Comments on: Men’s brains/women’s brains and swearing in sign language. Or how sexism becomes entrenched through research and dodgy journalism. With help from Carly Simon, Emmylou Harris, Little Feat, Grace Slick and Jefferson Airplane!

By: Michael Jones

Michael Jones — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 20:52:57 +0000

Wow Tim! Emmylou collects stray cats, is obsessed with baseball and didn’t even come to the stage door to greet her adoring fan! Should we be concerned that a life as a country rocker has led her to the same netherworld as the blonde singer from Abba?

By: Tim Dunkerley

Tim Dunkerley — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 20:08:29 +0000

3 Emmy Lou Harris factoids: These are all true by the way
1 she runs a home for abandoned cats in her house
2 she is obsessed with baseball
3 I waited outside the stage door after one of her gigs in Brighton
In 1975….,.. To get James Burtons autograph… Never saw sight nor sound of either of them.
4 ( I know I said 3 but this is just an opinion) she doesn’t ever need to “rock” as she is just…. Phew you know…, it….

By: Michael Jones

Michael Jones — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 06:45:52 +0000

Hi Simon! Thanks for the reply and feedback. Airplane… Racket… Blew it? Well that must be a perfect case of beauty being in the ear of the beholder. The band seem pretty awesome to me! They played Altamont with the Stones later that year, and maybe it all turned ugly because the crowd thought Airplane were ‘rather disappointing’!
Thanks for the link. All about Emmy and Gram Parsons, I think. I like Emmylou’s seriousness. She reminds me of people I have irked with who feel uncomfortable about being in public, but who nevertheless have loads to offer.
I still want to write about Carly and her issues with self-image and how this had an impact on her stammering. And there’s a Sandy Denny to come!

More soon!!
Michael

By: Simon

Simon — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 20:39:07 +0000

Some great stuff here Michael. Brave territory to write about and lovely videos.

I had a thing about Carly Simon too. Funny but my first proper girlfriend was called Carly (and I’m Simon?!?!)

You’re right about Emmylou being a bit stiff. A great singer of country ballads but she never could rock, even with the great Albert Lee (male brain straining to impress with expertise) driving things on with his ace guitar playing.

Bless her, she tried to get it off on the wonderful Dixie Chicken but any rhythm on stage was exclusively coming from the band. What a band! Fabulous!

Have you heard First Aid Kit’s wonderful song ‘Emmylou’?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC57z-oDPLs

I love Grace, but she and the Airplane blew Woodstock big time. Probably their biggest gig ever. What a racket!

Looking forward to the next blog. Always a treat.

By: Michael Jones

Michael Jones — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 12:16:07 +0000

That is so funny……. Personally I would say the same about Emmylou Harris and Carly Simon (‘s voices)..
Great to have you back on board again!!
PS If you are an Eagles fan, you may want to check out Disney’s ‘The Country Bears’, where Bonnie and one of the Eagles are listening to the Country Bears playing live, and Glen Frey says to Bonnie, ‘Man, these are way better than the Eagles!’
Thanks to you and Simon for inspiring me to make the ‘systemiser’/autism/Little Feat connection. What next??
I think Gilbert O’Sullivan and the flawed genius that is Leo Sayer need to be mentioned in some way: possibly to develop children’s love of dressing up in the ‘role play area’?

By: Tim Dunkerley

Tim Dunkerley — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 11:19:59 +0000

It’s so hot I’m not sure I can comment sensibly. I’m not complaining about the heat… so I’ll just say thanks and also that sometimes though just a a single ringing note from Lowell’s guitar plus his sparkplug wrench is all it needs to transcend almost anything . Don’t get me wrong I am of a certain age, but I’m not a classic rock kinda guy.
But as Bonnie Raitt once so eloquently said “Lowell George, phew… wow.. he’s just.. you know…. it..”