Thursday, August 19, 2010

The 9th Beach Boy


Tuesday's Brian Wilson release got me thinking about Jeffrey Foskett. For about 2 months in 1997, I thought Jeffrey Foskett was God.

I first came across Foskett's 1997 release "Cool & Gone" while placing an import CD order for NYCD, the old retail outlet my partner and I started in 1993. I knew nothing about him, this Foskett, but was immediately sucked in by the artists he was covering- The Everly Brothers, Marmalade, Ricky Nelson, The Youngbloods and Marshall Crenshaw. My distributor gushed like I would gush. I had to believe him. (I like people that gush.) The CD became of fave, not just of mine, but of the many customers who walked in while I played the crap out of it, day after day.

"Cool & Gone" ("...and Gone," actually) is a whole lot of jangly fun. The type of record Marshall Crenshaw could sleep write. An album Phil & Don would have been proud to make. A record Brian Wilson surely inspired.

It was months or years later, I don't remember, when I found out that Jeffrey Foskett toured with the "Love/Jardine/Stamos" lineup, and then along with the Wondermints, with Brian Wilson. Jeffrey Foskett is also all over Brian's new Gershwin CD. "Cool And Gone...and Gone" is fetching a nice penny these days. Check out this little 3-pack sampler.

It's My Fault

Reflections Of My Life

It's You



ZIP FILE

5 comments:

misospecial said...

thanks! i already loved "it's my fault," which you included in a mix some months back. and of course you know foskett's on fb...

Bill Barol said...

This is great; thanks. FYI, "Cool and Gone" is on eMusic.

FD13NYC said...

Sal, some great stuff here. I just downloaded the CD on itunes. Actually the only song I had of his was "New York's A Lonely Town" which is very nice, (maybe I got that from you). Terrific post and an informative heads up. You made my week! I'm gushing!! (which isn't very often, thanks)

Dave said...

Jeff is also the bandleader for the Brian Wilson touring band. When BW launched his performing comeback, Jeff often doubled Brian's vocals on the fly, with great skill and sensitivity.

In order to work with their hero and, admittedly, have a relativity steady gig with actual $$$, there's little doubt that Darian, Paul, Nelson, and many of the talented folks of the Wondermints and Poi Dog Pondering neglected their own work.

As much as I admire them as people and have enjoyed their own groups' output, I prefer Jeff's classicist solo works more (especially Cool & Gone).

Thanks for featuring Jeff, Sal.

cmealha said...

I had only know him through his association with the Smile project and Thru My Window which you turned me on to. Never pursued him any further but I love these tracks and started listening and now that I've discovered !Fish I can't stop playng it. Thanks