2010’s – PowerPop… An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture

Robbie Robertson – Once Were Brothers

In 2019, a documentary (Once Were Brothers) about The Band was released. It took me years, but I finally watched it not long ago. Not that I didn’t want to, but it was one of those things where I didn’t get to it. I was going to write up about the documentary, but decided just to stick to this song. Yes, it’s a great documentary, and you should watch it when you get a chance. You see footage and hear things that you have never heard before. He tells the story of the Band in this song, and it’s both beautiful and sad.

This song was the theme and the soul of the documentary. Robertson always had characters in his songs. Virgil Kane, Crazy Chester, Fanny, and a certain drunkard’s dream. In this song, though, these are not just based on real people; they are real people. You don’t have to be a Band fan to enjoy this. We all have had long friendships that faded or ended on a misunderstanding.

This is Robertson looking back on The Band, not as legends, but as brothers tied together by music. As a longtime Band fan, the song hits hard for me. Robbertson acknowledges that what they created together was bigger than the fights and the silence. The Band would always be a part of him.

It just hit me recently why Robbie’s solo material didn’t sound much like the Band. I don’t think he went out of his way to be different. It took the 5 of them to make it sound like The Band.

The trailer to the documentary.

Once Were Brothers

When the light goes outAnd you can’t go onYou miss your brothersBut now they’re gone

Mm, uh…When the light goes outWe go our own wayNothing here but darknessNo reason to stay

Oh, once we’re brothersBrothers no moreWe lost a connectionAfter the war

There’ll be no revivalThere’ll be no one coldOnce were brothersBrothers no more

When that curtain comes downWe let go of the pastTomorrows another daySome things weren’t meant to last

When that curtain comes downOn the final actAnd you know, you know deep insideTheres no goin’ back

Once were brothersBrothers no moreWe lost our wayAfter the war

Can’t even rememberWhat we’re fighting forBut once were brothersBrothers no more

We already had it outBetween the north and southWhen we heard all the laughsComin’ out of your mouth

But we stood togetherLike we were next of kinAnd when the band played dixie(Dixie, dixie, dixie)Dixie marchin’ in

Once were brothersBrothers no moreWe lost our connectionAfter the war

There’ll be no revivalThere’ll be no encoreOnce were brothersBrothers no more

North Mississippi Allstars – Meet Me In The City

I had never heard of this band until recently. What a rootsy down to earth band. I had some headphones listening to this band. Fantastic is what I’ll say about them.

The North Mississippi Allstars formed in 1996 in Hernando, Mississippi. Brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson grew up immersed in Hill Country blues through their father and legendary producer and musician Jim Dickinson. He worked with everyone from the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan to Big Star and Alex Chilton. Blues was not something the Dickinson brothers discovered later; it was already in there. The brothers are credited with guitar, vocals, cigar box guitar, drums, bass, drums, percussion, vocals, guitar, and synthesizer.

The band took its name from the North Mississippi Hill Country blues style, a cousin to Delta blues, associated with artists like Fred McDowell, R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, and Otha Turner. Unlike the regular 12-bar structures of Chicago or Delta blues, Hill Country blues leans heavily on repetition and groove that builds as it goes.

This song was written by Junior Kimbrough in 1992. It’s been covered by The Black Keys and others. The North Mississippi Allstars released it on their album World Boogie Is Coming. It has a groove that is irresistible. Luther Dickinson’s guitar is the engine that makes it run, sliding around that beat like it’s got its own ideas on what it’s about. Cody Dickinson locks in underneath with a drum pattern that’s less about fills and more about being hypnotic. It’s just plain out cool.

This is some cool blues going on here with that groove. This sounds like it came out of a bar somewhere while slightly rattling the glasses. I’m going to give you a bonus song called Peaches that I liked on the first listen. Peaches came off the album Up and Rolling, released in 2019.

Meet Me In The City

Meet me over in the city
In the city, things so fine
We’ll get together, ah yes we will girl
Oh yes, we will
We’ll make everything alright now, honey don’t, oh honey don’t
So please, please don’t leave me right now girl
‘Cause right now, right now, oh no no no

You got me baby, you got me girl
You got me where you want me, whoa ho-ho-ho yeah
Now girl I know you are satisfied baby
So please, please don’t leave me right now girl
‘Cause right now, right now, oh no no no

Sometimes I think I will baby
Then again my, my-my-my-my-my-my mind will change
Now tell me don’t do it no more
So please, please don’t leave me right now girl
‘Cause right now, right now, oh no no no

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Chuck Prophet – Bobby Fuller Died For Your Sins

Since I posted Chuck Prophet, I haven’t stopped listening. This song is probably one of the catchiest songs I’ve heard in a long time. All of his songs are so melodic. This one is like a sermon wrapped in a three-minute rock song. I’ve been waiting to post this since I posted my first song by him in August.

Bobby Fuller had a giant hit with I Fought the Law before dying under suspicious circumstances. Fuller was found dead in the front seat of his mother’s car shortly after I Fought The Law became a huge hit. His death was ruled a suicide, but there were signs of foul play. The investigation was tainted, leaving the circumstances of his death a mystery, and rumors continue to this day.

Prophet uses Fuller as a symbol for anyone hurt by the music industry or just random bad luck. He made a mixture of homage and a warning. When he recorded this song, he wanted nothing too polished. He and co-producer Brad Jones focused on capturing energy instead of perfection.

Prophet said he wrote it in a stream-of-consciousness style, from his own frustration with the American culture eating its young. He kept coming back to the idea that stories like Fuller’s get swept under the rug. They have been filed away as a kind of trivia instead of a tragedy.

The song was the title track to his 2017 album. The album peaked at #24 on the US Top Alternative Album Sales Charts, #6 on the Heatseekers Album Charts, and #2 on the UK Americana Album Charts.

Bobby Fuller Died For Your Sins

Cruising through El Paso, carrying a heavy load
Bobby Fuller died for your sins
And a cop shoots a kid on a hot summer morn
Bobby Fuller died for your sins

I could be anywhere when I hear that sound
Take me back, pretty baby
Oh your daddy, he’s so alone

I hear the record crackle, the needle skips and jumps
Bobby Fuller died for your sins
And I ain’t never seen a movie that moved me half as much
Bobby Fuller died for your sins

I could be anywhere when I hear that sound
Take me back, pretty baby
Oh your daddy, he’s so alone

Together we stand, divided we fall
Bobby Fuller died for your sins
And I wish my little sister she could be here now
Bobby Fuller died for your sins

They say that someone’s gonna have to pay the price of love
Bobby Fuller died for your sins
I don’t know why they gotta pay it or who they gotta pay it to, but
Bobby Fuller died for your sins

I could be anywhere when I hear that sound
Take me back, pretty baby
Oh your daddy, he’s so alone

Bobby Fuller died for your sins
Bobby Fuller died for your sins
Bobby Fuller died for your sins
Bobby Fuller died for your sins

“You shouldn’t like music that was made before you were born”

I thought I would do something different today. I was reminded of this by the phrase, “it was before my time.” Movies and music fall into this category. I do know people who will not watch movies made “before their time.” I don’t think many of my readers would agree to this statement, but who knows?

I had a co-worker in the early 2000s (Sam) tell me that I shouldn’t like music that was before my time because it was unnatural (yes, he said that). I was first kinda of amused and shocked. I like Sam a lot, and we would talk a lot; he is a smart fellow. However, on this point, I didn’t understand. Why? Is there some unwritten law that I can’t like 1950s or 1960s music up to 1967, when I was born? That cut off some of the best music of the 20th century and beyond.

He grew up in the 80s, as I did, and was probably around 5 or so years younger than me. I’ve seen other people act the same way. If it were before they were born, then they would not give it a second listen. If a movie is black and white, they act as if they are near a radiation leak!

I think the subject centered around how I loved 50s and 60s music and The Beatles, The Who, The Stones, and The Kinks. He said I should be listening to music from my teenage years (well, I WAS…60s music was my soundtrack growing up), but I DID listen to the top 40 when I was a teenager, which, to me, didn’t live up to those bands to any degree or form. Maybe it wasn’t fair to compare Men Without Hats to those 1960s bands. It was hard to stomach some of the ’80s for me, but not all. Now I’m busy catching up on music I missed that wasn’t on Top 40 radio at the time. I did find an oasis in the 80s, alternative music like The Replacements and REM…and the classic bands.

I still want to find other music and movies I like. Why would age have any effect on the music, whether we like it or not? That doesn’t mean I don’t like new music. I have posted newer bands here before who have just released albums. If it’s good, it doesn’t matter what era it came from, at least not to me. Christian, Graham, and Lisa all posted some newer songs that I liked. With movies, yes, I find some I like. I just saw Weapons and loved it, plus there are others.

I’m not putting people down at all who think like that. Hey, if that is what they believe, more power to them. I never believed in criticizing people for their opinions, music, or otherwise. Whatever blows their hair back.

Anyway, what do you think?

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Star Trek Continues

***I have the next Kolchak written up, but I didn’t want to post two television shows in one day, so I’m going to go over the entire season of Star Trek Continues with this post, and I’ve scheduled Kolchak for next Friday! Sorry for the interruption. *** BTW… the link to next week’s episode is THIS.

I can’t tell you how excited I was when I found this 11-episode Star Trek a few years ago. It’s called Star Trek Continues, and it’s so well done! That link gives you ALL the episodes on YouTube. I added an episode at the bottom so you can check out the look of this. The only non-consistent thing is…much like the original (another doctor in the pilot), one actor plays Dr. McCoy in the first two episodes and another (a better one) plays him in the rest of the series. The same characters: Spock, Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Scotty, Sulu, Chekov, and Uhura. It’s as if they went back in time and took over the sets while the original stars were on break, then filmed this show.

When I did the Star Trek series, going over every episode, I meant to write this one up, but never did. This series was made between 2013 and 2017. They were professionally made but fan-made. When I say “fan-made,” what I mean is a Kickstarter drive with professional actors who are huge fans. They got it down almost perfectly. Good writing and a talented cast to bring the original characters to life. It’s such a labor of love with these Star Trek-obsessed actors. They went to great lengths to recreate the original atmosphere. The space scenes even look like the remastered original series.

This is not a “Star Trek: The Next Generation”; it’s a copy of the original with new stories. They have the lighting, look, feel, and everything pretty much on target. This show only has 11 episodes total. Some shows are continuations of the original shows. It was a 5-year mission, but the original series only got 3 years. So this picks up in the 4th year and goes through the 5th and even sets up the first movie, Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

When I watch Star Trek TOS and get through every episode, I wish there was more… then I found this. They have some guest stars from the original series, and Chris Doohan, son of Scotty (James Doohan), plays Scotty, and the rest of the cast is really good. The only one that is hard to get is Todd Haberkorn, who played Spock. That is probably the hardest role you could get, but he does make it work. I don’t think he got Leonard Nimoy’s toughness as much.

All of these were released straight on YouTube when made. If you like the original series and wish they had made more…this is for you. Rod Roddenberry, son of Gene Roddenberry, said the show was superb and should be in the canon.

Some of these episodes are great, especially the two-part ending. You do get one character that was made up just for this. That would be the ship’s counselor, Michele Specht, as Dr. Elise McKennah. They do explain in the last show why she isn’t in the movies.

You also get a character named “Smith” played by Kipleigh Brown, which I think is super cool. The reason is there WAS a “Smith” in the original episode Where No Man Has Gone Before. She only had one line, but they used her in this series. She ties into the two-parter conclusion because of what happened in that original episode. This was brilliant to me. Getting a basically unknown character and making a story around her.

The original Barbara Smith is holding hands with Marshall in that episode.

The new Barbara Smith…same character

Pilgrim of Eternity: A direct sequel to the TOS episode “Who Mourns for Adonais?”, featuring the return of the character Apollo. Michael Forest played Apollo in the original AND in this one.
Lolani: Inspired by the portrayal of Orion slave girls (Green is my favorite color!) in the original series. Lou Ferrigno makes an appearance and is GREEN again.
Fairest of Them All: A continuation of the Mirror Universe, picking up from the events of “Mirror, Mirror“.
The White Iris: A head trip for Kirk that deals with the fates of women he met on previous missions, such as Rayna from “The Ultimate Computer” and Miramanee from “The Savage Curtain” and more women that Kirk was involved with. Even the Joan Collins character (Edith Keeler) from The City On The Edge Of Forever.
Divided We Stand: Kirk and McCoy are trapped in an incident from the American Civil War, inspired by the time travel episode “Tomorrow Is Yesterday“.
Come Not Between the Dragons: The Enterprise is threatened by a pursuing alien creature.
Embracing the Winds: Kirk is recalled to a starbase to face an ethical dilemma.
Still Treads the Shadow: The Enterprise discovers a lost starship and an unlikely passenger.
What Ships Are For: Kirk struggles to aid a society with a unique view of their world.
To Boldly Go, Part I: The Enterprise returns to the starting point of Kirk’s five-year mission. These last two episodes go back to Where No Man Has Gone Before.
To Boldly Go, Part II: The series finale concludes Kirk’s mission with a final battle. This episode takes you up to the movies.

Primary Cast
Vic Mignogna as Captain James T. Kirk
Todd Haberkorn as Mr. Spock
Larry Nemecek as Dr. McCoy (Episodes 1 & 2)
Chuck Huber as Dr. McCoy (Vignettes & Episodes 3-11)
Chris Doohan as Mr. Scott
Grant Imahara as Mr. Sulu
Kim Stinger as Lt. Uhura
Wyatt Lenhart as Ensign (Later Lt.j.g.) Pavel Chekov
Michele Specht as Dr. Elise McKennah, ship’s Counselor
Recurring Cast
Steven Dengler as Lt. William C. Drake, Security chief
Kipleigh Brown as Lt.j.g. Barbara Smith, relief Conn officer (formerly Ship’s Yeoman)
Cat Roberts as Lt. Elizabeth Palmer, relief Communications officer
Martin Bradford as Dr. Jabilo G. M’Benga, relief Medical officer/Vulcan specialist
Reuben Langdon as Lt. Kubaro Dickerson, Security officer
Liz Wagner as Ensign Lia Burke, nurse
Marina Sirtis as ship’s Computer voice
Amy Rydell as Romulan Commander

I hope you enjoy this!

…

The Grateful Allman Brothers

This was for Dave’s Turntable Talk, and he wanted us to pick either an artist, or an album, or even one song that has risen steadily in our estimation through the years. I picked two…because they are similar and both happened at the same time with me.

I’m cheating a bit, but I got permission from the principal. I simply could not pick between the Grateful Dead and the Allman Brothers. I always liked them both, but didn’t really LIKE them until the teens, around the same time. Thanks, Dave, for another intriguing question.

In the 1980s, I had a greatest hits package by both bands, and I thought I was doing fine. One day, I needed to pick a book from Audible, and I happened to pick Gregg Allman’s book The Cross I Bear, which I would put up there with the Keith Richards book Life. I started to get into the book, and then I started to listen to the music, and I was blown away. In that book, he talked about The Grateful Dead, and I soon got Dead’s drummer Bill Kreutzmann’s book Deal about his life, and the same thing happened.

This is how a young Max got into music in the first place: by getting Beatles books and going from there. In those books, the author would mention other artists, and I would have to check them out. Out of that, I got the Who, Kinks, Stones, and the rest.

Both of these bands seem to be related to each other. Two jam bands, one from the West Coast and their southern brother in Macon, Georgia. Both were led by a strong lead guitarist and two drummers. They did have separate styles, but live, you could expect a different concert night to night. Both of them treated their road crew much better than other bands. They considered them just as important as the band itself.

Both bands pulled from American styles: blues, country, folk, and jazz. The Dead leaned into folk, bluegrass, and psychedelic experimentation, while the Allmans drew more heavily from Delta blues and Southern soul. But in both cases, their sound was a gumbo rather than a single style.

As I got into them, what grabbed me about the Grateful Dead were the lyrics that Hunter and Garcia wrote and the beautiful melodies they wrote. With the Allmans, it was that driving music. I always thought they were more intense than the Dead. Their songs were not as deep, but I loved the music. I instantly fell for both bands. I threw away the greatest hits packages and started to explore more of their albums, and I’m better for it.

It’s a shame we didn’t have more Allmans with Duane and more Dead with Pigpen. Those two losses changed the dynamics of both bands. Both of these bands had talent to burn, and the Allmans put that to the test. After losing Duane, they lost their melodic bass player, Berry Oakley, a year after Duane’s passing.

If I had to pick my favorite album by both bands, it would be Eat A Peach by the Allmans and American Beauty by the Grateful Dead, although Wake of the Flood would be a close second. Without them, there’s no Phish, Widespread Panic, or modern jam band scene. Both are considered the patron saints of improvisational rock, each with its own branch on the family tree.

They did share a stage at the Fillmore East in 1970 with Duane and Pigpen. They also played massive shows together at Watkins Glen and at RFK Stadium, both in 1973.

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Chuck Prophet – Ford Econoline

I started to go through his songs and found quality throughout. I went with this one because the car/van song fan in me had to pick it. Here is a 1985 Econoline. Let’s take a ride.

Certain songs feel like they were written for the open highway. Not really to a set destination, but through unnamed towns and roadside attractions. This is that type of song. In this song, every mile matters, and the road is always calling.

Prophet first broke onto the music scene in the mid-1980s with Green on Red, a band in the Paisley Underground in Los Angeles. Prophet joined as guitarist in 1985, just in time to inject his rootsy edge into their sound. He was barely out of his teens, suddenly on the road in Europe, and finding out fast what life in a rock band really meant: cheap motels, crooked promoters, and that you kept going, no matter what.

When Green on Red broke up in the early 1990s, Prophet made a solo album called Brother Aldo, which showcased his knack for blending storytelling with rootsy music. He has released 17 solo albums since then and was on 10 of Green on Red albums. While some of his peers have retired, he is still showing up in clubs playing his Telecaster.

After listening to some of his catalog, he comes from everywhere. He has something for almost everyone, from pop, soul, rock, and Americana. I’ve mostly listened to Night Surfer, but I started to explore other albums. His songwriting really stands out, and his songs are catchy and stick with you. This song came out in 2014 on his Night Surfer album. Peter Buck worked on this album with Chuck, playing guitar.

Ford Econoline

She pulled over said, “Climb on in”I did what she saidShe turned the music up real loudIt was The Talking HeadsDidn’t matter where we were goingMade no difference to me at the timeIt takes me back when I hear that songMakes me feel warm insideFord Econoline!Ever since the beginning of the worldThe beginning of timeSomebody said that the road was hisSomebody said, “No, it’s mine”Some folks are born ‘neath a sign on the roadClose enough to turn and leave it all behindFall together like the Rock Of GibraltarGuitars and drums insideFord Econoline! Ford Econoline Ford EconolineChris-crossed the country in two tone jobIt was a 1985Mile after mile we was burning oilWe couldn’t keep it aliveLaid out flatter than a Chinese rugWhen she went her way I went mineAll these memories like dirty platesStacked up in the sink of timeFord Econoline! Ford Econoline

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Del Lords – When The Drugs Kick In

This song won me over with the intro. Such a wonderful melody with the guitar weaving in and out. Of course, the title got me to listen. I’ve covered one of their songs before called How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live?

They were formed in the early ’80s by Scott Kempner of New York punk group the Dictators. They were in the ’70s new wave scene, which the band never quite fit into. Kempner gathered together Eric Ambel of Joan Jett And The Blackhearts, drummer Frank Funero (now with Cracker), and bassist Manny Caiati and set out as The Del-Lords.

They made 4 studio albums from 1984 to 1990. In 2010, they reunited and played gigs for the first time in 20 years. They released an album called Elvis Club in 2013, and this song came off that album.

The Del Lords were always one of those bands who seemed to fall through the cracks, too rock for the roots crowd, too straight ahead for the punks, too Bronx for Nashville. But their records had heart. They didn’t try to change. Elvis Club picks right up where they left off. Scott Kempner wrote this song and most of the songs on the album.

This song is pure Americana, halfway between an E Street shuffle sound and a Ramones bar fight. It doesn’t ask for your pity or your praise. This one feels like the walk home from a party that went a little too sideways. But you would be happy to do it again.

When The Drugs Kick In

I was right in the middle of a big idea(when the drugs kick in, when the drugs kick in)I forgot everything right then and there(when the drugs kick in, when the drugs kick in)for the last year or so that’s how it’s been(when the drugs kick in, when the drugs kick in)I’ve tried and I’ve tried but the drugs always win(when the drugs kick in, when the drugs kick in)

when the drugs kick in, when the drugs kick inHere I go, here I go, here I go again(when the drugs kick in, when the drugs kick in)Goin’ down I know, but I’m goin’ down slow(when the drugs kick in, when the drugs kick in)When the drugsKick in

I had this dream, yeah, I used to dream(when the drugs kick in, when the drugs kick in)I’d leave no sound unheard, no sight unseen(when the drugs kick in, when the drugs kick in)But I heard lies and deception, saw heartbreak and rejection(when the drugs kick in, when the drugs kick in)Now I’m an uncast vote in a fixed election(when the drugs kick in, when the drugs kick in)When the drugs kick in, when the drugs kick in

I’m a jet plane baby, movin’ coast to coastI’m a part time lover, I’m a full time ghostAnd the tunnel of love is the tunnel of lifeAnd I leave on the lights when I go to sleep at nightWhen the drugs kick in, when the drugs kick in

Here I go, here I go, here I go again(when the drugs kick in, when the drugs kick in)I’m goin’ down I know, but I’m goin’ down slow(when the drugs kick in, when the drugs kick in)When the drugsKick inWhen the drugsKick in(when the drugs kick in, when the drugs kick in)(when the drugs kick in, when the drugs kick in)

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Willie Nelson – Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die

Wanted to have a little fun today. What better way to celebrate July 4th than with Willie Nelson and my next American Artist? The Willie Nelson set I watched on June 25th was probably the first real country act I’ve seen in concert, other than in street fairs in Nashville. Willie has done what few others have: appealed to a vast array of genres like Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton. The man is 92 and still going out there every night.

The couple in front of us took this picture.

If there were a Mount Rushmore for country outlaws, Willie Nelson wouldn’t just be on it, he’d be carving the damn thing with a joint in one hand and Trigger (his guitar) slung over his back. And with this song, Willie laughs at his legend and turns it into a porch-sing-along for the afterlife.

Released in 2012 on his Heroes album, this track arrived with a puff of smoke, wrapped in that unmistakable red-headed goodness. It’s a song about death that somehow feels like a party. Leave it to Willie to make his own funeral plans sound like a tailgate party. Beneath the title and chorus is something far more poignant: a man looking mortality in the eye and saying, You’re not killing my vibe.

The lineup of guests: Snoop Dogg, Kris Kristofferson, and Jamey Johnson all pile in for the chorus like it’s some high-end dive bar jam session. The vibe is half gospel, half roadhouse. The songwriters are Willie Nelson, Buddy Cannon, Rich Alves, John Colgin, and Mike McQuerry.

Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die

Roll me up and smoke me when I dieAnd if anyone don’t like it, just look ’em in the eyeI didn’t come here and I ain’t leaving, so don’t sit around and cryJust roll me up and smoke me when I die

Now you won’t see no sad and teary eyesWhen I get my wings and it’s my time to flyCall my friends and tell ’em there’s a party, come on byAnd just roll me up and smoke me when I die

Roll me up and smoke me when I dieAnd if anyone don’t like it, just look them in the eyeI didn’t come here and I ain’t leaving, so don’t sit around and cryBut just roll me up and smoke me when I die

And I’d go, I’ve been here long enoughSo sing and tell more jokes and dance stuffJust keep the music playing, that will be a good goodbyeRoll me up and smoke me when I die

Hey, take me out and build a roaring fireRoll me in the flames for about an hourAnd take me out and twist me up and point me towards the skyAnd roll me up and smoke me when I die

Just roll me up and smoke me when I die

…

Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats – S.O.B.

Son of a bitch, give me a drinkOne more night, this can’t be meSon of a bitch, if I can’t get cleanI’m gonna drink my life away

While baking in the 95-degree heat at the Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson concert, I told Bailey, my son, I was going to get some shade between acts. He told me not to be late for the next act, which he had wanted to see since 2013. I ran into a Canadian couple, and we started talking. I looked down at my phone, and Bailey was calling. He was worried, so I told him to come meet them.

We all talked for a while, and then we went back to our seats when the music from Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats started. Out of all the bands we saw…they impressed me the most. Bob and Willie are what they are, and they were great, but I expected that. I didn’t expect this band, though. I do remember listening to them on Christian’s Blog. He is right up my alley… he lists Townes Van Zandt, Willie Nelson, and Dylan as his influences.

As I listened, the first thought that came to me was a 60s R&B Stax feel. I looked up their discography, and… they are signed to Stax today! They had a sax and trumpet player and a B3 Hammond Organ, and sounded great. As I looked at their discography, they have had many charting recordings, including this one.

They closed their set with this song. Nathaniel, with his suspenders, came howling out of the speakers like a Pentecostal James Brown who’s had one too many bad nights with a bottle. It hit me like a gospel revival in a whiskey joint. The song is about detox and desperation. A song about hitting bottom that sounds like a party. Nathaniel was seeking sobriety when he wrote this.

Bailey has known of them since he was 13. He never shared these guys, and I wish he had done that. Bailey is a huge Dylan fan, and when he saw these guys on the bill, he got the tickets for us both. They sold out Madison Square Garden with their first headlining gig in March of this year.

This song peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot Rock and Alternative Songs, #36 in Canada, and #2 on the Canadian Rock Charts in 2015. It was on their self-titled album, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, released in 2015. The album peaked at #17 on the Billboard Album Charts, #7 in Canada, #1 on the Billboard US Folk Albums, and #27 in the UK.

S.O.B.

I’m gonna need someone to help meI’m gonna need somebody’s handI’m gonna need someone to hold me downI’m gonna need someone to care

I’m gonna writhe and shake my bodyI’ll start pulling out my hairI’m gonna cover myself with the ashes of youAnd nobody’s gonna give a damn

Son of a bitch, give me a drinkOne more night, this can’t be meSon of a bitch, if I can’t get cleanI’m gonna drink my life away

Now for 17 years I’ve been throwing them back17 more will bury meCan somebody please just tie me down?Or somebody give me a goddamn drink

Son of a bitch, give me a drinkOne more night, this can’t be meSon of a bitch, if I can’t get cleanI’m gonna drink my life awayHey, yeah

My heart was breaking, hands are shakingBugs are crawling all over meMy heart was breaking, hands are shakingBugs are crawling all over meMy heart was breaking, hands are shakingBugs are crawling all over meMy heart was aching, hands are shakingBugs are crawling all over me

Son of a bitch, give me a drinkOne more night, this can’t be meSon of a bitch, if I can’t get cleanI’m gonna drink my life away

Son of a bitch, give me a drinkSon of a bitch, this can’t be meSon of a bitch, if I can’t get cleanI’m gonna drink my life awayYeah, ah

…

My Jeep Adventure

Occasionally, I’ll post something personal, but I haven’t in a long time, so I thought I would today.

In 2011, I purchased a 2000 Jeep Wrangler for around $8000. Love the Jeep, but I would never want to make a cross-country trip in one, or you would feel like a human milkshake. In 2017, it was missing quite bad and the brake lines rusted. We really didn’t need a second car then, so it sat for a year or so. I bought some brake lines and installed them. After that, I got in the car and bled the brakes, and then a brake caliper busted as soon as I pushed down on the brake pedal.

It sat longer after that, for 7-8 years, which is probably the worst thing you could do to a car or a house, for that matter. We have, and that would be me and my mechanic/bass player friend Greg (more Greg than Max), installed new spark plugs, wires, fuel injectors, exhaust manifold, and brake sensor, and I ordered some tires but forgot to get raised white letter tires, but I’ll get them when the new ones wear out. I’m replacing these because they are slightly dry-rotted, and I’m not taking chances. I drove it to work but made a 45-minute trip into an hour and twenty minutes because of going only on back roads.

The cleaning process was long and tedious. Here is a partial picture of what it looked like before, and the arm of my friend Greg. Mold, grime, dirt, mud, tree sap, and things that were never identified.

Well, an update…we did everything but one thing…Check the lug nuts. On the second day of driving it…I thought I heard a blowout because of the tires… no, it was the wheel flying off. The lug nuts had worked themselves loose…I checked the others to be sure, and they were tight. No damage at all, so now with new tires it rides good…well as good as a Jeep will ride. The only thing I can think of is I took the wheel off 8 years ago and only tightened the lug nuts a little snug since I was going to change brakes or something else….lesson learned!

Here is the picture I took when I got out of the car and noticed the wheel came off…this is not a posed shot…the wheel ended up exactly like this. It’s back running probably better than the day it was bought in 2011.

Getting Tires

At work yesterday, before the tire change.

Max’s lesson of the day…always check the lug nuts.

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Angels – Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again

Many of you who have read this blog for a while know I have a soft spot for bands that never got their full due, especially the ones who could torch a stage and turn a riff into a mountain. Australia’s The Angels (or Angel City, depending on which record bin you’re digging through) are exactly that kind of band.

If you were hanging around an Aussie pub in the late ’70s, there’s a good chance you heard a blistering set from The Angels. Imagine a little the of Bon Scott-era AC/DC, the attitude of punk, and the tension of a film noir, and now picture that exploding from the back of a sweaty pub in Adelaide. That’s The Angels. As the old saying goes, they took no prisoners.

The Angels began as the Moonshine Jug and String Band in 1970, a folk/jug band formed by brothers Rick and John Brewster. But by 1974, they swapped their washboards for electric guitars and rebranded as The Keystone Angels. The real turning point came when they were spotted by AC/DC’s Angus Young and Bon Scott, who were impressed enough to recommend them to their label, Albert Productions.

Like many Australian acts, The Angels took a swing at the U.S. market, but there was already a band called Angel over here, all makeup and white spandex. So, The Angels became Angel City in the US and released several albums under that name, including Dark Room (1980) and Night Attack (1981).

They had the songs. They had the live chops. But they never quite cracked America the way INXS, AC/DC, or Men at Work would. This was their first single back in 1976, and it peaked at #58 in Australia. It was on their debut self-titled album. Band members John Brewster, Rick Brewster, and Doc Neeson wrote this song.

They did have one song that peaked at #35 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Charts called Underground. Underground was released in 1985. They also covered The Animals We’ve Gotta Get Outta This Place in 1986, which peaked at #7 in Australia and #13 in New Zealand.

When the band plays it live, fans start to answer the chorus with an expletive-laced chant, and it became part of the show. “No way get f*****, f*** off.” It’s become, unofficial part of the song. They are still together, releasing albums.

Here is another song by the Angels…Take A Long Ride

Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again

You may recognise yourselves here

Went down to Santa Fe, where Renoir paints the wallsDescribed you clearly, but the sky began to fall

Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?

Tram cars and taxis, like a waxworks on the moveCarry young girls past me, but none of them are you

Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?

Without you near me, I’ve got no place to goWait at the bar, maybe you might show

Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?

I’ve got to stop these tears, that’s falling from my eyeGo walk out in the rain, so no one sees me cry

Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again? Yeah

Can’t stop the memory that goes climbing through my brainI get no answer, so the question still remains

Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?

Am I ever gonna see your face again? (No way, get fucked, fuck off)Am I ever gonna see your face again? (No way, get fucked, fuck off)Am I ever gonna see your face again? (No way, get fucked, fuck off)Am I ever gonna see your face again?

Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?

Hey, I wanna see your face, your sweet smiling faceI wanna see your face, see your face again ‘n’ again ‘n’ again, again, oh

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Big Sugar – Diggin a Hole

I was looking for a band to cover, and CB sent me a link to this terrific Canadian band. I liked the music right away. The first thing I noticed was the great musicianship on the songs. They are the real deal musically, and the guitarist Geordie Johnson is top shelf, and so is the bass player Garry Lowe.

They were formed in Toronto in the late 1980s, initially as a blues trio built around the guitar work of frontman Gordie Johnson. Before Big Sugar became popular, Johnson started out backing legends like the Muddy Waters alumni and Mavis Staples.

Another member who made them sound distinctive was bass player Garry Lowe. Lowe joined Big Sugar in 1994 and played on eight of their albums. He bridged the reggae and Rastafarian culture of his native Jamaica with a rock audience. Lowe was sometimes criticized for working in Big Sugar by Rastas and Jamaican music followers who wanted him to keep reggae pure, but he continued to play and blend his style into others.

They have released 11 studio albums since 1991 and 2 live albums. Their last studio album was released in 2020 and is called Eternity Now. Their success has been mostly in Canada, with one song getting some US airplay with You Better Get Used To It.

I’ve been listening to different cuts, and they cover a lot of ground. They have some heavy blues riffs, some reggae rhythms, roots music, with a pinch of psychedelia here and there. Their breakthrough album was Five Hundred Pounds, which hit big on Canadian college radio at the time.

This song was on the 1996 album Hemi-Vision. It was their biggest hit in Canada, peaking at #9 in the Canadian Charts. I asked my friend Deke if he had heard of them, and he has seen them live a few times. He also sent me this video of Jack White (who is a fan) who is releasing their album Five Hundred Pounds again on vinyl.

Diggin A Hole

Got my head in a haze
Feel like a cat in a cage
I’ve been crying for days and I’m falling apart
Digging a hole in my heart
Give me the lies on page
I’m feelin’ twice my age
I’ve been crying for days and I’m falling apart
Digging a hole in my heart

Digging a hole is that the way you treat me
Digging a hole just tie me up and beat me

Got my head in a haze
Feel like a cat in a cage
I’ve been crying for days and I’m falling apart
Give me the lies on page
I’m feelin’ twice my age
I’ve been crying for days and I’m falling apart
Digging a hole in my heart

Digging a hole is that the way you treat me
Digging a hole just tie me up and beat me

Got my head in a haze
Feel like a cat in a cage
I’ve been crying for days and I’m falling apart
Give me the lies on page
I’m feelin twice my age
I’ve been crying for days and I’m falling apart
Digging a hole in my heart
Digging a hole is that the way you treat me
Digging a hole just tie me up and beat me

Omeleto

This won’t be a long post, but it’s something that you might like. I like movies a lot, but I don’t have time to watch a bunch of them. Omeleto is a company that shows short films from different filmmakers. I’ve seen them from 4 minutes to 30 minutes long.

They have every kind of short film you can think of. Time Travel, Sci Fi, Art Films, romantic, action, comedy, thrillers, and more. All the films I’ve seen have high production values. These are not amateurs…these are quality. Many are award-winning shorts. Now, some are hit and miss to me, but worth the short amount of time you put into them. They also come from all parts of the world. I’ve seen some with subtitles, but I’ve seen a lot of Irish and British-made ones as well.

Here is the LINK to their channel.

I’ll recommend two here. One is about a Time Loop with two completely different brothers, and the other is a horror film.

Exit Strategy…a time loop film. 15 minutes long.

This one is a horror short film…19 minutes long.

Justin Townes Earle – Harlem River Blues

Good times come and they goEven a good man’ll breakHe’ll let his troubles bury him wholeEven though he knows what’s at stake

I’m just starting to explore Justin’s music lately. I’m going over some of his catalog, and I really love what I’ve been hearing. It’s pure music at its finest with a great marriage of music and lyrics. Around a month ago, I was cruising around YouTube and I found him singing this song on The David Letterman song around 2020…I kept listening to it over and over.

When I heard this song, I stopped what I was doing just to listen. This sounds corny, but I did get lost in the moment and listened carefully. I don’t usually do that with songs on the first listen…but this I did. I love its gospel, blues, rock, and overall feeling. It’s a very somber song, but he packages it with an upbeat music attack. He was born in 1982 to Carol Ann Hunter Earle, and his father was singer/songwriter Steve Earle. He was born in Nashville and named in honor of his father’s mentor, Townes Van Zant.

When he got older, he started to help out his dad touring, and he was in a couple of bands in Nashville. A rock band called The Distributors and a bluegrass band called the Swindlers, and he continued to play in The Dukes, his father’s backup band. He had his own style, and I admired him for that.

In 2007, he released his first EP called Yuma, and then he released his first album, The Good Life, in 2008. Harlem River Blues came off the album of the same name in 2010. It was his highest charting album in the US. It peaked at #47 on the Billboard Album Charts, #18 on the Billboard Rock Album Charts, #9 on the Billboard Indie Charts, and #3 on the Billboard Folk Charts.

The song received acclaim and earned Earle the Song of the Year award at the 2011 Americana Music Honors & Awards. Justin Townes Earl passed away in 2020 at 38 years old.

I had to include three versions…all of them have something to offer.

Harlem River Blues

Lord, I’m goin’ uptown to the Harlem River to drownDirty water gonna cover me overAnd I’m not gonna make a sound

I’m on a roll, mama, I gotta goGotta get there while I still canTroubled days are behind me nowAnd I know they’re gonna let me inWhen you see me walkin’ up the FDRJust a-singin’ and a-clappin’ my handsTell my mama I love her, tell my father I triedGive my money to my baby to spend

‘Cause Lord, I’m goin’ uptown to the Harlem River to drownDirty water gonna cover me overAnd I’m not gonna make a sound

Good times come and they goEven a good man’ll breakHe’ll let his troubles bury him wholeEven though he knows what’s at stakeSo I’m taking no chancesCarrying over while I’m still good in His graceSayin’ I’m no fool, mamaI know the difference between tempting and choosing my fate

So Lord, I’m goin’ uptown to the Harlem River to drownDirty water gonna cover me overAnd I’m not gonna make a sound

Lord, I’m goin’ uptown to the Harlem River to drownDirty water gonna cover me overAnd I’m not gonna make a sound