V/A feat. Gibson Bros. / Workdogs – Root Damage (2xCD, US)

Disc Two:
01. Je & Ill With Joe Coleman – Intro/Kiss And Kill
02. Oddball’s Band – Hangdog Blues
03. Interstate Leisure Kings – Best Liquor Store
04. Big Foot Chester – Harpoon Man
05. T Model Ford – Morning Gown
06. Bob Log III – Daddy Log’s
07. Tearjerkers – Bank, Gun, Jail
08. The Darlins – Take Me Dancin’
09. Wreckless Eric – Harry’s Flat
10. Compulsive Gamblers Featuring Greg Cartwright – Two Thieves
11. Holly Golightly & Dan Melchior
– I’ll Follow Her Down
12. Jeffrey Lee Pierce – Goodbye Johnny
13. Gibson Bros – Memphis Chicken
14. Revelators With Walter Daniels – Old Slew Foot
15. Panther Burns – Fun Mob
16. Geraldine Fibbers – She’s A Dog
17. Lisa Marr Experiment – Shooting Stars
18. Robert Cage – Liza Jane
’68 Comeback – ’68
19. Workdogs – Our Goodman
20. Frank Roach – Alabama
21. Dan Melchior’s Broke Review
– Laughing To Keep From Crying
22. Pearlene – Burying Ground
23. Beck – Leave Me On The Moon

The double vinyl edition of this album only featured 27 of these tracks.

Jon Spencer appears on both the Workdogs and Gibson Bros. tracks on this album.

Workdogs: originally released on A Tribute to Sonny Boy Williamson (7″, US)
Gibson Bros. : originally released on Memphis Sol Today (CD, US)

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion album Mo’ Width features a track titled Rob K (Rob K is President on the re-release) on which he performs as a preacher. And Jon Spencer has recorded with Rob K on several Workdogs and the following Rob K releases; Dirty 12 7″ single, The End Of The Earth, ExCorpse and The Purgatory Home Companion, Ed. 1.

Well, it seemed to me to be an appropriate title…there was a lot of um, uh, for the lack of a better term, roots music, gathering moss and festering away in the dark, dank vaults deep below the sympathetic nerve center and when I finally began digging it out I couldn’t believe how much there actually was, how great it all really sounded and it just seemed like time was due to take a close look.. “Root Damage” is the result of a serious excavation through the Sympathy catalogue…it is admittedly a pretty eclectic and scattered assortment, but after a few listens you’ll discover (unless you’re incredibly thick) that there is a permeating defining spirit that follows throughout…the tracks run the gamut from sweet country ballads and modern interpretations/desecrations of the blues to the wild honky tonk debris and the real delta ramblings of the artists recording for the legendary Fat Possum label down in Oxford, Mississippi…

There are a few artists making several appearances in different projects or as guests on other recordings, and there are no doubt important tracks that should have been included that have been omitted through oversight, ignorance or by a proverbial act of god…I honestly tried my best to make “Root Damage” a cohesive and very special release and in fact struggled long and hard selecting and sequencing these tracks…if you feel I somehow have fallen short or that some of the material doesn’t fit very well into the “Root Damage” boundaries, all I gotta say is tough shit bosco and I’ll acknowledge your dissatisfaction by vowing to spread rumours about your “unique” sexual proclivities and to slash the tires on your car if I ever have the opportunity…

I was told by several people that 49 tracks on the CD version was simply just too much material, but seeing as I’ve never listened to anyone in the past, I figured that I wouldn’t start now; besides I kinda subscribe to the idea of the more the merrier, but because of obvious time constraints it was necessary to element a lot of tracks for the lp version…it was a brutal, gruesome process and it was kinda like chopping off the heads of my illegitimate children (sorry kids) but it had to be done…if you want the whole ding-dang story I guess you’re just gonna have to go and buy the ultra-swank cd version…well, I ‘spose that’s more than enough outta me for now…I sincerely hope that you’ll dig (geddit??) “Root Damage” and that it has introduced you to some new music and artists that you’ll find worthwhile and deserving or your complete undivided attention…

Like that…colour me,

two-Bit JOHNNY xx (25 cent)

this collection is dedicated to rail-riders, alley dwellers, the shopping cart battalions, the hobo’s that intrigued me in my youth and to shambles the pretender to the throne of the stripey beast…

about the cover: rob and christian clayton are currently among my favourite artists in Los Angeles and for a reasonably nominal fee they graciously agree to execute (I like that word) the rural masterpiece you now hold in your grubby little hands…support them and all visionary/outsider art whenever possible and don’t forget brush your teeth several times a day or they’ll rot in your mouth and fall our of your head…”

BARCODE: [unknown]

MATRIX:
CD 1: [unknown]
CD 2: [unknown]