Joe Ely - Honky Tonk Masquerade

Message Bookmarked
Bookmark Removed

http://www.ely.com/images/TORNADO.JOE.jpg

Poll Results

OptionVotes
"West Texas Waltz" 3
"Boxcars" 2
"Honky Tonk Masquerade" 1
"Jericho (Your Walls Must Come Tumbling Down)" 1
"Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown" 1
"Fingernails" 0
"I'll Be Your Fool" 0
"Cornbread Moon" 0
"Because of the Wind" 0
"Honky Tonkin'" 0


Euler, Wednesday, 23 March 2011 17:18 (fourteen years ago)

In which our hero befriends the Clash and amps it up even more than usual.

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 23 March 2011 17:36 (fourteen years ago)

I bought this album on the advice of the late 80s Rolling Stone guide, something about the Clash, five stars. I didn't really get the Clash thing upon listening, nothing particularly punky about the album, but the songs are all classics. Of course "Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown" was a classic already b/c of the Flatlanders, though I don't know how well-known they were in 1978.

I voted for "West Texas Waltz" for its lyrical double helices in the sky over Lubbock.

Euler, Wednesday, 23 March 2011 17:40 (fourteen years ago)

killer album. voted for "boxcars."

that's not my post, Thursday, 24 March 2011 11:56 (fourteen years ago)

Between "Downtown" and the title track for me. Went with the latter. (And though I always liked this album, I wouldn't say it towers above Down On The Drag or Musta Notta Gotta Lotta, which I always felt were a bit underrated. Have the self-titled debut on CD, too, and picked up a copy of his weird mid '80s synthy AOR LP Hi Res for $1 last year. But these days if I had to vote for a favorite Ely LP, I'd go with Live Shots, I think.)

I remember having a Flatlanders reissue (I think?) on maybe Charly Records out of the U.K. in the early '80s; not sure whether it was available by 1978 or not. I get the idea they were barely known at all then.

xhuxk, Thursday, 24 March 2011 13:11 (fourteen years ago)

"West Texas Waltz" - so good.

If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Thursday, 24 March 2011 13:38 (fourteen years ago)

perfect album - Jericho, Boxcars or in a rowdy pre-saturday night Jerry Lee Lewis mood i might even vote for Fingernails.

thanks for excuse to listen again.

attention zabahz shoppers... (m coleman), Saturday, 26 March 2011 11:28 (fourteen years ago)

Oh, wait, Xhuxx's post reminded me that it was "Musta Notta Gotta Lotta" that captured Ely post Clash tour (he sings backup on "Should I Stay Or Should I Go," too; impressive that he was on the Clash's radar). But yeah, this one and self-titled are awesome. I have a remastered two-fer combining them.

Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 26 March 2011 16:40 (fourteen years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

System, Monday, 28 March 2011 23:01 (fourteen years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

System, Tuesday, 29 March 2011 23:01 (fourteen years ago)

one year passes...

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-joe-ely-stolen-guitar-theft-burglary-20130313,0,7713031.story

Stolen 27 years ago, returned now, and nearly stolen again

curmudgeon, Friday, 15 March 2013 13:55 (twelve years ago)

What an ugly guitar.

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 15 March 2013 14:17 (twelve years ago)

I was expecting some vintage Fender or something, not some blue active pickup monstrosity.

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 15 March 2013 14:18 (twelve years ago)

two months pass...

Made a cdr of this and the s/t for the car--such sick steel playing on both!

Mr. Mojo Readin' (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 6 June 2013 22:04 (twelve years ago)

Lloyd Maines?

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 6 June 2013 22:23 (twelve years ago)

Yes, Maines. this album is sick. shame about a low poll response

g simmel, Thursday, 6 June 2013 22:32 (twelve years ago)

I need to listen to this some more

curmudgeon, Friday, 7 June 2013 17:04 (twelve years ago)

classic all the way

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

that's not my post, Saturday, 8 June 2013 06:20 (twelve years ago)

five months pass...

Kinda bummed I missed him last night live nearby in Alexandria, Virginia. Just noticed this recent special thing about Lubbock he did:

http://www.broadwayworld.com/houston/article/BWW-Reviews-Jaston-Williams-Joe-Elys-LIFE-AFTER-LUBBOCK-Shines-Big-and-Bright-20131110

The writer acknowledged being unfamiliar with Ely, but there's a little substance in there

curmudgeon, Friday, 22 November 2013 19:36 (twelve years ago)

http://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2000-05-19/77249/

Circa 2000 article with Ely re meeting the Clash and hanging out and playing on bills with them

curmudgeon, Friday, 22 November 2013 19:41 (twelve years ago)

"They told me they were coming to America and I asked where they wanted to play. 'Laredo, El Paso' -- they were naming off all these gunfighter ballad towns from Marty Robbins songs. 'Well I don't know about that,' I said, 'but we could play Lubbock together.' And they were like, 'Lubbock! All right!'

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 22 November 2013 20:20 (twelve years ago)

nine months pass...

Anybody know about this:

Ely's new novel, Reverb: An Odyssey, published by our LettersAt3amPress

curmudgeon, Saturday, 20 September 2014 20:34 (eleven years ago)

four months pass...

http://www.lancecowanmedia.com/#!texas-music/c12cs

cover story in a Texas music mag, mentions novel and new album

curmudgeon, Tuesday, 20 January 2015 20:24 (eleven years ago)

four months pass...

Saw him do a casual, laidback folk-rock meets Tex-mex gig with great Tex-Mex style/conjunto accordionist Joel Guzman last night. Some good stories in between about Texas life. Nice encore duet with female opening act Lucette on "The Long Black Veil" (I know the Johnny Cash version). Harmonies...

curmudgeon, Tuesday, 2 June 2015 13:17 (ten years ago)

four months pass...

Joe Ely's got a new album out--- Panhandle Rambler

curmudgeon, Tuesday, 6 October 2015 16:19 (ten years ago)

nine years pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WH5aMHachY

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 24 January 2025 14:13 (one year ago)

ten months pass...

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/15/obituaries/joe-ely-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=1.9E8.8YQ4.yNgBAC4uYLWc&smid=url-share

Oh no, Joe Ely dead at 78 from Parkinson's and more

curmudgeon, Tuesday, 16 December 2025 04:33 (one month ago)

Damn. So many great Ely shows I got to see. A legend. He taught Joe Strummer Spanish.

Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 16 December 2025 04:59 (one month ago)

First of The Flatlanders to go. RIP.

the way out of (Eazy), Tuesday, 16 December 2025 05:23 (one month ago)

Last time I saw Springsteen near Houston he brought out Ely. I hooted and hollered but I don't think most in attendance had any clue who he was. "Fingernails" is definitely not the best song on this album but it deserved a vote.

Cow_Art, Tuesday, 16 December 2025 08:54 (one month ago)

https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/joe-ely-legacy-and-posthumous-album/

You might have to register to read this for free, but one should do so. Very touching article about Joe Ely that was posted on the Springsteen thread, as Bruce had his doctors contact El's doctors to help him

curmudgeon, Friday, 19 December 2025 15:59 (one month ago)


You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.