RE: Topsoil Playlist for April
I'm currently reading the book, following the recent P2 raves, but it's sold without the CD round here. Anyone know where I can get it without the book? Tim O'Brien has been a favourite for a while and Dirk Powell is fast becoming one as a result of his work in Balfa Toujours and his If I Go Ten Thousand Miles album. Richard Haslop Durban, South Africa -Original Message- From: Steve Gardner [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Wednesday, April 28, 1999 5:24 AM To: passenger side Subject: Topsoil Playlist for April 7. Dirk Powell, Tim O'Brien John Herrmann - Songs From the Mountain - Howdy Skies [This is the best CD of new fangled old-time music I've heard in a few years. Together, these three musicians have succeeded in putting a soundtrack to the book Cold Mountain, written by local author Charles Frazier. This CD is only sold as a companion to the paperback version of the book. Check major retailers such as Borders and Amazon.com if you have problems finding it. Both the book and the CD are well worth the search.]
RE: Updates
Tom I'm at the office right now, without access to the album, but will get back to you. It's mainly English folkies, though, and includes Richard Linda doing the previously unreleased title track (circa "Bright Lights" if memory serves). And, on the subject of Thompson tributes, there's also an album called His Master's Choice, or something like that, by English folksinger Dave Burland. Nice, but unessential, and along the lines of the Richard Dobson Townes tribute, which I much prefer. Richard np - Bunny Wailer - DUBD'SCO Vols 12 -Original Message- From: Tom Smith [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Saturday, April 24, 1999 5:31 PM To: passenger side Subject: Re: Updates Richard Haslop wrote: The World Is A Wonderful Place (is that what the English Richard Thompson tribute was called? I haven't heard of this. Who's on it? Tom Smith
Playlists : Roots To Fruits
A couple more Roots To Fruits playlists from SAfm 104-107 in South Africa: 18 April STEVE RILEY THE MAMOU PLAYBOYS - Allons Danser WAYNE TOUPS - One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Brothers Under The Bridge CHERI KNIGHT - Dar Glasgow STEVE EARLE THE DEL McCOURY BAND - Harlan Man LIZ PHAIR - Johnny Feelgood MARY JANE LAMOND - Seinn O THE CHIEFTAINS - The Fiddling Ladies LOS SUPER SEVEN - La Madrugada OLIVER MTUKUDZI - Todii (Zimbabwe) AMADOU et MARIAM - Djandjolo (Mali) SYD KITCHEN - Where The Children Play (South Africa) KING TUBBY - Everybody Needs Dub 25 April KING TUBBY - Dub Is My Occupation SUB DUB - Q Samba Sub Dub Mix ARTO LINDSAY - Q Samba GOLDEN PALOMINOS - The Haunting RICHARD THOMPSON - Keep Your Distance REALEJO - Cancao Do Gaitiero medley (Portugal) MAZAPEGUL - Bandido (Italy) KOCANI ORKESTAR - L'Orient Est Rouge (Macedonia) DIRTY DOZEN BRASS BAND - The Flintstones Meets The President SOUTHERN SCRATCH - Cuatro Vidas Polka LOS SUPER SEVEN - Rio de Tenampa JOE ELY - She Never Spoke Spanish To Me (Live at the 1990 Cambridge Folk Festival) BUTCH HANCOCK - Dominoes Richard
RE: Updates
Also Where The Pyramid Meets The Eye (Rokey Erickson tribute), The World Is A Wonderful Place (is that what the English Richard Thompson tribute was called? Much better than the major label Beat The Retreat), and do the Ralph Stanley things count as tributes? There was also a pretty good Leonard Cohen one called I'm Your Fan (and a fairly lousy one called Tower Of Song). I was going to mention Fast 'n' Bulbous (the Beefheart tribute), but I saw what happened the last time I dropped his name in this company. Mostly I agree with Marie, but generally dull tribute albums sometimes do contain the odd where-the-hell-did-THAT-come-from cover version which almost justifies their existence. Richard -Original Message- From: Marie Arsenault [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Friday, April 23, 1999 3:42 PM To: passenger side Subject: RE: Updates I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the world does not need anymore tribute albums. g It's one of those ideas that are better in theory. The only really good one is *Tulare Dust*, imo. And the Tom T. Hall tribute is pretty good. marie
RE: new Go Betweens best of
But when the hidden track's as good as Lee Remick! The Go-Betweens were strong contenders for band of the '80s where I live (the house ... not, unfortunately, the whole town.) -Original Message- From: Jeff Weiss [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Friday, April 23, 1999 3:17 AM To: passenger side Subject: new Go Betweens best of All you country folk turn your heads for a minute... 14 track best of (15 counting the long no longer interesting concept of hidden track) plus the initial US pressing has a bonus live CD. track listing: Was There Anything I Could Do?/Head Full Of Steam/That Way /Part Company/Cattle And Cain/Draining The Pool For You/The Wrong Road/Bye Bye Pride/Man O'sand To Girl O'sea/The House That Jack Kerouac Built/Bachelor Kisses/Streets Of Your Town/Spring Rain/Dive For The Memory/Hidden Track - Lee Remick you country lovers can turn back around, the menace has passed. Jeff Miles of Music mail order http://www.milesofmusic.com FREE printed Catalog: (818) 883-9975 fax: (818) 992-8302, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Alt-Country, rockabilly, bluegrass, folk, power pop and tons more.
RE: Most albums sold, per RIAA
What was it the man said? When a million people say a stupid thing, it remains a stupid thing. Of course it was a marketing guy who came up with the title 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong. Odd thing was, the album was worth getting in that particular instance. Richard -Original Message- From: Terry A. Smith [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Friday, April 23, 1999 2:02 PM To: passenger side Subject: Re: Most albums sold, per RIAA Jon: As far as the lowest common denominator argument goes, I'm not sure what to make of it. The Beatles have sold about 20% more albums; does that mean they made music for a 20% lower common denominator? (I suspect there are a few folks who will answer "yes".) Out of the top 25 on that best-selling etc. Hitching the popularity of music to some sort of inverse proportion, whereby more records sold equals dwindling quality is one of those equations that has too damn many exceptions to be very useful. But I think that if you state it this way -- "Just because something sells like hotcakes doesn't mean it's any good" -- then you're on more solid ground. And if you then explore the reasons why marketing and hype, and good ol' arbitrary taste, can catapult an OK product to mass popularity -- anything from Beanie Babies to Shania to the latest Keanu Reeves movie -- you can make some sense of it. I don't know how many times I've had the following discussion with my two girls, as they're watching MTV: Eloquent dad: Man, that sucks. Oldest daughter: Yeah, if it sucks so bad, why is it the top-selling record in the country? Dad: Well, honey, you have to understand the power of marketing. When they pour millions of dollars... Hey, where you going? -- Terry Smith
Tal Bachman
Thanks for the tip, everyone. I persuaded an advance copy (we're a little slow down here in South Africa) out of the local Sony office and the first listen suggests there'll be a whole lot more. -Original Message- From: Jerry Curry [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, April 22, 1999 9:13 PM To: passenger side Subject: Re: Artist of the Decade? NP: Tal Bachman - so far, my #1 top release of the year. Lush, rich.voice reminds me of paul Kelly at times. JC
RE: Clip: Bluegrass Hootie
Wow, look out David Grisman. -Original Message- From: Carl Abraham Zimring [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 1999 9:00 PM To: passenger side Subject: Clip: Bluegrass Hootie ``You can tell I've been listening to bluegrass. Darius turned me on to Doc Watson. Music is my true love in life. I discover things like bluegrass. There's so much out there, different styles, new instruments to learn, songs I haven't written yet. ``It's got Darius playing mandolin. He had never played it. I said, 'The chords are not that hard, if you can play guitar. You learn where to put your fingers.' He was fine. He had a smile on his face when he played it.''
RE: Captain BeefheartTom Waits
When you aim so far from the centre you're bound to miss much of the time, but when you hit!! I reinvestigated Trout Mask Replica a couple of years ago, completely conscious of the "conspiracy of critics" theory in terms of which certain albums are likely to get good press even from people who haven't properly listened. I think I finally got it. Whatever the reason, my attitude changed from a kind of puzzled sense of wonder to pretty near total adoration. Richard -Original Message- From: lance davis [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, April 22, 1999 7:02 PM To: passenger side Subject: Re: Captain BeefheartTom Waits Man, I can't even find the words to express how much I hate Beefheart. I know hate is a strong word, but it's really not strong enough. Marie Captain Beefheart was and is a unique character. Brad If nothing else, Captain Beefheart paved the way for his musical superior, Tom Waits. Or, maybe I should say that the Beefheart precedent seems so clearly to have influenced Tom's work from Swordfishtrombones onward. Personally, I think the Beef have some very annoying stuff, and is almost certainly overrated, but I do think that "China Pig" is a great, bluesy song, FWIW. Lance . . .
RE: Captain Beefheart (re:Welfare Music)
Suggested Beefheart twang content: those decals that he invited his baby to lick off may just have been the flag decals that wouldn't get John Prine into heaven anymore. Richard, interpreting the signs (or maybe just being a smartass) -Original Message- From: Marie Arsenault [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, April 22, 1999 4:28 PM To: passenger side Subject: Re: Captain Beefheart (re:Welfare Music) A Captain Beefheart subject heading on P2. I've been hoping that this day wouldn't arrive. It must be some kind of sign. And not a good one.
RE: Single Most Influential
I've just finished reading John Cale's autobiography, What's Welsh For Zen. Here's what he says: "I found the resurgence of interest in the Velvet Underground, and in particular an attempt to see their influence everywhere, fatuous. I don't think rock and roll is based on influence. The notion of the father figure handing down the baton is a classical music thing. In rock and roll, people sound similar, but they don't influence anyone. Dylan didn't influence anyone. He created a cult of personality. He's an individual entity and he bagged for himself a huge parabola within the expression of the form we're talking about. One of rock and roll's distinct, precious qualities is that individuality counts for more than almost anything." I reckon the evidence is against him much of the time, but it's a view. Richard -Original Message- From: David Cantwell [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 1999 5:53 PM To: passenger side Subject: Re: Single Most Influential At 01:49 AM 4/21/99 -0400, Tera wrote: Yes, I know what you mean - however...Crosby was influenced enough by Jolson to forego his previously scheduled future to pursue a career in music. After Crosby began singing he took other influences into account and thus established his own style. I'd say Jolson was the greatest influence for Crosby as Jolson was responsible for kick-starting a career which may not have been otherwise. Personally, I'd call this more inspiration than influence. Maybe i'm unusual (watch it, now Tera!) but when I talk about musical influences I tend to think not only the person or thing that inspired or motivated an artist to create art in the first place but primarily the persons or things that actually influenced or helped shape the KIND of art that was made. In Crosby's case, that figure was largely Armstrong. To use a far less significant example to illustrate this distinction, the writer who first got me thinking that, hey, I want to be a writer too was, no snickering, J.R.R. Tolkien. It would be a lie, however, if I said he had been an actual influence on the kind of writing i do or the way i do it. Well, it seems to me that Jolson was responsible for changing the way in which music was presented. as well as a whole lot else, as Tera articulated quite well. Like I say, he was hugely important. But my only point is that the things Jolsen did, while significant, tended to end with him. Crosby came along, basically refuted the Jolsen model--Crosby's singing and acting is diametrically opposed to Jolsen's in nearly every way--and helped create (no exageration) the world and musical style we tend to think of as being "Twentieth Century"--that is, the world we live in and the musical styles we still use. Jolsen, by contrast, was merely the high point of a world we long ago left behind. Tera (and you still skirted around the issue of great female influentials...harummph! Can I hear a Ma Rainey or a Bessie Smith?) You can hear a Bessie Smith, and I'll repeat Mahalia Jackson, and add Aretha Franklin. All three would be "top ten most influential" candidates. But I'm standing pat with my Satchmo/King then JB/Bing Top 4. --david cantwell
RE: Welfare Music
Wasn't the same said about Captain Beefheart? Now THAT was a voice. -Original Message- From: vgs399 [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 1999 9:00 AM To: passenger side Subject: Re: Welfare Music Carey's camp wants us to believe that she has an eight-octave range. Yeah, right - if rocks could fly.
The Byrds in South Africa
It's taken me a while to get around to this, but I said I would, so ... As some of you may know, since it seems to have been one of the most notorious of rock 'n' roll tours, the Byrds visited South Africa in 1968 following the release of Sweetheart Of The Rodeo and some dates in the UK when they were joined on stage by Doug Dillard, if memory serves. I seem to have read on the list recently that live recordings from these gigs are included on a recent Gram Parsons bootleg. Anyway the group, then consisting of McGuinn, Hillman, Parsons and Hillman's cousin, Kevin Kelley (ex-Rising Sons) on drums, were due to tour SA directly afterwards. However, Parsons never got on the plane from London to Johannesburg. History has it that he found SA's apartheid policies too objectionable. I was fortunate enough to interview McGuinn and Hillman a couple of years ago for a radio show on the Byrds and Burritos and Hillman's view was that, while this may have had something to do with it, Gram actually just wanted to continue hanging out with the Rolling Stones. Membership of the Byrds had given Parsons a rock 'n' roll profile, and his friendship with Keith Richards would raise that profile. Whatever the reason, it seems he only told the group on the day they were leaving England. By the way, I found Hillman to be a terrific interviewee, very friendly and forthcoming and, needless to say, a huge Gene Clark fan, which didn't hurt my impression of him either. Of course, South Africa was expecting a four piece, and a four piece was what we got, roadie Carlos Bernal stepping somewhat shakily into the breach, and spending most of the concert I saw - and, according to reports, most of the tour - with his back to the audience. He clearly didn't know all the chords and, according to McGuinn, who recalls the tour as being "very weird", didn't actually play much at all. He appeared in newspaper photos of the band, identified as Gram Parsons - those of us who bought Melody Maker and New Musical Express and knew what Parsons looked like were confused, since Bernal looked nothing like him, but only discovered later what was going on. An older friend of mine met the band and told me that the rhythm guitarist was actually a roadie called Carlos. Whatever happened to him? Does anyone know? I was 15 years old and completely taken with the fact that my clear favourite band - only the Kinks competed - was playing in my town. I was then living in Port Elizabeth and, if SA was isolated, PE was totally off the map. I remember much of the concert, though I was convinced, and remain so, that it was stunning. The reality was probably quite different. Besides the shortage of one member, McGuinn had been ill and Hillman did a fair amount of the singing - I specifically recall him singing The Christian Life, for example, and maybe even You Ain't Going Nowhere. McGuinn's extended Eight Miles High held me enthralled, and I was most impressed that Kelley hit the drums hard enough to break his sticks. The group was panned in the press. English and Australian P2-ers might be interested in the fact that the concert in PE was reviewed by Peter Pollock, then a South African cricket player and journalist on the local paper (his father was the editor) and now SA's national chairman of selectors. He liked the support band, local poppers the Staccatos who had hits with covers of the Bee Gees' Spicks And Specks and Solomon Burke's Cry To Me, and hated the Byrds. He was a bit of a local celebrity, easily recognized by a cricket fan like myself, and I saw him walk out of the show early. The group was hounded by negative press throughout the tour, with dark murmurings of left wing politics and drug taking following them around, and to say they left under a cloud is an understatement. Who knows why they came. Only a few of us knew anything except Mr Tambourine Man and Turn Turn Turn, though You Ain't Going Nowhere got a bit of radio play while they were in the country. I'm glad they did, though. Where else would I find anything to write to P2 about? Richard
RE: autoclip: Sparklehorse/Varnaline
What about Terry Allen? Well, maybe not the part about Ronald Reagan. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Friday, April 16, 1999 4:15 AM To: passenger side Subject: Re: autoclip: Sparklehorse/Varnaline More broadly, though, I look at surveys and see how the vast majority of North Americans believe they have a personal relationship with Jesus and still admire Ronald Reagan - and no offense to any P2er who does, at least not right now - but what shocks me is that I don't know anybody who answers to those descriptions.
Twang goes dub
There was some mention of King Tubby in a posting earlier today (South African time). In case you're looking for twang in out of the way places, the latest release on the Blood And Fire label, Dub Like Dirt by King Tubby And Friends, has a track called Dub Is My Occupation which includes a musical reference to Ring Of Fire. Richard
RE: weird Muzak experiences
And, as you no doubt also know, Billy Bragg and Dick Gaughan sang The
Red Flag to its original tune on Billy's Internationale mini-album. See
my Roots To Fruits playlist for 21 March, tucked between Robert Wyatt's
"Tannenbaum" version and Dave Swarbrick's lively rendition of The White
Cockade.
Richard
-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Iain wrote:
Also had a strange experience with Muzak. I was in Austin a couple
of years back just before Xmas (you ever heard the Cornell Hurd
band do an Xmas medley while you're eating enchiladas?) and I was in
the HEB supermarket near the Austin Motel stocking up on anchos. I
became aware that the Muzak sounded familiar, after listening a few
seconds I realised that it was the German hymn tune 'Tannenbaum'
which I believe you associate with Xmas ('O Christmas Tree, O
Christmas tree etc'). Now anyone from over here only thinks of one
association with that tune, it's the air to 'The Red Flag' longtime
anthem of the Labour movement ("The people's flag is deepest red,
it shrouded oft our martyred dead "). I resisted the temptation
to join in the chorus ("So raise the scarlet standard high, Beneath
its shade we'll live and die, Tho' cowards flinch and traitors
sneer, We'll keep the Red Flag flying here") as I figured it might
not go down too well in Texas, even in Austin, but it did strike me
as pretty weird.
PS The words of The Red Flag were:
a) originally written to be sung to the tune of an Irish folk song
'The White Cockade'
b) composed by two men stuck on a train between New Cross and London
Bridge stations
There's not many people know that, (b) anyway.
--
Iain Noble
Hound Dog Research, Survey and Social Research Consultancy,
28A Collegiate Crescent Sheffield S10 2BA UK
Phone/fax: (+44) (0)114 267 1394 email:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
---
RE: Nic Jones
In Search Of Nic Jones is available from Mollie Music, 52 Newland Park Road, York YO10 3HP, England. -Original Message- From: Jeff Weiss [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 1999 1:59 AM To: passenger side Subject: Nic Jones Awhile back there was a Nic Jones discussion. I'm hoping one of you pack rats still have info on the release titled In Search Of or something close to that. If someone can forward it to me offline I'd appreciate it. Gracias Jeff Miles of Music mail order http://www.milesofmusic.com FREE printed Catalog: (818) 883-9975 fax: (818) 992-8302, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Alt-Country, rockabilly, bluegrass, folk, power pop and tons more.
RE: Psycho
Costello also recorded Payne's They'll Never Take Her Love From Me. It was the B-side of the Coward Brothers' (Costello T-Bone Burnett) single, People's Limousine. Richard -Original Message- From: Rob Russell [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Saturday, April 10, 1999 11:34 AM To: passenger side Subject: Re: Psycho Psycho's a great tune! First heard it on a tape of an Elvis Costello interview circa 1979 or so ... his version is on the Rykodisc expanded version of Almost Blue! Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 15:36:31 -0400 From: "Ferguson, Dan" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Psycho To:passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] X-To: "P2 (E-mail)" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Fri, 9 Apr 1999, [iso-8859-1] Andr=E9 Kopostynski wrote: After several spins of Andre William's "Red Dirt" (Bloodshot), which I really enjoy, I have to find out who wrote "Psycho". My copy is an advance and doesn't list any credits (thanks, Rob.) The only other version I have of this song is by an Australian (I believe) band called The Beasts of Bourbon (an album I got 12-15 years ago). Who wrote this creepy song? Don wrote: If that's THE "Psycho," that would be Leon Payne, It's THAT "Psycho." And Mr. Rhythm kicks this gritty baby off with a truckin' tune to boot! Unfortunately, it ain't an FCC-compliant number, so shoo the kids away. Boudin Dan ___ Robert A. Russell Director, Writing and Communication Center East Tennessee State University Box 70602 Johnson City, TN 37614 Phone: (423) 439-8438 Fax: (423) 439-8666 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.etsu.edu/wcc *** "Objective evidence and certitude are doubtless very fine ideals to play with but where on this moonlit and dream-visited planet are they found?" -- William James, 1842-1910, "The Will to Believe"
Roots To Fruits playlist
From South Africa, Roots To Fruits playlist on SAfm 104-107 for 11 April: YAT-KHA - Dalai Beldir (Tuva) VÄRTTINÄ - Neitonen (Finland) THE SKATALITES - Nimble Foot Ska LEE PERRY - Chicken Scratch LEE PERRY - I Am The Upsetter LEE PERRY - I Am A Madman KING TUBBY - Tubby Get Smart THE TRIFFIDS - The Seabirds HOT RIZE - Rank Strangers To Me STEVE EARLE THE DEL McCOURY BAND - The Pilgrim JAYHAWKS - It's Up To You (Jayhawks giveaway) MERCURY REV - Goddess On A Hiway WILLARD GRANT CONSPIRACY - House Is Not A Home LIZ PHAIR - Polyester Bride JAYHAWKS - Clouds Cheers Richard
Greetings from WAY down south
LIAN WELCH - Rock Of Ages ALISON BROWN - The Red Earth BELA FLECK THE FLECKTONES - Sinister Minister SIXTEEN HORSEPOWER - Coal Black Horses 7 Mar. (Blues, as a tribute to Frank Frost, a South African blues musician who died) BLUES BROERS - Graveyard Train (South Africa) LIL SON JACKSON/J.B.LENOIR/OTIS SPANN/LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS - Speech song from Paul Oliver's "Conversations With The Blues" TAB BENOIT/DEBBIE DAVIS/KENNY NEAL - Deal With It LUTHER "GUITAR" JOHNSON - On Your Way ALVIN "YOUNGBLOOD" HART - Big Mama's Door GUY DAVIS - You Don't Know My Mind ALBERT COLLINS - Frosty BLUES BROERS - Hate To See You Go LUCINDA WILLIAMS - 2 Kool 2 Be 4 Gotten ERIC BIBB - Don't Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirits Down HOWLIN' WOLF - Smokestack Lightnin' MUDDY WATERS - Louisiana Blues PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND - Look Over Yonder's Wall JERRY DOUGLAS - For Those Who've Gone Clear Actually, that's probably enough for now. More later. I can be contacted off list at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] or by ordinary mail at: P.O.Box 37284 Overport 4067 Republic of South Africa I'll be back. Richard Haslop
