Golden Smog - The Jayhawks - Soul Asylum - 2004-07-18 - Rock For Democracy, First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN

Golden Smog, Rock For Democracy 2004, Minneapolis, MN (photo by David Poe)

Golden Smog - The Jayhawks - Soul Asylum
2004-07-18
Rock For Democracy Show
First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
Audience Recording, Good Quality
mp3 @ 320 kbps


 

 OK, so to wrap up this extended look at Golden Smog and the various related bands and their contributing members, here's a unique show from 2004 that featured not only the Smog, but representations of contributing bands The Jayhawks and Soul Asylum as well (sorry, no Jeff Tweedy or Wilco presence here that night). This was a Rock For Democracy 2004 Benefit Show, and it appears that the sets may have been something that were thrown together at the last minute, with little preparation or lead-time rehearsal (several starts and stops, some stage disorganization). But that's part of the fun of these types of shows. Most of the Smog's set are covers (which represents what the Smog was originally, a cover band), including songs from Bowie, Neil Young, Eddie & the Hot Ro0ds, Bad Company, and Alice Cooper, as well as their own 'Corvette' or 'The Dream is Never Over'. Overall, it is loose, a bit sloppy, but a fun night of bar-room music from the various components and characters involved in Golden Smog, and a fitting finale to this 'Summer of Golden Smog' here at the 'Chronicles.

Tracklist:
Dave Pirner and Dan Murphy of Soul Asylum
01. Intro
02. Black Gold
  joined by Tim O'Reagan and Marc Perlman
03. Crazy Mixed Up World
04. Lately
05. Outro

The Jayhawks (Gary Louris/Marc Perlman/Tim O'Reagan/Karen Grotberg)
06. Intro
07. One Man's Problem (aborted due to audience member climbing onstage)
08. One Man's Problem
09. Pray For Me
10. He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother (Tim-lead vocal)
11. Tailspin
12. Outro

Golden Smog (Gary Louris/Marc Perlman/Dan Murphy/Kraig Johnson/Peter Anderson)
13. intro
14. Starman (Gary- lead vocal)
15. That's When I Reach For My Revolver (Dan-lead vocal)
16. Powderfinger (Kraig-lead vocal)
17. Do Anything You Wanna Do (Dan-lead vocal)
18. The Dream Is Never Over (false starts) (Gary and Dave-lead vocals)
19. The Dream Is Never Over (Gary and Dave Pirner-lead vocals)
20. I'm Eighteen (false starts) (Dave- lead vocal)
21. I'm Eighteen (Dave- lead vocal)
22. Shooting Star (Dave-lead vocal)
23. Outro

Golden Smog_Jayhawks_Soul Asylum_2004-07-18_RFD-MinneapolisMN.rar
Link updated 2/5/2024

The Jayhawks - 2011-09-13 - Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul, MN

The Jayhawks

September 13th, 2011
Fitzgerald Theater, 
Saint Paul, MN

FM Broadcast Recording, very good quality
Mp3 @ 320 kbps

Here's more from The Jayhawks, this one from a bit more recent incarnation. As previously mentioned, after touring in 2003-2004, the band went on hiatus, with members each going their own way. during that time, around 2005-2006, Gary Louris re-teamed with former Jayhawk Mark Olson, as a duet, and toured, and eventually released an acoustic album together,  Ready for the Flood, in 2009. Also around this time the acclaimed 1995 version of the Jayhawks lineup reunited for some festival appearances, and announced that they had reunited as a band in 2009. this lead to touring in 2010, and releasing a new album, Mockingbird Time, and touring, in 2011. We have here a show from that Mockingbird Time tour, a fine quality radio broadcast, that consists of a rather short set that is unfortunately interrupted by some rather lame interview segments for the radio audience (fortunately these are separated in the tracks, so you can skip them or remove them if desired). The first half of the set is all new songs from mockingbird time, with the second half being older Jayhawks songs. Attention: For a longer set from this Jayhawks reunion period (and featuring many more older songs), there is a fine quality show also available as a free download (or stream) through the band's website (although only available @160 kbps). See below for link.

Tracklist:
1. Intro's
2. She Walks In So Many Ways
3. Closer to Your Side
4. Hide Your Colors
5. interview / bio /etc
6. Tiny Arrows
7. stage banter
8. High Water Blues
9, Guilder Annie
10. Interview
11. I'd Run Away
12. Anne Jane
13. Tampa to Tulsa
14. Red's Song
15. Blue
16. Outro's

The Jayhawks_2011-09-13_St.Paul.rar
Link updated 01/15/25

More Jayhawks show downloads available from the band's official website!

The reunited Jayhawks return to one of their old favorite local venues, First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN (06/10/2010):
http://www.jayhawksofficial.com/bootlegs_FirstAvenue2010.html (soundboard, 160 kbps)

Also available, 2 other classic earlier Jayhawks shows (from 1985 and  1990) here:
http://www.jayhawksofficial.com/bootlegs.html



 

The Jayhawks - 1998-12-31 - State Theatre, Minneapolis, MN

The Jayhawks
December 31, 1998
State Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
(Opening for Soul Asylum)
Soundboard recording, excellent quality
Available in both Lossless (FLAC) and mp3 (320 k) versions

Here's some more from The Jayhawks, from a few years later. This is a great quality soundboard recording from a New Year's Eve show from their hometown in support of their Sound of Lies (1997) album. So, this was after Mark Olson left, and Gary Louris (with new guitarist Kraig Johnson) took the band a bit more toward a rock-oriented direction (and less country). This is evident right from the start of this show, with a more hard-rock-edged performance of their biggest hit 'Waiting for the Sun' (compare this with the 1995 performance from the previously posted show to hear the difference). Overall, a very good show. Note: they were opening for fellow Minneapolis band and their good friends Soul Asylum here. However, I have not been able to find a recording of the Soul Asylum portion of this show, although it must exist somewhere. Anyone have or know where to get a recording of Soul Asylum's set?

Tracklist:
01. Waiting For The Sun
02. Nothing Left To Borrow
03. Man Who Loved Life
04. Think About It
05. Two Hearts
06. Someone Will
07. I'd Run Away
08. Driving Wheel
09. Blue
10. Young Queer
11. Expecting To Fly
12. Trouble
13. Ruby
14. Queen Of The World

mp3 - Jayhawks_1998-12-31_Minneapolis_mp3.rar
Link updated 10/31/21
FLAC - Jayhawks_1998-12-31_Minneapolis_FLAC.rar

The Jayhawks - 1995-04-08 - Tramps, New York, NY

The Jayhawks
April 8, 1995
Tramps, New York, NY
Soundboard recording, very good quality
mp3 @ 320 kbps

OK, I'm still on something of an alt.country kick ever since I 'discovered' Golden Smog earlier this year. So, here's some from another Golden Smog contributor band, The Jayhawks. I have to admit that I was really not familiar with much of their music previously, but I am making up for that now, and am really getting into their sound and style. The Jayhwks are a Minneapolis Area band that was first formed in 1985 by Mark Olson (guitar/voclas), Gary Louris (guitar/vocals), Marc Perlman (bass), and Norm Rodgers (drums), with Olson and Louris being the primary songwriters, and they are one of those bands that feature a strong roots, country-rock, alt.country, Americana (or whatever else you want to call it) feel. They changed drummers a few times in their early years, until Tim O'Reagan joined in 1995 and stayed, and Karen Grotberg was added in 1992 on keyboards and backing vocals. They had a couple independent releases in the eighties (The Jayhawks-1986, Blue Earth-1989), but made a big impact with their first major label release, Hollywood Town Hall in 1992, and the single 'Waiting for the Sun'. They followed that with another strong album, Tomorrow the Green Grass, in 1995. But just as they seemed to be hitting their stride, Olson left the band in late 1995 (to spend more time with, and eventually form band with, soon-to-be wife, Victoria Williams). Louris and Co. continued on, adding Kraig Johnson on guitar. This new version of the band released a couple more albums (Sound of Lies-1997 and Smile-2000) that had a less folksy/country feel and a bit more polished rock and pop influence, before returning to their more acoustic and folksy roots with Rainy Day Music (2003).  However, after subsequent touring in 2003 and 2004, the band went on indefinite hiatus as the members did various solo and other projects. In September 2008, the old 1995 lineup (with original member Mark Olson) reunited and stayed together on and off for various shows in 2009, before officially announcing the band was back together, resulting in a flurry of reissues, re-releases and compliations, and ultimately the release of a brand new album in 2011,  Mockingbird Time, which was hailed as one of the band's very best.
So, here today, I have an excellent recording of a show from their earlier incarnation, from 1995 in their prime (with Olson still in band) in support of their Tomorrow the Green Grass album. So, check out The Jayhawks from 20 years ago.

Tracklist:
01 Two Angels
02 I'd Run Away
03 Ten Little Kids
04 Take Me With You (When You Go)
05 Over My Shoulder
06 Clouds
07 Waiting For The Sun
08 Pray For Me
09 Red's Song
10 Blue
11 Baltimore Sun
12 Martin's Song
13 Two Hearts
14 Nothing Left To Borrow
15 See Him On The Street
16 Bad Time (Grand Funk Cover)
17 Miss Williams' Guitar
18 Sister Cry
19 Six Pack On The Dashboard
20 Ain't No End
21 Real Light
22 You Ain't Goin Nowhere (Dylan Cover)
23 If You Really Want Me To, I'll Go (Delbert McClinton Cover)
24 Get The Load Out
25 Wichita
26 Lights (Victoria Williams Cover)

Links updated 01/15/25
The Jayhawks_1995-04-08_NY.part1.rar
The Jayhawks_1995-04-08_NY.part2.rar

Golden Smog - 1998-12-12 - First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN

Golden Smog
December 12th, 1998
First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
Soundboard recording, very good quality
Available in both Lossless (FLAC) and mp3 (320kbps) versions



This band was something of a revelation for me. Although it has been around (on and off) for over 20 years, and is comprised of well-established musicians from some well-known other bands (Soul Asylum, The Jayhawks, Wilco, etc.), all of which I also like, I was completely unaware that this band existed until a couple months ago. Then after I got a chance to hear some of their music, I was even more surprised that I had never heard them before, because they are right up my alley, and I really enjoy their stuff. This band may just be something of a low-key side project for these guys, but they make some very entertaining, thoroughly enjoyable music. OK then, for others out there who also may not be aware of these guys, Golden Smog started way back around 1989 when a fluid assortment of musicians from various Minneapolis-area bands got together to hang out, jam, and have fun performing cover songs at area clubs. By 1992, the lineup had settled to include Dan Murphy and Dave Pimer (of Soul Asylum), Gary Louris and Marc Perlman (of The Jayhawks), Kraig Johnson (of Run Westy Run), and drummer Chris Mars (of The Replacements), with the band playing primarily alternative country-rock covers of a wide variety of songs, with a loose and ragged style. They even released an EP , entitled On Golden Smog (with band members using various pseudonyms) of some of their covers. As they went on, they started adding in some original songs as well. By 1995, Mars left, replaced by Noah Levy (of the Honeydogs), and Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco) also joined in, and they began work on their first-length album consisting of mostly original material, which was released in 1996 and titled Down by the Old Mainstream. Also around this time, they also started some touring outside of the Minneapolis area. After changing drummers again, now adding Jody Stephens (of Big Star), they released their 2nd full-length original album, Weird Tales, in 1998, and by now they really seemed like a full-fledged band, and what a fine album this is. After some years of inactivity, they got back together in 2005, releasing 2 more albums, Another Fine Day (2006) and Blood on the Slacks (2007). Although all of the members were full-time members of other (more famous) bands, the albums don't seem to be in any way second-rate or afterthoughts, but rather just have a different feel and style from their primary bands. I don't know of any plans for further Golden Smog albums, but I wouldn't be surprised to see or hear of some form of Golden Smog performing and recording again. This is a great-sounding recording from 1998, after Weird Tales was released, from one of the Minneapoils clubs where they started, First Avenue, with a wonderfully eclectic set featuring original songs from their albums and some entertaining and diverse covers (from Elvin Bishop to Neil Young to Split Enz). So great to hear a band like this, with its mix of well-known musicians, but no egos, very low-key, and just playing what they want, for the enjoyment of it.  I hope others find out about and enjoy these guys like I did.

Tracklist:
01 Looking Forward To Seeing You
02 Ill Fated
03 Won't Be Coming Home
04 Lost Love
05 Making Waves
06 White Shell Road
07 To Call My Own
08 Glad and Sorry
09 V
10 He's a Dick
11 Walk Where He Walked
12 Keys
13 I Can't Keep From Talking
14 Jennifer Save Me
15 Pecan Pie
16 Fooled Around and Fell in Love
17 All The Same To Me
18 If I Only Had a Car
19 Until You Came Along
- Encores
20 Radio King
21 Please Tell My Brother
22 Hurricane
23 Revolution Blues
24 Reflections on Me
25 I Got You
26 Spooky

lineup:
Gary Louris - vocals/guitar
Dan Murphy - vocals/guitar
Jeff Tweedy - vocals/guitar
Kraig Johnson - vocals/guitar
Marc Perlman - bass/guitar
Jessy Greene - violin
Jody Stephens - drums

mp3 - Golden Smog_1998-12-12_Minneapolis_mp3.part1.rar
Golden Smog_1998-12-12_Minneapolis_mp3.part2.rar
links updated 2/5/2024

FLAC - Golden Smog_1998-12-12_Minneapolis_FLAC.rar