Saturday, February 28, 2009

Mickey Newbury

Jukebox tab filled out by Mickey Newbury

At Trident, during the early 70s, one of our disc-cutting clients was WEA (London). We would cut the parts needed to manufacture most of the Warner Bros, Atlantic, Elektra and affiliated labels' albums. Usually my senior colleagues, Bob Hill or Ray Staff, would divvy up the work. They'd get to do the Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Clapton, Elton John, Queen and I'd get the stuff they didn't like, didn't want, or couldn't be bothered with, which suited me fine because I'd get the albums by Ry Cooder, Bonnie Raitt, Flo & Eddie, Randy Newman, Dennis Linde, Little Feat, John Cale, Paul Kelly, Graham Central Station, Tower Of Power, Van Morrison, Captain Beefheart, Bobby Charles, Sparks, Todd Rundgren, David Ackles, Tim Buckley, Frank Zappa and The (Detroit) Spinners, all of which ended up with my mark etched into the run-out groove of their records.
When Mickey Newbury's ''Frisco Mabel Joy' showed up, it was like a beacon shining through the fog. Its pristine sound, soaring arrangements and exquisite Dennis Linde production served as a tutorial in the art of record making. But it's all about Mickey whose sad, sweet tenor cuts a swathe through all the crap, and his songs - little movies, meticulously crafted, transporting you to places rich in profundity yet steeped in melancholy. Spooky, ethereal choirs, thunder and rain effects, wind chimes, 'orchestral strings' (comprised of modified electric and pedal steel guitars) and haunting train whistles made his records an 'experience' you could practically walk into.
It's no wonder Kris Kristofferson calls him a 'hero'. Bob Dylan paid his respects by visiting Mickey on his houseboat while recording 'Nashville Skyline' and people like Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Nick Cave, Ray Charles, David Allan Coe, Waylon Jennings, Etta James, Tom Jones, BB King, Willie Nelson, Phish, Gene Vincent, Scott Walker are amongst 1,000+ other singers who've covered 127 Newbury compositions. (For a complete list of who did what, click on "discography" at www.mickeynewbury.com)
When Wesley Rose, (son of Fred Rose, who founded Nashville's pre-eminent publishing company Acuff-Rose) signed Mickey to the company in 1964, he described him "as modern as tomorrow and as traditional as yesterday" and, as far as I know, he's the only guy to have written 3 #1s and a #5 in 4 different formats, simultaneously. Easy listening: Andy Williams 'Sweet Memories', Pop: Kenny Rogers And The First Edition 'Just Dropped In To See What Condition My Condition Was In', R&B: Solomon Burke 'Time Is A Thief' and Country: Eddy Arnold 'Here Comes The Rain'.
And as a singer, he makes (your favourite here) sound like Elmer Fudd.
Let
Johnny Cash testify.
I went to see him (Oct 20th '72) at the Queen Elizabeth Hall when Elektra showcased him alongside Harry Chapin and Plainsong. Just him and a guitar. He was mesmerizing. In June '88, I caught Mickey and violinist, Marie Rhines at the Roxy in LA and later, Mickey (solo) at the Bottom Line in NYC, where I introduced myself and he graciously filled out tabs for my jukebox. He was friendly and we struck up a dialogue which would, periodically, result in him sending me tapes of shows he'd done.
Sometimes he'd call, hoping that there might be a way we could work together. I remember he wanted to make an album of Stephen Foster songs. He was gracious when I asked who Foster was. After he explained he was the "father of American songwriters" - boy, did I feel ignorant - I told him I'd prefer new Newbury songs. The last couple of times he called, he sounded weak over the phone. It was as if his strength had been sapped away but he seemed positive, even optimistic. I didn't know he was battling pulmonary fibrosis, a terminal lung disease. It finally claimed him in 2002, and America lost one of its most talented sons.
A couple of weeks ago, I was trolling through Amazon to see if there was anything new in the newbury canon and found a biography
listed - Mickey Newbury: Crystal & Stone.
The book is well researched, and full of interesting facts. The music business saw Mickey as 'difficult', but that's because he had a secure vision of who and what he was, and would never sell that out, no matter how much money was on the line. He comes across as a man dedicated to his craft, nurturing to others and, above all, a humble, loyal, loving family man.
Towards the end of the book, I was astounded to read he went into his studio one cold, rainy night
(in Vida, Oregon) to record four songs specifically for me but strange things happened that night. Coffee got spilled into the mixing console and, having bounced tracks from one machine to another all night, when they finally decided to listen to the results one last time before wrapping the session, the tape somehow had become completely blank - 20 minutes of silence - except for the last line of 'Old Friends', the final song, which states: "That's all I have to say". Marty Hall, who helped Mickey with the recording says his digital watch and the clock in Mickey's studio had gone backwards one hour, too.
It's a good read - well worth getting - but make sure you have some of his albums to accompany it. You'll want to hear what's being written about and there's no better place to start than with the box set at this
site
Collector's corner:
Kooney Kerry
Honey Money (Made Me Blind) b/w Go Home Fool
(both Mickey Newbury songs)
Astro Records (Houston), 1966?
'Baby Just Said Goodbye' b/w 'After The Rains'
Hickory, 1966

'Are My Thoughts With You' b/w 'Weeping Annaleah'
RCA Victor 1968

'An American Trilogy' b/w 'San Francisco Mabel Joy'
Elektra 1971

'Remember The Good' b/w 'How I Love Them Old Songs'
Elektra UK, 1972

'An American Trilogy' b/w 'Sunshine'
Elektra (reissue), 1972?

'Sunshine' b/w 'Song For Susan'
Elektra, 1973

'Sunshine' b/w 'Song For Susan'
Elektra UK
, 1973

'Hand Me Another One Of Those' b/w 'Leavin' Kentucky'
Hickory, 1977


'Shenandoah' b/w 'Makes Me Wonder If I Ever Said Goodbye'
Hickory, 1977

'Gone To Alabama' b/w 'Westphalia Texas Blues'
Hickory
, 1978


'Looking For The Sunshine' b/w 'A Weed Is A Weed'
Hickory, 1979

'Blue Sky Shinin'' b/w 'Darlin' Take Care Of Yourself'
Hickory/MCA Records, 1979

'An American Trilogy' b/w 'San Francisco Mabel Joy'
Airborne Records, 1988

Sunday, February 22, 2009

North Fork Sound Top 20 February 22nd ‘09

1. Mickey Newbury: An American Trilogy
2. John Campbell: One Believer
3. Al Kooper: Making Plans For Nigel
4. Eric Heatherly: Hang It On Your Heart
5. Donna Greene & The Roadhouse Daddies: Shoe Boy
6. Herb Alpert & Colors: I Want You
7. Jerry Lee Lewis: Why You Been Gone So Long
8. The Silver Brazilians: Kate Winslet
9. Son House: My Black Mama Pt. 1
10. NRBQ: Me And The Boys
11. The Detroit Cobras: Hey Sailor
12. Aswad: Your Recipe
13. Prince: Days Of Wild
14. The Flowerpot Men: Walk On Guilded Splinters
15. Th’ Faith Healers: This Time
16. Girl On Top: Paint It Black
17. The Paragons: The Tide is High
18. The Highwaymen: Committed To Parkview
19. Roger Miller: Me & Bobbie McGee
20. The Pink Fairies: Waiting For The Ice Cream To Melt

Vinyl B-side:
Dr. Feelgood: (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66

The Guilty Pleasure:
Sheila B. Devotion: You Light My Fire

Last Week’s Listener Favourites:
Jook: Oo-Oo-Rudi
Savoy Brown: All I Can Do
Dion: Be-Bop-A-Lula
King Biscuit Boy: Greatest Love Of All
Danbert Nobacon & The Pine Valley Cosmonauts: Rock ‘n’ Roll Holy Wars
Brian Eno: Baby’s On Fire
Eddie Cochran: Jeannie, Jeannie, Jeannie
Vince Gill: Jenny Dreamed Of Trains
Suicide: Girl
John Lee Hooker & Bonnie Raitt: I’m In The Mood For Love
Oasis: D’You Know What I Mean?
The Slits: Typical Girls
Zero: Mercury Blues
The Handcuffs: Somebody Somewhere
Mike Badger: Clear Night For Love
Creatures Of The Golden Dawn: Bye Bye Baby
Chet Atkins: Oh By Jingo!
Seasick Steve: Chiggers
Peter Stampfel: Haunted Heart
Angel Corpus Christi: John Cassavetes
Southern Culture On The Skids: Voodoo Cadillac
James Hunter: I’ll Walk Away
Jean Knight: Do Me
The Radiators: Lost Radio
Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3: Goodnight Oslo
Sonny: Laugh At Me
J.J. Cale & Eric Clapton: Ride The River
Wynonie Harris: I Want My Fanny Brown
Motor Boys Motor: Clean Shirt And A Shave
Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez: A Shot Of You
Jenny Lewis w/Elvis Costello: Carpetbaggers

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Friday, February 20, 2009

John Campbell


John Campbell
"Person To Person"

w/Zonder Kennedy (guitar)
Robert Medici (drums)
Jimmy Pettit (bass)

live at the Shocking Club, Milan, Italy 3/13/93

Thursday, February 19, 2009

John Lydon

John Lydon
W. 23rd St, NYC
photo: ht

Sunday, February 15, 2009

North Fork Sound Top 20 February 15th ‘09

1. Darlene Love: Ooo-Wee Baby
2. The Sisters Of Mercy: Dominion/Mother Russia
3. Seasick Steve w/Grinderman: Just Like A King
4. Levon Helm: The Mountain
5. Cornell Campbell: Duke Of Earl
6. Bill Holloman: At Last
7. Jean Knight: Carry On
8. Mike Badger: Clear Night For Love
9. Glady Knight & The Pips: Every Beat Of My Heart
10. Lee Curtis & The All Stars: Skinnie Minnie
11. Mark Knopfler: Devil Baby
12. John Coltrane: Living Space
13. The Radiators: Lost Radio
14. Dip (feat: Emiliana Torrini): Come Out
15. Fun Lovin’ Criminals: The Fun Lovin’ Criminal
16. Peter Stampfel: Haunted Heart
17. The Ronettes: Do I Love You? (RIP Estelle)
18. Johnny Cash: To Beat The Devil
19. The Hentchmen: Brain Power
20. Squeeze: Up The Junction (BBC)

Album Of The Week:
Seasick Steve: I Started Out With Nothing And I Still Got Most Of It Left (Warner Brothers)

Vinyl B-side:

The Who: Under My Thumb (Track Records)

The Guilty Pleasure:

“The Idolmaker” - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (A&M Records)

Last Week’s Listener Favourites:
Bruce Springsteen: Dream Baby Dream
Bob Seger: Get Out Of Denver
Angel Corpus Christi: Threw It Away
Amy Rigby: Beer & Kisses
Patto: I Got Rhythm
Miles Davis: Holly-wuud
Cult Hero (the Cure): I Dig You
Savoy Brown: All I Can Do
Laura Cantrell: Pile O Woe
VAST: Pretty When You Cry
The Barracudas: The Mirror
Southern Culture On The Skids: Liquored Up And Lacquered Down
Suicide: Johnny
Wishbone Ash: Lorelei
Neil Young: Harvest Moon
King Biscuit Boy: The Greatest Love
Aswad: Back To Africa
The Hellacopters: Looking At Me
The Cramps: Like A Bad Girl Should
Roky Erickson & The Aliens: The Creature With The Atom Brain
Donovan: Season Of The Witch
The Call: Oklahoma
Arthur Alexander: Go Home Girl
The Cars: Heartbeat City
Bob Dylan: Watching The River Flow
Graham Parker: Mercury Poisoning
The Band: Ophelia
The Flamin’ Groovies: Get A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues
The Idle Race: Skeleton And The Roundabout
Danny Gatton: Elmira Street Boogie
Ian Dury & The Blockheads: Wake Up And Make Love With Me
Little Feat: Snakes On Everything
John Campbell: Voodoo Edge
Neneh Cherry: Kootchie
The Sugarcubes: Motorcrash
Alan Vega: Jukebox Babe
Paul Thorn: Ain’t Gonna Beg
The Marauders: That’s What I Want
Lou Reed: Xmas In February
Dave Edmunds: Bad Is Bad
The Groundhogs: Strange Town
Augustus Pablo: King Tubby Meets The Rockers Uptown
Eddie & The Hot Rods: Teenage Depression
Dennis Linde: Burning Love
Gang Of Four: At Home He’s A Tourist
Bo Diddley: Diddy Wah Diddy
The Heptones: Country Girl
The Lone Sharks: The Snizz, Pt 2
Tony Joe White: Even Trolls Love Rock ‘n’ Roll
Denim: Middle Of The Road
Spike Priggen: Little Star
Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3: Hurry For The Sky

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Saturday, February 14, 2009

more Danny Gatton



The Danny Gatton Band
Medley - "Harlem Nocturne"/"Little Drummer Boy"/"Perry Mason"

Danny Gatton (l/gtr)
Bill Holloman (keys/horns)
John Previti (b)
Shannon Ford (d)
Billy Windsor (r/gtr)
camera: Jehr Schiavo

please excuse the ridiculous (house) lighting and abrupt ending when the tape finally runs out. I think it's worth it, but feel free to comment either way.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

North Fork Sound Top 20 February 8th ‘09

1. The Cramps: Like A Bad Girl Should
2. Jenny Lewis: See Fernando
3. The Handcuffs: Half A Mind
4. Patti Smith: People Have The Power
5. Count Machouki & The Wailers: Stick Up
6. Eddy Lawrence: Walker County
7. Denim: Middle Of The Road
8. Billy Swan: Love Me Tender
9. Duane Eddy: Sugar Foot Rag
10. Motörhead: 1916
11. Spike Priggen: Little Star
12. The Hellacopters: Looking At Me
13. Alvin Robinson: Down Home Girl
14. The Mermen: With No Definite Future And No Purpose Other Than To Prevail Somehow
15. Living Colour: I Want To Know
16. Syd Barrett: Golden Hair
17. Neil Young: Harvest Moon
18. Ray Shirley: Hold Them (Get In The Groove)
19. Lightning Hopkins: Hello, Central
20. The Edgar Broughton Band: Up Yours

Album Of The Week:
Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3: Goodnight Oslo (YepRoc)

Vinyl B-side:
The Wolfmen: Do The Ostrich

The Guilty Pleasure:
Adam Faith: What Do You Want

Last Week’s Listener Favourites:
The Neville Brothers: With God On Our Side
Mott The Hoople: It’ll Be Me
Dave Mason: Only You Know And I Know
Eddy Lawrence: Say It In Southern
Terry Allen: Lubbock Woman
The Blaggards: I Wanna Play House With You (live)
Ray Charles: It Should Have Been Me
Richard Lloyd: Monkey
Love Sculpture: In The Land Of The Few
Ronnie Lane & Slim Chance: How Come
Gene Casey & The Lone Sharks: Gone Hollywood
Ray Davies: Hymn For A New Age
Goldberg-Miller Blues Band: That’ll Be The Day
Siouxsie & The Banshees: Dear Prudence
Paul Westerberg: Dyslexic Heart
The Kinks: Come Dancing
Jook: Aggravation Place
The Ramones: Bonzo Goes To Bitburg
The Pink Fairies: Waiting For The Man
Ray Wylie Hubbard: Snake Farm
Brave Combo: Louie Louie
Como Si Nada: Do You Do You Dig Destruction
Mac Gayden: Everlasting Love
The Stooges: Down On The Street
Ninian Hawick: Scottish Rite Temple Stomp
The Jim Jones Revue: Big Hunk O Love
The Pretenders: Watcha Gonna Do About It
The Nips: Gabrielle
Little Boots: Stuck On Repeat (Fake Blood remix)
The Lightning Raiders: Didja
Dion: Rave On
The Cramps: Muleskinner Blues
Alabama 3: Too Sick To Pray
Patto: I Got Rhythm
The Wolfmen: Cecilie
Hamell On Trial: Cocaine Or Me
Zero: Many Rivers To Cross
Randy Newman: You Can Leave Your Hat On
Paul Butterfield Blues Band: Born In Chicago
Laura Cantrell: Pile O Woe
The Head Cat (Lemmy, Slim Jim & Danny B): Peggy Sue Got Married
Deborah Evans-Stickland Reads The Weather

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Yo! NoFoSo, Mofo...

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Lux Interior 10/21/46 - 2/4/09

Lux Interior
Toad's Place, New Haven, CT

photo: ht

Cramps jukebox tabs

yo, Buddy...

Jimmy Velvet, Jerry Lee Lewis, Don Everly & Buddy Holly

Some of the songs on this week's North Fork Sound play-list:
The Beatles: Crying, Waiting, Hoping (live, BBC)
Blind Faith: Well All Right
The Bunch: Learning The Game
Chris Spedding: Love’s Made A Fool Of You
Danny Gatton (w/Rodney Crowell): It Doesn’t Matter Anymore
Dion: Rave On
The Flamin’ Groovies: That’ll Be The Day
Goldberg-Miller Blues Band: That’ll Be The Day
Hank Marvin: Raining In My Heart
The Head Cat: Peggy Sue Got Married
John Lennon: Peggy Sue
Johnny Kidd & The Pirates: Oh Boy
Marshall Crenshaw: Crying, Waiting, Hoping
Mike Berry & The Outlaws: Tribute To Buddy Holly
The Real Kids: Rave On
Richard & Linda Thompson: Wishing (live, BBC)
Richard Thompson: Willie And The Hand Jive/Not Fade Away (live)
Rick Tucker (w/Buddy Holly & Roy Orbison): Don’t Do Me This Way
The Rolling Stones: Not Fade Away
The Shoes: Words Of Love
Speedy Sparks: Heartbeat
Willie Alexander: Baby Won’t You Come Out Tonight
Wreckless Eric: Crying, Waiting, Hoping
Buddy Holly: Rave On
Buddy Holly: Bo Diddley
Buddy Holly: Think It Over
Buddy Holly: True Love Ways
Buddy Holly: Bo Diddley (Lubbock demo)
Buddy Holly: It Doesn’t Matter Anymore
Buddy Holly: You’re So Square (Baby I Don’t Care)
Buddy Holly: Don't Come Back Knockin'
Buddy Holly: I’m Gonna Set My Foot Down
Buddy Holly & Bob Montgomery: Down The Line

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

50 Years

Charles Hardin Holley
September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959

Sunday, February 1, 2009

North Fork Sound Top 20 February 1st ‘09

1. Buddy Holly: Rave On
2. The Jim Jones Revue: Big Hunk O Love
3. Howard Werth: Lucinda
4. Lou Reed: I Remember You
5. The Raspberries: Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)
6. Roger Miller: Swiss Cottage Place
7. Public Image Ltd: Cruel
8. Zero: Many Rivers To Cross
9. The Lighting Raiders: Didja
10. Dave Alvin: Evening Blues
11. Penguin Café Orchestra: Music For A Found Harmonium
12. Savoy Brown: Train To Nowhere
13. Jeff Murphy: Havin’ A Bad Day
14. Brinsley Schwarz: Ever Since You’re Gone
15. The Beatles: Crying, Waiting, Hoping
16. Ninian Hawick: Scottish Rite Temple Stomp
17. Jeff Onore: Twenty Years
18. Jerry Butler & Betty Everett: Ain’t That Loving You Baby
19. Henry Mancini: Brunette In Yellow
20. Mike Berry & The Outlaws: Tribute To Buddy Holly

Special Feature: Remembering Buddy

Vinyl B-side:
Sara Hickman: Claim On My Heart (Elektra Records)

The Guilty Pleasure:
Barry Ryan: Eloise (MGM Records)

Last Week’s Listener Favourites:
Doug Powell: A Prayer For Ray Davies
Nicholas Payton: Fleur De Lis
Hellvis: Hot Rod Boogie #7
Mott The Hoople: Roll Away The Stone
U-Roy & Wailing Souls: Small Axe
Queen Ifrica: Daddy
The Smithereens: Yesterday Girl
Bob Dylan: Absolutely Sweet Marie
Ted Nugent: Free-For-All
The Band: Acadian Driftwood
Nick & Gabrielle Drake: All My Trials
Fastball: The Way
The Cramps: New Kind Of Kick
Mudcrutch: Wild Eyes
Siouxsie: Into A Swan
Ray Charles: I Want A Little Girl
Bryan Ferry: A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall
Them: Go On Home Baby
Van Der Graaf Generator: A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers
Bo Diddley: Cadillac
Mott The Hoople: It’ll Be Me
Laura Cantrell: Queen Of The Coast
The Famous Monsters (w/Patti Palladin): 48th Floor
New York Dolls: Gimme Luv And Turn On The Light
Natalie Merchant: Carnival
Simple Minds: Chelsea Girl (demo)
Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3: TLC
Jook: Crazy Kids
Wayne County & The Backstreet Boys: Max’s Kansas City 1976
Angel Corpus Christi: I’m 18
Peter C Johnson: Speedballs, Pretzels & Beer
Delroy Jones: Donkey Skank
Deborah Evans-Stickland: Hey Joe
Captain Beefheart: Just Got Back From The City (demo)
The Zombies: Tell Her No
Pluto Shervington: Ram Goat Liver
Ray Davies: Next Door Neighbour
Zero (feat: John Cippolina): Gregg's Eggs

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