Down The Road A Piece...

Rock ‘n’ Roll  is  not just one style of music but it is diverse  with many sounds and many different angles, the Country music angle which is Rockabilly, the black angle which is Rhythm ‘n’ Blues, the vocal angle which is Doo-Wop and the piano angle which is Boogie Woogie.....hold on....Boogie Woogie....say more!

Boogie Ma Blues....

Boogie Woogie was a repetitive piano style  with roots that date right back in history to the very early years of the 20^th century in the turpentine camps and oil boomtowns of Texas and Louisiana, where the Boogie Woogie baseline and pattern was created. By night the workers in such camps drunk themselves into oblivion, they cheated at cards, brawled and murdered each other but each camp had a Barrelhouse and in these houses the Boogie Woogie style was forming. This is why you often hear Boogie Woogie called Barrelhouse Piano.

 Possibly the first Boogie Woogie to be recorded was  in 1924 and called Chicago Stomps by Jimmy Blyth,  by the 1930s and 40s this piano based form of the Blues had it’s hold on America, big time. Boogie Woogie music was so popular and its creators suddenly became famous names; Meade Lux Lewis, Pete Johnson, Jimmy Yancey, Albert Ammons and Pinetop Smith.
As music progressed and times changed, things moved on but some folks were still possessed by the spirit and drive of Boogie Woogie.

One name brings a smile to every Rock ‘n’ Roll fans face as they remember the name of Merrill E Moore.....yeah daddy...Merrill E Moore.....

Down The Road a Piece....

The story of  Merrill E Moore....

Merrill E Moore was a truly holy man for he performed Boogie Woogie on his piano but his music was a blend of Western Swing and R&B which produced something so special.....Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Merrill E Moore was born on a farm near Algona in Iowa in September of 1923 and by the age of just 7 he had taken to the piano.  By 12 he was performing on a radio station in the nearby town of Des Moines and in the evenings when school was through he played his piano in a band on the Midwestern ballroom circuit.  By December of 1941 America had entered the 2^nd WorldWar so Merrill joined the U.S Navy. After he left the service Merrill tied the knot with his high-school sweetheart and relocated to San Diego.

In the late 1940’s the Hillbilly lead Boogie Woogie sounds of Moon Mullican totally amazed Merrill and some day he wanted to play in the same hypnotic Boogie Woogie style.

By 1950 Merrill  began to perform regularly at the Buckaroo Club and with it’s manager Jimmy Kennedy they formed the Saddle, Rock & Rhythm Boys. In 1952 with this band to back him and with Jimmy Kennedy’s help Merrill signed to Capitol Records and in that same year released Big Bug Boogie.  Come 1952 Corrine Corrina was released and in 1953 Red Light, Bartender Blues, Bellbottom Boogie and House of Blue Lights. House Of Blue Lights became a national hit but Jimmy had say and he didn’t want the band to tour to promote the record. A 7 year deal had been signed between Merrill and Jimmy, a deal in which Merrill E Moore and the Saddle, Rock & Rhythm Boys appeared at his club 6 nights a week and Jimmy had also helped get Merrill signed to Capitol so Jimmy Kennedy thought he had some kinda say.

Roll on to 1955 and Merrill became a regular musician on Hillbilly entrepreneur Cliffie Stones  television and radio show called Hometown Jamboree. Merrill had walked out on his contract with Jimmy Kennedy but he still recorded Boogie Woogie for Capitol Records, Buttermilk Baby and Down The Road A Piece are prime examples of his 1955 recordings. Merrill also became a session musician for Capitol too and played piano for Skeets McDonald, Wanda Jackson, Sonny James, Faron Young and Tommy Sands.

In 1958 Merrill recorded an album of instrumentals but it was not released, at the time. He did not record again for some time and by 1962 Merrill was performing on cruise ships and in hotels.

A European rediscovery of his music began in 1969 and he played in England which lead to the Tree Top Tall album being released, however this didn’t lead to anything big for Merrill he still played clubs in his local area and at times ventured out to Arizona or Nevada. A car crash in 1986 laid Merrill up for a few years but in 1998 he was called back to England to appear at the Hemsby Rock ‘n’ Roll weekender in Great Yarmouth where he was hailed a hero and adored.

Life is strange and cancer set in and in June of 2000 Merrill E Moore died....R.I.P oh hallowed one....

The exceptional recordings that Merrill laid down are truly something so powerful and extraordinary. Lead by his almost frenzied Boogie Woogie piano with his vocals  lazy and  easy going that are recognisably Rock and Roll.....bless ma soul....

Let Me Introduce Ma Rocket 88....

So many Rock ‘n’ Roll records, recorded before 1956 exist but the Rockin’ ingredient is not always outwardly recognisable, at first.  But one recording stands out as a totally 1950s Rock ‘n’ Roll release. It was recorded in 1951 at Sam Phillips studio and it is a 12 bar blues song credited to Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats called Rocket 88.

This monumental song was put together during rehearsals in the Riverside Hotel in Clarksdale in Mississippi. Rocket 88 is Rhythm ‘n’ Blues music but Ike Turner gave it a rawer sound by adding a strongly distorted guitar, a heavy back beat was added by drums, Jackie sings dirty and slurred vocals which make this song 1950s Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Rocket 88 is an historic and completely important recording; it is about a true mid-fifties Rock ‘n’ Roll subject, the automobile. The Oldsmobile, Rocket 88....

During the time of recording this historic song the name of the Delta Cats did not exist and the song was actually recorded by the flashy Ike Turner with his Kings of Rhythm, Jackie was just the gifted sax player who did not play his saxophone on this song but he still sang the vocals on Rocket 88! 17 year old Raymond Hill played sax with Ike Turner playing piano. Rocket 88 was recorded in March at Sun Records but Sam Phillips sold it to Chess records up in Chicago who released it in April of 1951.

Rocket 88 went on to reach number 1 on the U.S Billboard R&B charts in June and stayed there for over a month but more importantly it was a vital part of something so massive.....Rock and Roll’s history....

The Way Forward is Unclear...

It is Monday....a fresh beginning day, a new start day? But no, instead I sit and wait for some kinda inspiration! The joy of art, to try and endeavour but also the torment and grief when nothing will happen!  My life speeds on by as I sit and do nothing! Tis a hot day here in Blighty, some 31°C  which is hot  for Britain. Must drink fluid...to live....and survive...

I love music with its all enveloping power! The power to make you laugh or cry or suddenly become cocky or fall apart! I love history, to learn from history, to correct wrongly recorded history, to look and love history! I love poetry, I love style,  I love art and I love.....everything!

Ah well.....Aces High....

Time.....Sunday?

Time.....time....time.....desperate and evil....uncompromising and relentless......but if you realise its existence... its truly brilliant!   

Sunday in Blighty....a nothing day...a day void of life or movement...4 old ladies make this a holy day...a day of rest...a day of nothing...

Sunday......Sunday......Sunday......

Putting society up-side its own narrow minded head...

Burlesque....

The word Burlesque derives from the Italian word ‘burleso’ which in turn derives from another Italian word ‘burla’ which means a mockery or to ridicule or to joke. Burlesque has never, ever been just the act of a girl taking her clothes off. It is a dramatic dance set to music in which the lady concerned slowly tells a story while removing her costume and caricatures the travesty and stupidity of life, a way of setting society up-side its own narrow minded head.  Burlesque is a theatrical form of art and poise…directional and filled with grace and method. Again I say; the lady concerned dances slowly and provocatively around while mocking society with her attitude and couldn’t care less approach to removing her clothes. Burlesque is the truest and most sincere parody ever.....

The  origins of Burlesque, as we know  it date back to the 19^th century with the ‘Music Hall’ anomaly and ‘Vaudeville’ entertainment and it involves a satire or art, performance and adult entertainment. A Burlesque performance could be superbly lined with an elaborate back drop and set, lighting ,music and a dazzlingly dazzling costume.

Burlesque names to so be proud of were;

 Blaze Starr, Tempest Storm, Mamie Van Doren, Chesty Morgan, Sally Rand, Yvonne De Carlo and although she was a singer and high class performer Josephine Baker had real Burlesque style and ways.

Burlesque….true style and true art…..

Listen here; sincerely no disrespect is meant to women, in fact the truth is that Burlesque with its great attitude shows that women rule!

Life's a Gas....

What is the meaning of life, why do we walk the earth? Why should we go through the turmoil and upset of life, a life that can only end  in...... death? The reason stands out so loudly and it is so; the reason for our brilliant lives is to learn’! You never, ever stop learning but if you think you've learnt everything and stop,  you become egotistical, self absorbed and arrogant! For from our deepest childhood we begin this whole life of learning and this learning carries on into old age and it never stops! To be given the gift of a life of learning....what a true, true gift!

Just finished a Day of The Dead painting and up to date with writing....feeling happy with life....life’s a gas.....

Thats Alright Mama.

Elvis Presley… Early Times….


The brilliantly shocking vision of Elvis Presley on stage around 1955 might confuse or maybe even appear humorous to some folks nowadays. Dressed in Cat clothes with a heavily greased ducktail, arrogantly stood behind the mike with his petulant expression, sneering as he mumbles something in fluent Hillbilly, he swaggers back and strums on his rhythm guitar as he slowly starts to sing ‘ooooh…Baby…Baby…Baby….Oooh….Baby…Baby…Baby….B…B…B…Baby…Baby…Baby…W-e-l-l…Come Back Baby….I Wanna Play House With You…’.


Elvis Aaron Presley was brought into this world on January 8th 1935 under the humblest of circumstances, in a 2 room house in Tupelo, Mississippi. Elvis was a twin but his brother, Jessie Garon was stillborn however Elvis thrived.. He was born during hard times, his daddy was one Vernon Elvis Presley who sometimes hoed cotton for a living and his mom was one Gladys Love who worked as a sewing machine operator but quickly their lives revolved around the new child, Elvis. He had been born into a close knit and church going family, a desperately poor, working class family with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins living close by but Elvis was closest to his Mama. The family attended The Assembly of God Church where Gospel music began to influence Elvis along with the Country Music he heard on the radio and the Bluesmen who were neighbours, all this music mixed together in his young head.
His daddy went from job to job and tangled with the law at times and in June of 1938 Vernon was put in jail, charged with forgery.
In 1941, aged 10, Elvis attended Lawhon Elementary School where a teacher discovered that Elvis could sing and entered him in a talent contest.

This contest was the Mississippi-Alabama Fair were Elvis stood behind a microphone and he sung Red Foley's Old Shep. WELO radio broadcast this contest in which Elvis won $5.00 in fair ride tickets as the 5th winning contestant. Elvis was a shy and awkward kid but he could sing good. In 1946 Elvis got his first guitar at a cost of $12. 95 from The Tupelo Hardware Store as his mom and dad could not afford a bicycle

In 1948 the Presley family moved to Memphis,Tennessee. The family quickly relocated to Lauderdale Courts which were public housing developments very close to the famous Beale Street with Sun Studios only 1mile away. The young Elvis practiced and practiced on his guitar in the basement of this housing development home.

By 1952 Elvis had began to stand out from his class mates with long, truck driver style sideburns, he grew his hair long and styled it with Rose Oil and Vaseline and he began to wear flashy clothes. He would wander up to 146 Beale Street which was Lansky Brothers clothiers and buy the coolest of threads. Lansky Brothers originally sold left over army surplus but now it took full advantage of Beale Streets ever growing music scene. Beale Street was a ‘real’ black street and Lansky Bros also sold the loudest and most stylish of clothes. Why Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, B B King and Duke Ellington all bought clothes from Lansky Brothers. Bernard Lansky noticed this white kid with a pompadour keep looking in the window of the store but this kid never came in. One day Bernard spoke to this 17 year old kid, who at that time had no money but later Lansky Brothers became Clothier to the King, that kid. Elvis wore pink pegged slacks, a pink and black flecked sport coat with a black shirt and a pink rayon tie which could all be bought from Lansky Brothers. Elvis Presley definitely stood out from his class mates in a good natured misfit way.

After his studying at Humes High School had done he worked at The Precision Tool Company and later he drove a truck for The Crown Electric Company but in the hot summer of 1953 things took a turn……

The Hillbilly Cat.


Elvis walked into the Sun Studios and recorded his first acetates at a cost of $4. 2 songs were recorded That’s When Your Heartaches Begin and My Happiness which were popular ballads at that time. Sam Phillips, the owner of Sun along with his assistant Marion Keisker listened to these tracks, they heard flair and talent in these recordings and Elvis was called back into studio in June of 54 to cover for some ballad singer but things didn’t work out. Then in July Elvis was called back in and teamed up with local musicians, Bill Black on stand up bass and on guitar Scotty Moore, just to see what happened.

Nothing happened at first so they took a break and Elvis, Scotty and Bill began to fool around with Arthur Big Boy Cradup’s song That’s All Right Mama and this fooling sounded kinda good. Sam Phillips liked it and he quickly planned to release it as a 45 but it needed a B side. The Bluegrass song by Bill Monroe called Blue Moon Of Kentucky fitted the bill. That’s All Right Mama was released in July of 1954 and at first Sam Phillips found it hard to sell a recording of music with no apparent name., music by a white guy that was originally a Rhythm ‘n’ Blues recording, a Negro musc!

He played it to DJ, Dewey Phillips of the Red Hot and Blue radio show and Dewey flipped! Dewey was knocked out by That’s All Right Mama, he eagerly played it on his radio show and 47 listeners phoned in to ask about this recording, by a Negro guy! That’s All Right Mama was only a local hit and it did not make the national charts, but this historical recording which consisted of a boogie bass line with Hillbilly vocals was Rockabilly in construction and sound. Rockabilly had been evolving since after the Second-World-War from Country-Boogie music and That’s All Right Mama was the finished article, pure and unadulterated Rockabilly.

Elvis, Scotty and Bill began to perform together playing at clubs and small shows locally and throughout the Southern States. In October of that year they appeared at the Grand Ole Opry but they still recorded at Sun too. These recordings included; Baby Let’s Play House, I’m Left Your Right She’s Gone, Good Rockin’ Tonight, I Don’t Care If The Sun Don’t Shine, Mystery Train, I Forgot To Remember To Forget and more.

They appeared at the Louisiana Hayride and this show lead to regular appearances. Elvis met Colonel Tom Parker for the first time at the Hayride, the Colonel managed various acts who appeared on the show. Elvis, Scotty and Bill relentlessly toured by themselves and on package tours with Country music stars such as Hank Snow as drummer DJ Fontana joined and added back-beat to the sound behind Elvis. There was loud outrage from some folks at the shows Elvis performed at, outrage at his openly sexual moves but the teenagers dug him and……the girls dug him most of all!

There was no stopping the career of Elvis Presley and in November of 1955 RCA bought his contract from Sam Phillips at a cost of only $35.000.

To call Elvis Presley a one off is an understatement; no one will ever walk this earth as cool as Elvis ….even the idea of Elvis is too phenomenal to be true, but its true!

Slide Baby Slide....

I love emotions, happy, sad, ecstatic, thrilled, excited but never mumble?  Love abstract art and form, curves, bosoms and colour and to glide and swirl and delve and to slide...baby slide.  Love people....to watch em and listen to em and react with em! To communicate and talk and chat and argue and laugh and cheer!  Love music...love love love....music, music has been my life for s-o long! Earthy music and from the heart music filled with power, noise and repeated riffs but never bland music! Most of all I love, love which is so powerful, steady but filled with fire and such emotion and passion but it is true and natural art!  Like women.....beautiful art!

 

Take chances and do strange dances and dream and laugh as you ride upon the crazy crazy roller coaster of life!