Gobble Gobble Gobble-Thanksgiving 2019

It used to be a big deal when I posted the best and worst of the year.  As time goes by, I find myself not taken in by the new music that is out there.  Had I kept my interests going, I could write a book about the worst of the year.  Nowadays social media has a field day and the shock value is no longer there.

When I had TV, Thanksgiving would be reserved for the Detroit Lions and then go do something else later in the day but since I don't watch TV anymore, the time wasted for TV is now on the internet, to which I have seen 20 years of this life go by in the blink of an eye.  It was 50 years ago, that Minnesota went to Detroit and on a sloppy field and snowflakes  shut out the Lions 27-0.  50 years later, Fred Cox would pass away at age 80.  Time keeps on slipping away and we continue to grow old and nothing we can do about it but live till we die.  Some sooner than others.  The passing of Fred Cox is another reminder of the past and the things we grew up watching, Minnesota football played outdoors in real grass and real mud and games were done before 2 30 PM.

Is death the biggest turkey story of the year?  Depends on how you look at it. Someday, we won't be around.  I'm looking forward to that day whenever it comes.  It's strange how time flies and then the long haired freaky dude of 20 years ago is replaced by a balding crabb that riles against just about everything.  The traffic, the red lights, Trump, Phony Joni Ernst.  Seems like we have been bitching about them forever.  We scream for change, and each passing election year it's the same old same old.  The 1 percent owning everything including congress, The Russians and North Koreans that PAB loves to idolize.   And in the meantime, we're still not seeing anything different.  Plenty of jobs but they don't pay and even if you do have one or two, you cannot afford the rent or electric bill.  The weather continues to suck.  If you're not drowning in a flood, you're in a state that has fires burning everywhere.    Has it been like this before the age of social media?  It could have been for all we know.

20 years ago, I got connected to the web, and three years later started a blog that hardly anybody reads. And each year at the ending thinking I had enough and then come right back the next year and picked up where I left behind with record finds.  A hard habit to break.  And yes, there's still a lotta gobble gobble gobble crapola out there.  To which we add our 2 cents worth to the cause.

In no particular order.

The Los Angeles Chargers-The biggest gobble gobble gobble of the year.  They went 0-6 in their division, losing to the crappy Broncos and Raiders and of course Kansas City owned them once again. Phillip Rivers had a hard time trying to figure who his receivers were.  The shock of the year, having them play their own Super Bowl by whopping Green Bay 26-11, but lucked out when Chicago missed a FG and the Bolts escape with a one point victory.  They did blow out Miami in Miami and Jacksonville at Jacksonville but at home they sucked.  Hell, Minnesota and Oakland had more fans in LA than Chargers fans.  But then again, the love-hate for Phillip (Fumbles n Interceptions) Rivers turn to flat out vitriol and perhaps like Eli Manning should consider retiring or finding another team.  His 23 turnovers is the glaring reason why the Chargers sucked all season.


Sheryl Crow-The grand-mistress of the sub par and overrated.  Ms Crow continues to annoy me with her guest star appearances on new albums, mostly notably Hootie And The Blowfish and Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the real.  She has promised her new album is her last and as of this writing her latest album bombed on the charts.  But that didn't stop her from popping up on various albums this year.  Can't wait for her pairing with FGL or Dan And Shay.  Just retire already....Bitch.

Jay Joyce-The Joey Moi of country music production, Jay sabotaged Miranda Lambert's latest album and probably ruined Brandi Carlisle's latest.  And I hate that retro 1880's production sound that he, and Dave Cobb, favor for new music.  No wonder you can't listen to it.

The Highwomen-Dave Cobb anybody?  A good idea in theory to pair up the latest country music women and make a album but unlike the Pistol Annies, this is more of a money making venture. And the record was gone and forgotten a month after release.

Hootie And The Blowfish-Gone country?  Not really tho, this reeks more of a record corporation intervention, get Sheryl Crow to sing background, get a failed Voice runner up to coo and scream on one pointless song and get Darius Rucker all covered in autotuner for dated value.  In theory, this record isn't any difference than Cracked Rear View, that album that came out 25 years ago and sold 17 million copies, 16.9 million went to thrift stores and landfills.  To which Rhino thought so highly enough of to release it again with a bonus disc of outtakes and demos.

Motley Crue Reunion-You just knew they would be back.  Get another washed up hair metal band (Poison) and Def Lepherd and charge outrageous prices to see an overweight Vince Neil try to sing Kick Start My Heart or Looks That Kill.  Better guard your refrigerator just in case.

Chicago Cubs-Three years after winning the WS, The Cubs returned with mediocrity and piss poor pitching and hitting when they needed both the most.  To which the love affair with Joe Maddon was over and gone.  David Ross takes over for next season but once again Theo Epstein isn't giving him much to work with.  For the second year in the row, the Cubs control their own destiny, only to shoot themselves in the foot once again and lose 8 straight games at the end of the season. 

Baltimore Orioles:  At least they didn't skunk stink up 2019 but they still lost 109 games and decided to get rid of their best hitter Jonathon Villar.  Look for another 100 loss next season.

Classic Rock Radio (KRNA, The Fox, KMRY)  The playlist never changes.  Carry On My Wayward Son indeed.  KRNA seems to be under a new station director who asks the listeners about what album they should feature,  as long as it's Back In Black, things will be fine, but don't cross them up with Badlands or Kings Of The Sun.

The weather:  January-March, it snowed, iced and snowed/ice again and again, to which by March  Mother Nature decided to shake things up with not one but two cyclone bombs, to which the Missouri River claimed everything the whole year, WHOLE year.  Climate change is a bitch.  Chances are we are in repeat cycle again this winter.  And then we had a White Halloween.  Fuck this.

Finally, Record Store Day:  12 years ago, this was welcomed but nowadays all we get is overpriced limited edition of albums that we bought for 4.99 or 5.99 when Tower Records was in business.  I still support my favorite record stores whenever I can and I'm sure I go to one on Friday, but don't expect me to pay 60 dollars for That 3 LP set of Lou Reed's The Raven.  I'll hold out for the Lulu 4 LP 5.1 Dolby surroundsound version.

Happy Thanksgiving anyway.

SINGLES GOING STEADY 61-Thank You Robert Lee Greathouse Whoever You Are

There seems to be a rumor going around that come springtime 2020, the St Vincent De Paul will cease to be a thrift store, which is causing rumblings around Bargains Galore Land.   So deciding against my better judgement, I figure it would be time to make one more stop in Waterloo to see if they had anything worth getting.  Alas their 45's selection was the usual scratched up relics and broken records nobody wanted (The Bram T. Shall We Dance promo 45 still remains up there) and I passed on what they had.  But I did find the Best of Irakere on CD.

If anything, this may have been the cheapest finds ever recorded.  I bought six cds for a grand total of 2 dollars and 46 cents.  The Money and More Pawnshop I got four of them for a dollar.  Curio finds such as Eddy Arnold's final album After All These Years (2005) recorded when he was 85 years old.  Other was Casey Chambers Carnival, a Blossom Dearie reissue, and bluesman Kevin Brown's Rust album.  And a 2015 Built To Spill album Untethered Moon for 42 cents, tax included.  I found myself trying to stay awake listening to Eddy's album and Kevin Brown kept spinning his tires till the last couple songs kicked in.   In the end After All These Years would be Eddy's 100th and final album before he passed away in 2008.  To which Sony Music issued To Life, which would chart at number 49 in 2008, thus making 7 decades to which Arnold made the top 100.

Waterloo still remains a wasteland, outside of the St Vincent De Paul and Goodwill stores.  The Crossroads is becoming a dead mall, with more empty spaces than actual stores.  It doesn't take long to go into the thrift stores, check things out and then hit the road back home.  But I had enough time to make it to Independence, where they have a Goodwill store before they closed at 8.  Which turned out to be a good thing.  Because that's where I found the majority of 45s that compile this list.

Whoever Robert Greathouse is or was, he managed to leave behind a few choice 45s.  Mostly country and folk.  I have no interest in Beans In My Ears and I did have The Ballad Of Irving from Frank Gallop a while ago and donated it back to Goodwill so they were left behind.  As well as Randy Van Warmer's Just When I Needed You Most.  Somehow, this collection of songs I found seem to be better than the Analog Vault finds of last Sunday.  Nothing wrong with Analog Vault, they're up and coming and I continue to support them whenever I can, the ones I picked weren't ground shaking.  For a quarter a record, I'm not complaining.   Overall, the 45s cost more than the CDs on this trip.  Usually Independence doesn't have much for music, not their Goodwill store.  The last four times I struck out.  This time, I got lucky.  And to celebrate, I ate at Los Jinetes in downtown Indy.  They didn't look as busy as Del Rio a block away but I managed to overindulge in chip and bean and salsa dip.  And a taco dinner.   I always liked the Independence Mexican food places better than Waterloo.  At least they didn't take away my food when I wasn't done.

So here's to you Mr. Greathouse, who's penmanship is all over the record sleeves and labels.  Rest assured that your songs have found a forever home (or till I pass on and my brother decides to have a estate junk sale, whichever comes first).  Thank you for the eccentric music tastes.


1)     Do What You Do Do Well-Ned Miller (Fabor 137)  #52 1964

I remember hearing this song and ripping it off as one of my very own (Do Do Do, an outtake from Light At The End Of The Tunnel album) but I couldn't place the song till I heard this for the first time.  It charted in the top 10 on the country side but for pop it made a respectable 52.  Probably more uptempo than Ned Miller is used to playing, but it's a fun number.  Plus it has a quick out groove.  Over and done before you know it.  B side is Dusty Guitar.

2)    Bo Diddley-Billy Lee Riley (Mercury 72314)  1964

Better known for the guy that gave us Red Hot, Riley recorded for a whole bunch of labels (mostly Sun Records) but this was one of two singles recorded for Mercury and instead of singing, Billy Lee wails away on the harmonica.  A tough as nails cover that Bo Diddley would be proud of.  B side Memphis is the arrangement that Johnny Rivers would record as a top ten single a couple months prior.  And the better version.

3)     Across The Street-Lenny O'Henry (Atco 45-6291)  1963

Produced by Bob Crewe and it's rumored that the Four Seasons are backing Lenny up on this song and b side Saturday Angel.  Lenny recorded for ABC Paramount and Smash Records.  Perhaps this is Lenny's best known song, which charted on the Carolinas top ten charts and is one of those so called popcorn northern soul singles that collectors lined up to get.  And would be reissued as a single in 1967  (Atco 6525).


4)     All Right-The Grandisons (RCA 47-8159)  1963

Originally a gospel group, they decided to try their hand at the R and B music scene and had so so results.  This is the second of three singles that RCA Victor put out.  It does show their gospel roots and the call and response.  Floyd Bibbins was the male singer with Helen and Mary Grandison and Dorothy Webster the backing vocalists.  It does sound a bit like I'm Alright by Little Anthony And The Imperials on the call and response.  True Romance is the B side and the ballad.

5)    Third Man Theme-Los Indios Tabajaras (RCA 47-8510)  1965

These guys were highly influenced by Chet Atkins' guitar picking and playing and Don Gibson used them for an album around 1965.  Or is the other way around?  They were from Brazil, Antenor and Nato Lima.  Maria Elena is their best known song.

6)     Truck Driving Man-George Hamilton IV (RCA 47-8462)  1964

Like former teen idols Brian Hyland and Paul Anka, I have found a lot of George's 45s at the record stores and I hope some day we can get a decent overview of his best music, the ABC Paramount years have been issued a couple times but nobody seems to be interested in George's mid to late 60s songs which were quite good if not better.  A change of producers from Chet Atkins to Bob Ferguson didn't change much, if not the sound is slicker.  But this is a great song anyway.  B side The Little Grave is George continuing to cover John Loudermilk.  Needless to say I'm sure ole George will be back on the SGS list in the near future.

7)     Dig Me A Hole-Hal Willis (Sims 207)  1964

A rockabilly artist, who recorded for Atlantic, Athens, Decca and Mercury, moved over to country for the fledgling Sims label and recorded this country murder song.  B side The Lumberjack is better and more rockabilly, which is Willis at his best.

8)     Ode To The Little Brown Shack Out Back-Billy Edd Wheeler (Kapp K-617)  #50 1964
9)     Ode To Granny-Billy Edd Wheeler (Kapp Winners Circle Series KJB-57)  1965

Two singles from Wheeler, the latter song is not found on 45 Cat.  I have to yet to find a stock copy of Ode To Granny, perhaps Kapp Records misplaced the title and assigned it to the winner circle  series.  Granny would appear as the B side to Little Brown Shack as KJB-65.  Wheeler started out as a folk artist, then went country, best known for Jackson (covered by Nancy and Lee and Johnny and June Cash)


10)    History Repeats Itself-Buddy Starcher (Boone BR-1038)  1965  (#39 in 1966)

I have no use for songs like this, which recounts the similarities between Abe Lincoln and John F Kennedy or the propaganda that is Sniper's Hill the B side to which our singer knows what this country was fighting for despite being in a country that had no interests at our hand, except for the war machine. A better answer record is 2 + 2 = ? by Bob Seger. Nothing more depressing that being led off to war, knowing you were never going to see your newborn or your wife.  Starcher was a country artist that recorded for Decca and Starday, tho this was issued as BES 91.  With the popularity of History Repeats Itself, Starcher went for a more propaganda chest beating crap like Day Of Decision and Fall Of A Nation, to which neither one did chart. (Johnny Sea's version of Day Of Decision did chart at number 35 in 1966)  The Boone single is a reissue of BES 91 and it did chart in the top 40.  Good luck trying to hear this on the radio, but if you're interested, you can have my copy if I haven't donated it after writing this up.

Bonus cut  Memphis Train-Buddy Miles Express (Mercury 72945)  #100 1969

I thought I found a pristine copy of this when getting a book case for my bloated CD collection. But the B side My Chant and parts of this song was done in by a bad needle from the previous owner. Memphis Train is produced by Steve Cropper which adds a nice memphis groove on guitar but Miles is no Al Jackson Jr, more of a heavier and sloppier drummer.  Still Miles can belt them out, and I'm sure Steve got the Memphis horns to help out.  My Chant, the B side is produced by Jimi Hendrix.  Perhaps in the near future I'll try to find the Electric Church album and hear what I have been missing.  I do remember seeing Buddy's albums in the cutout bins in the early 70s, most are collectors items, namely Electric Church.  I have my work cut out to find that album.

The Last Bargain Hunt: Portland

This is mostly a fond remembrance to a special lady that had to endure my bargain hunting taste.  And for that she'll earn her angel wings.

1999 was a first for many things.  August I finally got a computer to waste valuable time at home and secondly I tried out the singles website for that somebody special.  Mostly the former comes to mind.

Olivia was a surname of somebody that I have seen at that time.  She had a wicked sense of humor and a crazy laugh but she had the longest red hair.  It went halfway down her back.  Anyway, we were set up by my best friend.  I had some reservations but I started talking to her and then it was decided that we would meet in her neck of the woods.

I've never been out to the West Coast, so I had no idea what to expect.  We figure that Portland Oregon was a happening town, plenty of sun and fun.  First off, I didn't bring the right clothes, I had to bring my old beige winter coat and hat and I looked out of place when she and I went out.  After a nice sunny day getting there, from till the last day, it rained and and stormed every day.  The problem is Portland's rainy season was in the middle of the trip. 

Still, Olivia had a hot tub and that was a shock and a pleasure to try that out.  100 degree temps outside with howling winds and rain  but it was a revelation having a glass of wine and keeping each other warm, which wasn't hard to do.  She had a couple of Rots, one named Hannibal and the other Babydoll, to which I kinda freaked out when I first saw them after arriving from the airport.  Hannibal tolerated me but Babydoll accepted me right off the bat.  Upon taking pictures of me and the doggies, Baby Doll would get closer till one picture she was on my lap. 

The five days up in Portland came and gone.  Olivia n me did some record hunting,  Djangos and Everyday Music were the two best stores I went to.  Everyday Music has survived over the years after FYE and Wherehouse Music went by the wayside.  I did convince Olivia to come out here for New Years, to bring in 2000.  I do believe that New Years was my favorite all time event despite the cold, we did truck up to Galena to spend the night and celebrated the coming of the year at some East Dubuque bar.  I did take Olivia to the pawnshops and she bought a few CDs and odds and ends to take back home.   But at the same time, she caught a nasty cold that lasted a good three months, till the next time that I would see her, in March.  But by then, we were going in different directions.  I always felt guilty about her chauffeuring me to Everyday Music the last time, but I do remember having lunch at Taco Time and thinking it was much more better than Taco Bell. 

Since 2000, I haven't gone back to Portland.  I can still remember most of the memories tho' my memory is getting rusty on a lot of things.  While I continue on my road to bargain hunting and not changing much in this life, she eventually did find somebody closer to home.  Her daughter is quite the artist I'm told.   She still is a friend via social media (she actually looked me up last week) but we have yet to talk, but I'm sure once the moment comes, we'll chat a while.  But for the best place to find off the wall music, Everyday Music was the place to go.

Apologies to Olivia for the constant dogging of wanting to go to the music stores.  You have earned your angel wings being with me in that time.  To which I think were the best years of being with somebody like you. 

 

Singles Going Steady-Analog Vault Finds

The Analog Vault celebrated it's third anniversary this week and somebody dumped off a bunch of promo 45s from forgotten bands and artists.  Most sold for a quarter except for a Cozy Cole 45.

So as they say, hit me with music.


1)   Down Home Girl-Felders Orioles (Mercury 72480)  1965

Or Piccadilly 7N-55247 import.  A UK soul single.  A very strange soul number. B side Misty skips too much for me to listen all the way through.  Plus it sounds very jive.  Mistake number 1.


2)   Richard M Nixon-Face The Issues-The Delegates (Mainstream MRL-5530) 1972

The Convention 72 made it to number 8 on the charts.  It's a cut in record like Dickie Goodman used to make. The followup didn't chart.  The Delegates were quite good in the cut in record and I've enjoy hearing most of them.  Good for a chuckle.


3)    Too Many Mornings-Fresh Air (Columbia 4-45697)  1972

I finally found a decent promo copy tho' I'd love to find one the b side Life Goes On, which was a better song.  I still have their S/T album, which is nice background mellow music.  But I don't play it much.

4)   Rock And Roll Road  Cowboys-Joyous Noise (Capitol 3303) 1972

Another one of those forgotten 70s bands that managed to make one album and disappear.  The album had a 17 minute song suite called Wanderingman Suite.  A rocking number RARRC probably got some airplay on FM radio, and somebody cared enough to post a You Tube video of it.  Harry On Sunday takes a melody from Drown In My Own Tears, but outside of that nothing worth remembering.

5)   The Godfather Waltz-The Assembled Multitude (Atlantic 2870)  1972

They had a hit with Overture From Tommy, but the world didn't need a rocked up version theme from the Godfather.

6)  Big Noise From Winnetka Part 1-Cozy Cole (Coral 62339)  1962

What I love best about Cozy Cole was he introduce the song in that bass baritone.  I did find a 2 on 1 LP on CD that has most of his best known songs (it was a CD-R version tho)  Topsy.  The logical guess is that Part 1 was the designated single and Part 2, an alternative take.  Arrangements by Dick Hyman who would go on to discover the moog and make a couple of interesting albums for Command/ABC records in 1969 thereabouts.

7)   Juliana-Five Man Electrical Band (Lionel/MGM L-3224)  1971

One of my favorite unknown bands of that time, they scored with Signs and then Absolutely Right but Juliana didn't do very well. A shame really, it's a cool rocker but I doubt if you'll ever hear it on the radio.  B side Friends & Family sounds like a song for a Billy Jack soundtrack.  Which means I won't play it much.

8)   I Hardly Know Her Name-The Wackers (Elektra E-45783)  1972

Produced by Gary Usher, a country number that doesn't last past a minute fifty.  And we'll hardly remember this song ever again.

9)   Dynamo Snackbar-Peter Kaukonen  (Grunt 65-0507)  1972

Brother of Jorma, Peter made Black Kangeroo, a cult classic album (which Wounded Bird issued in 2006).   No way in hell that was going to make top 40, and owes a lot to Rory Gallagher or electric Hot Tuna.  Or Cry Of Love era Hendrix.  The other side is Prisoner, which was the plug side.  And more hippy dippy blues rock.

10)  Come The Fall-The Association (Columbia 4-45654)  1972

Leaving Warner Brothers for CBS didn't pay off for these guys, despite making two credible albums that didn't sell.  Waterbeds In Trinidad! didn't sell either, next to Hampton Grease Band probably the third worst all time selling Columbia album.   If you like the pop side of the Association, Come The Fall is a nice little pop number.   They really were a good country pop band but the buying public had them pegged as romantic pop balladeers.   And they did made some fine songs of the 70s too.

11)   Professor Longhair-David Clayton-Thomas (RCA PB-0078)  1973

One of the last productions of Gabe Mekler (Steppenwolf) DCT left Blood Sweat And Tears for a solo career that didn't pan out as well as BST, to which DCT would return two years later.   This single passed and nobody noticed.

12)    Take Life In Stride-Kenny Rogers (Mercury 72545)  1966

Early Kenny Rogers before the First Edition and of course, the country crossover.  Rogers' does have a Sam Cooke vibe on this song.  Here's That Rainy Day hints at the balladry that Rogers would excel at.  Credible but Mercury cut him loose after the single bombed.

13)   Jubilee Cloud-John Kongos (Elektra E-45779)  1972

He's Gonna Step On You Again was a fun song but the album sucked. This followup is a T Rex riff and rip but if memory serves me correct, this was the only other song that I liked off Kongos.  Of course it didn't chart.  T Rex hardly charted here too (except Bang A Gong)  Gus Dudgeon produced this, he also produced Elton John.

14)  On The Road (The persecution and restoration of Dean Moriarty)-Aztec Two Step (Elektra E-45814)  1972

Hippie folk rock for the new generation which never caught on.   Or early Americana before it became cool.

15)   Can You See Him-Batdorf And Rodney (Atlantic 2863)  1972
16)   Home Again-Batdorf And Rodney (Asylum AS-11012)  1972

Two singles from Jon Batdorf and Mark Rodney, two folkies that made a decent debut for Atlantic an a better followup on Asylum.  Can You See Him has that CSN vibe but alas not the hook that generates hit singles.  I found both of their albums when Collector's Choice issued them and the Atlantic album was one of the last purchases at the FYE St Louis.   Home Again, was produced with CSN producer Bill Halverson.  It didn't sell either.  Batdorf and Rodney would move over to Arista to which Clive Davis turned them into MOR country rockers without much bite.  They did score a top 50 single with Somewhere In The Night, to which Barry Manilow, took notes and did his own version.  Batdorf would join Silver which produced the crappy Bang Shang A Lang 45.  To which Batdorf disown that song.  I can't fault him for that.