I'm Gonna Hang My Britches Up (MP3)

Onie Wheeler  -  I'm Gonna Hang My Britches Up 

Onie takes on the women's liberation movement...and throws in the towel.

This World Is In A Hell Of A Fix!

Editor's Note:  Thanks to Phil Milstein for this post and to Jim Blanchard for the comp!

I first met Jim Blanchard c.1995, when he was recommended as a possible cover artist for the song-poem compilation The Human Breakdown Of Absurdity I was then preparing. As I undertook due diligence on Jim I came away impressed not only with his brilliant illustration skills, but also with his great ear for music (or, perhaps more accurately, taste that closely matches my own) and his talent for enlightening cultural exploration. I did indeed hire him –– I’d have been a fool not to –– and 15-plus years later Jim remains a stalwart colleague and beloved friend.

He is also a superb mixtape compiler, although his comps have far too frequently been no more than privately distributed. I hope the posting here of his latest, The World Is In A Hell Of A Fix, will help break him out of his shell. The contents have been expertly culled from the fieldwork of Tom Ardolino, who was the ur-source for collector interest –– or, for that matter, any interest –– in song-poem music. When Penn Jillette purchased Ardolino’s song-poem collection outright a few years back, Jim was brought in to digitize the set. In the course of that work he kept copies of his favorite tracks for his personal listening, and his favorites from among those form today’s compilation.

I’m a tad disappointed that Jim chose to use a photograph of Gene Marshall, rather than his own drawing, to anchor the cover, although frankly his renderings, when he wants them to be, are so realistic that I’m not 100% that it’s not one. Anyway I’m comforted by the fact that the yellow he’s chosen for the background is so lurid it is unlikely to print correctly on any common desktop printer, and may cause some of them to break down completely.

Enjoy!

Stand Up!

CAVEMAN STOMP!

 Via the JET magazine archives, hosted over at Google, we can look back and enjoy this insane photo of sax man Eddie Chamblee giving the people their money's worth in 1955.  Perhaps this is how he caught the eye of Dinah Washington, whom he married two years later.

Sam and Dave 1967

SAM & DAVE - LIVE HEAVEN IN '67!

Live on the 1967 Stax/Volt European tour - Paris

SHO'NUFF DOUBLE DYNAMITE!!!

Musical Chairs

B.B. Kings

A few programming notes here at Ichiban HQ. Starting this Saturday, Live From The Admiral in beautiful Asheville NC will be manned by Dr. Filth sans Greg Cartwright. Look for more DJ sets from Greg in the near future. Debbie Does WFMU moves to Sundays 3-5 PM. Skipping this Sunday for the WFMU Record Fair at the Bell House. Hope to see you there. Coming soon, Phil Milstein from Probe Is Turning On The People will do a live on tape show on Ichiban.   Ted Barron's show has been cancelled and Matt Fiveash has called it quits so you will hear more trackin', less yakkin' on Thursdays.

Also of note, Reigning Sound have had to cancel their appearance at the Bell House this Friday for the Norton Records benefit due to illness.  Watch this space for the make up show.

Reigning Sound - Straight Shooter

I Thank You

Hold On I'm Coming

Thanks Newton!

Welcome To Sam and Dave Month On Ichiban!

Hank's Last Ride

Sixty years ago today, Hank Williams died in the back of a 1952 Cadillac headed for Canton, Ohio.

In 2003, on the 50th anniversary of Williams' death, the Nashville Tennessean published a superb article by Peter Cooper that includes everything you ever wanted to know about the fateful trip.

From The Cast And Crew At Ichiban

Genuine Parts Co.