Hey all-
As I mentioned last week, I'm still trying to find out a way to be Apple-friendly. Despite their inability to support the Flash Player that my storage site (Box.net) uses, those of you with the iPad and the iPhone and iFill-in-the-Blank should be able to cut and past these links and then listen or download. Do lemme know:
Waterloo: http://www.box.com/s/gsp4gm0mj557z0dk0dox
Village Green: http://www.box.com/s/9oq5o16lnv30sd5q63b3
Anyway--- Hope you all done rung '12 in with style, or at least are planning on proceeding with gusto and joie de vivre from here out. Along with all the other things to resolve for the young year-- along with travel and seeing friends and living right and such-- I recommend taking a tiny sliver of time to listen to one of my all time favorite bands: the Kinks. To that end, I thought I'd supply you with a few covers I finished in '11 after starting in summer of '10.
I really could go on and on about the Kinks but the long and short is that, even after the late '90's reissues and a bit of deserved praise over the past couple years, they're a band that's never quite gotten their due. On account of bum luck, bad timing, union problems, self-destruction and their incurable baseline Britishness, they missed their biggest shot and never really caught on here. They remain regarded as a second-tier British Invasion band, and most people's knowledge stops at "You Really Got Me" or maybe "Lola" or "Come Dancing" from their '80's revival or (heaven help us) a Van Halen cover or a TV commercial. It's a damn shame. Matter of fact, the Giants-Cowboys NFL game I'm watching just went to a TV timeout with NBC playing 1st quarter highlights to an instrumental cover of "Picture Book" and nobody knows...
I look past the fact that big brother Ray seems to be a flaming A-hole and younger brother Dave an absolute moonshot. I love Ray Davies' songs, and Dave's as well. I love the harmonies and the characters and the wistful and weird details. There's something to love in all their eras, including the interminable rock operas of the mid-'70's. I love the way they overextend, and re-tool and triumph and drop the ball again.
So here are a couple of the cornerstones. My only hope is that I've not done any significant damage to "Waterloo Sunset", which to me is one of the absolute finest songs ever written.
JK
Waterloo Sunset:
The Village Green Preservation Society:
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Here We Come a-Wassailing
This just in from the Workshop:
Elf Johnny, through bursts of profanity, threats of grievous harm to computers, forays into the World of Commerce, fair amounts of beer consumption, quality time with Miss Oonagh and the creatures of the Holler, Christmas eve supper with some old friends (and a big sack of oysters), and a tad of NFL action, has somehow managed to finish this sucker and stick it under your tree, just under the wire.
It was mixed on some weird monitors and is kinda 80% finished, but I do hope you like it. That's Mike E on the drums, Thanksgiving. I guess in the long run, the holidays are all what you make 'em, so do make 'em count.
Peace and love to all-- That includes anyone whose machines (I'm looking at YOU, Apple Inc) can't do the Flash Player below. You guys can head to the link at bottom....
jk
Christmas Ain't for Family:
Link:
http://www.box.com/s/f154ec46igesu5g452nc
Elf Johnny, through bursts of profanity, threats of grievous harm to computers, forays into the World of Commerce, fair amounts of beer consumption, quality time with Miss Oonagh and the creatures of the Holler, Christmas eve supper with some old friends (and a big sack of oysters), and a tad of NFL action, has somehow managed to finish this sucker and stick it under your tree, just under the wire.
It was mixed on some weird monitors and is kinda 80% finished, but I do hope you like it. That's Mike E on the drums, Thanksgiving. I guess in the long run, the holidays are all what you make 'em, so do make 'em count.
Peace and love to all-- That includes anyone whose machines (I'm looking at YOU, Apple Inc) can't do the Flash Player below. You guys can head to the link at bottom....
jk
Christmas Ain't for Family:
Link:
http://www.box.com/s/f154ec46igesu5g452nc
Monday, December 19, 2011
Ho!-down!
'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:
"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 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:
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