"And coming in as probably one of the top five power-pop albums of the year is The John Sally Ride’s A New Set Of Downs. John Dunbar, Sal Nunziato, and honest-to-god pow-pop royalty Sal Maida (Roxy
Music, Sparks, Cracker, Milk ‘n Cookies, and much more) funnel crunchy
rockers, Kinks-esque Brit Pop, and everything in-between into a record
that, once it starts, is hard to turn off. I suppose I’m saying this is a
traditional pop-rock record that would have been right at home in
’68-’75, but there’s hardly a minute on A New Set Of Downs that doesn’t pay off. Catch up with The John Sally Ride here and here."
When I was 13 and mowing my folks lawn, I'd daydream about having a recording studio, and playing all the instruments like my idol, Paul McCartney. I knew The Beatles overdubbed extra parts, and "McCartney" had just come out.
I imagined arrangements in my head without knowing a lick of guitar.
I played trumpet in school band, and could read music.
After high school, I traded my horn for a pawn shop Teisco guitar, Fender Champ, and a book of chords.
I didn't have money for lessons, and I had no interest in being taught "Mary Had A Little Lamb", or "Little Brown Jug", on guitar, by some guy. I just wanted to rock. Big power chords, feedback, and noise. Why learn scales?
Of course If I'd had lessons I would probably know how to play "Stairway" by now.
But I've never been interested in learning other people's music. I wondered, instead,
How did they get that sound?
Punk Rock gave me permission. I sat behind every drum kit I could, and as the shittier guitarist, got relegated to playing bass in the garage.
In 1980, I co-founded King James and The Bible Burners, as Wally Diamond. We played a gig or two in Hollywood, well, Chinatown, at The Hong Kong Cafe, and The Cuckoo's Nest in Orange County. We got the plug pulled on us when Keith Morris (Circle Jerks) joined us for our un-solicited encore of Jayne County's "If You Don't Want To Fuck Me, Fuck Off".
I was so amped on Black Beauties that when my friend said, "Wally, there's guys here that want to kill you", I went looking for them. I ended up chasing a skinhead across the parking lot and throwing a beer bottle at him.
In 1985 I sold a painting and bought a Fostex X-15, one of the first cassette 4 tracks.
That "Nebraska" was recorded on similar equipment had a big impact on me.
Since then, with a few breaks here and there, I've been in some kind of band. I recently broke up The Smoove Sailors over silly politics which sucked all the fun out of it. I brought all my gear home from the rehearsal space we'd rented since 2006. There was no place to put it except the living room.
I set up the recording gear in the dining room and got to work as a "solo artist".
Here is something I just finished. It started as a Foglizard riff, but we didn't get around to it.
Paul McCartney, I ain't, but Sal's busy and it's Monday.
"Runaway" was Del Shannon's biggest hit, climbing all the way to #1. Like most of my favorite artists, their biggest hits are usually the songs I like least. I never took to "Runaway," but those incredible 45's on the Amy label, which Norton Records compiled on the "Move It On Over" collection, are to die for: records made with the perfect combination of big, pop single and garage rock sensibilities.
When the hits stopped, Del Shannon did not, and though he disappeared from the charts, two mid-to-late 60's albums, "Total Commitment" and "The Further Adventures of Charles Westover," commercial flops, were two of the best collections of songs in his career, with the latter becoming a psych/pop classic.
The demons took over and recording became sporadic. Yet still, two records with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, "Drop Down & Get Me" from 1981 and a 1990 session, "Rock On," that also featured Jeff Lynne, again featured some truly amazing pop and rock & roll. "Rock On," released after Shannon's suicide, remains one of my very favorite records.
I can't say enough about Del Shannon. He was an amazing songwriter with a voice as big and beautiful as Roy Orbison.
RockBeat Records out of California has just released "The Dublin Sessions," oft-bootlegged recordings from 1977, that should have put Del Shannon right back on top. But, no US label gave a rat's ass about Shannon or his new material in 1977, so it sat on a shelf until now.
I have become a bit obsessed with the ballad, "Raylene," which in many ways, reminds me of Jeff Lynne and ELO. While searching for a clip, I found a version, a demo, from 1974, recorded WITH Jeff Lynne. How did I not know this existed? Both versions are here- the new, cleaned up version up top and the Lynne version below. I am undecided on what I like more.
Check out "The Dublin Sessions," and especially the records I mention above, if you are at all in the dark about Del Shannon's work beyond the hits.
No Excuses- Alice In Chains
Going For The One- Yes
The Loving Kind- Pernice Brothers
Another World- Richard Hell
If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody- Ron Wood
My Before & After- Cotton Mather
Philadelphia Freedom- The Philadelphia Experiment
My friend and band mate, John Dunbar has been singing the praises of Wesley Stace, AKA John Wesley Harding for as long as I've known him. To say I've resisted wouldn't be quite accurate. I bought JWH's full length debut "It Happened One Night" back in '88 and liked it enough to buy his next three. But I never fell in love with any of those records. There was something about his voice that bothered me. It's hard to explain, the same way I can't explain why I don't like Teenage Fanclub other than, every song sounds the same, or why I hate the sound of a Fender Rhodes piano. I just know, it'd be a turn off, even if Beethoven was giving me a personal recital on it.
By the time he started using his real name, and got a deal with Yep Roc records, there were way too many JWH/WS records to catch up with, and the occasional song I did hear, failed to grab me long enough to convince me, though "There's A Starbucks (Where The Starbucks Used To Be)" is quite brilliant. Plus, I've been following him on Instagram. Stace is an avid record collector and posts some terrific pics and often hilarious commentary of records he has purchased, as well as anything he thinks is worthy of snapping and chatting about. I was loving his Instagram feed more than his music.
Then I found a cheap vinyl copy of his most recent Yep Roc release, "Wesley's Stace's John Wesley Harding," which like the most recent Ray Davies, has The Jayhawks backing him up. (You know where I am headed, don't you?)
30 years later, including the 6 months or so after the initial release of this new record, and now I am just slightly obsessed with catching up on all things Wesley Stace. I love this record. I fell like a sack of rocks at the opening tune, "I Don't Wanna Rock And Roll." "I'm hanging up my leather jacket/my backstage passes and my laminates Take my name up off the list/I've seen the show, I've got the gist No more purchasing of merchandise/someone else can do your advertising Every day another debut/I'll find something new to do cause... I don't wanna rock and roll no more"
I've been feeling this for years, only my version doesn't have The Jayhawks harmonizing behind me.
Just about every song has something to hold onto, and unlike "Americana," which I have not gone back to since it came out, I think The Jayhawks lend themselves better to JWH's voice than to Ray Davies, and this new-ish release has been doing hard time on my turntable. "You're a song and someone else is singing you now"
Man, I wish I had written that line.
For those who already know what I have been missing for years, it is time for me to catch up. But if like me, you never found a minute to listen to John Wesley Stace Harding, try out this new record and let me know what you think.
Easy Silence- Dan Wilson
Apple Scruffs- George Harrison
Have You Seen Jackie- Dukes Of Stratosphear
Lost Without You- Randy Newman
Anytime- Neil Finn
She Walks Her Dog In Pajamas- The John Sally Ride
Southern Man- John Boutte
It was only a few weeks ago that I had two separate conversations with some friends who love all music, but who also claimed to know little about the Monkees music other than the hits. One said, "I had no idea just how good they were." Another said, "I just never bothered." Maybe it was the wacky TV series that turned them off. Or possibly, the hits themselves, though wonderful and hook-laden, a bit lighter than some of the deeper tracks that showcased Mike Nesmith's songwriting and great vocal harmony of all four members. Whatever it is, The Monkees never seemed to get the respect that so many of their peers had gotten during the heyday.
Things have changed, and The Monkees, 50 years later, are definitely getting respect. But there are many who still have no idea what they sound like beyond "Cheer up sleepy Jean," so maybe this mix will shed some light....and sound.
Here are 18 of my favorite tracks, with only a smattering of hits tossed in to keep things honest.
TRACKLIST
You Told Me
She
I Won't Be The Same Without Her
Terrifying
(I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone
Daily Nightly
While I Cry
Tapioca Tundra
Me & Magdalena (Version 2)
Carlisle Wheeling
Someday Man
What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round
You Just May Be The One
The Girl I Knew Somewhere
Papa Gene's Blues
Don't Wait For Me
Take A Giant Step
Pleasant Valley Sunday
It only took four years, but I finally nailed a copy of Tim Christensen's "Honeyburst" on a beautiful 2 LP set. And now, I am bingeing on the guy. If you are not familiar with this Great Dane, check out my post from 2013.
If today's song doesn't do it for you, the sheer joy of his live "Ram" performance with his band The Damn Crystals and featured players Mike Viola and Tracy Bonham surely will.
I doubt there is anyone out there with the time, patience and math skills to conduct this same experiment by pitting different songs against each other, just to see if "Rubber Soul" ends up having more songs in the mix. So, we will conclude this experiment with the final track list of 9 songs for "A Hard Day's Night" and 4 for "Rubber Soul." And I have no doubt that, when asked to rank The Beatles work from best to worst, "A Hard Day's Night" will still be left off of the Top 5.
1. A Hard Day's Night
2. Norwegian Wood
3. If I Fell
4. Nowhere Man
5. And I Love Her
6. Tell Me Why
7. Can't Buy Me Love
8. Anytime At All
9. Girl
10. Things We Said Today
11. In My Life
12. You Can't Do That
13. I'll Be Back
Here we are at the end of the contest. I realize how flawed all of this has been. Would "Wait" have made the final cut if put up against "What Goes On?" How would "And I Love Her" do against "In My Life?" Still, I maintain, we've come to believe from years of basic "say so," that certain classic records are better than others, and I think it's great fun taking those classic records and picking them apart.
It looks as if "A Hard Day's Night" will have more songs chosen than "Rubber Soul." Does that make it a better record? I like it better, but the debate will continue over what "Rubber Soul" represented versus what "A Hard Day's Night" represented. I like getting right down to the songs and what they have to offer.
I hope you all had some fun.
That said...
We still have one more round...and one extra song.
The next battle is between "I'll Be Back" and "If I Needed Someone," leaving the last song on "Rubber Soul" uncontested. I certainly did not plan this, but I think "Run For Your Life" is the worst song on "Rubber Soul" and one of my least favorite Beatles tunes. If it was up to me, I'd forget it altogether. So, let's do this.
After casting your vote for either "I'll Be Back" or "If I Needed Someone," give a yay or nay for whether "Run For Your Life" should be tacked on to the final tracklist.
As for "I'll Be Back," it's a true gem in the Lennon/McCartney songbook, though it is all Lennon. A personal fave of Lennon's, to boot. With no real chorus, the song, even at 2:23, feels epic. As Ian MacDonald wrote, "Fading away in tonal ambiguity at the end of A Hard Day's Night, it was a surprisingly downbeat farewell and a token of coming maturity." And that trick of going from the major chord to the minor chord is genius.
"If I Needed Someone" might be George Harrison's best tune thus far, even if it was snatched from The Byrds. But as good as it is, it does not hold a candle, at least to my ears, to "I'll Be Back."
And a big NO, to "Run For Your Life."
1. A Hard Day's Night
2. Norwegian Wood
3. If I Fell
4. Nowhere Man
5. And I Love Her
6. Tell Me Why
7. Can't Buy Me Love
8. Anytime At All
9. Girl
10. Things We Said Today
11. In My Life
12. You Can't Do That
13.
Tattooed Love Boys- Pretenders
About To Give Out- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
I Won't Be The Same Without Her- The Monkees
Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me- Jimmy Ruffin
Two Hearts (Solo Acoustic)- Bruce Springsteen
Living In The Past- Billie Davis
Power Trippin'- Power Station
Touch Too Much- AC/DC
That's Just What You Are- Aimee Mann & Glenn Tilbrook
Make A Little Love- Alex Chilton
C30 C60 C90 Go- Bow Wow Wow
Blame It On Your Heart- Deborah Allen
Two Fux- Adam Lambert
Sunny- Marvin Gaye
I'm feeling a bit bad for "When I Get Home." Next time, little buddy.
This round, at least for me personally, feels like the last round. "Wait" is one my least favorite Beatles tracks. It feels beneath them, a song better suited for the Dave Clark 5, or some other British beat group of the 60's. Second rate. And those awful tambourine hits! No sir.
"You Can't Do That," on the other hand, rocks like a MoFo. I have been playing (and singing) this in bands for years and I never tire of it. From the opening riff, to Ringo's energy, to John's balls out vocal, to the call and answer harmonies, this track has everything going for it. Hell, I'm getting all worked up just writing about it.
1. A Hard Day's Night
2. Norwegian Wood
3. If I Fell
4. Nowhere Man
5. And I Love Her
6. Tell Me Why
7. Can't Buy Me Love
8. Anytime At All
9. Girl
10. Things We Said Today
11. In My Life
12.
"Things We Said Today"- 33
"I'm Looking Through You"- 16
Can I assume this round will be another landslide? Can I assume there will be a few crankypants who will trash "In My Life" because it's become a standard?
As much as I love the cold open and harmonies on "When I Get Home," I've always thought the verses were clumsy.
"In My Life," From "Revolution In Your Head":
Lennon was proud of this lyric, regarding it as his first serious piece and claiming credit also for the music, except for the verse harmony and the middle eight, when he conceded to McCartney. His partner, on the other hand, recalled taking the words to a keyboard and setting them to music from start to finish. (As for a middle eight, there isn't one, the song alternating between its verse and an extended chorus.)
Interesting to hear this now as a Macca melody, though it doesn't change my feeling about it. I love "In My Life" and I'm not ashamed to say, it has become a bit more difficult to listen to, as each year passes.
1. A Hard Day's Night
2. Norwegian Wood
3. If I Fell
4. Nowhere Man
5. And I Love Her
6. Tell Me Why
7. Can't Buy Me Love
8. Anytime At All
9. Girl
10. Things We Said Today
11.
