Lemme tell you about the time I met Simeon. It was in March of 2009, and Simeon (maybe as Silver Apples, I don’t quite remember) was playing some shows around the globe. A guy I knew at the time was playing drums for him. A girl I knew was…I think…managing them. It’s more than a little embarrassing that I don’t know the details, but back in ’09 I was still having a lot of fun and partying around town and most of the conversations I had with people at different clubs in the nearby neighborhoods were more-than-whiskey-soaked. So if so-and-so was touring with blah-blah or what’s-his-face was working with whose-that-girl…I can’t recall. I just know that these two people I knew were involved with a renewed Silver Apples project, and the manager asked if I wanted to have Simeon come to my store and sign some of the “new album” he’d released. This was before they left for Japan, I think it was. According to Wikipedia Silver Apples performed in Japan in the summer of 2009, which would make sense if they came to the store on March 31st of that year. Oh, and that “new” album my friend was touting was more or less a compilation of different mixes of previously released material. There might have been a new CD as well, called Gremlin, out at the same time. I’m not entirely sure if she financed it or released it on her own label…but I know she was involved!
I didn’t think she’d actually show up with Simeon, but lo-and-behold in the middle of one of my shifts they walked through the door together with a box of LPs and CDs. We hung out and talked for a few minutes, the only story I remember was the one about how he used to jam with Jimi Hendrix all the time in NYC back in the day. I think he even said they worked on the Star Spangled Banner for a bit (which appears on this comp., with Jimi on guitar) and it might have been this collaboration that inspired Jimi to play the tune at Woodstock. Although he doesn’t go so far as to say that in any interview I can find online, he mentions Hendrix in an article from Sound On Sound, where he states, “On many different occasions the engineer had the presence of mind to just roll the tapes and one of the times he got me and Jimi working on the Star Spangled Banner together. A segment of it was released on a posthumous box set [also to be found on YouTube as Anthem Silver Apples feat. Jimi Hendrix]. It was listed as a solo by Jimi, when in actual fact, if you listen, you can hear me playing six bass oscillators behind three tracks of guitars he’d laid down.”
All told Simeon hung out for an hour or so, signing copies of the first record, the “new” album, and the CD for mostly employees and a couple customers who might have recognized him and/or overheard us chatting. He was remarkably friendly and sharp. I’m happy to have had the chance to meet him, as those first two records are certainly two important albums in terms of my own musical development.
As previously stated, the album joined the rest of my record collection on March 31st, 2009. It was obtained at my place of work, although I might consider it a gift from a friend. I have no way of remembering if I had to pay for it or not. And, if said friend happens to be reading this post (do you still read this site, miss anonymous?) by all means chime in and let me know any/all details I have forgotten. I’m sorry I’m such a bad friend.
Silver Apples
Selections From The Early Sessions
(Chickencoop, 2008)
A1. Oscillations
A2. Lovefingers
A3. Program
A4. Velvet Cave
A5. Whirly-Bird
A6. Ruby
B1. Misty Mountain
B2. You And I
B3. Gypsy Love
B4. I Have Known Love
B5. A Pox On You [MP3]
B6. Anthem [feat. Jimi Hendrix]
