I mostly listen to alt-country and bluegrass these days (which as a teenager, I would've never believed could ever fucking happen). But every once in a while, like tonight, I'm reminded of how much I used to like Rage Against the Machine. You know, before they broke up. Tonight I was listening to their last studio album, Renegades, which is a collection of cover songs. A terrific and wildly diverse collection of cover songs. It is without a doubt my favorite Rage album. I dug all their stuff beginning with their 1992 debut, but looking back, too much of their original material seems a tad sophomoric and at times pretentious. But Renegades is just pure fun. It's an inspired grouping of covers that all showcase guitarist Tom Morello at his most wildly inventive. Unfortunately, I didn't feel the same about any of the Audioslave material that followed the dissolution of Rage. Perhaps in part because Chris Cornell's voice reminds me of someone trying to sing after they've been up all night vomiting. In other words, I'm not a fan. Not that Rage vocalist Zack de la Rocha is all that golden-throated or really even that great of a rapper. But nevertheless something about the combo worked. For me at least. So basically what I'm saying is, Rage, I miss you. I know you're supposedly working on a new album. Here's hoping it's your best yet. Regardless, I'll be listening.

Now back to my Flatt and Scruggs.

EXILE ON MAIN ST. is raw and ragged and frayed.  It is gravelly and out of tune.  It is thundering and reckless.  It is as perfect a rock album as you will ever hear, yet all along the way it seems to barely be holding itself together, like a train threatening to jump the track at every turn.  In other words, it is the Rolling Stones in their purest form.

The Stones were not the Beatles.  The Stones didn't craft meticulously refined studio symphonies.  Instead they stumbled over themselves and played until their fingers bled and sometimes it worked and sometimes it was shit.

As recounted by engineer Andy Johns in THE ROLLING STONES: IT'S ONLY ROCK & ROLL: "They were the worst bloody band on the planet, the worst bunch of musicians in the world, they could be for days at a time. Really fucking horrible. And you sit there wondering how on earth are we going to get anything out of this. They would play very badly, and that's how they played most of the time, very poorly, and out of tune... They were the worst band in the planet, BUT, when it happened, they were transformed almost instantly from this dreadful band into the Rolling Stones, and they'd blow you away. It was almost magical."

That's the Stones of EXILE, recklessly stumbling their way to rock and roll perfection.

Don Was and Mick Jagger going into the studio in 2010 to re-record vocals for new bonus tracks?  That's not EXILE.

Like a lot of folks, I was all excited for the new EXILE ON MAIN ST. Deluxe Edition that was released last week.  It's newly remastered and features ten new songs, all relics from the original EXILE sessions at Keith's rented palace in the south of France.  Unfortunately, some have newly recorded vocals courtesy of Jagger and producer Was (one song, "Following the River," didn't even have lyrics until now).  The best thing I can say about these bonus tracks is that they're not an utter waste of time.  Anything that features previously unheard piano tracks by the late great Nicky Hopkins can't be all bad. But hearing modern Mick's voice laid over tracks from that era just doesn't sound right.  And it certainly doesn't FEEL right.  If those songs didn't work in the moment, then they're certainly not going to be made to work 40 years later, because those Stones don't exist anymore.  They barely existed back then.  Since EXILE was released in 1972, the Stones have made one almost-great album (SOME GIRLS) and several more that haven't even come close.  EXILE was not only their career high-point but really the beginning of the end.  A long, sad end.  One that's still lumbering along in its protracted death throws.

So anyway, this is my long-winded way of saying: buy EXILE ON MAIN ST. but skip the second disc of bonus tracks, especially if this is your first time hearing the album.  Like much of what the Stones do these days, the new Deluxe Edition feels like little more than a cash grab.  For my part, I spent a few bucks more for a physical CD instead of just downloading the songs because the CD came with a 12 page booklet which I assumed would be filled with all sorts of liner notes offering fascinating insights into my all-time favorite album.  Instead I got 10 pages of photos and two pages of song listings.  Thanks, Mick.  I love you too.

At least we'll always have EXILE.  Disc One, at least.

Saw these guys in Salt Lake City the other night. A kick-ass two man band, and yeah, that drum kit consists of a bass drum and a bunch of plastic buckets held together with duct tape. And trust me, that dude plays the fuck out of those buckets.

Me and Ande Parks (writer of the terrific UNION STATION and CAPOTE IN KANSAS) saw Springsteen and the E Street Band at the Sprint Center here in Kansas City last night. As big a Springsteen fan as I am (and I'm a big one, in case you didn't know) this was actually the first time I'd ever seen The Boss live. Why the hell did I wait so long? I got to hear some of my all-time favorite songs, like "Born to Run," "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out," "Youngstown" and "Candy's Room," as well as tour firsts like "Devils and Dust" and "Cynthia." Bruce played for over 3 hours and looked like he could've played for 3 more when he finally ducked back into the darkness with the crowd still roaring (no way is that man 60 years old). And eventhough there were about 20,000 people there, it was an incredibly intimate show, with Bruce shaking hands with pretty much the entire front rows and even crawling atop the crowd at a couple points. It was unquestionably one of the best shows I've ever seen and probably as close to a religious experience as I've ever come at a concert. Definitely got inspiration for at least another 30 issues of SCALPED just being there. Thanks, Bruce.

This is a big week for SCALPED. Issue #14 of the regular series is out this week, the second part of our big new arc, "Dead Mothers," as well as the second trade, CASINO BOOGIE, featuring an introduction by Garth Ennis. In honor of that, here's another installment in our ongoing "Director's Commentary," featuring Guéra talking about the music that influences his vision for SCALPED:

Hello.

It’s realism. Realism and shadows.

What “sounds” like this?

Cause, no matter how weird this reads - for me Scalped IS a feel.

OK, let’s just dig into music to help us…it’s what it’s for.

(but, please bear in mind that when I do put some of these below to play, it’s always two or three CDs in a row, so…go figure what illustrates what (ha,ha)…but I must say that this list is tremendously difficult for me…in fact ANY list, really…)

1.(just about anything by) Bob Dylan.
But if I must, well in last few months “Seven Days” & “Things have Changed” were enjoyed more than others, I suppose.
(…no comments on Bob. I think people should just shut up & keep on listening. Y’know…).

2. Neil Young
(if you know what I mean.) No comment. No comment… Just, y’know…

Other(s) with no special order:

·Blind Willie Johnson…(…)…

·Fumblin’ With The Blues: Tom Waits·

·Ice Cream Man: Tom Waits·

·Ah well, come on - ALL of early Waits·

·Do I Move You: Nina Simone·
(sexiest musical piece in history, I DID listen to this while drawing Carol-Dash sex scene …When not, I tried to remember it…This is officially admitted now, eh, I never told this to anyone before. I actually & directly used this song for that scene).

·CD “Source Point” by John Hammond.
Each & every track. He never reached this level again. It’s 11 tracks like one song. One session. One morning (which it probably was).

·Okie Dokie Stomp: Gatemouth Brown·
Wonderful guitar playing, one of few that can naturally transmit emotion AND fun. Also, tremendously influential but totally underrated…

·As The years Go Passing By (live version form ’77): Albert King·
…voice, guitar(s), Gallagher there, final rhythm change, song…
(It’s heavy stuff when you really open your heart to the audience. But for real, eh. Not jumping all over stage. Digging is the word. I know people who are sarcastic towards something like this, as it’s SO openly emotional & so openly loves somebody. And says it. People run away from this, because they can’t believe it’s true I suppose. Try it…)

·Wicked Act: Black Uhuru.
Tremendous piece. So soft but so deeply harsh at the same time…Go out & buy anything from ’77 ‘till ’83. they recorded. Just…NOTHING sounds like them…

·Ventilator Blues: Rolling Stones·

·Happy: Rolling Stones· but c’mone, ALL “Exile…” & more around this album.

·Go Back Home: Stephen Stills·
Nice. Simply nice & refreshing in any list combination. Way back from ’71. Clapton at his best at the end. Hendrix also plays in that album.

· Johnny Cash.
…Just this name. Anything by this name.

·Roller Coaster: Little Walter·
(this one has some strange power over me….I always felt it as sound of the moment -about early in the morning, when you can't drink a drop more, as you drank a gallon last night. You slept a bit but you’re not sure where, you’re at your way home, and suddenly – some totally unexpected energy comes in. Maybe it’s just morning sun, y’know. But you do feel this weird clearness where it shouldn’t appear. If you ever had a stroke of that feel – this song explains it for me…)

·Blues In C: Modern Jazz Quartet·
(Deep, slow, elegant, dignifying…& blue. VERY.)

· Howlin’ Wolf ·…these two words need nothing added…

·You Got The Silver: Susan Tedechi & Derek Trucks·
Fresh & with some absolutely incredible guitar playing. Duanne is among us again. But this time for real.

·Million Miles Away: (live version) Rory Gallagher·

·In Your Town: Rory Gallagher·

·Allman Bros. Live At Fillmore East (this is ONE song for me)·

·Suitcase Blues: Hollywood Fats·
very few things achieve class of classic, by being totally classic. Well, this one does. Instantly.

·London Calling: Clash· …but in fact - all Clash. All. God, was I proud when Johnny Cash recorded with Strummer…

·Any Peter Green with Fleetwood Mac·
One & only Peter. No white boy comes even close to this guitar… Backed up by Kirwain, and rock-solid rhythm. Awh, peoples. “Jam At Chess” & ”Boston live” maybe more than anything.
…(…)…

I stop, I stop, Jesus Christ, this list REALLY could be endless. I never even touched actual bands & players. It’s just that I have hundreds of CDs from “way back” & I’m used to play ‘em…

The best I could say maybe, is that MUSIC is part of Scalped…As long as it’s visually clear it can’t be bad music, does it really matter which?…

Thank you
R.M.Guéra

Ps…& has ANYBODY of you heard of Watermelon Slim?… And those not among us any more like Juke Boy Bonner, Magic Sam?… And what about Gerry Mulligan?
Awh peoples…

The first trade paperback collection of SCALPED was realeased a couple weeks ago, which represents a personal milestone a long time in the making. It was February 2005 and I was standing at the bus stop after a day spent working my shitty day job, when I got a call from editor Will Dennis at Vertigo. I was already writing THE OTHER SIDE for Will, and he was calling to let me know that The Powers That Be had just greenlighted my other idea, SCALPED. Later that same week, I also got a new car and got married, so it proved to be a pretty life changing couple of days. Now here I am, more than two years later, very proud of how SCALPED turned out and very excited about the direction of my career.

And on a completely different note, here's my personal soundtrack for SCALPED Vol. 1. These are either songs that I listened to while working on the book or songs that directly inspired it.

“Ou Es-Tu, Mon Amour?” – Willie Nelson
From Willie's hauntingly beautiful 1998 album Teatro.

“Custer” – Johnny Cash
I probably listened to this song a hundred times while writing SCALPED. It's from the album Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian.

“Rip This Joint” – Rolling Stones
From what's probably the greatest rock album of all time, Exile on Main Street.

“Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee” – Buffy Saint-Marie
A great song about jailed Native rights activist Leonard Peltier. I'm not a huge Indigo Girls fan, but they've also done a good version of it.

“Nebraska” – Bruce Springsteen
A powerful song from an amazingly stark yet incredibly rich album.

“For A Few Dollars More” – Ennio Morricone
Brian Azzarello's LOVELESS ain't the only Vertigo book that has a bit of spaghetti western in it.

“Hello Trouble” – Buck Owens
AKA, "The Ballad of Dash and Carol."

“7 Months, 39 Days” – Hank Williams III
If I could take one real person and write them as a character in SCALPED, it would be Hank III. Complete with duct tape covered boots and that hat that looks like it's been backed over by a truck.

“Stagger Lee” -- Nick Cave
From Cave's 1996 album Murder Ballads, another one of my favorites.

“Death Around the Corner” -- 2Pac
I also listen to a lot of 2Pac while working on SCALPED. I think the paranoia and fear and anger he exhibits on songs like this could play as a straight soundtrack for a lot of the characters on our fictional rez.

“Down Yonder” – Willie Nelson
Another great Willie instrumental, from perhaps his greatest album, Red Headed Stranger.

“I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive” – Hank Williams
As the saying goes, if you don't like Hank Williams, you can kiss my ass.

“The Devil’s Right Hand” – Steve Earle
I have no doubt that in a different reality where Steve Earle never learned to play guitar, he would've been one of the world's greatest short story writers.

“O Bury Me Not” – Sons of the Pioneers
No, that's not a joke. I listen to a lot of music by the old singing cowboys.

“Memo From Turner” – Mick Jagger
From the soundtrack to Jagger's 1970 film Performance. Don't know quite what it is about this song, but I can't ever get enough of it.

“You Show Me Yours”– Kris Kristofferson
One of my favorite songs from one of the men (not just songwriters but men from any walk of life) who I most admire.

“Rock Hard In A Funky Place” -- Prince
Prince's Black Album is Carol's favorite, no doubt about it.

“Where Did You Sleep Last Night” – Leadbelly
I listen to this song all the time too, and I imagine it's just as haunting now as it was back in 1944.

“Round Dance” – Northern Cree Singers
My favorite performers of traditonal Native American drumming. These guys are riveting.