KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID

No band has ever had a better timed first album than the Ramones did. Right when rock n' roll needed it the most, the Ramones came along and stripped that flashy rock star shit right away. Put them up against what any band was doing in 1976, and contrast and compare.

Here's four from the first three LP's, when they still had the original line-up (and the chemistry). If you never had the opportunity to see them live, check out the video. Imagine if you had a choice back then of seeing some precious egotistical self-absorbed filthy rich rock star virtuoso from a football field away, or what you see in the video; what would you gravitate towards?

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The Ramones - Judy is a Punk mp3 at EnanoRamone
The Ramones - Do You Wanna Dance mp3 at Killed By Death
The Ramones - California Sun mp3 at MBrownI
The Ramones - Rockaway Beach mp3 at Starmaker Machine
The Ramones, full live show (London 1977) video at Sailor Jerry's
Excellent quality, three parts.

I WAS A TEENAGE WINTER FIEND

Johnny Winter already had a few records out when he signed with Columbia in 1969. None of the early releases got much attention. But Rolling Stone had been more than kind, and that got Columbia's attention. They quickly signed him, and their push behind his first album on their label was immense. Soon, heads were listening, and there was a real buzz about the "new" American blues man.

With Columbia's push came big budgets, and excellently art directed LP covers. The first was a solemn portrait with a black background, self-titled with white stenciled letters. The follow-up, "Second Winter," was photographed by Richard Avedon, in his psychedelic style (as he had for the Beatles). The third, was with his newly constructed four piece, featuring former members of the McCoys ("Hang On Sloopy"), Rick Derringer among them. That cover was shot by Norman Seeff, the soft-focus hot shot photographer at the time. The cover of the fourth, "Johnny Winter And Live," consisted of live shots by Seeff, with a band portrait on the inside, also shot by Seeff.

I remember all of seemingly inconsequential trivia because my brothers and I bought his first four albums, and once the music was consumed, the liner notes were devoured; all due to the long wait for the fifth LP. (Unbeknown to us, the wait was due in part to Winter's attempt to kick heroin.) Each of the first four LPs was distinctly different, ranging from acoustic blues to straight-up seventies guitar rock. Because I know them inside and out, those first four Columbia records remain my favorite.

1970

Listen to the "When You Got a Good Friend," from the first Columbia LP. It's just Winter playing acoustic bottleneck slide, with one guitar overdub. Recording wise, it doesn't take rocket science to get that down. Yet the song is full, and the playing so traditional, the only clue to its vintage is the clarity of the production. On "Highway 61 Revisited," from "Second Winter" he's transformed, becoming the rock n' roll slide guitarist. He's really all over the place, almost to the point of showing off. The last one, a cover of "Jumpin' Jack Flash," is from the live album, and it is seventies teenage guitar freak Godhead.

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Music:

Johnny Winter - When You Got Good Friend (1969) mp3 at Cover Me
Johnny Winter - Highway 61 Revisited (1969) mp3 (via MediaFire) at Metal Bastard
Johnny Winter And - Jumpin' Jack Flash (live, 1971) mp3 at Southbay Ampworks
Video:
Johnny Winter - Be Careful With a Fool (1970, Danish TV) at YouTube
Johnny Winter - Mean Town Blues (1970) at YouTube
Johnny Winter - Jumpin' Jack Flash (1974) at YouTube

THE ORIGINATOR

U Roy's been at it for a long time. Since 1969, he has been a constant in reggae. With most of his contemporaries long retired, he continues to record and perform on a regular basis. He, of course, is the epitome of a reggae DJ/toaster. So much so that, despite not being the first, he's often referred to as "The Originator" (a title that he shrugs off).

He was born Ewart Beckford in 1942 (U Roy came from a young relative's mispronunciation of his name). He started out just introducing the records at Jamaican sound systems (King Tubby's among them). After a couple years of performing, John Holt brought him to the attention of Duke Reid, former cop turned producer and label owner (Treasure Isle). U Roy quickly hit his stride, and in 69-70, he was the man. At one point, he had four of the top five records on the charts in Jamaica. After that, he just kept going, and going.

Here is a very awesome, very early clip. Surprisingly good guality too:

Below are a few songs, representing different periods in his career. The first "Dynamic Fashion Way," besides having an awesome title, is among his very first. The second is from the big breakthrough "Version Galore" LP, right about when he had all the hits. The next two are both from the landmark "Dread In a Babylon" LP, from '75. The final two are newish, and have a lot electronic gizmos going on. He's strayed a little, and on "Lovers Rock" I can deal. But, with "Luv n' Live," despite enjoying the comfort of hearing his voice, I gotta pass. There's just too much tweaking and not enough of U Roy.

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Early:
U Roy - Dynamic Fashion Way mp3 at Motel de Moka
U Roy - Your Ace From Outer Space mp3 at Clumsy and Shy
Mid 70's:
U Roy - Runaway Girl mp3 at Tous les jours la grande chose
U Roy - Chalice in the Palace mp3 (via DivShare) at Flea Market Funk
Current:
U Roy (with Love Trio) - Lovers Rock mp3 at Augasm
U Roy (with Dub Gabriel) - Luv n' Liv (remix) mp3 at Music2Ten
Read:
U Roy bio at Answers.com
U Roy at MySpace
U-Roy Wakes The Town (profile) at the Gleaner (Jamaica)

ROLL OVER STOOGES

Awesome Color sound like someone handed them the first two Stooges albums and locked them in the basement. Really. But that's fine, because the Stooges reunion a few years back didn't really capture the old magic (feel good story though, it was). Awesome Color get closer to it, and it might be their youth. Without a doubt, they have their roots, and what Chuck Berry was to the Stones, the Stooges and the MC5 are to Awesome Color. (They're from Michigan, so it does make does sense.)

A cursory look at their video for "Eyes of Light" shows a little ingenuity. 28 seconds into it, when your pretty much mesmerized by the sheer racket, the guitarist is shown playing with a small amp in his picking hand. I like that. Why walk all the way over to your amp to get some feedback, when you can do it right where you are? Nice surprise these guys are. Though they've been around a few years, it's not often you find a newish band that does this sort of thing, this good. And doubly nice after clicking on the name, expecting some twee sounding pop band that you will immediately dismiss, only to realize that it is one of the greatest stoner band names ever. Turn it up.

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Awesome Color - Grown mp3 at Just For a Day
Awesome Color - Eyes of Light mp3 at Indie Rock Cafe
Awesome Color - Transparent mp3 at Largehearted Boy
Awesome Color - I.O.U. (live) mp3 at FensePost
Awesome Color - Step Up mp3 at Raven Sings the Blues
Awesome Color - Taste It mp3 at Raven Sings the Blues
Awesome Color - Eyes of Light video at YouTube

DUSTY IN TRASTOS

Dusty Springfield was all over the place. She must have been, she had "Dusty in London," "Dusty in New York," and "Dusty in Memphis" records. No matter where she recorded, she was always had top notch producers and arrangers. Take "Anyone Who Had a Heart." It's got that guitar, that only plays about four notes, and it's fucking awesome. It sets the tone of the whole song. Then there's swamp-ish guitar and horns on "Son of a Preacher Man," part of the reason the "Dusty in Memphis" LP is so highly regarded. And on "I Only Want to Be With You," the production is big. Like Spector, without all the bells and whistles. (Would I love to hear a great reggae version of that one.)

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Dusty Springfield - Anyone Who Had a Heart mp3 at Popdose
Dusty Springfield - I Only Want to Be With You mp3 at Cuky
Dusty Springfield - Son of a Preacher Man mp3 at Harmony Talk
Dusty Springfield - I Jut Don't Know What to Do With Myself mp3 at Art of Piano
Dusty Springfield - Great Shakes (commercial) mp3 at Baked Ziti
Dusty Springfield bio at LastFM

I'M A MONSTER

A few years ago, while visiting San Francisco, I found myself with a day to do nothing but eat, shit, and shop for records, so that's what I did. After scouting overpriced but excellent hole in the wall stores in North Beach, I trekked out to the end of Haight, for my second visit in two days to the huge ass record store that I cannot name. (They put a friend's record store out of business, so I should add that I kinda had it in for this store, like all predatory Goliaths.) It was huge, and its size offered a relatively broad selection. After checking the bins of disparate semi-obscure artists to get an idea of their selection, I eventually made it to the garage section, which is where I ran into the guy who smelled like cigarettes.

While browsing, he went from "the annoying recommender" to dyed in the wool rock n' roll heart, that smelled like cigarettes. One look at this guy told you everything you needed to know. He was older than me (which is to say, not young), with long sideburns, weathered face, and beat to shit leather jacket The "I've been around so long, all the hipsters my age went straight long ago" look. This guy was one real rocker, stealth, no showboatin'. While browsing next to each other, talk turned to the Nuggets boxed sets, then Kicks magazine and somehow segued to him telling stories about his buddy Cyril Jordan and the Flamin' Groovies. Up to this point, my most prominent impression of the Groovies was "Shake Some Action," a great record, but a little too polished for my tastes.

Years earlier, I, like many teenagers, bought "Teenage Head" as a cut-out, on the merit of the cool band shot on the cover, only to dump it later. But dang me if the guy that smelled like cigarettes didn't convince to give it another listen. What amazes me now is that this total stranger was so true to his old school cool, that his opinion carried merit; just based on the sense that he was that rare bird, the real thing. Now, every time I hear the Flamin' Groovies, I think about that guy, and the shit shooting session that lasted well over an hour. So these are for the guy who smelled like cigarettes, who was convinced that the Flamin' Groovies, in their prime, were the American Stones. I should have bought him a beer.

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The Flamin' Groovies - Teenage Head mp3 at Beware of the Blog
The Flamin Groovies - Shake Some Action (non-LP version) at Beware of the Blog
The Flamin' Groovies - Slow Death mp3 at Sibling Shot
The Flamin' Groovies - Have You Seen My Baby mp3 at Boogie Woogie Flu

REGGAE VOCAL GROUP #136

The Pioneers early stuff has never let me down. These are from 68-73, when they were in their prime. The vocals are just unpolished enough, and the backing is your basic formulaic studio groove; thick but clear enough to single out individual instruments (and once you do, you're locked in). "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" is a pretty funky deviation (the wah-wah and horns do wonders). These guys could really, really handle covers.

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The Pioneers - Long Shot Kick de Bucket mp3 at SoundBites
The Pioneers - Papa Was a Rolling Stone mp3 at Funky 16 Corners
The Pioneers - Mother and Child Reunion mp3 at Snuhthing Anything
The Pioneers Official Site

ZYDECO 101

Several years ago, on the day Clifton Chenier died, a musician/DJ I knew (who worked in a record store) told me he didn't know who Clifton Chenier was. I think everybody should know who Clifton Chenier is. Here's a short introduction:

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Clifton Chenier - Zydeco Sont Pas Sale .mp3 at Lets Polka
Clifton Chenier - Caledonia mp3 at Rocky-52.net
Clifton Chenier - Baby Please Don't Go (the porch video) at YouTube
Clifton Chenier - Les Biscuits video at Daily Motion
Clifton Chenier at Wikipedia

MEET LUIE LUIE

Private label recordings are always a little unusual. Sometimes the artists are sponsored by a hotel (or other tourist attraction), but most record and self release records themselves. And it's not for the same reasons that indie artists do (artistic control, not getting ripped of by record labels, etc.). They usually do it because they're determined to get their music heard, by any means necessary. Seldom does this process have an entirely happy ending. For lounge entertainer Luie Luie, though, it appears that it has. His cult-like fame has been percolating for years, prompting Companion Records to not only collect all of his works, but track down the man himself, receiving his blessing to reissue all of his decades old recordings.

Luie Luie is a one man band act, and he's been plying his trade in lounges and restaurants for thirty-plus years. But that doesn't really say it all. His music is so out there that it is hard to describe. "Herb Alpert on acid" might be as close as you get, but that doesn't even get it. Let's just say if you like Sun Ra, Captain Beefheart and Wesley Willis, you would probably like Luie Luie. In addition to his music, he does these spoken word introductions to his songs, with everything from his view on the world, to instructions on how to do his versatile "Touchy" dance (of which, he relates several variations). Everything about him is so heartfelt, that it's hard not to like him. He just seems like a really genuine sort of...oddball. There, I said it. A genuine oddball, but an oddball nevertheless. That is not a bad thing.

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Luie Luie - What a Wonderful World mp3 at Waxidermy
Luie Luie - Touchy mp3 at Doklands (Link removed)
Luie Luie bio, photos and sample clips at Companion Records
(NOTE: For instructions on how to do the Touchy, listen to sample of "Touch Me With All Your Heart")

THE FUCK YOU DID

You should know the song, "I Put a Spell On You." It's been covered a zillion times. The original by Screamin' Jay Hawkins is undeniably the best, at least it is over here. The man was nuts, especially when you consider he competed for airplay with far less out-there contemporaries. As great as the original is, some of the covers are cool too, especially if context carries weight. The first version I ever heard was by Creedence. It was on their first album, released right smack dab in the middle of the hippie era. There's one part of their version I've always liked. It's the single note sustained feedback, between 2:18 and 2:29 in the song. That's right, eleven seconds. And it doesn't scream like, say, Hendrix. It's more like it's on its last breath. When the solo resumes, the song stumbles to its feet.

Today I came across another version, by Os Rocks, a sixties garage band from Africa. How's that for context? (Aquarium Drunkard has another African garage cut too, by the awesomely named A-Cads).

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Screamin' Jay Hawkins - I Put a Spell On You mp3 at Music Is Art
Creedence Clearwater Revival - I Put a Spell On You mp3 at A Barrel of Nails
Os Rocks - I Put a Spell On You mp3 at Aquarium Drunkard

SOLOMON BURKE DEAD

Solomon Burke, one of the great soul singers to come out of the 60's stable of Atlantic Records, passed away this morning en route to Amsterdam. He was on his way to appear at the Paradiso (fittingly, a live venue in a converted church), making good on his promise to the Telegraph (UK), "I’ll sing as long as I have breath." He leaves behind an astonishing body of work (both as writer and singer), a ministry, 21 children, 90 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren. His message was always positive, including the last posted on his website:

"This is a difficult time in the world, and I would like to ask each of you to find ways to be a part of positive solutions. There is something that each of us can do, and it's just a matter of searching your own soul to find the way that you can give to others. Some of us can give of our time and talent, and some of us can donate money or items. The trick is to give without looking to receive - to give of yourself to your family, your friends, your community, and the world community with love."

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Early Solomon Burke:
Solomon Burke - Keep Looking mp3 at Funky 16 Corners
Soul Clan - Soul Meeting mp3 at Funky 16 Corners
Solomon Burke - Uptight Good Woman mp3 at Funky 16 Corners
Solomon Burke - Five more related mp3s and excellent personal tribute at Funky 16 Corners
Late Solomon Burke:
Solomon Burke - None of Us Are Free video (with the Five Blind Boys of Alabama) at You Tube
Solomon Burke - Fast Train mp3 at Muzzle of Bees
Solomon Burke - Diamond In You Mind mp3 at Muzzle of Bees
Solomon Burke Official Website
Solomon Burke bio at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

I DON'T BELIEVE IN BEATLES

What can be said? Much respect from this corner. He had his hits and misses, but, before punk rock, he was the first musician to inspire me to question things. I always think back to something my brother told me, that Harry Nilsson had told him (during the course of a photo shoot). Nilsson told my brother that Lennon once advised him that if he had an idea, he should act on it, immediately and without questioning it. That would explain the misses, and the hits as well.

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John Lennon - God mp3 at Boogie Woogie Flu
John Lennon - Instant Karma video at YouTube
Dial scan of NYC radio, the night Lennon died at Beware of the Blog

PASS THE TERAUCHI

Takeshi Terauchi is a name that's probably only known to four types of people; guitarists, Ventures fiends, instrumental fanatics, and the people of his native Japan. Starting his career in a country and western band (Jimmy Tokita and The Mountain Playboys), he got the instrumental bug after the Ventures toured Japan in 1962, and left to start his own band, the Blue Jeans. In short order, he became Japan's first guitar hero. To the casual listener, his playing style is similar to the Ventures, but if you listen closely, there are a few quirks that set him apart. While his playing is exceptionally clean, he often squeezes in about four times the notes that are needed (think Dick Dale sans reverb), and he loves, loves, loves his whammy bar. His band has a cool farfisa thing going on as well. The hook? He's big on yelping things at the beginning of songs, and throwing in the occasional "yo!," which makes him just wacky enough to make it to the coveted Friday night slot here at Trastos HQ.

Someone at Beware of the Blog has it bad for Takeshi, because there's been a shitload of his stuff posted in the past few years, every one a hoot. Here's where:

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Takeshi Teraushi - Kanjinncyou mp3 at Beware of the Blog
Takeshi Teraushi - Genruko Hanami Odori mp3 at Beware of the Blog
Takeshi Teraushi - Sabre Dance mp3 at Beware of the Blog
Takeshi Terauchi - Caravan mp3 at Beware of the Blog

Takeshi Terauchi and the Bunnys - Let's Go Classics LP (classical covers, 11 mp3s, right click song titles) at Beware of the Blog
Takeshi Terauchi and the Bunnys - This is Terauchi Bushi LP (12 mp3s, right click song titles) at Beware of the Blog

RARE R.L.BURNSIDE VIDEO

Instructions: Get a beer. Turn off everything that could possibly be distracting. Put your feet up. or better yet, get on your feet. Turn the volume up. Click the bottom right corner to see full screen. Click play. Slide into one of the most awesome clips I've ever seen online.

Everything about this early '70's clip is great. A young R.L.Burnside playing at a party, a jukebox in the corner behind him. Everyone, everyone dressed in casual, stylish bar attire. Some sweaty, some drunk, some restrainfully sexed up. (Anyone from San Diego in the 80's who wanted something remotely like this went to the Texas Teahouse on Thursdays.)

Read about the clip at Aquarium Drunkard

I'LL NEVER CATCH UP

Neil Young is a real piece of work. He's had exceptional moments, and some questionable moments, but his output, taken as a whole, is pretty remarkable. He's recorded 32 "solo" albums (with and without Crazy Horse) since 1969. That doesn't include about a dozen albums with other bands, greatest hits collections, or any of his many live albums. He's a machine. Sure, a few of them have been less thought out than others, but most are interesting and even the less than stellar releases have been quixotic at worst. And that's part of his appeal. He takes chances, and moves on. If some of it sticks to the wall, that's good. They get put in set lists for a few years.

When I first heard that the music on his new album "Le Noise" (le annoying pun on producer Daniel Lanois' surname) would be primarily guitar and effects, my first thought was, "Oh boy, here we go. It's 'Trans' all over again." But, you know what? I'll give him "Trans," and all his other goofy ideas any day, especially if that allows him the space to work on another better album, which is always likely to be different than the last.

The first song of his that I remember hearing was "Cinnamon Girl," in 1970. I wasn't even buying records yet. But it was inescapable, on AM radio if you can believe it. The first record that I actually bought of his was "Harvest" in '72 (my first was listen interrupted by a stomach ache, so I still find it hard to listen to). All along the way, he's been right there. "Long May You Run" was given a new context when it was in the soundtrack of a surf movie, at the Strand Theater. "Tonight's the Night" was part of my personal soundtrack at the Front Street house. "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" was the record that wouldn't leave the turntable for much of the 80's. That's another thing. With his catalog, unless you're a total completest, you find yourself skipping around chronologically. He's been there, good, uneven, and sometimes perfect, all along. And you know a winner, when you later associate it with something. I just got "Zuma." Way late, I know. Shut up, I was saving it.

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From Le Noise:
Neil Young - Love and War mp3 at For the Sake of the Song
Neil Young - Angry World mp3 at Surviving the Golden Age
Neil Young - The Hitchhiker video at YouTube
Other Stuff:
Neil Young - Cinnamon Girl mp3 at The Rising Storm
Stills-Young Band - Long May You Run mp3 at Beat Surrender
Neil Young - A Day in the Life (Live) mp3 at Cover Me
Neil Young - Chicago Hurricane (1976 live bootleg) 20 mp3s at Captain's Dead
Neil Young Discography at Wikipedia

JACK ON FIRE

He came along at the right time, when the L.A. punk scene desperately needed to get past it's predominantly one dimensional scenester thing. Despite being untrained and primarily a musicologist and fan, in a most punk way, Jeffrey Lee Pierce just got up there and did it. He immersed himself in the music and imagery of the rural South, and he bucked the methodology of his peers. Instead of going all out to seem irreverent, he changed the way reverence sounds.

Pierce always took the leap. When he liked a band, he became the president of their fan club. When he became enamored with reggae, he spent a year in Jamaica. And when he thought a friend should front a band, he assembled members beforehand. By example, he encouraged others to take leaps, both figuratively and literally.

In the documentary, Ghost on the Highway, Henry Rollins describes the type of person that Pierce was. "Don't give them a real job. They can't even balance a check book, they can't do anything. But they can do that thing. Jeffrey was one of those guys." His passions were uniquely suited for doing what he did, regular day-to-day life be damned. When that meant touring, recording, and living and breathing music, it's no surprise that drugs and alcohol crept in. After bouts with hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver, Pierce died from a brain hemorrhage in 1996, at the relatively young age of 37. We'll never know if he was predisposed to wrecking himself with or without music. All we can take is the music itself, as a gift, and testament to someone whose entire adult life was spent consumed in what he loved.

In interviews, one thing that rock n' roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis is always quick to point out is the rarity of true song stylists, a performer who can really make any song their own. Lewis, humble as he is, points to himself, Hank Williams, Al Jolson and Jimmy Rodgers as the only real song stylists. With all due respect (which, for the Killer, is something I truly mean), I think it would be hard to deny that Jeffrey Lee Pierce was more than a singer. Listen to both his and Robert Johnson's versions of "Preaching the Blues" (below). Give it up, he was a bona fide song stylist.

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The Gun Club - Sex Beat mp3 at Eat This Grenade!
The Gun Club - Cool Drink of Water mp3 at Sous les pavés, la plage
The Gun Club - Preaching the Blues mp3 at Sous les pavés, la plage
Robert Johnson - Preaching Blues mp3 at More Things
The Gun Club - Jack On Fire video at YouTube
The Gun Club - Preaching the Blues video at YouTube
The Gun Club - Fire of Love video at YouTube
The Gun Club (Official?) site
Ghost On the Highway documentary (clips and such)
The Gun Club Discography

MAKE LIKE LINK HAYES

While you may not be all that into TV show theme songs, most of them are only 60 seconds long, so they can make for some excellent mix meat. I know, it's a given that quite a few are real dogs, but some can really liven up that shitty playlist you've got going (or DJ set). Take the Mod Squad theme for instance. If you play that sucker loud, you'll want to ass-slide over the hood of a car (or behave in some other cop-like manner). The horns, organ, pace and brevity will have you doing whatever the hell it is you do with gusto.

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Mod Squad Theme mp3 (right click to save) at Classic Television Themes
Classic Television Themes web site
(NOTE: Other themes can be downloaded by picking a letter and, once on that page, right clicking a screen shot in the column on the right.)

LARYNX SHRED FEST

Selective memory seems to correlate with priorities. By that I mean, I forget a lot of things; a lot. But one thing I'm remarkably good at remembering is when I was exposed to a particular band or song. I can go down the list of just about every record (or CD) I have and remember when I first heard it, or who told me to check it out. (The first recommendation came from a teenage, pre-Rolling Stone Cameron Crowe. No shit.) I actually started a list once and had to stop, because the recollections came remarkably easy.

This morning I had my most recent recommendation, in a very brief online conversation with a very good friend, one whose taste is, in my book, beyond reproach. As it had been some time since we last spoke, I asked her about a band she'd likely be in tune to, the Jim Jones Revue. She said, and I quote (or paraphrase): "Love them. Check out Bunker Hill." I did just that, and immediately heard the similarity. They both belong to the elite group of good ol' fashioned larynx shredders. A certain brand of shouters that if you were to try to emulate, you'd have to reach for some cough drops. Really, try to to sing all of the songs below and see if you don't do some permanent damage. Here then is a brief (rather spotty) history of larynx shredders, including Bunker Hill:

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Bunker Hill - The Girls Can't Dance mp3 at Secret Comics
Bunker Hill - Hide and Go Seek (with Link Wray) mp3 at Garage Hangover
Bunker Hill - You Can't Make Me Doubt My Baby mp3 at The Soul Girl
Bunker Hill bio @ Wang Dang Dula
Little Richard - Keep A Knockin' mp3 at Drummer World
Don and Dewey - Justine mp3 at Beware of the Blog
Sonics - Psycho mp3 (download at Mediafire) at Metal Bastard Goes Soft
Jim Jones Revue - Princess and the Frog mp3 at Sous les Paves, la Plage
Nick Curran and the Low Lifes- Kill My Baby mp3 at KEXP.org

AIN'T THAT SOME SHIT

I admit it, I'm a cusser. Not because I want to offend people, but because, well, when I say "I saw a big fuckin' tree," I'm convinced that anyone with half a brain would know I wasn't talking about a big tree that was fornicating. They would know that I was talking about a really big tree. And if they're offended by the word itself, then, logically, they should be offended by the word "fornicate" as well (and, I'm sure there aren't many people who are). So, I'm behind anyone who doesn't necessarily cuss just to press the issue, but doesn't shy away from normal usage of a slang word either, "dirty" or not.

Being constantly on the lookout for music I've never been exposed to, it's sometimes a crap shoot. I have, on more then a few occasions, gravitated towards band names or songs that are unusual, colorful or interesting. (This is how I first heard Pissed Jeans, a band I've come to like quite a bit.) So, when I saw a song called "Fuck You" by Cee Lo Green, I had to bite. Good thing I did too, because it's an awful nice slice of Al Green-like seventies type soul.

As a bonus, I had to include the old school cussin' "Rated X" version of "Better Think Twice" by Jackie Wilson and LaVern Baker. And what cussing post would be complete without "Seven Dirty Words," by George Carlin, who did more than any comic, short of Lenny Bruce, to thumb his nose at censors. Oh, and there's a link to the uncensored "Shit My Dad Says," which was turned into an unremarkable sitcom referred to as "Bleep My Dad Says" (which, yes, takes the punch out of the concept completely).

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Cee Lo Green - Fuck You mp3 (right click to save) at Music For Kids Who Can't Read Good
Cee Lo Green - I Want You mp3 (right click to save) at We All Want Someone to Shout For
Jackie Wilson and LaVern Baker - Better Think Twice (Rated X) mp3 (right click to save) at Beware of the Blog
George Carlin - Seven Dirty Words mp3 (right click to save) at SnuhthingAnything
Shit My Dad Says
Seven dirty words at Wikipedia

HACKY SACKERS BE GONE

Here's a quick handful for your reggae quiver. First, the reason for the post: Linton Kwesi Johnson's classic "Sonny's Lettah" which was inescapable when it came out (about '77 or '78). Really, it's more spoken word over reggae (he was , after all, considered a reggae poet), but you forget about that once the rhythm hooks you. Following that is Bob Marley and the Wailers, who I'm usually hesitant to post because it attracts the hacky sack crowd, but I dig "Punky Reggae Party" because it's one of very few reggae songs to acknowledge the punk/reggae intermingling of the late 70's UK. Plus, I've always loved the line "no boring old farts will be there." The last link is one by Alice Russel, a cover of the White Stripes "Seven Nation Army," which I've posted another version of before, but this is a reggae version (probably a mash up). Damn, I forgot that she had such a great voice.

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

Linton Kwesi Johnson - Sonny's Lettah mp3 (right click to save) at Mustard Relics
Linton Kwesi Johnson - Iron Bar Dub mp3 (right click to save) at Mustard Relics
Bob Marley and the Wailers - Punky Reggae Party mp3 (right click to save) at You Sound Like a Robot
Alice Russel - Seven Nation Army (Reggae Version) mp3 (right click to save) at Audio Muffin