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August 4, 2006

RIP Arthur Lee

In May, Love frontman Arthur Lee, the self-proclaimed "first black hippie," became the first adult in Tennessee to undergo a bone marrow transplant using stem cells from an umbilical cord. The procedure raised the legendary rocker's chances of surviving Leukemia, but ultimately Lee succumbed to his illness this week.

Lee's manager tells Reuters: "His death comes as a shock to me because Arthur had the uncanny ability to bounce back from everything, and leukemia was no exception. He was confident that he would be back on stage by the fall."

Last month we covered We're Doing It For Love, a tribute to Arthur Lee headlined by Robert Plant. Magical.

Check out Calexico's Tex-Mex infused version of a cut from Love's classic Forever Changes, and the original:

Calexico - "Alone Again Or" (MP3)
Love - "Alone Again Or" (MP3)

Just how cool was Arthur Lee? Check out "A Message To Pretty" on American Bandstand:

Posted at 10:12 AM in ,




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23 Comments

why don't you put an actual song up by the band instead of some shit cover.

Posted by: Beetlebum at 08/04/06 11:12 AM | Reply
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Bye Arthur.

Posted by: x. at 08/04/06 11:15 AM | Reply
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You should post "You Set The Scene." One of my favorite songs from one of my favorite albums ever.

Posted by: Paul H. at 08/04/06 11:19 AM | Reply
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i love love. thankyou arthur lee.

Posted by: daniel at 08/04/06 11:32 AM | Reply
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Crazy how this news broke just as Calexico was playing "Alone Again Or" last night at Summerstage.

Posted by: Rob at 08/04/06 11:43 AM | Reply
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> why don't you put an actual song up by the
> band instead of some shit cover.

Because I'm in a hotel in Chicago without my external hard drive of MP3s. Also, that cover isn't shitty.

Posted by: scott at 08/04/06 11:50 AM | Reply
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I listen to Forever Changes more often than is healthy. RIP Arthur.

PS. If you're going to put up another Love cover, I suggest Martin Phillipps and David Kilgour's "A Message to Pretty".

Posted by: clarkhilldale at 08/04/06 12:04 PM | Reply
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man, that's one of the best covers, ever! what is he talking about???

cool MP3 to get ahold of: The Rising Storm covering "Message To Pretty." They were just a couple of prep-school boys in a garage band who got together, recorded an album, then disbanded, but it's a classic...

Posted by: austin at 08/04/06 12:05 PM | Reply
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I found the Love single on my hard drive!
But my albums aren't on the Macbook I'm travelling with.

I'm sure tons of other MP3 blogs are crazy for Love today, so throw out some links to 'em if you find any.

Posted by: scott at 08/04/06 12:35 PM | Reply
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I've posted some video links and a link to track MP3s posted via the Hype Machine:

http://claudepate.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=537

I may have to spring for that Lollapalooza ticket now, just to see Calexico.

Posted by: Karl at 08/04/06 12:49 PM | Reply
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hey, i wrote that song.

Posted by: Bryan MacLean at 08/04/06 12:57 PM | Reply
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scot, i will upload you set the scene on my webspace. post the link on the main page i will leave it up for the weekend.

Posted by: Beetlebum at 08/04/06 1:19 PM | Reply
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I got "The Good Humor man He Sees Everything Like This" on my blog.

Posted by: marc at 08/04/06 1:42 PM | Reply
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I was fortunate enough to see Arthur Lee play at Warsaw in Brooklyn a few years ago. He'd just gotten out of jail (I think he called it 'the clink') and he and a young backing band blew through every song on Forever Changes and more. He was so enthused to be free and back on stage... it was amazing.

Posted by: Paul Antonson at 08/04/06 2:25 PM | Reply
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i watched love at glastonbury 2003 stood between dave macabe of zutons and guy mcknight from the eighties matchbox. my friend rolled around at our feet off his skull on acid. it was one the greatest moments of my life. arthur will be sorely missed.

RIP

Posted by: sam at 08/04/06 2:40 PM | Reply
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"The Wreck of The Arthur Lee" by Robyn Hitchcock.

Posted by: crittick at 08/04/06 5:28 PM | Reply
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Bummer in the Summer indeed. I'd heard of Love via cover versions of their songs but when I finally heard the real deal, I was in....Love. So soulful yet psych and even punk (still can't believe that "7&7 Is" came out in the mid 60's). The Doors and The Byrds and everyone in LA all wanted to be like them. Even Hendrix played with them back in the day. Seeing him play his first show after being released from prison a few years ago, I just couldn't believe a man almost 60 years old could still move like that and be THAT cool. Mick Jagger, Neil Young and other folks still amazing their audiences couldn't even TOUCH Arthur when he'd drop down and back up with maracas shakin'. Notoriously hit and miss, he wasn't in good form when he performed Forever Changes with an orchestra at UCLA but he redeemed himself when they played with the Zombies a couple of years ago. I'm glad my last memories of him were him tearing the roof off the place. Rest in peace.

Everybody's gotta live, everybody's gotta die.....

Check this AWESOME interview with Arthur ignoring questions by Jack White.
http://www.birthdaybiff.co.uk/sandydenny/al/nme_jan11_03_jackarthurlee.jpg

Posted by: adam at 08/04/06 6:03 PM | Reply
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I have to say this makes me sad. I really did love "Alone Again Or"

Man, thank you for the music, Arthur Lee. You will be missed

Posted by: Mo! at 08/04/06 7:12 PM | Reply
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Not exactly my cup of tea, but R.I.P. Arthur Lee.

Posted by: Jason Robots at 08/04/06 11:01 PM | Reply
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Thanks for setting 'em straight on that, Bryan MacLean...cool that you're able to post comments to mp3 blogs from your grave.
Bit of trivia: Did you know that Bryan MacLean's little sister is Maria McKee, who was formerly the lead singer of '80s cowpunk sensation Lone Justice?

Posted by: sully at 08/05/06 8:18 AM | Reply
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Karlikurod4

Posted by: Karlikurod1 at 09/13/06 2:44 PM | Reply
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May 11 2007 10:18A

my Betty Davis is back...and Funky
Body:
BETTY DAVIS
Betty Davis brought me through the most confusing and exciting times of Puberty.
It was the most radical FUNKIEST TIME IN HISTORY. WOODSTOCK was over
The Black Panthers was being dismantled by the Government,
Black Ghetto movies were beginning to become exploited by Hollywood.
3 top music icons were dead JIMI HENDRIX, JANIS JOPLIN, JIM MORRISON.
THE LOVE STREET Times was fading with ARTHUR LEE, and SLY STONE
President NIXON AND VIETNAM.
"In that Time BETTY DAVIS SAVE THE DAY"
Since then DEMIAN started the PUNKFUNK Band(STEREOTYPE)in the 1980s
Hung out with the likes of Cliff Berton of METALLICA Fame, JB the Godfather of soul,
Grace Slick, and SANTANA,BODY GAURD for John Lee Hooker, played on the Five string Seraned
LOVE ALBUM to keep the funk alive in the 1990's. with a funky,
little tune called "The Watcher" that critics HATED,
AND That made ARTHUR and DEMIAN
SMILE FOR JOY. yea rock & roll FUNK.
That's what BETTY DAVIS SPAWNED without knowing it. A TRUE Betty DAVIS FUNCKETEER.
THAT was the days before Terrorist Fear threats, and BLACK & BROWN Became ugly mistrusted THUG IN NATURE
INSTITUTIONALIZED PRISON CLOTHES FROM EXPENSIVE CLOTHING STORES.
The words BACK IN THE DAY was "POWER TO THE PEOPLE, BLACK & BROWN IS BEAUTIFUL,"
LOVE YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, EVERY BODY GET TOGETHER RIGHT NOW,
RIGHT ON?

"RIGHT ON FOR THE RIGHT ON & Righteous!"

BETTY D. IS STILL HIPPER THAN HIP
ONE LOVE
UNCONDITIONAL
DEMIAN
www.myspace.com/bettymabrydavis
ALL Faker and Flaker
BEST PICK-UP ON (kri$TZ )NEW ONE
IF YOU DON'T I WILL PUT A CURES ON ALL YALL!
KEEP IT POP-IN MY NIGGAS,
OUOOHPSS!
MY NEGSSS!


Posted by: DEMIAN at 05/31/07 4:55 AM | Reply
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