Every Deep Purple true lover knows how much their magic and powerful style is the result of many different influences brought in by the single members, all merging into the powerful sound loved by millions of rock fans. Ian Gillan's love for American soul and Rhythm & Blues as well as skiffle and early rock and roll has been well documented in many articles and interviews. Founded in the early 60s, The Javelins were influenced by Pop, Soul, Country, Jazz and Blues artists from America. They soaked up the music of their heroes, added their own stamp and went from town to town to perform their favourite songs in front of a small but ever growing audience – becoming local heroes themselves. This was the time when Ian Gillan discovered himself, broke the chains and ‘found his voice’.
The second song on Joe Ely's 2011 album Satisfied at Last is titled "Not That Much Has Changed," and it's hard not to think that sums up the album pretty well. That isn't an insult: Ely has been making records since 1972, he knows his craft well, and he's still one of the most consistently rewarding artists to come out of the Texas singer/songwriter community. His voice is in great shape on Satisfied at Last, he brings a genuine passion and soul to his performances in the studio, and his tales of outlaws and ramblers trying to make their way under the big sky of the Southwest are still resonant, intelligent, and down to earth. But while some Joe Ely albums find the man experimenting with his style or embracing a more ambitious concept, Satisfied at Last is 39 minutes of the man doing what he's been doing for a long time, and as a consequence, it's somewhat short on surprises…..
In the 60s and 70s, it was not rare to see Jerry Yester’s name on classic albums. Whether producing acts like The Association, The Turtles, Tim Buckley or Tom Waits, or hearing him in bands like The Modern Folk Quartet, Rosebud, The Lovin’ Spoonful or with Judy Henske on the (now) classic Farewell Aldebaran – aside from a pair of 1967 singles, there wasn’t a Jerry Yester “solo album” from that period, as he was so busy creating music with and for other artists.