Ola’s Kool Kitchen podcast 432 with a glad bag of good music from Naked Giants, Beach Bunny, Helicon – Glasgow, The Gabriels, THE HECK & shame. Shout to Mark McLure Helicon, Gary Hughes, John-Paul Hughes and Paul Manchester.
This podcast is unpaid and survives on donations. You can donate here via paypal www.stephenmbland.com/olas-kool-kitchen Ola’s Kool Kitchen is a show on KCLA 99.3 FM in Los Angeles, 107.5 andhow.FM, Maximum Threshold Radio, Rock Radio UK, Sword Radio UK, Jammerstream One, Kor Radio, Bombshell Radio,Radio Wigwam and Dirty Chai Radio and you can hear more shows here https://hearthis.at/olaskoolkitchen
Show 432: 1. Naked Giants-Turns Blue 2. Beach Bunny-Nice Guys 3. Soap-Epiphone 4. Helicon-What You Love Will Kill You 5. The Gabriels-Loose Canyon 6. The Heck-I Hate It Here/I Like It Here 7. Shame – Nigel Hitter 8. Mogwai-Ritchie Sacrament 9. Sleaford Mods featuring Amy Taylor-Nudge It 10. Akai Tori (The Red Birds) – Takeda No Komoriuta 11. The Ronettes –Is This What I Get For Loving You-single-Philles Records 12. Baden Powell & Vinicius De Moraes-Canto De Ossanha-Os Afro Sambas-Forma 13. Kurt Vile-Dandelions- Speed, Sound, Lonely KV-Matador
When an artist receives any kind of tribute treatment, it’s generally a sign of some well-deserved recognition. It means that the music has become so iconic, reverence is readily assured. Likewise, when a salute of that sort spans two discs, it’s also evident that there’s plenty of source material that can be considered. Not surprisingly then, the iconic rocker Willie Nile gave the musicians that contribute to his particular tribute, Willie Nile Uncovered, plenty of songs to choose from. Nile, whose career was originally spawned during the Greenwich village folk scene of the mid to late ‘70s, eventually turned his gaze towards the insurgent sounds that drew Springsteen, Patti Smith, Elliott Murphy, and various arch denizens of his city’s post-punk scene.
That said, the music represented here is strikingly diverse, whether it’s Emily Duff’s take on the celebratory sing-along “Hell Yeah,” the appropriate Band-like sound given Quarter Horse’ read of “When Levon Sings,” the tender tones of James Maddocks’ version of “She’s Got My Heart,” or, naturally enough, the rousing revelry found in Nils Lofgren’s performance of “All God’s Children.
A varied list of rock, folk and Americana luminaries take part — which, aside from those mentioned above, include Graham Parker, John Gorka, Caroline Doctorow, Slaid Cleaves, Richard Shindell, Richard Barone and Lucy Kaplinsky — and they not only offer appropriate homage, but also ensure that the appreciation Nile so decidedly deserves is served up quite sufficiently.
“The subtitle to this 2 CD set of songs of native New Yorker Willie Nile is ‘Celebrating 40 Years of Music.’ 26 sterling interpretations of his oeuvre have resulted in one of the most playable and entertaining tribute album in years. Incorporating Americana, roots rock, folk rock, country rock and the kind of singer-songwriter smarts that a fella named Bruce pioneered just over the Hudson River on the Jersey side, there are no clinkers. Not one… So many highlights!” – Mike Greenblatt- Goldmine Magazine, November 2020.
“…it’s consistently excellent…it’s a dependably absorbing listen”. Hal Horowitz – American Songwriter – 8/20/20
“The range of Willie’s music has been captured brilliantly on Willie Nile Uncovered… It’s been lovingly packaged with complete credits and extensive liner notes… The album reveals the richness of Willie’s catalogue… Thanks to Willie for his unwavering rock & roll heart and thanks to Paradiddle for giving Willie his due.” – John Platt – New Folk Initiative – 8/28/20
“An effort with something for everyone, Americana, rock, folk, country and roots rock are all explored here and interpreted in thoughtful, exciting ways that certainly puts Nile’s work at the highest regard.” – Take Effect – 8/30/20
“A delightful compilation by many. Willie Nile has great friends. John Apice – Americana Highways – 8-20-20
“…all of the contributing artists bring something fresh to the material while remaining true to its spirit. The album will likely make you want to explore Nile’s recordings and also investigate some of the folks who cover them here.” – Jeff Burger – Americana Highways August 2nd, 2020 & TMR August 5th, 2020
“It’s an extraordinary tribute that gives justice to the brilliant Willie Nile catalogue.” —6/30/2020 – Norm Prusslin, co-founder of the Long Island Music Hall of Fame – New Jersey Stage
Working in tandem with her erstwhile musical collaborator David Rawlings, singer/songwriter Gillian Welch searched through her vault and uncovered a rich cache of home demos and reel-to-reel recordings that she then assembled into three volumes of archival offerings. Collectively titled The Lost Songs and delineated as Boots Vol. 1, 2 and 3, she shares 48 songs in total, thus allowing fans and followers an opportunity to bear witness to Welch’s creative sensibilities and the unreleased music she and Rawlings recorded in the fertile period between her critically-acclaimed albums Time (The Revelator) and Soul Journey. An aural sketchbook of sorts, the three volumes reflect a certain creative consistency and Welch’s willingness to indulge her muse wherever it might lead.
Fans of Gillian Welch and her long time songwriting foil David Rawlings’s reimagining of early country and bluegrass are used to being patient. Until a month ago, the pair had only released five albums proper under her name, and three in his, since Welch’s 1996 debut, “Revival”. But after their studio, with all their old recordings, was almost destroyed by a tornado in March, they’ve changed tack. Hot on the heels of July’s covers album, “All the Good Times Are Past and Gone”, comes the follow-up to 2016’s first batch of archive recordings, The Official Revival Bootleg, with two more volumes.
While most of the offerings are rendered in stripped-down settings, all reflect a propensity to tap traditional sources and pay heed to a strong roots regimen. It’s music that’s rendered with a genuine folk finesse and a sound of a vintage variety. The charm is manifest in both the novelty and the nuance. Although they are demos, with little more in play than guitar and Welch’s voice, they sound fully realised.
First Place Ribbon, about barefoot Kathy, “the kinda girl likes the dust between her toes”, rattles along with an irresistible momentum; the narrator of the brooding Shotgun Song fantasises about escaping the chain gang; Valley of Tears is as desolately beautiful as its name suggests. That Welch and Rawlings have sat on such inspired recordings for almost two decades makes you wonder what other hidden treasures might be forthcoming.
Unearthed from a cache of home demos and reel-to-reel recordings, Boots No. 2: The Lost Songs is the second release of archival music from the vault of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. This remarkable 48 song collection, spread over three volumes, was recorded between the making of Time (The Revelator) and Soul Journey. It is an intimate glimpse at the artist’s sketchbook, containing some lifelong themes as well as some flights of fancy.
Dregen has serious form with punk and garage rock through various groups – most prominently Backyard Babies and The Hellacopters, though fans will also recall stints with Michael Monroe and Tyla (of Dogs D’Amour) as well as highly charged supergroup (with Ginger Wildheart) Supershit 666. Now the busy Swede has teamed up with countrymen Grande Royale for this jet-packed blast of shouty, in-yer-face (yet deceptively sweet) garage rock’n’roll, fresh out of 90s Scandinavia with a twist of 70s London. Grande Royale has a history of working together with prominent names of the Swedish rock scene. The band has previously worked with Nicke Andersson (The Hellacopters, Imperial State Electric) and Ola Ersfjord (Dead Lord, Honeymoon Disease, Lucifer). For the release of the band’s fifth studio album “Carry On” they teamed up with Dregen, who adds vocals to the third single ”Just As bad As You”.
Grande Royale’s upcoming album ”Carry On” contains 11 tracks of high energy rock n roll. The Band has applied a rawer and more back to basics- approach for the album, keeping production simple while focusing on strong and catchy material. Orange fuelled electric guitars, crushing bass tones and thundering drums inspired by 90’s rock. Vocalist Gustav Wremer sings with more grit than on previous albums, adding a ton of attitude to the new songs. All put together, ”Carry On” offers an energetic and straight forward take on garage rock. Produced by the band members themselves, and mixed by Robert Pehrsson .
”On our previous record ’Take it Easy’ we experimented a lot with different instruments and sounds to challenge ourselves. To make something that, to us, is a bit unusual and that stands out from our other albums. On ’Carry On’ we’re focusing on what we’re best at – dirty garage rock n roll. We’ve basically recorded and produced the entire record ourselves. I think it ended up great. No fuzz, no muss, just rock!” – Gustav Wremer (guitars/vocals)
Dregen (The Hellacopters, Backyard Babies) has joined forces with Grande Royale for the release of the single and music video “Just as Bad as You”. The single is released on Friday, January 22 on The Sign Records, and is the third single leading up to Grande Royale’s upcoming album “Carry On”. With special guest Dregen on vocals, the band has created a highly energetic piece, delivering garage rock to a new generation.
Official music video for Grande Royale’s single “Just as Bad as You”. The track is featured on the band’s fifth studio album “Carry On”, released On The Sign Records
Brian Ray has quite the track record: musical director for blues giant Etta James for over than a decade, he’s also worked with the likes of Paul McCartney, Keith Richards, Peter Frampton and Santana. Now he’s hooked up with guitar wizz Orianthi for “Bonne & Clyde”, a widescreen epic based on the The Trails End, the poem Bonnie Parker wrote a month before the pair died in a hail of police bullets. It’s as if the melody from Townes Van Zandt’s Waitin’ Around to Diewere crossed with the cinematic ambition of Bon Jovi’s Wanted Dead Or Alive, and very good it is too.
Orianthi Penny Panagaris is an Australian musician, singer and songwriter who rehearsed in 2009 with Michael Jackson in preparation for his ill-fated This Is It concert series, and also performed with Alice Cooper’s touring band. Brian Ray is the founding member with Oliver Leiber of The Bayonets. He is a Singer/songwriter plus guitar/bass player and singer with Paul McCartney for 12+ years.
The Story of Bonnie & Clyde · Brian Ray & Orianthi released on Whooray Records 17th jaunary 2021
A leading light of the short-lived C-86/anorak movement of the mid-’80s, the BMX Bandits stood at the epicenter of the Scottish pop music scene for over a decade; however, despite helping launch the careers of talents ranging from Teenage Fanclub and Eugenius to the Soup Dragons and Superstar, they never grew beyond the confines of a fervent cult following, though they never gave up making sweet, idiosyncratic pop music. The band was essentially the vehicle of singer/guitarist Duglas T. Stewart, a Bellshill native and onetime member of the Pretty Flowers; he formed the band in 1985, sarcastically selecting the name “BMX Bandits” out of his belief that they would fall apart after only one gig.
Instead, the group became a popular local attraction, and soon signed to Stephen Pastel’s 53rd and 3rd label. Recorded with a line up of Stewart, bassist Sean Dickson, guitarist Jim McCulloch, drummer Willie McArdle, and backing vocalist Billy Wood, the BMX Bandits‘ charming 1986 debut single, “E102,” launched them to the forefront of the C-86 uprising, despite being denied a spot on the NME magazine compilation cassette of naïve jangle pop that gave the movement its name. By the follow-up, “What a Wonderful World,” both McArdle and Dickson had exited, and were replaced by ex-Boy Hairdressers bassist Joe McAlinden and drummer Francis MacDonald; Dickson soon founded his own band, the Soup Dragons, the first of many BMX Bandits spinoffs to eclipse the original group’s success.
Janice Long session 23.06.86
The first BMX Bandits session for long time supporter Janice Long. never before released on vinyl and featuring crazy version of early live favourite “Strawberry Sunday”. Includes free download of original BBC files plus sleeve notes by Duglas – and a set of three postcards.
Songsheet: Strawberry Sunday The Day Before Tomorrow Groovy Good Luck Friend Girl In The Pink T-Shirt
Janice Long session 09.04.87
BMX Bandits’ second BBC session for Janice Long – featuring Jowe Head, Norman Blake and an unreleased cover version of jazz classic “Take 5” with lyrics. Comes with free download of original BBC files and sleeve notes from Duglas – plus a set of three postcards.
Songsheet: Flipper Rosemary Ledingham Figure 4 Take 5
Get both double singles in one go in this package featuring the two BMX Bandits session releases, namely Janice Long 23.06.86 and 09.04.87 – plus all the postcards. It’s the same records just a bit cheaper than buying them separately and save on postage!, Classic BBC radio sessions (and maybe other rare stuff) by artists we like in lovingly curated vinyl packages with exclusivesleeve notes and pics. Coming up: the Jasmine Minks, BMX Bandits, Blueboy, Heavenly, Marine Research and more … and yes, let’s make this precious “How can someone not like BMX Bandits???” Tim Burgess
To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of BMX Bandits seminal sophomore LP Star Wars, Past Night From Glasgow will release the remastered album on Vinyl on May 4th (Star Wars Day)
Featuring the classic BMX Bandits line up: Stuart, McAlinden, Blake, Kelly, Keen and MacDonald the album is jam packed full of chiming guitars and catchy choruses not to mention the odd spectacular ballad. The sleeve has been updated (new wallpaper no less) and now features a die cut photo frame with an inner printed horse, how’s that for classy updates?, Rock & roll is not a game for those with innocent hearts. Fortunately, there have been a few people with innocent hearts who have slipped through the cracks and brought a real sense of joy to the music scene. One of them is Jonathan Richman and the other is Duglas Stewart and his BMX Bandits cohorts (including Francis MacDonald, Norman Blake, and Joe McAlinden, amongst others).
Perhaps these artists are not literally innocent, but the music they bring to the table is passive, pure, and carefree, not aggressive or mean spirited in nature. The Bandits, of course, are one of Scotland’s great unsung bands, sharing members with Teenage Fanclub, the Soup Dragons, Superstar, and others, yet steering a clear path of their own with captain Stewart and co-pilot MacDonald at the helm. Stewart’s voice is a strange mix of Mike Love, Lou Reed, and Richman, but works perfectly within the context of the Bandits’ music. With the sweet-voiced McAlinden (later of Superstar) handling lead vocals on a few tracks (and backing vocals throughout), there is a nice balance that saves the album from certain monotony.
Loaded with pop songs galore and beautifully produced by Duncan Cameron and the band, Star Wars is the first in a line of great Bandits albums. From the joyful “Come Clean,” “Students of Life,” “Life Goes On,” and “Do You Really Love Me?” to the heart-tugging “Extraordinary,” there is hardly a wasted moment within earshot. If you can imagine the sheer pop genius of Teenage Fanclub with Mike Love singing lead, then you may have an idea of what you’re in for. And if you could put wide-eyed innocent pop back onto the charts, then BMX Bandits would be superstars.
We are very proud to announce the premiere of “DON’T LOOK BACK NOW” on Thursday 4th February at 8pm EST. Filmed at Union Hall, Brooklyn on October 27th, 2008, the movie features seventeen songs, on which Wesley is accompanied by Robert Lloyd and Chris von Sneidern with invaluable assistance from Deni Bonet and Josh Ritter.
This streaming premiere, which will be on my YouTube channel, Wesley Stace Presents – and for which we will announce the specific URL as soon as we know it – is entirely free to you. Not only that but I will be on hand, with Robert and Chris, to discuss what we’re seeing – in their case, mostly for the first time – and to answer any pertinent questions you may have.
https://www.youtube.com/c/wesleystacepresents The film will then disappear from YouTube entirely: one showing only. However, you can watch the movie whether you have an account or not. “Don’t Look Back Now” is the first ever concert film of me actually singing my own songs. Twelve of the songs were previously released on the bonus CD that came with “Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead“. On 2/5 – which happens to be the next Bandcamp Friday – that album, now the soundtrack to this film, will go on sale at Bandcamp, along with the five bonus tracks included in Don’t Look Back Now.
With purchase of the album, a mere $10, you will also get a free download of the highest resolution version of the movie. So it’s either a 17 song live album with a free movie, or a movie with 12 songs on a CD you already had, but five you didn’t. Think of it how you like. The beautiful poster here is designed by Morgan LeFaye Narkiewicz, with fonts and titles designed for the movie by Stefan G. Bucher.
John Wesley Harding – guitar and vocals Robert Lloyd – mandolin and accordion Chris von Sneidern – guitar and vocals Deni Bonet – violin and vocals Josh Ritter – vocals
Excited to announce the debut solo album from Anna Fox Rochinski – titled “Cherry” – out March 26th known as the front person of psych-folk band Quilt.
Quilt’s Anna Fox Rochinski has announced her debut solo album, “Cherry”, which will be out via Don Giovanni Records. It’s a departure from the folky psych-rock sound you may associate with her. “I lost interest in chord-based guitar music and constructed this record mostly from melodies and beats and bass lines, with guitar as an accessory rather than necessary ingredient,” Anna says, citing Madonna, Can, Midnite Vultures-era Beck, Hungarian guitarist Gabor Szabo, and Robyn’s 1995 debut as influences here.
Anna also says Cherry contains “the most personal stuff I’ve ever written,” describing it as “basically a break up album, but one that documents a time period ranging from the last few dying months of a six-year relationship and straight into the period following, when I was truly on my own for the first time in a very long time. A break up not just with a guy, but with an entire place and an entire life.” The first single is Cherry’s title track, which is definitely new territory for Anna but you can still hear the melodic style she had in Quilt,
Rochinski began writing the record at the end of her tenure in a cottage in the Hudson Valley, and continued writing during the uncomfortable transition out of a stable life she had worked hard to achieve. “This record was written while I was shedding many things that were very precious to me, but I knew I couldn’t keep”. After a few stints on the west coast she ended up in NYC, without intending to stay long, but that is where she ultimately decided to nest, as work on Cherry began.
You can watch the somewhat surreal “Cherry” video, where Anna has the run of some sort of desert resort/retreat, and check out the album.
The first time Linda Ronstadt was heard in the Top 40 was in late 1967 with the song “Different Drum,” that Mike Nesmith wrote in 1965 and was first recorded by the bluegrass band TheGreenbriar Boys. Mike offered the song for a Monkees recording, but their management turned it down. The Stone Poneys’ version of “Different Drum” ended up being in the Top 40 at the same time as The Monkees’ “Daydream Believer,” which was written by John Stewart. The flip side of The Stone Poneys’ “Different Drum” was the Pamela Polland composition “I’ve Got to Know.” On this folk rock recording, Linda sang with emotion and power about wanting to know how her boyfriend felt about her, if he was thinking he might leave her and what he said when he talked about her. The Stone Poneys disbanded in 1968. Kenny Edwards, from the trio, returned to playing bass with Linda for her highly successful 1974 album Heart Like a Wheel.
“DESPERADO” (Asylum flip side of “Colorado,” 1974)
The third of three singles from Linda’s debut album on the Asylum label, “Don’t Cry Now”, was the country rock song “Colorado,” written by Rick Roberts, which originally appeared on the self-titled album by The Flying Burrito Brothers in 1971. That quintet included Rick Roberts on guitar along with Sneaky Pete Kleinow on pedal steel guitar, both who also perform on Linda’s slow and gentle version of the song. The flip side was a song that has since become a radio and concert staple, “Desperado,” written by the Eagles’ Don Henley and Glenn Frey, which originally appeared as an album cut on their western concept album of the same name. Linda powerfully delivered the ballad, which is also included on her Live in Hollywood album, released this year from a 1980 concert, where she selected a dozen of her favourite performances.
“LOOK OUT FOR MY LOVE” (Asylum flip side of “I Can’t Let Go,” 1980)
Like her “Don’t Cry Now” album, Linda’s “Mad Love” album also contained three singles. The third was “I Can’t Let Go,” a song that just fell below the U.S. Top 40 in 1966 by The Hollies and was popularized in England the year before by Evie Sands. Chip Taylor : “I wrote the song with my talented and great friend, Al Gorgoni. When I had my album Last Chance out in the 1970s, I performed at The Troubadour club in L.A. and I met Linda. She seemed lovely and sweet. We shared a few words after my show at a backroom table. That’s a nice memory although I wished I said more. I was a bit shy in that setting. I am so pleased that she recorded one of my songs.” This is another song which also appears on this year’s Live in Hollywood album. The flip side of Linda’s powerful version of “I Can’t Let Go,” which she sang with Rosemary Butler and Nicolette Larson, was her electric take on Neil Young’s “Look Out for My Love,” a song that had a primarily acoustic delivery on his 1978 album Comes a Time. While Nicolette Larson provided harmony vocals on Neil Young’s album, Linda handled her own harmonies on her 1980 rendition.
“WINTER LIGHT” (Elektra flip side of “Heartbeats Accelerating,” 1993)
Linda’s 1993 album, “Winter Light”, included a unique spinning musical instrument. Dennis James said, “Linda called me, looking for a harmonica player and asked if I could drive on up to Marin county. Two hours later I had headsets on and began recording tracks for her album, including the single ‘Heartbeats Accelerating.’ She had first heard the ethereal sound of the rubbed glass Harmonica some 15 years before and I was thrilled to play on the record, which led to me appearing on three more of her albums. She has a perfectly pure vision of the exact sounds she seeks, much like a painter who has an intense colourist vision when preparing a palette. Linda extends a marvellous courtesy to her fellow musicians at all times. You always feel that you have a friend beside you.” The flip side of “Heartbeats Accelerating,” written by Anna McGarrigle, was the atmospheric title tune “Winter Light,” which Linda co-wrote and was on par with the new age sound heard from Enya, combined with a spiritually calm escape.
