Archive for September, 2011
1957 Newsreel about Rockabilly in Japan = Pure Win
#rockabilly by Retro 1957 Newsreel about Rockabilly in Japan = Pure Win
The Ravonettes, Eric Pigors, Richard Cheese, Nick Cave Tribute
#psychobilly by Kustom
THE RAVONETTES posted on Tumblr that they are starting on their new album. I can dig it.
The new app, MonsterPieces, lets players piece together custom monsters, from monstrous body parts drawn by “world-famous monster artist Eric Pigors”, who handled the PSYCHO CHARGER CD covers.
tripleJ, the Australian radio/TV/print/on-line music providing juggernaut is “touring a series of tribute concerts to Nick Cave”. Nick Cave, who earns his place in the RKH world (as if he cared) by providing songs for and dueting with Johnny Cash, is one of Australia’s best musical exports. Some of Australia’s best will tour the country performing Cave’s catalog. TripleJ salutes in past years produced CDs and DVDs, so this one should, too.
If you were around in the 90’s, you probably remember that swing and lounge was a big deal to the hipster youth of the time – the same way beards and twee indie rock are, now. Grunge was cool, too, but they were usually separate scenes. One brave individual bridged the two world, those of lounge and grunge… Mr. Richard Cheese! His Lounge Against the Machine was an era-defining document, allowing hip cats, hardcore punks and post-punk grunge fiends to all share a knowing laugh.
His latest album, Richard Cheese: A Lounge Supreme, is available as a CD at www.loungemart.com, and as a download at www.vibedeck.com/richardcheese.
Rolling Stone Says “Listen to Buddy Holly Tribute”
#rockabilly by Retro
In a previous post, I told you all about second Buddy Holly covers/tribute album which is set to be released on September 6th, 2011.
You can preview the entire album right now on Rolling Stone.
As I mentioned, this is different from the Rave On Buddy Holly tribute that came out in the spring. Listen to Me: Buddy Holly is being done with the cooperation of the family, was produced by Peter Asher and features interpretations by Ringo Starr, Stevie Nicks, The Fray, Zooey Deschanel, Jackson Browne, Natalie Merchant, Jeff Lynne, Brian Wilson and, of interest to rockabilly fans, Imelda May.
You can pre-order it at Amazon.com.
Beast Wishes and Cheap Deals
#psychobilly by Kustom
I’d posted about the Kickstarter campaign to produce the documentary BEAST WISHES -THE BOB AND KATHY BURNS MOVIE. Thought everyone would like to know they made their goal and are gonna make the movie! (ht: MONSTERPALOOZA)
CHEAP DEAL ALERT! $4 for great CDs by acts like MAD SIN, @ Thorp Records and @ Sailor’s Grave Records through MONDAY ONLY.
Retro Stories on NPR and More
#rockabilly by Retro
Self-described “sartorial nerd” (that’s a new term to me, but I like it!), Natalie Alcala surveyed Elvis as an object of style in Black Book. Fun perspective on the King, as presented in the Graceland exhibit, Elvis Presley: Fashion King! (ht: Elvis.com)
NPR’s Fresh Air program re-ran a fun interview with the husband-and-wife songwriting duo, Marilyn and Alan Bergman, who’ve written songs for films and for stars such as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Rosemary Clooney, Tony Bennett and Fred Astaire. You can replay the show on the site.
More NPR… sometimes it can be weeks of programming that fails to engage me, but they hit a hot streak this week. This page runs through the history of musical Porgy & Bess, showing how the “failed” musical made its way into the Great American Songbook, with examples of interpretations from Nina Simone and Miles Davis, among others. Did you know Cab Calloway even appeared in a revival on Broadway?
Finally (for today) on NPR’s Morning Edition, a segment entitled In Soda Revival, Fizzy Taste Bubbles Up From The Past turns a spotlight on the soda fountain revival. There’s a great place in South Pasadena, Fair Oaks Pharmacy, which bears the torch for this particular type of retro entertainment, but evidently, they’re not the only ones. Old fashioned soda fountain treats are making a comeback! Listen to this story about the resurgence of sarsaparilla, egg creams and acid phosphate!
Pat Roberts’ New “Blue”
#countrymusic by Honkytonk
Retro told you about Electric Lotus artists VOODOO SWING a bit ago, which alerted me to the upcoming release by PAT ROBERTS & THE HEYMAKERS, Lonesome & Blue. As you can hear, Pat Roberts plays a pretty mean guitar and has a nice honkytonk-friendly voice, while the songwriting seems to stay true to traditional country. Maybe in another life they could’ve shared a package tour with Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison or Johnny Cash, or cut a record with Owen Bradley. Instead, this well-crafted country music, which should be the very definition of mainstream country, is left to be adopted by the rockabillies and country purists (such as myself). Give ‘em a spin and LIKE ‘em on Facebook.
Kansas City Cryers – Gotta Roam
#rockabilly by Retro
Following up on the must read interview with Chris Magee, I thought everyone might like to listen to the band Mr. BopFlix is breaking up in order to continue his journey of rockabilly auteurism – THE KANSAS CITY CRYERS.
Here’s a taste of what some on the internet have called their “first, last and best album”, Gotta Roam, currently available from Foottapping Records:
‘On That Day’ Kansas City Cryers (B.Thornton) by Bopflix
‘Gotta Roam’ Kansas City Cryers (original by Whitey Gallagher) by Bopflix
MPFree – Nick 13 – Carry My Body Down
#psychobilly by Kustom
If you haven’t bought Nick13′s self-titled country-tinged solo record yet, download one track from the album, Carry My Body Down, for FREE at Amazon.com.
Nick13 is the frontman of psychobilly uber-stars TIGER ARMY, but this well-reviewed release is his long-in-coming solo debut, designed to shine a brighter light on the traditional country music spirit that lies beneath the delicious psycho noise of TIGER ARMY. I can even trick Honkytonk into listening to it, sometimes!
And, by-the-by, since Amazon skunked all of their California associates, I don’t even get anything for pointing this out… just doing it out of the goodness of my heart (stop laughing).
Review: Hickoids – Kicking It with the Twits
#psychobilly by Kustom
Ever wish British Invasion music was a little less… 60′s sounding? Do you like the early, Carl Perkins, Buck Owens, Little Richard-inspired Beatles better than the psychedelic incoherence about Mr. Kite and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds on Sgt. Pepper?
If so, I think you might find THE HICKOIDS latest CD, Kicking It With the Twits, worth a spin. The album came out March 15, 2011, through Saustex Media.
The Texas cowpunkers use this album as an opportunity to transform themselves into a cover band on a mission to takes 60′s “gold” by THE WHO and THE ROLLING STONES and the like, and turns them into “nuggets”. The sound nails that “psych-punk” sound featured on those famous NUGGETS collections of random singles by regional garage bands… the kind of 45s THE CRAMPS loved so much. The guitars hum and buzz, the vocals sound cavernous and the drums thump dryly. The “pop” aspect of these songs do still “pop”, but now they also swing and twang at the same time.
As the CD progresses, it moves forward in time, taking a crack at “Americanizing” British artists like Elton John, MOTT THE HOOPLE and THE DAMNED. THE HICKOIDS prove that Brits can write damn catchy songs, but they often sound better when in the hands of loud, crude American barbarians.
MPFree – Bloodshot Records: Fun For All Ages Sampler
#countrymusic by Honkytonk
It’s never too early to start indoctrinating your kids to like good, authentic music. In the name of brainwashin’ the impressionable, I recommend getting the FREE Bloodshot Records: Fun For All Ages Sampler over there at Amazon.com.
I’m not saying every track is a triumph. Some of it gets a little twee and treacley for this cowpoke, but what do you want for nuthin’?
Most of it, like the bluegrass ramble Down in the Arkansas, by Jim & Jennie and the Pinetops, or the breathy take on Rubber Duckie, by Kelly Hogan, will please young and old. And even if they only please the old, the old are the one’s driving the car and can tell the young to shut the hell up about their Justin Beibers and Victoria Justices and listen to some damn fiddle music!
Bloodshot’s got a hell of a roster, too, check ‘em out and buy some records.
Rocker Covers Album Cover
#psychobilly by Kustom
THE ROCKER COVERS, a UK-based musical project focusing on covering non-rockabilly tunes with lots of rockabilly style, have released the cover art for their upcoming album. To find out more about THE ROCKER COVERS, check out my previous post.
