North Fork Sound Top 20 - December 12th 2010

Wingless Angels

1. Wingless Angels: Bright Soul
2. Los Lobos: Patria
3. Gillian Welch: Good Til Now
4. Kid Rock: I Know How
5. The Phobics: 2am
6. Alexis Korner: Get Off Of My Cloud
7. Afrocubism: Mali Cuba
8. David Ruffin: Walk Away From Love
9. Cottonhead: Fuck Me
10. Ed Harcourt: The Devil Came Down The Chimney
11. Howard Tate: You Don't Know Nothing About Love
12. Billie Jo Spears: Stepchild
13. Junior Parker: Taxman
14. Terry Anderson: One Good Heart
15. Julie London: Come On A My House
16. Roy Harper: When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease
17. Bettye LaVette: My Man - He's A Lovin' Man
18. Ry Cooder: He'll Have To Go
19. Kate Rusby: Village Green Preservation Society
20. Dillinger: The Table Gonna Turn

North Fork Sound Alb O' The Week
Wanda Jackson: The Party Ain't Over

North Fork Sound Legend Of The Month
Rubén Blades
(w/Tommy LiPuma)
SIR Studios, 25th St, NYC
photo: ht

Last Week's Listener Favourites
Brinsley Schwarz: The Version (Hypocrite)
Dirk Hamilton: Los Gatos
Doug Powell: The Uninvisible Man

Gene Casey

Plainview, NY - 11/20/10
photo: ht

Gene Casey & The Lone Sharks: It Should Rain

Georgie Fame: Do The Dog
Geraint Watkins: Champion

Glenna Bell

Glenna Bell: The Cougar Anthem

Glenna Bell: The Southern Gothic Wedding Waltz
The Georgia Satellites: Six Years Gone
The Honeydogs: The Kiss
James Brown: Cold Sweat Pts 1&2
Jerry Lee Lewis: Let's Talk About Us
Junior Byles: The Long Way
Levon Helm: It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry
Pizzicato Five: Strawberry Sleighride
Porcupine Tree: Bonnie The Cat

The Pretty Things

The Pretty Things: She's A Lover

Amy Winehouse
London, UK 6/18/07
photo: ht

Amy Winehouse: It's My Party
Robert Plant With Lil' Band O' Gold: It Keeps Rainin'
Roland White: If I Should Wander Back Tonight
Rubén Blades y Seis Del Solar: Cuentas Del Alma
The Saints: (This) Perfect Day
Trombone Shorty: Show Me Something Beautiful

North Fork Sound Top 20 - September 12th 2010

Gene Casey
Shelter Island Beach Blast, NY - 9/11/10

1. Gene Casey & The Lone Sharks: I Love What I Do
2. George Gilmore & The Giblets: Chicken Necks
3. X-tal: Mark Time
4. Lee "Scratch" Perry: You Crummy
5. Slade: Coz I Luv You
6. Todd Rundgren: Hideaway
7. Baba Brooks: Watermelon Man
8. Billy Fury: It's You I Need
9. Lonnie Mack: I Found A Love
10. Marianne Faithfull: Long Black Veil
11. The Blind Boys Of Alabama w/Charlie Musselwhite: I Had Trouble
12. Lou Reed: My Friend George
13. Victor DeLorenzo: Picture Her Blue
14. Bo Diddley: You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover
15. Mark Knopfler: El Macho
16. Jimmy Reed: You Got Me Dizzy
17. Vanity: Pretty Mess
18. Quickspace: The Lobbalong Song
19. 10,000 Maniacs: Daktari
20. Flowered Up: Egg Rush

George Gilmore
Shelter Island Beach Blast, NY - 9/11/10

North Fork Sound Alb O' The Week

The Phobics: Deptford Calling

North Fork Sound Legend Of The Month
Lowell George

Last Week's Listener Favourites

Alex McMurray: Lazy Eye

Alex McMurray: Mr. Weitz
Audience: Seven Sore Bruises
Big Jack Reynolds: I Had A Little Dog
Black Grape: Reverend Black Grape
Danny Gatton & Joey DeFrancesco : Gearheads
Elvis Presley: Just Because
The Fun Lovin' Criminals w/Ian McCulloch: The Summer Wind
Gene Casey & The Lone Sharks: Which Lie To Tell
Gene Vincent: Double Talkin' Baby
Gillian Welch: Good 'til Now
Hallogallo 2010: Drone Schlager
Ian Dury & The Blockheads: Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll

Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis & ht
Waldorf Astoria, NYC

Jerry Lee Lewis w/Mick Jagger: Dead Flowers
The Johnny Otis Show: High Heel Sneakers
Johnny Winter: Shame Shame Shame
Lowell George & The Factory: Lightning-rod Man
M.I.A: Meds And Feds

Alex Baskerville, Lemmy, Michael Baskerville
Swansea
photo: ht

Motörhead: Iron Fist
The Only Ones: Oh Lucinda (Love Becomes A Habit)
The Psychedelic Furs: Heaven
Richard Thompson: I Feel So Good
The Rudies: My Sweet Lord
Sparks: Perfume
The Screaming Blue Messiahs: Tracking The Dog
The Sex Pistols: Pistols Propaganda
The Star Spangles: I Live For Speed
Suicide: Be Bop Kid
Tony Joe White: Travening Bone
Trombone Shorty: The Cure
The Velvet Underground: Femme Fatale
The Wolfmen: Marilyn Monroe

I now have a show - 'PURE' - on a GREAT radio station. Find the station and archived shows here: www.wpkn.org or tune in to listen "live" at WPKN 89.5 fm
SEND PROMOS - cds or vinyl ONLY, to Box 45, New Suffolk, NY, 11956
Next show: October 8th, and every second Friday of the month, 12 (noon) - 3pm

North Fork Sound Top 20 - March 7 '10

Gene Casey
photo: Liz Malone

1. Gene Casey: Come Home With Me
2. Carlene Carter: Spider Lace
3. Johnny Otis: Willie And The Hand Jive
4. The Real Kids: Reggae Reggae
5. I-Roy: The First Cut Is The Deepest
6. The Wolfmen: Cecilie
7. Laura Cantrell: Kitty Wells' Dresses
8. The Beach Boys: Surfer Girl (vocals only)
9. Ersi Arvizu: Cruisin' To The Hop
10. Annette Peacock: Over.
11. Ike & Tina Turner: I Love Baby
12. The Smoke Fairies: Gastown
13. Joe Hampton & The Kingpins: Wheel Loose
14. The Gourds: Luddite
15. Carl Sagan feat. Stephen Hawking: A Glorious Dawn
16. Booker T Averhart & The Mustangs: Take Your Shoes Off Pt. 1
17. Billie Jo Spears: Get Behind Me Satan And Push
18. Kenny Hamber: Show Me Your Monkey
19. Ronnie Dawson: Chili Pepper Mama
20. Lou Reed: Doin' The Things That We Want To

North Fork Sound Alb O' The Week
Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3: Propellor Time

North Fork Sound Legend Of The Month
Captain Beefheart / Don Van Vliet
photo uploaded to Last.fm by Anastasia

Last Week's Listener Favourites
Addie Brik: Iwe

Angus Khan: Mr. Living Dead
Anne Peebles: I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down
Billy Bremner: Keep This House Rockin'
Billy Fury: Turn My Back On You
Bob Dylan: Ugliest Girl In The World
Count Basie & His Orchestra: Hang On Sloopy
The Damned: Problem Child
The Dandy Warhols: I Am Over It
Dip feat. Emiliana Torrini: Come Out
Eddie Cochran: Fourth Man Theme
Eric Clapton & Jimmy Page: Freight Loader
Ersi Arvizu: En El Tambo
The Faces: Ooh La La
Galactic w/Josh Cohen & Scully: Liquor Pang
Hamell On Trial w/Ani DiFranco: All That Was Said
Hayseed Dixie: Bohemian Rhapsody
Hot Chocolate: You Sexy Thing
Jerry Lee Lewis: What'd I Say
Joe Hampton & The Kingpins: '53 Merc
Johnny Rivers: Willie And The Hand Jive
Leonard Cohen: The Future
Lloyd & Patsy: Do It Sweet
Lulu: I'll Come Running Over
Madness: Dust Devil (Ashley Beedle Warbox remix)
Martin Belmont w/Johnny Nicky: Time For The Sun To Rise
Mickey Newbury: Frisco Depot
Roky Erickson with Okkervil River: Goodbye Sweet Dreams
The Rolling Stones: Little T&A
The Rolling Stones: Salt Of The Earth (live)

The Screaming Blue Messiahs
The Ritz, NYC
photo: ht

The Screaming Blue Messiahs: Twin Cadillac Valentine
The Star Spangles: I Don't Wanna Be Crazy Anymore
Tony Joe White w/Shelby Lynne: Can't Go Back Home
Toots & The Maytals: Louie Louie
The Ventures: Ram-Bunk-Shush

North Fork Sound Top 20 November 1st ‘09

Happy Birthday, Larry Flynt!

(b. Nov 1st 1942)

photo: Eric Danville

1. Darlene Love: Lord, If You're A Woman
2. The Blind Boys Of Alabama & Lou Reed: Jesus
3. Hamell On Trial: Open Up The Gates
4. Scott McClatchy: A Dark Rage
5. Dexter Romweber Duo feat: Jack White: The Wind Did Move
6. Ryan Shaw: Get Previous
7. NY Loose: Bitch
8. The Skiffle Minstrels: Settin' The Woods On Fire
9. Michael Martin Murphey: Fiddlin' Man
10. Little Esther: Aged And Mellow
11. The Takeaways: Food
12. The Klaxons: Sweetheart
13. Gregory Isaacs: Mr. Cop
14. Billy Bragg: The Boy Done Good
15. Can: Gomorrha
16. Byron Lee & Ska Kings: Watermelon Man Ska
17. Th' Faith Healers: Hippy Hole
18. Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band: Floppy Boot Stomp
19. Dean & Britta: Friday I'm In Love
20. Ike & Tina Turner: It's Gonna Work out Fine

NoFoSo Alb O' The Week:
Gene Casey & The Lone Sharks: Rhythm 'n' Twang
Gene Casey, Joe Lauro, Chris Ripley
The Old Mill, Mattituck, NY - Oct 30th '09
photo: ht

NoFoSo Legend Of The Week:
Delbert McClinton
Delbert McClinton, ht
Nashville, TN
photo: Beth Gwinn

Last Week's Listener Thumbs-Ups:

The Dirty Strangers: Talk To Me
The Prissteens: I Don't Cry
Guy Clark: Jack Of All Trades
Jacqueline Taieb: 7 Heures Du Matin
The Stanley Brothers: The Drunkard's Hell
Kris Kristofferson: Sister Sinéad
Stereolab: Golden Ball
Man: Out Of Your Head
The Vaughan Brothers: White Boots
Sleeper: Delicious
The Raveonettes: Wine
Ken Boothe: Train Is Coming
The Standells: Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White
The Little Willies: Lou Reed
Eddy Clearwater: Rock-A-Bye Blues
Madness: The Liberty Of Norton Folgate
The Screaming Blue Messiahs: Twin Cadillac Valentine
Louis Armstrong: Blueberry Hill
Martin Rev: Salve
The Sugarcubes: Planet
Symarip: Skinhead Moonstomp
The Dead Weather: Hang You From The Heavens
Glenn Tilbrook & The Fluffers: Still
Southern Culture On The Skids: Whole Lotta Things
Harvey Mandel: Lights Out
La Düsseldorf: Düsseldorf
Detroit: Rock & Roll
Richard Lloyd: Backtrack
Lee Rocker: Sold Us Down The River
Laurie Anderson: O Superman
Green Day: Horseshoes And Handgrenades
Lonnie Mack: Why
Public Image Ltd: Public Image

North Fork Sound Top 20 Aug 9th 09

Gene Vincent

1. Gene Vincent: Lucky Star
2. Mark Knopfler: Get Lucky
3. Glenn Tilbrook & The Fluffers: Still
4. Ryan Shaw: I Found A Love
5. Ian McNabb: Heydays
6. Martin Rev: Sophie Eagle
7. Bobby Parker: Watch Your Step
8. Claudia Bettinaglia: Jockey Full Of Bourbon
9. Collin Raye: Where It Leads
10. Tim Buckley: Carnival Song (live)
11. Don Gardner & Dee Dee Ford: I Need Your Loving
12. Max Romeo: Chase The Devil
13. Drive-By Truckers: Uncle Frank
14. Evil Beaver: Cherry Master
15. John Lydon: Grave Ride
16. Sonny Boy Williamson: Bring It On Home
17. Finbar Furey: Mrs A
18. The Flying Burrito Brothers: Older Guys
19. James Booker: Junco Partner
20. Pat Wayne & The Beachcombers (feat: Jimmy Page): Roll Over Beethoven

NoFoSo Alb o’ The Week:
Swamp Dogg: Give 'em As Little As You Can As Often As You Have To...Or A Tribute To Rock ‘n’ Roll (S-Curve Records)

The Guilty Pleasure:
The Mary Jane Girls: In My House (Motown)

Last Week’s Listener Thumbs-Ups:
Brigitte Handley: Go Like 60
Aswad: Three Babylon
Toots & The Maytals: Funky Kingston
The Small Faces: Lazy Sunday (mono)
David Bowie: The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell
Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears: Sugarfoot
Otis Clay: Trying To Live My Life Without You
Happy Mondays: Loose Fix (Perfecto 12” mix)
Albert Lee: Send Me Back To The Mines
Bettye LaVette: The Last Time
Madness: Clerkenwell Polka
Kings Of Leon: Sex On Fire
Randy Newman: You Can Leave Your Hat On
Julee Cruise: Rockin’ Back Inside My Heart
The James Gang: Walk Away
Veda Brown: Don’t Star Loving Me (If You’re Going To Stop)
Lambchop: The New Cobweb Summer
Beat Rodeo: The Kind That Says No
Canned Heat: On The Road Again
The Sisters Of Mercy: Dominion/Mother Russia
Detroit: Rock & Roll
Snakes: Lights Out
Elvis Presley: Heartbreak Hotel
Terry Allen: The Girl Who Danced Oklahoma
The Georgia Satellites: Battleship Chains
Madness: Africa
Madness (feat: Rhoda Dakar): On The Town
The Martinis: Hung Over
Richard Lloyd: Are You Experienced
The Yardbirds: Jeff’s Boogie
Les McCann: Burnin’ Coal
Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band: Zoot’s Sermon
Drive-By Truckers: Carl Perkins’ Cadillac
Fleetwood Mac: Man Of The World
Lightning Raiders: Psychedelic Musik
Roky Erickson & The Aliens: Don’t Shake Me Lucifer
Graham Bowers: Transgression – By Word (excerpt)
Larry Wallis: Police Car
Joey Ramone: What A Wonderful World

Gene Casey & The Lone Sharks: Bad Baby

Gene Casey & The Lone Sharks
'Bad Baby'
The Vail-Leavitt Music Hall, Riverhead, NY
March 21st '09

Men's Dinner

As Gene Casey and I drove down 2nd Ave, 'Her Love Falls Like Rain' came on the radio and, since we were about to dine with its creator, Willie Nile and other friends at the Bad Mexican Restaurant, it seemed like a good enough excuse to stop in at my favourite cd/dvd/lp store, Rockit Scientist on St. Mark's Place to feed our insatiable jones for acquiring stuff to play loudly around the house and/or on the radio. As long as there are cd/record shops, I'm gonna buy stuff. Gene chose a Waylon Jennings and The Kimberleys cd while I stocked up on some Sly & Robbie, Prince Far I, Burning Spear and an incredible Roy Lee Johnson collection on Bear Family that RS proprietor, John Kioussis, was playing in the store. Folks, if you're looking for the good - not to mention the rare - stuff, JK's your guy.

Jones satisfied (temporarily), our next stop was the West Village's best English chipolata sausage and lamb curry pie emporium, Myers Of Keswick where all the necessary Crunchie bars, Twiglets, Cornish pasties, cans of Strongbow and other priceless British comestibles were loaded into the boot of the old Altima. Next, we got in the car and headed further downtown to find a parking space some where near the site of the BMR. Idling at a light at Thompson & Broome, we spotted Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top. I mean, it had to be him, right? I'd heard Billy was producing Roky Erickson's next album so, as I turned the corner, I lowered the window and said, "hey Billy...how's the Roky thing coming along?" at which threw a big grin, said "Awl-right!" and gave us this snazzy ZZ thumbs-up move. Kinda made our day.

Billy Gibbons
photo: Richard Brill
courtesy: www.my-best-shot.blogspot.com

Then, it was on to the men's dinner, for which one of its rules is: you can't write about it. So, thanks for the cd Willie, and the generous set of Woodstock performances, Steve. See you on the radio.

Finally, kudos to Dave Clark who found this must-see:

Gene Casey & The Lone Sharks

Gene Casey & The Lone Sharks
"All By Myself/Tear It Up/Guitar Boogie"
Rodeo Bar, NYC 3/7/09
Gene Casey (guitar, lead vocal)
Chris Ripley (drums,vocals)
Tony Palumbo (upright bass, vocals)
Paul Scher (sax, marracas, vocals)

By the beginning of last Saturday's second set, tables had been cleared and NYC's Rodeo Bar was transformed from chips 'n salsa/beer 'n Bar-B-Q dive into a full-on, barnstorming, honky-tonkin' juke-joint thanks to primo rockabilly/western-swing/rhythm & twang combo The Lone Sharks rare foray into the city to show them how it's done. Their rowdy, pulchritudinous East End/S.I. fans think nothing of traveling the 90 miles there and back to get their fix of Cash, Diddley, Alexander, Burnette and Elvis covers along with killer Gene Casey originals like 'It's A Free Country', 'Bad Baby', 'Dirty All The Time', 'That's What Cheaters Do' and others pulled from their 3 and a half albums, 'Aqua Western', 'Fire Theft & Casualty', 'What Happened' and 'Six Pack'. Hell, they even made 'Cry' by Johnny Ray sound great. Go on, take a look at their large and very tasty repertoire.
I arranged to meet some friends at the show, and each of them was very impressed. One - an a&r vet with 30 years under his belt - said the band "restores my faith", a sentiment I feel every time I see them. Another said "my kind of band...good guitar, they swing old school style and the pretty girls shake their their booty to the beat" which, at the end of the day, is really all you need.
Any of you who found this blog by googling "North Fork" + "Long Island Sound", looking for a nice rental for the summer should be pleased to learn that one of the bonuses we get out here is the Sharks play 2 or 3 different places every weekend, all summer long. It may not quite be the new Memphis, Austin or Nashville but, along with the mighty Blaggards, who are also making a great noise in this corner of the world, the Greenport/Riverhead/Amagansett axis is beginning to look like a cool stopover for any pilgrim looking for the real rock & roll.

James Hunter

James Hunter
Westbury, NY
August 29th '08

Last night, James Hunter pocketed a batch of new fans by playing a blinder, opening for Chris Isaak at Westbury's intimate theater-in-the-round. Mainly playing tunes from 'People Gonna Talk' and his latest, 'The Hard Way', James demonstrated with affable style and exceptional technique why Van Morrison calls him his favourite singer and so many others rate him one of the most exciting guitarists and songwriters around. It's probably fair to say that most folks in the audience weren't aware of James prior to tonight but judging by the line waiting to meet him and buy his merchandise during the interval, it would seem like he's well on the way to cracking the US. And good luck to him, I say. It couldn't happen to a more deserving, likable man.
I had arranged to meet him briefly before the show, but his bus had broken down en route and they'd only just arrived, so organizing their equipment and a doing a short soundcheck precluded any pre-gig handshake. Thanks to Go Records' Kimberly and Aaron, James' unfazed and professional production manager, I was promised I'd get an ID for the station once his set was over and he'd done his meet and greet with fans.
Since the Capital One Bank Theater at Westbury is a "union hall", apparently this is enough to insist that the artist has to pay some kind of "facility fee" if they want to be photographed on the premises, including the parking lot. So, just to underline what a decent fellow James is, after impersonating Walter Matthau in the Odd Couple - "The irony is unless we sort out some other arrangement, I'm going to kill you, that's the irony of it" - he took the time to walk with me to my car and we drove just off the premises to Brush Hollow Road where he graciously supplied me with what I needed. He seemed genuinely grateful for all the play he gets on the station and said, "as I get older, my taste become more Catholic. I find there's two kinds of music...Fats Domino and...shit!". Cue laughter all around. I told him I first heard 'No Smoke Without Fire' on WEHM, that it was one of those WOW moments and that we play tracks from all his albums, including 'Believe What I Say', 'Kick it Around' and one he made as 'Howlin' Wilf & The Vee-Jays'. James said that touring with Chris had been a real pleasure and that he and his band and crew been generous to a fault. Finally, I gave him a cd containing a few songs by The Lone Sharks, suggesting that when he came back to the Island as a headliner, he might want to consider them as openers. I then wished him luck and went back to my seat where Chris was in the middle of 'All The Way', resplendent in a hot pink number with glittering diamonte.

Vicky told me he'd already played 'Wicked Game', but 'Can't Do A Thing (To Stop Me)', 'Only The Lonely' and 'Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing' more than made up for it. This band has been together for 22 years and are as tight and accomplished as anyone could hope for. Their harmonies were spot on and their stage craft, communication, was delivered with aplomb and good humour. There seemed to be no limit to the amount of cameras flashing from the audience, so I guess Chris had paid the 'fee' necessary for his fans to take pictures. Either that, or some officious twerp just like to mess with the opening act. Chris came out for the encores in a 'disco mirror-ball' suit and brought James and his horn section (the brilliant Damien Hand & Lee Badau) back out for a rollicking 'Kansas City'. Soon it was all over. A marvelous show...go here and click on "slideshow" for a couple more pix...

James Hunter, Hershel Yatovitz & Chris Isaak
Westbury, NY
August 29th '08

Wade In The Water

Two Sundays ago, Smugglin’ Johnny C came through with a boat so he, Cap’n Billy D and me set off for Shelter Island’s annual Boat Party where the East End’s fine, fine, finest were booked to rock us on the water. Only accessible by boat, we found something like 350 vessels varying in size from kayaks to million-dollar seafarers and everything in between neatly lined up in rows, while several hundred people swam or floated around the “splosh pit” in front of the stage on all manner of inflatable devices (including what you’re thinking, Danville), many drinking beer, some even with cocktails in Martini glasses or champagne flutes taped to their surfboards. We carefully steered through the traffic and anchored just short of the pit, dead center. The boat next door had a gas-powered drinks blender that started when you pulled a cord, much the same way as you might fire up your lawnmower. They were serving Margaritas. We got there as Matty Liot & the Super Big Up were strangling ‘Apache’ so we checked out the scenery. All around, there were drunk gals in bikinis being sprayed by those high-powered water pistols thanks to the drunk guys. So "thanks" to the drunk guys! The bands were set up on the second-floor deck of a rickety-looking barge and the sound system would have been great if it hadn’t automatically cut out for 5 seconds every time the volume peaked above a certain level, presumably to prevent damage to the speakers. A pity, really, because easing the volume back a couple of dBs wouldn't have made much difference overall - especially as the boats in the back could tune into an FM simulcast.
Next up were the mighty, beer-dispensing Blaggards who launched into their set with a righteous 'Maggie’s Farm'. Other smart covers including Robert Parker's 'Barefootin’', Gordon Terry’s 'It Ain’t Right', Mickey Newbury’s 'Why You Been Gone So Long', John Hiatt’s 'Tennessee Plates', Danny Kirwan’s fantastic 'Tell Me All The Things You Do', Freddie King’s 'Sen-Say-Shun' which served as a showcase for Blagguitarist, Rich Umbach, another Dylan tune 'Everything Is Broken' and a few more followed feverishly finishing with the Monkees' 'Pleasant Valley Sunday'. Then, they were gone. Just like that. The crowd loved 'em, and I think it's time the buggers, sorry, the Blaggards, got into a studio right away and made a proper record.

The Blaggards - "Tell Me All The Things You Do"
Major Harbor, Shelter Island
August 3rd 08

That left it up to The Lone Sharks to wrap up the day’s festivities with their enlightened brand of rock ‘n’ roll. Seems like there's always a new guy in the band but each line-up delivers and this one, with Stan Mitchell on the traps, Joe Lauro slappin’ the big ol' bass, Paul Scher oozing sax appeal and David Deitch pulling out all the stops on his keys got the whole crowd syncro-drinkin’ and floatin' in tune! And just as I’m getting used to ‘Relaxed’ Gene Casey playing in his summer garb of white strides and a Hawaiian shirt, I was a little unnerved to see he'd swapped his trademark cowboy hat for a yellow headband. Visions of Mark Knopfler cropped up but ultimately only because Gene's got some serious guitar chops too. Playing on a decrepit boat in a strong wind to a bunch of sloppy, sunburned drunks treading water - which, by now, was probably a very dodgy cocktail of H2O, booze, piss, spit and a few jellyfish to liven things up - is no place for a fashion statement, if you get my drift. So, with a "How was church?" the Lone Sharks kicked off a wicked set that included 'Tear It Up', 'Get Rhythm', 'Gone Hollywood', 'Pretty Thing', 'Peter Gunn Theme', 'The In-Crowd', 'Trying To Get To You', 'Oh Carol', 'The Snizz Pt. 2', 'Sugarfoot Rag', 'The Promised Land', 'Folsom Prison Blues', and 'Sea Cruise'. It was a perfect end to 'Shark Week'.

The Lone Sharks

Gene Casey
The Old Mill, Mattituck, NY
June 6th '08

Spill The Wine

Yesterday, I saw a kid - about 2 1/2, maybe 3 years old - discover music and sex in one afternoon. It was a joy to watch. A bunch of us were at the Lone Sharks' occasional Sunday afternoon Osprey Dominion Vineyard gig. Usually, the show takes place in a tent outside, but this time it had been brought inside because of the thunderstorms. A couple of bottles in, everyone was feeling fine, fine, fine (drinkin' wine, wine, wine).
During the second set, a young couple arrived with their kid who, upon hearing and seeing a live band for the first time, stood wide-eyed, mouth agape, transfixed...mesmerized by the sound. Soon, he began expressing himself the only way he knew how - pumping his toy monkey up and down as if life itself depended on it. Then he spotted a pretty gal, dancing in a short, purple dress. So, naturally, he ran over, threw his little arms around one of her legs and latched on, grinning. Kid's gonna turn out alright, I think.

Gimme Shelter Island

Tuesday, Smugglin' Johnny C and I witnessed a stellar evening of American roots music on Shelter Island at Joe Lauro's spectacular Pleasure Lounge. Located in a barn behind his house, it's the coolest place on the island, hands down. Ancient posters featuring the Ventures, Pigmeat Markham, the Carter Sisters, Bill Black's Combo, Johnny Horton, and Ernie K-Doe

shared wall space with beer-bottle caps, old license plates, photos of Fats Domino and Robert Johnson, Nat King Cole and Johnny Cash album covers and even a Max Bialystock office plaque prop from "The Producers", fer heaven's sake! The place is genius, and now I want my own barn. Tonight's poster had been designed by Robert Crumb and everything was aligned for the evening to be a bit special. It was. I'd not heard the East River String Band before but it wasn't long before John (guitar, voice) and Eden (ukelele, voice) were treating us to some 20s & 30s folk-blues songs culled from John's enormous collection of 78s. Tunes like Skip James' 'Crow Jane', Memphis Minnie's 'My Chauffeur', Charlie Patton's 'Screamin' & Hollerin'', Mississippi John Hurt's 'Ain't No Tellin'' & Blind Lemon Jefferson's 'One Dime Blues' should give you an idea of what they're about. Oh, and let's not leave out Pigmeat Pete and Catjuice Charlie's 'On Our Turpentine Farm' either. Robert Crumb joined 'em to strum some mandolin, then the Sharks' Joe Lauro (upright bass) and Andy Burton (accordion) and the Otis Brothers (Bob Guida, guitar & Pat Conte, banjo, fiddle) stepped up to fill out the sound beautifully and suddenly the night got magic. I hadn't planned to film the gig - if anything, maybe a tune or two by the Sharks or get a Crumb ID, but I used up most of my tape because this seemed like it had to be documented, however haphazardly (no tripod, and filmed from the the balcony on the right). They were fantastic and I hope Joe brings 'em back soon. I've not yet had the good fortune to experience one of Levon Helm's Midnight Rambles, but I'd bet the vibe is exactly the same.

East River String Band
the Pleasure Lounge, Shelter Island, NY
July 8th '08

As the Otis Bros got ready for their own set, I ran into John & Eden out back and they were generous enough to give me a copy of their album (on cd AND vinyl). I promised them a dvd of the footage I shot and. They did an ID for NoFoSo, and I asked John if he thought Mr. Crumb might do the same but he told me that Robert didn't like cameras, or doing 'that sort of thing'. I know he's kind of reclusive, so I thought 'fair enough' and gave him some space....which he used admirably by being given a piggy-back ride out behind the barn by a spunky young lass in a polka dot dress who obviously knew about some of his predilections. The Otis Brothers are two guys from Queens and all I'd heard about them was they (too) collected 78 rpm records. Everybody here seemed to have huge 78rpm collections! I'm not sure how the OB's like to be described, but country blues with a spiritual edge might not be too far off. Thoughts of Mississippi juke joints surfaced and by the time they did Paul 'Wine' Jones' "Pucker Up, Buttercup" they had the audience in their hands.
After a short break, the Lone Sharks hit the stage, blasted into "The In-Crowd" and tore the place apart. Now I'm up to 7 Sharks sightings, and this was by far the best. GREAT versions of Johnny 'Burnette's Tear It Up', Bo Diddley's 'Dearest Darling', and their own 'Bad Baby' and the catchy 'Gone Hollywood' from the new alb went by in a flash and next thing I knew, we had to catch the last ferry. It was a drag leaving but neither of us felt like driving the extra 50 miles, so we put blasted Johnny's newly acquired Otis Brothers cd and set off. On the ferry, Johnny saw Pat Conte up front, so we went to pay our respects and Pat told us he had 50,000 78s in his basement and once had a radio show - The Secret Museum - on WBAI and WFMU. He was fascinating, telling us about 78s he had from all over the world. Who knew they made 78s in Africa? Or knows about Albert Richardson who recorded in the late 20's on Britain's Zonophone label? I sure didn't. Graciously, he did an ID for the station and then the ferry pulled into Greenport. I could have used another couple of hours with him. A perfect night.

The Lone Sharks
'tear it up' at the Pleasure Lounge, Shelter Island, July 9th 08

Gene Casey & The Lone Sharks

Gene Casey
The Old Mill, Mattituck, 6/7/08

Last night, Gene Casey and the Lone Sharks Two, a sawed-off, acoustic version of Long Island's coolest "rhythm & twang" combo (featuring Stan Mitchell beating the traps and Joe Lauro on upright and outasite bass) turned The Old Mill in Mattituck back into the rockin' speakeasy it once was. Usually, this local bar/restaurant plays host to a handful of grizzled fishermen bemoaning the diminishing shoals of stripers, (while some of us bemoan the diminishing shoals of strippers) but not this time. The noisy, packed, but appreciative bar patrons clapped, danced and hollered along to tunes originally written by Carl Perkins, Johnny Burnette, Johnny Cash, Bill Munroe, Doc Pomus and were treated to a particularly fine version of 'You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover' reminding us all that America lost one of its finest sons last week, Bo Diddley. (Face it, how many people do you know have a beat named after them, eh?) Slipped in between were a few of Gene's originals and they stood up, proud, in such fine company. Particularly 'Who's Sharing The Moon', which could be a hit for Chris Isaak should his writing chops ever dry up. Find it on the brand new cd, 'What Happened' out now and available at Sharks' shows and (soon), their website. If Gene and The Lone Sharks - in ANY format, acoustic or electric - happen to be in your neighborhood and you need a shot of rhythm, blues, country or rockabilly, as the man himself says, 'If I Can Do It, (So Can You)'...

George Gilmore & The Giblets

George Gilmore, Ed Hamell
23rd St, NYC

Last week, I had to go into Manhattan so my dentist could moan at me about bone loss round me molars. Since it was the first Tuesday of the month, I decided to cheer myself up by meeting up with my good pal Eric Danville and checking out George Gilmore & The Giblets' regular monthly stint at The Lakeside Lounge, my favourite watering hole on the Lower East Side. The Lakeside is known mainly for having the best jukebox in the city, exquisitely curated by co-owners, Jim 'The Hound' Marshall & Eric 'Roscoe' Ambel, who was in The Del-Lords, and is now in The Yayhoos. You can get a decent pint, a generous shot and some Roky Erickson or The Real Kids from whoever is behind the bar, which can sometimes be the luscious Leslie Day, who played guitar in The Prissteens, the city's last great, and vastly under appreciated, (mostly) girl-group. Anyway, that night, none of them were around, but George soon came early and we caught up. Back in the day, he used to bartend at Arlene's Grocery as well as the Lakeside, which I deemed my 'local' ever since Billy's Topless closed. George was a first-class host and knew how to mix a Jack & Coke better than everyone. Like in a pint glass. It was the kind of place one could do a bag of mushrooms at the bar with a colleague and spend the night laughing at everything. Apparently. We spoke about the Giblets and I suggested they should consider playing on Long Island with the Blaggards or the Lone Sharks, the two best acts we have out here. George pointed out that Sharks' sax-ist, Paul Scher, moonlights as a Giblet, so maybe there's hope for a double-bill sometime. Eric and I grabbed another beer and moved into the lounge...
These days, there's not too many bands pepper their sets with tunes by Ray Charles, Chuck Berry, Jimmy McCracklin, Otis Rush, Conway Twitty and Carl Perkins but that should tell you they got good taste. Their originals can sound like Brinsley Schwarz or Graham Parker sometimes and, as George said about one song, "like a twisted Skip James". Special guest, 'Thirsty' Dave Hanson from The Western Caravan's sang on 'It's Only Make Believe' and 'Nadine' and boy, does he have a great voice! So, a most enjoyable night was had by all. Mark it down...the first Tuesday in every month - Giblets at the Lakeside.