Category Archives: video of the day

Video of the day: Stockholm by Jason Isbell

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Jason Isbell does a tremendous live version of his song Stockholm on Letterman about a week ago (23 July).

Garden and Gun wrote:

“As his career has progressed, Isbell has garnered a collection of rabid fans, including David Letterman, who was turned on to him by fellow artist Patty Griffin. Since then Isbell has played Letterman’s show a number of times, and has flown out to Letterman’s Montana ranch to perform at his annual Fourth of July bash.”

It’s a fantastic song and a great performance!

– Hallgeir

Videos of the day: Bruce Springsteen live Ahmason Theatre LA 1973

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These three songs are all taken from one show, it was a triple bill held in the sold out 2,000-seat Ahmanson Theatre, with Bruce Springteen opening for Dr. Hook and The Medicine Show and headliner New Riders of the Purple Sage.

All three videos in great quality both sound and picture, enjoy!

Spirit in the night:

From Brucebase:

This concert is often confused with the private CBS Sales Convention show (see July 27 for details). However the Ahmanson Theatre show was a normal, public admission event, but incorporating an unusual format. Organized and promoted by CBS as ‘A Week To Remember’, seven consecutive nightly shows, each show featuring three different CBS artists. Bruce and the band flew to L.A. on April 30, stayed at the Hilton hotel, performed on May 1 and returned east on May 3. The above-mentioned setlist represents Bruce’s complete 40 minute performance. The recording of “Wild Billy’s Circus Story” from this show was issued promotionally by CBS on July 7 as part of its Playback EP series. The remainder of the audio from this show is uncirculating, except for the brief snippets of “Spirit In The Night” and “Thundercrack” that accompany its corresponding video snippets.

A wonderful version of Wild Billy’s Circus Story:

From Brucebase:

All seven shows in the Ahmanson series were filmed in color by Arnold Levine Productions on behalf of CBS, whose intention was to have material to show to reps at the CBS Sales Convention in July. This happened, Bruce’s complete performance was shown several times at the Convention, but has never been shown anywhere since. It remains in CBS’s vault. Brief snippets of “Wild Billy’s Circus Story” and “Thundercrack” were used in mid-1974 as part of a promo-only video clip created by CBS to promote the second album. This clip readily circulates and, indeed, was shown in the VH-1 Rockumentary. The frustratingly brief film excerpt of Springsteen performing “Spirit In The Night” on piano that was shown in the 1998 Bruce Springsteen: A Secret History BBC Documentary is from this show. “Tokyo” was preceded by the Ducky Slattery monologue and at the conclusion of “Thundercrack” a giant Garden State Parkway sign descended from the ceiling, the only time this prop was ever utilized (see photo). “Twist And Shout” was the encore. Three songs from this appearance (“Spirit In The Night”, “Wild Billy’s Circus Story” and “Thundercrack”) were officially released as (elaborately restored) bonus footage on the Wings For Wheels documentary DVD in 2005. However, “Thundercrack” is incomplete and cuts at just over ten minutes. An hour of raw footage from this show is now among collectors, featuring multiple versions of the three promotional tracks, each shot from a different camera angle. On this video you can also hear a brief snippet of the introduction to “Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?”.

Thundercrack (cut at just over ten minutes):

– Hallgeir

Video of the day: Satan – Stephen Ackles

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Stephen Ackles (15 february 1966), a son of Norwegian mother (Bergliot Kittilsen) and American father (Allan Dale Ackles), he is a singer, pianist and songwriter. He is mainly a rock’n roll/boogie artist and his main inspirations are Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry and Little Richard. 

He recently did a version of the song Satan on Norwegian television, it blew my mind. Ackles have always been a good craftsman but his choice of material has been , eeh… questionable. He has lived a hard live, gone bankrupt and found Jesus, he has toured a lot! Ackles has released thirteen  albums and has worked with giants such as Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, and Jerry Lee Lewis. His fourteenth album will be released as I write this, and will of course include his interpretation of Satan.

And finally the song he was born to sing came along. Satan. Stephen Ackles tears his soul out, the agony and pain of a hard life is personified in this great performance. His face twists as he spits out his rage and sorrow.

Satan (aka Killing For Satan) is a relatively obscure song by Paul Wibier. From the 1969 film Satan’s Sadists.

Paul Wibier’ original – Satan (Audio):

WIBIER

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A fantastic trailer for the very entertaining biker movie, Satan’s Sadists:

Director Al Adamson’s Satan’s Sadists is the jewel in the trashploitation king’s crown, mixing hippie hopheads, choppers, whacked-out violence, LSD trips and groovy music. Russ Tamblyn sheds his “boy next door” screen image as the kill-crazy gang leader Anchor, supported by one of drive-in cinema’s all-time great casts: John “Bud” Cardos (with Mohawk), Robert Dix (with eye patch), Greydon Clark and Regina Carrol (the future Mrs. Adamson) as “The Freak-Out Girl.” Buckle up and brace yourself for “probably the grossest biker movie of them all.” (The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film)

– Hallgeir

Sources: NRK, Wikipedia, Psychotronic Encyclopedia  of Film by Michael Weldon, stephenackles.com

Video of the day: St. Louis Blues by Bessie Smith

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I hate to see that evening sun go down
I hate to see that evening sun go down
‘Cause, my baby, he’s gone left this town

Released in 1929, St. Louis Blues is a short film featuring blues legend Bessie Smith and an all-African-American cast.  Songwriter W.C. Handy was the musical director of the film.  To my knowledge it is Bessie Smith’s only known film appearance.

Bessie Smith – St. Louis Blues (Smith’s performance):

The power and pure feeling  in her singing voice as she belts out the title track  of the movie St. Louis Blues is incredible.

Wikipedia:

Saint Louis Blues” is a popular American song composed by W. C. Handy in the blues style. It remains a fundamental part of jazz musicians’ repertoire. It was also one of the first blues songs to succeed as a pop song. It has been performed by numerous musicians of all styles from Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith to Count Basie, Glenn Miller, Guy Lombardo, and the Boston Pops Orchestra. It has been called “the jazzman’s Hamlet“.  Published in September 1914 by Handy’s own company, it later gained such popularity that it inspired the dance step the “Foxtrot”.

The version with Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong on cornet was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1993.

The Movie, St. Louis Blues  (it’s a two-reel short).

Bessie Smith finds her gambler lover Jimmy messin’ with a pretty, younger woman.  He leaves and this makes Bessie to pour herself a drink and sing the title song.  It is a small but entertaining movie. Well worth your time.
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