HOWARD DEVOTO - "Jerky Versions Of The Dream" (1983)

 

Howard Devoto had quite a storied career. First he co-founded The Buzzcocks with Pete Shelley, then he started the band Magazine, and after Magazine, he came out with this one LP in 1983.

You can only imagine what he might have come up with if he had continued.

At least we have this!

HOWARD DEVOTO - "Way Out Of Shape" 

FÀSHIÖN - "Pröduct Perfect" (1979)

 

I've always known this outstanding band by the name Fàshiön, but I just found out that their original name was Fàshiön Music.

Fàshiön only had a limited amount of success in America, and I think it's probably because they were just too good, or maybe too smart.

This album called "Pröduct Perfect" was released in 1979, and had some very good music on it. It was a difficult choice for me to choose just one song, but here's one of my faves!

FÀSHIÖN - "Red, Green And Gold"

THE FLESHTONES - "Hexbreaker" (1983)

 

I love the title song from New York band The Fleshtones' 1983 LP titled "Hexbreaker!" These guys pure and simple make party music, and they're really good at it, and I think I like this song even more than "Hexbreaker!"

 The Fleshtones never had a real hit, but in 2020, 45 years after they had their first gig at CBGB, their album "Face Of The Screaming Werewolf" debuted in the top ten of Billboard's "Alternative New Artist Albums Chart." 

That's right, they were called a 'New' artist. 

THE FLESHTONES - "Right Side Of A Good Thing" 

PETE SHELLEY - "XL-1" (1983)

 

I don't use this term often, but Pete Shelley absolutely created some music that was Pop Perfect, and this album has some perfect examples on it. Peter Campbell McNeish aka Pete Shelley released "XL-1" in 1983 after his band The Buzzcocks broke up in 1981 due to problems with their record company.

I will never understand why this song wasn't a big hit, but there are a lot of things that I don't understand!

"If it makes no difference, I guess we'll never win." 

PETE SHELLEY - "You Know Better Than I Know" 

FILM NOIR PUT TO LYRICS

 

From the out-of-kilter words and quirky music of Wall of Voodoo's "Mexican Radio," it was clear that their songwriter and lead singer Stan Ridgway had a unique perspective on the world, and when he subsequently went solo, it was no surprise that he said he wanted to write songs that sounded like a hard-boiled Ross Macdonald or Raymond Chandler crime novel.

 

To that end, his debut solo was called "The Big Heat," a noirish sounding title if there ever was one. It was an album full of menacing new wave synthesizer rhythms and pulsing bass lines that, when added to Ridgway's angular vocals, detailed the dark fabric of life. In virtually all his songs, Ridgway narrates the lives of classic noir victims -- the guy who takes the fall in a doomed love triangle, the hapless taxi driver who drives a getaway car for a dark femme, a crime reporter for a daily newspaper who wonders where the last honest man is.

 And on and on . . . 

 

Though the stories are dark, and the protagonists are destined for a dead end, the music is always accessible and memorable, just like film noir. And Stan's world-weary perspective and quirky vocal delivery sell the tale.

Here's something from Ridgway's second solo "Mosquitos."

 STAN RIDGWAY - "Peg and Pete and Me"

THE DARTELLS - "Dartell Stomp" (1963)

 

The instrumental "Dartell Stomp" was the flip side of a song called "Hot Pastrami" by The Dartells, a song that made it's all the way to number eleven on The Billboard charts in 1963.

As sophisticated as the music of somebody like Steely Dan is, these two songs by The Dartells are the polar opposite, and are two of the simplest songs I think I've ever heard, and yet, I still like them!

Here's what what I'm talking about, and wait until you get to the smoking hot drum solo.

It's too much! 

THE DARTELLS - "Dartell Stomp"

STEELY DAN - "Two Against Nature" (2000)

 

Not exactly an indie or obscure group, but I still love Steely Dan just the same. This Album called "Two Against Nature" came out in the year 2000, and was their first studio release in twenty years!

Why did they make us wait so long??

I was lucky enough to see Steely Dan perform 'Live' before Walter Becker passed away, and it was one of the best, if not the best, concert I've ever had the pleasure to attend! 

The last song on this album is just awesome; it's Steely Dan perfection for about four and a half minutes, and then it turns into a solo jazz song by killer saxophonist Chris Potter for the remaining four minutes.

That's one of the things that was so great about these guys, they didn't mind stepping back and sharing the spotlight, and it was the same thing when I saw them 'live." 

STEELY DAN - "West Of Hollywood"

JAMES BLOOD ULMER - "Free Lancing" (1981)

 

When James Blood Ulmer brought out his album called "Free Lancing" in 1981, it was just about as widely accepted as "A Love Supreme" by John Coltrane in 1965. 

It's easy to accept that musicians this talented can do whatever they want while breaking new ground at the same time, but it's not always as easy for the general public to accept it enough to go out and buy it.

These guys color outside the lines all the time and do anything and everything they can, to do something never done before.

Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.

With Amin Ali on Bass, and G. Calvin Weston on drums, and of course James Blood Ulmer on guitar and vocals, this is music from somewhere else.

I was listening to it and thinking how the backup singers Diane Wilson and Irene Datcher must have been thinking, "How in the Hell are we supposed to sing along with this?"

Yet, somehow they do it, even though this music moves like a cross between a hurricane and a top fuel dragster on rhythm and blues steroids.

Don't try and tap your foot along with this song, because you just might throw your back out!

Personally, I love it!!

And don't forget to turn it up!

JAMES BLOOD ULMER - "Pleasure Control"

I FEEL A HOT WIND ON MY SHOULDER....

I DIAL IT IN FROM SOUTH OF THE BORDER......

 

Rich back again to tell you how, as a 9-year-old kid in the days before FM radio, I used to scroll the dial of my little transistor radio, searching for "Cowboy Music" (defined as whatever my favorite movie and TV cowboys sang). Occasionally, I found myself landing on XERB, a station whose call letters strangely began with an "X" and not the "W" or "K" associated with all American radio stations, depending on whether they're located East or West of the Mississippi River.

 

As I discovered, XERB was located just across the Rio Grande, in Mexico, and was known as a "Border Blaster," that is, a station with a 150-thousand-watt signal, which is three times the limit allowed to U.S. stations. Blasting from the safe haven of Mexico and free of the FCC's regulations, XERB's signal blanketed the U.S. and large parts of Canada. 

 

Programming on Border Blasting Mexican Radio was chaotic. On any given night -- and in no particular thematic sequence -- you might hear right-wing anti-Commie propaganda (or anti-JFK screeds); crazed, fire-and-brimstone radio preachers threatening you with hell; advertising of vials of sand from the Dead Sea or "prayer cloths" whose properties were purported to heal cancer; offers to sell motel franchises that would elevate its buyers into the Upper Class. 

 

And in between the programming chaos, you'd hear all kinds of music, played, including my beloved Cowboy Music as well as mariachi music, R&B, and, not least, rock 'n' roll.

 

Thus it was that through the means of Mexican Radio, one particular XERB deejay, Wolfman Jack, exposed and converted millions of U.S. teenagers to the joys of rock 'n' roll. 

 

 

WALL OF VOODOO - "Mexican Radio"

FLEETWOOD MAC - "Mystery To Me" (1973)

 

Fleetwood Mac's next studio album was called "Bare Trees," and would be the last record with Fleetwood Mac that Danny Kirwan participated in. 

They say Danny was drinking a lot and was just irritated all the time. At one point he totally lost his cool and smashed his Gibson guitar backstage and then refused to perform, and in 1972, he was finally fired from the band.

Now it was left to Bob Welch and Christine McVie to be the ones doing all the vocals.

Bob Welch was the front man on the next three albums, "Penguin," Mystery To Me," and "Heroes Are Hard To Find." 

Bob Welch then left Fleetwood Mac in 1974 citing personal issues, and was replaced by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.

The Bob Welch albums were the most successful of the band's career up to that time, and yet he's the only member of the band that was never inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Go figure!

Everybody knows what happened after that as Fleetwood Mac became more and more popular, and their fame and fortune skyrocketed. 

Bob went on to have a pretty successful solo career.

Here's one of Bob's awesome songs from the 1973 LP, "Mystery To Me."

FLEETWOOD MAC - "Hypnotized" 

Be sure to tune in tomorrow because Rich Horton will be back with another tale for you!

FLEETWOOD MAC - "Future Games" (1971)

 

In August of 1970, Christine McVie joined Fleetwood Mac, and Jeremy Spencer became less and less interested. In February of 1971, they had a gig at The Whiskey a Go Go in Los Angeles, and Jeremy Spencer left the motel room to go to a bookstore and never came back. They had to end up canceling the show, and when they found him, Jeremy had joined a religious group called The Children of God, and said he no longer wanted to be in the band.

Later they hired a new guitarist named Bob Welch, and in the the Summer of 1971, they recorded their next album which was called "Future Games" with the new lineup.

Reprise Records refused to release an album with only seven songs on it, so they quickly recorded an eighth song, an instrumental jam utilizing Christine McVie's brother John on sax.

Their sound was definitely evolving.

FLEETWOOD MAC - "What A Shame"

FLEETWOOD MAC - "Kiln House" (1970)

 

Fleetwood Mac's next studio album after "Then Play On" was released in 1970 and it was called "Kiln House." Peter Green had left the band to pursue other types of music and friends, and so now Danny Kirwan and Jeremy Spencer were left to take over being the front guys. 

They weren't sure if the band was going to continue, but they managed to make this rather excellent album with some really good music on it that wasn't the blues.

I like every song on this record so It's really difficult for me to choose just one, but this song shows that they didn't need Peter Green to rock, and to me, it also shows how Christine McVie will fit perfectly into this new band. Danny's singing this song but it's easy to think it might have been Christine, but she didn't join the band until after this album was made.

FLEETWOOD MAC - "Tell Me All The Things You Do"

 

If I were you, I'd just go to youTube and listen to the whole thing, because whether it's new or old to you, it's one really good record.

FLEETWOOD MAC - "Then Play On" (1970)

 

Fleetwood Mac is a great band without a doubt, but the last grouping or the Buckingham Nicks years seem to be the one that gets the most attention, but this band has been around since 1968, and has at least four complete incarnations, and there has always been the foundation of Mick Fleetwood on Drums, and John McVie on Bass the whole time.

Besides those two, the earliest version of the band consisted of Jeremy Spencer, Danny Kirwan, and Peter Green all singing and playing guitars. 

 

 

Originally they were an electric blues band, and by the time their third studio album, "Then Play On" came out in 1969, Jeremy's participation was already getting thin, and he only added a few piano parts, and the blues was mutating into rock.

The dynamic song I'm presenting here was not on the original album, but was added later when it was re-released in 1970. 

FLEETWOOD MAC - "Oh, Well Pt. 1"

LOTHAR AND THE HAND PEOPLE - "Machines" (1968)

 

Here's a band you don't hear much about that was way way beyond their time, Lothar and the Hand People.

From Denver, Colorado in 1968, I don't really have anybody to compare them to in that year. 

These guys should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for this album cover alone if nothing else.

And this song................

LOTHAR AND THE HAND PEOPLE - "Machines"

BODACIOUS DF - "Drifting" (1973)

 

From the first time I heard this record in 1973, it made me realize how out of place Marty Balin must have felt when he was in Jefferson Airplane if this was the kind of music he really wanted to be playing. This LP is much more Blues based than it is Psychedelic, and is a perfect way for Marty to really be able to show off his vocal prowess.

I don't think this record ever did very well as far as sales, but that doesn't mean it's not a great record, because it is! 

BODACIOUS DF - "Drifting"

THE BLENDELLS - "Huggie's Bunnies" (1964)

 

1964 was a big year for Chicano rock, and/or the music of East L.A., but these days it seems mostly forgotten. There were some bands with big hits like ? and the Mysterians, The Premiers, and Cannibal and the Headhunters, but it doesn't seem like anybody much cares anymore.

 

Another East L.A. band, The Blendells reached number 62 on the Billboard charts with their cover of the Stevie Wonder song "La La La La La" but I always like the flipside better.

Drafted into The Army to fight in Vietnam, the band had to break up and never recovered, but they recorded one of my favorite instrumentals from 1964.

THE BLENDELLS - "Huggie's Bunnies"

THE BOB SEGER SYSTEM - "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" (1969)

 

I am not the biggest fan of Bob Seger, but I love this very ice blue cold album cover, and there is a song on this record from 1969, that is one of my all-time favorites, period. Fifty-six years later, and it still resonates with me with it's pounding drums, swirling organ, and Bob's assertive vocals and lyrics. This song is rock and roll perfection in my book!

"You can have your funky world, see ya 'round!"

THE BOB SEGER SYSTEM - "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man"

NOT THE BEATLES, PART TWO (1984)

Rich here to continue my "Not The Beatles" post.

It was 1984, and I was flipping through the stacks of vinyl in my favorite record store, Second Time Around Records, which, in addition to being a great used record store, was one of the only places at the time in Wichita, Kansas, that you could find punk and new wave records, hard-to-find British and Australian/New Zealand alternative bands, and releases on indie labels.

Among all the artsy record covers featuring cutting-edge graphics and art, I spied a fairly nondescript LP featuring a very simple photograph of four somewhat nerdy looking guys on the cover of an album entitled "Beat Music.

 

A light bulb went off in my head. "Beat Music!" -- that was the label that the British Rock Press of the time had attached to the sounds emanating from the Cavern Club in Liverpool back in 1963.

 

Taking a chance, I plunked down my Seven Dollars and took the record home to discover joyful, rocking, catchy beat music by a Beatles soundalike band with the unwieldy name of The Spongetones. Maybe they weren't The Beatles, and they weren't from Liverpool -- they were four college boys from North Carolina -- but if their record had been released in 1964 instead of 1982, it would have easily shared the Top 10 alongside the best bands of the British Invasion. 

 

A few years after "Beat Music" was released, The Spongetones bundled that album with their follow-up EP, "Torn Apart," to create the CD "Beat & Torn," which I would present as evidence that it could justifiably be called "The Second Album" The Beatles should have made.

THE SPONGETONES - "Have You Ever Been Torn Apart?"

NOT THE BEATLES, PART ONE (1966)

 

Rich here. I was dispiritedly doing my 8th grade math homework in early 1966 with my transistor radio on my desk, tuned alternately to WLS in Chicago and KOMA in Oklahoma City, two 50-thousand watt AM behemoths whose signals I could pick up only at night. And both stations were enthusiastically promoting a rocking new single -- a slab of disc full of Beatles magic. I mean, that was John Lennon's distinctive mannerisms on the lead vocal, and the backing vocals were drenched in those signature Fab Four harmonies. And the rhythm section -- that was George Harrison's explosive guitar licks and Ringo's driving beats. Right???

 

But, NO! It wasn't the Beatles at all!

 

It was The Knickerbockers, a rather generic New Jersey dance band that somehow had nicked the Beatles Sound to perfection -- so much so that it fooled this 14-year-old Beatlemaniac! 

 

And here it is 60 years later, and "Lies" still sounds like vintage British Invasion Beatles, just as fresh as it did back in 1966. It's the Best Single The Beatles Never Recorded.

 

As many of you know, The Knickerbockers went on to be one of the featured House Bands on Dick Clark's daily "Where The Action Is" TV show. They subsequently released a handful of other great guitar-driven pop records. But none were as catchy and undeniable with their pop hooks as "Lies."

THE KNICKERBOCKERS - "Lies"

ROBERT PALMER - "Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley" (1974)

 

I love this 1974 album by Robert Palmer so much, it took me forever to try and decide on which song to choose from it.

This record is as funky and syncopated as music can get, and when you have this caliber of songwriters and musicians, it is truly a masterpiece.

"Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley" was Robert Palmer's first solo album after being in a band called Vinegar Joe, and it's hard to imagine the GQ dapper Robert as a long hair hippie type, but stranger things have happened in this world.
 

This particular song was written by  New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint, and was originally recorded by Lee "Working In The Coal Mine" Dorsey in 1966.

The backing band is one of the funkiest bands to ever grace a stage, The Meters, who also played on the original version, with the addition of Little Feat's Lowell George on slide guitar, and the sweet and soulful voice of Vicki Brown on background vocals.

After you listen to this, do yourself a favor and also check out Robert's epic "Through It All There's You," another killer song driven by the drums of the amazing Bernard "Pretty" Purdie." 

In fact, just go ahead and listen to the whole damn album. I guarantee you won't be sorry!

ROBERT PALMER - "Sneakin" Sally Through The Alley."

THE METAMORPHOSIS OF MANFRED MANN

 

The original name of Manfred Mann was The Mann Hugg Blues Brothers. It was named after founding members Manfred Mann who played keyboards, and drummer Mike Hugg formed it in 1962. The rest of the members in the band changed several times before they broke up in 1969. 

In 1964 their song "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" was number one in The Billboard Charts in the U.S.

MANFRED MANN - "Do Wah Diddy Diddy"

 

In 1966 the song "Pretty Flamingo" charted as high as #29 in the U.S. and #1 in the UK.

MANFRED MANN - "Pretty Flamingo"

 

In 1968, their song "Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo)" also became #1 in the UK and was #10 in the U.S.

MANFRED MANN - "The Mighty Quinn"

 

In 1971 Manfred put together a new band called Manfred Mann's Earth Band, and in 1972 they released this album called "Glorified Magnified" that had one of the oddest songs on it that I'd ever heard at the time.

MANFRED MANN'S EARTH BAND - "Meat"

Although "Meat" never charted, the band roared back in 1976 with their biggest hit ever from the album "The Roaring Silence."

There's much more to the Manfred Mann story, but I think you get the idea.

MANFRED MANN'S EARTH BAND - "Blinded By The Light"

 Yet, despite all that, the name Manfred Mann is nowhere to be found in the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame which just proves once again that you can call something anything you want to, but it doesn't necessarily make it true!

THE JIM CARROLL BAND - "Catholic Boy" (1980)

 

This 1980 LP titled Catholic Boy" by The Jim Carroll Band is a pretty great effort, and there's at least one song that resonates in my brain all the time.

What can I say, the truth can be really painful sometimes.

Jim Carroll passed away in 2009 at the age of 60.

What a shame that he became one of the people in one of his own songs.

THE JIM CARROLL BAND - "People Who Died"

SCOTT GODDARD - "Eleventy Billion" (1986)

 

In seventeen years music went from Space Cowboys to Cowpunks, and one of the people you can thank for it was Scott Goddard. Unfortunately Scott only lived twenty years more, another victim of cancer at 54 years of age, but at least he left us this 1986 LP called "Eleventy Billion."

Here's a song I never get tired of!

SCOTT GODDARD - "Cowpunk"

THE STEVE MILLER BAND - "Brave New World" (1969)

 

Most people know Steve Miller because of songs like "The Joker," "Fly Like An Eagle," and "Abracadabra," but Steve Miller had at least six albums out before those songs were ever released, and one of my favorites of those early albums is this one released in 1969 called "Brave New World." 

Actually his albums "Sailor" and "Your Saving Grace" are equally as good, but there's something about this one that is extra special, and that's this song!

THE STEVE MILLER BAND - "Space Cowboy"

LET'S GO LET GO!! (1963 & 1980)

 

In 1963, The Routers had a pretty big with "Let's Go," and it reached #19 on The Billboard Charts. I just found out something interesting that I don't think I ever knew before, and that's the real name of the song is "Let's Go (Pony)."

Another thing I just found out is that Scott Engel aka Scott Walker was the original bassist in the band. 

The driving force behind The Routers was Michael Z. Gordon who also went on to form The Marketts, and a a lot of the instrumentation was done by studio musicians like Tommy Tedesco and Earl Palmer.

THE ROUTERS - "Let's Go (Pony)"

 

 

The English language can be very fascinating at times, like how just adding an apostrophe and an s to a word can totally change it's meaning.

In 1980, Dirty Looks, one of the lesser known Stiff Records bands came out with a song that to me sounds kind of like an amped up version of "My Sharona," but what do I know?

So get ready, get set and  let's go let go! 

DIRTY LOOKS - "Let Go"

HEART FULL OF SOUL - "1965 & 1987"

 

Hi, folks. Rich here to mention a cover song I didn't see coming at the time.

The Yardbirds' recording career wasn't terribly prolific, but virtually everything they recorded with Jeff Beck playing lead guitar was a masterpiece. And, normally, it would be hard for me to classify any cover version of a Beck-era Yardbirds' single as better than the original.

THE YARDBIRDS - "Heart Full OF Soul"

However . . . 

 

 

In 1987 Chris Isaak slowed down the tempo of "Heart Full of Soul," and with Chris's sultry baritone accompanied by the moody surf-oriented guitar of James Calvin Wilsey, their version of The Yardbirds' classic sounds like a perfect soundtrack for a modern neo-noir film. 

Don't you think so, too?

CHRIS ISAAK - "Heart Full Of Soul"

THE SIR DOUGLAS BAND - "Texas Tornado" (1973)

 

There's not hardly anything ever done by Doug Sahm that I don't like. The guy was just pure genius, and this 1973 LP titled "Texas Tornado that was released under the name of The Sir Douglas Band is no exception. Today is Cinco de Mayo, and I can't think of a better song to celebrate the holiday than this one! 

                                      Ay, Ay, Ay!!!                                       

THE SIR DOUGLAS BAND - "Chicano"

HERMETO PASCOAL - "Slaves Mass" (1977)

 

I had a good weekend, so let's wrap it up with some more Brazilian music, and this time it's by one of the masters, Hermeto Pascoal.

Hermeto mainly plays the keyboards, but is also proficient on Flute, Acoustic Guitar, Soprano Saxophone, Recorder, and Clavinet, and he's joined on this 1977 LP by Airto, and Flora Purim, with Ron Carter, and/or Alphonso Johnson on Bass, David Amaro playing guitars, Chester Thompson on the Drums, and Raul De Souza on Trombone. In other words, it's an all-star ensemble, and it's pretty obvious when you listen to it!

HERMETO PASCOAL - "That Waltz (Aquela Valsa)"

 

 

BO DIDDLEY - "The 20th Anniversary Of Rock'N'Roll" (1976)

 

"The 20th Anniversary of Rock'N'Roll" by Bo Diddley in 1976 has some good music on it, but there's one song I really like not only for it's spirit, but also for the way it just chugs along!

Enjoy!!

BO DIDDLEY - "Kill My Body"

THE SEEDS - "No Escape" (1966)

 

"Pushin' Too Hard" by The Seeds in 1966 is still a song that a lot of people know. It did get to number 36 on The Billboard Charts of 1967, so how come none of the other music on this LP or their later albums ever got much or any airplay?

Here's a song with the same pounding sound as "Pushin' Too Hard," and yet there's no escaping the fact that it's done and gone.............until now! 

THE SEEDS - "No Escape"

NILS LOFGREN - "Keith Don't Go (Ode To The Glimmer Twin)" (1975)

 

 I've always liked one particular song off of Nils Lofgren's self-titled album from 1975 because I don't really know of any other songs to compare it to. It's just an interesting song with an interesting message from Nils to Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones urging him not to die from his life of excess. I read that Nils said they he and Keith have met a number of times but have never discussed this song, and in fact, he's not even sure if he has even ever heard it.

A talented guy, Nils is playing everything except the drums, bass, and backing vocals.

NILS LOFGREN - "Keith Don't Go (Ode To The Glimmer Twin)"