Getting it together in the country

[pb2015]

Chicago. I think it was their 6th album where they moved to a ranch in Colorado to record.

A lot of 70's rock albums were recorded at Caribou Ranch.

[rcarlberg]

Also, it's in Los Angeles, not exactly a remote country cottage or ranch like other bands or cults like Traffic or the Manson Family used.

Its a bush recording. We're all recording in the bush.

..

[Dave (in MA)]

Quote Originally Posted by Don Van Vliet
Its a bush recording. We're all recording in the bush.

The name of the composition is Mea--,Neon Meate Dream of a Octafish. Uh, No--It's Hair Pie

[Baribrotzer]

What are the odds the Captain would have been friends with Frank Zappa since they were teens? Two musical minds that unique, that disparate, in Lancaster, CA.

I have a theory - not to be taken seriously - that once upon a time, in Lancaster CA, there appeared a musical mind of incomparable brilliance, but so large it wouldn't fit into one head. So Frank Zappa got the left brain, and Captain Beefheart got the right brain.

[Lopez]

Spirit, with various wives and girlfriends and Barry Hansen (aka Dr. Demento), all lived together in a house in Topanga Canyon to write and rehearse the first album. Every morning they would start with a jam that eventually became the instrumental "Elijah." By various side tracks and tangents from that jam they came up with some of their earliest numbers.

[Vic2012]

A lot of 70's rock albums were recorded at Caribou Ranch.

Yes, an abomination. They became snowflakes..... .

[Baribrotzer]

A lot of 70's rock albums were recorded at Caribou Ranch.

My parents' summer home shared a border with Caribou Ranch - it was about a quarter-mile away from their cabin, and 400 feet down a steep hill. They rarely went down there. Part of it was the hill, and that there wasn't much of interest down there. But part of it was that James William Guercio - Chicago's manager and the owner of Caribou Ranch - had a reputation as a terrible neighbor. He seemed to think that it was still the Wild West, and as a large landowner he could throw his weight around like John Chisum or some other legendary Texas cattleman. He had armed security patrols riding the borders, tried to close off the only road to a Forest Service trailhead and campground (which crossed a corner of his land), and tended to wave a gun around.

What he didn't seem to understand was that in rural Colorado, people don't bother you if you don't want to be bothered.

[Dave (in MA)]

Even the Google Maps Street View™ is creepy.

I have to wonder if that Ford van is sightseers.

"Maps of the Stars-For Weirdos"

[Jerjo]

There were also a large number of major artists holed up in Laurel Canyon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0046ZS5LG...ng=UTF8&btkr=1

[Progbear]

Dieter Dierks recording studio, used by tons of Krautrock acts, was located in the countryside near the small town of Stommeln, just outside of Köln. Bands that stayed there were treated to home-cooked meals prepared by Dierks’ mother!

Kraan left Berlin and settled on the Wintrup farm.

More obscurely, there’s Rumple Stiltzken Comune [sic], who lived in the countryside of southern Switzerland with their groupies/girlfriends.

And there’s this:

[rcarlberg]

How many bands / musicians communed in Woodstock NY in 1967-8?

[moecurlythanu]

More obscurely, there’s Rumple Stiltzken Comune [sic], who lived in the countryside of southern Switzerland with their groupies/girlfriends.

Yeah, I thought about that one, and then nixed it for the same reason I did the Farm Band above.

[Scrotum Scissor]

there’s Rumple Stiltzken Comune [sic], who lived in the countryside of southern Switzerland with their groupies/girlfriends.

I always separate groupie/girlfriend from whether or not I'm musically active at the time of initiation; if I'm in a band or at least extremely creative in writing immaculately emotional 'songs', they're instantly defined as groupies. If I'm a grouchy 9-5 dayworker or a slobby unemployed semi-drunk, they're just my girlfriends.

Anyway, Rumple should have concentrated a bit more on the musical part, so as to serve us something somewhat more rewarding than Wring From the Beginning. While not exactly bad, there's a bit to be wanted.

Japanese band Ghost, led by guitarist/singer-songwriter (and some would say cult leader) Masaki Batoh, lived for several years in the mountains somewhere South on the main isle. Their first handful of albums (and the superbly excellent Lama Rabi Rabi in particular) are notably coloured by this.

[Trane]

but I believe that Traffic were the first group to "get it together in the country"

My first thought upon seeing the thread title ... and I believe the first example.

Incredible String Band + Dr. Strangely Strange near Newport, in Pembrokeshire.

Which would explain how those two bands sounds so much alike

Gong had a couple "family homes" they used back in the day. I haven't gotten to the part in Daevid Allen's "Gong Dreaming 2" book yet where he talks about the recording of the "Angel's Egg" album at one of those houses, but I have heard stories about Didier Malherbe recording his parts whilst sitting in a tree. One of the Gong archival DVDs has B&W footage of various band members being interviewed whilst eating breakfast at one of the houses.

Cottage Cheese =/= Camembert (even the electric version) though

Or as we slightly older musicians put it, "a victim of the Age of Aquarius".

I heard it as "casualty" of Age of Aquarius (some would even say nowadays "colateral damage")

A lot of 70's rock albums were recorded at Caribou Ranch.

Wasn't Elton's Caribou album recorded at and named after it

How many bands / musicians communed in Woodstock NY in 1967-8?

I take it many wanted to hang out with his Bobness.

[Zeuhlmate]

Kraan - Wintrup period. Wintrup is a small town in the Teutoburger forrest. Kraan lived there for allmost 5 years 1972 - 1977

Gong - Pavillon du Hay 1970-74 ?

[pb2015]

Wasn't Elton's Caribou album recorded at and named after it

Yes. Also some Joe Walsh albums, part of Frank Zappa's One Size Fits All, Return To Forever's Romantic Warrior, Tony Williams Lifetime with Allan Holdsworth's Million Dollar Legs, others I'm forgetting.

[Adinfinitum]

How about bands that lost it in the country?

Genesis - The Farm.

[Trane]

I suppose Anglagard fits the bill 35 years after the pioneers

[Galactic Bulldozer]

How about bands that lost it in the country?

Sadly Tony Duhig lost his life trying to keep his recording studio in the country afloat. He thought it was a good idea at the time but fashions change... punk in the country?

Arthur Brown 'lost it' in Puddletown

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockfield_Studios

Not mentioned in the article above was the great Journey album, never mind Bohemian Rhap.

[rcarlberg]

Yes. Also some Joe Walsh albums, part of Frank Zappa's One Size Fits All, Return To Forever's Romantic Warrior, Tony Williams Lifetime with Allan Holdsworth's Million Dollar Legs, others I'm forgetting.

Look up "Caribou Ranch" on Discogs.com. There are 500 entries, which I think is the limit.

Also Wikipedia:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribou_Ranch

[Trane]

Look up "Caribou Ranch" on Discogs.com. There are 500 entries, which I think is the limit.

I wouldn't count a recording studio as a "getaway retreat in the country to get it together", anyways.

When you're ready to record an album, it's because it's been +/- written elsewhere before getting there

[rcarlberg]

True. Many studios are in quiet or secluded places, for obvious reasons having nothing to do with the creative process.

In fact, in terms of "getting it together in the country" perhaps we should include The Betty Ford Clinic.

[Trane]

True. Many studios are in quiet or secluded places, for obvious reasons having nothing to do with the creative process.

In fact, in terms of "getting it back all together in the country" perhaps we should include The Betty Ford Clinic.

corrected

[Rye-Ergot]

Ronnie Lane/Slim Chance

[progeezer]

Ronnie Lane/Slim Chance

HE LIVES!!