Gadzooks!!! The Homemade Bootleg Jonesboro GA

Gadzooks!!! The Homemade Bootleg

Mojo Nixon

Needletime Records, 1997

REVIEW BY: Sean McCarthy

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 09/20/1997

I guess I have to admit I've been fairly fortunate this year.I've had a chance to see Tori Amos, the Reverend Horton Heat twice,the H.O.R.D.E. Fest and most importantly, Morphine in Lawrence,Kansas. But the most educational concert I've attended twice, inour fine local bar called Duffy's Tavern, happened to be no otherthan Mojo Nixon.

Now, downing down a pitcher of Boulevard and a probably fourvodka tonics may seem far from educational, but it had to be doneto appreciate the true essence of Nixon. What I learned from seeinghis live show was this: the guy is one helluva musician. Theproblem with humorous artists such as Nixon is that we belly laughat the songs without hearing the musicianship.

Immediately after his June show, I picked up his latest album, Gadzooks!!! The Homemade Bootleg. Sort of a greatest hitspackage, Gadzooks!!! showcases Mojo Nixon at his sloppy, brilliantbest. Part biting satirist, part incoherant hillbilly, Nixon is toogood of a musician to get lumped into the "Weird Al" Yankoviccategory of "humor music."

Nixon shows his musical crediability immediately with the barstomping opener, "UFO's, Big Rigs & BBQ". Elements ofrockibilly and driving rock n' roll have you almost ignoringNixon's hillarious lyrics...almost. "Bring Me The Head Of DavidGeffen," is basically a retread of "Don Henley Must Die," but Nixonsings with such conviction, you don't care.