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Post by pippsheadache on Jan 21, 2020 1:30:44 GMT -5
Liking the 2009 version of “Drift Away” by Uncle Cracker featuring Dobie Gray. Simple, clean. A bit stripped down... Dobie Gray had a wonderfully expressive voice. It seemed like he had two separate careers -- he had the big hit with "The In Crowd" in 1965 and then you didn't hear anything from him until the huge hit "Drift Away" in 1973. His followup to that was "Lovin' Arms," also a very poignant number that had only modest chart success. He recorded a lot with the legendary Wrecking Crew in LA even before In Crowd, but the songs never went anywhere. I don't know if it's a coincidence or not, but during his down period between hits he was managed by Jethro from "The Beverly Hillbillies " Granny might have been a better choice. |
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Post by pippsheadache on Jan 21, 2020 2:19:48 GMT -5
Mostly basements in west Philly... but the biggest place we played was some dive bar off South Street by the Troc... used to go to a lot of shows at the Troc as a teen Basements in West Philly is keeping it real, Sierch. Good stuff. The Troc was a legendary place from about the 1870s. I remember Dylan playing there in the late 90s. I believe it closed last year. For the record, The Troc was on Arch Street. You may be thinking of the TLA, which was a prime rock spot on South Street. Before it became a rock venue, it was one of the last remaining burlesque theatres in the US. I remember the entertaining ads in the Philadelphia Inquirer, featuring the usual run of stripper names -- Candy Barr, Amanda B. Reckinwith, etc. There was one there named Marsha Diane who performed The Gaza Strip. In the late 70s the paper we both worked for sent my then future wife to cover the last burlesque show at The Troc. Not really her cup of tea, but she did it and wrote a great story. If memory serves, the final bump and grind performance was by Yolanda Lace dancing to "Hey Big Spender." |
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Post by sierchio on Jan 21, 2020 8:08:46 GMT -5
I just googled some pictures and it was definitely the TLA... you're right. I have been to the Troc before but mostly went to TLA for the "bigger" shows. 90% of shows I went to were in basements in West Philly. There was a point a couple years after High School where I was going to move to West Philly but didn't for some silly reason. I loved Philly... still do.
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Post by pippsheadache on Jan 21, 2020 9:21:41 GMT -5
I just googled some pictures and it was definitely the TLA... you're right. I have been to the Troc before but mostly went to TLA for the "bigger" shows. 90% of shows I went to were in basements in West Philly. There was a point a couple years after High School where I was going to move to West Philly but didn't for some silly reason. I loved Philly... still do. West Philly has some beautiful old neighborhoods although many fell into neglect in the 60s and 70s. The areas around Penn and Drexel are gentrifying and there are pockets of growth in Brewerytown and the area around Fairmount Park. I've long thought that Cobb's Creek, with those wonderful old 19th century houses, was primed to be in the next wave of improvement. It should become what Northern Liberties and Fishtown have, reclamation projects that allow younger people a reasonably-priced option for urban living. The city government in Philly will always be laughably corrupt because that's what the people who live there are comfortable with. But despite that, the city always manages to pull back from the brink. There's just too much there for it to ever go under. It's frustrating but loveable for those who know it. It could be a world-class city with intelligent management. Which it will never have, because it wouldn't be Philly if it did. |
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Post by inger on Jan 21, 2020 11:22:10 GMT -5
Nice essay on cocktails Rizz. I enjoy drinking and abhor drunkenness. Thanks for mentioning the Aviation, a connoisseur's drink that was fortunately exhumed from the cocktail cemetery 15 or 20 years ago. I have a small collection of vintage cocktail books, and it's interesting to follow how tastes change over the years. The original Martini was 50-50 gin and vermouth, something most people would find undrinkable these days. Winston Churchill, definitely in the drinking Hall of Fame, said something along the lines of only nodding toward a bottle of vermouth when he made his Martini. I don't want to hijack the music thread any further. Maybe we should start an alcohol thread. Then again, maybe not. Drinking and music go hand and hand enough that discussion of drink is less of a highjack and more of a side road taken. Carry on, men... |
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Post by pippsheadache on Jan 21, 2020 11:39:49 GMT -5
Nice essay on cocktails Rizz. I enjoy drinking and abhor drunkenness. Thanks for mentioning the Aviation, a connoisseur's drink that was fortunately exhumed from the cocktail cemetery 15 or 20 years ago. I have a small collection of vintage cocktail books, and it's interesting to follow how tastes change over the years. The original Martini was 50-50 gin and vermouth, something most people would find undrinkable these days. Winston Churchill, definitely in the drinking Hall of Fame, said something along the lines of only nodding toward a bottle of vermouth when he made his Martini. I don't want to hijack the music thread any further. Maybe we should start an alcohol thread. Then again, maybe not. Drinking and music go hand and hand enough that discussion of drink is less of a highjack and more of a side road taken. Carry on, men... One scotch, one bourbon, one beer. |
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Post by inger on Jan 21, 2020 11:42:38 GMT -5
My drinking exploits are more about a cold Coors Banquet after mowing grass and whatever happened to Coors Extra Gold. Maybe that time I decided to try a margarita to see what Jimmy Buffet was talking about.
I tried a Chocolate Jesus once, not my thing. Worshipped the porcelain god just enough times to know that’s not the god I want to believe in. Tried to hide my sorrow in the stuff enough times to find out that didn’t work.
Never learned anything about drinking the right way, so finally decided that the right way was to step away...Maybe some constitutions are just not made to handle the spirits...It never tasted good enough, and and euphoric state was too short lived with a longer state of regret...
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Post by sierchio on Jan 21, 2020 12:44:02 GMT -5
I just googled some pictures and it was definitely the TLA... you're right. I have been to the Troc before but mostly went to TLA for the "bigger" shows. 90% of shows I went to were in basements in West Philly. There was a point a couple years after High School where I was going to move to West Philly but didn't for some silly reason. I loved Philly... still do. West Philly has some beautiful old neighborhoods although many fell into neglect in the 60s and 70s. The areas around Penn and Drexel are gentrifying and there are pockets of growth in Brewerytown and the area around Fairmount Park. I've long thought that Cobb's Creek, with those wonderful old 19th century houses, was primed to be in the next wave of improvement. It should become what Northern Liberties and Fishtown have, reclamation projects that allow younger people a reasonably-priced option for urban living. The city government in Philly will always be laughably corrupt because that's what the people who live there are comfortable with. But despite that, the city always manages to pull back from the brink. There's just too much there for it to ever go under. It's frustrating but loveable for those who know it. It could be a world-class city with intelligent management. Which it will never have, because it wouldn't be Philly if it did. Pretty much spot on point. My friend from High School and drummer in my band moved to West Philly and worked at Penn doing maintenance. I was supposed to move in with him.. but a lot of things played into that not happening. I think most cities fall into that category of corruption... but Philly is definitely one of the faces of it. At least it wasn't managed as poorly as Camden. |
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Post by desousa on Jan 21, 2020 14:48:01 GMT -5
Drinking and music go hand and hand enough that discussion of drink is less of a highjack and more of a side road taken. Carry on, men... One scotch, one bourbon, one beer. I was a bartender in Florida for almost 20 years. Waited on many musicians including Greg Allman and the Allman Brothers Band, Tom Waits, Leon Redbone etc. I even remember what they drank. I've love drinking and have found a great fondness for bourbon in my later years. Also, we have some of the best craft beer in the world here in Vermont. |
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Post by rizzuto on Jan 21, 2020 21:59:33 GMT -5
One scotch, one bourbon, one beer. I was a bartender in Florida for almost 20 years. Waited on many musicians including Greg Allman and the Allman Brothers Band, Tom Waits, Leon Redbone etc. I even remember what they drank. I've love drinking and have found a great fondness for bourbon in my later years. Also, we have some of the best craft beer in the world here in Vermont. Wow, those are heavyweights! All three are quite solidly represented in my music library. So, what were their choices of drink? |
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Post by rizzuto on Jan 21, 2020 22:06:23 GMT -5
My drinking exploits are more about a cold Coors Banquet after mowing grass and whatever happened to Coors Extra Gold. Maybe that time I decided to try a margarita to see what Jimmy Buffet was talking about. I tried a Chocolate Jesus once, not my thing. Worshipped the porcelain god just enough times to know that’s not the god I want to believe in. Tried to hide my sorrow in the stuff enough times to find out that didn’t work. Never learned anything about drinking the right way, so finally decided that the right way was to step away...Maybe some constitutions are just not made to handle the spirits...It never tasted good enough, and and euphoric state was too short lived with a longer state of regret... It’s very true that some individuals are born with a head for drink. Robert Penn Warren and Christopher Hitchens come to mind. Hemingway, despite the exploits, never touched alcohol while writing. |
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Post by inger on Jan 21, 2020 22:28:10 GMT -5
You got to open your eyes in the morning
Nine o’ clock comin’ without any warning
And you gotta get ready to go
You say you went out last evenin’
Did a lot of drinkin’
Come home stinkin’
And you went and fell asleep on the floor
And you’re lady comes home and finds you asleepin’
Starts in to weepin’ ‘bout the hours you been keep in’
And you better get your ass out the door
Ain’t no crime
Say everybody gets that way some time
You know it’s good to get on to get a load off your mind...
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Post by pippsheadache on Jan 22, 2020 1:59:23 GMT -5
My drinking exploits are more about a cold Coors Banquet after mowing grass and whatever happened to Coors Extra Gold. Maybe that time I decided to try a margarita to see what Jimmy Buffet was talking about. I tried a Chocolate Jesus once, not my thing. Worshipped the porcelain god just enough times to know that’s not the god I want to believe in. Tried to hide my sorrow in the stuff enough times to find out that didn’t work. Never learned anything about drinking the right way, so finally decided that the right way was to step away...Maybe some constitutions are just not made to handle the spirits...It never tasted good enough, and and euphoric state was too short lived with a longer state of regret... It’s very true that some individuals are born with a head for drink. Robert Penn Warren and Christopher Hitchens come to mind. Hemingway, despite the exploits, never touched alcohol while writing. True dat, Rizz. Although he made up for it when he wasn't writing! F.Scott Fitzgerald could drink with the best of them. Ruined himself actually. |
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Post by pippsheadache on Jan 22, 2020 2:02:45 GMT -5
One scotch, one bourbon, one beer. I was a bartender in Florida for almost 20 years. Waited on many musicians including Greg Allman and the Allman Brothers Band, Tom Waits, Leon Redbone etc. I even remember what they drank. I've love drinking and have found a great fondness for bourbon in my later years. Also, we have some of the best craft beer in the world here in Vermont. Good story Desousa. There is no profession that provides more for human conviviality than bartenders. Never met one I didn't like. And I have a pretty good sample size. |
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Post by desousa on Jan 22, 2020 6:18:11 GMT -5
I was a bartender in Florida for almost 20 years. Waited on many musicians including Greg Allman and the Allman Brothers Band, Tom Waits, Leon Redbone etc. I even remember what they drank. I've love drinking and have found a great fondness for bourbon in my later years. Also, we have some of the best craft beer in the world here in Vermont. Wow, those are heavyweights! All three are quite solidly represented in my music library. So, what were their choices of drink? Gregg Allman drank Cutty (scotch) and coke until a friend of mine suggested he drink Chivas Regal. He then drank Chivas and coke. Don't get me started on that. Tom Waits drank blackberry brandy and seven up, while Leon Redbone liked apricot sours, straight up. Waits was a good tipper, Allman was not. |
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