Rock Turtleneck Has Got That Newport Mojo Workin'!

Hot on the heels of yesterday’s post, here’s a cat who plugged in at Newport a full five years before Bob Dylan: Muddy Waters.

Granted, this was the 1960 Newport Jazz festival, not the Newport Folk festival. What a difference a word makes.

One of the ironic things about the left-wing pinko folkies of the early 60s is that they fancied themselves the most open-minded, free-thinking people on the planet with regards to civil rights, labor unions and sex. But when it came to their precious folk music, they put Karl Rove and Ann Coulter to shame.

Should someone even attempt to veer slightly off the traditional folk ballad/protest formula, the folkies went ballistic. Hearing Dylan & Mike Bloomfield lay in to “Maggie’s Farm,” Pete Seeger supposedly tried to chop the power cable with an ax, and defends his actions to this day.

Back to Muddy.

If you have no Muddy in your LP collection, shame on you. The man is a mighty oak, commanding and tall and summoning the blues from the deepest regions of humanity’s core. He is also one hell of an entertainer, full of energy and humor and always dressed to the nines.

A good place to start is Muddy Waters at Newport 1960, a perfect record to listen to while you sit on your deck or rooftop with some good friends and a bucket of Miller High Lifes.

Muddy Waters at Newport 1960 features the following legendary performance of “Got My Mojo Workin’.” So much mojo, in fact that on the record, the mojo must be split into two tracks.

Sho’nuff that’s a lot o’ mojo!

Muddy Waters, "Got My Mojo Workin'" 1960 Newport Jazz Festival

Camera Man: R.I.P. Legendary Rock Photographer David Gahr

David Gahr, photo-snapper of some of music's most enduring images, passed away this week at the age of 85. He had a promising career as a think-tank economist, but wisely decided he was happier hanging around rock, folk and blues musicians.

In addition to taking famous shots of living giants like John Lennon, Miles Davis, Johnny Cash, Pete Seeger and Janis Joplin and The Band, Gahr also photographed Bob Dylan from his early folkie days through Dylan's 2001 masterpiece "Love and Theft."

Perhaps most famous of the Dylan images is this one here, from his plugged-in performance at the 1965 Newport Folk festival:

Newport '65 is often cited as the moment when the tectonic plates of popular music shifted from the old guard to the new, but I'm sure Dylan was just trying to have a good ol' time onstage with his band. Besides, Dylan seemed to identify with the old guard more than the new anyway. Epic or not, the performance of "Maggie's Farm" is a hoot, aided largely by the galvanizing guitar of Mike Bloomfield. And this is as good an excuse as any to revisit it.

Bob Dylan, "Maggie's Farm" 1965 Newport Folk Festival


To see Dylan's stunning evoution via the 1963, '64 and '65 Newport Folk Festivals, check out Murray Lerner's relatively new DVD The Other Side of the Mirror. To see more of David Gahr's photographs, google him I guess. Unfortunately, his acclaimed collection The Face of Folk Music, is long out of print. RIP and TCB, Mr. Gahr.

Happy Memorial Day: We're All Free Now

R.E.M., "Swan Swan H" from Athens, GA Inside-Out, 1986

Hurrah, we're all free now.

Happy 67th Zim-Master

A 67-gun salute to singer/songwriter/Rock Turtleneck favorite Bob Dylan, who turns 67 today.

In honor of the occassion, some time-honored, slightly nutty pearls of life wisdom from the man himself, courtesy of his 1991 Lifetime Achievement Grammy award speech.

After an extremely eloquent speech by Dylanophile Jack Nicholson (which unfortunately is not on YouTube), Dylan roared out of the gates with his crack band and played a searing version of "Masters of War."

With its furious tempo and churgled vocals (even for Bob), it was so different from the folkie Freewheelin' version that it was hard to recognize until it was almost over. But this was only days after the first Gulf War had started, and the fury of the performance and the stinging guitar solos of Cesar Diaz brought to mind Jimi Hendrix's Vietnam-channeling performance of Francis Scott Key's "Star Spangled Banner" at Woodstock.

After the performance, Dylan, hopped up on an ungodly mixture of Boujoulais and Robitussin, stumbled over to accept his award and almost walks off without saying a word, which is almost what one would expect from the Bard of Hibbing. But then Dylan ambled back to the microphone:

"Well, my daddy, he didn't leave me much, you know he was a very simple man, but what he did tell me was this, he did say, 'Son, you know it's possible to become so defiled in this world that your own father and mother will abandon you... and if that happens, God will always believe in your own ability to mend your own ways.' Thank you."

Bob Dylan, "Masters of War" 1991 Grammy Awards


'Nuff said. Dylan looked so much older then. Seventeen years later, he still on the road, headin' for another joint. In fact, tonight he's in Newfoundland, playing the Mile One Center in St. John's. Would go but these gas prices are killing me.

Happy Birthday, Bob!

Bonus epic Dylan performance:
Bob Dylan, "Visions of Johanna" 1966 tour clip from No Direction Home

Bonus bonus epic Jack Nicholson performance:
Jack Nicholson, Toast scene from Five Easy Pieces, 1970

Piazza, New York Catcher

Slugger extraordinaire Mike Piazza announced his retirement this week. Though drafted in the 62nd round (who knew there were that many?), he emerged over a 16-year career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets to be almost certainly the best-hitting catcher of all time, with 427 home runs and a career batting average of .308.

Less likely to be mentioned during his 2013 Cooperstown induction: he’s also the subject of “Piazza, New York Catcher,” a very twee ditty by the wonderful Scottish chamber-pop ensemble Belle & Sebastian. It was a highlight of their 2003 album Dear Catastrophe Waitress. The album was a much-needed expansion of their unique sound, courtesy of producer/ex-Buggle Trevor Horn.


This lovely acoustic number addresses, in addition to adolescent yearnings, the long-standing rumour that the married Mr. Piazza is a quote-unquote switch hitter. The song was also used to excellent effect in the most excellente movie Juno.

Mike Piazza is a class act who worked his tail off, let his bat and glove do the talking and retired quietly with dignity. He will be missed from the game. Roger Clemens hated him – what more do you really need to know?

mp3: Belle & Sebastian, "Piazza, New York Catcher" Dear Catastrophe Waitress

Rocket Men

Last week, Swiss "Rocket Man" Yves Rossy became the first person in the world to fly with wings under rocket power, meaning that the age of futuristic, Buzz Lightyear-like jet pack travel is finally here.


But this is Rock Turtleneck, not Popular Science magazine. And when I think "Rocket Man," I think Bill Shatner.

I used to think Shatner's haunting interpretation of the Elton John/Bernie Taupin ode to the pressures of space travel "Rocket Man" was definitive. Then I stumbled upon master thespian Chris Elliot's version from Late Night with David Letterman. Smoke 'em if you've got 'em.

William Shatner, "Rocket Man" 1978 Science Fiction Awards Ceremony


Chris Elliot, "Rocket Man" Late Night with David Letterman, circa 1990

Hollow, Goodbye

The R.E.M. Mea Culpa Tour gets into full swing this month with a quick two-month jaunt around North America starting in Vancouver on May 23 and ending June 21 in Atlanta. From there, it's onto Europe until September.

Even when they were making noodle-limp, uber-lame albums, R.E.M.'s remained a superb live act. And now that they have a terrific, hard-rocking CD to take out on the road, R.E.M. circa 2008 is a must-see.

The band will also be making their first-ever appearance on the Austin City Limits PBS TV show this Saturday with a performance taped during March's SXSW festival. In the NYC area it is on Channel 21 at midnight. Make a pot of coffee (or if you are Michael Stipe, a soy latte.)

Here's an advance taste of "Supernatural Superserious" from the show. And you can see JM Stipe's melodic plea for relevance, "Hollow Man" on R.E.M.'s official site here. Belong.

R.E.M., "Supernatural Superserious" Austin City Limits

Pretty Amazing Neil

Someone bring this man some flowers: Neil Diamond has scored his first #1 album with Home Before Dark, his second CD with producer/Zen master Rick Rubin. The first was 2005's stately 12 Songs.

Home Before Dark sold 146,000 copies its first week, or 1,000 copies for the average age of one of his fans.


Home Before Dark is Neil's 46th album. His third-act triumph is similar to that of Bob Dylan, who at 65 became the oldest artist to debut at #1 with Modern Times in 2006.

The Solitary Man has sold 120 million records and written some of the most indelible pop classics of the modern era: "Cherry Cherry," "I'm a Believer," "Red Red Wine," "Sweet Caroline," "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon," "Holly Holy," "I Am... I Said," "Song Sung Blue," "Kentucky Woman," and "Shilo." Yet he waits outside the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's velvet ropes while Patti Smith enjoys an all-access pass.

Perhaps Mr. Diamond's latest triumph with Rubin will give him the gravitas he needs for the cliquish, elitist R&RHoF to take another look at this sequin-lovin' Jewish Elvis. They could do worse than start with the following Rock Turtleneck potpourri of the ages of Neil, courtesy of YouTube.

Neil Diamond, "Pretty Amazing Grace" American Idol 4/30/08 (Guest Mentor appearance)


Neil Diamond, "Dry Your Eyes" w/The Band The Last Waltz, 1976


Neil Diamond & Barbra Streisand, "You Don't Bring Me Flowers"


Neil Diamond, "Cracklin' Rosie" Live on the Beeb, 1970


Neil Diamond, "Cherry Cherry" (1967)

Mother’s Day: Better Late than Never

In belated honor of Mother’s Day, a couple of maternal ditties from the early solo career of Paul Simon.

In one of his Point/Counterpoint rants against Jane Curtin on Saturday Night Live, Dan Aykroyd noted Jane's prediliction for hopping from one stranger’s bed to another “with a frequency of a cheap ham radio.” Since the late days of Simon & Garfunkel, Paul Simon has been the same way with musical genres.

His first post-S&G song “Mother and Child Reunion,” from 1972’s Paul Simon, is distinctly reggae, which was at the time was very exotic.




More remarkable than the groove, however, is the origin of the song’s title. In a Rolling Stone interview to coincide with his solo debut, Simon revealed he had gotten the name of the song from a menu at a Chinese restaurant; “Mother and Child Reunion” was the name of a chicken-and-egg dish. Whereas most of us might chuckle and order some spring rolls, the nebbishy songwriting genius spun it into AM/FM gold.


By contrast, “Loves Me Like a Rock” from his second solo LP There Goes Rhymin’ Simon, deftly mixes gospel and the doo-wop sound of his Queens street-corner youth. It shows how his momma got down on her knees to hug him, loved him like the rock of ages, yet managed to keep him grounded all the way from boyhood to the White House. It’s a classic tale, impeccably performed and produced and a fitting tribute to matriarchs everywhere.

More fun than a teddy bear bouquet from 1-800-FLOWERS: The two aforementioned Paul Simon classics for your listening pleasure, plus a mother of a YouTube clip from the Dick Cavett Show.

mp3: Paul Simon, “Mother and Child Reunion” Paul Simon
mp3: Paul Simon, “Loves Me Like a Rock” There Goes Rhymin’ Simon

Paul Simon w/the Jesse Dixon Singers, “Loves Me Like a Rock” The Dick Cavett Show, 1972

You've Got to Spend Some Time Love: Death Cab for Cutie's "I Will Possess Your Heart"

So you hit it big with the in-crowd and make enough dough that you’re not in any rush to get back out on the road. What do you do? Easy. You immerse yourself in the studio.

The Beatles, of course, invented the studio-as-instrument approach in 1966 when they stopped touring and made Revolver. And it’s a tradition that going strong today. Think Wilco on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Radiohead’s Kid A and now Death Cab for Cutie.

“I Will Possess Your Heart” from Death Cab’s forthcoming album Narrow Stairs, is 8½ minutes long and has that haven’t-seen-daylight-in-months studio band feel that separates rock from rock & roll.

Like Kid A’s “The National Anthem,” “I Will Possess Your Heart” starts with a great bassline and introduces instruments one at a time. After four minutes of obsession-like buildup, it all comes to a halt and singer Ben Gibbard recites lyrics that sound like they could have been written by Uma Thurman’s stalker:

How I wish you could see the potential
The potential of you and me
It’s like a book elegantly bound
But in a language that you can’t read
You’ve got to spend some time love
You’ve got to spend some time with me
And I know that you’ll find love
I will possess your heart

Then it picks right up again and brings it all back home.

Narrow Stairs comes out on May 13. But you can get all 8:37 minutes of “I Will Possess Your Heart” for a mere 99 cents on iTunes. And you can enjoy the globetrotting, stalker-ific video right here for absolutely nothing.

YouTube: Death Cab for Cutie, “I Will Possess Your Heart”

Cinco de Mayo with Liz Phair

In addition to being the anniversary of Mexico's victory in the Battle of Puebla and a great excuse to get blind on margaritas, Negro Modelos, fajitas and guacamole, Cinco de Mayo is also a holiday in the rock blogosphere as it is the birthday of Rock Turtleneck founder TCB Walsh.

To mark the occasion, I’ve made a point of playing “Cinco de Mayo” by Liz Phair at least once every May 5 since its release in 1994.

Though it wasn’t a post-feminist manifesto masterpiece like her debut Exile In Guyville, Liz Phair’s sophomore LP Whip-Smart is full of juicy, quirky pleasures. “Cinco de Mayo,” with its circular melody and quirky instrumentation is one of the juiciest and quirkiest.

Beyond it being of Ms. Phair’s many fresh indie-rock takes on the breakup song, perhaps with an older gentleman, I have no idea what “Cinco de Mayo” is about. It has less authentic Mexican flavor than the salsa verde at Applebee’s. But I love it anyway.

And now you can too. Herewith Liz Phair’s ode to May 5 in audio and video form. Muy caliente!

mp3: Liz Phair, “Cinco de Mayo” Whip-Smart

YouTube: Liz Phair, “Cinco de Mayo” MTV’s 120 Minutes, 1994

RIP TCB LSD

Albert Hoffman, the Swiss chemist who discovered LSD and took the world's first intentional acid trip, died this week at the tender age of 102.

In the rock world, the death of the inventor of LSD practically calls for a state funeral. Here at Rock Turtleneck, it calls for a mind-expanding tribute, “Peppered” with excerpts from a fascinating New York Times obituary.

“More important to him than the pleasures of the psychedelic experience was the drug’s value as a revelatory aid for contemplating and understanding what he saw as humanity’s oneness with nature. That perception, of union, which came to Dr. Hofmann as almost a religious epiphany while still a child, directed much of his personal and professional life.”

The Beatles: “Strawberry Fields Forever”


“It was during his work on the ergot fungus, which grows in rye kernels, that he stumbled on LSD, accidentally ingesting a trace of the compound one Friday afternoon in April 1943. Soon he experienced an altered state of consciousness similar to the one he had experienced as a child."

Jefferson Airplane: “White Rabbit” (fan video w/clips from Alice in Wonderland)



“On the following Monday, he deliberately swallowed a dose of LSD and rode his bicycle home as the effects of the drug overwhelmed him. That day, April 20, later became memorialized by LSD enthusiasts as ‘bicycle day.’”

Pink Floyd (w/Syd Barrett): “Bike” 1967


“But he said LSD had not affected his understanding of death. In death, he said, ‘I go back to where I came from, to where I was before I was born, that’s all.’”

The Grateful Dead: “The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion)”


Bonus Flashback: Dewey Cox drops acid with The Beatles, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story