S
UND
N o v e m b er ’ 9 2
.2
, No
“O
HHHH, YOU DON’T
know the shape I’m
in,” Levon Helm was
wailing plaintively over the P.A. as
the lights came up at Off Broadway, a St. Louis nightclub. The DJ’s
choice of that particular Band
number couldn’t have been more
relevant. Four days on the road
with the Tom Russell Band were
coming to a close, leaving me
fatigued and exhilarated at the
same time.
The show had run late, and The Tom Russel
l Band
the management was doing its Ramus (bass), Fats K , standin’ on the corner
: Barry
aplin (accordi
ha
rmonica, an
on, pe
best to herd patrons out the
Mike Warner d more), Tom Russell (gui dal steel,
(drum
tar, vo
door. As the crowd congratulat- (guita
r, harmony vos, backing vocals), Andre cals),
w Hardin
cals).
ing the band dispersed, S
staff cartoonist Dug joined me in approaching Tom, and in our best Wayne and up a request for an interview left on his toll
Garth imitation, simultaneously kowtow- free merchandise line, 1-800-Dark-Angel.
ing and proclaiming “we’re not worthy, Calling from his Brooklyn apartment, he exwe’re not worthy.”
pressed concern that it not take more than
“Somebody grab the video camera,” twenty minutes or so. One thing about Tom—
Tom commented, his voice rumbling over he spends a lot of time on the phone (check
the laughter.
out the list on page 6).
The first time I had heard that low
During those twenty fame-filled minutes
rumble was last winter when Tom followed of the fanzine writer, I queried him as to when
INSIDE
IT MIGHT BE A BLUEBIRD,
I DON’T KNOW
Page 5
LOOKING FOR A FEW BALD
WOMEN: THE SINÉAD BRIGADE
Page 6
ARE YOU READY?:
CORN FROM HOME
Page 8
= Tom Russell content
he would be gigging in Kansas City. “The band’s
never played west of the Mississippi” was a
surprising response from an artist with such
close ties to the country scene. Before the interview concluded, I’d promised to see what
could be done about securing a club date.
Arrangements were made, and the Tom
Russell Band was booked for the Grand
Emporium on the fifth day of May, with S
as official sponsor. The staff scrambled to put
together flyers and posters. Our public relations department called in favors from the
New Times in hopes of some coverage—we
managed to score a “Critic's Choice” (a conflict
of interest which their journalistic integrity
normally prohibits). Brian McTavish of the
Star’s “Nighthawk” column was on assignment, so no luck there. A television spot
wasn't in the budget, so we'd have to rely
primarily on word of mouth for ticket sales.
Day 1 – Kansas City
Waiting at the Comfort Inn for the band
to roll in to town provided a chance to see a
prima donna in action. A member of Lash
LaRue’s band was pressuring the desk clerk
to change his room assignment, first to
down the hall, then, deciding that wasn’t
good enough, to a different floor. “I have to
play with them every night, I don’t want to
see them during the day,” he whined. Was
this type of bickering what I had to look forward to with Russell's entourage?
It was time to find out, since their van
was just pulling up. Introductions were
made, including the newest member of the
band, bassist Barry Ramus, who had signed
on a mere week before after the abrupt departure of Billy Troiani. “Where’s the nearest
liquor store?” asked Fats Kaplin, the pedal
steel player. I spent the afternoon drinking
in the hotel room with Fats and guitarist extraordinare Andrew Hardin, talking about
their sideline Hawaiian band, the Haoles;
Andrew producing Katy Moffatt and Cris
Cuddy; troubles with the producer during
the recording of Poor Man's Dream; the
music scene in general, and Fats’ near-professional rating as a chess player.
The Emporium’s sound engineer was
Friend let me take you just a little bit farther, to page 4.
NDANNY LOPEZN
Tom Russell: Cowboy Real
(Philo).The cover of Cowboy Real
brings to mind the old Smothers Brothers parody of “The
Streets of Laredo”: “we could
see by his outfit that he was a
cowboy. If you get an outfit,
you can be a cowboy too.”
And it reminds me of my
childhood when the TVcowboy was king—Cisco and
Pancho, the Lone Ranger, and
St. Louis’ own TV-cowpoke, Texas Bruce,
whose daily signoff, “Whoopie, tie me up, little
buckaroo” later resulted in a long prison term.
But it was TV-cowgirl, Annie Oakley, who put a
stirring in my pre-pubescent loins: a petite,
proto-feminist blonde with pigtails and an
itchy trigger finger whose memory keeps me
searching for a woman who smells of the dustry trail. So saddle up, pardner, and head for the
nearest tradin' post for a copy of Cowboy Real,
and return to those thrilling days of yesteryear—the ersatz cowboy rides again.
Ask Danny Lopez:
Dear Danny: I'm having a problem with my
boyfriend. He used to be a big time rock star
who wrote sappy songs about life and love that
sold millions. We had piles of cash and mounds
of coke. Then he decided he had to record
sappy songs that reflected his left-wing political
views. Not only did his career go to hell, but the
house was crawling with Sandinistas. He became cranky and nasty—asking me when I was
going to make another cavegirl movie. When
we went to the video store, the only movies he
wanted to rent were Silkwood or The China
Syndrome. I knew he was on the edge, but all I
said was, “It takes my luxurious blonde hair so
long to dry. I could sure use one of those new
atomic-powered hairdryers,” and BAM! he
bounces me around the house like a superball.
My friends say leave, but he can be so sweet
sometimes. I want to stay just a little bit longer.
What do you think, Danny?
Running on Empty
Dear Running: (1) Call Marvin Mitchelson; (2)
Go to a women’s shelter or the Park Avenue
mansion of the Sexiest Man in the U.S.A. and
heir to the Kennedy legacy; (3) Call Allen
Dershowitz; (4) When are you going to make
another cavegirl movie?
RECORDS, TAPES & CD’S
7222 W. 75TH STREET
(75th and Metcalf)
Overland Park, Kansas 913-384-2499
 SOUND
Murder in My Heart for the Judge: The Kansas
City Star (10/14/92). “The Supreme Court refused to reinstate lawsuits that said rock star
Ozzy Osbourne’s song, ‘Suicide Solutions,’
caused two teenagers to commit suicide. Lower
courts said Osbourne's free speech rights protect him against such suits.”
S
B
O
UND
A
R
D
C J. C
Publisher/Managing General Partner
J Y
Hard-Nosed Muckraking Senior Editor
Layout, Design and Typesetting
Arthur D. Bradley
Contributors
Cheryl Burns, Arthur Goldklang, Steven Hill,
Frankie Lee, Danny Lopez, Arthur McBride,
“Big” Jim Diamond, Henry Porter,
Doris Saltkill
Detractors
GWAR
Lynn Anderson’s husband, dammit
Yanni
Cartoonist
Dug
Bite the real enemy.
 E-Z PIECES
Tears of a Clown: Nigro’s Western Store
(10/14/92). I was buying a pair of jeans when
the Garth Brooks fall fashion collection arrived—three dozen of those goofy-looking
black and blue shirts Brooks wears when performing. To make the ensemble complete, you
need one of those headset microphones he
uses that make him look like he’s taking orders
at the Taco Bell drive-through window. Garth
should hope those shirts are water repellent
because the big guy can't stop from weeping
when he talks about his wife and kid: sobbing
on “Dateline” with Jane Pauley and blubbering away at the CMA Awards where he said
he’s taking eight months off next year “to be
Mr. Dad” to his baby girl. “It hurts me so bad.
It kills me not touring. But if my family suffers
because of the music, I’ve got to sacrifice the
music.” Yeah, and I’ll bet he cried when he saw
Bambi. It’s Brooks’ hardworking fans who
should be bawling—having to shell out the “superstar” price of $15.99 for 37 minutes of music
on his new CD, The Chase.
To get some background on this important
decision, S’s Supreme Court Correspondent spoke with Associate Justice, Clarence
Thomas. Said Thomas, “Certainly, there’s a
minority on the Court who believe heavy metal
music is inspired directly by Satan and want to
see it wiped from the face of the earth. But the
majority realize it’s just so much bombastic
nonsense. Sure, metal heads disfigure their
bodies with crude homemade tattoos, bang
their heads against large immovable objects,
and will stand in a cold rain for hours to get
floor seats for Slayer. But does it make them
blow their brains out? I don’t think so. Heck,
I’ve been a fan of Ozzy’s since he was in Black
Sabbath. In fact, I can still get a rise out of Mrs.
Thomas by rubbing up against her and moaning, “I am Iron Man.”
Pigskin Preview: USA Today (9/9/92). “The NFL
has signed Michael Jackson as its sole half-time
performer for Super Bowl XXVII on January 31.”
Now here's America’s complete entertainment package—freaks on the field, a freak at
half-time. If you’re lucky, you’ll be invited to a
Super Bowl party where you’re served chips
and dip out of a football helmet and people
endlessly ask, “What’s the score?” and “Has
Michael been on yet?”
Some gave all:
Bones, John McQuitty, James Lucas,
Ed Becker, Bill Lavery, Johnny B, Stretch
Benefactors
Barry Bottger, Richard Ludwick, and
Teniesha Anastasia Kessler
(Your name here still only $5)
Dedication
Cat and Victor, skin illustrators
Fine Print Required by Our Attorneys
Copyright ©1992 by S.
Long haired, freaky people need not apply;
anybody caught trespassing will be shot on sight;
you’ve got to have a membership card
to get inside, huuhhhn.
No other warranty, XPress or implied, is
intended or should be inferred.
S is published
monthly, except
January—if you’re in the
Crown tonight, have a drink on me
Subscription rates $15 per year
domestic, $20 foreign. Shipped in plain
brown wrapper upon request.
Submissions welcomed, no guarantees.
Call, write, or streak through
for display ad rates:
S
5732 Johnson Drive
Mission, Kansas 66202
(913) 262-3744 FAX (913) 262-3743
We reserve the right to do it our way.
I tell myself I didn’t lose her ’cause you can’t lose a friend you never had
A
NEW TREND IN THE MEDIA SEEMS
to be bashing Michael Bolton's new
album, Timeless, on which he hacks up some
might fine chestnuts from the 60s. To be sure,
it would be hard to come up with a worse
record. Ever. But Michael has proved useful to
the industry, though. Thanks to him, they’ve
gained valuable demographic data on how
many women buy records. A nationwide poll
uncovered that only eighteen men own a
recording by Mr. Bolton.
S, not content with taking pot shots at
the balding warbler, decided to dig dipper.
Wondering, if a record this bad managed to get
released, what would the outtakes possibly be
like, they assigned ol' Hank to do some investigative reporting. A Columbia Records legal
department spokesperson, fearing a scandal if
the truth leaked out, claimed that all the material recorded for the project had been used,
and even if it hadn’t been they “would not subject [the songs] to the mean-spirited scrutiny
of your little paper.” Yikes!
So I placed a (very) long distance call to the
Sony home office in Japan, impersonating a
Columbia exec. I was told they would send me
a comp lete tape of the unused songs by
overnight courier. They seemed somewhat
anxious to be relieved of the material, anyway.
Receiving the package, I opened it with the
SOUND
caution of a haz-mat team, held my nose, and
dropped it in the boom box. I’m still in shock
over hearing twelve more songs cut, make that
butchered, during the Timeless sessions.
If you thought his version of “Yesterday”
was an abortion, wait ’til you hear Bolton’s autopsy of another Beatles classic, “A Day In The
Life.” It's performed solo on the piano with
Bolton’s voice holding the last note for 2:57.
This was followed by the Beach Boys’ “Heroes
and Villains,” with Michael, not willing to share
the vocal spotlight, overdubbing his own voice
repeatedly until he sounds like the gospel
choir that backs Lyle Lovett up on “Church.”
Trying to be different just for the sake of
being different doesn’t usually work, especially
when Bolton’s version of Hendrix’s “Stone
Free” is done as (I swear) rap.
In a turgidly dramatic spoken-word intro,
Bolton narrates the story of his going to the
circus for the first time as a child, then pro-
OFF
Dear S:
I forget which of your staff members wrote
that excellent Tymon Dogg piece a while back,
but he might like to know that Justin Hayward
of the Moody Blues produced a Tymon Dogg
45 back in 1970 I own a copy and would be
happy to send you a dub if you’re interested
S is God.
Steven Greenwood
Lawrence, KS
Editor’s Note: Actually, we promised a story on
Tymon last December which has yet to be published. Would love to hear the demo, Steven. By
the way, you had four correct answers in the
lyric contest, shy of winning by one. But guessing Andy Griffith’s “What It Was, Was Football”
for the Holy Modal Rounders song (in addition
to that wonderful second paragraph of your
letter) has qualified you as this month’s official
runner-up.
ceeds to do his “favorite circus song of all
time,” Bob Dylan's “Desolation Row.” No, it
doesn’t matter what you think, you can’t imagine what he does to that song.
Speaking of imagine, the next cut is a ballad
version of “Woman Is The Nigger of the
World.” And why anyone would cover Pink
Floyd's “Brain Damage” is a mystery to me, but
he does. Had enough? I don't think so. A livein-the-studio cut of the Kinks’ “Lola” that
segued into Garth Brooks' “Friends In Low
Places” was a real finger down the throat. By
contrast, Bolton’s version of the Doors’ “The
End” was a sort of welcome relief (like finding
out they’re only going to amputate one leg),
except that it was nearly twenty minutes long.
Lou Reed’s “Heroin” has never sounded so
melodic, but I’m still shaking over the last two
cuts. The first is an a capella duet with Sinéad
on “Cop Killer,” with O’Connor shouting “fight
the real enemy” in the background. But the last
song, well, if I hadn’t heard it, I wouldn’t believe it. A duet with Phil Collins on Queen’s
“Bohemian Rhapsody.” Honestly, people, this
is where legalizing drugs could prove helpful.
For probably the first time, Freddie’s parents
and friends are glad he’s dead.
By the time any of these see release on a
Bolton boxed set, maybe it’ll be possible to live
on another planet, ‘cause this one ain’t big
enough for him and me. If you think being in
the music business has its advantages and
perks, just remember how ol’ Hank got more
than he bargained for.
Dear S:
Love the mag, but how about an issue that
doesn’t include a photo of the editor? Maybe
follow that up with an issue that doesn't mention the publisher on every page?
Jim Jones
Editor’s Note: Let me check with Corky and get
back with you on that request.
Dear Henry Porter:
My favorite letter to Rolling Stone went
like this:
“Dear Sirs: Please cancel my subscription!”
It was never published.
Jerry Kessler
No wonder Burroughs lives there! The Lawrence faction proved to be far
hipper than the Kansas City philistines on the lyric quote contest last month.
Charles Brown is this month’s big winner with five correct. We were especially
impressed that Charles got “Motorpsycho Nitemare.” Can you measuer up
after such a guess as this? Send song titles and artists for this month’s lyrics
(by November 22nd) to SOUND, 5732 Johnson Drive, Mission Kansas
66202, or do your digits on our fax machine at (913) 262-3743.
They tell us that we lost our tails evolving up from little snails. I say it's all just wind in sails. Are we not men?
R e c o mm e n d e d C o n c e r t s
November 1
Lucinda Williams
Grand Emporium
November 2
Joe Ely
Grand Emporium
November 10
Chris LeDoux
Guitars and Cadillacs
November 14
Emmylou Harris
American Royal
November 17
Arc Angels
Lone Star
November 19
Tom Russell
The Shadow
SOUND 
HEART OF THE WORKING BAND
continued from cover
late, not used to bands planning to really play
at the appointed show time, which delayed the
sound check. Dug and I treated the band to
Arthur Bryant’s, stopping by 12th and Vine on
the way back to snap a group portrait. There
really wasn't much of anything at 12th and
Vine, except a cop who pulled us over and told
us to make it home before dark.
We returned just in time to catch the
second half of Iris DeMent’s crowd-pleasing
opening set. I reminded Tom, “if you want to
get paid, you have to do ‘William Faulkner in
Hollywood’ with the extra verse.” Obviously
not intimidated by a would-be concert promoter, my request was promptly ignored. Fortunately for them, their set was hot enough to
make me forget my threat, and the crowd was
large enough that we were able to pay the band
and not go in the hole ourselves.
Day 2 – Lawrence
Dropping off a coup le dozen Lamar’s
donuts at the motel the next morning, I gave
Andrew, the designated driver, directions to
Lawrence, promising to meet up with them
again before the show. I arrived at the Jazz
Haus an hour before show time, only to find
the place emptier than Rush Limbaugh’s head.
The band was huddled at the back of the bar,
burning up the “Music” category on the Trivia
Whiz.
Despite Tom’s fibbing to the Kansas City
audience that William Burroughs was scheduled to open for them the next night, the turn
out for the first half of the set was light. By the
latter part of the evening, the bar was clogged
with students skidding back to earth, sharing
the experience of their final exams with each
other, oblivious to how tight and professional
the band remained in the face of indifference.
It had to be disappointing going from performing a concert one night to being relegated
to bar-band status the next. And to top it off,
Burroughs was a no-show.
“Come to St. Louis, and you’ll hear anything you want,” Tom guaranteed me afterwards, in an effort to assuage my protests that
he still hadn't played “William Faulkner.”
Tom’s explanation that Barry hadn’t had a
chance to learn it yet was legit enough, and the
promise that the band would rehearse it the
next night—their night off—convinced me to
make the trip across the state.
Day 3 – St. Louis #1
Dug and I spent the drive time making up
alternate lyrics to Tom Russell songs. “Are you
Donna or Marie, Margaret or Elaine?” from
“Hurricane Season,” for example, became “Are
you Donny or Marie, Michael or Jermaine?”
 SOUND
Tom Russell returns to Kansas City with
guitarist Andrew Hardin in an acoustic
appearance at the Shadow, on Thursday,
November 19, 8:00 p.m. And when we say
the show will start on time, believe it!
Tom's melodic hooks lend themselves well to
such reinvention.
Thanks in large part to Ed Becker, funeral
director, occasional S contributor, and
long-time Tom Russel supporter, the band has
managed to build up quite a following in the
St. Louis area. Ed, his wife Shelley, and several
other friends met the Russell entourage at a
cajun restaurant nearby the club. Dug and I
were politely invited, and impolitely accepted
an invitation to join them, although we did feel
somewhat like fifth and sixth wheels.
As memorable as the Kansas City show had
been, the energy level of both the crowd and
the band easily surpassed it down here at the
gateway to the Midwest. Beatle Bob, a local eccentric, performed his own interpretive dance
moves throughout the entire evening, adding
further color. And, yes, they finally dusted off a
take on “William Faulkner in Hollywood” with
the famous lost verse.
We hadn’t planned on staying for the next
night’s show. No longer satisfied with hearing
“Faulkner," I asked, “If we stay, will you do
“Northern Towns” tomorrow night?” We took
them at their word that they would.
Day 4 – St. Louis #2
The Beckers and some local radio jocks
threw a barbeque in honor of the band during
the afternoon. Never fearing public humiliation, I allowed Fats to talk me into a game of
chess. “Hmmm, interesting,” he would comment in bewilderment at each move I made, as
if he thought I actually had a strategy. Did Boris
Spassky feel this humiliated?
“Dug and I have a request,” I mentioned to
Tom, immediately seeing the apprehension
cross his brow. “You’ve been changing the line
about the two-headed calf in ‘Road To Bayamon’ each night How about making it a twoheaded goat this evening?”
“I knew you guys were satanists,” he said,
only half-jokingly.
Over the course of these four shows, several
new songs had been introduced, making it all
the more difficult to wait for the next full band
album to be released. “Waterloo,” probably
Tom’s hardest rocking song, relates with didhis-homework accuracy the closing of the
John Deere p lant in Waterloo, Iowa. Fats
claimed their performance of “Blood Oranges”
(which could use some work lyrically) was “the
tightest we’ve been on stage musically in
years.”
“Angel of León” is a typical Russell lost love
heart-wrencher wherein the unrequited protagonist roams the streets singing “‘Ave Maria,’
or at least the parts he knew.” But the prime
cut of new Tom has to be “Annette,” an ode to
Julie Ann, a Vancouver prostitute (“her working name’s Annette”). The sixteen year-old call
girl makes no apologies for her lifestyle, but
the songwriter gets her sad message across
nevertheless.
And true to his word, Tom completed what
must have seemed to him to be my inexhaustible request list with an electric version of
“Northern Towns” followed by a blowout encore finale of “Road To Bayamon,” replete with
two-head goat. “Ohhhh, you don’t know the
shape I’m in,” Levon Helm was plaintively wailing over the P.A. as the lights came up.
There’s Got To Be
A Morning After
S has kept in touch with Tom ever
since. Our resident typesetter and layout expert, Art Bradley, designed the official Tom
Russell Band newsletter, “Blood Shots” (get
your free copy by
dialing 1-800-3275264). Yours truly is
presently help ing
Tom comp ile a
press kit when not
joining staff cartoonist Dug in
acts of Russell-inspired self-mutilation (see story
opposite page).
And S publisher Corky Carrel
has arranged for Tom’s triumphant return to
town on November 19 at the Shadow in Westport. “He won’t have the band with him, except Andrew, but those two go together like
Peaches & Herb, so it'll be a great show,” Car
rel commented.
Westminster Abbey, the tower of Big Ben, the rosy red cheeks of the little children
T
This is the police! You are surrounded! Give yourself up!
IMAGES AND
DISTORTED FACTS
Quotes from the labels’ release sheets:
Read between the lies to discover
just how smart they think you are.
Hollywood Records on
The Great Pretender
by Freddie Mercury:
1 :20
“Various producers have completely redone some of these
songs, with the exception of
course of Freddie’s stellar
vocals, topdate the recordings
and to give the entire record
hit potential for today’s
market.”
Private Music
on Reflections
of Passion &
In Celebration of
Life (Gift Set) by
Yanni:
“We have coupled the million-selling Reflections of
Passion, a collection of his
most romantic themes, with In
Celebration of Life, ten of his
most powerful and uplifting
works, allowing Yanni’s loyal
legion of fans to continue to
turn their friends and relatives onto two very different but dramatic sides of
Yanni with a single purchase. “We have created the
perfect year-long gift for occasions such as Christmas,
Mother's Day and birthdays. So as not to conflict
with any current or future
Yanni campaigns, our intent is to allow this package to run its natural
course through the mar-
——
DISCS & TAPES
———
new
used ——
DOLLARS OFF WITH THIS AD
New Tape or CD $1 off
Used Tape or C D $2 off
Sale items excluded
SANTA FE
MUR-LEN
photos by Tiny
up on the plan. John
explains: “Jake, one
of the bartenders at
Dave’s, is a big country music fan, so he
helped get Poor Man’s
Dream on the CD
jukebox. It’s the only
dive in town with ‘Blue
Wing’ on the juke—
Dug and I
Dug before
played the song
a few times,
then headed for
East Coast Al’s.”
I look at this
HE HEADLINE MIGHT BE
blue wing and I
courtesy of the Pretenders, but
close my eyes . . .
John before
the inspiration for this story is
Victor and Cat
Tom Russell’s “Blue Wing,” the tale
loaded new needles,
of a down-and-out jailbi rd who
Dug during scrubbed, donned
carves a wing on his shoulder while
r u b b e r
sharing a prison cell with bluesman
gloves, and
Little Willie John.
p laced an
Vivid animal imagery in several Rusoutline of
sell songs lends itself to tattoos—crazy
the wing art
one-eyed chickens, two-headed calves,
for size and
stylish tweed goats . . . but it was the
position apJohn during
moving story of Blue Wing which sent
proval. Next,
S editor John Yuelkenbeck and
a buzz simicartoonist Dug to the ’too parlor.
lar to a denDug after
He had a blue wing tattooed on his
tist’s drill was
John after
shoulder / Well it might have been a
heard, and
bluebird, I don’t know . . . The first task
there was no
was to come up with the right design.
going back. “Did I menSeeking out a local graphic artist,
tion I was a hemophiliac?”
Johnny B, the willing victims gave him
joked Dug.
a copy of the song to become familiar
Then I fly away, beyond these
with and to gain inspiration. Meanwhile, they walls / Up above the clouds where the rain don’t
stopped by SRO to rent The Illustrated Man fall / On a poor man’s dream . . . Neither patient
with Rod Steiger and Tattoo with Bruce Dern. flinched during the session, and both claimed
“Just to get us psyched up for going under the it was relatively painless, but this writer neverneedle,” says Yuelkenbeck.
theless refrained from joining them. “Although
He said he got that blue wing up in Walla I’m completely satisfied with how it turned
Walla . . . Traveling to Washington state wasn’t out,” warned John, “I would suggest someone
in the budget, but researching the local par- contemplating a tattoo wear a temporary for a
lors was the second step in ensuring customer couple of weeks just to be sure it’s absolutely
satisfaction. “Price is a secondary considera- what you want.”
tion when getting something as permanent as
“It is kind of a macho bonding thing,” said
a skin illustration,” Dug commented, “finding Dug. “I feel more like Popeye than ever, huga reputable establishment, the right artist, a gug-gug, and John’s been opening Guinness
sanitary environment—these are all important bottles with his teeth. We’re both shopping for
factors.”
Harleys.” Is he ready to get another one? “Tom’s
Starting at Grimm’s, the pair then checked got that ‘Road to Bayamon’ song where Gypsy
out The Illustrated Man and Ink Slingers before has ‘love’ and ‘hate’ tattooed on her fists, so
settling on East Coast Al’s at 15th and Central maybe next time . . .”
in Kansas City, Kansas. “Going from Johnny B’s
As for the songwriter, does he have any skin
sketch, Cat did John’s and Victor did mine,” said illustrations? “I’m not telling—you’re a jourDug. “They’re pretty much identical, although nalist,” Russell answered in a phone interview,
I must admit mine’s a little bit better.”
but was finally persuaded to admit that he had
But he’d get stone drunk and talk about the logo of his first music publishing company,
Alaska . . . Cat said a majority of his clientele is La Frontera, on his leg.
composed of impulse buyers, but quality
Where, you ask, was our uxorious S
studios refuse drunks. John and Dug did stop publisher during these proceedings? “I want
by Dave’s Stage Coach Inn for a couple pints of one, but if I get it, it will be the last thing I do as
Guinness to muster the courage for following a married man,” he grumbled.
Olathe
113 S. Mur-Len
829-8333
SOUND 
S
OUND OFFICIALLY ENtion cast. The older audience memdorses Sinéad. It’s not a popubers (by far the majority), mistook
lar stance, we know, but that’s
her for Joan Baez, who had been nowhat being part of the underticeably absent from the proceedground press is all about. Clearly,
ings, and were showing thei r
we don’t really like her music all
disapproval at her new hairdo. So
that well, she has come off as a
what if she decided to pay tribute to
hypocrite on more than one ocby Arthur McBride Bob Marley by singing “War” incasion, and she doesn't always
stead of Bob Dylan by singing “I Bethink things through before actlieve In You”? We can hear her Dylan cover on
Let’s take this Andrew Dice Clay A Very Special Christmas II, anyway, and it was
ing. But these are all elements of
hubbub next. Sinéad’s from Ireland. nice to have a few moments that weren’t on
humanity which have been sorely
Abortions are illegal there, and she the teleprompter at that shindig.
missed from the pre-packaged,
was a victim of child abuse, so her
scripted entertainment industry
Speaking of unplanned moments, let’s
fighting for women's pride is ad- tackle the big one: this tearing up the picture
of late. She’s one of the last true
mirable. If she doesn't want a loud- of the Pope on “Saturday Night Live” controrebel voices. Rave on, O’Connor!
mouthed misogynist sharing a versy. She’s from Ireland. They’ve been fighting
Let’s examine some of the
stage with her, it’s a bit chauvinistic over this issue for a long time there. But Chrisparticulars. This national anthem
of us to force him on her. Just don't tianity has survived a long time, and if it’s worth
debacle, for starters. She’s from
Ireland. If she doesn't want “The Fight the real enemy: ask us to explain her supporting its salt, it will stand up to a frail little skinhead
Mike Tyson as a poor unfortunate questioning the institutionalization and strucStar Spangled Banner” played be- Sinéad prepares to
in a recent Rolling Stone interview.
fore her concert, it's a bit jingois- rip us up
turing of its philosophy. Or maybe she’ll just
Maybe she's just jealous that the Dice-man bring it to its knees, who knows?.
tic of us to force it on her. How can we still have
much national pride left for a song that gets sells out Madison Square Garden, whereas she
Madonna may cause some feigned shocks
cheers from a World Series crowd even when was booed off the stage at the Dylan tribute to the puritan crowd, but the neat thing about
it’s sung by Billy Ray Cyrus? It’s time to set aside there. She’s from Ireland—is that any way for us Sinéad is how she truly stirs people up. Withthe “us” and “them” constraints of love-it-or- to show her U.S. hospitality? Actually, the out a bustier, but with ideas. We disagree with
leave-it patriotism for a global pride that values younger members of the crowd supported her her when she says everyone should smoke pot,
everyone’s opinions. Then we won’t have to unequivocally—they were simply jeering at no one should vote, and the L.A. riots were the
worry about whether or not the Maple Leaf is that gown get-up which makes her look like an right way to go about things. But, hey, she’s
extra from the Star Trek: The Next Degenera- from Ireland, and they brew Guinness there.
upside-down.
For The Next
BOOK OF ROCK LISTS
S
O TIRED, TIRED OF
WAITING, TIRED
OF WAITING FOR YOU
We’re compiling a top ten ladder
competition that you’ll see updated
each month as the year progresses.
WE ARE
CAR STEREO
More important callers we were
placed on hold for when talking to
Tom Russell
83rd & Santa Fe
Overland Park, Kansas
1. Dave Alvin (musician; former Blaster)
1. Good As I Been To You
ADY FOR
Bob Dylan
WE’RE RE RE YEARS
O
2. Dave Wilkins (booking agent)
2. Burning Questions
Graham Parker
3. Peter Case (musician; former Plimsoul)
3. Cowboy Real
Tom Russell
4. Citibank
4. Criminal Under My Own Hat
T Bone Burnett
5. Susan (photographer)
5. Bone Machine
Tom Waits
6. Roundtower Records
6. Sweet Old World
Lucinda Williams
314 East 51st Street, Kansas City
(816) 561-4334
7. Katy Moffatt (musician)
7. Love And Danger
Joe Ely
One FREE Egg Roll
8. Unidentified interviewer
8. Hurricane Season
Tom Russell Band
with dinner purchase (after 2:30 p.m.)
and this coupon
9. Jon Polk (legal consultant)
9. Hollywood Town Hall
Jayhawks
649-8500
Kin
Lin
Chinese Restaurant
“Best egg rolls in town”
– SOUND magazine
Limit one coupon
per visit
 SOUND
Coupon expires
November 30, 1992
10. Barence Whitfield (musician)
THIRTY M
REPEAT
EDITOR’S E MONTH:
CUT OF THLLECTED”
“SHE CO
10. Automatic For The People
R.E.M.
At dawn my lover comes to me and tells me of her dreams, with no attempts to shovel a glimpse into the ditch of what each one means
NEW RELEASES COMING TO YOU AT THE
Meet the new boss: Ice-T, the official presidential candidate of Rock
and Rap Confidential, takes his message to the people with his personal
electronic Town Hall, Home Invasion . . . J.J. Cale returns for
his tenth, imaginatively titled Ten. Word is that he had to seek
permission from Chicago for use of the title . . . it’s probably
not what Jon Landau saw, but The Future is coming from
Leonard Cohen . . . the parole board voted its approval for re- How
leasing Universal James, the newest from the hardest work- can I
ing trustee in show business, James Brown . . . they can’t measure
up to
dance, but Genesis will show us The Way We Walk. A caveat: anyone
it’s subtitled Vol. I . . . continuing his streak of recent releases now
after
is blues great John Lee Hooker with Boom Boom. Reports such a
that he covers ZZ Top’s “La Grange” are unsubstantiated at disc as
press time . . . am I too blue for you? More blues on the way this?
from Little Charlie and the Nightcats called Night Vision,
and Hey Where’s Your Brother from Johnny Winter . . . as much as he
wants to make History, Loudon Wainwright III is still remembered for
that song about the dead skunk . . . Bon Jovi’s hoping their fans have
managed to Keep The Faith in the four or so years they’ve been away.
Maybe if some of them didn't make it through adolescence yet . . . Gloria Estefan's Greatest Hits, Taylor Dane’s Trust, and Whitney Houston's
soundtrack to her film debut, The Bodyguard, will all contribute to keeping VH-1 on the air . . . after that last trio, the airwaves are unfortunately too polluted for Guy Clark’s Boats to Build, you’ll just have to buy
it . . . what kind of a question is Are You
Normal coming from a group called
Ned’s Atomic Dustbin? . . . Feel This is
the latest from the Merry Monks of the
Catholic Church. Just kidding, it’s the
new Jeff Healy . . . by now country fans
are used to taking the good (Texas Tornados, George, Jones, Michael
Martin Murphy) with the bad (Reba McEntire).
Same as the old boss:
A tip of the hat to the CD
release of Who Came First, Pete Townshend’s highly requested solo debut . . . but don’t get fooled by Capitol again,
they’re ripping off the Beatles once more with their Singles
Collection . . . even worse is Columbia re-releasing Willie
Nelson’s IRS Tapes—the original 63-minute single disc is
now being issued as a two-disc set complete with a two-disc
price. This is total deception on the part of the label, and
they should be ashamed . . . an anthology from Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions joins ‘best of’ collections from
early rock pioneers, Smiley Lewis, Johnny Burnette, and
Gene McDaniels . . . as if the market weren't saturated
enough, how about some more from Frank Zappa . . . Motown enters
the boxed set bonanza with four discs of essential tracks restored to
mono (thank God they scrapped initial plans to include a laser disc
copy of The Big Chill containing extra footage) . . . also on the boxed set
horizon: Jefferson Airplane, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, and it gets
worse! Rudolph won’t cut it this Christmas—Santa’s going to need an air
traffic controller to avoid these mid-air collision collections: Barry
Manilow, Barry White, and (if those ain't the Barry’s) how about a threedisc set from Journey. No wonder the country’s in such a mess.
All right, so we glam-slammed Prince last month, too, but this
was just too good to pass up. To really do it justice,
though, we would need to be a full-color magazine.
Prince and Barry are both decked out in these marvelous
bluish-purple jumpsuits, both holding microphones in their left hands.
Word in the industry is that if you play the last
thirty seconds of “Sexy M.F.” backwards, you’ll hear
a snip of “Copacabana.”
We’re all gonna rock to the rules that I make
SOUND 
What’s so special about extemely hard, colorless crystalline carbon and rounded deposits formed in
the shells of mollusks?
If I gave u diamonds and pearls would u be
a happy boy or a girl
—Prince, “Diamonds and Pearls”
We thrash in the heat in an effort to beat up the
world then we lose our identities, replace them
with diamonds and pearls
—Graham Parker, “Love Is A Burning Question”
Your heart is like a diamond, you throw your
pearls at swine
—Rolling Stones, “No Expectations”
My love explodes in diamonds and pearls for you,
just you
—Dukes of Stratosphear, “My Love Explodes”
She had diamonds, pearls and wine, she just
needed more; I gave hear all of my time, she just
needed more
—Joe Ely, “She Collected”
 SOUND
Time washes clean love’s wounds unseen—that’s what someone told me, but I don’t know what it means
S
UND
A D V I C E
SUGAR
Copper Blue
(Ryko)
Sugar: Just a spoonful helps
the Prozac go down.
Rating: 3 tbsp.
A
CTOR KEVIN KLINE, COMMENTING
on his one-man Shakespeare show
that rolled through town recently,
noted how much he hated the Great Shake
when he was in high school. All the overwrought dramatic performances and stylized
language. It was Olivier's Hamlet which first
turned him around.
Like Shakespeare, escargot, or a pint of
Guinness, Cowboy Real is an acquired taste.
Even if, or maybe especially if, Hurricane Season and Poor Man's Dream have been on your
hot ten list as long as they’ve been on S’s.
These songs are further away from the rootsrock of those records than the Chiefs are from
the Super Bowl.
These are sing-around-the-campfire western songs to be approached with boots and a
bolo, not jeans and a tee. And, like Olivier, Russell’s presentation outstrips cowpoke wannabe’s . Was George Strait's Pure Country the
feel-good movie experience you’d been needing? Then Cowboy Real probably isn't for you.
Although Russell wrote, adapted, or
arranged the majority of this material, he really
giddy-ups on two covers. Joe Ely’s “Indian Cowboy” pays tribute to those who sacrifice themselves for the greater good of us all; fellow
guitar picker Andrew Hardin shines like a spur
in his capacity as supporting vocalist, even
though he doesn’t harmonize until the last line
(one of several nice, but subtle touches here).
Cover number two, Blackie Farrel’s “Sonora’s
Death Row,” relays the narrative better than
Robert Earl Keen’s version, (much like Robert
Earl holds attention on his “Road Goes On Forever” better than Joe Ely’s attempt).
We’ve come to expect sad tales of lost love,
desperation, and murdered game wardens
from Russell; pathos we use for a cathartic release from our own mundane lives. Take for examp le “The Basque,” a rugged Spanish
immigrant as hardy as they come, but “crippled deep to the core” by love: “One night he
walked out in the desert / He sang and he cried
all night long / And we found his remains three
days later / After the coyotes were done.”
Admittedly, Cowboy Real may at fi rst
hornswoggle fans who haven’t got enough of
Tom’s work with his band. But you eat too
much candy, and you’re gonna get sick. Have a
handful of trail mix instead. It’s better for you.
LTHOUGH COPPER BLUE
is a solidly written recording, don’t be surprised if it
sends you to the medicine cabinet for a
Prozac fix. The latest collection of Bob
Mould’s songwriting talents, Copper Blue is as
dark as anything the Smiths ever did; but where
Morrissey and the boys often had a dim sense
of ironic humor, Mould’s songs seem to convey
a never-ending doom. Women get drowned by
psycho lovers, companions die from AIDS, and
one poor soul tells his story from his life-support systemed bed after some bad luck on slippery pavement. I feel guilty comp laining
about my love life after this.
After two critically received solo records,
the sometimes melodic Workbook and the aggressive, bludgeoning guitar laden Black Sheets
of Rain, Mould returns to the three piece format he worked so successfully in as a member
of Hüsker Dü. Mould fronts Sugar with backing from David Barbe (Mercyland) on bass and
Malcolm Travis (Zulus) on drums.
Despite all the lyrical despondency, the
recording really is enjoyable listening. Overall,
the sound of Sugar seems to combine
elements of Hüsker Dü with accents from
Mould’s solo projects. It’s a full sound, but not
slick—there’s even a splash of keyboards here
and there.
Lurking mid-way through the recording is
a bona fide hit just waiting to be discovered. If
Top 40 radio can include REM, Red Hot Chili
Peppers and Nirvana, then Sugar should be the
next cassette single sensation with “If I Can’t
Change Your Mind.” This is pure pop in the
tradition of the Monkees’ “The Girl I Knew
Somewhere” and, it’s got a jangly guitar and really snappy rhymes—listen up radio execs!
Also on Copper Blue are several gems destined to be alternative/college radio staples. Of
course, those of us in Kansas City will never
know since we have NO alternative/college
radio, except possibly an hour or two on that
Sunday night Westport Free Radio broadcast
from 102. But I digress. “Changes,” “Helpless”
and “Fortune Teller” are all perfectly suited for
those stations left of the dial.
During my guitar-band idolizing period
back in college, I’d have completely flipped
over this recording. In fact, as an aging, countrified-folk-Texas-singer/songwriter-worshipper, I’m still very taken with Copper Blue. It
grows on me with every listen—maybe it takes
longer to flip over something once you’ve given
up drinking beer from quart-sized fishbowl
glasses. Give Sugar a spin; you’ll like it, and it’ll
be good for the economy, even if none of the
presidential candidates turn out to be.
—“Big” Jim Diamond
—Doris Saltkill
TOM RUSSELL
Cowboy Real
(Philo)
Rating: A
The albatross and the whale they are my brother
.
.
.
.
STACCATO NOTES
The Jayhawks Hollywood Town Hall
Rating: 50/50 (Def American)
Your response to the following statement is
crucial: “It reminds me of The Silos.” If a green
light immediately flashes saying “might be
worth it,” pick up Hollywood Town Hall. But if
the orange caution light warns “uh-oh, that
was the album that got raves from the critics
and all my friends but I just never got the
point,” you might have some reservations.
Since it’s a given that this won’t get any airplay,
it all comes down to how much extra disposable income you can budget for the month.
Mainly medium-tempo rockers with a nice
tap-your-foot and sway-your-head beat, and
lyrics that rarely complement the music in any
consequential way. Above-average for the barband scene—catch them live, relax with a few
beers, it would probably be a fun evening. But
not the stuff to put on at home and meditate to
if you like being moved to tears. But The Silos
had “(We’ll Go) Out Of Town,” and Hollywood
Town Hall has “Nevada, California” for its “play
that one again” cut.
—Lucy Watson
Expires 11/30/92
SOUND 
R.E.M. Automatic For The People
(Warner Brothers, huge conglomerate)
Rating:
O
N R.E.M.’S LATEST RELEASE,
Automatic For The People, Michael
Stipe changes direction with the
Tom Russell Cowboy Real
audio equivalent of a mood ring. The
Rating:
(Philo)
Tom Russell:
eighth LP takes a darker stand than the
wild western
commercially hip Out Of Time. Newly
by Arthur Goldklang Special Guest Critic
yarns
converted fans may gag on the lush orchestration and mellow tone. Former
N THIS NEW PHILO/ROUNDER
Led Zeppelin bass player John Paul
compact disc, Tom Russell introJones reportedly wrote string arrangeduces us to eleven of his old friends.
ments for four of the songs.
We meet “The Basque,” a sheep herder out
“Drive” is the dreary MTV staple
west, who drank to chase away the demons
which lacklusterly opens the twelvecreated by a woman from his past, only to lose
track package. Highlights include
out to their powers. We meet the outlaw
“The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight,” rem“Claude Dallas,” driven to the outlaw life by the
iniscent of Life's Rich Pageant, and
closed-mindedness of a society he wanted no
complete with Stipe’s trademark indepart of.
cipherable mumblings.
We are introduced to old-time packer
sitting around and playing some of their faOverall, Stipe’s vocals are stronger than
“Rayburn Crane,” who lead tourists into the
vorite songs of the past. One old friend, Ian
ever. Case in point: “New Orleans Instrumenmountains for fishing and hunting. “The good
Tyson of Ian and Sylvia fame. They duet on
tal No. 1.” His inaudible rambling are replaced
packer,” as Tom says in the liner notes, was a
Tom's “Navajo Rug” and the always-moving
with confidence and clarity, pleading with the
“skilled combination of horseshoer, doctor,
“Gallo del Cielo.”
listener to cry along on “Everybody Hurts.”
cook, storyteller, and backwoods therapist.”
Going further in this trip out west, Tom
“Man On The Moon,” about the esoteric
Much the same role Tom plays as artist.
narrates his story of “Zane Gray,” a brokencomic and “Taxi” star Andy Kauffman, quesThis CD is a change of pace in that it was
spirited horse that one could outrun them all.
tions society’s outlook on popular culture
recorded with all acoustic instruments, which
But time has only improved the tall tales of
while contemplating lost youth and innogives you the feeling of a group of friends
“Roanie,” who Tom describes as one of the last
cence. It is the only selection that breaks the
great western “bullshit artists.”
disc's solemn tone; a candy-coated exercise in
This trip backwards by Tom is our trip forward in recognizing the sing and playing abilAbsolutely Independent . . .
ity of a true writer, storyteller, and musicians
whose feeling of joy in singing these songs enhances our pleasure in the listening. Buy and
listen carefully. Cowboy Real is the real deal.
O
Absolutely
the Best
Shake off the Chains of
Chain Store selection with
over 15,000 titles on compact disc.
Music for music lovers
selected by music lovers.
Great selection on
cassette, closeouts galore on vinyl.
Thirty-one years of sound
experience . . . seven days a week.
2429 Iowa – P.O. Box 2
Lawrence, Kansas 66044
 S O U N D
Tired of know-it-all music critics? Often catch
yourself saying “I could’ve written that!”? Prove it.
Send us a record or concert review. If we print it,
you’ll receive a special gift chosen especially for
you. For Mr. Goldklang we have a double-woven
Navajo we bought at a fire sale.
Mail to: Sound Of The Street,
5732 Johnson Drive, Mission, Kansas 66202
R.E.M.: In gear or
on auto-pilot?
goofy lyrics that try hard to succeed—pure pop
music for now people. Although its shallowness is fun, it shows that R.E.M.’s strength lies
in their poetic ambiguity.The best example of
this, and possibly the best track on Automatic,
is “Nightswimming,” a leftover from the Out
Of Time sessions.
It’s no wonder Stipe appears to have an attitude and swollen ego. After such success as
they had last time out, R.E.M. continues to be
innovative, possibly at the cost of sales and
fans. Also costly may be their decision not to
tour in support of the disc. Buying it may be
the only to way to satisfy your hankering.
—Frankie Lee
She can tell you about the plane crash with a gleam in her eye
$5 for classifieds
of reasonable length
(or make an offer).
Ads should pertain to
music; personals will not
be printed but might be
responded to by
the staff.
A
NTICIPATION LEVEL: HIGH. FIRST in a souped-up silver seaplane.” Interesting,
new Joe Ely studio recording in four yes, but it never quite transcends the obvious.
years, Love And Danger. Managed to “She Collected” uses a similar approach, but
score a pre-release promo. Notice a lack of fares much better with its brilliantly written
Butch Hancock songs, but inclusion of two by surprise bridge: “At first I hardly noticed / I just
Robert Earl Keen, Jr. Hmmm . . . we’ll see about thought she was showing affection / But when
her carpenter came / To measure me for a
that.
Art fair schedules found this itinerant critic frame / I walked right out of her collection.”
Truly puzzling is Ely’s decision to re-record
headed toward Fairview Heights, Illinois
“Settle For Love” off of
(forget Rand McNally;
Dig All Night. A good
let Tom Waits be your
song, but we’re only
road map: “East of East
talking
subtle
St. Louis / The wind
changes, not a drawas making speeches /
matically new verAnd the rain sounded
sion. Short on ideas,
like a round of apJoe? Sneaking it in
plause”). Packing the
since Dig All Night
portable CD player, it
was on the indie
was time to become
Hightone label inimmersed in Ely for
stead of MCA, and a
the long haul. Nothing
few fans might have
makes a ten-hour drive
missed it? Fans worth
easier to endure than
their salt know better.
having new music
Love And Danger
cranking.
is only the second Ely
But is it new music
album not to include
or had Love and Danat least one Butch
ger been mistakenly
The new Joe Ely Collection—”Truly Puzzling”
Hancock gem. Hanswitched with Dig All
Night or Live at Liberty Lunch (minus the ap- cock is among the best writers in the Texas
plause)? Ely is using the same band as on songwriter tradition, and Ely has the voice and
those two recordings; didn’t guitarist David delivery to convert those doubting Hancock’s
Grissom sp lit for Mellencamp’s band? A abilities as a singer. Ely makes an unfortunate
lengthy interview from July of 1991 had Ely choice instead to cover Robert Earl Keen, Jr.
wondering how his band’s sound would Keen may be a top notch writer, but I bet I’m
change with Grissom’s departure. True, it was a not the only one who played “The Road Goes
magical pairing right up there with Jackson On Forever” to death. Ely’s version errs by being
Browne and David Lindley, but in the year and a bit too earnest.“Whenever Kindness Fails” not
a half since the news, I had actually become one of Keen’s stronger tunes, is actually quite
excited to hear how Ely's music might evolve. fun when Robert Earl plays it in concert, courGrissom’s doing triple time these days; turning tesy his tongue-in-cheek delivery; Ely’s version
up on James McMurtry's excellent Candyland. exposes it as mediocre songwriting.
The crown jewel on Love And Danger is a
A good part of the Dig All Night credit went
to the Ely/Grissom collaboration, so how does cover of Dave Alvin’s “Every Night About This
Love And Danger fare? Would that it equals or Time.” Ely’s returns as masterful interpreter
surpasses Dig All Night, but no such luck. Ely here in full force, plunging to new depths of
and Grissom both sound like they are coasting. sadness. If I could only sing like this, I wouldn't
Of the seven Ely originals included, none has have to sell pottery “East of East St. Louis.”
the depth of “Behind the Bamboo Shade” or (Guess I would have to play there while on the
concert circuit—might even be a worse fate!).
“Dig All Night.”
Question of the month: Settle For Love And
Ely has always had a knack for stringing together clever one-liners to construct his songs, Danger? Hell yes! It’s Joe Ely, after all. At its best,
but this technique seldom leads to great writ- it rivals his last two releases. When coasting,
ing. The opener, “Sleepless In Love,” is a per- Ely’s still better than most of the junk you’ve
fect example: “They went crazy, crazy as a wild been wasting your money on. Question for the
wild west wind / When it chases, a tumbleweed months to come: Will MCA back Ely and Griswith too much topspin / They made love like som on tour? I thought that opportunity has
wild horses in a hurricane / Chasing rainbows been missed forever, but now there is hope!
November I’ll give thanks that you belong to me
OURS GET LOUD CHILDREN! 5000 WATTS ALL JBL.
16 Channels, 100 foot snake, Mics, Monitors, Effects.
First time discount. Below reasonable rates. R & R Productions 241-1905.
TOWNES VAN ZANDT, Iain Matthews, Chris
Smither, Elliott Murphy. The comprehensive source
for newsletters, CDs, tapes, and tees for these great
singer-songwriters. Call us today (or tomorrow, if you
must). Young/Hunter Management 1-800-359-BLUE.
Until SOUND publishes VISION, the movie mag of
choice is Film Threat. U.S. subscriptions: $11.85 (6
issues). Send check to Film Threat, 9171 Wilshire Blvd.,
Suite 300, Beverly Hills, CA Nine-Zero-Two-One-Zero.
NEW NAME, SAME GAME. Rock & Roll Confidential
is now Rock & Rap Confidential. News, views, lots of
music. Fight the real enemy! For sample copy, send $2
($19.95 for one year sub) to: RRC, Dept. SO, Box
341305, Los Angeles, CA 90034.
THEIRS Billboard (the William Morris Agency of Rock)
October 31:
MANAGEMENT NEEDED. Serious and connected
only for singer/songwriter with looks, image, and
moves. Showcasing November 5. Demo and PR kit
available. (212) 673-6452.
DISCOUNT COUPON
10%
OFF
ENTIRE
PURCHASE
Some
restrictions
may apply.
Void where
prohibited.
Prices slightly
higher in
Canada.
5732
JOHNSON
DRIVE
MISSION,
KANSAS
(913)
262-3722
records • tapes • discs
S O U N D 
EFORE COWBOY REAL, BEFORE
Tracy Chapman, even before Donovan,
and way before “MTV Unp lugged,”
there was Bobby Dylan, acoustic troubadour.
Yet at Columbia Records’ recent all-star thirtieth
anniversary tribute to the master, it was only
fitting that Dylan’s first selection of the evening
would be “Song to Woody,” his way of reminding us that others came before him as well.
“Song To Woody” and “Talkin’ New York”
were the only two original compositions on
Bob Dylan, his 1962 debut. John Hammond’s
prescience in recognizing the singer, and not
the song, would soon be overshadowed by the
emerging songwriting talent, but for his next
three-and-a-half albums (Freewheelin’, Times
They Are A-Changin’, Another Side, and part of
Bringing It All Back Home), Dylan relied almost
wholly on his voice, guitar, and harmonica—
and it sufficed. The Byrds' jangling away on
“Mr. Tambourine Man” definitely explored exciting new horizons, but didn’t come within
eight miles of the passion Dylan imbued in it
when he sang about the diamond sky and
forgetting about today until tomorrow.
But tomorrow has finally arrived, and
it looks like yesterday. Good As I Been
To You, Dylan’s new solely acoustic
record, ignores the songwriting
but reaffirms Dylan's status as a
singer beyond compare. Leave
the overproduced re-makes of
standards to Linda Ronstadt, Toni
Tennille, and Michael Bolton. Get past
the fact that it sounds as if Dylan’s been
taking diction lessons from Shane MacGowan—after all, we’ve heard “Sittin’ On
Top Of The World” before.
But we’ve never heard these songs rendered quite like this. “A voice like sand and
glue,” is how Bowie described that unique
sound in his “Song To Bob Dylan.” Just as Tom
B
Answers to last issue’s lyric quotes (by page #):
middlebird
cards gifts novelties
2. Sign Language Eric Clapton 3. What About Me Quicksilver Messenger Service 4. Blues In The Bottle Holy
Modal Rounders 5. Biko Peter Gabriel 6. Motorpsycho
Nitemare Bob Dylan 7. Good Vibrations Beach Boys
8. Junk Paul McCartney 9. Did She Jump Or Was She
Pushed Richard and Linda Thompson 10. Atlantis
Donovan 11. Jesus and Mama Confederate Railroad
12. Pineola Lucinda Williams
5815
johnson drive
mission
kansas
66202
 S O U N D
G Y P S Y D AV Y W I T H A B L O W T O R C H
by John Yuelkenbeck
Waits fans waiting for
him to ditch the faux
Satchmo shtick are
disappointed to find
it gets stronger on
each successive
recording, fans
expecting
Dylan to back
away from the
obfuscated annunciation may
write this off as
self-parody. When
he cut “Pretty Boy
Floyd” a few
years ago
on the A
Vision
Shared
project,
Dylan's une x p e c t e dly
s t r ai g h t forward cover
raised hopes
among Dylanologists for more of the same.
Good As I Been To You is closer in tone, though,
to what many die-hards consider the truly
exciting moments during several of the “NeverEnding Tour” sets: the acoustic portion when
Dylan pulls out obscure gems such as “Mary of
the Wild Moors,” “Lake Pontchartrain Blues”
or “Buffalo Skinners.” He then proceeds to dazzle anyone paying more attention to the show
than to getting their alcohol bracelet.
But even if the hippie hold-overs weren't
shouting “Everybody must get stoned!” during these otherwise transcendent concert
moments, it would probably still be difficult to
make out most of the words. But who cares? As
at the shows, the storylines are secondary on
Good As I Been To You. Eventually, about the
ninth or tenth listen to “Canadee-I-O,” the
mind takes over from the heart and begins
deciphering the tale of the Yentl-style adventuress who barely escapes walking the plank
after stowing away with her seafaring lover.
The spare use of harmonica (two songs, “Sittin’
On Top Of The World,” “Tomorrow Night”) is
made up for by sustained vocal notes that trail
off and slide through the diatonic scale, closely
approximating a blues harp.
Reports that these songs were recorded live
in one take, with no overdubs, caused some
initial apprehension that this disc would either
be absolutely incredible or an “I’ve-got-a-contract-to-fulfill-and-I’m bone-dry-of-ideas” disaster. But such is not the case. The hypnotic lilt
of the nasal crooning and guitar strumming on
“Hard Times” and “Tomorrow Night” are the
highest of many points on Good As I Been To
You.
“Froggy Went A-Courtin’ ” would have
been a more respectable track than the novelty
“This Old Man” on Disney’s For Our Children
collection. Dylan has had a penchant of late
for children’s songs, or at least that’s the best
defense that's been offered up for Under The
Red Sky. (Not a good enough rationale for me.)
Again, the influence of Woody Guthrie casts its
long shadow. (Remember “Car Car,” “Howdy
Doo,” and “Put Your Finger In The Air”?) Since
Pops Staples managed to interpret Dylan’s
“Man Gave Names To All The Animals” for the
younger set, there may be something to the
theory after all.
“Frankie and Johnnie,” recorded by Jimmie
Rodgers and Johnny Cash among many, many
others, has been Zimmerized as “Frankie and
Albert.” Not sure where that came from, but
Look Back, the official Dylan periodical, will no
doubt devote heavy coverage to the recording
history of the songs and possible sources for
Dylan. If there’s a little bit of Alan Lomax in
you, write to them for subscription information at: PO Box 857, Chardon, Ohio 44024.
Watch for an “Unplugged” appearance,
predicted back in May by our own staff
Nostradamus, Henry Porter.
Joseph August
Ed Blackwell
Tony Burrello
Eddie Kendricks
Roger Miller
Earl Van Dyke
Drums keep pounding rhythm to the brain, la de da de de, la de da de da