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Books Too! Kid Congo Powers, Albert Ayler and more
Rhythms Books Too By Stuart Coupe
Books. Books. Books. No, there are not too many of them. What is lacking is the extra hours required to get through them all. Twenty-four hours is just not enough, and I hereby propose that the avid reader is from now on granted thirty-six hours in every day as special dispensation for their love of words on the printed page. Since we last chatted, I’ve done pretty well on the book devouring front – and of course not nearly as well as I’d like. That’s simply my (and your) blooming lot as the wonderful Peter Cundall would say. Let’s have a look at a few recent tomes vying for your and my time. Kid Congo Powers can lay claim to many things including being a member of The Gun Club, The Cramps and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Not bad for a guy who hadn’t even picked up a guitar until well over 100 pages into his wonderful, pacy, entertaining memoir Some New Kind of Kick. In fact, such was the build-up to Kid as guitar player that I was beginning to wonder if he’d just neglected to write about that aspect of his life but no, until he met Jeffrey Lee Pierce he was a music fan intent on being a journalist and writing about the music he loved. Then the West Coast President of The Ramones fan club (Kid) met the West Coast President of the Blondie fan club (Jeffrey) and things changed. So, this memoir – which ends in 1997 when Kid finally quits hard drinking and harder drugs for good. This is the culmination of an extremely well-drawn telling of life as a young, queer Chicano kid from the suburbs of East LA. The young Kid is obsessed by Glam rock and explores his sexual identity through that music and those that gravitated to it in Los Angeles in that era. It’s totally fabulous and Kid’s recall of dates and places and evocation of scenes is superb. I could only pick one error – simply because I was involved. When the Gun Club (or a version thereof) toured Australia, I was the publicist. As the tour came to an end the band were desperately in need of cash to survive and leave the country. Bass player Patricia Morrison called me (not Spencer P Jones) from Adelaide and asked if there was a quick fix solution and so Roger Grierson and I hastily organised a Monday night gig for the Gun Club (supported by the Hoodoo Gurus) at the Strawberry Hills Hotel in Sydney (not Melbourne). Minor quibble – but hey – in a wonderful book. A little after this tour I spent a night hanging out with Kid and Jeffrey in LA and staying at the apartment they were living at – Kid’s place, Jeffrey couch surfing. Earlier in the day they’d suggest that the three of us plus Patricia should take acid and go to Disneyland. It didn’t end up happening, but I’ll forever imagine what that might have been like. As I write I’m immersed in Holy Ghost: The
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Life And Death Of Free Jazz Pioneer Albert
Ayler by Richard Koloda which looks and reads so far like it will become the definitive resource for information on the great and innovative saxophonist. How Ayler died – suicide, accident or murder – fuels endless speculation, but as Koloda says early in his book, Alyer’s death and that speculation about the manner of his end frequently overshadows discussion of his music and influence, something he sets out to redress in this book. After that I’m heading in the direction of a book that I’ve had by the bedside for a few months now, a seemingly exhaustive look at the role of organised crime at the history of jazz music.
Dangerous Rhythms: Jazz and The
Underworld by T.J.English is a 400+ page hardback book that looks at the intersection of Louis Armstrong, Earl ‘Fatha’ Hines, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald and others with the likes of Al Capone, Meyer Lansky, Charlie ‘Lucky’ Luciano and Mickey Cohen. I am sooooo there! Also lined up for a read is Simon Doonan’s
Transforner: A Story of Glitter, Glam Rock &
Loving Lou Reed, alongside the latest in the Why (pick a name) Matters series of book. This time it’s Karen Tongson looking at Why Karen Carpenter Matters. Mentions also to Minds Went Walking: Paul Kelly’s Songs Reimagined in which twenty or so Australian writers take – yes, you guessed it – Paul Kelly songs as a jumping off point for short stories. Sounds like good beach reading to me. And finally, I’m also keen to read Paulie Stewart’s All The Rage, a memoir taking in the Painters & Dockers, his brother’s murder as one of the Balibo Five, his own liver transplant, journalistic career and lots more. So, with my now thirty-six-hour day wish granted I will leave you and return to my books. Back next issue.
MARK LUCAS
Mark Lucas & the Dead Setters have, in various incarnations, been a part of the Sydney roots music scene for the better part of two decades, equally at home as string band or bar band, in the corner of the pub (without pokies!), or on a festival stage. It’s been a while since their last outing; new Jake Lardot produced album, Onward, into the Fog, due for release in February 2023, grew out of demo recordings taken from regular weekly rehearsals which, like so many things, came to dead stop when the pandemic hit. The finished project enthusiastically reflects the diversity of influences at play in Mark’s songwriting, delivering a collection of soulful, melodic alt. country rock songs reflecting a tumultuous time but never losing heart. The album is available on cd as well as through Bandcamp.
marklucas-songsmith.bandcamp.com DANGLIN BROS
The Danglin’ Bros are finally about to release their second live album and there’s a copy waiting on Bandcamp with YOUR name on it! Des, Darcy, Declan, Derrick and Richard Danglin are sometimes referred to as Roger Ansell, Mick King, George Bibicos, Geoff Simpson and Kim Cheshire, the guys that brought rockin’ country roots music to the Australian music scene way back in the 80’s and 90’s! The Brothers played a reunion gig at The Marrickville Bowling Club on Friday November 27th 2019, and have since decided to share it with their millions of fans across the globe. Danglin’ Bros Live at the Bowlo, only $20, Find it on Bandcamp or visit the boys on Facebook!
DOG TRUMPET
Shadowland is Dog Trumpet’s latest album. A distinctive blending of psychedelia, folk and blues, the album probes the perils and absurdities of human existence, kicking off with the title track Shadowland, a nervous musing on digital over-surveillance; followed by Nina Simone, a song reflecting on romance and memory. ‘F***ing Idiots’ points out the shameful idiocy of our addiction to war and militarism; The Ballad of Clayton Looby is an anti-establishment ode to a larrikin surfer. Shadowland our eighth album is available Dog Trumpet - featuring; Reg Mombassa and Peter O’Doherty original members of Mental As Anything, Bernie Hayes and Jim Elliott - Cruel Sea - are touring Shadowland in 2023 and they’ll be showcasing the new tracks from the album along with Dog Trumpet and Mentals favourites.
ALYCE PLATT
When Melbourne and the rest of the world went into lockdown in 2020, Alyce Platt – singer-songwriter, guitarist - found solace in the echoes of her bathroom learning and recording a song a day. An intimate and compelling relationship with the acoustics and a virtual audience in need of comfort and connection, soon became a regular post on social media. Alyce has expanded upon her original idea by connecting with fellow musicians who individually did their recordings in their home studios on the unedited tracks. Harp, strings, cello, vibes, bass, flugelhorn, pedal steel, drums and organ provide a nostalgic window to the outside world. Bain Douche is a wonderful collection of reimagined songs from the likes of Paul Kelly, The Beach Boys, The Cure, Elton John, America, Bob Dylan, Creedence Clearwater Revival and many others, all recorded in a highly creative and imaginative fashion.
DON HILLMAN
Daydreamin is new album by Surf Coast troubadour and songwriter, Don Hillman, in the great Australian songwriting tradition of Paul Kelly, Don Walker and Richard Clapton. Songs on the album resonate quintessential Australia – King Parrot Creek, Gypsy Station Wagon, Rollin Waves Forever. The country rock title track is a standout – daydreaming about being back down the coast. The 12-track album harnesses the mastery of Johnny Salerno on drums, Marcel Yammouni on bass and guitar, Bruce Haymes on keys, and Garrett Costigan on prodigious pedal steel. Olivia Nathan provides backing vocals, and Jeff Raglus, trumpet on three tracks. The album was recorded at Diamond Creek. Don continues to create his superb songs, and performs with his band, Don Hillman’s Secret Beach. The new Daydreamin album is now available on digital services, and on CD from www.donhillman.com
