DJTees Blog — Johnny Recommends...

This was their fourth record and was released in 1968 which is surely why the cover looks so psychedelic. Every blues musician in the late 60s has at least one psychedelic cover even the likes of T-Bone Walker and Chuck Berry. This album is more what we'd come to know as soul music infused throughout with blues too, of course. It's the last one Elvin Bishop played on and Al Kooper guests on a couple of songs. It's not the groundbreaking music of East-West but it's still a very tasty record, all the same. As the BBB album have the...

I originally had this on pre-recorded cassette which I bought in Norwich while on holiday on the Norfolk Broads in 1978. I'd bought the Mahavishnu Orchestra's 'Inner Mounting Flame' when I was 14 and have loved jazz fusion ever since. I was an odd boy. It was the breathtaking speed and dynamics of the music that got me hooked. It was all just so thrilling and in your face one minute and then a gentle whisper of ambience the next. This is a live album recorded in Central Park, New York 1973 and is essentially all new material that had been intended...

Jeff Beck is never far from my record player, not least because I have a theory that he practically invented heavy rock and blues rock with the Jeff Beck Group, then invented jazz-rock with Wired and Blow By Blow. This is very much is the jazz pocket but, as ever, with Beck's unique tone and swooping dynamics. Time and time and time again he tears it up on the fretboard, going off on high speed frenetic solos that defy belief on tracks like Scatterbrain and Blue Wind. But then he does that quirky cover of the Beatles She's A Woman...

If you knew me aged 16- 18 I will have almost certainly played you this album, as I was obsessed with it at the time. It is Camel's 'A Live Record', and that is indeed what it is. A double album, the first 2 sides are recorded in 1974 and 1977 on the Mirage and Rain Dances tours. The second album is a complete performance of The Snow Goose with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Albert Hall from 1975I suppose it was just such a thing which people began to hate about prog rock, feeling it was overblown and...

Down To The Earth by Rainbow on clear vinyl is a great album. This was always on my turntable in the 2nd half of 1979. All Night Long and I Surrender were top 10 hits in UK both of which were my cue to cut a rug on the dance floor during the first term at college. Well, not so much dancing as having some sort of seizure! However, the best track on this is Lost in Hollywood, amazing Cozy Powell drumming on it and a classic elastic Blackmore riff. The album peaked at #6 in UK but only made...

When I'm in a bit of a contemplative mood, this seemed like an obvious choice of album to play. Jackson Browne's brilliant debut album is work of depth and maturity. Although only 24 he has a world weary quality even here in 1972. There's always a hint of pleasurable melancholy about much of his best songs. Even Doctor My Eyes, which is upbeat in temp has amazing lyrics "Doctor, my eyes have seen the yearsAnd the slow parade of fears without cryingNow I want to understand." So many great songs on this. Doctor was #8 hit in USA and the...

Here's a funny thought, out there somewhere will be people who have never heard this album. Seems impossible doesn't it, but they'll be out there. If you want to feel old, just remember that this is now 31 years old! It took 49 weeks to climb the USA charts to #1, after debuting at #182. It's now supposedly sold over 30 million but I expect we'll never really know for sure. It always seems that the best selling records true sales numbers get lost in the admin. It was #5 in UK and top ten in most European countries, though...

This was recorded in 1974 in Sydney Opera House, the London Rainbow and the Fairfield Halls, Croydon.Is Swarb on the inside sleeve, sitting on the step of Sydney Opera House and smoking a fag? Of course he is. They were a proper raggle taggle bunch at this point and none the worse for that. Here they do some energetic performances of tracks from their previous four albums. Stand out is rip roaring version of Matty Groves. Sloth and Dirty Linen are also steaming, with Swarb cooking up a storm on the fiddle. There's an interesting cover of a Dylan Song,...

I remember my parents coming home with this record in 1965. While they liked the Beatles this was the last record they'd buy of theirs because by Revolver they'd "gone all weirdy on those drug things." The fact I remember that sentence shows how much effect it had on me, later persuading me to have a go on those drug things if it meant producing such great art! Rubber Soul is certainly related to the far-out-ed-ness of Revolver with songs like Norwegian Wood and the brilliant Nowhere Man, which I absolutely love and still speaks to my soul even now....

This fine 1972 live album offering from Procol Harum is recorded with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.  After Deep Purple, it must be one of the first rock/orchestral collaborations and is certainly one of the most successful. The grandeur of the band's music really lends itself to this kind of setting. Conquistador opens it in fine sweeping, almost epic style and the whole of the second side is "In Held 'Twas in I" their psychedelic masterpiece from Shine on Brightly. I was surprised to read that this remains their best selling album, making #5 in USA and #48 in UK

You remember that big mural painted on the side of the Apple shop in London in 1968? Yeah, well The Fool did that. They also did an Incredible String Band cover and designed clothes for Procul Harem! They were a Dutch design collective. They also turned their talent to music making in 1968 with this album, produced by Graham Nash. It looks nice doesn't it? And its rare - mint copies go for £100. Sadly, the music is a blend of hippie nonsense, whimsy and whacked out our gourds. That being said, if you see one, do buy it. It's...

I've owned a copy of this since I was 14 and it still gets played all the time. It's blend of high volume guitar wailing and intricate rhythms just fits the shape of my brain. Through in some spirituality and ambience and you've got a record that was an absolute game changer, all but inventing inventing jazz-rock all on its own. It peaked at #89 in USA and amazingly didn't chart in UK at all.

His debut solo record after leaving Taste is quite collectable these days. He rehearsed with Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding but settled on Wilgar Campbell and Gerry McAvoy for the band. This has Sinner Boy and Laudromat on, two songs that would become live staples. It was engineered by Eddie Offord who would go on to do all the Yes records.  It peaked at #32 in the UK but spent just two weeks on the chart. Greater success lay ahead but this was where it all started. A first pressing will cost you £20-25 these days