-- please enjoy TP and Company and "Stop Jammin' Me." Featuring lyrical contributions from some Jewish guy from Minnesota.
Actually, the lyrics, though occasionally droll, don't hold up as much as I'd hoped, but Jeebus H. Christ on a piece of challah toast, what a fricking fantastic rock-and-roll groove. Proving, as I have long asserted, that although Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench are fantastic musicians who deserve the lion's share of the credit for the band's sound, it was departed drummer Stan Lynch who was always the Heartbreakers' secret weapon.
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This probably should've gone into one of the last two posts instead of this one, but anyone ever hear the Textones' "I Can't Fight It", a cover of an as-yet-unrecorded Petty song? It was only ever released on a Chiswick (UK) 45, I think, though it wound up on a Chiswick compilation some time later.
I'm not gonna pretend it's a great lost Petty song, but it's not bad. Carla Olson (who almost looked like a female Petty, cheekbones and long blonde hair) and soon-to-be Go-Go Kathy Valentine were in the band, and Valentine's original (and very different) version of "Vacation" was the B-side.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJSBGcdo8UA
Always liked Carla Olson -- thanks for the tip, I'll check out the song.
The terrible LP cover didn't help!
I never got off on "Let Me Up I've Had Enough." Coming off of the True Confessions Tour, I expected far too much, apparently. The initial letdown has soured me on that LP for decades. Thought there'd be more collaboration after that tour with better results. Plus I hate the cover. "Knocked Out Loaded" sucked too. Why Dylan & Petty didn't do more writing together at this time escaped me. Is there quality stuff in the can? I don't think so. It woulda leaked out by now.
I agree on Stan Lynch being a solid drummer. He does some cool stutters on this one for my current lack of a better word. Ferrone may not have the personality or kinship, but they still are a live band rivaled by few. And I think Duckhead is the best utility player and harmony guy they've ever had.
I once sat between him and Jackson Browne at the bar in the Hollywood House of Blues. This was at one of Jackson's never-ending benefits. I talked to Scott about his days with the Stooges. Some funny stories, man. Plus Jackson took me back stage to meet Vinx, the opening act. This was after I teased Jackson and told him I had come to the show to see Vinx, not him. He smiled at me and told me he was there to see Vinx too. Then he took me by the hand and led me to the "backstage" area upstairs.
Re: the Textones - Yeah, that first line-up was a great little band. They used to play Madame Wong's once in a while. Didn't seem like they ever got out of L.A. Saw e'm at the Whisy a few times in the origfinal incarnation as well. The bass player was or became a junkie. Don't know whatever happened to him. Haven't seen him in decades. I think he got out of L.A.
Carla judged a battle of the bands at Gazzarri's circa 1980-1981. I was filling in as the bass player in what was an all male Hispanic rock band. Had to cram my boobs into an ill-fitting suitcoat (their bass player must have been a shrimp) and wear a skinny tie like the rest of the band. Even though they won, nothing ever happened for them. Carla was very nice but I'm sure that evening was one of the low points of her career. Overall, the bands were truly wretched. One ingrained in my memory was a truly terrible hard rock band with an overweight female singer in spandex. The guys in the band laughed when I called her Fat Benatar.
Now if I was embarrassed to be there, I could only imagine how Carla must have felt. The only thing I can compare it to was how embarrassing it was to see Gregg Allman guest judging on Puttin' On the Hits. Painful.
I love Carla and have seen her many, many times through the years from the good old Palomino to the Roxy to the Mint and a good number of L.A. and Valley clubs. Always interesting shows and usually with legendary guests. You can't go wrong with a Carla show. And that "Sway" and "Winter" she pulled out of Mick Taylor, Lord gawd almighty!!
Vickie Rock - Gene Clark Forever
Plus Stan was the best looking of the bunch.
I still like this album, except for some of the synths.
And it took me until last year to figure out the big, key difference between Stan and Steve Ferrone -- Stan played fills, Steve doesn't. I miss Stan.
Always liked this album. Aint Love Strange is one of my favorite Petty songs.
Since no one mentioned it already, Stan Lynch sang some nice backing vocals during his tenure as well.
Re: LMU(IHE) LP - Think About Me is always fun live in a no-brainer, instinctively ass-shakin' way. It's like gettin' a steadfast, familiar, general-purpose ace-in-the-hole quickie. It may not leave you breathless. It won't make you free-fall endlessly through space while bathing in a warm and powerful waterfall of passion. But it will tide you over and put you on simmer till the next big wave comes along. It gets the inertia rolling. It turns your key and revs your engine. It's reflected in your glowing cheeks, that just-fucked smile and twinkling Nembutal eyes. It's the wet spark of the watery fire. The source of the conspiracy. The erect nipple poking through the gauzy fabric. It's what puts the wings in your step. The craving in your soul.
Oh Jesus, play some Dave Clark Five.
Vickie Rock - Any Way You Want It
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV7LVITpTe8
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