425 - Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel - Tommy Chong
LISTEN + SUBSCRIBE ON SPOTIFY HERE
EPISODE SUMMARY:
Fads come and go all the time, and while most have little lasting impact, a few rare cultural preoccupations ripple across time and become touchstones that last for generations. In the 1970s, the influence of classic country on traditional rock n’ roll fit the exact criteria for that kind of watershed trend. Artists like Gram Parsons drew widespread acclaim for taking the rebellious music of the youth and making it a little sadder and slower, a reflection of the darker circumstances of their own lives and the world around them. Such is the case with Parson’s 1974 release Grievous Angel, which due to his significant personal demons, would be his last album ever recorded. But while Gram may have gone too soon, his legacy lives on in the hearts of people like comedian, actor and musician Tommy Chong, who lived through the same moments in history, and even enjoyed his own wildly successful and influential career as one half of the timeless comedy duo “Cheech and Chong.”
SHOW NOTES:
00:00 – Intro
11:45 – Musicians don’t have time to listen to music
14:30 – No choice but country
18:45 – Arriving before your time
26:30 – Coming to America
33:00 – No more bong hits
40:30 – It was all an act
44:45 – True romance
52:45 – A crowd on ludes
1:00:45 – The best fans are in prison
1:09:15 – Facts!
1:14:00 – Jimi Hendrix is hogging the bathroom
1:16:30 – Outro
ALBUM STREAM - GRIEVOUS ANGEL:
NEW ARTIST INFLUENCED BY GRAM PARSONS:
“Midwest Blues” by John Merchant