From the recording A View Askewed Too
A View Askewed
Ah! The "legendary "lost album". Well, not really. I just had so much of my own stuff to put out there that I basically just gave copies of this away to a few "fans". I had about 80 cover versions of songs recorded over a couple of years in the home studio. These ranged from the sublime to the ridonkulous. From Status Quo to The Stylistics to Tom Waits to Lucinda Williams to Dwight Yoakam to Bowie to Springsteen to ZZTop. John Hiatt, Rolling Stones, Beatles, Squeeze, Dylan, Neil Young, The Cars, Costello, Jimmy Reed, The Clash, Creedence, Joe Ely, Lemonheads, etc etc etc.
The album title was inspired by Kevin Smiths "View Askew" web site handle.
Track Listing - Here's what finally made it!
What’s So Funny (about Peace, Love & Understanding?) (Lowe) - Although written by Nick Lowe I came to this song through the Elvis Costello version. I decided to re-do at a different temp, in a different style. It’s a wee bit more relaxed. Great great song. Nick Lowe is an English national treasure. Found on “Elvis Costello - Ten Bloody Marys & Ten How's Your Fathers” © 1980 F-Beat
I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide (Beard, Gibbons, Hill) – Although originally a ZZ Top song I came to this via both a countrified version by Dwight Yoakam and by hearing Springsteen play it on tour. This version is kinda somewhere between both. Found on “ZZ Top – Deguello” © 1979 Warner Bros
Passionate Kisses (Williams) – Another song I came to not via the original writer but by a cover version. Mary Chapin Carpenter (who is just ace) covered this song by Lucinda Williams. Subsequently after hearing “Metal Firecracker” on the radio one night driving home I searched for the singer and found it was the aforementioned Ms Williams. Been a huge fan ever since. This one though is in recognition of MCC’s version and her many terrific records. A truly great singer too. Found on “Mary Chapin Carpenter – Come On Come On” © 1982 CBS records
Icy Blue Heart (Hiatt) – One of the most publicly underrated singer songwriters of his generation, but highly rated by his fellow musical peers. When Bob Dylan covers YOUR song there’s arguably no finer compliment for a songwriter. I’ve met Hiatt post show and a nicer chap you couldn’t wish to meet. I am a big fan so much so that I’m fairly embarrassed to even give this one a go, so good is the original. I would strongly advise checking out the album below and would also say just go and buy the album “Bring The Family”. Now. Immediately. One of my Desert Island 'discs'.
Found On “John Hiatt – Slow Turning” © 1988 A&M Records
Right Thing To Do (C.Simon) – The first female artist to ever register in my pubescentconsciousness! I fell madly in love with Carly Simon when I was 10. It was the cover of “No Secrets” that did for me (still does). Loved this song ever since. Found on Carly Simon – No Secrets” © 1972 Elektra Records
Wild Side Of Life (Carter, Warren) – An old country hit given a rock out update by Status Quo in the ‘70’s. After I recorded this I found out it had been a popular Irish showband tune for years. Put it this way? My folks knew ALL the words! It’s just a rollicking great tune about the inevitability of a love lost in regards to the suitability of the candidate in question! The guy saw it coming but couldn’t stop it from happening. Hmmm. Found on “Status Quo – 12 Gold Bars” © 1980 Vertigo
South Of Cincinnati (Yoakam) – Written by one of the finest country singer songwriters around. I’m a big fan since I heard “Long White Cadillac” on the radio back in 1987 as I rode a bus through Jamaica, Queens, NY. Hard to pick just one song for this compilation but I went with this one as it’s a song I’ve loved since hearing it on the album below. A friend of mine once said to me that “country music is the white mans blues”. This song was the first time I properly understood that. Found on “Dwight Yoakam – Guitars, Cadillacs,Etc” © 1986 Reprise Records
Am I Too Blue For You? (Williams) – Ok, this one is in deference to the recently mentioned Lucinda Williams. There is such emotional honesty and directness in her songs you can’t help but be dragged into the lives of their characters and situations. Uncompromising, bruised, real, yet with her soul exposed if you haven’t already GO buy her records. Today. Found on “Lucinda Williams – Lucinda Williams” © 1988 Rough Trade
Innocent When You Dream (Waits) – Finally got to see Tom Waits live in 2008. It was worth the wait (no pun intended). After watching the film, his soundtrack album for “One From The Heart” was one of the first records I actively set out (on a bus journey from home to Dublin city) to try track down. There was no internet in those days, hell there weren’t even CD’s!!. Found it on vynl in Dolphin Discs and nearly wore it out. I loved the direction he took soon after that record and have been a big fan ever since. A true original, a very witty guy, and amazing songwriter. Found on “ Tom Waits – Franks’ Wild Years” © 1987 Island Records
Almost Blue (Costello) – At the time of release not a “typical” Costello song. The original is a bluesy, jazzy, very “mood indigo “ song. I loved it. In all honesty Costello could sing the phone directory and I’d go out and buy it. A great singer across many styles and a guy always trying to push his musical boundaries. Again, I’m a huge fan and this cover comes from a place of worship! Found on “Elvis Costello – Imperial Bedroom” 1982 F-Beat
“Heroes” (Bowie/Eno) – What can I say about Bowie that hasn’t been said before? My first album was “Hunky Dory” bought around mid 1973 when I was 10. For an Anglo/ Irish household record collection that consisted solely of albums by Joe Dolan, Big Tom, Eileen Reid & The Cadettes, Noel V Ginnity and one by Jim Reeves the addition of , outlandish for his time, Bowie probably freaked my folks out more than a bit. Bowie remember was marketing himself as a cross dressing “bisexual” at the time J. Not that I even understood what any of that meant. It was all about the music. I love Bowie dearly and still do to this day. I have everything he’s ever recorded and still wait in huge anticipation for each new record. Found on “David Bowie – Heroes” © 1977 RCA Records
Stone In Love With You (Bell, Bell, Creed) – One of those songs you often hear on the radio as you grow up, and often largely ignore. As I got older I loved the sentiment, the fearless public declaration and the promise of commitment. The Stylistics in my opinion were up there with The Temptations as the supreme Black vocal groups of the 60’s and early 70’s. Found on “The Stylistics – Round 2” © 1973 Amherst
The Genitalia Of A Fool (Hurd/Skelton/Trevino/White) – A funny song that I found on a Glenn “Formerly of Squeeze” Tilbrook album. Not one of his own songs. Glenn is one of my favourite singers of all time. The body of songs found within the Squeeze albums and occasionally in his solo career are as strong as anyone’s. Again, like Nick Lowe , Glenn and Chris Difford should be afforded National Treasure status in England. Squeeze have brought SO much to my record collection that if I could, I couldn’t thank them enough! I actually like my ragged ass version of this song and it kinda swings of it’s own accord! Found on “Glenn Tilbrook – Transatlantic Ping Pong” © 2004 Compass
Statetrooper (Springsteen) – From one of the greatest records of all time, this was a Springsteen we’d never heard on record before. Solo and acoustic. There are few, if any, records that have the same feel and atmosphere as “Nebraska”. My version here is very different. I’ve been on the “New Jersey Turnpike” on a wet night so I qualify to sing about it! (Hmm? Never been on 'Highway 61' though!). I’ve tried to do something that is not like the original.
By the end of 2009 I will have attended 34 live Bruce shows (update - 47 by end 2018!). Not bad for someone stuck on an island in the North Atlantic ocean. Bruce has been such an inspiration to me that I couldn’t put it into a couple sentences. I’ve met him, and highly recommend the experience. Saw him on the “Old Grey Whistle Test “in 1978 singing “Rosalita”. It’s been a fantastic journey since. Found on “Bruce Springsteen – Nebraska” © 1982 CBS Records
Highway 61 Revisited (Dylan) – I had a lot of fun doing this, and I’ve added it for that reason. An occasional guitar thrashing is really good for the soul. From the greatest songwriter ever. Found on “Bob Dylan – Highway 61 Revisited” © 1965 CBS Records