Again with The Punks and The Soul

As I compile more volumes of “Punks Got Soul”, I continue to ponder the value of assembling what are (in many cases) inferior versions of classic original songs.  There are some worthwhile reinterpretations of soul music here: from the odd (Talking Heads’ take on “Take Me To The River”, or “Money” by the Flying Lizards) to the pulse-quickening punk covers (I still get a thrill from “Slow Down” by the Cannibals and “Heat Wave” by the Jam) and the genuine love, enthusiasm, and musical quality of some of the more faithful covers by folks like Graham Parker, Chris Bailey, and Elvis Costello.  There are plenty of “classic soul” compilations out there if you want to hear the brilliance and passion of the originals.

But it’s troubling when you consider the history of the music industry (segregating Black artists, cheating them of songwriting royalties, and literally stealing songs).  Most of the musical innovations of the 20th century (blues, jazz, gospel, R&B, rock, reggae, hip hop and electronic music) are Black creations that have been co-opted by white performers who achieved more success and acclaim than the originators who inspired them. And it’s not because the white performers "improved" upon the originals. The music was just made more palatable to white listeners.  Consider the whole Super Bowl halftime show fiasco. The acceptable alternative to a massively popular Puerto Rican performer was a washed up white rapper?   

Here’s a thoughtful article by Sir Shambling on “blue-eyed soul” and its relationship to Black artistry, in the context of the political and social upheavals of the Civil Rights movement in the US.  The author’s admission that he had become prejudiced against white artists is kind of amusing.  As a know-it-all college kid, I once challenged a friend to name a single white blues, gospel, soul or jazz vocalist who is the equal of any of the greatest Black singers.  Being older now and not quite so sure of myself (about anything these days, to be honest), I do know at least two things I can say with a degree of certainty:  there's some great music here, and there's at least one more volume of Punks Got Soul waiting in the wings.

Take That! Songwriters Taking Swipes At Others Vol. 1 Lennon/McCartney RICK NELSON The Kinks

 

TAKE THAT VOL. 1 got its start when I read an article in PARADE MAGAZINE about songwriters lashing out at other songwriters in their work.  That was about 50 years ago!

There are only a few songs here from that article—which I still have somewhere: Carly Simon’s You’re So Vain, John Lennon’s swipe at Paul; How Do You Sleep, & Paul McCartney’s response Dear Friend.

I made the first two volumes around 20 years ago, & I’ve revamped them for JOKONKY.  They even have liner notes (included) which I’ve cut-and-pasted below:

TAKE THAT VOL. 1

George Harrison's riff-heavy swipe at The Taxman - The Beatles.  The Plimsouls’ Peter Case was previously in a band with Jack Lee, & apparently: “Since The Nerves broke up all he does is brood,” & Pete will “never go back to" Playing With Jack - The Plimsouls.  Tyler wrote this about Joe Perry’s future wife Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith. Reportedly written about either Mick Jagger (who provides back-up vocals) or Warren Beatty.  She’s never publicly confirmed which, but she auctioned the (top secret) answer off for charity! You’re So Vain - Carly Simon.  Speak of the devil!  This is Keith Richards solo album stab at Mick Jagger; “It’s no longer funny, it’s bigger than money…” You Don’t Move Me - Keith Richards.  

Lola is reportedly Ray Davies mocking one of brother Dave’s homosexual encounters.  “I’m glad I’m a man, & so is"  Lola - The Kinks.  Whoever this is about, Kyle Minogue gets dragged into It! Popstar - The Pretenders.  John’s vehement attack on Paul: “Those freaks were right when they said you were dead… Ya cunt!” How Do You Sleep (Demo) - John Lennon.  Paul’s gentle & dignited response to John: Dear Friend - Wings.  

Graham Parker's almost always miffed about something. Here, it's the press: Don't Let It Get You Down - Graham Parker.  Nick Lowe kicks Rick Astley right in the bollocks!  Way to go, Lowe!  All Men Are Liars (Live) - Nick Lowe.  Jerry Lee Lewis takes the piss out of his cousin, Mickey Gilley, & the state of Texas.  Mickey Gilley Spoof & Texas Blues - Jerry Lee Lewis.  

This duo isn’t happy with the state of country music.  2 Country 4 Nashville - Joel & Leanne.  LA landmark, Jumbo's Clown Room & their manly dancers get whut fer!  Politically incorrect when it was written 20 years ago, & even more-so now.  But they so accurately describe the place, that it gets a pass: Born That Way - The Groovy Rednecks.  Rick’s response to folks who came for an oldies show and got his (visionary) country rock.  Yoko & her Walrus were there!  Garden Party - Rick Nelson. 

LA legends X take a pot-shot at society as a whole.  HEY! That includes US!  See How We Are - X.  Alanis Morissette exposes Dave Coulier as the lowly cocksucker he (allegedly) is!  You Oughta Know - Alanis Morissette.  Joe’s got 3 songs that rail at Happy Loving Couples - Joe Jackson.  The Pistols give The Queen the night off & bite the hand that inspires (New York Dolls) New York - The Sex Pistols.  My Generation - The Who. ‘Nuff said!  Lee Ving didn't get that pony he asked for, so Fuck Christmas - Fear              

Whistle While You Work

Our newly appointed, official fourth Beatle, the one and only Richard, came up with another intriguing collection of tunes and wrote the following:

When I worked on Grandpa's Whistling compilations I remembered that a journalist from my hometown already had a thing with whistling in songs.

He had made a list of about 300 songs in the late nineties.

In hindsight that is remarkable when you know there was hardly a decent way to search the internet for it, and compared to now, the internet was pretty empty. 

His name is Johan Peels and he has worked with the Dutch Platenblad, amongst others. 

In that magazine he had a regular item about people's collections: De Omgevallen Platenkast (The Overturned Record Cabinet).

For that he interviewed hundreds of record collectors in The Netherlands and neighbouring countries. Two hundred of those are collected in his book Meer! Meer! Meer! (More More More).

I for one, am in it, and so is Marty from the Four One & Onlies and 'Cil from Buy Off The Bar.

 

I recently went through his list, updating and correcting and adding at will, and I have now hundreds of artists whistling in songs. 

There are full song whistlers. 

Artists like Toots Thielemans, Roger Whittaker, Jan Tromp, Bob MacGimsey, Jack Smith, Ilse Werner, etc., etc.

Here is Geert Chatrou, Wereldkampioen Kunstfluiten - Verrassend Klassiek Amersfoort

In this selection you will find a lot of the great and good. Some of the great artists are Vic Godard, Palais Schaumburg, Serge Gainsbourg, Nick Cave, Garland Jeffreys, Shocking Blue Elvis and The Beatles.

The best songs on this selection are XTC, Roger Miller (no family?) The Fugs, Q65, Non Plus Ultra and one of the ultimate whistlers Monty Python.

An outstanding performance is given by Yasuaki Shimizu. And that song alone is worth the download

Whistling that is plain sampling or signal whistling like wolf and dog whistles, or builders whistles are disqualified.
I also would like to exclude movie and tv themes as much as possible, No Good, Bad, nor Ugly!

You will not find Jealous Guy or Dock of the Bay in this selection.

When your response is of a quantity I can make some more whistling compilations.

I have enough to make a few themed ones.

And I haven't even included Jerry Lee Lewis or Sonny Burgess yet!

Songs That PEARL HARBOUR Taught Us

Cowgirl Pearl

Do you love Pearl Harbour as much as we do?  It's not a contest -- but if it was, this blog would win!  Here's a deluxe edition custom combo compilation thingy of songs that Pearl has covered, as well as a couple cover versions of songs from Pearl's solo debut (Don't Follow Me, I'm Lost Too)!

If you don't know her story, Pearl is the daughter of a Filipina and an American serviceman, so "Filipino Baby" is almost autobiographical.  As a teenager, Pearl emigrated from Germany to San Francisco, where she became the singer for Pearl Harbor And The Explosions.  She left the band after a difference of opinion in musical direction.  "I wanted the show to be more wild rock & roll. They were more interested in jazz, funk, and rhythm & blues," she later recalled.  In concert, The Explosions covered the rockabilly classic "Black Slacks" as well as Ron Wood's "I Can Feel The Fire" and Nick Lowe's "Let's Eat".

Pearl traveled back across the Atlantic in search of that wild rock & roll sound, and cut her 1980 solo debut in London with Nigel Dixon, Steve New, and Wilko Johnson on guitar (all of whom have been featured here).  Geraint Watkins played keyboards, and his music has been compiled here by Koen.  

Ian Dury with Pearl

Mickey Gallagher produced the album, and Pearl covered Ian Dury's "Rough Kids", as well as "Losing To You" (from Nigel Dixon's band Whirlwind) and "Cowboys & Indians" from Geraint Watkins & The Dominators.   Another cover she recorded (which became a signature song of her career) was "Fujiyama Mama".  

Pearl married Paul Simonon (whose brother Nick briefly played drums for Pearl), and she toured Japan with The Clash.  Today's comp includes a live "Fujiyama" and "Hit The Road Jack" from that tour (with a descending bassline similar to "Stray Cat Strut").  Speaking of the Stray Cats, Pearl and Wilko joined them onstage at Montreux for a version of "Be Bop A Lula" (you can barely hear Wilko near the end).  Pearl also covered "Wrong Em Boyo" with The Mods, a Japanese punk band who played on her third solo album. She later sang "Brand New Cadillac" with The Colts, another Japanese band.

Pearl with The Mods

Pearl and Paul eventually divorced, and she returned to San Francisco.  Her last solo album (so far!) was recorded with East Bay Ray (whose guitar work with the DK's and other bands has also been featured here).  

Here Comes Trouble was recorded as a tribute to Phillip Bury, the beloved frontman of Buck Naked & The Bare Bottom Boys. Phillip was tragically killed in 1992.  Stinky LePew (aka Stinky Naked) joined Pearl on the album, and the title track was a Bare Bottom Boys original.  

The "jukebox" portion of today's share includes several other originals that Pearl recorded, and the "songbook" section features two covers of Pearl Harbour originals: "Do Your Homework" by Supersnazz and "Heaven Is Gonna Be Empty" by Hanoi Rocks.  There was a Swiss band called Satellits who covered "Alone In The Dark" (also from Don't Follow Me), but I can't afford their EP and I've never found an mp3 online.  Help me, internet!

IN THE MIX Vicki Peterson Edition Vol. 2 with Bangles, HOODOO GURUS Steve Wynn, ACTION SKULLS!

IN THE MIX Vicki Peterson Edition Vol. 2.  My musical mash note to VICKI PETERSON continues.

On Vol. 2, there are more BANGLES tracks Vicki sings lead on, which include two of my favorite songs by the group; James, and Crash & Burn.  Their amazing early track Want You is here along with More Than Meets The Eye, I Got Nothing, Lay Yourself Down, & Get The Girl (Live At The House Of Blues).  There’s even Make A Play For Her Now which Peterson co-wrote with Vinnie Vincent (formerly of KISS!)

In the early days of THE BANGLES, the whole group supplied backing vocals for HOODOO GURUS.  Vicki & her sister Debbie sang behind MATTHEW SWEET, and Vicki backed STEVE WYNN & GIANT SAND on her own.  

Vicki Peterson seems to love to be in a group, and there are tracks from her bands; THE PSYCHO SISTERS (with SUSAN COWSILL), THE ACTION SKULLS (with John Cowsill & Billy Mummy), & CONTINENTAL DRIFTERS.  And of course a cut from her newest & highly recommended release Long After The Fire (with her husband, JOHN COWSILL).  

Long After The Fire is available on bandcamp as a download, a CD, or on vinyl: Vicki Peterson & John Cowsill

 

Easy to Whistle, Hard to Forget: Welcome to Idiot Records!

Trust the Dutch to come up with weird concepts… At the end of the 1970s a couple of Dutch punks from Twente decided to start their own record label and called it De 1000 Idioten. Their marketing ‘strategy’ was to have at least a thousand idiots buy their product(s) to break even and perhaps even make a profit!

 

With that in mind, they released the first punk song, Van Agt Casanova, in Dutch by an artist called Paul Tornado. To their surprise, more than 5.000 copies were sold via mail order only! When the number of copies exceeded the estimated one thousand, they changed (slightly) its name in 1981 to Idiot Records.

Although set up as a punkish label, they soon started releasing other genres as well: pop, new wave, big band, rockabilly, and hard-to-classify weird sounds, sung not only in Dutch, but also in English, German, and even in French.

Their first bunch of records was either released as 7 or 10 inches, another quirky distinction from other labels… Dutch artists and bands included KEWI University of Swing, Wisselink, Fay Lovesick/Lovsky, Mathilde Santing, Joep Bruijnjé, Boulevard of Broken Dreams Orchestra, Gigantjes, Stephen Emmer, Smithereens, Nils Wieland, Jump! Dickie Jump!, Bram Vermeulen, Siobhan, and others.

Idiot lasted only until 1990, but luckily, it was taken over by Basta Records, another independent Dutch label.  Only 1 compilation CD was ever released, 1997’s First Idiots, which focused mainly on the early years. That same year Basta Music Sampler - Sense & Sensitivity was also released, which included several Idiot artists.

Of all those artists, only Mathilde Santing really broke through; she had a few hit singles, covered Randy Newman, and in 2012 collaborated with Todd Rundgren and the Dutch Metropole Orchestra.

No matter their lack of success, Idiot Records pumped out a pretty cool selection of music which i.m.o. is still worth listening to and perhaps will pique our visitors' interest in checking them out for more! 

Plenty of original songs, including a quirky tribute to fictional British flying ace Biggles and a weird cover of the old classic Woolly Bully!

Love Love Love those Triple Song Titles

Richard is the fourth Beatle of this blog, an honored guest who has generously shared a number of compilations with us from his vast music collection.  His features on the artists Buy Off The Bar, Claw Boys Claw, Eton Crop, The Four And Onlys, and Johnny G (as well as his Plurex Records and Whistling Grandpa compilations) are entertaining, informative, and unique.  Much of this music simply cannot be found anywhere else on the wild world of webs.

He is also Chief Researcher on our Triple Song Title committee, a title that I just made up and conferred upon him right now (congrats, Richard).  On behalf of the committee, thanks thanks thanks for your diligence and devotion to our quixotic cause.  Richard has found literally hundreds more triples that haven't been posted here yet.

Richard recently suggested that Valentine's Day would be an appropriate time to share his stash of over a hundred treble-titled love songs.  What better way to woo your loved one?  Download them all, or make your own mix of "Love Love Love Songs" from your favorite artists.  The object of your affection will be mightily impressed by your strangely obsessive but thoughtful gesture! He or she need never know who actually did the digital "crate digging"! Your secret is safe with JOKONKY!  Here's a whole lotta love -- virus-free, no commitment, no batteries included and no strings attached -- with love from us to you.