BW's Saturday #89

Tom Petty tells a story in a Heartbreakers documentary that gives a glimpse of his analog mindset, the mindset of someone who refuses to settle. Petty was on the bill for The No Nukes Show, and the last three acts were Jackson Browne, Tom Petty, and Bruce Springsteen at the height of his fame. Petty says that Browne came off stage, and told him: “If you go on, and you think they’re booing you, don’t get thrown because they’re really just saying: ‘BRUCE!’” And Petty replied: “What’s the difference?”

I'm So Hot For It, But It's So Cold

 

If asked, I will always say "Street Fighting Man" is my favorite Rolling Stones song. But boy, does it stink live.

Does the band play it badly? No. Not at all. They just play it differently, and it never works for me.

That song is also an amazing record. The tone of the acoustic guitar. The snap of Charlie's snare. The maracas on the coda. None of this translates live. In concert, "Street Fighting Man" becomes another Stones rocker, albeit a good one, just not the amazing record found on "Beggars Banquet."

And so,  I ask of you, what are your favorite songs that did not translate live? That does not mean the concert sucked. I want to know specifically, songs that you love that left you cold in concert.

 

 

Dragonflies

 

Dragonflies are Dhani Harrison and Nigel Godrich. The early word almost put me off completely, as I am not a fan of any Radiohead records post-"OK Computer," and that is exactly what I expected from this album- spacey, amelodic noodling. You can get on me all you want about "Kid A" and all that followed. I've heard it all before and I've given all of those records second and third chances. I don't like them. Thom Yorke gives me the twitch.

Why do I like Dragonflies?

I'll tell you.

Though it does resemble those very same Radiohead records in style and structure, I found the music on Dragonflies to be more melodic and accessible. Dhani Harrison's vocals are less abrasive and the lyrics are easier to decipher. Harrison is also sounding less like his dad on this record and more like Glenn Tilbrook, which made for a fun listening experience, like a cross between Pink Floyd and Squeeze.

I imagine this isn't for everyone, but I was pleasantly surprised when it was all over. 

 

 

The Walrus Was Paul Prudhomme

 

 

I did some record shopping while in New Orleans and I saw a brand new record in the three stores I visited. It caught my eye because of the mock "Yellow Submarine" album cover. The devil said, "Eh. Who needs another Beatles cover album." But when I got home, I had a pang of guilt. I thought, "I should have known better," pun not intended.  So I dialed it up and man, did I love it. I did know better!

The Walrus is a New Orleans collective featuring guys from The Desert Nudes, who I've written about, Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes, Papa Mali, Mike Dillon, Jason Mingledorff, I mean, if you are into New Orleans music, you know who I am talking about. "Elysian Fields Forever"---love that title---is a New Orleans take on Beatles classics and if you're going to cover The Beatles, this is how to do it.

The Dave Bartholomew rip for the horns on "This Boy" and Andre Bohren's drum groove on "I've Got A Felling" sealed the deal for me. This whole record is a blast.

More HERE. 

 

What'd I Miss

 

Thank you, Sandy Cilantro, for another fantastic week of guest hosting.

My week in New Orleans was so perfect, even yesterday's 12 hour travel nightmare couldn't ruin it. 

Thank you mother nature, American Airlines, the TSA and the air traffic controllers who called in sick. You can all bite me.

See you tomorrow.

Weekend Mix/No Guarantee

While filling in for Sal, probably at the end of March, possibly April Fools, 2023, I prepared this mix, and then didn't post it. Why? I'd contacted the somewhat reclusive artist and asked for and been granted permission. What happened? I flinched. I took his two albums, "HUB" from 1998, and "Daylight" released in 2001 both produced by Chris Harford, and sequenced the songs. I thought he might not be happy with my giving all his music away and overstepping my bounds. In our conversations, though brief, I got a sense that he wasn't entirely happy with how things had turned out. 

Instead, I uploaded a few songs to YouTube, with minimal explanation, which underwhelmed everyone especially Hub Moore.

I found "HUB" in the 10 for $15 crate at NYCD. There is next no information anywhere on it. Searching for more led me to his '80's band from Boston, Three Colors. What follows is the story I didn't share with Hub, and is too complicated to tell now, but I'll give it a shot anyway.

I had a band in Wilmington, North Carolina in the late 80's. One of the singers, Cousin Daisy, worked at the venue Jacob's Run, booking the bands. She was who you sent your demos to. One day she handed me a couple records by Three Colors, from Boston. I played a side of one, and that was enough. A few days later, I walked into the Front Street News for coffee, see Daisy, and she says, "You never told me what you thought of  Three Colors".  I compared them unfavorably to The English Beat. To which she replied, "They're here, and playing tonight". That's when I saw the band, all present, give me a little wave. To say I was embarrassed is an understatement. Our band, at my insistence all turned up to their gig, and were practically the only ones who did. We hung out with Three Colors afterwards. Jacobs Run, a former movie theater had recently been renovated into a multi use entertainment venue, with live music, foreign films, and a restaurant/bar in the balcony. My largest paintings lined the walls of the theater. I had a long conversation, in all likelihood with Hub, about them.

Jacob's Run, having been through a multitude of hands, was demolished in 2023-4

I bought "HUB in 1999 or thereabouts, and have never stopped returning to it. I found "Daylight" on Discogs a few years ago which inspired a CD for the car, and eventually this Weekend Mix.

Hub Moore's music is really good and should be heard. He's an excellent storyteller and songwriter. Here, he absolutely nails '90's New York.

No Guarantee

If I were to make a superficial sonic comparison, I'd say a cross between Elliott Smith and Nick Drake without the suicide. 

For more info and purchasing his music: 

Hub-Soul Selects

Pasa Fin De Semana

-Sandy Cilantro

Loss Leaders Taught Me Everything

 After the Beatles broke up, where could I go? AM radio had the occasional banger sandwiched in  between tiresome earworms. I was just discovering FM, and would hear some great music, but never catch the DJ saying who it was. 

The first records I remember buying were Neil Young's "Harvest", and "The Kinks Kronikles". That's where I must have found the sleeve with Warner/Reprise Loss Leader albums. I mailed off $3 for "Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies", a 3 record set that changed my life. I was introduced to The Faces, Black Sabbath, Fleetwood Mac, Little Feat, Ry Cooder, The Grateful Dead, Frank Zappa, and Captain Beefheart, among others.

I went on to buy 5 or 6 more of the series. "A Singing, All Talking, All Rocking" from 1973, included The reunited Sopwith Camel's "Dancing Wizard", from their release of that same year, "The Miraculous Return Of The Hump From Mars". William "Truckaway" Sievers was involved at the beginning, but made his solo album instead. Neither of them sold.

I was continually purging records and didn't end up keeping the Loss Leaders, but will occasionally pick one up when found in good shape. The series perfectly encapsulates the late 60's through early to mid '70's. I believe the last one was released in 1979. I downloaded .mp3 versions of them all from a long gone web page about 15 years ago. 

It wasn't long before I was subscribed to Rolling Stone, and Stereo Review. I'm still on the search for new music. There is nothing like a good discovery. That's why I spent nearly every lunch hour at NYCD.

-Sandy Cilantro