Robbie Fulks joins members of the Waco Brothers for new Davy Crockett musical

Frontiersman Davy Crockett's political career is the focus of Congressman Davy with catchy tunes voiced by Robbie Fulks and his Chicago pals. 

Davy Crockett for President? It almost happened!

Congressman Davy recounts that fascinating slice of U.S. political history in a new musical with 22 new songs by Deano from the Waco Brothers (aka Dean Schlabowske) and award-winning playwright/journalist Richard Byrne (Nero/Pseudo, Burn Your Bookes, Hotel Mayflower).

Some of the most distinctive voices in Americana to help tell this tallest of tales, including Robbie Fulks, The Mekons' Jon Langford & Sally Timms, The Meat Purveyors' Jo Watson, Four Lost Souls' Bethany Thomas,The Flat Five's Nora O’Connor & Kelly Hogan along with Chicago's Gerald Dowd and Kent Rose. As Davy might say: “Just go ahead and give it a listen!” Check out a few songs from the CD following a synopsis below. 

Congressman Davy – Synopsis

Act One

It is 1833. Legendary frontiersman Davy Crockett is running to return to the U.S. House of Representatives. (Tennessee voters kicked him out in 1831.)

Anne Royall is the first American woman to publish her own newspaper. (“The Ballad of Anne Royall”) She travels to Tennessee to watch Davy Crockett lay out his populist platform. (“Poor Man’s Friend”) Crockett wins.

In Washington City, boarding house proprietor Mrs. Ball and her employee, Sarah, await Crockett. Yet they face competition from Mrs. Brown – who runs a fancy hotel across the street. The two women joust over their vision of Washington’s future. (“Washington City”)

The 1833 election created a nation deeply divided between the Democrats supporting President Andrew Jackson and the Whigs opposing him. The two parties address their differences in a song. (“A Faction.”) as they try to claim Crockett as their own. But Crockett lays out his own independent vision. (“A Permanent State of Affairs”)

Mrs. Ball and Mrs. Brown’s skirmish ends when Crockett chooses the cozy familiarity of the boarding house (“The Comforts of Home”). Mrs. Brown plots with the Lead Whig to bring Crockett to her hotel.

Anne Royall notices the forlorn figure of Edgar Allan Poe – who has been evicted from Mrs. Ball’s establishment to make room for legislators. They bemoan the anti-intellectualism of the time. (“The Bitter End”)

The moneyed Whigs want Crockett as their presidential candidate. (“The Proper Party”) But how can they convince The Poor Man’s Friend? Mrs. Brown appeals to Crockett’s vanity and desire to advance in life. (“The Finer Things”) He moves to her hotel and joins the Whigs as he evokes his famous motto: “Be sure you're right, then go ahead!” (“Just Go Ahead”)

Act Two

Sarah sings a short mournful song (“Sarah’s Song of Hopeless Longing”) before Anne Royall and the Whig Party sweep Crockett up into a frenetic political tour. (“Davy Crockett’s Tour to the North and Down East”) The frontiersman also discovers the power of industry. (“Busy Hands”)

Mrs. Ball and Mrs. Brown’s feud continues. Anne Royall chides them both for seeking to influence politics from behind the scenes. (“A Song About Power”)

The Democrats scheme to defeat Crockett. Lead Democrat advocates chicanery (“Hickory Dockery”). Adam Huntsman – a lawyer who lost his leg in war – volunteers to run against Crockett. (“Down A Peg”)

Edgar Allan Poe’s return to town unleashes more tumult. He seeks high minded journalism (“Poison Pens”), but Crockett uses Poe’s negative review of his book as target practice and then blazes deeper into populism to win votes. (“The Betsy Song”).

The Whigs commission a portrait of Crockett with a stuffed Bear. When Crockett falls asleep, the Bear becomes his nightmare. (“A Bear’s Life).

On the day the votes arrive back in Washington City, Mrs. Ball tries to pluck Crockett’s conscience and recall a happier moment. (“I Don’t Need You”)

When the tally is announced, Crockett loses. (“The Song of the Great Licking”) He takes leave of Washington for a new life in Texas with a brazen farewell song (Hell or Texas”). 

You can get a CD version of the Congressman Davy soundtrack via Bandcamp right here. Listen to a few of the songs voiced by Robbie Fulks below. On Monday, June 29th, a radio play version of the entire show, weaving the songs into the text of the musical will be available right here: https://congressmandavy.podbean.com/.

LINKS
Texas State Historical Association The Life and Legacy of Davy Crockett

Watch playwright Richard Byrne's Congressman Davy unboxing video here

Happy Birthday Sally Timms!

Celebrating Sally's birthday with her versions of the Handsome Family's "Sad Milkman" and two John Anderson honky tonk classics! 

One For The Weekend: Mekons

The Mekons wisely enlisted Rico Bell aka "Alain Felon" to play the romantic lead opposite Sally Timms in their arty B&W video for "Fallen Leaves."

Mekons share "Mudcrawlers" from new Horror album about how we got here

Jon Langford, Sally Timms and their Mekons pals capture the tenor of the times with "Horror" out April 4th. Hear two intriguing new tunes below. 

Here's the scoop...

Legendary postmodern, post punk, post human, past caring collective Mekons return with a brand-new album for 2025. Their first release on Fire Records, ‘Horror’ (out April 4th) provides a horribly prescient reflection of the world in its current miasma and how we got here.

‘Horror’ looks at history and the legacies of British imperialism with mashed up lyrics set against a typically eclectic sound that amalgamates everything from dub, country, noise, rock & roll, electronica, punk, music hall, polka and you can even take your partner for a nice waltz on ‘Sad And Sad And Sad’. The roots of their global sound reflect their nomadic journey through time and space from Leeds to California in the West and Siberia in the East and is woven into the fabric and intricacies of their song creation…

Sounding like The Chills and R.E.M circa the I.R.S Records years, "Mudcrawlers" (listen below) sees just about the whole band joining Jon Langford on vocals speaking of Irish famine and refugees journeying to Wales. ‘War Economy’ shivers in the cold of such Boroughs spiked one-liners: “Clinical coercion will not achieve dominance!” Sounding like its straight off a Jenny Holzer neon sign (she of Abuse Of Power Comes As No Surprise), it’s held together by a disgruntled swaggering riff that underpins an explosion of disquiet.

Meanwhile, Rico takes the lead on the maliciously luscious ‘Fallen Leaves’ an appalled and appalling Hammer Horror take on climate breakdown reminiscent of Rolling Thunder Dylan, that recalls The Pogues at their most introspective, its Celtic twilightism augmented by Susie Honeyman’s keening violin as the dying sun sinks down and the river Styx flows on in the pitch black night.

Almost 50 years in the making, these Mekons continue to astound, their sound, sentiment and method of delivery blended to perfection by bass player and studio wizard, Dave Trumfio. The Mekons are Jon Langford, Sally Timms, Tom Greenhalgh, Dave Trumfio, Susie Honeyman, Rico Bell, Steve Goulding, and Lu Edmonds. 

You can pre-order "Horror" by The Mekons via Bandcamp right here. Listen to "Mudcrawlers" and "You're Not Singing Anymore" and see if those merrymaking Mekons are playing a show anywhere near you below. 

Check for an upcoming Mekons show in 2025 near you in the UK, Europe and U.S. – not Canada, sadly – right here.

Small portion of Chicago street renamed in Steve Albini's honour

Visit Steve Albini Way at West Belmont Ave and Rockwell St. in Chicago. Watch the dedication ceremony and musical salute with Fred Armisen & Sally Timms.  

After the ceremony, Jon Langford, Sally Timms and Fred Armisen performed the kind of musical salute Steve would've enjoyed.

Watch Jon Langford perform "Memphis, Egypt" with The Sadies at The Horseshoe

Since it's Jon Langford's birthday, here's our man performing "Memphis, Egypt" with Sally Timms and The Sadies in Toronto. 

Jon Langford's Skull Orchard plays an afternoon show at the Horseshoe Oct 27. Get tickets here.

Watch Sally Timms & Jon Langford perform Wild Honey benefit in LA

The Mekons' Jon Langford & Sally Timms were joined by John Szymanski & Martin Billheimer for an hour-long set.

Mekons' Sally Timms & Jon Langford join Freakwater for Freakons project

What better way to deliver grim tunes about the horrors of coal mining than the sweet voices of Catherine Irwin and Sally Timms.

Mekons + Freakwater = Freakons

The Mekons and Freakwater have been friends for decades, forged in the punk rock/art school crucibles of late ’70s Leeds and mid ’80s Louisville respectively. Both bands mined British folk and American classic country music for three-chord songs whose lyrics fit the nihilism or political rage or outlandish joy of the moment. Many of these songs were about coal mining. Traditional songs about heroic union organizers, deadly mine disasters, wailing orphans, or mining's grim history of economic and ecological devastation fit seamlessly alongside each band's original material. And so it is with FREAKONS. 

Deep pit mines, strip mines, mountaintop removal, collapsing slag heaps. Deadly work, poisoned water, and fantastic songs. Always fantastic songs. 

This is where the FREAKONS were born, from the very bowels of the earth. 

The Mekons’ Jon Langford & Sally Timms and Freakwater’s Janet Bean & Catherine Irwin are joined here by the stellar string and vocal harmonies of Jean Cook (Ida, Tara Jane O’Neil, Skull Orchard) and Anna Krippenstapel (The Other Years, Joan Shelley, Freakwater), along with special guest, the beloved guitar genius Jim Elkington (Richard Thompson, Eleventh Dream Day, Horse’s Ha, Skull Orchard, Freakwater, The Zincs). 

Belgian painter Jo Clauwaert created the album’s intricate gatefold cover. Images from song lyrics and related history emerge and recede again in this gorgeously illustrated artistic fever dream. 

Pre-order the debut album from Freakons (out March 25th) via Bandcamp right here or directly from the label, Portland's Fluff & Gravy Records right here. 

Check the release trailer and the video for "Blackleg Miner" following the tracklisting below.

Freakons – s/t

1. Dark Lords Of The Mine

2. Chestnut Blight

3. Abernant 84/85

4. Judy Belle Thompson

5. Canaries

6. Blackleg Miner

7. Phoebe Snow

8. The Mannington Mine Disaster

9. Never Thought I'd See The Day

10. Dreadful Memories

11. Coorie Doon

12. Blue Scars Of A Miner

"Phoebe Snow"

Interestingly enough, the Freakons debut includes a song about the fictional Phoebe Snow, not the popular 70s singer/songwriter – born Phoebe Ann Laub – who voiced numerous commercial jingles. The character "Phoebe Snow" was a white dress wearing Victorian traveller who appeared in a series of Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad posters at the turn of the century (see below) as part of a popular advertising campaign to create the impression of cleaner railroad travel with anthracite coal. 

Earnest Elmo Calkins' advertising campaign used "Phoebe Snow" to sell the concept of cleaner railroad travel with anthracite coal. 

The Sadies to play The Horseshoe NYE with Sally Timms & Jon Langford

Limited tickets are on sale for The Sadies two night Horseshoe NYE wing-ding (Thursday Dec 30) here and (Friday Dec 31) here. 

That time the Sadies joined the Mekons on stage in Zürich

Here's Sally Timms and Dallas Good leading a sloppy-great rip through "Rock 'n' Roll" at El Lokal on May 29, 2011. 

Here's Sally Timms & Jon Langford on a Brooklyn rooftop

Sally & Jon are joined by Jean Cook and Martin Billheimer for a frolicsome version of The Mekons "Hard To Be Human Again" 

Mekons knock out an Exquisite new album

While in lockdown, Jon Langford reconnected with fellow mekons to create Exquisite out today! Listen to "Escalera" below.

Here's the scoop from MEKONS HQ...

Current plague year 2020.

After an April rendezvous in Valencia was necessarily cancelled, mekons adopted the "exquisite corpse" method as a means of collectively assembling lyrics and tunes and recording their new album.

Locked down in various locations stretchinfrom the West Coast of California to the East End of London, mekons sang and played into their cellphones, e-mailing, uploading and Whatsapping their wailings, beatings, scratchings and strummings across the globe through the billions of interconnected nodes of our networked panopticon.

Exquisite was recorded in splendid physical isolation on mobile phones, broken cassette recorders, clay tablets & other ancient technologies in Aptos, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York & Devon in April and May 2020. Mike Hagler assembled the results in Chicago, which were mixed by The Baron (Dave Trumfio) in LA soon after.

Exquisite is only available as a digital download and only through Bandcamp, beginning on Juneteenth (June 19). On that day, Bandcamp is donating 100% of their share of sales to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, with the pledge to do so "for every Juneteenth hereafter." https://mekons.bandcamp.com

Check out "Escalera" followed by a clip of Jon Langford and Sally Timms singing and talking about the mekons. 

Jon Langford talks about Prince Far-I, Slade and Gang Of Four

Jon Langford is planning to release a series of singles. Until then, here's a Q&A followed by a performance with Sally Timms & John Szymanski. 

Mekons head to Joshua Tree for new Deserted album

Check out "After The Rain" starring Sally Timms and "How Many Stars" from The Mekons' Deserted out March 29th. 

TURF: The Mekons @ Fort York, Sunday

The Mekons' new Existentialism book & CD is out now. Here's Fear & Beer (Hymn for Brexit).

TURF Sunday line-up

Doors @ 1PM

EAST STAGE
8:40 – 10:00 Death Cab For Cutie
5:50 – 7:10 Matthew Good
3:10 – 4:20 The New Pornographers
1:15 – 2:00 The Belle Game

WEST STAGE
7:20 – 8:30 Jimmy Eat World
4:30 – 5:40 The Hold Steady
2:10 – 3:00 Marlon Williams

BATTLE OF YORK STAGE
7:10 – 8:40 Rheostatics
4:30 – 5:40 Corb Lund
2:10 – 3:10 Sun K

REBELLION STAGE
8:30 – 10:00 The Mekons
7:15 – 8:00 Adam Baldwin
5:45 – 6:45 Wild Child
4:30 – 5:15 Julia Jacklin

Rico Bell backs into Mekons' comedy spotlight at New York's Bowery Ballroom Tuesday

Watch Rico Bell on the far right at the 1:40 mark of Heaven and Back. 

Expect further thrills 'n' spills with the new Revenge of the Mekons rockumentary DVD.