Classic Song 25 - Yes "Siberian Khatru"

Let's talk about one of my favourite classic songs.

Back when I was a 15 year old, devoted fan of Bruce 

Cockburn and his phenomenal acoustic guitar-tistry, 

I first heard the album Fragile by Yes (as recalled 

in my preamble to Classic Song 22). 

I wasn't ready for them. At all.

Two short years later, I was most definitely ready. 

When Andy Swetlishoff played "Roundabout" 

through his band's PA system, I was startled by 

what sounded like a clavinet, locked in unison 

with a roiling, boiling bassline. I exclaimed 

"Whoa! Cool unison bass/clavinet riff".

Andy duly corrected my mistaken impression,

saying "That's just the bass player, Mozz, 

rocking that line on a really, really 

trebly Rickenbacker bass".

I couldn't sleep that night. At all.

First thing the next day, I hightailed it to Trail,

where I bought Close To The Edge, Yes'

just-released LP. Once safely home in

the family living room, I quickly but 

gingerly pulled the vinyl from 

the one-square-foot jacket,

donned Rod's headphones

and dug into sides one

and two of the album 

that changed my life.

Here's the first cut from side two, "Siberian Khatru", 

featuring the classic Yes lineup: Jon Anderson,

Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman

and the truly unique Bill Bruford.

But first, here's a fuzzy ol' look at yours truly,

playing my heart out on my '72 Ricky 4001,

alongside Pat Bourke, during my tenure with 

Larry Gowan's legendary band, Rhinegold.

You shoulda heard MY sound!

Mozz the Elder

www.vapormusic.com

Classic Song 24 - Patrick Moraz "The Storm/Cachaca (Baiao)"

While fellow Yes warrior, Jon Anderson was slaving away

on Olias of Sunhillow (featuring Classic Song 19), Swiss 

big cheese keyboardist, Patrick Moraz was recording

one of his finest solo albums, "The Story of I".

Inspired by conversations with, and observations by Anderson, 

Moraz inventively created a concept album that still inspires

and challenges today, 35 years after its original release.

Moraz deftly blended disparate musical influences, 

including jazz, fusion, prog, classical and Brazilian 

music, yielding a complex and very moving sound 

that is still singular to Moraz - still very influential.

The album's storyline is basically fantastic in nature, 

yet the musical performances by not only Moraz, 

but Jeff Berlin, Ray Gomez and a troupe of 

top Brazilian percussionists are at once 

vital, visceral AND cerebral. 

For your consideration:

"The Storm/Cachaca (Baiao)".

But first, an image from my deep, dark past,

taken in the Mosby rumpus room in 1973

(notice the Teac 3340, open reel recorder).

Mozz the Elder

www.vapormusic.com

Classic Song 23 - The Collectors "Lydia Purple"

Let's talk about classic music, folks. 

Rare, little known, but seminal, classic Canadian music.

Like The Collectors' second nationwide hit single, "Lydia Purple".

Released in 1968, as a followup to "Looking At A Baby", 

"Lydia..." totally captivated me and made me wanna grow 

up, real quick, move to Vancouver and be a tie-dyed in 

the wool hippie, somewhere down in Kitsilano.

In less than 2 minutes and fifty seconds, "Lydia Purple" paints

a fantastic picture of psychedelia, describing a young damsel

who 'lived in a steeple, tall by nature, coloured by people',

all the while, 'writing sonets daily, drinking apple tea'.

Needless to say, I became instantly hungry for, 

and fascinated by, all things 'Collectors'. 

You could say I became a Collectors collector.

Led by original lead singer, Howie Vickers, future Chilliwack

guitarist, Bill henderson and multi-instrumentalist, Claire 

Lawrence, The Collectors to me were easily as worldly 

and musically adventurous as The Moody Blues 

and as innovative, vocally as The Association 

or The Mamas and The Papas.

Except that they were Canadian! Just like little ol' me.

Check out two videos of "Lydia Purple": the first one displays

the rich album cover for their eponymous debut album, while

the second reveals vintage glimpses of both The Collectors

and Vancouver in the late 60s, when Fourth Avenue

 was the centre of the known hippie universe.

First, meditate, high up in the Mosby treehouse 

(circa 1970) with my big brother, Ken.

Mozz the Elder

www.vapormusic.com

Classic Song 22 - Bruce Cockburn "My Lady and My Lord"

At the time Bruce Cockburn released Sunwheel Dance in 1972,

I was playing music, part time with my brothers, Ken and Gord

in a good, folk-ish five man group called The Rainbow Band.

We played covers by Seals and Crofts, Dylan, Eric Andersen,

Mother Tucker's Yellow Duck, Joan Baez and other artists.

I had yet to become a full fledged, card carrying member

of the progressive rock army - even though I was nuts

about King Crimson, The Moody Blues and ELP.

For some reason, I'd yet to have my mind exploded by Yes

or Genesis. In fact, the first time I heard The Yes Album,

I told my friend, Richard Maddox, that I thought the LP

was "over-produced, overplayed and self indulgent...

especially, when compared with Sunwheel Dance".

I still remember saying that :-)

At that formative stage in my life, Bruce Cockburn was 

easily the best acoustic guitar player I'd ever heard, and 

I desperately wanted to learn how he did what he did.

With my trusty Yamaha 300 on my lap, and with 

access to my brother Rod's Seabreeze record 

player, I slowly and painstakingly began 

the long process of copping Cockburn's 

"My Lady and My Lord".

Within a week, I thought I'd aced the tune, which

I then began to play at folk festivals and drop-in

centres throughout the West Kootenays, along

with original tunes, like "Back Outside",

"Lucky To Be a Friend" and "Home".

I even featured "My Lady and My Lord" in my 

half hour set in Spokane, during Expo '74!

Nowadays, I never play my old original songs,

but I STILL try to play MLaML, my fave

ever Bruce Cockburn song.

Here's the original, 1972 Cockburn recording of

"My Lady and My Lord", following a photo

of me during my Expo '74 showcase.

Mozz the Elder

www.vapormusic.com

Classic Song 21 - Rod Stewart and The Faces "Stay With Me"

Thanks to Linda Lockett, we saw Rod Stewart at the ACC.

Pam had seen him before, but I'd never, so I was doubly excited.

What transpired was an inspired night of music and entertainment,

featuring not only Rod but the inimitable Stevie Nicks, as well.

Both singers have iconic voices that for decades have been 

ingrained in my musical DNA, and both brought their 

A-game to the home of the Leafs, the Raptors, and the 

Rock, but Stewart dominated the evening with a

performance that was truly second-to-none.

Still.... 

When I think of indomitable Rod Stewart tunes or vocal performances, 

my mind drifts back... back... back to the late 60s/early 70s, when he 

was touring, writing, recording, partying and pillaging with the one 

and only Ron Wood, as well as with the rest of The Faces.

Here's a vintage, curiously misspelled video of Rod and The Faces,

attacking and nearly dismantling the timeless "Stay With Me".

As well, I've included a few still-warm pix of Rod's ACC show.

Mozz the Elder

www.vapormusic.com

Classic Song 20 - Genesis "Dancing With The Moonlit Knight"

Let's talk about classic music.

Genesis, Mark II (1971-1975) was comprised of Peter Gabriel, 

Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, Tony Banks and Steve Hackett.

I wasn't a fan or even aware of Genesis until early '74, after 

they'd released Selling England By The Pound (which 

for me is STILL their greatest collective work). 

From the moment I heard Gabriel croaking the now-famous

melodic question "Can you tell me where my freedom lies?",

during the introduction to "Dancing With...", I was a fan.

I still am.

Here's the time honoured, classic studio version of 

"Dancing With The Moonlit Knight", following

a recent picture of Old Man Moon over Toronto.

Mozz the Elder

www.vapormusic.com

Bonus alert! 

Here's a raw, live version of "Dancing With The Moonlit Knight",

featuring a very young Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins, not to 

mention guitarist Steve Hackett's visionary tapping,

pre Van Halen (starting at the 4 minute mark):

Classic Song 19 - Jon Anderson - "Moon Ra"

Let's talk about classic music.

Classic one-man-band music, as a matter of fact.

And by 'one-man-band', I don't mean Paul McCartney or 

Stevie Wonder or Emitt Rhodes or Prince or John Fogerty or 

Trent Reznor anyone as prodigiously talented as those guys. 

I mean Jon Anderson, the elfin and iconic, original lead singer

for one of my all-time favourite bands, Yes. For those who may

have missed the early to mid 70s on Earth, Yes was, at one

point, one of the biggest bands in the world - playing for

audiences as huge as the 100,000 people that saw them

at JFK Stadium (along with Peter Frampton) in '76.

In 1975, the five Yes men each took time off to write, 

record, master and release solo albums. Chris Squire broke

through significantly with Fish Out Of Water, which sent 

us (mostly single male) Yes freaks into paroxysms 

of pure, prog euphoria, fer shure - right on, eh.

Imagine our collective gasp when in '76, little Jon released 

what is still the most successful and critically acclaimed 

solo 'Yes guy' album of them all: Olias of Sunhillow.

The concept album's storyline reads like a fable, 

but for me, by far the most magical and amazing

thing about this album is that Jon Anderson - 

generally regarded as a brilliant lead singer, 

but a very limited guitarist - single handedly

overdubbed every musical instrument he

could get his hands on, before adding a

virtual multitude of his own vocals.

The result was and still is thrilling for me to hear.

Here's "Moon Ra" from Olias of Sunhillow,

immediately following a circa '75 pic of my band, 

Archer (L-R Sam See, Mozz the Younger, 

Martin Soldat and Colin Walker).

Mozz the Elder

www.vapormusic.com