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BTB News Archive: July - December 2001
(reverse date order)
November 22, 2001
Billy would like to pass on these Thanksgiving wishes...
We have a lot to be thankful for at this time. Thankful the world we
live in isn't in total chaos. Thankful our families are healthy and
together. As we are all aware, in some areas of our world things are
pretty fucked up. So let's sit with our families and enjoy the moment,
and be at peace...
................Love...........Billy
October 22, 2001
Over the weekend, Billy wrapped up his planned performances with
Crazy Horse for this year with a pair of inspired performances
at the 15th Bridge School Benefit Concert.
The Horse played relatively short but intense sets,
with the clear message that Love is what the world needs
in these trying times. Besides their own songs, they
also used the songs of Bob Dylan and John Lennon to make
the point.
The set also featured The Horse's Mideast Vacation (from
the Life album) complete with Larry Cragg playing
gongs and other percussion.
The set closed with an instrumental Imagine, leaving it
to the audience to provide the vocals. It was a very moving
moment for all who were there to experience it.
Billy
at the Bridge
October 10, 2001
As the Bridge School benefit concert
approaches, Billy looks back on Farm Aid, and forward to the
Bridge...
"It was great playing there in Indiana -- for such an important ideal,
an endangered species. The show was great. I don't have too much to
say about it -- being on TV you all saw more of it than I did (in
between the commercials, that is)...
"I just hope that, in this time when the National focus is as it is,
we can also focus in on and help preserve a very important way of life
in America. May the days of the family farmer never fade away.
"It was my pleasure to be there, and to be playing music with
Crazy Horse. And I'm looking forward with great
anticipation to doing it some more at next week's Bridge School
benefit. Hope that you get a chance to see us there."
..............Billy
October 1, 2001
Another Billy "rarity" hits the shelves today with the release of
Ian McNabb's new CD Waifs and Strays. Here's what
Ian has to say about it...
For completists:
Just a quickie to say I have an album of previously unreleased
material out today called Waifs and Strays on the
Evangeline label. One tune, Great Dreams Of Heaven, features
Billy T. and Ralph M. playing live with me, recorded in London in 1994.
There are another 13 tunes on the album, and if you're a fan of
you-know-who I would've hoped there will be much for you to enjoy
on there...
With you all the way,
Ian McNabb,
Liverpool,
England.
Check out the album
on
Ian's website...
September 25, 2001
Billy's busy getting ready for
Farm Aid 2001,
but he took some time to pass on his thoughts and feelings about recent
events...
Friends,
Hatred, violence. The lowest common denominator in man
has reared its ugly head in possibly the most fearsome
expression in all of mankind's history. In the guise
of religion these fanatics invaded the United States
with a very real attack on all of Western civilization.
Are they saying that they cannot express their religion
freely as long as Western civilization exists? We have
heard over and over again from the very holy Islamic
Clerics that there is no room for violence in their
religion. Just as it is for all religions of the one
merciful and forgiving God.
As artists, our job is to remain sensitive to the
feelings of the heart and the soul of man. These
attacks cut to the quick of an artist's sensibilities.
And like all human beings of conscience, I am appalled
by what is a complete lack of humanity in these
terrorists. No matter what their cause, they have
dishonored it.
And rather than divide the people they have attacked,
they have united us, and opened our hearts, and made
us realize the great promise of mankind. So I must
say that the attacks of September 11, 2001 were not
successful -- rather they were a dismal failure.
And the perpetrators will agonize and realize this,
through the justice that will surely prevail -- in
this life or the next.
.............Billy
September 10, 2001
September 11 marks the re-issue of Billy's first album,
The Rockets, originally released in 1968.
Billy, Danny Whitten and Ralph Molina formed
the Rockets along with George & Leon Whitsell
and Bobby Notkoff in 1967. After this album -- and a bunch
of jamming with Neil Young -- Billy, Ralph and Danny decided
to take a break from the Rockets to work with Neil,
and Crazy Horse was born.
This re-issue of the album, on the Varése Vintage
label, includes all of the original artwork, and new liner notes.
It's the first time the album has been released in the US on CD.
The album is available now from the
label's website.
Here's the track listing:
- Hole In My Pocket
- Won’t You Say You’ll Stay
- Mr. Chips
- It’s A Mistake
- Let Me Go
- Try My Patience
- I Won’t Always Be Around
- Pill’s Blues
- Stretch Your Skin
- Eraser
August 14, 2001
Here's a note from Billy...
Well I'm finally home, after the tour and then hanging in S.F.
for a week or so. I got to visit with a few friends there,
and play some tunes with the boys in the
BTB. I spent a day
with Matt playing some acoustic. Heard his new songs, he heard
mine -- it was a really good time.
I'm in a very good place -- musically speaking -- after playing with
the Horse live for the last couple of months. There's so
much I'd like to do... That I'm going to do...
Japanese Crazy Horse Fans
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The tour ended on a fine note in Japan at the
Fuji
Festival, as we played a super version of Tonight's The
Night. It felt great to be playing with the Horse right
then... I mean it almost always does feel great, but rocking
in Japan after 25 years of not playing there, with the crowd really
into it -- well it was good, dammit.
I have to say that this year's touring has been our best yet. I hope
that a lot of you have had a chance to experience it with us. And
that a lot more of you will still be able to, on down the road...
...........................Billy
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August, 2001
Yikes, somehow we forgot to tell you about the release of a new
solo album by Billy Talbot Band
lead guitarist Matt Piucci earlier this year! The album is called
Hellenes, and it features contributions by Billy and
Ralph, as well as members of Matt's earlier band, the legendary
Rain Parade, and other prominent musicians. It's getting
great reviews.
Check out all the details (and order the CD) on the
Inbetweens
Records website. Those who wish to order within the US can
get it from the
Innerstate Records
website. (Sample MP3s are available on both sites.)
July 19, 2001
Here's the latest from Billy, before he heads off to Crazy Horse's
performance at the
Wiesen Jazz Festival
near Vienna...
Wow, Europe 2001 is almost done! So many places to play,
so little time... I hope we can get back here next year
and hit some areas that we missed this year -- especially
Eastern Europe. That'd be cool.
More great shows over this last leg. Italy inspired us.
Portugal poured over us. Spain was spectacular. Montreux
was a monster. (Okay, enough wordplay...) Hasn't been
one yet that was any kind of disappointment.
This last show in the old Roman theater in France was
really special, because it brought back nice memories
of our last trip here -- as seen in the Year of the Horse
movie. And as always, we're really looking forward to
tonight's show here in Austria. Expecting some rain,
but that hasn't held us back yet.
We've enjoyed having Pegi and Astrid pitch in on some of
the songs lately. I think they add a nice touch. We're
always ready to try out something different.
From Portugal on, we finish up the Eurotour by playing
each of the final seven shows in a different country.
Somebody told me that the only big western European
countries that we'll miss on this tour are Greece and
Luxembourg. Maybe next year for those...
Let's see, we also still have a show in Japan to do after
we finish up here. Not sure what we'll be doing after that!
Stay tuned...
...........................Billy
July 6, 2001
Another dispatch from Billy, ready for Crazy Horse's
performance
in Hamburg today...
It's hard to believe we're past the halfway mark on the European Tour.
We've been having such a great time we wish it could go on and on.
The last few days in Scandinavia have been a real treat. It was
fun breaking out Down By The River in Helsinki. And playing
in that big ball in Stockholm was cool.
Globe Arena, Stockholm
It's also nice to be back in Germany for a couple more shows.
The earlier ones all went really well. The Berlin show in the
woods was really nice, especially with that huge crowd. And we're
looking forward to tonight's show in the park here in Hamburg.
Actually I hate to leave out any of the places we've played,
because we've really not had a bad night yet. Rotterdam was
great, regardless of what that one critic there wrote. We
had a lot of fun in Paris. It was nice to return to the Roskilde
Festival again, glad there weren't any problems there this year.
Hmm, did I leave anyplace out? Oh yeah, Flanders -- hey, that
was great too!
I guess lately we've broken out a few more of our standards.
Expect a few more as the tour moves along. Maybe something new?
Tomorrow we'll be breaking out the "deluxe version" of Crazy
Horse, when Pegi and Astrid will add their touch to some of
the songs.
We're really happy about the feedback we've been getting throughout
this tour. It seems like the common thread is how well we're doing
as A BAND. I totally agree with that -- we're meshing as well
as or better than we ever have. Everybody is completely tuned in to
everyone else. I love it!
Gotta head out for the show. Hope to see some of you down front!
...........................Billy
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