The Steve Miller Band - Brave New World
On this week's episode, we talk about the third LP from the Steve Miller Band: 1969’s Brave New World.
Considered by many to be the most consistent album from his early years, it is an album that foreshadowed the path Miller would take in subsequent albums. It's a mix of swampy blues, gurgling synths, and psychedelic overtones. But most of all it's a guitar album that shows off Miller's considerable chops on the instrument.
Recommendation for this episode: The Men That God Forgot by the Waco Brothers.
THINGS WE DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE
As discussed on the episode, Les Paul was Steve Miller’s Godfather. Here is a clip of Les Paul complementing a 5 year old Steve Miller on his sing
Miller started playing paying gigs around the Dallas area at 12 years old.
Here is his band the Marksmen at Southern Methodist University in 1961, comprised of Steve Miller (wearing the sunglasses) his brother Buddy, Rodger Gaulding, Bob Haydon, Baron Cass, and Boz Scaggs (plaid shirt).
The Knightranes, circa 1963
Pictured (L to R): Steve Miller, Ronnie Boyer, Ken Adamany, and Boz Scaggs
In 1965, Miller formed the The Goldberg-Miller Blues Band with keyboardist Barry Goldberg. Here they are miming to their tune “the Mother Song” on the TV show Hullabaloo in 1936
In 1966, days after moving to San Fransisco Miller formed the Steve Miller Blues Band and immediately became part of the burgeoning San Fransisco music scene.
Here’s a playbill from Christmas 1966 that lists the Steve Miller Blues Band on a bill with the Grateful Dead and Moby Grape.
The Steve Miller Band performed at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. They played two songs “Living In The USA” and “Mercury Blues,” the latter of which you can watch below.
