I’m reading Peter Wolf’s autobiography, and he mentioned this song being his and his first love’s song. I listened to it and instantly liked the guitar’s haunting mood and slight tremolo. It’s a doo-wop song from 1954, and it sounds heavenly. Many of the slow 50s doo-wop songs do sound haunting now. I think it was the production that helped as well.
The record also mentioned “featuring Nolan Strong” on the record, and it’s posted as Nolan Strong and the Diablos. He was an outstanding singer. The Diablos were a Detroit-based doo-wop group formed in the early 1950s. They had tight harmonies and Strong’s falsetto at the time set them apart. They recorded for Fortune Records, a label known for its gritty, cheap, and raw production style.
This was their biggest song and a cult classic. While it didn’t chart nationally, it became a staple on jukeboxes and a huge influence in Detroit. Nolan Strong became well-known among other musicians. Smokey Robinson said, “There was a guy who lived in Detroit and had a group called the Diablos. His name was Nolan Strong. They were my favorite vocalists at that time.” When Smokey Robinson says that…I automatically listen. Lou Reed added: “If I could really sing, I’d be Nolan Strong.”
Berry Gordy had wanted to bring the Diablos into his growing Motown complex and is said to have offered Jack & Devora Brown $5,000 for the Diablos contract, but the deal never transpired, much to the disappointment of the group, who felt that Motown could have done a better job in promoting and recording them.
The song has been covered a few times, most notably by Laura Nyro in 1971 and a live version by her was released in 2002. The Chenille Sisters also covered it in 1991.
Bobby Rogers (A Miracle Member): Smokey and I used to go see Nolan all the time at the Warfield Theater over on Hastings, He was a great singer. I don’t know, some people are just ahead of their time.’
When the cool summer breeze Sends a chill down my spine When I long for my love’s sweet caress I know she has gone, but my love lingers on In a dream that the winds bring to me I remember as we kissed in the cool summer breeze As she lay warm and tender in my arms
Darling, when a star falls, I wish for you And, darling, when I see lover’s making love Then I long for you And when the sun and her stars are shimmering across the mountains and the valleys Then, darling, I look for you And even until the Heavens above can no longer exist Even until then, shall I still love you
I know she has gone, but my love lingers on In a dream that the winds bring to me
As soon as I clicked on the link that CB sent me I knew I heard this before on our old rock station here WKDF. They would mix new songs with old and it worked well. Love the groove in this one with that guitar constantly riffing through the song.
Mason Ruffner grew up in Texas but has adopted New Orleans as his home. In 1987, he released his second album entitled Gypsy Blood with the title track becoming a Mainstream Rock Track hit in 1987.
In the early 80s, his band backed musicians such as such as John Lee Hooker and Memphis Slim. He was spotted in 1985 by a CBS scout and was offered a contract. He released his self-titled album in 1985 to critical praise.
Ruffner’s style attracted notable musicians, including Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Page, Carlos Santana, and ZZ Top, who would attend his performances or sit in with him. He opened up for a variety of acts that included Crosby, Stills & Nash, Jimmy Page, U2, and Ringo Starr. He also played on Bob Dylan’s album Oh Mercy.
He released his album Gypsy Blood in 1987 and it was produced by Dave Edmunds. The song peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot Track Charts in 1987. The album peaked at #80 on the Billboard Album Chart.
Gypsy Blood
Lord knows I was born a gypsy My heart can steal you blind I got my hand on my suitcase Lots of travelin’ on my mind Yeah, it’s that blood yeah, that gypsy blood That carries me far from my love My spirit flies just like a dove I got that gypsy blood
I know that there ain’t nothin’ There’s nothin’ like a woman’s touch But love just burns me like fire Love is costin’ me too much Must be that blood, must be that gypsy blood That carries me far from my love My spirit flies just like a dove I got that gypsy blood
Do you wanta ride along with me, baby? Well, I’m on the run Well, I’m restless and I’m weary I’m gonna shoot my gun!
Take me out there on that highway Let the wind blow in my face If I fall by the wayside Somebody else can take my place Yeah, it’s that blood yeah, that gypsy blood That carries me far from my love My spirit flies just like a dove I got that gypsy blood
I read the book Deal by Bill Kreutzmann. the drummer for the Grateful Dead. I started listening to Garcia’s debut solo album because of that and ended up liking it. Another song I loved as a kid, Sugaree, came from this album. That song was the first Dead/Garcia song I remember. I remember skating at our local skating rink and the owner must have been a Dead fan…he would play this album at times.
Garcia wanted to see what he could do without the Dead while making this solo album. One of the driving reasons was that he and his wife Mountain Girl wanted a house and the advance from the record company helped them get it. When you listen to the album the songs really flow and seem effortless. I could listen to this music at any time. I don’t have to be in a mood.
The album Garcia peaked at #35 on the Billboard Album Charts. He wanted to play all of the instruments on the album and did except drums. He brought Kreutzmann in to do that job. He also brought roadie Ram Rod (Laurence Shurtliff) in for those sessions, doing roadie work essentially, running errands and moving around the equipment. Kreutzmann and Ram Rod both were listed as “production assistants” in the credits. He paid Ram Rod the same amount that he paid Bill Kreutzmann and that was Garcia’s sense of fairness, which speaks volumes for his character. Although Bill doesn’t really agree with this to this day but sees that as Garcia’s character. Ram Rod ended up as President of Grateful Dead Productions from 1976 to 1995.
Like the Allman Brothers, they formed a family atmosphere with their crew and it extended to their audience. From the early Kool-Aid acid tests to later allowing the audience to tape their shows drew their audience closer. They would later give them their own section to record in…while other bands like Led Zeppelin would send people to bust their tape recorder or head. Garcia commented:Well, my feelings are, the music is for the people…I mean after it leaves our instruments it’s of no value to us, ya know what I mean? it’s like, ya know…what good is it? So it might as well be taped, my feeling is that..and if people enjoy taping it and enjoy having the tapes to listen to, that’s real great. “
They never played the same show twice. They would take songs in different directions and Garcia has said that he couldn’t play something twice the same. He just wasn’t built like that. That made every show unique…not that every show was great. The Dead has admitted they had their share of bad ones.
Bill Kreutzmann Drummer for the Dead:The album, Garcia, was cut at Wally Heider Studios in July 1971 and released by Warner Brothers the following January. There are a lot of songs on there that became Grateful Dead mainstays, in addition to “Deal”—we’re talking about straight-up classics like “Sugaree,” “Loser,” and “The Wheel.” Also, “Bird Song” is on there, which, to this day, is one of my all-time favorite Dead songs and one of my absolute favorite songs to play live (along with “Dark Star” and “The Other One”).
When I want musicians I’m playing with to learn any of those songs, I give them the Garcia versions. They’re just so good. I had a really great time making that album. Dealing exclusively with Jerry was the most effortless thing in the world. I didn’t have to do anything other than be myself. And play.
Cocaine was our special guest throughout those recording sessions, but you’d never be able to tell because everything was very laid back. I have no idea how we were able to do that, because cocaine isn’t exactly known for its relaxing properties. Maybe it was just the dynamic between us that made it all so … easy.
Deal
Since it costs a lot to win And even more to lose You and me bound to spend some time Wondering what to choose
Goes to show, you don’t ever know Watch each card you play and play it slow Wait until that deal come ’round Don’t you let that deal go down, no, no
I been gambling hereabouts For ten good solid years If I told you now all that went down It would burn off both of your ears
Goes to show you don’t ever know Watch each card you play and play it slow Wait until that deal come ’round Don’t you let that deal go down, no, no
Since you poured the wine for me And tightened up my shoes I hate to leave you sittin’ there Composing lonesome blues
Goes to show you don’t ever know Watch each card you play and play it slow Wait until that deal come ’round Don’t you let that deal go down
Wait until that deal come ’round Don’t you let that deal go down Wait until that deal come ’round Don’t you let that deal go down Don’t you let that deal go down Don’t you let that deal go down Oh, no
This song is for Song Lyric Sunday for Jim Adams’s blog. This week the theme is to find a song related to a weather condition such as cyclones, floods, hurricanes, rainfall, storms, tornadoes, typhoons, or winds.
I first heard this song in band practice back in the late 80s. The guitar started to play it and I thought it was an original. I told him I loved his song…he said “if only” it was mine! I learned about a lot of songs that way. I don’t know how I missed this one through the years. It’s now one of my favorite Neil Young songs.
Neil Young’s playing style is unique and electrifying. He’s not Clapton, Page, Van Halen, or Hendrix—but they’re not him, either. His approach is all about feeling, and he uses volume and feedback like few others can. Watching him play is thrilling, you always think the wheels are about to come off, but somehow they never do. Together with Crazy Horse, Neil captures the raw spirit of rock better than just about anyone.
Like a Hurricane was on the American Stars ‘n Bars album in 1977. A single version was released that was edited down to under 4 minutes but it only charted in the UK at #48. The album version is the one known now.
Neil’s songs are so well written and detailed but they come out sounding so loose like he is improvising on the spot…cause most of the time while recording he is more interested in getting the right feel than anything technical. it works really well. For me, that is the best way to record and I wish more artists would do this.
Neil Young: “I wrote it on a piece of newspaper in the back of (his friend) Taylor Phelps’s 1950 DeSoto Suburban, a huge car that we all used to go to bars in. As was our habit between bars, we had stopped at Skeggs Point Scenic lookout on Skyline Boulevard up on the mountain to do a few lines of coke; I wrote Hurricane right there in the back of that giant old car. Then when I got home, I played the chords on this old Univox Stringman mounted in an old ornate pump-organ body set up in the living room. I played that damn thing through the night, I finished the melody in five minutes, but I was so jacked I couldn’t stop playing.”
Neil Young: “When ‘Runaway’ goes to ‘I’m a walkin’ in the rain,’ those are the same chords in the bridge of ‘Hurricane’ – ‘You are…’ It opens up. So it’s a minor descending thing that opens up – that’s what they have in common. It’s like ‘Runaway’ with the organ solo going on for 10 minutes.”
Rock Critic Dave Marsh: “an eight-minute tour de force of electric guitar feedback and extended metaphor (Smokey Robinson meets Jimi Hendrix on Bob Dylan’s old block).”
Like a Hurricane
Once I thought I saw you in a crowded hazy bar Dancing on the light from star to star Far across the moonbeam I know that’s who you are I saw your brown eyes turning once to fire
You are like a hurricane There’s calm in your eye And I’m gettin’ blown away To somewhere safer where the feeling stays I want to love you but I’m getting blown away
I am just a dreamer, but you are just a dream You could have been anyone to me Before that moment you touched my lips That perfect feeling when time just slips Away between us on our foggy trip
You are like a hurricane There’s calm in your eye And I’m gettin’ blown away To somewhere safer where the feeling stays I want to love you but I’m getting blown away, blown away
You are just a dreamer, and I am just a dream You could have been anyone to me Before that moment you touched my lips That perfect feeling when time just slips Away between us on our foggy trip
You are like a hurricane There’s calm in your eye And I’m gettin’ blown away To somewhere safer where the feeling stays I want to love you but I’m getting blown away
I’m featuring two songs by two different trios that Jack Bruce was a part of. I’m not speaking just for me when I say this because many bass players would agree… but Jack Bruce was one of the biggest bass influences I had. There were 3 bassists that I wanted to learn from when I was learning to play bass. John Entwistle, Paul McCartney, and Jack Bruce. All three for different reasons.
John for the pure speed and those runs he pulled off that still amaze me to this day. Paul because of the melody he added to the bass in songs. He would be going everywhere but you hear a counter melody underneath it. Jack…he was the one that set me on my way because of Crossroads. He combined John Entwistle and Paul in some ways…plus a little extra. He added a jazz touch that Paul and John didn’t have…that is why he is one of the best. Plus one inspiration for Jack Bruce was that he played cello and attacked the bass in a different way than most of his peers.
After Cream I never knew much about him. We all know about Eric and to a certain extent Ginger Baker but Bruce I had no clue. Between 1969 through 2014 he released 14 solo albums. On top of the solo albums, he played with some bands like the power trio West, Bruce, and Laing or WBL including Leslie West, Jack, and Corky Laing for 3 albums. He also did collaborations with Gary Moore, Frank Zappa, Robin Trower, Tony Williams, Mick Taylor, and even his ex-bandmate Ginger Baker.
The song I’m featuring today was from an album B.L.T.Jack Bruce (bassist), Bill Lordan (drummer), and Robin Trower (guitarist). I saw this album at the Great Escape a lot. That was a used record store that I went to as a teen. As soon as CB sent me the link to this…I knew the album right away. It was made in 1981. The album peaked at #37 on the Billboard Album Charts. It’s a straight-ahead power trio that doesn’t let up. Into Money was written by Robin Trower.
I saw Clapton and Santana in 1990 at the now-demolished amphitheater in Nashville. That summer I also saw Robin Trower and he really impressed me because I got to see him in a club atmosphere and he was spectacular.
The other song (The Docter) I’m featuring is from WBL which features Leslie West, Jack Bruce, and Corky Laing. It was released in 1972 on the album Why Dontcha which peaked at #26 on the Billboard Album Charts. The Doctor was written by West, Bruce, Laing, and Sandra Palmer. It got quite a bit of radio play at the time.
Into Money
You’ve got your house, you’ve got your car You live up on the hill among the stars You say you did what you had to do But was it really worth what they put you through You know these things we believed in It didn’t touch you at all I hate to see you like this baby With your back to the wall
You lost your heart, when you lost your nerve Maybe you lost your grip on that first curve You used to talk about bein’ free Why, you’re so tied up you can’t even breathe
You know these things we believed in They didn’t touch you at all I hate to see you like this baby With your back to the wall Money into money Money into money
Money into money Money into money You’re into money, into money You’re into money, money Into money yeah, yeah Into money Into money, into money, into money yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Into money
I can’t tell you how much I liked this band when it was released. Such a fun and great sound. A throwback to the 50s was not what I was expecting…I can’t believe it got so popular at the time because it was so out of left field with mainstream at the time.
In the eighties, this was a fresh approach. A fifties-sounding band that featured guitar (Brian Setzer), double bass (Lee Rocker), and a snare drum (Slim Jim Phantom). No electronic drum in sight. This track is exciting because of the clear sharp guitar that sliced through. At the time, synthesizers reigned in popular music. The song peaked at #9 in the Billboard 100, #6 in Canada, #18 in New Zealand, and #9 in the UK in 1982.
The band broke up in 1984 while they were still successful. Since then the Stray Cats have reunited a few times and toured. Brian Setzer has been known since the breakup and the other members have remained busy as well. The bass player Lee Rocker has worked with worked with a variety of artists, including Carl Perkins, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.
Slim Jim Phantom has played with many rockabilly bands including The Head Cat with Lemmy and Danny B. Harvey. He and Earl Slick from David Bowie’s band have made music as well. Setzer has formed the Brian Setzer Orchestra as a swing revival band that has become well-known.
Around 1984 they broke up because Setzer wasn’t feeling it anymore and the band had internal conflicts. He later regretted by saying “It was silly to break up the Stray Cats at the peak of our success.”
Rock This Town
Well, my baby and me went out late Saturday night I had my hair piled high and my baby just looked so right Well-ell, pick you up at ten, gotta have you home at two Mama don’t know what I got in store for you But that’s all right, ’cause we’re looking as cool as can be
Well, we found a little place that really didn’t look half bad I had a whiskey on the rocks, and changed half a dollar for the jukebox Well-ell, I put a quarter right into that can, but all they played was disco, man Come on, baby, baby, let’s get out of here right away
We’re gonna rock this town Rock it inside out We’re gonna rock this town Make ’em scream and shout Let’s rock, rock, rock, man, rock We’re gonna rock till we pop We’re gonna rock till we drop We’re gonna rock this town Rock it inside out (Rock it, rock right in!)
(Whoa!) (Whoo!) (Oh my god) Whoo!
Well, we’re having a ball just a-bopping on the big dance floor Well, there’s a real square cat, he looks a 1974 Well-ell, he looked at me once, he looked at me twice Look at me again and there’s a-gonna be fight We’re gonna rock this town We’re gonna rip this place apart
We’re gonna rock this town Rock it inside out We’re gonna rock this town Make ’em scream and shout Let’s rock, rock, rock, man, rock We’re gonna rock till we pop We’re gonna rock till we drop We’re gonna rock this town Rock this place apart
We’re gonna rock this town Rock it inside out We’re gonna rock this town Make ’em scream and shout Let’s rock, rock, rock, man, rock We’re gonna rock till we pop We’re gonna rock till we drop We’re gonna rock this town Rock it inside out
We’re gonna rock this town Rock it inside out We’re gonna rock this town Rock it inside out Whoo!
I first heard Badfinger in the late seventies. The song was “Come and Get It,” and I thought it was The Beatles. I gradually learned more about Badfinger, and the more I read the more frustrating it got.
This is a gorgeous song from Badfinger. Pete Ham wrote it, and he sounds a bit like McCartney. The song is about a real band friend who turns into a prostitute (midnight caller) and distances herself from her old friends and her old self. It was on the No Dice album, which peaked at #28 on the Billboard album chart in 1970.
Badfinger was the most successful power pop band of the early seventies. Their power pop brethren Big Star and The Raspberries did not have as many hits and attention as Badfinger had at the time. Big Star had nothing and The Raspberries at least had a top ten hit in Go All The Way and a few more top 40 hits. Badfinger had a total of 4 top-ten Billboard and Canadian hits while having 3 in the UK. Baby Blue only getting to #73 in the UK? Life is NOT fair.
In 1971 Harry Nilsson gave them publicity and a big boost by covering Without You. It was number #1 practically everywhere. I always end up getting pissed off when writing about this band. They released albums after their hits that were never heard because their manager stole their money from escrow from their new record company Warner Bros and they pulled from circulation. Those albums were critically praised and have some of their best songs. I won’t go into what happened to Pete Ham and Tom Evans.
Pete Ham was a top-tier pop/rock writer. They all wrote, but Pete’s songs were the hits and usually stood out more on their albums. He wrote Baby Blue, No Matter What, Day After Day, and Without You which he co-wrote with bassist Tom Evans.
Should this have been a top-ten hit? No, but it’s a catchy heartfelt written song, and being a true story adds more weight to it. They did have songs that should have been released as singles that were not. Many bands out there today are one-hit wonders touring and doing great. Badfinger had 4 huge hits but never got to do a victory lap.
Midnight Caller never charted, but it is one of my favorite Badfinger songs. I also included a live short tv concert by Badfinger. Midnight Caller is not on there but it’s a great show. They open up with Day after Day.
Midnight Caller
Beneath the midnight caller She thinks of paper green You never hear them calling her name They just know where they’ve been
You never hear her holler The tears no longer come She reads her daily book of the past That shows of everyone
Grey years that show in her hair Can’t be, but don’t seem to care She unlocks the door and there’s no one there
She sees a daytime stroller Walk from the night before And though she paints a smile on her face He won’t be back no more
She’s got no saint to follow She’s got no place to go Too proud to ask an old friend for help Too proud to let him know
Grey years that show in her hair Can’t be, but don’t seem to care She knocks the door and there’s no one there
Nobody (nobody), nobody (nobody), nobody’s gonna help you now.
Today I’m having a Badfinger day. Christian got me into a Badfinger mood with his Baby Blue Post. I would suggest you read a more detailed version of their story when you can. Their story will draw you in.
Badfinger was a very talented band that had a gift and curse of sounding like The Beatles. Their songs are remembered today but not the band which is a shame. They made some very good albums and at least one great one. This band’s story is a cautionary tale that other bands must consider. This is what signing with a bad manager can do to you.
The members were Pete Ham, Tom Evans, Mike Gibbins, and Joey Molland (who replaced Ron Griffiths).
They started out as the Iveys and signed with the Beatle’s new label…Apple. They released Maybe Tomorrow as the Iveys which was a minor hit. After that, they changed their name to Badfinger. Paul McCartney wrote their first big hit single”Come and Get It” and after that, they were writing themselves. The hits kept coming… No Matter What, Baby Blue, and Day after Day. They also wrote Without You…a small blues song that Harry Nilson covered…it became a monster worldwide hit. Mariah Carey also covered it and was again a giant hit.
They signed with a manager named Stan Polley and got a massive contract with Warner Brothers after leaving Apple. Things were looking really good. They had hits but they never made it over the hump in being a big-time group. Warner Brothers could have pushed them over the hump…Polley set up an escrow account for the band with the advance money and the money disappeared.
He told the band that he was planning for their future etc…He put them on a small salary and embezzled the rest. He really swindled them and their royalties for their songs were tied up for decades. The band was basically broke. With all of their self-written hits, they should have been set financially for years.
Pete Ham didn’t have the money to pay his mortgage and with a baby on the way, drunk and depressed at the fatal age (for rock stars) of 27 he hanged himself in his garage in 1975. In 1983, after scrambling for gigs, Tom Evans broke and not able to get to any of the royalties due him from co-writing Without You with Pete…hanged himself also.
Pete was a trusting soul and never would believe Polley was cheating them until the very end. His suicide note read…
“I will not be allowed to love and trust everybody. This is better P.S. Stan Polley is a soulless bastard. I will take him with me.”
They all wrote to some degree but Pete Ham was a great songwriter. He had so much potential. He also was a great guitar player and singer. The other members did write some very good songs but Pete was the special one.
Stan Polley died in 2009… escaping other scandals without punishment.
Their albums were
Magic Christian Music – This was the soundtrack to the movie The Magic Christian. Come and Get It is on this album and a minor hit called Maybe Tomorrow which is a good pop song.
No Dice – No Dice is where Badfinger starts to be themselves. No Matter What and Without You came off of this album. It also has some other great songs… I Can’t Take It, Blodwyn, We’re for the Dark, Better Days, and my favorite of the album and possibly of Badfinger…Midnight Caller.
Straight Up – This is my favorite album by them. It has Baby Blue and Day after Day but a host of other good songs. Take It All, Money, Name of the Game, Suitcase, Sweet Tuesday Morning, and I’d Die Babe. Joey Molland’s songwriting and singing were very good on this album.
Ass – Their last album for Apple Records and the start of the downward spiral. The songs I would recommend are Apple of My Eye and Icicles.
Badfinger – They just signed a new record deal with Warner Brothers and this was the first album. They recorded this album as soon as they finished their previous album Ass for Apple which was too soon. They should have waited a while before recording this album. This album didn’t do well, and one of the reasons is that it was competing with their previous album. They were released within months of each other because Polley wanted something out. The songs I like are I Miss You and Shine On.
Wish You Were Here – The album was released in late 1974 and was pulled in early 1975 before it had time to do anything because of litigation between their manager and the Warner Brothers. It was released and pulled in a matter of weeks. Warner Brothers saw the money was missing and yanked the album off of the shelves. The songs I like are Dennis and Just a Chance. This album should have been a giant hit. It had hit songs on there waiting to be played. Dennis is one of their best songs.
Head First – They recorded this album after Wish You Were Here with Bob Jackson after Joey Molland had quit. The album was stuck in limbo for 26 years never released. It wasn’t released until 2000. I went out and bought this the day it was out at Tower Records when I read they were releasing it. On some songs, you can tell they are having problems with their management. The songs that stand out to me are Lay Me Down, Hey Mr. Manager, Rock N’ Roll Contract, and Keep Believing. A good album and I wish it would have had a chance at the time.
They did make a couple of albums after Pete died called Airwaves and Say No More. The song Lost Inside Your Love is the only song that approaches the Badfinger early quality.
Without Pete, the biggest talent was gone. That is not a knock on the others but he was just that good. Tom Evans was a good singer, songwriter, and musician who worked with Pete well and had a great voice. Joey Molland was a good guitar player, singer, and songwriter. The band didn’t lack talent.
In 1997 a CD was released of Pete Hams demos called 7 Park Avenue. It was various demos from his entire career. A follow-up was released in 1999 called Golders Green. The melodies he had rivaled McCartney. He was an amazing songwriter.
Go out and Google Badfinger and more importantly, listen to them. This band needs to be remembered.
Baby Blue… Maybe the most perfect power pop song ever in my opinion.
No Matter What…around 2:02-2:06…Tommy Evans does a cool backup. Not hard but very effective.
The other day CB and I were talking about music, and he sent me some links to this guy. I’ve listened to him this week and the first thing I noticed was that great guitar tone. I’ve listened to many parts of his career and the guy is a master of guitar tone. A great guitar sound attracts me to songs sometimes more than the singing and lyrics. Once I hear a good opening riff, it usually hooks me. He has a mixture of blues, folk, rock, and Americana. I also enjoyed his songwriting and vocals, as he doesn’t stick in one place.
He was born and raised in Iowa and started his music career around 1973. He originally fronted The Mother Blues Band in Iowa. His inspirations were Sun Records’ rockabilly and Chess Records’ blues artists of the 1950s. It’s hard to beat those two influences.
During the 1970s and 1980s, he played with various bands and developed his sound.He took a break from music during the 1980s but came back strong.A turning point was when he heard a song by fellow Iowan Greg Brown on the radio. He recognized a kindred spirit, so he reached out to Brown, starting a collaboration that continues to this day
In 1994, he got his first big break by opening shows for Lucinda Williams. He worked with her producing and adding guitar to her albums, and also played in her band. He has played guitar with various artists. His production and guitar work extend to notable musicians like Joan Baez, Ani DiFranco, Iris DeMent, and Elvis Costello.
This song was on his album In The Weeds released in 1997.
If you take acoustic country and mix it with Big Star, you get bands like Wilco and this band Golden Smog. You literally get Big Star, Wilco, Uncle Tupelo (who I spelled wrong in the past), and The Jayhawks; the explanation is at the bottom. I’m glad that CB mentioned this band because they are exactly what I’m into right now.
They started as a loose collaboration of Minneapolis-based musicians who got together to play cover songs under pseudonyms. The name Golden Smog comes from a character in a Flintstones episode. The band initially played country and rock covers, but it evolved into a serious musical project over time.
Membership in this band has been fluid. They have had Chris Mars (Replacements drummer), Jeff Tweedy (Wilco), Louris and Perlman of The Jayhawks, Dave Primer from Soul Asylum, and more. Also in 1997, Jody Stephens became their drummer. He was an original member of Big Star.
All in all, they have released 4 albums starting in 1995 with Down by the Old Mainstream. This is the album that this song was on. It was a cover of a Faces song written by Ronnie Lane, and they did a super job on it. I love both versions, and I’m not easy on cover versions, but this hits the mark.
I will be going over all of their albums in the future. I’ve liked everything I’ve heard by them so far. Here is a list of their members…present and past.
Kraig Johnson (Kraig Jarret Johnson and the Program) Dan Murphy (Soul Asylum) Gary Louris (Jayhawks) Marc Perlman (Jayhawks) Steve Gorman (Black Crowes)
and their past members
Dave Pirner (Soul Asylum) Chris Mars (Replacements) Noah Levy (Brian Setzer and Soul Asylum) Jeff Tweedy (Uncle Tupelo and Wilco) Jody Stephens (Big Star)
Glad and Sorry
Thank you kindly For thinking of me If I’m not smiling I’m just thinking Glad and sorry Happy or sad All is done and spoken You’re up or I’m down Can you show me a dream? Can you show me one that’s better than life? Can you stand it in the cold light of day? Well, neither can I Can you show me a dream? Can you show me one that’s better than life? Can you stand it in the cold light of day? Well, neither can I
Every so often, I always go back to Steve Earle. When he first came out, rock and country stations would play him. I was way more of a rock fan than a modern country fan, but artists like Earle and Dwight Yoakum changed that for me. They brought in the Merle Haggard and Buck Owens Bakersfield sound, which I liked. Earle also brought in a Townes Van Zant and Texas songwriting approach. I saw many of my musician friends who were songwriters starting to pick up this approach, which was great to see.
This came off of his 1996 album I Feel Alright. It was his 6th album, and he had signed to Warner Brothers. I heard of him in the late eighties with a song called I Ain’t Ever Satisfied. I first saw him in 1989, opening up for Bob Dylan at the now-demolished Starwood Ampitheater in Nashville. He was one of the best opening acts I’ve ever seen, to that point. That night, Bob was sick (we found out later), and he only played for 45 minutes, but Steve Earle made the show worth it. I do remember someone yelling as Bob was leaving the stage, “I know you are an old son of a bitch but 45 minutes?” Bob was 48 at the time!
The album was released after Earle had successfully overcome heroin addiction and incarceration, and the lyrics matched that: Yeah, but be careful what you wish for friend ‘Cause I’ve been to hell and now I’m back again. One critic said at the time that this album was Earle telling people in the 90s: Don’t feel bad about feeling good. The album was critically acclaimed.
The album charted at #38 in Canada, #106 on the Billboard 100, #29 in New Zealand, and #44 in the UK in 1996. This song was released as a single but didn’t chart.
Steve Earle: I’m a folkie. I come from coffee houses just like Gram (Parsons), Townes (Van Zandt), Guy (Clark), and Chris (Hillman). We’re all post-Bob Dylan coffee house bred songwriters. South Texas was a great place to grow up musically, but then things really busted open when I moved to Nashville. I was still only 19 and got to see bluegrass music up close for the first time – and old-time music, music that was more from the Appalachian Mountains versus western swing – one of the main components of rock and roll in the first place.
Feel Alright
I was born my papa’s son A wanderin’ eye and a smokin’ gun Now some of you would live through me Then lock me up and throw away the key Or just find a place to hide away Hope that I’ll just go away, hah
Well, I feel alright I feel alright tonight I feel alright I feel alright tonight
And I’ll bring you precious contraband And ancient tales from distant lands Of conquerors and concubines And conjurers from darker times Betrayal and conspiracy, sacrilege and heresy
And I feel alright I feel alright tonight I feel alright I feel alright tonight
I got everything you won’t need Your darkest fear, your fondest dream I ask you questions, tell you lies Criticize and sympathize Yeah, but be careful what you wish for friend ‘Cause I’ve been to hell and now I’m back again
I feel alright Yeah, I feel alright tonight Yeah, I feel alright I feel alright tonight
Every single time I wrote about J Geils and now Peter Wolf, I always gush about how great of a frontman the man is. I would put him against anyone in rock. With the film clips I’ve seen, he is electric on stage. Wolf was the lead singer and songwriter of The J. Geils Band from 1967 to 1983. In 1983, Wolf and the J. Geils Band parted ways after the singer expressed his interest in returning to the band’s rock ‘n’ roll roots.
When the band was splitting up, he stepped out on his own. I asked CB if he had any artists in mind, and he thankfully sent me a few, and Wolf was one of them. I remember this song from the 1980s. He always brings energy and a fun atmosphere to work with. I also remember Lights Out that I have at the bottom.
I also found some more songs of Wolf that I really like. He did some music with Merle Haggard and others that I will be posting soon. Wolf and Tim Mayer wrote this song, as well as many of the songs on the album. I listened to this album this week, and it’s what Peter Wolf is: fun and energetic.
This song was on the album Come As You Are released in 1987. The song peaked at #15 on the Billboard 100, #29 in Canada, and #1 on the Mainstream Rock Charts. The album peaked at #53 on the Billboard Album Charts.
He released his autobiography, called Waiting On The Moon, on the 11th of this month. It’s one that I just ordered from Amazon. Wolf has lived a full life, to say the least. A teaser for the book said this: He roomed with David Lynch in college and married Faye Dunaway. Drank his first real Irish Guinness with Mick Jagger. Smoked hash with Peter Sellers. Ate lamb chops with poet Robert Lowell. Marilyn Monroe once handed him M&Ms.
Here is another song that came back to me .
Come As You Are
They hung a sign out Sign out at the seven Down at the hive of such a busy bee So sorry honey sign up for heaven The guilt tonight is you and me Come as you are, now come on Come as you are and we’ll have a ball Ain’t gonna be no masquerade Come as you are, or don’t come at all He’ll be a hot time, hot time at the lake side Barry and the boys are filling in for free We’ll jump and move and take it for a joyride I still get up there for you and me Come as you are, now come on Come as you are and we’ll have a ball Ain’t gonna be no masquerade Come as you are, or don’t come at all
I’m just a bluebird, bluebird at your window And it’s for sure you’re a pretty sight to see But lives are short; I know what you’re into Come on, it’s you and me Come as you are, now come on Come as you are, and we’ll have a ball Ain’t gonna be no masquerade Come as you are, or don’t come at all Whoa, whoa, whoa Come as you are now, come on Come as you are, and we’ll have a ball Ain’t gonna be no masquerade Come as you are, or don’t come at all Come as you are
Eric Clapton took the guitar and blues to new places. He played differently than most players when he started, and then he was widely copied. His guitar playing in Cream was off the hook with intensity. Because of the trio format, he was pushed by his bandmates. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy his solo work. His playing took on a different character, more restrained and refined. He explored new directions and evolved his sound. It wasn’t all about blazing solos anymore; it was about serving the song and embracing a more soulful, laid-back approach.
I first really noticed Eric Clapton when I heard the solo in Crossroads. I stopped and wanted to know more about this guy. I knew his name from Beatles books and the single my sister had called Promises. I rented a Cream video from the video store, and I was hooked. Like Neil Young and David Bowie, Clapton changed and evolved through the years.
He wrote the songs for his debut album in early 1970, and it was released in July of that year. He wrote most of the songs with Bonnie Bramlett, but Blues Power was written by Clapton and Leon Russell. Russell started the song’s first line the way people saw Clapton at the time. It did not chart when released in 1970, but it did chart when Clapton released a live version in 1980, peaking at #76 on the Billboard 100.
Clapton never stayed in any spot too long. He had gone from The Yardbirds, John Mayall, Cream, Blind Faith, and Delaney & Bonnie in a matter of around 7 years. He would soon be the leader of Derek and the Dominos. The Dominos played on this album and were also playing on George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass around the same time.
Blues Power
Bet you didn’t think I knew how to rock ‘n’ roll. Oh, I got the boogie-woogie right down in my very soul. There ain’t no need for me to be a wallflower, ‘Cause now I’m living on blues power.
I knew all the time but now I’m gonna let you know: I’m gonna keep on rocking, no matter if it’s fast or slow. Ain’t gonna stop until the twenty-fifth hour, ‘Cause now I’m living on blues power.
Talking to you, now. The boogie’s gonna pull me through. Keep on, keep on, keep on keeping on. Keep on keeping on, keep on keeping on.
This band is one of the big reasons I started to blog in the first place. To meet more Big Star fans and if I got just one person who didn’t know them to listen… my mission was a success. Want a great documentary? Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me
I thought I would list some songs that would be in my top 5 of their catalog. So maybe one of you reading this will take a listen. Here are Graham’s top 10 Big Star songs on his site. These songs are up there with the Beatles, Stones, Kinks, and Who to me. They didn’t have the quantity those bands had, but they had the quality.
Let’s make it 6. My bonus pick is:
BONUS: In The Street – I would say, hands down, the most known song by them besides September Gurls because it was the theme of That Seventies Show. Cheap Trick covered it and someone else for the intro…I wish they had used the original version.
5:Life Is White – Love this driving song by Big Star. It was on Radio City, their second album. Some say it is a response to the Chris Bell song off the first album called My Life Is Right…or a message to his girlfriend Diane (Don’t like to see your face Don’t like to hear you talk at all) that he was splitting with at the time.
4: When My Baby’s Beside Me: Great riff by Alex Chilton and full of the hooks that Big Star is known for. This song was the A-side to In The Street released in 1972. Both songs are on Big Star’s album #1 Record.
3: September Gurls: If Big Star had been heard, this would have been a top-ten hit or at least top 20. It was one of the best pop songs that didn’t chart. September Gurls was rated #180 by Rolling Stone in the magazine’s top 500 songs of all time.
Released as a single, it did not chart despite receiving excellent reviews, due mainly to poor marketing and distribution. It was on their second studio album Radio City. The song was later covered by The Bangles on their album Different Light.
2: Thirteen – This song is an absolutely perfect song about adolescence. I played it to my then 14-year-old son, and it made him a Big Star fan, now 10 years later. This song is the most covered song by Big Star, with 49 different covers. It’s almost a perfect acoustic song. The song is about an adolescent guy and his girlfriend who are rock fans, being what 13-14-year-olds are…confused and lost.
1: The Ballad of El Goodo – There are some songs that I hear, and I think…damn I wish I would have written this. This is one of those songs. To me, it’s a perfect song and represents everything I like. The way they transitioned into the chorus is magical to me. It comes very close to being my favorite song of all time.
The Ballad of El Goodo
Years ago, my heart was set to live, oh And I’ve been trying hard against unbelievable odds It gets so hard in times like now to hold on But guns they wait to be stuck by, at my side is God
And there ain’t no one going to turn me ’round Ain’t no one going to turn me ’round
There’s people around who tell you that they know And places where they send you, and it’s easy to go They’ll zip you up and dress you down and stand you in a row But you know you don’t have to, you could just say no
And there ain’t no one going to turn me ’round Ain’t no one going to turn me ’round Ain’t no one going to turn me ’round Ain’t no one going to turn me ’round
I’ve been built up and trusted Broke down and busted But they’ll get theirs and we’ll get ours if you can Just-a hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
Years ago, my heart was set to live, oh Though I’ve been trying hard against strong odds It gets so hard in times like now to hold on Well, I’ll fall if I don’t fight, and at my side is God
And there ain’t no one going to turn me ’round Ain’t no one going to turn me ’round Ain’t no one going to turn me ’round Ain’t no one going to turn me ’round
This is one of the best rock and roll documentaries that’s out there. A great documentary and probably the best that Chuck has ever sounded. He had a hell of a band behind him, and his songs did the heavy lifting. Pure poetry-driven songs about life with a huge backbeat. The band was incredible… Keith Richards, Robert Cray, the great Johnnie Johnson (Chuck’s original piano player), Steve Jordan, Bobby Keys, Chuck Leavell, and Eric Clapton are guests on a few songs. More than Chuck or the band… It’s a great showcase for those wonderful songs Chuck wrote for all of us.
This documentary starts off in 1986 with Chuck Berry reminiscing about the Cosmopolitan Club, where he played in the earlier days. The film centers around Chuck Berry’s 60th birthday and Keith Richards assembling an All-Star Band to support Chuck in concert. Chuck had been touring since the 60s by traveling from town to town and playing with any pickup band he found. All he brought was his guitar. He would get paid with cash in a paper bag in many places. That was his motivation more than playing with a good band. Chuck could be very sloppy playing live, but he did keep that great feel.
Chuck could also be difficult, to say the least. Keith was determined that Chuck was going to be backed by a great band for this concert… Chuck was Keith’s idol, but Chuck seemed to want to give Keith as much trouble as possible. Richards says in the documentary that Chuck was the only man who hit him that he didn’t hit back. During the rehearsals for the song “Carol”, you can feel the tension in the air between the two.
Seeing Keith’s reaction to Chuck at times is worth the price of admission, and I’m glad Keith was persistent and patient and got this done. It’s great footage of Chuck playing his classics. The concert at the Fox Theatre ended up a success. Chuck sounded great, and so did the band. I will be forever grateful they did this show, and we get to see Chuck Berry at his best.
During the documentary, there are some great comments by Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Bruce Springsteen, Jerry Lee Lewis, Willie Dixon, and more. Some of the artists that came on and sang were Etta James, Linda Ronstadt, and Julian Lennon. Chuck was a complicated man, but he was a poet as well. I can’t recommend this documentary enough. If you are a music fan you should like it. Chuck Berry may have influenced Rock and Roll more than anyone else.
My favorite story is from Bruce Springsteen. Bruce and the E Street Band volunteered to back up Chuck Berry for a show in the early seventies. Being Chuck’s temporary pickup band must have been nerve-wracking for musicians. Chuck didn’t tell them what songs he was playing or what key…this is Bruce’s quote “About five minutes before the show was timed to start, the back door opens and he comes in. He’s by himself. He’s got a guitar case, and that was it, I said ‘Chuck, what songs are we going to do?’ He says, ‘Well, we’re going to do some Chuck Berry songs.’ That was all he said!”
Below is the video. it’s not extremely clear but watchable.
