Kim Fowley on Primetime

John York and Kim Fowley Photo by Sarah Morrison

On Thursday, September 1, 2011 at 4pm/PST, Kim Fowley , is our guest on Swoop’s World Primetime. After Kim we’ll have another segment of Gamers, plus odd news of the day and more.

During the early 1960s Kim Fowley was involved, as co-producer/co-publisher, with a string of successful records produced in Los Angeles. With Gary Paxton, he recorded the novelty song “Alley Oop” which reached # 1 on the charts in 1960, credited to the non-existent group The Hollywood Argyles. The multi-talented legend worked through the years with a wide range of performing artists including Paul Revere & The Raiders, Gene Vincent, KISS, and with Joan Jett helped to form The Runaways.
Today Fowley stays busy with a number of projects, including recently releasing the CD West Coast Revelation, with music written and performed with former Byrd member John York.

Respectfully declining invitations to join both the Monkees and Eagles as they were being formed, John York was in the Byrds from 1968-1970 through the Ballad of Easy Rider period. After John left the band, Kim Fowley stepped in to write songs for the Byrds with Skip Battin. As rare survivors of one of the most tumultuous and exciting periods in Rock ‘n’ Roll history, it is only natural that two would collaborate on West Coast Revelation. Between the acoustic-driven songs are short bits of conversation between York and Fowley. The interviews focus on York’s past, the musical scene in the ‘60s, what rock means to us all, and insights into the songs on the disc. West Coast Revelation tells the story of the 60s with the veracity that can only come through those who have lived through it.

John York and Kim Fowley flowed with this revelation as it ran through the streets of L.A. in the mid-sixties; a time of creativity that remains unparalleled. Kim, the legendary wild-eyed prophet, gave momentum to the revelation while John York became its gentle musical craftsman; a skilled artisan. From Alley-Oop to The Byrds, they helped shape and form the times, unseen, sometimes unwashed and unnoticed, they both were there riding its rapids. Because they were there, we can now hear the stories and re-experience the passion of it because, like Kim says on the opening track, “Angels and Trucks,” “angels never die.”

West Coast Revelation is an opportunity to sit in on a rare front-porch session of songs and storytelling. The songs herein are new, unique and original musings of the times; then and now. This album captures the essence those ‘silver Sixties,’ but the songs refuse to be bound by time. Songs like “Psychedelic” and “Rock and Roll Is Another Name For Freedom,” drive us closer to the eye of the diamond of the West Coast Revelation and the wild, cosmic spirit of those times. It’s a revelation, which can never be captured, only vicariously experienced through prophets and artisans like Kim Fowley and John York.

John York is the last pure voice of the Silver Sixties to make it through intact to the first decade of the 21st Century. He was a member of the Byrds, post-Chris Hillman and Gram Parsons, from 1968 throughout the Easy Rider Era until right before Chestnut Mare. John’s vocal and instrumental talents have kept him in the company of such musical luminaries as Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, Clarence White, Nicky Hopkins, Mac Rebenack (Dr. John,) Doug Sahm (The Sir Douglas Quintet,) The Mamas and Papas, Johnny Rivers, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Rick Danko and Richard Manuel (The Band) and many others.