Rock Revival's Classic Trax (1966): Donovan Season of the Witch

"Season of the Witch" has got to be one of Rock Revival's all-time favourite songs, not just because of the original by Donovan (Sunshine Superman, but because of all the incredible covers it has inspired.

* Julie Driscoll covered the song in 1967 along with Brian Auger on their album
"Open"
* The acid rock band Vanilla Fudge achieved success with a cover of "Season of the
Witch" in the late 1960s.
* Another cover version was done on the Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper, Stephen Stills
Super Session album see below).
* Covered By Dr. John On the Blues Brothers 2000 Soundtrack Album
* Lou Rawls recorded the song for his 1999 album "Brotherman!: Lou Rawls Sings the
Hits"
* Covered by Joan Jett on her released in Japan album Naked
* Covered by Robert Plant live

plus, hang on who the hell are these young blokes, Bluematter? (whoever they are this is very goood!)

Sunshine Superman: 2DVD Box Set The Journey Of Donovan Release September 2008

I dont know about you but Donovan's position as 'the poor man's Dylan' really underestimates one of the best folk singers of the 60's and 70's.

'Season of the Witch', is probably my favourite song of that era, remade brilliantly by the way on the Bloomfield/Stills jam album 'Super Sessions' and by Brian Auger

There is also 'Catch the Wind', 'Universal Soldier', 'Wear Your Love Like Heaven' and so many other great folk songs

A 2DVD box set is due for release in September 2008, providing the life story of Donovan. It's got some pretty impressive material.

It's got classic 60s film, rare archive footage plus five previously unreleased songs.

There are also star appearances feature Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Micky Most, Rick Rubin, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck.

The DVD set comes complete with a 40 page booklet with informative liner notes and is packed full of exclusive photos and bonus features.

Go here

Image: Pye

Donovan Live in L.A. (DVD) New Release Jan 22

Please don't scoff, while Donovan may never have lived up to his promotion as the British answer to Dylan, he did have moments of absolute brilliance during the days of Flower Power. It is hard to find a better psychadelic folk song than 'Season of the Witch', 'Catch the Wind' and 'Universal Soldier' are also must have inclusions on anyones 60's playlist. (Also check out Vanilla Fudge's version of Season of the Witch). Well, Donovan is still going, at the ripe old age of 62 and is clearly still a hippy. Last October, for example, he announced plans to open the Invincible Donovan University focussing on transcendental meditation in the UK.

In 2006 he released In Concert: The Complete Anaheim 1967 Show. Now he has released Live in LA from a concert he did last January at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.

The best thing about this DVD is that he playes all of his best music, but presents them in new and re-interpreted ways. This works pretty well as it also has for Joni Mitchell (check out her 2007 version of Big Yellow Taxi). Mike Love (Beach Boys) also makes a cameo appearance. Here's the playlist.

1) There Is A Mountain
2) Catch The Wind
3) Colours
4) Try For The Sun
5) Happiness Runs
6) Universal Soldier
7) Jenifer Juniper
8) Dream
9) Sunshine Superman
10) Young Girl Blues
11) Season Of The Witch
12) Hurdy Gurdy Man
13) Mellow Yellow



Source: fullvuedrive-in.com
Image: Courtesy MVD