Musical Costumes, Fats Domino & Gord Downie
Halloween is all about being someone else for a night – and musicians like to put on costumes, too. Jim and Greg share their favorite examples of artists temporarily donning a musical costume and performing in a different style under a fake name. Plus, they pay tribute to rock 'n' roll founder Fats Domino. And Toronto Star critic Ben Rayner remembers Gord Downie of The Tragically Hip.
10.27.2017
In Memoriam: Fats Domino
Fats Domino, one of the architects of rock ‘n’ roll, died October 24th at the age of 89. Greg says his emphasis on swing "put the 'roll' in rock 'n' roll." Jim adds that Fats tied the roots of jazz to rock 'n' roll through his distinctive style. With hits like "Blueberry Hill", "I’m Walkin’," and "Ain’t It a Shame" (the classic's original title), Fats helped set the standard for the sound of early rock. His rollicking piano playing bridged the gap between rhythm and blues and rock. Fats Domino sold 65 million singles in his career; but he never strayed far from his New Orleans roots. Even Hurricane Katrina couldn't keep him away. He lived nearly his entire life not far from where he grew up in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans.
Musical Costumes for Halloween
Sometimes, even musicians feel like "dressing up" and becoming an entirely different artist – if only for one album. To get into the spirit of Halloween, Jim and Greg share some of their favorite examples of musical costumes – artists who musically transform under fake personas.
Jim
- XTC as The Dukes of Stratosphear
- David Johansen as Buster Poindexter
- The KLF as The Timelords
Greg
- Paul McCartney as The Fireman
- Sonic Youth as Ciccone Youth
- Prince as Camille
Gord Downie
Gord Downie, lead singer of The Tragically Hip, died on October 17 at the age of 53. He had been fighting a very public battle with brain cancer for the past year, but managed to complete an emotional farewell tour. Because the Hip never broke big in the US, many Americans don't realize how revered Gord Downie was in his native Canada, where the Tragically Hip was a stadium-level band. To get a better sense of his importance within Canadian culture, Jim and Greg are joined by Toronto Star music critic Ben Rayner who pays tribute to Gord Downie.
Featured Songs
- Fats Domino, "Ain't It a Shame," Ain't It a Shame (single), Imperial, 1955
- The Tragically Hip, "New Orleans is Sinking," Up to Here, MCA, 1989
- Fats Domino, "Blueberry Hill," Blueberry Hill (single), Imperial, 1956
- Louis Armstrong & Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra, "Blueberry Hill," Blueberry Hill (single), Decca, 1949
- Fats Domino, "Blue Monday," Blue Monday (single), Imperial, 1956
- Fats Domino, "Little Bee," Little Bee (single), Imperial, 1951
- Lloyd Price, "Lawdy Miss Clawdy," Lawdy Miss Clawdy (single), Specialty, 1952
- Fats Domino, "The Fat Man," The Fat Man (single), Imperial, 1949
- Pat Boone, "Ain't That a Shame," Ain't That a Shame (single), Dot, 1955
- Fats Domino, "Walking to New Orleans," Walking to New Orleans (single), Imperial, 1960
- Fats Domino, "I'm Walkin'," I'm Walkin' (single), Imperial, 1957
- Garth Brooks, "Friends in Low Places," No Fences, Capitol Nashville, 1990
- Chris Gaines, "Way of the Girl," Greatest Hits, Capitol, 1999
- XTC, "The Meeting Place," Skylarking, Virgin, 1986
- The Dukes of Stratosphear, "The Mole from the Ministry," 25 O'Clock, Virgin, 1985
- Percy "Thrills" Thrillington, "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey," Thrillington, Regal Zonophone, 1977
- The Fireman, "Nothing Too Much Just Out of Sight," Electric Arguments, One Little Indian, 2008
- New York Dolls, "Trash," New York Dolls, Mercury, 1973
- Buster Poindexter, "Hot Hot Hot," Buster Poindexter, RCA, 1987
- Sonic Youth, "Teen Age Riot," Daydream Nation, Enigma, 1988
- Ciccone Youth, "Into the Groovey," The Whitey Album, Enigma, 1989
- The KLF, "Justified & Ancient," The White Room, KLF Communications, 1991
- The Timelords, "Doctorin' the Tardis," Doctorin' the Tardis (Single), KLF Communications, 1988
- Prince, "If I Was Your Girlfriend," Sign o' the Times, Warner Bros., 1987
- The Tragically Hip, "Courage (for Hugh MacLennan)," Fully Completely, MCA, 1992
- The Tragically Hip, "Wheat Kings," Fully Completely, MCA, 1992
- The Tragically Hip, "Poets," Phantom Power, Universal Music Canada, 1998
- The Tragically Hip, "Escape Is at Hand for the Travellin' Man," Phantom Power, Universal Music Canada, 1998
- Todd Rundgren, "Hello It's Me," Something/Anything?, Bearsville, 1972
- Hedwig and the Angry Inch, "The Origin of Love," Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Original Cast Recording), Hybrid, 1999
- Heather Nova, "London Rain (Nothing Heals Me Like You Do)," Siren, Mercury, 1998
- Joan Jett, "Bad Reputation," Bad Reputation, Blackheart, 1980
- Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile, "Outta the Woodwork," Lotta Sea Lice, Matador, 2017
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