king king « No Fightin': The Red Devils, Lester Butler & California blues, rock and roots music

Archive for king king

13 years later: Another look at “13 featuring Lester Butler”

Posted in 13 with tags 13, alex schultz, andy kaulkin, def american, dr. ross, elmore james, hightone, howlin wolf, james harman, james moore, king king, lester butler, red devils, rick rubin, screamin' jay hawkins, smokey hormel, stephen hodges on April 10, 2010 by J.J.

“When you’re talking about blues, you’re talking
about storytelling. … You have to bring something to the table.
You have to have a story to tell.”

13 years ago tonight, Lester Butler and his gang took the stage at the Bar Deluxe in Hollywood to celebrate the release of the album “13 featuring Lester Butler.” [*]

Fans of The Red Devils’ “King King” were in for a surprise with this new disc: While “King King” was raw, buzzy and live, “13″ was sharp and edgy. “King King” was a tight ensemble record; “13″ sounded like a blues band riot. “King King” relied on classic blues shuffles; “13″ pushed the envelope into punk, rock, boogie, R&B and jam. “King King” celebrated women, cars and booze; “13″ was a junkie travelogue, documenting the seedy side of life as seen by Butler in the five years since The Red Devils’ triumphs.

For all their differences, “13″ and “King King” still go hand-in-hand; if you love one, you probably love the other.

But 13 was a mission statement by Butler, with one foot firmly in blues and the other somewhere in space. Distribution on the small independent blues and roots label Hightone seemingly gave Butler carte blanche to follow his muse (check out the psychedelic cyber-tarot nightmare album cover and confusing labeling for proof).

The album he crafted is filled with tales of chaos, desperation and regret, the music stripped raw in the studio — simple, pounding drums; barrelhouse piano; snaky, funky guitar; and Butler’s vocals in front, the singer damn near ingesting the mic and screaming in your ear.
Read more »

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

9 Comments »

“Tail Dragger” lyrics

Posted in red devils with tags king king, lester butler, lyrics, red devils, tail dragger, willie dixon on March 25, 2010 by J.J.

“Tail Dragger” (Music: Willie Dixon/Lyrics: Lester Butler), from “King King”

Gotta tell about my baby, she’s something fine
Gotta tell about my baby, people, she’s something fine
If my little girl shake for you, you lose your mind
Read more »

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

Rowdy morning on KCRW + 1 new song, 1992

Posted in red devils with tags bill bateman, blackwater roll, chris douridas, hollywood fats, johnny moeller, jonny ray bartel, kcrw, king king, lester butler, Mick Jagger, mike flanagan, morning becomes eclectic, paul size, red devils, slim harpo, Zach Zunis on February 28, 2010 by J.J.

A great “new” tape has surfaced of The Red Devils performing live in the studio on San Diego radio station KCRW’s long-running program “Morning Becomes Eclectic,” showcasing a new tune, different arrangements, and an interview with the band.

Jon Miller up in Seattle dug the tape out of storage, and sent a copy along to nofightin.com, and it’s a good one. Though the recording is incomplete — picking up toward the end of a searing version of “I Was Wrong” — it is impressive for what’s there, including a rowdy trio shuffle new to nofightin.com.

LISTEN: The rare “Blues in the Morning” shuffle with Lester Butler, Paul Size and Bill Bateman [MP3]

The airdate, as marked on the original cassette dubbed live from the radio, is dated 12/7/92, though host Chris Douridas mentions that the Devils’ segment was taped the previous Friday. The timeline is corroborated by the Dec. 7 Los Angeles Times review of a Friday evening gig in L.A.

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

2 Comments »

“Cross Your Heart” lyrics

Posted in red devils with tags cross your heart, king king, lyrics, red devils, sonny boy williamson on January 31, 2010 by J.J.

“Cross Your Heart” (Sonny Boy Williamson), from “King King”

When you cross your heart to someone
You’re not supposed to, you’re not supposed to tell a lie
You cross your heart to someone
Little girl, you’re not supposed to, you’re not supposed to tell a lie
If you say wrong or do wrong, baby, it got to be so long, or goodbye
Read more »

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

2 Comments »

Rubin bio gives hints of producer at work

Posted in red devils with tags def american, in the studio, Johnny Cash, king king, Mick Jagger, red hot chili peppers, rick rubin, The Greatest Music Never Sold, tom petty on January 20, 2010 by J.J.

Simply calling Rick Rubin a “producer” misses what has made him such an important modern musical figure: He has been a guru, shaman, caretaker, curator, therapist and friend for many artists, coaxing some to produce their greatest music ever. What he does simply cannot be reproduced.

Using already-published interviews as a backbone, author Jake Brown constructs a discography-based look at Rubin’s career in the recently released book “Rick Rubin: In the Studio” (ECW Press). Not a tabloidy tell-all, “In the Studio” instead is a gearhead’s delight, giving some insight into the famed Rick Rubin recording process.

Red Devils fans, however, will be let down — the Devils’ Rubin-produced “King King” is not mentioned save for a discography at the back of the book. The lone mention of the Devils in the text is a graph about the Mick Jagger blues sessions, not even noting that this “Los Angeles blues ensemble” was a Def American band.

However, there are some insights that can be gleaned into “King King” by studying Rubin’s other works and his philosophy — his less is more, or “production by reduction,” style.

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

“Devil Woman” lyrics

Posted in red devils with tags devil woman, king king, lester butler, lyrics, red devils on September 20, 2009 by J.J.

“Devil Woman” (The Red Devils), from “King King”

I met a devil woman
In a dream the other night
Had the black cat eyes
And I swear she could fly
Yeah, I met a devil woman
In a dream the other night
Whoo-ooh, whoo-ooh
I swear she could fly
Yeah, I swear the gal could fly
Yeah, I swear she could fly
And I heard my mama cry
Read more »

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

5 Comments »

Remix Devils: Trip-hop experiment

Posted in red devils with tags cross your heart, king king, lester butler, mp3, red devils, remix, trip-hop on July 27, 2009 by J.J.

On the hunt for more Red Devils info, stumbled onto the forum for The Gretsch Pages.

There, member tidalwave_sideburns has uploaded a trip-hop blues track with vocal samples from Muddy Waters and Lester Butler from “King King” (can you pick which ones?). In addition, “Cross Your Heart” is used as a bluesy bed for the cut.

It’s certainly different — and actually quite cool. Give a listen to the MP3 “Oh Yeah Baby” right here.

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

1 Comment »

“No Fightin’” lyrics

Posted in red devils with tags king king, lester butler, lyrics, no fightin', red devils on July 9, 2009 by J.J.

“No Fightin’” (Lester Butler), from “King King”

I got me a woman
My little girl has got me
I got me a woman
The little girl has got me
She’s got me runnin’ and hidin’
Like a two-bit gangster running from the police
Read more »

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

3 Comments »

Photos: Red Devils’ last King King gig, 1993

Posted in red devils with tags blue cafe, club, hollywood, king king, lester butler, paul size, photos, red devils, rick rubin, smokey hormel, vince jordan on June 20, 2009 by J.J.

Walk up to the door, and pay the cover — it’s Monday night at the King King club in Hollywood, and The Red Devils are on stage.

For those of us who missed it the first time around, these photos of the Devils at the King King, taken by Vince Jordan, are a great find. Jordan owned and booked the Blue Cafe in Long Beach, Calif., from 1992 to 2003. The club was another favorite haunt of The Red Devils and related bands; Jordan and Lester Butler were also good friends (he and his club get a thanks on the “13″ disc).

Jordan said these photos were taken at the Devils’ last gig at the King King, probably June 14, 1993 (that was a Monday). The timing as a “last gig” makes sense; Paul Size would be out of the band later that summer, and the original King King would close shop for good by the end of the year.

Besides the great photos of the band and the scene, check out an ultra-rare photo of producer Rick Rubin and Butler hanging out on a bench outside the club (as seen on the “King King” album cover), as well as a couple with original Blue Shadows/Red Devils guitarist — as well as former Blasters and 13 member — Smokey Hormel sitting in.

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

1 Comment »

‘Blast furnace blues’: Dec. 3, 1992, ‘King King’ review

Posted in red devils with tags article, daily cougar, jeff healey, king king, red devils, review, university of houston on June 1, 2009 by J.J.

Looking around a few months ago, I found this review of “King King” from the University of Houston Daily Cougar Online archives, Dec. 3, 1992. I really like the exuberance and imagery in this review.

As a bonus: A Jeff Healey review!

BLOSSOMING BANDS BESTOW PLEASING PLATTERS
by Manuel Esparza
Daily Cougar Staff

How do you like it, live or studio? Well the Red Devils cut a live disc and the Jeff Healey Band is fresh from recording 12 new tracks.

Got your asbestos gloves handy? Good. Now get ready to handle some blast furnace blues. Captured on the Red Devil’s live album King King is blues in its most elemental form — fire.

The album, King King, takes its name from the L.A. club that has adopted the Devils. It is a beer sopped, cigarette stench, sweaty bodies, dimly lit, watch where you sit, graffiti ridden, wrong side of the tracks, eardrum rupturing disc.
Read more »

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

Archive for king king

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Pages

Follow “No Fightin': The Red Devils, Lester Butler & California blues, rock and roots music”