Brian
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Post by Brian on Mar 10, 2019 1:32:15 GMT -8
Let's start with this:
Quoting the band's newsletter: "Directed, filmed and edited by legendary Los Angeles television and film director/producer Sam Epstein, this video of Make It Real was shot by Sam in Dr. Dre’s studio in November 2017 when the Long Ryders were recording their Psychedelic Country Soul comeback album."
It's a long story, especially when you consider that 33 years have elapsed between albums. For now, let me say that I have been a Long Ryders fan since the beginning, I got the CD as soon as it came out last month -- and it's glorious.
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Brian
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Post by Brian on Jun 5, 2019 23:00:25 GMT -8
After their European tour in April, the Long Ryders announced that they would play 11 dates in North America starting in September, but just one in California, at the Roxy on Sunset Boulevard on October 3.
I had hoped that they'd come here -- only drummer Greg Sowders still lives in Los Angeles -- before September and October, two of my busiest months at work. The Roxy, however, is the real deal breaker. I saw Ian Hunter and the Rant Band there in 2014, and it's by far the worst venue I've ever been in. It used to be the best. When I was a kid in the 1970's, I sat there at a table and was served drinks by a waitress, with folks like Bianca Jagger swilling nearby. Now they smash us sexagenarians and septuagenarians together, standing elbow-to-elbow, offering drinks at one bar in the back. Anni says she'll never go there again, not even for Ian. I never say never about Ian, so I pray that if he books another standing-only show in L.A. County, it will be someplace more civilized, like El Rey or the Fonda.
Perhaps the Long Ryders will add a local date. The only other West Coast concert is five days later in Portland. Meanwhile, let's enjoy this official video of 1985's "Looking for Lewis and Clark," which still sounds like tomorrow's news.
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Brian
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Posts: 3,778
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Post by Brian on Apr 18, 2020 23:09:17 GMT -8
"Psychedelic Country Soul" came out 14 months ago, and the Long Ryders' reunion album has been in constant rotation in my home and car ever since. It's by far the best new album that I heard in 2019. And so far, in 2020, but that's not saying much.
Now, there's a new Long Ryders "lockdown video" of a song from that album, "All Aboard." The band's newsletter explains: "As each Long Ryder was in lockdown anyway there was no reason for concern about not getting together. With no budget and not much foresight the band decided to enter into the spirit of combating coronavirus by each band member recording themselves on a cell phone, portrait style, so the videos would mesh. Edited by ace filmmaker Chris Hathway the finished product is slated to do the rounds of film festivals worldwide when the lockdown ends…and as Sid points out, the lockdown will end."
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Brian
Administrator
Posts: 3,778
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Post by Brian on Mar 24, 2021 23:00:31 GMT -8
I'm sad to report that ace bass player, multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter Tom Stevens died in January. He was only 64. I just learned about his death today from the Long Ryders Newsletter: mailchi.mp/9fdf26fb2a9e/remembering-tom-stevens?e=0333ab58ec"Psychedelic Country Soul," released little more than two years ago, was such a monumental achievement that I was heartened to read that Greg, Sid and Stephen decided to continue. Here's the video they released of Tom's "Let It Fly" from that album with old friends Debbi and Vicki Peterson of the Bangles doing harmonies: Obituary of Tom Stevens in Variety: variety.com/2021/music/news/long-ryders-tom-stevens-dead-dies-1234893099/
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