The Doors Of The Kingdom

Hat Fitz and Cara Robinson

2011-07-24T21:35:00.005+01:00

Hat Fitz - Slide Guitar and Vocals, and Cara Robinson - Vocals, percussion and flute, are swnging back through Ireland over the next couple of weeks. Catch em if you can. Saw em a month ago at the White Horse Sessions in Lahinch. Great gig with people dancing from the get go - but then they know how to party at Kenny's Bar!

I love this little video of them. There are prettier ones to watch but the sound is so evocative on this!

here is their schedule

Jul 28 Fiddlers Green Festival Rostrevor Co. Down NI
Jul 29 The Listening Post Ulster Uni. Coleraine NI
Jul 30 The Barge River Lagan, Belfast, NI
Jul 31 Voodoo Lounge Letterkenny, Donegal, Irl
Aug 01 Shandon Hotel Dunfanaghy, Donegal, Irl
Aug 02 Grey Hound Bar Kilkee, Co. Clare, Ireland
Aug 03 Kenny's Bar Lahinch Co. Clare Ireland
Aug 04 Crane Lane Theatre Cork, Ireland

Aug 5-7 Mannifest Isle of Man

Aug 09 Mick Murphy's Ballymore Eustace Ireland
Aug 10 Whelan's Bar Wexford St, Dublin Ireland
Aug 11 The Cobblestone Pub Smithfield, Dublin Ireland
Aug 12 7 Hills Blues Festival Armagh Co. Down NI Red Neds 10-12 pm
Aug 13 7 Hills Blues Festival Armagh Co. Down NI Gas Lamp 6-8 pm
Aug 14 AmericanRoots Belfast, NI

then they are back to the uk - check out their tour page:
http://www.hatfitz.net/gigs2011.htm
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Tennessee Mafia Jug Band in Clonmel

2011-07-13T13:46:00.004+01:00

This here promises to be a good night out or five!
As their (very entertaining) press blurb says:

There’s only so many graveyard numbers or raunchy love songs that even the most rabid country audience can sit through without some kind of relief. This frolicking fivesome brightens up the stage with rib-tickling old time tunes. Even better, they have an utter lack of self-consciousness (and some might say any sense of decorum). The Tennessee Mafia Jug Band not only know the music, they wear the costumes, tell corny jokes and even do slapstick gags!

July 19th Kilworth, County Cork
July 20th Clonmel, County Tipperary
July 21st Naul, County Dublin
July 22nd Bray, County Wicklow
July 23rd Manorhamilton, County Leitrim

Check out their tour page for details: http://www.tennesseemafiajugband.com/tour

here's Leroy Troy demonstrating his banjo juggling skills!

Justin Townes Earle in the UK

2011-07-13T11:24:00.004+01:00

Justin is playing in the UK this month. Some pub gigs and some festivals. No Irish dates though!

20/7/11 - Milton Keynes - The Stables
22/7/11 - Perth, Scotland - Southern Fried Festival
23/7/11 - Gateshead, Summertyne Americana Festival
24/7/11 - Oxfordshire Truck Festival
26/7/11 - York - The Duchess
27/7/11 - Sheffield - the Greystones
29/7/11 - Cambridge Folk Festival

This is his track from the Buddy Holly tribute album just released this month by Concord Records
You can stream the whole thing at Justintownesearle.com this week or buy it from http://raveonbuddyholly.com

Gill Landry - Tour of Scotland!

2011-07-11T23:16:00.002+01:00

Gill Landry announced on his Facebook page today that he is doing a tour of Scotland in July, well the Highlands and Islands!

Fri 15th – HebCelt Festival, Stornoway
Sat 16th – Ullapool Tall Ships, Ullapool
Sun 17th – The Arch Inn, Ullapool
Mon 18th – Hootanannys, Inverness
Tue 19th – Eagle Barge, Fort William
Wed 20th - Star Inn, Stornoway
Thur 21st – Old Bridge Inn, Aviemore
Fri 22nd – Athol Arms, Dunkeld
Sat 23rd – Wickerman Festival, Dumfries

If you can get yourself to any of those gigs I'll be jealous!

Pokey LaFarge in Kilkenny

2011-07-11T16:11:00.008+01:00

I took the new car off through the Silvermines to Kilkenny last week to see Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three. A two hour drive but having seen them in Belfast last September I wasn't going to miss them when they where coming this close. Cleere's Pub in Parliament Street has a great reputation for live music, with Johnny Holden keeping it ship shape.

Pokey and the boys were coming up to the end of a '40 shows in 40 nights' tour of the UK and Ireland so I thought they might be flagging a bit but it was quite the reverse and they were teasing the audience at times saying that we were getting tired! After swinging their way through their 31 song setlist they started taking requests and ended up playing for 3 hours! About half of those songs came from their two albums, "Riverboat Soul", and the just released "Middle Of Everywhere", plus a few songs from Pokey's solo albums "Marmalade" and "Beat, Move and Shake" and a great bunch of covers as varied as the St Louis Blues or Bob Wills' The Devil Ain't Lazy. We also got both sides of the 7" vinyl they recorded with Jack White last year, Chittlin Cooking time in Cheatham County, plus a short quiz on what chittlins were (although the audience had a few novel ideas of their own!)

All in all it was a fantastic night, and if you missed them they'll be back in the spring of 2012, and they have a few gigs in the UK in September 2011

Feels So Good

You can hear the new album at NPR's First Listen this week, and it's released in the States this week.

Buy it from the band if you can or order it from http://www.pokeylafarge.net/

Belfast Open House Festival 2010

2010-09-13T18:23:00.005+01:00

i haven't had the heart for much blogging recently, but this weekend has made a difference.

I have to say i was stoked when i heard the Old Crow Medicine Show were playing the Open House Festival in Belfast this year. There is something different about a festival. A gig is great but really - you walk in watch the show and walk out - then talk about it on the way home with the stereo on. At a festival you get a chance to savour the music, get to know people, and sometimes see odd collaborations as the musicians meet up with old friends. So when the news started to come in that the Festival also had The Felice Brothers who toured with the Old Crows for the Big Surprise tour last year, along with Dave Rawlings and Gillian Welch who would also be playing it was announced, and Pokey Lafarge from St Louis (whom Ketch Secor has played fiddle for), plus possessed banjo player Morgan O'Kane (whose Band includes Ferd Four of the Hackensaw Boys) it was exciting to say the least.

ALIVE WITH SUCH POSSIBILITIES ...

But then i started to realise that it was a different gig every night, separate tickets for each one and the artists would just come in, do their show and go out the back door. It wasn't going to be Glastonbury, or Hardly Strictly Bluegrass or the Frog Fair, camping out in the sunshine and mud eating all-day food. Ah well Buckle up boys and don't think twice, buy your tickets, book a hotel and figure out the cheapest way of getting there.

I came in on the Friday afternoon resigned to miss the Felice Brothers who were opening for Wilco (the top-price ticket of the week) but i had to walk down and see what was going on. At the far end is a little tent with some rip-roaring banjo/fiddle coming through - so i peer through the fence and am rewarded with a big grin from Ferd Hackensaw - it's Morgan O'Kanes band warming the place up. Heaven.

You could only get in if you had one of those aforementioned luxury tickets (well luxury if you only wanted to see the support band) but by some fortune of good management (aka miracle 1) the fence outside the marquee was nicely arranged so people could look in and see the stage only a 100 yards away - not so different from Glastonbury after all - I could see James Felice's piano being sound checked. It was a difficult moment knowing i could just walk over and buy a ticket right then so i went and got some chips and came back at 8.30 in time to hear Murder By Mistletoe, Whiskey In My Whiskey, Run Chicken Run, Penn Station, all while looking over the heads of Wilco fans in the 'courtyard'. I was chuffed. I don't know which song it was, perhaps White Limo but a girl walked up to the inside of the fence and said (you have to imagine the Belfast accent) "Do you not have a ticket?"

"WHAT A LOVELY LADY!"

You guessed it! Miracle 2. She had a spare complimentary ticket so i thanked her kindly, and managed to walk the length of the marquee floor to the opening bars of Frankie's Gun where the Felice Brothers fans were tearing it up and i got to hear how good the sound was. Then Kevin Hayes and Willie Watson came onstage to join in which threw the security into confusion for a while. It was the last song of their set but it felt great to be there with everyone howling for an encore, and James and Ian getting ovations when they came out to collect bits of kit.

By the time I got outside Farley of the Felice Brothers and Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show were into some fiddle tune near the bar until Pokey LaFarge played in the little tent where I'd seen Morgan O'Kane. And when i say little here i mean big enough to hold the band, not the audience! The Pokey LaFarge band played a beautiful set of 30s jazz/swing/ragtime harmony tunes reminiscent of the early Mills Brothers, or The Delmore Brothers with Pokey the epitome of the suave and elegant bandleader and equally at home playing Blind Blake or standards like 'Sunny Side Of The Street'. I'd have to digress quite a lot to cover all the bases they touch on as they head for home but you might get the idea. The thing is that Pokey plays the blues but he doesn't have the blues. He's a happy guy. Friendly, warm, open, and he sings it that way. So I'm going out on a limb here to say this music is like a cross between Blind Blake, the Hoosier Hotshots and Bing Crosby. Polished, fun, and witty. See them when you can.

"I'M SO HAPPY I'M SINGING LA LA LA"

When the set finished Ketch reappeared and politely commandeered the 14 foot caravan of the Alternative Ink Tattoo Artist, Shane Sunday, somehow managing to squeeze himself, Farley, and all of the Pokey LaFarge band (including Joey Glynn's double bass ) into one end of the little space.
At first it's Ketch teaching fiddle tunes until everyone is up to speed and they can cut loose and fly. He's calling out chord changes ( "I, I, I, I, IV, IV, V, I etc) and A and B parts and having a great old time. Then they are swapping songs and tunes, Pokey LaFarge did a great version of Going To Germany, Sail Away Ladies was played and sung, instruments are exchanged, Hank's Lost Highway, and Bucket's Got a Hole in it are played, by which time the windows are wide open and a small crowd (whoever wasn't tempted by Wilco in the Marquee) can't believe their luck. Gill Landry is taking photos in the window, Ian and Christmas Felice are outside, Kevin Hayes of Old Crow, too and then Ferd Hackensaw and Morgan O'Kane come in and the tempo kicks up it's heels. They know the tunes as well as Ketch and we are treated to some firey music, with Ferd and Ketch almost knocking foreheads across the small caravan space which is rocking like the ship on the proverbial stormy sea.

DON'T YOU ROCK ME DADDY-O

Security eventually had to clear us all out and nobody really minded. We knew how lucky we were to find a real festival in the heart of the city, and friends we hadn't spoken to yet all through the weekend.

When The Time Rolls Around

2008-12-18T20:00:00.007Z

Alright I admit it. It's Xmas.

So a first here at The Kingdom and an official Xmas feast, I mean, post.
And a christmas song that has been posted on the blogosphere before but not recently, is something I've enjoyed for years despite the cultural associations of the season. I guess that part of the joy is that the celebration is for it's own sake, the best of reasons. And it's really the overlaps that make this track shine because it's not really about Xmas at all, it's about New Orleans. And the way Dr John tells it New Orleans already embodies the Xmas Spirit year round.

~~Xmas in New Orleans~~ - Dr John*

Apparently this, and the other tracks on this album (Zu Zu Man - Trip 9815 from 1975) were recorded as demos back in the days before Mac Rebennack became Dr John The Night Tripper, and the transition is there to be heard clearly in the progression from Trader John to Zu Zu Man, from the kindly but astute pawnshop owner to the Voodoo Medicine Man. So we're back in the mid sixties sometime. Dr John is reportedly unhappy with the release of these tracks and in relation to what he was doing at the time the were released I can see that they were not representative. However when I bought this LP (which has been rearranged and redistributed in many forms over the years) I knew not, and cared less. These are great tracks, and all the better for not being embellished with spit and polish. You can hear a tight band and some catchy tunes that were recorded with the aim of sharing some lovely musical ideas with some sharp and mellow players.

Trader John is a simple funky diatribe about cash on the nail for "anything other than trade or pawn", but the store has everything you'll ever need including Voodoo products unlimited, and Trader John will sort you out if you have the cash.

~~Trader John~~ - Dr John*

Did She Mention My Name is a totally different attitude in comparison. Sweet and plaintive vocals that put you in mind of the Neville Brothers, as they might have been if they'd done their thing as a vocal group in 1964 instead of more recently. I really had to stop and wonder who could be singing here, but I think it is Rebennack. I'd love to know who else was there, though. The band eases into this with grace and style.

~~Did She Mention My Name~~ - Dr John*

Xmas in New Orleans is, as I mentioned earlier, a funky and laid back celebration of the perennial party atmosphere that New Orleans is rightly famous for.

*EDIT at least that's what I thought! Dan Phillips over at Home Of The Groove has pointed out that some of the backing tracks feature Dr John (or Mac Rebennack as he was known at the time) but none of the vocals on these tracks are his. More info to follow

And to stay with the season, here is a beautiful let's (not) get together and do a video (not) together and still sound good together (although we're not together) starring Dr John and the equally incomparable Leon Redbone.

And this is what happens when you let your mind get free and your tongue be righteous.
Not for the squeamish or stuck up.

Blue Horse Out-take

2008-12-10T23:08:00.003Z

In a recent discussion about perennial favourite albums - the ones you just have to come back to - I was pushing around the ideas for the runner-ups but I think that Blue Horse by The Be Good Tanyas is probably the favourite returnee in The Kingdom. Made in 2000 with Jolie Holland still a major influence on the sound, it's quirky, sweet, upbeat, downbeat, pretty, profound, soothing and inspiring all at once.

So it was nice to visit their myspace yesterday and find they have contributed to PepperMill Records anthology of songs by, about or for tree planters. And they have contributed an out-take from Blue Horse, with Julie Holland taking lead vocals and going by the name of "Cabin In The Woods". It's a beautiful reminder of where the gals where coming from at the turn of the millenium, musically and spiritually.

Read their description of the recording

The nearest I've got to tree planting is putting in oak and hazel and chestnut and birch, with ash for firewood here at the Kingdom and some fruit trees to follow, so I can be suitably impressed by those crazy souls who wander the uplands of BC with T-shirts shrouding their heads and midge repellent caked on like pan stick. A season of that stuff and you deserve every penny you get and all the good karma you can carry.

The relevant thing to us is, of course, that though the Tanyas are the name band on this compilation, all the tree planting community that I've come across are deep into their music and quite capable of turning a listening ear their way. Go back to the PepperMill Records link and click on a few tracks and see if thereisn't just something special in there.

Might meet you there.

The Be Good Tanyas feat. Jolie Holland- Cabin In The Woods

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Gill Landry

2008-11-28T22:34:00.002Z

I have a theory that this is the Burren in County Clare, Ireland, which probably means that it was taken in 2006 while Gill was subbing for Critter Fuqua of the Old Crows during their European Tour. Maybe he was there some other time. But I like my theory. Anyways he's hanging out on the Limestone. Once (many years ago) the home to thousands of poets and musicians and farmers and goats, and now the home to hundreds of well, poets and musicians and farmers and goats and so on. A good place to hang out for a while, or a lifetime.

The pic is up on an amazing collection of photos at the Kitchen Syncopators website from which I just bought three of their albums. If you can just afford one then I recommend Pepper In My Shoe, but I could afford three so i got Tijuana Zebra and Gill's first solo album. It's like discovering an old bluesman on Document Records, or getting The Memphis Jug Band box set in the post. Loads of great tunes played like the bar is open and the street is still busy outside, but we need to get some customers in here so fire em up boys and get the party started. Drinks are on the house.

Get em while you can.

Gill's album (2003) has to stand comparison to his 2006 album for Nettwerk. The Ballad Of Lawless Soirez. My favourite album of 2007 ( I'm a bit behind OK. We live on a huge bleak bit of limestone, alright, only got electricity when the millenium got going. Hang fire. The dates are all fecked anyway, it should be nineteen thirty one or somesuch)

All that said it's great and gets as much play as any of the others. Intriguing and rich, earthy and raucous, slick and sure, and it's got Gill's great voice. The voice is what has changed the least between the two albums. He really knew these songs back then.

Get it while you can.
NOW!
Then get this:

Amazon.co.uk have it at various prices and it's worth every penny, whatever you pay.

So fast forward to 2008 - Gill Landry with The Old Crow Medicine Show performing for the Lightning 100 radio show while they were in town to play The Ryman in Nashville. Gill wrote and sang the track Mary's Kitchen on the new Tennessee Pusher album and it's a high point of funky fun on a dark, gritty album. He's been subbing for Critter (again) since the last European tour and is now officially acknowledged as an Old Crow.

Here's a couple of Kitchen Syncopators tracks from Pepper In My Shoe
~~Black Rat~~
~~Way Down In Arkansas~~
And the title track from Ballad Of Lawless Soirez:
~~Lawless Soirez~~

Who's this busking in NOLA?
Gill and Annie Ford on flickr at a radio gig.

Gill's Myspace has some unreleased tracks.
Gill's Web~~site~~pages has the bare bones.

Way down south in Louisville

2008-10-13T22:02:00.006+01:00

I'm hearing some great things about last night's show in Louisville, KY.

The Old Crow Medicine Show and The Felice Brothers sharing the billing and (at times the stage) can guarantee some crazy times
and some high energy performances. Here's the perennial crowd pleaser, Wagon Wheel with most of both bands on stage. Stormin' it Up to the rafters. Can't you just hear it tearing off into Tell It To Me at the end. Wow.

"Way down south in Louisville
They showed me to the door
They hadn't seen a railroad bum
Since 1924
Its a rich folk's town
They don't need me 'round"

runs the verse from Trouble That I'm In by the Old Crows. Maybe so but the door they're being shown now is the way in.

Old Crow Medicine Show - ~~Trouble That I'm In~~ from Live
The Felice Brothers - ~~Trouble Been Hard~~ from Adventures of The Felice Brothers
The Carolina Chocolate Drops - ~~Short Life Of Trouble~~ from Dona Got A Ramblin' Mind

The Chocolate Drops were supporting the Old Crows at The Ryman in Nashville over the weekend.
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Old Crow Medicine Show - Tennessee Pusher Review

2008-09-24T10:39:00.005+01:00

OK So it's different. Ketch is stretching out as a songwriter, Gill Landry is stepping up to the plate for slide, banjo and songwriting. While Critter is contributing vocal harmonies, but no picking or new songs.

They've come down from the mountain and have been living in the City for how long? OCMS was pretty much Mountain music. Big Iron World was transitional. Tennessee Pusher is born out of time to think about the lives rolling past. Lots of lives. Some of them not making it. It's City Music. It's vision is bigger out of necessity, not so much hoe-down and more looking and thinking sharp. But still the same work and trials and heartbreak, only with an edge. It's watching the world and it's triumph is how immediate it is. These are personal songs and they make OCMS seem like a dream. A romance back there when we were kids, and leaning on the El Dorado. That old beast is rusty now and you're wary when it goes past.

Alabama High Test is a rompin uptempo tune with energy and attitude. A great opener if you don't know where this album is going by verse two you should only go outside during daylight hours.

Highway Halo is the biggest departure. I guess it's the daylight hours version. A gentle drum and slide led reverie of the open road. Morgan's bass runs are pretty modern here, too, and the banjo is way back. You'd be hard pushed to recognise this as Old Crow. It's a very catchy song though and once I made the adjustment it quite often comes to mind during the day. I'd love to hear what this sounds like live, after hours, waiting for lift south.

Greatest Hustler is my favourite song on the disc. It's ancient and it's happening right under our noses. It fits right in there with Always Lift Him Up in that "them's just folks" department, so it doesn't cast judgement. It's plaintive heart string stuff, and it's a timeless story that is stretching the realm of possibilities just too far. It's funny. It's cartoon but it's heart break. Beautiful and instantly memorable.

Methamphetamine is dark alley stuff, the modern drug fable, and it twists you as the story unfolds. The harp is great as are the harmonies and that "falls of the Cumberland" line is stellar. I'm not so enamoured of keltner's drumming on this, but it's another powerful song and we start to get a picture building up.

Next Go Round is just stunning. Stop me in my tracks. An instant classic, like Take Em Away from OCMS this is timeless and achingly beautiful. The fiddle. Willie singing with Ketch and Critter harmonising. Another favourite.

Humdinger. A fun tune from Kevin and great to sing along with. I think this song got left unfinished - I loved hearing it live and somehow there's a bit missing here. In fact a live version for the album would have been the way to go. I don't mind the "right-winger/folksinger" bits - it's Animal House here and all comers who can take the pace are welcome .. just don't go making speeches or sitting on the stairs being all aloof and enigmatic.

Motel in Memphis comes lurching off of the Rolling Thunder Revue, whitefaced and staring out of those dark corners again, and it yet sounds so pretty - the fiddle - the melody. I get the impression that MLK is as much an icon here as Mr Crump, and we're been given another broad brush-stroke of the obvious. The Old Crows walking out with their eyes open. It's still about the street where we all live.

Evening Sun is another of Willie's plaintive ballads, with the beat picked up a little. The opening melody is very similar to Next Go Round but damn it's a good song. There's another "Thousand somethings", too, which bugs me a bit. But damn it's a good song.

Mary's Kitchen is wonderful and boy am I ready for some old time uptempo footstomping sweaty goodtime music. Thanks Gill.

Crazy Eyes. Starts off on the porch real personal like. Another of Ketch's alter-ego's trying to make sense of the world, not causing trouble but not really getting involved anymore, making good sense but and still Crazy. I love this track. And the way it steps back and then makes way for

Tennessee Pusher is eeire. Another instantly real narrator telling the story we don't want to hear. It's just us Crows here and we can talk straight, right. Throw another log on the fire, I feel cold inside, and I'm wondering where this life of mine is going ...

Always lift Him Up is a lovely treatment of an good song. Willie's voice hits the heartstrings again, and there's that Willie/Ketch/Critter harmony effortlessly lifting us higher than a cathedral roof - plus it's just Old Crows playing. We're reminded that there's been no judgement at all for the last hour. Just watching, wondering , trying to explain, trying to feel our way through this crazy world. And our friends and neighbours trying to do the same.

Caroline. This version is now neck and neck with the OCMS out-take. I love the pace and muscially it has the edge, but the out-take has the turning flips line and the thousand miles apart line. Tough call. Great song either way, and a good closer for the album.

This going to be in my player for a good long time.

Old Crow Medicine Show Buy It From The Boys!! The whole full quality Top Notch CD for $11.99 !!

You can hear a bunch of the songs over at the Amie Street Blog which seems to be legal lowbitrate versions, since Amie Street is selling the album ($8.98 download).

Here's an example:
~~Greatest Hustler Of All mp3~~

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Crooked Still

2008-07-27T23:08:00.006+01:00

One Sunday in May we took the Kingdom to Ennis to see Crooked Still at the sparkly 'new' theatre there. Glór. It's a funny place, not least because you can't take your drink into the auditorium. The stage is wide and the seats are not far away but the back of the room, the depth of it is not as wide as the stage if you get my meaning. There's a good sound system so the sound can be good if it's handled right. It was that night.

There should be a couple of footnotes here. The band had just got off the plane and spent the afternoon renegotiating a van that was the right size for their gear. They did if I remember rightly have some spare time though coz their was talk of Brittany Haas swimming in Kilkee (or was it Spanish Point?) I start to realise my memory is a little hazy here coz it was clearly said that she swam in May without a wetsuit. In the Atlantic. No mean feat.

There's a saying in Kilkee which seemed logical at the time:
April and May - stay out of the Sea
June and July - swim til ye die

My memory is a little hazy due to the second footnote about Saturday being such a beautiful night, all balmy, still and full of friends, that I could not sleep at the party I went to (and didn't get home til way after dawn). All day I was receiving important messages from my liver such as **WARNING! YOU HAVE BEEN POISONED. PLEASE DO NOT MAKE ANY SUDDEN MOVEMENTS - WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO MINIMISE THE DAMAGE** so I wasn't on tiptop form when I got to the theatre. Painkillers (the good ones my friend K has for her migraines) were sneered at by my internal repair team. I nursed my bottle of water through the first set. And took a medicinal Whiskey during the interval. That was well received.

So what of the gig? All I can say was it was good enough to go and see them again a few days later in Galway, in a small room with maybe 120 people, and with the band wedged in between the tables. Great. The Irish water (whiskey?) has done it's work and they are looser and freer and having fun.
Here they are doing a Bill Monroe Instrumental, "~~Road To Columbus~~" with some funny chat about Tattoos and Piercings. Led by their new fiddler, Brittany Haas. Actually the chat was led by Aoife O'Donavon during the introductions for the new members, Brittany, and Tristran Clarridge, but Brittany led the tune. (I like the way her myspace categories say "Acoustic/Folk/Psychobilly" btw)

It was a great gig and the new CD, Still Crooked, is still on high rotation here two months later.

A couple of tracks from that too.

~~Undone In Sorrow~~
~~Tell Her To Come Back Home~~

here's a great review of the new album, Still Crooked, over at Cover Lay Down

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And next up is banjo player, Greg Liszt's project the Deadly Gentlemen, about which you hear a tantalising snippet of introduction at the end of the live track.

Top Ten Covers

2007-11-18T21:12:00.000Z

OK semi retirement be damned.

Berkeley Place is hosting an Audience Participation event, tracking down the top ten covers of the Century (so far)

get on over there and see if they've missed anything.

Here's mine (for today anyway)

Old Crow Medicine Show - Down Home Girl (the Coasters)
Hetten Des - Ace Of Spades (motorhead)
Gillian Welch - Black Star (radiohead)
Johnny Cash - Hurt (NIN)
The Duhks - Ol’ Cook Pot (Shawn Byrne)
Sinead O’Connor - Untold Stories (Buju Banton)
Antony and the Johnsons - The Guests (Leonard Cohen)
James Bouchard - Cape Cod Girls (Jim Rader)
The Sumner Brothers - Sam Hall (Johnny Cash)
Crooked Still - Oxford Town (Bob Dylan)

Go Watch Buju Banton - Untold Stories (May God Help Your Soul)

Or Hetten Des' version of The Ace Of Spades

The Felice Brothers

2007-10-01T10:47:00.000+01:00

I just heard a few tracks by The Felice Brothers Myspace over at Red Blondehead and the first one was good enough to send me browsing around. Apparently they were in Europe this summer (damn) and there are some great videos on YouTube from the CornburyFestival in Oxfordshire - try this one for size. Looks like they managed to gather a crowd for a pre-breakfast gig - lovely light and lovely sound.

The Duhks

2007-09-29T00:33:00.000+01:00

So not only are the Old Crow Medicine Show playing tomorrow night, but The Duhks (Myspace) are here next week, along with Aoife O'Donovan of Crooked Still Which promises to be a right rootsy night, as they have some cracking songs up on their Myspace page

And here's a Crooked Still track for the fun of it.

~~Ain't No Grave~~

this is from their recent "Shaken By A Low Sound" and there are a couple of tracks from there previous CD on their Listen and Buy page.

I'm Going Down the Road to See Bessie

2007-09-25T21:31:00.000+01:00

So The Band sang on "The Basement Tapes".

Bessie Smith died following a car accident in 1937, four years after her last recordings, still in demand throughout the 30s for live performances. The 20s were her heyday, though.
Today is the anniversary of her death. 70 years ago.

There is a good discography at Red Hot Jazz and you can listen to each track there, or at Jazz On Line which has a few extra tracks, albeit a slightly smaller selection. Either will keep you going for hours, though. (Both use the RealAudio Plugin).

CBS put out a ten(?) double LP set of her recordings many years ago which bizarely had the first recordings and the last recordings on the same double album and the recording sessions actually met up on the last LP of the set (being the middle of her career) if I understood the whole concept. I bought the first (and last ...) sessions LP and not having had access to it for a few years now I seem to remember that there were a few stunning standout tracks and the rest were not so memorable. It's a tribute to Bessie Smith's vocal prowess that as i sift through the Discographies looking for the songs I have, that I recognise and can put a tune to most of the tracks from that double album. Sometimes the material was below par, but Bessie's voice always connects.

I was wondering what to post of 160 recordings, and there are a couple of (to me) favourites, and her first single (which apparently sold 750,000 copies in the first year (1923). That's mind-boggling.

Then there is an oddity. let's start there.

Graveyard Dream Blues and Cemetery Blues were the two tracks recorded on the 26th of September 1923. Yep. Todays date. The anniversary of the day she died. Strange, huh? I went looking through the discography to see, and there are a couple of death related titles, but nothing so strikingly poignant. I'm not reading much into this. Just pointing out the oddity, and the way Graveyard Dream Blues finishes. It has a little more depth and power because of the circumstances as I look back on it, wondering if in some way she was looking forward. Weird.

Bessie's First single was Down Hearted Blues and it was a good choice. Beautiful.

Another track from 1923 is Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do - a strong contender for my favourite of all her recordings, as is Black Mountain Blues which popped up recently in a version by Nick Drake.

You can get all of these tracks on Quadromania at Amazon.co.uk which is 24-bit remastered and contains 65 tracks on 4 CDs.

But listen up to these and explore the discographies. Bessie Smith left an amazing legacy.

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UPDATE

I was just browsing the Hype Machine and came across Lil Mikes excellent and tasty selection of musical morsels, including "Big Butter and Egg Man" By Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith. But my ears won't have it. Who is that singing? Bessie surely didn't sing that high, ever? Well maybe on occaision, but ...

A bit of research: there are plenty of references on the web to Louis and Bessie doing this trackin 1926, but also ProperBox 93 contains the track and lists the vocalist as May Alix on a November 1926 session in Chicago.

Is this the track or is there really a Bessie Smith version of this track out there?

oo i love a good mystery ...
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Janis Martin 1940-2007

2007-09-18T22:20:00.000+01:00

Kingdom favourite Janis Martin died a fortnight ago, aged 67. As called by bookofjoe

I've had the RCA double LP of her on my desk since the last post about her, waiting to get to a record player, and the new needle turned up in the post day before yesterday. That album is the first one ripped to my hard drive.

She'd been due to play the Americana Festival in Nottinghamshire this summer, which would have surely seen her onstage with Rosie Flores. Janis sang on Rosie's '96 CD Rockabilly Filly along with Wanda jackson, and Rosie has championed her on the Rockabilly scene over the years.

According to her website Rosie and Janis were working on tracks for a Janis Martin CD earlier this year. I wonder if that went ahead?

Click, click ...

Actually YES! it did, news up on the Myspace fansite and features two songs from the album. Long White Cadillac and Sweet Dreams. Bittersweet as someone said in the comments. Great tracks though.

Speaking of great tracks. Here are a couple.

~~Let's Elope Baby~~ 1956 from her first session for RCA
~~Good Love~~ from 1958

Old Crow Medicine Show Show

2007-09-12T23:05:00.000+01:00

First the bad news.

I've known for a while that OCMS are playing the Open House Festival in Belfast at the end of the month (it's the end of September already?) and it has been a trying time. Very tempting. A 200 mile drive on a Friday afternoon across Ireland and sleeping in the car. Hmmm. You sense the hesitation.

So now the good news.

There's an extra date added in Galway. Saturday night. An hour up the road. Almost home turf. Woo!!

It's still an hour though so I will take the car (hopefully chock full of local hillbillies). Shanks' Pony isn't in it.

~~Don't Ride That Horse~~ from Big Iron World

They have a few Scottish and English dates before and after, and a Dublin gig the night after Galway. Still time to play Limerick but nothing booked so far. (We live in hope). Check their website for details and their Myspace

I'm saving up coupons to get one of those

2007-09-09T23:09:00.000+01:00

Last friday I wandered up to my local record emporium after work wondering what was going to grab me. I was hoping for the Gillian Welch album which features "Elvis Presley Blues" and "I Dream a Highway" a fifteen minute wonder of a track which i heard over at The Late Greats, but it was not to be. No i was swayed by a reduction, a special offer. A few quid off. So I bought another ProperBox. Blazing Bluegrass another 100 tracks for my auditary pleasure, and pleasure is the word. 25 Bill Monroe sides, 25 by Flatt and Scruggs, 25 by The Stanley Brothers and a various CD. And the usual great book.

Then I got home that night and Kat at Keep The Coffee Comin' posted "Rocky Road Blues" which might still be up. So I plugged in and started to listen, read, (and sup) and really got pulled in to how Monroes Blue Grass Boys were a starting point and a launch pad for so many key players. Flatt and Scruggs being pivotal in the maturing of the Monroe sound in the mid forties, before heading out on their own.

I also was struck by how much these songs seem to come from an awareness of community. People geting on with things. How little posturing or ego there is in them. Someone in the comments to Kat's post said this is Bluegrass - Sacred Music. I get that. It's certainly not all religious, though a fair amount is, but it's all about humanity getting on with Life.

And it turns out that today is the 11th anniversary of Bill Monroes passing so here without further ado are a couple of tunes.

~~The Coupon Song~~ 1941, is a funny tune from the first incarnation of the Bluegrass Boys.
~~Shine Hallelujah Shine~~ 1947 has a stunning four part harmony by Bill, Flatt, Scruggs and bass player Howard Watts; and
~~Blue Moon Of Kentucky~~ 1954, is a sign of just how influential young Elvis' version of Monroes most famous song was. Within a couple of months of Presley's hit, Monroe recorded this version taking us from the original waltz time to a stompin 4/4 Bluegrass Boys rendition.

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MacIdol Monday Pt.1

2007-05-21T23:27:00.000+01:00

I haven't been keeping up with these, so sorry if you're enjoying the selections, but I've been a bit sparse recently. I think the RPM Challenge, followed by six weeks of unseasonal sunshine, put my rhythms out, such as they were. Still hopefully I'll be able to get back to at least a monthly MacIdol update and a weekly look into whatever roots music is burning a hole in my brain.

For those of you who don't know, Macidol is a community of (fairly mad) musicians varying from hobbyists to yer actual gigging performers, who are constantly surprising me with great songs and tunes, and helping each other get the most out of their Apple software, and their various creative juices. And every so often I call out a few of the tracks I've enjoyed recently. There we are : Up to date! Or nearly.

First up is the song which spurred me to post, today. And I do mean spurred:

I like a good Murder Ballad. This one skirts the edges of the good times, like a stalker, ready to pounce.
The Last Song - slumbering

Be So Good - Cadman
Led by a great guitar sound (reminiscent of "Love is Strange" by Mickey and Sylvia) this is a wicked slice of Indie Pop.

The Last Chord - Red Sea Station
I just love the vocal sounds these guys get. More catchy neo-pop.

Freight Train - The Calculus Affair
The first track up from the Calculus' RPM Challenge CD and it's a beaut. Chunky guitars, rollin' keyboards and the film noir talk over sets the mood til the chorus takes off. Very Cool.

Carmen's Peak - B&Massa
Rearing up like some slovenly beast from the Revolver sessions, this one won't get out of my brain.

Snake River - Henry
Henry is popping up with some great Americana tales from Utah (and beyond) and I love the twists and turns in this one. Just when you think you know the story ...

39 Steps - MO
Classy guitar blues, perfect tone, perfect taste. I don't listen to much instrumental blues, except for MO.

Matter Rose - John Haydon
Collaborating with Margaret from Mr Airplane Man this is miles from her gritty Wolf inspired urban blues. A delightful ballad with some tasteful playing from John. (Not convinced, huh? ah well, you may never know ...)

Olives And Honey - Magritte
A newcomer collaborating very nicely with Kingdom favourite James Bouchard, this is a perfect spring love song and reminding me somehow of Bugsy Malone, one of my favourite soundtracks.

MacIdol Blues - HOKEYPOKEY
This one gets me every time. It's loop based, with "several slide banjos and an electric violin" and that either grabs you or else !!

Gaze At The Sun (ii) - The Qualified Superlatives
Here we have version2 of this discussion of the space between, the final test, and the combination of melancholy and Peace created is sublime. Deadman Turner and slumbering. Beautiful.

Bo Diddley hospitalized.

2007-05-20T00:54:00.000+01:00

I was just browsing, Officer, I didn't mean nothing, I just found it right there in the street.

In the street?

In the street!

Maybe somebody knows what this is. All I know is it's the kind of thing you don't get to see every day. Posted two days ago on YouTube.

Here's a track you don't hear so often.

~~Cadillac~~
1960, with Jerome green, Frank Kirkland and God only knows who else. Bo is a master.

UPDATE: AFAIK Bo had a stroke while on tour in Iowa. He played two shows last Saturday. TWO SHOWS! He's 78 for God's Sake! Then got taken to hospital. He's up and walking and as tough as they come. He was my first concert. 1978.

Whatever you gotta do, Bo. Godspeed.

latest info I can find from the Chicago Tribune

I Can't Understand It - Willie Egans

2007-05-19T22:57:00.000+01:00

As it says in this Obituary Krazy Kat released a bootleg LP of Willie Egans 50s material in 1982 and it caused quite a stir. Two respected collectors, Jim Raper and Pete Bowen, used to say "Stu. You've got no money. How can you think of collecting? Just buy the best stuff!" And one week they were telling me about this new LP release. "Rock'n'Roll Fever" "Well worth buying", they said. And it was.

So many people thought so, that Willie Egans was searched out, and brought to England to gig, recording a new album and a live concert (did that ever get released?) so the bootleg was good for him.

From that Krazy kat LP, some storming Louisiana R'n'B. Fortunately for you the material is available again on Signature:
Buy It Here and read their Willie Egans Bio.

And try these stomping tracks for size:

~~I Can't Understand It~~
~~Wear Your Black Dress~~

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I Just Can't Seem To Drink you Off My Mind

2007-05-13T21:21:00.000+01:00

Over at Big Rock Candy Mountain the work has been done. The votes have been counted, and some long forgotten tunes have resurfaced along with all their acoutrements, all those old memories you thought you'd grown out of, and put behind you. Or some of our favourite "stagger home from the bar marching melodies" are there too, shouting raucously down the street, and best of all are the "Party on Up" and get your ass moving into the Glorious River of Life (to mix a metaphor or two).

I'm speaking, of course, about the TOP 100 DRINKING SONGS OF ALL TIME, carefully arrayed in all their gory, I mean splendour.

Come Monday morning we all get back to the grindstone, and the LIST moves to the Barstool Mountain where anyone can comment, post, suggest and generally add to the Brouhaha

In celebration and a fit of coherence, I have selected my top ten songs that didn't make the list.

Closing Time - Leonard Cohen
Sunny Afternoon - thee Kinks
Women Drinking Whiskey - Michelle Moon
thee Boys From County Hell - thee Pogues
Whiskey and Rum - Shiloh Lindsey
Have A Drink On Me - Lonnie Donegan
My Old Kentucky Home - Ry Cooder
HonkyTonk Women - thee Rolling Stones
Woke Up This Morning - thee Alabama 3
I Shall Be Free - Bob Dylan

Bonus:
This tune came in at 141 on the list, though they were probably thinking of other versions:
Finegans Wake - slumbering (with Stuart Walker)
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And if there are any other classics that you don't see on the lists, then get yourself over to Barstool Mountain and tell the world.

Sláinte !
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Got Love If You Want It

2007-04-23T23:16:00.000+01:00

So the story goes that after their first audition at Sun Records, Clyde Leopard and The Snearly Ranch Boys were playing at the Cotton Club, when Sam Phillips and Johnny Cash stop by and Johnny offers the band this song he's written. "Rock'n'Roll Ruby". At this stage Johnny Cash has released his second single (Folsom Prison Blues) and must feel on top of the world. Generous anyway. So the band record it and it's issued as by the singer Warren Smith. Piano player Smokey Joe Baugh is on top form, and the record deserves every one of it's rumoured half million sales.

It was issued on April 21st 1956.

You can hear Johnny Cash's quick demo at his RCS Discography. Scroll down to Additional tracks.
Warren Smith has a Sun Records Discography too.

His follow up was the offbeat rocker Ubangi Stomp, but it was the third single that rocked Warren's boat. "So Long I'm Gone" came out immediately after Jerry Lee Lewis' "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On" and got precious little of Sam Phillips' promotional energy. Warren Smith took to buying up Lewis' single and smashing it in the record shops, while Lewis played it every time he found a Jukebox. Those Sun Records concert tours!! Must have been as mad as "Walk The Line" makes out.

So for his next single (ten months later) Warren (minus The Snearly Ranch Boys) now with ace Sun session guitarist Roland Janes, cuts a stomping version of "Got Love If You Want It" (see below) and must think the money is in the bag. But wait - it's wedged between Jerry Lee's "Great Bals Of Fire" and "Breathless" on the release schedule. And in the same DJ mail out is Johnny Cash's "Big River", Carl Perkins' "Glad All Over", Sonny Burgess' "My Bucket's got A Hole In It" and Roy Orbison's follow up to "Ooby Dooby".

I reckon Sam Phllips and Warren Smith would be having words by this stage. It's the only explanation for a track like "Red Cadillac and a Black Moustache" remaining unreleased, and Warren leaving the label a year later after only one more single release.

Buy a decent Warren Smith album

Slim Harpo was a crossover blues act that didn't crossover. Not in the charts anyway. According to The Blues Harp "By the time his first single became a Southern jukebox favorite, his songs being were adapted and played by White musicians left and right." Label mate Warren Storm covered "I'm A King Bee", on Excello, but that must have been later ... it begs the question "What was the first white cover of a Slim Harpo record? Any suggestions folks? Was it Warren Smith's Sun version?
Buy here and listen to some more tracks at Livin' Blues

~~Rock'n'Roll Ruby - Warren Smith~~
~~Got Love If You Want It - Warren Smith~~
~~Got Love If You Want It - Slim Harpo~~

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I Dig You Baby

2007-04-12T13:55:00.000+01:00

I met Marvin Rainwater in 1980 in South Shields ... or was it Sunderland?
Shook his hand, got his autograph, told him what a great show he did. He was still full of surprise that not only did people remember him (or in my case, had heard of him) but they knew the words to his obscure Rockabilly records. He was all fired up to cut a Rockabilly record when he got home, and because he was in favour of the local brew, the record was going to be about Brown Ale.

When it came out the following year "Henrieta, Oklahoma" was a hit in Scandinavia, even though it wasn't about Brown Ale, and it did fair thump along.
Bear Family has the Rockin' Rollin' Rainwater CD (which has all the tracks mentioned here and also the early rockabilly numbers like "Hot and Cold") where you can do a search to see the other CDs by Marvin in their catalogue.

One interesting thing I didn't know about Marvin Rainwater, was that his second UK hit "I Dig You Baby" was recorded in the UK with Ken Jones and his Orchestra (as they used to call em - I love that feature of old R'n'B singles that say things like "with Vcl Group and Orchestra" when they mean a piano). This track features some great piano playing from Mr Jones, and the rest of the 'orchestra' are right on the button, too ... for Limeys ... And a great follow up to "Whole Lotta Woman" it is, perhaps "Dance You Daddy" was meant to be in the same groove - I never understood why it ws issued on MGM Rockabilly Vol2 when it's such a great Rock'n'Roll record. Apparently they only recorded one track in the UK, unless there's anything else on the Bear Family box set. Let me know if you find anything comparable.

Just up recently is Marv's Myspace site
and you can also leave a message for the man at his official site AND there's an interview from 1998 where he sounds on good form.

And of course, the Rockabilly Hall Of Fame

~~I Dig You Baby~~
~~Dance Me Daddy~~
~~Boo Hoo~~

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Scott H Biram hits the UK in April

2007-04-05T23:58:00.000+01:00

Damn it all to Hell. Scott H Biram is playing the UK today. And Tomorrow. And the next day! Does he not like Guinness or something?? Ireland is calling you Scott. Scott? Are you listening, Scott. Mr Biram? Sir?? I'll buy you the damn Guinness ...

One of the most inspiring artists on the boardwalk of DEEP rockabilly, shuvin' all contenders aside and shakin' your bones this man is a force to be reckoned with, and I should know! I have heard the word writ tall on the wall. I have seen the scene quake with the seismic forces that Biram roots down into. I have, so I have, and so will you if you get in the car and get over there.

Check out his Myspace site for up n comings and check his Record Company, Bloodshot Records(who have a few freebies posted) and be sure to write and thank em (monetarily) for sharing these tunes with the faithful (and the curious) ...

~~Been Down Too Long~~
~~No Way~~

RPM Challenge - MacIdol chapter

2007-03-30T23:37:00.000+01:00

February is the month for the annual RPM "make a ten song CD in 28 days, from scratch" Challenge. No prizes, except what you end up with, and no pressure LOL - do what you want. Actually there was lots of pressure, all of it internal. The furnace, as Blake called it. The image above was found at participant Angie Fights Crime and is called "Effort" - which one are you?

And today, Friday 30th March is the Official Listening Party! Although it doesn't start til midnight GMT or thereabouts. So I'm going to present you with some of the highlights from the MacIdol contingent.

And there are five finished albums from this eclectic bunch of musicians. The comments will be short an dsweet. Try the first song for each Artist and take it from there. Here are the contenders (in alphabetical order):

The Unbearable Brightness of Seeing by B&Massa is grooving blues workout by the Tasmanian bass player (for "The Breed")

Wellington's Shadow
Ooh La La
And my next choice would be Urban Sprawl, which is only available for streaming but you can listen to it here: Urban Sprawl, pts I-IV

Chris Cooke's album, Family Portrait, nearly didn't make it as life threw a fastball in the form of a new family member. Hence the second track here. Chris describes his music as experimental, and this album was made using Muse-o-matics "Tune Toy" which produces algorhythms!
SSN
New Kid
Names

Frogmorton also known as Matt Duane Griffin. Tracks from the album Fuyu Persimmon. A driving collection of acoustic songs. Outsider Folk Punk.

2007
Bills Come Due
Kamakura

Sp3ccylad's album: ...Amongst Tax Collectors and Thieves. More of Sp3ccylads Indie-pop - catchy and cutting and raring to go!

Powers From The Queen
Let It Grow
Joe Dice

aka Gumbo's album "Time Will Tell" Dunno what to say about this one. Citing Dusty Springfield, Them, Dylan, and Demons Everywhere it's a mad ride.

Time Will Tell
Demon Eyes
The Rhythm and The Rhyme

UPDATE The player is now active at the RPM HomePage. Five tracks in so far and two good uns and one cover your ears. There is going to be some stretching of the word Eclectic tonite, I tell ya. :D
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John Campbell

2007-03-29T19:41:00.000+01:00

I was perusing Home Of The Groove yesterday digging the ShooRah tracks, and bemoaning the missing of the Papa Mali tracks.

Dan said "Papa Mali offers a worthy modern day expression of the sanctified psychedelic hoodoo of Dr. John’s early days, as captured on the Gris Gris album of the late 1960’s. This man learned serious stuff from the late John Campbell, a blues/voodooist so intense that it still spooks me to listen to his records."

My ears must have jumped, though I was still too busy moaning to notice. So today I spotted the name in the listings, John Campbell. Voodoo?

Voodoo.

Have yourselves a read of this at Jefitoblog

I haven't even heard them yet. I want us to listen together.

No. Of course I'm not scared.
The very idea.

Ok I'm listening, now. What are you waiting for?

I was wondering what I could post up with this, what would be fitting? Something Dark, and Deathly, filled with Fire and Rage, and full of disdain for the mores of surrounding mortals.

Ah yes. Joyce Green. ~~Black Cadillac~~ released on Arkansas label Vaden in 1959 or 60.

Anyone know anything about her?

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O Heck. It's the Teaspoon Slide Guitarist!

2007-03-23T00:50:00.000Z

Well this deserves a mention. If I could do this with my hands I'd be happy.

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Janis Martin and Rachael Stokes

2007-03-22T22:48:00.000Z

Now here's where I get to thank the internet.

I was going to post a couple of Janis Martin tracks (because she's great, of course) and her story is one of those 'what might have been' tales. With the backing of RCA Victor in 1956 and some great songs, the sassy 17 year old cut some kickin rock'n'roll tracks without making the chart dent she deserved. Touted as the Female Elvis might have backfired, but the airplay didn't. 750,000 sold on her first single. Both sides of which are included here. Drugstore was written by Janis herself, and RCA were keen on her rockin' image and put the rockabilly first in her music. Until the sales didn't follow on, and they tried other material. But her last RCA session was as rockin as her first.
So what happened. How come she isn't as famous as Brenda Lee or Wanda Jackson? Was it her manager?

No. Gigs in Europe allowed her to see her husband and she became pregnant and dropped out of the music scene til they were old enough to have a working mum. She's up and singin' all over nowadays and goes down a storm at rockin' clubs everywhere.
Have a listen:
~~Drugstore Rock'n'Roll~~
~~Will You, Willyum~~

So I was wondering if there was any footage of her on the old 'net and searched YouTube. Nothing early. But wait what's this. A young gal singing Janis songs in her bathroom. Sweet. And what a great voice. And she needs a band. Vegas area, are you listening? SHE NEEDS A BAND. VEGAS AREA.

Rachel Stokes is what I was searching for. That young rocker just ready to sing her heart out, and tear up the floor with the ... hmm .. let's try a different metaphor. Damn. Just go listen. Surprisingly my fave is "My Confession" - a ballad. I'm not big on fifties ballads usually, prefering to swing, or switch it up by the speakers, but hey! in her bathroom, and no production, and no flash, this is how the song was written (or should have been). It's straight up down to earth tell it like it is sophisticated and naive all rolled up and heart melting. Yes!

Don't take my word for it. Rachael is a Star!
Rachael Stokes You Tube Profile

There are some downloadable tracks over at her Myspace Site

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Are ya'll hanging in there?

2007-03-18T01:49:00.000Z

Thanks to Dava for sharing this wee gem. it's what I need about now.

and a track to settle you in by the fire.

~~Tá Sé 'na Lá~~ by La Lugh from the album Senex Puer

St Patrick's Weekend

2007-03-14T11:04:00.000Z

Well if there's no work then the party won't stop, will it now? Get a grip.
So here's a few things to get you in the mood. Some Songs and some Tunes. The Songs first.

These files will collapse in a heap on Sunday Morning on a riverbank somewhere shouting joyously at the drizzle. Slainté.

~~Mad Lady and Me~~ by Jimmy McCarthy from the Song of the Singing Horseman which for such a great album is outrageously difficult to track down.
~~You Couldn't Have Come At A Better Time~~ by Luka Bloom from "Riverside"
~~Solid Ground~~ by Dolores Keane from Solid Ground
~~Daddy I'm Fine~~ Sinéad O'Connor from "Faith and Courage"

And now the Tunes:

~~Reels:The Floating Crowbar, The Star Of Munster~~ by Arty McGlynn from "McGlynn's Fancy"
~~Slip Jigs, Barney Brannigans and Beimíd Ag Ól~~ by Micho Russell from "The Limestone Rock"
~~Cathals Favourite~~ by Cian from the album "Three Shouts from a Hill"
~~Gorman's, The Dawn, Mrs Crehans reel~~ by Matt Molloy and Sean Keane from "Contentment IS Wealth"
~~Calico~~ by Flook from "Flatfish"

Rob Carey Tonight

2007-03-14T10:05:00.000Z

Just heard a few Rob Carey tracks on his Myspace page and there's another couple of tracks available for downlaod there.

so if any of you are near Staten Island tonight go along to his gig at The Cup for some inspiring "Man and Guitar" music.

I'll assume you can find it if you're near enough. I can't get a flight.

So, I'd tell you what I think but you don't wanna listen to me - listen to him:

~~Break Of Dawn MP3~~
~~Holy Now MP3~~

MacIDOL Update

2007-03-01T22:10:00.000Z

It's been a pretty mad month here by The Kingdom, working on an album of songs for the RPM Challenge a desperate attempt to write and record ten songs in a monthe and produce an album/CD and mail it to New Hampshire without losing your job or compromising your integrity in any way whatsoever. Except maybe in the last week. Needless to say we survived intact, and learned a few things along the way (keep all the mixes)

Here's a few songs to keep you goin'. And I'll be back with selections from the MacIDOL participants in a couple of days. That'll be a feast. Then we'll be back to normal broadcasting, whatever that is ... Oh Yeah! Old Timey.

tiny elvis
Sista Mac
Oh I laughed, and then some. Fun Fun Fun.

We'll All Fall Down
MURPHY
2nd Millenium Mersey beat, older and wiser and just as contagious. On tour in the UK soon. I'll let you know when he lets us know ;~) I'm hoping to make the Oxford gig.

Stupid w/toots
RC Andrews
Collaboration with James Bouchard - see below

Hell
James Bouchard
Hey! Touch base here. Listen up! Man tellin' the TRUTH here. "You won't find Hell, oh outside, Hell is all in your mind"
Amen!

Poison
Miss Chaos is going from strength to strength, with vocals and lyrics by Regina Zernay. Feels like Medicine. One of those late night darkroomsway, oblivious, lone groove moments. Taste it.

Jade
Dave Jones
Saturday morning ...run a bath and put this on repeat while he world goes to Hell. Enjoy! Steep.

National Pastime
Me and Boris the Bull a neat groove and a great vocal. been listening to this guys music for years , now, and I can't tell whether this is him or some old guy he taped doing MArlon Brando impersonations. Weird. It comes across like some Downtempo Studs Terkel workitonout. Deep.

Y got y Honey another James Bouchard Collab - this time Gilbert Nielson has laid some (completely off the cuff one take?) vocals which are weaving a word picture to rival Kerouac at his most observant. I'm blown by this tune!

"MacIDOL Monday" Returns

2007-01-29T22:42:00.000Z

What happened? Where'd he go? Wha?

Dunno. Time just flies by sometimes. Anyway here are some of my favourite recent uploads at MacIDOL

Frequency Karma
iFingers
Opening with a wickedly jaunty beat and getting straight down to the main question. This is Powerpop in essence. The Bangles hitting on Metallica. No drink taken.

Men Of Luggage
The Calculus Affair
When they namecheck Simon and Garfunkel you know they're serious. No-one does that without meaning it. This is some of the most gorgeous Pop since the Beach Boys.

Long Time Comin' v2
MO
RC Andrews posted this tune up asking for additional instruments, and this is my favourite, though there are a few to choose from! A beautiful song perfectly complemented by MO's haunting guitar work.

Breath
Stevil Darkman
Funky World beat with throat music - what more could you ask for?

The Dead Dance!
A Good Front
Their tribute to the Cramps is a kickin' slice of Pre-Psychobilly Horrorpop. Great tunes alround and just the right Garage feel to the recordings. If you tried to get this sound you'd be brain twisted howling at the moon before you finished.

Tesseract (Mosterberged)
slumbering

SLUMBERING!! YAY! a new slumbering track is always a cause for celebration all across the Kingdom, and this one is MOSTERBERGED. We are living on the Edge!

Invisible Bike
HARBL
HARBL are BACK!! WHOO!!

The Radio Told Me
B&Massa
Don't you just know it. Timeless and catchy from the Tasman.

Circulus Vitae II
Deadman Turner
And this works! slumbering (see above) extemporising vocals over Deadman Turners opus which uses every major and minor chord in it's composition! (Is that sharps and flats, too, I wonder? A wonderful piece.

Jesus Done Called Me
ThreeCatClem
ThreeCatClem is making a name for himself as a full-on mighty guitar grinder, and this track is my favourite, though they do get heavier than this. Check out his jamroom.

Peanut Butter
Shaka
And at the completely other end of the attitudinal scale is this delightful recording of a young girl's homemade song. Mighty Better Than Honey!

Bloodshot Bill and Esquerita

2007-01-17T21:30:00.000Z

I was following the trail to Bloodshot Bill - that maniac who plays Guitar and drums AT THE SAME TIME as well as singing some of the wildest rockabilly around. So wild that the USA has decided to ban him from entering their fragile country. He might subvert honest folks from their chosen tasks, now, mightn't he!
So Norton Records will be putting out a single called One Man Banned.
Watch this space!
He also has a new album which is called Trashy Greasy Rockin' Billy on which he is accompanied by Johnny Montreal (of The Alley Dukes) and which contains a track called:

~~Ring The Bell MP3~~

Norton have a (first?) interview with Mary Weiss of the Shangri-La's, which is entertaining, and has some great archive photo's and anecdotes.

The Norton Icon on their web pages is the head of arch-weirdo-piano-demon Esquerita and they have a collection of his raucous rock on CD and LP. That reminded me. And he only has one track listed on the Hype Machine, so off to google and see what turns up.

The first surprise is Esqerita's Myspace page so you can listen to some tracks there, for a start. Now, what do we now about the man. Well he grew up in Greenville, South Carolina and took to the piano at an early age, playing in his local church, and somehow here the story gets blurred. There is some confusion as to whether he influenced Little Richard, or the other way round. They were about the same age and their styles are similar, but, well, different.
There are some good biographical notes and a great album by album discography.

And it's at this point that I find what I always suspected. If you go wandering down the byways of Rock'n'Roll looking for the weird and wonderful surprises that lurk there, then The Reverend Frost has been there first.
There is a more precise Discography at Wang Dang Dula. That should keep you busy for a few hours if Discographies do it for you!

Anyway. Esquerita was playing the regular spot at the Owl Club in Greenville, like the Rev said, and the story goes that Gene Vincent's guitarist Paul Peek discovered him, and brought him to the attention of Capitol's A&R department, resulting in the 1958 sessions and an album on Capitol. It's probably close to the truth. The thing is that when Paul Peek joined the Blue Caps he was playing in a band from Greenville, with Bill Mack who would soon be a Blue Cap for a while. Mack takes up the story:
Paul Peek and I started playing music together around 1955. We played some gigs with Esquerita, real name Eskew Reeder who was also from Greenville, S.C., and after we got hooked up with Gene Vincent, we introduced Esquerita to Lawrence Thacker, and Thacker introduced him to Ken Nelson, A&R man for Capitol Records. I heard that Esquerita later became a big star in Europe. His first record was, "The Flu" on Instant Records. Paul knew a musician from Greenville, S.C. by the name of Red Redding, who had moved to the Washington, D.C. area.
Just to be cool, Bill Mack from Greenville, Carolina isn't Bill Mack from Shamrock (Shamrock?) Texas.

Does this site turn up every time you search with Google?
Esquerita, the Nation

And in a nice turn around, Miriam Linna who helped to interview Shangri-La, Mary Weiss, for Norton Records, has this to say about Esquerita:
6 - Weirdest situation on stage
Another good one was playing at a party with Esquerita-- we were playing for no money and Esquerita was surprised that we would play gratis. he was watching for a while and then went and pulled at Billy's sleeve. "Introduce me!" he said, and then he joined us. He turned to me and said SLOW DOWN and I though (another Spinal Tap moment!) that me meant I was paying too fast. A few more times he turned and said SLOW DOWN and each time I was going slower... and slower... Then I realized he wanted to do the Larry Williams song Slow down! Boy, I'm a dope!

Haha! Like Esquerita would want the music slower.

~~I Need You MP3~~
~~Laid Off MP3~~

Glen Glenn

2007-01-13T00:13:00.000Z

~~Everybody's Movin' MP3~~
~~Blue Jeans MP3~~
~~One Cup Of Coffee MP3~~

Rockabilly Hall Of Fame
Discography

Glen Glenn's recordings stand out in the annals of 50s Rockabilly for a sound that you didn't hear anywhere else. Pared down, passionate, with a snappy simple sound, his recordings were earthy and raw but crisp and clean and right up in your face.

Glen was a cousin of Porter Wagoner, and toured with the Maddox Brothers (and Rose) in the mid fifties who could rock it up in their own way, but Glen's musical life turned around in 1956 when he met Elvis after a show in 1956. He didn't find a label for his music until late in 1957 because "I wanted to start on a fairly large company, so I didn't even take my records to a small company. Era had a lot of hits at that time, so they had a good distributor".
It backfired though, because in the meantime he had been drafted and was in the army for two years after his first record was released, unable to gig or promote his local hits.

As you might not be surprised to learn having heard his crisp recordings, he went on to a succesful career in Movie sound production so his name might be familiar if your the type who sits in the theatre til it's empty, hoping to see the film again.

Since his resurgence as a performer (culminating in a shared billing with Bob Dylan in 1995 - see the Hall of Fame link) started because of a record released from a little shop round the back of Camden Tube station in 1977 you should shout HALLELUJAH! and go buy a decent collection from Ace Records. Well done, Ted.

Anything Can Happen in The Next Half Hour

2006-11-20T02:20:00.000Z

So Watch Out!

And Listen Up. I got some things to sell you. Tell you.

Take care, take a leak, get laid, get a haircut
trek on down to your general store,
tell them the Man at The Door said,
we gotta do it,
we gotta get it done .. before ...
we gotta buy, we gotta buy, we gotta buy
what we're needing
some of that EVIL Rock'N'Roll.

First Up.

~~32-20 Blues~~ by Robert Johnson. Who owns this stuff these days? I gotta complete recordings on PLATCD 278 for five quid. Sacriledge. Go get.

~~Sam Hall~~ by the Sumner Brothers who I've mentioned before ONLY NOW they have a CD (at CD Baby) More of which later. (Mine's on order). These guys are the future of Rock'n'Roll. Damn Your Eyes.

~~Neighbors MP3~~ by Swank who wil do you right if you ever got to see them grab it with both hands and order up two Bowls of Chilli. You Be daffy, I'll be Dilly get down to their Myspace site and listen To HEY JEB!! (download it even). Oh and about this track, Neighbors. They're Canadians, right. SAY NO MORE.

~~Rusty Cage MP3~~ by Johnny Cash from Unchained (at Amazon.co.uk). This is slowly becoming one of my favourite Cash albums. I had to get past the mix and into the music, but it's all there stingin where you least expect it. Rusty Cage, tho' ... well you hear it coming a mile off.

~~Brother My Brother MP3~~ by KC McKanzie from her CD "The Widow Tries To Hide" Interested? Go drop Buy. The Man said.

~~The Devils Right Hand~~ by Steve Earle. Get you into trouble but it can't get you out.
Makes me wanna play the guitar and Sin.
From Copperhead Road

~~Easy Wind MP3~~ by The Grateful Dead FFS you have't got Workingman's Dead Yet? Not even the "twice as long with live material" Expanded Version? Shame.

~~Free Until they Cut Me Down MP3~~ My introduction to Iron and Wine blew me through the wall.
Poppa don't .. tell me what I should have done.
She's the one
She's the one who begged me.
Buy everything in the Store.

~~Love Like This~~ by The Drive By Truckers. This is some of the most poignant sharply observed lifescapes I ever heard. It's been a tough month and this is part of the reason. Gird Your Loins.

~~Sweet Olive Tree~~ By Langhorne Slim is my other fave track right. As the recording shows. At the end someone says "Fuck! That was ..." well we don't know what they thought. But by that time we already agree. This is your salvation.

Trust Me.

There. My job is done. Halloween is over. The Door is officially open for business. Get those Souls moving y'all.

Shack Shakers Trailer

2006-10-28T01:50:00.000+01:00

The Legendary Shack Shakers were in Nashville today, and here's the news via Geoff Firebaugh

Sometime between 11 and 3 today , th' Legendary Shack Shakers trailer was stolen here in nashville. this is a partial list of equipment that they lost. I will post more later. alot of this stuff is one of a kind so please keep an eye out.. thanks
Geoff-

Gretsch White falcon Bound in silver
Gretsch custom shop 6120 (orange)
King Doublebass Road King Red Sunburst with Metal Flake red on the sides.
fender 800 pro head in Star Case rack w/ korg tuner, Fishman Pre and assorted cables etc.
2 fender 810 pro cabinets
orange pearl drum kit with "shack shakers' kick heads
fender supersonic head and 412 cabinet
Germino guitar head with marshall 412 in 'destroyers' roadcases
Tweed Twin reissue custom shop guitar amp
Fender 59 bassman 410 guitar amp (tweed reissue)
Red 1981 fender P-bass (fernandes neck plate, jazz bass special neck)
hundreds of t-shirts and cds.

if you have any info please call the Nashville PD at 615-862-8600
or email me at Bigbassape@comcast.net

Or check in with the ShackShakers via their MySpace page

Spread The Word. These guys have a great sound. get em back on the road.

Final Round Voting

2006-10-23T21:13:00.000+01:00

Final Round Voting has commenced. My Dream App has announced the voting for the chance to have the Application you need to be made by some volunteer software developers. This is the last round here, folks so we are choosing winners here. Six finalists. You can vote for three, though, once you've registered, and you probably know I want you to vote for Whistler coz you'll have more fun with that than most things you can imagine. Good. We can exchange doodles and stuff.

Voters also can avail of two free (Mac) software apps. See the News section linked above, and then go vote.

Go on ...

Samhain New Moon 2

2006-10-22T23:08:00.000+01:00

First Up on the October Dark Moon is IckMusic posting the Mojo Workin' with some unusual versions up.
There's a great Steve Earle track (The Devil's Right Hand) up at Mars Needs Guitars plus a bunch of other tracks to put you in the mood for Fear.

Gumbo has had his latest Tale of Death, Rebirth, and Ghoulish Dread, Remixed by Maggie Osterberg (praise her ears) and it kicks some serious butt. And that's just what you need on a night like this.

Straight To Hell MP3

Samhain new Moon

2006-10-22T22:49:00.000+01:00

October by slumbering

October, October
Warmer and colder
Summer is over
But she'll keep the Sun
In her big, black cauldron
Tis the season
For death and the night
So say the spell
Make the ghosts tell

Circle the stones
Dance with the bones
Follow the shadows
On All Hallow's Eve
Happily we grieve
Drink to the Dead
In October

When the Sun has just gone down
It is time
To sing the rhyme
Bring them out

Orange glowing embers light our way to November

Waltz through the stones (Through the stones)
Dance with the bones (With the bones)
Death is romancing (It's romance!)
A nightmare perchancing (Spin...)
Spin like the leaves (...like the leaves)
Drink to our friends
Who met their ends

When the Moon glows in the sky
Do they fly?
In the sky...

Circle the stones (Circle the stones)
Dance with the bones (Dance with the bones)
Take Death's hand (Take his hand)
To Underland (Underland)
Raise up a glass (First do no harm)
To souls who have passed (Now work the charm)
Drink to the Dead (Make a toast)
Drink to the Dead (To the ghost)
In October, in October

Ooh, October...

Friday The 13th

2006-10-13T08:43:00.000+01:00

I've been wanting to post about bananakiller - the Absolute Club Song all week but MacIDOL has been down since Tuesday (GMT) and it's Friday the 13th, and it's almost Halloween, so I won't. Not Yet.

Instead go and checkTim Curry in The Worst Witch (vid and MP3) over at Looking At Them

And I know some of you will just love Hobo Humpin Slobo Girl and other stuff at Lost In Your In Box

Not me of course. I'm too demure.

So how could I ignore a song title like Too Much Sex (Too Little Jesus) by The Drive-By Truckers

Apparently Votinghas been delayed so a famous judge can comment on the proceedings and actually happens today at My Dream App - I'll keep you posted.

Well that didn't take long. VOTING IS UP. go click on the Vote button and check out the semi-finalists. Walks away whistling ...

Gene Vincent

2006-10-12T09:13:00.000+01:00

The 35th anniversary of Gene's death in 1971. RIP

Pipe Dream, Animusic for Fosco.

2006-10-12T08:51:00.000+01:00

Dougie MacLean - Caledonia

2006-10-12T02:02:00.000+01:00

Keep the Coffee Comin posted the Mary Black version of Dougie MacLean's Caledonia the other day. Maybe you heard it. It got me wondering if anyone knows about this wonderful Scottish songwriter. I'm bushed (no pun intended) so I will just post a couple of songs and some links. He has been called the Scottish James Taylor, which does him a grave injustice (Dougie, not James. James is nice. Dougie gets inside your soul and causes it to expand in all directions. Maybe James does that for you. Perhaps you're in the wrong blog?)

~~Caledonia MP3~~
From Craigie Dhu

~~Stolen MP3~~
~~Scythe Song MP3~~
From Riof

Bunker Hill !!

2006-10-11T22:13:00.000+01:00

No Really! Bunker Hill.

Already blogged by The Right Reverend Frost who saved my sadly abused cassette copy of these tracks, now sleuthing through the interweb has found this. The Bunker Hill Myspace page

And the linked article is well worth reading if you have any brain left

Ridiculous I know, but there you have it.

He (or she) who has ears to hear, let him (or her) hear.

Amen.

So is it Hide and Go Seek pt1 or pt2 ??

My Dream App (or what do you get if you cross a guitar tuner with a dictation machine and feed it to a MIDI engine?)

2006-10-11T17:14:00.000+01:00

Sorry about the post title - I'm getting carried away - but I have WIFI and I can still type

MWAhahahahahaa_Ahem.

Where was I?

Oh Yes.

Any moment now (Wednesday and Thursday) the voting will reopen at My Dream App .com

There is a competition on the go as we speak and the prize is for a newbie developer to have their application idea put into practice. Actually up and running made.

There are 12 no, 9 contestants left out of 2700 and this is semi-final week.

Now to business.

We all love music. Some of us are musicians. Some of us not. All of us get tunes in our heads from time to time, and then (if we're lucky) get them stuck there for a while. Sometimes the best we can do is to hum them or go "La La La La Lah Dúm DúM Tisssh!" happily to ourselves (or even to goofy friends).

Wouldn't it be great if we had a Muso friend who really listened. Like they cared or something. AND THEN ...

they write it down see, or play it on a keyboard and say "that sounds like this - do you want that as a trumpet or an overdriven fender telecaster? What do the drums sound like?"

AND

they would NEVER EVER talk about the theory.

EVER.

It's called "Whistler" and if it's thunker, Richard Whitelock (who thunked it) gets even half of what he would like it to do up and running it will completely revolutionise the way music composition happens. IT WILL BE FUN - Whooo! AND he will put it in the hands OF THE PEOPLE rant rant gibber

ahem.

Seriously go check it out and if the Spirit is Moving You. Cast your vote upon Worthy, or offer up a Prayer to Elvis or whatever it is that yo do best. HELP ME HAVE THIS APP. PLEASE.

How did I find out about this? Sp3ccylad knows everything.

The hour is fast upon us ....

2006-10-09T21:54:00.000+01:00

The Reverend Frost at Spread The Good Word is ahead of the Pack, here, and already onto the 2nd thrilling instalment of the BLOODY HALLOWEEN MIX and this is a goody. Where does he find all this weird and wonderful ... no, no, you're quite right. Sorry to get all Cerebral on you.

What else? Well.

undomondo Ghoulish sounds abound with a few well chosen creep anthems, and for the totally addicted to weird there's this:

Spellbound Music for Theremin no less. 2 one hour radio shows. Perfect.

I also like Tango Mortale by After Son and as Slumbering mentions in the comments, that Gumbo has been out walking these nights, and he's got a tale to tell: Cold To The Bone

Also up and in the mood is Dead Flowers (not The Stones' track btw) by Kemi Helwa, and the wonderfully eerie blues of Loonatic by MO. If that don't get you in the Spirit nothing will. Loonatic is nothing to do with the full moon, and everything to do with one of the creepiest natural sounds you could hear. Lovely to be Loony, indeed.

Oh and my webcounter is back to normal, and I didn't have half a million visitors last week. Phew.

Bright Eyes

2006-10-08T21:54:00.000+01:00

I was going to post about this band I just heard. Bright Eyes. From Omaha. But I checked Hype Machine first, thankfully. 4 pages of songs posted. I get skeptical about blogging at this point, but that's another story. I guess this is a HOT HAPPENING band at the moment.

ANYWAY I fell in love with a song and I suggest you do too.

Go over to Pure Volume and listen to At The Bottom Of Everything. The intro blew me into 7,568,349 pieces, so tread carefully.

Thanks to Sian for sending me hence.

You can buy all their albums from Amazon via that page too. I'm so not going to make a living at this.

Recent MacIDOL uploads

2006-10-07T15:38:00.000+01:00

Song For My Mama-la
slumbering
A beautiful melody for harp and cello - I can really drift with this - freedom for a space.

Friends Reunited - Sp3ccylad
This just chock full of great lines and a wicked backbeat drives it all home. "I'm leary of contacting anyone else for fear of finding out worse" His best? Could be. can't get it out of my head.

The Encounter - Vortex
More beautiful ambience form Vortex. Check out their music page. Then check it again. Great.

Cushion The Blow - Finer
Mellow Reggae track from the soul voice of Adam Finer. Think Gregory Isaacs.

Got A Job MP3
aka Gumbo
The job you had to do. Been there? Fun folkabilly from Gumbo.

I was right, you were wrong - Red Sea Station
There's a lovely Syd Barrett feel to this. Cheerful to the point of absurdity. Great fun and eerily poignant.

I'm Vegan (with The Emo's) - Veggie Philosophy
They must have had such a laugh making this. Stupendous.

Iridium Flare - Peter Greenstone
This is one of those crystal clear meltdown and watch the world tracks - get swept along with it. Perfect.

Junkie - Airforce One
Wicked Track. Absoulutely.

Shazam!

2006-10-07T14:36:00.000+01:00

Jimmy and Duane were a couple of kids who met at school in Tucson Arizona. They met up and practiced and recorded a single for a Pheonix DJ called Lee Hazelwood.

~~I Want Some Lovin Baby MP3~~
available on the Proper Box 103 which you need.

Jimmy Dell went on to record sides for RCA and Duane Eddy continued to work with Lee, recording some seminal guitar rockers for Jamie in Philadelphia. This is a clip of Shazam! from the movie "Because they're Young" and as somebody pointed out on the You Tube comments page, that's Al Casey in the glasses playing bass, on Duane's left.

Dick Gaughan

2006-10-07T02:38:00.000+01:00

I'm just back from Dick Gaughans gig tonight. No MP3s. But someone has put a photo montage over Dick's "Fathers' Song"

If you have no soul you'd best skip it.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable gig. Dick mentioned his cold at the start but it didn't seem to affect his voice. I saw Dick at the previous Ennis gig in the foyer at Glór (the venue) so some songs I've heard before and others were totally new. The stand outs tonight were the Jack Glass story, the John Muir Redwood Cathedral song, Ewan somebody from St Kilta (pardon my ignorant spellchecker - I'm a Northumbrian), No Gods (precious few heroes), The Burns tune (which my friend has a treasured cassette copy of and was relieved to hear).

The Big Muddy was a stand out. And The Yew Tree. Remember Thomas Muir of Hunters Hill is a new fave. And the end was a surprise, and in retrospect I felt kind of jarred from my reverie. Transported as I was into my imagination by the tunes I could have listened all night but I suspect Dick knew his throat best.

It is an experience that's hard to fathom. During the Burns song - I found myself meandering back to being a kid watching the boats sailing down the Tyne. The Tall Ships race or Navy frigates. It would be announced in The Journal and my dad would get us all out to Tynemouth to watch them passing on the weekend. One day he said to me "We build ships on this river" and I thought "Do we?" It was a bit like driving past the cooling towers in Gateshead and being told "Your Great Uncle Jimmy built them". I was gobsmacked. It must have taken him ages. But being young I missed the point that it has taken too many years to understand. The sense of pride and identity in being part of the work being done, and the sense of community.
My dad came from a mining family though neither he nor his brothers were miners. His dad ran a shop and was the out of the mine his father had worked in. He was a salesman, but he still felt that "We" did it.

I wonder at the audience and all those different journeys that folk were travelling during the performance. Dick has a passion for his roots that is contagious. Magic. And a good spell well woven is a gift on both the giver and receiver.

Thanks Dick, and keep on with the vitamin C.

Todd Snider

2006-10-05T20:26:00.000+01:00

Todd Snider is presently on John Prine's Oh Boy Label.

Found this in my local independent CD store (do you still have those?) in the Pop section. Does It Look Like a Pop Record?

~~Talking Seattle Grunge Rock Blues MP3~~

~~You Think You Know Somebody MP3~~

What's Up?

2006-10-05T00:32:00.000+01:00

Tuwa has pushed me over the edge. In a good way.

Posting one of my all time favourite songs without so much as a fanfare. Do yourself a favour.

Go Check: Affection - Jonathan Richman

And:

Langhorne Slim at Largehearted Boy and (my fave track) at Raven Sings The Blues

Crooked Still over at Can You See The Sunset From The Southside Ain't No Grave is a great version of that song.

And a track that has been blowing my mind the last couple of days
thepunkguy posted Free Until They Cut Me Down. by Iron and Wine.

Poppa. Don't tell me what I should've done
she's the one, she's the one who begged me
take me, take me home

And if that's too much for you then you probably need Happy Birthday Mr Birdseed by the Ramones

AND:

tons of Midnight Oil acoustic in '93

posted by The Big Yin. Seriously.

Singin Country Songs For A Livin

2006-10-03T01:01:00.000+01:00

I love this. Never heard of the guy before, but Google sure has. Maybe you have too. Hell. You have now, find Joey Allcorn at Myspace or at Joey Allcorn.com

MacIDOL Radio

2006-10-03T00:23:00.000+01:00

I have just spent the last couple of hours compiling the MacIDOL Artists featured (so far) at The Kingdom. Or at least here by The Door.

Nothing fancy just yet. You can Browse a 50 song Playlist here and try out individual tracks, EDIT - actually you can't which is a surprise, but the Player link below works for me. Leave a comment if you have Bad News messages from that one, and i'll see what I can do with the Playlist link.

or you can just launch a random 50 song player in your browser window (unless you're setup to do that in a Music app on your chosen interweb surfing machine).

B&Massa is offering to codify a simple interface just as soon as I tip him the word. Watch this space.

Speaking of watching this space, is there really that many of you out there? I've watched the webcounter go through about 3000 hits in the last hour. Can't be right. Well. If it is I'd better put some more tunes up, eh?

Early Johnny Cash On You Tube

2006-09-28T22:10:00.000+01:00

Were You There

One Piece at a Time

Sun Show 1957

Bonanza and Five Feet High and Rising

Cold Mountain - The Sumner Brothers

2006-09-09T11:40:00.000+01:00

I've been on holiday. A few days in Brittany. NW France. On the way back a Fog descended on the Airport and nothing could land. Eight or nine hours watching people do their thing. Sticking it out, listening to the news, hearing the plane go over a couple of times, and then finding out it had gone to another airport. Not having any money left, and the children crying from hunger and boredom. The Airport staff saying that we have to find somewhere to stay tonight as the airport closes, and the airline has no responsibilty. Some people stoic, some venting their frustration, everyone meeting themselves in the unusual circumstances, wondering what will happen, what to do.

I've been reading Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. American Civil War. 1864. Body and Soul stuff. Gut wrenching and beautiful.

There is a passage where the Drunkard Stobrod is asked to play his fiddle to ease the passing of a Girl burned close to Death by a stove explosion. He plays his six tunes and she asks for another.

- I don't know no more, he said.
- That's pitiful, the girl said. What kind of fiddler are you?
- Bum and shoddy, he said.
That brought a quick smile to the girl's face, but the pain of it showed in her eyes and brought the corners of her mouth down quick.
- Make me up a tune then, she said.
Stobrod marvelled at such a strange request. It had never entered his mind to give composition a try.
- I don't believe I could, he said.
- Why not? Have you never tackled it before?
- No.
- Best go to it, she said. Time's short.

He sat thinking for a minute. He plucked the strings and returned. He set the fiddle to his neck and struck the bow to it and was himself surprised by the sounds that issued. The melody he spun out was slow and halting, and it relied on drones and double stops. He could not have put a name to it, but the tune was in the frightening and awful Phrygian mode, and when the girl's mother heard it she burst into tears and ran from her chair out into the hall.

When he was done the girl looked at Stobrod and said, Now that was fine.
- It wasn't neither, he said modestly.
- Was, the girl said. She turned her face away and her breathing grew wheezy and wet.

He was given a dollar by the girl's grateful father for easing her passing.

Stobrod put the dollar in his shirt pocket and left. Time and again as he walked back to camp he stopped and looked at his fiddle as if for the first time. He had never before thought of trying to improve his playing, but now it seemed worthwhile to go at every tune as if all within earshot had recently been set afire.

I thought that I don't know any music that fits my imagining of the bleak, hopeful, vigorous music that Stobrod began to play. Affirming Life and Death equally.
Robert Johnson, maybe.
The thought was like a prayer.

I finished the book yesterday, and a couple of hours later I got a Myspace friend request from The Sumner Brothers

I clicked and heard the hiss of tape, slightly over-recorded guitar and the raw voice:

When he came down the stairs
told me "he's dead"
it's hard to love a man like you love your Dad
I want him back
I want em both back
Yea I know it's too late
everything i love's gonna be taken away.

~~Both Back~~

It's times like this that remind me to hope.

War

2006-08-26T11:31:00.000+01:00

I've been noticing more and more people being forced by their feelings to post songs about what they hear happening in Arabia. Here is a selection of some recent tunes and the comments of the Artists.

Blown Away by jiguma
We have a long-time friend who came to Australia in the 70s to escape war in Lebanon he married a school friend of ours. Jim is a successful Lebanese Australian who has given a lot to the community, worked hard and done well for himself he is one of the most decent people I know. His extended family left Lebanon at roughly the same time as he did to Paraguay, Australia, the US and other countries where they were offered a safer existence.

On asking how his family was this week, I learned that some had returned to Beirut after the hostilities subsided over recent years because it was safe and because it had become possible to live a normal life there. Im talking about mainstream, hard working, decent folk here. His niece Zeinab, her husband and their baby twin daughters are stuck in a suburb of Beirut where Israeli bombs are being directed as I write this they are terrified but OK at the moment. She is a young woman the same age as my daughter and I cry for her and her family.

Torture by Stuart Walker aka Gumbo
Listening to the news, trying to imagine being at home 'comforting' my family while my town was under seige.

Sometimes you just get tired of people killing people on your behalf.

Stop it.

The White Flag Of Peace by B&Massa
I reckon 21C is too impatient for an answer blowin' in the wind, my friends. There isn't time to waste waiting, we need action, peaceful action, but action. The Blowin' In The Wind for today needs to be stirring, powerful, hand-on-chest stuff. Mocking miltarism, yet using the good points of discipline and commitment to show we want change. The White Flag Of Peace is rooted strongly in the concept of a trade union choir - a simple melody, easily harmonised on, forgiving when the harmonies go wrong. The lyrics are stirring, and take back the flag of losers as a symbol of victory in refusing to fight. Imagine a street full of people marching under a flag that is all colours together with one voice, a white flag held high, against the Blue Sky of hope. It's a bit rough, but gives you the idea, it's a marching song for peace, it's not meant to be sung perfectly, it's meant to be sung with passion and commitment ;)

Endo La Wurl by Talkin Ape
I really feel that we and all our animal friends are on our way out... and I fear, in my lifetime!

Jeez Louise! by Me and Boris The Bull
i try to avoid being political in my music, but i'm just awfully sad and sick to see that we are still caught up in this ugly, bloody conflict over "the black."

i wrote this song with our young soldiers in mind, travelling over the ocean to distand lands. many will not find their way back. and it hurts to think about it.

i recorded this very quickly this morning in about 1-2 hours. god bless everyone who is sent to fight. they are proud and brave and believe. i can only respect, honor, and admire them, though i don't agree with what they are doing.

Keep On Running by Jack Miller
This is a song (Jack) wrote and began recording about a month ago. The lyrics grew out of the heartache that is coming out of the recent war situation in the Middle East. It is neither pro-this group or anti-that group. I just got to thinking how much man keeps on messing up... again and again.

MacIDOL Updaterater ...

2006-08-07T22:10:00.000+01:00

Dance of the Spirits of Water by MidiOrleans A blissful rendition of this piece written by Gustav Holst.

You Belong To me by Lust and Death
Dark and disturbing. Riding some deep vein of the Human condition, and backing it up with thrilling melodies. Do I like?

I Know The Way by slumbering slumbering has a new song up. Always a joy to hear, and this short piece is beautiful. Hopefully there'll be an album soon (wishful thinking on my part). Check out her music page if you haven't already.

The Standard Model by if:then:go
Gentlemen by if:then:go

if:then:goto really got my attention with this first track of chilled Indie pop, and the second is great too. Watch this space ...

Bombs by Red Sea Station Speaks for itself. A Bit of Detroit Americana mixed in with North Carolina lo-fi, filtered through some San Diego surf, Alphabet City Swagger and Glasgow on a Sunday (it says here !)

Sorry I left Ya Baby by Cecil Reynolds Cecil has got a great voice and a sweet guitar. I love this one. Country Blues from Texas.

Iridium Flare by Peter Greenstone Peter has long been a favourite artist here at the Kingdom and I'm rating this right up at the top of his game

Zidane il a tapé - Headbutt song!!

2006-08-03T00:12:00.000+01:00

This is priceless!

I don't know if it will stay up long, the bandwidth must be going through the roof, but here is the number one in France:

Coup de Boule

OK you have to go to Etienne Marcel's Blog but you get the English translation (not so catchy) and comments from all over the word - my favourite

"Even the Italians like it!"

Jack L

2006-07-24T09:52:00.000+01:00

I don't know if anyone is aware of Jack L outside of Ireland, I hope so as he's a firm favourite here by the Doors. He played the Galway Festival last night, (sold out as usual) and he's got a new album out - Broken Songs. There is a new openness to his writing, and although you can still hear the influence of Jacques Brel and Scott Walker, these tunes are simpler, less theatrical and beautiful. Have a listen:

~~Wicked Way~~

~~Apes and Angels~~

Reggae/RockSteady Podcast

2006-07-23T22:37:00.000+01:00

A while back i posted about Prince Buster and today CP at Merguez Frites posted a link to a Japanese site offering Rock Steady podcasts. Check the Pirates Choice link at the top of the page over at Drum and Bass Records

Nice find CP. Thank Ye.

Celia Cruz

2006-07-22T00:12:00.000+01:00

I stumbled across this CD one day with my heart wide open and took it home with a glint in my eye. Knowing nothing about it except the song titles and the Artist's name. Celia Cruz. How come the hunch? I dunno. It turned out to be a collection of the early recordings by the Cuban born Queen of Salsa on the Seeco label from 1951 to 1965 and it's a real delight. Highlighting her strident and swinging voice, and recorded mostly before she moved to the States in 1960, every track now has me going "Ah yes, and this one, I love this one too"

Mr Lucky says She started out in her native Havana singing on the radio and then hooking up with La Sonora Matancera, which included trumpet player Pedro Knight, who later became her husband. Their 15-year collaboration lasted throughout the 1950s and much of the ‘60s and took them from Cuba to Mexico and finally to the United States. Our first exposure to Cruz was through these recordings and we have to admit we were somewhat confused about the Celia Cruz legend. To our novice ears, Cruz' voice sounded like a cannon without much subtlety or direct emotional contact. The observation about the cannons might be true, but her voice is so pure, it goes right for the jugular. The directness, which at first is disarming, is later one of the best things about her. All the little vocal tricks we've grown accustomed to (and even like) are gone. You'll laugh, but she's almost like Ethel Merman with a bongo.

This brings us to the other aspect that sets Cruz apart from everyone else, and that's her rhythm. She sings like a percussion instrument, especially on the call and response sections of her songs, never repeating herself and the sound is like nothing else, Cuban or otherwise.

When first listening to these early recordings, originally on the Seeco label, there's a tameness to the arrangements that wasn't exactly inspiring our hips to sway like the palms. It's only after repeated encounters that you realize that the Sonora Matancera is more like a slow hot simmer than an outright boil. The clever musical exchanges are subtle rather than bombastic.

Right on. Perfect for the recent heatwave, here. It's like being slow-cooked and marinaded all at the same time.

~~Ciao, Ciao Mani Picao~~
~~Meloa De Cana~~
~~Mi Bomba Sona~~

And as a special treat:

Living in Stereo - War! Good God!

2006-07-21T00:12:00.000+01:00

Living In Stereo has today posted versions of the Tamla=Motown Classic written by Barrett Strong-Norman Whitfield. Living In Stereo is fast becoming one of my favourite Blogs after their great post about Mavis Staples, the other day. (Are you following this?)
I'm starting to get the Stereo image, too. Not just surround sound but the duality of being human, being esconced in delightful everything at your fingertips internet, and having access to information from places you might not want to think about, the dilema of the craziness of War, and the need to stand up and defend yourself, your beliefs, and your family.

Go there, download the music. Pick your favourite version, and blast it from the car, or your bedroom window, or take some speakers onto the train, or ring your local radio station and request, or buy it as a present for your friends, just in pure hedonistic relief that they are still alive, and that the families and friends being killed today aren't yours.

Good God!

The Ace Of Spades

2006-07-17T11:12:00.000+01:00

As covered by Belgian cowpunk band Hetten Des. Lovin this vid.

Check out their Myspace site at Hetten Des. The bad news is they split up last year, so write and complain, this band needs to be up n about.

Home of the Groove: Tough Fluff

2006-07-15T23:32:00.000+01:00

Over at the Home of the Groove: Tough Fluff there's a gem of rollicking 60s New Orleans pop music by the virtualy unknown Kathy Savoy. Go See.

More great New MacIDOL tracks

2006-07-15T22:58:00.000+01:00

Feelin Good About Love by Me And Boris The Bull A storming bubblegum (thanks, Kilroy) pop tune with Boris' lyrics catching you unawares and lifting the whole thing onto another plane. And then a chorus that never lets go. Listen once, that's all it'll take.

Jollof Rice by Dave Jones Dava is exploring his beloved African rhythms and laying down an uplifting ambient track featuring marimba.

The King Of Lies by Karen Link Karen is rocking out here, and stretching the dark and thinning it out. it's got that great Led Zep III feel, and all with a guitar, flute and voice - I love this.

Something About Her by Jiguma Now I tell you name dropping Dylans 'Visions of Johanna' and then giving us the medieval mystery tour, gets me intrigued straight away, and the Spector/Wall of Sound via the Pet Shop Boys coupled with that rolling rythm and slick production gets me listening to this over and over.

Yesterday's Slave by Air Force One Chilling out in your own reverie. Whether you're up in the mountains watching the sunset or crossing Times Square in a dream, "My mind won't fit in my head", this is a great backdrop.

Smokerings by The Sunray Estate And just when you thought I was gonna let you off - here's a slice of ace indie pop, and there's a ton more at their other site Check em out.

Bastille Day

2006-07-14T13:30:00.000+01:00

I have no idea how Breton band Manau (la reference de rap celtique) would feel about being representitive for France on this, their National holiday, but I care not because they sound right. I first heard them a few years ago on a trip to Bretagne, in NorthWest France, they were on the radio, sure, but more importantly they were being sung in cafe's, on pavements, bars, outside churches, every so often we would hear a snatch of a chorus from La Confession or another catchy tune as a group of youths walked by .... amidst the glitzt europop of the day it felt like a revolution.

Mesdames et messieurs. Approchez de l’action
Ne soyez pas nerveux. Ne faites plus attention.
Mesdames et messieurs. Approchez de l’action
Et venez écouter la dernière confession.

Ladies and Sirs. Approach the action
Don't be nervous. No second thoughts.
Ladies and Sirs. Approach the action
And come to listen to the last confession.

~~La Confession~~ by Manau
~~Un Mauvais Dieu~~ by Manau

The Storming of the Bastille is the focus of today's celebration, and the keys to the Bastille were entrusted to Tom Paine about whom Dick Gaughan said "he was responsible for more revolutions than anyone else, ever".

~~Tom Paine's Bones MP3~~ by Dick Gaughan

Mavis Staples

2006-07-13T00:13:00.000+01:00

There is an informative glimpse into the recent work of Mavis Staples over at Living In Stereo. Go Listen. Tell em what you think. Buy what you love so you love what you've bought.

My favourite Mavis Staples surprise was when I bought Natalie Merchant's Motherland album in 2001.

Mavis Staples sings emotive harmony vocals on two tracks. My favourite is

~~Saint Judas~~

there are other versions of Saint Judas (albeit without the powerhouse Mavis Staples) at Natalies Exhibits page which included verses considered (by whom?) too strong for the album release.

A Darkened Room

2006-07-10T22:10:00.000+01:00

I keep listening to this and trying to put into words what I feel about it, and end up in that struck place where words don't work. I forget to think. If you had any idea what sort of an achievement that is, you'd be awestruck.

A Darkened Room (remosterberged) by B&Massa and you can Stream the acoustic first draft which I am particularly partial to.

Or get the iPod friendly version

Monday Morning Afternoon MacIDOL Roundup (part 1)

2006-07-10T14:42:00.000+01:00

Songalong with MO MP3 by slumbering with MO A match made in Heaven. slumbering's gorgeous vocal with Mark's sinuous guitar. This is so sensual.

Listening Dream MP3 by AkA Gumbo
Venture into the wind in this story and soundscape - a deceptively simple lullaby recorded with slumbering

See? MP3 by Chris Cooke and as he puts it: Like many of my songs, this one has a gimmick. Can you spot it?

Chosen Silence by Frogmorton
Frogmorton (aka Matt Griffin) has long been a favourite artist of mine, and here is his latest folk outing. That's his Hounds and Fox song art up there.

Lift The Curtain by Grady Nickel
Very crisp country tune from Georgia, USA

Funky Meeoooow MP3 by BananaKiller
Solid Funky Fun from the master. Take Fun!

And there's no download for this one but you can stream it with Quicktime:
Carlos Allende by Van Der Waal

Johnny Burnette Trio 2

2006-07-09T21:58:00.000+01:00

The thought of being able to watch Johnny Burnette and the Rock'n'Roll Trio on television never ever crossed my mind. Impossible. Sure they performed for New York TV shows, but hey.

So this is a miracle.

Tuwa's Shanty and The Roots Canal

2006-07-09T21:48:00.000+01:00

I have been enjoying Tuwa's Shanty and The Roots Canal and the tracks Tuwa and rosswords have been posting.

At the moment you can hear two great versions of Downhome Girl (also recorded by The Coasters.

Check the Archives, too. And special mention is due for The Voot Article. A gem of investigative Music Blogging.

And also catching my ear tonight is CountryGrrl over at BlueSkies has an alternate take of what is possibly my favourite Bob Dylan track, Simple Twist Of Fate. And a You Tube of Bob performing the song more recently.

And if you're still with time on your hands then Check out The Soul Detective and follow the trail.

INFO: MacIDOL.com is down since last night, I'll post when it's back up and running, but in the meantime the songs posted here from MacIDOL are temporarily beyond. Who will upload the first new song after the outage??
UPDATE: seems to be back up now

Johnny Grande 1930-2006

2006-06-11T23:11:00.000+01:00

In 1951, when Bill Haley put together a band called the Saddlemen, Johnny Grande joined up as a piano player. He usually played accordian on stage (easier to carry), and featured on pretty much every Haley/Comets hit you can name staying with them until 1963.

For the last 19 years he has been a member of the continuously touring Original Comets, still playing great shows earlier this year. He died on June 3rd, 2006.

Here are two of those ground breaking early fifties sides. Rocket 88 from 1951, and Rock The Joint from 1952, and no, for those of you who were wondering, the 1957 hit was a re-recording of Rock The Joint for Decca.

~~Rocket 88 MP3~~
~~Rock The Joint MP3~~

There's a heartfelt history and a good read at answers.com and details on Every Haley Recording Ever at Chris Gardner's great Haley Database

Virtual Garage Blues Special

2006-06-10T17:15:00.000+01:00

Over in Sonoma, in sunny California,
there's a man there with a mission, coz he just keeps wishin,
for some downright good n dirty honest as the day is long
music with holes in it's pockets.

Blaine Transue goes out live on KSVY 91.3 FM every Tuesday night. He features choice sounds from non-corporate independent, unsigned, 'do it coz I love it' musicians Worldwide, and Podcasts his shows at Virtual Garage

There is some wonderful music in the Blues Special ... but don't take my word for it!

You can download them from the Recent Shows Page or check out the Blues Special Playlist if you're up on your Unsigned, Independent, and Hearty as Life musicians.

Rob Andrews gets to choose ...

2006-06-06T23:24:00.000+01:00

It's a new month and Rob has been delving into the archives to come up with a new selection of great tunage from MacIDOL, featuring some of our favorite artists and some I haven't heard before. Check it out, why doncha. Rob Andrews' MBOC June 06

Update Time!

2006-05-30T01:01:00.000+01:00

The Monday MAcIDOL Update is evolving into the Every Other Monday MacIDOL Update, which is especially true in the Up'n'coming as I'm away next weekend. So Adjust your straps accordingly and get your ears on coz the gangs all here.

Maggie Osterberg - An Appointment MP3
A deep and righteous groove, with Maggie's characteristically rich soundscape.

Me And Boris The Bull - Lighthouse Made Of Gold MP3 'A demo' he said but who cares when it's this good.

KATCHOOLIK - Dreaming MP3 Down Tempo from the Soul.

Sp3ccylad - I Fall Through Clouds MP3 Damn. Another great driving song. Is Summer on the way or what? This is something of a homage to the Fab Four circa Revolver and as fresh as fuck. Wonderful.

MUDBAY - EL MP3 Check Out this group. Their jamroom is chock full of ambient goodness.

RC Andrews and Matt Griffin - Greyhound Run MP3 This has all the right grooves for me - wonderful mix and funked up the kind of Southern Rock Tom Petty would be envious of, plus Matt Griffin's great bass playing.

Ed Dobeas - Crystal Moments MP3 This is beautiful. Lovely texture from the acoustic guitar and Ed's voice, combine into a joyful, happy and above all uplifting tune.

aka Gumbo - Under That Hood MP3 A slice of raw rockabilly from aka Gumbo ... I love this stuff, and why not!

Ruthie - My Short Boyfriend MP3 This is a treat. I hope you appreciate it. Ruth was/is the vocalist on Midnight Train for you regulars. This was her messing about in her dad's studio, composing as she went. Watch this Gal!

When Apes Rule The Earth!

2006-05-27T00:24:00.000+01:00

There are currently some amazing pre-VU Lou Reed tracks from as early as 1958 over at When Apes Rule The Earth!

Scoot over and blow your wig.

The Jacks/The Cadets

2006-05-24T16:32:00.000+01:00

You have to go to Marv's Jacks-Cadets Page for the full story, but here is the lowdown, as promised.

They signed with the Bihari Brothers' Modern Records in April 1955 and their first single (as the Cadets) was Don't Be Angry. A cover of Nappy Brown's Savoy hit. You know the one ... L'L L'L L'L L'L L'L L'L Don'ta Be Angry ...

Almost straight away a group called The Feathers released a song called Why Don't You Write Me and Joe Bihari got that feeling in his back pocket. He brought The Cadets in to record it and sneaked it past the Music Press by releasing it under the name The Jacks on brother Saul's RPM label. It's a great record and blew The Feathers away (groan), reaching number 3 in the R'n'B charts.

The two groups continued rack up hits, but will always be remembered in R'n'R history books for covering The Jayhawks' Stranded In The Jungle where (thanks to Dub Jones and Prentice Moreland) they sounded more like a Coasters record than anybody before or since. This record lifted them up into the Pop charts and kept them touring all year, including a week long residency at the New York Apollo Theatre.

Prentice Moreland just happened to be in the studio that day, and only released two singles himself (according to Marv, who ought to know). Does anyone know anything else about him (he asked lazily)?

In 1957 Modern started releasing LPs and of course there were two by our heroes. Today's tracks are from the Jacks' "Jumpin With The Jacks" (and mine is the $1.98 Crown version, apparently released a few weeks later, at that). Oo Wee Baby from that LP was also released as Fine Lookin Baby - The Cadets 2nd single.

When the group (and the label) broke up in late '57 Aaron Collins joined The Flairs/Flares and Dub Jones went where he belonged, joining The Coasters in time to record Yakety Yak and Three Cool Cats.

~~Let's Make Up MP3~~

~~Why Don't You Write Me MP3~~

~~Oo Wee Baby MP3~~

Jungle Rock

2006-05-15T12:20:00.000+01:00

This is a celebration. It was one of the first rockabilly singles I ever bought, maybe the first, so it has a special place. It was a bit of a flop when it came out in 1958 but, for an obscure single on the Chicago Eko label it must have seemed like the big time when King records bought the master and released it nationwide. It sold around a hundred copies (it says here) and Hank didn't record anything else until Charly Records released Jungle Rock in the 1976 as part of their wonderful re-issue series. The single went to number 3 in the UK national charts! With seven weeks in the Top Ten. Number 1 in Holland!!

At that point Hank came out to Europe and played some great shows, and even recorded a few new tunes. Black Cat Rockabilly has archived the story.

I just love the lyrics to this! Online lyric sites can't even agree on the first verse! Black Cat Lyrics, or Wonderlyrics - what d'you reckon? a "fish stepping by" or "beasts that fly" (??) in verse three! Or maybe you have your own version (Rev?)
~~Jungle Rock MP3~~ - Hank Mizell

This cover of The Jayhawks was a huge hit for The Cadets in 1956. More about The Cadets will be coming soon.
EDIT:In the meantime check out Locust St for some background.
~~Stranded In The Jungle MP3~~ - The Cadets

I know nothing about this one, except that Hank Thompson would pretty much try his hand at most things, and always did it with style. This a great little rocker with a delightfully catchy drum fill. 1957 on Capitol.
~~Rockin In The Congo MP3~~ - Hank Thompson

And as a special bonus we have CCR from Cosmo's Factory in 1970 - and an interesting read at Songfacts
~~Run Through The Jungle MP3~~ Creedence Clearwater Revival

MacIDOL Update

2006-05-14T01:35:00.000+01:00

Me and Boris The Bull - Sable For George MP3
This is a mesmerising Ambient Folk track with artist 'Me and Boris The Bull' stretching back into his roots. A "heartful tale of two old friends, grinding through the world trying to make some sense of it all." The song art (above) is by George Selleck, which might help you make sense of the title. Sense isn't high on my list here though. Bask in it.

Joanna Sandsmark - Whiskey Neat, Water Back MP3 part two of a trilogy of Barroom tales has Joanna in her element, ready for anythink. Gotta love that voice.

aka Gumbo - Warmongers MP3 A Peace Camp at the Gates of Heaven. A Delta Blues for the Dead.

And at the other end of the musical sp3ctrum is the burlesque of Love Theme for the Deputy Prime Minister MP3 by Sp3ccylad (as far as I know it's unrequited but we shall keep you posted).

Frogmorton (Matt Griffin) - I Got Trouble! MP3
Driving blues based rock, and driving somewhere hot 'cause it sure cooks.

B&Massa - A Gallant Attempt At Immortality MP3 I was going to post B&Massa's Dark DownTempo 'InshAllah' but he knocked us for a six with this gloriously catchy new tune. So check his Jamroom if you're missing out.

MUDBABY - Dreamcatcher MP3 This band are just bliss. Thanks for the reminder Dava.

Soul Shower Anniversary

2006-05-07T23:48:00.000+01:00

There are a few places I check in with regularly. A few places where I can pretty much Guarantee that I will be uplifted and my ears will be soothed, my brain put at it's ease, and my feet made to MOVE.

One of those places is the Soul Shower currently celebrating it's first anniversary. 12 months of some of the sweetest, the earthiest and the funkiest Soul Music you will ever get to hear.

Well a word to the wise.
Shimmy on over and join the party.

Don't tell em I sent you, though, NO!

Just grin.

Sweet Baby Doll

2006-05-06T01:19:00.000+01:00

Johnny and Dorsey Burnette came out to Los Angeles in 1957 after the break up of The Rock'n'Roll Trio. They decided to sit on Ricky Nelson's porch til he came home. Nobody seems to know how long that took, but it worked. Ricky recorded several of their songs, and they became known around his Imperial label, and released a single as the Burnette Brothers (Warm Love/My Honey). Dorsey stayed on as a solo artist, and Johnny went with Freedom Records. They were still working very much together as songwriters and musians, and you can hear the songs from this era on the Rockstar CD The Burnette Brothers and Wampus Cat at Raucous Records

Here are a couple of Johnny's singles from Freedom

~~Sweet Baby Doll MP3~~
~~Me And The Bear MP3~~

If you're suitably impressed/rich etc then check out the Complete Johnny Burnette recordings at Amazon

There is a wonderful article about the Trio recording with Owen Bradley at Rockabilly Central based on interviews with Paul Burlinson, and another interview with Paul at Vintage Guitar where he tells about playing guitar for Howling Wolf

America

2006-05-05T00:01:00.000+01:00

I read this in the early days,
when youthful spring and optimism shone on the dancing waters
where my soul cried in th' city, where my heart leapt for glory,
the kind you could savour like the glory of your car keys,
like the glory of new kittens,
like the glory of walkin' down the street lovin people,
the glory of feeling the pavement, my feet ecstatic with dances unfathomed,
and my poor eyes filled with lust on the subway where my peers stretch out and SURRENDER
carried away with the click clack of appointments, rendezvous
stop signs and buskers, all the great distractions of the universe
conspiring against me
continuously
AND I LET THEM.
Oh The Glory!

America by Allen Ginsberg

at an inspired poetry reading somewhere, way back, even before The Beatles.

Hey Jeb!

2006-05-02T01:10:00.000+01:00

I heard it from Shiloh Lindsey. And when Shiloh tells you, you'd better do it!

Go See Swank!

So I took the quick road to Kilkenny and got in before dark. Sat watching the rain til it stopped and then made my way up to Paris, Texas. The guys were setting up and they looked a bit subdued, but I didn't know they'd just flown in today. Lost guitars en route and generally had a fine time of it. They soon got into the groove though, and the place was packed to the gills. And what a great show. Gritty blues and stompin country all influenced i guess by that thriving Vancouver Punkabily scene. They got an edge alright!

I realise (since I bought their complete back catalogue) that they played tons of there own stuff and a smattering of blues and country covers (Screamin' Jay's 'Little Demon' and Little Wille John's 'Leave My Kitten Alone', and some obscure Johnny Cash number about Folsom Prison ;~) In the first set they switched around with the drummer and second guitar player trading places for a few songs, while lead player, Doug switched to banjo. The bass player had a bass banjo which there may well be a proper name for, but who cares, he laid down a solid backbeat and was much appreciated.

You can get a selection from their albums off of their Myspace site including the 'Hey Jeb (with intro)'. I love this song - it deserves to be a tearaway success - somebody is gonna have the balls to pick it up and run with it, the crowd loved it too, especially the guy with the crewcut who kept holding up his hand - he could see four of everybody in the band I'm sure.

During the second set Luke from Leafhound guested on guitar and shifted the balance yet again into a very cool Creedence Clearwater type sound. People were still trying to get in off the street, but the night was drawing to a close, and they finished off with a riproaring 'I Saw The Light' which did my heart good, I can tell you.

I left town northwest along the river straight for that huge crescent moon sitting on the horizon, passed the Devil's Bit and headed West into the night.

If ever you get the chance to see 'em you take it, y'hear. They're in the UK next week (see the myspace site again), and the rest is up to you.
What? Oh! OK Listen up! Time is short, and we ain't been behavin', and the Big Man ain't far away. Ever

~~How Do We Do MP3~~ You can still see the Great video animation for this track at their (you guessed it) Myspace site.

''''' ''''' '''''
EXTRA!

Dublin photographer Jeannie Wenham was at the gig and very kindly sent us these two shots of the boys in action.
(ph. +353 86 351 4303 - email jeanniew@o2.ie)

.:×¥T:-: ?:.

2006-04-28T01:15:00.000+01:00

Go read .:×¥T:-: ?:.

I just love this. Does my Soul good. The music on John Wesley Harding is out of this world. Nothing like it before or since. And it's good to read someone appreciating the damn stuff. Get in there and make your connections. Get 'em Happening, folks. It's the Way.

This Week's MacIDOL Update

2006-04-25T20:12:00.000+01:00

I'm not lazy - I'm inundated LOL We've had a house full, and this is birthday week so quit your blabbing, cut me some slack, sit back and let your ears do the talking. We've got some goodies, I tell ya! AND I'm reposting it since yesterdays Blogspot outage caused mayhem throughout the known universe. So there.

slumbering - I Can't Contain Myself MP3 This has got more heart than we deserve, all wrapped in that great strolling rhythm. Perfect.

Sp3ccylad - Surely MP3 The avant pop savant excels himself with this Beatles/Squeeze flavoured tune but the story is all his own. I love those harmonies. And those solos ... wicked!

B&Massa - Kilroy's Blues MP3 The man himself stretching out on a blues workout reminiscent of Nickel Creek. Great stuff.

Octafish - Traveller MP3 Psychedelic Ambient Funk indeed

aka Gumbo - My Baby Kissed Bo Diddley MP3 "A rockin little record I want my Jockey to play" For Lofi buffs. A true story, apparently ...

Karen Link - It's About Time MP3 Time for everything. Make it.

Genevieve Donaldson - The Little Things MP3 Hard hitting funky New Country from OZ. Watch this gal.

John K Connection - Drink MP3 A little dark side for ya.

Sonny Fisher

2006-04-23T01:01:00.000+01:00

The story is told at Paul Vidal's site, or more formally in the Guardian Obituary and you can check his 50s releases out at the RCS Discography but where O where did I read that he was of Irish descent? No matter. A minor thing. hardly important at all. Look at that pic. Who needs proof heh heh! What? Well read the obituary again. There. I'm glad we sorted that out. Now wrap your ears round your speakers and roll up the carpet. Hmm? All right. Roll the carpet up first then.

~~Rockin' Daddy MP3~~
~~Rockin' And A Rollin' MP3~~

Now. Read my lips. I just bought the thoroughly excellent Properbox 103, in other words, "Boppin' Hillbilly to Red Hot Rockabilly" and for your inspiration I commend you to the following establishment (amazon.co.uk) unless you know someone nearer.

Teenage Heaven

2006-04-17T18:44:00.000+01:00

Eddie Cochran died 46 years ago today. If you're interested you will find more info than you'll ever need right here Otherwise listen to these. And if you haven't got them yet go and buy at least twenty tracks by the man. He was great.

~~Teenage Heaven MP3~~
~~Nervous Breakdown MP3~~

Monday MacIDOL Update

2006-04-10T18:20:00.000+01:00

Paul Brazier with slumbering - Fly MP3 Indie

Freddy B. - Step Up On The Block MP3 Hip Hop

Bananakiller - The Escort Technoo Girl inst MP3 Dance

TEAM LANDRETH - Three Bar Stools MP3 Blues

Joanna Sandsmark - Gin and Tonic MP3 Folk

iFingers - Om Mane Padme Hum MP3 Punk

You Got My Mojo Working

2006-04-07T22:49:00.000+01:00

Muddy Waters from the American Folk Blues Festival:

Kwaya Na Kisser: Africana Series #2: Fela Anikulapo Kuti

2006-04-05T01:25:00.000+01:00

Lovers of the Holy Groove should head over to Kwaya Na Kisser for his post on Fela Anikulapo Kuti (Africana Series #2), where there is some essential listening.

Monday MacIDOL Update, pardon?

2006-04-04T23:05:00.000+01:00

There has been such an influx of great music at MacIDOL.com this last week or so, I don't know where to start. Oh yes I do!
Sp3ccylad - You Don't Own Me MP3
More from the Avant Pop Savant, finely crafted simple punchy Pop music. I said it before and I'll say it again: "Kirsty McCall meets the Stone Roses". Yum.

Baroolyo - Calm Down Everybody MP3
Tight as a drum reggae based tune from the exciting newcomers Baroolyo. If this doesn't get you groovin you need to listen to:

Jenkins McKenzie - Baby I'm Your Man MP3
and try and keep a straight face. I managed 38 seconds. This guy knows how to enjoy himself!

RC Andrews - Freak (Stream)
I love it when Rob just gets down with that fancy six string and cuts loose with the sassy vocals. Great singer, good song.

Scott Savalo - Blood In The Oil MP3
Scott has a sleeper with this one. It creeps up on you PoliticoBlues and some nice slide guitar. Tell it like it is.

The Fritters - Let's Go Out MP3
I just love this duo.

aka Gumbo - So Long MP3
Rockabilly tinged country tune. "Dear John You're Gone". Don't look back.

Kaabel - Future Weather Conditions MP3
Some very classy old school tripping.

Talkin Ape - Nudism MP3
Classic funky beats from the Talkin Ape.

SistaMac - Wingwalker MP3
Sista Mac's beautiful voice and guitar gets me every time. This is a beaut.

Finer Update

2006-04-03T10:05:00.000+01:00

Saturday's Post on Adam Finer is hearby updated: apparently the MP3 I linked to was an older version and the link now goes to the Album version of Pure Delight. So Does This One in case you're on a feed. (EDIT: Though it now links to a stream as the download has expired. Thanks for putting it up, Adam.)

Thank you for tuning in, turning on, and Enjoying the Hell out of Your Life.

The Finer Things In Life

2006-04-01T19:36:00.000+01:00

I first heard the London artist, Adam Finer, in late 2004. A song called "Longing" caught my ear as being a perfect exmple of modern heartfelt Blue-eyed Soul. Gorgeous melody, aching vocals, and beautiful restraint - I've been a fan ever since. Longing has now been remastered and released as "Pure Delight" on Finer's new album "Down The Line"

Pure Delight (stream)
See It Clearly (stream)
They are available for Download by arrangement for a limited period, and after that you can get them from iTunes along with the rest of this great album.

If you are moved to own this album for yourself in all it's pristine fingertapping CD-ness, a word to the wise, by it direct from Adam Finer at his online store. Down The Line CD It won't be cheaper anywhere else and there is no better way to give credit where it is due.

MBOC for April

2006-04-01T19:08:00.000+01:00

The April MBOC (My Best Of Collection), your Monthly excursion into some of the best music uploaded at MacIDOL.com as selected and presented by Rob Andrews, it is available now for your delectation and enjoyment.

Featuring Down Tempo Goddess, Katie Uppuluri, the gorgeous Frenz, and a potent new track from Mary Carradine - it's a good one. Go an' get an earful.

Lee 'Scratch' Perry - 70 today.

2006-03-20T22:01:00.000Z

Thanks to Bottled for pointing this out to me, today.

The ol' Upsetter, Lee Perry is celebrating his 70th birthday.

Check out a whole bunch of his songs covered by 'an eclectic range of artists' at Upsetter.net and let me know your favourites.

To End All Hangovers

2006-03-19T19:53:00.000Z

Well the St Patrick's Day Party is over. The bottles are in the bin, friends have been roused, fed, taken to the pub, and roused and fed again. Some of the hardier souls still have a hangover.

This one is for them. If you get your speakers angled just right, plaster will start to fall off the walls.

~~Homesick Boy MP3~~ - George Thorogood and the Destroyers

This was a critical record for me. 1977 was a critical time all round. There were paradigms to sort out. Were you a Punk or a Teddy Boy? Hell's teeth, you can be BOTH!

As far as I knew this hadn't even been on an LP, never mind a CD, but the Enabler put me right and now there's a new addition to my shopping list. See the comments!