{"title":"David Blue","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDavid Blue was an American singer-songwriter and actor, born on February 18, 1941 in Providence, Rhode Island. He passed away on December 2, 1982 in New York. Known for his unique blend of folk and rock music, David Blue's recordings from 2023 showcased his talent backed by a four-piece rock band.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThroughout his career, David Blue drew inspiration from a variety of artists including Eric Andersen, David Ackles, Tom Rush, Fred Neil, Dino Valente, Gene Clark, Paul Siebel, Roger McGuinn, Dillard \u0026amp; Clark, Judee Sill and many others. His music resonated with audiences who appreciated the introspective lyrics and heartfelt melodies that defined his sound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough he may no longer be with us today, David Blue's contributions to the music industry continue to inspire aspiring musicians and touch the hearts of listeners around the world.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"stories","title":"Stories","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"David Blue was the peer of any singer in this country, and he knew it, and he coveted their audiences and their power, he claimed them as his rightful due. And when he could not have them, his disappointment became so dazzling, his greed assumed such purity, his appetite such honesty, \u0026amp; he stretched his arms so wide, that we were all able to recognize ourselves, and we fell in love with him.\" (Leonard Cohen). \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDavid Blue is the 'Blue' in Bob Dylan's \"Baby Blue\", the voluble chain-smoking pinball loner in Renaldo \u0026amp; Clara, a companion of Joni Mitchell's during the time she made Blue, the \"blue's not right\" art collector in Wim Wender's The American Friend. The second artist signed to David Geffen's fledgling Asylum records (after Judee Sill), Blue's 1971 Asylum debut Stories sold a woeful 2000 copies. Perhaps a factor in the album's spectacular failure to achieve traction is the almost harrowing emotional vulnerability of Blue's songs \u0026amp; performances. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAbout \u003ci\u003eStories\u003c\/i\u003e, Blue himself said \"if you listen to the record \u0026amp; say, 'god, what a downer,' then I've succeeded in doing exactly what I wanted to do.\" Recorded with Blue's foil, guitarist Bob Rafkin, and an A-list ensemble of LA session musicians that includes among others Ry Cooder, Rita Coolidge, Chris Ethridge, \u0026amp; Russ Kunkel, engineered by Henry Lewy (\u003ci\u003eBlue, Gilded Palace of Sin\u003c\/i\u003e) with string arrangements by Jack Nitzsche, \u003ci\u003eStories\u003c\/i\u003e is the one true masterpiece of David Blue's short life (Blue died age 42 from a heart-attack while jogging in Washington Square Park). Aficionados of the \"stoners\u0026amp;loners\" genre have slept on \u003ci\u003eStories, \u003c\/i\u003ewhose\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003efinest moments foreshadow dark classics from later in the decade such as Gene Clark's \u003ci\u003eNo Other\u003c\/i\u003e, Neil Young's \u003ci\u003eDitch Trilogy\u003c\/i\u003e \u0026amp; Dennis Wilson's \u003ci\u003ePacific Ocean Blue\u003c\/i\u003e, spirit albums in which the artists' torments are transfigured into high art through bummer song. Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio remastered the music from the original tapes \u0026amp; cut the lacquers. Pressed on premium audiophile 120 gram vinyl at RTI, Stories is presented in a retro flipback jacket with a 12x12 hand screenprinted (in peacock blue ink) insert by Alan Sherry \/ Siwa that reproduces in-full Leonard Cohen's 1982 eulogy for David Blue. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"No Label","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50414440776011,"sku":"1161627","price":39.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/79ab7980-6d8c-47e5-8a19-8cd8de586f8c_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726683391"},{"product_id":"the-lost-1967-elektra-recordings-more","title":"The Lost 1967 Elektra Recordings and More","description":"\u003cp\u003eThese days, singer-songwriter and actor David Blue tends to be remembered only in relation to Bob Dylan.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e A member of the supporting cast in mid-60s Greenwich Village and The Rolling Thunder Revue. Yet to categorise Blue in this way is reductionist, and does him an injustice. He was something of an archetype of the 60s generation of Greenwich Village singer- songwriters. Yet, esteemed by his peers, he was overlooked. He released seven albums in a decade, and his acting career was shaping up when he died suddenly at the age of just 41. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHis passing was barely noted in the rock press, and in the subsequent years Blue was all but forgotten. Of late, though, that's changed. His albums started to reappear on CD on small labels and, in 2020, both Rolling Stone and Mojo magazines published major reappraisals. Blue - at last - was getting the attention denied him in life. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt wasn't until 1965 that Blue, as Dave Cohen, released his first recordings - three songs on Elektra's Singer Songwriter Project. All betrayed a debt to pre-electric Dylan. But then again, so did much else coming out of Greenwich Village at the time. Elektra contracted Blue to do his own album, and in 1966 David Blue was released - his first recording to appear under that name. Electric folk rock with a garage band attitude, somewhat in debt to Highway 61, it didn't sell well. Shortly after the album's release Blue formed and toured with The American Patrol, a four-piece rock band, recording an album for Elektra that was never released.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hanky Panky Records","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50478535475531,"sku":"2025482","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/0f4864b11168ac3e320f8d7ab406f830_6031a43a_thumbnail_4096.webp?v=1727485549"},{"product_id":"david-blue","title":"David Blue","description":"\u003cp\u003eFirst ever vinyl reissue of classic 1966 folk-rock album \u003cem\u003eDavid Blue\u003c\/em\u003e - Includes four-page color inserts with notes by author and musician Mark Brend.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThese days, singer-songwriter and actor \u003cstrong\u003eDavid Blue\u003c\/strong\u003e tends to be remembered only in relation to \u003cstrong\u003eBob Dylan\u003c\/strong\u003e A member of the supporting cast in mid-60s Greenwich Village and The Rolling Thunder Revue. Yet to categorise Blue in this way is reductionist, and does him an injustice. He was something of an archetype of the 60s generation of Greenwich Village singer-songwriters. Yet, esteemed by his peers, he was overlooked. He released seven albums in a decade, and his acting career was shaping up when he died suddenly at the age of just 41.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHis passing was barely noted in the rock press, and in the subsequent years, Blue was all but forgotten. Of late, though, that's changed. His albums started to reappear on CD on small labels and, in 2020, both \u003cem\u003eRolling Stone\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eMojo\u003c\/em\u003e magazines published major reappraisals. Blue – at last – was getting the attention denied him in life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt wasn't until 1965 that Blue, as Dave Cohen, released his first recordings – three songs on Elektra's Singer Songwriter Project. All betrayed a debt to pre-electric \u003cstrong\u003eDylan\u003c\/strong\u003e. But then again, so did much else coming out of Greenwich Village at the time. Elektra contracted Blue to do his own album, and in 1966 \u003cem\u003eDavid Blue\u003c\/em\u003e was released – his first recording to appear under that name. Electric folk rock with a garage band attitude, somewhat in debt to \u003cem\u003eHighway 61\u003c\/em\u003e, it didn't sell well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eShortly after the album's release Blue formed and toured with The American Patrol, a four-piece rock band, recording an album for Elektra that was never released.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hanky Panky Records","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50478536425803,"sku":"2025481","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/d14cb879251c82557600fd5b208ab01f_d18f57cf-8ae0-456b-97f7-f0c47f953876_20119.webp?v=1727485568"},{"product_id":"these-23-days-in-september-stories-nice-baby-and-the-angel-cupids-arrow","title":"These 23 Days In September \/ Stories \/ Nice Baby And The Angel \/ Cupid's Arrow","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDavid Blue\u003c\/strong\u003e was born on 18th February 1941. He wasn't born David Blue, of course, but Stuart David Cohen and he came from Providence, Rhode Island. He moved to Greenwich Village in the early ‘60s and one day saw \u003cstrong\u003eBob Dylan\u003c\/strong\u003e writing the song that would become the great folk anthem ‘Blowin’ In The Wind’. Bob asked David to play the chords while he would create the verses. It was performed that night at Gerde’s Folk City. Once \u003cstrong\u003eBob Dylan\u003c\/strong\u003e made it, record companies came looking around Greenwich Village for potential artists. However, there was already a Dave Cohen performing in the village, who later joined Country Joe and the Fish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOur Dave Cohen told folk singer \u003cstrong\u003eEric Andersen\u003c\/strong\u003e that he would have to change his name and Eric said, “You’ve got such blue eyes. You should be \u003cem\u003eDavid Blue\u003c\/em\u003e”. When \u003cstrong\u003eDylan\u003c\/strong\u003e heard of his new name, he started laughing and sang “It’s all over now, \u003cem\u003eDavid Blue\u003c\/em\u003e”. When \u003cstrong\u003eBob Dylan\u003c\/strong\u003e had his motorcycle accident in 1966, \u003cem\u003eDavid Blue\u003c\/em\u003e sent him a note “It’s been done already” – a reference to James Dean. While \u003cstrong\u003eBob\u003c\/strong\u003e was recovering, he was recording with the Band and \u003cem\u003eDavid Blue\u003c\/em\u003e can be seen on the cover of \u003cem\u003eThe Basement Tapes\u003c\/em\u003e – he is sitting to the right of Mrs. Henry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Reprise album, \u003cem\u003eThese 23 Days In September\u003c\/em\u003e was released in 1968. It was produced by Gabriel Mekler who was producing Steppenwolf. Gabriel played piano and Bob Rafkin, guitar. His first album for the newly-formed Asylum label - \u003cem\u003eStories\u003c\/em\u003e (1972) - had a self-portrait on its cover. The album featured some magical slide guitar from \u003cstrong\u003eRy Cooder\u003c\/strong\u003e. The musicians on the album include \u003cstrong\u003eRita Coolidge\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eChris Ethridge\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eMilt Holland\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eRuss Kunkel\u003c\/strong\u003e, which is pretty much an A-Team. \u003cstrong\u003eGraham Nash\u003c\/strong\u003e, then a superstar with Crosby, Stills and Nash, produced the album \u003cem\u003eNice Baby And The Angel\u003c\/em\u003e in 1973. Background vocals included \u003cstrong\u003eGraham Nash\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eDave Mason\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eGlenn Frey\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eJennifer Warren\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGlenn Frey\u003c\/strong\u003e was so taken with the track ‘Outlaw Man’ that he took it to The Eagles and it was featured on their album \u003cem\u003eDesperado\u003c\/em\u003e. \u003cem\u003eCupid’s Arrow\u003c\/em\u003e released in 1976 was produced by Barry Goldberg and featured \u003cstrong\u003eJesse Ed Davis\u003c\/strong\u003e and the Liverpool musician \u003cstrong\u003eJackie Lomax\u003c\/strong\u003e. The title track was written about protest singer \u003cstrong\u003ePhil Ochs\u003c\/strong\u003e and it was sung at his memorial concert.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cherry Red","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50482971476299,"sku":"2028450","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_1319d4ea_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727558962"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/collections\/test_e877bed6_thumbnail_4096_69371880-3262-4291-98bf-2aec8d523d16.jpg?v=1726683368","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/fr\/collections\/david-blue.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}