Liner Notes :

Things kick off with a touch of country twang on "If It Was Easy Everybody Would Do It", then moves into dark moody territory with a couple of tracks from the Here Come The Miracles European tour. The band sounds great - Jason provides a wall of feedback while Cacavas keeps things moving and grooving - a perfect setting for the subject matter of "Topanga Canyon Freaks". The Linda, Dave, Jason (and sometimes Chris) line up is clearly one of Steve's best post Syndicate line ups - very raw, but always ready. A brilliant acoustic reworking of Crawling Misanthropic Blues follows. I've seen Steve solo acoustic several times - but it's a special treat to hear him in an acoustic duo format!

Amphetamine moves like speed and lives up to its name, followed by a rare Leonard Cohen cover. Nice blues licks too, I've never heard Lenny done so funky! Oh, wow - Steve does Bruce - tramps like us were Born To Run (ok, it's just some messing around - but amazing Steve remembers that much of the lyrics), now how about a little Street Hassle? I love the "in your face" vibe of these radio sessions. Maybe it's time to assemble an all radio sessions disc focusing on stripped down/semi-acoustic numbers? damm, that lead guitar is wailing!

Steve and Chris revisit their Danny & Dusty era with a take on "Baby, We All Gotta Go Down". I've never really considered Steve an "Ambassador Of Soul", but he does take us back to the Fillmore East 1968 with the psychedelic fuzz of Smash Myself To Bits, while Strange New World moves things up to 1969 with this Stooges tribute - then a little Charlie Manson ?!? done acoustic California Style.

As usual, some of the best is saved for last - John Coltrane Stereo Blues, this time in a semi-acoustic band format. tasty. This is some serious smoking shit and if this was a disc you had to purchase (rather than a free CD-R), it would be the reason to separate yourself from some buckies. Luckily, for all of us - you don't have to. Music belongs to the people - spread this music around like a venereal disease - pure sleaze for the masses.

Pat Thomas in the confines of East Oakland, CA
on a very hot September 2003 day.

The Tracks