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BONUS
WEB FEATURE LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III: A National Treasure Who Makes Us So Damn
Happy! by Tom Lounges
The recent death of Warren Zevon only
serves to make Loudon Wainwright III even more of a national treasure,
for the two artists were very much kindred spirits in the sardonic sense
of humor found in their recorded works. Wry words sprinkled
with elements of irony, a bit of self-lacerating humor and a pinch of
tastelessness are a common denominator of the two, though Zevon cranked
it up loud and electric, while Wainwright thrives in the acoustic arena. Zevon became known to
the general public a full decade after releasing his 1968 debut album,
when he charted with a novelty song about a pina colada lapping
lycanthrope called, “Werewolves
Of London.” A half dozen years
earlier, Wainwright stunk up the national Top 20 in 1972 with an
annoyingly hummable little dittie about a variety of sun-baked road kill
titled, “Dead Skunk.” Critics heap praise on
both artists, while public response to their respective genius amounts
to a modicum of royalties. With
the sudden postmortem appreciation of Zevon’s musical legacy, it seems
both appropriate and important to point out that the 56-year-old
Wainwright is still very much with us.
Something of a
renaissance man, Wainwright long ago stretch past being a mere musician.
He has found much success as a television (“M.A.S.H.”),
film (“Slugger’s Wife,” “28 Days” and “Jackknife”) and Broadway (“Pump
Boys And Dinettes”) actor.
He will next be seen in the Tim Burton film, “Big
Fish,” co-starring with Albert Finney, Ewan McGregor, Danny DeVito
and Jessica Lange. “I love acting, but music is where I started out and what I still love most,” he said of why he has continued to make albums for a succession of indie labels over the years. “Songs are not something that you can just turn off when you are a writer.”
Wainwright’s latest
album, So Damn Happy,
was released via Sanctuary Records this past August and is
blissfully brilliant. Captured
concerting while consorting musically on stage with contemporaries the
likes of Van Dyke Parks, David Mansfield and Richard Thompson,
Wainwright is truly in his element. Wainwright’s sublime
humor works best when it cascades over a live audience and you can
almost hear the “pings” as the light bulbs over their heads go off
during the performance of classic cuts like “Tonya’s
Twirls” (about Tonya Harding), crowd favorites like “The
Shit Song” (about looking like...well...shit), and brand new
material like “Something for
Nothing” (about those arch criminals – the music downloaders).
He has a penchant for
writing funny songs about things that are generally not funny, which
tends to make them even funnier. Along with his
trademark comical fare, Wainwright scribes a fair share of poignant
prose deeply colored by emotional wounds inflicted over the course of
his personal life. “I
don’t know that there is a degree of difficulty between the two,”
said Wainwright when queried which style was easier to write.
“A good song, regardless of the style or genre, generally comes
quickly and is not labored over.” In example, he points
out how his highest charting hit ever, “Dead
Skunk,” from the aptly titled Album
III, took him less
than 15 minutes to write. Though well into
middle-age, the Americana music peddler is sounding strong in voice and
more stage seasoned than ever.
“I
just do what I do and what I’ve always done,” said Wainwright,
choosing not to evaluate his craft much.
“I just show up where I’m supposed to, see who’s there and
then play for them.” Whether they come for
the novelty numbers or to hear his heart-on-his-sleeve songs, matters
not to Wainwright for both are well represented in any typical show
ensuring that all leave his shows satisfied.
“I’m
just thrilled after all the years of doing this, to look out from the
stage and find some people there,” he said.
“I’m happy to make ‘em laugh, make ‘em wince, make ‘em
think, make ‘em cry...or whatever they want.” Though inspired by Bob
Dylan as a young artist, Wainwright knew the importance of finding his
own niche early. “Dylan
is the Mohammed Ali of singer/songwriters,” he reflects.
“While I was tremendously influenced by him when I first
started playing, once I started writing my own songs, I completely
stopped listening to Dylan and everybody else I thought was good.
I had to do that to create my own style and my own way of
writing.” Knowing well he
accomplished that, Wainwright cites one of his proudest moments ever as
a songwriter was learning that the late Johnny Cash chose to cover his
composition, “Man Who Couldn’t
Cry,” on his 1994 comeback album, American
Recordings. While he still greatly
respects Bob Dylan, the fertile songwriter’s admiration is largely
reserved these days for own brood of talented offspring.
Daughter Martha lays her husky pipes all over, “You
Never Call,” the twelfth track on her daddy’s new 17-song
concert record. His well known son,
Rufus Wainwright, recently covered one of his old man’s songs, which
has further helped to draw a younger audience to his father’s musical
camp. “Yeah,
I get some kids coming to see me because of Rufus, but he probably gets
as many people going to see him because of me,” mused Wainwright.
“I guess it’s a fair trade.” |
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