The Great Society-- What do you guys think?

[jimmie ray]

I kinda assumed Europeans like Techno music, based on what the immigrants (from there) who live around here (New York) listen to. I did see a few Hot Tuna tours in France and Italy posted on their website in the last 5 years.
Love the Yardbirds, their influences / influence, and what their guitarists achieved afterwards, by the way. "Wish You Would" was covered wonderfully by them and Hot Tuna, each in their own way...

[PsychedelicRabbit]

The Great Society is really good, in my opinion. I can't tell you if the guitarist hit the wrong note or if the drummer sounded horrible; I have no idea about any of that stuff. I just know that it's catchy and I like it. I know Grace and some people have said that it's not that great of a band and that the musicians weren't professional, but it's still good music to me. I love it.

P.S. ~ Apparently you're all on another subject, but I just wanted to say that, lol.

[graceslick]

I totally agree that the Great Society were a really good band. When I first read some of Grace's comments that they couldn't really play any of their instruments and weren't that good, I kinda expected the songs to be a bit basic, not so well played, and pretty much like what my own music is like a lot of the time! (Cause UNLIKE the Great Society, I actually CAN'T play my instruments, heheh)

But yeah, when I heard the songs, I was impressed. No bum notes that I could hear...Grace sang great, as usual...and it was all LIVE, which is even more impressive.

I particularly like Nature Boy (I bought my own recorder to learn after being inspired by their recorder duet, but have yet to actually commence learning. See?! Another instrument I can't play!), White Rabbit, Somebody to Love, and Didn't Think So.

And although I do NOT like the song, That's How It Is, I do love the bit near the begining when they're all laughing while singing...

[nicktecky]

I'm with Grace. What I hear on "Collector's Item" is a good backing band. Absolutely nothing wrong with that, but not to be compared with any of the great virtuoso bands. Sorry guys, but playing live was no excuse, everybody had to play live! Not that GS are in bad company, listen to early Beatles tracks and you will hear the same boom-chacka drum line and walking bass.
We all like to play 'what if' and my current favourite is what if Grace had stayed with GS? In my book she had one of the greatest female voices in popular music (cf. Aretha, Dusty). They could have been the Blondie of the 60's, but with Grace's voice so much stronger than Debbie Harry, there could have been no limit to their influence. Think of Grace bringing Billie Holiday to stadium rock, it makes my spine shiver just to imagine it!!!
Ultimately one of the darker sides of the 60s music scene was how female artists faired.

[PsychedelicRabbit]

I think if she had stayed with GS, it still wouldn't have lasted long. The personal relationships, from my understanding, seemed very strained at the end there. I think she would have gone out and done a solo career with a new backing band, though. And it's weird, because the version of STL and WR that are popular are the versions JA did. It would be quite different if she hadn't have joined JA like she did...

[SuperSlick66]

I love The Great Society's music! I have Conspicuous Only in its Absence on vinyl. God is Grace amazing on the tracks!! I need to get the other albums.

[CookOfTheHouse]

After a very long struggle, I finally managed to get The Great Society's live performance included on "San Franciscan Nights Volume 3", which is not the same as Collector's Item. It's always been one of my favourite bands and they're as good as ever on this performance, also at The Matrix.

[Egg Crisis]

After a very long struggle, I finally managed to get The Great Society's live performance included on "San Franciscan Nights Volume 3"

I got that. I was excited to see 3 songs in the tracklist I'd never heard of, but when I listened I was disappointed that Grace didn't sing on those ones.

[CookOfTheHouse]

After a very long struggle, I finally managed to get The Great Society's live performance included on "San Franciscan Nights Volume 3"

I got that. I was excited to see 3 songs in the tracklist I'd never heard of, but when I listened I was disappointed that Grace didn't sing on those ones.

I know!! But it was great anyway, those guys were an amazing band too, and they went psychedelic before the airplane... Does anybody know about any other tracks by them? Except for Colletor's Item, San Franciscan Nights or Born To Be Burn??

[Egg Crisis]

I was just searching and found this on Wolfgang's Vault of 3 Great Society live tracks from the Fillmore on 10th June 1966 but when I compared it it's quite clearly the same recordings as on Collector's Item - which is supposed to be recorded at the Matrix - but it's quite possible that some of it might have been recorded at the Fillmore too.

I also found a copy of an old magazine Cream Puff War here that has a long interview with The Great Society as well as some interesting information about recording dates. It also says that a 16-song recording exists from the Matrix "circa April'66" (they actually played the Matrix 15-19th March), and comparing the song titles, the 7 songs from San Franciscan Nights are from that recording. I wish we could hear the whole thing!
["Long Lost Lover" is the wrong title, it's actually called "Black Crow Blues" and it's a Bob Dylan cover. Also I think "Sure Lovin' Man", listed in that magazine as "Slow Movin' Man" should be called "Slow Lovin' Man".]

[CookOfTheHouse]

["Long Lost Lover" is the wrong title, it's actually called "Black Crow Blues" and it's a Bob Dylan cover. Also I think "Sure Lovin' Man", listed in that magazine as "Slow Movin' Man" should be called "Slow Lovin' Man".]

Yeah, I noticed some of the names were messed up, they also call "Didn't Think So" "Like A Raven" and "The Man In Black" Is actually "Darkly Smiling"! Thanks for the Great Society article!