Arthur Lee (musician)

Arthur Lee is the enigmatic and volatile frontman, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist of the legendary Los Angeles psychedelic band Love, best known for the critically revered 1967 album, Forever Changes.

Pre-Love

His first known recording is from 1963; "The Ninth Wave" by his first band, the instrumental outfit called The LAG's, a Booker T & The MG's type of unit which included Johnny Echols, the future guitarist and vocalist for the original line-up of Love. The LAG's also included Lee (organ), Alan Talbot (saxophone) and Roland Davis (drums).

Related Topics:
1963 - Booker T & The MG's - Organ - Saxophone - Drums

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As a songwriter Lee composed the surf songs, "White Caps" and "Ski Surfin' Sanctuary". "My Diary" is the first Lee composition that was somewhat of a hit. It was written for the R&B singer Rosa Lee Brooks, who performed and recorded it. This recording included Jimi Hendrix on electric guitar. Lee had seen Jimi as a session man backing up the Isley Brothers. It is quite possible that this is the first appearance of Hendrix on vinyl and, indeed, the first known Hendrix recording session.

Related Topics:
Songwriter - Surf - Composition - R&B - Singer - Jimi Hendrix - Electric guitar - Isley Brothers

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"I've Been Tryin'" was written for Little Ray. "Luci Baines", he performed and recorded with his new band, The American Four. "Everybody Jerk" and "Slow Jerk" he composed for Ronnie And The Pamona Casuals, a local band, which did put out an LP on the Donna label featuring lead vocals by Lee himself.

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Unfortunately, these early recordings are very rare but have been collected on a 1997 bootleg CD, which contains very little information.

Related Topics:
1997 - Bootleg - CD

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