Live! (The Beau Brummels album)
Encyclopedia
Live! is a live album by American
rock
group The Beau Brummels
. The album, released in August 2000 by Dig Music, was recorded in February 1974 near Sacramento, California
, shortly after it was announced that the band had reunited. The album includes a mix of performances of their most commercially singles, including "Laugh, Laugh
" and "Just a Little
," as well as then-new material, some of which would be recorded for the band's 1975 eponymous studio album
.
magazine reported that the Beau Brummels re-formed in San Francisco.
This followed a five-year hiatus in which individual band members—vocalist Sal Valentino
, guitarist Ron Elliott
, rhythm guitarist Ron Meagher
, bassist Declan Mulligan
and drummer John Petersen
—pursued solo projects, participated in recording with other artists, or both in some cases. Within days of the announcement, the band performed at the Shire Road Pub in Fair Oaks Village near Sacramento, California
.
The tapes from these shows represent the only existing concert recordings in the band's discography.
," "Just a Little
," "You Tell Me Why
," and "Don't Talk to Strangers
." The album also includes renditions of "Nine Pound Hammer," a Merle Travis
original which the band performed on their 1967 Triangle
album, and "Turn Around," a track from the band's 1968 Bradley's Barn
album. The remaining 13 songs were new compositions at the time of recording, 11 of which were written or co-written by Ron Elliott. In addition, Ron Meagher ("Lonely People") and Declan Mulligan ("Lisa") each contributed one song. A handful of the new tracks were re-worked for and appeared on the band's 1975 eponymous studio album
, as was the band's 1965 single "You Tell Me Why."
The label's owners—Marty DeAnda, Jeff Hughson, and Dennis Newhall—licensed the material from the band, and ensured the performances were not recorded during the time when the Beau Brummels were under contract to Warner Bros. Records
.
Hughson noted that as a result of the album, the band "reunited to perform at San Francisco’s BayPop 2000, then went on to play more dates in New York for us." He added, "Plus Ron Elliott started writing again. He had not written songs in 18 years, and as a result of listening to these tapes and getting enthused again, we got him back into it."
In his review of the album, Rolling Stone
writer Charles Bermant said, "the best material here is the spirited and melodic 'new' songs, driven by Sal Valentino's pure voice and (former bassist) Declan Mulligan's spry lead guitar."
Bermant also noted Elliott's incorporation of bossa nova
and reggae
into the band's style.
Allmusic writer Bruce Eder said that while Live! is a "decent" album, "it isn't remotely the revelation that one would expect or wish for -- the producers might at least have been more honest by foregoing the exclamation point."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
group The Beau Brummels
The Beau Brummels
The Beau Brummels were an American rock band. Formed in San Francisco in 1964, the band's original lineup included Sal Valentino , Ron Elliott , Ron Meagher , Declan Mulligan , and John Petersen...
. The album, released in August 2000 by Dig Music, was recorded in February 1974 near Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, shortly after it was announced that the band had reunited. The album includes a mix of performances of their most commercially singles, including "Laugh, Laugh
Laugh, Laugh
"Laugh, Laugh" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels, written by guitarist Ron Elliott and produced by Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone. Released in December 1964 as the band's debut single, the song reached number 15 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart the following February...
" and "Just a Little
Just a Little (The Beau Brummels song)
"Just a Little" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels. The song is included on the band's debut album, Introducing the Beau Brummels, and was released as its second single, following "Laugh, Laugh". "Just a Little" became the band's highest-charting U.S. single, peaking at number eight...
," as well as then-new material, some of which would be recorded for the band's 1975 eponymous studio album
The Beau Brummels (album)
The Beau Brummels is the sixth studio album by the American rock band of the same name. Released in April 1975, the album features the work of all five original bandmembers for the first time since the band's debut album, 1965's Introducing the Beau Brummels. The album peaked at number 180 on the U.S...
.
Background
In February 1974, BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine reported that the Beau Brummels re-formed in San Francisco.
This followed a five-year hiatus in which individual band members—vocalist Sal Valentino
Sal Valentino
Sal Valentino is an American rock musician, singer and songwriter, best known as lead singer of The Beau Brummels, subsequently becoming a songwriter as well. The band released a pair of top 20 U.S...
, guitarist Ron Elliott
Ron Elliott (musician)
Ron Elliott on October 21, 1943) is an American musician, composer and producer, best known as songwriter and lead guitarist of rock band The Beau Brummels. Elliott wrote or co-wrote the band's 1965 U.S...
, rhythm guitarist Ron Meagher
Ron Meagher
Ron Meagher is best known as bassist of American rock band The Beau Brummels. When guitarist-songwriter Ron Elliott was putting the band together in 1964, he asked a friend, Kay Dane, if she knew any good bass players....
, bassist Declan Mulligan
Declan Mulligan
Declan Mulligan is an Irish rock musician, singer and songwriter, best known as a guitarist of American rock band The Beau Brummels...
and drummer John Petersen
John Petersen (musician)
John Petersen was an American drummer, most notably for rock bands The Beau Brummels and Harpers Bizarre. In 1964 he joined the Beau Brummels, whose first two singles, "Laugh, Laugh" and "Just a Little", reached the U.S. top 20...
—pursued solo projects, participated in recording with other artists, or both in some cases. Within days of the announcement, the band performed at the Shire Road Pub in Fair Oaks Village near Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
.
The tapes from these shows represent the only existing concert recordings in the band's discography.
Music
Live! includes performances of the band's four highest-charting U.S. singles: "Laugh, LaughLaugh, Laugh
"Laugh, Laugh" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels, written by guitarist Ron Elliott and produced by Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone. Released in December 1964 as the band's debut single, the song reached number 15 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart the following February...
," "Just a Little
Just a Little (The Beau Brummels song)
"Just a Little" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels. The song is included on the band's debut album, Introducing the Beau Brummels, and was released as its second single, following "Laugh, Laugh". "Just a Little" became the band's highest-charting U.S. single, peaking at number eight...
," "You Tell Me Why
You Tell Me Why
"You Tell Me Why" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels, from the band's second album, The Beau Brummels, Volume 2. The song was written by guitarist Ron Elliott and produced by Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone. "You Tell Me Why" was released as the album's lead single, and...
," and "Don't Talk to Strangers
Don't Talk to Strangers (song)
"Don't Talk to Strangers" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels, released as the second single from the band's second album, The Beau Brummels, Volume 2. The song later appeared on the band's 1987 compilation album The Best of The Beau Brummels 1964–1968...
." The album also includes renditions of "Nine Pound Hammer," a Merle Travis
Merle Travis
Merle Robert Travis was an American country and western singer, songwriter, and musician born in Rosewood, Kentucky. His lyrics often discussed the life and exploitation of coal miners. Among his many well-known songs are "Sixteen Tons", "Re-Enlistment Blues" and "Dark as a Dungeon"...
original which the band performed on their 1967 Triangle
Triangle (The Beau Brummels album)
Triangle is the fourth studio album by American rock band The Beau Brummels. Produced by Lenny Waronker and released in July 1967, it was the band's first album to include songs that vocalist Sal Valentino and guitarist Ron Elliott composed together...
album, and "Turn Around," a track from the band's 1968 Bradley's Barn
Bradley's Barn
-Personnel:* David Briggs – keyboards* Kenny Buttrey – drums* Ron Elliott – guitar, vocals* Norbert Putnam – bass* Jerry Reed – guitar* Sal Valentino – vocals-External links:* [ Bradley's Barn] at Allmusic...
album. The remaining 13 songs were new compositions at the time of recording, 11 of which were written or co-written by Ron Elliott. In addition, Ron Meagher ("Lonely People") and Declan Mulligan ("Lisa") each contributed one song. A handful of the new tracks were re-worked for and appeared on the band's 1975 eponymous studio album
The Beau Brummels (album)
The Beau Brummels is the sixth studio album by the American rock band of the same name. Released in April 1975, the album features the work of all five original bandmembers for the first time since the band's debut album, 1965's Introducing the Beau Brummels. The album peaked at number 180 on the U.S...
, as was the band's 1965 single "You Tell Me Why."
Release and reception
Released August 29, 2000, Live! was the debut release by Dig Music, a music label based in Sacramento.The label's owners—Marty DeAnda, Jeff Hughson, and Dennis Newhall—licensed the material from the band, and ensured the performances were not recorded during the time when the Beau Brummels were under contract to Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
.
Hughson noted that as a result of the album, the band "reunited to perform at San Francisco’s BayPop 2000, then went on to play more dates in New York for us." He added, "Plus Ron Elliott started writing again. He had not written songs in 18 years, and as a result of listening to these tapes and getting enthused again, we got him back into it."
In his review of the album, Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
writer Charles Bermant said, "the best material here is the spirited and melodic 'new' songs, driven by Sal Valentino's pure voice and (former bassist) Declan Mulligan's spry lead guitar."
Bermant also noted Elliott's incorporation of bossa nova
Bossa nova
Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students...
and reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
into the band's style.
Allmusic writer Bruce Eder said that while Live! is a "decent" album, "it isn't remotely the revelation that one would expect or wish for -- the producers might at least have been more honest by foregoing the exclamation point."
Track listing
- "Nine Pound Hammer" (Travis) — 3:52
- "You Tell Me WhyYou Tell Me Why"You Tell Me Why" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels, from the band's second album, The Beau Brummels, Volume 2. The song was written by guitarist Ron Elliott and produced by Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone. "You Tell Me Why" was released as the album's lead single, and...
" (Elliott) — 3:34 - "Turn Around/Singing Cowboy" (Elliott, Durand) — 8:01
- "Gate of Hearts" (Elliott) — 3:18
- "Lonely People" (Meagher) — 4:19
- "Music Speaks Louder" (Elliott) — 2:49
- "Lisa" (Mulligan) — 3:01
- "Tennessee Walker" (Elliott) — 4:34
- "Don't Talk to StrangersDon't Talk to Strangers (song)"Don't Talk to Strangers" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels, released as the second single from the band's second album, The Beau Brummels, Volume 2. The song later appeared on the band's 1987 compilation album The Best of The Beau Brummels 1964–1968...
" (Elliott, Durand) — 2:21 - "Laugh, LaughLaugh, Laugh"Laugh, Laugh" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels, written by guitarist Ron Elliott and produced by Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone. Released in December 1964 as the band's debut single, the song reached number 15 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart the following February...
" (Elliott) — 3:15 - "Lonesome Town" (Elliott) — 3:09
- "Free" (Elliott, Engle) — 3:45
- "Man and Woman Kind" (Elliott, Engle) — 4:50
- "Restless Soul" (Elliott) — 3:29
- "Her Dream Alley" (Elliott) — 2:34
- "City Girl" (Elliott, Engle) — 3:29
- "Paper Plane" (Elliott) — 2:59
- "Just a LittleJust a Little (The Beau Brummels song)"Just a Little" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels. The song is included on the band's debut album, Introducing the Beau Brummels, and was released as its second single, following "Laugh, Laugh". "Just a Little" became the band's highest-charting U.S. single, peaking at number eight...
" (Elliott, Durand) — 2:51 - "Love Can Fall" (Elliott, Engle) — 4:47
External links
- [ Live!] at Allmusic