jack oblivian
WHEN I MET JACK [OBLIVIAN], HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON I MET WHO DIDN’T SOUND LIKE ANYBODY I’D EVER HEARD. HE WASN’T TRYING TO SOUND LIKE ANYBODY I COULD PUT MY FINGER ON. SURE, HE HAD LOTS OF INFLUENCES, AND HE WOULD TELL YOU RIGHT AWAY WHAT THEY WERE... MOST PEOPLE WERE VERY TAKEN WITH WHATEVER THE MUSIC OF THE TIME WAS OR WHATEVER THEIR SOCIAL SCENE WAS INTO. HE JUST SEEMED LIKE HE WAS JUST FLYING HIS OWN FLAG.
— GREG CARTWRIGHT
THE RETURN OF WALTER DANIELS MEETS JACK OBLIVIAN AND THE SHEIKS
This 7” record plays at 33 rpm and has 5 tracks. Black & Wyatt Records is co-releasing the record with Ghost Highway Recordings and the release date is on Halloween - October 31, 2023. Here is what Walter Daniels has to say about the record:
Jack Oblivian came to Austin - playing a venue called Feels So Good. I joined Jack and the Sheiks for the "Old Folks Boogie" and later my wife, Nettie Reynolds told me I should record with this band. Now, in my past I can't say I really got that sort of support for my musical endeavors, but of course I am a harmonica player. I had recorded in the past with Jack and some of the Sheiks- in Seth Moody's basement and Jack was on the tubs. So it was really exciting to conceive of recording with the all of the Sheiks involved.
I've known Jack Oblivian since the 90's - he's a tremendous songwriter, brilliant home recording master, multi- instrumentalist, and always delivers 110 percent live. Having him mix these tunes- along with Keith Cooper- was a great thrill. Check out the Muddy Waters' obscurity, "Read Way Back" and Jack delivers the Chess hoodoo goods! Too many musicians these days with massive notoriety out there that aren't capable of carrying Jack's punk rock jockstrap- nothing I can do about that and other injustices. When we talked about what songs to do- Jack brought up the Rolling Stones's Rice Krispies jingle- which he sings here. Grab up a bowl and dig in! - Walter Daniels
reviews
Walter Daniels talks recording: I played chromatic harmonica on "Read Way Back", which was a lot of fun. Chromatic has the slide (like the black keys on the piano), so you could play in any key. Mostly I play diatonic harmoinca, the meat and gravy!!!
So grateful to have Jack and Keith mix these tunes, they did a great job. I've always wanted to have Jack mix songs for me - so really a blast. - Monstres Sacres | READ MORE
Issued in an edition of 300 with three color variants of 100 each, the [original album] wax for “We Have Both” is long gone but the tracks are still available digitally. It’s a finely fucked-up affair, but this second meeting is even better, opening with a raw-ass pounding of Willie Dixon’s “Seventh Son” (which most folks know either from its original recording by Willie Mabon or subsequent covers by Mose Allison and Johnny Rivers). -Vinyl District | REAd more
Lost Weekend By Jack OBLIVIAN AND THE DREAM KILLERS
On May 17th 2019, Black & Wyatt Records released a 16 track compilation of mostly home studio recordings for songs that are mainstays in Jack Oblivian’s performances. The album is Lost Weekend by Jack Oblivian and the Dream Killers and the vinyl record can be ordered on Bandcamp. The record has also be released (one different track) by Ghost Highway Recordings in Spain and Beluga Records in Sweden.
“Lost weekend” reviews
Memphis based "garage rocker" Jack (Yarber) Oblivian, formerly with Johnny Vomit & the Dry Heaves among other groups, recently released this adrenalin charge on Black & Wyatt Records and someone (I don't know who) sent it my way thinking I might like it even though the sound is, let's say "primitive" (no top, not much bottom, just some stuff in the middle) in a good way (some recorded to 4 track M.C.I.) but all of it purposefully squashed in a way that reminded me of Don Van Vliet ("Sweet Thang"), but maybe that's because the performances did too, though its far more punk-rocky and less bluesy.
Today was much needed room cleaning so I chose things I didn't need to sit between the speakers to evaluate, including both volumes of Third Man's incredible Ann Arbor Blues Festival 1969 (review shortly) and I figured this might fit that bill and it sure did! The problem was once it started churning from the getgo I had to stop what I was doing to find out who this guy was and what was his history. -Analog Planet
interviews + podcasts
There is much to hear on this LP and above anything else it will stand testament to the biting vocal delivery and often obtuse sounding guitar licks from a man whom very much wears many musical hats. -From the Bottom of the Record Box | LISTEN HERE
“The Tape’s Always Rolling” | Interview with filmmaker + ARtist Mike McCarthy | Read Here
Photo by Kristen Hobbs in 1995 in New Orleans
photos
By Dan Ball
“Lone Ranger OF LOVE”
WITH THE SHEIKS
The Sheiks have been Jack’s band since 2014 and have performed as a trio of Keith Cooper (lead guitar), Frank McLallen (bass guitar) and Graham Winchester (drums) since 2012. In 2015, Seth Moody joined Jack’s band on saxophone, keyboards and guitar.
Black & Wyatt Records has reissued The Lone Ranger of Love first released by MONY on February 16, 2016. The 1000 records from the initial release have all been sold.
“Lone Ranger OF LOVE” REVIEWS
