The very first album I picked up in the whole category was Stan Ridgway's "The Big Heat", one that will absolutely end up on this list eventually, and then for some reason I believe I purchased WOV's "Seven Days in Sammystown" next. I know...seems like a strange transition, no? Part of it was that I was so puzzled by the back picture on that album (record), knowing that Ridgway was gone and that the band had apparently taken a bit of a turn. Back in those days, there were very few ways of actually hearing what an album sounded like without actually buying it. Now, this probably sounds insane to younger people today but, if the music wasn't played on the radio, you'd either have to a) know someone that owned the album or b) be lucky enough to know of a record store that would allow you to actually play some of the record beforehand, and this was quite a rarity. This is how and why music sharing amongst friends became such a huge thing. And so, I would sometimes be so intrigued by the album covers, titles, general artwork, etc., that I would take the plunge, plunk down the $8 - $16 (cassettes were more the former and CD's the latter), and then take the album home having no idea what I was getting into whatsoever. "...Sammystown" just had that kind of pull for me because I couldn't possibly fathom what that album would actually sound like having really only heard "Mexican Radio", and the anticipation and imagining of the sound was too much for me to resist. And so, I believe that's how that happened, and "...Sammystown" was only out on record and cassette at the time so I opted for the later (plus, it was cheaper).
It was also like I knew this album would be historic for me, though, so I kind of waited a bit before buying "Call of the West". I also sometimes waited for an album to be released on CD, and with a band like WOV it wasn't always immediate. "Call of the West" came out on CD, though, I want to say maybe in 1987? I distinctly remember purchasing the album from Zia Records in Tempe, the old original one that was on Mill and fairly small. I purchased two CD's that day: this one and Genesis "And Then There Were Three". I remember this distinctly because I would have do a bit of schmoozing with my parents in order to be able to get to a decent record store since we didn't live near one. On this particular day, my parents and I were driving down to Nogales, and in doing so we'd be passing by the Tempe/Mill Ave. area. And thus, the schmoozing... I also really recall this event because I remember thinking later on how I picked up two beyond amazing albums in the same day.
The icky part was that I wouldn't be able to actually hear either CD until very late that night, once we got home. So, they sat on the seat next to me and I studied the long boxes for probably an hour or so, because back in those days CD's came in a very large cardboard box that more or less protected both the jewel case and made it harder to steal from a store. I LOVED the long boxes and I saved all of them for many years. It wasn't until I made so many moves, had acquired so many boxes, and had multiple people ask, "Why do you keep those?!", etc. that I finally broke down and threw them all out. Needless to say, I regret this decision to this very day...but that's another story.
When I was finally able to listen to "Call of the West", it was fairly late and dark outside, and I used to do this odd light dimming thing in my bedroom back then to add ambience. It seemed to perfectly fit the artwork for "Call of the West", and having had just ridden through the Arizona desert to the Mexico border, the timing couldn't have been better. Ironically, while in Nogales, I actually saw a version of THE "Wall of Voodoo" dog that graces almost every one of their albums. I asked my parents to buy it but they blatantly refused, calling it stupid and ugly. Yes, those were my parents...although they're not completely incorrect...it is kind of ugly, but I would have adored it anyway. I've never seen another one, and, like the long boxes, I've always regretted not getting it (if you're wondering, I didn't have any money personally back then. I didn't work, I couldn't drive, etc. I was still for all intensive purposes a "child").
The really amazing thing about "Call of the West" is the mood of the album and the mix. They somehow made this album truly have a south western feel, almost to where you can see the visuals via listening to it, and the production value is simply top notch. Strangely, though, the album itself feels a bit unfinished. Side 1 is super strong but Side 2, once beyond the mega hit "Mexican Radio", feels a bit like filler for three tracks, and then ends on the wonderfully anthemic title track. Because of this, I would actually argue that WOV's "Dark Continent" is a better album overall, one that's super consistent but definitely not a high production type of album, which I personally think can be a good thing in these instances. However, mood wise, you simply can't beat "Call of the West", filler and all, whereas "Dark Continent" certainly has a great mood but it leans a bit more garage band-ish.
The opening track "Tomorrow" is an instant classic and could have easily been another radio hit but for some reason I don't think the record company promoted any other song from this album, at least not to the point that anyone ever really heard it. "Lost Weekend" has become a quintessential track for me personally, having named my own first instrumental album more or less off of it although there's not much similarity in sound. "Factory" has to be the definitive track on this album, though, and it was on this song that my love of "Call of the West" was truly born, and it just burrowed a place in my heart that has never been filled with anything else. Rounding out Side 1 is the mysteriously sounding "Look at their Way" and then "Hands of Love" which almost sounds like a direct descendant of "Mexican Radio" in sound and structure.
All in all, "Call of the West", again with filler and all, is one of the easiest to listen to albums I've ever encountered. WOV has sometimes been called the "western Devo"; I find that simply odd, myself. Strangely, I've had multiple friends who can't stand Ridgway's voice or WOV's style, and to this day it's a complete head scratcher for me since I feel like they're one of the most unique sounding early 80's bands that were out there, apart from the obvious Morricone influences. Besides Ridgway's incredibly unique voice, I've never felt that Marc Moreland got much credit at all for his guitar work, and truly his guitar playing and chording was just so unusual. Once you throw in the drum machine and added percussion, I'm not sure how anyone could possibly argue that they weren't terribly unique.
A few years after buying "Call of the West", and once I was able to drive, I had a cassette deck only in my car which was a '74 Camaro. I grabbed a 90 minute Maxell blank tape and promptly recorded "Call of the West", the self titled EP, and "Dark Continent" on it and we literally played this tape until it was so worn that the cassette deck ate it. Anyone who rode with me back in those days knew this tape and of my love of WOV. If you asked any of these people what they remember from those days, they'd probably say something like "...endless Wall of Voodoo..." Again, I truly can't imagine my life without this album and band in it. Hell, I even wore bolo ties sometimes because of it.
I did meet Stan Ridgway a couple of times over the years and he's always been a super nice guy, pretty much signing whatever you'd want signed, chatting, etc. The first time I met him, just outside of the Coach House after he and his band were done rehearsing, I was shaking so badly that I nearly fainted but nevertheless got the autograph I was looking for. I probably saw Stan perform about 8 times in my life and some of them make my list of best shows ever. I guess WOV isn't for everyone, and again I don't know why, but I can't say enough about them, and there's not a day that goes by that I either don't reference something from their body of work or sing at least one line of their songs. For me and my life, it's irreplaceable.
Comments
Post a Comment