More young Tina Turner photos

I might live to be a hundred but I will still get a kick out of enjoying photographs of Tina Turner.

Not so much those after her spectacular comeback in 1980s, because I was there and remember it too well but I just love her pictures from earlier times when she was still earthy, feisty and hungry for success. On these pictures she embodies the female strength, like some mythical Amazon Queen and I simply have to decorate my blog with them. 

"So Fine" by Ike & Tina Turner (1968)

And just like that, like Phil Spector and his "wall of sound" never happened, Ike Turner continued hustling around, this time securing contract with recording company from Dallas where they released his next project titled "So Fine". In his defence, we must admit that majestic and now very much revered "River Deep, Mountain High" was in fact completely rejected and ignored at home - it is easy to be a critic after the fact and to worship the record now, but back in the day homegrown music industry did not embrace it. At all. In fact it sunk without a trace, dragging Spector along with it. That Europe celebrated it so wildly must have been mind-boggling but also highly useful to couple who found enthusiastic audience in another part of the world. 

"So Fine" is basically what Ike was doing all the time trough 1960s with various degree of success - endlessly re-hashing and re-recording his older recordings with different arrangements, tweaking with novelties and working his band hard in order to keep afloat. My impression is, until he actually opened his own recording studio, recordings were not so important to him - the bread and butter were live performances, therefore all these singles were contractual obligations. What makes "So Fine" mildly interesting is that besides Ike and 101 version of "A Fool In Love", singer-songwriter Bonny Rice joins for collaborations and he was actually not half-bad (this is the guy who wrote "Mustang Sally", "Respect Yourself" etc) - the whole album has a very interesting, soulful and steamy atmosphere but suffers from lack of interesting material. You know all those stories when people say "oh you know, she would never achieved anything if it wasn't for him"  - well, here is a perfect example how did it work with Ike at the helm. He was iron-fisted bandleader with first-rate talents around him, but his ideas were very much generic and he was repeating himself. The only interesting things here were "Shake A Tail Feather", "So Fine" and "You're So Fine",  all of them covers of original hits by other people. Actually some of these were big hits during previous decade so it comes as Ike's idea of updating older R&B sound to current times. Really, according to him, the band was just cruising nowhere and its interesting he never admitted to himself that all his success is because of his wife, who also happened to be magnificent and charismatic vocalist - Tina on the other hand, sounds committed as ever, incapable to deliver anything but 100% no matter what it is. As the final result, the album actually sounds better and more coherent than many of their 1960s pre-Spector releases. It is forgotten and obscured by their other work but definitely worth searching, even if it has absolutely no hits. The way Ikettes and Tina harmonise in a title song is quite something.

Isolation continues

Isolation continues even though I have recovered a month ago and probably I am not contagious anymore - at this point I am isolated for the sheer fact that there is no work, nowhere to go and nobody around. So I live like Count Dracula alone in a deserted castle, but recently there was a nice surprise that lifted my spirits somehow - the toy company that created my never-forgotten Teddy Bear had finally replied to my inquiry and sent me a gift package with two of his brothers. Since the original model is not available anymore, they asked me which one I would like, I decided both and they were gift. I waited for this package since February so when it finally arrived I was giddy with happiness. 

With all this time on my hands, I decided there is nothing that I must do.

Initially, I surrounded myself with books and movies but eventually it dawned on me that I actually don't want to be under pressure that I have to do something. I am perfectly capable of enjoying my day without fulfilling a plan of task and "things to do". Initially I was busy with a work in the backyard and now came to the point where I did as much as I could. Than I started taking long walks. For some time I had a plan that "in the Spring" I will slowly go for walks and discover the city on foot - well, it is a beautiful Spring and really I have all the time in the world, so I decided I might as well do it now - I know the center very well but not so familiar with anything out of the center. So completely spontaneously (because that is the only way) I took a walk one day up this street, just to see where will lead me and ended up on top of the city, it ended up a wonderful walk and I was delighted with all the discoveries. 

Yesterday another walk, same street but this time in opposite direction - again, I went all the way somewhere I have never been before and enjoyed a quiet walk around the canals - must admit that without all the traffic and people, the city actually looks absolutely beautiful. There were some people around, but on a safe distance and nothing alarming. I took several nice photographs and truly enjoyed this, whenever weather permits I will do it again. 

"Meri" by Meri Cetinić (1979)

Alone in her quiet corner, Meri Cetinić grew into quite original and unusual presence on Croatian pop scene, a female singer/songwriter with a distinctive sound and quite formidable talent that makes her our own version of Carole King. Curiously, she is one of the many refugees from the immensely important band "More" that served as a hotbed for the future pop stars, but unlike the rest of them, Cetinić was actually capable of writing her own, first-class material - it comes as a surprise that she didn't write more for other artists and even more so to realise that with all that catalogue, her biggest hits were actually written by other people. While her albums were mostly self-penned, it was left to Zdenko Runjić and Đorđe Novković to actually create genuine smash hits like "Samo Simpatija", "Lastavica" or "Četiri stađuna". 

Cetinić was the main vocal on the famous 1974 album "More" and it was just a matter of time before she will try to spread her wings as a solo artist - those first few singles were interesting but frankly nothing special, however the 1979. album was genuine surprise and it signalled the arrival of fully formed solo artist. Like majority of her work, it was recorded in the private studio of her brother Ante Cetinić (in the Netherlands) and this is perhaps explanation why music sounds far more current and modern than most of our releases at the time - while Meri herself leans towards weeping piano ballads, there are enough genuine joyful, disco moments here to lift the whole collection on the different level. It also points at interesting gulf between artist's true inclinations: left to her own devices, Meri might be too sentimental and downhearted, but every now and than its as someone pointed her at other direction and than she delivers gems. Upbeat part of her debut is classic now, however perhaps the most interesting song here is her own "Živim S Tobom" that was already previously recorded by redoubtable Gabi Novak and as a obvious commercial hook, album also have previous year's superhit "Samo Simpatija" recorded when singer was still part of "More" - it is a credit to producer that he managed to make it a perfect fit with the rest of the album. 

"Budi uvijek blizu" by Novi Fosili (1981)

Re-visiting the old childhood favourite is funny business, because its impossible to hear it again without connecting it to a particular time, atmosphere, smells and places - inevitably, we might rate it higher than it might realistically deserve, simply for the effect it has on us. Was it actually great or we love it for what it means to us? This album is a good example - in its day it was hugely popular and it practically never left my crappy record player but listening it today, with my heart recognising every single note, I simply can't be objective. Have not heard it in decades and here am I, almost 40 years later, memories just pouring down of the life left behind and people who are not here anymore. 

Budi uvijek blizu" might be a pinnacle of band Novi Fosili as far as I am concerned. Initially, the first incarnation soldiered more or less hit-less trough 1970s until re-shuffling and addition of new members kicked in and they became unstoppable, kind of Croatian "Abba" with a huge family appeal. Guys were all decent singers but it was female singer Đurđica Barlović who gave them that special ingredient, recognisable tone that worked so well with the rest of the group - listening it today, I am much more aware of clever harmonies and how each of them shared the spotlight for a while, until they all sang together. This line-up was riding their biggest wave of success when "Budi uvijek blizu" was released and indeed, although they will continue forever, never again they will have so many classic pop hits at once - composer/vocalist Rajko Dujmić must have been in some state of white-hot inspiration because here we have "Plava Košulja", "Tonka", "Ključ Je Ispod Otirača"  and naturally, huge radio hit "Saša" all fresh on one album. Sure, its all a clean, good natured, mainstream pop designed to appeal to the whole family and as such, it was darn brilliant - not a wrong note here, even fillers were great and we also got a sequel to a song from previous album (characters from "Li-La-Lo" continue their story in "Joj, Joj"). Today its almost impossible to comprehend this was actually not a compilation but a fresh, new release - it is a perfect pop album of its time and place. 

"A Bad Woman Feeling Good" by Buzzy Jackson (2005)

One good thing about this whole Corona business is that suddenly lots of things are available free online, including public library called "Open Library" where I found some titles that I wanted to read for a long time. So although I just finished one massive tome about music (not to mention that I have also many other books around the house - my own, borrowed from the library, what friends gave me) here I go reading about music again, unrepentantly. It might be predictable in a way, because obviously I do circle around certain subjects more or less, but it makes me happy so what. After this, perhaps I switch to something else.

Initially I thought that "A Bad Woman Feeling Good: Blues and the Women Who Sing Them" will be lightweight - judging the book by its gaudy cover, I expected something else completely but the writing style is actually quite serious and thoughtful. As expected, its analysis of women musicians who were pioneers one way or the other, starting with earliest Blues artists and what is the most surprising is that every now and than Buzzy Jackson comes with a interesting idea or a sentence where reader understands she really thought about this from various perspectives. I have read a tons of books about music and too often authors are either lost in a discography or blinded by the  inconsequential  gossip - not Jackson, who seriously approaches these lives with a respect and curiosity. Than again, it shows how far we traveled from the earlier music literature, where instead of slim fan booklet with nice pictures, nowadays we expect that author understand socio-political circumstances and atmosphere of the times. 

To illustrate how books differs from so many similar titles, it does not start with obvious - first Blues recording, Mamie Smith and "Crazy Blues" that got the ball rolling but with an undocumented (and to my knowledge unrecorded) artist who worked even before that, a certain Mamie Desdoumes who played piano around the bars of infamous red-light district Storyville in New Orleans. Way, way before other musicians could have been recorded, Desdoumes worked her way trough bordellos and bars, banging the piano long in the night with her hands from which two fingers were cut off. Apparently she was very good musician and no less than Jelly Roll Morton spoke very highly of her. From here we move on to 1920s Blues Queens, than swinging 1930s and right now I am reading about long twilight of Lady Day, where Jackson understands perhaps why was this celebrated and successful artists turning to drugs - "it calmed her nerves before performances and allowed her an emotional distance that afforded some relief from the chaos of her insecure financial situation, odd hours and abusive relationships."  Where so many other authors focused on Gardenias, this one actually understands why Lady chose this path.

Unfortunately, author lost the steam somewhere halfway trough - by trying to shoehorn later artists in the same Blues format, the book just evaporates somewhere along the way. Even if later generations of women like Etta James, Tina Turner or Janis Joplin had some connection with Blues, going so far to insist that Joni Mitchell or Madonna are actually spiritual descendants of earlier Blues queens was just too ambitious - they had to cut their own path in a world, but so does everybody. First part of the book was excellent, it lost me later, unfortunately. 

"A Biographical Guide to the Great Jazz and Pop Singers" by Will Friedwald (2010)

If there is ever a literary Mount Rushmore, with writers who covered popular music of the 20th century, Will Friedwald is there right next to Garry Giddins, Peter Guralnick and few others. While the rest of the gentlemen might be better storytellers, Friedwald will always be my favourite, as his writing voice makes him by far the ultimate music geek, someone who lives for discussion about old records and is ready to fight if you dare to disagree that this arrangements of "Stardust" is better than the other. Recognising the kindred spirit somewhere out there on the other side of the world, I embrace Friedwald as my brother in spirit and love his writing - in fact, I poured over his "Jazz Singing: America's Great Voices From Bessie Smith To Bebop And Beyond" more than anything else I have read in my entire life.

"A Biographical Guide to the Great Jazz and Pop Singers"  is actually two books in one: the majority of the book is a music encyclopaedia that more or less covers the same artists previously discussed in "Jazz Singing" with addition of several names that Friedwald dismissed the first time around. Not sure is he mellowing with the age or what, but now he actually finds something positive to say about the very same people who he killed back in the first book. Divided between "individual artists" (part one) and "multiple artists" (part two) the book actually picks up in the second part - just like in Jazz Singing" , Friedwald's strength seems to be in discussing and comparing multiple artists, rather than going on forever about one person and his complete discography. Personally, I was kind of bored in the first part but delighted with second part of the book, where author catches the old fire again and is humorous, witty, funny and delightful as before. Where else will you find all these mad anecdotes (Andy Williams dubbing for Lauren Bacall?) and the author clearly loves his work, when Friedwald is on fire, its contagious.

Yeah, he can be predictable - but if you read him before, you know what to expect: he loves everything recorded before Rock music came along and VERY grudgingly will tolerate any "outsiders" or "intruders" who dare to touch American Songbook. Commercial success be damned, Friedwald is a music critic and way above these pedestrian concerns - astutely, he understands that "hits" are not necessarily artist's best work and discusses this contrast. I also found out that in the very beginning of recording business, music stars were unwilling to record because radio was mainly "live" medium and artists were supposed to perform live (today we find recordings absolutely necessary to promote music). The book is absolutely a treasure trove of fascinating insights, discussions and Friedwald's observations that sometimes charmingly stray from the subject. This time I didn't find it as essential as "Jazz Singing" but for the sheer volume, ambition and greatness, its very close to it. 

"The Wasp Woman" by Roger Corman (1959)

I have stumbled upon this camp masterpiece completely by accident last night - it turned out perfectly, just as it should have been, without much planning or analysing - I simply found it on youtube and decided to check it out, not knowing anything about it before hand. It is kind of movies I remember watching back in my childhood on a Sunday afternoon on our black & white TV, cheap thrills and all - it worked perfectly for current, grown up version of me because it took me completely out of this reality to another sphere and just as the best works of literature (or simply great entertainment) it served as a escapism which is genuinely the only thing I expect right now. We might talk about cerebral inspiration, art and poetry all we want - sure, some things do touch the spot and inspire us, but from time to time there's nothing better than a good, old fashioned fun and this movie is a cinematic equivalent of pulp fiction. With all the avalanche of bad news, I need a step back from reality and something that would take my mind completely off this apocalyptic world. 

Mind you, not that I always had a soft spot for old black & white movies, but from time to time really love seeing something that is obviously less than perfect - there is a touching quality in something as a good B movie made on a shoestring budget, where interiors are obviously reused time and time again, where masks are crappy and perhaps only one actor actually looks convincing, while the rest are simply coasting. I am not really familiar with director Roger Corman (except "The Pit and the Pendulum") but he sounds like my kind of guy and whoever creates movies with titles like "Attack of the Crab Monsters"  rates high on my list - luckily his filmography is huge so I have tons of goodies to enjoy & discover. Funny thing is, "The Wasp Woman" is not even specially celebrated amongst Corman fans - he made so many movies that this apparently is just one of the titles but I loved it because I discovered it at the perfect timing and needed something to transport me away. 

The story is delicious in a ridiculous way, just as it should be: Susan Cabot is the anxious owner of the beauty products company that slowly sinks into bankruptcy. For someone at this position, she is surprisingly dowdy but we understand this is only used as a device to show us later how she blossomed - her young (she was only 32 at the time) face is heavily made up to look older and on top of it, they gave her thick rimmed glasses to appear even dowdier. Cabot holds the team meetings with her employees who don't seem particularly interested and are more concerned about non-stop smoking (it is really excessive, something I notice now as I stopped smoking myself). Her saviour turns to be a crazy professor Michael Mark who experiments on wasps and might produce a youth elixir - the catch is, both Cabot and Mark are desperate people clutching the last straw - the rest of the team is suspicious and snickering about this new idea, but in reality nobody else is really doing anything about the business and apparently only Cabot is really concerned. In fact, she is so desperate that accepts crazy professor experimenting on herself - just as her face start to suddenly blossom and appear younger, there are signs that experiment might be dangerous ... I can't say more, but it really turns interesting and even if special effects are crap and masks unconvincing, it is still a good, chilling fun and a proof that there are gems amongst old B movies worth exploring. The original poster has absolutely nothing to do with the movie itself, but this is part of the fun. 

Mišo Kovač - debut single (1964)

The series "FIRST RECORDING" did not last long - the idea, commendable as it was, went on for exactly two years and out of the eight names that "Jugoton" introduced, nobody really caught on with a public. Except this young upholsterer from Šibenik and even he will have to wait until the end of the decade to finally get wide recognition. Producer Pero Gotovac wrote interesting liner notes, convincing potential buyers that this young singer might be worth their attention and quoting all the amateur contests where Mišo Kovač performed until this point, but curiously noticing also a certain rough edge and infatuation with foreign idols that he hoped will soften with time. Prophetically, it will all come true and indeed Kovač will find his voice only when he sheds the influences of artists he had listened as a young man. 

Both sides of this debut single were Croatian covers of international hits - side A was "I Can't Stop Loving You"  and side B Italian ballad "Tu Che Sai Di Primavera"  though to be fair, young singer absolutely hold his own and the sheer intensity of his singing might be closer to than still-unknown Tom Jones than to anybody from San Remo pop festival. Jazz cat Bojan Hohnjec (husband of Rajka Vali) arranged both covers in a fine, generic and pedestrian but perfunctory style that failed to raise any genuine interest at the time. This is not so much fault of producer, arranger or even young singer himself as much as the atmosphere on a homegrown music scene that lacked original material - large amount of pop recordings were covers and there is just so much an unknown can do with a cover. The best we can say about this recording is that young Kovač had a strong, booming voice from the start and even if professionals at the time considered it to be a little bit rough, later it served him just fine - it will take a few years until he finds the right material and a composer who will tailor songs specifically for him, but once everything klick, he will be unstoppable.