Lydon promises to cut a new album "if I raise the money" from the upcoming tour. Meanwhile, let's watch that butter commercial again...

By Fred Mills

Following up on the news, reported back in September, that John Lydon was reforming Public Image Limited for a five-date December run of concerts in England: Lydon told the BBC yesterday that an album of original material is a strong possibility if the band banks enough dough from the shows - which would be their first in 17 years.

Yes, if I raise the money from this, I most definitely will," Lydon told the BBC. "But what you've got to understand with Public Image Ltd is that every single time we recorded we only had one take, no money."

Lydon also indicated that the tour - which, incidentally, will not feature any of the original band members other than himself - wasn't being underwritten by a record company, and that he was funding the trek largely from the income he got for taping a series of commercials for a British butter/dairy company Country Life ("that's the only way I can get to perform live").

This is what you want, this is what you get, however: not specifically a greatest hits set on the tour.

Snorted Lydon, "Don't be ridiculous! What do you think this is? The Beatles? She loves you yeah yeah yeah? No no no! You get what you're given and it'll be even better then."

Seventies British outfit was acclaimed but never fulfilled its Stateside potential.

By Blurt Staff

Along the lines of 10cc, Be-Bop Deluxe, Roxy Music, Alex Harvey and countless other bands of the UK Art-Rock movement in the '70s and early '80s comes City Boy, who also garnered much attention. In the course of their history, City Boy released several albums to much critical praise from fans and music press across both sides of the Atlantic. On November 10th foremost US reissue label Renaissance Records in conjunction with ItsAboutMusic.com (who have released all of the City Boy catalog) issued the band's unreleased album from 1982 called 'It's Personal'.

Formed in the UK in the early 1970s, Lol Mason, Steve Broughton, Max Thomas and Mike Slamer were playing folk music in the Birmingham area. Towards the end of 1975 they were offered a contract by Phonogram records on the condition that they add drums and a bass. So Roger Kent and Chris Dunn were recruited. Although some critics wrote quite favorable reviews for 'City Boy' (1975) and 'Dinner At The Ritz' (1976), it was not until 1978 and their hit song "5-7-0-5" on the subsequent album 'Book Early' that the public began to take notice. The single went right into the Top 10 of the British charts, and the album entered the Top 30 in the album charts.

"We were on tour in Germany at the time, and I remember one of our managers talking to Steve and Lol for ages on the phone as we were lying around in this hotel room in Munich," Max Thomas recalled "Lol said 'Right, I've got an idea...we'll give them a telephone love-song - '5-7-0-5' (or something like that anyway!) So the vocal was re-recorded, the record company expressed delight, and promised to really plug the song, and lo and behold, out of the blue - because it seemed like that at the time - we had a hit single on our hands in the UK, two months before we were committed to a four month tour in America! Fine, we thought, with a bit of luck, we'll carry our success to the States and will become extremely rich and famous."

They were able to repeat their success with their 1979 album 'The Day The Earth Caught Fire' and its title song as a single release. City Boy had one more successful album with 'Heads Are Rolling' in 1980, which many critics believe to be their best, before their recording contract with Atlantic expired. "Atlantic had already written us off," said Thomas. "They responded to 'Heads' very lukewarmly, and delivered the last part of the advance most reluctantly for us to record 'It's Personal', which they never released. I think it was only released in Scandinavia because we were still signed to Polygram in certain territories. Zomba half-heartedly tried to sell 'It's Personal', but by 1982, all the contracts, including our management contract expired...and then the money ran out, and suddenly there were no more wages. And we were all out of a job, and out of a career."

Unable to secure a contract with a major label, the band released a single on their own City Boy label in 1982. After this failed completely to attract anyone's attention, the group split. Now much to the elation of City Boy fans worldwide, the band's final album 'It's Personal' has been reissued on CD from the master tapes.

'Hustler's Son' Produced By Jason Boesel and Jonathan Wilson (Elvis Costello / Jenny Lewis) With All-Star Guests.

By Blurt Staff

For the last 15 years, LA-based drummer Jason Boesel has been planted firmly behind the kit, keeping time for the likes of Rilo Kiley, Bright Eyes, The Elected, and more recently, Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band. Boesel was inspired to pick up the guitar and write his own record after his friends raved about the first song he ever wrote: 'Hustler's Son.' Now, a few studio sessions later, Jason Boesel announces his solo debut for Team Love Records: 'Hustler's Son,' out January 12, 2010.

Boesel headed into the studio in March of 2009 with a core group of collaborators: Mystic Valley Band member Nik Freitas, Blake Mills (Band of Horses, Julian Casablancas), and producer Jonathan Wilson (Elvis Costello 'Momofuku' and Jenny Lewis 'Acid Tongue'). He eventually sought out the additional talents of Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), Orenda Fink (O + S, Azure Ray), David Rawlings (Gillian Welch, Old Crow Medicine Show), Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes), and fellow Rilo Kiley member Blake Sennett.

The result is an 11-song Americana album filled with powerful imagery and a sound that brings new colors to the sonic palette of country-folk greats like Townes Van Zandt, mid-'70s California rock, and the alt-country scene of today.

Check out or download the MP3 of  "Hand Of God"

While "Hand of God" is nearest to Boesel's breezy alt-country leanings, the entirety of 'Hustler's Son' is a road trip of an aural and emotional experience. Boesel isn't shy to admit his soft spot for the Southern California sound, but his sonic inspirations are as diverse as the places he's visited on the road. The music proves it: Dark "Black Waves" rolls in with West Palm Beach's "hurricane sand" and psychotropic guitars, "French Kissing" rocks to allusions of Santa Barbara's shores, "Burned Out And Busted" finds Boesel stranded in the desert, and the insatiable jam "I Got The Reason #1" - a fan favorite played by Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band on tour- leaves Jason in the lobby of a hotel, waiting for the next surprise.

Boesel will be touring in February to support the album, dates tba.

Tracklisting:

1. Black Waves
2. Hand of God
3. French Kissing
4. Burned Out and Busted
5. New World Mama
6. Miracles
7. Hustler's Son
8. Getting Healthy (Good Luck)
9. I Got the Reason #1
10. Was it, Man?
11. Winking Eyes

5^th annual concert will raise funds for The Shalom Project in NC.

By Blurt Staff

On December 4^th Jeffrey Dean Foster and the Birds of Prey will host the 5^th Annual Million Star Hotel benefit concert for the Shalom Project at The Garage in Winston-Salem, NC. Foster, of course, is a Tarheel rock ‘n' roll mainstay and BLURT fave - you can read a little about a concert we caught featuring him on the bill this summer here.

 Opening the show will be Aaron Bachelder, known to many as the musical director of the Enrichment Center Percussion Ensemble. Next up will be Lynn Blakey. Lynn is one third of the critically acclaimed Tres Chicas and will be appearing with her husband Ecki Heinz. She has sang on Jeffrey Dean Foster's 2005 album Million Star Hotel and The Pinetops' Above Ground and Vertical as well as records by Alejandro Excovedo, Velvet Crush and The Two Dollar Pistols.

All proceeds will go to The Shalom Project, a local nonprofit organization that seeks to develop ministries and programs of compassion and justice that enhance the development and serve the needs of West Salem and the greater Winston-Salem area.  The Shalom Project operates a food pantry, clothes closet, free health clinic, Wednesday night suppers and after school programs in the West Salem Neighborhood.

Spread the word! The details:

The 5th Annual Million Star Hotel Shalom Project Benefit

*With*

Jeffrey Dean Foster and the Birds of Prey

And Very Special Guests

Aaron Bachelder

Lynn Blakey (Tres Chicas)

8:30 pm

Friday, December 4th

The Garage, 110 W. 7th St. , Winston-Salem NC

www.the-garage.ws

Admission $10.00

Donations of winter clothing, hats, gloves, scarves, socks and underwear for The Shalom Project would also be appreciated.

They ain't trippin' this time...

By Fred Mills

As any good ol' southern boy such as yours truly who's crawled around on his knees for hours at a time, hunting for psychedelic mushrooms amid the odiferous, plentiful piles of cow dung - don't tote those ‘shrooms around, kids, eat ‘em! You may think you can explain away that big garbage bag full of the fungible fungi when the cops pull you over, but you'll be wrong; it's a lot easier to simply emit a cosmic giggle as you produce your license and sit there quietly watching the pretty colors swirl around John Law's hat.

Sadly, this was not a lesson that the mighty King Khan (a/k/a Arish Khan) had learned as of this past Thursday. You've probably heard rumors about the King Khan & BBQ Show, currently on tour, had been busted the other afternoon in Kentucky - Christian County, to be exact (how's that for irony) - en route to a gig in St. Louis.

According to the Kentucky New Era it was actually Khan along with his tour manager Kristin Klein who were charged with possession of a controlled substance (mushrooms), resulting in being detained and the cancellation of several shows.

Today, Pitchfork reported that the group is finally back on the road en route to Los Angeles, and meanwhile, an official statement was issued to clarify matters:

"On November 16, 2009 Kristin Klein entered a guilty plea to 2nd degree possession of a controlled substance in Christian County, Kentucky. Ms Klein was driving a rental vehicle that was randomly stopped at a safety checkpoint. Officers located a controlled substance in the cab of the vehicle. Ms Klein was unaware of the contraband and the validity of her license was indeterminable at time of arrest. Under KY law a driver of a vehicle is responsible for its contents. Therefore, Ms Klein entered a guilty plea and is scheduled to appear on April 2, 2010 to provide proof of her valid license.

"King Khan & BBQ Show are driving through the night to make their Los Angeles show at Troubadour tomorrow. Tonight's show in Phoenix is cancelled, but all further west coast dates and will to be honored. Kristin Klein is safe with the band and continuing her tenure as tour manager."

Khan, next time y'all are traveling in or near the South, give us a shout - we'll give you some time-proven tips (dating back to, like, the ‘70s) on how to avoid dicey situations like this in the future. Trust us - we are the voice of experience speaking.

Meanwhile, Lance Armstrong is chillin' with the Avett Brothers at ACL...

By Blurt Staff

While Pearl Jam was in Austin in early October to headline the closing night of the Austin City Limits Festival, they also did a taping for the ACL television show - spotlighting their new Backspacer album before 320 lucky people. The episode is set to air on PBS this Saturday, Nov. 21.

Accompanied occasionally by an Austin based 4-piece string section (Will Taylor - viola, Leah Zeger - violin, Jamie Desautels - violin, Shawn Sanders - cello) and joined once by fellow ACL Season 35 performer Ben Harper, Pearl Jam delivered a set that was both inspired and precise, playing songs from their new album alongside older tracks. Clearly enjoying the intimate experience, Eddie Vedder likened the ACL studio and it's renowned acoustics to "...driving an old Buick."

"I sometimes wonder how many more ‘firsts' can there be, but I never dreamed I'd see the day that Pearl Jam would appear on the ACL stage, especially considering they seldom do TV," said ACL producer Terry Lickona. "This will go down as one of our all-time classic shows, and one of the best Pearl Jam performances ever captured. There are some musical and emotional highs that gave me goose bumps."

Pearl Jam on ACL set list: Just Breathe, The End, The Fixer, Johnny Guitar, Amongst the Waves, Unthought Unknown, Army Reserve, Do the Evolution, Lukin, Red Mosquito (with Ben Harper), Inside Job, Porch

The 35th anniversary season of Austin City Limits has been a banner one, featuring performances - some not yet aired - by Them Crooked Vultures, Allen Toussaint, Kris Kristofferson, Steve Earle, Dave Matthews Band, Elvis Costello, Kenny Chesney,  Madeleine Peyroux, Esperanza Spalding, Heartless Bastards, Mos Def and The Avett Brothers.

In fact, the Avetts just taped theirs the other night and were apparently hanging out with none other than Lance Armstrong beforehand, which prompted the following Twitter tweets from Armstrong:

"Having dinner at the house w/ @theavettbros. Cool guys. Can't wait to see them tape @acltv tonight."

"@acltv seeing @theavettbros. Hands down the best show I've seen here."

Well, we can't wait to see the episode, Lance...

AUSTIN CITY LIMITS SEASON 35 BROADCAST SCHEDULE
(check local listings for exact dates and times)

October 3, 2009 Dave Matthews Band
October 10, 2009 Ben Harper and Relentless7
October 17, 2009 Kenny Chesney
October 24, 2009 Andrew Bird / St. Vincent
October 31, 2009 M. Ward / Okkervil River
November 7, 2009 Elvis Costello / Band of Heathens
November 14, 2009 Willie Nelson & Asleep at the Wheel
November 21, 2009 Pearl Jam
January 9, 2010 Allen Toussaint
January 16, 2010 K' Naan / Mos Def
January 23, 2010 The Avett Brothers / Heartless Bastards
January 30, 2010 Steve Earle / Kris Kristofferson
February 6, 2010 Esperanza Spalding / Madeleine Peyroux
February 13, 2010 Them Crooked Vultures

Rockabilly legend has worked with Elvis, the Cramps, Dave Alvin, Rosie Flores and scores others.

By Fred Mills

Although no official press release has been issued yet, word is circulating that rockabilly queen Wanda Jackson was en route to Nashville on Friday to record with the White Stripes/Raconteurs/Dead Weather mainman Jack White. Plans are to record a digital single, possibly for White's Third Man label, followed by an album at a late date.

Jackson, 72, was interviewed by The Oklahoman the other day in which she confirmed the news, saying that she met White via  her website manager. She added that she sees it along the same lines as White's 2004 collaboration with Loretta Lynn, whose White-produced Van Lear Rose earned across-the-board acclaim.

"They had a super album, but he didn't have her do anything different, you know," Jackson said. "She just did her little Loretta Lynn songs. But he told me he's gonna stretch me some, so we'll see. We'll talk later."

The feisty Fujiyama mama was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame this past April. And last month she had a street in Oklahoma City dedicated to her; she performed at the ceremony with The Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Go here for the full story, or view a video about Jackson posted to the site, below.

Syl Johnson (pictured, above) and other alumni of Chicago's Twinight label do the Numero Group proud.

BY STEVEN ROSEN

Although the curatorial reissue label Numero Group is based in Chicago, its roots are in Columbus, Ohio. Its first release, in early 2004, and the inaugural title in the acclaimed Eccentric Soul series, was devoted to Capsoul Records, an obscure, suitably eccentric Columbus record label of the late 1960s/early 1970s.

"We launched our label with Capsoul, and we've done four albums from Columbus, more than any city," announced Ken Shipley, one of the archival label's founders, at the start of Numero's Eccentric Soul Revue roadshow stand in Columbus on Nov. 9.

So not only was the city an appropriate stop for this short U.S. tour, but so was the venue - the Egyptian Revival-style Lincoln Theater, which had opened as a vaudeville/jazz house in the city's historic African-American King-Lincoln District back in 1928 and, legend has it, was where a young Sammy Davis Jr. started his career. It had been vacant for decades until this year, when the city spearheaded a $13.5 million renovation to restore it to its old glories, with updated sound and lighting as well as a glisteningly colorful interior

The show was presented in Columbus by the innovative Wexner Center for the Arts, which meant it attracted arts/pop culture devotees as well as middle-aged and older blacks who remembered when Capsoul was a big deal in Ohio's capitol city.

Primarily, the Eccentric Soul Revue was meant to showcase Numero Group's recent reissue of material from Chicago's late-1960s Twinight label, Twinight's Lunar Rotation. Twinight is best known as home to the prescient soul-blues-funk-protest singles of Syl Johnson ("Different Strokes," "Is It Because I'm Black," "Concrete Reservation"). To fans of Windy City soul, he occupies a position something like Otis Rush's Cobra blues releases of the 1950s - great songs somewhat overlooked today because the label just didn't last for long. Next year, Numero is releasing a definitive box set of Johnson's recordings.

The house/backing band was JC Brooks & the six-member Uptown Sound, with the young, talented Brooks doing yeoman's work of singing warm-up between featured acts, emceeing and providing harmony support when needed. His songs, such as "I Used to Hold You, Now I Hold You Back" had punch and grit and were unexpected pleasures.

For Columbus, the revue added one of Capsoul's finest vocal groups, the Four Mints. Wearing bright-red and black outfits straight out of the 1970s, with a lead singer struggling to stay in tune, their two-song set featured their danceable, sweet 1971 local hit "Row My Boat." Afterward, the writer of the song - Dean Francis - took the stage to express his gratitude.

The show's sole disappointment was that Capsoul artist Marion Black - who recorded the sublime "Go On Fool," a complaint about his wife's lack of appreciation for his hard work - didn't sing as billed. He stood from the audience when announced, acknowledging applause, but that was it.

There were three Twinight acts on the bill - Renaldo Domino, the Notations and Johnson himself, still trim, quick-witted and hard-working at 73. Domino, his voice Smokey-like with its high vulnerable falsetto, was just a kid in 1969 when he recorded the memorable ballad "Not Too Cool to Cry," and in Columbus he sang it with its lovely, dreamy sweetness intact.

The Notations, a quartet decked out in stylish white sport coats and light-green slacks, owe plenty to Chicago soul's most important figure, the late Curtis Mayfield. He was a mentor to its lead vocalist, Cliff Curry, whose onstage kindness and sense of gratitude was reminiscent of Mayfield's own personality.

It was fitting the Notations did an a cappella version of the Impressions' "It's Alright," and high tenor Michael Thurman opened the set with Mayfield's mid-1970s nugget, "Super People." But the group also sang its own regional hit, "I'm Still Here," with impressive authority.

Johnson, whether performing blues or soul material, has always been too idiosyncratic to allow himself to become slick and stylized - one reason he's a hero to the Ponderosa Stomp crowd rather than an oldies-circuit lounge act.

As a singer, there's still nothing formulaic about his approach - he was tough and impassioned and brought a commanding sense of relevance to his material. For instance, on his old hit "Is It Because I'm Black," a melancholy, anti-racist drifting-blues number that has the same kind of chillingly ethereal feel as B.B. King's "The Thrill Is Gone," Johnson ended with a defiant shout-out: "But they can't hold me back anymore because I am President!"

For the Numero revue, he didn't play his guitar but did pull out the harmonica on a few songs, even dropping to his knees to draw more volume on set-closer "Take Me to the River." (As Johnson pointed out, he was the first person to recognize that song's potential, releasing the obscure Al Green album track as a single when he and Green were both Hi Records label mates in the 1970s.)

Johnson's Twinight singles held up amazingly well live - his 1967 hit "Come on Sock It To Me" has a James Brown-like polyrhythmic funk that is more rock-steady than what Brown, himself, was doing at the time. On stage, Johnson shook his hips to it with aplomb, a veritable dancing machine.

The show ended with Brooks calling all the performers on stage for a rousing, extended and unexpected version of the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want." Actually, for devotees of classic soul, you absolutely could get what you want at the Eccentric Soul Revue in Columbus.

[Photo of Syl Johnson: Rebecca Gizicki / courtesy Numero Group]

The Boss gets a geography lesson from his guitarist...

By Fred Mills

Somewhere on earth this past Friday the 13^th, an airplane fell out of the sky; a huge crevice opened up in the ground and a person fell in; a family pooch went missing; some dumbass left his wallet on a park bench; and, oh yeah, Bruce Springsteen took to the stage in Michigan and rousingly greeted the crowd, "Hello Ohio!"

As you may have heard by now, the Boss then compounded the gaffe by mentioning Ohio several more times before E Street Band guitarist Steve Van Zandt leaned over and whispered into his ear. At that point Springsteen's face visibly reddened and he cracked an embarrassed smile.

The Detroit Free Press reports that Springsteen stepped to the mic and announced, "I'm all right. That is every front man's nightmare."

The packed house at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan, was apparently pretty forgiving, however, and Bruce & band rocked away for the better portion of three hours.

"An Evening With Harry Connick, Jr. and Clive Davis" took place Nov. 11, at the GRAMMY Museum, Los Angeles, and BLURT was there.

By Jose Martinez

Record mogul Clive Davis and New Orleans crooner Harry Connick, Jr. have teamed up on the singer's latest release, Your Songs, where he visits the classic songbook, reaching as far forward as the 1970s for tunes by Billy Joel, Roberta Flack, and Elton John. Wednesday night the GRAMMY Museum hosted an evening with the dynamic duo of Davis & Connick, Jr., offering a fascinating discussion and brief performance by the charismatic singer.

With all proceeds benefiting the GRAMMY Museum, MusiCares (providing a safety net of critical assistance for musicians in times of need), and the Musicians' Village (providing homes for artists who have defined the city's culture), the evening's discussion focused on music, the ever-evolving music industry, and volunteer work to better the Crescent City.

The songs that Connick and Davis selected on Your Songs include some of the best known work of singer/songwriters Billy Joel ("Just the Way You Are") Lennon-McCartney ("And I Love Her"), and Elton John ("Your Song"), as well as classics made immortal by the likes of Nat King Cole ("Mona Lisa"), Frank Sinatra ("All the Way") and Elvis Presley ("Can't Help Falling In Love With You").

Legendary "record man" Clive Davis described Connick, in front of a sold out crowd of 200 inside the museum's intimate Sound Stage, as the "best contemporary pop singer in the world."

Connick, a gregarious performer, both onstage and on-screen, is a natural born charmer who had the audience in stitches. "I can throw it down if you ever want to work with me," he yelled to producer Jimmy Jam who was in attendance. "I know what time it is."

The singer joked that a cover of AC/DC's "Back In Black" didn't make the record before singing some of the classic hard rock tune a cappella.

An icon in the music industry, Davis recounted his experience at the Monterrey Pop Festival where he first encountered Janis Joplin whom he then signed to Columbia Records.

"I was unprepared for the cultural, social and musical revolution," Davis recounted. "It had a profound effect on me."

After the evening's event Blurt caught up with Connick for a brief one-on-one chat where the singer explained his initial interest in working with Davis.

"I was looking forward to the novelty of it; going down these roads that I had never been to. There has been no one in my life, creatively, like [Clive Davis]."

Even though the two did argue about the structure of the tracks on Your Songs, their mutual admiration for one another was never in question.

"What he knows is what he likes," Connick explains. "I've done all these records and I do what I like, but the whole point was to look at things from a different perspective. It's abstract and suggestive. Does he know what he's talking about? Yeah, he does."

Perhaps better known these days for his acting, the singer compared recording Your Songs to acting on a film set. "Even though I was the arranger, this was me relinquishing some of that authority to someone else. It was cool. I've done 20 some odd films and I find it works the same part of my brain. When you read a script and look at the dialogue for the hundredth time, you say, ‘that's what it's talking about.' It's the same with lyric interpretation. There's obviously a very different skill set involved with singing and playing and doing a movie, but essentially I think it's the same creative process. I'm thrilled to be back because it has been a while."

When speaking of the work that Musicians' Village, conceived by Connick and Branford Marsalis, has had on New Orleans, housing many of the city's best musicians, the singer declared, "This is a lifelong, moral and ethical investment for me."

About MusiCares:

Established in 1989 by The Recording Academy, MusiCares provides a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need. MusiCares' service and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical, and personal emergencies, and each case is treated confidentially. For more information, please visit www.musicares.com.

About Musicians' Village:

Musicians' Village, a cornerstone of the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity (NOAHH) post-Katrina rebuilding effort, is designed to both construct a community and preserve culture. Conceived by New Orleans natives Harry Connick, Jr. and Branford Marsalis, Musicians' Village will provide a home for both the artists who have defined the city's culture and the sounds that have shaped the musical vernacular of the world. For more information see http://www.nolamusiciansvillage.org.

[Photos credit: ©Kevin Parry/Wire Image]