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07 December 2006

Some tunes from the last great blue-eyed soul outift. →[More:]In 1967, when the rest of the music world was singing about paisley and peppermints, this batch of overage greasers clung tightly to their R&B/doo-wop/rockabilly roots. I'm talking about the J. Geils Band. (If all you know is 'Centerfold, prepare to be blown out of your socks). Combining the Stonesy aggression of Geils' guitar, Magic Dick's supremo harp/sax chops, a precision rhthym section, fine songwriting from keyboardist Seth Justman, and the manic antics of former Bronx DJ Peter Wolf on vocals, they manged to amass a respectable cult following on the arena circuit. Mass success eluded them until they moved in a more pop direction with 'Centerfold.' That single, nifty though it is, can't touch the early stuff for sheer excitement. Stuff like their roof-raising live cover of the Show Stoppers' "House Party", "Must Of Got Lost" (complete with an insane spoken intro from Wolf), the bluesy remake of the Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go," and the monumental "Give It To Me," (quite possibly the only listenable whiteboy reggae attempt ever), which has grooves just begging to be sampled.

Their pop-era stuff has shrouded theiw earlier achievents (although in that era they did put out the nihilistically hilarious "Love Stinks") and that's a shame since the earlier Stonesy/R&B stuff is clearly where their hearts were at. They split not long after and they are missed. This picture captures some of what they were like when they were hittin' on all 8. Hope you enjoy.

post by: jonmc at: 09:50 | 39 comments

jon, now that it's that time of year, how about a list of your top 500 music recomendations? 100 would be cool, but somehow I think you need more room to move than that.

posted by StickyCarpet 07 December | 10:41

I have an iTunes playlist of my favorite* 249 songs of all time (some of which would be ones you'd expect, others that would surprise you). I've toyed with the idea of putting together some kind of ordered set complete with a little essay on why I like each one, but that sounds like a bear of a project, not to mention an exercise in pure narcissism.

*not 'favorite' not 'best' or 'greatest' I realize there's a difference

posted by jonmc 07 December | 10:51

note 'favorite, dammit.

posted by jonmc 07 December | 10:52

Pre-Centerfold J. Geils rocks. Nice post jon!

Trivia: Singer Peter Wolf was married to actress Faye Dunaway.

posted by rocket88 07 December | 10:54

I am the lucky beneficiary of jon's favorite 249... they all fit nicely on my mini iPod. They should be shared with all.

posted by Pips 07 December | 11:19

jon, I'd certainly be interested in your list & reasons why. I can understand not wanting to undertake it, because it does sound like a huge project, but given your obvious interest in the subject matter, I don't think you come across as narcissistic at all with the music recommendations.

posted by occhiblu 07 December | 11:23

Well, by narcissistic, I mean that I'm not writing about songs that I think everybody would like neccessarily, just songs I like and my taste is very idiosyncratic. (FWIW, "Houseparty" from todays post is #245).

posted by jonmc 07 December | 11:39

Hey, what about Hall & Oates?

*runs for cover*

posted by black bile 07 December | 11:45

While jon drafts a more reasoned response, let me just say that Hall & Oates have authentic soul chops. They played at the Apollo (might've been the first white act to do so), and sang with David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks (I think it was them--two former Temptations, anyway), for crying out loud.

Now, Huey Lewis and the News, on the other hand? Those guys don't stink, exactly, but their music sure hasn't aged well, either.

posted by box 07 December | 11:49

While jon drafts a more reasoned response, let me just say that Hall & Oates have authentic soul chops.

Oh, I agree. 'Rich Girl,' and 'Sara Smile' are gems. And Daryl Hall's solo stuff is first-rate Beatlesque psyche-pop.

They played at the Apollo (might've been the first white act to do so),

Actually, Buddy Holly played the Apollo way back when. And went over pretty well from what I've read.

posted by jonmc 07 December | 11:56

I mean that I'm not writing about songs that I think everybody would like neccessarily, just songs I like and my taste is very idiosyncratic.

Well, yes, of course. Those are generally the best recommendations.

My father has found a really great independent rock station in Chicago, and his analysis of it was, "I don't like eveything they play, but I like that the DJs obviously care about what they're putting on, so I can definitely see why they like the song, which means I have no problem listening to it."

posted by occhiblu 07 December | 11:59

Well, what do you think the best format would be? One-song-a-day (except for a few songs that would be better explictated together) blog? (If so hosting's an issue. an actual book accompanied by a CD? One big long radio blowout, followed by write-ups? (Firewall issues there).

I still wonder whether I'd wind up disappointing. The goal of good music writing is to make people want to listen (or re-examine) the songs and like I said, some of my ideas on this subject are pretty off the wall, I'm told. Chuck Klosterman is kind of the same way, and people hate the poor guy (I love him, even when I disagree, but I seem to be in the minority).

posted by jonmc 07 December | 12:07

Definitly large chunks; a song a day would take almost the entire year. I tend to like huge "end of year, best songs ever" things. 50 a day for a week? 25 a day for two weeks? I like the jonmc radio marathon idea, though, too.

And the thing is, with that much writing, a few duddish write-ups won't make or break it. (And they certainly wouldn't have to be as long as what you have in this thread, for instance. A couple sentences would be fine, unless you have more you want to say for particular songs.)

I'm not the person to ask about the tech side, though.

posted by occhiblu 07 December | 12:13

And that Nina Simone cover of 'Rich Girl'? I love it.

(Sadly, I seem to have deleted it from my work computer, but here's one of my favorite pre-'70s Stevie Wonder songs, 'Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday.'

And jon, I think that there can be multiple goals to good music writing (or any kind of criticism, really). Making people aware of new things, making people look at old things in new ways, showing connections that may not be apparent (this is one of my favorites--the Breath of Life music blog often does a good job of it)--I could go on.

As for format, though, I wonder if maybe online formats (and I'm thinking mostly here of RSS) have made these questions less important. Then again, I think those 33 1/3 books would be infinitely cooler if they were packaged with some kind of limited reissue. Hmm.

posted by box 07 December | 12:15

I like the jonmc radio marathon idea, though, too.

I checked iTunes and it says the top 249 (I'd add one more just for sanity's sake and there's a few I might switch) is 15.2 hours long, that's a lot to ask of people. and some of them would have some folks shaking their heads in disbelief without further explication.

And that Nina Simone cover of 'Rich Girl'? I love it.

Say what? That I'd like to hear.

posted by jonmc 07 December | 12:21

I dug it all then. So much that I may even six feet under now. Great stuff, Mac!

posted by Joe Famous 07 December | 12:29

If I think of it when I get home, I'll YSI the Nina Simone song.

Unrelatedly, here's Rahsaan Roland Kirk (back in his Roland Kirk days, I think) playing the Peter Gunn theme.

posted by box 07 December | 12:57

quite possibly the only listenable whiteboy reggae attempt ever

uh, we need to talk...

posted by Hellbient 07 December | 12:58

Oh, dang, I must've missed that. Try Twilight Circus Dub Sound System, for starters.

posted by box 07 December | 13:04

Dub whiteboys can do, but that's a little different from the straight ahead old-school reggae that's "Give It To Me," and the Giels Band smartly adds a nice coating of stonesy guitar and funk bass to the proceedings.

posted by jonmc 07 December | 13:07

quite possibly the only listenable whiteboy reggae attempt ever

What about the Police?

posted by Joe Famous 07 December | 13:31

IMHO, Joe the Police were better once they merged their infatuation with reggae into more rock-oriented territory. Reggae is tricky and far more foriegn to Brit/American whiteboy ears than blues or Motown, so most attempts come off awkward, I think. Even Little Steven and Bruce Springsteen's attempt on "Native American" is as stiff as a twelve-year-old in his confirmation suit. Next time Bruce covered a reggae number (Jimmy Cliff's 'Trapped') he wisely rocked it up.

posted by jonmc 07 December | 13:34

and the Giels Band smartly adds a nice coating of stonesy guitar and funk bass to the proceedings.

Funny you should say that...I find it "Give It To Me" pretty similar to the Stones' own "Crackin' Up" from Love You Live.

posted by rocket88 07 December | 13:37

Good stuff, but uhhh...

umm...

uh...

(quite possibly the only listenable whiteboy reggae attempt ever)

ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE IN YOUR MIND OR SOMETHING? PIPS OPEN A WINDON JON IS BREATHING PAINT FUMES. CALL 911, LAY DOWN IN A PRONE POSITION, ELEVATE THE LEGS, WE NEED CLEAN TOWELS AND SOMEONE BOIL SOME WATER, SOMEONE ROLL A BLUNT AND CALL FOR TACOS THIS MIGHT TAKE ALL NIGHT. JESUS WEPT.

posted by Divine_Wino 07 December | 14:11

dude, I said 'possibly.' I realize I could be wrong. I also find whiteboy rasta types irksome, which may color my judgement somewhat.

posted by jonmc 07 December | 14:14

Hell, even the Clash made some listenable whiteboy reggae.

posted by box 07 December | 14:20

again, that was dub, which is similar but different.

posted by jonmc 07 December | 14:23

You realize you could be wrong?

There is a shitbunch of clash live joints (like reggae sunsplash in 81 I think) that are actually excellent, just at a first pass. white boy rastas (or Highly Unlikely I's as I call them) ain't in it.

posted by Divine_Wino 07 December | 14:23

Dub is reggae jon, really it is, a kind of reggae.
Now I'm on a mission. What kind of whiteboy reggae would you like me to produce that is better than this:

Roots, bluebeat, ska, two tone, dancehall????

posted by Divine_Wino 07 December | 14:26

You forgot nyabinghi! And, on that note, D_W and hellbient, let's start a whiteboy nyabinghi group.

posted by box 07 December | 14:32

The Clash stuff was reggae, not dub. They did do dub treatments of their songs, but White Man in Hammersmith Palais, Bankrobber, Guns of Brixton, it's all pretty much straight up reggae. And good reggae at that. I don't see how it's dub.

the Police were better once they merged their infatuation with reggae into more rock-oriented territory
and so you have it: whiteboy reggae.

And let's not forget the most popular whiteboy reggae: Bob Marley.

posted by Hellbient 07 December | 14:39

Dub is reggae jon, really it is, a kind of reggae.

In the same way that Cream is a kind of blues, and I love Cream so you know that's no insult.

What kind of whiteboy reggae would you like me to produce that is better than this:

Roots, bluebeat, ska, two tone, dancehall????

Those are not all reggae. All jamaican music, yes, but that's not the same thing. That's kind of like saying psychedelic rock, skatepunk, bluegrass and rockabilly are all the same since they're all American Music.

and the Geils song in question was smack in the middle of the era where Marley, Tosh etc were starting to get noticed big-time in the US, and the only other notable were Clapton's "I Shot The Sherriff" which was well intentioned but poorly executed and Paul Simon's "Mother & Child Reunion" which was enjoyable mainly because of Leslie Kong's participation, and Kong was wise enough to balance the Jamaican rhythms with Simon's native folk-pop. But the Geils boys went at it on their own and acquitted themselves pretty damned well, I think.

posted by jonmc 07 December | 14:39

box - okay, as long as we can be called Pope Smasher.

posted by Hellbient 07 December | 14:43

Dancehall is reggae, as is dub, they're just called dancehall reggae and dub reggae. To be precise, I guess you'd call them sub-genres of reggae.

posted by Hellbient 07 December | 14:50

We disagree on two things: Taxonomy and that song being "perhaps""one of the best" etc, etc. I think we are happy to agree on this though:

There's nothin' more foolish than a man chasin' his hat.

posted by Divine_Wino 07 December | 15:04

Dancehall is reggae, as is dub, they're just called dancehall reggae and dub reggae. To be precise, I guess you'd call them sub-genres of reggae.

Roots and nyabinghi, too.

posted by box 07 December | 16:48

Roots and nyabinghi, too.

Nyabinghi predates reggae, though, like mento or buru, so it isn't really a type of reggae - those drums go back to 19th Century, Rastas nicked them off the Nyabingi cult in Uganda.

Reggae wouldn't've happened without Nyabingi drummers, though - Prince Buster was the first person to record them for a popular song when he got Count Ossie and his gang into the studio to back the Folkes Brothers on 'Oh Carolina', which I'd say was the first uniquely Jamaican pop record, ultimately leading to ska, then reggae.

But don't forget lovers rock! Not the Clash song, the genre. South London sound, an' ting.

posted by jack_mo 07 December | 17:55

Moah Fyah! Gwan burn dem!

posted by Divine_Wino 07 December | 19:11

Jon, for the record I would also like to admit that you are exactly right that some of the things I listed should not be called reggae. I was halfway into one of my manic turns and couldn't pull the brakes in time. I know you'll understand.

Big money mafia man stole I an I transport.

posted by Divine_Wino 08 December | 00:35

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