I guess that Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour broadcasts will have been setting off waves of interest in the wild and wonderful music of America before Rock and Roll. The Viper Label have been parcelling up their own themed collections for nearly ten years now - and they should certainly merit a visit if you've found an appetite more of this stuff.
For some reason W&H missed out on "BANGED UP" when it was released in 2007, but some of the songs were recorded 80 years ago, so I don't suppose the delay matters too much. Who knows, you might have just been released and feel like catching up where you left off ...
The range of styles and ages is generously wide. THE ROBINS scarily echoing "Riot in Cell Block No 9" will be familiar to most people, Johnny Cash's "Fulsome Prison Blues" (not the live version) to everybody. "Parchman Farm Blues" is well known, but I don't think I've heard this splendid recording of Bukka White's version before.
Other big names include Bessie Smith (a magnificent, chilling plea to "Send Me To The ‘Lectric Chair"), Leroy Carr, Gene Autry, and Jimmie Rodgers (In The Jailhouse Now) in particular. But outside of specialist audiences, I would guess that some names will be strangers. None more so that the otherwise anonymous inmate "Alex" who plays a harmonica accompaniment to his own "Prison Blues". And sneaking in on the end, on another field recording (as far as I can guess) is an unlisted version of "Paul and Silas Bound in Jail" by a rather churchy, but very spooky gospel choir on what sounds like a very old recording.
It really is a very good compilation. There is a lot of dodgy material out there now, but Viper have done a good job on mastering and sequencing some hihg quality orignals and it's a lot more than just a collection of oddities - there are fine songs and blistering performances here.
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It was compiled by Steve Hardstaff, graphic artist and lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University. He wrote the helpful liner notes and his long-admired "Jacuzzi" alias also appears in the package design credits.
Track listing:
The Robins – Riot in Cell Block No 9 1954
Willie Nix - Prison Bound Blues 1953
Lonesome Pine Fiddlers – Twenty One Years 1952
Jimmie Rogers – In The Jailhouse Now 1928
Big Maceo – County Jail 1941
Bill Cox - Long Chain Charlie Blues 1934
Bukka White – Parchman Farm Blues 1940
Delmore Brothers – Lonesome Jailhouse Blues 1933
Bessie Smith - Send Me To The 'Lectric Chair 1927
Bunny Berigan – Prisoner’s Song 1937
Richard Berry – The Big Break 1954
Jimmie Davis - Penitentiary Bound 1930
Leroy Carr – Christmas in Jail, ain’t that a Pain 1929
Oklahoma Tornadoes – La Prison c 1940
Gene Autry – Dallas County Jail Blues 1931
Red Allen – Patrol Wagon Blues 1930
Blue Sky Boys – Prisoner’s Dream 1938
Merline Johnson – Crime Doesn’t Pay 1937
Alex – Prison Blues c 1940
Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues 1955
Anon - Paul and Silas in Jail [c 1920?]
www.the-viper-label.co.uk
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