Terry Hall: An Appreciation

Hearing the Specials for the first time was one of those "Lightning strikes" moments. The first few weeks of college were tough for me, but discovering new music eased things. The first Specials album is an all time great. Though I was well immersed into the British punk scene, I had missed out on the Specials. For the benefit of one person who may be reading this, I can tell you I bought this at the Record Store that used to be by Quatros in Carbondale, Illinois I had listened to the Clash, the English Beat and (album producer) Elvis Costello, but nothing quite prepared me. The album from start to finish is amazing. Terry Hall was the perfect frontman. He sang as if it was a chore, as if he was “put out” or bored (Bernard Sumner is another vocalist who sounds like this) but the rest of the band was partying around him and somehow the contrast made everything more powerful. (Wikipedia suggests that I am on the right track by telling us that the vocals were taken from two vocal takes - a "bored" one and an "angry" one.) My version of the first record is the American version which adds “Gangsters”. Both that song and its follow up “A Message to you, Rudy” are perfect songs with accompanying fantastic videos. The music axiom of breaking up early instead of carrying on like The Rolling Stones (or U2) is in play here. Somehow, Jerry Dammers walking away from the Specials has cemented a certain legacy for him, but Hall continued to make music. Like Paul Weller, fans might not appreciate the pivot to more poppy music and The Colourfield and Fun Boy Three don’t carry the same gravitas. This plays out in the disappointment that Dammers didn’t join the recent Specials reunion. Then it is to Hall (and gang)’s credit that those two records were great additions to the band’s canon. Sadly, we didn’t get the third album from this incarnation which was supposed to be reggae influenced. I can hardly think of more iconic videos than “Gangsters” even if it’s just the band. The black and white striking out. Hall only occasionally maintaining eye contact, Neville Staple being a force of frenetic energy, Lynval Golding and Horace Panter jumping around while Roddy Radiaton provides his guitar heroics, and Dammers stealing his scenes by being a bit of a smart aleck. It is probably impossible to calculate the effect the album had on American punk and ska. Additionally, think of the influence passed on in artists as varied as No Doubt, Damon Albarn and Tricky.

Tom Verlaine: An Appreciation

I am fairly certain I bought “Marquee Moon” based on reputation and I was a big fan already of the New York punk scene. Everything you can say about the album is true. I think it is fantastic. I also bought “The Blow Up” shortly after- a more messy live affair that has been packaged and repackaged quite a bit over the years. It was a ROIR cassette that showed the band’s live side -adding versions of their early single “Little Johnny Jewel” - a song as adventurous as anything the band did and covers of “Satisfaction”, “Knockin on Heavens Door” and the 13th Floor Elevators “Fire Engine”. I was becoming a fan around the time the band reunited and released a self-titled third album. I was disappointed with the album at the time, although it has grown on me. Verlaine always spoke to me. His path seemed mystical - paired with Richard Hell and Patti Smith in bringing poetry to rock music. Verlaine pops up in another of my favorite artists biographies, working with Jeff Buckley for what would have been the follow up to Grace- a great rock n roll what if. Uncut featured Television a few months ago. Apparently, rumors of a fourth album are an annual occurrence with the possibility of actual recordings as anybody’s guess (Richard Lloyd having checked out of this conversation many years ago) Little Johnny Jewel is also the first track on the fantastic 2015 Ork Records: New York New York compilation

Jeff Beck: An Appreciation

There’s probably not a lot to add about the late Jeff Beck but I feel like I should say something. I am going to start with High School. I read Guitar player magazines and Beck was one of the highest regarded of all. I even bought his 1989 Jeff Beck’s Guitar Shop album. Now, I would say his instrumental guitar jazz fusion music wasn’t for me. I don’t know that I would reach out for Blow by Blow or Wired- the two classics of the genre. But it’s a ‘me’ thing, I absolutely get it. I appreciate it, but I probably wouldn't pick it out to listen to. No, I gravitate to Beck in the Yardbirds. I still have them in my constant rotation. Over Under Sideways Down (also called Roger the Engineer) is a classic album. Again, I don’t need to educate on that. But for a moment, take another listen to 1965s Mister You’re A Better Man Than I (lead song off Having a Rave Up With the Yardbirds) Is it the first metal song? There were a few earlier (You Got Me, Louie Louie, Rumble) but there’s not many. Listen to the guitar solo at around 90 seconds in and it’s still powerful, predating the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd and Cream.

Christine McVie: An Appreciation

For many years. I considered Christine McVie the weak link of Fleetwood Mac. I don’t think that is a lot to be ashamed of. I discovered them in the 80s. Lindsey Buckingham is one of the coolest men on the planet. Stevie Nicks might be ‘the’ coolest woman on the planet. McVies solo releases were not nearly as rock oriented It wasn’t the Say You Will album that convinced me otherwise. (I am a fan). It is that the McVie heavy Tango in the Night has become a favorite of mine. I have spoke about this at length but while 1987 was nearing peak music creativity in almost every genre (U2, Public Enemy, Prince, Boogie Down Productions, Anthrax, Guns N Roses, Husker Du, Sonic Youth, REM, the Smiths, Roseanne Cash, Steve Earle and Dwight Yoakum all had albums of note), and Fleetwood was making some of the least adventurous music. Yet, Tango is surprisingly solid, even finding a spot in one of the more memorable television ads of the year. Additionally, the 2017 self titled album she did with Lindsey Buckingham has become a favorite I have really begun to enjoy McVies position in Mac, her various Mac contributions, the Winwood assisted “Got A Hold On Me” and so on. Whatever damage the overplayed, unpunk “You Make Loving Fun” caused, by the time of McVies death in November of 2022, I was able to realize what a real loss it was.

What I am Listening to : Rodriguez

Even though I used to watch a lot of music documentaries and these days even though I don’t watch a lot of television, I still watch a lot of documentaries, I have yet to see 2012’s Searching For Sugar Man   That documentary had a fascinating hook. Early 70s musician Sixto Rodriguez’s records had became hugely popular in South Africa, and yet in on his home country, the United States, he was virtually unknown and possibly considered deceased. My intro to Rodriguez like so many artists in modern day was via the soundtrack (in this case the Johnny Lee Miller / Lucy Liu take on Sherlock Holmes show “Elementary”) It’s hard sometimes to articulate why an artist “hits” a certain way. Rodriguez’s sound isn’t easy to describe except by saying it is of its time, 1970 and 71, during the bridge between 60s protest and 70s singer songwriter radio sound. There’s a variety of names that come to mind when I listen to Rodriguez -Donovan , Cat Stevens, Tim Buckley, Gil Scott Heron, Arthur Lee, Jose Feliciano and Curtis Mayfield. Cold Fact for me is the recommended disc- a near perfect summation of his work but the Follow up Coming From Reality has plenty to recommend it. The sequel given an air of working toward commercial success. He worked with Producer Steve Rowland (who has a fascinating career of his own - from producing Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich and the Pretty Things and to having UK pop hits both with his group The Family Dogg and with Albert Hammond and discovering artists including Peter Frampton, the Thompson Twins and the Cure) on Coming From Reality and Chris Spedding played guitar. I don’t know why but Cold Fact really resonates me (and Coming From Reality is a good listen too). Like many of the artists I listed above, there only seems to be a limited commercial appeal (talking in terms of competition with pop music) but because of that, perhaps it is more timeless and even if it sounds of the time with its production and instrumentation, the songs hit like they are modern

What I am listening to: Billiam & Valentine's Day

I used to every year in February write about great anti-love songs. These days I write mostly about recent(ish) releases. I will split the difference today on this one Some great anti-love songs Soft Cell- Say Hello Wave Goodbye- maybe the best bitter song ever but Marc has hidden gems in his career like “I’m Sick of You Tasting of Somebody Else” Type O Negative - Unsuccessfully Coping with the Natural Beauty of Infidelity (I Know You’re F*cking somebody else) - because you usually can’t beat shock rockers for titles like this Scraping Foetus Off the Wheel- I Will Meet You in Poland Baby- Love using the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact as a metaphor Lucinda Williams - do you go with “Changed the Locks” or “Come On” both are great Joe Jackson - Happy Loving Couples- another great bitter song hidden in a new wave anthem Marvin Gaye- Hear My Dear - a song with a story behind it The Seeds - Can’t Seem to Make You Mine- a plaintive side from the “Pushin so Hard” garage band. The Divine Comedy - Our Mutual Friend- a great story and all time favorite The Velvet Underground- The Gift - which everyone should hear once X- Your Phone’s Off the Hook (But you’re not). One of the many great X relationship songs John and Exene did so well Oran “Juice” Jones - The Rain- A template for plenty of “you did me wrong” songs Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty - “You’re the reason our kids are ugly”. Self-explanatory Todays pick may not be a classic but it is recent. Billiam from 2022s Steakhead Breakbeats Not to be confused with the British boy band, Billiam is a Sonic the Hedgehog obsessed Australian If you listen to streaming services, it seems like there are a lot of people making this kind of music - (I have heard the scene described as “Egg Punk” bit I’d leave that to someone more expert on that than me). I’d call it “bedroom indie” or Lo-fi synth-punk or some combination that may or may not include the word “DYI” “looping” “90s indie”, “drum machine” and “garage punk”. But as if anyone can do it, there is something special, I think about Billiam in the way he hears a melody and in his unique style an production.

What I am Listening to: Lou Reed

I have meant to write about Lou Reed’s first solo album. It has a bad reputation and I like it quite a bit It would almost have to, squeezed between the Velvet Underground’s “Loaded” (perhaps also unloved but it is a Velvets album and has 2 of Lou’s most famous songs, so it can’t be that underrated) and “Transformer” is fantastic, I get it and all the plaudits are deserved. “Lou Reed” was released about seven months before Transformer. Critics complain about the production. Most of the songs are Lou / Velvets songs that have since been found in better versions elsewhere. Even the band is kind of weird- Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman, Clem Cattini (Joe Meek’s session drummer) and Caleb Quaye (who plays guitar all over Elton John’s early work). But I really like the album. Lou is now a “passed artist” and as such we as fans, hunger for any and all of his recorded work. There have been two major Lou Releases in as many years. Words and Music May 1965- early versions of songs Lou would develop for the Velvet Underground - and I’m So Free- the 1971 RCA demos which became the first two albums. I have to admit that I have not deeply delved into these records so this post is about another “unearthing” (though widely bootlegged apparently)- 2016s “Alice Tully Hall (1/27/73- second show) - a 2020 Record Store Day release. And I think it’s great. Lou is an artist maybe more than most, defined by his live albums. Rock N Roll Animal is obviously in every conversation. Live in Italy is often considered a masterpiece. Take No Prisoners is something completely different but remarkable for its own reasons. And I’m just scratching the surface. What makes the performance great is the energy of Reed at the time. For a bootleg style performance, it’s very clean - heavy on the treble. There are surprises- a bluesy Sister Ray closes out the set and might be preferable to the original. Heroin anticipates Rock N Roll Animal with jangley energy. But my favorite moments are the songs that are well worn through years of listening. I have long tired of “I Can’t Stand It” but here it’s a full of energy with the guitars jamming and Lou ad-libbing. You can say the same for “Satellite of Love” or “Sweet Jane”. The punchline of this album is three weeks from the concert, “Walk on the Wild Side” would go into the charts. Also of interest- for someone who worked with a Whos Who of sidemen in his career (Cale, Ronson, Wagner, Hunter, Wasserman, Quine and so on), he's backed here by the Tots- a short lived relationship with some Younkers teenagers with little musical experience.

What I am listening to :Gary US Bonds

 I am a huge Johnny Thunders fan. Thunders may be the punk Keith Richards who birthed a million guitarists but his career is largely a shambolic mess, but if you’re a fan, that’s kind of the point.

Weirdly, I have a couple of friends who developed much of the same appreciation unbeknownst to each other.

It’s funny but that’s what happened. A highlight of the Thunders catalog was a cover of Gary US Bonds’s song “Seven Day Weekend” sung by longtime Heartbreaker Walter Lure.

For my friend, that led him to the Waldos, Lure’s other band who didn’t record a major studio album until 1994s Rent Party. (Lure, like latter day Stooges guitarist James Williamson had a very unpunk post Rock career, in Lure’s case on Wall Street)

For me, listening to “7 Day Weekend” led to discovering Bonds, best known for a string of pre Beatles hits, the best known being “Quarter to Three”. The kind of energetic and slightly distorted songs that fall into that category of Rock N Roll Radio that the Ramones loved so much

I was also then tempted to check out 1982’s On the Line which is an album that you might have seen on Greatest Records Ever lists 25 or 30 years ago.

If it no longer makes those lists, it’s understandable why it did. It’s definitely of its time but it has a real Working Class vibe to it, and it’s probably notable to see the names on the credits- Bittan, Clemons, Van Zant, Tallent, Weinberg and Federici.

I suspect many of you should know those names, but if not maybe you would recognize the producer (sharing duties with Steven Van Zant) and songwriter (and uncredited backing vocalist where he could get away with it) Bruce Springsteen

Bonds had another Boss-helmed album that preceded it - 1981’s Dedication which had the song “This Little Girl” a single that would make it to # 11 on the pop charts.

Both records seem like throwbacks to that era with the production values chasing Springsteen’s hits but they are great rock records that harken to the golden days of rock that Springsteen was taking back to the charts. “Out of Work” was the single off On the Line and went to #21.

1984’s “Standing in the Line of Fire” returned Van Zant in the producer’s chair but did not receive much attention.