Some songs are tracks. Some songs become standards. And some songs apparently require Dr. Glund to empty the entire medicine cabinet onto the examining table.
This week, Chaz and the Doctor tackle “Theme for an Imaginary Western” — one of the BIG ones. Jack Bruce and Pete Brown’s magnificent song gets the full Colosseum treatment, and naturally that means simply discussing the version on Daughter of Time is nowhere near sufficient. The Doctor has brought evidence. Lots of evidence.
COLOSSEUM — “THEME FOR AN IMAGINARY WESTERN”
The original assignment is simple: determine what Colosseum does with a song that already seems carved into the side of a mountain.
Then Jack Bruce enters the examination room.
Then Mountain enters.
Then Leslie West turns the amplifiers up until an entirely different investigation breaks out: was heavy metal actually born in New York? Mountain, Cactus and Sir Lord Baltimore are entered into evidence while Leslie’s monstrous guitar tone makes a fairly compelling case for the prosecution.
Naturally, we keep going.
Jack Bruce. Leslie West. Corky Laing. Felix Pappalardi. Growling bass. Enormous guitars. Live recordings. And the growing realization that “Theme for an Imaginary Western” isn't merely a song being covered — it’s a piece of musical territory every great band seems determined to claim for itself.
Eventually somebody mentions Peter Green, which is exactly the sort of thing that causes this program to abandon whatever road it was supposedly traveling.
Suddenly we’re at the Boston Tea Party with early Fleetwood Mac, marveling at Green’s guitar tone and discovering all over again that “Black Magic Woman” was Peter Green’s song before most of the planet associated it with Santana.
There are questions.
There are diversions.
There is whiskey.
At one point the technology itself apparently decides the show has gone far enough.
Take one monumental Jack Bruce/Pete Brown composition.
Administer Colosseum liberally.
Follow with Mountain at considerable volume.
Add Peter Green as required.
Do not operate heavy machinery while debating the geographical birthplace of heavy metal.
And remember:
The guitar must rock.
The music must expand the mind.
It must never, ever sell out.
The Doctor is in.
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