http://polls.pitch.com/polls/kcp/musicshowcase/vote/

There are great artists nominated in each category and my nomination would never had been possible if it weren’t for the work of the Prodigal Sons: Chris Wagner, Mike Alexander, Dan Dumit, Michael Walker, Sam Hughes and (newest Prodigal Son) Go Go Ray (on the drum kit).

Every nominee affirms that the term “local act” is about as far from a pejorative as it gets when you live in Kansas City.  I’ve been lucky enough to tour and play with a lot of local acts in other cities; KC is nurturing more talent than most other places.  I’m really excited about what this city is putting on the stage night after night.

The Live EP contains four songs from our debut show at the Midwestern Music Co.    We’ll also have this as part of our Drop Card release along with the six-song EP from fall 2010.  When you come to a show you can buy the Drop Card for $5 and get all ten songs.

The tracklist includes:

Owe My Soul

Big Tent Revival

New Madrid (Uncle Tupelo)

I Wanna Be Your Dog (The Stooges)

Besides being named, the real honor was in the fact that Ray Padgett and Company truly took the time to listen and embraced the place I tried to come from in recording this version of Iggy’s song.  Iggy Pop is, for me, more than a legendary rock performer, more than  the swagger and brashness he’s known for.  You can’t write songs like Iggy did without a tremendous amount of sensitivity and honesty.

So to the folks at Cover Me, not only do I say thanks for the acknowledgement, but thank you so much for appreciating where Iggy was coming from.

What they said:

10. I Wanna Be Your Dog (The Stooges cover)
John Velghe
Download MP3
There are few phrases in the English language less romantic than “I wanna be your dog.” John Velghe and duet partner Abigail Henderson turn Iggy’s grimey assault on its head, though, discovering unlikely beauty in lines like “So messed up, I want you here / In my room, I want you here.” If Velghe sang this to you, you’d let him be any animal he wanted.

KC music veteran takes solo excursion

New music from John Velghe

John Velghe

‘EP’

Nope Records

Observers of music in Kansas City over the last decade or so likely have heard John Velghe’s work. Stints with the Daybirds, famous fm and most recently the Mendoza Lie have kept Velghe visible to local fans. He’s also worked as a recording engineer and film score composer. With this eponymous EP, Velghe adds solo artist to an impressive body of work.

From the jangle and crunch of the opening track, “Little Teamsters,” through what may be the most impressive Iggy Pop cover yet, the six songs here are a finely honed mix of well-crafted hooks, earnest delivery and skillful musicianship. While Velghe gets a hand from some talented friends, he does a remarkable job handling multiple instruments himself. It’s no small feat to perform guitar, drums, piano and more all by oneself, but to make the mix feel like an inspired ensemble and not just overdubbed parts is even trickier. On tracks such as the lovely, somber “Wrecking,” Velghe does just that.

Some of the more memorable performances appear in songs that feature guest artists. “Did You Fall Down?” and “Time on Their Side” would be a great pop songs, but Michael Walker’s trombone and Sam Hughes’ sax push the hook factor over the top, resulting in tracks that will stick in the listener’s consciousness. Dan Dumit’s restrained drumming adds much to the atmosphere of “Long Face” and the almost archetypal American pop/rock of “Little Teamsters.”

Most impressive, though, is Velghe’s cover of Iggy Pop’s “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” featuring backing vocals from Atlantic Fadeout’s Abigail Henderson and upright bass from Chris Wagner. Velghe’s reworking of the Iggy classic is spare, stark, and frankly, pretty damned amazing. Those who thought Jim Campilongo’s tortured take on “No Fun” earlier this year was the end-all of emotive Iggy covers may want to reconsider.

Velghe’s song is so haunting and beautiful that even if the record weren’t already filled with five other tracks that have an extraordinary amount of heart, it’d be worth picking up just for this one.

— j howell { special to ink }

Read more: http://www.inkkc.com/content/kc-music-veteran-takes-solo-excursion-0#ixzz14EzZSjj

Among the graciousness is:

Velghe sings with an emotional wallop that sneaks up softly and deserves to be experienced without disruption.

The format of an EP can work for or against an artist. Within the space of a few songs, an ambitious musician can inadvertently draw attention to weaknesses in a song that is not quite ready. Or, a talented songwriter and musician such as John Velghe can display an impressive depth and range.

John Velghe’s self-titled EP steps beyond a familiar yet effective guitar-driven songwriting style. “Time on Their Side” and “Wrecking” best exemplify Velghe’s penchant for composing songs with an intimate sound and lyrical sketches that veer down uncharted avenues worth exploring for artist and listener.

Enjoy.

http://johnvelghe.bandcamp.com/

You can download the EP from iTunes or from Amazon.com.

Pretty soon our friends who subscribe to eMusic, Rhapsody and any of the other online music download sites will be able to get the record from their favorite site.

John’s playing with his Prodigal Sons on November 5th at Midwestern Music Company in Kanas City.

Upcoming show and tour dates will be forthcoming.

Thanks.

[wpaudio url="http://augusthour.com/music/clyf_0606.mp3" text="John Velghe - Clyfford Still"]

Please enjoy it.  Please don’t steal it.

Copyright 2009, John Velghe, BMI.  All rights reserved.

Songwriters don’t make history; they sing it. And if the song isn’t pretty — if it’s too loud, its message is mixed, its tempo is feverish, and its tone is threatening and ominous — look at the life around you. History is singing. Don’t try to stop the song. Right or wrong, the song is inevitable. It’s a photograph. And all of us are posing for it.

Arthur Hamilton