Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks - Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks

Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks
Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks
Epic Records BN 26464
1969 

The first and only time I saw Dan Hicks play live, I did not know who he was.  It was at the Tribal Stomp in Berkeley in 1978 which was a 1960s reunion show that the Family Dog sponsored featuring bands who played at the Avalon Ballroom.  Hicks does not appear in my program from the event, I imagine he was added at the last minute presumably acknowledging the important role of his previous band, the Charlatans, in the history of the Family Dog.  He appeared at the beginning of the show following the poetry readings that opened the day's events.  He did a short acoustic set that I don't remember very well although I think I enjoyed it even though it wasn't the type of music that I liked back then.  Years later I would become a fan of the Charlatans and bought their only album "The Charlatans" (which Hicks does not appear on) as well as the CD of their unreleased recordings "The Amazing Charlatans."  I also bought a few of Hicks' own albums of which this is my favorite.  It was his debut album and features a typically old-fashioned cover from Globe Propaganda.  The music matches the cover.  Although the record is entirely self-penned by Hicks, it sounds like it was written in the 1940s or 1950s.  It is mostly western-swing with a little jug band, country and rhythm and blues mixed in.  It is hardly typical of San Francisco rock in 1969, it is a stretch even to call this "rock".  However it is reminiscent of the early Charlatans' sound.  It opens with the mellow sounds of "Canned Music" which humorously examines the difference between live and recorded music with the singer losing his girlfriend to the drummer of a band when he takes her to a live show.  Hicks sings lead but Sherry Snow and Christina Viola Gancher sing much of the song and are more fun to listen to.  Hicks' voice is fine, but it is undistinguished and lacking authority.  "How Can I Miss You When You Won't Go Away?" is one of Hicks' best known tunes and it was one of the songs he did at the Tribal Stomp.  The Charlatans recorded an earlier unreleased version of this song which appeared eventually on "The Amazing Charlatans."  It is a funny and catchy song driven by Sid Page's fiddling.  Jaime Leopold's pulsing bass lines give the song plenty of thrust and the women's vocal contribution compensates for a pedestrian Hicks vocal.  The moody "I Scare Myself" reminds me of It's A Beautiful Day, perhaps not a coincidence since Hicks played with David LaFlamme in an earlier version of the Hot Licks.  The song begins with a romantic Spanish-style guitar line before the vocals and violin join in.  Hicks' vocal shows surprising strength although he can't quite put it over the top.  The lyrics are a little silly, it almost sounds like a Zappaesque parody of a romantic song, but the atmosphere of the song makes it utterly convincing.  It is one of my favorite songs on the album.  "Shorty Takes a Dive" is a sloppy but charming song with goofy lyrics and a clownish performance from Hicks.  "Evenin' Breeze" is a jumping western swing tune with pleasing call and response vocals from the ladies and Hicks.  Side two begins with "Waitin' for the '103'" which is hampered by Hicks' vocal shortcomings.  It still chugs along nicely and the women's vocals and Jon Weber's guitar help the song reach a satisfying conclusion.  "Shorty Falls in Love" is a frenetic tune with smoking contributions from Weber and Page.  Hicks lets the ladies take charge of the vocals and they deliver big time.  This song gets me hopping.  "Milk Shakin' Mama" is a swinging ode to a woman working at a soda fountain.  The lyrics are clever and the groove is irresistible.  "Slow Movin'" is exactly that.  I like the violin and the lovely harmony vocal from the ladies, but otherwise I find it dull, especially after the energy of the preceding numbers.  "It's Bad Grammar, Baby" is the closest the album comes to rock.  It is a fast-paced song featuring dynamic guitar work from Weber.  Gancher and Snow blow away Hicks with their vocals.  With a different arrangement one can easily imagine a band like the Flamin' Groovies or Creedence Clearwater Revival turning it into a retro rocker.  "Jukies' Ball" goes way back into the past for a swinging workout that gives the album an exuberant finish.  The song is about a wild party at a juke joint and the music is highly energetic.  It is another one of my favorite tracks.  This is a very enjoyable album that invariably makes me feel good.  For a record with practically no percussion it is surprisingly propulsive.  One could criticize it for being derivative, but since the music is consistently engaging and the lyrics mostly entertaining, I'm not going to complain.  If nothing else it sounds different than just about every other record coming out of San Francisco in 1969.  It makes me wish I had been more appreciative of Hicks' performance back at the Tribal Stomp.  Hicks died of cancer last year so I'm never going to have a chance to see him live again.  At least I still have his "canned music" which is very fine in its own right.  Recommended to hipsters who dig Bob Wills.