West Coast Diaries

Description

West Coast Diaries is 3CD Box Set by the American singer, songwriter, keyboardist, and producer Charlie Peacock, released on Sparrow Records in 1992. A 32 page booklet of memoirs and personal photographs is enclosed. Fans and critics alike have hailed Charlie Peacock’s West Coast Diaries projects as hallmarks of heartfelt expression, honest emotion, and artistic grace. Originally released independently, the three volume WCD’s steadily increased in popularity to the point that a major release was unavoidable (note on the back of the box).

West Coast Diaries, Volume 1 is a compilation of demo recordings made in May and August of 1987. These songs feature The Charlie Peacock Group. Originally independently released on cassette only by Peacock in June 1988.

West Coast Diaries, Volume 2 features Jimmy A., Vince Ebo and Charlie Peacock performing as an acoustic trio. Recorded live in just a few days, Volume 2 accurately reflects the improvisational quality of Peacock’s music in an intimate and honest setting. Originally independently released on cassette only by Peacock in January 1989.

West Coast Diaries, Volume 3 is a compilation of demo recordings of songs written between the years of 1982 and 1987. They were all recorded as song demos for either publishing or record company purposes and were not originally conceived as final masters or intended to be issued as commercially available recordings (with the exception of “Riding Into Wonderland” and “Already I’m Falling”). These songs feature The Charlie Peacock Group and lots of friends. Originally independently released on cassette only by Peacock in June 1989.

Not many artists have a chance at a “second life,” but Charlie Peacock has had quite a year. A Grammy and Dove-nominated new album of some older songs (The Secret of Time), producing responsibilities (Margaret Becker), studio work and a new video, has given his career unlikely legs and a whole new set of ears exposed to his music. For this reason The West Coast Diaries is an important CD reissue, reviving work that uncovers a wealth of talent and gives old music to new ears.

Chronicling the post-Exit years, WCD were born out of Peacock’s nomadic adventures on the festival circuit. Without a record deal and looking for the means to provide his growing fan base with some recorded product, Peacock went underground in 1988 with the first in a series of three cassette-only products to be sold through mail-order and at concerts. A prolific writer, Peacock had over forty finished songs with no means of distribution and these tunes were to become The Diaries.

Written during the years 1983-1989, WCD was organized into and is now being sold as three separate entities (WCD II features the acoustic, live-recording of the trio-Peacock, Vince Ebo, vocals and Jimmy Abegg on guitar). Remastered, it features new line notes by Peacock and artwork by Abegg to allow for collectible quality of the original cassette releases. Not everything here is polished perfect, but that’s the charm of it. It is rare to get such a detailed look at the development of songs and of an artist through the musical phases of his life. «Down in the Lowlands», «Psalm 51», «Unchain My Soul» – these songs are all classic Peacock and will take you deeper into his musical psyche.

For those of us that want more of a good thing or a deeper look at a true poet and musician, West Coast Diaries is an important piece of work. Sometimes fun, sometimes funky – often cathartic and painfully truthful – it speaks of the human condition as only Peacock can paint it. For new ears or old friends, West Coast Diaries is a welcome visit with a man who has chronicled his love of life, God, and especially the music in exquisite pain and wonderful joy. I guess this is how the work gets done. [Kathleen A. Ervin, CCM, March 1991]

Honesty and vitality. Those two words have characterized nearly all of Charlie Peacock’s recorded work. From his first recorded work with Vector, and then out on his own for three records Peacock could be counted on for music that was genuine and full of life. From 1984’s ‘Lie Down in the Grass‘ through 85’s release of a revised version of ‘Lie Down…’, containing two new tracks, for the secular market and on to his eponymously title ’86 Island release Peacock was a breath of fresh air. And then…?

And then nothing until 1990’s disappointing ‘The Secret of Time‘. Well, it was disappointing to some of us. We had waited for four years for another Charlie Peacock record and it was hardly worth the wait. The old honesty was there, at least in the lyrics, but it was missing some vital spark and the music did not seem real. The sound was over-produced and silly. Peacock’s own production touch is light and economical, yet sure and solid. He knows where to draw the line. Brown Bannister, who produced ‘The Secret of Time’, has a much heavier touch which weighed heavily on Peacock’s music. The result made us wonder what happened to the music of those four lost years.

Many people already know about those years. They know that Peacock was a busy man in the studio, pouring out a deluge of wonderful, fresh, exciting music. They know about the ‘West Coast Diaries’. Peacock, frustrated by the slow turning of the wheels of contracts and music business politics began, in his words, “. . . bypassing the system and bringing the music to the people.”

The ‘Diaries’ were conceived as independently produced, marketed, and distributed products which Peacock sold via concert appearances, his newsletter, and word of mouth. Although some cool stores carried them via Spring Arbor distribution. They allowed a small number of people to know that he was still alive and working. They also filled a void left by the absence of any major label release. It is perhaps unusual for an established artist to go “back” to independent production, but an artist has to do what an artist has to do, to borrow a bad cliche.

Now, finally, what was available only on cassette and only to a few is available on cassette and CD to all. Sparrow has wisely chosen to pick up ‘West Coast Diaries’ and release them on the Sparrow label. There are changes in the art work from the independent originals to preserve the collector’s status for the owners of those originals. But what matters most is the music and Peacock delivers in style.

‘West Coast Diaries; Volume One’ was brought out in the summer of 1988. It includes versions of «One Thing», «The Way of Love», and «Big Man’s Hat», all of which appeared on ‘The Secret of Time’. Listen to the ‘Diaries’ versions to find out how they really should sound. All of the songs on ‘Volume One’ came from demo recordings made in 1986 and 1987, except for a live version of «Whole Lot Different» from the studio version on ‘Lie Down in the Grass’. Peacock is backed on ‘Volume One’ by long-time band mate Jimmy A. on guitars, D.C. Anders on bass, Bruce Spencer on drums, and Annie Stocking and another long-time associate Vince Ebo on backing vocals. They are an awfully tight, awfully talented bunch.

‘Volume Two’, released in early 1989, is a very different idea. It is an acoustic release. It has only Jimmy A. on guitar with Peacock and Vince Ebo on vocals, and occasionally Charlie Peacock on piano. This is perhaps Peacock at his best. These eight songs bring the trio into an intimate concert setting in your living room. Jimmy A. on guitar shines not with pretentiousness but gentle and moving grace, while Ebo blows you away with what he can do with his voice. But the real star is Peacock’s music. What a treat!

‘Volume Three’, released in the summer of 1989, picks up where ‘Volume One’ left off. It includes songs from 1986 through 1988 and again Peacock appears with a band. This time, however, the act is expanded to include more than twenty artists in a variety of combinations, with Mike Roe of the 77s, and Brent Bourgeois late of Bourgeois Tagg among that number. As always the music is refreshing and engaging, especially his note for note cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s «Mrs. Robinson».

In his liner notes Peacock is sure to add a disclaimer stating that almost none of these songs were originally meant for commercial release in their present forms. He sees them as rough sketches, not as finished pieces. Even so there is enough sparkle in those rough diamonds to make the ‘West Coast Diaries’ dazzling. There are nearly blinding flashes of brilliance and there is a constant shining light. Charlie Peacock gives us a treasure in his ‘Diaries’. [T.L. Faris, Harvest Rock Syndicate, Issue 2, 1991 (Volume 6)]

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3CD tracklist:

Disc One – West Coast Diaries, Volume 1

1-01. This Is How The Work Gets Done – 3:49
1-02. Come On, Come On – 3:15
1-03. Hot Night Downtown – 3:23
1-04. One Thing – 4:25
1-05. Tears Falling Down – 3:01
1-06. The Last Hurrah – 3:42
1-07. The Way Of Love – 3:45
1-08. I Will Listen – 3:02
1-09. Hiring A Worker – 3:49
1-10. Big Man’s Hat – 4:22
1-11. My Mind Played A Trick On Me – 4:40
1-12. Only Love Will Hold Fast – 4:56
1-13. Whole Lot Different – 7:13

Disc Two – West Coast Diaries, Volume 2

2-01. Nobody’s Gonna Bring Me Down – 3:45
2-02. The Way Of Love – 4:06
2-03. Down In The Lowlands – 4:30
2-04. Psalm 51 – 3:59
2-05. No Place Closer To Heaven – 2:27
2-06. Don’t Have The Power – 4:53
2-07. Unchain My Soul – 4:53
2-08. Big Man’s Hat – 4:54

Disc Three – West Coast Diaries, Volume 3

3-01. Mrs. Robinson – 4:14
3-02. There For You – 3:26
3-03. When Love Was Spoken – 3:47
3-04. Already I’m Falling – 3:33
3-05. Riding Into Wonderland – 3:13
3-06. Suddenly – 2:24
3-07. Heard It Another Way – 3:01
3-08. Sun Come Up – 4:11
3-09. Finishing Mood – 3:08
3-10. Yellow Is A Happy Color – 2:27
3-11. Music I Like To Write That Nobody Ever Gets A Chance To Hear – 3:15

Note: Released as both a 3CD box and a 3-cassette box, with a 32 page booklet of memoirs and personal photographs enclosed.

Original Cassette Artwork, issued in June 1988, January 1989, and June 1989 (L-R: Vol. 1, 2, and 3)