For some time now, I’ve been on a pretty strict musical diet of Bluegrass and Old-Time music. The details of which are at best, not necessary to discuss at this time, and at worst, uninteresting. When I do break this mold, it is usually for a classic record from my past (there are quite a few). I digress… I’ve noticed a commercial for a new movie called The Darjeeling Limited. I have no idea what the movie is about and I doubt I’ll care but I’m totally captivated every time the commercial comes on… the reason being it’s soundtrack. It would seem the movie contains at least a few cuts off of one of the greatest records of all time… and it’s one most folks don’t own and have only heard one song off of. The album is the Kink’s Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One.
Sidebar: I recently bought a house and for the first time since I was 17, I am once again required to mow a lawn. In the past, my old man would bang on my bedroom door, early saturday mornings, so I could get up and pull weeds, or pick up bush trimmings, or cut the grass, or whatever else he had in store for me that day. Thanks to the original Sony Walkman, lawn mowing then, as it does now thanks to Apple’s iPod, included great music. Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, was one of a select few of my favorite grass cutting records.
So anyway, this week, I bought Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, for the third time (album, tape, cd). It came in the mail tonight and I’m listening to it as I type. The record is as great today as it was 20 years ago. Actually, thanks to my copy not being re-mastered, it sounds a lot like I remember my warn out tape sounding… time to buy the re-mastered version (my 4th purchase).
Okay, I’m starting to even bore myself with this post so I’ll be brief. This record is easily in my top records of all time. Top 10? Maybe but I don’t feel like doing the math currently. And you’re probably saying “The Kinks!?!”. Yes, The Kinks. Human beings are know to have moments of brilliance… it’s just unusual that someone has a tape recorder going during them… thus making this recording even more extraordinary!
Here’s one just for fun… This is my Hartford inspired (read: stolen) version of “Bring Your Clothes Back Home”. Not sure where he got it but it’s almost certainly an old Blues/stringband tune. The title may also be “Try Me One More Time”. Not sure. Surely there’s a crusty historian out there who would love nothing better than to shred their larynx berating me for my stupidity on the subject… uncle?
I woke up feeling extremely funky this morning… I’ve been kinda couch-ridden all day and thus, mando playing. My mando is also feeling kinda funky today. Her strings are crusty and stale. Together in our mutual funks, we produced this odd little version of Evening Prayer Blues. A tune with a loose (extremely loose) lineage of DeFord Bailey to Monroe to Compton and then to me.
Old Mountaineer is one of those fantastic, yet obscure Monroe tunes. I stole it (like so many things) off of Mike Compton. Interestingly, I learned it off of the bootlegs from a house concert in Madison, WI (before I moved here) and have since become good friends with Bobby and Lori, who had hosted that show. If you don’t have that show, you should… but you can find the tune on Stomp as well.
Sidebar: while I’m on it, I’l throw out a quick rant for bootlegs… Some musicians feel that bootlegs cut into their bottom line and/or don’t care for folks to hear their “off” shows. I understand these opinions and have no problem with it… except that I disagree with them. My favorite shows are live. Live performances offer a true look into a musician. The allow me to hear tunes that they’re working into a set or are playing off the cuff. Mistakes provide more depth in understanding their playing. Eg. how one handles a mistake in music, like in life, tells a lot about folks. Please, please, PLEASE… allow live recordings where applicable. When I listen to your show I will have already bought your records (which is why I’m listening to your live show) or open to checking you out (and if I like you I will almost certainly buy your record). ‘Nuff said…
I used “the folk process” to liberate this tune from a fantastic record by John Hartford and Jim Wood. It’s called The Bullies Have All Gone To Rest and I would highly recommend it. For the recording, I’m using a new toy called the MicPort Pro. Sounds pretty good… as does the Shure KSM32.
Pumpskully was perhaps thegreatest band in the known universe that you’ve not heard of. Case in point, their version of the Beatles “I Dig a Pony” (a personal fave) recorded during a soundcheck at Nashville’s Exit In. Using this and footage from the Beatles’s rooftop performance of the same song, Steven “Big Toe” B has created a lovely montage during his, obviously, ample freetime. The results are absolutely fabulous… keep in mind however, that this version does not include Charles Hawtrey and the Deaf Aids.
Being relatively new to Wisconsin, I am continually discovering new (to me anyway) Bluegrass resources. the Northland Jamboree is another fine example. The show is no longer being recorded but is available online to download or as a podcast (see below). It features both national and local Wisconsin artists and… well… is just plain good! Give it a listen!
The Northland Jamboree was recorded live from the stage of the Northland Ballroom, in the heart of Wisconsin’s dairyland. Each week the program’s host, Art and Stephanie Stevenson, welcomed a special guest for a jam-packed quarter-hour of music. This live radio show was recorded and is offered as a podcast and features some of the best bluegrass and acoustic music in the Northland.
You can find a listing of shows that are available to download and listen to by searching kyouradio.com. You can also subscribe to the Northland Jamboree podcast via iTunes or get the RSS feed
I’m a big fan of David Byrne. His self-titled solo record (pictured here) is one of my personal favorites. He offers a radio show on his website which is currently offering an interesting collection of “classic country” tunes that he’s calling Rednecks, Racists and Reactionaries: Country Classics. Some nice choices in there… including some good ‘Grass.
Most of the world outside of Nashville will have never heard of Pumpskully… and that’s a damn shame for y’all really. I recently aquired some video footage of the band and am making my way through it (thanks Stephen). The audio is crap but it’s still well worth watching. Below is clip from the band playing at the now defunct (and missed) 12 & Porter. I’m one of the jackasses in the background screaming “play something you know!”. These are some of the best shows I ever had the pleasure to see…
For some time now, I’ve been on a pretty strict musical diet of Bluegrass and Old-Time music. The details of which are at best, not necessary to discuss at this time, and at worst, uninteresting. When I do break this mold, it is usually for a classic record from my past (there are quite a few). I digress… I’ve noticed a commercial for a new movie called The Darjeeling Limited. I have no idea what the movie is about and I doubt I’ll care but I’m totally captivated every time the commercial comes on… the reason being it’s soundtrack. It would seem the movie contains at least a few cuts off of one of the greatest records of all time… and it’s one most folks don’t own and have only heard one song off of. The album is the Kink’s Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One.
