GoodSongs: Scruffy the Cat

Contrary to conventional wisdom, some great music was made in the 80’s. I remember sitting in my apartment in Nashville and listening to WRVU for hours on end. It was the decade of REM, Guadalcanal Diary, the Beat Farmers, the Replacements, Lone Justice. And Scruffy the Cat.

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I dug Scruffy because they had a bit of a country sound. One of my favorite records of the decade was Scruffy’s Tiny Days, from 1987. I was out of grad school, had a real job, and the alt. rock, roots rock, good time vibe of the mid-80s was fading. Tiny Days was like a last hurrah.

Sadly, I can’t find Tiny Days for sale anywhere for under $40. I guess it has achieved collector’s status. If you can find it, buy it.

If you can’t, lead singer Charlie Chesterman’s first two solo records, From the Book of Flames (which I just bought on eBay) and Studabakersfield (which I’ve had forever), while also sadly out of print (at least as far as Amazon is concerned), can be found for a reasonable sum on Charlie’s web site, as well as on eBay and the like.

Here’s the Scruffy version of Time Never Forgets, which Charlie also covered on Studabakersfield.

Good stuff!

Artist Notice: I am a musician and songwriter. I do these posts to draw attention to great music in the hopes that our readers will buy these records and allow these artists to continue making great music. If you don’t want us to feature your music, let us know and we’ll take the song file down immediately. On the other hand, if you are an artist who does the sort of music we feature, let us know. We’re always looking for new artists to feature.

RanchoCast: Labor Day Edition

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Here, at long last, is a new RanchoCast, featuring a great cover by Jeanne Newhall, a Fred Neill classic, a new one by Futurebirds, a great alt. country number by The Dark Horses, my 3rd favorite Billy Preston song, a Hope Sandoval gem and a closing jam by Anders Osborne and Monk Boudreax.

Happy Labor Day!

Ghosts, Friends, Home and the Writing of Songs

I’ve been writing songs for literally as long as I can remember. The earliest one I can recall didn’t really have a name, but it was about a llama, and mostly went something like “Mama llama, brother llama, sister llama too.” I sang it in the bathtub when I was maybe 6 or 7. I probably heard something on the radio and subconsciously stole it. A year or so later I thought for a while that I’d written I’m a Girl Watcher, because my sister thought it was a hoot to have me sing it for her friends.

Later, the songs got at least a little better and more original. Some of my friends got really into music, and actually formed bands that were good. A few of them got really good. I hung out with them. Played the drums really, really badly for a brief spell. Continued to mostly write songs. Only much later did I learn to beat out enough chords on a guitar to recreate the music that I had in my head.

So for a while, I fancied myself the John Perry Barlow (Cassidy was named after one of his songs, and he has emailed her a time or two to say hi) of my friends’ bands. I’d write with them. Then they’d go on the road and do all the hard work, while I sat around dreaming up my next song. Or sleeping.

One afternoon when I was in high school, I was hanging out at the public tennis courts in my hometown. Someone came running over to me and said “you’ve got to come over here, right now!” I walked over to a car, and there, playing on the radio, was a song I’d co-written with my friend Joe Middleton (yes, the same Joe mentioned in my factually accurate song The Kansas Reflector Incident).

That song is called “Princess.” I’d written the lyrics, sort of as a tribute to a friend who had been in a car accident and sort of as an aid in girl chasing (“you know I really wrote that song about you”). You have to remember that at that moment, I was really into Dan Fogelberg and Hugh Prather (thankfully, I later got back to my country roots), so the lyrics probably read like watered down Bread (the annoying soft-pop band, not the food, or the money). But Joe took those words and turned them into a darn good song. He and his band recorded it, played it live and ultimately got it on the radio. I don’t even have a copy of the song any more.

But it was on the radio, so it must have been good, right?

Anyway, I kept writing and playing songs. Back in 1987, I had a mental reboot and threw all my unfinished songs in a dumpster off of Chimney Rock (a day or two later I made an unsuccessful dumpster dive trying to get them back). Other than that, I have hundreds, and maybe thousands, of songs and song parts lying around. A lot of the finished or mostly finished ones are available and can be streamed at Err Bear Music.

I’ve remained friends with Joe. Like the rest of the world, we have communicated more in the Facebook era. A few months ago, Joe and his band, Idlewilde South, got back together. A few weeks ago, Joe asked if I wanted to write some songs together. The rest is history. Or the future. Or maybe both.

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The first new song we did is called “Ghosts.” Idlewilde South will premiere it publicly at a concert in our hometown, Cheraw, SC, tonight. They talked about it, and played it, on WCRE, the local radio station, earlier this week. Here’s the relevant part.

There’s also a homemade, but well done, video of the song on Youtube.

It was fortuitous that Joe wrote me when he did. I have not been writing or playing much the past few years. I need to get back into it, because it’s fun and it is a great outlet for whatever’s bouncing around in my head.

Since we finished Ghosts, I’ve written the words and an idea for the music to another song, that I think could turn out really, really well. I’m going to co-write that one, because it requires musical chops better than mine.

I’ve also just about finished up an old, previously half-written, song about another Cheraw childhood friend.

All in all, things seems to be looking up, musically speaking.

GoodSongs: The Dark Horses

I’ve said about nineteen times that A Truer Sound is the best music blog on the planet. Once again Matt shows why by uncovering some excellent music that had somehow escaped my attention.

I wonder about a lot of things. I wonder if I’m right that Lane is secretly Brittany’s fiance (if so he is a lucky dude, because she is smoking and hilarious). I wonder if Spotify is just some big inside joke being played on U.S. music fans. I wonder about all the (supposedly) grownups who seem to spend all day and night trying to convince us that internet science projects are actually billion dollar companies. I wonder how a web site in 2010 can be as ugly as Myspace.

But more than that, I wonder how it took me eight years to hear about the excellent alternative country band The Dark Horses (see what I mean about Myspace). I wonder why in the world a band that good split up, back in 2007.

I’m thankful that I read A Truer Sound, so I didn’t completely miss this excellent band. Here’s the song that caused me to immediately search for, find and buy the only two records I can find by The Dark Horses.

The Dark Horses – (I Pity) The Poor Bastard.

From the excellent 2005 self-titled record (Purchase @ Amazon). Awesome, excellent sound.

This record is consistently great. No fillers, and no weak songs. It reminds me a little of one of my favorite records of all time, Drag the River’s Live at the Starlight. I bet The Dark Horses rocked live. Hopefully one of the band members will find this post and hook me up with some live stuff (hint, hint).

While I like the other record a little better, Come Along is also a great record.

The Dark Horses – The Fine Line.

From the excellent above mentioned 2002 record (Purchase @ Amazon).

According to their visually horrifying but musically wonderful Myspace page, The Dark Horses consisted of J.D Hughes (vocals, drums), Sam Park (vocals, guitar), Erik Kristiansen (guitar) and Kevin Keller (bass).

There’s not much information out there about The Dark Horses. Here’s a short interview with Sam Park. Looks like they came out of New York City, just like another of my favorite alt. country bands.

If you like good music, and particularly if you dig great alt. country, go buy these records. I did, and I’ve been playing them non-stop.

Radio Tries to Legislate Life Support for Its Dying Business Model

I haven’t listened to over the air radio in years. Because of the ads. And because I don’t have to. There are about a million better ways to get the music you want, without the extra annoyances. Like iPods, iPhones, Pandora, CD-Rs, XM radio, singing, beating two sticks together, farting. Anything.

emptybag In fact, I wouldn’t listen to over the air radio if they tried to make me. Which is exactly what the National Association of Broadcasters and the empty-bag holding, cat mourning RIAA want to try to do. Every time I start to think the RIAA has finally begun to grasp the inevitable fact that it cannot stuff the digitally downloadable cat back into the bag, it does something even more desperate than suing dead grannies.

Like, say, trying to get Congress to require that all mobile devices contain FM radio receivers. So we can have more music choices. Riiight. They’re trying to do me a favor. How nice.

If this happens, I’ll renounce my US citizenship, burn all of my CDs and cut off my ears. Seriously, has there ever been a worse idea?

We can’t just let this drop. We have to humiliate the people who came up with this harebrained scheme as a warning to ensure that other people with similar thoughts keep their bright ideas to themselves.

Gary Shapiro, president of the Consumer Electronics Association sums it up well:

The backroom scheme of the [National Association of Broadcasters] and RIAA to have Congress mandate broadcast radios in portable devices, including mobile phones, is the height of absurdity. Such a move is not in our national interest. Rather than adapt to the digital marketplace, NAB and RIAA act like buggy-whip industries that refuse to innovate and seek to impose penalties on those that do.

These organizations need to realize that their business model is dying, and nothing is going to save it. We need to tell them to either evolve or die. And if they don’t want to evolve, to hurry up and die.

GoodSongs: Classic Vinyl Edition

OK, get ready for some classic vinyl that I bet you’ve never heard. Here’s another installment of our hand-picked music recommendations.

Purchase links (for those that can be purchased) are at Amazon unless otherwise noted.

Fraternity of Man – Don’t Bogart Me, from their 1968 self-titled LP . My favorite version of a song done by many others, including The Byrds and Little Feat.

Wet Willie – Country Side of Life, from their 1974 record, Keep on Smilin’. One of many gems by this vastly under-appreciated, Jimmy Hall led band.

Quinaimes Band – Try Me One More Time, from their 1971 self-titled LP. I am writing songs again, and I intend to write one like this. This songs rocks.

The Wildweeds – John King’s Fair, from their excellent 1970 self-titled LP. This record, from Al Anderson’s other band, is one of my favorites from our classic vinyl vault. I can’t find a place to buy this record, other than eBay and collector’s shops, but The Wildweeds do have a web page, so check there from time to time. This is truly a fantastic record.

Les Dudek – I Remember, from his 1977 record, Say No More. I’ve featured this one before, but I can’t talk about classic vinyl without mentioning it again. I wore the grooves out of this LP, and particularly this wistful gem, back in the day.

Cowboy – Everything Here, from the excellent 1970 LP, Reach for the Sky. It would be impossible for me to over-state how much I love this song. It may just be my current theme song. The entire record is excellent.

Scarlett Ribbon – Four in the Morning. A friend sent me this song, because she knows it is my all-time favorite Jesse Colin Young song (you can buy his version here). I have not be able to find any records by this band (even on eBay), much less a way to buy them. But I’ll buy the record this song is on if I ever get a chance.

White Witch – Class of 2000, from their excellent 1974 LP, A Spiritual Greeting. Man, do I love a sci-fi song. How much you ask? Well, so much that I actually wrote a song (Lindy Blue Star) about one of the characters in this song.

These are great records, by some fantastic bands. Go buy these records and support people who make this great music.

Gangstagrass, Justified, and Remapping My Musical Genome

Every now and then people do something so amazing, but so obvious in hindsight that you can’t believe you didn’t think of it first. The excellent Post Secret and Will Ferrell’s hilarious takes on drunk history being two examples.

When I watched the first episode of Justified, probably the second-best show on television (behind only True Blood), I was blown away by Long Hard Times to Come, the bluegrass/hip-hop mashup of a theme song. It was revolutionary, it was obvious, and it rocked.

Yesterday, I got an email from Gangstagrass, the group that does the Justified song, asking if I’d be interested in reviewing their record and/or adding some songs to our radio station playlists, and including a couple more awesome bluegrass/hip-hop songs. The Justified song was not a fluke- these are mighty fine songs. In fact, they are genre-creating songs, at least for me.

I’ve always loved bluegrass. I thought my hip-hop era started with De La Soul and ended when Flavor Flav took to reality-TV, but maybe not. Gangstagrass is a musical Reece’s Cup, that makes both elements sound better.

Here’s the bottom line. I get a lot of requests to review records, but none of them so far have been as musically paradigm-shifting as Gangstagrass’s aptly titled debut, Lightning on the Stings, Thunder on the Mic (purchase @ Amazon). This is some ear-bending, genre-changing goodness.

Gangstagrass is a collaboration between Rench, a singer, songwriter and producer who has previously combined elements of honky-tonk, hip-hop, and trip-hop music (I am going to explore his other stuff via Amazon), rapper T.O.N.E.-z, who is featured on the Justified song, and some smoking bluegrass players.

So sit back on this Sunday afternoon and dig this little bluegrass, hip-hop, gospel gem.

I’m completely serious when I say that this record has single-handedly changed my musical genome. This is really good stuff. As a matter of fact, I bought the entire record from Amazon, burned it to a CD and put in in my truck, where it will reign supreme for the foreseeable future. Hell, it’s 98 degrees out there and I’m going to have to roll with the windows down, just so I can scare a few soccer moms.

Go buy this record. Roll the window down. Play it loud.

I am.

GoodSongs: Saturday Night Soul

OK, it’s been a while. Busy at work, working out, hanging out with the kids, arguing with people over WFU’s new basketball coach. That sort of thing.

But tonight I have a treat for you. Two excellent soul songs that, sadly, you’ve probably never heard. A classic and a newer number.

First a little Swamp Dogg from 1970’s Total Destruction to Your Mind. The dogg can write a song with the best of them. I love the lyrics to this one, and I dig that classic soul vibe.

(Purchase @ Amazon)

Next a newer number by Pittsburgh’s Bobby Wayne, from his 2008 record, Soul Station. Great stuff.

Bobby Wayne – Right About the Rain

(Purchase @ Amazon)

Enjoy. Buy these records.

GoodSongs: Alt. Country Reprise

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As a part of my online simplification and consolidation project (more on this later), I am moving our music recommendation blog, GoodSongs.Com, to the Music category here at Newsome.Org. We’ll post a GoodSongs music recommendation list no more than once a week, where we’ll feature a wide variety of off-the-beaten path music.

Here’s the second installment of our hand-picked music recommendations.

Purchase links are at Amazon unless otherwise noted.

Drag the River – Indianapolis. Superb cover of the Bottle Rockets gem, off of Live at the Starlight.

Drive-By Truckers – Women Without Whiskey, off the excellent 2001 album Southern Rock Opera. When someone gives me shit about being Southern, I pour a pint of Maker’s Mark down their throat and make them listen to this record. Loud.

6 String Drag – Gasoline Maybelline, from their 1997 record High Hat.

Deadstring Brothers – 27 Hours. This is the song that first turned me on to this excellent band. From 2003’s self titled album.

Southern Culture on the Skids – Funnel of Love. SCOTS channel Wanda Jackson, from their mandatory 2007 album Countrypolitan Favorites. An awesome collection of country covers, done in kick-ass SCOTS style.

J.J. Schultz Band – Speedtrain, from their 2005 record Something to Me. This is a perfect alt. country song.

Baker Maultsby – Pee Dee Man, from his 1998 record Bingo = Sin. This fantastic song by a buddy of mine mentions my hometown, Cheraw, SC. More Baker Maultsby at his MySpace page.

Seigel-Schwall Band – Corrina. Excellent version by this excellent blues band, from their The Wooden Nickel Years (1971-1974) compilation. If you look for this excellent record, be sure to buy the one with Corrina as the first track, and not the other, lesser version that has the same cover and title.

JT and the Clouds – Scattered Leaves. Jeremy Lindsay’s band does his excellent song, from the album Delilah. The best version, of course, being by the Be Good Tanyas.

These are great records, by some fantastic bands. Go buy these records and support people who make this great music.

GoodSongs: Drunk on Crutches

I really like the new record by L.A.’s Drunk on Crutches. It sounds a lot like early Lone Justice, which is high praise. California rock, with a little country flavoring.

Here’s the excellent Apt. 16 (Purchase via iTunes).