Glen Campbell: Outlaw!

hahahaha.
awesome.

Need I say more?

Campbell is a nut, he has been busted on drugs and booze before and started dating Tanya Tucker when she was of legal age.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39522000/jpg/_39522324_campbell_ap_203.jpg

I like the camera trainee taking a picture of the nape of Campbell's neck there.

For the record I'm a huge fan of his, have his Capitol double CD collection, and am very partial to his duet with Bobbie Gentry, "Morning Glory" as well as the Webb stuff and other odds and ends like "Hey Little One."

extreme drunken driving

New album album of covers, Meet Glen Campbell. Hmmmn.
Tracklisting:

1. 'Jesus' (Velvet Underground)
2. 'All I Want Is You' (U2)
3. 'Times Like These' (Foo Fighters)
4. 'Grow Old With Me' (John Lennon)
5. 'Angel Dream' (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)
6. 'Sadly Beautiful' (The Replacements)
7. 'Sing' (Travis)
8. 'These Days' (Jackson Browne)
9. 'Walls (Circus)' (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)
10. 'Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)' (Green Day)

I like the idea of him doing 'Walls'. The tracklist doesn't make me cringe...but what's his voice like these days?

VU+Lennon+Replacements songs = thumbs up
"Times Like These"+"Sing"+Green Day song = who the hell suggested these?

I'm v.curious about the Green Day cover - attempts to picture it in my head end up with more of a Johnny Cash vibe - is this his answer to all those latterday Cash records, or has he/other country veterans already done that?

Really looking forward to hearing "These Days".

Oh my God. This is going to be incredible! I am so down with this. Sadly Beautiful is the one I want to hear first.

I always knew he should get the Johnny Cash treatment. When does this come out?

this sounds like it could be really good but I hate that fuckin Green Day song so so bad

this sounds pretty awful, but then again i'm totally sick of these kinds of albums.

Glen Campbell was in True Grit???

3 songs are streaming at the glencampbellshow.com

Without doubt, the single most anticipated record of the summer, perhaps the decade. It's got the potential to bring the music industry to its knees, people! Kneel before Glen campbell.

Glen is back, baby. Yes.

Listening to it now! He´s giving it the Johnny Cash treatment, with all these covers. Except it doesn´t sound sparse like Cash, it´s rocky and jingle-jangly. Had much rather seen him do new songs of his own, but hey, it's really nice to hear his voice again.

Thankfully, based on the streaming tracks this is nothing at all like the "Johnny Cash treatment." There's nothing ironic about it, he's not imposing himself on these songs, they're more just like straight-up covers which is kinda nice.

Except these three songs are lame to begin with.

There are some more interesting songs on the new record that aren't streaming. Sadly Beautiful by the Replacements and Velvet Underground Jesus are two.

His version of Jackson Browne's (& Nico's) "These Days" is easily the best thing I've heard all year. "Jesus" is perhaps the 2nd best thing I've heard all year. The rest of the LP is less giant-killing, but still pretty impressive. His voice is still a thing of great power & beauty.

he actually does U2 pretty well, too. a return to the Al DeLoryisms of yore, right down to cinematic sweep of strings and some terse Glen guitar solos where all he does is play the melody. Not so hot on the Westerberg tune and of course that fucking Green Day song is the "Send in the Clowns" of, yeecchh. Pretty good record.

this album is too Middle of the Road too be really good,( but it could be worse, too)

wow

Ghost On The Canvas sees Campbell capping his brilliant career with one of his most moving and energized works to date, a powerfully emotional song cycle that sees him accompanied by a truly dazzling line-up of songwriters and musicians. Among the tunesmiths contributing original songs to the collection are such modern luminaries as Paul Westerberg, Jakob Dylan, Robert Pollard, and Teddy Thompson, backed by a roster of players that includes Chris Isaak, Dick Dale, Billy Corgan, Brian Setzer, Rick Nielsen, Roger Manning, and The Dandy Warhols. The album is produced by Julian Raymond, who also co-wrote a number of new songs with Campbell.

Jakob Dylan is a modern luminary? I always look forward to new Glen Campbell though.

That's from an e-mailed publicist's press sheet

I figured as much, Jakob Dylan really sticks out like a sore thumb here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMjWJawuLig

I never knew he was in the Beach Boys, but I've never claimed to know much about Glen Campbell or the Beach Boys.

Guys, this album is pretty fucking good.

It's a goodbye album and it's real emotionally charged.

really? i'd kind of written it off along with everything GC has done since he sobered up.

maybe i'm an old softie but i just gave it a quick spotify listen and i thought it was lovely and am looking forward to listening again.

Meet Glen Campbell was also really great. especially his version of These Days

i think his voice sounds not-good lately.

that "ghost on the canvas" track has been playlisted pretty heavily over the last few weeks on R2, and you know, it never fails to make me have one of those 'ooooh this is good .. moments

I was surprised by this, I really like and it is very emotionally charged with his mind slipping away from him. Will this have a vinyl release? I don't really buy cds much these days?

so is anyone catching the farewell tour? there are shows scheduled through MAY. kinda makes me queasy.

Caught him in London I was very happy to see him again, but he has definitely deteriorated since even 2 years ago which was the last time I saw him. Not in voice or guitar playing quality, but there are some awkward moments where he'll forget if he's played a track already or repeat a joke.... he's being backed by his kids though who keep him on track, but that just adds to the sadness even more.

and Glen Campbell is fucking sad music already. all things combined it was ULTRA SAD MIDDLE AGED MEN AND ME CLOSE TO TEARS THROUGHOUT.

setlist for this tour is a variation on this:

Gentle on My Mind
Galveston
By the Time I Get to Phoenix
Try a Little Kindness
Walls
Where's the Playground Susie
Dreams of the Everyday Housewife
It's Only Make Believe
True Grit
Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)
Dueling Banjos
Rollin' in My Sweet Baby's Arms
The Moon's a Harsh Mistress
Southern Nights
In My Arms
Wichita Lineman
Rhinestone Cowboy

ENCORE

It's Your Amazing Grace
A Better Place

when he started The Moon's A Harsh Mistress a guy below me let out a moan that was 45% pleasure 55% pain of the SADNESS. but yeah, you'll regret it if you don't go. it's Glen Motherfucking Campbell.

this was near to my top ten for the year.
i'd love to see him live and i'm afraid i've waited too long. calling ticketmaster now.

yep, sold out. fuck. sending a zillion emails to a zillion people now; hope somebody lets me give them money.

Was thinking about this this morning. If forks can't get in, then what chance do mere mortals have?

i FEEL mortal

Did you get to go, forks?

no...
eternal regret

Yup.

Going to give this last album a listen. From the description it sounds like it is going to be something like the Arthur Alexander comeback album.

it's very good.

The youtube upthread sounded pretty good.

This thing is gonna make me ;__; I can tell.

um yes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvZGU-5W2zs

That's the Guided By Voices song? Yes, I see it is.

Solo on "There's No Me WIthout You" sounds exactly like "Maybe I'm Amazed."

Forgot the "..." in the title.

Just saw "Ghost on the Canvas" on a cable video channel. This is nice. Sappy and melancholy but in a good way, and catchy.

Someone posted the video for it upthread.

I still need to look at this other thread:

RFI: pre-"Rhinestone Cowboy" Glen Campbell

Due to popular demand, we have added a second show for GLEN CAMPBELL, Tue. Apr. 17, tickets on sale Fri. 2/10 at Noon. There are only a handful of tickets left for the Wed. Apr. 18 show, and those are on sale now. Don't miss Glen's “The Goodbye Tour”!Tue. Apr. 17: GLEN CAMPBELL $75.00

Do I want to do this for my birthday? Oh yeah, my son has a baseball game.

take him

he played Carnegie Hall, not close to sold out. Shoulda gone.

http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/culture/2012/10/6538242/fond-farewell-glen-campbell-carnegie-hall

These are his last shows, but this farewell tour has gone on for nearly a year and a half at this point.

as long as there's sumthin in the tank...

this one gets grief for period sexism, but I don't think so at all

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LonUQ5o-vLc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8YazOALrCo

he had to cancel his tour b/c his alzheimer's has progressed quickly. :(

his cover of "White Lightning" was the first version I heard (when I was 6 or 7).

he played Carnegie Hall, not close to sold out. Shoulda gone.
You and me both.

Holy Smokes at that duet with Stevie Wonder.

i worked an Alzheimer's event this week where they presented Glen w/ an award and showed clips from an upcoming documentary about his final tour from the producer of Groundhog Day, looked pretty good.

thanks for that youtube

bbc doc screened this evening was good

Had no idea that was Glen playing the backwards guitar on Nancy & Lee's 'Sand' (predating the Beatles' "Rain" too!)

USA Today has a poignant feature interview with Glen today:
As memory dims, Glen Campbell plays on

how's the new ine?

on3

great piece there.

"I got to play with the big guys, the Wrecking Crew," he says. "They just blew me away. I learned a lot of stuff from those guys. The band was just super. We did songs with Frank Sinatra, everybody. And if they made mistakes, we made fun of them. 'What's the matter? Can't keep up?' We didn't care how many takes we did. We got paid by the hour!"

He laughs. "That was the most fun I had since being born, the most incredible part of my career."

My wife and I had tickets to see the farewell last summer -- and two days before our 5 year-old broke her arm so we had to cancel. Still haven't forgiven her.

The new record–See You There–is pretty great, btw.

"Rhinestone Cowboy" on this is devastating -- trio consisting of voice, guitar and amp noise.

http://open.spotify.com/track/523XkEd2xiVbZ2HdXI4MTU

Jesus Christ that's great

i don't know about the 'lineman' redo

the original arrangement is all-time

Incredible.

http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/glen-campbells-battle-alzheimers-last-recorded-song-n220031

bloody hell, that brings a tear to the eye.

what a gorgeous song.

The documentary was just on TV, it is very painful to watch. The idea on the surface seems horribly exploitative, a farewell tour when he is suffering from Alzheimer's. But after seeing the documentary, it's pretty clear that's not the case. The music really did keep him going, and his family was there with him throughout the tour.

It's incredible to see how he could still play guitar and remember the lyrics, when he couldn barely remember the names of his children. It's a powerful film about a brutal disease.

Yeah, it's v moving

I watched the first half & was like oh yeah I can do this I'll be fine - second half? I am an ugly-crying mess curled up on the sofa

It is fascinating how innate the music is to him, as you mention

Like it's somehow protected by the degradation. I wonder how that happens. Fascinating to see

& his voice still sounds great!

Yes. It shows just how monumentally talented he is, as a guitar player and singer.

Sadly, you can really see the disease progress in the doc. At the beginning he's fine, with a sense of humor about things. But that's all gone towards the end, when he is afraid and paranoid.

I did not care for the last song he did, that was the one time it struck a wrong note.

His wife is kinda um in many places
overall, strong film

This letter from Jimmy Webb is posted on the Glen Campbell website.

I visited my friend Glen Campbell Wednesday in Nashville. Laura and Kim Campbell were there as well. You may be aware that Glen has bravely been living with Alzheimer’s Disease. Along with his strong and courageous wife, they have changed the face of Alzheimer’s forever. The world watched as Glen traveled from city to city, to continue doing what he loves to do: perform and share his music. Doctors were amazed at how the music and activity appeared to slow the pace of the disease for awhile. With his family, they showed the world that you don’t have to hide when you become ill. They raised awareness, and in turn, funds for Alzheimer’s research.

Glen is currently residing in a memory support community—it reminded me of one of the nice hotels he would stay at while on tour. Kim has found this place for Glen that is safe, where he is cared for 24 hours a day. The ratio of caregivers to residents astounded me–he is never alone. And there are only 17 other residents; his neighbors are former lawyers, doctors, teachers and others who are living with the same challenges that dementia brings. Glen has been my friend for a long time and I love him like a brother. I am sure that Kim has made the right choices for and with my friend of 50 years.

Glen has his private room and bathroom, all decorated by Kim with custom paint, lots of photos murals and framed memorabilia. The place is bright and clean. He loves color and still wears his blue suede shoes from time to time! The memory center has elaborate arrangements for activities. There are many different rooms and spaces for him to experience each day, each furnished tastefully and safely.

There is an airy screened-in porch where Glen likes to sit and where we visited with him. He has a full time care-er, Brody. Brody is in his early twenties with long blond hair–he looks like a surfer! Brody is patient and kind. He plays the guitar with and for Glen. They sing, they walk around the grounds and converse almost constantly. We instantly fell for Brody and thanked him for the care he gives to Glen and the important breaks he gives Kim so she can rest and work.

Glen has always been a happy guy and a jokester. He still is. For longer than I’d like to remember, he has imitated Donald Duck and during the visit, he did his Donald voice for us. He sings in a low register all the way to high clear notes that are reminiscent of the performances we are all familiar with. He seems almost to go from song to song, under his breath at times. He looked at me after singing one song and said, “that was a good song wasn’t it?” Music is still at the very center of who he is. It is almost as though he is giving a never-ending performance.

The last thing he said to me when it was time for us to go was, “Was it a good one?” like he used to say to me at the end of a concert. That phrase made me think that he recognized me, that and the fact that he said my name to Kim and Laura when I left the room briefly.

He sees his family all of the time; Kim and two of his younger children live just a few minutes away. And his oldest daughter Debby was visiting just the day before.

He is loved. He is cared for. He is respected. And most of all, he has his dignity. We can all be comforted by that.

Yours very truly,

Jimmy L. Webb

<
It sounds a bit like the memory care place that my father-in-law is in currently

About as good as you can hope for with such a cruel disease

The stuff in the movie where he got paranoid & afraid of shadows was v much our experience with my FiL, v hard to watch

all that sounds too familiar. I saw Webb's facebook update and was impressed at how he responded personally to almost everyone who commented on the thread, many of whom were sharing similar stories.

the documentary about his final tour is now on netflix if anyone wants to make themselves sad.

Saw that. Can't bring myself to watch it yet.

It's a rough watch. Heartbreaking but well done.

Watching now.

Heartbreaking is right

His birthday yesterday.

IIRC the glen campbell goodtime hour special is getting a DVD release soon.

spotted Glen pretending to be Steve McQueen's sideman in Baby the Rain Must Fall

And he's gone

http://www.rollingstone.com/country/news/glen-campbell-dead-at-81

Hardly surprising, obviously, but still awfully sad. One of the great singers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTbTHlTmDX8

RIP.

:(

I love Glen. Beautiful voice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExxrB-E4oBo

Oh man that sucks. Hardly unexpected but still.

loved this one. nothing else like it. RIP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VecunpIqlg0

The fact that he had a TV show (actually two) from '68-72 meant he was one of the first country-pop singers I heard (Cash shortly after). My dad bought at least 3 or 4 of the '68-71 LPs, and looking at the track listing for Gentle on My Mind, that means he was the first singer I heard do "Dock of the Bay," "Words," Jacques Brel, etc.

(Hardin's "Reason to Believe" too)

There seemed to follow after him or maybe overlap a number of copycat shows hosted by one-hit wonder country singers of limited duration such as The Jim Stafford Show and The Jud Strunk Show.

RIP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_Yj9oHikgY

Think he ended up resenting doing the show because they let him play guitar less and less. (Think something similar happened with Nat King Cole and the piano, the not playing part)

rip, wichita still one of the greatest love songs of all timenx

oh Glen ... so long buddy <3

I love this one - gives me a beautiful soaring Orbison-esque vibe of longing

https://youtu.be/JijBzCUxYkc

RIP, Glen. You were my first employer as a writer. We we all in awe of your musicality. https://t.co/WjvYWGNGl7

— Steve Martin (@SteveMartinToGo) August 8, 2017

RIP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wEvENJpVSA

RIP. His '68 television show is one of the first things I remember - not just my memory of television, but of anything.

Funny, solid, and handsome in True Grit. RIP.

Been relistening to the (quite excellent) UK comp The Capitol Years: 65-77 here. Stellar work indeed, and a lot of his quieter guitar performances are standing out in particular.

I mean, jeebus, this ain't perfect, but it's incredible:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxoJkDQdNBI

I've always kinda liked Glen but find the added strings / backing vocals / shmaltz unappealing. Johnny Cash has his prison albums that strip all that away and let the songs and voice shine, does Glen have anything similar?

the earnest schmaltz is kinda the point imo

otm

like even up to the final recordings...his takes on stuff like "Hold On Hope" and "Ghost on the Canvas" are all about drama and excess

I'm glad he didn't get Rick Rubinized into doing some sort of gritty thing

Cash has as much shtick as Campbell putatively does.

Oh, 100%.

It doesn't sound like shtick tho, which is kinda impt when listening to music. To most ppl, anyway. That aside love this guy, RIP, thanks for that video Josh

Been relistening to the (quite excellent) UK comp The Capitol Years: 65-77 here. Stellar work indeed, and a lot of his quieter guitar performances are standing out in particular.

That is indeed a super comp.

Although it doesn't have "The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress" on it, which is a crime. The "Reunion" album with Jimmy Webb is a masterpiece.

that's one of my favorite songs bu I prefer the Judy Collins version

Moon's absence from the comp is a fact I have dwelled on over the years.

That live Galveston guitar solo is jaw-dropping.

As far as stripped-down versions of the hits go... This?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/See_You_There

I have six hours of Glen Campbell music on my iPod, and this is in my not-so-humble opinion his finest song, his definitive cover of Both Sides Now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97C7swvyUYI

listening to the southern nights album this morning was struck by how much the "god only knows" intro is pretty much everything mercury rev was going for on Deserter's Songs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zvwSUh3Cl8
really great version.

he had one of the best ominous mug shots EVER. he also had one of the best country music childhoods. dire poverty. 11 siblings. sharecropper daddy. they ate a lot of squirrel.

"Police said Campbell's mood swung from combative to congenial and back to combative, including a kicking assault on a sergeant and a short jailhouse concert."

That's his Scottish genes in operation right there.

NYT obit mentions that the network asked him to stop booking so many country acts on the variety show (after one when he had Merle, Johnny and Buck on).

The one where Merle does all the imitations which is posted in the obit thread?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6q2hsdXenQ

Jimmy Webb: https://www.facebook.com/JimmyWebbMusic/posts/1812201325474480

re the AC interview, Glen Campbell's Goodtime Seder woulda been a nice special.

re his bio, someone was just telling me how he was apparently older than a lot of the other wrecking crew guys. He had been part of his family band for so many years and was just playing in other pick up bands in Phoenix before somebody invited him out LA, or convinced him to go west.

Wait, switch that around. He was one of the younger members of The Wrecking Crew, but even then he had still spent all these years as a child guitar prodigy just playing in bands in Arizona and wherever before going session. Maybe it's in the Blaine book, but I guess Tommy would get all the technical stuff, because he was a legendary reader, but Glen would get the more rock and roll guitar stuff.

He didn't make it till he was over 30.

Maybe it's in the Blaine book, but I guess Tommy would get all the technical stuff, because he was a legendary reader, but Glen would get the more rock and roll guitar stuff.

Same with Jimmy Page. I forget the name of the other, older guitarist, but between the two of them they handled tons of London sessions. The older guy would often get the jazzier technical stuff, Jimmy Page would get the rockier stuff, and whichever one wasn't handling electric would play acoustic. Though sometimes they would swap electric/acoustic duties, just for kicks.

Big Jim Sullivan? Jimmy P was known as Little Jim.

As featured in the Horrible Album Titles Like... thread

https://img.discogs.com/u54gEyAqxuz-o1rNZclshxAWdus=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/R-5139349-1385562371-2680.jpeg.jpg

Keep hearing about the great Roger Miller stories he had, but as far as I know not one actual story has surfaced.

Weird Jimmy Webb comparing him to Paul McCartney.

Scott on WFMU is doing an all-guess-what show

http://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/74323

(actually just the first 40 mins i think)

Finally saw the documentary... some of the editing annoyed me, cutting into songs for the talking heads, but obviously it's an honest tearjerker.

So this newly unearthed album Sings For The King

Live with Leon Russell in 1983. Amazing stuff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNtxlKmNUFk

Well it’s worth clicking thru. Just incredible music paired with early 80s local access TV production from Hamilton Ontario.

Big fan of his voice and guitar playing of course, but some hits just never gelled with me. Now I am giving them another chance.

Such as
“Dreams of the Everyday Housewife”

Or
“True Grit”

The latter is pretty good and was a number one country hit in Canada.

Even
“Gentle on My Mind”

This last being the theme of the Goodtime Hour, I must have heard it dozens of times if not hundreds but usually kind of tuned it out.

Even something like
“Rhinestone Cowboy”

Which I previously dismissed as some kind of novelty song.

Or
“Southern Nights”
despite Allen Toussaint

I will probably get dinged for not liking these songs all along.

And I am still working on
“Honey, Come Back”

Which was a pretty big hit and written by Jimmy Webb! Who knew?

I will probably get dinged for not liking these songs all along.

Quite right too.

(xp) Everyone!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_Yj9oHikgY

But I don't care.