Topic: Country blues legends that you just don't like

[LD50]

Anything Tampa Red plays....on the kazoo!

I agree -- for me, anything with kazoo immediately goes onto the 'NEVER LISTEN TO THIS AGAIN' pile.

Right now I'm spinning the old Mamlish LP Mississippi Bottom Blues and I have to say, I've NEVER been able to get into Freddie Spruell. I think it's his voice. (Let's Go Riding is the sole exception.)

It took me a few years to get used to Leadbelly's voice. I like a lot of his old ARC's, but I still think his vocals are a bit over the top at times.

[GhostRider]

Excelsior:

I'm glad this old thread got revived.

I for once (only) disagree with Johnm, I think that this thread has merit. We as CB fans find it hard (at least in my case) to listen to CB as a, well, listener rather than a fan. I appreciate that some of us have been able to step back and give a listeners view.

Remember, much of these guys sold very little, even at a time when blues was hot, there must have been a reasion to the average listener at the time.

I for one have always tried to promote CB here in Calgary by playing at one open mic a week while I'm in town (I love to show up the tortoured singer-songwriters), even though they still scare me to death. It's been instructive to read this thread to know what elements to change of leave out and what to modify. This is also fodder for ones on compositions.

In summary, its nice to know what doesn't work as well as what does.

Alex

[Johnm]

Hi Alex,
My thinking on it has changed, too.  There's nothing that says we have to like everything or even that are likes and dislikes be rational--they almost never are.  It stands to reason that there is some stuff out there that just isn't one's cup of tea.
All best,
Johnm

[uncle bud]

Excelsior:

I'm glad this old thread got revived.

I for once (only) disagree with Johnm, I think that this thread has merit. We as CB fans find it hard (at least in my case) to listen to CB as a, well, listener rather than a fan. I appreciate that some of us have been able to step back and give a listeners view.

Remember, much of these guys sold very little, even at a time when blues was hot, there must have been a reasion to the average listener at the time.

I for one have always tried to promote CB here in Calgary by playing at one open mic a week while I'm in town (I love to show up the tortoured singer-songwriters), even though they still scare me to death. It's been instructive to read this thread to know what elements to change of leave out and what to modify. This is also fodder for ones on compositions.

In summary, its nice to know what doesn't work as well as what does.

Alex

Not so sure it works that well, Alex. Lemon was very popular among listeners of his time and culture, not just some (and clearly not all) nerdy 21st-century guitar players, and I think many of today's listeners just wouldn't get him. Leroy Carr was very popular and "worked" for listeners of the time, but you would probably have more success today at an open mic with yet another f*$#in' version of "Sweet Home Chicago" then "Going Away and Leave My Baby".

The way I look at this thread is 'oh well, more for the rest of us.'   I think dj's earlier point was dead on the money. If there's something I don't like, perhaps I'm just not hearing it yet. Not that you can't find some duds among the legends' work. They all have them.

edit: Oh yeah, I even like kazoo. Tampa Red's My Za Zu Girl is hard to resist. Memphis Jug Band doing Aunt Caroline Dyer Blues. For true kazoo weirdness, try Robert Pete Williams playing kazoo.

[dj]

Thinking about this, I realized that one thing that has helped me to appreciate and enjoy artists who I had not previously cared for is reading about them.  My wife bought me a biography of Fats Domino a few years ago, and I thought "Why did she get this for me?  I don't like this guy!"  But 364 pages later, I found that I heard a lot in Domino's music that I hadn't appreciated before reading the book.  I had a similar experience this year with Alan Govenar's Lightnin' Hopkins bio.  And reading Abbott and Seroff has led me to a lot of music: black vaudeville, classic women singers, early jazz, etc.  Understanding an artist's life, culture, environment, discography, etc, just seems to help me understand his music.

[LD50]

For true kazoo weirdness, try Robert Pete Williams playing kazoo.

Good lord, where does he do THAT?

I have like 6 albums by RPW, and I don't think he plays kazoo on any of them, thank god. 

[Alexei McDonald]

For true kazoo weirdness, try Robert Pete Williams playing kazoo.

Good lord, where does he do THAT?

I have like 6 albums by RPW, and I don't think he plays kazoo on any of them, thank god. 

Ask, and ye shall receive...

http://blog.allmusic.com/2009/08/10/kazoo-blues/

[unezrider]

c'mon, guys
the kazoo is like fun bad! though i admit i enjoy it more in a jug band context. for instance, i absolutely love the recordings tampa red made with big maceo. but i would much rather have heard those with tampa leaving the kazoo at home, & taking another guitar break instead.
& i'm with dj in that sometimes it might take a few years before i start enjoying someone who i didn't get right away. & it'll usually happen out of nowhere.
chris

[Prof Scratchy]

Just to clarify: absolutely nothing against the kazoo. Just Tampa Red playing it!

[LD50]

For true kazoo weirdness, try Robert Pete Williams playing kazoo.

Good lord, where does he do THAT?

I have like 6 albums by RPW, and I don't think he plays kazoo on any of them, thank god. 

Ask, and ye shall receive...

http://blog.allmusic.com/2009/08/10/kazoo-blues/

Jesus, that's weird.

It's like he's just singing like normal except there happens to be a kazoo in his mouth.

[LD50]

Just to clarify: absolutely nothing against the kazoo. Just Tampa Red playing it!

Or Tommy Johnson:

[Mr.OMuck]

You've got to hear Fred McDowell's version of Shake 'em on Down with psychedelic kazoo accompaniment! Absolutely COSMIC! <)|;~)@

[uncle bud]

For true kazoo weirdness, try Robert Pete Williams playing kazoo.

Good lord, where does he do THAT?

I have like 6 albums by RPW, and I don't think he plays kazoo on any of them, thank god. 

Ask, and ye shall receive...

http://blog.allmusic.com/2009/08/10/kazoo-blues/

Jesus, that's weird.

It's like he's just singing like normal except there happens to be a kazoo in his mouth.

There's also Sante Fe Kazoo Blues on the Sante Fe Blues CD.

[Slack]

You've got to hear Fred McDowell's version of Shake 'em on Down with psychedelic kazoo accompaniment! Absolutely COSMIC! <)|;~)@

Actually, I think that is a comb accompaniment - which makes it absolutely more COSMIC!    (Are you boycotting Santa hats O'Muck?    )

[blueshome]

With regard to changing one's view on liking an artist (not "appreciating" which is something else in my book), I only really started to get into Blind Lemon after buying the Yazoo double album with its great sound (well, best possible...) and programming.