Ray Campi v Jimmie Skinner

I was listening to Jimmie Skinner late last night and when I heard How Low Can You Feel I thought of Ray Campi. The rockabilly bass man is a massive fan of Skinner and his much had a profound effect on him. It was actually via Ray Campi that I got into Jimmie Skinner. My introduction to Campi was courtesy of his wonderful stage act on the Blue Suede Shoes video of many moons ago.

Ray Campi told Now Dig This once that “I must have recorded more Jimmie Skinner tunes than anyone except Jimmie himself.” The ones I know him doing are Doin' My Time, Don't Give Your Heart to a Rambler, Baby You Don't Know My Mind and How Low Can You Feel but I’m sure there’s probably others.

There career’s and styles were completely different but nowadays I can’t think of one without the other. In my job we deal with ramblers and every time someone mentions ramblers I always hum in my head “keep it away from rambling’ Ray”. It’s weird what goes on in your head, unless it’s just me and my buddy in there.

A man of many trades within the industry, Jimmie Skinner tried his hand as a DJ, songwriter, performer, label owner, and record salesman. His first successful composition was Doin My Time in 1941 but he had to wait until 1957 before he had a hit record himself. On Mercury Records he scored with I Found My Girl in the U.S.A. and Dark Hollow, but he never managed to repeat the trick. He tried his luck with loads of labels before his death in 1979.

Everyone reading this page will know the story of Ray Campi. Basically he had a couple of no-hit singles in the 50’s the best known being Caterpillar (I’ll be honest here and say I don’t think much of his early work) before being a key figure in the rockabilly revival of the 70’s, thanks to his sterling work for Ronnie Weiser’s great Rollin’ Rock label.



My favourite songs of the ones both Campi and Skinner recorded are Don't Give Your Heart To A Rambler and How Low Can You Feel. On Rambler I prefer the Skinner original, it’s so well sung and the music has a haunting sound that is perfect. Ray does a fine cover and I love his oh-so country voice and the final flourish “keep it away from rambling’ Ray”.

How Low Can You Feel is another matter. Ray Campi’s version is brilliant and blows Jimmie’s outta the water. The bass sound is so rounded and I love the acoustic rockabilly treatment. The addition of the “thump thump thump” is inspired. Jimmie Skinner’s is a lovely rendition, but it doesn’t have the thump thump thump factor.

Mack Stevens & the Texas Infidels – Kill! Kill! Kill!

Mack Stevens & the Texas Infidels – Kill! Kill! Kill!
Hog Maw Records HM906

Side A: Jasper Town, Let's See You Cheat On Me Again, B-T-K, Perfect Stranger, Skin 'Em Lee. Side B: They'll Call It Murder, Fistful Of Knuckles, The Killin' Dozens, Let Me Drive You Home Dear, The Man Who Could Not Die

The mad man of rockabilly is back. Not that he particularly went away, but his latest is so good, it’s a return to the classy albums he had out on Rollin’ Rock a few years ago. Hog Maw Records are to be commended for this excellent album, in glorious blood red vinyl.

As the title suggests, this latest release is all about death and violence – psychobilly, country style. What I love is that the lyrics are all mean and desperate, but done to an upbeat tune, totally at odds with the words. He’s basically taken a canvas of pink and splashed all over it in black, and in the process has created a masterpiece.

The opener, Jasper Town is a mix of rockabilly, hillbilly and r’n’b done to the backbeat of Rollin’ and Tumblin’ and sets the scene for half an hour of mayhem. Skin 'Em Lee is death and butchery to the sound of a New Orleans party! B-T-K reminds me a bit of the Ray Campi Rollin’ Rock sound – the touch of Ronnie Weiser obviously looms large in the mind of Mack. Fistful Of Knuckles features a wonderful combination of violence and beautifully melodic rockabilly guitar.

The Killin’ Dozens is hot rockin’ blues and I loved the weird Let Me Drive You Home Dear, a rocker with a nice acoustic feel, enhanced by some fine honky tonk piano. The pick of the album for me are the two rockin’ hillbilly numbers Let's See You Cheat On Me Again and The Man Who Could Not Die. The former tells of the wayward nightlife of “stealin’ cars and titty bars” while the latter is a bitter tale of revenge, “I know it’s hard to draw a breath when your ribs are caving in, but girls let’s see you try to cheat on me again”. You can’t beat a good ol’ love song!

I love this album. It’s great to have him back at the top of his game. Mad Mack is Back.