Green On Red : Gas Food Lodging 1984

Much like their pals the Dream Syndicate, Green on Red used up nearly all their psychedelic influences early on, and 1985's Gas Food Lodging found Dan Stuart and company veering into country-inflected roots rock that dovetailed nicely with the populist themes Stuart had begun to explore in his lyrics.

Opening with "That's What Dreams," a tough but moving first-person tale of a working man struggling to hold on to his dignity, Gas Food Lodging takes a long look at the sometimes-fractured state of the American psyche during the Reagan years, as seen through the eyes of a low-budget rock band out on the road.

Of course, Dan Stuart's America is populated by drunks, losers, drifters, and psychopaths, but there's a genuine measure of compassion in his portrayal of this collection of lost souls, and this lineup of the band with Chuck Prophet IV on guitar and Chris Cacavas ( Greek man ) on organ created evocative music that added depth and detail to Stuart's grubby vision.

Gas Food Lodging set a template for the music Green on Red would make in the future, but they rarely hit their targets as squarely as they did here .

there's an emotional weight and a ring of truth to this material that missing from much of the band's later work, and while closing with "We Shall Overcome" might seem like an especially obvious gesture, through sheer bloodshot sincerity this band makes it work and makes it genuinely moving. This is  Green on Red's best album will do nicely.

The band issued an overtly psychedelic, self-released red vinyl EP, sometimes called Two Bibles, though its first widely available record was an EP issued in 1982 by Dream Syndicate leader Steve Wynn on his own Down There label.

Green on Red followed the Dream Syndicate onto Slash Records, which released the album Gravity Talks in the fall of 1983. San Francisco-based guitarist Chuck Prophet joined for the 1985 Gas Food Lodging (Enigma), after which MacNicol was replaced on drums by Keith Mitchell (later of Mazzy Star).

In 2006 'Gas' was performed live in its entirety as part of the All Tomorrow's Parties-curated Don't Look Back series. Also in 1985, Stuart collaborated with Steve Wynn as "Danny & Dusty" on the album The Lost Weekend (A&M).

This album is a masterpiece of Rock Music in the 80's .

Paisley Underground is a subgenre of jangle pop that originated from California. It was particularly popular in Los Angeles, reaching a peak in the mid 1980s. Paisley Underground bands incorporated psychedelia, rich vocal harmonies and guitar interplay, owing a particular debt to 1960s groups such as Love and the Byrds, but more generally referencing a wide range of pop and garage rock revival.

TRAXS

SIDE A

 

01. That's What Dreams     4:22
02. Black River     2:43
03. Hair Of The Dog     2:31
04. This I Know     2:30
05. Fading Away     4:35

SIDE B

 

06. Easy Way Out     3:05
07. Sixteen Ways     3:43
08. The Drifter     2:32
09. Sea Of Cortez     3:51
10. We Shall Overcome     2:27

Personel :

Bass, Vocals – Jack "Jake" Waterson
Design – A.B.T.P
Drums – Alex "Big Dog" MacNicol
Engineer – Carolyn Collins, Paul B. Cutler
Guitar, Vocals – Chuck "Billy The Kid" Prophet IV
Keyboards, Jew's Harp [Mouth Harp], Vocals – Chris "Chez" Cacavas
Lacquer Cut By – Porky
Photography By [Band Photo] – Craig Takahashi
Producer – Paul B. Cutler
Vocals, Guitar – Dan "Big Daddy" Stuart
Recorded at Eldorado Studios, Hollywood, December 1984.

Format : Vinyl LP
Made in : Greece
Label : Virgin
Gerne : Rock
Style : Paisley Undrground

THAT'S  WHAT DREAMS  LYRICS

It seems that no one has any faith anymore
Well isn't that what we invented heroes for?
Got the world intent that I was through.
Still the young man I know that that ain't true.

That's what dreams were made for

Staring in the eyes of the preacher who sold me down the river
Well I got too much faith for him to deliver
Guess I'll just be poor for the rest of my life
It's better than giving up the fight.

That's what dreams were made for

It seems the handshake means nothing today
Lifetime of work sold down the river for a mans weekly pay.
Guess I'll just be poor for the rest of my life
It's better than giving up the fight

That's what dreams were made for

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