Influences Part 2
Since last we spoke, I've been contacted by a Dutch radio show host about doing an hour-long interview about my influences. I'll post a link to it when it airs. After I finished Part 1, I kept thinking of songs that I neglected to mention. How could I not have mentioned "Rainy Night in Georgia" as sung by Brook Benton, written by Tony Joe White, and with guitar played by my #1 guitar influence, Cornell Dupree? I'd be willing to admit that I imitated him, except that he's impossible to imitate. I finally saw him live, in Tompkins Square Park in New York's East Village, one beautiful summer day. He was breathing with an oxygen tank, foreshadowing his battles with emphysema. If I were President I would create a fund that took care of geniuses like him who gave so much to our lives through their music. Cornell, James Jamerson, the Motown bassist, James Gadson, Bill Withers' drummer, and more, all royalty. I saw Tony Joe play live in Portland, Maine when I was probably 18. He was accompanied by a drummer only. He didn't need bass, piano, or background singers. He made it all come alive with his funky guitar playing, great songs, and soulful singing."Polk Salad Annie" was his biggest hit.
There are current songs that I need to mention here as well. My teenage years were not the only moments of musical inspiration in my life. Fortunately, there continues to be great music released that inspires me.
Have you heard "You Missed My Heart" as recorded by Phoebe Bridgers? This 7-minute song and recording is a masterpiece. Written by Mark Kozelek but recreated by Phoebe and her masterful production team of Tony Berg with Ethan Gruska and others. It is oddly hypnotic given the dark subject matter and the alleged dark behavior of its songwriter, but as has been said, it's a bit like talking about sex, better experienced than discussed.
Another current song that I found rummaging through vinyl record shops in Amsterdam is "I'm New Here" by Gil Scott-Heron. This is Gil as folksinger. The song was written by Bill Callahan. The irony contained is not lost on the world-weary Gil , on the final recordings of his life after a 16-year absence from the studio due seemingly to drug-related issues.
I'm a long-time fan of all his work. Check out: "Winter in America," "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," "The Bottle," etc. , etc.
A few side notes: I found the coolest story about Gil's early years as a dishwasher (The New York Times "Pieces of a (Very Young) Man" Dec 30, 2011)
I could so relate to it. I worked at The Old Port Tavern in Portland, Maine as a waiter, busboy, dishwasher, and musician. Dishwasher was by far my favorite job. In came this big pile of messiness and out went clean organized chaos put back into perfect order. Where else do you get that in your life? I could be alone in my thoughts, listen to music, and the waitresses would come back to visit me and to hide for a moment, bringing food and drinks through the night. It doesn't get any better than that.
Gil's final album was created by XL Recordings out of the UK. There are at least 3 versions of it. Remixes, alt takes, and bonus tracks. I love the idea that an album is a fluid thing, not a once-in-a-lifetime moment. Now that I know how to sing, and make records, I'd like to go back and re-record all of my songs. The late-night recordings on my iPhone voice memos are always my favorite versions.
Allen Toussaint.
What a beautiful creator he was. My friend gave me a subscription to Rolling Stone magazine when I was 16. That's where I first read about Toussaint and where I got the idea that you could sing your songs and other singers could sing them too. When I first left home I went directly to his studio with my tape, knocked on the door and Aaron Neville recorded my song, “Struttin’ On Sunday.” What a life-changing moment that was for me, the beginning of all that happened next.