I was listening to this cd on the way into work this morning. I really liked this group; only wish things could have worked out better for them. I've read that Jack Bruce and Mick Taylor just weren't in synch with each other musically. They had terrible arguments. Mick once said that Jack was very frustrating to work with, or something to that effect. Anyway, it's interesting how nothing is written about Mick Taylor's performance in the liner notes, other than he was present and accounted for. Can't help but wonder if this band became the supergroup that Mick and Jack had hoped it would become, would he have been forgiven for leaving the Rolling Stones? Or, at the very least, not pestered about it as he has been in the ensuing years?

I think the main problem with this group was too much drugs. Bruce wasn't easy to work with, either. As skilled and beautiful musicians that they both are, the songs may not have been up to par with what they potentially could have been?

For the Jack Bruce Band to break, the songs would have had to be a tad more catchy, imo.

Bella - Can you just order the CD online? I think you make a cery valid point about the band not taking off. If it had I think that Mick Taylor's musical career would have been very different.

[www.amazon.com]

I always wondered about Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton's arrangement abilities with the Bruce/Brown tunes they worked with. It seems strange that Bruce would go from top ten hits and the ability to write concise riff driven tunes to as a solo artist much more complex and elusive work that I think was very unlikely to do well commercially. Of course artists develop but I always saw Bruce's solo work as being pretty esoteric and in no way likely to be a hit in the conventional sense. Admittedly some pretty strange bands like Jethro Tull and King Crimson have done well over the years but then again I think Ian Anderson and Robert Fripp were more disciplined individually that Jack.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-01-16 15:59 by FP.

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FiFiLoves
Bella - Can you just order the CD online? I think you make a cery valid point about the band not taking off. If it had I think that Mick Taylor's musical career would have been very different.

Yes you can on Amazon.com. I purchased a used copy (2003) a year ago. There's a remastered version (2011) which is a little more expensive.

I think you'll enjoy it.

<Admittedly some pretty strange bands like Jethro Tull and King Crimson have done well over the years>

They always had some catchy stuff as well.

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DandelionPowderman
I think the main problem with this group was too much drugs. Bruce wasn't easy to work with, either. As skilled and beautiful musicians that they both are, the songs may not have been up to par with what they potentially could have been?

For the Jack Bruce Band to break, the songs would have had to be a tad more catchy, imo.

Definitely drugs were the main problem. It's infuriating, you know. Mick Taylor once said that he didn't know that Jack Bruce was into heroin. I have trouble believing that especially when Andy Johns (who also had a well-documented problem) told Mick that Jack was looking for a guitarist. We'll never know what could have been, which is a shame. I feel sorry for the other muscians in the group who, apparently, didn't have a problem with drugs.

I saw this band play at the 1975 Pinkpop festival in Holland, the same festival that the Stones are rumored to play this year. I liked the band although the majority of the audience didn't really know how to react, it all sounded a bit experimental for pop and rock music lovers at that time. There are two official releases of the JB Band available, and the book Jack Bruce 'Composing Himself', written by Harry Sapiro is a nice read. One chapter about the relationship between the members of the Jack Bruce Band with Mick Taylor. Whether it's all trustworthy is up the the readers themselves.

I read parts of his biography, and I was totally surprised just how many musicians used heroin. It's frightening. I saw a video clip, possibly on YouTube or maybe it was posted on this forum, of the band at PinkPop. Mick Taylor was wearing a white sweater and someone remarked that his face was as pale as his sweater.

It's true that the audience, in general, didn't know how to react to this band which is a shame. I even read that in one show, Mick Taylor was falling asleep onstage, much to the annoyance of the audience. That's rather hard to believe, but I guess it was true!!

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Bellajane
I read parts of his biography, and I was totally surprised just how many musicians used heroin. It's frightening. I saw a video clip, possibly on YouTube or maybe it was posted on this forum, of the band at PinkPop. Mick Taylor was wearing a white sweater and someone remarked that his face was as pale as his sweater.

It's true that the audience, in general, didn't know how to react to this band which is a shame. I even read that in one show, Mick Taylor was falling asleep onstage, much to the annoyance of the audience. That's rather hard to believe, but I guess it was true!!

Could he sleep while standing? Boy, what drugs can do, never knew it.

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Bellajane

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DandelionPowderman
I think the main problem with this group was too much drugs. Bruce wasn't easy to work with, either. As skilled and beautiful musicians that they both are, the songs may not have been up to par with what they potentially could have been?

For the Jack Bruce Band to break, the songs would have had to be a tad more catchy, imo.

Definitely drugs were the main problem. It's infuriating, you know. Mick Taylor once said that he didn't know that Jack Bruce was into heroin. I have trouble believing that especially when Andy Johns (who also had a well-documented problem) told Mick that Jack was looking for a guitarist. We'll never know what could have been, which is a shame. I feel sorry for the other muscians in the group who, apparently, didn't have a problem with drugs.

Mick said in an interview that Jack Bruce was just like Keith regarding his behaviour because of drugs. Something like from the rain into the drip, as we say it here.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-01-16 16:36 by kleermaker.

Kleerie,

Check your personal YouTube-mail.

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kleermaker

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Bellajane
I read parts of his biography, and I was totally surprised just how many musicians used heroin. It's frightening. I saw a video clip, possibly on YouTube or maybe it was posted on this forum, of the band at PinkPop. Mick Taylor was wearing a white sweater and someone remarked that his face was as pale as his sweater.

It's true that the audience, in general, didn't know how to react to this band which is a shame. I even read that in one show, Mick Taylor was falling asleep onstage, much to the annoyance of the audience. That's rather hard to believe, but I guess it was true!!

Could he sleep while standing? Boy, what drugs can do, never knew it.

I believe it was at a college dance, and they couldn't turn the volume up to much, so he started dozing off. So the story goes.

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Bellajane

It's true that the audience, in general, didn't know how to react to this band which is a shame. I even read that in one show, Mick Taylor was falling asleep onstage, much to the annoyance of the audience. That's rather hard to believe, but I guess it was true!!

I can assure you that he played very focussed when I was there - in the front row that was. I remember it very well

Wish I could have been there...lucky you!

Never seen this before, a 1969 documentary on Jack.

Always interesting to see the solo output of various members of a group after a breakup. Bruce's post-Cream material never moved me. Whether it was writing, arrangement or production - or he 'grew' as an artist - the magic wore off.

I am a big believer that some bands/artists need an internal push to bring out their very best to succeed and produce over time. Whether it is a producer pushing in the studio, or one guitarist pushing the other by improving his own playing and interpretation or solos.

Maybe Clapton and Ginger Baker were that for Bruce. Maybe Jimmy Miller was that for the Stones for a period. Or Taylor's increased live playing from 70-73 that also kept a fire under Keith.

Saw a 'Jack Bruce and Friends' show in the late 70s, maybe even 1980 and remember thinking it was flat, disjointed and very bland. Could have been a group of local musicians running thru the songs.

Thanks Bella

That same line-up sounds better on Spirt: The BBC Recordings, Disc 2.

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buffalo7478

Saw a 'Jack Bruce and Friends' show in the late 70s, maybe even 1980 and remember thinking it was flat, disjointed and very bland. Could have been a group of local musicians running thru the songs.

I beg to differ.

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LuxuryStones

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buffalo7478

Saw a 'Jack Bruce and Friends' show in the late 70s, maybe even 1980 and remember thinking it was flat, disjointed and very bland. Could have been a group of local musicians running thru the songs.

I beg to differ.

This stuff is better than what they did in 1975, imo.

jack bruce was much more jazz oriented and when he left cream he let it show in his solo work.

From what I've heard, Jack Bruce is a giant dick. And for no good reason. As if he thinks he's as good as an Eric Clapton which is so far from being true. I'm not surprised Mick had trouble working with him. Anyone should.

In Cream there were three dicks making great music.

BellaJane - If you like Jack Bruce, you may like an earlier band he was in called - West, Bruce and Laing. Leslie West and Corky Laing were (are) in the band Mountain (played Woodstock). I think Jack called Leslie the best guitarist he ever worked with! Give this a couple of listens if you have the time...

There are few musicians that I enjoy less than Jack Bruce. I doubt that I have ever gotten through one of his songs post-Cream (with or without Taylor). I thoroughly dislike his bass playing, writing and voice. The fact that he had anything to do with luring Taylor away from the Stones astounds me. I would feel better if Taylor left to become a monk.

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DandelionPowderman
I think the main problem with this group was too much drugs. Bruce wasn't easy to work with, either. As skilled and beautiful musicians that they both are, the songs may not have been up to par with what they potentially could have been?

For the Jack Bruce Band to break, the songs would have had to be a tad more catchy, imo.

Absolutely. It was "musician's music", with the kind of attitude that was predominant at the time - @#$%& commercialism, let's play the music for US, not for the audience. Perfectly ok, but in the end - if you don't connect to the audience, don't blame anybody for commercial failure.

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RollingFreak
From what I've heard, Jack Bruce is a giant dick. And for no good reason. As if he thinks he's as good as an Eric Clapton which is so far from being true. I'm not surprised Mick had trouble working with him. Anyone should.

Nah, many well-respected players could play wth him, back in 1968 already. Jack is a very versatile player and was a pioneer. Don't try the one below on an empty stomach though.