Showing posts with label Flat Duo Jets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Flat Duo Jets. Show all posts

Aug 10, 2011

Dexter Romweber, post Flat Duo Jets(1998-20XX)


 "We only live twice
or so it seems..
One life for yourself..
and one for your dream"

-Flat Duo Jets, 'You only live twice'-

  I got the shivers man, the first time I heard that song. So yeah, its official. Dexter Romweber is one of my musical god now. So I guess I owe you another one eh, Jack?



Last Kind Word Blues(Geeshie Wiley cover)

(lyrics below not complete or fully correct)

The last kind word I heard my daddy say
Lord the last kind word I heard my daddy say

If I die, if I die in the German War
I want you to send my body, send it to my mother-in-law

If I get killed, if I get killed, please don't bury my soul
I (p'fer) just leave me out, let the buzzards eat me whole

When you see me comin', look 'cross the rich man's field
If I don't bring you flour, I'll bring you bolted meal

I went to the depot, I looked up at the sign
Cry some train don't come, there'll be some walkin' done

My momma told me, just before she died
Lord, (since the dawn, I thought you'd be so wise?)
(Oh precious daughter, don't you be so wise)

The Mississippi River, you know it's deep and wide
I can stand right here, see my (babe?) (face?) from the other side

What you do to me baby, it never gets out of me
I mean I'll see you, after I cross the deep blue sea



 Jack White had invited Dexter and his sister Sara Romweber to record a 7' under his Third Man Records, resulting in a...kind of collaboration (albeit for just 2 songs) between Jack and his hero. In an interview, Sara recalled that after Jack finished the recording of the song, he had this big ass grin on his face and said "You dont know how long I fucking wait to hear that guitar tone in my studio.." or something like that.

Dex Romweber Trio?




Aug 2, 2011

Dexter Romweber-Flat Duo Jets(1985-1998)



If you had put enough research or study on Mr Jack White, you should know that one of his major influence is this rockabilly band from Athens called the Flat Duo Jets. He confessed of owning all their records, said he practically slept with their album Go Go Harlem Baby as a teenager and proclaim that they are the best kept secret of the rock n roll underground .

In fact its guitarist, Dexter Romweber is credited as 'the man who make Jack White as Jack White'. I mean you could see his influence all over Jack; like his intensity onstage, the two-piece duo format and his love of cheap, old instrument, and that whole fuck-new-technologies attitude, to name a few. The only big difference I noticed is that while Jack's influences are primarily the old blues legend like Howlin' Wolf and Son House, Dexter is more into the rockabilly roots with the like of Elvis Presley and Gene Vincent....and motherfucking Chopin!

Jack had been blowing their horn for quite a while, like in that documentary "It Might Get Loud" where he discuss one of their song 'Frog went A-Courtin'. That is what I like about the guy, he gave the credit where the credit is due. In fact I bet most of this generation that heard about Flat Duo Jets is through Jack White.

"I aint discuss thing in my private life..thats just what turn your mothers on!"-Dexter




"Much has been said about rockabilly roots-rocker Dexter Romweber over the years, both positive and negative, and sorting fact from fiction is no easy undertaking. Words like "crazy," "possessed," "frenzied," and "demented" get thrown around quite a bit. But so do words like "authentic," "visionary," "genuine," and "genius." Which of these terms most accurately describes the man is up for debate. While that last g-word is thrown around way too often these days, don't be too quick to dismiss this description of Dexter. As for the man himself, Romweber seems to shrug off the attention responding simply by saying, "You tend to get a reputation traveling around, playing rock-n-roll." Indeed. And Dexter's credentials precede him in this department.


Romweber has been "travelling around, playing rock-n-roll" since the mid-1980's. He and drummer Crow made up the seminal roots outfit Flat Duo Jets that hailed from Chapel Hill, NC and, for a short time, Athens, GA. Often pegged by critics and casual fans as simply rockabilly, the Duo Jets were adept at playing in a multitude of styles. Their music stemmed from a love of 50's rock-n-roll artists like Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Elvis, et al, and they played it with passion and abandon-exactly what rock-n-roll is all about." Dexter Romweber: Beyond Flat Duo Jets.


GO GO HARLEM BABY
RED TANGO
SAFARI
TWO HEADED COWS
WHITE TREES(bonus-Crazy Hazy Kisses, Jet Tone Boogie)