hrrundivbakshi

In the Baloney Section with California’s Man of the People, Johnny “Guitar” Watson

Jun 052008

Yeah, yeah, the Beach Boys, The Doors, the Eagles, Spirit, Love, blah, blah, blah. How many times do we have to entertain the conceit that the spirit of California is best embodied by white dudes in guarachi sandals, driving woodies, and smoking dope in Topanga Canyon with the Lizard King? For my money, the greatest personification of the spirit of rock and roll who ever came out of California was Johnny “Guitar” Watson.

Yeah, the spirit of rock and roll. Fuck the spirit of California. I’m enough of an East Coaster to feel comfortable saying that. Rock and roll is about hustle and flow, and — Lord — that was what Mr. Watson was all about. His whole musical life was a hustle, changing musical skins and styles as often as he needed — from revolutionary blues guitar slinger to hard-rockin’ style-o-phile to ’70s jazz-funk pimp, and eventually, to gold-toothed elder statesman. Before he died in 1996, Johnny got his well-deserved, long-overdue ass-kiss from most of the 21st century’s great Californian composers — Dr. Dre, Snoop, and a bunch of other R&B types I’m not hip enough to be able to remember now. But all those snakey, sinuous grooves you liked on Snoop Dogg’s breakout album? Those were JGW riffs, from start to finish. Check out that awesome concert footage above if you don’t believe me.

And while you’re at it, take special note of what Johnny’s singing about here. This is the soundtrack to the real California existence: being broke, getting dumped on by The Man, and shopping for dinner in the baloney section. Ain’t that cold?
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Like a Fine Wine… Or Like a Wedge of Smelly Cheese?

Posted by hrrundivbakshi

May 232008

Fine Wine

Smelly Cheese

Recent plans and offlist discussions with fellow Townspeople have once again brought the issue of “aging well” to my mind. Being the Schau-obsessed person that I am, when I decided to dabble my 43-year-old toes in the world of live performance again, I officially hung up my rockin’ shoes and joined a ska band instead, being quite certain that the sight of me rockin’ out on stage would likely be a Very Embarassing Thing indeed.

Fine Wine

Smelly Cheese

Other Townsmen have told me that while they have no self-consciousness about doing the rock and roll thing at age (cough), they get irked when their musical efforts are automatically lumped into the category of the weekend rock and roll party warrior/Georgia Satellites and George Thorogood cover band member — as in, “oh, you play in a band? So does my husband — him and his friends played at our beach house a couple of summers ago; it was *great*!”

Fine Wine

Smelly Cheese

But some folks manage to pull the aging thing off with great aplomb, avoiding the need to slather on the Rock Of Olay, or chickening out to join a ska band, fer chrissakes. My question to our current musician townspeople is, how do you stay looking so young? What’s your secret? To those who have no stake in that game: what do *you* think makes certain rockers age like a bottle of fine wine, while others merely putrefy?

I look forward to your responses.

HVB

Three Songs Most Likely to Run At the First Sign of Trouble

Posted by hrrundivbakshi

May 032008

You know the drill. GO!

If You Can’t Say Anything Nice… About Uriah Heep

Posted by hrrundivbakshi

May 012008

I don’t want to hear nothin’ about how Uriah Heep were the poor man’s poor man’s Deep Purple. I don’t want to hear nothin’ about the swell clothes the band is sporting in this clip. And I don’t want to hear *nothin’* about the out-of-control inverse relationship between quality of music and quality of poon on display in this clip. What I *do* want to hear are all the nice things you have to say about this particular performance. Extra credit if you can say something nice about the lyric to this song, “Wizard.”

I’ll start: what, it’s okay to pump your fist along to “What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love and Understanding,” but taking the time to show your solidarity with Heep’s message of universal brotherhood is for losers? These guys were *way* ahead of the Hands Across America curve!

Your turn. And remember, if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all!

HVB

Vroom Vroom!

Posted by hrrundivbakshi

Apr 222008

The global advertising industry has spent millions of dollars over the years trying to convince us that their cars, you know, *rock*. Whatever. It cannot be denied, however, that what you drive says a lot about who you are. With that in mind, I ask you to think of the most appropriate set of wheels for the following people:

Ted Nugent
Jonathan Richman
John Lennon
Brian Wilson
Prince
Arthur Lee
Iggy Pop
Andy Partridge
Ray Davies
Bob Seger
Dr. John

I look forward to your responses.

HVB

Paul Revere & the Raiders Give Arthur Lee & Love a West Coast Slap-Down!

Posted by hrrundivbakshi

Apr 212008

I had a few free minutes this afternoon, so I swung by the trusty Goodwill to see what kind of dusty old vinyl I could score. I found a couple of old Paul Revere & the Raiders 45s I’d never heard before, and plunked down 50 cents. Score! The extent to which I enjoyed these singles got me thinking about this silly band, and I headed out into the wilds of the InterWeb to explore a bit. I found the following video, which further made me realize how much I prefer Mark Lindsay’s message to Arthur Lee’s. Talk about Winner Rock!

Here are the Revere numbers I found in the 45 bin today — all of which totally kick Love’s pathetic, two-steps-removed-from-Skip-Spence, bong-water-stain-in-the-Oriental-rug asses. The first, “Leslie”, is a foot-stompin’ ode to, uh, Mark Lindsay’s maid (check out the spoken word bits in the outro). The second, “The Great Airplane Strike”, is about as good a Stones raver this side of the actual Rolling Stones. And the last thrifty track, “Ups and Downs”, coincidentally, features a bullfighter trumpet section!

Come on, Mod — are you with me? Up Raiders! Down Love!

HVB

Name That Tune! UPDATED! AGAIN!

Posted by hrrundivbakshi

Apr 082008

Your host for today’s fun and games

UPDATED — TWICE!

Time’s up! There are officially *no* No-Prizes to be awarded this time. However, everyone’s a winner, as I share a few choice tunes that I still suspect some of you will know.

First up, Dennis Coffey’s 1970s funk opus “Scorpio.” Even if you don’t know anything about Dennis (the man who introduced the wah-wah pedal to Norman Whitfield), you’ve surely heard Bob Babbitt, the guy who plays the bass solo in the middle there. I always loved this tune — enough to give the bass solo a pass!

Next, Curtis Mayfield’s greatest love poem, “The Makings Of You.” If I ever get married again, I plan to feature this song in the ceremony *somewhere*.

Here’s the one that BigSteve *almost* got right: “Willie the Pimp,” off of Zappa’s “Hot Rats,” and featuring Cap’n Beefheart on vocals. Now *here’s* a song that could use some judicious editing.

Lastly, “He’s a Doll,” by The Honeys — the vocal group that featured Brian Wilson’s first wife (whose name I forget). This track was produced by Brian, who, as Mod pointed out, was in full Spector soundalike mode.

There you go, guys! Better luck next time — the coveted No-Prize goes BACK IN THE HOPPER!

HVB

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