FOLLOW US ON:
GET THE NEWSLETTER
CONTACT US
‘The demo is okay, but they probably won’t make it’: Early Van Halen jams from 1974
04.29.2019
10:56 am
Topics:
Tags:


An early shot of the mighty Van Halen. Photo by Andre Csillag.
 
After opening its doors in 1971, Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles would play host to the likes of Alice Cooper, DEVO, the Cars (who recorded Candy-O there), and Gene Simmons of KISS who laid down his solo album at Cherokee. One of the first major acts to work at Cherokee was Steely Dan, who would record their third album, Pretzel Logic at Cherokee in 1974, scoring the studio its first gold record and the band its third. Later the same year a young version of Van Halen would drop into Cherokee to record what is considered their very first demo. The group was already a popular attraction in the local LA club scene when they recorded four songs at Cherokee, “Angel Eyes,” “Believe Me,” “Simple Rhyme,” and “Take Your Whiskey Home,” a number that would later appear on VH’s 1980 album Women and Children First along with “Simple Rhyme” (“In a Simple Rhyme”).

While these recordings are not the earliest in the band’s career, they are the earliest recordings of the group with David Lee Roth, Eddie, and Alex Van Halen and bassist Michael Anthony. Prior to this, a recording generally referred to as “the Glitter demos” was completed by the band; however, bass duties were performed by original Van Halen bassist Mark Stone while VH was still calling themselves Mammoth. David Lee Roth ended up with the masters from the Glitter session and released them online in 1998. The Cherokee demos are technically the earliest recordings of Van Halen in their most formidable form which would last until Roth departed the band in 1985.
 

The brothers Van Halen with original VH bassist Mark Stone (left).
 
Now let’s talk about the demo itself, which, since it’s a demo, is rough sounding at times. Nonetheless, the recording contains moments where you can clearly hear where the band was headed. Whether it be Eddie’s blister-inducing riffs, DLR’s high notes, the multitalented Michael Anthony and his bright backing vocals (sigh), or the extraordinary timekeeping skills of Alex Van Halen, the Cherokee Studios’ demos are very much a crystal ball allowing us a glimpse into the birth of Van Halen. At the time, Eddie was nineteen, both DLR and Michael Anthony were twenty, and Alex was 21. Also of interest is that David Lee Roth is said to have played the guitar on the acoustic song, “Angel Eyes.”

Listen after the jump…

READ ON
Posted by Cherrybomb
|
04.29.2019
10:56 am
|
One of Freddie Mercury’s most iconic looks was inspired by a wedding dress


Freddie Mercury in a white satin outfit designed by Zandra Rhodes in 1974.
 
Sometime in 1974, fashion designer Zandra Rhodes received a phone call from Freddie Mercury asking if he could meet with the designer to discuss the possibility of Rhodes creating some stage clothing for Queen. Rhodes wasn’t aware of Queen at the time so to help her understand what the band was all about Mercury told her they were “the most absurd (or ridiculous) band ever.” Rhodes was intrigued and invited Mercury and Brian May to visit her small studio located in an attic at her home. Until her meeting with Mercury and May, Rhodes had not expanded her clothing designs to menswear, though she had made some tops for Marc Boan, who had a penchant for flamboyant fashion.

In 2018 Rhodes spoke to Vogue about her first meeting with Mercury and May when they arrived at her studio after hours:

“Queen came one early evening, and I told them to just pick things off the rails and to try it on. I wanted them to run around the room and jump around and just see how it felt, how it would feel onstage. Mercury went straight for a cape shirt in heavy ivory silk that had an embroidered bodice and giant pleated butterfly sleeves. It was the top of a wedding dress idea I had. It came with a matching skirt, and I’d designed both pieces during what I like to call my ‘Field of Lilies’ period.”

Rhodes then made some sketches for Mercury based on the wedding dress cape shirt which he and the band dug, and Rhodes whipped up Freddie’s white satin stagewear (and other garments) which Mercury first wore at a sold-out show at the Earl’s Court Olympia. The band invited Rhodes to the show which she attended with her artist friend (and Syd Barrett’s former roomie, Duggie Fields) where she witnessed her clothing become intertwined with Mercury’s persona. If you have seen the recent biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, then you have seen the white satin ensemble Rhodes made for Mercury over forty years ago. The costume designs in the film are reproductions made by Rhodes herself based on her original designs. During her interview with Vogue, Rhodes was photographed wearing her original wedding top which would become one of Freddie Mercury’s most memorable fashion statements—and clearly, that’s saying something, given Freddie’s ever-evolving, shape-shifting looks throughout his all-too-short career. Below are images of Mercury, Queen, Marc Bolan, and Rhodes herself dressed to the nines in her designs.
 

A photo published in The Daily Telegraph of Freddie Mercury modeling the pleated batwing tunic made by Zandra Rhodes with models Marianne (left), and Louise (right), June 7th, 1974.
 

A photo of Queen with Brian May and Mercury wearing clothing designed by Rhodes.
 

Mercury pictured in Rhodes design sans the flouncy satin top.
 

A magazine clipping of Mercury wearing Rhodes’ famous design.
 

Marc Bolan wearing a top designed by Rhodes. The purple top (which you can see here) apparently sold at auction in 2013 for $5,000.
 

Actress Natalie Wood modeling some of Rhodes exquisite textiles in American Vogue in1969.
 

Designer Zandra Rhodes modeling the original wedding top which inspired Mercury’s look. Photo by Dafy Hagai.
 
HT: Vogue

Previously on Dangerous Minds:
Vintage photos of Freddie Mercury & Queen playing tennis in bellbottoms
Rob Halford of Judas Priest challenges his hero Freddie Mercury to a motorbike race, 1980
Freddie Mercury’s flamboyant birthday party drag ball
Freddie Mercury really loved his cats
Bruce Lee and Freddie Mercury are best friends forever on this bizarre Japanese Twitter account

Posted by Cherrybomb
|
04.08.2019
08:14 am
|
Announcement: Texans Like Steak, Oil-Wells, Large Hats and Eno
05.04.2012
12:44 pm
Topics:
Tags:

image
 
I pretty much just posted this for the zany title. It’s from a NME article dated December 7,1974 by Chris Salewicz, which you can read here in its entirety.

Posted by Tara McGinley
|
05.04.2012
12:44 pm
|
This is what Brooklyn looked like during the Summer of 1974
06.09.2011
03:16 pm
Topics:
Tags:


 
Business Insider posted these wonderful images by photographer Danny Lyon taken during the Summer of 1974 in Brooklyn. He was there for two months and snapped photos of everyday life. 

I know I’ll be called a “jerk” for pointing this out, but notice how there are no obese children or adults in any of these photos.

PHOTOS: Here Is What Brooklyn Was Like In The Summer Of 1974


 

 
A few more photos after the jump…

READ ON
Posted by Tara McGinley
|
06.09.2011
03:16 pm
|