Joni Chatroom: http://www.jmdl.com/chat.cfm NE JoniFest 2001: http://www.jmdl.com/jfne2001.cfm Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?body=unsubscribe Archives: http://www.smoe.org/lists/onlyjoni Websites: http://www.jmdl.com http://www.jonimitchell.com Thanks for all the warm welcome-backs. Bob wrote: >You're not going to believe this, but when I brought up your message, >what was playing in my jambox but the Nick Drake/Sandy Denny CD >you made for me!! Synchronicity or what? Bob, you omitted to say that I sent you that as a 'thank you' for your jaw-dropping generosity in sending me the amazing 'Hissing Demos' tape. After a couple of years this remains the absolute jewel in my record collection - I played it again yesterday in your honour! And it is all I wanted to listen to this morning as soon as I got up. The recording of 'Shades of Scarlet Conquering' on this is possibly my favourite Joni recording of all time - I'm trying to figure out why. Just Joni on solo piano and vocal - no overdubs - home studio reverb - 'p's popping all over the place (particularly on 'impossibly'). I think it has something to do with the subtle differences in the piano chord sequence linking the verses and in the intro and playout (which I imagine she decided to change when she brought in all the players for the HOSL sessions) - and the texture of her voice - more vulnerable and raw-nerved than on the album - particularly when she sings:- "Dressed in stolen clothes she stands cast iron and frail With her impossibly gentle hands and her blood-red fingernails." It gets me everytime - even the sound of her releasing the soft pedal at the very end! I have to turn the tape off and stare out of the window for a while. I know (and sort of understand) that Joni doesn't much like the 'folk musician' tag, but I just wish she could be persuaded to release a limited edition of these demos and that copies could be sent out to folk radio DJs - I know she often bemoans her lack of airplay, but it seems to me the US folk DJs are the ones who have remained most loyal to her - she has been top of the CanCon airplay lists for as long as I can remember - and I reckon these recordings - in all their apparent rawness - would open up a whole new fanbase of people who maybe found it hard to go with her from HOSL onwards. PaulC
