I first heard Laura Nyro when I was 19, and fell in love pretty much straight away. Her song ‘Stoned Soul Picnic’ was one of the many, many gems on a legendary 1968 sampler from CBS records called The Rock Machine: I Love You (a sequel to the also rocking but even more hilariously/awesomely titled The Rock Machine Turns You On). 
I discovered this album in my dad’s record collection and played it constantly; all of its funkier moments ended up on every compilation tape I made for the next two years. Even now, just the opening chords of any song from The Rock Machine sends me back instantly to late nights in my bedroom after a long day arsing around college, listening to that crackly vinyl record while smoking a very weak spliff and writing in my diary about the stupid boy who was making my life a misery at the time. I loved the album so much that I made it my mission to find more by my favourite Rock Machiners – not all that easy in the pre-internet age (well, 1995 – pre-being able to find anything you want on the internet, anyway) and though I soon tracked down one of my othe favourites, Al Kooper, Stephen Stills and Mike Bloomfield’s slightly mad Super Sessions on vinyl, it took several months before I got my paws on Nyro’s debut album Eli and the 13th Confession, which had, luckily, just been released on CD. I’d been craving more Nyro for months. And I wasn’t disappointed.
It’s kind of hard to describe Laura Nyro’s complex music, but a mixture of gospel, soul, showtunes and crazy experimental weirdness will do. Which, I’ll admit, can make her a bit hard to take, especially if your tolerance for random shrieking is, like mine, limited. But her unpredictable song structures mean that at her most soulful, like Eli….‘s kickass ‘Woman’s Blues’, she’s unbeatable. Her album with Labelle, Gonna Take a Miracle, is particularly fantastic. And her influence, direct or otherwise, can be felt in countless slightly eccentric female songwriters from to Kate Bush to Joan as Policewoman. Alas, I can’t find ‘Woman’s Blues’ anywhere on line, but here’s the sweet, mellow song I fell in love with back in 1995. Oh, the nostalgia…
By the way, I just checked iTunes, and the subject of my other great Rock Machine alumni quest, The Electric Flag’s An American Music Band, which I once found in that cool little record and cult book shop on South William Street but, to my great sorrow, couldn’t afford because I was a poor student and never found again, is now available to download. I love you, internet!
Anthea McTeirnan
Croí na Duibhlinn
Aoife Barry
Aoife McLysaght
Arlene Hunt
Attracta McCarthy-McKenna
clairehennessy
Ann Cronin
Amanda Brown
Eleanor Fitzsimons
Edel Coffey
Anna Carey
Lauren Murphy
Jennie Ridyard
Jude Leavy
Hazel Katherine Larkin
Léan Ní Chuilleanáin
Leigh
Lisa McInerney
Laura Slattery
Maman Poulet
Megan McGurk
Clare Kleinedler
Molly
Rosita Boland
Catherine Crichton
Sinéad Gleeson
sarahefranklin
siobhandowling
Susan Daly
theantiroom
Nuala Ní Chonchúir
Shades of Carole King and a touch of Joni in that song. She looks really contemporary, though, doesn’t she? Pretty cool. Pretty and cool.
A friend recommended this album a few months ago, saying it was one of his all-time faves, too. I must give it a proper listen!
WRW, I agree – she looks great. And she is indeed very cool. She was so young when she died – just about 50, I think – which is very sad.
And Lauren, you should definitely check out Eli…, it’s so good! Probably her most accessible album, too.
Forget Sgt. Peppers and Pet Sounds; Eli and the 13th
Confession is the greatest album from that wonderfull era.
Thanks Laura. Still missing you
x
Laura Nyro came to London in the 7o’sand I missed the concert. My friends went and were disappointed because she did not seem at all together. Now we know why. I have the pure pleasure of listening to her songs at their solid soul best . Her voice is uniquely luscious like warm chocolate it slips through the brain and never falters into that irritating warble that so many `great singers`are unable to avoid. “sock it to the rebels baby” and “dig them potatoes if you never dug your girl before ” are her creations – the true American expressions of her era. So many more like that are contained in her clever writing. I now live in France and they have never heard of her despite the obvious popularity of American and English music on French radio. I think there could be a revival of this music if only it could be played again.
I saw Laura’s last performance at the Bottom Line, NYC a few months before she found out about her cancer.
After her performance – I waited to see if I might have the pleasure of thanking her for all of the great music she cranked out over the years. She came out of the dressing room and sat briefly at a table to have a cup of tea with several women who were very protective of her. I exited the club and waited outside for her to emerge. When she did, I handed her a pink rose before she entered a waiting SUV. SHe took the flowere and giggled like a little girl. It was totally charming. I thanked her as I had planned. She just giggled and giggled. I’ll never forget it.