"Revelation"

[BallroomDays67]

Welcome to the board, Michael. I really enjoyed your book! It was great to read such an interesting and well-written book by a member of the band.

In the Einarson book, “Revelation” is portrayed as having been something very special when performed live, a popular highlight of Love’s live set. It’s also said that it didn’t translate well to record, and that the version on “Da Capo” is just a shell of what it was when performed live. In your book, you write that the studio version of “Revelation” can be seen as having both good and bad points, and you don’t seem to think much of it as a live piece. At one point you refer to it as “nineteen minutes of aimless meandering”, and describe it as somewhat of a time-filler that became less necessary as Love continued to build up strong material. Why do you think that there’s such a seemingly huge difference of opinion regarding live performances of “Revelation”?

[MichaelStuart-Ware]

Thanks, it's nice to be here. Thanks to Ed, as well, for setting it up.

I saw the band play Revelation (when it was still known simply as "John Lee Hooker") only once before I joined up...at Bido Lito's in '65. I was still drumming with The Sons Of Adam, so like we went there on our night off. Don Conka was the drummer that night.
Love was playing the standard 4 or 5 sets, so John Lee Hooker played an integral and necessary part of their repertoire. Besides the song fit the atmosphere at smaller clubs. But after I joined Love, right away we recorded Da Capo and then suddenly the group was playing only two 45 minute sets a night, usually in larger venues. I just always felt that if I had been an audience member, I wouldn't have wanted one song take up half the set. We had lots of tunes. Arthur and Bryan were so prolific.

BTW, what everybody says about Conka's solos is the truth. They were incredible. He was the irresistible force behind the kit.

[BallroomDays67]

Thanks. That a good point, and I probably would have felt same way. After "Da Capo", there indeed were too many great songs for just one to take up half the set. However, the Einarson book sure does make it sound as though it was something to hear live.

[jamestkirk]

I may be one of a few, but I love "Revelation" side 2...Da Capo! I just let it roll while I am working in my studio...especially the mono mix! I just wish it went on for the unedited 45 minutes! I suppose those edited bits were cut (landing on the cutting room floor), and then swept away by the janitor...never to heard from again!

[MichaelStuart-Ware]

I think Johnny probably feels as I do,... we did the best we could to make "Revelation" as good as it could possibly be out of it's most natural environment, (which was a small club like Bito Lido's and not the studio),... and if only a few enjoy listening to it then we say to those few, "we're happy to have recorded it still, and even happier you like it, thanks very much."

[BallroomDays67]

This is from the Einarson book...

"I remember times when 'Revelation' would open live shows," says Paul Body. "To see and hear them play it live was amazing. Those cats could really cook... experiencing it live was incredible. It was monstrous."

"We played it every night and it was one of the favorite songs with audiences" confirms Johnny. "We'd get standing ovations when we played it at the Fillmore"...

It makes you wish they could have recorded it live for the LP. People complain that it took up space that could have contained better material. However, it sounds as though it had the potential to match anything on the album's a-side. Agree?

[Johnny Echols]

Revelation most definitely had the potential to be a ground breaking song. It had morphed into what was one of, if not [the] first "Jazz Fusion" experiments. When we had the seven piece line up, each player would leave the stage, after their "solo", in what is best described as a free form "blues jam". We would return to the stage one by one. Now a Jazz quartet. Tjay, Kenny, Michael, and I, would do a kind of Coltrane thing. The audience loved it..... This preceded Miles, and the Stones. It was great fun! JE.

[jamestkirk]

Revelation most definitely had the potential to be a ground breaking song. It had morphed into what was one of, if not [the] first "Jazz Fusion" experiments. When we had the seven piece line up, each player would leave the stage, after their "solo", in what is best described as a free form "blues jam". We would return to the stage one by one. Now a Jazz quartet. Tjay, Kenny, Michael, and I, would do a kind of Coltrane thing. The audience loved it..... This preceded Miles, and the Stones. It was great fun! JE.

It's said that the Stones heard Love play "Revelation" and was the inspiration for "Going Home" from AFTERMATH.

[Johnny Echols]

That really is true jamestkirk. Members of the stones, dropped by the Whiskey for several shows, to hear us play Revelation. Dave Hassinger confirmed this. They were impressed at how the audience responded to the extended jam, and wanted to be first, to release one on record. JE.

[BallroomDays67]

What about "She Comes In Colors", and the similar lyrics in "She's a Rainbow"? Coincidence, or is that another instance of Love influencing the Stones?

[Johnny Echols]

She Comes in Colors, was written and performed, well before the Stones released their version. As I mentioned in another post, The Stones would come to our gigs often, and would incorporate some of our songs into theirs. It was well known that Mick and Co. would drop in to see local groups, to "borrow " ideas. I guess they thought we should be flattered, because of who they were. JE.

[jamestkirk]

She Comes in Colors, was written and performed, well before the Stones released their version. As I mentioned in another post, The Stones would come to our gigs often, and would incorporate some of our songs into theirs. It was well known that Mick and Co. would drop in to see local groups, to "borrow " ideas. I guess they thought we should be flattered, because of who they were. JE.

Johnny, it was Picasso that said...

Good artists borrow,
great artists steal.