Xgau Sez: August, 2024
Howard Keel-Tommy James-Springsteen connection explained, the Jazz King of Corona (and everywhere else), Louis Jordan, Dylan gone electric-acoustic-whatever, Wes Goodwin remembered, Honky Tonkin'.
Eons ago, your review of Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run closed with two quotes from Greil and Jenny Marcus. I’ve always wondered what they meant. Could you (if you recall) interpret them: “In closing, two comments from my friends the Marcuses. Jenny: ‘Who does he think he is, Howard Keel?’ (That’s a put-down.) Greil: ‘That is as good as “I Think We’re Alone Now.”’ (That’s not.)” — David Cohen, Rockville, Maryland
First of all, let the record show that I was a Springsteen fan before Jon Landau himself—saw him at Columbia’s behest at Max’s Kansas City in 1973 and assigned none other than Carola Dibbell an early review, than there is no greater compliment I can offer. Howard Keel was a big-voiced Broadway star whose approach to singing basically shared a certain grandiosity with Springsteen’s. “I Think We’re Alone Now” was an excellent hit by the somewhat unfairly forgotten Tommy James and the Shondells. James wrote a memoir called Me, the Mob, and Music that’s basically about what it says it’s about, centering on the notoriously gangster-not-gangsta-ridden Roulette label, where he scored his hits.
Hi, Bob: Recently back from a sojourn to Memphis, TN, where I greatly enjoyed visiting the Stax Museum and Sun Studio. So I got to wondering which music history landmarks you’ve enjoyed visiting and would recommend, if there are any spots still on your bucket list, and if you’ve ever gained any insights into your R&R heroes’ creative processes thru “being there.” — Brad Whitehead, Columbia, South Carolina
Without question my favorite music history site is located a few miles from where I grew up: the Louis Armstrong House Museum on 107th Street in Corona Queens, only a few blocks—not that I knew this then—from where I went to junior high school on 104th Street right near the 7 train IRT stop. But I’ve enjoyed visiting New Orleans several times and wonder if I’ll ever get there again, which I well might. As for my to-do list, I’m a little old for that now but would certainly explore whatever Beatles shrines there are in Liverpool if I were to find myself there.
I have a vague recollection of you mentioning in passing maybe in an interview or presentation that you have an unpublished Louis Jordan essay languishing in your archives. Did I imagine that? If not, any chance it will see the light of day? The two volume Decca best-ofs you’ve recommended were revelatory for me having not consciously encountered his music before finding him in the A+ list. The more I dwell on his oeuvre, the more dismayed I get that an artist so pivotal has become so obscure. The man was to R&B what Charlie Parker was to jazz and had hits to boot. Chuck Berry comes right out of him and when I try to think of artists both as funny and listenable, I come up short after George Clinton and Lil Wayne. Which is all to say, I hope there is a long-form piece to come but, if not, I hope this presents an excuse for you to play some Jordan (allow me to recommend “Hog Wash” and “They Raided the House”). — Dan Weber, Seattle
Just checked my NYU files and found there a solid six-graf lecture on Jordan. Will scrounge around a little more and try to make a Big Lookback out of what I found. Jordan is all too forgotten. Be worth giving him some of the notice he deserves.
I can’t believe asking you a question is this easy. I’d like to start by saying as a 36 year old man, I’ve been reading your spectacular writing for close to 20 years now. Thank you for your contribution to music criticism and your awesome taste. In particular I BEG to know what you think of Dylan’s first three electric records. I’m guessing they’re all on your A shelves, but could you go a bit further with it? Mine are Bringing It All Back Home is an A, H61R A+, and Blonde on Blonde another A Would you agree? Also, did you ever give written reviews for his pre-1968 work? Freewheelin’ is pretty much a perfect record to me. — James Westley
Without bearing down and writing reviews of these records, all of which I like, I would just say this: Freewheelin’ was my first Dylan album and probably remains my favorite, though it’s not electric and that’s partly a kind of nostalgia anyway. As for the first three electrics I’d start with Highway 61 and Bringing It All Back Home though I play Blonde on Blonde more than either and have long nurtured a fondness for the underrated New Morning.
Hey, bud. I grew up reading my dad’s copies of your books. Initially I thought you were an old crank but then I became one too. Highlighted and scribbled through. Bindings bent and dog marks throughout. Anyways . . . fast forward 20 years. I’m bartending at a corner bar and this guy named Wes comes in. He’s a St. Louis guy slumping in his drunken bones. We hit it off just right. Eventually he mentions that once upon a time he was the illustrator at The Village Voice in the ‘80s. Of course the first word out of my mouth is “Christgau.” He gives a drunken snicker and says that he dated your sister. We became friends and I’ve got a bunch of his artwork and he passed away in Baltimore some 10 years ago. So . . . my question is do you know Wes? — Asher Chase Boisvert
Sure I knew Wes Goodwin. He was a damn good illustrator who, like my sister Georgia, put in years at the Voice. They met at the Christian college I think they both graduated from, although as I recall Was wasn’t actually a Christian and by then Georgia was losing the faith as well. Both of them worked at Creem in its early years, and they were quite a serious couple for a while, plus Georgia was night editor at the Voice for a while. She now lives upstairs from me with her husband Steven Levi, who she met at the Voice, and was in contact with Wes in Baltimore before he died. His artwork hangs in her apartment. Good guy, though he did drink.
Hello Bob. Have you heard of a podcast/book series called A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs (by Andrew Hickey)? It’s a great series driven by thorough scholarship. I know you’re not looking for hours of music documentary to listen to, but I just heard the episode on Bill Doggett’s Honky Tonk. There’s a ton of interesting history, and I thought you might have 36 minutes for some great details on this song that changed your life back in 1956. I’m lingering on the late ‘40s and ‘50s episodes, learning so much, and the 30 minute podcasts are digestible. Hickey stretches out a lot when there is more historical detail on the artists and recordings, and three hours on art and culture’s influence on the beginnings of the VU is really a lot. — Jim Peterson, Chicago
Again, again, again—I’m much too busy with sound recordings to listen to podcasts, though that doesn’t prevent me from making one once in a while. If there’s a printed version of the “Honky Tonk” I will certainly read it. Reading—as a professional writer I’m really big on reading.