Imperial Crowns – 25 Live – 25 Years – 25 Songs

A HISTORICAL RECORD !
A live double album retracing the unusual career of the wacky and mythical Los Angeles rock and blues band. A 25 live song collection of their 25 explosive years together on stage. This is dynamite !

Here are 25 gems, written and recorded over the last 25 years. In 1993, when we first started playing together, it seemed that we had all the time in the world. Now, as we reflect over the years, we pause and take note of where we’ve been while looking toward the future.
We’ll see you at the next show !

Track Listing:

CD1:
1. Altar Of Love – 6:28   2. Big Boy – 4:50   3. Big Chief – 7:06   4. Big Love Generator – 4:47   5. Blues Au Go Go – 7:17   6. Blues Look Watcha Done – 5:03   7. Comin’ Fuh Ya – 5:33   8. Diamond Cane – 4:50   9. Drop Down Mama – 9:59   10. Hunt You Down – 5:21   11. I Gotta Right – 3:37   12. Mr. Jinx – 3:35   13. Liberate – 6:04

CD2:
1. Lil’ Death – 5:50   2. Love Blues – 4:31   3. Love T.K.O. – 7:04   4. Miz Aphrodite – 5:30   5. Papa Lawd – 5:27   6. Ramblin’ Woman Blues – 12:35   7. Restless Soul – 4:48   8. Soul Deep Freak – 4:23   9. Star Of The West – 4:39   10. The Calling – 4:34   11. The River – 4:49   12. 93 Blues -3:29

Personnel:
Jimmie Wood (vocal, harmonica, percussion, guitar) , J.J. Holiday (guitar, vocal, percussion) , Billy Sullivan (drums, percussion, vocals) , Rachel C. Wood (vocal & percussion on 1:4,8,11,13 + 2:4,5,8,9,10) , James Carter (bass & vocal on 1:4,8,11,13 + 2:4,5,8,9,10) , Greg Boaz (bass on 1:1-3,5-7,9,12 + 2:1-3,6,11) , Vince Bilbro (bass on 1:5,10 + 2:7) , Debra Dopkin (percussion & vocal on 1:5,10 + 2:7) , Mike Temp (percussion on 1:5 + 2:7) , Spider Mittleman (saxophone, vocal harassment on 1:5 + 2:7) , Buddy Love (master of Ceremonies on 1/5)

Linernotes:
The Imperial Crowns are made of the charismatic front man Jimmie Wood, on vocals/harp/guitar; J.J. Holiday on magnificent slide guitar/vocals & Billy “Champagne” Sullivan on drums. Their original songs mix up soul, blues, and psychedelic swamp rock & roll, and make the critics rave and the people howl with joy. They have been accused by some of evoking no less than “the spirits of Otis Redding, Captain Beefheart and Blind Lemon Jefferson”. Cool ! These guys specialize in popping up where they are least expected. Here are just a few examples from over the years : In 1984, a young J.J. Holiday backed up Bob Dylan on the David Letterman Show as his guitar player with some pals from the Plugz, one the great Latino punk bands from Los Angeles. Ten years later, J.J. and his partner in crime Jimmie Wood are seen on stage at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip, backing up Bruce Springsteen. Jimmie & J.J. are also both original members of the House of Blues house band, The Sacred Hearts and continue with it today, playing behind The Blues Brothers across the U.S. And as for the Boss… did you know Jimmie Wood played harp on “Spare Parts” for Bruce’s album Tunnel of Love? He played with Etta James, Ofra Haza and more! A teenage Jimmie played with Lightnin’ Hopkins! On YouTube you’ll see J.J. and Jimmie jamming with Johnny Depp and Keith Richards at the Chelsea’s Hiro Ballroom in New York City while promoting the movie The Rum Diary, in 2011. Meanwhile Billy Sullivan has played drums behind the legendary blues piano of Johnny Johnson, the rock guitars of Mick Taylor and all while continues recording and sound designing the films of Hollywood composer David Newman. At the end of all this… These 3 guys bring you the most soulful new music of our time... right now! As the saying goes… "They ain’t no heroes and they don’t wanna boast, but they kick the devil’s ass from coast to coast."