I should use Google. Ok..........so I'm Allowed comes from Buffalo Tom's 93 album Red Letter Day. Post grunge and Bill's dad was unhappy that there wasn't enough guitars on the album. That last bit is a fact remembered rather than a googled memory.
Now what I really like about the recording of this song is the lack of a string section. If the band had been British, signed to Creation and three or four years younger then there would have been an almighty string section all over this pushing it from alt-rock ballad into wannabe anthem. Instead a bit more guitar does the work of nine string sessionaires earning by the hour.
They do, however, walk a fine line with the minor chords at the beginning suggesting more than a hint of some Irish band that shall remain bigger than their cheesus. Also reminds me of Eric Matthew's Fanfare which, rightly so, has been covered by many a blog over the years.
I have had the pleasure of meeting Bill Janovitz on occasion; my sis and her fella are really good friends with him. I once got thrown out of a Bill solo gig where he was touring with Mark Eitzel. I'd done nothing but some (female)friends of mine who were there for Bill were drunkenly heckling Eitzel, singing Bill's Gorgeous to the tune of Babybird. He called them the Spice Girls.
ReplyDeleteThe event later turned up in Eitzel's biography, described as the moment he really felt ugly. I still feel a little ashamed of just being there that night, even though in hindsight it was pretty funny.
I feel your pain Simon. I remember when Craig threw an empty Marlboro Light packet at Jake Shillingford from My Life Story only for it to bounce off the nose of one of the lovely string players. Was a right div was that Craig when he'd had a few.
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