There's 452 guitar pickers in Nashville -well
more like 452 thousand these days and I can't remember exactly how many
John Sebastian was referring to - but the point is none of them have a
story to tell to match that of this fact-file subject Vince Bell. The
picture above catches him in song at the famous Old Quarter in Houston
which he regularly frequented along with other legends of the 'Austin
fraternity'. Nanci Griffith has spoken of him as being one of the best
of a pretty impressive bunch which included Townes, Guy Clark, Lyle
Lovett,etc,etc.
A drunk driver effectively sliced the book of
Bell's life in half with a broad-sided shunt as he and his wife were
driving home one evening in 1982. Any lesser mortal would probably have
died there and then. Bell not only survived the crash but his own
obituary too which had been posted - this report was 'somewhat
exaggerated'. Only a keen-sighted music fan surgeon prevented the loss
of his mangled right arm and there was the little matter of a severe
brain-injury which was to have an even deeper impact. What followed is
painstakingly and clearly explained in the autobiography opposite 'One
Man's Music'. It is a humbling experience to read of this talented
man's fight back to a form of health against the odds. It is a testament
to that struggle and the quality of its retelling that it recently won
the 'Austin Mayor's Chairperson Commendation Award'. As a book it is a
honest account written with the same writerly skills evident in his
lyrics. Hard truths about the mundane round of occupational therapy, the
frustration of relearning who and what he was and most of all the
incredible re-launching of his once shattered career are deftly conveyed.
For now let me just say that it is a magnificent work that deserves a
wider readership. For fans of his discs I'd say it was essential
reading.
Now to the discs. There is a tape
recorded for Analog Records in 1989 called 'Sun & Moon &
Stars' which recently featured at his website as part of an
interesting 'Live Music School' project which he is undertaking. That he
was working on a recording that night in December 1982 is one of the
ironies of the story especially as those recordings were set to break
him to a larger audience. The recordings on 'Sun & Moon & Stars'
were a triumph for Vince as they were the first recordings since the
crash and he put it he was 'still relearning how to walk and talk.
Listening to them now they sound fine although not as polished as the
later versions on the cds.
By the time of the first 'disc' 1994's 'Phoenix' he had
developed a 'claw' method of playing guitar to compensate for the
injuries. A method that he has since claimed opened up new musical
possibilities rather than just restrictions. With the support of some
talented friends including Victoria Williams, John Cale, Stephen Bruton,
Lyle Lovett and Nanci Griffith and a producer of subtle genius in Bob
Neuwirth he set about recording a set of superb songs. Opener 'Frankenstein'
written by Gary Burgess sets the tone perfectly as a wonderful close-miked
production starts with "I've got stitches all over my body..."
and a banjo is picked against a bass drum in the background. Neuwirth's
own discs especially the first LP 'Back to the Front' recorded in Steven
Soles' living room has the same ambience. The production ensures that
the essentially folk takes of acoustic guitar backed with minimal
instrumentation come over fantastically well. 'The beast' originally
written in 1982 brings to mind Bruce Cockburn. This is followed by 'Hard
Road' and 'Troubletown' which match surrealistic travelogue
with great bluesy rhythms. 'Sun & Moon & Stars' is
beautifully understated giving Bell's breathy vocal resonance a fine
frame. 'I'm back and I'm strong he sings ...I come to miss a few.. the
song drips with emotion as violin cries behind. 'Mirror, mirror'
has more in common with Scott Walker/Brel in its orchestral lushness
whilst the vocals have a Micky Newbury/ Chip Taylor timbre. Indeed the
whole expansiveness of his work suggests influences far wider than the
more narrow Austin range of country/folk. 'I've had enough' has
appeared on Lyle Lovett's more recent tribute to the 'Texas School' and
he provides backing vocals on the track here. Nanci Griffith has covered
'Sun & Moon ..' and 'Woman of the Phoenix' both of which come
from an earlier batch of songs given their definitive outings here. As
for the 1994 vintage - 'Girl who never saw a mountain' is as fine
a train song as Gordon Lightfoot or Steve Goodman ever penned.
Continuing its almost faultless progress through the last songs
including 'Woman of the Phoenix', 'Just because' and 'No Tomorrow'
Neuwirth continues to apply a sparkling production and the backing
musicianship is superb. All in all one of the great Texas records, one
of the great singer-songwriter masterpieces and above all a gift
considering the chances of it ever appearing in the first place. Not
surprisingly it ended up on many end of year 'Best of..' lists gaining
widespread critical acclaim. Or as Lovett stated..
"He was a great songwriter before the accident, and he has
continued to be a great songwriter after the accident"
Which brings us up to speed and 1999's 'Texas
Plates'. Gone is the fragility that can be felt in the earlier
disc's production which serves to pin a specific mood to the recording
and makes it a very special disc indeed as does the stellar backing.
What we have now is a great singer-songwriter record -pure and simple
-one to rank up there with Lucinda Williams and Robert Earl Keen, Joe
Ely. It is shot through with 'Texana' observations such as 2nd
Street's homeless or the wonderful '100 miles from Mexico' which was
based on an actual drive under the Texas moon. Opener 'Poetry Texas'
sets the mood with a Guy Clark/Jerry Jeff Walker tinged pean to the
state...the state of mind of 'Poetry Texas' of course. In other
places the lyrical inventiveness rattles along at a surrealistic canter
as he reels off a list of the modern world's foibles on 'All The Way
to The Moon' or outer space ( Place to call our own). The
backing and production whilst not as delicate as Neuwirth's or quite so
star-studded nevertheless provides a fitting setting. Indeed on 'Push
comes to shove' Bell conjures up a perfect pop song and backing to
match. As befits the upbeat mood 'Best is yet to come' boldly
states just that over a rollicking beat. This is a contemporary
songwriter at the top of his game and making up for lost time.
Comparisons with John Hiatt, Mellencamp and McMurtry wouldn't be amiss.
Yup our Vince has got a rocking, Stones-ish heart. Such is the continued
quality of the writing that I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of these
songs appeared on other discs in the future. Pure poetry...Texas style.
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Texas Plates
(album)
(One Man's Music, 1999)
(Paladin Records, 1999)
1) Poetry Texas
2) All
through my days
3) Push Comes To Shove
4) 2nd Street
5) All The Way To The Moon
6) Place To Call Our Own
7) Best Is Yet To Come
8) Have Not, Will Travel
9) 100 Miles From Mexico
10)The Fair
11)Last Dance At The Last Chance
One Man's
Music (book)
(One Man's Music, Nashville, 1998)
"Local Charm" (song)
Title track, summer issue,
Fast Folk Magazine and CD, (Prime CD, 1997)
"Girl Who Never Saw A Mountain" (song)
The Watermelon Sampler, Volume One
(Watermelon Records, 1995)
Phoenix (album)
(Watermelon Records, 1994)
1) Frankenstein
2) The Beast
3) Hard Road
4) Troubletown
5) The Sun & Moon & Stars
6) Mirror, mirror
7) I've had enough
8) Girl who never saw a mountain
9) Woman of the phoenix
10)Just because
11) No Tomorrow
Sun & Moon & Stars (album)
(Analog Records, 1989)
1) All through my days
2) Space City
3) I've had enough
4) Take my chances with the wind
5) Sun and moon and stars
6) Bermuda Triangle
7) Where the late night crowd is lead
8) The world knows
9) Counterfeit paradise
Cincinnati Song/Ole Blue Dogs (45rpm)
(Tap Records, 1975)
Songs
recorded by other artists
"Sun & Moon & Stars"
recorded by Trout Fishing In America
on Closer to the Truth
(Trout Records, 1999)
"I've Had Enough"
recorded by Lyle Lovett
on Step Inside This House.
(Curb/MCA, 1998)
"Woman of the Phoenix"
recorded by Nanci Griffith
on Other Voices, Other Rooms.
(Elektra, 1993)
"Sun & Moon & Stars"
recorded by Nanci Griffith
on Late Night Grande Hotel.
(MCA, 1991)
visit Vince Bell's website
http://www.vincebell.com
my thanks to Vince and partner
Sarah Wrightson for their help in preparing this article.
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