No, not love, she said... More Music You Should Know

Gonna see Joe Jackson next month at the 9:30 Club with the Sasquatch. The man is awfully damn talented. (Joe Jackson, that is.)

(Wait. That didn't sound right. The Sasquatch is awfully damn talented, too.)

I don't think I'd want to hang out with him for any extended period of time (again, Joe Jackson, not the Sasquatch), but his music is fine, fine, fine.*

Joe increasingly looks like Gollum, my only face-to-face meeting with him was somewhat sour, and he tends to rant about his inability to smoke in public places in New York. That said, his often poignant, sometimes aggressive melodies and intelligent (and occasionally bitterly funny) lyrics are simply brilliant.

For those people whose experience with Joe Jackson is limited to Lite FM radio replays of "Steppin' Out" or "Breaking Us In Two", there is a great catalogue of music you are missing out on. Big time. If you need to be schooled in JJ tuneage, here are three offerings to start you out:

First, JJ back in the day, looking like he's about twelve years old (but clearly not from the lyrics):



Then, the song that was Joe's breakthrough into the U.S. charts (this one, you *really* should know!):


(BTW, the place where JJ is singing in this clip, the Marquee Club, is a London live music legend - I saw a lot of amazing shows there 1986-87...)

And now, Joe, a little more leathery, and looking a bit like he should be scrabbling up the side of Mt. Doom, searching for "My Precioussssss" - but, man, the voice is so strong, so true:



If you're a fan and have never seen JJ live, my friend, you are missing out. Get a ticket soon. If you live in DC, take this upcoming chance to see Joe with his original bandmates at the 9:30 Club. Great venue, great music, and a relatively intimate evening with someone who can fill the Warner Theater (and has done so.) Tix are $40. Save yourself the fairly obscene Tickets.com fee and pick 'em up at the 9:30 box office with only a $1 service charge added on.


*For the record, the Sasquatch's music is fine, fine, fine, too. He played a mean trumpet in college. And he should be playing more now. (Hear me, Squatchito?)