Last year Jim Abbott announced a book that was going to be published and with it he said that the first 1000 pre-orders will receive a CD full of unheard/rare Jackson tracks. Well the book didn't appear - see Naturalismo for more insight into that story - and as a result neither did the CD. If you spot websites asking for money to pre-order the Jackson C Frank book, it's not recommended you do so. Keep an eye on either here or Naturalismo and you will most likely hear if the book appears.
Copyright issues no doubt would have plagued the CD anyway so chances are the tracks were going to stay hidden a while longer even if the book had appeared. Two have surfaced though!
Huge thanks, from me and other Jackson C Frank fans, to all the people along the line involved in unearthing these two songs.
Jackson C. Frank - Jimmy Clay
'Jimmy Clay' was originally written by Patrick Sky and released on his 'Reality is Bad Enough' LP. There have been re-issues of Sky's eponymous album and 'Songs that made America famous' but everything else appears to be long out of print. Recently passed ebay prices suggest that you shouldn't have to pay much for original copies though and Youtube offers a few treats from him - I can't find him performing 'Jimmy Clay' unfortunately.
Lyrics for the original version of 'Jimmy Clay' can be found here.
This Jackson C Frank cover is apparently a BBC recording, maybe intended as a Peel Session? A couple of years ago, I'm told, Gideon Coe was scheduling a Jackson C Frank session for his Radio 6 show but eventually couldn't find the recordings. So what has happened to the rest of the set is anyone's guess.
Jackson C. Frank - Frankie & Johnnie
This was apparently recorded all the way back in 1962 when Jackson was still in college. 'Frankie & Johnny' - the songs correct title (same thing that happened to 'Anji') - was a song originally written by Hughie Cannon (famous for penning the song Bill Bailey took his name from) and become a staple of the American musicians' catalogue. Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Leadbelly, Johnny Cash, Van Morrison, everyone seems to have done a cover of it (even Lindsay Lohan).
Loads more information on the song can be found on Wikipedia.
One of my favourites is the instrumental version by JoAnn Castle:
In 1962 Jackson was soon about to exit his teens and also the USA. His eponymous album was still three years away.
Apparently there were another eight or nine tracks alongside this on a tape, but again, unfortunately I have no idea where they are. One day we will hopefully be able to hear both sets in full.
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New Releases:
Low Point: Fabio Orsi & Seaworthy - Near And Faraway
Krayon Recordings: C. Spencer Yeh / Ryan Jewell / Jon Lorenz trio (7")
Earjerk: Second Family Band - Logos Destroyer
Circulation of Light - Circulation of Light
Dream Colour - Solar Gaze
Pan to Scratch - With Happiness
Lens - Surveyor
Neon Shit - More Neon Shit
Not Not Fun: Sun Araw - Heavy Deeds
Malibu Falcon
Rangers - Low cut fades
Pocahaunted - Live from the New Age
Cut Hands: Chapels - It’s Just a Pause
Social Junk - Four Chambers of the Heart
Kohoutek - Der Schnellen Geist
Release the Bats: V/A - Utmarken 10"
RuralFaune: Lunar Miasma - Monophonic Ritual
Rob Funkhouser - This is why robots are taking over
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6 comments:
http://vanishinghours.blogspot.com/
anyone have downloads for these cassettes by second family band? sad blues, the eternal lag, phasiss, when we are gone, changing suns, east to west, or weird sword/seers word. cant find these and no cassette player. thanks
Thanks for the Vanishing Hour Revival link, looks like some nice stuff.
The SFB stuff was only announced on the same day this post was made and he was going away for a few days as well.
There were also a few CDr re-releases announced, worth shooting him an email.
I wish less people were releasing stuff on cassette; I don't hate the format but I would much rather be buying circular media.
you know, you were asked nicely to please remove these things last year, and you have not. That's a shame.
I have not been contacted by the copyright owner regarding these recordings.
I ran across your blog because of the discussion of "Jimmy Clay." In my opinion, the best antiwar song of the Vietnam era, and perhaps ever. I'm hoping to record it on my next CD, but it may take awhile.
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