Doom & Gloom Dispatch #5
The Exorzist III, John Renbourn & Jacqui McShee, Billy Talbot, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Loner Folks
The Exorzist III - Gospel Jamming vol. 1
A few weeks back, Marc Masters kindly alerted me to the existence of this semi-under-the-radar release and I’ve been playing it regularly ever since. The Exorzist III is a new project from Psychic Paramount/Laddio Bolocko guitarist Drew St. Ivany, so you will probably go into it with high expectations. And those expectations are exceeded! Gospel Jamming is deeply crunchy and kraut-y — four killer guitar / bass / drums workouts that motor(ik) their way down the road. Hypnotic, driving and fully rocking. Bring on vol. 2!
John Renbourn and Jacqui McShee - Grenoble University, Grenoble, France, January 23, 1974
Somehow missed this crucial, previously unheard tape of John Renbourn and Jacqui McShee when it was uploaded earlier this year — uploaded by none other than McShee herself, in fact. Thank you, Jacqui.
By this point, Pentangle had called it quits and Renbourn and McShee had gone back to doing the duo thing. And they sound great, naturally. Quietly dazzling guitar work, perfect harmonies and a repertoire that spans centuries, from William Byrd to Furry Lewis. A friendly, laid-back vibe — though there are a few rowdy audience members. The peak for me is the pair’s duet on “Watch The Stars” featuring a gorgeous vocal blend for the ages.
Billy Talbot of Crazy Horse :: The Aquarium Drunkard Interview
I’m slowly making my way through the members of Crazy Horse. First, there was Poncho. Then there was Nils. And now, you can read my Q&A with bassist Billy Talbot over on Aquarium Drunkard. Will I ever make it all the way to the whitest of whales, Neil Young himself? Who knows?! (In the meantime, Amanda Petrusich did a great job with this interview for the New Yorker.)
Anyway! Billy is not quite the raconteur that Poncho or Nils is, but he is a supremely soulful/thoughtful dude, just like you’d expect. He’s the guy! That bass line in “Cowgirl in the Sand,” the groove of “Tonight’s the Night,” those shaggy, awesome vocals throughout the years.
“Billy’s a mystery, isn’t he?” Neil mused in Shakey. “Billy’s great. Billy’s the reason why Crazy Horse is great, and Billy’s also the reason why Crazy Horse has never had a hit record. ‘Cause Billy’s great, but not 'I can dance to it’ great, know what I mean?”
Through Hills and Valleys, Over Creeks and Rivers: Crazy Horse’s Deep Cut Epics, 1984-2013
A favorite bit from my Billy Talbot interview this week was when we were discussing a beloved topic of mine — epic Crazy Horse jams. I got the sense that it was a beloved topic of Billy’s, too.
It’s amazing — from “Cowgirl in the Sand” and “Down By The River” to “Chevrolet.” They’re all great Crazy Horse jams, but they’re unique, each one of them. How do you do that? We don’t answer that question because what we do … is just do it! You find yourself in the middle of “Chevrolet” just choogling along. You’re going through hills and valleys and over creeks and rivers. You’re moved through it for 15 minutes. We don’t question it. We’re just amazed.
Yeah! There are lots of incredible Horse warhorses to choose from, but I’ve put together a kinda deep cut mix for y'all to enjoy. No “Down By The River,” “Like A Hurricane” or “Cortez the Killer” … Instead, Through Hills and Valleys, Over Creeks and Rivers presents some of those epics that haven’t exactly become setlist standards over the years. Five songs, 70 minutes, pure Crazy Horse. Here’s what’s in store.
“Touch The Night” (The Catalyst 1984): Musically, this one is “Hurricane” redux, with Poncho adding that Stringman synth sound over the top. But lyrically/emotionally, it’s somewhere else, somewhere more tortured. Worth checking out the ambitious video, too.
“Change Your Mind” (Farm Aid 1994): The Horse didn’t play this extended Sleeps With Angels tune live much at all, but it’s a dark and beautiful thing, with some exquisitely haunting Young / Sampedro interplay.
“Big Time” (Old Princeton Landing 1996): The Broken Arrow opener gets its live debut here, and though the “song” section is a little hesitant, the long, megalithic outro is unbelievable, Poncho grinding away on his low E-string while Neil tears abstract noise out of Old Black, like Bardo Pond covering “Eight Miles High.”
“Slip Away” (SPAC 1997): Another Broken Arrow tune stretched out for the HORDE tour, things getting dreamy towards the end. “And when the music started, she just slipped away …”
“Ramada Inn” (Melbourne 2013): Psychedelic Pill had several epics, but this one is my favorite, a narrative of a dissolving marriage punctuated by some deep playing from Neil.
Since I'm in charge here ... more Neil Young & Crazy Horse! The epics mix was all Sampedro-era Horse. But what about the Whitten/Nitzsche lineup?! Those guys could jam, too. There's not enough of this stuff out there; the Fillmore East official release is classic, of course, but I think Neil should just put out an entire multi-disc set of those shows, acoustic sets, electric sets, all of it.
"Cowgirl In The Sand" is the apex — there are good versions in later years, but none surpass 1970. The Fillmore run was famously with Miles Davis, but it seems like Neil was more of a Coltrane head at the time. "I had a Sony cassette player and some John Coltrane—My Favorite Things, Equinox—and I used to listen to that shit all time," he said of the period. "Nice melodies, the bass player was really good ... I thought Coltrane was great."
We might not think of Young as a particularly "jazzy" player, but I think on things like this "Cowgirl" we can hear how he tried to bring the elemental energy of classic Coltrane into a garage band setting. Right? Right.
Loner Folks: Robert Lester Folsom, John Fizer, Trevor Beales
The so-called “loner folk” genre has become a bit of a record collector cliché over the past decade or so. The danger of hyperbole when it comes to this music is always near; you know, “unknown genius singer-songwriter makes a masterpiece, only 30 copies ever pressed!” Caveat emptor, of course! But the attraction remains. When it comes to the best of it, we’re given a glimpse of some alternate timeline where the dreams of these outsiders come true, and the high quality of their tunes is finally recognized and celebrated. History re-written in a small but meaningful way. Here are a few recent loners to get lonely with …
From the Doom & Gloom Archives
SUMMER OF DEAD 2014: Where Am I? Who Am I? What The Fuck Am I Doing Here?
80 minutes worth of sweet instrumental Dead jams I’ve culled from the Archive, spanning the years 1968-1975. There’s skronk, there’s space, there’s funk, there’s psych. It’s all in there. Except for vocals. No vocals! I don’t know, there’s no real rhyme or reason here – it’s just some groovy, improv-y explorations that have caught my ear. I think you’re going to dig it.
1. Weir’s Words Of Wisdom (1969-12-11 - Thelma Theater)
Ace asks the eternal questions.
2. Jam #1/Fire On The Mountain theme (1971-08-21 - Mickey Hart’s Barn)
One of those killer Novato excursions, totally soaring. Check it all out here, it is a good time.
3. Jam (1975-04-17 - Ace’s Studio)
A chilly, bluesy groove! This low-key studio jam is a little out of character for the Dead, but I like it a lot. Almost JJ Cale-y?
4. Philo Stomp (1972-11-13 - Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall)
This thing starts out slamming around in true noize fashion, but eases into a more gentle vibe. Taken from one of Bear’s only audience tapes. He should’ve done that more, the sound is stellar.
5. Jam (1970-11-20 - U. of Rochester)
An extremely funky workout – almost reminiscent of a chooglin’ Booker T and the MG’s jam sesh. The Weir/Garcia interplay here sizzles. Sizzles, I say!
6. Spanish Jam (1968-03-30 - Carousel Ballroom)
These things are weird, but I’m into it. Very stiff and stentorian and non-freewheeling.
7. Jam (1973-07-27 - Grand Prix Racecourse)
The Dead send good vibes out to the assembled masses at Watkins Glen. Some of this meanders (if you can even believe it) but stick around to the end for a nice bit that sounds to my ears somewhere between “Eyes of the World” and “Fire On The Mountain."
8. Weir Outro (1968-05-18 - Santa Clara County Fairgrounds)
Bobby takes us out.
Currently Reading: The Candy House by Jennifer Egan
I’ll be reading the billy interview now. Thanks!
On the beach has a passing resemblance to equinox. I always like to think it was a nod to Coltrane.
So psyched to check out that Dead mix! Ty as always!