Pat Thomas « East Portland Blog

Pat Thomas, Ron Johnson and Gary Perry to Discuss Legacy of the 1965 Watts Riots, the LA Rebellion and Social Justice, Reviving a Cultural, Social, Artistic and Political Framework on March 23 at 6PM, New Time

By admin, on March 7th, 2013%

The lecture in which Pat Thomas will participate, sponsored by the Northwest Film Forum on 1960s/1970′s underground African American films on Saturday March 23rd in Seattle has been changed from 8 pm to 6 pm – the NEW time for this free event is 6 pm !

After two trips to London (May and . . . → Read More: Pat Thomas, Ron Johnson and Gary Perry to Discuss Legacy of the 1965 Watts Riots, the LA Rebellion and Social Justice, Reviving a Cultural, Social, Artistic and Political Framework on March 23 at 6PM, New Time

Pat Thomas, Ron Johnson and Gary Perry to Discuss Legacy of the 1965 Watts Riots, the LA Rebellion and Social Justice, Reviving a Cultural, Social, Artistic and Political Framework on March 23 at 6PM, New Time

By admin, on February 28th, 2013%

Led Zeppelin – White Summer, By Pat Thomas

By admin, on January 10th, 2013%

This solo/instrumental song, “White Summer,” from 1970, was never on any of their original LPs – but captures perfectly Page’s ability to borrow and steal and make it his own. Yes, I know he got some riffs from Bert Jansch, which Jansch got from Anne Briggs, and let’s not forgot Davy Graham and several . . . → Read More: Led Zeppelin – White Summer, By Pat Thomas

The Who’s Next Monolith, By Pat Thomas

By admin, on December 30th, 2012%

This is the kind of movie that I can get behind, one that documents the Who’s Next Monolith. According to photographer Ethan Russell, most of the members were unable to urinate, so rainwater was tipped from an empty film canister to achieve the desired effect. The striking, partially cloudy sky seen above the site . . . → Read More: The Who’s Next Monolith, By Pat Thomas

On the Road – Nick Drake – Led Zeppelin – Review Thoughts By Pat Thomas

By admin, on December 30th, 2012%

I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by Facebook…

Years ago I argued with a friend over the Nick Drake “Pink Moon” VW commercial. While I don’t like hearing my favorite artists used like that, I did feel that Drake had such a small following before the commercial that anything to bring . . . → Read More: On the Road – Nick Drake – Led Zeppelin – Review Thoughts By Pat Thomas

Christine McVie – I’d Rather Go Blind, By Pat Thomas

By admin, on December 27th, 2012%

Yes, this song BELONGS to Etta James (her version is the ONLY version), but my favorite cover of it, is this one by Christine McVie circa 1970 (last night, some woman who I didn’t catch the name of, absolutely butchered it “in tribute” to Buddy Guy. She over-sang it, the key is to ‘under-sing’ . . . → Read More: Christine McVie – I’d Rather Go Blind, By Pat Thomas

Little Walter – Key To The Highway, By Pat Thomas

By admin, on December 18th, 2012%

August 1958, Chess Records, Little Walter’s version of the Big Bill Broonzy classic – Paul Butterfield said that when he heard this, it forever changed his perception of the relationship between the harmonica to the human voice.

- Pat Thomas is the author of the recently released work, Listen, Whitey! The Sights and . . . → Read More: Little Walter – Key To The Highway, By Pat Thomas

Kerouac’s On the Road to Hit the Big Screen, By Pat Thomas

By admin, on December 13th, 2012%

It’s taken several decades, but maybe, someone has finally made Jack Kerouac‘s 1957 novel On The Road into a credible Hollywood film. This LA Times article tells the story of all the ups and downs along the way….

– Pat Thomas is the author of the recently released work, Listen, Whitey! The Sights . . . → Read More: Kerouac’s On the Road to Hit the Big Screen, By Pat Thomas

Rod Stewart – Gasoline Alley, By Pat Thomas

By admin, on December 13th, 2012%

You’ve heard Rod Stewart sing “Gasoline Alley” many times, but check out this 1970 German TV performance in which he sings a sublime, unaccompanied, a cappella version.

- Pat Thomas is the author of the recently released work, Listen, Whitey! The Sights and Sounds of Black Power 1965-1975. The companion disc for the book . . . → Read More: Rod Stewart – Gasoline Alley, By Pat Thomas

The Muddy Waters Woodstock Album, By John Siscoe and Pat Thomas

By admin, on December 13th, 2012%

When stars start to dim, producers tend to flail about, and strange music can result. By 1975, as Muddy’s sales figures were in decline, he became the first customer for Levon Helms’ Woodstock studio. Backed up by members of his own band, together with Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Paul Butterfield, and some accomplished . . . → Read More: The Muddy Waters Woodstock Album, By John Siscoe and Pat Thomas

Records Collecting Dust, By Pat Thomas

By admin, on December 13th, 2012%

If somebody had told me that someday I’d appear in the same documentary movie as Chuck Dukowski of Black Flag and Keith Morris of the Circle Jerks talking about obsessive record collecting, I would have said “you’re high, you’ve very very high.” Yet today I was filmed talking about Black Power, they’re talking about . . . → Read More: Records Collecting Dust, By Pat Thomas

Allen Ginsberg Sings William Blake’s “The Nurse’s Song,” By Pat Thomas

By admin, on December 10th, 2012%

Poet and mystic William Blake was considered a madman by his contemporaries. His work received little attention while he was alive. I didn’t became aware of Blake until I plugged into Allen Ginsberg’s versions of Blake via Ginsberg’s song/poems – and via Van Morrison’s Sense of Wonder and Veedon Fleece albums where Van quotes . . . → Read More: Allen Ginsberg Sings William Blake’s “The Nurse’s Song,” By Pat Thomas

Jerry Rubin – Entrepreneur, Yes, Republican, No, By Pat Thomas

By admin, on December 10th, 2012%

Jerry Rubin died 18 years ago in a Los Angeles hospital. An anti-Vietnam War demonstrator during the 1960’s, he and Abbie Hoffman (and many others) marched on and surrounded the Pentagon in ’67, led the riots at the Chicago ’68 Democratic Convention, and inspired John & Yoko to campaign against Nixon in ’72. By . . . → Read More: Jerry Rubin – Entrepreneur, Yes, Republican, No, By Pat Thomas

Beware of Mr. Baker – A Ginger Baker Documentary, By Pat Thomas

By admin, on December 8th, 2012%

Right at the beginning of Beware of Mr. Baker, the film’s director, Jay Bulger, is attacked by drummer Ginger Baker, physically, with a metal cane that draws blood when applied to the bridge of the filmmaker’s nose. Mr. Baker, whom we will subsequently encounter in less agitated moods, is upset about the direction of . . . → Read More: Beware of Mr. Baker – A Ginger Baker Documentary, By Pat Thomas

Fred Hampton – Iam a Revolutionary, By Pat Thomas

By admin, on December 8th, 2012%

Before his appalling murder on December 4th, 1969, Fred Hampton, head of the Chicago Panthers, formed an alliance with the Puerto Rican Young Lords and the Patriot Party (consisting of impoverished Chicago whites). Hampton announced this multiracial banding as “a Rainbow Coalition,” years before Jesse Jackson co-opted the term for his own political . . . → Read More: Fred Hampton – Iam a Revolutionary, By Pat Thomas

Graham Parker and the Rumour – I Want You Back, By Pat Thomas

By admin, on December 4th, 2012%

Decades ago, I was wondering around the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and stumbled upon Graham Parker playing at Barton Hall, and it was great- reminded me of the missing link between Elvis Costello and Van Morrison. The Rumour to me, were the post-punk answer to “The Band” – they’ve finally reunited . . . → Read More: Graham Parker and the Rumour – I Want You Back, By Pat Thomas

Sandy Denny – Late November, By Pat Thomas

By admin, on November 29th, 2012%

There’s so few clips of Sandy Denny performing live and even fewer still that are of high ‘visual’ quality, but this solo piano performance from the BBC seems apt for today, which is, of course, “Late November.”

– Pat Thomas is the author of the recently released work, Listen, Whitey! The Sights and . . . → Read More: Sandy Denny – Late November, By Pat Thomas

The Incredible String Band Debut, By Pat Thomas

By admin, on November 20th, 2012%

The ISB was really at their best without Rose and Licorice, with their best LP probably being The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion – but I personally love their debut, when they were a power trio with Mike, Robin and their founding father, Clive Palmer. I spent a week at Palmer’s . . . → Read More: The Incredible String Band Debut, By Pat Thomas

Dan Stuart – The Deliverance of Marlowe Billings, By Pat Thomas

By admin, on November 15th, 2012%

Long time friends/fans of Dan Stuart should get the reference to Marlowe Billings in his new album title. In the mid 80′s, I saw Dan as the great American novelist of our generation via his songs on Gravity Talks and Gas Food Lodging – I met him briefly ’85 in New York and he . . . → Read More: Dan Stuart – The Deliverance of Marlowe Billings, By Pat Thomas

Bert Jansch – Heartbreak Reissue, By Pat Thomas

By admin, on November 13th, 2012%

Most of the Bert Jansch catalog has been reissued ad nauseum, so I was excited by Cheryl Pawelski‘s bright idea to do an expanded version of Heartbreak – one of the forgotten gems. The album includes fresh takes on “Blackwater Side”, Tim Hardin‘s “If I were a Carpenter” and a version “Wild Mountain Thyme” . . . → Read More: Bert Jansch – Heartbreak Reissue, By Pat Thomas

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