Category Archives: Breakfast Blend

Breakfast Blend: Cake, “Short Skirt, Long Jacket”

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I have to admit I never really know just how to compartmentalize Cake.

Surely, by Steve’s definition they are not rockers, and despite the trumpet, the band is neither soul, nor jumpin’ jive a la the Squirrel Nut Zippers, as an example.

The band’s vocals are not really sung, and well, if there is the beautiful ability of a band to coordinate back-up vocals and harmonies as Steve has pointed out, Cake breaks a those rules by shouting out the back-ups, in unison, and in tune, but hardly sung.

If I had to use a word for them, it would be quirky.

I believe the band hails from Stockton, California, a somewhat sleepy largely farm community about 40 miles southeast of Sacramento which also produced the equally offbeat Pavement.

My late wife, Cathy Hedgecock, was a reporter for the Stockton Record for a few years back in the late 80’s, in fact she was the first woman assigned to the farm beat in the history of the Record, something that may seem ho-hum these days, but at the time was a big deal.

Cathy actually wrote a collection of short stories called The Draping Effect that focused on the bizarre things that came through the newsroom of a community that was too big to be a town, and not quite big enough to really be a city. In fact, Cathy often said if there is a strange crime that occurs on the planet, chances are it was six degrees of separation from Stockton.

Anyway, here is my favorite Cake to go with your coffee this morning.

Breakfast Blend: The Wrens

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I first heard this band with their third album, called the Meadowlands, after their New Jersey homelands.

What I hear in them is the sound of the Flaming Groovies without the Flaming’s complicated relation to garage and camp. And with a more stately rhythm, at least most of the time.

In other words, sincerely trying to make pop music in the guitarists dining room. Who doesn’t root for that.

These guys could have sold out magnificently, and it accrues to them positively that they don’t seem to have given that much thought. But it would be nice if some big star, looking for a fine tune, might find them. And their songs. This is nice music.

Breakfast Blend: Both Finns

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Speaking of Crowded House, founded by Neil Finn in Australia, there is this excellent blue-eyed soul, with a decidedly gendermorphic and inexplicable video. What exactly is going on here? I like it.

Tim Finn and Phil Judd formed Split Enz in New Zealand in the early 70s, but turned progressively prog. The band met Roxy Music in 1976, opening for them on their Australian tour, which led to a move to England and being produced by Phil Manzanera.

After that Judd left the band, Neil Finn joined, and Split Enz became more of a New Wave band.

Eventually the Finns were awarded the OBE from Quenn Elizabeth, tribute to their role in the musical culture of New Zealand.

Breakfast Blend: Stevie Ray Vaughn Covers

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I was finishing up my taxes last night and found this improbable Beatles cover.

Which led to this utterly appropriate Stevie Wonder cover.

The Wonder is proof positive that a great song shines in different light. I’m not a fan of this hyperdriven guitar blues, not on record or the radio, but a few beers and a hot bar and guys who couldn’t tie Stevie Ray’s boots can make the format work if they’re loud and they play covers and classics.

Breakfast Blend: End of Wall to Wall Mekons

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This tune is from The Mekons Rock ‘n’ Roll, and it is perhaps the perfect Mekons tune. Fast parts, but slow parts, too. Irony, in the lyrics, but also some passion. And irony in the arrangement, but also some passion. Clanging guitars, but you would miss the accordion if it wasn’t there. Steve Goulding’s drumming, which is always winning.

I wouldn’t say this is a great song, but I would say it is a great Mekons song.

And since we’re blending this morning, maybe we should go with a great song.

Okay, better than a great song, here’s a clip from 2004 with the band on Top of the Pops. You have to wonder why on both parts, but the fact is the tune is slight but nice, and with no chance of Top of the Pops action. Weird.

Breakfast Blend: The Mekons Rock and Roll

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At some point indie rock got hot and the Mekons ended up signing with a major label. The resultant album, The Mekons Rock ‘n’ Roll, was full of great music. Rocking music.

This is the official video for a song called Memphis Egypt, which could be called Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Here’s a video of a live Memphis Egypt performance from 2011 in Zurich, home of Dada, more than 20 years later, of Memphis Egypt and Where Were You, did I mention live? Fun, right?

You can read Robert Christgau’s liner notes for the non major label rerelease of the major label Mekons Rock ‘n’ Roll album here.

Breakfast Blend: Positive Noise

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A Scottish band started in 1980 by a rock journalist (Sounds) and his mates. The bio at Wikipedia is skimpy, but they had some indie UK hits and made three albums in five years before breaking up. The note on the Give Me Passion clip at YouTube says, delightfully, that they are more Magazine than Orange Juice, and I might actually know what that implies. The WFMU DJ Evan “Funk” Davies posted this video of their second single on Facebook this morning, and it has the video aesthetic of its day down pat.

Give Me Passion was their first single, which certainly didn’t have this video attached to it.

Breakfast Blend: He’ll Have to Go/Stay

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I first heard Ry Cooder’s great Norteño version of this song on his album Chicken Skin Music, but over the years have listened to many versions. Elvis Presley’s is pretty good, Johnny Cash’s is great, you can’t go wrong with the Mekons’ version, and Bryan Ferry’s is pretty slick. The song was first recorded by a country singer name Billy Brown, and it flopped. Then Jim Reeves recorded it and his label put it on the B-side, what were they thinking, but the DJs got it right and turned it into one of country music’s greatest hits.

Jeanne Black recorded an answer song that was also a hit, and was later covered by Skeeter Davis.

Here’re the original Jim Reeves and Jeanne Black recordings, in one clip!

 

Breakfast Blend: Skateboarding

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I was camping in Vermont this past weekend and we had the usual hootenany, which means singing a collection of classic rock songs in loud voices with banging guitars. Lots of Stones, which is fun, and a nice debate about Yer Blues were the highlights. Heard It Through The Grapevine was probably the nadir. Not singing well can sometimes be a curse.

But Tom Petty played well, too. He’s a classic rock star who has managed to make classic easy rock popular through a long career. One of the songs we demolished the other night was very attractive Free Falling.

Most notable to me, reviewing the official music video, is that when it came out in 1989 the gal boarding seemed rad. Now she’s just lame. They couldn’t find a gal who could do the tricks? Times change.

Since returning from camping I started reading Karl Ove Knaussgaard’s novel, My Struggle. Knaussgaard is Norwegian, but finds himself in Sweden, father to three children he has to get off to school while trying to write literature. It makes him cranky and think about death a lot. But he is a fine explicator of art, and has a way with narrative detail, plus kids are great even when they’re monsters, all of which perhaps explains why the book is one of this year’s surprise hits.

In any case, in one scene he’s in his office listening to a Swedish rock band called Dungen, while his family is in the rooms around him, getting ready for the day.

I’d never heard of Dungen, but it turns out they actually had a bit of a US breakthrough, even though they sing in Swedish. I know, weird. They’re categorized as progressive and psychedelic, and they have songs that are quirky, but they’re also pretty ingratiating. And this song features skateboards, which makes it a nice match with Tom Petty.