Because they’re not organised

As a long time MOJO reader I was pleased to read the wonderful five-star review you gave to our documentary film BANG! The Bert Berns Story in MOJO 290. Unfortunately, you failed to mention my credit as director along with Brett Berns. Brett and I co-directed the film together and share the director’s credit. I was also the film’s editor, working closely with my film-making partner Christina Keating, who also served as one of the film’s producers. Bert Berns helped create some of the greatest music of his generation. We are thrilled at the overwhelmingly positive response audiences have had for our film, and proud to be able raise Berns’s profile so that he will get the long overdue recognition that he deserves. The film is now available world-wide via iTunes. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to set the record straight. Best regards, Bob Sarles, Ravin’ Films, Inc., San Francisco, USA

Yes, pop art seduction

Just one quibble with Gary Lucas in his Captain Beefheart Hello Goodbye in MOJO 290. Don Van Vliet did not “decide” to paint in ’82. Don was painting before he was making music and if you look closely at his artwork, as I have done (I’ve even tried to buy some at times), you can see a direct link to the music and a direct link to his roots in the Mojave. Having said that, as a fan who bought Safe As Milk first time round and most stuff in between, I always valued Gary’s contributions. I have been a MOJO reader since issue one and it always gives my heart a lift if I see Captain Beefheart on the cover. He was a unique and inspiring individual; maybe a real in-depth piece is in order, as a few of the original band are still alive. Patrick Hillard, Kings Lynn

It’s a bit different for him, being a singer

On tour here in Leeds, I picked up MOJO 290. In Last Night A Record Changed, My Life Jose Feliciano chatted about Bob Dylan’s second record, The Freewheelin’… and closed by saying, “And Dylan was the guy who turned The Beatles onto grass, remember! That’s important.” Indeed. So, a few years ago, I’m sitting across from my old friend, mentor, and songwriting partner, the 84-year-old Canadian Ian Tyson, who wrote Four Strong Winds, Someday Soon, and dozens of other folk classics. I told him that Dylan’s first Village love, Suze Rotolo, claimed Ian had turned Bob Dylan

onto marijuana in her book, The Freewheelin’ Time: A Memoir Of Greenwich Village in the 1960s. Ian frowned and said, “I don’t recall that.” I countered with: “Ian, if you turned Bob Dylan onto grass, and he turned The Beatles on, and they created Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, then you’re a cultural icon!” He considered that for a moment, then said: “Yeah, I guess I did turn Dylan onto weed.” Later, Ian was filmed making claim to that in a CBC TV flick, when someone asked him, “Tell us something you’ve never revealed before.” You can find it on YouTube. There’s another great story Ian told me about Dylan walking into the Kettle Of Fish bar in the Village in 1962 and bumming a cigarette off of Ian, then singing him the freshly-composed Blowin’ In The Wind. Ian said, “Shit, I can do that,” and went back to the hotel and wrote Four Strong Winds, the most popular song ever written by a Canadian, and a hit for dozens of folks, including Neil Young. The royalties bought Ian his ranch in Alberta. Tom Russell, in Leeds, on tour with Folk Hotel, (out on Proper Records in Europe and Frontera Records in North America).

They themselves are violent

I’m a regular buyer of MOJO for many years, and I love it all. Your articles are always well researched and informative. Because Denmark is not often mentioned in MOJO, can I elaborate a bit on MOJO 289’s feature on The Yardbirds becoming Led Zeppelin, because I was there at the time. I travelled with Danish rock groups and was a member of the Brøndby Pop Club from January 1967 to April 1970. We were always backstage and met the cream of this fantastic period’s musicians. The Yardbirds played the club on April 15, 1967. I loved Keith Relf and Jeff Beck, but he was replaced by Jimmy Page! No big loss – it was a fantastic performance, I believe, bow and all! Jeff Beck later played the club at other times – including a Rod Stewart (almost) premiere. Jethro Tull also premiered there, and on September 7, 1968, The New Yardbirds played Brøndby Pop Club, and this is mentioned as the first ‘Led Zeppelin’ show. It was in Denmark! Brøndby Pop Club! I lived in a community with the chief booker in the club, Bent ‘Stoffer’ Christoffersen, and he had already checked them out in a club in Denmark’s Gladsaxe commune, before this date. He was totally struck. But OK! Anyway, their musicianship and showmanship was unparalleled, we loved them. On March 15, 1969, the newly-named Led Zeppelin played Brøndby Pop Club again (they were paid Dkr6100/£700 at the time!!!). They blew the roof off, but Keef Hartley was also good. Then we freaks were invited to be the audience for a TV-concert in DR’s studios (it’s on DVD). Those were the best times. Then was the best music. These are the best memories. Lars Steen Andersen, Denmark

The right pitch of emotion

I’m writing this while convalescing from a gastric ’flu virus in Riyadh, one of the more joyless cities of the world. To pass the time I’m reading edition 289 of MOJO, my favourite music monthly. Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile’s collaboration Lotta Sea Lice is on the stereo, as per your main LP feature, and it’s currently rocking my world – another great recommendation. Next up is something from the back catalogue, That Petrol Emotion’s debut LP from 1986, the inspiringly titled (and oft-misquoted) Manic Pop Thrill, which last year received a Record Store Day re-release by Demon Records on double 10-inch orange vinyl. A true treasure to cherish. Which got me thinking… A MOJO article on Derry’s very own guitarshredding O’Neill brothers (John and the eternally youthful Damian) is long overdue. The O’Neill brothers’ twin guitar onslaught powered The Undertones, and later That Petrol Emotion. Damian played propulsive bass on their first three LPs, the aforementioned Manic Pop Thrill, followed by 1987’s blistering Babble and 1988’s experimental danceinspired crossover (and inspiringly titled) End Of The Millennium Psychosis Blues, which was to be John’s last with the group. The O’Neill brothers have played together on some wonderful records, including The Undertones’ Teenage Kicks and That Petrol Emotion’s nearly-hit Big Decision. Their twin guitars, when they lock together, are a thing of rare aural joy. Surely a MOJO article is long overdue… Gareth Knight MBE, via e-mail

A mess of cultural pottage

I appreciated the long overdue feature on Taj Mahal in MOJO 288. I’ve had the sense that he’s often been overlooked because of his sheer eclecticism and willingness to work in so many different genres. I was hoping, however, for a few paragraphs on Taj’s participation in the Great American String Band with Jerry Garcia, Maria Muldaur, David Grisman, Richard Greene, and David Nichtern. They played a half dozen or so shows up and down the California coast in the spring and early summer of 1974. Their story doesn’t appear much in biographies of Garcia or the Grateful Dead, and I’ve wondered how they came to be and why they didn’t continue. Bootleg recordings from those shows sure sound like they were a lot fun. Neal Gold, Natick, Massachusetts, USA