My friend Theo de Grood of The LOUIE LOUIE Pages sent a message to the LOUIE Yahoo group that was too good to not share on this LOUIE blog…
Yesterday I bought the European 2CD extended edition of the 1984 Gun Club album ‘The Las Vegas Story’. Another one of those shamefully underestimated bands that relied heavily upon America’s garage tradition. Featuring the regretted yet immortal Jeffrey Lee Pierce.
Anyway, apart from having re-bought one of alltime best albums that American R’n’R ever produced there is a bonus disc containing a recording from a French 1984 Gun Club live show. Among some great songs of their own there are tracks by Hank Ballard, Jody Reynolds, John Fogerty and, much to my surprise on track 12: “Louie Louie (Richard Berry)”! It’s an amazing exciting version which rages on like a raging blizzard. Lyrics are completely incomprehensible, perfectly following the LL-tradition. I have seen them several times perform live in the Netherlands in those years, but never heard ’em play Louie Louie and strange enough, I never wondered why.
Eric, this one’s too good for This Week’s Louie, it has my vote as being This Year’s Louie!
OK, if Theo claims this should be the LOUIE of the Week, who am I to argue?
You can hear a sample of this LOUIE LOUIE recording by clicking HERE.
To hear the rest of the song, we’d encourage you to support your local record store or favorite online store.
Should this be LOUIE of the Year? If not, which version should deserve this honor?