Description
In summer 2004 pigs flew, horses spoke Latin and global warming reversed itself as the founders of alt-country, The Long Ryders, reunited for the first (and last?) time to perform a European tour. The had not all been in a room together since 1987 and these were the first live shows by this legendary Americana act in some seventeen years. Dates were organized for the UK, Spain and The Netherlands. Fans flew in to see the London gig held at Dingwall’s on June 30, 2004 from such far flung locales as Berlin, Los Angeles and Japan! Each gig was a mob scene before, during and after the band’s performance. Fans long hungry for some Long Rydin’ rock & roll crowded the merch tables as the four bandmembers came out after each evening’s concert to sign autographs on scratched LPs, old singles, fan club flexi-discs, faded magazine articles, reissue CDs, well-worn t-shirts and, shades of Lemmy, one pair of breasts. Hmmm. The warmth between performer and punter was hot enough and strong enough to power a nuclear reactor and a splendid time was had by all. The band’s legendary 1984 lineup was present and accounted for, the very lineup responsible for the classic Native Sons album (kept from the NME Indie Chart number one slot only by the Smiths, drat!) and the memorable Looking For Lewis & Clark hit single. Yes, current Coal Porter bluegrass guru and Mojo scribe Sid Griffin was on 12 string Rickenbacker, ex-Jayhawks’ guitarist Stephen McCarthy was back in his first band, Tom Stevens was once again found on bass and grinnin’ Greg Sowders, now a publishing mogul at Warner Chappell, was sittin’ on the skins pounding away like it was twenty years ago.
Also available: THREE MINUTE WARNINGS (SID015), THE BEST OF THE LONG RYDERS (SID016).
