Like the Back of My Hand

Like finding a stack of old baseball cards in your parent's attic, I stumbled upon this beautiful bit of digital flotsam that brought about that same release of nostalgic joy.

Just a simple mp3 of the only hit from a short-lived band from England. It was enough to bring a downpour of memories. The Jags' "Back of My Hand" is a very delicious piece of power pop candy.

“Back of My Hand” by the Jags (mp3)(iTunes)(Amazon)

Released in 1979, "Back of My Hand" made it to #17 on the UK charts. It was included on the album "Evening Standards" the next year, when it made its appearance stateside and quickly found its place in the nation's bargain bins.

However, the song emerged at the right time for me. It was the summer between junior and senior years of high school. The song is full of heavy beats, angst, lust, harmonies and a hook that won't quit. My brother's band played it. For them, it was the great, hip cover of a little known hit from an even more obscure British band. A nice little stamp on the growing hipster cred. Plus, it was easy to play.

I've must have listened to this song at least a thousand times - a large percentage with air guitar accompaniment. Most of that time between the ages 17 and 18. The vinyl made the trip to college where it would be broken out at parties whenever I commando-ed the turntable. Ultimately, the album was lost during the Great Mold Tragedy of 1995.

The song returned to the fringes of cultural consciousness in 2006 when it was included in a forgettable soundtrack. However, the first and second (and final) albums remain lost to the dusty bins at record or second-hand shops. They can't be found on iTunes or Amazon.

But their single remains. It brought about a myriad of memories of the time when the music was constant and essential. I'm sure I wrote a girl's number on the back of my hand.

Bettye LaVette: Best Interpreter in Rock

Quite simply, Bettye LaVette is the best interpreter of rock music going. 

Possessing an incredible, soulful voice, LaVette consistently wrings out new levels of emotion from songs long lost in the classic rock radio ghetto.  The best, recent example is LaVette's soaring take on The Who's "Love Reign O'er Me" at the Kennedy Center Honors.   Pete Townshend, who was being honored and the song's author, was reportedly moved to tears by her version.

Like a modern day Sarah Vaughn,  LaVette reinterprets the standards of the day.  Instead of recording Duke Ellington or Henry Mancini, LaVette covers Neil Young, Elton John and Sam Cooke. At her recent SunFest show, she performed searing versions of songs from Lucinda Williams and George Jones. During the show, the 63-year-old strutted and danced like the professional she is with 48 years in the business. She did take a break - a "senior citizen moment" - near the end of the one-hour set to sit cross-legged at the edge of the stage for an intimate ballad. It was a wonderful, albeit short, concert.  LaVette is a treasure. 

Below is a great recording of LaVette at Joe's Pub singing a killer version of Neil Young's "Hear of Gold."  Enjoy.

"Heart of Gold" by Bettye LaVette (mp3) 

SunFest 2009 Preview

Aaaaahhhhhh.... SunFest.

And not a moment too soon. The 27th annual West Palm musical festival, which begins on Wednesday, can not get here quick enough to provide that wonderful cocktail of blue skies, ocean breezes, cool beverages and a spot on the lawn for good music.

SunFest is unabashedly local. If you have put any time at all along this dune line, you will renew a friendship or acquaintance every year at SunFest. It is the enduring legacy of festival's humble beginnings as a free, community-organized arts and jazz festival. Now, the festival is much bigger and much more mainstream. It is still where to be for the locals.

Throughout the years, the festival consistently mixes up varied musical genres with the oldies, classic rock and pop. There are always some nuggets of gold to be found. This year, I have my eye out for two acts during then opening night and then the final act of the four-day fest.

Wavves is the creation of distortion popster Nathan Williams. Anointed earlier this year by the N.Y. Times and Pitchfork as an artist of interest, the 22-year-old San Diegoan is also catching some backlash. I'll leave the hipster flame wars to the unshaven and moussed. There is something interesting going on with Williams. He opens the festival at the main stage (5:30 p.m. Wednesday).

Topping off Wednesday's New Music Night will be Monterey, Mexico's Kinky. This latin rock/funk/alternative/techno group has steadily been gaining North American fans during the past decade. Kinky provides a fresh approach to rock. They perform 8 p.m. Wednesday at the amphitheater.

Finishing off the festival Sunday night will be the incomparable Bettye LaVette. For purely selfish reasons, I wish she was performing in a late morning, much like Mavis Staple's Sunday morning gospel concert a couple of years ago at SunFest. To bask in the sun and LaVette's distinctive voice at the same time would perhaps asking a bit much. Sunday night will have to do.

These are just three shows where you most likely see me. Other acts such as UB40, Sly & Robbie, Cold War Kids and Monty Warren will be as tempting as the locale.

Just in the nick of time.

“So Bored” by Wavves (mp3)(iTunes)(Amazon)

“Presidente” by Kinky (mp3)(iTunes)(Amazon)

“Down To Zero” by Bettye LaVette (mp3)(iTunes)(Amazon)

Bill Comes Due for Phil Spector

In an era when a lot of folks are getting their due, legendary music producer and gun-wielder Phil Spector just received his.

Phil is looking at 18 years to life for his conviction in the second-degree murder of Lana Clarkson. For many who had dealings with Spector, this verdict is the only possible ending to the producer's long, twisted tale.

A musical genius responsible for the Wall of Sound, influencing Brian Wilson and Bruce Springsteen and producing some of the most famous rock albums ever, Spector was bully. According to the trove of stories available even before his trial, Spector liked to dominate people - women and musicians in particular. He kept Ronnie Spector locked up in hell. He pulled guns on Dee Dee Ramone and Leonard Cohen.

During his producing efforts in 1975 for John Lennon's Rock 'n' Roll, Spector reportedly discharged a gun in the recording studio. Below are three examples of the sometimes playful, sometimes testy and sometimes bizarre relationship Lennon and Spector had in the studio.

Phil And John 1

Phil And John 2

Phil And John 3

Colin Hay's Cheeky Melancholia

Colin Hay is a charming bloke.

The former Men At Work frontman and "Scrubs" favorite continued building on his slow and steady post-MTV solo career with an entertaining 90 minute show Saturday night at Palm Beach County's newest venue, The Borland Center.  Hay wrapped his literate ballads and acoustic versions of his 80's hits with a steady and funny recounting of his 30+ year career.  Nearly a third of the 90-minute show was Hay's hilarious commentary. 

Some of the revelations:

• All the Men At Work hits, "Down Under," "Who Can It Be Now?" and "Overkill," were written while stoned.  Not exactly a surprise considering the genre, but it does explain the shout-out to the vegemite sandwich.
• The previous night's show in Jacksonville did not go well.  According to Hay, the venue had a meth lab in the back. There is no reason to doubt him.
• When an audience member broke out the handy-cam and started videotaping in the 21st century version of flicking one's Bic at a concert, Hay politely and firmly chided him to stop.  Saying he "didn't want to sing to a red light," Hay said he hates to have his shows on the ubiquitous YouTube because his audience will hear all his bits before attending the show.  A very honest answer and a welcome retort to our "look what I saw" culture.

Perhaps the main revelation and the overriding theme of the evening was Hay's 1991 sacking by MCA records. He spoke of it twice.  When he wasn't enthralling the crowd with humorous tales of his post-stardom life, he performed a strong selection of his well-crafted songs filled with his brand of cheeky melancholia

During the encore, Hay spoke of his desire to return to a larger stage of stardom.  It was a perfect set-up final song, "Waiting for My Real Life to Begin" - a song about the longing for the life we want to live.  It appears that Hay is well on the way to reaching this life. 

“Waiting For My Real Life To Begin” by Colin Hay (mp3)(iTunes)(Amazon)

Early Influences of Tom Waits

The good folks at Aquarium Drunkard posted a 1974 radio interview and performance by After Hours deity Tom Waits. The interview, by the late Howard Larman on the classic Folkscene show on Los Angeles' KPFK, finds Waits coming off tour opening for Frank Zappa and before the release of his second album, "The Heart of Saturday Night."

A mere 24-year-old, Waits didn't have his iconic gravelly-voice nor any of the experimental orchestrations of his later work. The interview and performance is a glimpse into Waits' early career, as he was searching to find type of music he wanted to make.

At the time, Waits was developing his bohemian hipster persona. He also was exploring the Spoken Word wing of Bohemia. Jack Kerouac and Charles Bukowski are cited as heroes and influences of his work. The two writers impact on Waits is immediate. Listen to the spoken rap of Waits' "Diamonds on My Windshield" below along with recordings from Kerouac and and Bukowski. You would swear you were at the best poetry night ever at the best Village jazz club.

Snap. Snap. Snap. Daddy-O.

Download the whole interview and performance here.

“Diamonds on My Windshield (live)” by Tom Waits (mp3)

“San Francisco Scene (The Beat Generation)” by Jack Kerouac (mp3)(iTunes)(Amazon)

“From The Dept. Of English” by Charles Bukowski (mp3)

The Pogues in Florida

With The Pogues, who gave their only Florida performance Saturday night at the Pompano Beach Amphitheater, there is always a bit a magic to be found amidst the spilled beer and cigarette butts.

In years past, that magic grew out of the boisterous and intoxicating mix of Irish folk music and beer-spitting punk. More often than not, that allure comes from the misty brilliance of the Pogues' frontman, Shane McGowan.

However, to talk about The Pogues, you have to get past McGowan's alcoholism. Despite the clear record of his decline, the sight of McGowan's stumble onto stage was still shocking. Carrying a drink in one hand and a lit cigarette in the other, McGowan, using a wide gait, walked up the mic and shouted something very unintelligible. The crowd responded with gusto. McGowan looked and acted like one of those wild-eyed, old men harassing the tourists along Fort Lauderdale's Strip, which is just a stone's throw a way from his performance. He appeared at least a decade older than his 51 years.

But is was quickly evident that McGowan is embraced by his fans and bandmates as the affable, old soul he is. My wife wondered if the band should be known as "Shane McGowan and the Enablers." It was kinda funny, kinda cynical and kinda true.

After getting over the initial shock of McGowan's condition, it was easy to see why the Pogues drew fans from all over the state. The band was originally scheduled for the dearly departed Langerado festival in Miami. After the festival was cancelled, they booked a replacement gig at the Pompano Amphitheater. However, the publicity was late-coming and that is the probable reason for the half-filled amphitheater.

The band, which was tight and exceptional, played through an hour and 45 minute set, featuring many of the songs from the band's classic "Rum, Sodomy and the Lash." On songs like "Dirty Old Town," McGowan would pour himself into that gritty ballad - spitting out the lines about love in a dying town.

It was on "A Rainy Night In Soho" that McGowan found that magic. An older man singing a love song written nearly 25 years ago, drawing out emotions that were never evident in the first recording. When McGowan's ends the beautiful song with the following lines, he transcended the place and time and disease.

Now the song is nearly over

We may never find out what it means

Still there's a light I hold before me

You're the measure of my dreams

The measure of my dreams

With that, the beauty and tragedy of Shane McGowan rose into the warm, cloudless Florida night.

“Dirty Old Town” by The Pogues (mp3)(iTunes)(Amazon)

“A Rainy Night In Soho” by The Pogues (mp3)(iTunes)(Amazon)

First night of "Astral Weeks" in New York: A Surprisingly Smooth, Funny Van Ride--But No Less Magical

By Duncan Strauss
Over the years, I've been fortunate--enormously fortunate--to have seen countless Van Morrison concerts. Oh, sure, I probably could count them. We're not talking hundreds of shows, but we are talking dozens.

And the first one I wrote about took place some 30 years ago on the UC Davis campus, where I was ostensibly a student, and reviewing the Van Morrison concert at Freeborn Hall for the school newspaper.

Three decades later, I'd say that perhaps the most memorable aspect of the evening occurred just before the show started, when a woman working for the concert's promoter, Bill Graham Presents-- the whip-smart and wonderfully-named Queenie Taylor, who later became a major honcho in the Graham organization--sidled up to me and explained that I was in Van's sight line, and if he saw me taking notes, he might well storm off stage.

The fact that a no-nothing college kid scribbling in a reporter's notebook had the potential to short-circuit the concert provided quite a jarring first glimpse into just how artistically skittish the mercurial Morrison could be. Still, it was one helluva show (and it proceeded without incident).

In the ensuing years, there were lots of shows, lots of bands, large and small--Van sharing the stage with such truly stellar musicians as Georgie Fame, Pee-Wee Ellis, Lonnie Donegan, Linda Gail Lewis, one year sharing a bill with Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell...

But I've never seen Morrison like I saw him in New York Friday, Feb. 27 at Madison Square Garden's Wamu Theatre, rendering "Astral Weeks"--it was a stunning, soaring performance (I believe he transcended, to paraphrase Van) that seemed truly singular for no less than three reasons:

(1) Improbably, his voice seems better than ever
(2) He seemed to be having fun, at times was downright playful and funny. I know: Van Morrison!?!?!
(3) He was backed by a 14-piece magnificent band--that he never introduced! I can't remember the last Van Morrison concert where he failed to at least briefly introduce each musician sharing the stage.

Let's take them in reverse order. I have to believe neglecting to introduce the band was wholly unintentional, an oversight not entirely unconnected to some onstage jitters here and there, and a few more tech-oriented things that didn't go his way. (More on that in a moment.)

Still, when it comes to these musicians, incredibly accomplished and adaptable--often on the fly, with a quick Van hand signal or nod--it should be noted that their ranks did include players from the original, 1968 "Astral Weeks" sessions (but just guitarist Jay Berliner, apart from Van), and most but not quite all of the musicians featured on "Astral Weeks Live At The Hollywood Bowl," the just-released concert disc documenting the two "Astral Weeks"-centric shows Van delivered at that outdoor venue in October.

Which means stand-up bassist David Hayes, violinist Tony Fitzgibbon and flutist/saxaphonist Richie Buckley, among many others, were all on hand to help re-create "Astral Weeks"--and freshly create musical magic that traversed that set and the preceding hourlong set that sampled the sprawling Morrison catalog.

If it was somewhat out of character for Van not to give the band props, it was even more so--delightfully so--to find Van in such good humor. He seemed to be enjoying himself to the point of occasional giddiness.

As a reflection of this, when things went awry a coupla times on the technical front, where the Van of yesterday (and, perhaps, tomorrow) would've surely soured, if not bailed out of the performance, at least figuratively, it seemed to tickle him. Or at least, not rankle him.

For instance, at one point about midway through the first set, during his spirited reading of "Who Drove The Red Sports Car?," his cord popped out of the microphone, just before he unleashed an otherworldly flight of vocal fancy.

Realizing what had happened, he chuckled and said "I have to do that again, right?" And did. Not the same way--this is Van Morrison, after all--but no less astonishing.

Later, to close the first set--not unlike the way the "Astral Weeks Live" CD concludes (and he's certainly done it in the past)--Van engaged in a call-and-response passage with saxophonist Buckley in which Morrison would utter a word or phrase, and Buckley would instantly repeat it. Instantly.

It was a thrilling exercise, and entertaining when it reached a point where Van was clearly trying to trip up Buckley with a lightening-fast delivery, dissolving into laughter at one point. Yeah, I'm still talking about Van.

And then, Morrison started to make his way to the side of the stage, singing as he made his exit--but the drama of the moment was thwarted a bit because well before he'd disappeared backstage, his microphone cord wouldn't stretch any further.

Again, instead of the reasonably expected Vantrum, he shrugged, said "the cord's not long enough," dropped the mic and strolled off. It should probably be noted that the songs before this set-closer included his version of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb," and a mini-medley of "Mystic Eyes" and "Gloria." A wonderful mix of the surprising and semi-expected, or hoped-for, potently performed.

There was virtually no horsing, as we call it in our house, during the second set--in this case, Van opted to do "Astral Weeks" in the original album sequence, which hasn't been the case in the Hollywood Bowl shows and some of the ensuing New York City concerts.

But with the more sober-minded stance, Van seemed both truly transported and seeking a way to transport the band--and the audience--to new musical, emotional and spiritual contours of this eminently familiar material. Boy, it worked, and in no small measure because--defying logic, physiology and who-knows-what-else--his voice seemed at least as robust, soulful and strong as ever.

Really doesn't make any sense. The guy's 63. Just part of the Morrison Magic, I guess. In 2009, directly tied to re-exploring "Astral Weeks," Van seems to be somehow tapping a bottomless well of Morrison Magic.

“Astral Weeks” by Van Morrison (mp3)(iTunes)(Amazon)

Take This Album, Please

After years of cracking down on free downloads, the music industry still keeps getting upstaged by its artists.

In the same spirit of Prince's Sunday paper album giveaway and Radiohead's name-your-price In Rainbows release, Brooklyn alt. country rockers The Damnwells have released their latest album, One Last Century, as a free download through a promotion with Paste Magazine. 

In return for handing over your email address to Paste and the band, you will receive the latest dozen songs from band frontman and leader Alex Dezen, who has shed the band's original members and is now working with a collective of hipster musicians. 

The album is pleasant enough - pop-oriented, country rock.  Fine fare for the stereo at your local java joint or to throw on a Sunday afternoon, paper-reading, playlist.  The marketing, although nowhere near as bombastic as Radiohead and Prince's efforts, is geared toward generating some excitement for the revamped band.  

Quite literally, the product has become the promotion.  I am guessing that it will create some attention to the group's earlier efforts, but it is surprising that Dezen hasn't come up with a tour for this album to support (instead of the traditional other way around).

The price is right for the album.  Put it on with your morning coffee and wonder at this latest twist of the art becoming the tease for something not quite known. 

Sign up for the free album download here.

“Closer Than We Are” by The Damnwells (mp3)

Felice Brothers To Release Album, Tour

In the midst of touring like mad during the past year, After Hours favorites The Felice Brothers also found time to clean out the old chicken coop and turn it into a recording studio to match their hardscrabble songs.  

The homestead studio was the setting for the Brothers' new album, Yonder is the Clock, which is set for release on April 7th.  The Catskills Mountain boys will also head back to the road this month. 

In addition, the surroundings must have had psychic effect as the track listing, which are definitely poultry-influenced.  The album title is borrowed from Mark Twain.

YONDER IS THE CLOCK TRACKLIST

1. THE BIG SURPRISE
2. PENN STATION
3. BURIED IN ICE
4. CHICKEN WIRE
5. AMBULANCE MAN
6. SAILOR SONG
7. KATIE DEAR
8. RUN CHICKEN RUN 
9. ALL WHEN WE WERE YOUNG
10. BOY FROM LAWRENCE COUNTY
11. MEMPHIS FLU
12. COOPERSTOWN
13. RISE AND SHINE

I heard an early version of "Run Chicken Run" at the Reclaim Festival this past year.  Of course, it was fun and funky.  I am interested in hearing the final version of the song.  Alright, I am a little more than interested - I can't wait to hear these new songs. 

2009 Tour Dates * = w/ Old Crow Medicine Show

FEBRUARY 2009

08 – North Charleston, SC – North Charleston Performing Arts Center*

10 – Gainesville, FL – The Venue*

11 – Tampa, FL – Tampa Theatre*

13 – New Orleans, LA – House of Blues* 14  - Oxford, MS – The Lyric Theatre*

15 – Memphis, TN – Minglewood*

MARCH 2009

13 – Rochester, NY – Water Street Music Hall

14 – Buffalo, NY – The Mohawk

15 – Nelsonville, OH – Stuart’s Opera House

16 – Indianapolis, IN – Radio Radio

APRIL 2009

07 – Poughkeepsie, NY – The Bardavan Opera House

09 – Boston, MA – The Paradise

10 – Albany, NY – Valentines

11 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground

15 – Alexandria, VA – Birchmere Bandstand

16 – Philadelphia, PA – The Trocadero Theatre

17 – New York, NY – Webster Hall

18 – Northampton, MA – Pearl Street Nightclub

19 – Ringwood, NJ – New Legacy Concert Series at Ringwood Public Library

22 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Smalls

24 – Louisville, KY – Headliner’s

25 – Nashville, TN – The Mercy Lounge

JULY 2009

17 – Somerset, KY – Master Musicians Festival

25 – Floyd, VA - Floydfest

 

Download: Don’t Wake The Scarecrow by The Felice Brothers (mp3)(iTunes)(Amazon)