Tune Tag #36 with Dusty Wright of TALES AND RANTS: Alex Chilton, David Werner, The Music Explosion, The dBs, The Hollies, Yardbirds, Wax

Planet Pop is the destination. But, this planet has a countryside filled with various musical offshoots....electric, melodic, classic, newer, as well as the little-heard. Make yourself at home.

Hey, Dusty!

Tune Tag happily welcomes

Dusty Wright

, of Dusty Wright’s TALES & RANTS!

Mark “Dusty” Petracca is a content creator and curator based in New York. He’s been at the forefront of utilizing cutting-edge technology for 30+ years. He’s also created content for film, television, fiction, reviews, podcasts, AR/VR, and music.

As a music journalist, he’s the former Editor-in-Chief of Creem and Prince’s New Power Generation magazines. His Substack site collects short stories, TALES, music essays, and RANTS.

Bastards of Execution, 1989 (l-r): Jay, Dusty, Billy, Drummer Boy. Photo Credit: Steve Hampton

As musician Dusty Wright, he’s released ten albums of original music. His most recent album, Dusted Off (February 2024), features “cinematic Americana” interpretations of nine of his favorite cover songs!

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Last week, we enjoyed the Tune Tag company of

Alexander Hellene

of A. Hellene Author:

Tune Tag #35 with Alexander Hellene of A. Hellene Author: Rush, Faith No More, Genesis, King Crimson, Sting, Frank Zappa

Next week,

Jeremy Shatan

of AnEarful waxes melodic for his second Tune Tag!

Dusty’s song #1 sent to Brad: David Werner, “The Ballad of Trixie Silver,” 1974

David Werner, separated by 50 years: 1974 back cover shot with heavy evidence of Maybelline base and lip care (l), and (r) recent proof of the presence of beard care and an AARP card.

Dusty’s rationale: Whizz Kid, by Pittsburgh-based rocker, David Werner, was the alleged response to Britain’s Sweet, T. Rex, Bowie, Mott, and the first openly gay rocker, Jobriath [like Werner, a native Pennsylvanian, about whom FR&B wrote, in depth, in 2023]:

Audio Archaeology, 1973: The Legacy of Jobriath as Morrissey, Numan, Def Leppard Remember

Mr. Werner was basically America’s response to glam. RCA released his debut in 1974, a tad late to the game. Regardless, the album is a corker top to bottom, and a favorite spin on my turntable back in high school (I still cherish my vinyl copy.) Cleveland’s influential FM radio station, WMMS, played it constantly upon its release [Brad: Their DJ, Kid Leo, was an unabashed fan]. You can check out the entire album on YouTube.

Now that I think about it, Werner’s cheeky leadoff single, “The Ballad of Trixie Silver,” roamed the same high plains as Andy Pratt’s “Avenging Annie” (Columbia, ‘73).

“‘The Ballad Of Trixie Silver,’ wrote PostPunkMonk in September 2020, “was a textbook slice of Glam Rock storytelling that stretched out to the six-minute mark, as one did back in those days. The last two minutes of the song were Doyle taking plenty of time for hot solos.”

David Werner (l), in concert with guitarist, Mark Doyle, mid-’70s. If Werner signed in ‘74 to RCA in his late teens (he did), in the wake of Bowie’s sudden RCA explosion onto the glam/rock scene, Doyle was poised to be Werner’s Mick Ronson.

2011 found Werner (r) and guitarist, Doyle (l) flanking noted producer/engineer, Bob Clearmountain (Werner, Springsteen, Roxy Music, Bowie, Pretenders, Hall & Oates).

Ralph Heibutzki, All Music Guide, via LastFM: “David Werner’s name doesn’t roll off the tongue: he hasn’t released an album since ‘79 (2 that year for Epic/CBS), and only the most avid rock snob will have heard them, because they’re not in print anymore. Whizz Kid [self-produced with Bruce Somerfeld] is a typically earnest debut that seemingly draws on its artist’s record collection: Bowie and Mott the Hoople influences are present, and a little glam, too. (The original back cover shot of a heavily lipsticked Werner is priceless; he also calls his publishing company Sassy Brat Music!).”

Werner had a burst of chart success in 1990, when he and Billy Idol collaborated on the latter’s #2 Billboard Hot 100 hit, “Cradle of Love” (from the Charmed Life album), the video of which can be seen by clicking here.

Brad’s response: It should be noted that exclusive FR&B contributor, singer/songwriter/guitarist/actor, Stephen Michael Schwartz, shared a similar early-career path as Werner: 1974 debut albums released by RCA Records at nearly the same age (around 20). While Werner got a shot at album #2 for RCA (1975’s Imagination Quota), and recorded two albums for Epic/CBS in 1979, Stephen was four songs into his second RCA LP in 1975 when the label cut him from his contract. Stephen’s revealing behind-the-scenes (in his own words) of his ‘70s record biz travels (in 20 articles!) starts here:

Audio Autopsy, 1974: Stephen Michael Schwartz Debut RCA LP-EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW PT. 2

Brad’s song #1 sent to Dusty: The Rogues, “Put You Down,” 1966

Montgomery, Alabama’s Rogues playing live, in 1966, on WSFA-TV in Montgomery. Pictured, front and center, lead singer, Rich Gainer. ‘Twas he and guitarist, Max Kendrick (unidentified above), who wrote “Put You Down.”

Dusty’s response: Initially, The Rogues’ tune didn’t register with me. Thanks to some inside intel, I discovered that Werner’s guitarist, Max Kendrick, co-wrote/arranged/possibly sang “Put You Down” on this most righteous nugget from 1966. My immediate reaction to “Put You Down,” a song unknown to me before hearing it, would be the style and vibe of The Seeds’ 1965 “Pushin’ Too Hard”: It sounds like it could be the flip side.

Brad’s rationale: The Rogues’ guitarist, Max Kendrick, shared lead guitar roles on the David Werner Whizz Kid album. The band recorded their single for MBM Records of Birmingham, AL.