PRODUCED BY JACK NITZSCHE

A while back, I ran across someone writing about the soundtrack to Nicolas Roeg's Performance, saying that, upon revisiting it, he was reminded what a great soundtrack it was. My vinyl copy long gone (again, into the DJ ether), it prompted me to repurchase it, and I gotta say, he was right. Some of you are probably aware of the Mick Jagger cut on it, "Memo From Turner," but the quality of the whole thing is more a testament to Jack Nitzsche's conception, production and the talent he amassed.

Nevermind the vocals (Jagger, Merry Clayton, Buffy Sainte-Marie, the Last Poets, and a young Randy Newman), the backing band included Ry Cooder, Lowell George, Gene Clark and Russ Titleman, among others. The instrumentation included everything from soup to nuts: sitar, dulcimer, Cooder bottleneck, and some Moog (that's an early synthesizer, for you young lawn dwellers). I could only find "Memo From Turner," from that soundtrack, so to round things out, here's "The Last Race," a Nitzsche original that old farts might remember from 1965 film, The Village of the Giants, and you youngsters will recognize as a song from Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof. Nitzsche didn't do just soundtracks, he was everywhere, as writer, producer and conduit of talent. To really appreciate Nitzsche, you ought to check out the excellent profile at The Hound Blog. Though the mp3 links have expired, read it. You will be blown away at how many things have Nitzschtink on them. These two are just a molecule on the tip of the iceberg.

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Mick Jagger - Memo From Turner mp3 at Giant Panther
Jack Nitzsche - The Last Race mp3 at MarkMizzles.WhyPrime
Jack Nitzsche - Excellent profile at The Hound
Jack Nitzsche - Exhaustive discography at Spectropop

THE YARDBIRDS WITH PAGE & BECK

I don't know what's more awesome. The song, the movie clip, or the write-up. Dr. Mooney's 115th Dream, another always excellent, always varied blog, posted the Yardbirds' "unruly overhaul" (Dr. Mooney's words, and dead on) of "Train Kept a Rollin'," retitled "Stroll On." This was from the six month period when both Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck were in the band. If it sounds like a helluva combination, it is. It makes "For Your Love" sound like Freddie and the Dreamers. (Again, I exaggerate, but it is a lot meatier.) Film freaks will remember this line up from the scene in Michaelo Antonioni's Blow Up. A link to the clip is below and at Dr. Mooneys. You really should check out his write-up, it's a good read.

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The Yardbirds - Stroll On mp3 at Dr. Mooney's 115th Dream
The Yardbirds in Blow Up clip at YouTube
Dr. Mooney's 115th Dream's Yardbirds post

NEW GANG OF FOUR TRACKS

After being cited as a post punk influence by everyone and their mother, five years ago Gang of Four seized the opportunity. They reunited and released an album of newly recorded versions of their own old material. Depending on your level of cynicism, it could be seen as the ultimate narcissistic tribute album, a quick cash in, or an excuse to reunite and tour again. However you choose to see it, you might want to reserve judgment until January, when they release "Content," an album of all new material. They've released three new songs as free downloads. Well, not entirely new; one is a fan remix of one of the new tracks ("I Party All the Time"), one is a rehearsal version of a song that is being left off the new album ("Sleeper"), and the third is another rerecorded song ("Glass"). That's kind of milking it, but what do you expect for nothing? So, giving them the benefit of the doubt, I went to their website, and (there's always a catch), you have to give your email address to download them. Personally, I'd just as soon wait to hear them, rather then give out my email address to who knows who. So, I decided to do some digging and I found them, on Here Comes the Flood.

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Gang of Four - I Party All the Time (remix) mp3 at Here Come the Flood
Gang of Four - Sleeper (rehearsal) mp3 at Here Come the Flood
Gang of Four - Glass (rerecorded) mp3 at Here Come the Flood
Gang of Four's Andy Gill and Jon King on the downloads at the Guardian UK (and email repository)
Gang of Four's official site

WANTED: ROCK VOCALIST

Just look at the photo. It's two brothers, and they're just the type of complete dorks that my brother and I would've loved to party with. Bonus old school geek points right out of the gate. Their names are Caleb and Ashton Bird, known as Tweak Bird. They make a loud racket, which is encouraging. Co-produced by a Melvin, also good. Though if I had my druthers, I'd raunch up the vocals. While I could sit here and complain about the dearth of loud guitar/raunchy vocal combos these days, I would be reminded that I did buy the Sweet's "Desolation Blvd" back in the day, and half of that record is practically falsetto. Okay, I exaggerate, but still. Dare I encourage anyone to smoke, could someone at least feed them some gravel?

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Tweak Bird - Whorses mp3 at Volcom
Tweak Bird - Lights in Lines mp3 at Brooklyn Vegan
Tweak Bird - Ah Sun/Ahh Ahh mp3 at Brooklyn Vegan
Tweak Bird - The Future mp3 at Rollo & Grady
Tweak Bird - Flyin' High mp3 at Rollo & Grady
Tweak Bird - Lights in Lines video at YouTube
Tweak Bird Officlal Site

TOM WAITS & THE PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND

Tom Waits and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, on a 78 RPM record. Sounds enticing, eh? Only 504 copies pressed, and they just went on sale at the Preservation Hall Jazz Band store, so if you're so inclined, you better not wait (here's where.). Oh yeah, they're fifty bucks each, which is a little rich for my blood, but for you high rollers, it's tax deductible. It's two songs, “Tootie Ma Is A Big Fine Thing” and “Corrine Died On The Battlefield.” The original versions of these songs, by Danny Barker, were recorded in 1947, and according to the site, are "two of the earliest known recorded examples of Mardi Gras Indian chants." Here's one of the songs:

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Tom Waits & the Preservation Hall Jazz Band - Tootie Ma Is A Big Fine Thing mp3 at Here Comes the Flood
The Preservation Hall Jazz Band online store
The Preservation Hall Jazz Band site

EBO, MEET BUDOS

The release of a new Ebo Taylor long player is causing near riots over here at Bacon Street (that is, if one person moving around like an ape without equilibrium constitutes a riot). Regardless of the vintage, it's timeless African high life/afrobeat stuff, so much so, you could be forgiven for thinking "Love and Death" is a reissue; only the fidelity really gives it away. It reminded me of another favorite around here, the Budos Band. The similarities are in the grooves, but these two are separated by an ocean (Taylor's from Ghana, the Budos Band is from Brooklyn) and about thirty years of recording experience. Taylors earlier stuff (the fourth and fifth mp3s below, taken from compilations) are roughly 30 years old. The Budos Band has only been around about a half dozen. But, the other worldly feel is remarkably similar. This is stuff to drink *OB Speedballs with.

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Ebo Taylor - Nga Nga mp3 at American Athlete
Ebo Taylor - Victory mp3 at Mixtape Riot
Ebo Taylor - Mizin mp3 at Mixtape Riot
Ebo Taylor - Twer Nayame mp3 at Passion of the Weiss
Ebo Taylor - Atwer Aroba mp3 at American Athlete
The Budos Band - Rite of the Ancients mp3 at Undomondo
The Budos Band - Black Venom mp3 at Undomondo
The Budos Band - Unbroken Unshaven mp3 at Aurgasm
The Budos Band - Chicago Falcon mp3 at Noise Narcs
The Budos Band - Budos Rising mp3 at Quarterlife Party

*OB Speedballs: n., pl., a regional cocktail originating in Ocean Beach, California, in the late 1980s. Devised as a two fisted morning alternative to Bloody Marys, it is made with a cup of hot coffee, and a cold beer, drank alternately, until the right mixture of energy and "fuck it all" is achieved.

THE RUMBLERS, AND HEAVY FRIENDS

One of the really righteous things about trolling music blogs is finding one that so closely mirrors you're own taste that you can practically close your eyes and just let the right clicking rip. But, because the blogs are often the territory of young hipsters trying to beat other bloggers to next big thing, it's frustratingly rare. This is especially true if you're no spring chicken. All you want to do is dig some kick-ass tunage, regardless of era; the further off the beaten track, the better. Thankfully, there are a few blogs that deliver, time and time again. Diddy Wah is one of them, and it's probably the most visited blog in my bookmarks. Here is a guy who knows his shit. He knows what you mean when you say "sounds like Duane Eddy with Martin Denny." He knows that "Boss" by the Rumblers is one baddass song. And he knows that it was originally done as "The Caterpillar Crawl" by the Strangers, and borrowed by the Cramps for "Garbageman." So, here's the Rumblers and, to fill things out, a few other Northwest essentials. And two versions of "Diddy Wah Diddy" (the original by Bo Diddley, and a cover by Captain Beefheart), because the name of his blog was my first clue he was on to something. Now go visit Diddy Wah.

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Listen:
The Rumblers - Boss mp3 at Diddy Wah
The Wailers - Out of Our Tree mp3 at Beware of the Blog
The Wailers - Mashi mp3 at Beware of the Blog
The Sonics - Strychnine mp3 at Virginia.edu (huh?)
The Sonics - Psycho mp3 at Iron Leg
Bo Diddley - Diddy Wah Diddy mp3 at Box.net
Captain Beefheart - Diddy Wah Diddy at Lake Tahoe Real Estate (WTF?!?)
Read:
The Rumblers at Pacific Northwest Bands
The Wailers at Pacific Northwest Bands
The Sonics at Pacificf Northwest Bands
Visit:
Diddy Wah

COVERS BY WILCO

There are Wilco fiends that will probably drool over this. I had to bring it to your attention, because that's pretty much what I'm trying to do over here. The reason I do this is really just to point you in the direction of cool stuff to listen to, as long as it's not shit (but then it wouldn't be...nevermind). All the blathering is just that. So, in an effort to cut down on the blah blah blah, here's the Wilco covers, all live. It's a real spread: Mott the Hoople, the Carter Family, the Stooges, the Who, Big Star, Gram Parsons, Replacements, Dylan, Ramones...you get the idea. There's a bunch, 33 in all. Here's a few and a link to the rest. NOTE: They've already been up for a few weeks so get 'em quick. All credit to Cover Me.

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Wilco - I Wish I Was Your Mother mp3 at Cover Me
Wilco - No Depression (live) mp3 at Cover Me
Wilco - TV Eye (live) mp3 at Cover Me
Wilco - Won't Get Fooled Again (live) mp3 at Cover Me
Wilco - Thank You Friends (live) mp3 at Cover Me
Wilco - 100 Years From Now (live) mp3 at Cover Me
Wilco - Color Me Impressed (live) mp3 at Cover Me
Wilco - I Shall Be Released (live) mp3 at Cover Me
Wilco - I Wanna Be Sedated (live) mp3 at Cover Me
These and 24 more covers at Cover Me

REGGAE VOCAL GROUP #117

Jamaica in the sixties and seventies was a vocal group machine. They were everywhere. While some made it big, for each one of them, there are dozens who you might find buried deep in some reissue compilation. It is kind of sad that groups like the Paragons, the Ethiopians, the Jamaicans, the Techniques, and others, may never be given the appreciation they deserve, but really, why would you bother when you could keep busy just keeping track of the better known ones? Yes, it might be said that some of the bigger names just happened to be in the right place at the right time. But there are others who may have been aided by circumstance, but took that ball and just fucking ran. The Maytals were like that.

Toots and the Maytals, in "The Harder They Come"

I could retell the history of Toots and the Maytals (as they've been know since 1968), but life is too short for cut n' paste posts (check Wikipedia for a profile). I'd rather lather praise; and I'll say it: Frederick "Toots" Hibbert has some of the best pipes in reggae. Distinctively Maytal, gravel-ly, gospel-ish, like some kind of reggae mix of Otis Redding and Ray Charles. He, rather they, can make "Louie Louie" sound good. They can make John Denver sound good. And they can make you hear Radiohead's downer "Let Down" with a smile. "They," that's another thing I like about him/them. Even though there would be no Maytals without him, and he has done the solo thing, Hibbert, rather Toots, no wait, the head Maytal, knows that a Maytal-less Toots is no way to live your life.

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Toots and the Maytals - Pressure Drop mp3 at I Predict a Riot
Toots and the Maytals - Funky Kingston mp3 at Ill Dub
Toots and the Maytals - Time Tough mp3 at 8106
Toots and the Maytals - Six and Seven Books of Moses mp3 at If It's Good, It's Good
Toots and the Maytals - Monkey Man mp3 at I Predict A Riot
Toots and the Maytals - 54-46 (Was My Number) mp3 at Pop Goes the Radio (Note: Click on "Download" button in top right corner)
Toots and the Maytals - Louie Louie mp3 (via MediaFire) at Metal Bastard
Toots and the Maytals - Country Roads mp3 at Listen Before You Buy
Easy Star All-Stars w/Toots and the Maytals - Let Down mp3 at Antinomian
Radiohead - Let Down mp3 at Vague Space
Toots and the Maytals official site
Toots Hibbert - Short interview at LA Record
Easy Star All Stars at Easy Star Records

THIS IS DORIS TROY

Ask anyone you know if they know Doris Troy's music. (Go ahead, I'll wait.) They'll probably say that they never heard of her. Ask them if they've heard "Just One Look," her one big hit in 1963 (you do know that one, don't you?). If they're still scratching their heads, ask them if they've heard "My Sweet Lord," "You're So Vain," "Let It Bleed" or "Dark Side of the Moon," all of which she sang back up on. If, at that point, they're still blank, send them on their way.

Troy's solo career peaked with "Just One Look" (which she co-wrote), but it didn't die. George Harrison signed her to Apple Records, and took her into the studio, along with a few friends. Friends like Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Stephen Stills, Leon Russell, Ringo Starr, Jackie Lomax, Klaus Voorman, Harrison and Delaney & Bonnie. Not bad, eh? That had to have been one hot commodity, right? Guess again. It may not have flopped, but it was no million seller either.

On "You Give Me Joy Joy," from the self titled LP (just reissued by Apple), she's backed by the A-Team: Harrison, Stephen Stills, Ringo Starr, Klaus Voorman, and Leon Russell. So, after hearing it, my question is this: which of the two guitarists (Harrison and Stills) is playing what? The rhythm guitar sounds like Ron Wood in the mid-Faces years. The lead sounds like B.B.King. Neither really sounds like Harrison or Stills. I gotta go with Stills, with the slightly distorted guitar. I mean, he had already played with Neil Young at this point. On the other hand...

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Doris Troy- You Give Me Joy Joy mp3 at Dr. Mooneys 115tth Dream
(NOTE: Once at Box.net, look for the "Download" button in the top right)
Doris Troy - Just One Look mp3 at Everybody Taste
Doris Troy's bio at the Official Doris Troy Homepage
Apple Records site
Apple Records discography at Wikipedia

TWO FROM THE TWIT

I didn't always have an opinion about Conway Twitty. My first impressions were incidental glances at the TV when my Dad would watch Hee Haw. He didn't really stand out, being as he was, just another country singer who was on the show to increase their audience (some while at their peak of their career, and some struggling to stay relevant). Quite honestly, I couldn't have been bothered; I was too wrapped up in gobbling up rock n' roll records. But, because of his unusual name, he stayed within the scope of my peripheral recognition. It wasn't until years later, when my friend and record store owner Dan McLain, played me some of his early stuff that I really took notice. Dan (who I've mentioned before, here and here), was one of a handful of music advisers who I took seriously.

As he pointed out, in Twitty's early hit "Lonely Blue Boy," there are a couple moments when he pours everything he can, into a two letter word. In the line "Lonely Blue Boy is my name," repeated a few times during the song, when he gets to "is" he's really trying the emphasis thing, almost as if he's holding in a belch. But that's just a part of it. The whole package is really pretty remarkable. By the time you've heard the Cramps-like guitar intro, and the first two lines "My name should be trouble, my name should be woe," you're reeled in. Twitty's voice is Elvis-like, and the backing vocals, as doo wopping as they are, sound almost sinister laid over the backing tracks. Being that Dan took it upon himself to sell Twitty's early coolness to me, I thought I ought to pay it forward.

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Conway Twitty - Lonely Blue Boy mp3 at Punch Drunk Love
Conway Twitty - It's Only Make Believe mp3 at Mary Hoyer Doll Fashion Show (?!?)
Conway Twitty at Wikipedia
Conway Twitty Official site

BEHIND "THIS DRUMMER IS AT THE WRONG GIG"

You know the saying, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade," right? You can bet Steve Moore knows it. Moore is the drummer for the ridiculously corny cover band Rick K. and the Allnighters. Now, you ask, why would I waste time even mentioning a cover band? There's actually a couple reasons, and one might be the same reason you may have already seen their video on YouTube. It's fucking hilarious. Behind what by all appearances is just a corny-as-shit cover band, Moore goes about his job as if his life depended on it; flailing, twirling, pounding and hamming it up, with limbs everywhere. The juxtaposition of his take-no-prisoners style and the band in matching outfits (gold lame jackets), at what appears to be a fair of some sort, is just too much.

The second reason for this post is because, my interest piqued, I wanted to see just how he ended up in this cover band. But, let's back up. The video is posted on YouTube with several different titles, but by far the one that has the most hits (over 7 million) is the one titled "This drummer is at the wrong gig" which is so dry and to the point that it makes the whole thing even funnier. (The video had been up for two years, but after being retitled "This drummer is at the wrong gig" it got over a million hits in four days.) As it turns out, the title is partially true. Moore cut his teeth in metal and punk bands before becoming an Allnighter. But, as with the lion's share of musicians, he couldn't make a living at it. He supplemented his gig money by washing dishes and working in factories, and for one six month stretch he slept on the floor of a recording studio in exchange for laying down drum tracks.

In 1997, he was hired by Rick K., and, while not his ideal band, he had 150-200 paid gigs a year. Fast forward to June of this year. The video above, already on YouTube, was reposted, and aided by the funny title, became a viral smash. You can guess what happened next. Moore now has endorsement deals, has been featured in drummer magazines, and is getting emails from metal drummers that he's idolized for years. The irony? Moore's in a video with a metal band called Dofka on YouTube. It was posted four years before the renamed Allnighters video. Frankly, I'm surprised he hasn't got an endorsement deal with a lemonade company. Come to think of it, someone in marketing should sign the guy who retitled it.

Steve Moore - Over the Barrel preview at YouTube
Rick K. and the Allnighters - Wipeout video at YouTube
Steve Moore interview at The Philadelphia Weekly
Steve Moore profile at Drummer World
The Mad Drummer, Steve Moore's website
Steve Moore's MySpace Page (with samples of his Dofka work)
Rick K. and the Allnighters Official page
Oktoberfest drummer at the wrong gig (skip to 1:25) at YouTube
Dofka (w/Steve Moore) - Suicidal (live) video at YouTube
Steve Moore interview from Stephanie's Rock Show on YouTube

THE TRUE BELIEVER

Come hell or highwater, Dexter Romweber has always stuck to his guns. While completely capable of playing the game, he's always seemed to know his role. He is a rare bird, a true believer. A believer in classic rock n' roll. It was apparent in the 80's documentary "Athens, GA Inside Out" and in old clips from MTV. He's seen as a young kid, then in the Flat Duo Jets, who idolized Little Richard, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Elvis, and James Brown; he stood out as as one of the few who ignored what would have been easy. While half the population of Athens was getting all new wavey n' shit, he paid tribute to his heroes, rock n' roll artists whose peaks came and went before he was even born.

It begs the question, what is a career? Doing what gets you paid the most, or doing what you love and just getting by? For some, the dilemma is wearing a necktie or wearing a guitar. For Romweber, it's getting new wavey n' shit, or playing timeless well written songs, be they ballads or flat-out rockers. Even if it means playing at a neighborhood block party. While the ultra big time may have eluded him, he's won the respect of some pretty big names. The Cramps. Jack White and Iggy Pop have all name-dropped (and more). On his 2009 album, "Ruins of Berlin" (of which, only 1,000 were pressed), he's joined in duets by Cat Power, Neko Case, and Exene Cervenka (LL Dexter R, indeed!). In a perfect world, Dexter Romweber would be huge.

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Dexter Romweber Duo - Lookout mp3 at The Line of the Best Fit
Dexter Romweber Duo - Picture of You mp3 at There's Always Someone Cooler Than You
Dexter Romweber Duo (w/Jack White) - Last Kind Words mp3 at Cover Me
Dexter Romweber Duo (w/Cat Power) Love Letters mp3 at Bloodshot Records
Dexter Romweber Duo - Still Around (live at a block party) video at YouTube
Dexter Romweber Duo - Guybo mp3 and 18 more live tracks at Southern Shelter
Jack White, Cat Power, Exene Cervenka and Neko Case testify at YouTube
Flat Duo Jets - Rockin' Bones mp3 and two videos at The Walrus
Dexter Romweber interview and sidewalk performances, 3 videos at The Village Voice
A shitload more of Dexter Romweber videos at YouTube

THE FRATERNAL ORDER OF MESSY HAIR

Of the whole mid-70's New York music scene there's probably no more intriguing pairing than that of Richard Hell and Johnny Thunders in the original Heartbreakers. Though no official recordings of the band with both of them exist (that I'm aware of anyway) there is a bootleg of a demo that they did in 1975. While the Thunders penned songs (with him singing) sound like a low-fi version of the later Hell-less Heartbreakers, there's a few cuts that Hell sings that are worth hearing, particularly if you are a Richard Hell fiend. As with most rock n' roll, it's all about the geetar. On Hell's major label debut, Blank Generation, the guitar duties are handled by Robert Quine, an excellent guitarist, but in a completely different universe than Thunders. Quine was a serious musician and attended the Berklee College of Music. Thunders was schooled on smack and rock n' roll. A textbook case of apples & oranges. To hear Hell singing "Blank Generation" and "Love Comes in Spurts". with Thunders playing is as close to a "what could have been" revelation as there is, at least in the realm of the embryonic NY punk scene.

Program Notes:
For those not skilled with zips and full LP mp3's, I started the NY gluttony below with a few mp3s from the later Heartbreakers (without Richard Hell) and a few of Richard Hell and the Voidoids (including the later versions of "Blank Generation" and "Love Comes in Spurts" with Quine). Then comes the more challenging special interest stuff. The Heartbreakers demo is a full LP rip, and may take a little more know-how to download than a single mp3, but if I can figure it out, you can. (Dig around, it's pretty intuitive.) Same goes for the rest of them. Next up is an albums worth of the later live Heartbreakers (without Hell) from 76-77. Following that, a five song 1973 Neon Boys EP, that has Hell and a pre-Television Tom Verlaine. The Television "Poor Circulation" LP is live stuff, demos and rehearsal tapes from 73-75, again with Hell and Verlaine, this time with Richard Lloyd. If, by now, you're able to figure out how these things are to download, there's a shitload of Hell and Television downloads of rare live stuff at Know Your Conjurer's Richard Hell & Television Mega-Post.

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Mp3s:
The Heartbreakers - Born To Lose mp3 at Town Full of Losers
The Hearbreakers - Chinese Rocks mp3 at Event Magic
The Heartbreakers - I Wanna Be Loved mp3 at Tsiou
The Heartbreakers - It's Not Enough mp3 at Naturalismo
The Heartbreakers - Do You Love Me (demo) mp3 at Voiciferouslam
Richard Hell & the Voidoids - Liars Beware mp3 at Linmod
Richard Hell & the Voidoids - Blank Generation mp3 at BlahBlahBlahScience
Richard Hell & the Voidoids - Love Comes in Spurts mp3 at Quarlo
LP Rips:
The Heartbreakers (with Richard Hell) 1975 SBS Studio demos, 10 song rip at (Son of) Exile On Moan St. (Click on the blue "Download Now" button)
The Heartbreakers (without Hell) Lost Live Tapes (76-77) LP at Teenage Dogs In Trouble
Neon Boys (Richard Hell & Tom Verlaine) - 5 Song EP (1973) zip at Know Your Conjurer
Television (with Hell & Verlaine) - Poor Circulation bootleg rip at T.U.B.E.
Richard Hell & Television Mega-Post at Know Your Conjurer

BORN TO JAM: HENDRIX ODDITIES

Once his career took off, Jimi Hendrix rarely passed up an opportunity to jam, or record the odd cover. As much a fan as confident guitarist, he had plenty of opportunities to jump on stage, or drag someone to a studio after hours. Some of this stuff has been in circulation so long, that I remember seeing one of the bootlegs (of Hendrix and fellow 27 clubber Jim Morrison) back when I was in high school. This stuff,...well, most of this stuff is interesting just as curiosities. Want to hear Hendrix playing while a certifiably wasted Morrison blurts out shit like he just learned to cuss? Then you'll love "Morrison's Lament," from afore mentioned boot. How about him jamming with Stevie Wonder on drums, on "I Was Made To Love Her"? Or Hendrix with Johnny Winter and stealth scenester Stephen Stills? With John McLaughlin? There is, as always has been, a lot of this stuff floating around. But if you, like me, are not a Hendrix completist, and maybe just mildly interested, here's your low commitment chance. Don't miss the video of a young Hendrix (1965) as sideman to Buddy & Stacy (at :49 seconds he shows early flash, running his hand down the frets from over the top of the neck). And, in a totally bizarre match up, there's a audio only clip at YouTube with Hendrix backing Jayne Mansfield. I also threw in a few covers because they were just sitting there, and worth a listen. Hendrix does New Orleans, (covering Allen Toussaint's "Get Out of My Life Woman"), the Four Tops, and an odd Dylan. Remember, jams is jams: long, meandering and often sloppy. Just pretend you're in the kitchen getting a beer, while a bunch of rock stars are banging around in your living room.

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Jams & Covers:
Jimi Hendrix (w/Stevie Wonder on drums) - I Was Made To Love Her mp3 at Everybody Taste
Jimi Hendrix (w/Jim Morrison) - Red House mp3 at Troubled Souls Unite
Jimi Hendrix (w/Jim Morrison) Morrison's Lament mp3 at Troubled Souls Unite
Jimi Hendrix (w/Jim Morrison) - Tomorrow Never Knows mp3 at Troubled Souls Unite
Jimi Hendrix (with Jim Morrison - Five more mp3s at Troubled Souls Unite
Jimi Hendrix - Studio jams (2 with John McLaughlin, 6 with Johnny Winter) LP download at Rock On Vinyl (with the details and song lists).
Jimi Hendrix - Get Out of My Life Woman mp3 at Everybody Taste
Jimi Hendrix - I Can't Help Myself mp3 at Everybody Taste
Jimi Hendrix - Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window mp3 at Everybody Taste
As Sideman:
The Icemen (My Girl) She's A Fox (1966) mp3 at Everybody Taste
Buddy and Stacy (1965) - Shotgun video at YouTube
Jane Mansfield (Hendrix on bass and guitar, 1965) - Suey at YouTube

SONGS FOR SWINGING SLEEPERS

I don't understand what all the fuss is about. They're nice, I guess, but I can think of a few bands who do (or did) this sort of thing better. But bloggers are drooling over Warpaint, so I thought I'd ask you, dear non-commenting readers, just exactly what is so damn special about Warpaint that warrants all the attention? Do I need to get my ears checked? Am I too jaded? I suppose I could throw these on a "Dreamy Mellow Mix," but I know I'll never listen to it. Oh, wait a second, I do sometimes listen to this level of mellowness when I'm fading off to...Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z ...

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Warpaint - Undertow mp3 at The Music Ninja
Warpaint - Warpaint mp3 (via Box.net) at Pop Goes the Radio
Warpaint - Billie Holiday (live session) mp3 at To Die By Your Side
Warpaint - Bees mp3 at μ sique
Warpaint - Baby mp3 at Tune the Proletariat
Warpaint - Shadow mp3 at See the Leaves
Warpaint - Elephant video at YouTube
Warpaint - Beetles video at YouTube

IN PRAISE OF LOUD WOMEN

To imagine how all-women bands were viewed in the eighties, you really do have to take into consideration the high visibility of the Go-Go's and the Bangles. Both we're cutesy bordering on coy, and safe enough to take home to Mom. Though both bands had their earlier trashy days, they had no problem letting record companies spit shine them into polished bland girl band crap. (It's really hard to believe that both bands were actually interesting in their earliest incarnations.) In 1985, along comes a bona fide all-women band that turned it up to 11. Similar only in locale (L.A.) and gender, L7 rocked hard. Simply put, they were a band whose in-your-face-ness rendered their sex a non-issue. And this was before the Riot Grrrl movement was in full swing.

Bless their stained hearts, L7 were all but unmarketable. Though they did try. In 1999, in what be one of the best nose-thumbing of a gender trap, they hired a plane to pull a banner over a Lilith Fair show reading "Bored? Tired? Try L7." The next day, over a Warped tour show, they were up to it again, this time taunting the predominantly male line-up with a plane pulled banner reading "Warped needs more beaver...love, L7." Lest their attitude seem choreographed, there's always the moment at the 1992 Reading Music Festival, when guitarist Donita Sparks, tired of being the target of the mud throwing audience, took out her used tampon on stage, and threw it at them, saying "Eat my used tampon, fuckers!" Sound disgusting? Complain to the Go-Go's.

Program notes:

"Shit List" contains staccato shrieking that is, at first, repelling, as it should be. "Hanging On the Telephone" is a cover of a Nerves' song. The Nerves were a power pop band, who notably put on the earliest L.A. independent punk shows, featuring debuts of the Zeros, the Germs and the Weirdos, and one of the last Dils shows as a four piece. "Pretend We're Dead" is one L7 seemed to have banked on, at their peak. "Question My Sanity" is of note because the solo repeats the same six notes over and over. If you've been taking aural notes, that's three times more notes than the Buzzcocks' Pete Shelly used in his solo on "Boredom."

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L7 - Shit List mp3 at Captain's Dead
L7 - Hanging On the Telephone mp3 at Star Maker Machine
L7 - Pretend We're Dead mp3 at Viva la Mainstream
L7 - Question My Sanity mp3 at A Barrel of Nails
L7 - Pretend We're Dead (The Word TV show '92) video at YouTube

AN UNHOLY GRAIL

You're looking at the very first UK independent punk release, the Buzzcocks' 1976 Spiral Scratch EP. As such, it was a sort of template, and it was about as no frills as it gets. Recorded, pressed, and sold by the band, meant it was also one of the first to need distribution. That's when it became apparent that there were other factors of DIY music that might not have been taken into consideration. (We've got a record. Now what?) Once that was set up, exporting punk records was the next step, and before the Sex Pistols had even found a place in the U.S. record store bins, the Buzzcock's Spiral Scratch showed up.

The four song EP was recorded in three hours, and took two hours to mix. Only 1,000 were originally pressed, yet as Simon Reynolds, in his book Rip It Up and Start Again, wrote "People were buying Spiral Scratch...for the sheer fact of its existence, its existence as a cultural landmark and portent of revolution." My brother bought it, without hearing it, for that very reason. Because, there in the bins of Tower Records, was a homemade 45 from the other side of the world. (No stranger to private pressings found in thrift stores, he knew that earnestness went a long way in negating technical shortcomings.) It became our first real taste of UK punk, and a marked rawness that contrasted with the Ramones major label package.

The Buzzcocks reunite with Devoto, 1978, only two years after his exit. Devoto points out "This is not nostalgia." The Buzzcocks went on without him, touring as late as 2010.

The Buzzcocks would, like the Ramones, evolve quickly. With Howard DeVoto leaving the band after Spiral Scratch (and on to form Magazine), the Buzzcocks got a little more polished and signed to a major, and are still clunking around today. But that record has never lost it's significance. Enough so, that it has its own Wikipedia entry.

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From Spiral Scratch:
Buzzcocks - Breakdown mp3 at 7 Inch Punk
Buzzcocks - Boredom mp3 at 7 Inch Punk
Later:
Buzzcocks - You Tear Me Up mp3 at Undomondo
Buzzcocks - Promises mp3 at Pogo a Go-Go
Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love mp3 (somewhat tinny) at Ryan's Smashing Life
Buzzcocks - Oh Shit mp3 at Cyberinsekt
Buzzcocks - Why Can't I Touch it mp3 at The Punk Guy
Buzzcocks - Hollow Inside mp3 at Clumsy and Shy
Magazine - Shot By Both Sides mp3 at Popdose
Video:
Buzzcocks - Live footage ('76, music dubbed) at YouTube
Buzzcocks w/ Howard DeVoto - I Can't Control Myself (Live '78, Manchester, UK) video at YouTube
Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen in Love (Live '78, Manchester, UK) video at YouTube
Buzzcocks - I Don't Mind video ('77) video at YouTube
Magazine - Shot By Both Sides ('78) video at YouTube
The Troggs - I Can't Control Myself video at YouTube
Read:
Spiral Scratch page at Wikipedia
The Buzzcocks' official site
What the hell, some covers:
Wilco - Ever Fallen in Love (live) mp3 at Cover Me
Noisetttes - Ever Fallen In Love mp3 at Lost In your Inbox
Uke Punk - Breakdown video at YouTube
WTF:
Never Mind the Buzzcocks, UK game show video at YouTube

THE GODFATHER

Hardest working man in show business? "The Popcorn" was recorded after playing a show at Dallas Memorial Auditorium (in 1968). Who goes in the studio right after a gig, on the same night? Sure, there are barely any vocals on the cut, but, still, who dragged everyone there?

James Brown was not a saint. he did have his run-ins; and he wasn't what you'd call modest. And, really, in quite a few of his songs, there are minimal vocal duties. Would the JB's, his amazing backing band, have existed without him? With or without everything above in the equation, is there anyone who delivered the groove more consistently?

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James Brown - I Feel Good mp3 at HardReggaeCafe
James Brown - The Popcorn mp3 at Art Decade
James Brown - Boss mp3 at Sibling Shot on the Bleachers
James Brown - James Brown's Boo-ga-loo mp3 at Beware of the Blog
James Brown - She's the One mp3 at The Giant Panther
James Brown - Papa's Got A Brand New Bag mp3 at Musical Pairings
James Brown - I Can't Help Myself (When you touch me) Pts 1 & 2 mp3 at A Barrel of Nails
James Brown - Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothing mp3 via box.net at Les Enfants Terribles
Video:
James Brown - I Got You (I Feel Good) video at YouTube (the dude is floating on his feet)
James Brown - Good Foot medley (Soul Train '73) video at YouTube
James Brown and Luciano Pavorotti - It's A Man's World (live) video at YouTube
A mash up, if you dare:
Fussunex -Whole Sex Lotta Machine (JB, Led Zep and Run DMZ) mp3 at MusicMashes

SUPER TOUGH, SUPER CHILL

I'd been contemplating throwing some more reggae up, so when I ran across "Call On You" from Burning Spear's Studio One era, I had my excuse. You don't usually run into his earliest stuff. It's got the mellow, sometimes sullen, voice of his, juxtaposed with the classic bubbly Studio One sound. It's a must. The rest are from his mid-career, and his voice is still the same. The pace of his music, and his voice, make you feel like it's oppressively hot. The horns, primarily trumpeter Bobby Ellis, seem to magnify it. Everything is so slow and steady, it seems like you're conserving energy. Even with his new stuff (none here), his voice has this tone, it's distinctly Burning Spear. And no one else has that. So, here's Burning Spear:

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Burning Spear - Call On You mp3 at Brobots!
Burning Spear - Marcus Garvey mp3 at Passion of the Weiss
Burning Spear - Red, Gold and Green mp3 at Passion of the Weiss
Burning Spear Social Living mp3 at Glorie de la Culture Noire
Burning Spear - Invasion mp3 at Passion of the Weiss
Burning Spear Official Site
Burning Spear at Wikipedia