REVIEW: The Long Ryders, Anthology (Chronicles)
- Bill Holmes
Sid Griffin's musical essence can be best summed up in his own words from "Looking For Lewis And Clark": "When Tim got to heaven / hope he told Gram / about the Long Ryders / and just who I am". Griffin and bandmates Steven McCarthy, Tom Stevens and Greg Sowders were nothing if not respectful of their Americana predecessors. Their unique vision picked up Gram Parson's banner and created a melting pot sound of country, pop, rock and punk that is as influential upon today's y'alternative scene as the publicly revered Uncle Tupelo. And - surprise, surprise - radio just didn't get it.
Like Tupelo, the Ryders featured two strong songwriters (Griffin and McCarthy) who were each able to mine a different vein in the band’s quarry of skills. McCarthy leaned more towards the melody, whether a classic pop rock sound like "Lights Of Downtown" or the George Jones shadings of "I'll Get Out Somehow". Griffin was the more intense lyricist ("Harriet Tubman" was the song least likely to get airplay, like he cared) but also brought the Chuck Berry via Iggy Pop muscle to the arrangements with "State Of Our Union" and "Run Dusty Run". That leaves Tom Stevens as the George Harrison of the band, for "17 Ways" and "A Stitch In Time" are solid songs that are as good as anything on the record.
This release culls several tracks from each of the three full releases plus cuts from the 5x5 and 10-5-60 sessions - forty tracks in all. The Ryders also had a knack for great covers - besides the released versions of NRBQ's "I Want You Bad" and their "Jason lite" version of Mel Tillis' "Sweet Mental Revenge" this collection includes Dylan's "Masters Of War", the Flaming Groovies' "I Can't Hide" and, ironically, a live version of what could have been their theme song - Neil's "Prisoners Of Rock and Roll".
Today Sowders has traded the sticks for the other side of the desk but Stevens enjoys a successful solo career, McCarthy has had success with Gutterball and Steve Wynn, and Griffin is still rocking with The Coal Porters (is there a better band name than that!). Griffin quotes an anonymous London acquaintance who called the Ryders "the right band at the perfectly wrong time", and that's a pretty good assessment. When you consider the era of the Byrds and Burritos before them and the current No Depression movement, they could have been huge either time. Instead, they were fated to be the necessary link between the decades, proudly carrying that banner so that younger pups could grab the baton and move on. And maybe to Sid and the boys, that stellar rep is worth all the money they never made. Anthology is vital music and a fitting testament to a band that did it their way.
