Spider face-off [via].
Wanda Jackson was an early rockabilly star / rock and roll pioneer with recordings spanning over 50 years, 1958 – 2012. REALLY.
Ocarina virtuoso Ubizmo performing “Tam Lin (aka Glasgow Reel).”
And with that, we’re out, as we wait for our old pc to come back from surgery after a debilitating bout with Mr. Stoopid. Have a great weekend, and we’ll be back regardless of Mr. Stoopid tomorrow.
Nice tribute to the late Country Dick Montana at The Belly Up in Solana Beach, CA, November 2010. From the Utoobage:
Dave Alvin sings the song “Beat Generation“, and is joined by members of the Beat Farmers, Candy Kane, Peter Case, Mojo Nixon, Cindy Lee Berryhill, and others…
Here’s Dave Alvin & The Blasters with “Marie Marie.” I saw them at the Whiskey in 1980.
Another band from the punkabilly scene: Levi & The Rockats on the Mike Douglas Show, 1979. (That hepcat on bass is hilarious.)
Reverend Horton Heat’s “Psychobilly Freakout.” [Don’t watch if you’re epileptic…]
Johnny Carroll & His Hot Rocks “Rockin’ Maybelle” is the real deal from about 1957.
Too hot to handle and too cold to hold. Those should keep you jumpin’ jivin’ and wailin’ for a while. See you back here tomorrow.
Grady Martin was probably the greatest session guitar player in country music (that’s him on an electric double neck). He was the creator of what’s now called Rockabilly, but it was early Rock and Roll. Give him credit also for fuzztone.
That brings us to The Johnny Burnette Trio and “Lonesome Train.” Great early rock. Burnette was the guy who had a hit with a cover of Tiny Bradshaw‘s “Train Kept A-Rollin.” (Grady Martin played for Johnny Burnette in the mid 50s.)
So here’s The Yardbirds‘ 1966 version of “Train Kept A-Rollin”, with Jimmy Page.
Why stop there? Let’s jump to 1977 with Aerosmith’s version of the 1951 R&B song.
What? You haven’t heard Tiny Bradshaw’s original version? Well here you go.
And with that we’re out of here. Have a great weekend, folks, and be back here for more fun tomorrow.
One of my favorites of The PreFab Four (posted previously).
What the heck. Here’s Zappa’s version.
Here’s to the Royal Disco Wedding for our friends across the pond: “There was funky Chinamen from funky Chinatown.” Great lyrics from Carl Douglas. Reminds me of National Lampoon’s classic “Have a Kung-Fu Christmas.”
Heh. The Black Keys are my current favorites in the land of retrorock, and they fit right in with the Soul Train motif. [Tip o’ the tarboosh to Bunkessa]
And as long as we’re going retro, here’s some rockabilly from the UK: The Streamline Rockers.
That makes five for this episode of the Saturday Matinee, and with that I’m out. Have a great weekend folks, and see you back here tomorrow for more fun.
Cats and croissants. [via]
I loved the Stray Cats’ retrobilly thang, and this was one of their finest moments. (BTW, “Fridays” was a much funnier show than Saturday Night Live IMO.)
Speaking of Eddie Cochran, here’s Gene Vincent’s “Be-Bop-A-Lula.”
Vince Taylor beat out The Who with this cover of Johnny Kidd & The Pirates’ “Shakin’ All Over.”
And here’s one of the greatest latter day rock and roll love songs in my opinion. Have a great weekend, folks, and may you all have pleasant surprises.
Awesome marketing concept, but it targets the wrong people, unless you’re into shrinkwrap. Nice appropriate soundtrack, though.
Wanda Jackson! Who says women can’t do rockabilly?
Whoever did this Betty Boop / Louis Prima mashup gets a hat tip from me. Whoa. Hold on there. Looks like it’s time for some Spotniks!
Yep. The Spotnik’s Theme from 1963, a band from the UK, sounding an awful lot like lots of other bands from 1963.
Let’s wrap this up with some awesome gospel from Ricky Skaggs, the greatest mandolin player since Bill Monroe. Have a great weekend folks. See you back here tomorrow.
How to get a baboon to tell you where the water is in the Kalahari. Amazing. [Found here.]
The logical follow up to that video is The Baboons‘ “Drinkin’ Gasoline.” (Don’t laugh, they were on Walker, Texas Ranger, and if Mr. N says they’re awesome then they ARE awesome.)
The logical follow up to that video is more Rockabilly. Here are the Guana Batz with “Streetwise.” Following the Guana Batz we have:
The Aquabats! Here’s a live version of “Fashion Zombies.” One last one before we go:
The Skatalites‘ rock steady ska with “Lawless Street.” Have a great weekend folks, see y’all tomorrow.
Eartha Kitt (1927-2008). She was THE Catwoman.
Sharon Jones, live in France, backed by Binky Griptite & the Dap Kings.
Willis “Gator Tail” Jackson cranks it in 1955.
Now for Something Else:
Eddie Cochran recorded this in 1959. (Six months later he died in a car crash in England that also injured Gene Vincent and the songwriter, Sharon Sheely.)
Keith Richards’ tribute to Cochran. Richards died of various drug overdoses and alcohol poisonings in 1967, 1970, 1972, 1983 and several other years since. He’s still touring.
Whatever happened to these guys? They were a blast when they came out in the late ’70s. Here’s the Bus Boys‘ promo video.
Better yet, whatever happened to The Paladins? Great 3-man flat head six rockabilly, and here they are live in Holland of all places. I saw them decades ago opening for The Fabulous Thunderbirds at the Golden Bear in Huntington Beach, California. Track down any of their records and you won’t be disappointed.
When I was dating the future Mrs. Strutts, we went to see the Paladins in L.A. Opening for them was Jimmy & the Mustangs.
Opening for the Paladins and the Mustangs: The Forbidden Pigs. Stand up bassman Billy Bacon was amazing, standing on it, rolling around with it, jamming it. At one point the drummer took a flip over his drumset to beat on the bass while Bacon fingered the chords. Great show.
Tacky Raccoons 