I first heard Webb Wilder in the late eighties with songs Poolside and Human Canon Ball. He looked and sounded different right away.
Webb Wilder looks like he dropped out of a 50’s black and white detective show. By 1991 I was walking through a street fair in Nashville and there he was playing with his band. He had just released an album called Doodad that got some local and national airplay. His music is a mixture of rock/country/rockabilly/punk and anything else he can throw in…including the kitchen sink.
He has described his music as “Swampadelic”, “Service-station attendant music”, “Uneasy listening”, “Psychobilly”…they all fit.
I purchased the Doodad album and this song is what I zero’d in on. The hit off the album was Tough It out which peaked at #16 on the Mainstream Charts. It included guest appearances by Al Kooper and Sonny Landreth.
The guitar riff is instantly catchy and the first verse was about losing your house/land in a poker game. A great story telling song.
Wilder got some MTV exposure with Human Canon Ball and a lot of local play with a song caled Poolside. He is a fantastic performer to catch live. He has been an actor, disc jokey, and a great artist…a true original.
The two videos are the same version…some were getting video not found.
Meet Your New Landlord
Neon lights don’t never dim
In the kind of bars that never close
In a back room game T. Jim yells
“Saint Gabriel, I’m gonna steal the show.”
He slapped his cards down on the table
Said, “Boys, i got me a winning hand.”
But the sight that made old T. Jim tremble
Was the king that took his land
Mister, meet your new landlord
Heard you knockin’ upon my door
Mister, meet your new landlord
Plenty of room down on the floor
With a ticket burning in his hand
And the tip still ringing in his ear
Big Pete bet his whole life savings
As the race was drawing near
A shot was fired
The gates flew open
The years streaked right before his eyes
Too bad they were riding on a saddle
From the moment of ill advice
Mister, meet your new landlord
I heard you knockin’ upon my door
Mister, meet your new landlord
Plenty of room down on the floor
Other names and other places
Different rules but it’s all the same
Cause if that bug ever b***s you
The scar will bear you shame
Hey listen, son, you know you’re in trouble
When you wake up one morning in a daze
And as you peer into the mirror
The face leaning over says
Mister, meet your new landlord
I heard you knockin’ upon my door
Mister, meet your new landlord
Got plenty of room down on the floor
Mister, meet your new landlord
I heard you knockin’ upon my door
Mister, meet your new landlord
Plenty of room down on the floor
Hey, mister, meet your new landlord
Whooo
…
I got a video not available (although sometimes I get those because I’m in NZ), but I went and watched it on YouTube.
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Thanks… Bruce from New Zealand got the same thing.
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I did the same as Aphoristical – It was instantly likeable and instantly different!
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Thanks Bruce! I posted another video just to make sure it’s covered.
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not half bad… that eclectic kind of sound that could only have worked in the 80s – which is a shame!
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Pretty cool you stumbles across this guy live 30 years ago and now 30 years later out pops the review! lol
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LOL… Deke I think you would like the guy…the reason is you like the Georgia Satellites. He is a little quirkier but in that league.
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I like quirky! lol cue up Weezer and Cheap Trick ah hell toss The Cars in there as well…
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YEP! Cheap Trick are as quirky as hell
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This is a fun listen. In a way the style reminds me of BR549, who were in Nashville around that same time I think.
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I just looked them up….sounds really good.
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Fun tune. The name Webb Wilder does ring a bell, though I can’t name a single song – well, I suppose now I can! 🙂
I don’t mean to ridicule him, Wilder reminds me a bit of “Weird Al” Yankovic – for some reason, I can picture Yankovic do that tune.
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LOL… he had a few hits…this wasn’t one of them…Human Canon Ball and Poolside
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You keep surprising me with artist I have never heard of. Keep it up!!
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Thanks…I’ll try John!
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I was just re-reading your previous Webb Wilder post. It was a year ago, nearly to the day. Catchy music.
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LOL…I didn’t know it was a year ago…I know I copied myself from the first post…not a lot of info on him
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Good songs.
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You got me listening to Webb a while ago. Thanks fella. The Doodad album.
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This was a fun listen! Any back story on how Sonny Landreth ended up on this song?
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He was on the album…I have to admit I don’t know much about him. I also found he covered a Badfinger song called Suitcase
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I only know him as he played with John Hiatt on Slow Turning – was a member of the Goners. Known for his slide guitar work
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After seeing him in both places…I do plan to look some of his stuff up.
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