The Gainesville Connection

Gainesville Music Scene

Gainesville, Florida, Home of the University of Florida. I lived in Gainesville for a few years in the late 80's while I was a graduate student at UF. At that time there was a relatively thriving local music scene there. And apparently, Gainesville has a long history of top-notch local music, dating back to the 60's and such budding local rock stars as Tom Petty, Steven Stills (just passing through), Don Felder, Bernie Leadon, and Jeff and Marty Jourard (The Motels). In the years I was there in the '80's , there was a definite style and sound of the area that permeated the music that was unique and that I refer to as 'The Gainesville Sound'. This was a few years after the success of R.E.M. and the resulting attention Athens GA had gotten regarding it's local music scene, and Gainesville's sound had grown somewhat from that style into it's own unique brand. The bands I most remember from that time were 'WHAT anne LIKES', Hollywood actor River Phoenix's rock band 'Aleka's Attic', and the one band that most epitomized The Gainesville Sound and style at that time, probably the greatest band you've never heard of, the remarkable 'Vulgar Boatmen'. But more about them later. Over the next couple weeks I will feature music from some of Gainesville's most famous musicians, beginning with their most famous and favorite son, Tom Petty and his bands of other Gainesville locals, Mudcrutch, and then, the Heartbreakers. Stay tuned.

Another climb

Climbing back up, deva vu edition

Ok, so I have (once again) begun that long hard climb to try bring at least some of the former posted downloads back online. I have started slow, but now have re-uploaded pretty much all of the most recent stuff (2012, and late 2011), as well as selected favorites from earlier posts. And I am currently working on restoring more of the somewhat 'unique' and unusual posts that can only be found here (such as the David M recordings, lesser-known groups like the fabulous Poodles, etc.). So, hopefully, those that were not able to get the shows they wanted in recent weeks can find what they need, or will soon. As said previously, however, we'll see how this goes, and it is still doubtful that all posts will be restored (Plus, by the time I re-upload these, could very well be shutdown or locked out again, you never know). So, enjoy them while you can. Unfortunately, however, this means that there will be no new post this week (no time), but should be able to get back on track next week.

Here are just some of the posts that have been recently restored. There are many more, but you'll have to find them on your own, just take a look around.

All The Band and Band-related posts
All the Flying Burrito Brothers and many Chris Hillman posts
Jackson Browne - Song Traveler (Live Solo Acoustic Compilation)
Dan Fogelberg - 1979-04-18 - NY
Dan Fogelberg - 1984-05-29 - NY

Steely Dan - Lost Gaucho and Outtakes
Steely Dan - Katy Lied/Royal Scam Outtakes
Steely Dan - 1974-05-20 - London (remaster)

The Kinks - 1969 - Boston Tea Party
The Kinks - 1969-11-27 - San Francisco (mp3) 
The Kinks - 1974-11-27 - NY (mp3)

Steve Goodman & John Prine - 1980 Minneapolis 
Steve Goodman - 1982-83 Soundboard shows
Fabulous Poodles - 1979-02-13 - Hempstead, NY
Fabulous Poodles - 1979-03-28 - Denver
Genesis - 1982 Reunion Rehearsal 

Also, Firefall, Byrds, America, Richie Furay, Eagles, and others. More coming soon.

Neil Young - 1989-01-14 - Bronco Bowl, Dallas, TX

Neil Young & The Restless
January 14, 1989
Bronco Bowl, Dallas, Texas
Audience master recording (by MJK5510), good quality
Available in both lossless (FLAC) and mp3 (320 kbps) versions
Custom artwork included

Here's a legndary Neil Young show, made famous through references in "Shakey-Neil Young's Biography" extolling the manic, explosive, thrashing, 'insane' performance by Young in the Electric set. I had been looking for this for quite awhile, when recently the original taper visited the blog and offered it to me. So, much thanks to Mark (MJK5510) for providing his master recording files for this great performance. It starts with a lovely acoustic set that includes many of Neil's classics as well as 'new' songs 'Someday' and 'Wrecking Ball' and the rarely played 'For the Turnstiles', then all hell breaks loose with a scorching electric set.

Disc One:
Acoustic set
01 Comes A Time
02 Sugar Mountain
03 The Needle And The Damage Done
04 Someday
05 The Wrecking Ball
06 For The Turnstiles
07 This Old House
08 Four Strong Winds
09 Heart Of Gold
Electric set:
10 Heavy Love
11 Don't Cry

Disc Two:
01 Cocaine Eyes
02 Eldorado
03 Box Car
04 Like A Hurricane
05 Mr. Soul
06 Cinnamon Girl
07 Down By The River
08 Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)
09 On Broadway
10 Tonight's The Night

The Restless:
Frank Sampedro - guitar, keyboards, vocals
Ben Keith - pedal steel guitar
Rick Rosas - bass, vocals
Chad Cromwell - drums

Download no longer available: copyright infringement claim made, links deleted by host
Don't know who, why, or how, but it was done, and I cannot re-post any download links. Sorry.

Getting back on the horse?

Some of you may have noticed that I have started to re-upload a few of the most popular and recent posts to Hotfile. This is being done on a trial basis, and we'll see how it goes. Let me know how it as working for you. At this point, it will remain on a somewhat limited basis (that is, I am not re-posting large numbers of the lost downloads), just for a select number of posts. I'm doing this somewhat surreptitiously, so you'll have to check to see if any of the ones you were specifically interested have been reposted. If they have, you are in luck, if not, well, that's the way it goes, I guess. I will continue focusing mainly on restoring some of the more unique posts that cannot be obtained anywhere else, but again, not everything will be able to be reposted. As I said, we'll see how it goes. In the meantime, I will continue posting new stuff as I come up with it. So, hopefully, there will still be enough stuff here for you to at least stop by occasionally to check out. Hang in there, and I will try to do the same. Thanks for your patience.

Poco - 1975-07-30 - Central Park, NY

Poco
1975-07-30
Central Park, Wollman Skating Rink,
New York, NY
Audience recording, good quality
mp3 @ 256 kbps


More Poco from this middle period, about a year later than the previous post. In addition to the previous repertoire, this one adds songs from their 2 most recent albums at the time, Contamos (1974) and Head Over Heels (1975), featuring among others, Tim Schmit's superb harmony anthem 'Keep On Tryin'. As noted previously, this solid quartet format lasted for a couple more albums and tours, until Tim B. Schmit left to join the Eagles at the end of 1977 (ironically, to replace Randy Meisner, again, as Schmit also originally joined Poco to replace Randy Meisner). After that, things got a bit strange for Poco. Stunned by the departure of Schmit and facing the cancellation of the release of their next album by their record company (a planned live album), the group decided to take a break. In that time Paul Cotton and Rusty Young formed a new band, tentatively called the Cotton-Young Band, adding Brits Charlie Harrison (bass, backing vocals) and Steve Chapman (drums), and focusing their music on a more pop-oriented sound. As they began to record tracks for an album, their record company liked what they heard, but wanted to release the album under the Poco name, so they did. Unfortunately, this left George Grantham out of the group, without him ever quitting or the band firing him, as the new lineup was formed and continued without him. Perhaps not surprisingly, with the more pop, and less country sound, the 'new' Poco became much more successful than ever before, with the new album Legend (1978), producing the group's first 2 legitimate hit singles ('Crazy Love' and 'Heart of the Night') and a top 20 hit album. Poco has continued with various lineups (including reunions of the original lineup and various other guest appearances by Furay, Meisner, and Messina) over the years and is still active today (although Rusty Young is the only original member in the current incarnation, longtime member Paul Cotton remained in the band until 2010). Even with all the lineup changes over the years, Rusty Young has played on every Poco album, and has played in every Poco gig, from the beginning. 

Tracklist:
01. Keep On Tryin'
02. Sagebrush Serenade
03. Blue Water ->
04. Fools Gold
05. Bad Weather
06. Hoedown
07. Ride The Country
08. Makin' Love
09. Georgia Bind My Ties
10. Restrain
11. Railroad Days
12. Siitin' On a Fence
13. High and Dry
14. Good Feelin' To Know
15. A Right Along

Band Members:
Paul Cotton – guitars, vocals
Rusty Young – pedal steel guitar, banjo, Dobro, guitar, mandolin, vocals
Timothy B. Schmit – bass, harmonica, vocals
George Grantham – drums, vocals

New Link! updated 06/25/23
Poco - 1975-07-30 - NYC link here

Poco - 1974-06-01 - Seattle

Poco
1974-06-01
Seattle, WA
Paramount Theater
Audience recording (JEMS Master), very good quality
mp3 @ 320 kbps

Here's more Poco, from the next stage of their career. Following Ritchie Furay's departure in late 1973, Poco continued as a quartet, deciding not to add anyone to replace Furay. This meant that the rest of the band members had to really step-up to fill the shoes of someone who lead the band, was their strongest vocalist, and was one of the main songwriters. Fortunately, that's exactly what happened, with Rusty Young and Timothy B. Schmit taking on much larger roles, partnering with Paul Cotton as a triumvirate of singing, songwriting, and performing talent. Rusty, in particular, had primarily only been the multi-dimensional guitarist (pedal steel, banjo, Dobro, mandolin, etc.) up to that point, and not actively involved in singing or songwriting. Fortunately, he has a fine singing voice (which allowed them to continue to feature their 3- and 4-part harmony vocals without missing a beat), and also was an accomplished songwriter, too, contributing many fine songs to their repertoire. This quartet lineup also gave the group some much-needed stability. After 4 lineup changes in their first 3 years, this core quartet group remained intact for several more years (from 1973-1977, until Schmit left to join the Eagles). This period became the most stable and arguably most productive period of the band, as well as produced some of their best albums [5 solid albums in 4 years: Seven (1974), Contamos (1974), Head Over Heels (1975), Indian Summer (1976), and Rose of Cimarron (1977)], alas, still without much mainstream commercial success. The show featured here is from the 1974 tour in support of Seven, and it has very good sound quality, and is a fine example of how well Poco carried on without Ritchie Furay.   

Tracklist:
01. Blue Water ->
02. Fools Gold
03. Bad Weather
04. Drivin' Wheel ->
05. I Can See Everything
06. Ride The Country
07. Here We Go Again
08. Faith In Families
09. Angel
10. I Guess You Made It ->
11. Restrain
12. A Right Along
13. Hoe Down ->
14. Railroad Days (cut in middle due to tape flip)
15. Good Feelin' To Know
16. C'mon

Band Members:
Paul Cotton – guitars, vocals
Rusty Young – pedal steel guitar, banjo, Dobro, guitar, mandolin, vocals
Timothy B. Schmit – bass, harmonica, vocals
George Grantham – drums, vocals

New Link! Updated 10/8/21
Poco - 1974-06-01 - Seattle here

Poco - 1972-02-13 - Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Poco
February 13, 1972
Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Soundboard recording, Very good quality
mp3 @ 256 kbps

Richie Furay formed Poco in 1968 during the collapse of Buffalo Springfiield (taking along Jim Messina and ace pedal steel session musician Rusty Young), and although Furay lead Poco for about five years and through their first 6 albums (leaving in late 1973), there are relatively few available live recordings from Furay's years with the band. This is one of the few I know of, from 1972. Fortunately, it is very good quality, but frustratingly short (probably an opening set for another headlining band). Although Poco is now acknowledged as one of the premier and seminal country-rock bands, they never became very popular in their day (no hit singles, weak album sales, not headlining tours). One of the primary reasons Furay left the band was his frustration with their lack of commercial success and inability to build up bigger audiences. In 1972 & 1973, even after critical acclaim and 6 albums, they were still primarily an opening act for other, bigger bands (This was especially crushing for Furay because of the much greater successes of his former bandmates, i.e. Neil Young, Crosby, Stills, & Nash, Loggins& Messina, etc). Surely, one of the great neglected and underappreciated bands, Poco produced much classic and quality music, but it seemed the general public was not quite ready for their hard mixture of country and rock at the time. Although the band did see some greater success (a couple hit singles, at least) a few years after Furay left, they still never quite broke through to the extent they deserved. Furay, as we know, left to join what seemed to be a 'Can't Miss' opportunity, forming the new country-rock 'supergroup' the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band, which ironically, didn't fare much better than Poco did (and were much more short-lived), but that's another story (which we have covered here previously). If we just concentrate on the music, however, Poco was, and is, a great band, and this is a fine show from those earlier Furay days of the band. 

1. What If I Should Say I Love You
2. Hoe Down
3. Just For Me And You
4. You Are The One
5. Bad Weather
6. Hard Luck/A Child Claim's To Fame/Pickin' Up The Pieces
7. Railroad Days
8. C'mon
9. What A Day

Ritchie Furay - guitars, vocals
Paul Cotton - guitars, vocals
Timothy B. Schmit – bass, harmonica, vocals
Rusty Young - pedal steel guitar, banjo, Dobro 
George Grantham – drums, vocals

Thanks to Infinite Fool (infinitefool.blogspot.com) for providing this show!

New Link! Updated 06/25/23
Poco - 1972 - Amsterdam here

Chris Hillman Band (w/Pre-Firefall) - 1975-06-03 - the Other End, New York, NY

Chris Hillman Band
(featuring members of Firefall just before their breakthrough)
1975-06-03
The Other End, New York, NY
Audience recording, Good quality
Available in both lossless (Flac) and mp3 (@320 kbps) versions
Custom Artwork provided

Here again, is the remarkable Chris Hillman, from the tour immediately following the break-up of the Souther Hillman Furay band in 1975. Chris got together with old friend Rick Roberts and members of Rick's 'new' band, tentatively called Firefall, which had begun rehearsing together but had not yet recorded or performed as a group. This was the same gig, at New York's The Other End (aka The Bitter End), where just a few days later, Firefall would be 'discovered' and offered their record contract, after Chris Hillman became ill and had to bow out of the tour and Firefall continued several shows without him, featuring their new band and songs (That first Firefall show 1975-06-06 was previously featured here). Here though we have a show prior to that day, when Chris was apparently healthy, still very much in charge, and ably leading and running the show, which features a great selection of songs from throughout his career at that point (Byrds, Burrito Bros. SHF Band, etc.) with notable and expert back-up provided by the Firefall guys.
This recording was provided to me once again by our own David M. Although he did not personally tape this one, he received it many years ago from the taper, and it has been in only very limited circulation since then. Enjoy. 

1st Set
01 - Lazy Day
02 - It Doesn't Matter
03 - Bound To Fall
04 - Hot Burrito #2
05 - Heavenly Fire
06 - Sin City
07 - Fallen Eagle
08 - Rise And Fall
09 - The Race Is On
10 - Follow Me Through
11 - So You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star

2nd Set
12 - Safe At Home
13 - Down In The Churchyard
14 - Bound To Fall
15 - Lies
16 - Colorado
17 - Time Between
18 - Blue Morning
19 - Hot Burrito #2
20 - Christine's Tune
21 - Follow Me Through
22 - Mystery train
23 - Take It On The Run
24 - Six Days On The Road

Chris Hillman - guitar, mandolin, lead vocals
Rick Roberts - rhythm guitar, vocals
Jock Bartley - lead guitar
Mark Andes - bass
Michael Wooten - drums

mp3 - Chris Hillman_1975-06-03_NY_mp3.rar

flac - set1: Chris Hillman_1975-06-03_NY_FLAC_Set1.rar
        set2: Gram Parsons_1973-06-03_NY_FLAC_set2.rar
New Links (Updated 12/02/21)