Somewhere or other (there's been a barrage of recent posts with vague subject lines lately), somebody was discussing the "Gold Dust" re-tooling of Sandy's Nov. 1977 Royalty Theatre concert and comparing it with the bootleg issue that had a title similar to "No More Sad Refrains." Over the long holiday weekend we just had here in the US, I got out my tape of this boot and have listened to it several times with great pleasure. I prefer the track listing that follows Sand's original setlist, and prefer the raw tape to the studio-embellished version with sound filtering, overdubs, etc. For one thing, Sand's voice often seems a lot clearer, or at least, more "situated" vis-a-vis the instrumental backdrop, in the bootleg version.
I wasn't there in person but to judge from this recording, Sand was in fine voice that night.
Just thought I would chip in my two drachmae on this issue.
I'll throw in mine too.
I cannot remember now how much Clinton Heylin used in his biog but, Sand's voice was bad, especially by the last night that was one of the ones they recorded. I made up a concoction of freshly squeezed lemons (at least half a doz plus cos I went back to the shops for more!) honey (loads) and brandy and heated and put in vacuum flasks - I also took a note book with pencil and large roll of sellotape. And duplicate note books & pens!
I had to sellotape her mouth and she refused to respond to spoken words so I and any of the others had to resort to scribbling for her to read... Judging by the state of her voice that last afternoon I think it was a miracle that she did the gig...and, in terms of feel etc I think it is a must.
The Italian bootleg had more chat. I don't think either were actually in the original running order of the gig. I think the boot was a bit closer... have actaul running order somewhere I think. Or were there two boots? Had Jerry Donahue not re-done the guitar there would not have been that Golddust CD. He tried, in vain, to get A&M and Island to make it a double and retain all the chat and I seem to rember him saying he would have liked to have retained the integrity of the running order as it was... but age is catching up with me...
I have new ISP but still get the posts to this one. A few have my new one, but it is really only family and extended family! However if Georgia is reading this -then G, please post me! I have the same phone number BUT have finally sold the parents' house and moved to my own and am now starting my own life again. As promised G - it is big enough for you and the twins should the chance or need arrive! Have lost my phone book - it has to be here somewhere - the final and full packing and the move took well over 2 weeks!! I will be surrounded by boxes for a while I think! BUT some forgotten goodies re-surfaced - including a lovely doodle of your mother's! Signed to boot!
The only other signed thing was the "Gold Dust" album that then got changed to "Rendezvous" - look at the art work and see how it would go with stars and meteor shower - Trevor gave my signed copy away to an Atlantic Records friend who was visiting and that is long gone and S never signed the replacement she got me!!! The doodle was not with any other Sand or rock'n roll stuff!!! Also found the Don Henley post card to Sandy and me in LA; also the stage dress she loved best and packed and had with her when I went up to fetch her the day Trevor et al flew off to Oz. I also found the acvtual spice jar of cloves which she had to move to get to the Andrews and subsequently spilled over kitchen floor - my mother had not threown away but had packed awayquite seperately back when. I never packed my flat up as I was nursing two elderly great aunts in the depths of the country when that big move happened and my other God-daughter (Who G met in '99) and is also my cousin packed my stuff with her mother and other family members - hence the move just completed was so protracted - I felt the need to be hands on all the way. Those of you who have visited will realise what a mamoth task it was - quite apart from down-sizing from 4 large reception and 7 bedrooms/dressing rooms/studies and stables and outbuildings and two summer houses, green houses and sheds - the stuff of nightmares!. I have managed to keep the mahogany dining table with the cigarette burns (both mine and Sandy's!). I also found the rest of the orange tiles Sandy gave me and some of the green ones I gave her and was putting felt on the bottoms so that they didn't scratch the piano!!! I had totally forgotten that S had given them back to me to cover. I finished doing the last 3 of those last week. A poignant moment. Also on the 1st drive back in the lorry on the first move day there were builders about 4 doors down on the opposite side of the road...radio on loud. Yes. Sandy! That felt like a good omen. I meant to say that I did put rather more brandy in the throat concoction than intended - both Trevor and I had to do quality control tests!! Typo errors due to poisened finger and keying in is a bitr hard.
Meant to add - also found massess of tins of green dye that S bought for me to dye more stuff of hers...also the big boiler and wooden spoon I used to use. No I didn't chuck them! God, the hell and fun of being a hoarder. Were S still here she would be rolling on the floor with tears of laughter - and I would too - her laugh should carry a Governemnt Health Warning it's so contagious!
Back into lurk mode... Actually not even that - by the time I have "wahed out" the spam I sometimes do not get around to reading these - sorry - the habit went in the run up to the buying/selling/moving process and coping with 100 plus emails at a time gets put off and they then breed like raBBITS - but I am checking the other address.. G, if nec call reversing the charges - give me your number and I will call back!! Or you can call - your mother's stuff is much more prominent in record stores these days I gather and Eva Cassidy's cover must be helping too!! Saw James again in March - he was sick when in Oz. Also saw Jackson for the first time since '76.
Jackson & Lowell appear in the doodle as well as, mainly, Jon (who found your mother) and an oblique reference to the album they were doing or releasing at that point - has to have been in '77. Fascinating documentary obn Randy Newman recently - If only he could have been reached for a quote! I still have the photos I took of Sandy on stage and then later Randy - from the same chalk mark - with his okay! Also found my medical certificate from a Doctor he knew in LA who also treated Sandy's L.A. throat '73 -Randy's father- he never billed us. The West Coast chewed and spat Dusty out - did Trevor really think it was the way for Sandy to go? Sandy didn't want to! Sorry this is so long - will shut up for appropriate length of time now. A listee sent me a jiffy bag -I've got the CD but no address book and cannot find email about it -please contact me off list- I feel really bad about it!#
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