Notting Hillbillies in Newcastle (Redux)
I stumble across this show quite frequently in my travels through iTunes, and I was reminded again of it this morning while picking around on my acoustic guitar. I was toying around with the beautiful guitar parts of the Dire Straits tune “Why Worry”, and decided to punch it up in iTunes so I could play along. Up came this live version by the Notting Hillbillies – a relatively short-lived group from the early 1990’s made up of Mark Knopfler, Steve Phillips, Brendan Croker, and Guy Fletcher.
I posted this show back in 2006, and thought I’d bring it back for those who want to hear a laid back, tight-knit group of friends playing some great music. The Dire Straits covers are especially great – particularly the Calypso version of “So Far Away”.
THE NOTTING HILLBILLIES
Swan Hunter Shipyard
Newcastle, England
July 6th, 19931. Intro
2. Calling Elvis
3. So Far Away (Calypso version)
4. Your Own Sweet Way
5. Run Me Down
6. Why Worry
7. Railroad Worksong
8. Feel Like Going Home
9. Setting Me Up
10. OutroCheck out the Notting Hillbillies’ one and only album: Missing…Presumed Having A Good Time
RIP T-Bone Wolk
Ugh. Huge loss.Tom “T-Bone” Wolk, bass player extraordinaire – and best known for his almost 30 year association with Hall & Oates – unexpectedly passed away this past Saturday at the age of 59, apparently from a heart attack. I had just watched the latest episode of Live from Daryl’s House last week. Daryl, T-Bone and the guys were on the island of Jamaica, jamming with Toots & the Maytalls. There’s a laugh out loud moment when they’re visiting Noel Coward’s estate, and T-Bone sits on an old chair and promptly breaks it.
What occurred to me while watching these episodes of Live from Daryl’s House lately, is that wherever you’d see Daryl Hall throughout his storied career, you didn’t have to look far to see T-Bone right along side him. In a statement earlier today, Daryl likened the loss of T-Bone to “losing my right hand. It’s not if I will go on, but how.” The loss is severe to T-Bone’s family, friends, and many collaborators – but Daryl Hall has truly lost a blood brother. My heart goes out to him.
T-Bone’s list of musical credits is a mile long. You can check out the 3 page list here on AllMusic. The list goes on and on: Carly Simon, Roy Orbison, Elvis Costello, B.B. King, Paul Carrack, and even Kurtis Blow. Did you know T-Bone played bass on Kurtis’ breakout 1980 hit, “The Breaks“?
T-Bone was always a friendly, familiar face to me. Coming of age in the 80’s, I remember him from those classic Hall & Oates videos, and I remember seeing him every Saturday night, playing bass next to guitarist G.E. Smith in the Saturday Night Live band.
I strongly urge you to watch the latest Jamaica episode of Live from Daryl’s House : http://www.livefromdarylshouse.com/index.php?page=ep28. You’ll see a man who lived and breathed music, and you’ll sense his vitality and terrific sense of humor. And you’ll witness the bond between T-Bone and Daryl Hall. A bond that we all took for granted, and will never see the likes of again.
Rest in Peace, T-Bone.
Hall & Oates – “Maneater”
Reading: Last Train to Memphis
This past January, on what would have been Elvis Presley’s 75th birthday (Jan 8.), I was watching some concert specials and sharing some thoughts on Twitter. It then occurred to me that I’d never read a definitive biography about the life of the King. One of the great things about Twitter is the instant feedback, so I put the question out there – what Elvis bio do I need to pick up? The answer came quickly from Dave and Ken: Peter Guralnick’s two-volume series: Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley and Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley.
I started Last Train a week or so ago, and let’s just say I am enthralled by this book. Reading about Elvis’s early days recording for Sam Phillips at the Memphis Recording Service, his early tours around the South with the Louisiana Hayride and Hank Snow‘s Jamboree – going from virtual unknown to the new “country & western” sensation… and up to where I currently am in the book: being scooped up by Colonel Tom Parker and signing with RCA (who bought out his contract from Sun for $35,000 – the highest price paid for a contract buyout to date).
It’s really a fantastic book, and I want to urge anyone who hasn’t read it to go pick it up (Amazon: Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley
Many know that Elvis’s first hit with Sun Records was “That’s Alright Mama”. But those early sessions in 1954 started out with Elvis singing “Harbor Lights,” a ballad made popular by Bing Crosby. This is the very first song recorded in Elvis Presley’s very first studio session (with Scotty Moore on guitar and Bill Black on bass).
From Elvis At SunIck’s Radio Daze: KOSI Denver
Denver correspondent Kathy B. checks in after spending an hour with Denver’s “Continuous Lite Rock” station, KOSI. – Pete
Station: 101.1 FM, KOSI
Format: Lite Rock
Type: Terrestrial (Denver, CO)
Slogan: “Continuous Lite Rock”
Date / Time: Friday, Feb. 19th, 2010 / 10:30-11:35 am MST
Commercials: 16 minutes
Streaming Online? Yes
Hot Dude on Home Page of Web Site? No. In fact, I don’t see a single man, hot or otherwise.
Hot Chick? Not really. Amy Grant is the closest thing.
DJ: Jackie Selby
Favorite Song: (a complete guilty pleasure, I fully admit, and I’m prepared to take my lumps for this) Air Supply — “Lost in Love”Runners-up: Seal — “Kiss from a Rose,” Jason Mraz — “I’m Yours,” Sheryl Crow — “All I Wanna Do”
Least Favorite Song: David Cook — “Light On” Gads, is this AWFUL.
Song List:
Amy Grant & Peter Cetera — “The Next Time I Fall”
No Doubt — “It’s My Life”
Seal — “Kiss from a Rose”
David Cook — Light On
Air Supply — “Lost in Love”
John Mayer — “Your Body Is a Wonderland”
Faith Hill — “This Kiss”
Bryan Adams — “Straight from the Heart”
Sheryl Crow — “All I Wanna Do”
Five for Fighting — “Superman”
Whispers — “Rock Steady”
Jason Mraz — “I’m Yours”
Daniel Powter — “Bad Day”
Eric Clapton — “Layla” (Unplugged)
Plain White T’s — “Hey There Delilah”Comments: This is the number one radio station in Denver and has been for a while, probably because it’s so inoffensive that it gets played in a lot of offices, restaurants and reception areas. However, “inoffensive” often translates into “boring” for me. I’ve gotten really sick of hearing it in the Chinese restaurant across the street or while I’m waiting on hold, so I was surprised that I actually mildly enjoyed this hour, David Cook notwithstanding.
Although none of the music was what I would call “adventurous,” there were quite a few songs I can genuinely say I like quite a bit. And nothing that made me want to have a screaming fit and throw the radio out the window, although if I hear that David Cook song a couple more times, who knows what might snap (This was the first time I’ve heard it).
Maybe it’s because it’s not the time of year where they play 24-hour-a-day holiday music, which becomes excruciating after a while because so much of it is BAD holiday music. Every American Idol winner or runner up singing “Jingle Bells”! Celine Dion over-emoting her way through the Yuletide songbook! Endless repetitions of “Wonderful Christmastime”! And I swear it starts the day after Election Day.
I could have done without the semi-computerized back-announcements of the songs (it sounded like a real woman trying to sound mechanical rather than an actual computerized voice, and it became really cheesy). But they did identify every song, which is kind of nice in these times when it often seems listeners are supposed to be partially psychic. The DJ had a friendly voice, and it seemed as if she was trying to be friends with the audience — in fact, she invited listeners to become her Facebook friend twice during the hour, and to e-mail, tweet, text, or even old-fashioned call her with requests for the all-request hour that started at noon.
All in all, it could have been a lot worse.
———————
Check out previous Radio Daze reports:
Feel like reporting on your local radio stations? Drop Pete a line if you’re interested.
Two Times One Night: Los Lobos at the Compound Grill
Los Lobos delivered as expected last night at the Compound Grill in Scottsdale. The wife was a great sport, and powered through two full shows with me – an 8pm dinner show and a 11pm late show. Friends Jen and Brian also rocked out all night along with us.
The Compound Grill is a brand-new venue, having been open only a few months now, and it was built with live music (and good food) in mind. The atmosphere was just fantastic – a small club feel, friendly and attentive staff, and a great sound system. The early show was sold out with the max capacity of 200 people, so it felt like the coolest private party I’d ever been to. Eating dinner, putting back a pint or two, with Los Lobos as the house band.
After the first show, most of the folks cleared out, leaving those of us who were in it for the two shows. I was expecting it to fill up again, but the late crowd ended up being probably 80-100 people tops. This only elevated that private party feel. Guitarist Cesar Rojas set the celebratory atmosphere from the very beginning – toasting “Salud!” with a glass of red wine. He toasted “Salud” throughout the night, right up through the last tune of the night as the clock ticked past 1am (“Bertha”).
The highlights were many. The cover tunes included a blistering 1-2 punch of Neil Young’s “Down by the River” into Jimi’s “Are You Experienced?” in the first show (jaw dropping solos by David Hidalgo, Cesar, and Louie Perez); a great cover of Howlin’ Wolf’s “300 Pounds of Joy”; Traffic’s “Dear Mr. Fantasy”; another Jimi cover, “Red House” near the end of the late show; and of course their popular take on the Grateful Dead’s “Bertha”.
Another cool moment: slow dancing with my wife at the foot of the stage, as Lobos played a 50’s doo-wop ballad, “Daddy’s Home”. Dancing slow with the lady, and looking up to see Los Lobos playing five feet away? Priceless.
Of course, Los Lobos has a rich catalog to draw from – and the night featured old and new (full set list below) – including great versions of “Kiko”, “Evangeline”, “I Got Loaded”, and the always raucous “La Bamba”/”Good Lovin'” combo, which whipped the dance floor into a frenzy, and Hidalgo inviting a few young ladies to dance on the stage.
I always get instantly nostalgic after a great live music experience – so tonight feels a little bittersweet. The feeling I get while watching Los Lobos live is one I’d like to carry around with me every day of my life. If you’re one of the many who haven’t seen Los Lobos live, please put it on your bucket list and find out what this feeling is all about…
—-
Cesar threw a few CD’s into the crowd last night. My wife grabbed a hold of one – their latest CD, Los Lobos Goes Disney. We listened today, and the album is a blast. It also contains a slow, beautiful tune called “Not in Nottingham” (from Robin Hood). Check it out…
Buy the MP3 of Not In Nottingham
—
SET LIST
Los Lobos
February 20th, 2010
The Compound Grill, Scottsdale, AZ8pm Show
La Pistola y El Corazon
Saint Behind the Glass
I Wan’na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)
One Time One Night
Happy Birthday – electric
Chuco’s Cumbia
Dream in Blue
Down By The River (Neil Young) >
Are You Experienced? (Jimi Hendrix) >
Kiko and the Lavender Moon
Let’s Say Goodnight
Ay Te Dejo en San Antonio
Soy Mexico Americano
Volver, Volver
Road to Gila Bend
Don’t Worry BabyEncore:
Mas y Mas11pm Show
La La La La La (Blendells)
Evangeline
Luz De Mi Vida
Whiskey Trail
Why Do You Do?
Emily
Wicked Rain
The Neighborhood >
300 Pounds of Joy (Howlin’ Wolf)
Dear Mr. Fantasy (Traffic)
That Train Don’t Stop Here
Daddy’s Home (Shep & the Limelites)
Maricela
Red House (Jimi Hendrix)
I Got Loaded
La Bamba > Good Lovin’ > La Bamba (Ritchie Valens)Encore:
Bertha (Grateful Dead)Los Lobos – Live & Late Night this Saturday in Scottsdale
This is already the perfect time of year here in the Phoenix area – sunny, 75 degrees, and Spring Training about to kick into high gear – but when I got the news earlier this week that Los @#@! Lobos will be in town this Saturday, I about spun around and did the splits James Brown style – and that is not an easy feat.
This Saturday night, Los Lobos will play not one, but two shows at one of the valley’s newer live music venues: The Compound Grill in north Scottsdale. They’re slated for a 8:00 show and a late night, down n’ dirty 11:00 show.
Look, if you’re in Arizona, and especially if you’ve never seen Los Lobos – a national treasure of a band – you need to make your way to the Compound Grill on Saturday night. Do yourself and your friends a favor, and experience a quintessential American band: roots, Tex-Mex, 50’s rock & roll, Latin, Americana, rhythm & blues… there are few things as satisfying as the live Los Lobos experience.
I know this is the ultimate fluff piece, but seriously people, look to the sidebar, Los Lobos are permanently enshrined in the Ickmusic Hall of Fame!
Long Live Los Lobos! And see you Saturday night!
Buy tickets from the Compound Grill Web Site.
2010 McDowell Mountain Music Festival: Lineup Announced (and some changes)
4/20 Update: Win 2 tickets to see Steve Kimock & Crazy Engine on Saturday night.
—–
Since 2004, the McDowell Mountain Music Festival in Scottsdale has been a yearly spring highlight in my desert home, treating music lovers to the likes of Ratdog, the Wailers, Gov’t Mule, the Neville Brothers, Los Lobos, Blues Traveler, and last year – none other than the Flaming Lips. The setting spectacular: north Scottsdale’s WestWorld – a large complex offering camping, RV parking, and an immense field of green grass. Plenty of room to take in the music, or break away for a walk around the grounds to check out the vendors, drum circle, kids area, and most importantly, the beer tents.Well – the festival is back this year, their 2010 lineup announced today. In fact, they’ve even expanded to 3 days. The venue, however, has changed. Instead of Westworld this year, attendees will need to make their way to the northeast corner of 68th St. and Mayo Blvd. This year, an outdoor stage will be erected in the parking lot next to the Compound Grill – a new restaurant and live music venue owned and operated by the same folks who run the festival.
The decision to change venues was based on financial constraints. From the MMMF’s Facebook page:
Our mission has always been to give 100% of the profit back to charity. That mission combined with the current economic situation and a reduction in sponsor contributions has prompted us to change the venue….The founders have prided themselves in donating over $500,000 to family-based charities, never taking a dime for this effort. When last year’s donation came to only $12,000, it was necessary to change strategies.
No one can knock the organizers for working within their means. The economy sucks, and I’m grateful that the festival is even surviving (another local festival – the more mainstream Tempe Music Festival – called it quits this year). But I can’t sugarcoat it – I can’t help but be disappointed at the loss of Westworld as a venue. Westworld offered an ambiance and a loose, laid back charm that a north Scottsdale parking lot will not come close to matching. Last year, for my third year at the festival, I rented a RV and brought the family. We had a great time, and the kids were looking forward to another RV adventure this year.
But – venue disappointment aside – local music festivals need to be supported through good times and bad, and I’ll be there again to support the charities and see some live music. Hopefully enough dough is raised this year to bring the festival back to Westworld in 2011.
So let’s take a look at the lineup…
Grace Potter & the Nocturnals - photo by Adrien Broom There aren’t any acts this year that make me jump up and do the happy dance – but it’s good to see that Grace Potter & the Nocturnals will be returning for a third time, closing the festival on Sunday evening. She never disappoints live. And Trombone Shorty? Good call. Any genuine New Orleans flavor is always welcome – especially in snooty north Snottsdale (I kid my Scottsdalian neighbors). Robert Randolph & the Family Band of course are great live. And I’ve heard good things about Toubab Krewe and Ryan Shaw.
I know nothing of Super Chikan, Ruthie Foster or John Brown’s Body – but it’s fun to explore new stuff. Super Chikan looks cool at a glance.
This year also introduces MMMF’s first “After Hours” shows on Friday and Saturday night – which require a separate ticket for each night. Assembly of Dust is Friday night. I was pretty lukewarm on them when I saw them at last year’s MMMF. But Saturday night, it’s Steve Kimock & Crazy Engine – playing from 11pm to 2am. I’ll be tired – but I’m gonna catch Steve for sure. Steve’s guitar playing is supposed to be pretty bad-ass live. Looking forward to it.
So while the initial emotion for a lot of live music lovers who have attended MMMF in the past is one of disappointment, it’s as important as ever to support the festival and its mission: “to support the community, the arts and the underprivileged.” For what it’s worth, Ickmusic stands behind the McDowell Mountain Music Festival, and hopes it continues on – and thrives – for years to come.
Lord knows we need a good festival out here in the desert.
McDowell Mountain Music Festival
2010 Lineup
TicketsFriday, April 23
5 PM – 6 PM — Ruthie Foster
6:30 PM – 8 PM — Toubab Krewe
8:30 PM – 10:30 PM — John Brown’s Body
**AFTER HOURS SHOW (Separate Ticket)
11 PM – 2:00 AM — Assembly of DustSaturday, April 24
12:30 PM – 1 PM — Local Band TBA
2 PM – 3 PM — Local Band TBA
3:30 PM – 4 PM — Local Band TBA
5 PM – 6 PM… — Ryan Shaw
6:30 PM – 8 PM — Super Chikan
8:30 PM – 10:30– Robert Randolph & The Family Band
**AFTER HOURS SHOW (Separate Ticket)
11 PM – 2:00 AM — Steve Kimmock & Crazy Engine [Win a pair of tickets]Sunday, April 25
Noon – 1:30 PM — Local Band TBA
2 PM – 3:30 PM — Local Band TBA
4 PM – 5:30 PM — Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave.
6 PM – 7:30 PM Grace Potter and the NocturnalsI Must Be In A Good Place Now
I heard this song on The Loft yesterday in quite the perfect setting – driving with my wife and two girls down a road outside of Flagstaff, AZ. It was a picture perfect day – snow on the ground, green pine trees, blue sky, and the snowy San Francisco Peaks in the near distance – and this song by Vetiver came on.
Nice, right? Turns out the song was originally written and performed by Louisiana music legend Bobby Charles (who passed just last month). It was on his self-titled 1972 album produced by The Band’s Rick Danko. Tonight, I listened to Bobby’s version, and was just as moved as Vetiver’s take on it.So much music, so little time…
→ Go to the Amazon MP3 Store and buy the Vetiver Version and/or the Bobby Charles Version.Visit: Vetiver’s Official Site / NOLA.com’s tribute to Bobby Charles
The Soul Train Documentary on VH-1
For those of you who haven’t seen it yet, be sure to set your DVR for the next airing of VH-1’s Soul Train: The Hippest Trip In America. Yes, buried amongst VH-1’s vapid, putrid pile of reality shows is actually a quality 90 minute documentary about the late great Soul Train – a show that lasted 36 years (the longest running syndicated show in TV history). It was interesting to learn the full story behind the show, and the groundbreaking genius of Don Cornelius – who owned and produced the show from its inception in 1970 – when it was broadcast locally in Chicago – all the way to its finale in 2006.
It goes without saying how influential and groundbreaking the show was – providing an outlet for Black American performers, dancers, and their viewers at home. Even the first TV commercials ever targeted to an African American audience appeared on Soul Train. It only took a couple of years for the show to become a smash, even spawning a Dick Clark-produced “Soul Unlimited”, which Cornelius quickly snuffed out. Its crossover appeal touched me personally too. In the early-mid 80’s when Prince’s music took me by storm, and I immersed myself in popular black music, I spent hours watching Soul Train – and forming adolescent fantasies around some of those dancers. Yow!
My only complaint about the special was its short running time (90 minutes – 60 if you’re DVR’ing thru the commercials). It didn’t leave a lot of time to focus on the legendary performances (James Brown, Aretha, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and on and on …). The clips were abbreviated, and left you wanting more. My favorite clip of the doc was this Al Green performance of “Here I Am (Come and Take Me)”. The first thing I did afterward was march to the Mac and find the full performance…
Next broadcasts of the documentary are:
- Saturday, Feb. 13th – 12:30am ET/PT
- Friday, March 5th – 12am ET/PT
Ick’s Radio Daze: SiriusXM’s The Loft
Station: The Loft (Sirius Ch. 29)
Format: Contemporary Eclectic
Type: Satellite (SiriusXM)
Slogan: Singers, Songwriters, and Beyond
Date / Time: Feb. 9th, 2010 / 8:30-9:30pm MST
Commercials: 0
Hot Chick on Home Page of Web Site? Nope. ‘Tis all about the music. When the closest thing to a hot chick is Rosanne Cash, you know it’s all about the music.
DJ: Franny Thomas
Favorite Song: “You Took My Breath Away” – Traveling WilburysLeast Favorite Song: Ain’t pickin’ one – warn’t a bad song in the bunch.
Song List:
The Swell Season – “Two Tongues”
Radiohead – “Fake Plastic Trees” (acoustic)
King Crimson – “Cadence and Cascade”
Tom Waits – “Way Down In The Hole” (live)
The Duhks – “It’s Alright Ma, I’m Only Bleeding”
Jay Farrar & Ben Gibbard – “California Zephyr”
Led Zeppelin – “Going to California” (live)
David Vandervelde – “California Breezes”
Traveling Wilburys – “You Took My Breath Away”
John Hiatt – “Feels Like Rain”
Lyle Lovett – “Natural Forces”
Allison Moorer – “The Broken Girl”
Ryan Adams & the Cardinals – “Fix It”
The Devlins – “Don’t Let It Break Your Heart”
The Waterboys – “I Will Not Follow”Comments: We’re a few weeks into this column, and it’s high time I treated myself. So this week, I chose my very favorite radio station at the moment: Sirius-XM’s The Loft. It’s channel 29 on my Sirius dial, and it constantly and consistently delivers amazing music to these ears.
It’s one place I can rely on hearing some of my favorite artists and tunes, while introducing me to fresh, new music. And “new” can mean a tune that’s been out for years and years.
Case in point this hour: King Crimson’s “Cadence and Cascade”, a great song that’s as old as I am (1970), from King Crimson’s second album, In The Wake Of Poseidon – and a song that I don’t recall ever hearing. I’ll quote “roflcopter100ify”, the most recent commenter on the YouTube page: “It’s beautiful. I have no idea what it means.” It may sound like an early Spinal Tap outtake (along with “Listen to the Flower People”), but hey, it relaxes me. The flute reminds me of 70’s Bruce Cockburn too, another thing I find relaxing.
The hour had a handful of other tunes I’d never heard: most notably “Two Tongues” by the Swell Season, and “California Breezes” by David Vandervelde. I’ll be tracking these down.
And what a playlist this hour… The Wilburys’ “You Took My Breath Away”, one of my favorite Tom Petty-sung tunes ever; Hiatt’s version of “Feels Like Rain” (bliss); killer live versions of “Going to California” and “Way Down In The Hole”; an acoustic “Fake Plastic Trees”; brand new ones from Allison Moorer and Lyle Lovett, Jay Farrar & Ben Gibbard. And to wrap up the hour? The friggin’ Waterboys!!
There wasn’t a single moment in the hour that I ever felt let down or even slightly disappointed in the music selection. Clearly they’ve tapped into their demographic with me. I mean, this is a radio station that makes me excited about music, past & present. Is there a single terrestrial radio station in the land that can geek me out as much as The Loft? Nope.
Adding to the appeal is the benefit of satellite radio: no commercials on their music stations. Hearing an hour of music interrupted only a couple of times by a pleasant DJ (Franny Thomas) who’s as relaxed and into the music as I am – dang it, it’s just a treat.
I feel good. Refreshed. Thanks Loft.
— See all Radio Daze posts here. —
