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They don’t make them like they used to (songs)

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Listening to the spanking new remaster of Little Feat’s Dixie Chicken, I was struck by Walkin’ All Night, in which the protagonist mistakes a business arrangement for a potential romance. There must have been something in the water in 1973. Steely Dan use the same premise in Pearl Of The Quarter. It’s the closest they ever came to writing a love song. Elton John, however, is brutally clear eyed about his Sweet Painted Lady. On the other hand, the Southern Belle in Dixie Chicken seems happy to share her favours without a financial transaction, as long as she is paid in kind.

Somehow, I can’t imagine these kind of songs being written today, except from a totally different perspective, maybe by the likes of Lana Del Ray.

Any other examples of songs they don’t write like they used to?

Tintin

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The death as been reported of Leslie Lonsdale-Cooper, aged 97.

No I hadn’t heard of her either.

She was the co-translator, with one Michael Turner, of Belgian writer/illustrator/genius Hergé.

The author of the Tintin books.

Read the obit. She was the person who translated Captain Haddock’s expostulations into English – ie she is responsible for “Blistering Barnacles”, “Thundering Typhoons” – etc etc

My question is – did you grow up with Tintin?

In New Zealand, we all did.

But when I moved to Australia in the early 80s, I discovered two essential differences between the Australian and New Zealand cultures (apart from all the indigenous cultural things that are now deservedly more prominent)

1. Australians did not grow up with Tintin 2. Australians did not grow up with Little Feat

Let us address No 1.

Did Afterworders grow up with Tintin?

https://www.smh.com.au/national/co-translator-brought-tintin-books-to-global-audience-20220309-p5a31p.html?btis&fbclid=IwAR3cdMSttofrlgFOkx06xx57T9Mee8cwtUjAya-85AqrhwjLVXFIEXCu6vc

I was there, but I don’t remember much about it

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I was talking with an old friend the other day and we recalled the time Talking Heads came to Wellington, New Zealand, in 1979. My ONLY memories of that show are firstly that the band seemed really nervous, and secondly that someone in the audience yelled out “TINAAAA!!!” and Tina Weymouth looked slightly embarrassed. However my friend also recalled that she broke a string on her bass, and continued playing her bass parts on a guitar. I would have thought I’d remember that, being a musician myself. And thinking about it now – what band would do an international tour without either spare instruments or at least bass strings? (Mind you, bass strings rarely break).

Anyway it made me think about what I remember from concerts/gigs/shows I’ve seen in the past, and – I’ve noticed this before – often I remember very little, if anything, about them.

For example, Little Feat came to Wellington NZ in 1976. The only 2 things I remember are the giant cactuses on the stage, and the roadie who gave them all a towel as they walked off stage, and Kenny Gradney threw his back at him. I have no memory of the songs they » Continue Reading.

RIP Little Feat’s Paul Barrere

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Just seen a post on FB indicating that Paul passed away on Saturday, after a prolonged bout of liver cancer. Not much detail at the moment.

He was a mainstay of Little Feat from 1973 onwards, when he joined the band and wrote songs from their classic period such as Skin It Back and All That You Dream. He also co-wrote Feats Don’t Fail Me Now and Romance Dance, among others.

In the band hiatus after Lowell George died, he had various solo band set ups, and penned one of my favourite song titles – If Your Phone Don’t Ring (You Know It’s Me).

RIP Paul

View post on imgur.com

https://imgur.com/vHepKmE

Non-Hit Wonders

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In 1972, Warner Brothers invested a fair bit in Little Feat, hired a hot-shot percussionist, Milt Holland, and a sure-fire producer, Ted Templeman, to create a hit single, written by Lowell George and Martin Kibbee. Kibbee changed his name to Fred Martin, so the song credit read an eye-catching ‘George Martin’. Easy To Slip is a belting song; bright, uplifting, beautifully sung by George in his most fetching auburn croon. What is there not to like. It bombed. Little Feat didn’t start making money until they were splitting up four years later. Nevertheless, Easy To Slip is a perfect single, more than matching any other Little Feat single and The Afterword knows Little Feat, being the beeze neeze, were not prone to releasing anything other than great singles.

What other records should have been a hit but the public, inexplicably, ignored?

Dear Santa….the Afterword Christmas gift list

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I’ve just found something I want for Christmas. I’m pretty sure there are others amongst us (do we still call ourselves the Massive?) who will be similarly tempted.

If you’re not a Feat fan though, I’m sure there are other Afterword-friendly pressies you covet. So what will you be asking Santa for?

http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab226/NickDuvet/Feat%20T_zpsnbsonysb.jpg