Showing posts with label Mother's Finest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mother's Finest. Show all posts
Friday, August 29, 2014
Mother's Finest - Countdown Cafe (1989)
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Countdown Cafe was a Dutch radio show, which aired a lot of great concerts in the 80's and 90's. In 1989 this Mother's Finest (from Funk Rock Georgia!) show was broadcast. Promoting their (arguably worst) album 'Looks Could Kill', they sounded hot as ever. While the studio album was a rather forced attempt at being hip, live there was hardly any difference. Mother's Finest live is always a treat. And since I'm off to go see them tomorrow in Rotterdam, it's the perfect excuse to share this not-so-widely-circulating show. Juts one song of the studio album, a tune called 'Legs And Lipstick', which is so much better live than in the studio. The rest of the set is classic Mother's Finest, with Joyce 'Baby Jean' Kennedy and the rest of the gang burning down the house. Can't fight the feeling!
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Joyce Kennedy - Mother's Finest! (1965)
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Here's something I've been looking for myself: the very first recordings by my all-time favorite female singer, Joyce Kennedy of Mother's Finest. I've posted some Mother's Finest before on this blog, and musically that band operated on the borders of Southern Rock. But hey, I'm here to broaden your perspective on good Southern music ;-) Posting this, is taking it even one step further. Theses recordings were done from 1963 up to 1965 and have nothing to do with Rock whatsoever. Instead we get a nice glimpse of somebody who would wind up fronting one of the most exciting bands of the 70's and still doing that to this day. This post includes 9 pre-Soul R&B. Sometimes reminiscent of Ike & Tina Turner, sometimes getting closer to stuff like 'My Boy Lollipop'. Joyce Kennedy was approximately 15 to 17 years old at the time of these recordings. Still a giant leap from the Southern Funk Rock of Mother's Finest. Some track, however, stand out and we can hear the unmistakable voice of 'Baby Jean'. Favorites of mine would be "Darling I Still Love You", "The Hifi Albums And I" and "Does Anybody Love Me". If you dig old school R&B, Soul, Mother's Finest or if you're an open-minded music lover, this set should really please you. Could this be love?
Saturday, July 02, 2011
Illusion - I Like It Loud (1986)
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This is the second album by Illusion and it would turn out to be their last. Featuring Gary "Moses Mo" Moore (Mother's Finest) on guitar, this is another blast of commercial sounding 80's Hard Rock. I quite like both albums, I do enjoy the squeaky vocals and think the songs are worth repeated listening. Why they re-recorded "Call In The Law" from their first album is beyond me, but it doesn't bother me. The first album had a more recognizable Southern tone to it, but this record you should not pass by if you dig some punchy rocking. Shake!
This is the second album by Illusion and it would turn out to be their last. Featuring Gary "Moses Mo" Moore (Mother's Finest) on guitar, this is another blast of commercial sounding 80's Hard Rock. I quite like both albums, I do enjoy the squeaky vocals and think the songs are worth repeated listening. Why they re-recorded "Call In The Law" from their first album is beyond me, but it doesn't bother me. The first album had a more recognizable Southern tone to it, but this record you should not pass by if you dig some punchy rocking. Shake!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Illusion - Illusion (1985)
♫
Ok, some loud Southern AOR for you. Illusion has two former Mother's Finest members in the band, Gary "Moses Mo" More on guitar and Barry "B.B. Queen" Borden on drums. Barry went on to play with Molly Hatchet, The Outlaws and The Marshall Tucker Band. But let's not get ahead of ourselves too much just yet. This is the mid 80's, when big hair was the big thing, and every song you had to be able to shout along. Very few albums of that period have stood the test of time, most sound dreadfully outdated. Yes, that's me speaking my mind. But there were some memorable albums. And I think this is one of them. Virtue of this album is, it has some actual songs. Sometimes very reminiscent in sound to the Mother's Finest "Iron Age" album. Squeaky but powerful vocals by some guy named Jay, and a true fine Rock duet with former Small Faces front man Steve Marriott on the song "She Weighs A Ton". This is in your face, loud & sleazy Rock & Roll with just a touch of Southern. Though you've got to strain to spot that. Still, I love it lots. This is not the vinyl rip already circulating (I did steal their artwork, however), this one is new and done by yours truly. And I did a hell of a job, if I say so myself. And why not?! Oh well, Won't You?
Ok, some loud Southern AOR for you. Illusion has two former Mother's Finest members in the band, Gary "Moses Mo" More on guitar and Barry "B.B. Queen" Borden on drums. Barry went on to play with Molly Hatchet, The Outlaws and The Marshall Tucker Band. But let's not get ahead of ourselves too much just yet. This is the mid 80's, when big hair was the big thing, and every song you had to be able to shout along. Very few albums of that period have stood the test of time, most sound dreadfully outdated. Yes, that's me speaking my mind. But there were some memorable albums. And I think this is one of them. Virtue of this album is, it has some actual songs. Sometimes very reminiscent in sound to the Mother's Finest "Iron Age" album. Squeaky but powerful vocals by some guy named Jay, and a true fine Rock duet with former Small Faces front man Steve Marriott on the song "She Weighs A Ton". This is in your face, loud & sleazy Rock & Roll with just a touch of Southern. Though you've got to strain to spot that. Still, I love it lots. This is not the vinyl rip already circulating (I did steal their artwork, however), this one is new and done by yours truly. And I did a hell of a job, if I say so myself. And why not?! Oh well, Won't You?
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Mother's Finest - Live At Lochem (1981)
♫
The good people at Wounded Bird have gone and done it again. This time they re-released the very first album by Mother's Finest on CD. For the very first time ever. I had been searching for a vinyl copy of that album for over thirty years. And while I did eventually find an mp3 rip of it, that copy is nothing like the real deal. Hell, it gets even better, since they released this as a double CD also including their first album for Epic records. And that ain't all! Also included here is an entire album which was never brought out at all, a follow-up to their debut from 1972. The 1973 never released album is just as wonderful as that debut. That's basically Southern Soul Rock, y'all. And performed marvelously. So go on, buy that!
In the meanwhile, I figured I'd give you some more Mother's Finest. To go. In the form of a wonderful 1981 live show, performed at the Dutch Lochem festival. It's a lot heavier than any 70's outing of the band, but my readers should certainly enjoy this lots. Gone are the keyboards, enter a second guitar, and what we get is some serious Southern Funk Rock. This is a great sounding SBD that should get you riled up alright. Get yourself some piece of the rock!!
The good people at Wounded Bird have gone and done it again. This time they re-released the very first album by Mother's Finest on CD. For the very first time ever. I had been searching for a vinyl copy of that album for over thirty years. And while I did eventually find an mp3 rip of it, that copy is nothing like the real deal. Hell, it gets even better, since they released this as a double CD also including their first album for Epic records. And that ain't all! Also included here is an entire album which was never brought out at all, a follow-up to their debut from 1972. The 1973 never released album is just as wonderful as that debut. That's basically Southern Soul Rock, y'all. And performed marvelously. So go on, buy that!
In the meanwhile, I figured I'd give you some more Mother's Finest. To go. In the form of a wonderful 1981 live show, performed at the Dutch Lochem festival. It's a lot heavier than any 70's outing of the band, but my readers should certainly enjoy this lots. Gone are the keyboards, enter a second guitar, and what we get is some serious Southern Funk Rock. This is a great sounding SBD that should get you riled up alright. Get yourself some piece of the rock!!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Mother's Finest - Mother's Finest (1972)
♫
What do you mean, Mother's Finest isn't Southern Rock? Don't you own a copy of Martin Popoff's 'Southern Rock Review'? It's virtually the bible to Southern Rock... Or is it?
Well, I know. It's hardly Southern Rock, even though mr. Popoff did write kindly about MF in his book. They hail from Atlanta, Georgia: so they're Southern. But they play funk-rock. If you really strain yourself, you might hear some Southern Rock in it. But this is one of my all time favorite bands. And this record has been on my wishlist like forever. I still don't own a copy. This is not my rip, but it's a very good rip. Mother's Finest distanced themselves from this record. I guess that must have had something to do with the record company, cause this is as good as it gets. The first three songs are a bit feeble, especially production-wise. But when track 4 kicks in, things start cooking. This might not be Southern Rock persé, but I'm convinced a lot of visitors to this site will be extremely happy with this post. Oh, and drummer Barry "BB Queen" Borden went on to play with bands like Molly Hatchet and The Outlaws. So what do you reckon? Is it justified?
What do you mean, Mother's Finest isn't Southern Rock? Don't you own a copy of Martin Popoff's 'Southern Rock Review'? It's virtually the bible to Southern Rock... Or is it?
Well, I know. It's hardly Southern Rock, even though mr. Popoff did write kindly about MF in his book. They hail from Atlanta, Georgia: so they're Southern. But they play funk-rock. If you really strain yourself, you might hear some Southern Rock in it. But this is one of my all time favorite bands. And this record has been on my wishlist like forever. I still don't own a copy. This is not my rip, but it's a very good rip. Mother's Finest distanced themselves from this record. I guess that must have had something to do with the record company, cause this is as good as it gets. The first three songs are a bit feeble, especially production-wise. But when track 4 kicks in, things start cooking. This might not be Southern Rock persé, but I'm convinced a lot of visitors to this site will be extremely happy with this post. Oh, and drummer Barry "BB Queen" Borden went on to play with bands like Molly Hatchet and The Outlaws. So what do you reckon? Is it justified?
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