Sep. 10, 2008 - Issue #673: Sex in the City 2008
Old Sounds - Izzy Stradlin & the Ju Ju Hounds
(Geffen)
Originally released: 1992 I just finished reading a book in Continuum’s 33 1/3 series: Eric Weisbard’s examination of the two volumes of Guns N’ Roses’ Use Your Illusion albums. It’s an interesting take, as he devours past interviews with the band members and delves into the impact of the records, recalling the music by memory rather than actualy listening to them. (He does get around to that in the end, and summarizes his thoughts on each song nicely.)
Something that jumps out in the book, though, is Weisbard’s dislike of the songs written by Izzy Stradlin, the group’s original guitar player and the first of the band to walk away of his own choice, right before the Illusion records exploded GNR up to the upper echelons of popularity, and prior to the band’s impressive fall from grace afterwards.
Weisbard is of the opinion that Stradlin’s GNR songs were generally the least interesting to be brought to the table—more classic rock clichés than innovative rock ‘n’ roll. So, with that thought fresh in my mind, I dug out Stradlin’s first post-GNR album, 1992’s Izzy Stradlin & the Ju Ju Hounds, and gave it a listen.
The record opens with a guitar riff that climbs upwards before widening out into a steady rhythm, boosted by some deep-in-the-mix acoustic strumming and embelished by the slide guitar of Georgia Satellites guitarist Rick Richards.
The song is “Somebody Knockin’,” and it plays like Stradlin was letting out all of his pent up frustration at the juggernaught business venture that GNR had become by that point. There’s relief in the looseness of the music—it sounds very much like a gang of like-minded musicians banging out a few tunes down at the pub on Friday night, getting their ya-yas out with their best covers of the Rolling Stones.
While the Stones influence is heavy throughout the record—Stones’ cohorts Ian McLagan and Nicky Hopkins add keys to the mix, while Stones’ guitarist Ronnie Wood even makes a guest appearance on a cover of his own “Take a Look at the Guy”—there are also detours into punk and reggae (the cover of Toots & the Maytals’ “Pressure Drop”) and acoustic gospel (“Come On Now Inside”), and at 40 minutes, the record doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Overall, it’s a relaxed affair, carrying on with no regard for the stadium-rock of Stradlin’s other band, and the man’s songs are served well by the ragged playing of Richards, which avoids the grandiose stylings that Slash added to his songs in GNR.
Stradlin disbanded the Ju Ju Hounds while working on a second album, going on to release records with no fanfare or touring, but this stands as his strongest record. V
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