Parade of Flesh, The 1969s, Lee Bains III and the Glory Fires, King Tuff, Magic Jake and the Power Crystals, Club Dada, and The Anvil Pub

I've never been to a bad show put on by Dallas promoters Parade of Flesh, and last night was no different. The wife and I decided to take in dinner and a show to celebrate her new job, so we went down to Deep Ellum for the King Tuff show at Club Dada. First we had dinner at The Anvil Pub - she had an experience with a dish called "Hammertime," which was penne noodles and cheese with chili and fritos. I had a reuben pizza - a pizza with corn beef, 1000 Island dressing as sauce, and sauerkraut. Both were inexpensive and delicious and we ate everything! The bartender was also a very personable fellow. I liked that bar.

Stuffed after dinner, we ambled over to Club Dada, where the local Dallas "party blues" band the 1969s were just gearing up to play. We were both too full to stand for that show (sorry guys), but we did enjoy the tunes. Why are there no chairs in Club Dada for the old, fat crowd? I feel like I might have a lawsuit on my hands (j/k, j/k). Here's a jam from the 1969's 2011 EP, "Ride":

Next up was Alabama's own Lee Bains III and The Glory Fires. After our gutfest at the Anvil Pub we still were not fully prepared to rock, but we did manage to stand for the Glory Fires, albeit leaning up against the bar. I really enjoyed these guys. They have a southern/classic rock sound infused with punk and a little R&B, with smart lyrics that remind me of Mellencamp or the Boss. After the show I got to talk to Lee for a little while. My wife says to mention that he is near-intolerably handsome, and she could not look him in the eyes for too long. I was wondering why she hid behind me while he and I shot the shit.

Anyway, I found him to be a friendly, personable dude. I bought their new album, Dereconstructed, and told him I'd feature a few tracks from the album on my little blog here. When I got home, I saw the album is on Sub-Pop - that's the big time, man. I felt a little silly saying "I'll feature your songs on my blog" to a guy whose band has been on World Cafe, is on Sub-Pop, and has been reviewed on Pitchfork. But, Pitchfork only gave the album a 4.5 (I think it's out of 10, but since Pitchfork is contrarian maybe it's out of 11-3/4s). I think it's a great album all the way through, and they were a super-solid live act. And what Pitchfork calls "riff-based blooz rawk," I call good old fashioned rock'n'roll, and no amount of misspelling "blues rock" lessens the fact. "Blooz rawk" is the lamest cliche. So lame that I've used it on CNQ, I'm pretty sure - but not for a while, at least. But for a major music review site to repeat it, in 2014? Lazy writing, one of the many reasons I don't care for their reviews. Anyway.

I'd like to share a couple of my fave tracks, "The Kudzu and The Concrete" and "Dirt Track;" I might bug the band for permission and try to get those on here later. Right now, "Company Man" and "The Weeds Downtown" are currently the only songs from the new album that they have for share online. Both good songs. Check out the Glory Fires live if you get a chance:

Then there was King Tuff. We finally got over having ate too much at the Anvil Pub and were fully human and ready to rock by the time the three guys in King Tuff got on stage. Speaking of Pitchfork not knowing what they're talking about, they gave King Tuff's new album, "Black Moon Spell," a 6.4, and the review, written by a cat named Ian Cohen, is, I gotta say, mostly nonsense. Cohen got out his college degree and his thesaurus and forgot to remember to enjoy himself and the music to which he listens. This album is un-put-downable. My limited frame of reference hears it as T. Rex meets the hookier side of Elephant 6 acts, with guitar solos I'd describe as Mickey Melchiondo-esque. They were great fun to see live, and really positive and friendly with the crowd. That's Ty Segall on drums on this recorded version of the title track:

When we were posted up against the bar for The Glory Fires, there were these two dudes we assumed were hobos who had managed to panhandle enough cash to get in to see the show and buy a beer. It turns out, they were Magic Jake and Old Gary, the bassist and drummer for King Tuff, respectively.

Personal Revelations Dept.: One of my pet peeves is when people look at me and I nod or smile or say something, because I try to be friendly, and they look away, without responding. That grinds my gears and I'm all the time bitching about it. But, at the show last night, during the Glory Fires, Magic Jake (who was standing in front of us, watching the band), at one point turned around, and he and I made eye contact. He smiled, because he's a human being, and because I thought he was a hobo who was about to ask me to buy him a beer, I looked away. When I saw him up on stage, I was like, man am I an asshole - especially because on stage he was so personable, friendly and fun. He worked the crowd like a champ, and made the wife and I both want to give him a hug at the end of the show.

So, Magic Jake, if by any chance you read this, I'm sorry I dissed you because I thought you were a hobo. Living in Dallas I feel like maybe I've hardened up a little too much - from now on I'll remember to be nice to anybody who looks in my direction, no matter if I think they're going to hit me up for a buck or not.

Yes, Quieteers - Magic Jake taught me life lessons, without him even knowing it. That's how magic he is.

To assuage my guilt I bought his 2011 Burger Records album, Magic Jake and the Power Crystals. And surprise, like just about everything Burger Records has anything to do wtih, it's super-awesome:

The Glory Fires put me in the mood for some Mellencamp and today at work I listened to American Fool, Uh-Huh, Scarecrow, and Lonesome Jubilee. My advice to the world:

Michael Harren and Joan of Arse (2014)

Michael Harren is a composer and performer from Brooklyn who, per his site's About page, "combines elements of classical composition with experimental electronics and storytelling..." And he tours as pianist with Sandra Bernhard, who I've always had a crush on. Here's his new video - I like both song and video:

Small Bear Records has a new release, the absolutely right on Joan of Arse, from the Isle of Man. The video is by vanguard artiste Venison Lamprey. The Youtube video has the best quote ever: "it's not illegal if you don't care."

Ermanna Melli: "Avevi Ragione" (New Star Records #1004, 1965)

New Star Records operated in Milan, Italy from the 1960s to the 80s. Ermanna Melli's "Avevi Ragione" ("You Were Right") is the B-side to "Cos'e' Questo Desiderio" ("What's This Desire"). Both tracks were written by Crisci-Gial, and I can't find any info on that songwriting team. Both tracks were produced by maestro Angelo Camis, who also founded the label.

I can't find much on Ermanna Melli herself, and this seems to be her only work for New Star - maybe her only release period. Per the site Music & Memory, a backing band called The Whole may assist her on this record. This ebay listing has a picture of the original sleeve of the 45.

Like I said, both tracks on this 45 were written by a team named Crisci-Gial. I did find a poem, "Mary Was The Poetess," on the site poetrysoup. It's copyright 2009 by Andrew Crisci, whom I believe is Mary Crisci's brother. In the poem he talks about how Mary wrote the song "Cos'e Questo Desiderio" when she was 18, and it was recorded by Ermanna Melli, "from the city of Forli." The poem is a very pretty tribute to his sister, you should check it out.

Both the A and B sides of this 45 are enjoyable 60s pop. Kind of reminds of me of French ye-ye. Someone on Youtube beat me to the punch with the A-side (posted below), but the B-side, to my knowledge, has yet to be featured on the Internets.

Click here to listen and download Ermanna Melli's "Avevi Ragione."

I think this embedded player works on phones and some browsers:

...and here's another way to download "Avevi Ragione."

I forget where I picked this up; either at B4 or at a Half-Priced Books. I think it was mixed in with a stack of Latin 45s, if memory serves.

Testing a new player with The Great Dismal Swamis

The first track off The Great Dismal Swamis' latest, a repost to test to see if the player works. I've been having problems with my mp3 embeds, or maybe the google sites page where I store mp3s, I dunno. Right click the link below to open another tab and hear "Box Wine Bitches:"

Listen and download this MP3

Blind Blake: Police Dog Blues (1929)

From archives.org.

Download this MP3

Sammy Masters: "Say Yes Or No" b/w "When Fools Get Together" (Galahad 540, 1966)

I've had a couple of reports of my mp3 embeds not playing, so I'm trying out some new code tonight. If it won't play on your device, it should say so, and provide you with a link to download the song instead. If you've got a moment, leave me a note and let me know how this new code treats you. Thanks!

Also, I know it's janky to just take a picture of my record with my cell phone. You can see my shadow over the vinyl - embarrassing. I need a new scanner. It's on my list.

Sammy Masters was a rockabilly cat who recorded in the 50s and 60s. He wrote Turn the Cards Slowly, a minor hit for Patsy Cline. He was on The Jack Benny Show and Town Hall Party in the 50s. His song Rockin' Red Wing was a regional hit in L.A., and made it to #64 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960. Another of his songs, Who Can I Count On, was recorded by Willie Nelson, Bobby Darin, and Wayne Newton.

Masters' music career seems to have stalled, and he worked in TV production in the 60s and 70s. I dunno what he did in the 80s and early 90s, but in 1997 he got to tour Europe and Japan when a rockabilly revival was going on there. That's cool. After that, I guess he went back to doing his normal thing. He died at age 82 in March, 2013.

Top Shelf Oldies has a more in depth bio of Masters and a discography. It lists the A side as When Fools Get Together and the year as 1967, but my brand new copy of Rockin' Records (thanks Ahbob!) says '66, and the record itself is printed as Say Yes Or No = A side, When Fools Get Together = the flip.

Praguefrank's country discography also has a good discography for Masters, and rocky52.net has a nice bio, discography, and some pics of Masters' 45s.

Rockabilly Hall of Fame has a good article about the man, as does BigVJamboree.

Neither discogs nor 45cat have a listing for this 45, and I didn't find either song available for listening on a Google search. These two tracks were released on Galahad Record Co., which was Masters' own label independent label. The address on the 45 is Box 656, Norwalk, California.

Say Yes Or No was written by B. Kemp-R. Dale-S. Masters. I'm not sure who B. Kemp was, but R. Dale must be Ramona Dale, who is also listed as singing backup on both of these tracks. I dunno who Ramona Dale is otherwise, though. When Fools Get Together was written by Sammy Masters only. Rockin' Records lists this 45 as being $8-12 in near mint condition. Mine's a little scratched on one side but it plays fine - I picked it up for $2.98 at The Record Parlour in L.A.

Those links talking about Masters are interesting and each is worth reading. These two songs are fair enough 60s country - both are a little downbeat. I prefer the B-side but don't I always? As always, these songs are featured on CNQ strictly for educational and historical purposes. I'm not making any money doing this, and I hope I'm not pulling any bread out of mouths when I share these. If anything, a little exposure never hurt any artist. But the mp3s are gonna come down in a month or so, when I have to make room in my online cabinet for new stuff. So listen while you can.

Say Yes Or No:

Download Say Yes Or No

When Fools Get Together:

Download When Fools Get Together

Adam Holtz: Volume 18 and Postcode: Year of the Zebra - Part One (2014)

Adam Holtz has been the darling of Clean, Nice, Quiet for pretty much ever since I've been posting (a little over two years now!). In previous posts I've gone on about Adam's ear for a great melody in both his ballads and his rockers, his fine songcrafting abilities, and the fact he's a consummate axeman. So I'll just say his new CD, Volume 18, is, not surprisingly, the absolute tops. Adam doesn't have a web presence, so the way to contact him is snail mail:

1616 Abbey Loop
Foley, Alabama 36535

The 25 songs on his new volume (clocking in at 1 hour, 19 minutes) bring his total copyrighted catalog to well over 400 songs. Here's a few of my favorites from Volume 18. The last three songs on the CD are Christmas jams, so I'll be saving those for in a few months. Click on the links below to listen and download:

I Don't Know Why

Keep Stokin' That Fire

Dangerous Lady

That's All I Need

I've Got To Rock

Meanwhile, CNQ's favorite Manx zebracore rockers Postcode have released a new EP: Year Of The Zebra - Part One, on Small Bear Records. It's their second record of 2014, and it is boss sound. It's pay-as-thou-wilt and a limited edition CD-R for order comes with an extra track:

Here's a tumblr post by Mikie from Postcode talking about the EP, along with some photos, and here's the video for the first track, Yggdrasil, by a cat named Venison Lamprey:

Dolores Ware: "If I'm Wrong" (Mercury, 1955)

I found this in my dad's old 45 record album. From 1955 comes Dolores Ware's There's a Whole Lot of Fish In the Sea/If I'm Wrong (Mercury 70559). Both songs written by "Evelyn/Kirkland." I'm not sure who Evelyn is, but Kirkland is Leroy Kirkland, who had an incredible behind the scenes career as an "arranger, bandleader, guitarist and songwriter," per his Wikipedia article. Kirkland worked with a lot of cool people, I'll have to keep my eye out for his name from now on.

Ware has at least three 45s to her name from Mercury. There's this one, plus 1954's My Heart's In the Right Place/Please Tell Me Baby (Mercury 70394), and from '55, Can't Eat, Can't Sleep/Everything Will Be Alright (Mercury 70618).

On Mercury subsidiary Wing Records, founded in 1955, she had two releases: Thrill-La-Dill/Sweetness (W90017), and Is It True/I'm Through (W90032). Discogs says Is It True/I'm Through was released in '55.

The Mercury Labels: the 1945-1956 Era by Michel Ruppli and ‎Ed Novitsky (Greenwood Press, 1993) says Is It True, I'm Through, Thrill-a-Dill and Sweetness were all recorded at Mercury Sound Studio in NYC on July 28, 1955. From the same source, she recorded Your Hurting Heart/Everything Will Be Alright, and For Once In Your Life/Can't Eat Can't Sleep with a guy named Lee Austin (real name Austin Cromer), at Universal Recording Studios in Chicago on April 7, 1955. And at Fine Recording Studios in NYC, on May 14, 1954, she recorded Just To Be With You (unissued)/My Heart's In the Right Place, and Tell Me Baby (Just What I Say)/I'm Selfish (both unissued). There may be more of her in that book but that's just what I came up with on the Google preview.

She also had at least one release on Sharon Records, Strange/Falling In Love. No info on Sharon Records but apparently that one is worth some cash in mint condition.

A Google search turns up little biographical information but she was mentioned in Billboard several times in 1955, in album reviews and ads for Wing Records. The Billboard review for Thrill-La-Dill is positive but here's the lukewarm Billboard review of There's A Whole Lot of Fish In the Sea/If I'm Wrong.

According to Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebooks page on the 5 Crowns, on November 13, 1955, Ware performed at Harlem's Rockland Palace Ballroom, along with the 5 Crowns, Ray Charles and the Moonglows, the Cadillacs, Charlie & Ray, and the New Yorkers Five. What a line-up.

Thrill-La-Dill has made it onto at least a couple of jump and "early ladies of rock" type compilations.

If the Dolores Ware mentioned in this 2011 Times-Picayune article is the same woman who recorded these songs, she was 76 in 2011 and was still active as an organist and music director for a concert at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival that year. That would put her born in 1935, and just 20 years old when she had her big year in 1955.

The A-side of my copy is scratched and jumps too much, but here's the excellent If I'm Wrong, an obscure gem of an R&B song if ever there was one:

If I'm Wrong:

So if you know more about Ms. Ware, I'd love to hear it. Leave a comment or drop me an e-mail. Here's all the Dolores Ware I could find on Youtube:

Can't Eat, Can't Sleep:

Everything Will Be Alright:

There's A Whole Lot of Fish In The Sea:

Thrill-La-Dill was also co-written by Leroy Kirkland. Great song:

Sweetness:

Is It True:

Here's that one from NYC's Sharon Records. Recorded before 1955? After? Not sure.

New Sound From Bandcamp

I have seen several headlines on the music websites I follow about Thurston Moore's opinion on black metal. Thurston Moore's music and style have been a real influence on me. But Thurston's off-the-cuff comments on black metal are not headline worthy, and are, in fact, inconsequential. So then why did all the music sites and blogs I follow just regurgitate that headline?

I think it's lazy journalism, but hey, let's listen to some new tunes.

Idiot Stroszek is one guy from Athens, Greece. Here are four tracks from him, I just love this so much - it's everything I love about lo-fi, outsider-type of music - it's mainline rock'n'roll, it's personal art, I daresay it is a soul exposed:

From Lowell, MA. here's the most, man. The most. Sorry State says these guys'll have this on vinyl out this month. Oh, man, this is tight action:

Chiptunes from Ashville, N.C.:

This is from Hamburg, Germany:

From France and Crapoulet Records:

Rad horror-punk from the Basque Country in Spain:

Courtesy Bremen, Germany and Sabotage Records:

Another long one, but so worth it. Harnes Kretzer remix of Clara Engel's Sea Lions. As always, excellent, honest work from Clara. Harnes I'd never heard before but now I'm hip. A stunning song.

Jan Howard: "Bring It On Back To Me" (Challenge, 1961)

Jan Howard was born Lula Grace Johnson to a poor farming couple on March 13, 1932, in West Plains, Missouri. She was one of eight kids and was married at the age of 15, with three sons before she was twenty. She divorced twice before moving to L.A. in 1955. There she met her future husband, songwriter Harlan Howard, and after that her career took off. Despite her success, she's had a rough go at life - the bio on her website has this to say about Mrs. Howard's hard road to becoming one of the "Grand Ole Ladies" of the Grand Ole Opry:

"Jan is the survivor of a difficult life, but has always made it clear that she doesn't want pity. Her saga - which includes miscarriages, marital abuse, bigamy, poverty, war, suicide, cheating, divorce, thievery, depression, and mental collapse - has only made her stronger."

Dang! Bring It On Back To Me was the flip to the non-charting My Baby's In Berlin, both written by Harlan Howard. Released in 1961, on Los Angeles-based label Challenge Records. Challenge Records was co-founded by Gene Autry! Their biggest hit was in '58, the Champs' Tequila.

Bring It On Home isn't on Youtube, and the 7" isn't listed on Discogs or 45cat. I found it listed on Howard's own website's discography page, and from there I got the date. Youtube poster Jruus1 says My Baby's In Berlin is only available as a 45 single, and hasn't been on any of Jan's albums. I like this song. For educational purposes only, here's:

Jan Howard - Bring It On Home:

Dickie Goodman: "Irv's Theme" (Cash Records, 1975)

From Dickie Goodman's Wikipedia page:

"Richard Dorian "Dickie" Goodman (April 19, 1934 – November 6, 1989) was an American music and record producer born in Brooklyn, New York. He is best known for inventing and using the technique of the "break-in", an early precursor to sampling, that used brief clips of popular records and songs to "answer" comedic questions posed by voice actors on his novelty records. He also wrote and produced some original material, most often heard on the "b-side" of his break-in records."

Irv's Theme is one of those b-sides, written by Goodman and Bill Ramal. It's the flip for Mr. Jaws and is a neat little instrumental. Per Wikipedia's Mr. Jaws entry:

"("Mr. Jaws") peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1975. On Cash Box magazine's chart, it fared even better, reaching #1."

Goodman has an impressive discography. He committed suicide in 1989, age 55.

The comments section at 45cat has some interesting facts about the pressing of this record, a couple of different theories on why Goodman chose "Cash Records" as the label name (one repeating the story from Wikipedia, that Goodman named the label Cash because that's what he wanted the record company to make the check out to), and why there are so many different variants; plus pics of all (?) the variants. Neat stuff. I scored my mono copy (pictured above) for 98 cents at The Record Parlour in L.A.

Irv's Theme by Dickie Goodman:

Goodman and Ramal also produced a one hit wonder in 1970, The Glass Bottle's "I Ain't Got Time Anymore." It reached #36 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September, 1971.

The Crawford Brothers: "You Gotta Wear Shoes" (Del-Fi, 1962)

We just got back from a vacation to Los Angeles. This 45, Good Buddies/You Gotta Have Shoes, has some cool L.A. and Hollywood history attached to it. I picked it up for $1.98 at The Record Parlour.

Good Buddies was written by Carole King and Jerry Gofffin. "You Gotta Wear Shoes," the flip, was written by Hal Winn and Joseph Hooven, the founders of the Hollywood labels Double Shot Records and Whiz Records. Double-Shot put out the Count Five's Psychotic Reaction. This 45 was released in '62 on Del-Fi Records, another Hollywood label. Del-Fi was famous for signing Ritchie Valens, but a lot of cool acts were on it.

L.A. native Johnny Crawford was Del-Fi's biggest chart topper. The guy was the kid in TV's The Rifleman and one of the original Mouseketeers. His older brother, Robert Crawford Jr., listed on this 45 as Bobby, was an actor as well, but apparently they both recorded together and separately. Good Buddies is an okay Carole King song, someone has posted it to Youtube already. You Gotta Wear Shoes is...it is what it is, a relic of a pop song, too saccharin and too bland for my tastes. But I didn't see it on Youtube or another blog, and you Quieteers (both of you) know how much I love history, record label obscura, and sharing sound that hasn't been heard on the Internet yet. So for educational purposes --

You Gotta Wear Shoes by The Crawford Brothers:

Image courtesy monkeyBLOGmonkeyDO:

New Punk

So I'm up a little late and rockin it ya know, cruisin the Net, y'all. Can u feel it 2?

From Total Punk Records:

Polish goregrind:

San Fran's Punch. I just capitulated, first song. Love the whole thing. The craziest sound. Love it. Max volume, whole thing, fr sure:

Les Chats Sauvages avec Dick Rivers (Pathé, 1962)

This 45 was a birthday present from my sister. Thanks, sis!

Per Wikipedia, Les Chats Sauvages (that's The Wild Cats to you and me, Rus) operated from '61 to '64. They were originally fronted by French singer/songwriter Dick Rivers, who left the band to pursue his solo career in '62. According to Wikipedia, Rivers has continued to record and perform up until at least 2011. Per Wikipedia and Discogs, Rivers and Les Chats Sauvages helped bring rock'n'roll to France in the early 60s, and, in February of '61, they caused a riot at a gig in Paris with Vince Taylor. Super-cool.

Pathé Records released the record. Per Discogs, Pathé was active in the U.S. market from the late 1800s until the 30s. They continued to operate in Europe, especially in France, until the 1980s. Neat history.

The single, Laissez-Nous Twister, is a wild, rockabilly, Elvisy, French language cover of Sam Cooke's Twistin' the Night Away. It is just the most, man.

The other song, Cousine-Cousine, is the last song on the 4 song EP. The back of the sleeve says it was written by "P. Saka - J.P. et H. Bourtayre." I don't understand the J.P. part but Saka and Bourtayre, I believe, wrote a few songs for Dick Rivers during his career. Anyway, the other two songs are great, and it was hard to decide which song besides the single to pick. Check out Rivers' delivery in Cousine-Cousine. I think he wants to tongue your ear.

Laissez-Nous Twister:

Cousine-Cousine:

Thanks again, sis! Also, I apologize about my janky pics, where you can see my shadow hovering above the record with my phone. I'm in between scanners.