'tis the season, peoples! As perhaps only Santa and a few others know, I've been trying to be a good do-bee the past couple of years, attempting to cook up a new Christmas/ seasonal hit for when the holly jolly time rolls 'round. There's indeed a new one in the hopper for 2011, thanks to Elf Mikey's help over Thanksgiving at Harpswell Holler, but we've since hit a few snags on the production line. There's no telling if I'll manage to get that new product under your tree by Flying Baby J Time on Sunday but in the meantime, you can reheat these classics in your microwave.
"Christmas Parties" needs a bit of cleaning up, and somehow this version's missing a verse, but I'm proud of my little Yuletide kiss-off, and that's Roady on the drums. It's the kind of song you could only write on a Wurlitzer electronic piano--- a lil' nugget of heartbreak, bitterness and ill will with that gooey heart of sentimentality that you love (or hate). "Everyday Christmas" is really more of a Christmas-in-July thing, but it does have plenty of the C-word in it, two drumsets, a dinger-bonker and all my other usual slatherings, in tribute to Phil Spector and Brian Wilson. "Ho!" thyself up and "Ho!" it back down again!
And of course if anybody needs holiday cocktail recommmendations, our HelpLine is always open!
Christmas Parties:
Monday, December 19, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Buttsteak, summer '09, part 6: Going to the bullpen
Ladies and Gents--- Hoist one for the back-benchers and pinch hitters! Wrapping up this particular trip down Memory Lane with the Buttsteaks, Scotty and I turn over the vocal chores to some fellows that don't get to sing often and, when they get the opportunity, can really bring some goddarned joie de vivre!
First up is John T. Faulkingham with his perennial, classic take on the Beat Farmers' "Lost Weekend". The 'Steaks have always had a secret ability to pull off some honky-tonk C&W, and this was probably the first tune on which we really ran with it. It used to be something of a Tom Waits parody but as Faulk's grown more rowdy and shameless over the years, he's taken ownership of this particular barn-burner.
And speaking of the country music, we follow up with an off-the-cuff version of "Folsom Prison Blues". During the summer '09 recording session, we did have some company in the studio, in the form of Al Schnittman and Dennis Hoban. They lent us their ears and opinions,and helped us make a dent in the refreshments. After a large number of said beverages, we stumbled into "Folsom...", got Denny up to the mic and rolled tape. One-take wonders never cease!
jk
Lost Weekend:
Folsom Prison Blues:
First up is John T. Faulkingham with his perennial, classic take on the Beat Farmers' "Lost Weekend". The 'Steaks have always had a secret ability to pull off some honky-tonk C&W, and this was probably the first tune on which we really ran with it. It used to be something of a Tom Waits parody but as Faulk's grown more rowdy and shameless over the years, he's taken ownership of this particular barn-burner.
And speaking of the country music, we follow up with an off-the-cuff version of "Folsom Prison Blues". During the summer '09 recording session, we did have some company in the studio, in the form of Al Schnittman and Dennis Hoban. They lent us their ears and opinions,and helped us make a dent in the refreshments. After a large number of said beverages, we stumbled into "Folsom...", got Denny up to the mic and rolled tape. One-take wonders never cease!
jk
Lost Weekend:
Folsom Prison Blues:
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
It wasn't all fowl
More photo goodness as you recover from the last batch of songs. The Roadkills took a visit to Maine over Thanksgiving and were treated quite well by the Buttsteaks. In addition to the aforementioned fowl, there was the requisite lobstah and some fine dining in Portland. And a meat wagon.
There was also some new rock, recorded at the scene of last spring's hootenanny crimes. The cue of stuff to post is long, so who knows when the new songs will grace your in boxes. And, I fear things may have been lost due to a conflagration in the Greater Lexington area. But that's another story.
The view from behind the drum kit.
Keating's wagon of meat.
Doc tickles the ivory.
There was also some new rock, recorded at the scene of last spring's hootenanny crimes. The cue of stuff to post is long, so who knows when the new songs will grace your in boxes. And, I fear things may have been lost due to a conflagration in the Greater Lexington area. But that's another story.
The view from behind the drum kit.
Keating's wagon of meat.
Doc tickles the ivory.
Photo interlude: "Buttsteak Rulez!"
Many thanks to Andy Thomas and his crazy bunch of pirates over at Donna's in Charles Village for the heartwarming reception during one of our spring '09 practice sessions....
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Buttsteak, summer '09, part 6: Bringing the Rock
Awaken, ye, from your holiday torpor! And if you need some help doing so, follow the links to some straight-up FM-style classic rock-ery. It's pretty meat-and-potatoes stuff.
Our version of "Knockin'..." is basically a Guns n' Roses rip-off with a patina of actual Dylan on the top (thanks to my stubborn inner traditionalist), and some tinkly Elton-ian piano (thanks to my equally stubborn inner cheeseball).
"You Shook Me..." is another straight shooter, which arose from our post-gig recording session in Sei's basement. After recording a bunch of the "usual suspects" and having put away a few refreshments, nature called me away for a couple of minutes and I returned to find Road, New Guy and Faulk letting loose on this number, which we'd never taken a shot at before. Why, what lil' Care Bears those fellas are! What a fine surprise! Reminds me of the time an old vet school rommate cooked up a birthday scrapple pizza for me, but that's another story.... So we dropped the vocals down into a more sing-able range, slathered on some pedal steel as a curveball and let the rhythm section and Oken carry it.
Many thanks to Fitz for providing all the high notes.
Knockin' on Heaven's Door:
You Shook Me All Night Long:
Our version of "Knockin'..." is basically a Guns n' Roses rip-off with a patina of actual Dylan on the top (thanks to my stubborn inner traditionalist), and some tinkly Elton-ian piano (thanks to my equally stubborn inner cheeseball).
"You Shook Me..." is another straight shooter, which arose from our post-gig recording session in Sei's basement. After recording a bunch of the "usual suspects" and having put away a few refreshments, nature called me away for a couple of minutes and I returned to find Road, New Guy and Faulk letting loose on this number, which we'd never taken a shot at before. Why, what lil' Care Bears those fellas are! What a fine surprise! Reminds me of the time an old vet school rommate cooked up a birthday scrapple pizza for me, but that's another story.... So we dropped the vocals down into a more sing-able range, slathered on some pedal steel as a curveball and let the rhythm section and Oken carry it.
Many thanks to Fitz for providing all the high notes.
Knockin' on Heaven's Door:
You Shook Me All Night Long:
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Buttsteak, summer '09, part 5: Where the Hell is Hank?
Oh, the stories we could tell about Our Man in Hong Kong. Hank. Hank Shalabi, that is. International Man of Mystery, Suavitee and Relentless Pursuit of Delicious Cocktails. Yep-- And sometimes you miss that lil' bastard more than others. The attached cuts provide ample examples. First off is "Lorraine", our favorite song by the early '80's UK ska band Bad Manners (and who among us would not love an overweight, bald, sweaty, belly-rubbing, crowd-mooning lead stomper named "Fatty Buster Bloodvessel"?). Anyways, the Buttsteaks long had a love of the genre and (I just have to add) were surprisingly good at playing ska tunes. The typical Buttsteak version of "Lorraine" featured some excellent faux-Brit vocal stylings from Scotty and some brassy keyboards from Hani approximating a horn section. Here we imitate but don't manage to duplicate.
Second is "Punk Rock Girl", the piece-de-resistance of Philly's snot-punk Dead Milkmen. Blistering little guitar lead part, accordion accompaniment, flat and whiny vocal part--- check, check check! During Buttsteak's stint in '89-'90 following Fitz's decampment for NY, Hani took over lead vocals on quite a few songs, and ended up really owning some. This was one that was his from the start, with cig in one hand, beer in the other, and air guitar in both. This is not to shortchange Road and New Guy, who nailed the crap outta this one, by the way!
Let us give thanks for the ska, the punk, the Hank, the goddarn Pilgrims and the trying for years to nail down a cover song!
Lorraine:
Punk Rock Girl:
Second is "Punk Rock Girl", the piece-de-resistance of Philly's snot-punk Dead Milkmen. Blistering little guitar lead part, accordion accompaniment, flat and whiny vocal part--- check, check check! During Buttsteak's stint in '89-'90 following Fitz's decampment for NY, Hani took over lead vocals on quite a few songs, and ended up really owning some. This was one that was his from the start, with cig in one hand, beer in the other, and air guitar in both. This is not to shortchange Road and New Guy, who nailed the crap outta this one, by the way!
Let us give thanks for the ska, the punk, the Hank, the goddarn Pilgrims and the trying for years to nail down a cover song!
Lorraine:
Punk Rock Girl:
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Buttsteak, summer '09, part 4: Some basic rock tunes: Man/ Rat
In the interests of expediency in continuing on with the Buttsteak '09 recordings, I won't bore you with much in the way of chit-chat. Basically, what you get with this post is, to me anyway, a pretty accurate presentation of the Buttsteak band bringing some rock. Crank up the volume, overdrive your speakers, drink a few beers and make sure to douse yourself with one or two more, turn down the lights, blow in some secondhand smoke and pretend that Hani's M.I.A. and you're pretty much there.
"I'm the Man" is one of the several Joe Jackson tunes we ended up covering-- a real lost classic, a fine example of the Angry Young Brit genre and a perennial favorite for doing impressions of Scotty's singing, dance moves and lyrical interpretations. "You Dirty Rat" is a Scruffy the Cat song classic that for some reason is not one of Charlie Chesterman's faves, but such is the gulf between songwriter and listener.
For your consideration:
I'm the Man:
You Dirty Rat:
"I'm the Man" is one of the several Joe Jackson tunes we ended up covering-- a real lost classic, a fine example of the Angry Young Brit genre and a perennial favorite for doing impressions of Scotty's singing, dance moves and lyrical interpretations. "You Dirty Rat" is a Scruffy the Cat song classic that for some reason is not one of Charlie Chesterman's faves, but such is the gulf between songwriter and listener.
For your consideration:
I'm the Man:
You Dirty Rat:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)