Podcasts about Gorgeous George

On this edition of Parallax Views, you will hear an incredible story that, on its surface, you may mistake as being just about professional wrestling: the life and career of "The Golden Greek" Jim Londos. He was the biggest star of not only pro wrestling in the 1920s and 1930s, but arguably of sports itself. His popularity eclipsed that of the profession itself. He sold out stadiums of tens of thousands. Contrary to popular misconceptions, pro wrestling was not simply the domain of smoky rooms before the era of Hulk Hogan. Jim Londos is proof of that. In fact, it may be fair to say that Jim Londos was Hulk Hogan before Hulk Hogan. And just to drive that point home, one only need look at his match against Kola Kwariani on October 22nd, 1933 in Athens, Greece at the Panathenaic Stadium. The attendance for that event? It's said to be between 65,000 and 100,000. Simply put, Londos was a phenomenon. But, his story is much more than that of a pro wrestler. Londos is the story of an immigrant to the United States overcoming all odds. He is the story of a man who gave hope to the masses in the trying times of The Great Depression. A man who became a symbol of being able to overcome the greatest adversities. He was smaller in stature than many of his wrestling contemporaries. The classic underdog. And the fans loved him for it. He was their hero. He was "The Golden Greek" of professional wrestling. Joining J.G. on this edition of the show is journalist Steven Johnson. Although Johnson has done a lot of journalism related to pro wrestling and its storied history, he's also been a U.S. Senate aide and newspaper editor. Moreover, he has master's and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. Over more than a decade he worked on a book to finally tell the story of Jim Londos. That book, recently released, is entitled Jim Londos: The Golden Greek of Professional Wrestling. Part of MacFarland's Studies in Strength of Physical Culture series, this book uncovers the life and times of an athletic performer who has been unfairly forgotten due to having wrestled in the pre-television era of the professional wrestling. In this conversation Steven I will discuss how he came around to the story of Jim Londos, the ways in which Londos story differs greatly from the more tragic rise & fall of early television-era wrestling Gorgeous George, the trials and tribulations of Jim Londos as a young immigrant in the United States of America in the early 20th century, the ways in which Londos is comparable to the mythical figure of Jason in the story of Jason and the Argonauts, how the legacy of Londos is carried on today by wrestlers like Bryan Danielson (aka Daniel Bryan), WWE superstar John Bradshaw Layfield's (JBL) foreword to the book, the wrestling double-crosses of the early 20th century that long predated the WWE's infamous "Montreal Screwjob", the colorful wrestling promoters of the Londos era (such as Toots Mondt and the Gold Dust Trio, Jack Pfefer, and Jack Curley), the legendary years long feud between Jim Londos and Ed "The Strangler" Lewis, Londos ability to make a crowd not only "believe" but "care" about his journey as a wrestler, and much, much more.

Visit our website ➡️➡️➡️ https://www.majesticproduction.com/Nobody knows wrestling like we do. And this week's episode? It's YUGE. We're talking about the absolute legends — the ones who didn't just wrestle, they changed the WORLD. El Santo, Blue Demon, Hulk Hogan (a tremendous guy, by the way), Rikidozen, Gorgeous George — real icons. Not like the little kids running around AEW today pretending to know what they're doing. Sad!We also watched an incredible match from 1951 — Gorgeous George vs. Jesse James. Total television revolution. George had robes, perfume, flowers — pure entertainment. People had never seen anything like it! Jesse James didn't stand a chance. This is the kind of brilliance wrestling is missing today. Back then, it was CLASS. Now? It's chaos.And speaking of chaos, the drama this week? Wow. John Cena and Cody Rhodes destroyed Tony Khan — absolutely roasted him. And his fans? They lost their minds. Crying online like it's their job. Then you've got SEScoops pushing total fake news about AEW Dynamite's ratings — and people believe it! Can you believe it? Tony Khan doesn't even know his own numbers. The guy runs the company and has no clue. Incredible.We also cover all the latest: AEW All In Texas dates announced (we'll see if anybody shows up), Mark Davis injured (unfortunate!), Miro re-signing with WWE (smart move!), and Kevin Owens out indefinitely with a neck injury (we're wishing him well — great competitor).This episode is big. It's historic. It's about winners. And we're making wrestling majestic again — one legend at a time.Believe me.Watch our full podcast here ➡️➡️➡️ anchor.fm/majestic-production

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don't already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you'll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you're already a Vanguardista, we salute you. A smashy crashy action movie double bill on the review slate this week. First up, ‘Novocaine'—the action comedy where Jack Quaid plays Nathan Caine, a man born with a disorder that leaves him unable to feel pain. When the bank he works in is robbed and the girl of his dreams taken hostage, he discovers his physical quirk can be a superpower. But will it make Mark wince? Plus, The Stath returns in ‘A Working Man'--where he's Jason Statham, doing Stath things. That's probably all you need to know... but Mark will tell us where it's at in the Stath stakes. Our guest this week is none other than Gorgeous George MacKay, who plays ‘Son' in Josh Oppenheimer's post-apocalyptic bunker-musical (yes, you read that correctly) ‘The End'. Set 25 years after an environmental catastrophe leaves the earth uninhabitable, MacKay and his ‘Mother' (Tilda Swinton) and ‘Father (Michael Shannon) carry on a life of luxury and denial in their opulent underground shelter—where Son was born and raised, never having known life before. As Father writes a memoir nobody will read, and the family sing and dance their way through their bizarre existence in Golden-Age style, their brittle harmony is broken by the arrival of an unexpected guest. George tells Simon all about singing, dancing, having the most arthouse onscreen parents evs, and how his own new fatherhood has made him feel differently about the end of the world. Plus more correspondence on Flow from our Latvian listeners, the Milennium Bug from ‘Y2K' defenders, and of course Snow White--including a message from a young critic giving Mark a run for his money. Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Novocaine Review: 09:04 George MacKay interview: 29:14 The End review: 42:54 Laughter Lift: 51:55 A Working Man Review: 56:13 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony's new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we jump back 15 years to two back-to-back episodes of the PWTorch Livecast from Mar. 17 and 18, 2010.On the Mar. 17, 2010 episode, PWTorch editor Wade Keller and guest co-host Pat McNeill, PWTorch columnist, features live callers and emailers asking questions on a variety of topics including TNA Impact. In the previously VIP-exclusive Aftershow, McNeill preview the TNA Destination X PPV line-up and answer the McNeill Mailbag questions.Then on the Mar. 18, 2010 episode, PWTorch assistant editor James Caldwell and guest co-host PWTorch nostalgia specialist Brian Hoops has phone calls, emails, and chat room questions on topics in the news including discussion of whether TNA Impact should shift Monday timeslots, whether it will be viewed as a major mistake to go directly head-to-head, TNA's booking in reverse, the lack of "big arena" setting for Impact, whether Jim Ross will announce at WrestleMania 26, if his announcing on PPV could take away from TV, and more, plus the debut of Torch Trivia Thursday. In the previously VIP-exclusive Aftershow, Caldwell & Hoops discuss WrestleMania build-up, the faults with the Bret Hart-Vince McMahon storyline, why they didn't need a storyline, plus Nostalgia discussion on Corsica Joe, Sandy Scott, Joe Hill, Gorgeous George, and the over-riding reason why older wrestlers are regularly in the news upon death and why it won't happen with the current generation of wrestlers.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wade-keller-pro-wrestling-podcast--3076978/support.

In this deeply moving episode of Mum's the Word with Kelsey Parker, Kelsey welcomes Louise Fox—mother of “Gorgeous George”—to share the remarkable story of her son's courageous battle with a Glioblastoma brain tumor.Together, they open up about the heartbreak of losing a child and a husband, reflecting on how their families have faced unimaginable loss and found ways to keep going. From the moments that tested their strength to the memories that inspire their mission, Kelsey and Louise offer an honest look at the raw, complex journey of grief.They also discuss the hope that drives them forward: raising awareness, supporting others, and finding purpose in the face of profound sorrow. Tune in for a conversation that reminds us of the unbreakable bond of family—and the power of love to outshine life's darkest days. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode, we've asked our podfather Rob Harvilla to pick his perfect 90s British Rock song: “A Girl Like You” by Edwyn Collins. Listen along as Yasi and Rob cover the birth of indie pop, Edwyn Collins' Orange Juice days, and his earlier solo career, right up to the release of his third album Gorgeous George as well as the Empire Records soundtrack, which helped launch this song into the rock stratosphere.  CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guest: Rob Harvilla @robharvilla Producer: Liz Sánchez  Audio Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Start Artist Song Time Album Year 0:00:33 Albert Collins If Trouble Was Money 7:56 Jump The Blues Away 1988 0:09:08 Edwyn Collins A Girl Like You 3:48 Gorgeous George 1994 0:03:48 Phil Collins In The Air Tonight 5:03 Face Value 1981 0:06:49 Color Álmatlanul 3:58 Color 1978 0:03:57 Colors of Noise Puzzles 5:25 Fragments 2020 […]

This week it's another "No DQ and A", where we answer your questions! We discuss the Verne Gagne/Bobby Heenan relationship, Jerry Sags as a referee, directing at The Showboat, old wrestling action figures, Gorgeous George and more!   There's a new one stop shop for AWA Unleashed merch, it's https://www.teepublic.com/user/unleashed-plus. You can get t-shirts, hoodies, hats, mugs, phone cases, and tons more.

This episode features gorgeous George Mackay, who talks about his award-winning role in FEMME, and Jason Isaacs, who discusses playing Cary Grant in ARCHIE.This episode of the Kermode on Film podcast is Part 2 of the 86th edition of the MK3D show, recorded live at the BFI Southbank on Monday 18 December 2023.Last week's podcast features Part 1 of that show, in which Mark talks to Sir Ian McKellen about playing HAMLET, and to star Mia McKenna-Bruce and director Molly Manning Walker about their feature HOW TO HAVE SEX.Thanks for listening, and remember to keep watching the skies!———————The opening title sequence of Kermode on Film uses quotes from:- Mary Poppins, directed by Robert Stevenson and distributed by Walt Disney Motion Pictures – quote featuring Julie Andrews.- Nope, written, directed and produced by Jordan Peele, and distributed by Universal Studios – quote featuring Keke Palmer.- Withnail & I, written and directed by Bruce Robinson, and distributed by HandMade Films – quote featuring Richard E Grant.- The Exorcist, written by William Peter Blatty and directed by William Friedkin, distributed by Warner Brothers – quote featuring Ellen Burstyn and Linda Blair.We love these films. We urge you to seek them out, and watch them, again and again.They are masterpieces!Kermode on Film is an HLA Agency production.Cover photo by Julie Edwards.This episode was edited by Alex Archbold Jones.© HLA Agency———————Films mentioned in this edition:For Those In PerilThe Way We Live NowSunshine on LeithTitanicThe BeastThe Act of KillingThe EndRaging BullPeter PanHow To Have SexPretty WomanMassThe Salt PathThe GodfatherThe Big ChillDragonheartFriends with MoneyTV Series mentioned in this show:Thirty SomethingPlays mentioned in this show:Arturo UiHamletAngels In AmericaUncle VanyaThree SistersPeople mentioned:Bertrand BonelloJoshua OppenheimerGaspard UllielLea SeydouxTilda SwintonMichael FassbenderRobert DeNiroJoe PesciCary GrantArchibald LeachColonel KurtzPJ HoganDyan CannonMia McKenna-BruceMolly Manning WalkerAl PacinoGillian AndersonRobert DuvallJames BrandoJames Caan Jude LawJanet McTeerPatrick MalahideIan McKellenSean MathiasKevin KlineJeff GoldblumKevin CostnerSimon McBurney Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Conor and Jeff as we step into the flamboyant world of Gorgeous George, the original wrestling showman whose charisma and theatrics laid the groundwork for the modern spectacle of professional wrestling. Discover how he transformed into Gorgeous George, captivating audiences with his luxurious robes, golden curls, and imperious attitude. We'll dive deep into his career highlights, his influence on pop culture and the wrestling industry, and how he changed the game with his theatricality and flair. Join us as we unravel the story of a man who was not only ahead of his time but also shaped the persona of the sports entertainment we know and love today. Don't miss this riveting look back at the man who dared to be different and in doing so, became an icon.We're back each and every month for another deep dive into the world of shorts and spandex. Check us out on Twitter too @GettingColour Yours in Wrestling,Conor & Jeff

On this edition of GFA Live, Peter and Keithie talk about the April 5, 1985 episode of Mr. Belvedere entitled "Gorgeous George" in tribute to the recently passed Bob Uecker (and some other stuff, of course!) Topics of discussion include: * Some background on Mr. Belvedere and Bob Uecker for the uninitiated * Comparing Mr. Belvedere with other TV butlers * The crazy good timing to have a wrestling-themed episode * The odd name drops of who was wrestling * Hard Boiled Haggerty: looking good for nearly 60 years old! * Peter's love of the season 3 closing theme and its Dixieland band sound

Description:What happens when a young goalkeeper steps onto the pitch for his senior debut and delivers a flawless performance? In this episode of the Sutton United Talk Time on Podcast, host Mike Dowling is joined by Alex and Gabriel to break down Sutton United's thrilling 1-0 FA Trophy victory over Tamworth.From the standout performance of new signing George—dubbed “Gorgeous George” for his stellar saves—to the pivotal goal from Will Davies, the panel dives deep into the key moments that shaped the match. Gabriel reflects on the nerves and late-game drama, while Alex highlights De Silva's electric runs down the wing and shares his thoughts on Sutton's struggles with corners.“He was absolutely perfect... his saves were better than the goal,” says Alex of George's game-changing debut.This episode is packed with insights, banter, and bold predictions for Sutton United's upcoming fixtures. Whether you're a die-hard fan or just love a good football story, this post-match reaction is not to be missed!Guests:Alex: Regular panellist and Sutton United optimistGabriel: Long-time supporter with a sharp eye for the gameCall to Action:

Right on the release of his ‘Asgardians: Thor' graphic novel , our buddy George O'Connor is back with us to discuss the issue of Marvel Comics' Thor (issue 171, 1969) that made him “get” Thor… then love him forever! Plus, the Wrecker! Always a fun time with Gorgeous George on the show!  Check out what George has going on by visiting his website: www.georgeoconnorbooks.com And follow him on Instagram: @thegeorgeoconnor Listen to his podcasts, too!  @hypotheticalisland  @seddy_bimco To listen to Jacked Kirby everywhere, and to follow our social media pages, visit our FlowPage: www.flow.page/jackedkirby There's also a link there to purchase a Jacked Kirby t-shirt, so go get one!  If you like the show, share the show! Tag a friend, tell a friend, share the flyer, spread the word! And please rate/review the show on Apple (or wherever else you can rate & review it!) Thanks!

As Maklaw leaves, a new friend appears. George seems friendly, but Psycho is not so easily convinced. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/weekendstarwarriors/support

Fakes and Counterfeit Steroids, No Budget Cycle? Natural Test Boosters? TIME STAMPS BELOW Dave Crosland & Scott McNally DNS Podcast 230 Dave Crosland & Scott McNally TIME STAMPS BELOW Chapters: 00:00:00 - The Cycle of Deception 00:03:24 - Counterfeit Drug Market 00:06:47 - Underdosing and Counterfeit Steroids 00:10:01 - The Risks of Using Primo 00:13:13 - Unique Cases in Testosterone Levels 00:16:37 - Packaging and Legitimacy in the Black Market 00:19:57 - Dealing with Suspicious and Untrustworthy Individuals 00:22:58 - Limitations of Fake Gear LISTENER QUESTIONS - 00:24:00 - Cycle with No Limits 00:28:40 - Dave Misquoted In Daily Mail? 00:32:42 - Steroid Abuse and Misrepresentation in media 00:34:09 - Biggest Arms In Britain 00:36:45 - Does Mast, Primo & Anavar effect TRT Lab work? 00:39:30 - High Hematocrit Level 00:41:30 - Electrolytes Labs 00:46:22 - The Effectiveness of Turkesterone and other Natural Testosterone Boosters 00:49:48 - Albuterol for Fat Loss & Muscle Gain? 00:53:08 - Clen and its effects on fat stores 00:56:34 - Controlling the Reps 00:59:53 - Acne on Gear 01:03:11 - PEDs for the Adult Industry 01:06:45 - Gorgeous George's Chip Shop 01:10:05 - Never Stop Dancing in the Rain 01:13:21 - Traveling to Japan and the Snow Festival 01:16:42 - Thank you for Your Support

This week, Take fave Benedict Cumberbatch tells Simon all about his psychological miniseries ‘Eric', which sees him play troubled puppeteer Vincent, who clings to his missing son's drawings of a blue monster puppet named Eric, convinced that if he can get Eric on TV then his son will come home.   Mark also gives his take on the show, as well as reviewing ‘Sting', which sees a 12-year-old's pet spider rapidly transform into a giant flesh-eating monster, forcing the young girl to fight for her family's survival.   This week's big review is ‘The Beast', a science fiction romantic drama loosely based on Henry James' novella ‘The Beast in the Jungle', which imagines a near future in which artificial intelligence is in control of everyone's lives and human emotions are perceived as a threat. Lea Seydoux and ‘Gorgeous George' Mackay star.   Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!):  08:14 – Sting Review  12:03– Box Office Top Ten  24:44 – Benedict Cumberbatch Interview  39:15 – Eric Review  45:42 – What's On June  49:06 – The Beast Review    You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.     Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

George Smith, Author of 'Soldier of the Airwaves' joins Megan Lynch talking about his memoir that details his career as an AFN DJ. Copies of the book in  paperback, hardcover, or ebook are available on Amazon Credit: © Liz Dufour / USA TODAY NETWOR

Professional Wrestling's Territory System In 1948, after decades of competing with each other, an agreement was made to bring all the territories into one national alliance, forming the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). This also brought forth the first recognized "World Heavyweight Championship," where Lou Thez became it's first champion. Despite the agreements that Lou would be champion, many promoters wanted to keep their main stars looking strong. They often employed shoot matches (non-fixed matches) for the top talent to beat Lou in championship matches. The matches were able to succeed due to two main factors: the rise of television in the United States, and the implementation of The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. Signed into law by President Dwight Eisenhower, the Highway act created 41,000 miles of new highway in the United States over a 10 year period  Traveling to live shows became more feasible for the public due to the new highway system. This coincided with the boom of the wrestling territories allowing more eyes on the matches.  Also, the rise of television networks caused a need for more content, and wrestling was cheap programming for them to buy.  During this time the idea of gimmick wrestlers also became more and more popular. Instead of just being strong men who competed for titles, you would see characters who were defined by one major aspect. These could include heels (bad guys) who took on the evil foreigner gimmick, such as the Iron Shiek. However, the most popular character of the early days of the territories was George Wagner, more commonly known by his stage name, Gorgeous George. George was not a physically imposing man at five foot nine. He would come out in an effeminate outfit, mock the crowds, and most importantly followed his motto, "Win if you can, lose if you must, but always cheat!" George's natural charisma and natural ability to draw massive "heel heat" (audience hatred of the character) made him the ideal villain for the growing television audiences. Eventually the NWA would begin to show cracks as many of the promotions viewed the entity as a corrupt tyrant holding back innovations in the business. Due to this growing disdain, promotions would leave the NWA. The biggest impact would be from the American Wrestling Association (AWA) and the New York based Capitol Wrestling Corporation (later renamed the World Wide Wrestling Federation ) agreement to leave NWA at the same time. The WWWF's exit would be a huge blow to the NWA as the New York promotion not only held one of the biggest venues, Madison Square Garden, but also one of the highest population densities in the nation. This caused NWA's loss of a huge market. The WWWF also had Bruno Sammartino, often regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. Bruno's popularity would be the beginning of the WWWF becoming the biggest promotion of all time and evolving into the company we know today as the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).  

Is Galloway's victory in Rochdale quite the seismic event that Gorgeous George claims it is? With even Mail readers more likely to vote Labour than Tory, do the papers still have the power they used to? And there's a debate brewing on assisted dying. What do our panel think? Plus, Budget tips, the Supreme Court on whether Trump gets on the ballot, and why Marie le Conte considers herself a Space Arab.     • “Literally nobody wants tax cuts. If your ceiling is leaking, the upstairs neighbour giving you £20 towards your service charge is not an answer to your problems.” – Alex Andreou  • “Interesting that Galloway is able to channel all that discontent into election wins, and yet Farage isn't.”  – Rachel Cunliffe  • “Even the really right wing papers want Sunak out of the way so they can have their leadership battle between Badenoch, Jenrick and whoever…” – Alex Andreou  • “The Sun is just pretending that politics isn't happening any more… Like, look, Jesus on a piece of toast!” – Marie le Conte      Support us on Patreon to get early access to all our live tickets plus mugs, t-shirts and more.     Written and presented by Ros Taylor with Alex Andreou, Rachel Cunliffe and Marie le Conte. Produced by Chris Jones. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Theme music by Cornershop. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this special episode of A Work In Progress Glenn and Brent talk about NXT Vengeance Day, The Rock, Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes and then watch a tag team match Kendo Nagasaki and Gorgeous George take on Mick McManus and Steve Logan in British Rounds Match! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awipod/message

Welcome to the Zone of Disruption! His name is Michael Rapaport aka The Gringo Mandingo aka  aka The People's Pickle aka The Jewish Brad Pitt aka Captain Colitis aka The Disruptive Warrior aka Mr. NY aka Mr. Nantucket is with Dean Collins aka Dean Cuddles aka The Young Shooter aka The Fake Kurt Cobain aka Deuce Collins aka Deuce Cuddles & they are here to discuss: If it's cold in NYC & how The California Kid would handle it, nose spray & nose doctors, 2023 vs. 2020, the options of those who are running for President, Dean being feisty today, Gorgeous George Santos getting expelled from Congress, if Michael should run for President, Cult Doc & Chill, a reality television podcast on the horizon, The Monkey Bowl is coming & a whole lotta mo'! This episode is not to be missed!   Stand Up Comedy Tickets on sale at: MichaelRapaportComedy.com   Follow on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelRapaport   If you are interested in NBA, NFL, MLB, NCAA, Soccer, Golf, Tennis & UFC Picks/Parlays/Props & Single Sport! Follow @CaptainPicksWins on Instagram & signup for packages at www.CaptainPicks.com   www.dbpodcasts.com   Produced by DBPodcasts.com Follow @dbpodcasts, @iamrapaport, @michaelrapaport on TikTok, Twitter & Instagram Music by Jansport J (Follow @JansportJ)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode we're discussing one of the most important wrestlers of all time, Gorgeous George. We talk about his early days as George Wagner, his climb to the top as arguably the industry's greatest heel ever and his devastating downfall.George was an A-list celebrity, a cultural icon and possibly pro wrestling's first great tragedy.  Come discuss the episode: ⁠https://discord.gg/H45nvTMu⁠ ⁠https://www.patreon.com/10BellPod⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/10bellpod⁠ Pro Wrestling Tees Store: ⁠https://www.prowrestlingtees.com/related/10bellpod.html⁠ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/10bellpod/support

Guest: Cape Town-based singer/songwriter Luh'ra joins Mike to introduce the ‘Nice' Album that is set to be released online on 22 July and to invite listeners to an intimate performance at Gorgeous George on Saturday at 7pm.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kris and David are joined by Joe Sposto (@JoeSposto) as we discuss the week that was May 31-June 6, 2013, which is a Patreon pick submitted by Alan Paisner who pledged $25 to pick the week. Sposto only joins us for the first section of the show, but what a section it is. Topics of discussion includeThe major CHIKARA Pro shutdown angle, where we go highly in depth on why this happened (including attempts to kill some of the more unsavory rumors), with lots of context about what happened after the angle from Joe's firsthand perspective as then-lead announcer Leonard F. Chikarason. Joe was fantastic in this segment giving us the complete rundown of everything.Adam Cole re-upping his ROH contract and why he stayed despite some interest from WWE.TNA's Slammiversary 2013 PPV and what a show that was featuring Kurt Angle being announced as their next Hall of Fame inductee and then wrestling A.J. Styles later that night, Bully Ray beating Sting, Hulk Hogan working blue on the stick with Aces and Eights after cutting one of his Ian Rotten promos, Gail Kim's famously great match with Taryn Terrell, and more.The debut of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in TNA and why that came to pass.Keiji Muto basically being shown the door in All Japan as their new ownership is making major changes that were polarizing among their fan base.New Japan's Best of the Super Juniors tournament featuring a great list of talent but some very questionable booking.El Hijo del Santo's son going to train at the NOAH Dojo and what happened there.The Shield and Daniel Bryan being heavily pushed on WWE TV with the Wyatt Family on their way, and why that was sorely needed at the time.The entire TV situation at the time, which is wild to look at some 10 years later.This was the most “current” show we've ever done, and it's different for us, but it turned out to be a great show!!Timestamps:0:00:00 Other USA: CHIKARA Pro, Gorgeous George, CZW, ROH, Scott Taylor, & Tommy Dreamer/TCW2:05:05 TNA3:38:56 Int'l: AJPW, NJPW, NOAH, Dragon Gate, PCW, & CMLL4:30:08 WWETo support the show and get access to exclusive rewards like special members-only monthly themed shows, go to our Patreon page at Patreon.com/BetweenTheSheets and become an ongoing Patron. Becoming a Between the Sheets Patron will also get you exclusive access to not only the monthly themed episode of Between the Sheets, but also access to our new mailbag segment, a Patron-only chat room on Slack, and anything else we do outside of the main shows!If you're looking for the best deal on a VPN service—short for Virtual Private Network, it helps you get around regional restrictions as well as browse the internet more securely—then Private Internet Access is what you've been looking for. Not only will using our link help support Between The Sheets, but you'll get a special discount, with prices as low as $1.98/month if you go with a 40 month subscription. With numerous great features and even a TV-specific Android app to make streaming easier, there is no better choice if you're looking to subscribe to WWE Network, AEW Plus, and other region-locked services.For the best in both current and classic indie wrestling streaming, make sure to check out IndependentWrestling.tv and use coupon code BTSPOD for a free 5 day trial! (You can also go directly to TinyURL.com/IWTVsheets to sign up that way.) If you convert to a paid subscriber, we get a kickback for referring you, allowing you to support both the show and the indie scene.And if you'd like to support us while checking out the various promotions available on FITE TV, including their FITE+ subscription service, like BKFC, GCW, our friends at AIW and Black Label Pro, and more, you can sign up at TinyURL.com/BTSFITE.To subscribe, you can find us on iTunes, Google Play, and just about every other podcast app's directory, or you can also paste Feeds.FeedBurner.com/BTSheets into your favorite podcast app using whatever “add feed manually” option it has.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/between-the-sheets/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Kris and David are joined by Joe Sposto (@JoeSposto) as we discuss the week that was May 31-June 6, 2013, which is a Patreon pick submitted by Alan Paisner who pledged $25 to pick the week. Sposto only joins us for the first section of the show, but what a section it is. Topics of discussion includeThe major CHIKARA Pro shutdown angle, where we go highly in depth on why this happened (including attempts to kill some of the more unsavory rumors), with lots of context about what happened after the angle from Joe's firsthand perspective as then-lead announcer Leonard F. Chikarason. Joe was fantastic in this segment giving us the complete rundown of everything.Adam Cole re-upping his ROH contract and why he stayed despite some interest from WWE.TNA's Slammiversary 2013 PPV and what a show that was featuring Kurt Angle being announced as their next Hall of Fame inductee and then wrestling A.J. Styles later that night, Bully Ray beating Sting, Hulk Hogan working blue on the stick with Aces and Eights after cutting one of his Ian Rotten promos, Gail Kim's famously great match with Taryn Terrell, and more.The debut of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in TNA and why that came to pass.Keiji Muto basically being shown the door in All Japan as their new ownership is making major changes that were polarizing among their fan base.New Japan's Best of the Super Juniors tournament featuring a great list of talent but some very questionable booking.El Hijo del Santo's son going to train at the NOAH Dojo and what happened there.The Shield and Daniel Bryan being heavily pushed on WWE TV with the Wyatt Family on their way, and why that was sorely needed at the time.The entire TV situation at the time, which is wild to look at some 10 years later.This was the most “current” show we've ever done, and it's different for us, but it turned out to be a great show!!Timestamps:0:00:00 Other USA: CHIKARA Pro, Gorgeous George, CZW, ROH, Scott Taylor, & Tommy Dreamer/TCW2:05:05 TNA3:38:56 Int'l: AJPW, NJPW, NOAH, Dragon Gate, PCW, & CMLL4:30:08 WWETo support the show and get access to exclusive rewards like special members-only monthly themed shows, go to our Patreon page at Patreon.com/BetweenTheSheets and become an ongoing Patron. Becoming a Between the Sheets Patron will also get you exclusive access to not only the monthly themed episode of Between the Sheets, but also access to our new mailbag segment, a Patron-only chat room on Slack, and anything else we do outside of the main shows!If you're looking for the best deal on a VPN service—short for Virtual Private Network, it helps you get around regional restrictions as well as browse the internet more securely—then Private Internet Access is what you've been looking for. Not only will using our link help support Between The Sheets, but you'll get a special discount, with prices as low as $1.98/month if you go with a 40 month subscription. With numerous great features and even a TV-specific Android app to make streaming easier, there is no better choice if you're looking to subscribe to WWE Network, AEW Plus, and other region-locked services.For the best in both current and classic indie wrestling streaming, make sure to check out IndependentWrestling.tv and use coupon code BTSPOD for a free 5 day trial! (You can also go directly to TinyURL.com/IWTVsheets to sign up that way.) If you convert to a paid subscriber, we get a kickback for referring you, allowing you to support both the show and the indie scene.And if you'd like to support us while checking out the various promotions available on FITE TV, including their FITE+ subscription service, like BKFC, GCW, our friends at AIW and Black Label Pro, and more, you can sign up at TinyURL.com/BTSFITE.To subscribe, you can find us on iTunes, Google Play, and just about every other podcast app's directory, or you can also paste Feeds.FeedBurner.com/BTSheets into your favorite podcast app using whatever “add feed manually” option it has.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/between-the-sheets/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome back to the Mike & JD Show, hosted by Mike Gilbert and JD Oliva.On this weeks episode, Mike and JD discuss the following: AEW leaning in to TNA and WWE ideas WWE cites AEW's nonexistent billion dollar deal in MLW lawsuit + Mike & JD eat crow Cody Rhodes losing to Brock The first televised wrestling screwjob Bray Wyatt's potential return Jordynne Grace and Moose hitting free agency Billy Corgan shenanigans and more! Be sure to check out JD's new Substack featuring his latest article telling the story of Chief Don Eagle and how Gorgeous George won the AWA title in the first televised screw job which you can read here: https://open.substack.com/pub/olivajd/p/welcome-to-the-new-thread?utm_source=direct&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web. Join the Patreon for just $5.00 per month: https://www.patreon.com/fightgamemedia Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/fightgamemedia Subscribe to our YouTube Page: https://www.youtube.com/c/FightGameMedia Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fightgamemedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back ya'll! This week Gorgeous George and Brandon sit down and talk about the weather. Not really though. We have a discussion about war in movies and what happened to the good ones. Where did a good war movie go? Gorgeous George talks about his train wreck of a weekend while Brandon was staying dry playing Call of Duty. The topics move around and land on motorcycles, riding, and safety or lack there of. We hope you all enjoy episode 99 and get ready for episode 100, it should be a big one! Stay safe out there this memorial day! Grunts In Appalachia out! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grunts-in-appalachia/support

Gorgeous George and John sit down in Boots Spirits and Feed, an awesome country western bar in downtown Huntington, WV. Topics of disscussion were a little more on the serious note this week with some jumbled humor. There's so much going on in the world it's hard not to talk about the daily hot button issues. The expiration of Title 42 and the stats of illegal immigrants coming through our Southern border are staggering to say the least. We jumped all over it and gave our 2 cents on it of course. Climate change and what in the world is going on down in South Africa, maybe something worthwhile to hear about since it might be happening in the near future here in America. Wellness Check was great this week and its something that everyoen should start to implement in their daily lives so we can have a better world and more productive people. Take a listen and let us know what you think, we love the feedback. If you havnt followed us on your favorite platform please do, you don't want to miss any upcoming content. Grunts in Appalachia Out! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grunts-in-appalachia/support

Happy 4/20 to everyone out there! John and Gorgeous George sit down and talk about the different Easter holidays, the Chinese coming across our southern border, some more wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey space stuff, and all kinds of other things. John went on a trip to Nashville and had some great things to say about the city of music. Be sure to show your support and leave us a review!!!! Grunts in Appalachia out! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grunts-in-appalachia/support

This week on Grunts In Appalachia we talk sports, but not your everyday sports. We each took it upon ourselves to find the oddest sports that are played anywhere in the world, and when we say odd we mean it! Gorgeous George wants to know about Jai Alai, John talks about Wife Carrying, and Brandon is still puzzled by pickle ball. We talk more about what is actually a sport, and debate on whether or not we should bring back the Coliseum (Gorgeous votes a hard yes here). Be sure to check us out on all of our social medias and if you're a huge fan write us a review or hit that support button. You could also message us on Facebook and find out ways you could support the show! -Grunt In Appalachia Out! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/grunts-in-appalachia/support

In this episode, we have the pleasure of interviewing angler "Gorgeous" George Layton who's been crushing redfish and snook in Florida for decades. He shares why he loves fishing a couple hours before the sun comes up along with some of his tips to find the fish in the dark. Plus he shares some great stories (like the time he was struck by lightning). Tight lines and enjoy.

Support our sponsor this week by using the link below for the special Solomonster offer!EXPRESSVPN - Get an extra three months FREE of the #1 trusted VPN at http://www.expressvpn.com/solomonsterThis week, we're remembering Lanny Poffo, the brother of "Macho Man" Randy Savage, who passed away at age 68, his WWE run as The Genius, the only request he ever rejected from his brother and why he did so, why Randy acquired the rights to the Gorgeous George name and how it tied in with a WCW stint for Lanny that never came to be... another WWE lawsuit aimed at Vince McMahon's return and what makes this one different than all the others... a CNBC anchor breaks news to Nick Khan live on the air of one major player possibly out of the running for a WWE sale... no Wrestlemania matches for Stone Cold or The Rock this year, why they're not needed and Rock's mother involved in a car accident... Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn now official for Elimination Chamber, what will likely happen with Jey Uso and why it's the right move to make... fans advocating for a Triple Threat Match at Wrestlemania with Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn and why this would be the WORST possible thing WWE could do... Cody wanting to bring back the Winged Eagle championship design... THREE potential matches that could headline Night One of Wrestlemania and which one is likely getting the spot... TWO Chamber matches announced for Montreal, including one for the US Title, and why I'm okay with it... Dave Bautista trying hard to get his WWE Hall of Fame induction this year... AEW gets major press with a cover story in Businessweek and the surprising phone call Bryan Danielson got from Vince McMahon... Kota Ibushi officially a FREE AGENT and already booked for his first match in 17 months... Keiji Mutoh wrestling his final match in two weeks, but says he has hamstring tears in both legs and is unable to walk... NXT VENGEANCE DAY REVIEW and news on NXT working with Booker T's Reality of Wrestling, what it does and does NOT mean... who had the better WWE title run between Kofi Kingston and Big E... and WHAT IF the Elimination Chamber existed before 2002?***Follow Solomonster on Twitter for news and opinion:http://www.twitter.com/solomonsterSubscribe to the Solomonster Sounds Off on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/user/TheSolomonster?sub_confirmation=1Become a Solomonster Sounds Off Channel Member:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9jcg7mk93fGNqWPMfl_Aig/join

CEO of Matt Peyton of Thraxx THC and CBD company sat down with us this week and brought the goodies. We learned a lot about different variations of strains and the process that his company uses to make the very popular Delta 8 edible gummies. Brandon tells a great story on Gorgeous George in the second half and we like always had a great time! I hate writing to much up on this because you need to take a listen instead of getting the CLIFF notes. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/grunts-in-appalachia/support

Renée Yoxon is a trans non-binary singer, songwriter, jazz musician, and trans voice teacher. In this episode, Renee shares some beautiful and inspiring performances from their albums, as well as stories from life as a disabled person and how their disability and chronic pain has guided the direction of their career. We talk about their musical development, and their experiences both bad and good as they navigated their musical education (after finishing a degree in physics!). Renée explains the kind of work they do with trans vocal exploration and we dive into all kinds of topics in the usual tangential style of this series. The transcript and video are linked here: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/rene-yoxon Please consider supporting this series and get access to some cool and unique perks: https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman Renée Yoxon website: https://www.reneeyoxon.com/ photo: Laurence Philomène podcast theme music: Nick Kold Timestamps: (00:00:00) Intro (00:01:21) Renée's physics degree, start in school band, Jazz Works camp (00:04:19) free improv group, intergenerational friendships (00:06:38) intro to “Willow Weep for Me” by Ann Ronell (00:08:53) “Willow Weep for Me” with René Gely (00:13:57) piano, ukulele (00:15:26) “Beautiful Alchemy”, film with Teagan Lance and album (00:17:14) “Terrible Alchemy” (00:23:19) Blossom Dearie (00:23:52) worldless improv (00:24:37) studies in New York, living as a disabled person, vocal technique (00:29:33) singing in rock band “Gorgeous George”, care of the voice and endurance training (00:32:20) trans voice aleration, TikTok success, pitch lowering, taking risks and learning to be silly (00:40:14) gender presentation and gender identity (00:42:35) ways we can alter the voice (00:45:09) different languages in terms of vocal alteration, vocal fry and gendered cutural coding for vocal characteristics (00:47:52) TikTok (00:49:22) teaching Trans Voice Alteration to other teachers (00:51:45) the importance of teaching business skills to musicians, University of Limerick, Edel Meade (00:55:58) Banff, McGill, growing up in Ottawa, the importance of mentors, Mark Ferguson, René Gely (01:00:29) social anxiety, speaking in public with a different voice or new language (01:02:38) different people who take Renée's courses on voice alteration (01:03:18) songwriting, Aoife McAtamney Pink Breath (01:04:27) “Drinking Coffee” (01:08:58) songs “The Bad Years” about their chronic illness (01:10:27) Kazaa music sharing, learning jazz repertoire (01:12:53) Renée's perspective on the music industry as a disabled person, and experiences at McGill university with lack of accessibility (01:17:46) Mx non-binary honorific, the importance of pronouns (01:20:32) disability rights, more about their McGill experience (01:22:45) Montreal --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/leah-roseman/message

The final Days of Thunder of 2022 has arrived and it's rather fitting that we close out the year with a Pay Per View show. Step up to the plate, Slamboree 1999!* A first time ever occurrence for Dave*A fabulous triangle tag match*Was Charles Robinson vs. Gorgeous George...good??*Who owns WCW? Who cares?We'll be back in January, in the meantime follow us on Twitter ( http://twitter.com/wcwthunderpod ) to keep up to date with us, go to our linktree ( https://linktr.ee/WCWThunderPod ) to find all the ways you can listen to or follow us, and if you want a hell of a lot more Dave & Lee in your podcast diet, subscribe to our Patreon ( http://alargemanappears.com )Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Yo! We did it. We went live on Facebook for the first time and we had a great time doing it. We talked a lot about different happenings in the world, as well as how our Thanksgiving went for us personally. Gorgeous George wasn't able to join us this week for a family thing and we are asking all our listeners to keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers. Check out this weeks episode and share it with a few of your friends! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/grunts-in-appalachia/support

Gorgeous George, Brandon and John sit down at a table with one of the most beautiful rifles ever created by Masterpiece Arms. This 6.5 Creedmore is a beast weighing in at almost 20 pounds including the scope! This will be the rifle that Gorgeous George is going to be using when he and Brandon have their civilian vs sniper competition. It's Thanksgiving yall! So a very happy Thanksgiving to you all and your families and all of our forward deployed brothers and sisters in arms. We got into some technical talk on this episode as Brandon and Gorgeous explain different things about sniper rifles, capabilities and deployment of the weapon system. Some good jargon is thrown out in this episode for all you gun enthusiasts. Sit back grab a beer and take a listen. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/grunts-in-appalachia/support

This week Brandon and Gorgeous George sit down and talk about the cold season, sports and the on going election. We had a few drinks to keep us going and just let the conversation flow. We talk about the up coming holidays and what things we might have going on. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/grunts-in-appalachia/support

Here we are with part two of celebrating veterans!  Last Thursday was the Marine Corps Birthday followed up with Friday being Veterans Day.  You know what that means, every Marine made some bad decisions with their friends.  Veterans Day is the day of the year that you can legit say thank you for your service to a veteran, while it makes a lot of them uncomfortable it is still the day to celebrate our brothers and sisters in arms and give them a little honor.  This is part two and we find out Gorgeous George's other nickname, and if you call him that he will fight you. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/grunts-in-appalachia/support

After saying there was no way we would cover this episode...here we are!Dave and Lee return to the podcast to wade through the infamous 'Flair in the Asylum' Nitro, featuring:*Three title changes*One of the best Nitro matches ever?*A Gorgeous George "training" video*SURGEWe'll be back in two weeks, in the meantime follow us on Twitter ( http://twitter.com/wcwthunderpod ) to keep up to date with us, go to our linktree ( https://linktr.ee/WCWThunderPod ) to find all the ways you can listen to or follow us, and if you want a hell of a lot more Dave & Lee in your podcast diet, subscribe to our Patreon ( http://alargemanappears.com )Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

…And now here they are! The most powerful duo of daffy podcasters to ever whirl their wheels in the Wacky Races! Competing for the title of world’s wackiest racer! The cars are approaching the starting line. First, is the Giga Mega Drive Turbo driven by Gorgeous George. Next is Barry the Nomad in the AV … Continued

This weeks second episode is John, Brandon and Gorgeous George sitting around and just being ourselves. This is us in real life and how we talk to each other whenever the mics aren't there to record us. Enjoy the nonsense as much as we do because we love this ride called life as much as you do. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/grunts-in-appalachia/support

This week Gorgeous George and John sat down with not only one but two comedians! Keith Terry and Victor Martinez Jr. got to wild out with us and swap some stories about things in the past and a couple things that happened within 5 minutes of greeting each other. Bazookas were also on scene and yes I'm referencing the weapon. Big shout out to EZ Street Bar and Grill in St. Albans for having us set up on their stage to record the episode and being such gracious hosts for us and all the performers there that evening. If you don't know Keith then you should take a listen. This man is going places and we are very proud to call him brother. We did a wellness check revolving around humor and mental health that was pretty interesting coming from two separate comedians that you don't want to miss. As Always Grunts in Appalachia Out! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/grunts-in-appalachia/support

On the latest episode, we go back in time to 1950 to see one of the most influential figures in American pop culture, the iconic Gorgeous George, take on the tough as nails Hans Schnabel in Chicago! Which famous figures in history did George influence? Tune in and find out, folks! Ryan's Record: 35 wins, 29 losses, 1 draw Hard Mark Merch: https://hard-mark-podcast.creator-spring.com/ Official Ryan Murphy Match Ranking: https://hardmarkpodcast.wordpress.com/ Hard Mark Linktree: https://linktr.ee/hardmarkpodcast --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Tristan du Plessis' rise through the ranks of the design world has been meteoric, going from self-taught designer to partner at a firm to founding his namesake studio—all in less than 10 years. The South Africa native's portfolio, which includes Rome's Chapter Roma hotel and Gorgeous George in Cape Town, spans the globe.

Today's Feature episode of The Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling is with the former WCW Superstar, a former SMW Television Champion, The Stro AKA The Maestro. The former WCW Superstar joins the show to talk about his entire professional wrestling career. Host John Poz and Stro will discuss breaking into the business, being related to Gorgeous George, SMW, Jim Cornette, WCW, Eric Bischoff, Vince Russo, Macho Man, Lanny Poffo, The Maestro, and so much more!Follow us on Twitter and IG @TwoManPowerTripStore - Teepublic.com/stores/TMPT

This week we welcome back salty local musician Tyler James. Since his last appearance on the podcast back in 2020 Tyler has played hundreds of shows throughout the state of Florida as well as opened for J.J. Grey. With his service dog Gorgeous George by his side Tyler performs his original music on stages big and small all over the state of Florida. Tyler is in the process of planning an album with his band and gives one of the most dynamic performances ever to be seen in the region. His passion for his family and his music shine through with every performance and each show is unique and powerful. Follow Tyler James on socials @TylerJamesRocksFollow Kelsi at Bohemianfunk850If you like this content please leave a comment/like/follow/subscribe Episodes of The St. Andrews Jezebel Podcast drop every ThursdayFollow The Podcast On Facebook @TheSt.AndrewsJezebelPodcast Instagram @Thestandrewsjezebelpodcast Follow @Keepstandrewssalty on FacebookLeave us message! We'd love to hear from you! Visit https://www.podpage.com/st-andrews-jezebel-podcast/ and tap the mic in the lower corner of the page to leave a message. Want to support the podcast further? Leave us a review on our website! Reviews help us grow! https://www.podpage.com/st-andrews-jezebel-podcast/CreditsOaks By The BayThe Market At St. AndrewsPanama City Publishing MuseumFloriopolisLittle VillageDestination Panama CityJanet FortuneEmma WoodsChris WoodsJ. J. GreyThe Lie'brary on BeckPanama City ComedyGulf Coast State CollegeJason HeddenJanet Fortune# Episode 81 Tyler JamesMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):[https://uppbeat.io/t/giulio-fazio/cafe-cremiux](https://uppbeat.io/t/giulio-fazio/cafe-cremiux)License code: QZPF6L0PBW3KO8ZQMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):[https://uppbeat.io/t/giulio-fazio/the-shimmy](https://uppbeat.io/t/giulio-fazio/the-shimmy)License code: GSOJP1IZ8M9BK1TDSilas DyerJim HaytonHeather ParkerKelly Smith DyerBarbara DyerTaproomThe Trendy Side Uncle Ernie'sSun Jammers

Kevin, Matt and Tony are back with another exciting episode of The Shining Wizards Wrestling Podcast The soft open, the boys try and button up this nonsense about Tony & the Can You Beat That Championship committee. We get a little clarity, but we still don't have a clue what is going on. We quickly catch up before we are joined by our guests, The Death Samurai AKIRA. He's had a shit travel day but is kind enough to join us. We talk about being a deathmatch wrestler, Jon Moxley wearing his hoodie on Dynamite, Masha, OPW, H20, wrestling his significant other and much more. Its a great interview and insight to AKIRA. A man you should have your eyes on. After a quick break we briefly touch on the Ibushi situation, before talking about Cody Rhodes being the guy to take the title off of Roman Reigns. This turns into a conversation about guys who didn't work out in one promotion but were successful in another, and leads to us taking a premature trip Down the Aisle to talk Lex Luger and SummerSlam 1993, Tatanka, Allied Powers and more. We get back on track with some this and that's about NJPW, Impact Wrestling, MLW, and NWA. Does seeing Jay White lose in Impact effect his stock in New Japan Pro Wrestling? We talk about the Ric Flair news, and that's an interesting conversation. Then against Tony's wishes we do a proper down the aisle, back to a random USWA card from 1995. We talk about Gorgeous George 3, Mark Curtis, Robert Gibson & Ricky Morton in solo runs, David Jericho, & more. Its the perfect Down the Aisle to end the show Remember to Rate, Review and Subscribe if you enjoy this show. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-shining-wizards/support

Episode one hundred and forty-seven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Hey Joe" by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and is the longest episode to date, at over two hours. Patreon backers also have a twenty-two-minute bonus episode available, on "Making Time" by The Creation. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt's irregular podcasts at http://www.podnose.com/jaffa-cakes-for-proust and http://sitcomclub.com/ Resources As usual, I've put together a Mixcloud mix containing all the music excerpted in this episode. For information on the Byrds, I relied mostly on Timeless Flight Revisited by Johnny Rogan, with some information from Chris Hillman's autobiography. Information on Arthur Lee and Love came from Forever Changes: Arthur Lee and the Book of Love by John Einarson, and Arthur Lee: Alone Again Or by Barney Hoskyns. Information on Gary Usher's work with the Surfaris and the Sons of Adam came from The California Sound by Stephen McParland, which can be found at https://payhip.com/CMusicBooks Information on Jimi Hendrix came from Room Full of Mirrors by Charles R. Cross, Crosstown Traffic by Charles Shaar Murray, and Wild Thing by Philip Norman. Information on the history of "Hey Joe" itself came from all these sources plus Hey Joe: The Unauthorised Biography of a Rock Classic by Marc Shapiro, though note that most of that book is about post-1967 cover versions. Most of the pre-Experience session work by Jimi Hendrix I excerpt in this episode is on this box set of alternate takes and live recordings. And "Hey Joe" can be found on Are You Experienced? Patreon This podcast is brought to you by the generosity of my backers on Patreon. Why not join them? Transcript Just a quick note before we start – this episode deals with a song whose basic subject is a man murdering a woman, and that song also contains references to guns, and in some versions to cocaine use. Some versions excerpted also contain misogynistic slurs. If those things are likely to upset you, please skip this episode, as the whole episode focusses on that song. I would hope it goes without saying that I don't approve of misogyny, intimate partner violence, or murder, and my discussing a song does not mean I condone acts depicted in its lyrics, and the episode itself deals with the writing and recording of the song rather than its subject matter, but it would be impossible to talk about the record without excerpting the song. The normalisation of violence against women in rock music lyrics is a subject I will come back to, but did not have room for in what is already a very long episode. Anyway, on with the show. Let's talk about the folk process, shall we? We've talked before, like in the episodes on "Stagger Lee" and "Ida Red", about how there are some songs that aren't really individual songs in themselves, but are instead collections of related songs that might happen to share a name, or a title, or a story, or a melody, but which might be different in other ways. There are probably more songs that are like this than songs that aren't, and it doesn't just apply to folk songs, although that's where we see it most notably. You only have to look at the way a song like "Hound Dog" changed from the Willie Mae Thornton version to the version by Elvis, which only shared a handful of words with the original. Songs change, and recombine, and everyone who sings them brings something different to them, until they change in ways that nobody could have predicted, like a game of telephone. But there usually remains a core, an archetypal story or idea which remains constant no matter how much the song changes. Like Stagger Lee shooting Billy in a bar over a hat, or Frankie killing her man -- sometimes the man is Al, sometimes he's Johnny, but he always done her wrong. And one of those stories is about a man who shoots his cheating woman with a forty-four, and tries to escape -- sometimes to a town called Jericho, and sometimes to Juarez, Mexico. The first version of this song we have a recording of is by Clarence Ashley, in 1929, a recording of an older folk song that was called, in his version, "Little Sadie": [Excerpt: Clarence Ashley, "Little Sadie"] At some point, somebody seems to have noticed that that song has a slight melodic similarity to another family of songs, the family known as "Cocaine Blues" or "Take a Whiff on Me", which was popular around the same time: [Excerpt: The Memphis Jug Band, "Cocaine Habit Blues"] And so the two songs became combined, and the protagonist of "Little Sadie" now had a reason to kill his woman -- a reason other than her cheating, that is. He had taken a shot of cocaine before shooting her. The first recording of this version, under the name "Cocaine Blues" seems to have been a Western Swing version by W. A. Nichol's Western Aces: [Excerpt: W.A. Nichol's Western Aces, "Cocaine Blues"] Woody Guthrie recorded a version around the same time -- I've seen different dates and so don't know for sure if it was before or after Nichol's version -- and his version had himself credited as songwriter, and included this last verse which doesn't seem to appear on any earlier recordings of the song: [Excerpt: Woody Guthrie, "Cocaine Blues"] That doesn't appear on many later recordings either, but it did clearly influence yet another song -- Mose Allison's classic jazz number "Parchman Farm": [Excerpt: Mose Allison, "Parchman Farm"] The most famous recordings of the song, though, were by Johnny Cash, who recorded it as both "Cocaine Blues" and as "Transfusion Blues". In Cash's version of the song, the murderer gets sentenced to "ninety-nine years in the Folsom pen", so it made sense that Cash would perform that on his most famous album, the live album of his January 1968 concerts at Folsom Prison, which revitalised his career after several years of limited success: [Excerpt: Johnny Cash, "Cocaine Blues (live at Folsom Prison)"] While that was Cash's first live recording at a prison, though, it wasn't the first show he played at a prison -- ever since the success of his single "Folsom Prison Blues" he'd been something of a hero to prisoners, and he had been doing shows in prisons for eleven years by the time of that recording. And on one of those shows he had as his support act a man named Billy Roberts, who performed his own song which followed the same broad outlines as "Cocaine Blues" -- a man with a forty-four who goes out to shoot his woman and then escapes to Mexico. Roberts was an obscure folk singer, who never had much success, but who was good with people. He'd been part of the Greenwich Village folk scene in the 1950s, and at a gig at Gerde's Folk City he'd met a woman named Niela Miller, an aspiring songwriter, and had struck up a relationship with her. Miller only ever wrote one song that got recorded by anyone else, a song called "Mean World Blues" that was recorded by Dave Van Ronk: [Excerpt: Dave Van Ronk, "Mean World Blues"] Now, that's an original song, but it does bear a certain melodic resemblance to another old folk song, one known as "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" or "In the Pines", or sometimes "Black Girl": [Excerpt: Lead Belly, "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?"] Miller was clearly familiar with the tradition from which "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" comes -- it's a type of folk song where someone asks a question and then someone else answers it, and this repeats, building up a story. This is a very old folk song format, and you hear it for example in "Lord Randall", the song on which Bob Dylan based "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall": [Excerpt: Ewan MacColl, "Lord Randall"] I say she was clearly familiar with it, because the other song she wrote that anyone's heard was based very much around that idea. "Baby Please Don't Go To Town" is a question-and-answer song in precisely that form, but with an unusual chord progression for a folk song. You may remember back in the episode on "Eight Miles High" I talked about the circle of fifths -- a chord progression which either increases or decreases by a fifth for every chord, so it might go C-G-D-A-E [demonstrates] That's a common progression in pop and jazz, but not really so much in folk, but it's the one that Miller had used for "Baby, Please Don't Go to Town", and she'd taught Roberts that song, which she only recorded much later: [Excerpt: Niela Miller, "Baby, Please Don't Go To Town"] After Roberts and Miller broke up, Miller kept playing that melody, but he changed the lyrics. The lyrics he added had several influences. There was that question-and-answer folk-song format, there's the story of "Cocaine Blues" with its protagonist getting a forty-four to shoot his woman down before heading to Mexico, and there's also a country hit from 1953. "Hey, Joe!" was originally recorded by Carl Smith, one of the most popular country singers of the early fifties: [Excerpt: Carl Smith, "Hey Joe!"] That was written by Boudleaux Bryant, a few years before the songs he co-wrote for the Everly Brothers, and became a country number one, staying at the top for eight weeks. It didn't make the pop chart, but a pop cover version of it by Frankie Laine made the top ten in the US: [Excerpt: Frankie Laine, "Hey Joe"] Laine's record did even better in the UK, where it made number one, at a point where Laine was the biggest star in music in Britain -- at the time the UK charts only had a top twelve, and at one point four of the singles in the top twelve were by Laine, including that one. There was also an answer record by Kitty Wells which made the country top ten later that year: [Excerpt: Kitty Wells, "Hey Joe"] Oddly, despite it being a very big hit, that "Hey Joe" had almost no further cover versions for twenty years, though it did become part of the Searchers' setlist, and was included on their Live at the Star Club album in 1963, in an arrangement that owed a lot to "What'd I Say": [Excerpt: The Searchers, "Hey Joe"] But that song was clearly on Roberts' mind when, as so many American folk musicians did, he travelled to the UK in the late fifties and became briefly involved in the burgeoning UK folk movement. In particular, he spent some time with a twelve-string guitar player from Edinburgh called Len Partridge, who was also a mentor to Bert Jansch, and who was apparently an extraordinary musician, though I know of no recordings of his work. Partridge helped Roberts finish up the song, though Partridge is about the only person in this story who *didn't* claim a writing credit for it at one time or another, saying that he just helped Roberts out and that Roberts deserved all the credit. The first known recording of the completed song is from 1962, a few years after Roberts had returned to the US, though it didn't surface until decades later: [Excerpt: Billy Roberts, "Hey Joe"] Roberts was performing this song regularly on the folk circuit, and around the time of that recording he also finally got round to registering the copyright, several years after it was written. When Miller heard the song, she was furious, and she later said "Imagine my surprise when I heard Hey Joe by Billy Roberts. There was my tune, my chord progression, my question/answer format. He dropped the bridge that was in my song and changed it enough so that the copyright did not protect me from his plagiarism... I decided not to go through with all the complications of dealing with him. He never contacted me about it or gave me any credit. He knows he committed a morally reprehensible act. He never was man enough to make amends and apologize to me, or to give credit for the inspiration. Dealing with all that was also why I made the decision not to become a professional songwriter. It left a bad taste in my mouth.” Pete Seeger, a friend of Miller's, was outraged by the injustice and offered to testify on her behalf should she decide to take Roberts to court, but she never did. Some time around this point, Roberts also played on that prison bill with Johnny Cash, and what happened next is hard to pin down. I've read several different versions of the story, which change the date and which prison this was in, and none of the details in any story hang together properly -- everything introduces weird inconsistencies and things which just make no sense at all. Something like this basic outline of the story seems to have happened, but the outline itself is weird, and we'll probably never know the truth. Roberts played his set, and one of the songs he played was "Hey Joe", and at some point he got talking to one of the prisoners in the audience, Dino Valenti. We've met Valenti before, in the episode on "Mr. Tambourine Man" -- he was a singer/songwriter himself, and would later be the lead singer of Quicksilver Messenger Service, but he's probably best known for having written "Get Together": [Excerpt: Dino Valenti, "Get Together"] As we heard in the "Mr. Tambourine Man" episode, Valenti actually sold off his rights to that song to pay for his bail at one point, but he was in and out of prison several times because of drug busts. At this point, or so the story goes, he was eligible for parole, but he needed to prove he had a possible income when he got out, and one way he wanted to do that was to show that he had written a song that could be a hit he could make money off, but he didn't have such a song. He talked about his predicament with Roberts, who agreed to let him claim to have written "Hey Joe" so he could get out of prison. He did make that claim, and when he got out of prison he continued making the claim, and registered the copyright to "Hey Joe" in his own name -- even though Roberts had already registered it -- and signed a publishing deal for it with Third Story Music, a company owned by Herb Cohen, the future manager of the Mothers of Invention, and Cohen's brother Mutt. Valenti was a popular face on the folk scene, and he played "his" song to many people, but two in particular would influence the way the song would develop, both of them people we've seen relatively recently in episodes of the podcast. One of them, Vince Martin, we'll come back to later, but the other was David Crosby, and so let's talk about him and the Byrds a bit more. Crosby and Valenti had been friends long before the Byrds formed, and indeed we heard in the "Mr. Tambourine Man" episode how the group had named themselves after Valenti's song "Birdses": [Excerpt: Dino Valenti, "Birdses"] And Crosby *loved* "Hey Joe", which he believed was another of Valenti's songs. He'd perform it every chance he got, playing it solo on guitar in an arrangement that other people have compared to Mose Allison. He'd tried to get it on the first two Byrds albums, but had been turned down, mostly because of their manager and uncredited co-producer Jim Dickson, who had strong opinions about it, saying later "Some of the songs that David would bring in from the outside were perfectly valid songs for other people, but did not seem to be compatible with the Byrds' myth. And he may not have liked the Byrds' myth. He fought for 'Hey Joe' and he did it. As long as I could say 'No!' I did, and when I couldn't any more they did it. You had to give him something somewhere. I just wish it was something else... 'Hey Joe' I was bitterly opposed to. A song about a guy who murders his girlfriend in a jealous rage and is on the way to Mexico with a gun in his hand. It was not what I saw as a Byrds song." Indeed, Dickson was so opposed to the song that he would later say “One of the reasons David engineered my getting thrown out was because I would not let Hey Joe be on the Turn! Turn! Turn! album.” Dickson was, though, still working with the band when they got round to recording it. That came during the recording of their Fifth Dimension album, the album which included "Eight Miles High". That album was mostly recorded after the departure of Gene Clark, which was where we left the group at the end of the "Eight Miles High" episode, and the loss of their main songwriter meant that they were struggling for material -- doubly so since they also decided they were going to move away from Dylan covers. This meant that they had to rely on original material from the group's less commercial songwriters, and on a few folk songs, mostly learned from Pete Seeger The album ended up with only eleven songs on it, compared to the twelve that was normal for American albums at that time, and the singles on it after "Eight Miles High" weren't particularly promising as to the group's ability to come up with commercial material. The next single, "5D", a song by Roger McGuinn about the fifth dimension, was a waltz-time song that both Crosby and Chris Hillman were enthused by. It featured organ by Van Dyke Parks, and McGuinn said of the organ part "When he came into the studio I told him to think Bach. He was already thinking Bach before that anyway.": [Excerpt: The Byrds, "5D"] While the group liked it, though, that didn't make the top forty. The next single did, just about -- a song that McGuinn had written as an attempt at communicating with alien life. He hoped that it would be played on the radio, and that the radio waves would eventually reach aliens, who would hear it and respond: [Excerpt: The Byrds, "Mr. Spaceman"] The "Fifth Dimension" album did significantly worse, both critically and commercially, than their previous albums, and the group would soon drop Allen Stanton, the producer, in favour of Gary Usher, Brian Wilson's old songwriting partner. But the desperation for material meant that the group agreed to record the song which they still thought at that time had been written by Crosby's friend, though nobody other than Crosby was happy with it, and even Crosby later said "It was a mistake. I shouldn't have done it. Everybody makes mistakes." McGuinn said later "The reason Crosby did lead on 'Hey Joe' was because it was *his* song. He didn't write it but he was responsible for finding it. He'd wanted to do it for years but we would never let him.": [Excerpt: The Byrds, "Hey Joe"] Of course, that arrangement is very far from the Mose Allison style version Crosby had been doing previously. And the reason for that can be found in the full version of that McGuinn quote, because the full version continues "He'd wanted to do it for years but we would never let him. Then both Love and The Leaves had a minor hit with it and David got so angry that we had to let him do it. His version wasn't that hot because he wasn't a strong lead vocalist." The arrangement we just heard was the arrangement that by this point almost every group on the Sunset Strip scene was playing. And the reason for that was because of another friend of Crosby's, someone who had been a roadie for the Byrds -- Bryan MacLean. MacLean and Crosby had been very close because they were both from very similar backgrounds -- they were both Hollywood brats with huge egos. MacLean later said "Crosby and I got on perfectly. I didn't understand what everybody was complaining about, because he was just like me!" MacLean was, if anything, from an even more privileged background than Crosby. His father was an architect who'd designed houses for Elizabeth Taylor and Dean Martin, his neighbour when growing up was Frederick Loewe, the composer of My Fair Lady. He learned to swim in Elizabeth Taylor's private pool, and his first girlfriend was Liza Minelli. Another early girlfriend was Jackie DeShannon, the singer-songwriter who did the original version of "Needles and Pins", who he was introduced to by Sharon Sheeley, whose name you will remember from many previous episodes. MacLean had wanted to be an artist until his late teens, when he walked into a shop in Westwood which sometimes sold his paintings, the Sandal Shop, and heard some people singing folk songs there. He decided he wanted to be a folk singer, and soon started performing at the Balladeer, a club which would later be renamed the Troubadour, playing songs like Robert Johnson's "Cross Roads Blues", which had recently become a staple of the folk repertoire after John Hammond put out the King of the Delta Blues Singers album: [Excerpt: Robert Johnson, "Cross Roads Blues"] Reading interviews with people who knew MacLean at the time, the same phrase keeps coming up. John Kay, later the lead singer of Steppenwolf, said "There was a young kid, Bryan MacLean, kind of cocky but nonetheless a nice kid, who hung around Crosby and McGuinn" while Chris Hillman said "He was a pretty good kid but a wee bit cocky." He was a fan of the various musicians who later formed the Byrds, and was also an admirer of a young guitarist on the scene named Ryland Cooder, and of a blues singer on the scene named Taj Mahal. He apparently was briefly in a band with Taj Mahal, called Summer's Children, who as far as I can tell had no connection to the duo that Curt Boettcher later formed of the same name, before Taj Mahal and Cooder formed The Rising Sons, a multi-racial blues band who were for a while the main rivals to the Byrds on the scene. MacLean, though, firmly hitched himself to the Byrds, and particularly to Crosby. He became a roadie on their first tour, and Hillman said "He was a hard-working guy on our behalf. As I recall, he pretty much answered to Crosby and was David's assistant, to put it diplomatically – more like his gofer, in fact." But MacLean wasn't cut out for the hard work that being a roadie required, and after being the Byrds' roadie for about thirty shows, he started making mistakes, and when they went off on their UK tour they decided not to keep employing him. He was heartbroken, but got back into trying his own musical career. He auditioned for the Monkees, unsuccessfully, but shortly after that -- some sources say even the same day as the audition, though that seems a little too neat -- he went to Ben Frank's -- the LA hangout that had actually been namechecked in the open call for Monkees auditions, which said they wanted "Ben Franks types", and there he met Arthur Lee and Johnny Echols. Echols would later remember "He was this gadfly kind of character who knew everybody and was flitting from table to table. He wore striped pants and a scarf, and he had this long, strawberry hair. All the girls loved him. For whatever reason, he came and sat at our table. Of course, Arthur and I were the only two black people there at the time." Lee and Echols were both Black musicians who had been born in Memphis. Lee's birth father, Chester Taylor, had been a cornet player with Jimmie Lunceford, whose Delta Rhythm Boys had had a hit with "The Honeydripper", as we heard way back in the episode on "Rocket '88": [Excerpt: Jimmie Lunceford and the Delta Rhythm Boys, "The Honeydripper"] However, Taylor soon split from Lee's mother, a schoolteacher, and she married Clinton Lee, a stonemason, who doted on his adopted son, and they moved to California. They lived in a relatively prosperous area of LA, a neighbourhood that was almost all white, with a few Asian families, though the boxer Sugar Ray Robinson lived nearby. A year or so after Arthur and his mother moved to LA, so did the Echols family, who had known them in Memphis, and they happened to move only a couple of streets away. Eight year old Arthur Lee reconnected with seven-year-old Johnny Echols, and the two became close friends from that point on. Arthur Lee first started out playing music when his parents were talked into buying him an accordion by a salesman who would go around with a donkey, give kids free donkey rides, and give the parents a sales pitch while they were riding the donkey, He soon gave up on the accordion and persuaded his parents to buy him an organ instead -- he was a spoiled child, by all accounts, with a TV in his bedroom, which was almost unheard of in the late fifties. Johnny Echols had a similar experience which led to his parents buying him a guitar, and the two were growing up in a musical environment generally. They attended Dorsey High School at the same time as both Billy Preston and Mike Love of the Beach Boys, and Ella Fitzgerald and her then-husband, the great jazz bass player Ray Brown, lived in the same apartment building as the Echols family for a while. Ornette Coleman, the free-jazz saxophone player, lived next door to Echols, and Adolphus Jacobs, the guitarist with the Coasters, gave him guitar lessons. Arthur Lee also knew Johnny Otis, who ran a pigeon-breeding club for local children which Arthur would attend. Echols was the one who first suggested that he and Arthur should form a band, and they put together a group to play at a school talent show, performing "Last Night", the instrumental that had been a hit for the Mar-Keys on Stax records: [Excerpt: The Mar-Keys, "Last Night"] They soon became a regular group, naming themselves Arthur Lee and the LAGs -- the LA Group, in imitation of Booker T and the MGs – the Memphis Group. At some point around this time, Lee decided to switch from playing organ to playing guitar. He would say later that this was inspired by seeing Johnny "Guitar" Watson get out of a gold Cadillac, wearing a gold suit, and with gold teeth in his mouth. The LAGs started playing as support acts and backing bands for any blues and soul acts that came through LA, performing with Big Mama Thornton, Johnny Otis, the O'Jays, and more. Arthur and Johnny were both still under-age, and they would pencil in fake moustaches to play the clubs so they'd appear older. In the fifties and early sixties, there were a number of great electric guitar players playing blues on the West Coast -- Johnny "Guitar" Watson, T-Bone Walker, Guitar Slim, and others -- and they would compete with each other not only to play well, but to put on a show, and so there was a whole bag of stage tricks that West Coast R&B guitarists picked up, and Echols learned all of them -- playing his guitar behind his back, playing his guitar with his teeth, playing with his guitar between his legs. As well as playing their own shows, the LAGs also played gigs under other names -- they had a corrupt agent who would book them under the name of whatever Black group had a hit at the time, in the belief that almost nobody knew what popular groups looked like anyway, so they would go out and perform as the Drifters or the Coasters or half a dozen other bands. But Arthur Lee in particular wanted to have success in his own right. He would later say "When I was a little boy I would listen to Nat 'King' Cole and I would look at that purple Capitol Records logo. I wanted to be on Capitol, that was my goal. Later on I used to walk from Dorsey High School all the way up to the Capitol building in Hollywood -- did that many times. I was determined to get a record deal with Capitol, and I did, without the help of a fancy manager or anyone else. I talked to Adam Ross and Jack Levy at Ardmore-Beechwood. I talked to Kim Fowley, and then I talked to Capitol". The record that the LAGs released, though, was not very good, a track called "Rumble-Still-Skins": [Excerpt: The LAGs, "Rumble-Still-Skins"] Lee later said "I was young and very inexperienced and I was testing the record company. I figured if I gave them my worst stuff and they ripped me off I wouldn't get hurt. But it didn't work, and after that I started giving my best, and I've been doing that ever since." The LAGs were dropped by Capitol after one single, and for the next little while Arthur and Johnny did work for smaller labels, usually labels owned by Bob Keane, with Arthur writing and producing and Johnny playing guitar -- though Echols has said more recently that a lot of the songs that were credited to Arthur as sole writer were actually joint compositions. Most of these records were attempts at copying the style of other people. There was "I Been Trying", a Phil Spector soundalike released by Little Ray: [Excerpt: Little Ray, "I Been Trying"] And there were a few attempts at sounding like Curtis Mayfield, like "Slow Jerk" by Ronnie and the Pomona Casuals: [Excerpt: Ronnie and the Pomona Casuals, "Slow Jerk"] and "My Diary" by Rosa Lee Brooks: [Excerpt: Rosa Lee Brooks, "My Diary"] Echols was also playing with a lot of other people, and one of the musicians he was playing with, his old school friend Billy Preston, told him about a recent European tour he'd been on with Little Richard, and the band from Liverpool he'd befriended while he was there who idolised Richard, so when the Beatles hit America, Arthur and Johnny had some small amount of context for them. They soon broke up the LAGs and formed another group, the American Four, with two white musicians, bass player John Fleckenstein and drummer Don Costa. Lee had them wear wigs so they seemed like they had longer hair, and started dressing more eccentrically -- he would soon become known for wearing glasses with one blue lens and one red one, and, as he put it "wearing forty pounds of beads, two coats, three shirts, and wearing two pairs of shoes on one foot". As well as the Beatles, the American Four were inspired by the other British Invasion bands -- Arthur was in the audience for the TAMI show, and quite impressed by Mick Jagger -- and also by the Valentinos, Bobby Womack's group. They tried to get signed to SAR Records, the label owned by Sam Cooke for which the Valentinos recorded, but SAR weren't interested, and they ended up recording for Bob Keane's Del-Fi records, where they cut "Luci Baines", a "Twist and Shout" knock-off with lyrics referencing the daughter of new US President Lyndon Johnson: [Excerpt: The American Four, "Luci Baines"] But that didn't take off any more than the earlier records had. Another American Four track, "Stay Away", was recorded but went unreleased until 2006: [Excerpt: Arthur Lee and the American Four, "Stay Away"] Soon the American Four were changing their sound and name again. This time it was because of two bands who were becoming successful on the Sunset Strip. One was the Byrds, who to Lee's mind were making music like the stuff he heard in his head, and the other was their rivals the Rising Sons, the blues band we mentioned earlier with Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder. Lee was very impressed by them as an multiracial band making aggressive, loud, guitar music, though he would always make the point when talking about them that they were a blues band, not a rock band, and *he* had the first multiracial rock band. Whatever they were like live though, in their recordings, produced by the Byrds' first producer Terry Melcher, the Rising Sons often had the same garage band folk-punk sound that Lee and Echols would soon make their own: [Excerpt: The Rising Sons, "Take a Giant Step"] But while the Rising Sons recorded a full album's worth of material, only one single was released before they split up, and so the way was clear for Lee and Echols' band, now renamed once again to The Grass Roots, to become the Byrds' new challengers. Lee later said "I named the group The Grass Roots behind a trip, or an album I heard that Malcolm X did, where he said 'the grass roots of the people are out in the street doing something about their problems instead of sitting around talking about it'". After seeing the Rolling Stones and the Byrds live, Lee wanted to get up front and move like Mick Jagger, and not be hindered by playing a guitar he wasn't especially good at -- both the Stones and the Byrds had two guitarists and a frontman who just sang and played hand percussion, and these were the models that Lee was following for the group. He also thought it would be a good idea commercially to get a good-looking white boy up front. So the group got in another guitarist, a white pretty boy who Lee soon fell out with and gave the nickname "Bummer Bob" because he was unpleasant to be around. Those of you who know exactly why Bobby Beausoleil later became famous will probably agree that this was a more than reasonable nickname to give him (and those of you who don't, I'll be dealing with him when we get to 1969). So when Bryan MacLean introduced himself to Lee and Echols, and they found out that not only was he also a good-looking white guitarist, but he was also friends with the entire circle of hipsters who'd been going to Byrds gigs, people like Vito and Franzoni, and he could get a massive crowd of them to come along to gigs for any band he was in and make them the talk of the Sunset Strip scene, he was soon in the Grass Roots, and Bummer Bob was out. The Grass Roots soon had to change their name again, though. In 1965, Jan and Dean recorded their "Folk and Roll" album, which featured "The Universal Coward"... Which I am not going to excerpt again. I only put that pause in to terrify Tilt, who edits these podcasts, and has very strong opinions about that song. But P. F. Sloan and Steve Barri, the songwriters who also performed as the Fantastic Baggies, had come up with a song for that album called "Where Where You When I Needed You?": [Excerpt: Jan and Dean, "Where Were You When I Needed You?"] Sloan and Barri decided to cut their own version of that song under a fake band name, and then put together a group of other musicians to tour as that band. They just needed a name, and Lou Adler, the head of Dunhill Records, suggested they call themselves The Grass Roots, and so that's what they did: [Excerpt: The Grass Roots, "Where Were You When I Needed You?"] Echols would later claim that this was deliberate malice on Adler's part -- that Adler had come in to a Grass Roots show drunk, and pretended to be interested in signing them to a contract, mostly to show off to a woman he'd brought with him. Echols and MacLean had spoken to him, not known who he was, and he'd felt disrespected, and Echols claims that he suggested the name to get back at them, and also to capitalise on their local success. The new Grass Roots soon started having hits, and so the old band had to find another name, which they got as a joking reference to a day job Lee had had at one point -- he'd apparently worked in a specialist bra shop, Luv Brassieres, which the rest of the band found hilarious. The Grass Roots became Love. While Arthur Lee was the group's lead singer, Bryan MacLean would often sing harmonies, and would get a song or two to sing live himself. And very early in the group's career, when they were playing a club called Bido Lito's, he started making his big lead spot a version of "Hey Joe", which he'd learned from his old friend David Crosby, and which soon became the highlight of the group's set. Their version was sped up, and included the riff which the Searchers had popularised in their cover version of  "Needles and Pins", the song originally recorded by MacLean's old girlfriend Jackie DeShannon: [Excerpt: The Searchers, "Needles and Pins"] That riff is a very simple one to play, and variants of it became very, very, common among the LA bands, most notably on the Byrds' "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better": [Excerpt: The Byrds, "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better"] The riff was so ubiquitous in the LA scene that in the late eighties Frank Zappa would still cite it as one of his main memories of the scene. I'm going to quote from his autobiography, where he's talking about the differences between the LA scene he was part of and the San Francisco scene he had no time for: "The Byrds were the be-all and end-all of Los Angeles rock then. They were 'It' -- and then a group called Love was 'It.' There were a few 'psychedelic' groups that never really got to be 'It,' but they could still find work and get record deals, including the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, Sky Saxon and the Seeds, and the Leaves (noted for their cover version of "Hey, Joe"). When we first went to San Francisco, in the early days of the Family Dog, it seemed that everybody was wearing the same costume, a mixture of Barbary Coast and Old West -- guys with handlebar mustaches, girls in big bustle dresses with feathers in their hair, etc. By contrast, the L.A. costumery was more random and outlandish. Musically, the northern bands had a little more country style. In L.A., it was folk-rock to death. Everything had that" [and here Zappa uses the adjectival form of a four-letter word beginning with 'f' that the main podcast providers don't like you saying on non-adult-rated shows] "D chord down at the bottom of the neck where you wiggle your finger around -- like 'Needles and Pins.'" The reason Zappa describes it that way, and the reason it became so popular, is that if you play that riff in D, the chords are D, Dsus2, and Dsus4 which means you literally only wiggle one finger on your left hand: [demonstrates] And so you get that on just a ton of records from that period, though Love, the Byrds, and the Searchers all actually play the riff on A rather than D: [demonstrates] So that riff became the Big Thing in LA after the Byrds popularised the Searchers sound there, and Love added it to their arrangement of "Hey Joe". In January 1966, the group would record their arrangement of it for their first album, which would come out in March: [Excerpt: Love, "Hey Joe"] But that wouldn't be the first recording of the song, or of Love's arrangement of it – although other than the Byrds' version, it would be the only one to come out of LA with the original Billy Roberts lyrics. Love's performances of the song at Bido Lito's had become the talk of the Sunset Strip scene, and soon every band worth its salt was copying it, and it became one of those songs like "Louie Louie" before it that everyone would play. The first record ever made with the "Hey Joe" melody actually had totally different lyrics. Kim Fowley had the idea of writing a sequel to "Hey Joe", titled "Wanted Dead or Alive", about what happened after Joe shot his woman and went off. He produced the track for The Rogues, a group consisting of Michael Lloyd and Shaun Harris, who later went on to form the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, and Lloyd and Harris were the credited writers: [Excerpt: The Rogues, "Wanted Dead or Alive"] The next version of the song to come out was the first by anyone to be released as "Hey Joe", or at least as "Hey Joe, Where You Gonna Go?", which was how it was titled on its initial release. This was by a band called The Leaves, who were friends of Love, and had picked up on "Hey Joe", and was produced by Nik Venet. It was also the first to have the now-familiar opening line "Hey Joe, where you going with that gun in your hand?": [Excerpt: The Leaves, "Hey Joe Where You Gonna Go?"] Roberts' original lyric, as sung by both Love and the Byrds, had been "where you going with that money in your hand?", and had Joe headed off to *buy* the gun. But as Echols later said “What happened was Bob Lee from The Leaves, who were friends of ours, asked me for the words to 'Hey Joe'. I told him I would have the words the next day. I decided to write totally different lyrics. The words you hear on their record are ones I wrote as a joke. The original words to Hey Joe are ‘Hey Joe, where you going with that money in your hand? Well I'm going downtown to buy me a blue steel .44. When I catch up with that woman, she won't be running round no more.' It never says ‘Hey Joe where you goin' with that gun in your hand.' Those were the words I wrote just because I knew they were going to try and cover the song before we released it. That was kind of a dirty trick that I played on The Leaves, which turned out to be the words that everybody uses.” That first release by the Leaves also contained an extra verse -- a nod to Love's previous name: [Excerpt: The Leaves, "Hey Joe Where You Gonna Go?"] That original recording credited the song as public domain -- apparently Bryan MacLean had refused to tell the Leaves who had written the song, and so they assumed it was traditional. It came out in November 1965, but only as a promo single. Even before the Leaves, though, another band had recorded "Hey Joe", but it didn't get released. The Sons of Adam had started out as a surf group called the Fender IV, who made records like "Malibu Run": [Excerpt: The Fender IV, "Malibu Run"] Kim Fowley had suggested they change their name to the Sons of Adam, and they were another group who were friends with Love -- their drummer, Michael Stuart-Ware, would later go on to join Love, and Arthur Lee wrote the song "Feathered Fish" for them: [Excerpt: Sons of Adam, "Feathered Fish"] But while they were the first to record "Hey Joe", their version has still to this day not been released. Their version was recorded for Decca, with producer Gary Usher, but before it was released, another Decca artist also recorded the song, and the label weren't sure which one to release. And then the label decided to press Usher to record a version with yet another act -- this time with the Surfaris, the surf group who had had a hit with "Wipe Out". Coincidentally, the Surfaris had just changed bass players -- their most recent bass player, Ken Forssi, had quit and joined Love, whose own bass player, John Fleckenstein, had gone off to join the Standells, who would also record a version of “Hey Joe” in 1966. Usher thought that the Sons of Adam were much better musicians than the Surfaris, who he was recording with more or less under protest, but their version, using Love's arrangement and the "gun in your hand" lyrics, became the first version to come out on a major label: [Excerpt: The Surfaris, "Hey Joe"] They believed the song was in the public domain, and so the songwriting credits on the record are split between Gary Usher, a W. Hale who nobody has been able to identify, and Tony Cost, a pseudonym for Nik Venet. Usher said later "I got writer's credit on it because I was told, or I assumed at the time, the song was Public Domain; meaning a non-copyrighted song. It had already been cut two or three times, and on each occasion the writing credit had been different. On a traditional song, whoever arranges it, takes the songwriting credit. I may have changed a few words and arranged and produced it, but I certainly did not co-write it." The public domain credit also appeared on the Leaves' second attempt to cut the song, which was actually given a general release, but flopped. But when the Leaves cut the song for a *third* time, still for the same tiny label, Mira, the track became a hit in May 1966, reaching number thirty-one: [Excerpt: The Leaves, "Hey Joe"] And *that* version had what they thought was the correct songwriting credit, to Dino Valenti. Which came as news to Billy Roberts, who had registered the copyright to the song back in 1962 and had no idea that it had become a staple of LA garage rock until he heard his song in the top forty with someone else's name on the credits. He angrily confronted Third Story Music, who agreed to a compromise -- they would stop giving Valenti songwriting royalties and start giving them to Roberts instead, so long as he didn't sue them and let them keep the publishing rights. Roberts was indignant about this -- he deserved all the money, not just half of it -- but he went along with it to avoid a lawsuit he might not win. So Roberts was now the credited songwriter on the versions coming out of the LA scene. But of course, Dino Valenti had been playing "his" song to other people, too. One of those other people was Vince Martin. Martin had been a member of a folk-pop group called the Tarriers, whose members also included the future film star Alan Arkin, and who had had a hit in the 1950s with "Cindy, Oh Cindy": [Excerpt: The Tarriers, "Cindy, Oh Cindy"] But as we heard in the episode on the Lovin' Spoonful, he had become a Greenwich Village folkie, in a duo with Fred Neil, and recorded an album with him, "Tear Down the Walls": [Excerpt: Fred Neil and Vince Martin, "Morning Dew"] That song we just heard, "Morning Dew", was another question-and-answer folk song. It was written by the Canadian folk-singer Bonnie Dobson, but after Martin and Neil recorded it, it was picked up on by Martin's friend Tim Rose who stuck his own name on the credits as well, without Dobson's permission, for a version which made the song into a rock standard for which he continued to collect royalties: [Excerpt: Tim Rose, "Morning Dew"] This was something that Rose seems to have made a habit of doing, though to be fair to him it went both ways. We heard about him in the Lovin' Spoonful episode too, when he was in a band named the Big Three with Cass Elliot and her coincidentally-named future husband Jim Hendricks, who recorded this song, with Rose putting new music to the lyrics of the old public domain song "Oh! Susanna": [Excerpt: The Big Three, "The Banjo Song"] The band Shocking Blue used that melody for their 1969 number-one hit "Venus", and didn't give Rose any credit: [Excerpt: Shocking Blue, "Venus"] But another song that Rose picked up from Vince Martin was "Hey Joe". Martin had picked the song up from Valenti, but didn't know who had written it, or who was claiming to have written it, and told Rose he thought it might be an old Appalchian murder ballad or something. Rose took the song and claimed writing credit in his own name -- he would always, for the rest of his life, claim it was an old folk tune he'd heard in Florida, and that he'd rewritten it substantially himself, but no evidence of the song has ever shown up from prior to Roberts' copyright registration, and Rose's version is basically identical to Roberts' in melody and lyrics. But Rose takes his version at a much slower pace, and his version would be the model for the most successful versions going forward, though those other versions would use the lyrics Johnny Echols had rewritten, rather than the ones Rose used: [Excerpt: Tim Rose, "Hey Joe"] Rose's version got heard across the Atlantic as well. And in particular it was heard by Chas Chandler, the bass player of the Animals. Some sources seem to suggest that Chandler first heard the song performed by a group called the Creation, but in a biography I've read of that group they clearly state that they didn't start playing the song until 1967. But however he came across it, when Chandler heard Rose's recording, he knew that the song could be a big hit for someone, but he didn't know who. And then he bumped into Linda Keith, Keith Richards' girlfriend,  who took him to see someone whose guitar we've already heard in this episode: [Excerpt: Rosa Lee Brooks, "My Diary"] The Curtis Mayfield impression on guitar there was, at least according to many sources the first recording session ever played on by a guitarist then calling himself Maurice (or possibly Mo-rees) James. We'll see later in the story that it possibly wasn't his first -- there are conflicting accounts, as there are about a lot of things, and it was recorded either in very early 1964, in which case it was his first, or (as seems more likely, and as I tell the story later) a year later, in which case he'd played on maybe half a dozen tracks in the studio by that point. But it was still a very early one. And by late 1966 that guitarist had reverted to the name by which he was brought up, and was calling himself Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix and Arthur Lee had become close, and Lee would later claim that Hendrix had copied much of Lee's dress style and attitude -- though many of Hendrix's other colleagues and employers, including Little Richard, would make similar claims -- and most of them had an element of truth, as Lee's did. Hendrix was a sponge. But Lee did influence him. Indeed, one of Hendrix's *last* sessions, in March 1970, was guesting on an album by Love: [Excerpt: Love with Jimi Hendrix, "Everlasting First"] Hendrix's name at birth was Johnny Allen Hendrix, which made his father, James Allen Hendrix, known as Al, who was away at war when his son was born, worry that he'd been named after another man who might possibly be the real father, so the family just referred to the child as "Buster" to avoid the issue. When Al Hendrix came back from the war the child was renamed James Marshall Hendrix -- James after Al's first name, Marshall after Al's dead brother -- though the family continued calling him "Buster". Little James Hendrix Junior didn't have anything like a stable home life. Both his parents were alcoholics, and Al Hendrix was frequently convinced that Jimi's mother Lucille was having affairs and became abusive about it. They had six children, four of whom were born disabled, and Jimi was the only one to remain with his parents -- the rest were either fostered or adopted at birth, fostered later on because the parents weren't providing a decent home life, or in one case made a ward of state because the Hendrixes couldn't afford to pay for a life-saving operation for him. The only one that Jimi had any kind of regular contact with was the second brother, Leon, his parents' favourite, who stayed with them for several years before being fostered by a family only a few blocks away. Al and Lucille Hendrix frequently split and reconciled, and while they were ostensibly raising Jimi (and for a  few years Leon), he was shuttled between them and various family members and friends, living sometimes in Seattle where his parents lived and sometimes in Vancouver with his paternal grandmother. He was frequently malnourished, and often survived because friends' families fed him. Al Hendrix was also often physically and emotionally abusive of the son he wasn't sure was his. Jimi grew up introverted, and stuttering, and only a couple of things seemed to bring him out of his shell. One was science fiction -- he always thought that his nickname, Buster, came from Buster Crabbe, the star of the Flash Gordon serials he loved to watch, though in fact he got the nickname even before that interest developed, and he was fascinated with ideas about aliens and UFOs -- and the other was music. Growing up in Seattle in the forties and fifties, most of the music he was exposed to as a child and in his early teens was music made by and for white people -- there wasn't a very large Black community in the area at the time compared to most major American cities, and so there were no prominent R&B stations. As a kid he loved the music of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, and when he was thirteen Jimi's favourite record was Dean Martin's "Memories are Made of This": [Excerpt: Dean Martin, "Memories are Made of This"] He also, like every teenager, became a fan of rock and roll music. When Elvis played at a local stadium when Jimi was fifteen, he couldn't afford a ticket, but he went and sat on top of a nearby hill and watched the show from the distance. Jimi's first exposure to the blues also came around this time, when his father briefly took in lodgers, Cornell and Ernestine Benson, and Ernestine had a record collection that included records by Lightnin' Hopkins, Howlin' Wolf, and Muddy Waters, all of whom Jimi became a big fan of, especially Muddy Waters. The Bensons' most vivid memory of Jimi in later years was him picking up a broom and pretending to play guitar along with these records: [Excerpt: Muddy Waters, "Baby Please Don't Go"] Shortly after this, it would be Ernestine Benson who would get Jimi his very first guitar. By this time Jimi and Al had lost their home and moved into a boarding house, and the owner's son had an acoustic guitar with only one string that he was planning to throw out. When Jimi asked if he could have it instead of it being thrown out, the owner told him he could have it for five dollars. Al Hendrix refused to pay that much for it, but Ernestine Benson bought Jimi the guitar. She said later “He only had one string, but he could really make that string talk.” He started carrying the guitar on his back everywhere he went, in imitation of Sterling Hayden in the western Johnny Guitar, and eventually got some more strings for it and learned to play. He would play it left-handed -- until his father came in. His father had forced him to write with his right hand, and was convinced that left-handedness was the work of the devil, so Jimi would play left-handed while his father was somewhere else, but as soon as Al came in he would flip the guitar the other way up and continue playing the song he had been playing, now right-handed. Jimi's mother died when he was fifteen, after having been ill for a long time with drink-related problems, and Jimi and his brother didn't get to go to the funeral -- depending on who you believe, either Al gave Jimi the bus fare and told him to go by himself and Jimi was too embarrassed to go to the funeral alone on the bus, or Al actually forbade Jimi and Leon from going.  After this, he became even more introverted than he was before, and he also developed a fascination with the idea of angels, convinced his mother now was one. Jimi started to hang around with a friend called Pernell Alexander, who also had a guitar, and they would play along together with Elmore James records. The two also went to see Little Richard and Bill Doggett perform live, and while Jimi was hugely introverted, he did start to build more friendships in the small Seattle music scene, including with Ron Holden, the man we talked about in the episode on "Louie Louie" who introduced that song to Seattle, and who would go on to record with Bruce Johnston for Bob Keane: [Excerpt: Ron Holden, "Gee But I'm Lonesome"] Eventually Ernestine Benson persuaded Al Hendrix to buy Jimi a decent electric guitar on credit -- Al also bought himself a saxophone at the same time, thinking he might play music with his son, but sent it back once the next payment became due. As well as blues and R&B, Jimi was soaking up the guitar instrumentals and garage rock that would soon turn into surf music. The first song he learned to play was "Tall Cool One" by the Fabulous Wailers, the local group who popularised a version of "Louie Louie" based on Holden's one: [Excerpt: The Fabulous Wailers, "Tall Cool One"] As we talked about in the "Louie Louie" episode, the Fabulous Wailers used to play at a venue called the Spanish Castle, and Jimi was a regular in the audience, later writing his song "Spanish Castle Magic" about those shows: [Excerpt: The Jimi Hendrix Experience, "Spanish Castle Magic"] He was also a big fan of Duane Eddy, and soon learned Eddy's big hits "Forty Miles of Bad Road", "Because They're Young", and "Peter Gunn" -- a song he would return to much later in his life: [Excerpt: Jimi Hendrix, "Peter Gunn/Catastrophe"] His career as a guitarist didn't get off to a great start -- the first night he played with his first band, he was meant to play two sets, but he was fired after the first set, because he was playing in too flashy a manner and showing off too much on stage. His girlfriend suggested that he might want to tone it down a little, but he said "That's not my style".  This would be a common story for the next several years. After that false start, the first real band he was in was the Velvetones, with his friend Pernell Alexander. There were four guitarists, two piano players, horns and drums, and they dressed up with glitter stuck to their pants. They played Duane Eddy songs, old jazz numbers, and "Honky Tonk" by Bill Doggett, which became Hendrix's signature song with the band. [Excerpt: Bill Doggett, "Honky Tonk"] His father was unsupportive of his music career, and he left his guitar at Alexander's house because he was scared that his dad would smash it if he took it home. At the same time he was with the Velvetones, he was also playing with another band called the Rocking Kings, who got gigs around the Seattle area, including at the Spanish Castle. But as they left school, most of Hendrix's friends were joining the Army, in order to make a steady living, and so did he -- although not entirely by choice. He was arrested, twice, for riding in stolen cars, and he was given a choice -- either go to prison, or sign up for the Army for three years. He chose the latter. At first, the Army seemed to suit him. He was accepted into the 101st Airborne Division, the famous "Screaming Eagles", whose actions at D-Day made them legendary in the US, and he was proud to be a member of the Division. They were based out of Fort Campbell, the base near Clarksville we talked about a couple of episodes ago, and while he was there he met a bass player, Billy Cox, who he started playing with. As Cox and Hendrix were Black, and as Fort Campbell straddled the border between Kentucky and Tennessee, they had to deal with segregation and play to only Black audiences. And Hendrix quickly discovered that Black audiences in the Southern states weren't interested in "Louie Louie", Duane Eddy, and surf music, the stuff he'd been playing in Seattle. He had to instead switch to playing Albert King and Slim Harpo songs, but luckily he loved that music too. He also started singing at this point -- when Hendrix and Cox started playing together, in a trio called the Kasuals, they had no singer, and while Hendrix never liked his own voice, Cox was worse, and so Hendrix was stuck as the singer. The Kasuals started gigging around Clarksville, and occasionally further afield, places like Nashville, where Arthur Alexander would occasionally sit in with them. But Cox was about to leave the Army, and Hendrix had another two and a bit years to go, having enlisted for three years. They couldn't play any further away unless Hendrix got out of the Army, which he was increasingly unhappy in anyway, and so he did the only thing he could -- he pretended to be gay, and got discharged on medical grounds for homosexuality. In later years he would always pretend he'd broken his ankle parachuting from a plane. For the next few years, he would be a full-time guitarist, and spend the periods when he wasn't earning enough money from that leeching off women he lived with, moving from one to another as they got sick of him or ran out of money. The Kasuals expanded their lineup, adding a second guitarist, Alphonso Young, who would show off on stage by playing guitar with his teeth. Hendrix didn't like being upstaged by another guitarist, and quickly learned to do the same. One biography I've used as a source for this says that at this point, Billy Cox played on a session for King Records, for Frank Howard and the Commanders, and brought Hendrix along, but the producer thought that Hendrix's guitar was too frantic and turned his mic off. But other sources say the session Hendrix and Cox played on for the Commanders wasn't until three years later, and the record *sounds* like a 1965 record, not a 1962 one, and his guitar is very audible – and the record isn't on King. But we've not had any music to break up the narration for a little while, and it's a good track (which later became a Northern Soul favourite) so I'll play a section here, as either way it was certainly an early Hendrix session: [Excerpt: Frank Howard and the Commanders, "I'm So Glad"] This illustrates a general problem with Hendrix's life at this point -- he would flit between bands, playing with the same people at multiple points, nobody was taking detailed notes, and later, once he became famous, everyone wanted to exaggerate their own importance in his life, meaning that while the broad outlines of his life are fairly clear, any detail before late 1966 might be hopelessly wrong. But all the time, Hendrix was learning his craft. One story from around this time  sums up both Hendrix's attitude to his playing -- he saw himself almost as much as a scientist as a musician -- and his slightly formal manner of speech.  He challenged the best blues guitarist in Nashville to a guitar duel, and the audience actually laughed at Hendrix's playing, as he was totally outclassed. When asked what he was doing, he replied “I was simply trying to get that B.B. King tone down and my experiment failed.” Bookings for the King Kasuals dried up, and he went to Vancouver, where he spent a couple of months playing in a covers band, Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers, whose lead guitarist was Tommy Chong, later to find fame as one half of Cheech and Chong. But he got depressed at how white Vancouver was, and travelled back down south to join a reconfigured King Kasuals, who now had a horn section. The new lineup of King Kasuals were playing the chitlin circuit and had to put on a proper show, and so Hendrix started using all the techniques he'd seen other guitarists on the circuit use -- playing with his teeth like Alphonso Young, the other guitarist in the band, playing with his guitar behind his back like T-Bone Walker, and playing with a fifty-foot cord that allowed him to walk into the crowd and out of the venue, still playing, like Guitar Slim used to. As well as playing with the King Kasuals, he started playing the circuit as a sideman. He got short stints with many of the second-tier acts on the circuit -- people who had had one or two hits, or were crowd-pleasers, but weren't massive stars, like Carla Thomas or Jerry Butler or Slim Harpo. The first really big name he played with was Solomon Burke, who when Hendrix joined his band had just released "Just Out of Reach (Of My Two Empty Arms)": [Excerpt: Solomon Burke, "Just Out of Reach (Of My Two Empty Arms)"] But he lacked discipline. “Five dates would go beautifully,” Burke later said, “and then at the next show, he'd go into this wild stuff that wasn't part of the song. I just couldn't handle it anymore.” Burke traded him to Otis Redding, who was on the same tour, for two horn players, but then Redding fired him a week later and they left him on the side of the road. He played in the backing band for the Marvelettes, on a tour with Curtis Mayfield, who would be another of Hendrix's biggest influences, but he accidentally blew up Mayfield's amp and got sacked. On another tour, Cecil Womack threw Hendrix's guitar off the bus while he slept. In February 1964 he joined the band of the Isley Brothers, and he would watch the Beatles on Ed Sullivan with them during his first days with the group. Assuming he hadn't already played the Rosa Lee Brooks session (and I think there's good reason to believe he hadn't), then the first record Hendrix played on was their single "Testify": [Excerpt: The Isley Brothers, "Testify"] While he was with them, he also moonlighted on Don Covay's big hit "Mercy, Mercy": [Excerpt: Don Covay and the Goodtimers, "Mercy Mercy"] After leaving the Isleys, Hendrix joined the minor soul singer Gorgeous George, and on a break from Gorgeous George's tour, in Memphis, he went to Stax studios in the hope of meeting Steve Cropper, one of his idols. When he was told that Cropper was busy in the studio, he waited around all day until Cropper finished, and introduced himself. Hendrix was amazed to discover that Cropper was white -- he'd assumed that he must be Black -- and Cropper was delighted to meet the guitarist who had played on "Mercy Mercy", one of his favourite records. The two spent hours showing each other guitar licks -- Hendrix playing Cropper's right-handed guitar, as he hadn't brought along his own. Shortly after this, he joined Little Richard's band, and once again came into conflict with the star of the show by trying to upstage him. For one show he wore a satin shirt, and after the show Richard screamed at him “I am the only Little Richard! I am the King of Rock and Roll, and I am the only one allowed to be pretty. Take that shirt off!” While he was with Richard, Hendrix played on his "I Don't Know What You've Got, But It's Got Me", which like "Mercy Mercy" was written by Don Covay, who had started out as Richard's chauffeur: [Excerpt: Little Richard, "I Don't Know What You've Got, But It's Got Me"] According to the most likely version of events I've read, it was while he was working for Richard that Hendrix met Rosa Lee Brooks, on New Year's Eve 1964. At this point he was using the name Maurice James, apparently in tribute to the blues guitarist Elmore James, and he used various names, including Jimmy James, for most of his pre-fame performances. Rosa Lee Brooks was an R&B singer who had been mentored by Johnny "Guitar" Watson, and when she met Hendrix she was singing in a girl group who were one of the support acts for Ike & Tina Turner, who Hendrix went to see on his night off. Hendrix met Brooks afterwards, and told her she looked like his mother -- a line he used on a lot of women, but which was true in her case if photos are anything to go by. The two got into a relationship, and were soon talking about becoming a duo like Ike and Tina or Mickey and Sylvia -- "Love is Strange" was one of Hendrix's favourite records. But the only recording they made together was the "My Diary" single. Brooks always claimed that she actually wrote that song, but the label credit is for Arthur Lee, and it sounds like his work to me, albeit him trying hard to write like Curtis Mayfield, just as Hendrix is trying to play like him: [Excerpt: Rosa Lee Brooks, "My Diary"] Brooks and Hendrix had a very intense relationship for a short period. Brooks would later recall Little

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