February 20, 2013
Miracler
Greg Mills
Location
Detroit
Look out—here comes Story Corp
You know—the guy with the stories behind the stories. Guy who made us The Ballad of Jimmy Page's Solicitors in Feb. 2012, in which he bested his "best mix title ever" award given upon 2008's The Well-Tempered Badonkadonk, which preceded 2009's also-not-shabbily-titled More Embarrassing Hippie Music. And if you look beyond the title and packaging and the stories to the music meat, there's also a tasty crun-chewy center.
Some of the, oh, THIRTY-SEVEN comments about Greg's Jimmy Page mix
I read the title and actually said out loud, "Oh, I'm going to like this..." Best cover/title ever. Do you get paid to come up with stuff like this? Ambitious project, Greg. You deconstructed LZ down to their DNA and built up a scary new beast. Amazing!!!! Hats off to Roy Harper -- and Greg Mills, too. Love the theme, love the songs, but as others have stated, I love the cover most of all. Yes! The cover is sublime. John Huston will see you, after he receives his tea. Greg, your Davey Graham influencing Tony Iomi theory really slings open them doors of perception. Consider this mind now officially blown. Tremendous concept mix! I love the yardbird's grand finale! It totally rocks old school - when did they do this? Withnail and I! Ha I'd forgotten about its awesomeness. Also, Renbourne is plus also too awesome! Dang, 14 comments before lunchtime, Greg—not shabby. Of course, Doug Patterson will deduct yours...But he can't take this one. One of my favorite mixes so far. Upbeat at times, down low at others. Great concept, too - yer my hero. A truly fun mix from end to end-- glad to have them all in my library. Thanks! Great concept and execution. If I ever need to get on someone for a copyright infringement I'm calling you Greg. Wow, this mix is incredible, start to finish. Thanks Greg. Erudite stuff, Greg 'Motors' Mills, & some good songs too. (I particularly like the Garnet Mimms.) Love the mix. Love the songs, love the liner notes and love the theme-y goodness.And that's from a guy who has never loved Led Zeppelin. Love any mix that makes Hostess bring up the word "curated" and then back away from it. Awesome. Davey Graham. Woof indeed. As promised, I'm back to comment on the music. FUCK YEAH! In the running for best cover ever, just to start, all the Brit twee meets cool era you could wish for. And the music, stem to stern a hands down tour de force. Strength length and breadth, I loved this first time, thank you for the Yardbirds, the Renbourn, and the historicity. As my English Comp teacher ONCE said, flawless ON CONCEPT, Brilliant execution... It is now clear why for a long period of my adolescent/adult life music from the high 60's/low 70's resonated as clear as the back drop of my brain's static. It's because of the clear ties and foundation coming from mississippi blues. From Muddy to the Yardbirds, the birth of legends. A nice take on the forever solid zepplin nostalgia. I must say, as a sort of Zep fan with a wife that is definitely not a Zep fan, this mix worked wonderfully in the car. The inclusion of Garnet Mimms makes this an instant fave for this old (mod) heart of mine. But then the whole affair is a pleaser! Thank you Greg!!
What kind of yarn is Buns selling this time? Let's look in.
SHINER NOTES by GM
These are songs about going places to listen to, play and unload the equipment needed for songs. Drugs are taken. T-shirts bought. Girls hit upon. Boys hit upon. Rides disappear. Chinese food had afterwards. Parents dealt with. Promoters annoyed.
Everyone smells like cigarettes and stale beer. It's awesome.
The title is, of course, a reference to the GREATEST SONG ABOUT A FRANK ZAPPA CONCERT NOT SUNG BY FRANK ZAPPA OR ONE OF THE MOTHERS.
It is also a song about Switzerland, which is AN ADDED PLUS.
It's not on here.
Also not on here: Solsbury Hill. An apocryphal story about it is that it's about Peter Gabriel deciding to leave Genesis after seeing a Bruce Springsteen show. (He's the eagle that flew out of the night, so says the story). I like that story but not so much that I will torture anyone by putting the song on here. (Though I still kinda like it)
What else is not on here: Woodstock, Down in Monterrey (Animals took an odd turn at one point and did like 90 songs about rock history), Turn the Page, What's Your Name?, Long Live Rock, It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Want to Rock n' Roll), I'm Just a Singer in a Rock and Roll Band, I Can't Wait (For the Weekend Show), Get Off the Stage, The Big Show, Ziggy Stardust, The Load Out, Rock and Roll Band, Hollywood Swinging, So You Want to be a Rock and Roll Star, Crew Slut, Stevie Gets Spanked, Down in France, Live in Lovin' Maid, EMI, Rough Trade, Detroit Rock City, Plaster Caster, Ladies of the Road, Jeanette, Up From the Deep, etc.
Of the songs that ARE on here, I guess only have comments about two of 'em.
'a' Bomb in Wardour Street is about a night Paul Weller and his gal were roughed up at a club in London's Soho called the Vortex by some skinheads.
'Road Rats' was one of my favorite songs as a kid. I thought it was about dune buggies, which I was fascinated by. I really, really loved the big tuff riff with the piano.
Anyway, that's it.
WELCOME TO THE NEW, SHOCKING SEASON!
Buns
Here's Sudden Fun's (I Can't Wait For) The Weekend Show. Early 80s San Fran Power Pop!
Mix is UP. Same password—check your inbox. To comment on this mix, click on the 'Comment' button below the post and write something. If you don't have/want to use your Google etc. accounts, just type your name in the "Name" box and you are done. See you back here or on our members-only Facebook page soon.
XOK
18 comments:
1) I know we are not supposed to put categorical
"best ____ ever" comments, but I am WAY INTO the liner notes about the songs that *aren't* on this mix. Hilars.
2) G'B'M sells yarn, too?
3) Downloading now. More substantial comment forthcoming. Must say, am LOVING the theme! I hope there's barf involved.
I would like to sell yarn, some day.
I am having a blast guessing the background of these choices. Are the songs themselves about Show Life*? The liner notes would imply so, but part of me wonders if any of these selections are autobiographical? And by 'wonders', I of course mean I am making up stories in my head, which is terrible fun. I also have had too much chocolate (sorry for the heresy, hostess). I know that the answer will come upon sitting (still) and listening to the words, but I'm deep into my first-listen-unknowing.
*now I know.
Lots of new-to-me songs here, G'B'M, thanks! Particularly enjoying (in my hopped-up state) Alice Cooper, Drive-By Truckers, and the Rockingbirds (who I initially thought was fronted by Steve Kilbey. Quickly realized it wasn't when he started sounding like the song's namesake, aka the Patron Saint of the 3MPM. Who isn't affected by seeing that dude live? Is anything happier-making?)
PS - White Man in Hammersmith has never been Miracled? Is it me, or is that crazy.?
PPS - I did not know that about Solsbury Hill. I still like that song, despite it being so Christian. Oh, and now I get to like it all over again cause it isn't.
PPS - RIP Jon Lord
PPPS - No mention of 'Tiny Dancer' ?!?!
What an inspired theme for a mix! I especially enjoyed hearing "Sally Simpson" again after having it dormant in the recesses of my brain for decades. I also liked being introduced to Janis Martin -- she's like Wanda Jackson taken down *just* a notch.
This newbie is happy to be here!
Second best title ever. After that Jimmy Page somethin'-somethin'. And Peaches! But why you Bogartin' on the Purple, man?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiXcqxms3Bs
Oh yeah -- and I'm callin' dibbies on "Up From The Deep."
First saw The Tubes at Winterland in 1974 or '75. They were featured on the video between acts... and the hippies were all throwing food at the screen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=749id7dcYTI
Great theme! Road Rats is indeed a total moster of riffage- thanks for the introduction. And I'll second the props for including Sally Simpson. White Man is my favorite Clash song (and on my misplaced Influential Mix) and one I never tire of hearing.
Love the White Punks of Dope for the cover!
Loads of good stuff on here, and a particularly nice point of view for the songs which I'd never really thought about. Songs about rocking or how much one rocks are generally terrible, but songs about enjoying others' rock are damned inspiring, as it turns out. Great JC cut, and the Coop, Peaches, and DBT tracks were also stellar. Thank you, good sir!
From the start, I'm in. Janis Martin rules. Mike Cooley was in Seattle last night and my buddy, the sound guy, said he was awesome. Therefore, the Drive By Truckers rule, by proxy. And then The Jam, beyond belief. I saw Peaches live and saw well, everything. It was upsetting. Her Space Holiday is new. Nice. Thanks, Greg.
Turning rebellion into money. So here's a question: why is it that 90-something percent of Brits who try to play Jamaican music make something palatable while 90-something percent of Americans fail. Thanks for sharing, Greg. Rock the party! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNxGym3SrkI
An astute observation, Sam!
Maybe it's because Brits tend to be more diligent Rock scholars, whereas Americans tend to just bash shit out. The Bash Shit Out approach occasionally leads to pure invention.
But when taking that casual approach to a purely derivative musical form? In America you get get bad Ska bands and Trustafarian stoners.
I sure dig the early 80s second wave British Ska bands. Can't say the same for any American equivalents. The Bad Brains do some okay dub, but I'd much rather listen to their speedier stuff.
Fritz?
My guess is that British culture has/had way more exposure to actual JA music and musicians in a strictly pop setting (not the rasta version) and absorbed it better than the US where it was much more exotic (and where it was delivered to a mass audience mostly by Eric Clapton).
Just a guess. What do I know....
The Jam. Check. The Clash. Check. Wait – a Peaches song that isn't about fucking? Amazing. "We're an American Band" – woof, do I ever love that album. Really liked seeing The Lonely 1 here. (My fondness for the lovely and sorely missed Jay Bennett is well-documentd on these pages.) Her Space Holiday is new to me, and – what luck! – the internet says I have 18 years of catching up to do. And finally, in the "Could I possibly be more pathetic?" category, this is the first time I've heard "Road Rats" and "The Night Hank Williams Came to Town." I'm not proud of it.
Sam raises a good question. And I think Fritz answers it. I love you guys! And I love you, Greg Mills. Thanks for a terrific mix, which I now have the impossible task of following.
This is stupid good Greg.
Whatever the songs are.
I just saw a production of "Hair" last weekend. I didn't like it very much. Instead of "Frank Mills," I'd rather have heard "Greg Mills - Some Stupid With a Flare Gun."
"Four Tapping Shoes" - catchy and snotty. "Jonathan, Jonathan" - tuneful and appropriately nasal. "(White Man) in Hammersmith" - just beautiful, baby.
Enjoy your liner notes almost as much as your musical selections. Another excellently themed mix. Glad to hear dirty, dirty Peaches here, though somewhat less dirty. Dig that Drive-By Truckers song-story-concert list.
Great theme, stellar mix. I salute your ability to keep Plaster Caster off the playlist--I would not have been so strong.
First the cover art is brilliant! In sepia-ish. I would buy that t-shirt - of the boys wearing tube t-shirts. This photo screams California in the early 80's, I think you were there.
Favorites here are Her Space Holiday, The Rockingbirds, Rock Show!!!!!!
Thank you for including Solsbury Hill in the liner notes. Wtf? Seriously, I liked it, and never heard that story. Do that some more please!
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