Arthur Lee (1945-2006) – 1960s – Born on March 7th, 1945, Arthur Lee would have celebrated his 75th birthday this week… Lee was the lead singer and front man of Los Angeles Rock band Love. He formed the band in 1965 with old classmate Johnny Echols, along with Bryan Maclean (guitar, vocals), Ken Forssi (bass), and Alban Pfisterer (on the first album). Building up a sizable following at Hollywood area clubs, the band came to the attention of Elektra Records at the Whisky-a-Go-Go and was offered a recording contract. Love’s first hit was a cover of the Manfred Mann’s “My Little Red Book,” a Burt Bacharach/Hal David composition, culled from Love’s self-titled first album released in 1966. The follow-up, “De Capo,” 1967 was released a month before “The Doors,” debut album which was also issued on Elektra Records with both engineered by Bruce Botnick. While the Doors debut climbed to #2 nationally on the strength of the chart-topping single, “Light My Fire,” “De Capo,” managed to reach only #80, but contained the band’s biggest selling single “7 and 7 Is.” Whether the Doors’ success impacted Love is debatable but the band’s third album “Forever Changes,” was its masterpiece, and is rightly considered one of the finest albums of the ’60s – and arguably one of the best rock albums ever.
It contained a song for the ages “Alone Again Or,” with its glorious guitar intro and the sublime horn solo at the bridge. The album was Lee’s crowning achievement ranking #40 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. It was to be the last album with the original group. There would be three more albums with different personnel, and Lee would carry off and on with a reconstituted Love up until his passing in 2006. If you want to understand Lee’s genius as a songwriter and musician, listen to these three albums to hear other brilliant songs such as “Orange Skies,” “She Comes in Colors,” Signed D.C. and “Red Telephone.” Lee never got his due owing to many issues, but make no mistake, he was one of the seminal Rock musicians from the ‘60s.
Arthur Lee & Love– 2003 – “Alone Again Or,” Originally on one of the singular albums of the 1960s “Forever Changes,” this sublimely beautiful song of heartbreak will yet tear your heart apart. Demonstrating that he had lost none of his prodigious talent, Lee leads Love in a powerfully touching rendition of one of his signature songs made all the more poignant because Lee would pass from this world just three years later from complications surrounding Leukemia treatments in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee on August 3, 2006. he was 61. If you can make it through the trumpet solo without shedding a tear…To truly feel this song, turn it up…This is a truly epic performance.
First of 3 songs performed by Arthur Lee and Love in 2003. This song and “You Set The Scene” are from a US presentation of “Later.. with Jools Holland” on the Ovation Network.
Arthur Lee’s 1981 solo album is re-pressed by Friday Music on CD. The late Love frontman provided the liner notes for this album, on which he revisited “7 and 7 Is” and paid tribute to his band with “I Do Wonder.”
As a visionary and leader of the 60s iconic band Love, Arthur Lee’s prolific words and music continue with this second solo release. Out of print for over three decades, Friday Music is proud to offer another installment of the Love & Arthur Lee Remaster Series . Includes the fan favorite One, a new take on 7 & 7 Is and a nod to Love with I Do Wonder. Featured players include the late seventies Love and the late great guitarist Velvert Turner. Original liner notes by Lee as well as definitive remastering by Love archivist Joe Reagoso.
The Fat Angel Sings 