Fuzz Solo, Eddie Bear and the Cubs, Whiskey Breath and Hopeless Jack and the Handsome Devil

I admit, this is another show that I played, which helped me to get out on a Thursday night. But this was an amazing evening and those that did not make it really missed something special!

Fuzz Solow has come back from his self-imposed hiatus and continues to blast out the fuzz all on his solo. His mixes Howlin' Wolf ("Built For Comfort"), Jimi Hendrix ("Manic Depression") and the White Stripes (with his heavy, staccato chording, open spaces and minimalist drumming - since he is playing guitar at the same time!) with his own, unique perspective and songs ("I'm a Sinner" is a stand-out) and infuses everything with great playing and dynamics. Always a blast - here's hoping he'll become a regular on the scene again!

I was pretty knocked out by this new version of Eddie Bear and the Cubs the last time I saw them here at the Dive Bar and, if anything, they were even better and tighter this night! I'm happy to report that the set seemed pretty much the same - opening with "Rumble", doing Johnny Cash/George Jones/Dwight Yokam/etc. - and the line-up didn't change either - which can happen since these cats are all busy in other projects (see previous review). Larry and Erik both have terrific voices that are quite different but work well together, Brian is a fantastic lead player (dig his Tele and his tone) and Davis and drummer Pete really drive the rhythm section. Love their dramatic finale that mixes "Going Down", "Voodoo Chile" and some of their own country mojo to make something really special. Definitely a band to see!

Whiskey Breath's rhythm section couldn't make it tonight so lead singer/guitarist Brandon and lead guitarist Lahm pulled out their acoustic guitars for their set. Brandon has a terrifically powerful voice and Lahm provides some nice harmonies as they went through songs like "Folsom Prison Blues", "Jim Beam Is My Home Boy", Dave Allen Coe's lewd "Shallow Throat", "She Broke My Heart So I Busted Her Jaw" (apparently no relation to Spooky Tooth or anyone who has had a similar idea) before closing with "Time to Get a Gun". Really dig their original. punky-country sounds!

The headliner for the night was the Portland, Orgeon duo Hopeless Jack and the Handsome Devil. These cats were supposed to come through town last fall, but had some issues with the tour but I'm damn glad they worked things out and got here this time! These two gents were a couple of the nicest people I've met recently and once they hit the stage, they were one of the best, rockin'-est new acts I've seen in ages! Jack plays mostly slide on a couple of open-tuned customized Ibanez guitars - with a superb, full, fat sound, aided by using a bass as well as guitar amp - and Peter (the "handsome devil") wails and flails at his vintage kit with crazed abandon and wild, Keith Moon-ish power - that somehow really works in context! Jack's voice is a bluesy whiskey growl (though he doesn't drink) and they smashed and crashed through a set of mostly original, riff-driven blues numbers, mixed with a couple covers, like a slide-fueled "Sweet Little Angel". Both cats were highly entertainingly visual, as well - dancin' and stompin' and poundin' and bashin' in the throes of their own personal, rock'n'roll St. Vitus dance! For the finale, Jack took the drum stool (he started as a "one man band" playing drums and guitar simultaneously, kinda like opener Fuzz Solow) while Pete grabbed a couple toms to augment the mania before crawlin' over the kit while Jack did his best to finish the number. A truly superior mix of songs, musical ability and showmanship made for a crazily fun set. Absolutely see these two any chance you can!

The Dive Bar continues to bring excellent shows to Vegas, making it one of the top places for bands in town. I know there's lots that I can't get to due to touring groups coming through mid-week, but take a chance when ya can and hang at one of the most easy-going bars in town and see some top quality local and touring acts.

The Runaways - And Now...The Runaways

This fourth album was recorded in a tumultuous session that saw power plays within the band and musical differences rearing their heads, as Jett wanted to move into her more glam/punk style and Lita and Sandy wanted a more heavy metal sound - with bassist Vicki Blue stuck in the middle, eventually fired (with Ford playing bass on at least some of these tracks) and replaced by Laurie McAllister before formally disbanding.

Opening with an Earl Slick rocker "Saturday Night Special", then they do a bizarrely slow "Eight Days a Week" - not bad, just a bit...odd. But their take on Slade's "Mam Weer All Crazee Now" is damn successful and points towards Joan's later glam-centric solo work. Lita takes her first ever lead vocal on her Deep Purple-esque (she was a huge Ritchie Blackmore fan) "I'm a Million", with some nice changes and hot lead playing. Sandy West proves that while she was a stompin' drummer, she was no lead singer in "Right Now", a keyboard-laden, new-wavey number.

Jett comes roaring back with the heavy "Takeover" and its excellent opening line "I think the Russians have a weather machine" and "My Buddy and Me", with its cool melody and vocal interplay with Lita's guitar. Ford also contributes "Little Lost Girls" (the title for the American release of this record), a solid, hard-rock effort, that, with its Hammond organ, reminds me of something that Argent might have released. The record ends with a Steve Jones/Paul Cook number, "Black Leather", which certainly doesn't sound anything like the Sex Pistols in these ladies' hands! Lita is riffin' like crazy and turns this into a high-energy hard rocker.

Even though they were on the verge of dissolution, this is still a cool record, despite some weak points, that non-the-less points to the cool things to come.

The Runaways - Waitin' For the Night

This third release by the all-female band was released in 1977 after the departure of Cherie Currie (to

concentrate on a solo and movie career) and Jackie Fox (replaced by Vicki Blue) and show the group as a focused, hard-rockin' quartet.

Joan Jett took the reins and ably handles the lead vocals here, as she did in the later Black Hearts. Her melodic wails in "Little Sister" show the growth of their combination of pop and hard rock. The riffin' "Wasted" follows and then "Gotta Get Out Tonight", with its mix of glam, punk and metal. "Wait For Me" has some clever progressions and shows that Joan could sweetly croon as well as wildly scream, which she ably does at the end of the song! Lita provides the lick-laden, metal-y "Fantasties" along with "Trash Can Murders" and Joan collaborates with Kim Fowley on the teenage, Sweet-like anthem "School Days" and the power(ful) ballad-y title song, while providing she doesn't need anyone else's help on great numbers like "Don't Go Away" and "You're Too Possessive" (an updated "You Don't Own Me", which she later covered).

This is a damn solid release - actually more so than the two first classic albums, though those may have some higher heights, as well. I still say the debut should be the record that anyone starts with but this one is pretty essential, as well.

recommended gigs

Thursday Feb 27 - Prophet Greene returns to the Dive Bar with No More Buffalo, Fuzz Solow, Eddie Bear and the Cubs, Whiskey Breath and Hopeless Jack and the Handsome Devil

Saturday Mar 1 - The Astaires, the Sonic Archers and Trevor and the Jones w/John Fallon at the Hard Hat

Sunday Mar 2 - Swank Bastards at Artifice

Thursday Mar 6 - The Unwieldies at the Dive Bar w/Rev. Red and Duane Mark and the Get Down Bandits

Wednesday Mar 12 - The Lucky Cheats and the Royal Hounds at the Griffin
Wednesday Mar 12 - The Unwieldies at Wake Up Coffee Cafe

Friday Mar 14 - Delta Bombers - Gold Mine Tavern, Henderson
Friday Mar 14 - Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Saturday Mar 15 - Bogtrotters Union - Water St St Paddy's Day Parade

Sunday Mar 16 - Bogtrotters Union - Water St St Paddy's Day Parade

Monday Mar 17 - Bogtrotters Union - McMullan's Irish Pub

Friday Mar 21 - The All Togethers and Goodnight Texas at the Dillinger

Saturday Mar 22 - the Psyatics and Voodoo Glow Skulls at the Dive Bar

Tues Mar 25 - Crimson Balladers with Linda Loveless at the Dive Bar

Wednesday Mar 26 - Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Friday Mar 28 - the Delta Bombers w/Bob Wayne and the All Togethers - the Dive Bar

Saturday Mar 29 - the Swamp Gospel at the Double Down

Tues April 1 - Bogtrotters Union - HellPop Comics

Saturday April 5 - Swank Bastards at the Arts Factory

Sunday April 6 - Swank Bastards at Artifice

Tues April 8 - the Swamp Gospel with Cheetah Chrome and the Street Walkin' Cheetahs - the Dive Bar

Friday April 18 - Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Saturday April 19 - Crimson Balladers and Wayne Hancock at the Dive Bar
Saturday April 19 - Swank Bastards at Rat City Ruckus

Friday April 25 - The Swamp Gospel at the Huntridge Tavern with Nina Coyote and Chico Tornado (from the Basque country)

Saturday April 26 - The Psyatics at the Double Down
Saturday April 26 - the Astairs at Triple Bs with David Haskins from Bauhaus

Wednesday April 30 - Swank Bastards at the Double Down

What have I forgotten? Lemme know!

The Runaways - Queens of Noise

This sophomore effort by the Runaways came out of the gate as heavier and harder rockin' than its predecessor and, as an indication of things to come, the title, opening song has lead vocals by Joan, not Cherie. Power play, possibly? In any case, this is another solid rocker with even a bit of growth since the debut.

Lita seems to be taking more of a role here, as well, with her leads really standing out (the opening of "Take It of Leave It", for instance, and, of course, her showcase, "Johnny Guitar"). Joan continues to handle the leads vocals in "Take It Or Leave It" before Cherie finally gets her chance in the ballad-esque "Midnight Music". Joan returns for the quiet/loud, somewhat silly (dig the dramatic monologue!)  "Born to be Bad" while Cherie shows off her range in a stand-out from the record "Neon Angels on the Road to Ruin". Another great one is Joan's "I Love Playing With Fire", with its heavy chords'n'cowbell, though "California Paradise" reverts to corniness that also rears its head in "Hollywood", though not as bad - maybe helped by Jett's raw vocals as opposed to Currie's on the previous one? "Heartbeat" doesn't quite gel, despite some cool guitar tones from Ford, who gets to let loose in "Johnny Guitar", an "I'm a Man" rip-off that also allows Cherie to give some of her best vocals on the album. Though Lita was somewhat limited in her scope at this time, it's still a cool, bombastic blaster with some nice touches from her as well as Sandy, who is powering the drums here.

I might sound like I'm being overly critical, but I do really dig this record - and loved it when it came out. These ladies had to grow into their true potential, but these initial albums are quite fun and rockin' and deserve to be in anyone's collection!

The Runaways

I distinctly remember picking up this along with the first Ramones record when they came out because I had

read about both bands. I don't remember which one I listened to first, but I know that the Ramones album was weird enough that it took some warming up (though they quickly became one of my all time faves) but this record struck me right from the start! I was already familiar with producer/songwriter Kim Fowley, so had some idea of what he might conjure up. But with its combination of hard rock/heavy metal and punk/pop/whatever, it really hit me. And, of course, the fact that they were good looking females about my own age made them quite appealing, as well!

While the songwriting here is a bit (understandably) juvenile (even as an older man, Kim Fowley's writing was always juvenile, as well), the songs are still damn catchy and the playing - while not virtuoso-level - is solid - certainly better than I was at the time! Drummer Sandy West and lead guitarist Lita Ford, especially, were pretty rockin' here (dig Lita's solo in "Blackmail"). Lead vocalist Cherie Currie has a pretty good range and with Joan Jett offsetting the vocals (sometimes taking the lead herself), there was a good balance and variety.And, not to forget bassist Jackie Fox, who managed to pull of some cool runs while being the best looking one of the bunch!

Classic songs here include the fantastic "Cherry Bomb" - a perfect tune for Cherie and I always liked the analogy - along with their version of Mitch Rider's version of Lou Reed's "Rock'n'Roll", and originals "You Drive Me Wild" and "American Nights". Some are fun'n'corny, like "Secrets" and especially "Dead End Justice", but still pretty energetic.

Overall, this holds up better than might be expected from a Kim Fowley produced gimmick band - due to the talents of the girls (and they were girls then) themselves. Still a cool teenage rock'n'roll party album!

Grand Funk Railroad - Live Album

This first live album from GFRR was actually credited to simply Grand Funk on the front cover, as they did on their Red Album, for some unknown reason (unknown to me, anyway). This is the power trio at their rawest and wildest, with numbers from their first few records, before they became a slick hard-rock band with added keyboard. Here the three men - Mark, Don & Mel - appear in all their natural glory with no overdubs or editing, just pure energy with incredible audience reactions.

Their is a relatively long introduction from a sound man who is trying to calm the crowd down and keep them from crushing each other before the group slams into their high-octane "Are You Ready" - this is Detroit high energy as much as the Stooges, MC5 or any of the rest! Hardly stopping for a breath, "Paranoid" crunches out next - you just gotta love Mark overdriven, fuzz-and-wah-wah-drenched guitar tone! Obviously a huge influence on the grunge sound, as well as any trash rocker to follow. After more exaltations to the audience they move into "In Need", Mark's ode to false friends, with Mel's fuzz-bass moving to the forefront as Mark takes a harp solo and then a psychotic, screaming guitar lead and an insane, rave-up ending! A fine reading of one of my faves, the minor-chord, moody "Heartbreaker" (no relation to anyone else's song of the same name) with yet another crazed, ravin' ending.

Mark's "Words of Wisdom" is an anti-drug warning before they move into the quiet ballad "Mean Mistreater", with Farner on electric piano. Brewer's drums introduce "Mark Say's [sic] Alright" - basically an instrumental jam, but a rockin' one! Ending with ear-splitting squeals of feedback, then then hit on Don's drum solo number, "T.N.U.C.", which I named my GFRR cover band after! Drums solos were mandatory at the time and this is a good one, but still, kinda tedious after a bit. There's no let-up as they do their amazing take on "Inside Looking Out" (previously probably best known from the Animals' version). This is another extended jam, but with enough different sections that it remains interesting - and loudly, noisily rockin'! The proceedings close with their classic epic "Into the Sun", another extended version - this took up the entire final side of the 2-LP vinyl set - that maintains its bite and zeal throughout, with the crowd going crazy.

This 1970 release came towards the beginning of the classic live album sets and this one is right up there with Kick Out the Jams and Black Oak Arkansas' Raunch'n'Roll as one of the most excellently over-the-top noise-fests - wonderfully loose and almost sloppy (in a fantastic way) and not afraid to shriek at you from time to time. This might even be one of those times that a live record could be a good introduction to a band. Seek it out one way or another!

John Lee Hooker - Jack O'Diamonds 1949 Recordings

Gene Deitch worked for Record Changer magazine in the 40's and 50's and would host Friday night "music

sessions at his home. After moving to Detroit, he was referring to John Lee Hooker and brought him over for dinner and an informal recording session. These 20 songs are the result of that session.

And the results are pretty freakin' amazing! This is simply Hooker, his guitar and his stompin' foot just as his hit "Boogie Chillen" was climbing the charts. This is a fantastic selection of tunes culled from hsi then-current set along with old spirituals that Deitch convinced him to pull out for the occasion.

There are tons of JL Hooker compilations out there and lots of them are fairly inconsistent, but this is phenomenal from start to finish! Great playing, great singing, great songs and even great sound - you feel like John is playing for you in your own home, as he did for Gene. If you want to learn just how terrific JLH was when he started, this will give you as close of an idea as possible. Highly recommended!

Tarah Grace and High Horse with the All Togethers at the Hard Hat Lounge, Saturday Feb 22, 2014

This was the second time that I had been to the Hard Hat Lounge and I gotta say that I really dig the place a lot. It's a small, comfortable bar with super nice, friendly people, good drinks at reasonable prices and really good food. Highly recommend checking it out if you haven't.

Yes, my band, the Swamp Gospel, opened the night and were treated well by the staff and the crowd. Up next was local legend Tarah Grace (who set up the show) and her new acoustic project High Horse. Besides Tarah on lead vocals and acoustic guitar, the group includes Phil Bishop on guitar, mandolin and banjo, brother Rick on bass and this night they added a new percussionist Marita who was a nice plus. Seeing as this was only their second show, the set leaned heavily on covers, but some cool ones, from Johnny Cash to Buddy Holly ("That'll Be the Day") to Otis Redding ("Sitting on the Dock of the Bay") and more. Good stuff and definitely a group to watch.

Anyone who ever reads this blog knows that I am a huge fan of the All Togethers and this night they were especially fun. Relatively new man on the block, Michael on guitar fills out the sound for banjo/mandolinist Ken - looking mighty O Brother Where Art Thou this night - and bassist Cindy, who is just damn cute as well as talented, and, as they were last, they were a bit, shall we say, "in their cups" by the time they played. But this just added to their vibe and certainly didn't affect their terrific playing. There were lots of great, new tunes, some of the usual covers ("Man of Constant Sorrow", the rap tune they do, etc.) and several from their CD. They got people up and dancing, drinkin' and having a blast. Totally fun!

Thanks to Tarah for setting this up and tot he Hard Hat for hosting. Looks like they want to make this a regular live venue, which will be great for the scene.

Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps - Blue Jean Bop!

This debut isn't quite as frenetic and frantic as his sophomore release, this is still a great example of Gene's wild style of rockabilly. While there are great stompers like the title cut, "Who Slapped John?", "Jump Back, Honey, Jump Back", "Bop Street" and "Jumps, Giggles and Shouts", along with smokers like "Jezebel", there are also some corny numbers like "Ain't She Sweet" and "Lazy River. Not bad, just not up to Vincent's normal caliber - I'm guessing these were ideas of the producer, though I could be wrong.

This CD also has bonus tracks - 6, this time, including the boppin' "Woman Love", the smash "Be-Bop-A-Lula" (originally the B-Side to "Woman Love"!), the terrific "Race With the Devil" and its B-Side "Gonna Back Up Baby", plus "Well, I Knocked Him, Bim Bam" and "Crazy Legs".

I would say that the second album is absolutely essential, but pretty damn sure that anyone who loves r'n'r will love this one, as well!

Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps

Gene Vincent is one of the pioneers of rockabilly and early rock'n'roll, and this, his second album, released in
1957, is a fantastic example of the style. Personally, I think that Gene kicks ass all over Elvis, simply because of his wild, unadulterated style and his amazing backup band, especially lead guitarist Cliff Gallup, who influenced damn near everyone in the r'n'r world!

This CD includes plenty of ultra-wild numbers like "Red Blue Jeans and a Ponytail", "Hold Me, Hug Me, Rock Me", "Cat Man", "Cruisin'" and plenty of others, but also shows that Gene has a sensitive (though far from wimpy) side with numbers like "Unchained Melody", "Blues Stay Away From Me" and "I Sure Miss You". The chemistry between Vincent and Gallup and the band is evident throughout, as they thrash out some of the fiercest r'n'r in the 50's, shrieking and yelping along the way! Yes, this is fairly standard rockabilly, but done just so damn well that it is heads above the rest of the pack and far from formulaic.

There are 5 bonus tracks here, as well, all as good as the rest of the record. If you want an example of just how good rockabilly can be, this is the place!

The Vikings - Go Beserk!

The Vikings were a punk rock "super group" made up of members of the Yum Yums (Morten - guitar & vocals), Devil Dogs (Steve - bass & vocals) and Turbonegro (bassist Tom here on drums and Knut - EuroBoy - on lead guitar), who got together to make this one (think this was the only one) classic slab of r'n'r.

I was never a big Devil Dogs fan, but Steve's numbers come off well here, like the opener "My Friend's Little Sister" and "Bad to Be Good". Happy Tom's influences come through in "Hard Knox High" and I would assume that Morten's pop influences helped with the high octane take on Bobby Fuller's "Let Her Dance". I'm not familiar with the original, but I dig the sentiment in "It's Cool to Rock" (the Accelerators), though "Strike Out King" doesn't stick with me, though Euro Boy does play some hot leads! The guys do pull off a rockin' take on the Bay City Rollers' "Let's Go" and then there's several Baise songs that are pretty basic D.Dogs' styled punk rock, except for "Four Eyes" that is extremely silly but has a doo-wop feel.

A real stand-out here is "Tonight", a collaboration between Baise and Morten, with Morten's melodies obviously apparent and with him singing lead, making this very different - in a terrific way! More superb Knut leads, as well! They do an amazing take on Chubby Checker's "The Fly" (is that Morten singing there, as well?) and Joan Jett's "Push and Stomp" before Knut & Steve combine forces for the punk-pop "(5-4-3-2) Baby You're the 1" and then a fine reading of the Boys' "First Time". "No L.D." ("limp dick") is a little too goofy for me (the Turbo boys contributed to that one) though Baise's "Rock All" is a pretty cool blazingly fast punk rocker. There are really fun covers of "Surrender", the Nervous Eaters' "Just Head" and the Fun Things' "Savage" to close things out.

Of course, any fans of the Devil Dogs should pick this up, as it is similar but has more variety and just plain good times than most DD with the inclusion of Morten's pop influences and Euro Boy's terrific playing.

The Vibrators - Pure Mania

Coming on the first wave of British punk rock, this combo came to light originally from their work with Chris

Spedding and then with this debut album on Epic, which reached the Top 50 in England. Simple but fun punk rock with good melodies and catchy riffs (and some damn fine leads), this is still regarded as a classic of the genre and a version of the group still tours to this day.

Memorable tunes like "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah", "Baby Baby", "You Broke My Heart", "She's Bringing You Down", "Stiff Little Fingers" (named after the band or was the band named after this song?), "I Need a Slave" and the mesmerizingly beautiful (with a racing bassline) "Whips and Furs" are pure punk rock treasures. But the rest are no slouches, either - everything here is pogo-inducing, good time music, before punk took itself too seriously.

I believe that there was some criticism of these cats because of their past as "rock musicians", but I think that they crossed over to punk well and it seems that history agrees, as this record is now considered one of the best punk albums of all time. Fun stuff that every 70's punk rocker should have in their collection!

The Who - Live at Leeds

After years of non-stop work and then the massive success of Tommy, The Who, and especially main songwriter Pete was feeling pressure to come up with a appropriate follow-up. This went through many phases as the Life House project before eventually becoming a more standard - though terrific - rock album, Who's Next. While Pete was struggling with this, the label and their fans were clamoring for more "product" so the result was this, their first live album, and the only one released while the original band was working.

Always a band to flaunt convention, the record and the set opens with Entwistle's wonderful "Heaven and Hell", a blisteringly powerful hard rocker that shows the group to be on top of their form. They blast right into their first single, "I Can't Explain", which works as well as a hard rocker as it did as a mod anthem, before taking a breather to introduce their unique version of "Fortune Teller" that segues into Pete's "Tattoo". Their take on Mose Allison's "Young Man Blues" is one of their best interpretations ever - taking a piano blues and turning it into a crazed, dynamic piece of riffin' rock'n'roll. I love the banter between songs, though it is mixed comparatively so quietly that it can be difficult to hear unless you constantly play with the volume. In any case, three early numbers follow as a medley, "Substitute", "Happy Jack" and "I'm a Boy" - all great. Pete gives a long (probably as long as the song itself) introduction to one of my favorite early tunes, the "mini-opera", "A Quick One, While He's Away", another stellar performance. Some people might want to take a breather after that masterpiece, but not the Who - they then take on Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues" and make that their own, as well, and got a hit out of it in the bargain! From there they jump right into another amazing cover, "Shakin' All Over" that has a lengthy "jam" in the middle, though it works here. Unfortunately, the jam in "My Generation" degenerates into meandering - one critic said that once they stopped smashing their equipment at the end of this, they didn't know what to do with themselves! There are some nice tidbits, though, such as snippets from Tommy (which they perform basically in its entirety at this show, as well), especially the instrumenttal "Sparks" with Pete's gargantuan E chord! On this 2-CD set there is yet another long jam song, "Magic Bus", on disc one so that Tommy could all be on one CD, instead of the middle of the set, as it was live. These three jam songs in a row get a bit tedious, but I'm sure it was better in its original setting.

As I said, disc 2 here is dedicated to Tommy, done basically in its entirety - there are a couple of pieces missing, but nothing major. The sound is excellent - possibly better than the studio version, which was a bit muddy and, as I do, I like the stripped down versions here. Highlights include "Eyesight to the Blind", "Acid Queen". "Go to the Mirror"/"Smash the Mirror", "I'm Free" and, of course, "We're Not Gonna Take It".

One of the best live records ever and a superb document of this amazing group at the height of their exceptional powers. There's a number of versions of this available these days - you need to own at least one!

The Who - Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy

Another band that I am surprised that I haven't written more about is another of my all-time faves, the

Who. This was their first best-of collection, released in 1971, and gathered all of their hits in one place, which makes it a wonderful listening experience and was especially great for the British fans, since the English albums didn't include the singles!

Opening with their first smash, "I Can't Explain", the rockin' world of the Mods comes through with the first vicious power chords. John and Keith come barreling in and then Roger speaks to the entire mod experience by admitting he "don't know what it means, but I can't explain'! Pretty much their perfect single and this came as their debut (if you discount the High Numbers) - few groups can match that feat!

Pete continues to outline the mod experience with the equally fantastic opening, ringing "D" chord in "The Kids Are Alright" and the rollicking tale of male camaraderie built on huge chords, cool vocal harmonies and powerful dynamics. "Happy Jack' never really clicked with me - just seemed too silly and inconsequential - but then we get the monstrous "I Can See For Miles" with more gigantic chords and an impossibly catchy chorus - this became their first real break-through in America, and rightfully so! Pete's ode to masturbation, "Pictures of Lily" follows, with yet more staccato power chords and Entwistle's french horn "climax". Of course, the gigantic anthem "My Generation" appears in all its glory - who hasn't sung along with this, or even covered it, at some point in their life? - and then there's "The Seeker", which was never a hit, per se, but its groovy, infectious rhythm has always been one of my faves.

More bright, Rickenbacker chords introduce Daltrey's boasting "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" - apparently his answer to the somewhat mincing lyrics of songs like "I'm a Boy". Of course, this tune is where Pete throws in tons of feedback, "Morse code" pickup switching and general noise, thereby changing the sound of r'n'r forever! The single from their huge smash, Tommy, was "Pinball Wizard" - the record that brought them back from the brink of bankruptcy! Townshend's excellent rhythm playing is highlighted here and drives the song and gives it its hook. Pete takes lead vocal for "Legal Matter" - again, not a real hit, but a cool tune about divorce and a change of pace, though his thin vocals makes it plain why they wanted Roger be the main vocalist. John's spooky-sounding "Boris the Spider" was always a fan favorite, so had to join the proceedings, and "The Magic Bus", while only reaching number 25 in the American charts received plenty of airplay and is another concert favorite - though the studio version is much superior to any of their meandering live versions. But a tune that worked in any setting was "Substitute", a fantastic rocker with Pete's patented staccato chord "riff" and propelled by John and Keith throughout, especially in the dynamic bridge section. The collection ends with Pete's fight with cross-dressing, "I'm a Boy" that still sounds somehow menacing, with the stomping beat and Entwistle's french horn in the break.

One of the perfect Who albums - as they say "all killer, no filler" - while there are some points that aren't as fantastic as others, it's still great all the way through. Any lover of r'n'r should own this one!

The Super Zeroes at Saddles'n'Spurs

Fairly recently I discovered that old LA buddy, Kevin (ex guitarist of the Electric Ferrets) is also living in Las Vegas and has been playing bass in local band, Urban Disposal. He has now put together the Super Zeroes with his pal Ryan (who plays Spiderman down on Fremont Street, hence the concept for the band - though it would be cool if he wore his outfit on stage!). Joining them is Kevin's wife Joji on percussion and dancing - nowhere near enough percussionists in the city, and she was obviously really enjoying herself, which is refreshing - along with Kirk on bass and Joe on drums.

Their debut was at our local honky-tonk bar, Saddles'n'Spurs on a Tuesday "jam night", though, as the opener, the SZ's were able to for a 20+ minute mini-set. They brought in a nice handful of people and, while obviously a bit nervous on this, their first show, provided a cool set of poppy rock'n'punk. Yes, there were a few issues here and there, but a fun debut that gives hope for their follow-up. This is just me, but I would like to see a little more concentration on their presentation, but hopefully that will come with time, as well. I'm sure we'll be seeing them again soon!

recommended gigs

Thursday Feb 20 - The All Togethers at the Gold Spike

Friday Feb 21 - the Seriouslys at the Double Down

Saturday Feb 22 - The Swamp Gospel with Tarah Grace and the All Togethers at the Hard Hat Lounge

Thursday Feb 27 - Prophet Greene returns to the Dive Bar with Fuzz Solow, Eddie Bear and the Cubs and Hopeless Jack and the Handsome Devil

Saturday Mar 1 - The Astaires, the Sonic Archers and Trevor and the Jones w/John Fallon at the Hard Hat

Sunday Mar 2 - Swank Bastards at Artifice

Thursday Mar 6 - The Unwieldies at the Dive Bar w/Rev. Red and Duane Mark and the Get Down Bandits

Wednesday Mar 12 - The Lucky Cheats and the Royal Hounds at the Griffin

Friday Mar 14 - Delta Bombers - Gold Mine Tavern, Henderson
Friday Mar 14 - Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Saturday Mar 15 - Bogtrotters Union - Water St St Paddy's Day Parade

Sunday Mar 16 - Bogtrotters Union - Water St St Paddy's Day Parade

Monday Mar 17 - Bogtrotters Union - McMullan's Irish Pub

Friday Mar 21 - The All Togethers and Goodnight Texas at the Dillinger

Saturday Mar 22 - the Psyatics and Voodoo Glow Skulls at the Dive Bar

Tues Mar 25 - Crimson Balladers with Linda Loveless at the Dive Bar

Wednesday Mar 26 - Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Friday Mar 28 - the Delta Bombers w/Bob Wayne and the All Togethers - the Dive Bar

Saturday Mar 29 - the Swamp Gospel at the Double Down

Tues April 1 - Bogtrotters Union - HellPop Comics

Saturday April 5 - Swank Bastards at the Arts Factory

Sunday April 6 - Swank Bastards at Artifice

Tues April 8 - the Swamp Gospel with Cheetah Chrome and the Street Walkin' Cheetahs - the Dive Bar

Friday April 18 - Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Saturday April 19 - Crimson Balladers and Wayne Hancock at the Dive Bar
Saturday April 19 - Swank Bastards at Rat City Ruckus

Friday April 25 - The Swamp Gospel at the Huntridge Tavern with Nina Coyote and Chico Tornado (from the Basque country)

Saturday April 26 - The Psyatics at the Double Down
Saturday April 26 - the Astairs at Triple Bs with David Haskins from Bauhaus

Wednesday April 30 - Swank Bastards at the Double Down

What have I forgotten? Lemme know!

Jethro Tull - This Was

Since I already blew any cred I had by rantin' about this band's album Stand Up, I thought I'd continue on with this, their 1968 debut. With guitarist Mick Abrahams (later of Blodwyn Pig), the sound here has more blues, r'n'b and jazz influences than the later, more progressive-rock sound of the group, though the move in that direction was somewhat gradual. Several numbers here are based on blues progressions and there are even some "steals" from jazz numbers.

Opening with "My Sunday Feeling", this is Tull as I prefer them - earthy, riffin' and with a nice jazz/blues guitar tone. They were certainly no straight blues/rock band, though - not even to the extent that Cream was - the many influences are obvious and mix well with each other to form their own sound. That said, the acoustic guitar/harmonica workout "Some Day the Sun Won't Shine For You" is a pretty basic blues tune, reminiscent of Big Bill Broozy's "Key to the Highway". "Beggar's Farm" has a cool, bluesy riff and a jazz rave-up and Mick gets to provide the only non-Ian Anderson lead vocal of the band's career in "Move On Alone", a nice enough but fairly inconsequential number. The cats cover Roland Kirk in "Serenade to a Cuckoo", a catchy instrumental, that was supposed the first song that Ian learned on flute - Abrahams gets some time to show his stuff here, as well.

Drummer Clive Bunker gets a drum solo number in "Dharma For One" (later covered by several other groups) before the guys return to a fairly straight-forward blues-rocker in "It's Breaking Me Up" (with Ian on harp instead of flute). A rockin' version of "Cat's Squirrel" follows and then we get "A Song For Jeffrey", the tune done in the Rolling Stones' Rock'n'Roll Circus with Tony Iommi sitting in on guitar before the vinyl album ended with a very brief instrumental, simply titled "Round".

The CD includes 3 bonus tracks: "One for John Gee" (a jazz/blues instro), "Love Story" (a cool, melodic rocker with acoustic guitar) and "Christmas Song" (a stripped down ballad). All in all, a great debut and a cool reissue package.

Hank Williams - The Ultimate Collection

As I listen more and more I think I have come to the conclusion that Hank Williams was the greatest country

songwriter of all time! Of course, I am a fan of the raw, early country music, where Americana and bluegrass melded to make this new genre. Hank's memorable tunes are part of the American lexicon these days and rightfully so - lyrics that were easy to relate to, super catchy melodies and some great playing, especially by the tastefully terrific steel player, Don Helms. This 2 CD collection has all the hits and lots more, as well as a wonderful DVD documentary with some rare footage, as well as interviews with his son, grandson and last wife.

It is amazing just how many classic tunes this man wrote - "I Saw the Light", "Mansion on the Hill", "Honky Tonkin'", "Move It On Over", "Mind Your Own Business", "Cold, Cold Heart", "Hey Good Lookin'", "Ramblin' Man", "Your Cheatin' Heart", "Jambalya" and tons more. These are all included here, as well as many lessor known numbers - though no less great. There are also tracks recorded as Luke the Drifter, where Hank would do recitations/sermons that the record company didn't think would be profitable as "Hank Williams" releases - "I Dreamed About Mama Last Night" being a stand-out among these.

Calling anything an "ultimate collection" is setting yourself up for criticism - there are some complaints that some hits here are live and not studio versions, and there is a 10-CD collection that supposedly contains everything the man ever recorded - but this is a pretty damn superb starting point for anyone. Again, mine is a library copy that is missing the booklet that comes with this, so I can't comment on that portion, but overall, a great package!

Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers - Rare Bird Alert

This 2011 follow up to The Crow is another fun banjo-centric bluegrass album from comedian/actor Steve Martin, here backed by his touring band, the Steep Canyon Rangers, along with guests Paul McCartney and the Dixie Chicks.

As before, there are instrumental tracks alternating with vocals numbers, here with a concentration on multiple harmonies - all very well done. I really dig Martin's fine banjo picking on numbers like "Northern Island", which also features some nice fiddle and mandolin. The Rangers provide some superior backup throughout - unfortunately, the library copy that I have does not have any information on the group, but everyone does a great job.

Again, Martin's comedian side comes through on numbers like "Jubilation Day", the live "Atheists Don't Have No Songs" (truly humorous with fantastic harmonies) and a live reprise of his 70's hit "King Tut"! "More Bad Weather on the Way" is a bit more traditional with more cool vocal harmonies around the pickin' and bowin', while the Dixie Chicks make their presence known on the quiet ballad "You". Their vocals as fantastic, though the song itself is not a stand-out. "The Great Remember" is another ballad, an instrumental this time, but "Women Like to Slow Dance" is a terrific, upbeat how-down, where everyone gets to show off their chops again, as they do in the instro "Hide Behind a Rock".

I think that The Crow might be a little more consistent, but this CD is certainly worthwhile as well, with plenty of cool moments. Hope he will bring his show to Vegas sometime!

recommended gigs

Friday Feb 14 - The All Togethers at the Dillinger
Friday Feb 14 - The Voodoo Organist at the Dive Bar
Friday Feb 14 - Killian's Angels at Brendans

Saturday Feb 15 - The Psyatics with Fuck Shit Piss and Big Like Texas at the Hard Rock

Monday Feb 16 - Jinxy Bear at the Fusion Lounge
Monday Feb 16 - The Black Jetts, the Hounds Below, Leather Lungs at Artifice

Tues Feb 18 - The Super Zeros at Saddles'n'Spurs

Wed Feb 19 Jinxy Bear at the Cellar

Thursday Feb 20 - The All Togethers at the Gold Spike

Friday Feb 21 - the Seriouslys at the Double Down

Saturday Feb 22 - The Swamp Gospel with Tarah Grace and the All Togethers at the Hard Hat Lounge

Saturday Mar 1 - The Astaires, the Sonic Archers and Trevor & the Jones w/John Fallon at the Hard Hat

Thursday Mar 6 - The Unwieldies at the Dive Bar

Wednesday Mar 12 - The Lucky Cheats and the Royal Hounds at the Griffin

Friday Mar 14 - Delta Bombers - Gold Mine Tavern, Henderson

Saturday Mar 15 - Bogtrotters Union - Water St St Paddy's Day Parade

Sunday Mar 16 - Bogtrotters Union - Water St St Paddy's Day Parade

Monday Mar 17 - Bogtrotters Union - McMullan's Irish Pub

Friday Mar 21 - The All Togethers and Goodnight Texas at the Dillinger

Saturday Mar 22 - the Psyatics and Voodoo Glow Skulls at the Dive Bar

Tues Mar 25 - Crimson Balladers with Linda Loveless at the Dive Bar

Friday Mar 28 - the Delta Bombers w/Bob Wayne and the All Togethers - the Dive Bar

Saturday Mar 29 - the Swamp Gospel at the Double Down

Tues April 1 - Bogtrotters Union - HellPop Comics

Tues April 8 - the Swamp Gospel with Cheetah Chrome and the Street Walkin' Cheetahs - the Dive Bar

Saturday April 19 - Crimson Balladers and Wayne Hancock at the Dive Bar

Saturday April 26 - The Psyatics at the Double Down
Saturday April 26 - the Astairs at Triple Bs with David Haskins from Bauhaus

What have I forgotten? Lemme know!

Jared Lord, Izzy Cox, Stagnetti's Cock and the Psyatics at the Double Down, Feb 7, 2014

My band opened this show, so I was a little discombobulated throughout the night and I did not take the notes that I normally do, so this will be a little briefer than usual. Jared Lord came on right after we finished and I was intrigued by the new line up with Lord on dobro backed by a stand up bass and a pedal steel guitarist. But, I was pulled away by merchandising and socializing so I'm afraid that I missed the set. Sorry!

Up next, from Texas, was Ms. Izzy Cox, a former associate of Soda and His Million Piece Band and a singer/songwriter/guitarist/drummer whose tunes fall into a similar vein. She enthralled the crowd with her songs and her "honeyed whiskey" voice (as more than one described it) and at the end got a number of people up on stage to join in on a rousing "You Are My Sunshine".

I've seen Stagnetti's Cock before, but they have definitely gone through some changes and - at least for this night - they were a snappily-dressed punk'n'roll outfit. Energetically rockin' and having a good time, they seemed much improved for my previous impression. Will have to check 'em out again and see if there are any further changes!

Playing "clean up" for the night, at some ungawdly hour, was the great Psyatics. I've raved about these cats repeatedly and did my best to stay up through their set, but once it got past 3:30am, my 45 minute commute loomed heavily and I bid my farewells. They have some new tunes and are hitting the clubs again, so be sure to see 'em whenever ya can!

Jethro Tull - Stand Up

OK, I"m about to blow any "cool quotient" I might have with this admission - I really dig early Jethro Tull!

Their mix of British folk/blues/jazz and rock'n'roll really struck a chord (so to speak) with me when I first heard them. I know this isn't a really apt comparison, but I like these early records in the same way I like, say, Steeleye Span - the combination of styles - old and new - really seemed effective to me. With Tull, it wore out after a few albums, but this is one of my faves. And the vinyl issue had this great woodcut art (something else that I was really into at the time) and when you opened the gatefold, the band literally did "stand up"! Nice touch.

This was the band's second album (the first was, funnily enough, titled This Was), and reveals the debut of guitarist Martin Barre, replacing Mick Abrahams, who left after it was apparent that Ian Anderson wanted to move away from blues-rock. Though, those influences are certainly still apparent here, though maybe not quite so deliberately.

The opener is one of their best riff-rockers, "New Day Yesterday", that highlights their use of dynamics from bombastic to quiet (for Ian's flute solo) and back again. Fine stuff! Ian plays a number of different instruments throughout, adding coloring to songs such as "Jeffrey Goes to Leicester Square", with its mandolin, organ, flute and percussion. "Bouree" is a jazz take on "Bouree in E minor" by J.S. Bach and, odd as that may sound, it truly works (even the bass solo!) and became one of their better known numbers.

A lot of the songs are unique enough to defy easy description, such as "Back to the Family", which starts out as sorta blues/folk and turns into a hard rocker before reverting. "Look Into the Sun" is as close to a standard ballad as they get, though it has some unusual traits, such as the artificially tremolo'd vocals. There's another rompin' rocker in "Nothing is Easy" that has some sweet guitar licks whereas "Fat Man" has East Indian influences with its use of balalaika and percussion and "We Used to Know" reminds me of a more rockin' (as it grows in dynamics and adds a hot wah-wahed guitar lead) old English folk song. Certainly they get a lot more folky in the acoustic guitar/flute/strings (with some swelling organ) ballad "Reasons For Waiting" but then rock it hard again for the album closer "For a Thousand Mothers". There are several bonus tracks on the CD, including a version of "Living In the Past", a loping riffer, "Driving Song", the cinematic "Sweet Dream" and the hard-to-describe "17".

I know that these cats got a bit excessive later in their career, but these early records really do still hold up as cool late-60's rock. Worth checking out!

The Gospel Truth - The Gospel Soul and Funk of Stax Records

Anyone who knows me or has read this blog knows that I have become fascinated with gospel music in the last few years - especially old school, jumpin' and shoutin' gospel. This isn't quite that, but it is a super-groovy update on the genre. Stax, in a move set to capitalize on groups like the Staples Singers and their success in the secular market, gave some classic gospel groups a Stax make-over - with some terrific results!

So, what we have here is a 20 song collection of wonderful Stax funky soul sounds that just happen to have a religious message. Nothing comes off as cheesy or insincere and there are lots of great grooves, such as the simple and effective funk of Clarence Smith's take on "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" or the Marion Gaines Singers' "Do Your Thing" and "It Will Soon Be Over". Making the apocalypse sound like a party is Jacqui Verdell's "We're Gonna Have a Good Time" and the Staples Singers are always a good time, as in "Brand New Day" and even while sermonizing on serious issues like "When Will We Be Paid". The Rance Allen Group was one of the stars of the label (and sometimes backing band for others) and "Talk That Talk" shows why - powerful, growling, versatile voice, cool backing vocals and a fine dance beat - and damned (so to speak!) if they don't remind me of a bigger hit-making group, but I can't think of who.

Joshie Jo Armstead has almost a disco-pop feel (in a good way) to "I Got the Vibes" and a mellow soul ballad in "Stumblin' Blocks", while Annette Thomas' "You Need a Friend Like Mine" is a bit more obvious in its message, especially with the opening chords of "Hallelujah"! Rance Allen returns with "(There's Gonna Be) a Showdown", which, while infectiously funky, doesn't have anything to do with Archie Bell and the Drells. The Howard Lemon Singers' "Let Me come Home" is positively irresistible it its James Brown-styled groove and the legendary Sons of Truth give the Temptations a run for their money with their rock'n'soul. Louis McCord does a mellower soul-ballad with "Better Get a Move On" while the 21st Century invokes classic pop-funk of groups like the Isley Brothers in "If the Shoe Fits, Wear It". "Keep My Baby Warm" (Charles May & Annette May Thomas) actually sounds mighty gospel-y, even though the message could be taken as more than a little secular (though I don't think it was meant that way). Clarence Smith is inspirational in "I'll Just Keep On Trying" while the Marion Gaines Sings and Staples Singers close the proceedings with more high quality soul/funk.

I assume that most people know that the Stax/Volt studios produced some of the best African-American music of the 60's and 70's and this is no exception. It doesn't matter if your religious, an atheist or anything in between - it you can appreciate th

Big Jay McNeely and His Band - Swingin'

Big Jay is a legendary rhythm'n'blues honkin' sax man who was known for his outrageous stage

performances as well as his fantastic, wild playing. He would routinely romp through the audiences and often out the door - with the patrons streaming out behind him!

This collection has no booklet and as I am no Big Jay historian, I don't know much about the tracks here - other than that I dig 'em! Opening with a wild bopper, "Flying Home", this shows what McNeely is known for - uptempo, jumpin' jive with some terrific horn playing. A lot of the music here, though, is cool, early rock'n'roll, such as "There is Something on Your Mind" - a nice, strollin', semi-ballad. "Back...Shack...Track" is a rockin' shouter in the vein of Little Richard (who also used sax to great r'n'r effect) while "I Got the Message" is a slower, almost doo-wop influenced number - including a false start. Sounding like he had been listening to Screamin' Jay Hawkins' (and maybe "Stranded in the Jungle"), Big Jay does an appropriately titled "Psycho Serenade", a wild rocker with lots of screamin', whistlin', and maniacal laughter added to the track!

Continuing with the cool 50's r'n'r is "Minnie", followed by another doo-wop inspired (without the group vocals) ballad in "My Darling, Dear". A kinda "Boney Maroney" take-off, "Oh No, Daddy-O" (one of the previously unreleased tracks here) obviously has someone other than McNeely singing, though no idea who - regardless, Big Jay does a great solo here. Another previously unissued instrumental follows, the groovy "Blue Couch Boogie", and then some more bitchin' 50's r'n'r, including the instros "Before Midnight" and "After Midnight", with their "Walkin' to New Orleans" feel. "Havana Hop" goes a little overboard with its percussion that attempts to create a Cuban feel, but Jay does some fine honkin' here. Also previously unreleased, "Annie Lou" has some rockin' lead guitar, seemingly trying to show up Jay (in a good way) and the whole she-bang ends with one more unreleased number, "Sungi Mungi", a poppier doo-wopper with a different singer, again kinda like a more pop "Stranded in the Jungle".

I don't own any other McNeely releases - and I'm sure there are plenty of good ones - but this is a nice, solid starting place - cool honkers and fine 50's r'n'r.

recommended gigs

Thursday Feb 6 - Jinxy Bear and the All Togethers at Banger Brewing
Thursday Feb 6 - The Unwieldies at Velveteen Rabbit

Friday Feb 7 - the Swamp Gospel returns to the Double Down with the Psyatics,  Izzy Cox and Jared Lord

Saturday Feb 8 - Bogtrotters Union - Double Down
Saturday Feb 8 - The Unwieldies at the Dillinger
Saturday Feb 8 - The All Togethers at the Pioneer Saloon
Saturday Feb 8 - Beau Hodges Band - Goldmine Tavern
Saturday Feb 8 - the Moanin' Blacksnakes at the Association

Sunday Feb 9 - Astaires at LVCS w/the Toasters

Tuesday Feb 11 - Can of Beans, Plurales, Fuzz Solow - Hell Pop Comix

Friday Feb 14 - The All Togethers at the Dillinger
Friday Feb 14 - The Voodoo Organist at the Dive Bar
Friday Feb 14 - Killian's Angels at Brendans

Saturday Feb 15 - The Psyatics with Fuck Shit Piss and Big Like Texas at the Hard Rock

Tues Feb 18 - The Super Zeros at Saddles'n'Spurs

Wed Feb 19 Jinxy Bear at the Cellar

Thursday Feb 20 - The All Togethers at the Gold Spike

Friday Feb 21 - the Seriouslys at the Double Down

Saturday Feb 22 - The Swamp Gospel with Tarah Grace and the All Togethers at the Hard Hat Lounge

Saturday Mar 1 - The Astaires, the Sonic Archers and Trevor & the Jones w/John Fallon at the Hard Hat

Thursday Mar 6 - The Unwieldies at the Dive Bar

Wednesday Mar 12 - The Lucky Cheats and the Royal Hounds at the Griffin

Friday Mar 14 - Delta Bombers - Gold Mine Tavern, Henderson

Saturday Mar 15 - Bogtrotters Union - Water St St Paddy's Day Parade

Sunday Mar 16 - Bogtrotters Union - Water St St Paddy's Day Parade

Monday Mar 17 - Bogtrotters Union - McMullan's Irish Pub

Friday Mar 21 - The All Togethers and Goodnight Texas at the Dillinger

Saturday Mar 22 - the Psyatics and Voodoo Glow Skulls at the Dive Bar

Friday Mar 28 - the Delta Bombers w/Bob Wayne - the Dive Bar

Saturday Mar 29 - the Swamp Gospel at the Double Down

Tues April 1 - Bogtrotters Union - HellPop Comics

Tues April 8 - the Swamp Gospel with Cheetah Chrome and the Street Walkin' Cheetahs - the Dive Bar

Saturday April 26 - The Psyatics at the Double Down
Saturday April 26 - the Astairs at Triple Bs with David Haskins from Bauhaus

What have I forgotten? Lemme know! Is everyone slowing down for the holidays? Haven't heard about many cool gigs for a while.

Good Ol' Freda - documentary

This documentary tells the story of Freda Kelly, who was a shy, somewhat homely Liverpudlian teenage secretary when she first came upon the Beatles at the Cavern Club, and was instantly hooked. She became a fan, a friend, the head of their local fan club and, once Brian Epstein became the group's manager, she was hired to be their secretary and remained so until the band broke up 11 years later.

Kelly decided to tell the story after the death of her son, with whom she never shared the details of her life. With the birth of her grandson, she wanted him, and the world, to know about her participation in the world's most famous rock'n'roll band.

Included is some all-too-fleeeting video footage of the Beatles at the Cavern, but lots and lots of photos - many with Freda. She was interviewed a number of times, as well, so there are TV and radio appearances documented as well as newspaper articles. Of course, Freda is interviewed extensively for this doc and comes off as very sweet and personable and still a fan.

This movie is currently available on Netflix as well as DVD/BluRay - so if you're a fan of the Beatles or just the 60's music scene in general, you should see this!

Coal Miner's Daughter - A Tribute To Loretta Lynn

This 2010 compilation was released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Loretta's first single. Lynn

personally selected the artists included and they were allowed to personalize the tuns and use their own musicians and producers. As many of these are modern country performers, I am not very familiar with them, but overall this actually works.

Opening with two of her best numbers, we have Gretchen Wilson doing a fine "Don't Come Home Drinkin'" - with some excellent steel guitar work - and Lee Ann Womack doing "Honky Tonk Girl", in a fiddle-based, honky-tonky take. Of course, the most divergent version on this record is the White Stripes doing "Rated X" as a very stripped down acoustic song, which still totally works. I'm afraid that I find "You're Looking At Country" far too goofy lyrically, so despite Carrie Underwood being a good singer, the song just isn't that great. Alan Jackson and Martina McBride do a pretty traditional take of "Louisiana Woman and MIssissippi Man" while Paramore (no idea what/who this is) does a nice, simple, acoustic "You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Man)".

The ballad "Love is the Foundation" receives a sweet, though a bit sappe, treatment from Faith Hill and "After the Fire is Gone" is modernized a bit too much for me by Steve Earl and Allison Moorer. But a highlight is Reba featuring the Time Jumpers doing a Texas-swing version of "If You're Not Gone Too Long" that is followed by Kid Rock's doing "I Know How". I have never cared for Kid, so I don't care for this all that much, but I have to admit that it's not terrible. Lucinda Williams' "Somebody Somewhere" is a bit overwrought but the closer has Ms. Lynn herself joined by Sheryl Crow and Miranda Lambert doing her classic "Coal Miner's Daughter".

Really pretty darn good for this kind of thing - everyone is reasonably respectful, though maybe a few more chances could have been taken. Still, good job!

Loretta Lynn - All Time Greatest Hits

Continuing in my country education, this is the first Loretta Lynn record I have discovered. She is a bit sassier and snappier than some of the other singers that I've found and this is an enjoyable set, including 16 number one hits, along with some lesser known tunes.

"Wine, Women and Song" sets the pace at the start - a bit more rock'n'roll and less schmaltzy than people like Tammy Wynette, though still quite country. I'm not positive of the authorship of all of these songs, but I know that Lynn wrote many of her own tunes and her lyrics show that she was a strong woman who didn't want to take any gruff from anyone - whether it's other females - "You Ain't Woman Enough" and "Fist City" (amazing lyrics) - or her men - "Don't Come Home Drinkin'" (one of my faves). Of course, she occasionally shows some vulnerability, as in "You Just Stepped In" (though she ends up with the upper hand) and "Woman of the World" so that women who were not quite as strong could still related to the songs. Her signature song was the autobiographical "Coal Miner's Daughter", telling of the hardships of her younger days. There are a couple of nice duets with Conway Twitty ("After the Fire is Gone", "Lead Me On", "As Soon As I Hang Up" [both corny and effectively different at the same time], "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man" and "Feelin'") and some social commentary in a dig at marital bliss in "One's On the Way" and the stigma of divorce in "Rated X". She even gets a bit risque with "Out of My Head and Back In My Bed"!

Yes, there are a number of ballads, as well, but this is one of the stronger country records that I've found - Loretta is the real deal!

Steve Martin - The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo

Steve Martin has been an accomplished banjo player long before he first rose to fame in the 70's as a comic

(he did use it in his act even then) and recently he has seriously forged a side career as strictly a musician with his own bluegrass combo. This is another CD I picked up at our library and so it did not have the booklet in it, but I understand that this is his 2nd music album and here he has a long list of accompanying musicians and singers, from Dolly Parton to Earl Scruggs to Vince Gill and many more. The record is also produced by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's John McEuen, an old high school buddy.

While a lot of this is instrumental bluegrass, mixed in are some vocal numbers, proving that Martin can truly sing, as well as pick. His inner comic comes out in the goofy "Late For School", but that is the only tune that he plays for chuckles. The rest is simply classic bluegrass/traditional/Irish picking and a-strummin' with some clever and interesting touches, keeping it from being just more-of-the-same. Well-done effort and well worth checking out!

Tammy Wynette - Super Hits and Biggest Hits

As I've said a few times, I am trying to expand my knowledge of country music, and am grateful to our local library for helping me out in this endeavor. I picked up these two collections as I never knew much about Wynette other than "Stand By Your Man" and "D-I-V-O-R-C-E", but, while she undoubtedly has a great, powerful voice, the songs and production tends to be heavily string-laden, sappy and schmaltzy. There are a few gems, of course - the previously-mentioned hits stand out, as does "Good Lovin' (Makes It Right)", and "I Don't Wanna Play House", while "My Man' is a decent pop tune, but there's not a lot else that really stands out to my ears. I tend to like my country with a little more honky-tonkin' edge to it. If anyone knows of better selections, lemme know!

Dave Van Ronk - Inside Dave Van Ronk

I am very surprised to find that I did not review the biography of Van Ronk, The Mayor of MacDougal Street, when I had read it - my omissions never fail to amaze me. In any case, I have known about this legendary folk singer more than I have known his music and thought it was about time to remedy that situation. This CD is a compilation of the albums Inside Dave Van Ronk and Folksinger and includes 25 varied tracks from this man who was on the forefront of the NYC folk scene in the late 50's/early 60's and who influenced many, most notably Bob Dylan (who took Van Ronk's version of "House of the Rising Son" and recorded it on his debut before Dave could do so).

A large man with a powerful, growling voice, Van Ronk is probably as famous for his knowledge of folk and blues at a time when the genres were first being discovered as he is for his own musical prowess. While no slouch, he is also no virtuoso on his instruments (all of the recordings are of Van Ronk by himself), though he does sing passionately throughout. His debt to Rev. Gary Davis is obvious right of the bat, as he covers both "Samson and Delilah" and "Cocaine Blues" in the style of Davis, though with a bit more rudimentary playing. There is a wide variety of tunes here, from the intense "Fixin' to Die" and "Stackerlee" to the incredibly silly "Mr. Noah" to the plaintive blues of "Come Back Baby" to the powerfully droning "Poor Lazarus" to the traditional folk of "House Carpenter" and "The Cruel Ship's Captain" and lots more. He also adapts Woody Guthrie's "talking blues" (that Dylan made famous) in "Talking Cancer Blues" and adds dulcimer and autoharp to other tunes.

While I truly enjoy this CD and Van Ronk's singing, playing and choice of songs, I can understand why he didn't cross over to mainstream popularity. I guess he was too true to the genre and just didn't have the spark or character to go any further - and maybe he didn't really want or expect to. This is a nice slice of early NYC folk, in any case.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Will the Circle Be Unbroken Vol III

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has existed in one form or another since 1966, when they formed this

bluegrass/Americana amalgamation and rose to fame with their hit version of "Mr. Bojangles". In 1972, they recorded the first volume of this series, mixing traditional bluegrass and Nashville country artists with West Coast hippies - something that was not very popular in the Vietnam era. But, they proved their love for traditional music and brought in such stalwarts as the legendary Mother Maybelle Carter, Roy Acuff, Merle Travis, Earl Scruggs and many more. This third volume was done in 2002 and includes some of the same people - Scruggs, Doc Watson, Jimmy Martin, Vassar Clements as well as larger-than-life characters like Johnny Cash and his wife June (daughter of Maybelle, whose legacy started this series), Willie Nelson, Taj Mahal, Tom Petty and many more.

The music is as advertised - early country, in the vein of the Carter Family, and bluegrass, all performed by quality musicians with care and passion and a respect for tradition. This is a very cool project and I will certainly be researching the earlier volumes. Nicely done!

Buck 'Em - The Autobiography of Buck Owens with Randy Poe

As I've said a number of times, I'm still learning about country music, since I grew up as a rock'n'roller with folk/bluegrass influences, but C&W was a bit too slick for me. I am learning to appreciate it now and Buck Owens was absolutely one of the biggest stars in the field and he has a compelling story.

When Buck decided to tell his story, he started dictating into a cassette machine, eventually leaving behind dozens and dozens of tapes that Randy Poe - know for his excellent Duanne Allman bio, Skydog - edited and compiled into this tale. Poe comments on Buck's excellent memory for dates and incidents and since little needed to be added, he lets Owens speak for himself.

Born in Texas, growing up in Arizona, fleeing the Dust Bowl, working the land and traveling the country gave Buck a hard-won work ethic which served him well in his music career. From being a backing musician to becoming a star - with plenty of hard work and dedication in between - he tells of recording sessions, memorable shows and personal anecdotes.

At times he comes off a bit egomaniacal, although with 20 #1 hits (so many that he is disappointed when a song "only" reaches number 2!), and lots more in the Top Ten and Top Forty, I suppose he has a right. He was a good businessman, as well, and made investments that paid off later in his life when his star waned. Of course, his time on Hee Haw is documented, though he doesn't dwell on it and he tends to blame the show for his diminishing singing career - it is certainly possible that it was just his time, since he had a long string of hits, but there is no way to be certain either way.

In any case, this is a good read, told in an informal but entertaining way. A good insight to this country star.

PS - I do like the fact that he makes a point to mention playing a Hootenanny with Social D., The Cramps and X and getting a great reaction from the young punk rockers.