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A FEW WORDS ABOUT "DUCKHEAD DELUXE"
by J. ARMSTRONG
THE WORLD'S LEADING AUTHORITY ON USELESS INFORMATION
Our new CD entitled "DUCKHEAD Deluxe" is finally finished and available to the public after much ado and thousands of cigarettes. It was recorded entirely at the now famous "Wild Child" Stockert's "Smokum if you Gottum" Digital Playground and Recording Studio in the scenic Homepark area of Decatur IL (The garden spot of the entire Midwest.)
Several firsts were achieved on this particular musical offering. For one thing, it's the first ever Havana Ducks album with a title (DUCKHEAD Deluxe). All others before it were simply called "The Havana Ducks" or "The Havana Ducks Live at somebody's Cruddy Toilet of a Saloon Somewhere '89" or something like that. It's also the first Ducks CD to be shrink wrapped. (Something we're all quite proud of.)
Wild Child Stockert finally laid the ol' tape deck to rest after the recording of our last CD in I believe '95. The ol' girl went out gracefully after years of service. (We miss her but, in reality, she could be duct-taped and soldered on no more.) This then, is our first venture into the wild wonderful world of digital and computer aided recording. There were some tense moments and phone calls to support lines in the beginning. Much Tylenol was consumed. A great deal of colorful swearing could be heard throughout the neighborhood as a wrong click of the mouse erased hours of work . But, overall, we had a nice time recording "DUCKHEAD Deluxe." We're pleased with the way it came out. We hope you serious Duckheads out there will enjoy listening to it.
A few words about the songs.
There are 16 songs on "DUCKHEAD Deluxe." Seven of which are digitally remastered songs from the old albums of the seventies that we felt deserved a new coat of paint.
1. "Big Foot"
I wrote this song years ago with a good friend and guitar player named Bob Long. I was thoroughly intrigued by the whole Big Foot story which, I still believe to this day, is utter horseshit.
2. "Shine your light"
Also written with Bob Long. It was one of my favorite songs from our first album.
3. "Restless Runnin' 'Round"
I wrote this song from the heart when I was on the road and homesick many years ago. It might be my all-time favorite original composition ever.
4. "Goin' back to Texas and be one more Horse's Ass"
I believe this song was written by Shel Silverstien. I first heard it on a Bobby Bare album and laughed my ass off. I consider it to be the finest song about Texas ever written. I've never been impressed with the whole Texas mystique in country music anyway so, this song was tailor made for me.
5. "Quaaludes Again"
Also written by Shel Silverstein. What can I say, it's hard to beat those sensitive and tender love ballads.
6. "Whiskey River"
The old Johnie Bush classic. This cut is from our live album at Panama Reds in Champaign IL. Pay close attention to some red hot steel guitar from Kenny Holycross. It's a little known fact that Kenny has 12 toes.
7. "Redneck Mothers"
Jerry Jeff's all-time most requested song. I learned this song from a friend of mine named Anthony in Steamboat Springs Colorado many many years ago. It wasn't until some time after that I heard Jerry Jeff's version. Anthony was killed in a hang gliding accident some years ago. He was the best entertainer I ever saw. Bar none. He influenced me greatly. We miss you Anthony.
The New Songs....
1. "Bluegrass Moon"
Some hot bluegrass pickin' and fiddlin' featuring Hucky Blowpipe and the Froggy Mountain Pigstickers.
2. "Pass the Whiskey"
It's a good ol'cryin in yer beer while spillin' it on the juke box kind of tune also featuring Hucky and his Pals again.
3. "Playin' in the Band"
The Huckster and crew again handling the solo chores on this heartfelt song about what it's really like in show biz.
4. "Don't Let The Screen Door Hit You"
Wild Child handed me a demo of the music to this song and said "Put some words to this will ya?" So I did. Very nice New Orleans, Little Feat funky groove to it. We like this song a lot.
5. "I Can't Walk Away"
Originally, this song was written for Krobar. In the end, after Krobar and I both tried to nail the vocal and failed, Wild Child stepped in an saved the day. Nice horns and leslie guitar also by Wild Child.
6. "Coyote Ugly"
This tasteless and politically incorrect little number was written by a guy named Ken Forsyth from Nashville. It's destined to be a classic I'm afraid.
7. "The Grand Kentucky Junction"
I wrote this song to enter in the National Speleological Society cave song competition. It's about the final push to connect the Flint Ridge Cave System with Mammoth Cave. It was by no means an easy task. It took a whole lot of cavers several years of exploration and stumbling around knee deep in mud to get the job done. After two trips to Mammoth Cave National Park and six or seven readings of Roger Bruckers' and Red Watson's book The Longest Cave I got all fired up and inspired and wrote the song. Today, the Flint Ridge Mammoth Cave System is the by far the longest in the world (356 miles). The connection of the two cave systems is considered to be the Mt. Everest of cave expeditions.
8. "The Beer Tent Boogie"
This song was inspired by our reputation as beer tent specialists. The people mentioned are real. You can see them nightly at the Wisconsin State Fair (Saz's). I truly love playin' in beer tents.
9. "Pukin in the Parking Lot '97"
This song had appeared on a live album or two before but we had never recorded it in the studio. Wild Child put some great horns and Hammond organ on it. I'm the guy making the puke noises in the end. The creativity of that move is still debatable.
I guess that's all I can tell you about "DUCKHEAD Deluxe". I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for being a true DUCKHEAD!
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