„I’m tired of American bands that sound like they’ve listened to more New Order than Howlin’ Wolf or Hank Williams.”  – John Schooley

The harmonica player Walter Daniels and guitarist John Schooley have been shadowy figures in the rock n’ roll underground for a combined forty years. Daniels was mixing blues with punk rock as far back as 1992 with Austin, Texas combo Jack O’ Fire, alongside the Big Boys’ Tim Kerr. He recorded with the Oblivians the Melissa’s Garage Revisited LP (1999), but recorded and performed live with everyone from James Williamson to Eugene Chadbourne, most recently lending his harp to the OBN III’s for their latest album. John Schooley is known as a root rock’n’roll one man band (but he is also member in The Revelators). His first single was among Goner’s first records, and another cult label, Voodoo Rhythm also released his records. It’s a meaningful fact that he toured with blues legend R.L. Burnside as his guitarist.

Now the two together on one, exclusively acoustic album, titled Dead Mall Blues. It’s mainly a selection from the American songbook. 8 from the 10 songs

We Got To Meet Death One Day by Blind Willie McTell (1898-59)

Poor Willie lost his eyesight in his childhood. Soon after lost his father, then his mother, so went whither he could. Wandered in Georgia with his 12 strings guitar. His records were frequently released between 1927 and 35, but under different names because he signed exclusive contracts with concurrent labels… It was a generally established custom at that time. After his record of 1949 he became itinerant musician again. In 1956 a record shop owner recognized him at a corner in Atlanta. The man lured him to his shop with a bottle of corn whiskey. During some shows his last tracks were recorded there.

Boatman’s Dance is a minstrel song credited to Dan Emmett in 1843. He was one of the fathers of minstrel shows, where white people performed various numbers in blackface. He was an Irishman. There was time in America when the Irish were considered as the Negros, or even worse. This is from the album Early Minstrel Show by a bunch of man in 1985

All Around Man by Bo Carter (1893-1964)

The Mississippi Sheiks trio made records between 1930-36. Everybody knows his greatest hit: Sitting On The Top Of The World. One of them, Bo Carter made a solo career with such unambiguous, expressive songs as Please Warm My Wiener!

Uncloudy Day is a gospel from the 1880s. The Staple Singers in 1966

My Sweet Love Ain’t Around by Hank Williams (1923-53)

The No.1 country legend suffered from back pain, so he took to painkillers and alcohol, so much so that he was dismissed from the Grand Ole Opry (show series with the biggest country stars in Nashville since 1925) for habitual drunkenness in 1952. He died on the road between two shows at very early dawn of January 1. The cause of death was heart failure caused by the combination of alcohol, morphine and chloral hydrate. On the Cadillac’s  backseat, by the side of him, empty beer cans and an unfinished lyrics were found.

Peaches, an early recording from the 60s by R.L. Burnside (1926-2005)

He played blues for much of his life, but he had been discovered just in the early 90s. At the peak of his career he lived in his estate at two trailers with his large family. The courtyard was adorned with mangy dogs, prowling cats, thrown beer cans, dirty nappies and seven unrepaired cars. He was inspired by John Lee Hooker and learned by Mississippi Fred McDowell, played at juke joints and worked as sharecropper and fisherman. When he moved to Chicago with his family in order to work as factory workers, his father, uncle and two brothers were murdered during one years. The circumstances are unknown for me, but it’s sure that later he shot to death a man during a dice game. He was sentenced just sixth month, because he was a good tractor driver, and his boss, a white plantation owner, wanted him back at work as soon as possible. He was incarcerated in Mississippi State Penitentiary, aka Parchman Farm, which is the 113th station of Mississippi Blues Trail. Son House and Bukka White also lived there.

Cluck Old Hen is a popular Appalachian fiddle and banjo tune. One of the earliest reported transcriptions of the tune dates from 1886. Al Hopkin’s Hill Billies in 1927

Anyway, their most known song is the Nine Pound Hammer.

Dead Mall Blues by John Schooley and Walter Daniels

Dead Mall Blues LP was released by 12XU Records (US)

And if you want more, here’s a perfect selection of delta blues songs