It was Memphis ... 1987 and I am in a shower with a four track Tascam 244.
Four hours of writing lyrics later with the help two great "gitar" players adding their guitar parts ... combined with a couple of fifths of Jack Daniels, various medicinal smoking substances and some white powder when Mountain Man Moon Martin was born w/ yours truly on vocals, drums, bass, and harmonica.
It actually was just a break in between writing serious
songs (and demoing them on the TASCAM) for the my 2nd RCA record. Alotta
RCA history buried in those lyrics and I gotta say there are a lotta
truisms in the story ... going to Hollywood as a youngman blah, blah blah. . Thought the recording was lost
forever ... finally found a copy in the closet ... where possibly it
should have remained with the empty 5ths of JACK, strange smelling pipe,
and well scraped mirror.
Back in '87 tthe song had became a small underground late night "on the way to the bar cassette" that many of my friends hadand over the years has I have dug up more of them thru the net ... there have been more in more inquires.
So all that said ... here is the "TRUE" story (the names have been changed to protect the innocent) of the BOYS FROM BUCKSNORT - featuring MOUNTAIN MAN MOON MARTIN
The Boys from Bucksnort draw heavily
on many different musical styles. The main emphasis is on 20's and 30's
music with a touch of 70's, but influences from other eras are in the
music as well. Blues, Ragtime, Rockabilly, Boogie, Irish, Folk, Gypsy,
Hillbilly -- anything is fair game. But don't let this scare you off,
this band rocks! The energy levels of the live shows make it really hard
to hold still.
History:
Although
the Boys from Bucksnort formed in 1987, the history of the band goes
back much further. Drummer Dufus Thomas (famous for the song Walkin the Hog")
and guitarist Shakey Sliim Walker along with harmonica player Blow
Hardy and bassist Mad "tub" Jones formed The Travelin Snakeheads in
1975. The Band became a staple in the Southern scene with their
straight-ahead homemade styles. They opened shows for people like
Charley Musslewhite, Little Charley and the Nightcats, and Charles
Brown. In 1979, the band felt it had run it's course and disbanded. In
the interim, guitarist Shakey Walker began getting interested in Ragtime
and it's influence on the Piedmont guitar styles of Blind Blake, Blind
Boy Fuller, and Blind Willie McTell through a chance meeting with
legendary MOUNTAIN MAN MOON MARTIN ... who they soon added on vocals and
spoons. So in 1985, Shakey convinced his former bassist Tub Jones and
drummer D Thomas to form The Boys from Bucksnort with MOUNTAIN MAN MOON
MARTIN. Although they were skeptical at first, as the style developed,
it was obvious they were on to something. The Band also released a
cassette in 1980, titled "American Fork Music". They became regulars in
the Bucksnort live music scene. They have opened shows for people
ranging from Chicago Blues Guitarist Luther Jr. Johnson to the rock
bands like Dash Rip Rock. The band released its first CD, in June of
1981 to a lot of anxious fans. The CD received great reviews and radio
play all over the world. Their second CD, Too Tight, was released in
April of 1984. It also received great reviews and lots of radio play.
Since then the band has opened for guitar slingers Johnny Winter and
Bugs Henderson and roots bands like The Paladins, Deke Dickerson, Kim
Lenz and Her Jaguars, and Southern Culture on the Skids. The current
lineup consists of Skakey Walker on Guitar and Vocals, Dufus Thomas on
Drums, Shane Stewart on Bass, and just about anybody who happens to drop
by the bandhouse. The band's infulences have continued to expand into
all sorts of roots music -- from Gypsy, to Celtic, to Hillbilly -- but
the band really rocks -- no cookie cutter stuff. The band released their
third CD ... finest ingredients, in November of 1986 after MOUNTAIN MAN
MOON MARTIN's girlfriend ... Tracy Fords left him for a traveling rock
and roll outfit. Heart broken and down in the dumps. Mountain
Man headed out ta find Tracy in the glam tattered streets of Los
Angeles, taking his guitar and Tascam multi track 244 recorder in tow
with him. The result was a collection of pinable tunage intitled the Return of the Boys from Bucksnort.
The disc charted in February and March of 1987 on the Freeform American
Roots Chart. The band is playing shows regularly in Bucksnort Senior
Center, and doing some limited touring in the US.
Tracy Fords in Los Angeles - 1985
QUOTES:
"The
Boys from Bucksnort are the coolest band I've heard come through these
parts in a long, long time." - Bucksnort Springs Independent
"Every
band thinks it's a 'roots' band, but The Boys from Bucksnort have a
pedigree even chemical stump-remover couldn't extract." - NASHVILLE
SCENE
"The last three times I saw you guys, I got blisters on my feet." - Becky
"In
this self-released CD, the band reinterprets these classics for the end
of the 20th century, but doing it with respect and affection, and
that's good." - Bucksnort Review
"...a full range of great tunes to inspire you." - the Boys from Bucksnort's preacherman
"It works." - Bucksnort Review
"If
you haven't forgotten that these good ole boys were meant for good
times, this is a band you should check out." - Living Blues
"These
three guys hail from Bucksnort, TN, but listening to their record you
get the feeling they REALLY live in the back of the old man Jenkin's
Barn ." - Smitty Ray Barlow
"They
win fans wherever they play by blending old favorites that could
appease any crowd with original vibrance that compels the listener with a
groove to move. - Rolling Stoned Magazine
"For
those of you like me, that really appreciate the roots - I mean the old
original versions of old old tunes that really have paved the way for
everything in '96, this is an entire album of those great old tunes, by
people like Lonnie Johnson, Blind Blake, Blind Boy Fuller, Kokomo
Arnold, and others .... The Electric Rag Band - that belongs in your
collection." - John Henry -- KMOD's Smokehouse Blues Show
"Slim's
vocals are suitably rough and ragged, and his guitar work is solid and
sure handed, up-to-date with just a whiff of the old-timey." - John
Wooley -- The Memphis Tire & Baitshop
"At last a new, original approach to the Bluegrass ! - Joe Brennen -- the bathroom of the North 40 truckstop
"This
is a pleasing eye-opener for those who think blues has to be loud and
electric. Recommended. - Chicago Kerry -- The TBC Blue Notes
".. an enthusiastic dive into this project may be educational and rewarding." - Chad Bonham -- John Bonham's high brother
"It's highly academic and fascinating." - Thomas Conner -- some guy who watched "O Brother Where Art thou"
Guitarist Slim Walker in his brother's old platform shoes (1985)
THE BOYS FROM BUCKSNORT featuring MOUNTAIN MAN MOON MARTIN !!!
NOW
FOR THE OTHERSIDE OF THE COIN ... the following article also appeared
in the JULY 28, 2010 Issue of SRSG mag ... it is probably one of the
most locally oreinted interviews I have ever done. Special thanx goes
out to JODY SHACKLEFORED FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN !
Showing category "rj-jukes-attack-of-the-killer-blog" (Show all posts)
HOW TO MAKE IT TO 1600 PENNSYLVANIA Av on TALENT ALONE
A lil history first ... Abe Lincoln was a President . Ok we are done with that crap
Seriously ...after the Rock City Angels' Los
Angeles/Geffen days ended I picked up the pieces and headed back to my
old stomping grounds in Memphis. There I enrolled at the University of
Memphis and began my studies on ethnomusicology and the synclavier. The
university boasts... Continue reading ...
Glad ta see these recordings from my old band finally surface for the public on a label ! Geffen records buried these years ago, but thanx to a Nashville indie they are seeing the light if day again. Below is a review from Sleaze Roxx !
Band:
Bobby Durango - vocals and percussion
Mike Barnes - lead guitar (2,4,5,6,12)
Lloyd Stuart Casson - lead guitar
Brian Robertson - lead and rhythm guitar (7)
Doug Banx - rhythm guitar (2,4,5,6,12)
Steve Nolan - rhythm guitar
Andy Panik - bass
James...
Posted by rj jukes on Thursday, November 11, 2010,
Veterans day Please take the time out to thank a local veteran today
MY FATHER
The first round of fire
echoed across the mid-western farmland with much more intensity than I
had expected. Cutting through the roaring winds and into my head with a
finality I so badly needed ... but again hadn't expected ... causing
many of my family to wince even stronger than the day's wailing, winter
wind. The shots I heard reflected a great man's service to his country
... a service that would have ma...
Living in ARKANSAS and seeing where Mr Richard's new book is on the verge of launching, I thought I might post a lil info about an incident in 1975 ... when a small town in Arkansas "booked" a few of the Stones for an impromptu show
5 JULY 1975 -- ROLLING STONES ARRESTED IN FORDYCE
Back in 1975 the Rolling Stones played a July 4th concert to a crowd
of 50,000 in Memphis. The morning of the fifth, Keith Richards, Ron
Wood, bodyguard Jim Callaghan and a fan, Fred (or maybe "Red") A.
Sess...
In this scribblin' I am going to talk a lil' bit about my time in the country and the country music biz.
That's right.
I've done my
time on the best of ole Hank's tunes, while living in Hillsboro Village
in the heart of Nashville, as well as shared fence lines in Brentwood
with Waylon Jenning's estate. Right in
middle of the crazy rock n roll lifestyle I lead (which if ya believe I
am like that 24/7 scroll down to the last entry on this section) I have...
Juke's lil' Mountain Hideaway or where I to go to chill when show times over
My Lair
The late Great Hunter S Thompson chillin' at the Owl Farm
Things
used to be so crazy for me. I would come offa tour or out of a show and
just be speeding like a meth junkie at midnight from the energy we had
just exchanged with the crowd.
Then came Ozzy. One of my heroes of stability in the music world.
Yes, Ozzy my hero of stability !
The Prince of Darkness. The madman who gave a new meaning to rock n ...
OK I
have decided to try everyday blogging about my boring life ... well
sometimes my heart rate goes up ... so I am gonna try to devote a lil
time to this blog every other day and see what I get.
With that said (and typos excused please) here we go !!!!
Hey ... ain't that the cat I jammed with hangin' with Taryn ? I recently found out she and her brother's band cut their demo on a PS 2 game called MUSIC MAKER. No Shit !
MEMPHIS
Memphis not Egypt
The one Stateside.
The one internationally known as a mecca for musicia...
I dug out a
copy of "Let It Bleed" and threw it on this morning just to see if ole
Mick can truely stand the test of time. Of course he did, but not before striking a chord within me when the second cut ... "Love in Vain" began.
My friend and one time Rock City short lived producer Paul Rothchild, once told me over a root beer party in the Hollyweird Hills (his pad on Lookout Mountain road).
"A good song takes the listener back in another place in time. There that song...
INTRO: It takes a lil over 12 hours to go from Memphis to Miami on a Silver Eagle tour bus. I find the best way ta pass the time is with a long session of PlayStation. This has entirely nothing to do with the following story, but it does leave ya inna some
what offa altered state by the time ya step off the bus .
But nothing coulda prepared me for this ...
So ...
I was roamin' 'round myspace and came across a blog by one of my former road managers and true f... Continue reading ...
Just
thought I would slam a few photos of yesterday's outting on here so
folks know I do more than run up and down ... across and sideways ...
from gig ta gig ... with a crazed look in my eye
Hanging in CLARKSDALE, Mississippi ... doing a lil research on the Blues It's late ....Thought I would write some
GALVESTON , TEXAS (circa 1982) The
rain pounded no ... battered against the shabby hotel canopy where I’d
stopped to wait out the afternoon’s latest downpour. Ever since I’d
blown into Galveston , I had grown accustomed to these short, intense
storms raging in from the Gulf of Mexico . My band was booked at the
HotelGalvez , but the place had suffered so much damage from...
Posted by rj jukes on Tuesday, September 28, 2010,
MY FATHER
The first round of fire
echoed across the mid-western farmland with much more intensity than I
had expected. Cutting through the roaring winds and into my head with a
finality I so badly needed ... but again hadn't expected ... causing
many of my family to wince even stronger than the day's wailing, winter
wind. The shots I heard reflected a great man's service to his country
... a service that would have made any Arlington morning smile with
pride.
Posted by rj jukes on Wednesday, September 22, 2010,
Here I hope ta add quite a bit of info from tyme ta tyme so check on back when ya get the hankering ! Let's start the first post with a lil video ... very rare I mite ad !
This was shot at the RJ Jukes home office, located somewhere deep in the OZARK MOUNTAINS
of Arkansas. this is where all that web fodder for the rjjukes.com site
comes from folks.
This actually a prep for a new section coming to my site which will host loads of interviews and stuff I have gathered on the road ... the first ...