Jack Hayden - Wandering Eyes

Happy birthday to our West Coast Flipster, Jack Hayden. 

Vinyl Frontier - Candy Barr

Dave Alvin - Perdido Street Blues

A few years ago a photographer friend of mine named Regis Lefebure turned me on to this wonderfully different song. And this week, it's our SoTW. The song is called Perdido Street Blues, a song first performed by Louis Armstrong back in 1926. In fact, the song is credited to Satchmo's then wife, Lil' Hardin Armstrong. But the version we are looking at today is by Dave Alvin.

Hipsters (and perhaps even you) may know Dave Alvin from his stint with his brother Phil Alvin in the rockabilly/Americana group, The Blasters who roamed this earth starting back in the early 80's. Or maybe you know him from his association with members of the punk band, X, in a loose affiliation band they called The Knitters. Or maybe you know him from that afternoon paper route you had in Downey, California back in the early 70's when he and his brother would throw water balloons at you as you rode by on your Schwinn Stingray. (Probably not. Now that I think about it, that would be real unlikely.) Or maybe you just know him. Whatever. Let's get to the song.

Dave Alvin's version of Perdido Street Blues really caught my attention for a number of reasons. First, it has a killer little stutter stop riff played on a National steel bodied guitar. Second, it has a peculiar sort of Russian flavored martial back beat. Third, it switches between major and minor chords more often than a frat boy downs a cheap beer. Last, the musicianship is knock your socks off. Well, heck, let's hear about from the artist himself:

I was 14 when I first heard his version and, besides being blown away by Dodds' clarinet virtuosity, what captivated me was the minor/major key modulations that make up the song structure. With its low down almost spooky groove and melody, "Perdido Street Blues" is definitely some old time, back-in-the-alley viper music.

To read more about Dave Alvin's take on recording this song, please click here to be taken to the Yep Roc site. In the meantime, sit back and listen to this wonderfully arranged and recorded song. And if that is not enough, Mr. Flippy is giving you a chance to see a Blasters video from back in the unforgiving 80's.

Video Diary: The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You

Sadly I couldn't get into their show on Saturday night. So I have to watch this again.

Mitch Ryder - Baby Jane (Mo Mo Jane)

Mitch Ryder (born Bill Levise Jr.) was full of potential that never seems to have been fully realized. Amazingly powerful voice and a strong presence on the stage never translated into a must-have catalogue of original material. But there is still great stuff out there to be had squirreled away on his records. 

The young Detroit, Michigan native hooked up with producer Bob Crewe in the Summer of 1965 for his first release under the name, Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels. But today we feature the Flip-Side of Mitch Ryder's second release. The song is the Crew/Levise Jr. composed Baby Jane (Mo Mo Jane) and it was released on New Voice Records in November, 1965. Baby Jane is the under side of Jenny Take A Ride, perhaps Ryder's most famous number. The understated song tells the tale of Mitch with his first experience smoking marijuana. It starts with a riff reminiscent of Bo Diddley's I'm A Roadrunner, but with the addition of the bopping bass it takes on originality. Great guitar work in this one with a very brief, but charming solo. And a rhythm section fade-out makes fade-outs almost acceptable. 

Until next time, we'll see you On The Flip-Side!