JeansMusicBlog

In january I read in a newspaper an article 'profiles Lee Hazlewood, reclusive singer, songwriter and producer, who is expected to die of renal cancer within year; has prepared for his death in various ways and has released last album'.

He died august 4th so his fansite homepage is worth to visit at this moment. Check there too the Lee Hazlewood story !
I suppose now there will show up a lot of his albums on the net.
Over and over again the same songs....
But Lee Hazlewood was so much more : singer/songwriter/producer/label owner.
Remember one of his first compositions was the hit Sanford Clark - The fool...

I think I have something special for ya all.... Not one of Lee's own albums (with Nancy Sinatra for example), not a song or a hit by him but a complete album by no less than Gram Parsons et al issued on Lee Hazlewood's own LHI label.

Here's the story behind this LP.
On his LHI label Lee Hazlewood issued a historical and legendary album that was produced by Suzi Jane Hokom in the early part of 1967 and nowadays is a collector's item. It became the first ever country-rock recording made by The International Submarine Band consisting of Gram Parsons (guitar and vocal), John Nuese (guitar), Bob Buchanan (guitar and vocals) and John Corneal (drums). Also playing on the album were session men Glen Campbell, Chris Ethridge, Earl Ball (piano) and JD Maness (pedal steel guitar).

Parsons formed the International Submarine band with guitarist John Nuese, bassist Ian Dunlop, and drummer Mickey Gauvin while he was studying theology at Harvard in the mid-'60s.
Although the group's fortunes were beginning to improve, Parsons left the band in February of 1968 to join the Byrds. However, he hadn't told LHI that he intended to leave the Submarine Band before he became a Byrd, and he had to sell his rights to the ISB name to Hazlewood in order to avoid a lawsuit; Gram took lead vocals on many of the tracks of the Byrds album 'Sweetheart of the Rodeo' but Hazlewood was also able to prevent Parsons' vocals from appearing on this album. So the vocals were re-done by the Byrds members Chris Hillman and Roger McGuinn.
Following Parsons' departure, the International Submarine Band attempted to replace the vocalist, but they couldn't find any possible candidates. By the time the ISB's debut album, Safe at Home, was released in the spring of 1968, the group had broken up.

Go to the comments for this collector's item.

EDIT 2007_august_10
In the comment 'Teacher' had a remark 'Sweetheart of the Rodeo' could have been even better without the interference of Lee H.
I fully agree with him.
I did buy a few years back a 2CD of 'Sweetheart of the Rodeo' of which I present ya the back scan here. Not just some tracks of this interesting International Submarine band are added but also the recorded but earlier not issued tracks with Gram Parsons !
EDIT 2007_september_19
Today I offer you this one. So go back to today (again).