Local Minneapolis legend, and Country Blues pioneer John Koerner talks with Music In Minnesota about his career as a song writer and his time knowing Bob Dylan.
This takes me back when I was in grad school at the U of M and going to the Triangle Bar to listen to good blues music. For some reason, I remember Spider's song, "Do the Crime Wave". Always good for a laugh. I also remember his song, "Lady Day", about Billie Holliday.
This is a tremendous interview. Thanks for posting. I appreciate the questions asked by the interviewer. As a side note to the interviewer --check out Live 1966 Bob Dylan. It’s from his electric tour with liner notes written by Spider John’s bandmate Tony Glover. Again great job.
Spider John, here's how the Doors thing went down. They did not just "lift" one of your songs or your "riffs"; your work was taken to them WHOLE CLOTH by Robby Krieger -- and with great reverence! Let me explain. Back in 1963, I was a junior at The Menlo School - a boys boarding school in Atherton, California. Some of us were casting about for something to do and were pathetic musicians. About that time, the old time, folk, blues, and jug band music was becoming popular so five us formed a jug band patterned after the Jim Kweskin and Dave Van Ronk band (and their earlier influences, Gus Cannon's Jug Stompers and similar out of the 30s). The members of the band were Jerry Patterson (washtub base), Scott Clinton (kazoo), Bob Krieger (guitar, of course), Bill Wolff (guitar, washboard), and myself (banjo, jug). While we took as our sources the recordings of the jug bands I mentioned, we also started listening to different eclectic folk music and, somehow, your Blues, Rags & Hollers crept into our midst -- later followed by Lots More Blues, Rags & Hollers. We lifted several songs and would play them for our school assemblies and at local hangouts (as our curfew permitted). Among them was your "Creepy John" which Wolff sang lead and camped it up quite a bit. Almost immediately, the campiness of the jug band sounds and your music gave way to a sincere appreciation of it as an art form. The imitation became a sincere exploration for more of the genre and a reverence for you and your mates' talents. When we graduated in 1964, Bill Wolff, Bob Krieger, and I returned to Los Angeles and spent that Summer playing at the Ash Grove during open mic nights. Since I was more of a surfer, I fell away and spent my days at Malibu, Secos, Redondo, and other spots while Bill and Bob pursued this madness further. Eventually, their talent could not be denied and Bill Wolff fell in with a group called The Peanut Butter Conspiracy. Of course, Bob became Robby and hooked up with Manzarek, Densmore, and Morrison. The rest is, as they say, is history. The point is this: if you will consult a history of The Doors (Wikipedia will do), you will see that his guitar skills were learnt at the time we all were listening to you guys. Your stuff was a profound influence to all of us -- and Krieger took more that just a few of your licks with him. I still love to listen to B,R&H and subsequent albums and am grateful you and Tony, and Dave came into our lives. Thank you and persevere!
Pete WASN'T looking for an AX to chop down any wires-there was an announcement "He's (Dylan, that is) going to get his "AX" i.e. guitar and do some acoustic songs. What Ray Davies song is he talking about?
Spider John, along with Koerner Ray & Glover, the Front Porch Swinging' Liquor Pigs, and Willie Murphy & the Bees performed at First Avenue in January 2002: ua-cam.com/video/9SINeNlGy6g/v-deo.html
in another vid - I think it's Tony Glover who says how the Doors musician - this was before he was in the Doors - was at the folkFest - and bragged how they had "stolen" one of their songs. Then asked Tony to play with them. Or maybe it was Spider....ua-cam.com/video/y_b9aVhWQkE/v-deo.html yeah it's in this I think.
Billy Wolff and Robbie Krieger started playing in a jug band called The Back Bay Chamberpot Terriers* at The Menlo School in 1963. One of the albums we listened to was B, R & H - I mean over and over. Billy went on with The Peanut Conspiracy (and only recently got back into the biz with a couple of good releases). Of course, Robbie made it with The Doors. But, truth be told, Billy was a better musician back in 1963. But the irony was Krieger asking Tony Glover to do a gig with The Doors! He idolized KR&G. But we all loved KR&G..still do. *Billy Wolff, washboard, kazoo, guitar, harp. Robbie Krieger, guitar, harp. Scott Clinton, horn, vocals. W. Phinizy, banjo, jug. Jerry Dunne, wash tub base, vocals. ua-cam.com/channels/F4bLk3IBY-2o1eMrxp-iEw.html comment from that person.
Heard him play in Les Cousin's Club ..Soho... London ....sometime mid 60's. Great to see him looking and sounding so hale.
This takes me back when I was in grad school at the U of M and going to the Triangle Bar to listen to good blues music. For some reason, I remember Spider's song, "Do the Crime Wave". Always good for a laugh. I also remember his song, "Lady Day", about Billie Holliday.
This is a tremendous interview. Thanks for posting. I appreciate the questions asked by the interviewer. As a side note to the interviewer --check out Live 1966 Bob Dylan. It’s from his electric tour with liner notes written by Spider John’s bandmate Tony Glover.
Again great job.
Spider John, here's how the Doors thing went down. They did not just "lift" one of your songs or your "riffs"; your work was taken to them WHOLE CLOTH by Robby Krieger -- and with great reverence! Let me explain.
Back in 1963, I was a junior at The Menlo School - a boys boarding school in Atherton, California. Some of us were casting about for something to do and were pathetic musicians. About that time, the old time, folk, blues, and jug band music was becoming popular so five us formed a jug band patterned after the Jim Kweskin and Dave Van Ronk band (and their earlier influences, Gus Cannon's Jug Stompers and similar out of the 30s). The members of the band were Jerry Patterson (washtub base), Scott Clinton (kazoo), Bob Krieger (guitar, of course), Bill Wolff (guitar, washboard), and myself (banjo, jug).
While we took as our sources the recordings of the jug bands I mentioned, we also started listening to different eclectic folk music and, somehow, your Blues, Rags & Hollers crept into our midst -- later followed by Lots More Blues, Rags & Hollers. We lifted several songs and would play them for our school assemblies and at local hangouts (as our curfew permitted). Among them was your "Creepy John" which Wolff sang lead and camped it up quite a bit.
Almost immediately, the campiness of the jug band sounds and your music gave way to a sincere appreciation of it as an art form. The imitation became a sincere exploration for more of the genre and a reverence for you and your mates' talents.
When we graduated in 1964, Bill Wolff, Bob Krieger, and I returned to Los Angeles and spent that Summer playing at the Ash Grove during open mic nights. Since I was more of a surfer, I fell away and spent my days at Malibu, Secos, Redondo, and other spots while Bill and Bob pursued this madness further.
Eventually, their talent could not be denied and Bill Wolff fell in with a group called The Peanut Butter Conspiracy. Of course, Bob became Robby and hooked up with Manzarek, Densmore, and Morrison. The rest is, as they say, is history.
The point is this: if you will consult a history of The Doors (Wikipedia will do), you will see that his guitar skills were learnt at the time we all were listening to you guys. Your stuff was a profound influence to all of us -- and Krieger took more that just a few of your licks with him.
I still love to listen to B,R&H and subsequent albums and am grateful you and Tony, and Dave came into our lives.
Thank you and persevere!
what did the Doors "steal"?
Thanks for this story!
Pete WASN'T looking for an AX to chop down any wires-there was an announcement "He's (Dylan, that is) going to get his "AX" i.e. guitar and do some acoustic songs. What Ray Davies song is he talking about?
great origin of the name
Spider John, along with Koerner Ray & Glover, the Front Porch Swinging' Liquor Pigs, and Willie Murphy & the Bees performed at First Avenue in January 2002: ua-cam.com/video/9SINeNlGy6g/v-deo.html
Which Doors song has Spider's "lick" - that's amazing? Break On Through to the Other Side! ?
Thats good question! Maybe we should have asked him!
in another vid - I think it's Tony Glover who says how the Doors musician - this was before he was in the Doors - was at the folkFest - and bragged how they had "stolen" one of their songs. Then asked Tony to play with them. Or maybe it was Spider....ua-cam.com/video/y_b9aVhWQkE/v-deo.html yeah it's in this I think.
Billy Wolff and Robbie Krieger started playing in a jug band called The Back Bay Chamberpot Terriers* at The Menlo School in 1963. One of the albums we listened to was B, R & H - I mean over and over. Billy went on with The Peanut Conspiracy (and only recently got back into the biz with a couple of good releases). Of course, Robbie made it with The Doors. But, truth be told, Billy was a better musician back in 1963. But the irony was Krieger asking Tony Glover to do a gig with The Doors! He idolized KR&G. But we all loved KR&G..still do. *Billy Wolff, washboard, kazoo, guitar, harp. Robbie Krieger, guitar, harp. Scott Clinton, horn, vocals. W. Phinizy, banjo, jug. Jerry Dunne, wash tub base, vocals. ua-cam.com/channels/F4bLk3IBY-2o1eMrxp-iEw.html comment from that person.
Love me Two Times. The opening guitar riff.
@@mikec6617 what makes you think that? i want a story