Your Sister’s (Record) Rack: Tim Buckley

I always wondered how some of rock’s greatest artists would have fared, had they tried to reach fame via “American Idol.”  What do you think Randy would say about Bob Dylan’s singing voice?  Do you think Paula or Kara would like Mick Jagger?  And how hysterical would it be to see Simon’s face during a Joe Cocker performance?  Well – thank god there was no “American Idol” back in the day.

One guy who would have done really well on a superficial talent show like “Idol” was Tim Buckley.  He was a singer who pretty much had it all – good looks, an original writing style and a truly astounding voice.  Today we’re going to spin Goodbye and Hello from 1967, an album that most would consider Buckley’s masterpiece.  Even during that explosive era Buckley’s ambitious songwriting stood out from the rest of the pack, and Goodbye and Hello is a singular, personal statement akin to Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde or Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks.  This was only his second album (Buckley’s self-titled debut also appeared in 1967) and Buckley was only 20 years old, but by this point he was an artist who seemed to know where he was heading – a lot like Bruce Springsteen in 1975.

Buckley kicks off the album with the antiwar “No Man Can Find the War,” and with lyrics like “Is the war inside your mind?” Buckley and his co-writer Larry Beckett suggest that the greater battles – and victories – may be personal.  “Pleasant Street” (written by Buckley alone) is probably the most mainstream song on this album, and it is the best tune here.  “Street” also has an amazing vocal from Buckley that shows his range, and its straightforward instrumentation makes it feel like a lost Sixties classic.

30 Days Out Exclusive Interview: Juliana Hatfield

If you have read this blog for any amount of time, you know I have not hidden my affection for talented singer, songwriter and guitarist, Juliana Hatfield. Her album, Become What You Are, remains one of my favorites and, in my opinion, was one of the best albums of the 90s. She recently took part in the Bruce Springsteen’s “Hangin’ Out On E Street” project with an excellent cover of “Cover Me” and she also just put out a new CD, How To Walk Away. Juliana was kind enough to take time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions for us about the past, the present and the state of the music industry.

30DAYSOUT: Tell me about how you first got interested in music and who were some of your earliest musical influences..

JH: I took piano lessons from my Mom, in our house, when I was a child. Both of my parents played piano and that was the first music I heard. Live piano music was always in the air. Later I was heavily influenced by 1970’s AM top 40 American radio: the Eagles, ELO, Steely Dan, the Carpenters, Olivia Newton-John, America, Bread, etc.