Wednesday, September 29, 2021

WACKY WEDNESDAY: A Wacky Birthday Salute to Les Claypool

 


Les Claypool, the bass-plucking force behind Primus and many lesser-known bands (Sausage, Holy Mackerel, The Fearless Flying Frog Brigade and others) turns 58 today.

Happy birthday, Les. I remember when I was your age. 

Unless you were completely deaf to early '90s "alternative" rock,  you already know that Primus was one of the most unique acts of the era -- a "power trio" (I bet Claypool hates that label!) that centered around the bass rather than guitar. And speaking of labels, Primus often was lumped into the "punk-funk" category along with the more popular but vastly inferior Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Besides Claypool's crazy talent (and guitarist Larry LaLonde and drummer Tim Alexander werent exactly slouches either) the main thing that set Primus apart was their humor and sense of absurdity.

So on this Wacky Wednesday, I present some of the wackiest Primus tunes.

The first song that drew me to Primus was the celebration of a murderous hillbilly called "My Name is Mud.":


On this song, Primus pays tribute to one of the finest members of the rodent kingdom, a big brown beaver:


One of my favorite Primus tunes is "Fisticuffs." Here's a live version from 2013:


Although Primus is associated with punk and funk, they've also been known to do amazing covers of country songs. Back in the '90s, they recorded a wondrous  version of Jerry Reed's "Amos Moses".  More recently (2003) they recorded and made a bitchen video for this  Charlie Daniels classic:


One of Claypool's most recent projects is his work with son of the Walrus Sean Lennon. Here's a tune from 2016, a touching tribute to a boy and his chimp:


Happy birthday, Les! Your name is never Mud on this blog.

Sunday, September 26, 2021

TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAYLIST




Sunday, September 26, 2021
KSFR, Santa Fe, NM
Webcasting!
10 p.m. to midnight Sundays Mountain Time
Host: Steve Terrell 101.1 FM
Email me during the show! terrell(at)ksfr.org

Here's my playlist :

OPENING THEME: Let It Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres
I'm Alive, Your'e Dead by Kathy Freeman
Feel Good by Ty Segall with Denee Segall
Killer vs. Killer by Sloks
Fruit Fly by Hickoids
Satan's Just a Waitin' by Big Al Anderson
Shrieking Insects by John Trubee & The Ugly Janitors of America
Last Kind Words by Dex Romweber Duo with Jack White

They Wanted the Devil But I Sang of God by The William Loveday Intention
Rang Tang Ding Dong (I Am the Japanese Sandman) by The Cellos
I Can't Get No Nookie by The Masked Marauders 
Hairy Lula by Hipbone Slim & The Knee-Tremblers
Humans by Pocket FishRMen
Take the Skinheads Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven
Spilling Blood (at the Rock 'n' Roll Show) by The Fleshtones
Oww by Half Japanese
Poor Carrie Anne by Al Duvall

Summertime by Die Zorros
I Have Enough by Reverend Beat-Man
Real Man by The Devils
The Ghosts of American Astronauts by The Mekons
The Olde Trip  to Jerusalem by Chivalrous Amoekons 
When Fate Deals It's Mortal Blue by Meet Your Death
Model Ex Citizen by Quintron
I'm Not Your Stepping Stone by Paul Revere & The Raiders
Good Ship Venus by Loudon Wainwright III

Day of Revenge by Mark Rubin
My Mood Swings by Elvis Costello
Electric Chair by Sleepy John Estes & The Tennessee Jug Busters
Teen Angel by Sha Na Na 
When She Comes by Prince
Dying to Live by Edgar Winter
Goodnight My Love by Jesse Belvin
CLOSING THEME: Over the Rainbow by Jerry Lee Lewis

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Thursday, September 23, 2021

A Belated Look at "Summertime"


Since retirement, I enjoy drinking my morning coffee out on the old front porch when the weather is nice and warm.

This morning, after about a half a cup, I came back inside. It was too chilly.

It's Sept. 23 and I think summer time is over. So let's celebrate "Summertime."

This classic song started on Broadway, composed in 1935 by George Gershwin with lyrics by DuBose Heyward, for the musical Porgy and Bess. The lullaby soon became a jazz standard and made its impact in other genres of popular music as well. 

Here's the first recording of it from 1935 featuring soprano Abbie Mitchell on vocals and Gershwin on piano. Abbie's part doesn't start until about 2 minutes in:


Here's the version by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, who did an album of Porgy and Bess songs in 1959:

The very first version I ever heard was Sam Cooke's. And it's still a doozie:

Soul singer Billy Stewart had a hit single with the song in the '60s. Dig the 10-gallon hat here:

Many members of My Generation believe that "Summertime" started with Big Brother & The Holding Company. It didn't, of course, but Big Brother's version was beyond powerful. Here's a 1969 live performance by Janis Joplin after she went solo:


Doc Watson, with his son Merle, took the song to the country:


And more recently, the Swiss band Die Zorros (featuring the unstoppable Reverend Beat-Man) took it to the Bizarro World:  


The cool weather is nice, but don't be a stranger, summertime! I like it best when the livin' is easy!

For more deep dives into songs, check out The Stephen W. Terrell Web Log Songbook

Sunday, September 19, 2021

TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAYLIST

 



Sunday, September 19, 2021
KSFR, Santa Fe, NM
Webcasting!
10 p.m. to midnight Sundays Mountain Time
Host: Steve Terrell 101.1 FM
Email me during the show! terrell(at)ksfr.org

Here's my playlist :

OPENING THEME: Let It Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres
Hand Full of Sand by Divine Horsemen
Baby Please Don't Go by Them
Exotic Store by Sloks
I'm Going Back by Grys Grys
Suzie by Coyotes y Krotal
Smash the Fascists by Pocket FishRMen 
Confessions of a Psycho Cat by The Cramps
You Don't Know by 13th Floor Elevators
Hey Man! You Just Made My Day by Harry "The Hipster" Gibson

Crime to Be Poor by The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band
CIA Man by The Fugs
The Greatest Whole by King Khan & Saba Lou
New Big Prinz by The Fall
Come and Have a Go If You Think You're Hard Enough by The Mekons
Bongo Stomp by Little Isidore & The Inquisitors
Do You Remember What You Did by Nolan Strong & The Diablos

Mother of Earth by The Gun Club
O Christine by The Reigning Sound
Shopping Like a Mormon by 50 Watt Whale
Save the Whales by Country Joe McDonald
ICU by The Control Freaks
Mi Eganaste by The Fleshtones
What's His Name by Joey Quiones & The Sinseers
Wooden Heart by Elvis Presley
Driftwood 4023 by Mitch Webb & The Swindles

24 Hours from Tulsa by Shinyribs
What Are You Looking for by King Shark
My Love Is by Bernadette Seacrest
Lily of the West by Bob Dylan
Juanita by Sturgill Simpson
Far From Any Road by The Handsome Family
Dreaming My Dreams by Waylon Jennings
CLOSING THEME: Over the Rainbow by Jerry Lee Lewis

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FOLK REMEDY Playlist


Sunday, September 19, 2021
KSFR, Santa Fe, NM
Webcasting!
8 am to 10 am  Sundays Mountain Time
Substitute Host: Steve Terrell 101.1 FM

Email me during the show! terrel(at)ksfr.org
Here's the playlist :
The Lost Ones by Ted Hawkins
Sugar Baby by Dock Boggs
Hog of the Forsaken by Michael Hurley
Do the Boogie Mama by Yank Rachell & His Tennessee Jug Busters
Get Up in the Morning Soon by Gus Cannon
Fishing Blues by Henry Thomas
Booger Country Blues by Nick Shoulders
Going Down That Road Feeling Bad by Doc & Merle Watson
Oh Darlin' by Blaze Foley
Give Me That Old Time Religion by Joseph Spence
Ragtime Cowboy Joe by Peter Stampfel

World Gone Wrong by The William Loveday Intention
Crazy Mixed Up World by Ray Condo
Crawdad Song by Jerry Lee Lewis
Long Time Gone by The Flatlanders
Charlottesville by Jesse Dayton
J'Entendes Siffler Le Train / 500 Miles by Martha Fields
Pretty Polly by The Dead Brothers
Down South Kosher by Mark Rubin

Flora, the Lily of the West by Tim O'Brien
The Coo-Coo Bird by Clarence Ashley
I'm Satisfied by Mississippi John Hurt
Railroad Bill by Ramblin' Jack Elliott
Oh Ambulance Man by The Memphis Jug Band
Rambling Gambler by The Dixon Brothers
Jesus Don't Love Me by Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs
The Awful Parts of Me by Rachel Brooke
Alabama Pines by Jason Isbell 

Come Down Angels by The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band
Charlie James by Peter Case
Dink's Song by Dave Van Ronk
Tennessee Blues by Bobby Charles
Right Track Now by Powell St. John
The Pilgrim Chapter 33 by Kris Kristofferson
The Pilgrim by Steve Earle & The Del McCoury Band


TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAYLIST

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