The Ragas Release Free Album
Well I just wanted to let people know that Henry McGuinn and I have released an album on the free download site Jamendo.
The songs are from 2000 when we were establishing our band the Ragas in the beginnings of the Neo-Psychedelic scene in Hollywood.
I had enough foresight to let my 4-track roll. The tunes are pretty raw but I think captures the essense of the Ragas. We named our group the Ragas after sitar royalty Ravi Shankar and the style of raga rock music that the Beatles and the Byrds came up with.
Basically, Henry and I would jam tunes and record them and then trek out for Indian food on the Sunset Strip. It was fun times.
I hope you will download for free at:
All the Best,
Jim
Slow Pace of the Ragas
Henry and I are sorting out the order of our album we will put out soon. The songs are all very nice. You’ll experience the raw organic world of the Ragas as it was back in 2000 in Los Angeles.
It’s part of my history and of course a part of the underground Byrds scene. Henry is the son of the Byrds founder, Roger McGuinn.
I am glad I let my 4 track roll during our Raga rehearsal sessions in my Hollywood pad that overlooked Capital Records. There are also some tracks from our trek down to Austin, Texas. My brother of Flat People helped out on the bass.
I’ll keep you posted.
The BJM Dallas Show
Journal entry from August 13, 2005
I caught the BJM show here in Dallas on Saturday night. It was different but really glad Anton chose to play. The preceding shows in Palm Beach Florida and Orlando were cancelled. The Quarter After, the opener, was good as usual. I had seen them in L.A.
Before the show, when I spoke to Rob, he said Anton’s voice was not up to par so they were kinda nervous about the show. I was going to say hello to Anton but decided I didn’t want to bother him with talk cause I figured he would be in his zone about the show. Anton was sitting at the sound board before the show. I got a good picture of him at the board with his thumbs up. Glad it wasn’t the middle finger.
After the Quarter After played, there was Innaway led by Reid Black. They were a Pink Floydish band from Philadelphia. It was cool and mellow. After Innaway, the crowd was getting anxious. The whole place was packed. I was rather pleased for Anton. I couldn’t even walk around. It was shoulder to shoulder. I had seen BJM at the same place 2 years prior and it was a pretty good crowd but not like shoulder to shoulder.
As I stood in the audience, the BJM brought out all their gear and set up but I wondered where’s Anton? The band patiently waited on stage smoking cigarettes and tuning and retuning etc. I looked around and Anton was on the board again DJ’ing music, kinda trippy hip-hop beat type stuff. It sounded really cool. Anton had his head phones on creating a vibe. I wish I knew what he was playing. That went on for 30 minutes. The band was ready to go and Anton was jamming out with his head phones still on at the sound board. I thought it was great. After probably 6 or so songs, the lights went low and Anton emerged onto stage.
He got on the mic pretty quick, “Anton style.” He was real nice though and the audience I thought was pretty good. They didn’t heckle him too much. Anton laid down the law from the start.
He said, “Texas had been real good to him and the band.” He didn’t want to cancel the show. He said that he couldn’t really sing that night. He said something like, “Look, I’m your guest; treat your guests right. If ya want to kill someone, go to Iraq. You be patient!” That was classic talk.
He explained that he would show us how they make up songs. He had his drummer start a hip hop beat and they all joined in. At one point he told his bassist to try not to lead for once or something like that. They jammed out this instrumental for probably 20 minutes.
I saw a couple of people walk out but I’m sure they had never seen the BJM before. Anton ends the instrumental song and says something like, “Well who in the audience can sing?”
Some guy with a cowboy hat on and sunglasses came up on stage to sing the first song “Sailor.” Anton made it clear that he would throw him out the door and never let him back in if he was a fuck up
or “pissed in the well.”
The songs they played were:
Unknown Jam
Sailor*
Nevertheless*
Whoever You Are#
Nailing Honey to the Bee#
Who?
This is Why You Love Me#
Jennifer*
Jennifer restart#
When Jokers Attack#
Unknown Jam
* – random fan(s) on vocals
# – Rob Campanella on vocals
? – Reid Black
As a girl came up to sing Jennifer, Anton said her name was Jennifer. She piped up it was “Jill.” There were a few false starts on that song. The girl was eventually told to get off and someone else came up. Rob stepped up to the mic to help out and did a good job. He did “This Is Why You Love Me.”
Several times during the show Anton said something like you don’t know me just because of some movie. And at least “I don’t give up.” Wise words.
The BJM played from 12 midnight to a little after 2. It was great that Anton let some fans help out. We are in this all together, right? Screw all this attacking stuff.
Betcha those fans who sang up there will remember for ever. I’m not disappointed.
Time Between
From my journal on March 21, 2004 Dallas, Texas:
I am out on the balcony of my grandparents 2-story home smoking an Indian Bidis cigarette in the dark sneaking around like I am a child. I am 30 years old with nothing concrete to show.
As I sit and breathe in and out, I feel that familiar sinking, pushing down feeling on me. The fear and anxiety grips me along with the regret of much of my life. The feeling is that I should have spoken up for myself and not pretended that all was fine.
I’ve been in my current living situation for about seven months. I have never wanted to be like everybody else, to live an insignificant life of mediocrity. I just never knew my thing or felt confident enough to express it.
I think back on my college days in Colorado and the years I wasted going through the motions. I remember watching on late night cable “The Lost Weekend” where the actor locks himself up in his apartment to try to shake the booze cravings and to be a writer. Shame and fear or whatever else always kept him down. For me it was the fear of the unknown that got me caught up or the fear of breaking from tradition or the mold.
Fastforward to today 2008.
I guess, enough is enough, right?
Well, I have been in Bulgaria for the past two years with the Peace Corps teaching English at a high school. Not really teaching, mostly supervising. Ha, ha, ha….
I told you I wanted to do things different. I have been writing songs and posting about my experiences in a foreign culture. It is pretty foreign. I have even written some songs in the Bulgarian language.
Blog title comes from Chris Hillman’s song on The Byrds 1967 Album “Younger Than Yesterday”
Modern Psychedelic Influenced Bands
First of all I recommend a band called the Beachwood Sparks. They take the torch where Gram Parsons and the Byrds left off particularly with the Sweetheart of the Rodeo album. I’ve seen them live numerous times and have never been disappointed. They are the best especially with
their extended Space Echo freakout endings. They have 3 albums out and the first called Beachwood Sparks is my favorite. I hear that the BWS is getting back together (coincidentally on Roger McGuinn’s birthday), July 13th in Seattle for the 20th year for Subpop label. I wish I could be there.
The second band I recommend is called the Tyde. This band has mutual members of the Beachwood Sparks. The Tyde is more Bob Dylan or Lou Reed sounding with much reference to surfing. I’ve seen them live, too. They have 3 albums out. I like Once the best.
The third band that I recommend is the Quarter After. This band is Byrds influenced with chimey Rickenbackers and groovy lyrics. It is lead by brothers, Rob Campanella and Dom Campanella. Incidentally, Rob records and produces many of the bands I mention here. I was
fortunate to sit in on a Quarter After session a few years back.
Here’s my somewhat humorous review for their debut album:
The Revolution Is Coming Down!!!
I dig the Quarter After live and on record. They are nice
outstanding citizens who are dedicated followers of the
Revolution effort. If you don’t understand, look up the
Brian Jonestown Massacre.Their song ‘Too Much to Think About’ can put you in a
trance if you are not careful. It takes you back to 1966
with some Raga-Rock influence. ‘Know Me When I’m Gone’
is my favorite track on the album. It is modern psychedelia.
Dominic’s singing is much like Roger McGuinn’s. Byrds fans
will love the Quarter After. Or any fan of the ’60’s or good music.Quarter After is authentic and not cheesy. They do not
overdo it. Dominic’s 12 String Rickenbacker work is great.
Good harmonies too by Rob and various personnel.
The Quarter After has recently put out their second album. I have not got my hands on it yet but will review soon.
And last but not least is the band called the Brian Jonestown Massacre. These guys are pretty outstanding and have had a documentary about them already called “Dig!” This band is the one
that really should take credit for this revival in psychedelic sound. They have at least a dozen albums out. They are very prolific.
I hope you will check these bands out. They really cook.
“Good” Musical Genealogy
Good music has its roots and can be tracked like a family tree. The long historical tree will show exactly where the influence of good music was handed down band to band, or artist to artist. It is naive and incorrect to think that any certain band just appeared and came up with “good music.” There is much tradition.
The Byrds are a great example of “good music.”
It has been written that the Byrds took traditional folk songs and put a Beatle beat.
With Bob Dylan’s philosophical mathematical poetry, the Byrds flew high. They pioneered the folk-rock, country-rock, and jazz-rock genres.
But prior to the Byrds and Elvis, the pre-rock and roll genre started in the late 1940’s. Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry and others all waited in line for their open door. If it had not been for pre-Rock and Roll, then the Byrds, Beatles, or the Stones would not have been ready. It is all connected.
In my head, I have imagined all these famous guys all standing in a line waiting their turn. Elvis’ opportunity came when DJ Dewey Phillips played his “That’s Alright Mama” on his Memphis radio show. Callers just couldn’t believe that this guy was white.
Elvis needed to give much credit to the sounds he heard on Beale Street. He is linked to such black artists as: B.B. King, Arthur Crudup, and Rufus Thomas. These guys pre-dated the invention of Rock & Roll.
Now the big controversial question is: who copied who? “To some, Presley had undoubtedly “stolen” or at least “derived his style from the Negro rhythm-and-blues performers of the late 1940s.” Some black entertainers, notably Jackie Wilson, countered, “A lot of people have accused Elvis of stealing the black man’s music, when in fact, almost every black solo entertainer copied his stage mannerisms from Elvis.” Blank, Christopher (July 15, 2006). “Elvis & Racism – Elvis Presley Legacy is cloudy through lens of race”.
So whatever you believe, Elvis is generally the one known for opening the doors for artists like Chuck Berry and Little Richard. I guess it is like the old adage “what came first: the chicken or the egg?” I tend to lean toward the opinion that Elvis really was not the original rock and roll pioneer. He was the one that got the most press and made it popular and in style.
So after Elvis, there stood the Beatles, and the Byrds waiting close behind. Here is the important shift. Elvis was a singer-entertainer but the Beatles and Byrds were songwriters and musicians. The bands of the 1960’s migrated towards songwriting.
Roger McGuinn, who was in the Byrds at that time, waited patiently behind Bob Dylan and the Beatles. As Dylan was making waves, the movie Hard Day’s Night soon came out. The door became wide open for the Byrds. McGuinn, Clark, and Crosby quickly formed their jangly poetry beat sound. It became classic and the door was wide open.
Others were to follow through the Byrds-Dylan door. The Turtles, Sonny and Cher all followed copying Dylan and the Byrds’ jangly sound. Arthur Lee with Love fits in there.
During this time the Beatles and the Byrds also got into a little egg/chicken situation. It has been written that George Harrison heard the Byrds’ “Bells of Rhymney” song and was influenced to write “If I Needed Someone.” It was through a mutual public relations man Derek Taylor that Roger received a pre-released copy of “If I Needed Someone”. The bands had a healthy relationship.
Both bands are linked to the 12-String Rickenbacker guitar and to Ravi Shankar. We know that John and George were already into Rickenbackers but the question is – who was the first band to turn on to Ravi? It has been argued that David Crosby introduced the Beatles to Ravi. But of course, the Beatles probably got more credit for this link after their Indian trip in 1968. It is much like Elvis getting the credit for being the original Rock and Roll pioneer.
So Ravi Shankar is standing in line next to the Beatles and the Byrds in this pretend line-up.
Fast forward twenty plus years and the line after the Byrds and the Beatles includes bands such as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the Beachwood Sparks, the Tyde, the Quarter After, and the Brian Jonestown Massacre. Where do the Ragas fit in the line-up? Hmm?
All the best,
Jim
My Connection With Rock & Roll History
February 2000, Los Angeles, California
I drove up to the Sherman Oaks, California Guitar Center on Ventura. I had grown tired of the Guitar Center on Sunset Blvd and all the tourists. It was so loud. On this particular day, I walked in wearing my John Lennon T-Shirt that said New York City.
I had gone in to look for a new amplifier. I looked around the store quickly and decided that I had seen enough. I walked out the front door and down the street and decided, no I was going back in.
Inside I found a white Fender Stratocaster and got a power cord and plugged into a Fender amp. I began playing jazz chords. After a few minutes and while I was still playing a guy came up to me.
This was Henry McGuinn. He said, “Hey man. I like your playing. What’s happening? Do you like the Byrds?”
I said, “Yeah, I guess so. I don’t have any of their albums but I like Mr. Tambourine Man and Eight Miles High. That’s all I know.”
Henry said, “My dad’s Roger McGuinn, who started the Byrds.”
I said, “Yeah, man, that’s cool. Can I see your ID?”
We talked in the store for about twenty minutes. We spoke about the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and the Rolling Stones. I finally found someone I could relate to with this type of music. My meeting with Henry left me with renewed purpose. I seemed that I was just waiting around a bit in Hollywood to find the right people. I figured sooner or later I would find someone. I left the Guitar Center stoked, thinking of the possibilities. I guess I was a bit star-struck, too.
The next day, I went to the Warehouse on Sunset Blvd. to look for some Byrds music. I found and bought 5D. It was the Byrds 1966 album that had Eight Miles High, Mr. Spaceman, and I See You on it. I listened to the album a few times and decided to call Henry.
I left a message and an hour or so later he called from a pay phone.
Henry, “Hey, what’s happening? This is Henry McGuinn.”
I said enthusiastically, “Hey, Henry, yeah this is Jim. I met you at the Guitar Center.”
Henry said, “Yeah cool. I’m out by the beach just loving it.”
I said, “I bought 5D. It’s really cool. I haven’t ever really listened to the Byrds but they are really hip.”
Henry said, “Yeah, they’re all good, especially ’65-’68 era. Well, so you want to get together?”
I said, “How bout tomorrow? We could have lunch and then jam.”
Henry, “Yeah, I just want to meet and see if we have chemistry, you know.”
Boy I was excited, the chance to play with someone that liked the same music I did and the fact that his dad is a rock star is totally rad!
The next day I met him outside at his truck. We brought up his guitar and then we walked to a Sandwich shop right up Las Palmas in Hollywood. We ate and talked music and began to get to know each other. We seemed to be on such a similar wavelength. It was kind of amazing chemistry really.
After lunch, we opened up our guitars. He brought out his acoustic 12- String Martin guitar. At first, I just listened to him. He sang a few Byrds tunes. He sang Tambourine Man and You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere and I believe he sang the Christian Life as well. At the time I had never heard the Christian Life and I was stoked on it. I was really inspired to start playing.
The next few times that we met, we listened to Byrds music. At the Tower Records, I loaded up on all sorts of music that he recommended. I was really into it. I bought several Flying Burrito Brothers albums, some Gram Parsons and Lovin’ Spoonful.
Our music was finally coming together. We were playing some Beatles, Byrds, and Dylan covers and some of our new stuff. He played me his cool song called Summertime that he wrote at the beach inspired by George Harrison and What You Say a song about running away and pure Byrds. I loved it. I added some rhythm guitar to it while he did his fingerpicking style soloing inspired by his father.
One day Henry brought over his 12-String Guitar Instructional Video that his dad had done. On the video his dad went wild on the 12- String Rickenbacker playing his old classics. I was again blown away.
Now prior to that point I had always thought that the Beatles were my number one group but I now believed that the Byrds were up there with them. It was great to learn more about music. I did not feel bad about buying a lot of records. I considered it an investment: The Who ’65, The Zombies, The Association, Beach Boys Pet Sounds, The Kinks, Gram Parsons, and the Flying Burrito Brothers.
The next thing I did was to buy the Johnny Rogan Byrds biography. Henry had been talking about it. It was the only complete Byrds biography written. I found it at the Book Soup book store on Sunset Strip right across the street from Tower Records. Henry and I considered it our manual on how to live a Byrdsian lifestyle.
I met Henry in February 2000 and in March South by Southwest music festival raged in Austin, Texas. We found out that Roger was playing at the Cactus Lounge on the University of Texas Campus. We felt it was a good excuse for a road trip.
Before we left, Henry and I made a trip down to the Rickenbacker factory in Santa Ana. At Rickenbacker, we both waited in the reception area. Shortly after, John Hall, the CEO, came out and I was introduced.
Henry told me stories of John Hall and the Beatles. John Hall had been to the Beatles’ Hollywood Bowl show in 1965 as a teenager and had met all the Beatles and the Byrds. John Lennon and George Harrison both played guitars that were given to them by Rickenbacker and Crosby and then Jim McGuinn would run down to S.A. for Rick customizations . Needless to say, Rickenbacker has had great influence on Rock & Roll. Henry’s father worked with Rickenbacker in designing a custom signature 12-String guitar with an on board compressor. What resulted was the wood colored (Maple Glo) Rickenbacker 370 Model. Henry is totally proud of his father.
While Henry talked with John in his office, I sat down and looked at magazines. We were there for Henry to interview for a job with Rickenbacker. I sat and waited for fifteen minutes and then Henry returned, full of hope for the future. We said our good byes to John Hall and Henry told John that he would get back in touch after our trip to Austin.
I felt on the in-crowd a bit. Rickenbacker had worked with all sorts of artists: REM, Tom Petty, Susana Hoffs, Carl Wilson, etc. I have a Rickenbacker FG 330 from those days. Henry on the 325Byrd and me on the 330 is some of the best noise ever! All the best bands play Rickenbacker.
Hope you enjoyed the read.
Henry and I put up a website for our band the Ragas. You can check it out at:
The Ragas Press Packet
I am putting in a bit of my history. It’s been about five years since I was living in Los Angeles. Today, I can only think that I am really fortunate to have experienced, firsthand, the 1960’s music revival in its re-birth. The following is the letter Henry and I used when contacting clubs.
May 24, 2000
Booking
Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90046RE: Booking
Dear Club:
The Ragas duo was formed in mid-March 2000 after discovering a major musical chemistry between us. I moved to Los Angeles from Texas to pursue my musical passion. Henry was born here in L.A. Henry is the son of 60’s icon, Roger McGuinn of the Byrds.
We are influenced by the Beatles, the Byrds, Bob Dylan, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Gram Parsons and incorporate 12-String guitars, and vocal harmonies in our songs. We play both cover songs and original songs. We focus on musicianship rather than cool grooves or beats. The old school sounds are what we are focused on. Our songs range from jazz rock, country- rock, folk-rock, psychedelic, and raga-rock to name a few.
At present, we are searching for a bassist and drummer to complete our band. In mid-June, we will have two English fellows visit us to most likely join the band. We switch off with lead guitar.
We are so excited to be involved in the music scene in Los Angeles. We can be reached at 323-###-#### and at our address in Hollywood, California.
Please find our demo tape included.
Thanks For Your Consideration,
Jim Guittard and Henry McGuinn
Here’s one of our setlists that I scanned.
*The starred songs are the ones we played.
We did not play too many shows back then but we sure went to see a lot of shows by the Beachwood Sparks, the Brian Jonestown Massacre, the Quarter After, Sunstorm, smallstone, the Tyde, the Belle Isle, Whiskey Biscuit, the Snakes, and the Warlocks. Many of these bands are still around today.
Smallstone evolved into the Electromagnetic led by James Ambrose. The Belle Isle disbanded and Cliff Magreta now leads Minutes Til Midnight. Beachwood Sparks unofficially disbanded in 2003 and other groups were formed in its wake such as All Night Radio with sometimes BWS drummer Jimi Hey and BWS lap steel and organist Farmer Dave. Mystic Chords of Memory was formed by BWS leader Chris Gunst and Frausdots was BWS bassist Brent Rademaker’s. Brent continued to play in the Tyde with his brother Darren.
I am hopeful in seeing the Beachwood Sparks get back together. We’ll see.
The Ragas – June 2000 Los Angeles, California
You can listen to the show here:
My Top 50 Albums In Random Order
- The Beatles – Rubber Soul – 1965
- Bob Dylan – Bringing it All Back Home – 1965
- The Rolling Stones – Exile On Mainstreet – 1972
- Love – Forever Changes – 1967
- The Dandy Warhols – Dandy’s Rule Ok – 1995
- Beachwood Sparks – Beachwood Sparks – 2000
- The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds – 1966
- The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Give It Back – 1997
- Miles Davis – Bitches Brew – 1970
- Beck – Odelay – 1996
- Son Volt – Trace – 1995
- The Byrds – Notorious Byrd Brothers – 1968
- Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Howl – 2005
- The Kinks – The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society – 1968
- Merle Haggard and the Strangers – Lonesome Fugitive 1967
- The Tyde – Twice – 2003
- Uncle Tupelo – March 16-20, 1992 – 1992
- The Doors – Morrison Hotel – 1970
- Stephen Stills – Manassas – 1972
- David Bowie – Aladdin Sane – 1973
- My Bloody Valentine – Ecstacy and Wine – 1989
- Pink Floyd – Piper at the Gates of Dawn – 1967
- George Harrison – All Things Must Pass – 1970
- The Warlocks – The Warlocks – 2000
- The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground and Nico – 1967
- The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Strung Out In Heaven – 1998
- The Rolling Stones – Beggars Banquet – 1968
- Buffalo Springfield – Buffalo Springfield – 1967
- The Electric Prunes – Underground – 1967
- The Byrds – Fifth Dimension – 1966
- The Monkees – Head – 1968
- Johnny Cash – At Folsom Prison – 1968
- Donovan – Greatest Hits – 1969
- Neil Young – Tonight’s the Night – 1975
- Led Zeppelin – Houses of The Holy – 1973
- The Flying Burrito Bros – Hot Burritos! The Flying Burrito Bros. Anthology 2000
- Echo And The Bunnymen – Ocean Rain – 1984
- Ride – Nowhere – 1990
- U2 – The Joshua Tree – 1987
- INXS – Kick – 1987
- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – Into The Great Wide Open – 1991
- Pearl Jam – No Code – 1996
- Poco – Pickin’ Up The Pieces – 1969
- The Cure – Disintegration – 1989
- Return To Forever – No Mystery – 1975
- Antonio Carlos Jobim – Stone Flower – 1970
- The Who – The Who Sell Out – 1967
- The Zombies – The Singles Collection: A’s & B’s, 1964-1969 -2000
- The Association – Greatest Hits – 1968
- The Lovin’ Spoonful – Greatest Hits – 2000
Jim Guittard's Place 
2 comments