Just when I begin to miss Small Change, back Nickel & Dime Radio comes with a late night dance party for the musically astute. He filled in for Bennett4Senate this week. Two sets stood out. One included "Break In The Road" by Betty Harris. The second surprised listeners with New Wave featuring "Money B" by the Flying Lizards, The Jam, and Pere Ubu. All DJs have their slant, but rarely slant too far to re-contextualize music that is not their primary show source.
"Tracy Hide." by the Wondermints was played by Bob Brianen next to Fairport Convention. "If I had the Wondermints in 1967," said Brian Wilson, "I would have taken Smile on the road." Wilson had a nervous breakdown before he could finish his answer to the Beatles Sgt. Pepper in 1967, but used the Wondermints to revive the project in 2004, finally issuing the most famous rock album that never was. I couldn't find these cuts in a recent archive, but here is a 1972 live performance by the Beach Boys of Smile's "Wonderful" also played by Bob.
Jeff M. ended Noise and Syrup with some white noise by Francisco López, followed by two concert pieces by Richard Lerman. You can play with the question sound or music, but anyone who has had their head in a pile of records since they could crawl knows: drop a wine glass or play "Stairway To Heaven," and you get the sound of music, the music of sound.
I'll bet two John Cage albums Nat Roe understands that these distinctions don't matter better than most musicheads. He spent the first half of his show mixing and mashing smooth jazz. I had the privilege of watching Nat work once, making new creations of his source material in real time.
But let's finish by blitzing listeners who like traditionally formatted songs: John Allen played an Annette Peacock cover of "Love Me Tender." Scott Williams played "Please Stay" by the Cryin' Shames. "Where Did My Duck Go" by Gary Wilson was played by Liz Berg. Miniature Minotaurs with Kurt Gottschalk featured "He's The One I Forgot." by the Royal Counts. Gaylord Fields played "This Is The Thanks I Get" by his "beloved Barbara Lynn." Less commentary means more archives, and occasionally it's best to shut up and let the music do the work.
James Black is the drummer on Break In The Road by Betty Harris.
Wow, what a song. MHO - I think every living drummer should study
that song and listen to it about 100 times.
ref: http://homeofthegroove.blogspot.com/2006/10/who-you-gonna-call.html
Posted by: clyde | May 13, 2011 at 03:29 PM