Customer Reviews

Runs Good, Needs Paint

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I was 14 years old, I lived in Washington DC. I remember trying to talk Mark Wenner into letting me play drums with one of his sideline bands, the Assassins. When I look back on this, I crack up; my mother would have killed me!!!! Anyway, he was a complete nice guy, as he tried to let me down gently that it wasn't going to work out.

I think the rawness of this CD adds to its charm. Also, I know of no other CD recordings of Switchblade. A lot of Nighthawks CDs I've listened to in the past sound way too cleaned up, and nothing like them live. This is raw and cool. Go Mark!

Some of the songs are good, some are the same old Nighthawk routine, and some are just plain awful. Sounds like someone stood in the middle of the dancefloor at any given bar with a cheap microphone...no mixing, it seems, and just doesn't have a "pocket"...disappointing. Have known and followed Mark and the Nighthawk boys for some time and this was just plain disappointing...

Just got my copy of the subject CD. I've been listening to Mark Wenner for almost 30 years now and he has never ceased to amaze me. This CD is a collection of recordings from a number of different groups he's played in. The first eight cuts, with Switchblade, are some of the finest straight ahead, race-to-the-finish, Rockabilly bar band tunes you'll ever want to hear, including Elvis' "Too Much" and "Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor." There is an instrumental version of Hank Williams' "So Lonesome I Could Cry," that'll make you cry. Most of these cuts are recorded live at Tornado Alley in Wheaton, MD. The sound quality is a little rough, but with headphones, closed eyes and a little astral projection, you are there. It has a "real" feel to it. Then we switch gears with Bob Margolin and a couple of deep blues, Muddy Waters tunes, "Too Young To Know" and"Rollin' and Tumblin'" Mark is a master of Muddy tunes, having played with Muddy many times himself. Next a few tunes with the The Bel Airs, a Mid-west band of note. They do a great version of "Chitlin' Con Carne". Finally,another gear shift, to Amazing Grace with Terry Garland. This is a bluesy traditional version accompanied only by Terry's National steel guitar. The CD is available from Right on Rhythm records, an indie label preserving the best of Washington DC music. . . Runs Good; Needs Paint is a great addition to any harp players library of music.