How I Got My Screen Name:Or, Love (the band) at work!
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Artist:
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Album:Forever Changes [Remaster]
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Track:
In case you're wondering where I got the name "Signed D.C." from, there are two sources. They are my actual intials, and a song from the great 60s band, Love. Signed D.C. is a cut on their first, self-titled Lp (from 1966). It's a stark, acoustic number about a heroin addict. Arthur Lee sings it in an especially anguished, tired voice.I first started listening to Love about fifteen years ago; I had read about them in a Rolling Stone compiled encyclopedia. Then as now, I'm always intrigued by little known 60s music, and I decided to look for their stuff.The first Love album I picked up was a "Best of Love" on Rhino (I also bought my first Muddy Waters Lp that same day!) All I can say, both in 1991 and in 2006, is wow!How could something this great be this unknown? A year or two later I picked up Forever Changes. It is rightfully regarded as a classic (I'm listening to it right now on my lunch break as I type this). The horns, strings, acoustic guitars, voices, etc. all seem to blend in perfectly. And this album was recorded (overdubs and all) in about 64 hours (about a 1/10 of the time spent on Sgt. Pepper).You Set the Scene, what a stunner! It's a long (almost seven minutes) song, but it doesn't seem like it. The tune flows beautifully, and builds up to Arthur Lee's poignant vocal. Great to listen to on a Sunday afternoon!I'm glad he got a chance to perform again after he was released from prison in 2001. He, alas, didn't make it out to Texas, but played all over the states and Europe. Friends who saw him live said it was unforgettable experience.Although his best work was done decades ago, Lee still left this world far too soon at age 60 this year.There needs to be a definite book about this album and the band!
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