Just ran across this while rummaging down a rabbit hole. No better tribute from one friend to another, from one musician to another, from a fan to his idol …. Chris first came out to Australia in 1993. I went to his Tuesday night show at The Basement in Sydney on the recommendation of a … Continue reading
“He ventured new sonic territory with … the romantic/existential yearning of “Weightless” (Lonelier than God/Fallen from above/ Weightless as a child/Hopeless to your love).” [from the LWA CD liner] The version on Terra Incognita: The remix on Long Way Around:
Several years ago, Hiroshi Suda sent me a Macromedia Flash Player file of a multi-media promo for Soft Dangerous Shores. It’s a beautiful thing, made all the more beautiful because “Fireroad (for Two)” plays throughout it. Towards the end, a statement – presumably from Chris – appears on the screen. I’ve captured (most) of it … Continue reading
One of the ATCW group’s favorites, Look What Love Has Done, as Manual Destanque put it, “… jerks a tear from my eye every time. The first time I listened to it I was thrilled, love that song, love the story and the images and metaphors… And then there’s the last bit of the song … Continue reading
It seems an odd pairing: Chris, a self-taught guitarist whose visceral lyrics were influenced by desert landscapes and an appreciation of French surrealist poets; Warren, a piano man (briefly mentored by Igor Stravinsky) whose lyrics often described viscera and whom Rolling Stone labeled “rock’s macabre jester.” Chris, the offspring of a Madison Avenue ad executive … Continue reading
Danny Kadar has shared the first known recording of Home (New Orleans 1991): Another 1991 recording of Home (courtesy of Danny Kadar): Here’s Chris playing Home with Bob Wasserman and Les Claypool on Wasserman’s CD Trios (1994): Chris plays LWTL and then Home (with Rob and Les) at the Trios concert … Continue reading
Chris Whitley cites many musicians as having influenced his music making, ranging from the Desert Blues of Mali and blues legends such as Howlin’ Wolf to contemporary legends such as Jimmy Page, David Bowie and Prince. Below, in his own words, are his comments about the music he liked and how it affected his songcraft. … Continue reading
“And Gasket, originally my take on industrial country jug band blues, has an inverted Howlin’ Wolf riff. It’s a modern greasy blues tune originally about how I never used condoms as a teen.” [from Beer Melodies] I have been obsessed with the Moanin’ at Midnight/Gasket connection since I first heard an unnamed track (listed … Continue reading
Yes, it’s a long, unwieldy title, but ’tis the season of harvest and Thanksgiving here in the U.S., so ….. A few years ago, I launched an ATCW post to document song inspirations that (primarily) Hiroshi Suda and I had gleaned from reading articles and listening to bootlegs. Given that Facebook is a black hole … Continue reading
There’s no better insight into what Chris thought and felt than what he himself said. Here’s a one-stop place from which you can access all the extended audio interviews I’ve collected. Also check the radio shows provided in each album blog for more of what Chris had to say. Audio In the Foreground …. … Continue reading
