Hot Burritos

The International Submarine Band, one of Gram's early groups, 1967:The Parsons-era Byrds, who recorded the classic Sweetheart Of The Rodeo:Chris and Gram, the early Burrito days:The infamous Nudie Suits, Gram's idea of course:Photo from the album artwork for The Gilded Palace of Sin:An early Burritos performance (Gram is on the far left):One of my favorite pics of Gram - laughing with Chris Hillman in happier days:Gram, the unequivocal "star" of the Burritos, decked out in his Nudie suit:The very early Burritos with Jon Corneal on drums (left). The girl in the center is Juanita, a friend of Chris Hillman's who inspired the fantastic Burritos tune of the same name:Hanging in LA:On the infamous "Train Tour" of 1969:The band minus Chris Ethridge:Probably my favorite picture of Gram, on stage at Altamont, 1969:What were they thinking? 1970, photo session for Burrito Deluxe:1970:

This post is a belated Happy Birthday to Gram, who would have been 63 on November 5.  I finally got around to scanning the photos from the book Hot Burritos: The True Story of the Flying Burrito Brothers, written mostly from long interviews with founding Bryd and Burrito, Chris Hillman (however, it does include interviews with a lot of others from the group, A&M record execs, etc - it is quite a well-researched book). It was an enjoyable read that I would recommend to any Burritos fan, although it obviously bothers Hillman immensely that Gram is now this cult icon whose posthumous legend he is constantly reminded of, and that tone more or less dominates the book. While Hillman and Parsons were once close friends who channeled their shared vision of playing country music in a rock n' roll type of band into the classic album The Gilded Palace of Sin (which any fan of this blog should own), Chris puts Gram down whenever he can. This is understandable, as I'm sure it is annoying to constantly hear how great Gram was while his own efforts were somewhat thankless, but sometimes I wonder if he tries a little too hard to make sure readers know that Gram was often: lazy, unreliable, drug addled and a guy who ultimately wasted his talent.  These points are made numerous times.  But this book still feels mostly true, and Chris Hillman is, if nothing else, a terribly decent guy and a talented, hard-working musician who has probably never gotten the credit he deserves (and is rightfully a little pissed about it). It's true that Gram and Chris wrote most of the well-known and classic Burritos tunes together; even "Hot Burrito # 1" and "Hot Burrito # 2" weren't written solely by Gram (as I had thought), but by he and Chris Ethridge, and Ethridge's name comes first in the credits, which was even more of a surprise.  I've never listened to the other two Burritos albums (the ones after Gram was fired - yes, fired - the self-titled Flying Burrito Brothers from 1971 and Last Of The Red Hot Burritos from 1972), but this book has definitely made me want to order them and give them an objective listen.  Gram definitely brought the flash and style to the band (the Nudie suits and swagger), and was obviously the best looking of them (although Chris Hillman was kind of cute), as well as these moments of songwriting brilliance, but the band was more than just his would-be star vehicle, and Gram was definitely not the band member who worked his arse off in attempts to make the band succeed.  Hillman often states, and I tend to agree, that although Gilded Palace is a great album, it could have been a lot better if the band was tighter musically, had spent a bit more time on the songs, and they had been recorded better.  But Gram wasn't that kind of guy.  He wasn't an extremely skilled or dedicated musician, and things like rehearsing weren't of considerable interest to him.  Personally, I've always felt a kinship with Gram because I, too, am a spoiled brat who's never had to try too hard or work too hard at anything (he was a trust fund baby who received biannual payments of $25,000 from the Snively orange grove fortune - quite a bit of money in those days). For most people, this type of character is repelling and doesn't lend itself to that much sympathy (unless of course, they die young and tragically), but Gram Parsons had such a unique story and place in popular music, and it's refreshing to read about.  He's one of those lesser-known-about legends, and it's almost criminal that he was never really a "star" when he was alive.  I suppose he was marginally well-known, sort of famous (maybe?), but no where near to the degree that he wanted to be.  Alas, this book is definitely not a Gram biography, and anyone expecting that will be disappointed. I thought maybe there would be some anecdotes about Anita and Marianne (you know, Joshua Tree, Stonehenge, Villa Nellcote!), but besides each of their names being mentioned exactly one time, there's no insight at all. I definitely think I learned a lot about the Burritos and other musicians that I'd previously never heard of or paid attention to (like Sneaky Pete and Al Perkins), and has made me want to also delve into some old country artists who inspired Chris and Gram to write those songs ("Wheels", "Sin City", "Christine's Tune", "Juanita", etc) that I love so much.

PS, Gram singing "You better love me, Jesus Christ" on the tune "Hot Burrito #2" is one of the greatest, most beautifully sung lines in all recorded music.  Also, the Burritos' covers of "Dark End Of The Street" and "Do Right Woman" are MUST-hears.  They're so gorgeous and creatively done.

(all images = my scans from the book Hot Burritos, copyright 2008)

God's Own Singer

Gram Parsons dips just below my Holy Trinity of rock n' roll - Stones, Aerosmith, Gn'R - but he never sold anywhere close to as many records as they did, received the accolades or fame and fortune or any of that. Most idiots can drunkenly karaoke "Sweet Child O' Mine" or "Honky Tonk Women" or "Walk This Way", but it is a rare person indeed that regularly spins The Gilded Palace Of Sin or G.P. Gram came to me four years ago as an extension of my Keith Richards fandom; they met around 1967 (I think...) and despite a little jealousy from Mr. Jagger, Keith and Gram formed a close bond, trading guitar strums and country albums. As much as Anita and Marianne are to thank for the Golden Era of the Rolling Stones beginning with Beggar's Banquet, Gram is as well; you can hear his influence on everything from "Country Honk" to "Wild Horses" (which he covered with his band the Flying Burrito Brothers). Gram was an exquisite boy and a visionary artist. He grew up wealthy but troubled; his father committed suicide when Gram was a boy and his mother Avis went mad and was committed. The family was embedded with money, alcoholism and depression. Gram, priviledged and bright, got into Harvard, only to fail out after his first semester (lack of attendance and discipline, of course, not smarts).

His first band to make some noise was The International Submarine band, whose debut Safe At Home is heralded as the first sort of "country rock" album (a problematic term that Gram rejected). The album is good, but by no means fantastic. It's simple and inoffensive and not recorded terribly well, but you can see glimmers of Gram's vision and songwriting ability. When he joined The Byrds, he got the first real taste of stardom, recording 1967's Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, widely regarded as a classic of its time. It features an original of Gram's "Hickory Wind", which he didn't get to sing lead vocal on (unfortunate, but he later did). The Byrds weren't working out, and Gram left, joining forces with buddy Chris Hillman and forming The Flying Burrito Brothers, who were the toast of Los Angeles. Mick and Keith were staying in the Hollywood Hills and would often go out and see the band at L.A. nightclubs. Gram was utterly romanced by the fame and decadence of the Stones, a critical validation he always wanted for his music and a celebrity status he wanted for himself. And Gram should have been a celebrity. Ultimately I think his priviledge got in the way; when you're pretty much a trust fund baby, there's a lot less motivation to succeed. It isn't as if your livelihood depends on it. And yet, Gram had the talent, the looks and the connections to make it huge. What did he lack? The luck? The discipline? The work ethic? Who knows.

The Flying Burrito Brothers got to play at Altamont thanks to Gram's BFFness with Lord Richards. When the Stones took off on that rather apocalyptic day, Gram was one of the few people in the heliocopter, leaving his bandmates behind in the bedlam. I think he had a habit of abandoning them to hang out with Mick and Keith, which makes perfect sense to me, but was perhaps not the best way to nurture a working relationship. Gram and wife Gretchen (kind of a bitch) were invited to Villa Nellcote in that glorious Exiled summer of 1971. Some people say you can hear him sing on "Tumbling Dice" (I've listened and cannot, but that doesn't mean he wasn't in the harmony of singers...in fact, he probably was). He absolutely had a hand in at least the inspiration of "Sweet Virginia", an acoustic favorite from Exile On Main St. Sadly, this was the last real hurrah he and Keith got to spend. Gram and Gretchen were finally kicked out of Villa Nellcote and Gram died two years later. I think Keith still feels badly about this.

The Burritos put out a slew of amazing tunes, my favorites being the two "Hot Burrito" numbers, "Sin City", "Juanita" and others. Gram had a beautifully vulnerable voice, a shaky tone that made you think he just might shed a tear, that he believed in what he was singing that much. His solo albums with Emmylou Harris, G.P. and Grievous Angel are his best achievements, though like all his work, they earned more post-humous praise. He died of an overdose in the Joshua Tree hotel and scandalously had his body stolen and burned by road manager, babysitter and friend Phil Kaufman. His ashes were scattered among the desert, like he would have wanted. Gram, Keith and Anita used to spend a lot of time out there, taking hallucinogenic drugs and spotting UFOs.

Gram Parsons is one of my favorite musicians who has ever lived. If you haven't checked out any of his material, I highly suggest you do so.

"It's a hard way to find out

That trouble is real

In a far away city

With a far away feel

But it makes me feel better

Each time it begins

Calling me home

Hickory wind..."