Riffin'

Bill Graham, drummer for Asheville rock 'n' roll band The Ron-de-Voos, will be joining me in the studio to talk about the junior high kids who wrote the obscure, early psychedelic anthem "A Trip So Wild" which probably came about in 1966 and was definitely issued as a 45 single by '67. Comped on more than one occasion, including Volume 5 of Psychedelic Unknowns, the song has remained a bit of a mystery to most folks. We'll clear that up and mix in some great '60s classics with the interview.

As promised, I've put together quite a collection of Asheville (and related) 45s and various other limited or unreleased songs. Liner notes are still in the works, but much information is available online. For the more obscure songs with little additional info available, I am recently in contact with a number of the artists and will be featuring interviews with them on upcoming shows... matter of fact, it's already started, as the last couple of weeks I've had Jamie Soesbee from Morrison and Swann Plus and Bucky Hanks from the Satyrs in for some great chats and music. The MS+ tracks, while the newest at '73 and '74, are some of the most neglected. The A side of their first single, I Will Walk You to the River, was the most requested song on local radio for a few weeks in the summer of '73 and got hourly play... then vanished. The 45 was pressed in a very small quantity and is nearly impossible to find today, nevermind the almost invisible '74 follow-up, also included in this collection thanks to Jamie. The band evokes an early country-rock feel, compare to early Eagles featuring banjo. The song-writing, playing and production is excellent and these tracks are straight from mint copies of the 45s from Jamie's personal collection.

The Satyrs tracks include both sides of their ultra-rare Wal-Mor label 45, very sparsely recorded in a hi-fi shop on Biltmore Avenue in the winter of 1965. Such amazing energy and atmosphere... these from a copy in the collection of Whitney Shroyer... a bit of crackle, but worth repeated listens. Also, a sample from their "lost" recordings from Mark V studio in Greenville, SC, a garaged-up rendition of the Johnny Cash hit Walk the Line.

Very soon we will have some special guests to provide background on the other tracks, including the highly valued 45 "Pink and Green" by Shirley Hughey, this track from the compilation "Tobacco A Go Go" volume 3.

Here is the track listing, which I anticipate playing thru on the show today in its entirety, by way of introduction...

Riffin' playlist for 05/30/2013

The Asheville 45 rpm collection, 1950s-1970s volume 1.

Artist

Title
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Robert Mitchum

Ballad of Thunder Road
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Keely Smith

The Whippoorwill
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Leonard Clark and the Land of Sky Boys

Come to Your Tommy Now
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Royal Rhythms w/ Jerry Kerlee

Lovey Dovey
---

Royal Rhythms w/Jerry Kerlee

Wayward Wind
---

Satyrs

Don't Be Surprised
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Satyrs

Blue, Blue World
---

Satyrs

Walk the Line
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Fabulous Wunz

If I Cry
---

Fabulous Wunz

Please
---

Ron De Voos

A Trip So Wild
---

Shirley Hughey

Pink and Green
---

Sunn Cycle

Acid Raga part 1
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Johnny Bell and the Jaguars

Tee Shirts and Mud Flaps
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Johnny Bell and the Jaguars

Tee Shirts and Mud Flaps, instrumental
---

Morrison and Swann Plus

I Will Walk You to the River
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Morrison and Swann Plus

Sixteen Reasons
---

Morrison and Swann Plus

It Doesn't Make Any Difference
---

Morrison and Swann Plus

The Dog and Me

This from AFM's premier weekday lunch-time rock show... The very name Riffin' refers to unscripted dialogue and random chatter, like a rock 'n' roll Ralph Emerson, but today's show was pure bonkers. You'll hear me (your host, Vance) fumble and falter like the dictionary definition of amateur, but you'll also wonder what these guys were thinking. I'm quite confident that this direction is at least amusing to a handful of folks.

You see, I wasn't supposed to be in the studio today. I was supposed to be home with my 3-year-old while Mom and our schoolboy went on a field trip to Chimney Rock. Well, the field trip was cancelled due to "loose boulders" and I decided it was a timely occassion to wish our friend Jon Reid a fond farewell as he leaves Asheville for the slightly more metropolitan New York City.

My good friend Lee hadn't gotten the memo about the standing cancellation and so he shows up at the studio with a bag full of strange vinyl and a mood to shoot for some off-the-wall antics. We got that!

Fellow DJs be sure to check out the new Jon Reid album Praise of Nowhere (now in the rock section on the new releases CD shelf) and get ready for an adled psychedelic nightmare of a show!

Streaming as of shortly after 3 a.m. Friday morning at http://tinyurl.com/riffin

Have fun!