“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
Obviously, Radar was a regular during the Summer 2001 RH tour with Heiko, Tony, Eddy, and DJ Logic; it also was on pretty much every set list when Chris toured Europe in Fall 2001 with DJ Big Wiz. But Chris rarely played Radar in solo appearances; I could find only 7, mostly from radio shows. … Continue reading
During its 5-year run, the All Things Chris Whitley group has been the place to share rare gems from members’ CW collections. To make the musical gems shared more easily accessible, I’ve created this playlist of rare tracks. Most of these are single live tracks available only on compilation albums. For more live tracks, check … Continue reading
Posted in response to a special request from Marc G.
The Japanese release of Jeff Lang’s 2017 album, Alone in Bad Company, includes a bonus track: Jeff’s cover of Chris Whitley’s “As Flat as the Earth” (Terra Incognita). Because this recording is unavailable in the US and with Jeff’s generous permission, I am sharing it here so that ATCW group members can listen to … Continue reading
I never liked Solid Iron Heart on the Rocket House album. Well, I should qualify that statement: I was drawn in by Chris’s haunting voice and entranced by the lyrics, but my ears rebelled against all the extraneous sound production in the album version. I mean, really, why such noise should obscure such intense … Continue reading
I was pleasantly surprised when, viewing files Hiroshi Suda had sent me of 1999-02-05 (Quasimodo’s, Berlin), I came across a video of Chris and Pat MacDonald singing Dylan’s “Billy” – still brings a smile! Today I ran across some additional audio files of that duet plus of Pat’s solo performance. I’m sharing them … Continue reading
In Cleveland last fall, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame held a tribute to blues guitarist Robert Johnson. Of the renowned blues, pop, folk and jazz performers at two concerts that weekend, Chris Whitley was the only discernible musical and spiritual link to the fabled bluesman. The powers that be could have scrapped … Continue reading
This is the second set only: Taped by Joel Keller.
“Since Hendrix, there’s not a lot that blows me away,” Whitley said.* We’re all familiar with Chris’s cover of Hendrix’s “Drifting” on the Perfect Day CD. But did you know that he covered other Hendrix songs? That one of the first albums he bought (with money his grandmother had given him for his … Continue reading
