*Going Back Home To The Blues- The Early Ike Turner

Click On Title To Link To YouTube's Film Clip Of Ike Turner And His Kings Of Rhythms Performing "Thinking Black" From 1969.

CD Review

Here is a little taste of Ike Turner's early work. Some of the comments used here have been used in other reviews of the late Ike Turner's work.

Blues King Plus, Ike Turner, Capitol Records, 2003

I have mentioned the recently departed Ike Turner’s rough and tumble drug-induced later lifestyle and his problems with ex-wife Tina Turner elsewhere in this space so there is no need to repeat that here. I have also mentioned Ike’s key role as ‘talent spotter’ in the 1950’s for Chess Records (and Sun Records' Sam Phillips, I believe) and his pivotal role in the early move from R&B to rock & roll with the super-classic hit “Rocket 88”. Thus, his place in musical history (with the appropriate asterisks) is secure. And should be.

This early effort "Blues King Plus" like a late Turner effort “Risin’ with the Blues” (2006) is a place where Ike goes out in front and does many of the lead vocals, some successfully, some not. The instrumental work is excellent, as is to be expected on a Turner platter. But, to be honest, not all of the vocals made me want to jump, which I assume was Ike’s intention here since some of the works are tributes to those like Louis Jordan who influenced the young Ike Turner. That said, his versions of “Trouble And Heartache ”, " You're Driving Me Insane" and a jumping "Looking For My Baby" are , as is “Night Howler" and "Cubano Jump". We part company, however, on “Early Times", "The World Is Yours" and a couple of others where his voice cannot carry the song.

You know what, go out and get some early Ike and the Rhythm Kings. Then you will be sure to get what Ike was all about and why he has a secure place in musical history. And remember that seminal “Rocket 88”. I went crazy when I listened to it recently after not hearing it for a long time.

*******

Songfacts:

In 1991, after a great deal of debate, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recognized this as the first Rock and Roll song ever recorded. Turner was in jail at the time for cocaine possession, so his daughter accepted the award.

The song is about a car. The Oldsmobile "Rocket 88" just came out and was the fastest car on the road at the time. It was advertised as having a V-8 "Rocket" engine.

This was produced by Sam Phillips, who formed Sun Records in 1954. Phillips discovered Elvis in 1955.

Jackie Brenston, who was a member of Ike Turner's Rhythm Kings, sang lead. The single was credited to "Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats" because Phillips wanted to release a different record credited to Turner.

This was a #1 R&B hit. There were no rock charts at the time.

Turner and his band were playing black clubs in the American South when B.B. King set up a recording session for them in Memphis with Phillips. They wrote most of this on the way to the session.

On the drive to the session, the band's amplifier fell out of the car and broke the woofer. Turner shoved paper in it at the studio to cover the problem, which ended up providing a more distinct sound. The sounds that came from the damaged amp resulted in this being cited as one of the first songs to feature guitar distortion.

Brenston was credited with writing this, although he admitted he stole the idea from a 1947 song called "Cadillac Boogie."

General Motors gave Brenston a Rocket 88 to thank him for the publicity this generated for the car.

Brenston did not handle success well. He quickly spent the money he made from this, became an alcoholic, went broke, and died in 1979.

Turner played piano on this. It was a huge influence on Little Richard, who used the piano intro on his 1958 hit, "Good Golly Miss Molly."

There were other songs recorded before this that could be considered Rock and Roll, but this was unique in that it appealed to a white audience.

Turner recorded a new version of this in 2000.

In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine (issue 93) in 1971, Ike Turner recalled how despite this being a local hit, he made little from it: "Some dude at the record company beat me, and I only got $40 for writing, producing, and recording it. And the lead singer (Jackie Brenston) took the band from me and went on his own."

Rocket '88 lyrics

You may have heard of jalopies,
You heard the noise they make,
Let me introduce you to my Rocket '88.
Yes it's great, just won't wait,
Everybody likes my Rocket '88.
Gals will ride in style,
Movin' all along.(Guitar solo, leading into steel guitar solo.)
V-8 motor and this modern design,
My convertible top and the gals don't mind
Sportin' with me, ridin' all around town for joy.(
Spoken) -- Blow your horn, Rocket, blow your horn!(Horn sound effect leading into guitar solo.)
Step in my Rocket and-a don't be late,
We're pullin' out about a half-past-eight.
Goin' on the corner and-a havin' some fun,T
akin' my Rocket on a long, hot run.
Ooh, goin' out,Oozin' and cruisin' along.(Guitar solo.)
Now that you've ridden in my Rocket '88,
I'll be around every night about eight.
You know it's great, don't be late,Everybody likes my Rocket '88.
Gals will ride in style,
Movin' all along.(Fade out, ending with sound effect of a car driving away.)
Labels: chess records, drugs and rock and roll, ike turner,

*A Taste Of The Later Career Of R&B's Ike Turner

Click On To Title To Link To YouTube's Film Clip Of Bill Haley Performing Ike Turner's "Rocket 88". Wow!

CD Review

Here is a little taste of Ike Turner's later work.

Risin’ With The Blues, Ike Turner, Zoho Roots, 2006

I have mentioned the recently departed Ike Turner’s rough and tumble drug-induced later lifestyle and his problems with ex-wife Tina Turner elsewhere in this space so there is no need to repeat that here. I have also mentioned Ike’s key role as ‘talent spotter’ in the 1950’s for Chess Records (and Sun Records' Sam Phillips, I believe) and his pivotal role in the early move from R&B to rock & roll with the super-classic hit “Rocket 88”. Thus, his place in musical history (with the appropriate asterisks) is secure. And should be.

“Risin’ with the Blues” is a late effort (2006) where Ike goes out in front and does many of the lead vocals, some successfully, some not. The instrumental work is excellent, as is to be expected on a Turner platter. But, to be honest, not all of the vocals made me want to jump, which I assume was Ike’s intention here since some of the works are tributes to those like Louis Jordan who influenced the young Ike Turner. That said, his version of “Eighteen Long Years” (usually five in most versions but the number is used as a dig at Tina) is fine, as is “Big Fat Mama” and “Rockin’ Blues”. We part company, however, on “Jesus Loves Me” his musical retort to Tina’s charges in her book and in the movie.

You know what, go out and get some early Ike and the Rhythm Kings. Then you will be sure to get what Ike was all about and why he has a secure place in musical history. And remember that seminal “Rocket 88”. I went crazy when I listened to it recently after not hearing it for a long time.

*******

Songfacts:

In 1991, after a great deal of debate, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recognized this as the first Rock and Roll song ever recorded. Turner was in jail at the time for cocaine possession, so his daughter accepted the award.

The song is about a car. The Oldsmobile "Rocket 88" just came out and was the fastest car on the road at the time. It was advertised as having a V-8 "Rocket" engine.

This was produced by Sam Phillips, who formed Sun Records in 1954. Phillips discovered Elvis in 1955.

Jackie Brenston, who was a member of Ike Turner's Rhythm Kings, sang lead. The single was credited to "Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats" because Phillips wanted to release a different record credited to Turner.

This was a #1 R&B hit. There were no rock charts at the time.

Turner and his band were playing black clubs in the American South when B.B. King set up a recording session for them in Memphis with Phillips. They wrote most of this on the way to the session.

On the drive to the session, the band's amplifier fell out of the car and broke the woofer. Turner shoved paper in it at the studio to cover the problem, which ended up providing a more distinct sound. The sounds that came from the damaged amp resulted in this being cited as one of the first songs to feature guitar distortion.

Brenston was credited with writing this, although he admitted he stole the idea from a 1947 song called "Cadillac Boogie."

General Motors gave Brenston a Rocket 88 to thank him for the publicity this generated for the car.

Brenston did not handle success well. He quickly spent the money he made from this, became an alcoholic, went broke, and died in 1979.

Turner played piano on this. It was a huge influence on Little Richard, who used the piano intro on his 1958 hit, "Good Golly Miss Molly."

There were other songs recorded before this that could be considered Rock and Roll, but this was unique in that it appealed to a white audience.

Turner recorded a new version of this in 2000.

In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine (issue 93) in 1971, Ike Turner recalled how despite this being a local hit, he made little from it: "Some dude at the record company beat me, and I only got $40 for writing, producing, and recording it. And the lead singer (Jackie Brenston) took the band from me and went on his own."

Rocket '88 lyrics

You may have heard of jalopies,
You heard the noise they make,
Let me introduce you to my Rocket '88.
Yes it's great, just won't wait,
Everybody likes my Rocket '88.
Gals will ride in style,
Movin' all along.(Guitar solo, leading into steel guitar solo.)
V-8 motor and this modern design,
My convertible top and the gals don't mind
Sportin' with me, ridin' all around town for joy.(
Spoken) -- Blow your horn, Rocket, blow your horn!(Horn sound effect leading into guitar solo.)
Step in my Rocket and-a don't be late,
We're pullin' out about a half-past-eight.
Goin' on the corner and-a havin' some fun,T
akin' my Rocket on a long, hot run.
Ooh, goin' out,Oozin' and cruisin' along.(Guitar solo.)
Now that you've ridden in my Rocket '88,
I'll be around every night about eight.
You know it's great, don't be late,Everybody likes my Rocket '88.
Gals will ride in style,
Movin' all along.(Fade out, ending with sound effect of a car driving away.)

Blue Suede Shoes- Carl Perkins

Commentary



How About Them Blue Suede Shoes

Carl Perkins- King of Rockabilly and Friends, Carl Perkins, 1985



Everyone who cares now knows that the roots of rock and rock came from a few sources, country blues, city blues, and rhythm and blues of the Big Joe Turner sort and from the white South rockabilly from the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis and the artist reviewed here- Carl Perkins. Over the long haul I believe that the key is that Turner rhythm and blues on Shake, Rattle and Roll that defines the roots of rock and roll but that is just for argument’s sake. Carl Perkins can lay claim to a piece of that magic with Blue Suede Shoes (latter covered by Elvis, adding a great deal to his career, of course).

Whether Perkins is a key figure is the history of rock and roll beyond that initial contribution is also an open question. However, no one can question that here in a 30th Anniversary show in London to an audience that was perhaps more appreciative than a home-grown one at that time no one can doubt that he rocks the rockabilly with the best of them. As usual with this format we have the guests- and quite good ones in the likes of Roseanne Cash, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton and George Harrison as well as a nice traveling band. Additionally there were some serious dancers, dressed in appropriate 50's style, in the audience kicking up a storm. The hit here is, without a doubt, the finale with a collective all out rendition of Blue Suede Shoes.

Good Rockin' Tonight, Part II

CD REVIEW

Good Rockin’ Tonight: The Legacy of Sun Records, various artists, London-Sire Records, 2001



I have already commented elsewhere in this space about the Public Broadcasting Service’s American Masters 2001 production of Good Rockin’ Tonight: The Legacy of Sun Records. Here we have a CD produced in tandem with that effort. And not just any old CD but a CD that has material covered by artists who either are in, will be in or are on a short list to be included in, some musical Hall of Fame. Strangely, when I first heard this CD I was put off by it because I thought, correctly, if stupidly that covers of these Sun classics could not possibly measure up to the originals, even if done by extremely competent musicians. Well, on a second hearing I got over that little personal problem and while the originals still set the standards there are some very good, and in at least one case, better covers of the classics.

So who is good here? Well, start with a nice cover by Paul McCartney (you know him) and the Elvis classic That’s All Right, Mama. Jeff Beck with a fair rendition of another Elvis classic Mystery Train. A nice upbeat cover of My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It. An excellent Blue Suede Shoes by Johnny Halladay. A passable Whole Lot of Shaking Going On by Elton John. Okay covers of Blue Moon of Kentucky by Tom Petty and Sittin’ On Top Of The World by Van Morrison and Carl Perkins. A right on cover of Don’t Be Cruel by Brain Ferry. A surprisingly good cover of the little known Red Cadillac and Black Mustache by the endlessly surprising Bob Dylan. Classic throwback performances of Just Walking In The Rain by Eric Clapton and Lonely Weekend by Matchbox Twenty. A so-so performance of Jerry Lee’s (who can do it better) Who Will The Next Fool Be by Sheryl Crow. A stand up performance of Johnny Cash’s Walk The Line by Live. Another classic throwback performance by Mandy Barnett on You Win Again. The biggest surprise and the one that clearly is done better than the original is Kid Rock’s cover of the Jerry Lee covered Drinkin’ Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee. I have taken the time to evaluate each song in this collection to both do penance and to give just a whiff of what this masterful album holds in store for you. These are serious artists paying their dues to artists who played Rock and Roll for keeps. Kudos.

Present At The Creation-Sun Records’ Sam Phillips And The Invention Of Rock And Rock

Present At The Creation-Sun Records’ Sam Phillips And The Invention Of Rock And Rock

Click below to listen to Fresh Air's Terry Gross interviewing Peter Guralnick on his new book on the influence of Sun Record 's Sam Phillips on the development of rock and roll.  

 

http://www.npr.org/2015/11/23/457083328/the-man-and-the-mistakes-that-invented-rock-n-roll

 

I have spent a ton of cyber-ink detailing the effect that rock and roll, now called classic rock and roll, the rock at the creation in the early to mid-1950s when I, and a whole lot of post-World War II baby boomers, now greying, came of musical age. Came of musical age to the likes of Elvis, Ike Turner, Howling Wolf, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison and a ton of others who you can now see on YouTube in case you missed their performances, or were too young.

And in the center, well maybe not the exact center but close, of all the jail-breakout music the man present at the creation was one Sam Phillips of Sun Records (and many other recording sites during his long life). Sam believed that if he could get that sound that he was recording early in his career, that black-etched rhythm and blues sound of guys like Junior Parker, Ike Turner (whose Rocket 88 is my choice for the beginning of rock and roll but everybody has some choice of where it went from Frank Sinatra, Doris Day and company to from hunger black and white guys who wanted to jump up the music, make the whole world dance in the red scare Cold War night), Big Joe Turner, out to a broader audience in Mister James Crow times, North and South as far as music went, they would go crazy over it, make it their own. And they, we did.

So it is no surprise that somebody, in this case biographer and mad monk rock and roll history man Peter Guralnick would lay down the case for one of the guys present at the creation. Giving plenty of hard-core information about the background to various   classic rock hits and the personalities involved. Also no surprise that the book comes with a CD selection of great and not so great, well-known and not so well-known songs from that time to make his case. If you are interested in a time when men and women played rock and roll for keeps check this out.  

*A Mixed Bag Musical Potpourri-Jazz, Blues, Gospel, Rock And Rockabilly-In Search Of Lost Rockabilly Time

Click On Title To Link To YouTube's Film Clop Of Warren Smith Doing "Rock 'N' Roll Ruby". Wow!

CD Review

In Search Of Lost Time

Lost Gold Rockabilly Collector’ Series, Original Historic Rockabilly Classics, various artists, Lost Gold Records, 1998

I have spent some time discussing the various rockabilly artists who did, or did not, make it in the 1950's out of Sam Phillips' Memphis-based Sun Records. I have reviewed at least one CD with a compilation that contained such one-shot hits as Sonny Burgess' "Red-Headed Women" and "Rock `n' Rock Ruby". I have also reviewed a very interesting PBS documentary on the 50th Anniversary of Sun Records that included the usual "talking head" commentary, although this time though including various artists who did not make the "bigs" for one reason or another. It is that last point that is relevant here.

I have also been spending a fair amount of ink in this space recently discussing those who didn't make it big in various genres like folk, the blues, early rock and now rockabilly. This compilation is a case study about why, out of all the talents who tried to become "kings of the hill" (and it was mainly, although not exclusively men), some did not make it. We have here the usual subjects for rockabilly songs of thwarted love, longing for love, the vagaries of love, two-timing women (and men, listen to the result, in "Black Cadillac"), cars, Saturday night dances and other things near and dear to the hearts of teenagers in the 1950's (and, with updating, now as well) that made up the lyrics of this genre. So that is not the problem.

What struck me after listening to this compilation a couple of times was that although there were some outstanding riffs, some hot guitar playing, some lines of parts of songs that could have made it big the whole package were not there. Only a couple of songs grabbed and held my attention throughout. Nothing came up to the two classics mentioned in the first paragraph. A number of songs barely were to the left of traditional country and western numbers. I do not know how much of a role being in the right place at the right time, being merely imitative of greater artists, like Elvis and Carl Perkins, as is obviously the case with some performers here or of not being willing to risk all for glory played in all of this. However, just as with the Sun rockabilly artists who didn't make it, or who were one shot johnnies (or janies) or who just gave up the grind was tough. If you want to know about those who didn't get to the top of the rockabilly heap listen here. This is the search for lost time, indeed.