Yesterday’s classic song of the day, “Get Ready,” as performed by the group Rare Earth, featured a singing drummer. So does today’s.
The song we’re featuring today is one that doesn’t get a lot of play on oldies or classic rock stations and playlists, although it was a decent hit back when it was released in May of 1970. The song is “Them Changes” by drummer/singer Buddy Miles and, while it only reached #62 on the Billboard Hot 100, it got a ton of radio play back in the day, especially on FM stations.
“Them Changes” was written by Buddy Miles and originally included (under the title “Changes”) on Jimi Hendrix’s Band of Gypsys live album. Mr. Miles reworked it slightly for his 1970 solo album, also titled Them Changes, adding organ and a horn section. Musicians on the track included Wally Rossunolo on lead and rhythm guitars, Bob Parkins on organ, and ex-Hendrix bandmate Billy Cox on bass; the horn section consisted of Robert Pittman on alto sax, James Tatum on tenor sax, and Teddy Blandin on trumpet. Buddy himself played drums.
Buddy Miles was a drummer of much renown in the blues, R&B, and jazz worlds. He was a founding member of Mike Bloomfield’s Electric Flag and the drummer for Jimi Hendrix’s Band of Gypsys. He then formed his own band, dubbed the Buddy Miles Express, and finally went out on his own (albeit with a bunch of crack studio musicians). Buddy also played and recorded with the likes of Carlos Santana, John McLaughlin, and Bootsy Collins.
The Them Changes album was notable, at least for me, for Buddy’s picture on the front. The photo showed Buddy, with his humongous Afro, sitting behind his set of Rogers drums (single-headed toms, two up and one down) festooned in red, white, and blue American flag imagery. It’s a stunning image.
Buddy Miles had a long career as a drummer, singer, songwriter, and producer. (He also spent a couple of stints in prison for auto theft in the late ’70s and early ’80s, but the less said about that, the better.) He even provided the lead vocals for the popular “California Raisins” Claymation TV commercials and subsequent albums. Unfortunately, Buddy Miles passed away in 2008. He was just 60 years old.
That leads to today’s bonus video of the day, Buddy Miles (on a slightly different kit) performing “Them Changes” live on the August 31, 1973, episode of The Midnight Special. Damn, that’s some powerful stuff right there.
