This week, I have mostly been listening to The Cramps (and a bit of The New York Dolls.) So, this morning, it's time to revisit their influences and marvel at the originals of their early repertoire... Fabulous stuff.
please log in to view this image This pretty much tells its own story. They can't bring themselves to splash The Sherlocks as a headliner.
I had She Said by The Cramps on my playlist when I went out for a walk today. What the f*** are the lyrics? My eclectic mix today also included the Ramones (obvs), The Primitives, Howitzer, Teenage Bottlerocket, Sweet, After School Special, The Lillingtons amongst others.
She Said Lyrics Why's don't I tell you what it is? I wen' out last nigh' and I got hitched up When I woke up this mornin' Shoulda seen what I had inna bed wi' me She comes up at me outta the bed Pull her hair down the eye Looks to me like a dyin' can of that commodity meat And says And says Woo ee ah ah! Woo ee ah ah! Woo ee ah ah! Woo ee ah ah! Wooooeeeeahhh! So this time we got waay over here (Where?! Where?!) I don't know, since it was early dawn's light She jumped up outta the car She pulled her hair down her eye She looked to me like a dinosaur 'bout to jump outta that seat She said She said She said Woo ee ah ah! Woo ee ah ah! Woo ee ah ah! Woo ee ah ah! Wooooeeeeyahhhh So this time we got waaay over here And then we went waay down here We got all the way over 'n that lady sound like this: Oooooo! Oooooo! She said She said Woo ee ah ah! Woo ee ah ah! Woo ee ah ah! Yoo ee ah ah! Wooooaaahhyahh! So this time we went waaay over there Now things was really gettin' goin' Boilin' up with the blisters She sound like this: Ooooo! Ooooo! She jumped up outta the car Pulled her hair down her eye And do you know what she tol' me? Do you know what she try to tell me? She said Ooooo! It feel so goood! Woo ee ah ah! Woo ee ah ah! Woo ee ah ah! Woo ee ah ah! Woo woo eeeeeyahhhh! Yah yah yah! Woo ee ah ah! Woo ee ah ah! Woo ee ah ah! The creator of the song (he couldn't write), Hasil Adkins, was a rather odd human being. Raised in the back woods during the depression, he played guitar whilst seated and operated the drums with his feet. His songs were either about sex, eating chicken or decapitation. He is credited, by some, as being the originator of the psychobilly 'style'. **** alone knows if this is even half true. The most commonly played (and best, IMHO) Cramps version of the song is a live recording in which Lux is wearing comedy false teeth and copying Adkins vocal style,which makes understanding the words next to impossible...but it sounds soooo gooood!
So, I went to my second gig of the year on Friday - Echo and the Bunnymen @ the wonderful Roundhouse... please log in to view this image It needs to be said upfront that things weren't perfect. MacCullough's voice is definitely going. Smoking 60 a day will do that to you, but I think he may have a cold or something else affecting his voice. He's still the same Scouse gobshite, but between throat related volume problems and rambling off about 'gawd alone knows what', even Scousers in the audience weren't able to make a lot of it out. On top of which, he was clearly pissed off about something. It became clear, although he never said as much, that he was having lower back problems. He kept applying something to his back and appeared significantly 'medicated'. I hope he's ok, but he seemed in a bad way. That said, he clearly gave it all he had and he warmed to a very decent and supportive crowd. Apparently, things were worse in Brighton earlier in the week and a local journo gave him a proper slagging for splitting the performance into 2 'halves'. As soon as I heard that, I presumed someone wasn't well, but the journo in a local rag, went on the attack. No wonder MacCullough was furious about the pasting he got. The 2 halves persisted here, which allowed for a piss and another bloody lime and soda... Still, I'm glad that we went and hope that whatever was ailing him is soon sorted out. The final encore of Ocean Rain was truly beautiful, no matter the problems. please log in to view this image
As it's Mother's Day I felt compelled to post this, one of my favourite Siouxsie songs. To think though, when this was released in 1979, they were still seen as a punk band!
Great information Brian. I'm off on Tuesday to Rock City for this and I wasn't sure what to expect from a couple of the reviews!!
Just heard that Karl wallinger died yesterday, World Party and the Waterboys , I loved the Album Goodbye Jumbo and saw him a couple of years ago playing a acoustic solo set in a pub in Windsor Age 66 RIP
I've only just caught this very sad news. I was a massive fan of his work with The Waterboys and then World Party. I bought the 12" single of Ship of Fools, although Private Revolution is a bit 'hit and miss' as an album. As you so rightly say, Goodbye Jumbo is an absolutely tremendous album. When Mrs B and I drove the entire length of the West coast of the USA, we picked up cassette tapes at gas stations to fill the long, long hours on never ending roads. Goodbye Jumbo was one such purchase and remains an absolute favourite in our home. I won't ruin it for you by recalling some very personal and intimate memories to which it was the perfect soundtrack... I met his sister at a friend's party a decade ago. She was lovely and extremely attractive. RIP Thanks for some incredible memories.
