Van Morrison 1970

His Band and Street Choir

Van Morrison released two classic albums in 1970, Moondance, and His Band and Street Choir. Moondance is generally more highly regarded among the critics, but I actually prefer His Band and Street Choir. It's a little looser, more R & B influenced, plus it has "Crazy Face",  a strange little masterpiece of a song that only Van Morrison could write. In any case these are both brilliant albums which I have listened to dozens if not hundreds of times since the vinyl came out way back when. They both make my top ten for 1970.

Moondance back cover.

Nixon and Presley 1970

December 21, 1970

They Call Me Mister Tibbs (1970) - murder meets interior design, and comes up short

A decent cop movie with Sidney Poitier playing it cool. A good supporting cast with Martin Landau, Barbara McNair, Anthony Zerbe, and a hairy-headed Ed Asner. Directed well by Gordon Douglas, and music by Quincy Jones is always good. Script is unremarkable though, and the murder story could have been used in any number of cop television shows from that era. There's a good car chase, a long foot chase, and a couple of fist fights. We also see Tibbs with his family on several occasions, mainly working out a relationship with his young and unmindful son. The movie never really catches fire, and the ending kind of fizzles. The most fun for me was taking in the early 70s interior design. Browns and drab greens dominate, with a splash of orange thrown in to brighten things up. And some cool lamps.

A Long, Long Time Ago: David Bowie - The Man Who Sold the World (1970)

U.S. Cover, my favorite.

I picked this one up in the mid-seventies, after I had listened obsessively to several other David Bowie LPs (Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, etc.). I remember being struck by how different much of it sounded from those - the vocals at times strange, the guitars heavier, and there were some songs I didn't like (!). It grew on me though and became one my favorites, standing happily alongside those other masterpieces in my Bowie collection. 

U.K. I never really cared for this ugly cover.

This was the first David Bowie album recorded with producer Tony Visconti and guitarist Mick Ronson. Bizarre lyrics with science fiction themes, soaring vocals, creepy background vocals, monster riffs and blazing guitar solos from Ronson, all add up to a superb and satisfyingly odd album. The first three songs in particular ("Width of a Circle", All the Madman", "Black Country Rock") all rock like crazy and should be counted with Bowie's best. The only song I never really cared for is "Running Gun Blues", an anti-vietnam tale about a soldier who keeps killing after he gets back from the war. I still think it sticks out like a sore thumb.

Wearing a dress, the good old days when Bowie was still bi.