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Feb 10 2022

TO WHERE I AM NOW

I’m very sad to report that funk legend Betty Davis has died at the age of 77 at her home in Homestead, Pennsylvania. Davis released three amazing albums in the seventies, self-titled (1973), They Say I’m Different (1974), and Nasty Gal (1975). Despite their quality, it seems they were just too raunchy for both the mainstream and the funk audience and they disappeared until they were rediscovered in later years as funk classics. Overtly sexual and raw on track one, side one of her debut she screamed, “If I’m In Luck I Might Get Picked Up” which as a single reached No.66 in the R&B chart. This powerful woman broke down the walls to see people running away on the other side. She must have expressed a wry grin when she turned on the television today and saw what R&B had become visually.

Betty Gray Mabry was Miles Davis’ second wife (previously she had been together with another famous trumpeter, Hugh Masekela). They married in 1968 and she introduced him to the new psychedelic world. She introduced him to Jimi Hendrix and to Sly Stone. Later she would work with Sly Stone’s rhythm section of Larry Graham on bass and Greg Errico on drums who also produced her debut album. Through Betty, Hendrix and Miles became mutual musical admirers and planned to record together, scuppered by Hendrix’s death in 1970.

Legend has it that when Miles was titling his album Witches Brew, it was her that suggested Bitches Brew (1970). This album never would have been made and Miles’ musical journey into fusion never would have happened if it wasn’t for Betty’s influence and circle of hip friends. As a successful model, she appeared in many magazines of the day but it’s also her on the cover of Miles’ album Filles de Kilimanjaro (1969) which includes the 16-minute Mademoiselle Mabry.

She sang, wrote and arranged her own songs (she wrote Uptown on The Chambers Brothers‘ 1968 US Top Ten album The Time Has Come). Since the seventies, she had very much retired from music and a recent documentary found her living very frugally, with no internet, mobile phone or car. There has been reissues and unreleased albums (Is It Love Or Desire – 1976/2009) c/- Light In The Attic Records. She’s easy to find, you just have to look. In the list of people of note from or resident in Homestead (Jeff Goldblum included), Betty doesn’t feature. RIP Betty – Legend.

Tales From The Tour Bus
(watch the whole playlist here)

Back here in reality land, I walked through the Marquês park and noticed the pigeon bench was completely splattered due to the fact that there were no leaves on the trees. It’s one of these situations where you just wanna call them up and say, can we just move the bench from that spot for the good of the public? You don’t usually see such bare trees in such warm weather, I suppose they‘ll start budding soon and the bench will be less dangerous by the summer.

At the gym, the trainer talked me into the elliptical machine, explaining I needed to do more cardio in there and flit between the muscle building and the cardio machines. So I was there for ages pushing it, my knees nearly died, haha.

I bought chestnuts for both of us on the way home, went to the bakery, hit the psychedelic psupermarket and made it back just in time for a sesh with Brian in New Jersey. I fell through the door like a drunk cowboy out of a saloon, not really, but I was so tired out.

Liverpool were on for dinner entertainment beating Leicester 2-0 but at the same time, Ronnie lost to the most famous and successful unknown Australian in the snooker players’ championship, the talented Neil Robertson. Life goes on.

Music Of The Daze

Written by Marty Willson-Piper · Categorized: Blog

Missing

This is my stolen 1965 Rickenbacker 12-string, serial number EB157. If there's any chance of this guitar coming back to me before I go to meet my maker, then that would be wonderful. Please contact me if you have any information.

11209512_1669022976719710_7288437867089763325_n

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Thanks to The Wernickis for a little glimpse into Thanks to The Wernickis for a little glimpse into their new New Mexico listening space 🌵 #nightjar #schoolkidsrecords
Redeyed lad of the lowlands 🎵 📷 @oliviaelek Redeyed lad of the lowlands 🎵

📷 @oliviaelektra 

#danelectro #danelectrobass #redeyerecords #pleasantrylane #pleasantrylanestudio
You usually don’t spend the day in the studio an You usually don’t spend the day in the studio and the night at a gig but if you put the studio next to the gig then there’s a greater chance. So @salimnourallah did just that, he put the gig and the studio next to each other and made it possible for me to spend the day recording and the evening playing live 🎵

📷 @drewliophoto 

#galacticheadquarters #happinessarecordlabel #pleasantrylanestudio #salimnourallah #oliviawillsonpiper
TO WHERE I AM NOW A visit in the studio today fro TO WHERE I AM NOW

A visit in the studio today from old mate Mark Burgess from The Chameleons who has been hanging in Texas recently. I was thinking about the two of us growing up in the northwest of England and all these years later finding ourselves in such an unlikely spot together. We fixed a few issues in the universe and I carried on recording some guitars until Mark had to leave. Mark had played at the Galactic Headquarters next to the studio this year as Olivia and I had four years ago and this reminded me to remind myself to remind everyone to remind their friends that we will be playing there with Salim on Saturday, New Year’s Eve, for the ultimate in intimate performance. You can get tickets here (follow link below).

CONTINUE READING: https://martywillson-piper.com/2022/12/to-where-i-am-now-1045

KEEP IN TOUCH: https://linktr.ee/mwillsonpiper

📷 @salimnourallah 

#markburgess #thechameleons #chameleonsvox #pleasantrylanestudio #happinessarecordlabel #martywillsonpiper #oliviawillsonpiper #moatband
📷 @argirgirl 📷 @argirgirl
TO WHERE I AM NOW Sadness manifested in a buildin TO WHERE I AM NOW

Sadness manifested in a building, today we went to visit Paisley Park. Prince built Paisley Park in Chanhassen, about twenty minutes southwest of Minneapolis. It opened in 1987 and he recorded his later albums there. Apart from Prince, REM also recorded and mixed Out Of Time there, recording Kate Pearson’s vocal on Shiny Happy People vocal. Madonna had Prince play guitar on three songs from Like A Prayer and the two co-wrote Love Song, finishing it remotely due to Madonna not being able to stand the cold weather and the rather desolate location of the studio. Of course, there are things around but it’s not in the city and it’s not in the countryside, it’s in a suburb, no distractions, just what Prince wanted.

CONTINUE READING: https://martywillson-piper.com/2022/12/to-where-i-am-now-1032

KEEP IN TOUCH: https://linktr.ee/mwillsonpiper

📷 @argirgirl 

#paisleypark #prince
Marty & Pablo! 📷 Rod MacQuarrie Marty & Pablo!

📷 Rod MacQuarrie
At last, a proper door stop. 📷 @judgeschamber At last, a proper door stop.

📷 @judgeschamber 

#grammysitting 👵
🌵 Texas Acoustic Dates 🌵 31 December - DALL 🌵 Texas Acoustic Dates 🌵

31 December - DALLAS
7 January - CELINA
12 January - HOUSTON
14 January - AUSTIN
15 January - SAN ANTONIO

With @salimnourallah and @joereyesmusic

More info here: https://mailchi.mp/e47ede06acd6/texas-acoustic-dates
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Songwriting & Guitar Guidance with Marty Willson-Piper
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"These are awesome sessions that I highly recommend for guitar players of all levels. Very informative, frank discussions on everything related to guitar and music in general. Definitely a must for anyone pursuing songwriting."
(Stephen G., VA, USA)

"Marty knows how to bypass scales and get to the heart of feel and timing. His musical knowledge spans multiple cultures and genres. Perhaps most importantly, Marty is a cool dude. I highly recommend his guitar guidance." (Jed B., MN, USA)

"Ok, so you’re sitting in your home and Marty is across the world but is actually right here teaching you how to play guitar and write songs. He is a delight to talk to and he is your teacher, meaning he wants to see you get something out of his lessons. You know he’s paying attention and wants to steer you in the right direction. I am so grateful and humbled that he offers his time in this manner. This is an amazing opportunity for anyone who admires anything from his enormous body of work. How often do you get to learn from somebody that inspired you in the first place? Amazing." (Ann S., CA, USA)

Missing

This is my stolen 1965 Rickenbacker 12-string, serial number EB157. If there’s any chance of this guitar coming back to me before I go to meet my maker, then that would be wonderful. Please contact me if you have any information.

11209512_1669022976719710_7288437867089763325_n

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