Sam's Current Obsessions: #2 - The Fool

  The Fool were a design collective and a band during the mid-sixties to early seventies who influenced psychedelic rock and art BIGTIME. Although their band didn't really make it big, their art definitely did. They painted the Beatles' famous Apple Boutique building (before it was ordered to be painted over in 1968), designed a lot of the clothing for the store, and painted many other famous psychedelic art during the late sixties.

Apple Boutique as it appeared in 1967.

Apple Boutique after the repaint in 1968.

Apple Boutique models. The blonde is Pattie Boyd, George Harrison's
wife and my favorite person ever!

Marijke Koger of The Fool.

Marijke Koger.

Apple Boutique models.

The Fool with John Lennon painting his psychedelic piano.

Mama Cass among The Fool and others.

Jenny Boyd working in Apple Boutique.

Marijke Koger.

  If you didn't get your fix of the Fool yet, enjoy these videos and have a lovely week, darlings!

Candy Colored Clouds

  Hi everyone, this is a poor excuse for a blog post, but I thought I'd just show you a few things that I've enjoyed recently. The first is a few images, so enjoy these:

I've also had some songs on my mind that you all might enjoy:

1. "Hope" by Klaatu // when the song kicks in (and believe me, you will know when it kicks in) you're rushed with this overwhelmingly intense rush of power and emotion that to this day blows my mind how the hell they captured it into a song
2. "My Girl" by the Temptations // how can anyone not like this song? Every time I listen to it, I feel so happy inside and nostalgia for a time period I never lived in washes over me
3. "You Get What You Give" by the New Radicals // although this song is a little bit newer than music I typically listen to, I'm a really big fan of this song. Plus it reminds me of my childhood, hearing it on the radio
4. "Everybody's Talkin'" by Harry Nilsson // this song is soft and pretty, yet deep and soulful at the same time, making it an instant favorite in my mind
5. "Village Green" by the Kinks // a lesser known Kinks tune, this personal favorite of mine sounds so different from a lot of other typical songs from the time period that it's hard not to love it, honestly. It sounds like a medieval party to me, which is something I think everyone can groove to
6. "Midnight Confessions" by the Grass Roots // this song was one of my favorites in the eighth grade, and I forgot about it up until now. It's so big yet at the same time so small, as it confuses my mind and makes me feel all warm and bubbly inside. Check it out

AND FINALLY check out some groovy links that've kept me occupied for the past week or so.
Fantastic Elvis art collection from Rookie
Klaus Voormann's artwork from his Hamburg days with the Beatles
Klaatu
Beatles News
Today in Beatles History...

Have a lovely day you lovely people xx

Daydream Believers

Look how trippy this sleeve looks! How can you not dig it? :)

  Last year when I was obsessed with The Beatles (see previous post, haha), I naturally became obsessed with their almost knockoff band, The Monkees. Now, I am NOT saying that the Monkees were ripoffs. What I am saying is that they were very similar to The Beatles and were created to be a TV show version of the band.

The Monkees! From left to right: Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Peter Tork, Mike Nesmith

  For those of you who don't know the Monkees, they were a band that had their own TV show, which ran for two seasons from late 1966 to early 1968. There were four members- Mike Nesmith, the "leader," Micky Dolenz, the quirky also-sometimes-leader, Davy Jones, the lovable tiny one with a British accent, and Peter Tork, the slightly dumbed down yet just as lovable one. Their TV show episodes usually consisted of the group getting into typical sitcom drama, quirks and whatnot, which usually resulted in a song, performed by the band.

Look at those groovy hats!

  There are a few reasons why The Monkees receive so much hate. The first is because people believe they were directly copying The Beatles. Yes, there are a few similarities- Both band's names are about animals, they both misspell one letter in their band names on purpose, there are four members, each member took a turn at singing lead vocals, etc- but the bands are actually quite different. Whereas The Beatles got their start in Hamburg in the late 50's and early 60's performing both skiffle and rock n' roll, The Monkees started their career when sixties psychedelia was just blooming, and therefore most of their music was entirely psychedelic or poppy and upbeat. The Monkees as a band broke up in 1970, the same year as The Beatles. But I personally believe The Beatles had much more musically variety than The Monkees, as The Beatles covered not only psychedelia but also pop, soft rock, country (See "Don't Pass Me By, heh), hard rock, blues, ballads, and much more. That's not to say The Monkees were musically lacking, but of course, The Beatles covered more genres.

The Monkees on their beachy TV set. Groovy!

  Another reason people typically bash on The Monkees is because they were a band specifically created for a TV show. Whereas Mike Nesmith and Peter Tork identified themselves as musicians, Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones classified themselves as actors when asked. They were pieced together by producers rather than finding each other on their own and forming a band first. At first they also didn't play their own instruments on recordings and often didn't write their own lyrics, either. But after long struggles with their producers, they were finally able to play instruments on some recordings. Not all, but some.

  So, judge for yourself- are The Monkees an actual band? I think so. Although they were created for commercial purposes, they did play their own instruments eventually and did actually sing. They also toured as The Monkees, too, before Davy's unfortunate death in February of 2012. And if you didn't know who The Monkees were before this post, I'm glad I could introduce you too a new band!

  I hope you liked the post, have a fabulous Thursday!

Zor & Zam from itsamodmodworld on 8tracks Radio.

For this playlist I've included a few Monkees songs, Beatles songs that may or may not have inspired Monkees songs, Monkees solo career songs (mainly by Mike Nesmith), and just a few other 60's pop songs I thought fit in. Enjoy!

1. "Pleasant Valley Sunday" by The Monkees
2. "I Feel Fine" by The Beatles
3. "How Can You Kiss Me" by Mike Nesmith
4. "Let's Spend the Night Together" by The Rolling Stones
5. "Pictures of Lily" by The Who
6. "Ticket to Ride" by The Beatles
7. "Hurdy Gurdy Man" by Donovan
8. "For Pete's Sake (Closing Theme)" by The Monkees

If you like The Monkees, check out these other awesome songs by them that I like:

• "Randy Scouse Git," which is actually about The Beatles. (Specifically the line 'The four kings of EMI.')
• "Your Auntie Grizelda," featuring a rare vocal performance by Peter Tork.
• "Daily Nightly," a trippy number that I happen to adore.
• "Words," another psychedelic one (I know I've used that word a lot in this post, bear with me!) that sounds almost dark and dreary at first.
• "I'm a Believer," a classic in Monkees tunes, and I think in tunes in general.
• "Daydream Believer," the Davy Jones classic!
• "Valleri," starts off with a Spanish acoustic guitar riff that rocks my world. Love it!
• "You Told Me" pays hommage to the beginning of The Beatles' "Taxman."
• "Daddy's Song" just.. pure fun!

All I Got to Be is to, Be Happy! (Dedication to the Ever-Lovely George Harrison)

The ever-heavenly Friar Park, former home of George Harrison.

  Last year was when I really started my Beatles obsession. I had known the Beatles before and had actually a large liking of songs like "Hey Jude" and "A Day in the Life," but I hardly knew anything else. This all changed when I heard "She Loves You"- it was like I was being transported into another time when things were simpler and the music was happier. As I'd learn, the 60's weren't all fun and games, but that didn't stop me from my obsession.

A (terribly put together) panorama of my room from about three or so months ago. It's missing a few guitars, but the band-obsessed point definitely gets across.

  At first, my favorite Beatle was Paul McCartney. Ah, Mr. McCharmly, the "cute" Beatle. When I first started my plunge into Beatlemania, I didn't know too many of the Beatles' personalities. I just knew that Paul was cute and in my opinion was the best singer vocally, and most of his songs were upbeat and catchy. In my books at the time, that instantly meant favorite.

Who couldn't love that face? ;)

  As time went on, I started to look more into the Beatles themselves, and not just as a band. I soon took a liking to George Harrison, the awkward and shy guitarist with a liking for Indian meditation. I instantly connected to him (I call last year my "finding myself year," I looked for a lot spiritually and discovered a lot about myself.) and realized George was my favorite.

And who couldn't love this face, either? ;)

  My Beatles obsession instantly branched into my likings of other bands, but it all started with the "originals."Since I loved George so dearly last year, my iPod consisted mainly of Beatles songs and his solo career. But as time went on, my iPod erased many, so I had to re-save songs, sadly skipping over many George classics. I still loved him, believe me- I just forgot about many of his songs.

George Harrison c. 1968 is seriously the most underrated George ever. I mean, look at his hair! He looks DEVASTATINGLY handsome, mmm mmm mmm.

  Last night I stumbled upon George's solo career again, and believe me, I've fallen in love. I've decided not to include a playlist for today because 8tracks only lets you upload two songs per artist, and there is a minimum of 8 tracks total. So I decided I could just recommend some for you! Okay, here we go. (Warning: This is mainly going to be me rambling. Enter at your own risk!)

Each Rating is out of TEN stars. ★★★★★★★★★★

1. "My Sweet Lord" from All Things Must Pass, 1970 ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10 (What a pure CLASSIC this song is. It was George's first #1 hit when he went solo, and it's easy to see why. I could go on and on about this song but I won't- you'll simply have to listen to its beautiful acoustic guitar, backing vocals, and passionate lead vocals by George. Passion in what you're singing is so sexy- guys, take note from this!)
2. "Awaiting On You All" from All Things Must Pass, 1970 ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10 There is a slowed down version which I love, and the album version is good, too- but the best is by far the live one. This song is just George saying that the lord is awaiting on everyone to give up their material possessions and just chant, which would lead to being "free." Although I'm not religious, this tune seriously kicks ASS.)
3. "The Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let it Roll)" from All Things Must Pass, 1970 ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10 This was my favorite George song for nearly a year. His guitar work is so light and airy, a thing common in tons of solo George songs, and it really makes you feel calm and cloud-like.)
4. "Run of the Mill" from All Things Must Pass, 1970 ★★★★★★★ 7/10 (This song is just.. cute. I don't know how else to describe it but cute. It's slow and calm and full of plenty of instrumentation often featured in typical 70's songs, but something about this makes it much better. I highly recommend the demo version as well, it's even cuter.)
5. "Apple Scruffs" from All Things Must Pass, 1970 ★★★★★★★ 7/10 (This song was written about the Apple Scruffs- a group of girls who loved the Beatles and hung outside of their Apple Corps. and Apple Studios when they were recording. It's a simple ditty, and is full of harmonica and campy-style guitar, which I happen to love. Also- this song makes me CRAVE apple pie. Just thought I'd share that, heh.) 
6. "Wah-Wah" from All Things Must Pass, 1970 ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10 (This is the most kick ass song, EVER. And I mean EVER! It starts off with this great guitar riff, which just leads into more and more instruments building up, and it's all done so damn LOUD! I fucking love it. Plus it's about John and Paul blabbing and giving George a headache. Revenge is sweet, and often times makes AMAZING songs.)
7. "Isn't it a Pity" from All Things Must Pass, 1970 ★★★★★★★ 7/10 (This song was written about George's love with Pattie Boyd, and I think it's absolutely beautiful. That is all.)
8. "Don't Let Me Wait Too Long" from Living in the Material World, 1973 ★★★★★★ /10(This song is just.. cute. But a different type of cute from "Run of the Mill." This song is more upbeat, and a lot happier. Plus it's SUPER catchy.)
9. "Try Some, Buy Some" from Living in the Material World, 1973 ★★★★★★★ 7/10 (This song is so light and calm and airy and just pretty- but lyrically, it lacks, so hence, the 7.)
10. "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" from Living in the Material World, 1973 ★★★★★★★★★ 9/10 (This was George's second #1 hit, and one of the first songs I learned to play on guitar, along with "My Sweet Lord." It's very happy and calm, but just lacks the passion I think "My Sweet Lord" did.)
11. "Miss O'Dell" from Living in the Material World, 1973 ★★★★★★★★ 8/10 (If you haven't read Miss O'Dell by Chris O'Dell, I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT! That's all I have to say. Read the book to find out why I like this song, Mwahahah.)
12. "Ding Dong, Ding Dong" from Dark Horse, 1974 ★★★★★★★★  /10 (This is a novelty song, of course- but it is my absolute favorite to listen to on New Year's Eve. Why? Because it's one of the very few New Years songs there actually are! I luuuurve it.)
13. "So Sad" from Dark Horse, 1974 ★★★★★★★ 7/10(This is the only song we know of written about George and Pattie's breakup, and, since you all know about my extreme Pattie Boyd love, it means I love this song too. The lyrics are great until the boring chorus- hence the 7.)
14. "The Answer's at The End" from Extra Texture! (Read All About It), 1975 ★★★★★★★★★ /10 (Sadly, this is the only song on this flop of an album I actually like. This is a slower song, but it's so beautiful, and its message is lovely. I recommend this song highly as well.)
15. "Beautiful Girl" from Thirty Three & 1/3, 1976 8/10 (This was written about George's second wife, Olivia. I love this song so dearly, please Georgie, write something like this about me...? :)
16. "Blow Away" from George Harrison, 1979 ★★★★★★★★ 8/10(This is one of those songs that just sounds cheesy, but is so cute and upbeat and lovable. You have to listen to it. Plus the music video features a giant rubber duck!)
17. "Love Comes to Everyone" from George Harrison, 1979 ★★★★★★★★★  9/10 (I really love this song. Since it's from 1979 its starting to build up to the cheesiness of the 80's, but it's still super cute and I just love it so much.)
18. "Got My Mind Set On You" from Cloud Nine, 1987 ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10 (After a very long hiatus, George came back with this, his final #1 hit. Although the lyrics are from another song and are kind of creatively lacking, this song will get stuck in your head for DAYS. And you will love every second of it.) 
19. "When We Was Fab" from Cloud Nine, 1987 ★★★★★★★★ 8/10 (This song.. I don't know how to describe it. It's dark, yet upbeat. Take a listen yourself, I guess..?)
20. "This is Love" from Cloud Nine, 1987 ★★★★★★★★★ 9/10 (This is the ultimate 80's love song. I love it so so so much, I wanna squeeze it and shower it in kisses.)

London & Liverpool

  After looking through my old Facebook photos, I realized I never showed you precious readers pictures from my photos from my visit to England this past October. My father and I stayed in London, and on our second day of the trip, we visited Liverpool for The Magical Mystery Tour, decked out with post-Beatlemania delight. Overall, it was a wonderful holiday, and I wish more than anything to return to Liverpool. London was a little too glamorous and expensive for me, but Liverpool provided the perfect amount of both nostalgia and wanderlust. If you're a Beatles or traveling fan like I am, Liverpool is a must-visit city.

London

  Upon arriving in London, it was nearly freezing (mainly due to the October air) and of course, I forgot my heavy peacoat back at home. My father and I took a bus tour around the city where we visited the Tower of London, Big Ben, The London Bridge, Buckingham Palace, and various other locations. Of course, we didn't go in any of these (except for the Tower of London), but instead took pictures out front.

Standing outside a famous red telephone booth. Look at me with my newly home-bleached hair! I thought I was the shit.

In front of Buckingham Palace. And no, we weren't fortunate enough to see the changing of the guards.

The London Bridge!

Nice forced smile there, Sam! And nice hair, its obvious my roots are lighter than the rest of my hair. That's what happens when you bleach unevenly!

In front of a cathedral whose name I am currently blanking on!

And yet again, that sarcastic smirk and the overly bleached top. Big Ben.

Abbey Road! Although I must say, it wasn't as sunny as the 1969 album cover, which was quite a disappointment.

Liverpool

The Beatles shop on Mathew Street. It was filled with every Beatlemaniac's dream, although I couldn't afford it due to the dramatic differ between dollars and pounds.

Inside the Yellow Submarine part of the Beatles Story exhibit.

More Yellow Submarine!

Very proud of this photo (it's one of the few I took instead of my dad). It's of the Magical Mystery Tour bus. This photo is actually taken on Penny Lane!

The Cavern Club on Mathew Street. Such a great view inside, unfortunately it was too dark inside, and if I used flash, I would distract that band that was performing (the Cave Dwellers, I think?).

My dad's goofy grin on the spiraling staircase down to the Cavern Club.

Strawberry Fields (forever)! I was surprised at how small the gates are in real life. I'm only 4'11", and I was nearly as tall as them! Plus they're very subtle in the Liverpudlian cobblestone.

My dad posing in front of the Mersey.

Me on Albert Dock, standing in front of the actual Yellow Submarine hotel! (it's on a mini boat, must be so cool!)

London Calling from itsamodmodworld on 8tracks Radio.

1. "Magical Mystery Tour" by The Beatles
2. "London Calling" by The Clash
3. "The Village Green Preservation Society" by The Kinks
4. "Penny Lane" by The Beatles
5. "Winter" by The Rolling Stones
6. "Autumn Almanac" by The Kinks
7. "Itchycoo Park" by The Small Faces
8. "Street Fighting Man" by The Rolling Stones

George Harrison and Pattie Boyd Being Adorable