November 2020 Challenge Thread: The End Is Near

D Jilla said:
Day 16: They're Huge Where I'm From
Play an act that was/is huge in your hometown, or specifically with your group of friends, or just with you - but that really hasn't been as big in the greater musical world.
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Slim Jim and the Mad Cows are not exactly yuooge in my hometown but some of us around here know them and think they're pretty special.

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For maybe the last 5 years they played in the Wednesday evening concert series in Sparrow Park directly opposite across the road from the room I work in and sit in now.

Their only album release I know of is this 2005 CD called Homebrewed. I found this 2005 quote from The Boston Phoenix (our former and formerly quite good alt weekly) on Amazon
Slim Jim and the Mad Cows sound like a band that just crawled out of the Ryman Auditorium dumpster. Their repertoire — drawn entirely from the classic metal songbook — includes a straight-outta-Bakersfield version of GNR’s "Night Train" and an "Ace of Spades" that’s way more Waylon than Lemme. They’ll be halfway through one of those Johnny Cash talking-history songs about Indians before you realize it’s Maiden’s "Run to the Hills."
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If you like country but easily tire of songs about broken hearts and Jesus then check it out. Also if you just need something to put a smile on your face, check it out.

 
Day 16: They're Huge Where I'm From

Tubby Hayes Quartet - Tubby's Groove (Tempo Records, 1960 First Mono Pressing)

Im originally from a small village in the north of England, with very few (if any) musicians originating from there. Instead, I will highlight a musician that is from the town I now live in. Tubby Hayes was a big star in Britain during his prime, but I imagine he is barely known abroad, other than the jazz aficionados that may have heard of him. Hayes played with fellow saxophonist Ronnie Scott and won the Jazz musician of the year for 11 years straight in the UK polls, which is quite the achievement. I have been a fan of his music for a while, but it wasn't until I read his biography (by Simon Spillett) that the connections were made to where I live. I can see the venue where Tubby first played and was 'discovered' from my apartment window and the building across the road from where I live used to be the site of a massive theatre where Tubby regularly played (something else that I wasn't aware of until I read it in the book).

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Day 16: They're Huge Where I'm From

These guys are big enough in San Diego to always sell out multiple nights when they play. And the shows are pretty amazing, an hour and a half of mostly instrumental psychedelic rock and old school visuals.

Earthless ~ Rhythms from a Cosmic Sky

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Day 16: They're Huge Where I'm From
Play an act that was/is huge in your hometown, or specifically with your group of friends, or just with you - but that really hasn't been as big in the greater musical world.
Nucleus - We'll Talk About It Later.

OK, here is another one I agonised over all day. It was either this or Gong, until I decided that Gong is still as large as they ever wer(nt), but Nucleus is known mainly to record collectors now. When I was young, however, they were still going. still evolving. Love this one, though..

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Day 16 - They’re Huge Where I’m From

I’m guessing many of you know Clyde Stubblefield (I bet @ranbalam does at least!), one of James Brown’s early funk drummers. But overall, not exactly a household name. Anyway, Clyde grew up in the South, and for whatever reason, decided in 1971 to settle down long term in Madison, WI. He played at least one show per week (Monday nights), and was basically the lynchpin of the local music scene. I got to see him a handful of times before he retired in 2011 (he later died in 2017), but I wish I’d gone more often.

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D Jilla said:
Day 16 - They’re Huge Where I’m From

I’m guessing many of you know Clyde Stubblefield (I bet @ranbalam does at least!), one of James Brown’s early funk drummers. But overall, not exactly a household name. Anyway, Clyde grew up in the South, and for whatever reason, decided in 1971 to settle down long term in Madison, WI. He played at least one show per week (Monday nights), and was basically the lynchpin of the local music scene. I got to see him a handful of times before he retired in 2011 (he later died in 2017), but I wish I’d gone more often.

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Hell yeah! 🔥
 
Day 16 - Local Folk

Nick Piunti - Temporary High

Nick is an acquaintance of mine, we've shared the stage a couple times in different bands but haven't ever worked together. His brand of power pop is getting a lot of play locally on WDET and Little Steven took a liking to him and his material as well, he's been getting a decent amount of spins on Underground Garage.

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Day 16: BFE 😬
Ssion - Bent
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I live in Madison County KY currently but was raised in Rockcastle County KY south of here. That is where Ssion formed and started out. Unfortunately I don’t own any of their music on vinyl. Not much music outside of the lame bar cover bands come from these parts of KY usually outside of Tyler Childers which is no longer a KY secret ❤️
 
D Jilla said:
Day 17: Surprising Cover Song
Play an album that features a cover - one that's a really surprising choice for the artist.
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Have a Little Faith, one of Bill Frisell's earlier post-ECM albums, has a cover of Live to Tell by Madonna.

When I got this album, around its 1992 relase, it was my favorite cut on the album. I didn't know it was a Madonna song. I didn't know any Madonna songs. Her music is especially forgettable, passing through me like neutrinos, making no impression at all. So I simply didn't know that he had committed a faux pas that deserved the rebuke of jazz snobs. Earlier this year I found the official video in the youtubes and paid attention. It's an excellent composition (and deserves a better singer).

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There's a youtube video of the band playing this song with some very interesting comments. The one from Kermit Droscol is touching. Look for the Pluto Cracker comment about the rotten Boston audience.

 
Day 17: Surprising Cover Song

Lee Morgan - Delightfulee (Blue Note, 1967 First Stereo Pressing)

I remember being completely thrown off when I first heard this album. Lee Morgan is his standard swinging, hard-bop self but covers several unexpected numbers including 'Yesterday' by the Beatles. Its a similar situation to the first time I heard Miles Davis ‎– You're Under Arrest, which includes covers of 'Human Nature'.

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Day 17: Surprising Cover Song
Play an album that features a cover - one that's a really surprising choice for the artist.
Miles Davis - Circle In The Round
Guinnevere.

There's a lot of candidates for this one as well, but we haven't had much Miles so far. This is interesting, because Jazz musicians do mostly cover versions, they're called Standards. So when is a tune by somebody else a cover version and not a standard? When it's so far out of the usual cannon of tunes, that it's strange. Well, what could be stranger than Miles's Bitches Brew band, complete with the whirling gamelan of multiple keyboards, percussion and a Sitar, doing a tune by David Crosby? At the time this record came out, it was fashionable to write something like this off, like the sleeve note on the album does.DSCN0120.JPG With the benefit of another (gulp!) 40 years, it's possible to see that this has stood the test of time very well indeed. Has anybody sampled that bass line yet? It just goes to show why Miles was so special - if he heard something that fit into his music, he didn't care who'd written it.
 
Day 17: Surprising Cover Song

Going to go to Spotify for todays selection since this album has never had a vinyl release. @thefsb 's mention of Bill Frisell brought this one to mind. One of my favorites, and I'd love to see it get a vinyl copy at some point. Bill Frisell's layered guitar work combined with Petra Haden's delivery on these songs make for a excellent collaboration on a bunch of unexpected covers. Elliott Smith, Foo Fighters, Stevie Wonder, Tom Waits, Coldplay and more are covered on this album, but it makes for a cohesive whole. Definitely worth a listen.

Petra Haden & Bill Frisell

 
Day 15: Clean Out Your Fridge Day
Play something that'd get you motivated for the task. Also, major bonus points if you actually do clean out your fridge (pics or it didn't happen).
Kings Of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak
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Thanksgiving is right around the corner. The first thing I always check when I clean out my fridge is if the milk has spoiled...
 
Day 16: They're Huge Where I'm From
Play an act that was/is huge in your hometown, or specifically with your group of friends, or just with you - but that really hasn't been as big in the greater musical world.
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Ohtis are fantastic and they are from Central Illinois. Originally they grew up in Roanoke, IL and I am from Pontiac, IL but our paths crossed while living in Bloomington/Normal, IL about 15 years ago. Me and my friends frequented many of their barroom shows during that time and got to know the band pretty well. Sam & Adam have been playing together on and off as Ohtis since Junior High. They put out their first record as 16 year old kids and it blew me away that they could put together such great music at such a young age. As the years passed Sam, the primary singer and songwriter drifted away a bit dealing with some dire addiction issues. Adam stayed involved in the indie music scene primarily in the Detroit area. Thankfully, Sam was able to recover from his issues, the band reunited and released one hell of a comeback record last year.

 
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