The Last Miles

The Rubberband Album – out at last

Back in 2003/4 I interviewed a number of people about an album Miles had started recording when he joined Warner Bros from Columbia in 1985, but which was never released. The album was called Rubberband and what happened to the music always intrigued me. I was fortunate to talk to many of those involved in the sessions, including the producers Randy Hall and Zane Giles, and Miles’ nephew and drummer Vince Wilburn Jr, who played on the sessions. I was also lucky enough to hear a lot of the music from the sessions.

The Rubberband Album
Rubberband cover

The result was a chapter in my book, entitled “Rubberband – the lost Miles Davis Album.” I also wrote an article on its background for Jazzviews.

Well, the good news is that Rubberband is finally released. I should add that yours truly has written the liner notes. It’s been almost 34 years since much of the music was first recorded. There are many people to thank for the release, not least Miles’ Estate: his son Erin, daughter Cheryl and Vince Wilburn Jr. Erin, Vince and Darryl Porter, general manager Miles Davis Properties LLC, were also behind the decision to update the music, while maintaining the integrity of what Miles was doing at the time. I should add that Florence Halfon, consultant – A&R / marketing Warner Music (jazz catalogue) has also played a key role in getting this music released.

The album is produced by Randy Hall, Zane Giles and Vince Wilburn Jr and has some additional musicians, including three vocalists: Ledisi (who sings on Rubberband Of Life); Lalah Hathaway (So Emotional) and Medina Johnson (lead on Paradise and background vocals on So Emotional). Vince Wilburn Jr brought Ledisi and Lalah Hathaway into the project, while Randy Hall brought in Medina Johnson.

BBC Radio 4’s Today had an item on the new album, which featured interviews with Hall, Giles, Wilburn Jr and me. You can listen to it here.

Warner Bros have also produced a mini documentary about the album, featuring the producers, musicians, Florence Halfon and me. You can watch it on YouTube. The photos show Florence and me being filmed for the documentary. It was one of the hottest days of the year in London – hence me wearing shorts!

Florence Halfon
Florence Halfon
George Cole
George Cole

The album track listing is:

Rubberband vinyl front cover
The front cover of the vinyl LP version
Rubberband vinyl back cover
The back cover of the LP version, including liner notes and credits
Rubberband vinyl inside jackets
Two sides of the inside jackets have contact images of Miles
Rubberband vinyl inside credits
Two sides of the inside jackets contain the credits
Rubberband vinyl labels
The A & B sides and C & D sides have different photos on the labels
Rubberband CD
The CD is in a digipak format. The CD front and back covers
Rubberband CD
CD booklet front cover
Rubberband CD
Booklet back cover
Rubberband CD
Digipak inside cover
Rubberband CD
Booklet and CD disc
Rubberband CD
The first pages of the booklet featuring a photo of Miles and the liner notes
Rubberband CD
The back inside cover includes photos of singers Ledisi and Lalah Hathaway, and the album’s three producers:
Attala Zane Giles, Vince Wilburn Jr and Randy Hall

The album is available on CD, vinyl and digital download and can be purchased from Amazon UK and Amazon US.

The Man With The Horn
The Man With The Horn
 We Want Miles
We Want Miles
 Star People
Star People
 Decoy
Decoy
You're Under Arrest
You're Under Arrest
 Aura
Aura
 Rubber Band
Rubberband
 Tutu
Tutu
Siesta
Siesta
 Amandla
Amandla
 Dingo
Dingo
 The Hot Spot
The Hot Spot
Doo-Bop
Doo-Bop
 Live Around The World
Live Around The World
 Montreux 1973 - 1981
Montreux 1973 - 1991
 Miles Alive
miles alive
Miles Davis Trilogy
Miles Davis Trilogy
 Time After Time
Time After Time
 Miles Davis Perfect Way
Perfect Way
 Miles Davis Hollywood Bowl 1981
Hollywood Bowl 1981
Miles Davis Original Classics
Original Classics
 Miles Davis Complete Columbia Collection
Complete Columbia Collection
 Tutu Deluxe Edition
Tutu Deluxe Edition
 Montreal Concert
Montreal Concert
miles-davis-1986-1991-the-warner-years-3d-promo-100
1986 - 1991 Warner Years
 the-perfect-miles-davis-collection-100
Perfect Miles Collection
 otc-1-100
On The Crest Of The Airwaves
 miles-davis-the-last-word-box-set-cover-100
The Last World
tutu-d1-100
Tutu Deluxe LP
 The Rubberband Album
Rubberband
 Music Inspired by Birth of the Cool
Music from Birth of the Cool
 Miles Davis Original Album Series
Original Album Series
Miles Davis Merci Miles CD
Merci Miles! Live at Vienne
See also

praise for The Last Miles

“The best Miles Davis book ever.” Randy Hall, singer/guitarist/producer, who worked with Miles in the 1980s

“An important book.” Brian Priestley, co-author of ‘The Rough Guide to Jazz’, jazz pianist, critic and reviewer

“Very moving, emotional material.” Gordon Meltzer, Miles’s last road manager and executive producer of the ‘Doo-Bop’ album

“George Cole’s writing, his choice of references, his descriptions of many incidents – it is all so clear and respectful, and shows a deep understanding.” Palle Mikkelborg, composer, arranger and producer of the ‘Aura’ album

“Wow! What a great book. Finally, something that really gets it right. Thank you for capturing what was going on, the mood, everything.” Adam Holzman, Miles’s keyboardist and musical director 1985-1989

“Wonderful job, congratulations! An immense amount of work must have gone into it, I can't even imagine. But it was very cool to see that era of Miles treated with the same respect as every other… someone gets it!” Benny Rietveld, Miles's bassist 1988-1990

“The book is wonderful. Congratulations for your very important contribution to the historical documentation of many [musicians] who would otherwise have been overlooked!!!!” Robert Irving III Miles’s musical director 1983-1988

“I have to say that you did a marvellous job! It brought back strong memories of that time periodand answered a number of questions I had, especially the chapter on the Rubberband sessions. A brilliant job!” Patrick Murray, who worked on the road with Miles from 1986-1990 and was Miles’s concert sound mixer from 1988-1990

“It is truly an excellent body of work that literally takes a reader from hearing rumours to realising truths about the Chicago group and our collective take on the Miles Davis comeback.” Glenn Burris, co-writer of "Shout"

“The most immediate impact that this book had on me was to make me listen again to Miles’ later recordings with a completely regenerated ear and this really is the reason why this book works so well and is an essential read for any true Miles Davis appreciator… you will be hard pressed to find a more inspirational read, written by a man who quite simply loves Miles Davis’ music.” Mike Chadwick, Ejazz.fm

“There are large chunks of fresh material here… Fill[s] in quite a few gaps and dismisses blanket condemnations of [Miles’s] pop phase.” Stephen Graham, Jazzwise

“Cole does for Miles’ late work what Ian Macdonald’s ‘Revolution In The Head’ does for The Beatles, examining each album in meticulous detail.” John Lewis, Time Out

“Cole’s analysis has a meticulous, forensic character… [and] is able to bring a wealth of new information to light…. This book should get people talking. It should be the first rather than the last word on an intriguing chapter of the life an extraordinarily complex artist. And Davis’s vanity would surely have loved that.” Kevin Le Gendre, Independent on Sunday

“The book is beautiful. I think you did a great job on covering Miles’s life and legacy.” Sid Reynolds, hip-hop producer

“GREATFUCKINJOBWITDABOOK” Foley, Miles’s lead bassist 1987-1991

“Cole’s certainly produced a fascinating book.” Chris Ingham, Mojo

“As with any good musical biography, Cole had made me think again about those albums such as Siesta, You’re Under Arrest, The Man with the Horn, that are now stashed in my attic.” John Bungey, The Times

“I thought it was wonderful. It’s a very detailed look at a certain part of the career and life of Miles Davis. A lot of people didn’t pay attention to this and I’m glad that George Cole took the time to focus on these final years of Miles’s life.” Easy Mo Bee, co-producer of Doo-Bop

“Many people have come to me in the past about how the "last miles” bands had been overlooked and ignored by journalists. This book is a comprehensive answer to these omissions. From my discussions with musicians from the latter years with Miles it seems pretty clear they feel some vindication as a result of this book. I thank you sincerely for telling our story. Most everything I have read is as close to my memory of how things happened as any book could hope to be. I think you've done a wonderful job.” Darryl Jones, bassist with Miles 1983-85, 1986-1988

“The title is likely to send most jazzbos running, with received wisdom having handed down the rule that in the 80's Miles was only good for playing live; and half of that was just the pleasure of seeing him in person. For a single man to take on the 400-page+ task of changing popular opinion is a very tall order indeed. For him to make you want to actively revisit the decade in question is a near-miracle. Detailing album histories and giving final verdicts, Cole has made every effort to lay the evidence out bare. The analysis could have been a chore were it not for the presence of first-hand interviews with all the major players, making this not just a scholarly study, but a tribute to the man himself, And for a book such as this, you learn more about Davis that could have been expected.” Jason Draper, Record Collector

“There simply hasn’t been another book published on Miles Davis, in any period that has managed to obtain the wealth of interview material and cover his recorded work and various live tours in such a complete and comprehensive fashion… Engagingly written from start to finish, filled with more facts than you’ll be able to remember first time through, The Last Miles is an essential portrait of Miles’ last decade and a strong argument that his music was both valid and perfectly in keeping with a musical philosophy that would ultimately stretch over six decades.” John Kelman, All About Jazz.com

“We veterans of Miles’ last bands are lucky to have such a thorough and insightful look into Miles last period… I really enjoyed the book!” John Scofield, Miles's guitarist 1982-1985

“Cole has spoken to practically everyone who worked with Miles in his final decade. He has traced the evolution of each of those final albums, cut by cut, splice by splice….[Miles] comes out of Cole’s account larger, warmer and if anything even more important than ever.” Brian Morton (co-writer of The Penguin Guide to Jazz), The Wire

“Through lively analyses of all Miles’ recorded work from this period and much that went unreleased, including the ‘lost’ album Rubberband, [Cole] does enough to send readers back to the original albums.” Simon Evans, Choice

“… Cole is a persuasive writer: he prompted me to go and dig out albums that I'd dismissed as inconsequential and listen again with fresh ears. … A rewarding read.” Charles Waring, Blues & Soul

“Cole takes us on an exhaustive journey deep into the heart of Miles’ late recordings… The Last Miles needs to be covered by working musicians, producers and Miles’ fans alike.” Livingstone Marquis, Straight, No Chaser

“ George Cole has written a book that should be required reading for anyone with a serious interest in Davis’ life and work irrespective of which period of his music you prefer. It offers a valuable insight into this most complex of personalities, and reveals a side to Miles that many may not have known existed…for this reader it has prompted a re-examination of this decade which has revealed a fascinating area of music that I had previously overlooked.” Nick Lea, Jazzviews.co.uk

“In the flurry of books since [Miles Davis's] death, none has dealt in depth with the music of this period. Music writer George Cole fills this gap… It is so detailed and intimate that the reader feels he is virtually living with Davis as he seeks to reinvent himself… a rich and rewarding read.” Irwin Block, The Montreal Gazette

“This is a must for every Miles fan.” Neal Gardner, Blogcritics.org

“A fantastic book, an amazing insight into Miles.” Guy Barker, jazz trumpeter

The Last Miles US edition
Buy from Amazon.com
The Last Miles UK edition
Buy from Amazon UK

“For Miles fans, this book is a must.” Jez Nelson, presenter BBC Radio Jazz on 3

“I really do recommend The Last Miles… it is a fine work.” John Cavanagh, presenter Radio Scotland’s Bebop to Hip-Hop

“A great book that plays a great tribute to the last years of Miles’ life.” Erik Telford, presenter Miles Radio.com

“The fact of having personally interviewed all those characters… without much recall to interviews already noted and the usual anecdotes, renders “The Last Miles” as excellent… a book that certainly is seen as a work of reference.” Maurizio Comandini, All About Jazz.com Italy

“[Cole] has written a comprehensive account of the comeback and the albums it produced… He takes the reader through each of the albums, cut by cut, examining the musical choices, the musicians and their successes… Cole's book is a valuable resource on the last 11 years of a true music legend's life.” Chris Smith, Winnipeg Free Press

“I've been thoroughly enjoying your book. I'm sure it'll go a long way towards rectifying some of the negative historical appraisals of Miles' later works that have become prevalent.” Kei Akagi, keyboardist in Miles's band 1989-1990.

“Cole gives an exhaustive account of every track recorded [and, it seems, every live show] in that decade and of every one of the dozens of musicians who played on them but what's most interesting is the portrait of Miles Davis that emerges from it all. Sometimes an asshole and a bully, yes, but also a very funny guy who was a good friend to many and a mentor to even more, a man with drug problems who was more often in great pain from other maladies. Through it all, Davis was obsessed with moving his music forward with anyone who could help him do it - from Prince to Public Enemy, from Scritti Politti to a violinist he saw on Johnny Carson and hired on the spot.” Rock & Rap Confidential

“I thought your book was awesome and straight to the point. To tell stories the way it really happened is nothing but the truth! Congratulations and thanks!” Ricky Wellman, Miles's drummer 1987-1991

“George Cole has made a major contribution to jazz scholarship… written over a three-year period, the degree of detail is quite astonishing and the research so extensive that it becomes possible to contradict claims made by Miles himself in his autobiography. Every track on every 1981-1991 album is discussed in length… a very valuable book.” Chris Yates, The Jazz Rag

“This book is a model of how these types of books should be… If late period Miles is in the readers’ interest, the reader should rush out and purchase this volume. It is invaluable.” Robert Iannapollo, ARSC Journal

The Last Miles was voted one of the top ten music books of 2005 by Record Collector magazine.

The Last Miles was joint winner of the Association for Recorded Sound Collections’ Best Jazz History Book 2006 award.