Legends – Page 27 – 7th Level Music

Levitation Austin artist spotlight: Lee Scratch Perry

One of the artists I’m most excited to see at Levitation Austin is Lee Scratch Perry. LSP is the godfather of dub music, one of the founding fathers of reggae, and one of the most influential producers and artists in the world. You owe a debt to him if you love EDM, dark wave, hip hop, and innovative studio work. I never thought I’d get to see him live, so his set was put at the top of my list as soon as the lineup was announced.

Keep your mind open.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y651C7aNXRc

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Prince can now see the sun day or night.

Prince has left us. To say he was an innovator is a massive understatement. He’s influenced more people than we can ever know. Everyone has been writing about his massive hits, his virtuoso guitar work, his multiple talents in and out of the studio, his basketball skills, and everything to do with Purple Rain.

I choose to remember how damn fun he was. Yes, he wrote and performed songs about heartbreak and loss, but I’ll always remember him for his funk influences and how he encouraged all of us to get our groove on, and by that I mean to get laid. Prince encouraged us to embrace our inner nature and to overcome haters by being bigger, bolder, and ballsier than them.

I plan to write a larger piece on Prince’s cementing of his legendary status at the 2007 Super Bowl, but for now let us remember him with the joy he brought us and encouraged us to have with him.

Keep your mind open.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwWBJ3U3THs

Levitation Austin artist spotlight: Brian Wilson

A major coup for Levitation Austin this year is landing the legendary Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. He’ll be performing the landmark classic album Pet Sounds in its entirety for its 50th anniversary on April 30th. He’s only doing this in a few spots around the world, so this performance is a must-see.

Keep your mind open.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: The Thurston Moore Band

Another legend I’ll get to see at Levitation Austin is Thurston Moore, formerly of Sonic Youth. He’s playing April 30th with his new band and everything thing I’ve heard from them so far has this nice dangerous edge to it. His former bandmate Lee Ranaldo is playing the same day on a different stage after his set, so it’s a double whammy for Sonic Youth fans.

Keep your mind open.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: David J and the Gentlemen Thieves

David J, former bass player of Bauhaus and co-founder of Love & Rockets, is bring his band, the Gentlemen Thieves, to Levitation Austin on April 30th. I’m a big fan of Love & Rockets, and this might be the closest I get to any kind of reunion. David J’s dub-style bass playing was an influence on my brief career as a bass player in high school, and he’s a harmonica player to boot (like yours truly). I’m stoked to see him live.

Keep your mind open.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: Slowdive

England’s Slowdive are shoegaze legends who should’ve been bigger over here in the U.S. than they were in their early 1990’s heyday. They’ve been reunited and touring for a couple years now, which is good news for all of us. I missed them at Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival a couple years ago, but I’m happy to see them at Levitation Austin when they close out the main stage on April 29th.

Keep your mind open.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: The Golden Dawn

The Golden Dawn are one of those legendary bands who put out one great record and then disappeared. They formed in Austin, Texas around the same time as The 13th Floor Elevators and released their lone record, The Power Plant, before breaking up in 1968. Everything I’ve heard off The Power Plant is great, with a heavier edge than 13th Floor Elevators material. I missed these guys at Levitation Austin in 2014, so I’m keen to see them at the Thursday night pre-festival kick-off party at Empire Garage.

Keep your mind open.

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Rewind Review: Scratch and the Upsetters – Super Ape (1976)

[Rewind Reviews are reviews of records at least a year old that I haven’t heard before.]

Lee “Scratch” Perry is the father of dub and one of the greatest reggae legends to walk the Earth. His 1976 Super Ape record with his backing band the Upsetters (Boris Gardener – bass, Mickey & Denbow – drums, Earl Smith – guitar, E. Stirling – piano, Skullying – conga, Bobby Ellis, Dirty Harry, H. Marquis, and Vin Gordon – horns, E. Evans – flute) is considered by many to be one of the greatest dub records of all time.

“Zion’s Blood” delivers what would become classic bass lines in dub music, while “Croaking Lizard” has that great itchy percussion, distant echoing guitar, and mantra-like lyrics you’ve come to expect.

“Black Vest” lets the horn section stretch its muscles, while “Underground” has a crispy beat backing reverbed female vocals and a guitar that sounds like it was recorded on a space station. I love the way the horns and flute mesh on “Curly Dub,” and “Dread Lion” is a classic dub song with references to the Almighty.

“Three in One” melds into “Patience,” as both have great spacey vibes to them. “Dub along with me” sing Scratch’s back-up singers before the title track floats into the room like a stoned ghost and creeps into your mind.

This is where dub starts, as does a few other genres. House music, hip-hop, dubstep, ambient, trance, and even some punk and shoegaze started here. Super Ape is essential if you’re a fan of dub, reggae, or milestone records.

Keep your mind open.

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Thank you, George Martin.

Many thanks to Sir George Martin, who died on March 8th, 2016, for everything he helped give the world of music. Commonly known as “the fifth Beatle,” Sir Martin was responsible for producing many of their greatest hits, starting with “Love Me Do” and well into the 1970’s. He also produced music for James Bond films and the themes to Live and Let Die and Goldfinger.

The BBC documentary The Compleat Beatles is an excellent look back on not only the Beatles, but Sir Martin’s contributions to music that continues to inspire to this day.

Keep your mind open.

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The Smoke House: Come for the smoked turkey, stay for the Louvin Brothers Museum.

I was hungry while on my way back from Chattanooga a couple weeks ago and discovered The Smoke House Restaurant and Trading Post in Monteagle, Tennessee. It’s an impressive place with enough cured meats, spice rubs, barbecue sauces, and jams and jellies for an army. I opted for the smoked turkey open-faced sandwich with cole slaw and mashed potatoes.

Good grief, it was delicious. The smoked turkey was the best I’d eaten in years. I’m sure the rest of the menu is just as delicious, and I’ll probably try the fried chicken and / or frog legs if I ever get back there.

You pay for your meal in the gift shop on the way out. As I walked through their expansive gift shop, I twice passed a room that appeared to be another alcove full of knick-knacks for sale before I noticed the sign above the entryway.

Yes, tucked along one back wall of this place, with a light-up reindeer atop it, is a museum dedicated to country music legends Ira and Charlie Louvin.

It’s full of plaques, photos, and memorabilia from the duo who popularized country harmony music and were well-known for their gospel songs.

There is so much here that I couldn’t photograph all of it without burning up more time on my trip home. There are display cases full of show tickets, recording notes, family photos, and personal effects. The number of photos and commendations from various music venues, writers, and associations is staggering.

There’s also a display case dedicated to the car crash death of Ira Louvin and his fourth wife, Anne Young.

That photo was taken three days before their car was struck by a drunk driver on June 20, 1965. In a weird twist, a DUI warrant had been issued for Ira’s arrest around the same time.

The museum also has a complete collection of the Louvin Brothers’ records, so many that I couldn’t get them all into one shot.

It’s a cool place that is easy to miss, but you owe it to yourself to see it if you’re a fan of classic country or gospel music. There’s a lot of neat stuff in there. Like this, a laminated picture of Grandpa Jones on a piece of wood.

Keep your mind open.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W4-UfQasSs