Freck Scroggs - The Choir Director

Hear The Track Here

Now how timely is this, two of my ultimate favourite musical loonies back to back. The Hive (aka Burp) and Pilesar. Well, not strictly Pilesar exactly, more like his grandad, a gentleman who goes by the name of Freck Scroggs. But wait....no....this gets better.... Pilesar says it better, let him tell you this one. 'Freck Scroggs is the pseudonym of my late grandfather, Royce Mullinax (aka, Grandpa Ax). He used to sit at the kitchen table and sing these songs. One day, he started recording them on a cheap jambox. I compiled the tapes, cleaned them up as best I could, and uploaded them for your aural pleasure. OK now that should convince you that I am making none of this up, because even I thought it was a classic Pilesar wind up at first but no, it appears not.

There's a first time for everything, so they say ;)

So bear in mind that this is just some guy singing on his own and - given the time it was recorded I guess - a decidely very lo-fi production full of crackles and the odd massive clip or two. What we have there though is not just a peice of Pilesar's family history, but a peice of American music history because - if you know anything about American musical history - you'll know they have a special place in their hearts for storytellers and Freck Scroggs is certainly that. It grieves me some that none of the lyrics of the songs are online because it will take careful listening to tease them all out of this production. Nonetheless, my ears heard a classic American folk sound; the voice and nothing but the voice. For me, I have to say that I really like Americans, and I like those whose accents remind one of the true America - out there in the boonies...

Freck Scroggs has the perfect accent to deliver this saucy little tale and if - like me - you are a dialect freak, this is hog heaven. It is a saucy little tale right enough with Freck screwing left right and centre, but you don't want to know about that. OK OK 'fess up time. I wouldn't go out of my way to hear something like this - and if I did I would probably think it was a joke too. Until, that is, I listened a little deeper and heard that still, small voice that is the American spirit. Smart, sassy, irreverent, as warm hearted and kind as they come - THAT is the nature of the America that I grew to know and love and characters like Freck Scroggs keep that alive and kicking in the face of all who would say NO to everything that isn't written down in some damn book somewhere. Freck Scroggs is a true, larger than life character whose idiosyncratic songs may well charm you as they did me. Well, maybe charm is too strong a word, but it's certainly interesting...

Americana in the flesh and nekkid....

A track from the A Rutabaga Titty and a Cabbage Asshole Album, and that should warn you :D