Any Major Dude With Half A Heart

This is the third London mix, which I hope will receive a less muted reception than the Swinging London edition did. The astute readers who know London, or are keen students of the Underground map, will spot a sequence set entirely in North London: Holloway, Kentish Town, Tottenham, Archway, Hampstead and Camden Town.

This volume also answers three essential questions: which Madness and Clash songs will feature in this series, and (having featured The Kinks in Volume 2) which cover of Waterloo Sunset I’ll choose. I think I went for two less expected songs for Madness and The Clash. I think jazz pianist Joe Stilgoe’s cover of The Kinks’ song is an interesting interpretation.

The mix starts with the theme of the early ’90s comedy series Bottom (set in Hammersmith), a Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson vehicle which has not, truth be told, aged very well. The theme is a cover of B.B. King’s BB’s Blues, performed by The Bum Notes, a jazz group of which Edmondson is a member (they also played the closing theme, a cover of The Mar-Keys’ Last Night).

As always, the mix is timed to fit in a standard CD-R, and includes covers. PW in comments.

1. The Bum Notes – Theme from ‘Bottom’ (1991)
2. Blossom Dearie – I Like London In The Rain (1970)
3. Procol Harum – Souvenir Of London (1973)
4. Joe Jackson – Down To London (1980)
5. Lloyd Cole and the Commotions – Charlotte Street (1984)
6. The Men They Couldn’t Hang – Blackfriars Bridge (1989)
7. The Popes – Holloway Boulevard (2000)
8. Imelda May – Kentish Town Waltz (2010)
9. Robb Johnson & The Irregulars – When Tottenham Burned (2011)
10. Cath Carroll & Kerry Kelekovich – Moon Over Archway (2010)
11. The Dream Academy – Hampstead Girl (1987)
12. Louis Philippe – Sunday Morning Camden Town (1989)
13. Dan Reed Network – Seven Sisters Road (1989)
14. T.Rex – London Boys (1976)
15. Mott the Hoople – The Saturday Gigs (1974)
16. Dave Edmunds – London’s A Lonely Town (1976)
17. Madness – Victoria Gardens (1984)
18. The Clash – First Night Back In London (1982)
19. Ian Dury and the Blockheads – My Old Man (1977)
20. The Smiths – Half A Person (1986)
21. Belle & Sebastian – Mornington Crescent (2006)
22. Joe Stilgoe – Waterloo Sunset (2012)

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More London

There are people who would like Bob Dylan’s songs more if only they were sung by somebody else. I have some empathy with that view (as I do with the opposing perspective), so it is a little strange that I would choose for a song swarm one song on which I really enjoy young Robert’s singing.

“Like A Rolling Stone”, recorded in June 1965 and released a month later, is a landmark record in pop music. At a time when singles were considered long-winded if they exceeded the three-minute mark, it clocked it in at 6:13 and yet reached #2 on the US charts (a decade before “Bohemian Rhapsody”).

It also signposted the Dylan-goes-electric controversy. The1966  live recording from Manchester included in this swarm is that of an audience member yelling “Judas”, to which Dylan responds: “I don’t believe you. You’re a liar”, then instructing the band to “play it fuckin’ loud”. By Dylan’s own admission, it was the song that prevented him from quitting recording; it was a song he himself could dig.

The story of the song’s recording session in New York has been documented in rich detail by Greil Marcus (read it HERE).

“Like A Rolling Stone” inspired the young guitarist Jimi Hendrix to take up singing (presumably on the “if he can, so can I” principle), and he included the song in his repertoire. His version at Monterey in 1967, his breakthrough performance, is included here.

The song jumped genres with remarkable ease, from psychedelic (Rotary Connection) to garage rock (The Remains) to ska (The Wailers) to bluegrass (Flatt & Scruggs) to spoken poetry (Sebastian Cabot) to easy listening (Hugo Montenegro) to soul (Major Harris, Maxine Weldon – both brilliant).

Most of these 33 versions work well; a few serve as curiosities. Top of these is the home recording from John Lennon’s 31^st birthday party in a hotel room in Syracuse, New York. John and his friends have a sing-along, with “Like A Rolling Stone” featuring in the medley. We don’t know exactly who among the guests were singing along, but the guests included Ringo Starr, Phil Spector, Eric Clapton,  Jim Keltner, Phil Ochs and beat poet Allen Ginsberg.

Two foreign language versions are included: an Italian take from 1966 by Gianni Pettenati, and one by Wolfgang Ambros, performed in the local dialect of Vienna.

Though I haven’t bothered to include the original — if you don’t already have it, you really don’t need this collection — Dylan himself features three times with live versions: the 1966 “fuckin’ loud” Manchester version, 1974 with The Band, and one from 1979’ Live At Budokan album. If that doesn’t still the hunger, then there is always the live take from the Isle Of Wright gig you can find on the Self Portrait album of 1970.

Bob Dylan (Judas version, 1966); The Four Seasons (1965), The Turtles (1965); The Soup Greens (1965); Cher (1966), The Young Rascals (1966), The Wailers (1966), Gianni Pettenati e The Juniors  (as “Come una pietra che rotola”, 1966), The Remains (1966), Sebastian Cabot (1967), Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967), Rotary Connection (1967), Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs (1968), Phil Flowers & the Flower Shop (1969), Buddy Greco (1969), Major Harris (1969), Maxine Weldon (1970), Hugo Montenegro Orchestra (1970), Hardin & York (1971), The Undisputed Truth (1971), John Lennon & Friends (home-recording with Dig It, Twist And Shout, La Bamba, Louie Louie, 1971), Johnny Winter (1973), Bob Dylan & The Band (1974), Wolfgang Ambros (as “Allan wia a Stan”, 1978), Bob Dylan (1979), Johnny Thunders (1984), Judy Collins (1993), Mick Ronson with David Bowie (1994), The Rolling Stones (1995), Phil Lesh (2000), Drive-By Truckers (2005), The Kentucky Headhunters (2005), Green Day (2009)

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More Song Swarms

What took me so long to do a Covered With Soul of Motown songs? This compilation begins, appropriately, with a Motown giant, Marvin Gaye, covering one of the great songs by other Motown giants, The Temptations. And that is followed by a track by a lesser known group whose records were issued by Motown , Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers, covering a song best known in Marvin Gaye’s version  (you’ll remember them from Any Major Soul 1968 as the group that included Cheech’s sidekick Chong and whose leader discovered the Jackson 5).

Some of the songs are well-known even to the cursory follower of Motown. A couple of others may be unknown to such people. They would do well to check out the Motown recordings of Junior Walker & The All Stars’ What Does It Take (To Win Your Love) and The Originals’ Baby, I’m For Real.

Purists might question the inclusion of Dusty Springfield in a soul mix. Actually, true purists won’t; just listen to Dusty sing Rita Wright’s I Can’t Give Back The Love I Feel For You.

As always, the mix is timed to fit in a standard CD-R, and includes covers. PW in comments.

1. Marvin Gaye – Cloud Nine (1970)
2. Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers – I Heard It Through The Grapevine (1968)
3. S.O.U.L. – My Cherie Amour (1972)
4. Aretha Franklin – You’re All I Need To Get By (1973)
5. William Bell – You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me (3:28)
6. Donnie Elbert – Stop In The Name Of Love (1974)
7. The Spinners – My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me) (1970)
8. Gladys Knight & The Pips – For Once In My Life (1973)
9. Carolyn Franklin – You Are Everything (1976)
10. Willie Hutch – I’ll Be There (1973)
11. Hearts Of Stone – What Does It Take (To Win Your Love) (1970)
12. Rosetta Hightower – Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (1971)
13. Rhetta Hughes – Baby, I Need Your Loving (1969)
14. The Five Stairsteps – Oooh, Baby Baby (1967)
15. Esther Phillips – Baby, I’m For Real (1972)
16. Martha Reeves – Ain’t That Peculiar (1974)
17. Dusty Springfield – I Can’t Give Back The Love I Feel For You (1968)
18. Vessie Simmons – Back In My Arms Again (1971)
19. Carl Graves – That’s The Way Love Is (1975)
20. The Bar-Kays – I Was Made To Love Her (1972)
21. Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Band – Get Ready (1968)
22. David Porter – Reach Out And Touch Somebody’s Hand (1972)

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More Covered With Soul

It might well be the most bizarre music death story of the year. According to the story, Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman (1) died  from causes related to necrotizing fasciitis, a flesh-eating disease which the musician claimed to have contracted after being bitten by a spider in a friend’s hot tub. As far as I can make out, the illness is caused not by nibbling arachnoids but by uncooked meat or accidental consumption of human faeces. And, to spoil a great rock & roll story which would find easy accommodation in Jeremy Simmond’s Encyclopedia of Dead Rock Stars (aka Number One In Heaven), the official cause of death is the bog-standard alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver.

Two of rock’s finest sideman died in May: Rick Manzarek (2), whose keyboard intro to The Doors “Riders On The Storm” is one of the most iconic in popular music, and Trevor Bolder (3), whose often intricate bass formed the backbone to David Bowie’s albums Hunky Dory,  Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane and Pin Ups. In 1976, he joined Uriah Heep.

May is a dangerous time to be a one-time member of The Skatalites. Back in 1969, trombonist Don Drummond died on May 6. Saxophonist Tommy McCook  died on May 5, 1998. In 2011, drummer Lloyd Knibb died on May 12; in 2012 bass player Lloyd Brevett died on May 3. Exactly a year later tenor saxophonist Cedric Brooks (4) died. Unlike the other victims of the Reaper in May, he was not a founding member, having joined only in 1999 to replace McCook.

Although Georges Moustaki (5) operated within the field of French chanson — he wrote for people like Edith Piaf, Françoise Hardy, Yves Montand, Juliette Greco, Brigitte Fontaine, Dalida, Herbert Pagani and France Gall — his music drew from folk. His poly-ethnic background helped: he was born in Giuseppe Mustacchi to Italo-Greek Sephardic Jews. He grew up in Egypt speaking Italian at home, Arabic on the streets and French in school.

The Five Stairsteps’ “O-o-h Child” is one of the most beloved soul songs (one Furious Styles certainly dug it), so the death of Clarence Burke Jr (6), the lead singer of the group, will have saddened many. While it was little brother Keni who had the greatest post-Stairsteps success, Clarence was the prodigy. At the age of 17, he produced the band’s Our Family Portrait LP. The Stairsteps slowly broke up by the mid-1970s, but in 1980 Clarence and Keni briefly re-united to form The Invisible Man’s Band, which released two albums and had a minor hit with “All Night Thing”.

Soul music also lost Marvin Junior (7)  of The Dells, who first had success as an R&B group in the 1950s and ’60s, touring with the likes of Dinah Washington and Ray Charles, and as the 1970s neared blazed a trail in forming the vocal group soul sounds of that decade, alongside bands like The Delfonics and The Intruders.  The core of the group stayed together until last year, when Junior and Chuck Barksdale became to ill to perform.

Listen to Stax singer Ben Atkins (8), who has died at 69, and you picture a black southern soul man; look at him, and you see a country singer. Atkins was one of the first white singer to be signed by Stax, recording alongside the likes of Wilson Pickett, Isaac Hayes, Sam & Dave and Otis Redding (though the featured song preceded that). Atkins never broke big, but enjoyed a long career as a regional performer in Mississippi and Alabama. And in 1978 he even had a Billboard chart entry with “We Don’t Live Here, We Just Love Here” — a country song.

It’s not usual that this feature includes owners of music studios. But one who mustn’t be overlooked is Mack Emerman (9), founder of Florida’s Criteria Studios, who has died at 89. Many classic songs and albums were recorded at Criteria Studios: James Brown’s “I Feel Good” and Derek and the Dominos “Layla”, for example, and The Allman Brothers Eat A Peach , Crosby Stills & Nash CSN and Bee Gees’ Spirits Have Flown LPs, parts of Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Hotel California and Rumors.

Deanna Durbin, 91, child actress and singer, announced on April 30
Deanna Durbin – My Own (1939)

Tim Hensley, 50, country backing singer and musician (Kenny Chesney, Patti Loveless), on April 30
Kenny Chesney – When The Sun Goes Down (2004, on harmonies)

Chris Kelly, 34, member of juvenile rap duo Kris Kross, on May 1
Kriss Kross – Jump (1992)

Jeff Hanneman, 49, guitarist of heavy metal band Slayer, on May 2
Slayer – Eyes Of The Insane (2007)

Sid Selvidge, 69, rock musician (Mud Boy and the Neutrons), producer and label owner, on May 2

Cedric Brooks, 70, Jamaican reggae/funk musician, on May 3
The Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari – Sattamassagana (1980)

Sherman  Mitchell, 83, jazz musician, on May 4

Greg Quill, 66, member of Australian band Country Radio and Canadian band Southern Cross, on May 5
Country Radio – Gypsy Queen (1972)

Anthony ‘Romanthony’ Moore, 46, singer on Daft Punk’s “One More Time”, on May 7

Eric Kitteringham, 66, bass-player of Irish blues-rock band Taste, on May 7
Taste – Born On The Wrong Side Of Time (1969)

Peter ‘Club 69’ Rauhofer, 48, Austrian DJ, remixer and record producer, on May 7

Bill Langstroth, 81, Canadian country producer and TV presenter, on May 8

Ken Whaley, 66, British bassist (Help Yourself , Man, Tyla Gang), on May 8
Man – Hard Way To Die (1975)

Ollie Mitchell, 86, trumpeter, member of Tijuana Brass and studio collective The Wrecking Crew, on May 10
Steely Dan – Pretzel Logic (1974, as trumpeter)

Grayson Minney, 28, singer of rock band Columbia Fields, in a car crash on May 11

Big Ben Atkins, 69, soul singer, on May 13
Ben Atkins & The Nomads – Come On Over (1967)

Jimmie Steward, 86, member of R&B group The Ravens, on May 16
The Ravens – Write Me A Letter (1955)

Alan O’Day, 72, singer-songwriter, on May 17
Alan O’Day – Undercover Angel (1977)

Monroe Hopper, 86, member of gospel  group The Hoppers, on May 17

Phil Buerstatte, 46, drummer of heavy metal band White Zombie, on May 19

Curley Myers, 93, member of comedy-country  group Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers, on May 19
Captain Stubby and The Buccaneers – Fair, Fat And Forty (1954)

Ray Manzarek, 74, keyboardist of The Doors, on May 20
The Doors – You Need Meat (Don’t Go No Further) (1971, on vocals)
Ray Manzarek – The Golden Scarab (1973)

Ronnie Splinter, 64, guitarist of Dutch garage rock group The Outsiders, on May 20

Zach Sobiech, 18, folk-pop singer and cancer fighter, on May 20

Trevor Bolder, 62, British bassist (David Bowie, Uriah Heep), on May 21
David Bowie – Panic In Detroit (1973)
Uriah Heep – Free Me (1978)

Mack Emerman, 89, owner of Criteria Studios, on May 21
Eagles – Lyin’ Eyes (1975)
Andy Gibb – I Just Want To Be Your Every Thing (1977)

Rudy Mockabee, R&B singer, on May 21
Rudy Mockabee – Sweet Thing (1969)

Georges Moustaki, 79, French singer-songwriter, on May 23
Georges Moustaki – Le métèque (1969)
George Moustaki – Ma Liberté (1970)

Ed Shaughnessy, 84, jazz drummer (The Tonight Show), on May 24
Gene Ammons – But Beautiful (1962, as drummer)

Clarence Burke Jr, 62, singer, songwriter and guitarist with the Five Stairsteps, on May 25
5 Stairsteps  – Something’s Missing – Something’s Missing (1968, also as co-writer and producer)
The Invisible Man’s Band – All Night Thing (1980)

Marshall Lytle, 79, bassplayer of Bill Haley & His Comets, on May 25
Bill Haley & His Comets – Crazy Man Crazy (1953, also as co-writer)
Bill Haley & The Comets – Shake Rattle And Roll (1954)

Mbuya Dyoko, 68, Zimbabwean mbira singer, on May 26

Little Tony, 72, Italian-born pop singer, on May 27
Little Tony – Too Good (1960)

Hideki Yoshimura, 46, member of Japanese punk band Bloodthirsty Butchers, on May 27

Marvin Junior, 77, lead singer of soul band The Dells, on May 29
The Dells – Oh, What a Night (1956)
The Dells – There Is (1968)

Mulgrew Miller, 57, American jazz pianist, on May 29
Cassandra Wilson – Shall We Dance (1988, on piano)

Gail Heil, 67, folk musician, on May 30

Jerry McGill, 73, American rockabilly singer, on May 30
Jerry McGill & The Topcoats – Lovestruck (1959)

Andreas Thein, 59, former member of German groups Propaganda and Kino, on May 30
Propaganda – Dr. Mabuse (1982)

GET IT   or HERE (PW in comments)

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