Albums of the Week

This week I was hoping to review one of my recent purchases, “Evel Knievel”  but it is simply too awful.  Two and a half songs (one where Evel just talks over music), an intro, 20 minutes of Evel rapping with kids (where the kids are so poorly miked you can’t hear them), and a 23 minute press conference (that seemed staged). 

It was made right before the Snake River jump.  Long before the internet and scores of sports channels.  If you had wanted to know what Evel was up to you’d have to wait for the Weekly World of Sports or buy this album.  But even the 7 year old me, who was caught up in “Snake River Mania,” would’ve been deeply disappointed

I almost gave up on Evel’s lp until  I came across another unlistenable gem, “An Evening at Hussong’s” ...

...or “A Night at Hussong’s” according to the vinyl...

it’s basically a live recording of a Mariachi band at the famous Ensenada bar. 

But when you mix the mediocre Mariachis and loud crowd with Evel grumbling at reporters and kids it turns into an okay listening experience.

 

and Evel has some pretty good advice for the kids.  There’s a lot talk about jumping off roofs.  According to Evel “you gotta jump into a bale of hay, a pile of hay or a trampoline or something to cushion the shock.”  You shouldn’t drive your motorcycle on the street until you’ve ridden for a year or two.  He even shows the importance of wearing a helmet by hitting a kid on the head until it hurts. Fun!

In the end, Evel Knievel's lp is not going to get another listen, although I might have to pin my “autographed” picture on the wall. 

As for "An Evening at Hussong's" all I hope is that the topless hippy on the back cover was one of the kids from Evel's rap session.