CCR, one of the most important & influential bands of the 60’s, had many mega hits but never a #1. Always beaten out for the top spot by the Beatles, according to Billboard Magazine anyway.
"I only got seventh-grade education, but I have a doctorate in funk, and I like to put that to good use."
– James Brown
From the site's Best of the Best section we spotlight a different band or artist each month. This month: Love with Arthur Lee
TOP 10 TRACKS: 1. You Set The Scene 2.Alone Again Or3.Que Vida!4.A House Is Not A Motel5.The Daily Planet6.Maybe the People Would Be The Times or Between Clark and Hilldale7.The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This8.She Comes In Colors9. Seven & Seven Is 10. My Little Red Book
by Brian McAlley None of their albums ever made it into the Top 40, and they only had one minor hit that reached #33 on the Billboard singles chart (the psychedelic barn burner, "Seven & Seven Is"), yet Love has to be considered one of the greatest and most influential rock bands of the 1960s. Formed by brilliant singer/songwriter Arthur Lee, the group was signed to Elektra Records in 1966 after acquiring a massive cult following in the Los Angeles area. They played the Sunset Strip club circuit and were right in tune with the current hard rock/folk rock genre. In May of '66 their debut album, simply titled "Love," was released and contained an appealing collection of folk rock, hard rock and soulful ballads.
Their second release "Da Capo" saw the band moving in a new direction, broadening it's scope and expanding it's sound in a much more sophisticated and eclectic manner. The new tunes encompassed psychedelia, jazz structures, Spanish guitar interludes, and some hauntingly beautiful Baroque-inspired melodies. ("She Comes In Colors," one of Arthur Lee's best compositions, was reportedly the influence behind the Rolling Stones' "She's A Rainbow.") What has kept this release from achieving truly classic status however, was "Revelation," the 19-minute jam that covered all of side two. It was an interesting and offbeat number, but a bit tedious and meandering, especially when compared to the brilliant material preceding it.
"Da Capo" was a great step forward musically, but by 1967 the band was caught up in a haze of drugs and general disorganization which almost caused it to disintegrate. Due to the condition of the group, Elektra Records decided that they would hire studio musicians to lay down the basic tracks for their next album, but the band managed to pull itself together and record "Forever Changes," one of the greatest rock albums of all time. It was Arthur Lee's masterpiece with contributions by talented band member Bryan MacLean. Every song stands alone as a major musical achievement with beautiful melodies, haunting orchestral arrangements and mind-altering lyrics. Ironically, it wasn't a hit, yet this magnificent album continues to appear on many a music critics' list of the Top Ten rock albums of all time.
After the album's release, the original band split and was reorganized by Lee with new personnel. The newly-formed group recorded several additional albums over the next few years, but were never able to replicate the brilliance of "Forever Changes." After retiring from the music business and dealing with some problems with the law, Lee was back in the spotlight once again in 2004 when he formed a new Love band and went on the road performing his classic "Forever Changes" to sellout crowds throughout the world. Sadly, he passed away on August 3, 2006 at the age of 61 after a year-long battle with acute myeloid leukemia.
