Tag Archives: Wheelers Dog

My Holiday or: A Happy Podfather

30 Wednesday Sep 2020

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Salutations™!!

Today I get to celebrate a holiday that many celebrate now but when I started there were a lot fewer. Today is International Podcast Day.

I have mentioned before that I have been podcasting longer than probably 98% people in the area and probably that much or more continuously. I started podcasting in 2007 when I was co-owner of a local comic book store. We only did about 5 or 6 that was even worth mentioning and it most of that was rehashing recorded conference calls with Marvel Comics execs. But, it was a start and wasn’t what I wanted to do. I wanted to do a radio show. I wanted to talk about pop culture. I still want to do radio. And, in a way, I do.

I started The Less Desirables with my pal Brian Attridge on February 3, 2010. You know that story. Eugene came along, Brian left, Caitlin came, Eugene left, Bruce came, Bruce left, Danielle came, Caitlin left, Bethany came. I’ve talked that ad nauseum by now. I wanted to do more than The Less Desirables, though. I wanted a whole network of podcasts, whether I was involved or not, perhaps just as an associate producer. Also, I wanted to get my “studio” out of my house and into a real business location.

So, in late 2012, Eugene and I moved all my stuff from my bedroom loft to a spot in the Chatham Building off of Fourth Street in WSNC. Soon after, in early 2013, I started producing both the Camel City News Hour hosted by Chad Nance and Fan Interference hosted by Ty Collins. CCNH lasted a few years and Fan Interference is still going today. Later in 2013, Nikki Miller-Ka, The BCPF and I started Tart & Tangy Triad, a food news podcast. That went until early 2016.

In February 2015, five years after starting The Less Desirables, Jon Lowder, Paul Jones, and I started The Beer Dads Podcast, after we were sitting at Small Batch Beer trying to decide what we were going to do a podcast about and I came in complaining about 3B, my son. We recorded it and Jon and Paul have become partners of mine. We have crossed the 200 episode mark.

In July of 2016, I recorded my first episode of The Man Who Ate the Town Podcast because I wanted another food podcast and had to rebut nasty comments about a critique of a local restaurant that I was actually a fan of. That is still going and I have had four co-hosts. Kelly Bone was my first, followed by Tim Johnson, then Ray Morgan. Ray is still with me and we have added Lea Metz to our lineup. I love them both being there. We will record episode 170 next week.

In late 2016, I started Sipping NC: The Art of Drinking Podcast with Jordan Keiper and we had a lot of drinking to do, for sure. We recorded into 2017 had to pause due to an illness in Jordan’s family. We are still on that hiatus, although Jordan and I have discussed, along with Danielle from TLD restarting it back up, but C-19 and other issues have kept us from doing that.

In 2018, along with “Jeff Evans” and Rory, we started Apartment 5B: Irrational Conversations with the Cool Breezes of Anytown, USA. We did that up to the pandemic, which JE’s wife was getting ready to have a baby, so we put everything on hold and we haven’t started back up.

In July 2019, Clay Howard and I started Beeswax Vinyl & More, a podcast that explored music in a different way. Clay’s schedule didn’t allow for him to do that long. I’m exploring other options for that. I haven’t given up on it. Stay tuned.

In February of 2020, Eugene B Sims started his long-awaited podcast, Wheeler’s Dog. He does two a week, one for the general public and one for his Patreon subs. I am an “associate producer” for that show. It’s all Eug, really. But, it is on my network.

And, finally, in July of this year, my “Kousins” Gary and Marvin and I started Asylum: The Tales from the Devereaux Diaries Podcast. We talk music but almost exclusively about our favorite band, KISS.

Also, I have produced a lot of podcasts for companies and clients. Forsyth Magazines, Blue Door Group, Phoenix Rising, Ring the Bell Realty, Center for Private Business, Dr. Shawn Ricks, and more are on the way in the next few months.

So, podcasting is now in my blood. I have done it so long and for so many that I’ve been christened, “The Podfather” and I love that title. I run with it and will continue to do so. So, to all my podcasting co-horts, whether they’re mine or not, to those in the community that do podcasts that I’m not part of but may have been inspired by (so I’ve been told) and to the people who listen to them, HAPPY INTERNATIONAL PODCAST DAY!!!!!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I think podcasting is here to stay.” – Adam Scott

A Glimpse of What Once Was or: What’s One More Than a Trifecta?

10 Monday Aug 2020

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Salutations™!!TLDNetwork

I’m giving you a break from videos today. I don’t know if it’s a break or not, though. I mean, I’d just as soon watch videos than to read a bunch of words. Then again, I hate reading, so… Anywhat! Today I got to do something that was almost reminiscent of the way things were back in late February/early March. I produced four podcasts. All of them were for The Less Desirables Network, but not all of them were recorded today. That’s okay, though. It was some semblance of “normalcy.”

So, what did I produce? I recorded and produced a new episode of The Man Who Ate the Town and The Beer Dads. I “produced” which means published in this case the latest non-Patreon episode of Wheeler’s Dog and put together/produced one for Fan Interference in which Ty basically said goodbye to that old name for the Washington Football Team. I felt good about it. I got work done. That helps the mind, for sure.

Listen to the episode of:

TMWATT here.
The Beer Dads here.
Wheeler’s Dog here.
Fan Interference here.

Thank you in advance for listening. We will have new episodes of The Less Desirables and Asylum: The Tales of the Devereaux Diaries Podcast later this week.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I consume a lot of podcasts. I’m a voracious podcast consumer.” – Paul F. Tompkins

Now Normal Chronicles or: The Non-Video Edition

05 Tuesday May 2020

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Salutations™!!

Yesterday was an epic day for podcasting for me. I recorded The Man Who Ate the Town (listen here), The Less Desirables (releasing tomorrow), Beeswax Vinyl & More (listen here) and The Beer Dads (listen here). Then, I “produced” Wheeler’s Dog today. Thursday I will do Fan Interference. So, other than Apartment 5B and Sipping NC: The Art of Drinking, all of the TLD Network shows have been or will be released this week.

TLDNetwork

That’s a good week. I figured I’d give you a break from videos today since my biggest complaint has been the lack of anything happening.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Zoom sponsored by Bull’s Tavern!” – TLD Network

Now Normal Chronicles or: 2000 in 2020

08 Wednesday Apr 2020

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Salutations™!!TLDNetwork

With all this “Now Normal” stuff going on, I didn’t even realize that I had passed 2000 blog posts last week. I think my official count makes this 2,008 blog posts. Part of it is that I have posted every, single day since November 1, 2014. That, Dear Reader, is 1,985 days. So, before that, my writing was hit or miss and I had a blog on another platform. It didn’t get much love anyway and WordPress is a much easier and much better platform.

It wasn’t until Kristen Daukas got me to do the NaBloPoMo (National Blog Post Month) where you post every day for a month. Well, I can’t stop and I like streaks, so, here we are 1,985 days later and I’m still going. And, I couldn’t and wouldn’t have kept going if I didn’t have readers. Thank you, Dear Reader, for doing just that. I certainly appreciate it.

I released Beeswax Vinyl & More yesterday and The Less Desirables today. Also, Wheeler’s Dog released yesterday. Go to the TLD Network website to listen to those.

Well, that’s all I have for today.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Blogging and the Internet allow us to engage in a lot more real-time conversations as opposed to a one-way dump of information or a message.” – Indra Nooyi

New Eps or: The Network

02 Monday Mar 2020

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Salutations™!!

Yesterday The Less Desirables Network released three episodes of the latest podcasts from The Man Who Ate the Town, The Beer Dads and Wheeler’s Dog. tldn screen 3320

I think they were all good spots but then again, I’m pretty biased.

You can listen to each of those if you visit the TLD Network page here. And, it isn’t just the three latest eps from the shows, but nearly all of the past shows in the order they were submitted.

It’s good stuff!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“We do have rum but she’s been abusing the hell out of it…” – Wheeler’s Dog Podcast Episode 4

Thank Heaven for the Blue Laws or: Masters of Reality (Eugeology Entry 13)

06 Thursday Apr 2017

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Salutations™!!

The Twisted Sister album was a gem and I loved that. And, now, for something

Mastersofreality_cover_mastersofreality1988

©Def American

completely different… I really want to read Jon‘s take on this and read what Eugene has to say about this since he’s already told us a bit about it in our “off screen” discussions. So, here’s the latest Eugeology entry:

#13 – Masters of Reality by Masters of Reality.

This is a tale of two (or nine, technically) listens. There’s the first listen, in which I thought this was every bit as bad as listening to the Velvet Underground (and we know I hate listening to VU). Then there’s the subsequent listens in which I found myself singing along with increasing frequency and, much to my chagrin, singing even when I wasn’t listening to it. Every ounce of me wants to not like this, because it’s somewhat amateurish and heavy in the boogie blues crap that I can’t stand. But, common sense aside, I really do like it. There. I said it.

More of why I shouldn’t like it: It sounds like Rage Against the Machine, and at times, Fats Domino, music mixed with Neil Young or Sublime vocals. I don’t really care for any of that. Vocalist Chris Goss dips between quivering and unsure sounding vocals to power-laden pipes. I don’t get it, sometimes. But, dang it… it works, here.

There’s grooves and jams. Heavy guitars one minute and blues piano the next. Riffs in and Gothic choruses out. There’s also some of the oddest harmonies you’ll hear in a record in this genre. But, again, it just works. I don’t get it. I get the music, I just don’t get how it works so well. This album is an anomaly to me, truly.

In the eight and ninth times I listened to this album, I listened with headphones and really got a lot more spread and depth from the production, which is Rick Rubin and while I’m not really a fan of his, he does good work. The bass work of John Endieveri, or Googe as he’s known, is conspicuous in the headphones. It was just “there” listening without headphones. The drums are heavy and steady; kudos Vinnie Ludovico. Rubin got that drum tone right. It’s in your face and prominent.  I really like the ethereal guitar work of Tim Harrington. I may even like that more than his out-front leads, which are pretty righteous throughout, especially the whammy work on “Kill the King.”

My faves on the album, for whatever reasons, are “Candy Girl,” “Doraldina’s Prophecies” (which wasn’t on the original pressing), “John Brown,” “Theme for the Scientist of the Invisible,” “Domino” and “Kill the King.” There are a few I don’t care for: “Magical Spell,” “Gettin’ High” and “The Eyes of Texas.” They’re tolerable, though. “Domino” has a chorus that reminds me of something else and it’s right on the tips of my fingers but I can’t figure it out. It’s reminiscent of something that The BCPF listens to, I think, but I can’t figure it out, at all.

Overall, yeah, I have to admit that I like the album. I don’t love it, but I like it. I mean, I did listen to it, now… 10 times… What say he, Jon and Eug?

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Don’t she look good? Don’t she look fine? She needs to be picked like fruit off the vine. Ain’t she got class? Ain’t she got style? She’s got the right ass. Butt all the while.” – “Magical Spell” (Goss/Harrington)

Wouldn’t You Like to be a Sucker, Too? or: Love is for Suckers (Eugeology Entry 12)

30 Thursday Mar 2017

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Salutations™!!

So, I know I totally let Eugene down on the entry from last week. Just not my thing, but wasn’t not my thing. I am still confused on that one. Jon is still a few weeks behind. In one that Eugene surely thought I was going to take a leak on (he even preemptively called that I wouldn’t like it on our little private message group), I had already listened to it three times at that point and now have listened to it an additional two times. Well, let’s get to it.

Love_Is_For_Suckers_album_cover

©Atlantic Records

#12 – Love is for Suckers by Twisted Sister.

I talked about the importance of Stay Hungry was to my emergence into hard rock (then known as heavy metal, even if we don’t like the term) that wasn’t KISS. I have to say that Come Out and Play, the follow-up to Stay Hungry, let me down enough I didn’t care enough to listen to much of anything after that. Well, mistake #1.

You know I do love me some poppy rock, especially when it’s of the heavy variety. This is more a heavy pop record than even Stay Hungry. But, what this has in its favor over it’s older brother is that there’s not many songs on this one that I’d skip over. There’s not many on the prior either, but those songs were worn out (especially by me). So this makes this album a breath of fresh air. There are some serious power ballads on here in addition to some serious rockin’.

Dee Snider’s vocals are amazing on this album. I don’t know how he managed to sound even halfway decent after the earlier TS stuff, there’s a lot of screeching (the good kind) going on here and then, too. His melodies are more poppy here and again, that’s not a bad thing, at all. Lyrically, and heck mostly musically, he’s spot on the whole time. He was the sole songwriter for all but two tunes. He brings back some of the “Burn in Hell” style along with his high rock-god power on this album.

It’s typical Twisted Sister and it was much better than I thought it was going to be. I saw it come across as the assignment for the week and, while I didn’t roll my eyes, I did raise an eyebrow. I wasn’t dreading it, just was skeptical of how good it was going to be. I’m glad I was surprised; pleasantly so.

I am skeptical about how much Jay Jay French, Eddie “Fingers” Ojeda and Mark “The Animal” Mendoza actually played on this album. It started out as a solo side project for Snider with Reb Beach and Kip Winger, prior to them forming Winger (which I think was underrated, truth be known) and Kix’s Steve Whiteman doing some vocals with him. Now, I know why Eugene likes it so much. I kid. Anywhat! Atlantic wasn’t having any Dee Snider solo action so he “redid” some of it with actual TS members.

I was surprised that A.J. Pero (RIP) wasn’t on this album. I hadn’t realized that he was long longer with the band at this time. I had moved away from most of the heavy music mags at the time and there was no internet for me to keep up with all that. He had left to play with a band called Cities. I wonder if he had just told Snider “no” and Snider kicked him from the band. Who knows. His replacement Joe Franco may be playing on it. I don’t think that drum machines were that sophisticated at the time and there was reports of Franco programming drum machines. So with that, I also “dunno.”

Songs. The first five songs: “Wake Up (The Sleeping Giant),” “Hot Love,” the title track, “I’m So Hot for You” and “Tonight” are fantastic. The latter, oddly enough, reminds me of Cheap Trick but jacked up. The melodies and harmonies throughout those first five were great, too. “Me and the Boys” I didn’t really care one way or another at first, but upon more listens, I liked it more and more. “One Bad Habit” is all boogie rock and we talked last week about me not liking that. It wasn’t awful here, just not my thing. I did like the use of the horns on that song, though. “You Are All That I Need” is a great power ballad and it was indicative of the times. 1987 was prime for power ballads; there were more than plenty. The final song on the album, “Yeah Right” is a cheerleading song. I’m pretty sure that’s a drum machine and not not real drums. It’s almost Afterburner-like from ZZTop at times. I’d say that’s my least favorite song on the album. That is until you get to the bonus tracks (if we’re counting those)…

But, if I’m picking my favorites it would be the first five songs, especially “Hot Love,” and “You Are All That I Need.” Least favorites, the aforementioned “Yeah Right” as well as “Feel Appeal” and “Statutory Date” from the four bonus tracks. Of those, I did like “If That’s What You Want,” which oddly sounds a little like “Rough Boys” from Pete Townshend. So, I did my extra homework with the bonus tracks, this week.

All I can say about this album is that if you haven’t heard it, you need to. The only real suckers are those who don’t like it. It’s a great album and I’ll say I like it better than Stay Hungry. That is until I hear that album again. Loved it, Eug. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts and if Jon ever catches up, his, too.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Oh know, that girl, she’s lookin’ so fine. I know she knows ,what she’s doin’ to my mind. Ooh, does she know that I’m wanting her so. Well, there’s one thing I know, I can never let her go. Talkin’ ’bout hot love, you’re making me crazy.” – “Hot Love” (Snider)

Rock the Nation or: Montrose (Eugeology Entry 11)

23 Thursday Mar 2017

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Salutations™!!

I enjoyed last week’s entry, even thinking that I wouldn’t. Good surprise for me. Still waiting on Jon and Eugene‘s assessment of that one. So, let’s see how I like the selection this week.

Montrose_-_-s-t-

©Warner Bros.

#11 – Montrose by Montrose.

I like Sammy Hagar. I like the overplayed “I Can’t Drive 55” and “There’s Only One Way to Rock.” I like a few others of his solo stuff. My favorite stuff from him, though, is his days with Van Halen and that’s my favorite Van Halen. There, I said it. I like Van Hagar better than Van Halen. Do I think the songs are better? Well, I think they’re better written even if they’re not more mass appealing. I like that over the party cock-rock that DLR brought to the table. Don’t get me wrong, I liked Van Lee Roth, too, but enjoyed Sammy better. Anywhat! I got off the rail there.

This was Sammy’s “let’s rip off Robert Plant” phase. Sure, it sounds like Sammy but a lot of it sounds like he’s trying to be Plant. He was young and this was his vocal debut. I get it, he was finding his style. We all do that when we get into music. Heck, I still play like Gene Simmons. And, upon reading more about the album, it turns out that some refer to this album as “America’s answer to Led Zeppelin.” I can see that. It is, at least to me, mainly because of Sammy’s vocals.

Ronnie Montrose was a good guitarist. He had plenty of riffs on the album that were cool and his solos were on point. I feel at times his tone was a bit boxy, but it works for here. It’s not quite Tom Sholtz boxy, though. It was standard Les Paul tone for the time period. Les Paul through a Fender amp, worlds colliding there. I kid. I do like his pull offs and bends.

I did some digging on Denny Carmassi and like the fact that he played on the Heart album. I know it’s poppy cheese but I like it. He’s had a long and storied career that I never knew about (which isn’t surprising) and I enjoyed listening to his works, both post, and during, this production. Heavy beats, heavy playing. You can tell he’s pounding the snot out of the drums. I dig it.

I think my favorite part about the album is Bill Church. His bass lines are flavorful, tasteful and full. He literally fills the recording with his bottom end. Possibly taking up more than is needed. But, I’m a bassist and I don’t complain about those things. He went on to be Sammy’s bassist for most of his solo career. Great, solid bassist right there.

Even with all the components that I like (or mostly like), there’s something about this album that has left me just feeling “blah.” I’m sure I know what at least half of it is: that fast, rollicking “boogie blues rock.” I can’t stand that stuff. Precisely, I don’t like “Good Rockin’ Tonight” (not a Montrose song) and “One Thing on My Mind.” I really want to like “Bad Motor Scooter” and for the most part I do, but something about it, and I cannot put my finger on it, bugs me. I see from where Mötley Crüe got the intro to “Kickstart My Heart,” though. My favorite song on the album is “Rock Candy.” It also was the only song on the album that all four members got writing credit.

I listened to this album about seven times. That was easy to do since the whole thing isn’t but 32 minutes long. I listened over and over trying – nay, hoping – to get a better liking of it. I wanted to like it. I really, really did. And, I didn’t dislike it. That’s the thing. I wasn’t against it and I don’t not like it, I just didn’t like it. Other than this exercise, I probably won’t listen to it again. It’s a decent album that didn’t really grab me the way I wanted it to. That’s a shame.

I can’t wait to read Eugene’s memories of it and if Jon ever catches up, I’d like to read his thoughts on it. So, bring on the next one, Eug.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“But you’re rock candy baby. Hard, sweet and sticky, yes.” – “Rock Candy” (Carmassi, Church, Hagar, Montrose)

Shake, Shake, Shake or: Electric (Eugeology Entry 9)

09 Thursday Mar 2017

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Salutations™!!

After last week’s joyous rebound for Jon and me digging it, Eugene threw a turd in the water. Let’s do it.

#9 – Electric by The Cult.

The_Cult-Electric_(album_cover)

©Beggars Banquet/Sire

Let me preface this by saying that I’ve never cared one way or another about The Cult. Never liked them, never disliked them. What I knew of them was an odd genre confusion. I had grown up and knew them on Headbangers’ Ball on MTV. So, I thought it was hard rock. I get Sirius (before the XM) and listen to Hair Nation and they’re on there. But, I also listen to 1st Wave (the earliest of new wave and classic alternative) and they’re on there. I don’t think of them, at all, as new wave or classic alternative, but The BCPF disagrees. That’s a lot of her music. A lot. So, confusion and the fact that I couldn’t care less, or even more, doesn’t help this album very much.

I have always thought that Ian Astbury had a very Jim Morrison-like voice. That’s even before he was in The Doors of the 21st Century. He and Glenn Danzig, both, sounded like Morrison. I always thought Astbury could sing, too. On this album, he both proves me right and he proves me wrong; a little right, a lot wrong. Astbury is a power voice one minute and a wailing wraith the next. I have listened to this album three and a half times already and every time the bad parts get worse and my skin crawls. It makes it hard to enjoy the decent parts.

For S’s & G’s I went and listened to Sonic Temple, the album after this and I was right, he could sing. On this album, though, it’s a miserable experience to listen to. There are parts that I like, to be sure. I like “Lil’ Devil,” “Peace Dog,” “Bad Fun,” “Aphrodisiac Jacket” and the hit single, “Love Removal Machine.” But, as the album goes on it gets really annoying to listen. Don’t get me wrong, Billy Duffy (who I always wanted to call Patrick – and I never really watched Dallas), Les Warner and Jamie Stewart are on point the whole time. Well, with the exception of one song, which I’ll get to in a bit. It’s just Astbury that wrecks the album for me. Even Rick Rubin’s production couldn’t fix that. He sounds off key, warbly and, mostly, tired throughout the album. I know I’m letting Eugene down right now, but it really isn’t something I enjoyed.

Clearly, the absolute low point of the whole album, for me, was what has to be the absolute worst cover of “Born to be Wild” that I have ever heard. The band sounds like they’re just going through the motions and there’s not a lot of excitement. That and Ian Astbury is belching off-key crap the whole, entire song. I was excited when it came from Eug, but the more I listen the less I can stomach it. No offense intended on that, I just can’t. I. Just. Can’t.

I figure Jon’s review will be late because he’s enjoying the sun in the Bahamas right now celebrating his 25th anniversary with his lovely bride. Happy anniversary to you both. But, I look forward to his review and I want to read how Eug feels about it. Most of his reviews are a personal memory and I dig that. Whether I dig the album or not.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“She said do all those things that you do to me. You know what I mean, boy. 
Do all those things that you do to me yeah. Love remover love remover machine.
You little soul shaker love remover machine.” – “Love Removal Machine” (Astbury/Duffy)

 

High-falutin’ Society People or: Nuthin’ Fancy (Eugeology Entry 3)

26 Thursday Jan 2017

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Salutations™!!

Well, this week for Eugeology, Eugene threw me for a loop. I’d never consider Lynyrd Skynyrd a “hard rock” band. I’m not saying they’re not hard rockin’, so don’t hear me wrong. I just have never been ain’t been able to stomach a lot of Skynyrd (or any “Southern Rock”). And, in 100% honesty, it really has nothing to do with the band, their music or anything that really matters. It’s the general fan base. That’s it. Again, nothing that matters. It’s my problem and I’m addressing it.

#3 – Nuthin’ Fancy by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

nuthin_fancy_lynyrd_skynyrd_album_-_cover_art

©MCA

His personal demons aside, Artimus Pyle is/was a fantastic drummer. His hi-hat work is amazing. I have always loved the HH sizzles in the bridges of “Saturday Night Special,” the album’s opening track. Also, listen to the hi-hat and freakish ride bell on “Railroad Song.” Jeez o’Pete, he’s killing it.This was also his debut with the band, taking over for Bob Burns, the founding drummer.

Back to “Saturday Night Special,” though. Another big part of that is its fullness. That’s what having three guitarists in the band will do for you. The off-time drum beat is the signature of this song, though. I’m supposing it’s supposed to emulate a gunshot, which is cool because that’s what the song is about. Kind of like the beginning of “Love Gun” from KISS is to emulate a machine gun.

No matter my dislike of the band, I’ll never dismiss their talents and individual merits. Leon Wilkeson was a solid bass player. He’s got some runs in there, for sure. It’s all tasteful, too. Al Kooper (the producer of the album) really pulls his tone out front, too. Leon used a good bit of double stops in his playing and I’m a big fan of that. In fact, it’s a technique that I use in my playing, a lot. I’m used to playing in bands with only one guitar so I use “chords” (double stops) to fill the aural spectrum. This band has three guitarists and a bass player so he did it because it sounds good and he was great.

Ronnie Van Zant had a unique vocal style and he had one powerful voice. He didn’t sing each song the same way. That was good, but sometimes a bit weird. I think the average listener wants consistency. He had consistency, you just have to sometimes listen a little harder for it. I love the way he sounded harmonizing with himself, too. That’s evident in “Am I Losin’.” He also was the sole writer of “Made in the Shade,” a classic blues, almost dixieland-like tune about a man annoyed at his ungrateful girl.

Skynyrd are known for their bluesy riffs and runs. The three guitarists, Ed King, Gary Rossington and Allen Collins, definitely deliver that here, although King left after this album for many years. I think my problem with them (the band) musically, is they’re a bit more blues than I’d prefer. I don’t mind bluesy, but blues, I’m just not a fan. Although, I do enjoy hearing Billy Powell slam his fingers on the piano during that stuff. His organ work is fantastic, too.

This album, while certainly not my favorite, by any means, isn’t bad. It starts off really, really strong with “Saturday Night Special” and goes, then, into “Cheatin’ Woman.” That’s some great Powell and Wilkeson parts, there. “Railroad Song” again with the cymbal work but also the rolling guitar riffs, is a full and fun song to listen to. I could do without the harmonica. I really don’t like blues harp. “I’m a Country Boy” has that great groovy guitar part with punches in the chorus.

I know the two songs I hear the most from this album are “Saturday…” and “On the Hunt.” I love the chorus of that song and I definitely love that riff. That makes the whole song; at least setting the tone. Again, harmonica on “Made in the Shade” but I think it fits here and I love Van Zant’s vocals, feeling the agony about his girl, and it’s evident. Maybe it’s not agony. Resignation, perhaps? Still, it’s a great song. I think the only song I don’t really care for is “Whiskey Rock-A-Roller.” Yep, you guessed it. A bit too boogie woogie bluesish for me.

I really hate having to admit that I did like this album. It’s not probably anything that I’d want to go back to listen to again, because I still had trouble getting through it (twice) to write this, just from my hangups. But, the album, is solid and 7/8 of it, I really liked. Good job, Eug. Can’t wait for the next installment. Dear Reader, are you familiar with this album? What’s your thoughts? I’d love to know.

I also can’t wait to read Eugene’s and Jon‘s take on this album.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“Big Jim’s been drinkin’ whiskey and playin’ poker on a losin’ night. And, pretty soon ol’ Jim starts a thinkin’, somebody been cheatin’ and lyin’. So Big Jim commence to fightin’. I wouldn’t tell you no lie. Big Jim done pulled his pistol. Shot his friend right between the eyes.” – “Saturday Night Special” (King/Van Zant)