MORE ON JIMMY CARL

My friend Erik Ness, who introduced me to Jimmy Carl Black circa 1980, wrote this piece on our late friend. I cut and paste with his permission.

I learned today that my good and long-time friend Jimmy Carl Black passed away peacefully at his home in Siegsdorf, Bavaria. Sonny, as his friends called him, is a true legend in the annals of rock and roll, and is best known as the drummer for the Mothers of Invention with front man Frank Zappa.

I first crossed his path when the late John Safar and I interviewed him in the KNMS Radio studios at New Mexico State University around 1975. Of course we were surprised to find that the drummer for one of the most inventive and original rock bands of all time was living in Anthony. At the time Sonny had just formed the Mesilla Valley LoBoys and they were starting to rehearse and tour the area. The scene was so interesting I began helping Sonny with all aspects of the band including advance work, management and publicity. Mr. Black knew how to put together a band and the original guys included Tom Levy on bass, Sonny on drums and vocals, Jeff Littlejohn on lead guitar, Bob “Hopper” Shannon on primary drums Mike Collins on rhythm guitar and Chava Villegas on congas. This band quickly built a large following because it had a musical power and creative energy that matched any national touring band at the time.

Sonny was born in El Paso with Cherokee blood and his classic line from the Zappa days, “Hi boys and girls I’m Jimmy Carl Black the Indian of the group” stuck all through his magnificent half century in the music business. During the 1970’s Sonny was cast by Frank Zappa for his breakthrough film “200 Motels” which also featured Ringo Starr a drummer from Liverpool. We premiered the film at the Plaza Theater in downtown El Paso to a sold out crowd and the LoBoys played live on stage before they rolled the film. It was a historic night for music in the area as were all live appearances by the Mesilla Valley LoBoys.

Sonny and the boys loved to play the El Patio in Mesilla because it perfectly fit their working class rock and roll, blues and soul sounds, not to mention and the eclectic crowds that would come from all over the borderland to see their favorite band. During and after his tenure with Zappa’s band Sonny played with some of the greatest musicians of the era including: Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Doors, The Turtles, Chuck Berry and The Moody Blues. Of course as fledgling musicians and college students we loved hearing Sonny’s stories from touring with Zappa in Europe and later painting houses in Austin with the infamous Weird Arthur Brown the author of one of the greatest rock songs ever, “Fire.”

At some point in his career in New Mexico I introduced Sonny to Santa Fe singer/songwriter Steve Terrell who is currently a reporter for The Santa Fe New Mexican. Jimmy Carl played drums on one of Steve’s tracks on his classic cult album, Picnic Time for Potatoheads and they became great friends in music and life. It was Steve who called me with the sad news. For those of you who were blessed to have known Jimmy Carl Black and enjoyed his music, his sense of humor and life please join me for a tip of the hat to one of rock and roll’s most prolific drummers and also a great friend, husband and father.

I was born in 1938,
An American Indian in the Lone Star State….
Then to California to the Pacific shore
Joined a band called the Mothers in ‘64….
There was hardly a rock star I didn’t know
Back in the days when music had soul.

Jimmy Carl Black from his bio-song “The Indian of the Group.”

Vaya con Dios, Sonny.

Erik L. Ness

Las Cruces, N.M.

NOT EVEN CLOSE

A version of this was published in The Santa Fe New Mexican
November 5, 2008

It wasn’t even close.

In the past two elections, New Mexico provided the thinnest margins of any state in the presidential race. But Tuesday, Barack Obama was declared the winner of the state’s five electoral votes by national news organizations shortly after the polls closed.

Hundreds of people gathered at Hotel Santa Fe for a party sponsored by Democratic congressional candidate Ben Ray Luján cheered loudly when ABC News, being shown on large screens, announced Obama had won Ohio — a pivotal state in the 2004 election — and cheered even louder when Obama’s New Mexico win was announced.

As it was in states all over the nation, the election was a mighty sweep for Democrats in New Mexico. Not only did Obama win, but Tom Udall won his campaign to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Pete Domenici. In the congressional races, Luján easily won his race in the heavily Democratic 3rd District. In District 1, which mainly consists of Albuquerque, Democrat Martin Heinrich was declared the winner by The Associated Press, as was southern 2nd District Democrat Harry Teague.

With Teague and Heinrich’s wins, it would be the first time in 40 years in which Democrats completely controlled the state’s congressional delegation. (For two years, between 1981 and 1983, all the state’s congressional seats were held by Republicans.)

In Santa Fe, a liberal community where Democrats outnumber Republicans 3-to-1 (and where there are fewer Republicans than people registered as “declined-to-state”), the Obama campaign seemed to be everywhere — canvassing neighborhoods, calling voters at home and, on Tuesday, standing at intersections, waving at cars with Obama signs. In contrast, the campaign for Republican John McCain in Santa Fe was next to invisible.

However, some Obama campaigners in Santa Fe were fearful and pessimistic. One volunteer said campaign officials were worried the turnout in Santa Fe might not be high enough to offset McCain totals in the more conservative southern part of the state. The apprehension proved to be unnecessary, as Obama carried Santa Fe by more than 70 percent.

There were no public parties scheduled in Santa Fe by the Obama campaign. While the major state parties had victory celebrations in Albuquerque, the Luján party was the biggest public election celebration in town.

Naturally, local Democrats there were jubilant. A small group of women at the party weren’t able to vote, but were excited about Obama’s victory. The women, who came from Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Morocco, were part of a group from the Middle East being hosted locally by the Council on Foreign Relations. Several wore Obama and Luján buttons, and some said they were getting calls from people back home — even though it was in the wee hours there — wondering whether Obama had won.

“We are very optimistic about Obama,” said Summer Fatany, a radio-show host from Saudi Arabia. “The Bush administration has done so much harm. We’re hoping he can sort out the mess that Bush has left.”

Obama’s win could have direct political repercussions in New Mexico. Gov. Bill Richardson has been frequently mentioned as a possible contender for secretary of state or some other top position in an Obama administration.

For political tea-leaf readers, there was an interesting development in New Mexico on the eve of Obama’s victory:

Richardson shaved off his beard.

Richardson, who began growing his whiskers shortly after he dropped his own presidential bid in January, on Tuesday denied his shave was connected with any new career move. “I just got tired of maintaining it,” he told a reporter. “I’d decided to do this a long time ago.”

Richardson repeatedly has said he expects to serve out the final two years of his term as governor. “I’m not looking for a job, and I haven’t had any conversations about it,” he said Tuesday night following several television appearances.

Cabinet position or not, winning New Mexico for Obama was a top priority. “John Kerry’s still mad at me,” Richardson has said half-jokingly in various interviews this year when reminded about New Mexico going for Bush in 2004.

But Richardson spent much time campaigning for Obama out of state. He’s been one of Obama’s top surrogates since March, when he formally endorsed the Illinois senator.

And since March, The Associated Press reported last week, Richardson has campaigned for Obama in 19 states. In the month of October, Richardson was out of state campaigning for at least 10 days, hitting states including Ohio, Florida, Wisconsin, Washington, Nevada and Colorado. All those states went for Obama. (Richardson also made at least one appearance in Texas campaigning for U.S. Senate hopeful Rick Noriega, who lost.)

R.I.P. JIMMY CARL BLACK

Jimmy Carl Black, one of the original drummers with Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention and former New Mexico resident, died of cancer Nov. 1 in Germany, where he'd lived for more than a decade.

Born in El Paso, Texas, Jimmy lived in Albuquerque and Taos for a few years in the early '80s. He had a local blues and rock band called Capt. Glasspack & His Magic Mufflers. And, as I've bragged about for years, he played drums on "The Green Weenie" on my album back in 1981, which made him the Indian of my group.

I knew in my heart when I saw him last year playing at The Outpost in Albuquerque with Eugene Chadbourne (when they played in Albuquerque last year as The Jim & Jack Show ) that it would be the last time I'd ever see Jimmy. It was a great night. Several of his kids drove up from El Paso for the show and Jimmy, although already suffering from his illness, ( "It's a mild form of leukemia," he told me) was in fine form.

My review of that show, which mainly consists of memories of JCB, is HERE and my snapshots from that night can be found HERE.

Better yet, enjoy some of Jimmy's music HERE.

Adios, Lonsesome Cowboy Burt!

UPDATE: The original version of this incorrectly said Jimmy was born in Anthony, Texas, not El Paso.

BEFORE YOU VOTE ...

Be sure to read this profile of our swingin' swing state that pretty much sums things up.

CLICK HERE.

I'm not quite sure who "Stew Udall" is, but there is commentary on some of our political leaders. Here's one:

* Governor Bill Richardson: Is strongly backing Obama in the hopes that he'll appoint him to the Kansas City Athletics' roster.

NEW PODCAST: SF OPRY FAVORITES Vol 1

I've just created a new podcast for your listening pleasure: Santa Fe Opry Favorites, Vol. 1. It's an hour worth of some of my favorite tunes I play on my Friday night radio show on KSFR.

CLICK HERE to download the podcast. (To save it, rightclick on the link and select "Save Target As.")

CLICK HERE to subscribe to my podcasts (there will be more in the future) and HERE to subscribe on iTunes.

You can play it on the little feedplayer below:




And here's the play list:

The Ballad of Thunder Road by Robert Mitchum
The Death of Country Music by The Waco Brothers
Rainwater Bottle by Chipper Thompson
Life, Love, Death And The Meter Man by Angry Johnny & The Killbillies

I'm a Nut by Leroy Pullens
Psycho by Jack Kittell
The Rubber Room by Porter Wagoner
LSD Made a Wreck of Me by T. Tex Edwards & Out on Parole

Reprimand by Joe West
Ants on the Melon by The Gourds
Deisel Smoke, Dangerous Curves by The Last Mile Ramblers
Bears in Them Woods by Nancy Apple

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance by Gene Pitney
The Ballad of The Alamo by Marty Robbins
North to Alaska by Johnny Horton
My Rifle, My Pony and Me by Dean Martin & Ricky Nelson

The Moon is High by Neko Case
The Last Word in Lonesome is Me by Roger Miller

TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAYLIST

Sunday, November 2, 2008
KSFR, Santa Fe, N.M.
Webcasting!
10 p.m. to midnight Sundays Mountain Time
Host: Steve Terrell
101.1 FM
email me during the show! terrell@ksfr.org

OPENING THEME: Let it Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres
A Night With the Jersy Devil by Bruce Springsteen
Evil Hoodoo by The Seeds
I Just Might Crack by April March
Lightning's Girl by Nancy Sinatra
Liz the Hot Receptionist by Jesus H. Christ & The Four Hornsmen of The Apocalypse
If He's Good Enough for Lindy by Oscar Brand
Death Letter by Charlie Pickett & The Eggs
Hi Ho Baby by Lightning Beat Man
The Goo Goo Muck by Ronnie Cook & The Gaylads
Hello Lyndon by Oscar Brand

Poison by Hundred Year Flood
Helicopter by Fred Schneider & Deadly Cupcake
Tricky Dickie (Was a Rock-n-Rolla) by The Dick Nixons
Snacky Poo by The Del-Mars
James K. Polk by They Might be Giants
Nina by Wau y Los Arrrghs!!
I Fought the Law by The Clash
Harding You're the Man for Us by Oscar Brand
Space Bop by Mike Edison & The Rocket Train Delta Science Arkestra
Yes! Yes! Yes! by Edison Rocket Train

LOU REED SET
All songs by Lou except where noted
Oh Jim!
Romeo Had Juliet
Lonsesome Cowboy Bill by The Velvet Underground
Hooky Wooky
Paranoia Key of E
The Bed

Miss Behive by Howard Tate
Rehab by Amy Winehouse
Democracy by Leonard Cohen
Big American Problem by Drywall
People Have the Power by Patti Smith

THE SANTA FE OPRY PLAYLIST

Friday, October 31, 2008
KSFR, Santa Fe, NM
Webcasting!
10 p.m. to midnight Fridays Mountain Time
Host: Steve Terrell

101.1 FM
email me during the show! terrell@ksfr.org

OPENING THEME: Buckaroo by Buck Owens & The Buckaroos
Mr. Undertaker by Angry Johnny & The Killbillies
Wild and Free by Hank Williams III
Jungle Fever by Charlie Feathers
Hillbilly Monster by James Richard Oliver
Wouldn't You Know by Billy Lee Riley
Penny Instead by Charlie Pickett
Bullet in My Mind by Zeno Tornado & The Boney Google Brothers
Hush Money by The Collins Kids
The Hydrogen Bomb by Al Rogers & The Rocky Mountain Boys

North to Alaska by Johnny Horton
Hillbilly Fever by Little Jimmy Dickens
Crazy Arms by Jerry Lee Lewis
5,000 Country Music Songs by Ry Cooder
Indeed You Do by Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs
TV Party by The Asylum Street Spankers
I'm a Fool to Fool Around With You by Hank Thompson
Ghost Woman Blues by George Carter

Down Thru the Holler by Hundred Year Flood
The Wicked Things by Boris McCutcheon & The Saltlicks
How Will You Shine by The Gourds
Million Dollar Funeral by Califone
Forbidden Angel by Mel Street
Snatch It and Grab It by Freddy Hart
Pilgrim on a Train by Gann Brewer
The Bum Hotel by Uncle Dave Macon

Werewolf by Michael Hurley
Murder's Crossed My Mind by Desdemona Finch
Everything is Broken by Bob Dylan
The Gallows by Possessed by Paul James
You Can't Trust Them by Fred Eaglesmith
Something to Think About by Willie Nelson
CLOSING THEME: Comin' Down by The Meat Puppets

Steve Terrell is proud to report to the monthly Freeform American Roots Radio list

OH, A WISE GUY, EH?

Admittedly, I have a hard time envisioning Barack Obama as Moe, but I'm a sucker for the Stooges, so I'm going to post this thing.

TERRELL'S TUNEUP: BACK TO BERLIN

A version of this was published in The Santa Fe New Mexican
October 31, 2008

Lou Reed’s Berlin is known as the most depressing album in rock ’n’ roll history.

It was released in 1973, and the critics hated it, calling it bloated and overblown and a huge downer. The public ignored it nearly as thoroughly as did the radio industry, which had made a daring and unlikely hit out of Reed’s gay-life celebration “Walk on the Wild Side.”

Indeed, Berlin was a full-force dive into the wild side. It’s a song cycle about a drug-doomed young couple that involves bad dope, domestic violence, crazy promiscuity, the Child Protective Services, and ultimately, suicide.

As Terry Allen would sing, “Ain’t no Top 40 song.”

And yet Berlin has held up amazingly well through the years. Harrowing lines like “somebody else would have broken both of her arms” and “Caroline says as she gets up from the floor/‘You can hit me all you want to/But I don’t love you anymore’” are no less politically incorrect now than they were 35 years ago, but the sad story of Caroline and Jim is an unflinching look at the dark impulses of love and obsession.

In December 2006, Reed and film director Julian Schnabel (Basquiat, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) recorded a concert film over a five-night stint in Brooklyn. The DVD, called Lou Reed: Berlin, and the CD, titled Berlin: Live at St. Ann’s Warehouse, were released this month.

The original Berlin band was basically a rock-royalty supergroup that included bassists Jack Bruce and Tony Levin, Steve Winwood on organ and harmonium, and drummer Aynsley Dunbar. There are some great players on the new version, too, including original Berlin guitarist Steve Hunter and two bassists, longtime sideman Fernando Saunders and Rob Wassermann. Reed’s backup chorus includes soul belter Sharon Jones and bizarro warbler Antony Hegarty. There are strings and horns and even the Brooklyn Youth Chorus.

The emotional punch is still there.

The thing about Berlin is that it doesn’t waste a lot of time focusing on the happy times between Jim and Caroline. By the time the ironic “Happy Birthday” segment in the intro plays, grim reality is starting to overshadow any giddy romance. The title song is a bittersweet memory of a small café. The guitar and a bluesy piano add a sad counterpoint to Reed, who wearily intones, “It was very nice, oh honey, it was paradise.”

“Lady Day,” which Reed has kept in his live repertoire for years, still sounds potent, with Reed spitting out his description of the hotel Caroline called home. “It had greenish walls/A bathroom in the hall.” You’d thinking he was singing about hell’s most horrible pit.

If anything, the new version of “Oh Jim” is even stronger than the original. Drummer Tony “Thunder” Smith lives up to his nickname in the song’s intro. There’s a tense guitar conversation between Reed and Hunter and a cool call-and-response with Reed and Jones.

But the real core of Berlin has always been the final three songs.

“The Kids,” which deals with the government removing Caroline’s children from her home, is the one that always gets to me. On the St. Ann’s version, Reed fully gets into the character of Jim, practically shouting the lines, “Because number one was the girlfriend from Paris/The things that they did, ah, they didn’t have to ask us/And then the Welshman from India, who came here to stay.” By the end of the song he’s railing against “that miserable rotten slut.”

As in the original, the song ends with a recording of crying children shouting “Mommy! Mommy!” (A weird little tale about the original song from the All Music Guide: “To ensure that the horror of the song truly hit home, producer Bob Ezrin set up a tape recorder in his own home, then, when his children returned from school, told them that their mother was dead. At least, that’s the legend.”)

This is followed by “The Bed,” a somber, almost whispered, suicide song. “This is the place where she lay her head when she went to bed at night/And this is the place our children were conceived/candles lit the room brightly at night/And that odd and fateful night.”

In the new version, the Brooklyn Youth Choir adds eerie, angelic background sounds. Watching the DVD and seeing the sweet faces, you’re almost tempted to scream, “Get those kids outta there! That’s no place for children!”

But unlike the original album, Live at St. Ann’s Warehouse doesn’t stop at “Sad Song.” It includes the encores — “Candy Says” (vocals by Hegarty) and, because this is a Lou Reed concert, after all, a rousing “Sweet Jane.”

But fitting in best with the mood of Berlin is “Rock Minuet,” an overlooked tune from Reed’s 2000 album Ecstasy. It’s an eight-minute descent into sexual violence and murder — an acoustic number occasionally fortified by some truly monstrous electric-guitar solos.

The new Berlin: come for the drugs and suicide, stay for the back-alley throat slashing.

UDALL AHEAD BY 15 PERCENTAGE POINTS

Republican Steve Pearce might have been aided by the televised debates between him and Democrat Tom Udall. According to Rasmussen Reports, Pearce gained five percentage points on Udall in the past two weeks.

However, that's just a dent. Udall still leads Pearce 56 percent to 41 percent, according to Rasmussen.

Since Rasmussen's last poll, which was conducted on Oct. 13, Udall lost a little and Pearce gained a little in the favorability ratings.

Udall is now viewed favorably by 58% of voters, down from 64% two weeks ago. Forty percent (40%) view the Democrat unfavorably, up from 33%. Pearce is viewed favorably by 49%, up from 43% two weeks ago. The Republican is viewed unfavorably by 47%, down from 53% in the last poll.

As reported in today's Roundhouse Roundup, Rasmussen found Barack Obama beating John McCain 54-44 percent. (Click HERE for more info.)

According to the poll, (500 likely voters interviewed Tuesday), Gov. Bill Richardson gets good or excellent ratings from 48 percent of New Mexico voters , while 20 percent give him a poor rating.