Kim Fowley was an enigma. He’s one of the more
important and shadowy, behind-the-scenes figures in rock and roll history, from
its birth through its various forms. He was part of the original West Coast doo
wop groups, the Hollywood Argyles who rose to fame with the off-beat novelty
ditty, “Ally Oop,” and followed up with a number of his own releases as singles
and LPs that were genre bending and leaning towards psychedelia and glam. Kim
was also known as the contentious manager and Svengali of the original The
Runaways.
There was much that had Kim’s presence in
the biz. For example, the experience of holding up a lighter in concerts was
his brainchild. He had his hand in John and Yoko playing in Toronto (he even
emceed the event), did the first recordings with Jonathan Richman and the
Modern Lovers, co-wrote a number of songs with major bands such as KISS, Cat
Stevens and Alice Cooper, played on Frank Zappa’s Freak Out!, and… Well, if you want a taste of the man,
check out the 2003 documentary, The Mayor of Sunset Strip. Born in California in 1939, the 75 year
old Fowley died of bladder cancer on January 15, 2015, in West Hollywood.
Bronx-bred Scott Kempner’s career started
with the seminal rock punk (as opposed to punk rock) band, The Dictators, who
in 1975 was the first of the bands to spring out of CBGBs to release an album; he was known as Top Ten in those days. He moved on to another well-known
band, the Del-Lords, before moving out to California. – RBF
Just heard
the news that Kim Fowley has passed away. I didn't meet Kim until the mid-‘80s,
at one of the first South By Southwest conferences. I never knew what to make of
him from afar, and even when I first got to know him a little, I was a little
suspicious. I guess it was kind of a NYC-to-LA trans-continental kind of
suspicion. But I did get to know him, and hung out bullshitting with him many
memorable times, including one especially memorable week when Stevie Van Zandt
had his Underground Garage Festival in NYC in 2004, at which the Dictators
performed, and Kim was the MC.
Stevie put
both Kim and myself at the same hotel for a week. I would see him for breakfast
every day, and we would chat for hours, as he held court, regaling all with his
endless tales of rock'n'roll heroes and the sometimes even more interesting
also-rans. He was hilarious, original, knowledgeable, madly in love with
rock'n'roll, and he knew EVERYBODY!!!
It was a
tough time for me, as I had been out of the band [Dictators] for two years, and this was gonna be my first show with
them in two years. In fact, if not for Stevie, I don't know if I ever would
have played with them again. But, Stevie went to bat for me, and I rejoined the
band for another five years, and Kim listened to it all, and always had advice
or some bit of Kim wisdom that would lift me and get me through the day. He
also never once let me pay for breakfast, and always saved a seat next to him
each morning so we could pick up where we left off.
Kim was so
gracious, and just a great pal and sounding board. The private Kim was very
emotional and sweet, and had so much passion for the music and those that
played it. He remembered every detail you had spoken to him about. After that
week, we were "officially friends," as he told me. That made me very
happy and proud.
He was a
prime mover on the West Coast, as I am sure you all know. He seems to have a
million friends. Kim's name is on dozens and dozens of hits. A true original, a
classic hustler - in the best sense - and one of my favorite people out here on
the West Coast. I was always thrilled to run into him. He even knew of the
Del-Lords, and our guru/hero, Lou Whitney "and his Trans-Am song".
His stories were the very best anybody ever told, or anybody ever heard - if
people like Dylan, Morrison, The Stones, The Beatles, The Byrds, Ray Charles
(remind me to tell you that one), etc., etc., etc., mean anything to you.
It pains me
that the days of running into him at a Springsteen show (at which I saw him at
least five or six times), or some other rock event are over. I feel like I will
still be looking for him towering above the rest of us, and spotting me before
I could spot him and calling me over to regale me with yet another tale that I will
be repeating to anyone who'll listen for as long as I live.
I am quite
sure I am safe in saying we will never see anyone (even remotely) like Kim
Fowley again. R.I.P. Kim, I know there are scores of broken hearts around town
right now as the news of your passing spreads. I guarantee you, you will never
be forgotten. That's a fact. Goodnight, Kim.
At the bottom of each the reviews is a video
from the release, if available.
John Batdorf and James Lee Stanley All Wood and Stones II www.allwoodandstones.com The other
day I was in a store and they played that horrible disco mash-up of the
Beatles. What a waste when they could have put on this much more enjoyable
release.Singer-songwriters/folkers
Batdorf and Stanley have this side project where they take some rockers and
quite successfully translate / re-imagine songs we all know so well. This is
their second excursion into the Jagger and Richards songbook, covering material like “Honky Tonk Women,” “Jumping Jack
Flash, “Sympathy For the Devil,” and “Time is On My Side,” to name just a few.
Stanley and Batdorf trade off on lead vocals as they pound their acoustic
instruments. Stanley tends to play his songs more like the originals with a
folk twist. With Batdorf, he totally makes the songs his own, transforming “Get
Off My Cloud” into a near singer-songwriter ballad. This is a wonderful
excursion. Sure, purists are going to be scratching their heads on what to make
of this, but I smiled throughout. Batdorf and Stanley are their own Glimmer
Twins as they do the rearranging and producing. The ballads like “Play With
Fire” and “Wild Horses” definitely lend themselves to the harmonized playing
here. The production is clean and I could easily listen to and enjoy this almost
as much as the originals. Gutsy.
BlueRace
Beautiful Sky Big Radio
Records bluerace@live.com BlueRace
(or, actually, bluerace), have been around for a bit now, and they definitely
wear their influences on their guitar straps. There’s quite a bit of the later
Beatles, Byrds, and the late ‘60s American guitar sound (more rock with a touch
of garage than blues, for example). Normally, classic rock is not something
that is my expertise, but I gotta say these guys are fun. The songs are catchy
as all get out, and listening to this full length release was an easy pleasure
from beginning to end (and not because I’ve known the Media Ecological rhythm
guitarist, Thom Gencarelli, longer than the band exists).A good example is the reverb-infused “Why Is
There Goodbye (Temporary Angel)?,” which has a hook that will stick with you.
Yeah, the cuts are arguably a bit long at an average of 5 minutes apiece, but
if the songs are as strong as these, it’s forgivable.Vocalist (and bassist) Dean Diaz thankfully
sounds more late ‘60s than, say, hair band screechy ‘80s, which is a major plus
in my view.Roger Diller’s lead guitar
never overwhelms even as it flashes its smile on cuts like “Left to Turn.” I
mean, these guys’ sound would fit right in at the Fillmore, both East and West.
There is also a good balance between the vocals and the instruments, none
really drowning out the other, each one quite distinguishable, which is always
a bonus. Some fave cuts include “Daily Minefield” and “Bridge of Sighs.”
Jeremy Gluck and Robert Coyne
Memory Deluxe: I Knew Buffalo Bill 2 Flicknife www.facebook.com/IKnewBuffaloBill It was many
and many a year ago in that kingdom by the sea – aka the UK – that ex-pat
Jeremy Gluck was part of the 1980s post-surf/paisley revival with The
Barracudas, and infamously put out the first volume of I Knew Buffalo Bill with the likes of late giants Jeffrey Lee Pierce
and Nikki Sudden nearly three decades ago. I’ve heard of this release of course, but haven’t heard it. Now, with Robert Coyne, Jeremy musically resurfaces with
the sequel.This collection of fourteen
tunes shows a definite progression in the sound of what I’ve heard of Gluck and
co., using a slashing guitar and synth beats. Now, synth is something you won’t
hear mentioned much in this blog, so the fact that I’m covering it means there
is definitely something to which is worth paying attention. With a husky voice with an edge of growl,
Gluck uses the years on his vocal chords to strike a mood effectively. Most of
the “pop” sound of “I Want My Woody Back” is replaced by a poetic earnestness
that remains accessible. Honestly, my fave cuts were the ones that were more
guitar-based than synth, such as “Old Father Death” and “The Extra Mile,” but
giving a chance to this set is worthwhile.
Jann Klose
Mosaic www.mosaicsongs.com Having
reviewed Jann’s releases before, it does not surprise me that this release was
going to be excellent, but I was still impressed. He does keep getting better.
The opening cut, “Make It Better” grabs you by the collar and never lets you
go.More than just a pretty face singer-songwriter,
Jann shows he can hit the notes both figuratively and literally. A blazing
electric guitar complements the acoustic, and the messages are as powerful as
his voice and production. Most of the songs are heart related, both present
love or past, but for me, it was the opening political songs that raised my
eyebrows highest. That being said, “Long Goodbye” is a lovely pastiche of a
love fading. “Falling Tears” has reflections in classic blues, as “Four Leaf
Clover” has a light tone with reggae touches. The exceptional Carrie Newcomer
joins Jann for “Beautiful One,” showing how well their styles go together. Better
known for slice of life songs, she backs this romantic ditty supported by Leah
Potteiger’s luscious violin. The closer is a luxurious a capella cover of
singer-songwriter touchstone Tim Buckley’s “Song of the Siren.”
Larkin Poe and Thom Hell
The Sound of the Ocean Sound Edvins
Records I have a lot
of Norwegians in my extended family, so this CD intrigued me. Recorded mostly
at Ocean Sound Studio in the city of Giske, for those who don’t know, Larkin
Poe is two folk-rock sisters from Atlanta, Rebecca Lovell (vox and guitar) and
Megan Lovell (vox and resonator guitar / steel top). They joined forces with
Norwegian-based singer-songwriter Hell (vox, piano, acoustic guitar), including
songwriting, and have come up with this lush, folk rock collective (yes, there
are other musicians backing them up). The sisters are actually a powerhouse on
their own, both individually and as a team, and joining in with Hell has
certainly complemented their sound quite strongly. While some of the lyrics,
especially those by the sisters can be a bit opaque in their poetic leanings at
times, their message gets across to the listener, which is fortunately
worthwhile. Hell’s contributions are a bit more straightforward in their
message, that is not to say his lyrics and tunes aren’t well written. It’s a
beautiful collection whose topics tend to heavily lean on the topics of
different shades of love. Among my faves here are “I Belong to Love,” “PS, I
Love You” (which has nothing to do with the Beatles or Robin Sparkles/Daggers),
“Tired,” and “Wait For Me,” but to be honest, as there isn’t a bad cut here, my
faves may change and vary over time. Lyric booklet included.
Lydia Lunch & Cypress Grove
A Fistful of Desert Blues RustBlade
Label www.rustblade.com Without
taking away any of the importance that Lydia Lunch had to No Wave,
Transgressive Cinema, and Spoken Word since the late 1970s, and she was key in
all of those movements, I don’t like her as a person, as I can never tell when she
is begin genuine or not. I’ve seen her do both. Just so you know in case you
believe it has colored my review.Joining with British noise blues guitarist Cypress Grove after Grove’s
previous collaboration with Gun Club founder Jeffrey Lee Pierce, they have
quite successfully released something here that is both familiar and new.
Borrowing from Sergio Leone’s scalding guitar on numerous spaghetti Westerns,
Grove lays down the foundation of scorched earth guitar riffs, while Lunch does
her own vocal riffing, sometimes whispered, other times full throated, but
always echoy and “mysterious.” Y’know what, it works. With song titles like
“Sandpit,” “Devil Winds, “I’ll Be Damned,” Summer of My Disconnect,” “End of My
Rope,” and “TB Sheets,” they managed to consistently keep this listener’s
attention. It’s often hard to make out what Lunch is saying thanks to the
reverb, but even without the text, the vocals layer on the guitar well. There
is also an interesting cover of Pierce’s “St. Mark’s Place.” The songs feel
like the waves of heat that rise off the highway in the distance on a
blistering day.
Molly Hatchet
Live at Rockpalast 1996 MIG / WDR www.mig-music.de Molly
Hatchet never really crossed my musical bow, but the powers that be brought a
live performance of Hatchet from the famed Rockpalast
show dated June 23, 1996, at the open-air Loreley Stadium in Germany. Then-new
vocalist Phil McCormack replaced long-time voxer Danny Joe Brown, who left for
health reasons. I have to say, as of this 1996 version – as it’s all I have to
go by – is awful. Well, the band itself is stereotypical of the Southern Rock
sound and not much exciting, but McCormack is, well, bad. Sure, he has a growl,
but there is nothing noteworthy about his style. He isn’t even too determined
to worry about being on key. I mean, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Ronnie could fuckin’
wail, as with Jim Dandy of Black Oak Arkansas, but Phil suffers from lack of
stage presence. The songs here are okay,
but nothing that’s going to sick in my mind longer than writing this review,
quite frankly. It’s obvious the band can play, centered on Bobby Ingram’s lead
guitar, but overall this was hardly what I would call electrifying. This show is also available on DVD.
My Own Worst Enemy
“Paul Revere” / “Angel of the Underground” Pristine
Indigo Records www.myownworstenemy.net A vinyl
single. While I can hear an ex-colleague of mine say, “How quaint,” this is a
powerhouse release. I had the pleasure to have seen MOWE on their home turf in
Boston in ’08 or so, and they had the audience (including me) moving. “Paul
Revere” is a wonderful example of powerpop punk by this trio that has nothing
to do with a Disney musical. This is a hysterical tune with an anthemic chorus
that will definitely get you pumping that fist in the air. While Steve does a solid
job on the vocals with this rocker (he’s also on guitar), his partner Sue picks
it up for the more serious ballad on the flip (she’s also guitar, as there is no bass), “Angel of the
Underground” about one of my favorite buskers, Mary Lou Lord (who I interviewed
almost two decades ago; her tune “Light Are Changing” is referenced here). It’s
a touching song focused on a talent that is missed (by me, too). AJ’s drumming
and harmonica on the flip is just the right touch. This slower B-side is a
perfect yin to the A-side yang, and this release is not just quaint, it’s a fun
mix of silly and somber.
Tess Parks
Blood Hot 359 Music /
Cherry Red Records www.359music.co.uk With one
foot on either side of the “pond,” Tess meanders back and forth from Toronto to
London, and shows the influence from both in this post-psych release. With a
nice voice that is hidden behind echo and the music, the melodies are a bit
chaotic sounding, in an off-beat and sometimes jangling way, that make it a
cross between the late ‘60s flower power sound, and a bit of noise rock as it
clashes along in a sort of meditative labyrinth.Honestly, I could hardly make out a word, if
that’s important for you, but I have found when dealing with music that is
flowing and repetitive (not in an insulting way), it’s more the entirety than
an aspect.The fact that her voice is
deep and throaty, and not always classically on-key, is meaningless, because
the zeitgeist is what is important here, and that is what’s effective. This
could be a missing link cross between hippie and punk. You can hear full album
HERE.
Atrocious Saints www.Facebook.com/sweetmagma Once when I
was hanging out with metalhead lead vox/bassist Nick Massios, there was some
background music playing. I said, “This sounds familiar, what is it?” He said,
quite surprised, “You write about music and you don’t know Dark Side of the Moon?!” That is typical of the kind of jokingly
sharp conversation we have had. Of course, I tease back with an earlier song of
theirs, “The 8 Foot Bong” (more about that later). And despite the Floyd reference, it’s pretty
obvious that Black Sabbath and Motörhead are bigger influences, with a solid
bottom and Nick’s growly (but not death metal’s annoying level) vocals. For a
power trio, they sound much fuller, including live (yes, I have seen them play
a while back). Their newest release
starts strong with the nearly hardcore laden “LTBM” (which ironically stands
for Let There Be Metal). When the band gets cranked up, such as on “I Go Zen,”
the mix of noise and metal screeches together solidly.There had been moments before this, where
there were flashes of guitar solos, but the band lets loose here and everyone
gets a few moments to shine. Yeah, this is metal, but they seem to keep the
solos to a minimum, which of course gets my interest (hence my lack of caring
about Floyd or other prog bands). Oh,
it’s not the last time for them to show off their multiple talents, that’s for
certain: for example, “Lifeline,” one of my fave cuts, is consistently in the
listener’s face/ears, in metal assault mode. It also takes some chances with
fake endings and pounding beats, which works just fine. Towards the collection’s end is a cover of Sweet
Magma’s own “The 8-Foot Bong,” as I mentioned above. Pure goofiness, which made
me smile, even as a semi-strait-edger. This isn’t rocket science, and honestly
I believe it shouldn’t be, and isn’t pretending to be either, but man it is
enjoyable fun. And, yes, I would say the same thing about Motörhead. Lyric
booklet included.
Up For Nothing
In Trance www.facebook.com/upfornothing I’m proud to
say that I was there at UFN’s very first show, and have had a sit down at
Lenny’s Pizza in Bensonhurst with lead singer/guitarist Justin Conigliaro. They
are a solid alt punk trio that has changed over the decade they’ve been around
in one way: they’ve gotten better. Justin’s songwriting has improved
remarkably, and it wasn’t shabby to begin with. He’s doing better at nailing
the catches.They lean a bit to the
Green Day pop side, but honestly, I think they’re actually more fun than that
other overrated band. Right from the opening cut, “This Moment,” with its
chanted chorus, you can feel the power consistently through the 5 song EP. That
being said, “The Worst Things to Say” is more classic pop hardcore. Just really
good stuff. The opening cut and “The Side of Caution” are my fave cuts. They’ve
played the Fest and tour often, so if you get the chance to catch ‘em, do it.
Kathy Zimmer
Static Inhabited www.kathyzimmermusic.com Having heard
Kathy on and off over the last few years, I can tell you she’s quite versatile,
be it jazz or standards. Here she stretches into original music that that has a
jazzy but theatrical folk vibe. She fluctuates between them by vocally
exercising up and down the scales. That’s not an easy thing to do, and she
flexes like a champion, showing she not only sings sweetly, but can write a
decent tune as well. There are a few toe
tappers, such as “Laundry Chute,” as well as ballads, but it’s the brash experimental
adenoids stretchers that also keep you tuned. There are some definite
theatrical references, the obvious one’s include “Glinda,” “Lost Boys,” and
“Farinelli.” The background choral vocal “ooohs” and “aaaah” lean towards this
as well.If that wasn’t enough, there is
also just hint of country themes, though I would not call this C&W by any
stretch of the imagination. Fave cuts include “Right Around the Corner,” “Take
You As You Come,” and the sultry “Eva.”
A King Family Christmas: Classic
Television Specials Collection Volume 2 2 Discs, 200 minutes, 1965, 1967, 1974,
2009 / 2014 PollyO Entertainment King Fam www.OfficialKingFamily.com www.mvdvisual.com
Yeah,
this blog is mostly rock and roll / punk / folk / et al., but it’s also about
culture, sometimes from a media theoretical perspective. You’ve been informed.
If
you are too young to remember the expansive singing King Family, let’s just say
they make the Partridges and Bradys look like the Dead Boys and the Plasmatics.
That’s not said negatively, just impressionistically. The 33-member (and
growing) King Family rose to Christian, white bread fame by 1960s appearances
on The Lawrence Welk Show. This exposure
led to their own weekly program, which was broadcast as an opener to Welk’s
broadcast. But it was their holiday specials that were replayed for many years
that most people remember.
The
sweaters and dresses usually matched, and there were lots of fur coats, when it
was a symbol of wealth rather than animal cruelty. Hair (wigs and dyed blonde,
with one brunette exception) was Dolly Parton high and everyone was emotional,
which was often expressed in music.
Essentially,
the King Family revolved around elderly Ma and Pa, who didn’t sing much put
gave on-air support, the four middle aged King Sisters, the remarkably square
teenage-through-early-twenties Swinging King Cousins (e.g., My Three Sons’ Tina Cole, who was
usually out front), the “adorable” youg’ns, the King Kids, and assorted
married-tos and in-laws, such as guitar wiz Alvino Rey and The Hideous Sun Demon (1959) himself, Robert Clarke, who was
usually the emcee.
The
first Holiday special presented on this collection over the two discs is their
very first full-length Holiday special, “Thanksgiving with the King Family”
(1967). By the time this came on, the audience was already quite familiar with
the familia thanks to their weekly
on-air outings. This particular special is the only one here not filmed on a
soundstage in front of an audience, but rather at the sprawling ranch of the
matriarch King, Gramma Pearl Driggs (the patriarch had recently joined Jesus,
but more about that later), in Camarillo, CA.
We
see the family arrive in a group, and various solo and group sings throughout
the house, and on various parts of the farm. Much of this is cutsie (a term I
will use often), of course, with the King Sisters in solid lead, again, both as
a group and individuals. Most of it works, with songs like “Over the River” (as
they arrive), “My Cup Runneth Over,” and “A Wonderful Day Like Today.” As with
all these specials, there is a moment when Alvino gets a spotlight a couple of
times, and rightfully so. In one he does a banjo solo while the King Cousins
romp around him to that hip tune, “Turkey in the Straw”; he does get a more
serious outing later on in a mixture of folk and Spanish acoustic.
One
of the cutsie moments is when one of the Sisters talks to a group of
under-10-year-olds about the meaning of Thanksgiving, which includes “the
Pilgrims and Indians becoming friends” and “It’s like a prayer” to “thank our
Heavenly Father, right?” Ah, for those innocent days…right?
Remember
at the time these first two specials were aired, LBJ was president, we were
getting deep into the Vietnam police action, there were race riots, campus
riots, and the rise of hippie cultures and drugs. To Middle America, the world
was entering a sphere that was totally alien to them. The King Family were a
cultural throwback to familiarity and values that the World War II veterans and
their clans could understand. For me, it might be the equivalent of going to a
Ramones concert after the rise of rap.
Most
of the time, this Thanksgiving special touches the right tones, both visually
and aurally. However, there is the occasional either flat note. For example,
while one of the Sisters is sitting among the kids and some puppies, she and
the human pups attempt “If I Could Talk to the Animals.” A good example of kids
should be seen and not heard to sing. An uncomfortable moment (possibly because
I’m a city boy) is an instructional song about milking a cow to another gaggle
of kids.
One
of the strangest moments is a version of “There’s a Place For Us” (from West Side Story) dedicated to the recently
late grandpa while a very creepy looking stained glass image of him stares at
the camera. The Cousins do a “hip” Main Street Singers-ish “Red River Valley”
to gramps. Gramma is often seen sitting in a wheel chair, without singing
along, kinda seeming dazed.
The
least successful number is a solo version by one of the Cousins of “Born Free,”
which is of questionable pitch. That aside, this is an excursion into the 1950s
mentality with a late ‘60s cover. While they never reach the level of subtle
subversiveness of The Andy Williams Show
(that’s right, you heard me), their earnestness can be comforting.
The
second special on the first disc, “Christmas with the King Family,” is much
better known, as it was played every year from its inception in, again, 1967,
and the years that followed. In beautiful color and similar clothes and piled
hair (remember, this is only a month later than their Thanksgiving Special), we
spend the holiday with many cultural touchstones.
You
know this is going to be filled with classic carols, like “Jingle Bells” and
“Deck the Halls,” but there is a lot more going on. Around this time, King
daughter Tina Cole, arguably one of the more adorable of the Swinging King
Cousins, was rising in fame, so they gave her a song to do as a solo, “I Have
My Love to Keep Me Warm,” which she sings to her toddler child. She doesn’t
really have the chops for live (though her taped segments work better), but you
can bet there were many a teenager out there of both genders who watched the
special just for her, for very different reasons. The same song is brought back
again later (you mean they had trouble finding a different winter weather/love
song?) in a totally different context as one of the King Sisters tricks her
hubby to put up the outside Christmas lights.
One
creepy moment looking through McLuhan’s cultural rear view mirror is an “inner
thought” meeting of cousins Cam and Laurette as the writers set them up to have
crushes on each other. She even hopes for a kiss, and says – twice – “even if
he is my cousin.” At the time, this may have been seen as cutsie, but now,
looking back, may I say eew.
The
most infamous moment of this particular show, and probably the reason it
replayed so many times (it’s here, and repeated in the two other specials on
the second disk), is when King Sister Alyce sings “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”
to a picture of her son, Ric, who is in the Army. Mid-song he shows up in a
surprise move that brought many a tear to the audience, and to his mom Alyce.
Perhaps it’s the punk rock cynic in me, but the first time I watched this, I
could have sworn I saw an “I’m going to kill the person who did this on-air”
look in her eyes, but maybe that’s more me than her. Anyway, she does manage to
push through to finish the song, in that Jerry Lewis finale “Walk On” way. With
so many soldiers in ‘Nam and with the war so present in the news as they
announced the daily body count, this gave hope to those with kids fighting for…
whatever the hell that was (I would also say the say for the Bush wars, by the
way). Her other son Lex gets to shine with some extraordinary virtuoso piano
playing that would have made Liberace proud.
And
what would be a Christmas special on commercial television without some
presents to remind us to buy. Yvonne quotes her dad as saying that it’s okay to
see it as commercial as long as you keep the meaning clear. There you go,
America, you can love Jesus and
support the sponsors! Yay!
There
are lots of songs from films, such as “My Favorite Things,” but most of the
tunes are carol classics, including the kids doing a Christmas Pageant to my
least favorite season song, “The Little Drummer Boy” (no Bing and Bowie tension
here).
As a
finale, they do something that is apparently quite common, and a King Family
tradition, that I didn’t know about (for obvious reasons) until just a few
years ago, by combining “The First Noel” and “I Wish You a Merry Christmas”
(sung by the kinder) in “Row Your
Boat” off-set fashion.
It’s
definitely a sumptuous feast for those who thirst for the ring of the jingle bell,
the smell of the wreath and the ho-ho-ho of the ho-liday.
Rounding
up the first disk is an extra, one of their Black and White network shows from December
11, 1965 that focuses on the Christmas Season, with the expected (not meant
negatively) songs, dance and routines with all the King Family groups.
The second
disk starts off with yet another Special, “Home for Christmas with the King
Family,” shown in 1974. Perhaps it was time to stop showing the last version as
Nam was over, Nixon was temporarily vilified, and the times they were
a-changin’. It was five tumultuous years which went from hippies to, well, it
was the year the Ramones played their first gig.
As
we meet the updated King Family, many of the Swinging Cousins are now married,
and the kids are now teens themselves, with a new generation of cutsie kids on
whom to focus.
The
clothing and hairstyles have moved up with time, and the most common style has
moved from the WWII upsweep to the down flip (Mary Tyler Moore wore the same
style around this time). Heck, one of the now more-mature Cousins is even
showing a hint of cleavage. Heavens to Morgateroyd!
The
set is designed to look like a living room and kitchen, with a real fireplace,
to represent the family gathering for Christmas. First up is a number from the
’67 classic, “Christmas Bells Are Ringing,” as if to say, “We’re still the fun
loving family you remember so well!” Actually, there are a number of repeated
songs, including “White Christmas” (including a really nice photo montage of
the sisters from their earliest days through their career).
Continuing
with the spirit of the season (as opposed to the holiday), the new generation
of singing kids gather around Santa (Tina Cole) and sing what each other wants.
After, a King sister sings “Toyland,” from one of my favorite Christmas films, “March
of the Wooden Soldiers” (1934, aka “Babes in Toyland”). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwiGqvnIFqs
One
aspect of the King Family shows and specials is that they really work well in
introducing the audience to certain members of the family, including the wee
ones. It’s interesting to see here, after a jump of about 5 years since the
last special, how some of the younger ones have grown. This includes the older
ones, as well, as we first see Robert Clarke looking like a young Dick Clark,
to now a middle-aged, mustachio-laden man with some definite filling out to his
face. Of course, there is the replay of the surprise and then a catch-up of
Alyce and Ric as they sing (with other brothers) a Holiday medley.
Alvino
gets to show his expertize again, this time in a back and forth with his daughter on harp,
in a mock and humorous showdown of talent on “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
They also bring back the memory of the creepy meeting of the cousins who are
grown up now (late teens?); fortunately they reminisce without bringing back
the kissing question. However, this leads to one of the moments I really enjoyed
in this – if not all – of the specials, is a rousing version of the folk song “A-Soalin’”
by the King Cousins, which includes some creative camerawork for the time. It’s
a song for the season, but rarely gets played because it deals with begging,
rather than consuming. Reminds me a bit of Steeleye Span’s version of the olde
tune, “Our King.”
As
with many of the specials, there are moments of reflection of the past of the
King Family history, including the Sisters’ beginnings during or just after
Dubya-Dubya Deuce.
While
part of me was hoping somewhere they would sneak in a little of “The Dreidel
Song” (especially since this special was written by Leonard B. Kaufmann), there
are plenty of plush carols, summed up with the family around the tree doing the
back and forth of “The First Noel” and “I Wish You a Merry Christmas.”
The
second full show on this DVD is the “Christmas with the King Family Reunion
Special,” from 2009. Mostly, it’s clips from the earlier three shows
(including, yes, Rick surprising Alyce), and sometimes complete numbers, but it
gives the viewer a chance to see how everyone grew up (i.e., aged) over the
decades. Only two of the sisters are left at this point (the last one passed
away 2013), but it’s nice to catch up. This probably isn’t one that the viewer will
probably watch over and over, like the other three specials, but it’s a nice
touch for the box set. Still, it’s interesting to think that many of the
cousins in this reunion were probably older than their moms where in the
earlier shows.
The
extra for this disk is another Christmas themed black and white weekly show
from December 25, 1965.
I
didn’t grow up with Christmas, carols, or even Santa, and get tired of the
Season pretty quickly (not to be confused with the holiday itself, as I said),
but this was a nice escape into a world that doesn’t exist anymore except in
memory for many.
I’m not sure
how I first became aware of Kimm Rogers, but I know it was when her first Island
Records release, Soundtrack of My Life,
was out in 1990. I fell in love it with it, and it’s one of the few song
collections I own in more than two formats (LP, cassette, CD). First I gave a
copy of it to my then girlfriend (now spouse), then passed it on to others as
well; we all became fans. The video that came out of it was “Right By You.”
Honestly, to me, it could have been a dartboard choice because every cut on it
was worthy. They self-examine her place in life, both in a small focus and writ
large.
One more
full release on Island in 1992, Two
Sides, also had a powerful video attached, ”Will Work For Food,” a
political piece about the impoverished lives seen strewn around major cities.
And what do I enjoy and appreciate about Kimm? Many
reasons, but essentially it’s that she has her own, unique voice, both
figuratively and literally. Her vocals are distinctive, and is easily identifiable
as hers, such as with the likes of Patti Smith, Lucinda Williams or Emmylou
Harris. What’s more, she has a slightly different way of enunciation, with the push
of certain syllables, and her songs bend in ways that are her own.
Twenty-two
years later, she has once again put her heart on the line with her latest,
self-released Where the Pavement Grows.
Fortunately, as usual, all the songs
here are her originals. There is a definite growth in song writing here, yet
without losing anything that is what I have come to like about the singer-songwriter.
A good example is “Twenty-Three,” which is sort of a mirror refection look back
to the song “2-0-19,” from her first album. In the earlier, she wonders what
life will look like in the future compared to the time, and in the more recent,
she thinks back from today compared to when she was younger. This is just one
of a number of up-beat numbers that will both have you thinking and tapping your foot. Even her mushy
love ballads, such as “Rain,” and “Gravity” (the latter of which would make a
great film theme song) keep your heart warm.
Jazz and
Rock musician Julian Coryell does magnificently in keeping Kimm’s voice in the
front without losing any of the sounds backing her, many of which are played by
himself. It’s crisp and the vocals are clear. Still, the big sounding “Eventually,”
full of memorable lines like “I’m not killing time it’s killing me / I’ll end
up where I’m supposed to be / Eventually,” never loses itself into excesses.
This is a
very measured, seasoned release, taken from a different perspective from her
earlier life, though obviously through the same eyes / style. There is growth,
maturity in both lyrics and fluidity, even when looking at the harder aspects
of existence, such as the title cut or the doubts of “Valentine’s Day.”
It may have
taken over two decades for this to reach its present form, but it was worth the
wait. Check out the video below as a
sample and then head on to her Website. Meanwhile, I’ll hope she’ll tour so I
can finally get to see her perform live.
Another artist
I have not yet had the opportunity to see live but am bidding my time is the luxuriously
sounding Laura Cheadle. Don’t let the pictures of this young, white thang fool you;
she can both blast the blues and
R&B (and I mean the real stuff).
How do you
know she’s solid? Well, for starts, she writes most of her own material, along
with the Cheadle family who usually support her both in the formation and
performing aspects. And yet you can imagine the likes of Ella or Bessie feeling
at home with these tunes.
Then there
is that voice. Not the gravel of, say, Janis, but more of a sexiness,
late-night lovin’ vibe that relies strongly on her powerful vox, various
keyboards and hot electric Northern Blues guitar style (Chicago/Detroit). Oh,
and there is the occasional use of 20
Feet From Fame type backing boys or gals. Despite being a “home-grown” South
Jersey recording, the production is slick without being slick, if ya know what I mean.
Many of
Laura’s songs deal with love and loving, and her voice wanders the R&B scales
without being a show-off about it (e.g., Mariah and Xtina, who I find boring
for that reason despite their talent, unlike Laura). Whether she’s purring like
on “The Best That It Could Feel,” shimmering as with “This Life Is Made to
Dance,” or shattering on “Blue Sky” and the title cut opener, she will keep
your attention.
Then there
are numbers where she does it all, like the cover of Lil’ Son Jackson’s “Rock
Me Baby” that would have fit on the stage of the Fillmore, both East and West
(see video below). Her choice of covers is smart, such as a live version of
T-Bone Walker’s “Call It Stormy Monday,” or the Gershwin/Howard standard, “Summertime.”
The latter is done is a deep tone making it just sizzle, as it was meant to be.
Sometimes in previous recordings she leans towards the sexual, but here she’s
waist deep in the sensual.
Cheadle
constantly pleases, with a voice that’s a mixture of honey and velvet, with a
touch of vinegar. It’s also a bit timeless. I could imagine her singing in just
about any era in the last 80 years or so. On the stage of the Cotton Club, the
Apollo, the Blue Note, any jazz festival, or even Woodstock, she could find a
place to be comfortable. That’s quite the range. For someone who is as prolific
as she has been over the past few years, the quality of her work seems to be
still on the incline. And I’m grateful.
A
week before his first album was released, I became embroiled in an argument
with Tom Petty over the use of the name “The Heartbreakers.” He insisted that
he checked the New York band out and they weren’t going anywhere, and no one
would care. Petty was both right and wrong. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers out
sold Johnny Thunders’ Heartbreakers probably a million to one. But I have never
seen a Tom Petty bootleg; there are hundreds of Johnny Thunders. I have never
heard a guitarist say, “Man, I heard Petty play, and just wanted to form a
band.” You would be hard pressed to find a guitarist these days who would not call Thunders’ an influence. How
does one judge success?
For
me, I saw Petty play twice (CBGBs and the Bottom Line). The Heartbreakers out
of New York, in various forms, is probably the band I have seen more than
anyone else (even more than the Ramones!). Most of the time it was at Max’s,
and usually with Nancy Foster / Suzie Q / Nancy New Age / Nancy Neon (among her
many handles), my musical sister if ever I had one, across the table.
Most
of the shows Thunders was on fire (as
was the rest of the band, but this film is about Johnny, so I’ll stick with him
as the focus for now), flowing from song to song without stopping between,
roaming the stage and spitting glances. Honestly, I’ve also seen some terrible
shows; one that comes to mind is an Irving Plaza gig where he was so out of it
that he couldn’t find the direction of the audience and had to be shown by underrated
bandmate Walter Lure (the last surviving Heartbreakers member) which direction
to face. Johnny couldn’t work his hands until a band member gave him something
up his nose while on stage, and then he could either strum or finger the chords
on his guitar, but not both. I saw more than one person in the audience literally
cry that night.
The
memorial for him in 1992 in New York was a blast. It was a gala affair with the
likes of Lenny Kaye, Cheetah Chrome, Spacely, David Johansen and Sylvain
Sylvain, and many other New York crème de
la crème of the scene on stage and in attendance. I still have the
tee-shirt from that night.
Today,
the born in 1986 son of a good friend is a huge Thunders fan, and for him Johnny
was the model of how to play. It doesn’t matter that there are those that are
reviled by his questionable usage behavior or some of his off-stage antics. He
was an on-stage role model, and that is why, in my opinion, that he has such a
multitude of fans, both from the day and even now years after his controversial
New Orleans demise in 1991.
At
the halfway point of the film, we’ve met many of the main characters in both
flashback and talking heads mode. There’s Actress, the New York Dolls and both
versions of the Heartbreakers (Richard Hell and after, when they were at their “height”).
Lots of notables who were around the scene at the time, and I kept thinking,
damn, I’m glad they made this when they did. So many had already left this
earth, including Billy Mercia (1971), Jerry Nolan (1992; last time I saw him play
was at the Thunders memorial that same year), Arthur “Killer” Kane (2004; there
is a great documentary about him as well, New
York Doll), and Malcolm McLaren (2010; who is heard in voice interviews);
and just as notable, too many died after
being filmed for it, such as the great Billy Rath (2014), Marty Thau (2014) and
ever lovable photographer and Heartbreakers’ manager Leee Black Childers (2014).
It
is also noteworthy to see who doesn’t
appear, such as David Johansen, Max Blatt, his kids, Richard Hell, and Patti
Palladin.
But
now let’s focus more on what the film has rather than lacks: the likes of musicians
Lenny Kaye, Walter Lure (amusingly looking his most corporate and sounding his
least deprecating; not meant as any kind of insult), Andy Shernoff (nee Adny)
of the Dictators (other members of this also great group despised Thunders),
Cynthia Ross (of the underrated B-Girls, and girlfriend of Stiv Bators), Bob
Gruen (photographer who has some of the most biting and insightful comments
about Thunders’ drug use) and other musicians who have played and worked with
him across the globe.
Essentially
this is a standard biography, chronologically following a musicians life, but
Thunders loomed so large in the New York music scene, that he oozes out of
every frame, making this his own in the same way he shared the stage with
incredible musicians, such as Lure and the MC5’s Wayne Kramer, and each one of
those groups are known as “Johnny Thunders and…” or “Johnny Thunders in…” He led
an amazingly charmed albeit drug-addled career. The stories weaved by these
(and other) musicians, friends and relatives are fascinating, and that’s what is
the center focus of the tale.
While
I enjoyed the first half of the film, it is at the center that it really starts
to pick up for me. I mean, there are so many books and films about the Dolls
that bleed into the Heartbreakers that I sat there enjoying the story, but it
felt more like, “And…?” But after the break-up of the Heartbreakers, well, for
me that’s where it becomes new and exciting; more films and interviews that I’ve
never seen, including during his residency in Sweden, France and Germany.
At
first I was annoyed that there was little mention about what a dick Thunders
could be (Howie Pyro, who is interviewed here, has a great story in the deleted
scenes about how he met Johnny), especially about money, but that is covered in
this second part. Being the non-drug user I am, I was nervous about hanging
around him and never did, but I loved being in the audience when he played,
even the odd gigs like Girls Nite Out at the Ritz, or the Save PIX benefit at
Irving Plaza.
The
film touches on the mysteries surrounding his death, but thankfully doesn’t
belabor it, because Thunders’ importance is music first, and then possibly
fashion, and solid personality. There are no definitive answers about the
circumstances around his demise, so the focus on his life feels more important.
What made him tick, you might say, not what made him stop. I would rather hear
about his short film career than what happened in New Orleans. That, it seems, should
be a different film for another time.
In
all, this is a loving but honest film about a troubled musician’s life, seen
through the eyes of his friends, videos, performances, and conversations with
the man, himself. If one were to look at just three albums from each phase of
his life, the Dolls’ first release, The Heartbreakers’ L.A.M.F., and the solo So
Alone, one could stop and be satisfied, but there is so much more.
I
remember standing in the kitchen of Boston musician and publicist Joe Viglione in
the first half of the 1980s, and talking to music producing legend Jimmy Miller
(a Brooklyn boy, FYI) about working with Thunders for the French label, Red
Rose Records. I could have asked him about the Stones, but Thunders was my
interest. That says a lot.
The
extras are pretty good from end to end. They include a Behind the Scenes, which
is mostly a radio interview with the director on a New Orleans radio station
mixed with some deleted scenes, which is about 9 minutes long. This shouldn’t
be confused with the actual 20-minute Deleted Scenes, all of which is
interviews that didn’t make the final cut, but which are all interesting and
worth a view. There are two live songs including the Heartbreakers doing the
Lure classic “All By Myself,” and a bluesy music video by ex-Oddballs (a band
he was in with Thunders) Stevie Klasson called, well, “Looking for Johnny.”
Along with the trailer, there is a short film about a guitar-maker who designs
Thunders-modeled electrics.
This
is an excellent documentary, and does really well in placing the importance of
Johnny Thunders on an international stage, in a wider expanse than one would
normally envision for a kid from Queens. Take that, Tom Petty.
Currently living in Saskatoon (email at RBF55@msn.com for address). From 1977-88, I used to publish a print version of a music magazine in New York called FFanzeen, which dealt with the wide-ranging independent music scene. I also photographed many bands from the period (and since). Now I write this blog. And the beat goes on.
Kim Fowley was an enigma. He’s one of the more
important and shadowy, behind-the-scenes figures in rock and roll history, from
its birth through its various forms. He was part of the original West Coast doo
wop groups, the Hollywood Argyles who rose to fame with the off-beat novelty
ditty, “Ally Oop,” and followed up with a number of his own releases as singles
and LPs that were genre bending and leaning towards psychedelia and glam. Kim
was also known as the contentious manager and Svengali of the original The
Runaways.
There was much that had Kim’s presence in
the biz. For example, the experience of holding up a lighter in concerts was
his brainchild. He had his hand in John and Yoko playing in Toronto (he even
emceed the event), did the first recordings with Jonathan Richman and the
Modern Lovers, co-wrote a number of songs with major bands such as KISS, Cat
Stevens and Alice Cooper, played on Frank Zappa’s Freak Out!, and… Well, if you want a taste of the man,
check out the 2003 documentary, The Mayor of Sunset Strip. Born in California in 1939, the 75 year
old Fowley died of bladder cancer on January 15, 2015, in West Hollywood.
Stevie put
both Kim and myself at the same hotel for a week. I would see him for breakfast
every day, and we would chat for hours, as he held court, regaling all with his
endless tales of rock'n'roll heroes and the sometimes even more interesting
also-rans. He was hilarious, original, knowledgeable, madly in love with
rock'n'roll, and he knew EVERYBODY!!!
Kim was so
gracious, and just a great pal and sounding board. The private Kim was very
emotional and sweet, and had so much passion for the music and those that
played it. He remembered every detail you had spoken to him about. After that
week, we were "officially friends," as he told me. That made me very
happy and proud.
It pains me
that the days of running into him at a Springsteen show (at which I saw him at
least five or six times), or some other rock event are over. I feel like I will
still be looking for him towering above the rest of us, and spotting me before
I could spot him and calling me over to regale me with yet another tale that I will
be repeating to anyone who'll listen for as long as I live.
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