I posted awhile back on my "desert island" disk - Roderick Falconer's New Nation. Not much info is available on this guy, except he put out 4 LP's under that name (later releases were shortened to just Rod Falconer). But, somewhere in the spare moment net queries, I found a compilation package that had been released under the name of Rod Taylor - OK perhaps his real surname? Even that name gets mixed up with a Jah artist. Last year, when I was in a frothing fit LP buying spree on Ebay, I spotted a 1973 self-titled release by Rod Taylor. I examined some of the cover photos, and I'll be darned if it did not seem like a bearded and mustached edition of the same guy. But I wasn't paying the $30 or so for a Japanese import I had no knowledge of. Later in the year, I spotted a vinyl copy for $5 - well worth any risk - and bought it. Wow! The musicians on this read like a who's who in S. Cali at the time.
Rod Taylor Vocals, Vocals (Background), Main Performer,Andrew Gold Accordion, Guitar Bill Payne Organ, Keyboards Bonnie Bramlett Vocals, Vocals (Background) Buell Neidlinger Bass Chuck Findley Trumpet Chuck Plotkin Accordion, Keyboards, Producer, Piano Craig Safan Piano David LaFlamme Fiddle, Violin Don Caverhill Organ, Keyboards, Piano Ernie Watts Saxophone Gary Mallaber Drums, Clavinet Jesse Ed Davis Guitar Jim Horn Saxophone Jim Keltner Drums Joel Tepp Slide Guitar, Clarinet, Dobro, Harmonica Joni Mitchell Vocals, Vocals (Background) Kenny Edwards Bass Larry Knechtel Piano Leland Sklar Bass Lew McCreary Horn, Baritone Red Rhodes Guitar (Steel) Richard Sanford Orshoff Engineer Guitar Russ Kunkel Drums Ry Cooder Guitar, Mandolin Steve Ferguson Piano Steve VanGelder Fiddle, Guitar, Violin
Now, I suppose you could say Rod's deep tenor (and a bit nasally) vocal could be an aquired taste, but it is one I have aquired. This album is a beautiful piece of music that I suppose just got lost in all the stuff that was emerging at that time. Rod was later billed as Appalachia's response to David Bowie - if that comparison's not off-putting I don't know what is. Perhaps a bit too country for the rockers and a bit to unusual for the hoedown, his record company set him off in a different direction. Perhaps too bad, even though it led to one of my favorite LPs.
More in comments.
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Railroad Blood. Quite country.
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Livin' Dangerous Blues. Swampy and beautiful.
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And one more - Man Who Made It Fall - Bonnie Bramlett shines on this one.
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Timeless material; hard to believe all these gems (and artists) were on one album. A wonderful tribute scotfree, and a fantastically rewarding listen. Thanks so much!
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Flower-Thanks for checking the antiques!
Girlcrawl-It's nice to share something this unique. It was a real thrill to put this on the first time and absorb the liner notes as I listened - to something I knew virtually nothing about - and find it so satisfying. Gotta admit, that does not happen to often!
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An aquired taste I've had for many years.Enjoyed the listen.Your Mog Bro.~ (;Yrral Mallik;)
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Nice. Enjoyed the pedal steel work especially. Heard his name but never was really exposed to his music before. Thanks!
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yrral - really? you've heard this before? any historical fill-ins??
Zepp- glad you like. I was so surprised at the style this LP held, compared to the other things I'd heard. pleasantly.
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"Appalachia's response to David Bowie" is the best line I'll read all week. Love the crackly warmth of this!
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Hi n-space! yeah, that line sure forces some convoluted thought. Ya know, they talk about the "magic" of vinyl, and a lot of times you can hear it, even when it's recorded to digital!!
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I have no idea if it's true, but it says on IMDB that this Rod Taylor is the same Rod Taylor that is a screenwriter, responsible for the new film The Brave One starring Jodie Foster.
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Wow. Thanks for that, and I think you are probably correct. I nosed through his career into the screenwriting, but this is new. not surprising if you consider the imagery in his lyrics. Thanks!!