Bill DeMain chats about Steve Cropper, The Eagles and David Bowie

Music writer Bill DeMain recalls his interviews with Steve Cropper, David Bowie and tells the origin story of "Hotel California."

Jack Oblivian & Walter Daniels collaborate on new 4-song 7" EP

Walter Daniels & Jack Oblivian pay tribute to  Dave Dudley and others on their new Sailing The Concrete Seas EP out October 16.

Sez Black and Wyatt Records' boss Robert Jethro Wyatt...

We just announced the October 16th release of Sailin the Concrete Seas with Walter Daniels and Jack Oblivian et al. Accepting pre-orders now from our webstore. 

Snazzy sleeve art courtesy of Art Chantry.

Here's what Walter says about the record:

"Jack “Oblivian” Yarber is a rock’n’roll treasure- a great songwriter and capable of rocking on multiple instruments. So, I was jazzed when Jack and the Sheiks (Graham Winchester, Frank McLallen, Keith Cooper, and Seth Moody) agreed to help me record some great tunes with Andrew McCalla- a truly talented engineer and producer.

"I picked up Dave Dudley’s Truck Drivin’ Son of a Gun years ago - so it was a blast to record “I Got Lost,” and “Two Six Packs Away” at this session. We took a pass at the legendary Texas tune, “Drugs Will Kill Me” and the blues goof - “You Look Bad” finished the session. Greg Cartwright – from the Oblivians and the Reigning Sound – joined us on guitar for both the truckin' tunes. Sailin the Concrete Seas was the tagline from the Road Gang - all night radio just for truckers and country fans. CHECK IT OUT!!!!!!!!!"

Listen to the original versions of the songs covered by Jack and Walter...

Watch Charlie Musselwhite with GA-20 on CBS Saturday Morning and more

Check out Charlie and GA-20's recent appearances on CBS Saturday Morning, Live From Relix and a Guitar World rig rundown. 

Grab a copy of Charlie's "Blues Now" collaborative album with GA-20 right here. Catch 'em on tour this fall!  

Jon Spencer and crew storm Canada in September!

Jon, Kendall and Spider are joined by Bloodshot Bill at shows in Quebec City, Montreal and Ottawa! Check the dates after the clips.

Jon Spencer's new album Songs of Personal Loss and Protest is out now! 

Jon Spencer's September Tour

9.6 Sun No Fun Troy NY with Goons!

9.7 Mon L'Anti Bar & Spectacles Quebec City QC with Bloodshot Bill

9.8 Tue Bar Le Ritz Montreal QC with Bloodshot Bill

9.9 Wed Bronson Centre Ottawa ON with Bloodshot Bill

9.10 Thu The Great Hall Toronto Toronto ON with Thee Retail Simps

9.11 Fri Bridgeworks Hamilton ON with Thee Retail Simps

9.12 Sat Bug Jar Rochester NY with Harmonica Lewinski

9.13 Sun - Drom, New York NY with Daddy Long Legs, Kurt Baker, Jonathan Toubin, Lenny Kaye - Beauty Bar Anniversary Party

Russell deCarle joins Steve Briggs' Summer Sundays @ The Artful Dodger, Sept 6

Singer/songwriter Russell deCarle and steel ace Burke Carroll join Steve Briggs and crew at Artful Dodger today from 4-7 pm

Jazz legend Sonny Rollins gets 24-hour birthday salute from WKCR on Sept 7th

WKCR-FM honours the late saxophone great Sonny Rollins with a special broadcast from midnight to midnight on Monday. 

Here's the scoop...

WKCR is very pleased to announce a special broadcast celebrating the life and work of the renowned saxophonist Sonny Rollins. This special broadcast will run from midnight to midnight on September 7th on FM and HD radio and online, preempting all regularly scheduled Monday programming. Visit the WKCR site for info about the broadcast and other upcoming shows including a John Cage 24-hour birthday broadcast on September 5th. 

Hailing from Sugar Hill, Harlem, Rollins was immersed in the budding scene of hard bop right out of high school, collaborating with J.J. Johnson, Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, Max Roach, Clifford Brown, and Miles Davis. In his autobiography, Davis writes,  “People loved Sonny Rollins up in Harlem and everywhere else. He was a legend, almost a god, to a lot of the younger musicians. Some thought he was playing the saxophone on the level of Bird. I know one thing–he was close. He was an aggressive, innovative player who always had fresh musical ideas. I loved him back then as a player, and he could also write his ass off…”

Over his many years and broad influence, Rollins became a defining voice in his craft through landmark recordings such as Saxophone Colossus (1956), Way Out West (1957), and The Bridge (1962). Beyond his legendary improvisation and lasting compositions such as “Oleo,” “St. Thomas”, and “Tenor Madness”, his dedication to this music manifested in pauses from the scene. Most famously, his two-year hiatus, during which he practiced on the Williamsburg Bridge to avoid disturbing his neighbors.

We invite you all to join us in celebrating the enduring legacy of Sonny Rollins through 24 hours of programming from one of the most transformative voices in the tradition of jazz. Listeners can tune in to our Sonny Rollins Birthday Broadcast on 89.9 FM or stream it live on our website, wkcr.org. Follow WKCR on Instagram (WKCR) and Twitter (@WKCRFM) for updates about this special broadcast and future events. As always, online listening is available 24/7 at wkcr.org via our web stream.

Dollar Bin Delights: Alf Newman

Here's a nutty one-off 45 by German Elvis-impersonator Oliver Hardt born Wolfgang Neumann aka "Alf Newman" released in '66.

LINKS
Memory Radio Oliver Hardt: Bankruptcy after success