23 May 2008

The Black Angels Unveil "Directions To See A Ghost"

For the record patients, the asylum has brought in the good graces of a circus sideshow hypnotist to cure all the ills of our rock 'n roll stethoscopes.

If yer a walk-in patient we suggest you step back one step and take a single deep breath because today we have a dose of 21st century psychedelic drone rock for you. The band is The Black Angels, the sound is a spacey tidal wave of psych notes and ‘acid-prayer stomp’. The band takes their name from a Velvet Underground tune and plays with such raw aggression it would make a soul-shiver-inducin' runaway freight train proud.

Last week, Austin's The Black Angels released their second LP of magic medicine entitled, Directions to See a Ghost. The album is a wrath of hypnotic, borderline evil, and out of body sounds that would summon the spirts of yesteryear if played during the right midnight hour. The album is utter dronology; drenched in feedback, cosmic tone clusters, and hoverin' vocals. An album that would fit perfectly with the Theatre of Eternal Music. Check out the album today and make sure to...Turn On, Tune In, and Drone Out Patients.

Directions to See a Ghost is out now on Light In The Attic Records.

The Black Angels are:

Stephanie Bailey - Drums & Percussion
Christian Bland - Guitar, Drone Machine/Organ
Kyle Hunt - Keyboards, Percussion, Bass, Guitar
Alex Maas - Vocals
Nate Ryan - Bass, Guitar
Adam Demetri - Visual Arts: 16mm Projections & Psychedelic Oils

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Enjoy these 3cc of The Black Angels...

Directions to See a Ghost

Full-length LP
Released on May 13, 2008

1 "You On The Run"
2 "Doves"
3 "Science Killer"
4 Mission District
5 18 Years
6 Deer-Ree-Shee
7 Never/Ever
8 Vikings
9 "You In Color"
10 The Return
11 Snake In The Grass

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21 May 2008

The Morning Benders

Our very own asylum morning benders have promptly disappeared into oblivion, where they are projecting their madcapped canned laughs at our ragged rock ‘n roll stethoscopes.

Have no fear patients, there is a new kind of musical morning bender out there on the sunny horizon. As you know, the asylum is always fighting for the liberation of good music, this is why we want to introduce you to Berkley, CA’s very own Morning Benders. Over the past year or so they have released two excellent EPs, Two Loose Change and Boarded Doors.

Currently the band is on the road tourin' with English rock and roll ragamuffins, The Kooks. It is their first national U.S. tour and they are promoting their recently released debut LP, Talking Through Tin Cans. Today patients, we are writing you out a prescription to check out their eleven song debut, full of cosmic sunny California pop.

The Morning Benders are: Chris Chu (vocals/guitar), Tim Or (bass), Joe Ferrell (guitar/Rhodes) and Julian Harmon (drums).

Talking Through Tin Cans is out now on +1 Records.

Should You DL? Of course, as your Doctor, I advise you to download your daily dosage of MP3s...

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Enjoy these 3cc of M.B...

"Boarded Doors"
"Loose Change"
"Waiting For A War"

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19 May 2008

Santogold is Comin' To Town

Be warned patients that all the blog hype and sweet nothings that have been whispered in yer ear about one of the top new artists of 2008 is legit. Of course, you have been waitin' for the asylum seal of approval on this one (right). After some heavy pressure from one of our trusty patients we finally gave Santogold's self-titled debut a digital spin.

Straight Outta Brooklyn


If yer rock 'n roll stethoscopes have yet to hear the urban surfin’ safari sounds of Brooklynite Santi White aka Santogold then let us lay it down. Santi is the former lead singer of the Philadelphia new wave band - Stripped. She has been a-buzz on the music blogs 'n rags...tearin' up the scene at SXSW, Coachella, and had a supportin' gig tourin' with Bjork. Think of her sound as a eclectic mix of electro-punk, new wave and dub.

Her self-titled debut LP Santogold is out now on Downtown Music.

Should You DL? Of course, as your Doctor, I advise you to download your daily dosage of MP3s...

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Enjoy these 2cc of Santi...

"L.E.S. Artistes"
"Say Aha"

Back in April she played a pre-Coachella set live on KCRW. Give 'er a view and listen.



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16 May 2008

Muddy Waters: "Mannish Boy"

Oooh yeah (ooo-oooh), most of the time the asylum is similar, to say, an electric circus. But, this week a big black bird has flown overhead and put some big 'n bad mojo on toppa the heads of our doctors and nursemaids. Please do not fear patients, our musical instincts are still in healthy workin' order.

Today we wanted to share the asylum song of the day with all you patients out there in 115th Dreamland. From one of our favorite bluesmen comes "Mannish Boy". The foot stompin' rusted wire blues fury from Muddy Waters has been givin' us the delta groove down to the bone. The blues ditty that the groovy cover band, the Rolling Stones got their name from. ("I'm a man, I'm a rollin' stone.")

Originally recorded and released in 1955, "Mannish Boy" is a blues staple. Based offa the Bo Diddley hit, "I'm a Man". The Muddy version is classic blues raunch, fueled by a roar and a driving rhythm. A song that will get yer rock 'n roll stethoscopes movin' and groovin'. For yer enjoyment we have included three of our favorite versions. (The original recording, the Hard Again and Electric Mud renditions).

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Enjoy these 3cc of Muddy...

"Mannish Boy" (Original)
"Mannish Boy" (Hard Again)
"Mannish Boy" (Electric Mud)

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15 May 2008

The Beatles: Esher Demos (1968)...

Week by week the doctors and the nursemaids here at the asylum have been tryin' to fight off the bombardiers with our MD street jive, sawbones and rock 'n roll stethoscopes. Patients, we would like to apologize for our lack of updates. Lets get rollin' again with everybody's favorite acoustic demos.

Since we recently picked up another copy of cosmic scatterscapes of The White Album on vinyl. Yeah, the one with embossed THE BEATLES and serial number. We figured we might as well post the Esher Demos aka The White Album - Naked. The story of these tapes lies somewhere along these lines. Back in 1968, The Beatles pulled a global walk-a-bout and visited the visual varieties of Rishikesh India. At the majestic foot-hills of the Himalayas they learned the spiritual, transcendental meditation ways of the the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and wrote a cluster-sack of songs.

After digesting the ways of the M.M. Yogi and returning to England they had enough oral ammunition to start laying down tracks for a new album. So they all gathered at “Kinfauns”, George’s mansion in Esher. It was there that the earliest, bare bones recordings of The Beatles (White Album) rose from the grounds. The Esher Demos is a rare collection of 23 acoustic demos, most of which ended up on the White Album. If you will, think of it as the Beatles unplugged.

Let these songs take you away when yer sitting cross-legged practicing yer Surat Shabd Yoga...


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Enjoy these 23cc of The Beatles...


The Esher Demos

1 The Beatles-Cry Baby Cry (Acoustic Demo)
2 The Beatles-Child Of Nature (Acoustic Demo)
3 The Beatles-Bungalow Bill (Acoustic Demo)
4 The Beatles-I’m So Tired (Acoustic Demo)
5 The Beatles-Yer Blues (Acoustic Demo)
6 The Beatles-Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except For Me and My Monkey (Acoustic Demo)
7 The Beatles-What’s The New Mary Jane (Acoustic Demo)
8 The Beatles-Revolution (Acoustic Demo)
9 The Beatles-While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Acoustic Demo)
10 The Beatles-Circles (Acoustic Demo)
11 The Beatles-Sour Milk Sea (Acoustic Demo)
12 The Beatles-Not Guilty (Acoustic Demo)
13 The Beatles-Piggies (Acoustic Demo)
14 The Beatles-Julia (Acoustic Demo)
15 The Beatles-Black Bird (Acoustic Demo)
16 The Beatles-Rocky Raccoon (Acoustic Demo)
17 The Beatles-Back In The USSR (Acoustic Demo)
18 The Beatles-Honey Pie (Acoustic Demo)
19 The Beatles-Mother Natures Son (Acoustic Demo)
20 The Beatles-Ob-La-Di-Ob-La-Da (Acoustic Demo)
21 The Beatles-Junk (Acoustic Demo)
22 The Beatles-Dear Prudence (Acoustic Demo)
23 The Beatles-Sexy Sadie (Acoustic Demo)

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07 May 2008

The Moonstation One-Man-Band: David Vandervelde

For a while now all the nursemaids and doctors behind the colorful walls of the asylum have been under the veiled seduction and electric swagger of "T.Rextasy".

Now our rock 'n roll stethoscopes can't stop listenin' to the glitterin' movements of Vandervelde, David Vandervelde. Yeah his debut LP, Moonstation House Band was released by Secretly Canadian back at the beginning of 2007, but, hey, that doesn't matter. After givin' the LP a few digital spins the one-man-band and Chicago native has drawn us into his sanctuary of Bolan-esque sonic soundscapes. Contemporary lyrics backed by his T.Rex-induced crunge give Vandervelde a fresh neo-retro sound that has left us wanting more and...not to be greedy, more.

DAVID VANDERVELDE appeared before us one hot summer day like a dynamo. The sound we heard coming through in stereo was that of our coming-of-age years screaming back at us - a faithful reminder that our beauteous days of bowing before pin-up rock stars and carving iconographic logos on desktops and in famous treetrunks have not passed us by. No, David Vandervelde is here to remind us that the truest, most primal and addictive properties of rock n' roll are ageless. Indeed, this Chicagoan (by way of the dunes of West Michigan) recorded the A-side to his debut single a few years ago at age 19, yet he shows the maturity and swagger of a man much longer in the tooth. Secretly Canadian is very proud to welcome David Vandervelde to the family.

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Enjoy these 3cc of DV...

"Jacket"
"Nothin' No"
"Wisdom From A Tree"

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05 May 2008

The Black Keys Are Safe As Milk...

A few trimesters ago we were wonderin’...who hoodooed the hoodoo man? Well patients, after a steady diet of those lil’ black ‘n white sounds it is now clear that The Black Keys hoodooed the hoodoo man with their Danger Mouse produced LP Attack & Release. An album that is filled with dock loads of grindin’ utter goodness.

In the waiting room today we have a straight to the net release of their cover of "I’m Glad" offa Captain Beefheart’s debut LP, Safe As Milk. A track that didn't make Attack & Release. The song was recorded last Thursday and released on their Myspace page on Friday (5/2).

Let it be known that if the doc-in-the-box hasn't stopped by yer quarters and introduced the fascinoma lo-fi sounds of The Black Keys...then you are in for a treat. The Black Keys reign from the city of rubber & blimps, Akron Ohio. In the beginning when they weren't mowin' lawns for the local slum lords, they were bashing out their fuzzed-out dirt at the local clubs. With time the empty clubs turned over to SOLD OUT signs plastered over marquees. Yeah, the Keys have been compared to The White Stripes. Sure, both are duos and have that soulful grit. But, The Black Keys have more of a main-lined blues tinge to em'. At 29, Dan Auerbach sounds like a grizzled ole bluesman and Patrick Carney is more than a wind-up drummin' robot. When the midnight moon shines high above the graveyard dirt, check out their five spot of LPs. The Big Come Up, Thickfreakness, Rubber Factory , Magic Potion, and their latest LP endeavor Attack & Release.

Should You DL? Of course, as your Doctor, I advise you to download your daily dosage of MP3s...

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Enjoy these 6cc of the Keys...

"I'm Glad"

And others...

"Things Ain't Like They Used To Be"
"The Moan"
"Grown So Ugly"
"Have Love Will Travel"
"Busted"

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01 May 2008

The Rosewood Thieves Hit The Road...

Right this way, Ladies and Gentlemen out there in 115th Dreamland! Step Right Up.

The Rosewood Thieves have taken their Memory Elixir Old-Time Travelin' Medicine Show on the wicked 'n twisted roads throughout the United States of America (beep beep, tour info below). The band has already made stops in Washington D.C., Chapel Hill and Atlanta. The beauty of their three week tour is that they have their phenomenal debut LP Rise & Shine with them. That's right patients, you can buy the album directly from the band. If you were tuned into the 115th earlier, "The band has taken their new brand of cosmic American music to a new level. This record sounds like it was put together by the illegitimate flower children (yup, that's a good thing) of Bolan, Davies 'n Dylan...and not to mention a smatterin' of '60s electric circus gypsies." The album features 10 new recordings, including first single and musical sensation "She Don't Mind The Rain" (MP3 Below).

If you have yet to hear about tomorrows breakthrough band the 115th Dream has given the Thieves complete medical and musical coverage...The Thieves were formerly of now-defunct V2 records and has released a pair of well-received EPs (From The Decker House & Lonesome). Their song "Los Angeles" was prominently featured on both Entourage and Grey's Anatomy.

In other RT news, the band has been slated as the opening band on Sunday September 14 at the Monolith music festival (Red Rocks). Other acts include, Vampire Weekend, Silversun Pickups, Neko Case, TV on the Radio, Band of Horses, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings and many more.

Make sure to check out the band when they come around your area!

Upcoming Rosewood Thieves tour dates:

May, 1 2008 08:00 PM - Circle Bar
1032 Saint Charles Ave, New Orleans, Louisiana

May, 2 2008 08:00 PM - Walter’s on Washington - w/ Frank Smith
4215 Washington Ave, Houston, Texas

May, 3 2008 08:00 PM - Mohawk - w/Frank Smith
912 Red River, Austin, Texas

May, 5 2008 08:00 PM - The Ruby Room
717 S. Central Ave, Phoenix, Arizona

May, 6 2008 10:00 PM - The Beatles Revolution Lounge at The Mirage
3400 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, Nevada

May, 7 2008 08:00 PM - The Epicentre - w/Lemon Sun (ALL AGES)
8450 Mira Mesa Blvd, San Diego, California May, 8 2008 08:00 PM - Bottom of The Hill - w/Lemon Sun
1233 17th St, San Francisco, California

May, 9 2008 09:00 PM - The Echo - w/Lemon Sun
1822 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, California

May, 10 2008 08:00 PM - Detroit Bar - w/Lemon Sun & The Growlers
19th Street and Placentia, Costa Mesa, California

May, 12 2008 08:00 PM - Bar Deluxe
666 South State Street, Salt Lake City, Utah

May, 13 2008 08:00 PM - 3 Kings Tavern
60 S Broadway, Denver, Colorado

May 14 2008 9:00P
Jackpot Saloon, Lawrence, Kansas w/Margot & The Nuclear So & So’s

May, 15 2008 08:00 PM - The Busted Lift
180 Main Street, Dubuque, Iowa

May, 16 2008 08:00 PM - The Hideout - w/ Cairo Gang
1354 w wabansia, Chicago, Illinois

May, 17 2008 08:00 PM - Petrus Lounge
116 east main, Louisville, Kentucky

May, 18 2008 08:00 PM - The Basement
1604 8th Ave S, Nashville, Tennessee

May 21 2008 8:00P
Canal Room New York, New York

Sep 14 2008 2:00P
Monolith @ Red Rocks Morrison, Colorado

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Enjoy these 6cc of Thieves...

Rise & Shine
track listing:

Silver Gun 

She Don't Mind The Rain
When My Plane Lands

Flat Tire

Mad Man Blues

Fair Lights Flashing

Moon Song

Junkyard Julie

Gone

Heavy Eyes

Other grab bag RT goodies:

Back Home To Harlem
Murder Ballad In G Minor
Diamond Ring
Honey, Stay A While
Lonesome Road

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30 April 2008

Lady Soul (1968)

For the last week the doctors and nursemaids here at the asylum have been ridin’ the midnight soul train and listenin’ to a perfect blend of magic medicine from…Martha and the Vandellas “Dance Party”, Otis Redding “Otis Blue”, Aretha Franklin “Lady Soul”, Four Tops “Reach Out” and Ray Charles’ “The Genius of Ray Charles”.

A few weeks back we posted about our favorite soul sister #1, Koko Taylor. Well, today we wanted to post about the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin. Aretha’s third Atlantic album Lady Soul (Atlantic LP 8176) was her second gold album and a personal favorite soul album here at the asylum. A contagious mix of originals and covers (James Brown, Ray Charles, and the Impressions)...smooth power and soul drenched grit. Yeah, it’s the album that has the song you have heard in every Diane Keaton movie (“You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman”), but hey don't be a buster and get offa our rock 'n roll stethoscopes.

Lady Soul Factoid: Eric Clapton plays guitar on “Good To Me As I Am To You”.

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Enjoy these 6cc of the Queen of Soul...

1. "Chain of Fools" (Don Covay) - 2:45
2. "Money Won't Change You" (James Brown, Nat Jones) - 2:02
3. "People Get Ready" (Curtis Mayfield) - 3:35
4. "Niki Hoeky" (Pat Vegas, Jim Ford, Lolly Vegas) - 2:33
5. "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Jerry Wexler) - 2:37
6. "Since You've Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby)" (Aretha Franklin, Ted White) - 2:18
7. "Good to Me As I Am to You" (A. Franklin) - 3:25
8. "Come Back Baby" (Ray Charles) - 2:29
9. "Groovin'" (Felix Cavaliere, Eddie Brigati) - 2:45
10. "Ain't No Way" (Carolyn Franklin) - 4:12

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28 April 2008

The Songs The Beatles Gave Away...

For the last year all the doctors and nursemaids here at the asylum have been a-waitin' for The Beatles catalog to be remastered. Well, we waited and waited, twistin' our rock 'n roll stethoscopes in knots. Creating some type of dino-rage within. Well patients, we have waited long enough...yeah, the band has yet to release remastered versions but a "veiled vixen" by the name of Purple Chick has taken the liberty to remaster all of The Beatles' albums straight from vinyl and releasin' the digital files for a mere nothin'. We thought we had too much to dream when we heard the news. So, we did some searchin' and we found them all and a few additional goodies.

One of the digital albums we found was called Songs The Beatles Gave Away. An excellent collection of songs, well, you got it...songs that Lennon/McCartney gave away. Plus some bonus material of Harrison tracks. "A concise collection of songs written but never (originally) released by The Beatles." For today we wanted to dip our sterilized gloves into this grab bag of songs offa the digital album.

The question on our mind here is...who is this said purple chick?

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Enjoy these 7cc of Beatle Giveaways...

1 Jackie Lomax "Sour Milk Sea" Produced and written by George Harrison
2 Badfinger "Come and Get It" Written by Paul McCartney
3 Billy J Kramer "I'm In Love" Written by Lennon/McCartney
4 Ringo Starr "I'm The Greatest" Written by John Lennon
5 Steve Miller Band "My Dark Hour" Written by Paul McCartney and Steve Miller
6 Tommy Quickly "Tip Of My Tounge" Written by Lennon/McCartney
7 Cream "Badge" Written by George Harrison and Eric Clapton

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23 April 2008

Eli "Paper Boy" Reed and the True Loves

Kerpow Patients! Today we have an artist that has all the doctors and nursemaids here at the 115th Dream doing the boom boom day & night. Boston bred Eli "Paper Boy" Reed and his band the Lovers are definin' the limits of voice and soul with their magic medicine. A group that is the definition of a throw back band. Their neo-retro sounds take a little bit of Al Green, Otis Redding and a whole lotta of Stax-soul. We like to call it a sex pantry of sounds here at the asylum.

These guys are the real deal - their debut Roll With You is out on Q Division Records on April 29, 2008. Make sure to get your sterilized gloves on it when it drops. We leave you with two tracks offa two different singles that they released in February and August of last year. The first track is "The Satisfier" and the second ditty is "Take My Love With You". Enjoy...

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Enjoy these 2cc of Paper Boy...

1 "The Satisfier"
2 "Take My Love With You"

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21 April 2008

Folk Music In The Back Room: Townes Van Zandt Is Live at the Old Quarter...

Here at the asylum we are always fighting for the liberation of good music. So today, we wanted to focus on the sounds of that ramblin' Texas troubadour Townes Van Zandt. If you make frequent visits to the 115th Dream for yer dosage of musical meds, then you have most likely come across our quicksilver daydreams about Our Mother, The Mountain and Townes Van Zandt (self-titled). The bare-boned gutbucket sounds of that ramblin' 'n gamblin' Texas troubadour, TVZ can be best be summed up by Steve Earle, "Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world. And I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that." Of course, Townes later said, "I've met Bob Dylan and his bodyguards, and I don't think Steve [Earle] could get anywhere near his coffee table." Haw, Haw, Haw. Seriously patients, give a listen to this Lone Star folk hero. We tend to liken his lonesome sound as a mix of early Dylan, Hank Williams and Lefty Frizzell.

We want to let you in on a musical gem that was recorded live in the bare bricked walls of a whiskey-soaked Houston roadhouse during the summer Texas heat in 1973. And yes, if you were wonderin'...this is one of those albums that gets our rock 'n roll stethoscope goin' and our vital signs risin'. Townes Van Zandt: Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas has been called the, "'Rosetta Stone' of Texas music". An album that captures the stark tunesmith 'n fingerpickin' outlaw legend at his finest.

Liner Notes From Townes Van Zandt: Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas:


Situated on the seedy side of downtown Houston, Rex Bell & Dale Soffar’s "Old Quarter" served as a sort of interface between various life styles in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. Here stoned-out freaks and professional types, blue jeans and blue collars, came together to enjoy the good music and cold beer along with other diversions that included free popcorn and a fresh air "smoking" deck on the roof in full view of the county jail cells in the nearby courthouse.

While the music varied widely in type and quality, when it was "happening," it was superb. Of course, the musicianship was the basis for these memorable evenings, but the knowledgeability and the outspoken nature of the audience made it an important contributor to the event. Many a singer risked his songs against the "passing of the hat" - in this case, a battered bedpan - only to reap meager reward, indifference, and/or insult. On the other hand when the music was right, the audience could be completely captivated. Perhaps this was why those performers who went on and graduated to more remunerative gigs still drifted back to play occasional sets at the Old Quarter. At any rate, one might find performers like Lightnin’ Hopkins, Big Walter Jenkins, Jerry Jeff Walker and Guy Clark playing in the little 18’ x 38’ room, and so it was that Townes Van Zandt came to play in July, 1973.

More than a hundred souls jammed themselves inside the bare brick walls for the performances recorded herein. Consider the distracting discomforts of that many people packed into that area: One could hardly find room for a deep breath, much less get to the restrooms upstairs, or to the "toking" area on the roof. Cooling refreshments were hard to come by, requiring the passing of the money up through many hands to the bar, and an arduous return trip of the foamy mugs back through the same hands. If you know Houston in July, then you have an idea how hot and humid it was in that room, and leaving the door open did little good except, perhaps to improve the clarity of the sound of passing buses from the nearby bus station.

To overcome all these distractions and capture that crowd, Townes had only himself, his guitar, and his songs. That he was able to do this is evidenced by these recordings. In order to assemble this album from the tapes, it was necessary to edit out a few songs for various reasons (length of sides, dropped beer mugs, etc.) but for the most part what is reproduced here is the way it went down - rap, tuning, and all.

Those of you who have "turned on" to Townes by virtue of his previous albums and performances will be glad to find herein enclosed the lyrics to the included songs, representing a fair portion of his writings. Those for whom this album is a first contact with Townes are implored to examine these writings. If something seems to make no sense, try looking a little deeper for the meaning. There are those of us who feel that Townes is the leading poet of these times.

Earl Willis, 3-30-77


Should You DL? Of course, as your Doctor, I advise you to download your daily dosage of MP3s...

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Take Up Thy Rock 'N Roll Stethoscope and Walk.

Enjoy these 27cc of TVZ...

Disc 1:

1. "Announcement" – :44
2. "Pancho and Lefty" – 4:08
3. "Mr. Gold and Mr. Mud" – 3:40
4. "Don't You Take It Too Bad" – 2:57
5. "Two Girls" – 3:51
6. "Fraternity Blues" – 3:07
7. "If I Needed You" – 3:18
8. "Brand New Companion" – 4:20
9. "White Freight Liner Blues" – 3:26
10. "To Live Is to Fly" – 3:20
11. "She Came and She Touched Me" – 4:09
12. "Talking Thunderbird Blues" – 2:33
13. "Rex's Blues" – 3:05
14. "Nine Pound Hammer" (Travis) – 3:06

Disc 2:

1. "For the Sake of the Song" – 4:48
2. "Chauffer's Blues" (Hopkins) – 4:33
3. "No Place to Fall" – 3:08
4. "Loretta" – 2:26
5. "Kathleen" – 2:54
6. "Why She's Acting This Way" – 5:42
7. "Cocaine Blues"(traditional) – 3:21
8. "Who Do You Love?" (McDaniel) – 3:44
9. "Tower Song" - 3:47
10. "Waiting 'Round to Die" – 2:35
11. "Tecumseh Valley" – 4:30
12. "Lungs" – 2:34
13. "Only Him or Me" – 2:42

Fill Yer Prescription Stat...

Amazon.com...For All Yer Musical Needs

cdbaby.com...Music From A Baby, None The Less

*** If Yer Interested In Seeing What Doctor Mooney Has Prescribed In The Past Check Out The Sidebar. To The Right, Under “Cryogenically Frozen Forever/Archives”...

16 April 2008

Dear Doctor: Moldy Goldies - Colonel Jubilation B. Johnston and His Mystic Knights Band and Street Singers Attack The Hits (1966)

Dear patients of the 115th Dream:

Lately we have noticed that our inbox has been ablaze with questions, comments and concerns from readers out there in 115th Dreamland. So today we wanted to introduce a new weekly segment called Dear Doctor (er, not named after the Star Trek: Enterprise episode) where we field yer questions about life, music, payola and medicine.

Our first question (by way of coin flip) comes from Charles in good ol' Memphis, TN.


Mr. Doctor, M.D. I was abandoned on the day I was to be wed. Now I got the shakes and am sickening for a dose of the extremely rare LP, “Moldy Goldies: Colonel Jubilation B. Johnston and His Mystic Knights Band and Street Singers Attack The Hits” to cure my ills. Do you have this album or have any info on it? If you do please fill my prescription.


First off, thanks to Charlie, a devoted patient of the 115th Dream, for submitting an excellent question about an album that we have been meaning to prescribe for a while now. "Moldy Goldies" is one of the rarest albums of the '60s, out of print for decades now. We heard about this dodgy album a year or so ago. One of the doctors, or was it one of our nursemaids? Well, either way someone here stumbled across the lost and found sounds.

In 1966, after recording the thin, wild mercury sounds for Dylans' "Blonde and Blonde" producer Bob Johnston recorded an album with the sessions players from "Blonde": Bill Atkins (keyboards), Hargus "Pig" Robbins (piano), Jerry Kennedy (guitar), & Charlie McCoy (bass), Joe South (guitar), Ken Buttrey (drums), Paul Griifin (piano), Wayne Butler (trombone) and Wayne Moss (guitar).

The album is a wacky roller coaster of hillbilly moonshine and peg-legged stumblin' sounds. After our first listen we couldn't contain our madcapped canned laughs at this odd collection of cover songs. This album isn't the close to being the best recordings of the 1960s, but it's intriguin' for the cockamamie sounds they captured. And it has most of the same session cats from "Blonde on Blonde".

If you would like to participate in Dear Doctor or if you have any questions, comments or concerns for the doctors and nursemaids here at the 115th Dream please send an email to doctormooney at gmail dot com

Should You DL? Of course, as your Doctor, I advise you to download your daily dosage of MP3s...

Wikio - Top Blogs - Music

Take Up Thy Rock 'N Roll Stethoscope and Walk.

Enjoy these 11cc of Moldy Goldies...

1 "Bang Bang"
2 "Monday, Monday"
3 "How Does That Grab You, Darlin'"
4 "Good Lovin'"
5 "Leaning On The Lamp Post"
6 "Day Dream"
7 "Rainy Day Women #13 & 35"
8 "Secret Agent Man"
9 "Soul and Inspiration"
10 "Hang On Sloopy"
11 "Name Game"

ZIP

"Moldy Goldies - Colonel Jubilation B. Johnston and His Mystic Knights Band and Street Singers Attack The Hits"


Fill Yer Prescription Stat...

Amazon.com...For All Yer Musical Needs

cdbaby.com...Music From A Baby, None The Less

*** If Yer Interested In Seeing What Doctor Mooney Has Prescribed In The Past Check Out The Sidebar. To The Right, Under “Cryogenically Frozen Forever/Archives”...

14 April 2008

Outside Woman Blues: Koko Taylor

If you have been tunin' into the Doctor Mooney Memory Elixir Old-Time Travelin' Medicine Show as of late you may have noticed that our rock 'n roll stethoscopes haven't devoted too many prescriptions to the female sex (shout sister shout). Because of this we have come down with the Brakeman's blues and decided to declare today "Koko Taylor Day" and dedicate todays post to the hard bitin' sounds of Koko Taylor.

If yer noodle isn't familiar with the "Wang Dang Doodle" of Koko Taylor then yer in luck. Her majesty is the "Queen of the Blues", one of the greatest singers in all the land. And definitely some of the best magic medicine we have in our musical pharmaceutical closet.

Shortly after moving to Chicago in her early 20s with, “35 cents and a box of Ritz crackers,” Koko and her ruthless blues-wail was first signed to Chess Records. There she teamed up with Willie Dixon on several singles and two albums. After seeing Koko perform for the first time Dixon was floored by her raw-fire vocals, “My God, I never heard a woman sing the blues like you sing the blues. There are lots of men singing the blues today, but not enough women. That’s what the world needs today, a woman with a voice like yours to sing the blues.” Her barnstorm ended at Chess in the early seventies after she signed with the upstart Alligator Records.

The first time we heard Koko we dropped to the floor like swatted flies. She is still releasin' albums and performin' today. Make sure to check her out if she comes 'round your town. Today we wanted to post some MP3s when Koko was sizzlin' with Chess Records. Make sure to tell Automatic Slim, Razor Tottin' Jim and Fast Talking Fanny.

Should You DL? Of course, as your Doctor, I advise you to download your daily dosage of MP3s...

Wikio - Top Blogs - Music

Take Up Thy Rock 'N Roll Stethoscope and Walk.

Enjoy these 10cc of KoKo...

"Wang Dang Doodle"
"Bills, Bills and More Bills"
"Insane Asylum"
"Love Me"
"Fire"
"29 Ways"
"I Got What It Takes (Live Duet With Muddy Waters)"
"Blue Prelude"
"I Need More and More"
"Let Me Love You"

Fill Yer Prescription Stat...

Amazon.com...For All Yer Musical Needs

cdbaby.com...Music From A Baby, None The Less

*** If Yer Interested In Seeing What Doctor Mooney Has Prescribed In The Past Check Out The Sidebar. To The Right, Under “Cryogenically Frozen Forever/Archives”...

11 April 2008

The Grey Album

Dear Patients:

Today we are droppin' the first remix here at the 115th Dream. We ain't talkin' about a remix by Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Diddy, damn...this is hard, what is that guys name? Well, either way our rock 'n roll stethoscopes aren't too keen on the scene. We completely understand if at this point yer stethoscopes are a little turned off by the idea of the mash-up. But for a moment set yer varied biases to the side and lend yer ears to a little piece of pop art. It can't be that bad...it's the Beatles.

Before Danger Mouse was producin' a kaleidoscope of graffiti laced hits for the likes of Gnarls Barkley, The Black Keys and others. Mr. Mouse was mixin' and mashin' a cappella Jay-Z from "The Black Album" and unauthorized cuts from the Beatles' "White Album". The result was a sonic monster called the "Grey Album". An excellent mash-up that put the Mouse on the map and even was summoned a cease-and-desist by EMI because he never got sample clearance.

Give 'er a shot.

Should You DL? Of course, as your Doctor, I advise you to download your daily dosage of MP3s...

Wikio - Top Blogs - Music

Take Up Thy Rock 'N Roll Stethoscope and Walk.

Enjoy these 12cc of the Grey Album...

1. "Public Service Announcement" – 2:45
* Samples "Long, Long, Long"
2. "What More Can I Say" – 4:25
* Samples "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
* Samples "Top Billin'" by Audio Two
3. "Encore" – 2:40
* Samples "Glass Onion" and "Savoy Truffle"
4. "December 4th" – 3:34
* Samples "Mother Nature's Son"
5. "99 Problems" 4:06
* Samples "Helter Skelter"
6. "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" – 3:59
* Samples "Julia"
7. "Moment of Clarity" – 4:00
* Samples "Happiness Is a Warm Gun"
8. "Change Clothes" – 4:04
* Samples "Piggies" and "Dear Prudence"
9. "Allure" – 4:06
* Samples "Dear Prudence"
10. "Justify My Thug" – 4:12
* Samples "Rocky Raccoon"
11. "Lucifer 9 (Interlude)" – 2:01
* Samples "Revolution 9" and "I'm So Tired"
* Samples "Ave, Lucifer" by Os Mutantes
12. "My 1st Song" – 4:44
* Samples "Cry Baby Cry" and "Savoy Truffle" and "Helter Skelter"

Fill Yer Prescription Stat...

Amazon.com...For All Yer Musical Needs

cdbaby.com...Music From A Baby, None The Less

*** If Yer Interested In Seeing What Doctor Mooney Has Prescribed In The Past Check Out The Sidebar. To The Right, Under “Cryogenically Frozen Forever/Archives”...

07 April 2008

The Asylum at the Cinema: Shine a Light

From the looks of things...all bets are on that the Stones will be appearin' on celluloid in the second decade of the 2000s. You see patients the Stones have made a cinematic appearances in the past five decades. The list includes: "Sympathy for the Devil" (‘68), "Gimme Shelter" (‘70), "Let's Spend the Night Together" (‘83), "Rolling Stones: Live at the Max" ('91), and of course, the new Marty Scorsese flick "Shine a Light" (‘08). A show of sterilized gloves for the title, "Torn and Frayed" as the next silver screened flick. Patients, anyone?

Over the weekend we caught a showing of the new Stones doc "Shine a Light" at the local cinema. For those of you out there in 115th Dreamland who haven't heard anything about the new concert film...it covers a close quartered two-night stand at New York City's Beacon Theater during the Fall of 2006. And of course, it was directed by master lensman Marty Scorsese.

The film is a grand celebration of mortality. Showing the Bones, er, cough cough, Stones livin' on the edge of retirement home. Ah, we kid. Beautifully shot it was, but the thing with the film is we have seen these Stones before. That old (no pun intended) Stones magic; Mick prancin' around, Keith and Ronnie masterfully tradin' licks and Charlie keepin' that steady rollin' beat. Of course, we love this kinda stuff here at the asylum.

The one part of the show that made our hearts palpitate was when the Stones shared the stage with a few stars. Yeah, Christina Aguilera sexed-up the stage for a duet on "Live With Me" (Yawn). But the two highlights that got the 'ol rock 'n roll stethoscope excited was the presence of Jack White on "Loving Cup" and Buddy Guy on the Muddy Waters penned "Champagne and Reefer".

Prodigal son Jack White or typically called "The Aristocratic Horseman of Rock" here at the asylum lends his country honk to the deep cut offa Exile on Main Street, "Loving Cup". With White grinnin' ear to ear the duet wasn't no Christmas Turkey. The ditty was whiskey soaked country-soul duet between "old" and "new", "father" and "son". But, the show stealin' performance for the doctors here at the asylum came from the searin' vocals and blisterin' sounds comin' outta Buddy "Motherf**ker" Guy's six-string polka dotted Strat. His presence and performance is absolutely menacing. Unfortunately we don't have a visual for either of these performances. But we do have a couple of MP3s to go along with this here post.

Anyone out there seen the film? Thoughts?

Should you DL? Of course, as your Doctor, I advise you to download your daily dosage of MP3s...

Take Up Thy Rock 'N Roll Stethoscope and Walk.

Enjoy these 2cc of the Stones live...

Rolling Stones feat Jack White "Loving Cup"

Rolling Stones feat Buddy Guy "Champagne and Reefer"



Fill Yer Prescription Stat...

Amazon.com...For All Yer Musical Needs

cdbaby.com...Music From A Baby, None The Less

*** If Yer Interested In Seeing What Doctor Mooney Has Prescribed In The Past Check Out The Sidebar. To The Right, Under “Cryogenically Frozen Forever/Archives”...

05 April 2008

The Adventures of the Rosewood Thieves...

God damn patients, it's borderline criminal to sound this good on a debut album. The Rosewood Thieves have recorded a pocketful of sunshine on their neo-retro debut LP, Rise & Shine. This really should be no surprise out there in 115th Dreamland because the band has already laid the seeds with two stellar EPs (From The Decker House & Lonesome).

Back in November our rock 'n roll stethoscopes prescribed the Thieves' vintage brand of earphoria, "Think of their first EP From The Decker House as a mix of The White Album ‘n Harvest. But on their second EP Lonesome the band has taken a slightly more adventurous route and sounds like it belongs down ‘round the bend on Nashville’s Music Row. An album that’s heavy on the heartbreak and country-tinged indie twang. But what The Rosewood Thieves have done here is not sacrilegious. Maybe back in the days of Singout ‘n Broadside, but not in today’s musical soundscapes. Yes, they have made two entirely different soundin’ EPs. They haven’t turned their back on anything, this is a band of musical mavericks that’s just gettin’ started. A band that is on the verge of making a great LP filled with sheer musical majesty."

With their soon-to-be self-released Rise & Shine the band has taken their new brand of cosmic American music to a new level. This record sounds like it was put together by the illegitimate flower children (yup, that's a good thing) of Bolan, Davies 'n Dylan...and not to mention a smatterin' of '60s electric circus gypsies.

We don't want to get yer pantaloons in a bunch with this bit of magic medicine because the album won't be available through retailers until mid to late summer. But the 115th Dream did catch up with lead singer/rhythm guitarist Erick Jordan and he said, "The First Rosewood LP Rise & Shine won't be out until the summer, but will be available at ALL shows on our upcoming tour. Mind blowin' videos for "Silver Gun" and "She Don't The Mind The Rain" are coming very soon. Currently we are hard at work at the moment recording a six-song Solomon Burke EP which is tentatively called Heartaches By The Pound - The Rosewood Thieves Sing Solomon Burke." Well o well patients, that's the current crunge on the Thieves. Make sure to be one of the first to check them out and the debut LP Rise & Shine as they saddle up and take to the pavement on the bands first cross country rock 'n roll tour. (Dates Below)

Rise & Shine Tracklistin'

1 Silver Gun (rip)
2 She Don't Mind The Rain
3 When My Plane Lands
4 Flat Tire
5 Mad Man Blues
6 Fair Lights Flashing
7 Moon Song
8 Junkyard Julie
9 Gone
10 Heavy Eyes


National Walkabout

Apr 10 2008 10:00P
The Bog Scranton, Pennsylvania

Apr 11 2008 8:00P
The Khyber Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Apr 28 2008 8:00P
DC9 Washington, Washington DC

Apr 29 2008 8:00P
The Cave Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Apr 30 2008 8:00P
The Star Bar Atlanta, Georgia

May 1 2008 8:00P
Circle Bar New Orleans, Louisiana

May 2 2008 8:00P
Walter’s on Washington w/ Frank Smith Houston, Texas

May 3 2008 8:00P
Mohawk w/Frank Smith Austin, Texas

May 5 2008 8:00P
The Ruby Room Phoenix, Arizona

May 6 2008 10:00P
The Beatles Revolution Lounge at The Mirage Las Vegas, Nevada

May 7 2008 8:00P
The Epicentre - w/Lemon Sun (ALL AGES) San Diego, California

May 8 2008 8:00P
Bottom of The Hill - w/Lemon Sun San Francisco, California

May 9 2008 8:00P
The Echo w/Lemon Sun Los Angeles, California

May 10 2008 8:00P
Detroit Bar w/Lemon Sun & The Growlers Costa Mesa, California

May 12 2008 8:00P
Bar Deluxe Salt Lake City, Utah

May 13 2008 8:00P
3 Kings Tavern Denver, Colorado

May 15 2008 8:00P
The Busted Lift Dubuque, Iowa

May 16 2008 8:00P
The Hideout w/ Cairo Gang

Should you DL? Of course, as your Doctor, I advise you to download your daily dosage of MP3s...

Wikio - Top Blogs - Music

Take Up Thy Rock 'N Roll Stethoscope and Walk.

Enjoy these 5cc of the Thieves...

Back Home To Harlem
Murder Ballad In G Minor
Diamond Ring
Honey, Stay A While
Lonesome Road

Fill Yer Prescription Stat...

Amazon.com...For All Yer Musical Needs

cdbaby.com...Music From A Baby, None The Less

*** If Yer Interested In Seeing What Doctor Mooney Has Prescribed In The Past Check Out The Sidebar. To The Right, Under “Cryogenically Frozen Forever/Archives”...

31 March 2008

The Soul Clan "Soul Meeting" 45...

Dear Patients:

We apologize for the lack of updates over the past week. Turns out that the Internet over here at the asylum has been unreachable. To make up for this abrupt outage we have been stockin’ up on heavy doses of sheer madness via prescription pharmaceuticals and shooters of hillbilly moonshine. Our rock ‘n roll stethoscopes promise to have this problem sorted out soon. Er, not the hillbilly moonshine part, the Internet problem.

Today we have a great cut of soul for all you out there in 115th Dreamland. In 1968, a merry-go-round of soulsters known as the Soul Clan got together and released a classic single on Atlantic Records (“Soul Meeting” b/w “That's How I Feel”). This was the roster for those of you out there who aren’t familiar with the group: King Solomon Burke, Joe Tex, Don Covay, Ben E. King and Arthur Conley. Talk about a line-up of soul magic medicine. King Solomon had this to say about the project, “We wanted to interlock ourselves as a group, to express to the younger people how strong we should be and to help one another, work with one another and support one another,” The project was short-lived. The single didn’t make much ground and topped out at #34 on the R&B charts.

We couldn't find much info on the project. So if any of you patients out there can shine some light here it would be greatly appreciated.

Side Note: Originally the group was intended to include Otis Redding and Wilson “Wicked” Pickett. Redding protégé Arthur Conley replaced Otis after his death and Pickett bowed out for unknown reasons.

As your Doctor, I advise you to download your daily dosage of MP3s...

Take Up Thy Rock 'N Roll Stethoscope and Walk.

Enjoy this single cc of the Soul Clan...

Side A
Soul Meeting

Sid