Monday, September 13, 2004
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glisten: Drunkard #7
13. Sonny Boy Williamson - "Sloppy Drunk Blues"
Jowey - Rice Miller was a classic blues harp player. Born in MS, died in AR, he certainly spent many years singing the Delta Blues. I'd wonder how old this track actually IS, since he died in 1965. I consider this song an ode to my roommate. Only difference, Williamson enjoys half-pints of whiskey while Andy consumes Natural Light in 12oz increments.
Jowey's making a pretty common error here, confusing Sonny Boy with Rice Miller, who ALSO went by the moniker 'Sonny Boy Williamson'. They were both blues harmonica players; Rice outlived Sonny Boy (who, in morbid blues singer tradition, was murdered) by a few decades.
For the record, this track came out in '41.
Mark - Ok, I understand this guy. I've been here. Dude just doesn't give a fuck anymore. His lady left his poor ass and he just wants to get sloppy drunk. Except with me, when I wound up sleeping by myself it wasn't it in a bed, it was in the middle of the highway. The harmonica is spot on. Somebody get this poor bastard a beer.
Illovich - I have a really hard time writing about the blues. I don't know why. I'm trying, but I can't think of anything to say.
Brooks - This is a great old blues song. The singer is lamenting the problems that drinking has brought him, but he loves it anyway - besides, the reason he drinks is so he can "get along with you!"
With ME? What'd I do to him?
Buy Volume Four of the "Complete Sonny Boy Williamson".
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Read this short Williamson bio.
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Explore this John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson page with discography, bibliography and personal remembrances.
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Visit this hub of harmonica songs.
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14. Rosco Gordon - "We're All Loaded (Whiskey Made Me Drunk)"
Jowey - LOVE the horn section. They're cranking it out something fierce. The crowd is very into this, the band must have been jamming pretty hard. Rosco's dead, though he and I share several connections. He pioneered Memphis Blues; I live in Memphis. He recorded with many famous musicians including Bobby "Blue" Bland; one of my fraternity brothers was a trumpeter for Bobby's band and I actually met him once, after a show. Small world...
Mark - This one also makes me think of drinking too much cheap whiskey, but I don't feel bad about it yet. It's like that last great rally when you're dancing really fast and not worried about that awful knot in your stomach. You can be sure that a few minutes later the riot squad is going to breaking out the billy clubs in your belly and booting all the whiskey elves out of there. Love the guitar in this, and the walking bass line is tight. I can't make out what the guy is shouting in the back, but I'm sure it's good. It's shit like that makes recordings still sound fresh half a century later.
Illovich - See above.
Brooks - I read something about Rosco's unique piano rhythms being the foundation of early ska in Jamacia. It's not really apparent on this track, but this one is a good time anyway.
Just the thing for smoking at the bar. Unless you're in New York. Or LA. Okay, so maybe it's not good for smoking. But it IS smoking.
Loose like church music and quietly raucous. It's a last call song.
Buy "Bootin': The Best of the RPM Years".
Nuthin' but some dirty gritty Memphis Riddim'n'Blooz.
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Listen to two of Rosco's last recorded tracks on this tribute page.
Lots of interest in here; look around.
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Read this interview with Rosco by Mohair Slim, who likely fostered Brooks reminiscence about Gordon's influence on Ska.
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spiffy
My friend and yours, Tuwa Baab has opened his own love shack over on the horizon, just down the street from the Tofu Hut. I strongly recommend you drop by and tip a beer with him; he's got some nice tunes on the jukebox and he's a good fella to pass the time with.
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And these guys will soon be added to the musicblog list but let's take a minute and welcome the pop-periffic Sounds of Sweden (new Ace of Base!); the somewhat erratically posting Orbis Quintus; the just ERRATIC (but neato) 20 Jazz Funk Greats; cowboytrance Orchestra ("This first run of tunes isn’t too obscure; I’m just trying to direct people to the blog and get a few hits before I start rotating in the killer stuff." Be patient kids!); North Carolina based Oakroom (he's just off on vacation so set your alarm clocks); krucoff, the switch and Catherine's Pita (collectively proof that the cool kids are starting to musicblog); J. Quinn (scroll past the ascii beatles... except for DREAMY john, stay there for a bit); hiphop action at We Eat So Many Shrimp and lastly (leastly), Jebus help us, The Music of Orrin Hatch.
And leave us not forget Soulclub Jukebox and sensitively. I sure haven't.
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M4R on the redesign tip 4 Real! Love the mecha!
Wasn't I supposed to be doing that too?
Oh yeah.
I say a lot of things.
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We've been getting some loverly drops and discss here in the Hut, including a few things to show up on the site afore too long. Special shouts to Robin, Chris F. and Monkey Jason and the ever generous and keepin-me-current folks at Heavy.
Strangest promo I've ever gotten arrived a few days ago: a velcro-close satchel of picture disc vinyl from Warner Brothers called "Diesel's Greatest Hips" filled with eleven mix albums of rock, rnb, disco, etc. This is to commemorate a new line of BLUE JEANS being launched. No note attached, no information as to why I got this or who it was from. Bizarre.
My grandmother flipped through the discs (which in true Diesel fashion, feature half naked models on the cover) and called to tell me a package had arrived for me at her place.
"I opened it. I thought it was for me but your name was on it."
(?)
"What's in it grandma?"
"I don't know. I thought it was CBs."
"CDs?"
"No, the other things."
"DVDs?"
"Yeah, those; only I don't have a player so I can't tell. I think they're softcore porn. Are you expecting something?"
So that's my blood, folks. She assumes if I was GOING to have softcore porn ("SOFTCORE"? She knows the difference?) mailed to me that I would make sure to send it via my grandmother. God help us if she had a DVD player; she might've tried to watch my "softcore porn" by forcing albums into the Toshiba.
Diesel: bringing families together.
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Meeting the Neighbors
First things first: Womenfolk is NOT run by a woman. Robbie DOES have quite a taste for the female voice and his enthusiasm for all music Lillith-Fair-y is likely to have you flipping back though old Tori, Suzanne and PJ albums. Recent offerings include music from Lauren Hoffman, Eddi Reader, Kim Fox and Morley.
Who's the good man behind this good woman?
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What are the criteria you judge a song by to decide if it's post-worthy?
Other than the artist being female (and I'll occasionally most music by men), my primary criteria was to post about music that I particularly enjoyed. But lately, I've decided to focus on all types, as many people have recommended artists that I have never heard of. I feel that it would behoove me to post about them, too. Otherwise, I'd say the criteria is pretty general.
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What song would you like played at your funeral?
I've always liked Jonathan Brooke's live version of "In The Gloaming." It's sad, but beautiful. And as funerals go, I'd say it would be appropriate.
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What do you do for kicks when you're not posting?
I'm always listening to music... In the car, on the computer, in my dreams, etc. I also do a fair amount of web design making CD mixes with elaborate cover artwork.
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Do you have a favorite music critic? If so, can you refer me to a few pieces of his/her work on the web?
Actually, I don't have a favorite. As much as I write about music on Womenfolk, I generally find critics to be pointless. Art in its various forms is subjective. What someone finds superb another person could easily deem as trash. That's the beautiful thing about having an opinion.
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Five desert island discs?
01. Liz Phair - "Whip-Smart"
02. Eurythmics - "Revenge"
03. Sam Phillips - "A Boot And A Shoe"
04. Lisa Germano - "Excerpts From A Love Circus"
05. Patty Griffin - "Living With Ghosts"
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Do you consider yourself a "music journalist"?
No, I definitely don't consider myself a music journalist, but feel I do possess a decent amount of music knowledge. I have this odd compulsion to share what I feel is great music with other people who may not be in the know. There aren't many people that I've met that share this crazy obsession, but I know they're out there.
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What was the last track you heard that really changed your life?
Patty Griffin's "Top Of The World" is particularly special. She's a terrific songwriter. Much of Ani DiFranco's entire catalog takes me back to happy times when my best friend and I went out on our late night adventures being normal teenagers. Good times.
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Describe the space you do your writing in.
I write on my computer desk at home, which is in a loft-styled room. The lighting is warm, the tunes are always on and there's a sleeping dog nearly always at my feet. Doesn't get much better than that.
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That old chestnut dinner party is at your house and you can invite three musicians living or dead. Who are you inviting?
I would invite Annie Lennox simply because I find her utterly fascinating and would want her to be my friend. I'd want Dolly Parton to be there, because she'd be a kick in the pants to have at the dinner table. Instant entertainment from a living legend. And lastly would probably be Liz Phair. I love her to death, but I have some serious questions about her last album.
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Is there any genre of music that you dismiss out of hand?
Let's just say you won't be reading any Slipknot (or related 'music') reviews anytime soon on my site.
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Drop on by Better Propaganda and pick out a track to hype.
Grandadbob - City Approach
I normally find electronic music to be somewhat disposable, but this duo really flesh the genre out, including everything from synthesized sound effects, lacings of string arrangements, and a beautiful voice. Music you can dance to or to set your mind at ease; exqusite electronica guaranteed to put pep in your step.
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Tomorrow, we'll meet the Indie Kids. Will they Dance? Only time will tell.
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VERY spiffy
Okay they don't like me at the Stone, but apparently they DO at Newsweek.
"Reefer and Beer at the Tofu Hut".
In Newsweek.
Fourteen minutes and counting kids but this tickles me like Elmo.
