Hero of the Game

Although he is remembered best as one of the stalwarts of the 1960's Protest movement, Phil Ochs preferred to call himself a ""topical"" singer or a ""singing journalist"". During this December 1965 radio broadcast, Phil plays just one already-released song. Several of the numbers included would remain unreleased for many years before finally being issued on retrospective collections. Morning - which had been cut in demo form in 1963 - was not released until the 'Farewells & Fantasies' album released in 1997, whilst Song Of My Returning and City Boy, both languished in the vaults until 1986's 'A Toast To Those Who Are Gone'. The highlight of this WBAI broadcast is the debut of Phil's classic track, Crucifixion, which had been written while on tour in the UK the previous month. The song is allegorical, combining as it does images of John F. Kennedy and Christ. Also destined to appear on later albums are Changes and Cannons Of Christianity ('Phil Ochs In Concert', 1966) and White Boots Marching In A Yellow Land and Joe Hill (both on 'Tape From California', 1968). In 1967 Ochs moved to A&M Records where he stayed until 1970 and for whom he recorded several more albums. His last studio release was 'Greatest Hits' - a spoof title as it was composed entirely new material albeit with a more country and rock edge that his previous work. In 1973, whilst travelling in Africa, he was violently mugged and, as a direct result, lost the three top notes of his vocal range. This appalling experience exacerbated some already apparent mental problems and paranoia. His drinking also increased and his behaviour became increasingly erratic, to the extent that he invented a character - John Butler Train - and assumed that identity. In a truly bizarre twist he then claimed that he (Train) had killed Ochs and replaced him! In early 1976 he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and on 9th April of that year - his 36th birthday - he tragically took his own life.