The Axeman's Jazz Explained

The Axeman's Jazz
Type:Studio
Artist:The Beasts of Bourbon
Cover:The Axeman's Jazz.jpg
Released:July 1984
Recorded:October 1983
Studio:Paradise Studios, Sydney Australia
Genre:
Length:41:15
Label:Green/Big Time
BT-7032
Producer:Roger Greirson
Chronology:Beasts of Bourbon
Next Title:Sour Mash
Next Year:1988

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.[1] [2]

Recording

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."[3]

Reception

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".

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."[4]

Track listing

All songs by Spencer P. Jones and Tex Perkins except where noted

  1. "Evil Ruby" – 3:33
  2. "Love and Death" – 4:04
  3. "Graveyard Train" (John Fogerty) – 7:15
  4. "Psycho" (Leon Payne) – 3:57
  5. "Drop Out" (James Baker, Kim Salmon) – 3:04
  6. "Save Me a Place" (Salmon, Perkins) – 5:38
  7. "Lonesome Bones" (Perkins) – 4:33
  8. "The Day Marty Robbins Died" – 3:20
  9. "Ten Wheels for Jesus" (Perkins) – 5:24

Personnel

Beasts of Bourbon

Production

Notes and References

  1. https://texperkins.net.au/discography/ Tex Perkins discography
  2. Walker, C. The Ugliest Band on Earth, Preface from Beasts of Bourbon: Ten Years Behind Bars (Music Sales, 1993), accessed January 14, 2019
  3. Book: Tony Cohen with John Olson . Half Deaf, Completely Mad. 2023. 104. Black Inc. Books. 978-1-74382-308-8.
  4. Lemon . Beasts of Bourbon: Tex talks. Cameron Craig. 13. 1991.