Let's face it - the recession's not over until everybody gets a job, Christmas seems a bit lamer and more tightly stretched this year (Most shoppers report they'll spend 4% more...wait...make that 2% more than last year?), charitable donations are down, food banks are running out and sometimes it seems like the Fools epic anthem "Life Sucks and Then You Die" is coming true. This year, however, you the consumer have an option - you can support musicians who are willing to tell the true - the true talking bluesmen whose latest CDS would look great under the tree.
My two favorite tell it like it is cuts for 2010 are "Please Mr. President" by Guitar Shorty (Bare Knuckle, Alligator) and "Edge of the Ledge" by the Holmes Brothers (Feed My Soul, Alligator). Guitar Shorty is renowned for his sizzling, take no prisoners licks and this CD is loaded with penetrating riffs, but when he combines his spine straightening notes with lyrics like "I need a GOOD job - I need to support my wife and family- please Mr. President - lay some stimulus on ME!" you have no doubts about where he's coming from (Plus Shorty delivers on tunes like "True Lies", "Temporary Man" , "Neverland" and all the rest). The Holmes Brothers' have a gospel feel in their soothing, friendly harmonies (Title cut being the best example) and a definite sense of humor in songs like "Rounding Third", "You're The Kind of Trouble", and "Edge of the Ledge". The refrain reads like the Wall Street Journal headlines: " Standing on my head on the edge of the ledge...I lost my job, they even repossessed my bed - Standing on my head on the edge of the ledge." "Dark Cloud", the first cut is another topical look at where it's supposedly at today.
"Keep A Dollar in Your Pocket" was actually written and done originally by Roy Milton in Memphis, as the legendary BB King explains when he sits in on Elvin Bishop's version. The chorus explains that a dollar can be "your very best friend"
(The Blues Roll On, Delta Groove). Elvin assembled an impressive roster of musicians including Tommy Castro and George Thorogood, John Nemeth and James Cotton and it shows with the variety of styles and blues musicianship in each cut- definitely worth a listen even if I did recommend it last year as well. Cotton has his own CD out, "Giant", (Alligator) which is dedicated to the late great Koko Taylor and has some standout versions of blues classics - "How Blue Can You Get?"- "Sad Day" -"That's Alright"- among others, proving conclusively that James is a "giant" at the age of 75.
"Payday in America" is Smokin Joe Kubek and Bnois King's salute to the almighty dollar (Have Blues Will Travel, Alligator) but, instead of dwelling on the lack of jobs,money and incentive, the lyrics dwell on getting a motel room and partying until the grind starts all over again on Monday (Check out "Sleeping With One Eye Open", "My Guitar", "Have Blues Will Travel" and the usual collection of muscular Texas roadhouse blues). The Blood Brothers never fail to deliver.
Albert Collins probably delivers the best tunes about money or the lack thereof. His live version of "If Trouble Was Money (Then I'd Be a Millionaire)" on Albert Collins Deluxe (Alligator) is his signature combination of stinging finger picking and wry lyrics. My favorite is "Mastercard", Collins' tribute to the mall, the chorus consisting of the two words "Mastercard, BankAmericard" repeated over and over while Albert laments his wife's choice of earrings "made from real African wood" among other things, along with "When the Welfare Turns It's Back On You". Maybe one of the reasons Collins' songs have that authentic touch is that he worked construction most of his life until he could finally earn a living from doing gigs.
One thing's for sure: no matter what the economy does, you can always count on the blues if you want to know about hard times.
Don't forget to check out "Blues With A Feeling" Sundays 3-5PM on WQRI FM.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Happy B-Day Dr. John, Bonnie,Berry,Tina,Duane,Ike and Bonnie
November seems to have been a prolific month for the birth of musicians, as I discovered in doing my blues birthdays research for next Sunday's widely anticipated (Well, not really WIDELY anticipated - maybe SOMEWHAT anticipated?) resurrection of "Blues With A Feeling" on 88.3 FM, WQRI, 3:00-5:00 PM ( Also on the web). At first glance, the November birthday honors could be more or less equally divided between Bonnie Raitt, Tina Turner, and Bonnie Bramlett.
Bonnie Raitt has long standing blues credentials, as evidenced by "Give It Up (Or Let Me Go)", her knock down, drag out rendition of "I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)", her homage to Mississippi Fred MacDowell in "Mean Old Kokomo" (Raitt's generosity towards her R&B idols like LaVern Baker is well known) and her own take on lesser known but just as powerful ballads like "Stayed Too Long At The Fair" or "Love Has No Pride" - all of this long before Bonnie finally got big time recognition! There's nothing small time about Tina Turner. From the moment she abandoned the obviously hick country girl Annie Mae Bullock persona, out in front of Ike Turner's band, Tina jumped from " Nutbush City Limits" to "Proud Mary" to "Acid Queen" to "What's Love Got To Do With It?", eclipsing Ike, managing to force America to confront the nasty spectre of wife beating. Her relationship with the opposite sex is aptly explained in "You Better Be Good To Me." Turner has outlived her husband, and her R&B roots, from belting out the funk in St Louis 1950s era roadhouses to chatting it up with Oprah. Bonnie Bramlett's name isn't immediately recognizable unless you remember "Delaney and Bonnie", and the lineup of musicians including Eric Clapton who joined the pair on the road for the memorable album with the two boots hanging out of the Rolls Royce driver's side window on the cover. Their frantic renditions of Little Richard classics are best known for propelling late 1960s'-early 70s audiences to their feet, but Bonnie's contribution goes far beyond that, to holding up the vocal foundation behind some of rock's best known performers.
Joni Mitchell and June Pointer were also born in November, along with Puff Daddy - I mean P. Diddy -, Roy Rogers, whose real child-molester-sounding name was Leonard Sly, Lawrence Welk's ace accordion player Myrin Florin, Aaron Copeland, Scott Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, but the man whose impact was equal to if not greater than theirs was Berry Gordy, the man who founded Motown. His vision and commitment brought us Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, Smokey Robinson and The Jackson Five, just to name a very few.
Duane Allman was a November baby as well. His prowess on the guitar was the driving force behind the Allman Brothers, and his appreciation of the blues is evident in songs like "Done Somebody Wrong". I always wondered where he would be today if his life hadn't been cut short by his tragic motorcycle accident. Not as well known but equally potent in the music world is Mack Rebenneck, better known as Dr. John, whose contributions range from his numerous solo efforts to producing to preserving to playing some of the best boogie woogie piano riffs I've ever heard.
Last but definitely not least is Ike Turner. Most of us think of him as an abusive husband and coke fiend based on his portrayal in the media, but his contribution to the blues was substantial. Ike's early career included scouting talent for Sun Records, discovering Howling Wolf among many others, and laying the foundation for rock and roll by promoting and developing artists.
Happy birthday to November's musicmakers, and Happy Thanksgiving to you !
Bonnie Raitt has long standing blues credentials, as evidenced by "Give It Up (Or Let Me Go)", her knock down, drag out rendition of "I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)", her homage to Mississippi Fred MacDowell in "Mean Old Kokomo" (Raitt's generosity towards her R&B idols like LaVern Baker is well known) and her own take on lesser known but just as powerful ballads like "Stayed Too Long At The Fair" or "Love Has No Pride" - all of this long before Bonnie finally got big time recognition! There's nothing small time about Tina Turner. From the moment she abandoned the obviously hick country girl Annie Mae Bullock persona, out in front of Ike Turner's band, Tina jumped from " Nutbush City Limits" to "Proud Mary" to "Acid Queen" to "What's Love Got To Do With It?", eclipsing Ike, managing to force America to confront the nasty spectre of wife beating. Her relationship with the opposite sex is aptly explained in "You Better Be Good To Me." Turner has outlived her husband, and her R&B roots, from belting out the funk in St Louis 1950s era roadhouses to chatting it up with Oprah. Bonnie Bramlett's name isn't immediately recognizable unless you remember "Delaney and Bonnie", and the lineup of musicians including Eric Clapton who joined the pair on the road for the memorable album with the two boots hanging out of the Rolls Royce driver's side window on the cover. Their frantic renditions of Little Richard classics are best known for propelling late 1960s'-early 70s audiences to their feet, but Bonnie's contribution goes far beyond that, to holding up the vocal foundation behind some of rock's best known performers.
Joni Mitchell and June Pointer were also born in November, along with Puff Daddy - I mean P. Diddy -, Roy Rogers, whose real child-molester-sounding name was Leonard Sly, Lawrence Welk's ace accordion player Myrin Florin, Aaron Copeland, Scott Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, but the man whose impact was equal to if not greater than theirs was Berry Gordy, the man who founded Motown. His vision and commitment brought us Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, Smokey Robinson and The Jackson Five, just to name a very few.
Duane Allman was a November baby as well. His prowess on the guitar was the driving force behind the Allman Brothers, and his appreciation of the blues is evident in songs like "Done Somebody Wrong". I always wondered where he would be today if his life hadn't been cut short by his tragic motorcycle accident. Not as well known but equally potent in the music world is Mack Rebenneck, better known as Dr. John, whose contributions range from his numerous solo efforts to producing to preserving to playing some of the best boogie woogie piano riffs I've ever heard.
Last but definitely not least is Ike Turner. Most of us think of him as an abusive husband and coke fiend based on his portrayal in the media, but his contribution to the blues was substantial. Ike's early career included scouting talent for Sun Records, discovering Howling Wolf among many others, and laying the foundation for rock and roll by promoting and developing artists.
Happy birthday to November's musicmakers, and Happy Thanksgiving to you !
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Selling Christmas By The Pound
I got the impression this year that retailers could barely wait for Halowe'en to be over so they could flip to Christmas merchandise. I understand that - with the recession being over and all - we are gearing up to go spend money for the holidays but starting holiday promotions in October? True, the situation is a bit desperate this year, since, even though the recession is absolutely, positively over, America's megastores are hungry for shoppers with deep pockets, as well as being worried that they won't get their share of the alleged loot, so who can blame them for ruining yet another holiday by starting the frenzy early?
Along with the tacky, overblown decorations comes my most despised sign of the season- Christmas music. True- with the recession being definitively, without-a-doubt, take my word for it, over - we have a lot to celebrate, so I shouldn't be surprised if some radio stations cranked up the carols right after playing "Monster Mash" for the 300th time. But, after you relive those comforting memories evoked by Bing Crosby, Johnny Mathis, Nat King Cole, Gene Autry. etc., what's left? Programming the "hottest" carols in rapid Top 40 rotation, backed by "recurrent" carols (The term is supposed to mean songs that are so monumental the audience always likes to hear them again) or "solid gold" carols? I can just envision the Billboard Christmas music charts - "O Little Town of Bethlehem" Number 7 with a bullet. I don't mind listening to carols on Christmas morning from, say, 10:00 to 11:00 AM, but not around the clock , 24/7, commercial free.
Probably, my aversion to Christmas music just means I'm cranky and nasty and out of step with the fact that - now that the recession has been officially declared over by leading economic experts - we have a lot to be happy about. Music aside, I really think the only who'll be jovial this season is Santa, assuming his mortgage compsany doesn't foreclose on the North Pole and he's not forced into early retirement. In all honesty - even though the recession is sort of, kind of, almost, maybe over?- despite the happy tunes and mindless markdowns, Santa's sleigh will probably be a little less full this year. Just remember, the recession IS over, right?
Along with the tacky, overblown decorations comes my most despised sign of the season- Christmas music. True- with the recession being definitively, without-a-doubt, take my word for it, over - we have a lot to celebrate, so I shouldn't be surprised if some radio stations cranked up the carols right after playing "Monster Mash" for the 300th time. But, after you relive those comforting memories evoked by Bing Crosby, Johnny Mathis, Nat King Cole, Gene Autry. etc., what's left? Programming the "hottest" carols in rapid Top 40 rotation, backed by "recurrent" carols (The term is supposed to mean songs that are so monumental the audience always likes to hear them again) or "solid gold" carols? I can just envision the Billboard Christmas music charts - "O Little Town of Bethlehem" Number 7 with a bullet. I don't mind listening to carols on Christmas morning from, say, 10:00 to 11:00 AM, but not around the clock , 24/7, commercial free.
Probably, my aversion to Christmas music just means I'm cranky and nasty and out of step with the fact that - now that the recession has been officially declared over by leading economic experts - we have a lot to be happy about. Music aside, I really think the only who'll be jovial this season is Santa, assuming his mortgage compsany doesn't foreclose on the North Pole and he's not forced into early retirement. In all honesty - even though the recession is sort of, kind of, almost, maybe over?- despite the happy tunes and mindless markdowns, Santa's sleigh will probably be a little less full this year. Just remember, the recession IS over, right?
Saturday, October 23, 2010
As Seen On TV
I remember the late night television music commercials, the ones you would catch in the wee hours of Sunday morning, the double album-slash-CD collections of Boxcar Willie or Roger Whittaker for example, all of their greatest hits now together in one awesome disc. Except for one thing - who is Boxcar Willie? I never recognized him from the picture in the ad, have never seen any Boxcar Willie hits on the charts or as a jukebox selection or on the radio. Roger Whittaker's name is a bit more familiar perhaps because of the cheesy Christmas songs that play in the background as the announcer promises you'll get all his hits in two great CDs for just $9.99.
Your first reaction is to chuckle sarcastically and mutter to yourself something like - who would be stupid enough to buy this?
The answer is that both of these alleged artists are truly laughng all the way to the bank. Whether it's Boxcar, Roger, Monster Metal Hits, or the latest assemblage of Number One blasts from the 70s,80s or 90s, the late night pitches represent the flip side of Billboard, the music which turns a huge profit without ever making it to the "Top Ten."
No matter how cheesy infomercials may seem, they have a function that sets them apart from regular commercials - instant results! Major advertisers spend millions each year pushing fast food, soda, cars and other consumer products with no indication whether the commercials have any measurable results, except the assumption that, if they don't advertise, their share of the marketplace will quickly dissipate. Infomercials generate immediate income via the oft repeated phrase - "operators are standing by." Consumers call as soon as the pitch ends, put the purchase on a selected credit card and the advertiser - hopefully- laughs all the way to the bank.
Your first reaction is to chuckle sarcastically and mutter to yourself something like - who would be stupid enough to buy this?
The answer is that both of these alleged artists are truly laughng all the way to the bank. Whether it's Boxcar, Roger, Monster Metal Hits, or the latest assemblage of Number One blasts from the 70s,80s or 90s, the late night pitches represent the flip side of Billboard, the music which turns a huge profit without ever making it to the "Top Ten."
No matter how cheesy infomercials may seem, they have a function that sets them apart from regular commercials - instant results! Major advertisers spend millions each year pushing fast food, soda, cars and other consumer products with no indication whether the commercials have any measurable results, except the assumption that, if they don't advertise, their share of the marketplace will quickly dissipate. Infomercials generate immediate income via the oft repeated phrase - "operators are standing by." Consumers call as soon as the pitch ends, put the purchase on a selected credit card and the advertiser - hopefully- laughs all the way to the bank.
Monday, September 27, 2010
All Talk
The insertion of popular music riffs into radio talk shows seems to be increasing beyond the few examples I mentioned a year ago in relation to Michael Savage, Sean Hannity and the rest. After all, those music bites were relatively predictable heavy metal chords, destined to straighten the listener's spine just in time for the host's next diatribe, but the repertoire has widened considerably. For example:
Rush Limbaugh seems to be hung up on one Pretenders' riff - the opening to "My City Was Gone" - since it plays ad nauseum throughout his show, making me wonder what Chrissie Hynde would think. He also likes to throw in the baby boomer anthem - Mick Jagger pointing out that "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" - which in Rush's case, probably applies to his view of the Obama administration.
Tom Petty's "Learning to Fly" has cropped up repeatedly apparently in relation to ongoing political campaigns, while "Rock the Boat (Vote)" by the Hues Corporation is the prevalent theme on one prominent Boston station relative to those pesky mid terms.
A Providence based talkfest routinely resurrects Ronnie James Dio and Triumph while occasionally kicking back and surrendering to Foghat's "Slow Ride", a ditty guaranteed to make yours truly scream at the top of his lungs: "TAKE IT EEEEE -ZZZEEE!" even in a traffic jam.
During a sports talk show last week, I heard the opening to Led Zep's "Travelling Riverside Blues", several cleverly inserted James Brown grunts, and more Tom Petty riffs. A promo for another station has a brief snatch of a Chuck Berry ditty.
Not to be outdone - I've noticed - is the inclusion of rock and blues on TV programming. The History Channel is promoting IRT: Deadliest Roads with Aerosmith's "Living On The Edge", while another one of it's programs - Pawn Stars - has a soundtrack that is a steady stream of blues and rock instrumentals. I was surprised the other night to hear Howlin Wolf's "Smokestack Lightnihg" all over a car commercial - innovative, but it didn't give me the same chill down my spine as the use of Jimi Hendrix' "Voodoo Child" a couple of years back in a Nissan Xterra spot.
I predict the next musical invasion of the media will crop up during newscasts. For example, lead ins to homicide stories might use Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot", arson stories with the Talking Heads' "Burning Down The House" or "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash, business news could be dramatized with "Money" by the O'Jays, and there would be numerous choices for the weather - "Rain" and "Good Day Sunshine" by the Beatles, "Blowing in the Wind" from Bob Dylan, "Starry Starry Night" by Don Mclean,not to mention dozens of lesser known blues/soul/rock n roll tunes - Muddy Waters' "40 Days and 40 Nights" and "Flood Down in Texas" by Fenton Robinson just to name two of them.
Luckily, I've concluded that, as far as "music with a message" is concerned, that there's only one viable lead in to the nightly news - "Ball of Confusion" by the Temptations because their lyrics are succinct: "Ball of confusion -that's what the world is today!".
Rush Limbaugh seems to be hung up on one Pretenders' riff - the opening to "My City Was Gone" - since it plays ad nauseum throughout his show, making me wonder what Chrissie Hynde would think. He also likes to throw in the baby boomer anthem - Mick Jagger pointing out that "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" - which in Rush's case, probably applies to his view of the Obama administration.
Tom Petty's "Learning to Fly" has cropped up repeatedly apparently in relation to ongoing political campaigns, while "Rock the Boat (Vote)" by the Hues Corporation is the prevalent theme on one prominent Boston station relative to those pesky mid terms.
A Providence based talkfest routinely resurrects Ronnie James Dio and Triumph while occasionally kicking back and surrendering to Foghat's "Slow Ride", a ditty guaranteed to make yours truly scream at the top of his lungs: "TAKE IT EEEEE -ZZZEEE!" even in a traffic jam.
During a sports talk show last week, I heard the opening to Led Zep's "Travelling Riverside Blues", several cleverly inserted James Brown grunts, and more Tom Petty riffs. A promo for another station has a brief snatch of a Chuck Berry ditty.
Not to be outdone - I've noticed - is the inclusion of rock and blues on TV programming. The History Channel is promoting IRT: Deadliest Roads with Aerosmith's "Living On The Edge", while another one of it's programs - Pawn Stars - has a soundtrack that is a steady stream of blues and rock instrumentals. I was surprised the other night to hear Howlin Wolf's "Smokestack Lightnihg" all over a car commercial - innovative, but it didn't give me the same chill down my spine as the use of Jimi Hendrix' "Voodoo Child" a couple of years back in a Nissan Xterra spot.
I predict the next musical invasion of the media will crop up during newscasts. For example, lead ins to homicide stories might use Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot", arson stories with the Talking Heads' "Burning Down The House" or "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash, business news could be dramatized with "Money" by the O'Jays, and there would be numerous choices for the weather - "Rain" and "Good Day Sunshine" by the Beatles, "Blowing in the Wind" from Bob Dylan, "Starry Starry Night" by Don Mclean,not to mention dozens of lesser known blues/soul/rock n roll tunes - Muddy Waters' "40 Days and 40 Nights" and "Flood Down in Texas" by Fenton Robinson just to name two of them.
Luckily, I've concluded that, as far as "music with a message" is concerned, that there's only one viable lead in to the nightly news - "Ball of Confusion" by the Temptations because their lyrics are succinct: "Ball of confusion -that's what the world is today!".
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Sleeping With One Eye Open - The Blood Brothers' "Have Blues Will Travel"
Chances are that, somewhere in America, Smokin' Joe Kubek and Bnois King are getting ready for a show, living up to the title of their latest from Alligator: "Have Blues Will Travel". Bnois King's melodic voice combined with Smokin' Joe's stinging solos identifies the duo's dependable blend of straight ahead Texas style blues combined with solid rock and delivered with a sly twist.
The title tune tells the story - the best way to escape the blues is to get back on the road again, the ironic lyrics underscored by hard driving guitar licks. "RU4 Real?" is a sardonic look at the effects of Botox, collagen and silicone,the story of a pick up in a dim bar that goes sour when the singer finds out he's got a woman with a rebuilt body. "My Guitar" is underscored with Smokin' Joe's virtuoso turns on slide guitar combined with fluid picking, ample evidence that the guitar is always your best friend.
My favorite is "Sleeping With One Eye Open", a cautionary tale about cheating and being unlucky in love, the title implying that the singer is afraid to take his eyes off his woman, punctuated by more cutting edge riffs. The Blood Brothers' wry sense of humor shines along with Smokin' Joe's slide on "Payday in America", their tribute to Johnny Paycheck's "Take This Job and Shove It".
"Have Blues Will Travel" is another example of why Snmokin' Joe Kubek and Bnois King are two of the hardest-working bluesmen on the circuit today. They combine muscular guitar, traditional blues riffs and a little bit of sarcasm to come up with their own blues brand. Go see them the next chance you get.
The title tune tells the story - the best way to escape the blues is to get back on the road again, the ironic lyrics underscored by hard driving guitar licks. "RU4 Real?" is a sardonic look at the effects of Botox, collagen and silicone,the story of a pick up in a dim bar that goes sour when the singer finds out he's got a woman with a rebuilt body. "My Guitar" is underscored with Smokin' Joe's virtuoso turns on slide guitar combined with fluid picking, ample evidence that the guitar is always your best friend.
My favorite is "Sleeping With One Eye Open", a cautionary tale about cheating and being unlucky in love, the title implying that the singer is afraid to take his eyes off his woman, punctuated by more cutting edge riffs. The Blood Brothers' wry sense of humor shines along with Smokin' Joe's slide on "Payday in America", their tribute to Johnny Paycheck's "Take This Job and Shove It".
"Have Blues Will Travel" is another example of why Snmokin' Joe Kubek and Bnois King are two of the hardest-working bluesmen on the circuit today. They combine muscular guitar, traditional blues riffs and a little bit of sarcasm to come up with their own blues brand. Go see them the next chance you get.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Turning 100
The anniversary snuck up on me - I've just passed the 100th (?) blog post mark and I didn't even know it. So before I blow out the candles on the cake, I just wanted to share a few thoughts on passing the century mark.
I started doing BSRR because James Brown died. It's too bad that JB will be remembered by some as a prime contender for Worst Mugshot Contest, as well as an alleged wife beater, as opposed to "The Godfather of Soul " or "Soul Brother Number One" or "The Man With The Crown" or any one of the other hip titles the Famous Flames would run through just before JB took the stage. I am not condoning his behavior toward women, but time has taught me to judge a musician by their output-their art - a rationale that was applied to Michael Jackson repeatedly. Artists are not necessarily pleasant people; Picasso in particular was supposedly a real sob in relationships, and Hemingway - whom I admired as a teen - a nasty macho drunk. I forgive the Godfather for ignoring public relations. Hopefully, his musical career will be remembered as opposed to the domestic violence charges.
James Brown is indicative of the kind of artist I respect - performers who are true originals, faithful to their "roots". I rank George Jones right up there with Peter Tosh, Chuck Berry and Tony Bennett - they are all "originals" with a definitive style and an unmistakable sound. Music to me has to have integrity and - hopefully - originality. The only tunes I really detest are the orchestral versions you hear on the supermarket loudspeakers or in an elevator or wafting through an office, the bland, innocuous blend of strings and horns that reduces all musical forms to easily digestible pap.
The most original blogs so far have involved friends like Bruce Burnside, Joe Auger, "Shade" Melton, the Cutlass Three, Led Balloon Jug Band and L'Esperance. It's always a privilege to give friends a boost as well as educate the audience. The blogs causing the most response were about Robert Johnson and Craig Roche. I've learned that it is a big mistake to write about Robert Johnson because the only thing people agree on is that nobody really knows where he was born, or exactly how he died or exactly where he is buried. Craig Roche was a lifelong friend who died suddenly - way too soon. He was a versatile musician with an infectious sense of humor and a big heart to boot. I'm glad I could pay him homage.
I've gotten a lot of comments - most of which seem to be promoting something else online - but the most significant and surprising entry appeared after I wrote a review of the film "Crazy" , about the life of guitarist Hank Garland. The movie was perfect - the soundtrack is authentic, the character portrayals are flawless, the plot is straight out of Billboard and Garland's story takes so many twists and turns that it holds your attention. A few days after I wrote the blog, a comment appeared which turned out to be a thank you from the Garland family. I always think I'm writing in obscurity, a tiny speck in the big celebrity/business/government blogosphere, so to have this validation arrive out of nowhere was a bit of a shock. The bottom line is that Hank Garland is a true original, the movie is excellent and you should go see it.
I've questioned whether or not to continue this blog many times, but somehow I always come back to it. I guess that means it's time to start the second 100 posts because apparently I'm not finished just yet.
I started doing BSRR because James Brown died. It's too bad that JB will be remembered by some as a prime contender for Worst Mugshot Contest, as well as an alleged wife beater, as opposed to "The Godfather of Soul " or "Soul Brother Number One" or "The Man With The Crown" or any one of the other hip titles the Famous Flames would run through just before JB took the stage. I am not condoning his behavior toward women, but time has taught me to judge a musician by their output-their art - a rationale that was applied to Michael Jackson repeatedly. Artists are not necessarily pleasant people; Picasso in particular was supposedly a real sob in relationships, and Hemingway - whom I admired as a teen - a nasty macho drunk. I forgive the Godfather for ignoring public relations. Hopefully, his musical career will be remembered as opposed to the domestic violence charges.
James Brown is indicative of the kind of artist I respect - performers who are true originals, faithful to their "roots". I rank George Jones right up there with Peter Tosh, Chuck Berry and Tony Bennett - they are all "originals" with a definitive style and an unmistakable sound. Music to me has to have integrity and - hopefully - originality. The only tunes I really detest are the orchestral versions you hear on the supermarket loudspeakers or in an elevator or wafting through an office, the bland, innocuous blend of strings and horns that reduces all musical forms to easily digestible pap.
The most original blogs so far have involved friends like Bruce Burnside, Joe Auger, "Shade" Melton, the Cutlass Three, Led Balloon Jug Band and L'Esperance. It's always a privilege to give friends a boost as well as educate the audience. The blogs causing the most response were about Robert Johnson and Craig Roche. I've learned that it is a big mistake to write about Robert Johnson because the only thing people agree on is that nobody really knows where he was born, or exactly how he died or exactly where he is buried. Craig Roche was a lifelong friend who died suddenly - way too soon. He was a versatile musician with an infectious sense of humor and a big heart to boot. I'm glad I could pay him homage.
I've gotten a lot of comments - most of which seem to be promoting something else online - but the most significant and surprising entry appeared after I wrote a review of the film "Crazy" , about the life of guitarist Hank Garland. The movie was perfect - the soundtrack is authentic, the character portrayals are flawless, the plot is straight out of Billboard and Garland's story takes so many twists and turns that it holds your attention. A few days after I wrote the blog, a comment appeared which turned out to be a thank you from the Garland family. I always think I'm writing in obscurity, a tiny speck in the big celebrity/business/government blogosphere, so to have this validation arrive out of nowhere was a bit of a shock. The bottom line is that Hank Garland is a true original, the movie is excellent and you should go see it.
I've questioned whether or not to continue this blog many times, but somehow I always come back to it. I guess that means it's time to start the second 100 posts because apparently I'm not finished just yet.
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