Real Rock and Blues » bob dylan

The Stone Roses to Reform – You Heard it First Here!

Phil — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 12:29:28 +0000

In fact, you probably did not hear it here first, it is all over the media. Even in the Daily Mail (that well known organ obviously has its finger on the pulse of Yooth Kulture). That being inspite of a press conference being set for Tuesday 18th October to make “an announcement”.

It now seems common knowledge that the reunion will start next year and 2 concerts in Manchester being widely touted.

While not a big fan myself it is good to see an iconic band coming together again. It seems that Ian Brown and John Squire have put those “musical differences” behind them. That was the big stumbling block to the band getting together again.

For younger readers The Stone Roses’ first self titled album in 1989 was hailed by may as the best debut album, ever. (Mainly, their PR team to start with and then music journos, and then the more gullible of the public. A good debut, even a great debut, but the best ever? I think not. Think of Zappa’s Freak Out, The eponymous Bob Dylan album, A Girl Called Dusty, Please Help Me by the Fab Four, I Wanna Be Your Dog by The Stooges. AND obviously, The Velvet Underground with Nico debut.

Nothing wrong with hype, the music industry lives off it, but a bit of realism would be nice.

Anyway, expect huge competition for the tickets – and suitably large prices. I will be hovering my lap top when they go on sale, so perhaps I will see you there. I will be the old fart saying “yeah, not bad but not as good as Iggy, Frank, Don, Lou et al………….

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On This Day – Joe Hill Dies

Phil — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 23:22:03 +0000

On this day in 1915, Joe Hill was executed for a murder that he probably did not commit in Utah USA. Joe Hill was an itinerant worker,and member of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). As a socialist he was an enemy of The State. (Remember in the USA to this day being branded a Liberal is tantamount to political suicide).

Hill had risen in the ranks of the IWW. He travelled organising workers in the name of the IWW, wrote poems, songs, satirical poems and making speeches. He used popular tunes for his songs a very subversive tactive used for years by political activists. His song “The Preacher and the Slave” used the tune of the well known hymn “In the Sweet Bye and Bye”. It also gave rise to the phrase “Pie in the sky” to reflect the belief that promisses of a better here after were just lies meant to make workers accept their poo lot in life. He also wrote “There is Power in the Union” which was echoed, years later by songs like “Part of the Union” by the Strawbs.

Hill’s importance to modern music lies in the belief that his was a political trial and execution, and the inspiration it gave musicians. (Hill was executed even though there was an appeal for clemmency by President Woodrow Wilson). A poem was written about him by Alfred Hayes (“I dreamt I saw Joe Hill Last Night”) it was turned into song called simply “Joe Hill” by Earl Robinson in 1936.

The song was sung by many singers prominent in the protest movement in the 50s and 60s such as Paul Robeson (himself treated disgracefully for his beliefs), Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, the Dubliners, and Dylan.

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On This Day – Bob Crashes

Phil — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:04:20 +0000

On this day in 1966 Bob Dylan crashed his motorbike. Apparently he suffered serious neck injuries although their extent have never been fully confirmed. After the accident an ambulance was not called and was taken home in a car by his then wife Sara.

The crash, the circumstances of which were not fully explained, did have side benefits. Dylan was under a lot of pressure. The proofs for his book Tarantula were due for delivery, but not complete. He had been paid for a television special but it had not been recorded and after just finishing one tour another was already being planned.

After the crash his Bobness had time to analyze his direction, both personal and musically. He withdrew and did not tour again for 8 years.

Oops! Wrong video!

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On This Day – Ashes to Ashes Jerry Garcia

Phil — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 07:41:24 +0000

On this day in 1996 some of Jerry Garcia’s ashes were scattered into the bay by the Golden Gate Bridges, San Francisco. The rest had been scattered into the Ganges river at Rishikesh on 4th April (Rishikesh being a holy place for hindus at the foot of the Himalayas and where the Ganges leaves the mountains and begins it long journey to the sea bringing life to large areas of North Eastern India).

Garcia had died of a heart attack at a drug rehab clinic where he was trying, again, to beat his drug habit. Garcia had well known issues with various drugs over a long period. He also had other health conditions, he had fallen into a diabetic coma in 1986. He also suffered from sleep apnea. Not a well bunny in fact.

Best known for his work with The Grateful Dead Garcia undertook several side projects the low point of which is surely playing pedal steel guitar on “Teach Your Children” by Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young. (In my book having anything to do with anything by CSN&Y is a career low for anybody). He worked with a whole range of people including Dylan, Warren Zevon, Country Joe McDonald, Ornette Coleman and many, many others.

With The Grateful Dead he played and toured for 30 years (the so called “Endless Tour”). The touring was only punctuated by rests due to ill health and exhaustion. There is a gig count doing the rounds that puts the total Dead gigs at 2,314. No wonder they were occasionally exhausted and resorted to stimulants……….

A phenomenal guitarist and performer.

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On This Day – Stagger Lee (Yet Again)

Phil — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:19:59 +0000

On this day in 1959 Lloyd Price reached number one in the States with “Stagger Lee”.

“Stagger Lee” has been recorded many times under many names by many people.

The song has been Bowderized, revised, chewed up and spat out by too many people to mention. Some of whom should have known better and some of whom had no idea of the history of the song and what it was about.

The definitive recordedversion was by the wonderful Mississippi John Hurt in 1928 although the song had been sung ever sinc ethe original crime in 1895.

Just why this particular crime became immortalised is not known (at least to me). The facts of the case m’lud, as the say, are quite simple. Stagger Lee Shelton was pimp and taxi driver in St. Louis. Not just any pimp along with a number of other pimps collectively known as “The Macks” they seemed to love the attention they got. Stagger was friends with Billy Lyons. One night they were drinking and began to talk politics, that developed into an arguement. Billy took Stagger’s hat from his head. Stagger demanded it back, Billy refused and Stagger shot him.

Killed over a hat.

Stagger and Billy became subject of a song that has mutated and survived during the following 100 years and shows no sign of being forgotten 115 years after the crime.

Alternative titles have included; “Stagolee”, “Stackerlee”, “Stack O’Lee”, “Stack-a-Lee”, “Stack Shot Billy”, and other variants that owe a lot to the original like The Clash’s “Wrong ‘Em Boyo”.

Among the artists that have sung and recorded the song are; Mississippi John Hurt, Leadbelly, Sidney Bechet, Beck, Pat Boone, James Brown, Cephas & Wiggins, Neil Diamond, Johnny Dodds, Fats Domino, Dr. John, Bob Dylan, Duke Ellington, Woody Guthrie, Bill Haley & His Comets, The Isley Brothers, Taj Mahal, Memphis Slim, Modern Life is War, Wilson Pickett, Professor Longhair, Sam the Sham, Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, Ma Rainey, Tom Rush, Ike and Tina Turner, Dave Van Ronk, Doc Watson, George Thorogood, Muddy waters, Billie Holiday, Nick cave

Anyway you get the idea virtually evryone who is someone has recorded a version of the song.

The interesting thing about Lloyd Price’s version? It removed any referrence to the murder and Stagger and Billy just shouted at each other and made up the next day…..

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On This Day – Max Sued

Phil — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 09:34:31 +0000

On this day in 1970 Max Yasgur who owned the farm where Woodstock was sued by neighbours for damages caused by the rampaging hippies. The suits either totaled $25,000 0r $35,000. Eventually, they were settled. The finances of ‘Woodstock Ventures’ are a bit murky but it seems that although it was planned as a profit making venture (it only became a free concert after so many people turned up) but the some 80 lawsuits filed against them were paid from the profits of the film. The film also helped to settle their $1.4m debts.

The people who didn’t play Woodstock?

The Beatles, some say because the organisers would not also book
the Yoko Ono Band, some because Lennon could not get into the states because of visa difficulties.

The Doors because they thought it would not be worthy of them ‘a second class Monteray’.

Led Zepp ‘cos they did not want to be just another band on the bill.

Dylan was negotiating but his son became ill.

The Moody Blues decided to play a gig in Paris instead. That was either a really bad decision or an inspired one. Bad because of the loss of exposure good because more than most they relied on a good sound system when playing live and the sound at Woodstock was bad, very bad.

Missed opportunity?

Keef Hartley played Woodstock but did not make the film because their manager refused to give the rights away. Shame ‘cos KH was ‘my’ band in the 60’s and they deserved much better recognition.

Best way to experience Woodstock? Watch the film turn up the volume, sit in a tub of mud, and smoke your little smoke, drink your little drink, while I dance the night away…….(No FZ wasn’t there either)

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On This Day – Dylan Storms New York, Nearly.

Phil — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:15:06 +0000

On this day in 1962 Dylan headlined his first concert in New York at Carnegie Chapter Hall. Tickets cost $2 each and the box office was not over run. Just 53 tickets were sold, apparently. Most of those watching his Bobness’s debut in New York were friends and he was paid $20.

There is a bootleg of this concert doing the rounds and a quick search should find it. This is the track listing that I have seen.

1. Pretty Peggy-O
2. In The Pines
3. Gospel Plow
4. 1913 Massacre
5. Backwater Blues
6. Young But Daily Growing
7. Fixin\\\’ To Die
8. Talkin\\\’ Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues
9. Man On The Street
10. This Land Is Your Land
11. Talking Merchant Marine
12. Black Cross
13. Freight Train Blues
14. Song To Woody
15. Talkin\\\’ New York on the

There was a bootleg that came out years ago with just the first 7 tracks and I can say that the quality on that was pretty good. This version of “This Land is Your Land” appears on the “No Direction Home” soundtrack but that sounds pretty clean given the source.

In many ways I now find the early Dylan stuff the most interesting. I dislike old time folk and the journey he took from that tradition is fascinating. I have also found that I now have a new respect for the folk tradition that influenced Dylan.

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On This Day – Folkies Go Wild!!

Phil — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 06:57:35 +0000

On this day in 1965 the beards and sandals brigade at the Newport Folk Festival were very upset when Bob Dylan turned up backed by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band with his new electric sound. He was heckled and booed, eventually leaving the stage. Later he returned to the stage to play a couple of songs acoustically, ‘Mr Tambourine Man’ and ‘It’s All Over Now Baby Blue’.

One of the reasons that I positively hate the folk scene in the area of Northern England where I live is this holier than thou attitude that the beards and sandals have. The songs have to be treated as if they are national icons they can not be changed or played with. Given that they play in pubs and bars they have the nerve to come in start playing and then to ’sush’ the paying punters who were there before they arrived!

I also have a problem with middle class English school teachers singing songs about working down the mine with all the passion of a vicar singing about fornication.

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