Echo in the Canyon

I saw this film yesterday in Santa Barbara. After telling some guy to turn off his cellphone. Never saw the little theater so crowded. The film was a spoonful of Laurel Canyon music honey when there is so much more to tell. Music is personal. Yesterday I finished writing a song out in the trees and hills of Gaviota on my 12 string guitar. The song is called "Tom Petty's Gone." A friend picked me up and we had a picnic on the road to where Jackson Browne lives. We were then headed into town to see "Echo In the Canyon." A film reveals the intent of the story, the viewer then likes it or not. Crosby, Stills, Nash. Brian Wilson. Roger McGuinn and others were sharing stories. Absent were Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and other untold tales. This morning I woke up feeling what the film drove home for me. What happened to us ? Many of us were open and the music was the reflection of that beautiful spirit. People today are what happened to them. Peace and love was not a game for me. Miracles happen when we listen and talk to one another. So at the end of the film, it was dedicated to Tom Petty. While I was finishing my song yesterday, I wondered what Mike Campbell would do with the lead guitar part. He's a beautiful person, very kind. But, I can't make that phone call since I am not connected. I laughed thinking if I went to David Crosby's house and asked him to listen to the song, would he invite me in? Joan Baez's father picked me up hitchhiking once and asked me to play my guitar. I said no. He drops me off by Stanford University and says, "Young man, until you learn to appreciate the art for the art itself, it doesn't matter if two people, or two thousand people clap for you." True wisdom, but I wish you could hear my song. I felt like I lost a brother when Tom died. Keep on keepin on.

I saw the film this past Saturday night and thought it was outstanding. It put many songs from the 60s into their proper context in terms of development, highlighting the cross-collaborative efforts between bands that were in the canyon scene during that time, as well as further afield, primarily in the UK, to which I wasn't fully aware of the extent.

The film also shows the impact and influence that this particular music scene has had on contemporary musical artists, illustrated by renditions of many of the songs from that window in time by a particular stable of modern-day musicians at a show at Downtown LA's Orpheum Theatre in October of 2015. While I enjoyed seeing the highlights of that show in the film, it felt like they focused on that concert a little too much during the film's 90-minute runtime. There's also the not so subtle implication that these artists are the direct descendants of that culture and should be revered accordingly. While I like many of the artists depicted on-screen, the impact of the music made in, or inspired by, the late-1960s Laurel Canyon scene goes far beyond the indie/alt rock/pop genres. It would have been nice to have seen that acknowledged. That's my only real complaint with the film, and a relatively minor one at that.

All-in-all, I'm pleased that the filmmakers made the efforts that they did, interviewing many of the artists from that era that are still alive today, and visiting several of the recording studios that will likely be consumed in full by L.A.'s cutthroat real estate market in favor of redevelopment. When those days inevitably arrive, I'm hoping that some rich music lover(s) will have the foresight to purchase and digitally preserve them, even if they have to be relocated, or ultimately replicated, to another location...perhaps in the form of a "Music Studio Museum" in the Capitol Records Building, or in/with some other venue/institution of a similar stature, such as the Grammy Museum.

I enjoyed the film immensely and highly recommend it.

Film was interesting strictly from an anecdotal point of view. Some interesting tidbits, archival footage and new versions of the old songs. Jakob Dylan was too fawning and not enough probing with his questions and the group session with Beck, Regina Spektor and Cat Power added nothing to the proceedings. As a result the doc lost some of it's focus at time. Also, can someone tell me how the song 12:30 (Young Girls Coming To the Canyon)! was not included either in the film or over the closing credits. I mean, come on!

Greetings again from the darkness. "Go Where You Wanna Go", a catchy pop song by The Mamas and the Papas, always seemed a quintessential 1960's song, but now, thanks to an insightful interview with singer Michelle Phillips in this new documentary, it's a reminder that even the era's free love carried a price. Director Andrew Slater, the former President of Capital Records, combines the nostalgia associated with the California Sound with the contemporary staying power of the songs and the musicians.

Jakob Dylan of The Wallflowers (and Bob's son) is really the face of the film. Not only does he conduct most of the (many) interviews, he's also the driving force behind the 2015 concert at the Orpheum Theatre celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Byrds debut album ... an album we are told kicked off the fusion of folk and rock. Dylan's first interview is with the legendary Tom Petty (in one of his final interviews before suddenly passing away in 2017). The two are sitting in a guitar shop with Petty regaling the brilliance of a Rickenback, and how the music of 1965-67 influenced him as a songwriter and musician.

An aerial view of Laurel Canyon accompanies its description as the antithesis of the plastic TV world of the 1960's. It was an area that attracted bohemians - musicians, artists, and actors - and collaboration and community were the calling. Jackson Browne and Tom Petty both mention "cross-pollination" ... the "borrowing" of ideas from each other, as it's contrasted with outright theft. The concert at the Orpheum acts a bit as a framing device, and Jakob Dylan takes the lead and performs with other modern day acts such as Regina Spektor, Beck, Jade, Fiona Apple, Cat Power and Norah Jones. We cut to modern versions of the 60's classics after an interview with the original artist or clip of the original band is played. It's a way to connect the dots and show how the music still stands today.

Those interviewed include: Jackson Browne, music producer Lou Adler, David Crosby, Roger McGuinn, Michelle Phillips, Eric Clapton, Graham Nash, Stephen Stills, John Sebastian, and Ringo Starr. Each of these musical luminaries serves up a story or two, and takes a stab at defining the era and its influence. Roger McGuinn tells us how The Beatles influenced The Byrds, how The Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" influenced "Sgt Pepper", and how so many songs and bands are interlinked. Brian Wilson is compared to both Mozart and Bach, and Eric Clapton admits to taking a bit from Buffalo Springfield.

We see and hear Brian in the studio with Jakob, as well as Clapton riffing with Stills. It's fascinating to listen as Brian explains 4 different local studios were used to cut "Good Vibrations" because of the various sounds needed. A bit of artistic lunacy? Perhaps. But it makes for a great tale. It's a bit odd to have clips of Jacques Demy's MODEL SHOP, starring Gary Lockwood and Anouk Aimee, interspersed throughout, but Dylan explains how the film inspired the concert and film. Lastly, we can't help but chuckle since even Jakob couldn't coax his notoriously reclusive father into providing even a touch of recollection for the project. "Expecting to Fly" is offered as the end of the era.

Unless you really want to see Jakob Dylan's monotonous voice singing all the classic 60's songs, then you're better off fast forwarding every time he's on screen and just watching the archival stuff. Better yet, find someone else to make this movie about the scene and not have a lame concert of knock offs. It has some merit though, it'll make you go back and re-listen to all that great music by the original artists!