There and Now: Live in Vancouver 1968

Ochs, Phil

album cover

A Folksinger, Torn Asunder by Rock

Somewhere around 1967, the folksinger Phil Ochs caught the rock and roll bug. This afflicted lots of people, but he was hit particularly hard. He'd made a name for himself with thoughtful protest anthems and journalistic songs that rambled on seas of endless verses (one, "When in Rome" on Tape from California, lasts thirteen minutes). After his rock awakening, Ochs became interested in recording with more than just a guitar. Starting in 1967 with Pleasures of the Harbor, his records grew ornate, with strings and lush production supporting his image-rich (sometimes too rich) lyrics.

These records weren't as stirring as his folk works—the material's more erratic, and at times Ochs tries a bit too hard to be arty. Thankfully, it took several years for Ochs to make the change as a live performer. When he toured in 1967 and 1968, he still appeared solo, accompanying himself on guitar. This concert recording, which wasn't released until 1990, comes from that "between" period. It was recorded shortly after the violent protests of the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago—where Ochs appeared—and features Ochs's significant songs from both the "folk" and "rock" sides of his catalog.

Between the first two selections, Ochs asks his crowd for its indulgence, explaining that he hasn't performed much since the convention and may forget some lyrics. He needn't have worried: These interpretations are deeply felt, and intense, highlighting Ochs's fervor as often as his wry wit. While his commentary on American apathy, "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends," is plenty sharp on Pleasures, here it grows almost savage, a withering appraisal of a culture in denial.

Genre: Folk
Released: 1990, Rhino
Key Tracks: "There but for Fortune," "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends," "Crucifixion."
F.Y.I.: Ochs's telling of the Edgar Allan Poe classic "The Bells" features none other than Allen Ginsberg chiming in on bells.
Catalog Choice: Pleasures of the Harbor.
Next Stop: Tom Paxton: Outward Bound.
Book Pages: 559–560