Chuck Prophet – The Hurting Business

 

Even back then, I could tell.

There may not be many people around who remember Peter Accident and the Duck Revolution, but I do.  Most importantly, I remember the spiky-haired, freakazoid guitarist, sliding across the stage on his knees at the High School Talent Show, shredding away on his Telecaster to some homemade punk song far in excess of the limited talents of the band around him. 

That was Chuck Prophet.  And even then, I could tell.

Walking through the halls of high school, it was apparent that Chuck wouldn’t be long for our small town.  I don’t know if it was the Los Angeles vibe of his birthplace that just didn’t fit in with the small, semi-rural town in Northern California, or if it was something else.  Some unexplained longing that seemed to permeate through his skin.  His way of walking one step to the side of everybody else.

I wouldn’t say that Chuck and I hung in High School, but we were always right with each other.  We shared that common acknowledgement of being outsiders in a place that didn’t really like outsiders.  And we were-- two misfit, semi-loners who found their refuge, their escape. . . nay . . .their reason for existence, in music.  For Chuck it was the burgeoning punk scenes of LA and San Francisco that fueled his passion.  For me, it was the NWOBHM.  But the specifics of the music didn’t matter.  Punk or metal. When we passed each other in the hallways, we gave that knowing nod of outsider acknowledgment.  We were always right with each other.

Peter Accident and Duck Revolution wasn’t destined to be long for this world, but it was just the first stop on Chuck’s lifelong musical journey.  In 1982, I went to see REM at the Keystone in Berkeley on the Murmur tour, and there was my old classmate, Chuck, opening the show.  Don’t remember what he played, or even if he was any good, I was just psyched to see my friend on stage, still tearing it up with the knee-sliding abandon as he did with the Ducks.  Chuck saw me and invited me backstage where we hung and talked and I had the opportunity to be completely ignored by Michael Stipe (not in an offensive kind a way.  He was in his hide-behind-my-long-bangs shy days). 

And even then, I could tell.

Living in Los Angeles after High School, I gained some miniscule measure of notoriety as a DJ at the local punk station KSPC FM, where Chuck and I crossed paths again.  Not in person, but in the grooves of the records I was spinning. Chuck had taken up residence with the rootsy/Paisley Underground heroes, Green On Red, just in time for their classic, Gas Food Lodging, lending them that killer guitar work that brought the band world-wide acclaim.  I was a big Green on Red fan even before Chuck joined, spinning them weekly on my radio show.  Green on Red made it big in Europe, even as the band wilted down, ending up simply as a duo with Chuck and founder Dan Stuart.  (If you’ve missed any of the Green on Red albums --even the first one before Chuck joined-- go check em.  Great stuff.)

And even then, I could tell.  More waited ahead.

The end of Green on Red, didn’t spell the end of Chuck’s music.  From his solo debut, Brother Aldo in 1990 through to his current release, the San Francisco-themed album, Temple Beautiful, Chuck has crafted a solo career that has made him a hugely respected purveyor of fine Americana. Blending his off-country roots with some raw, distorto-blues, and a Tom Petty-ish talk/speak/singing voice, overseas Chuck is seen as an American treasure.  A roots icon on the order of John Hiatt, Ry Cooder, Tom Waits, or Ryan Adams.  I’ve always thought it was strange that Europeans appreciate Americana roots music more than Americans do, but there it is.  In Europe, Chuck is definitely appreciated.

Now, so far, this hasn’t been much of a record review, and in truth, at this point I could plug in any one of the titles of Chuck’s 12 albums.  They’re all consistently good, and pretty much universally praised.  But for now, The Hurting Business, released in 2000 is the one moving my mojo.  Perhaps it’s the blending of dirty, raunchy blues, like the gritty “Shore Patrol,” that doesn’t shy away from a little turntable scratching, or the downtempo, near-trip hop beats-under-the-roots-vibe of the ironically melancholic “I Couldn’t Be Happier.” “Rise,” is a masterpiece of bluesy mood, distant menacing western atmosphere, with some effect-laden guitar.  The combination of the downtrodden, but steady beat, and Chuck’s near-whispered vocal is so sultry it’s like sex captured on vinyl.  Title track, “The Hurting Business,” crashes into the garage with a swirling farfisa organ and some crunchy guitar chords, as the whole things swings and sways with a mutated-blues-drawn surf-vibe. 

“Apology” is a straight up roots ballad that speaks to the universal truth-- that of being wronged and wronging others.  Consider this Chuck’s “Everybody Hurts,” that blends right into the turntablistic-punky blues of “Diamond Jim,” complete with Tom Waits-esque coffee can percussion.  And don’t forget “It Won’t be Long,” a tenderly-aching ballad of the highest Tom Petty order.

And in the end, that’s the key.  Chuck has such a deep wealth of songwriting talent that he can dig down and twist his soul to bring out whatever moves him. With The Hurting Business, it’s Chuck’s willingness to experiment with the form of the roots, bringing in that eccentric blend of hip hop/trip hop beats, blues, and grind that makes the album work.  It’s never boring, always unpredictable, and a listen that never fails to satisfy.

Having collaborated with Warren Zevon, Lucinda Williams, Soloman Burke, Cake, The Silos, Alejandro Escovedo, Jackpot, and having had his songs covered by the likes of Boz Scaggs, Gordon Lightfoot and Kelly Willis amongst others, the world is starting to see that which those of us who'd witnessed the chaos of Peter Accident and the Duck Revolution always knew.  And Europe touts.

Chuck Prophet is an American Treasure.

And there’s more to come.

I can tell.

--Racer

Ripple Theater - Classic Albums DVD - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Damn the Torpedoes

 I was 16.  Fiat keys hot in my hands and a brand new pioneer tape deck in the dashboard.  I remember it as if it was yesterday, driving down the twisting, back-country road from my girlfriend's house towards the high school, Tom Petty singing out the soundtrack to my life.

Tom Petty has been around for so long, and produced such a consistently strong catalog of music that it's terribly easy to take him for granted.  But we shouldn't do that.  At the very least, Petty and his remarkably tight backing unit, the Heartbreakers, produced some of the most classic, pure rock songs of the late '70's and early 80's.  In truth, Petty is much more than that and just may well be one of the best songwriters of his generation.  Capable of pulling out a seemingly endless stream of perfect melodies, and capable of crafting a body of work that is entirely his and his alone.

Emerging during the punky/heady days of 1976, Petty initially got lumped into the punk crowd, with his jangling guitars, punky energy, stonesy swagger, and urgent vocal style.  I remember clearly the first time I  heard "Breakdown," and falling in love immediately with the 'difference' of it all.  It sounded nothing like the Kiss or Aerosmith albums I was digging, yet is was so much more familiar to me than The Ramones or New York Dolls or Iggy.  But Petty never was punk. Coming from the deep south of Gainseville, Fla, Petty combined the rootsy drive of the Stones with the southern soul of his roots, tossed in some jangly Byrds-esque Rickenbacker, and drove the whole shebang home with his impassioned vocals and intense energy.

Still, his first two albums only found moderate success, and by the time his third album was due to be recorded, Petty and his Heartbreakers felt they were ready for a breakthrough.  An album to push them over the top.  Their producer, Jimmy Iovine believed in them.  Engineer Shelly Yakus brought a new sound to them.

And with Damn the Torpedoes, Petty delivered the songs.

As with all the chapters of the Classic Albums series, this DVD set really is the definitive look back at one of the all-time classic albums of American rock.  Merging interviews with the band, Iovine, and Yakus, this DVD brings a totally new and fresh glimpse into the making of this iconic album.  The struggles within the band, the legal problems the band faced.  They're all here, but there is so much more.

One thing that comes across so screamingly loud and clear is just how virtuostic and talented the Heartbreakers were. It's not by chance that Petty kept them around for his entire career.  In Mike Campbell, Petty had found a true guitar god, who manages to bring a sound that is so totally his alone to the proceedings without ever overplaying the song.  As with all the Heartbreakers (and Petty himself) Campbell is massively under-rated as a guitarist.  But few musicians are able to define a sound so distinctly their own as to be instantly recognizable.  Campbell is one.  Listening to him describe how the power of "Even the Losers," made a single string guitar solo sound weak, so he crafted the perfect solo playing two strings simultaneously just turned the light on my respect bulb for the guy. 

Benmont Tench is another irreplaceable component of the Heartbreakers sound.  Listening to him (and the others) describe the subtle intricacies of the album, the complexity of the arrangements, the thought that went into each passage, each song, each verse, brings brand-new respect for the creative process. As with all the Heartbreakers, under-rated in his virtuosity. 

As usual, the best passages tend to occur when all the guys are gathered around the mixing board, discussing the various sounds they strove for.  Dropping the knobs down to the left, bringing them up to the right, I felt like I was being completely educated into the mysteries of recording.  The lucky breaks, the freak coincidences and the pure unadulterated genius. It's like a crash course for the uninitiated in record producing.  A treasure of lessons, ideas, and facts.

Of course none of this would mean anything if the music wasn't so good.  But damn, it is.  Damn the Torpedoes holds up today just as strongly as it did back then.  In fact, to my ears it sounds even better today.  Perhaps it's just that I listen to music with a different appreciation now than I did as a hormone-driven teenager with a wobbly Fiat and a couple of blown speakers.

"Refugee," is truly a great American rock song, but the rest also sound so fresh.  "Century City, " with it's powerpop drive.  "What are You Doing in My Life," with it's adrenalinized venom.  The languid daze of "Louisiana Rain."  The majestic pop perfection of "Here Comes my Girl."  And the singing-my-grand-theme-song "Even the Losers," sounding just as revelatory as ever.  And then to find out that Petty made up the choral line "Baby, even the losers, get lucky some time," in a spur of the moment, top-of-his head, spontaneous moment of pure creation just boggles the mind.  

Damn the Torpedoes is a timeless statement of pure rock and roll craft.  An iconic album.  One that has stood the test of time and will continue to for years to come.  Any fan of Petty, classic rock, or the history of recording, mixing, and crafting a perfect album should not miss this one. ---Racer

Buy here: Tom Petty - Classic Albums: Damn the Torpedoes
               Tom Petty - Classic Albums: Damn the Torpedoes [Blu-ray]