Blind Lemon Jefferson

Blind Lemon Jefferson was born in 1897 and recorded 80 sides (25 selections appear on this CD) from 1926 through to his untimely death in 1930. He was one of the first to record country blues and his powerful, agonizing voice and instrumental work brought him fame and allowed him to make a living - something that was certainly difficult for a man doubly cursed by his color and his blindness in the early 1900's.

His legacy endures and his influence and his songs have been passed through the years. His "Match Box Blues" alone has been done by such performers as Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley and the Beatles! "That Black Snake Moan" was adapted (pretty freely) for the movie of that name and songs like "Jack O'Diamonds Blues" have been covered by many, including Odetta. Plenty of others cite his influence - Leadbelly said that they worked as a team at one point and even the great T Bone Walker was the man's "lead-boy" for a time.

This is fine country-blues - mostly just Jefferson and his guitar, although there is piano accompaniment on a couple and another guitar, which the liner notes say "may" be Leadbelly on "Lonesome House Blues". The voice is the big selling point for me - strong is an understatement - emotional and filled with pain. The guitar tends to be a bit buried in this early recording process (although the sound is quite good here) but it is solid and fits the songs perfectly.

A great example of early, acoustic blues done by a highly influential master of the field.

recommended gigs

Saturday June 1 - The Swamp Gospel at the Double Down

Sunday June 2 - Crazy Chief at Triple B with Arsenal

Friday June 7 - Tiger Sex at the Double Down with Dirty Panties, Quitters, Seriouslys

Friday June 14 - The Lucky Cheats, Black Jetts, Dirty Hooks, Tiger Sex - Double Down

Tuesday June 18 - The Swamp Gospel, Fuzz Solow and Voodoo Organist at Favorites

Wednesday June 19 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Friday June 21 - Tiger Sex at Artifice (David Bowie vs Stooges night - TS doing Stooges)

Wednesday June 26 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down
Wednesday June 26 - The Psyatics at the Las Vegas Country Saloon

Thursday June 27 - Thee Swank Bastards at Artifice

Friday June 28 - The Psyatics at the Double Down

Friday July 12 - The Psyatics with Missing Persons at the LV Country Saloon

Wednesday July 24 - Thee Swank Bastards - Double Down Saloon

Wednesday July 31 - Bob Log III, Black Jetts, Fuzz Solow - Dive Bar

Friday, August 2 - the Psyatics at the Dive Bar

What have I forgotten? Lemme know!

I'll add more as I hear about them! Friends - lemme know and I'll list gigs here, for what it's worth!

Speedy West - Guitar Spectacular

I came across Speedy West due to his recordings with Jimmy Bryant and was amazed at his tremendous skill on the pedal steel guitar - making it sound unlike any other steel guitar ever heard! This album was recorded a decade or so later, after splitting with Bryant and with a career that had been declining due to the emergence of r'n'r His playing and producing Loretta Lynn's first album (and her hit "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl") re-sparked interest and he recorded this "come back" album. This is proof that his playing certainly never eroded and, maybe because Bryant was no longer there to steal some of the spotlight, sounded better than ever!

The opener, "Space Man in Orbit" is a monster - a ravin', wild, exploration of the instrument, with sounds emerging that you would never imagine! A lot of the rest of the numbers are a bit tamer, in a more melodic, almost easy-listening mode, but still with excellent guitar lines that would be surprising coming from any guitarist, much less a steel player!

Some numbers are a bit more upbeat, such as "Speedy's Special" and "Double or Nothing", bringing more of his jazz/country excitement to the forefront. "Tulsa Twist" comes as close to reconciling with r'n'r as Speedy would get, with nods to the American Bandstand theme and the closer, "Wild and Wolly West" is reminiscent of his best work with Bryant.

Speedy's music is a hybrid of many styles, so don't come in expecting any one certain thing, but if you have an open mind and are interested in hearing just what can be done with a pedal steel guitar in the hands of a master, this is for you!

Robert Johnson - The Complete Recordings - The Centennial Collection

I"m very surprised to find that I hadn't reviewed this one before. Of course, everyone knows that Johnson remains the king of the Delta Blues, even decades after his passing. He has influenced every guitar player to come after him - whether directly or indirectly. His songs have been covered by musicians of every genre and his legacy will continue for years to come (to say the least).

This 2-CD centennial collection (put out in 2011, 100 years after Robert's birth) is a wonderful package of every known recording, all remastered with amazing sound, including a couple snippets that have never been released before, and an extensive, high quality booklet with an incredible amount of information and a family tree of his music.

Like I said, this is everything, so you get "Dust My Broom", "Sweet Home Chicago","They're Red Hot", "Terraplane Blues", "Cross Road Blues", "Four Until Late", "Preachin' Blues" ("borrowed" from Son House and the version that Gun Club used on their debut), "Me and the Devil Blues", "Hell Hound on My Trail" and tons more, including alternative versions of some of these which are remarkably different - sometimes even in different tunings.

This is truly an essential purchase and it is sold at a very reasonable price, so there is no excuse for anyone not to own this!

Pete Seeger - American Favorite Ballads 3

Pete Seeger has been a fixture in American music since the 40's, gaining some hits in the 50's with his folk group, the Weavers (specifically a cover of "Goodnight Irene"), and, in the 60's, he became a mainstay of the folk revival movement as a protest singer and songwriter ("If I Had a Hammer", "Turn, Turn, Turn", "Where Have All the Flowers Gone") and is still active and on the correct side of politics to this day. And he seems to be a damn nice guy!

This appears to be a 5-CD series, but for whatever reason, I ended up with just volume 3. Here he interprets classic Americana songs, staples of many a singer - from Leadbelly to the Carter Family and innumerable more - for decades. Armed with simply his banjo (and occasionally a guitar), Seeger takes us on a musical trip through these stories that spawned generations - some are from the old country - English & Irish numbers - and some are from this country, and many are tunes that evolved into children's songs, although some of the original tales are far from appropriate for kids!

While Pete is not a banjo virtuoso - he's no Earl Scruggs - he is a fine picker and singer and gives a good reading to all of these songs. I will certainly be looking to add to this selection!

Robert Gordon with Link Wray + Fresh Fish Special

Robert Gordon came to prominence in NYC as the lead singer of the 70's punk band, Tuff Darts, but split due to musical differences before they recorded their album. He wanted to move into a rockabilly style, and boy, did he do it right! He managed to corral none other than the fabulous Link Wray, then somewhat obscure, but still at the top of his guitar-slinging game, and put out a couple of terrific albums.

Doing mostly covers, they burst out of the gate and onto the scene with a swinging "Red Hot", and tear into "Summertime Blues", "Bopping the Blues", "I Sure Miss You", and "Flying Saucers Rock'n'Roll" among others. Nothing particularly obscure, but damn refreshing at the time and fitting for the then-new punk movement.

Now, after decades of psychobilly and various mixtures of punk and 50's r'n'r, this sounds a bit tame, but is still great and Link's playing alone makes it worth the price! Check it out!

Their follow up was the oddly named Fresh Fish Special, which opens with their take on "The Way I Walk", beating out the Cramps for first 70's reissue of this classic tune. Again, this is mostly covers, including "Red Cadillac and a Black Mustache", "Five Days, Five Days", "Twenty Flight Rock", "Sea Cruise", "Lonesome Train" and the first version of Bruce Springsteen's "Fire", long before the Pointer Sisters got a hold of it. While I dig their version, this is definitely the superior take, and actually fitting for this style.

This is a continuation of the first record - essentially the same sound and, as I recall, the same line-up and Wray bites and stings and swings and shows why he is known as one of the first r'n'r guitar heroes. More good stuff!

The Best of Delaney & Bonnie

Best known for their relationship with Eric Clapton, D&B actually had quite a career before they crossed paths with Slowhand. Delaney began as a member of the Shindogs, the house band for the 60's TV show, Shindig, and built a group around people he worked with there plus local (LA) sessions players. Leon Russell, then mainly a session pianist, was a prize acquisition, who helped write songs and create arrangements, as well as play both piano and guitar.

They built a Southern R'n'B/gospel/blues-inspired congregation with the likes of Bobby Keys & Jim Price on horns - giving them a very different sound than most acid-rock bands of the time - this was well before the Southern Rock movement. They landed an opening slot for Blind Faith and once that group fizzled, Eric joined them (George Harrison also appeared on some gigs - they were in good company at the time!) for a tour and even did a live album (which accounts for a couple highlights on this CD). They helped Eric record his first solo album before the musicians left - according to Keys it was due to a lapse in playing - to join Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour. Duane Allman did some work for them, they got their biggest hits - the untypical country novelty number "Never Ending Song of Love" and the the more conventional - and rockin' - "Only You Know and I Know", the Dave Mason number. The group and the couple split not long after this and did some solo work throughout the years.

This CD is mostly filled with their gospel-fused, blue-eyed, r'n'b - not that far removed from what Clapton did early in his career - which makes sense. As I said, the numbers with Eric are some of the more noteworthy and his playing is tops here. There is also an early version of "Piece of My Heart" (not sure who managed to release this first, cuz this is close to the time of Janis' take), Leon's great "Superstar", an acoustic "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" and lots more.

While the musicians are excellent throughout, the songs are not always super memorable. Good stuff, but I understand why they never moved up another notch in the r'n'r hierarchy. Glad I have it, but I probably won't be searching out a lot more.

Joe Cocker Mad Dogs & Englishmen - DVD

I've just started reading a Bobby Keys book and he mentioned being on this tour, which reminded me that I had this DVD and never reviewed it. I loved early Joe Cocker, when he was a rock'n'rollin' r'n'b singer with high quality, high energy bands, and this band was one of his best (the Grease Band being one of the others).

This film is a documentary of his 1970 tour with the group that replaced the Grease Band, which was known as Mad Dogs and Englishmen (from Noel Coward, of course). This was a stellar, star-studded line-up, some recruited from the fall-out of the break-up of Delaney & Bonnie's band by Leon Russell as the Master of Time & Space (arranger, keys and guitar), with Chris Stainton on keys, Don Preston on guitar, Carl Radle on bass, Jim Gordon & Jim Keltner on drums, Bobby Keys (sax), Jim Price (trumpet), and a host of vocalists, including the fabulous Rita Coolidge and the stunningly talented Claudia Lennear, among others - and lots of hangers-on and kids.

Songs include a laid-back, sing-along of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken", stage numbers like Leon's fantastic "Delta Lady" (with multiple false endings, which Keys alludes to in his book), "Feelin' Alright", and then there is some hotel footage of the cats smoking and rolling dope,  a practice with bits of John Sebastian's "Darling Be Home Soon" - but watch out - some of the tunes listed on the back of the DVD case are simply bits & pieces of numbers acapella on the plane of backstage, so don't anticipate full takes of everything.

There is a fair amount of interview footage, lots of clips of streets, cities, shows, groupies, some Texan jackasses and so on. Then we get back to concert numbers for a bit, with songs such as "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window", and Claudia Lennear soloing on "Let It Be", looking and sounding wonderful, some random travelogues and then a terrific "The Letter", "Sticks and Stones" set to a montage of images from the tour, a really fun jam at a bar or something, shots at a picnic, then we get down to business with a superbly gritty, r'n'b take on "Honky Tonk Women", led by Leon, followed by "Space Captain", "Something" and, of course, "With a Little Help From My Friends".

While the random shots do give you a feel for the tour, it would be nice to see a full concert - or at least a set of songs in the order of the show. But, still a very cool doc of a unique band and of Cocker at the top of his game. There is also a beautifully done booklet with lots of info and photos, so a nice package all around.

DEVO, The Damned, the Weirdos - Punk Rock Bowling, Las Vegas, May 25, 2013

I'm not a big fan of large, outdoor music festivals, but Melanie's birthday is coming up and she wanted to celebrate at PRB, so we made it out to this gig together. We were not up for spending the entire day here, so sorry to the opening bands, but showed up about an hour before the Weirdos were scheduled, which was good as the line to get in was so long that we got in just as they were starting! This was more than a little annoying and could have been better organized (there were only two lines going in - there easily could have been more), but once you got in, there was a good amount of room - even though it was sold out, you were not packed in like sardines - lots of port-a-potties and plenty of vendors for food, drinks and merch.

Neither of us had ever seen the Weirdos, even though I had heard and read about them even before I moved to LA, but for some reason never got to any of their gigs. They sounded damn good this night - a huge shout out to the sound man for a great job all night long and for not succumbing to the lead-bass-drum syndrome that plagues so many modern PA wranglers - although visually they were not very interesting. The guitarist did try, with an early punk-inspired outfit, though he - and the rest of the group - barely moved and the singer was dressed like a hip-hop dude. But, if you closed your eyes, they plowed through "Life of Crime" (as the opener), their Love cover, "7 & 7 Is", a Link Wray tune, "Neutron Bomb" (oddly placed in the middle of the set) and then a few songs that we were not familiar with, including the somewhat anti-climatic closer. Still, a solid outing.

The Damned has probably had a different line-up every time that I've seen them and I don't know who the rhythm section currently is, but Dave Vanian is singing (of course - and is as stylish as ever) and Captain Sensible is on guitar (also cool in his beret and striped shirt), so I guess that's all you really need! They did have a fairly unnecessary - and very spastic - keyboardist who looked a bit like Mark "The Animal" Mendoza in his Dictators days and did more bouncing around as comedy relief than actual playing. But, this simply added to the visual mayhem on stage. The band looked and sounded terrific as they tore up a greatest hits set - "Love Song", "Second Time Around", "Neat Neat Neat", "Plan 9", "Help!" (that was a surprise!), "Fan Club", "Born to Kill", "New Rose" (the best response of the night), "Anti Pope", "Stretcher Case Baby", "Ignite" (which got the people chanting along) and the superb closer "Smash It Up"! "Noise Noise Noise" would have been nice, but that's nit-picking. All-in-all, about as good as you could ask for in a Damned set - the group was supremely tight and talented and truly a fun time!

Devo is another group that neither of us had ever gotten to see, so we used this chance to rectify that. From their beginnings in the 70's they meshed art and visuals with music and they are continuing to do that to this day, on a much bigger scale. The entire backdrop was a huge video screen which was synced up exactly to what they were playing live, which was pretty impressive, and helped to hide their advancing age! They also went through several costume changes, showing off the different outfits from different eras and generally "de-evolving" from their more modern tracks (which they opened with) to earlier numbers - what we really wanted to see - such as "Jocko Homo", "Smart Patrol", "Freedom of Choice", "Gates of Steel" and their biggest hit, "Whip It". Boogie Boy made an appearance for the final number, a long version of "Beautiful World", which was actually a bit too lengthy and not rockin' enough to keep the audience, who thinned out before they concluded. Overall, fantastic visually, but we would have preferred a somewhat different set list.

Thankfully, leaving the site was much easier and convenient (they opened other exits) than getting in, so, other than a ridiculous entrance line, this was run pretty well. For me, this was the only night of interest - we'll see if the organizers can come up with good acts next year to spur more audience growth.

Again, my cell phone camera photos are kinda shite, but it gives you an idea of the feel of the show.

recommended gigs

Saturday May 25 - the Tinglerz at LV Country Saloon with the Detroit Cobras, Throw Rag & the Muffs

Wednesday May 29, Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down
Wednesday May 29 - The Lucky Cheats with Murder By Death at the Beauty Bar

Saturday June 1 - The Swamp Gospel at the Double Down

Friday June 7 - Tiger Sex at the Double Down with Dirty Panties, Quitters, Seriouslys

Friday June 14 - The Lucky Cheats, Black Jetts, Dirty Hooks, Tiger Sex - Double Down

Tuesday June 18 - The Swamp Gospel, Fuzz Solow and Voodoo Organist at Favorites

Wednesday June 19 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Friday June 21 - Tiger Sex at Artifice (David Bowie vs Stooges night - TS doing Stooges)

Wednesday June 26 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Thursday June 27 - Thee Swank Bastards at Artifice

Friday June 28 - The Psyatics at the Double Down

Friday July 12 - The Psyatics with Missing Persons at the LV Country Saloon

Wednesday July 31 - Bob Log III, Black Jetts, Fuzz Solow - Dive Bar

What have I forgotten? Lemme know!

I'll add more as I hear about them! Friends - lemme know and I'll list gigs here, for what it's worth!

another one lost to cancer - RIP Trevor Bolder

The Spiders From Mars was by far Bowie's rockin'-est band and Trevor's bass lines propelled the tunes with power and melody.

I also just found out that he played with Uriah Heep & Wishbone Ash, as well.

When will science cure this horrible disease?

RIP Ray Manzarek

Per the Doors Facebook page, Ray has passed at the all too young age of 72.

Satan is Real – the Ballad of the Louvin brothers – Charlie Louvin with Benjamin Whitmer

While the Louvin Brothers were a country gospel duo whose songs regularly hit the charts (and Charlie continued to do so once he went solo), I believe they are probably best known for the extreme kitsch of their album cover for Satan is Real. I think that Charlie must understand this, as well, since he used the same image for this autobiography. This is his tale, as told to Whitmer, who transcribed his recollections and put it all together to give us this story of the heavens and hells that the two went through in order to "make it".

The chapters about their childhood are actually difficult to read because their father is described as an evil, sadistic bastard. He would beat them mercilessly for minor infractions and he would kill animals without a thought – something that he did his best to pass on to the children. They did some awful things to the animals on their farm and were responsible for killing beasts just in the name of a prank.

But they grew up with music – their father played banjo and their mother sang and taught them many traditional tunes that stayed with them. They soon decided that they didn’t want to live the life their father did – barely scraping by and working the soil from sun-up til sundown. Luckily, they did have talent and won a few contests, got a couple of radio shows and started touring, only being interrupted by spending time in the service. For the rest of their lives they made their living with music, together as the Louvin Brothers for a number of years, until Charlie got tired of Ira's drinking and went off on his own.

I think it’s funny that Charlie talks about how good Ira was at preachin’ and how well he knew the bible since he was a foul-mouthed, ill-tempered, alcoholic womanizer, but I suppose that is pretty common with the religious. Not much in the book explores the music itself – shows, recordings, writing, etc – mostly this is a collection of anecdotes about the times they spent together. Overall, he is pretty even-handed, and while he says a lot of (apparently justifiable) negative things about Ira, he is quick to praise his abilities – mandolin playing, songwriting, and vocals - which makes it appear, at least, to be a fair account of their lives.

This is an entertaining read and Charlie does come off as a sincere and good person who just wanted to make music. It is interesting to see how different the business - and the music - is these days - something that Charlie lamented, as well. Nicely done.

Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica

I know that many people - and the Captain - consider this to be his finest moment, it has never really struck a chord (so to speak) with me. It is indeed challenging and there are many elements throughout. There are recitations, acapella numbers, instrumentals without percussion and many numbers with the drums mixed so far down that you struggle to hear the disjointed beat. When he does simply let it blurt, I can dig it, but the "interruptions" to the flow - obviously done for a purpose - stifle my enjoyment.

Of course many would argue these points with me and maybe I just need to listen to this with a different attitude and "different" ears, and maybe it's just the inherent rocker in me, but this misses. Certainly not a starting point for anyone who wants to explore the Magic Band.

Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band - Safe as Milk

After submerging myself in The Mirror Man Recordings last night, I realized that this CD's bonus tracks were cuts from those sessions that would not fit on the single CD. I did a short review of this record a while back, but wanted to take another listen to these extra tunes since I enjoyed Mirror Man so much.

This debut album had almost as much anarchy as the MM sessions, but remains somewhat more commercial (as much as Beefheart's music ever is). Some of the songs have heavy blues roots, some are just great r'n'r (again, I have to highlight "Zig Zag Wanderer" and think I have to find a band to cover this) and there are plenty of hints of weirdness yet to come. Despite the unpleasantness that was involved leading up to the album (again, you can read all about it in the copious liner notes), this is a superb record and a good introduction to the Captain.

The bonus tracks are mostly instrumental, leading most people to think that they are unfinished, but there are so many changes and so much instrumental interplay that you almost forget that there are no vocals (the exceptions are "Trust Us (take 9)" and "Korn Ring Finger"). These are as powerful and interesting as the rest of Mirror Man and show just how much the Magic Band had evolved since the first record.

You can understand where Vliet was getting many of his ideas, but the way this is put together is so original and just damn groovy that you just feel like you are being immersed in his wonderful madness. 

Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band - The Mirror Man Sessions

You see - I really am listening to more than C&W, bluegrass and folk these days! Picked this up at a remarkably fine price through Amazon and you should too!

Recorded under very convoluted circumstances (you can read about it all in the liner notes) this previously unreleased collection (at least in this format) shows the Magic Band somewhat in flux (guitarist Ry Cooder had just left) but still going strong and creating terrifically far-out music. A little too far-out for their record label, who refused to release this at the time, but thankfully we can hear it now!

The first three cuts here - "Tarotplane" (clever title from the blues-lover Captain), "25th Century Quacker" and "Mirror Man" - were recorded live in the studio and sound to me like a phenomenal cross between Howlin' Wolf and the Velvet Underground, driven by the superb drumming of John French. Other musicians includes guitarists Alex Snouffer and Jeff Cotton and Jerry Handley on bass and all add to the visionary sound.

The remaining tunes are a bit more "structured" (as much as any Beefheart songs are) and include "Kandy Korn" (kinda Zappa-esque with multiple changes and plenty of vocal harmonies), "Trust Us" and "Safe as Milk" (both with great, huge guitar chords, feedback, slide and pounding drums), "Beatle Bones N' Smokin' Stones" has more cool slide work as Beefheart seemingly takes the piss out of the two biggest bands in the word (though it's kind of hard to tell in his lyrics!) while the rhythm starts and stops, "Moody Liz" includes group chants over more convoluted drumming and noisy (but great) guitar interplay - kinda like a garage band version of some of Zappa's music - and the whole she-bang closes with "Gimme Dat Harp Boy" in which CB shows off his skills and blues heritage.

You can't be afraid to be adventurous with the Captain, but to my twisted ears, this is more accessible than some of his work (though I am a huge fan) and I really love this album! Is there anyone doing anything like this these days?! I wish!

The Essential Roy Acuff 1936-1949

Roy Acuff is another early country star who influenced almost everyone who came after him. In fact, I was just reading how he directly inspired the Louvin Brothers to start their career. His work at the Grand Ole Opry and with his Acuff-Rose music publishing company catapulted many C&W stars and his importance can still be heard to this day.

In these cuts, the origins of what is now considered traditional country are revealed. Sweet, bluegrass harmonies, fiddling (Acuff's instrument) and mandolin mix with guitar licks, gospel stylings and well-written songs. Classics such as "Wabash Cannonball" and "Great Speckle Bird" are included but many of the others as at least as fine. As I've said before, my favorite country music is that which isn't afraid of its bluegrass and Americana/folk roots, and here this is all worn on the sleeves of the musicians.

This collection really provides an insight to the bridge between older, traditional, string-based bluegrass and vocal-based country music. Pretty damn great!

The Original Carter Family - Can the Circle Be Unbroken

The Carter Family is another seminal and highly influential musical entity and this gives a good indication of why! Along with Jimmie Rodgers, the Carter Family is credited with changing the style of early country/folk music from instrumental dance music to vocal music.

The group was made up of Alvin Pleasant (AP), his wife Sara (lead vocals - so deep that I thought it was AP until I read the liner notes - and autoharp or guitar) and her cousin Maybelle on guitar. Of course, the same name was used for many more incarnations of the family, which later included some of the youngsters, including Johnny Cash's eventual wife, June Carter. The songs, recorded in the 30's and 40's, contain some wonderful harmonies and with the fairly simple backing, really bring alive tunes that are now considered traditional classics. Many of the songs existed before the Carters recorded them, but AP was savvy enough to put his name on the song for publishing purposes. The repertoire included old British ballads, gospel numbers, early blues and old Americana, all given a new life with the Carter's arrangements.

I can guarantee that you will be familiar with a great many of these songs (the title cut, "Wildwood Flower", "Worried Man Blues", "Keep on the Sunny Side", and many more) and will be enchanted by these versions. If you cared anything for the sounds in movies like "O Brother, Where Art Thou", then you will love this record - this could essentially be that soundtrack and is the soundtrack for American folk music. This is definitely a new favorite of mine!

Bob Wills - The King of Swing

Bob Wills is considered the King of Western Swing and a man who melded many different musical genres together in the 30's and 40's to create something quite different and entertaining.

The sound is sometimes so mixed and eclectic that it is almost hard to wrap your head around what they were doing! Early country is mixed with hillbilly/bluegrass, mixed with jazz/boogie-woogie mixed with Tin Pan Alley pop! Frankly, I like it best when he stays a little more traditional with swinging bluegrass-inspired country, though it is all interesting and I do like the groundbreaking concepts that still sound odd to this day.

There's plenty of variety here, from almost barbershop quartet-sounding harmonies and super slick, commercial sounding pop, to fiddle workouts, to uptempo, early rock'n'roll rhythms that wouldn't sound out of place for Bill Hailey.

Again, I am just learning about many of these early country pioneers and my tastes may evolve as I listen more, but, while not one of my new faves, I certainly appreciate the inventiveness!

Psyatics, Child Endangerment, Tiger Sex - The (new) Dive Bar 5-17-13

Wow! What a totally fun night of terrific rock’n’roll! Favorites has now morphed into the Dive Bar, fittingly, as it is run by people who worked the old (original?) Dive Bar. I dig this space a lot - lots of room, reasonably priced drinks, a real stage, a real PA and a real sound man who actually knows what he’s doing! Hopefully, they will continue to book nights like this.

I’m sure you’re getting sick of me rantin’ about the Psyatics by now, but too bad! They opened the show this night to a fairly sparse crowd, but still showed off the power of their well-honed r’n’r machine. The new CD is represented well throughout the set and that’s a good thing cuz they’re great tunes! Guitarist Jack (described as a “beast” in an RJ review!) is loosening up on stage and moving more as he lays down his slabs of sonic psychosis while Rob does his best yelpin’ and Jimmy pounds out the rhythms. Another fab set!


I had never heard or seen Child Endangerment before and wasn’t sure what to think as three youngsters in loose-fitting t-shirts, long shorts, beards and baseball caps took the stage with some of the cheapest equipment I’ve seen in a long time - not that that’s a bad thing! But then the singer showed up, looking like a bastard child of Johnny Rotten and the cats went into a shamblin’ set of some of the loosest and fun-est punk rock I’ve seen since the early days of the Germs! They seem to barely know their songs (and they only played 5 or so) and there was a fair about of chatter in between numbers (including passing out the book “Death of a Salesman” and singing to an 80’s Playboy Playmate fold-out), but damned if it wasn’t a helluva good time! The sound is 70’s punk, with some slower, riff-based numbers and not just 1,2,3,4-1,2,3,4 punk - though some of that was mixed in - like the early punk bands did. I hope to see more of them and I hope they don’t get too “good” - cuz they’re damned good as it is!

Anyone who’s ever read this blog knows that I am a huge fan of the Tinglerz and their guitarist Kei, so I had to check out his new side project (this was their second show), Tiger Sex. In this project, Kei simply mangles his guitar while his lovely wife, Kelly, takes over the vocal chores like a raw Joan Jett or like the “little girl with a big voice” popularized in the 80’s by bands like Tex & the Horseheads. The rhythm section is dynamite and once again, Kei has a band who knows how to write real songs. They have no problem playing different tempos and are right at home with a slow, smoldering, heavy blues (that sounded like a mix of the Stooges “I Need Somebody” and the Jeff Beck Group or something!) as they are with a high energy punk rocker. Their choice of covers gives a good indication of their influences and style - “Cherry Bomb” by the Runaways and “I Wanna Be Your Dog” by the Stooges. Kei rips it up in the best Ron Ashton/Wayne Kramer style - cool riffs with plenty of noise and wah-wah and just teetering on the edge of chaos - as r’n’r always should! He really is one of my fave guitarists in town and with this excellent rhythm section and dynamic lead singer, he has an amazing new project.

Once again, Vegas proves that there is some real rock’n’roll here! Make sure you get out and see some of the great bands that we have!

recommended gigs

Thursday May 16 - Tarah Grace & the Magnetics - House of Blues
Thursday May 16, Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Friday May 17 - Tiger Sex and The Psyatics at Favorites (now the Dive Bar)

Tuesday May 21 - The Lucky Cheats at HOB courtyard for Swing Night

Saturday May 25 - the Tinglerz at LV Country Saloon with the Detroit Cobras, Throw Rag & the Muffs

Wednesday May 29, Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down
Wednesday May 29 - The Lucky Cheats with Murder By Death at the Beauty Bar

Saturday June 1 - The Swamp Gospel at the Double Down

Friday June 7 - Tiger Sex at the Double Down with Dirty Panties, Quitters, Seriouslys

Friday June 14 - The Lucky Cheats, Black Jetts, Dirty Hooks, Tiger Sex - Double Down

Tuesday June 18 - Fuzz Solow and Voodoo Organist at Favorites

Friday June 21 - Tiger Sex at Artifice (David Bowie vs Stooges night - TS doing Stooges)

Wednesday June 26 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Thursday June 27 - Thee Swank Bastards at Artifice

Friday June 28 - The Psyatics at the Double Down

Friday July 12 - The Psyatics with Missing Persons at the LV Country Saloon

What have I forgotten? Lemme know!

I'll add more as I hear about them! Friends - lemme know and I'll list gigs here, for what it's worth!

The Psyatics Record Release show with the Bitters, Tinglerz, and Fuzz Solow

Obviously, I have ranted'n'raved about the Psyatics many times along with their great new CD so I had to make it out to the Double Down for their record release show, especially considering the quality of talent they included on this night.

I had never heard or seen the Bitters before this night, but they were described as an instrumental cross between Frank Zappa and Rush and upon seeing them, that seemed pretty accurate. Three highly talented musicians demonstrating their riffage throughout the set. For me, without vocals and melodies, it gets a little samey, but the crowd dug their energy and enthusiasm.

Up next was one of my fave Vegas bands, the Tinglerz, who put in one of their best sets yet! Some new tunes, tons of energy, great presence and just plain fun! I love Kei's anarchistic but still clever guitar lines, Eric's driving bass, Turbo's pounding drums, their Johnny Thunders-meets-garage sounds, their varied rhythms and their obvious love for rock'n'roll! They are a great punk band, but in the mold of the super punk'n'roll groups (from the old-school Detroit groups to more modern bands like the Hellacopters) - far from the boring, one-trick-pony hard core bands. See them!

The Psyatics blasted through a good portion of the new CD, Oderint dum Metuant, along with a few new tunes and covers and knocked out the audience, who grabbed up a number of their budget-priced CDs - $5.00 a copy - are ya kidding me?! Get it! I've gone on at length about these cats, so you know that I'm gonna say that you should see 'em any chance you can and you need this record!

Closing out the night was the wacky, one-man-blues-band, Fuzz Solow, doing his Howlin' Wolf/Jimi Hendrix meets White Stripes primitive power-blues. The Double Down is known for its late night crowd and more people suddenly appeared as Fuzz went on and he got people up dancing, girls were fighting to buy him drinks and good times were flowing!

Thanks to the Psyatics and the Double down for putting together a wonderful night of amazing Vegas rock'n'roll!

(And yes, I do need to start bringing a better camera than just my cell phone - sorry for the dark photos!)

Merle Travis - Walkin' the Strings

Merle Travis is another country/folk/bluegrass guitarist that I never knew much about, but this record is a fine place to start! Opening up with the blindingly fast title cut, you experience what Travis is known for - his dexterous finger picking, learned in his home in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky from local pickers such as Ike Everly, father of the Everly Brothers.

These cuts are all from the 40's and early 50's and were done for Capitol Record's Electrical Transcription series, which meant that these were used for radio spots to fill out the time, so all are fairly short - some less than a minute - though some are full songs. Apparently, Travis had no problem recording to order and would either adapt an old tune learned back home or write something right then and there. Everything here is simply Merle and his acoustic Martin D-28 guitar, which allowed him the flexibility to start and stop as needed. There are a few vocal numbers, but the best work here is Travis working out on the guitar.

Any guitar aficionado should own this record, just so that your ears can be astonished as the simultaneously bass and treble runs that fly by, and wonder how this is just one man and one guitar. A great collection of American music played by a master guitarist!

The London Howlin’ Wolf Sessions

By the mid-1960’s, Chess was always looking for new ideas to market their blues artists to the rock’n’roll generation. The rock musicians were all influenced by the Chess cats but many of the listeners were not aware of the originals that the rockers were making famous. There were a lot of unsuccessful attempts at cross-over, but this one actually worked. Gathered here were some (very) famous rock’n’rollers who still carried a high regard for geniuses like Wolf and his guitarist Hubert Sumlin.

The main group here consists of Eric Clapton, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts (superb rhythm section for this stuff), and Hubert Sumlin, along with Steve Winwood, Jeffrey Carp (harp), Ian Stewart, and, on single tunes, Ringo, Klauss Voormann, Phil Upchurch and even Lafayette Leake. This CD is expanded to include songs that wouldn’t fit on the original album (released in 1971) but everything is pretty damn high quality.

There is a mix of Wolf’s hits and some lesser known tunes – show-stoppers like “Little Red Rooster” (the man shows Clapton how to play the slide part correctly), “Do the Do” (Wolf sounds a little hesitant here and there is some other talking on the track, as well – maybe this was early in the sessions?), “Killing Floor” and “I Ain’t Superstitious” rub shoulders with “Goin’ Down Slow”, “I Want to Have a Word With You”, “What a Woman” and more. There are a couple of takes on a few tunes and some studio dialog, giving the listener a bit of a feel for what was going on during the recordings.

While Wolf’s health wasn’t the best at this time, he is still in excellent voice and his presence exudes right through the speakers! Numbers like “What a Woman” and “Who’s Been Talking?” rival the originals (not besting them, but just updating them in a good way while staying true to the original feel). Of course, the early Wolf is the most powerful Wolf and those records are mandatory for any lover r’n’r and the blues, but this is some pretty fun stuff, as well. Worthwhile!

The Hangmen – East of Western

The Hangmen are a Hollywood tradition, always on the cusp of “making it”, but never quite getting there, because life isn’t fair. Singer/songwriter Bryan Small has gone through innumerable line-up changes throughout his career and here he has long-time bassist Angelique Congleton (previously of the cool pop-punk conglomeration, Darlington), drummer Dino Guerrero and ex-Supersucker Ron Heathman. Somehow, even with all of the personnel changes over the years, Bryan has a set Hangmen sound, which may have variations, but never really fluctuates. You know what you’re gonna get – solid songwriting, r’n’r guitars, a rockin’ rhythm section and some cow-punk influences.

This is the sound of the LA rock’n’roll scene – bits taken here & there and all
filtered through Small’s guitar and pen. The cow-punk sounds are obvious (there’s even pedal steel on one song – “Betrayed”) but there’s blues (Heathman tosses in plenty of tasty slide licks), folk and just plain rock’n’roll. They even take on the Modern Lovers’ “She Cracked” and make that their own – hard to do with a song that iconic.

Anything but one-dimensional, the tempos, rhythms and feels change within the record and ballads (“Had a Girl”) mix with mid-tempo numbers (“I’m Your Man” – almost sounding like a slower Ramones cut) and flat out rockers (“Homesick Blues” – a high-energy riff-rocker in the Hangmen tradition). The emotional intensity remains the same, though – Bryan always sounds like he is invested in his songs, from his old tales of addiction to his modern, moody love songs. He seems to have a habit of closing with a slow, smoldering tune and does so again here (“Haunted”), which makes the punch of the opener even more potent when the CD is left on rotation!

Some things never go out of fashion – like pure rock’n’roll that bands like the Hangmen play. They’re still pretty damn smokin’ live, as well! 

recommended gigs

Thursday May 9 - the Lucky Cheats - The Saloon at Hooters Casino for "Bands, Brews & Tattoos"! No Cover

Saturday May 11 - The Psyatics Record Release Party at the Double Down! With Fuzz Solow and the Tinglerz!

Wednesday May 15, Thee Swank Bastards at the Griffin

Thursday May 16, Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Friday May 17 - Tiger Sex and The Psyatics at Favorites

Saturday May 25 - the Tinglerz at LV Country Saloon with the Detroit Cobras, Throw Rag & the Muffs

Wednesday May 29, Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down
Wednesday May 29 - The Lucky Cheats with Murder By Death at the Beauty Bar

Saturday June 1 - The Swamp Gospel at the Double Down

Friday June 14 - The Lucky Cheats, Black Jetts, Dirty Hooks, Tiger Sex - Double Down

Tuesday June 18 - Fuzz Solow and Voodoo Organist at Favorites

Wednesday June 26 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Thursday June 27 - Thee Swank Bastards at Artifice

Friday July 12 - The Psyatics with Missing Persons at the LV Country Saloon

What have I forgotten? Lemme know!

I'll add more as I hear about them! Friends - lemme know and I'll list gigs here, for what it's worth!

Fug You - Ed Sanders

The entire title of this book is actually Fug You - An Informal History of the Peace Eye Bookstore, the Fuck You Press, the Fugs and Counterculture in the Lower East Side, which is about as accurate as it comes! To me, Sanders is most well known as the leader of the "porn-rock" band the Fugs (teenage boys loved hearing this kind of obscenity in rock'n'roll in the 60's & 70's), but he was also an important poet (and hob-knobbed with and published many of the Beat poets in his Fuck You press), owner of a counter cultural bookstore in NYC and heavily involved in the protest movement.

So, while ostensibly this is about Sanders and his endeavors, it is also a story about the 60's in general and an overview of those turbulent times. He seems to give a pretty even-handed report of the events here and doesn't over-romanticize anything, while still looking fondly back at most of the happenings. But, he also talks of the violence, the drugs, the useless deaths and the tragedies. The book is dedicated almost exclusively to the mythical decade and gives a true insiders' viewpoint.

I have never read his book on the Manson Family (simply titled The Family) that he talks about as this story ends as he enters the 1970's, so I don't know if this is something that people know him for, but this is a fun and interesting read about this amazing time of change in America. Something everyone should know adn understand.

The Psyatics - Oderint dum Metuant

I know, I know, I talk about these cats almost weekly, but damn if they aren't one of the best and most original bands in Vegas these days and now they've managed to put out a damn fine full-length CD! Anyone who has seen the band live has already grooved upon most of these tunes, from the pure garage of the opening Oblivions cover "Trouble" through the cool dissonance in the equally rockin' "The Hanging Tree" all the way to the break-neck punk rock of the closer, "Suzie Got a Stutter".

There's so many facets to the Psyatics, though. The guys come up with a cool, herky-jerky rhythm for the minor-key bouncin' dirge that is "Death of Me" and then throw us a curve with a cover of the Hoodoo Gurus ode to grave-robbing-romance, "Dig It Up". The Gurus did this as a cool Cramps rip-off, but here the energy is increased a notch or two and Rob's yelpin' and wailin' go way beyond rockabilly into pure rock'n'roll psychosis.

Drummer Jimmy Krah shows off some of his DJ Bonebrake inspired beats in "Stole Your Girl", a kinda modern take on the classic Bo Diddley beat mixed with jungle drums mixed with some vicious garage rock. The aptly-named "Bourbon Sway" makes you feel as if you are stumblin' drunk while diggin' on some cool riffs, power chords and plain noise! "Swing on This" starts as a rollickin' instrumental that takes it's ideas from a number of different places, including the "Courageous Cat Theme", though they still Psyatic-size it all! Then Rob comes in with some double-tracked preachin' and hollerin' and takes it to a whole 'nuther level!

There is some very nice interplay between all the cats in "Oncoming Train", with guitarist Jack Ball letting loose and riffin' around Krah's train-rollin' rhythms and Bell's lopping bass line. Ball displays a rarely seen side of himself (at least by the Vegas underground scene) when he pulls out his violin for "The Powder Monkey" - he is a classical violinist by trade! This tune is a sweetly powerful moody piece with some truly original changes and great melody and lyrics. Certainly a highlight of the record!

The Psyatics tackle a tango beat in "Right Amount of Wrong" that still manages to rock along with some strong licks from Ball's gitar. Another fine piece of psycho-killer Bell songwriting (I'm crediting him, but I know all of the cats contribute to make the tunes what they are - it's just his lyrics and melodies, as I understand) in "Evangaline" - kind of a part two of "Dig It Up", mixed with some Edgar Allen Poe. But back to the fierce, high-energy garage r'n'r with some piercing guitar and bluesy harmonica (by guest Eddie Joe Martin) in "Today's Big Thing" and then the riff-rock and feedback of "Clumsy" before a little more subtlety with "Rigid Digits"'s interweaving of instruments and the classic quiet/loud arrangement. They rave up for the ending with the afore-mentioned "Suzie Got a Stutter".

This is a helluva package! Great, interesting and creative rock'n'roll, a great "live" sound by Brian Garth from Chrome Werewolf, fine artwork, nice packaging and they even thank the Swamp Gospel! What more could you ask?! You know I'm gonna say that you need to get this and the guys are selling it for a mere pittance at their gigs! Vegas-ites - see them at the Double Down on Saturday May 11 (2013) for their record release party with more of the best that we have to offer - Fuzz Solow and the Tinglerz!

Jerry Lee Lewis - Original Sun Singles '56 - '60

Yep, there are many, many, many Jerry Lee comps out there (a friend recently loaned me a 12 album vinyl box set of Sun recordings!) but for a single, solid disc of JLL greatness, this one would be hard to beat. As the title implies, this is a round-up of the Killer's Sun 45's, from "Crazy Arms", "Whole Lotta Shakin'", "Great Ball of Fire", "Breathless" and "High School Confidential" through the later numbers like "Lovin' Up a Storm", "Big Blon' Baby", his cover of Berry's "Little Queenie" and "Baby, Baby, Bye Bye" (and tons more), there is plenty of fire and fury throughout.

Although Lewis fell from the charts after his ill-fated marriage, his quality didn't waver until much later. This is solid through and through. If you're looking for one collection for yourself or to turn a friend on to the piano-poundin' king of r'n'r, then this is one to have! Sundazed does it again!

recommended gigs

Friday May 3 - The Black Jetts at The Dive - formerly Favorites

Thursday May 9 - the Lucky Cheats - The Saloon at Hooters Casino for "Bands, Brews & Tattoos"! No Cover

Saturday May 11 - The Psyatics Record Release Party at the Double Down! With Fuzz Solow and the Tinglerz!

Wednesday May 15, Thee Swank Bastards at the Griffin

Thursday May 16, Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Friday May 17 - Tiger Sex and The Psyatics at Favorites

Saturday May 25 - the Tinglerz at LV Country Saloon with the Detroit Cobras, Throw Rag & the Muffs

Wednesday May 29, Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down
Wednesday May 29 - The Lucky Cheats with Murder By Death at the Beauty Bar

Saturday June 1 - The Swamp Gospel at the Double Down

Friday June 14 - The Lucky Cheats, Black Jetts, Dirty Hooks, Tiger Sex - Double Down

Tuesday June 18 - Fuzz Solow and Voodoo Organist at Favorites

What have I forgotten? Lemme know!

I'll add more as I hear about them! Friends - lemme know and I'll list gigs here, for what it's worth!