Re: Concrete Blonde

[lester@gandalf.etdesg.TRW.COM (Jeffrey A. Lester)]

Vickie writes:

>One of my favorite Johnette Napolitano songs isn't even on a Concrete
>Blonde album. It's the song "Tomorrow's Gonna Be" from the soundtrack
>album from the film "Echo Park." Has anyone else heard that? If it's
>already been mentioned, I missed it. It's a great song. She's credited
>as Johnette, not as Concrete Blonde. Don't know the story behind it.
>Anyone know anything else she's done as "Johnette"?

Yes, a very fine song. Three possible explanations:
1) A quick check on the date could eliminate this one: I'm not positive about 
this, but I think that song was done before the first Concrete Blonde album, 
and possibly before the name Concrete Blonde existed (given to them by Michael 
Stipe, BTW). 
2) Johnette did it alone, rather than with longtime CB member (and thus 
defining CB) Jim Mankey. Johnette and Jim (the guitarist) have been 
collaborating for quite some time. Before the band became Concrete Blonde 
they were called Dream 6 and they released a self-produced album (EP?) on 
their own Happy Hermit label (which I have yet to find a copy of). 
3) It's also possible that they couldn't use the Concrete Blonde name because 
after their first album they tried to get out of their IRS contract by 
declaring bankruptcy. They're still on IRS, so I guess they worked things out.

Other work that Johnette has done (with other artists) include backup vocals 
on the Dancing Hoods' _Hallelujah Anyway_ (credited as "Honey Rose?" or 
something like that), and a number of collaborations with Steve Wynn (here 
former boyfriend): "Dying Embers" on the Dream Syndicate's _Out of the Grey_, 
"I Have Faith" from the Dream Syndicate's _Ghost Stories_, and "Conspiracy of 
the Heart" (a beautiful song) from Steve's very fine debut solo album _Kerosene
Man_. The CD single of "Kerosene Man" includes a live rendering of "Conspiracy"
with Johnette.

Mik writes:

>I have not heard of this song in Australia.  Surprising if it didn't make
>airplay because CB are popular, here.  But has anyone heard CB's version of
>Lenard Cohen's "Everybody knows"?  IT'S SUPERB!!!!  Knocks the original Cohen's
>version for six (he can't sing to save his life!).  The song is available on
>the 'Pump up the Volume' soundtrack.

It probably hasn't been played because it's too old. I don't recall exactly
when Echo Park came out, but it was certainly '88 or earlier, probably more 
like '86. I discovered the _Echo Park_ soundtrack right before _Free_ came out. "Everybody Knows" is a fantastic performance (though I like Cohen's version, 
too). Another recent CB appearance is on the _Point Break_ soundtrack, a song 
called "I Want You" that is unfortunately kind of weak. If you can find the CD 
single for "Caroline" (the U.S. version anyway), it includes a couple of live 
cuts ("Roses Grow", "Tomorrow, Wendy", and "The Sky is A Poisonous Garden" if I
remember correctly) and a studio version of Jimi Hendrix' "Little Wing." 
Essential for any CB fan.

-Jeff Lester