CHANTEUSE OF THE QUARRY

So, do you guys know who Joyce Harris is? You should. She comes just about as close as you can get to a female version of the Sonic's Gery Roslie. If you know the Sonics and Roslie, you know that means more than a little gravel in her larynx. Close to Los Saicos level. Not on every song but enough to merit mention. Listen to her version of "I Got My Mojo Working" and "No Way Out" below. If that tickles your fancy, there is a mix at Probe Is Turning-On the People that includes sixteen songs of hers (including two with her singing as Sinner Strong and five with her sister as Judy and Joyce). It also includes ten songs by Kathy Lynn of whom I know nothing about and isn't quite as rough as Harris. But one of hers is singing with Link Wray and the Wraymen. It's rather pedestrian for Wray, not a whole lotta badass going on, but if he worked with dog shit, I'll give dog shit a listen.

The mix is a quick download and they're all individual mp3s. so you can cherry pick which to save. Hell, I think it's worth the hassle just to have her version of "I Got My Mojo Working". Once at Probe, scroll down to session 425, the download link is right below the song list.

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Listen:
Joyce Harris - I Got My Mojo Working (streaming) at YouTube
Joyce Harris - No Way Out at Rocky 52
Joyce Harris (as Sinner Strong) - Don't Knock It mp3 at Rocky 52
The mix:
Joyce Harris Meets Kathy Lynn (Session 425) (zip) at Probe Is Turning-On the People 26 songs as individual mp3s. Once at Probe, scroll down to session 425, the download link is right below the song list.

LOST AND FOUND

Remember Linda Gayle? Her crazy cover of "Maggie's Farm? I didn't. Ran into it again at an old post from 2008, over at the sadly dormant but still packed with goodies Boogie Woogie Flu. So what the hell, might as well post another lady larynx shredder. Joyce Harris leaves it all out there on "Got My Mojo Working".

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Linda Gayle - Maggie's Farm mp3 at Boogie Woogie Flu
Joyce Harris -  Got My Mojo Working (streaming) at YouTube
Sinner Strong - Don’t Knock It (streaming) at YouTube Sinner Strong was Joyce Harris. She asked to be billed as Cina Strong but was misheard, or so the story goes.

FOUR KINDS OF CRAZY

Every time it seems like things are kind of slowing down, in terms of hearing anything that knocks me on my ass, I seem to run into a blog or two that nail it. Good text, wild music, and just the right amount of flippancy. In the right proportions that combination can eat up several nights, and that's probably what's going to happen, so I'll hep you to a handful of cuts at my newest instant favorite, and send you on your way.

On the Record is an unassuming looking blog, until you start poking around. Most of the links, even on the earliest posts are still good, and like I said, there's good text. Historical info, pretty detailed at that, along with snarky asides. Fucking awesome: a record fiend with attitude, and great records. Turn your attention now to first song linked below. That's right, you know him, you love him, you can't live without him, the Great One, Mr. Link Wray. Much fuss has been made here and elsewhere about his sinister licks. This, of course, is what put him on the map. As you may know he's dabbled in singing with mixed results. I honestly never thought one of his vocal songs would become a favorite, but then, I hadn't heard the one I just heard. Feast your ears on "Hidden Charms" by Wray and his Wraymen, circa 1966. That's right, smack dab in the middle of the garage rock explosion, our main man shows those bowl cuts a thing or two. Put it away teenagers, he means business. (Note: The outro is some seriously twisted licks.)

Also at the same site, the gold standard of nuts,"The Girl Can't Dance", which, of course, features the legendary larynx shredding of Bunker Hill. Did you know that it's Wray and his homies backing Hill? Now you do. Speaking of larynx schedding, remember ol' Joyce Harris' version of "Got My Mojo Working"? Of course you do. I was hyperventilating all over it on a post just...shit, it was six years ago. On the Record posted another a cut of hers, "No Way Out", that's as crazy as that earlier one. The last selection below is Dean Carter's cover of "Jailhouse Rock, which answers the question, if you were going to cover that song in 1967, how do you make it relevant? You go batshit crazy, that's how. Dig the guitar solo.

About DivShare, where On the Record hosts their stuff: From the site, click on the "share" button on the embedded DivShare player. A download link will appear (it might say "Link to mp3"). Click on that, it'll take you to DivShare. Once there, click on the green "Download" button. A bit of a hassle, but it will pay dividends.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Link Wray and the Raymen - Hidden Charms mp3 (via DivShare) at On the Record
Bunker Hill - The Girl Can't Dance mp3 (via DivShare) at On the Record
Joyce Harris - No Way Out mp3 (via DivShare) at On The Record
Dean Carter - Jailhouse Rock mp3 (via DivShare) at On the Record
Visit:
On the Record

DON'T PUT THAT MOP AWAY JUST YET.

I know what you're thinking: I've heard that song a zillion times. How can someone top all of the other versions, including those made by every goddamn blues musician that ever dusted a stage? Good question, thank you very much for asking. It's a rare occasion when a woman sacrifices her larynx, and that's just what Joyce Harris does with the song that you thought you'd heard enough of. I am certain that, with pipes like hers, no man would stand a chance in a domestic dispute.

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Kudos to Locust St for writing "The track opens with a summoning, a howled note Harris holds until she shreds her voice to pieces." Voice shredding has always been one of my favorite things to listen to, particularly because it can elevate a blues standard to a beer-spilling, living room trashing, turntable pipe bomb.

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Joyce Harris - I Got My Mojo Working mp3 + 2 others at Locust Street

Joyce Harris bio & interview at Color Radio