On April 3rd, a new Dr. John record will be released. It's called "Locked Down" and it was produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. You can read more HERE, as well as listen to the very hot first single "Revolution."
Back in September of 2010, I wrote a piece titled "It's All Part Of My Rock & Roll Fantasy." It was a follow-up to one of my Clapton bashing posts written after hearing yet another lousy Clapton record. I somewhat irresponsibly titled that post, "Dear Eric Clapton, Please Stop Making Records." This caused a furor. Who the hell was I to tell ol' "Slowhand" to stop making records? I mean, could I play guitar? What right did I have to an opinion?
Well, I defended myself, but also changed direction for the follow-up, which was based on this idea:
"If aging rock stars can no longer make the magic of their heyday, what should they be doing?"
Listening to the Dr. John, who I'd like to point out, has maintained a real consistency in his 40-plus year career, I thought, "This is one genius pairing." The raw grit and textures of the Black Keys oeuvre is perfect for "The Night Tripper." If this New Orleans legend was to put out one more "Gris Gris," who better than Dan Auerbach to help him get there?
So, I'm resurrecting the "rock and roll fantasy" for another round?
Since none of my original dream projects have yet to come true, I'm posting the same ones again.
1. Bill Withers with Joe Henry or Rick Rubin producing, an acoustic soul record with no gimmicks. (Though, some may think having Rick Rubin on board is a gimmick.)
2. David Bowie dumps Tony Visconti as a producer, and strips everything down for a new record. Visconti and Bowie have been long time collaborators, and I happen to really like the last few Bowie records, especially "Heathen" and "Reality." But, I often wonder how much better those records would be if every inch of tape hadn't been utitlized. Visconti's production is so bombastic, it's hard to discern what's being played by which instrument.
3. The Jules Shear/Marshall Crenshaw record. In the early 90's these two wrote together and played a few rare live dates together. This really was magic. Their voices had an Everlys quality that worked perfectly over their pop tunes.
4. Speaking of duets, how about the Daryl Hall/Todd Rundgren record? Todd's appearance on Daryl's internet program, Live From Daryl's House was the perfect preview of the magic these two can make when in the same room.
5. A Paul McCartney acoustic/ballads record. When looking at the track lists of his last 10 records, it was all the rockers that sucked and all the piano or acoustic based mid-tempo songs that moved me.
6. Speaking of Macca, how about that McCartney/McManus record? Paul and Elvis already have a dozen demos in the can. And they are really good, so...
7. As a new Facebook friend from New Orleans just said, "When I die, don't let Don Was touch any of my records." Huzzah! How about Mick & Keith and Charlie and Darryl, if Bill won't do it, and maybe Mick T. along with Ronnie, just make a country/rock record with no outside producer and no special guests or female vocalists.
8. Roy Wood backed by Cheap Trick. They've covered Roy enough, and Roy's voice can still make you weep. But he needs to ditch the all-girl horn section, and really get the comeback on track.
9. Dwight Twilley backed by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. RIGHT? It's time for all involved to make this record.
10. Sadly, after all this, I can't find placement for Eric Clapton. Maybe that's it. Maybe he can't either. Maybe he's as bored as we are. I mean, collaborations with Babyface, Sheryl Crow, and Timbaland could suck the life out of anyone.
What are your dream projects?
20 comments:
Jimmy Page and Prince. Nuff said.
Really? Nuff said?
I like a lot of these, but the Bill Withers would be top of the list. Where the hell has he been for the last million years or so?
I'd like to see the Stones replace Mick with Tom Waits.
Roy Wood with Cheap Trick is a great idea.
I had a fantasy yesterday which unfortunately can't happen. Robert Fripp sitting in with Miles Davis in 1973. My Clapton fantasy is he becomes a judge on American Idol.
Jeff Beck and Prince.
Zooey Deschanel does ukulele duets with - me!
(or does that not count?)
@Simels
Well there was that uneven but still fantastic "Still Bill" documentary, which ended with the sad reality that he was working on a Latin record.
Buddy Miller producing just about anybody, but how about Buddy and Richard Thompson? They've played together on the last two Cayamo cruises.
amen to the buddy miller and richard thompson collaboration . . .
I'd be happy if the Andy Partridge/Robyn Hitchcock collaboration had ever gotten off the ground.
Rosanne Cash and Alejandro Escovedo getting together for a project a la the Alison Krauss/Robert Plant album.
I'm intrigued by the Clapton question. I'm forced to agree that he hasn't done much of interest in a while. I saw him a few years ago with Derek Trucks and Doyle Bramhall III in his band and I can't say that the young blood seemed to inspire him much.
@sclinchy
I think many agreed that Clapton works better as a sideman. While traditional jazz may not be everyone's cup of tea, the Wynton/Clapton is outstanding. The playing, right down to the banjoist, is top notch. Clapton particularly shines.
I've never been an overt James Taylor fan, but it's just screamingly obvious that he needs to record an album of classic country sides. How do I know this? Listen to his track on the Louvin Brothers tribute from a few years back. Just.Kills.It. -bill buckner
I don't really have a lot of 'dream projects' but there are two. The first is Buddy Miller's song 'Does My Ring Burn Your Finger' sung by Buddy and Bruce Springsteen. One caveat is that Bruce has to take the opening line "When I gave you my heart/it was not what you wanted".
The other one is that I would like to see the collaboration of Marshall Crenshaw and The BottleRockets result in an album of new material. It's an odd pairing, but it really works.
Besides that, I would love to hear albums of new material from Allen Toussaint, Ann Peebles, and a new album from Joe Jackson that is as consistently good as his last one (Rain).
What if anybody but Jeff Lynne produced the Wilburys? I didn't mind him as one of the band but somehow all the songs sounded sorta like ELO.
I may have said the same dang thing last time you posted this, so pardon moi - the 3 I'd LOVE to see most would be:
1. Bill Withers with Joe Henry or Rick Rubin producing, an acoustic soul record with no gimmicks. (Though, some may think having Rick Rubin on board is a gimmick.)
4. Speaking of duets, how about the Daryl Hall/Todd Rundgren record? Todd's appearance on Daryl's internet program, Live From Daryl's House was the perfect preview of the magic these two can make when in the same room.
5. A Paul McCartney acoustic/ballads record. When looking at the track lists of his last 10 records, it was all the rockers that sucked and all the piano or acoustic based mid-tempo songs that moved me.
I would've liked for Jeff Lynne to have produced his fellow Birmingham mates The Moody Blues back in the 80's, but it's probably way too late for that collaboration to matter now.
Roy Wood and Cheap Trick would be good, but Roy Wood and Hans Rottenberry's band The Shazam would be even better. I hauled out "God Save the Shazam" the other week for Super Tuesday.
I would love to see Todd and Lindsey Buckingham collaboration with Brian Wilson.
And possibly, Andy Partridge too!
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