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By Max Conroy
The other day I sent a letter to Jandek. Well, I sent it to Corwood Industries; to the same post office box that’s been used by Corwood Industries/Jandek for the last thirty years. I felt kind of lame for doing this because I thought of how many geeks like me have done it over the years. I was also thinking about stories that I’ve heard and read about where Jandek will send radio stations and journalists interested in his music crates of records for years on end, and if at all possible I want crates of Jandek records. I’m not sure if a shit-ton of Jandek records could possibly be healthy in any way, but I’d certainly listen to them and be obliged to review them. Naturally, we focus on vinyl here and Corwood only makes CDs now, so I also wanted to find out if Corwood has any records lying around the apartment. I had also seen in Jandek on Corwood that Corwood Industries would send letters in response to people searching for information about Jandek, presumably from Jandek, that have polite and firmly cryptic refusals to provide any information beyond the records:
The story must be crafted from what you have and know from the music. We cannot provide interviews or other exchanges of information outside of the releases at present. It’s probable that your crafted story would be more interesting than any other. Intrigue goes a long way sometimes.
The examples that I’ve seen of these response letters are typically written in slightly sloppy block lettering and are signed by ‘Corwood’ or ‘Your friends at Corwood’. I wrote the letter and asked for recommended records, since there are 53 of them, any promotional material to review, and asked if they had any vinyl left. In the letter I addressed Corwood as to whom I was writing, referring to Jandek only in the third person. I didn’t really expect any response beyond an order form for CDs, but would love records or even a letter written in the same format that I’d seen.
This was two weeks ago approximately that I sent the letter. I went to my mailbox today, opened it, and there was a single letter in the narrow box. It was a letter from Corwood Industries, the address stamped in the top left corner of the envelope. It seemed eerily appropriate that the letter seemed lonely in my mailbox, as it’s a rare day that it doesn’t get filled with a bunch of bullshit, wasted paper. I took care in opening it, not wanting to destroy the envelope or the letter and noticed that it was written in slightly sloppy, mostly block lettering, the paper looked like it had a rough time of it at Corwood or on the way from Houston:
We literally have no vinyl to offer. We sold all vinyl and moved to CD. Vinyl is in production at:
Jackpot Records, 203 SW 9th Ave, Portland, OR 97205
We suggest you inquire therein.
(No Signature)
I checked out Jackpot Records online and they only offer Jandek CDs. Perhaps I will see if they are going to manufacture Jandek vinyl. The letter seems typical, but there was no salutation or signature. If you’re out there, Jandek, Cousins would love to review some records or hear from you.
Click below to view the actual letter and to hear a jam off one of Jandek’s most recent platters The Myth of Blue Icicles.
By Max Conroy
On Saturday, May 17th Jandek played a free concert at the University of Michigan’s Lydia Mendelssohn Theater. The show was sponsored by WCBN-FM (88.3 on your FM dial), the student-run station of the University, booked by Brendt Rioux, and featured James Cornish on trumpet, Christian Matjias on harpsichord, and Biba Bell on vocals and improv dance. Apparently this was the first Jandek performance to feature live improv dancing. Jandek played hollow body bass and sang. This is what’s known.
This is what’s unknown: the identity of Jandek, the aim of his endeavors, and virtually everything about the production and meaning behind his music. Jandek has put out fifty-three albums in thirty years. The records range from atonal bluesy folk to thirty minute vocal-only tracks and some feature other musicians most likely (even though he does overdub tracks). The lyrical content of his songs are most definitely poetic in nature, possibly autobiographical, and definitely surreal, causing people to speculate as to whether or not this is a sort of diary of a person suffering from mental illness or records to be enjoyed as such, art for art’s sake.
There are only a handful of people who have ever spoken to or communicated with Jandek; and in these instances, the person is known only as a “representative of Corwood Industries.” Corwood Industries is Jandek’s record label and in his only recorded interview, by John Trubee for Spin in 1985, featured on YouTube and as an extra on the Jandek on Corwood DVD, he discloses that he is the “sole proprietor” of Corwood, which has maintained the same PO Box in Houston since 1978. All of his records and DVDs are purchased directly from Corwood/Jandek, cheaply, and none are sold to record stores or libraries. Jandek also mentions in that interview that at the time he was working as a machinist and living in Houston, Texas. The name on the copyright information for Jandek’s records in the Library of Congress is Sterling Richard Smith, born in Rhode Island in 1945 (he mentions Rhode Island in several songs). He originally recorded one record under the name The Units and sent his record to radio stations and record stores, and was forced to change the name when a guy whom he sent the record to in San Francisco threatened to sue him as that was the name of his band. As a result he wanted to find a name that no one could possibly have, so he ended up speaking to a fellow named Dekker in January and came up with Jandek.
The more that I research Jandek, the more his history or what he’s illuminated for us seems to be the creation of a highly intelligent, very sane person, very similar to the way a novelist comes up with material culled from his past, subconscious, and ability to tell a convincing story. Before his days as Jandek, he allegedly wrote seven novels, which he burned after being rejected by publishers. He tells Trubee that, “I put out a product, and that’s it. I don’t want to get too involved.” This smells like bullshit to me, but very good bullshit.
We got a request to post the audio of this 45, so here it is. William Wooten Plays Keyboard on Qualified. Kevin Carter, the guitar player on the song, now plays in a wedding band entitled Intrigue. One of the writers of the Floaters tune “Float On“, Brimstone Ingram is credited as an arranger on Games. As far as the sound goes it is not to bad for ‘88.
Games
(She’s) Qualified To Satisfy
by Cousin Geoff
Alright, one more fantastically awesome 80s Detroit sports 45 and then I promise I’m done for a while and will go back to more, um, serious takes on good music. Maybe.
What can I say about this 45? It was done by Gino Danelli in 1981, the same guy who put out Ain’t No Stoppin’ us Now/Tigers in ‘84. Cousin Justin tells me that Gino still sings around Detroit these days. I think that Gino’s next song should be about Cousins Vinyl’s rec league basketball team that was so sweet two years ago - we led the league in techs, ejections, and illegal alley-oop dunks. We were surely on the same level as these other Detroit sports legends that Gino chose to sing about.
This one is about Thomas Hearns, one of the most legendary Detroit boxers ever. Nicknamed The Hitman, or the Motor City Cobra, Hearns still lives in the Detroit area, and is always at the Pistons games these days flashing around. I shook his hand there once. I said, “Howya doin’ champ!”, as he walked by and he stopped and shook my hand and smiled. What a great boxer - even though he lost, who could forget his classic fight against Marvelous Marvin Hagler, the most electrifying fight in history? Known for his tall, lanky build and his aggresive flicker jab, Hearns won world championships in three different weight classes, and is truly worthy of a Gino Danelli song.
listen to The Hitman, on Trio Three records:
by Cousin Geoff
The Sun Messengers are one of my favorite local bands. I’ve written about them a couple times, and cheered them on at Pistons games, where they serve up the funk as the resident house band.
So, I was excited to not only find a 45 by The Sun Messengers that I had never seen, but lo and behold it was another Tigers song to add to the collection.
There’s good parts to this song, like the opening, and the chorus, but the singing is really pretty bad. The front says it’s The Sun Messengers w/ Tyrone Hamilton and the Bleature Creature Choir. This Tyrone Hamilton is, I assume, the one singing and it sort of sounds like someone wrote a song about the Tigers and then performed it at a family reunion and the family is too nice not to tell him he can’t sing worth a lick. I’m guessing that Tyrone Hamilton was one of The Sun Messenger’s friends, and they didn’t have the heart to get someone else to do lead vocals on this track.
That being said, I really don’t care too much. In fact, I sort of like it better that it’s kind of bad. It’s still an awesome song. The label alone is worth adding to my collection.
What’s that you say, I said the Tigers won again today!
Listen to Tiger Dynasty:
by Cousin Geoff
I’ve had this record for a while now and it’s easily one of my favorite dub albums. If you’re just learning about dub, you could start with King Tubby or Lee Perry, or just prepare for a totally different listening experience - the deconstruction of reggae music.
Jamaican born Jah Bunny was the drummer for Dennis Bovell, perhaps the UK’s most influencial reggae artist of the 70s and 80s as a band leader for his group Matumbi, as well as a producer and solo artist. Although Mutumbi was at it’s core a roots band, Dennis Bovell was also very involved in the dub art form, and no doubt his influence rubbed off on Jah Bunny.
This 1980 private label LP is an adventurous but laid back dub effort, and one I’d highly recommend as a hidden gem for reggae/dub collectors. It flows pleasantly and coherently through guitar and bass manipulations to compliment Jah Bunny’s rhythmic creations, with no worries and no hurry. If you want to listen to modern dub that you can just put on, walk away, and fully relax, then look for this one or something similar. It’s as good a Sunday afternoon listen as it is a late Saturday night one.
Jah Bunny currently plays drums and percussion, and sings backup vocals for the UK ska/punk band Freetown, a band I would definitely go see if they played in Ypsilanti!
Listen to the lead off track off the Dubs International album, although unless you can turn this way up or put on headphones for the bass, you might not fully appreciate it:
by Cousin Geoff:
FINALLY! Monday is Opening Day for the Tigers. How sweet are we going to be this year? Will this be the most potent offense ever assembled? Here are some Tigers songs from their championship years to fire you up even more!
I just found this one. It’s from ‘84, set to the tune of Thriller, by Tom Paul.
listen to Tiger Thriller:
Another from ‘84, it’s Gino Danelli with the song Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now/Tigers. Stay tuned for another great track by Gino coming up soon about Thomas Hearns.
listen to Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now/Tigers:
Here’s another one I just found, from ‘84, The Sun Messengers - Tiger Dynasty:
Also from ‘84 is the song Bless You Boys, I don’t have it but you can listen here.
Now we go back to ‘68 and the song Go Get ‘em Tigers by Artie Fields, off the Year of The Tiger album.
listen to Go Get ‘em Tigers:
From the Detroit sound label comes the York Mills Trio’s Sockit To ‘Em Tigers
And just for fun, check out 31 game winner and jazz organ hipster Denny McLain, doing the song For Me off his Denny McLain at the Organ LP. Not bad - what can you play Verlander?
How excited am I? Let me say that if the Tigers win the World Series this year, I’ll bring back my Todd Jones stache that I had last summer for an hour after I shaved my beard. I’ll rock it for a week.
Cousin Justin posted a nice selection of old school rap LPs and 12″s.
Included is Run DMC’s first, self titled LP:
From All Music:
Prior to this, rap felt like a block party — the beats were funky and elastic, all about the groove. Run-D.M.C. hit hard. The production is tough and minimal, built on relentless drum machines and Jam Master Jay’s furious scratching, mixing in a guitar riff or a keyboard hit on occasion. It is brutal urban music, and Run and D.M.C.’s forceful, muscular rhymes match the music. Where other MCs sounded cheerful, Run and D.M.C. prowl and taunt the listener, sounding as if they were a street gang. And while much of the record is devoted to braggadocio, boasting, and block parties, Run-D.M.C. also addressed grittier realities of urban life, giving this record both context and thematic weight. All of this — the music, the attitude, the words, the themes — marked a turning point for rap, and it’s impossible to calculate Run-D.M.C.’s influence on all that came afterward. Years later, some of the production may sound a bit of its time, but the music itself does not because music this powerful and original always retains its impact and force as music.
Check out the rest of the All Music review on this LP and listen some audio clips.
There’s also Lord Finesse and DJ Smooth, Funky Technician:
Both Justin and I have heard this played a lot on Sirius on XM - it’s definitely a classic among classics. From All Music:
It’s a simple formula: bring together one of the East Coast’s finest rappers with some of the most clever trackmasters in hip-hop, then add in a stellar DJ, and the results are bound to be exciting. Funky Technician was just that, an excellent LP of battle rap with Lord Finesse simultaneously claiming and proving his immense skills over a set of funky backing tracks that used the familiar James Brown blueprint but delivered it with unobtrusive class and innumerable displays of deft turntable wizardry. read the rest of this review and listen to some audio clips
The Detroit Blue Pigs were a group of rapping Detroit policemen who went around to schools talking about fighting crime and being safe. I found their 45 today called “Fight The Crime”, so I thought I’d post it right away. With all the negative publicity they’ve been getting lately they deserve some props. My wife went to Pontiac Central high school and she remembers when they came to her elementary school and the kids went crazy. She got a big kick out of the song and I hope you do to.
I have a good friend who regularly hangs out with some Detroit police, and I’ve got nothing against them. I also know someone who is a former Detroit cop, and he had some interesting stories to tell. You guys have a crazy hard job, day in and day out, so MUCH RESPECT DETROIT POLICE! I’d like to see you cut another track to follow up this one.
listen to “Fight The Crime” on the Det Mi label, 1986:
Michael Jackson’s Thriller, reworked by artists like Wycleff, Kanye West (I heard he does Billie Jean without the bass line) and Akon, hit the stores yesterday. The album was put together in honor of the original’s 25 year anniversary. Of course, you can buy that from us here. 7 out of 9 tracks on this LP hit the Billboard top ten, including my favorite Billie Jean. What an unbelievable album. The new one intrigues me.
Today I will be uploading 100 Rock and Roll 45’s. This collection is a real mixed-bag. I pulled out five interesting ones to highlight here!
First Up Is G.C. Woodrow & The Woodsmen. This record appears on OJ Records. The look of the label resembles that of the OJ or Old Judge Records from Memphis. The only stuff I could really find about this label is stuff from the late 50’s with thier discography ending in 1959. One of the more interesting people to record on this label is Wink Martindale. The singer and songwriter is listed as Mike Wood on both sides. My theory on this is that it is early 60’s RnR from Memphis. The B-side of this record is my favorite. You can bid on the record here.
G.C. Woodrow & The Woodsmen-Another Time Another Place
G.C. Woodrow & The Woodsmen-Runnin’ Around
Next up is Team 23 on Race Records. The songs are Whatever Moves You/Move Into The Rhythm. This 45 is UK Ska Punk from 1981. The group evolved from the X-Certs, (a guy who knows more than me writes about it here). I really dig both tracks on this one. Bid on it here.
Team 23-Move Into The Rhythm
Team 23-Whatever Moves You
Now for Storm Going Going Gone/Sweet Happiness on Suflower Records. This I believe is Larry Weiss as a “band”. It is pure pop goodness. Bid here NOW!
Storm-Going Going Gone
Storm-Sweet Happiness
Next Is Home, the songs are Time Traveler/What’s The Use. The songwriter is Jerry Brown on both tracks. Beyond that I do not know much else. BID BID BID
Home-Time Traveler
Home-What’s The Use
Last, but not least is Joe Morton’s Lover, Lover, Be My Cover/Polly Newspaper Dolly. Lots of actors have put out vanity albums that are pure garbage, see Bruce Willis. Here, stage and screen star Joe Morton does a pretty good job over recording material written by Dory Previn on Lover and Danny Cohen on polly. PLEASE BID
Joe Morton-Lover Lover Be My Cover
Joe Morton-Polly Newspaper Dolly
Every fan of rock, rhythm and blues has entertained the notion of time travel. We’ve all thought about going back in time to see our favorite musicians play. I’m speaking in regards to contemporary music; some historical events might outshine cool music if the power actually existed: the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the crucifixion of Christ, etc. What if you could somehow transport yourself to a juke joint or a street corner in Arkansas ca. 1938 to see Robert Johnson play? Or what if you could have weaseled your way into Stax to help Otis Redding carry that band’s equipment in the day he was given a chance? We could use the power like Scott Bakula in Quantum Leap, traveling in time to correct some atrocity without affecting the space-time continuum. We could tell Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens to blow off tomorrow’s show and to go get plowed in the hotel bar until the weather clears up; we could tell Syd that acid is not a good thing when taken every day; we could pull Brian Jones out of the pool.
The era that I’d choose changes daily as my tastes run hot and cold, from record to record, and article to article. One day I am the only white dude in the juke joint buying the whole place a round in 2007 money while RJ uses his lazy eye to seduce every woman in the place (somehow I never get robbed or stabbed or robbed and stabbed in the fantasy), some other days I’m in the Grande Ballroom watching the Stooges and MC5.
Several things have influenced my current destination, London 1965. I recently picked up a Mono version of the Rolling Stones Now! album (maroon, unboxed, London label, without the FFRR ear, two bars running across it, full liner notes and no mention of hi-fi recording on the label) for $10. It’s not in perfect shape, but it’s not bad at all. It’s probably my favorite early Stones album; right up there with 12 X 5. It’s got awesome covers and one of my favorite originals, Heart of Stone. After seeing the movie Stoned, about the death of Brian Jones, their cover of Little Red Rooster represents to me exactly who they were at that time (much like the album cover to December’s Children) : a badass band, doing something with an edge better than anyone else, with the power to put a room in the palm of their hand. Stoned is not really a good movie at all, but the scene where they play Rooster at the Marquee Club makes the movie worth watching. The other thing that influenced my decision to travel back to London in 1965 is a brief article I read in this month’s Mojo about the Pretty Things. The article was somewhat of a let down, only because I wanted to keep reading more about the band. They are often compared to the Stones, now and back then, and their guitar player was the original Stones bassist. The Pretties in ‘65 were playing the same type of music as the Stones, R & B covers and a smattering of great originals, but they seem a bit more primitive and reckless. If I had my way, I’d find a weekend in 1965 where the Stones played on a Friday and the Pretty Things on Saturday and I’d have a nice weekend getaway in history and here’s what I’d be screaming like a pubescent girl for.
Little Red Rooster
The Pretty Things’ Midnight to Six Man
God bless him, Cousins Justin worked his ass off and put up almost 400 45s off a collection he bought recently. A real solid batch, it features soul to modern soul in real nice condition. Here are some that intersted me on first glance:
This just looks sweet. It’s on Bang - Justin claims it kicks ass.
Billy Lamont - Girls Girls Girl/Shake and Jerk
This cool janitor I used to work with used to ask me all the time if we had any Willie Hutch. I wan’t hip to Willie Hutch, but I figured he must be sweet with a name like Willie Hutch. This title has to be good.
Willie Hutch - What You Going To Do After The Part
Bill Withers, on Sussex, one of my favorite labels. Sussex put out some great stuff - catchy funk and soul. Lean On Me is one of those songs you just gotta have.
Justin, is this any good? I’m extremely interested - on a Detroit label I’ve never seen, last name the same as mine, great title.
This looks really promising.
Jimmy Delphs - Do You Know What I Mean
So does this.
Well, I’m going to stop here. But I encourage you to go exploring because there’s a ton more cool Detroit stuff and a bunch more classic mod soul and other more obscure hidden gems. This is a much better batch than I realized. I gave Justin this lead and he sounded kind of excited but not like jumping out of his pants or anything after he bought the collection. After looking this over, it’s good. The condition is excellent too. If you’re hunting, browse around and take some chances here - I think you’ll get some good deals. We don’t really know what’s what - like always, it just goes off starting at $7.50.
If I were DJing and playing a modern soul set, I’d bring down the house when I dropped Back To Ypsilanti (IF of course this set was actually IN Ypsilanti). There couldn’t be a let down after this, or I’d clear the floor. So what to play next? What could possibly follow this song?:
I COULD turn it over and play the flip side, Tarnished Love Affair, if I wanted some slow dancing going on. But I would probably close the set with that. I would want to keep it high energy - but still somehow maintain the same vibe.
So I think I know what I would play. It’s a song that’s been a Cousins Vinyl favorite for some time now - discovered by Justin while digging through the backstock a few years ago. A track by Richard “Dimples” Fields, off his LP “Mr. Look So Good”, called A Woman At Home And A Freak On The Side. Recorded in 1982, it’s in the same genre as Tyrone Davis - some real feel-good dancin’ soul. He tributes the album to Jackie Wilson, and also does a fantastic version of Sincerely. But I think Freak on The Side is truly his own.
Ol’ Dimples tells us all about his situation, but he isn’t sweating it at all. He’s got one girl at home to cook for him and wash his drawers, and another on the side to get his freak on with. And the thing is, he wants to keep ‘em both! He says you can do it if you know how. Personally, I prefer just my one woman at home, but hey, if Mr. Look So Good wants to do it like that, I’m not judging him. Go here to read about Dimples Fields.
What do you think? Could this follow Back To Ypsilanti?
Ann Arbor punk band The Cult Heros were led by Hiawatha Bailey on vocals, and reached their punkness peak in the late 70s and early 80s. They brought it, playing hard, raw, and loud. I still see Hiawatha hanging around the Blind Pig these days; he’s one of those larger than life characters who you have to see meet in person to appreciate.
This is off the Cruisin’ Ann Arbor comp. LP.
listen to Lexington:
