'Move Over' -- Janis Joplin's music lives on
By Dan
Marek
State Press Magazine
She
was undoubtedly the greatest female rock singer of the 1960s.
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Janis Joplin Box of Pearls ***** Columbia/ To be released Tuesday, Sept. 7 |
Janis Joplin's raspy, blues-oriented and energetic voice hit the San Francisco scene hard and didn't stop, even after her death in 1970.
After growing up in the small town of Port Arthur, Texas, Janis headed to San Francisco's famous Haight-Ashbury in 1966. There she met Big Brother and the Holding Company, and one year later, the group began recording its self-titled debut album.
Now, thirty-two years later, Columbia Records has issued a Janis Joplin box set, including all four of Joplin's studio albums, her greatest hits and unreleased material.
Box of Pearls contains five CDs, including Big Brother and the Holding Company, Cheap Thrills, I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama!, Pearl and a 5-song EP titled Rare Pearls. This must-have box set hits stores next week.
The reissued and expanded CDs were digitally re-mastered for the first time from the album's original master tapes by producer Bob Irwin and mastering engineer Vic Anesini of Sony Music Studios in New York.
The albums also contain new liner notes by guitarist Sam Andrew, former manager John Cooke and Jaan Uhelszki of Creem Magazine.
The self-titled Big Brother and the Holding Company was originally recorded in 1967 on Mainstream Records and included Joplin's first Top 50 single "Down On Me." The reissue contains the single "Coo Coo," single "Last Time," and alternate takes of "Call On Me" and "Bye, Bye Baby," which were all recorded in the same three days as the album.
The second release of Big Brother and Janis was titled Cheap Thrills. Originally to be titled Dope, Sex and Cheap Thrills, this album was the band's first major-label recording. After playing the Monterey Pop Festival in June of 1967, they gained extensive press coverage and the album was anticipated for months.
When Cheap Thrills hit the stores, it shot up to the number one position in the Billboard charts for eight weeks straight and sold gold status within months. The single "Piece of My Heart" peaked at number 12 on the charts where it stayed there for 12 weeks.
The reissue contains session outtakes of "RoadBlock" and "Flower in the Sun." It also contains the tracks "Catch me Daddy" and "Magic of Love" which were recorded live at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit March 2, 1968.
This album was the high point for both Janis and the band, but while the album was still on the top of the charts Janis left Big Brother and formed her own Kozmic Blues Band.
In September of 1969, Janis released her only solo album to be released during her lifetime titled I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! The band was bigger containing horn sections and Big Brother guitarist Sam Andrew creating a fuller R&B sound.
The record peaked at the number five spot on the billboard charts and produced the hit "Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)." Joplin's diversity in singing came out even more with this band. Although Big Brother opened the psychedelic markets eyes, Kozmic challenged her popularity in more diverse R&B markets.
This month's reissue box set also contains the session outtake of "Dear Landlord" and the live performance by Joplin at Woodstock featuring her classic "Summertime" and "Piece of My Heart."
The fourth release, Pearl was released nine months after her death. This was by far Janis' masterpiece.
Again Janis had formed a new band, calling it her Full Tilt Boogie Band. As a female vocalist leading her own band, Janis proved that she could take on soul, folk-rock and blues with the best of them.
The album hit number one on the Billboard charts and produced the hits "Me and Bobby McGee," "Mercedes Benz," and "Get it While You Can."
The reissue contains four live tracks recorded in Calgary during the Canadian Festival Express Tour including "Tell Mama," "Little Girl Blues," "Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)," and "Cry Baby."
Joplin's drug addictions, volatile relationships and alcoholism led to her death on October 4th 1970. The band was still recording Pearl and ironically was scheduled to record a track called "Buried Alive in the Blues."
Janis Joplin's life in the music world will always be remembered. This boxed set, the reissues and previously unreleased tracks help to bring her music back home to the fans and let her spirit live on.