Scarred Knees - LITTLE MISS JANICE

Here’s one of my alltime favourite blues songs. Little is known about the artist and to my knowledge, the song is only available on a bootleg album called WEST COAST GUITAR KILLERS VOL.1 on El Segundo Records. Here’s what the liner notes say:

“Little Miss Janice is an enigma. What little is know about her is that she came from Texas, she played guitar and she had a knack for songwriting. After this recording for PROVERB, she went on to cut for Paul Gayten’s PZAZZ label. Johnny Adams covered “Scarred Knees” on his first LP for Rounder.”

Tomorrow, I’m gonna post a terrific Eddie Boyd killer song called “The Blues Is Here To Stay” so come back soon. In the meantime, enjoy lovely Little Miss Janice!

Scarred Knees - LITTLE MISS JANICE

Fun in South City - THE BRENTWOODS (Radio X lp)

A couple of months ago, I decided to sell my Brentwoods album on eBay. My compulsive record buying and obsessive music fanaticism demanded more cash and I though the album was more notorious for its scarcity than for its quality anyway. I mean, it’s a great fun rock & roll album but definitely not a lo-fi trash gem like The Gories’ “I Know You Fine But How You Doin’”, Supercharger’s “Goes Way Out” or Loli & The Chones’ “P.S. We Hate You”. Anyway, some people contacted me to ask if I could send them a CDR of the album so I decided to put the whole record on my blog. After all, this kinda music should be available for the masses, right?! Hey –ho: That’s cool! That’s trash!!!

Fun In South City - THE BRENTWOODS (Radio X - 1994 - RX 05 - lp)

Le Silence de Lorna

After La Promesse, Rosetta, Le Fils and L’Enfant – Le Silence de Lorna is another poignant social drama that didn’t cease to amaze me. You can find mixed reviews all over the internet but all I want to say is: don’t miss this new delicate and profound human drama from double Palme d’Or winners Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne! Five brilliant movies in a row is an unparalleled achievement in my book!

Record of the Month: DAVILA 666

After the big letdown of that Vivian Girls album, In The Red Records has just released another scorcher of an album. DAVILA 666 are a bunch of young kids from Puerto Rico and if you like the Black Lips, you’re gonna love these cats! You can listen to the album in its entirety here and I’m pretty sure you’re gonna order the record asap once you did. Now let’s pray for a European tour ‘cuz my mind & body are in need for this kinda raw & catchy garage punk!

Dammit, I’m broke! When I came home from Morocco last week, my mailbox bulged with bills and yesterday, my car suddenly broke down! However, before the end of the year, I hope to purchase the following albums (fortunately, my wife doesn’t read this blog):

Searching for Odell Harris – ODELL HARRIS (Broke & Hungry CD)

The Mystic World of AUGUSTUS PABLO: The Rockers Story (Shanachie 4CD + DVD)

ACHILI FUNK: GYPSY SOUL 1969-1979 (Love Monk CD)

ESOTERIC MODAL AND DEEP JAZZ FROM THE UNDERGROUND 1968-1977 (Jazzman Records CD)

Guitar Boy Superstar 1970-76 – SIR VICTOR UWAIFO (Soundway 2LP)

Sounds From A Bygone Era Vol.5 – GABY LUNCA (Asphalt Tango CD)

GIVE ME LOVE: SONGS OF THE BROKENHEARTED-BAGHDAD 1925-29 (Honest Jon’s CD)

Act Naturally: The BUCK OWENS Recordings 1953-1964 (Bear Family 5CD)

Double Negative – BLACK TIME (In The Red LP)

The Sistrum – FACTUMS (Sacred Bones LP)

HIGHLIFE TIME: NIGERIAN & GHANAIAN SOUNDS FROM THE 60’S AND EARLY 70’S (Vampisoul 2
LP)

PAPRIKAZZ FEL! HUNGARIAN ROCKSCENE 1965-1971 (Grey Past 2LP)

Halloween Recorded Live 1979-81 – ROKY ERICKSON & THE EXPLOSIVES (Norton Records 2LP)

Double Sunrise Over Neptune – WILLIAM PARKER (Aum Fidelity CD)

REMBETIKA 3: VASSILIS TSITSANIS (JSP 5CD)

Classic Early Sides 1952-1957 – IKE TURNER (JSP 2D)

Morocco was great, especially the medina (old city) of Fes, the camel ride + sleep under the stars in the Sahara, the day hikes in the Dades Valley and Ourika valley. Casablanca & Essaouira were 2 anticlimaxes. The first because there was absolutely nothing to see and the second because this once beautiful coastal town has become a characterless tourist trap. But the biggest letdown was how the Moroccans ruin their country by dumping their garbage everywhere. Even in remote mountain villages, they throw all garbage on the ground while the desert like countryside is littered with black plastic bags. Shocking! I will post a travel account on my site in the near future.

i'm outta here!

It’s about time to expand my life-experience once again, this time by making a three-week journey through Morocco. I hope to get this blog on the right track again when back home at the end of August. Stay tuned!

The Best of FATS WALLER: The Original Masters (Sony 3CD)

Here’s one of the best deals in recent months: the legendary RCA recordings of FATS WALLER, one of the biggest jazz icons in history, at an incredibly low price. The sound is excellent, there’s some brief information about the artist in the booklet and the packaging looks cool. Even though it overlaps with other Fats Waller budget titles on JSP and PROPER, this 3CD box set is really unbeatable at 5,75 EUR. In the same Original Masters series, Sony has just released compilations by Glenn Miller, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong (his legendary Hot Fives and Sevens recordings).

6 critic’s darling bands that I don’t seem to like no matter how hard I try:

WIRE
HÜSKER DÜ
THE CLASH
MOTÖRHEAD
THE BEATLES
KING SUNNY ADE


6 of my alltime favorite bands/artists:

THE FALL
PERE UBU
LOS LOBOS
TOM WAITS
ALEX CHILTON
CAPTAIN BEEFHEART

El Cant Dels Ocells - Albert Serra

I missed Albert Serra’s second feature “Honor de Cavalleria” in Rotterdam last year but yesterday I’ve seen his third feature film “El Cant Dels Ocells” and it’s a stunning piece of film art. Here’s an accurate description of the movie and I really don’t feel the need to add any words. Serra is only 33 years old so let’s hope he’ll treat us to more gems like “El Cant Dels Ocells” whose genuine absurdism and sublime black and white landscape photography are truly unique.

Howdy!

House renovations are over, Spanish tests completed and tax forms filled out, so I guess it’s about time to breath some fresh life into this blog.

I haven’t seen many new movies lately but I was recently impressed by the Rotterdam Tiger Award winning WONDERFUL TOWN by Aditya Assarat. This fragile but powerful movie recently saw a nationwide release which today means that it was shown in 4 Belgian theatres for about 3 weeks. The film tells about a love affair, shot in a Thai village devastated by the 2004 tsunami, that ends on a morbid note. The impressively photographed desolate villages and their surroundings, the reflective & enchanting mood re-enforced by minimal dialogue and an evocative guitar-dominated score are just a few reasons why I loved every single moment of this memorable film. Aditya Assarat's debut film marks him as a talent to watch!



Concert-wise, I was rather disappointed by a rather boring Matthew Shipp Trio in Bruges, a mediocre-at-best Boss Tweed from NY and some kind of Johnny Dowd-goes-fusion show in my hometown. To make things worse, The Handsome Family – who impressed me at the Blue Highways festival a few years ago – got on my nerves after a couple of songs by overemphasizing the “weird” aspect of their music. I mean, every song was introduced as some kind of lullaby-with-devils so the whole thing became rather artificial and predictable after a while. Weird for the sake of being weird? No, thanks!

Fortunately, I also went to a couple of shows that set the place on fire! Here are my favorite ones:

1. The Hex Dispensers (May 23 - Pit's)

Alex Cuervo at the Pit’s was like a wet dream coming true. Expectations were very high but the Hex Dispensers left the competition far behind with songs that borrow a lot from The Wipers and Ramones but still do stand on their own. An adrenaline shot from some of the nicest people you could ever meet! Click here if you don't believe me.

2. Toby Dammit w/ Jessie Evans (April 3 - N9)

I haven’t seen or heard anything quite like this: sax player and extravaganza Goddess Jessie Evans w/ drummer Toby Dammit mixed afro beat with no wave and spiced the whole thing up with Brazilian and Mexican sounds. Awesome!

3. Haunted George (May 15 - Pit's)

Despite his ghoulish lyrics and primitive music, Haunted George turned out to be a real gentleman who knows how to boogie. It ain’t a thing if it ain’t got that swing!

4. The Seatsniffers (May 16 - N9)

Belgium’s best live band has just released their seventh album and this release show was another tour-de-force. Great cover of Alex Chilton’s Bangkok too!

5. Carbonas (April 9 - Pit's)

Full-throttle punkrock by a bunch of cool dudes from Atlanta. The day after, Carbonas paid a visit to the Westvleteren abbey and flew home with a couple of six packs from the brewery. My kinda guys!

6. Whiskey Daredevils (May 12 - 't Schransken)

Out of the ashes of the Cowslingers and still a great mix between punk rock and country. A funny band to watch too!

Next are the legendary SONICS at the Sjock Festival in Gierle this Saturday. Can’t wait to see one of my all-time favorite bands live on stage!!!

I think our world is rotten to the core and that if there's a God, he must be indifferent for human suffering (to quote Anton LaVey). Still, Austrian director Ulrich Seidl's films feel like a kick in the head. His second long feature - after a handful of amazing documentaries - is essentially another intriguing film about humiliation and loss but it is great to see how the two main characters courageously struggle for a decent life. IMPORT/EXPORT is a MUST SEE!


I also found some DEKE DICKERSON & The Ecco-fonics pictures from that fabulous Turnhout show at this Swiss girl’s myspace. Damn cool, ain't it?



I hope to breathe new life into this blog once my house is finished (hopefully next month). I will post MP3's very frequently and will include more film reviews so stay tuned!

Here's another soul compilation bootleg album that I need to check out 'cuz it looks full of promise. Maybe after all, there IS a GOD!!!

Rockin' Around Turnhout

Some 15 years ago, I saw DEKE DICKERSON play a fabulous live show with Norton Records recording artists The Untamed Youth and ever since I've become a huge fan of this Californian guitar wizard. A couple of years ago, I saw Deke for the second time in Belgium with his new band The Ecco-fonics when he played a fierce rockin' set with a tight band including standup bass and wild sax at the annual Rockin' Around Turnhout rockabilly festival. The show was so good that I promised myself never to miss the opportunity to see Deke live on stage so I jumped back in my car a few years later to see him play again with the Ecco-fonics in a club in Antwerp. Again, it was a very entertaining & crazy set with an audience that really adored Deke & his band.

Last weekend, I drove again to the Rockin' Around Turnhout festival where Deke was scheduled as headliner on Saturday night. Before the power trio took the stage, THE MEAN DEVILS from Portugal played a wild & reckless set with a boppin' standup bass player and very exciting piano man. The singer was wild as hell: he sounded like a male Wanda Jackson and tore the house down. I was deeply impressed!

After The Mean Devils, DEKE & THE ECCO-FONICS were announced as power trio featuring Deke, Chris "Sugarballs" Sprague, and "Crazy Joe" Tritschler. The show was a blast and will end up high in my personal year end's list with favorite live shows of 2008! Deke has a CD compilation out entitled 'Mr. Entertainment' and I think that's hitting the nail on the head as he is like the ultimate entertainer! For some songs, Deke, Crazy Joe and Sugarballs switched instruments (once in the middle of a song without a break) and at the end of the show Deke & Crazy Joe played the same double neck guitar! One highlight followed the other and fun was had by the band and the audience! A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!!



The next day, my car broke down while driving back to Turnhout for the bar crawl where some 15 bands play different sets at various small clubs around town. Fortunately, the road assistance installed a new battery and I was just in time to witness the incredible raw juke joint blues of STINKY LOU & THE GOONMAT. This threesome has just released their debut album on the Swiss Voodoo Rhythm record label and on stage they revive 50's juke joint blues in a very fascinating way. The bass player rams a one-string cord attached to a broom that sticks out of a big washtub, the drummer plays guitar and sings while a wild harmonica player goes loose, jumps and shouts. My God, these guys are nothing short of spectacular!!

Before we went to see Sunday's top of the bill, we enjoyed half an hour of Germany's SMOKESTACK LIGHTNIN' with Seatsniffers main man Walter Broes on additional guitar. A very nice set witch well-chosen covers by Merle Haggard and Percy Mayfield (the marvelous 'Louisiana', a song he recorded for Specialty Records at the time). Smokestack Lightnin' has a wonderful sound, somewhere between the aforementioned Seatsniffers and Calexico. A great band!

At 11PM, we headed for the main hall again for THE DAVE & DEKE COMBO featuring Deke Dickerson and Dave Stuckey. Many years ago, this hillbilly outfit played at the festival too so this show felt like a homecoming for these boys. With false teeth and barefooted, they played a very funny and swinging set and everybody was having a good time again. Mr. Entertainment did it again!



Three incredible days of high quality roots music: oh what a weekend!!! Don't forget to check out the new Deke Dickerson and Stinky Lou albums!

(As I hate taking pictures at shows, I googled some up for your viewing pleasure)

CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS

If the Anthology of American Folk Music is your musical bible and if you can’t get enough of those amazing old time music compilations on Old Hat Records and Dust-To-Digital, you really own it to yourself to check out a band called CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS. Last Friday, this African-American string trio played a show at my hometown and I am still amazed by their inspired, hearty and genuine performance. The handsome trio played a very varied set that included covers by Jimmy Rogers, Hobart Smith and Othar Turner. Next to the amazing performances, we got to now all kinds of very interesting details like the fact that the banjo originates from Africa and that the Appalachian Mountains are not the real source of traditional banjo and fiddle music (more info on this subject can be found here). All three performers were very devoted professionals but never became pedantic. Although the CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS play music from the 1920-30’s, the band never sounds outdated because the energy level and sheer enthusiasm is unparalleled. What a band!!!

Go to http://www.fabchannel.com/ and typ 'CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS' to see the live show from Paradiso, Amsterdam from 18-03-2008. Thanks to my pal FILIP for the tip!

Carolina Chocolate Drops website
Carolina Chocolate Drops myspace

Cinema Novo Film Festival in Bruges

... more info here.

the Muffs - Democrazy, Ghent - 1993

Gee I’m getting old! This video was taken near my hometown at the Democrazy in Ghent in 1993. All the interesting guitarbands from the 80’s – early 90’s used to play at the Democrazy (Screaming Trees, Nirvana, Killdozer, Jesus Lizard, Thin White Rope, etc) and this club almost became my second home. I still think the first Muffs album is a killer album but all I remember from this show is that Kim Shattuck looked damn hot in that cool red dress!

The New Reviews Are Online!

Finally, the new reviews are online! I intend to update the review section every three months from now on!

an old pic from an incredible hunches show at the mighty pit's( 03.03.03 or 24.09.04)
what on earth is it that attracts us to this dirty garbage rock 'n roll mayhem?
i suppose it's just the perfect antidote to the dreariness and predictability of the daily grind?

Some of my favourite movies always leave me confused upon first sight. When I left the theatre, I didn’t think THE BANISHMENT would make my TOP 5 of 2008. Three weeks later, the movie still hasn’t left me mind and for that reason alone, I know it will be in my top 5.



I also think that the latest DIRTBOMBS album on In The Red is the best one Mick Collins & C° ever recorded. And that West-Vleteren is still the best beer in the world. And that my new house starts to look pretty great.

Next week Westmalle + COCOCOMA/HEADACHE CITY at the mighty Pit’s.

Mood? Ç&Oµù$^!?

Will put some reviews on my site this Monday.

In the meantime, check DAVE THE SPAZZ and MICHAEL SHELLEY, two guys that brighten my days at work with their wonderful programs on WFMU.

Nigeria Special

Here's a nice fansite set up to celebrate the release of Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds & Nigerian Blues 1970-76 on Soundway Records. Just click the image below.