Timbuk3 - 1989-04-22 - Austin City Limits (plus bonus tracks)

Timbuk3

1989-04-22

Austin City Limits, Austin, TX

TV Broadcast, very good quality

(plus other bonus live tracks)

mp3 @ 256

Custom artwork included

OK, next I want to feature some of my favorite lesser-known or underrated bands. First up is Timbuk3, who I really like, just a great, unique group. Formed around 1985 out of Austin, TX, Timbuk3 was basically the husband-wife duo of Pat and Barbara K. MacDonald, who played guitar (and harmonica and various other instruments) and sang live to pre-recorded bass and drums tracks played on a boombox. Timbuk3's music featured a dark, cynical outlook combined with clever, biting wit and humor set to strong melodic tunes and quirky harmony vocals. I just love their songs, sound, and great feel of their two voices together. Although they had success and a big hit song right off the bat (the iconic 'The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades'), to some degree that initial success may have limited their overall career. For the most part, the biting sarcasm of the song was completely overlooked and it was embraced as a fun party song, and the pop audience wanted more of that kind of song, which just was not what the group was about. With their dark, quirky songs and sound, they should have been heartily embraced by the indie community, but surprisingly were not, maybe because based on their hit, they were apparently dismissed as some lightweight college pop band. But Timbuk3 continued undaunted with their own vision, even resisting adding a drummer and bass player, playing all the instruments themselves through their first three excellent albums (Greetings from Timbuk3, Eden Alley, and Edge of Allegiance, 1986-1989). But with their 4th album, Big Shot in the Dark (1991), they finally did add Wally Ingram and Courtney Audain on bass and drums, which substantially enhanced their overall sound, especially live. I saw them live around that time, where I picked up an excellent self-produced live cassette (no title, date, info, or label) they were selling at their shows (and which I still listen to today). They released an EP and one more album (Looks Like Dark To Me and A Hundred Lovers), as well as a best of collection, before breaking up. They broke up in 1995, as Pat and Barbara grew apart, both personally and musically, and with the dissolution of their marriage came the end of the band. Pat went to Spain for a few years where he continued to make music (although none released in the US), and Barbara also continued with a solo career. Although considered a 'one-hit wonder' in the pop music world, Timbuk3 was a great band that had a great vision, a great sound, and produced several great albums. Unfortunately, there are virtually no bootlegs or unofficial recordings of Timbuk3 available, except for this recording from their Austin City Limits half-show in 1989. Even worse, all of their official albums are now out-of-print. However, their independent live album (same show as on the unlabelled cassette, but now identified as 'Espace Ornano' recorded November 1991 in Paris) is still available on CD from the band's website (see below), and remains the only Timbuk3 music currently available for purchase.

This ACL show, listed as being from 4/22/89 (which probably was the broadcast date, and it most likely was recorded much earler than that, around fall 1988), features a suitably eclectic and quirky setlist, with a couple songs from each of their first 2 albums (including 'Future'), a relatively unknown B-side ('Assholes on Parade', which was editied out of the TV broadcast -for obvious reasons), a song from Pat's earlier group, The Essentials ('Looking For Work'), and a song from the earliest days of Pat and Barbara together ('Will You still Love Me When I'm Dead?'). Since this is a very short half-hour set, I supplemented the show with some tracks that are available on the band's web site, a couple from a Santa Cruz show, and a few sample tracks from the live album (Espace Ornano), featuring the killer and previously unreleased (non-album) track, 'Throw Down Gun'. If you like these, by all means please purchase the full live album from the Timbuk3 website.

Although the group disbanded in 1995, they still maintain an official web site (http://www.timbuk3music.net/) and myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/timbuk3theband) for the band. Pat is now back in his original hometown area of Wisconsin, still playing and making new music. In a fairly recent interview, he said that there were still alot of old Timbuk3 tracks that were never released, and that maybe someday he would go back through those tapes and put them out. Hopefully that will happen soon. Their cynically humorous (or is that humorously cynical?) takes on the issues, absurdities, and injustices of the day are sorely missed.

Tracklist

1 - intro

2 - Dance Fever

3 - Life is Hard

4 - The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades

5 - a question

6 - Assholes On Parade (performed, but not included in TV broadcast)

7 - Looking For Work

8 - Sample the Dog

9 - Wheel of Fortune

10 - Will You Still Love Me When I'm Dead?

11 - I Need You

Bonus tracks:

12 - Eden Alley (Santa Cruz, 1989?)

13 - Not Fade Away/Eden Alley reprise (Santa Cruz)

14 - Big Shot in the Dark (Paris, 11/1991)

15 - Throw Down Gun (Paris, 11/1991)

16 - Reckless Driver (Paris, 11/1991)

Bonus tracks obtained from the band's official web site. Paris tracks come from the band's self-produced live album, Espace Ornano, which is available for purchase from the Band's web site:http://www.timbuk3music.net/

Link Updated (10/1/21)

Timbuk3_-_Austin_City_Limits_1989.rar

Barenaked Ladies - Outtakes (1996-2010)

Barenaked Ladies

Outtakes & bonus tracks (1996-2010)
Studio outtakes, excellent quality
mp3 @ 320k
New! Now upgraded to include 3 bonus tracks from Grinning Streak (2013)!

Here is a great collection of studio session outtakes from the Barenaked Ladies that I just got my hands on. This covers outtakes from 1996-2010 (from Born On A Pirate Ship right up through their newest (2010) album, All in Good Time), and includes several previously unreleased songs that were left of their respective albums, in addition to several acoustic performances of some of the album tracks. Of particular note are the four new songs from the All in Good Time sessions that did not make it onto that album (ironically including the potential title cut). Great to hear these additional BNL songs.

BTW, for those who have not yet heard it, and are wondering about the new album, All In Good Time (their first as a foursome after the departure of songwriter/vocalist Steven Page), here's my take: It's a good, solid album, with strong songwriting, impeccable production, and fine vocals and harmonies. Although not quite among the group's very best work, it certainly is not weak either, containing several memorable songs. My biggest complaint with it, however, is that the guys are far too serious on it, that is, it's not a 'fun' album, containing only one song that could be considered fun (the standout track, 'Four Seconds', easily the best song --and instant classic BNL tune). And for a band that has made it's reputation on fun, goofy songs (or at least clever, witty lyrics), it's entirely too serious (That, and a bit too much sniping at Page for leaving). Otherwise, it's quite solid and very enjoyable. Anyway, hope you enjoy these fine outtakes from over the past several years.

Tracklist
01 Trust Me (Born On A Pirate Ship Outtake)
02 Back (Born On A Pirate Ship Outtake)
03 She's On Time (Stunt Outtake)
04 Long Way Back Home (Stunt Outtake)
05 Hidden Sun (Maroon Hidden Track)
06 Born Human (Maroon Outtake)
07 Inline Bowline (Maroon Outtake)
08 Powder Blue (Maroon Outtake)
09 Yes! Yes!! Yes!!! (Everything To Everyone Outtake)
10 Another Postcard (Acoustic)
11 Maybe Katie (Acoustic)
12 Second Best (Acoustic)
13 Next Time (Acoustic)
14 Testing 1,2,3 (Acoustic)
15 Aluminum (Acoustic)
16 Easy (Acoustic)
17 She Turned Away (All In Good Time Outtake)
18 Let There Be Light (All In Good Time Outtake)
19 Moonstone (All In Good Time Outtake)
20 All In Good Time (All In Good Time Outtake)
21 Another Heartbreak (Acoustic)
22 Four Seconds (Acoustic)

New link available (10/1/21)
upgraded: with 3 additional bonus tracks from 2013 Grinning Streak sessions
Barenaked_Ladies_-_Outtakes.rar

Little Village (John Hiatt, Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe, Jim Keltner) 1992-04-26 - Boston

Little Village

(Ry Cooder, John Hiatt, Nick Lowe, Jim Keltner)

April 26, 1992

Orpheum Theatre, Boston, MA

FM Broadcast (WBCN), Excellent Quality recording

mp3 @ 256

In 1991, following his successful run of recent albums and tours (1987-1990), John Hiatt wanted to get back together with the band lineup that started it all, the all-star group (Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe, and Jim Keltner) that backed him on his breakthrough 1987 album, Bring The Family. But this time they would be a 'real' band, not just Hiatt's back-up group. So, in early 1992, it was announced that Hiatt, Cooder, Lowe, and Keltner were forming a band, to be known as 'Little Village' (after an earlier idea of calling the band 'Hiatus' was scrapped). This was welcome news for fans, who had high hopes for the reunion of these talented musicians. Unfortunately, when the album was released later that year, most fans were dissappointed with the result. Although a solid album, it just wasn't up to the expectations and high standards set by the talent involved. The songs, which were all listed as collaborations of all four members, were not as memorable as most from Hiatt's (or the other members) recent solo albums. As a result, the group disbanded later that year, and each went back to their own solo work. However, they did tour that year in support of their album, and the tour was much more successful than the album. It is a joy to hear these guys playing together as a band in concert. They are all consumate musicians and just seem to be having fun. For the most part, the Little Village songs also come across much better live than on record, as Ry Cooder's great guitar and slide work is much more prominent in the longer, looser, live versions. And live, the band also gets to do some of their earlier songs (from Bring the Family), as well as a song or two from each of their solo repertoires. So, although Little Village was somewhat of a failed experiment for these guys, their live show, as demonstrated here in Boston on one of their last shows from the American tour, was great, and we were fortunate to have had these guys get together for this tour and interesting musical venture. This is an excellent FM recording, probably the best of the recorded versions of Little Village live shows. So, check 'em out, the once and only Little Village.

Disc 1: 66:22

1. Introduction 1:03

2. She Runs Hot 3:57

3. Band introduction by Nick Lowe 2:53

4. The Action 3:37

5. Fool Who Knows 4:31

6. Crazy About an Automobile 6:06

7. Inside Job 5:23

8. Do You Want My Job? 6:36

9. Alone in the Dark 5:42

10. Take Another Look 4:57

11. Solar Sex Panel 4:57 (tape flip during applause)

12. Don't Think About Her When You're Trying to Drive 6:04

13. Memphis in the Meantime 5:28

14. Crying in My Sleep 5:06

Disc 2: 53:54

15: Don't Go Away Mad 5:10

16: Big Love 8:15

17: Little Sister 4:35

18: Across the Borderline 7:39

19: Carter Alan Encore Break #1 1:07

20: Don't Bug Me When I'm Workin' 5:58 [tape flip during applause]

21: Half a Boy and Half a Man 3:52

22: Announcer Encore Break #2 1:00

23: Thing Called Love 7:46

24: Lipstick Sunset 6:11

25: Carter Alan Closing Credits 2:19

Total Runtime: 120:16

New Links! (Updated 09/27/21)
Disc 1: Little_Village_-_1992-04-26_-_Boston_MA_d1.rar

Disc 2: Little_Village_-_1992-04-26_-_Boston_MA_d2.rar

John Hiatt - 1990-12-06 - Chicago FM (FLAC)

John Hiatt & The Fugitive Popes

December 6th, 1990

The Vic Theater, Chicago IL

"The Complete Wild Blue Yonder"

FM Broadcast (WXRT), Very Good Quality

Lossless Files (FLAC)

Artwork Included

Here is another excellent John Hiatt show, from about 2 years later than the last one, this one on tour in support of his Stolen Moments (1990) album. So, this show adds numerous songs from Stolen Moments, in addition to highlights from his two previous albums, Slow Turning and Bring the Family, which may well be his three best albums overall. Thus, this show comes right around the peak of his career. This is the full show from the Vic Theater, Chicago, which was a benefit for a local Children's Hospital. Apparently there was an earlier 1-CD bootleg from this show containing only a part of this show, entitled 'Wild Blue Yonder', which is why this set is called 'The Complete Wild Blue Yonder'. John Hiatt remains one of our greatest songwriters, a wonderful and unique person and performer, and just a great all-around guy.

Disc 1

01 Intro

02 Seven Little Indians

03 Stolen Moments

04 The Rest Of The Dream

05 Real Fine Love

06 Trudy & Dave

07 It'll Come To You

08 Your Dad Did

09 Paper Thin

10 Is Anybody There?

Disc 2

01 Back Of My Mind

02 Child Of The Wild Blue Yonder

03 Riding With The King

04 Memphis In The Meantime

05 Tennessee Plates06 band intros

07 Slow Turning

08 Have A Little Faith In Me

09 Thing Called Love

10 Rock Back Billy

11 Heaven Help Us All (Stevie Wonder)

John Hiatt -Guitars, Vocals

The Fugitive Popes are:

Barry Lederer - Keyboards

Pat Donaldson - Bass

Lyn Williams - Drums

Steven Paul Perry - Guitar

New Links (Updated 03/18/22)
disc 1: John Hiatt_1990-12-06_Chicago_D1

disc 2: John Hiatt_1990_12-06_Chicago_D2

John Hiatt - 1989-01-04 - Ottawa, ON

John Hiatt & The Goners

January 4, 1989

Barrymore's Music Hall, Ottawa, ON, Canada

Title: Alone In The Dark

FM Broadcast, Very Good Quality recording

mp3 @ 192 kbps

By the end of 1986, John Hiatt was ready to give up on his recording career. After a string of 7 unsuccessful albums and 3 record labels over the last 12 years, he was about at the end of his musical rope. Although he had achieved some acclaim and notoriety as a songwriter (his songs had been covered by Bob Dylan, Nick Lowe, Rick Nelson, and Rosanne Cash, among others), his own albums just didn't sell at all (none had ever even charted on the Billboard 200). After being dropped by his latest record label (Geffen) due to poor sales for Warming Up to the Ice Age (1985), he didn't have anywhere else to go. However, his friends and supporters all told him to stick with it, and those that had heard his latest songs were convinced they were his strongest yet. Then, England's Demon Records, who still admired his work, pledged to put up $30,000 to make a new album. John's musician friends also came to the rescue as he put together an all-star backing band consisting of guitarist Ry Cooder, bassist Nick Lowe, and ace session drummer Jim Keltner, all of whom had worked with John before, were friends and admirers, and came to help without receiving any payment for their services (Nick even shared a room with Hiatt at the local Holiday Inn during the recording session). The album was recorded in a quick 4 days in February 1987 with not a single song or track left behind (John had to quickly finish writing the last song on the last day of recording to have enough songs for a full album). Once the record was finished and the tapes shopped around, A&M Records picked up the album (& Hiatt) for distribution. Well, The album was titled Bring the Family and, of course, was Hiatt's breakthrough album and biggest success up to that time, and established him to the general public as not only a great songwriter, but a great performer, too. The album contained such soon-to-be-classic Hiatt songs as 'Memphis in the Meantime', 'Your Dad Did', 'Lipstick Sunset', 'Alone in the Dark', 'Thing Called Love', and his signature 'Have a Little Faith in Me'. 'Thing Called Love' became a big hit for Bonnie Raitt soon after, and 'Have a Little Faith in Me' has become Hiatt's most-covered song. Hiatt's next album, Slow Turning (1988) was an even bigger success, producing his first hit single and several more of his very best songs. This excellent show and fine recording comes from that period, after the release of Slow Turning, when Hiatt was enjoying big success for the first time, and features half of the songs from each of these two albums. This does not appear to be the complete show, however, as it does not include 'Slow Turning', which was his hit song at the time and usually sung as an encore (hard to imagine it was not included in the set). Another excellent show from around this same time (1988-12-16, and which includes a couple more songs and 'Slow Turning') was recently posted at T.U.B.E., so be sure to get that one too right here.

Tracklist

01 Memphis In The Meantime

02 Drive South

03 Thank You Girl

04 Tip Of My Tongue

05 Tennessee Plates

06 Alone In The Dark

07 Ride Along

08 Is Anybody There?

09 Paper Thin

10 Thing Called Love

11 Have A Little Faith In Me

12 Icy Blue Heart

13 It'll Come To You

14 Your Dad Did

John Hiatt: Vocals, Guitar

Sonny Landreth: Lead Guitar

David Ranson: Bass

Ken Blevins: Drums

New Link! (Updated 04/23/20)
John_Hiatt_-_1989-01-04_-_Ottawa_ON.rar
 

Nick Lowe (solo acoustic) -1987-04-18 - San Diego

Nick Lowe (solo acoustic)
April 18, 1987
San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
Audience recording, Very Good Quality
mp3 @ 192 kbps



OK, Here's one more Nick Lowe show that I forgot I had, that fits in here nicely, that shows a different side of him and his music, and serves as somewhat of a transition between his pop and rock beginnings and his later years. This is a solo acoustic performance, just him and his guitar, as opeining act for his buddy, Elvis Costello, for Elvis's own short 1987 solo acoustic US tour. This show, from San Diego, in fact, is the opening set for the Costello show that I posted previously (Elvis Costello - 1987-04-18 - San Diego) Thus, if you put these 2 shows together, you can relive the entire concert. As part of Elvis's set for these shows, Nick also joined Elvis for a duet on Lowe's own '(What's So Funny About) Peace, Love, and Understanding?' (which was a hit for Elvis, not Nick). This solo show really brings out the strength of Nick's vocals and his songwriting skills, which are both just superb. At this time in Nick's career, however, this solo show was a relatively novel thing for him, as he had always performed with or been part of a band. But when Elvis asked him to open for him as a solo act, he took the opportunity and made the most of it. Elvis also asked Nick back to do the same thing when he did a longer solo tour in 1989. This, then was probably the beginning of what later became Nick's preferred style. For those that have followed Nick's more recent career, you know that as he got older (from about the late 1990's on), Nick re-invented himself as more of a crooner and balladeer. As rock critic Jim Farber observed "Lowe's recent albums, epitomized by the new At My Age, moved him out of the realms of ironic pop and animated rock and into the role of a worldly balladeer, specializing in grave vocals and graceful tunes. Lowe's four most recent solo albums (The Impossible Bird, 1994; Dig My Mood, 1998; The Convincer. 2001; and At My Age, 2007) mine the wealth of American roots music, drawing on vintage country, soul and R&B to create an elegant mix of his own." For examples of Nick's more recent shows and sound, you can check out a show from 2001 (10/14 - London) at T.U.B.E here and a 2007 solo concert (09/17 - Virginia) from NPR here, where you can listen to or download the show. But posted here is an excellent example of one of the 1987 shows that may have been the inspiration for his subsequent more mature style.

Tracklist
01. Without Love
02. From Now On
03. Talk
04. Cruel To Be Kind
05. When I Write The Book
06. Raining Raining
07. Talk (Huey Lewis Story)
08. Heart
09. The Rose Of England
10. Too Many Teardrops
11. Big, Big Love
12. So It Goes
13. I Knew The Bride
Time - 38:54

Note - first song fades in just before the first lyric.

New Link! (Updated 09/27/21)
Nick_Lowe_-_San_Diego_CA_-_04-18-87.rar

Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit - 1985-10-19 - New York

Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit (featuring Paul Carrack)
October 19, 1985
The Ritz Theatre, New York
FM Broadcast (WNEW-FM), Good Quality
mp3 @ 320

OK, so, here's the next stage in Nick Lowe's evolving recording and touring bands, Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit, as recorded in an FM broadcast during their Rose of England Tour. Although essentially the same lineup as his previous 'Noise to Go' band (w/Paul Carrack, Martin Belmont, and Bobby Irwin), The Cowboy Outfit incarnation was characterized by a bit more of a roots rock sound, as exemplified by songs such as 'Seven Nights of Rock', 'Darling Angel Eyes', 'Half a Boy and Half a Man', and a reworked version of 'I Knew the Bride'. However, after two critically successful albums and tours, this would be the last for this form of the band. This fine 1985 show, although not nearly as good a recording (taken from on-air broadcast) as the previous Lowe shows I offered, presents a nice mixture of old and new Lowe songs. Shortly after this 1985 tour, Paul Carrack went on to join Mike Rutherford in Mike and the Mechanics. Interesting side note: a couple years earlier, Nick produced and he and this band backed up John Hiatt on side 2 of his 1983 album, Riding With the King, where they became good friends. Nick's Cowboy Outfit included a previously unreleased John Hiatt song, 'She Don't Love Nobody' on the Rose of England album (also included in this show). After the Cowboy Outfit wrapped up, Nick went on to be in John Hiatt's backing band for his breakthrough album, Bring the Family (1987), along with Ry Cooder and Jim Keltner. Nick also toured quite a bit with Elvis Costello in 1987 and 1989, opening for Elvis as a solo acoustic act for many of his shows (see previous Elvis posts). Although the Cowboy Outfit was no more, Nick continued to work with all these guys on his next couple solo albums. In fact, his next albums (Pinker and Prouder Then Ever, 1988, and Party of One, 1990) would be a reunion of sorts, as they included contributions from all his old pals from Rockpile and His Cowboy Outfit, and were also produced by Dave Edmunds. Maybe next up should be some John Hiatt and/or Mike and the Mechanics, huh, to continue this 'stream of consciousness' style posting?


Tracklist
1. Raging Eyes 2:37
2. She Don't love Nobody 3:43
3. Cracking Up 2:41
4. Marie Provost 2:58
5. One Woman Man 2:11
6. Saint Beneath The Paint 3:26
7. Your My Wildest Dream 3:06
8. Shake And Pop 4:03
9. Tempted 4:03
10. Cruel To Be Kind 3:43
11. Rose Of England 3:30
12. Darling Angel Eyes 2:41
13. Seven Nights of Rock 3:12
14. I Knew The Bride 3:10
15. I Need You 3:28
16. How Long 6:44
17. Half A Boy 2:59

New Link! (Updated 09/27/21)
Nick_Lowe-Cowboy_Outfit_1985-10-19_-_New_York_FM.rar