Professor Mikey’s OLD SCHOOL

OS#71 “Hey! Hippie!”

Professor Mikey in the Old School, thanks for attending class today.Were you ever a hippie? Did you ever get called a hippie?I did. On the streets of Los Angeles back in the early 70s. By an old guy on a bicycle. I was minding my own business, letting my hair blow in the breeze, wearing a tie dye tshirt and bell bottom jeans that had a lot of patches. And Jesus boots, or sandals as they would eventually be known.I was so impressed. LA of all places. I was into it. I loved psychedelic music, I couldn’t wait for the next concert. Unlike a lot of hippies I had a job. And unlike a lot of people who had jobs, I worked on the air at a radio station that was so square and strait laced I had to wear a short hair wig. It was like a swimming cap with a fraternity haircut.But enough about my minor dishonesty in the name of staying employed and paying the rent. I could go to work and play Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Spirit, Country Joe and the Fish. You know. Hippy bands in there with the Archies and Bill Withers.Today’s internet often refers to hippie songs, but people who weren’t there have a tendency to get off track. They go for drug songs and anything that might mention peace or love. WHich is okay, but most of those miss the lifestyle and the actual ethos of Hippiedom.  The point about changing the world through love, becoming a vegetarian, and smoking pot that you grew yourself. In these next few songs, we are going to try to get back to the garden. This is not only where it’s at, it is were it was. Incense, love beads, tuning in, turning on, and dropping out. Within reason.Welcome to Old School #71. Sit anywhere. We are going to change the world, one doobie at a time. Its a unique time in/and space, that begins on Broadway and eventually hitches a ride to San Francisco.Pull back to reveal the Summer of Love, 1967. The atmosphere in the city where Tony Bennett misplaced his ticket is electric, thick with the scent of patchouli and the strumming of a thousand guitars. It may be California, but it’s a different state of mind altogether. It’s groovy, it’s laid back, it’s casual Friday for the cosmic universe.The streets of Haight-Ashbury are alive with Peter Max color, a swirling kaleidoscope of tie-dye, beads, and flowing fabrics that catch the sunlight as mostly young people wander with an almost dreamlike sense of purpose. We see bell-bottoms,  fringed vests, and crystal spectacles paired with peace signs, love beads, and flowers tucked into long, Beatles 2.0 hair. The fashion here craves statement over style in a rebellion against the buttoned-up norms of the previous decade.Everywhere you look art sprouts and erupts on the walls, on the clothing, even on the super high faces of the people all beautiful. Psychedelic posters tout Fillmore music happenings, where bands like Jefferson Airplane and The Grateful Dead are exploring night trips to the centers of the minds. Tangible good vibrations, a sense of unity and shared experiences draw crowds and converts at all hours. Strangers greet each other with “Peace” and “Love,” and it feels genuine, as if they’ve tapped into something deeper than just freaky holiday.The air is thick with the sweet middle earthy scent of cannibas, mingling with the spice of Nag Champa. Conversations drift from spiritual awakening to civil rights, to Lewis Carroll and chamomile. Many question the merits of meditation alongside the damnation of war. There’s a feeling that this generation is on the brink of something that could change the world (personal computers?) or at least their own reality.  It’s easy to lose yourself here, to be swept up in bedrock optimism, the sense that anything is possible. All you need is love.A new music spills out from every corner—birthed in raw inspiration and reverb, echoing the plugged-in heartbeat of this loosey-goosey movement, a soundtrack to revolution that will place flowers in rifle barrels. It’s a renaissance fair in Itchycoo Park that asks if you are going to be at the Love-In.HIPPIE PLAYLISTRENAISSANCE FAIR * The ByrdsITCHYCOO PARK * Small FacesARE YOU GOING TO BE THERE (AT THE LOVE-IN) * Chocolate WatchbandAQUARIUS * Original Broadway Cast of HAIRLOVE STREET * The DoorsGENTLE PEOPLE * Biff RoseSAN FRANCISCO (WEAR SOME FLOWERS IN YOUR HAIR) * Scott MackenzieHIPPIE FROM OLEMA * The YoungbloodsDON’T BOGART THAT JOINT * Fraternity of ManWHAT ABOUT ME? * Quicksilver Messenger ServiceCLOUD NINE * The TemptationsTHE HIPPIE ELEVATOR OPERATOR * The W. C. Fields Memorial Electric String BandEPISTLE TO DIPPY * DonovanCOME TO THE SUNSHINE * Van ParksWON’T YOU TRY/SATURDAY AFTERNOON * Jefferson AirplaneSAN FRANCISCAN NIGHTS * Eric Burdon and the Animals YOUNGER GENERATION * The Lovin’ SpoonfulLETS GET TOGETHER * Dino ValentiSECTION 43 * Country Joe and The Fish “The past is a blast.”Thanks for reading Professor Mikey's OLD SCHOOL! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit professormikey.substack.com/subscribe

OS#70 Monsters of the Surf Guitar #2

Surfs up again!  A few episodes back we heard from the Monsters of the Surf Guitar, them rocking reptiles and low-fi lizards that hit the beach with us just as things were warming up. As the summer went by, too fast as always, a lot of you made it evident you were craving more surf guitar, that twangy genre that ruled the charts in the early 60s just ahead of the British Invasion. If you haven't heard that episode, it has lots of gila monster history, ferocious feedback, and reptilian reverberation. Odds are pretty good if you dial back a few episodes to Old School Number 66, you’ll find it. But you don’t have to have heard that one to paddle out for this one. I was even thinking of making this a sleep tape. Could people really nod off to dreamland while rocking to the memories of surf, sleep, and Stratocasters?Most of these artists surfed the waves at Oblivion Beach, where their reputations came and went like the great waves at Wiamea bay. Can you dig it? We’ve got guitars that scream like a shark on a spree,And lizards that strum with wild jubilee.The crocs and the gators are ready to jam,With riffs so hot, they could fry a clam!So slide on your shades and hang ten with the best,Where the surf meets the scales and Black Lagoon Creature don’t rest.It’s a wild, wacky ride and its just aheadWith monsters and Fenders and creatures who shredCan you hang ten with the toes and the flying fins and fingers of the larapin lizards of the lost legends of the surfside sidewinders and their dreamy dinosaur dramas?I thought you could. The Original Surfaris start of this last set of the Old School Endless Summer with a track called EXOTIC. It’s the return of the Monsters of the Surf Guitar. Number Two. Just for you.MONSTER PLAYLIST🦖Exotic  THE ORIGINAL SURFARISGear  DAVE MYERS & THE SURFTONESThe Breeze and I  STEVE AND THE EMPERORSIshamatsu THE CENTURIONSEl Gato  THE CHANDELLESPressure  THE PYRAMIDS Surf Rider THE LIVELY ONESMidnight Surfer  JERRY COLE & HIS SPACEMENFugitive  JAN DAVISDance of the Ants  THE STRANGERSBongo Shutdown  NEW DIMENSIONSRam Charger  THE DELVETTSYep  THE SURFARIS Scorpion  THE VIBRANTSThe Gremmie Part 1  THE TORNADOESRampage  THE CHALLENGERSCheater Stomp  THE FABULOUS PLAYBOYSMoon Shot  KENNY & THE FRIENDSSurf Medley  THE VENTURESTravelers  SPANISH MOONProfessor Mikey's OLD SCHOOL is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and keep the dust off the vintage wax, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. “The past is a blast.” This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit professormikey.substack.com/subscribe

OS#69 Back to the Pool

Hey Professor Mikey here and I’m all wet! In this episode we head back to the summer of 1963 when swimming pools were cool and music was blasting over the loudspeaker. I held my breath and made this playlist from songs that would have made big splashes in the early part of the 60s, just before the British Invasion changed everything.Believe me, when you are under water it’s still all about that bass. So do some stupid tricks off the diving board, eat a cheeseburger in the water while the lifeguard isn’t looking, and bring some of your hottest tracks to slip into the poolside turntable.  It’s early 60s for you and me and we are back to the pool, fool!THE LOCOMOTION Little Eva HOT PASTRAMI The Dartells TWISTIN’ MATILDA Jimmy Soul THE WANDERER Dion and the Belmonts THE PEPPERMINT TWIST Joey Dee and the Starlighters WHIP IT ON ME Jessie Hill TWIST AND SHOUT The Isley Brothers DAUGHTER The Blenders DA DOO RON RON The Crystals EASIER SAID THAN DONE The Essex IF YOU WANT TO BE HAPPY Jimmy Soul HEATWAVE Martha and the Vandellas FINGERTIPS (Pts 1 &2) Stevie Wonder SALLY GO ROUND THE ROSES The Jaynettes IN DREAMS Roy Orbison C’MON AND SWIM Bobby Freeman WAH-WATUSI The Orlons YOU CAN’T SIT DOWN The Dovells MOCKINGBIRD Inez and Charlie Foxx DENISE Randy and the Rainbows COME GO WITH ME Dion and the Belmonts DEEP PURPLE Nino Tempo and April StevensWe want to thank Clark and Wolfman Jack for the special guest roles they played on this episode. The Turtles perform on Clark’s “Where the Action Is”Old School 69 Back to the Pool is just one of almost 70 Professor Mikey podcasts you can find online on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, wherever podcasts run free. With a little more restriction but an audience the world has never seen you can also hear select episodes on YouTube. The free newsletter will send love to your inbox and any given moment, you can subscribe at professormikey.substack.com.The early 60s rolled out over a mixed musical landscape that was just starting to think about things like civil rights, equal opportunities, and people hooking up with people. Change was in the air, and when it went in the jukebox it reflected the times with music that still resounds a half century or later.We close with a dreamy tune that gave a Hard Rock band their unforgettable name. Nino Tempo and April Stevens sing Deep Purple, and there is no smoke on the water. They are closing the pool for the night; it will be a while before the sun goes down and we climb the fence to sneak back in for a night swim. This is Professor Mikey. You stay forever young and forever cool when you keep it all inside the Old School. See you next time!Professor Mikey's OLD SCHOOL is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and to help champion the cause for older and better music, obscurities, and vicious vinyl, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. It’s really less than a used Terry Jacks album, especially if you only subscribe on YouTube. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit professormikey.substack.com/subscribe

OS#68 TEEN TRAGEDIES: Accidents Will Happen

Teenagers had been taking themselves out in automobile accidents for at least 30 years when the 50s rolled around. But they rarely sang about it.Prof Mikey here, welcome to a grim but thoughtful edition of Old School.Most of these gruesome goldies have arrived from a very different era. Back whey they were recorded, car accidents were the number one reason for death among teens aged 13-19. Today car crashes rank as the number 2 killer of youth. What could be number one?Cars were different in the 50s, just before they were declared “unsafe at any speed.” The windshields weren’t as unbreakable, there were no airbags, no excess safety padding. Just lots of metal and chrome. No pesky seat belts to sit on either.And coming semi-regularly from the push button AM radio scattered among the Top 40 classics were eerie little ballads about joy tides gone bad. Love was in the air, but rain and heartbreak were on the road.We are about to happen upon some love affair snuffed in tragic instances. When these songs were new they clogged the request lines. Fasten you seatbelt, its going to be a bumpy night. The is Professor Mikey’s Old School #68, “Teen Tragedies: Accidents Will Happen.”TEEN ANGEL 🪽Mark DinningLAST KISS 💋J Frank WilsonTHE PROM👗Del ShannonI WANT MY BABY BACK 😢Jimmy CrossNIGHTMARE #5 🧟‍♀️Al KooperTERRY ✨TwinkleHELLO THIS IS JOANNIE ☎️Paul EvansENDLESS SLEEP 😴Jody ReynoldsTELL LAURA I LOVE HER ❤️Ray PetersonTELL TOMMY I MISS HIM 💔Laura LeeLEADER OF THE PACK 🏍️The Shangri LasTRAGEDY 🎭The FleetwoodsWhat made these songs so crazy popular was much more than a class ring clutched in tight feminine fingers. As odd as these tales of blood and gore on the highway could get, they represented something new in this still very young genre.Where so much of rock and roll was about dancing, having whole lot of shakin going on parties, and falling in love with contemporary babes like Peggy Sue, Venus, Boney Maronie, and Be Bop a Lula, the violent highway tear jerkers offered kernels of blunt truth. Sure listeners were drawn to the audio equivalent of watching a car wreck. But these sick sidetrips to the dark side revealed a facet of story telling that was controversial and raw. Records so shocking they were banned from radio were definitely on to a new and dangerous path. There was something truly appealing about songs so controversial they horrified the older generation.We will close the lid on this coffin by burying a charismatic character who was not buried with his motorcycle, because there wasn’t much of it, or him, left. The Shangri Las roar off into the sunset with their arms around the leather jacket of the leader of the pack. Stick around for a sweet coda offered by The Fleetwoods.I’m Professor Mikey, this has been Old School #68 “Teen Tragedies: Accidents Will Happen.” Join us next time, keep your eyes on the road, your hands on the wheel, and your device tuned to Old School! “The past is a blast.” This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit professormikey.substack.com/subscribe

OS#67 ”Going Down”

Professor Mikey here, welcome to Old School.Today we are GOING DOWN, literally and figuratively. Down is a direction. We all know the difference between upside and downside. Or Upside down.Down is also a direction for so many things. How your life is going, how your love life is going, where you are headed. Downtown? Down south? Down to the sea in ships? Downton Abbey?Down could be an emotional bummer, but is not always a negative. Especially if you are down with something, or you are getting down, or just giving directions about how to get down the road.Without much more to go on, I started digging through the stacks, seeking downright great music that examines the downside of life and how various situations were addressed in various genres that might get down and get funky.You might not think of these songs and hurry to write them down. But many of them occupy the same headspace. So if you are feeling down, knowing your are in rockstar company might help you put on a happy face. Or help you get through traffic that has slowed down just to get on your last nerve.Are you down for the count? Good let’s free fall starting with the great Texas bluesman Freddie King, who is about to tell you where he is going. And that would be down.Down, down, gotta shake off the frown,Pick myself up before I drown.Feet on the ground, but my spirit's in flight,Gotta turn things around, make it all right.PLAYLISTGoing DOWN / Freddie King (1971)DOWN / Harry Nilsson (1971)Boogaloo DOWN Broadway / The Incredible Johnny C (1967)Hung Upside DOWN / Buffalo Springfield (1967)You Burn Me Up and DOWN / We the People (1967)Don’t Bring Me DOWN / The Animals (1966)ungle Boogie  / Kool and the Gang (1973)Mellow DOWN Easy / Little Walter (1954) DOWN in Mexico / Ella Mae Morse (1956)DOWN in the Valley / Otis Redding (1965)DOWN in the Boondocks / Billy Joe Royal (1965)Sit DOWN I Think I Love You / The Mojo Men (1967)Floating DOWNstream in An Inflatable Raft / The Second Helping (1967)Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire / TIM CURRY (1979)Sunday Morning Coming DOWN / Kris Kristofferson (1970)Ups and DOWNS / Paul Revere and the Raiders (1978)Professor Mikey here. We just presented an hour of down songs and I feel better having heard them. Hope you do to. When you seek this among your podcasts or on YouTube Search Professor Mikey’s Old School, and this one is Episode #67 Going Down.The way pop songs is we’ve gone from a time when Down was almost always a depressing state of mind. Today it means you are just in agreement. You are down. I am down. I am so down to get this out to you. Remember down is only a temporary a condition, like being hungry. It’s amazing how much better you feel when you’ve had a little chow. So remember what Grace Slick said: “Feed Your Head.” It always gets better. A little food. A little music. Thats better.Old School is produced for educational purposes. Any and all music heard in this program resides within the public domain, is licensed through the podcast carrier, or is used within the guidelines of fair use provided for in Section 107 of the copyright act of 1976. You sharing what you like is a great way to get the word out. Subscribing on YouTube means you will never miss a rocking discovery. The newsletter remains free and those subscribers hear the new podcasts first. Subscribe anytime at professormikey.substack.com.We leave you with a serious opus from 1978, where the members of this revolutionary band reflect on the ups and downs of life, and reason with themselves that they have in fact been all around. Going up and down with Paul Revere and the Raiders. We will catch you next time on Old School.Professor Mikey's OLD SCHOOL is a reader-supported publication. To consider becoming a free or paid subscriber, bonk the red button! And thank you! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit professormikey.substack.com/subscribe

Return to Jane: ”Je T’aime…moi non plus” Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg (1969)

Editors Note: This edition of PMOS came your way about a month ago. At that time Substack and Spotify were patching some new wires and a couple of my dispatches got lost in translations. (The other was “Prog Fantasy” and it will get a fresh send also.) So thanks for your patience. Feel free to forward etc. If you didn’t hear it the first time around, or you simply have it on hot rotation, enjoy some love in the afternoon.Jane Birkin made her film debut in 1965 in “The Knack and How to Get It.” She was married to John Barry at the time, whose day job was producing the James Bond films with Sean Connery.  After they broke up, she hooked up with Serge Gainsbourg in France, and recorded one of the hottest and most controversial pop songs of all time.  It hit number one on the charts in England, despite the fact that it was banned completely from all radio.  Today you can hear it on compilations such as Music to Shag By.  Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg from 1969, with “Je T’aime…moi non plus.”WHAT DOES IT MEAN?"Je t'aime... moi non plus" (French for "I love you… me neither")🇫🇷SERGE Born Lucien Ginsburg on April 2, 1928, in Paris, France. • Rose to fame as a singer, songwriter, and musician in the 1960s. • Achieved international success with songs like “La Javanaise” and “Bonnie and Clyde.” • Notable collaborations with artists such as Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin. • Known for his provocative and avant-garde style in both music and fashion. • Continued to release successful albums and singles throughout the 1970s and 1980s. • Recognized as a cultural icon and influential figure in French music and popular culture. • Passed away on March 2, 1991, in Paris, France.JANE • Born on December 14, 1946, in London, England. • Rose to fame as an actress and singer in the 1960s. • Became internationally known for her role in Michelangelo Antonioni's Blowup (1966), and Kaleidoscope (1966). • Gained further recognition for her collaboration with Serge Gainsbourg, including the controversial song “Je t’aime… moi non plus” in 1969. • Continued to pursue both acting and music throughout her career, releasing numerous albums and starring in various films. • Received awards and honors for her contributions to the arts, including a César Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1985. • Actively involved in humanitarian efforts, particularly in support of refugee causes. Died July 16, 2023, at 76. No official cause of death but she had been diagnosed with leukemia in 2002. She had also suffered a stroke in 2021.DiscographyStudio albums* Je t'aime... moi non plus (1969, with Serge Gainsbourg)* Di doo dah (1973)Lolita Go Home (1975)* Ex fan des sixties (1978)* Baby Alone in Babylone (1983)* Lost Song (1987)* Amours des feintes (1990)* Versions Jane (1996)* À la légère (1999)* Rendez-vous (2004)* Fictions (2006)* Enfants d'Hiver (2008)* Oh! Pardon tu dormais... (2020)Live albums* Jane Birkin au Bataclan (1987)* Intégral au Casino de Paris (1992)* Intégral à l'Olympia (1996)* Arabesque (2002)* Au palace (live) (2009)* Jane Birkin Sings Serge Gainsbourg via Japan(2012) “ The past is a blast.”Professor Mikey's OLD SCHOOL is a reader-supported publication. To always receive the latest new posts consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribing over at YouTube (@professormikeysoldschool) also helps keep the learning going and the paddles swinging. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit professormikey.substack.com/subscribe

OS#66 Monsters of the Surf Guitar

Hello ho-dads and beach babes, and anyone else who likes to hang out at the beach, ride the waves, and groove on the sounds of the boss guitar.The surf craze hit the beach just ahead of the British Invasion. For the better part of nearly 3 or 4 summers, roughly 1960-1964, it was time to ride the wild surf. So what if you were miles from the nearest coastline? You had a radio didn’t you?It was a wholesome phenomenon, devised for dancing in the sand, shaking bikinis, and fabulous reverberations that could be heard at the top of a 40 foot wave. Surf bands featured multiple guitarists, dancing and kicking in sync, and a drummer who tried so hard to be heard over a few dozen cranked Fender amplifiers.Rarities, hits, surprises, and grimeys await you. I have a cover of Wipe Out which is so strange, and even a segment of Clark’s American Bandstand where he gets into a deep discussion with the guys in the audience about whether or not they would shave their heads if the money was right. Somewhere along the pipeline we hope to recreate the Sixties beaches of southern California, and the 90s movies of Quentin Tarantino. This is Old School #66 as we say welcome to the endless summers of the Monsters of the Surf Guitar.The Monsters of the Surf Guitar are still riding their boards and the stratocasters into the endless summer sunset. We are putting the bookmark into the episode of old school at the beginning of the British Invasion which ended the first waves of the genre. Surf punk came along in the late 70s. It’s a fact that there are more surf bands playing today than were ever around in the 60s. So we are hardly finished with the bitchin’ majesty of the Surf Guitar.Professor Mikey’s Old School is a podcast produced for educational purposes. You can find it wherever you get your podcasts, just search the whole name because everybody including the little old lady from Pasadena has a podcast called Old School. We also appear semi regularly on Professor Mikey’s YouTube channel depending on whether the censors got lucky recently.Any music you may have heard in this show resides within the public domain, was offered or loaned for perpetual promotional use by the labels or the artists, or it is used within the guidelines of fair use provided for in Section 107 of the copyright act of 1976.We will close with a favorite from the Chantays, and band who originally called this song “Liberty’s Whip,” inspired by the Lee Marvin/John Wayne Western The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. The next movie they saw featured the Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii, and the song got a new name that would put it in surf rotation for the next half century and probably a lot longer.Hang five, hang ten, hang out anytime with PROFESSOR MIKEY’S OLD SCHOOL.Peter Gunn Theme - DALEListen to the King of the Surf Guitar - DALELet’s Go Trippin - DALELet’s Go Surfin’- JIM WALLER AND THE DELTASWalk Don’t Run - JOHNNY SMITH, CHET ATKINS, THE VENTURESBustin’ Boards - THE TORNADOESDance Legless, Russian - THE MOONTREKKERSWipeout - THE SAINTSMr. Moto - The Belairs (1961)The Lancasters - SATAN’S HOLIDAY (1963)The Astronauts - BAJAThe Astronauts - SURF PARTYThe Strangers - ROCKING REBEL (1959)The Trashmen - SURFIN’ BIRDBulldog - THE FIREBALLS (1960)Surfer Joe - THE SURFAIS (1963) Penetration - THE PYRAMIDS (1964)Pipeline - THE CHANTAYS (1962) This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit professormikey.substack.com/subscribe

OSSingle: ”What Now America?” Lee Michaels (1970)

Lee Michaels was almost a one man band.  He played all instruments, usually keyboards, and was accompanied by one person, a chunky drummer named Frosty.For Lee’s 4th album Barrel in 1970, he wrote a fairly depressing song for what seemed like a war without end.  Lee Michaels “What Now America” on Old School!Need more? Here’s the album:Professor Mikey's OLD SCHOOL is a reader-supported publication. To always receive new posts and surprises, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit professormikey.substack.com/subscribe

OS Single: ”Je T’aime…moi non plus” Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg (1969)

Jane Birkin made her film debut in 1965 in “The Knack and How to Get It.” She was married to John Barry at the time, whose day job was producing the James Bond films with Sean Connery.  After they broke up, she hooked up with Serge Gainsbourg in France, and recorded one of the hottest and most controversial pop songs of all time.  It hit number one on the charts in England, despite the fact that it was banned completely from all radio.  Today you can hear it on compilations such as Music to Shag By.  Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg from 1969, with “Je T’aime…moi non plus.”WHAT DOES IT MEAN?"Je t'aime... moi non plus" (French for "I love you… me neither")🇫🇷SERGE Born Lucien Ginsburg on April 2, 1928, in Paris, France. • Rose to fame as a singer, songwriter, and musician in the 1960s. • Achieved international success with songs like “La Javanaise” and “Bonnie and Clyde.” • Notable collaborations with artists such as Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin. • Known for his provocative and avant-garde style in both music and fashion. • Continued to release successful albums and singles throughout the 1970s and 1980s. • Recognized as a cultural icon and influential figure in French music and popular culture. • Passed away on March 2, 1991, in Paris, France.JANE • Born on December 14, 1946, in London, England. • Rose to fame as an actress and singer in the 1960s. • Became internationally known for her role in Michelangelo Antonioni's Blowup (1966), and Kaleidoscope (1966). • Gained further recognition for her collaboration with Serge Gainsbourg, including the controversial song “Je t’aime… moi non plus” in 1969. • Continued to pursue both acting and music throughout her career, releasing numerous albums and starring in various films. • Received awards and honors for her contributions to the arts, including a César Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1985. • Actively involved in humanitarian efforts, particularly in support of refugee causes. Died July 16, 2023, at 76. No official cause of death but she had been diagnosed with leukemia in 2002. She had also suffered a stroke in 2021.DiscographyStudio albums* Je t'aime... moi non plus (1969, with Serge Gainsbourg)* Di doo dah (1973)Lolita Go Home (1975)* Ex fan des sixties (1978)* Baby Alone in Babylone (1983)* Lost Song (1987)* Amours des feintes (1990)* Versions Jane (1996)* À la légère (1999)* Rendez-vous (2004)* Fictions (2006)* Enfants d'Hiver (2008)* Oh! Pardon tu dormais... (2020)Live albums* Jane Birkin au Bataclan (1987)* Intégral au Casino de Paris (1992)* Intégral à l'Olympia (1996)* Arabesque (2002)* Au palace (live) (2009)* Jane Birkin Sings Serge Gainsbourg via Japan(2012) “ The past is a blast.” This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit professormikey.substack.com/subscribe

OS#65 “Prog Fantasy”

Professor Mikey here. Welcome to Old School. This adventure starts near the beginning of time, flourishes at the round table of King Arthur,  road trips with Gandalf the Grey, and strays onto a mushroom in Wonderland with a girl called Alice. As the genre’s popularity explodes in the late 60s and 70s, young Pink Floyd records across the Abbey Road halls from the Beatles, while others dabbled in red magic in the Court of the Crimson King.What lies ahead is the dawn of a delightful subgenre that is post psychedelic, pre ProTools, and straight magic. It is stirred and shaken by the likes of Emerson, Lake, Palmer, Black Sabbath, Gentle Giant, Hawkwind, Yes and many others who harnessed lightning in an hourglass, filling the jukeboxes with wylde tales from the ancient days of yore and synthesizers. It is an early form of Prog Rock where…Roads go ever ever on,Over rock and under tree,By caves where never sun has shone,By streams that never find the sea;Over snow by winter sown,And through the merry flowers of June,Over grass and over stone,And under mountains in the moon. —J.R.R. TolkienEarly Prog cast a spell upon the charts, splashed briefly in the mainstream, filled concert halls and fronted world class orchestras. Inspired by spirits, spells, grim fairy tales, Viking folk songs, and rock and roll wizardry, Prog artists flourished, spinning straw into gold records.Dim the lights, spark a few candles, watch the incense shadows orchestrate themselves into grand crusade of artistic rock and roll that appears in time just before the tsunami of disco. Our maps show that we can start anywhere, as long as we promise to get good and lost along the way. They say satire is the sincerest form of flattery, so we touch quill to lambskin and begin with a tale of Stonehenge, stuck on eleven with spinal Tap. It’s episode 65 of Old School. It’s a PROG FANTASY. PROGLISTStonehenge SPINAL TAP (1984)Road to Babylon MANFRED MANN’S EARTH BAND (1976)Master of the Universe HAWKWIND (1971)Why Are We Sleeping SOFT MACHINE (1968)From the Beginning EMERSON LAKE AND PALMER (1972)And You and I YES (1972)  A Gnome PINK FLOYD (1967)  The Wizard URIAH HEEP (1972)  Happiness Stan SMALL FACES (1968)The Wizard BLACK SABBATH (1970) Cross Eyed Mary  JETHRO TULL (1971) Hero and Heroine STRAWBS (1974)Proclamation GENTLE GIANT (1974) Air Born CAMEL (1976)Time Machine BEGGARS OPERA (1971)The King Must Die ELTON JOHN (1970)The Court of the Crimson King KING CRIMSON (1969)  Nights in White Satin THE MOODY BLUES (1967)  The prog era never ended, it just shifted its shape. New prog bands still appear with the regularity of a witch’s moon. It did get a little grandiose perhaps even a little silly. Rick Wakeman, the keyboard cipher of Yes, made a solo album with a song for each of the six wives of Henry the Eighth. The follow up featured the London Symphony Orchestra on a 40 minute ride to the center of the earth.Jethro Tull has sold over 60 million albums worldwide and won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance in 1989.Emerson Lake and Palmer sold 48 million albums, two million more than Uriah Heep. One highlight involved Keith Emerson getting tangled up in a piano suspended upside down high above the stage. He had to be rescued by roadies at the California Jam festival in 1974.No fewer than 23 musicians have been a part of King Crimson over the years. They still play, Robert Fripp is still a genius. Check out their live album recorded in 1999 in Mexico City.Ozzy Osbourne became a reality TV star. Ian Anderson is a gentleman farmer.But as disco danced into the late 70s, gnomes and wizards were replaced by John Travolta in the club, Donna Summer in love, and KC and the Sunshine band shaking their collective booties.You can still find examples of a glorious time passed in record store bins, at garage sales, and in your father’s record collection.  The Moody Blues sold 70 million albums.For the finale, a couple of tunes. My guess is you have never heard them back to back, unless you were listening to me on the radio. It begins with a troubadour who became a knight under the sword of Queen Elizabeth in 1998, and concludes in a magic hall where we have been requested to wear red.Professor Mikey here, this has been episode 65 of Old School, a prog fantasy. The road goes ever on.MORE…Pink Floyd - “Wish You Were Here”: Although Pink Floyd’s catalog includes several classic prog albums, “Wish You Were Here” stands out. Its blend of intricate compositions, emotional depth, and memorable tracks like “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” and the title track make it a timeless favorite1.Genesis - “Selling England By The Pound”: This album showcases Genesis at their creative peak. With tracks like “Firth of Fifth” and “The Cinema Show,” it’s a must-listen for prog enthusiasts2.Yes - “Going for the One”: Yes was known for their virtuosic musicianship and complex arrangements. “Going for the One” features the epic title track and remains a fan favorite3.Jethro Tull - “Minstrel in the Gallery”: Jethro Tull’s blend of folk, rock, and prog elements shines on this album. The title track and “Cold Wind to Valhalla” are highlights3.Camel - “Mirage”: Camel’s instrumental prowess and melodic sensibilities are evident on “Mirage.” Tracks like “Lady Fantasy” showcase their signature sound3.Rush - “A Farewell to Kings”: Rush’s mix of hard rock and prog reached new heights on this album. “Xanadu” and “Closer to the Heart” are standout tracks3.Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP) - “Brain Salad Surgery”: ELP’s ambitious compositions and Keith Emerson’s keyboard wizardry define this album. “Karn Evil 9” remains an epic prog rock suite3.King Crimson - “In the Wake of Poseidon”: King Crimson’s second album features intricate arrangements and Robert Fripp’s guitar work. “Pictures of a City” and “Cadence and Cascade” are highlights3.Traffic - “The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys”: Although not strictly prog, Traffic’s blend of rock, jazz, and folk influenced the genre. Moody Blues - “On the Threshold of a Dream”: The Moody Blues’ orchestral approach and poetic lyrics shine on this album. “The Past Is a Blast.” This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit professormikey.substack.com/subscribe