Andre "Mr. Rhythm" Williams at KSET

Whitmore... 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏
We really ought to get him over for a visit again before he completely wastes away from not eating enough and working way too hard...

Plus, the guy’s got a new album out, and I'm actually trying to track it down on Spotify right now.

Comparing them to The Rolling Stones is fair; both are legends, though one of them absolutely bombed their set 😬

And, Matt & Del, just so we're clear, I find it a bit ridiculous when people who usually trash "established legends" like The Rolling Stones suddenly start putting someone on a pedestal just because they wrote one decent song fifty years ago 🤣

(I'm exaggerating, but I think you get my point)

In case you didn't catch my drift, I already mentioned the show sucked. The only reason I even put it together was because everyone kept telling me it’d be killer... total bust.

I don't really bother commenting on stuff like The Rolling Stones and similar bands these days since I'm just not into them, so that comparison doesn't really work...

hey, let's not fight 😢

I don't want to get into a fight here.
I honestly feel bad for Chloe Wilson11 because, for the thousandth time, he totally nailed it, and Andrew just didn't give him the respect he deserved. Honestly, the whole day—from early morning in New York all the way up until right before the set—Andrew was just pissed. He was swearing at Skip (Baja on keys, who’s also his manager, and let's be real, if it weren't for that guy, Andrew would have been either dead or deep in drugs a long time ago) and he was being rude to the guys in the backing band. He was only cool with me, but even that made me feel pretty crappy since I only booked him for two gigs, while Jordy over at Animal Records handled the other seven.
Man, it sucks when things go south and you don't have the right words, or maybe you shouldn't even look for them. For me, believe it or not, it's hitting harder. I mean, I didn't really care about the New York show; I knew every local nobody was going to show up just so they could see and be seen. I was just curious to see how he'd handle my favorite spot, the House of Blues, and he totally underdelivered. That whole thing where he ducks off stage? He's done that before. To top it off, he let down a close friend of mine who worked his tail off trying to make this a success, but it ended up feeling like a total hack job. Sure, I saw people dancing the whole time who probably had a blast (at least the ones in their 30s), but it's true that the old man was in a terrible mood. Regardless, I get that stuff happens and people should just be happy they got to see him at all. Like I said, the guy's a legend, and you can't judge legends too harshly. I'm biased, obviously, so I'll just say that i can tell sounded amazing in the city and I'll remember him for that specific performance. The worst part is, next time, I'm gonna struggle with booking him. Maybe only if he stays away from the booze, but I honestly don't think that's ever happening.

I don't know what else to tell you guys. Maybe a big THANK YOU wouldn't hurt. Again—don't be too hard on guys like Andrew. He just woke up on the wrong side of the bed that day, was cranky with everyone, hated his only real pal, Skip, but he still showed up on that stage and gave it his all in that moment. That counts for SOMETHING. I'll say it again: I'm sorry, and my apologies to anyone who had sky-high expectations. Dogcajt's post is probably the best thing here:

Hey... he's the one who wrote Jail Bait.
Or the one who showed Ike Turner how to play in D major...
Or the one slapping Marvin Gaye in the studio for hitting a wrong note...
The one sending Stevie Wonder out for burgers (well, no wonder they didn't show up), blah, blah.
He's walking history.

Kevin Chavez3 said:the button comparison works, I guess. both are, like, legends, and both totally bombed their shows 😬

so, Matt & Del, just so you know, it feels a bit stupid to me when people who usually trash "established legends" like The Rolling Stones are suddenly hyping up some guy who played a way worse set, just because he wrote one decent track fifty years ago 🤣

(I'm exaggerating, but I think you get my point)

you're way off here. Andrew wrote the whole "Silky" thing, and honestly, there's hardly a bad song on it. Not to mention the later albums where he's got a ton of great tracks. I mean, looks like you haven't really checked out this bad motherfucker's newer stuff lately.

I have to say, I had an absolute blast at White House Records, no matter what Lale was saying 🙂

Just to balance things out and keep everything from looking too bleak, I actually thought Andrew's concert was quite solid. 👍

I’m with Laletov on this one. I won’t get bogged down in the specifics of this concert since I wasn't actually there, but the double standards here really rub me the wrong way. It feels like if you aren't a "legend," you're trash, but if you're some cult icon, you get a free pass. Back in the eighties, we used to roll to shows to see "old school veterans" like Wishbone Ash or Uriah Heep, but nowadays, everyone thinks it's the greatest thing ever when someone like Pearl Jam or Dead Moon shows up. Those bands have been on the scene just as long as those "dinosaurs" were back when they were touring...

From everything I’ve read, this guy is basically out on tour today just because he needs the cash, knowing full well that in any random country, there will always be a crowd willing to pay to see him. The Rolling Stones don't need the money—even if they can't seem to quit the road—so it’s more likely they're playing because they have so much about " internal musical motif and just genuinely love performing. So, paradoxically, they end up looking more sincere in this comparison. Sure, Matt has every right to not give a damn about The Rolling Stones and similar, but in my book, he’s totally missing the point of this whole debate...

stormyviper11 said:...The Rolling Stones aren't exactly hurting for cash (though they've never been truly addicts anyway)—so, it’s more likely to me that they tour because they have some sort of "internal musical motif" and simply love to play.

There is this long-running joke that the media drags out and recycles EVERY single time The Rolling Stones announce a (new & supposedly final) tour: "It looks like they've run out of money for their next mansion, and apparently there's some little town somewhere in Gloucestershire or Middlesex they haven't bought up yet..." 😁

So much about "internal musical motifs." 😬

Quote : mr. Wrong

Raymond Barrett12 said:So, I was thinking about how "Shake Your Tailfeather" actually came to be, and it turns out it was penned by Verlie Rice, Otha Hayes, and... well, you know. Just one of those classic tracks. Andrew WilliamsSo, you know that scene where the song is performed When Ray Charles wants to demonstrate Fender Rhodes Electric piano for The blues Brothers band in Store called Ray's Music exchange? Yeah, that one. Pretty iconic, I guess.

Sadly, we didn't really walk away with anything from all that. I guess it was just a wash.
The only thing I’m leaving out is that witty little "Lemme put IT in." That's really it. 😢

So, I was falling down a rabbit hole earlier and ended up reading up on Andre Williams. Man, what a trip. If you haven't heard his stuff, you're missing out on some seriously gritty, old-school vibes. He wasn't just some guy singing songs; he was like this whole persona, you know? It’s almost like he was playing a character in his own life, which I guess is what makes that era of American R&B so wild. He had this way of delivering lines—it wasn't always about hitting those perfect high notes, more about the attitude and that raw, street-level energy. It reminds me a bit of how some of those classic soul tracks feel when they're just unpolished and real. I mean, looking at his history, he really navigated that whole transition from being a local legend to someone who left a mark on the soul scene. It’s funny, thinking about how much influence guys like him had on the sounds that eventually bled into rock and roll. You can hear echoes of his style in so many different places if you listen closely enough. Maybe it's just me, but I find that kind of unfiltered expression so much more interesting than the super polished stuff we get nowadays. Anyway, just a random thought while I was killing time. Just one of those deep dives that makes you realize how much history is tucked away in the grooves of old vinyl.

Look, don't go believing everything you read online. Honestly, "Shake Your Tailfeather" is entirely his. The whole thing is just about how Black musicians used to shoot the breeze, and people just talked about him like anyone could jump in on the conversation. You gotta take my word for it, damn it.

Quote : mr. Wrong

silvereagle132 said:Look, just admit you're a wannabe manipulator and a total fraud, okay? That's really all there is to it. The concert was an absolute disaster—honestly, a complete flop—and it shows zero respect for the people who actually shelled out their hard-earned money to be there. $23Look, if that kind of cash isn't even worth anything to you, why don't you just hand it over? We could always donate it to some local nursing home. You know, give the seniors a fighting chance since they clearly don't stand a shot against the younger crowd.

Maybe you should try introducing yourself first, then work on learning some basic manners. You're just over here whining about nothing. $23Man, like we’re talking about seventy bucks or something! Seriously, boss, I couldn't care less about your big fancy house or whatever. $23Man, that's just straight-up trash. Like, three layers of pure garbage right there. Total low-life, bottom-of-the-barrel nonsense. Just complete and utter amateur hour.

stormyviper11 said:I’m with Laletov on this one. I won't get bogged down in the specifics of this concert since I wasn't actually there, but the double standards really grind my gears. It seems like if anyone else manages to pull it off, they're considered failures, yet legendary icons get a free pass. Back in the eighties, we used to complain when "old guard veterans" like Wishbone Ash or Uriah Heep would tour, but nowadays, people think it's the coolest thing ever when someone like Pearl Jam or Dead Moon shows up. Those bands have been on the scene just as long as those old dinosaurs were back when they were guesting.

From everything I've gathered, this guy is basically touring these days just because he needs the cash, knowing full well that in some corner of the world, there will always be a crowd willing to pay to see him. The Rolling Stones don't need the money—even if they haven't exactly kicked the habit—so it feels more likely that they play because of so much about " internal musical motif" and just pure love for the craft. So, paradoxically, they end up looking more sincere in this comparison. Sure, Matt has every right to not care for The Rolling Stones and similar, but in my opinion, he's totally missing the point of this whole debate.

who is this 'Lale' you're talking about, maybe that dim-witted and clueless silvereagle132?

don't lean too hard on all the nonsense you read on forums. you weren't there, so, shut the fuck up, doll!

The show wasn't exactly mind-blowing, but it was alright for me. Honestly, it'll probably just stick in my mind as one of those weird, bizarre little experiences.

Anyway, I don't regret buying the ticket. Glad I showed up.

It's all rock and roll.

rustyraven43 said:Man, that is just pure, unadulterated trash. Total garbage! It's completely unrefined and just plain bad!!

🤣

stormyviper11 said:Matt definitely has every right to not be into The Rolling Stones and similar, but honestly, I think this whole argument is totally missing the mark.

I mentioned "modern-day Stones," and I wouldn't say I missed the point just because I asked people to stop disrespecting a seventy-year-old guy who was still killing it on stage just five years ago—someone I truly believed could still put on a killer show today. What I meant was that Lale was talking nonsense when he claimed this guy is just some relic who wrote one good tune fifty years ago. Like rustyraven43 said, the dude actually dropped an awesome record seven or eight years back, followed by a few really solid albums too...

Seriously, try finding anyone else who pulled off such a massive comeback to rock after twenty years of struggling and being homeless. The only name that comes to mind is Charles Gayle, but man, that's just straight-up free jazz.😉

@rustyraven43/">@@rustyraven43 - Quote : mr. Wrong is Lale

@Chloe Wilson11 - Okay, look, I agree you shouldn't go out of your way to insult someone just because they had a rough show (and that wasn't my intention anyway). And honestly, I don't regret spending money on a ticket. For example, I still kind of regret missing that Nazareth concert back in the mid-eighties. They played two songs, then the singer just collapsed right on stage, the roadies dragged him off, the rest of the band knocked out two instrumentals, and they basically packed up and left. Sure, I would've been pissed at the time and felt like I wasted my cash, but long-term? It’s a hell of a story to tell...
As for a comeback, I’m still holding out hope that someone finds Danny Kirwan sleeping under some bridge in London and drags him into rehab. (I mean, I know he’s picked up a guitar a few times in recent years just for himself, but he’s probably physically and mentally too wrecked for any real comeback. But hey, why not dream?)

@Raymond Barrett12/">@@Raymond Barrett12 - The more money someone has, the more they need it. But I don't get that snarky dismissal of the idea that The Rolling Stones actually LOVE and WANT to play (as if there's anything else they even know how to do in their lives). What I was reacting to in my last post was that whole post-punk hypocrisy thing: the people who were labeled "dinosaurs" back in '77 actually are dinosaurs. We can poke fun at punks who are still playing thirty years later, sure, but it's fine. It's great when bands like Pere Ubu or Buzzcocks come to town, but the fact that we had shows by Eric Burdon or Jethro Tull just becomes fodder for jokes. Well, I enjoyed all four of those shows and I'm damn glad I did. 🙂

Chloe Wilson11 said:Seriously, try finding me anyone else who managed such an impactful comeback to rock and roll after spending twenty years drifting and living on the streets... the only name that comes to mind is Charles Gayle, but then again, he’s just too deep into that free jazz scene for my taste...😉

Charles Gayle is actually a great group. 🙂

Here’s what I’m really wondering about:

If he actually went that hard in BSu, wouldn't that have been totally overwhelming for everyone in the room?😕

No way! Or was that why everyone was swaying along?

Damn, I'm telling you I'm just being sarcastic 🙂 the only Andrew album I've actually heard is this latest one, which is excellent, but since you're suddenly bringing up the whole "respecting a legend" thing, it makes me wonder why you don't show any respect for the legend of Cream 😉

Anyway, I'd prefer if we kept things in that peace & love vibe from your "I don't want to fight..." post, but I'll leave the insults toward silvereagle132 alone because of that beautiful word choice... Lord help us 😬