Kentucky Headhunters co-founder Greg Martin was a senior in high school when he first heard the Allman Brothers Band “At Fillmore East.” Like so many guitarists, for Martin, the moment was a revelation. “Dickey [Betts] had the sweetest tone and phasing,” Martin said in VG’s memorial to the late legend. “There was no mistaking it whenever his guitar came on the radio.” In further tribute, Greg grabbed his ’58 Gibson Les Paul to demonstrate a few licks that carry Dickey’s weighty influence. Read the memorial in the July issue. Read Now!
This is a regular series of exclusive Vintage Guitar online articles where The Kentucky Headhunters’ Greg Martin looks back on influential albums and other musical moments.
I didn’t know Jeff Beck, but got to meet him through Jennifer Batten, who was on tour with him in March of 1999, at the Murat Theater in Indianapolis. I’m forever grateful to Jennifer for making that happen; she and I “met” via e-mail and she set me up with seats and after-show passes.
I had never seen Jeff in concert, and even all these years later, it’s hard to describe the anticipation I felt that night. After a great set by Paul Thorn, Jeff and the band kicked into a spirited “What Mama Said,” and I felt a whirlwind of emotions over the next 90 minutes. By the time he ended with “Where Were You,” I was drained; his playing and musicality were so overwhelming – information overload, in a good way. What my brain couldn’t comprehend, my spirit understood. Jeff was channeling from above that night.
Jennifer Batten, Phil Keaggy, Paul McGarry, and Greg Martin.
After the show, my friend, Paul, and I were ushered to a room where Jeff and the band were hosting a meet-and-greet. When our turn came, Jennifer introduced us to Jeff. I’d torn a photo from the booklet of my Beckology box set and brought it for him to sign. He looked at it, laughing at the white curly chord plugged into a Marshall stack. He signed the photo and was very cordial. I could tell he was having fun with the fans, and I was ecstatic to have met one of my guitar heroes. He was kind and humble.
I next saw Jeff play at the Ryman, then at The Palace, in Louisville, where I was with Paul and Phil Keaggy, and we were mesmerized by the performance.
The last time I saw Jeff play was 2015, in Louisville. My friend, Jimmy Hall, was singing with him on tour, so I got to watch the soundcheck and the show from the side of the stage. Like the other shows, Jeff and the band were amazing; afterward, he came to Jimmy’s dressing room, looked at Jimmy with a smile and said, “You need a license for that voice,” then sat down and we had a nice chat about Marshall amps and the Jeff Beck Group. When I nervously gave him a copy of Meet Me In Bluesland, which the Kentucky HeadHunters recorded with pianist Johnnie Johnson, he lit up because he so loved Johnnie’s work with Chuck Berry.
Jeff was a huge part of our DNA, and his passing really hurts. In 1966, I bought “Over, Under, Sideways, Down” and heard the flip side, “Jeff’s Boogie,” for the first time. It was mind-blowing to my 13-year-old self. From The Yardbirds and Jeff Beck Group to Beck, Bogert, & Appice and his solo years, he was a big inspiration – such an innovator. No one else made music like that on guitar. Part of our youth has been yanked away.
God bless you, Jeff, you’ll always be a big part of our hearts and souls.
I thank God every day for the gift of music and for giving me the desire to pick up the guitar in the early ’60s. The guitar and music have been very good to me, and allowed me to meet many of my musical heroes – Jeff Beck, Billy Gibbons, Todd Rundgren, John Mayall, Ronnie Montrose, B.B. King, Dickey Betts, Albert King, Ringo Starr, and so many others. Jeff’s passing is a wake-up call – a grim reminder of my own mortality. We’re on this earth for a brief time, so be thankful, cherish each day, and use the talent that God has graciously given you. We’ve all been given a unique voice on our instruments, just like Jeff. Let’s pray that the channel to our creator is always open, the music flows from above to our fingers, and that our music is a prayer of gratitude to the one that gave us the gift of music.
– Greg Martin
Greg Martin is a founding member of the Grammy wining Kentucky HeadHunters. Greg has hosted ‘The Lowdown Hoedown” radio show on WDNS-FM out of Bowling Green, KY for over fifteen years, where he’s interviewed Billy F. Gibbons, Johnny Winter, Peter Frampton, Jim McCarty, Vince Gill, Brian Setzer, Marty Stuart, Jimmie Vaughan and more. Greg resides in south central Kentucky with his family and guitars.
This is a regular series of exclusive Vintage Guitar online articles where The Kentucky Headhunters’ Greg Martin looks back on influential albums and other musical moments.
As Christmas rapidly approaches, things tend to get stressful and frantic, the true spirit often alludes us. In the wee hours when my brain calms down, many times in the still of the night, memories seep in from the deep crevasses of my mind. As we close out 2018, I thought it would be a good time to walk down memory lane.
I’m frequently asked, “What was your most memorable show?” And while there are many, I can honestly say there’s one that’ll always stand out in my mind. In December, 1968 – 50 years ago this month – I played my first gig with Richard Young, Fred Young, and cousin Anthony Kenney as The Truce (predecessor to Itchy Brother and much later, The Kentucky HeadHunters). It was the annual Toys For Tots show hosted by the band Us Inc. For me, the Glasgow National Guard Armory that night could just as well been the Fillmore West in San Francisco or Madison Square Garden. It’s a gig none of us will ever forget, watching Us Inc., The Cherry Pops, Jim & Mary Buchanan, The New Tymes, and others – all highly influential in the path we would take later. It was filled with the sound of fuzztones, psychedelic lights, and the smell of incense. Details are a little hazy now, but the feeling has never subsided deep within us. Ah, those psychedelic dreams…
Looking back now, that night at the Armory in Glasgow was life changing. As a young guitarist, watching Ken Mussnug play his 1964 Gibson ES-335, through a huge DORF amp with Us Inc., was a pivotal moment. The DORF amp was actually a Fender Super Reverb that had been cut down to head size, rolled and pleated, sitting on top a huge home made speaker cabinet with at least 8 speakers. Two months prior to that, seeing Louisville guitar legend Frank Bugbee with Elysian Field made a huge impact on me as well. After seeing Bugbee play guitar, I absolutely knew my calling in life, God spoke to my heart that night. Two weeks after seeing Elysian Field, I met Richard and Fred. God’s perfect timing? I think so!
And there’s influences. We all have our heroes, the guys that made a huge impact on us early on. Just as much as Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Michael Bloomfield and many others influenced me in the 60’s, several Kentucky guitarists were just as influential. Frank Bugbee (Elysian Field and Soul Inc), Wayne Young (Soul Inc), Steve McNicol (The Rugbys), Steve Ferguson (NRBQ), Kenny Lee Smith (Buster Brown), JP Pennington (Exile), Ken Mussnug (Us Inc), John Burgard (The Waters), Mark Miceli (Elysian Field), Don Keeling (The Us Four), Wayne Sexton (The Guys & I), Guy Iverson (Soul Ship), and so many others. May we never forget the local and regional players that help set our dreams in motion many years ago.
For me, Christmas is a time of reflection, a time for family and friends, and most important, to reconnect spiritually. Music has been a blessing to me and my Kentucky HeadHunters family. 2018 marks 50 years since Richard, Fred and me started playing music together. Many years ago we had psychedelic dreams to make music, by the grace of God, we’re still doing what we love. The purple is a little more hazy these days, but I can still feel the spirit from 1968 just as strong. I thank God for His grace, mercy and for the gift of music.
Merry Christmas, may God bless you and yours this Holiday season.
Greg
Greg Martin is a founding member of the Grammy wining Kentucky HeadHunters. Greg has hosted ‘The Lowdown Hoedown” radio show on WDNS-FM out of Bowling Green, KY for over fifteen years, where he’s interviewed Billy F. Gibbons, Johnny Winter, Peter Frampton, Jim McCarty, Vince Gill, Brian Setzer, Marty Stuart, Jimmie Vaughan and more. Greg resides in south central Kentucky with his family and guitars.
Sponsored by Tech 21.Greg Martin with the ’59 Les Paul Standard played by John Sebastian in The Lovin’ Spoonful.
This is a regular series of exclusive Vintage Guitar online features where The Kentucky Headhunters’ Greg Martin looks back on influential albums and other musical moments.
On November 30, 1966, my older brother, Gary, cousin Larry, and their friend, Hubert, took me to see The Lovin’ Spoonful at Memorial Auditorium, in Louisville. It’s a cloudy memory, but spiritually and musically, it made a huge impact on me as a 12-year-old.
Louisville had an amazing local scene at the time, and one of the opening acts was The Chateaus, with guitarist Frank Bugbee; they had a regional hit with “I’m The One.” Unfortunately, I was so overwhelmed that I can’t remember much about their performance, but Frank soon after joined Soul Inc, then later formed Elysian Field. In a future installment, I’ll talk more about Frank and Elysian Field.
Clockwise. The “Sebastian Burst.” Greg Martin with his ’58 Standard (“Hank”) and Gordon Kennedy with the Sebastian guitar. Handbill for the Lovin’ Spoonful’s 1966 show in Louisville.
Anyway, when Spoonful hit the stage, they played all of their hits plus tunes from the Do You Believe In Magic, Daydream, and Hums Of The Lovin’ Spoonful albums. “Summer In The City” had recently been a big hit, and they debuted “Rain On The Roof” that night. I remember Steve Boone, John Sebastian, and Joe Butler switching around on instruments throughout the show. I was amazed at their diversity – they covered an array of musical territory that night. At some point, Zal Yanovsky sat on a big Standel amp, rocking back and forth while playing his Guild Thunderbird. Zal was a star – his stage presence was “surrealistic,” to say the least. John was playing a sunburst ’59 Les Paul Standard, and it changed my life. I had seen pictures of him playing it in Hit Parader and on the back of the Daydream cover, but seeing it live was an eye-opener. Of course, when I heard Michael Bloomfield play his ’Burst in 1968, the light went on in my head about the tonal possibilities. But, it’s safe to say that John’s put me on the quest.
A big thanks to its current owner, Gordon Kennedy, for allowing me to play this amazing guitar, and to the crew at the Gibson Repair and Restoration shop for making it happen. Thanks, also, to John, Zal, Joe, and Steve for the inspiration!
This is a regular series of exclusive Vintage Guitar online features where The Kentucky Headhunters’ Greg Martin looks back on influential albums and other musical moments.
Greetings from Kentucky, hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. A few weeks ago, I added this all original 1953 Telecaster to my guitar arsenal. The neck is dated 5-7-53, the body 5-29-53, initialed by Tadeo Gomez and by Gloria 6-8-53 in the control cavity. I owned a 1953 Telecaster from 1993-2004, sold it, have always regretted it. This Tele came out of Georgia, even have some photos of the original owner playing it. A big thanks to Joe Menza (Best Guitars) for making it happen, and to Kevin Woods (Kentucky Vintage Guitars) for prodding me to go for it! My band mate in the HeadHunters, Richard Young, owns and plays a great 1952 Telecaster as well. His ‘52 sports a ‘Gomez’ neck, and the late Danny Gatton did a tone mod on his in 1991.
And speaking of The Kentucky HeadHunters, we were very busy this year. Besides touring stateside, we completed a tour of the U.K. back in the Fall. We’re currently on a break, I will be doing more video clips and features for Vintage Guitar. Stay tuned!
Happy New Year, God bless, – Greg Martin
Martin with Tele: www.AlanMesser.com Tele: by Joe Menza.
This is a regular series of exclusive Vintage Guitar online features where The Kentucky Headhunters’ Greg Martin looks back on influential albums and other musical moments.
The latest installment of Greg Martin’s “Head Shop” series has him checking in from a Kentucky Headhunters’ tour stop in Plano, Texas, and playing a ’65 Fender Stratocaster added to his collection (with help from Southside Guitars) in June. “It’s very resonant, and the rosewood neck feels great!” Greg said. “I’m plugged into a ’59 Champ through a Analogman Sun Face for mild boost. Ambience courtesy of the bathroom.” Check out the “Head Shop” series HERE!
This is a regular series of exclusive Vintage Guitar online articles where The Kentucky Headhunters’ Greg Martin looks back on influential albums and other musical moments.
It was 50 years ago today
Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play
They’ve been going in and out of style
But they’re guaranteed to raise a smile
So may I introduce to you….
Okay, before we delve into The Beatles’ timeless masterpiece, let’s backtrack just a bit.
In December, 1966, my dad had gotten fed up with living in Louisville. So, he abruptly made a decision to quit his job at Fawcett Printing Company and move the family outside Edmonton, Kentucky, during the school break for Christmas. This was a big change for my brothers and myself, as we went from living in the city to a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. From that point on, the GE table-top AM radio was my link to the world. We also owned a black-and-white TV; with the outside antenna, we were able to receive WBKO out of Bowling Green, and on a good day, we might pick up two stations out of Nashville. But only if we were lucky! Along with a stereo, that only worked on one side, and a handful of records, my musical appetite was being nurtured. During the day I would listen to the local AM rock station, WCDS, and at night the adventures would begin with WOWO (Ft. Wayne), Big John R on WLAC (Nashville), WCFL and WLS (Chicago). Oh, there was an old Stella archtop acoustic upstairs, left by the family before us.
While watching Dick Clark’s “American Bandstand” on March 11, 1967, my eyes and ears were subjected to something I’d never experienced. You might say this was my first psychedelic musical experience, even though there had been hints of this new music revolution rearing its head on the radio in ’65 and ’66. Of course, the Beach Boys had pushed the boundaries with Pet Sounds the year prior, so things were changing. But on that day, Dick Clark premiered promo videos for “Penny Lane” and “Strawberry Fields Forever.” Like most of the TV audience, I was confused by The Beatles’ new look and sound. Gone were the Fab 4 as we knew them – no longer the lovable mop-top boys. Instead, they had grown into serious young men. Even though I didn’t understand the change at the moment, I didn’t take long to embrace their new direction. Sure, The Beatles had already had given us hints with Rubber Soul and Revolver, but with /em>Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the rules had drastically changed. It’s said when Brian Wilson heard Rubber Soul, he was driven to compete by releasing Pet Sounds, then the Beatles fired back with Sgt. Pepper’s. After Brian heard it, he set out to make Smile. Being the tortured perfectionist, his fragile emotional state and escalated drug intake, Smile never materialized as he envisioned.
As history tells us, the Sgt. Pepper’s sessions began in November, ’66 and completed April 21, 1967, the first three tracks recorded were “Penny Lane,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” and “When I’m Sixty Four.” With EMI breathing down Brian Epstein’s neck for a follow up to “Yellow Submarine” and “Eleanor Rigby,” Epstein pressed George Martin for a new single. “Penny Lane” and “Strawberry Fields Forever” were released in the U.S. February 13th. In retrospect, George Martin always felt that releasing the two songs as a single and omitting them from the album was a “dreadful mistake.” It could be compared to Brian Wilson not including “Good Vibrations” from Pet Sounds.
Inspired by Pet Sounds and Freak Out by The Mothers of Invention, McCartney’s goal was to make the best Beatles album to date. Released in the U.K. on May 26, in the U.S. on June 2, Sgt. Pepper’s set the tone for the Summer Of Love. Along with The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Doors, Cream, and others, our music world was rapidly turned upside down. With Sgt. Pepper’s, The Beatles reinvented themselves, and not only that, changed the way that we looked at albums and music in general. I was visiting my grandparents in Louisville the week it was released. I still vividly recall it blaring out of the record shops into the street. Both local Top 40 AM stations, WKLO and WAKY, played every track – quite a feat since none were released as singles. From the start of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” to “A Day In The Life,” the songs were perfectly woven together seamlessly into a magical musical journey. As a young guitarist, Sgt. Pepper’s sat perfectly with Jim Hendrix Experience’s Are You Experienced and Disraeli Gears by Cream. 1967 was a year of reinvention, it was a time of musical discovery.
It’s hard to believe Sgt. Pepper’s is now 50 years old. At age 64, it has a special place in my heart. My advice? Take a ride in your car, listen to the album in it’s entirety. If you’re like I was, the 14-year-old will still be there, singing every word. Happy Birthday to Sgt. Pepper and his band. Thank you for all the joy you’ve given us over the years.
This is a regular series of exclusive Vintage Guitar online articles where The Kentucky Headhunters’ Greg Martin looks back on influential albums and other musical moments.
We have lost the poet laureate of rock n’ roll, Mr. Chuck Berry. The news came from St. Louis yesterday, March 18th, truly a sad day for music. As my friend, Billy F. Gibbons says, our world is truly evaporating.
Each of us has been touched by Chuck’s music; we all have our own story. As a young man growing up in Louisville, Kentucky, I was lucky to have an older brother, who, along with a cousin that lived with us at the time, brought home the coolest records. I grew up on records by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, Lonnie Mack, Travis Wammack, The Ventures, The Beach Boys, and Chuck Berry. One day I stumbled upon my brother’s 45 of “Johnny B. Goode,” with the flip side “Around & Around.” Just hearing the intro to “Johnny B. Goode” sent a lightning bolt through my soul. If that intro doesn’t touch you, something’s wrong. As with any young guitarist growing up in the ’60s, my rite of passage was first “Johnny B. Goode” and then on to The Beatles, The Stones, and later Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix and many others. But, on that fateful day when I first put “Johnny B. Goode” on the turntable, I was baptized in something that has stayed with me the rest of my life.
When “Johnny B. Goode” was released in 1958, I was living in a mixed neighborhood in Louisville. I was hearing Chuck Berry on Louisville rock radio stations WAKY and WKLO, but thanks to my African American neighbors, whose radios were often tuned to WLOU, the local R&B station, I was also hearing The Coasters, The Drifters, B.B. King, Little Richard, Lloyd Price, Ray Charles, Bo Diddley, and many other R&B artists. Combining that R&B musical education from the late ’50s with my brother’s record collection a few years later taught me that music was color blind. Music brings all of us together, no matter what nationality we are, or the color of our skin. Of course, Chuck Berry’s music exemplifies that more than anything. Chuck successfully took black R&B and blues music, combine it with white country music, and give us something very special.
People have been arguing who invented rock n’ roll for years. I will leave that to the music scholars of the world. In my mind, Chuck popularized and shaped the genre as we know it and he’s one of the reasons I play guitar today. I am very lucky to play in a band that reveres and understands Chuck’s music. My bandmates Richard, Fred, Doug and I made it a point to study his music in the early days of The Kentucky HeadHunters and he is a big influence on what we continue to do. Little did we know when we started The HeadHunters, we would one day cross paths with Chuck’s right hand man, pianist Johnnie Johnson. History tells us Johnnie originally inspired “Johnny B. Goode” – Chuck and Johnnie were rock n’ roll’s first team. Studying Chuck’s records prepared us to play and record with Johnnie Johnson in ’92. We were lucky to record two CDs with Johnnie at that time – That’ll Work, released in ’93 and Meet Me In Bluesland, released on Alligator Records in 2015.
Today we mourn the loss of Chuck Berry, but his music, spirit and influence will live on. It’s a good day to pull out his albums and celebrate his life and music. God gave us rock n’ roll, Chuck was one of His messengers. Thank you, Chuck, for the lessons you taught us.
God bless,
Greg
Greg Martin is a founding member of the Grammy wining Kentucky HeadHunters. Greg has hosted ‘The Lowdown Hoedown” radio show on WDNS-FM out of Bowling Green, KY for over fifteen years, where he’s interviewed Billy F. Gibbons, Johnny Winter, Peter Frampton, Jim McCarty, Vince Gill, Brian Setzer, Marty Stuart, Jimmie Vaughan and more. Greg resides in south central Kentucky with his family and guitars.
This is a regular series of exclusive Vintage Guitar online articles where The Kentucky Headhunters’ Greg Martin looks back on influential albums and other musical moments.
Well, it’s Christmas morning, I’m downing coffee, trying to get the brain fog to lift. As I was sitting next to the Christmas tree earlier, I reflected on Christmases past. 1968 was my favorite one ever; that’s the year I seriously started playing guitar and I joined my first rock band. Some folks are called to preach, some called to teach, that year I feel like God placed a divine love for music and guitar into my very being. As much as I fought that calling early on, it finally won in the late 70’s, and I pursued my life passion.
Earlier in the Fall of ’68, my older brother Gary gave me my first nice guitar to learn on, a 50’s Gretsch Silver Jet. My musical journey started on the old Silver Jet and I’d give anything to have it back again.
1968 was also one of the most important years of musical discovery in my life. That Christmas my Dad & Mom (now both deceased), gave me a Vox Tone Bender Fuzz Tone & Vox Clyde McCoy Wah-Wah pedal to go with the Gretsch Silver Jet and Magnatone amplifier. Well, that wasn’t all; I got the following 4 LPs under the tree to whet my musical appetite….
Axis: Bold As Love by the Jimi Hendrix Experience
Besides the late Chet Atkins, Jimi has had the most impact on me as a guitarist. I still marvel at his playing, vocal abilities and writing. Jimi broke down any racial barriers that existed with me early on. I can’t even categorize Jimi as black or white. To me, music has no color, just the way God intended it to be. Axis: Bold as Love shows Jimi had grown musically from Are You Experienced. My first introductions to a Wah-Wah pedal were on this LP, and “White Room” by Cream.
Electric Ladyland by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
I recently picked up the re-mastered CD of Electric Ladyland, it still sounds fresh today. “All Along The Watchtower” is one of those magical tracks that transports me back to the first time I heard it on AM radio living in Cedar Flat, KY (Metcalfe County). If you are a fan of Jimi Hendrix, his first three LPs are essential.
Wheels of Fire by Cream
By 1968, I was already in awe of Eric Clapton’s work on Disraeli Gears, which had “Sunshine of Your Love” as a big hit on AM radio. Wheels of Fire solidified my love for blues and rock music. The “live” versions of “Crossroads” and “Spoonful” on Wheels of Fire continue to inspire me today. Clapton’s tone and phrasing on the live sides are simply amazing. My favorite studio tracks are “White Room,” “Politician,” and “Sitting On Top Of The World.” Just a wonderfully rounded LP in general. And the artwork – it was the epitome of Psychedelia!
White Album by The Beatles
By the time The Beatles recorded The White Album, John, Paul, George and Ringo had expanded every musical boundary possible, broke musical rules and moved into a different realm as composers and performers. Little did we know at that time The Beatles, as a group, were disintegrating. The next year would see their demise. Regardless, harmonically and musically, they were still at top of their game and the standard by which all pop and rock music was measured. Even Eric Clapton turned in a stellar guitar solo on George Harrison’s masterpiece, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”
As you can see, the Christmas of 1968 was very special, the gifts I received that year are still with me in many ways….
As I get older, I get more sentimental about family, old friends, relationships, music and, of course, Christmas. I often think about the sacrifices that Maxie and Ruth Martin made for my brothers and I during the holiday seasons, not to mention the contributions my older Brother Gary made early on to see that I had nice instruments to play. And I know each of us could tell their own special story.
I wish everyone a Merry Christmas. May this year be as monumental as 1968 was to me.
God bless,
Greg
Greg Martin is a founding member of the Grammy wining Kentucky HeadHunters. Greg has hosted ‘The Lowdown Hoedown” radio show on WDNS-FM out of Bowling Green, KY for over fifteen years, where he’s interviewed Billy F. Gibbons, Johnny Winter, Peter Frampton, Jim McCarty, Vince Gill, Brian Setzer, Marty Stuart, Jimmie Vaughan and more. Greg resides in south central Kentucky with his family and guitars.
This is the first in a regular series of exclusive Vintage Guitar online articles where The Kentucky Headhunters’ Greg Martin looks back on influential albums and other musical moments.
Next to vintage guitars, record collecting has long been a big passion of mine since 1965 when I bought The Beach Boys 45, “California Girls,” b/w “Let Him Run Wild.” I would listen to both sides countless times, reading the credits over and over, even the fade-outs made an impression. I was already a Beach Boys fan, but 1965 signaled a change in their music. Brian Wilson’s writing, arranging and production skills on the albums Today! and Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) took the group into a different direction. Gone were the surf and car songs, Brian was now addressing subjects and problems teenagers were facing, which were his own plights. I didn’t realize at the time he was experimenting with drugs, or about his nervous breakdown on a flight which sidelined him from touring and gave him more freedom and time to be creative. Today & Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) became a part of my musical DNA, and showed glimpses of what was to come with Pet Sounds.
Whenever summertime comes around, there are certain albums that always take me back to my childhood. They are a huge part of my life soundtrack. Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys is one of those, possibly my favorite album of all-time (not to mention, one of the most influential in rock history). When it was released in the spring of 1966 – a very magical year – I was a 6th grader in Louisville, Kentucky. I was very shy, too scared to talk to girls. I was learning to play guitar, music was my refuge. After seeing the Beatles on Ed Sullivan in 1964 and the Lovin’ Spoonful in concert in 1966, my world was radically changed. I was becoming smitten by music, whenever my brother went to work, I would scurry upstairs and play his guitar. It would be 1968 before I would become totally immersed in music and guitar. But looking back, 1966 was a pivotal year for me. That summer, I bought a mono copy of Pet Sounds at King’s Record Shop (a shop owned by Pee Wee King’s younger brother Gene, and immortalized on the cover Rosanne Cash’s 1988 classic, King’s Record Shop). Remember, in the mid ’60s, mono records were priced cheaper. At that time we didn’t realize that stereo mixes were a mere knock off and that mono mixes were superior. Pet Sounds wouldn’t receive its first true stereo mix until The Pet Sounds Sessions box set was released in 1997.
Prior to the release of Pet Sounds on May 16th, 1966, there were two singles from the album released. “Caroline, No” which was initially released March 7th as a Brian Wilson single, then “Sloop John B.” on March 21st. Both got substantial airplay in Louisville on WKLO and WAKY. The first time I heard “God Only Knows” and “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” on my parent’s living room GE table-top radio made a big impression. In the summer of 1966, Hit Parader Magazine ran a big feature on Pet Sounds and the genius of Brian Wilson and it caught my attention. I was a fan of The Beatles, Lovin’ Spoonful, Rolling Stones, and the Yardbirds, but somehow Brian Wilson’s writing spoke to my spirit. Today I own several versions of Pet Sounds on CD and vinyl. It still speaks to me as it did back in 1966.
The bulk of the Pet Sounds sessions went down between January and April 1966, the album was completed April 13th at a cost of $70,000, which was unheard of at that time. Brian used the legendary Wrecking Crew to record most of the music, then brought the other Beach Boys in to sing on the tracks (there are a few exceptions where the members played instruments on the LP). The new material initially caused infighting between members when they first heard it, due to the departure from the old Beach Boys sound. Capitol Records was also confused by the new direction. When released, it was met with a lukewarm reception in the United States, where it peaked at #10 on the Billboard Top 200 charts. In the UK, it was hailed as a masterpiece and went to #2 on the Top 40 album charts.
6th November 1966: The Beach Boys at the Finsbury Astoria. From left to right: Bruce Johnston, Al Jardine (front), Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, and Mike Love. (Photo by Clive Limpkin/Express/Getty Images)
The LP starts off with “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” one of the happiest shuffles ever committed to wax, courtesy of drummer Hal Blaine and bassist Carol Kaye. As co-writer Tony Asher stated concerning the lyrics, “The innocence of the situation – being too young to get married – seemed to be immensely appealing to him.” The song starts off with an eight-beat introduction, and a de-tuned 12-string guitar played by Jerry Cole and plugged straight into the board with added reverb created a distinct harp-like sound. The lead vocals are handled by Brian Wilson and Mike Love. “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” is two minutes and 33 seconds of sheer pop genius. “You Still Believe In Me” is a beautiful ballad written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher, sung by Brian. Instrumentation includes harpsichord, clarinet, timpani and bicycle horn. Wilson and Asher created the song’s intro by plucking a piano’s strings with a bobby pin. “That’s Not Me” is next up, with Brian and Mike Love on lead vocals. Along with The Wrecking Crew, the track also features Brian Wilson on organ, Carl Wilson on guitar, Dennis Wilson on drums, Al Jardine on tambourine. Written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher and influenced by psychedelic drugs, the lyrics probe Brian’s growing inner self-doubts. “Don’t Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)” was written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher. Brian is the only Beach Boy appearing on this song. The organ and strings create a beautiful backing track. “I’m Waiting For the Day,” written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, is an uptempo love song with Brian handling the lead vocals. Next up is the beautiful instrumental “Let’s Go Away For Awhile.” The track features Al Casey and Barney Kessel on guitars. The beautiful guitar solo was done with a coke bottle on the strings for a semi-steel guitar effect. At the time of Pet Sounds, Brian considered this to be the most satisfying piece of music he had ever written. Hauntingly beautiful – sometimes we need to go away for a while to find ourselves. “Sloop John B” is track number 7 and closes out side 1 of Pet Sounds. It was released as a single on March 21, 1966 and entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart on April 2, and peaked at #3 on May 7. A traditional folk song from the Bahamas, “Sloop John B.” was brought to the group by Al Jardine and featured Brian and Mike Love on lead vocals, with 12-string guitar by Carl Wilson and Billy Strange.
Side 2 starts with “God Only Knows,” my all-time favorite song. Music can transport us back to a more innocent time in our lives, and this track has that magic. Written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher, it was released on July 11th in the United States as the B-side to “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.” In other countries it was released as the A-side. “God Only Knows” was sung by Carl Wilson, who also played 12-string on the track. Sir Paul McCartney has called it “the greatest song ever written.” “I Know There’s An Answer,” “Here Today,” “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times,” “Pet Sounds,” and “Caroline, No” close out Pet Sounds. “Caroline, No” is a hauntingly beautiful love song, written by Brian and Tony Asher for an old girlfriend. The track was sped up a whole step to make the lead vocal sound sweeter – a suggestion by Brian’s father Murry, who was also the Beach Boys manager. The last sounds you hear on Pet Sounds are a train and the baking of Brian’s Dogs, Banana and Louie. While Pet Sounds won’t go down in history as an influential guitar album, it was a huge influence on The Beatles, Cream, Roger Waters, Pink Floyd, and many others. After Brian heard Rubber Soul in 1965, it challenged him to take his music deeper and create an album with no “filler” tracks and he proclaimed he was going make “the greatest rock album ever made!” Beach Boy Bruce Johnston, touring in place of Brian Wilson, was sent to London to play John Lennon and Paul McCartney Pet Sounds. After the first listen, they asked to hear it again, then set out to make Sgt. Peppers. Paul McCartney later had this to say about Pet Sounds: “It was later…it was Pet Sounds that blew me out of the water. First of all, it was Brian’s writing. I love the album so much. I’ve just bought my kids each a copy of it for their education in life – I figure no one is educated musically ‘til they’ve heard that album. I was into the writing and the songs.” Paul also stated “Without Pet Sounds, Sgt. Pepper wouldn’t have happened… Pepper was an attempt to equal Pet Sounds,” and “If records had a director within a band, I sort of directed Pepper. And my influence was basically the Pet Sounds album.” As I tour with The Kentucky HeadHunters, I have Pet Sounds on my iPod. Rarely a week goes by on the road, or at home, that I don’t listen to the LP in its entirety. I recently bought the new stereo 50th anniversary vinyl version at our local indie record store and the stereo mix sounds amazing on my vintage Pioneer SX-1010 system. If you remember, Brian was deaf in one ear and the early Beach Boys albums were mixed in mono by Brian. Again, it’s not a guitar oriented album, but features Beach Boy Carl Wilson on Rickenbacker 12-string, plus Glen Campbell, Barney Kessel, Al Casey, Jerry Cole, Mike Deasy, Bill Pittman, Billy Strange, Tommy Tedesco from The Wrecking Crew on guitars and the great Carol Kaye on bass. Dig deeper in the tracks, there’s some wonderful guitar work within the harmonically rich arrangements. From “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” to “Caroline No,” Pet Sounds is a musical adventure. If you own the album, this is the perfect time to revisit the 1966 classic. If you’ve never experienced Pet Sounds, a good place to start is the newly released 50th year Anniversary stereo and mono vinyl reissues.
Greg and his brothers got to meet Brian Wilson, Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin this past summer during Brian Wilson’s “Pet Sound Tour.”
Back in 1966 Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys gave us a wonderful gift. Pet Sounds has made my world a better place. I thank Brian for inspiring a 6th grader at Ellen C. Semple Elementary School in 1966. It gave me a purpose that music was my calling. Over the years, the melodies have inspired my slide playing, and have lifted my spirits whenever I’m away from my family traveling on the road. Pet Sounds was a predecessor to Psychedelic music and the ambitious Smile album that never quite came to fruition in 1967. That is another story for another time. When Jimi Hendrix stated “You’ll never hear surf music again” on “Third Stone From The Sun,” Brian Wilson was already one step ahead of him on Pet Sounds.
SIDE 1
1. “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” (Brian Wilson, Tony Asher, Mike Love)
2. “You Still Believe In Me” (Brian Wilson/Tony Asher)
3. “That’s Not Me” (Brian Wilson/Tony Asher)
4. “Don’t Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)” (Brian Wilson/Tony Asher)
5. “I’m Waiting For the Day” (Brian Wilson/Mike Love)
6. “Let’s Go Away For Awhile” (Brian Wilson)
7. “Sloop John B.” (traditional, arranged by Brian Wilson)
SIDE 2
1. “God Only Knows” (Brian Wilson/Tony Asher)
2. “I Know There’s An Answer” (Brian Wilson/Tony Sachen/Mike Love)
3. “Here Today” (Brian Wilson/Terry Asher)
4. “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times” (Brian Wilson/Terry Asher)
5. “Pet Sounds” (Brain Wilson)
6. “Caroline No” (Brian Wilson/Terry Asher) Produced and Arranged by Brian Wilson
Greg Martin is a founding member of the Grammy wining Kentucky HeadHunters. Greg has hosted ‘The Lowdown Hoedown” radio show on WDNS-FM out of Bowling Green, KY for over fifteen years, where he’s interviewed Billy F. Gibbons, Johnny Winter, Peter Frampton, Jim McCarty, Vince Gill, Brian Setzer, Marty Stuart, Jimmie Vaughan and more. Greg resides in south central Kentucky with his family and guitars.
