Thursday, August 06, 2009

Primitive Sound System at D.C.'s Tavern - Thurs Aug 6th from 9PM - 2AM

Hello Y'all,
It has been a great summer this year. We spent time in Hawaii with family and attended a wedding on a beach. We climbed to the summit of a volcano and swam under a waterfall. We went down to Raceway Park to the NJ Motor Speedway and watched some classic cars make their way down the 1/8 mile track, took a look under some hoods and listened to live music. It has also been one of the best summers ever for diggin' the crates around and finding those hidden gems. I have come across stacks of Latin records, electric blues LP's I have been looking for, for a long time and of course, the odd and overlooked record boxes and boxes of 7-inches. So I am bringing them all to D.C.'s this Thursday where I'll be flying solo for five hours. As always Larry "The Hunter" will be processing your orders and depositing your money. Be kind and rewind. See you there.

- pat.

Primitive Sound System
VINYL RULES!
"Audio Visual Triumphs and Disasters" - http://primitivesoundsystem.blogspot.com

Primitive Sound System
Thursday August 6th 9PM to Closing
D.C.'s Tavern
505 8th Street
Between Jefferson and Madison
BACK IN BACK
Hoboken, New Jersey
PH: 201-792-5550
http://www.dcstavern.com
http://myspace.com/dcstavern

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Also on the schedule: August 14th, 2009
THE FORTY FIVE SESSIONS
An all 45 RPM vinyl event.

Deep Funk and Raw Soul spun by:
DJ Prestige
Jack The Ripper
Larry Grogan (funky16corners.com)
Prime-Mundo
M.Fasis
DJ Bluwater

Special guest Selector
Primitive Sound System (a.k.a. Pat. James Longo)

The Asbury Lanes
08.14.09 at 9PM $5
(18+ 21+ w/ID to drink)

Just a few of the records that will be making the trip:
The Combinations - "Bump Ball! (RCA Victor cat. 47-9482) Plug Side (No For Sale))
Busey's Soul Blenders - "Soul Power (Part 1)" (Busey's cat. 2485)
Willie Baker - "Hey, Baby" (Excello cat. 2312 (Not For Sale))
Dotti Wright - "Eclipse Of A Lover" (F-M Records cat. 471)
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Just four of the many great records I have picked up this summer...

Los Straightjackets - "Smells Like Teen Spirit" b/w Southern Culture On The Skids - "Come As You Are / Lucifer Sam" (Spinout Records cat. SPIN 019)
This seems like a very hard concept for some people to understand but sometimes when a band is very, very popular it doesn't mean they are great or even good. It definitely doesn't mean they are truly influential. All you have to do is taste a McDonald's Hamburger and then taste one grilled on your own Weber kettle in your backyard and this concept becomes more clearly defined. You have probably served far less burgers from your Weber than McDonald's has stuffed in Ronald's sack; but it would be very easy to guess the winner of this taste contest. I don't think I would be talking out of school to say you have NOT influenced the eating habits of millions nor is anyone singing your theme song (sometimes spontaneously... ba da ba da da... I'm lovin it!). But your delicious fresh from the grill burger is like foie gras to their shit sandwich. McDonald's is incredibly popular and have influenced generations with their culture as well as their food but, are they great? Are they truly influential or just omnipresent?
Nirvana were an amazing band. Their short career seemed to burn out before it really got started but like Jim Morrison it may be better to burn out than just fade away. Who knows what the future held for Nirvana. Whether they were truly influential or just extremely popular even when it seemed they were unlikely so. Who would have thought so many people could be attracted to music that was by no means Pop Music. Of course once something is popular it is by definition Pop Music and this genre shift may have been one of the many, many things Mr. Cobain could never resolve with himself. Regardless, they left behind a catalog of great music for the world to listen to as well as play. Luckily I have stumbled upon a few cover versions that show what a broad audience was listening to what Nirvana were doing. Favorite amongst these covers is the Bad Plus version of "Smells Like Teen Spirit." But Nirvana has been covered by artists as diverse as Caetano Veloso and Steve Earle to Punk bands of questionable credibility who always end up sounding like a local bar cover band and will all remain nameless. Recently I had the pleasure of seeing Los Straightjackets live at The Motor Speedway in Raceway Park down in Englishtown, New Jersey. There are a few bands that I think can never match their live performance with a studio one and unfortunately Los Straightjackets are one of them. This is by no means a slight. Actually, it is the highest praise possible. I never thought Yo La Tengo were ever able to capture what they do on stage in a studio either and the are easily one of the best bands of our time. Not being able to capture their talents in the studio means that unless you have seen them live you have never really heard what these bands sound like. Los Straightjackets were selling a few items at the show and one of which was a split 7-inch of Nirvana covers they did with Southern Culture On The Skids. Southern Culture combine "Come As You Are" with Pink Floyd's "Lucifer Sam." Wisely they take the wordless route and the result is quite entertaining. But, it is the endlessly energetic Lost Straightjackets that we have come to praise tonight. They rip into the flesh of "Teen..." and don't let go. They pound out the intro like a primitive tribe happening upon electric instruments in a cave. Suddenly this tribal thunder explodes into the perfect playing and performance that only Los Straightjackets are capable of. Like a finely choreographed dance, not one note or beat is wasted or out of step. What makes a cover version great is that the original is still recognizable beneath the personality and sound of the band paying you tribute. Los Straightjackets play the song pretty true to its original but after several listens it begins to sound like Nirvana was covering a Los Straightjackets song.

Batman and Robin - "My Hero Power Is My Mustache," "Wonder What To Do? UH! I Have The BAT-BELT!" b/w "Be My Little Cat!" "Unable To Speak After Drinking UH! Whiskey!" (Bachelor cat. BR-27 June 2009)
It sometimes has to be repeated but it is really true, less is more. Batman and Robin have perfected this. Wreck your equipment, write lyrics about drinking, fighting, fucking and saving the world and, oh yeah, throw in as many UH!s as you possibly can. More so than their past releases this record gets to the heart of what really makes Batman tick. He reveals to Robin that his hero power is actually his mustache. And what power this magnificent, furry, bastard must hold because Batman with his trusty ward at his side (or to his rear) is tirelessly driven to produce the finest Rock any Garage has ever had to offer. His lyrics may be repetitive but that is just to hypnotize you. Swirling clouds of feedback and explosive drums will render you unconscious before you are led away to the police station to be booked and tried for just not being able to keep up. In, "Wonder What To Do? UH! I Have The BAT-BELT!" Batman calms Robin's fears with the assurance that they can get out of any situation, no matter how sticky, with the aid of his Bat-Belt. This is no ordinary accessory. This belt doesn't have to match the socks it just has to be AWESOME! UH! The Bat-Belt puts MacGyver to shame. "You wonder what to do? It's the Bat-Belt for you!" Is there anything more satifying than a successful day doing what you love to do? Well, maybe one thing. Gotham City is a small place and it would seem the ladies are in short supply. There is either Bat-Girl or Cat-Woman. Hey, at least that is one more than the creepy Smurfs. Batman is willing to say "Hey, work is work but sometimes you just gotta play." Leaving is ward at home, Batman makes his way over to proposition Gotham's finest feline. "Be My Little Cat!" We don't hear much from Cat Woman but her silence speaks volumes. It would seem these creatures of the night make with the nocturnal party for two. UH! I never thought it was possible, but the MIGHTY Batman and Robin - UH! have actually out done themselves. "Who The Fuck is Superman?!," was Punk Rock, Garage Rock and Noise perfection. They hammered harder than any other band and no one gets "it" better than the dynamic duo. So, as the needle slid through the vomit and bile between tracks I suddenly found myself face to puke breath face with a masterpiece of epic proportions. Our story began as the older and wiser Batman reveals his secret of his very existence and the source of his awesome... UH! power. Then, we are treated to a display of his power with the assistance of his trusted Robin and his all important Bat-Belt. A full day of crime fighting means early to bed for those under eighteen but Batman and Cat Woman get down and dirty, mixing species, and push past dawn making the alleys safe for no one. Our saga comes full circle. There is always Ying and Yang, Good and Evil and Lenny and Squiggy. So to it is with our tortured hero / villain. With highs there must be lows. Batman drowns his conflict in UH! whisky! Crippled by its effects he can no longer speak and therefore no longer reveal more secrets and passions. Sober up dark (k)night, there are plenty more bars to invade and stages to storm. UH!

The Soul Investigators plays... "Brown Sauce" b/w "Yum-Yum" (Timmion Records cat. 017) and Downtown b/w "The Soul Investigators Theme" (Mitwit Records cat. Mit-Wit # 001)
For well over ten years I have been awed by the output of Timmion Records. I have hawked their singles like my life depended on it. It wasn't to make a buck but to turn people onto great music. I have even palled around with them as we hit up some of my favorite record shops in NYC. They are great guys and the music they make can only be described as real. Some people are put off but modern Soul and Funk bands but the genuine article is hard to pass up. When idiots say, "ole skool," it turns my stomach. But these guys have sounded genuinely old (think "67 - "72) as well as completely current right from their first record. So why did it take them this long to come up with a theme song? If you are going to write a theme song it should work as a movie soundtrack as well as spilling out of the PA in a smoky lounge. You know, where the music takes a back seat to the characters but the characters just wouldn't be the same without the music. The Soul Investigators may have taken ten years to settle on a theme but that is nothing compared to the timelessness of the sounds they have chosen. Immediately noticeable is the addition of vibes and what a brilliant choice it is. If you are going to slow the pace down nothing sounds better than the mellow tones of the vibes ringing out. The bass and drums are out front and they are giving it all they got even at this medium tempo. The sound is rounded out but some incredibly thoughtful guitar, rolling congas and beautiful laid back piano that is equal parts attitude and soul. This track did originally appear on the outstanding Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators LP Keep Reachin' Up but it is great to have it on a 45. Same is true for the funky as hell "Downtown" but on the LP version (titled "Blues Downtown") is an extended vocal cut with the first half of the instrumental as the intro and the second half as the outro. The pace is slow and the atmosphere is very moody. Again the drums lead the pack as they sneak around the seedier sides of Downtown. This is also suitable to be a theme song but for a decidedly different film. Deceitful low lifes stabbing each other in the back, lying and cheating until no one can be trusted. Distorted realities ending in senseless murders. This time the dirty rat didn't do it, it was... The Investigators!

The Link Quartet - "Fast Cars & Sexy Girls" b/w "Drummore" (Hammond Beat cat. HB7)
The Link Quartet are one of those completely professional sounding bands that make you so jealous because they don't sound uptight or rehearsed. They have a loose, natural sound when they play but every song sounds so accomplished. "Fast Girls and Sexy Cars" is a real groover and a testament to this. I can picture crowds of people just gettin' down and jumping for joy. The organ burns from start to finish and the drums lay one of the swingingest and funky beats ever. The guitar jumps out with a blistering run that never steps on any toes or changes the momentum of the dance floor. Not to be showed up, the organ kills, kills kills with one of the most aggressive and soulful solos ever. Pounding beats, swinging grooves, fast cars, and sexy girls, is there really anything else that needs to be said? Don't think you have time to relax, because you don't. Flip this bad boy over and and prepared to be pummeled into submission. "Durmmore" reminds me of classic "Axe" driven, Rock / Funk classics from groups like Spaghetti Head. The beat is constant and hammering but the guitar is also a force to reckoned with. Whether it is accenting the beat or spewing buckets of fuzz and distortion in your face it is always heavy as hell and FUNKY for days. Oh, did I mention that there is other percussion and organ as well?

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The following were purchased after Memorial Day. This isn't even all of the incredible records I have come across this summer. Let's just say it has been very, very good for this crate digger...

Purchased off the street for a total of $16:
Joe Quijano And His Orchestra - Joe Quijano Shing-a-Ling (Cesta Records cat. CE-3000
Ismael Miranda Y Su Orq. "Revelacion" - A Si Se Compone Un Son (Fania cat. SLP00437)
Sonora Poncena - s/t (Inca Records cat. SLP 1033)
Monguito "El Unico" Y Su Conjunto - Escuchame / Listen To Me (Fania cat. SLP 398)
Orchestra Flamboyan - Los Coquetones (Cotique cat. C-1043 (Mono))
Lebron Brothers - Salsa y Control (Cotique cat. CS 1049)
Lebron Brothers - Picadillo a la Crolla (Cotique cat. CS 1055)
Frank Morales and his Orchestra Capri (Salsa Records cat. SLP 2009)
Orquesta Flamboyan - Different Directions (Cotique cat. C/CS 1052)
Lou Perez and his Orchestra - Of Latin Extraction / ... De Extraccion Latina
La Protesta with Tony Pabon - On The Right Track (Rico Records cat. RLP-710)

Each of the following LPs were purchased for $1 or Less: Da Dolla' Rekkids:
The Supremes - A' Go Go (Motown cat. 649)
Mountain - Climbing (Windfall cat. windfall 4501)
Rare Earth - Get Ready (Rare Earth cat. RS 507)
Three Dog Night - Suitable For Framing (Dunhill / ABC Records cat. DS 50058)
Big Star - Big Star's 3RD; Sister Lovers (JEM Records / PVC cat. PVC 8933)
Big Star - The September Gurls EP (Line Records cat. LIEP 3.00008 E)
Jerry Blavat presents a Groove Spectacular with 20 More Oldies by the Paragons and the Jesters (scattered platter chatter by "The Geater With The Heator" (Lost Nite cat. LP-104)
A Happening at Cinelli's Arranged by Hank Juray / Conducted by Norman Yablon (Cougar Records cat. ST 1000)
Louis & Keely - The Hits of... (Capitol Records / The Star Line cat. T 1531)
Faron Young - Sweethearts or Strangers (Capitol Records cat. T 778)
The Louvin Brothers - Sing The Great Roy Acuff Songs (Capitol Records cat. T 2827)
Bobbie Gentry and Glen Campbell - s/t (Capitol Records cat. ST 2928)
2 Copies - Different Strokes (Various Artist Compilation) (Columbia cat. AS 12)
Commemorative Record of Apollo 11 Flight "First Man On The Moon" July 1969 Narrated by Hugh Downs (MGM Records cat. PX-101 (pic sleeve))
Donovan - "Wear Your Love Like Heaven" c/w "Oh Gosh" (Epic cat. 5-10253 (pic sleeve))

Each of the following LPs were purchased for under $5:
Muddy Waters - I'm Ready (Blue Sky / CBS Records cat. JZ 34928)
The Romantics - s/t (Nemperor Records cat. AL 36273)
The Kings - Are Here (Elektra cat. 6E-274)
Frank Sinatra - This Is Sinatra (Capitol Records cat. T768)

The following LPs were purchased for under $10:
Lowell Fulsom - "No Hard Feelings" and "Pico" from Tramp (United Superior Records and Tapes cat. US-7741 (stereo))

Each of the following LPs were purchased for under $20:
Albert Collins - Love Can Be Found Anywhere Even In A Guitar (Imperial Records cat. LP12428)
The Johnny Otis Show - Cuttin' Up (Epic Records cat. BN 26524)
Ike & Tina Turner - The Hunter (Blue Thumb cat. BTS11 (Promo Not For Sale (wht lbl))
Kinks - Kinkdom (Reprise cat. 6184 (Mono))
Don Covay & The Jefferson Lemon Blues Band - The House of Blue Lights (Atlantic cat. SD 8237)
Johnny Otis Show (Featuring Mighty Mouth Evans & Shuggie Otis) - Cold Shot! (Kent Records cat. KST 534)

NEW RECORDS:
45s:
Binky Griptite - "The Stroll" b/w "The Stroll Pt. 2" (Daptone Records cat. DAP-1043)
The Perceptions - "Running The Risk" featuring Fred Wesley b/w "Loopy Doopy (45 Version) (Freestyle cat. FSR 7054)
Ray Camacho & The Teardrops "Si Si Puede" b/w "Si Si Puede - Lack of Afro Remix" (Freestyle cat. FSR 7053)
Chynna Blue and the Radek Azul Band - "Work It" b/w "Work It (Instrumental)" (Q (something?) cat. QS7001)

LPs:
Menahan Street Band - Make The Road Walking (Dunham cat. 1000)
The City Champs - Safe Cracker (Electraphonic Recording cat. ER 103)
Mr. Chop - Lightworks (Now Again / Stones Throw / Fatbeats cat. NA 5040)
Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens - What Have You Done, My Brother? (Daptone Records cat. DAP-016 Mono)