After the Beatles broke up, where could I go? AM radio had the occasional banger sandwiched in between tiresome earworms. I was just discovering FM, and would hear some great music, but never catch the DJ saying who it was.
The first records I remember buying were Neil Young's "Harvest", and "The Kinks Kronikles". That's where I must have found the sleeve with Warner/Reprise Loss Leader albums. I mailed off $3 for "Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies", a 3 record set that changed my life. I was introduced to The Faces, Black Sabbath, Fleetwood Mac, Little Feat, Ry Cooder, The Grateful Dead, Frank Zappa, and Captain Beefheart, among others.
I went on to buy 5 or 6 more of the series. "A Singing, All Talking, All Rocking" from 1973, included The reunited Sopwith Camel's "Dancing Wizard", from their release of that same year, "The Miraculous Return Of The Hump From Mars". William "Truckaway" Sievers was involved at the beginning, but made his solo album instead. Neither of them sold.
I was continually purging records and didn't end up keeping the Loss Leaders, but will occasionally pick one up when found in good shape. The series perfectly encapsulates the late 60's through early to mid '70's. I believe the last one was released in 1979. I downloaded .mp3 versions of them all from a long gone web page about 15 years ago.
It wasn't long before I was subscribed to Rolling Stone, and Stereo Review. I'm still on the search for new music. There is nothing like a good discovery. That's why I spent nearly every lunch hour at NYCD.
A quick one today, as I've got a routine ophthalmologist appointment this morning.
William Truckaway sang lead in the Sopwith Camel. They lasted about a year. Reformed in 1971, but without William, who made a solo album instead.
I knew this song from the Warners Loss Leader, "The Whole Burbank Catalog" from 1972. The fact that it was once licensed by Taco Bell didn't put me off.
On a whim I picked up a near mint copy of his album "Breakaway" on discogs recently. It's really good and sits very nicely next to The Beach Boys "Surf's Up".
Some of the players backing him up on the album are The Stovall Sisters (Joyce, Lillian, and Netta)-gospel hand percussion and vocal stylings, Russell Dashiell-lead guitar, Doug Killmer-bass, and former Sopwith Camel bandmate Norm Mayell-drums. All of whom can also be heard on Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit In The Sky".
I haven't been around here much, but have kept in touch with Sal through the occasional email.
Since moving to western Massachusetts, I've been involved in the electronic music scene. Western Mass Electronics hosts an open mic the last Sunday of every month at Quarters, a barcade in Hadley. There are two tables up front, and participating artists get 5 minutes to set up, and 5 minutes to play. It has grown significantly in it's two years of existence. Often 20+ artists, friends, and bar regulars make for an entertaining evening.
The last time I sat in for Sal coincided with my going down the Guy Clark/Townes Van Zandt rabbit hole after watching the documentary, "Without Get Killed Or Caught". I'd bought a lot of records and put together a "'T' For Texas Road Trip" weekend mix that went over far better than expected.
I started going to the open mics in March and immediately wanted to participate. Setting up electronic gear in 5 minutes is nerve wracking. Not a great state of mind to begin a performance. While the participants play a wide variety of styles and textures, many have no stage presence at all, just up front, staring down at their gear and twisting knobs. That first night, a woman, performing as The Third Entity, sang, which received a tremendous response from the audience. On the way home, I started thinking, "What can I do?" Maybe harmonica?
I'm not a singer or lyricist. I compose and record "Imaginary Soundtracks". Nor did I play harmonica, even though I'd inherited a few. I began experimenting, playing them through guitar pedals, looking for an electronic sound. I settled on Strymon's Night Sky, an experimental reverb unit, a pedal so crazily unsubtle it's hard to use. For a Hohner in the key of C, I composed a 5 minute soundtrack with strings, rain, lightning and thunder. I came up with a very simple setup for the open mic. Essentially "harmonica karaoke". I spent a few weeks learning to reliably improvise over "The Ballad Of Sandy Cilantro".
During this time Mollie and I came home from shopping with fresh cilantro, which I washed immediately. I told her about the time, over 20 years ago, that I forgot to, and that sandy cilantro ruined dinner. "That's my new stage name!" I'd outgrown BBJ a while ago, and it feels good to be free.
Sandy Cilantro is "A charismatic badass who brings a harmonica to a synthesizer fight."
I showed up to the open mic in full western cowboy garb, Stetson and all. It went over extremely well. The audience response was like nothing I've ever received before.
6 months later Sandy Cilantro has nearly 40 harmonicas and at least that many fans. Somehow I managed to combine the Guy Clark/Townes Van Zandt rabbit hole with Western Mass Electronics.
The audio is the soundboard recording of my second Quarters appearance. The video was found on the Internet Archives, and is mostly from a 16mm school transfer of "Alistair Cooke's America", with a brief appearance of a car from 1947.
I'm currently preparing a 20 minute set, and Sandy has become a big part of my existence.
I can't take anything too seriously, but I'll ride this train as long as possible.
Enough about me. Someone else tomorrow.
Thanks for listening,
-Sandy Cilantro
Monday, September 21, 2026
I am taking a week to recharge down south. I have a pretty crazy schedule, but I may make an appearance here with a photo or three. Our pal BBJ might even have something up his sleeve.
Blessed- Simon & Garfunkel Easy To Say- Del Shannon Get On The Right Thing- Paul McCartney & Wings The Girl You Won't Leave Your Wife For- The John Sally Ride Hung Up On You- Fountains Of Wayne Atomic- Blondie Ain't Nothin' To Do- Dead Boys
On the surface this may appear to be a random collection of songs. But I wouldn't be lying if I said, the idea for this mix first came to me in 1981. And again years later. And once again in 2014.
And here we are.
Back to 1981, I was throwing a birthday party for my girlfriend at the time and my friend Chris invited me to the DJ studio at Baruch College where he spun music for the college station WBAB. We spent the day creating mixed tapes for the party, and that's when I first heard the genius of The Beatles' "You Can't Do That" fading out into the drum intro of "Train In Vain" by The Clash. It also reminded me of how eerie the transition from "Poorboy Shuffle" into "Feelin' Blue" on CCR's "Willy And The Poorboys" was.
And so, for years and years, I've paid attention to transitions. As you know, I love sequencing songs and I saved some of my favorites in a folder. Unfortunately, you won't be able to experience the crossfades on this mix. I tried once, using that feature on iTunes and it was a shambles. But use your imagination and try to dig what's here. At the very least, it's a pretty good random collection of songs.
Plus, it sounds good altogether.
TRACKLIST:
She Cries Your Name- Beth Orton Ode To Billie Joe- Bobbie Gentry Mais Que Nada- Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 Little Floater- NRBQ Jane- Golden Smog A Whole New Thing- Big Star Poorboy Shuffle- Creedence Clearwater Revival Feelin' Blue- Creedence Clearwater Revival Rock Music- Charli XCX I Get Lifted- George McRae Time Of The Season- The Zombies Feelin' Alright- Lulu You Can't Do That- The Beatles Train In Vain- The Clash Rosalita- Brice Springsteen
