Monday, March 31, 2008

Raging Slab - L.A. Live (1990)



This is a groovy soundboard of Raging Slab supporting their self-entitled classic for RCA Records. I don't know the origins of this recording. But it sure sounds fine to my ears. And they just released one of their, in my opinion, best records. So a nice setlist as well. Workin' For RCA!

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Barefoot Jerry - Two Mile Pike




This video was included on the Heartworn Highways DVD. I had never before seen any footage of Barefoot Jerry. And I really love their albums, which are all available on CD. Maybe this will convince you to go out and buy some. I'd recommend as first choice the 1974 album "Watchin' TV", which also features the song on this video.

Charlie Daniels on Country Closeup, hosted by Glen Campbell



This is a (McCluth) rip of a radio broadcast LP of Country Closeup. A show hosted by Glen Campbell, this broadcast features Charlie Daniels. Supporting his "Decade Of Hits", Charlie Daniels reveals all (all? ha!) to Glen Campbell. Including a couple of commercials aimed at a mostly farming audience, this is quite a nice little time-document. Have fun.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Tommy Jennings - Equal Opportunity Lovin' Man (1982)



For all Outlaw-country lovers, The Sief in particular, for you to grab: the second album of Tommy Jennings. There's really not that much to say about, the first is the better; this is the good one. Haha, but you get it here for free: Waylon's little bro..

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Elvin Bishop - Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby (1981)



This 1981 Elvin Bishop album is really hard to find. Released only in Germany in 1981 on vinyl and in 1988 on CD, it has been out of print since then.
Quite an enjoyable album, though. Then again, most Elvin Bishop albums are. Party blues, southern style. Check out the great soul vocals on Midnight Hour Blues. Rock my soul..

Friday, March 21, 2008

Travis Wammack - Follow That Guitar! (1982)



In 1982 Travis Wammack recorded material for small-time Nashville label Phonorama. For some strange reason, someone thought it would be really cool to release two albums at the same time with a 5 song overlap. Named "Follow Me"...


... and the other one "A Man And A Guitar".
I ripped both and took the liberty of merging them for this upload (and my Ipod as well). For those interested in the original running order, check Rate Your Music. I also added two singles released on the Gusto label. Both singles had the same song as A- and B-side, so only two extra songs there. And the last song in this file is a song I found on the internet, which is probably from one of his independently released CD's.
Check out these 'hard to find' recordings by one of my all-time favorites. Follow That Guitar!



Travis Wammack interview part 3
Watch part 1 here
Watch part 2 here

T. Talton, B. Stewart, J. Sandlin - Happy To Be Alive (1976)



Tommy Talton you might know from Cowboy. Johnny Sandlin used to play with Hour Glass (feat. Duane & Gregg Allman) and went on to become sessionplayer and producer at Capricorn studios. Bill Stewart has played for Capricorn as well. Basically they are the Capricorn Rhythm Section. A 'supergroup' that sounds, not surprisingly, an awful lot like Cowboy.
I got this album rip form Skynfan's blogspot. I cleaned up some bits, corrected the running order and supplied full tags for your MP3-player. Alas, it's only at 128 kbps. Still, check out some more "Capricorn history".

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Beaverteeth - Dam It (1978)



Beaverteeth was a southern rock band featuring Rodney Justo on lead vocals. Fans of Atlanta Rhythm Section will know Rodney as lead singer on the first two ARS albums, before Ronnie Hammond filled the spot.
This is a new rip of the Dam It album, not the one that's been circulating on the DC++ circuit. My album wasn't perfect, but still it turned out very listenable. At 256 kbps.
Beaverteeth is rather similar to ARS. Really mellow southern rock, well played and just the right kind of soundtrack for the last bit of the evening. When you're right.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

High Cotton - High Cotton (1975)



Another obscure treat from the 70's. High Cotton released, as far as I can tell, one album. Produced by Allen Toussaint, this is a really nice, groovy album (oh, groovy!). Setting it apart from the majority of southern rock releases, is the use of horns and its outspoken funkiness. Which is something I always love in southern rock.
Singer/trumpetist Todd Logan has played as session hornman with people like Gregg Allman, The Marshall Tucker Band and Hydra - amongst others. Dig it!

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Jonny Lang - Live To Me (2003)



Maybe Jonny Lang isn't southern rock 'pur sang', but it sure sounds southern flavored to me. This is a great live performance, broadcast by German radio.
Jonny came on the scene as a young boy blessed with an oustanding and mature sounding voice. The music is bluesbased, with influences of southern rock, soul and funk. Heeeeere's Jonny!

Wet Willie - Country Side Of Life




Sit back and enjoy this video of Wet Willie...

Sunday, March 09, 2008

Target - Target (1976)



This is the first album by Memphis rockers Target. Singer Jimi Jamison is such a great southern rock singer, it's a shame he ever got discovered by Survivor. Then again, if that hadn't happened, we might never have heard from him at all. But we do.
Their debut has more direct soul influences than "Captured". But it's a really great rockin' record. And you want it.

Raging Slab - From A Southern Space (1991)



I love Raging Slab. They're a wild bunch and they make me wanna get up and boogie! This album, From A Southern Space, was not released in 1991. It was meant to follow up their first major label release (entitled "Raging Slab", RCA 1989) but was rejected by the label. Luckily the recordings are 'around', so you get a chance to enjoy this just the same.
If you love the 1989 album and "Dynamite Monster Boogie Concert", you won't mind owning this. The Slab sounding like they should be sounding: hot 'n' nasty! Get it while it's hot!

Recommendation of the month


Nothing to download here!

I'd like to make a recommendation every now and again. Sure, it's nice to get to download all this classic music for free, but it's also nice to buy the forgotten classics, once they're finally released on CD.
I was about to consider uploading the Thunder albums, of which I have some fair rips. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that they were actually released on CD. Wounded Bird has made these available again and I sincerely recommend these two classics. Southern Rock with touches of AOR and funk. Their first has some Little Feat flavor to it, whereas the second is a very pleasing AOR album with some great songs. And you can still hear these guys were from the south. I wonder whatever became of their vocalist, John Porter McMeans. The albums are "Thunder" from 1980 and "Headphones For Cows" from 1981. Buy them!



(And check out Wounded Bird Records as well. They have some true southern rock gems in their catalogue...)



Wounded Bird

Travis Wammack - Travis Wammack (1972)



Well, of course you need more Travis Wammack. Though nothing compares to the "Not For Sale" album, most any Travis is good Travis! This album is a lot harder to find, though. Released on Fame records and produced by Rick Hall, this is a tough, soulful album. Slip away!
Do yourself a favor...



Travis Wammack interview, part 2
Watch part 1 here
Watch part 3 here

Tommy Jennings - Then There Was One (1980)



Tommy Jennings is Waylon's brother. He worked as a songwriter and has released, as far as I can tell, three records. The third is a 2007 CD, "Hey Waylon! (Eagle's Last Flight)", which features some Of Waylon's last performances. The other two album were from the 80's and were brought out on an independent Nashville label. These two I made decent rips of and I present to you the first. If you like outlaw country like Waylon's, you'll want this. Grabbit!

The Knowbody Else - The Knowbody Else (1969)



Before they sweeped the nation throughout the 70's, Black Oak Arkansas already recorded an album in 1969 as The Knowbody Else. Released on the Stax Label (famous for being a soul music label par excellence), this is a nice little hippie album. Similar in gesture to Hour Glass.
Historically speaking, this is obviously a very interesting album. And quite enjoyable as well. Quite a lot is available of BOA, but this not just yet. And it's a good rip too. So thanks to the ripper, for your enjoyment...

Saturday, March 08, 2008

Moonshine - Roughhousin' (1997)



Not much I can say about this band, other than that they released one independent album back in 1997. The style is pretty much in between Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Allman Brothers Band, though sometimes leaning more towards country. 6 of the 11 songs are originals and they are pretty good. 5 songs are covers and thank God they stray away from the downtrodden path of southern rock. Great version of In The Morning (Mama's Pride) and Fancy Ideas (Rossington Collins Band). Listen!

Blue Jug - Blue Jug (1975)



Blue Jug released their self-titled debut in 1975 on the Capricorn label. Plenty of southern flavor here, but also very reminiscent of The Band. They released one other album. Also entitled 'Blue Jug', it does however feature all different songs.
I was always very curious about this album. So, I was very pleased when I got my hands on this rip. And though it's a fair record, it does not stand besides my favorites. It's the singer and the production which I'm not particular fond of. But if you like The Band or, like me, you want to hear all 70's southern rock: by all means,
go check it out!

Friday, March 07, 2008

Tim Brooks & The Alien Sharecroppers - Live In Germany



I saw Tim Brooks with his brother Gregg back in 1994 in a small joint. They were performing as The Brothers Brooks, promoting their first (and as it would turn out, only) CD. After the dreadful 80's, this was basically the first time I watched a southern rock band playing actual southern rock. It was like a timewarp back to the 70's. And boy, could these guys play.
They were similar to The Allman Brothers Band. Not in the least due to the fact that Gregg Broooks was a dead ringer for Gregg Allman. Vocally.
5 years later Brothers Brooks were no more. But Tim continued with Tim Brooks & The Alien Sharecroppers. About Tim, from his own site:

"Tim is a veteran who among other honors, had a single, "Boating Down the Ocmulgee" picked in Bill Gavin's report in BILLBOARD MAGAZINE as a sure hit, only to have his record company go bankrupt, leading to a dead end, (so common in this business!), and leading to the breakup of his band at the time. But probably, his most distinct honor was winning the slide guitar category, then the overall Grand Prize in GUITAR PLAYER MAGAZINE's 25th Anniversay ULTIMATE GUITAR COMPETITION out of thousands of world-wide entrants. In addition to the gear he won as a result of this, he and his wife Denise were flown to San Francisco, where they were given the "5-star treatment", as Tim played a concert at the GRATEFUL DEAD'S legendary venue, the WARFIELD THEATRE. Tim shared the stage that night with Gregg Allman, Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter, Adrian Belew, Harvey Mandel, Steve Morse, Ry Cooder, John Lee Hooker, and a host of other big-name guitarists, where he performed a standing ovation - earning version of the late DUANE ALLMAN'S signature tune, "Statesboro Blues", that really brought the house down."

From his site I took these live recordings. These were loose songs that did not belong together in any order. They ended abruptly and were not meant to be played back to back. They are still on the site: http://www.timbrooksband.com/music.html
I took the liberty of editing somewhat and joining them to something that sounds like a little show. Easier on the ears and a nice introduction to the band. Check out, if you can, their two cd's: "See Rock City" and "Back In The Game". As for now...

Duke Jupiter - Sweet Cheeks (1978)



Duke Jupiter recorded their first album at the Capricorn studios in Macon, Georgia. Though they were actually from New York, with the help of people like Jaimoe, Randall Bramblett and Chuck Leavell (who also produced the album) their debut turned out to be a real fine southern rock album. Slightly lighter, with hints of Sea Level (surprise!), this was a real find for me. I still play this from time to time and, since I ripped it, it has been making overtime on my Ipod. Do yourself a favor...

Target - Captured (1977)



Most people will only know singer Jimi Jamison of the slick radiorock of Survivor (Burning Heart). But only few know him of the terrific Memphis band Target. They released two albums: one in 1976 the second in 1977. This is the 1977 release, and a record I have kept spinning for some 20 years now. A really fine slice of southern rock. Soulful, yet perky. And what a voice!
This one I did not rip, and I'm afraid the bitrate is a mere 128. Still a nice rip though... Enjoy it here...

Travis Wammack - Not For Sale (1975)



When I first learned about these blogs, I was thrilled by the idea that I would finally get a chance to listen to all those long sought after albums that I never found. And I did find some gems. But then I figured it was time to make some contribution of my own.
The first album I ripped, that I was pleased with the result, was Not For Sale by Travis Wammack. Originally released in 1975 on the Capricorn label, this is one of my all-time favorite southern rock albums.
Travis is known to most by his instrumentals in the 60's. But if you like your southern rock mixed up with some funked up soul, this is definitely for you. Check out Travis on his second solo album. And the title rings true: "Not For Sale"...
Get it here...



Interview Travis Wammack, part 1
Watch part 2 here
Watch part 3 here