Belgium's Radio Martiko recirculates two Québécois surf gems

A pair of mid-60s surf classics from Les Jaguars & Les Talismans, originally on TourneSol, are out via Radio Martiko May 14th.  

New Hampshire's John Andrews & The Yawns return with Cookbook

John Andrews' third album Cookbook is out May 14th via Woodsist. Check out "New California Blue" & "River of Doubt" below. 

Here's the scoop from John's mom...

John Andrews is picking flowers from each corner of his life and presenting you with an unusual bouquet. His imaginary band “The Yawns” are back! Third time’s a charm. In hockey terms, they call it a “hat trick” and you know who’s always wearing a ratty old hat? John Andrews. Three years in the making and we have COOKBOOK, the third, and most colorful record from your favorite New Hampshire based craftsman.

Unknowing folks usually assume he lives in New York City or Los Angeles but confer with John for 5 minutes and if he’s in the right mood he’ll talk your ear off about the granite state & the old, seedy colonial barn where he’s tracked his records with his weird and wonderful friends.

Take a listen to his previous effort, 2017’s Bad Posture. It was the grassroot slacker’s pie in the sky. His head was stuck in the past. He probably excessively listened to “Cripple Creek Ferry” and he most likely wasn’t keeping up with household chores. The album acted as an impressive document of that specific time and place. Time moves on, but just look at him now! All grown up yet likely still feeling those growing pains. After a few more years of traveling we now have Cookbook, fresh out the oven…Phew! About 9 or 10 new tracks, but who’s really counting?

The lyrics are simple and endearing, inspired by mid-century love songs. “New California Blue” offers some of the album’s most elegant and freewheeling piano playing. It conjures the loose swing of a Vince Guaraldi Peanuts cartoon, but something is slightly off. These lyrics, an ode of gratitude to Joni Mitchell, charm us into a late night noir.

In album stand out,“River of Doubt”, he sings “If I’m swimming in that river of doubt, won’t you pull me out?” It’s a similar yearn we’ve heard from groups of yesterday like The Shangri Las & The Mama’s Papas, but it’s a distant, more contemporary interpretation. Johnny’s vocals are his own instrument. His tenor is mellow yet greatly confident. He doesn’t always sing though; instrumental track “Song for the Gonz” provides a score to 90’s street skateboarder Mark Gonzalez with a timeless, cartoon-like melody. “Try” could be cut from the same cloth as Carole King’s piano demos. His inspirations are all across the board. If his subconscious was a bootleg taper, life would be the show.

At any rate, it doesn’t sound like a record made in New Hampshire, but make no mistake, this is a dyed-in-the-wool Yawns record, refreshingly straightforward yet full of character. It’s less of a crowded honky tonk, and more of an empty, poignant speakeasy. You can finally relax indoors after a weary day out in the cold. Have you ever seen that painting of dogs playing poker? It might as well be what they were listening to as the bulldog pushed his chips forward.  – John’s mom

Happy Birthday Duke Ellington!

Remembering the great Duke Ellington with the hard-swingin' "Bateau" recorded on December 9, 1970. 

Canuck Style: John Westhaver's zippered flares (1980)

Long before making noise with Ottawa's TBWNIS, the stylish John Westhaver tried adding a zipper to his torn flared jeans. 

Get a copy of Here Comes Sickness by The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol via Bandcamp right here. 

 

Midweek Mixdown: Nat Birchall's Sounds From the Ancient Archive

Listen to Nat Birchall's latest mix of spiritual jazz and roots reggae on Sounds From The Ancient Archive right here.  

Nat Birchall's Sounds From The Ancient Archive – April 17, 2021 Tracklist 

1. "Powerful Paul Robeson" (vocal version) - Clifford Jordan, from the LP Remembering Me-Me (Muse)

2. "Throw It Away" - Abbey Lincoln, from the LP Golden Lady (Marge, France/Inner City USA)

3. "Burundi Pose" - Big Black, from the LP Elements Of Now (UNI Records)

4. "Gbogbo Omo Ibile" - Solomon Ilori, 12" (Blue Note/Honest Jon's)

5. "Tenor On The Call" - Tommy McCook & The Discosonics, 12" (Studio 1)

6. Untitled (Version of "Jah Jah Way" - Yabby You) - Tommy McCook (Dubplate)

7. "Sunshine Fly Away" - Larry Young, from the LP Lawrence Of Newark (Perception Records)

8. "Black Butterfly" - Salah Ragab & The Cairo Jazz Band, from the LP Egyptian Jazz (Art Yard)

9. "Pan Afro" - Sun Ra & His Astro Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra, from the LP Discipline 27-II (Strut/Art Yard)

10. "Necaumung-Us" - Beaver Harris, from the the LP Beaver Is My Name (Timeless)

11. "Peace In Essaouria" - Pharoah Sanders/Maleem Mahmmod Ghania, from the LP Trance Of The Seven Colors (Zehra)

12. "Sahara Samba" - Olatunji, from the LP Drums! Drums! Drums! (Roulette)

13. "Jah Jah Skanking" - The Natty Locks 7" (Fay Music Inc)

14. "Black Skin Vinration" - Dubwise 7" (Cry Tuff/Black Skin The Prophet)

15. "Your Teacher" a.k.a. "Black Skin" - Black Skin The Prophet 7" (Cry Tuff/Black Skin The Prophet)

16. "African Cookbook" - Randy Weston, from the LP African Cookbook (Atlantic)

17. "Civilisation" - The Classics 7" 

That time David Hidalgo stopped by Norman's Rare Guitars

Watch Los Lobos mainman David Hidalgo play his 1964 Gibson ES-125TDC at Norman's Rare Guitars in Tarzana, CA. 

Happy Birthday Preston Love!

Remembering Omaha-born saxophonist/bandleader Preston Love with a couple of smokin' R&B gems. 

Watch H.E.R. rock the Oscars with "Fight For You"

H.E.R. knocked out her Oscar-winning song "Fight For You" from Judas and the Black Messiah during the preshow telecast. 

Happy Birthday Ella Fitzgerald!

Remembering Ella Fitzgerald on her birthday with an old Oscar Levant-penned fave "Wacky Dust" cut with Chick Webb. 

Harlan County vs. Jim Ford

UK Jim Ford tribute band Harlan County cut a sweet version of "I'm Gonna Make Her Love Me" but it can't top Jim's original. 

Ty Segall, Billy Gibbons, Margo Price & others salute Roky Erickson

May The Circle Remain Unbroken – out July 17th – was produced by Bill Bentley who also did the Where The Pyramid Meets The Eye tribute in 1990.   

Here's the scoop...

Now more than 30 years since Bill Bentley put together his first multi-artist tribute to 13th Floor Elevators' mainman Roky Erickson – 1990's acclaimed When The Pyramid Meets The Eye – Light In The Attic has tapped the former Warner Bros. publicity executive to assemble May The Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson. Bentley, who most recently knocked out the coffee-table book of photos Smithsonian Rock and Roll: Seen and Unseen, also penned the notes for the compilation which will include a 16-page booklet with some rare photos and a bonus flexi disc of an unreleased Roky track "Love Hieroglyphics" from the early 70s. Sure it sounds like a tossed in after thought to entice Roky completists but I wouldn't bet against that being the highlight of the set. 

While not quite up to the high-bar Bentley set with his first kick at the can, or even his commendable projects which followed in honour of Skip Spence (1999), Doug Sahm (2009) and Lou Reed (2013), his  new 12-track Roky redux troublingly relies heavily on contributions from alt-country celebs who you would expect to care not for two-headed dogs 'n' such. Jeff Tweedy (remember Wilco?) Neko Case? Margo Price? Lucinda Williams? I don't recall seeing any of those folks in line at Austin's Ironworks to their copy of Openers II signed by Roky. However, I do clearly remember an exasperated book publisher Henry Rollins trying to convince the doubtful Mr. Erickson that a Sharpie was actually a pen for a good ten minutes as the line-up overflow stretched down the street. "Look, Roky, it writes just like a pen. See?" Nope. Nope. That's not a pen. No siree!" 

And what about Brogan Bentley? Who? You may well ask? Why, it's Bill Bentley's son of course! Although Brogan's swell dad took him to the New Orleans Jazz Festival a few times as a toddler, does that really qualify him for placement on a Roky Erickson tribute album? Maybe not. But Brogan also likes getting dressed up in camouflage gear and riding quad bikes in the woods to spooky synth dirges (watch the hilarious video) so perhaps that's what cinched it. Who knew Roky was such a big fan of the Twilight Saga? At least Bill had the good sense to invite a few notable Texans with requisite guitar rippin' skills, namely ZZ Top's Billy F. Gibbons, Austin's Black Angels who backed Roky on various outings during his short-lived comeback bid and Gary Clark Jr.

Lynn Castle duets with Mark Lanegan

It would've been nice to hear Roky's songs revised by some other Texas artists with more familiarity with Roky Erickson's milieu say, Khruangbin, Okkervil River, Alejandro Escovedo, Brownout, Joe Ely, Cotton Mather, Johnny Dowd, Black Pumas, Walter Daniels, Butch Hancock, Geranium Drive, Terry Allen, Golden Dawn Arkestra or ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead. It could be that with the possible exception of Escovedo (with whom Bentley worked on 2016's Burn Something Beautiful for Concord), they simply weren't in Bentley's Rolodex. 

And there will be some left wondering why isn't Neil Young involved. You'd think that since Bentley put in serious time as Neil Young's PR rep and continues to write for the Neil Young Archives, it might've been an idea to ask Neil if he'd like to record a song for the compilation. Worth a shot, right? But then again, there may not have been room left for Brogan to stretch out on the title track. There's always a lot to consider when producing this kind of a package.  

At least we know that Sacramento goth rocker Chelsea Wolfe was already familiar with Roky Erickson's work prior to getting the call from Mr. Bentley's people. Just days after Roky died on May 31, 2019, Wolfe shared a haunting acoustic cover of "Night of The Vampire" (which Ty Segall cut for the comp – listen to Chelsea Wolfe's version here). And Mark Lanegan has also previously recorded a great cover Roky's chilling "Burn The Flames" which, for whatever reason, was not included on May The Circle Remain Unbroken. 

However, on the upside, Lanegan is paired with L.A.'s 60s songwriting hairstylist to the stars Lynn Castle who famously cut a few songs with Jack Nitzsche for Lee Hazlewood's LHI label back in 1966. Castle went on to do some soundtrack work using the alias Madelynn von Ritz but hasn't been heard much since she sang "When I Close My Eyes, I See Blood" in William Friedkin's Crusing back in 1980. You can watch Lynn's memorable 1966 appearance on What's My Line? with Frank Sinatra right here. 

May The Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute To Roky Erickson will be released on July 17th to coincide with Record Store Day, Drop #2 and thus, not available for pre-order. Check the complete track listing below followed by a few clips Roky Erickson performing his songs.   

    

Various Artists - May The Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute To Roky Erickson

Side One

1. Billy F Gibbons - (I've Got) Levitation

2. Mosshart-Sexton - Starry Eyes

3. Jeff Tweedy - For You (I'd Do Anything)

4. Lynn Castle & Mark Lanegan - Clear Night For Love

5. The Black Angels - Don't Fall Down

6. Neko Case - Be And Bring Me Home

Side Two

1. Margo Price - Red Temple Prayer (Two-Headed Dog)

2. Gary Clark Jr. & Eve Monsees - Roller Coaster

3. Ty Segall - Night Of The Vampire

4. Lucinda Williams - You're Gonna Miss Me

5. Chelsea Wolfe - If You Have Ghosts

6. Brogan Bentley - May The Circle Remain Unbroken

Bonus RSD-only flexi disc:

1. Roky Erickson - Love Hieroglyphics

Check out a few of the songs performed as they were originally intended to sound by Roky Erickson and pals. 

Oral history of Estrus Records on the way from Korero Press

The whole crazy untold story of US garage rock clearing house Estrus Records is about to be revealed, probably in September. 

Here's the scoop from co-author Chris Alpert Coyler...

Estrus: Shovelin’ the Shit Since ’87 is an oral history (me) / coffee table (Scott) book about Estrus Records; the story and the imagery behind it. It's coming soon thru Korero Press. There'll soon be a kooky Kickstarter ahead of the release with a buncha multi-tiered bonus goodies/exclusives to get with the book. 

Featuring words of wisdom from members of: The Mono Men, The Nomads, Man or Astro-Man?, The Drags, The Fall-Outs, The Oblivians, The Monkeywrench, Mudhoney, Guitar Wolf, Cheater Slicks, Fireballs of Freedom, Midnight Evils, The Fells, The Bobbyteens, The Insomniacs, The Hentchmen, Supersnazz, Gas Huffer, Prisonshake, The Von Zippers, The Mummies, The Makers, Lord High Fixers, Sugar Shack, Phantom Surfers, The Quadrajets, The Statics, The Mortals, Estrella 20/20, Gasoline, Jackie & the Cedrics, Switch Trout, and more more more more....

Check out the Estrus PodShock podcast for updates right here. 

Toronto's John Borra shares an updated version of "The Wars"

John Borra just released a newly remixed version of "The Wars" from his Blue Wine album available on his Bandcamp page.  

One For The Weekend: The Scientists

Check out The Scientists' rip snortin' "Outsider" – video directed by Andrew Watson – off their forthcoming Negativity album.  

Here's the scoop...

The Scientists’ powerful brand of deranged swamp-rock returns with a vengeance on June 11th, when In the Red Records unleashes Negativity, an all-new magnum opus featuring the first new full length album by the Australian band’s penultimate line-up in 35 years.

The bruising 11-track collection features a Scientists configuration much beloved by connoisseurs of the band’s work: singer-guitarist Kim Salmon, lead guitarist Tony Thewlis, and bassist Boris Sujdovic, all veterans of the group’s defining 1981-85 outfit, and drummer Leanne Cowie, who replaced drummer Brett Rixon on the storming 1986 release Weird Love.

 Happily, rousing receptions during the band’s American treks and a sense that fans would welcome a new full-length project resulted in sessions for Negativity, the Scientists’ first full-length collection of new material since their 1987 last bow Human Jukebox.

It can’t be overstated how thrilled In The Red is to be unleashing this album. The vinyl comes in a handsome gatefold sleeve with a limited edition on gold vinyl. It’s also available on CD, which also looks really suave. 

You can pre-order The Scientists' Negativity album right here. Watch the video for "Outsider" below. 

 

Happy Birthday Charles Mingus

Here's an interview Neshui Ertegun conducted with Charles Mingus followed by a 1964 performance in Belgium with Eric Dolphy.

David S. Ware vs. Beaver Harris

Saxophonist David S. Ware and his group recorded a fantastic version of the Beaver Harris song "African Drums" back in 1999.

Happy Birthday Iggy Pop!

Here's François De Menil's strange short film for Nico's "Evening Of Light" featuring Iggy Pop and pals in mime make-up. 

Happy Birthday Lionel Hampton!

Remembering bandleader Lionel Hampton with his swingin' "Railroad No. 1" on Glad from 1960. 

R.I.P. sound engineer/producer Bob Lanois, 1948-2021

Sadly, Bob Lanois – brother of Daniel Lanois and key player in the Simply Saucer saga – has passed away. He'll be greatly missed.

Bob Lanois remembered by longtime pal Bruce "Mole" Mowat...

RIP Bob Lanois. Bob was responsible for engineering the July 1974 Simply Saucer sessions that would become Side One of "Cyborgs Revisited" on Mole Sound Recordings.

He was there in 1988 at the LAB in Hamilton when we did the original digitization of said sessions and worked some magic with the 2-track Tandberg reels that had the July 75 Jackson Square show.

When Forced Exposure backed off on releasing the Cyborgs LP, Bob bravely co-signed the $3,200 loan – at 20% interest – in 1989, and it became the shot heard around the world: write-ups in SPIN, the Sunday London Times, Creem. We especially liked the one that said "Best Canadian album ever".

Someone once referred to me as the "Dr. Frankenstein" of CanRock for resurrecting Saucer. And there is some truth to this scenario: it was done at the LAB and there was electricity involved. I defer that title to Bob, though: I merely played the part of Igor, bringing the parts to him to reassemble. (I have better posture, though).

Bob's association with Saucer continued when he toured his "Snake Road" lp with Edgar Breau  in 2006, playing dates in Ottawa (well, the Black Sheep) Kitchener, Hamilton & Toronto.

There was a very memorable ride back from Ottawa, when it was decided we should drive back to Hamilton due to a lack of room at the Inn. 

By 5:30 am, sleep deprivation had one of our drivers believing he was seeing fairies on the empty stretches of the 407. (Not sure if Wallis or Twink were among them)

Bob was very upset when I moved out west in '09. I tried keeping in touch, and he even contemplated a bike ride out west when I moved to Edmonton. "Grande Prairie was too far", he said, and he was right.

Rest Easy, Bob. Here's hoping you're riding in our skies tonight. – Bruce "Mole" Mowat

Happy Birthday Dudley Moore

Remembering actor/musician Dudley Moore on his birthday with a few swingin' performances with his jazz trio. 

Hailu Mergia & Walias Band's rare Tezeta album to be reissued

The 8-song instrumental album Tezeta from Ethio-groove great Hailu Mergia & The Wallias Band is due June 4th.

Here's the scoop from Awesome Tapes From Africa: 

From their genesis as members of the Venus club in-house band in the early 70s, The Walias were at the forefront of the musical revolution during an era where modern instruments and foreign styles superseded the traditional fare to become the staple sound of Ethiopia. No one would argue that The Walias were the trailblazing powerhouse of modern Ethiopian music. 

They were the first band to form independently without affiliation to a theatre house, a club or a hotel; unprecedented and risky as they had to raise all funding for expenses by themselves including buying equipment. They were the first to release full instrumental albums, considered to be commercially unviable at the time. They opened their own recording studio, with band members Melake Gebre and Mahmoud Aman doubling as technical buffs during sessions. They were also the first independent band to tour abroad. In short, they were the pioneers every band tried to emulate; some more successfully than others. 

Their pinnacle came when they took residency at the Hilton Addis and became the go-to backing band for some of the greatest Ethiopian artists. They utilized their strong connections with big names in the industry from their previous incarnations (Most of the group had worked together since their early musical careers, notably as members of Shebelle Hotel band). Tilahun Gessesse, Getachew Kassa, Muluken Melese, Mahmoud Ahmed and Mulatu Astatke were major early collaborators while the band also gave opportunities to up-and-coming vocalists that would dominate the music scene for decades to come. Artists Tsehaye Yohannes, Netsanet Melese, Wubishet Fisseha and Seyoum Gebreyes all made their name after recording with The Walias. 

Their 1981 tour of the USA was organized by Amha Eshete of the famed Amha Records, who was in exile and owner of several clubs in the States. Planned in 1979, the tour almost never happened as the military regime in Ethiopia initially refused to issue exit clearance stating the band wasn't allowed to perform in an imperialist country. It took two years of wrangling (and schmoozing) before they finally got permission to go ahead, clandestinely, with band members explicitly warned not to tell their family or friends that they were traveling for a tour. The trip marked the end of the original line-up, as four members elected not to return back home. 

Walias released eight instrumental albums to varying degrees of success. In fact, only a couple of those shifted in notable numbers. But, when you're banging out record after record with the greatest voices in the history of Ethiopian music, there's always more than enough to go by and recording those non-vocals becomes pure indulgence for the band. Back then, Ethiopians- almost invariably- termed "instrumentals" as "classical", with an overwhelming consensus that they were merely produced as background music or fillers. Indeed, the only instrumentals made before the Walias were by the Ministry of Information, specifically, for those purposes. They hired session musicians to create and record theme tunes for their radio programs at their Abune Petros studios. 

Odds are, any Ethiopian over the age of 35 who had access to TV or radio by the early 90s, will instantly recognize the sound of Walias. What is not a given is, how many would actually identify the band itself. Barely a day went by without hearing the Walias either in the background on radio or as an accompaniment to various programs on TV. Their music was so ubiquitous in media that most of us who enjoyed it never bothered to go out and look for it. Gradually, they started to slip out of public consciousness by the early 90s when newer works by bands such as Roha and Axumite were favored. Only then did those of us feeling a certain sense of loss started inquiring about "that music from TV" at record stores. Yet, most of their work remains stubbornly elusive. 

This "Tezeta" album is one of those that have been impossible to find for nearly three decades. Sourced by Awesome Tapes From Africa and expertly remastered by Jessica Thompson, its unique and funky renditions of standards and popular songs of the day are so quintessentially Walias, flavorful and evocative. Hailu Megia's melodic organ, unashamedly front and center in every track, makes even the complex pieces accessible. The stirringly distinct opening riff from "Zengadyw" took me right back to a certain time in my youth. Deliciously vivid, it's a time capsule in and of itself. "Gumegum" is a definite favorite. The vocal version, most popularly sang by the legendary Hirut Bekele, tells of unrequited love - an over-exploited theme in music of the time. "Tezeta" is the traditional anthem of nostalgia that doing a version of it was, for a long time, a rite of passage for any aspiring musician. "Endegena" (To Love Again), is a sleepy ballad by Mahmoud Ahmed getting a zesty uplift here. "Ou-Ou-Ta" is one of the signature songs of the greatest of them all, Tilahun Gessesse. 

Profoundly engaging; it's an immersive trip down memory lane for those of us getting reacquainted with it, while also an enthralling and gratifying experience for fresh ears. – Tessema Tadele 

Pre-order a copy of Hailu Mergia & The Walias Band's Tezeta album right here. Listen to "Mestirawi Debdabe" below. 

Montreal's Teke::Teke debut with Shirushi on May 7

Initially begun as a Takeshi Terauchi tribute act, Montreal's Teke::Teke have evolved beyond all expectations with Shirushi. 

Here's the scoop...

Montreal's seven-piece Japanese psych-rock band TEKE::TEKE are releasing their debut album Shirushi, out May 7 via Kill Rock Stars. You can pre-order a copy via Bandcamp right here. 

Shirushi (“sign of big changes to come”) was inspired by the Japanese practice of kintsugi, the art of mending broken pottery by fusing the pieces back together with seams of gold, silver, or platinum lacquer. “There’s always something hopeful that comes after destruction,” explains guitarist Serge Nakauchi-Pelletier. “Next comes rebirth, and we get to learn again.” The album glues classic Japanese balladry, surf rock, psychedelia, and more together into a set of songs that play like soundtracks to a wildly eccentric epic film saga. The band incorporates traditional instruments, influences from ‘60’s/70s Japanese soundtracks, and the sentimental balladry of Japanese enka - yet Shirushi manages to sound as if it comes from some distant future. 

Lead single “Kala Kala” perfectly encapsulates this refusal to be contained, building from an expansive ambience to an elephantine instrumental hook, singer and visual artist Maya Kuroki’s voice darting over the top. “The Japanese language allows for visual, colorful poetry, and the lyrics tell a story with a lot of different colors, strong vibes, and emotional themes,” Kuroki says. In that way, each individual track plays out like a lost classic soundtrack with its own genre and storyline, even for those who may not have the benefit of the literal translation of Kuroki’s lyrics. A trained actor and visual artist, Kuroki’s place at the front of the stage for TEKE::TEKE masterfully amplifies their already dramatic arrangements. 

Takeshi Terauchi and a few of his guitars

After initially forming as a tribute band for Japanese guitar legend Takeshi Terauchi (check out a selection of his amazing recordings with The Bunnys and Blue Jeans right here), TEKE::TEKE learned that they had to tear up their surf-tinged covers and build something new. Since then, the Montreal-based seven-piece have expanded their already wide scope into a dazzling journey through classic Japanese balladry and Brazillian psychedelia alike. Fusing everything from traditional Japanese instrumentation to punk guitar, TEKE::TEKE have created their own musical universe - one that’s continuously expanding. You can still hear elements of Takeshi Terauchi's groundbreaking concept of mixing Japanese folk forms with rippin' surf guitar in the track "Yoru Ni" in which TEKE::TEKE neatly weave blazing guitar runs with traditional Japanese shamisen and shinobue.   

The band also recently shared cinematic new single & video for “Meikyu” (“labyrinth” in Japanese) - animated by Serge Nakauchi-Pelletier along with Maya Kuroki. "When plans with a hired animator fell through, Maya and I decided to take things into our own hands,” Nakauchi-Pelletier says. Kuroki adds, “I'll make some drawings or paintings and then use whatever tools we have, learn new software on the spot and ways of working as we go.’’  

Check out TEKE:TEKE's videos for "Yoru Ni," "Kala Kala" and "Meikyu" after a performance of "Barbara" below. 

Happy Birthday Skip Spence!

Remembering Skip Spence on his 75th birthday with Moby Grape's rip through "Hey Grandma" at Monterey Pop in 1967. 

That time the True Believers jammed with Roky Erickson

Here's Alejandro Escovedo and crew backing Roky Erickson on a few haunted classics at the Opry House in Austin back in 1986.

Happy Birthday Han Bennink!

Celebrating the birthday of Dutch jazz drummer Han Bennink with an interview and a 1965 performance with Wes Montgomery. 

The Simpsons spoof The Smiths – hear "Everyone Is Horrid Except Me"

The Panic On The Streets of Springfield episode features Benedict Cumberbatch as "Quilloughby" of The Snuffs.

Listen to "Everyone Is Horrid Except Me (And Possibly You) below...

One For The Weekend: Otoboke Beaver

Here's Kyoto punk crew Otoboke Beaver rippin' through "Don't Light My Fire" 

Dave Wyndorf's pre-Monster Magnet recordings from 1989 resurface

Guerssen's Galactic Archive imprint is reissuing Mistress of the Perpetual Harvest by Dave Wyndorf's band Acid Reich. 

Here's the scoop from Galactic Archive's Steven Krakow...

SO STOKED to announce pre-orders for this archival LP release of pre-Monster Magnet band Acid Reich! Featuring original MM members Dave Wyndorf (post-Shrapnel), Tim Cronin, and JP McBain, plus Shaune Kelley (Ripping Corpse) and Joe Paone. They recorded a lone cassette in 1989,  'Mistress of the Perpetual Harvest', released on Cronin's Cool Beans tape label. This is the first ever vinyl/digital release on my Galactic Archive imprint and Guerssen Records! 400 copies pressed, 100 hand-numbered on green vinyl. This project has also been in the works for over a year, AND I got to do some of the logos/art on this, and liner notes via some hilarious interviews, so this one is VERY near n dear to my heart--plus some TRULY DEMENTED AND FUZZED PSYCHO-DELICK SOUNDS!!!! (I mean, there's an early Floyd cover too, c'monnnnn)  Check links below to sample a track/pre-order, and for a feature on the always-heady/informative It's Psychedelic Baby Magazine! Huge thanks to Alex Carretero and Tim C for making this all happen!

Have a listen to a cassette copy of Mistress of the Perpetual Harvest right here. 

You can pre-order a copy of the Acid Reich reissue via Bandcamp right here. 

Midweek Mixdown: Jon Savage's Alternative History of Electronica

Check out a mini-mix assembled from Jon Savage's alternative electronica comp, Do You Have The Force? right here. 

Sez Jon Savage...

“Spanning Euro Disco to very early Electro and the classic period of High Energy, taking in mainstream Disco, the strange, minimal and avant garde on the way, these fifteen tracks celebrate the fertility and the futurism of synthesiser electronics in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s”

Alex Chilton live recording with Hi Rhythm Section due in May!

Omnivore is releasing Alex Chilton & The Hi Rhythm Section's Boogie Shoes: Live On Beale Street on May 7th. 

Here's the scoop...

Unissued 1999 live set from Alex Chilton (The Box Tops/Big Star) and Hi Rhythm Section

“I never saw him have so much fun on stage. Without rehearsal, Alex called songs and the band locked in. The horn section consists of top Memphis session guys who huddled together when each song was called creating parts on the fly. The pure joy of playing this music so freely with such legendary musicians comes across in every groove of the record.” — David Less, from his liner notes.

Memphis is a city with music in its blood. When Fred Ford, co-founder of the Beale Street Music Festival, was diagnosed with cancer, David Less organized Fredstock, a fund raiser to help with his medical bills. Less contacted Memphis legend Alex Chilton (The Box Tops, Big Star), who was living in New Orleans, to ask him to participate. Alex said he didn’t have any musicians to play with in Memphis, so Less suggested the Hi Rhythm Section (the band behind classics from artists including Ann Peebles, Ike & Tina Turner, O. V. Wright, Otis Clay, and Al Green). Alex replied, “That will work.”

This previously unissued live set contains versions of soul classics from The Supremes and Otis Clay, rock numbers from Chuck Berry and Little Richard, and even a cover of the KC & The Sunshine Band title track. Available on CD, Digital, and LP, Boogie Shoes: Live On Beale Street was recorded at the New Daisy Theater in Memphis in 1999, during Fredstock.

Packaging contains liner notes from Producer David Less, a friend of Chilton, and author of the acclaimed Memphis Mayhem: A Story Of The Music That Shook Up The World, and features a cover from rock & roll and folk art painter, Lamar Sorrento.

Get ready to discover this performance by Memphis icons—tearing it up on stage, making music, and having fun. You’ll want to put on y-y-y-y-your Boogie Shoes. Check out the title tune followed by the track listing below. 

NOTE: Omnivore is offering a limited-edition bundle that features the LP and a numbered lithographic print of the album cover. This special edition is limited to 100 copies and available only via the Omnivore webstore right here.

Alex Chilton & The Hi Rhythm Section – Boogie Shoes: Live on Beale Street

BOOGIE SHOES

PRECIOUS, PRECIOUS

634-5789

KANSAS CITY

LUCILLE

BIG BOSS MAN

WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO

MAYBELLINE

HELLO JOSEPHINE

TRYING TO LIVE MY LIFE WITHOUT YOU

That Time The Moodists played Switzerland in 1986

Clare Moore and Dave Graney are not just still active, they're launching a new Australian tour starting in Wollongong Friday. 

Happy Birthday Jimmy Namaro!

Remembering Toronto bandleader Jimmy Namaro on his birthday with his overlooked 1972 gem We Gotta Get It All Together. 

Watch The Ex with Getachew Mekuria in Toulouse, France, 2011

Ethiopian saxophone legend Getachew Mekuria joined The Ex for their appearance at the Rio Loco Fest on June 17, 2011. 

Black Keys salute their blues inspirations on new Delta Kream album

The Black Keys' new album of blues covers, Delta Kream, is out May 14. Check the tracklist and a few original versions. 

Here's The Black Keys' Delta Kream tracklisting:

01. Crawling Kingsnake (John Lee Hooker cover)

02. Louise (Mississippi Fred McDowell cover)

03. Poor Boy A Long Way From Home (RL Burnside cover)

04. Stay All Night (Junior Kimbrough cover)

05. Going Down South (RL Burnside cover)

06. Coal Black Mattie (RL Burnside / Ranie Burnette cover)

07. Do the Romp (Junior Kimbrough cover)

08. Sad Days, Lonely Nights (Junior Kimbrough cover)

09. Walk with Me (Junior Kimbrough cover)

10. Mellow Peaches (Big Joe Williams cover)

11. Come On And Go With Me (Junior Kimbrough cover)

Watch Mississippi Fred McDowell, RL Burnside, John Lee Hooker and Junior Kimbrough show you how it's done...

Whaddya mean you don't know Innov Gnawa

Daptone is releasing the Lila album by Innov Gnawa, a NYC-based band of Moroccan ex-pats led by Ma'alem Hassan Ben Jaffar.  

Here's the scoop...

Daptone Records is honoured to announce the release of Innov Gnawa's forthcoming full-length, Lila on April 30th. Formed in NYC, this Grammy-nominated group of Moroccan expats has been making waves locally and abroad with their hypnotic live shows. The group is led by Ma'alem Hassan Ben Jaffar, a master musician and spiritual elder of the ensemble who plays a three-stringed African bass known as a “guembri”. Ben Jaffar is accompanied by a brotherhood of musicians – (Amino Belyamani, Ahmed Jeriouda, Samir Langus and Nawfal Atiq) – all playing the qraqebs, metal castanets that represent the shackles and chains of slaves and also singing chorus responses. Gnawa music is a spiritual tradition rooted in Morocco’s ancient history. Often referred to as “Sufi Blues”, Gnawa’s African influence originated from West African slaves brought to Morocco centuries ago. Not unlike blues music in the American South, Gnawa music is revered throughout Morocco as treasured indigenous soul music. 

After seeing a performance at a mutual friend's party, producer and local Gnawa enthusiast, Bosco Mann, invited Innov Gnawa to come record some tracks at The Daptone House of Soul. The invitation was accepted and over a five-hour session, the group tracked an entire albums’ worth of material - all in one take. The session tracked that evening is what we humbly offer up to you, the beloved Daptone Family. "Lila", literally meaning "night" is a traditional ceremony in which the Ma'alem and his qraqeb ensemble dedicate an evening of healing through music. This all-night rhythm fest is a spiritual ritual which cleanses the body, mind, and spirit. We invite you to immerse yourself into Lila. Experience Freedom, Liberation and the power of healing through music. 

You can pre-order Innov Gnawa's Lila album directly from Daptone right here. 

Note: Daptone pre-order includes...

Exclusive 10" featuring two additional songs not available on the LP: "El Ghaba" and "Hamdouchia". 

LPs with "Sahara Dune" colored vinyl.

Both the 10" and color vinyl LPs are limited to 500 worldwide.

90s Nostalgia: Hazeldine

Watch and listen to Alburquerque's Hazeldine – w/Tonya Lamm, later of Tres Chicas – performing in Germany back in 1998. 

How a jingle pitch became the new Gary Louris single

"Almost Home" – which began as a jingle idea – is off the new Gary Louris album, Jump For Joy out June 4 via Thirty Tigers.

Here's the scoop...

The new Gary Louris single “Almost Home” is the latest song off his forthcoming solo album Jump For Joy, which releases June 4 via Sham/Thirty Tigers. The catchy, bouncy new single is accompanied by a music video Louris made himself.

“‘Almost Home’ started out as a jingle idea for a phone company, it was just the catchy chorus,” says Louris. “When the client didn’t use it, I wrote the verses and then it was a real song, and I’m glad they passed on it. It’s a story of travel and longing.” 

His first solo release since Vagabonds in 2008, Jump For Joy includes 10 never-before-released songs written, performed and produced entirely by Louris himself, as well as cover art illustrated by his son, Henry Louris. 

Acclaimed musician, singer, songwriter and producer Gary Louris has built a deeply compelling body of work over the last three decades. He is the lead singer/songwriter of seminal band The Jayhawks, and one of the founding members of alt-rock supergroup Golden Smog, which has included members of Soul Asylum, Wilco, The Replacements and Big Star. Louris has also produced records and contributed songs to GRAMMY Award-winning albums by Tedeschi Trucks Band and The Chicks, and recorded with a diverse group of acts including The Black Crowes, Uncle Tupelo, Joe Henry, Counting Crows, John Hiatt, Lucinda Williams, Roger McGuinn, Nickel Creek and The Wallflowers. 

Jump For Joy follows The Jayhawks’ 2020 release XOXO, which garnered high praise from press including HuffPost, Billboard, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, BrooklynVegan and more. The new album is available for pre-order right here. 

Check the album's track list following Gary's video for "Almost Home". 

Gary Louris – Jump For Joy (Sham/Thirty Tigers)

1. Almost Home 

2. Living In Between 

3. White Squirrel

4. New Normal 

5. Mr. Updike

6. Follow 

7. Too Late The Key 

8. One Way Conversation 

9. Jump For Joy 

10. Dead Man’s Burden 

Happy Birthday Hound Dog Taylor!

Celebrating Hound Dog Taylor's birthday with the audio from a 1972 show at Joe's Place in Cambridge, MA.