recommended gigs

 10-31-20 - Rayford Brothers LIVE at the Sand Dollar

11-7-20 - Suburban Resistance, Soldiers of Destruction, Gob Patrol LIVE at the Dive Bar

11-9-20 Thee Swank Bastards LIVE at the Golden Tiki

11-16-20 Thee Swank Bastards LIVE at the Golden Tiki

11-23-20 Thee Swank Bastards LIVE at the Golden Tiki

11-30-20 Thee Swank Bastards LIVE at the Golden Tiki

RIP Bob BIggs of Slash Records

Bob Biggs, Founder of Slash Records, Dies at 74 

---

What's New Keanu? by Tom Neely

 Because Tom is a decent human being, he is a dog lover, with previous pooches named Barky and Samhain (RIP to both). According to Tom, Keanu is mostly his girlfriend's dog, but he thinks Tom is ok, as well, and Tom obviously has just a bit of affection for Keanu, as well. His exploits appear on Neely's Instagram account at times and here he has gathered together a collection of his favorite pieces. Most dog lovers, especially those who live with relatively small mutts, will recognize their own fur baby in these strips, and this is much more light-hearted and, dare I say it, sentimental than much of Neely's more graphic, ultra-violent, ulrta-sex-driven, disturbing work. But, that's because Tom is a sweetheart underneath the EC Comics cover that he wears!

Anyone with a four legged friend should have this one!

Pastiche by Tom Neely

 This bit of sequential art came about when Tom needed a break from a big project and gave himself a week to process a complete comic book in time for a Comic Con. Combining his fascination with doppelgangers with some vintage Popeye comic books he found, he created Dopeye, an uncannily familiar sailor who has an existential crisis when he meets himself and what else can he do but down some spinach and fight his way out? It is a bit esoteric in the manner of his works like The Blot, but that certainly doesn't effect its entertainment value!

According to the back cover - and it wouldn't lie, would it? - this became "one of Neely's most popular and acclaimed pieces of sequential art" - quite a feat considering some of the incredible work that he has done! It actually led him to draw some official Popeye comics, as well!

Beautifully done artwork with wild, anarchic scenes (I will never know how he can willingly create so many crowd scenes!), some pop culture in jokes and a story line that may be perceived equally as deep or meaningless - as much art can!

Neely Covers Comics To Give You The Creeps by Tom Neely

 

Tom Neely is an old friend of ours who, of course, is known for his fantastic Henry and Glenn series as well as the amazing Humans Planet of the Apes-meets-Hell's Angels comics. Naturally, he has done quite a bit of other work in a wide variety of settings including this neat little comic where he puts his own spin on old school Creepy and other classic horror comic covers. Neely has a unique, instantly recognizable style - a mix of vintage cartoons mixed with rock'n'roll, horror, plenty of pop culture, pop art and pop violence. I'm a huge fan but for a measly $6, this is a great collection!

RIP Jerry Jeff Walker

Jerry Jeff Walker, Who Wrote 'Mr. Bojangles,' Dies At 78 

--

Blues All Day Long - the Jimmy Rogers Story by Wayne Everett Goins

 

Jimmy Rogers was, of course, the guitarist in Muddy Waters' ace backing band at its peak, along with Willie Dixon, Little Walter and Elgin Evans, before he moved on to a successful solo career and he is still known as one of the legends of the Chicago music scene. Goins realized that there was not a true biography on this man despite most of his comrades receiving acclaims regularly and he decided that he should be the man to fix this glaring omission. 

Rogers' childhood is a bit confusing as his parents did not stay together long and he was sent to live with his grandmother and her large family, who he would refer to as siblings instead of aunts and uncles. Considering that his sir name varied from his biological father to his step-father to his grandparents' names, this became even more obtuse. Goins does his best to straighten out this tanglement and give us as clear of a picture as possible.

Because he traveled a lot as a child - his grandmother worked and traveled on the railroad and he would often accompany her - Rogers was mostly a loner, although he had a few close friends. I find it wild that he was childhood buddies with Snooky Pryor, who ended up as another Chicago blues great, of course, and Rogers' nickname originally was Snooky, and Pryor was Bubba! As children, their parents did not approve of their interest in the "devil's music", but they managed to see a number of the early greats by sneaking off to whatever juke joint they were playing in. As he grew older, he would sit in with the giants on both guitar and harmonica and created a name for himself in the region and eventually moved permanently to Chicago.

And man, what a time to be in Chicago! So many legends were on the scene and they were playing together, drinkin' together, gamblin' together and hangin' at each other's houses - almost gives me chills to think of all these cats in the same place'n'time, just diggin' the music. Jimmy joined forces with Muddy Waters and eventually brought Little Walter into the fold and proceeded to produce some of the most enduring blues music ever recorded. Each man eventually went on their own and with the entrance of rock'n'roll on the scene, their stars began to diminish. In fact, Rogers, dropped out of music altogether for most of the 60's to support his family and wouldn't return until the 70's. But, his return began his most productive period of his career - regular gigs in Chicago (man, I wish I had been a few years older and knew about all these cats playing in clubs!), recording, and even touring Europe.

While there are some fun tales of this time, and it's nice to know that Rogers was acknowledged for his contributions to the blues, a good portion of this period is simply Goins listing the various musicians coming'n'going from the band and the gigs that they played and tours that they embarked upon. Certainly there are some hip anecdotes - the band plays with the Exploited at one point! - and Rogers reunites with other Chicago legends for recordings and concerts, it just isn't as captivating as the early days. In fact, most (not all) of the recordings that Rogers is involved in seem to simply be him revisiting his old songs over'n'over with various sidemen, even as he attains higher levels of acclaim than ever before. In fact, just before he died he was busier than ever, with a star-studded album being released just a short time after he was taken by cancer (same as his old boss, Muddy) at 72.

Regardless, I had a good time with this - worth delving into for the vast amount of info on the old days and Goins does his best to set the record straight throughout Jimmy's history.

RIP The Amazing Randi

James Randi, magician and paranormal debunker, dead at 92 

---

Besides being a pop culture icon, rock'n'rollers will remember Randi as the one who created some of Alice Cooper's (that band) greatest illusions. 

RIP Spencer Davis

SPENCER DAVIS FOUNDER OF '60S BAND Dead at 81

---

Spencer formed the great garage/white-soul band, the Spencer David Group, featuring a young Steve Winwood. 

Another great one gone...

The Hi Records Story

 

After finishing the Al Green bio that had a fairly extensive history if Hi Records included I wanted to hear more from the artists featured on this Memphis label. There are a few compilations around, but this was reasonably priced and seemed to encapsulate a good number of the musicians.

The Bill Black Combo was a 50's instrumental band and the music is somewhat similar to the likes of Bill Doggett and others from that time period - kinda swingin, bachelor pad-styled tunes. From there we get Ace Cannon's sax groove, "Tuff", Murray Kellum's doo-wop number "Long Tall Texan", the soul stirrin' "20-75" by Willie Mitchell (who would end up producing many of the Hi Records hits), Jumpin' Gene Simmons' classic 50's R'n'B "Haunted House", the Motown-ish "Love Is After Me" (Charlie Rich), Jerry Jaye doin' a rockin' take on Fats Domino's "My Girl Josephine", Willie Mitchell returns for "Soul Serenade", Ann Pebbles does a fabulously funky job on "Part Time Love" and then there's a couple smash hits from Hi's biggest star, the smooth soul serenade singer Al Green - "Tired Of Being Alone" and "Let's Stay Together".

Ann Pebbles comes back for the terrifically lascivious "(I Feel Like) Breaking Up Somebody's Home", George Jackson gives us the soulful breakup/makeup number, "Aretha, Sing One For Me", followed by another Green masterpiece, "I'm Still In Love With You", then Otis Clay's upbeat-but-depressing dance number "Trying To Live My Life Without You", Quiet Elegance lives up to the name in the powerful, painful ballad "You've Got My Mind Messed Up", Pebbles appears again for "I Can't Stand the Rain", Syl Johnson grooves in "Back For a Taste Of Your Love", Phillip Mitchell gets soulful in "Turning Over the Ground", Otis Clay is back for the love-lost ballad "It Was Jealousy", Syl Johnson does a fine job on Green's "Take Me To The River", Jean Plum sings sweetly in "Look At the Boy" and the proceedings conclude with OV Wright's won brand of soul in "Precious, Precious".

If you're a soul music fan then you should know many of these artists already but either way, this is a fine comp and a hip representation of this swingin' label.

recommended live streams and live gigs

 10-10-20 - the Two Tens live stream virtual release show 8:00 pm Pacific Time

10-10-20 - Franks'n'Deans live stream - 8:00 pm Pacific Time

10-22-20 - Rev Horton Heat and Shanda ad the Howlers LIVE at the Fremont Country Club

10-23-20 - Rev Horton Heat and Shanda ad the Howlers LIVE at the Fremont Country Club

10-31-20 - Rayford Brothers LIVE at the Sand Dollar

More RIP's

Johnny Nash, ‘I Can See Clearly Now’ Singer, Dies At Age 80

 ---

'I Am Woman' Singer Helen Reddy Is Dead, Aged 78

---

Mac Davis, 'Painter' Of Classic Songs, Dead At 78

---

'His music carries his love and spirit:' Gospel-blues artist Rev. John Wilkins dead at 76

---

RIP Eddie Van Halen

Eddie Van Halen, Guitar Hero, Dies At 65

---

I had no idea that he was this sick, but then, I haven't followed his career since his first LP, to be truthful. Can't say I'm a big fan, but I did like their debut when it came out and I can't dismiss his influence.

Soul Survivor - a Biography of Al Green by Jimmy McDonough

 

As much of a rock'n'roller as I am, I have always loved Soul Music, as presented by the greats of the 60's and the 70's, including the sweet, lovin' soul of Al Green. Jimmy McDonough (who also wrote the Neil Young Biography, Shakey) warns the reader right from the start that this will not be a sweet story, though, referencing Al's "autobiography", Take Me To the River, that Al admits he had little to do with, and mentioning his apparent multiple personalities and, an especially compelling story, the death of a woman that he was involved with (ruled as suicide) in his own home. As a minister in Memphis for over 40 years now, Green remains a man of mystery and McDonough does what he can to break down that wall and reveal a bit more of the man that the inconsistent "autobiography" showed.

Strangely, McDonough extensively quotes later-era Gizmos guitarist Dale Lawrence who, as far as I know, has nothing to do with Green, his style of music or his locale. Obviously, McDonough must know Lawrence personally, but it certainly made me do a double take as the first quote is on page four! Jimmy does also quote various other musicians without stating their qualifications other than as "musicians", which is fine, just a little odd.

There are a couple of chapters solely dedicated to Hi Records and the Royal studio and house band, which certainly does have plenty to do with the Al Green sound and is a fascinating tale in and of itself. Once Green was ensconced at Hi, there was a bit of trial'n'error before they starting making hits, but once they did, they were on a roll! Superstardom struck and stayed, bringing Al fame'n'fortune. Since he could not bring the Hi Records studio band on tour, he picked up a group - described as raggedy - that was led by guitarist Larry Lee, probably best known for being part of Gypsy Sun and Rainbows, Jimi Hendrix' Woodstock band! 

McDonough gets into Green's personality, as well, and we find out that along with being a tremendous womanizer, he was not respectful to his musicians or staff, which I was a bit surprised by, for some reason - maybe his laid-back vocal delivery. But, women loved him, to the extent that a crazed fan/ lover actually committed suicide (apparently), which caused his career to start faltering right as it was reaching new heights.

Once he found religion he started his own church and decided to only release gospel records, which led to several Grammys, but a lot of uninspired music. While there is some crazy drama - sex, drugs, violence - during this period of his life, it is less interesting to me than his star-studded soul days. But Jimmy does his best to keep you absorbed throughout these years, as well. I do wish that I had been able to get to Green's church the one time I was in Memphis - it sounds like it is still quite the experience!

As McDonough disparages other writers' version of the Al Green story, I suppose that one should take his interpretation with a grain of salt, as well, but he tells it well and seems to have done his best to get to the true heart of the tale. I'd recommend it!