Thursday 13

13 Covers I Actually Like

I usually hate covers, so it's taken me an astonishingly long time to put this together. Thanks to MJ, Frank, and Craig for the help finishing it off.

1. Personal Jesus
Original artist: Depeche Mode
Cover artist: Marilyn Manson
Why: It's raw, and it takes an iconic figure like Manson to really pull off this song.

2. A Little Help From My Friends
Original artist: The Beatles
Cover artist: Joe Cocker
Why: Joe can cover anything he wants. Yes, even the Beatles.

3. Ain't That a Shame
Original artist: Fats Domino
Cover artist: Cheap Trick
Why: The energy builds and builds at Budokan.

4. You Can Leave Your Hat On
Original artist: Randy Newman
Cover artist: Tom Jones
Why: The Full Monty.

5. I Need a Lover (Who Won't Drive Me Crazy)
Original artist: John Mellencamp
Cover artist: Pat Benatar
Why: I dunno. Female power maybe...? Or maybe just 'cause I was a big Benatar fan when it came out.

6. Mockingbird
Original artist: Inez and Charlie Foxx
Cover artist: Carly Simon and James Taylor
Why: Sweet baby James, of course.

7. Groovy Kind of Love
Original artist: The Mindbenders
(Diane & Annita were technically first, but the Mindbenders release is the one people know)
Cover artist: Phil Collins
Why: Mostly 'cause I wasn't attached to the first one.

8. You Keep Me Hangin' On
Original artist: The Supremes
Cover artist: The Better Half Dozen a lá Vanilla Fudge
Why: Frank's frantic organ.

9. Malagueña Salerosa
Original artist: Mexican folk song (Elpidio Ramírez, et al.)
Cover artist: Chingón
Why: It rocks!

10. Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World
Original artist: Judy Garland/Louis Armstrong
Cover artist: Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwo'ole
Why: That beautiful voice.

11. Cold Cold Heart
Original artist: Hank Williams
Cover artist: Norah Jones
Why: She made it very flowing and lyrical.

12. Against All Odds
Original artist: Phil Collins
Cover artist: The Postal Service
Why: 'Cause Craig shared it with me.

13. My Way
Original artist: Frank Sinatra
Cover artist: The Sex Pistols
Why: Theirs has all of the oomph with none of the ooze.

And check out the One I forgot.

We could be rich!

Big BHD news!!! Check out this auction for the 45 that the Better Half Dozen released in ~1966.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260135070483&ssPageName=ADME:B:EF:US:2

Scroll down a bit to see just how rich we could be (if we could ever bring ourselves to part with this cherished item in our record collection).

BHD (re)reunion info for brother Nick

Cap'n Franko posting, so don't expect Ronnie's usual style. My apologies to the literati.

First, congratulations on your engagement! The photo arrived and now we have a visual; that's always nice! When you set a date we'll have an excuse to visit San Francisco and see you. Excellent! Here's an idea, a KENDO bachelor party! Huh!? Strippers in bogu! Oh yeah! Whaddaya think? Well, it's just an idea.

After our BHD reunion in 1991, there were a few negative realities for a re-reunion. Those would include the fact that we're scattered around the country and some of us are very busy with life and work, so scheduling is difficult; but honestly - bluntly - the greatest negative is that Mangey was really pissed at John and never wants to play with him again. Long story and I won't bore you with the details; but there it is.

The other, more recent, negative is that Rickey (our drummer) had a massive stroke in the late 90s and barely survived. He was a CPA and financial consultant and his life *really* changed after that. On the good side, he has come back pretty well personally, except for significant aphasia, which of course means that he is professionally retired. In recent years, he's begun taking drumming lessons again, feels that he's ready to do a short set, and would very much enjoy doing so.

Also on the good side, the Mystic Knights of the Mau Mau sponsor recurring shows at New Orleans' famous Rock 'n' Bowl and asked us to do a show with Question Mark and the Mysterians (remember them?) a couple of years ago. My schedule prevented me from doing that one and Mangey was also too busy (mostly true); but Rickey and Steve arranged to sit in with the Royal Pendletons, who are a current band who've covered our songs. Steve wound up sitting in with them; but once he was actually there, Rickey decided that he wasn't quite ready yet. However, he says he is now feeling up to it and these folks would be happy to schedule us to play a short (4 or so) set pretty much any time we want, which would be wonderful.

So, as Mange's old school buddy, I gotta start working on him to get him to agree to do a 4-song set. Rickey and I discussed it during my recent N.O. visit and we're VERY ready. Steve would do it in a heartbeat. We're pretty sure Eddie would happily jump in.

Anyway, I'm gonna start twisting Mangey's arm, 'cause our 91 reunion was a total kick-ass funfest! I loved it! If you read my comments from the link on Ronnie's previous post, I pretty much said it all there.

Mangey has recently taken up sailing again after a 30-plus year hiatus. (We almost bought a cruising sailboat together with my college gymnastics buddy Bob back around 1970. Ultimately that deal fell through and Mangey hasn't sailed since then, until recently.) So I figure I'm gonna try to tempt him with a combined vacation. We'll meet in New Orleans, play the gig, then go to the Caribbean for a sailing vacation. Sounds pretty good, huh?

Wish me luck. Rickey and I were talking about trying to get something scheduled in the two-years-from-now time range. If we do, I'll certainly let you know and you should try your damnedest to make it. I guarantee it'll be big fun!

Preview the songs of the Better Half Dozen

Rickey told us about a site where you can listen to a snippet of each of the songs on the BHD single.

I Could Have Loved Her
I'm Gonna Leave You

If you end up on the home page, search for Better Half Dozen, click "The Better Half Dozen" (not the others), click the name of the song you want to listen to, and then click the Play button.

The site also has a link to the Louisiana Punk CD that contains both tracks, but it doesn't seem to be available any more.

Summer begins

Here we are, a post in honor of the solstice.

Frank and MJ have been in New Orleans for 10 days, staying in one of buddy Bob's vacant-due-to-Katrina apartments (thanks, Bob!) and visiting with many Maiers. Jerry and Cori were in town, too, and Chuck and Karen came over from Houston. Lori hosted a big Father's Day get-together at her place on the river -- a nice spot to be when the temp exceeds 90 degrees!

Frank also visited with the crew of Jojamela, some sailing folks we got acquainted with online. The original Jojamela was done in by Katrina over in the Oak Harbor Marina (in Slidell). Another couple whose boat was damaged in the storm are also online buddies. They are two of the very few boats presently in Oak Harbor Marina and both couples are living aboard in less than top-notch conditions. The whole gang went to see Big Daddy O play some R&B at Ruby's Roadhouse in Mandeville.

While they were doing that, MJ hung out with cousin Brian at Gary and Judy's. G&J are all moved back into their house, with front stairs replaced and the mud removed from the inside. I'm sure they're glad to be out of their FEMA trailer now that the summer heat and thunderstorms have hit.

Yesterday, Frank and MJ went to see Rickey and Brenda. Rickey was the drummer in the Better Half Dozen, and he had a cleaned-up video of their reunion gig from 1991. As entertaining as I'm sure the video is, Frank and Rickey evidently became the main attraction as they told stories and cracked each other up. I'm sure MJ found it quite educational.

The travelers are due home tonight, which means my alone time is drawing to a close. I've really been soaking up the solitude, watching chick flicks and doing just whatever I want. I can't remember the last time, if ever, that I've had so much time to myself in a stretch like this. But it's been going on long enough now that I'm starting to feel lonely. I'll be glad to have most of my family back (and to be down to only one month til Chloe returns!).

Saturday, I had a nice little gathering of females at my house. It was a fun mix of unschoolers, Microsofties, Maiers, Minshulls, neighbors, and otherwise-uncategorized friends. We had more food than we knew what to do with, and we talked about everything from vegetarianism to racism to labor and delivery to growing up Maier.

Sunday, I woke up with a cold that was maybe really an allergy attack, and I totally punked out on Father's Day. Apologies to my three fathers!! I do love and appreciate you, despite appearances!

Last night, my niece Emma came over for a sleepover date. We did a couple of craft projects (I just love my hot glue gun!), watched "Ever After," talked, read, ate party leftovers, and had a lovely time all around.

Now, I'm sitting here in my clean house, blissfully temporarily unemployed, with my allergies under control and 10 more hours of alone time to enjoy before most of my family returns. Not a bad way to kick off the summer.

Replies to comments

Scott -- No, the BHD never would have referred to themselves as "punk." That's a more modern label. They considered themselves rockers. Period.

Mom -- Burt Rutan is the engineer who designed SpaceShipOne, the ship that won the Ansari X Prize by reaching space twice within two weeks. He is one of the major players who will make it possible for space tourism to happen, with SS1 being the prototype for the Virgin Airlines craft that is expected to begin making commercial space flights in 2008.

House is on Fox on Tuesday nights. Right now, they are running reruns so you have a chance to get caught up on a very eventful season. On the West coast, two back-to-back episodes air on channel 13 starting at 8:00 p.m. You can also see older episodes on USA on Friday nights at 11.

Randi -- Yeah! :-)

The immortal Better Half Dozen

A friend just sent us this link to a list ranking the "most legendary" garage-band 45's from the '60's. The single put out by Frank's band, the Better Half Dozen, came in at number 31. Here's what they have to say about "I Could Have Loved Her" and "I'm Gonna Leave" (reviewed on another site as "a great, previously undiscovered girlfriend trasher"):

"A supreme 2-sided masterpiece which has everything. The a-side is a monster punker with frantic organ, basic pounding drums and a ridiculously effective stuttering guitar solo. The b-side combines a memorable haunting chorus with upbeat popsensibilities, and more frantic organ and killer guitar. An estimated quantity would be a bit dangerous here. It's incredibly rare, but also incredibly great and it's likely there may be a few copies tucked away that no-one knows about. We know of 6 copies, only one is near mint. Hear both killer tracks on Sixties Archives 5 - Louisiana Punk Groups from the 60's"

Frank was the "frantic" organist, with his good buddy Mike Mangiapane (aka "Mangey") on the killer guitar. Rickey Moore was on drums, Steve Sklamba provided lead vocals, Eddie McNamara played rhythm guitar, and John D'Antoni played bass.

We own a copy of both the 45 and the Louisiana Punk compilation, so if anybody wants to hear these deathless tunes, let us know.

For somewhat R-rated reminiscences by the band, visit http://home.unet.nl/kesteloo/betterhalf.html. Frank's comments start about two thirds of the way down.