The "late" show....
Very early in my career with Camelot Music, I discovered that one of the great things about running a music store is that you have access to album after album after album, and as long as it was new(ish), bosses didn't much care what you opened to play in your store. Read a good review in Rolling Stone? Let's hear it! See an interesting album cover? Let's hear it! Curious about an artist or album with good word of mouth? Let's hear it! From Lou Reed's The Blue Mask to the Jam's Sound Affects, from Hoodoo Gurus' Mars Needs Guitars! to the BoDeans' Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams (among many others), the number of albums I had a chance to hear and eventually love was multiplied countless times by the access I had. Much like this week's artist, who was one of the very first to have an album I'd never have heard if I'd chosen to be a shoe salesman instead. And the best part? Didn't cost me a dime....
David Lindley was born in San Marino, California in 1944, and began playing the violin at age three. By his early teens he had learned the ukulele, and by his late teens the banjo. In 1966 he co-founded the band Kaleidoscope, which released four albums until 1970. After the band's demise, Lindley went on to become one of the great session musicians (mostly as a guitarist), as well as touring band musician, of all-time. He was a master of virtually any instrument that had strings and was a collector of all stringed instruments as well. Lindley was in Jackson Browne's band for many years, and also played with Rod Stewart, Linda Ronstadt, Bruce Springsteen, Ry Cooder,Warren Zevon, and a holy host of others. Lindley also performed solo, releasing seventeen albums and one soundtrack over the course of his career. Sadly, Lindley passed away in 2023 from the effects of Long COVID.
Fun Fact: I didn't know this until he died (and how I didn't know considering how many times I listened to the album over the course of my life will forever be a mystery), but the stunning falsetto in Jackson Browne's version of the classic "Stay," which closes his brilliant album Running on Empty, was performed by none other than David Lindley.
"Mercury Blues" appeared on Lindley's debut solo album, the intriguingly named El Rayo-X (also the name of his backing band) in 1981. The single did not reach the pop chart, but the album peaked at #83 on the Billboard 200.
"Mercury Blues" was originally written and released in 1948, and since that time has been covered by numerous artists (as well as showing up in a Ford commercial or two). Lindley really juices his version, both vocally and instrumentally, with the fervor that captures the spirit of a bitchin' car. His vocals are distinctive, and the two guitar solos are technically and musically beyond most mere mortals. Really love the power of the drums, too, which roar like a souped up engine. I can only imagine how divine it would be to listen to this week's tune as I was cruising up and down the road....
Lyric Sheet: "If I had money, I tell you what I'd do/I'd go downtown and buy a Mercury or two/I'm crazy 'bout a Mercury..."
Enjoy:
Republicans = Nazis
Peace,
emaycee
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