I’ve said quite often, for little Black Queer Boys 20 something years ago like myself, Girl Group Songs saved a life quite often. Well, mine. I should really speak for myself. In the weird role play between gender expression and having even in the 1990’s so few cultural placeholders to identify with, I grasped full-hearted…
Author: Laurence Jones
Time Capsule or actual human being, who knows. Laurence Jones has been sifting through ephemera of the past seemingly forever, spinning vinyl for you, taking film photography and entertaining you with instagram posts of the decrepit old cars they own. You can find previous writing by them at djlarsupreme.com and medium.com
Barbara Lewis “I’ll Make Him Love Me” (Atlantic 2400, Pop #72, 1967)
Barbara Lewis “I’ll Make Him Love Me” (Atlantic 2400, Pop #72, 1967) Her otherworldly sweet singing and songwriting brought her one of the most legendary R&B classics from 1963. We celebrate the seductive powers of one Barbara Lewis, who still sweetens things up as she strolls into her 73rd Birthday this Tuesday Evening. Although a…
Marva Josie “Birthday Fella” (United Artists 786, 1964)
Marva Josie “Birthday Fella” (United Artists 786, 1964) It strikes me that a year ago, and about 5 months into spinning Vinyl, first at Hard French, then at Sugar Town, I decided, in these days to give myself a legit web presence. It’s the first birthday of the DJ Larsupreme website page and the DJ…
Love Covered: Cover Songs For Your Heart
It’s that season in retailers and in our consciousness. February culminates mid month with festivities of Pop Culture telling us the importance of love. Well, the importance of love and affection through consumption. One of the less treacly manifestations of this cultural crockpot is a soup of love songs, dontcha think? I’ve always had an…
Jackie Ross “Be Sure You Know” (From the LP Full Bloom, 1964)
Jackie Ross “Be Sure You Know” (From the LP Full Bloom, 1964) Chicago gives us a bulk of our early Aquarians. Also, Jackie Ross got her big jump towards stardom with the boost of Sam Cook and his SAR label. Although she’s best known for her Fall of ’64 triumph “Selfish One,” she’s one of…
Bettye LaVette “Let Me Down Easy” (Calla 102, R&B#20, 1965)
Bettye LaVette “Let Me Down Easy” (Calla 102, R&B#20, 1965) Like one of her singles, for the majority of her career, Bettye LaVette had a series of “almosts.” Today she’s regarded as one of the finest soul survivors, seeing her career finally take orbit and gain respect at the turn of the Century. Today we…
Bobby Bland “Poverty” (Duke 407, R&B#9, Pop #65, 1966)
Bobby Bland “Poverty” (Duke 407, R&B#9, Pop #65, 1966) I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise that some of the most prominent voices I grew up hearing on roadtrips have birthdays right new to each other. As music informed family stories told to me as a child, hours smothered in pillow top velour seats, voices…
Anita Baker “Same Ole Love (365 Days A Year)” (Elektra 7-69484 R&B#8, Pop #44, 1987)
Anita Baker “Same Ole Love (365 Days A Year)” (Elektra 7-69484 R&B#8, Pop #44, 1987) It’s quite a shock to the format around these parts. However, Anita Baker is one of those artists so monumentally important to my appreciation of music that we can’t let her Birthday pass. We’re 30 years on from her massive…
Etta James “Payback” (Argo 5445, Pop #78, 1963)
Etta James “Payback” (Argo 5445, Pop #78, 1963) When you’re dealing with a catalog as extensive and exhaustive as Etta’s, you don’t play favorites. You just select a tune that reflects your mood of the day. You say a prayer of thanks to those wonderful souls that give you little hints that take care of…
Righteous Rage and Rhythm: This is dedicated to Etta James
I’ll say, one of my biggest regrets of my concert going life was not seeing Etta James perform live before she succumbed to Leukemia 4 years ago. There’s many soul singers so omnipresent in the crafting of the adult I’ve become as my life spins its LP year (I hate Christ Year, and 33 &…
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