The Music Machine - Turn On: The Best of the Music Machine

Music Machine's Classic Debut Done'Wrong'

The Music Machine aka Bonniwell Music Machine, burst onto the national scene with the smash hit "Talk Talk," a furious burst of amphetemine fueled punk, "Satisfaction" on speed, a song so tightly wound yet explosive it's gone in 1:57. Sean Bonniwell's intense vocal performance matches his lyrical exploration of frustration and alienation. The band's intensity, and the precision of their performance, make it a timeless classic, one of the very best singles of a remarkable era. Dressed in black, the members' hair dyed black, The Music Machine exuded mystery and authority, explored dark themes and the frustrations and desires of each of us caught alone or in the web of interpersonal and social contexts with razor sharp intelligence
The original MM, formed in the spring of 1966, included Bonniwell, who had recorded with the Wayfarers (on RCA) during the early '60s folk boom. Jazz-influenced drummer Ron Edgar had worked with pop-genius Curt Boettcher (Millenium) in the Goldbriars (check their collection from the Sundazed label), while guitarist Mark Langdon made two singles, for MGM and Jerden, as a member of The Purple Gang (see "Northwest Battle Of The Bands, Vol. 2"). Bassist Keith Olsen later found fortune as producer of superstar pop by the likes of Fleetwood Mac; prior to the MM he'd been a session muscian, backing Jimmy Rodgers and Gale Garnett among others. Keyboards player Doug Rhodes was an in-demand musician before joining the MM on his 21st birthday - that's him playing celeste on the Association's 'Cherish'.
The Music Machine played ferocious, intense, meticulously arranged and rehearsed rock and roll that remains striking in its intelligence and originality forty years after 'Talk Talk' just missed the top 10 in "Billboard's" Hot 100. Olsen, from the liner notes to "The Ultimate Turn On" (more about which later): "It was simple, We practised and practised and practised some more ...we always had a melody that was sung, and then we always had a motif or counter melody that was played. We would rehearse going into a rhythmic break until we were all blue in the face".
Bonniwell wrote most of the songs and 'led' the band, but the original MM was a delicate collaborative, a precarious balance of talent and shared vision, frustrated by management and intra-band tensions exacerbated by endless one-nighters (they were offered a appearance at Montery Pop, but had to fulfill a gig playing for 50 at a Texas club). 'Talk Talk' was issued in September '66; "Turn On", the debut album rushed out that November, is both brilliant and slightly uneven, thanks to three or four cover versions that aren't bad, but sit uncomfortably next to Bonniwell's fiercely original songs that mine sexual/relationship dynamics and explore social and political dynamics with more nuance and subtlety than you'll find in all but the four or five best Doors song. And the Doors never played with the intensity of the Stooges but the precision of a Swiss watch. "Turn On" also offers the medium sized hit (and followup to 'Talk Talk') "The People In Me" and such MM classics as "Masculine Intuition", "Wrong" and "Trouble". Smokey and often fuzz-drenched, the tracks are dense: Langdon's guitar snarls, while Rhodes offers a variety of colors and textures throughout the album, and the rhythm section is simply unstoppable. The album sounds like it was recorded with a tight budget, especially the stereo mix. Some of the covers work better than others: 'Taxman' (sung by Doug Rhodes) must have been recorded the week "Revolver" was released; it features a blistering guitar solo, and is taken at a nervous, frantic clip that is utterly apt. But 'Hey Joe' is the finest of the non-originals. Slower than any other version I've heard, Olsen's bass sets the pulse, and Bonniwell's reading is more introspective, a creepy meditition on death, it blows away well known versions by great groups like Love and The Byrds, and is equaled in originality only by Hendrix's debut single, issued months later.
The Music Machine flamed out in the summer of 1967. Following the album's release by the label Original Sound, they issued two more singles for the label (all four sides Bonniwell originals). Collectibles, typically, has produced a cheesy edition of this seminal album, using the inferior stereo mix. And the four bonus cuts may be the titles issued on 45's in 1967, but these are early versions. Skip this, especially now that the (UK) Big Beat label has issued a 2-CD edition of the same work that blows Collectibles' edition out of the garage: the first, 76 minute CD restores the brilliant mono mix, exquisitely remastered, followed by the four post-"Turn On" single sides, and then (cuts 17 - 28) the album in its stereo mix. Thus the collected recordings issued by Original Sound. A second disc collects a treasure trove of alternates, outtakes, demos, and more, plus a brace of unearthed TV performances. "The Ultimate Turn On" (2006) is the way to hear the first MM album, and also includes a lavish booklet including interviews with ALL band members and the group's producer, Brian Ross. If you're drawn in by this superlative restoration, check out the Sundazed label's "Beyond The Garage", an expanded (with rare singles and unreleased songs, cut 1967 - 68) edition of the second album, (featuring the original as well as a later lineup) issued by Warner Bros in December 1967 under the name Bonniwell Music Machine. Sundazed also offers more goodies on "Ignition" a 19 track set that collects material from 1965 (when Bonniwell, Olsen, and Edgar first formed under the name the Ragamuffins) through the group's last single from 1969, fascinating stuff, often brilliant if not the recommended first purchase for neophytes.
oical virtuosity and the fierce originality and uncompromising vision of Sean Bonniwell February 10, 2008

The Music Machine

I was just beginning high school when this group came out with "talk, talk" which I had as a 45. Somewhere along the line, I lost the original, and wanted to find it again. It took awhile to find the original artists and their version of the song. There are alot of songs out there under the title song of talk, talk. Finally, I have it, again! You can't ever beat the "original" no matter what's out there. It sounds just like I remember! It was a great era for music. Thank you, Amazon, for keeping it alive for us! We need more than just the standard songs always revisited by companies who continue to record what "we" already have in our collection. Songs like these are hard to find. August 1, 2006

It's not AOR, you know...

Let's face it. Anyway who has a gripe against the lame cover versions contained on this collection fails to recognize that popular music, circa 1966, was singles driven! "Talk Talk" stands on its own, as any biker from the period will testify. But what's even more important is that this CD contains what is possibly THE greatest song from the 1960s: "The People in Me". (Listen to it about 100 times in a row and then you'll know what I mean...) The faltering, "Paint It Black"-style guitar breaks, the angst-ridden and unintelligible James Brown-style grunts, the contracted and explosive electric organ bursts... Nothing else matches it--save, perhaps, "I Can't Stand Myself (When You Touch Me) by the Godfather of Soul himself! And if visuals are your thing, then dig the Adam West / "Batman" sado-maso glove on the cover... Yes, it would be better to fork out big bucks for the original vinyl, but why not save these for the Seeds' "Web of Sound" and the Stooges' "Fun House" instead? April 23, 2006

A Nice Piece Of R nR History

In 1966 I was blown away by "Talk Talk". I saw The Music Machine on Dick Clark's WHERE THE ACTION IS TV show and was hooked.After the next single "Masculine Intuition" b/w "People In Me", I knew I had to have this album.I remember how hard it was to find.I had to order it special at a record store because none of our local department stores carried it.The album was a bit of disappointment with all of the functional but ultimately useless cover songs (a standard practice at the time). On the other hand the original tunes that were on it made it very worthwhile and one my favorite 60's albums. Looking at my Billboard Book of Top 40 hits I am reminded that the big songs of 1966 were from groups like The Beatles (of course), The Supremes and The Monkees. It was a year of big Top 10 hits from the likes of Frank Sinatra (and his daughter Nancy) as well as Herb Alpert and the Tiajuana Brass (who had seven Top 40 hits in 1966). Hearing a song like "Trouble" from this album took me to a musical place I had not been to before because it just didn't exist at the time.The Music Machine didn't sound like any other band nor did they even attempt to.They were as fresh and different in 1966 as people like Hendrix, The MC5 and Led Zepplin would be shortly after.It is so easy to dismiss The Music Machine as one hit wonders and judge this album by todays standards,but I know that in it's time it stood alone in it's musical adventure.I gave this album only four stars because of the cover tunes.The originals are all great and highly inventive.

Just a note: Let me take a moment to put in my two cents about the term "Garage Band".I have been playing in bands since the mid 1960's and was in a number of "garage bands" in those years.To me the term "garage band" came from a type of music that was played by young raw musicians who would get together on a Saturday afternoon in someones garage or basement and bang away on those (now) classic raw, edgy, easy-to-play anybody-can-sing-`em songs that were common knowledge to most young musicians of the 60's.Songs like Wild Thing by The Troggs, Hang On Sloopy by the McCoys, Gimme Some Lovin' by the Spencer Davis Group.These songs and the bands that created them, were the true "garage bands".With that in mind, I never considered The Music Machine a garage band (although their founder Sean Bonniwell seems to accept it).Their music was never easy to play and I don't remember any band in my neck of the woods attempting their songs.They were filled with complicated changes and not something you would suggest to your fellow guitar bangers during an afternoon bash.These were well crafted songs and arrangements played by very good musicians. September 26, 2005

Great Songs, bad package

Sean Bonniwell & the Music Machine were an all too short lived amazing band that pounded out fast paced and inventive snotty garage better than anyone else. This "best of" collection is essentially their first LP and their 3 subsequent singles for the Original Sound label. This album fails in a couple of respects. First, the inclusion of "the 4 covers" that original producer Brian Ross forced on the band. Cherry Cherry and Taxman are wastes of time. At least 96 Tears and See Rider are listenable but we don't need them here. Hey Joe, while technically a cover, is given a very original and good treatment by the band and came out the same year as all the other versions (thus I don't count it as one of the covers). Second problem, the "Collectables" label has given us way too little info on the tracks and failed to explain the inclusion of alternate versions of "The Eagle Never Hunts the Fly," "I've Loved You" and "Absolutely Positively" or provided us with the original released versions. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to hear these generally rougher versions of the band's originals, but what are they and why don't we also get the published versions? More info, more material is needed.

All alternate versions sound as if they were recorded live in studio and include mistakes and dropped/changed lines. This alternate version of "Absolutely Positively" (opposed to the original single release) is rougher and has vocals right at the front as well as a slight vocal flub towards the end. This version of "Eagle Never Hunts the FLy" is dramatically different than either the single release (with atomic bomb explosion) or the Rhino released mix (no explosion). This is raucus and, I swear has different lyrics at the front (though I haven't played it side by side to make sure). This is clearly a totally different recording including a slightly longer guitar break. Guitar is particularly fuzz driven and Bonniwell messes up the goose/gander line and his guitar part is slightly off time at the end. Very, very cool version but I would like to have had the released version as well as an explanation of this very different version included here. "I've Loved You" marks the third different recording of this song I've heard. Again, this is much rougher than the originally published version with the fuzz guitar being pushed to the fore and the song fading out early. Also of note, the version "People In Me" is the single mix (the better version) as opposed to the LP mix.

In sum, Sean Bonniwell and the Music Machine couldn't have done any better, but the Collectables label sure could have. Too bad Rhino didn't get this one.
December 28, 2004

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