Superfuzzy Mudhoney...The Mudhoney Story and Show # 211

 

Forming in Seattle, Washington in 1988, Mudhoney were essentially born out of the ashes of Green River. Green River was a band that contained future members of the Seattle band Pearl Jam (Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard) and Mudhoney (Mark Arm and Steve Turner). Due to different members in the band wanting to go in different directions Green River split after they completed two EP's and one full length album. Mark Arm wanted to take the band in more of a punk rock direction, while Gossard/Ament wanted the band to go in more of a hard rock direction. In 1988, Arm and Turner began playing with drummer Dan Peters. After adding Melvins bassist Matt Lukin to the line up, Mudhoney were born.

Taking their name from a Russ Myers movie, Mudhoney recorded a single for Sub-Pop titled "Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More". The single and it's B-side "Touch Me I'm Sick" were released on a limited edition 7" vinyl on August 1st, 1988. Even though fans favoured "Touch Me I'm Sick" over the A-side "Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More", The single defined Mudhoney's sound. It was distorted fuzz box fueled guitar played sloppily, with elements of metal, garage rock and the attitude of punk. The lyrics were sarcastic and at times humorous. The single would lead to a devout following of the band in the UK. For the recently starting independent label Sub-Pop Mudhoney propelled them from unknowns to a label with bands from a upcoming music scene that would eventually be labelled as "Grunge". In October of 1988, Mudhoney released Superfuzz Bigmuff EP. Named after Arm and Turners favouite distortion pedals for guitar (The Superfuzz and The Big Muff), the EP contained eight tracks and sold poorly. In the UK it did well remaining on the charts for quite sometime. It would lead them to a headlining UK tour and lots of press coverage, Mudhoney were hailed as the next big thing to come out of Seattle. In 1989, Mudhoney released their first full length album Mudhoney. 

Around this time other Seattle bands began getting notice due to Mudhoneys success on college radio and in the underground. Bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Tad. Mudhoney had another album in the can titled Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge, but due to Sup-Pop's financial troubles, it wasn't released until 1991. The album is a favourite of Mudhoney guitarist Steve Turner and brought in a more garage rock and punk sound than their previous releases. Due to the difficulties of Sub-Pop at the time Mudhoney would leave the label and sign to a major label, Reprise. At the time the band began looking for a new label Nirvana's Nevermind was released and set the world on fire making Seattle the new centre of the rock and roll universe. Other Seattle bands began getting major label record deals because of this and the Grunge phenomenon took over the world of music.

Mudhoney's first album for a major label was released in 1992, it was called Piece of Cake. The band did not let their new label alter their song writing skills, and Piece of Cake showed the band sounding more like a garage rock band than a Grunge band. The album contained songs that the band regularly featured in their energetic, often riotous live shows such as "Suck You Dry", "Acetone", and "Blinding Sun". Despite signing to a major label, the band's album sales did not do as well as other Seattle bands such as Nirvana and Soundgarden. In 1995, Grunge began to wind down and Mudhoney released their second album for Reprise. My Brother The Cow is considered one of the best albums the band has ever released. The album combined elements of their new sound with elements of their old. The band paid homage to some of their favourite bands in song titles in lyrics. Bands such as Bad Brains, Led Zeppelin, Captain Beefheart and The Stooges. The song "1995" can be seen as a homage to The Stooges song "1969". Other great tracks include "Judgement, Rage, Retribution and Thyme", "Today is a Good Day" and "Into Yer Shtik".

In 1996, the band appeared in the movie Black Sheep staring comedians Chris Farley and David Spade. They are shown playing live on stage for MTV and also talk briefly with Chris Farley's character backstage. Tomorrow Hit Today was released in 1998. The album kept the bands Grunge style sound, but also brought in an influence of Blues Rock. The album was produced with legendary Rolling Stones producer Jim Dickinson and was recorded in three different cities. After a long tour in support of this album, the band were dropped from Reprise and bassist Matt Lukin would leave the band. The reason he gave was his dislike for touring.

In January of 2000, March To Fuzz was released. This was aa compilation of the bands well known songs and b-sides/cover songs. When this was released many people thought that since Matt Lukin left the band and they released a career retrospective greatest hits, that they were going to call it quits; The band continued. Recruiting Guy Maddison on bass, Mudhoney played more live shows and returned to the label Sup-Pop. Recorded in eight days, Since We've Become Translucent was released in 2002. The album was the bands sixth studio album and brought in a change of sound for the band. The album featured less metal-like riffs. as did early Mudhoney and brought in horn sections and violins. The first track on the album "Baby, Can You Dig the Light?" (which is over eight minutes long) sounds like a lost track from The Stooges album Fun House. Other interesting tracks include "The Straight Life", "Our Time is Now", and "Inside Job". The band followed the release of this album with a South American tour.

In 2006, Under A Billion Suns was released. The album further expanded upon the new sound the band experimented with on Since We've Become Translucent. The album brought in more horn sections and the band expanded lyrically on political subjects. Songs such as "Hard-On For War" (originally recorded in 2003), "Empty Shells", "Where is the Future?", and "It Is Us" addressed political issues. The album is just as interesting as their 2002 release. The band toured again in 2007 and released a live album titled Live Mud. In 2008, Mudhoney released their ninth album The Lucky Ones. This album is seen as Mudhoney returning to their original sound and has been as hailed as their best album in years. It was recorded and mixed with overdubs within three and a half days. This superfuzzy and raw album was also released to coincide with Sub-Pop's 20th anniversary, and the band's. In May of 2008, Sup-Pop also re-issued Superfuzz Bigmuff. The re-issue expanded the EP into a deluxe edition adding twenty additional songs, demos, early singles, and live tracks.

In addition to having a long career with Mudhoney, Mark Arm and Steve Turner have been involved in many other side projects. They are involved in the garage rock and blues side project The Monkeywrench. The band has released several albums including their most recent one in 2008 titled Gabriel's Horn. They have been active since 1991, seeming to release an album every eight years. In 2000, Turner went on bass and along with Mark Arm (on guitar/vocals) and several other musicians (Dan Peters, Scott McCaughey, Tom Price and Bill Henderson) they formed the one off group The New Strychnines. This band released one album containing 16 covers of songs originally done by garage rockers, The Sonics; The album was titled The New Original Sonic Sound. Mudhoney are a band that kick started the Seattle Grunge scene, but unlike almost every band to have come from that time, they are still standing and most importantly still rocking.

The Play List:

1. Supergrass - Strange Ones
2. The Creepshow - Take My Hand
3. The Jolts - Hey, Alright!
4. The Caesars - Boo Boo Goo Goo
5. The Pack AD - Blackout
6. John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (With Eric Clapton) - Little Girl
7. Malibu Kens - Crude City
8. Bureaucrats - Vaccination
9. Diodes - Teenage Nation
10. The Clips - Space Kidz
11. Elvis Costello & The Imposters - American Gangster Time
12. Public Image Limited - Home
13. Wire - Map Ref. 41 Degrees N 93 Degrees W
14. Talking Heads - No Compassion
15. XTC - Are You Recieving Me?
16. Magazine - Give Me Everything
17. U2 - Touch
18. Mudhoney - Touch Me I'm Sick
19. Mudhoney - Today, Is A Good Day
20. Mudhoney - New Meaning
21. The Monkeywrench - Solar Revelations
22. Luger Boa - Mutate or Die
23. Nirvana - (New Wave) Polly
24. Pearl Jam - Spin the Black Circle

Mudhoney Videos:

Touch Me I'm Sick (Live 1991)
Into The Drink
Suck You Dry
Pump It Up
Generation Spokesmodel
It Is Us
Hate The Police (Live 2008)
New Meaning (Live 2008)
The Lucky Ones (Live 2008)

Beyond The Horizon...The Bob Dylan Story Part Two...Show # 210

Bob Dylan's next album would be released 1969, it would be titled Nashville Skyline. It was recorded in Nashville with a collection of Country sessions musicians. This album was meant to be a country album, it also featured at duet with Johnny Cash. The two recorded a considerable number of covers and songs together, but their version of the Bob Dylan song "Girl From the North Country" was the only one to be featured on Nashville Skyline. The album also featured Bob Dylan altering his voice into a mellow, deeper tone; It is best described as a Country Crooning voice. Nashville Skyline was successful it featured the top ten single "Lay, Lady, Lay". Dylan then appeared on Johnny Cash's TV show performing a few songs and appeared at the Isle of Wight Festival (Dylan would not really tour except for a few performances from 1968-1974). Despite the good sales, Nashville Skyline was criticized and had mixed reviews. The result of this would be apparent in Self Portrait, Bob Dylan's 1970 release. The album was a double and was a collection of folk and pop cover songs, live tracks (featuring The Band), and instrumental recordings. Bob Dylan later admitted the album as something as a joke, and something to get all the people off of his back, who were giving him labels. The album confused fans and even inspired a Rolling Stone critic to open his review of this album with "What is this shit?". Dylan's next release would be much better than the compositions on Self Portrait.

New Morning was released in 1970, four months after Self Portrait. The album featured a return to a more classic Dylan song writing style and went to #7 in the US and #1 in the UK. The album was actually recorded while Self Portrait was getting ready to be released. The album featured songs such as "If Not For You" (a song later covered by George Harrison and Olivia Newton-John), "A Day of the Locusts" inspired by an experience at Princeton University, and "Went to see the Gypsy" inspired by Dylan's first meeting with Elvis Presley. Other interesting tracks include the song "New Morning", the bluesy "One More Weekend" and "The Man in Me" a song that would later be featured in the movie The Big Lebowski; It was also covered by The Clash during the London Calling Sessions. Next Dylan would appear at the Concert for Bangladesh in 1971, write the soundtrack and appear in the movie Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid in 1972 and the album Dylan would be released; The soundtrack featured the hit single "Knockin' on Heaven's Door". Dylan would be a collection of outtakes from Self Portrait, which was released in 1973. In 1974, Bob Dylan released the album Planet Waves. The album featured The Band as his backing band and would feature the song "Forever Young". Dylan also signed a new contract around this time with Asylum a division of Geffen Records. Bob Dylan also returned to touring around this time. The tour to support Planet Waves, featured The Band and is one of the most successful tours in the history of rock music.

Blood on the Tracks came next, in 1975. The album featured a return to Bob Dylan's acoustic/folk roots; It was also inspired by his difficulties with his marriage. It also had David Zimmerman (Bob's brother) producing. Dylan also returned to Columbia Records at this time. The album would feature excellent tracks such as "A Simple Twist of Fate", "Idiot Wind", and "Tangled Up in Blue". The album went to #1 in the US and #4 in the UK. Dylan then embarked on a large on again off again tour called the Rolling Thunder Revue. During this time he also released the album Desire in 1976. The album has more of a world music feel, but features the song "Hurricane". "Hurricane" is a song over 8 minutes written about the boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter. The song is a song of protest dealing with the murder trial Carter went through. Carter went to jail, but was released 20 years later. Other interesting songs include "Isis", "Mozambique", "One More Cup of Coffee", and "Romance in Durango". Desire reached #1 on the US Billboard charts. A majority of the songs on Desire were co-written with Jaques Levy. Dylan then embarked on another large tour in 1976.

Assembling yet another backing band, he also appeared at The Band's farewell concert which was documented in the film, The Last Waltz. Street Legal came in 1978, it was very different than any of Dylan's previous efforts. It featured a large big band, pop sound, with lots of female backing vocals. The album was seen as disappointment when it first came out. It would later be remixed and re-released in 1999. After a tour in 1978, Bob Dylan became a born again Christian and recorded a series of religious, Christian inspired albums. Slow Train Coming came in 1979, Saved in 1980, and Shot of Love in 1981. After a trip to Israel Bob Dylan recorded the album Infidels (he did not record the album in Israel) which would be released in 1983. He then toured in 1984 (he hadn't really toured since 1978, but he did tour in 1980-1981), released a live album of that 84 tour, Real Live and would release a comprehensive boxed set tiled Biograph in 1985. Bob also released another album titled Empire Burlesque in 1985. It was a mix of dance songs and rock songs.

Knocked Out Loaded was released in 1986 and in 1988, Bob Dylan was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Bob Dylan finished off the 80's by releasing an album titled Oh Mercy in 1989. The album was produced by Daniel Lanois known for his work with Peter Gabriel and U2's Joshua Tree. Dylan met Lanois in September of 1988 when he started his Never Ending Tour. This tour was a series of shows that was on and off through out the 80's and still continues today because Bob Dylan said he refuses to be a nostalgia act. He has reworked several of his older songs for the numerous concerts he has played since this tour began. In 1991 Under The Red Sky was released. The album received poor reviews, but featured several guest musicians such as George Harrison, Slash, Elton John, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and David Crosby. After this album Dylan would not release an album of original material until 1997.

Good As I Been To You was released in 1992, it was a collection of folk cover songs. World Gone Wrong was released in 1993, it was also a collection of acoustic folk covers. In 1994 Bob Dylan appeared on MTV Unplugged and in 1997 Time Out of Mind was released. Time Out of Mind was an album produced by Daniel Lanois and was the first album of original Dylan songs since 1991's Under The Red Sky. The album generated new interest in Bob Dylan, it got three Grammy nominations, and was #10 on the US and UK charts. Prior to the release of the album (but after it was recorded, mixed, and completed) Bob Dylan was hospitalized with Pericarditis, which made him seriously ill. As a result his 1997 tour was cancelled, but Bob Dylan recovered and was healthy once again within a year. Love and Theft came in 2001. This album was actually produced by Bob Dylan himself, under the named Jack Frost. The album was another chart topper (#5 in the US, #3 in the UK), it mixed styles of rockabilly, jazz and western swing music. The album also generated a bit of controversy because some of the lyrics on the album were similar to words found in the book Confessions of a Yakuza by Junichi Saga.

In 2003, Dylan made his own film titled Masked & Anonymous. Co-written Larry Charles, the movie featured many big name actors such as John Goodman, Jeff Bridges, Penelope Cruz. In October of 2004, Bob Dylan released his own autobiography titled Chronicles Volume One. The book was not in chronological order and instead focused on different aspects of his career. He devoted chapters to his arrival to New York City in 1961, but also to albums such as New Morning (1970) and Oh Mercy (1989). The book is excellently written and I recommended it to anyone, whether you are a Bob Dylan fan or not. The book was a best seller in the Non-fiction category. Currently Bob Dylan is working on volume two of Chronicles.

In September of 2005, Martin Scorsese released No Direction Home a documentary about the music of Bob Dylan. In August of 2006, Bob Dylan released Modern Times. The album debuted at #1 on the US Billboard Charts. In 2007, I'm Not There was released, it was a movie with six different actors portraying six different aspects of Bob Dylan's career. The soundtrack to the film featured several musicians covering Bob Dylan songs such as Willie Nelson, Tom Verlaine, The Black Keys, Eddie Vedder and more. Bob Dylan also began doing a radio show in 2006 titled Theme Time Radio Hour. The show, hosted by Bob Dylan features a different theme every week, he plays different types of music such as blues, to country, folk, rock, and pop. Bob Dylan is currently working on an album based on lost Hank Williams lyrics. The album is to feature collaborations with Jack White, Norah Jones, Willie Nelson, and more.

Bob Dylan still continues his Never Ending Tour and has had numerous compilations released. His Bootleg Series are excellent collections of rare Bob Dylan material from different points of his career. Bob Dylan is a musician that has lyrically and musically tore down the borders of music and created new styles of music that still influence artists today. While my favourite period of Bob Dylan is his mid sixties period, he also has interesting albums such as New Morning, Desire, Love and Theft, and Modern Times. Bob Dylan is truly an interesting musician that you should not ignore.

Part one of my Bob Dylan radio show special and musical history can be found in my post titled Ballad of A Thin Man.

Bob Dylan Playlist:

1. Thunder on the Mountain (Modern Times 2006)
2. You're No Good (Bob Dylan 1962)
3. Drifters Escape (John Wesley Harding 1967)
4. Day of the Locusts (New Morning 1970)
5. One Too Many Mornings (The Times They Are A-Changin' 1964)
6. Girl From the North Country (Nashville Skyline 1969)
7. Million Dollar Bash (The Basement Tapes 1975)
8. You Ain't Going Nowhere (The Basement Tapes 1975)
9. Where Teardrops Fall (Oh Mercy 1989)
10. Idiot Wind (Blood On The Tracks 1975)
11. The Man in Me (New Morning 1970)
12. From a Buick 6 (Highway 61 Revisited 1965)
13. Under Control (Tree With Roots 1967)
14. Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window (Biograph 1985)
15. Baby, Let Me Follow You Down (The Bootleg Series Vol.4: Bob Dylan Live 1966)
16. Hurricane (Desire 1976)
17. New Morning (New Morning 1970)
18. I'm Not There (Tree With Roots 1967)
19. Isis (Desire 1976)

Bob Dylan Videos:

Live on The Johnny Cash Television Show (I Threw It All Away, Livin' The Blues, and Girl From North Country)
Tangled Up in Blue
Oh Sister (Live 1975 John Hammond Tribute)
A Simple Twist of Fate (Live 1975 John Hammond Tribute)
Hurricane (Live 1975 John Hammond Tibute)
Visions of Johanna (Live 1966)
Thunder on the Mountain
Someday Baby
1965 Press Conference (San Francisco)
60 Minutes Interview Part 1
60 Minutes Interview Part 2

Ballad of a Thin Man...The Bob Dylan Story Part One...Show # 209

Bob Dylan was born as Robert Allen Zimmerman in May of 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota. While in High School he formed a rock and roll group called The Golden Chords. In 1959 he went to the University of Minnesota. While studying at University, he began to develop an interest in folk music. He also began performing acoustically at coffee houses and he started using the name Bob Dylan. Originally he wanted to call himself Robert Allen, but he eventually decided upon the name Bob Dylan. In 1960, Dylan went to Denver where he was said to have met Jesse Fuller who was a blues musician. He had a big influence on the style of Bob Dylan. He was also influenced by folk artist Woody Guthrie and Country artist Hank Williams. By January of 1961, Dylan dropped out of school and moved to New York City to become full time musician.

When in New York, Dylan went to visit Guthrie who was in a hospital in New Jersey. Dylan made repeated visits to see Guthrie who was dying of Huntington's Chorea (He would pass in 1967). He also began performing and developed a following. He opened for John Lee Hooker at Gerde's Folk City. A few months later Dylan received a positive review in the New York Times and was offered a recording contract by Columbia A&R man John Hammond. He was signed to Columbia in the fall of 1961. He released his first self titled album in 1962. The album was comprised of Folk and Blues covers and two original compositions. The album was recorded in two short sessions in November of 1961. When recording Bob Dylan recorded mostly in first takes and was produced by Hammond. The album did not make a huge impact (it sold about 5000 copies) and Columbia considered dropping Dylan from the label. He also recorded 12 songs under the name Blind Boy Grunt for the Folk magazine, Broadside Magazine.

in 1962, Bob Dylan legally changed his name to Robert Dylan and signed Albert Grossman as his manager (who would be his manager until 1970). Bob Dylan's next album would be released in 1963. The Free Wheelin' Bob Dylan contained two cover songs and the rest of the songs were Dylan originals. The album was comprised of political protest songs (lyrically). The album featured songs such as "Blowin' In The Wind", "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall", "Masters of War", "Girl From the North Country", and "Corina, Corina". Another interesting fact is that before its release Dylan recorded a rock single called "Mixed Up in Confusion". He also recorded several tracks with a backing band. The songs were described as having rock and rockabilly sounds. The sessions also produced numerous other outtakes, some of these songs can be found on The Bootleg Series or Biograph. The album did very well climbing to number 22 on the Billboard Charts. "Blowin' in the Wind" was seen as the anthem for the 1960 Civil Rights movement. Dylan's next album, The Times They Are A-Changing came out in 1964. On this album Dylan drew in more R&B and Blues influences and was lyrically influenced by poets such as John Keats and Arthur Rimbaud. In the same year Bob Dylan released Another Side of Bob Dylan. The album reached #43 on the US Charts and #8 in the UK. The album also showed Dylan changing his sound. This would be his last album that was recorded with just Dylan and his acoustic guitar. It was recorded in one session on June 9th, 1964.

Around this time the world was hit by the British invasion. Groups such as The Beatles and the Rolling Stones dominated the charts. Dylan would also change his musical style, grow a large afro and start wearing dark sunglasses. He Would began work on his album Bringing it All Back Home in 1965. The album featured two sides Dylan's rock side and his acoustic side. The album also saw a change in the lyrics that Dylan was known for. He drifted away from political stylings of "Blowin' in the Wind" and "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall". The album distanced his music from the folk community, which he had a large following. The album was a top ten US hit. It featured songs such as "Subterranean Homesick Blues" a song that addressed the issues of anti-establishment politics and was influenced musically by Chuck Berry's "Too Much Monkey Business". The music video for the song featured Bob Dylan with giant cue cards. "Maggie's Farm" was Dylan addressing his independence from the folk community, other interesting tracks include "Love Minus Zero/No Limit", "Outlaw Blues", "Mr. Tambourine Man" (originally recorded in 1964), "Gates of Eden", and "It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)".


In 1965 Dylan played at the New Port Folk Festival. This concert was seen as controversial by the folk community. Dylan was booed. The appearance of Dylan with an electric guitar and rock band (his backing band was the Paul Butterfield Blues Band) outraged his folk fans and was documented on film. The result was some fans were alienated, but Dylan continued with his electric rock backing band. As a result Dylan would gain more fans in the rock community.

Recorded entirely electric with a rock band Highway 61 Revisted sprung the single "Like a Rolling Stone". The song was one featuring heavy organ work and the unique and interesting lyrics of Bob Dylan, it was also originally intended to be used for a play. The song went to #2 on the US Charts, #4 in the UK. The album featured Mike Bloomfield (guitar), Harvey Brooks (bass), Al Kooper (organ), and Bobby Greg on drums; there were also other musicians featured on the album comprising Dylan's backing band. The title of the album can be traced to an actual place called Highway 61, which has been the subject in many blues songs. The album Highway 61 Revisited featured many interesting songs such as "Tombstone Blues" a song that musically has drums that sound like trash can lids crashing together, "Ballad of A Thin Man" a song about people that always ask questions (and an interviewer from The Village Voice), and the song "Highway 61 Revisited". The album went to #3 in the US and #4 in the UK. Other songs were recorded during these sessions. The song "Positively 4th Street", is seen as a comment on his former folk contemporaries which he had known during his club days on West 4th Street. "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window" was another song recorded during these sessions. It would later be re-recorded with The Hawks (later known as The Band) as Dylan's backing band.


In support of this album Dylan had to get new band members to make up his touring band, since most of his backing band from the Highway 61 Sessions would not go on tour. He assembled some of the Hawks Robbie Robertson, and Levon Helm to play two dates in the US. He then got the entire band The Hawks (who were an early incarnation of the Canadian band, The Band) to be his backing band for his 1965-1966 world tour. Dylan recorded his next album Blonde on Blonde in 1966 in Nashville and New York. The album would be a double album and reach #9 in the US and #3 in the UK. The backing band also contained some of the members of the Hawks. The album would be a mix of Blues, Rock, Folk, Country, Gospel, and more. The album was the last in the style Dylan created with Bringing It All Back Home, and Highway 61 Revisited. Blonde on Blonde contains wonderful songs such as "Rainy Day Woman #12 and #35", "Pledging My time", "Visions of Johanna", "I Want You", "Leopard-Skin-Pill-Box Hat", "Absolutely Sweet Marie", and "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands". Dylan toured in support of this album with The Hawks backing him and the last concert of the tour was in England at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester. This concert was famously documented (released on The Bootleg Series Volume 4) The concert was played with incredible energy thanks to The Hawks.

After this tour in 1966, Dylan went into seclusion and was said to have been involved in a motorcycle accident. Some people believe this was just an excuse for Dylan to get away from all the pressures that were around him. In 1967, he recorded a large amount of material with The Hawks. He recorded covers, demos, originals. These would be documented on The Basement Tapes which were released in 1975. It featured selections from the sessions. Bootlegs exists of the complete sessions which are four sometimes five CD's long. In November of 1967 Dylan returned to a studio in Nashville to record John Wesley Harding. The album featured the song "All Along the Watchtower", and was different from Blonde on Blonde. It featured shorter songs and lyrically drew on subjects from the Bible and the American West. Musically it was acoustically and more traditionally based. It did very well going to #2 on the US charts.

Next Week I will do part two of my Bob Dylan history as well as part two of my Bob Dylan radio special. Leave a request in the comment section if theres anything you'd like to hear.

Bob Dylan Play List:

1. Outlaw Blues (Bringing It All Back Home 1965)
2. If You Gotta Go, Go Now (Or Else You Got To Stay All Night) (The Bootleg Series Vol 1-3 1991)
3. Everything Is Broken (Oh Mercy 1989)
4. I Can't Make It Alone (Tree With Roots 1967)
5. On A Night Like This (Planet Waves 1974)
6. Tough Mama (Planet Waves 1974)
7. Tombstone Blues (Highway 61 Revisited 1965)
8. Jokerman (Infidels 1983)
9. World Gone Wrong (World Gone Wrong 1993)
10. Santa Fe (The Bootleg Series Vol 1-3 1991)
11. Wallflower (The Bootleg Series Vol 1-3 1991)
12. A Simple Twist of Fate (Blood On the Tracks 1975)
13. Wicked Messenger (John Wesley Harding 1967)
14. Leopard-Skin-Pill-Box-Hat (Blonde on Blonde 1966)
15. Obviously 5 Believers (Blonde on Blonde 1966)
16. Odds and Ends (The Basement Tapes 1975)
17. I Wanna Be Your Lover (Biograph 1985)
18. Masters of War (The Free Wheelin' Bob Dylan 1963)
19. Dreamin' of You (The Bootleg Series Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs 2008)

Some Videos:

Blowin' in the Wind (Live 1963)
Girl From The North Country (1964)
Chimes of Freedom (Live 1964)
Subterranean Homesick Blues (Music Video)
Like A Rolling Stone (Live 1966)
Leopard-Skin-Pill-Box-Hat (Live 1966)
All Along the Watchtower

Blank Numbers...Show # 208

For a change of pace this week I thought I'd talk about individual songs as opposed to my usual band history posts. 

 Richard Hell & The voidoids - Blank Generation

The song "Blank Generation" was Richard Hell's response to generation songs such as The Who's "My Generation". It is meant to be seen as a "Blank Generation" in terms of filling in the blank according to your choice. Essentially it's a song about the freedom of choice and about not being labelled by other people. The song is featured on the Voidoids first album, Blank Generation. The song was also featured on the Voidoids very first EP titled the Another World EP. The EP (released in 1976) contains three songs all of which differ from the versions found on the 1977 Blank Generation album. For example the song "Blank Generation" is titled "(I Belong To The) Blank Generation" and it is a slower version compared to the album version (but still great). The EP which is long out of print also contains the blues inspired track "You Gotta Lose" and "(I Could Live With You) In Another World". 

 Undertones - (You've Got My Number) Why Don't You Use It

One of my favourite all time Undertones songs. This track was recorded in 1979 and issued as a single in October of the same year. It went to # 32 on the UK Charts and was written by Undertones guitarist John O'Neil. The song can now be found on the remastered/re-issued version of the Undertones second album, Hypnotised. 

This weeks song selection: 

1. Elvis Costello & the Attractions – (I don’t want to go to) Chelsea 

2. The Diodes – Noise 

3. White Stripes – Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine 

4. The Saints – No Time 

5. Modernettes – Surf City Strangler (Live) 

6. Buzzcocks – Boredom 

7. Teenage Head – Picture My Face 

8. Ugly Ducklings – Nothin' 

9. Undertones – (You’ve Got My Number) Why Don’t You Use It 

10. Dirty Pretty Things – Doctors and Dealers 

11. Ramones – I’m Against It 

12. Richard Hell & The Voidoids – Blank Generation 

13. Dead 60’s – Soul Survivor 

14. The Piranhas – Green Don’t Suit Me 

15. The Shades – New Clientele 

16. Enigmas – Teenage Barnacle 

17. The Scavengers – True Love 

18. The Features – City Scenes 

19. The D4 – Exit to the City 

20. The Clash – Car Jamming 

21. Iggy Pop – Tell Me a Story 

22. The Hives – No Pun Intended  

23. Ride Theory – Great White Sharks 

24. Television – Guiding Light 

25. The Rapture – Crimson Red 

26. Pointed Sticks – What Do You Want Me to Do 

27. Gang of Four – Damaged Goods 

Next week I will be doing a show devoted to the music of Bob Dylan. It will be a two part special (next week being the first part). Leave requests in the comment section of this post if you would like to.