Who likes Michael Hurley?

he is good in concert.

does anyone have "blue navigator"? i've been looking for it forever, but i've just about given up.

I have Blue Navigator on mp3, amt.

Any way you could send it to me???

:-)

I'm hoping to make it to the book mill show this time w/ Feathers and maybe whichever gig mr. bunnybrains is putting on if I can make it (damn those saturdays).

Oh, yes, and I certainly dig 'im as well, though he's a bit of a codger at times.

On Saturday, May 20 at 8:30 PM, some of the finest singer-songwriters
performing today will appear in concert at the historic, intimate
former church occupied by The Sanctuary For Independent Media, 3362
6th Avenue in Troy. Admission for the all-ages show featuring
Michael Hurley, Tara Jane O'Neil and Samara Lubelski is $10.

http://grown-so-ugly.blogspot.com/

lots more shows at D!MEaD0z3n right now. Amateurist, email me at sleeve (at) efn (dot) org if your'e still looking for stuff.

he just recently played his first show in Astoria since moving there a number of years back (after cancelling two previous gigs). My friend who went said it was great.

New album!! It's called Ancestral Swamp, on LP and CD. As usual there are a couple of his standard remakes but it is mostly new stuff, 5 covers, buncha blues tunes, subject matter is swamps and rivers and floods. I heard one track in a coffee shop today but haven't gotten my hands on teh LP yet.

I like it, but I haven't heard his earlier stuff yet so I don't know how it compares. Need to remedy that.

can't go wrong with Wolfways or Snockgrass or Have Moicy

New one's great. As I said on the "2007 Reissues" thread, I think it seem to be mastered more quietly and with less dynamic range than some of his older material--this makes it feel more gray and less bright than some of his older releases. Subdued is the word. But it actually fits pretty well, there aren't any tracks that really scream for an ebullient sound.

He's playing tomorrow in Astoria, an Upper Oregon Coast town about 4 hours from me. My girlfriend used to live there and we are totally road trippin it tomorrow for some live Snock action that I also plan on recording.

oh, he lives there so this is not that unusual, but it has been at least a year or two since he did a hometown gig.

Ggo go go, and let us know how it is!

If he is still selling his homemade 2CDR set with 'Land of Lo Fi & Redbirds' PICK ONE UP!

awesome!

via Byron Coley on bluesky

:(

RIP to a real one.

such a drag. but it's hard to stay sad listening to sleeve's incredible comp — LONG LIVE SNOCK.

hurley doing that george jones song "old old house," fucking devastating

<3 tyler

part of why I made that comp was because there are just so many incredible songs (incl. originals) that never made it onto a record.

I saw him do a totally mindblowing show right before the pandemic in late 2019, like half the set was stuff I had never heard before. I got to give him a set of the five CDRs! I am currently bugging my contacts for a tape of that show, as I know it was in fact recorded.

rip to one of the best. so glad i got to see him when he played out here must be around a decade ago now!

regarding my comp, "In A Dress" is the one that always slays me, esp cause I was actually at that show

I heard a little more about his final days but not sure if I’m allowed to share.

Some charming voicemails with songs and greetings.

damn I don't do IG. YSI?

I don't have any way to download it or anything, but I think it's possible to view/hear without logging in (but understand if you don't want to do that - maybe she'll add them to YouTube or something).

oh I see, thanks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLOzSfsWEn4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=letOfJmWb2k

From the Guardian's obituary:

Mike Quinn, founder of No Quarter Records, said that Hurley had “just finished a new album. It was mastered the week before he died, and he was very proud of it (as he should be… it’s outstanding). Hopeful it will see the light of day soon.”

Thanks for these posts yall! The music keeps coming.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh6GOGbLnU8

just seen this. RIP to a great. loved seeing him play. some great great songs in his book.

re-listened to the Ida Con Snock album today, really great one with my fave versions of "Wildegeeses" and "Hog Of The Forsaken"

dumb question because I think I know the answer: are the Feeding Tube live records worth it? Redbirds at Folk City and Living Lujbuanja(sp)

yep they're great! (n.b. I am biased)

yeah i love both of 'em. there should be more live snock releases!

there's also this one, but digital only:
https://www.discogs.com/release/18600946-Michael-Hurley-Live-Ateliers-Claus

and the Growlin'Bobo release which was originally tape and then CDr:
https://www.discogs.com/master/633398-Michael-Hurley-Growlin-Bobo

ah, don't think I've heard the ateliers one, thanks! someone should put the growlin bobo thing on LP, it's killer.

thanks. growlin bobo is so great--i really want it on vinyl for the music but having the cover art be the tape cover would be amazing.

also this one is new to me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpsWd288fDI

^^ that's the gig on the Feeding Tube "Redbirds"! I think, there are two consecutive nights recorded

ooooh sweet, i just ordered Redbirds

i bought the other one too. sleeve that comp you put up is killer, thank you!

<3

Does Michael use any swear words in his songs BESIDES Slurf Song? I can't think of one.

Nat'l Weed Growers Assoc has one, I think that's it though!

oh and on the live "Blue Navigator" from Growlin' Bobo too

those FUCKin lil Martians

From a friend who talked to his manager (please refrain from sharing in print without consent):

Michael insisted on playing the Big Ears Festival in spite of not doing at all well. He came off the plane in a wheelchair and was in very bad pain. Everyone was concerned and urged him to go the hospital. He refused, saying “If I go in, I’m not coming out.” Word is the four shows he did (three in addition to Big Ears) were quite good, in spite of everything. Back on the plane to Portland via wheelchair; a friend met him at the airport and he died in the car on the way home.

fucking hero

Truly the greatest

Friends think he knew it was the end. Michael had said “I love you,” to [his manager] a couple times on the phone, something he’d never done before.

a legend <3

holy shit

damn

have we learned the cause of death? benevolent badassery?

Thanks a lot for that, Evan.

really great stuff here

https://www.furious.com/perfect/michaelhurleyrip.html

I met Michael Hurley in 1963, through Steve Weber, who I met through my ex, Antonia. Hurley had red hair, and looked like a cute idealized leprechaun, but bigger, of course. However, when I saw him a few months later, he looked like hell. Unsurprisingly, soon after this, he went into the hospital. It was months after that when I heard a knock on my door.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"A yoyo," a familiar voice replied.

I opened the door. It was Hurley. A robustly, red cheeked, healthy Hurley. Glowing, even. I was shocked.

"What happened to you?," was all I could say.

"I was really sick, so I went to the hospital. They said I had mono, TB, and a heroin habit. They told me, 'boy, are you sick,' and made me check in."

I think he said he had one or two other things as well, but I've forgotten what.

"You look great!" I said, and repeated, "What happened?"

"I got this book. Someone brought it to me in the hospital."

He handed me a paperback teach-yourself-yoga book.

"I learned to stand on my head," he said. "I started doing it on the bed, but I kept falling off, so I used the floor instead."

"Are you done with the book?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said. "Want it?"

He handed it to me. That's when I started doing yoga.

Thanks! Stampfel's memory profile is a great compliment to Hurley's amazing two-part interview, and answers in writing seem to be perfect for him (linked herein, yall).
Democracy Now! continues (not every night, but pretty often) to play excerpts from Hurley performing in their studio: rich stuff, and sometimes I don't realize who it is 'til Amy Goodman says his name---had a range.

Yo sleeve: if you (or any of yall) can ever link some Weber-led (Pacific Northwest only?) Rounders, I would very much like to hear that thx agn

yah sure

Holy Modal Rounders
December 1972
Jekyll and Hyde's Tavern
Portland, OR
fm>?>cdr circa early 2000's
cdr>xact>flac March 28 2018

cd1
1 Year Of Jubilo
2 Snake In the Grass
3 STP
4 Open Book
5 Pink Underwear
6 Half A Mind
7 Low Down Dog
8 Bird Song
9 City Women
10 Hop-Eyed Lady

cd2
1 Bossa Nova
2 Band Intro
3 TV Song
4 Smoky Joe's Cafe
5 Euphoria
6 Snappin' Pussy
7 Moving Day

Steve Weber - vocals, guitar
Teddy Deane - tenor, alto saxophones, clarinets, flute
Robin Remaily - vocals, guitar, fiddle, mandolin
Dave Reisch - bass
Roger North - drums
Richard Tyler - piano
plus guests
Billy Holtz - washboard
John LeRoy Williams - conga

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/7zwvth2fvl1yab2o1wjgl/AEbCsfmB6rXkvtIXxUX8eY4?rlkey=gc3ucz7t80t02mrf3ldfcfqoy&dl=0

Sweet, thanks so much!

Thanks sleeve!