Molly and Tenbrooks.The Stanley Brothers --A song by Bill Monroe, a weird horse racing song. It sounds like a murder ballad, though. This is a version by the Stanley Brothers, on one of their first recording sessions ever, for Rich-R-Tone records out of Johnson City TN. Check out the barbaric yawps. Motherfucker.

Lonely Planet Boy.The New York Dolls--Like Nick Drake meets The Rolling Stones in NYC. The least loud song on the first album, but the most rocking? The more you listen to The New York Dolls the more they seem like the greatest American Rock and Roll band. To quote The Nation of Ulysses quoting The New York Dolls, "When I say I'm in love you better believe I'm in love, L-U-V."

Mean Hot & Blessed.Circus Lupus--One of the best bands to come out of DC in the 90s. Chris Thompson was in most of the early DC hardcore bands, and then I think he started this band in college in Wisconsin or someplace. Their first 7", Tightrope Walker b/w Chinese Nitro off a label in Pittsburgh was like a telegram from my diseased heart to my crotch. I swear I played Tightrope Walker five times a day for months when it first came out. I even used the title as the title of my undergraduate thesis several years later.

Strange.Wire--Off of Pink Flag. What the hell else is there to say?

And four by William and Versey Smith. This is their entire recorded work. I think from 1927 or 28. Listen to Versey on backup. Jesus! This is all that John Fahey says about them on his American Primitives Compilation: "Chicago street performers recorded on acoustic equipment. Demented." That's pretty right.

Sinner You'll Need King Jesus
Everybody Help the Boys Come Home--a WWI song.
When That Great Ship Went Down
I Believe I'll Go Back Home

Cool. Incidentally, there's a recent documentary called New York Doll that I missed when it was in Cleveland a few weeks ago. I heard it was great, though. For others that missed it and are interested, their site says it will be on DVD April 4th.

Johnson City!
/ETSUgrad

I spent some time (a couple of years, kindof) not far from Johnson City, in Erwin TN. A weird place.

Did our boy do something rash?

Awesome, mate. I really liked the Smiths stuff, but the rest was great too. Is it just me, or do Circus Lupus sound like Van Der Graff Generator jamming with MC5?

Just me then. Oh well. I liked that a heap. Thank you.

I like MC5, but I've never heard Van Der Graff Generator. Do you have any to post?

Sorry, mate, I don't. I used to have a heap on vinyl. Here's a (really lo-fi) sample of what they sound like, but it doesn't really fit the song that came into my head listening to the Circus Lupus track. It's the best I can do without scouring the few remaining vinyl shops. They were "prog rock" back when we made such distinctions.

Oh yeah, it's also "Van Der Graaf", not, as I put it, "Van Der Graff". Sorry.

Good shit omie - many thanks!

used to have the Wire song on a cassette, but lost it - no more!

hey omie, this is good stuff. thanks. I am downloading on government property too! That'll show them.

To quote The Nation of Ulysses quoting The New York Dolls
quoting the Shangri-Las,

"When I say I'm in love you be(st)tter believe I'm in love, L-U-V."

Thanks for the music, omiewise.