Rock and Roll Riot – 20 songs from July 26th, 2008

Rock and Roll Riot is the name of my regular DJ night, which happens once a month at the venerable Cameron House in Toronto. I've been doing this night for a number of years now, starting back in 2002 as an occasional fill-in gig, and gradually settling in to a monthly Saturday night slot. It's been a fantastic opportunity to spin tons of records, explore different musical avenues, and hang out at one of my favourite clubs. I take on other DJ gigs on occasion, often sharing the bill with live bands, but Rock and Roll Riot is my mainstay. The musical focus of Rock and Roll Riot is quite broad, and has evolved over the years, incorporating all sorts of different sounds and styles, eras and artists. Generally, the evening features healthy doses of rock and roll (1950s to the present), rockabilly, psychobilly, surf, instrumental, blues, punk, funk, rhythm and blues, new wave/post-punk, glam rock, novelty tunes, and lounge/exotica. Sure, that's alot of ground to cover, but that's part of the fun – I have a four hour time slot, which allows for a substantial selection of music each month. 

In my experience, most DJs tend to really focus on one particular sound or style of music, but I like to keep my mix diverse and unpredictable, to a certain point. I'm not playing contemporary dance music (ie. techno, electronica, house, hip hop, etc.), although much of what I play is actually very dance-oriented, but at the core is rock and roll, and it resonates outwards from there. The more eclectic and exciting, the better. My musical interests over the past decade have been increasingly directed back into the '40s, '50s and '60s, the early years of rock and roll, its roots in blues, rhythm and blues, jazz and country, and the rockabilly sounds that I loved in my youth, as well as instrumental rock and surf. This is rich musical territory, and much of the music of the era is as raw, vital, and original today as it was back in its day. And it's fun!

I don't keep meticulous charts or playlists – it would be next to impossible with the amount of songs I spin in a night – but I thought it would be an idea to post a brief snapshot of my set once a month. I'm not really sure exactly why I had the urge to do this, other than as a fun thing to do, and to keep some sort of record of the songs I've played to look back on after awhile. I usually forget pretty quickly what was played from month to month, so this will help me keep track. I was originally planning to list 10 songs per month, but decided that 20 might be a bit more representative. Files for The Mysterious Vault. And, if anyone reading the blog finds the music of interest, please come down to the Cameron House and hang out some Saturday night when I'm there!

20 Songs from The Cameron House – July 26th, 2008

New Order “Ceremony”

Echo And The Bunnymen “Evergreen”

Nouvelle Vague “Dance With Me”

Peter Bjorn and John “Let's Call It Off”

Handsome Ned “Wrong Side of the Tracks”

Ruby Ann “Dynamite”

The Bop Cats “One Hand Loose”

Roy Orbison “Domino”

Gene Vincent “Cruisin’”

Jack Nitzsche “The Last Race”

Brian Setzer “Flyin’ Saucer Rock and Roll”

Ray Condo And His Hardrock Goners “Blast Off”

Wanda Jackson “Fujiyama Mama”

James Brown & His Famous Flames “Night Train”

Booker T. & The MGs “Groovin’”

Reverend Organdrum “Honky Tonk (Side A & B)”

The Ventures “Needles And Pins”

John Cale “Gun”

The Stooges “Down On The Street”

The Lounge Lizards “Harlem Nocturne”

O Canada! Five albums for Canada Day 2008

In the spirit of Canada Day (July 1st for all you foreigners), I usually try to keep my stereo loaded with music by Canadian artists. This year's selection turned out to be largely of the country and instrumental variety, with a little good ol' classic Canadian rock thrown in for good measure. Here's what made the cut this year – one short of a six pack!

Wes Dakus and the Rebels Volume 1

Ray Condo and His Hardrock Goners Party Favourites

Atomic 7 ...Something for the Girl with Everything

Rush s/t

Carolyn Mark Nothing Is Free

Something old, something new, something reissued, and everything cool! To keep the spotlight on the Canadians, here are some thoughts and comments on each title...

Wes Dakus and the Rebels Volume 1 (Super Oldies)

This CD is a great collection of top-notch instrumental rock by Canadian combo Wes Dakus and the Rebels. The group were active during the initial heyday of instrumental rock (the late '50s and early '60s), although, like The Shadows and others, they also backed up vocalists, and some vocal tracks do appear on this CD. Despite being quite successful in their day, Wes Dakus and the Rebels have been largely forgotten, although their music has begun to resurface in recent years, thanks to efforts such as this one. I actually grew up in Canada, an eager young music fan, and I had never heard of Wes Dakus and his group until I chanced upon their recording of "El Ringo" on Bear Family's excellent Shakin' Up North – Canadian Rockabilly, Vol. 1 compilation. Hearing this track, a catchy, twangy instrumental in the spirit of Duane Eddy, The Shadows, or The Outlaws (later covered by The Fireballs), instantly made me a fan (all the more impressive when I read that it was recorded using one mic to a one track tape machine), and I tried to find more music by Wes Dakus. A few more songs surfaced on Sundazed's stellar Dancehall Stringbusters! guitar instros compilation, but Super Oldies delivered the motherlode with Volume 1, AND a subsequent Volume 2 (apparently a Volume 3 is in the works!). Both volumes are limited editions of 500, available online from Super Oldies, so if you're interested, get your hands on a copy before they're gone!

A bit more on Volume 1, the CD in the spotlight this time around (I'll review Volume 2 in a future posting). Super Oldies should be commended for gathering all of this rare material and making it available. Volume 1 is a mix of songs recorded in various radio station studios in western Canada (all based out of Edmonton), some of which were released as 45s, and some never before released. Quality records was behind the group for awhile, so some of these sides came out on Quality back in the early '60s. Additional material was recorded south of the border (notably at Norman Petty Studios), and released on American labels Gallio (a short-lived indie), and United Artists. The CD also includes some decent vocal cuts, unreleased versions of "That'll Be the Day", "You're So Square", "Matchbox", and more, with Barry Allen and Lennie Richards on the mic. These tracks offer a different perspective on the group, and give a bit of insight as to their live approach, which often incorporated a vocalist (the detailed liner notes discuss the various lineups that Dakus employed over the years). This is one of my favourite reissues of recent years, and Volume 2 is the perfect companion.

Ray Condo and His Hardrock Goners Party Favourites! (Crow-Matic Records)

Party Favourites! is a recently released "best of" compilation of music by Canadian rockin' hillbilly legends Ray Condo and His Hardrock Goners. I was really happy to get my hands on this CD (special thanks to DJ Rock 'n' Roll Jenny for getting me a copy!), being a fan of Ray Condo for years, but not really having a whole lot of his music in my collection. Former Ray Condo sideman Slim Sandy put this compilation together, and released it on his label Crow-Matic Records. It's a great primer for anyone looking to check out the crazed, hopped-up rockabilly/hillbilly/country sound that the Hardrock Goners did so well. Ray Condo passed away back in 2004, tragically, but not before leaving his musical legacy with the work of the Hardrock Goners, and later Ray Condo and the Ricochets, which delved into a more polished, but still rockin', country swing sound.

My first exposure to Ray Condo, surprisingly, was through seeing his music video for the song "Hot 'N' Cold" on Canadian music video channel MuchMusic. In retrospect, this seems almost unbelievable – the thought of MuchMusic airing a video by Ray Condo is not something that would ever happen in 2008, but back in the late '80s, the station did broadcast a fair amount of Canadian and independent content. At the time, I wasn't that into country music, although I did like rockabilly, and the song was instantly captivating, so I took notice. I heard more of Ray Condo's music on various It Came From Canada compilation albums (invaluable comps of Canadian underground garage/rockabilly/surf/punk/etc. music put out by Montreal's Og Records in the '80s), and his wild and crazy sound was always a standout. Finally, I found a copy of Ray Condo and the Hardrock Goners' album Hot 'N' Cold, which has been a favourite ever since. The album is a winner from start to finish, with such killer tracks as "Blast Off", "The Worrying Kind", "Lonely Wolf", "Wild Guitar", and the creepy instrumental "The Sinister Urge". As a DJ, I spin tracks from Hot 'N' Cold on a regular basis as part of my set. Four songs from this album appear on Party Favourites!,  along with 13 other songs from the Hardrock Goners era. While I eventually acquired some music by the Ricochets, I have been wanting to hear more of the Hardrock Goners stuff, so Party Favourites! was a welcome addition to my music collection. Condo's versions of "St. James Infirmary", "Ice Cold Water", "Sweet Love On My Mind", and the surf tune "Mister Who" are all fantastic – hell, it's all great stuff! You need this CD in your collection. It's crazy, man, crazy!

Atomic 7 ...Something for the Girl with Everything (Eleganza Records)

The third CD from this stellar T.O.-based instrumental trio is as great as their first two albums, but also represents a subtle shift in sound. Atomic 7 is fronted by Brian Connelly, best known for his work with Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet, and one of my all-time favourite guitarists and instrumental songsmiths. For this album, Connelly is joined by Mark Duff on drums, and Brad Keogan on bass guitar, both members of London, Ontario country outfit The Rizdales. This new lineup (each Atomic 7 album has had a different rhythm section) might account for the slightly more prominent country feel to ...Something for the Girl with Everything, but it's also just a natural progression for Atomic 7. Connelly has been a part of Neko Case's band in the past, and his other project, Ancient Chinese Secret, cover alot of country material, so he's certainly got an affection for country music.

...Something for the Girl with Everything was released on a very limited scale (ie. available only at live shows), which is a bit of a shame, because it is so damn good! Easily in my top 5 albums of 2007. Big, twangy Duane Eddy-esque guitars thunder and flash through a great set of original material, from spagetti western atmospherics ("Ivy Rocks", "The Whirly Girly Revue") to wonderfully melodic upbeat numbers ("Junior Miss Chop Shop", "Guilt Wears a Dazzling Chapeau"), shadowy faux spy movie themes ("Lava Devils!", "Thingmaker"), and some slow romantic pieces (in the tradition of Santo & Johnny's classic, "Sleep Walk"). All in less than 35 minutes! Classic Atomic 7, with a new twist. Shadowy Men fans won't be disappointed, and a couple of tracks in particular, "Glow in the Dark Underpants" and "Thingmaker", certainly hearken back to the otherworldly sound of Connelly's famous combo. Atomic 7 seem to be on hiatus – I haven't seen any indication that they have been active this year at all – but Connelly's other group, Ancient Chinese Secret, play regularly in Toronto, including a residency a the Cadillac Lounge. The good news is that the Atomic 7 website is now finally live, so you can order this hard-to-find CD on-line.

Rush s/t (Anthem Records)

What's Canada Day without a little Rush? And what better than to start at the beginning, with the powerhouse Rush album! Sure, I get grief about being a Rush fan, but who cares? If you like rock and roll, you can't argue with songs like "Working Man", "What You're Doing", or "Finding My Way". In fact, if Rush had only ever put out this one album, their place in Canadian rock history would have been secure. As it turned out, this was but an introduction to a long and vastly prolific career that continues to this day.

But the group's eponymous debut is unique in their catalogue for a couple of reasons. In some ways, it seems a quaint, innocent first statement from a power trio that would go on to pen such hefty prog-rock classics as 2112 and Hemispheres, and later delve into synth-heavy pop rock territory on albums like Signals, Grace Under Pressure, and Hold Your Fire. Rush is a straight-ahead early '70s hard rock album, a big, loud, gleeful burst of youthful energy, and really alot of fun. Back in my high school days, it used to annoy me when people would write off Rush as a Zeppelin clone band (I didn't like Zep in those days, although I eventually realized the error of my ways), but listening to early Rush now, the comparisons are pretty obvious. In fact, it would be great to hear Zeppelin take on songs like "Need Some Love" and "Working Man"! But Rush were also influenced by the likes of The Who, Cream, Blue Cheer, Buffalo Springfield, and many other artists (their 2004 CD Feedback pays tribute to some of these inspirations), and ultimately they forged their own sound, moreso as their career progressed.

On Rush, the songs are simple, riding on heavy guitar riffs, head-banging grooves, and lyrics typical of rock and roll. In retrospect, it's funny to hear Geddy Lee singing lyrics about things like lust and drinking beer, considering that Rush are known for their heady subject matter, sci-fi/fantasy song cycles, and sophistication within the rock world. That all came later, when original drummer John Rutsey was replaced by drummer/lyricist Neil Peart from the second album, Fly By Night, onwards. So, only on the album Rush will you find lyrics like: 

Hey, baby, it's a quarter to eight

I feel I'm in the mood

Hey baby, the hour is late

I feel I've got to move

(from "In the Mood")

or

Ooh, I need some love

I said I need some love

Ooh yes, I need some love

This feelin' I can't rise above

Ooh, yeah, yeah

(from "Need Some Love")

Go for it, Geddy!

The Rush album rocks, and Rush rock. In fact, I saw them live last September, and they are still a force to contend with. Check out their recent live album, Snakes & Arrows Live, if you don't believe me. Geddy can still hit the high notes on songs like "Freewill", and the band are loud and rockin' in their 5th decade, moving forwards despite the odds. Sadly, original drummer John Rutsey passed away in May of this year. His memory will live on for fans in the grooves of Rush's debut album for a long time to come.

Carolyn Mark Nothing Is Free (Mint Records)

The last album on the playlist for Canada Day is the most recent from Victoria, B.C.'s lovely songstress Carolyn Mark. It's been pretty much a boys club so far, but Ms. Mark weighs in for the ladies with a nice set of songs that highlight her songwriting and vocal skills. My wife loves Carolyn Mark's music and wit, and I've grown to quite like it as well, won over by her obvious charm and wicked sense of humour. And while most of her CDs to date have been filled with a mix of rollicking party sing-alongs and lovelorn laments (her first album was titled Party Girl, after all), Nothing Is Free is a change of pace. The boozy good-time girl persona has been put aside in favour of a more intimate approach, and the result is an album that allows Mark's songs to shine outside of the usual gimmicks and saucy wordplay.

Nothing Is Free is not an immediate album, it's a grower. The clever instrumental hooks and unexpected twists and turns of previous albums have been somewhat supplanted by a more folky approach. While her sound is generally a mix of country, folk, cabaret, jazz, and rock, often stumbling over each other in a ramshackle hootenanny, the instrumentation on Nothing Is Free leans towards the acoustic – guitar, bass, mandolin, violin, and pretty vocal harmonies. Mark has captured a coffee house vibe this time around, rather than a late-night booze can feel. I must confess, the first few times I heard the album, I was a bit underwhelmed. Those unruly songs loaded with bad girl punchlines that I've grown to expect from Carolyn Mark were somehow missing, and it almost seemed like she was trying to sell herself as a serious singer/songwriter this time around. Sure, there were some pleasant sounds to be heard, some nice melodies, a great twangy guitar line on "Happy 2B Flying Away", and Mark's wonderful voice and delivery. But was this her sober album??

I'm happy to say that, as with many albums, Nothing Is Free does benefit from repeated listening. In fact, it doesn't become apparent how good the songs are until you let them sink in after a few listens. I hesitate to call this a "mature" Carolyn Mark album (can that word be used in reference to Carolyn Mark's music?), but it does present a more serious and sensitive side to her work, and moves in a promising new direction. The lyrical content is still very much front and centre, and even without the sensationalistic stories about the night before, she still manages to muster up some evocative tales, and lace them with tasty one-liners throughout. "The 1 That Got Away (with it)", "Get Along", and "Honest Woman" are classic Carolyn Mark songs, while "The Business End", "Happy 2B Flying Away", and "Point of View" are more reflective, observational, melodic offerings. One real surprise is the closing song, "Destination: You". This track is at odds with the rest of the CD, a foray into electronica with a haunting, nocturnal feel, reminiscent of Vancouver's Perfume Tree. An odd way to finish off the album, but Carolyn Mark is full of surprises, and I get the feeling that she has lots more to come. Her last two albums, Just Married: An Album of Duets (2005), and The Pros and Cons of Collaboration (2004), each presented Mark within the context of highly collaborative work, and she clearly works well in a group situation. But Nothing Is Free is an album that allows the listener to simply enjoy Mark's voice, lyrics and songs with the minimum of outside influence. It's a great, pastoral, late summer album, so find yourself a copy and enjoy. You don't even need a drink to go along with it.

That's it for this year's Canada Day listening. Until next July 1st, keep listening to Canadian music!