Reverend Freakchild

A Bluesman of Sorts

Treated and Released Records

This is the Reverend Freakchild’s 19th album. It is performed on a National resonator guitar. It is a two-cd set of mostly covers. The Reverend has recorded with many musicians, including Chris Parker, Hugh Pool, Mark Karan, Melvin Seals, Jay Collins, Shawn Amos, and the Grammy nominated G. Love. The Reverend has played in  many jam bands including Bananafish. His music has been featured in many TV programs and commercials. The Rev grew up in Hawaii and holds a degree in philosophy from Northeastern University in Boston. He now resides in Colorado. The Rev is a.k.a. Reverend Fordham and by a bunch of other names including Lovechild, Freakwater and Voodoochile.

Reverend Freakchild creates the illusion that he died and describes “A Bluesman of Sorts” as a “posthumous retrospective collection”. He opens with “Green and Brown Blues”, previously unreleased as the Reverend adds some harmonica to John Robinson’s bass, and Patrick Carmichael’s drums, “well, I woke up this morning, I got a million things on my mind, but I still don’t know what to do”. “Chevrolet” is a song adapted by Lonnie and Ed Young in 1959, and is based on a 1930’s Memphis Minnie song, with the lyric “I’m gonna buy you a Chevrolet, if you do something for me.”

“Come in My Kitchen” is the Robert Johnson classic first released in 1937, as the Reverend channels Johnson, “cause it’s gonna be rainin’ till dawn”. “I Can’t Be Satisfied” was written by Big Bill Broonzyin 1968, and adapted by Muddy Waters, “I can’t be satisfied, but lord knows I can’t complain”. “Roll and Tumble Blues” was written by Hambone Willie Newbern in 1929 and recorded by Robert Johnson in 1936 under the title “If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day”, it was also recorded by Muddy in 1950, “I roll and tumble all night long, well I woke up this morning, all I  had was gone”.

“Jesus Just Left Chicago” was a narrative written by Steve Bassett, “Jesus Just Left Chicago’ bound for New Orleans…”. “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven” was written and recorded by Don Nix in 2002, “do I want to laugh, or do I want to cry, everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die”. On “A Day Late and A Dollar Short” the Reverend cry’s “payin’ that fee, I’m a day late and a dollar short”.

“Rattling Cages” is another narrative, “well, I got a habit…the cops saw me buying that bag, well I wasn’t hurtin’ nobody, when the cops said put your hands behind your back  and turn around”. “Dust Radio” is a throbbing version of a Chris Whitley tune.

“Big Boss Man” was written by Luther Dixon and Al S mith and recorded by Jimmy Reed in 1960, “Big boss man, can’t you hear me when I call, you ain’t so big, you just talk, that’s about all”. “Ode To Billie Joe” was written and recorded by Bobbie Gentry in 1967, “Billy Joe McAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge”. “Hellhound On My Trail”, “gotta keep on movin, gotta keep on running I got hellhounds on my trail”.

“I Know You Rider” can be traced back to a song by Blind Lemon Jefferson in 1927,  and was sung by The Grateful Dead “gonna miss me when I’m gone, I wish I was a headlight on a northbound train, I know that light gonna shine on my back door some day”. “Yer Blues” is a Lennon/McCartney song sung by The Beatles in 1968, “when I’m lonely, all the time, oh lord, I’m lonely, all the time…in the morning…in the evening I wanna die…if I ain’t dead already I’m gonna lose my mind”. “I Wish I Was in Heaven”, is from R.L. Burnside recorded in 2000, “I wish I was in heaven sittin’ down”.

“Death Blues” was originally performed by Lightnin’ Hopkins. “Grinnin’ In Your Face”, performed a cappella, is from Son House. While the soulful closer “As The Years Go Passing By” written by Peppermint Harris, was also performed by Albert King “that’s  one thing you can’t deny …showed my love for you, as the years go passing by”.

The Reverend Freakchild would like to be remembered in the same tradition as the Reverend Gary Davis. He is an ordained Dharmacharya with a Master of Divinity Degree from Naropa University. He continues to perform and preach proclaiming “Music is my religion. Through song I seek transcendence!”

Richard Ludmerer
Contributing Editor/Making A Scene