Seen Your Video: Airborne Toxic Event Covers "People Who Died" (with Henry Clay People and Red Cortez)

I saw the awesomeness that was the "East LA Rock n Roll Revue" with The Airborne Toxic Event, The Henry Clay People, Red Cortez twice last week, once here in DC and back home in upstate NY (the latter show also included the beautiful and ethereal harmonies of The Parson Red Heads, the main reason I wanted to see the show). But the job-that-pays-the-bills exploded with deadlines upon my return so I am a bit behind with posting the reviews/photos. I did, however, want to share one of the shining moments of the DC show, which was when Airborne's lead singer, Mikel Jollett, brought both his opening bands back out during Airborne's set for a rousing rendition of Jim Carroll's "People Who Died." Carroll, who died back in September, was the male embodiment (to me anyway) of the poetry and grit that was New York's Lower East Side in the 70s, and I'm always thrilled when he's given recognition. "People Who Died" is a great song normally, and Jollett, obviously a Carroll fan, does it serious justice.

Poet/Musician Jim Carroll Dies at Age 60

Jim Carroll, author, poet, and musician, died Friday at age 60. If you don't know his music, you may know his book, The Basketball Diaries, on which the movie was based (to a large degree anyway). He was like a male version of Patti Smith, taking his poetry and putting it to music in 70s NY, only his, for a long time, included the back beat of heroin.

Carroll's song "People Who Died" is a blood-pumping homage to Carroll's friends who passed on, one very much with Ramones-like riffs that make you want to start pogoing from its opening chords. Drive By Truckers have been covering it as a show ender for some time now. Patterson Hood does it serious justice.

RIP Jim...



Give a Listen: People Who Died (Jim Carroll cover)-Drive By Truckers, Charlottesville, VA, 9-20-08