“We’ll be playing here every Saturday night from now on “ jokes Fernando: last week’s gig at the “World Famous” Kenton Club reminds him of all the hole-in-the-wall bars he used to play set after set early on in his career. The kind of local bar up the street where ya blow off steam, get drunk, listen to a band with your gal ‘n pals after the long weekly grind of Working For The Man. Décor, probably most of the regulars too, hasn’t changed one iota since Raquel Welsh used the toilet in ‘71, when filming nearby. The stuff of Legends, apparently as the club has called itself “World Famous” ever since.. “It’ll be dive-alicious”, Lewi said, prior to gig. Too true, hombre.

Juxtapose that with the previous Saturday’s gig at downtown’s Dante’s, a punk dive recently yuppified (ie. replace mosh pit with tables & chairs, add sexy hot pink lighting. Note to management: shudda bought new mics & stage monitors, instead). Fernando’s first gig after returning from a 3 month visit to birth place, Argentina, playing to a crowd of his fiercely loyal fans (aren’t they all) glad to see him home. Take a listen to the 1st 3 songs the podcast: the glow from the collective embrace is palpable, the songs hang in the air with a tender timelessness. Move up a week to the Kenton Club: most of this crowd don’t have a clue who-da-hell this band called “Fernando” is: take a long drink, settle back and hope for the best onna Saturday night: maybe the band’ll be alright, get me ‘nother beer while yer up. 3 songs in: Fernando asks, “How are we sounding out there – pretty good?” “Fuuuccckk yeaaaaaa” someone yells, applause swells into the next number. The dance floor is packed and everyone is plugged in to the stage.

Way I see it: Fernando has one foot in the iconic Sun Studios, another foot in Pacoima, his eyes gaze at his sweetheart, while his arms are outstretched to the heavens. He sings of, and for, sinners with smoke ring halos who search the horizon for a shred of salvation. Preachers who need to confess, lousy blowjobs washed down by stale beer at country roadhouses with Elvis, Luke the Drifter and Doug Sahm on the jukebox. you can hear Booker T, Garth Hudson & Augie Meyer percolate up thru Lewi’s keyboards. Guitarist Dan (new nickname: Shakey, Jr) rides his sustain pedal like a surfboard, with Creedence swamp and Neil “Like A Hurricane” abandon. (case in point: “I want one of the cds that he’s on” said a buyer at the cd table, pointing to the guitarist). And finally, the music of Fernando wouldn’t rock up a tempest, crashing like waves, if it wasn’t for Matt’s driving beat & Joe’s hoffner bass & high harmonies and occasional splash of Chimichurri. This is a band that matches Fernando’s songs of passion, gauntlet-throwdown retribution with a heady hope that anything is possible. And, once again, the band has won over another crowd, on another Saturday night. It’s Fernando that should be “World Famous”.

1. Heaven 2. The Devil’s In The Sky 3. Rain In Outside 4. Chanchos Sucios 5. True Instigator 6. It’s A Shame 7. Blue Moon

http://www.myspace.com/fernandoportland

http://www.fernandoviciconte.com/

Corsica is a San Francisco based band formed in 2002 around the nucleus of songwriters Keith Dion (The Ophelias, Noel Redding Band, The Posonby DCs) and Brad Orgeron (The Mystery School, Wicked Electricity).  They invited their friends William Seacamp (The Graves Brothers Deluxe), Marco Villalobos (The Graves Brothers Deluxe), Mike Levy (The Sneetches) and Sandy Poindexter (who has played with Dizzy Gillespie, John Handy and other jazz greats) to fill out the line-up.

Strong songs, born out of the Pacific ocean view from where Keith & Brad did their writing sessions, ..this is folk-rock indie pop with psychedelic undertones. Lilting violin & keyboards are nailed down by the rhythm section while Brad sings apocalyptic fairytales. Look for their forthcoming album, “Sight Of The Sun”.

www.corsicaband.com

Corsica: Deadwood Sunset 1. Eyes Wide Open 2. The Judas Kiss * 3. King Of Everything * 4. Venus Rising 5. War To End All Wars 6. Castillian 7. Safe Harbour * 8. Tomorrow 9. Carrion Crow 10. Windfall Land * 11. River Of Sand 12. Colorblind 13. This Harvest Breed all songs c.3:05a.m. music 2008   1,4,11 studio outtakes 2,9,13 acoustic trio session track 2 is an early title of ‘Beautiful Remains’ 3,7,8,10 live, Club Jazz Nouveau track 5 demo 6,12 live, Café du Nord (opening for Arthur Lee & Love’s last ever live show) * studio versions of these live tracks will appear on the forthcoming “Sight Of The Sun” cd   Keith Dion – guitars Brad Orgeron – Vocals & guitars Will Seekamp – keyboards & sax Marco Villalobos – drums & percussion Mike Levy – bass & backing vocals Sandy Poindexter – violin & viola And Ricardo Scales guests on piano on tk 2   Photo by Susan Whitaker (taken at the Club Jazz Nouveau)

REASONS TO LIVE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST #58: Ample opportunity to see Scott McCaughey, the Sangster brothers, John Ramberg, and the rest of their Seattle musical mafioso one way or another (quite the collective resume: The Minus 5, Young Fresh Fellows, The Tripwires, as The Longshots backing Roy Loney , and, in the past The Model Rockets, Stumpy Joe). And they have so much fun doing it too. If that wasn’t enough, McCaughey still finds time to play on albums by REM, Robyn Hitchcock, John Wesley Harding, Walkabouts, Liz Phair, Donovan’s Brain and more.

Last month, donning the moniker of The Lowe Beats, Scott & the rest of the Tartan Horde headed south to Stumptown, paying tribute to the wit & wisdom of pub rocker/crooner, Nick Lowe, it being the 30th anniversary of his legendary “Jesus Of Cool”album (now out on Yep Roc as an expanded 2 cd set). They invited The Shee Bee Gees (a Gibb brothers tribute band: Heather, Ellen, Anna & Alex have been perfecting their transcendent 4 part harmonies out in the garage & at NW gigs for a couple of years. They could sing pages from the phone book at this point and it would be a joy) as well as Casey Neill & The Norway Rats, a band you should run, not saunter, to go hear asap. Folk punk with a strong message and a healthy helping of Pogues-style delivery. Casey, Little Sue & band played a incredible set (despite being down 2 members). Featured here are only their 2 Nick Lowe covers (in keeping with the “Tribute Night” theme). And hurumph: pity the crowd is so loud during the “Faithless Lover”. It’s the powerful, original songs you’ll want to buy their cds & see them live to hear; they are touring in the Northeast next month and doing a West Coast run after that. I look forward to seeing them headline.

And now onto the main course of The Lowe Beats.  I don’t think they could have had more fun and still be legal. It was a new Lowe, so to speak (har, har….um, ….sorry).  One classic song after another with Sangster & Ramberg trading fiery licks, and mega-fan McCaughey taking immense delight in Lowe’s lascivious lyrics. But don’t take my word for it, listen to the podcast.  You might find yourself, afterwards, moving to the Northwest.

Dantes, Portland 23 FEB 08 The Shee Bee Gees: “Lonely Days” (by Barry Gibb) Casey Neil & The Norway Rats: “Faithless Lover” and “I Knew The Bride” (both by Nick Lowe) The Lowe Beats: “You Got The Look I LIke”, “Born Fighter”,”Shake That Rat”, “Cruel To Be Kind”, “Rollers Show” (joined by the Shee Bee Gees), “So It Goes”

www.myspace.com/thelowebeats http://www.caseyneill.org/ http://www.sheebeegees.com/

oh, and grab the new cd from John Ramberg’s band’s band The Tripwires.  In a perfect world, “Big Electric Light” would be a top 20 with a bullet. out on The Paisley Pop label: http://www.paisleypop.com/ ….wot a bunch a Huie

It was 7 years ago that I first heard Tom Verlaine say: “This here’s a newie….goes like this”

And finally a new Television album is nearing completion, albeit without Richard Lloyd, who left to persue The Radiant Monkey and his own musical vision.  So its sheer conjecture as to which of these new TV songs will have made it into the studio along with replacement, Jimmy Rip.

Here, then, is a compilation of live performances of those new songs as performed in recent years.  May this serve as a fitting farewell to Mr Lloyd’s involvement with the group and an appreciation of his contribution to these new songs.

These are audience recordings so sonic quality is not ideal.  However,the passion is all there in the zeros & the ones… 01 I Could Sleep All Day (Washington DC 2003-03-24) 02 Rise & Fall (London 2005-06-21) 03 Frustration (Sao Paolo 2005-10-25) 04 Flower Spasm (London 2005-06-21) 05 Balloon (Washington DC 2003-03-24) 06 Persia (London 2004-06-23) 07 The Sea ((Hamburg 2004-06-18) bonus tracks: 08 Swells Pt 1 / Stars / Swells Pt 2 (Sao Paolo 2005-10-25) 09 Stax (Hamburg 2004-06-18) 10 Stockhausen Pysche Jam (London 2004-06-23) 11 Bowie medley (London 2002-06-18 12 Love Theme From Piranha (London 2002-06-18) 13 “Hits On TV” (London 2002-06-19)

buy Richard Lloyd & The Sfi Monkey’s new album: The Radiant Monkey

http://www.richardlloyd.com/

http://www.parasol.com/labels/parasol/parcd107.asp

Danny Kirwan, was only 18 when he was asked by Peter Green to join Fleetwood Mac, and, from the start, Greeny gave plenty of opportunities for his protégée to shine as songwriter and in a dual guitar attack.  “EC is God” was the graffiti of the day, and, by sharing the spotlight with Kirwan & Jeremy Spencer, Peter hoped to avoid such soul strangling fan obsession that befell Clapton. Greeny & Kirwan’s guitar interplay on songs such as “World In Harmony” and “Like Crying” was truly transcendent. Sadly, it was not to last; as Peter Green jettisoned the whole star & money making grind, preferring long jams to the top 40 bound hit singles expected of him.  His departure moved the spotlight onto the young Danny.  Despite a fine group effort on the album “Kiln House”, and the addition of McVie’s wife Christine, Danny was effectively the leader of a dispirited band.  Spencer’s subsequent, abrupt departure to join a Californian Christian cult during a US tour put the heavy yoke of leadership and lead guitarist even more onto Danny’s shoulders, undiminished when Bob Welsh was hired on rhythm guitar.  Clearly, this isn’t what Kirwan agreed to when he signed onto Fleetwood Mac in ‘68.  He withdrew from the band, drank heavily, rarely ate and became increasingly neurotic under the pressure. Eventually, in August of 1972, he snapped over an argument with Welsh about guitar tuning, slamming his beloved Les Paul against a wall, and refusing to play the gig.  He was fired from the band, eventually becoming destitute living on the streets, in hostels, in mental wards.  At one point, during a rare interview years later, he wonders if perhaps the blues weren’t too powerful for a person such as he. The flame burned too bright, and needed extinguishing.   And that is sad for us because during those 4 years, Danny Kirwan wrote some of  era’s most haunting and sublime ballads & rockers, maturing as a songwriter and creating a very melodic, unique guitar  style.  This compilation of live & BBC material is in celebration of that body of work.  May it be remembered.  These tracks are a pale reflection of the officially released albums so, if you are unfamiliar with “Then Play On”, “Kiln House” “Bare Trees” and “Future Games” , then open your ears to them.  His greatest song “Dragonfly”, the first post Green single, is available on the “Greatest Hits”  (Sony) album.

 01.  Child Of Mine (Seattle KISW-fm 10 MAR 72

02.  Tell Me All The Things You Do (BBC 10 NOV 70)

03.  Dragonfly (BBC 5 JAN 71)

04.  Woman Of A 1000 Years (Sindelfingen, GER 04 MAR 72)

05.  Like Crying (Oslo TV Nov ’68)

06.  Only You (New Orleans 31 JAN 70)

07.  Trinity (Sindelfingen, GER 04 MAR 72)

08.  Station Man (San Bernadino 19 Feb 71)

09.  Coming Your Way (Fillmore West 2 JAN 70)

10.  Loving Kind (Fillmore West 2 JAN 70)

11.  Like It This Way (Oslo TV Nov ’68)

12.  One Sided Love (Amsterdam 20 APR 69)

13.  I’ve Got A Mind Of My Own (BBC 27 AUG 68)

14.  Dragonfly (San Bernadino 19 Feb 71)

  Total time: 53:48