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, 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.
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!
Last week, we enjoyed the Tune Tag company of
of A. Hellene Author:Next week,
of AnEarful waxes melodic for his second Tune Tag!Dusty’s song #1 sent to Brad: David Werner, “The Ballad of Trixie Silver,” 1974
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]:
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.”
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:
Brad’s song #1 sent to Dusty: The Rogues, “Put You Down,” 1966
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.
Dusty’s song #2: Alex Chilton, “Train Kept A Rollin’,” 2018
Brad’s response: On first thought, my guess at a link would be southern American rockers….Alabama’s Rogues and Alex Chilton, Memphis, TN native, and influential lead singer of The Box Tops and Big Star, who died at 59 in 2010.
Dusty’s rationale: My immediate reaction to The Rogues’ tune is that their vibe and melody reminded me of The Seeds’ landmark “Pushin’ Too Hard.” I did not know the David Werner/guitarist connection. However, upon further review, they released a crackin’ version of another nugget covered first by rockabilly legend Johnny Burnette, then by The Yardbirds, and later by Aerosmith, and many others. They are in fine form, regardless. But I dig this.
But for my money, let’s enjoy a very righteous version by the once-teenage sensation, Alex Chilton, and his tasty treat of a version of this legendary tune, recorded in 1978, and released in 2018 (above).
Brad’s song #2: The dB’s: “She Got Soul,” 1984 (Like This)
Dusty’s response: Ah, now you’re talking! I loved The dBs. They displayed a ‘60s garage-band vibe, even though they flourished in the early ‘80s. Jim Wirth, in a 2021 Uncut/UK article, mentioned that the dB’s represented “a dizzying synthesis of Television, fellow Southerners Big Star, and their British Invasion heroes, The Move.”
“She Got Soul” is a killer track written by Peter Holsapple. It’s from their third album, 1984’s Like This (released in Japan and on Bearsville/Warner Bros./U.S.). “Amplifier” was my favorite tune by them (on 1981’s Repercussion, released only in the UK). It was a dark, cautionary tale, indeed.
But, didn’t teenager Alex Chilton have a soul, too? His first band, The Box Tops, covered a song called “Soul Deep” (written by Wayne Carson) that charted. I played at a club called Huey’s in Memphis, owned by my pal’s brother-in-law, Thomas Boggs (pictured below), the Box Tops’ drummer.
Brad’s rationale: Peter Holsapple was on the 2018 compilation album, The Death of Rock: Peter Holsapple vs. Alex Chilton. Holsapple was also singer/guitar player for The dB’s, who released the Like This album in 1987.
Dusty’s Song #3: The Music Explosion, “Little Bit of Soul,” 1967
Brad’s response: Little bit o’ soul play here, matching the previous song’s “She Got Soul.” We’ve been residing in this gloriously seminal ‘60s garage space since The Rogues’ “Put You Down”! I feel like Lenny Kaye curating Nuggets!
Dusty’s rationale: Or do I hear the distant refrain of another soulful tune, a childhood favorite of mine, and the second guitar riff I ever learned to play on my cheap acoustic guitar after I learned the riff from “Little Black Egg,” the leadoff single on my new album of cover tunes, Dusted Off (Spotify link to entire album at end of article)?
But I digress; as Elvis once said: “Rock ‘n’ roll…if you like it, you can’t help but move to it!”
Brad’s song #3: The Yardbirds, “Heart Full of Soul,” 1965
Dusty’s response: “Heart Full of Soul” was the next chart hit for The Yardbirds (following “For Your Love”), and it was the first song that featured Jeff Beck on guitar after replacing Mr. Eric Clapton. The melody was influenced by Eastern music and was released five months before The Beatles released their sitar-forward “Norwegian Wood.”
Moreover, it was written by one of the more prolific hit rock/pop songwriters in the UK and future 10CC member, Mr. Graham Gouldman (who also wrote “For Your Love”).
Brad’s rationale: Similar attack, again, in a song written by Graham Gouldman, with another “soul”-full title, and produced by Giorgio Gomelsky. Rush, in concert in 2005, catapulting “Heart Full of Soul” 40 years into the future:
Dusty’s song #4: The Hollies, “Look Through Any Window,” 1965
Brad’s response: Another Gouldman nugget (co-written with Charles Silverman, and produced by Ron Richards)
Dusty’s rationale: May I presume you knew that Graham Gouldman also wrote this infectious little ditty for The Hollies?
Brad’s song #4: Wax, “Right Between the Eyes,” 1986
Dusty’s response: Okay, I was not familiar with this tune. I must admit, it’s not my cup of tea, too sappy, but Mr. Gouldman, along with respected American singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/producer Andrew Gold, were the duo WAX! I have mad respect for any songwriters and musicians who continue to play/record/perform their craft forward!
Brad’s rationale: Gouldman, in his post-Mindbenders/’60s and 10cc/’70s outfit, with fellow established singer/songwriter/guitarist/recording artist, Andrew Gold, in Wax.
Dusty signs off with a final challenge: I shall depart this specific game of tag with this well-known song. Can you connect the final dot, Mr. Kyle?
Rest in peace, Mr. Carmen.
Brad: Thank you, Dusty! We foresaw that final connected dot, in November: Eric’s “She Did It” features a guitar solo by Andrew Gold! Oh, and there’s more:
Brad, I must admit this is now my favorite music "game" and I hope we can play again. Thanks for making it so.
Wow I loved this edition and to be honest it felt like it went by way too quickly this week! Some new artists for me in the 60s infused garage rock section and I look forward to exploring the catalogs of The Rogues and The dB’s. That Yardbirds track is such a classic, not quite up to ‘For Your Love’ territory for me but darn close. As far as I’m aware, I’d only ever heard of Andrew Gold on his song ‘Lonely Boy’ which is one of my favorite soft rock gems. I’ll have to look into him a little further.
Thanks for another entertaining and enjoyable installment gentlemen!!