Danny Brown, Johnny Echols, and Rick Rubin on Love’s “Forever Changes” | Broken Record
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ธ.ค. 2024
- Today we’re closing out Black Music Month by celebrating one of Rick Rubin’s favorite albums of all time - Forever Changes by the band Love. Formed in 1965, Love was a groundbreaking, interracial L.A. group. While their name isn’t usually mentioned alongside historic psychedelic bands like The Byrds or The Grateful Dead, Love’s influence is vast. Their charismatic, fashion-forward black frontman, Arthur Lee, inspired Jimi Hendrix’s look, and in the mid-60s Love was one of the hottest bands in Hollywood.
In 1967 Love recorded their third album, Forever Changes. It was the last album for the original core group with guitarist Johnny Echols and co-writer Brian McClean. The album ushered in an entirely new sound for the band, combining Baroque sounding strings with horns and folky instrumentation with poetic lyrics.
On today’s episode we’ll hear some of Rick Rubin’s conversation with Detroit rapper Danny Brown, who like Rick, places Love’s album Forever Changes at the very top of his greatest albums of all time list. Then, we’ll hear Rick in conversation with Love’s lead guitarist Johnny Echols about the intense turmoil surrounding the recording of Forever Changes. Echols-who grew up straddling both Black LA and the psychedelic strip-explains how Love was responsible for getting The Doors their record deal, only to be quickly overshadowed by The Doors mainstream success. Echols also recalls first meeting the Beatles when they were an opening act for Little Richard.
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Love's "Forever Changes" - best album of all time? Drop us a comment with your pick!
For me it's goes..
1. Love - Forever changes
2 Pink Flyodd - Dark side of the moon.
3. Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland.
4. Jimi Hendrix - Axis bold as love.
5. The Beatles - Seargent pepper.
6. The Doors - The Doors.
7. The Byrds - 5D.
8. The Beatles - Revolver.
9. The Pretty things - SF sorrow.
10. The Kinks - The Village Green Preservation Society.
JUST as important as ANY album released in '67!!
my number one, decades later. the lyrics, the music including the herb albert and tijuana brass influences. the words as urgent and pressing now as then - "the news today will be the movies of tomorrow", "...if with you that's not the way, let's go paint everybody grey..."
Highly emotional powerful album. You have to go through some shit in life to get it i think.
Fav song: You Set the Scene. Lyrics on all the songs are so obscure that they give you yr own interpretation. The fact that a modern rapper like Danny Brown likes it, makes it even more classic.
I’ve followed Love from 1966 on first hearing my little red book. I’ve been hooked ever since. My favourite album Forever Changes still gets plenty of air play on my turntable! Seen Arthur every time he came to the UK and I was fortunate to be at the Forever Changes concert at the Festival Hall.
Arthur was immense that night a truly gifted singer, poet.
Regards,
Martin
Fifty years later, still a great album. Thanks to Johnny Echols, the present voice of Love. The secret in my mind, were the incredible lyrics, standout poetry....but the whole band, music and sound it is one of the best albums of the time. Lou
This may be the most insightful and informative interview about this period of music that I have ever heard. Love are one of the key strands of rock’s DNA linking rock n roll,soul,Beatles,Doors ,and Hendrix and many others in a way that only the Isley Brothers did before and equalling all the aforementioned artistically.Johnny is a GREAT guitarist and clearly a beautiful guy. As a mixed race person who’s made his living crossing music genres when I first heard and saw pictures of Love it was just inspirational and encouraging and always will be.Thank you Johnny.
there are books on laurel canyon. i read the one by dave mcgovern
"Weird Scenes Inside The Canyon" by Dave McGowan. Interesting take on the entertainment scene back then. McGowan's website, "The Center for an Informed America", for the curious minded as well. And, yes, "Forever Changes" rules!
Saw 'Johnny Ecols and the Love band ' last night at ' the o2 Shepherds Bush, an old cinema and intimate music venue in West London
They played the whole of "Forever Changes ' with strings and brass , it was just Sublime, beautiful and emotional!!
The band are fantastic! and Johnny Ecols at the age of 80 has a great voice and can still play some blistering guitar!!
An absolutely top gig, I'm still floating!!....
Where to start...?!?...I'm from NJ and LOVE was one of THE most listened to bands among my musical friends and along my musical journey. Local bands did their songs! Imagine that? I learned how to play every note on the LP and went on to play along the LP with LOVE's drummer, the amazing and most gracious Michael Stuart-Ware. Forever Changes is much more than just an album - it is a journey. I was 14 when I bought it in 1967; I'm a young 71 now and still listen to it all of the time. Long Live Love.
Johnny is an absolute LEGEND
It’s a gem…can’t believe it doesn’t get more respect and play…Danny explains it beautifully…
😊1z,
People I knew played this continuously back in '68. After a decade or two I suddenly craved hearing again. Every bit as good as I remembered.
Still listen regularly and play covers I come across.
Don't know much about the band, this interview filled in plenty of gaps. Great, great questions.
Excellent Podcast! Johnny Echols stands out as kind compassionate and still relevant!!!!
One of my all-time favorite albums, puts me in a dream state such a beautiful record. Very awesome hearing Johnny Echols describe each track.
Oh man…I loved this album so much as a teen (and still do) when I was growing up in the Detroit area and writing songs in the late ‘60s…the music always made me feel (and still does) as if I’m transported to this secret unnamed beautiful worried, somewhat doomed passionate dream space I wasn’t sure I visited - maybe it was a dream or something seen while tripping. Such a gorgeous surprise to have it discussed here.
Maybe I’m still dreaming….it’s still in that maybe space.
Haunted by this music…that’s it…it’s like a soundtrack for….just, thanks so much fir this episode.
Hi RRG, I'm from Detroit and have been involved in the music scene since the late sixties. I knew many of the local bands due to my job at one of the hippest clothing and shoe stores in metro Detroit. My best friend's brother was in a band that opened for headliners at the Grande and Eastown. Were you in involved with any bands that I would know about? Do you still live in Detroit?
Danny has such a cool, genuine laugh. It just lights me up to hear it.
So great to hear Johnny Echols' story 🎸
Some times you read books or look at a picture that reflect back your own mind, thoughts that you thought only you could have and thats a great skill, but then very occasionally something takes you further, beyond your own experiences into other places and shows you around .Thats real art .
I remember all summer of 66 hearing 7 and 7 Is, and Little Red Book. It got heavy airplay. I saw them on tv, so I knew the band was interracial. At age 11, the lyrics “If I don’t start crying, it’s because I have got no eyes, my father’s in the fireplace and my dog lies hypnotized” were transcendent to me. This was before the Beatles got psychedelic.
Forever Changes was released a few months after Sgt. Pepper so , no, Love didn't psychedelicise before the Beatles. They did, however, do it a whole lot better.
@@ewandmunrothink their talking about 7 and 7 is from 66 before forever changes
Danny has some impeccable tastes
anybody picking this as their favorite record is incredibly wise. i'll have to seek out his stuff. thank you.
@@marcyfan check out “grown up” “ain’t it funny” “die like a rockstar” all great songs by Danny!
Absolutely. He's like my spirit animal when it comes to music😩
FOREVER CHANGES reminds me on the album NO OTHER by GENE CLARK, a great record, but nobody cared about it. 50+ years later-it's a cult classic, a lost masterpiece
So true... perceptive comment
Top 3 album of all time for me, such an amazing treat for your ears, head, and heart !!!
Wonderful interview! Thanks
Only discovered this album in 2013 and I can't express in words how it makes me feel.
best Album of All Time...survived the times of late 60s and continues to be relevant, musically groundbreaking!!!! AVATAR
I found the band Love early from the skateboarding community , so glad to celebrate this amazing band. Thank you .
Rudy’s part in Goldfish?
I'm not one for "best of all time" stuff. But, I bought it when it first came out. I was upset with the folkiness of it at that time, I was 16. But, it was like a flower, it just opened up and got more beautiful with time. It is still great sounding. Fascinating interview.
Easter Everywhere by 13th Floor Elevators is another underrated album from 1967
Forever Changes and Easter Everywhere are the 2 best albums of the 60s. They are also 2 of my 3 favourite albums ever along with London Calling by the Clash.
Special thanks to Johnny Echols. There are things in his memory that are not written down anywhere that I know of. His memories from this time are tremendous, and if he didn't say them, the memories would be gone forever. I am deeply appreciative--loved hearing him. I had no idea who he was before I listened to this, but I sure do now.
First side of Da Capo is just as good. In fact their first 4 albums including Four Sail are all pretty worthwhile
Classic Masterpiece..It’s still a go to for me,DECADES LATER..
Lovely to see one of my favorite rappers talking about one of the best albums of the 60s
Danny Brown is the best, such good a good vibe. Awesome energy with Rick
I never even heard of this album until 2014. Heard this album on Sirius Radio on Satellite TV. They remind me of an cross of the Moody Blues and early Who.
Shared* Liked and Subbed man! My friends will love this !! I never realised how many people put it as their fave album until it came up in conversation 🎭
What other album sounded years ahead of its time. It still does. Can anyone name a recent (last 20 years) album that sounds as good?
Rick is bright! Very good style. Great interview. Classic album, I liked the next one, too, called Four Sail, also on Elektra Records, just a great label, and the art designer, William S. Harvey, produced wonderful album cover art works. Later on, Arthur Lee, who by then changed his name to Arthurly, moved to Blue Thumb with his Love band, and did a double-record. I still remember, "Don't Turn Your Lights On When I Die".
Four Sail is basically an Arthur Lee solo album.
My favorite song on this album is Andmoreagain. At the time i first got into Forever Changes (circa mid 1990s) i was friends with a girl named Ann Morgan.
Andmoreagain is Arthur channeling Bryan's influence
Great interview. Great album. I was introduced to it in 1980 by the band I was mixing for in Sydney called Tactics. Love albums were on high rotation in our band house. Love were a big influence and Tactics had a song on Glebe, their second album, called Arthur Lee At Houston Airport.
I listened to it in high school, '97, '98. For a long time, if I was ever in a funk, I would listen to The Red Telephone, and somehow would feel better after. It's not an uplifting tune, but after going through that song, it's like driving through a rain storm and the sun comes out again at the end.
What great storytelling of the early days of the Hollywood Rock n Roll scene!
Arthur Lee had alot of Johnny Mathis in him and Bryan had a huge effect on how he sang and wrote. David Angel's strings were the cream
Yes ❤❤❤❤❤❤love this album sooooo much… addicted
Greatest album 💿 ever
the Whiskey is located between Clark and Hillsdale on Sunset Blvd, if u ever wondered what that song title was all about
I love Love and this is a great interview.
One correction: There's no way that Johnny met 'The Quarrymen,' since the Beatles had dropped that name in 1960.
You are right, per Mark Lewishon's 'Tune In', it must have been Little Richard's UK tour and Star Club residency in Hamburg in October and November 1962 respectively. Johnny says he had to cut the tour short due to a death in the family, so he only met the Beatles briefly. Hence the senior moment there on the Quarrymen.
The album didn't do well in the U.S. but living in LA I heard them often "Stephanie Knows Who" was a fave. That line 'the snot has caked against my pants" sounds like someone on the nod who wakes up.
Please give the date of these great interviews
You should list the songs they play and discuss in order, some versions of the album are different
I believe, it's not only a very tricky, but also a futile approach to claim one single album being THE BEST album of all time. As a personal choice - fair enough. However, I for one wouldn't feel able to come up with THE ONE.
Nonetheless, "Love - Forever changes" is not only one of my personal favourites, but also definitely one of the best albums of the 60's, and - furhter on - one of the best albums EVER. I must admit though, there were times when I wouldn;t listen to it for years on end. But, you see, it's like with old friends. They might fall out with each other, may go different ways, but when they get together again, it takes 5 minutes (in this case just the 1st track) and it all comes back - like no time had passed at all. I first stumbled upon 'Love' in 1968. There was that Elektra Records compilation called "OFF" Vol.I (and later Vol. II). The tracks on Vol.I were "My Flash on you" & "Bummer in the Summer". And, they blew my mind. To me, it sounded like The Beatles, may be a little like The Byrds, but from a parallel universe - light years away from it all. They were a band, only one in a million, and it's a real bummer, they never got together again to record more of this otherworldly stuff.
Way ahead of the curve, stylistically and vocally
Vocally?
I still don't understand how the fame avoided LOVE, to be fair, their albums and singles were better then others from that time,especially FOREVER CHANGES,a very avantguarde record for those days. ARTHUR LEE had a magnetic presence, the man was born to be a star. What went wrong?
This is my new fav pod cast. Recently started reading ricks new book. I've became inspired by his career and put Rick Ruben in my top 5 inspiration characters. Would love to work with him at some point and learn from his perceptive. I've always made music different from everyone else and would love for him to listen. Tap my face and see what you think.
Would love to hear the album stripped to acoustic guitar and vocals.. since you can hear an acostic guitar on every track. Was it recorded on 4 or 8 track?
Better than Sgt Pepper, better than Pet Sounds, better than Let It Bleed, better than What's Going On, and maybe even better than the Zombies Odyssey & Oracle. Definitely a contender for best record of the album Renaissance of the late 60s
No, maybe, yes, yes and easily.
It’s up there but better than some of those? I don’t know. It’s in the top 5 best albums of the psychedelic era for sure. Pet Sounds is highly rated and it’s for a reason. McCartney’s songs on Pepper have not aged well but overall production wise it’s still groundbreaking. Piper at the Gates of Dawn is my favorite tripping album and Forever Changes the best comedown album, sun coming up album ever.
Top top album
It would've been cool if Johnny Echols had a similar solo career running parallel to that of Arthur Lee's the whole time. Is it just me when I think that when people where digging Lenny Kravitz, it was really Johnny Echols that they would've really wanted?
DANNY BROWN AND JOHNNY ECHOLS WHAT THE FUCK
Danny Brown: "you know what I'm saying, fuck, shit, like, you know what i'm saying, fuck, shit, like".
Dancing on the water, and not getting wet
Listened to Love from the begining...never understood the lack of attention...still don't...
They should give it a Revolver treatment, that is: use AI to separate the tracks and have a good sounding remix.
THE CARNIVORE BUDDHA
Paul Rothchild, record producer.
Love, the first Interacial band? Didnt Bill Evans Play with Miles Davis?
This was going on in Jazz and in R&B long before the group Love.
Why no video?? You need video bro! This would be my favorite pod if you had video
16.00
No film, what a drag.
💘 ρяσмσѕм
Very Cool.Hendrix played with Little Richard late 1964 til mid 1965. The Beatles were NOT the Quarrymen, they were the "World Famous" Beatles. Johnny's memory is a bit off about that.
How could Rick Rubin only discover “Forever Changes” in the early 2000’s? He’s older than me and I discovered Love and that album in my’ teens. He’s a musical idiot and if Danny Brown thinks that his music or any rap or hip hop will have such a wide impact like “Forever Changes” and Love 52 years later he’s dreaming. lol. With that said, Johnny Echols recalling the recording of this album and inspiration for the songs is great.
Rubin was born an east coast guy in '63. Forever Changes west coast 1967.
@@tuleebird4637 so? I was born in 1966 and grew up in the Detroit area and I still discovered them in my late teens.
@@sspbrazil So you say. Ok, you caught on early . . . for your age. What do you want, a lickable gold star? Rick Rubin is admirably rich from producing stuff the majority of which I'd NEVER buy with a couple of "mehs" for the rest of his output except for this interview, this *great* interview, with Johnny Echols. Rubin finally caught on and is doing something about it, whereas most people are *still* clueless.
@@tuleebird4637 no, I want. Million dollars. Rubin made millions from calling himself a “Producer”, yet he didn’t know anything about Love until the early 2000’s.
@@sspbrazil -- then quit whining; get your shit together, and JUST DO IT. If you haven't noticed, Arthur didn't whine about his challenges; he just did what he had to do. His one big mistake was firing Bryan.
Overated
oh really, never mind, i know what's on your lizst
@@richierugs6544 i only listen Henry Cow, Autechre and Alexander von Schlippenbach
not familiar to those, maybe ill give em a try--no worries@@Booogieman
@@richierugs6544i was rude, sorry. I like Danny Brown and Love
Forever Changes . Best album of the 60s