Asylum Street Spankers – Shave ‘Em Dry.

In the Spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love. Or, failing that, thoughts a little south of love. In the spirit of Spring today’s track is The Asylum Street Spankers’ gleefully obscene version of Lucille Bogan’s blues classic Shave ’Em Dry.

The Spankers (or The A.S.S. as they’re known to me and probably no one else) grew out an informal jam band in Austin, Texas in 1994. Since then there has been a revolving door of musicians based around core Spankers Christina Marrs and Wammo (the only person I’ve ever seen described as a “master of the washboard). Their repertoire consists largely of 1920’s and 30’s Blues and ragtime songs mixed with their own compositions written in a similar musical vein but with “contemporary themes”.

They have an almost puritanical approach to their music – even refusing to use amplification at live shows. However, they are certainly not jumper wearing musos. Lucky, they are also keen to reproduce the fun, risqué side of this music that many of the old-time revivalists seem to lose. An attitude that is very much in evidence on this track.

I should warn those of you of a sensitive disposition – don’t listen to this song if words like ‘nipples’ and stronger make you feel queasy.

This song comes from their 1997 EP Nasty Novelties. The EP has never been released in the UK but is available on import from Amazon and, more cheaply, on iTunes.

Asylum Street Spankers – Shave ‘Em Dry.

Buy Nasty Novelties.

Download more Spankings.