Jul. 21, 2010 - Issue #770: Draw It Yourself

Prevue

Big Brother’s legacy lives on

California rockers still fighting doublethink

Forty-five years after forming, Big Brother & the Holding Company, the San Francisco psychedelic jam band that made Janis Joplin famous, returns to Edmonton for a rare show as part of the Summer Break Blues Fest. Guitarist and original founding member Sam Andrews continues to be the creative force behind the band, as well as an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, soundtrack composer, painter and the glue behind Big Brother's longevity.

Over the phone from his home in California—Andrews still calls San Fran home—he is candid, generous, gracious and warm. As a leader of the '60s psychedelic movement, his contributions to the most exciting period of American popular music is legendary, and Big Brother's 1968 Cheap Thrills, recorded with Joplin, hit Billboard's top position in October that year and will always be remembered as one of the albums that defined that era. Looking back on that success, Andrews expands on its meaning.

"It was wonderful. More than the number one record was being a part of the counterculture," he explains warmly, his enthusiasm still vibrant after four decades. "It was a huge movement of the 20th century, and it was great to not only be a part of it, but right at the beginning we were there before it started. We thought we were going to end the war in Vietnam, win women's rights, civil rights, gay rights, everything. We thought we were going to solve all those problems—and we didn't—but the feeling was it could happen."

This period at the top would only last a short while—Joplin would leave the band eight weeks later to front the Kosmic Blues Band with Andrews in tow.

"Big Brother was a family for Janis and for all of us, and then she left that to become the boss of this 'organization' [Kosmic Blues Band] and we were all 'employees' so it was a real different quality," Andrews laments of his time away from Big Brother. "I should have stayed with Big Brother. Janis didn't need me ... that way we could have continued on without a break. But I was real curious; after all, Janis was really talented and I got along with her really well. We sang and wrote songs together and we wanted to see what was going to happen."

"But Janis didn't really know how to lead a band. She left [Big Brother] too soon—she probably should have left at sometime—but we had a number one album and she left in the middle of that, and I left with her, which was a mistake for both of us."

Andrews goes on, "Then she found Full Tilt Boogie Band—full of Canadians, by the way, excellent musicians that would have been a really good family for her—but she died to soon."

Andrews grief is still evident as he speaks about the short, bright period of Big Brother's legacy, so many years ago.

"We made two albums after Janis left … Be a Brother and How Hard It Is," he offers proudly. "We really learned how to play, and we played with some great players [that] still hold up today."

"Of course I'm very proud of anything I did with Janis; it was a real privilege to play with her, she was really talented. I'm still today shocked even now when I hear those songs and think, 'That's such great singing. It's incredible.' It was a real privilege."V

Sat, Jul 24
Big Brother & The Holding Company
With Boogie Patrol, Cameron Brothers and 22 Foot Funk
Granite Curling Club, $30
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