Big Brother & The Holding Company feat.Janis Joplin – Ball & Chain – 1967

Big Brother & The Holding Company were leading lights on San Francisco’s psychedelic scene in the late 60’s, up there with the likes of Jefferson Airplane and The Grateful Dead. The group’s brand of blues-inspired psychedelic folk rock pretty well epitomised the San Francisco sound of the time. Much of the group’s success was down to its charismatic lead singer, Janis Joplin, who was to go on to a highly-successful solo career, cut short by her death in 1970 from a drug overdose. Big Brother & The Holding Company shot to international fame following their blinding set at the Monterey Pop Festival in June 1967 which featured Joplin’s show-stopping performance of ‘Ball And Chain’, a highlight also of D.A. Pennebaker’s famous movie documenting the festival. For many fans this was the period when Janis Joplin was at her best, before the pressure of fame and the ravages of drugs took over. These historic and rarely seen performances were filmed at the studios of KQED TV in April 1967, just weeks before that legendary Monterey appearance. The six songs are interspersed with short interviews with Janis and other band members, all in excellent sound and picture quality for the era. In addition to ‘Ball And Chain’, which was to appear on the group’s second album in the following year, the set features two of the group’s hit singles, ‘Down On Me’ and ‘Coo Coo’.