In the decade from the mid-‘60s to mid-‘70s, there was a thriving youth subculture in Melbourne Australia called the Sharpies. The Sharpies were a gang of hooligans whose culture was centered around raw guitar music and their own style in dance (sharp elbows), dress (chisel toed shoes, jeans, tight-fitting cardigans) and haircuts – let’s say they were punks with mullets. But if a picture is worth a thousand words, watch this and you’ll get it.
Perhaps the most important band to the Sharpies was Coloured Balls, led by guitarist Lobby Loyde. Coloured Balls were known for playing the loud and aggressive music that was favored by the Sharpies.
Coloured Balls were influenced by the
MC5 and Flamin’ Groovies but you can also draw a straight line to their
influence on AC/DC.
A contemporary band out of Australia is Amyl and the Sniffers. Led by singer Amy Louise (Amyl) Taylor, they have full adopted the Sharpie aesthetic.
So if you enjoy your music loud, fast
and snotty, these bands are for you!
There are dozens of songs written by rock bands about life on the road. To name a few…
“Load Out” Jackson Browne
“Torn and Frayed” Rolling
Stones
“Movin’ On” Bad Company
“Travelin’ Band” Creedence
Clearwater Revival
“We’re an American
Band” Grand Funk
I’m familiar with a couple of relatively
obscure “road” songs that chronicle life on the road with a different
tone. They are more emotionally
impactful and depressing – and that’s what I like about them.
The first is “Motel Blues” by Loudon Wainwright III.
In this town television shuts off at two
What can a lonely rock and roller do?
The bed’s so big and the sheets are clean
Your girlfriend said that you were 19
The styrofoam ice bucket’s full of ice
Come up to my motel room, treat me nice
And ends…
There’s a Bible in the drawer don’t be afraid
I’ll put up the sign to warn the cleanup maid
There’s lots of soap and lots of towels
Never mind those desk clerk’s scowls
I’ll buy you breakfast, they’ll think you’re my wife
Come up to my motel room, save my life
Another is “Sitting in My Hotel” by the Kinks.
If my friends could see me now, driving round
just like a film star,
In a chauffeur driven jam jar, they would laugh.
They would all be saying that it’s not really me,
They would all be asking who I’m trying to be.
If my friends could see me now,
Looking out my hotel window,
Dressed in satin strides and two-tone daisy roots,
If my friends could see me now I know they would smile.
Sitting in my hotel, hiding from the dramas of
this great big world,
Seven stories high, looking at the world go by-y.
Sitting in my hotel room, thinking about the countryside and sunny days in June.
Trying to hide the gloom, sitting in my hotel room.
For those of you not up on your British
slang, daisy roots are boots.
Apparently, life on the road isn’t all
fun and games and often result in loneliness and isolation.
President Trump was in California for
fundraising this week, and couldn’t resist taking a swipe at the state’s
homeless situation. USA Today covered
the story with the headline:
Blaming
shelters and street sleeping, Donald Trump blasts California for homeless
crisis
Now, I live in the San Francisco Bay
area, so I’m well aware we have become the homeless capital of the world. But we do our best to come up with effective
policies to deal with this challenging situation; and treat the homeless
population with dignity and respect.
This reminded me of the Arrested Development song “Mr. Wendal.”
This song was written in 1992 about the
homeless condition but looks at it from an interesting perspective. It calls on us to see the homeless as people
we can learn from – that there is wisdom in choosing a lifestyle that isn’t
concerned with materialistic trappings.
Mr. Wendal has freedom
A free that you and I think is dumb
Free to be without the worries of a quick to diss society
For Mr. Wendal’s a bum
Yeah, I know, that POV may be a tad naïve
and oversimplified, but it comes from a genuine sense of kindness and
understanding. And those are things we
can use a little more of today.
Arrested Development was one of the
first rap groups to make it their mission to record music with positive
messages.
Musically, the song uses a couple of
cool samples to great effect. The most
obvious one comes from Steely Dan’s “Peg.”
The other is a vocal sample from “Sing a Simple Song” by Sly and the
Family Stone. Dig it!
Today’s SotW was written by guest
contributor Mark Vincent. Mark is a multi instrumental musician (guitar, bass
and recently drums) with The Occasionalists – Brooklyn, NY’s premiere live karaoke
band. When he’s not playing with the band, he makes music of a different kind
for the patients of his chiropractic practice in Manhattan.
In 1993 the rap group Salt n Pepa teamed
with En Vogue for a massive hit with a version of “What a Man,” a Stax single
that had reached #50 on Billboard in 1968.
Although they added new provocative lyrics to the verses; the chorus,
main guitar riff and general vibe of the song were lifted directly from the
original. I had only been familiar with the original from an Oxford
compilation CD someone had burned for me, so I never had access to the artist
or any credits. It was only when my band decided to cover it, that I
discovered the origins — which turned out to have an interesting backstory.
Linda Lyndell was a white gospel singer in Gainesville, FL. She began singing with RnB groups as a teenager and after singing back up for James Brown and Ike & Tina Turner, she recorded with Stax producers Issac Hayes and David Porter in 1967 and 1968. The second of these sessions produced “What a Man.”
Between the funky R&B sound and
references to James Brown in the lyrics, the song caught the unwanted attention
of the KKK and other white supremacist groups, who did not approve of a white
girl singing in such a manner. After getting death threats from the KKK,
she retreated from the music business, living in seclusion back in
Gainesville for the next 25 years. She only learned about the Salt n Pepa
cover after she received her first royalty check in the mail. Inspired by the success of the remake, she
began performing again and sang “What a Man” in public for the first time in
2003 at the opening of the Stax Museum.
No disrespect to Salt n Pepa, but
Lyndell’s version has a warmer, more soulful feel to it and is musically more
interesting. The guitars, piano, and
horns are all more expansive and the song moves around more despite being only half
the length. At the risk of being racially inappropriate, I played that
song for 15 years without the slightest notion I was listening to a 22-year old
white girl from FL.
Those of you that know me personally are
aware that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, The Beatles.
I’ve collected all their official releases and dozens of bootlegs that
contain outtakes, alternate takes, and demos.
I have an iTunes playlist of Beatles
covers that has thousands of versions of their songs. My playlist is totally indiscriminate. Some of the cuts are awesome – some pathetic. But I’ve collected them all – straight covers,
and lots of variations including soul, country, classical, easy listening, big
band, jazz, and bluegrass. I even have
some Polka versions!
I really enjoy when an artist takes a Beatles tune and makes it their own. Especially if it is well played and well sung. Today’s SotW is an example of such – “Things We Said Today” by Dwight Yoakam.
Yoakam is a country artist, but his style is much closer to rock influenced honky-tonk than traditional Nashville country. At least that was true when he began his recording career in the mid ‘80s. (Today it seems like all the top country acts really play rock music with a twang.) Believe it or not, Yoakam actually shared a bill with the punk band Hüsker Dü in 1986! On his 2012 album 3 Pears, Yoakam enlisted the help of Beck to provide handclaps on “A Heart Like Mine.”
His cover of “Things We Said Today” is a
terrific example of his melding of rock and country. The song has an inventive recurring riff that
sets the tone for what’s to come. It’s
heavier than the Beatles original. And
it ends with a searing guitar solo.
On a side note, I have an interesting
story about seeing Yoakam live. Back in
the mid ‘80s, my wife was working for an ad agency in Boston when she was
invited to a party to celebrate the launch of WBOS’s format change to country
music. I was her guest. The party included live performances by some
of the rising country artists of the day, including Reba McEntire… and Yoakam.
Boston wasn’t a hotbed for country music
fans back then (and probably still isn’t) so the audience of radio and ad executives
were more interested in the hors d’oeuvres and drinks than the music. But being the music nerd that I am, I walked
(alone) up to the front of the stage and watched both artists perform. Even though I couldn’t claim to be a country
music fan, I could tell that these were top quality musicians and deserved to
be heard. It was a great experience that
is seared into my memory.
Back in 1987, Terence Trent D’Arby
released an album of organic, neo-soul tracks that stood out from the other
R&B of the day due to its lack of artificial sounding instruments and his
warm vocal style that reminded listeners of classic soul voices like Sam Cooke
and Marvin Gaye.
The album – Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D’Arby – was a
huge commercial success internationally and in the US. It was an exceptional album that touched on
soul, funk and even a little rock, but it was also hampered by D’Arby’s hubris
and conceit. In interviews he called
himself a genius (though not a stable genius) and claimed his album was the
most important record since The Beatles’ Sgt.
Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
The album contained “Wishing Well” that went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 as well as their Soul Singles chart, and is today’s SotW.
When I was a club DJ in Boston in the
mid/late ‘80s, I always enjoyed spinning this number. It was a sure fire crowd pleaser, guaranteed
to fill the dance floor… and something the DJ could also appreciate.
I’m writing to you today from southern
California, so I thought I’d feature a recording that conveys the SoCal vibe.
I’ve selected “Gold” by John Stewart.
Stewart was born and died in San
Diego. In between, he was a key member of
the Kingston Trio – replacing original member Dave Guard. Stewart was hired by the group to write
songs, sing, and play banjo and guitar.
After six years with the Kingston Trio,
he wrote “Daydream Believer” which became a #1 hit for the Monkees in 1967.
Next, he began a career with his singing
partner, Buffy Ford, who became his wife in 1975. They remained together for the rest of his
life. After one album together he was
off on a solo career, launched with the release of his critically acclaimed
album, California Bloodlines (1969).
Stewart continued to record at a pace of
about an album a year, but most of them languished in obscurity – until the
release of 1979’s Bombs Away Dream Babies.
Bombs Away… was co-produced by
Lindsey Buckingham, who was hot off the success of Fleetwood Mac’s classic Rumours.
Buckingham also sang and played guitar on the recording; Stevie Nicks
sang too.
Bombs
Away…
featured “Gold;” the song that anchored the disc and reached #5 on the pop
charts. The cut has a mysteriously dark
feel. The bass gallops along, punctuated
with electric piano, guitar and, sparse drumming.
The lyrics tell the cynical, satirical tale
of an LA musician trying to make it in “the Biz.” The refrain “Drivin’ over Kanan, singin’ to
my soul / There’s people out there turnin’ music into gold” captures the
desperation of the singer.
Stewart deserved more commercial success
than he attained. He had many influential
and more successful friends in the music industry that held him in very high
regard. For instance, his 1970 album, Willard, featured James Taylor on guitar
and Carole King contributed vocals and keys.
This was at the height of their success leading the early ‘70s singer/songwriter
movement.
Roseanne Cash thought of Stewart as a
mentor and recorded his “Runaway Train” on her 1988 album King’s Record Shop. It was a
#1 hit on the country charts.
So today I salute John Stewart and his
contributions to the musical history of southern California.
The great New Orleans R&B artist,
songwriter and record producer, Dave Bartholomew, died on June 23rd. I’m totally embarrassed that I missed it but
that was right around the time that I was in Sonoma for 3 days and on the east
coast for the following 10.
Even if you don’t know him by name, I’m certain that you’ve heard his work. He wrote or co-wrote many Fats Domino hits, like “The Fat Man”, I’m Walkin’”, “Blue Monday”, and “Ain’t That a Shame” – a pop #1 in 1955. And there’s more — “I Hear You Knocking” (Smiley Lewis) and “My Ding-a-Ling” (Chuck Berry).
He produced Lloyd Price’s “Lawdy Miss
Clawdy” that was an R&B #1 in 1952, and Domino’s “Blueberry Hill.”
Today’s first SotW is Bartholomew’s own “The Monkey.”
“The Monkey” is a social commentary
about the way humans have descended from “the monkey” but doesn’t always behave
like the superior species. (Unfortunately,
a very apropos sentiment in today’s divisive political climate.)
Here’s another thing a monkey won’t do
Go out on a night and get all in a stew
Or use a gun or a club or a knife
And take another monkey’s life
Yes, man descended, the worthless bum
But, brothers, from us he did not come
In 2004, Elvis Costello released a song called “Monkey to Man.”
The opening lyric is “A long time ago, our point of view was broadcast by Mr. Bartholomew.” I would venture to say the significance of that reference was missed on all but a few. (Now you’re in the know!) There’s a YouTube video of Costello and Bartholomew doing a live performance of “The Monkey” together with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
Costello’s song picks up where
Bartholomew’s left off.
And now the world is full of sorrow and pain
And it’s time for us to speak up again
You’re slack and sorry, such an arrogant brood
The only purpose you serve is to bring us our
food
Sit here staring at your pomp and pout
Outside the bars we use for keeping you out
You’ve taken everything that you wanted
Broke it up and plundered it and hunted
Ever since we said it you went and took the
credit
It’s been headed this way since the world began
When a vicious creature took the jump from
monkey to man
XTC also recorded a track with another variation on the theme.
“The Smartest Monkeys” was on their 1992
album, Nonsuch and tackles the
subject of homelessness.
Well man created the cardboard box to sleep in
it
And man converted the newspaper to a blanket
Well you have to admit that he’s come a long way
Since swinging about in the trees
We’re the smartest monkeys
Thank you, Dave Bartholomew, for the
legacy you left us and the inspiration you paid forward. RIP.
Today’s SotW is another installment of the rare record series. I scored this copy of the 50-year-old Muchachita (1969), by Los Yaki in a thrift store for a buck!
Los Yaki was a Mexican rock band of the mid to late 60s that recorded a mix of originals and British invasion influenced covers. One thing that made them stand out against some of their competitors was that they sang the songs in Spanish translations.
I’m not sure what Yaki means but I’d
guess it is an intentional misspelling of Yaqui – an indigenous people of
Mexico. The band was made up of:
BENITO RAUL “Benny” IBARRA (Vocalist) JOSE LUIS GAZCON (Guitar and 2nd Voice) MANUEL “Meme” GAZCON (Bass) LUIS ALFONSO ASCENCIO (Keys) MIGUEL ANGEL IBARRA (Drums)
This album has a cover of The Human Beinz “Nobody but Me,” retitled in Spanish as Nadie Como Yo.”
The disc also has a pretty cool version of “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” – “Juan Saltarin.”
The record also has covers of Gary
Puckett and The Union Gap’s two biggest hits, “Woman, Woman” (“Sylvia”) and
“Young Girl” (“Muchachita” the album title song). I can’t help but wonder if these choices were
partly influenced by the San Diego based Union Gap’s proximity to the Mexican
border.
My disc is only in VG condition; the
cover grades even lower. The last time I
looked, two copies were for sale on Discogs.
A near mint copy demanded $155; the VG+ was going for $85.
A few weeks ago, I was with friends that
asked the question “What was the best concert you ever saw?” I’ve seen some very good ones; classic rock
like Springsteen, The Kinks, Allman Brothers, and Zappa, through to the acts of
this millennium including White Stripes, Arcade Fire, Real Estate, War on
Drugs, Arctic Monkeys, and New Pornographers.
But one of my all-time favorite concerts was seeing Pixies at San Diego’s
Street Scene in 2005. Although it was
the “reunited” Pixies, the band included all of the original members – even bassist
Kim Deal. They were a powerful group!
Today’s SotW is “Cannonball,” from The Breeders album Last Splash.
Why not something by Pixies? Because I posted about “Debaser” in April
2018. And “Gigantic,” written by Kim,
was posted by Peter in 2013. Besides, “Cannonball”
is a very cool song and The Breeders are Deal’s other band.
Deal formed The Breeders when internal
conflict with Pixies frontman Frank Black became untenable. The first iteration of The Breeders included
Tonya Donelly of Throwing Muses and Belly, Josephine Wiggs, and later, Deal’s twin
sister Kelley. By the time of Last Splash, Donelly was out and Jim Macpherson
was in on drums.
Now, back to “Cannonball.”
“Cannonball” was chosen as #12 on Rolling Stone’s 50 Best Songs of the
90s and was a substantial hit on modern rock radio. It even reached #44 on Billboard’s Hot 100. But it
was one of the strangest, most unlikely hits to achieve that success.
It opens with Deal making a soundcheck (“Check check check, one-two, one-two”). The next thing you know there’s a chant that sounds like the guards at the Wicked Witch’s castle in The Wizard of Oz. A drum click track sets the rhythm for a bass line to start the song in earnest after stepping up in key. The guitars join in and then there’s this weird screeching sound like an old fashioned, dial-up cable modem. (You probably have to be at least 30+ years old to know what that means.) The track utilizes the soft/loud dynamic that was a trademark of Pixies and there’s a false ending. Then it throws us off by actually ending abruptly.
The lyrics are totally incomprehensible
(at least to me) so I won’t even attempt to quote or interpret them.
Although Last Splash was The Breeders’ most successful album – it also included
the terrific “Drivin on 9” – this configuration of the band had broken up before
they could record a followup. However,
they are back together again and were touring earlier this summer.
