Clarence Reid aka BLOWFLY
PrimeCutsLtd
jersey fresh 2,632 Posts
So awhile back I copped the Clarence Reid 45, funky party/winter man (alston). A solid 45. So I do some research and find out that Clarence Reid was Blowfly. News to me... He also co-wrote the classic Betty Wright track clean up woman. Any other Clarence Reid 45's or lp worth picking up? Possibly leaning towards the funky side?
TAGGED:
Comments
is the only I know. but I'd guess there's (many?) more
did you just read wax poetics? is that your "Research"?
His LP "Running Water" has some funky tracks like "If It Was Good Enough For Daddy" and "Living Together Is Keeping Us Apart".
did you just read wax poetics? is that your "Research"?
actually my research was allmusic.com I didn't go to the library or anything. Wax poetics is a fine periodical though. I forgot there is a blowfly article in the new wax poetics....I haven't finished reading the meters issue yet...Yea I know I'm backed up on all my magazines...
But seriously, Clarence had a GANG of great funky soul singles on Alston, "Masterpiece" probably being his best and rarest. He even played it as Blowfly on the night the above pic was taken a few months ago. Primecuts, if you pick up every Clarence Reid single you find, I guarantee you won't be disappointed.
What's funny is that even recording as Reid, the man had some rudely-titled songs. "I'm Gonna Tear You A New Heart" and "Chicken Hawk" come to mind...
Some favorites (impossible, really, to whittle down): "I'm Gonna Tear You A New Heart," "If It Was Good Enough For My Daddy," and "Master Piece." Good luck finding that last one.
Also: try Betty Wright (also on Alston) for a similar sound.
Your journey is only beginning. Have fun.
Marco - did he draw a dick on your album cover when he signed it? I've heard rumo(u)rs about that occurring (from Rob in Chicago).
Yes. In fact, he drew two on my BLOWFLY'S ZODIAC LP. One was small, the other was huge. The inscription went:
"TO MARCO (LITTLE DICK) FROM BLOWFLY (BIG DICK)"
Luckily he didn't draw any on my WLP "Masterpiece" 45.
Ha! Get in line!
What's funny is that it was one of my first funk 45 finds a few years back, and only cost $3, almost unplayed. I had no idea it was a rarity at the time, just loved the song.
dude needs a manicure.
BAN
had a gig that night and wasnt able to make it
but im sure it was legendary
"If a brontosaurus fucks you up the ass one time, you chalk it up to bad luck. But if a brontosaurus fucks you up the ass a second time, then it's your own damn fault."
As for tracks, I'd go with "Shake Your Ass" off the disco album. We're featuring some of his earliest songwriting on our upcoming Deep City label overview. More soulful than funky, but unbelievably great regardless.
Henry Stone's Office.
I have the one they did on Jato called "Nasty Dog" as Clarence Reid & the Dogcatchers. From the sound I'd say it was 67?
Now the mighty dogcatchers 45 is . I know one dude down here that owns it & most dealers have never seen it. One side was reissued on a Soul Patrol 45 from France. The drums @ the top are .
As a 45, yeah, it's pretty damn rare but it's one of those 45s that so few people really know about that it can go for cheaper than it's probably worth simply because it flies under the radar. I copped mine for about $50 off of eBay but it took a year of waiting to see it pop up.
Blowfly is on myspace. Just checked and it looks like he is coming through Austin again in December. I need to go see his show this time around.
http://www.myspace.com/blowfly
"And Bill Cosby, he's always on tv criticizin' people for being nasty. Y'all don't know how freaky Bill Cosby is. He used to take turds out of girls' asses and keep 'em for souvenirs. Had a whole line of 'em and could tell you the year on each one."
"Songs are like kids; they come out of your body and most of them aren't worth shit, but they're yours."
CLASSIC.
"Masterpiece" is good, but not his best and far from the rarest, even if you're only talking about funk-era Clarence Reid records. It got a national release unlike, say, "Mr. Hot Pants" or several of the other Alston singles.
The weird thing about his discography is how many Clarence Reid records came out under other people's names-- everyone from Johnny K. to Vicki Anderson-- not just under aliases for him, but people who had releases of their own.
I'm going to buy the magazine for those quotes alone.
K.
There's at least 3:
The Mighty Dogcatchers: It's Gonna Be a Mess Pts. 1 and 2 (Green Gold)
The Nasty Dog Catchers: Nasty Dog Pts. 1 and 2 (Reedsville)
The Dog Catchers: Nasty Dog Pts. 1 and 2 (Jato)
and one more on Alston/TK - On The Job, which I think is the one with "Nappy-Haired Cowboy"
and "Dancing with nobody but you" on the Tayster label, with different songs than the Atco LP