Echo in the Canyon

[Drunk Monk]

I thought this was about the Laurel canyon music scene in the late 60s. It’s as much about the ‘echo’ where Jakob Dylan forms a super band to cover them all - Beck, Fiona Apple, Regina Spector, Cat Powers - there’s even an odd cameo from Norah ‘why haven’t I seen her live yet?’ Jones. Tom Petty was great. CSN were good but Y was sorely missed. Ringo, Slow hand, Michelle philips, Brian Wilson, et al. Needed more of them - less Jakob. Disappointed but not completely. Buffalo Springfield footage was good. It had its moments. Inspired by some movie called Model sumthing - I’ll have to look that up.

[King Bob]

Saw this last night. Agree with DM - too much Jakob Dylan and friends performing, not enough interviews with people who were there. (And he picked one of the Byrds' weakest songs - "It Won't be Wrong.") And it seemed like he didn't know enough about it when he spoke to people; he didn't lead them to discuss anything. Actually they should have ditched Dylan and had Tom Petty talk with those guys and perform instead. I also would have liked a little archival footage of Zappa; he must have said something about that scene at some point. And they should have talked to Joni Mitchell - she wrote "Ladies of the Canyon" for crying out loud! - or Carole King; I think the only woman was Michelle Phillips.

The most interesting trivia to me was Roger McGuinn showing how his guitar part on "Bells of Rhymney" was the basis of George Harrison's "If I Needed Someone." Also (but not mentioned) Nash's Buffalo Springfield song "Questions" was re-used as the second half of CSNY's "Carry On."

[Greg]

Are you kidding? This was the biggest scam movie every. And I applaud every minute of it. On the thinnest of premises, (Laurel Canyon Music Scene) Jakob Dylan got someone to pay him to hang out with his idols and play music with them. He also made a movie out it. It was genius! I want to do that scam so badly.

I know Jakob is pretty and all but why do you need him in every two-shot for the interviews? I guess you need to remind people that he still exists.

The movie started off strong going to all the big hits but didn't really wrap it up well in the end. tQ really enjoyed it because it played all the songs she loves. Lots of singing along.