Song of the day 57 : Boz Scaggs - Loan Me A Dime

Last night I watched a copy of Boz Scaggs Greatest Hits Live that a friend lent me.  Lately I have been listening to a lot of early Boz and his most recent album.  Stuff from 1969 - 1972.

While it lacks the gloss of the period from 76 to the mid 80's  it is, in my opinion, more engaging.

Loan Me A Dime from his self titled debut is simply outstanding and now one of my favourite songs full stop. Great guitar, thanks to Duanne Allman, Eddie Hinton and Boz himself and a brass riff that is up there with the best in rock.

Stunning!!! 

Song of the Day 56 : Biff Rose - Fill Your Heart

Stuck in the middle of side two of David Bowie's magnificent and breakthrough album Hunky Dory is a weird and incongruous track "Fill Your Heart".  At the time I knew it was not an original as it is credited to Biff Rose.

In truth if it was so twee and so short it was never worth skipping on vinyl but regularly gets skipped when I am playing the CD.

I latter heard that Bowie was a big fan of the guy and recorded another song of his as well - Buzz the Fuzz.

The beauty of the internet, means research is much easier and I eventually found a copy of the album that both songs came from.  I was really surprised that not only did Bowie cover the song but, even though at the time he was begging to be known as an innovator in this instance Bowie was no more than an affected karaoke artist.   Check out Biff's version here.

More Muscle from The Shoals : Don Nix ‎– Hobos, Heroes And Street Corner Clowns

I came across Don Nix researching recordings that David Hood from the Swampers had played on.  I then kept an eye out for albums by him at a reasonable price and Hobos, Heroes and Street Corner Clowns was the  first one that I then managed to find.  Half recorded at the Shoals and half in London the album reflects that schizophrenic mix but it still has a lot to offer.

Black Cat Moan sounds like vintage Stones and We gotta Move (Keep on Rolling) is another highlight.

Started to read a bit more on Mr Nix and found out that he was an original member of the Bar-Keys the original Stax house band, before they morphed into the Mar-Keys and the MGs.   After that he took off to LA where he was Leon Russel's room and band mate.  That alliance led him to working with Freddie King and writing some of the best songs and producing King's masterpiece Getting Ready.

There's those connections that go right through my music collection.

Journey Through The Past : Leon Russell : Carney

By the time Carney was released in 1972 Leon's star was already fading and a young upstart called Elton John was cornering the eccentric piano playing rocker market.  Leon had also been outflanked by Jow Cocker who after touring with Leon on the Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour took Leon's backing band away from him and scored a big hit with Delta Lady, Leon's ode to Rita Coolidge.

There are some magnificent songs on Carney but the album had a willfulness about it with some interesting (?) instrumental moments.

However any album with songs as good a Tight Rope, This Masquerade (an interesting version here introduced by Elton) and My Cricket and Magic Mirror is always going to be worth checking out.

It was not until recently that I realised that some of the album was recorded at Muscle Shoals so that is another point in its favour.

Damn Right I've Got The Blues : Willie Dixon : I Am The blues

Willie Dixon is generally one of the unsung behind the scene heroes of the blues.  He played bass and wrote or contributed to the writing of many of the early songs recorded at Chess records in the 50's and early 60's.Willie contributed songs for Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and Little Walter either as principal songwriter or at least helping out.

Famous in the 70's for successfully suing Led Zeppelin for stealing his songs - most notably how they took his You Need Love to be their Whole Lotta Love

He generally shunned the spotlight but in 1969 stepped out front with these recirdings of his own classic songs. The statement I am the Blues is for once not an exageration.

Just look at the song titles, all Willie's own. Hoochie Coochie Man, Spoonful, Little Red Rooster, I can't Quit You Baby, Backdoor Man, You Shook Me and The Same Thing.  Wow!!!

Damn Right I've Got The Blues : Hubert Sumlin : About Them Shoes

I saw what would have been one of the great Hubert Sumlin's last shows.  I was in Chicago and managed to catch a tribute show marking Robert Johnson's 100th Birthday and Hubert played a twenty minute set.  At that stage he was dependent on an oxygen machine but  still managed to play.  He died not much later and one of the nice stories that accompanied that sad news and all the obituaries was that Keith Richards and Mick Jagger dug into their pockets to pay for Hubert's funeral.

One of the architects of rock and roll and revered by many of the English Blues freaks of the 60's Hubert was the Guitar Player behind Howlin' Wolf.  He created one of the most distinctive and influential sounds around the blues.


This album features a mix of Willie Dixon and Muddy Water's songs with one Sumlin original. Hubert is supported throughout by cast of stars and seasoned session musicians  and generally leaves the vocals to others.  Among those that joined him are Levon Helm from The Band, Blondie Chaplin (the Beachboys and the Stones touring band) and David Johansen from the New York Dolls.

However the undoubted highlights come from the inspired performances playing with Hubert that come from Eric Clapton ( has he sounded more alive in the last 30 year's ago than he does on the opening I'm Ready and Long Distance Call?) and Keith Richards produces an atmospheric Still a fool.  It shows what being in the company of your hero can do.

On the final track, This is the end little girl, Hubert steps to the mic and closes the album in style  

Song of the Day 55 : We Had it All : Waylon Jennings; Dobie Gray, The Rolling Stones; Maggie Bell; Everyone really!!!!

We Had it All is one of the great Country Soul Classics and certainly one of my all time favourite songs. I have now many many versions of this song and seeing it on an album (by a half reasonable singer) is frequently enough to persuade me to pick the album.  The version I heard first was Waylon Jennings' from his Honky Tonk Heroes album.  On an album packed with great Billy Joe Shaver songs it stands out.  Other versions I enjoy include Dobie Gray's and Maggie Bell's.  I also quite like this version by Ray Charles.  It is also supposedly one of Keith Richard's favourite songs and The Stones have their own version and Keith regularly sings it with others.

The song was written by Troy Seals and Donnie Fritts - Fritts is a native of Florence Alabama in the Muscle Shoals area who still plays with Rick Hall occasionally so it does have that groove to it.   I am currently on a mission to track down a copy of Donnie's Prone to Lean album where he gives his own interpretation. 

Journey Through The Past : The Chills, Submarine Bells

Submarine Bells was The Chills big one.  The almost breakthrough album, sure they were on the Dunedin EP, Pink Frost is a classic and I Love My Leather Jacket had a great backstory but this was the album that had all NZ music fans think they were going take that step to REM style fame.

It started with the prophetically titled Heavenly Pop Hit which became one in NZ and Australia.  They were signed to  the then successful semi independent label Slash and seemed to for once have strong record company backing.   However it did not happen.

Some blamed a difficult Martin Phillips and his tendency to spill band members.  However after listening to the album again recently I think it just wasn't (quite) as good as we all wanted it to be, or maybe it was just ahead of its time. That feeling was reinforced recently when I was listening to Wilco's The Whole Love album and I had to ask myself if it was Wilco or The Chills.  There are some great songs on the album and I would also encourage you to listen to Submarine Bells, Dead Web, and Effloresce and Diliquesce

Favourites : Jorma Kaukonen, Blue Country Heart

I can not remember why I bought Blue Country Heart.   I know where I bought it - in a small CD store on Main Street Pasadena.   Maybe there was a write up and in  store recommendation, maybe it was playing, maybe it was just cheap.  I certainly knew who Jorma was,  the guitarist with Jefferson Airplane and later Hot Tuna.

The liner notes say a lot about the inspiration for the CD. Jorma surrounded himself with his favourite acoustic musicians and songs that had inspired his first interest in music.

This is a delight from beginning to end.  Impeccably recorded with crystal clear sound.  I would love to have it on vinyl but I am not aware it has been released.  When auditioning new HiFi equipment this is one of the albums I use to check out how the system or component will handle acoustic music.

Here is a short promotional film outlining how it came to pass with a few samples.  I have many of these songs in many various versions but this collection I keep coming back to Just Because, Bread Line Blues, Waiting for a Train and Big River Blues. 

Journey Through The Past : The Replacements : Let it Be

The best Rock and Roll is supposed to be a bit sloppy.

Some bands pull it off better than others.  The Stones at their best, The Faces, The Pretty Things, The Who all knew that the feel was more important than technical excellence.  In NZ we had the La De Das, Toy Love and Hello Sailor.    In the US it always seemed a bit rarer for bands to forsake technical mastery for The Feel - at least not in the long run.

The Replacements certainly did.  The Feel was what it was all about and at their best they were incredibly sloppy.

I have heard cases made for Let it Be (and not The Beatles' one) as not only The Replacements finest album but one of the best albums ever made.  I do not quite agree but do believe it was the start of them being a really great band and perhaps America's only great sloppy rock'n'roll band.  

It starts with the truly classic I Will Dare - the opening chords as important and resonant to some as that chord that kicked off The Beatles' A Hard Day's Night.  They don't forget their irreverent side with Gary's Got a Boner and Tommy Gets his Tonsils Out and their cover of Kiss's Black Diamond but it is the slower songs like Unsatisfied, Androgynous that pointed to Paul Westerburg's growing skills as a songwriter.

Next Step Tim!!

To some people The Replacements are the most important band of all time. Last year they reformed for a few shows and I was surprised that I have came across 3 people who made the pilgrimage to Minneaplis to their home coming show.




  

Journey Through The Past : Chip Taylor : Gasoline

Over the years I have picked up a few Chip Taylor CDs and the other day when I saw Gasoline I thought it well worth picking up.

Chip has an interesting back story - John Voight's brother (so Angelina's uncle), musician, professional gambler, songwriter and occasional performer.

His most well known song is Wild Thing - yes that Wild Thing!  But he also wrote hits for The Hollies, Janis Joplin (Try) and Angel of The Morning for Merilee Rush and Juice Newton.

So this was his debut album from 1972 and it has his first version of Angel of the Morning on it (he recorded another version for the album Hitman when he recorded a selection of his own hit songs).

This is a very good album and he deserved more recognition than he got.  His later albums, particularly those with Carrie Rodriguez are well worth checking out.

Journey Through The Past : Black : Wonderful Life

Black, (aka Colin Vearncombe) released his Wonderful Life album back in 1987.  That makes the album the same age as Chris!!!

At the time some of the songs were all over the radio.  Typical of the synth heavy production of times which clearly dates the music.

However while some of the hit songs in the 80s are really  little more than vehicle for glossy production Black has some really top notch songs.

From the title track Wonderful Life, through Everything is Coming Up  Roses, Paradise to the closer Sweetest Smile the writing is top notch and managed to pierce the production.

While it would be nice to see the songs given a more open and simple production this still stands the test of time

Recent Additions : Courtney Barnett : Sometimes I sit and think and sometimes I just sit

Any phone call with Sam or Chris is likely to cover what music they are listening to or have bought recently.  When both of them mentioned Courtney Barnett I decided I should check her.

At that stage apart from the fact that both the boys were listening to her I knew little about her apart from the fact she was Australian.

So probably a month or so later I saw a copy of Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit on sale I decided it was time to check it out.

On first listen she presents a little bit of 80's Flying Nun, Velvet Underground, Pavement and pre-grunge coming together with a current perspective. Simple production of a mix of stream of consciousness and/or deeply personal lyrics.

So familiar and different at the same time.  I am sure this will change but my current favourites are Elevator Operator, Kim's Caravan, Pedestrian at Best and An Illustration of Loneliness.    I am sure in a few weeks there will be more

Recommended

Journey Through The Past : Talking Heads Naked

I was lucky  enough to see Talking Heads twice, once in 1979 when they played an excellent edgy set in support of the magnificent Fear of Music album and then again at Sweetwaters South in Christchurch at what turned out to be their final full concert.

Naked is their often ignored final studio album.  By that stage in their career their inventiveness was taken a bit too much for granted.  This album shows how they could continue to grow and subvert and while on first listen it may sound like just an extension of what they were doing what strikes me every time I play it is how they traded African rhythms for South American and Carribean sounds and approaches while still sounding like Talking Heads.  CLEVER.

Probably more aligned with the 70's and 80's Latin sounds of their adopted New York than their other albums.





Check out the first three tracks in particular - first impressions with opening track Blind is this is a bit of reworking off Remain in Light - but then the subtlety of the change in rhythms become more and more apparent and you realise it is really only the vocal treatments that are consistent.  The pattern continues with Mr Jones , Totally Nude and finally for side one (Nothing But) Flowers.  The same but different but brilliant!

Favourites : The Harder They Come - OST (Jimmy Cliff)

I have my son Chris to thank me for introducing me to this album.  Of course I knew the title track and  Pressure Drop by The Clash pretty well (rather than the Maytals' version here which I had only heard once or twice).

When we left NZ coming up eight years ago we left the boys Jan's car.  At that stage it was in pretty good nick, now it shows all the signs of wear you would expect from sustained student use, dents, squeaks and a temperamental CD player that only plays the CDs it wants to.  It likes this CD - a lot. On cold days this might be the only CD it will play.  So on my visits to Christchurch this is pretty much THE SOUNDTRACK. So I now know the album VERY well.


An unexpected surprise was when I heard Sitting Limbo, I commented to Chris that it sounded like a Muscle Shoals song.  It had that feel even though it was reggae.  I was pleased later when I found I was right and it was  produced by Marlon Greene.

However it is the classic early reggae that the album is best for, whether it is Rivers of Babylon, You can Get it if you Really Want, or the classics of The Harder They Come , Many Rivers to Cross

Hard to Find : Lee Hazlewood and Ann-Margret : The Cowboy and the Lady

The Cowboy and the Lady was released in 1969 between the two Nancy and Lee albums.  Truth is I never knew it existed until the day I bought it! Saw it in a second hand store round the corner from Mum's in Petone.  I checked out it was selling for on line and found it was a bargain.

I had heard Ann Margret's singing before on the Tommy soundtrack where she played Tommy's mother.  But she was always better known for her "acting" and supposed relationship with Elvis.


It is kind of a Son of Nancy and Lee album, not too different but different enough.  Ann's singing has that "almost a singer" sound that some people can pull off (but most can't).  However Hazlewood's arrangements are sympathetic to that approach and I really enjoy this and to have (yet) another version of  Dark End of the Street is never a bad thing.  Hardly a definitive version but not bad either.

An interesting mix of songs with versions of The Walker Brothers'  No Regrets, Waylon's
Only Mama That Will Walk The Line.   Greyhound Bus Depot and  Sweet Thing are also highlights.

Glad I bought it and who knows - one day I may even make a profit on it.