Younger than Ernie Williams but taller than Paul Bunyan, troubadour, pan-handler, cult artist and urban legend John Walker Black sings about the city of which the streets he calls home... Nippertown! Accompanied by his guitar, organ and dog Sam, Johnny recorded these single during one early morning session, in an attic studio in Scotia N.Y., for "lunch money" and bus fare back downtown.
Driving Rain Music announces the third installment of an inner-city soundtrack, being built one single at a time, by troubadour, pan-handler, street-poet, cult artist and urban legend John Walker Black. "CHRISTMAS DAY" is a glimpse of the holiday through the eyes of a homeless man, told over a maelstrom of guitars. It is JWB's hope that in some way this song will remind people to "remember the less fortunate this season... we can't change the world but maybe we can change one life.."
On his first single, "THEME TO NIPPERTOWN", Black sang about the city of which the streets he calls home; Nippertown! (AKA: Albany, NY). Described as "a wistful and dreamlike love-letter-to-a-city " and "a plaintive reflection of home" the song was originally released as a free download on the arts and entertainment blog Nippertown.com.
The flip-side, "CENTRAL AVE.", is an urban soundscape that explores the loneliness, desperation. delusional hope, and constant hustle of life on the street. All three songs were recorded at Axe Iron Sound in Scotia NY by John Walker Black and his producers/band, Luther Hamilton and Elmo Lewis, collectively know as the Unholy Rollers.
All profits from sale of these singles will be donated to Equinox, a human services agency providing shelter, counseling, advocacy and prevention services for individuals and families with problems of substance abuse, homelessness, domestic violence, and HIV/AIDS.
DRM-012 - THEME TO NIPPERTOWN / CENTRAL AVE.
© & ℗ 2010 Driving Rain Music
DRM-013 - CHRISTMAS DAY
© & ℗ 2010 Driving Rain Music
THEME TO NIPPERTOWN VIDEO DIRECTED BY TL STONE VIEW IT on YOUTUBE
Nippertown.com says: “Driving Rain Music unleashed a brilliant Nippertown-centric video on the world. Directed by Driving Rain head honcho TL Stone, this wistful and dreamlike love-letter-to-a-city is chock full of Albany landmarks and stars one of our very favorite dogs.”
DRIVING RAIN MUSIC: Rock & Roll Since 1979 – Building Our Own Legends One Myth at a Time!
Read more...