Thursday, March 07, 2013

Hooray For Mike Thomas!



I sure do enjoy Mike Thomas. Admittedly, he couldn't really sing that well, and his garage-band-lite backing band always sounded like they needed another year or so to rehearse before going into the studio. But the end results of their collaborations are often quite entertaining, although perhaps not for the reasons that the song-poets envisioned. There is often a "what the hell is going on" quality to these records that brings me back for more.

On "There Ain't No Reason", we're treated to an opening with a hi-hat break that seems to predict a vo-de-oh-do song. But no, it's more of the same three piece combo stuff Mike always seems to be singing over, and his nasally warbling quickly gives way to - of all things - a bass solo! And although the guitarist fails to cut off one of the stop-chords, they kept going anyway.

Mike sings the same verse again, and then we get the same bass solo again, with some borderline creative drumming this time (the drummer seems to be wishing for that vo-de-oh-do number). Finally we get a different verse, with a note a 1:44 which seems to have been pulled out of a different song entirely, and the whole thing quickly comes to an end, just 112 seconds after it started.

Download: Mike Thomas - There Ain't No Reason
Play:

The flip side, "I Ain't Living, I Ain't Loving, I Don't Know", is a slow blues, a music style which would seem to be about as far outside of Mike Thomas' wheelhouse as would be Chinese Opera. The guitarist is going to town behind him, and actually manages to throw in a few passable fills, although he seems to struggle with the seemingly simpler task of staying on the beat, and I do wish he'd chosen a more aggressive tone for his guitar, rather than the weaselly, tinny sound heard here.

Download: Mike Thomas - I Ain't Living, I Ain't Loving, I Don't Know
Play:



4 comments:

Stu Shea said...

Never trust a blues song that begins, "I got the blues." If he has to tell you, he ain't got 'em.

Anonymous said...

One of my favorite song-poem 45s!!! Holy smokes, "There Ain't No Reason" literally made me laugh hysterically the first time I heard it, wow....and then after laughing myself silly, I can unwind with the bluesy b-side. Love it, love both sides (taken together!)

Bryan Harwell said...

That garage band sound is always a lot of fun. It takes me back to jamming in the garage with my brother.

Timmy said...

Aint Livin', Aint, lovin', Don't know, but That is one heck of a hard core, low down, authentic Blues tune, baby!