THE SANTA FE OPRY PLAYLIST

Friday, May 8, 2009
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
Bluebird by Dallas Good
It Just Dawned on Me by John Doe & The Sadies
Lady Killin' Papa by Deke Dekerson
Lulu's Back in Town by Dan Hicks
I Can't Be Satisfied by Hot Tuna
Betty Lou Got a New Pair of Shoes by Neil Young & The Shocking Pinks
Hot Rod King by Kris Hollis Key
Next Sunday, Darlin' is My Birthday by Hank Williams

Lonesome, On'ry and Mean by Waylon Jennings
Why You Always Cheatin' on Me by Nancy Apple
House of Blues by Mose McCormack
In the Tank by Ruthie & The Wranglers
I'm Gonna Dress in Black by Eilene Jewell
I Miss Being Broken, Lowdown and Alone by Andy Friedman & The Other Failures
Mom and Dad's Waltz by George Jones

Crazy as a Loon by John Prine
Doghouse Blues by Wayne Hancock
Hesitation Blues by Willie Nelson & Asleep at the Wheel
A Wild Cat Woman and a Tom Cat Man by Cliff Carlisle
Honky Tonkin' by Merle Haggard
Mound of Clay by Charlie Feathers
Reality Blues by Deano Waco & The Meat Purveyors
Pollyanna by Patterson Hood
Rock and Roll Killed My Mother by The Hi Fi Guys

Don't Touch Me by Eleni Mandell
Hong Kong Blues by Chris Darrow
Clouds of Swallows by Goshen
Jamie Was a Boozer by Joe West
Complicated Shadows by Elvis Costello
Will You Miss Me by June Carter Cash
One of the Unsatisfied by Lacy J. Dalton
CLOSING THEME: Comin' Down by The Meat Puppets

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

TERRELL'S TUNE-UP: CULTURE VULTURES

A version of this was published in The Santa Fe New Mexican
May 6, 2009


With apologies to Edgard Varèse (and Ruben Sano), "The modern-day garage snot rocker refuses to die." Not only that, they're all over the world.

I just got this bitchen little CD, Drop In and Go from sweet Adelaide, Australia, by an Aussie band I'd never heard of called The Molting Vultures. I had a feeling I was going to like it when I first saw the cartoon vulture surfing on the cover.

And I was right. The music of the Vultures is a modern-day extension of the basic Question Mark and the Mysterians/Blues Magoos sound, which hardly ever gets old. Lot of great Farfisa organ (or at least it sounds like the good old Farfisa) and fuzztone guitar.

Plus, the band has a singer, Phillip Vulture, whose only instrument is the theremin, giving some nice science-fiction effects on songs like "Gulls Rock," "Mummy Shakes," and "Bad Bad Woman." All the musicians have the surname "Vulture." Besides Phillip, there are Nick, Mick, Jamie, and Michael "Popeye" Vulture. Their mom, Mrs. Vulture, must be very proud.

While the band rarely strays from the basic hopped-up garage sound, there are some unusual touches. For instance, the song "It's What I Wanted" features some pounding piano that sounds straight out of "Crocodile Rock." This boogie sound returns on the album closer, "Tear It Apart," which also features a childlike harmonica solo by Popeye.

One of my favorites here is the roughly six-minute "Insane Jane," in which the band gets slow and psychedelic, with Jamie Vulture playing the organ nice and spooky and the guitars growling, reminding me a little bit of The Black Angels' sound.

Yes, this kind of music has been done a zillion times before, and The Molting Vultures don't score a lot of points in the originality category.

Still, this is the sound I've loved since the days of "Dirty Water" and "Liar Liar." May these down-under Vultures ever molt.

Also recommended

* Used by Black Smokers. Another sound that refuses to die is that of the crazed guitar-and-drums blues/punk duo. Think Flat Duo Jets, The Black Keys, and The Moaners — and The White Stripes in their early days.

And now, from the great nation of Italy — via Chicago's Pravda Records, one of my favorite little labels — comes Black Smokers, which consists of singer/guitarist/theremin (that again!) player Marcello Milanese and Ivano Zanotti on drums.

The Smokers do lots of high-charged, crunching rockers — as bands of this sort are prone to do. "Kickboxer Girl" is an oughta-be classic. The instrumental "Raccoon City Limits" packs a solid punch in less than two minutes, as does "Notturno Op. 69," in which Milanese makes his slide guitar wail. "Cheap Woman" sounds like the music of a punkier ZZ Top, and "Toc Toc" suggests a stripped-down quasi-rockabilly style.

The thing is, the Smokers aren't afraid to tackle the slower and dare I say pretty ballads as well, such as the dark minor-key "Foggy Days" and the meandering "Rain on the Ocean." Milanese has a gruff, soulful voice that lends itself to these songs as well as to the crunching rockers. And speaking of the Flat Duo Jets, I bet Dex Romweber would dig the tango-soaked blues of the title song on this record.

Gee, it seems like only yesterday — actually it was just a week ago — that I wrote "the free world probably didn't need another version of 'Folsom Prison Blues.'" Nobody listens to me. Here's another one, a 90 mph slide-guitar version. I gotta admit, I kinda like it.

* Happier Than You by Jesus H. Christ and The Four Hornsmen of the Apocalypse. This is a poppy little New York group with, yes, four hornsmen (trumpet, sax, and two trombones) and an amazing singer, Risa Mickenberg, who has a sexy, nasally voice and a nicely skewed outlook on love, life, and people we all know.

The album starts out with a song about a character that office workers around the world will recognize: "Liz, the Hot Receptionist." ("She never got promoted/Always wondered why/Her desk was by the printer: easy to stop by.")

Mickenberg sings about the type of relationship that rarely makes it to song in "Back Burner Guy." It's about a man she wants around to "talk about music, talk about art" and have in case her real relationship falls through. "As long as I know you lust after me/I can be the girl he wants me to be," she happily chirps.

Another favorite is "Alcoholics in My Town" sung by Mickenberg and band mate Joel Shelton. It's a folk/rocky little tune about the sad but lovable town drunks they know. Mickenberg and Shelton also share vocals on "Vanity Surfing," which is about Googling yourself on the Internet. (”It’s a special kind of masturbation,” Shelton sings.”)

I hope they Google this. Hey Risa, you're in Pasatiempo!

PASATIEMPO GETS GOV'S ARTS AWARD

Pasatiempo, the arts and entertainment mag for The New Mexican, is one of eight recipients of the 2009 Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts.

I'll take a tiny bit of the credit for that. Terrell's Tuneup, my weekly music column has run in Pasa almost every Friday for more than 20 years. (I know the governor reads my music column sometimes.)

Here's what the Department of Cultural Affairs had to say about us:

Pasatiempo, Santa Fe’s ubiquitous arts and entertainment weekly magazine, has been covering northern New Mexico’s active and high impact arts industry for nearly three decades.

Pasatiempo is published by the Santa Fe New Mexican, the city’s locally owned, independent daily newspaper since 1849. The New Mexican has supported Santa Fe’s many arts organizations and cultural events from its very beginnings, most especially under publisher Robert McKinney and now through the leadership of his daughter, publisher Robin Martin.

Pasatiempo is locally produced and uses no syndication or wire services for its editorial content which each week includes a mix of stories and reviews for music, dance, theater, books, films, architecture, restaurants, galleries and museum exhibitions.

“Pasatiempo editor Kristina Melcher, associate editor Robert Nott, art director Marcella Sandoval, and a staff of dedicated and skilled writers, take on, every week, a dizzying array of articles,” said Richard Gaddes, the recently retired director of the Santa Fe Opera, in his letter supporting the nomination. “It has been noted that an average issue of Pasatiempo has the same amount of editorial material as does a Sunday New York Times Arts and Leisure section.”

Not only does Pasatiempo cover arts events with feature stories and reviews, it also serves as an advocate and important watchdog, making sure that organizations live up to the promises they make. The magazine’s writers and editors are not afraid to point out when promises are not met, and the result is a healthier arts industry and a more appreciative audience.

“Santa Fe’s vibrant arts scene has achieved international prominence, but it’s impossible to imagine how that level of recognition could have occurred without the steadfast support for the arts demonstrated at the local level by Pasatiempo, its astute and hardworking reporters and editors, and the New Mexican’s enlightened and committed management,” said Jon Bowman, the executive director of the Santa Fe Film Festival, in his nomination letter.

“Every other week, another newspaper folds,” Bowman said. “Against such a backdrop, where the very survival of newspapers appears in doubt, the thoughtful and nurturing coverage, as well as dedication toward the arts exhibited by Pasatiempo, becomes all the more singular – even heroic and inspiring.”

Gee, nice words from Bowman even.

eMUSIC MAY

* Undead 'n' Live by Nekromantix. Horror-obsessed psychobilly from a band that started out in Denmark.

Granted the concept isn't that original -- and Roky Erikson does the spookhouse schtik far more convincingly that these guys.

But Nekromantix rocks. This nuclear-powered monster mash is irresistible.

Among my favorite songs on this live "greatest hits" collection are "Bloody Holiday," "Devil Smile" (which owes more to Black Sabbath than rockabilly) and the title song to one of their studio albums, "Demons Are a Girl's Best Friend."


*You Got My Mind Messed Up by James Carr. He never made it as big as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett or even Percy Sledge.

But here's what Stax/Volt songwriter Dan Penn had to say about this amazing soulman: “Everybody keeps asking me what’s my favorite version of `Dark End of the Street.' As if there was any others but James Carr’s.” Penn should know. He co-wrote the song. (He makes this decalration when introducing the tune on the 2005 album Moments From This Theatre: Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham Live.)

Carr, who died of lung cancer in 2001, reminds me a lot of Redding -- and I don't throw around such compliments lightly.

This is an album of Carr's greatest hits -- or shoulda-been hits. "Dark End" is here and I pretty much have to agree with Dan Penn.

Carr's story is a tragic one. The cry in his voice was authentic. And when he sang "You Got My Mind Messed Up," he knew what he was singing about. Carr suffered from severe depression. According to the All Music Guide, " ... Carr found himself unable to deal with the stress of touring; he frequently wandered off alone and got lost. By 1968, his mental state had deteriorated greatly, making even recording sessions a challenge. "

This album is pure unadulterated Memphis soul that deserves a wider audience.

Consumer note: One of those weird e-Music blunders. The last two tracks have the song titles mixed up. "To Love Somebody" (yes, the old Bee Gee's hit) is labeled "Freedom Train" and vica versa. Come on, eMusic, there's way too much of this!


* The Radio Tisdas Sessions by Tinariwen. I stumbled upon this, Tinariwen's first album, the night after I saw them play at The Santa Fe Brewing Company.

These guys are all Tuareg tribesmen from the country of Mali. They were nomadic folk forced into military service by Col. Muammar Gaddafi.

Crazy Mo didn't teach 'em how to play electric guitar though. This is trancy guitar rock with strong Saharan percussion provided via derbouka, a conga-like instrument. I don't understand the lyrics, but I understand they've gotten the group banned on the radio in Mali and Algeria, so they must be subversive.

This was the only Tinariwn album I didn't have. I actually prefer Aman Iman: Water Is Life (2007) and Amassakoul (2004). The good news is that eMusic has them too. And I've conveniently linked them for you.


* Jungle Hop by Don & Dewey . Here are the original righteous brothers! In fact you'll find a couple of actual songs here that Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield later covered -- "Koko Joe" ("the coolest little monkey in town ...") and, more importantly, "Justine. (" ... you just don't treat me right.")

You'll also find original versions of early rock 'n' roll staples like "Farmer John" and "Big Boy Pete" (The Kingsmen later turned this into "The Jolly Green Giant") here, not to mention "I'm Leaving It All Up to You," a tune turned into a country pop hit a few years later by a duo called Dale & Grace.

Don Harris and Dewey Terry, both of whom came from Pasadena, recorded for Specialty Records in the late '50s. When you listen to these tracks you have to wonder why they never became stars in their own right.

Harris, however, didn't exactly fade into obscurity. By the end of the '60s, he adopted the nickname "Sugarcane" and was playing electric violin -- not on Desolation Row, but with Frank Zappa, John Mayall and others. Fans of Zappa's Weasels Ripped My Flesh will remember him wailing on "Directly From My Heart to You."


*Youth Against Nature by The Monsters. Tender little love songs your grandma would enjoy.

If your grandma is Ma Barker or Typhoid Mary.

This is rock 'n' roll the Beatman way -- wild, raw and trashy! If you don't know what I'm talking about, get thee to Voodoo Rhythm!

This album was recorded in 1997 at Toe Rag Studios in London (that's where Billy Childish has recorded his best stuff in recent years.)

Uncompromising as it is, this album is far more accessible to the only other Monsters album I have, Garage Punk Vol. 1. (For my review of that, CLICK HERE and scroll down.)

Check out the noirish instrumental "Cosmic Bell Dance." Also the crazed jungle-drum/fuzz-guitar driven "Voodoo Love" where Beat-man sings about "suicide murders from Hell."

Plus ....
* The last seven songs on Merriweather Post Pavilion, the new album by Animal Collective. (I downloaded the first four at the end of last month.)

About the first thing that pops in to my head when listening to this music is "Brian Wilson Conquers the Martians."

This band and TV on the Radio are about the only distinctively 21st Century modern rock I'm listening to these days. Usually I hate synth-based music, but you can't deny how creative these boys are -- and how catchy and addictive their music is.

That being said, I think I prefer 2007's Strawberry Jam. Merriweather's growing on me though.

and ...

* Eight tracks from Como Amigos by Flaco Jimenez. Back about the time I graduated from college and moved back to Santa -- we're talking the fall of 1976 to be exact, I heard Ry Cooder's version of "He'll Have to Go," a Tex-Mex arrangement featuring an accordian player I'd never heard of previous -- Flaco Jimenez. I was astonished! I was so impressed that I didn't even want to get the Ry Cooder album until I sought out more music by Flaco.

A couple of days later, I was downtown and decided to check out the old Star Records, which then was located in La Fonda. Sure enough, they had a Flaco album on some tiny Texas label, so I bought it. Pure unadulterated Flaco. My favorite tune was one of ethnic pride, "Soy Chicano."

Who knows what happened to my copy of that album. But though I've heard Doug Sahm's version (which he just called "Chicano"), I hadn't heard that original Flaco version in years -- until last Monday night.

Bob Hastings was on B.C. Caldwell's Blue Monday show on KSFR. When two record collectors that serious get together, you know something amazing is going to happen. Bob was playing some of his great old family '78s -- mariachi music, Mexican, Tex-Mex. And sure enough, he played that original Flaco version of "Soy Chicano." Man, it sounded great.

A strange voice led me to eMusic, where I found the song on this album. So I used my last remaining to download that plus seven others. All primal Flaco. No guest rock stars. No English lyrics. No covers of popular American songs. Just that cosmic accordion.

BROADCASTING THE PODCASTING

My podcasts are getting a bigger audience down in southwestern New Mexico.

KOOT, 88.1 FM in Silver City -- that's right, Billy the Kid's boyhood home -- is playing the podcasts at midnight Friday and Saturday nights (I guess technically that's 12 am Saturday and Sunday mornings -- that's always confused me).

KOOT doesn't yet have a Web site, but it's connected with Community Access Television of Silver.

And no, I'm not going to change anything -- though I'll probably play some Bayou Seco, a great Silver City band on my next "Santa Fe Opry Favorites" episode. And it gives me extra incentive to keep the shows right at an hour long.

Of course, you don't have to go to Silver City to hear the podcasts. My latest one is HERE (or just scroll down a few posts) and you can find all of them HERE. Do yourself a favor and subscribe to it HERE.

JONO BACKS PETE

Pete Seeger just celebrated his 90th birthday at Madison Square Garden in New York over the weekend in a star-studded tribute concert.

And according to Lone Monk, who has been recording some stuff with Jono Manson in recent months, Santa Fe's own Jono was in the house band. Cool gig, Jono!

You can read about the concert HERE, HERE and HERE.

TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAYLIST

Sunday, May 3, 2009
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
69 Faces of Love by King Khan & The Shrines
Drums a Go Go by The Hollywood Persuaders
She Said Yeah by Larry Williams
Black Shiny Beast by Buick MacKane
Space Age by The Monks
Bullet Proof by The Black Smokers
Sheela Na Gig by P.J. Harvey
The Crusher by The Novas
Pleasure Unit by The Gore Gore Girls

Little Red Riding Hood by The Big Bopper
Red Riding Hood and The Wolf by Bunker Hill with Link Wray
Little Red Riding Hood by Sam the Sham & The Pharoahs
Burning Red by The Molting Vultures
Sookie Sookie by Steppenwolf
Later That Night by Ruben & The Jets
Leave the Ghost at Home by Troy Gregory & The Sights
Lap Dancer by Big Ugly Guys
Minority Report by Los Straightjackets
Dos Hojas Sin Rumbo by Al Hurricane

Wrong Way Ticket by The Cramps
Take My Heart by The Black Lips
Torture Rock by The Rockin' Bellmarx
I'm a Hog for You Baby by Screaming Lord Sutch
You Treat Me Bad by The Ju Jus
Mr. Link Wray by The Happy Happy Jihads
The Black Widow by Link Wray
Moonlight Boogie by Billy Miles Brook
Ain't That Just Like Me by The Astronauts
Madhouse by Barrence Whitfield & The Savages

Get Happy by Simon Stokes
Experiment in Terror/Stalkin' by Impala
I Hear Sirens by The Dirtbombs
Money (That's What I Want) by Junior Walker & The All Stars
Alcoholics in My Town by Jesus H. Christ & The Four Hornsmen of the Apocalypse
Sign of the Judgement by Marcus Randolph
Muriel by Eleni Mandell
CLOSING THEME: Over the Rainbow by Jerry Lee Lewis

PODCAST 9: TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD FAVORITES Vol. 3

Podcast #9, Terrell's Sound World Favorites Vol. 3, is up, and it's a doozy -- the finest in freeform weirdo podcasting. King Khan! The Dirtbombs with Troy Gregory! The Standells! Nekromantix! The Big Ugly Guys! And the ever-sexy Singing Sadie!!! Plus some rocking tunes from New Mexico past -- The Fe-Fi-Four Plus Two --- and present -- The mighty Goshen.

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

Or better yet, stop messing around and CLICK HERE to subscribe to my podcasts and HERE to directly subscribe on iTunes.

You can play it on the little feedplayer below:



My cool BIG feed player is HERE.

Here's the play list:
(Background Music: Let It Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres
Hit the Road Jack by Cat
Born in a Haunted Barn by Troy Greggory with The Dirtbombs
Why Pick on Me by The Standells
Hate You Baby by Marshmallow Overcoat
Double Crossin' Girl by Fe-Fi-Four Plus Two
Monster Surfing Time by The Deadly Ones
La La La by ZzZ
Put Down the Carving Knife by Singing Sadie

(Background Music: El Mosquito by Eddie Dimas)

Theme From a Summer Place by Ross Johnson
Wreckin' Ball by The Frantic Flattops
Bloody Holiday by Nekromantix
Mummy Shakes by The Molting Vultures
Lipstick by The Big Ugly Guys
She Got a Nose Job (from Mad Magazine)

(Background Music: Mi Amigo El Borracho by Miguel y Miguel)

Belladona by Goshen
Owe Money by Scat Rag Boosters
Kickboxer Girl by The Black Smokers
Pachuca Hop by Mad Mel Sebastian
Mumbles by Jack Ross
Let Me Holler by King Khan & The Shrines
CLOSING THEME: Over the Rainbow by Jerry Lee Lewis

HIDDEN LOVE FOR PETER CASE

Good ol' Stan Ridgway sent out this e-mail alert about a series of benefit concerts for Peter Case, who faces enormous medical bills following open heart surgery in January.

This weekend I'll be joining up with Dave Alvin, Loudon Wainwright III, T-Bone Burnett, Van Dyke Parks, Amy Farris, The Dark Bob, and a host of other friends and art - kooks at McCabe's in Santa Monica CA for some great shows in aid of our friend, musician and songwriter Peter Case in helping handle some insanely high medical bills. Mr. Case is back on the road to recovery! And these shows will help - but you can now help too! - from wherever you are in this crazy round ridiculous world.

The concerts are this weekend at McCabe's In Santa Monica, Friday (ooops, too late!), Saturday and Sunday.

Friends of Case's have set up the Hidden Love Foundation, which is collecting money to help with expenses. If you're in the area, go to one of the shows. If not, check out Hidden Love and if you can contribute, do.

THE SANTA FE OPRY PLAYLIST

Friday, May , 2009
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
Où est passé E.C Lenoir ? / Le Two-Step de L'haricot by Mama Rosin
T'es pas la Mem by The Pine Leaf Boys
I Spent All My Money Loving You by BeauSoleil with Garth Hudson
Fraulien by Bobby Helms
I Hit the Road and the Road Hit Back by Dallas Wayne
High Rolling Train by Wayne Hancock
Comeback Kid by Deano Waco & The Meat Purveyors
A Woman's Intuition by Johnny Paycheck

Ode to Swine Flu
Hogtied Over You by Billy Bacon & The Forbidden Pigs with Candye Kane
Pig Pig by The King Khan & BBQ Show
Pig Snoots (part 1 & 2) by Andre Williams
The Hog of the Forsaken by Michael Hurley
Pigmeat by Leadbelly
Filipino Box Spring Hog by Tom Waits

Umm Boy You're My Baby by Bill Johnson & The Dabblers
Too Many Pills by Arkey & The Blue Cowboys Blue

In the Rushes/Slow Burn by Goshen
Screwtopia by Patterson Hood
Old Chunk of Coal by Billy Joe Shaver
Up For Air by John Egenes
A Fool Such as I by John Doe & The Sadies
Tombstone Blues by Tim O'Brien
Curly Toes by (unknown)

A Lion in Winter by Hoyt Axton & Linda Rondstadt
Dying Breed by Kim & The Cabelleros
Never Gonna Be Your Bride by Carrie Rodriguez
This House is Filled With Sickness by The Victor Mourning
I Shook His Hand by Gary Heffern
Blue Distance by Peter Case
CLOSING THEME: Comin' Down by The Meat Puppets

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