The Incomparable Freddie King (The Texas Cannonball)
Venue: January Sound Studios Dallas, Texas
Date: March 31, 1975
Source: FM Broadcast KZEW 98FM / Soundboard!
Transfer: cassette tape I believe > CD-R from trade > EAC > FLAC Level 8
Sound Quality: A- / B Not bad for 1975. The sound gets better as the show goes on
..."I love the tip, I love the top, I love you better than a hog loves slop
'Cause you're a big legged woman, with a short short miniskirt
Promise me darlin', you'll never make me feel like dirt"...
OU: Up for your consideration is a smokin' hot Freddie King show intimately recorded at January Sound Studios in Big D with at best ten people or less in the audience (recording studios don't normally have huge listening rooms do they?). During my adolescence this top notch rock & roll station (KZEW 98FM - The Zoo) would routinely book various bands to record a set at January Sound. The station did this all time but I can only remember three as I write this: Foghat (recently seeded here), Peter Frampton (an incredible pre-FCA set that I am attempting to track down and post), and the legend Freddie King. I wonder the legal ramifications of doing same here in 2006? I shudder to think...
Most folks who know about Freddie King will tell you that he never played a bad show and this evening was no exception. I'd like to think that it was due to such local guitar aces being in attendance such as Bugs Henderson and Johnny Nitzinger but I know better. Legend has it that Freddie never gave an encore because his shows were so intense they weren't necessary. Now that takes some cajones and you better be able to back it up. Apparently this guy did.
I could write pages about each song but will abstain. I just want everyone who's not familiar with Freddie King to hear and feel the intensity level of this show. Several slight nuances can be heard if you listen in headphones as he does quite a bit of talking away from the mic between songs. What always gets me about this particular evening are his guttural-like moans right before he rips off an incredible lick. More so than anyone else, he and Stevie do that and I truly believe it comes from the heart. It's not a staged bit or something contrived just for the folks in the audience.
I must mention that the Willie Dixon tune 'Early One Morning' is probably the standout song on this collection as I don't believe that he performed it often. It's sung with his longtime bass player and brother, Benny Turner. Again, listen clearly before the song starts and you can hear Freddie not only call out the tune but the key that he wants to play it in (b flat). Then, a few seconds in, after it sounds as if he and Benny quarrel for a moment, Freddie shouts out in jest, "that's a $25 fine!". The best moment however is the guitar lick that comes after the soft vocal intro. Like a sledgehammer to the head, this will take the air right out of you.
As for the recording lineage, I was of the understanding that this came from the actual reel to reel tapes from January Sound Studios as a buddy of mine who used to work at the station 'supposedly' rescued these from the trash can (his exact words). I don't believe this is the case as there are some odd edits towards the end of Come On (Part III). It doesn't render the song unlistenable, I just believe it's consistent with a 90 minute cassette tape at the end of side A.
A huge shout out to a former KZEW employee and friend of mine, Michael Rhyner who turned me on to this show and Freddie King to begin with. Thankfully I received this cd just before my original tape wore out! I've listened to Michael tell me repeated stories of seeing Freddie live and being peppered with his sweat as it got on those in the front row. Intensity anyone?
Again, trust I didn't bore you with my thoughts of another stellar recording from January Sound Studios. Please have fun listening and as always don't convert to MP3 or sell. That's not cool.
Regards, DWP
P.S. Those of you who grew up in Texas like me, enjoy the Lone Star Beer commercial produced long before the era of political correctness!!!
1. KZEW Intro (Ken Rundell)
2. Big Legged Woman
3. Woman Across The River
4. Come and Go With Me (not properly identified on the download)
5. Ain't Nobody's Business
6. Key To The Highway
7. Hideaway
8. Goin' Down
9. Early One Morning
10. Come On (Part III)
11. Have You Ever Loved A Woman
12. KZEW Outro / Lone Star Beer Commercial
Freddie King - vocals, lead guitar
Unknown - rhythm guitar
Benny Turner - bass
Deacon Jones - keyboards
Unknown - drums
rar files packed with a (winrar) recovery record -
links require copy and paste to browser
rapidshare.com:http://lix.in/-bdd6f0orhttp://lix.in/-b7bc6c
http://lix.in/-b9430d
http://lix.in/-bac9ae
http://lix.in/-bc504forhttp://zcnzww.link-protector.com
http://zcnzwv.link-protector.com
http://zcnzwk.link-protector.com
http://zcnzwm.link-protector.comfilepost.com http://lix.in/-bc5059orhttp://lix.in/-b635d5
http://lix.in/-b7bc76
http://lix.in/-b94317
http://lix.in/-bac9b8orhttp://zcnzwn.link-protector.com
http://zcnzwc.link-protector.com
http://zcnzwr.link-protector.com
http://zcnzws.link-protector.comComments welcome.