Review: New Gram Parsons film

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: woodsie
Date: 19 Jul 06 - 06:20 AM

Gram Parsons - one of my all time heroes. I have seen the stuff on Youtube I hope the DVD is better quality. I love the recent issue of early home recordings of stuff like "Codine" "High Flyin Bird" Excellent!

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: open mike
Date: 19 Jul 06 - 05:15 AM

well the band Marley's Ghost all live hundreds of miles apart but manage to keep their band connected....where there is a will there is a way..
aweigh?   http://www.sagearts.com/mg.html

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jul 06 - 04:20 AM

Thick Rednecks!

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: Matt_R
Date: 19 Jul 06 - 02:40 AM

Tell 'em EJ.

Wilco, the Jayhawks, Ryan Adams, the Old 97s are some of my favorite bands ever. I've even got the girlfriend hooked, especially on The Jayhawks.

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: michaelr
Date: 19 Jul 06 - 12:37 AM

Opps, of course Parsons didn't write "Sleepless Nights". But he did write "Ooh Las Vegas".

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: michaelr
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 06:59 PM

Beat me to it, LEJ. GP wrote a number of songs (many with Chris Hillman) that are considered classics of the genre by many. I would add these to the list:

Christine's Tune (Devil in Disguise)
My Uncle
In My Hour of Darkness
She
Song For You
Sleepless nights

Of course, if you don't like country music, you won't like GP. But to assert that he didn't write great songs is just ignorant.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 04:42 PM

I agree Mercky, Country & Western slop at best. Three chord trash.

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 04:33 PM

Name one outstanding song?

How about
Hickory Wind
Sin City
Grievous Angel
Luxury Liner
Drugstore Truck Drivin' Man
Brass Buttons
Hot Burrito #1
Wheels
Cody Cody

Mediocre country singer? His vocal on Wild Horses made Jagger's sound like an afterthought

His death and the subsequent events were tragic and fodder for the morbidly curious, bt the fact is that Parsons cut three albums that blazed the path for alternate country/Americana music that influenced artists like Emmy Lou Harris, Dwight Yoakam, Steve Earle, Wilco, the Jayhawks, Ryan Adams, the Old 97s, and Lucinda Williams. These albums, Safe at Home, Sweetheart of the Rodeo, and Gilded Palace of Sin, fused Rock, Country, Traditional and Soul Music, spurring not just Country Rock, but many other variations of eclectic American music.

The songs I mentioned above continue to be recorded, the influence continues to be strong. Comparitively, Piper at the Gates of Dawn was at best an amusing collection of pop-psychedelic novelty tunes, Mercedes.

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: GUEST,Bryan Bruce
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 01:54 PM

That was Andy Stewart not GP

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: Kara
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 07:26 AM

"Year of the Cat" was good...

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser)
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 06:13 AM

Watched the Parsons film the other day on BBC. I recall him dying only a couple of weeks after Clarence White. I still think he was a great country singer but I also agree that he didn't write that many memorable songs. If he lived, if he had any sense, perhaps he'd have done more covers. Bernie Leadon seemed to be the only one who really remembered him with any real objectivity. Always had a soft spot for Bernie - for my money The Eagles went to shit after he left.

Felt sorry for Gramn's sister. I honestly can't see why anyone wastes any time on Phil Kaufman. A prize prat if ever there was one. 'I was doin' what Gram wanted' my arse. Like Leadon said, he didn't even do a decent job of burning the body.

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: GUEST,Mercedez
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 04:51 AM

I don't know what all the fuss is about this bloke. I have both his solo albums + Gilded palace + sweetheart of the rodeo. Face the facts he was just a mediocre country & western singer, singing the usual sloppy crap. Name one outstanding song! Is the facination because of the drugs & eventual suicide? The music isn't special - you can pick up GP/Grevous Angel for about £5 in most shops. On the other hand Syd Barrett/Floyd stuff is still full whack. It's all to do with demand and quality you see.

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: Scoville
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 11:18 PM

Well, well--I spent last weekend watching No Direction Home and Be There to Love Me (about Townes Van Zandt)--must be the decade of the musical biography.


NDH still astounds me for the fact that it features an intelligible and apparently good-natured Bob Dylan. BTTLM is a downer but interesting.

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: Matt_R
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 01:31 PM

Well we were best friends in college but we live about 2 hours apart now, so it's hard to get together for stuff. But I'm working on getting to Raleigh like him and getting my girlfriend here to North Carolina.

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: Kara
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 04:02 AM

why wait Matt, the world is crying out for Cosmic American Music...

Kara

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: Matt_R
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 01:27 AM

I sent the clips to my buddy Jon. We're big Gram fans who one day want to form a band to continue the vision of Cosmic American Music

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 16 Jul 06 - 04:12 PM

Yo Matt

How are things with you?

Long time since we crossed swords on here , why don't you send me a PM and tell me your news ?

Emmylou sure does shake it up there doesn't she ?

Another link (for diehard fans )

Another snippet of live Parsons

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: Matt_R
Date: 16 Jul 06 - 02:05 PM

Holy crap ... check out Emmylou shaking that ass!

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 16 Jul 06 - 06:30 AM

I'll try again ...

Flying Burrito Brothers

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 16 Jul 06 - 06:29 AM

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 16 Jul 06 - 06:27 AM

a couple of video links which will be of interest to diehard GP fans

Gram and Emmylou

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Jul 06 - 10:33 AM

Thanks for the review. Having just watched Cat on a hot tin roof for the first time in umpteen years, I can just imagine the Southern Gothic Tragedy...looking forward to seeing this.

kat

Subject: RE: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: michaelr
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 09:03 PM

PS: Also on Rhino Records: "Gram Parsons - The Complete Reprise Sessions", a 3-CD set which includes his solo albums "G.P." and "Grievous Angel" plus rare outtakes from the recording sessions, radio interviews, and commentary by Emmylou Harris.

Subject: Review: New Gram Parsons film
From: michaelr
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 09:00 PM

Just out on DVD (on Rhino in the US): the German/British coproduction "Fallen Angel", a film by German film maker Gandulf Hennig. This is a must-see for all fans of West Coast country rock (or, as Parsons called it, Cosmic American Music) in general and GP in particular.

It features in-depth interviews with Chris Hillman, Bernie Leadon, Emmylou Harris, Chris Ethridge, as well as members of GP's family and his widow. Also present is the dubious Phil Kaufman, immortalized in the ludicrous recent feature "Grand Theft Parsons".

The film includes a healthy dose of the man's music and many TV and film clips I'd never seen before. It is very informative about GP's background and upbringing, and quite even-handed in its treatment of his drug and alcohol abuse and the circumstances of his death, partial cremation, and final burial.

It also makes the point that the story of Gram Parsons really is a Tennessee Williams-like Southern Gothic tragedy. Highly recommended.

Cheers,
Michael