Motel Jam Time With D&B

The first time I heard Delaney And Bonnie was on the Crossroads Box set that was a four CD Eric Clapton Retrospective. It was a song that was featured on an album by Delaney and Bonnie and Eric Clapton was the lead guitar player. It was pretty good. About a year later MTV had a special on Eric Clapton and the same song was featured. It sounded better then the first time I heard it. I did not know a lot about Delaney and Bonnie, but I made a mental check that I will have to find some of their music. It did not take long to find them on cassette, but LP was a bit tougher, not because it was rare, it was just a very unknown husband and wife band that very few people heard of. The name on the record had Eric Clapton on and that maybe was the only way that this was still in print.

I found the cassette and brought it home to listen to. It was really well done and I liked the rest of the songs beside the one on the Box set. It was good old fashion rock and roll and really liked what I heard. I also wanted to know more about what they put out musically. I really had problems all the way around. I even asked people at tag sales, and some people laughed because they were in the same boat I was or they were scratching their heads and saying who? It more then likely was not the most recognized group of it's time. Looking at the the cassette now I could understand that. But it had most of Derek and The Dominos and even more important at the time Dave Mason. All in all it was a great live document.



Years later I decided to revisit their music. I needed to really hear if I was missing something. I decided to buy more of their catalog. I had to find something that made another wonderful band be ignored. It was tough to pick because all the music is so good. It's mix of R&B, Soul, Rock, Blues, Gospel and so much more. Each album makes you want to hear the genre they just put down on record. I went back to the albums I originally owned and decided to play them all. I heard great music in all of them. That was a big problem because I wanted to do just one album. I decided to stumble on two albums and really listen to them.



It was a hard pick but picking Motel Shot was the one that needed to be talked about. Every moment of this album is a mix of wonderful genres. The guest stars on this album too. People like Gram Parsons, Joe Cocker, Dave Mason, Duane Allman, John Hartford, Leon Russell, and many great session players. The music tells the tale of how great Delaney and Bonnie were. They are not in your music history books, but damn they really make you love this greatness of good old fashion roots music. Check out this album and I am sure you will find your reason to love it. Enjoy!

Living The Canned Heat Blues

The other day I grabbed all my classic 1960's Music and DVD's and brainstormed ideas on what to write about. There was a lot to go through. I have both the Woodstock 6CD set and the Monterey Pop Box Set. I also have both DVD box sets of each festival. I also grabbed my Fillmore DVD and music sets. I even at one point wanted to do a Ten Years After Blog post, but that fell apart at the last moment do not enough information. Don't worry though I will get to them soon. I am a huge fan of theirs and I really want to talk about them. The Blues Boogie is some great stuff. I narrowed down the ideas to artists played both Woodstock and Monterey Pop festivals. Since I did Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, The Who, Grateful Dead on past posts I figure I try something different.

I asked my uncle about Canned Heat. He told me that after seeing them at Woodstock he was speechless. He did not know what to think. He loved their ability to jam and play so hard that it seemed like the last gig for them on planet earth. He told me that their live album is so much better then the studio material. The live stuff showed that they can crank it up and let loose for sometimes a half and hour. Then I mentioned to him I found a copy of Living The Blues on CD. His eyes looked at me and his jaw dropped. He wanted a copy right there. I pulled out the CD and handed him the whole 2CD set. I told him that he could keep it, because I bought two. He smiled and ran to the closest stereo in the house. He cranked up the CD all the way up and was in heaven.



I was happy to support his Canned Heat habit and for me it was an idea I could not refuse. I looked and listened to all my Canned Heat albums. I realized after a while the album I wanted to do was staring me right in the face. I should do Living the Blues. It was half studio and half live. It just happens that the live part was one 41 minute piece of music. That was okay by me because that song has really never been a part of any other Canned Heat album. The other reason that this album had one of their biggest hits called "Going Up The Country."

I decided to grab my copy of the album and listen to it with the volume cranked up too. It was not a bad idea. I had a copy of the record and remember how "Refried Boogie" was 40 minutes long over two sides of record. I also remember the girl I was dating at the time committed the album to tape for me. I used to and still do play that tape when I have a chance. It was great hearing the cracks and pops of the record. It was always great to listen to stuff I put on tape from record. The memories were great and something I more then will remember for the rest of my life.



Canned Heat had an interesting story. There popular years from 1966-1970 they had some great music and wonderful albums. These albums were not classic in the sense, but still were pretty damn good. In 1970 the man in the middle picture (Alan Wilson) died of a drug overdose. Later the lead singer who sang falsetto on the hit "Going Up The Country" Bob Hite the music was quickly over as soon as it begain. I picked this album because of the memories, and this album for me packed a few. If you can find it, get it. Enjoy a boogie and have fun hearing something that is really part of American Blues. For this I promise you will enjoy!

Sssh The Secret Words Are, Built To Spill

Back in 1997 MTV did a feature on up and coming bands hitting the college circuit. I knew that I was not going to a college that these bands were featured I fugure I ask friends who they had coming for these spring weekends. One friend told me that one band they were getting was a band called Soul Asylum. Another friend told me that he was getting some band I never heard of and still to this day cannot remember. Good thing, because they never made it big. But one band that another friend had was a band called Built To Spill. I saw the TV special and thought that this was my chance. I had nothing to loose, hey the price to see them was cheap and the music cannot be that bad. What I heard was great. If it was the only good song at the show then I was cool with that.

At the show my friend too had heard very little and was excited. He wanted something good that year because last spring they had some pretty crappy bands come to the college he was at. When I told him what I saw them on MTV and it looked pretty good he was hoping I was right. The lights dimmed and we were ready. After the first song we were screaming for more. He looked at me and told me that this was awesome. Song after song they got better and better. I think I found a new band. I really liked their heavy Neil Young and Crazy Horse moments and I also liked the lyrics to their own songs. What was the kicker was a version of "Cortez The Killer," a Neil Young song from the mid 70's and one of my favorites. They played this for about fifteen minutes. The crowd loved it, but I am not sure they knew what it was, but I did and I was really happy. At the end of the show I went to the merchandise table and bought a few things.



Built to Spill is a band that I would easily put in my top 20 list. They are full of great lyrics and also great albums. Even better they are awesome live. Their obvious influence of Neil Young is really scene when you see them live. They cover his songs with long and full of energy like no other. Take that live album that put out. As I mentioned above, only Built To Spill could do something like that. Yea, you may say that Pearl Jam can do it as well, but can they really play a song twenty minutes and keep the song intact like Built To Spill. That I think what makes Built To Spill so great. They are good at keeping the attention of songs like that that you are transformed into a time where this music is so good. There covers are just wonderful and you feel like they actually wrote the songs.

The music of Built To Spill is got some great hooks, and most of some catchy songs. Each time I hear a song by them I feel like that I know the words and I can sing along with them. The wonderful interplay of guitars and Doug Martsch vocals and lyrics are something I always thought was Built To Spill's strong suit. On the Built To Spill Keep It Like A Secret, the opener is the killer. Many bands wish they could have an opener like "The Plan." The words, the music it's all right there. What the band does so well is the fact that all those long song's on previous albums (what drew me to them in the first place) now these short blasts of twists and turns are in shorter form. Built to Spill still demand that listener meet them on their own terms -- these just happen to be the easiest terms to understand in their catalog. (AM)



you were wrong
when you said
everything's gunna be alright
yeah you were wrong
when you said
everything's gunna be alright

you were right
when you said
all that glitters isn't gold
you were right when you said
all we are is dust in the wind
you were right when you said
we are all just bricks in the wall
and when you said manic depression's a frustrating mess

you were wrong
when you said
everything's gunna be alright
yeah you were wrong
when you said
everything's gunna be alright
you were wrong
when you said
everything's gunna be alright

you were right when you said
you can't always get what you want
you were right when you said
it's a hard rain's gunna fall
you were right when you said
we're still running against the wind
life goes on long after
the thrill of living is gone
you were right when you said
this is the end

Do you have to think about it?
Do you have to think about it?
Do you have to think about it?
Do you have to think about it?



Every song on this album is a true gem. It will make you wonder why this band is not on the top of the world. Well, in my world they are just great. Well done, and full of great energy. Like the lyrics above for "You Were Right" Those words are so great and still is one of my favorite songs ever. It's well done and the music that goes along with it makes it just great. I have seen them a few times and still in awe on how they pull it off so perfectly. Built To Spill is one band no matter what they do, they still are fresh and wonderful to the ears. This is a great album with along with their others make a case for Built To Spill being one of the best Indie Rock bands ever. They maybe be on a major label, but they are not minor by any means. Enjoy!!

Mr. Shorter, The Soothsayer

Who is the man who had five albums as a leader of his own band plus put was part of a Miles Davis Quintet who also put out five albums, was on Miles Davis's Bitches Brew and founded the Jazz fusion band Weather Report? Anyone know this answer. The man we speak of is Wayne Shorter. He also played on Steely Dan and a Rolling Stones albums. Wayne Shorter is one of my favorite musicians to listen to. Wayne Shorter is extremely prolific and his music and his songs tell the tale. Every once in a while I will grab someones CD and notice that a Wayne Shorter song is on it. It is great to hear someone else do his songs.

What makes Wayne Shorter so great is the fact that his compositions in the Miles Davis Quintet were amazing. They are the ones that you remember as a listener and really wonder how such beautiful music like this is created. It's almost when you hear songs like "All The Things You Are" or "All of You" (a Cole Porter Classic) and lastly one of my favorites "Bye Bye Blackbird." Wayne used to write wonderful pieces that just worked so well. After plenty of listening you hear that theme of what makes a great piece. Some Jazz people really put Wayne Shorter as one of the best writers in the Jazz world. I went to see Joshua Redman one day and he spoke for about five minutes about how he loved the music of Wayne Shorter. It meant a lot to me to hear that.



His catalog of song is quite nice to hear. His two compositions on Bitches Brew are quite impressive musically and the form is great as well. Miles Davis had some great respect for his musical placement of notes and let him write a majority of the songs in the quintet he was in.
Wayne Shorter eventually developed his own more succinct manner on tenor sax, retaining the tough tone quality and intensity and, in later years, adding an element of funk. On soprano, Shorter is almost another player entirely, his lovely tone shining like a light beam, his sensibilities attuned more to lyrical thoughts, his choice of notes becoming more spare as his career unfolded.(AM) Even the one International type album he did with Milton Nascimento is classic. The attractive side trip into Brazilian-American tropicalismo was something I really enjoy. It shows he could be put in any good musical genre and do well at it.



The album's five originals and one arrangement (of Sibelius' "Valse Triste") show a multi-layered complexity that seems effortless even as it weaves together contributions from a very strong, stylistic sextet. Of particular interest is the interplay of the three horn players, including altoist James Spaulding and trumpeter Freddie Hubbard. As a performer, Shorter also shows a lot of strength, with fluid, at times subtly evocative, solos that bloom with energy without ever seeming frantic or harsh. The title track shows Shorter at his most forceful and is one of the most passionate moments on the album, but even here, beauty seems to come first, while his low-key standard "Lady Day" embodies grace and calmness in every moment. The album was recorded during his most prolific time in the 1960's, but sadly never saw the light of day till the late 70's.

Wayne Shorter's music is something to experience I suggest many albums, but to me this is the one to get. There is so many albums that he made his own and that he really kicked major butt on. Even the lineup of musicians on his albums are first rate. You even have his rhythm section from the Miles Davis Quintet from the 1960's on this. How can you go wrong. The music tells the tale and let Wayne Shorter tell it to you. After a while you as well will be telling all your friends that your new/old favorite musician is Wayne Shorter. After this I suggest others, but that will be for another post. Enjoy!

Eric and The Dominos Live!

The first time I heard Derek and The Dominos was when I bought the Eric Clapton Crossroads box set in 1989. I got the box set because my mother told me if I behaved in the mall I could get some music. It was also near my birthday so I asked if this could be a good behavior and a birthday present in one. She reluctantly agreed to it, and I purchased this great box set. This was in a long line of musical gifts for my birthday or just because I was a good boy. This lasted four years. There was so much there that I needed to listen to because I was unfamiliar with most of it. I knew a little about Cream. I had some knowledge on John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. I knew few songs from Eric Clapton's solo career. The Yardbirds I had a cheap best of that was no longer then twenty minutes long. The Derek and the Dominos stuff I knew the song everybody knew and was played on the radio way to much. I needed to know more.

In 1990. I picked up the Derek and The Dominos box set and studied that for quite a while. The music on the Crossroads Box that I got in 1989 just teased about them. I picked up the Derek and the Dominos box set for a reason. One, I did not have the full album; and two I bought the box set because I wanted the two sessions CD's to hear how they made this wonderful and one off album. Since everybody knows the story of Derek and the Dominos I don't need to tell you the story. But for me the story stopped when at one point they studio and live album did not tell you more. One story I heard is the live album did not really give much of a document on the great music they played night after night. It is considered a great live recording from that era. I wanted to hear more.



My uncle told me that he saw them play and the songs on the LP was just a tip of the iceberg. He played all kinds of stuff. When I was doing my research for this post I saw that some shows had guest artist like Delaney Bramlett (Delaney and his wife did a bunch of albums and Eric Clapton played on a few),and some of the New York City shows had the other great guitar player on the album called Duane Allman. The live album my uncle had was great. I made a tape copy for the car and loved every minute of the extended jams and the wonderful guitar playing of Eric Clapton. It made me think that there should be more.

I got that wish in 1994 when I saw this 2CD set of Derek and the Dominos Live at the Fillmore. Once again I realized that there was so much magic that did happen at the Fillmore. I have plenty of Fillmore recording in my collection. Each has it's own great story. The magic that was created there tells me that I wish I could go back in time and be at some of these shows. The night Derek and The Dominos played must have been a great time. The best Eric Clapton showcased the blues is right here.



Looking for some great live album to hear how it once was? This is a wonderful addition to your collection. Eric and the rest of the band show how great they really could be. Yea, the Dominos only made one album, but that one album had all sorts of gems, but the real gem is the live music. Transport yourself to 1970 and really see that the music is something. "Let it Rain" is amazing and even more is the Hendrix's "Little Wing" and "Why Does Your Love Have To Be Sad." Everything is very good and classic Clapton. Enjoy!

Flying Robyn Hitchcock Sighting!

My first Robyn Hitchcock experience was when I was in High School. I heard his music on someones Walkman and asked that person who he was. He told me that it was the modern day Syd Barrett. The music was pretty good, but the lyrics were quite warped and full of so much imagery. The album was called Perspex Island and It was not one of his better efforts, but still a decent album. The album came out in 1991 and still to this day is the one I got started on my Robyn Hitchcock fixation.

Robyn has always been a bit odd, ever since his band The Soft Boys took the Post-Punk world by storm. He took great pride of being a spiritual relative of Syd Barrett. He could have fit in nicely in the 60's with either Bob Dylan or the Psychedelic movement. His words were warped and showed every part of his twisted ideas. His lives shows are a treat because he talks in this warped way too. He mentions these odd ideas and philosophy that he actually knows what he is talking about. Here is a sense of his odd lyrics to a song called "1974."



You have two coffees
One of them is one coffee too many for you
On a health kick
Trying to lead a middle-aged life
Well, it's either that or drop dead
Wait 'til you get older than this
And then turn around and tell me I was young for my age
Yeah

And it feels like 1974
Waiting for the waves to come and crash on the shore
But you're far in land
You're in funky denim wonderland
You and David Crosby and a bloke with no hand
You've got hair in places
Most people haven't got brains
Ooh

But it feels like 1974
Syd Barrett's last session, he can't sing anymore
He's gonna have to be Roger now for the rest of his life
Oh

Enough about me, let's talk about you
You were working at the Earth Exchange at half twenty-two
'Rebel Rebel' was your favorite song
On the Archway Road
Where it all belongs
All those molecules of time
That you thought you'd shed forever
All those inches of time
That you thought you could just say bye-bye

And as Nixon left the White House
You could hear people say,
"They'll never rehabilitate that mother
No way."
Yep

Whirry-whirry goes the helicopter out of my way
I've got president to dump in the void
Ooh

Python's last series and The Guardian said,
"The stench of rotting minds"
But what else could you smell back then?
You didn't have to inhale too hard
You could smell the heads festering in the backyard
There's a baby in a basket and it's taken your name
And one day it'll grow up and say,
"Who are you,
Eh?"

And you say that's where it ended
But I say no no no, it just faded away
August was grey
It feels like 1974
Ghastly mellow Saxophones all over the floor
Feels like 1974
You could vote for Labour, but you can't anymore
Feels like 1974
Digging Led Zeppelin in Grimsby
Oh Christ



The first time I heard that in 1998 I was laughing pretty hard. The lyrics are sly and out there, but they also tell a wonderful story of the 1974. The first time I could actually understand what was actually going on. I did not need to replay the song and catch what he told us, but I did want to replay the song to memorize his words. The funny thing about Robyn Hitchcock over the years is that he has not really conformed to the culture change, like the 80's synth sound or the 90's grunge. He did his own thing most of the time.

His oddballness was always something that kept him as a cult type artist. His music was impressive and noteworthy. He even got on college radio charts with some stuff, but his music was always a great subject of debate. The time I heard him was the early 90's and by the end of the decade I wanted just about everything he put out. I even saw the documentary called Storefront Hitchcock. There he showcased his old and his new music. It for me was a great moment because I loved the informal set up he did.



This new found love for Robyn Hitchcock has spilled all the way to present day. His music has always been something I am always eager to wait for a new release. I have picked up two early box sets and those show his true genius. Lately I just picked up Goodnight Oslo and Propellor Time. Each have shown the Robyn Hitchcock of old. Propellor Time has shown the classic we all know. The album has a great array of special guests. These people include Peter Buck from R.E.M. to Bill Reiflin who played with Robert Fripp and Ministry, and John Paul Jones and Nick Lowe. All these stars make this album a wonderful classic in Robyn's catalog.

But from the first moments, Propellor Time is clearly a Robyn Hitchcock album, and he captains this ship with a steely confidence; the lyrics are typically mysterious and witty without playing too strongly to Hitchcock's fondness for bizarre imagery, his sly vocals fit the music with an uncommon agility and wisdom, and the ten songs blend together like the ingredients of a fine meal. Robyn Hitchcock doesn't really make bad albums, but he doesn't always make legitimately great ones; Propellor Time thankfully feels like one of the high-watermarks of his post-millennial body of work, and it's beautiful, essential listening. Don't forget to go to his early work too and find some gems. Enjoy this one and really understand a true master. (AM)

Team Mogwai

This band, quite simply, rocks. They’re loud. They’re full of riffs and feedback. They’ve got heartbreaking melodies that stomp their way out of the squall. And they’re back with a vengeance. Mogwai, can crush our eardrums or just do a quiet passage better then anybody. What makes them unique is the fact that they do it with such great musicianship that it's hard to see them do with so little effort. They make the best instrumental Post-Rock. It's great to watch this band live because they know that we are smart listeners and with that they don't let up.

Song's like "My Father, My King," "Like Herod," "Stereodee," and my person favorite "Mogwai Fear Satin" can litterly knock one on it's ass as far as some of the best white noise ever. I am not sure how they are not deaf themselves, but they sure can build some songs up intensity and then completely destroy them with one wonderful ear crushing guitar riff. They have added vocals to some of their songs, but most of this is just vocal humming or just vocal undertones with very little sense of lyrics. It's music that nightmares are created and stay with you for a very long time. "Mogwai Fear Satin" is such a song. The 16 minute song slowly climbs with very little going on, and then it knocks you down and runs away from you at the five minute marker and just makes you shake your head and wonder what just happened.



If straight ahead rock and roll is your thing, then I suggest that you do not listen to this band. They will break all forms of ideas and thoughts on how bands should act or perform. Mogwai use the sheer length of an album to their advantage, recording a series of songs that meld together — it's easy to forget where one song begins and the other ends. The record itself takes its time to begin, as the sound of chiming processed guitars and murmured sampled vocals floats to the surface. Throughout the album, the sound of the band keeps shifting, and it's not just through explosions of noise — Mogwai isn't merely jamming, they have a planned vision, subtly texturing their music with small, telling details. When the epic "Mogwai Fears Satan" draws the album to a close, it becomes clear that the band has expanded the horizons of post-rock, creating a record of sonic invention and emotional force that sounds unlike anything their guitar-based contemporaries have created.(AM)

Mogwai does this better any band I know and since Young Team has come out, they been a bit uneven, but that does not distract their wonderful sound and landscape for us to look at. I love the way Mogwai can just make things sound like that you wish you could have created that kind of sound or even that guitar riff. The white noise moments make things that we normally think is chaos is actually some kind of zen reason in the Mogwai world. This is not loud music that should be played at parties (believe me I tried), it should be music that is studied with wonder and awe.



This is another band I heard when I went back to school in 2ooo. I heard very little before that and when I got to school, I told a few DJ that I wanted to do a Progressive, Electronic, Psychedelic radio show and he mentioned to me that I should take a listen to Mogwai, because there very Post-Rock feel and sometimes they sound like instrumental Progressive Rock. I got a copy of Young Team and realized I could squeeze some of their great music into my shows. Mogwai shows us that music can be different and fresh. This music is some of the best out their. Take the time and try this one! Enjoy!

Threadgill's Asking Questions!

Henry Threadgill was among the first wave of distinctive and utterly original artists to emerge from Chicago’s Association for The Advancement of Creative Music along with Muhal Richard Abrams, Anthony Braxton and the member of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago. As a saxophonist, he delivers his unique style with a big, dry sound and precise articulation. As a composer, he was an American original, influenced by the entire spectrum of music. He creates distinctive sonic canvasses for a variety of ensemble. And his work is infused with a wonderfully dry, almost absurdist sense of humor.

I am not sure where to begin on this artist. I really think he is a genius, but some people think he is a little difficult for the ears. His odd instrumentation on the album I am going to talk about is enough to make some people cringe. I mean you have Electric Bass, Electric Guitar, Accordion, Alto Saxophone (sometimes flute), Drums, and Harmonium. He does have two amazing people in J.T. Lewis on Drums and Brandon Ross on Guitar. Who themselves started a band with Melvin Gibbs from Rollins Band to create a odd but wonderful trio called Harriett Tubman. It's not the musicians that make this different it's the inside workings of Henry Threadgill that do this.

I heard him back in 1994 on a college Jazz radio program that talked about the resurgence of his music. The DJ played about an hour of his various ensembles and from his Jazz group AIR (not to be confused with the French Duo). All the music had a fresh, but not your normal Jazz feel to it. It was creative to hear this wonderful music that added punch and bite to a normal jazz quintet. It was fun to hear different ideas in Jazz, not the normal Bass, Drums, Piano, Trumpet, Saxophone idea. This stuff was pretty impressive on it's own. I went to ask my friend who had more knowledge on his stuff if there would be something else I would like. He handed me a CD that just came out a year previous and told me to take a listen. This was a group that had a lot of music going on, but I am sure I could figure it out.



Two days later I returned the CD to him and asked him why is this music so good and different. The look of who knows was written on his face. He also mentioned to me that he will be playing at the same Jazz Festival that we will be going to, so we should mark it that we should go see him. At this festival that we went to that lasted two weeks we saw so much stuff that I am sure I will never come across again or that is a once in a lifetime event. A great example is on the steps of Columbia University we saw Cecil Taylor and Max Roach do Piano and Drums Duo that was quite first rate. We saw Jazz that normal people would scratch their head and walk out. The day we saw Threadgill was a great occasion because all the Jazz musicians who lived in the area stopped in to watch this moment. I saw Branford Marsalis and Joe Lovano and countless others come into this club to see this wise man teach us how things work. Afterwords, I came up to Branford and asked him what he thought. He told me that he was speechless. Later on I found out that he got Henry Threadgill a contract at Columbia.

That time at the Jazz Fest was great because I knew that I was on to a lot of big jazz names that will be the future of that genre. I also can say I saw Threadgill live. I saw him again a few years back and he did not lose his edge or sense of where he belongs in the Jazz world. Henry Threadgill has played music for years, but the music he plays should be timeless and should be studied with all the other greats. His unique sound is something that all other groups should learn and and understand.



Besides his music being hard to categorize, his music is also out of print and not easy to locate. Since I bought this album new back in 1996 it was easy to locate and back then my friend put it in a display of staff picks where most his friends bought the album and still have it to this day. If you see this album pick it up. In September Mosaic Records will issue a box set of his Columbia and Novus records. This will be a treat to listen to and of course I hope to pick it up. If you need to start anywhere with Henry Threadgill I suggest that you do that, but remember this; if you think his unusual music is something that is a hard taste, this music on this album is some of the best prime food on his table. Take a chance and enjoy!

The Wonderful Warren Zevon

So much to do, there's plenty on the farm
I'll sleep when I'm dead
Saturday night I like to raise a little harm
I'll sleep when I'm dead

I'm drinking heartbreak motor oil and Bombay gin
I'll sleep when I'm dead
Straight from the bottle, twisted again
I'll sleep when I'm dead

Well, I take this medicine as prescribed
I'll sleep when I'm dead
It don't matter if I get a little tired
I'll sleep when I'm dead

I've got a .38 special up on the shelf
I'll sleep when I'm dead
If I start acting stupid
I'll shoot myself
I'll sleep when I'm dead

So much to do, there's plenty on the farm
I'll sleep when I'm dead
Saturday night I like to raise a little harm
I'll sleep when I'm dead



Warren Zevon meant a lot to me and with his passing we lost one of the boldest and outspoken musicians out there. His lyrics were something that we wished we could write. The world lost a great hero and a man who Rock and Roll would never be the same. His strange, sardonic opinions of life in his musical lyrics, composing songs that were sometimes humorous and often had political or historical themes. He will always be remembered in the musical world for his song for the movie An American Werewolf in London called "Werewolves of London"

What I loved about Warren Zevon was his humor. When I saw him at the Iron Horse, a small club up north from me. I saw a man who was like a stand up comedian and storyteller. He told us stories about how each song was created and what he thought of them. It was just a great solo acoustic show and he invited all of us to join in on the songs that he made famous. He would talk about what was going on in the world and how he wanted us to stand up for what was right and what we could do to make our voice count. He also mentioned about how odd it was to open up for the Grateful Dead one year and few years later play for 150 people in a small club such as the one I saw him in. I too saw him open for the Grateful Dead.


(Warren Zevon checked by "Dr" Hunter S. Thompson)

Warren was a cult figure in the world of music, but people like Fleetwood Mac, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, David Lindley, and the Eagles all thought he was someone to admire. This also was seen later in life where David Letterman put him on many times including near the end of his life he kept him on the whole show for music and interview. It was quite touching to watch. He was honest and to the point. He knew he had a few months to live and he put out a touch and heart warming album called My Ride Is Here. He had Hunter S. Thompson write a song with him and on the album they performed together.

He touched a lot of people and I know I say that about many people in this blog, but for me his words made me laugh and understand the true genius of Zevon. I wish he was still alive because I am sure he have something great to say about the world and everything that is happening. He is a man who could see something happen like the recent oil spill and I am sure he would have a riveting story about it. His legacy in pop culture will always be remembered.



When picking a Warren Zevon album I had to think about it for a while. It was tough because I own a few classics and a few that are just good rock albums. I had problems because each album is unique and tells something like a chapter in a book. Each has a reflection on the past, but his head is clear in the future. Each album has a song that is a great teaser or theme to the album. But picking his first was the best way to go. His first and self titled has some wonderful pieces like the words from the song at the top. "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" is a wonderful song and something I often quote when I am burning my candle at both ends. Another is the classic and often overlooked "Carmelita." I used to hear that many times in my uncles car. He used to play that song all the time. Another favorite and played not to much, but gains classic status is "Poor, Poor Pitiful Me." A great rocker with a wonderful story. My advice is start with this album and I am sure you will, like me just love his music. Enjoy!

Poor, poor pitiful me
Poor, poor pitiful me
These young girls won't let me be
Lord have mercy on me
Woe is me

Well, I met a girl in West Hollywood
I ain't naming names
She really worked me over good
She was just like Jesse James
She really worked me over good
She was a credit to her gender
She put me through some changes, Lord
Sort of like a Waring blender

John Cale In The Year 1919

A long time ago I started my quest on the Velvet Underground. I already explained this on a previous blog post, but what I did not tell you was the fact that I thought at the time that screechy violin bass playing was legend. His musical background was the stuff that Avant-Garde Classical and 20th Century composers like LaMonte Young and Stockhausen. He also played in an 18 hour piano recital with John Cage. He co-founded The Velvet Underground and after he left beside a great solo musical career he was a great producer who produced the Stooges, Patti Smith, Modern Lovers, Squeeze and Nico.

You can hear his ear for music on the Stooges first album. His direction gave the Stooges their signature sound. Before he was a teenage he already was considered a musical genius. His musical achievements started with the BBC and caught the attention of Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein. His smarts lead to him and Lou Reed starting The Velvet Underground. They both had the love of Avant-Garde. This lead to this forming. Sadly, two years later Cale quit or was fired from the band (no one really knows) and his great musical journey began.



Those investigating his work for the first time under that premise may be surprised at how consciously accessible much of his output is, at times approaching (but not quite attaining) a fairly "normal" rock sound. There is always a tension between the experimental and the accessible in Cale's solo recordings, meaning that he usually finds himself (not unwillingly) caught between the cracks: too weird for commercial success, and yet not really weird or daring enough to place him among the top rank of rock's innovators. (AM)

I think my journey of John Cale was the fact that I liked his odd quirky type music. I liked his stuff because of the way he was much more then a musician. He, like Lou Reed, were friends with Andy Warhol. And to me that was great because I too liked his artwork. The other thing was that his music was always different. His solo stuff was very good and he collaborated with Lou Reed on Songs for Drella that told me that he really was not interested in any mainstream ideas and wanted to pay tribute to a friend.



John Cale's solo albums have been the most fun to listen to. There is so many great ones. Vintage Violence from 1970. To the Classical collaboration with Terry Riley called Church of Anthrax, to Fear, Slow Dazzle, and Helen of Troy. The one that I like is one called Paris 1919. All these albums could be talked about in a few blogs, but Paris 1919 is just sold all the way around. It's the most accessible album in his collection and features Little Feat guitar and founder Lowell George. The songs are richly poetic, enigmatic period pieces strongly evocative of their time and place. There really is not much of an Avant-Garde slant on previous or future albums either. Songs like "Hanky Panky Nohow" and "Child's Christmas in Wales" are wonderful songs. "MacBeth" is the true rocker of the whole album and sets itself apart. All in all, a great album and not one to pass up. Enjoy!

Blood, Sweet and Wow!

I grew up in a odd and very interesting musical household. My father had some great records, but did not play them very often. When he did, he would play them often and most of the stuff he had was Jazz and popular music. He had some Rock, but it was because my uncle told him he would like it. My uncle took him to serious shows too and these albums reflected the great bands that he went to. Examples would be Traffic, Ten Years After, Chicago and Blood, Sweat and Tears. My mother liked crap, I can say that because if you went through her collection you could see really bad music like Barbra Streisand, Melissa Manchester, Neil Diamond (the bad stuff) and many forgetful names.

As I grew older I saw my dad buy music that was on the radio. I saw him get Michael Jackson or Huey Lewis and Hall & Oates. These were okay and maybe fine for me at my age, but I wanted to hear the music that I would hear at my uncles house. The giant classic rock of The Who, Santana, Eric Clapton and so many others. My father and my uncle did agree that Jazz-Rock was the way to go. They both loved Chicago and Blood, Sweet and Tears.



I got into Blood, Sweat and Tears about the same time I got into Chicago. I remember listing to the records and hearing the heavy horns and and the great vocals. Chicago had more power because they had a better guitar player, but BS&T had a very good vocalist. It was tough to figure who I liked more at the time, but I know I loved Chicago because of so much music. They put out three albums that were both double LP's. Of the course of the time I remember listening to BS&T and thinking that they had more of a cult following. They had more hit singles at the time then Chicago. I am not sure what divided me toward one or the other, but it did.

Listening to BS&T made me think that it must have been great to see these bands live. BS&T had a wonderful group of alumni who played with them. People like Randy Brecker, Al Kooper, Lew Soloff (who plays with Carla Bley), Jim Fielder (who played with Tim Buckley), and some funny and famous others such as Jaco Pastorious and Mike Stern who were successful in the fusion period. Their spotty musical record more then likely did not get them the popularity they deserve, but the first two BS&T albums have some great stuff on them.



So I would tell you guys to start your collection with BS&T self titled album. It's a welcome addition to a very good well rounded collection. There use of true Jazz ideas and some classical stuff such as Erik Satie is wonderful and great. They were more Jazz then Rock, but that's okay it shows they were the smarter of all those bands out there. The music is great, fresh and wonderful. Enjoy!

Coltrane Live

The other day I was in New York to see Death, remember I talked about them in a previous blog? They were great and the rest of the music that day was wonderful. I passed all big Jazz clubs I used to go to. Places like Iridium, Blue Note, Village Gate, 5 Spot (which is no longer there), and of course the Village Vanguard. Each have a unique place in history. I did not go to those places as often as I did the Knitting Factory, but I will admit I saw some great music at some of these places. Iridium I saw Cecil Taylor solo and quartet, Blue Note I saw really to many to count, but I saw people I more then likely will never see again. Not because I don't want to, but we are all getting old. Same thing at the Blue Note, some great acts in my day. But passing these wonderful landmarks reminded me of John Coltrane and the time Jazz was hip and cool in the late 1950's and early 1960's.

That time was definitely legendary and once again the time machine would have helped me to that time period. I wish I was a lot of these shows seeing Bill Evans, Coleman, Dolphy, Mingus, Davis, and of course John Coltrane. All these artist and many more I would want to see. Jazz in the 60's was exciting and revolutionary. The music was different and there were many different styles. I wrote a thesis paper for class about this. My topic was about how Jazz was so revolutionary in the 60's that it was almost forgotten. It is one of my favorite periods and genres of music creativity.



When I look back at this period, I see many of my favorite musicians try something different. I mean, Miles started Fusion, Mingus did a little more then Avant-Garde, and Coltrane did free Jazz. All this stuff had some effect on the whole Jazz genre. I am sure I missed someone, (god knows where I put that paper) that is important in that period. All this was stuff I treasured and respected. I also wondered with all this great stuff how was I going to focus on certain albums. When I thought about this blog my intent was to talk about these artist as a whole and focus on that. I did that with Bill Frisell. There are so many great albums he has done. Same goes for Ornette Coleman. His Atlantic recording are some of the best. Miles Davis as well, his catalog in the 60's is amazing. I just happened to choose one from 1974. Most of the stuff was recorded previous years of 1969-1971. With Mingus he too was someone who's stuff had an amazing catalog of stuff. Lastly, John Coltrane was difficult. I chose a live Box Set from his most important era.

John Coltrane Live at The Village Vanguard is an amazing set. Even when some of this was put out in 1962 it broke down Jazz barriers that needed to be broken. Like Ornette Coleman who radically changed the music that he did. John Coltrane changed our whole world in music. I remember buying the single CD of John Coltrane Live at The Village Vanguard and in shock how this is saw great and raw. The group of musicians on this album are also a who's who of the Jazz world. With John Coltrane's regular crew of Jimmy Garrison, Elvin Jones and McCoy Tyner there are also Roy Haynes, Eric Dolphy, Reggie Workman and others.



This box set was issued differently back in 1962 with four different albums of live John Coltrane. This was the first time that they were all put together and remastered with wonderful sound to make you transport yourself back to 1962. Every selection of music on this box set is changing history and the way we see Jazz. In high school my jazz was very simple and straight forward. I would listen to Blue Train by John Coltrane and thought that was the best. When I took my first Jazz History class my opinions changed. There was more then one Coltrane I should hear. The music I heard was wonderful, fresh and vibrant.

John Coltrane is an American institution. His music should be talked about like they talk about Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus and countless others. His world went through so many transformations it is astonishing of his range of ideas and thoughts. John Coltrane's collection in my house is pretty big. I have a bunch of his stuff ranging from 1955 to his death in 1967. The music does not stop there. I have a bunch of re-issues and music that should be in anyone's collection.



John Coltrane is a big figure in my musical loves. There is so much out there that should be accessed and with that I present you with something live. Sure, there is Love Supreme or Giant Steps or even Blue Train, but nothing beats a live album. It shows what a man of his importance can do. Many of John Coltrane albums have a lot of importance no matter if they are the ones I just said. I mean My Favorite Things was the first ever Coltrane album I ever picked up. Issued in 1961 It is also considered a classic. I just want you the readers to hear the album that defines his live presence. There is not many if any except for this stuff that was actually out when he was alive. The live John Coltrane is enough to get you into him. His music is extraordinary, and yes it should be for you to listen.



I wanted to make a side note that each of the four CD's represented in this box set have some great music and each has a great lineup that interplays so well with Coltrane. There are four different groupings with John Coltrane on the last lineup is represented with two songs. Too bad that there is not more to talk about with them. But each group is worth a study. I will apologize for any incorrect information I might lead you down. But each has it's peaks. There is no valleys here. This music is hear for the ages and should be taken seriously. Many people who read this understand that John William Coltrane is a genius. The last few sentences taken from allmusic helps you guys out. Thanks and enjoy a classic.

John Coltrane is sometimes described as one of jazz's most influential musicians, but one is hard put to find followers who actually play in his style. Rather, he is influential by example, inspiring musicians to experiment, take chances, and devote themselves to their craft. The controversy about his work has never died down, but partially as a result, his name lives on and his recordings continue to remain available and to be reissued frequently.

Dear TV On The Radio...

I am always on the quest to find new music and I am very happy when new music finds me. While at college I listened to a lot more new music then I could figure out. There was so much out there that I had to dissect everything and take it one at a time. I also started listening to genres of music I thought I never listen to or expand the listening of what I already knew. These include Electronica, Rap, World and so many others. The music I listened to at College was an eye opener to so many great things and to me I was ready for it. I was not prepared for some music that was to come.

When I was on my way home from work one day I decided to go grab a beer at the local bar. I was listening to the afternoon rock show on one of the college stations. I heard this band that did not sound like any other indie rock band. They had a full effect of electronics, experimental and some routes that had a Post-Punk feel. The singer sang like he was a soul singer. It was odd, but caught my attention because it did not seem to follow the format of the radio show. This show would have been a show I would do that had bands like Built to Spill, Pavement, Radiohead, Guided By Voices, Sebadoh, Dinosaur JR, Pixies, Fugazi, and countless others. This band was different in some ways, but similar to these bands I just said. It was odd. The vocals were different then anything I heard and the music had a feel of something from the future. The DJ played two songs and then introduced the listeners as TV On The Radio. When I got home I wrote this band down.



The next day at work I decided to ask my co-worker about them. He seemed to be hip about what was new out there. We both shared the idea that the best music is from the left side of the dial. He too heard them on another station, but did not know much about them. I looked them up on the internet and found the album that this music was coming from. The odd album title was enough for me to look for it on line. Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes was a worthy title for any band next album. It was interesting to say the least. When I went on my site where I do downloading I found the album and grabbed it. I threw it on a disc and made a copy for my co-worker. I made a homework type assignment for both my co-worker and myself. I told him that we should review the album and say what we liked and disliked. I gave ourselves a week. I was seeing friends in the city and he was going to let his wife (who had great taste in music) give a listen to give another listen.

When we met for lunch that day I told my co-worker first off that I was quite speechless on the album. I also admitted to him that it had yet come out of the CD player in the car. It was also on heavy rotation on the computer's iTunes. He also agreed that the CD player was getting a little more use with the CD. He also mentioned that his wife thought they were some new art rock band from the 2000's. He told her that they were some new band that both of heard this striking music on the college radio station. When I took it to my friends in the city they too thought it was pretty cool and striking. They heard all types of genres and styles of music coming through. We both agreed to pay attention to them in the future.



Two years later we both heard a new album by TV On The Radio. This time we both agreed that this is something not to pass up. We also agreed that this is one of the many great CD's that we should add to the library collection. Since I was the important go to guy in the collection development of music and film, we decided to add it. At first not many people took it out. If they did they did not get what they were doing. Then after about two months the CD was taking out with great reviews. Patrons would ask me where I heard this and what it is this wonderful, odd and eclectic sound. I told them that my co-worker and I are still trying to figure what this band is and what it does so well.

When the next album came out by TV On The Radio we both decided to get it and have a listening party at his house. This one called Dear Science. We were in awe of what it did. There was so much going on and the music had every element of genre crossing and ideas that we still shook our heads. We did not even know what to think. My co-worker admitted to me that it was like hearing the Pixies for the first time. The jaw dropped and the wish we were smart enough to make something so great. We admired their guts to try something not to straight ahead. Each song has some kind of audio art object to it. The song "Crying" is full of rock feel with Electronica and oddness. The vocals and lyrics are wonderful. The horn section from the Antibalas Orchestra make it groove so well. "Dancing Choose" is wonderful feel of groove and the lyrics are like a Hip-Hop song. I could go on and on, but it's worth every listen. Every album they put out does not have a sense of what they did previous, but like they started fresh and want to give you something new and wonderful. Good luck with this one and keep scratching your head like myself and probably so many others. Enjoy!

Gil Scott Live!

Once again I will choose a bootleg instead of an album. I am doing this for one of my all time favorite person who is the father of many things. He is the father of Hip-Hop, he is the father of political activism in music. His message is direct and to the point. There is no way around it and to him these issues should be addressed right away, because if they are not then they will get much worse and the repercussions are something we cannot ignore. Gil Scott-Heron was very good at getting these ideas to many people. Sadly, the white audience almost ignored his thoughts and ideals. I think he did and still does have a lot to say. Much of his work was a collaboration with musician Brian Jackson, and together the pair created a musical fusion of jazz, blues and soul music that touched upon many of the important social issues of their time.

I chose this bootleg because a few things convey more to an audience then a fresh audience to let them listen to what you have to say. There are a several albums that you should get, but live is the way to go. It maybe a bit dated since this recording is from 1977, but it shows how really aware in this society and even more he felt like there should be some kind of action. Gil Scott-Heron made a lot of things cool and his words rang out to many many people. Here are some of the words to his most famous piece.

"You will not be able to stay home brother
you will not be able to plug in, turn on and drop out
you will not be able to lose yourself on skag and skip
skip out for beer during commercials
Because the revolution will not be televised
The revolution will not be televised
the revolution will not be brought to you by xerox
in 4 parts without commercial interruption
The revolution will not show you pictures of Nixon
blowing a bugle and leading a charge by John
Mitchell, General Abrams and Spiro Agnew to eat
hog moss confiscated from a Harlem sanctuary
The revolution will not be televised."



The greatness of Gil Scott-Heron is the fact he was very observant of the media. Even before the John Stewart's and Colbert's of this world he knew what exactly was going on. He knew how things can get repressed or pushed away so we don't have to see it. In the age before the internet, Gil Scott-Heron knew where to find it and make sure his audience was aware of what is happening before their eyes. There was very few of these social people in the world of the 1970's. Gil Scott-Heron did what he knew what to do, make us aware that it is happening and we should stand up and do something.

When I first started getting into Gil Scott-Heron was when I was at the community college and one of the professors mentioned social awareness in a class. He lectured us what to do in society to stand out and actually make something of ourselves. He also mentioned to us that there are very few people who can speak about this and he mentioned people he admired for what they did for change. He mentioned Gandhi, and MLK, and others, but the name Gil Scott-Heron was one from his youth he liked. I asked him about Gil-Scott after class and he told me to come see him in his office tomorrow and he would have a mix of his music. He told me that most of these albums were out of print. Back in the early 90's, none of his albums were around at stores. He filled this 90 minute cassette with some of his best work.



I took this tape home and played it a lot. My father even said something to me about him. He told me that he was a man who spoke his mind very well. I still wonder how of all people my father knew him. It must have been someone at work that talked about him. He worked with everybody and I am sure he heard it through them. The 90 minute cassette had a few pieces that where pretty damn good. I really wished at that point they were on CD so I can at least see them in some kind of original form.

A few years later, just before I went back to college I had someone come over the house. I did not recognize the car in the driveway. When he came to the door, it was the professor from my community college. He told me that he had something for me. When he handed me the package I was surprised to see that there were a few Gil Scott-Heron CD's. He told me that since they are out on CD now that he figure he give me a few of his favorites. There was three all total and he told me my first assignment when I went to college up north is to write a review on one of them and e-mail to him. It had to be at last two pages. I laughed and I did what I was told. Not only was the stuff that he gave me previously, but the stuff on the other albums were awesome.



When I found this bootleg, I quickly made him a copy and gave it to him. He told me that he saw him that year, but could not remember where he did. He was excited that I returned the favor. The next day I got a phone call from him thanking me for giving back his memory. "Gil Scott is one of the best," he said. The album was just what he wanted. Most of the tracks on here are to promote the album he just put out. Bridges is an amazing album. Like the live album it's fresh and so badly neglected.

If I can suggest that you go to the link below. That is where I got this bootleg. It is a wonderful soundboard show and I suggest you get it. It really does show what Gil Scott-Heron has for talent. His music tells better stories than I can. I hope that is the start of your Gil Scott collection and from there, who knows, but the music and words will definitely help you out on what to get. He is a true figure that speaks volumes. The interview with him in the new Waxpoetics is also pretty damn good. Check out a true gem. Enjoy!

http://neverenoughrhodes.blogspot.com/2008/09/gil-scott-heron-live-at-bottom-line.html

Jayhawks Welcome You To Hollywood

1992 I heard a song that sounded like a Classic Rock song from the 1970's. It was full of Country, Folk, and good old fashion Rock and Roll. I heard it on a Classic Rock radio station and really thought it was from the past. It had wonderful sounds of Neil Young, and Gram Parsons. Even the guitar hooks and piano and real organ made it sound like this was not really true. When the DJ announced it was from a somewhat new band called The Jayhawks, I stopped in my tracks. It really sounded like an undated version of Neil's Harvest. In 1992 when this album came out, it put me in such a mood that it changed what I listened to. Instead of hearing Heavy Metal or really over played Classic Rock, it got me to listen to something much better.

The Jayhawks were utterly amazing. After hearing this album I turned my musical concentration to Uncle Tupelo and other kinds of music from this mixed genre music. Every time I heard "Waiting For The Sun" I would crank it and sing along like I was the harmony section. Gary Louris and Mark Olson created some really great music together and were a huge influence on bands like Wilco, Soul Asylum, Ryan Adams, and countless others. What was so good about The Jayhawks was that they did not overpower you with heavy genre type stuff, like Country or Rock, but they played wonderful stuff to make it sound fresh and new.



When this band played live it was an even better sight to see. They knew what worked and took advantage of the great stuff they could do. Each song on their albums was carefully done with such class and did not seem it had a pompous feel to it. In some respects the album sounded very 70's as I mentioned above. It had a feel like if issued in the early 70's they would have been a instant success. I never got to see them on this tour, but I had a chance to and did not see it, something I regret now. One of my friends who is a Jayhawk fan told me that they were amazing live and you could tell they loved what they did. Even the song writing was wonderful and had a sense of past times. The blend of acoustic and electric guitar was just wonderful to the ears.



I think what made this more fun was the fact they got two most important session players to do the organ and piano parts. I mean usually bands do things themselves or find someone who does not know how to do it right, but the The Jayhawks enlisted Nicky Hopkins who played with Rod Stewart and the Rolling Stones, The Who, and so many others in the early 70's. His name alone would make people sit up at attention. This attention got mine, I mean I heard of him and read him on albums that I owned and remembered that he was the missing piece that belonged on an album. He was the keyboard player on "Sympathy for the Devil" and all over Exile on Main Street. The other musician they grabbed was Benmont Tench who was the founding member of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. His work too is wonderful and fresh. He too also played with everybody from Johnny Cash to Bob Dylan, U2, Elvis Costello and countless others.

Each song on the album is fresh and wonderful. Even the single that caught my eye was great. Still one of my favorite songs. "Waiting For The Sun" is a genuine classic among rock songs. While grunge and leftover metal was floating around the Jayhawks kept it simple and fun. Later on The Jayhawks kinda lost their way, but this album and the next one had a great feel. Even their cover of "Blue," a Grand Funk song on their next album was wonderful and really made it their own. Take a listen to a band that was wise beyond their years. A band that had a wonderful fresh look at something that surely was ahead of the time they spent on this planet. Enjoy! Don't forget to sing along too, because this music is great for that.