I don't know what's more awesome. The song, the movie clip, or the write-up. Dr. Mooney's 115th Dream, another always excellent, always varied blog, posted the Yardbirds' "unruly overhaul" (Dr. Mooney's words, and dead on) of "Train Kept a Rollin'," retitled "Stroll On." This was from the six month period when both Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck were in the band. If it sounds like a helluva combination, it is. It makes "For Your Love" sound like Freddie and the Dreamers. (Again, I exaggerate, but it is a lot meatier.) Film freaks will remember this line up from the scene in Michaelo Antonioni's Blow Up. A link to the clip is below and at Dr. Mooneys. You really should check out his write-up, it's a good read.
~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~
The Yardbirds - Stroll On mp3 at Dr. Mooney's 115th DreamThe Yardbirds in Blow Up clip at YouTube
Dr. Mooney's 115th Dream's Yardbirds post
... D. Hemmings emerges from club to street, pauses by clothing store - as "Mike Stax," chatting up bird under "Ricky Tick" sign, looks on, heh - considers Beck's broken gtr neck, tosses aside, another on st. does same ... and ... scene. All 4 mins. = Great Moments in Rock on Film - in Top Ten, easy, no?
ReplyDeleteTom: do you know of other Beck/Page 'Birds live stuff, vid or aud? How lucky/great, that Antonioni got all this in scene, from band heard outside, thru Beck's onstage picque, to more tune. I luv how it seems natural: we get more Yardbirds as Hemmings has to keep searching crowd, then his attn. gets fixed on stage but only in moments when Beck turns petulant - itself an origin or affirming source in subsequent citing of Jeff's legendary "moodiness"? - and the band plays on ...
Finally (I return): luv this, cuz you SO clearly can tell what's Beck's and what's Page's gtr thru-out: Page is chugging low 'n' thick on rhy. as Beck flutters higher, then does sig. solo-ing at 1:20, but when gtr/amps craps out by 1:35, Page quickly fills space (Dreja helps, walking bassline up) and takes over lead for 15 secs - sounding very identifiably Jimmy - before going back to rhy. chug at 1:50, when Jeff gets back in ... only to keep fighting the amp cut-out, smashing it w/ gtr, throwing gtr to floor by 2:20 - and THEN, note how Page swoops in at 2:21 to end song w/ closing gtr flourish as Beck is stomping his gtr. YES - song is def'ly heard ending at 2:29 - but sound cuts to back to earlier part of song - w/ Beck/Page as prev. noted - and plays on as scene proceeds end. Why did Antonioni/editor leave that audible cut in? Volition? Did they just flub it? Could they not get edit any tighter than what they did, etc., for some reason? I mean - can you imagine a film today, auteur director or no, letting that go? Michelangelo HAD to know that was happening - maybe, manifestly splice-looped tuneage here assists comm. of the scene's thematic cyclical arc: he came in, they were playing - he looked, they rocked, they broke shit, he battled/escaped with a fleetingly struggle-worthy memento, which soon lost value, after - he came out, they were playing? Sorry for the winded-ness, Tom - but ya posted, elaborated; I read, watched clip again for 1st time in a few yrs; noted, wondered ... and life's too short to not take opp. enjoy, even share, such endeavor.
- Stampone
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ReplyDeleteYeah, Dave, I originally saw Blow Up many years ago, with no knowledge that the Yardbirds were in it. Imagine not knowing that clip existed, and the seeing it in the middle of a film. Decades before YouTube existed, I found myself wishing I could see that clip over and over again. And I did what you did, watched it about a half dozen times just too take in all the intricacies. And, I too noticed that the song cuts back into the Beck/Page part. But, I have to admit, I hadn't thought fo looking for that clip, until I saw it on Dr Mooney's thing.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, you win the Longest Comment Ever contest, and I feel honored...