Blind Faith - News & Other Information
Amazing..... You're now in the BF News & Other Information Archives. Enjoy looking back many years of interesting newsies related to the boys and their legacy as Blind Faith. Read on.....
Well.... All Right!!! Click on the link below to view the full press release:
Breaking News - Information about the fantastic color photos used as cover images on Blind Faith's North American tour book.....
28 February 2003 - Recently discovered some interesting information originating from the photographer that did the promotional photo shoots of Blind Faith during the North American tour. The photographer, Ron Raffaelli, personally did all the photographs in the 'BF Visual Thing' tour book. Along with the photo images, Raffaelli shares background info regarding his interactions with the boys at that time. Have a look at the digitally reprocessed tourbook cover photos, and note that the close-up group pose photo is placed in the correct imagery; Astonishing but true, a reversal of the photo image garners the original front cover of the published Visual Thing tourbook released during the summer of 1969. All the more a unique a collectible for that reason. As a bonus to the curious minded, mini-biogs about the photo shoot are included with the images presented in the Mobius Gallery, all written by Ron Raffaelli himself:
Blind Faith by Raffaelli (Mobius Gallery)
(For more info on the BF promo photos by Raffaelli, and other stunning
1 May 2002 - A curious remastered release of Blind Faith's immortal Morgan Rehearsals has been released during autumn 2001. Extra good audio reproduction, with the clarity and pitch/speed of the music being quite enhanced from the original bootlegg recordings that have been previously available on tape and disc. Also included is a very excellent version of the studio released instrumental jam titled 'Change Of Address'. This two disc edition is titled "Blind Faith Rehearsals" on the Pilgrim bootlegg label. Slick packaging produced by a British concern referring themselves as the Slowhand Archives.
Here's what it all looks like:
I've seen the remastered edition exchanged amongst serious collectors, and as yet, I have not seen any commercial sales in the UK, USA or Japan. For a glimpse of the compact disc jewelbox artwork of the earlier edition of BF's Morgan Rehearsals, and many other obscure Blind Faith releases, refer to the Geetarz website:
Under the title word "Clapton", click and enter the world of Deavult's Geetarz website where you will find almost all releases of non-commercial Eric Clapton and Blind Faith efforts listed. { source - Signet/MrBleus }
Previous news and other information......
8 September 1999 - News has spread that a new commercial Blind Faith release will be available by mid-November. No official description of the contents of the compact disc release have been divulged yet. Speculation is that it will be a compilation of the group's studio sessions, out-takes, alternates, rehearsals.
13 October 1999 - It is said (from 2nd person sources) that there is a brief description and glimpse of the cover artwork of the forthcoming Blind Faith release in the November issue of Mojo Magazine (UK publication). No details available at this time.
2 November 1999 - Reliable sources have it that the new Blind Faith release will consist of a remastered version of the original album, with additional studio session out-takes and demos. In the UK, it is expected that the new multi-disc set will be on the marketplace by Feb/March. In the USA, the release date could be earlier, but no one has specific information at this time. { source - Whowell }
11 November 1999 - Mojo Magazine's November '99 issue announces Polydor's
soon-to-be released compact disc set titled "The Blind Faith Sessions".
Bill Levenson (of 'Crossroads' and 'Those Were The Days' fame) has
produced the 2-cd set which he says should be out during the first quarter of 2000.
The first disc is said to include the Blind Faith album plus an
unissued electric "Can't Find My Way Home", two versions of
"Sleeping In the Ground" (one said to be Beatlesy, the other Chicago blues style),
an unheard of before "Time Wins"(?!?), and a 12 minute-plus acoustic jam that is
suggested " ...pointing to Low Spark-era Traffic style music". The second disc contains
early "tribal" jams (most likely Morgan Rehearsals vintage) when BF was still an
unnamed threesome of Baker, Clapton, Winwood. { source - LeBlanc }
15 April 2000 - No further announcements have been communicated regarding the Blind Faith
release. Polydor USA/UK websites have no pre-release information. Likewise, no response
has been made from Polydor via email inquiry. As Bill Levinson was cited in Mojo Magazine
last November, we shouldn't expect anything for consumer consumption before the first
quarter of 2000. We've heard that a legal tangle may be holding up the release.
Perhaps then by summertime? We'll continue to keep the faith..... { source - Mr Bleus }
6 August 2000 - According to a blurb in Ice Magazine (August 2000), Bill Levenson
provided an update on the status of the "Blind Faith Sessions"
project. There is now a tentative release date of November 21st, and
Levenson states that he has "50 to 60 reels of Blind Faith tape
from those sessions in February through June of 1969".
Perhaps then we'll see/hear something by late November? { source - Mr Bleus }
15 October 2000 - Through a reliable (but anonymous) source, it is suggested that
something will be released in January 2001. { source - Dalessio }
13 November 2000 - Through a reliable (but anonymous) source, information originating in Great Britain
reports that a two compact disc set will be released in early January 2001. The set is as follows:
Blind Faith, The Blind Faith Sessions (Universal/Chronicles)
Disc 1 (74:32)
Disc 2 (57:19)
Playlist has approximated times (from preview article in Coloured Rain Dec 2000 issue).
Another source suggests that the studio jams are not the same as from the bootlegg
releases from the Morgan Studio rehearsals. A limited edition bonus disc will also be offered
at select retail stores in the USA. Confirmed release date is reported to be 9 January 2001! { Mr Bleus }
21 November 2000 - Through a reliable (but anonymous) source, a preview write-up of the BF Deluxe Edition boxed set will be published in the fanzine "Coloured Rain" during late November.
For more info on this fanzine, have a look at http://www.jimcapaldi.com/colouredrainmenu.htm. { Mr Bleus }
28 November 2000 - ICE Magazine has published a brief article in its December 2000 issue describing the new Blind Faith boxed set, confirming the relase date of 9 January 2001. { Mr Bleus }
ICE Magazine website
6 December 2000 - Universal/Chronicles label released a promotional compact disc which has two of the BF Sessions tracks included. "Can't Find My Way Home" (alternate electric guitar version) and "Sleeping In The Ground" (slow blues version) are included on this promo disc. Limited avilability, most likely in the USA. { Mr Bleus }
20 December 2000 - ICE Magazine has published a full color advert in its January 2001 issue describing the new Blind Faith Deluxe Edition, confirming the relase date of 9 January 2001. { Mr Bleus }
ICE Magazine full color advert
Critique of BFDE on NPR's "All Things Considered", 21 February 2001 (Real Audio Player format used)
Additional news will be posted as released by media souces......... - KJP
Newsclip from Nov '99 issue of Mojo Magazine:
Mojo Magazine website Another Mojo website
Keep a watch for the BF release, have a look at the Harmone/UK informational website!
Marmone/UK Music Info website (harmone.com)
New additions! Have a look at these!!!
Origins of BF's Album Artwork
Genealogy of a SuperGroup
Blind Faith - Sweet Success?
Blind Faith - An Act of Faith....
Blind Faith - Born Under A Bad Sign
Will Blind Faith Be Seen Again?
Inner Sanctum Blind Faith ~ From Rolling Stone Magazine, 9/6/69
Original Blind Faith Album Reviews ~ From Rolling Stone Magazine, 9/6/69
Quiz & Trivia Answers:
1) Who came up with the group's name?
Answer - Eric Clapton, with a little help from his friends!
2) How many bass drums did Ginger Baker use during concert
performances?
Answer - Two.
3) As additional material to perform during concerts, which of other
group's music did Blind Faith perform?
Answer - The Rolling Stones (Under My Thumb),
Answer - Traffic (Means To An End),
Answer - Cream (Crossroads & Sunshine Of Your Love).
Actually, to be complete, one should also mention that Buddy Holly's "Well All Right" and Sam Myers' "(I Would Rather See You) Sleeping In The Ground" were also staples in concert performances.
4) Who was the photographer/designer for the original Blind Faith album cover artwork? What was his nationality?
Answer - Bob Seidemann, an American artist who before living in London, England during 1968 & 69, was gigging with the hippie artists in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Fancisco, California. Seidemann was a close friend of Stanley "Mouse" Miller, who together collaborated to design the actual album artwork.
5) Who created the enigmatic spaceship held by the vestal virgin on the original Blind Faith album cover? What does that image symbolize?
Answer - One can only speculate who conceptualized the idea of the spaceship, and my guess is that the boys collectively synthesized the form. Then again, Ric Grech offered the most convincing reply when questioned on the meaning of the album artwork - "The young woman represents purity and hope, the spaceship represents continued progress through technological advancement". Brilliant!!! Perhaps Grech originated the idea! Then again, Baker and Winwood were photographed holding the icon (see BF - The Visual Thing), and Winwood placed the metallic piece of artwork in front of himself (on his keyboard setup, in photos and video clips) during the Hyde park performance. Seidemann's savvyefforts placing the spaceship into the hands of the young woman was also sheer brilliance in the moment. Actually, the metallic spaceship model was said to be crafted by a fine jewelry art student originally from Birmingham, England, who during the late '60s was studying at the Royal College of Art in London. His name, Mick Milligan, and he was known to hangout at The Pheasantry, a chic loft/apartment complex in central London, where others like Seidemann, Miller, Sharpe, and Brown hedged each other to the heights of bohemian artistic creativity. Clapton was likely the patron of these artistic forays. Milligan was a native of Birmiingham, as was Winwood. Hmmm, Birmingham, England though, where Winwood spent his formative years - Could that be a clue to the collaboration?
End of Trivia & Quiz Answers BF Quiz & Trivia page
Solstice Greetings, and be sure to keep the faith ~ The 40th BF anniversary celebration year is nearly upon us !!!
Well All Right!!!
Want to learn more about Blind Faith? Discuss anything you see on the BF website? If you do, subscribe to the new WellAllRight email discussion group, that is devoted to Blind Faith, their music and legacy! Easy to do, just click on the webpage link just below, look over the info, and if you're interested join or email me directly at kjbleus@charter.net. Join the WellAllRight Discussion Group
Return to BF Main page
Blind Faith, London, Hyde Park 1969 - A Sanctuary Visual Entertainment, UK Release Coming Soon
In Retrospect - Thanksgiving Day, 25 November 2004
A Blind Faith Anthology Special, on WSUM Internet Radio. Four hours of BF music, historical overview, and other information shared between Dave Black and K.J. Bleus. Tune in on your computer desktop by connecting to www.wsum.org just before 12:00 CDST on November 25, 2004. If you live in the Madison, Wisconsin vicinity, tune in on the airwave broadcast at 91.7 FM Madison. Something special will be presented celebrating the 35th anniversary of Blind Faith's time in our memories.
(Photo Copyright © 1969 by Ron Raffaelli, All Rights Reserved)
rock musician photography, have a visit to the Mobius Gallery:
1. Had To Cry Today (8:48)
2. Can't Find My Way Home (3:16)
3. Well All Right (4:27)
4. Presence Of The Lord (4:50)
5. Sea Of Joy (5:22)
6. Do What You Like (15:18)
7. Sleeping In The Ground (2:49)
8. Can't Find My Way Home - Electric Version (5:40)
9. Acoustic Jam (15:50)
10. Time Winds (3:15)
11. Sleeping In The Ground - Slow Blues Version (4:44)
1. Jam No. 1 - "Very Long And Good Jam" (14:01)
2. Jam No. 2 - "Slow Jam - Take 1" (15:06)
3. Jam No. 3 - "Change of Address Jam" (12:06)
4. Jam No. 4 - "Slow Jam Take 2" (16:06)
Blind Faith Cafe, Chicago, Illinois USA
The Ultimate BF Album Recording
BF Deluxe Edition ~ The Music
