson
“Beat Crazy”
(Joe Jackson)
From Beat Crazy  (A&M, 1980)
 
 
The Allman Brothers Band
“Trouble No More”
(McKinley Morganfield)
A&R Studios, New York, NY, 8/26/71
Allmans’ studio version released on The Allman Brothers Band  (Capricorn, 1969)
Originally recorded by Muddy Waters; released as single B-side (Chess, 1955)
 
 
Kansas
“Down the Road”
(Steve Walsh, Kerry Livgren)
Canada Jam, Mosport Park, Bowmanville, ON, 8/26/78
Studio version released on Song for America  (Kirshner/Epic, 1975)
 
 
King Crimson
“Thela Hun Ginjeet”
(Adrian Belew, Bill Bruford, Robert Fripp, Tony Levin)
Arènes du Cap d'Agde, FR, 8/26/82
Studio version released on Discipline  (E.G./Warner Bros., 1981)
 
 
Roxy Music
“My Only Love”
(Bryan Ferry)
Arènes du Cap d'Agde, FR, 8/26/82
Studio version released on Flesh + Blood  (E.G./Atco/Reprise, 1980)
 
 
Genesis
“Dodo”/“Lurker”
(Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford)
Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY, 8/26/82
Studio version released on Abacab  (Charisma/Atlantic, 1981)
 
 
Van Halen
“Why Can’t This Be Love”
(Eddie Van Halen, Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, Alex Van Halen)
New Haven Coliseum, New Haven, CT, 8/26/86
Studio version released on 5150  (Warner Bros., 1986)
 
 
Hole
Courtney Love at the Reading Festival, 1994

“Violet”
(Courtney Love, Eric Erlandson)
Reading Festival, Little John's Farm, Reading, UK, 8/26/94
Studio version released on Live Through This  (DGC, 1994)
 
This performance was the first time Courtney Love had appeared in public in five months – five months since the death of husband Kurt Cobain, and only two since Hole’s bassist, Kristen Pfaff, died of a heroin overdose.
“[T]he band teetered on the edge of chaos, generating a tension which I cannot remember having felt before from any stage." -  John Peel
 
 
Pavement
“Fight This Generation”
(Stephen Malkmus)
Reading Festival, Little John's Farm, Reading, UK, 8/26/94
Studio version released on Wowie Zowie  (Matador, 1995)
 
“Go down sweet Courtney”
 
 
Beck
“Mixed Bizness”
(Beck Hansen)
Reading Festival, Little John's Farm, Reading, UK, 8/26/00
Studio version released on Midnite Vultures  (DGC, 1999)
 
 
Marvin Gaye / Tammi Terrell
“You're All I Need to Get By”
(Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson)
From You're All I Need  (Tamla, 1968)
 
 
Big Mama Thornton
“Let’s Go Get Stoned”
(Jo Armstead, Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson)
From Stronger Than Dirt  (Mercury, 1969)
Originally recorded by The Coasters; released as single B-side (Atco, 1965)
Popularized by Ray Charles’ version; released on Crying Time  (Tangerine, 1966)
 
 
Chad Allan & The Expressions*
“Hey Ho, What You Do to Me”
(Jo Armstead, Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson)
From Hey Ho (What You Do to Me!)  (Quality, 1965)
 
*Later known as The Guess Who
 
 
Humble Pie
 “I Don’t Need No Doctor”
 (Jo Armstead, Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson)
The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA, 3/15/75
Popularized by Ray Charles (ABC, 1966)
 
 
Ashford & Simpson
Ashford and Simpson

“Solid”
(Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson)
From Solid  (Capitol, 1984)
 
 
Carlos Santana / John McLaughlin
“Taurian Matador”
(Billy Cobham)
Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY, 8/26/73
Studio version released on Billy Cobham’s Spectrum  (Atlantic, 1973)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

For All of Your LIC Radio Needs…

-
Image
It feels a little inappropriate that I should be starting this site. After all, LIC Radio was Walker’s baby. He brought together a community both of listeners and broadcasters that has been a source of light-hearted diversion in good times, and a source of comfort and connection in dark times. Yeah, I know I might be making it sound too significant for a platform that used to host a segment called “Fart of the Week,” but sometimes you need to get your head into the gutter in order to gaze at the stars. In any event, a while back a friend hit me with a “hey, what’s that song” kind of query, and asked if there was some kind of way I could post the playlists from the shows. Hence this blog. It may lack bells and whistles, and not nearly enough pornography to justify any use of bandwidth, but if you listen to a show (at least one of the “You Know Who…” segments) and want to know what that song was or who that artist was, it’s here. And if you didn’t listen to the show, there’s a link t...
Read more

You Know Who... Goes with the Flo

-
Image
Who wouldn’t want to be Flo & Eddie? You have numerous smash hits with The Turtles, go on to record and tour with Frank Zappa, then make a bunch of records that are as welcome on the Dr. Demento show as the rock charts. In the meantime, you become radio personalities, as beloved for your wacky humor as your incredible harmonies. At the same time you’re featured vocalists on albums by the likes of Alice Cooper, T. Rex, and even the Psychedelic Furs. Mark Volman, a.k.a. The Phlorescent Leech, or just Flo, passed away last Friday. I have been celebrating his life and catalog since, playing The Turtles, the 1970-71 iteration of The Mothers, and Flo & Eddie recordings constantly. Now it’s your turn to bask in the wonderful, warm, harmonic wackiness that is Flo & Eddie. In addition here are several other great live recordings from the likes of The Stones, Humble Pie, and Prince. Also, you get to hear Björk talk about farts.   Click here to check it out: LIC Radio 9/9/2025 ...
Read more

You Know Who... Is Right on Time

-
Image
Jimmy Cliff, 1982 Photo by John van Hasselt  “It’s between that and exercise, and drugs win hand [sic] down.” -A little wisdom from John Lennon   So let’s see... Tribute was paid to Jimmy Cliff, I found the B-side of that weird Peter Sellers Beatles cover from last week, and I dug out a recording of Sellers and The Beatles talking about Acapulco Gold. Musically, the most pleasant surprises for me this week were finding out that Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s music is far more adventurous than their big hit had led me to believe, and Metallica doing an absolutely brilliant job covering Bob Seger. Sent a lot of love out into the universe for legendary bass player Donald “Duck” Dunn in honor of his birthday, playing some classic Stax cuts that he played on, oh and another surprise, his work on a classic Stevie Nicks/Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers tune. I also had a little time left over to pull a few things out of the backburners/leftovers folder, and tell (for the umpteenth time) ...
Read more