The Chrome Horse now sits in darken silence after last week's fire (see picture at end of blog). Although the owner of that place vows to reopen the place, the reality is that yet another music venue is out of circulation. The blacken kitchen area where the fire begin is still coated in black soot and it's going to be a good three months at least for it to be open anytime soon. No word on they will use the outdoor stage for the Friday Night concerts. Another setback to overcome.
The hard things in life is trying to overcome the situation at hand. This summer we had to deal with floods, monsoons, tornadoes and other inconveniences. While last week was supposed to be my last week in Iowa City working at down there, I actually the week back in Cedar Rapids. And will probably never see some of my favorite co workers down in that area. The wonderful Vicki Burr, who used to be my Data Input senior always had a smile and minute to chat with. Likewise with Laura Henry, who I have known since Pell and for being close to fifty she never has aged that much. She still has the weavy perm hairdo and a cute smile and when she said hi to me on the way out, I just melt into place. She will remain in the operations side of the old scanning area. The nine months that I have spent down there was a fun time, it brought back original memories of when I first worked there in 1985 and half the fun trying to remember where the old Pell room was at, or where Data Input used to be. It's nice to save gas and take 10 minutes and 20 miles less to get down there but I'll miss the place. However I won't miss the Jimmy Johns to which the last time I ordered up a beef sandwich down there, the fucking meat was so damn tough, I thought they used a shoe than beef in that sandwich. And the Subway in the mini mall wasn't much better. It will also mean less time spent down there in the Goodwills or thrift stores, although I do admit i didn't go to Record Collector very often and when I did the last couple times, I didn't find anything to take home to listen to. But then again, I do believe I think I just about got about everything I could want for music. Anything I need can be found at Stuff Etc much cheaper.
One of the things to do before I die is to participate in a nude bike ride but I keep missing the dates. Last weekend St. Louis held the World Nude Bike Ride 2014 and of course people of all ages and gender stripped down to the bare minimum or in some cases some actually did ride in the buff. I figured it'd be worth doing other than buying out record stores for cheap music, only to donate it back, like I did donating another 40 CDs and 10 LPs. http://www.riverfronttimes.com/slideshow/the-nicest-naughty-bits-at-the-2014-world-naked-bike-ride-nsfw-41721891/
The world continues to be more fucked up then ever before. ISIS, the anti Christian pro Islamic thugs are blowing up sacred places all around Iraq, Israel is blowing up Gaza and Hamas and the Republicans are going nuts over the illegal aliens coming from South America. Ted Nugent continues to open his big mouth and putting his foot in it and the Indians that own the casinos in Washington state and Idaho canceled some of his shows. Which made Terrible Ted freak out and call them choice names. Keep it up Teddy and you'll be only playing NRA conventions and hanging at FOX news. He's not taking his advice too seriously it seems, just shut up and jam.
Ivy Doomkitty continues to get searched around here in this blog, she's up to number 3 and gaining on yours truly and Pat Travers. Samantha Fish is way back there at number 4 but hardly anybody searches for her name here anymore. I like fashionable plus size folks just as much as you do, but I really don't put a lot of eye candy upon here that much outside of Ivy, but if you want to see up and coming folk like Inna Kulin you can see them and a few more from this website: http://www.positivesize.com/
To the joke spam refer site Xolodremont, you suck, blow me, go away, thanks for the bump in the ratings. How bout referring some interesting sites over rather than you. Translate that into Russian you worthless Ruskie fucks. On a positive note, thanks to everybody who has continued to read this website and the contents, it seems that I have been missed due to my 'retirement'. But as you can see I have never really gone away. And we passed 2000 views this month. Thanks to all that helped along the way.
Big Baby Corner: Mike Portnoy, pretty good drummer but I have heard stories about him and not too flattering ones either. He seems to be a diva and took to Twitter bitching about a fan wearing a post Portnoy era Dream Theater T shirt at a meet and greet which can be like going to the dentist for a root canal without pain meds. Perhaps it was laundry day and the fan only had that to wear or maybe the guy was a prick and decided to hurt Mike's feelings with the new drummer, Mike Mangini who seems to be a better drummer in technique (that's going cause a bit of hurt of Portnoy gets wind of this, but since I'm a blogger with less than 2000 views per month I shouldn't figure) and attitude. I wouldn't say if like Portnoy says it if 1 person tears me down, 100 comes to my rescue, that seems to be the other way around, for every 100 folks calling you a asshole, 1 person comes to your defense. The aura of social networking that whatever you say, for good or for bad may come back to bite you in the ass (just ask Ted Nugent). In this day and age, the internet doesn't let you hide from and Portnoy may have said these comments in jest or actually did feel pissed off that somebody slammed him by wearing the latest Dream Theater album T shirt. It is what it is indeed, so suck it up buttercup and the next you do a meet and greet (Portnoy has been called a asshole by many for his antics at such meet and greets) put on a extra pair of depends. And be thankful you can actually make a living playing drums in various bands. A lot more talented musicians don't have that luxury or lucky streak. http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/mike-portnoy-admonishes-fan-for-showing-up-to-signing-wearing-mangini-era-dream-theater-shirt/
Upon the passing of Johnny Winter, I had put on a copy of Johnny Winter And Live the other day and Johnny had a very good band backing him up on this. Randy Joe Hobbs on bass, Rick Derringer on guitar and Bobby Caldwell bashing away on the drums. One of the best drummers back in the 70s, Caldwell had a driving beat and excellent use of cymbal bashing. He later appears in the first Captain Beyond album and later Armageddon with Keith Relf but has continue to play over the years. http://www.theofficialbobbycaldwellsite.com/
Shout Factory will bring back The Complete WKRP In Cincinnati Series with the original music intact. Those who bought the show on DVD got ripped off by music not in the show. I guess the major labels finally relented and clear the rights to do this. However if anything by the major bands (Pink Floyd, Zeppelin etc etc) was played on the show I doubt if it will show up on the reissue. Shout Factory, the Rhino of the DVDs plan to issue this on Oct 28 (penciled in but don't be surprised if this gets moved back). We all know too well how the Major labels like to squeeze every cent out of every song they have in their greedy hands.
Reviews:
Rave On-The Coral Records Story (One Day Music)
Leave it to the import label of One Day/Not Now Records to spotlight forgotten record labels around here. Coral Records was a subsidiary of Decca Records and figured in two things. One, a pop label of sorts led by Dick Jacobs, who dated 50's sound was the sign of the times, one step above Mitch Miller and nothing more, and second and most importantly, where Buddy Holly, The Rock And Roll Trio of Johnny and Dorsey Burnette with Paul Burleson rockabilly. Of course the best songs are from the likes of Buddy Holly and the various versions of The Crickets including Peggy Sue Got Married which the late David Box was perhaps a better soundalike. Sonny Curtis figures into the fray with More Than I Can Say and obscure single Talk About My Baby and even Jerry Allison, under the alias of Ivan gives us Real Wild Child and less interesting That'll Be Alright, which proves why Jerry was better playing drums than singing on that track.
That said, the pop numbers are better heard once and never again (I'm looking at you Dorothy Collins, Cool It Baby might be the worst "rockabilly" song ever), Debbie Reynold and Tammy has dated very badly in the 55 years since its release and any version of Black Demin Trousers And Motorcycle Boots is terrible although The Diamonds (later famous for Little Darlin and The Stroll, to which a version by The Lancers appears here instead of The Diamonds, since by then they signed to Mercury Records) almost has it down just like The Cheers did. Johnny Desmond's White Sport Coat (and a pink carnation) was the original version but Marty Robbins had a higher chart position and to these ears the better version. Patsy Cline appears on two Coral singles (Turn The Cards Slowly, I Love You Honey) she had the voice but the song selections were questionable. The big sellers at that time were pop stars, The McGuire Sisters with Sugartime and Teresa Brewer who does a cover of You Send Me with a couple variations on the words. The legendary Moon Mullican, revisits Moon's Rock (originally a hit on King Records) and does a country version of Jan And Arnie's Jenny Lee which actually does rock. But Rave On-The Coral Story also gives us a taste of Dick Jacobs' arrangements, Buddy Holly's It Doesn't Matter Anymore is presented in full stereo to the silly vocal band The Goofers' cover of Hearts Of Stone, and the triple time horns of I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter from Billy Williams. And perhaps a few others although the liner notes never mentions Mr. Jacobs. The doowop numbers are few and far between (The Explorers, The Enchanters), but you can hear what we call houserocking music from Jimmy Carvello and his Houserockers, And The Alan Freed Rock n Roll Band) and back then they did bring the house down.
One Day Music since their inception in 2011 has done a fabulous job in their 2 CD overviews of rockabilly bands and record labels of the past that meant something and there's a few more best ofs out there as well. There's a 3 CD set of Atco and Epic Records but also 2 CD sets from the likes of Imperial, Capitol, MGM and so forth. Rave On-The Coral Records Story is a erratic collection of the late 50s but a perfect representation of what kind of music they put out. Eventually Decca would absorb Coral in the late 60s and it became a budget label of reissues. Coral was a pop label, they just got lucky when Buddy Holly hit the top 10 charts, but still couldn't figure out how to market him, nor The Rock and Roll Trio. In other words, a clash of styles in 50 selections of varying degree.
Grade B
The Definitive Flying Burrito Brothers Collection (A&M)
Given how much Gram Parsons has contributed in his short music life, the flawed genius made two fine country rock albums, one for the Byrds (Sweetheart Of The Rodeo) and the Burritos (Guided Palace Of Sin) and then became such a hanger on groupie for the Rolling Stones that he lost his focus. On the plus side Gram did get the Stones to make their two best albums of the 70s at that time (Sticky Fingers and Exile On Main Street) and while Parsons' participation was not as much on Burrito Deluxe he did managed to turn in a fine version of Wild Horses who is just as good as the Stones version. What The Collection does is finally give us both of Gilded Palace Of Sin and Burrito Deluxe with a couple of obscure 45s A and B sides that didn't make it to the album and in all fairness The Train Song is subpar and falls on its ass, and Close Up The Honky Tonks sounds like a demo but that's nitpicking. While Further Along (The Best Of The Burritos) was a nice sampler what got me is that they left off My Uncle off. It's great to hear the two Burrito albums in their entirety, Burrito Deluxe is just as good if not slight then Gilded Palace but with Chris Hillman taking over more on vocals and songs, and with Mike Clarke on drums, this is where they recreate Younger Than Yesterday and at the same time with an eye toward toward the future of what Hillman would later do, country music but a little more slicker with his Desert Rose Band. Also, Bernie Leadon picks up the slack from Parsons as well. And also would dictate the future for himself when he moved on to The Eagles later, which popularize of what the Burritos were trying to do. As for Parsons himself, he had a good eye and ear for covering certain songs, and if Do Right Woman,Do Right Man doesn't capture the feeling and spirit of something new and exciting, he nails it on Dark End Of The Street. Sad to say too much time, money and drugs cost him his life but Gilded Palace Of Sin is his calling card and his legacy. And you can't take that away from him.
Grade A
Deep Purple-Hard Road The Mark 1 Studio Recordings (Parlophone)
When Ian Gillan and Roger Glover joined them, they rewrote hard rock but I still have a fondness for Rod Evans and Nick Simpler's version of the first lineup. But box sets nowadays adds too much to the equation and takes out what memories that I used to have about Deep Purple all the way back till I had two of their three albums on cutout 8 Tracks from GRT. The Mark 1 lineup was perhaps the most prog rock sounding and trying to find where to fit in, in the music world. Richie Blackmore, genius that he is, really made some of the most out of tune guitar playing that I heard and perhaps it may have meant something to play that way on Hard Road or We Can Work It Out but it still sounds woefully out of tune to me. And I never forgive him for showing Evans and Simpler out the door either. But we all know that if they remained in the band they would have never reached the highs that they did on In Rock or Machine Head. Anyway, Hard Rock is five discs of the three albums that Purple recorded that featured Evans/Simpler, two of them mono mixes of Deep Purple and Book Of Talesyn and only the fanatics with a throwaway income need apply. But the charm of Hush and Kentucky Woman still resonates to this day, Evans' Yeah yeah yeah on the opus of Jon Lord's solo on Kentucky Woman remains classic rock goodness. Bird Has Flown in album format shows they could do Prog rock and One More Rainy Day they could even do pop. The outtakes are just that, nothing ground shaking and single edits of Bird Has Flown and River Deep Mountain High shows why they didn't chart in the first place, though interesting to hear, especially the former done more in a Psychedelic way and the latter without the bombast beginning. In other words, another cash grab from a label devoid of developing new acts and rather scrap the bottom of the barrel of historic bands. You're better with the stand alone albums.
Grade B-
Playlist:
Jumpin Jack Flash-Johnny Winter (Live)
Ju Ju Man-Dave Edmunds (Get It)
Back On The Street-Hawkwind (Return Of The Legendary Space Rangers)
Panic In The World-Be Bop Deluxe (Raiding The Divine Archive)
Talk About My Baby-Sonny Curtis (Rave On-The Coral Records Story)
Drinking Again-The Townedgers (Forthcoming Trains)
Fall So Far-Murray Attaway (In Trall)
This Bird's Gonna Fly-Los Lobos (Colossal Head)
The World Is Troubled-Dennis Brown (The Complete A&M Years)
Smokestack Lightning-The Yardbirds (Five Live Yardbirds)
RIP Dick Wagner guitar extraordinaire.
Finally, WWHP (the whip) from Farmer City Illinois, perhaps the most unique country/blues station out there has been sold off to yet another corporate wannabe and is changing their format over to (you guessed it) the same old tired Bro Country crap station that's no different than any other Bro Country crap station out there. The kind looking out for your interest buyers, Smah Hit Media (whoever the fuck they are) pretty much told everybody to clear out their things as they install satellite equipment for piped in shows. WWHP may have been the last in line station off the beaten path with their type of music play list. Since then they have changed over to classic rock. Imagine that. The old Whip station is now back land radio. http://backlandradio.com/
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