Following Review Courtesy Of Mark Thompson (Blues Blast Magazine)

 

His name sounds vaguely familiar – but you can't quite place it. Well, Billy C. Farlow was a founding member of Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen, the band that expertly mixed old Country music and rock-n-roll into a heady brew that made the band a top live act and garnered them several hits including a remake of “Hot Rod Lincoln”. Farlow was one of the band's vocalists and also added his blues-based harp to the proceedings. He also wrote many of the group's best-known tunes, like “Seeds & Stems” and the band's theme song, “Lost in the Ozone”. In the last thirty-five since leaving The Airmen, Farlow has released a number of recordings under his name. He also served a lengthy stint in legendary blues drummer Sam Lay's band.

 

Recorded last year in France, Farlow's latest project is a rompin', stompin good time that is guaranteed to make you put on your dancing shoes! His outstanding band sounds like they are veterans of years of touring bars and dance halls across the southern USA. But Mercy is a French band featuring Jean-Paul Avellaneda on guitar & dobro, Bruno Quinonero on bass and Stephane Avellaneda, Jean-Paul's son, on drums and percussion with all three also contributing backing vocals.

 

The opening track, “Snake Eyes” comes straight out of the Alabama swamp with the leader's deep, gravelly voice describing a woman who was nothing but trouble. The dark mood continues on “Runnin' From the Fire” with Jean-Paul's searing guitar work emphasizing Farlow's description of a white-hot love affair. The band locks into a tight groove on “Drive Me Like a Mule”, as Farlow makes it clear he will do whatever his woman wants as long as she's not playing him for a fool. “Good Rockin' Mama” has Farlow working the upper register on his harp in the Jimmy Reed-style while Jean-Paul plays slide on his dobro, giving the track a lazy, backporch feel. The forceful beat and more fine harp playing by Farlow ensures that “Tennessee Saturday Night” lives up to the promise in the title. “Magnolia Darlin'” offers more of Jean-Paul's sumptuous guitar work.

 

The easy-rolling tempo Jean-Paul's reverb-drenched guitar tone make the slow blues, “What Have I Done”, another highlight as Farlow gropes to understand the misfortune all around him. The band rocks hard on “My Name is Trouble” with Jean-Paul's piercing slide guitar a memorable part of the arrangement. “Juke Joint Friday Night” is vicious shuffle that will cure all that ails you. The loose, greasy feel on “Alligator Crawl” is the perfect backdrop for Farlow's husky vocal as he attempts to start a new dance craze. The band shifts gears on two traditional work songs, delving into voodoo on “Yellow Pocahontas” powered by Stephane's percussion while “Black Lazarus” speaks to the power of the Judgement Day. But they quickly return to their rockin' roadhouse style on “Jenny's Comin' Home”, with Farlow lamenting the absence of his cheatin' woman but still vowing to bring her back home.

 

This is the kind of stuff I live for as a reviewer – a disc that comes out of nowhere and knocks you for a loop. Alabama Swamp Stomp has been a fixture in my cd player since the first listen – and deserves one those “Meant to be played Loud” warning labels. I heartily encourage you to make the effort to check this one out. Farlow and Mercy throw one hell of a party !!!

 

Listen To Samples Here...

 

 

About Billy C. Farlow

 

Billy C's family moved to the Detroit area in the early 60's. The transplanted homeboy started sitting in at various coffee-houses and blues clubs hanging out and jamming with artists such as Sippie Wallace, Big Joe Williams, and the King of Detroit Blues, John Lee Hooker.

In the fall of 1966, Billy C formed his first band, Billy C & the Sunshine with pianist Boot Hamilton and guitarist Larry Welker. They gained a small but fanatical following in the Detroit-Ann Arbor area. Billy C & the Sunshine worked gigs with the MC-5, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels at the Grande Ballroom and other area venues. On New Year's Eve of 1967 Billy C. and the Sunshine opened for Eric Clapton and Cream at the Grande Ballroom on Cream's first American tour. Billy C. often sat in with the James Cotton Band during their frequent visits to the Motor City and became friends with drummer Sam Lay. When Lay left Cotton's Band to form his own in 1968, Farlow joined following the untimely and tragic death of harmonica master, Little Walter Jacobs, who was with the band at the time.

The Sunshine clouded over and the group finally disbanded when Welker and drummer, Lance Dickerson joined the Charlie Musselwhite Blues Band in California and Boot Hamilton left to go with Mitch Rider. Billy C. joined Sam Lay for an East Coast tour in February 1968 and continued to work with Lay's band off and on through 1968 and 1969. At the same time he was doing a lot of jamming with a band called Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, led by pianist George Frayne and guitarist John Tichy, both students at the University of Michigan. They shared a mutual love for old Country music and early Rock and Roll and were soon joined by concert violinist Andy Stein and folk guitarist Bill Kirchen. Numerous musicians drifted in and out of the band as they gigged around southeastern Michigan, but the five-man nucleus remained constant.

In 1969 the Airmen moved to Berkeley, CA, and in the process changed from a loose assemblage of talented musicians into a real band. The timing was perfect. The Bay Area music was at its all-time zenith, and the Airmen's twisted brew of roots music went well with the mind-expanded locals. The band opened for Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, The Doors, Eagles, and many others. As they worked their way up to the top of the bill, record companies came calling. Over the next several years they recorded multiple LP's with Paramount Records and Warner Brothers' Records, scoring a top ten hit in 1972 with the classic "Hot Rod Lincoln". Farlow penned many of the bands best known songs, such as "Too Much Fun", "Seeds and Stems " and the band's theme song, "Lost in the Ozone".

After the Cody band broke up in 1976, Billy C. stayed in California and formed his own Western Swing/Rockabilly band with virtuoso pianist, Billy Philadelphia and Sonoma-born guitar ace, Tommy Thompson. They toured extensively on the West Coast and Southwest, working with such artists as Chuck Berry, Ricky Nelson, Kenny Rogers, Bo Diddley, Asleep at the Wheel, Merle Haggard and the Byrds.

In the mid-1980's Billy C. relocated to the South where he began a long and productive association with Nashville-based producer/guitarist, Fred James. Dedicated to his Blues/Rockabilly roots, he recorded five CD's of original songs over a 12-year period for various labels. Billy C.'s current release on TKO Magnum is entitled Billy C. Farlow-Rockabilly Blues.

Hot sidemen on these recordings include D.J. Fontana, drummer of Elvis fame; Buddy Holly's original bassist, Joe B. Mauldin; Lonnie Mack, whose recording of "Memphis" and other instrumental classics set the standard for rock guitar playing in the early 1960's; Jimmy Gray, bassist from Waylon Jennings' early days in Nashville; veteran Mississippi slide guitarist Roger Younger and J. T. Thompson former percussionist with rock band Kansas. During this period Billy C. also did extensive studio work on harmonica for Chicago bluesman Homesick James and singer/songwriter Bleu Jackson. Billy C. was reunited in the early 90's with old friend Sam Lay for three CD's including a spirited nightclub performance documented on Appaloosa Records as Sam Lay Blues Band-Live! from the Boardwalk Café in Nashville.

Increased touring, both in the U.S. and Europe followed the success of these recordings and today Billy C is as busy as ever, traveling the world, spreading his musical gospel where ever he goes, and having one hell of a time.