HOUND DOG TAYLOR (ABO#403)

HOUND DOG TAYLOR

POLYDACTYLY

(1969-1976)

"Cain't no Negro sing no love song; cain't no white man sing the blues."

This can't be the Blues, these people are having fun! It's hard for me to imagine someone not liking this music, even if they don't like the blues. Hound Dog Taylor and his band were joyful and uninhibited, as though they were playing in a garage just for themselves. They usually were sloppy drunk and on the edge of collapse before gathering it all together again. This is the punk rock of the blues.

Mississippi-native Theodore Roosevelt 'Hound Dog' Taylor was born in 1915. His fate as a slide guitar player seemed pre-determined, as he had a vestigial sixth finger on both hands. When he was only 9, his stepfather put all of Hound Dog's things in a grocery bag, grabbed a shotgun, and told him to get out. He learned to play guitar while in his teens but didn't play seriously until 1936.

The Klu Klux Klan found out that he was having an affair with a white womanchased him out of Mississippi in 1942. He headed for Chicago and never went back. He spent the next 15 years working various factory jobs and playing clubs at night. In 1957, he decided to become a professional bluesman. He became one of Chicago's favorites; usually just sitting alone in a folding chair in front of the club, guzzling Canadian Club, puffing on a cigarette and exhorting the audience to get up and dance. Playing through a cheap Japanese Kent guitar and a Sears-Roebuck Silvertone amplifier, he made as much with distortion and feedback as Jimi Hendrix. He picked up the name Hound Dog because he was always hunting for some action with the ladies. One drunken night in those early days, he decided to cut off the small extra finger on his right hand with a straight razor.

In 1959, he became friends with guitarist Brewer Phillips. They began to play together and the Houserockers were formed. Although the two singles they put out didn't gain them any fame outside of Chicago; Freddie King became famous with a tune called 'Hideaway' that was mostly stolen from Hound Dog. In 1965, Ted Harvey joined the Houserockers, replacing their previous drummer. This trio of two guitarists and a drummer were Hound Dog Taylor & The Houserockers until Hound Dog played his last chord. The story remains mostly unchanged for the next ten years. Night after night of drinking and chasing girls and jamming on stage for six or seven hours straight.

Bruce Iglauer met Hound Dog in 1969 at a club called Eddie Shaw's. Hound Dog was jamming with another band. Skip ahead a year, and Bruce was a 22 year old shipping clerk for Delmark Records in Chicago. One night he stopped into Florence's Lounge and Liquors on Chicago's South Side and heard Hound Dog with his band. He was awestruck. After failing to get Delmark to sign the band, he took a $2500 inheritance and created Alligator Records in order to record the band. In the spring of 1971 the band spent two nights recording their debut live in the studio.

A master tape was cut for under $1000 and the remainder of Iglauer's inheritance was spent to press 1000 copies. Within a year the album, titled Hound Dog Taylor and the HouseRockers, was the biggest selling blues record on an independent label, selling 9,000 copies. In late 1973, the band released 'Natural Boogie', using songs that were recorded and mixed at the same sessions that produced the first album. Still playing that Kent guitar and Sears amp. It received a fair amount of attention from Rolling Stone and other music magazines.

Things were getting better. The band was at the height of their success, touring the USA and doing some shows in Australia and New Zealand. But remember, this is the Blues we're talking about. Taylor and his guitarist Phillips had been friends for over ten years, but even friendships have their rough spots. In May of 1975, Phillips was drinking in Hound Dog's apartment. Phillips said something bad about Hound Dog's wife, and Hound Dog grabbed his .22 rifle. He claims to have aimed for the sofa, but he hit Phillips in the forearm and in the leg. Phillips recovered but pressed charges and Hound Dog was charged with attempted murder. Instead of facing trial he landed in the hospital with lung cancer. Phillips visited him in the hospital in December 1975 and forgave him. Hound Dog Taylor passed away the next day.

His third Alligator album 'Beware Of The Dog', was recorded live in 1974 and released after his death. At least six more albums, mostly live, have been released since he died. Taylor was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1984. Brewer Phillips and Ted Harvey worked together and separately after Hound Dog's passing. They released a double album in 1995 called Good Houserockin'. Phillips died of natural causes in 1999. Bruce Iglauer turned Alligator Records into the top Contemporary Blues label in the world.

"When I die, they'll say 'he couldn't play shit, but he sure made it sound good!"

Picking the best albums is easy. Alligator did a superior job on all of theirs. Live albums on other labels like Wolf, New Rose and JSP suffer in comparision. I was unable to obtain a copy of 'Live In Boston' on Charly, but I expect it will sound muddy.

BAISTOPHE wants to thank FOURSTEPS for this great contribution to this huge monument of the Blues landscape. Go et find his blog, here

FOURSTEPS's HGT TOP 3 :

1. Hound Dog Taylor & The Houserockers (1971)

2. Natural Boogie (1973)

3. Beware Of The Dog (1976)

FOURSTEPS's HGT BOTTOM 3 :

1. ABC Radio Australia 1975

2. Live At Joe's Place

3. Freddie's Blues

ROBERT PLANT [ABO#402]

ROBERT PLANT
...THOSE WERE THE DAYS

Upon making this compilation, I realized it would be impossible to cut it into a single disc and so I decided to add a few of Mr. Plant's collaborations.
Of course, every one of his solo albums has been covered but so have been the Honeydrippers, Page/Plant and his recent work with country singer Alison Krauss.
Listening to it, I decided to keep the order chronological as it displayed how the "Plant sound" has evolved through the years. I think this makes for a strong set that proves how valuable a songwriter and a performer Robert Plant is.
Enjoy.

#1 Manic Nirvana(1990) The album with which I discovered Robert Plant's solo career. I got it back when it was released and was blown away. I still love this album that has aged quite well (despite some 80s gimmicks) and still has some of the best songs in Robert's solo repertoire. A must hear if there ever was one!

#2 Mighty Rearranger(2005) With a bunch of daring musicians, Robert proves - at age 57 - that he still is one of the greatest. Mixing oriental sounds to rock and blues, he and his band, the Strange Sensation, manage a killer rock album.

#3 Fate Of Nations (1993) More relaxed and laidback than his bombastic predecessor - Manic Nirvana - Fate of Nations expresses Robert's gentle side. There is not one weak song on the whole album which make it one of Robert's best.

The worst album Now & Zen (1988) Not exactly a bad album but a transitional one. Try to renew his sound (something he will successfully do on the next album, Manic Nirvana) Robert Plant and his band don't go far enough keeping too many 80s tricks. That said, it still is worth listening to but hardly essential.

THE BEATLES (ABO#401)

THE BEATLES

1962-1970

I like great challenges. After my 1CD Doors Baistophe, I suggest you another selection of a great band (the best ever ?). Considering their short life and the shortness of their LPs, I really was sure it would fill a single CD but regarding to the very high quality of their work, it was "Mission : Impossible".

The official Red and Blue best ofs are not really bad ones but lack some true fine tunes like Tomorrow Never Knows, She's Leaving Home and other ones. On another hand, some songs were outrageously unfairly on that compilation... like Obladi Oblada.

I think it's pointless introducing such a band so I let you try this version that is not perfect (I had the weakness to keep Yellow Submarine), but it is for me the best one... well I guess.

Some songs are from the Anthology CDs and Yesterday is an unissued version, without strings.

Suprisingly, no tracks from Let It Be Naked was kept.

Feel free to argue about my choices!

The revolutionary album Revolver(1966) For too many people, Sgt Pepper's was that revolutionary album, but to me it is Revolver. Revolver was THE first psychedelic album while Sgt Pepper's was just another psych album in 1967 among many others.

The best album Abbey Road(1969) No doubt about it. My choice is like any other's one. Because this album is simply perfect. The first side is an amazing collection of bloody good tunes while the second side is just what's to become a progressive rock song : a great succession of pretty tunes that go together well (my Michelle).

The best live album Get Back (1969) This is not an official live album by the Beatles but a rockumentary. Because the other, few, live albums of theirs have been edited and none of them are really enjoyable. The Beatles had decided very early in their career to stop touring. Because of that and because their best era was after that turning point, no good live recording is available... at the exception of that rockumentary that brings them on Abbey Road Studio's Rooftop. A very short concert, but what a concert!

The worst album With The Beatles (1963) I think this album was a bit too quickly booked. The first album, Please Please Me, was a good one but the too you band had not enough experience to record a new one only half a year after its predecessor. As you might have witnessed, I only kept one song from it and it was very close not to be part of this compilation at all.

wait if it's temporary unavailable

ARNO (ABO#400)

ARNO
BATHROOM SINGER
1988-2010

Arno, a Belgian singer/songwriter who sing both in French and English and sometimes in his native Flemish, is one of the most respected figures in his homeland and, with time, became quite big in France too.
Originally, this compilation was supposed to be the work of Baistophe's collaborator SFP who left me with a hundred song and an name for his compilation. I gotta say it's been an advantage not to know anything about the artist to make a choice as to what was to end up on this Baistophe.
I ended up with 42 songs out of Arno's 12 studio albums which display how he evolved throughout time as well as stylistically starting as a new wave meets blues artist and slowly developing a sound that is his own only.
Actually, I could feel a strong Tom Waits influence in the Belgian's style, that doesn't mean he's just a copycat; he's far more than this.
About the title, I think it's quite fitting when someone with Arno's voice was likely to fail yet, just like Tom Waits or Shane MacGowan, managed to establish himself as a major artist deserving to be heard by more people.
Here's your chance, make sure not to miss it.

RIYL: Stephan Eicher, Alain Bashung, Tom Waits, CharlElie Couture

AYREON (ABO#399)

... AND OTHER SHORT STORIES

(1993-2010)

Arjen Lucassen is an astonishing case. Almost completely unknown in 1998 and dutch-born, he managed to become one the most central Progressive Metal ambassadors, and maybe the most accepted for non-Prog-Metal addicts.

After having participated in bands like BODINE or VANGEANCE, Arjen Lucassen decided to have his own projects and put some more Progressiveness in his music. Very soon, he had such aura that guests like MARILLION's FISH, IRON MADEN's BRUCE DICKINSON, LANA LANE were involved into his best projects, recorded under the name of AYREON.

Beside, Lucassen founded many other bands : STAR ONE whose music is more spacy ; AMBEON is a lighter AYREON, less metal-sounding while STREAM OF PASSION is almost fully Metal oriented. Although he founded that latest band, he left it for their final album. I although decided to include that album in this chronological selection that gathers both AYREON's songs and other Lucassen's projects ones... Ayreon and Lucassen's other short stories...

The revolutionary album Into The Electric Casle(1998) That year, Lucassen was still a confidential artist, only known by an underground community. This didn't prevent him from guesting such Prog and Metal stars like FISH, ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN (THE GATHERING), DAMIAN WILSON (THRESHOLD, LANDMARQ)

The best album Universal Migrator Pt 1: The Dream Sequencer(2000) Clearly the best. The wiser one, Arjen Lucassen leaves his metal habits far behind and records an album in a real Pink Floyd spirit. Mostly each song is worth the listen

The best live album Live On Earth (Star One, 2003) This album is not necessarily an essential one, but it's a good live introduction to Arjen Lucassen's universe. It includes both Ayreon and Star One repertory. Well interpreted and recorded.

The worst album Strange Hobby (Arjen Lucassen, 2003) Not even a bad one. Just a useless one. Lucassen is just having fun covering his old favourite songs. This is just sometimes surprising, especially for the Simon & Garfunkel's song or other soft pop songs played, as usual with Arjen, in a progressive metal style.

SICK OF IT ALL (ABO#398)

SICK OF IT ALL
MEAN BUSINESS

Sick of It All is an American hardcore punk band, from Queens, New York, formed in 1986. Founded by brothers Lou Koller (vocals) and Pete Koller (guitar), Armand Majidi (drums) and Rich Cipriano (bass, soon replaced by ex-Agnostic Front Craig Setari). They have been known to be a major part of the New York hardcore scene. The band was formed during the era of the major hardcore decline, when many pioneering hardcore bands including Black Flag and Minor Threat disbanded. Sick of It All are now one of the most popular hardcore bands to date.

RIYL: Agnostic Front, Youth of Today, Gorilla Biscuits, Most Precious Blood

NOTRE DAME (ABO#397)

NOTRE DAME
THE VENGEANCE OF VAMPIRELLA

Notre Dame was a Swedish metal band formed in 1997 and disbanded in 2004. Members included Snowy Shaw and Vampirella (vocals) and Jean-Pierre de Sade (guitar and bass) and Mannequin de Sade (drums) two brothers who claimed to be descendants of legendary revolutionary writer Marquis de Sade. The band mixed black metal with elements of electro, horror, gothic and orchestral themes.
Geemarcus has been able to cook you a simple cd of this unique act. Thanks to him and enjoy the selection while you can.

RIYL: Cradle of Filth, Tristania, Penumbra

THE DOORS (ABO#396)

THE DOORS

MUSIC IS YOUR ONLY FRIEND

(1967-1978)

What's the point of Baistophing THE DOORS ? I know it could have been a useless effort. Their 1985 Best Of was indeed a really good one but was formated for LPs. This double-LP Best of lasted 85 minutes and my goal, here, was to manage to Baistophe that major band in a single CD. With 10 minutes long songs such as The End or When the Music's Over, it should have been an impossible challenge. I sure thought of editing those both songs but one was uncuttable, and the other one was a sacrifice to edit. I then thought of the edited version of The End included in Apocalypse Now OST. This choice may be taken for a blasphemy, but, on one and, I don't think this is a bad cut and it's quite another atmosphere and on the other hand, The End had was already chosen by SFP to illustrate his last VAC Baistophe. So my choice was made.

This Baistophe is really a personnal compilation made with my own tastes. So you won't have to be surprised not to find songs like The Crystal Ship, Roadhouse Blues or Hello I Love. Songs I do love but not enough compared with the ones I kept, to begin with Indian Summer, Peace Frog or The WASP that I thought unfair not to be on the 1985 compilation.

Make your own opinion. This must be the proof that a band like The Doors, with 5 major albums, can't be Baistophe on a single CD...

My DOORS TOP :

1. L.A. Woman (1971)

2. The Doors (1967)

3. Waiting For The Sun (1968)

4. Morrison Hotel (1970)

5. Strange Days (1967)

6. The Soft Parade (1969)

7. Other Voices (1972)

8. An American Prayer (1978)

9. Full Circle (1973)

JOE BONAMASSA (ABO#395)

JOE BONAMASSA

BLUES IN GOLD

(1994-2010)

NO, it's not over yet. As SFP said last july, we had to have a little break, just because we had gone too wild in our post frequency. So we're back and we'll post a bit rarer. One of the very first reasons why we wanted to go on was for those who had sent us their work. We felt it was unfair to keep them unavailable to you. Joe Bonamassa's BAISTOPHE is one of those works and we simply thank our new contributor Hot Bear to have done this artist. I had already known Joe for a long time because I was invited to buy his very first solo album. I wasn't really into blues at that time but that kind of blues really fit me, especially when I saw that the young guy (aged 23 in 2000) had covered Jethro Tull and Rory Gallagher, artists I really was found of. But, funily I didn't go forward in discovering this artist. Until Hot Bear sent me this. I found this was a really great idea to BAISTOPHE him, and I found it was a really great idea to begin this second life with him too, because he's worth it.

RIYL : KENNY WAYNE SHEPPERD, JONNY LANG