David Baldacci's latest fun ride!

Click on the orange link below to read a review of the latest bestselling novel from David Baldacci, True Blue.

http://josephsreviews.wordpress.com/2009/12/29/have-ducati-will-battle/

A Review of the New Pop-Culture Book, The Big Rewind...

Click on the orange link below to read this review from USA Today of the new book The Big Rewind: A Memory Brought to You by Pop Culture by Nathan Rabin.

http://tinyurl.com/lqn5f7

Lessons for bloggers from a book about search engine marketing...

The Findability Forumula: The Easy, Non-Technical Approach to Search Engine Marketing by Heather Lutze is a book that tells business owners how to set up a successful marketing campaign. And a successful campaign, these days, means having a website that can be found by Google and the other major search engines.

This would not seem, at first, to have much to do with blogging. However, one important lesson pointed out by Lutze is that businesses often make the mistake of focusing on the macro rather than the micro. A seller of TV sets may think it is better to use internet ads with broad keywords (words that will be found by search engines) such as "TV seller" instead of "large screen plasma TVs." But the broader terms often get lost in the back pages of search engine results; and 87% of those using search engines never look past page 3 or 4 of the results!

If I'm looking to buy a large screen plasma TV today, I'm more interested in the second set of keywords and I'd be even more interested in a business with an internet ad using these keywords: "large screen plasma TVs Sacramento Elk Grove." The local Sacramento-Elk Grove business might get less "hits" than a national electronics chain, but it is also going to be found by a local client base. These satisfied clients may well become repeat customers.

Those of us relatively new to blogging often make a similar mistake. Let's see - we think - if I write about music, I'll write about The Beatles because so many people are interested in this topic. Wrong - if I do my blog post on Those Guys may not be found by anyone for 6 or 7 months. It will not only quickly get lost with all the other Fab Four posts, it is likely to show up on no better than page 64 of the Google Blog search results.

So instead of thinking large/macro, let's think smaller and targeted/micro. If I write about Paul McCartney and Badfinger, or George Harrison and Badfinger, I'll have a lot to unique things to say about the relationship between two specific bands (even though one was not nearly as commercially successful). I can write about how Paul wrote their first major hit, about how George produced them and played lead guitar on one of their biggest singles, about how Paul look-alike Joey Molland of Badfinger wrote the "more McCartney than McCartney" screamer Rock of All Ages.

Bang! A lot of very loyal and longtime Badfinger fans are going to find my hypothetical post on their favorite search engine. Each one may tell another fan to go and read my post, and they may often return to my blog site in the future. They might even post a link on their Badfinger fan blogs to my blog.

Best of all, the more they read my posts on their favorite, if smaller-time, band, the more my blog pieces move up in the search results... making them easier to find for future readers.

Again, micro rather than macro, small rather than big. Small Faces rather than Rod Stewart. Badfinger rather than the Beatles. Dave Mason rather than Traffic or Steve Winwood.

One last point, if you write about a BIG subject, what is it that you're going to say that's new that has never been said (or written) before? The answer is probably nothing. But become an expert on a small subject and more than a bit of what you write will seem new and interesting to a lot of curious readers.

Think about this, because I am certainly going to. I, myself - for example - need to get over posting about the mega-band Green Day 'cause everyone else already is doing so. An exaggeration, perhaps, but a needed one!

The Small Faces are Forever Young...

In my two-part review of The First Step album by The Small Faces that began on March 27th, I mentioned that I have an import copy from Japan. Here's what it looks like, and I find it interesting that this "oldie but goodie" album is from a Japan Warner Brothers collection called Forever Young. I guess that's a positive way of looking at it.

"With Ian McLagen ripping it up on keys behind Rod Stewart and Ron Wood, the Faces defined early Seventies boozy rock & roll." Rolling Stone

Every Picture Tells A Story...

Here are the young Small Faces, circa 1970. From left to right, Ian McLagan, Kenny Jones, Rod Stewart, Ronnie Lane and Ron Wood.

Note: Organist Ian McLagen and The Bump Band will perform live at Anthology in the Gaslight District of San Diego (1337 India Street) on Wednesday, April 29, 2009. McLagen has just released a new album - favorably reviewed by Rolling Stone - entitled Never Say Never. For information, call (619) 595-0300.

"Direct from Austin..."

Photo by Martin Cook.

Who were the Small Faces?

The original Small Faces was a British band, popular in the 1960's, founded by lead singer and guitarist Steve Marriott. Marriott added Ronnie Lane on bass and backing vocals; Ian McLagan on organ, guitar and vocals; and Kenny Jones on drums. He admitted to being influenced by the guitar work of Pink Floyd, and he was a vocalist with a strong voice that appeared to be built for hard rock.

During the Summer of Love (1967), the band had its first hit record with Itchycoo Park ("It's all too beautiful..."). This was followed the next year by the hard charging single, Tin Soldier ("I am a little tin soldier who wants to jump into your fire..."). The Small Faces were unique in including multiple instrumentals on their albums.

Marriott left the group in 1969, and he was replaced by the former lead singer of the Jeff Beck Group, Rod Stewart. Stewart also brought with him Ron Wood, a fine lead and rhythm guitarist. It was this band that recorded The First Step. They subsequently changed the band's name to, first, The Faces and later simply Faces. Faces recorded several albums, including Long Player, before Stewart departed for his highly successful - if not always critically acclaimed - solo career.

Ron Wood went on to join a popular band known as the Rolling Stones. Ronnie Lane joined Peter Townshend of the Who in recording Rough Mix, a quasi-solo album of very interesting songs. Lane also recorded several solo albums on his own before his musical career was slowed by multiple sclerosis. The highly talented drummer Kenny Jones went on, appropriately, to play with The Who following the death of Keith Moon.

Ian McLagen now lives in Austin, Texas where he is an active and respected member of the local musical community. Sadly, his wife Kim died in an auto accident in 2006.

In 1969, Steve Marriott joined with a then young singer-songwriter-guitarist named Peter Frampton to form the band Humble Pie. Greg Ridley played bass, and Jerry Shirley fumbled along on drums. Ridley came from the band Spooky Tooth, and Shirley from The Apostolic Intervention.

Humble Pie is best known for its live version of I Don't Need No Doctor and the single 30 Days in the Hole. The band broke-up, for all practical purposes, in 1975.

Peter Frampton, like Rod Stewart, went on to great success as a solo artist, recording the excellent Frampton album and the chart busting Frampton Comes Alive! Frampton basically became the second coming of Dave Mason on the wah-wah guitar.

Marriott, who appeared to be winning a lifelong battle to overcome his addictions, died quite tragically in a house fire in 1991. Greg Ridley died on November 19, 2003 in Alicante, Spain of complications from pneumonia and resulting complications. He was 56 years old.

Later this year, for the 13th year in a row, a Small Faces Convention will be held in London to pay tribute to the band's music. In 2008, Steve Marriott (namesake and nephew of the band's founder) appeared on stage to help perform his uncle's music. This year, The Small Fakers and the Darron Connett band - among others - are scheduled to perform.

Long live the spirit of the Faces Small!

Flying - The (Small) Faces

This was the sleeve cover for the Flying/Three Button Hand Me Down single from the Small Faces (1970).

Photo: flickr (Affendaddy)

Next: Who were the Small Faces?

Finishing The First Step by The (Small) Faces

Flying - On vinyl, this was the track that started Side B. I would have selected it to be the opening track on the album because of its dramatic nature... After about 20 seconds, it dawns on you that this is basically Traffic's Dear Mr. Fantasy with new lyrics. When the chorus comes in, it becomes the second song on Step that sounds like Handbags and Gladrags. Kenny keeps it interesting - in a Jim Capaldi-like way - and the ending actually sounds like a plane flying over the ocean; flying you home.

Pineapple and the Monkey - A fun instrumental track that used to serve as the opening for "Rock Album Review" on KUOP-FM in Stockton, California.

When, exactly, did bands stop recording instrumentals? (The Beatles recorded a couple that were never released.)

Nobody Knows - Clever lyrics: "I'm waiting here in Patience/ And I'm waiting all in vain/ Will I see you? Will I touch you? Will I hear you call my name?" A nice double-tracked vocal ballad from Rod and Ronnie Lane that actually worked. This served as a reminder of the fact that on occasion the Faces Small sounded like no one else.

Kenny added the "falling down the stairs" drumming.

Looking Out the Window - The second fun instrumental, with heavy bass and Winwood-like organ. Like an out-take from The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, although we doubt that Steve Winwood would ever loosen up this much. The lead guitar work from Ron Wood shows that he - like Steve Marriott - listened to more than a few Pink Floyd albums.

The many changes in tempo before the end arrives at 5:02 illustrates what a tight band the Faces were once upon a time.

Three Button Hand Me Down - This was one of their best songs performed live, both because of Ronnie Lane's Jack Bruce/Cream-like bass line and because Rod still sounded like he was genuinely enjoying himself.

Ian McLagan on organ, please.

"Others may come and others may go/ But that suit will be around wherever you go/ Three button hand me down..."

Summary: Although we liked the later-released Long Player, this first effort captured the Faces at their professional best. Similarly, to experience the best of Rod Stewart you need to hear the Truth - Beck-Ola - The Rod Stewart Album - Gasoline Alley four-pack.

I saw the Faces live four times and, sad to say, they got sloppier with each performance. They eventually became the Rolling Stones on an off night.

Note: If you find this CD today, you'll see a cover that reads "faces." But the original cover read "small faces." Revisionist history on the part of Warner Brothers.

Next: See the rare sleeve cover for the Flying/Three Button Hand Me Down 45 RPM single.

The First Step by The (Small) Faces - A Retro Record Review...

The drums! This album is all about the drums. Kenny Jones was let loose on this 10 song, 48-minute, collection in a way that he never would be again. If you only heard the drum work, you might think you were listening to The Who, Cream, the Jimi Hendrix Experience or Bob Henrit of Argent - who played the part of Keith Moon on the (Roger) Daltrey solo album.

Note: I won't be quoting many lyrics here as my review copy CD is a Japanese import with lyrics printed in Japanese characters.

OK, so let's review the ten tracks...

Wicked Messenger - A Bob Dylan-penned fable with heavy organ (think Emerson, Lake and Palmer) starts the album off with a literal bang. Quite fine and quite audible bass work from Ronnie Lane, Ron Wood on the lead guitar, and Kenny pounds the drums until the very last of the 4:08. Good to the last beat!

Rod the Mod does such a great job as "the voice" that he could have made a career out of covering BD songs. Oh, and, yes, the arrangement does sound like Hendrix' cover-arrangement of BD's All Along the Watchtower.

Once the last drum beat hits, its obvious that Martin Birch did an A to A+ job of engineering.

Devotion - This ballad about family ("It's so good to be with the people that know you/ It's good to hear the things they say/ At times when you are with them...") would have fit perfectly on the Elizabethtown soundtrack. This is the first of two songs on First Step that sounds like Handbags and Gladrags on The Rod Stewart Album - meant and intended as a compliment. Wood picks in circles like Dave Mason on this one. Kenny kicks the drums right before the end.

Shake, Shudder and Shiver - It starts off like Foghat with a heavy lead guitar opening riff isolated on the right channel before the rest of the band drops in on the left. Kenny pushes the band like a locomotive barreling down the tracks. There's more than a trace of Cream's Sunshine of Your Love in the lead and bass rhythm. This is one of those hard rock tracks that, heard live, would cause fans to light their Bics in tribute.

Stone - Sorry, but talky tracks with banjo and mandolin were never a favorite of mine, and this Ronnie Lane vocal goes on for all of 5:43 - about twice the length needed. As a short throwaway, it might have seemed cute. The one positive is hearing Rod as a not so bad (and barking) back-up singer.

Plynth - This was the band's live show stopper and with good reason. Early Fleetwood Mac (pre Buckingham-Nicks) meets Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Robin Trower. Absolutely brilliant stereo production - it's moving in stereo - and Wood has never played a crisper lead. The drums are so clean and clear you feel like you're sitting under the kit.

(Part I of II... Continued tomorrow, from Flying to Three Button Hand Me Down .)

The Faces Have a Really Good Time on Long Player

One of the popular features on this site is the retro record reviews. So how do we know when the time is right to post an album review written so many years ago? The truth is we have absolutely no idea... We simply let the old reviews sit until the time seems right to bring them back again.

In this case, we recently purchased a CD copy of the old album and found that it was not bad. So let's enter the time machine and go back to March 26, 1971, when this review was originally published in The Pacifican, the student newspaper of the University of the Pacific (UOP):

"The Faces philosophy of music is that it is to be enjoyed... The group appears to throw its sounds at the audience and feed from the rebound." Melody Maker

The strong feature of Long Player is 15 minutes of live give-and-take between the Faces and their audience. The live recordings are covers of Paul McCartney's Maybe I'm Amazed and Willie Bronzy's I Feel So Good. The recordings here are not lush but honest. Oddly enough, everyone in the band is audible (Rod Stewart, lead vocals extraordinaire; Ron Wood, guitars; Ronnie Lane, bass: Ian McLagan, keyboard; and Kenny Jones, drums). Other attractions:

Bad 'N Ruin - Opens the album with a guitar riff so strong that Wood is isolated from the rest of the band on the left channel. Jones goes through some fine rhythm changes, and Stewart certainly has some fun with his lyrics - "Going home/'Cause I failed you mother/Back home to Baton Rouge/With my tail between my legs/Should you not recognize me/I've heavily made up my eyes..."

Tell Everyone - The Faces playing as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. Rodney with a slow soulful vocal; Wood playing complementary runs; Jones on a constant pattern; Motown bass.

Sweet Lady Mary - In case you didn't read the Rolling Stone review: "... an immediately attractive tune, lovely Garth Hudson-ish organ, a beautiful steel guitar solo, and magnificent Stewart lyrics about becoming resigned to irreconcilability with a former love."

Richmond - Features Ronnie lane on bass and vocal. If you like the band Free you'll like this one. (Like a Free rhythm/melody it will grow on you if you give it a chance.)

Had Me A Real Good Time - As soon as the drums kick in, it's obvious where this one came from. The Faces getting their Ya-Ya's out with their answer to the Stones' Honky Tonk Women and Free's All Right Now. It's no coincidence that Warner Brothers wanted this released as a single. (Note also: Nicky Hopkins-like piano; saxophones at the end a la the early Small Faces; patented SF fake ending.)

On The Beach - A delightful tale. A great drinking song.

Jerusalem - Charming bottleneck guitar solo by Ron Wood. Only 1:53 long, but it closes this L.P. that runs 45:19 in length.

PS: Fortunately or unfortunately - depending on your musical tastes - this Faces collection lacks a Led Zeppelinish-Fleetwood Macish-style steel slide guitar monster number like Around the Plynth from their earlier album The First Step.