Video: "Yes, It's Christmas" - The Hipwaders

It's a pity that this, the final video from The Hipwaders' A Kindie Christmas album, came out so close to Christmas that it didn't necessarily attract a lot of pre-Christmas attention. Because the video for "Yes, It's Christmas" is the best of the bunch. Dig the band in animated Victorian gear. Dickens totally would've written about chainsaws, had chainsaws been invented when he was alive. The Hipwaders - "Yes, It's Christmas" [YouTube]

The Deedle Deedle Dees Can Wait

Y'know, posting 'round here has been on the slow side for a number of reasons the past week or so, and I suspect that a lot of you have been, you know, spending time with your families rather than on the Internet. So I'm unilaterally extending the deadline on my contest to win American History + Rock 'N' Roll = The Deedle Deedle Dees, the brand-new album from, er, The Deedle Deedle Dees. I'll bug you about it in the new year, so just go here and enter now...

The Caspar Pipe? Verve Babypants? Huh? On NPR?

MorePlease.pngAFamilyAlbum.pngOK, it's Caspar Babypants (aka Chris Ballew) and The Verve Pipe that get the NPR treatment this afternoon as I review their new albums for All Things Considered. Hear my take on the Verve Pipe's A Family Album and Caspar Babypants' More Please! here; also, stream the Verve Pipe's album here and a bunch of tracks from More Please! here. Oh, and one more thing...

Video: "The Kid with the Replaceable Head" - Richard Hell

Really, when you think about it, this might almost be the perfect Pancake Mountain song -- punk, with a kid-friendly-in-a-Roald-Dahl-sort-of-way narrative. The song's performed by Richard Hell (Television and a solo career, primarily), and although the song's pushing 30 years old at this point, I'm guessing this version is from his new Destiny Street Repaired release. Really, though, it's about 10 months too late, as the animation (and song) is just about perfect for Halloween... Richard Hell and the Voidoids - "The Kid with the Replaceable Head" [YouTube]

Interview: Dean Jones (Dog on Fleas)

Dean_Rhys_2_lowres.jpgDean Jones is a busy man. Member of the great and earthy kids band Dog On Fleas, he's also got a solo career in his own right (witness the excellent lullaby disk Napper's Delight), produces others' disks (the upcoming album from Uncle Rock), and sometimes plays with the Felice Brothers. (He also sometimes plays "John Lemon" to his son's Paul McCartney -- see picture to left.) In spite of Jones' many obligations, he still had time to answer a few questions about his musical background, what it was like to record his new album Rock Paper Scissors with the Felice Brothers, and his favorite instruments. Zooglobble: What are your earliest musical memories? What are your memories of learning to play and sing music? Dean Jones: I come from a pretty musical family. There was always someone playing the piano, and I remember fighting for my chance to make some noise on it. My Mom used to sing to me when I was little, and sometimes now I hear some random song and a memory floods back to me of her singing it to me. My brother (11 years older) was my biggest musical influence. He played a lot of boogie woogie on the piano, as well as the Beatles, the Band, and that kind of thing. I used to hide in the closet when he got home from school and listen to him play. We listened to a lot of great music around the house too, from the Esso Trinidad Steel Band to Bach to Ella Fitzgerald. My brother took me to see Ella and she kissed me on the cheek! When did you decide to become a musician?

Video: "Freight Train" - Elizabeth Cotten

Imagine, if you will, Mick Jagger performing "Satisfaction" at John Lennon's house, where John and Yoko record him for posterity. This is the kids' music equivalent. Elizabeth Cotten performing "Freight Train" at Pete and Toshi Seeger's house, as recorded by the Seegers. The sound quality isn't the best, and I've noted this clip before, but now it's been posted to YouTube. Given how little video we have of the early days of recorded family music, this is quite valuable. (Not to mention a great song.) Elizabeth Cotten - "Freight Train" [YouTube]