You’ve haven’t written much about Richard Pryor, but enough to indicate that he interests you. I was taken aback to learn that there have been at least five documentaries about him in the past decade, the best being 2014’s Omit the Logic. I think I understand the continuing fascination; we’re still digesting how sublimely disruptive he was at his best. When he was living in Berkeley in the early ‘70s, essentially reinventing himself professionally, doing gigs at Mandrake’s, and occasionally taking shifts on KPFA, how aware of him were you?
Just listened to "Night Shift" and "When She Was My Girl" by Springsteen, and it was a lot better than I thought it would be...still think Felix Cavaliere could handle the material a little better. I can't believe Bruce sang the "big black girl is gone" line. Very brave in 2022! Not sure if I'm crazy about that choice, but it is in keeping with being honest about the songs' impact, intent, and emotion. Pretty impressive overall.
Bruce's soul album is comparable to the Stones’ Blue and Lonesome, I think, something between a self-indulgent goof and an educational homage. I like Bruce well enough (as a musician, not sure about his Obama stuff) but prefer the Stones (as musicians, not sure about Mick and his ballerina). Both were, in a sense, fakes all along and I don’t care. The Stones invented themselves and essentially a culture and ain’t stopped yet; personally I enjoyed their cover album, reminded me of their first (I’m old enough to remember that release). Bruce sang about driving as if he really could and would and did drive across country like Cassady, which he confessed on Broadway was not precisely the case. Well, not at all the case. But loving the soul music, that was clearly real all along and it comes through on the recording.
Just listened to "Night Shift" and "When She Was My Girl" by Springsteen, and it was a lot better than I thought it would be...still think Felix Cavaliere could handle the material a little better. I can't believe Bruce sang the "big black girl is gone" line. Very brave in 2022! Not sure if I'm crazy about that choice, but it is in keeping with being honest about the songs' impact, intent, and emotion. Pretty impressive overall.
Bruce's soul album is comparable to the Stones’ Blue and Lonesome, I think, something between a self-indulgent goof and an educational homage. I like Bruce well enough (as a musician, not sure about his Obama stuff) but prefer the Stones (as musicians, not sure about Mick and his ballerina). Both were, in a sense, fakes all along and I don’t care. The Stones invented themselves and essentially a culture and ain’t stopped yet; personally I enjoyed their cover album, reminded me of their first (I’m old enough to remember that release). Bruce sang about driving as if he really could and would and did drive across country like Cassady, which he confessed on Broadway was not precisely the case. Well, not at all the case. But loving the soul music, that was clearly real all along and it comes through on the recording.
The Killer did "Rockin' Pneumonia" on Young Blood--a very underrated album where even more of the material is interesting.
Thanks for the concise comment about Dion. Bingo.
Glad you're doing better and FOLK MUSIC is a better Dylan book than Dylan's Dylan book!