SOME MUSICAL PLUGS

Been too busy to blog much lately, but I have a bunch of musical plugs I need to take care of.

First of all, don't forget the Lannis Loyd Celebration Jam at the Santa Fe Brewing Company Friday night. It's scheduled from 6-10 pm. I'll be stopping by before going out to KSFR to do The Santa Fe Opry.

Georgie "Angel" Adelo tells me some guy named Jamie Brown is supposed to show up to play. Anyone heard of this guy?

The event is free, but you'll also feel free to donate to the new Musicians Emergency Relief Fund, which George is starting.

XXXXXXX

Speaking of great old Santa Fe music memories, John Harvey, former co-owner of The Line Camp e-mailed me last week to let me know he's starting to organize the Line Camp's 30th Anniversary, which is going to be held at the Fuller Lodge on May 10, 2008. He ask me to "send out a message to all the musicians that I am gathering stories and images" of Line Camp memories for a scrap book he's putting together for publication. So if you have any stories or photos of fun at the Line Camp -- the best honky tonk Pojoaque ever had -- email John.

I wonder if he'll use my sad tale about the time I went out there to interview Taj Mahal -- my second interview EVER! -- and my first ex-wife got pissed off at me and left me stranded. The big-time rock journalist had to hitch hike back to Santa Fe with my cheap tape recorder that malfunctioned during the interview.

XXXXX

Finally I want to plug the commercial DVD release of Robert Mugge's New Orleans Music in Exile. I reviewed this documentary about Hurricane Katrina's terrible impact on New Orleans musicians last year in Terrell's Tune-up.

In short, it's wonderful. Check it out on Amazon.com

TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAYLIST

Sunday, November 18, 2007
KSFR, Santa Fe, N.M.
Webcasting!
10 p.m. to midnight Sundays Mountain Time
Host: Steve Terrell
Now Simulcasting 90.7 FM, and our new, stronger signal, 101.1 FM
email me during the show! terrell@ksfr.org

OPENING THEME: Let it Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres
Torquay by The Fireballs
Nicole Told Me by Half Japanese
Bootcheck by Gas Huffer
Let's Go Trippin' by Dick Dale
Please Mr. Engineer by Bo Diddley
Daddy, Buy me a Girl by The Golden Earrings
New Kind of Kick by The Cramps
Slime and Oxygen by The Black Lips

Amazing by Johnette Napolitano
Days and Days by Concrete Blonde
Hip Shot from the Slab by Col. Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains
Spy World by Wall of Voodoo
Thunderball by Martin O.
Goldfinger by Webb Wilder
Awa Didjen by Tinariwen

Caberet of the Seven Devils by The Fiery Furnaces
The Idiot Kings by Soul Coughing
Booze, Tobacco, Dope, Pussy, Cars by The Butthole Surfers
I, Zombie by White Zombie
Tripping by The Pretty Things
A Stroll Through Hive Manor Corridors by The Hives
Fall Sound by The Fall
Police Story by The Dirty Projectors
Thirsty and Miserable by Black Flag

My Man is a Mean Man by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
The Last Time by Bettye LaVette
The Harlem Shuffle (NY Mix) by The Rolling Stones
Handsome Stuff by Simon Stokes
Drop Down Mama by Dion
The One I Love by R.E.M.
CLOSING THEME: Over the Rainbow by Jerry Lee Lewis

eMUSIC NOVEMBER

* Still Stuck in Your Throat by Fishbone. I've been on a real Fishbone kick for the past couple of weeks. It started when I found a used copy of their 2002 album The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx at Natural Sound. I'd nearly forgotten about this group and I was surprised at how vital they still sounded. I saw them play the 1990 Lollapalooza in Denver and loved how they could sound like George Clinton one moment, Pantera the next, and then Frank Zappa -- all mixed in with a hopped-up ska sound. I also was impressed, back then in '93, at how they weren't aftraid to lay on the showmanship -- a quality you didn't much find with some of the other acts like Dinosaur Jr., Alice in Chains and Rage Against the Machine.

So in recent days I was lucky to get a couple of Fishbone albums from LaLa.com (the classic Truth and Soul and the relatively new Live at the Temple Bar and More. I also ripped the Fishbone CDs I already had onto my computer -- and then I stumble across this album, released just last year, on eMusic. Nearly six and a half hours of Fishbone is going through the shuffle mode of my mind. I want to say Fishbone is a major overlooked band of the '90s -- but they're still going strong and still seriously underrated -- in this century as well.


*100 Days, 100 Nights by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings. I reviewed this one recently in Tune-up, along with the new Bettye LaVette CD and the new 3-disc Wattstax collection. You can find the whole piece HERE

In fact, I liked 100 Days so much, I downloaded Sharon & Dap-Kings' 2005 album, Naturally. And if anything, I'm liking it even more. There's a duet with Lee Fields ("Stranded in Your Love") in which Lee & Sharon become a modern Butterbeans and Susie. And there's a totally revamped "This Land is Your Land." It doesn't sound like Woody, but I bet he'd love it.

Basically, I can't get enough soul music. I'm happy there's a cool "soul revival" going on and especially happy that the focus is on the music, not some bogus nostalgic cuteness. The world needs more soul.


*The Big Eyeball in The Sky by Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains. This is a good-time collaboration between Les Claypool and drummer Brain of Primus , funk keyboard great Bernie Worrell and the guitar goon known as Buckethead. So while basically it's a supercharged version of Primus with Col. Claypool in command, Bernie and Buckethead put their own peculiar stamps on the music. There's lots of tasty jams and nary a dull moment. Even the 10-minute epic "Elephant Ghost" slinks along quite nicely. It sounds like the funkiest circus you've ever seen.


*Live at Joe's Place by Hound Dog Taylor. Hound Dog was the closest the blues ever came to punk rock. Well, maybe T-Model Ford, but Hound Dog was out there a ways.

This live record (a 1972 bar gig) is nice, raw and raucous. A few standards here -- "Dust My Broom," "The Sky is Crying," "Kansas City" and a good nine-minute "Freddy's Blues."

And there's one of those strange and unintentionally funny eMusic typos -- "Give Me Back My Wig" somehow becomes "Glue Back My Wig." I like that title better.



* Emotions by The Pretty Things. Talk about being a latecomer -- I didn't really really get into this 40-plus-year-old British Invasion band until Balboa Island, thier latest, released just this year.

Emotions is from that golden year of 1967, when the group plunged into psychedelia. Unfortunately in many cases they went overboard with the horns, strings, harpsichords, harps and other Sgt. Peppery affects. Still some bitchen stuff though. Love the fuzz tone on and whatever stringed instrument (I don't think it's a sitar -- sounds almost like a banjo) on "One Long Glance." I'm also loving the acoustic pyschedelic blues of "Tripping."

*The Live Ones 6 Tracks by The Standells. Eddie Munster was right. The Standells were cool guys. Only few have surpassed their level of bitchenicity. If you don't like 'em, flake off! Get yourself a crewcut, baby! This is a way too short live show by the Dirty Water boys at Michigan State University in 1966. Good clear sound quality. My only regret is that there are only six tracks.


*Mutiny/The Bad Seed by The Birthday Party. Although I've been a Nick Cave fan for years, I basically missed out on his earlier band back in the '80s. (I wasn't invited to the Birthday Party!) I really did miss out! This band has all the spooky, threatening power of the Bad Seeds, abrasive but very listenable. Lots of critics -- including me, I think -- compared Cave's current band Grinderman to The Birthday Party. For good reason.

This collection is two BP EPs starting out with Cave shouting, "Hands up! Who wants to die" in the hard crunching "Sonny's Burning." It doesn't let up from there. "Deep in the Woods is especially frightening. "Deep in the woods a funeral is swingin' ..." Yikes!

*Nuclear War by Sun Ra Akestra. I already had an MP3 of the title track and I needed seven tracks to make my monthly 90, so this worked out perfectly.

The story behind the album, as told in the Allmusic Guide is hilarious in itself:

"Originally Ra was so sure the funky dance track was a hit, he immediately took it to Columbia Records, where they immediately rejected it. Why he thought a song with the repeating chant "Nuclear War, they're talking about Nuclear War/It's a motherf***er, don't you know/if they push that button, your ass gotta go/and whatcha gonna do without your ass" would be a hit is another puzzle in the Sun Ra myth.

Beyond the title song, many tracks here -- "Celestial Love," "Blue Intensity," "The Nameless One Number Two" -- have a cool, bluesy, sleazy yet otherworldly quality with Ra's magial roller-rink organ out front. Call it crime jazz from Neptune.

UPDATED UPDATE: Soon after I posted this I discovered that Bloodshot Records is offering its Free Label Sampler 2007: Yr Welcome, World compilation for free. So I added that too. It's got a few tunes I already have on CD by the likes of Graham Parker, The Detroit Cobras and The Gore Gore Dirls, some new material by Bloodshot stalwarts like Jon Rauhouse and Deano Waco's Dollar Store, and some acts I'm not familar with like The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir and Ha Ha Tonka.

Speaking of which, the roots-rocking Ha Ha Tonka also is offering a free five-song live in-studio set called The Hear Ya Sessions on eMusic. I think these guys would have a lot to talk about with Hundred Year Flood. It's a little bit country, a little bit psychedelic. And, like I said, it's free!

THE SANTA FE OPRY PLAYLIST

Friday, November 16, 2007
KSFR, Santa Fe, NM
Webcasting!
10 p.m. to midnight Fridays Mountain Time
Host: Steve Terrell
email me during the show! terrell@ksfr.org

Now Simulcasting 90.7 FM, and our new, stronger signal, 101.1 FM

OPENING THEME: Buckaroo by Buck Owens & The Buckaroos
When Will I Be Loved by The Flying Burrito Brothers
Honky Tonk Lifestyle by Cornell Hurd
Love Problems by Johnny Paycheck
Dreaming Cowboy by Sally Timms
Perfect Mirror by The Mekons
I'm a Gonna Kill You by T. Tex Edwards & Out on Parole
Broke Down South of Dallas by Junior Brown
Too Many Rivers by Webb Wilder
Moving Day in Jungle Town by The Hoosier Hotshots

Oh Set a Light by Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez
That Little Old Wine Drinker Me by Miss Leslie & Her Juke Jointers
I Cast a Lonesome Shadow by Hank Thompson
Holdin' Our Own by Jesse Dayton & Brennen Leigh
Hungover Again by The Supersuckers with Kelly Deal
Morning After the Night Before by James Luther Dickinson
English Noblemen by Michael Hurley
Rabbits Don't Ever Get Married by Hank Penny
Sex Crazy Baby by Hasil Adkins
Waltz Across Texas by Golden Delicious

Be My Chauffeur by Clifton Chenier
Chez Moreau by The Pine Leaf Boys
Oh Yeh Yai by Terrance Simien & The Mallet Playboys
In The Summertime by Buckwheat Zydeco
Cajun Stripper by Doug Kershaw
Zydeco Two Step by Nathan Williams & The Zydeco Cha Chas
Bozoo That's Who by Bozoo Chavis & The Majic Sounds
Zydeco Gris Gris by BeauSoleil

Eye For an Empty Heart by Holly Golightly
When Jesus Calls All His Children In by Buck Owens
Loser by Dave Alvin
Moonglow, Lamp Low by Eleni Mandell
Palookaville by Peter Case
Keep Smiling Old Pal by Norman Blake
Elijah's Church by Low Red Land
CLOSING THEME: Comin' Down by The Meat Puppets

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

ANOTHER DEM DEBATE

Gov. Bill Richardson got more air time than usual in tonight's CNN Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas. That's according to the Chris Dodd Talk Clock. Looks like Dodd will be remembered as the official timekeeper of the 2008 primary campaign.)

However, during his extended time, the governor threw out a lot of stats and claims that might not pass close scrutiny. Lucky for him, the national media, concentrating as usual on the front-runners, didn't seem to pick up on it.

But then there's that nitpicky local media ...

TERRELL'S TUNEUP: NOT-SO FIERY FURNACES

A version of this was published in The Santa Fe New Mexican
November 16, 2007

Why are so many of my favorite musical acts releasing disappointing albums this year? Wilco, P.J. Harvey, The New Pornographers, and now The Fiery Furnaces.

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of siblings Eleanor and Matt Friedberger and have defended the Furnaces even when other critics slammed them. What is it about the duo’s Widow City that makes it hard for me to sink into? It’s not the crazy, disjointed, abruptly changing rhythms — heck, I’m a fan of Frank Zappa, Mr. Bungle, and Fishbone. It’s not the inscrutable tales and oddball lyrics — I was intrigued by the first song, “The Philadelphia Grand Jury,” in which Eleanor sings about being set up by the judicial system on charges we’re never quite sure of. All we know is “more crooked sons of bitches you can’t ever have come across.”

And I appreciate Eleanor’s shout out to the Land of Enchantment — “so said the birth chart I sent away to New Mexico for. It was made by a special commission of Navajo basketball coaches and blonde ladies” — at the end of “Automatic Husband.” About time someone acknowledged the mystic nature of Native American coaches.

Then there’s Eleanor’s fascinating recurring theme of spousal abuse. Back on the pair’s album EP, there was the brilliant “Single Again,” in which she sang of a husband who “beat me, he banged me/He swore he would hang me.” Last year’s Bitter Tea had a character whose husband’s family is plotting against her: “My mother-in-law was standing by the stove/hissing like a snake, hissing like a snake/ ... She gave orders to spill my blood.”

Here on Widow City, after a couple of tunes that seem to suggest the death of her character’s husband, there’s a song called “The Old Hag is Sleeping,” in which Eleanor sings, “My baby’s angry, he’s always so angry/He smiles only when he can give me abuse.”

But somehow the CD doesn’t live up to the promise of “The Philadelphia Grand Jury.” The songs do seem to be loosely connected thematically, but the story line, if indeed there is one, quickly becomes incomprehensible.

A couple of years ago, reviewing the Furnaces’ Rehearsing My Choir — the album that featured Eleanor and Matt Friedberger’s grandma Olga on lead vocals — I referred to “the secret language that family members share.” It seems here they are speaking that “secret language” in an increasingly thicker brogue.

This wouldn’t bother me so much if the music were more interesting. But most of the songs here sound as if the Furnaces are tired and repeating themselves. The most noticeable new element is several spots on the album that sound like second-rate Flaming Lips outtakes. Listen to “Wicker Whatnots” and try not to think of the last couple of Lips studio records.

To be fair, a couple of tunes late in the album made my ears perk up. “Cabaret of the Seven Devils” starts out with some powerful drums, then tells the story of an evil duke. But then, how could you go wrong with a song called “Cabaret of the Seven Devils”? This song is followed by “Pricked in the Heart,” which features an eerie flute that reminds me of British psychedelia like the Incredible String Band and “Strawberry Fields Forever.”

But all in all, The Fiery Furnaces seem short on fire this time around.

Recommended:
*Rise Above by The Dirty Projectors. Straight to the point: this is one of the strangest new albums I’ve heard in a long time. It’s a remake of songs from Black Flag’s 1981 album Damaged, considered a classic of California punk rock.

But Rise Above is not your typical “tribute” album. Instead of slavishly reverent recreations of Black Flag songs, Dave Longstreth (the main Projector) filters Black Flag tunes through his own private universe. It doesn’t sound close to what normal mortals consider punk rock — except when Longstreth’s voice turns from a creepy croon to a grating scream during otherwise pretty musical passages.

The first song, “What I See,” sounds like Morrissey fronting Ween, except where did those happy African guitars come from? The song that makes me laugh out loud is “Police Story.” Black Flag played it as an angry blast of protest against cops hassling kids. But the Projectors, while leaving in all the profanity, rearrange it as a brooding lament. Longstreth sounds genuinely sad as he sings, “They hate us, we hate them.” With its acoustic guitar and trumpet, it could almost be an American Music Club tune — except Mark Eitzel never sounded half as deranged.

My only complaint is that my favorite Damaged song, “T.V. Party,” isn’t here. Maybe the Projectors are saving it for a warped remake of the Repo Man soundtrack.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GOVERNOR

Bill Richardson is 60 years old today.

I was reminded of this by an e-mail from Barbara Richardson (via the Richardson campaign) with the subject line "Don't Tell Bill."

Does this mean I'm burning a source by posting this?

I wonder what might pop out of his cake at the CNN debate in Las Vegas tonight? (That's 6 pm Mountain Time, folks.)

ROUNDHOUSE ROUNDUP: A WEB OF ATTACKS

A version of this was published in The Santa Fe New Mexican
November 15, 2007

Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez managed to get all the way through his “online town hall” this week without mentioning his U.S. Senate Democratic primary opponent, U.S. Rep. Tom Udall, but Chávez in recent days hasn’t been shy about bashing Udall in national media interviews.

Meanwhile, though state Republicans have chastised Udall for being the favorite of “out-of-state liberal bloggers,” it’s Chávez, not Heather Wilson or Steve Pearce, who has felt the sting of at least one pro-Udall blogger from outside this enchanted land.

In an interview Saturday with Politico, a political Web site, Chávez referred to Udall’s “lackluster record in the House.”

“The race is about only one thing,” Chávez said, “(the) fact that Washington has failed to deliver for New Mexico. I’m the only candidate with a record of strong leadership on getting things done. … There will certainly be a contrast.”

This is similar to what Chávez told Roll Call, a Washington, D.C., publication, last week. “This will not be a sweet primary. It just won’t,” he said. “The contrast in records between me and the Congressman won’t situate him well for the general election.”

The mild-mannered Udall has yet to fire back. (And, technically, he hasn’t formally announced yet.) But some of his defenders in the blogosphere certainly have.

Markos Moulitsas Zúniga of the popular left-wing Daily Kos, fired with both barrels Monday. “Everyone wants Chávez out of the primary, suggesting he run for one of the House seats opened up by this Senate race,” Zúniga said. “Me, I’d rather see Chávez’ career destroyed by Udall in this primary once and for all. The last thing we need is his corrupt ass in Washington in the House, stinking up the Democratic brand and making Latinos look bad.

“So I hope he’s stupid enough to stay in the Senate race. I’ll have fun seeing him go down in flames.”

Chávez is right about at least one thing. It’s not going to be a sweet primary.

Chat room chatter: Those who watched and participated in Chávez’s Web chat seemed to enjoy it. A few reported technical difficulties. My feed only froze up completely once, though there were a few stray moments where the sound faded momentarily.

My biggest distraction was trying to listen to Chávez while keeping an eye on the chaotic but often entertaining chat room buzz to the side of the video screen, reproduced here as it appeared on the screen.

“Why does Texas buy water from NM? Now thats the question … ” one participant wrote.

“Texans are a very thirsty people … ” another replied.

“so are we,” said a third chatter.

“maybe texans will pay your ticket?” quipped on participant, referring to an earlier post from someone sarcastically asking Chávez to pay his $300 ticket from one of the controversial red-light cameras in Albuquerque.

I might have been following such an exchange when Chávez apparently made a veiled reference to a controversial Udall vote to reduce the budgets of the national laboratories in the state. I didn’t catch it, but the chatters picked it up.

“Note the shot at Udall,” a participant wrote. “ ‘who would have thought’ any member of congress would vote to cut lab funding …”

“udall voted to cut lab funding?” another chatter responded.

“yep”

“dang what was he thinking???”

Even though it’s distracting, I hope Chávez keeps the chat room in his future town halls, and other candidates, who are bound to pick up on this idea, keep it too.

Yippie yi yay!: I was beginning to think the state had forgotten about the memorial sponsored by Rep. Gloria Vaughn, R-Alamogordo, to hold an official state cowboy song competition. But no, the cowboys won’t be forgotten.

A news release from the state Music Commission said the competition officially kicks off tonight during the opening ceremonies of the Western Music Association’s International Festival in Albuquerque at the Marriott hotel on Louisiana N.E. near Interstate 40.

Those wanting to enter a cowboy song for consideration should send compact discs or tapes, along with proof of copyright, to the New Mexico Music Commission, P.O. Box 1450, Santa Fe, NM 87504.

The entry deadline is Nov. 14, 2008. The commission will announce the winner in December 2008. The winning song will be submitted for a final showdown at the state Legislature in January 2009.

R.I.P. LANNIS LOYD

I've known Lannis for more than 35 years, though we weren't that close. His suicide last week shocked and saddened me. You can read my obit of him HERE .

The first time I met Lannis I was still in high school. My English teacher, his mom LaVera Loyd, brought her long-haired rock 'n' roller son to class to teach a lesson on the history of rock 'n' roll! Mrs. Loyd was a pretty traditional teacher and not any kind of flower child herself. But I always thought she was pretty cool for doing that. First time I heard Led Zepplin was when Lannis played "Whole Lotta Love" in my English class that day. I thought he was pretty cool too.

Years later, Lannis led my favorite local band The Ozone Express, a great little country-rock band with two fine female vocalists -- Christine Albert and Donna Pence. I used to go to the old Turf Club in Santa Fe almost every Saturday night. Lannis would end every show with Commander Cody's "Lost in the Ozone Again."

In writing the obit yesterday, I got to talk to another Santa Fe musician of that era, Jamie Brown, better known these days as Junior Brown. (In the early '70s, The Last Mile Ramblers, which indluded Jamie, was New Mexico's premier country rock band, but by the mid '70s, they had broken up and Ozone had risen.) He too remembers Lannis fondly.

And thanks to George Adelo, Mike Montiel and especially Lori Loyd Gallegos for their help with the obit too. And thanks to Al Faaet for that great picture of Lannis playing with The Georgie Angel Blues Band at the Santa Fe Music Festival last summer.

What can I say, Lannis? You fucked up big time! People loved you. And we always will. We all just wish you'd known it.

I'd forgotten until I was Googling around for Lannis this week that he had a Soundclick page.
If you'd like to hear some of his tunes CLICK HERE.

George Adelo says he and some other friends are setting up a fund in Lannis' name for Santa Fe musicians in need. Lannis was not in financial trouble, but as we all know, some local musicians do have such problems.

You can help defray Lannis' funeral expenses by donating to a fund at the Community Bank (where he worked as a vice president.)

Please don't forget the celebration of Lannis' life Friday Nov. 23 at the Santa Fe Brewing Company.

TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAYLIST

Sunday, November 11, 2007
KSFR, Santa Fe, N.M.
Webcasting!
10 p.m. to midnight Sundays Mountain Time
Host: Steve Terrell
Now Simulcasting 90.7 FM, and our new, stronger signal, 101.1 FM
email me during the show! terrell@ksfr.org

OPENING THEME: Let it Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres
You Dress Up For Armageddon by The Hives
I Remember You by Deadbolt
Mystery Trip by The Chesterfield Kings
Ain't That Her by The Remains
Doin' the Shout by John Lee Hooker
Justine by The Righteous Brothers
Gruby Jak Elvis by by T. Love
Flower Punk by The Mothers of Invention
Life of Pain by Black Flag
What I See by The Dirty Projectors

Kicks and Chicks by The Zipps
I'm Bigger than You by The Mummies
I Met Roky Erikson by Daniel Johnston & Jad Fair
Don't Slander Me by Roky Erikson
Deep in The Woods by The Birthday Party
When My Love Comes Down by Grinderman
Action by Electriccoolade
Nobody Gets Me Down by T-Model Ford

Let Them Knock by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
Hey Sallie Mae (Get Off My Feet) by Lee Fields
Come on In by The Dynamites featuring Charles Walker
Everybody is a Star by Fishbone
I'm So Proud by The Isley Brothers
B-A-B-Y by Carla Thomas
Talking Old Soldiers by Bettye LaVette

VETERAN'S DAY SET
Veteran's Day by Tom Russell
Born in the USA by Bruce Springsteen
Sam Stone by Swamp Dogg
Western Hero by Neil Young
Navajo Code Talker by Vincent Craig
The Green Fields of France by The Dropkick Murphys
Soldier's Things by Tom Waits
CLOSING THEME: Over the Rainbow by Jerry Lee Lewis