boss

photograph by david l. segal. Another Fred Wesley and James Brown collaboration. Featuring the JB’s. ▼ JAMES BROWN: BOSS from “Black Caesar (Original Soundtrack)” LP (Polydor) 1973 (US)

arthur alexander & sex

john tobler’s punk cash-in, phoebus publishing, 1977.the sex clothes were shockingbut they were art.i know ’cause i’ve got them on my wall. – Marco Pirroni “punk.“, colegrave & sullivan.This comes courtesy of Crispin over at Reel Cool. Better known here in the UK as the lead track on The Rolling Stones January, 1964 EP, this

we do wie dü

‘church’ organist, larry clark gives it up for black monk time, 1966. As I have intimated previously, I have procured tickets for consecutive nights of Mark E. Smith & The Fall’s Glasgow bash, kicking off this evening on the Renfrew Ferry now permanently moored at Anderson Quay on the River Clyde. A location not ten

curse of the mole people

virgil vogel’s “the mole people“, 1956. Arranged by John Pate and Riley Hampton. Engineered by Roger Anfinsen. Written and produced by Curtis Mayfield; one year before his 30th birthday.Trivia for pigeon fanciers and trainspotters: The Underground (subway) in Glasgow – originally opened to the public in 1897 – is widely referred to as ‘The Clockwork

hell, there it is

inner sleeve of “hell“, 1974. Not the scratchy funk you might have good reason to expect hot on the coals of the Contortions. But itchy. Arranged and produced by James Brown and David Matthews.   Released on 7″ ahead of the double LP, “There It Is“.Written by Manny Rosen; James Brown; David Matthews; Charles Bobbit. people-2501.Hell.

off white #1

james chance, lydia lunch and chums on the bowery, summer 1978. No Yorker, James Chance… found a home on the pages of those earliest issues of ‘The Face‘, a fashion & music monthly launched in the UK in 1979. The writing in that magazine, while mostly fine, unquestionably played second fiddle to its sharp graphic

terry melcher’s favorite toy

Do not f@ckin’ worry or…alternatively, hold your breath. I have not been born again; once in a lifetime is quite enough. Written by Ira and Charles Louvin, this is simply a dress rehearsal from the “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” sessions with Gram Parsons on vocals. Fitting on a Sunday. Said Gary Usher: “ McGuinn was

gram for gram, pound for pound

dennis hopper by andy warhol, 1971. A joint Gram Parsons and Roger McGuinn composition; originally released as the flip side to “Bad Night at the Whiskey” ahead of the new LP. It did not chart. The follow-up of sorts to Parsons’ vehicle, “Sweetheart of the Rodeo“, by this point McGuinn was the sole remaining original

what the world needs now

Only… one year before the Queen of Soul’s definitive version, Dionne Warwick recorded this song on her Scepter released LP, “The Windows of the World“, essentially one more Warwick / Bacharach vehicle to add to the catalogue; seven of the eleven tracks recorded were Burt Bacharach arrangements. There is no escaping the songwriting genius of

it’s a girl, mrs. walker

photography by david montgomery. Original recording produced by Kit Lambert at Kingsway studios, London in October 1967. These two, neither included on the final album remarkably – the second a Keith Moon composition – manage to sound even more like the Monkees than the Monkees. Some stellar syncopated drumming from Keith; a little Spanish Syd

stationary target

“Young Americans” era jones, 1975. Stepping off American Bandstand – but not the white powder – The Thin White Duke turned introspective and hit the black on Bleaker Street for his follow-up release, “Station to Station“, in 1976. Paralyzing psychosis and paranoia informed both the writing and performance in the studio throughout, and the blue-eyed

we fuck on cinder blocks

Roll up! From the cancerous bowels of New York City… “The most punk rock country-blues chamber orchestra on earth.”The debt owed Tom Waits here is striking – after a three minutes past midnight fashion – but other songs hint at something beyond “Rain Dogs“. Front man, Johnny B. – “A Legend in his own mind”

my name is jack

r. crumb by charles burns. This single, released on Fontana in the early summer of 1968 – dragging on the heels of a 45 version of Dylan’s “Mighty Quinn” and Mann’s theme from the kitchen sink drama, “Up the Junction” – reached the number 8 spot on the UK charts but did not even break

glendale real estate

from his glendale series, 1990-1993. photograph by wayzata camerone. Directly inspired by Nothin’ Says Somethin’s featuring of an image by Wayzata Camerone in his recent post on L.A. punksters, The Brainiacs. Camerone was vocalist and saxophonist for the band from 1979 to 1981, in addition to teaching a class in photography at Art Center in

evolutionary spirit

You may by now be familiar with their self-released “The Evolution” EP, originally debuting in September, 2008. A live staple on the Chicago circuit, apparently, Overman share a farm dwelling in nearby Joliet, Illinois, where they have honed their sound since their inception some six years ago. The title track, “Evolution Rocks“, has already garnered

the wrestler

I’m almost embarrassed to admit to it – though brazen enough in the final analysis – but I went to see Alan Parker’s “Angel Heart” in the same theatre three days running in 1987. It was not the ‘surprise’ dénouement which had me coming back, really there was no surprise to be had, but it

IRSX 105

“Produced by Other Wordly Sources“. Allegedly. Released March, 1984; finally finding a permanent resting place on 1987’s compilation, “Dead Letter Office“. ▼ R.E.M.: VOICE OF HAROLD from “So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry) b/w Voice Of Harold / Pale Blue Eyes” 12″ 45 (I.R.S.) 1987 (US)

radio free ontario

Do not fret. There are no plans afoot to alter this channel’s remit to wallow in music of a clear and certain ‘vintage’. Not significantly, at least. Jeff Davis, it appears, first teamed up with fellow busker, Fergus Griffin, after a chance encounter on the London Underground in 1999 when Davis turned up there on

la celestina: blue period

TW 1010. detail from “la celestina” by pablo picasso, 1904, in his blue period.“Like a slingshot, only using a sibling ? Where do I get one ?” Quite unexpectedly, I recently received an email from Jackson Del Ray of Los Angeles based experimental collective 17 Pygmies, including links to their 2008 CD release on Trackwerx,

sibling whispers #23: rockin’ with jerry lee

Quite possibly the finest review of the Killer in the raw I have come across; Jon’s invocation of a night in the company of Jerry Lee in Little Nashville Opry in Nashville, Indiana – over on Poetry is for Assholes – perfectly conjures the Old Testament evangelism of bearing witness to serpents writhing straight up