Songs The Flamin' Groovies Taught Us (part 2)

This second part of The Flamin' Groovies Jukebox features British Invasion bands as well as American bands inspired by the Beatles, Kinks, and Stones.  The Flamin' Groovies shared bills with their Bay Area contemporaries, but they were seen as out of step with the psychedelic scene (which was arguably just as Beatles-influenced and blues-influenced).

When I assembled Alex Chilton's Jukebox, it was divided pre- and post-British Invasion.  Same goes for The Flamin' Groovies Jukebox, and this second (and final) set reflects the changes in the band's sound after Roy Loney left and Cyril Jordan took the reins. 

Of course, British Invasion bands loved Little Richard, Chuck Berry, The Everly Brothers and other American rock and R&B as much as The Flamin' Groovies did. 

The same can be said of Dave Edmunds.  Cyril and Chris Wilson admired Edmunds' production of the 1971 Rockpile album, so The Groovies went to Rockfield Studios in 1972 to record their classic original songs "Shake Some Action" and "You Tore Me Down" with Edmunds.

The Groovies were around for the birth of the punk scene too. They played London's Roundhouse in 1976.  Ron "The Ripper" from Crime was The Groovies' bassist for awhile.  Danny Mihm (original Groovies drummer) played on 1978's Destry Hampton & The Wolves From Hell EP, a classic of San Francisco punk.

In 2017 (almost 50 years after Sneakers), Cyril, Chris Wilson, and George Alexander made a new Flamin' Groovies album called Fantastic Plastic.

Rest in peace Roy Loney and Tina Turner, whose "River Deep Mountain High" is a highlight of this Groovies Jukebox, and one of the last songs The Groovies recorded at Gold Star in 1981 (the year in The Flamin' Groovies' career when this series of cover songs ends).

Songs The Flamin' Groovies Taught Us

This set of songs covered by The Flamin' Groovies has some interesting connections to other "jukebox" collections on this blog.  The Groovies covered Frankie Lee Sims' "Married Woman". Barrence Whitfield and the Savages turned Sims' song "Walking With Frankie" into "Walking With Barrence" on the Savages' debut album. (See the post Savage Songs That Barrence Taught Us.)

The Groovies' cover of "32-20 Blues" is based on the 1965 recording by The Charlatans, who were pioneers of the SF psychedelic scene.  Mike Wilhelm of The Charlatans later formed the band Loose Gravel, whose song "Styrofoam" was covered by Dr. Feelgood (see Dr. Feelgood's Jukebox, Vol. 2).  Chris Wilson played with Mike Wilhelm in Loose Gravel, and Wilhelm served as The Flamin' Groovies' lead guitarist from 1978 to 1983.

Both NRBQ and The Flamin' Groovies were influenced by The Lovin' Spoonful.  The Groovies' version of "Wild About My Lovin" is based on The Spoonful's arrangement.  The Groovies, The Spoonful, and the Q were all signed to the Kama Sutra label. The Groovies covered NRBQ's "I Want You Bad".

And then there's Chuck Berry.  Half a dozen Berries have been covered by The Flamin' Groovies, and Chuck's arrangements of W.C Handy's "St. Louis Blues" and Tampa Red's "Don't You Lie To Me" are the basis of The Groovies' versions.

Webb Wilder Jammin' At Hippie Jacks 2010. (Another Stinky Production)

Anyone with a passing familiarity with Webb Wilder knows The Webb Wilder Credo: “Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard, grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em!”

He adopted the name/persona Webb Wilder from a character he played in the short film Webb Wilder Private Eye, and he went on to appear in Peter Bogdanovich’s 1993 feature film The Thing Called Love,  Blessed with a resonant, authoritative voice, he was also one of the first Satellite celebrity Radio DJ’s.

Wilder is one of those guys who has never put out a bad album, thirty-five years in, and who augments the songs he writes with great taste in covers.  He’s better than most at coming up with tasty album titles as well—like: Born To Be Wilder, Doo Dad, & Scattered, Smothered & Covered.  Not to mention naming backing bands: The Nashvegans, The Beatnecks, and The Drapes.

If this is your first exposure to “The Last Of The Full-Grown Men” I feel he dwells in the Bermuda Triangle formed in the area between Tom Petty, Dwight Yoakam, & Southern Culture On The Skids.

This is a set recorded at Hippie Jacks in 2010 that includes what I’d consider Webb’s best song Tough It Out, and wraps up with two staples of his live shows: The Flamin’ Groovies’ Slow Death and the Big Joe Williams classic Baby Please Don’t Go.  In the course of his live rendition of the latter, Webb inserts a story about asking Big Joe Williams what are your favorite songs you ever recorded?  Joe replied with Baby Please Don’t Go and Highway 49.  Webb asked: “Didn’t Howlin’ Wolf do Highway 49?  And Big Joe said: “He TRIED.”

Wilder’s stage patter, and his introductions to songs are as original, entertaining, and irreverent as the man himself.  Part of Wilder’s charm is his ability to utilize all of his talents in the course of a single show—even the solo set I saw. The big man from Mississippi powers through a performance by pulling out all his tricks from his tongue-in-cheek seriousness, his acting chops, expert pacing, reverence for the musicians that came before him, and his stellar playing and backing bands.

Regular visitors to Jokonky Blog know that trivia is “the wind beneath my stinks” and Webb Wilder shares his May 19 birthday with Joey Ramone, Pete Townshend, Dusty Hill, Phil Rudd, Grace Jones, & Shooter Jennings.  

To my knowledge, this live set is available no where else in album form—it’s another one of my Homemade Records—just like mama used to make!

Robert Palmer's Jukebox

 

Here's a five part counterpart to Koen's Robert Palmer Songbook.  Robert had a great ear as well as a terrific voice, and he was known for broad ranging tastes and a deep knowledge of music.  His choices of songs to cover reflect that wealth of taste.

Four hours' worth of songs that Robert covered have been compiled into four "jukeboxes", each of them about an hour in length.  (The math checks out.)

Southern soul and funk (from the likes of Lee Dorsey, Allen Toussaint, and Don Covay) and the music of Little Feat were primary influences on Robert Palmer's earliest solo albums, and the originals can be heard on Robert Palmer's Soul Jukebox.  The Rockin' Jukebox includes more funk and soul, as well as rock (from Elvis and the British Invasion to Robert's hit covers of Moon Martin and T. Rex).  Koen clued me in that Robert sang Purple Haze on an album by violinist Hugh Marsh.

Robert's albums Don't Explain (1990) and Ridin' High (1992) include most of the jazz and pop songs on the Oldies Jukebox.  Billie, Bing, and Frank dominate the tracklist. (I tried to choose great versions of these standards, which weren't always the first recordings.) The Blues Jukebox is mostly sourced from Robert's final album, Drive (2003).  

But wait, there's one more!  Before starting his solo career, Robert was one of two singers in the band Vinegar Joe. Elkie Brooks was the other vocalist; she and Robert both went on to greater success as solo artists.  I've compiled the Vinegar Joe songs where Robert sang lead.  Many of them are his own compositions.  Little Feat fans will find something to enjoy here, and it's easy to understand why Robert wanted to work with Feat members (and cover Feat songs) on his first three solo albums.

As Koen demonstrated with his Songbook, Robert was an accomplished songwriter.  His versions of the songs on these "jukeboxes" also show his creativity as an arranger.  For example, Robert's funky take on "You Really Got Me" is closer to the version by the Buddy Miles Express than the Kinks' original.  

ELSEWHERE ON THE BLOG:  Stinky's Homemade Live Version of Clues, Koen's Deluxe Edition of Robert Palmer's 1999 Rhythm & Blues album, and Koen's debut on this blog -- an expanded edition of Woke Up Laughing (Robert Palmer's own compilation of his "adventures in tropical music").  There are many more Jukeboxes here as well (featuring Alex Chilton, Barrence Whitfield, Dr. Feelgood, Flamin' Groovies, Joan Jett, NRBQ, Tav Falco and more).

Artists Who Produced Their Idols: Get A Leg Up!

Jonder wrote a few weeks ago: "This is a concept that Stinky and I have been kicking back and forth for quite awhile. There are musicians (like T Bone Burnett, Don Was and Joe Henry) who are probably better known as producers, and not everyone they produced would be considered an idol or influence." 

Then he came up with an impressive list of artists who had produced other artists, and invited me and Stinky to come up with our lists! And so another Jokonky project was born…

First artist that came to mind was Tom Waits, due to my Chuck E. Weiss collection, but he also produced John Hammond’s Wicked Grin, a collection of great Waits covers.

J.J. Cale is pretty well known, but I guess not many people were aware of his production work… Surprise, surprise, he was responsible for (again!) John Hammond’s blues album Got Love If You Want It.

My first post here was about Robert Palmer, who had a big hit with Moon Martin’s Bad Case Of Loving You. He produced Moon’s Mystery Ticket, trying to update his sound with mixed results.  Palmer apparently was a fan of The Comsat Angels, even helped them get on Island Records and produced their Chasing Shadows album.

Scottish indie rock band The Bluebells were close to a much more famous artist. B-side track All I Ever Said was (according to the liner notes) "a song full of words and chords produced by our old bonhomie, Elvis ‘King’ Costello".

Dave Edmunds liked Del Shannon and was responsible for the gorgeous And The Music Plays On, a 1974 single.  Shakin’ Stevens started as the lead singer of The Sunsets and their first album A Legend was another Edmunds production. The final Edmunds track here is a classic: Flamin' Groovies’ Slow Death.

Joan Osborne was (& is) a big fan of The Holmes Brothers and in her liner notes of their Speaking in Tongues (produced by Osborne), she explains how she first met them in a New York Bar where they were playing.

Steely Dan’s Walter Becker did a great production job on Rickie Lee Jones’ Flying Cowboys. It even gave her a minor hit song, Satellites.

David Byrne tried his best with The B-52's Mesopotamia, but unfortunately the band members weren’t that impressed with the results…

John Cale got quite a name as a producer with Nico and The Stooges, but I selected The Modern Lovers’ Roadrunner.

David Baerwald (from David + David as well as solo) produced a few tracks from Susanna Hoffs' 1996 self-titled album.

I’ve posted about Bennie Wallace here before and like his first album, the follow-up Bordertown was produced by Dr. John as well.

Steve Berlin (Los Lobos) did a good roots production job on Tish Hinojosa’s Homeland.

Don Dixon is probably best known for his work with R.E.M., but this Guadalcanal Diary track is excellent too.

[Thanks, Koen!  Stinky came up with the title of this series, Get A Leg Up!  His set of songs produced by famous artists for their musical heroes is coming soon.]

Get Yer Third Leg Up (More Artists Who Produced Their Idols)

Koen and Stinky set a high standard for this series; today we've got leftovers.  Ric Ocasek produced a lot of new bands (possibly to "give them a leg up"), but he didn't necessarily idolize them.  I chose a song from I'm So Confused, which Ric produced for Jonathan Richman.

The bassist on I'm So Confused is Darryl Jenifer of the Bad Brains, whose album Rock For Light was produced by Ocasek.  I doubt Ric idolized the Bad Brains, but Adam Yauch certainly did, and Yauch produced Build A Nation.

Rick Rubin may idolize the legends he produced (such as Johnny Cash and Tom Petty).  But if you've ever heard Rubin's band Hose, you can be sure that he idolized Flipper, and he produced American Grafishy.  Speaking of Tom Petty, he produced Chris Hillman's album Bidin' My Time (which features Roger McGuinn on The Byrds' rarity Here She Comes Again).

Jack White has also produced legends (Wanda Jackson and Loretta Lynn). The White Stripes' music was greatly influenced by the Flat Duo Jets, and Jack produced and released a live album for the Dex Romweber Duo, as well as their single The Wind Did Move.  

Stinky featured a Wanda Jackson album produced by Joan Jett. Justin Townes Earle produced Wanda's Unfinished Business. Iggy Pop has worked with several of his admirers (including David Bowie and Josh Homme). As a Detroit native, Don Was must have been thrilled to produce Brick By Brick (with Slash joining Iggy on guitar for Home).

Mavis Staples is another legendary singer.  Her cover of Funkadelic's Can You Get To That was produced by Jeff Tweedy, and One More Change was written and produced by Ben Harper. 

Stinky featured Mary Weiss. Today we've got La La Brooks (produced by Mick Collins), Ronnie Spector (produced by Joey Ramone) and Darlene Love (produced by Steve Van Zant).   Speaking of Little Steven, he and The Boss produced albums for their heroes Southside Johnny and Gary U.S. Bonds.  Don't miss Stinky's comp The Best of Ronnie Spector!

Koen featured Dr. John as a producer. Today's comp includes a Dr. John song produced by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys.  Auerbach was also entrusted by Tony Joe White's son to produce Tony Joe's posthumous album Smoke From The Chimney.  

Terry Adams of NRBQ has long praised Sun Ra.  Terry coproduced the Arkestra's A Song For The Sun.  Don't miss Koen's post on the American Explorer Series, which features albums produced by Terry Adams and Ben Vaughn!

Koen's comp of Willie Dixon includes a track produced by T-Bone Burnett. Stinky quipped that Burnett "has knobs in his hands more often than a hooker running a two-for-one special."  T-Bone twisted the knobs on Gregg Allman's Low Country Blues.

Like T-Bone Burnett, Joe Henry is probably better known for his production work than his own music.  Joe has produced Solomon Burke and Mose Allison.  

Flamin Groovies frontman Roy Loney made several fun records as Roy Loney And The Longshots, backed by the Young Fresh Fellows and coproduced by Scott McCaughey.

Adrian Sherwood has been featured here several times, and he produced several albums for his idol Lee "Scratch" Perry.  Tim Armstrong did a great job producing Rebirth for Jimmy Cliff.

Last but not least is Tanya Tucker's comeback While I'm Livin', coproduced by Brandi Carlisle and Shooter Jennings.  Stinky and I highly recommend the "making of" documentary.  

Take That! Songwriters Taking Swipes At Others Vol. 3

“Angry young man” Andy Partridge sets his sights high with Dear God - XTC.  The boys have never rocked harder than they do when they’re viciously attacking Amy Grant - The Young Fresh Fellows.  Snotty punk problems abound in A Pop Song - Wreckless Eric.  Paul’s response to one of many public criticisms from Lennon; Silly Love Songs (Live) - Wings.  This tongue-in-cheek tribute was a contractural obligation filler and a hit in Japan; Rollers' Show - Nick Lowe (as Tartan Hordes).  Only A Fool Would Say That was Steely Dan’s response to Lennon’s IMAGINE.  No one lashes out more melodically than John Doe & Exene; I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts (Live) - X.  Impossible to find record I taped because my roommate worked in the studio where it was recorded; Pope John Paul Can Suck My Dick - The Impotent Sea Snakes.  Jonder shares this sentiment; Don Henley Must Die - Mojo Nixon.  Turn off your TV is the message behind Idiot Box - The Damned.  Jello Biafra demands MTV Get Off The Air - Dead Kennedys.  After they wrote New York (on Vol. 1) about The New York Dolls, the reply to The Sex Pistols was London Boys - Johnny Thunders.  When strict disciplinarian Johnny Ramone swiped Joey’s girl, he wrote The KKK Took My Baby Away - The Ramones.  There are varying opinions of WHO is the titular Prince Of The Punks (Live) - The Kinks.  While being respectful toward the author, Kris states he’s known for the worst song he ever wrote, which is served here more to Kristofferson’s taste: Okie From Muskogee.  After inspiring the country period of Rolling Stones that included Wild Horses, Gram Parsons was discarded by the cockney gangsters with electric guitars according to Grams Song by John Phillips.  Tom Petty’s contemptuous story about following Jackson Browne onstage during The No Nukes Show leads into My Problem Is You - Jackson Browne, in which Jackson sings: “I don’t worry about Madonna, or the next thing she might do,” which dovetails into Jammin' Me - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers which really pissed Eddie Murphy off.  “Take back Eddie Murphy” didn’t sit well with the most talented man to ever portray Gumby.  My Baby Moved by The Hillbilly Hellcats—singles out Big Head Todd while giving the monsters a pass.  Van Halen proves Nerf Herder lands in Diamond Dave’s camp. Which leaves just enough room for a blistering LIVE version of Slow Death (Live) - Roy Loney & Chris Wilson—both Flamin’ Groovies who never played together in the band. - Stinky

ZIP IT -- Part 2!

 

This one is about 75% Stinky (including the cover art).  My suggestions were (predictably) the "post punk" songs by the Residents, the Banshees, and the Buttholes.  The NRBQ version of "Honey Hush" is also my fault. Stinky said we should have gone with art58koen's recommendation of the original by Big Joe Turner, but Zip It! Volume 2 was already finished before the first one was posted. Can't help it, I just love to hear Big Al Anderson shout the blues!

Speaking of punk, Stinky made the inspired decision to include the Sex Pistols' version of "Don't Give Me No Lip, Child". Check out last year's Steppingstones comp here on t'blog to hear Dave Berry's original! 

Jonderblog fave raves The Flamin' Groovies also appear, with "Don't You Lie To Me" (which was written by Tampa Red and adapted by Chuck Berry).  Screamin' Jay Hawkins and Bettye Lavette are among the other fine entertainers on board for this fabulous sequel to the first volume of Zip It!

 

When I saw the tracklist, I thought for sure that "Bitchin' In The Kitchen" was a cover of the song from Shock Treatment, the 1981 film followup to The Rocky Horror Picture Show.  But I was mistaken -- it's a spunky original by the singing siblings Kitty, Daisy & Lewis! 

At the 2:25 mark in this video from Shock Treatment, a young Rik Mayall appears between Brad & Janet -- but it's not the original Brad & Janet (dammit!), and the "Bitchin' In The Kitchen" that they sing isn't the "Bitchin' In The Kitchen" that you will hear on today's compilation.  Confused? You won't be after this week's episode of ZIP IT!