1-13-10 Mick Green RIP

Mick Green was one of the best pub rock guitarist ever. In the early 60s, he joined Johnny Kidd's Pirates to begin a long and storied career. After Kidd died in a car crash The Pirates broke up for a spell and then returned with a vengence, recording two classic albums for Warner Brothers and a lesser known for Mike Nesmith's Pacific Arts. When Frank Farley and Johnny Spence moved on, Green kept the Pirates going through the 90s and making a few albums along the way but if you really wanted to hear the power of Mick Green, seek out Out Of Their Skulls or Skull Wars (the Warner Brothers albums, the UK album have a different mix and feel). Green passed away on 1/11/10 at the age of 65. He will be missed.

Anyway, I'm still trying to get a feel of blogspot and trying to allow reader comments. I'm a bit tired from going to the dentist and getting my second root canal in as many months, perhaps we got the wrong tooth the first time, but I tell you nothing is more worse for pain than an incensed tooth. The second root canal was very painful, seemed like that dying nerve was into convulsions and had to deal with pain all weekend. And on top of that, trying to get over a damn cold that seems commonplace every damn January. But anyway here in top ten land, we still keep an eye out on music new and old, with a wry comment here and there. I don't think we get the readers like we did in My Space but get the word out and I'm sure the place will be jumping. I don't miss My Space all that much for blogging, at least here things are saved right off the bat.

This week's songs of note.

1. The Fight Goes On-Pat Travers 1990 I got to see Pat Travers and his band play at Dillon's (now 3rd Street Live) and he had Peter Mars Cowling and Jerry Riggs playing and I thought they were better than the Pat Thrall/Tommy Aldridge band of Go For What You Know. Even got to shake Pat's hand (and Jerry and Mars though not the drummer) when they came off the stage and Pat had a nice tight grip too. The album School Of Hard Knocks was availble as an import to which I did get at Best Buy back then. P.T never seems to get enough credit as a hard rock and roller although recently he's more into blues than rock.

2. There's A Light-Noel Redding Band 1975 Former Hendrix bass player goes out and forms a light rock/blues based band that made two albums for RCA that didn't get good reviews but somebody at One Way Records thought enough to reissue them as a 2 on 1. Former Thin Lizzy guitarist Eric Bell plays lead and they sounded a bit like Badfinger (Ass, the album after Straight Up comes to mind) or a Mott The Hoople without a identity. Can be found for a buck at Amazon.com for those who are interested.

3. Fill In The Blanks-Ringo Starr 2010 The first new album of the year is Ringo's Y Not and it is a lot better than Liverpool 8. Why is this album better you ask? Simply of the fact that Ringo has finally gotten rid of Mark Hudson, who pretty much made any of the albums he co produced worthless. Ringo does sound like he's having a bit more fun this time out. Good for him.

4. California Sun-The Riveras 1962 Surf music back in the early 60s could be rock and roll fun. The call and response of guitar and cheesy vox organ makes this a summertime treat to listen to. If only new music was this much fun.

5. When Did You Stop Loving Me When Did I Stop Loving You-Marvin Gaye 1978 This came from his Here My Dear album, which was basically a kiss off to his then wife Anna Gordy Gaye. He owe Motown an album and the next album he would give the royalites to Anna for divorce settlement but what he came up with is one of more oddball classics in the 70s. No, it didn't sell very well and at first Anna didn't think much of this album but supposely she's warmed up to it. Funny thing though while reading the liner notes, that the woman that Marvin left Anna for, he would split up shortly after this album was released and despite the acromonies, Marvin and Anna did chat and kept in touch before his untimely murder. This did get reissued on CD in 1994 thanks be to Cary E Mansfield, who later become head of reissues at Varese Sarabande and bought my copy of The Spongetones Where Ever Land.

6. Rock This Place-Dan Baird 2003 Formerly of the Georgia Satellites, Baird made two pretty good solo albums before putting a import only compliation of a aborted third album to which this song appears on. I'm a fan by the way.

7. Fashion-David Bowie 1980 My GF made a request to put a David Bowie song on the top ten to which this track was decided upon. I'm sure she's never listen to this particular track but I think it came off Scary Monsters, his RCA 1980 album to which this song has a hook that goes something like...beep beep. Don't know if DB was trying to copy Bad Girls from Donna Summer or not. Beep Beep anyway.

8. Good Day-Swinging Steaks 2006 Their classic album came out on Capricorn in the mid 90s but once they didn't sell enough copies went back to the indpendent route and made a couple albums in the 00's. Still think their best remains Southside Of The Sky but this album Sunday Best isn't too shabby either. Found in the buck bins at FYE. Perhaps I should make one more trip to FYE before the door shuts forever down there at Coral Ridge in Coralville.

9. Someday I'm Going To Ride In A Cadillac-Charlie Major 1996 Country star from Canada, made a couple best sellers for Arista Canada and tries his luck on a new and already failing record label. And this song could have made an impact on the charts if it had some promotion behind it.

10. All In It Together-The Pirates 1978 Mick Green and company were so good but to the ears of the US public, their music was much too rough and too raw for even the punks who like the Sex Pistols or Ramones. Not for this critic who bought Skull Wars simply of the fact it had a cool cover and the clerk at the record store said it was rock and roll. Appently this charted on the finer college stations out there and I could have swore that I heard it on KUNI one night in 1979. Kinda wished that Wounded Bird would have issued this album like they did with Root Boy Slim, I'd buy a few copies for myself and friends. Nevertheless, Mick Green would influence Wilko Johnson who would form Dr. Feelgood, a name taken from one of The Pirates songs. The Pirates were the best in pub rock of the late 70s and some of their performances can be found on You Tube. Check them out.