I don’t love Tom Waits, per se. I love an era of Tom Waits’ career. I love from Rain Dogsthrough Bone Machine. This particular swath of Tom’s career really speaks to the addict in me. The Irish. This song is from Bone Machine.
One look in his eye, and everyone denies ever having met him.
This song is pure Storyteller mythology. Tom is a pure genius. I will say that. I don’t like his barfly music of the 70’s, nor his clip/clip megaphone noise of latter day material, but that’s my problem, not his. Tom Waits is the hood ornament of the pink Caddy that Elvis drove out of Hell on Halloween night. You don’t have to like his voice. Listen to the flow of words, the rhythm, the cadence. Listen to the goddamn words themselves. He tells a story without once revealing who the subject is. Those wings of which he speaks… are they feathery or leathery?
Rockabilly week was a huge success. I actually have traffic. People read this blog. As a thank you to the fine folks at Planet Zeppelin for the clicks (I joined your board, but I am awaiting moderation), I give you locats.
Also, oddly enough, Harvey Korman’s passing coincided with my posting of a clip from History of the World Part 1, featuring the late Mr. Korman. I’m sorry he died. He was hilarious.
Ok, so we’ll see who I mark for death next, in the Youdopia Premonition Laughorama. Stay tuned.
This is from (I think) 2001, and features Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and the late, and legendary Ahmet Ertegun (whose memorial concert featured the reunion of Led Zeppelin) performing My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It. It was for the album, A Tribute To Sun Records. Ahmet produced this track, as he produced the Honeydrippers album 25 years ago. Enjoy.
I loved this movie when it came out. It makes me laugh still. This scene, although a bit long, is truly hilarious in places. This is part of Mel Brooks’ History of the World Part 1. This is the last funny movie Mel Brooks made. That’s right, Spaceballs isn’t funny. Sorry. Anyhoo, this little scene, which takes place on the cusp of the French Revolution, features Mel Brooks in dual roles as Louis XVI, and the humble garcon du pis. Harvey Korman is the amazingly vile and mincing Count DeMoney (De Mo-NAY). Good stuff. You’ve got your, “It’s good to be the king.”, “Everything’s so green!”, the legendary exchange:
De Money: “It is said, your Majesty, that your people are revolting.”
The King: “You said it. They stink on ice!”
But nothing matches the sublime timing, and vitriol of “Your Majesty, You look like the Piss Boy!”
It’s 6:40 in, for those vile worms too “busy” for the darshan of Jewish Humor (which I call Jumor).
Enjoy.
I don’t know why, but I’m on a rockabilly kick. It started with the Robert Plant and Alison Krauss business, jumped to Neil Young, and now it’s Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. This show was neat, in that it was a strictly rockabilly set, even though they did play Heart In Your Hand, that’s a lonesome reverb song as well. Good stuff for the rockabilly fans. The boys stay true, and really play the style. I like Jimmy’s little riffs. This is the music he cut his teeth on.
I remember this from the good old video days of MTV. If I recall correctly, the director/editor cut out every fifth frame (or something) to give the video that herky jerky look. I don’t know whose idea it was to make Neil look like a transient. Probably his. Great song. Great mono mix. Great video. Tap them toes. It ain’t armegeddon yet.
I like it. I also like the fact that they’re switching up the playlist as the tour goes on. I can’t say that I love it, stylistically, but damn, it is nice to see some innovation and originality. I do like the celtic/bluegrass sound, and… Robert Plant is sounding great. Yay.
This six minutes changed my life when it aired in 1985 (I think). I was a high school kid, just discovered Hunter Thompson, and Led Zeppelin. This is still hilarious. What got me back then, was the taboo aspect. The intensity, the misogyny, the heresy, the drug humor, and (underneath it all) the outrage. Licking the alphabet, solving world hunger, drugs, Jesus’ resurrection occurs so as not to piss off his wife, “And where have you been, for three days, with those losers…. Mr. Winemaker? “
To which Jesus replies, (under his breath…”Boy… I don’t need this. Not with what I just went through.”) “Well, honey. Not that it ruined your weekend at all, but I was DEAD! ”
Good stuff. this clip below is an audio recording of his take on the Jim Bakker PTL Club scandal. Having watched my grandparents give their life savings to this fucker, I find it all the sweeter.
A friend of mine, who shall remain nameless, although angelic… was supposed to go to Florida for a really fun time. But.. her boyfriend’s lungfish got sick, and they had to give the lungfish a barium enema. It was spendy, so she couldn’t go on her trip. She did, however, enjoy the local Bug Fair. Yup. Guess how happy she was?
Alison Kraus has the purest voice I’ve heard. This collaboration is genius. This song could be on The Black Rider (Tom Waits). Kudos to Robert Plant for embracing the joyous constraints of discipline required by bluegrass. This album is not full of effects and overdubs. Alison and Robert shared one mic, so …. you had to bring it. This song is beautiful, and reflects a sycretism of Alison’s purity (of music) and Robert’s breadth of experience. It’s 70/30 Alison/Robert and I think that’s wonderful. Enjoy.
