| Comments from Frank Haulgren of Bellingham, Washington about: |
| Mickey and Babs Get Hot |
| Zen |
| Empty Handed |
Frank Haulgren's comments about: Mickey and Babs Get Hot
This is a typical early 70's sounding R&R album. The songs are very interesting from the melodramatic Save My Child, to the soulful Steal Away, to the psychedelic cowboy sound of Blazin Guns and the absolutely beautiful version of The Dutchman done by Barbara at the piano.
I heard Michael say to Noah Adams (on the Good Evening show on NPR) that this album was recorded in a studio next door to where John Lennon was recording Walls and Bridges.
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Frank Haulgren's comments about: Zen
This is a really nice vintage treasure. It is truly a duet album from those guitar and piano days when M&B performed together. They both sing on all the cuts and Michael's guitar playing shines.
Having heard them live so often in Chicago during the late 70's I once commented to Michael about the quality of their voices on the album and he mentioned that they were both just getting over colds but the date had been set and the recording arrangements made... the show must go on.
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Frank Haulgren's comments about: Empty Handed
This was an 80's heavy sounding rock and roll album. Barbara Barrow sings all of the songs though Michael can be heard in the background on Car on Fire. I remember being quite shocked the first time I played this. I'd heard different versions of a few of the songs (Renegade, Carribean Snow, Car on Fire). Acoustic versions by M&B and more stripped down R&R versions by a band Betsy Redhed was in called Kiddo.
In fact when I heard this album described (before it was released) I thought that the information I'd received must have been jumbled. I thought sure Michael was writing for Betsy's band. It was tough on a "folkie".
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