Christmas A Go Go - Part Two

The second half of this weekend's Post Of Christmas Past.

Little Steven Van Zandt was determined to increase the allure of this compilation by throwing in some genuine rarities. It’s safe to say there aren’t too many other holiday CDs that have a surf rock reinvention of “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” delivered by 1950s kids show host, Soupy Sales. Listening to “Santa Claus Is Surfin’ To Town,” you can almost hear Little Steven chuckling like he does when he laughs at his own jokes on his radio show, Underground Garage. The clever lyrics come in waves of surfer lingo, as Sales describes Santa hanging 10 and delivering toys on his board. People who don’t live near the water can expect to see him making his rounds in his woody.

Christmas songs from time to time have depicted women with romantic designs on Santa, and that’s what the five ladies in the Swedish band, The Cocktail Slippers have in mind on “Santa’s Coming Home.” This catchy number laments the amount of time Santa’s work keeps him away via a Go-Go’s style arrangement with some fun vocal interplay. Actor Joe Pesci brings a wiseguy treatment to Gene Autry’s “If It Doesn’t Snow On Christmas.” Backed by a big band and spouting 1940s style patter like, “I would really feel much better if the mooch could fly a plane,” Pesci makes this version sound like it could have been recorded around the same time as Autry’s.

The Seattle-based Boss Martians give Charles Dickens a psychedelic spin with their high speed rock song, “3 Ghosts (A Modern X-mas Carol).” The band adds a touch of prog rock via Nick C’s energetic keyboard playing while vocalist-guitarist Evan Foster gives a first-person account of Scrooge’s eventful night, starting with a visit from Jacob Marley.

Singer Rufus Thomas is probably best remembered for his 1963 hit “Walking The Dog,” as well as an earlier duet with his daughter Carla, but he was also an R&B pioneer who first started recording in the late 1940s. The funky “I’ll Be Your Santa” is aimed at women instead of kids, and Thomas has his own concept of what bringing holiday joy entails. The bass guitar is the most prominent instrument in an arrangement that recalls Sly & The Family Stone, while Thomas’s vocals are both ribald and soulful.

Aussie garage rockers The Chevelles unleash a spirited take on a treasured hymn with the mostly instrumental “Come All Ye Faithful Surfer Girls.” The Electric Prunes’ psychedelic and slightly unsettling version of “Jingle Bells” has a spoken word intro that includes a special holiday greeting for Underground Garage listeners. The band then slinks into a slowed-down, heavy guitar arrangement, with vocals that sound like they’re coming from a chorus of over-served elves.

Ray Davies of The Kinks has always been a master of satire, and on “Father Christmas,” he leads the band through a funny tale of a retail store Santa being pummeled by destitute children. Set in Britain’s economically troubled 1970s, the wry lyrics describe the kids screaming, “Don’t give my sister a cuddly toy/We don’t want a jigsaw or monopoly money/We only want the real McCoy.” One kid wants a job for his father so the family will have food to eat. Although Davies clearly meant the song to be funny, he sneaks in a charitable message that’s in tune with the season. “Have yourself a merry merry Christmas/Have yourself a good time/But remember the kids who got nothin’/While you’re drinking down your wine.”

Christmas A-Go-Go - Part One

Another December weekend Post Of Christmas Past. Originally, it took four individual posts to cover this CD, but I'm hoping to handle it in two parts this time around.

Guitarist/actor/radio show host Little Steven Van Zandt morphed into a crazed Santa for this ambitious 2008 holiday compilation, determined to find just the right gift for everyone on his list. Fortunately, he doesn’t care if the recipients are naughty or nice, just as long as they listen to his syndicated weekly program, Underground Garage. The presents are rock and roll holiday songs, many of which would be unavailable if not for Little Steven’s generosity.

An ultra rare recording of Keith Richards romping through the Chuck Berry chestnut “Run Rudolph Run” kicks things off in a blues-rock vein. As Little Steven has pointed out on his show, this tale of the jet-speed flying reindeer helping St. Nick deliver toys was not composed by Berry, even though the rock pioneer certainly made it his own. Richards pretty much sticks to the original arrangement, but his hoarse vocals and energetic guitar playing enable him to put his stamp on it.

Bob Seger And The Last Heard’s funky “Sock It To Me Santa” is another treasure from the vault. Sounding like fellow Detroit native Mitch Ryder, Seger taps into vintage Motown as he barks out a litany of requests for toys. He proclaims in a spoken word intro that Santa’s got a brand new bag, and as the tune rolls along to a bottom heavy backbeat, it’s easy to imagine Santa wearing a long cape and looking a lot like James Brown. The Ramones bring their instantly identifiable revved-up sound to “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)” as Joey Ramone plays the role of a guy pining for a holiday truce with his girlfriend. “Christmas aint the time for breaking each other’s hearts,” he notes.

I’m guessing that “All Alone On Christmas,” which features vocalist Darlene Love being backed by The E Street Band, has to be one of Little Steven’s favorite tracks on the CD. And not just because he wrote it and plays guitar on it. Love, of course, was part of the roster of stars on the Phil Spector produced A Christmas Gift For You, which many consider to be the best rock and roll Christmas album ever recorded. With Clarence Clemons blasting away on his sax, and just about everybody else in the band singing along, “All Alone On Christmas” beautifully melds modern rock and the 1960s. Ringing guitars and great harmonies help current Brit rockers The Len Price 3 hark back to the original British Invasion on “It’s Christmas Time Ebenezer.”

On the relentlessly cheerful “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday,” Roy Wood’s Wizzard uses the Wall Of Sound approach of Phil Spector’s A Christmas Gift For You to build an entire palace. As a founding member of Electric Light Orchestra, Wood was accustomed to working with stringed instruments, and he employs a ton of them, along with horns, and a children’s choir on this showstopper. The energetic production evokes an old fashioned TV variety show.

Tina Sugandh’s beautifully sung “White Christmas” begins with the standard arrangement, but soon drifts off to India via exotic sitars and tablas. If George Harrison had wanted to include a Christmas song on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, it would have sounded like this.

There are more than three musicians in the Chesterfield Kings, and their knack for tapping into Aftermath era Rolling Stones has earned them a place of honor among garage rock fans like Mr. Van Zandt. “Hey, Santa Claus” was probably one of the first tracks he considered when he decided to create this party-themed holiday compilation. It kicks off with a classic Chuck Berry riff before lead vocalist Greg Prevost approaches the man in red with a list of requests, including a girlfriend and a new car. Sounding like Mick Jagger, Prevost sings, “I hope you have time to stop off in your sleigh.”

Former Stray Cats vocalist-guitarist Brian Setzer launched a lucrative second career by recreating the Big Band sound of the 1940s. He struck gold again when his Brian Setzer Orchestra started recording Christmas CDs like Dig That Crazy Christmas and Boogie Woogie Christmas. “Santa’s Got A Hot Rod,” with its highly energetic swinging arrangement, call-and response vocals, and twangy guitar, is a prime example of how Setzer gets the job done. And like most of his work, it’s a lot of fun.

Slumgullion #92

The birthday boy, with drummer Bobby Elliott. Photo from Bobby Elliott’s book,

The Hollies Through The Ages Volume One.

You Say It's His Birthday. Best wishes to Tony Hicks on his birthday. Tony has served as lead guitarist and harmony vocalist for The Hollies for almost the entire 50 years (in 2112) the band has been around. He’s the bloke who came up with the idea for “Stop Stop Stop,” the 1966 hit single that features his distinctive banjo playing. Once again, I highly recommend the recently released DVD Look Through Any Window The Hollies 1962 - 1975. Tony, along with Graham Nash, Allan Clarke, and Bobby Elliott, provides running commentary throughout this entertaining documentary, and demonstrates some of the more interesting riffs he’s played over the years.

No Cover For Covers. There’ll be no admission fee when The Beatle Brothers perform at the Countryside Saloon tonight. The group has been covering the fab four and other 1960s bands for 25 years. Countryside Saloon is located at 2501 Ballard Road in Des Plaines. Show time is 9:00 PM.

Wonder If Julianna Hatfield Knows About This. The Del Fuegos, the critically acclaimed 1980s garage rock band who were mentioned in Hatfield’s “My Sister,” have a brief reunion tour coming up next year. It kicks off on February 22nd in Boston, and includes gigs in New York, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and St. Louis. They have a date at Lincoln Hall in Chicago on February 25th. It would be great to hear some of those classic tracks like “Nervous And Shakey,” “Backseat Nothing,” and “Mary Don’t Change” performed live.

The Beat Is Back. Another guitar-driven band that got its start a few decades ago, The Paul Collins Beat, is coming back to Chicago with a gig at Ultra Lounge on Milwaukee Avenue on February 3rd. Collins has been on a roll since releasing one of the better power pop CDs of 2010 with King Of Power Pop.

Pants On Fyre. Happening Magazine, an offshoot of the groovy neo-1960s publication, Shindig, reported in a recent email that another legendary garage rock band, The Lyres have resurfaced in London. The Boston-based group that gave us classics like “I Want Help You Ann” as well as a letter-perfect cover of The New Colony Six nugget, “I Confess,” is on a European tour that takes them to the 93 Feet East club on February 13th. Prior to that, they’ll be playing gigs in Italy.

It’s Beginning To Rock A Lot Like Christmas. The syndicated radio show Underground Garage is always worth checking out, but it’s even more fun when host Little Steven Van Zandt unpacks all his favorite holiday songs on the annual Christmas Special. Not sure if this year's party will be a two-part event, as it has been in the past. Underground Garage airs on WXRT each Sunday from 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM.

Mania And Monroes. The Melismatics, the Minneapolis-based alt rock band that has its next CD, Mania, coming out on Pravda Records in January, just announced on Facebook that it’s also working on a CD with Tony Ortiz, the former singer of The Monroes. “Missing Man,” a song from the collaboration is up on YouTube and sounds pretty intriguing.

Let’s Paint Their Smiles On Upside Down. The New Jersey band Mike Daly and The Planets has created a theme song for those of us who have never liked Bozo or any of his ilk. I’ve been afraid of them (clowns, not Mike Daly and The Planets) since I saw a TV show as a child where some guy was haunted by a ghost clown. “Kill A Clown (No, Not Really),” has a catchy, guitar-driven arrangement reminiscent of Webb Wilder or possibly ZZ Top, along with some exuberant backup vocals. It’s filled with funny lyrics about offing people with fake red noses like, “I killed a clown in Kalamazoo/Made him choke on his own kazoo” and “Killed them clowns in Zanzibar/Ran them off the road in that tiny car.” The single is available as a digital download at the band’s website, Amazon, CDBaby, and iTunes.

I should mention that Frank Carr from my former comedy group Famous In The Future, did a similar song/skit a number of years ago. Now that's someone who really hates clowns.

Heart's In The Right Place. Heart may not have been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame this year, but at least the South By Southwest Music and Media Conference and Festival is giving the Wilson sisters some props. Ann and Nancy will be featured speakers on March 15th at the Austin Convention Center, and they’ll also be performing with Heart at a TBA venue at the event.

Tears On My TARDIS. Even though it was inevitable given the show’s rotating cast format, I was still sad when The Nerdist website reported yesterday that companions Rory and Amy will be leaving Doctor Who in the coming season. I didn’t immediately warm up to actress Karen Gillian as Amy Pond, but it wasn’t too long before she was exuding the spunk and sexiness that are the hallmarks of The Doctor’s female companions. Arthur Darvill, who portrayed Amy’s husband Rory, is a likable and supportive guy that a lot of male viewers probably identify with. Here’s hoping Gillian and Darvill continue to appear at Doctor Who conventions and promotions, because it seems like they have great rapport with the series’ current lead actor, Matt Smith.

Songs Sung (About A) Blue Police Box. On a related note, Chicago Tribune writer Christopher Borrelli had an article in yesterday’s edition about Niles North High School student Allegra Rosenberg. She’s been making a name for herself by writing songs about Doctor Who episodes and posting them on her YouTube Channel, Stop! It’s Ginger Time! Noted author Neil Gaiman and BBC America executive Matt Stein are among her fans.

Hi-Fi Christmas Party Volume 3

As musician Dan Pavelich of The Bradburys points out in the liner notes for this latest installment in the Hi-Fi Christmas Party series, it’s been eight years since he first hit upon the idea of putting together a holiday CD to help fund research to find a cure for Von Willebrand’s disease. At the time, Pavelich had recently learned that his daughter Mari was afflicted with the rare blood disorder. The first Hi-Fi Christmas Party primarily featured power pop acts exuding a positive vibe through easy-going melodic songs. Nothing too wild, but a fun album that benefited a good cause.

Hi-Fi Christmas Party Volume Three follows in the amiable tradition of its two predecessors, with another selection of mostly original material. Almost half of these tracks were created in the last year, while some have been around a little longer. Lisa Mychols gets the ornament rolling with “Joy Is In The Giving,” a celebration of the season with lines like, “Share the good that comes your way.” Sketch Middle’s “Very Very, Merry Merry” has a Material Issue buzz to it, while The Jigsaw Seen gets psychedelic on “What About Christmas?” The Click Beetles, a Pavelich side project with drummer Ed James; The Yule Logs; and The Sun Kings contribute catchy holiday tunes; as do Jamie & Steve from The Spongetones and Jim Babjak of The Smithereens.

Pavelich invited a few non-power pop acts to join the party on Volume 3. Tinsley Ellis’s “Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin’,” which originally appeared on the Alligator label, is a clever blues romp, and Ash Can School (the married team of David & Janet Aiello) channel early Chuck Berry on “Christmas List Boogie.” The Brothers Figaro Orchestra goes all the way back to the Roaring 20s for a swell take on the standard “Jolly Old St. Nicholas.” And Mari Pavelich recites Linus’s much loved, and often quoted “The Meaning Of Christmas” speech from A Charlie Brown Christmas.

As with the very enjoyable Hi-Fi Christmas Party Volume Two, this third effort suggests this series could become a holiday tradition. The CD can be ordered through Jam Recordings.

CD Review: Neil Diamond - The Very Best Of Neil Diamond

2011 Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Neil Diamond kicks off a tour in February in support a new compilation of original studio recordings titled The Very Best Of Neil Diamond. While the singer-songwriter is no stranger to the greatest hits treatment, this batch stretches across every record company he’s worked for, starting with his early days at Bang. There aren’t any rarities or surprises among the 23 tracks, but The Very Best Of Neil Diamond does provide an opportunity to consider his impact on rock music.

One of the reasons Diamond’s earlier work has been covered by everyone from Deep Purple to UB40 could be his ability to set authentic emotions to melodic arrangements. “Kentucky Woman” and “Red Red Wine” are included here, as are Diamond’s original takes on “Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon,” which would later be put to such good use by Urge Overkill in Pulp Fiction, and “I’m A Believer,” which would become one of The Monkees’ better songs. He even sounded convincing on “Solitary Man” and “Shiloh,” both of which could have come across as sappy in another composer’s hands.

Diamond broadened his approach over decades of recording. The mysterious “Holly, Holy” incorporated fervent gospel singing, while “Brother Loves Travelling Salvation Show” could have come from a rock opera. Long time fans might not have bought into “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers,” but they’ll always want to clap and sing along with the 1960s classic “Cherry Cherry.”

CD Review: The Mobbs - It’s . . . The Mobbs

Generally speaking, revved up guitars and vocals are found on punk rock albums. But on their wildly careening debut release, the U.K. trio The Mobbs whisk listeners back to the nascent days of The Yardbirds and The Who. It’s . . . The Mobbs is a nonstop party comprised of sonic blasts and rave ups, with an occasional dash of Monty Pythonesque humor adding to the fun.

“Pull Yourself Together!!!” finds lead vocalist-guitarist Joe B. Humbled shouting the title in John Cleese fashion over an otherwise instrumental track with an ominous bass line. These guys also go for minimalist lyrics on “Bully!!!” and “Gad . . . It’s The Mobbs!!!” but are capable of stinging satire. The clever “Old Square Eyes,” which is set to a mid-1960s arrangement, warns against the dangers of spending too much time watching TV or playing video games. “You Be The Judge” bristles with youthful rebellion.

The Mobbs dabble in the blues on the slinky “Better The Devil You Know,” which applies the old adage to relationships, and a funny tribute to cobblers called “The N-Town Odd Shoe Blues.” On the harder rock of “No Belief,” Joe B. Humbled confides, “I’ve got the ravings of a madman” but like everything else on It’s . . . The Mobbs, it’s all in good fun.

CD Review: Trolley - Things That Shine And Glow

Most of the 14 songs on Trolley’s latest effort, Things That Shine And Glow depict guys who are either bewildered or frustrated by the women they encounter. Still, relationships are the only things that go wrong on this well-crafted CD, which carries on the best traditions of Midwestern power pop while tapping into the adventurous days of 1960s rock. Hard to believe this Milwaukee-based quartet has been around since 1995 without making a bigger splash on the music scene.

Bassist Terry Hackbarth, guitarist-keyboards player Mike Perette, and guitarist Paul J. Wall combine for inventive harmonies throughout the CD while drummer Nick Zahn drives the beat. The careening “I Woke Up” would have fit in perfectly with bands like The Lyres and The Chesterfield Kings on Rhino’s celebration of 1980s garage bands, Children Of Nuggets. “She’s The Kind Of Girl” has the same raw feel, while “The Calico Cat” sounds like Genesis transplanted back to the height of the psychedelic era.

The irresistibly catchy “In The End,” which laments a self-destructive girlfriend with lines like, “Even though you are my kind, Maybe you’re not such a find,” should strike a chord with Off Broadway fans. Trolley mimics the multi-faceted approach of The Beatles by offering the hard-edged “That Made Me Wanting You,” which echoes George Harrison, as well as tapping into Paul McCartney’s playful side on “Out Of Love.” The willingness to experiment on Things That Shine And Glow keeps listeners guessing - and entertained - from start to finish.