Yes, the Big Lebowski classic … bùt do note: the original version is by Jerry Lee Lewis, off his "Soul My Way" lp (1967)! Mickey Newbury didn't release his own version of his song (a Jimi Hendrix favourite) until his 1968 debut "Harlequin Melodies". The First Edition's version (featuring Kenny Rogers) is from the same year. Bettye LaVette's wonderful cover version (1969) of "Just dropped in (to see what condition my condition was in)" can be found on Trikont's first "Dirty Laundry - The Soul Of Black Country" (US-0333, 2000) v/a comp … whilst Sharon Jones' version (with the Dap Kings) dates dates from 2002 or 2004. Carcass frontman Jeff Walker's cuntry metal version dates from 2006, Supergrass' "Condition" is off 1995's "Alright / Time" single, and die Haut's is off 1988's "Headless Body In Topless Bar" lp and features Nick Cave. Got that?

After 2004's "Marvel Of Marvin - The Heard Instinct - Essential Covers & Cookies" v/a comp on Harmless (HURT057), there's this year's "Jazz Loves Marvin Gaye" on Verve Jazzclub / Trends (Universal Germany). And see also: http://funky16corners.lunarpages.net/?p=2009

Minor Bauhaus post on the occasion of Maurycy Commu eh Gomulicki's Bauhaus art at the Brussels RAC … I'm hoping the next -  omnibus - edition of "The Sky's Gone Out" will feature the full length version of "Exquisite corpse" complete with studio snorer Derek Tompkins reading from Brecht's "Baal" in the outro, being worried about that baby!

It's the ravishing Raviolette!
http://krikor.fr/2010/06/14/nini/
http://www.lafondation-paris.com/
http://myspace.com/niniraviolette0
http://www.french-new-wave.com/artist.php?id=198
http://www.discogs.com/viewimages?release=222004
http://www.celluloidrecords.net/releases/CEL6618.php
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7878406858
http://www.poptronics.fr/La-deuxieme-vie-de-Nini-Raviolette
http://coldwaves.tumblr.com/post/233781443/suis-je-normale-nini-raviolette
http://tigersushi.myshopify.com/products/copy-of-so-young-but-so-cold-various-artists
http://uzine.posterous.com/issn-13773828

Almost forgot to publish this after I'd announced that I'd post some more on Leiber & Stoller & Spark records, but now with the sad news of Mr Leiber's parting ... here's a reminder of some of Leiber & Stoller's brilliant producing & songwriting skills, and of that exquisite autobiography by Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller with David Ritz: "Hound dog - the Leiber & Stoller autobiography" (Simon & Schuster 2009-06, ISBN 9781416559382). At the publisher's site, you can browse the book ... may I suggest reading Randy Poe's appendix, where he argues (convincingly) that L&S practically invented rock 'n' roll? (And keep an eye out for more on their magic partnership - it's like Tex Avery making music - with the Coasters in a future post.)
http://www.leiberstoller.com/
http://spoonercentral.com/RS/Brill.html
http://uzine.posterous.com/tag/brillbuilding
http://www.spectropop.com/hleiberstoller.html
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Leiber+%26+Stoller
http://www.dustygroove.com/item.php?id=xktk2zpqhy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Leiber_and_Mike_Stoller
http://www.rockabilly.nl/references/messages/jerry_leiber.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/14/books/review/Windolf-t.html
http://www.elvis.com.au/presley/interview_with_mike_stoller.shtml
http://www.audioholicmedia.com/music-history-101/leiber-and-stoller/
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=747
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=421
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=7333
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=7485
http://www.ccmusic.com/item.cfm?itemid=MWS101014
http://www.ccmusic.com/item.cfm?itemid=CCM20012
http://www.covermesongs.com/2011/08/a-tribute-to-prolific-pop-songwriter-jerry-leiber.html

After yesterday's stupendous Toussaint / Ribot concert, here's some more New Orleans … Three Dave Bartholomew produced tracks off "The Big Beat - The Dave Bartholomew Songbook" (Ace CDCHD 1303, 2011) and one Dave Bartholomew original off "New Orleans Rhythm and Blues - Good Rockin' Tonight" (2004, Saga Blues #18). The picture above is by the fine New York music photographer Jacob Blickenstaff. Source: http://www.3313photo.com/2011/07/dave-bartholomew-cosimo-matassa-portrait/

The mastery of Alex Steinweiss (1917-03-24 > 2011-07-18)! The Alex Awards are named in honour of this design & packaging pioneer … And then the energy of James aka Jim Flora (1914-01-25 > 1998-07-09)! Illustrator extraordinaire, not just of record sleeves … (Images 1+4 are by Flora, 2+3 by Steinweiss.)

http://www.packagedesignmag.com/content/vinyl-cover-art-celebrated-six-coffee-table-books

http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/design/all/06790/facts.alex_steinweiss_the_inventor_of_the_modern_album_cover.htm

http://www.fantagraphics.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=367

http://books.google.com/books?id=4TV_yvOL9eIC  (for lack of a link at http://chroniclebooks.com/)

http://books.google.com/books?id=VUS-mvbd5wQC  (for lack of a link at http://papress.com/)

http://www.mofflymedia.com/Moffly-Publications/New-Canaan-Darien-Magazine/November-2006/The-Fabulous-Floras/

http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/saving-jim-flora-s-private-stash-an-interview-with-irwin-chusid

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/30/arts/design/30flora.html

http://www.angelynngrant.com/writing/GoldenAge.html

http://www.soundfountain.org/rem/remcovart.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Steinweiss

http://www.librarything.com/work/576533

http://popculture.soup.io/tag/Steinweiss

http://lightintheattic.net/news/?p=4080

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Flora

http://recordcovers.wordpress.com/

http://www.alexsteinweiss.com/

http://jimflora.blogspot.com/

http://www.jimflora.com/

While we wait for that David Lynch / Duran Duran collaboration on 2011-03-23, here's a great video by Pongale Disco from Venezuela for Ed Flis's Duran Duran Duran … who did a cool Slayer remix too, incidentally.

Jeanette Leech's book "Seasons they change - the story of acid and psychedelic folk" (Jawbone 2010-11, ISBN 9781906002329) was originally going to have "experimental folk" in its title too, but it's no less grandiose as it is - with a foreword by Greg Weeks of Espers and all. There's more info (than on the publisher's site, typically) via this Coptic Cat link … and for more acknowledgements and links click here (great concept, incidentally). Also, do check the third tab here for an interview with Jeanette. Finally, you can find la Leech's folk faves here. Here's some of mine, all culled from two excellent but out of print v/a compilations on the now defunct Sanctuary label: "Gather In The Mushrooms (The British Acid Folk Underground 1968-1974)" (Castle CMQCD840, 2004) and "Early Morning Hush (Notes From The UK Folk Underground 1969-1976)" (Castle CMQCD1265, 2006).

For an expert review of the book (and another major folk resource), see http://www.psychedelicfolk.com/SeasonsTheyChange.html … though I disagree with the minor rant about Fairport Convention & Trees not being psychedelic enough…

Finally, here's more info on Dave Brooks & "The Family":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family_(1974_UK_TV_series)
http://www.catarchive.com/detailPages/740922.html
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/444743/
http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Uk/uk.media.tv.misc/2005-09/msg02935.html

 

Directed by Sarah Kernochan, "Thoth" (2001) won the 2002 Academy Award (aka Oscar) for best documentary short. We've all discovered Stephen Kaufman's music via the "Songs In The Key Of Z (The Curious Universe Of Outsider Music) Volumes 1 & 2" v/a 2cd on Cherry Red (cat. no. CDM RED 261, 2004).
http://www.metroactive.com/papers/cruz/04.03.02/thoth-0214.html
http://www.sarahkernochan.com/documentaries/
http://www.skthoth.com/
http://www.keyofz.com/
http://www.cherryred.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=2839