A New Coat of White...

Ha, the theme this morning is White…

It snowed last night. Less than an inch, but it's like a new coat of paint on everything. I am spinning The Beatles "White Album,"  (1968). I  actually put it on without thinking about the theme of White, but maybe subconsciously, of course, it's the right choice. It's a big, overstuffed, rambling & shambolic record. The Beatles 9th album. Supposedly, they were coming apart at the seams, friction in the collaboration, but they were all bursting with creativity. They were in the midst of their "weird" period, psychedelics, meditation, travels to the East, Yoko Ono made the scene; they were no longer the cute Mop-Tops, they were now fabulously rich super-star pop/rock stars, long-haired, unshaven, holed up in the recording studio, refusing to go on tour. They started this phase of their career with "Revolver"  (1966), maybe, their best record and followed that one with "Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band," (1967), which is the "Citizen Kane" (1941) of rock/pop records. By the way, I recently re-watched a new 4k restoration of Orson Welles' fabulous movie. It is truly, masterful filmmaking, it was also the making and unmaking of Orson Welles as boy genius and Hollywood Director, just like his character Kane, Welles followed his obsessions to the end, and in the process he antagonized the rich & powerful to the detriment of his own career. Of course, unlike Kane, Welles was creative, lovable and not an asshole. Still, no doubt, one the finest most creative and innovative films ever. Anyway, The White Album is double-LP, all over the map in sound. Sometimes the lads sound like they are stoned and just fucking around. It has a special place in my heart, one of the first records I ever owned. It is iconic and unlike anything else. There are tracks I'd just as soon as skip, especially some of the singalongs, and some of Paul's sappier songs. The Beatles tastes were wider than my own, but to hear those voices is always a treat.  I have always been fascinated by John Lennon, his voice, his mind, he was an eternal searcher, always onto to the next thing. John was getting political, "Revolution," and avant garde with Yoko in "Revolution 9." There are also some great rockers on the record from George, John & Paul. Great to hear John Lennon's voice again this morning in the midst of white. One of the greatest r&r voices ever. There is an uncommon intelligence, a sense of humor, plus there's sadness, joy, enthusiasm, weirdness, to be found in John's lyrics & vocals. A brilliant, totally overstuffed album. The Great White Shark of Pop!