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Cosmic Debris 1997 08
C O S M I K D E B R I S
A U G U S T , 1 9 9 7 - I S S U E # 2 7
____________________________________________________________________________
- The Specialists -
DJ Johnson.................Editor
Shaun Dale.................Associate Editor
Wayne Burke................HTML
coLeSLaw...................Graphic Artist
Lauren Marshall............Administrative Assistant
Louise Johnson.............Administrative Assistant
Sarah Sterley..............Research Assistant
- The Cosmik Writers -
Jeff Apter, Ann Arbor, coLeSLAw, Robert Cummings, Shaun
Dale, Phil Dirt, DJ Johnson, Steven Leith, Steve Marshall,
Rusty Pipes, Paul Remington, John Sekerka and David Walley.
____________________________________________________________________________
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
SOUND CLIP INVENTORY: A list of the sound clips available on our website.
EDITOR'S NOTES: Makin' noise! Real Audio and what it can mean to
Cosmik's readers.
IAN WHITCOMB - ROCK TO RAGTIME RENAISSANCE MAN: Since his brief fling
as a rock and roll star in the mid 1960s, Ian Whitcomb has been even
busier producing records, preserving historically important music,
and taking on unusual side projects. This month, Rhino Records
released a CD by The White Star Orchestra, Whitcomb's careful
recreation of the Titanic's band and its music. In this interview,
he tells Shaun Dale all about that project, his love for the period,
and his other recent projects, and takes a look back at those crazy
glory years of 1965 and 1966.
OMEGA SPY - HANGING OUT WITH JONATHAN SIPES OF THE OMEGA MEN: I Imply
Spy. But you won't find any shoe phones on an Omega Men stage.
Jonathan Sipes and his bandmates know where to draw the line. The
music is the thing, and that music is a wonderful brew of guitar &
keyboard garage and mysterious surf. During the course of this
interview, Jonathan discusses everything from Matchbox cars to
Rickenbacker guitars to the spy's ultimate dream girl, the mighty
fine Agent 99. Interview by DJ Johnson.
BILLY BRAGG'S BIG ADVENTURE: Billy Bragg remains a striking figure in a
genre all his own. His folk-influenced, punk-affected tunes leave a
lasting impression on those of us lucky enough to have discovered him,
much like the impression Woody Guthrie left on him. Now, Bragg takes
on a task of major importance: putting music to never-before-heard
Guthrie lyrics. Article by Jeff Apter.
TAPE HISS INTERVIEWS - MARKY RAMONE & VICTORIA WILLIAMS: Life after The
Ramones doesn't seem to be a letdown for Marky. Marky Ramone and the
Intruders have arrived. Also, John talks to singer/songwriter Victoria
Williams about her music and her battle with Multiple Sclerosis.
Interviews by John Sekerka.
TITANIC - A WALK THROUGH HISTORY WITH CYBERFLIX: In keeping with the spirit
of the Ian Whitcomb interview, we decided it would be a shame not to take
a look at an incredible Titanic simulation and adventure game, Titanic -
Adventure Out Of Time.
RECORD REVIEWS: Another huge box of CDs from many genres, including
classical, punk, jazz, reggae, surf, lounge, electronic, blues, country,
metal, and even show tunes.
BETWEEN ZERO & ONE (Steven Leith): How to get ahead in American Politics?
It's all about cashola, bub.
PHIL'S GARAGE (Phil Dirt): Remembering Richard Berry, who wrote the song
that made it all happen: "Louie, Louie." And just wait till you hear
what "all" happened!
STUFF I NOTICED (DJ Johnson): A stack o' stuff that seemed a bit odd, and
a Sharp Pointed Stick award.
CLOSET PHILOSOPHY (Rusty Pipes): Drugs of choice, choices of moderation,
and Jerry Garcia.
WIN AN OMEGA MEN CD!: All you have to do is enter your name and e-mail
address. No fuss, no muss, no resulting junk-mail. Five lucky people
will win copies of The Spy-Fi Sounds Of The Omega Men, their new CD on
Musick Records. Garage, spy, surf, and rock & roll, baby!
COSMIK CORRESPONDENCE: Some letters from our readers.
WE'RE OVER HERE! SEND US MAIL!: How do you write to us? Here are some
e-mail addresses to make it simpler.
_____________________________________________________________________________
SOUND CLIP INVENTORY: A list of sound clips available at our website. As of
this issue, all sound clips will be in Real Audio (.RA) format, which means
those of you with Real Audio players can hear sound clips mere seconds after
clicking on their links. No more waiting forever for downloads. We apologize
to any of you who prefer WAV clips, but they take up far too much storage
space, so it had to be one or the other. The benefits of Real Audio format
outweigh the negatives by a longshot. Remember, the Real Player is free.
Just go to http://www.real.com/ and download it. Plugs right into Netscape
or Internet Explorer.
CLIPS IN FEATURES:
Ian Whitcomb interview includes 5 sound clips that span his 32 year career.
Omega Men interview includes 5 sound clips as well.
CLIPS IN REVIEW SECTION:
Sound clips for the following artists:
Eddie Angel
Louis Armstrong
The Articles
John Barry (in the V/A: Mondo Hollywood and V/A TV Town reviews)
Harry Belafonte
Grace Braun
Bruckner
R.L. Burnside
Chinese Millionaires
John Fogerty
Friends Of Dean Martinez
Lida Husik
Manhattan Transfer
Carmen Miranda (in the V/A: Maracas, Marimbas and Mambos review)
Mussorgsky
Wayne Newton (in the V/A: Wild, Cool & Swingin review)
Old 97s
Lee "Scratch Perry (with Dieter Meier of Yello)
T.S.R. (in the V/A: Sweet Mother review)
Ben Webster & Oscar Petersen
Ween
Ian Whitcomb
___________________________________________________________________________
EDITOR'S NOTES
By DJ Johnson
We've been very lucky. We've received a lot of positive e-mail over the
past two years, and very little negative e-mail. The ones that could be
called complaints have usually fallen into one of two categories: they don't
agree with a particular record review, or they don't want to wait three to
five minutes for each sound clip to download. Can't do much about the
former, but as of this month we have the sound clip thing covered. We
now have a Real Audio server.
Audio and video streaming technology has been around for a while now, and
I'm guessing that most of you know all about it, but just in case, I'll
give you the quick version. You need to pick up the free Real Audio player
at www.real.com and install it. This is a plug-in for your Netscape or
Internet Explorer. It allows you to start listening to a sound clip within
seconds of clicking on it. Basically, it loads about 10 seconds of the clip
and begins playing while it loads the next 10 seconds, and so on. "Streaming."
A few of our readers will be unhappy with this, because we're scrapping the
WAV files in favor of the new format. We have to. WAV files take far too
much storage space. Real Audio (RA) format is highly compressed, making
it possible for us to have 8 or 10 times the number of sound clips that
we normally have. Most of you have the capability to play Real Audio files.
The main requirements are a sound card and a 28.8 baud modem, though you
can usually listen in at 14.4 if you use the Perfect Play feature of the
Real Player.
In the very near future, we plan to have hour long programs in RA format
that you can listen to while reading Cosmik Debris. These programs will
include some of the music we're featuring each month, and some we're not.
The important thing is that it will echo the philosophy of diversity that
Cosmik Debris stands for. Keep an eye out for it. Should be debuting
within a few weeks.
By the way, the other benefit of going to our own server is that our
URL is easier now. Change your bookmarks to http://www.cosmik.com.
Now all you have to do, if you have Netscape or IE, is type "cosmik"
and hit enter and POOF! You're here.
Enjoy the August issue, and listen to the clips! We have a ton of 'em.
DJ
____________________________________________________________________________
IAN WHITCOMB: ROCK TO RAGTIME RENAISSANCE MAN
Interviewed by Shaun Dale
It's fitting that Ian Whitcomb credits viewing a James Brown show in the
early sixties as a formative experience in his career, because he could
certainly stake his own claim to the title "The Hardest Working Man In
Show Business."
When I caught up to him on a recent summer evening, he was: in the midst
of writing his thirteenth book; shepherding two volumes in the Rhino
Records series of recordings of MGM movie music (Whitcomb has production
credits on the Jolson set and the new release of film noir themes);
promoting "Titanic: Music As Heard On The Fateful Voyage" (which he
conceived, produced, conducted and performed for Rhino), his new Varese
Saraband release, "The Golden Age Of Lounge," and the recent Sundazed
re-release of his rock n' roll album and his first foray into the
ragtime and music hall songs that have occupied him for much of the last
three decades; preparing to record another in his series of performances
for "Books On Tape"; and compiling a lounge music set for his regular
gig as the host of in-flight music programming for airlines.
Roll in a career as a film actor (most recently seen in "Contact"), a
voice-over performer for cartoons (see if you can spot his voice on
"Where In The World Is Carmen San Diego?") and work as a radio announcer
in the LA market, and you'll understand some of the reasons I was so
flattered that he could squeeze in a chat with Cosmik Debris.
Personally, I've followed Whitcomb's career since his earliest days as a
performer in Seattle's Pioneer Square, where he attracted the attention
of Northwest recording pioneer Jerry Dennon (of Sonics, Wailers and
Kingsmen fame). In a short time, after a couple of near misses, he
found himself in the Billboard Top Ten with "You Turn Me On," a frantic
piece of novelty rock with an unforgettably orgasmic chorus.
While that was the high point of Whitcomb's notoriety, his career has
been non-stop. One of the premiere chroniclers of pop history, with a
dozen books to his credit, and a musicologist who has preserved an
invaluable treasury of ragtime, music hall and other popular music of
the 20th century on an impressive string of recordings, Ian Whitcomb is
truly a rock to ragtime renaissance man.
After an unusually pleasant exchange of the usual pleasantries, we dove
right into a discussion of his new Titanic project...
- - - - - - -
Cosmik Debris: I love the new Titanic album. It really does take you
back to another time. Are the arrangements typical of the period?
Ian Whitcomb: They are the authentic arrangements. Where they are not
the actual stock arrangements we took the original sheet music of the
period, say to a song like "Alexander's Ragtime Band," and I just gave
it to the group and we worked out our parts from the actual sheet music.
Which is probably what the band did at the time. On the very last night
when they were playing while the first class passengers were assembling
in the lounge to go out to the lifeboats, they didn't have their parts
with them. They were probably improvising. We know that they were
playing "Alexander's Ragtime Band," and it's not in the official White
Star song book. Probably they played it because they knew it - it was
a hit at the time - and they played it because they needed to play
lively music. You know, the ship's going down, but you don't want panic.
That's one of the reasons why the story of "Nearer My God To Thee" must
be a myth, because if you're trying to avoid panic, which is why they
assembled on deck, you would play lively music. You wouldn't play
a hymn called "Nearer My God To Thee," telling the passengers they were
going to their death. So it's most unlikely the band ever played that,
but this myth has arisen because one passenger who was actually on a
lifeboat, a woman, said she thought she heard them playing it, and the
New York papers took this up because it was good copy. Also, the myth
was helped by a Leadbelly song which talks about the band playing
"Nearer My God To Thee," and it just makes for good copy. But it's not
the truth. We know that they played things like "Alexander's Ragtime
Band," we know they played "Oh, You Beautiful Doll," because survivors
have said that and we know that they played "Songe d'Automne." The young
man who was one of the last off the boat, Harold Bride, the Marconi radio
operator, they called it the wireless then, he said they were playing
"Autumn." He told that to the New York Times. I looked up the edition.
He said they were not playing "Nearer My God To Thee," they were playing
"Autumn." The American reporters thought he was referring to an
American hymn called "Autumn," but we British know he must have been
talking about "Songe d'Automne," because that was a big hit at the time.
CD: I really enjoyed the notes and the way you used the voice of the
conductor...
Whitcomb: Well yes. I took a bit of liberty there but I just felt I
wanted at the end to take off and soar. I just felt so strongly about
this. I thought, well, if I just put dry prose its not going to convey
it. I've often done that in my books as well, you know, just take off.
But it's all based on fact.
CD: Of course, before you move to that part, you quote him as saying that
his favorite song was "Nearer My God To Thee," but that he was saving it
for his own funeral...
Whitcomb: Right. Exactly. He said that. Willis Hartley. He was a
very good guy. The whole band were very good people. There was a kind
of noblesse oblige - well, not noblesse oblige, because they weren't
nobility - but a kind of altruistic action that was really typical of
those days and was to a certain extent destroyed by World War I. I
think that's one of the reasons why the Titanic so fascinates us.
Because that society is completely gone. In one way, it's good that
it's gone, because the class distinctions are gone, but on the other
hand, there was a terrific sense of duty and of being good to your
neighbor at that time which was destroyed by WWI because the old rules
of gentlemanly behavior were thrown out because of the bloody machine
gun coming in and just mowing down people. I mean, the whole idea of
gallantry, you never hear the word today, but it was very common in the
Edwardian days. You were gallant, you were gentle with ladies, you were
a gentleman in sport, you played the game. You'd never get a thing
like the Tyson affair in those days. Gentlemen shook hands before a
boxing match and they shook hands at the end. And I think that
civilized behavior, good manners, etiquette, whatever one calls it, has
gone, and it started going with WW I, so I think the Titanic episode
still grips us because we see that as the last gasp of civilized
behavior in the face of a terrific tragedy. Of course, the Titanic was
a microcosm of the world of that time.
CD: The end of an era in many respects...
Whitcomb: Yes, and it was, of course, the first major disaster of the
20th century, which has been a century of technological disasters. The
Titanic was the first. The second was WWI, in the sense that it was the
first war where machinery was more important than men - machine guns,
tanks, airplanes and so forth, Then you had this whole litany of
disasters - the Hindenburg and planes going down and ships catching fire
and so on. Again, I think that's why the Titanic still holds us in
thrall, because it was the first time that man was made to realize that
you couldn't beat nature. That no matter how proud he was of his
technological advances, nature could just destroy him in a few minutes,
or, in the case of the Titanic, a couple of hours. And we still have
that today, with the TWA flight and earthquakes and tornadoes - I mean,
there's no way that we can beat nature or God or whatever you want to
call it. No way. We're pathetic compared to what nature can do, and
the Titanic is the first lesson of that. I think I said it better in
the notes than I'm saying it now...."On that night of April 14, 1912, in
a few seconds of legendary hubris, the unsinkable collided with the
unthinkable, and the first lesson of the 20th century began." But of
course, we didn't learn from that lesson.
CD: You collected some wonderful illustrations to go along. There's a
painting of a fellow in formal wear blowing a kiss to a woman as she
gets into a lifeboat. It illustrates beautifully the attitude you're
talking about. He stands there as if to say "Bye bye dear, I'm going to
my death on the ship and you're going to safety and that's as it should
be..."
Whitcomb: That's a drawing I think from the Illustrated London News.
You're absolutely right. I noted about a month ago when one of the
Titanic survivors died she said - she was about five or six when she was
on the Titanic, a little older perhaps - but she remembered being in the
lifeboat with her mother and her father standing there in evening dress
with a cigar in his hand and a drink saying "See you in New York,
nothing to worry about." That kind of sang-froid, as they called it in
France, is something that's gone. Today you get road rage and people
pushing each other to get out first. This gallantry, this good manners,
is gone. And I think it's very, very sad. But it's certainly
exemplified in the behavior of the passengers on the Titanic. There
were rumors that there was panic but there wasn't any panic at all.
CD: Were you a Titanic buff before you came to this project.
Whitcomb: Yes. Well, I wasn't always a buff, but doing this project fired
me up again. I remember as a teenager, at school in the fifties, reading
Walter Lord's "A Night To Remember." That was the first big Titanic
book to come out, big documentary book anyway, non-fiction book. Then I
saw the film "A Night To Remember," which was a wonderful film, the best
film so far about the Titanic, though I haven't seen Cameron's film. Of
course, I was slightly involved with James Cameron's film, in fact I
still am. This whole project began because - I'm an actor as well, in
fact I'm in the film "Contact," in a small part. I play a BBC announcer
- but I was up for the part of the bandleader Wallace Hartley, which I
almost got, but I didn't get it because I'm 55 and he was 33 when he
died and he played the violin and I don't play the violin. So I thought
to myself, well, I'll make this record because the music is what really
interests me. So I've remained a buff. As a matter of fact, James
Cameron, the director of the Titanic film, is a big Titanic buff. He's
been researching this film for five years and last week he called me
because he wanted another ragtime song for the film. I've already given
him a copy of "Nearer My God To Thee," by the way, and I did say "You
can have the music but they never played it." and he said "Never mind that,
it's in the script." But he wanted a song called "Oh That Navajo Rag,"
so I sent him that and I guess it's going to be in the film.
CD: "Oh That Navajo Rag." Sometimes I love the titles as much as the music.
Whitcomb: Well, it's a very politically incorrect song because it says
"All Indians look alike to me," but I think he's only going to have it
as an instrumental.
CD: Well, if you're going to deal with the era, you're going to deal with
some political incorrectness, I suppose.
Whitcomb: Yes, although I would rather have their good manners and their
social correctness than the thing that we call political correctness
today. I expect that if the gentlemen who were on the Titanic were around
today and they opened a door for a liberated woman she would be shocked
and say "Oh, you don't have to open a door for me," but that's the way
they were in those days, and that's how I am still. I open doors for
women, although they sometimes shrug and must think "Oh you poor fool."
But I still do that. I was taught that as a child. In a train, if all
the seats are taken and a woman gets in I get up and give my seat to her.
I was taught that and always will do that.
CD: We may be the last generation raised that way.
Whitcomb: I think so, unfortunately.
I've got another record out on Varese Sarabande which is kind of a
companion to the Titanic one, which is called "The Golden Age Of Lounge."
It follows up this salon music, what I call "palm court" music, and takes
it into the twenties and thirties and forties.
CD: Well, there are a lot of labels out there, and it seems that you've
recorded for most of them.
Whitcomb: Yes, well, all the rock n' roll stuff that I did for Jerry
Dennon is out on Sundazed. It's my first two albums, from 1965 and 1966.
It's all on one disc called "You Turn Me On."
CD: Looking back, it seems that one day you were a student in Dublin,
the next day you were playing clubs in Seattle and suddenly you were at
the top of the pop charts...
Whitcomb: It was rather sudden, that's true. The thing is, most people
in this country only know me for "You Turn Me On." I mean, the majority
of people do, but there's a bunch of people who know me now who don't
even know that I was ever a rock n' roll star. I play a lot of the
ragtime festivals throughout the country, and the ragtime fans and the
old music fans know me as a musicologist and a performer of ragtime and
vaudeville songs, and they're horrified when they hear that I was ever
in rock n' roll.
CD: You never slip "You Turn Me On" into the set?
Whitcomb: Well, I might if I was drunk. As a matter of fact, I hardly get
any call to sing that now. Occasionally there will be a revival show.
It's not that I don't like the song, I think it's a very good slice of
rock n' roll. As a matter of fact, I'm writing a book for Rhino on disco
and I really think "You Turn Me On" was a prototype kind of disco song.
I saw an article in Billboard that said that. It had the insistent beat
and the catch phrase mentioned over and over again, as in a real
discotheque dance record.
CD: I could also see it done as a rockabilly song, for that matter.
Whitcomb: It's got everything, really.
CD: One thing that always struck me, though, was while that was a kind
of novelty hit, put in the context of the album it was just one of many
things, most of which were blues songs.
Whitcomb: You're right. We started as a blues band. It was Ian Whitcomb
and Bluesville. Bluesville was the band I formed at Trinity College in
Dublin, and we were dedicated rhythm and blues guys. I just loved R&B
and I loved blues as well, but I wanted to be more up to date. In 1963,
when I first came to Seattle I went to see James Brown at the Armory.
I really loved it, and went back to Dublin determined to try and play
that stuff, but I knew that, being English and Irish, there was no point
in our trying to copy it and that's when I had the first argument with
the band. I felt we should have the spirit of rhythm and blues, but not
try to pretend to be black. That's why I recorded "You Turn Me On" and
things like that, because I knew I couldn't be a bona fide blues singer,
but I could have that feeling and put my own personality on top of it.
As a matter of fact, when I was touring on those Dick Clark Caravans in
the sixties, I used to tour with a lot of black acts and they always
respected me because they said "You know, you don't try to copy us. You
don't try to sound like a black guy. You sound like you." They used to
compare me to Screaming Jay Hawkins - a white Screaming Jay Hawkins.
CD: Of course, even as early as the first album, you had songs like
"Poor But Honest," which was really a music hall song.
Whitcomb: That's right. That's an example of a mixture of rock n' roll,
music hall and ragtime. I put a sort of a ragtime feeling in the piano.
At that time I was just as much interested in ragtime as I was in rhythm
and blues, and of course I was very interested in American country music
as well, and still am. I haven't lost that love. In fact, right now, I
think I prefer authentic country music to any other kind of American
music. By that I mean I love western swing and the music of Ray Price
and the honky tonk men - when it gets to the seventies I get less keen
on it. The sort of stuff that Dwight Yoakam likes, I love.
CD: Me too. Comes from growing up with 50's and 60's country music
on my mom's kitchen radio all day, I suppose...
Whitcomb: In Seattle?
CD: Yeah. It was Country KAYO in those days.
Whitcomb: Yes, I think I remember it. I'm terribly fond of Seattle
because I had my first girlfriends there. I often wonder where they are
now. But it was one of the Seattle girls who gave me the "You Turn Me
On" phrase. I've forgotten her name, but was in '64, on my second trip,
and we were on the sofa at her mother's house and she said "Your accent
is really turning me on." I thought that was a wonderful phrase. So
that's where I got the idea for "You Turn Me On."
There was a girl, I'd love to know where she's gone, named Leslie
Beetham, who was my regular girlfriend for many years. I think she got
married and divorced - she's still up there in Seattle.
CD: Well, if she's on the net, maybe she'll see this and we can put you in
touch...
Whitcomb: But we've gotten off the point a bit...
CD: Yeah, but it's a nice digression. Anyway, as I was saying, the rag
and music hall influences were already showing up on the very first
album. But you were busy being a rock star. The first time I saw you
onstage was at a Rolling Stones show at the Seattle Center, with Patty
LaBelle and the Bluebells and a bunch of people.
Whitcomb: Oh yes. I remember Jagger interviewing me, just grilling me,
backstage. He was asking question after question trying to figure out
where I came from and what I was and so forth.
CD: And they were kind of the antithesis of what you were doing, in the
sense that they were a white band that was quite deliberately trying to
sound black.
Whitcomb: Well, yes. I actually got very friendly with the pianist,
Ian Stewart, who's dead now, but we became great friends. Ian had
nothing but contempt for the Rolling Stones as a musical outfit, because
he loved real blues and boogie and so forth, and he just thought they
were ridiculous. I think they're ridiculous too. I mean, I can't
understand why they're still popular. To me it's one of the sickening
things about rock. I draw a distinction between rock 'n' roll and rock.
Rock came in in the late sixties and I've never liked anything to do with
rock, but I loved rock 'n' roll. By that I mean Chuck Berry and Jerry
Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley and so forth. And I still like that
enormously.
CD: "You Turn Me On" got you on those big rock shows, but it wasn't the
first single. I think you started with "This Sporting Life"...
Whitcomb: Actually, the first single was a number called "Soho," backed
with "Boney Maroni," which was issued on the Jerden label, put out by
Jerry Dennon. It only came out in Seattle. It's a very good record,
actually. An instrumental. "This Sporting Life" originally came out on
Jerden, then Tower Records, which was part of Capitol, heard about it.
It was charting in Seattle, so they brought it out on Tower.
CD: Then "You Turn Me On," then "Nervous" ...
Whitcomb: Yes. Of course, "Nervous" the single is not the same as the
one on the album. The album version is the original, but I said "If
we're going to release this as a single, we should re-record it and make
it more 'commercial'." So we recorded the single in Los Angeles, using
session men. I used most of the session guys from Shindig, James Burton,
who went on to play with Presley, and various other heavyweight players.
So "Nervous" is not Bluesville.
CD: And that was kind of the end of the rock n' roll phase of your career.
Whitcomb: Well, I was losing interest and I never thought I was really a
bona fide rocker. Because there were more things in life than that. I
loved American music, and I didn't want to be confined to rock n' roll.
Also, I don't think I have that kind of a voice. I have more of a crooner
voice, and outside of that it was very hard for me to find a follow up
to "You Turn Me On." But I did make an LP in 1967 or '68 which was
actually the last of the sixties rock n' roll records that I made, and
that was on Tower.
I didn't forsake rock n'roll completely, though. In the seventies, in
England, I had a contract with Warner Bros., and I make a couple of rock
n' roll singles which came out on Warner Bros. but never came out in
this country. One of them was called "When Rock n' Roll Was Young,"
which is a very nice record, a salute to the old rock n' rollers. Then
in 1981 I did an album for another English label called Ace Records.
That was called "The Boogie Woogie Jungle Snake" and it's all rock n'
roll, mostly numbers that I wrote.
Since then, I've created, I like to think, my own sound. The Ian
Whitcomb sound.
CD: That's true, because your approach to, say, ragtime, is not an
academic one, as in the Joshua Rifkin sense.
Whitcomb: Well, I've always played songs. I like the songs. Besides,
I'm not an academic, I'm a vaudevillian. I mean, I'm not really a
vaudevillian or a music hall performer. But the rock n' roll critics,
well, if I'm in any of these rock n' roll reference books it's usually as
a joke, as a novelty fluke or a one hit wonder. There's a new book out,
about the west coast, the Los Angeles scene. Called something ."..In
The Sun," I think. Anyway, the writer's English and the English have
never liked me as a rock n' roller. He describes me as "a preposterous
figure." Because I don't fit in their scheme of things. I don't fit into
these various critics view of rock n' roll. They can't pigeon-hole me,
so I've always been a burr under the saddle of British rock n' roll
critics, who just can't stand me.
CD: I've always thought that your music is just entertainment, whatever
genre you're working in. After the rock things, I heard "Mod, Mod Music
Hall" and I'd never heard anything like it. I bought it on your name,
having no idea what it was. But I heard "Where Did Robinson Crusoe Go"
and said "I've got to learn this song!"
Whitcomb: Really? That one actually became a hit in Los Angeles and
the west coast. It got into the top ten in Los Angeles. I'm really
proud of that, because that was before Tiny Tim, and that was a ukulele
record. I think it was 101 on the national charts, but it was really one
of the first pop records of the rock era to feature the ukulele, and I'm
very proud of that. It was in '66, which was a year or two before Tiny
Tim, and he always acknowledged that I was one of the first to do it.
There's a wonderful new book out, by the way, on the history of the
ukulele. I've got two pages in there, and I think Tiny Tim has three.
CD: And now there are so many aspects to your career. You do Books On
Tape, and cartoon voiceovers and acting and in-flight hosting and record
production and performance.
Whitcomb: Yes, in fact I'm just getting ready to do an in-flight program
on lounge music.
CD: You're really a renaissance man of popular music.
Whitcomb: Well, it's all linked together. It's all part of expressing my
love for popular music.
CD: Well, that's it. While we struggle to come up with the genre or
label for what you do, it's really just popular music. I thought one of
the interesting points you brought up in the notes to the Titanic disc
was that whether it was a classical piece or a ragtime piece or a music
hall piece, it was all just the popular music of the day.
Whitcomb: Well, yes, and that was one of the good things about that
period. The man in the street didn't differentiate between classical
and popular, because he could be humming a Wagner tune, if that's
possible, and also an Irving Berlin tune. At the same time, the
classical composers wrote popular music. Sir Edward Elgar wrote "Pomp
And Circumstance" and was one of the great classical composers of his
time. But he also wrote popular music, like "Salut d'Amour," which is
on the record.
CD: Well, before we go, let me ask you about more contemporary things.
The popular music of the first 60 years of this century is obviously
something you love. Is there anything in the popular music of the last
ten years of this century that's catching your ear?
Whitcomb: Oh yes. I'm writing this music on disco, and I had no interest
in disco at the time, in the seventies, but now I'm examining it and
realize that some of it is very good. Especially Giorgio Moroder's music.
The point is, the synthesizer has become a very important and legitimate
part of popular music, and of serious music too. The legacy of disco is
techno today, and I admit I like some of this techno enormously. I
don't want to hear it for too long. It's like any popular music. It's
all right for a bit, but you want variety. I certainly like some of the
techno things. I like some rap things, not as music, but as sort of
newspapers. Talking tabloids. But techno and rap really don't have
much to do with music, and as far as new developments in music, which
means harmony and melody, there haven't been any. I think we've reached
the end of development in western music. It's all been done. All the
chords have been done, all the melodies. But we have a wonderful pallet
of paints. We can look at all these different styles, all these genres,
and we as songwriters can say "I'll take a bit of reggae here, a bit of
ragtime there..." and then superimpose one's personality on top of it.
I mean, I never forget that I'm Ian Whitcomb from England. I can't be
anything else.
So there's still hope. I don't think we're going to see any new
developments in music. I think we're just going to express ourselves
through this great wide pallet of musical colors that we have.
___________________________________________________________________________
OMEGA SPY: Hanging Out With Jonathan Sipes Of The Omega Men
Interview by DJ Johnson
"International House Of Espionage and Dry Cleaning... How can I help
you today?" This is the telephone greeting that signaled the beginning
of my interview with Jonathan Sipes, lead singer and guitarist of The
Omega Men. About half an hour into our conversation, I started to
realize that this man actually lives the mod lifestyle that most people
simply act out on weekends. Having never met such a person, I wasn't
sure what to think. It tuns out some people really do wear 3-button
suits and drink cocktails in front of the TV to unwind. Whoda thunkit?
In preparing for this interview, I listened to The Omega Men's debut
album, The Spy-Fi Sounds Of The Omega Men, over and over again until
I could feel every chord and every change. Not exactly rough duty when
it's music you love. The retro garage-slash-surf sound of this Lebanon,
Pennsylvania band reminds me of nobody in particular, while the atmosphere
they create reminds me of an entire era when it seemed that spies were
around every corner and beautiful women in mini-skirts and boots drove
men to distraction. On the surface, it's all about dancing, but it's the
mystique that cements The Omega Men in your memory. We began by diving
right into the spy culture thing.
* * *
Cosmik: What attracted you to the spy sound?
Jonathan: Well, my father was a secret agent and my mother was a
debutante, so I sort of grew up with it. There's a TV station
where I grew up that played Man From Uncle reruns late at night,
and Get Smart during prime time, and I had a huge crush on Barbara
Feldon.
Cosmik: Who didn't?
Jonathan: Yeah, exactly. Do you remember the Exxon commercial she did?
"Put a tiger in your tank... Prrrrrrr!" (Laughs)
Cosmik: Yeah! I do remember that. How old are you?
Jonathan: I'm 26.
Cosmik: And you remember that!?
Jonathan: Sure do.
Cosmik: Man, I'm 38 and I barely remember that.
Jonathan: Hallmark, a few years ago, was selling these Barbara Feldon
birthday cards. It was a picture of her on the front, and on the
inside it said "Happy birthday to someone who looks younger than 99."
I bought like 20 of these things, and for two years, anyone who had
a birthday got one of those.
Cosmik: Were you a big Man From U.N.C.L.E. fan, too?
Jonathan: Man From U.N.C.L.E. was just campy enough that it was entertaining,
but it wasn't comedy. They had all the gadgets to keep up with Batman,
and they were a little more over the top than James Bond, but not as
silly as Get Smart.
Cosmik: Of course, Maxwell Smart brought us the Shoe Phone, so we can't
really discount him...
Jonathan: You know, there have been certain people within our fold that
feel we should play up the spy thing more, and someone actually suggested
shoe phones on stage, but I really draw the line there.
Cosmik: (Laughs) Shoe Phone microphone?
Jonathan: Yeah. You know, I wear a turtleneck and a three-button suit, and
that's good enough.
Cosmik: Just who is the mysterious Custom XKE mentioned in the liner notes?
Jonathan: I was in a band with two women, and the band was called Custom
XKE, which was my favorite toy when I was younger. The girls, because
they're females, sort of wanted to be highlighted, so they were calling
themselves something like The Beautiful Spinning Wheels, so we were
called Custom XKE featuring The Beautiful Spinning Wheels. So everyone
just sort of assumed that I was Custom XKE. For a while people were
calling me that. Initially, I think, we all toyed with the idea of
having code names, but again, with the spy thing, we decided that would
be a little bit too over-the-top. I was doing a lot of the band
business, and people were asking for Custom XKE. Now Custom XKE is a
little bit of all of us, though some people still do call me Custom XKE.
Cosmik: And it has such a cool connection, being a great car...
Jonathan: Yeah, like I said, when I was growing up, my favorite toy was my
Custom XKE car by the Johnny Lightning Company. (Laughs)
Cosmik: (Laughs) Wow, I just had all that Matchbox stuff.
Jonathan: Hey, there were a lot of cool Matchbox cars.
Cosmik: Oh yeah, and Hot Wheels, too. Remember the Beatnik Bandit?
Jonathan: Yeah! I actually gave Mark [Ebeling], our guitar player, a
reissue of the Beatnik Bandit for his birthday or Christmas a few
years back. I just saw a Beatnik Bandit T-Shirt the other day, but
it was 15 dollars, which is more than I care to spend on a T-Shirt.
Cosmik: Are there any Omega Men T-Shirts out there?
Jonathan: Yeah. I think we may be sold out of them. We did those real
early on, before we had any music product to sell. We were watching
friends of ours make more money off of merchandise than they were off
the gig itself.
Cosmik: That's the norm these days.
Jonathan: We just figured we don't have to be anybody to make T-Shirts, so
we'd make a couple dozen and if they don't sell, they'd just be dust
rags, or we'd wear them around the house, or whatever. Wasn't too
expensive. The company we did the shirts with went out of business, and
our screen went with them, so now we're just trying to decide if we want
to keep the same design or go with something different. It's kind of
funny. There's more money coming in than there ever has been for The
Omega Men, but there's even more going out.
Cosmik: That's because you're at that place kind of in between now, where
you're not just a bar band anymore, you're recording artists.
Jonathan: Yeah, we are in between. We're not a band that can just breeze
into any town and get our guarantee with no problem. We're still having
to really really work for everything.
Cosmik: And yet, word of mouth is spreading, largely due to the Internet,
and people at least know ABOUT you, even in other countries.
Jonathan: I find that really amazing. The album's been out since May. We
didn't really have anything before that except a track on a compilation
[Instrumental Fire - MuSick Records], but we get letters from kids in
California trying to find our disc, and we find out there are stores in
other places that sell it, and it's just... crazy. It's a wacky business.
Cosmik: I reviewed Instrumental Fire, and I got e-mail about it from places
like Taiwan and New Zealand.
Jonathan: I don't know what it is about the United States, but in Japan,
for instance, there's a huge instrumental scene. Always has been. I
think, maybe, because most pop music tends to be Anglo-based. English
speaking countries. When it comes to instrumental stuff, there's no
language barrier. I think that's why the Japanese went so crazy over
The Ventures. They didn't have to try to figure out what the words were.
Cosmik: And they caught on to the surf and spy thing, and the Link Wray
thing. The whole spy genre, music and film, is pretty sexist, but Omega
MEN have Susan Mackey on keyboards, and she's got a commanding stage
presence. It's an interesting twist. Any intentional irony there?
Jonathan: Um... Well, I'll say that we're all big fans of irony, and we're
all big Twilight Zone fans. Anything Richard Madison wrote was usually
chock-full of irony. I won't say that it was intentional. I will say
that we didn't really care that there was a woman in our band and yet
we named our band after a man.
Cosmik: Do you know how Susan feels about the sexism of the genre?
Jonathan: I think we all view it as somewhat humorous. To us, viewing it
now, it almost seems tongue-in-cheek. We all collect spy paperbacks,
and my joke is that I refuse to read a paperback that doesn't describe
the sound a woman's legs make climbing out of a car. (Laughs) That's
how I judge how good it is. If it's a page about nylons rubbing together,
shit, that's non-stop reading. If it doesn't feature that scene, you
know, I could take it or leave it. (Laughs) But you know, there's that
bachelor pad renaissance going on, and I think that it's all very
tongue-in-cheek. When we entertain, my girlfriend cooks and wears her
little dress and brings drinks out, but that's not what goes on day to
day. It's fun. We play it up, and it's fun. We don't treat Susan as
if she's just some sort of underling. She's just as important as anyone
else in the band. I consider her our ace in the hole. I'm not saying
that we would be lousy without her, but...
Cosmik: But she sure has a huge part of that sound, you know? That swirl.
Jonathan: It wouldn't be The Omega Men without her. To be quite honest, I
could say I could leave the band and it would still be The Omega Men, but
I wouldn't say that about anybody else in the band.
Cosmik: I don't know. A band like The Omega Men is what it is because of
chemistry. Break it up and it can never be the same.
Jonathan: I guess my tagline on the subject is that everybody in the band
is perfect for The Omega Men. I wouldn't want to play with a different
drummer and do the same kind of music. Mark is our rhythm guitar player,
and he is THE perfect rhythm guitar player. Ed... you know, bass players
don't play like that anymore, and it's the same for our drummer, Eric.
Eric doesn't play like a kid who learned to play drums in the 80s.
Cosmik: Susan, Mark and Eric were in The Cellar Dwellers, correct?
Jonathan: Correct.
Cosmik: Were you a fan of that band?
Jonathan: I was a HUGE fan of that band. I knew Mark and Susan for quite
a bit longer than I knew the rest of the band, but... especially at our
first practice, I was a bit star struck. I kept to myself. Very quiet.
I was positive that, you know, "they're gonna see through me and I'll
be out of this band after this practice." (Laughs)
Cosmik: Like they're going to think you're an autograph seeker or something.
Jonathan: Yeah. You know, I practically licked the bottoms of Susan's shoes
the day I met her. I'd just gone to see those guys play, and they were
really knocking it out.
Cosmik: I'm on the wrong coast so I never got to see them, but I've heard
they really put on a show.
Jonathan: Yeah, I used to see them in DC. It was really a big surprise for
me to find out that they only lived 20 minutes away from me, because I
was seeing them an hour and a half or two hours away from me.
Cosmik: How did you get together with them to play music?
Jonathan: Well, I had been in bands in the area, and I was making home
recordings that were jazzy with just a tinge of psychedelia. I'm a
frustrated organ player, so when I met Susan I was telling her about
this. Susan's a huge jazz fan, so she was instantly intrigued. This
is going back a few years, and at that time it didn't seem to us that
there were a lot of people our age listening to the amount of jazz that
we were. At least in this area. So I said that I was trying to play
organ, but I just wasn't good enough to play what I was hearing in my
head, and I asked her if she would think about doing it. And she was
very much into it. Later in that same conversation I found out that
they weren't playing in a band anymore but really wanted to, and I just
mustered up all my courage and asked them if they wanted to start a
band with me, and they were into it. At the time, I had a wall of Vox
amps I was performing with, and I think they were kind of into that.
I already had the right equipment.
Cosmik: Are we talkin' some old AC-30s?
Jonathan: Yeah, I had some AC-30s and some other models, but all I really
use is an AC-30. Before Susan had the Hammond, she was using a Vox
organ through an AC-30, and Mark was using an AC-30, and so was I, so
we had quite the imposing equipment presence on stage.
Cosmik: I look over at my little Crate amp and I feel depressed. Vox envy.
Jonathan: I've owned a lot more than I own now. I have one amp that I really
use, and I have one amp at the house, which is also a Vox, but at one
time I just had rooms full of stuff. But it came time that I had to move
and I said "screw this, I'm not lugging all this around."
Cosmik: How did you arrive at the style of music you're playing now. You
were talking about doing jazz beforehand.
Jonathan: You know, people were telling us that we had a unique sound before
we really realized it. We all have separate interests that, I guess,
intersect. We did surf stuff kind of early. Writing a good surf song
is difficult. Writing *A* surf song isn't that hard. They're typically
12 bars and just 1-4-5 for just a very mediocre surf song.
Cosmik: Cookie cutter...
Jonathan: Yeah. And like I said, it's very difficult to write a very GOOD
surf song. But you take a band like... well, I guess a lot of people
don't consider The Shadows to be surf, but I sort of do. Their songs
are brilliant. So we did that stuff, and we were all very interested in
Memphis soul, like Booker T. and the MG's, The Mar-Keys, that sort of
thing. So we worked a few of those numbers in. 60s garage punk, you
know, we're all into that, or a few people in the band who aren't so
much into that now had their periods where they were very much into that.
Cosmik: That whole Memphis Stax/Volt thing, that's a pretty lofty standard
to try to live up to.
Jonathan: Yeah, you know, on the covers that we do, I purposely do not try
to do what Steve Cropper was doing, because I know what notes he was
playing, but nobody can do it like he could. So I change the notes
around just to avoid the comparison. (Laughs) Someone might say "I like
the Steve Cropper version better, but they can't say "you're lousy at
being Steve Cropper."
Cosmik: It's like Teisco Del Rey says, "I know what he's playing, but those
notes aren't on MY guitar!"
Jonathan: Yeah, that's exactly right. I could play those notes he's playing,
but it's really going to sound pitiful coming from this lilly-white guy
with no soul. (Laughs)
Cosmik: (Laughs) Yeah, compared to that lilly-white guy with lots of soul.
Jonathan: Exactly. He's just chock full o' soul.
Cosmik: He and Duck.
Jonathan: Yeah, and Louis Steinberg before Duck.
Cosmik: You know your stuff.
Jonathan: (Laughs) I didn't have any friends growing up, so...
Cosmik: Too busy listening to music?
Jonathan: Well no, sort of the other way around. I didn't have many friends
SO I listened to music.
Cosmik: Do you have a healthy garage collection?
Jonathan: It's kind of strange... The guys in the band that were in The
Cellar Dwellers were all involved in this little scene, but I grew up
in a small town, and I didn't really have the resources, or didn't know
about them. It's kind of funny, because I have things in my record
collection that these guys who have been collecting records for 20 years
have never heard of. And good stuff. But then there are these really
pedestrian things that I don't have because I didn't know that I was
supposed to go out and buy those. It's strange, though, when I talk
to people that have knowledge about this kind of music, and they'll say
"oh, it's very derivative of such and such by so and so," and I'll say
"oh gee, I've never heard that."
Cosmik: "I've never heard that, so I could care less that it's derivative."
Jonathan: You know, a lot of people think that those tags, "derivative" or
"retro," are really bad words, but let's face it, we sound like something
that came out of yesteryear. Or at least I like to think so. When
someone says we sound authentic, I look at that as one of the nicest
things anyone could say. I think if we'd had more resources, we could
have done an even better job in the production process. There were a lot
of time constraints. One thing I think is really ironic is spending a
whole lot of money on trying to make it sound like you didn't spend a lot
of money on your album. (Laughs.) Which is almost what you're faced with
now, unless you can find an 8-track, all tube, all analogue studio, it
just costs so much to do that. Tape stock alone, if we'd done 2-inch
analogue, would have been more than our budget.
Cosmik: So everybody's trying to make digital sound analogue, and it doesn't
usually work. It sounds okay, but the I think warmth is usually lacking.
Jonathan: So do I. And we knew that going in. When we recorded the track
for Instrumental Fire ("My Favorite Dean Martian"), we were really happy
with the way it turned out. We were just kind of assuming we'd get to do
the album there. Then the deadline got close, and we gave the guy a call
only to find out that he was no longer recording people. After that, it
was really difficult for us to find a place that professional and... You
know, a lot of these analogue studios we were calling, the people were
telling us things like "we can't fit you all in one room because we're
doing this in my bedroom at my parents house," and "somebody's gonna have
to go downstairs," and that kind of stuff. It really was frustrating.
Although I'm very pleased with the final product.
Cosmik: How do you like the red vinyl release?
Jonathan: I'm very happy with it. I wish they would have pressed more.
Cosmik: How many did they do?
Jonathan: Only 500. I think we took 20 to our first show and sold them
right away. I just have this feeling I'm going to end up selling my
own copies of it because someone's going to pester me.
Cosmik: No you won't. (Laughs)
Jonathan: When I make tapes for people, I do it off the vinyl because I think
it sounds a lot better.
Cosmik: Warmer. It's that analogue thing again.
Jonathan: Yeah, exactly. It's just one more step. We did some things to
try to warm up the record. It was successful to an extent in that it's
not as cold sounding as it was right off the DAT, but it's not what it
could be. And the record is just one step closer. It's an analogue
source going through analogue equipment, i.e. your turntable.
Cosmik: I like to undermine my credibility once in a while by swearing that
colored vinyl sounds better. (Laughs)
Jonathan: (Laughs) I wish we could have had them pressed on the half centimeter
thick vinyl that they used way back when, you know? Vinyl that didn't bend.
I also would have loved to engineer cracks and pops.
Cosmik: A lot of bands have been doing that lately.
Jonathan: Yeah, I know. A lot of bands have also been putting in one track
of white noise, and it sort of gives you the same feel. But that's a
little too hi-tech for us.
Cosmik: I got a review copy of something like that recently, but I thought
it was too distracting. It didn't really work out like what they were
going for.
Jonathan: The Phantom Surfers had an album, one of my favorites, that had
the wear ring built into the cover, and it said "This record belongs to
Suzy," or something like that, on the cover in what looked like ballpoint
pen.
Cosmik: I love that. There's a Charlie Parker box that just came out (Rhino
Records' "Yardbird Suite") that has the rings on the individual CD covers.
Jonathan: Oh, cool. I love that ring. It's been said since the beginning
of the CD culture, but people miss having this big thing they can look
at. I think they just miss every little nuance about records.
Cosmik: What's the writing process within the band?
Jonathan: Well, there's a couple different things... Primarily, though,
somebody comes up with a part of a song, like a verse or a chorus, and
then the rest of the band sort of figures out what they're going to do,
and usually the band as a whole figures out the bridge. Usually, it's
very much a collaboration with everybody in the band.
Cosmik: So there's no main songwriter.
Jonathan: Well... Susan, Mark, and I seem to come up with the bulk of the
stuff, but I wouldn't say that any one of us is more instrumental than
the rest of the band, because Ed and Eric are so maniacal that they give
the songs the feel. And I think that's every bit as important as writing
the notes. Since I'm singing, I tend to write the words, but it's very
rare that someone comes in and says "okay, you play this." That does
happen, but it seemed to happen a lot more in the early stages of the band.
Right now, everybody seems to be contributing equally.
Cosmik: What about the guitar? The liner notes make it sound like "if it's
fuzzy, it's Jonathan, and if it's clean and jangly, it's Mark. Is it that
simple?
Jonathan: Ummm... no, it's not that simple, but it's close enough. Mark
doesn't have a fuzz box that he'll use, so if it's fuzz it's me. Mark
has the real tasteful, very beautiful tone. I don't have that kind of
restraint.
Cosmik: More down and dirty?
Jonathan: Yeah. Yeah, my amp doesn't know how to be set clean. I haven't
figured out how to play as loud as Mark and be clean. I think he has
a magic guitar or something.
Cosmik: Wasn't it Ted Nugent who said "this guitar simply refuses to play
sweet shit"? (Laughs)
Jonathan: (Laughs) Yeah. Good God, I'm being likened to Ted Nugent!
Cosmik: Oh, no!
Jonathan: Did you ever read the thing where he swears a pigeon exploded in
front of his speakers? (Laughs)
Cosmik: Yeah! That was in Guitar Player way back when. And the funny thing
is people wrote angry letters saying that was cruelty to animals!
Jonathan: (Laughs) Yeah! A) Like that really happened! And B)... Like
that really happened!
Cosmik: Oh man. Amazing. What kind of gear are you guys using? Is everything
vintage?
Jonathan: Well, let's see. Mark is using a new AC-30. I'm not using a 60s
AC-30, but it's not a new one, and I'm using a new Telecaster a good bit
of the time. That's a guitar that, you know, I'll wedge it under the tire
of the van to keep it from rolling, pull it from under there, and it'll
still play. I'd say we're ninety percent vintage equipment. We use new
Fender reverb units because they sound, to my ears, as good as an original
one, and they're a lot less expensive. There's a lot of equipment we have
that was on the album that we're just not gonna take to play in some little
club. Occasionally I'll take my '59 Rickenbacker out, but just the thought
of maybe walking out of there without it... It's a guitar I looked for for
about five or six years. It took me that long to find one.
Cosmik: I don't think I'd take it out with me.
Jonathan: Sometimes I'll do it if I'm just feeling like I want it there. My
Telecaster is a gift from my girlfriend, and I'll always own that. My
'59 Rickenbacker is just something I always wanted, and I finally got one,
and I love it. I'll never get rid of that. Everything else, it's just
like... if someone offers me 10 times what it's worth, it's gone.
Cosmik: Is the solo in "My Favorite Dean Martian" you?
Jonathan: Yeah.
Cosmik: That's some killer tone. Doesn't sound like anybody I can quite
recognize, but I know it ain't Steve Cropper. Who were you listening
to early on that might influence that style?
Jonathan: Someone who I don't think I sound anything like, who made me want
to be a fuzz maven, was Davie Allan. We're really excited because we're
doing this Shadows tribute album, and Davie's on it. Just for that reason,
I didn't use fuzz on our track, because instead of being the cool band
with the Hammond, we'd be the cool band that had fuzz that wasn't as cool
as Davie Allan. (Laughs) There's no way I could compete with The King.
So that, and any number of one-hit 60s garage bands. The fuzz tone in
Count Five's "Psychotic Reaction" was always a favorite of mine. The
soundtrack to the movie "Trip," you know, Mike Bloomfield's fuzz is
another big one for me.
Cosmik: I loved that part of your album. That solo in "Dean Martian."
The feel around it...
Jonathan: Thanks. If I might brag; we had no overdubs on that at all. That's
just the way we play it live. On the whole album, aside from vocals, and
maracas on one song, there are only two overdubs, and that's an extra
12-string guitar during the freakout on "You'll Never Miss Me," which I
think is the last vocal song on the album...
Cosmik: Which gave it a real thick sound...
Jonathan: Yeah, we left the original guitar I wanted on there. I wanted
12-string for the freakout, but I didn't want to play the rest of the
song on 12-string, so I had to be a big baby and do that. And there's
one other song where my guitar went out of tune, so I overdubbed two
chords at the very end of the song. But basically I play that solo the
same way almost every time, so I didn't need to do 50 takes. We'd played
it enough.
Cosmik: So it's almost a live album.
Jonathan: It was very close to being one. We actually recorded the vocals
as we did the songs, but I figured if I was going to mess up something,
I didn't want to mess up the guitar. Because I didn't want to punch in
and do all that stuff. So we ended up scrapping the vocals I did live
because I was hitting bum notes. I'd kind of step back from the mic, or
whatever. Live, it's okay if you hit one or two bad notes when you're
singing, but on your record, you can't. I sang the songs on the album
very differently than I sing them live. I scream them live, and I have
no control of my voice when I do that. (Laughs)
Cosmik: You all really have the look down. On your front cover it looks like
you all just came from a casting call for "Blow Up."
Jonathan: (Laughs) That's perfect!
Cosmik: How did you get into the mod scene?
Jonathan: Well I can really only speak for myself, but when I was younger and
I was going to punk clubs, I was really very impressionable. I'd see these
big guys in their leathers and their studs and stuff, and it was like the
fear that maybe one of these guys would beat me up. But, you know, in a few
days I'd be fine. Then seeing these 60s kind of Chocolate Watch Band
looking guys that just looked so cool with their beautiful girlfriends
that looked like Agent 99. They were ALWAYS gonna be cooler than I was,
and I wasn't going to recover from that. I dreamed of one day being that
guy. I've yet to get there. I just thought that those guys looked so
cool and so sinister. You don't know what to expect when you're in some
filthy punk rock club when you see some guy in a tailored suit and tie.
You don't know if that guy's crazy or if that guy is just some kind of
freak, or what. So it was that, and it got to a point with people wearing
filth that it was just ludicrous, so I wanted to distance myself as far
away from that as possible.
Cosmik: So it was a reaction.
Jonathan: Yeah. My joke is--but it's the honest to God truth--that I'm the
only person I know who goes to work wearing jeans and a T-shirt and comes
home and puts a coat and a tie on to relax in front of the TV. I feel
comfortable that way.
Cosmik: So this isn't a weekend
kick.
Jonathan: No, this isn't just something we do for the band. It's really...
Cosmik: ...who you are.
Jonathan: Yeah. It really is. I was in a lot of bands where I was the 60s
element, but it wasn't the real deal. In this band, we just said "okay,
we're going to do everything the way WE want to do it. We don't care
about selling records." And I think we've all been more successful in
this band than anywhere else. Because we didn't make any compromises.
Cosmik: People can feel it when it's real.
Jonathan: Yeah, I agree. There are certain bands out there that are pure
shtick, and you can TELL that it's shtick. My house looks like it's
right out of the 50s, with the exception of my TV. In our living room,
our main source of light is two color wheels.
Cosmik: Since this is how you actually live every day, do you find it
natural to blend in with the people in the mod scene? Or does it
feel like they're posing?
Jonathan: Because we're an instrumental band, a lot of people lump us into
the surf scene, but I've never really felt an affinity with that. I've
always felt more comfortable with what you would call the mod scene.
Cosmik: Do you ride a scooter?
Jonathan: I was never a scooter kid, but we know quite a few. I never wanted
to get oil on my suit. (Laughs)
Cosmik: What kind of reaction does a real life Mod get from co-workers?
Jonathan: Well lately, a lot of Austin Powers comments. I'm the one in the
glasses and red hair. It's really funny because I was the first person
to have said that. Nobody said it to me. I was kind of joking like "good
God, I AM Austin Powers." Then it got to a point where everywhere I went
somebody said "Austin Powers!"
Cosmik: So by now it's gettin' old.
Jonathan: Yeah, like "never heard THAT before..."
Cosmik: I wanted to ask about the song "G Marks The Spot." I hear that wasn't
the original title of the song. Can you talk about that?
Jonathan: Sure, that's no problem at all. I actually talked about that at
the last show we played. The song was censored. We find it really
ironic because it's an instrumental. The original title was "Theme From
Porno Movie." The record label felt that might be offensive to some
people, so we changed it to the MUCH less offensive "G Marks The Spot."
(Laughs)
Cosmik: (Laughs) You're kidding. They accepted that title without batting
an eye?
Jonathan: I think because some of the other ones were... We were naming the
song after some pretty disgusting things, and he (Art Bourasseau of MuSick
Records) figured he'd better stop us now.
Cosmik: Did this piss off the band, or cause any resentment?
Jonathan: No, I didn't feel any anger. It's just that it had been "Theme
From Porno Movie" for so long. That was actually something I was playing
before The Omega Men. It's just this silly Wah Wah thing. Originally,
what were going to do was sort of play this song in 5 second blurbs
throughout the disc. Just sort of cut it up. Some other bands we dig
did similar things, and we thought it would be a nice little nod...
Cosmik: Almost like a 60s soundtrack thing.
Jonathan: Right, exactly. And then we just got taken up with doing other
things in the recording process and we just didn't do it.
Cosmik: I love this picture of Susan Mackey with the pistol. What kind of
gun is that?
Jonathan: It's the Man From U.N.C.L.E. gun. It's a TV prop.
Cosmik: Authentic? Jeez, where'd you get ahold of that?
Jonathan: Ah, you know. (Laughs) We collect things. Mark is actually
holding a tricorder from the original Star Trek series in his picture
on the album.
Cosmik: Oh.... Yeah, here it is! Are these authentic? I mean are they
things you bought at conventions, or did somebody actually raid the
TV sets?
Jonathan: To tell you the truth, I don't really know. I know the tricorder
is one of his prized possessions, though.
Cosmik: Wow. These pictures on the album are funny. I love the one of
Eric laying in a chalk outline.
Jonathan: Did you notice what magazine Ed is reading? Because the magazine
he's reading makes it my favorite picture.
Cosmik: Hmmm... SOVIET LIFE! (Laughs) And he's got the fur hat and everything!
That's hysterical.
Jonathan: Yeah, that's my favorite one.
Cosmik: By the way, I love your version of "Beat Girl." Seems like a lot of
bands have covered that, but just about everyone gives it something new.
Jonathan: We stayed pretty true to the original. There's a couple versions
of it on the Beat Girl soundtrack. There's a vocal version, but the
words are just so silly we couldn't bring ourselves to do it. We hadn't
heard any covers of it until after it was already an integral part of
our set.
Cosmik: Have you heard many since?
Jonathan: Yeah.
Cosmik: Have you heard The Brood's version?
Jonathan: Yeah, The Brood was actually the first that I knew of. Of all the
ones I've heard, Satan's Pilgrim's might be my favorite.
Cosmik: I have an obscure EP of The Damned where they do a very ethereal
version of that song.
Jonathan: Really? When was that?
Cosmik: 1986, I think.
Jonathan: Boy, they get points in my book, then.
Cosmik: "Beat Girl" is perfect for your sound.
Jonathan: John Barry, aside from the soundtrack work, had a band called The
John Barry Seven, and there's not a weak link in that band. The songs
they played were great songs. They played with some great guitar players.
Vic Flick is one of my favorite guitar players. If I could fuse Cropper
and Vic Flick together, I'd die a happy man, but I have no hope of doing
that so I'm going to die bitter and unfulfilled. (Laughs)
Cosmik: (Laughs) It'll be on your tombstone... "Couldn't get that sound."
What else is out there that you could cover that would be as perfect for
your sound as "Beat Girl?"
Jonathan: We're doing one right now that I think is perfect for us. It's
called "Bring Down The Birds," which is a Herbie Hancock song from
the movie Blow-Up. We're doing that in our live set, and we're having
a blast with it. It's not really a fast song, but it just makes you
want to dance. So many of our songs, especially live, are such high
energy heel stompers that it's really nice to do this one that's
danceable but isn't a thousand miles an hour.
Cosmik: "My Favorite Dean Martian" was the first thing I heard by you guys,
and that was on the Instrumental Fire comp. That one's sure danceable.
Did that comp have a positive effect on your fan base? Are more people
recognizing you now?
Jonathan: Oh yeah. We played a show before our album was out, and we always
finish our set with "My Favorite Dean Martian," and when I said "alright,
we're going to do one off Instrumental Fire, a track called 'My Favorite
Dean Martian,'" and people started screaming. I didn't know if one person
yelled something and everyone followed suit or what...
Cosmik: That had to feel good.
Jonathan: Yeah. It always surprises me, you know? I don't know if I ever
would have HEARD of Omega Men if I wasn't in the band.
Cosmik: Well, I've heard a lot about Omega Men lately, on the Internet, and
just in conversations about rock and roll in general. Hell, I know a few
people who call you their favorite band. Two of those people just sent me
e-mail saying your last show was a major cooker.
Jonathan: Well thanks. Actually, I think we're better live, because live I'm
not going to play it safe. On the record, I didn't want to fuck anything
up and be responsible for us having to do a whole new take because I tried
to do something I couldn't do. Plus, we play about five times faster live.
Not that faster equals better, but there's so much more energy, and we're
a dance band. Sometimes, live, I feel like I can barely control myself.
Like I just wanna shake right out of my skin. Sometimes we try. Susan's
been known to dance on top of the organ. We just go out and have a blast.
I think I have more fun playing than anyone in the audience has watching me.
Cosmik: All of that makes the crowd hyper.
Jonathan: I've noticed that if we play a packed small club and there are
people there enjoying themselves, we play a lot better than if we're in
some cavernous huge club and there are four people there that don't give
a shit. We play lousy.
Cosmik: Because there's no energy.
Jonathan: Exactly. And the more energy we put out, the more the audience
does, and the more they do, the more we do. It's a snowball. Next thing
we know, everyone's sweaty and the ties are loosened.
Cosmik: A lot of people feel that even if the huge cavernous hall is packed,
it's not as great as playing in a small club where you're all shoulder
to shoulder on the stage.
Jonathan: Our favorite club doesn't actually have a stage. It's just a little
niche in the wall that we play in. It's called The Funhouse, in Bethlehem,
PA. A lot of great bands have played through there.
Cosmik: Is that your hometown?
Jonathan: No, it's about an hour and a half or two hours away from us.
We're in Lebanon, Pennsylvania.
Cosmik: Hey, you mentioned the Shadows tribute album coming up on MuSick
Records. Which tune are you covering?
Jonathan: It's called "Main Theme," which is off of Rhythm & Greens.
Cosmik: I can't wait to hear that comp.
Jonathan: Yeah, there was another Shadows tribute that was all modern artists
sounding very modern. I think people that dig The Shadows are going to
hear that one and think "well, it's not as good as The Shadows," whereas
people who are big Shadows fans are probably fans of our type of music
to begin with, so they're really going to like to hear the various bands
on there.
Cosmik: Do you know who else is going to be on the record?
Jonathan: Davie Allan, The Space Cossacks, The Fathoms...
Cosmik: I love the Fathoms. It always sounds like the whole band is in the
reverb tank. I'm a big fan of reverb.
Jonathan: Oh, me too. I can't get enough of it. I got my reverb unit started
for like surf reverb songs, and then I like it so much I just leave it on
for the rest of the set. And then when it comes time for more surf songs,
I just turn it up a little more and then leave it on THAT setting. I know
that some of the stuff we do should probably have a dryer sound, but I just
love that boingy wet sound so much.
Cosmik: A little bit of mystique and ethereal sound...
Jonathan: Yeah. I can't even say what it is. It's just "it."
Cosmik: Your girlfriend, Jezebel, used to play with The Friggs, right?
Jonathan: Yeah. She was the guitar player and singer.
Cosmik: And she has a new thing going?
Jonathan: Yeah, we're going to be playing with them tomorrow night in
Philadelphia. She's playing drums now.
Cosmik: What's the name of the band?
Jonathan: The Mysterons. As in Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, which
was super-marianation at its finest. Captain Scarlet was really cool
because, like Supercar and The Thunderbirds, those puppets had really
big heads and didn't look like real people, whereas Captain Scarlet's
puppets were proportioned correctly, so it's even stranger.
Cosmik: What kind of music are they doing?
Jonathan: It's pretty much straight forward surf. They're a three-piece.
This woman named Fran is playing guitar. She also makes my fuzz pedals
for me. She has a company called Frantone. They've been reviewed in
Guitar Player Magazine. They're really great.
Cosmik: Do you have any side things happening? I know you're really into
jazz.
Cosmik: That's kind of on hold right now. Jezebel and I always say we're
going to play, but we're both kind of busy. So right now there's nothing
in the works. The Omega Men is really my top priority right now. The
Omega Men is what I want from a band.
* * *
The Omega Men's LP/CD, The Spy-Fi Sounds Of The Omega Men, is available from
MuSick Recordings 202 W. Essex Avenue, Lansdowne, PA 19050. Sound clips are
available in Real Audio format at the Cosmik Debris website, located at
http://www.cosmik.com.
___________________________________________________________________________
BILLY BRAGG'S BIG ADVENTURE
By Jeff Apter
Stand-up socialist Billy Bragg was feeling especially optimistic, both
personally and professionally, when I cornered him backstage at New York's
Fleadh music marathon in June. In no special order, you can hold Tony
Blair, reborn English sporting teams, and Bragg's infant son, Jack,
responsible for Bragg's buoyant mood. "With the new Labour government, we
Brits are now living in a world of possibilities," the lanky Bragg told me,
with a sizable, sunburnt grin.
He'd just been dazzling the Guinness-swigging festival crowd with his
typically roughshod songs of freedom ("Sexuality") and fascism ("Accident
Waiting To Happen"). His garrulous on-stage mood continued when we spoke;
he even revealed his secret love for shopping. It's true - though you would
think this furiously materialistic American obsession is the last thing
Bragg would praise, he is a confessed mall addict. "I love shopping in
America. Shopping is American culture at its highest; to come to this
country and not shop is like slapping these people in the face. Shopping
here is comparable to Bondi and Sydney, rain and Britain. And it's the best
way to meet people and understand the country."
Not that Bragg has too much time to wander American shopping malls on this
visit. When I caught up with him he was at the starting point of a new
musical adventure, plowing through the Woody Guthrie Archives in New
York, adding melodies to a selection of never-before-heard Guthrie lyrics.
To help record these "new" Guthrie tunes, Bragg has roped in Wilco as his
very own house band, while Natalie Merchant is another possible contributor.
An album should appear before the end of the year, with a tour a future
possibility.
Bragg's initial involvement with the Guthrie people was at the September
1996 "Hard Travelin'" concert and exhibit at Cleveland's Rock 'n' Roll Hall
of Fame, which proved to be a wildly successful fundraiser for the Guthrie
Archives. Nine months on, Bragg was understandably excited about the project,
but not daunted by his task. "I would be if there were only five or six
songs there, but there's over 300," he explained. "Most people at this
festival could make their own album out of what's there and it'd still
be good."
To Bragg, Guthrie's a misunderstood figure in his own country, recognized
as an icon, "when in fact he was an iconoclast. While I'm not trying to
contemporise him as such, I am hoping to bring him into post-war American
culture, where he belongs. Woody Guthrie heard the Beatles, he doesn't
belong in the dustbowl."
So what makes the Barking Bard the right man for the job? 'In England,
Guthrie's not in the culture, you have to find him', Bragg replied. "So I'm
not just a generation away, I'm an ocean away. I can approach the project a
bit more objectively."
Nora Guthrie told me how she was every bit as thrilled as Bragg by the
project. Nora is the silent partner in Bragg's big adventure; she also
happens to be Woody Guthrie's daughter and the leading light of the Guthrie
Foundation and the Guthrie Archives. "This album's really going to bridge
the gap between generations, especially with a band such as Wilco involved.
And Billy's the perfect person to pull it all together. He's just like my
father," she added, "the same sense of humor and energy and dedication."
The Guthrie Archive, capably managed by archivist George Aravelo, is a
treasure-trove of artwork, song lyrics, scrapbooks, photos and diaries,
with its collection of 20,000-plus Guthrie-related and Guthrie-created
items. Not surprisingly, the Bragg-Wilco tribute album is just the first in
a series of Guthrie tributes using material from the archive. During 1998,
a children's book using his illustrations will be published, as well as a
traveling Smithsonian exhibit named "This Land Is Your Land." There'll
even be a Woody Guthrie stamp, the true mark of posthumous glory.
Bragg admits there's a little Woody Guthrie in his folk-punk stance. "I'm
also a folk singer - I'm in the Guthrie tradition, but not of the
tradition," he explained to me. "Although I was born of punk rock, the urge
to communicate and talk to people about left-wing politics makes me part of
folk music, and I'm happy with that. It's a great tradition, a powerful
tradition, and one that has to come with us into the 21st century. I plan
to make sure that's the case."
Given Bragg's expertise at mixing pop and politics, that shouldn't be a
problem.
(C) 1997 - Jeff Apter
___________________________________________________________________________
TAPE HISS
By John Sekerka
[The following interviews are transcribed from John Sekerka's radio show,
Tape Hiss, which runs on CHUO FM in Ottawa, Canada. Each month, Cosmik
Debris will present a pair of Tape Hiss interviews. This month, we're
proud to present interviews with Marky Ramone, formerly of The Ramones and
now with Marky Ramone and the Intruders, and singer/songwriter Victoria
Williams.]
* * *
M A R K Y R A M O N E
With a thick Brooklyn accent, Marky Ramone answers rapid fire questions over
the phone from a Buffalo club, where his Intruders are opening for The
Misfits. I'm listening to "Telephone Love" from the new album when the call
comes in...
John: "Telephone Love" is kinda apropos for this situation doncha think
Marky?
Marky: What, between me and you?
John: Yeah.
Marky: I don't think so.
John: You don't swing that way?
Marky: Naw.
John: Gee, don't tell me the tabloids are lying?
Marky: [laughing]
John: What is the official status of The Ramones? Is the band kaput?
Marky: After Lollapalooza last year, we decided to call it quits. That's why
I formed my own band, wrote and produced my own album, cuz I'm younger
than them. I still have the energy to do it, and I love doing it, and the
kids like it. The kids are the ones that matter. I'll continue as long as
they come to the shows.
John: What are the others doing?
Marky: Johnny's retired. Joey might do the Tiny Tim story, as an actor. Tiny
Tim did "Tiptoe Through the Tulips." I have no idea what CJ's doing. I
just did an album with DD called The Remains.
John: Does Johnny have seasons tickets to the New York Mets?
Marky: Yeah probably. He loves sports, that's his retirement hobby.
John: Are you the youngest of the remaining Ramones?
Marky: I was until CJ joined.
John: Exactly when did you join the band?
Marky: In early '78, right after playing with Richard Hell and the Voidoids.
John: It's an amazing coincidence: to find players with the same last name.
Exactly how does one become a Ramone?
Marky: It's like a gang, a unit. Once you join, you become a Ramone for life.
There have been some honorary Ramones along the way: Homer Simpson,
Stephen King...
John: Wait a minute, Stephen King is an honorary Ramone?
Marky: We did the song for Pet Cemetery. He always writes about us in his
books. He's a big Ramones fan. So we made him an honorary member. He's a
cool guy.
John: Are the Intruders your main project?
Marky: Oh yeah. We're gonna try and play 175 shows a year.
John: Every other day.
Marky: That's correct.
John: Where'd you dig up that singer: Skinny Bones?
Marky: He wrote some stuff for The Ramones on the last two studio albums.
He's a friend who came to me through Johnny Thunders - uh, when he was
alive. The other guys are from the New York area, from other bands, that
I wanted.
John: Who is Mark Newman - he's all over the record, but doesn't appear to
be an official Intruder?
Marky: Mark Newman was in Sheer Terror. He was gonna be in the band, but he
got Carpal Tunnel on his hand. It's a disease that stiffens your muscles.
John: Will this New York punk style ever go out of fashion?
Marky: Naw it won't. New York: it's the attitude, the craziness. It's a
non-stop city. Constant movement. You feel it in the air, so you write
about it... the gangs, the violence.
John: How do the Intruders compare with The Ramones on stage?
Marky: We zoom right through our songs, except now we have two guitar
players. Everybody sings, and it's a younger band.
John: Do you stay behind the drum kit for the whole show?
Marky: Oh yeah, I only sing one song on the album. I don't think drummers
should sing live - it doesn't look good.
John: "Anxiety" is a killer Ramones-like tune...
Marky: Thank you. The Ramones wanted it for Mondo Bizarro and then I
re-recorded it for this record. Skinny Bones' voice is angrier and
raspier than Joey's. And I wanted that.
John: Are there any new bands out there carrying on the Ramones legacy?
Marky: There are a lot of bands imitating the Ramones, like The Queers. Any
punk band you hear today has some Ramones or Sex Pistols in it.
John: Are you listening to the new stuff?
Marky: I listen to everything. I think the best representation of what an
original punk band is today, is Rancid. They're good friends. We have a
side project going - me, Tim and Boz - called No Brain.
John: What was a typical day in the life of a Ramone?
Marky: A lot of touring, in-store autographs, videos, soundchecks, hotels,
flying, interviews - constantly.
John: When you weren't doing music, what were you doing?
Marky: I was always making records, ever since I was 16 years old. When I
was in high school I made my first album with a band called Dust.
John: What's your favourite poison?
Marky: My favourite poison was 151 - Baccardi Rum. But I'm a good boy now.
If I didn't stop fooling around I wouldn't be able to keep playing.
That's more important.
John: Can you remember those times of excess?
Marky: Yeah, I'm gonna write a book. I have 185 Hi-8 tapes I recorded on my
camera going back to 1986. I'm gonna put out a cool video: backstage,
fooling around - things that a lot of kids didn't see.
John: You must get a lot of requests for old Ramones material. How do you
handle that?
Marky: I really don't get requests for the old stuff. The only things I do
is the stuff I wrote, and I throw in a DD song called 'Outsider'.
John: You cover The Kinks on the new album. Why are you dipping back to that
era?
Marky: I wanted the album to end on a positive note.
John: Let's go way, way back. Was there a turning point in your life, when
you realized rock'n'roll was in your blood?
Marky: Yeah, my mother bought me the first Beatles album when I was 6 or 7.
I thought it was like the Chipmunks, and I loved the Chipmunks. Then I
started to like the Beatles, and wanted to play the drums. I saved up my
newspaper delivery money and got a Japanese drum kit. That's how I learned.
John: Has it been a dream come true?
Marky: Pretty much, but I had to work hard. There's so much competition.
John: Where exactly are you from?
Marky: I'm from Brooklyn, near Ocean Parkway, Ocean Avenue. I grew up there.
Then I moved to New York for about 5 or 6 years, but I hadda move back
cuz it was too crazy there: kids coming to my door wanting to party with
me.
John: I've always wondered about the long black mop top Ramone hair. Is that
real?
Marky: Not Joey's.... naw, I'm only kiddin'.
John: I can't imagine Joey without that hair.
Marky: Me either [laughing].
..tape hiss
V I C T O R I A W I L L I A M S
Victoria Williams is a musical treasure. Armed with a bewitching, crackly
voice, she is an original writer with a magical flare. Five years ago she
was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, but with the aid of Sweet Relief, she
continues with her musical career. Just before a tour of North America, I
called her desert digs, out in Joshua Tree, California, where Victoria was
busy taking care of a lizard.
John: Are lizard problems an everyday occurrence down there?
Victoria: These particular lizards, the California iguanas have spots and
change colour, and they like super hot days. I see a pair of 'em regularly.
The littler one got caught by a dog today. He's pretty bloody. We put him
in the aquarium.
John: How many dogs do you have?
Victoria: I have several. Molly, who usually goes on tour with me, she had
nine puppies. We kept one of them, Solo, and then we adopted Molly's
older brother. He's a wonderful big ol' dog.
John: On the cover of This Moment, Live in Toronto, you have a picture of
a dog.
Victoria: That's Molly. She was on stage in Toronto, yes she was.
John: What does Molly do on stage: listen or howl along?
Victoria: She's a pack dog, so she considers herself one of the band. She
comes out with the group and faces the audience and lays there for the
entire show, never moving.
John: For me, your songs evoke a simpler time, maybe a farm life, childhood
memories. What do you draw on for your songwriting?
Victoria: Nature, animals, people, circumstances, sometimes just an emotion
or a feeling.
John: I get the feeling from the quality of your songs that you are a
prolific writer. Do you write all the time?
Victoria: Pretty much. For the new record there was a list of 93 songs. I
hope I put the right ones on.
John: Wow, you could release a box set of new material!
Victoria: Yeah but you know publishers will only pay you for ten songs on a
record no matter how many you have. For instance if you have 16 songs on
a record, and 6 are covers, you only get paid for 4 songs.
John: Really? That's one lousy deal. I imagine that you have a very loose
structure when you play live. I have this picture of the McGarriggle
Sisters in my head. They drag family, friends and a slew of instruments
on stage and see what happens.
Victoria: That's so lovely. That's similar to what happens with us.
John: Who is in your band these days?
Victoria: My husband Mark Olson, who used to be in the Jayhawks, and Raz
Russel, a fiddle player who played with Joe Henry.
John: So that is you on the Jayhawks' song "Miss Williams' Guitar."
Victoria: Yeah, I was honoured.
John: How long have you known Mark?
Victoria: Hmmm, oh boy, 13 years? 14 years? 13 years.
John: A friend said he saw you perform a long time ago at the Winnipeg Folk
Festival with Peter Case.
Victoria: Hah! I was married to him.
John: That was news to me. Was that when he was with The Plimsouls?
Victoria: Naw, way after that.
John: How long were you married?
Victoria: Way too long. Six years, but it really wasn't a marriage after the
first two.
John: So you're going from musician to musician?
Victoria: I actually knew Mark before - we were going out, but then he moved
to Minnesota.
John: You appear on Giant Sand's Glum album, on which there's an ode to
Pappy Allen. You also mention him on your Loose record. Who was Pappy
Allen?
Victoria: He was a wonderful liver of life. He was a desert man, and we all
loved him. We took him to Europe, Giant Sand, Pappy and me. He would treat
everyone with the same respect no matter where they came from. There were
so many people at his wake. I met someone who was in prison and managed to
turn his life around thanks to Pappy. He was just a good old guy. He sang
with his wife Harriet. They had a club up in Pioneer Town called "Pappy &
Harriet's." You oughta go up there sometime.
John: I love his version of "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" on Glum. Was that
the last thing he recorded?
Victoria: No I recorded him for a compilation record in Germany. I recorded
him and his wife Harriet at my house. About 3 days later he fell ill, and
about 5 days later he died.
John: How is your health by the way?
Victoria: I'm doin' pretty good. I have to take these shots everyday. They
hurt. It's a new drug, supposedly you have fewer exacerbations. An
exacerbation is when in MS you're not doing so good.
John: Were you the first performer to benefit from Sweet Relief?
Victoria: Yes.
John: Can you outline what Sweet Relief does?
Victoria: Sure. Basically we don't have health care, and musicians are left
out of the loop. Even if you are signed to a record company, they don't
cover you for insurance. You're worth more dead, really. They make you
sign a life insurance policy. I had been in hospitals with them not
knowing what was wrong with me, and had acquired quite a bill. When I
got out there was a concert benefit with T-Bone Burnett, The Jayhawks,
Maria McKee... I thought it would be great if there was an organization,
and at the same time there was a group of people in New York who wanted
to do a record of people doing my songs. So we got together and put
together Sweet Relief as a charity, and then we were able to start
helping people. There's a chorus in my song "Opelousas" which is "Sweet
Relief" - that's where the title came from.
John: Vic Chesnutt was the next recipient of a benefit record.
Victoria: I wish his record would've got better publicity cuz it's a great
one.
John: You sing a song with Vic on that one.
Victoria: Yeah, and finally there's gonna be a video for it. A fella shot a
comet going overhead frame by frame. It's beautiful.
John: You should tour as the Two Vics!
Victoria: Hah! We will. We love each other so much.
John: When I spoke to Vic, he revealed that he doesn't have a huge fan base,
but the people who do like him are quite enamoured and devoted. His songs
manage to strike a chord. Is that the same case with you?
Victoria: Yeah, I have beautiful fans. They write me and send me art. I try
and write back, but sometimes I'm not so good about it. Yeah, it's not a
huge, huge thing, but the people that get it, they really get it.
John: What is it like to hear Lou Reed sing one of your songs?
Victoria: Whoah-yeah! It's wonderful. I got to play with Lou quite a bit
after Sweet Relief.
John: Oh yeah? He has a nasty reputation.
Victoria: I know, but he's never been unfriendly to me. I have seen him be
unfriendly though... not good.
John: Another fave of mine, Lucinda Williams is on Sweet Relief.
Victoria: Oh I love her. We used to play shows together as Millions of
Williams.
John: You have a very unique voice, one that takes a while to get accustomed
to. Did you find that a hindrance trying to get started in the music
industry?
Victoria: Oh yes, it was really rough, cuz there weren't many girl singers.
But now there are a lot of girl singers so I think it's not as hard to
listen to my voice any more.
...tape hiss
____________________________________________________________________________
CD ROM REVIEW: TITANIC - ADVENTURE OUT OF TIME (Cyberflix)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
The original plan was to make a good adventure game set aboard the ill fated
White Star ship, R.M.S. Titanic. At that, they succeeded admirably enough.
What Cyberflix actually created, however, was much more than a computer game.
As the game was being developed, the graphic simulation of the ship took on
more and more authenticity until it eventually became a Titanic buff's dream:
a chance to walk the decks and corridors of the ship they've studied and
loved.
Though Adventure Out Of Time is now a year old, we felt it should be reviewed
in this issue because A) our interview with Ian Whitcomb contains a great
deal of discussion about The Titanic, and B) this is a wonderful game and
it deserves attention. After all, the attention Cyberflix gave the game
was nothing short of fanatical devotion. The company spent nearly a million
dollars producing the game. How important was accuracy? At one point, when
an old Titanic photograph made it clear the artists had made a few mistakes
on the glass dome above the grand staircase, the entire dome was deleted and
restarted from scratch, resulting in major costs and a time loss of several
days.
When Cyberflix realized that they were actually creating an accurate
virtual Titanic, they decided to add a feature that allows the player to
tour the ship outside of the game structure. "Tour guides" pop up in
various locations and explain what you are seeing. On my version of the
game CDs, there were only a few tour guides, but a visit to the Cyberflix
website solved that problem. Several new guides can be downloaded free of
charge and plugged right into the game directory on your hard drive. The
website also houses a bulletin board for Titanic players to use to pass
along tips and ask questions, which are often answered by the creators
themselves.
The game itself is a wonderful bit of intrigue that actually begins in a
London apartment in 1942. There you learn some hard facts about your
past. It seems you were an agent of the British Secret Service until you
botched an important assignment aboard The Titanic way back in 1912. Now,
through strange circumstances, you have the opportunity to relive that
April evening and set things right.
In order to win the game it is necessary to visit many parts of the ship and
"talk" to many passengers and crewmen. As a lifelong Titanic freak, I found
that I frequently lost track of the details of my mission after entering
a room, hopelessly distracted by the thrill of exploring. Details had been
attended to, from the cherubs surrounding the clock in the grand staircase
to the patterns on the china. Elevators were located where they belonged,
the minutia on the deck was fairly accurate, and even the 3rd class cabins
were correctly arranged and decorated.
The 3-D graphics and 360-degree environment make this game something very
special, thanks to a graphics authoring system known as DreamFactory,
developed by Cyberflix founder Bill Appleton. DreamFactory allows the
designers to create adventures in much the same way that directors create
movies, using sets, lighting, props and "actors" intuitively rather than
mathematically. As a result, Cyberflix games are instantly recognizable
and preferable to the competition.
I've made a little discovery that I'd like to pass along. With all due
respect to the excellent soundtrack of Adventure Out Of Time, I've found
that the authenticity of this time trip is greatly enhanced by simultaneously
listening to Ian Whitcomb's latest project CD, The White Star Orchestra.
(Reviewed elsewhere in this issue of Cosmik Debris.) He has put together
a replica of the Titanic's famous band, and this CD contains music they
played on the voyage, performed exactly as it would have been in that
time and place. Because the characters in the game talk to you, it's often
necessary to turn the volume up again, but the combined effect of the game
and the Whitcomb CD is well worth the effort.
Because I am the worlds most inept adventure game player, I have yet to
solve the exciting mystery of Adventure Out Of Time. In fact, I haven't
even made it to the iceberg. But I have logged many hours of exploration
and admiration, and as for the game itself, I'm not about to give up. I
may be slow, but I have decoded a few messages, I've met a few beautiful
ladies who had messages for me, and I've even pissed off a stoker in one
of the boiler rooms. He wants to beat me up. Never thought I'd make an
enemy on the Titanic. But then I never thought I'd get to explore her,
either.
* * *
The Cyberflix website is located at www.cyberflix.com and it contains much
information about this and other Cyberflix games.
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EDDIE ANGEL: Guitar Party (Musick)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
In 1993, A few years before hooking up with Danny Amis and forming Los
Straitjackets, Eddie Angel made this straight forward garage rock record
at London's Toe Rag Studio. Until now, this has only been available in
the UK. Several of the originals on this album showed up later in new
versions by Los Straitjackets, sounding all reverby and rich, which isn't
a bad thing at all. But there's a lot to be said for buck naked rock and
roll, and this is definitely that. 10 of the 15 tunes are Angel originals,
and if you know Eddie you know there ain't a dog in the bunch. "Caveman,"
"Itchy Chicken," and "Brawl" are already being played by cover bands, a
sure sign that Angel has that rare knack for making simple tunes stick.
The covers include The Frantics' "Werewolf" and The Gentles' "Take It Off,"
and they fit in perfectly with the originals. Best of all, it sounds like
Eddie and his British co-horts had almost as much fun making Guitar Party
as I had listening to it. (Musick Records: 202 W. Essex Avenue, Lansdowne,
PA 19050. Phone: (610) 623-8467. Fax: (610) 623-8547)
LOUIS ARMSTRONG: Now You Has Jazz (Rhino)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
One of the seminal players in the world of jazz in particular and
American popular music in general, Louis Armstrong's engaging and
effusive personality also made him a natural for the world of film,
musical and otherwise. This disc presents selections culled from five
films Louis did for MGM between 1943 and 1965.
Actually, some of the music here never appeared on screen. There are
several outtakes and alternate versions presented that are valuable
additions to the Armstrong canon. One track in particular, "Ain't It
The Truth," from Cabin In The Sky, was recorded to be Armstrong's only
musical feature in the film. It was left on the cutting room floor, and
Louis Armstrong appeared in the film as a featured player in the
dramatic rather than the musical sense.
The eleven selections recorded for The Strip include classic performances
of "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "A Kiss To Build A Dream On" as well as some
great instrumental work by Louis Armstrong and His All Stars. And All
Stars they were. His working band, which did the film with him, included
Jack Teagarden (vocals & trombone), Barney Bigard (clarinet), Earl
"Fatha" Hines (piano), Arvell Shaw (bass) and Cozy Cole (drums). Cole's
drum parts were recorded for Mickey Rooney, who played a drummer in the
film, to mimic on screen. Shaw was replaced onscreen by a white actor
for unexplained reasons.
1952's Glory Alley brought back the Allstars with Teagarden in the
role of leader, since Louis had a featured acting role in addition to
his musical assignments. Louis' five musical numbers from the film are
accompanied here by an outtake of "It's A Most Unusual Day."
In 1956, High Society, with a cast featuring Frank Sinatra, Bing
Crosby and Grace Kelly and a score by Cole Porter, brought a new
lineup of the All Stars to film. Arvell Shaw is still on hand, with
Edmond Hall (clarinet), Trummy Young (trombone), Billy Kyle (piano) and
drummer Barrett Deems. Centered around the Newport Jazz Festival (then
in its third year), Armstrong managed to squeeze out two solo numbers
with the All Stars - a vocal take on "High Society Calypso" and the
instrumental "I Love You, Samantha." He appears here on three more
numbers teamed with Bing Crosby, including "Now You Has Jazz" which
gives a featured spot to the entire band.
Armstrong returned to MGM in 1965 to contribute two numbers to the
Connie Francis vehicle, When The Boys Meet The Girls. Whether
"Throw It Out Of Your Mind" and "I Got Rhythm" alone justified the
film may be debatable, but if you're a Louis Armstrong fan, you'll find
their inclusion here fully justified.
The same effusiveness of personality that made Louis Armstrong an
attractive personality for Hollywood would later lead to some criticism
among the purist sectors of the jazz community. Mugging to the audience
in an effort to entertain was seen as beneath the dignity of what was
being presented as "serious" music by "serious" musicians. One can't
help but wonder, though, how many of the jazz fans in those "serious"
artists' audiences came to love jazz through a Louis Armstrong film
appearance. There's sure plenty to love on this disc.
Track List: Ain't Misbehavin' * One O'Clock Jump * Ole Miss Blues *
Basin Street Blues * I'm Coming, Virginia * A Kiss To Build A Dream On *
Medley: Shadrack/When The Saints Go Marchin' In * That's A Plenty *
Ain' It The Truth * Hine's Retreat * Fatha's Time * J.T. Jive * That's
What The Man Said * Glory Alley * Oh Didn't He Ramble * South Rampart
Street Parade * Flee As A Bird * It's A Most Unusual Day * High Society
Calypso * Little One * I Love You, Samantha * Now You Has Jazz * Throw
It Out Of Your Mind * I Got Rhythm
THE ARTICLES: Flip F'real (Moon Ska)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
This one stands out. There are more bands on the ska scene at this moment
than at any time in history, and while a lot of them are fun, powerful and
talent-heavy, very few of them have a corner of the scene all to themselves.
The Articles approach ska from the jazz side in much the same way as their
idols, The Skatalites, did way back in the 60s. The instrumental ska on
Flip F'real is highly seductive and, as the album goes on, increasingly
diverse, drawing on jazz, reggae, dub, funk, and psychedelia.
The seven members of this band are loaded with talent and style, not to
mention taste. They choose their cover tunes carefully, paying homage to
greats like Charlie Parker ("Scrapple From The Apple"), Thelonious Monk
("Blue Monk" and "Well, You Needn't"), The Skatalites ("Spred Satin"), and
the great Laurel Aitken ("Ska's The Limit"), but it's the originals that
ultimately separates The Articles from the pack. Derek and Paul Phelps
(trumpet and guitar, respectively) collaborate on five tunes, Dan Margulis
(drums) wrote one and co-wrote one with Derek, and Mike Rehfus (alto sax)
contributed the final track, a stormin' number called "Mingus The Merciless/An
Incantation." Like all their originals, "Mingus" moves in several directions
at once: jungle drums, a street funk undercurrent, an exotic solo or two,
horn section parts that are just slightly askew, and inspired chants that
say only "Mingus," but say it like they're trying to raise his spirit.
I don't know much about the Detroit ska scene, but I'll wager just about
anything these gents are the top of the heap. I think it'd be the same in
any city they moved to. It would be interesting to see them go head to head
with their only real rivals, The New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble, a supergroup
made up of members of other great NYC ska bands (including bassist Victor
Rice, who produced this album). I'm a big fan of NYSJE, but right now I'd
have to give the nod to The Articles because of their unique creativity.
Still, that would be a showdown worth filming, wouldn't it? (Call Moon Ska
at 212-673-3359 to order.)
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH: Motets (BWV 225-230)
Rene' Jacobs Director with RIAS-Kammerchor and the
Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin Harmonia Mundi 901589
Reviewed by Paul Remington
Perhaps the most curious works composed by J. S. Bach are his motets;
brief polyphonic choral compositions based on Latin text, usually sung
unaccompanied, and written for church performance. These short works
differ from his sacred cantatas, which, along with his Passions and
oratorios, were written while he worked as the Cantor of St. Thomas.
Each motet was composed by commission for specific occasions. The
quantity of motets Bach left behind is unparalleled. Once thought to
have been composed in his early Leipzig period through the mid-1730s,
researcher and writer Daniel Melamed has recently revealed in "J. S.
Bach and the German Motet" that some of these motets were actually
written much earlier than previously believed. One of these early
motets appears on this CD; Furchte dich nicht (Fear thou not).
While the vocal motet was considered an outdated form in Bach's day
(superseded by the cantata form), it remained a standard liturgical
vehicle that continued to be used throughout Bach's lifetime. The
church records at St. Thomas reveal Bach used some of the early 17th
century motets while at St. Thomas. Those same motets continued to be
performed in Leipzig long after Bach's death. While the popular use of
the motet form had since passed, there continued to be a place for the
form in liturgical settings.
The motet is a functional and independent element, not linked with
a cycle of music, such as the sonata or cantata. These pieces are
singularly independent. As a result, they stand out as a unique
collection of material in Bach's catalog. The vocal lines are quite
different from that of Bach's other vocal works. In the Passions,
cantatas and oratorios, obbligato instrumentation is a part of the
form. The motet style is historically less colorful in the use of
instrumentation, yet flourishes in terms of vocal parts. Historical
records reveal Bach added to the motet form by doubling instrumental
parts with vocal parts. This allowed a continuo group to add obbligato
instrumental parts, much as he was composing in his own cantatas.
Bach's inventive mind applied a unique approach to a form that, even
then, was considered antiquated.
So, we have discussed what a motet is, how it differs from other styles,
when it was popular, and how Bach approached and used the form. The
historical significance of these works is clear, and leaves no question
as to why Harmonia Mundi would record and release them. What is left
undiscussed is the interpretation of the works; that is, how the
director, Rene' Jacobs, approached the performance for a 20th century
concert audience.
To begin, the performance of a collection of motets in a concert fashion
immediately extracts the pieces from their native presentation: as
independent liturgical works and not part of a song cycle. Remember,
each motet was commissioned for a specific event, making it an
independent entity. For the purposes of this recording, it was decided
to present these works in a concert form, stripping each motet from its
functional framework. In addition, a mixed choir was added, which provides
a rich presentation with the supporting instrumentation. In Bach's time,
these motets would probably be performed by solo vocalists. The decision
to add mixed choir in this performance was for added color in concert
presentation. The polyphonic aspect of each motet can be exploited with
the use of a mixed choir, choral parts can be alternated, and the use of
dynamics enhanced.
The deviation from what was commonly accepted in Bach's day should be
viewed as colorful additions designed to suit the performance requirements
of the day. Much as Bach added to the motet form in his day, the
interpretation of Bach's motets has been updated for the late 20th century
concert audience. The results are glorious! This CD archives a revitalized
and moving performance set within a sacred subject, spawned by Bach's
devotion to the church, and the Almighty through which he devoted his
life and talent.
This performance is a gem and the recording stupendous. Rene' Jacobs'
insightful approach to these works results in a remarkable and rewarding
aural experience. The performance of the RIAS-Kammerchor and the Akademie
fur Alte Musik Berlin more than satisfies the technical and interpretive
requirements of these works. Rich and affecting, beautiful and timeless,
these works will be around for centuries to come. This release stands apart
from others in that it takes a focused interpretive approach while
recognizing the historical element of the original works. Although a few
things may be different, nothing is lost. Bach's music is fresh and alive,
and this performance survives as a historic digital record, making it
equally timeless.
CECILIA BARTOLI: Chant d'amour (London 452 667-2)
Reviewed by Paul Remington
Mezzo soprano, Cecilia Bartoli, widens her repertoire with a collection of
duets composed by five French composers: Georges Bizet, Leo Delibes, Pauline
Viardot, Hector Berlioz, and Maurice Ravel. These duets find Bartoli
accompanied by pianist Myung-Whun Chung.
This release is a true French delight. Witty, prayerful, wispy, and at times
angry, the selection of material covers the entire spectrum of emotional
content with an emphasis on beauty. All music is set against the popular
nineteenth century writers of the time: Victor Hugo, Alphonse de Lamartine,
Louis Delatre, Edouard Pailleron, and Alfred de Musset, to name a few.
One must not forget William Shakespeare, whose material had an enormous
effect on the French Romantic movement. Berlioz' La Mort d'Ophelie (The
Death of Ophelia) sets a passionate and vividly melodic composition to
Shakespeare-inspired text by dramatist Ernest Legouve. Berlioz' great
respect and love for Shakespeare's work far exceeded many of the French
opinions of the time. Shakespeare was seen as a barbarian who destroyed
the established rules of classical drama. Berlioz, like Victor Hugo, saw
Shakespeare as a brilliant liberator. No writer had a more affecting impact
on Berlioz than Shakespeare.
The blend of colorful text with clever and sensitive compositions displays
each composers' ability to communicate his own feelings through music.
Although the compositions may be great and the text brilliant, it can easily
be destroyed with a performance lacking sensitivity and exceptional technical
ability.
Bartoli's advanced and uniquely developed coloratura has proven her to be
one of the best vocal talents around. She scales seemingly sadistic Rossini
passages with a playful touch. Her approach to Mozart is equally impressive;
both unique and sensitive. These French compositions from the nineteenth
century sound as though they were written for her.
Korean pianist Myung-Whun Chung's accompaniment is superb. There's a clear
chemistry between Bartoli and Chung that comes through in the performance.
Bartoli's flow is followed splendidly by Chung, who has made as much a career
for himself performing piano as he has as a conductor. After moving to Europe
in 1980, he conducted many orchestras, including both the Berlin and Vienna
Philharmonic. From 1989 to 1994 he served as Music Director of the Paris
Opera. His solid conducting and performance background gives him a special
approach when interpreting the performance of these works.
"Chant d'amour" was recorded over a period of six days in the Henry Wood
Hall in London. Relaxed and in a bright mood, Bartoli sang beside the piano,
with two mikes before her. Myung-Whun Chung was equally relaxed and jovial.
As Bartoli's mother (who's also her vocal teacher) sits only a few feet away,
you can see her reciting every word her daughter sings, as if singing with
her, pulling for her, coaching her. This loose and flowing atmosphere forms
the basis of a timeless performance; a performance that is both creative and
unique--something one comes to expect from any Bartoli recital.
The performance of both Bartoli and Chung bring these compositions to life.
Follow the text as you listen to the music. While the music stands on it's
own quite well, applying the text to the emotional content of each piece
enhances the experience. After listening to the CD, you may find yourself
doing what I did: acquiring Bartoli's tour schedule. Two speakers are fine,
but a talent like this must be experienced live. Bartoli tours the world. If
need be, she's worth the trip. After listening to the disk, you'll see what
I mean.
HARRY BELAFONTE: Jump Up Calypso (DCC 24k Gold CD)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
You knoe, it;s REALLU haed to typr when yoou[re dancimg yoyr ass off!
There... Had to turn this one off long enough to review it because it's
just about impossible to hold still while it's playing. Recorded in
1961, Jump Up Calypso was Harry Belafonte's return to his roots after
several years of recording a somewhat watered down brand of calypso for
RCA. Working with producer Bob Bollard and a handful of excellent calypso
musicians (including the wonderful Trinidad Steel Band), Belafonte made
a record for the ages.
Even if you think you don't know about calypso, you probably do. Ever see
Beetlejuice? Well, this record was playing in the background through about
sixty percent of the flick. The best remembered tune from that soundtrack
is "Jump In The Line" (you know... the tune at the end of the film that
Wynona Ryder got to levitate and dance to), and it, too, is from Jump Up
Calypso. The quality of that recording is phenomenal. Belafonte's voice
booms out from a perfectly defined reverb space that adds an amazing amount
of depth to the overall sound of the track. This is the rule for the
entire album: happy dancing steel drums, guitars and flutes to the left
and right, and Belafonte's voice, huge and impressive, dead center. No
murk, no obvious limitations. Just a little bit of hiss and noise here and
there because Steve Hoffman, DCC's remastering engineer, decided against
noise reduction in favor of preserving fidelity.
The songs are memorable, and in fact that's been proven, as they have all
survived the test of 36 years time. "Sweetheart From Venezuela," "Monkey,"
"Go Down Emanuel Road," "Gloria," "Angelina," "Jump In The Line," and "Goin'
Down Jordan" are the fast steppers, each one guaranteed to melt any icy
mood. "Bally Mena," "The Baby Boy," "Land Of The Sea And Sun," "These Are
The Times" and the classic "Kingston Market" are beautiful, emotional
ballads, and after all, you DO need to slow dance some of the time or you're
gonna drop. What a great album. I recommend paying the extra bucks for
this 24k gold version so it'll still be in prime shape in 20 years, because
you're going to be playing it a lot. (DCC can be reached by telephone at
1-800-301-MUSIC.)
GRACE BRAUN: It Won't Hurt (Slow River/Rykodisc)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
Grace Braun is best known for the garage/punk music she made with DQE, but
the country/folk roots of Kentucky were calling her home. With her debut
solo album, It Won't Hurt, Grace takes the best elements of that tradition
and infuses them with an easy and natural warmth like I haven't heard in
years. As it turns out, Grace is a substantially talented songwriter with
a flair for melody and an delivery that makes each song feel like a heart
to heart with someone you truly care about.
Having recently spent quite a bit of time singing in her church choir, Grace
was able to bring that fine sound to a few tracks, most notably "What Wondrous
Love Is This," and all of the songs seem to radiate a kind of spiritual
strength and confidence without ever once bringing religion into it.
If radio programmers pay attention to It Won't Hurt, there could be some
bona fide country hits here, starting with the title track. And believe me,
the country scene could use this breath of fresh air. Whether she's
delivering hot country stompers or introspective folk tunes, Grace Braun
delivers honesty.
LLOYD BREVETT & THE SKATALITES: African Roots (Moon Ska)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
Hoo boy! African riddims, old school ska and a touch of King Tubby dub
featuring the original and unmatched Skatalites! This is the first
stateside CD release of Lloyd Brevett's 1975 solo debut, which turned
into the first Skatalite reunion after their 1965 breakup. If you're
intrigued at all by the current ska boom and wonder where this music
came from, the answer is here. If you haven't got the word yet and
you're looking for a good place to begin, this is a ska lesson by the
undisputed ska masters.
Since their days as the house band at Kingston's Studio One, backing
everybody from the Maytals and Wailers to long forgotten one hit wonders
(whose hits owed a ton to the masterful backup band), the Skatalites
have defined the genre. When Brevett went in search of the best players
he could find to cut an album with he realized that they were none other
than his old bandmates. The result was one of the classic albums not
only of ska, but of Jamaican music in general.
A special highlight are the three tracks that none other than King Tubby
gave his deft dub touch to. Another is found in the four bonus tracks
that Moon Ska has thoughtfully provided - a quartet of tunes the
Skatalites recorded for Duke Reid's Treasure Isle in their original
early sixties incarnation.
For new fans and old alike, this disc is a gem.
Track List: Stream In The Meadow * Rock Bottom * Candle Light * Candle
Light Dub * Fugitive * Fugitive Dub * Jumbo Malt * Seven Seal * African
Roots * Herb Challis
Bonus Tracks: Just Cool (Cornerstone) * Japan Special * Space Light *
Rock With Me Baby
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 3 (Original Version, 1873; Novak ed.)
London Classical Players conducted by Roger Norrington. EMI
CLASSICS CDC 72435-56167-2 2 [DDD] 57:25
Reviewed by Robert Cummings
Roger Norrington has been a controversial figure in the music world because
of his rather individual (some would say "dogmatic") approach in the
"historic instruments" movement. Overall, though, he must be regarded as a
major figure in this realm in both his musicianship and in his influence.
Still, it's hard to imagine extending this method to include the music of
Bruckner: in the first place, the difference in the sound between instruments
indigenous to late nineteenth century orchestras and those of today is hardly
consequential; and where it is perceptibly different, the modern ensemble
arguably has the edge. In addition, Norrington here, perhaps reflexively
governed by his urge to seek the original soul of the music, serves up the
original version of this piece, which has been rarely performed and was
recorded but once before (by Inbal on Teldec). This version is perhaps 10%
longer than the two commonly performed later ones, the 1878 (officially the
first) and the 1888-89 (the second). This might all sound like a recipe for
failure, especially when you add Norrington's consistently brisk tempos into
the equation. Surprisingly, however, this recording scores a decided success.
From the brisk opening, you sense you're in a world of Bruckner dominated by
kinetic impetus and muscle, rather than by the majestic and ponderous
elements so typical of traditional approaches. Not that Norrington misses or
eschews the grandiose side of Bruckner; it's just that he seeks out many
facets of the music to produce a more kaleidoscopic kind of yield. Throughout
the first movement he is alert to the score's subtleties, always phrasing
intelligently, always finding the proper instrumental balances, and always
deriving fine playing from the orchestra, especially from the reeds and
brass.
The second movement soars with passion, even if it is rendered with a
greater febrile urgency than most listeners are used to. The music builds,
then subsides, then repeats the process again and again, until at 12:21
(track 2) the main theme builds up to reach a magnificent climax beginning
at 13:02. After yet another outburst by the brass the movement ends quietly.
This Adagio sounds nearly as animated as an Allegro in Norrington's hands,
and for Bruckner that's highly unusual and quite effective here.
The ensuing Scherzo is weighty and colorful, full of energy and sunlight,
mischief and muscle. High spirits abound in the finale, though tension
emerges toward the middle that leads to some truly hair-raising outbursts
by the brass beginning at 7:46 (track 4). The playing here is so well
executed and conceived that one can hardly imagine it more finely wrought.
The movement builds to an appropriately powerful close in a typically
stop-and-start, loud-soft Brucknerian manner. This is truly thrilling
playing.
EMI offers splendid sound and intelligent notes by Norrington on performance
practices, orchestral size, and other matters relating to historic performance
issues. While many may prefer one of the two later versions of this symphony
to this early one, I can't say there's a substantial superiority in either of
them. There have been many fine performances of this work by Jochum, Haitink,
Schuricht and others. This one can stand with the best in any version.
R.L. BURNSIDE: Mr. Wizard (Fat Possum/Epitaph)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
Just a few bars into R.L. Burnside's plaintive slide work on "Over The
Hill" I started feeling the palpable sensation of Mississippi mud
between my toes. A Delta legend, Burnside is overdue the wider audience
that the blues revival of the sixties offered to his compatriots like
Fred McDowell and Robert Nighthawk. Hopefully this disc will capture
that attention before it's too late.
Three years in the making, recorded with three lineups in jukejoints and
living rooms from Oxford, Mississippi to Hollywood, California, this is
the real deal. Moaning Delta blues, pounding boogie blues, scorching
electric blues...the genuine article from start to finish.
You can call him Rule or you can call him the Reverend or you can call
him Mr. Wizard - you doesn't have to call him R.L. But if you want to
feel those low down blues and that soothing Mississippi mud, you better
call on your local purveyor of fine recordings and order this one up.
Track List: Over The Hill * Alice Mae * Georgia Women * Snake Drive *
Rollin' & Tumblin' * Out On The Road * Highway 7 * Tribute To Fred *
You Gotta Move
CHINESE MILLIONAIRES: This Is The Criminal Element
4 song 7" EP (Demolition Derby)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
This EP is more about structured covers than the other Chinese Millionaires
EP reviewed in this issue. The Sex Pistols' "Did You No Wrong" gets a good
workout, and there's still plenty of thump and primal grind. The feedback
comes barging in about halfway through the tune as the band attempts to blow
up the transformers and throw East Lansing into brownout. As if to make my
day, they close this EP with an unrecognizable slaughtering of The Stones'
"Stupid
Girl" that rocks till it crumbles, chucking structure back out the
window in favor good ol' fashioned primitive chest thumpin' guts. The way
it oughta be. (Demolition Derby/Nitro: C/O Kris Verreth, Tervuusestwg 217,
1820 Perk, Belgium. demderby@tornado.be)
CHINESE MILLIONAIRES: White Collar Criminals 7" EP (Demolition Derby/Nitro)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
DIY garage punk from a quartet of Michigan kamikaze's with amps as big
as all outdoors. These four tracks run the skill range from primitive
("Door-To-Door Maniac" and "Glendora") to primitive but getting ready
to discover the wheel ("Turncoat" and "Reggae Reggae"). I hope they never
really do discover it, though. It would seem a shame to hear this band
being subtle. It feels great just like it is. Bandsaw guitars, relentless
drums, and a throbbing headache of a bass sound make the hysterical vocal
approach absolutely necessary. Extra points scored for taking a song like
"Glendora," which demands subtlety and finesse, and beating the everloving
crap out of it. Did I mention primitive? (Demolition Derby/Nitro: C/O
Kris Verreth, Tervuusestwg 217, 1820 Perk, Belgium. demderby@tornado.be)
DICK DALE: Better Shred Than Dead (Rhino)
Reviewed by Shaun (No Relation - My Loss) Dale
This new 2-disc compilation from Rhino chronicles Dick Dale's music
from his earliest Del-Fi singles through his 1996 version of the
Hendrix song "Third Stone From The Sun" and "Surf Beat '97" from the
CD-ROM game Rocket Jockey. Along the way you get great live performances
of Dick Dale classics like "King Of The Surf Guitar" and "Jessie Pearl,"
the landmark "Pipeline" duet with Stevie Ray Vaughn, and just about as
much hard drivin', quick pickin', wave ridin', ear splittin' surf guitar
as the King can deliver.
I say "just about" because Dick Dale ain't done yet. With a recording
career that's pushing toward its 40th year, Dale continues to work on
the road and in the studio, with a seemingly inexhaustible ability to
find a new dimension of the music he seemed to have established the
definitive dimension of years ago.
With 39 tracks spread across the two discs, it's pointless to try and
catalog them here, or to pick favorites. My advice is to buy it. And
if you don't have understanding neighbors and good speakers, pick up
some quality headphones at the same time. Once you get this one on,
there's an undeniable urge to TURN IT UP! I recommend giving in to
the urge, frequently.
Track List:
Disc One: Ooh-Whee Marie * Stop Teasing * Jessie Pearl * Let's Go
Trippin' * Del-Tone Rock * Shake-N-Stomp * Miserlou * Surf Beat *
Peppermint Man * Miserlou Twist * A Run For Life * Take It Off * King
Of The Surf Guitar * Hava Nagila * Riders In The Sky * Secret Surfin'
Spot * The Wedge * Night Rider * Mag Wheels * Mr. Eliminator * Flashing
Eyes * Banzai Washout * Tidal Wave * Spanish Kiss * Angry Generation *
Ramblin' Man
Disc Two: Firing Up (live) * King Of The Surf Guitar (live) * Jessie
Pearl (live) * One Double One Oh! * Pipeline (with Stevie Ray Vaughn) *
Nitro * Shredded Heat * Terra Dictyl * Unknown Territory * Niterider 6 *
Bandito * Third Stone From The Sun * In Liner (Surf Beat '97)
DOCTOR EXPLOSION: Maximum Rhythm & Shit (Demolition Derby)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
Doctor Explosion, a three piece garage/punk band from Spain, spits out
primitive sounding music like they freakin' well MEAN it. That, of course,
is an invitation to dance around and generally go nuts, and I'm taking 'em
up on it. The song structures are interesting and not particularly
predictable, and the performance is, at very least, sincere. This four
song seven incher starts off just fine with "Hunger" and "Fart" on side one,
but it really takes off on side two. "A Greedy Girl Like You" and "Chicago"
are prime examples of the kind of energy and devil-may-care bravado that
makes for great garage rawk. The humor doesn't hurt, either. Note the
cover photo in which the guys are dressed as nuns. Gotta love it.
(Demolition Derby: C/O Kris Verreth, Tervuursestwg 217, 1820 Perk, Belgium.
E-mail demderby@tornado.be. Web site at http://www.tornado.be/~demderby/ )
JOHN FOGERTY: Blue Moon Swamp (Warner Bros)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
More than a decade has passed since Eye Of The Zombie, but there doesn't
seem to be a bit of rust on ol' John. Blue Moon Swamp is an instantly
likeable country rock album with big scoops of blues, gospel, and that
certain swampy-tonk sound that only John Fogerty can brew.
The majority of this music is bright, catchy and countrified. "Southern
Streamline," which opens the album, fools the listener into thinking he's
in for a "Bad Moon Rising" retread, but it's just a little sleight of hand.
Fogerty peppers Blue Moon Swamp with such brief moments, each one evaporating
into something completely fresh. "Hot Rod Heart," an uptempo valentine to
the good ol' days of cruising and carousing, contains some of Fogerty's most
powerful and biting guitar riffs since his years with CCR. It's such a
pleasure and a kick to hear this master turn the simplest riff into something
unique that nobody else could lay claim to. This is just one of the many
things that makes John Fogerty a national treasure.
The most powerful track, surprisingly, is a slow blues. "A Hundred And Ten
In The Shade" mixes blues and backwoods country to perfection, with Fogerty
pulling off some sweet Dobro slide behind the amazing gospel backing vocals
of the Fairfield Four. This is a great track that should be added to the
list for future "best of" consideration.
Settling comfortably into his 50s, Fogerty seems to have it all together,
a fact crystallized in "Joy Of My Life," a love song for his wife, Julie.
In rock and roll, contentment is often the death of creativity. Here, it's
the spark. Not surprisingly, Blue Moon Swamp is an uplifting record, and a
pure joy to listen to.
FOO FIGHTERS: The Colour and the Shape (Capitol)
DAVID GROHL: Music from the Motion Picture Touch (Capitol)
Reviewed by Jeff Apter
Ringo, Ginger Baker, Nirvana's David Grohl - pity the poor drummer, stuck
out the back of every mega-band, kept away from the spotlight. But in
Grohl's case, rather than disappear when Kurt Cobain bit the bullet
(literally), he's let his nascent songwriting talent run wild, both as a
bandleader (Foo Fighters) and as a scorer of soundtracks (the Hollywood
flop 'Touch'). Whereas the Foos' first album was Grohl alone, he's now
recruited a proper band, although lanky Dave still writes all the tunes,
smashes drums, thrashes guitars and screams till his lungs bleed. And
whether he's wailing about (I guess) Kurt, as in "My Hero," or his recent
roadcrash of a marriage ("Monkey Wrench," "Walking After You"), Grohl
blends his punk spirit with a finely-tuned melodic ear: "Hey, Johnny
Park!," especially, has all the power and passion you could possibly want
from a rock toon. "Touch," meanwhile, is really just Grohl doodling in the
studio, either swinging on the "Bill Hill Theme," dabbling with moody
instrumentals and female voices (the downbeat main theme, the Twin-Peaksy
"Saints In Love"), or joining forces with LA icon John Doe, formerly of X,
on the quietly smoldering "This Loving Thing." This cut-and-paste
soundtrack and the powerhouse 'Colour and the Shape' proves there truly is
life after Nirvana.
THE FOREMEN: What's Left? (Reprise)
Reviewed by Rusty Pipes
You know something's really good when you're still listening to it ten
months after its release. Actually 2 years if you count Folk Heroes, The
Foremen's first CD. What's Left came out just before last year's election
and it only strengthens their position as a huge favorite of mine.
So what sort of music do The Foremen make actually?
I once described them to a friend as the Kingston Trio meets Lenny Bruce.
Like the Trio, the tracks are often simple folksy acoustic ditties but many
times The Foremen get into more involved arrangements with keyboards, strings
and horns that draw from the traditions of Simon & Garfunkle, Crosby, Stills,
Nash & Young, Mamas & Papas and others. Onstage I'm sure they rely on banjo,
acoustic guitar and stand-up bass in tradition folk style like Woody Guthrie
or Pete Seeger times four. Will Durst times four and singing? Perhaps it's
more accurate to say they have the voices of the Kingston Trio, the witty
lyrics of Tom Lehrer and the politics of Neil Young. Maybe I should call
this new old-fashioned folk protest music with a liberal dose of comedy. No,
it's more, it's a Libertarian dose of comedy, no it's... well, it's about as
Left as you can get. Republicans need not apply. Most Democrats need not
apply, too. But even Neil Young doesn't do social commentary every song. The
Foremen do, and moreover they make sure you have some good belly laughs while
getting indoctrinated.
Roy Zimmerman, songwriter and lyricist for the group, plays banjo and guitars.
Doug Whitney supplies guitar and trumpet, Andy Corwin is stand-up bass and
Kenny Rhodes is lead vocals. All four sing and their harmonies are exceptional,
but as good as the singing and playing is, the lyrics definitely star here.
Even Tom Lehrer, famous in the early 60's for wonderfully comic songs employing
his signature clever homonyms, commends Roy for bringing back the art of
rhyme to comedy music on their first CD.
With his formidable word-smithing skills Roy grinds a very fine edge onto his
satire. On the first album there's the delightful "Do the Clinton," which
presents the President's many position shifts as a new dance step. There's
also the hilarious "My Conservative Girlfriend," a right-wing love song with
lines like "She doesn't like big government so it's no surprise, I can be her
lover as long as I downsize" and "From the day I checked her out from front
to back, I knew her private sector could take up the slack." Searching for
that missing song about Jocelyn Elders? (Isn't everybody?) Try "(You Can't
Come in Cause They're) Firing the Surgeon General," which has one of the
longest strings of sexual puns I've ever heard. Roy also twits all the old
hippies who lost their idealism in "Ain't No Liberal." and "Peace Is Out."
There's even an anthem, "Everyman (For Himself)" that qualifies as the
Anti-"Bridge Over Troubled Water" that conservatives seem to be marching to.
But I'm supposed to be writing about the newer CD, am I not?
On What's Left Roy gives us songs commemorating the Republican and Democratic
National Conventions last year. "San Diego" seems to be based on "Are You
Going to San Francisco" and "Chicago" is a deft mashing of musical motifs
from "Mrs. Robinson" and "Our House." Even slightly dated now, both send
darts straight to the target. I hope Governor Wilson takes to heart the
poignant "California Couldn't Pay Our Education" and anyone interested in
preserving some of the best governmental projects ever, the National
Endowment for the Arts and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting will
relate to "Who Needs Art?" and "Privateers of the Public Airwaves." There's
even a send-up of beat poetry, "Black," that's the only thing on either album
that doesn't sport a political angle, just angst.
My favorites on What's Left are "My School Prayer" and "Hidden Agenda."
"Prayer" addresses that religious right hot button issue in a lullaby loaded
with irony:
Peace on earth, Thy kingdom come,
Into my curriculum,
Make my head a hollow drum,
Strike me dumb,
Except to mum---ble,
My School Prayer.
Roy loves to lead with one idea and pull a switch in the next phrase. He
outdoes himself with four in a row in "Hidden Agenda," dedicated to Newt's
Republican Revolution:
Feed the hungry----to the dogs,
Help the homeless----aerospace executives,
Save the schools----for those who can afford them,
Make this nation one----big country club!
Of course there are a few groups that make a living with musical satire.
Public broadcasting aficionados are familiar with Mark Russell and The
Capitol Steps, but they should not mistake their bland (sorry) brand of
humor for the Foremen's. Their work, while reliably droll, doesn't have
much bite to it. Even groups noted for wry wordplay like They Might be
Giants are just gumming around without any teeth in their stuff. (Oh all
right, a big exception to that is "Your Racist Friend." I'll give TMBG some
credit.) Other groups using styles like rap or punk may have a lot to
say too, but most of it is simply lost in a torrent of big bass beat or
distorted guitars. The Foremen's words are made to be heard.
So is a sociology degree required to appreciate these songs? No, but an
awareness of current issues certainly helps. The David Horowitzs and Ariana
Huffingtons of the world will quickly write off the Foremen as a throwback
to misguided Sixties revolutionary fervor. These same people would love it
if you would not listen to any of these funny, incendiary little songs. Just
roll over and go back to sleep, please! Like Jerry Brown's uncompromising
rhetoric, The Foremen's music is really a call to arms to fight the banal
and greedy forces that have become so ubiquitous. Will it work? Well, every
movement's got to have marching songs, so it's a start.
Track List: (The Foremen -- What's Left? Reprise 46426-2)
Scorched Earth Day * San Diego * What Did You Do On Election Day? *
California Couldn't Pay Our Education * My School Prayer * Three Strikes
and You're Out * Uncle Sam's Lament * Who Needs Art? * Black * Hidden
Agenda * Privateers of the Public Airwaves * Dear Parking Offender
(The Foremen -- Folk Heroes Reprise 45993-2)
No Shoes * Ain't No Liberal * Hell Froze Over * Don't Pity Me * Ollie Ollie
Off Scott Free * Building For The Future * Peace Is Out * Do the Clinton *
Send 'Em Back * My Conservative Girlfriend * Russian Limbaugh * Firing The
Surgeon General * Everyman (For Himself)
FRIENDS OF DEAN MARTINEZ: Retrograde (Sub Pop)
Reviewed by John Sekerka
Bill Elm and his slide guitar carry on in an exquisite musically journey
throughout the hot and dusty South. These lazy, melancholy mood setters
almost get out of their rockers on the swinging 'Monte Carlo.' It is but a
brief burst of insane energy that punctuates another solid, yet low key
record. Bill's Friends play some of the sweetest tunes you'll ever hear,
but their penchant for instrumentation (vibes, theremin, church organ)
leaves most folks scratchin' their heads. Some think it loungy, some think
it country. I just think it mighty fine, and leave it at that.
THE GERALDINE FIBBERS: Butch (Virgin)
Reviewed by Jeff Apter
If you could picture a collision between Patti Smith's punk-poet rage, the
anti-everything snarl of the Dead Kennedys, and Sonic Youth-styled sonic
explorations, then The Geraldine Fibbers make a lot of sense. 'Butch' has
way too much savage excitement for the more sensitive souls of the world:
banshee frontperson Carla Bozulich wails and howls about abortion, death
and gut-level suffering, her lyrics hitting home with all the graphic
detail of an x-ray. Fortunately, with a broad arsenal at its disposal, as
adept with powerhouse rockers as they are making arty noise, the Fibbers -
especially string-bender Jessy Greene - have sufficient range to make
Bozulich's most turgid tale listenable. Yet they're deceptive: even when
the band takes a lighter turn, as they do on the twangy backporch ramble of
"Folks Like Me," you soon discover that a devastating tale of heartbreak
lurks underneath the swinging lap steel, Bozulich bemoaning how "a fugitive
lover's what I become." As vicariously thrilling as a car wreck, these are
brilliant, raw emotions, but like your drug of choice, it's best to handle
'Butch' with caution.
STAN GETZ & CHARLIE BYRD: Jazz Samba (Verve)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
By the early sixties, guitarist Charlie Byrd was becoming increasingly
disaffected with the contemporary jazz scene. He had largely abandoned
electric guitar work in favor of a classical instrument, and had begun
developing a classical repertoire to go with it. While touring South
America, though, he experienced a musical epiphany. While in Brazil, he
found a new music, bossa nova, which blended cool jazz with traditional
samba. Largely the work of the Brazilian composer/performers Antonio
Carlos Jobim and Joao Gilberto, he took the music back to the United
States with a new mission - to extend the bossa nova across the border
and into the musical consciousness of America.
His accomplice in that task was tenor sax master Stan Getz, and their
vehicle of attack was an album titled "Jazz Samba."
"Jazz Samba" has been reissued in an attractive new package as part of
the Verve Master Edition series. The new notes, photos and faithful
reproduction of the original cover art are all welcome, as is the
inclusion of the version of "Desafiando" that was released as a single,
one of the first and one of the rare jazz tracks to become a legitimate
hit single. But it is the seven original tracks of "Jazz Samba" from
which a legend has grown and a movement was begun. Great songs, great
improvisations and great artists combined in a truly great album.
This album is one of the essential ingredients any collection of jazz
discs. If you don't own it, this is the version to get. If you do,
this is the version to replace the version you have with.
Track List: Desafinado * Samba Dees Days * O Pato * Samba Triste *
Samba de Uma Nota So * E Luxo So * Bahia (aka "Baia") * Desafinado (45
rpm issue)
STAN GETZ & JOAO GILBERTO: Getz/Gilberto (Verve)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
After his breakthrough bossa nova duets with Charlie Byrd on the
immortal "Jazz Samba" set off the American craze for bossa nova, there
was one way that Stan Getz was sure to stay at the head of the pack of
bossa nova wannabes. A session was arranged with singer/guitarist/
composer Joao Gilberto, accompanied by the other central figure in the
Brazilian genre, Antonio Carlos Jobin, on piano.
With that lineup, backed by Tommy Williams on bass and drummer Milton
Banana, great music was assured. When Gilberto's wife Astrud was lured
into the studio to contribute her distinctive touch, history was made.
Astrud Gilberto's attractively flat, ethereal voice drove Jobim's "The
Girl From Ipanema" to the top of the charts and insured that "Corcovado
(Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars) would hold a permanent place in the bossa
nova repertoire.
Both the original album cuts and the single release edits of the two
songs are included on this new Verve Master Edition reissue. Combined
with "Jazz Samba," it constitutes a great starting point for
understanding bossa nova, a penetrating look at one of Getz' most
impressive periods and an essential element of a jazz collection.
Track List: The Girl From Ipanema * Doralice * Para Machuchar Meu
Coracao * Desafinado (Off Key) * Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet
Stars) * So Danco Samba * O Grande Amor * Vivo Sonhando (Dreamer) *
The Girl From Ipanema (45 rpm issue) * Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet
Stars) (45 rpm issue)
GUTTERMOUTH: Musical Monkey (Nitro Records)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
On "Musical Monkey," Guttermouth takes the unwary listener on a musical
tour of the, ummm, less wholesome side of life. Among the seamy scenes
they explore are Tijuana donkey shows, confused sexuality, teenage blow
job queens, dating vegans and American politics. Clearly not for the
squeamish.
But definitely for anyone with an ear for thrash and a sense of humor.
Take "Corpses Rotting In Hell," for instance. Well, maybe that's not
the best example.
Digging deep in the musical trough, the boys come up with spot on punk,
Goth, power pop - whatever it takes to sell their unique vision. A
vision that finds humor in maternal relations with members of the equine
family, aging metal musicians, and the travails the Doors faced in the
effort to replace Jim Morrison with the B-52's Fred Schnider.
Is this getting a little hard to imagine? Then stop imagining, go get
this disc and have more fun than a barrel of musical monkeys.
Track List: What's The Big Deal * Lucky The Donkey * Big Pink Dress * Do
The Hustle * Good Friday * Bakers Dozen * Abort Mission * Corpse Rotting
In Hell * Lipstick * When Hell Freezes Over * S.D.F.B. * What If? *
Perfect World * Gold * Musical Monkey
BERNARD HERRMANN: Music From Great Film Classics: Jane Eyre; The Snows of
Kilimanjaro; Citizen Kane; The Devil and Daniel Webster. London Philharmonic
Orchestra conducted by Bernard Herrmann. MOBILE FIDELITY SOUND LAB UDCD 701
[AAD] 42:13
Reviewed by Robert Cummings
A few months back I reviewed the recent Salonen-led Herrmann disc on Sony,
which contained music from the latter part of the composer's career, and all
but two of the eight scores on it were composed for films directed by Alfred
Hitchcock. This MFSL issue offers music from his early years, specifically
from the 1940's and `50's. On the whole it is a superior assemblage to that
contained on the Salonen disc, and is conducted with greater authority. I
say "with greater authority" rather than "with greater skill" because it is
the composer himself who is on the podium, and since no point of comparison
can be made between the two recordings, in that neither shares a single work
in common, it is difficult to arrive at a definitive verdict. Let me simply
say that Salonen is undoubtedly compelling, beyond meaningful cavil; but
Herrmann sounds absolutely convincing, almost as if there can be no other
way to hear this music.
This offering was originally issued on London in 1971 as part of its "Phase
Four" line, which was a sort of audiophile series whose main feature was the
use of many microphones during recording. Typical of this process was sound
of extreme close-up clarity and vivid imaging. Some critics didn't like Phase
Four, complaining the sound stage wasn't realistic, but, more egregious,
charging the listener heard too much. Yes, you could hear things the composer
didn't necessarily want you to hear, they claimed. Well, I won't resurrect
the arguments any further on this long-dead but still technologically
influential process, but suffice it to say that the sound on this recording
is vivid and quite competitive with the some of the better efforts from
today's engineers. My one quibble is the dry brass sound, most noticeable in
the delightful Ragtime from Citizen Kane.
The two selections from The Snows of Kilimanjaro, "Interlude" and The "Memory
Waltz," show a Herrmann with more feeling, more lyricism, than you'll find
in anything in the Hitchcock scores. True, North by Northwest featured a
love theme (which was not included on the Salonen disc), but it bordered on
the saccharine. The waltz here has a Sibelian charm, and the interlude is
yearning and sad in its heartrending depiction of a dying man. The Citizen
Kane music is full of delicious humor and irony, as is "The Devil and Daniel
Webster." But "Sleigh Ride" in the latter takes humor and irony a step further,
achieving a most diabolical grotesqueness, which must have struck filmgoers
at the time (1941) as a bit ill-mannered. The disc's lead-off track features
music from Jane Eyre, and it is without doubt the most wide-ranging, and
most restless of the pieces here. Herrmann runs the gamut of emotions in
this thirteen-minute extract, and clothes his notes in gorgeously colorful
and innovative orchestration.
All in all, this is a splendid release. Herrmann died four years after he
made this recording, and it is a testament to his compositional as well as
conductorial skills.
LIDA HUSIK: Fly Stereophonic (Alias)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
Dreampop artist Lida Husik continues the musical evolution begun with
the 1995 EP, Live At The Grange. On that collaboration with Beaumont
Hannant, synths were dominant and the sound was decidedly electronic.
Fly Stereophonic finds Lida's guitar at the front of the mix once again,
but synths are more prevalent as supporting instruments than they were
on her pre-1995 albums.
As with any Lida Husik album, the real hook is her multi-layered vocal
harmonies, which are beautiful beyond belief. In "Cafe Con Leche," Lida's
vocal tracks are absolutely beautiful and, depending on how much you
appreciate perfection, could even raise goosebumps.
For the average listener, Fly Stereophonic might take a few listens to sink
in. Because it is often minimalistic and laid back, it's easy to get
distracted and miss what's going on in the music. Headphones! Trust me.
What seems minimalistic from a distance turns out to be an intricate and
fascinating blend of many sounds and colorful, intelligent lyrics thoughtfully
presented by a true artist.
THE HYPNOMEN: Sound Of The Silencer/El Pancho (Gas Records)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
Ah, a new 7 incher from my favorite mid-fi surf band, The Hypnomen. No
direction change, no "new sound," just the powerful, mysterious surf/spy
sounds that I expect and crave when I see that Helsinki address on the
package. Esa Kuloniemi (guitar) and Juha Litmanen (drums) thunder all over
these two tracks, but it's the Farfisa psychosis of Pekka Laine that twists
it up into something deliciously sinister. When I close my eyes and listen
to this record, I can only picture The Hypnomen playing in the surreal
confines of Dr. Terwilliker's castle. Which is why they're constantly on my
turntable. (Gas Records [a division of Goofin' Records and Music] P.O. Box
73, 00581, Helsinki, Finland)
ISRAEL VIBRATION: Live Again (RAS)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
It's been a long long time since the last live reggae album that could be
called a definitive document. Live Again surely qualifies. Israel Vibration
and their famous backing band, Roots Radics, don't just put on a show: they
take their audience inside the music. Cecil Spence (Skelly), Lacelle Bulgin
(Wiss) and Albert Craig (Apple), who met as kids when all three were victims
of a polio epidemic, present a compelling image on stage, dancing purposefully
with braces swinging from their arms, lost in the music and apparently feeling
no pain, totally dedicated to the vibe. Radics bassist Flabba Holt, one of
the best in the business, nurtures that vibe and infuses it with one of the
purest tones on record. Live Again contains just over 76 minutes of roots
music that presents most of what's unique and wonderful about Israel
Vibration AND Roots Radics. Make sure, once you've picked up your copy,
that you find time to listen to this without interruptions. It deserves
your undivided attention.
KING CRIMSON: Epitaph (Discipline Global Mobile)
Reviewed by Steve Marshall
When you think about progressive rock, one of the first groups that come to
mind is King Crimson. Considered one of the genre's most influential artists;
their 1969 debut, In the Court of the Crimson King, is one of rock's true
landmark albums. Discipline Global Mobile recently released Epitaph; a
beautifully packaged, 4CD box set from the band's debut tour. Culled from
various sources, the sound quality is not what you would expect in a
commercial release. However, the performances speak for themselves.
At the time, King Crimson consisted of Robert Fripp on guitar, Greg Lake on
bass and lead vocals, Ian McDonald on backing vocals and just about anything
that happened to be lying around the studio, Michael Giles on drums and
vocals, and Peter Sinfield on 'words, illumination, and other things.' Greg
Lake once called King Crimson "a band without fear." Improvisation has
always been the group's focal point, and the material in this box set is a
prime example.
Disc One contains vintage BBC tracks, and excerpts from shows at the Fillmore
East and the Fillmore West. The quality varies from track to track on the
BBC sessions. "21st Century Schizoid Man" was the first thing the band ever
committed to tape. This version comes from an Italian bootleg. Taken from
the BBC masters; the lyrics on "In the Court of the Crimson King" are
slightly different and the sound quality is much better. The sound on "Get
Thy Bearings" is shoddy at best. On a positive note, this is the only studio
version of the song known to exist. Like "Schizoid," the master tapes for
this track have long since disappeared.
The Fillmore East concerts are significant in that they mark the first
meeting of Greg Lake and Keith Emerson. Emerson was still a member of The
Nice, who, along with King Crimson, were opening for The Chambers Brothers.
The Fillmore East tracks (considered the Holy Grail to Crimson collectors)
are from Michael Giles' personal cassettes. He was under the impression that
these shows were widely bootlegged, but as it turned out, his was the only
existing copy. The embryonic "A Man, A City" features a blistering sax
improv by McDonald, but is minus the vocals on the last verse.
Disc Two comes from the second night at the Fillmore West, and was the band's
last US appearance with this lineup. Out of the four CDs, this one has the
best overall sound quality. "Drop In," gives McDonald the chance to stretch
out a bit. "A Man, A City" is noticeably heavier than the version on disc
one. It's a looser performance, and features another excellent solo by
McDonald. The version of "Schizoid" on disc two is another highlight,
featuring a killer vocal performance by Lake, and outstanding guitar work by
Fripp. Gustav Holst's "Mars" builds to a feverish crescendo to close the show.
Disc Three has the worst sound quality of the four CDs. Five different sources
were pieced together to form what they believe to be the complete (if uneven)
set from the Plumpton Festival. "Schizoid" has a cool mid-section, but is
fairly lackluster otherwise. After a choppy edit, an excellent "Get Thy
Bearings" follows. Fripp's guitar work here is stellar. The rendition of
"In the Court of the Crimson King" is sloppy. Giles misses his cue on the
second chorus, and aside from the flute solo (which is better than any other
version here), it sounds as if the band just phoned in the performance.
Fripp quotes the intro of The Beatles' "Rocky Raccoon" on the cleverly
titled "Improv." The track also features a rare Giles drum solo.
The fourth disc (from the Chesterfield Jazz Club) also has rough sound
quality by today's standards, but it includes some of the best performances
of the entire collection. "Schizoid" is definitely a highlight. Fripp's solo
starts out faithful to the studio version, then goes into a stunning
improvisation. This was one of the few shows where they played the song's
final flourish of notes. Up next is the longest track in the box, an 18:10
version of "Get Thy Bearings." It's also one of the best. Fripp's solo
builds into a climactic frenzy, before giving way to McDonald's flute solo.
While this version of "Mars" is shorter than the other versions, it's
noticeably heavier and features vocals.
What Epitaph lacks in sound quality is made up for in the packaging. Epitaph
is one of the nicest box sets to hit the streets in a long time. The artwork
is beautiful, the liner notes are interesting and informative, and it's all
printed on high quality paper. In an unusual marketing move, the first two
CDs (as well as the box to keep them in) are available at your local record
store. The second two discs are available exclusively through Discipline mail
order at 213-937-3194. The box has room for the third and fourth discs.
Epitaph is not a collection for those just discovering King Crimson; but for
the seasoned fans, this is a must-have release.
LAKE: Lake / Paradise Island (Renaissance)
Reviewed by Steve Marshall
Back in 1977, FM radio was in its heyday. Formats weren't as rigid. You
could still turn on the radio and hear a 10-minute song. One of the best
bands around at the time was a band out of Germany called Lake. Songs like
"On the Run," "Key to the Rhyme," and the epic "Between the Lines" kept
their debut album a mainstay on FM radio for months. Lake's albums didn't
sell enough copies in the US to stay around long (they always had a bigger
following in Europe) and eventually went out of print, quickly becoming
collectors items.
Jump to 1997. Renaissance Records has made quite a name for itself recently
by releasing this type of material--most of it available on CD for the first
time in the US. Now we can add Lake to the already impressive list of artists.
Twenty years later, the songs on Lake's debut still sound fresh, and the
sound quality is great. On its own, Lake's debut album is a must-have release.
Adding Paradise Island (their third album) onto the same CD just makes it
that much better. The fact that Paradise Island only had a couple good
tracks on it doesn't matter. Just think of the Paradise Island songs as
bonus tracks.
In case you have trouble finding Lake / Paradise Island in your local record
store, you can order it direct from Renaissance through their web site. Point
your browser to http://skymarshall.com/renaissance for more information on
Lake or any of the other Renaissance artists.
LISZT: Complete Piano Music (Naxos)
Reviewed by Robert Cummings
Volume 2: Transcendental Etudes, S139/R2b (1851). Jeno Jando, Piano.
NAXOS 8.553119 [DDD] 63:58
Volume 3: Poetic and Religious Harmonies, S173/R14, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6;
The Dead, S516/R183; Resignation, S187a/R388; Hungary's God (2-hand version),
S543a/R214a. Philip Thomson, Piano. NAXOS 8.553073 [DDD] 68:19
Volume 4: Poetic and Religious Harmonies, Nos. 7, 8, 9, 10; Ave Maria in D Flat,
S504/R193; Ave Maria in G, S545/R194; Ave Maria in E, S182/R67; Ave Maria
d'Arcadelt, S183/R68b; Six Consolations, S172/R12; Hungary's God (Left-hand
version), S543b/R214b. Philip Thomson, Piano. NAXOS 8.553516 [DDD] 63.55
When I reviewed the first volume in this massive and important series of the
complete body of Franz Liszt's piano music, I noted that Naxos intended to
use twenty-five or more pianists for the project (which will consume some 75
CDs!), unlike the British label Hyperion, whose sole pianist for the
endeavor, the nearly superhuman Leslie Howard, has gone beyond the half-way
point in the decade-long undertaking. In the three issues here, Jeno Jando
(pronounced, I believe, Yenu Yando) and Philip Thomson turn in splendid
performances that rank among the best I know. And these successes once again
reinforce the wisdom of Naxos's decision to spread this massive series among
a number of pianists rather than letting it fall to one (or to even a few).
It also reflects this label's uncanny ability to find talent the others
apparently overlook.
There have been a good many pianists who have recorded the Transcendental
Etudes: Russell Sherman (intellectual readings, but ultimately dull), Louis
Kentner (okay, but not great), the late Claudio Arrau (interpretively
outstanding), Vladimir Ovchinikov (impassioned performances, spectacular
virtuosity), and others. Arrau, of course, was a great pianist and was
consistently interesting in these twelve trying pieces, even if his technique
was a bit frail (I believe he was 75 at the time of his recording for
Philips). The fiery and insightful Ovchinikov (Angel), however, is almost
in a class by himself. That Jando makes the choice difficult between his
set and Ovchinikov's says a lot about this Hungarian pianist's extraordinary
gifts. This is simply stunning pianism that misses none of Liszt's manic
brilliance or his sentimental outpourings or his ubiquitous mephistophelian
menace. In Wilde Jagd, Ovchinikov is wilder, to be sure, but Jando plays
with more weight and clarity, while imparting greater color and richness
to his bass notes. The same assessment can be made about the following etude
(No. 10), or, for that mater, about several others. In Harmonies du soir
(No. 11) Jando's slightly faster tempo works well, and his shaping of the
middle section and slightly warmer tone make his rendition preferable. Both
bring off Feux Follets (No. 5) impressively, and one could go on, I suppose,
to pick and choose among the rest without ultimately finding a clear winner.
Let me say this, however: Ovchinikov's is the kind of performance that would
turn a crowd wild at a concert, where Jando's is likely to send them away
remembering the music as much as the performance. Ovchinikov has an ounce
more technique (he's in a class with Argerich and Gavrilov), but Jando
phrases with a tad more subtlety. Naxos offers the better sound and very
intelligent, lengthy notes.
If Jando is relatively straightforward is his approach to Liszt, Thomson
represents an about-face of sorts in his creamier, more sensual style. He's
not afraid to wallow in Liszt's religiosity, in its agitated mysticism and
worshipful ecstasy. Indeed, he's chosen music almost exclusively from that
well-endowed corner of the Lisztian repertory, the stuff of Liszt the true
believer, not of Liszt the man of the flesh. And he plays it with such
conviction, with such a velvety and powerful, but never fulsome, tone, and
with such interpretive insight as to nearly convince you these pieces can
be played no other way. His Funerailles (track 1, Vol. 4 CD) begins ominously
and builds in intensity and sorrow. I've heard others here--Horowitz,
Brendel, Ogdon, Rose, to name a few--but don't believe anyone played it on
this exalted level. Thomson conveys the sorrow, the loss, as if it were his
own, or as if he were the conduit to Liszt's personal anguish. He plays the
Ave Maria settings with a loving gentleness, and the Consolations with
appropriate elegance and grace.
In Pensees des Morts (track 4, Vol. 3 CD) Thomson deftly catches the opening
mystery in the main theme, then quickly turns frenzied, with a left hand
hammering nervous chords to accompany the now toll-like theme, creating a
climactic episode of devastating impact. The rest of the piece is appropriately
haunting and sad, truly sounding like its title (Remembering the dead). Like
Funerailles, this performance carries an impact that elevates it to near
definitive status. Thomson's version of the Poetic and Religious Harmonies,
split between Volumes 3 and 4, will be the one that I reach for in the future.
Les Morts (The Dead) is tense and ecstatic, and features powerful virtuosity
in the latter half. Each of Thomson's discs ends with Hungary's God, Volume
3 with the two-handed version, Volume 4, the left-handed version. Both are
vigorously and fervently rendered. Thomson is an even more interesting pianist
than Jando, who is a bit cooler and more sober, though always sensitive.
Thomson may well be the most compelling interpreter of Liszt's
religious/contemplative music I've ever heard. And I've heard many. Excellent
sound and notes.
In sum, these three issues are strongly recommended. If this series remains
on this distinguished level (Volume 1, with Arnaldo Cohen, was similarly
impressive), it could achieve the discographic importance of Schnabel's
Beethoven cycle.
THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER: Swing (Atlantic)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
Every new release by the Manhattan Transfer seems to claim the tag "this
is the one we've been waiting for." "Swing" is no different, and may
have the strongest claim to the title since the multi-Grammy masterpiece
"Vocalese."
Once again the group displays great taste and impressive range in the
selections offered - songs from Jelly Roll Morton, Fletcher Henderson,
Django Reinhardt, Count Basie and Ella Fitzgerald are included, among
others with equally aristocratic pedigrees.
The supporting cast is similarly stellar. "Clouds," adapted from
Django's "Nuages," a classic from the repertoire of Le Quintet du Hot
Club de France, is supported by the Rosenberg Trio and no less than Hot
Club veteran Stephane Grapelli on violin. Several tracks, including a
reworking of the Manhattan Transfer staple "Java Jive," feature the
Western Swing stylings of Asleep at the Wheel. The last cut, "Choo Choo
Ch' Boogie," recorded live at the Ryman Auditorium, is backed by an all-
star Nashville cast including Ricky Skaggs on guitar and Mark O'Connor
on violin. Skaggs and O'Connor appear elsewhere on the album as well, as
do Buddy Emmons, Ray Brown and a range of strong musicians from both the
Western and jazz swing traditions.
But the vocals are what make a Manhattan Transfer recording, and the
band is absolutely on top of this one. Their genuine affection for the
swing genre is reflected in the blend of enthusiasm and precision they
bring to every track. Vocal arrangements by Janis Siegal present some
of the real highlights, which is not to detract from the arrangements
contributed by Tim Hauser, Alan Paul or the group as a whole.
As on "Vocalese," the legendary Jon Hendricks contributes several lyrics
as the band takes on the role of the horn ensembles of bands including
Basie's and Benny Goodman's. Once again, the Manhattan Transfer handles
the Hendricks lyrics with a facility that clearly establishes them as
the contemporary heirs of the vocal jazz crown long worn by Lambert,
Hendricks and Ross.
And oh yeah, they'll swing your socks off! This is just plain great
stuff.
Track List: Stomp Of King Porter * Sing A Study In Brown * Sing Moten's
Swing * A-Tisket, A-Tasket * I Know Why (And So Do You) * Sing You
Sinners * Java Jive * Down South Camp Meetin' * Topsy * Clouds (adapted
from "Nuages") * Skyliner * It's Good Enough To Keep
MOTLEY CRUE: Generation Swine (Elektra)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
I didn't start to develop any appreciation for Motley Crue until the Dr.
Feelgood album. That one caught me off guard, and I remember listening
to it quite a bit. And though I can't remember anything but the title track
now, I do remember feeling that it "rocked" and that my head was properly
banged.
Generation Swine is, at the very least, an interesting album. Like so many
veteran metal bands, Crue has obviously been surrounded with "alternative"
rock and it has effected their sound. Tunes like "Flush" and "Find Myself"
do have sharp edges, but hooks have gone by the wayside in favor of noise
by the pound. To make up for that, they go the whole nine yards with that
noise, stuffing the tracks with all kinds of interesting sounds and bits of
production.
There are still plenty of wall-of-guitar tunes to give you your daily dose
of high voltage adrenaline, including the title track. On the other hand,
there is some baffling filler that defies description, making me wonder if
either Trent Reznor or Keith Partridge had joined the band while I wasn't
looking. I figure I might take a few dozen more listens to absorb all of
the interesting sounds, since someone went to all the trouble of putting
them there. Or maybe I'll just pop Dr. Feelgood on again.
MUSSORGSKY: Dream of the Peasant Gritzko (orch. V. Shebalin);
Galitsin's Journey (from Khovanshchina; orch. Rimsky-
Korsakov); Introduction to Khovanshchina (orch. Rimsky-
Korsakov); Pictures at an Exhibition (orch. Ravel). New Jersey
Symphony Orchestra conducted by Zdenek Macal; Westminster
Symphonic Choir; Clayton Brainerd, Bass-Baritone. DELOS DE
3217 [DDD] 55:44
Reviewed by Robert Cummings
Pictures at an Exhibition, in the well known Ravel orchestration, is the
most popular item here, of course. It is splendidly played by the New Jersey
Symphony, and Macal's incisive reading is rife with atmosphere and power. In
Promenade, the work's opening cue (track 4), the brass play the famous main
theme with a burnished, weighty sonority so appropriate to this majestic
music. Subsequent reappearances of this theme, whether by horn and reeds
(track 6) or by brass and other instruments (track 8), are always convincingly
rendered. The muted trumpet playing in Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuyle (track
13; 1:02) is impressive in its delightfully hectoring enactment. The Hut on
Fowl's Legs (track 17) is ferociously powerful and truly riveting, thanks in
great part to the orchestra's virtuosic execution. The whole performance is
a veritable series of highlights, actually, and prospective buyers needn't
worry that this Pictures can't compete with those from the world class
orchestras. This reading features startlingly vivid sound, and is quite
simply one of the best I've ever heard.
But the Pictures may not be the most compelling reason to purchase this disc.
The lead-off selection, Dream of the Peasant Gritzko, from Mussorgsky's
unfinished opera Sorochinsky Fair, is a most tempting morsel, and should be
of considerable interest to fanciers of this composer's music. Well, at 12:19
it's more than a morsel, and in its forces is quite massive, offering a
chorus, bass-baritone soloist and full orchestra. It comes to vivid life in
the orchestration of Vissarion Shebalin, and contains much music heard in the
popular Night on Bald Mountain. Delos entitles this album "Heaven and Hell,"
and if the "heaven" half comes in the next two selections, especially in
Galitsin's Journey, the "hell" segment surely comes here. This operatic scene
depicts Gritzko's dream of witnessing a Witches' Sabbath. It is diabolically
delicious, fanatically compelling in its dark Russian atmosphere, in its fury
and color, in its raw spirit and chilling, chant-like singing.
Rimsky-Korsakov orchestrated many of his older colleague's works, even music
Mussorgsky had already scored himself. (What is it about Mussorgsky? It seems
both famous and little known composers have always wanted to dabble in
orchestrating his compositions. Pictures at an Exhibition was written for
solo piano, but has been transcribed for orchestra by thirty or more
composers, most successfully by Ravel, of course). Khovanshchina was not
among the compositions that Mussorgsky orchestrated; so we are indebted to
Rimsky-Korsakov and others (like Shostakovich) for their painstaking work.
The two Khovanshchina selections here are splendidly played and insightfully
interpreted by Macal.
The sound on the disc is startlingly vivid throughout, and the copious notes
are informative, even going to such lengths as to describe each painting in
Pictures at an Exhibition. I wish all labels supplied such scholarly research
and interesting background information with their discs. Macal and the NJSO
have chalked up a decided triumph with this disc.
DAVE MYERS & THE SURFTONES: Hangin' Twenty (Del-Fi)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
Del-Fi has dug into the vault and released the debut album from one of
surf music's earliest headliners, Dave Myers & the Surftones. This one
was overdue for a second look, and if this is your first look at the
Surftone's sound you may be in for some pleasant surprises.
While surf music is most commonly associated with a quick pick on a
vibrato driven guitar, and there's plenty of that here, Myers was
equally adept on trumpet and tenor saxophone and was just as likely to
take the lead on one of those as his guitar. Ed Quarry's piano was
just as important to the sound of the band. One of their best known
songs, for instance, "Frog Walk Part II," was a trumpet tour de force.
The six piece band (including Johnny Curtis, rhythm guitar; Dennis
Merritt, tenor sax; Seaton Blanco, bass and Bob Colwell, drums) not
only carried the surf torch high, but presaged other horn driven instro
to come, with some tracks having a Latin tinge that lit the path for the
Tijuana Brass.
It was the hard rockin', wave ridin' sound of songs like "Church Key"
and "Kings Surf" that put these guys on the stage of the Rendevous
Ballroom (an early surf music Mecca) though. And they're the songs that
will put this one in your CD changer again and again.
Track List: Frog Walk Part II * Church Key * Smokey Stomper * Kings
Surf * Aquavelva * Surferama * Moment Of Truth * Road To Rincon *
Surfbreaker * Surfer's Theme * Passion * Wetwalkin'
WILLIE NELSON: Just One Love (Justice)
WAYLON JENNINGS: Right For The Time (Justice)
KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: A Moment Of Forever (Justice)
Reviewed by John Sekerka
As the dust settles on the this aberration called new country, it is
inevitable that folks go back to the real thing, and you can't get much
better than Willie, Waylon and Kris. They've seen it all, done it all and
sung about it all, but they ain't done yet. Willie Nelson can sing a menu
and make me weep, and when the slide guitar starts wailing, the flood gates
open right up. His is an angelic voice that is always welcome. On Just
One Love Willie plays it nice and slow, singing heartfelt songs of
relations and faith. He does slip in the classic 'Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That
Cigarette' long enough to squeeze yer hanky dry for another round. Waylon
Jennings has always been the bad boy of the bunch, and really, it's a wonder
he's still around. Right for the Time is probably the most traditional
record here. Just Waylon delivering his authoritative narrative vocal over
a twangy backdrop of guitars. It's got that great honky tonk feel few can
pull off. When Waylon roars 'Hittin' the Bottle Again,' you know he ain't
just whistlin' Dixie. Kris Kristofferson rounds it out with a brilliant
return to form. A Moment of Forever shows the man in a rare moment of sync
when his stoic delivery compliments his written words. Producer Don Was
seems to have gotten the best of Kris, something that hasn't happened in
the studio for quite a spell. Welcome back, gents.
OLD 97'S: Too Far To Care (Elektra)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
Echoing everything from kicker shuffle to Clash crash, the Old 97's have
produced a major label debut that displays a blatant disregard for the
people who are charged with the task of labeling music by genre. Instead,
they've shown great respect for people who just want to hear a damn good
band play damn good songs.
Lead singer/songwriter Rhett Miller has a natural knack for lyrical
hooks. From the opening line "I've got a time bomb in my mind mom," you
know you're going to have to listen to this one. But bandmates Ken
Bethea (guitar), Murray Hammond (bass) and Philip Peeples (drums) seem
dedicated to the singular task of creating a musical panorama that will
pull you away from the lyrics and into the songs as a complete
experience. Until a line like "My name's Stewart Ranson Miller, I'm a
serial lady killer" grabs your ear and pulls you back into the words.
The net effect is a disc you'll want to hear again and again, until the
words and music are absorbed as the inseparable entity they are.
It's easy - way too easy - to tag the Dallas based quartet as another
manifestation of the alt.country movement, but how many country rock
albums feature Exene Cervenkova as a guest vocalist? The broader label
of "Americana" may fit a bit better (if only because it fits a bit
looser), but why try to label it at all. This is one fine piece of
plastic, folks.
Track List: Time Bomb * Barrier Reef * Broadway * Salome * W. TX
Teardrops * Melt Show * Streets Of Where I'm From * Big Brown Eyes *
Just Like California * Curtain Calls * Niteclub * House That Used To
Be * Four Leaf Clover
PAVAROTTI PLUS: Live from the Royal Albert Hall, London (May 8,
1995). Arias, Duets and Ensembles from Verdi and Puccini
operas. Luciano Pavarotti, tenor; Kallen Esperian and Nuccia
Focile, Sopranos; Dolora Zajick, Mezzo-Soprano; Dwayne Croft
and Leo Nucci, baritones; Francesco Ellero d'Artegna, bass; Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Leone Magiera. Verdi:
Hymn of the Nations; Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus
conducted by James Levine. LONDON 448 700-2 [DDD] 70:54
Reviewed by Robert Cummings
When I received this latest Pavarotti CD I wondered with a labored sigh just
how good such a hodgepodge collection could be, especially since it is
dominated by THE tenor of the age, an artist who, most would agree, has seen
better days. But it turns out that the "Plus" part of the album in the title
represents a considerable enjoyment here, especially in the contributions of
the sopranos, Focile and Esperian, and baritone Dwayne Croft. More importantly,
though, Pavarotti is in fine form, as well. True, his voice has coarsened a
bit over the years, and there are signs of strain in some of the selections
here, but he makes the most of his still beautiful instrument and delivers
what must be one of his most compelling concert efforts in the last decade.
This disc is much more substantive than any of the "Three Tenors" issues as
far as I'm concerned.
While his Recondita armonia, which opened the concert, was a bit tepid in
the first half, his following duet with Dolora Zajick, "Madre, non dormi? Ai
nostri monti" from Il Trovatore, was touching and quite effective, even if it
didn't erase memories of his performance with Marilyn Horne from twenty years
ago. His duet with Nuccia Focile, "Parigi, o cara from La Traviata," which came
next, was stunningly rendered. As Pavarotti sings the words "Parigi, o cara"
beginning at 1:30 (track 4), notice how subtle the phrasing is in his soft,
delicate tones. But Focile matches him in her ravishingly beautiful voice and
consummate artistry, and then the two unite to offer the listener near vocal
ecstasy. A moment in this concert to savor! The grim duet with Leo Nucci
(Invan Alvaro from La Forza del Destino) is the contrasting follow-up: it is
quite dramatic and effective. O figli, o figli miei!.Ah la paterna mano from
Macbeth (track 6) is well sung by Pavarotti, even if the music isn't among
Verdi's most inspired.
Kallen Esperian joins Pavarotti in the ensuing selection, Dio ti giocondi
from Otello, and creates another highlight in the concert. This IS inspired
Verdi, and the two so well capture the love and apprehensions of Otello and
Desdemona, and the drama and beauty of the vocal writing. In Puccini's In un
coupe from La Boheme, Pavarotti and Croft combine to deliver the frolicking
at the outset so delightfully, then, in the visions of Mimi and Musetta, move
on to passionate outpourings of love. They render this duet better than
Domingo and Milnes (RCA) did in their heyday. Croft has the vocal stuff to
become a superstar. In L'acque sant del Giordano from I lombardi, Pavarotti,
Esperian and d'Artegna sing beautifully in this charming Verdi selection, the
trio abetted by the sensitive artistry of violinist Jonathan Carney. The
concert's two encores, the aria, Tra voi, belle from Manon Lescaut and the
rousing Brindisi (Libiamo ne' lieti calici) from La Traviata (where Piero
Cappuccilli, Natalie Dessay, Leah-Marian Jones, and Giuseppe Sabbatini join
the others) are delightful bonuses.
The disc opens with a studio performance of Verdi's Hymn of the Nations,
where Pavarotti's work is again quite impressive. Personally, I'm not moved
by this kind of music: an occasional piece, containing hollow and bombastic
patriotic musical quotations (the British National Anthem--"My Country `Tis
of Thee" over here). Still, it's well done, and Levine's contribution and
the choral singing are admirable. There, I covered every selection on the
disc, something I rarely do. But, in this instance, reviewing them whole
was hardly the chore I suspected it might be at the outset.
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performs impressively under the knowing
baton of Leone Magiera throughout the live concert. London provides excellent
sound from both venues, but no texts in the opera selections. One of the most
enjoyable discs of its type in years.
LEE "SCRATCH" PERRY: Technomajikal (ROIR)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
Lee Perry is mystically cool. He's beyond cool. Hell, Lee Perry is so
cool he needed three nicknames! They call him "The Upsetter," and they
call him "Super Ape," but most of us know him as "Scratch." Reggae
wouldn't be what it is if Scratch hadn't existed, and dub would surely
be a far saner genre than it is. The man who burned down his own studio
to protest a government that wanted him to stop recording may have finally
finished his journey into insanity the day he decided to make a techno
record with Dieter Meier of the Swiss duo, Yello. Or so you would think.
Meier isn't your typical techno musician. His sounds are deep and
intelligent, haunting and beautiful without losing their edge. Sound
like any reggae god you know of? Scratch's unintelligible yet primally
compelling orations are a perfect fit with Meier's techno backdrops.
Technomajikal is a stunner, a head trip of epic proportions, and a whole
lot of something amazing you can't quite put your finger on.
Rumor has it that Scratch refused to enter the Zurich, Switzerland studio
for these sessions, opting instead to sit outside on the lawn with a pair
of headphones and a microphone. That sounds like music biz hype unless
you happen to know a bit about Perry. Personally, I'm just surprised he
requested the microphone. Oh well. He may be slightly off kilter, but
he's still pure magic.
JEAN-LUC PONTY: Live At Chene Park (Atlantic)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
Ponty's first live release since 1979 brings a selection of some of his
strongest material from the intervening years recorded before an
enthusiastically appreciative Detroit audience last summer.
There are few surprises here - Ponty continues to work in the fusion
format that brought him acclaim in the Mahavishnu Orchestra (though he
clearly has his own voice and vision) - but there are several exemplary
performances.
The band (Jamie Glaser, guitar; Chris Rhyne, keyboards; Baron Brown,
bass; Michael Barsimanto, drums) is a tight unit, clearly well
rehearsed. Those rehearsals didn't kill the improvisational fire that
burns at the heart of Ponty's music, though, and there is an opportunity
for every player to burst into flame during the set.
If you haven't heard much of Ponty since, say, Enigmatic Ocean, this
is an excellent opportunity to catch up. If you've been listening all
along, you'll still want to hear these compositions presented in these
vital live versions. Recorded on a summer night, this is one to get you
happily through a great many summer nights, and days, and to brighten up
the winter too.
Track List: Introduction * Infinite Pursuit * Tender Memories * Between
Sea And Sky * Caracas * Faith In You * After The Storm * The Gift Of
Time * Eulogy For Oscar Romero * The Amazon Forest * The Story Teller *
Elephants In Love * A Journey's End
BUD POWELL TRIO: Bouncing With Bud (Mobile Fidelity)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
Reissued by Mobile Fidelity in their Ultradisc II 24k gold format, this
disc, originally released in 1962, captures Bud Powell performing live
in Copenhagen. Powell had taken up residence in Paris in the early 60s
and produced a number of live recordings at various European venues.
This was one of the best of the lot.
The Bud Powell Trio was rounded out by two Danish musicians, drummer
William Schiopffe and 15 year old bass wunderkind Neils-Henning Orsted
Pedersen. Don't let Pedersen's youth mislead. He turns in a bravura
performance here, contributing a strong bottom throughout and taking
some genuinely impressive breaks. Schiopffe was a journeyman on the
Danish club scene and makes a fine contribution himself.
The tracks are a mix of standards and mostly familiar jazz themes from
players like Coleman Hawkins, Thelonious Monk and Powell himself.
Particularly welcome is Tadd Dameron's "Hot House", which Powell had
previously played at the legendary Massey Hall concert with Bird, Diz,
Mingus and Max Roach. Given full reign with the tune, his playing is
spirited and expressive.
Powell was nearing the end of his performing life when this was cut.
Illness both mental and physical would cause his death four years later,
with periods of hospitalization and isolation from the public eye eating
away parts of those years. His European sojourn had a salutary effect
on his health for a time, though, and this disc is proof that it had a
salutary effect on his playing as well. This is a memorable performance
by an unforgettable jazzman.
Track List: Riffitude * Bouncing With Bud * Move * The Best Thing For
You * Straight, No Chaser * I Remember Clifford * Hot House * 52nd
Street Theme
REGATTA 69: Prime Time With Regatta 69 (Moon Ska)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
Snappy rhythms, snotty humor and a savvy business sense (the notes for
this one offer the discerning listener a mail order opportunity to
acquire a variety of Regatta 69 recordings and paraphernalia) have kept
this 7 piece unit from Chapel Hill around to release their third CD in
five years. That's a good thing, because it's taken me this long to
discover them, and I'm glad I did.
Regatta 69 turns in the kind of upbeat party ska that I tend to favor,
with solid horn work from their two trombones and alto and a willingness
to draw outside the musical lines of the genre a bit. The resident
horns are augmented here and there by guest contributions on baritone
sax and a pair of trumpets.
There's a nice set of original tunes here and an, ummm, interesting
cover of Debbie Boone's "You Light Up My Life." It's a little like
someone making "Plan Nine From Outer Space" with a competent cast and
quality set design.
The surprise inside is buried on track 69. It's worth seeking out.
Track List: I Wanna Smack You * Waltz Of The Catamaran * Virtual Brain
Boy * Operation Time Control * The Fiasco * Fly, Fly Away * Killer
Cabbie * Bari Saxy Man * Follow The Leader * She Was Looking At Me *
Sioux City * You Light Up My Life (and the surprise inside)
THE BUDDY RICH BIG BAND: Burning For Buddy, Vol. II (Atlantic)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
Neil Peart has produced the second in a scheduled four part tribute to
the legacy of Buddy Rich. Combining the 14 piece Buddy Rich Big Band
with an eclectic assortment of a baker's dozen drummers - Kenny Aronoff,
Gregg Bissonnette, Bill Bruford, Steve Gadd, David Garibaldi,
Joe Morello, Simon Phillips, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Steve Smith, Dave
Weckl, Peart and a featured spot for Buddy Rich himself - ten additional
sidemen and a vocal quartet which includes the inimitable Annie Ross and
Rich's daughter Cathy, this is an album that should make a big band
believer out of anyone.
Each of the featured drummers takes a turn, working through 12 tracks
by composers including John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Count Basie and
Billy Strayhorn. The 13th cut is "Channel One Suite," one of two
numbers that Rich asked that the band not play without him (the other
was his signature "West Side Story - Overture & Medley"). Honoring that
request, the drums are provided from a 1968 track by Rich himself. The
song is played as Buddy never heard it, though. A lyrical tribute by
Domenick
Allen, Annie Ross, Annette Sanders and Cathy Rich is laid over
a background of Buddy's drums, guitar and flutes. Fittingly, this is
also the only track that features a drum solo.
I can't wait for Volume III.
Track List: Moment's Notice * Basically Blues * Willowcrest * In A
Mellow Tone * Time Check * Goodbye Yesterday * Groovin' Hard * Big Swing
Face * Standing Up In A Hammock * Take The A Train * One O'Clock Jump *
Them There Eyes * Channel One Suite
KIM RICHEY: Bitter Sweet (Mercury)
Reviewed by Jeff Aptor
Nashville songstress Richey has such a sweet voice she should keep an eye
out for bees. And 'I Know' is one of 97's shrewdest story-songs, all twangy
hooks and razor-sharp lyrics, as our heroine reminds herself that life
rolls on, even if relationships don't. 'I should...pay some bills, get a
clue / Get up, forget about you', she wryly sings, while a loping beat
drags her back to the world. With one foot in both the old and new
Nashville camps, Richey - at a push - is more aligned with Roseanne Cash
than she is your bigger-haired queens of country. Yet the swooning ballad
'To Tell the Truth' wouldn't be lost on a Reba spectacular, with its
chiming pedal steel and I'm-suffering-but-I'm-used-to-it lyric. Yet
self-flaggelation really isn't Richey's style. When she observes 'Someday
I'll forgive you / maybe then again I won't', you know this is a woman who
doesn't even know the words to 'Stand By Your Man'. 'Bittersweet?'
Absolutely.
RUSH: Retrospective I 1971-1980 (Mercury)
Reviewed by Steve Marshall
Mercury is currently in the process of upgrading and reissuing the entire
Rush catalog. In addition to all the individual albums, they compiled two
'best of' packages. The second retrospective isn't bad, but it doesn't stack
up against the first one. Ask any real Rush fan what the band's best period
is and they'll tell you 'the early stuff.' The songs where Geddy Lee could
still hit the high notes. The critics always hated them, but sales figures
will tell you - Rush is one of the most successful bands to emerge from
above the US border.
Retrospective I contains most of Rush's best material. Songs like "Xanadu"
and "By-Tor and the Snow Dog" easily rank among their best tracks ever.
Those classics, plus FM staples like "The Spirit of Radio," "Freewill," and
"Fly By Night" are just a few of the tracks included here. If that's not
enough, you also get an excerpt from "2112" and the instrumental epic "La
Villa Strangiato." The only bad thing about this CD is the songs aren't in
chronological order. Long-time fans are sure to be pleased with the track
selection. For those who may be just starting to get into Rush, this is
great place to start.
SCHUMANN: Symphonies: No. 1 in B Flat, Op. 38 (Spring); No. 2 in C, Op. 61.
Chamber Orchestra of Europe conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt. TELDEC
4509-98320-2 [DDD] 67:14 (Live performances from June 1995, Stefaniensaal,
Graz, Austria)
Reviewed by Robert Cummings
Harnoncourt has already given us the most important Beethoven Symphony cycle
of the decade (maybe of the century); here he successfully concludes the
Schumann set. You know the common wisdom on this composer's symphonies by
now: awkward, unimaginative orchestration incarnates music that is inspired
but less compelling than that of Beethoven and Brahms. Some even call
Schumann a failed symphonist. I call him a successful symphonist, though,
one who really doesn't need defenders but only recordings like this one to
make his case. But I'm going to defend him anyway: 1) Schumann's orchestration
was at least on a par with that of Brahms; 2) his four symphonies are all
strong and perhaps only marginally surpassed by those of Brahms. These are
opinions, of course, but are hardly as radical as they would have seemed
twenty-five years ago.
Harnoncourt breaks with tradition here and presents these scores without the
usual orchestrational touching up given by most conductors. And the results
are impressive. But don't attribute this disc's success to the conductor's
purist tendencies, though they're certainly an asset. Attribute them, rather,
to his deft baton, to his intuitive grasp of structure, to his keen ability
to phrase, and to his fine orchestra.
The Second comes across powerfully and poignantly--I don't know if I've ever
heard the Adagio rendered with this kind of tender sorrow. The tempo is on
the brisk side, to be sure, but never sounds rushed, never even hints at the
mawkish or saccharine. Schumann wrote the work after his "black period," a
time when he suffered abject depression and anxiety attacks. He would later
go mad, of course, and die in an asylum, but not before he wrote a slew of
additional works, including two more symphonies. Harnoncourt gets to the core
of this great composition, imparting a sense of struggle and tragedy, while
never undercutting the work's ultimate feeling of relief and triumph. Indeed,
the finale has never sounded so resolute in its hopeful and joyous embrace
of life-affirmation.
The "Spring" Symphony comes off just as effectively, Harnoncourt catching
that quirkiness of melodic line so perfectly in the first movement, and
delivering the Larghetto with just right mellowness and dreaminess. The
Scherzo is appropriately gruff and energetic, while the finale is deliciously
exuberant.
As I suggested above, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe performs splendidly in
these live performances, delivering precision and commitment in equal doses.
Once again Teldec provides vivid, clear sound, and intelligent notes. Many
have traveled this terrain, including Karajan, Szell, Inbal, and Semkow, but
this entry can rank with the very best. A must for Schumann fanciers.
THE SCOFFLAWS: Live! Vol. 1 (Moon Ska)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
The pride of the Long Island ska scene follows last year's powerhouse CD/LP,
Ska In Hi-Fi, the only way they could: with an even more powerful live album.
The Scofflaws are, after all, one of the best live bands in Ska (or any genre,
for that matter), so why not hear them in their natural habitat? It's a
great idea and it flies. The energy is contagious and the adrenaline is
dangerous from the moment the band is announced. forty-two and a half minutes
later, you're fling has been flung and you're wrung. Album versions are blown
away, one by one: "Nude Beach" slides along with just a bit more menace and
mystery, "Back Door Open" kicks a bit harder, "William Shatner" goes just a
little crazier, and "Spider On My Bed," which is one of the great tunes of
the modern ska era, just flat out explodes into pure energy. I wish they had
closed the CD with "Spider," but they came back with a cover of Nancy Sinatra's
"Boots," albeit with slightly altered lyrics. Not bad, but after "Spider,"
it's like... well, kinda like if Ali and Frazier had fought the 15th round
in Manilla, throwing pitty-pat jabs until the bell. However, you'll notice
this is titled Vol 1. According to the liners, the band intends to release
a total of three volumes. Lace up the boots, Rudie. This is gonna be fun.
GENE SUMMERS: The Ultimate School Of Rock & Roll (Crystal Clear Sound)
Reviewed by John Sekerka
Another great rockabilly find, who was a regional hit (in several regions),
but never managed to crack the big time. This jam packed compilation (32
tracks) spans a good decade starting with several excellent '58 sides. The
closest Summers came to a big hit was 'Big Blue Diamonds' in 1963, a soft
'Sea of Love' type of sway song. Summers was a genuine heartthrob crooner,
but he could also steam it up, as evidenced on his '57 sparse, bluesy take
on 'Susie Q.' A real discovery for rockabilly fans, except for Texans of
course, who've been buying his records for three decades.
TIPSY: Trip Tease (Asphodel)
Reviewed by John Sekerka
While your bachelor pad record collection is full of timeless classics from
hi-fi console days, there are few parleying that groove in today's music
circles. Enter Tipsy, with a scrumptious electronic soundtrack sure to tickle
your fancy. Staying clear of rock guitars, Tipsy play classic lounge with
state of the art electronic and percussion devices. Superb instro tunes
played velvety smooth, with just enough spice for a swinging atmosphere.
Sort of like Esquivel in a small group format, or Les Baxter with restraint,
Tipsy are refreshing and original. Theirs is not a retro cash grab, this is
the real thing.
TOBIN SPROUT: Moonflower Plastic (Welcome To My Wigwam) (Matador)
Reviewed by Jeff Apter
Tobin Sprout's day band, Guided by Voices, are alterna-legends thanks to
their winning way with popcraft and DIY thrift. That truly indie approach
is all over his latest solo effort like a rash; this is an album where the
first take is more likely the only take. But the secret's in the mix - both
musically and emotionally. Amidst the shamelessly simple delights of 'Get
Out Of My Throat' and the title track, an entrancing meditation on love, is
the downbeat (and damn near heartbreaking) 'Since I...', the equally somber
'Exit Planes' and a handful of riff-heavy, weary-hearted dirges; although
the away-with-the-pixies psychedelia of 'Angels Hang Their Socks On the
Moon' is a radiant sunburst. If you can picture Nick Drake with a heavier
backbeat, 'Moonflower...' should make a lot of sense. Shame Sprout's stuck
with such a reedy voice, 'cause his guitar-pop talents are truly supernova.
STRAVINSKY: Symphony in C; Symphony in Three Movements;
Symphonies of Wind Instruments. New Zealand Symphony
Orchestra conducted by En Shao. NAXOS 8.553403 [DDD] 59:42
Reviewed by Robert Cummings
My first experience with this New Zealand ensemble was on a Stradivari
all-Barber CD from 1988. I didn't care for the main work on that issue
(Symphony No. 2), but the performances sounded more than decent. Still,
my expectations in this Stravinsky issue weren't high, even though I've
come to expect that the second-tier orchestras used by Naxos are generally
quite impressive. I guess I was a bit leery of the conductor, Chinese-born,
England-based En Shao. It turns out that he conducts these scores with as
much drive, tartness and Stravinskyan coolness as one could wish for. And
the orchestra responds to his incisive baton with commitment and robust
playing that, but for one minor shortcoming, could rival that of many
so-called world-class ensembles.
The Symphony In C is the lead-off piece here. It has an urgency and sweep
that yields little, if anything, to the splendid Davis reading on Philips
(coupled with the Symphony In Three Movements). Where it may fall short by
comparison is in the horn playing, which is at times a bit reticent. Try,
for instance, the five note motif, the last three notes repeating, beginning
at 2:51 (track 1), and notice how some of these soft notes aren't just soft
but sound weak, almost missing. This is the shortcoming I spoke of above,
but it ultimately doesn't undermine the effectiveness of the performance
since there's simply too much gusto and raw spirit spread among the other
players to offset what is in the end only an infrequent mediocrity. But
it's not just "gusto" and "raw spirit" the New Zealanders flaunt, they have
panache and finesse, as evidenced in the reed work of the second movement.
The oboist is especially attuned to Stravinsky's subtleties, capturing both
the humor and delicacy in the writing. And the strings can dig into the
notes in seemingly less consequential sections to deliver a propulsiveness
that so often features an undercurrent of grittiness and pride. Try, for
example, the passage beginning at 0:32 (track 1) where emphatic lower
strings seem to spit out their notes with a delicious forthrightness. All
in all, a fine performance.
But the Symphony In Three Movements may be more convincing still. It is a
grim enactment that so well captures that mixture of violence and triumph,
of mystery and uncertainty. This was, of course, a wartime composition, and
it sounds it here in no uncertain terms: rhythms are firm and powerful;
tempos are fairly fast (the briskly-inclined composer himself, in his 1962
recording, clocks in ahead of Shao by only less than a minute); and Shao
imparts a sense of doom lurking around the corner in his clever phrasing of
the ominous flute and muted strings passages in the Andante, and a sense of
powerful culmination in his handling of the triumphant ending, where the
slashing string-dominated chords augur the hard won victory the final chord
emphatically delivers. Altogether, this performance can rank with the best.
The Symphonies of Wind Instruments, to me not the most rewarding Stravinsky
work, is well rendered, too. Notes are informative and the sound is vivid.
While I wouldn't rank Shao above Davis in the two Symphonies, or ahead of
Salonen in the Symphony in Three Movements, he is competitive and probably
has the field to himself in the budget arena.
URIAH HEEP: King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents (King Biscuit)
Reviewed by Steve Marshall
Through the years, Uriah Heep has been one of the critics' most hated bands.
One reviewer went as far as to say "if this band makes it, I'll commit
suicide." Well, they made it, and now King Biscuit has just released a
vintage show from the band's 1974 Sweet Freedom tour. It has most of the
hits, plus several rarely played album tracks. The Heep sound great on the
show, although the performance definitely has its warts. There were
numerous technical problems that night. The cool thing is that the band
wasn't fazed by it. They were clearly having a great time onstage.
The show starts with one of the band's early singles, "Easy Livin'," and
the energy doesn't let up till the CD ends. "Easy Livin'" is followed by the
triple play-"Sweet Lorraine," "Stealin'" and an excellent version of "July
Morning" all in a row. "Seven Stars" was one of the more complicated songs
on the Sweet Freedom album, and unfortunately doesn't come across as well
live. "Sweet Freedom" sounds much better, though. Hearing Byron sing these
songs live makes you realize what a great singer he really was. When he was
on, there weren't many singers that could outdo him. Check out the killer
version of "Look at Yourself" and you'll see what I mean.
The only negative factor is the tape hiss. Aside from that, it's a truly
entertaining show. This CD is a great addition to any Heep collection,
as well as an excellent starting point for someone just discovering the
band.
VARIOUS ARTISTS: Big Surf Hits (Del-Fi)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
Del-Fi was surf central in the early sixties and this 1963 compilation
is a treasure trove of hot early instro. It may fall a bit short of its
own hype of "all the big surf hits" (Dick Dale, for instance, would
certainly lay claim to a surf hit or two of his own in those days),
there is nonetheless some great surf music here. Some of these bands
and songs have faded from the memory of all but the hard-core
aficionado, so it's nice to have a CD reissue that makes them available
to a new generation of fans.
The bands range from surf notables like The Lively Ones and Dave Myers &
The Surftones to one-off assemblages of studio players like the Surf
Mariachis. Along the way you'll meet The Impacts, The Sentinals, The
Surf Stompers and The Centurions. If all those names aren't familiar,
you're likely to remember some of the cuts - "Church Key," "Bullwinkle
Part II," "Green Onions," "Watermelon Man..."and if the titles don't
jump immediately to mind the sounds themselves will be familiar to folks
ranging from those who were listening to the radio in those days to
folks who listen to Quentin Tarantino soundtracks these days.
Altogether a fine set and a significant reissue both in the surf genre
and rock history in general, this is an item worth a spot in your
collection. If you missed it when it first hit the stores, grab it
before this summer is over.
Track List: The Impacts/Wipe Out * The Sentinals/Big Surf * The Surf
Stompers/Original Surfer Stomp * The Lively Ones/Surf Rider * The
Centurions/Bullwinkle P. II * Dave Myers & The Surftones/Church Key *
The Surf Mariachis/Undertow * The Lively Ones/Hillbillie Surf * The
Impacts/Blue Surf * Dave Myers & the Surftones/Moment Of Truth * The
Surf Stompers/Green Onions * The Surf Mariachis/Watermelon Man
VARIOUS ARTISTS: George and Ira Gershwin In Hollywood (Rhino)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
Whether you're a fan of the movies, the Gershwins in particular or
American popular music in general, this is an absolutely delightful
collection. Released by Rhino as part of the movie music project they
have undertaken with Turner Classic Movies, the tracks aren't limited to
the MGM numbers in the Turner vault. Included are tracks from RKO films
like "Girl Crazy" and "Shall We Dance," Warner's "Rhapsody In Blue" and
"The Man I Love" and others ranging from Vitaphone to United Artists.
There is, of course, a heaping helping from the MGM catalog as well.
Because of the great range and the rarity of some of the material
offered, there are tracks that reflect the weaknesses of the acetate
source that was used to capture some of the performances. The sacrifice
in audio quality is repaid with the preservation of some magnificent
music. Many of these cuts won't be found anywhere else in the extended
forms offered here.
And what offerings. Al Jolson singing "Swanee." Astaire lending his
considerable charm to "They Can't Take That Away From Me" and "Shall We
Dance." Astaire and Ginger Rogers' classic "Let's Call The Whole Thing
Off." Gene Kelly. Judy Garland. Tommy Dorsey. Ella Fitzgerald. And
more, more, so much more.
As impressive as the roster of performers may be, this is ultimately a
Gershwin set. The contribution of George and Ira Gershwin to popular
song and musical theater is displayed stunningly through this look at
their contribution to the music of film.
For film buffs, musical historians and lovers of great songs, this one's
essential.
Track List:
Disc One: The Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra/Overture (Medley: Swanee/
Somebody Loves Me/Fascinating Rhythm/Embraceable You/Oh Lady, Be Good/
The Man I Love/I Got Rhythm/Liza/Rhapsody In Blue/Strike Up The Band) *
Al Jolson/Swanee * Lena Horne/Somebody Loves Me * Fred Astaire/I Can't
Be Bothered Now * Georges Guetary/Stairway To Paradise * Fred Astaire/
They Can't Take That Away From Me * Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra/
Fascinating Rhythm * Gene Kelly/Love Is Here To Stay * Ginger Rogers/
They All Laughed * John B. Hughes/135th Street Blues (Blue Monday) *
Anne Brown/Summertime * Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers/Let's Call The Whole
Thing Off * Ella Fitzgerald/But Not For Me * Fred Astaire/Nice Work If
You Can Get It * Avon Long/Liza * Gene Kelly/I've Got A Crush On You *
Oscar Levant/Third Prelude * Judy Garland & Mickey Rooney with Six Hits
& A Miss/Strike Up The Band
Disc Two: Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra/Boy! What Love Has Done To Me *
Fred Astaire/Aren't You Kind Of Glad We Did * Peg La Centra/The Man I
Love * June Allyson & Mickey Rooney/Treat Me Rough * Fred Astaire/ A
Foggy Day * Eddie Quillan, Dixie Lee & Mitzi Green/You've Got What Gets
Me * Artie Shaw & His Orchestra/Oh, Lady, Be Good * Fred Astaire/He
Loves And She Loves * Ella Logan/I Was Doing Alright * Virginia Verril &
Jon Hall/Love Walked In * The RKO Studio Orchestra/Promenade (Walking
The Dog) * Fred Astaire/Beginner's Luck * Gene Kelly & Georges Guetary/
'S Wonderful * Fred Astaire/Things Are Looking Up * Sally Sweetland/
Delishious * Fred Astair/Shall We Dance * Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney
& Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra/I Got Rhythm * Fred Astaire/You'd Be Hard
To Replace * Bob Fosse/In Our United State * Dick Haymes & Betty Grable/
For You, For Me, For Evermore
VARIOUS ARTISTS: The Inner Flame (Atlantic)
Reviewed by John Sekerka
A tribute record that attracts Jonathan Richman, PJ Harvey and Robert Plant,
is surely a novelty item. You might not know of Rainer Ptacek, but that will
change. He's a fella with a strange history: born with a Czech name in East
Berlin, raised on the rough streets of Chicago, and finally settled in
sprawling Arizona, Ptacek (little bird) lives in a small two room house with
his three kid family. He plays dobro and steel guitar like you wouldn't
believe, and he also pens memorable songs. Songs that flow from a pen of
somebody who has lived, and almost died. About a year ago Ptacek was
diagnosed with brain cancer. Some of the money you'll slap down for this
record, and believe me, you'll slap it down, goes to Rainer as he fights
his storm. But you don't need to know any of that, what matters to you, the
music consumer, is that there's finally a great rootsy slab of music out
there with the likes of Victoria Williams, Evan Dando, Vic Chesnut, Emmylou
Harris and Giant Sand, sitting in with Rainer. Hopefully not a too late
discovery.
VARIOUS ARTISTS: Maracas, Marimbas and Mambos
Latin Classics At M-G-M (Rhino)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
So far, this is the greatest disc in a great series of M-G-M movie music
compilations. Of course, that's a matter of personal taste when you're
talking about discs of Al Jolson, Fred Astaire, Louis Armstrong, and
Gershwin brothers music, and I admit that, for me, it's a tough call
between the Armstrong and this one, but... Oh, what the hell, why try?
Listen, this series is pure magic for anyone who loves classic films.
Maracas, Marimbas and Mambos may end up with the biggest sales figures
because this genre is currently hot again thanks to the lounge revival.
The tag has to be "Various Artists," as there are guest performers on
nearly every track, but in truth this could be labeled "Xavier Cugat and
Carmen Maranda At M-G-M." The popularization (read: Americanization) of
Latin music was largely due to these two performers, and in fact they
were so intertwined with the genre and the films that it would be nearly
impossible to make a meaningful compilation without including them.
Rhino went one step further by focusing on them. One or both appear on
13 of the 18 tracks, with stars like Esther Williams, Betty Riley, Lina
Romay, Carlos Ramirez, Virginia O'Brien, The Wild Twins, Ethel Smith, and
Frank Fontaine filling out the roster.
Some of Miranda's most endearing performances, including "Yipsee-I-O" and
"Cuanto Le Gusta," and her classic "Caroom Pa Pa," with the unforgettable
lyric "Everybody's got one, got one, got one. Everybody's got one, got one
but ME!" And nearly every track reveals the greatness of Cugat and his band.
If you're familiar with the sounds of Cugat and Miranda, you already know
this is a wonderful collection of festive music because that's all they
made. If you're curious about the genre, it's a good starting point before
you jump off into the true Latin music of artists like Tito Puente. That's
not to say this isn't Latin music, because it is. It's just Americanized
in order to appeal to mainstream US audiences in the 1940s. It's still an
exciting and intoxicating whirlwind of congas, bongos, maracas, marimbas and
mambos.
Track List:
Bim Bam Bum (Lina Romay with Cugat) * Viva Mexico (Carlos Ramirez & Co.) *
Walter Winchell Rhumba (Cugat) * Cuanto Le Gusta (Miranda with Cugat) *
Alma Llanerna (Lina Romay with Cugat) * Cae Cae (Cugat) * El Cumbanchero
(Betty Riley with Cugat) * La Bamba (M-G-M Studio Chorus & Orchestra) *
Boneca De Pixie (Esther Williams, Van Johnson, Ethel Smith & Co.) * Te
Quiero Juste (Carlos Ramirez & Co.) * Babalu (Lina Romay with Cugat) *
Caroom Pa Pa (Miranda) * Tico Tico (Ethel Smith with Cugat) * Take It Easy
Lina Romay, Virginia O'Brien, The Wild Twins with Cugat) * Granada (Carlos
Ramirez with Cugat) * Rumba Rumba (Lina Romay with Cugat) * Yipsee-I-O
(Miranda with Frank Fontaine) * Yo Te Amo Mucho (And That's That!) (Cugat)
VARIOUS ARTISTS: Mondo Hollywood (Ultra-Lounge #16) (Capitol)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
The Ultra-Lounge series is now up to volume 18, and serious lounge rats are
irritated with Capitol for continuing the series instead of releasing the
original albums these tracks come from. I can see the gripe, and I can see
Capitol's side of it. They can either sell the 30 or 40 greatest albums
of their lounge catalog, or they can continue to slowly milk those albums
(and a hundred or so other not-so-stellar albums) for a long, long time,
knowing full well that the fans will continue to scarf 'em up. If this is
a tough call to your way of thinking, you're not thinking like a business
person. The problem for the consumer is that they will occasionally have to
pay full price for a disc that is 50% dreck and 40% so-so in order to get the
two tracks they really want.
Mondo Hollywood has more than a few clunkers and embarrassing moments. Some
of these songs helped me remember why I had denounced this, my father's
music of choice, when it was popular the first time around. Leroy Holmes'
butchering of "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" is as strong a reason not
to buy this disc as John Barry's "Beat Girl" is a reason TO buy it. Barry's
oft imitated spy instro is absolutely indispensable, and it's no coincidence
that the 2nd best track is Barry's "Seance On A Wet Afternoon." Barry's
music had that certain touch of exotic danger that I find so magnetic.
Almost seems like blasphemy to have elevator music like Henry Jerome's
arrangement of "Moon River" in the same compilation, but what can ya do?
Until Capitol opens the vaults for real, this is what we get. It could
be a whole lot worse, but it sure could be better.
Track List:
Experiment In Terror (Al Caiola) * A Man And A Woman/Live For Life (Billy
May/Leroy Holmes) * Barbarella (Ferrante & Teicher) * Cool (Martin Denny) *
Hot Rod Rumble (Sandy Courage) * Pink Panther/It Had To Be Tonight (Plas
Johnson) * Beat Girl (John Barry) * You Gotta Taste All The Fruit (Leroy
Holmes) * The Shadow Of Your Smile/The Days Of Wine And Roses (Ray Anthony
& George Shearing) * Theme From The Apartment (Tito Rodriquez) * Watch
What Happens (Denny McLain) * I, A Lover/De Sade (Leroy Holmes) * Seance
On A Wet Afternoon (John Barry) * Girl Talk (Billy May) * Moon River (Henry
Jerome) * You Only Live Twice/Thunderball (Sir Julian/Elliot Fisher) *
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (Leroy Holmes) * Your Zowie Face (Nelson
Riddle) * Town Without Pity (Gene Pitney)
VARIOUS ARTISTS: The Monterey International Pop Festival (Rhino)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
It's been 50 years since Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play, and 30
years since the Beatles told us the story. 1967. The Summer of Love.
And the introduction of the modern era of rock festivals. While the
melee in the mud at Woodstock would become the touchstone event of the
festival era, the real story can be traced back to the Monterey
Peninsula in June of 1967.
And much of that story can be found in the four discs newly repackaged
and released by Rhino. 21 of the 31 festival acts are included, ranging
from San Francisco stalwarts like the Airplane, Big Brother & The
Holding Company and Country Joe to the Memphis soul of Booker T. and
Otis Redding. Along the way are visits with British invasion in the
persons of the Who, a Yank recently returned from England with a Brit
band and an amazing new sound, one Jimi Hendrix, a side trip to the
Indian subcontinent with Ravi Shankar and more blues bands, folk
rockers, rockers and poppers than you can wave a stick of patchouli
incense at.
The Hendrix and Redding sets are perhaps the best known, having been
released back to back in a vinyl edition years back, and having separate
video releases as well. There's much more worth hearing in this set,
though. More than a valuable document of an epic event, this is a
musical treasure house.
The Byrds turn in a 7 song performance here, interspersed with rambling
thoughts on things conspiratorial. Redding is preceded by sets from
Booker T. & the MG's and the Mar-Keys that stand up well. The festival
closing set by festival organizer John Phillips' group, The Mamas & The
Papas, is another keeper. It lacks some of the polish of the quartet's
studio work, but the energy they bring to the live performance is fine
compensation.
There are some weak moments - the Who was apparently one of those "you
hadda be there" things, for instance - and we're dealing with 1967 live
recording technology here but there's still a musical feast laid out on
a historical table here.
Track List:
Disc One: John Phillips/Introduction * The Association/Along Comes Mary/
Windy * Lou Rawls/Love Is A Hurtin' Thing/Dead End Street/Tobacco Road *
Eric Burdon & The Animals/San Franciscan Nights/Hey Gyp * Canned Heat/
Rollin' And Tumblin'/Dust My Broom/Bullfrog Blues * Country Joe & The
Fish/Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine * Big Brother & The Holding Company/
Down On Me/Combination Of The Two/Harry/Road Block/Ball And Chain
Disc Two: The Butterfield Blues Band/Look Over Yonders Wall/Mystery
Train/Born In Chicago/Double Trouble/Mary Ann * The Steve Miller Band/
Mercury Blues * The Electric Flag/Groovin' Is Easy/Wine * Hugh Masekela/
Bajabula Bonke (Healing Song) * The Byrds/Renaissance Fair/Have You Seen
Her Face/Hey Joe/He Was A Friend Of Mine/Lady Friend/Chimes Of Freedom/
So You Wanna Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star * Ravi Shankar/Dhuni: Fast Teental
(excerpt) * The Blues Project/Flute Thing
Disc Three: Jefferson Airplane/Somebody To Love/The Other Side Of This
Life/White Rabbit/High Flyin' Bird/She Has Funny Cars * Booker T & The
MG's/Booker-Loo/Hip Hug-Her * Booker T & the MG's with The Mar-Keys/
Philly Dog * Otis Redding/Shake/Respect/I've Been Loving You Too Long/
Satisfaction/Try A Little Tenderness * The Who/Substitute/Summertime
Blues/Pictures Of Lily/A Quick One While He's Away/Happy Jack/My
Generation
Disc Four: The Jimi Hendrix Experience/Killing Floor/Foxy Lady/Like A
Rolling Stone/Rock Me Baby/Hey Joe/Can You See Me/The Wind Cries Mary/
Purple Haze/Wild Thing * The Mamas & The Papas/Straight Shooter/Got A
Feeling/California Dreamin'/I Call Your Name/Monday, Monday * Scott
McKenzie/San Francisco * The Mamas & The Papas/Dancing In The Streets
(Festival Finale)
VARIOUS ARTISTS: Murder Is My Beat
Classic Film Noir Themes And Scenes (Rhino)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
Though this looks and feels like part of Rhino's M-G-M series, it actually
covers more territory, taking in films from Warner Brothers, RKO, and 20th
Century Fox, as well as M-G-M. The project, captained and championed by
Ian Whitcomb and Julie D'Angelo (see our interview with Whitcomb in this
issue of Cosmik Debris), was to create a decent collection of themes from
classic movies in the film noir genre. By presenting the music in fade-ins
and fade-outs surrounded by classic bits of dialogue from the films, Whitcomb
and company turned it into a highly entertaining tribute to the films and
the genre.
Film noir was a specialized film style, exemplified by the mood and look of
flickss like The Maltese Falcon, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Born To Kill,
and Murder My Sweet. Deep shadows behind harsh lights, vertical lines, sharp
angles, menacing thugs in trenchcoats, and beautiful sultry women you can't
trust. Murder Is My Beat succeeds in tapping your memory and imagination to
achieve these same effects through sound.
Track List:
The Asphalt Jungle * Key Largo * The Maltese Falcon * Laura * Murder My
Sweet * The Postman Always Rings Twice * Mildred Pierce * The Big Sleep *
The Racket * Crossfire * Force Of Evil * The Letter * Scene Of The Crime *
Dark Passage * Born To Kill * Macao * High Sierra * White Heat
VARIOUS ARTISTS: Romantic Duets from M-G-M Classics (Rhino)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
One of the most appealing discs in Rhino's ongoing chronicle of great
performances from the Turner Classic Movies catalog, "Romantic Duets"
presents a plethora of stars singing the songs that gave meaning to the
movie musicals - the "boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy sings song and
gets girl" theme that lay at the heart of the genre.
Did I say stars? Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly. Gene Kelly & Judy Garland.
Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland. Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy. Esther
Williams & Fernando Lamas. Lucy & Desi. Fred Astaire. June Allyson.
Mario Lanza. Jane Powell. Vic Damone. Ethel Waters. Howard Keel.
Rosemary Clooney. Jose Ferrer. Connie Francis. Danny Thomas. And
then some.
Did I say songs? "True Love." "For Me & My Gal." "Make Believe."
"Stranger In Paradise." "Cabin In The Sky." "So In Love." "You Are My
Lucky Star." For starters.
Did I say movies? How about "High Society." "Show Boat." "Three Little
Words." "Kismet." "Annie Get Your Gun." "Kiss Me Kate." "Singin' In
The Rain." Among others.
Need I say more?
Track List: Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly/True Love * Gene Kelly & Judy
Garland/For Me & My Gal * Esther Williams, Fernando Lamas & Co./Ain't
Nature Grand * Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz/Breezin' Along With The Breeze
* Howard Keel & Kathryn Grayson/Make Believe * Fred Astaire & Anita
Ellis/Nevertheless (I'm In Love With You) * An Blyth & Vic Damone/
Stranger In Paradise * June Allyson & Peter Lawford/The Best Things In
Life Are Free * Mario Lanza & Kathryn Grayson/Be My Love * Jane Powell &
Vic Damone/I Know That You Know * Judy Garland & Howard Keel/They Say
It's Wonderful * Ethel Waters & Eddie "Rochester" Anderson/Cabin In The
Sky * Debbie Reynolds & Vic Damone/Imagine * Rosemary Clooney & Jose
Ferrer/Mr. & Mrs. * Howard Keel & Kathryn Grayson/So In Love * Connie
Francis & Danny Thomas/I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me *
Jane Powell & Vic Damone/How Do You Like Your Eggs In The Morning *
Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy/Will You Remember * Judy Garland &
Mickey Rooney/I Wish I Were In Love Again * Tony Martin & Joan Weldon/
Medley:One Kiss/Lover Come Back To Me * Gene Kelly & Betty Noyes (for
Debbie Reynolds)/You Are My Lucky Star
VARIOUS ARTISTS: Sweet Mother: Free Activation Series No. 1 (Sweet Mother)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
Sweet Mother is a Seattle area label that deals in all kinds of electronic
dance music, most of which has a wonderful mysterious vibe at the forefront.
In the 3 years they've been at it, they've made a name for themselves with
those who are firmly entrenched in the scene, but this release may bring
them to the attention of the fringe listeners, as it is being distributed
by the highly visible Sub Pop label.
Culled mostly from 12-inch singles and EPs, these ten tracks cover several
of the sub-genres that are currently hot stuff, including trip-hop, trance,
drums and bass, and that elastic genre that seems to include everything and
then some, acid jazz.
Artists include 3xInfinity, Dragonfly, Strange Voices, and Pigeonhed, whose
"Glory Bound" is remixed here by David Ruffy and Steve Dub of The Chemical
Brothers team. The music flows from track to track, deepening the trance,
and the groove, as well. 3xInfinity's "Wonderland," with its stormy
atmosphere and electric piano reminiscent of "Riders On The Storm," its
incredibly fluid bass line, and the hypnotic vocal, sets a dreamy tone
that slides along unabated to the end of the disc, making it a great
meditation piece. More importantly, it will make a lot of people aware
of what's up with Sweet Mother Recordings and the Seattle electronic scene.
Track List:
Wonderland (3xInfinity) * The Big Smooth (High Fidelity) * Dragonfly
(Dragonfly) * Drums & Bays (T.S.R.) * Strange Voices (Strange Voices) *
Crooked Axis For String Quartet - Remix by DJ Spooky, The Subliminal
Kid (Earth) * Jumpin' The Turnstyles (Alms For The Poor) * Marauder
(Dragonfly) * Viscid Violet (Strange Voices) * Glory Bound (Pigeonhed)
VARIOUS ARTISTS: TV Town - Ultra-Lounge #13 (Capitol)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
Another in the seemingly endless Ultra-Lounge series, TV Town is several
notches higher in quality than most of its predecessors. For cheese factor,
the disc begins with "Bubbles In The Wine," better known to millions as The
Lawrence Welk Theme, and while it's not the only slice of cheese on the tray,
it's also not the only flavor. Some tracks are silly ("Powerhouse" by Spike
Jones), some are pleasantly familiar (the themes from The Odd Couple and
My Three Sons), and several push the cool-meter all the way to the top. "The
Munsters' Theme," "Man From U.N.C.L.E.," "The Fugitive," "Mannix," "One Step
Beyond/The Twilight Zone," and John Barry's chilling "The Human Jungle," a
tune that really needs to be covered by a good surf band sometime soon.
The jumble of sounds and styles on TV Town makes it one of the most unusual
and entertaining entries in the Ultra-Lounge series. If you're looking at
this daunting 18-CD series and trying to figure out where to start, I would
recommend putting this one near the top of your list, not because it offers
the best overview of a genre (it certainly doesn't), but because it's one
the most entertaining.
Track List:
Bubbles In The Wine (Freddy Martin and His Orchestra) * Naked City Theme
(Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra) * The Odd Couple (Billy May and His
Orchestra) * The Man From UNCLE/The Spies (Al Caiola) * Thanks For The
Memory (Dave Pell) * The Munsters Theme (Jack Marshall) * The Fugative
Theme (Si Zentner) * Dick Van Dyke Theme/Alvin Show Theme (Nelson Riddle) *
The Human Jungle (John Barry) * Batman Theme (David McCallum) * Mannix
(Billy May and His Orchestra) * One Step Beyond (Fear)/The Twilight Zone
(The Ventures) * Mr. Lucky (Si Zentner) * The Mod Squad Theme (Al Caiola) *
My Three Sons (Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra) * Burkes Law Suite (Liberty
Soundtrack Orchestra) * Bewitched (Peggy Lee) * Meloncholy Serenade (Jackie
Gleason) * Powerhouse (Spike Jones)
VARIOUS ARTISTS: VH1 - More Of The Big 80s (Rhino)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
In the 80s, when this music was all the rage on MTV, the OTHER music channel,
VH1, was playing a lot of mellow Diana Ross videos. ZZZzzzz. In the 90s,
when MTV was playing with itself, VH1 almost became the MTV of yore. The
Big 80s, VH1's showcase of 80s-era rock videos, became a humungoid hit. The
connection between that program and this series of discs is a little bit
fuzzy. I suppose all of these songs appeared in video form on the program
at one time or another, but then each of these songs appeared in a lot of
places. Oh well, I guess ya gotta tie it to something or other. Most of
the music is available on a zillion 80s comps, so it really all comes down
to one question: are there enough tunes here that you don't have yet to make
it worth buying? The other issues are hit and miss. Yes, the sound is fine.
No, the liners aren't particularly informative, but what do you need to know
about "I Ran" and "Stray Cat Strut" that you don't already know? Yes,
there's a hook: Godley & Creme's "Cry" makes its first appearance in comp
form. In the end, a review is totally unnecessary because you really only
need the track list to aid in your decision. But I get paid by the word.
TRACK LIST:
Mickey (Toni Basil) * Come On Eileen (Dexy's Midnight Runners) * Der
Kommissar (After The Fire) * Whip It (Devo) * I Ran (Flock Of Seagulls) *
Words (Missing Persons) * She's A Beauty (The Tubes) * Stray Cat Strut (The
Stray Cats) * What I Like About You (The Romantics) * Everybody Have Fun
Tonight (Wang Chung) * Obsession (Animotion) * Doctor! Doctor! (The Thompson
Twins) * They Don't Know (Tracy Ullman) * Cry (Godley & Creme) * Tuff Enuff
(Fabulous Thunderbirds) * Major Tom (Coming Home) (Peter Schilling)
VARIOUS ARTISTS: Wild, Cool & Swingin' Too! (Capitol)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
Volume 15 of Capitol's Ultralounge series brings us a collection of
the great lounge vocalists of the 50s and 60s. You didn't have to be
an Italian man or a Black woman to get a spot in this crew, but it sure
helped.
Check out the lineup - Vic Damone, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, Mel Torme,
Louis Prima, Bobby Darin (who was born a Cassotto). The ladies include
Nancy Wilson, Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitgerald and Lena Horne.
Of course, there was still room for Steve and Eydie, Jack Jones, Peggy
Lee, Bobby Troup and Julie London. Styled as a taste of Vegas lounge
culture, there's also the inevitable spot for Mr. Las Vegas himself,
Wayne Newton. If you've never seen his show, Newton's ability to swing
"Strangers In The Night" may come as a surprise.
Rat Pack fans may feel slighted by the single selection by Pack member
Dean Martin, but bear in mind that these were the acts on stage when
the Chairman took the boys out to howl. Backed by bands and orchestras
under the leadership of luminaries like Don Costa, Burt Bacharach and
Nelson Riddle, with a couple notable appearances by the Count Basie
Orchestra (backing Bennet and Vaughn), these were some of the premiere
singers of the era. They are presented here delivering swinging
standards that lack only your self supplied rhythm sounds of a martini
shaker in motion.
In other words, "Wild, Cool & Swingin' Too!" is great music and a ton o'
fun!
Track List: Eydie Gorme/Frenesi * Steve Lawrence/Night And Day * Bobby
Darin/Charade * Nancy Wilson/A Lot Of Livin' To Do * Louis Prima/5
Months, 2 Weeks, 2 Days * Vic Damone/Wives And Lovers * Peggy Lee/The
Boy From Ipanema * Wayne Newton/Stranger In The Night * Tony Bennett/
With Plenty Of Money And You * Bobby Darin/Call Me Irresponsible * Dinah
Washington/Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby * Bobby Troup/Snootie
Little Cutie * Julie London/Daddy * Dean Martin/Just In Time * Sarah
Vaughn/Perdido * Jack Jones/Angel Eyes * Louis Prima/Just A Gigolo-I
Ain't Got Nobody * Mel Torme/Midnight Swinger * Dinah Washington/
Destination Moon * Lena Horne/It Had Better Be Tonight * Ella
Fitzgerald/Hawaiian War Chant (Ta-Hu-Wa-Hu-Wai)
BEN WEBSTER & OSCAR PETERSON: Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson (Verve)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
This 1959 session marked the fourth time these artists worked together. Ben
Webster had mellowed considerably by this time, and these dates found him
blowing some elegant and emotional sax and making no forays into the
slashing, biting style for which he was so well known. This Webster was a
dreamweaver, floating rich, breathy notes over the effortless perfection
of the Oscar Peterson Trio.
Peterson himself is flawless, as always, and Ed Thigpen (drums) and Ray Brown
(bass) make them both sound even better (if that's possible). Five of the
seven tunes are ballads that perfectly showcase Webster's mature tone. Even
an overused tune like "Bye Bye Blackbird" sounds fresh in Webster's hands.
His finest moments come near the end of "In The Wee Small Hours Of The
Morning," as he puts the song to bed with a quiet outpouring of resigned
passion.
The lone uptempo cut, "Sunday," coaxes Webster toward that other sound, and
for a moment here and a moment there, it seems he's going to make the leap,
restraining himself at the last second. Instead, Peterson makes the leap,
delivering an amazing and joyful solo. The final tune, "This Can't Be Love,"
allows the trio to stretch out in that medium tempo swing structure that
always set Oscar free.
The sound quality of this recording is breathtaking. They sure knew how to
record jazz in the 50s, didn't they? Verve rereleased this as a part of the
Master Edition series, packaging it in a cardboard foldout case and including
original cover art and liner notes, along with reissue notes. Good. This
beautiful album deserves the special attention.
TRACK LIST:
The Touch Of Your Lips * When Your Love Has Gone * Bye Bye Blackbird *
How Deep Is The Ocean * In The Wee, Small Hours Of The Morning * Sunday *
This Can't Be Love
WEEN: THE MOLLUSK (Elektra)
Reviewed by John Sekerka
Ween are the rock gods of the nineties, presenting every music genre under
the sun with subversive grins. The Beatles used to make such pretty and
innovative music, but they took themselves too seriously. Ween have their
fingers crossed, tongues in cheek, and eyes rolling at all times. This is
Chocolate & Cheese part two. The brilliant send up highlight being a poke
at Irish pubsters in 'The Blarney Stone,' an infectious sing-along that
speaks some nasty truths. Sure to offend everyone. Last time they had us
singing 'Spinal Meningitis (got me down),' this time it's 'I'm Waving My
Dick in the Wind.' The Ween we all know and love, and the band who would
be king, if there was any justice.
IAN WHITCOMB & THE WHITE STAR ORCHESTRA:
Titanic - Music As Heard On The Fateful Voyage (Rhino)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
While he may feel otherwise, it's perhaps a good thing for music lovers
that Ian Whitcomb was passed over for the role of the ship's orchestra
leader in the new Titanic film. After all, if he'd been busy with the
role, he may not have found time to research and record this set of
songs, and the world of recorded music would be poorer without it.
The White Star Orchestra, Terry Glenny (violin), Bobby Bruce (violin),
Marston Smith (cello) and David Pinto (piano, organ, bass), under the
baton of Ian Whitcomb, perform over 20 of the popular songs which were
either in the official songbook of the White Star shipping company or
were identified by survivors as songs played during the Titanic's
voyage.
In addition, Whitcomb (piano, accordion, ukulele) and Fred Sokolow
(banjo, guitar, mandolin) appear as the Musical Murrays, playing a
variety of music hall tunes and other numbers that might have been
performed among the third class passengers below decks.
Altogether this is a fascinating look at a musical era, performed with
historically appropriate instrumentation using authentic arrangements of
the day. It is packaged beautifully with illustrations of the ship and
the band and includes a fascinating booklet of notes by Whitcomb, who is
a fine prose writer as well as a musician and songwriter.
It would be a pity if this disc were confined to the attentions of the
community of Titanic buffs. Anyone with more than a passing interest in
the popular music of the 20th century should have this one in their
collection.
(By the way, don't look for "Nearer My God To Thee" here. Eyewitness
accounts confirm that, legend notwithstanding, the song was never played
by the Titanic band. The song in the air when the ship went down was
"Songe d'Automne," which is, fittingly, the last song on this disc.)
Track List: The White Star March * The Convergence Of The Twain *
Glow-Worm * Mon Couer S'Ouvre A Ta Voix * In The Shadows * Oh, You
Beautiful Doll * Music Hall Waltz Medley: Are We To Part Like This,
Bill?/If Those Lips Could Only Speak * The Mosquito's Parade * The Merry
Widow Waltz * Alexander's Ragtime Band * Somewhere A Voice Is Calling *
Music Hall March Medley: I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside/Fall In And
Follow Me/Ship Ahoy * Selections From The Musical Comedy "The Arcadians":
Chorus Of Waitresses/My Motter/Arcady Is Ever Young * Shine On Harvest
Moon * That Mesmerizing Mendelssohn Tune * Destiny * Waiting For The
Robert E. Lee * Salut d'Amour * Frankie And Johnny * Silver Heels *
Lily Of Laguna * Moonstruck * Songe d'Automne
IAN WHITCOMB: The Golden Age Of Lounge (Varese Sarabande)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
"One of the functions of music is to act as a pillow, buffering us from
the terrors of the street."
This opening line of Ian Whitcomb's album notes sets the premise for
this compilation of Whitcomb recordings over the last 15 years as
eloquently as I can imagine.
In some ways a companion to his new collection of songs from the
repertoire of the Titanic ship's orchestra, this is "Palm Court" music.
The object is to soothe the spirit, rather than to excite the spirit.
The tunes are can be sung, hummed or danced to, or can serve as a sort
of aural wallpaper. In that sense, these are truly the roots of lounge
music. The musicians in a cocktail band or piano bar know that they'll
have to play at a precise point between attracting interest and
dampening conversation and conviviality. The best can pull it off, and
it's one of the toughest gigs in music. On this disc, Whitcomb provides
a textbook example of the form.
The songs range from Stephen Foster chestnuts to Whitcomb originals and
the instrumentation is carefully fitted to the mood and period of each
piece. Waltzes, rhumbas and foxtrots. Ragtime and pop. Non-stop joy.
Put it on. Give it a good listen. Put it on again and go about your
business. But don't blame me if you find yourself humming along, or
trying out a quick soft shoe while you do the dishes. Well, actually,
blame isn't the point - don't *thank* me. Thank Ian and the generations
of songwriters and lounge players that made this disc possible.
Track List: Nola * Amapola * A Little Street Where Old Friends Meet *
The Teddy Bear's Picnic * Merry-Go-Round By Moonlight * Same Old Moon-
Same Old June * Rose Room * Sol Tropical * Twelve O'Clock At Night *
Moon Of Waikiki * In The Land Of Beginning Again * Rolling With The
Quake * Who Made Little Boy Blue * Beautiful Dreamer * Lotusland (A Rag
Of Southern California) * The House Of Dreams
IAN WHITCOMB: You Turn Me On/Mod Mod Music Hall (Sundazed)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
Thirty two years ago I picked up the first album by a young Englishman
who had become a local hero in the Seattle music market. Of course, it
was "You Turn Me On" that sold the record, but it was the combination of
bluesy rock music infused with a dose of Tin Pan Alley sensibility that
captured me and made me a lifetime Ian Whitcomb fan.
Naturally, when the followup, "Mod Mod Music Hall," appeared the
following year I had to get it too, though a breakthrough single had not
yet appeared. What I found was something altogether different than what
I had expected, and something that was altogether delightful. These
were genuine music hall numbers, and straight Tin Pan Alley tunes and
ragtime played for fun rather than study. This was great stuff, and it
still is. Unlike the then contemporary work of acts like the New
Vaudeville Band and the Sopwith Camel, these were the real songs
performed by someone who loved them rather than someone who mocked them.
Whitcomb, of course, has gone on to carve out an impressive resume as a
chronicler of early 20th century pop, and it all started here. Sundazed
has put out these first two Ian Whitcomb offerings on a single disc just
in time for some summer fun. Tall drinks, lots of ice, a paper umbrella
and "You Turn Me On." Life is good.
Track List:
You Turn Me On: You Turn Me On * River Of No Return * Be My Baby *
Nervous * Poor But Honest * Fizz * This Sporting Life * Too Many Cars On
The Road * That Is Rock n' Roll * Sugar Babe * No Tears For Johnny
Mod, Mod Music Hall: Poor Little Bird * Got A Date With An Angel * The
Night I Appeared As MacBeth * August, 1914 * Coney Island Washboard *
Mother! Mother! Mother! (What A Naughty Boy Am I) * The Junkman Rag *
The Sweetheart Of Sigma Chi * The Awful Tale Of Maggie May * Where Did
Robinson Crusoe Go With Friday On Saturday Night * Saucy Seaside Sue *
Reindeer - A Ragtime Two-Step * Ida! Sweet As Apple Cider * That Ragtime
Suffragette * Oh Helen! * Your Baby Has Gone Down The Plughole
WHITE HASSLE 'National Chain' (Matador)
Reviewed by Jeff Apter
Though their name may have you thinking otherwise, there's not even a hint
of red on this New York duo's necks. 'National Chain', instead, is a
ramshackle collection of hard-luck stories and cry-in-your-beer ballads, as
White Hassle heads into industrial jug band territory, blending their very
lo-fi sound with a chronic case of the Hank Williamses (see the tragicomic
'The Beating of My Heart' for proof). Marcellus Hall croons and croaks like
a teen pinup with a dark streak and trouble in mind, his tongue wedged so
firmly in his cheek that he might just choke, as he warns 'There's no need
to dial 911 / It's just the beating of my heart.' In the background, Dave
Varenka keeps a steady beat, crashing away on cardboard boxes, pots, pans -
anything handy that passes for percussion. This results in a sometimes
creepy, often creaky soundscape, while the production of 'National Chain'
(what there is) makes the Violent Femmes sound lush by comparison.
___________________________________________________________________________
BETWEEN ZERO & ONE
By Steven Leith
YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR
The good old double standard is alive and well in Washington, DC. No, I
don't mean the double standard that says it is OK for legislators to be
exempt from most laws nor the double standard that says they can collect
their pay even if they dont do a damn thing.
The double standard I was thinking about is the one that says it is OK
for this country to invest heavily in the elections of other nations but
other nations dare not invest in our so called "free" elections.
There is nothing free about American politics. The cost of buying an
office has gone through the roof and although it is accepted practice to
let major corporations buy favors, when news comes out that a foreign
nation wants in on the action, well thats when you dust off your double
standard.
The United States has spent untold millions mucking about in the
political systems of other nations. From the Congo to Costa Rica, from
Haiti to Havana we bring our friends and enemies the same sort of cash
centric politics that U.S. politicians excel at.
After decades of training the world in the benefits of our system why
are we surprised when the money flows toward us? We should be proud
that our example has born fruit. We should also be thankful that
someone else is paying the tab for our free elections.
I for one would prefer it if Japan owned Jesse Helms rather than the
tobacco lobby. Maybe then I could get a low cost high quality sake. I
think Germany should put a down payment on Slade (the commandant) Gorton.
Italy should buy, Alfonse (the ethnically insensitive) D'Amato and then
the Axis could rise again.
So, if China wants to own a piece of our President, why not? China
seems to own the congress already since they never even get a slap on
the wrist for their heavy handed pogrom against free expression. (Of
course they are against free expression, they are an emerging capitalist
wunderkind and we all know capitalism grows best fertilized with the
blood of repressed workers.)
As for me, the next time some candidate asks me for money Im going to
give them the phone number for the nearest foreign embassy. Its time
the rest of the world starting picking up the tab for our free elections.
____________________________________________________________________________
PHIL'S GARAGE
By Phil Dirt
A TALE OF LOUIES
At the innocent dawn of rock n roll, it wasn't unusual for simple riffs
and gentle lyrics to break new ground. What we now see as derivative was
both fresh and immediate. Like now, the sources of inspiration were
around the innovators in the air. Nothing burst from a vacuum.
In the early fifties, rock n roll was the hot stepchild of black
culture, of jump and jive, the blues, rockin R&B, and of the country
music heard on the radio. There were elements of many other genres as
well: jazz, calypso, and what ever else was lurking about. Often, the
progenitors were young blacks from the ghettos or the poverty stricken
areas of the rural South. Chicago was the launch pad, but the West Coast
scenes in the San Francisco Bay Area, and in South Central and East LA
were equally creative and vital. The Southern California scene had the
added influences of the local Latino artists, which gave their music a
more soulful flowing and rhythmic feel, with a flair for the heat of the
night.
A young black man from East LA with a marvelous bass voice was singing
great R&B and Doo Wop. He was an unassuming guy with a great charm. He
was also somewhat lame from childhood polio. He was making a name for
himself, and had already recorded with Dolphins of Hollywood.
EL LOCO CHA CHA
One night in 1955, Richard Berry was sitting in the dressing room at the
Harmony Park Ballroom waiting to go on. This is the same ballroom that
would be home to Dick Dale just a few years later. His backup band that
night was Ricky Rillera & the Rhythm Rockers. They were a popular Latino
band, doing their own brand of the standards of the day. The Rillera
brothers would play in Dick Dales band in the sixties.
The Rhythm Rockers were already on stage warming up the audience.
Richard was waiting in the dressing room for his big entry. The opening
number was a zippy cover a popular semi-calypso Rene Tuozet instrumental
number called El Loco Cha Cha." Richard heard the tune coming through
the walls and was fascinated by the simple introduction bass riff. He
thought it would make a good backtrack for a song. He quickly dashed off
the melody line and some notes about lyrical content on a brown paper
bag. A guy named Louie that was being told of the melancholy of a young
man far from his home and girl.
After the show, Richard went back to his paper bag, and developed the
lyrics. It was to be a simple Jamaican love song about a guy, maybe a
sailor, missing his girl across the water. He's telling his story to a
guy named Louie, maybe a bartender. The song he wrote was "Louie Louie."
Richard recorded the song a year later for Flip Records as the
unassuming B-side to "You Are My Sunshine." It was issued on both 45 and
78 RPM. The disc sold moderately well in the R&B market, but generally
failed to cross over to top forty radio. Some 6-700,000 copies were
moved by Flip before the record faded.
From that success, Richard Berrys recognition increased as the vocal
and writing talent he surely was. He toured more, and recorded
extensively with Etta James, the Robins (Coasters), Jesse Belvin, the
Flairs, and many more. By the end of the fifties, Richard Berry was a
well established vocal talent on the California R&B scene.
After the song fell from the R&B charts, Richard sold the rights for
$700 so he could get married. Richard once told me that the contract
was written on a napkin in a restaurant in LA. The buyer was Max
Freitag. Richard thought it was a good deal. Hed made his money from
the single, and didn't think his little B-side had anything left in it,
so why not sell it? He'd already had a follow-up spin off single titled
"Have Love Will Travel"; based heavily on a very similar riff.
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Around 1959, Rockin' Robin Roberts came across Richard's "Louie Louie"
in a used bin at a Seattle or Tacoma record store. He decided to add it
to the repertoire of the Wailers, the extremely popular Pacific
Northwest band he was working with at the time. Eventually, they
recorded it, and made it a set list "must" in the Seattle/Tacoma area.
It was so popular that every teen band "had better do it" in their set if
they wanted to play a second time anywhere.
The next significant cover was recorded by Paul Revere & the Raiders,
the Boise, Idaho band, transplanted to Portland, that would eventually
sign with Columbia. A week or two later, Portland's young Kingsmen went
into the very same studio and recorded a rendition as well. Their
version is starkly different from the Revere version.
Paul Revere & the Raiders rearranged the Wailers' version. They got the
words right, played well, and Mark Lindsey sang clearly. The production
on the session is also quite crisp.
The Kingsmen covered the Wailers' version as well, but unlike Revere's
band, they did not do as well in the studio. There were several reasons.
Lynn Easton, their usual front man, didn't sing the song. Rather, their
teenage bassist Jack Ely did. Jack didn't know all the words, so he
mumbled sounds that fit to fill the voids. Jack once told me that he had
learned it from seeing other teen bands do it, and that he didn't get
all the words. Jack also said that the mic was way over his head
(probably set for the much taller Lynn Easton), so he had his head
tipped back, stretching his neck, and his vocal chords in the process.
Jack also had braces on. All that added to a lot of unclear vocalizing.
Why the production is so different is a mystery. The engineer and studio
are the same as the Revere session.
Both the Paul Revere & the Raiders and the Kingsmen versions of the song
were issued as singles. With the clear superiority of the Paul Revere
recording, it was destined to make the charts. Columbia picked it up and
promoted it heavily. However, Revere only made the cut in San Francisco
and some parts of the Pacific Northwest. It was the cruder Kingsmen
recording that took the nation by storm, reaching number 2 in Billboard.
Why that happened is one of the major chapters in the story of "Louie
Louie."
I'M OUTTA HERE
Shortly after the recording "Louie Louie," Jack Ely left the band. He
went off on his own across the country. It must have been strange to
hear your recording being a monster hit on the radio, and you're not in
the band. It must have been a little like it was for David Marks, who
left the Beach Boys because he was sure they weren't going anywhere.
THE MEANING OF LOUIE
The lyrics to "Louie Louie" have been the object of considerable
discussion for 34 years now. Everyone, even government lackeys, sang
the praises or condemnations of "Louie Louie" before it was over.
Here's a loose interpretation of the chronology:
Some DJ on the East Coast did what DJ's had done many times in the
fifties and early sixties... violated their Music Director's rotation
plan by playing a record that had not been "picked" by the MD.
Some kids in a college frat house heard the song and loved it. They not
only went out and bought it, they flooded the local radio station with
requests.
The MD finally added the record, and even more people thought it was
cool.
The frat brats were
partying down to the record, and because of the
infectious Rene Touzet / Richard Berry riff, wanted to sing along - and
there was the rub...
It wasn't long before those frat brats realized they couldn't quite get
the words right. The harder they tried, the less they could actually
understand, and the more it sounded like the words were, well, dirty...
"I felt I rose in her hair..." and "she had a rag on...," etc.
To remember what they thought they heard, they wrote the "lyrics" down.
The frat brats sang those lyrics along with the radio. Lyric sheets were
passed around, and soon every kid in Indiana was sure it was a dirty
song. The 50 some odd sets of lyrics were all different, of course.
Some parent, still reeling from the "Devil's Music" thing of the
fifties, came across one of the lyric sheets from some poor frat
refugee, and raised holy Hell with the authorities.
The Governor of Indiana banned the song. He was followed by local
authorities across the East and South East. Just like with 2 Live Crew,
sales soared as the reputation of the indecent lyrics grew. Soon, it
would top the charts.
Not to be stopped, the Governor of Indiana got the FBI going on an
obscenity investigation. The Portland office of the FBI dragged the
remaining Kingsmen into their lair and threatened them with federal
obscenity charges. They denied that the song was dirty, but Jack Ely,
who'd sung the thing, was no where to be found, and they didn't have
the original record or the sheet music. They were scared.
The Los Angeles office of the FBI rounded up Richard Berry, dragged him
into their local interrogation room, and began to ask about the song.
"What are the words to "Louie Louie?" Richard produced the published
lyrics. Armed with the "real words," the FBI responded with "we want you
to give us the REAL lyrics!" They were threatening to indict Richard
Berry on federal obscenity charges, threatening with prison time, and
generally scaring this meek black man, Richard, to death.
Meanwhile, the FBI crime lab in Washington DC was hard at work. They had
obtained a copy of the record on Wand, and were analyzing it with the
best technology they had. Of course, the Wand single was not even the
original Jerden issue. The played it through filters, sped it up, slowed
it down, watched it on their oscilloscope, and strained to hear those
titillating words. After many hours of listening, they delivered their
formal report on the most dangerous recording of the decade.
BAD DAY AT HOOVERVILLE
It was not a good day to be a member of that club. They were unable to
definitively deliver the "dirty" lyrics to J. Edgar Hoover. He'd signed
off on most of the pages in the bulging FBI file up until then. Surely
he expected to read some pretty hot stuff, and take out a real menace to
the morals of American youth. In the FBI crime lab's final report, they
concluded that "...even if it (the Kingsmen's "Louie Louie") was
obscene, the lyrics are unintelligible at any speed." Case closed, but
the legend lives on today.
The more the stories of the dirty lyrics and the FBI probe circulated in
the media and by word of mouth, the more copies of the Kingsmen's record
sold... so, what else is new? What's more, during the sixties, and
throughout the seventies and eighties, many of the imagined dirty lyrics
were recorded by the likes of Iggy & the Stooges. The FBI cemented the
myth of the dirty words forever into the history of American music.
Their campaign created the very recordings they sought to ban, recordings
that did not exist before they got involved. They demonstrated yet again
just how futile it is to legislate morality. A good use of our tax dollars.
Just think of it; a crippled poor black man from the ghetto and a bunch
of white suburbanite teenagers could have been on the infamous FBI Ten
Most Wanted list. Amazing!
PHOENIX RISING
By the early eighties, Richard Berry was broke and on welfare. He was in
a retraining program, learning basic computer skills so he could get a
job. His childhood polio had left him slightly lame, and the LA city bus
hitting him while he was parked in his car in front of his house didn't
help.
Stretch Riedle called him up and asked if he wanted to join KFJC in
their impending "Maximum Louie Louie" special. Richard thought it was a
lark, just a bunch of college kids playing a few records and hosting an
old black R&B guy on the air. He figured he'd get a free train ride with
his daughter, hang out, have a little fun, and go home. He was shocked
to discover it was nothing of the sort.
63 Hours plus over the entire weekend, blanket coverage on Bay Area TV,
international press, and 823 different versions, many of which were
created by listeners just for the event. Jack Ely came down for it,
meeting Richard for the first time. Richard played a forty five minute
version of his song backed by the Lady Bo Trio (Peggy Malone - ex-Bo
Diddley guitarist) and trumpeter Eric "Ricky Sludge" Lenchner,
Readymades member and future founder of the Ultras. Jack sat in on
second bass, and traded lead vocals with Richard and Lady Bo, who'd
written special event lyrics.
The resulting publicity wave got Chuck Rubin, Richard's lawyer, to call
Richard right in the middle of the program. He was moving on recovering
some of Richard's rights to the publishing. A couple of years later,
Richard was back in possession of the rights to his song, and was making
a few hundred thousand dollars a year. Things had changed for Richard
Berry.
The best change was what happened in his family. Richard brought his
daughter Christi with him to "Maximum Louie Louie." She was 14 and not
particularly knowledgeable of or impressed with her dad's past glory.
When she witnessed the adoration that was heaped upon him, and the
hospitality and love shown him by the staff at KFJC and the thousands of
listeners who came to shake his hand, she became a believer. When
Richard got home, his son Marcel began playing bass with him. Richard
could now perform more regularly. The new bond they discovered made
Richard smile. This is the real story of "Louie Louie."
PARADE OF LOUIES
The Leukemia Society used the song successfully for a fundraiser theme
parade in several cities, and Richard Berry was the honored leader. The
first one I attended in San Francisco was a grand event, with Da Monz
(now the Berzerkers) backing Richard on stage at Justin Herman Plaza. Da
Monz had worked up a half dozen different versions of the song, a Ten
Years After version, a Chicago Blues version, a surf version, and
several R&B variations.
Along the parade route there were three bands, all playing only that
song as the paraders marched passed. The bands were the wonderful
Guttersluts, Johnny Kool & the Rattlesnakes, and the Surf M.C.s (aka
Thermo). The paraders were also playing and singing "Louie Louie" as
they proceeded along the Embarcadero. Witnessing Richard singing his
song in front of a surf band with a lead guitarist in a wet suit was a
sight to behold.
LIVING FOREVER
This material was assembled with kind assistance from Eric Predoehl, and
fond memories of time spent with Richard Berry. Richard died in his sleep
on January 23, 1997. I miss him.
To learn more about Richard Berry and his anthem of all of the rock
generations, visit Eric Predoehl's marvelous web site, The Louie Report,
at http://www.netuser.com/~erp/Louie_Louie.html.
___________________________________________________________________________
STUFF I NOTICED
By DJ Johnson
Forgive me father for I have strayed. It's been two months since my last
column. We've got some catching up to do, huh? Well luckily, I've been
noticing stuff while I was busy doing other stuff. Here's an itemized list.
* Anybody else been watching the festivities in Washington DC? The annual
Republican Party Fox Hunt? This year things took a turn for the weird.
Seems they had Newt Gingrich all tagged and caged, and they'd even rubbed
a shirt all over him for the hounds to sniff, but something happened. Next
thing we knew, the fox was sitting on the lead horse and a small handful of
the hunters were running in naked terror through the woods, having suddenly
found that they were the game. That nutty crazy Newt. Remember when Ted
Bundy kept escaping? Yeah, it kind of reminds me of that. Course, we all
remember how THAT one turned out.
* I can't seem to keep my 10 year old away from Crap TV. Well, that's my
own nickname for this terrible local station that runs garbage 24 hours a
day. Stuff like Baywatch, Jenny Jones and Ricki Lake Barf-O-Rama talk shows,
and a ton of predictable sitcoms designed primarily to give impressionable
white people the idea that black people all act like idiots. On the other
hand, they also run that Suzanne Sommers sitcom, so I suppose impressionable
black people are getting the idea that white people are all ditzes as well.
Anyway, my daughter is glued to it all, and all my best parenting has been
unable to penetrate her dull glazed stare. I've tried lectures, out and
out restrictions, pleading... none of it works. Tomorrow, I'm going to
take the TV out of her room until she promises to watch only good solid
intelligent TV programs. I was going to do that tonight, but Married With
Children was on and I got distracted. I just can't imagine why she would
want to watch all that predictable garbage...
* How come every phone call that actually requires an early exit from the
bathroom turns out to be somebody selling windshield ding repair?
* My Jennifer Aniston fantasy is blown all to hell. God, was it really
only the hair style in season one? Now she looks like Barbara Streisand.
Dear God... BARBARA STREISAND!
* The mini-mart up the street from me has porno movies for rent right out
in the open, with all the original boxes showing. In case you're pure and
innocent, I should tell you that porno boxes no longer show only a woman in
a slinky outfit. They now contain 30 or 40 small stills from the film, and
we're talkin' major hardcore slick and stiff stuff here. And here is a big
cardboard box filled with these porno flicks sitting on the BOTTOM SHELF OUT
IN THE OPEN! Not behind the counter, mind you. Under the cold medicine!
The aforementioned 10 year old said "Hey daddy! Look! They rent movies here!"
and she was off like a shot heading for that box. From a distance of 30 feet
I recognized what she was walking into, and I managed to get there before her.
"No! These are grownup movies!" Thwarted but dangerously curious, she shied
away toward the candy aisle. I reached for one of the boxes, and by george,
I had been correct! This WAS hardcore pornography right there in plain
sight at the local minimart! There were pictures of men and women, women
and women, men and men, a man and what looked to be Spuds MacKenzie, women
and latex, and... this one beeeeeeeautiful brunette with a push-up bra and
a sharks tooth necklace that could actually take a... well, that's neither
here nor there. What's here is anger, and what's there is a box of hardcore
pornography at a 3 year old's eye level. When I asked the store owner about
this, he claimed they were out of sight and walked away in a huff. They're
still there. I'm no prude, but it seems to me something should be done.
Boldly springing into action, I organized a one-man boycott, which I strictly
enforce except when we're out of milk or I need to rent a movie.
* Did Oasis really announce that anybody who bought their records or tried
in any way to promote them through word of mouth would face litigation and
public caning, or did I just have a blown speaker during that particular
newscast?
* It was reported from Hollywood that 24 consecutive hours transpired without
Charlie Sheen, Kelsey Grammer, Todd Bridges or Robert Downey, Jr, being
arrested. It's quiet. It's too quiet.
* Suspected murderer Andrew Cunanan is no longer on the loose. It is reported
he committed suicide on a houseboat in Miami, Florida. Unnamed sources reveal,
however, that Cunanan was actually the victim of stampeding Hollywood screen
writers.
* Here's one for the books. In Harare, Zimbabwe, the economy has gone straight
to hell in a handbasket, effecting everything from the food trade to... yes,
prostitution. The prostitutes in Harare belong to a union of sorts, and
somebody in that union decided the best way to deal with the situation was
to publicly ask that women send their husbands out at night with more money
in their pockets. This just wouldn't fly in, say, Hartford Connecticut, you
know what I'm saying?
And finally, I would like to end the long drought by giving the coveted
Sharp Pointed Stick award to Roger Katz, a 51 year old junior high teacher
who got caught with a nude 14 year old girl in his car. That's dumb enough,
but this idiot actually stood up there in front of the judge and jury and
claimed that he only did it to pay her back for saving his life in 640 A.D.,
when they knew each other in Tibet! I think the old tried and true "but
Your Honor, she LOOKED 18" would have stood a much better chance. And hey,
talk about delusions of grandeur! He's so damned good in bed that a roll in
the hay with him is sufficient payback for saving his life? Even Rudolph
Valentino would have bought her a steak afterwards. This guy is a complete
moron, and a natural stick recipient.
That's about it. If you notice anything that you think I should notice,
drop me a line at moonbaby@serv.net and tell me about it. See you next
time.
_____________________________________________________________________________
CLOSET PHILOSOPHY
With Rusty Pipes
OLD HABITS
Two years ago the final breath should have gone out of the sails of the
Hippie movement when Jerry Garcia died. But somehow it still continues.
Maybe the drugs haven't worn off yet.
I can't call myself a Deadhead but I have at least a dozen solo Garcia
and Grateful Dead recordings in my collection. Early on I didn't like them
as much as, say, Quicksilver Messenger Service, but somewhere around the
time of Workingman's Dead, American Beauty and Jerry's first solo album I
gained a lasting respect for them. Today, I promised I'd write something to
commemorate the second anniversary of his death. I've wrestled with his
legacy a long time but I can't seem to think about him without immediately
thinking of drugs. I don't think Jerry Garcia would have become so
worshipped or played the way he did without them. A greatest strength and
greatest weakness.
You could say they killed him, but I think that 50 odd years was enough.
Hell, down through most of human history 50 has been a very ripe age indeed.
At least he lived in a century when his work could be recorded and now he
belongs to the ages, immortal in a sense that could never have happened a
century's fingersnap ago. Can we forgive Jerry his drugs when he used it to
produce such sweet trills on his guitar? Perhaps the drug aspect that drove
him will fade, a footnote like Freud and his cocaine.
These thoughts may be my own druggy past that's calling me for reconciliation.
I still have a feeling for that other plane I used to visit. Nah, that's
overstating it. All that Castaneda stuff I DID NOT experience. The few times
I went tripping on LSD it scared me too much, so I never took the very high
doses required to experience a true shift of plane, if that's really what's
supposed to happen. I did take enough to produce some lovely patterns, though,
and still one of the favorite moments of my life is seeing a sunrise from
the summit of Haleakala, 10,000 feet, frigid and HIGH above the cloud layer.
It's funny though, as the effects would wear off and my eyes stopped playing
tricks, I often found myself with lots of energy--energy that I'd use to
clean up the house (symbolically cleaning up my act?). Somewhere around 1975
I promised never to do LSD again. It amplified too many things and I felt
too out of control.
Cocaine? Frankly I was too poor to get into it but I accepted contributions.
It was good to work on. But like George Carlin said, "Cocaine makes you feel
like a new man. Trouble is, new man wants a hit too!" One DJ acquaintance
who got into shooting it went very weird, very fast and is probably long
dead by now. It was also the reason for my one experience with heroin. I
snorted it thinking it was cocaine. I spent a few hours lying in a corner
thinking, "this is supposed to be fun?" Alcohol was never big with me because
I seem to have a unique aversion to headaches and retching. Tobacco makes me
retch too. Homey never did play downers either.
Marijuana was another thing. I smoked every day for about 7 years back in
that period. I was operating with a load ALL the time. Fortunately I wasn't
doing much important--deejaying late at night on the radio, frisbeeing in
the afternoons, getting around by bicycle--so I didn't hurt anybody doing
it. During that time at University of Hawaii everyone I knew smoked too, at
the beach, at concerts, on the air at the radio station. I would partake in
as many as a dozen joints in a day. Fortunately it was an easy school and
I ended up with a bachelor degree in communications by 1978. It only took
me NINE YEARS. The worst things about pot: I can't read very well stoned,
my fingers go fumbly and it made me too damn lazy. Eventually I moved back
to the mainland and through the 80's my pot smoking had a slow withering.
No epiphany, no 12 step program, but no slamming the door either. The last
time I smoked was many months ago, I can't remember exactly (...but then
memory is a problem too isn't it?).
My favorite drug these days is caffeine, no contest. I don't mess up my
brain cells with anything at work; my day job demands focus. I'm nice,
clean-cut and responsible, but I still enjoy listening to Grateful Dead
in the office because their long meandering jams are great for noodling
through spreadsheets and databases. What's wrong with this picture? Too
much coffee almost gave me ulcers and I've suppressed my artistic side.
(Thank God for the Cosmik Debris steam vent and my DJ sessions at the
local coffee house or I'd go nuts.)
I loved the inspirations, the cosmic free associations pot could (can
still?) unloose. I think that's where Jerry Garcia was at in his prodigious
drug use, but even he realized he had limits. He died of a heart attack
in a drug-rehab center, trying to clean out his system.
I cannot give blank slate approval to all psychoactive drugs like Terrence
McKenna. Each drug is different and each body is different in its reaction.
So prohibition is the answer? No, it's dangerous because it makes bullets
fly. But then if it was all legal we're definitely going to see more aimless
fools drunk and stoned at the same time thinking, "sure I can drive a car."
Legalize and fight the drug war with clinics? Not perfect but better.
Moderation, sort of a variation on the Buddhist middle way has to be taught.
Unfortunately to most of Jerry's legions of Dead Heads, moderation is an
alien concept. That's sad because I think, with a bit more moderation on his
part, we possibly could have enjoyed a few more of those lovely Garcia
guitar runs.
In the end, Jerry was no saint but I am proud to have a quote of his on my
wall:
Simple kindness really matters.
And on that note the Closet is closed until next month.
___________________________________________________________________________
ENTER TO WIN AN OMEGA MEN CD!!
Just send an e-mail message to moonbaby@serv.net stating your name, your
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in the Omega Men CD drawing, and that's all there is to it. Five lucky
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____________________________________________________________________________
COSMIK CORRESPONDENCE - Letters From Our Readers
A GROUSE LITTLE LETTER FROM THE LAND OF OZ
Cosmik: As well as the Ben Vaughn article I really enjoyed reading
the one in issue 24 on GT Stringer. I have their two cds and reckon
they're grouse! (Oz slang popular in the 70's and now making a big
comeback in the 90's, roughly translates as cool, awesome etc.) They
are criminally ignored in Oz. I first discovered them through Phil
Dirt's page! Whilst over in Adelaide (which GT Trev [Ed.Note: nickname
of sax man Trevor Ramsay) lovingly refers to as Adlebrain) I caught
them live whilst taking a breather from the Womad world music festival
last Feb. Keep spreadin' the word on them. They're currently recording
their third cd.
Regards
Ian McPhail
Melbourne, Australia
(Ian, you are so right! The word must be spread. GT Stringer is one
of the best bands I've ever heard. Talk about diversity! Jazz, blues,
funk, surf, and a bunch of other sounds, sometimes all in one song?
Gimme more of that, please. By the way, thanks for the new word.
"Grouse" is a new one on me, but you can bet I'll be driving my friends
nuts with it now. - Ed.)
IS IT VEGETABLE, ANIMAL OR VISUAL?
To the editors of Cosmik Debris -
The artwork in your magazine is wonderful. We download the cover every
month and use it for a desktop for Windows 95. My son wants me to ask
one question. What's a coLeslAw? Whatever it is, please keep making it.
Anne Cowan
USA
(Dear Anne. A coLeSLAw (you must get the upper/lowercase sequence correct!)
is... well, it's coLeSLAw, our resident artist. Actually, he prefers the
new politically correct title of "Visual Realization Facilitator," or VRF.
I've watched the boy work. It's amazing. He sits at his computer and tries
this and that, and suddenly he'll yell "YES! YES!!" just like Meg Ryan in
When Harry Met Sally. It's incredible. And fifteen minutes later he'll have
this amazing piece of art I can't stop staring at. Another interesting
factoid about coLeSLAw: if you walk back and forth, his eyes follow you all
around the room! Freaks me out. You should check out coLeSLAw's Gallery
at http://www.serv.net/~coleslaw/ because he has a ton of his stuff online.
- Ed.)
WHAT ABOUT FRANK!?
Cosmik -
I looked at your mag (just glanced through it), and I think it
looks good, so I bookmarked it. I just wondered, though, how you
could have a publication called Cosmik Debris and not even mention
Zappa on page one!?
T.C. Richards
Canada
(We're named after one of Frank's songs, and we've had more than a few
articles and interviews that are Frank-related, but we never intended
this to be a ZappaZine. We do get this question quite often, and some
people get very angry when they find out we're about all kinds of music.
We all do share a high opinion of Frank Zappa and his music, however,
and we're always open to the idea of an article or an interview with
one of his former bandmates. We just like to spread them out a bit
to avoid promoting the notion that we ARE a ZappaZine. By the way, we
used to mention him on page one, but as the WWW evolved, so did the
definition of "page one," so now it's just not there anymore. Thanks,
by the way, for asking this question nicely. ONE guy actually wrote
"hey, you #&$%, whassamatta? Frank $#%!ing Zappa not GOOD enough for
you?" Scary. - Ed.)
BUT WILL HE STILL RESPECT US IN THE MORNING?
Dear Editors,
I'm grateful to you for directing the efforts necessary to put out this
excellent e-zine. I'm always pleasantly amazed at the cutting edge
interviews and spotlights of what I consider to be the freshest and most
interesting segment of the music business. Quite often, I learn about an
artist through Cosmik Debris, then later on I'll start to hear about that
artist in other avenues of the media as the rest of the world turns on to
them. In other words, you have a keen eye for new, up-and-coming talent
that I really appreciate. The amazing part is that you do all this without
the in-your-face advertising that makes so many other sources such a drag.
I don't know how you pay the bills, and I'd understand if you had to go to
some form of advertising, but I'll enjoy the refreshing atmosphere while
it lasts.
Dan Lynch
USA
(Thanks for the nice note, Dan. Criticism is helpful, but heaps of praise
are waaay more fun. We never try to be one "the cutting edge," because
that would involve interviewing and writing about lots of artists we don't
care about. What we do is write about artists that we really love, and
every now and then one of 'em will suddenly break out into the spotlight a
few months later. So I guess I'm saying it's blind luck. We're glad you're
enjoying it all, though. I should warn you about something... We haven't
had ads up until now, but it's not cheap to run Cosmik Debris, so we're in
the process of preparing for the "ad era." Starting with a few simple buttons,
and eventually expanding to a few banners. We know people hate this, but
it beats the livin' snot outta charging subscription fees. We are hoping to
have some entertaining forms of advertising to soften the blow. More on
that later. So bear with us and understand that advertising is sometimes a
necessary thing. - Ed.)
NOW LET'S NOT BRING POLITICS INTO IT!
Hi, Cosmik Debris.
While I was reading my favorite part of your zine, Between Zero and One,
it suddenly occurs to me it's this angry political thing in a music zine,
and there's nothing else like it in your pages. Don't you think that's
weird?
Name withheld by request
(Well, here's the deal. When we started Cosmik Debris we were more like
a zine than we are now. By that I mean we were more into the political
and social issues than we are now. We still care about all of that, but
we seem to have evolved into being almost entirely about music. If you've
been with us since the beginning, you might remember things like Jim Andrews'
Urbania column, Shaun Dale's Political Playbook series, and our
anti-censorship issue [July 1995]. And, of course, Between Zero & One,
written by Steven Leith. Now, that column is our only holdover from the
original "zine-like" format. In fact, when you think about it, our whole
slate of columns is our "zine-like" section. We've got Steven talking
about politics, Rusty talkin' zen, I wrote about porno movies at a mini
mart, fer Chrissakes, and David Walley writing his strange little fables.
Wait a second here... Phil Dirt's column is the only one that IS about
music on a consistent basis. So what the hell are you talking about?!
Get OUTTA here, Name Withheld! - Ed.)
- - - - -
Got something to say to the editors or writers of Cosmik Debris? Just drop
'em some e-mail at moonbaby@serv.net and let them know what's on your mind.
E-mail addresses will only be posted if you request it, and names can be
withheld if you're truly paranoid. You will be notified via e-mail if we
include your message.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-MAIL ADDRESSES FOR CONTACTING COSMIK DEBRIS' WRITERS
DJ Johnson (Editor)..........moonbaby@serv.net
Shaun Dale.(Assoc. Editor)...stdale@well.com
Jeff Apter...................jeffa@netaxis.com
Ann Arbor....................Nprice@aol.com
coLeSLAw.....................coleslaw@serv.net
Robert Cummings..............rcumming@csrlink.net
Phil Dirt....................reverb@cruzio.com
Louise Johnson...............aquaria@serv.net
Steven Leith.................leith@speakeasy.org
Lauren Marshall..............Ocean@pluto.njcc.com
Steve Marshall...............SteveM@pluto.njcc.com
Rusty Pipes..................RustyKLST@aol.com
Paul Remington...............prem@frontiernet.net
John Sekerka.................jsekerka@gsc.NRCan.gc.ca
Sparky Lou...................sparkylou@hotmail.com
David Walley.................dgwalley@bcn.net
Cosmik Debris' WWW site..http://www.cosmik.com/cosmikdebris
Subscription requests....moonbaby@serv.net
coLeSLAw's gAllARy is at http://www.serv.net/~coleslaw/
Shaun Dale's web site is at http://www.zipcon.com/stdale
Phil Dirt's Surf Site is at
http://members.cruzio.com:80/~reverb/central.html
