This is the only one of the compilations from today's selection I have. It's a nice selection, with a few obscurities, but a very silly thing putting 'featuring Ray Davies', especially with it including 'Death Of A Clown' and 'Living On A Thin Line'. It would have been nice to have 'Strangers' too. I also tend to prefer studio versions on a compilation like this. Maybe with the 'featuring', Raymond was preparing us for his solo career...
1985 Backtrackin' The Kinks - Backtrackin' | Releases | Discogs There was also a European CD single release tied into this compilation's release in 1993: The interesting thing to note here is that third track "Artificial Light" which is not on the parent compilation but a bonus track here. This is the original mix of "Artificial Light" that was only ever released back in 1978 on the B-Side of the UK "Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy" UK 7" single. This is the only CD release of this mix and has never been released in the US on any medium. The version of this song that appeared as a bonus track on the 1998 Velvel CD reissue of Sleepwalker is a remix, although it is not noted as being remixed anywhere in the liner notes or the track listing on that release. Compare the sound of the drums between the two mixes right from the start and the difference is very noticeable. This original mix is very dry while the remix has far more reverb and 90s remix overproduction. The phase effects are more played up in the remix as well. The remix is actually a longer with a longer instrumental section in the middle and a few other bars towards the end of the song and a longer fade. We covered this back when we discussed the song, but this original mix wasn't on YouTube then, so it was not posted at that point. At that time, I was not yet set up to do this, but this seems like a good spot to post it now. Better late than never and I expect most here have never heard this original mix. Artificial Light (Original Mix) Compare to the remix on the 1998 Sleepwalker CD: https://youtu.be/t_glRb5ShII
@mark winstanley Enjoy your Destin-ation vacation (there’s those “t i o n” words again). For your unpaid work in this thread alone, you’ve earned it. Surely someone will take names and report any class cut ups while you’re out of the room. Seriously, safe travels.
Weird Nightmare. Directed by Ray Davies Cinematography - James Gucciardo and Romeo Tirone Featuring - Elvis Costello, Bobby Keys, Chuck Leavell, Vernon Reid, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Hall Willner. In 1992 Ray Davies, frontman of the influential rock group The Kinks, directed a documentary on the making of the Charles Mingus tribute album, "Weird Nightmare". The film explores the tormented life and music of jazz composer Charles Mingus. His music is rehearsed, recorded and discussed by Keith Richards and Charlie Watts "Oh Lord don't let them drop that atomic bomb on me"; Elvis Costello "Weird nightmares"; Vernon Reid "Worksong"; and Henry Threadgill "Meditations". With recollections from family, friends and musicians. CREDITS Sound - Eric Taylor - Danny Michaels - Fernando Terul Rodriguez Camera - Dyanna Taylor - Robert Leacock - Jack Hazan - Romeo Tirone - Jim Gucciardo Editor - Peter Shelton Composer - Charles Mingus other - Keki Mingus - Sue Mingus - Judy McGrath - Elvis Costello - Charlie Watts - Keith Richards - Bobby Keys - Chuck Leavell - Vernon Reid - Don Byron - Greg Cohen - Geri Allen - Nat Hentoff Production - Columbia Records World Rights - Sony Music Format - DCP - col I don't know much about Charles Mingus to be honest. I am aware of the man, and I do have Joni Mitchell's Mingus album, but although I have several jazz artists in my collection I don't have anything by him. So this is an interesting sideline for me. Hopefully it won't annoy anyone that we are looking at this, but as we have looked at Ray's dabbling in and around the movie, tv, stage and video world with the Long Distance Piano Player, Soap Opera, Return To Waterloo and 80 Days, here we have his directorial debut? putting together a documentary on a legendary jazz musician. It runs for just under an hour and hopefully it will be entertaining for those who have an interest, and perhaps work to space things out for those who have gotten behind on the thread. From what I have seen so far as a tester of what this is, we have some old footage of Mingus, and the places he was around, interspersed with commentary from the people listed in the two credits lists I posted. I know it is a bit of a sideline of sorts, but it seems that if we are putting together everything that we know about that the Davies lads did over their long and distinguished careers, that this somehow fits in here. Anyway, hopefully this will be an interesting sideline for everybody, before we head into the Phobia album on Monday. Various – Weird Nightmare (Meditations On Mingus) Label: Columbia – CK 52739 Format: CD, Album Country: US Released: 1992 Genre: Jazz Style: Contemporary Jazz 1 Canon (Part 1) Didgeridoo, Trombone, Flute [Wood Flute] – Art Baron Electric Guitar [Slide] – Gary Lucas Gong [Cone Gongs], Marimba [Bass], Arranged By – Michael Blair Guitar – Bill Frisell Percussion – Don Alias Performer [Chromelodeon Ii] – Francis Thumm Singing Bowls [Cloud Chamber Bowls] – Greg Cohen 3:20 2 Meditations On Integration Banjo – Marc Ribot Bass – Greg Cohen Flute, Arranged By – Henry Threadgill Guitar – Bill Frisell Marimba [Eroica], Drums, Percussion [Flapper] – Michael Blair Percussion, Cymbal – Don Alias Performer [Harmonic Canon] – Francis Thumm Tuba – Art Baron 3:47 3 Canon (Part 2) Didgeridoo, Trombone, Flute [Wood Flute] – Art Baron Electric Guitar [Slide] – Gary Lucas Gong [Cone Gongs], Marimba [Bass], Arranged By – Michael Blair Guitar – Bill Frisell Percussion – Don Alias Performer [Chromelodeon Ii] – Francis Thumm Singing Bowls [Cloud Chamber Bowls] – Greg Cohen Vocals – Robbie Robertson 3:15 4 Jump Monk Bass, Arranged By – Greg Cohen Drums, Drum [Chinese Drum] – Michael Blair Electric Guitar [Weirdness] – Gary Lucas Guitar – Bill Frisell Percussion, Timbales, Cowbell – Don Alias Trombone – Art Baron 3:57 5 Weird Nightmare Bass – Greg Cohen Flute – Henry Threadgill Guitar – Bill Frisell Marimba [Bass] – Don Alias Marimba [Eroica] – Marc Ribot Performer [Chromelodeon Ii] – Francis Thumm Recorder [Great Bass], Trombone – Art Baron Singing Bowls [Cloud Chamber Bowls] – Michael Blair Vocals, Performer [Harmonic Canon] – Elvis Costello 3:07 6 Work Song Gong [Cone Gong], Bass – Greg Cohen Guitar [Adapted Guitar], Guitar – Bill Frisell Marimba [Eroica], Clarinet – Don Byron Performer [Chromelodeon Ii], Piano – Geri Allen Performer [Crychord], Drums – Michael Blair Performer [Diamond Marimba], Drums [Hand Drums] – Don Alias Performer [Harmonic Canon], Tuba – Art Baron Performer [Surrogate Kithara], Guitar, Arranged By – Vernon Reid Singing Bowls [Cloud Chamber Bowls], Marimba [Eroica] – Francis Thumm 7:06 7 Self-Portrait In 3 Colors Clarinet, Bass Clarinet – Don Byron Congas – Michael Blair Guitar [Adapted Guitar] – Greg Cohen Guitar, Performer [Surrogate Kithara], Arranged By – Bill Frisell Marimba [Bass] – Don Alias Marimba [Eroica] – Francis Thumm Trombone – Art Baron 3:29 8 Purple Heart Bass, Arranged By – Greg Cohen Clarinet – Don Byron Congas – Don Alias Guitar – Bill Frisell Percussion [Brushes], Performer [Harmonic Canon], Singing Bowls [Cloud Chamber Bowls] – Michael Blair Performer [Chromelodeon Ii] – Francis Thumm Recorder [Great Bass] – Art Baron Vocals – Henry Rollins 2:38 9 Tonight At Noon Alto Saxophone – Crispin Cioe Arranged By – Uptown Horns Bass – Greg Cohen Drums – Charlie Watts Tenor Saxophone – Arno Hecht Trombone – Bob Funk Trumpet – Hollywood Paul Litteral* 5:31 10 Gunslinging Bird Bass – Greg Cohen Bata, Percussion – Don Alias Drums, Performer [Chromelodeon Ii], Arranged By – Michael Blair Guitar, Performer [Surrogate Kithara] – Bill Frisell Trombone – Art Baron Vocals – Chuck D 1:40 11 Weird Nightmare Interlude Guitar – Bill Frisell 0:57 12 Reincarnation Of A Lovebird / Haitian Fight Song Montage Bass – Greg Cohen Clarinet, Bass Clarinet – Don Byron Congas, Goblet Drum [Dumbek], Percussion [Clappers] – Don Alias Drums, Performer [Whirley Tube, Chromelodeon Ii], Finger Cymbals, Percussion [Clappers] – Michael Blair Effects [Sound Effects], Sampler [Samples] – Hal Willner Guitar [National Steel Bottleneck] – Gary Lucas Guitar, Performer [Surrogate Kithara] – Bill Frisell 4:48 13 Open Letter To Duke Banjo – Tony Trischka Harmonica – Howard Levy Kazoo, Castanets, Spoons, Arranged By, Conductor – Bobby Previte Mandolin, Guitar – Barry Mitterhoff Percussion, Washboard, Spoons – Susan Evans* Tuba – Bob Stewart Violin – Kenny Kosek 4:53 14 The Shoes Of The Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jive Ass Slippers Bass – Greg Cohen Bass Clarinet – Don Byron Guitar, Arranged By – Bill Frisell Recorder [Great Bass] – Art Baron Vocals – Hubert Selby Jr. 2:37 15 Oh Lord, Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb On Me Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Crispin Cioe Arranged By – Uptown Horns Bass – Greg Cohen Drums – Charlie Watts Guitar, Vocals – Keith Richards Piano – Chuck Leavell Tenor Saxophone – Arno Hecht, Bobby Keyes* Trombone – Bob Funk Trumpet – Hollywood Paul Litteral* Vocals – Bernard Fowler 6:48 16 Eclipse Bass Clarinet – Don Byron Flute [Wood], Didgeridoo, Recorder [Great Bass], Trombone, Percussion, Singing Bowls [Cloud Chamber Bowls], Arranged By – Art Baron Gong [Cone Gong], Performer [Crychord], Bass, Percussion – Greg Cohen Guitar, Percussion – Bill Frisell Marimba [Bass], Goblet Drum [Dumbetik], Percussion, Percussion [Clappers] – Don Alias Percussion – Francis Thumm Percussion, Vocals [G-bastard Calls] – Hal Willner Performer [Whirley Tube], Cymbal [Tibetan], Bass Drum, Percussion – Michael Blair Vocals – Diamanda Galás Vocals [Spoken] – Leonard Cohen 7:15 17 Pithecanthropus Erectus Bass – Greg Cohen Drums, Percussion [Metals] – Michael Blair Effects [Sound Effects], Sampler [Samples] – Hal Willner Guitar – Bill Frisell Guitar, Keyboards [Sample] – Robert Quine Marimba [Eroica] – Francis Thumm Performer [Chair] – Don Alias Trombone [Muted] – Art Baron 5:43 18 Freedom Bass – Greg Cohen Electric Guitar, Effects – Bill Frisell Guitar [National Steel Bottleneck] – Gary Lucas Humming – Ray Davies Humming, Drums [Hand Drums], Timbales, Percussion – Don Alias Humming, Drums, Drums [Chinese], Timbales, Percussion, Marimba [Bass], Performer [A Two By Four], Arranged By – Michael Blair Humming, Percussion [Metal Slab], Trombone – Art Baron Humming, Performer [Chromelodeon Ii] – Francis Thumm Lead Vocals, Voice [Spoken Words] – Dr. John 2:52 19 Weird Nightmare (Reprise) Bass – Greg Cohen Flute – Henry Threadgill Guitar – Bill Frisell Marimba [Bass] – Don Alias Marimba [Eroica] – Marc Ribot Performer [Chromelodeon Ii] – Francis Thumm Recorder [Great Bass], Trombone – Art Baron Singing Bowls [Cloud Chamber Bowls] – Michael Blair Vocals, Performer [Harmonic Canon] – Elvis Costello We also have this tribute album that has a lot of folks people have likely heard of on here. I am not familiar with it at all, but it seems like it also belongs here... So make of all this what you will beautiful people.
The Kinks Club Vegas. In Lieu of a proper write up, I have stolen this info 1993 (?) Club Vegas Session Live at The Kinks' North London Konk Studios Mp3 @ 320 kbps Excellent Soundboard recording Artwork Included This is from a rehearsal session prior to one of their early '90's tours. The date is not known and has been speculated as being anywhere from 1989-1994. Most sources list it as 1993, but is not really known. It is clear that it is a rehearsal, as the informal session consists of many partial songs, instrumental run-throughs, or vocals added only in bits and pieces here and there. This edited tape of the session (between song talk, misc., etc. removed) was reportedly leaked by a sound engineer or someone else that was there. The source is a CD Bootleg called 'Kinky Rehearsals". It's an interesting and unique look at the band, and they do (at least parts of ) a wide range of songs from all phases of their career, some with quite different arrangements. However, since it is a rehearsal, and does not have concert quality performances, it is mainly of interest to dedicated fans, and not casual listeners. 01 Club Vegas Intro 02 Catch Me Now I'm Falling/Tired of Waiting 03 Dedicated Follower Of Fashion 04 I'm Not Like Everybody Else (Dave) 05 Now And Then 06 Victoria 07 Hard Way 08 I'm Not Like Everybody Else (Instrumental) 09 Come Dancing (Partly Instr.) 10 Till The End Of The Day (Partly Instr.) 11 Top Of The Pops (Instr.) 12 Tired Of Waiting (Partly Instr.) 13 Set Me Free (Mainly Instr.) 14 Well Respected Man 15 Muswell Hillbilly 16 Have A Cuppa Tea (Partly Instr.) 17 Uncle Son 18 Sunny Afternoon 19 Dead End Street 20 David Watts 21 "Satisfaction"Jam (brief intro) 22 Autumn Allmanac 23 Around The Dial (Partly Instr.) 24 Low Budget 25 Welcome To Sleazy Town 26 Stat Of Confusion (Partly Instr.) 27 Superman (Partly Instr.) 28 Superman/Destroyer (Partly Instr.)
The Charles Mingus film is a complete surprise to me. Does anyone know how Ray came to get to direct this? And was it a made for tv thing?
We've got room for Green Acres, Formula One and Doris Day. I'm looking forward to some fun tidbits on quantum physics.
This doco’s a fascinating kurio. Archives, interviews of loved ones, friends, musician friends, a bit of Watts and Keith, and Elvis Costello as the guiding thread, the guy who’s at the same time capable of theorizing about Mingus’ music, about the reasons Mingus appeals to rock musicians, about what his music means to him and then sing one of his songs with stunning talent and mastery. The other day, taking about his cover of Days, I took a stab at Costello’s vibrato singing, a mannerism that seemingly grew out of his beard in the early nineties. His Weird Nightmare interpretation gives me a good opportunity to somewhat correct this. A lot of songs from that time period, with the Brodsky quartet, Bacharach or on the All This Useless Beauty and North LPs did benefit from this particular singing style. He certainly did it too often and it got boring sometimes, but he was genuinely brilliant in others, like here, where his singing is nothing short of mesmerizing. I like Charlie and Keith, they’re gregarious and super easy going, Keith is uber cool, as he should be, and he plays some mean jazz guitar licks. A bit on the parody side of things, sure, but I like this sequence better than anything Godard did with the Stones in 1968… What really appealed to me watching this documentary yesterday is that it’s constantly about music. The wives talk about music, the musicians, the son, the historians, Elvis, everybody. And Ray too, in his editing and directing choices. It's all about making us "get" this music and I like how Ray structures the piece around Costello's day. We're made aware of the fact that somewhere in NYC, sessions are happening. We get snapshots of this, with old Mingus associates or famous guests like the two Stones. And we follow this British singer’s on his way to the sessions, in the NYC mayhem (love those subway bridges shots), having coffee, talking about that music etc.. We get a taste of his knowledge, his passion. And then he arrives at the studio, meets with some of the guys he’s just mentioned the names of a bit earlier, says hi to everybody, sings beautifully, and off he goes, shaking hands and just disappearing down the corridor, after having performed Weird nightmare as in a strange dream. Very nice.
I like this mix much better (and I liked the Sleepwalker version a lot to begin with). Much cleaner sounding. I think this mix would have allowed this song to fit in well on Muswell Hillbillies (sound-wise anyway). Avid Street, your deep knowledge on these alternate mixes is impressive and highly appreciated. What great group of people on this thread! It’s the great writing, intelligent analyses and deep knowledge of all you Avids that really keeps this thread’s value high.
I knew of Weird Nightmares when it first came out and although it involved two of my favorite musical personalities of that time, I really didn’t make the effort to find this as I really had little interest in Jazz until I saw Ken Burns’ 2000 documentary. I now have a fair number of Jazz CDs, including several by Mingus. Seeing Weird Nightmares, the thing that struck me the most is that it was a Ray Davies creation that had very little of him or his personality at all. This is not a complaint, as the focus was correctly on Mingus and on Elvis C as sort of a guide. It was great to see Charlie and Keith and it was especially interesting to see Keith in a jazzbo groove. It was also great to see and hear Nat Henoff, who I fleetingly met a few years before his death. It was a very good documentary, w/the right sort of people (fellow musicians, family members, no current “stars” who were fans after buying a Mingus album the week before)being interviewed. It’s too bad that Ray didn’t pursue a career in movies after such a start w/Return to Waterloo and this documentary. I think he could have done some rather interesting things.
Weird Nightmare Evidently it was produced for "Britain's Channel 4" per Ray. I'd also love to know a little more about how Ray became involved. I've actually watched it couple of times now, once a few weeks back, and again today. The first time I was a little disappointed because I was thinking about it as a documentary about the Hal Willner produced album, and, if that was the intent, I was unhappy that there was no footage of Dr. John, Leonard Cohen, or Robbie Robertson, who are all on the tribute album, or why some of the other musicians weren't introduced. After reading @Fortuleo 's take on the documentary, I watched it again and decided that I did something that I dislike when done by other people, I didn't like the documentary because it didn't conform to what I wanted and expected it to be. On re-watch, if I look at the documentary as its own work of art, and as being more a documentary about Charles Mingus, about whom I sadly do not know enough, I find I like it quite a bit more. It has peaked my interest in Mingus a little more, as has the Hal Willner album. For what its worth, I have really liked all of the Hal Willner produced "tribute" albums that I have heard. He always manages to put together a wide array of artists working in interesting combinations. The first one I heard, and bought, more than 30 years ago, was Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films, which is truly terrific. That one includes word jazz poet Ken Nordine, Natalie Merchant, Michael Stipe, The Roches, Los Lobos, Bonnie Raitt, Was (Not Was), Tom Waits, Harry Nilsson, and Ringo, to name a few. My buddy Bill had also taped Dead City Radio - William Burroughs doing readings of his work with musical backing by Sonic Youth, Donald Fagen, John Cale and others, and The Lion for Real Allen Ginsberg reading his poetry with musical accompaniment by Bill Frisell, and Marc Ribot, both great. I've since bought Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs and Chanteys, which I mentioned when I posted about Loony Balloon, The Harry Smith Project: Anthology Of American Folk Music Revisited, and AngelHeaded Hipster : The Songs of Marc Bolan & T. Rex, all of which are good and have stand out moments. @mark winstanley I know you're a Nick Cave fan; the last three Rogue's Gallery, The Harry Smith Project, and the Marc Bolan tribute all have contributions from Nick. By the way, stay safe while you are away, Tropical Storm Ian is expected to become a major hurricane when it enters the gulf later in the week.
Here is an excerpt from an essay about Ray's films written by Stephen Paul Miller from a book of various essays I have about The Kinks. Ray is credited with humming on this: Hmm...
Weird Nightmare documentary: I ended up watching it a day early. Excellent. Ray easily could have continued on as a successful filmmaker. Charles Mingus: one of a kind. “If (a band member) left, he’d be saying, ‘He was nothing. He couldn’t play ****.’ That meant he really missed him.”
Nice. I will have to find the time to watch Weird Nightmare. I have a few Mingus albums. I love his album Money Jungle with Duke Ellington and Max Roach. This will now be my Saturday morning soundtrack.
Cheers guys. If you're in Destin Quo Pasa (mexican restaurant) is really good. Excellent salsa, cheese dip and main. Jug of patron and grand marnier margarita Woof
@Paul Mazz Hal Wilner was a good friend of mine and my family’s and was a wonderful, sweet guy with fantastic musical taste. He was a very early victim of Covid, which was tragic. The last time I saw him was at an Elvis Costello show.
Headmaster, it seems like Destin was the perfect Destination for you . My brother swears by the nearby Alabama coastline as a vacation place.
