"Blues Town" - Rick video, circa 1996
 

I never knew Rick did any videos! This little gem is basic black&white, fun, funky, and light-hearted, and Rick's personality shines through. Great song, too. ;)

From the filmmaker:
MichaelKillenTV — May 07, 2010 — Another great Nashville memory for me. I made this video for Rick Vito back in Nashville in 1996. It was a fun project and my first experience cutting a music video by myself on an Avid. Rick is a great guy and I look back on this little project with fondness. I was pleased with the funky look and the interesting shots of downtown Nashville that blend in and out.

That originally was the title cut for what was to be Rick's 2nd album...but, it was yanked at the last minute, revised and the album eventually released as Pink & Black...WITHOUT this song. :-(

This is such a great song! I've played it 5 times already~

Glad you liked it Miranda! :) It's nice to have some 'young blood' come on over and check out the post-rumours folks, who in the other forums are at best, ignored, or at worst, trashed. It's a cruel world over there! :laugh:

(Not that you're not 'young blood,' Chili............:D) By the way, do you know if that 'Blues Town' album was ever released in its original form? The 'Blues Town' song didn't make it onto 'Pink & Black.'

The song did eventually show up on 'Band Box Boogie,' but comletely reworked into a swing-band style, which was the theme of most of that album. (On my BBB CD, tracks 3 & 4 are accidentally reversed on the tracklisting. How does something like that slip by? :laugh: )

I really like this rootsy-country version of the song better than the Band Box Boogie version.

Nice song.

I really ought to pick up some more of Rick's solo work. Sadly, King of Hearts is the only thing in my collection.

Oh you are missing out! Go out and buy some right now! :)

EDIT

eek! Just realised my cat avatar is just a bit too close to your rat avatar Miss Vicky! :eek:

Not that I'm Chili, but I don't think it ever actually made it out, even as a bootleg. I remember searching for it at the time (when there were sites promoting its upcoming release) and one day hoped it might turn up as a bootleg album. No luck yet though...

Even when he has been asked about it (on some Q&A somewhere) Rick completely avoided the question and directed people to his Pink & Black album. There must be a story behind why it wasn't released..anyone know?

Yeah, the SONG "Blues Town" was eventually released on his Band Box Boogie album. (the song was a regular part of his concert sets at the time, though).

But, I don't think the album itself ever made it as far as going into production before it was pulled. (hence no bootlegs)



EDIT: OOOPS!! I guess I should've read your ENTIRE post "OldTimer"....Captain Redundancy strikes again.

Yep, my copy has the two tracks reversed as well.

Being that it's out of print now makes it one of the toughest of his solo albums to get. I think even Rick is out of them. I remember his website saying "when they're gone, they're gone, for good"

There's a review of the phantom Blues Town album (from Gibson Online) right here at the Ledge:

http://fleetwoodmac.net/penguin/archive/gibson4.htm

Curious about why this song was dropped when he did Pink and Black. It had a lot of appeal - and he'd even made a video for it! Maybe he'd decided to go so strongly to hard-core blues that he decided this song wasn't really bluesy enough?

Lucky in Love has the Band Box Boogie version of the song , so this video is the only place to hear the original. I hope the video stays up for a long time.

Wow, I love this song and video. And the deep well socket he's using as a slide!:lol: I recognize Broadway and 2nd Avenue, but don't recognize the other street shots.

How could I miss seeing that??? I played the video again, and you're absolutely right. I remember Rick saying he's used Sears Craftsman sockets for a slide :laugh:. In the recording of this song he probably used a more conventional slide, but for the video, the socket is the perfect touch :D!

Great catch Homer ! :thumbsup:

Well I'll bet if he uses them live, he uses them in the studio. I mean, your slide of choice, is your slide of choice, right? I was just thinking of how much heavier they would be, than a traditional slide.

That's what the late Lowell George of Little Feat used to use...Sears Craftsman spark plug socket....tune the '69 hard-tail Strat to open "G", run the guitar signal through TWO MXR compressors and an MXR Phase 90 pedal into a Fender Twin Reverb.

Ok, capo that second fret, count off "Dixie Chicken" and we're good to GO!

"I've seen the bright lights of Memphis and the Commodore Hotel...."

C'mon...everybody sing along....you know the words...

"I'llllllll be your Dixie Chicken, if you be my Tennessee Lamb...."

Let's just be honest.

Rick Vito kicks a$$!!!!!!

Enough said? I think so!!