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SAN FRANCISCO SUSPENSION BRITCHES (Audio Diary Entries 1990​-​95)

by Johnny J Blair "Singer at Large"

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1.
I'm So Glad U Let Me In (Remastered 2020) 04:07
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2.
San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) (Demo, Remastered 2020) (free) 05:00
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3.
Johnny J. Blair + The Rover Boys - The Brakeman's Dead (Remastered 2020) 05:08 video
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THE BRAKEMAN’S DEAD © 2007/2021 Word2Soul BMI song written by Johnny J. Blair ONE: Maybe about this time next year You’ll be waiting in somebody’s room with a big light hanging over you And a bunch of people will be asking you questions For something that you didn’t do Something that you couldn’t do Something you believed in TWO: Maybe about this time next year You’ll be waiting in line to get a number For just a piece of clothing, just a piece of bread Or to get another number THREE: Maybe about this time next year You’ll come into a big bag of money And everybody calls ya honey Let me tell you something son Money changes you, money changes everything But it don’t change your heart CHORUS: Help me to sail on the horizon Help me to stand straight up Help me to derail the lost train As I drink this from Your Cup FOUR: Maybe about this time next year You’ll be sweatin’ in the sun on a hillside in another country Pointing your AK47 at a bunch of people You don’t know their language and you don’t know their beauty But you only know your duty FIVE: Maybe about this time next year You’ll be askin’ the same old questions And you can’t make one decision Cuz you really hate the mercenary prison Joe… REPEAT CHORUS SIX: Maybe about this time next year Maybe about this time next week Maybe about this time tomorrow The brakeman’s dead The conductor doesn’t know a thing The engineer bailed it’s a runaway train, it’s a runaway train I look up ahead I see a station A town called Love, A town called Hope A town called Eternal, let me off! I wanna go there, I wanna go there Someone stop this train! Stop this train!
4.
Johnny J. Blair + Jonny V of Social Spit - Fascist Architecture (Remastered 2020) (free) 03:37
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5.
Don't Let it Bring You Down (Demo Remastered 2020) (free) 03:34
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6.
(Don't Let The) Changes (Remastered 2021) (free) 02:19
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7.
My Bonnie (Remastered 2021) 03:24
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8.
Johnny J. Blair + The Rover Boys - Cast Your Fate to the Wind/Hey Gyp (rehearsal 3/90) (free) 03:59
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9.
Johnny J. Blair + The Rover Boys - Pipe of Peace, A Chippewa Indian Song (rehearsal 3/90, remastered 2023) 03:51
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10.
Johnny J. Blair + The Rover Boys - One Planet/One Utopia/One Helmet (rehearsal 3/90) (free) 02:56
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11.
Johnny J. Blair + The Rover Boys - (We're Gonna Take a) Permanent Vacation (rehearsal 3/90) (free) 03:26
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12.
Johnny J. Blair + The Rover Boys - Heart of Gold (rehearsal 3/90) (free) 02:37
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13.
Johnny J. Blair + The Rover Boys - Fascist Architecture (Slow Version, rehearsal 3/90) (free) 03:23
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14.
Adam Savetsky + The Rover Boys - Dylan Warm Up (rehearsal 3/90) (free) 00:24
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15.
Johnny J. Blair + The Rover Boys feat. Adam Savetsky - It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry (rehearsal 3/90) (free) 04:09
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16.
Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness) (sound check 12/95) (free) 04:19
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17.
Dancing With the Possums (4-track demo) 03:01
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DANCING WITH THE POSSUMS Music & Lyrics copyright 1990 by Johnny J Blair. Published by Word2Soul BMI. Dancing with the possums, dancing with the possums It’s the latest and it’s cool To dance with a marsupi-al Dancing with the possums, dancing with the possums Being hip is being slow Down at the opossum show When the moon is shining down You will find them rousted See the ladies hanging ‘round Admiring their pouches All the boys make quite a sound So no one thinks they’re mouses (“Darling you look ravishingly pale” “Oh ah thank you…”) Dancing with the possums, man it’s really awesome It’s the latest and it’s cool To dance with a marsupi-al Dancing with the possums, dancing with the possums Being hip is being slow Down at the opossum show “Good evening, and welcome to Club Copa Opossum. I’m your host, Prez Prez Possom. Tonight’s performance features Xavier Xaraguaya and His Play Dead Combo. Swing it boys…” Dancing with the possums, dancing with the possums You can make a happy sound If you tango upside down Dancing with the possums, dancing with the possums If you want to make the grade Do the Possum Promenade Ohohohohpossum Dancing with the possums, you can really blossom Alleman left and dosey do At the possom rodeo Dancing with the possums, you can’t really stop ‘em They don’t leave much of a trail They just like to twist…their…tails “Yeah it’s a lot easier than dancing with porcupines…” “Wanna go hang out somewhere else now?”

about

This is a collection of mastered recordings braced with lo-fi demos and rehearsals from my "San Francisco canon." This set is representative of a floating group of musicians called The Rover Boys. At any given gig, Richard Chase, John Stuart, Chris von Sneidern (all of Flying Color), Michael Miller, Bennett Green, or Adam Savetsky would show up and do a set. It was like a virtual band.

This set tends toward the urban and hard-edged. For comic relief, I added "Dancing With the Possums." Date range of all these recordings are 1990-95, though "Fascist Architecture" was made in 1984 and re-released in the 90s. Several of these songs were remixed &/or redubbed and issued in 2007 on the album GRATEFUL, making their CD debut. Most of the songs are originals, spiked with cover versions of songs by Bruce Cockburn, Donovan, Bob Dylan, Scott MacKenzie, and Neil Young.

The fidelity isn't optimal on the demos and rehearsals, but there was charm in the performances--they're part of my history now. Some tracks were made in full scale studios (Cove, Tom Mallon's) while others made on a 4-track machine at home, in lofts, a old brewery, and a former rug factory (no lack of soundproofing there). Please enjoy these recordings for what they are.

credits

released April 26, 2011

Cover art by Michael Miller.
Music produced by Johnny J Blair. Engineered by JJB, Jonny V, and the late Aaron Gregory.

Johnny J Blair: All bass, drums, drum programs, guitars, keyboards, percussion, violin, & vocals EXCEPT:
Bennett Green: drums "The Brakeman's Dead" and all rehearsal takes.
Michael Miller: lead guitar "The Brakeman's Dead"
Adam Savetsky: bass & vocals "The Brakeman's Dead" and all rehearsal takes.
Chris Von Sneidern: surf guitar "The Brakeman's Dead"
Jason Souza: drums "(Don't Let Them) Changes"
Jonny V: drums & lead guitar "Fascist Architecture"

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Johnny J Blair "Singer at Large" image

Johnny J Blair "Singer at Large" San Francisco, California

"Johnny is a virtuoso"--Brian Wilson
"Pop music with a conscience.”--Goldmine
“the Harry Houdini of rock and roll.”-- Spotlight. Listen to Johnny's fast-paced mix of old school soul, psychedelia, punk/new wave, & classic pop/rock. Singer-songwriter in his own right, he was also a sideman for Davy Jones and The Monkees + performed with David Cassidy, Al Stewart, Buddy & Julie Miller, & others. ... more

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