Sunday, November 30, 2014

Rufus Thomas - "Do The Funky Chicken, STAX 24-bit Remasters" (CD, Concord/Universal - 2011)

Hey there! Everything's fine? I hope so. Sorry for slowing down a little bit, we're on a roll the last
months. Along with JP we 're in a hurry to catch Holidays with a new WAX like project and on top of this, I reconnected with my old pal Manos for a new printed zine! I'm firing on all cylinders as you can guess cause there's work to do too with my dayjob and the other blog, the one about Olympiacos basketball team...
Anyway, there's always a little time I suppose for an upload and a few words, right? So, that's my fave Rufus Thomas LP. I know there's maybe an argument here, but I don't care. For those who don't who Rufus was (shame on you), everything's included in this: A Memphis Soul legend, of the first rock & roll DJs ever and 'The Crown Prince of Dance'! Need more? He gave Stax its first hit record ("Cause I Love You" with daughter and later superstar Carla), the one actually made the Atlantic giant turn eyes down there and start a collaboration which is no hyperbole to say, changed the face of the music (at least in my mind).
And coincidentally this again was the first one after the break up with Ahmet Ertegün and Herb Abramson's company. Having lost superstar and King of Soul, Otis Redding on a plane crash and all of its back catalog to Atlantic, Stax/Volt vice- prez Al Bell visioned a 'suicidal' to many then 28 LP release project for the company's resurrection. And the forgotten by the end of the 60s Rufus was back!
The 'house band' of Booker T and the MGs took place in the studio and guitar master Steve Cropper handled the production duties as well. Son Marvell with Isaac Hayes sat on the keyboards and the famous Memphis Horns with Ollie and the Nightingales were a full on back up fill.
From the opening same title song to the funky recreation of "Bear Cat" (originally the answer to Big Mama Thornton's, "Hound Dog") and all the bonus tracks in here, like the Eddie Floyd penned "Funky Mississippi" there's plenty of good time ass shakin' silliness! Yep the same one made the Ramones as brilliant... So fuck serious music, rock & roll's nothing else but fun,OK?

Yours Truly!

PS: Go ask Poison Ivy from where with Lux took the "Can your pussy Do the Dog?" inspiration...

Monday, November 10, 2014

Great Esquerita and Mighty Hannibal comic strips by Avi Spivak! Dig Kicksville Confidential #1, NOW!!!!

Heeeeeyyyyyyy, found these strips (quite late, I know shame on me - missed also BLOG TO COMM's review, strange things...) on the net and with no second thoughts took the credit card outta ma wallet and placed the order! I'm sure you'll have to do the same, cause trust me YOU NEED this one! And if the rest of this comic book is as cool as the following Esquerita and Hannibal strips, then can't wait for the second rumored issue... Avi Spivak of HUMAN BEING LAWNMOWER fame does the pencil and Billy Miller the storytelling! This is rock & roll history lads...
Pic taken from http://avispivak.blogspot.gr




Thursday, November 6, 2014

Chuck Berry - "..Berry Is On Top" (LP, Chess - 1959) {US Mono Original Pressing}


On the 18th day of the past October, Chuckster the man, the legend and the rock & roll himself touched the 88! He's just a year younger offa ma favorite team, he-he! Anyway, there's no reason at all to repeat ourselves or any other old cliché about HIM but there's always a good reason for a Chuck Berry post, right? RIGHT!
So, the other day JP mailed me he was busy ripping stuff a friend of his, gave him (btw, many thanks JF!!!). I asked about it and responded among others with this CLASSIC. For a minute the selfish lil' devil on my left shoulder told me to keep it for own pleasure (I mean, it's in fuckin' MONO!!!!) but the angel on the other side reminded me that we 're on a mission from God, so I gave up the idea (I'm Elwood, I always wanted to be Elwood but that's another story). To cut a long story short, this was Berry's third Chess long play - but technically an all the hits at this point gathering plus some more.
The great late Cub Koda once said "If you had to sweat all of Chuck Berry's early albums on Chess (and some, but not all, of his subsequent greatest-hits packages), this would be the one to own."
So what are you waiting for Chrissake?