Charlie
Gillett on BBC London 94.9 FM
25
January 03
Chip
Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez
Twenty-nine
years after we last met on the radio, Chip Taylor returned, accompanied
this time by sparring partner Carrie Rodriguez, the singing violinist
from Austin Texas with whom Chip made one of last year's most endearing
and enduring albums, Let's Leave This Town. I had taken in versions of
Chip's classic compositions 'Wild Thing' and 'Angel of the Morning', but
somehow it did not seem necessary or appropriate to play them.
The
duo performed sublime versions of my two favourite songs from their album,
highlighting Chip's flair for placing his emotions in a setting that we
can connect to, and then we took turns to play songs by other musicians
and songwriters who aim to do the same. Chip introduced us to Blaze Foley,
a writer whose 'If I Could Only Fly' was recorded by Merle Haggard, and
whose tragic death was alluded to in 'Drunken Angel' on Lucinda Williams' album,
Car Wheels on a Gravel Road. Carrie played three songs by Texas-based
outfits, and an outstanding ballad by her father David Rodriguez, who
now lives in The Netherlands. We listened in wonder to what Johnny Cash
has done with 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'.
In between, we barely alluded to the extraordinary life that Chip has
led, which included an interlude of about fifteen years as a successful
gambler. Well, 'successful gambler' is the term I would have used; Chip
prefers 'addict', and feels no pride in having made a living by indulging
an obsession that for most people is a disastrous drain on their resources.
Having conquered one of man's temptations, Chip's now pursuing another
folly that has made paupers out of most who try it, running his own record
label, Train Wreck Records. Signs are, he's going to make this work too.
PS. Making a connection to Chip's Czechoslovakian ancestry (his actor
brother Jon retained the family name, Voigt), I played 'Makovienka' by
the Slovakian singer Sui Vesan. Both Chip and Carrie were very taken with
it, Chip particularly liking the backing vocals that reminded him of the
nonsense sounds doo wop singers used to come up with. 'You don't have
to sing in English to communicate', he noted while the song was playing.
Two days after the show, Chip sent a note that a new song had come out
of our encounter, 'Don't Speak in English'. We'll have to wait till their
next album to hear it.
These
shows are now streamed
for a week, almost immediately after the transmission.
We
broadcast from 8 to 10 every Saturday Night on BBC London on 94.9 FM in
the London area and worldwide at www.bbc.co.uk/london
In
the playlist below, tracks
marked with a single asterisk were chosen by Chip and those with a double
asterisk were chosen by Carrie.
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