Harpswell Hootenanny '13, part 2: The Clash b/w Nick Lowe

Rule #1 = More Clash.  Dunno why this even comes up, as it's easy enough to remember and always, always provides satisfying results.  Probably it doesn't get much more fun than an unexpected suggestion such as this one (from Paul B) of "Rudie Can't Fail".  The "London Calling" album is of course bramble-thick with hits, of which "Rudie" might be the most freewheeling and good-timey.  For this one, the Pauls B and C manned the guitars, Roger took up the bass and Mikey thwacked on the drums, while I happily stood by and took it all in.  Vocals were courtesy of Paul B and Roggie.  I imposed myself with a couple overdubs, but the original 4-pc recording was a winner from the get-go.  And then Paul B, I believe, suggested the nonsensical hootin' and hollerin' part at the end, which really makes the whole cake.

Rule #2 = More Nick Lowe.  Duh.  As with the above, how I ever drop the ball on this one is totally beyond me.  That man's catalog is overflowing with what you need:  Catchy.  Rockin'.  Sly.  Broken-hearted.  Hilarious.  Hornrimmed and often pompadoured?  Sure.  Check, check and freakin' check, throughout the ups and downs of his catalog since the Carter Administration.  On this one, Dillo laid down that bopping bass line, Mikey drummed, and I played guitar along with Paul B, who we had to shanghai at the last minute.  It was one of those that almost didn't make the cut, even afterwards, and one of the rarities that some overdubbing in the lab really brought some life to.  Especially the baritone guitar.  I figure if a song doesn't respond to that lovin' instrument, not much is gonna help it.

jk

Rudie Can't Fail:       https://app.box.com/s/jvgy32gab7hx065dpg80


Heart of the City:       https://app.box.com/s/u4on55rjuskmzz2l7lmd

Harpswell Hootenanny '13 Part 1: David Bowie b/w Jackson Browne

Maybe we should just change the title of this here blog to "Better Late Than Never"', as finally, finally we get around to Hootenanny '13. I'm not sure what we might manage to shake together in Baltimore this year, but last spring we were here in Harpswell and in fine form, the full Hoot lineup to date, that is: Roadkill (Baltimore), Paul B (San Fran), Paul C (Chapel Hill), and Roger (Northampton).  

Might as well start this series off with two great tastes that, well, I don't know how in the real world they'd ever have much to do with one another.  Ummm, aside from the recreational accoutrements of choice, I suppose, if you know what I mean....

First up is David Bowie's "Moonage Daydream", which beat out "Queen Bitch" and a few others by a nose in the Hootenanny Songs to Cover polling.  Off 1972's legendary "Ziggy Stardust...", it's a crystal distillation of glam-era Bowie if there ever were one, with all the oblique lyrics and hook-y choruses and operatic swells the kids loved to boo-gie to.... the inimitably dry rhythm section of the inimitably named Trevor Bolder (bass) and Woody Woodmansey (drums)... thanks ever and always to Mick Ronson, that delicious guitar crunch.  Roggie stepped way up to the plate to sing this one, an excellent development I'd not at all foreseen.

Serving as a sherbet-like palate cooler, then, is Jackson Browne's (or Danny Kortchmar's, actually) "Shaky Town" off the equally genre-defining "Running On Empty" record, from the far end of the 70's.  I admit that this one was all my suggestion, being a sucker for a well-done trucker tune, but the gents locked in hugely and came out sounding like LA session guys to me: Paul B on the Wurlitzer and Roger on the tasteful lead guitar, and Roady and Dillo anchoring the whole thing.  A real dream come true, after all the years of hearing it on vinyl and 8-track and cassette and bits and bytes.

JK

Moonage Daydream:  https://app.box.com/s/ndvtgnq0n3phl4n7x9ib


Shaky Town: https://app.box.com/s/ou7g6ffb14v2tllnw3ex

Buttsteak!

Here's looking at the big upcoming weekend back in Charm City, '89-ers and everyone else!  This is about what it sounded like in 2009, for the 20th Reunion:

Lorraine (Bad Manners): https://app.box.com/s/jqv3goztr3i2975naxgc

You  Dirty Rat (Scruffy the Cat):  https://app.box.com/s/gbcp4nsfikfde6ypb4ns

Take the Skinheads Bowling (Camper van Beethoven):  https://app.box.com/s/arl1mlke0i5pbpanymv6


Punk Rock Girl (Dead Milkmen):    https://app.box.com/s/22htrbdr223g7lzeonxh

Lost Weekend (Beat Farmers):   https://app.box.com/s/s07pjfl3godbpz1pu2zr

Just Like Heaven (the Cure):  https://app.box.com/s/lppcw1fquyrl62jwjgfy

You Shook Me All Night Long (AC/DC):  https://app.box.com/s/tzaackjqq02ns9gdxdjo

I'm the Man (Joe Jackson):    https://app.box.com/s/3vlgv47zgsx261h8eddn

Here Comes Your Man (Pixies): https://app.box.com/s/ch9vlnc4ikrgzh4ad46o

Knocking on Heaven's Door:   https://app.box.com/s/y5yffgcs17620gcrdau0

Dillo speed round '14: "See You Again" b/w "Let the Tears Dry"

So at the tail end of last year's Harpswell Hootenanny (which is at long last next up in the queue to post), after everybody had fled or the turnstiles, Mr. Dillo and took to the basement in the morning before he had to fly out of the Portland Int'l Jetport.  Having listened to a fair amount of garage-pop lately (the Reigning Sound, Gentleman Jesse and such), I'd had vague ideas for a couple of pop-rock songs in the slow cooker, so we started with a few chords and a hummed "blah-blah-blah".  Within an hour or so, we'd not only knocked together a bit more melody, some verse/ chorus/ bridge structure and some dynamics, but also gotten guitar and drum tracks committed to "tape".  Now everything's been relatively purtied up and patched up now.  Sure, the B-side might regain life with some alteration to the lyrics but I'm OK with the A-side as it stands.  Plus, we recorded an instrumental of Dillo's that will emerge like a butterfly someday.  All in all, a good morning's work!

jk

See You Again:         https://app.box.com/s/ssb7xqxl7yll9jbm95e2

Let the Tears Dry:        https://app.box.com/s/2fulepyzh2wu4uxzlfny