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Since it is the last day of September, here’s a peek at the next episode, as well as a quick farewell to the brilliant Kris Kristofferson. A great songwriter, Rhodes Scholar, Good Actor and First Class Human. Sets 2 and 3 will follow soon.
PLAYLIST INFO isHERE
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SE^T 1
The 1976 “Black Rose” album was much more than a collection of tunes that instantly connected with my musical sensibilities. While they did immediately burrow deep, these songs became a sort of life-line,”Silver Blue,” “Faithless Love,” “Baby Come Home,“ “Doors Swing Open,“ “If You Have Crying Eyes,” “Banging My Head Against The Moon” and “Simple Man, Simple Dream” all served at one point or another like a shield guarding my very first broken heart. Along with Jackson’s “Late For The Sky” and especially Warren Zevon’s eponymous Asylum Records debut, actually his second album. “Midnight Prowl” and the title track were ideal for playing along with. I was a miserable 20 year old, but only when I was alone. I managed a record store, played my drums every day and desperately wanted to get in a band that played out in clubs. I finally was able to buy a great set of Ludwigs at Rondo Music, receiving a killer deal on a floor model, all white, 24” kick, 12”, 14”, 16” and 18” concert toms arranged like Chester Thompson as wrap around, with an 18” floor tom on the ground under the hanging 16 and 18 concert toms. I wanted a 20” floor tom but when they came up empty, apparently I looked disappointed. This was my first brand new, Pro Drum Set, and Rondo Music on Route 22 was always on your side. Well worth the 45 minute blast up the GSP. We all had long hair in the Bicentennial Year and aspiring musicians working in a well appointed music gear store got the bonus ticket, perhaps a leg up on a 20 year old managing a record store. No complaints from my view. I needed to work in a record store, unless I could get in a “working band.”
When they emerged with a color matching set of 6 and 10 inch NORTH toms on their own dedicated stand I was ecstatic. I wasn’t interested in the emerging Roto-Tom trend, and while Octobans where cool as fuck, they would cost more than the entire set I was buying. I had first seen fiberglass North drums, with their unique “porthole” design not long before this. I was at the Garden State Arts Center in Holmdel (exit 114) to witness Jackson Browne’s performance. Russ Kunkel was using a few different sized North’s around his kit, but on his right hand (ride cymbal) side. I know at least a few of the songs from that show made it onto “Running On Empty.” “Stay” was definitely taken from that show, I remember reading the liner notes. I set my North’s up over the Hi-Hat and loved them. Back then it was not standard to have a set of drum mics, maybe an overhead if it was a large place. That would change soon. You could see live music every night of the week in 1976. At 18 years old it was legal to drink and get into the clubs. It was the best. Playing since I was 12 years old, I took lessons from Dennis Nardone (5+ years older), a great player that lived around the corner. He dug Rock and Roll, especially Dino. After all, Nardone/Marrone… our Pop’s would occasionally speak Italian to each other Dennis had played a ton of dances with first call club bands since his Teens. A true Pro even prior to being old enough to drive. He was committed, an excellent sight reader and a Jazz man studying with the legendary Joe Morello. Yes, Dave Brubeck’s Drummer during I believe his most fertile and adventurous period. That’s Joe managing to play 5/4 with everyone else in 4/4 and make it swing like crazy. . As Jersey drummers of Italian heritage there were Rules. We didn’t just “like” Dino Danelli, we worshiped him and Carmine Appice of Vanilla Fudge, later Cactus who actually played my High School on a bill with Matthews Southern Comfort and making their US debut, Atomic Rooster, who did not have the proper transformer to modify UK to US electric current, rendering them unable to perform.Carl Palmer had already left but Vincent Crain was indeed there. I wanted to hear them play “Death Walks Behind You,” a staple of the cover circuit repertoire. Speaking of which, Part 1 of the 4 part JD Souther show will air in Set 2. Until meeting J..D. in 2009 when the live tracks within were recorded, I knew nothing of what caused him to become a musician. His personal history and background. I had the Longbranch Pennywhistle album as well as the first solo album, both SHF albums. He was not a typical product of the Laurel Canyon finishing school. There were legit musical chops involved in his work. We spent literally all day together and the above text was the kind of stuff we talked about. I had heard he could be difficult but I usually found those kinds of stories to be unreliable. He was a listener and became intrigued by the wide and deep nature of the music we played as well as the lack of repetition. When he asked what a Loft Session consisted of I told him there were 3 rules that I didn’t want to break. 1. Play and say whatever you want. Do not play anything you don’t want to play. There is no censorship at all. 2. I prefer at least 45 minutes of performance time, but you can play as long as you desire. We will use it all, unless there is something you do not want to include. The final decision is always the providence of the artist. 3. Above all, have fun. There is no interview dog and pony show, unless you want one. This time is unrestricted and offered as a legitimate opportunity to share what you want on your terms. Like so many before and after him, his smile kept getting wider. When finished he shook his head and asked, “Really!?” That’s fucking amazing. He wanted an audience, which was always an option left up to the artist and asked if it was possible. I said, “Sure, as long as you have a mailing list. We can comfortably seat about 40 people,” There’s no charge and I recommended that unless he was okay with interacting with them during the performance, and setting some time post show to chat and sign some stuff for them he shouldn’t. As I soon learned, he was as down to earth and personable as possible.
SET 2
Set 2 begins with another story and it is not at all a surprise there would be some linkage. Last week I began digging back in to fully unpack, organize and purge the massive amount of music collected and dragged around the country over the past 60+ years.There’s still a ton to get through but that is in no way, shape or form a complaint. The last time I actually used the item uncovered was early in Loft history and the first time Jackson Browne came to visit us in D.C. After reading about his Birthday last week it reminded me about it, I was on the hunt, so to speak.
There is a version of one of his most loved songs that has only ever appeared on a promotional 7” 45 RPM vinyl single. “Rock Me On The Water” was officially released on his eponymous debut, often mistakenly referred to as “Saturate Before Using.” It is the 9th song and has a run time of 4:14. However, in 1972, Asylum Records issued a promotional single of the song. The A side (Blue label) was stereo, B side (White label) Mono. That’s how it was done back then. The run time is 3:45 on the stereo side, 3:44 on the mono. I played it all the time and it was in the first batch of vinyl transfers I did for The Loft. When I first found it back in the 70’s the fact that it was shorter than the album version was not a big deal, as more often than not record companies have edited songs for the singles market. But after a single listen it was glaringly obvious this was not an edit but an entirely different recording. I had never found out the story and over the years had kept a sharp eye out for it to be included on a reissue of some catalog project, but it never had. If it was a throwaway or obscure song it might make sense to leave it buried. But this was “Rock Me On The Water” easily one his most beloved songs, right from the beginning. With Jackson set to visit now was my chance. I hadn’t met him before and not only am I a long-time fan but have seen him live many times. I was looking forward to it. He knew all about the station and his role in its history. He claimed to be a fan of what we were doing, which I had heard quite a bit from people who allegedly would know. One of the finest Humans I have ever encountered in this business was bringing him in, the wonderful Michael Jensen. Jackson is known to be a huge fan himself of all kinds of recorded music, and keely knowledgeable when it comes to guitars, recording gear and technology in addition to records that run the gamut of style, genre etc. At this time he was trying to find a good quality pressing of Root Boy Slim and The Sex Change Band’s Warner Brothers debut album, and knowing Washington, DC was their home turf thought it was possible. I love that album, especially “Mood Ring", " My Wig Fell Off” and “Heartbreak of Psoriasis”... a stone cold classic in my world. After giving Michael and Jackon a tour of the inner workings of what we were doing, even taking him inside creating a show from soup to nuts. A hands on demonstration of exactly what my process was, it was getting late so I was taking them from the space age second floor and getting them to transportation. As we got in the elevator I finally remembered to ask him about “Rock Me On The Water.”Imagine my surprise when not only Michael, but Jackson were giving me looks like I had two heads. As we exit the elevator, Jackson slaps his head and says, “Wait a minute, we did recut that.” I remember it vaguely, turning to me he asks if I actually have a copy and I confirm it is at my desk. Let’s go. In a minute I am grabbing it out of my overhead storage and handing it to him. He asks, “Where’s the turntable?” Not on this floor, but don’t worry. I can play anything in our database right here on my computer. I pull it up and as it starts to play I hear, “Holy shit. I forgot all about that.” It is the center of Set 2.
Set 3
For the full playlist of any or all sets and perhaps a map to a hidden dimension try clicking right...... HERE.
THIS WILL ARRIVE ON 9/21/2024Until meeting J..D. in 2009 when this was recorded, I knew nothing of what caused him to become a musician. His personal history and background. I had the Longbranch Pennywhistle album as well as the first solo album, both SHF albums. He was not a typical product of the Laurel Canyon finishing school. There were legit musical chops involved in his work. We spent literally all day together and the above text was the kind of stuff we talked about. I had heard he could be difficult but I usually found those kinds of stories to be unreliable. He was a listener and became intrigued by the wide and deep nature of the music we played as well as the lack of repetition. When he asked what a Loft Session consisted of I told him there were 3 rules that I didn’t want to break.
1. Play and say whatever you want. Do not play anything you don’t want to play. There is no censorship at all. 2. I prefer at least 45 minutes of performance time, but you can play as long as you desire. We will use it all, unless there is something you do not want to include. The final decision is always the providence of the artist. 3. Above all, have fun. There is no interview dog and pony show, unless you want one. This time is unrestricted and offered as a legitimate opportunity to share what you want on your terms. Like so many before and after him, his smile kept getting wider. When finished he shook his head and asked, “Really!?” That’s fucking amazing. He wanted an audience, which was always an option left up to the artist and asked if it was possible. I said, “Sure, as long as you have a mailing list. We can comfortably seat about 40 people,” There’s no charge and I recommended that unless he was okay with interacting with them during the performance, and setting some time post show to chat and sign some stuff for them he shouldn’t. As I soon learned, he was as down to earth and personable as possible. |
Mike MarroneDad, Husband, DJ 
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