The Axeman's Jazz is the debut album by Australian blues rock band Beasts of Bourbon which was recorded in October 1983 and originally released in 1984 on the Green/Big Time label.[2][3]
| The Axeman's Jazz | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 1984 | |||
| Recorded | October 1983 | |||
| Studio | Paradise Studios, Sydney Australia | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 41:15 | |||
| Label | Green/Big Time BT-7032 | |||
| Producer | Roger Greirson | |||
| Beasts of Bourbon chronology | ||||
| ||||
Recording edit
The album was recorded in one day, live to 2-track, with the final mix being done as the band played. Engineer Tony Cohen said the band, "were not going to play something three times. They'd get sick of it." "Psycho" was the only song given longer attention, with the band listening to the Jack Kittel version to learn the chords prior to recording. When leaving the studio, Cohen said, "Spencer was so drunk, they had to pick him up the arms and the legs and dump him in the carpark."[4]
Reception edit
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
In the review on Allmusic, Kathleen C. Fennessy said "Considering how little time was actually spent on recording it, The Axeman's Jazz is a surprisingly accomplished debut. If not quite as successful as 1988's follow-up, Sour Mash, it remains an energetic collection of grungy swamp rock with a side of countrified blues".[1]
In 1991, Perkins said, "We stretched doing "Pycho" out for as long as possible because we knew people liked hearing it, but we won't be doing it anymore. Every show we hear the familiar cry of 'Ten Wheels for fucking Jesus.... ya cunt!' We haven't done it in fuckin' five years but someone will always ask for it. It's a really dumb fuckin' thrashed out piece of hillbilly idiocy."[5]
Track listing edit
All songs by Spencer P. Jones and Tex Perkins except where noted
- "Evil Ruby" – 3:33
- "Love and Death" – 4:04
- "Graveyard Train" (John Fogerty) – 7:15
- "Psycho" (Leon Payne) – 3:57
- "Drop Out" (James Baker, Kim Salmon) – 3:04
- "Save Me a Place" (Salmon, Perkins) – 5:38
- "Lonesome Bones" (Perkins) – 4:33
- "The Day Marty Robbins Died" – 3:20
- "Ten Wheels for Jesus" (Perkins) – 5:24
Personnel edit
- Beasts of Bourbon
- Tex Perkins – vocals
- Spencer P. Jones – guitar
- Kim Salmon – guitar
- Boris Sudjovic – bass
- James Baker – drums
Production edit
- Tony Cohen – engineer
- Roger Greirson – executive producer
References edit
- ^ a b c d Fennessy, Kathleen C.. Beasts of Bourbon – The Axeman's Jazz: Review at AllMusic. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
- ^ Tex Perkins discography accessed January 14, 2019
- ^ Walker, C. The Ugliest Band on Earth, Preface from Beasts of Bourbon: Ten Years Behind Bars (Music Sales, 1993), accessed January 14, 2019
- ^ Tony Cohen with John Olson (2023). Half Deaf, Completely Mad. Black Inc. Books. p. 104. ISBN 978-1-74382-308-8.
- ^ Cameron Craig (1991). "Beasts of Bourbon: Tex talks". Lemon. No. 13.