In The Brain

Is this a mighty fine demo version or what? Just don't sing on that second verse please...

Kris Kristofferson - Border Lord

Still Worth Doing

Down here at FTSOTS headquarters we completely agree with Kris Kristofferson's maybe not very subtle but most definitely heartfelt motto: if you don't like Hank Williams, buddy, you can kiss my ass. Which is precisely why we present these honest homages to the Hillbilly Shakespeare this fine Monday. "We never met I know and yet I know you well my friend, and if ever I get to heaven on high I hope you'll shake my hand..." Amen to that.

Kris Kristofferson - If You Don't Like Hank Williams
Moe Bandy - Hank Williams, You Wrote My Life
Jimmy Murphy - I Long To Hear Hank Sing The Blues
Stoney Edwards - Hank And Lefty Raised My Country Soul
Freddie Hart - Hank Williams' Guitar
Tim Hardin - Tribute To Hank Williams
Mark Chesnutt & George Jones - Talking To Hank
Waylon Jennings - Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way
Johnny Cash - The Night Hank Williams Came To Town
Ry Cooder - Hank Williams

Let's Just Be Glad

A legendary singer/songwriter is coming to our fair town and we've got our tickets. Might be one of the last opportunities to see Kris Kristofferson (80) live in concert, as the former army helicopter pilot, Nashville janitor, outlaw country icon, and Hollywood actor has been suffering from Lyme disease and memory loss for some time now. His motto should be anyone's really: 'tell the truth, sing with passion, work with laughter, love with heart, 'cause that's all that matters in the end...' Here's hoping he'll play this old chestnut.

Kris Kristofferson - For The Good Times

Colour Me Silver

"We take our own chances and pay our own dues, the silver tongued devil and I..." Or: one more shiny shiny hand picked six pack for you to explore. This time around, Kris Kristofferson confronts his devils, krautrockers La Düsseldorf float over their fair city, while Lee Clayton simply saddles up and rides. Reggae crooner Ken Boothe talks sweet (and it's not what he´s smoking), the Calexico boys spy decay of blossoms and roots well hacked, while Gene Clark takes a whiff on me. Spot a cool tune? Go ahead and buy the album.

Kris Kristofferson - The Silver Tongued Devil And I MP3

La Düsseldorf - Silver Cloud MP3

Lee Clayton - Silver Stallion MP3

Ken Boothe - Silver Words MP3

Calexico - Two Silver Trees MP3

Gene Clark - From A Silver Phial MP3

Wild Weekend Vol. 9

Number 9, number 9, number 9... It´s Wild Weekend time again. Musical revolution. As an alternative to all them discjockey types polluting the airwaves out there, we´ve got the iPod on shuffle. Once more it spins an eclectic six pack of tunes for the music-hungry masses, so tune in. This just might be on your wavelength.

Have been playing a lot of Kristofferson lately. So it´s only fitting that the ghost in the machine picked one of his classic songs to start off this edition. To Beat The Devil, featuring a spoken intro dedicated to his mentor Johnny Cash, gives some sound advice to all you aspiring songwriters out there. "I ain't sayin' I beat the devil, but I drank his beer for nothing... then I stole his song." Which is followed by another songsmith par excellence, mister Tom Waits, who meets Bette Midler in a bar somewhere. Says Bette: "Your life's a dimestore novel, this town is full of guys like you..." Mutters Tom: "Ain´t that cold..." Red coincidence alert: both songs feature the line "you´ve been reading my mail". Spooky that.

Kris Kristofferson - To Beat The Devil MP3

Tom Waits - I Never Talk To Strangers MP3

Up next is a track from a cd I bought only last week: Keith Hudson´s Brand, aka The Joint. Originally from ´77, and finally re-released on the mighty Pressure Sounds label a couple of years ago, it´s one of them hard-hitting dub classics I never get tired of. Turn it up. Some typical eighties industrial postpunk up next: Adi Newton and his Clock DVA. Dark stuff from Advantage (´83), with a funky bass and screeching horns. Stood the test of time surprisingly well.

Keith Hudson - Image Dub MP3

Clock DVA - Beautiful Losers MP3

"Just a little lovin', early in the morning, that little extra something, to kinda see them through..." Some good advice from Dusty Springfield, from the still utterly amazing Dusty In Memphis. Best soul album ever to be sung by whitey, hands down. Having the Memphis Cats as her backing band and Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin in the producer´s chairs certainly helped of course. And we call it a day with the dream pairing of tenor greats Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster. Here they tackle Duke Ellington´s Don´t Get Around Much Anymore in grand style.

Dusty Springfield - Just A Little Lovin´ MP3

Coleman Hawkins & Ben Webster - Don´t Get Around Much Anymore MP3