Thelonious Monster: Some Kind of Diamond

Thelonious Monster is playing this Thursday, February 4, at the Echo in Los Angeles (click link for info and tickets). This stunning fact gives me the opportunity to wax philosophical about my love for the Monster, especially singer/songwriter, Bob Forrest. First off, as mentioned in the sidebar, "The Adios Lounge" is a song from Thelonious' 1992 album, Beautiful Mess, and features Bob duetting with Tom Freakin Waits. And my choosing a Thelonious Monster song was no accident. They're my favorite band of all-time, taking root in 1989-90 when I realized, "Hey, this 'college rock' is way better than goddamn Def Leppard, why didn't anyone tell me sooner???"

In fact, Thelonious Monster was my Replacements. They were lovable stumblebums who credibly bridged classic rock with punk rock, offered searing, heartfelt songwriting, and played 12-15 of my favorite shows ever. Of course, they played 2-3 of my worst shows ever because also like the Mats, the band could vacillate between overachieving and underachieving, sometimes within the same song on the wrong night. However, having seen the Monster probably 20 times between 1990-97, I usually left shows thinking, "If I ever started a band, Thelonious Monster would be that band ... but preferably without the heroin dependency and self-destructive streak."

Which brings me back to Bob Forrest (pictured right). A folksinger trapped in a junkie punk rocker's body, he combined Paul Westerberg's heart with David Lee Roth's stage banter. I've watched somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 billion bands and Forrest remains one of the best frontmen I've ever seen ... and that's without spandex and leg kicks. Granted, I'm totally biased because he grew up in my hometown (Huntington Beach) and went to my high school (Marina HS). Bias notwithstanding, Forrest wrote songs with heart, balls, and brains and presented them on stage with such an engaging persona you could briefly fool yourself into thinking that the band was destined for greatness. Unfortunately, for all of Bob's songwriting and bandleading gifts, he couldn't get out of his own way. His legendary appetite for drugs and wanton self-destruction killed the band's miniscule chance at fame in the post-Nirvana era. Naturally, this only made him more compelling and engaging to me. After all, if I can relate to anything it's God-given talent laid waste by self-sabotage. Hell, that's my most recent status update on Facebook!

And that brings us to the two silver linings to this tale of what might have been. The first is that DUDES, THELONIOUS MONSTER IS PLAYING ON THURSDAY!!! For all the shoulda-couldas, I'm gonna get to see my boys shake the shack. And this show means there will be future shows and that makes me a happy man. The second, and far more important silver lining, is Bob's resurrection as the wizened junkie sage on Celebrity Rehab. Unbelievably, he's not only clean and sober, but he's put himself in a position where he can help other wasted talents get back on their feet and feel a sense self-worth. Suffice to say, after all I've been through in the last year, that message hits home for me big time. Who knew? Bob Forrest and Thelonious Monster ... the gift that keeps on giving.

Thelonious Monster - So What If I Did (Album Version) [purchase CD] [purchase LP]

Thelonious Monster - So What If I Did (Live)
The Cabaret, Buffalo, NY
May 27, 1989

All of that preamble sets up two versions of one of my favorite Thelonious Monster songs. "So What If I Did" was the lead track on their finest album, 1989's Stormy Weather. I also included Bob's banter on both ends of the live cut to showcase his self-deprecating, goofball appeal. You know, with my Clarence White series coming to a close and Thelonious a quasi-entity again, maybe 2010 should be the year when I tackle Bob & The Monster, a reference to both the band's legacy and the title of an upcoming documentary (click the link to go to the movie's Facebook page).

Clarence White: Farther Along: 1971 (Part 9)

photo: Don Fisher

The Byrds entered 1971 heading in opposite directions. As a live unit, there's no question that the band was at its career apex. The Clarence White-Gene Parsons-Skip Battin rhythm section was borderline monstrous. If anything, Roger McGuinn was the musical weak link, a disturbing trend that would replicate itself in the studio. I will diatribe later about McGuinn's abandonment of the songwriting and bandleading process. However, let's focus on White's 1971, a promising and underappreciated year of achievement.

KENTUCKY COLONELS REUNITE

On the evening of January 15, the Kentucky Colonels reunited at Clarence's house, the first time the original group was together since flirting with folk-rock back in the fall of 1965. Sadly, Scotty Stoneman couldn't make it, but Byron Berline ably sat in on fiddle. Yeah, life's pretty good when Byron Berline is your Plan B. I kept the pre-song banter because I think the nervous energy is palpable.

Kentucky Colonels - Shuckin' The Corn

L to R: Leroy "Mack" McNees (dobro, vocals)
Roger Bush (bass, vocals)
Clarence White (guitar, vocals)
Billy Ray Latham (banjo, vocals, great bio, check out that link)
Roland White (mandolin, vocals)
not pictured: Byron Berline (fiddle)

Nervous energy meet freight train of bluegrass. Roland kills it on mandolin and little brother Clarence is right with him. CW sounds like he's capoed way up the neck, so his guitar (1:27-1:36 and 2:05-2:15) acts like a second mandolin. And yet, I can't decide if Mack's dobro (1:17-1:27) or Latham's banjo (1:37-1:56) is my favorite part of the performance. Stunning. And that's just the first song.

On the original cassette from which this bootleg matriculates, Leroy McNees is said to have typed: "It was the first time together in six years and the last." Clarence's death in 1973 was lamentable for many reasons, but that it effectively closed the book on the Kentucky Colonels remains a minor tragedy. The original Colonels, for all of their individual influence, virtuosity, and Hall-of-fameocity only enjoyed 2-3 years of sustained greatness: 1963-65. The bluegrass festival circuit that would've nourished their reputation, legacy, and pocketbooks was in its infancy when the window closed, so they never enjoyed a second wave of semi-popularity. Damn shame.

BYRDMANIAX

The Kentucky Colonels reunion actually occurred against the backdrop of the Byrdmaniax sessions, which took place throughout January. This is when The Byrds went in the opposite direction of monstrous. While the formal dust-up regarding this album came during mix and production ... ye olde Melcher's Folly [video below] ... it's not like McGuinn and cohort came strutting into the studio with a highlight reel. There was nothing Terry Melcher could've done as producer or band manager, short of mass hypnosis, that would've disguised this turd taco. Unfortunately, Melcher did not opt for hypnosis. He opted for the "Children Are Our Future" backup singers.

Byrds - My Destiny [CD] [Amazon MP3] [eMusic]

I think "My Destiny" is one of the few hidden gems on Byrdmaniax. Clarence doesn't have a very good voice yet, but by the time he hits that last chorus, he's singing his ass off. I actually think the production is understated, especially relative to the rest of the album. It certainly isn't any more gussied up than other mainstream country songs of the era. Would it help if I said that Sneaky Pete Kleinow was playing the pedal steel? That it was written by Helen Carter of the Carter Family and covered by both Johnny Cash and Wanda Jackson in the 1960s? And that when Helen died in 1998, Marty Stuart ... caretaker of Clarence's B-Bender, btw ... sang "My Destiny" at her funeral?

My love for CW noted, "My Destiny" shouldn't be the fifth best song on any album. At heart, it's a deep cut, meant to be surrounded by better songs that elevate its status by relation. But those other, better songs are on a different Byrdmaniax in another universe where folly is not an option.



I'm certain most of what Parsons says is true. Byrdmaniax certainly suffers from Melcher's production choices, no doubt fueled by heroic cocaine and booze consumption. But, like I said earlier, it wasn't like McGuinn gave him a stack of gold records in-waiting. If anything, Rog left songwriting duties to others: Battin, White, Parsons, Jackson Browne ("Jamaica, Say You Will"), and Art Reynolds ("Glory Glory"), the same guy responsible for "Jesus Is Just Alright." In that sense, Byrdmaniax was like a poor man's Ballad Of Easy Rider, which also featured mostly non-McGuinn material, but that material was better and more tailored to the talent on hand.

And they couldn't even get the bluegrass song right.



"My Destiny" and "Green Apple" are highlights on an album with few. I think another hidden gem is McGuinn's "I Trust" ... though you might have trouble believing that if you only heard the version on Byrdmaniax.

Byrds - I Trust (Byrdmaniax excerpt) [CD] [Amazon MP3] [eMusic]

Is there anything about those 17 seconds that makes you wanna hear the previous 3 minutes? This is why arrangement and production matter. The album version sounds like it can't wait to turn into a Foreigner video. Those choral backup singers? Awful. Even Clarence's playing is perfunctory. The song itself is pretty good and easily McGuinn's best offering on the album ... not that that's saying much. However, hearing "I Trust" in concert is a revelation. This is what Byrdmaniax could've been. An album that reflected the dynamic and occasionally ferocious live act.

ROYAL ALBERT HALL

Byrds - I Trust [CD] [Vinyl] [Amazon MP3] [Visit Sundazed]

This version from the consistently excellent Live At Royal Albert Hall album ... recorded May 13, 1971 ... jumps out of the speakers. White (panned right) unleashes his usual spectacular twang, Parsons and Battin push, fill, and prod the folk ballad into rock territory, and McGuinn sings as if his balls were on fire. Who knows, it was the early '70s, they may have been. From about 1:06-1:30 and during the shitkicker reprise from 3:33-4:13, Clarence is as perfect a sideman and sololist you'll hear from this era. Any era, really.

Byrds - Jamaica, Say You Will [CD] [Vinyl] [Amazon MP3] [Visit Sundazed]

Clarence sings lead on "Jamaica," a Jackson Browne tune that appeared in inferior form on Byrdmaniax. I like Clarence's vocal here substantially more than on the album and Gene's drumming and Levon Helm-esque background vocals are very sympathetic. Not crazy about McGuinn's falsetto, but all things considered this is a solid rendition.

Byrds - Mr. Spaceman [CD] [Vinyl] [Amazon MP3] [Visit Sundazed]

"Mr. Spaceman," of course, goes back to 1966's Fifth Dimension album and holds a special place in Byrds lore for being their first country-rock song, predating "Time Between" and "The Girl With No Name" by 6-7 months. And I didn't say country, because I know they took a shot at Porter Wagoner's "Satisfied Mind" in 1965. "Spaceman" was originally dumbed-down Buck Owens, but White smarts it up here with his mesmerizing playing, especially in the first verse, from 1:09-1:29, and during the outro. Which is to say, the whole damn song.

* FYI, I've included purchase links to Sundazed Records because they kickass and deserve support. Check 'em out for sweet package deals on all manner of garage rock, hot rod, surf, country, pop, psych, etc.

EARL SCRUGGS

Byrds & Earl Scruggs Revue - Nothin' To It [CD] [Vinyl]

In April, just before leaving on that UK tour, The Byrds entered the studio to continue their collaboration with the Earl Scruggs Revue. A follow-up to their TV appearance from the previous fall, "Nothin' To It" was recorded for Earl Scruggs: His Family And Friends, an LP that also included appearances from Dylan, Doc Watson, and Joan Baez. The song is essentially a Clarence White showcase, with elbow room for Scruggs to ply his three-finger trade. If nothing else ... like CW's appearance with Doc Watson at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival ... it's great that the two musicians were able to play together, even briefly.

PAUL SIEBEL

Paul Siebel - Pinto Pony [CD]

Clarence was too busy to take on much non-Byrds work in '71, but Paul Siebel's "Pinto Pony" is definitely worth mentioning. From Siebel's overlooked Jack-Knife Gypsy LP, it features White and friend/guitar protege, Bob Warford, trading leads on what sound like dueling B-Benders. In fact, Warford owned the 2nd B-Bender ever made, so this might be the first studio effort to feature both guitars. A great bluesy western a la Ian Tyson or Butch Hancock, the song also includes David Grisman on mandolin and Buddy Emmons on pedal steel.

FARTHER ALONG

The Byrds closed out 1971 with the release of Farther Along, easily the most underappreciated album in the band's catalog. This isn't that bold a statement. Over time, the band's discography has been thoroughly analyzed, distilled, and more or less appropriately evaluated. Despite its imperfections, Farther Along has better depth than it's credited with having and is probably the band's most sustained studio effort since Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde, released nearly 3 years earlier (February 1969). Would I love to see "America's Great National Pastime," "Antique Sandy," and "So Fine" replaced with actual good songs? Sure. But that only makes Farther a disappointment relative to greatness. Relative to The Byrds catalog heading into 1972, Farther Along is a flawed, but worthy closing statement, with 4 legitimately excellent songs. 3 are below. The other is "Precious Kate," a beautiful earthquake song that sounds like it was written with Jeff Tweedy in mind. That would be '98-'99 Tweedy, not 2010 Tweedy. (Check out "Kate" at Groover's Paradise).

Byrds - B.B. Class Road (guitar solo) [CD] [Amazon MP3] [eMusic]

One thing Farther Along accomplished that the 3 previous albums did not was remembering to rock. "Tiffany Queen" and "B.B. Class Road" are not great songs, but allowing the band a chance to cut loose with Big Dumb Riff is rarely a bad idea. So, it's not "Like A Rolling Stone." Who cares? Sure, no one needs an album's worth of "B.B. Class Road," but any time you give Clarence White an opportunity to cut loose with 30 seconds of sweet Tele bliss, count yourself lucky.

Byrds - Bristol Steam Convention Blues [CD] [Amazon MP3] [eMusic]

More Byrdgrass, a welcome tradition by this point.

Byrds - Bugler [CD] [Amazon MP3] [eMusic]

If Farther Along is mildly underrated, "Bugler" is astonishingly so. The country-rock "Old Shep" was the third Byrdsong about a dog (joining "Old Blue" and "Fido") and it features a great vocal by Clarence. White also adds a tasty mandolin overdub and Parsons plays subtly effective pedal steel guitar. If any song demonstrated that White was ready to go solo, this was it. A total heartbreaker. FYI, "Bugler" was written by Larry Murray of Hearts And Flowers, satellite players in LA's late '60s/early '70s folk-country-rock scene.

Byrds - Farther Along [CD] [Amazon MP3] [eMusic]

"Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine,
We'll understand it, all by and by."

Another definitive Clarence moment. Great harmonies, great mandolin part (again Clarence), just solid country gospel down the line. I suppose this is why I defend Farther Along. The 2 best songs are White's and it's a toss-up whether "Bristol Steam" or "Precious Kate" is 3. It's totally CW's album, so by casually dismissing it, folks are missing out on the elevation of his game to solo levels, dammit!

Still, it was probably best that The Byrds imploded following the release of Farther Along. They were a great live band, but if McGuinn didn't give a shit anymore, what was the point for the other Byrds ... other than the payday?



The Byrds brand would limp along for the next year or so, but 1971 ends the formal recording period. And what are we left with? Perhaps the only first-ballot Hall of Fame band of its generation that failed to produce a single bona fide, beginning-to-end classic album ... in 11 tries, no less! EVERY album has dead spots. Also, how has Roger McGuinn escaped criticism for abandoning ship in 1969? Take a look at his official songwriting contributions on each album, beginning with his last strong effort, Dr. Byrds:

DR. BYRDS & MR. HYDE ... recorded late 1968
"Old Blue" (traditional, arranged Roger McGuinn)
"Child Of The Universe" (Dave Grusin & Roger McGuinn)
"Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man" (Roger McGuinn & Gram Parsons)
"King Apathy III" (Roger McGuinn)
"Candy" (Roger McGuinn & John York)
"Bad Night At The Whiskey" (Roger McGuinn & Joseph Richards)

BALLAD OF EASY RIDER ... rec summer 1969
"Ballad Of Easy Rider" (Roger McGuinn)

UNTITLED ... live rec Jan 1970; studio rec summer 1970
"Lover Of The Bayou" (Roger McGuinn & Jacques Levy)#
"Chestnut Mare" (Roger McGuinn & Jacques Levy)#
"All The Things" (Roger McGuinn & Jacques Levy)#
"Just A Season" (Roger McGuinn & Jacques Levy)#
"Hungry Planet" (Skip Battin, Kim Fowley, & Roger McGuinn)

BYRDMANIAX ... rec Jan 1971
"Kathleen's Song" (Roger McGuinn & Jacques Levy; leftover from Untitled sessions)#
"I Wanna Grow Up To Be A Politician" (Roger McGuinn & Jacques Levy)#
"I Trust" (Roger McGuinn; rec Oct 1970)
"Pale Blue" (Roger McGuinn & Gene Parsons)

FARTHER ALONG ... rec summer 1971
"Tiffany Queen" (Roger McGuinn)
"Antique Sandy" (Roger McGuinn, Skip Battin, Gene Parsons, Clarence White, and Jimmi Seiter)

# indicates songs written with Jacques Levy for the aborted 1969 country-rock opera, Gene Tryp. Take away those songs ... since they weren't written with The Byrds in mind, necessarily ... and McGuinn averaged one song per album on their final FOUR albums!!! It's fair to say that McGuinn spent more creative energy on Gene Tryp than he did on any of the individual Byrds albums between 1969-73.

So, why isn't he properly skewered for this egregious oversight in band management? White, Battin, and Parsons were a dynamite rhythm section and if you asked them to collectively produce 6-7 songs for an album, 4 of them would be good, guaranteed. All McGuinn had to do was come up with 5-6 songs per year ...an album side, essentially ... and only 3 of them needed to be first rate. And he didn't come close to that. He could've collaborated with any of the other Byrds, but it rarely happened. "Antique Sandy," "Pale Blue," and "Hungry Planet" are the only Byrds songs that feature either White, Battin, or Parsons as co-writer with McGuinn. And other than "Tiffany Queen," Roger never came close to writing a song that took advantage of Clarence White's facility as a rock guitarist. It's as though he didn't realize White, Battin, and Parsons were in his band. Or, he didn't care. And to either point, I call bullshit.

Before we haul ass to 1972 in the Dodge Challenger, dig this grainy footage of The Byrds in Belgium. Recorded 5 days after the Royal Albert Hall show, it may be flawed visually, but musically, the band brings the heavy wood. An amazing historical artifact. Ladies and gentlemen ... THE BYRDS!!!



Part I:
Lover Of The Bayou
You Ain't Goin' Nowhere



Part II:
Truckstop Girl (Clarence: lead vocal)
Baby, What You Want Me To Do
Soldier's Joy



Part III:
Pretty Boy Floyd
Take A Whiff (Clarence: lead vocal)



Part IV:
Jesus Is Just Alright
Mr. Spaceman

NEXT TIME: ROADMASTER: 1972

Jay Farrar: There Will Always Be a Story To Tell

Son Volt L to R:
Dave Bryson - drums
Chris Masterson - lead guitar
Jay Farrar - acoustic guitar, piano, harmonica, vocals
Andrew Duplantis - bass, harmony vocals
Mark Spencer - piano, wurlitzer, pedal steel, lap steel
Eleanor Whitmore - violin, viola (not pictured)

One of last year's most unexpected pleasures was getting knocked out by Son Volt's most recent album, American Central Dust. Just when I thought Jay Farrar had disappeared down a mumbly, monotonous rabbit hole, he totally won me back with country and rock and would you believe, country-rock? Yeah, I know it's nothing particularly groundbreaking, but I don't need much groundbreaking from this guy. When you construct the Great Wall of Tupelo, further innovation is unnecessary.

For my money, Farrar spent most of the last decade squandering the goodwill he'd earned in the previous decade. I heard way too much drone and not enough melody and dynamics. That said, perhaps the letdown was inevitable. Precious few musicians can match the Koufaxian five-album run of Uncle Tupelo's four albums and Son Volt's debut, Trace, Jay Farrar included. Thus, his move away from that rich legacy was an understandable effort at artistic redefinition on new terms. I didn't care for much of it, but I get it, and respect the process.

Nevertheless, I submit a modest proposal for my fair readers. If anyone is willing to make me an hour-long comp of Farrar's past decade ... The Best Of The Aughties, if you will ... I'm down. Maybe I need to listen to the output with fresh ears and in a new context. Public huzzahs will certainly follow for the creator of said "mixtape." Unless it sucks. Then, the shaming shall follow. But hey, no pressure.

This is precisely why American Central Dust is such a welcome return to form. His immersion in the experimental folk-rock drone is complemented by what he does best ... that wonderful intersection of country and rock. So, while "Down To The Wire" and "Sultana" aren't my favorite songs, within the context of this album they're worthy diversions that make perfect sense. Just when I think the album is losing its momentum, there's a lyrical turn of phrase or weepy steel figure or crunchy guitar riff putting the root down. Speaking of roots ...

Son Volt - Dust To Daylight [purchase CD] [purchase LP]

THIS is why Jay Farrar was put on earth. The guy was born to sing country music. While he's certainly earned the right to do whatever he damn well pleases, there's no truer sound than his voice surrounded by a fiddle, steel guitar, high, keening vocal harmonies, and a lockdown country pocket. All present and accounted for. From a production standpoint, I like how Mark Spencer's steel guitar ... an eight-string Fender pedal steel, like the one used by Sneaky Pete Kleinow with the Flying Burrito Brothers ... is panned hard right, with Eleanor Whitmore's fiddle panned hard left (that's her above, rowwwr). The two instruments are essentially harmonizing with each other, not unlike the harmonies of Farrar and bassist, Andrew Duplantis.

Song of the year? It's in the discussion.

Son Volt - When The Wheels Don't Move [purchase CD] [purchase LP]

"I was probably in more of a Neil Young vein as far as the guitar tuning I was using, and the repetitive chord progressions. Lyrically, I was thinking about our society's reliance on fossil fuels and the whole economic structure that's built on that. At the time, gas was hitting $5 a gallon, Son Volt was on tour, and it didn't completely wreck our tour, but I imagine that (for) a lot of bands getting started out that it would."
--Farrar in his hometown Riverfront Times, 7/7/09

The term "americana" gets thrown around a lot, but make no mistake, Dust is as americana as a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich. I don't necessarily mean in terms of genre identification, I mean that the album's lyrical content is driven by distinctly American images. Beale Street, honky tonks, biker bars, the Fourth of July, and several American cities make guest appearances. There's references to Leadbelly and Chuck Berry. Of course, the word "American" is in the album title, so there's that, too.

As Farrar notes, "Wheels" is a look at America's reliance on fossil fuels, juxtaposing our road culture with that of decaying ancient Rome, and alluding to a Road Warrior-esque post-gasoline future. Cleverly, that grungy Neil Young guitar sound to which he refers ... courtesy of former lead guitarist, Chris Masterson ... mirrors the "turbine engines" of which he sings. Similarly, drummer Dave Bryson's tom rolls add heavy atmosphere, as does Spencer's wurlitzer ... though maybe that's a pedal steel run through a Leslie??? Pretty sure it's a Wurlitzer, though.

If there is an irony at work here it's that Farrar's next musical project was a tribute to Jack Kerouac's novel, Big Sur, done in collaboration with Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie. Kerouac's breakthrough novel, of course, was On The Road, which posited the American road as a symbol of freedom and the gateway to wisdom and maturation. Hey, it was the '50s. There were lots of crazy ideas back then.

Son Volt - No Turning Back [purchase CD] [purchase LP]

"Lonely roads and freight trains will keep us sane."

Speaking of which, "No Turning Back" is an ass-kicking, country-rock tribute to the road in the spirit of Mr. Kerouac. And like "Dust Of Daylight," this is the kind of song that's right in Farrar's stylistic wheelhouse. So much so, in fact, it's almost silly that he venture away from the country-rock sound for too long. I like the arrangement, with the rhythm section (drums, bass, and acoustic guitar) panned right and the instruments carrying the melody (wurlitzer and electric lead guitar) panned left. I'm curious if Masterson is playing a B-Bender here because the guitar sound has that distinctive bending, steely tone a la Clarence White. Whatever the case, it's yet another highlight on one of 2009's best releases.

Welcome back, Jay. It sounds like heaven.

FIVE SONGS

While preparing this post, I stumbled across this amusing email interview with Farrar from last June. It'll take you all of 2 minutes to finish, but my favorite part is when the author asks Jay about his listening habits. Naturally, given that his tastes run so close to mine, it would've been irresponsible for me NOT to create a separate playlist. After all, if it's good enough for Jay Farrar and The Adios Lounge, it's good enough for you. BTW, all notes below are mine.

Q: Do you have an iPod? Mind sharing the last five songs that you played (assuming it was on shuffle)?

1. Levon Helm - False Hearted Lover (2007) [purchase CD] [purchase LP]

2. Professor Longhair - Tipitina (1953) [purchase CD]

3. Doug Sahm - I'm Not That Kat Anymore (1975) [purchase CD]

One of my favorite concert moments from last year occurred in mid-May at Roadhouse Rags in Austin. Tortilla Flats was playing their standard tribute to Doug Sahm when midway through the set, who comes up to play a few songs, but Jay Farrar. Now, the bassist in Tortilla Flats is Andrew Duplantis, so it's not like this collab was completely unexpected. Just mildly unexpected. And totally fistpump.

I'm guessing "Kat" is on Farrar's list because that was one of the songs they played together. What other Doug songs made the cut that night? According to my archives:

• Mendocino
• I'm Just Tired Of Getting Burned
• At The Crossroads
• I'm Not That Kat Anymore
• Give Back The Key To My Heart (w/Jay on "cocaine" verse)
  

4. William S. Burroughs - A Thanksgiving Prayer (1990) [purchase CD]

5. Bob Dylan - Let Me Die In My Footsteps (1962) [purchase CD]

I'm 99.7% sure that the Uncle Tupelo version of "Moonshiner" (found on March 16–20, 1992) is based on the Dylan arrangement from this Bootleg Series.

A Beer In Each Hand and A Smile In Between

Here's a couple videos in anticipation of my next post. We're gonna travel from Alabama to St. Louis on the Mo-Bama Railroad Line and our engineer for this trip is Jay Farrar. So, let's get our segue on.

This first number was originally recorded by The Louvin Brothers (hello Sand Mountain!) at the height of the Cold War. According to Charlie Louvin, the song was partially written by mandolinist/high harmony singer, brother Ira. Here it's tackled with Haggard ferocity by Uncle Tupelo. From their penultimate 1994 show in St. Loo, it features the bobbed, Max Johnston, on mmm mmm good fiddle.



This next number is an Uncle Tupelo original, which you can find in any reasonably well-attended music collection. Penned by Farrar when he was on a Dylan-esque hot streak ... and if you think I'm hyperbolizing, brothers and sisters, think again ... it comes from the band's 1990 masterpiece, No Depression (thanks to Crouton for reminding my dumb ass of this fact).



This all sets up my next post, which should be up by the end of this gloriously long three-day weekend. Any guesses???

Remember The Rose Bowl, We'll Win Then

It ain't every day that a guy's favorite team wins the championship in glorious, tradition-rich college football. And if that guy's favorite team is the Alabama Crimson Tide ... his alma mater, no less ... then perhaps a musical celebration is in order. So, in honor of my beloved Tide and their 14-0 run to Waterford crystal, I've put together a 40-minute playlist of songs dedicated to Alabama. You get some twang, some folk, a little jazz, and of course we rock the house. A couple choices are Crimson Tide specific, others are about the state itself, and there's a pair of gems that call Tuscaloosa, Alabama, home. Now, the one challenge I gave myself was no Skynyrd. Don't get me wrong, I love the Van Zant, I just wanted to steer The Process in a few different, and perhaps less obvious, directions. I've also included the selections as a zip file in case you wanna download in full and turn your ipod into a beautiful shade of crimson. Whaddya say? Let's get our Roll Tide on.

Download zip file

Bear Bryant - A New Day > A.A. Bondy - A Slow Parade [purchase Bondy CD] [purchase Bondy vinyl]

"The Tide will bring,
And Tide will take,
Find another horse (colt?) to break."

I'm sure A.A. (née Scott) Bondy's song is about the Bible or suicide or something equally introspective and sad panda. But, Bondy is a native Alabamian, having fronted Birmingham-tastic, Verbena, with current Vulture Whaler, Les Nuby. Here we get the slow building folk-rock with the sweet Bear Bryant intro. And come on, you have to admit the quoted couplet is an uncanny reference to the game. Just sayin. Besides, who doesn't love a parade?!?!

Dexateens - Grandaddy's Mouth [purchase CD] [purchase vinyl]

"'Cause we all bleed crimson out ..."

A song about the universality of racism, given extra poignancy what with The Dexateens (pictured right) hailing from Tuscaloosa. Remember, this is the same Tuscaloosa that saw George Wallace rail against integration on the University of Alabama campus. The sin of racism is still held against Alabamians, let alone all Southerners, so this song is a bit of redress. Let's be honest. No one can say it's just down south.

More on The Dexateens

Steely Dan - Deacon Blues [purchase]

"They got a name for the winners in the world,
And I want a name when I lose,
They call Alabama the Crimson Tide,
Call me Deacon blues."

Right. Like I wasn't gonna include this one. Although, I'm pretty sure this isn't about football.

Art Tatum - Stars Fell On Alabama [purchase]

Billie Holiday - Stars Fell On Alabama [purchase]

Two versions of the jazz standard that reference the famous Leonid meteor showers (pictured left) on Nov. 12-13, 1833. In reality, these falling stars appeared over the entire American continent, but only Alabama got their experience immortalized into song. That's right. In your face, Florida! And if you don't know Art Tatum and Billie Holiday, for the love of God, get your learn on.

Jerry Reed - Sittin' On Top Of The World [download mp3 album] [purchase vinyl]

Any chance I get to throw down with the "Alabama Wild Man," I take it. My favorite part of the song is where Jerry exclaims, "Swarm son, swarm!" Coincidentally, this is the same instruction given to the Tide defense by Nick Saban and defensive coordinator, Kirby Smart.

More Jerry Reed, including Scooby-Vision

Louvin Brothers - Alabama [purchase]

Louvin Brothers (pictured right). Alabama. 'Nuff said.

Drive-By Truckers - You Know What An Alabama Ass Whuppin' Is, Dontcha?

Dexateens - Can You Whoop It? [purchase CD] [purchase vinyl]

The Truckers gleefully talk about the Alabama ass-whuppin', but The Dexateens get to it. That crunchy, fuzzed-out guitar is the Rolando McClain of guitar parts ... relentless, in your face, and just when you think you've escaped its clutches, more clutch. By the way, if you still don't have the 'Teens most recent album, Singlewide, whatcha waitin' for? Do you hate music??? The links are above, so stop thinking and start buying.

Million Dollar Band - Yea Alabama (Alabama Fight Song)

Yea, Alabama! Drown 'em Tide!
Every 'Bama man's behind you,
Hit your stride.
Go teach the (Georgia) Bulldogs to behave,
Send the (Georgia Tech) Yellow Jackets to a watery grave.
And if a man starts to weaken,
That's a shame!
For Bama's pluck and grit have
Writ her name in Crimson flame.
Fight on, fight on, fight on men!
Remember the Rose Bowl, we'll win then.
So roll on to victory,
Hit your stride,
You're Dixie's football pride,
Crimson Tide, Roll Tide, Roll Tide!

Amen. Roll Tide.