Drummer reacts to "Empty Pages" by Traffic

[@SomOsog]

The most underrated band of all time.

[@lisarainbow9703]

This entire album is on my desert island list ~ the musicianship is just stellar. "Glad" is an incredible instrumental piece on this album, that I highly recommend.

[@sealee55]

Agree wholeheartedly!

[@grahamhowes6904]

Winwood - one of the greatest soulful voices ever!

[@arizrich]

Glad Traffic has clicked in for you. I knew it was only a matter of time!

[@alankinkle5207]

“Glad”. Another great Traffic song.

[@jogischulz2576]

A classic album of the great 70s, bought it around 72 and it became one of my top 100 albums, please more Traffic 😊

[@geob3963]

It seems like people are happiest when they can be themselves. Steve Winwood is phenomenal.

[@jenniferfoster1692]

This song is just pure joy, makes me so happy. Everyone was exceptional here.

[@brewstergallery]

Hey Lee from Ned in Spain. A great song from a superb essential LP. That groove by Jim Capaldi is sooo snappy ! I love his burning triplet round the kit to wrap things up. Love Steve's electric piano solo, his bass playing and voice and...

[@davidmcdaniel2615]

I'm not a dancer,... this groove gets me moving. 😊I'm 72 now, gets me every time.

[@RichardSchaefer-zx9ig]

I wore out Side 2 in this LP. "Glad", Freedom Rider" + "Empty Pages" was so unique. The jazz feel of Glad was so compelling. Excellent reaction.

[@olias056]

great song! I'm glad you've stuck with Traffic through all this..

[@jamesvomsaal]

Forty Thousand Headmen, Low Spark Of High heeled Boys, Dear Mr. Fantasy. are some of my favs.

[@realbser1956]

Traffic lights up my day😊. Another great song from this classic album. Thanks Lee and David C.❤

[@laurencaulton103]

"Freedom Rider." This is a great album.

[@yankeeboyno7]

I went from Love's Forever Changes to Traffic and my musical taste just exploded from there.

[@corawheeler9355]

This was a friend's favorite album .. played it a lot ... good stuff

[@dianegardner7210]

Love Traffic one of my favorites is Glad-brings me back to college with Traffic blasting out of dorm windows

[@olias056]

Yes, that is another great song! I forgot about that one.. L33 needs to play that.

[@rodneygriffin7666]

I forgot Jim Capaldi on my last comment. Jim Capaldi was a gem of a drummer and multi-intrumentalist! ✌️♥️🍏

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

Great song.

[@SnoopySnoops1]

I completely missed the Friday Flash request post. I don't request on there, but like to give a like to a worthy cause. This would probably have been my worthy cause lol! Nice one, Dave C!

[@johncollier9280]

I saw this live John Barleycorn Must Die tour o' Traffic 'n it was phenomenal on so many levels. What impressed me the most was that there was no bassist. All bass notes were performed by the feet o' Steve Winwood on the organ petals whilst he was busy singin' 'n playin' keyboards! A most amazin' concert experience.

[@ronbock8291]

Probably my fave Traffic track, which is saying something.

[@NRBQLou]

Your getting mad because songs are ending always cracks me up. Love your takes on this amazing music!

[@fenderchamp8241]

The drums/percussion on this are tremendous.

[@scotstevens5263]

Yep. I agree with all the comments. I played this all the time. Great pick. Great Jazz/ Rock. And Bluesy.

[@jamespaivapaiva4460]

Set's the tone for a mellow and literate, gem of a record.🤓

[@Cheryworld]

What a voice!!!

[@genegarrett3372]

Without hearing any of it; I remember the cover more than the recording. Maybe that will change when it starts

[@oldocbenway]

Later solo work is great, also. “Talking back to the night“ and “Valery” need to be heard!

[@ricktiberio]

Hadn't listened to this in decades. Great tune. Saw Steve in Chicago 1973.

[@chitownlee]

This whole album is incredible.

[@pierretoureille7359]

Great pick. This LP started out as Winwood's first solo LP, after Blind Faith. He ended up inviting Chris and Jim to help out and Traffic was reborn.

[@marymargaretmoore9034]

Great band, great song, great album. Chris Wood was an amazing sax and flute player as well as other instruments. Dave Mason went on to make a great solo album "Alone Together." I'll bet you were surprised when you found out that Steve was on organ in Jimi's Voodoo Chile. Other Traffic songs I'd request include Many a Mile to Freedom, Light Up or Leave Me Alone, Rainmaker, Memories of a Rock N Rolla, Walking in the Wind and Dream Gerrard. Appreciate your reaction, Lee.

[@ontrack16]

This is one of my “island” albums. Great from beginning to end. A masterpiece in my opinion. Give it up for Steve Winwood!! ❤

[@arroyo284]

Such a great vibe. Not only is Steve laying it down with the vocal and on electric piano but the bass line is Steve's too.

[@mikeloomis687]

"Glad" as the opening song on this great album is so jazzy good.

[@cornellrosiu8818]

Love that you host Traffic on ur channel. Other Traffic u would enjoy "Walking in the Wind" and "Dream Gerrard" from album Fight of the Eagle. Both are amazing in my opinion. Tks Lee!

[@lisarainbow9703]

Great songs, both of them!!

[@brendamilloy2557]

Yes! Walking In The Wind is my favorite Traffic song. More killer bass, this time played by Rosko Gee. Steve's airy flight with the synthesizer is just an amazing trip. Dream Gerrard - another excellent choice.

[@poptart4260]

What a time to be alive

[@jenniferfoster1692]

Love this song!!! Traffic is amazing and of course Steve Winwood is always gold.

[@ge0rgeharris218]

You can't be anybody else but yourself anyway! Your stuck being you! That's not to say that we can't change!

[@sealee55]

My favorite album from when it was released 1970. Loved it and wore it out!

[@sharondavid-melly1498]

ant was "eyeing" you up! My first giggle of the day 💕

[@shemanic1]

Definitely an album worth owning. My copy gets played a lot. Many good tracks. Keep the journey goin' Lee.

[@genegarrett3372]

Beginning to sound familiar

[@thruppence-ys9zp]

Looking forward to it. Must re listen to John Barleycorn Must Die too. It seems to allude to a time when there may have been ritual blood sacrifice to preserve the fertility of the fields. Spooky.

[@MissAstorDancer]

WTF? Please elaborate/explain.

[@brendamilloy2557]

No. No blood sacrifices in this tune. What is being described in the song are all the steps one makes to make beer, alcohol. The three men needed to make alcohol: "There were three men came out of the West Their fortunes for to try And these three men made a solemn vow John Barleycorn must die" The planting of the grain seed: "They've ploughed, they've sown, they've harrowed him in Threw clods upon his head And these three men made a solemn vow John Barleycorn was dead" The seedling emerges: "They've let him lie for a very long time Till the rains from heaven did fall And little Sir John sprung up his head And so amazed them all" The grain ripens: "They've let him stand till midsummer's day Till he looked both pale and wan And little Sir John's grown a long, long beard And so become a man" The harvesting: "They've hired men with the scythes so sharp To cut him off at the knee They've rolled him and tied him by the way Serving him most barbarously" Loading the harvest in the cart: "They've hired men with the sharp pitchforks Who pricked him to the heart And the loader he has served him worse than that For he's bound him to the cart" The harvest celebration and storing the grain in the barn: "They've wheeled him around and around the field Till they came unto a barn And there they made a solemn oath On poor John Barleycorn" Processing the grain: "They've hired men with the crab-tree sticks To cut him skin from bone And the miller he has served him worse than that For he's ground him between two stones" The making of the alcohol and possibly saying that alcohol can have a strong hold over humans: "And little Sir John and the nut-brown bowl And he's brandy in the glass And little Sir John and the nut-brown bowl Proved the strongest man at last" Again saying that alcohol has a strong hold on humans: "The huntsman, he can't hunt the fox Nor so loudly to blow his horn And the tinker he can't mend kettle nor pot Without a little Barleycorn"

[@DavidHughes-om7gy]

Touring this summer with Doobie Brothers, should be a good show

[@rickandgen]

Check out Glad and Freedom Rider from the same album. Chefs kiss 😘

[@jimgreen2080]

There's tons more Traffic and Winwood solo to check out and enjoy, so lots more fun to be had in that direction, including doubling back on the tracks you've already reacted to by them. Also, what you said about being yourself, that is why you have an audience: We enjoy seeing your honest reactions and commentary. Own that.

[@Coquinagirl]

I love how it goes back and forth from intense to laid back. That was good! Too short… The flash requests post is a great idea. Thank you, David and Lee!

[@jasonralph4286]

Soo sweet! Loved this! Songs and sounds of a special time...😊

[@dawnschneider187]

Love Traffic, great reaction Lee

[@dalemcmillan7231]

Excellent. I remember buying the record ❤

[@jjs2351]

I can't be called a real Traffic fan (although I bought three of their albums and do enjoy a lot of their songs )- but this song is fantastic.

[@bradjenkins1475]

Love Stevie Winwood. So do you. Early Traffic, 1968, "40,000 Headmen". Their 1st hit.

[@thescrewfly]

Was that their first US hit? Hole in My Shoe and Mulberry Bush didn't do anything?

[@bradjenkins1475]

@@thescrewfly It was the hit that was in the mix for leading us to "hippiedom". Absolitely loved all their early AND later stuff equally. I grew up in N. Jersey and listened to our 1st FM station WNEW. They loved and played 40000 Headmen a lot.

[@KarlOwen-ju1kl]

Traffic's first hit was Paper Sun, their first single release that reached No 5 in The UK Charts in 1967. One of the greatest psychedelic songs ever recorded.

[@stephenpaparo9166]

Piano and keyboard at the same time, Steve probably played them simultaneously

[@greghonshell6808]

Steve also played guitar to rival Clapton which was also his band mate in Blind Faith.

[@stillstanding8286]

This album was originally meant to be Winwood’s first solo project. After several dissatisfying recording attempts, Winwood invited his former Traffic bandmates Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood to assist him and eventually the album became the reformation project for Traffic as a 3 piece band.

[@ohfour-seven6228]

Im so glad Steve picked this song, it's so good. And also glad you like Low Spark now. Traffic is an incredible band and Winwood has one of the best voices in rock! Other songs I think you'd like: 40,000 Headmen, Glad/Freedom Rider, Rainmaker, Shootout At the Fantasy Factory, Roll Right Stones, Pearly Queen and Feelin' Alright. Great great music!

[@mikeeckel2807]

There is a "Live" album called "Welcome to the Canteen" that has a killer version of "Dear Mr. Fantasy" that is well worth a listen.

[@fan123casual8]

Try Windwood’s song “Arc of a Diver.” Is from a solo album of the same name. 1980, I believe. He plays all the instruments. It was a single, but I’m not sure it “broke through.” It always puts a smile on my face. I was lucky that Windwood had some big hits on MTV when I was a kid in the 80’s. Been a fan of his since.

[@craigreid7178]

You gotta get used to these short songs.... that's just the way it was back then. We pressed the radio stations to play longer songs, beginning with In A Godda Da Vida by Iron Butterfly (about 18 min.) and finally they started playing longer cuts - they called them "deep cuts".

[@ge0rgeharris218]

I'll bet that's Winwood playing that Hammond! I haven't heard this music in a long while! Glad you played the song! Now Winwood is an old man and so am I! Still play the keys and synths! Everytime I say that I'm not going to buy another keyboard I do! But anyway this was a good cut from back in the day! Have a good day!

[@lisarainbow9703]

Actually Chris Wood played Hammond on this , Winwood played the Wurlitzer ( or was it a Rhodes? 🤔 ). Fist bump to a fellow Traffic- inspired keyboardist!

[@ukesrule58]

Winwood is exactly a decade older than myself. We share a birthday Together

[@johncollier9280]

If you want more Traffic song recommendations I could go on forever. But here's one that changed my world. I heard You Can All Join In on the radio 'n was immediately transfixed. Shortly thereafter my mother gave me money to buy clothes. When I came back instead with the first three Traffic lp's she was furious! Despite the anxiety this caused I've ne'r regretted my devious plan to integrate Traffic into my musical universe then.

[@jasonralph4286]

"Presence of the lord" on the Blind Faith album with Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton is a worth while listen that will make you happy you have added it to your reality. Mark my words. Lol

[@MissAstorDancer]

I hope that maybe after you've gotten more Traffic under your belt, you will return to "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys" again. You just weren't ready, or were in a not-so-great mood that day you first listened. One of the greatest jam songs ever!

[@gerrydantone6834]

Great music!! Great reaction also. Pete Townsend once wrote "It's no easy thing to be free" which I always understood as it's not easy to be yourself as opposed to be what is expected of you. You could take a listen to "Slip Kid" for that lyric, and i think that is what you were talking about.

[@thescrewfly]

JBMD is one of their great albums. Empty Pages is very fine, also Glad and the title track. Okay, every track, actually. When the sessions started Traffic didn't technically exist and it was originally intended as a Winwood solo album. By the time it was completed the three were Traffic again.

[@SomOsog]

Also check out "Sea of Joy."

[@randyteta9170]

Will be seeing Steve winwood in a couple weeks with the doobie brothers, Hope he plays this one

[@brianvernon249]

There is a Blood Sweat & Tears version of this song that has the great Jerry Fisher on vocals

[@seorsamaclately4294]

I''m not sure if someone mentioned it before. Steve Winwood was part of the project "Go" by Stomu Yamash'ta. The album "Go Too" is one of my favourites. The tracks I would like to recommend to you are: Seen You Before, Mysteries of Love, Wheels of Fortune, and You and Me.

[@ashulman2008]

Love that hihat

[@sharondavid-melly1498]

👍💯

[@mark501w]

Walking in the wind

[@beverlyoyarzun3326]

So many kids would sneak in and try to learn how to play this on the church organ 🤫Hammond created the B3 for churches and they were pretty common.

[@robertlear2712]

Suggested Traffic song - “Light Up Or Leave Me Alone”.

[@acb9231]

Nice! I’ve requested this tune many times on this channel. Great song, great band! Steve Winwood’s vocals are one of my all time faves! Been a fan since the 60s. Next, check out “Keep on Running” by the Spencer Davis Group (early Winwood), released in 65. ✌️ kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6PbeZaJj6eIaZosi=SWsEsYLshTT7T_OX

[@rickandgen]

Steve Winwood would have started his solo career sooner but, he was stuck in Traffic 😉

[@JosephPerrotta-db9xp]

Love it lol

[@robertmakela3777]

Maybe he play some Tommy Bolin Teaser

[@Steve-vl5mg]

Had this in 8 Track in my car played it until the tape broke