Red Hot And Blue VII

 

This weeks journey through the colors starts with Reverend Horten Heat, a psychobilly band form Dallas, Texas. Formed in 1986 by guitarist James C. Heath he became the godfather of modern rockabilly/psychobilly. He has been stoically playing his sound for decades, always loud and aggressive, and is a force to be reckoned with live.

Reverend Horten Heat - Big Red Rocket Of Love

I think I don't have to say much about The Who, except that this ballad is untypical for their sound.

The Who - Behind Blue Eyes

I don't know if someone remembers Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen but this series gives me the chance to do it. I liked their interpretation of country music, knowing were they came from and willing to break the circle. This cover version by an old song from Charlie Ryan is probably their well know song and this is good this way.

Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen - Hot Red Lincoln

Watusi Rodeo

It is Friday and working week is almost over. And only one more day on Monday to work until I will leave for a few weeks. As usually I go over the turn of the year to Sri Lanka again. I try to prepare some post including my very own review in music of this year. Today's song is one of those songs I can listen to at almost every time. Written  by Guadalcanal Diary, an forgotten band from Georgia in 1984. I really liked their jangly pop sound a lot these days and their records still find the way to my turntable. And the Reverend's version is also a good one even it sounds just like the original.

Guadalcanal Diary - Watusi Rodeo
Reverend Horton Heat - Watusi Rodeo

Twanging Tuesday # 55

One of those artists that try to keep the rockabilly spirit alive is Reverend Horton Head, which I introduced in this series a few month ago. A couple of days ago I found two more cover versions he did. It's live and raw and some songs are too good to be destroyed by anyone.

Twanging Tuesday # 34

A longer time passed since I posted real rockabilly in this series. So I thought the time is right to introduce The Reverend Horton Heat a band based in Dallas, Texas. Jim Heath formed this band in 1985 and they are still on work today. He played a real good Gretch-guitar and was influenced by the sound of Dick Dale and The Cramps. Some of their songs could be described as psychobilly. I've seen them in the early 90s and was astonished about their presence. They played their songs very loud with a high energy. One of the true bearers of rockabilly tradition. The second song today is a cover from an also underrated band Guadalcanal Diary.

The Reverend Horton Heat - Big Red Rocket Of Love
The Reverend Horton Heat - Watusi Rodeo

Kongo - Suffering of a nation

These days I read a book about historical development of the state Congo during the last 150 years. It written by a Belgian documentary author and it shows again how European imperialism can ruin a country by the years.

In the years starting from 1870 the Congo was the property of the Belgian King Leopold II. The main reason why he got the country, was that he had promised, that trading is free for all without taxes. Main thing they traded was ebony against some pointless objects. After the traders came nearly at the same time the church which has sent out her missionaries.  

Missionaries weren't the big problem - they just broke up family life and traditions and owned young black people to work for their benefit. The main problem is (until now) that the Congo is the wealth of plants and mineral resources.

First the invention of the tyre and then the India rubber required for this. When these resources were nearly ruined, one rushed at the nearly inexhaustible raw materials which lay underground. Therefor they pressed a lot of Africans in them so called Force publique. They built a very brutal regime to pour out everything from the natives. After the end of the rubber area it quickly turned into mining with the only difference that the mining companies didn't use soldiers to treat the people. That's how capitalism works. The result of bringing western standards to foreign nations is mostly the chance of some warlords to built a dictatorship on terror against their own people.

Reverend Horton Heat - Watusi Rodeo