It’s going to be extremely difficult for anyone under the age of 43* to properly feel the stinging blows that Team Destroyer will deliver in support of George Thorogood’s Steel Cage Match against ZZ Top and Team Top, but we’ll do our best. Truth be told, it’s going to be only slightly less difficult for the older heads of Rock Town Hall to see the dim stars that will result from our sure-footed jabs, but victory will be all the sweeter.
Before we get into the music, let’s start with the original Look of a young George Thorogood. Take a good look at that cover shot that kicks off this thread. Can you handle what you see?!?!
Now, those of you nerds who remember, circa 1977, high-fiving over the back cover shot of Talking Heads in their little plaid shirts; those of you who discovered Jonathan Richman in his simple, little shirts; those of who were sickened by what rock had become following the age of KISS and other overblown, tarted up arena rockers, look inside your hearts and give Thorogood some respect for his initial choice of simple stage threads. Compare it with that of UK roots rockers like Dave “Saint of Roots Covers” Edmunds, and tell me Thorogood’s not working the same angle, that is Rock of The People.
Now listen to this song while I continue. Listen to it!
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.
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,
This is not a throwdown I can promote and take part in with even the slightest bit of pride, but upon hearing about 8 seconds of George Thorogood’s “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” while flipping channels on the drive in this morning, I feel compelled to book the following Steel Cage Match, pitting ZZ Top against the Delaware Destroyer. Hear me out.
Let’s throw out all notions of Critical Acclaim, Authenticity, Cool, and Self-Respect. Let’s line up Team Top vs Team Destroyer, and throw in a half dozen examples of “best” songs by each artist, as chosen by each team of relative, possibly reluctant supporters, against the other in terms of Listenability.
We will ask ourselves – and debate – which artist’s best songs are easiest to listen to, if forced to do so.
Also, each team will have the option of choosing three “skeletons” from the other artist’s catalog. There may be a need, if your team finds itself “winning” this debate by positive means, of embarrassing the other team’s artist.
Let me know what you think about this. Today we can start lining up in support of one artist or the other. Maybe we start developing the list of 6 “best” songs and 3 skeletons. Then we’ll gather those audio examples and see how this plays out in the Steel Cage. Are you game?
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 — 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!
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 — 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 — 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.
