THE WICKED PICKETT PT.1

[Mike Pell]

This week's featured artist is Wilson Pickett
Pickett did a good deal to establish the sound of Southern soul with his early hits, which were often written and recorded with the cream of the session musicians in Memphis and Muscle Shoals.
Before establishing himself as a solo artist, Pickett sang with the Falcons, who had a Top Ten R&B hit in 1962 with I Found a Love.
If You Need Me (covered by the Rolling Stones) and It's Too Late were R&B hits for the singer before he hooked up with Atlantic Records, who sent him to record at Stax in Memphis in 1965.
One early result was In the Midnight Hour.
It was an R&B chart-topper and a substantial pop hit (number 21), though its influence was stronger than that respectable position might indicate: thousands of bands, black and white, covered In the Midnight Hour on-stage and record in the 1960s.
We go pretty in depth here, playing some very early things that may have gotten by you without ever hearing them.
Of course, we will be playing all those great hits of his too.

 

Here's the link to a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, at WLSO.FM:

 

http://wlso.fm/wordpress/archives/2008

 
Mike

 

[Mike Pell]

RJ,

That's ok, I will tell you all about Wilson here.

That na na na na sounds like, in print anyway, Land Of A 1,000 Dances.

If not, I don't know if I did play it, lol!

James Brown was around first, going back to the 50's- but I like Pickett's voice better, Brown was good, but a shouter.

The Midnight Hour is a cool story- and Steve Cropper was brilliant to pick up on it.

The same Cropper who wrote so many songs and was a member of Booket T & The MG's.

Oh good, it WAS Land Of A 1,000 Dances, lol!

Connecting Kiss to Wilson Pickett, you are amazing, lol!

Incidentally, I listened to the 1st Kiss CD- liked a surprising amount of it, and if I had to pick the best rocker for me, it was I Stole Your Love (never heard many of them).

"A wrestler used that as his theme song years ago, but I can't remember who"- can't help you, I am a hockey fanatic, lol!

"Ride Sally ride", that's an awesome hook right there"- if you can, give a listen to a GREAT version by the Rascals, or the Young Rascals as they were known when they did it!

Ah, we agree on Wilson's better voice!

As for the soul music, I try to dip all over the place- there is some really fine music in there, and the more you hear the more you broaden your musical knowledge and appreciation.

I've have had a horrendous week, but I will get around to broadening my horizons by listening to your show #3.

Thanks for taking the chance, and for writing- who knows what I'll play next, lol?
Mike

[RJhog (Admin)]

Hey Mike,

I'm not particularly familiar with Wilson Picket, but I do remember he did a rocking song that featured "na,na na na na, na na na na na na na na na na, na na na na".  I'm sure you'll play it but I have no idea what the name of it is.  That first song had a section in the middle of it that made me think of it.

 

He difinitely reminds me of James Brown, or maybe I should say JB reminds me of WP.  I don't really know who was around first.  He as a really strong voice, as you can hear with the song by The Falcons, and I did realize he mentioned the midnight hour.  How old is that recording?  Not complaining, I love the sound of it.

 

"If you need me, call me"...I like that song a lot.  What a great, old sound.

 

Great story about how "The Midnight Hour" came about. 

 

There's the song.  He said "let your backbone slip".  That's incredible.  Why?  Because Gene Simmons used that lyric in a song on Kiss' last album, Sonic Boom.  There I go connecting Kiss to Wilson Pickett.  I think you said the title is "Land Of A Thousand Dances".  That's a cool freaking song.  And you're right, I never heard the title mentioned in the song.  One more thing, a wrestler used that as his theme song years ago, but I can't remember who.

 

I've heard Mustang Sally before.  Didn't know that was WP.  "Ride Sally ride".  That's an awesome hook right there.

 

By the way, when I said he reminded me of JB, it's strictly in his inflections.  He has a much better pure voice than JB, my opinion of course.

 

I must say, I didn't expect much here.  I'm not a lover of soul music, but this show rocked (in a soulful kind of way).