This is the song that can make you transcend time. This is the song that you blasted when you were 14, or so, speeding down the highway for the first time with your best friends. This is the song that liberates you. It does not make you think. It makes you soar, it makes you fly. What is your song ?
'cause I’m a-As free-eee as a birrrrrd, now… du nuna, duna nanu na naaa… aaand this bi-iiirrd you cannot cha-a-ange… woah-oh-oah-oh-oah-oh-oah-oh-ohhhh… Looord help meh, I ca-an’t cha-ee-yaa-ee-yaa-ee-yaa-ee-yaa-ee-yaa-ee-yaaa-eee-yange… [ fly with music ].
I always thought that Apocalypse was a very underrated album! A lot of Mahavishnu fans dismiss it because it’s not the original lineup, but I like it as much as Birds of Fire.
Jeff! My nigga. You have saved me from the barren waste lands of modern music. I mean look at the songs these people are listing. Godsmack, Bon Jovi, Third Eye Blind, Black Flag?
Let this be a private joke between you and I.
I haven’t read any critiques nor would I know what is considered ‘popular’ by the majority. I would suspect that because Billy Cobham wasn’t on that album, a lot of fans didn’t like it. Personally, I think Narada Michael Walden did an excellent job on Apocalypse. His style of playing is different in many respects than that of Cobham’s, but nonetheless he is a superb percussionist.
What else have you heard? I’ve got all the albums myself.
I’ll tell you one thing that was dissappointing, though. I bought “The Lost Trident Sessions” assuming that it was material I hadn’t yet heard. Well, it was a live version of “Between Nothingness and Eternity.” I must say it was good, and there were a few variations through-out the set list, making it somewhat refreshing. But damn! I’m a hard-core fan and follower of anything McLaughlin puts out (except the latest contemporary jazz stuff he is recently doing) and I was freaking out when I found “The Lost Trident Sessions.” I thought for sure it was something new.
You know I played in a band years ago and we covered “Birds of Fire.” Well, let’s be honest here. The two songs that I couldn’t play well enough for us to seriously consider working on were “Celestial Terrestrial Commuters” and “One Word.” Yeah, you know what I’m talking about. Billy Cobham is like a well-oiled machine, and there was no way in hell I could pull those songs off and give them any justice. I mean I could play them, but without all the rudiments and ghost-notes. It would sound like a watered down version if anything.
I lowered my head and my sticks to the Master, and haven’t tried those songs since.
Wasn’t Beyond Nothingness and Eternity the live album and The Lost Trident Sessions the studio one? I remember one of those two being an old studio record that was uncovered a long time after the breakup of the original band. I always thought that The Lost Trident Sessions were recorded in the studio before Between Nothingness and Eternity was recorded live, but I may be wrong. Either way, I’d have to agree with you that I was mildly disappointed when I found out that the “new” Mahavishnu release mostly consisted of stuff I had already listened to before.
I’ve heard all of their stuff with the exception of the album “Mahavishnu” with Mclaughlin, Bill Evans, and Jonas Hellborg. That one’s been on my “to buy” list for a long time now. Personally, I’ve been really liking Mclaughlin’s latest work with more straight-ahead jazz material, especially Thieves and Poets.
You must be a hell of a drummer to be covering Billy Cobham’s stuff though. One Word is one of my all time favourite songs by them. On the topic of covers though, have you heard of the Mahavishnu Project? They’re basically a Mahavishnu Orchestra cover band, and they do a great job, and it’s interesting to hear their twists on classic songs. Here’s there website for more info. http://www.mahavishnuproject.com/
Haven’t heard it, but I’ve heard of it. I’ve got some stuff with Hellborg, Lane, and Sipes, though. Not too familiar with Bill Evans.
While we’re talking about McLaughlin, check this story out. About five years ago McLaughlin toured with “Shakti,” and they played at a large church in Atlanta. A friend and I heard about it at the last minute and we high-tailed it to Atlanta as fast as possible. We got there too late and the show was sold out. Well, we ended up walking around to the side of the church and climbing a tree beside the building, which brought us to a wide ledge of a window. McLaughlin and Shakti were like ten feet away from us, but obviously on the other side of the glass. We sat up there between two gargoyle statues listening for about fourty-five minutes through the glass. (People from the audience could see us above McLaughlin and Shakti, and were pointing and whispering. At one time McLaughlin actually looked up right at us. It was quite comical.) Anyway, later a few people left and we went inside and got their seats.
Was one hell of a drummer. I haven’t played seriously in about five or six years. And when you are playing music of that calibre…it ain’t like riding a bike. You gotta keep practicing. Anyway, everything ended in band “drama” and sort of faded away…you know how it goes. Still I can handle anything on the radio, probably with one hand tied behind my back.
No, I’m kidding. With both hands tied behind my back. I’ll play it with my feet.