Tag Archives: Joni Mitchell

Happy Birthday Joni

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jm-76

Mitchell on Lake Mendota. 1976. ©Joel Bernstein

Today is Joni Mitchell’s birthday. Let’s celebrate this Monday with a few Cameron penned items.

Joni Mitchell Interview – Rolling Stone – July 26, 1979

Joni Mitchell Dreamland Liner Notes – September 14, 2004

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Nov 7, 2016

Rolling Stone 10th Anniversary: Top 10 Albums of Their First Decade

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katylied

To celebrate Rolling Stone‘s 10th Anniversary (way back in 1977!), each of their writers shared their Top 10 Albums of the magazine’s first decade. Here is Cameron’s list (he went with 8 albums and 2 singles), in no particular order. Happy Friday All…

Rolling Stone 10th Anniversary: Top 10 Albums of the Last 10 Years (1967-1977)

Katy Lied – Steely Dan

Anonymous, abosolutely impeccable swing-pop. No cheap displays of human emotion.

Todd Rundgren - Something Anything

Todd Rundgren – Something Anything

Something/Anything? – Todd Rundgren

Gloriously cheap displays of human emotion. Heart-wrenching teen classics.

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For the Roses – Joni Mitchell

In which Joni Mitchell so far outstrips anything else to emerge from the singer/songwriter boom that half the field promptly drops out.

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Physical Graffiti – Led Zeppelin

Harder than Exile on Main Street and three times as convincing.

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At the Fillmore East – The Allman Brothers Band

The tragic and ultimately garish aftermath of the Allman Brothers Band began immediately after the release of this magnificent live album. Now their memory is all but obscured; no one even yells out “Whipping Post” at concerts anymore. Their spooky pinnacle remains.

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Jackson Browne – Jackson Brown

Taken as a whole, this album is a southern California Catcher in the Rye. Jackson will doubtlessly continue to make more finely crafted records, but nothing as wide-eyed and endearing as his first.

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Spinner – The Spinners

Thom Bell, ladies and gentlemen. Thom Bell!

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White Album – The Beatles

In the words of semiprofessional session guitarist Danny Kortchmar, “You still can’t buy a better record.”

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“Take It Easy” – The Eagles

Those first two chords mean instant top-down summer . . . anywhere, any time. Not, however, worth the trip to Winslow, Arizona.

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“Ohio” – Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young

If punk is any indication of the alternative, I’ll stick with the Sixties wimps.

Courtesy of Rolling Stone #254 – Cameron Crowe – December 15, 1977

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Oct 23, 2015

Joni Mitchell: In Her Own Words – An Excerpt

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inherownwords

Malka Marom’s Joni Mitchell – In Her Own Words was recently released by ECW Press. The book is told through a series of interviews along with Joni’s paintings, lyrics and photographs. Here’s an exclusive excerpt from the book’s introduction by Malka. Enjoy!

Introduction

One November night in 1966, I was driving in circles, around one block, then another, which was very strange. I always drove with purpose from point A to point B, no meandering, no detours, pressing over the speed limit sometimes — okay, most times. Trying to juggle a big career and a household with two little children and a bad marriage, I was always rushing, yet could never catch up. Why did I deviate from my norm that night? I don’t know. Earlier that evening I had been dealt a crucial dilemma, but instead of sleeping on it, as common sense demanded, I was driving on it. Driving from one dark and deserted street to another — they rolled Toronto up for the night very early in those days. It was already winter cold, and the usually humming Yorkville Village was deserted. Even the winos and the flower children had taken shelter. The only light still on was above the entrance to the Riverboat coffeehouse.

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Nov 25, 2014

Archives: Joni Mitchell – Never Boring…

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rs296

“Every journalist has their dream list of interview subjects. Mine was Marvin Gaye, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell. I never got to Marvin Gaye, but Joni Mitchell more than made up for it. My last cover story for the magazine, and still my favorite. Years later, though, I was still chasing that elusive interview with Marvin Gaye. A mutual friend spoke to Gaye about it, and Gaye enigmatically sent me back a copy of What’s Going On signed in spangly colored pen. It read: ‘Dear Cameron – Keep Getting It On! Love Love Love, Marvin Gaye.’ A couple months later he was dead. Through earthquakes and rain damage, the record remains one of my most prized possessions.”
– Cameron Crowe – Summer 2000

Several days before beginning these interviews, I overheard two teenagers looking for a good party album in a record store. “How about this one,” said one, holding up Joni Mitchell’s ‘Miles of Aisles.’” “Naaaaaah,” said the other, “it’s got good songs on it, but it’s kind of like jazz.” They bought a Cheap Trick album.

When I told this story to Joni Mitchell later, I could see the disappointment flicker across her face for an instant. Then she laughed and took a long drag from her cigarette. “Here’s the thing, ” she said forcefully. “You have two options. You can stay the same and protect the formula that gave you your initial success. They’re going to crucify you for staying the same. If you change, they’re going to crucify you for changing. But staying the same is boring. And change is interesting. So of the two options,” she concluded cheerfully, “I’d rather he crucified for changing. ”

Joni Mitchell, thirty-six, has been living in exile from a mainstream audience for the last three years. Her last resoundingly successful album of new material was ‘Court and Spark,’ a landmark in poetic songwriting, performing and in the growth of an artist we had all watched mature. From folk ballads through Woodstock-era anthems to jazz-inflected experimentalism, Joni Mitchell had influenced a generation of musicians.

Then, in 1975, she released ‘The Hissing of Summer Lawns,’ her ambitious follow-up to ‘Court and Spark.’ She introduced jazz overtones, veered away from confessional songwriting and received a nearly unanimous critical drubbing. Mitchell reacted to the criticism by keeping an even lower personal profile. She spent most of her time traveling (the road album, ‘Hejira,’ was released in 1976), associating with progressive jazz artists and asking questions. With ‘Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter, ‘ a double album released in the winter of 1977, she and pop music had nearly parted ways. In a time when the record-buying public was rewarding craftsmen, Mitchell seemed to be steadfastly carrying the torch for art. Her sales suffered, but this direction was leading to a historic juncture in her career.

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Oct 12, 2014

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: Carry On

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Neil Young & Stephen Stills in San Francisco (7/15/74)   Photo by Neal Preston

Cameron digs deep with this 6,000 plus profile of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s 1974 tour kick off for Crawdaddy magazine. Highlights include a 4 1/2 hour show in Seattle, Joni Mitchell’s serenades in Vancouver, B.C. and some great quotes all the parties involved. We hope you enjoy the latest addition to the Journalism section. 

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Jan 11, 2013

The Masterpiece of Joni Mitchell

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1968 Photo By Jack Robinson

We honor the incomparable Joni Mitchell today as she celebrates her birthday. Here’s three things for you to consider on her special day.

1. Listen to her music. N’uff said.

2. Revisit Cameron’s July, 1979 Rolling Stone cover story

3. Check out the liner notes for 2004’s Dreamland

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Nov 7, 2012

Marvin Gaye: Trouble Man 40th Anniversary

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Hip-O Select.com/Motown will release a brand new edition of Marvin Gaye’s Trouble Man to celebrate its 40th anniversary on November 19th. The new 2 CD exapanded edition will feature not only the remastered original soundtrack album, but also include 29 unreleased performances including alternate takes, rare vocals and the full score for the film.

The set will also include a 28 page booklet with essays by Cameron, Dr. Andrew Flory, George Tillman, Jr., Lenny Kravitz, Joni Mitchell and Christian McBride. It’s a limited edition of only 5,000 copies and you can order yours directly from the Hip-O website now.

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Oct 29, 2012

10 Records That Affected or Changed Your Life in Some Way

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As part of a feature in the November, 1980 issue of Pro Fun magazine, Cameron was amongst a group of rock critics that shared 10 Records (or singles /artists) that in some way affected them or changed their lives. We thought it might be fun to peek back and share those with you today.

1. Everybody Knows This is Nowhere – Neil Young

2. After the Goldrush – Neil Young

3. Born To Run – Bruce Springsteen

4. Bayou Country – Creedence Clearwater Revival

5. For the Roses – Joni Mitchell

6. Something/Anything? – Todd Rundgren

7. Blood on the Tracks – Bob Dylan

8. “The Wild One, Forever” – Tom Petty

9. Cloud Nine – The Temptations

10. James Brown

 

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Jul 23, 2012

David Crosby: Remember My Name-Out Now on DVD/Blu-ray & Digital!


  • Almost Famous- Paramount+
  • Aloha- Starz, DirecTV
  • David Crosby- Starz, DirecTV
  • E-Town- FUBO
  • Fast Times- TUBI
  • Jerry Maguire- Netflix
  • Say Anything...- FUBO,Paramount+,MGM+
  • Singles- Vudu
  • Vanilla Sky- Prime Video,Pluto TV
  • We Bought A Zoo- Disney+