Tag Archives: Jim Dickinson

13. Luther Dickinson And The Sons Of Mudboy – Onward And Upward

Luther Dickinson And The Sons Of Mudboy - Onward And UpwardMudboy was Jim Dickinson. His band was The Neutrons and his idea was la musique v̩rit̩ Рcapture the music the way it happens in the studio. Jim died last year and his sons and friends gathered to celebrate his life with a stunning set of blues tunes and a simple two track recorder. They recorded these songs the way they were happening. Jim would be proud.

Flashlite #78 – Tribute to Alex Chilton

Alex ChiltonJust a few short months ago we lost Jim Dickinson. And now another Memphis rock’n’roll legend left the planet. Dickinson and Chilton are actually much more than Memphis rock’n’rollers. They are an epitome of a true rock’n’roll star anywhere in the world. Beautiful, uncompromising, larger than life but at the same time. Alex Chilton also epitomizes a sad, defeated rock’n’roll star, enormous talent that had difficulties finding its audience. When Chilton was 16 he had an early success with The Box Tops, but that was a little too much, a little too early.  Alex simply did not feel free to do his own thing. When he was ready to conquer the world in his twenties with The Big Star, he created a musical landscape that audience did not understand – as it was at least twenty years ahead of its time. Then Alex battled addiction to drugs and alcohol and recorded albums that were about to de-construct the very fabric of rock’n’roll – his solo albums were a diary of a man who’s sending signals from some other reality and his work with Tav Falco we all about striping the pop music from all the glitz and glitter to something rugged and rough, but much more honest and longer lasting. He then became an in-demand music producer, moved to New Orleans and eventually left all his vices. In New Orleans, after Katrina, he went missing for awhile and luckily he resurfaced. But just four and a half short years after, in Chilton got a heart attack in his home in New Orleans and that was it. He was only 59 years old, but his music is some of the most inspiring ever laid on tape. This is a two hour tribute to this great man. Even this double deck of Chilton’s music is not enough, so please check out another tribute to Chilton below, Igor’s Sympathy for Rock’n’Roll (look for the Panther on fire logo).

The Replacements – Alex Chilton;
The Box Tops – The Letter;
The Box Tops – (The) Happy Song;
The Box Tops – I See Only Sunshine;
The Box Tops – Since I Been Gone;
Alex Chilton – Free Again;
Big Star – September Gurls;
Big Star – The Ballad Of El Goodo;
Big Star – Back Of A Car;
Big Star – She’s A Mover;
Big Star – Thank You Friends;
Big Star – Holocaust;
Big Star – Kanga Roo;
Lesa Aldridge – Story Of My Life;
Alex Chilton – My Rival;
Alex Chilton – Hey! Little Girl;
Alex Chilton – Walking Dead;
Alex Chilton – All Of The Time;
Tav Falco’s Panther Burns – Train Kept A Rollin’;
Tav Falco’s Panther Burns – She’s The One That Got It;
Tav Falco’s Panther Burns – Burgeous Blues;
Tav Falco’s Panther Burns – Snake Drive;
Scott Adams – Torso Tourinado;
The Cramps – What’s Behind The Mask;
The Cramps – I’m Cramped;
The Gories – Smashed;
The Gories – Stranded;
Lorette Velvette – Eager Boy;
Alex Chilton – No Sex;
Alex Chilton – Thing For You;
Alex Chilton – Magnetic Field;
Alex Chilton – Guantanamerika;
Alex Chilton – Gavotte;
Alex Chilton – I’ve Never Found a Girl;
Alex Chilton – Lipstick Traces;
Alan Vega, Alex Chilton & Ben Vaughn – Candyman;
Alan Vega, Alex Chilton & Ben Vaughn – Promised Land;
Big Star – Dony;
Big Star – A Whole New Thing;
Alex Chilton – It’s Your Funeral.

Flashlite #71

Luther DickinsonToday’s highlight is definitely the new very special tribute to Jim Dickinson, created by his sons, friends and sons of his friends entitled Luther Dickinson & The Sons of Mudboy. Listeners of The Little Lighthouse are very well familiar with Jim Dickinson’s ad-hoc supergroup called Mudboy and the Neutrons – one of the best bands that ever came out of Memphis, well known for their chaotic covers of standards and traditionals. Now, using the same idea but with a layer of sorrow surrounding the passing of Jim, Luther Dickinson and the Sons of Mudboy put out an excellent album called Onward and Upward. This record is a magnificent farewell to the imposing figure that Jim Dickinson used to be on the Memphis rock’n’roll scene. We also check out the newest album for the Swiss zydeco band Mama Rosin (Black Robert) and the new album for the singersongwriter Freedy Johnston (Rain On The City). Also, please check out our new bonus podcast below that we will receive weekly from Igor Mitic in Pancevo. Look for the panther logo and title Sympathy for Rock’n’roll!

Javier Escovedo – Just A Dream;
J Mascis – I Want you Bad;
NRBQ – I Want You Bad;
Freedy Johnston – I Want You Bad;
Freedy Johnston – Don’t Fall In Love With A Lonely Girl;
Big Drill Car – Let Me Walk;
The Radiators From Space – Television Screen;
Mama Rosin – Ti Moreau;
Mama Rosin – J’ Arrive Pas a Dormir;
Bobby Charles – Save Me Jesus;
Rolling Stones – Wild Horses;
Luther Dickinson & The Sons Of Mudboy – Angel Band;
Mudboy and the Neutrons – Angel Band;
John Paul Keith and The One Four Fives – Secondhand Heart;
The King Khan & BBQ Show – Tryin’;
Gentleman Jesse – No Rest (For the Wicked);
Wayne County – Flip Your Wig;
The Astorians – I Walk.

6. John Paul Keith and The 145s – Spills and Thrills

John Paul KeithMemphis musician John Paul Keith puts together the best sounding live show you’ll ever hear. Moreover, his album Spills and Thrills is also the best sounding vinyl record in years. While most Memphis bands like their sound dirty and wonderfully screwed up, John Paul Keith’s sound is crisp and clean. Still, it belongs to the same musical tradition that still keeps Memphis as the cradle of rock’n’roll. This was recognized by legendary Jim Dickinson who hired John Paul Keith for his last band called Snake Eyes.

Flashlite #65

John Paul KeithToday we showcase several new names at The Little Lighthouse: John Paul Keith, Eichmann Family, Sweet Apple,  The Hex Dispensers, Smith Westerns and D. Charles Speer. John Paul Keith comes from Memphis and has a band called The One Four Fives. About a year ago he put out the record called Spills And Thrills and it’s such a beautiful record, I can’t believe I missed until now. John Paul Keith’s band opened for Jack Oblivian in Cleveland and even more than that – they played the role of the Tearjerkers that night. John Paul Keith was also one of the Snake Eyes – the last band for Jim Dickinson before he passed away. Eichmann Family is another garage rock band from Zagreb – there are several very good ones over there. Sweet Apple is the new band for John Petkovic and Tim Parnin from Cobra Verde and J. Mascis and David Sweetapple form The Witch. Supergroup for the new millenium, isn’t it? Hex Dispenser are garage magicians from Austin Texas. Smith Westerns is a new band from Chicago and D Charles Speer and his Helix are from New York City – two new names that come from big cities, but sound much more provincial (which is a good thing at The Lighthouse!). And the last, but not the least, our favorites from a few years ago, Bassholes have a new LP, and it’s untitled again.

The Hex Dispensers – I’ve Got My Doppelganger On;
Eichmann Family – Daddy Doesn’t Love Me;
My Buddy Moose – When I Say;
Cobra Verde – Haunted Heavens;
Sweet Apple – Do You Remember;
Bassholes – Swannanoa River;
Bassholes – Caravan Man;
Steve Wynn – Outlaw Blues;
Rickie Lee Jones – Subterranean Homesick Blues;
Rickie Lee Jones – The Blue Ghazel;
James Luther Dickinson – Eloise;
Irma Thomas – It’s Raining;
The Detroit Cobras – It’s Raining;
John Paul Keith and The One Four Fives – Let’s Get Gone;
Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs – Dreaming;
Blondie – Dreaming;
Smith Westerns – Be My Girl;
D. Charles Speer & The Helix – Helical.

Flashlite #56

Willy DeVille In the new episode, we continue our last week’s tribute to Jim Dickinson, Ellie Greenwich and Willy Deville.

Mud Boy And The Neutrons – Bo Diddley;
Willy DeVille – Right There, Right Then;
Ellie Greenwich – Goodnight Goodnight;
Ellie Greenwich – The Sunshine After The Rain;
Elkie Brooks – Sunshine After The Rain;
Jim Dickinson – Asshole;
Jimmy Dickinson & the Cramps – Red Headed Woman;
Willy DeVille – Slave To Love;
Karen Verros – Little Boy;
Shangri-Las – The Train From Kansas City;
Mink DeVille – Mixed Up Shook Up Girl;
Mink DeVille – Just To Walk That Little Girl Home;
Willy DeVille – Storybook Love;
Willy Deville – Every Dog Has Its Day;
James Luther Dickinson – Ballad Of Billy And Oscar;
James Luther Dickinson – When You Wish Upon A Star.

Flashlite #55

Ellie Greenwich Everybody, welcome to the third season of The Little Lighthouse at Zagreb’s Radio SC! We begin this season with bad news unfortunately. The Summer of 2009 was one of the most devastating Summers for rock’n’roll history. Some really important rock musicians died recently: Jim Dickinson, Ellie Greenwich, Willy DeVille and Jim Carroll. Jim Dickinson was a legendary father-figure of the Memphis rock scene and beyond. He started in the 60s as a musician and eventually learned how to run them knobs and became one of the worlds most appreciated record producers and engineers. But, more importantly, he instinctively understood rock’n’roll better than most other people, channeling that spirit with each and every project he worked on. Allow me to be personal and say that he is one of the very few people which I count as personal heroes. Ellie Greenwich was one of the most significant singer songwriters, writing (or co-writing) many timeless rock anthems (Be My Baby, The Train To Kansas City, River Deep Mountain High)for countless 60s vocal groups. Her dream to have records where she sings, produces and writes also came true a few times, but not as much as it should have. Willy DeVille was a musician from New York City who also died this summer. It is interesting that he has ties to both Dickinson and Greenwich. Dickinson produced one of DeVille’s strongest albums The Horse of A Different Color and DeVille performed some of Ellie Greenwich songs – Little Girl. But DeVille is also a unique character in rock’n’roll, always faithful to rock’n’roll roots but at the same time original, adventurous and different from album to album. Jim Carroll started as a punk/new wave musician in New York and San Francisco, but is probably better known as the author of the The Basketball Diaries, for which he won a Pulitzer prize. His best known song is called People Who Died. Well ladies and gentlemen – these are indeed, the people who died this summer.

1. Jim Carroll – People Who Died;
2. James Luther Dickinson – O How She Danced;
3. Mink DeVille – Let Me Dream If I Want To;
4. Ike and Tina Turner – River Deep Mountain High;
5. Jesters – Cadillac Man;
6. Willy DeVille – Across the Borderline;
7. Jim Dickinson – Across The Borderline;
8. Willy Deville – Little Girl;
9. Ellie Greenwich – You Don’t Know;
10. The Ronettes – Be My Baby;
11. Neko Case – Train From Kansas City;
12. Reigning Sound – Uptight Tonight;
13. Drive By Truckers – People Who Died;
14. Willy Deville – One Way Street;
15. James Luther Dickinson – John Brown;
16. Jim Carroll – City Drops Into The Night.