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Let's hear it for the ladies!
This week, female artists dominate our playlist. All the songs here are from the 1960's and up, with most still active on the music scene. Lot's of rockin' here, so let's get goin'.
1. Breathless - X
X was founded by bassist John Doe and guitarist Billy Zoom in Los Angeles in 1977. Doe had played with bar bands in his native Baltimore and became interested in punk after hearing Patti Smith. Zoom had backed rockabilly legend Gene Vincent at the end of Vincent's career, but had learned to love punk after hearing the Ramones. Exene Cervenka, from Tampa, Florida, moved to LA and met Doe in a poetry workshop. The drummer, D.J. Bonebrake joined the band in 1978. In the years since, Dave Alvin (of the Blasters) and Tony Gilkyson (of Lone Justice) were recruited after Zoom left the band. In 1998, Zoom rejoined the group and they have played together off and on since.
2. Pumping (My Heart) - The Patti Smith Group
Patricia Lee Smith was born on December 30th, 1946 (Happy Birthday, Patti!) in Chicago, Illinois. She has become known as the "poet laureate" and the "godmother" of punk music, and rightfully so. Smith fused poetry and music to create albums such as "Horses", "Radio Ethiopia" and "Easter" among others. Smith was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and was named a Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture. Smith continues to tour and perform.
3. If I'm in Luck, I Might Get Picked Up - Betty Davis
Betty Davis was born on July 26th, 1945 in Durham, North Carolina. Davis was not only an accomplished singer, but also did modeling work for publications such as Ebony and Glamour. Davis circle of friends included such greats as Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone. She was married to jazz great Miles Davis for one year, and in that year Betty helped influence Miles through her musical friendships (Miles and Jimi were set to record together until Hendrix's death), so much so that he began experiments in fusion that led to the landmark Bitches Brew album. Despite their divorce, Betty and Miles (who explained in his autobiography that she was "too young and wild" for him; quite a statement from Miles Davis) continued to remain friends. Betty stopped making music after 1979 and moved to Pennsylvania.
4. I've Been Working On You - The Feminine Complex
The story of the Feminine Complex is, well, complex. Shrouded in an aura of mystery, what I can find out is that they were formed in the mid-'60's at Maplewood High School in Nashville, Tennessee. The band consisted of Mindy Dalton on guitar and vocals, Judi Griffith on tambourine and vocals, Lana Napier on drums, Pame Stephens on keyboards and Jean Williams on bass. After playing many gigs, including a summer of regular appearances at the Nashville youth hangout, Skateland, the Feminine Complex recorded the album Livin' Love and then, soon after, broke up. The album has gone on to become a cult favorite (as you might be able to tell by the above selection...awesome stuff). In 1997, a "supposed" compilation surfaced, leading to rumors that the band was not real at all, but a hoax perpetrated by "latter day pranksters". I don't know what's real and what's not, but I dig 'em.
5. Evil Thing - Thee Headcoatees
Thee Headcoatees are one of the many bands created by Billy Childish. This version of his "girl group" introduced the world to the great Holly Golightly (who has been featured on the White Stripes song "It's True that We Love One Another" from the album Elephant). Thee Headcoatees, with Golightly, former Del Mona Ludella Black, along with Debbie Greens and Kyra LaRubia, would open Childish's Headcoat shows until 1999.
6. Baby, It's You - Smith
I had never even heard of this band until I saw the great Tarantino film Death Proof. What a song and what a movie. Smith formed in 1969 with Gayle McCormick as the female lead. Smith recorded mostly cover songs, achieving fame with their version of "The Weight" on the Easy Rider soundtrack. Their version of this song, a Bacharach/Dixon tune first made famous by the Shirelles, went to #5 on the Billboard charts.
7. Going Down - Allison Moorer
Allison Moorer was born June 21st, 1972 in Frankville, Alabama. After a family tragedy (see note #18), Moorer went to the University of South Alabama and then on to Nashville to persue a musical career. Moorer has had many releases, including many songs on movie soundtracks. In 2009, she performed in The People Speak, a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans, based on historian Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States”. She is currently married to the great Steve Earle and has collaborated with him on his album, Washington Square Serenade.
8. Call - The Blacks
The Blacks, from Chicago, Illinois, are one of the great bands that have came from Bloodshot Records. Consisting of guitarist Danny Black, bassist Gina Black, guitarist Nora O'Connor and drummer James Emmenegger, the band broke up after Danny and Gina did the same, but have recently been getting back together to play one-off gigs in the Windy City. I have a goal in life of making to one of these shows. Recently, the band released a digital only EP, that can be found on the Bloodshot Records website.
9. I've Got Everything I Need - The Del Monas
The Del Monas were Billy Childish's first iteration of a "girl group". The Del Monas began as a backing vocals group for Thee Milkshakes and continued until the formation of Thee Headcoatees.
10. Daddy Was a Preacher, Mama Was a Go-Go Girl - Southern Culture on the Skids
Southern Culture on the Skids, formed in 1985 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, play a great mix of rockabilly, surf, garage, country, blues to a devoted following of fans. SCOTS (as they are known), consists of guitar master Rick Miller, bassist Mary Huff and drummer Dave Hartman. Occasionally, they are graced with the presence of multi-instrumentalist Chris "Cousin Crispy" Bess. Our selection for this list is a cover of a Jo Anna Neel country tune. Folks out in my part of the prairie will be graced with a visit from SCOTS in June (at the Hoogeland). Buy tickets as soon as possible!!!!
11. Shout, Bamalama - The Detroit Cobras
My good friend, the Captain, turned me on to the Detroit Cobras. The core of the Cobras consist of Rachel Nagy and Mary Ramirez, who mine their record collections for tunes to play and record. The Cobras recently played with our first band (X) on a tour in 2008.
12. Whip the Blankets - Neko Case
Neko Case was born in Alexandria, Virginia on September 8th, 1970. Case has played in a variety of musical outfits, including the punk band Cub and the great New Pornographers. Her solo work has seen her swing from a sort-of traditional country sound to more experimental works. Never failing to disappoint, Case continues her solo work, releasing Middle Cyclone in 2009.
13. Drinkin' in My Sunday Dress - Maria McKee
Maria McKee is the half-sister of Bryan McLean, formerly of the band Love. She began performing with her late half-brother in a duo around Los Angeles in her teens. It was while she was performing with McLean's former bandmate, Arthur Lee, at the Whiskey-a-Go-Go, that she was noticed by the members of our next band, who asked her to join.
14. Cottonbelt - Lone Justice
Lone Justice was one of the first bands I loved. They played a neo-rockabilly/country style infused with punk with the added bonus of that wonderful voice of Maria McKee. Despite gaining the support of musicians such as Linda Ronstadt and U2, along with admiration from the great Bob Dylan, Lone Justice never caught on during the vapid, empty-calorie years of Ronald Reagan. It's just a shame.
15. Down the Line - The Damnations TX
Sisters Amy Boone and Deborah Kelly moved to Austin, Texas from the Adirondacks when they realized they wanted more out of their musical life than the KISS and Foghat records their local radio station played. Renting out a dive apartment located behind the legendary Antone's, the duo began by playing acoustic open mic nights around Austin. Soon, they added a drummer (the Gourds' Keith Langford) and recorded their first album, Half Mad Moon, from which this track comes from.
16. Wilderness - Trailer Bride
Trailer Bride, another of the great Bloodshot artists, were from Chapel Hill, North Carolina and consisted of Melissa Swingle on guitar/saw, upright bassist Daryl White, drummer Brad Goolsby and lead guitarist Bryon Settle. After recording 5 albums, the band broke up. Swingle currently is in the band the Moaners, whose albums have been produced by Rick Miller (of SCOTS) and Jimbo Mathus (of the Squirrel Nut Zippers and other great bands)
17. Hands Off - Courtney & Western
I can't find out a whole lot about this band. What I did find is that the "Courtney" of Courtney & Western is a New York based singer/songwriter named Courtney Lee Adams. Her website is down, but she does have a MySpace page which was updated in October of this year. I got this off a compilation called "Rig Rock Jukebox"
18. 10 Rocks - Shelby Lynne
Shelby Lynne Moorer was born in Quantico, Virginia, but was raised in Frankville, Alabama. She and her sister, Allison (see note #7) came from a musical, but troubled, family. When she was 17, her father shot and killed her mother and then himself, with some accounts saying the sisters witnessed the tragedy. Afterwards, Lynne and her sister both eventually ended up in Nashville, with Shelby landing a contract with Epic Records. Marketing her as a "traditional" singer, success eluded Shelby until, after moving to Palm Springs, California and working with legendary producer/songwriter Bill Bottrell, she released I Am Shelby Lynne in 2000. She was awarded the "Best New Artist" Grammy at the 2001 Awards, commenting that it only took "thirteen years and six albums to get here". The "Grammy curse" hit with the follow-up, titled Love, Shelby, which, (in my humble opinion) was....how should I put this gently....less than stellar. After that, she released two great albums, Identity Crisis and Suit Yourself. Recently, she completed a Dusty Springfield tribute and started her own label, releasing Tears, Lies and Alibis this past year. Lynne is also an actress, playing Johnny Cash's mother in the film Walk the Line.
19. We're All Gonna Die Someday - Kasey Chambers
Australian singer/songwriter Kasey Chambers comes from a musical family. Her parents, Bill and Diane, interrupted their musical careers to raise their family in the outback, specifically the Nullarbor Plain in southern Australia, located on the Great Australian Bight coast with the Great Victoria Desert to its north. In 1986, the family returned to "civilization" and began the Dead Ringer Band, with Kasey as lead vocalist. Soon, Kasey began a solo career, including as a supporting act for Lucinda Williams and Emmylou Harris on both of their respective tours.
20. I Raise Hell - The Squirrel Nut Zippers
The Squirrel Nut Zippers, formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, play blues, jazz, folk, swing, and all things in between. Consisting of Jimbo Mathus, Katharine Whalen, Chris Phillips, Stu Cole, Je Widenhouse, Will Dawson, Tim Kendt and Laura McIndoe in it's current format, the Zippers have also included other great musicians, such as Tom Maxwell, Ken Mosher, Don Raleigh, Stacy Guess and Andrew Bird among others. A wonderful collective of musicians, the Zippers, after a brief hiatus are back on the scene recording and touring. Of note, both Mathus and Whalen have other side projects, with Whalen fronting the Jazz Squad and performing solo and Mathus leading Knockdown South (formerly the Knockdown Society) and producing albums by Buddy Guy, among others (see note #16).
Betty Davis. YEAH.
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