released April 26, 2023

track notes ~

john thompson : All Harp parts, laughter
jmc : the kitchen sink

1. Blue Eyes Don't Run Away : sung and played into one mic and the first take is here. i know this from Link Wray's "SINGS" LP

2. Lefty Lucy : an original tune and had a gas singing the cheeseball backup sisters vocal. the double fuzz epi-firebirds was a hoot too...John's laugh at the abrupt ending (...he had no way of knowing when it stopped, a lot of good i am to people) had to be brought up and out in the mix! the laughter meant it was a first take! Yessir. used an old military mic for the lead vocal. i was twiddling knobs like a ferret on a double espresso and in the final fade the signals get scratchy....just pretend you are hearing this on the radio and your reception is disrupted heading through the pass if you would.

3. Tell Me That You Love Me : a jimmy reed tune, but in the last analysis i think the relaxed vibe i was after owes a debt to Lynwood Slim's Big Rhythm Combo record. Always wished i could deliver a laid back vocal like Lynwood could....john played a nice relaxed, meandering harp part which rode along with the fuzzed up Harmony H-44 nicely. Liked the lazy lap-steel in the fade as well.

4. The Dry Hop : i guess this is an original in the sense that are three Hop Wilson steel tunes all rolled up into this one jam and i managed to louse up all 3 parts with flaw drenched precision. Liked the strat tone off Chris's 5A3 here. Seriously, took 3 steel tracks to even resemble the filthy magic Hop Wilson can spill out in a single take....he's that good.

5. Come On In This House : the work of john's second harp session here @ homespun. i built up the lead vocal, acoustic guitar, coronado bass and drums before john came over with a 12 pack of bohemian. Knowing from talks with John and his love of seeing Junior Wells when he kicked around Chicago i thought this early Chief Records take would be fun. I tried hard to sing in Junior's original key of A but no chance....dropped to G as my groin rippled and hurt. john played an entire harp line through but with mandolins, 12 strings, and banjos i opted for peppering all the parts here and there....NOTE this original 1st take vocal had the mojo as far as i was concerned but it was full of some loud flasetto notes frying the eggs of the recorder and pre/amps so sorry about the distortion...i believe the first vocal feel is worth the extra crispiness here and there.

6. Violent Love : Also stems from john's second session and we took this take live nose to nose. I know the tune from Otis Rush's COBRA recording of it. Love the melody and tune so dearly. Felt like a nice pat on the butt sending all of you off to bed....played on the 1949 epiphone acoustic in the key of C.