You Know Who... Is Drooling All Over Himself

Given that I came directly from having a root canal, I think things went pretty well. I thought I would be sounding like Bill Murray’s character in Caddyshack, but aside from a little drooling, everything went just fine.
The top of the show was inspired by having seen Gary Lucas’ Gods and Monsters at City Winery last week. It was the beginning of a new line-up of the project, which Lucas had once described as more of a “happening” than a group. Lucas and longtime bass player, Ernie Brooks, we joined by drummer Calvin Weston who brought a startling amount of energy and volume to the proceedings. Sadly, I’ve been to precious few shows in the last year, but this one was truly chaotic and inspiring. Thus, the first third of the show was devoted to those three musicians and other projects in which they have taken part. Aside from what was played on the show, there is plenty more to seek out such as Lucas’ work with Captain Beefheart, Brooks’ work with The Modern Lovers and David Johanson, and Weston’s work with The Lounge Lizards and Ornette Coleman.
The middle third was just your classic “concerts from this day,” which interestingly included several from South America. I suppose it is warmer there this time of year.
The final segment spent some time pondering bands eponymously named for an individual in the group, and made me wonder about the interpersonal dynamics in such bands.
I hope you dig it.
 
Click here to check it out:
LIC Radio 1/16/2025
 
 
James “Blood” Ulmer
“We Bop”
(James "Blood" Ulmer)
Shoctor Theatre, Edmonton, Algerta, CA, 8/19/82
Studio version released on Black Rock  (Columbia, 1982)
 
 
Lenny Bruce
“A Pretty Bizarre Show”
From To Is a Preposition; Come Is a Verb (Douglas, 1970)
Recorded at The Jazz Workshop, San Francisco, CA, 10/4/61
 
Lenny was arrested at the end of this performance for his use of the word “c********r,” considered at the time to be an obscene word describing a then-illegal homosexual act. In spite of his usage of the word in the bit as a derogatory term for gays, spoken while relating an interaction with a bigoted night club owner, he subsequently would say that, “it’s weird how they manifested that word as homosexual, ‘cause I don’t. That relates to any contemporary chick I know, or would know, or would love, or would marry.”
 
 

Gary Lucas (photo by Paolo Soriani)

Gods and Monsters (Jeff Buckley and Gary Lucas)
“Grace” (Studio Demo)
(Jeff Buckley, Gary Lucas)
Studio Demo, recorded at Krypton Studios, NY City; 8/17/91
From Songs to No One 1991–1992  (Circus Records/Knitting Factory Records, 2002)
Later recorded and released on Jeff Buckley’s Grace  (Columbia, 1994)
 
Jeff Buckley – vocals, harmonica
Gary Lucas – guitar
Jared Nickerson –  bass
Tony Lewis – drums
 
 
James “Blood” Ulmer
“Jazz Is the Teacher (Funk is the Preacher)”
(James "Blood" Ulmer)
Shoctor Theatre, Edmonton, Algerta, CA, 8/19/82
Studio version released on Are You Glad to Be in America?  (Rough Trade, 1980)
 
James “Blood” Ulmer – electric guitar; vocals
Amin Ali – electric bass
Grant Calvin Weston – drums
 
 
Elliott Murphy
“Out for the Killing”
(Elliot Murphy, Ernie Brooks)
From Milwaukee  (EMIS, 1986)
 
 
Gov’t Mule
“World of Confusion”
(Warren Haynes, Gary Lucas)
From The Deep End, Volume 2  (ATO, 2002)
 
Warren Haynes – Guitar, vocals
Matt Abts – Drums
Tony Levin – Bass
Gary Lucas – Guitar
 
 
The Beatles
“She Loves You’
(Lennon / McCartney)
L'Olympia, Paris, FR, 1/16/64 (Late show)
Studio version released as single A-side (Parlophone, 1963)
 
 
The Doobie Brothers
“Nobody”
(Tom Johnston)
Pacific High Recorders, San Francisco, CA , 1/16/72
Studio version released on The Doobie Brothers  (Warner Bros., 1971)
 
 
Muddy Waters
“Baby Please Don’t Go”
(Traditional)
Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA, 1/16/74
Muddy’s first recorded version released as “Turn the Lamp Down Low” (Chess, 1953)
 
 
Kansas
“Child of Innocence”
(Kerry Livgren)
Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, IL, 1/16/76
Studio version released on Masque  (Kirshner, 1975)
 
 
Van Halen
“Unchained”
(Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony, David Lee Roth)
Poliedro de Caracas, Caracas, VE, 1/16/83
Studio version released on Fair Warning  (Warner Bros., 1981)
 
 

Nirvana at their worst

Nirvana
“Should I Stay or Should I Go”
(Topper Headon, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Joe Strummer)
Hollywood Rock Festival, Estádio Cícero Pompeu de Toledo, São Paulo, BR, 1/16/93
Originally version by The Clash from Combat Rock  (CBS/Epic, 1982)
 
Considered Nirvana’s most disastrous show. Cobain was allegedly withdrawing from heroin, and combined large amounts of Valium and alcohol to compensate.
 
 
Sting”
“Seven Days”
(Sting)
Estadio José Amalfitani, Buenos Aires, AR, 1/16/01
Studio version released on Ten Summoner's Tales  (A&M, 1993)
 
 
Dr. Hook
“Looking for Pussy”
(Shel Silverstein)
CD bonus track on Sloppy Seconds  (Columbia, 1973)
 
 
Sade
“No Ordinary Love”
(Sade Adu, Stuart Matthewman)
Saturday Night Live, NBC Studio 8H, New York, NY, 11/21/92
Studio version released on Love Deluxe  (Epic, 1992)
 
 
Manfred Mann
“Handbags and Gladrags”
(Mike d'Abo)
BBC Session, 1/3/68
First recorded by Chris Farlowe (Immediate, 1967)
 
 
Brinsley Schwarz
“Surrender to the Rhythm”
(Nick Lowe)
From Live Archive Vol. 4 Köln and Paris  (Vogon, 2023)
Recorded at WDR Studio L, Köln, DE, 3/6/75
Studio version released on Nervous on the Road  (United Artists, 1972)
 
 
Alice Cooper
“Long Way to Go”
(Michael Bruce)
St Louis Arena, St Louis, MO, 12/17/71
Studio version released on Love It to Death  (Straight, 1971)
 
 
Gary Lucas
“King Kong”
(Frank Zappa)
Vin Scelsa's "Idiot's Delight," K-Rock FM Radio, New York, NY, 12/XX/93 (Date uncertain)
Original version released by The Mothers of Invention on Uncle Meat  (Bizarre/Reprise, 1969)