Birthdays : Michele Phillips (81)

Happy birthday to Michelle Phillips, born as Holly Michelle Gilliam in Long Beach, California on this day in 1944. 

Monday, Monday, can't trust that day. 

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Having read much of John Phillips’ massive heroin addiction (at its heght - depths? - he is said to have injected very 17 minutes) I am always amazed that there wasn’t more scandal around the others! Michelle, in a relationship with Dennis Hopper must have seen a life of a certain drama. The death of Mama Cass and so on but Denny always seemed squeaky clean and Michelle so wholesome amd strikingly beuaitful, the scandal around John and his daughters seems not to have tainted their own histories!?

Artist, genius or monster |John Philips’ birthday

 John Phillips was born in Parris Island, South Carolina on this day in 1935.  he would have been 90. He died at 65 from the long term effects of drug and alcohol addiction

The darkest hour is just before the dawn.

“but did he have his darkest hour then?"

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Mind you lest we forget 

Something of a tortured (over indulged?) soul, the accounts of his private life leave me hugely conflicted about him and whether in fact he is a monster or not; from the ‘relationship’ with his daughter (sic) Mackenzie (who most, I will allow, other family members do not believe in the ten years plus abusive relationship but many others did including her sister Chynna and Denny Doherty’s daughter) to the account of his heroin addiction (where is it published, in what book, the account of his ending up shooting up every fifteen minutes?!) I am not so sure we should celebrate the accident of his birth but hey an ‘interesting’ pop Svengali figure for sure! An Eric Gill of his times . . . . . .possibly?

Pedophile incestuous junkie? Maybe a bit harsh but is it? 

Chynna Phillips on Sister McKenzie's Incest

Mackenzie Philips on her autobiography ‘High on Arrival’

SUMMER SOUNDS of THE DAY! MAMAS & PAPAS : CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'

 

Mamas & Papas - California Dreamin’

a classic pop song of the sixties era and no mistake but it always reminds me of an account of John Philips' drug addiction that I believe I read in Danny Sugarman’s Wonderland Avenue (sic?) or somesuch which referred to the heroin use of Philips where he was injecting something like every 17 minutes!

His sexual proclivities are not for the nervous either (sic Sick!) . . . . . . . . the others, Mama Cass we lost around the time of Jimi, Jim Morrison and Janis; Michelle, aah the beautiful Michelle went on to film and character acting fame associating with Dennis Hopper et al and of course Denny who I had first come across with Zal Yanovsky as part of the Mugwumps who introduced me to such songs as You Can’t Read a Book (By Looking at The Cover) etc

Worth a research into their various biographies and no mistake! But maybe not for those of a delicate constitution!?

Belies the Sugary sweet California dream!?

The Dream Was Over! Maybe even then . . . . . . . (cheerful cove ain’t I?)

On this day in music history: May 7, 1966 - “Monday, Monday” by The Mamas And The Papas hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 3 weeks. Written by John Phillips, is the biggest hit for the Los Angeles, CA based folk/rock group. In the period before they land a record deal and become successful, Mamas and Papas’ leader John Phillips makes two predictions about the group. That they will score a number one single, and win a Grammy Award within two years. Fast forward to a year later, the group are signed to producer Lou Adler’s Dunhill Records, and begin recording their first album. The song “Monday, Monday” is the last track recorded for the groups debut album “If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears”. Initially Cass, Michelle, Denny, and producer Lou Adler initially are not in favor of the song, and John has to persuade them to record it. Phillips’ intuition about the song is confirmed when radio stations begin playing it as an album cut while their previous single “California Dreamin’” is still riding the charts. Shipped as a single by Dunhill Records in late March of 1966, it is an immediate smash, selling over 150,000 copies on its first day of release. Entering the Hot 100 at #79 on April 9, 1966, it rockets to the top of the chart four weeks later. “Monday” wins The Mamas And The Papas a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group in 1967, fulfilling both promises John Phillips had made to his band mates. “Monday, Monday” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA. 

thanks to the most excellent Jeff Harris' blog 'Behind The Grooves 

For this lovely warm sunny day here in the UK a celebration of the day.

Mind you, I have been trying to find the written account of John Phillips' heroin addiction which frankly is one of the most terrifying and extraordinary accounts of addiction I have ever come across [and I have worked with quite few!] But however I cannot find it . . . . . .  it details the gross consumption afforded by vast wealth and at one point Phillips maintains he was injecting every 15-20 minutes or so.