Bathed In Lightning: John McLaughlin, the 60s and the Emerald Beyond

[A Lark Ascending]

Noticed a letter from author Colin Harper in Jazzwise yesterday.

Harper wrote a superb bio of Bert Jansch ('Dazzling Stranger') that did more than tell his tale but set it in the context of his hinterland. Hopefully he can pull off the same here (preferably without comments on McLaughlin's relationship to the instabilities of late capitalism!).

Some details here:

http://www.colin-harper.com/news/.

Due in 2014 I believe (Edit: Feb or March).

Edited September 17, 2013 by A Lark Ascending

[mjzee]

This looks exciting. Although I know a little about McLaughlin in the '60's (Extrapolation, Things We Like, Where Fortune Smiles), I've always thought of him as more of a New York musician, hearing his playing really come alive through Miles, Devotion and Lifetime. It'll be interesting to read about all the musicians swirling through the London "scene" in the '60's.

[sidewinder]

Wonder what Petula Clark has to say about him !

[A Lark Ascending]

She met him downtown, apparently. Gave him some advice on where not to sleep.

[danasgoodstuff]

Yes, but did she say "Call me"?

[A Lark Ascending]

Due this week.

Looks like its going to be as interesting for the light shed (that bathing was a good idea) on the Brit jazz scene of the 60s as for the rise of McLaughlin up to his incarnation as Mahavishnu man (man).

Edited March 22, 2014 by A Lark Ascending

[CJ Shearn]

Wow, sounds like a great read, I never knew much about the pre '69 McLaughlin either. He played in a group with Jimmy Page, when they were young, right? Also with Dick Heckstall Smith and Jon Hiseman?

[erwbol]

I'm disappointed the Kindle edition contains bonus chapters not in the paperback.

Edited March 28, 2014 by erwbol

[A Lark Ascending]

Wow, sounds like a great read, I never knew much about the pre '69 McLaughlin either. He played in a group with Jimmy Page, when they were young, right? Also with Dick Heckstall Smith and Jon Hiseman?

Not sure of the details (yet!) but he was very much in that 60s Blues Rock scene (and elsewhere too!). Am looking forward to reading the story written by a good writer.

My copy got dispatched today. Will make a nice Easter holidays read.

[Head Man]

My copy got dispatched today. Will make a nice Easter holidays read.

You and me both! Looking forward to this.

[sidewinder]

Will be interesting to hear what initial review reports you guys come up with before I send the Amazonians some dosh..

[A Lark Ascending]

I'm disappointed the Kindle edition contains bonus chapters not in the paperback.

My copy just arrived. It says at the back that the extra material in the e-version will also be available to download at some point so as not to penalise those who bought the print version.

Nice fat book of nearly 500 pages. The first half is set in Britain up to '68.

[erwbol]

I'm disappointed the Kindle edition contains bonus chapters not in the paperback.

My copy just arrived. It says at the back that the extra material in the e-version will also be available to download at some point so as not to penalise those who bought the print version.

Nice fat book of nearly 500 pages. The first half is set in Britain up to '68.

Free of charge?

[A Lark Ascending]

No idea.

Imagine the publishers would only allow it to grow to a certain length bookwise but that Harper wanted to get the other material out.

[erwbol]

It's currently only possible to view inside the Kindle. According to the link in your initial post the word count of the Kindle is practically double. Are both the bonus chapters and the appendices missing from your paperback?

[A Lark Ascending]

Yup.

Goes as far as Afterword.

Says there's another 105 000 words in the bonus part.

[Head Man]

Yup.

Goes as far as Afterword.

Says there's another 105 000 words in the bonus part.

Oh, that's disappointing.....I'd like to have read the extra chapters (I don't own a Kindle).

I wonder if this is a foretaste of things to come....?

[A Lark Ascending]

Read the first few chapters.

Interesting, though I've a few worries. Reads like the joining together of his research notes and quotes, sometimes not exactly flowing. A paragraph appears out of nowhere just mentioning a daughter born, marriage, then another daughter. Then back to the musical events. Seems like it was dropped in.

There's also mention of '[trumpeter] Tubby Hayes'. Proof reading?

Early days though.

Edited March 29, 2014 by A Lark Ascending

[sidewinder]

There's also mention of '[trumpeter] Tubby Hayes'. Proof reading?

Oh dear...

[A Lark Ascending]

I think Harper is a rock/folk journalist primarily. Maybe his jazz knowledge is not so strong. Though this seems to be a rather large howler that should have been picked up by someone checking his script.

I'm enjoying reading it (much more than the Heining book that covers the same era which was probably the worst book I've read this century!). At present it's laying the foundations in the 50s/60s (just got to Graham Bond). Just fear it's going to go a bit hagiographic later on.

I can remember the Mahavishnu Orchestra appearing in the the early 70s (saw them on Disco Two or The Old Grey Whistle Test, can't recall which) in 1972. At that time they could do no wrong and were treated as almost the Second Coming. Then, as they became superstars, critical opinion shifted and they were denounced as excessive, all technique and no heart etc - I suspect that had more to do with the British rock press reaction against 'clever' rock in general and their search for 'authenticity' in the likes of pub rock and The Stooges, a route that would lead to The Third Coming in the person of the Sex Pistols and punk.

I get the impression that Harper is a bit locked into the first mindset. Might be wrong.

I enjoyed (and continue to enjoy) the first MO but they never touched me the way King Crimson or Henry Cow did. The one time I saw them (Bristol Colston Hall, June 1973) it was very exciting at first but overlong and the orgasmic ecstasy started to wear a bit thin after a while. Never had any time for the spirituality stuff but I was freshly lapsed at that time so there was no chance it was going to wash.

Edited March 30, 2014 by A Lark Ascending

[sidewinder]

The BBC Mahavishnu Orchestra was on OGWT either in 1972 or 73. 'Jazz Britannia' has a short clip of this and I seem to recall the Beeb broadcasting the whole thing some years ago. Rick Laird on bass, if my memory is right.

[Jazzjet]

I've got a tape (transferred to DVD) of the MO 'Live at the BBC'. Not sure whether it was OGWT or something like 'Rock Goes To College'. I'll have to dig it out. I've got the Harper book on Kindle but haven't got round to reading it yet (there are something like 50 books on my reading list on the Kindle, a lot of them music books, so God knows when I'll reach it!). I'm looking forward to insights on the early years though. The late 50s through to the early 70s were a golden period for British jazz (and, arguably, music in general) and need a proper review. I also have reservations about Heining which was a bit of a missed opportunity. There's 'Innovations in British Jazz' by John Wickes (OOP) but it was rather haphazard to say the least. For the very early years I can recommend 'The Restless Generation' by Pete Frame. More about the 50s popular music scene than jazz but the early sections on bop, trad, skiffle etc are fascinating.

[Head Man]

For the very early years I can recommend 'The Restless Generation' by Pete Frame. More about the 50s popular music scene than jazz but the early sections on bop, trad, skiffle etc are fascinating.

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll give it a go!

[A Lark Ascending]

Yes, the Frame book is very good.

So far (I'm up to '64) it's more about the London R'n B scene. Probably because there's not a great deal to work with - that should come later.

McLaughlin comes across as a rather quite, intense young man. The most exciting thing he's done so far is fall off the stage on a chair after taking something he shouldn't have.

Interesting to read about his initial musical influences - mostly classical and flamenco! Though he seemed to be an omnivore.

[A Lark Ascending]

The recurring theme of the early part of the book is that no matter how much some musicians might have wanted to play jazz, very few could make a living that way. Where, for a time in the early/mid 60s R'n B could pay the bills. So in someone like McLaughlin's case the blues thing was as much necessity as choice.

Finding the section on the session world of the mid-60's very interesting.

Though JM still seems to have only a walk on part in his own bio. It's almost as if Harper was planning another book and has used the material to flesh out a time when there's not a lot of evidence about the man himself.

I'm sure that will change as he emerges as a more front line player.

Edited April 6, 2014 by A Lark Ascending