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Post by honeyboy on Dec 30, 2009 18:01:29 GMT
K.C. Douglas was a self-taught musician, never acknowledged as a 'professional'. In 1949, he wrote 'Mercury Boogie', whilst working in a garage in Oakland, California. At the same time, he was teaching guitar to the grandson of the garage owner, 8 year old Steve Wold (now better known as 'Seasick Steve'). Mercury Blues was first released on the classic 1952 album, 'A Dead-Beat Guitar and the Mississippi Blues'. It also featured a version of Tommy Johnson's 'Canned Heat', learned when K.C busked with Tommy Johnson on Mississippi street corners in 1936, before he moved to California in 1945. Apart from the obvious versions by Lindley (just check out Mr Dave's right hand technique), Cooder and Jackson Uuuurghh?, I particularly like these two variants Steve Miller Band - Recorded as a tribute just after KC Douglas died - 1976 Johnny Dickinson - 2005
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Post by growler on Dec 31, 2009 9:37:43 GMT
Honey boy
Nice Johhny Dickinson video........ I love the combination of the double bass, percussionist and the amplified 'acoustic guitar '. It appears there are a few slide merchants who seem to prefer the sound of amplified acoustics and never seem to touch metal resonators . Johnny Dickinson , Roy Rogers and of course Ry Cooder to name but a a few.
Talking about songs with women and automobiles , his ' Every woman I know , crazy about an automobile' springs to mind. More recently he has bought out an album which I think is called ' Call me Flathead' or something which has a real belter of a track on it called ' Riding with the Blues '......... worth a listen just like his earlier stuff .
As for Steve Miller , I loved listening to his music in the early 70's, he was a real favourite from that era. About 3 months ago I got a bit sentimental after hearing one of his songs again and downloaded a stack of them off i-tunes ......... surprising how good they still sound, also what was refreshing was the fact that my 17 year old daughter was knocked out by them as well .
Regards
Growler
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Post by Michael Messer on Dec 31, 2009 9:59:45 GMT
Fly Like An Eagle - was a big record in 1976. It was certainly part of the soundtrack of that year for me.
Shine On
Michael
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Post by gouranga on Dec 31, 2009 10:05:07 GMT
Thanks Honeyboy... Real nice.... Liked Johnny Dickinson version. Nice acoustic set.
Take care, all the best.
Gouranga
PS keep em comin HB
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Post by pascal on Dec 31, 2009 10:53:58 GMT
My favorite version of "Mercury blues" for ever is from... Mr Dave Lindley. (from the official bootleg CD)
Have an happy New Resophonic Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by Michael Messer on Dec 31, 2009 11:38:29 GMT
There is a wonderful film of David Lindley at Rockpalast in the early 80s....(82?) doing Mercury Blues. Is that on YouTube?
Shine On
Michael
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Post by wolvoboy on Dec 31, 2009 11:51:13 GMT
Hi all
found this new blues singer have a laugh at this
sorry couldnt resist it.
on a more serous note here,s a great version of hear my train a comin ,with Jimi Hendrix on 12 string acoustic guitar .
wolvoboy
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Post by bod on Dec 31, 2009 13:29:23 GMT
There is a wonderful film of David Lindley at Rockpalast in the early 80s....(82?) doing Mercury Blues. Is that on YouTube? Not sure if this is the right clip, but according to a Rockpalast archive site the gig in question was at the Metropol, Berlin. And this is from the Metropol, Berlin in the early 80s... |
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Post by honeyboy on Dec 31, 2009 13:32:24 GMT
David Lindley Mercury Blues Performances
This one from circa 1982 in Berlin - check out the Valco Map guitar!
And this one, circa 1988 with a less rockin' band (but a more interesting video, from a right hand perspective)
My personal favourite version, Mr Dave live with Ry Cooder in 1990
Just listen to that Coodercaster wail and 'honk' - only a great acoustic player could get that kind of sound out of an electric..
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Post by Mark Makin on Dec 31, 2009 13:55:41 GMT
The David Lindley gig that Michael is referring to is the Loreley Festival on the Rhine filmed for Rockpalast which took place on the 28th February 1982. The full line up was Frankie Miller, Eric Burdon, Bap, David Lindley and El Rayo-X and headlined by Rory Gallagher. A free for all jam followed at the end. It was shown on BBC2 around that time like a lot of other Rockpalasts - eg the Grateful Dead and the Who at the Grughalle in Essen in 1981.
Bernie Larson is playing a rare 1964 Glenwood in Sea Foam Green. David Lindley played three National Newports in El Rayo-X - A red Newport 82 (single pickup) a Seafoam Newport 84 (single pickup plus piezo bridge) and a modified Newport 84 with an extra pickup added.
Bernie Larson now owns David's seafoam Newport and the red Newport was sold in a Japan auction to aid the Kobe earthquake relief. OK! Next!
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Post by Michael Messer on Dec 31, 2009 17:54:49 GMT
Spot on Mark! Back in 82/83/84 Mark & I used to watch that clip of film over and over. Believe it or not it is great to see it in reasonable quality. We only had 2nd or 3rd generation VHS copies which were rewound and played many times. Looking at that film clip reminded me how much El Rayo-X's graphics, guitars and music influenced my way of thinking back then. I bought my first Reso-glas guitar in 86 and recorded much of my first album 'Diving Duck' in 87 with it. But my second album 'Slidedance' featured a Valpro 82 on the very bright cover, and featured a fair amount of screaming electric lap steels. I also used to stand on stage with my lap steels on adapted keyboard stands.  Slidedance - recorded in March 1990 Shine On Michael |
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Post by Gerry C on Jan 1, 2010 12:44:44 GMT
Great pic, Michael! Did your grandma give you the jumper for Christmas? Or did she knit the background?! ;D
Cheerily,
Gerry C
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2010 13:28:24 GMT
Definitely looks like a crimbo jumper to me  Bet there was a reindeer on the front ! Cheers Rob |
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Post by Michael Messer on Jan 1, 2010 13:43:02 GMT
It was a VERY bright shirt, not a jumper. The background is at Ed's house and is a curtain! Here is a bigger scan of the cover of Slidedance. Now you can really see the bad taste and El Rayo-X influences....  (my CD has faded over the years. The little scan is the true colour) ....at the Mean Fiddler in London 1989...  ....at the Fire Station in Oxford 1990...  Ed Genis is playing the Strat, Andy Crowdy on bass and Tim Hill is playing the sax. I am playing a Fender Starcaster and on the keyboard stand is my Oahu lap steel that ten years later was dismantled and the parts used to make my Coodercaster. ...It's that shirt again Shine On Michael, |
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Post by Mairena Red on Jan 1, 2010 15:18:00 GMT
Hi Growler,
The recent Ry Cooder album is called "I, Flathead" and is full of songs about cars and girls. Apart from "Ridin' with the blues" there's "Drive like I've never been hurt", Waitin' for some girl" and "Flathead one more time". The rest of the album is pretty good too.
I had the good fortune to catch him live back in July and he played a great version of "Crazy 'bout an automobile" in his set. The rest of the gig was pretty good too. Here's an earler version of the song:
Enjoy!
All the best,
Joe (aka Mairena Red)
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