hrrundivbakshi

hrrundivbakshi

Dec 032007
 

Please!

Puh-leez.

Sorry to hijack this thread, Mod, but come on: this “best of the Zeez versus best of Thorogood” concept was dead on arrival. Why? Because the Reverend Billy G and company are so far superior to General George and his band of frat-boy blooz abyoozers that it just ain’t fair to throw them both in the steel cage at the same time. Now, a Handicap Match — *that* might be a little more balanced. So here’s what I propose: I’ve gathered a choice selection of tracks — six, as you requested originally — from across ZZ Top’s career, and they’re making their way to the ring. But note: these are tracks few may have heard; they’re some of the deepest of ZZ’s Deep Traxx. No hits, but, as always, huge chunks of funk and tons of Texas ‘tude. I feel certain they’ll still mop up the ring with the *best* your lame-ass, stogie-chompin’, Mid-Atlantic has-been can offer. Bring it on!

In chronological order, then, here are the members of ZZ Top’s six-man tag team of undeniably rockin’ obscurities:

Salt Lick — from ZZ Top’s first single. Just wanted to prove that this band *always* had what it takes to stomp a mud-hole in Thorogood’s ass.

Move Me On Down the Line — from ZZ Top’s Texas nationalist masterpiece “Tres Hombres.” Smokin’!

Have You Heard — also from “Tres Hombres,” but this time a deep, blue testament to the band’s abiding love for red-state, colorblind, gospel preacherman music.

Moving forward a year or two, from “Fandango!”, a live track that documents just what a monster rock machine these guys were live: Thunderbird. The actual performance, while fun, is sloppy as all hell, but that entrance — POW, right between the eyes!

From the underappreciated “Tejas” album, Arrested for Driving While Blind. I’m assuming you’re bringing one of those jive-ass Thorogood drinkin’ songs to the ring. Be my guest, SUCKER — here’s mine.

Lastly, to prove I’m not stacking the deck, here’s a track from the first of the processed 80s albums, “Eliminator.” If I could Only Flag Her Down proves that you can’t hide good music behind crappy production, no matter how hard you try.

So there you go, Mod. I urge you to simply hand over the belt, right now.

Accompanied to the ring by the greatest boogie rock band of all time,

HVB

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Dec 012007
 

Portrait of the artist as a young man

Greetings, fellow seekers of the occasionally rare, the frequently unusual, and the always cheap! I have returned from my peregrinations with a noteworthy artefact that I thought you and the rest of the world might enjoy — Browning Bryant‘s eponymous 1974 release on Reprise Records. Why is this record worth listening to, you ask? Because it was almost entirely written, arranged and produced by Allen Toussaint at the arguable height of his powers — and because a large portion of it was performed by funky Crescent City residents The Meters!

Portrait of the writer/producer/arranger as THE MAN

As you know, the purpose of the Thrifty Music series is not to delve into the rockeological minutiae of session detail — there are other, fine, even geekier sources for that information out there. I will tell you that this album was crafted by Toussaint while in the employ of Reprise Records as a staff producer, and was evidently the first record to be recorded at his own Sea-Saint studios. Why Reprise chose Toussaint to deliver a hit record for former child TV/country music B-lister Browning Bryant is anybody’s guess, but there you go.

Will the real Browning Bryant please stand up?

As one might imagine, the comparatively weak link on the album is Browning Bryant. For the most part, his voice is a bit thin and precious for the material. And I’ve spared you the real needle-lifters on the LP, which essentially get worse the further you drift from Allen’s strong guiding hand. (Note that I didn’t upload the other strong track from the album, “Blinded By Love”, as it’s floating around the Internet already.) My thoughts on the tracks I’m sharing follow:

Liverpool Fool

Liverpool Fool — fans of the Thrifty Music series may remember this track from the old list, where I posted it after finding an incredibly beat-up promo 45 in a junk store in rural Virginia. After falling in love with the 45, I began an intensive eBay search for the album, and managed to find it for one measly dollar, unopened! Thanks to the Internet, this album has since been discovered by hordes of Toussaint fans, and those days of cheap discovery are over. I believe the least expensive version of this album you can find now is a Japanese CD pressing that’ll cost you $39 and up. Anyhow, here’s my rip from my LP — literally the first time this (or any of these other tracks) was ever played on a record player!

I’ve said it before, but I just love this song — I have a hard time understanding why it wasn’t a hit, for crying out loud! It’s funky, swinging, pleasant, melodious… it’s got it all!

This Is My Day

Next up: This Is My Day — what a winner, and a huge triumph of pop music arrangement. Notice how the outchorus takes the track from dreamy, quasi-swamp psychedelia into foot-stompin’, field-hollerin’, biscuit-eatin’ goodness. Brilliant!

You Might Say

You Might Say — once you get past Browning’s inept soul ululations, this track really blossoms. Is it pop? Sure! Is it soul? Yeah! Is it funk? Yup. How about ska? Ska?! Well, yeah, that, too!

Leave the Rest to Molly

Leave the Rest to Molly — how many of you agree with me that this should’ve ended up on a Levon Helm album? Man, he would’ve knocked this one out of the park! In Browning’s hands, it’s a ground-rule double at best.

Anyhow, folks, there may be one or two other tracks worth listening to on the album, but these are the best of the bunch. As always, I’d be curious to get your thoughts here.

Salagahle,

HVB

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Nov 292007
 

As part of my ongoing effort to lift RTH out of the hatred and finger-pointing, I offer Snoop’s latest tribute to the power of Mighty Love. I approve of Snoop’s new attitude!

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Nov 292007
 

I’m tired of all this talk about blaming bands and hating fans. I just wanna know: is this a good song or not? Yes or no!

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Nov 242007
 

Greetings, fellow Town Hallers! I’m passing these two vuh-deos along to prove a point: there is something distinctly autumnal about the Kinks in their wistful, introspective but optimistic prime, ’round about 1967. The obvious choice to make this point is this song:

… but there’s also something crisp, snappy, and I-can’t-wait-to-get-home-to-warm-up-some-leftovers about this one, too:

And by the way: is it just me, or do these two songs constitute one of the most amazing rock and roll singles of all time? (“Mr. Pleasant” was the B-side to “Autumn Almanac.”)

Anyhow, I realize there’s nothing specifically autumnal in the lyrics to 95% of the Kinks’ output in this or any other era of the band’s history, but, by golly, I hear it in the arrangements, the production, the melodies — Fall is everywhere! Anybody else hear the band this way?

HVB

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Nov 182007
 

Would you buy a used Hendrix song from this man?

How about this guy? SURE you would!

I was out walking the pooch, earbuds locked and loaded, when David Lee Roth’s version of “If 6 Was 9” surged into my earbones. Now, as it happens, I really, really like his version of Hendrix’s freakazoid anthem. Really. As I grooved my way through the park behind my house, I found myself asking the question: “yeah, but *why* do I like Diamond Dave’s version of this song so much?” — and it became clear to me that one of the main reasons I liked it — backstory or no backstory — was because it was *Dave* doing it. Not in any kind of snarky, post-ironic way, either; I think the song *means* something to the guy, and he gets into it in his own groovy kind of way, which — well, that’s the whole point of the song, right? Of all the songs in the freaking universe Diamond Dave should be able to cover without folks getting all uptight on his ass, this is the one. Right?

Or do you guys think it sucks?

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Nov 092007
 

Okay, so the “rock musical” thread was a Very Sad Thing indeed. This next video treasure hunt gives us ample opportunity to make us feel a whole lot better about the intersection of music and showbiz. What I’m looking for is the best performance — real or lip-synch’ed, actual YouTube links are appreciated — in a dramatic motion picture, in a “supporting role.” There are some ground rules:

  • No clips from movies about the featured band
  • No clips from musicals or concert films
  • No clips from artists or bands who were responsible for writing/directing/producing/making the movie in any way
  • No fake bands — though the band can be named facetiously in the script, it has to be a real rock combo, in real or faux performance

I hope this is clear enough. If it isn’t, consider The Yardbirds’ performance in Blowup — or, better yet, consider The Chocolate Watchband in Riot On Sunset Strip:

I look forward to your responses.

HVB

p.s.: Mad Props to Collin Wade Monk, Nashville scenester, rocker, and RTH lurker, for pointing me in the direction of this excellent clip. Hear Collin spiel at http://www.nashvillescene.com/Stories/Arts/Music/SceneCast.

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