Well, I usually burst into elated paroxysms for my darling audience to go out and listen to any albums I dig. Ho-hum, good luck with this one. You'll probably have your chance to pay Jesus back that fifty cents you owe him before you ever find this. I think I found the album years ago as a rare resell on Amazon. This guy doesn't even have a wikipedia page (sniff, sniff). Anyway, from what I myself have gathered, Joseph was an up-and-coming guitarist with some tasty bluesy psychedelia chops who got someone's attention back in the 70s. He cut an album, and then vanished into thin air forever. Seriously, despite having been given better accolades over the years, no one knows what happened to him. Obviously, the album did not do well at the time, but is he dead? Did he pull a J.D. Salinger? There is even dispute as to whether his name is Joseph Long or Longoria or Longeria. Certainly, the myth of this all is kind of silly to ponder, but the music itself is worth a listen. Personally, I think the world wouldn't be as pleasant without "Gotta Get Away" and "Stone Age Man," but you can be the judge -- if you can find it. Maybe I'll burn some copies for any interested parties. No, wait; I won't. I found myself under the large and oppressive boot of the military for years; I don't want the RIAA after me. Overall, the album features a nice amalgam of psychedelic blues and Joseph's husky vocal gruffings. I wouldn't kill myself to find it, but as I'm wont to mention, a D-list band from the 70s is oodles and oodles better than any snot being picked today. B
5 comments:
No Wikipedia page? I was always under the impression that without a Wikipedia page you didn't exist... Anyway, I actually found him on last.fm, I'll probably listen to it when my roomate is done playing Rock Band so I can actually hear, lol. Here is the link if you are interested http://www.last.fm/music/Joseph
I discovered this album in a cut-out bin in the 70's as a 16 year old black kid raised on Ohio Players , Earth Wind and Fire etc. It was this album that introduced me to psychedelic blues that the funk guitarists at the time were referencing. Sure there was Hendrix and Jorma et al but this was distilled in a swamp of utopia, testosterone, sitars and drugs. Sadly my dog Bozo chewed up the LP. At least 20 years later it haunted me and I found the re-issue CD and was once again transported to the raw, ballsy brilliance that Stoned Aged Man remains. A crystal clear snapshot in time it is a powerful work that I will treasure as long as I live.
Henry,
Agreed. This is just one of those albums that is still fresh to the ears and yet doesn't reek of enormous success; it's a gem, for sure. Unlike you, however, I didn't find this until relatively recently, so my little dog never got to eat it.
I thought I knew more about music than 98% of the general public, but I'd never heard of this until now - on Pandora Radio (a TREASURE, by the way). It WAS good and definitely sounded "fresh to the ears" as Mad Hatter so aptly said.
Paul,
Well I'm glad I'm good for something! But seriously, this was a gem find a few years ago for me. It's amazing how much good, undiscovered music is out there and we don't even know it. I have a dozen more rarities that I haven't reviewed yet; maybe it's time for me to hoist another up there.
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