Monday, March 26, 2007
THE KEITH MIX (part three)
Okay, so I've compiled forty-six tunes.
In chronological order:
You Got The Silver - Let it Bleed - 1969
Happy - Exile - 1972
Coming Down Again - Goats Head Soup - 1973
Cocaine - bootleg - 1977
Before They Make Me Run - Some Girls - 1978
The Harder They Come - single - 1978
Run Rudolph Run - B-side - 1978
All About You - Emotional Rescue - 1980
Little T&A - Tattoo You - 1981
I Wanna Hold You - Undercover - 1983
Sleep Tonight - Dirty Work - 1986
Too Rude - Dirty Work - 1986
Big Enough - Talk Is Cheap (Winos) - 1988
Take It So Hard - Talk Is Cheap - 1988
Struggle - Talk Is Cheap - 1988
I Could Have Stood You Up - Talk Is Cheap - 1988
Make No Mistake - Talk Is Cheap - 1988
You Don't Move Me - Talk Is Cheap - 1988
How I Wish - Talk Is Cheap - 1988
Rockawhile - Talk Is Cheap - 1988
Whip It Up - Talk Is Cheap - 1988
Locked Away - Talk Is Cheap - 1988
It Means a Lot - Talk Is Cheap - 1988
Slipping Away - Steel Wheels - 1989
Can't Be Seen - Steel Wheels - 1989
Time Is On My Side - Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos Live at the Hollywood Palladium
Connection - Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos Live at the Hollywood Palladium - 1991
I Wanna Be Your Man - Live at the Hollywood Palladium - 1991
999 - Main Offender (Winos) - 1992
Wicked as it Seems - Main Offender - 1992
Eileen - Main Offender - 1992
Words of Wonder - Main Offender - 1992
Yap Yap - Main Offender - 1992
Bodytalks - Main Offender - 1992
Hate it When You Leave - Main Offender - 1992
Runnin' Too Deep - Main Offender - 1992
Will But You Won't - Main Offender - 1992
Demon - Main Offender - 1992
Thru & Thru - Voo Doo Lounge - 1994
The Worst - Voo Doo Lounge - 1994
How Can I Stop - Bridges to Babylon - 1997
Thief in the Night - Bridges to Babylon - 1997
You Don't Have To Mean It - Bridges to Babylon - 1997
You Win Again - Timeless: A Tribute to Hank Williams - 2001
Infamy - A Bigger Bang - 2005
This Place Is Empty - A Bigger Bang - 2005
Whew!
I got some cuts to make.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
KEITH (CONT.)
So I missed quite a few, and despite Clarkie's snarky, and unfounded remark, I feel the need to continue with this topic of utmost importance - my Keith Mix.
So as Rod so eloquently let me know, I forgot 'Happy'. That was criminal.
There's a number of other notable tunes, such as 'The Worst' from Voo Doo Lounge, and 'Infamy' off of their latest A Bigger Bang.
Bridges To Babylon has THREE Keith tunes! 'You Don't Have To Mean It', 'How Can I Stop', and 'Thief In the Night'.
Steel Wheels has two; 'Slipping Away', and 'Can't Be Seen'.
And there's another from A Bigger Bang - 'This Place Is Empty'.
In my research I also found another cool split lead vocal with Mick on the recently released Rarities 1971-2003 record called 'Anyway You Look At It' on which, like 'Memory Motel', Keith sings the bridge. It can't go on the mix, but it's a cool track, and I do recommend the Rarities record for many reasons, not the least of which is 'Fancy Man Blues'.
There's also a great version of 'You Win Again' on the Hank Williams tribute record.
Andthen there's these two.
I am digesting this material and will render a final track list.
It's gonna be tough.
So I missed quite a few, and despite Clarkie's snarky, and unfounded remark, I feel the need to continue with this topic of utmost importance - my Keith Mix.
So as Rod so eloquently let me know, I forgot 'Happy'. That was criminal.
There's a number of other notable tunes, such as 'The Worst' from Voo Doo Lounge, and 'Infamy' off of their latest A Bigger Bang.
Bridges To Babylon has THREE Keith tunes! 'You Don't Have To Mean It', 'How Can I Stop', and 'Thief In the Night'.
Steel Wheels has two; 'Slipping Away', and 'Can't Be Seen'.
And there's another from A Bigger Bang - 'This Place Is Empty'.
In my research I also found another cool split lead vocal with Mick on the recently released Rarities 1971-2003 record called 'Anyway You Look At It' on which, like 'Memory Motel', Keith sings the bridge. It can't go on the mix, but it's a cool track, and I do recommend the Rarities record for many reasons, not the least of which is 'Fancy Man Blues'.
There's also a great version of 'You Win Again' on the Hank Williams tribute record.
Andthen there's these two.
I am digesting this material and will render a final track list.
It's gonna be tough.
Friday, March 23, 2007
MY SOLOS ARE MY SIGNATURE
I just watched a Kiss concert from 77 on VH1 Classic.
The program is one hour, so with commercials you're getting forty some odd minutes of actual concert, why then would you waste seven minutes on the drum solo?
I could never deal with the spotlight solo.
Why does the band stop, except one self indulgent idiot who keeps playing?
All I can say is; UFO, 'Rock Bottom'.
It's a lot better when the band plays along.
I just watched a Kiss concert from 77 on VH1 Classic.
The program is one hour, so with commercials you're getting forty some odd minutes of actual concert, why then would you waste seven minutes on the drum solo?
I could never deal with the spotlight solo.
Why does the band stop, except one self indulgent idiot who keeps playing?
All I can say is; UFO, 'Rock Bottom'.
It's a lot better when the band plays along.
IT'S GOOD TO BE KEITH
I remember the exact moment that I became a Stones fan. I was riding shotgun in Tony Alva's tiny white Colt (another post about Tony squeezing his XXL frame into tiny cars is way past due) driving through Rockland county listening to Sticky Fingers, and I think it was 'Dead Flowers' that pushed me over the edge. This was 1984, Metal was busy dying, and I was primed for something new, or old as it were.
Both of my brothers were Stones fans, but I had always kept myself at arms length from Mick and Keith. I even remember once saying that Keith Richards was a shitty guitar player - he didn't shred like my Metal heroes. I believe I said the same thing about Neil Young.
All that changed in 1984. Two years after that car ride I owned the entire Rolling Stones back catalog.
In the late mid-eighties I spent a lot of time driving up and down 95 from D.C. to New York and back. I made six mix tapes, five 90 minute, and one 60 minute cassette tapes, all Stones, no repeated songs.
It was during that time that I realized that you could fill up one side of a 90 minute tape with Keith Tunes.
Starting with 'Let It Bleed' (69), on almost every record Keith sang one.
I connected strongly with this material.
Keith has a true voice. He sounds like Keith. His delivery is flawed, honest, and often breathtaking.
The CD has replaced the Audio Cassette in my life. Vinyl is still the Master, but the mix tape, or CD, is still a big factor in my life of listening.
Recently, I tried to recreate the 'Best Of Keith' mix.
The advent of two LPs with the X-Pensive Winos, and newer Stones tunes like 'Thru and Thru' have changed the dynamic of the Keith Mix. I no longer qualify songs like 'Memory Motel' and 'Salt of the Earth' where Keith splits the lead vocal with Mick - great as they are - to make room for the solo stuff.
The track list looks something like this:
Make No Mistake - Talk Is Cheap (Winos)
You Got the Silver - Let It Bleed
Eileen - Main Offender (Winos)
How I Wish - Talk Is Cheap
Coming Down Again - Goats Head Soup
Locked Away - Talk Is Cheap
Time Is On My Side - Live at the Hollywood Palladium (Winos)
Too Rude - Dirty Work
Thru and Thru - Voo Doo Lounge
Whip It Up - Talk Is Cheap
Little T&A - Tattoo You
Wicked As It Seems - Main Offender
I Wanna Hold You - Undercover
Big Enough - Talk Is Cheap
Before They Make Me Run - Some Girls
Connection - Live at the Hollywood Palladium
Sleep Tonight - Dirty Work
That's seventeen tunes, mayhap they won't all fit on a CDR, and it's likely that Tony knows a tune or two that I've left off - most likely from the latter LPs (Steel Wheels, Voo Doo Lounge, Bridges to Babylon, and Bigger Bang).
It's a work in progress, though I can't think of a tune on the list that I could leave off in good conscience.
I remember the exact moment that I became a Stones fan. I was riding shotgun in Tony Alva's tiny white Colt (another post about Tony squeezing his XXL frame into tiny cars is way past due) driving through Rockland county listening to Sticky Fingers, and I think it was 'Dead Flowers' that pushed me over the edge. This was 1984, Metal was busy dying, and I was primed for something new, or old as it were.
Both of my brothers were Stones fans, but I had always kept myself at arms length from Mick and Keith. I even remember once saying that Keith Richards was a shitty guitar player - he didn't shred like my Metal heroes. I believe I said the same thing about Neil Young.
All that changed in 1984. Two years after that car ride I owned the entire Rolling Stones back catalog.
In the late mid-eighties I spent a lot of time driving up and down 95 from D.C. to New York and back. I made six mix tapes, five 90 minute, and one 60 minute cassette tapes, all Stones, no repeated songs.
It was during that time that I realized that you could fill up one side of a 90 minute tape with Keith Tunes.
Starting with 'Let It Bleed' (69), on almost every record Keith sang one.
I connected strongly with this material.
Keith has a true voice. He sounds like Keith. His delivery is flawed, honest, and often breathtaking.
The CD has replaced the Audio Cassette in my life. Vinyl is still the Master, but the mix tape, or CD, is still a big factor in my life of listening.
Recently, I tried to recreate the 'Best Of Keith' mix.
The advent of two LPs with the X-Pensive Winos, and newer Stones tunes like 'Thru and Thru' have changed the dynamic of the Keith Mix. I no longer qualify songs like 'Memory Motel' and 'Salt of the Earth' where Keith splits the lead vocal with Mick - great as they are - to make room for the solo stuff.
The track list looks something like this:
Make No Mistake - Talk Is Cheap (Winos)
You Got the Silver - Let It Bleed
Eileen - Main Offender (Winos)
How I Wish - Talk Is Cheap
Coming Down Again - Goats Head Soup
Locked Away - Talk Is Cheap
Time Is On My Side - Live at the Hollywood Palladium (Winos)
Too Rude - Dirty Work
Thru and Thru - Voo Doo Lounge
Whip It Up - Talk Is Cheap
Little T&A - Tattoo You
Wicked As It Seems - Main Offender
I Wanna Hold You - Undercover
Big Enough - Talk Is Cheap
Before They Make Me Run - Some Girls
Connection - Live at the Hollywood Palladium
Sleep Tonight - Dirty Work
That's seventeen tunes, mayhap they won't all fit on a CDR, and it's likely that Tony knows a tune or two that I've left off - most likely from the latter LPs (Steel Wheels, Voo Doo Lounge, Bridges to Babylon, and Bigger Bang).
It's a work in progress, though I can't think of a tune on the list that I could leave off in good conscience.
Monday, March 19, 2007
BOND
My father offered me a great deal of wisdom. Unfortunately I didn't bite on most of it, but I did take to 007.
I finally got around to seeing 'Casino Royale'. I hope you like the site, I can't enjoy it because I don't have the latest version of Flash. Fortunately the movie is available on DVD, and I can play one of those. It's very good. I was extremely happy with it.
I haven't been able to say that about a Bond film in a long time..
Basically never.
In the mid 70's, when my Father would grant me permission to stay up late to watch 007, all the good Bond flicks had been made and were being televised on Channel 7 (ABC).
The first time I saw Bond in a theater was 'The Man With The Golden Gun' - and though I'm certain I loved it, it's not a good movie. I dig Christopher Lee, and Hervez Villachez, but the movie is crap.
It's predecessor - 'Live and Let Die' was, until now, the last good Bond film.
Roger gets one.
My father offered me a great deal of wisdom. Unfortunately I didn't bite on most of it, but I did take to 007.
I finally got around to seeing 'Casino Royale'. I hope you like the site, I can't enjoy it because I don't have the latest version of Flash. Fortunately the movie is available on DVD, and I can play one of those. It's very good. I was extremely happy with it.
I haven't been able to say that about a Bond film in a long time..
Basically never.
In the mid 70's, when my Father would grant me permission to stay up late to watch 007, all the good Bond flicks had been made and were being televised on Channel 7 (ABC).
The first time I saw Bond in a theater was 'The Man With The Golden Gun' - and though I'm certain I loved it, it's not a good movie. I dig Christopher Lee, and Hervez Villachez, but the movie is crap.
It's predecessor - 'Live and Let Die' was, until now, the last good Bond film.
Roger gets one.
Hell it's not his fault, he didn't write the shitty screenplays for 'Octopussy' and 'Moonraker'. I did see 'A View To A Kill' recently, which I had never bothered with - 'Octopussy' having driven me way beyond the edge - and though Chris Walken is, as always, a God Of The Screen, it's crap as well.
There are no good movies with Grace Jones. That's absolute.
There are no good movies with Grace Jones. That's absolute.
This morning I saw, at long last, 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service', which is crap as well, but I had to know.
I don't know what was going on in Albert Broccoli's world with that particular movie, but it's not George Lazenby's fault. It seems the world blames George, but I thought he was fine as Bond. The problem with 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' is they strayed too far from the formula. Q barely
makes an appearance, and when he does, there's no gadjets, and no chastising Bond for being childish and irresponsible. Bond actually kisses Moneypenny, another no no, and then, at the end of a two and a half hour of boring non-action, Bond marries Diana Rigg. What? Telly Savalas as Ernst Stavro Blofelt? Well I guess with proper evil intent he could have been good, but the evil intent was so vague, I forget what it was. Something about brainwashing a bunch of women.
I don't know what was going on in Albert Broccoli's world with that particular movie, but it's not George Lazenby's fault. It seems the world blames George, but I thought he was fine as Bond. The problem with 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' is they strayed too far from the formula. Q barely
makes an appearance, and when he does, there's no gadjets, and no chastising Bond for being childish and irresponsible. Bond actually kisses Moneypenny, another no no, and then, at the end of a two and a half hour of boring non-action, Bond marries Diana Rigg. What? Telly Savalas as Ernst Stavro Blofelt? Well I guess with proper evil intent he could have been good, but the evil intent was so vague, I forget what it was. Something about brainwashing a bunch of women.Anyway, it was bad, George got blamed, and thankfully, they brought back Sean for one more.
'Diamonds Are Forever', and now thanks to some real Bond fans in the Broccoli world, it seems so is Bond.
It's not that I hate Pierce Brosnan or Timothy Dalton. It's simply a climate factor. The producers of those movies were competing with the likes of Schwartznegger and Mission Impossible movies. Bond is a different thing, it's a formula. Loose the formula, you lose the magic.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
MAKING MOVIES
I'm listening to my favorite Dire Straits record, 'Making Movies'. This record is awesome. Peronally I think it blows all the other DS albums away.
'Skateaway' is, to me, the best song Knopfler ever wrote.
'Romeo and Juliet' is fantasic too.
Hell, the whole record is great, except maybe 'Les Boys'.
I'm listening to my favorite Dire Straits record, 'Making Movies'. This record is awesome. Peronally I think it blows all the other DS albums away.
'Skateaway' is, to me, the best song Knopfler ever wrote.
'Romeo and Juliet' is fantasic too.
Hell, the whole record is great, except maybe 'Les Boys'.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Neil
I'm home with the flux. Been watching VH1Classic - The Last Waltz just ended, saw some solo Neil from 71 courtesy of the BBC - I can just see the lab coat wearing engineers at the BBC diving for the compressors and limiters when Neil starts banging out the chorus on the Steinway.
After reading his book - 'Shakey', this song becomes a literal guide to Neils's life at the time.
Not many artists can weather such misogeny.
Not many artists are Neil Young.
I'm home with the flux. Been watching VH1Classic - The Last Waltz just ended, saw some solo Neil from 71 courtesy of the BBC - I can just see the lab coat wearing engineers at the BBC diving for the compressors and limiters when Neil starts banging out the chorus on the Steinway.
After reading his book - 'Shakey', this song becomes a literal guide to Neils's life at the time.
Not many artists can weather such misogeny.
Not many artists are Neil Young.
CAN'T TOUCH THIS
This is it, this is all. When Mavis drops the 'Uh-huh' after "my freind can stick around", well, that's pretty much all there is.
![[The Staple Singers]](http://theband.hiof.no/band_pictures/staples_lw_dropsh.jpg)
This is it, this is all. When Mavis drops the 'Uh-huh' after "my freind can stick around", well, that's pretty much all there is.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
CHRIS
There was a time, during my last year as an undergrad at SUNY Albany - where I was minoring in Theater, when my thespian room-mates and I spoke nothing but Walkenese around the house.
I'd come home and say; "Paul (pause), I think we need (pause) to go to Taco Bell."
And Paul would reply; "You don't know (pause),It's gonna be great......"
We worshiped this man. We'd watch any movie he was in, no matter how lousy ('View To A Kill', 'Prophecy') and memorize his lines so we could work them into our daily lives.
Friends of ours had to intervene and make us stop.
Chris is the man.
Friday, March 09, 2007
LIVE EVIL
Forget about Van Halen, the reunion to see is the Dio/Sabath tour.
After Tony had Bill fire Ozzy, Sabbath recruited Ronnie James Dio, former singer for Rainbow, and upstate New York resident.
Many traditional Sabbath fans poo poo'd the new Sabbath, and as Ozzy's solo carrer took off, Sabbath's declined, but not after they released two classic metal albums in the early eighties.
1980's 'Heaven and Hell', and 1982's 'Mob Rules' are perfect metal records.
Perfectly evil.
I have no idea what Dio is going on about in classic's like 'Sign Of The Southern Cross' and 'Children Of The Sea', but I know it scares the shit out of me.
That's the genius, the songs evoke an evil that is evident, but not apparent, it's everywhere, doom is imminent, but from where exactly it will come, no one can tell.
"If an echo doesn't answer
When it hears a certain song
Then the beast is free to wander
But never is seen around"
"LOOK OUT! The sky is falling down
LOOK OUT! The world is spinning round and round and round
LOOK OUT LOOK OUT! The sun is going black, black.
LOOK OUT! LOOK OUT! It's never never never coming back"
I never caught the Dio Sabbath back in the day, but close friends who did came back with stories of sheer horror. If nothing else, his considerable vocal talents aside, Dio's commitment to the subject matter is complete. We belive him. Whereas, with Ozzy, we belive his soul is tortured, but we see unerneath lies a gentle being.
Not so with Dio.
He's just plain scary all the way through.
Forget about Van Halen, the reunion to see is the Dio/Sabath tour.
After Tony had Bill fire Ozzy, Sabbath recruited Ronnie James Dio, former singer for Rainbow, and upstate New York resident.
Many traditional Sabbath fans poo poo'd the new Sabbath, and as Ozzy's solo carrer took off, Sabbath's declined, but not after they released two classic metal albums in the early eighties.
1980's 'Heaven and Hell', and 1982's 'Mob Rules' are perfect metal records.
Perfectly evil.
I have no idea what Dio is going on about in classic's like 'Sign Of The Southern Cross' and 'Children Of The Sea', but I know it scares the shit out of me.
That's the genius, the songs evoke an evil that is evident, but not apparent, it's everywhere, doom is imminent, but from where exactly it will come, no one can tell.
"If an echo doesn't answer
When it hears a certain song
Then the beast is free to wander
But never is seen around"
"LOOK OUT! The sky is falling down
LOOK OUT! The world is spinning round and round and round
LOOK OUT LOOK OUT! The sun is going black, black.
LOOK OUT! LOOK OUT! It's never never never coming back"
I never caught the Dio Sabbath back in the day, but close friends who did came back with stories of sheer horror. If nothing else, his considerable vocal talents aside, Dio's commitment to the subject matter is complete. We belive him. Whereas, with Ozzy, we belive his soul is tortured, but we see unerneath lies a gentle being.
Not so with Dio.
He's just plain scary all the way through.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
THE ALPHA, THE OMEGA, THE ZENITH
My friend Tony has been using this very effective weapon against the blues.
UFO's 1978 release, 'Obsession', could very well be the greatest record ever made.
It's a magic record, a record that almost didn't happen.
Schenker went awol during the 77 tour in support of the 'Lights Out', and had no intention of doing another record with Phil Mogg (singer). After searching high and low, he was located, and coaxed back into the fold for one more album and tour. He acquiesced, and the two greatest records of all time were recorded during Schenker's swan song era - 'Obsession', and the live 'Strangers in the Night'. The former being recorded in Chicago during the tour in support of the latter.
Very shewed bit of business - getting two records out of Mike.
'Obsession', produced by Ron Nevison, was one of two records that helped me expand my musical world beyond Kiss.
Looking back, the second lamest song on the record is the anthemic single - 'Only You Can Rock Me', which is not lame at all, and opens the record followed by the sheer shredding of 'Pack It Up and Go'. 'Pack It Up and Go' also features the drum track that comes second closest to sounding like Bonham (Andy Parker - drums).
'Arbory Hill' is one of the Schenker penned instrumentals that he was contractually given by the band; one per record. This one has flute. Mike was always keen to show his sophistication in composition.
'Ain't No Baby' - great backing harmonies, again Schenker makes other guitar players look silly as Andy invokes Bonzo (See Bonham).
'Looking Out For No. 1' features a full blown string section (arranged and conducted by Allen McMillan). Great tune, building up to a fantastic middle eight, it's no wonder that the band went with George Martin for the studio follow up. Strings and big loud guitars go together so well, like sweet gherkins and American cheese.
Side Two starts with the lamest song on the record - 'Hot n' Ready' which isn't such a lame tune at all, it's just the damn title/Chorus bit is so cheesy, but the balance of the tune is standard UFO rock bliss.
Ah, 'Cherry' - I don't think Tony likes 'Cherry' - or maybe it was one of my brothers - I love it, I'm a sucker for drastic dynamics, the way the pre-chorus builds into the chorus with 12-string picking, then the big guitars - oh joy!
Tony told me recently that:
"You Don't Fool Me" which has become my favorite, all time, don't even fuckin' argue with me, greatest UFO song ever (Okay, you can argue with me). Tell me M Ward wouldn't weep instantly in his guilt and apologize for the dreck he's sold as albums after he heard MS rip the solo in that song, and if he didn't, then he deserves to go for a ride to the North Jersey Pine Barrens with Christopher Moltisanti." (Sorry Tony, I guess I'm not to be trusted.)
I concur about the solo.
Next we have a reprise of the melody from "Looking Out For No. 1" called 'Looking Out For No. 1 Reprise'. Don't worry, it's just under a minute.
The last two tracks, 'One More For The Rodeo', and 'Born To Lose' are fine songs which just aren't quite as awesome as the rest of the deck, BUT, Schenker still dances circles around mere mortals on these tunes, as mere skeletons for him to strut they succeed where they might not have on any latter UFO record that unfortunately had to be made without him.
Paul Chapman, who had the unenviable task of replacing Schenker, is a great player and played great on great tunes, but as the great tunes started to dwindle, and the drug use in the band escalated, so did his performance. His playing on 'Mystery Train' from the 'No Place To Run' record (fore-mentioned follow up) is undeniable.
