This record has haunted me ever since I heard it as a kid in the 60s. It perfectly captures the spirit of 1967 without sounding dated -- it somehow remains strangely timeless.
Damn few of them actually did, as it got much less than airplay than this video leads one to believe. Also, this is a very idiosyncratic band and album, so the percentage of those anywhere who truly love/appreciate it will always be low.
@@kevinlakeman5043i feel like it's reception is just a result of a thriving underground rock scene in English cities. Places like Manchester and London have always had a big scene tapped into overlooked artists
This is my favourite so far from Yesterday's Papers. I was lucky enough to see Arthur Lee and Love twice, in Manchester. Both concerts were fantastic: during one of them the band played "Forever Changes" all the way through, accompanied by a young string and brass section, who looked as thrilled to be there as the audience was. When Arthur Lee died, I couldn't bear to listen to his music for 2 years. Now, I just enjoy it and am glad he was here. I had no idea the album had such positive reviews here; it's wonderful to know. Arthur Lee knew he was appreciated in Britain!
@@thewkovacs316 Yes. At the first show, everyone in the audience was wondering what shape he'd be in, and didn't expect too much as a result. It was a great surprise to see and hear him produce a happy, fantastic performance. The crowd sang his name over and over. His band was great, too. Best concert I've ever been to!
I am so glad to have stumbled across your channel…The production quality of these videos are excellent! Don’t let the fact that you aren’t at 1 million subscribers get you down. Most of the channels who have that many ppl watching are nothing less than garbage dumps, pumping visual sewage out to the numb-skulled masses. You have done something singular here, and I hope you continue to keep us informed and entertained with this vintage throw-back to a time when good music was just that- good music. Thanks so much, and I will continue watching your wonderful videos!
Heard so much great American music for the first time on John's Sunday show. He got them from import shops like One Stop - I sat with reel-to-reel tape at the ready! How great that Arthur was able to tour the album late in life to tumultuous receptions.
The song " Alone Again Or ".It should have been a huge hit. Thanks to Bryan Maclean for writing it . "You Set the Scene " is a Fantastic song . This Album " Forever Changes" is on the art rock level to me equal with " Sgt. Pepper ". I love the Beatles no putdown intended. Thank you Arthur and Love for a classic ." Alone Again Or "has been on my playlist for 35 years when playing out.
I agree, it is a brilliant song. I love the Beatles too but I agree that "Forever Changes" is on the same level as "Sgt. Peppers". Very different albums but both are masterpieces from that era, in my opinion.
shouldve...but in 67, in the states, there wasnt a top 40 station that would play it go watch love's appearance on bandstand where they do their version of little red book....the kids in the audience look stupified
@@thewkovacs316 Yes I have seen that footage on Bandstand a horrible choice of a song. Love's big problem in 1967-68 era was Arthur wouldn't tour. They just played in LA at lot of time at Whiskey go-go. Jim Morrison thought they could have been as big as the Doors with the right publicity
“Alone Again Or” was actually a pretty big hit in California in ‘68. It made the top 20 In many cities. It did nothing anywhere in the East though so the charts don’t show it.
It was a perfect "FM radio" song for that era, and could have caught on as a mainstream hit under perfect circumstances. But the title must have worked against it; what DJ wants to announce a record whose title sounds like an incomplete sentence?
God, I love this album! I'm a Beatlemaniac and I love it as much as any Beatles album. I didn't even know it existed and had never heard of Arthur Lee, or Love until I heard '"You Set the Scene" on the radio and asked my sister if she knew who did it. She gave me a copy of the 2009 CD and it was love at ffirst sound. My favourite song is "Maybe the People Would Be TheTimes or Between Clark and Hilldale." But there are so many great tracks. As for what the critics think, I never listen to them. They all hated my favourite Paul McCartney album, "Ram." But at least they got this right.
Couldn't agree more. I was a huge fan of Love as soon as I heard Stephanie Knows Who. Through out most of the 70's, once a year, I listed my 10 favorite albums, 10 favorite guitarists, etc., etc. Not long ago I looked at these lists. The only album that was in my top 10 every year was Love Forever Changes. One additional note - Clark and Hilldale are the two streets on either side of the Whiskey a gogo.
I was fortunate enough to see Arthur Lee play twice in 1989. The first show was at the Ventura Theater with a few other bands on a "Summer Of Love" reunion tour. The second time was at a little bar in Malibu called Trancas. Love wasn't nearly as popular in '89 as they are now. There were only about 30 people at that Trancas show! I actually got to meet Arthur Lee and shake his hand at the bar that night. He was a pretty intimidating dude. I was 21 or 22 at the time. Thank you for the great video, YP!
I first became aware of Love through John Peels Perfume garden radio show. He used to play the single The castle. My Irish group used to play versions of The snot song and Alone again or. I read in the. 90s that Arthur intended to tour the full Forever changes album I could not believe it. I saw the show in Dublin in 2003 and all the young cooll hipsters were singing with myself and Arthur every word, what an unforgettable experience.
Two great albums by groups that couldn’t stay together long enough to be called great bands. That really hurt the albums’ legacies. What’s wild is that the Zombies, unlike Love, actually had an album full of potential hit singles but the record company chose Butcher’s Tale for their third single just as they were gaining some momentum on the radio. Al Kooper helped make that decision, a rare and devastating misstep for him.
I discovered this fabulous band a year ago, that is 54 years late! Came across the song ''ALONE AGAIN OR'', by chance, while going through a playlist, and it was love at first sight (''first heard'', I mean) I have to check this album again, will do it now. Think they have it, complete, here on UA-cam. Thanks for another great video. Cheers.
because the way the record industry and radio industry worked during that time, it's not your fault that you never heard the album believe it or not, most people never heard of the band until the doors movie came out and there is that one scene where they all go to check out love at the whiskey that's 1991 it's 2021 and im still shocked at the amount of music i never got to hear, because it was never played
It was so unique for the times from which it came, and so effortlessly brilliant in total, that I always thought it wasn't created so much as it just "came out", words and music, on the spot. I've never heard anything since that quite equals the effect Forever Changes has had on me, or that mesmerizing vocal style that only Arthur possessed.
I first got into Love as an 18 year old after reading an article in the NME in about 1982. A double page spread interview with Arthurly. They became my favourite band throughout the 80’s. I was stunned 20 years ago when my sons teacher told me she’d seen them live in 1970-ish not a mile from where I lived.
I've never been more excited at a concert than I was to see Arthur Lee & (a reconstituted) Love play Forever Changes at the packed Corner Hotel, Richmond, Melbourne on April 20, 2003. Lee's voice sounded beautiful. The fulfilment of a dream I didn't know I had had since I first heard the album around 1990. I recall that he encored with Instant Karma - some compensation for never seeing Lennon.
Great vid Forever changes is one of my faves. Captain Beefheart and the magic band is in the paper at 1:45. I wonder how the press reacted to Safe as Milk!
Maybe I'll do a video about that one in the future. "Safe as Milk" also got great reviews in the press and quite a few articles were written about Captain Beefheart. Believe it or not, the british press seemed to love bands like Captain Beefheart and Love more than Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead or the Doors at the time. Pretty interesting.
@@iconicshrubbery John Peel was definitely influential. Apart from his radio show, he also wrote for Disc and Music Echo magazine. He had a weekly column there and he occasionally wrote articles about underground bands or new singles and albums that he liked.
@@YesterdaysPapers Yes, totally agree. J. Peel was an English alternative-music 'guru' . Fun fact for you; "Yesterday's Paper(headlines) ) " is actually a phrase used in the Capt. Beefheart song "Safe as Milk". AbaZaba.
I was just listening to Love´s albums from 66. They started a little between more garage rock and more folk rock moments but the good songwriting always comes out and they were already producing psychedelia then also. For Forever Changes they mostly decided to go the folk rock path within a larger baroque pop musical context. The near mariachi mexican influences in the guitars and the horns give it a very Los Angeles identity and sound which was also distinctive within that era of Baroque pop. Interesting that the british reviewers do identify those touches as "Tijuana Brass band" influences. The wider diversity of thematics and that more multicultural musical palette makes me be more interested on this album than on the more famous Pet Sounds
@@YesterdaysPapersKen Forssi's bass made Love sound quite distinctive. I went to see the movie "Medium Cool" about the 1968 Chicago Democratic convention, and was shocked/pleased to hear 'Emotions' from Love's first album as the virtual theme song. Robert Forster plays a TV cameraman so I have always assumed that the tile referred to Marshall McLuhan's book "Medium Cool.' In it McLuhan classifies TV as a 'cool' medium abd radio as 'a 'hot' medium. Quintessential 60s stuff you know as were the first two Love albums (and, of course "Forever Changes").
@@YesterdaysPapers there isnt a bad song on the album...but there also isnt a single song that wouldve been played on any am top 40 station. the most uptempo song is between clark and hillsdale...but no real chorus....no repeating lyrics...a poem that links verses by starting the next verse with the word that ends the prior one you have to really listen pay attention to the lyrics and then you realize that it's really cynical and bashes on the sunset strip scene and all the people who were a part of it. how do you sell that? took 30 years for most people to get it. and it's definitely timeless and still sounds better than most of the junk put out today
Mine too. I was hoping someone else would say so. I love that strummed acoustic guitar part that begins the song and verse sections, and the whole band's playing on the spirited outro.
I remember buying this on a whim in the early 90's as I loved the artwork. Had no idea who there were or anything about them. But from that very first moment of hearing the opening "YEAH" I fell in love with love! It's such an evocative and wonderful record, a journey! Definitely in more top 20 all timers.
Such a lovely album! I still play it every year or so. I used to record John Peel on reel-to reel and listen to his programs over and over. he was playing the American underground before anyone . Forever Changes and Da Capo are essential buys.
Forever Changes was big on L.A. radio in 1967, as Love was an. L.A. band. Arthur Lee, leader of the band and main songwriter, refused to tour to promote the album. The album, in other words, was a hit in Los Angeles. Arthur just didn't like traveling.
I’ve been listening to this unique piece of music for more than 40 years. It never gets old. The song “Your Mind and we Belong Together” is from the same session and is as good as anything they ever did. Four Sail is amazing as well, more live sounding acid rock and a little uneven but essential.
I own a lot of old MOJO magazines and I've noticed the British have always had open ears to various kinds of music. We Americans seem to stick to formulas and when it comes to something experimental or Avant-garde, our sphincters are way too tight.
Hey, Mike. America's contribution to the music of the twentieth century has been nothing short of astonishing. And I don't really know what you mean by us "sticking to formulas". Blues artists stick to formulas. Should BB King have had a Japanese woman screaming into microphone like Yoko Ono to make blues more avant garde for you? And do you realize we also invented those formulas you say we like to stick to? It was remarkable those "formulas"were invented at all, but that might be too deep for you. And if American sphincters are too tight, explain how we manage to produce Little Richard, Frank Zappa, and the Grateful Dead? Speaking of the Dead. Did you know they were the highest grossing touring attraction in America throughout the nineties? It would have continued had Garcia not dropped dead. Does that sound like a country with sticks up their asses and un-opened minds? And, yes, you are right the British have good taste. But, so what? It's meaningless.
It goes both ways. Great groups in both country's are sometimes ignored in the other. In the US we got crappy covers by Hair/Spandex bands instead of Slade
I really think it comes down to size of our respective countries. The U.K is small enough that weekly music papers could reach most of the country, bands could visit for a week and play most of the major cities, the TV channels were largely broadcasting the same schedules. My mind boggles at how someone in say, South Dakota or New Mexico would have kept up with music in the 60s.
@@tomcarl8021 He meant commercial success. People in America dont show as much interest in good music as Europe because the people are pretty uneducated/ignorant. Good musicians can still exist though
American writers, back then and even still today, took (take because they still do it) too many favors, if the record label wined and dined them, gave them a free pass, or even some heavy payola they would give you a good write up and have you in their network of approved bands to cover for their mag. If you were not in their network of approved record labels/bands that they would cover, they would either give you a one star review or act like you did not even exist and not give you a write up/review. The British music press pre-2000s, went by the music only and gave you their honest review. The British did not care what what label you were on or who you were friends with, if they thought it was worth writing about it and culturally important...they gave it a go. The British music press is still much better than the American music press today, although in recent times it has gotten a bit lame, which could be due to the fact that most of the music they cover now is just lame.
I'll probably do a video about "Safe as Milk" by Captain Beefheart in the future. That album got great reviews at the time and there were quite a few interesting articles about Beefheart in the press.
Thank you for this unexpected but welcome post. I don't remember these reviews but do remember Record Mirror describing FC's predecessor, Da Capo (first album I bought by the band) as "pretentious" & getting quite angry. What?!! Hmm, they just don't get it...
I'd never heard "Forever Changes" until just a few weeks ago, when I stumbled on a CD reissue in a used record store. What a remarlabke3 album! It was a lot more quiet, lyrical and reflective than I had thought it would be. Incidentally, the Jimi Hendrix Experience is often named as the first otherwise all-white rock band fronted by an African-American musician, but Love, another otherwise all-white band fronted by Black singer/guitarist Arthur Lee, debuted in L.A. over a year before the Hendrix Experience playsd their first gigs in London.
In the 1960s, "progression" was just a word used to distinguish the more creative music from the dross. They use it repeatedly in the reviews here. There is no hint that it would eventually become a discrete category, derided by most.
Forever Changes is an album that's on an island by itself. It didn't really relate to any of Love's other albums, and it seemed like they were isolating themselves from the LA scene (other than the drugs) in the lead-up to the recording. Then everything fell apart. Neil Young was brought in at the beginning to co-produce the album, but backed out immediately (imagine that).
I first heard Love on Radio Caroline in 1966 singing my Little Red Book. I’ve been hooked ever since. I saw Arthur Lee everytime he came to the UK. From 1970 at the Round House to his final tour in Islington 2004. In 2003 I was at the Royal Festival Hall for the Forever Changes concert. There aren’t enough superlatives to describe the music just one word timeless. The rest of the original members were excellent musicians. Sorely missed by one and all. Regards, Martin
In 1967 I was in the 7th grade in Boston, USA. As far as I know, nothing from this album was ever played on the radio. That was the first year of WBCN, which was one of the first 'underground' radio stations in the country, playing album cuts beyond the single releases, and they might have played some Love, but I'm quite sure they never cut through to the Top 40 stations I listened to. I don't know if I would have appreciated it at the time.
With regard to the John Peel comment, his show was on BBC RADIO 1, BBC 1 was and still is a tv station. Radio 1, as the name suggests, is a radio station.
Most of my friends who were into Love always thought that Da Capo was their best effort, but ive always had a soft spot for Forever Changes and consider it to be the Definitive Love Album.
@@lucasoheyze4597 Couldn't agree more. If only they'd filled side two with more of Bryan Mclean's wonderful songs on If You Believe In/Candy's Walz/No One Was Kinder instead of Revelation that is way too long and frankly boring.
I saw one publication back its era call Forever Changes the greatest American album of all time. Can’t say I blame them. It’s one of the greatest records I’ve ever heard!! 🖤❤️💛🧡💜💙💚
Arthur spent most of the last few years of his life in prison for reasons. When he was released a band that knew every note of Forever Changes was waiting for him. The newly formed Love (2010?) played three blocks from here at a mall club and I couldn't get in. He died later that year or the next.
It's important to realize Arthur Lee's true follow-up to Forever Changes was the double album Out Here which is impressive. It has many gems like "I Still Wonder" & "Willow Willow".
Marquee Moon, Trout Mask Replica and Forever Changes are three classic American LPs that were much better received here in Britain than in their own country. Interesting question why.
The answer to that interesting question is that for whatever reasons (lack of education, culture) Americans have a seeming inability to appreciate their own cutting edge culture until it is no longer cutting edge, ie once its become stale, safe and corporatised. It’s easy getting into something 50 years later when all its power has gone
Around this time I use to live in Oxford {England} and there was a fantastic Record Shop that alway's stocked a great selection of American Band's. "Imported or British release, I don't know" BUT I would guess a lot of import's as they had such a fantastic selection. You would wander into the shop and there was alway's some great music being played. I purchased many West Coast Band's album's, Neil Young & Steven Still's also being favourit's, from Buffalo Springfield day's, Jefferson Airplane following Grace from The Great Society. New Rider's of the Purple Sage {possibly my very favourite band} but Never took to the Dead. Bouche t the first Velvet Underground with Nico (didn't like that much!) Was far more into American band's than British during this period. I was wondering a little while back, HOW did I get to hear & know about these band's, etc.... This review's just 'jogged my memory'.... I didn't realise there was a forth LP. So no more writing and a search to listen to that.....
I've been listening to Forever Changes since my freshman year in college (1981-82. Yikes!). While I still seek out new music to listen to, but I'll never stop regularly playing the album. Forever Changes is definitely one of my desert island discs.
One of the great 60s albums, the time when music was shifting so fast...just compare it with their first or second album (which were also great). Arthur Lee deserved so much more.
Terrific album no doubt about it! But that reviewer " Certainly the best of the West Coast groups."' Well, that certainty certainly is open to debate. And later another critic writes "....from the very best of the California groups" I guess everyone has their own taste, thank heaven.
@@YesterdaysPapers So true, mate. When writing about an album or film I try to never use the word "best" I try to always say It's my favorite.(But sometimes I slip up when I get overly excited...lol)
he wasnt wrong. love was a band's band almost every group who played on the strip went to watch love play at the very least, they were the most interesting band to come out of the scene
What a shock. Like VU, Zappa, Hendrix and Beefheart. The Europeans always appreciated so called underground music from America before Americans did! But I guess we're just as guilty about not seeing genius right under our noses. Just look at Nick Drake. His 3 albums sold 15,000 copies in total before his death!
I wish someday i will see an article on this channel about very litlle known band, but one of the most progressive minded group of musicians at the time - United States of America. They were mote of a project than a real band, and they mixed avant-garde psychedelic music with electronic sounds and more traditional genres, like Dixieland jazz and ragtime. Also, they didn't have a guitar player and had concerts which were ahead of their time. They belong to a story similar to Silver apples, White Noise and Fifty foot hose. In the end, they were arrested for marijuana posession, although they were infamous for involvement in Communism.
Recognized as a masterpiece in Britain. Sadly, Love was a never a big deal in the States: not in the 60s, not in the 80s in my youth as I was discovering all the great 60s music, and frankly, not now. I just don't understand it. The Doors used to say in their early days that they wanted to "be as big as Love". The biographer who cited the quote was indicating how supposedly modest the Doors' ambitions were. A GREAT group; get into them, if you don't know who they are.
There is nothing quite like this album. Never ages. Pure genius from start to finish.
This record has haunted me ever since I heard it as a kid in the 60s. It perfectly captures the spirit of 1967 without sounding dated -- it somehow remains strangely timeless.
Kudos to the Brits for "getting" this album right out of the gate. Great video.
Damn few of them actually did, as it got much less than airplay than this video leads one to believe. Also, this is a very idiosyncratic band and album, so the percentage of those anywhere who truly love/appreciate it will always be low.
@@kevinlakeman5043i feel like it's reception is just a result of a thriving underground rock scene in English cities. Places like Manchester and London have always had a big scene tapped into overlooked artists
@@kevinlakeman5043ok random person . We'll believe you!
The CATS got it, you dig ✌️
Forever Changes is a rarely equaled or bettered masterpiece. Arthur Lee was a genius 👍
David My son you're so wrong
No he is correct, Arhur Lee was a genius.
@@cazamilfs8945 No, you're wrong. Forever Changes is all-time No.1 album, never to be bettered.
@@lilajagears8317 no he was correct. Alone again or is classic, the rest is rubbish
@@mg55-n1l Behave.
This is my favourite so far from Yesterday's Papers. I was lucky enough to see Arthur Lee and Love twice, in Manchester. Both concerts were fantastic: during one of them the band played "Forever Changes" all the way through, accompanied by a young string and brass section, who looked as thrilled to be there as the audience was. When Arthur Lee died, I couldn't bear to listen to his music for 2 years. Now, I just enjoy it and am glad he was here. I had no idea the album had such positive reviews here; it's wonderful to know. Arthur Lee knew he was appreciated in Britain!
Thank you very much! Glad you enjoyed the video.
you saw him during his early 2000's tour or in the 60s?
@@thewkovacs316 I saw him in the early 2000s. He was in really good form.
@@traceya9615 i saw vids of the tour. for what he had gone through, he looked and sounded great.
@@thewkovacs316 Yes. At the first show, everyone in the audience was wondering what shape he'd be in, and didn't expect too much as a result. It was a great surprise to see and hear him produce a happy, fantastic performance. The crowd sang his name over and over. His band was great, too. Best concert I've ever been to!
Love's 'Forever Changes' is one of my favorite albums and I think one of the greatest rock albums every made.
Nice how your background music "dances" all around "Alone Again Or" and "You Set The Scene." Nice touch!
One of the best rock albums ever recorded.
Surely the most poetic music ever created, a timeless jewel ! Only for true Lovers
"Forever Changes" was and remains nothing short of brilliant. Many thanks Yesterday's Papers!
I am so glad to have stumbled across your channel…The production quality of these videos are excellent! Don’t let the fact that you aren’t at 1 million subscribers get you down. Most of the channels who have that many ppl watching are nothing less than garbage dumps, pumping visual sewage out to the numb-skulled masses. You have done something singular here, and I hope you continue to keep us informed and entertained with this vintage throw-back to a time when good music was just that- good music. Thanks so much, and I will continue watching your wonderful videos!
Thanks!
Heard so much great American music for the first time on John's Sunday show. He got them from import shops like One Stop - I sat with reel-to-reel tape at the ready! How great that Arthur was able to tour the album late in life to tumultuous receptions.
The song " Alone Again Or ".It should have been a huge hit. Thanks to Bryan Maclean for writing it . "You Set the Scene " is a Fantastic song . This Album " Forever Changes" is on the art rock level to me equal with " Sgt. Pepper ". I love the Beatles no putdown intended. Thank you Arthur and Love for a classic ." Alone Again Or "has been on my playlist for 35 years when playing out.
I agree, it is a brilliant song. I love the Beatles too but I agree that "Forever Changes" is on the same level as "Sgt. Peppers". Very different albums but both are masterpieces from that era, in my opinion.
shouldve...but in 67, in the states, there wasnt a top 40 station that would play it
go watch love's appearance on bandstand where they do their version of little red book....the kids in the audience look stupified
@@thewkovacs316 Yes I have seen that footage on Bandstand a horrible choice of a song. Love's big problem in 1967-68 era was Arthur wouldn't tour. They just played in LA at lot of time at Whiskey go-go. Jim Morrison thought they could have been as big as the Doors with the right publicity
“Alone Again Or” was actually a pretty big hit in California in ‘68. It made the top 20 In many cities. It did nothing anywhere in the East though so the charts don’t show it.
It was a perfect "FM radio" song for that era, and could have caught on as a mainstream hit under perfect circumstances. But the title must have worked against it; what DJ wants to announce a record whose title sounds like an incomplete sentence?
God, I love this album! I'm a Beatlemaniac and I love it as much as any Beatles album. I didn't even know it existed and had never heard of Arthur Lee, or Love until I heard '"You Set the Scene" on the radio and asked my sister if she knew who did it. She gave me a copy of the 2009 CD and it was love at ffirst sound. My favourite song is "Maybe the People Would Be TheTimes or Between Clark and Hilldale." But there are so many great tracks. As for what the critics think, I never listen to them. They all hated my favourite Paul McCartney album, "Ram." But at least they got this right.
Elektra put out some lovely stuff in the late 60s,Zodiac Cosmic Sounds,The Doors,Tim Buckley,Nico's Marble Index album and of course Love.
Agreed. And the Stooges, too!
I wrote my degree thesis about Love's Forever changes! What a masterpiece. All these praises to the album are new to me. Good to know!
Wow! That's so cool that you wrote your degree thesis about this album. It definitely deserves it!
Can I read that! Those are living songs!
Really that's surprising. Alone again or is a masterpiece, rest is garbage
Is it possible to read your thesis ?
@@mg55-n1lMay the snot cake upon your pants.
Couldn't agree more. I was a huge fan of Love as soon as I heard Stephanie Knows Who. Through out most of the 70's, once a year, I listed my 10 favorite albums, 10 favorite guitarists, etc., etc. Not long ago I looked at these lists. The only album that was in my top 10 every year was Love Forever Changes. One additional note - Clark and Hilldale are the two streets on either side of the Whiskey a gogo.
I was fortunate enough to see Arthur Lee play twice in 1989. The first show was at the Ventura Theater with a few other bands on a "Summer Of Love" reunion tour.
The second time was at a little bar in Malibu called Trancas. Love wasn't nearly as popular in '89 as they are now. There were only about 30 people at that Trancas show! I actually got to meet Arthur Lee and shake his hand at the bar that night. He was a pretty intimidating dude. I was 21 or 22 at the time.
Thank you for the great video, YP!
The genius of Arthur Lee & Bryan McLean 👏
I first became aware of Love through John Peels Perfume garden radio show. He used to play the single The castle. My Irish group used to play versions of The snot song and Alone again or. I read in the. 90s that Arthur intended to tour the full Forever changes album I could not believe it. I saw the show in Dublin in 2003 and all the young cooll hipsters were singing with myself and Arthur every word, what an unforgettable experience.
That album has been a big favorite of mine for decades now. Thank you for the excellent video about it.
The Zombies "OdesseyAnd Oracle" was treated the same way. You should do a video on that one too
'Forever Changes' and 'Odessey and Oracle' are my all-time #1 & 2 favourite albums.
Two great albums by groups that couldn’t stay together long enough to be called great bands. That really hurt the albums’ legacies.
What’s wild is that the Zombies, unlike Love, actually had an album full of potential hit singles but the record company chose Butcher’s Tale for their third single just as they were gaining some momentum on the radio.
Al Kooper helped make that decision, a rare and devastating misstep for him.
I discovered this fabulous band a year ago, that is 54 years late!
Came across the song ''ALONE AGAIN OR'', by chance, while going through a playlist, and it was love at first sight (''first heard'', I mean)
I have to check this album again, will do it now. Think they have it, complete, here on UA-cam.
Thanks for another great video. Cheers.
Better late than never! Enjoy the album.
@@YesterdaysPapers 👍🤗❤
if you have to beg, borrow or steal it get the 2cd Love Story.
@@wanderer299a Thanks for the suggestion. I will look for it.
because the way the record industry and radio industry worked during that time, it's not your fault that you never heard the album
believe it or not, most people never heard of the band until the doors movie came out and there is that one scene where they all go to check out love at the whiskey
that's 1991
it's 2021 and im still shocked at the amount of music i never got to hear, because it was never played
Fantastic, I love this album. Cool to learn that it had such a great impact when it was first released.
Loved this.
Thank you
It was so unique for the times from which it came, and so effortlessly brilliant in total, that I always thought it wasn't created so much as it just "came out", words and music, on the spot. I've never heard anything since that quite equals the effect Forever Changes has had on me, or that mesmerizing vocal style that only Arthur possessed.
I first got into Love as an 18 year old after reading an article in the NME in about 1982. A double page spread interview with Arthurly. They became my favourite band throughout the 80’s. I was stunned 20 years ago when my sons teacher told me she’d seen them live in 1970-ish not a mile from where I lived.
I've never been more excited at a concert than I was to see Arthur Lee & (a reconstituted) Love play Forever Changes at the packed Corner Hotel, Richmond, Melbourne on April 20, 2003. Lee's voice sounded beautiful. The fulfilment of a dream I didn't know I had had since I first heard the album around 1990. I recall that he encored with Instant Karma - some compensation for never seeing Lennon.
Outstanding band
Great vid Forever changes is one of my faves. Captain Beefheart and the magic band is in the paper at 1:45. I wonder how the press reacted to Safe as Milk!
Maybe I'll do a video about that one in the future. "Safe as Milk" also got great reviews in the press and quite a few articles were written about Captain Beefheart. Believe it or not, the british press seemed to love bands like Captain Beefheart and Love more than Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead or the Doors at the time. Pretty interesting.
Maybe Peelie had an influence on musical tastes... He loved the unconventional, the un-mainstream, especially Beefheart..
@@iconicshrubbery John Peel was definitely influential. Apart from his radio show, he also wrote for Disc and Music Echo magazine. He had a weekly column there and he occasionally wrote articles about underground bands or new singles and albums that he liked.
@@YesterdaysPapers Yes, totally agree. J. Peel was an English alternative-music 'guru' . Fun fact for you; "Yesterday's Paper(headlines) ) " is actually a phrase used in the Capt. Beefheart song "Safe as Milk". AbaZaba.
Would be more interesting to see how they reacted to Trout Mask Replica!
Fabulous post. You've hit on a great formula here. Congrats and keep it up!
Thanks!
Forever Changes and the Notorious Byrd Brothers for me are the standout albums of this era.
I was just listening to Love´s albums from 66. They started a little between more garage rock and more folk rock moments but the good songwriting always comes out and they were already producing psychedelia then also. For Forever Changes they mostly decided to go the folk rock path within a larger baroque pop musical context. The near mariachi mexican influences in the guitars and the horns give it a very Los Angeles identity and sound which was also distinctive within that era of Baroque pop. Interesting that the british reviewers do identify those touches as "Tijuana Brass band" influences. The wider diversity of thematics and that more multicultural musical palette makes me be more interested on this album than on the more famous Pet Sounds
I love the first two Love albums, too. Great stuff.
@@YesterdaysPapersKen Forssi's bass made Love sound quite distinctive. I went to see the movie "Medium Cool" about the 1968 Chicago Democratic convention, and was shocked/pleased to hear 'Emotions' from Love's first album as the virtual theme song. Robert Forster plays a TV cameraman so I have always assumed that the tile referred to Marshall McLuhan's book "Medium Cool.' In it McLuhan classifies TV as a 'cool' medium abd radio as 'a 'hot' medium. Quintessential 60s stuff you know as were the first two Love albums (and, of course "Forever Changes").
one of my fav albums
they had no idea how to market it, that is why it went unnoticed
I agree, I guess it was too different and they didn't know how to market it. It still sounds totally unique and timeless.
@@YesterdaysPapers there isnt a bad song on the album...but there also isnt a single song that wouldve been played on any am top 40 station.
the most uptempo song is between clark and hillsdale...but no real chorus....no repeating lyrics...a poem that links verses by starting the next verse with the word that ends the prior one
you have to really listen pay attention to the lyrics
and then you realize that it's really cynical and bashes on the sunset strip scene and all the people who were a part of it.
how do you sell that?
took 30 years for most people to get it.
and it's definitely timeless and still sounds better than most of the junk put out today
Just found this channel. I could have sworn I bought this album in Exeter UK in 1967. It is still one of my top 5 albums of all time
Great video! Daily Planet is my favorite cut.
Mine too. I was hoping someone else would say so. I love that strummed acoustic guitar part that begins the song and verse sections, and the whole band's playing on the spirited outro.
Haunting in the finest feel of that term . I was hooked the 1st listen
I remember buying this on a whim in the early 90's as I loved the artwork. Had no idea who there were or anything about them. But from that very first moment of hearing the opening "YEAH" I fell in love with love! It's such an evocative and wonderful record, a journey! Definitely in more top 20 all timers.
Such a lovely album! I still play it every year or so.
I used to record John Peel on reel-to reel and listen to his programs over and over.
he was playing the American underground before anyone .
Forever Changes and Da Capo are essential buys.
On the basis of the UK reviews I bought it in 1968 and have loved it ever since! It's somehow unique and timeless.
don't forget the late bryan maclean
There's always one band that slips through greatness.
Forever Changes was big on L.A. radio in 1967, as Love was an. L.A. band. Arthur Lee, leader of the band and main songwriter, refused to tour to promote the album. The album, in other words, was a hit in Los Angeles. Arthur just didn't like traveling.
The Spanish guitar and string and brass arrangements which were a large part of the appeal of Forever Changes were not Arthur Lee's.
I’ve been listening to this unique piece of music for more than 40 years. It never gets old. The song “Your Mind and we Belong Together” is from the same session and is as good as anything they ever did. Four Sail is amazing as well, more live sounding acid rock and a little uneven but essential.
What a brilliant UA-cam channel this is!
Thank you very much! Glad you enjoy it.
I own a lot of old MOJO magazines and I've noticed the British have always had open ears to various kinds of music. We Americans seem to stick to formulas and when it comes to something experimental or Avant-garde, our sphincters are way too tight.
Hey, Mike. America's contribution to the music of the twentieth century has been nothing short of astonishing. And I don't really know what you mean by us "sticking to formulas". Blues artists stick to formulas. Should BB King have had a Japanese woman screaming into microphone like Yoko Ono to make blues more avant garde for you?
And do you realize we also invented those formulas you say we like to stick to? It was remarkable those "formulas"were invented at all, but that might be too deep for you.
And if American sphincters are too tight, explain how we manage to produce Little Richard, Frank Zappa, and the Grateful Dead?
Speaking of the Dead. Did you know they were the highest grossing touring attraction in America throughout the nineties? It would have continued had Garcia not dropped dead. Does that sound like a country with sticks up their asses and un-opened minds?
And, yes, you are right the British have good taste. But, so what? It's meaningless.
It goes both ways. Great groups in both country's are sometimes ignored in the other. In the US we got crappy covers by Hair/Spandex bands instead of Slade
I really think it comes down to size of our respective countries. The U.K is small enough that weekly music papers could reach most of the country, bands could visit for a week and play most of the major cities, the TV channels were largely broadcasting the same schedules. My mind boggles at how someone in say, South Dakota or New Mexico would have kept up with music in the 60s.
@@tomcarl8021 He meant commercial success. People in America dont show as much interest in good music as Europe because the people are pretty uneducated/ignorant. Good musicians can still exist though
American writers, back then and even still today, took (take because they still do it) too many favors, if the record label wined and dined them, gave them a free pass, or even some heavy payola they would give you a good write up and have you in their network of approved bands to cover for their mag. If you were not in their network of approved record labels/bands that they would cover, they would either give you a one star review or act like you did not even exist and not give you a write up/review. The British music press pre-2000s, went by the music only and gave you their honest review. The British did not care what what label you were on or who you were friends with, if they thought it was worth writing about it and culturally important...they gave it a go. The British music press is still much better than the American music press today, although in recent times it has gotten a bit lame, which could be due to the fact that most of the music they cover now is just lame.
I saw that brief showcase about Beefheart and the Mothers. It would be awesome if you could do a video about the reception of their music!
I'll probably do a video about "Safe as Milk" by Captain Beefheart in the future. That album got great reviews at the time and there were quite a few interesting articles about Beefheart in the press.
Thank you for this unexpected but welcome post. I don't remember these reviews but do remember Record Mirror describing FC's predecessor, Da Capo (first album I bought by the band) as "pretentious" & getting quite angry. What?!! Hmm, they just don't get it...
I'd never heard "Forever Changes" until just a few weeks ago, when I stumbled on a CD reissue in a used record store. What a remarlabke3 album! It was a lot more quiet, lyrical and reflective than I had thought it would be. Incidentally, the Jimi Hendrix Experience is often named as the first otherwise all-white rock band fronted by an African-American musician, but Love, another otherwise all-white band fronted by Black singer/guitarist Arthur Lee, debuted in L.A. over a year before the Hendrix Experience playsd their first gigs in London.
In one of Arthur Lee's bands before Love, he and Johnny Echols made a single with Jimi which I believe was Jimi's first recording.
One of the best albums of the popular music history Period
In the 1960s, "progression" was just a word used to distinguish the more creative music from the dross. They use it repeatedly in the reviews here. There is no hint that it would eventually become a discrete category, derided by most.
Nice, I always wondered how they went over in Britain, also, wow, check out all of the Motown in the album charts!
Yeah, Motown seemed to be really popular in the UK at the time. 1967/68 was a great era for Motown, lots of great albums and singles.
Got gold status in the uk .
@@YesterdaysPapers Motown & Stax were dominant on the dance floors of the UK during this period.
Forever Changes is an album that's on an island by itself. It didn't really relate to any of Love's other albums, and it seemed like they were isolating themselves from the LA scene (other than the drugs) in the lead-up to the recording. Then everything fell apart.
Neil Young was brought in at the beginning to co-produce the album, but backed out immediately (imagine that).
"Forever Changes is an album that's on an island by itself."
Very true!
I first heard Love on Radio Caroline in 1966 singing my Little Red Book. I’ve been hooked ever since.
I saw Arthur Lee everytime he came to the UK.
From 1970 at the Round House to his final tour in Islington 2004.
In 2003 I was at the Royal Festival Hall for the Forever Changes concert.
There aren’t enough superlatives to describe the music just one word timeless.
The rest of the original members were excellent musicians.
Sorely missed by one and all.
Regards,
Martin
Took a few years but gold status for sales in the end in the u.k .
I remember reading a review of it in Beat Instrumental late 1967
In 1967 I was in the 7th grade in Boston, USA. As far as I know, nothing from this album was ever played on the radio. That was the first year of WBCN, which was one of the first 'underground' radio stations in the country, playing album cuts beyond the single releases, and they might have played some Love, but I'm quite sure they never cut through to the Top 40 stations I listened to. I don't know if I would have appreciated it at the time.
Excelente, concuerdo 100% con todos los elogios a este asombroso álbum.
With regard to the John Peel comment, his show was on BBC RADIO 1, BBC 1 was and still is a tv station. Radio 1, as the name suggests, is a radio station.
Most of my friends who were into Love always thought that Da Capo was their best effort, but ive always had a soft spot for Forever Changes and consider it to be the Definitive Love Album.
Revelation let's Da Capo down, but I think side one is absolutely brilliant.
@@lucasoheyze4597 Couldn't agree more. If only they'd filled side two with more of Bryan Mclean's wonderful songs on If You Believe In/Candy's Walz/No One Was Kinder instead of Revelation that is way too long and frankly boring.
I was wondering if you did a video about Love in UK .. showed up on the side when I was watching your ZOmbies video about Odyssey ORacle. Thanks.
I saw one publication back its era call Forever Changes the greatest American album of all time. Can’t say I blame them. It’s one of the greatest records I’ve ever heard!! 🖤❤️💛🧡💜💙💚
Arthur spent most of the last few years of his life in prison for reasons. When he was released a band that knew every note of Forever Changes was waiting for him. The newly formed Love (2010?) played three blocks from here at a mall club and I couldn't get in. He died later that year or the next.
It's important to realize Arthur Lee's true follow-up to Forever Changes was the double album Out Here which is impressive. It has many gems like "I Still Wonder" & "Willow Willow".
Marquee Moon, Trout Mask Replica and Forever Changes are three classic American LPs that were much better received here in Britain than in their own country. Interesting question why.
"Pet Sounds", too.
Love marquee moon
The answer to that interesting question is that for whatever reasons (lack of education, culture) Americans have a seeming inability to appreciate their own cutting edge culture until it is no longer cutting edge, ie once its become stale, safe and corporatised. It’s easy getting into something 50 years later when all its power has gone
@@JohnnyFriendly your so much more superior than all Americans!!!!!
great album
Even though it was 'just' Arthur Lee on subsequent albums.. many of them are amazing as well.
Brilliant channel.
Tengo este album en vinilo
Around this time I use to live in Oxford {England} and there was a fantastic Record Shop that alway's stocked a great selection of American Band's. "Imported or British release, I don't know" BUT I would guess a lot of import's as they had such a fantastic selection. You would wander into the shop and there was alway's some great music being played. I purchased many West Coast Band's album's, Neil Young & Steven Still's also being favourit's, from Buffalo Springfield day's, Jefferson Airplane following Grace from The Great Society. New Rider's of the Purple Sage {possibly my very favourite band} but Never took to the Dead. Bouche t the first Velvet Underground with Nico (didn't like that much!) Was far more into American band's than British during this period. I was wondering a little while back, HOW did I get to hear & know about these band's, etc.... This review's just 'jogged my memory'.... I didn't realise there was a forth LP. So no more writing and a search to listen to that.....
I discovered Love late in life but damn if they aren’t one of my favorites now.
I've been listening to Forever Changes since my freshman year in college (1981-82. Yikes!). While I still seek out new music to listen to, but I'll never stop regularly playing the album. Forever Changes is definitely one of my desert island discs.
I risked a fiver on this in 1980, not having any way of hearing it. Best money I ever spent, greatest album by anyone.
@6:00 - awesome accurate review !
2:00 Simon and Garfunkel guitar 😂 you would of thought she’d of had a wider array of words to describe the acoustic start pfft.
Propers to the Wrecking Crew - did a smashing job of support to the band.
Good shit, Maynard!
One of the great 60s albums, the time when music was shifting so fast...just compare it with their first or second album (which were also great). Arthur Lee deserved so much more.
Awesome 🥇 🔥☺
great album, i also like Da capo and Four sail a lot. I came across this album in 2011, then i bought the others
If I had to go to live on a desert island, this is the record that I would bring, without a doubt
John Peel and the AFN radio station were strong on Love.
The Brits always get it. Cheers!
Terrific album no doubt about it! But that reviewer " Certainly the best of the West Coast groups."' Well, that certainty certainly is open to debate. And later another critic writes "....from the very best of the California groups" I guess everyone has their own taste, thank heaven.
Yes, the West Coast had such a cool music scene at the time that it's quite bold to say this band or that band was the best.
@@YesterdaysPapers So true, mate. When writing about an album or film I try to never use the word "best" I try to always say It's my favorite.(But sometimes I slip up when I get overly excited...lol)
he wasnt wrong. love was a band's band
almost every group who played on the strip went to watch love play
at the very least, they were the most interesting band to come out of the scene
The tragedy of the original Love, was that they broke up instead of touring to promote the album back in 1968.
A masterpiece. And most of the guitars on it are acoustic!
Love were the band that the Doors wanted to be...
A perfect lp
This album defined the "arty" west coast sound of 1967. Shame that they never repeated that masterpiece.
True 60s masterpiece
The snot has caked against my pants...
It has turned into crystal.
The group UFO covered alone again or, probably the most famous cover of a Love song ever
In the UK the most famous cover of a Love song is Alone Again Or by the Damned.
.In Los Angeles in the 60’s it was Love-The Doors-Buffalo Springfield
My Irish group were Reform.
What a shock. Like VU, Zappa, Hendrix and Beefheart. The Europeans always appreciated so called underground music from America before Americans did! But I guess we're just as guilty about not seeing genius right under our noses. Just look at Nick Drake. His 3 albums sold 15,000 copies in total before his death!
Forever Changes is tied with Revolver and Blonde and Blonde for the best albums of the 1960s
I wish someday i will see an article on this channel about very litlle known band, but one of the most progressive minded group of musicians at the time - United States of America.
They were mote of a project than a real band, and they mixed avant-garde psychedelic music with electronic sounds and more traditional genres, like Dixieland jazz and ragtime. Also, they didn't have a guitar player and had concerts which were ahead of their time.
They belong to a story similar to Silver apples, White Noise and Fifty foot hose. In the end, they were arrested for marijuana posession, although they were infamous for involvement in Communism.
I love United States of America! That record they did is incredible, so ahead of its time. Maybe I'll do a video about them in the future.
@@YesterdaysPapers Oh, great! That one would be great thing on your already awesome channel! ❤️
It sold quite well in uk as ive seen a few copies originals that is. Most are played to hell as rightly
Recognized as a masterpiece in Britain. Sadly, Love was a never a big deal in the States: not in the 60s, not in the 80s in my youth as I was discovering all the great 60s music, and frankly, not now. I just don't understand it. The Doors used to say in their early days that they wanted to "be as big as Love". The biographer who cited the quote was indicating how supposedly modest the Doors' ambitions were. A GREAT group; get into them, if you don't know who they are.
a personal revered fave of Robert Plant's and Jim Morrison.
Bryan MacLean wrote 2 of the best songs