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Beginnings/Mountain Man,GRT, Back To Square One |
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Well, today I start this (well, obviously. I write that for matters of tradition rather than for proper substance. That's how I opened up another journal of mine.). I don't know if it will become regular. I guess that depends entirely on the individual, myself. It has been started so I can have something to organine various ideas and concepts of the verbal form, without the obligation of a site...which I do have, now for the ostensible shamless plug(<-without the ostensible, I'd call that a cliche..but would that matter? Seemingly, on some level.), http://www.geocities.com/tutsuro24 .
I know I intend on having this be less open than my hand written journal, primarily because I am allowing others to read it. I could have it be exclusive to myself, but for two reasons, it won't be. And they are:
1. That would defy the point. The subject matter here is supposed to be different, in a different environment. I already have a journal for that.
2. I don't trust computers...or to be more accurate, the people using them.
[there was another reason, but it's lost on me now.]
And there it is. The title is based on the idea of having a conversation with oneself, that relates to madness. Which is derived from a description I would use to describe a concept that's been in the works for a number of years, which is where the second part of the title comes from.
(I don't intend for this explanational, conceptual existensial stuff to be what garners a cult following, but it is necessary. And I'm pretty tired.)
Cult following? Great optimism there.
And that [as in "Cult following"] is all part of an idea I had some years ago. That I would find a group of people, probably on the internet, and probably on a forum, who I could really talk to, and would respect me. The idea morphed through numerous incarnations, until I eventually got rid of it, deciding that people aren't really where it's at. Odd then, of course, that I'm posting this in such a social place. But for the time being I consider such things necessary.
Well, I figure I"ll now go off on some tangent about old recordings not being re-released. Now, right off the bat, let me say I'm only into old bands (or, if you prefer, "Lesser-Mainstream Classic Rock , bands pre-1994, CANCON influence, post cutoff releases and derivatives, acceptable". This means I can like a band like Collective Soul, or Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros, or anything 54 40 has put out after that time period.It also means I lean towards things, like say, Supertramp, King Crimson, not usually mentioned, or say, Pink Floyd, always mentioned, are plausible candidates, but I have yet to really embrace either one. Yes, I let society, and my reaction towards it, dictate what I purchase.Actually, I just really prefer bands/artists that got started before that period, and are in that spectrum. I guess I could like something outside of the time period, but I have yet to find anything like that I really enjoy. Another thing is I will try my damndest to get that entire band's catalogue, so it has to be really strong. And I purchase CDs, because I like the idea of albums, and simply don't like my music downloaded. It's not a matter or legalities or viruses, I just don't like it.).
Yeah, so why don't I start by talking about GRT. GRT records was a company, that I believe was Canadian that flourished during the 1970's. (I don't know if this is the same GRT that had something to do with Chess records and in turn, The Rolling Stones). They were the label that housed two of my favourite Canadian bands/artists: Ian Thomas and Lighthouse. Ian Thomas released, by memory, 6 records on GRT. I have heard full versions of 5 songs from these records, and they are incredible. I have also heard short clips of some songs off his final record for GRT(other than the remarkable "Pilot" wink , Glider, and they sounded impressive, giving me extra hope for this just how good some of this music could be. The other, Lighthouse, are a band in a similiar vein as Chicago- very horn-driven, classically-inspired. They are also from the same. Though they never reached the same success as Chicago (a band that felt selling 700 000 copies of a record on release is "weak" wink I would say that in many ways they are stronger. They released 3 records on RCA, as well as a compilation of these three, before moving to GRT in 1970. They then released "One Fine Morning" containing the hit title track, as well as four more studio albums, a live record and a compilation before breaking up in 1974.
Around 1979, GRT went bankrupt. Lighthouse was already gone, but Ian Thomas moved to Anthem, and put out 2 compilations, and four more albums ( 3 on Anthem, and a 4th on Warner Brothers) before forming the Boomers in the early 90's. Reportedly, all the master tapes were destroyed, but I find this hard to believe (more on that later).
So, what are we left with from these these two great artists? Well, Lighthouse reformed in the 90's, and recorded a new album, "Songs Of The Ages", which I have yet to listen to. You can also get a compilation called "Sunny Days Again" with, apparently, slightly re-mixed versions of several of their hits, as well as what is presumably an import of Sunny Days (I say this because of it's 30$ price tag) and a re-mastered "Lighthouse Live!" from '72. The band still exists, and tours in Eastern Canada, and is currently signed to True North Records.
Ian Thomas however, has much less. The only things you can get from him, solo, is a 1993 compilation called "Looking Back- The Best of Ian Thomas". I've loosened up my policy regarding Greatest Hits albums (man, when did I become such a bureaucrat? razz but there is always both tradition and reform, but I favour tradition. What can I say, I'm a Conservative), so I would buy it, if I could get a second album by him( and I really like having at least two up on the shelf). What are my options? Well, his 1988 album "Levity" was released on compact disc, but it's been out of print for about 16 years(...and I'm adamant about getting them new, or at least from a trusted distributor, where I can believe it's new). The only new copy I saw was for 111$ from Germany. eek (<heh, that things pretty funny, isn't it?) Or, the possibility he'll put out a new album, which is fairly likely. See, if I liked the Boomers, I'd just claim that as Ian Thomas, but I wasn't real impressed. "The Art Of Living" cover was real nice though. Anywhoo, he is still touring, mostly in a group called "Luch At Allen's", and does some t.v. work, and there is a fairly high chance of that new album.
So, is there any hope that we'll see these band's (or others for that matter who were on GRT...like Dr. Music. That "Sun Goes By" song is great, but you can't get any albums that are entirely them. Just one compilation, that also includes Painted Ladies by Ian Thomas and One Fine Morning by Lighthouse. razz ) catalogue on CD any time soon?Or for that matter, ever? Well, let's look at what appear to be the necessary ingredients for getting an album re-released, from start to finish.
First, are the products themselves. Master tapes, and prints for the sleeves. To begin, I have heard, third-hand, that GRT destroyed the masters when they went under, and Mr. Ian Thomas, manged to save some, but for some reason I am doubting this. Why? Because if this were true, how would these songs keep popping up on compilations? There are tracks on the 1993 Thomas compilation, that are not on the '80, and are pre-1980, therefore any argument saying that Anthem had copies, and reused them, makes little sense. Also, how would Anthem get them, and why only for these songs? And what about for Lighthouse? Is someone going to honestly say Skip Prokop went and got the remaining masters, for a band that hadn't existed for 5 years? For that matter, I'm pretty sure he was already off the label, as was everyone else in the band, so how would anyone have really known? It all seems possible, but highly unlikely. And if this is really the sad truth, there should still be some effort made to release what is available, and hell, maybe even take the tracks right off the vinyl, like those groups do. Anything to try and get it released would be great. Second- legal issues. The rights to these recordings still belong to this defunct company, and people who are long dead, uncontacted, or not willing to give them up, for some reason. However, I really believe if the effort was made, the rights could be obtained. I mean, they were for compilations, weren't they? (also, what about Ian Thomas's Anthem recordings? I do not know if Anthem still exists, as they appear to have no history past 1998, but I'm guessing that they do. And if not, they haven't been defunt that long. Why aren't we seeing The Runner, Riders On Dark Horses or Add Water? I'm sure the licenses to these albums should be a hell-of-a lot easier to obtain than those on GRT. Also, his first album was released on Janus records, so what about that? Ah, for all I know THAT was part of GRT. And Lighthouse's three RCA albums?). Third, is a label to re-release them on. Like I said previously, Lighthouse is on True North, while Ian Thomas, to my knowledge is currently without a label (though I'm sure he could pull some strings with Alma, the label that had the Boomers). So, for one anyways, there really should be no problems there. The final component is, of course, an audience, and unfortunately, that one could be the hardest to get. Lighthouse is still something of a radio darling, with about 5 songs I hear rather frequently and a fairly strong fanbase. If marketed correctly, their catalogue would likely do rather well, I think. Ian Thomas however, has much less. Painted Ladies, 32 years later is still the standard. Other than that, it's mainly people over the age of 50 and radio aimed at this demographic that appears to still be interested. However, the Boomers were apparently pretty big sellers, so you never know. But, I guess in the end, it's all lost on the younger generation, my contemporaries. "If it's on your parent's radio and you can't buy shirts with their name on it at bluenotes, it can't be good". But I digress. The hopes always there, and one never really knows.
And we need more people pushing the labels to get these things, and all great old music re-released. C'mon Howard Shore, stop polishing your Oscars for a minute, and help out your old bandmates. And Santana, America, Bette Midler, Bon Jovi, Manfred Mann, Chicago! Remember all that success you got from covering Ian Thomas songs? How about helping him out some now? And everyone reading, you should help to, because like the artists themselves say, your opinion matters a lot more than theirs does when it comes to getting these things out.
{epilogue- I'm going to have to have this put out on the internet. And all this typing has forced me to wear this armband I wear for tendonitis from, typing. And now I can't stop singing "I Just Wanna Be Your Friend" by Lighthouse. Like it too? Push to have "Thoughts of Moving On" re-released.}
End.
 the_door_is_ajar · Mon Aug 29, 2005 @ 05:44am · 0 Comments |
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