THE PALADINS’ BEST VOL. 1
The Paladins’ two core members; guitarist Dave Gonzalez & bassist Thomas Yearsley met in high school, & worked together at a San Diego lumberyard while they got the band off the ground.
I once described The Paladins as BLUESY Stray Cats, but bandleader Gonzalez explained their sound in the liner notes to their second album: “I really like country, Tom really likes swing and R&B, and Scott's a real blues guy… so all this stuff we try to put together. We're not a blues band, not a rockabilly band. We just like all these different sounds and we try to interpret them in our own way."
Their first three albums are my favorites. One of the band’s strengths is choosing material that suits them as well as the wonderful songs they write. Those first three records contain songs by: Johnny Horton, The Collins Kids, Jimmy Reed, Hayes & Porter, & Chuck Willis.
The Paladins sprung from the San Diego scene alongside The Beat Farmers & made the drive up I-5 to play alongside The Blasters & Los Lobos in Los Angeles.
They toured with Los Lobos, & Stevie Ray Vaughan, & often backed Hollywood Fats at The Belly Up Tavern. Alejandro Escovedo is a fan (who brought them to Austin) & The Fabulous Thunderbirds' Kim Wilson produced the band's self-titled debut. The Los Lobos connection continued on their second album Years Since Yesterday, which was produced by Lobos saxman/producer Steve Berlin and engineer Mark Linett. (It's where I suggest the curious stick a toe in--& it's where the cover art is from.)
For more information check out this splendid article: https://sandiegotroubadour.com/the-paladins-decades-of-delivering-the-goods-from-san-diego-to-the-world/
I first encountered THE PALADINS on WHO'S LISTENING? a compilation LP of San Diego CA bands (mostly punk).
ReplyDeletehttps://www.discogs.com/release/2348412-Various-Whos-Listening
Downloaders are asked to share with us a compilation that turned them onto one of their favorite bands! Links are appreciated but not required to be in the running for a No-Prize.
Here’s the link to THE PALADINS’ BEST VOL. 1:
https://pixeldrain.com/u/Nh1C32M5
This is a great compilation Stinky, thanks! I think I first encountered The Paladins on one of those Alligator Genuine Houserockin' Music compilations.
Delete1979 The Honky Tonk Demos was a great compilation that introduced lots of new artists to me at the time.
https://www.discogs.com/master/463411-Various-The-Honky-Tonk-Demos
Too cool, Koen. There was a 3-4 year period when you literally COULDN'T go wrong with any album released on the Alligator label. Same with another of my favorites: HIGHTONE!
DeleteWalking around with a few friends on a winter's night in Omaha Nebraska in the 80's we turned a corner and there was the Paladin's playing in a small dingy bar. Between sets they all went and had drinks with us patrons at the bar. Fun times. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK9eZS4SaIA
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, Philo. I saw them once at a weekender, & they were GREAT! I love that clip from POKER PARTY. I'm converting their appearance for future comps. Another place I ran across them was on this album: https://www.discogs.com/master/619889-Various-Art-Fein-Presents-The-Best-Of-LA-Rockabilly
DeleteCompadre Records label samplers were good ones for me.
ReplyDeletehttps://twangsvillerevisited.blogspot.com/search/label/Compadre%27s%20Texas%20Outlaws
Additionally, you can't go wrong with Bloodshot Records label samplers:
https://twangsvillerevisited.blogspot.com/search/label/Bloodshot%20Records
Agreed Berni! Any label that's had Graham Parker, Xene Cervenka, Alejandro Escovedo, & Barrance Whitfield on their roster is doing things right! I really like that Bloodshot Records' 13 Days Of Xmas comp.
DeleteI just got around to listening to the Paladins compilation and it kicks, many thanks!
DeleteThe links to the Compadre samplers have been updated btw. (I can't believe those were from 7 years ago! Have I really been wasting time for that long?)
I'm so glad that you liked it, Berni! Volume 2 is finished & I'm leaning toward doing an IN THE MIX on Dave Gonzalez's side & duo projects with his wife.
DeleteI'll swing by to check out the COMPADRE Samplers. Thanks for those.
One album to rule them all:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.discogs.com/fr/master/114751-Various-The-California-Sound-Of-The-60s
Gave me one of my first favorite songs (Scott McKenzie's "San Francisco"), led me to my lifelong love of The Byrds AND The Beach Boys, as well as all music involving close harmonies...
That's a hell of a track list, OBG, you nut! Hey, that makes you OBGYN!
DeleteThe equivalent for me was; "No.1 Hits Of The '60s" which I reassembled digitally here:
https://jonderblog.blogspot.com/2024/07/get-to-know-stinky.html
Thank you. Perhaps I am too young (almost 60). There was a radio show De Rock & Roll Methode with Felix "The Rock" Meurders and Louis Van "Roll"Dijk (Yes Felix was the original man called The Rock) and It introduced me to a lot of R&R. Then came the new wave and punk movement and this came out
ReplyDeletehttps://www.discogs.com/master/1070308-Various-Street-Level-20-New-Wave-Hits How could I resist. The SexPpistols, The Plasmatics The Dickies....flower power was killed like it was Bambi's Mother
Thanks for that, Richard. I love the cover art which was done on the cheap, but totally works. That IS a fantastic track listing! It proves the folks at RONCO took time out from inventing products like the "inside the egg scrambler" to pogo around the laboratory.
Delete