Voodoo Stew was The Insignificants' first album. Most critics were hoping it would be their last. In fact there was a contract out on the guy who owned the studio that allowed this whole thing to occur. But fortunately for us "The Lads" finally did pull it together and gave a rather unique performance. Everthing ranging from straight ahead blues to jazz to amnesia to avante garde can be found here.
Voodoo Stew
Bellhop Bop
Julie
Chano's Theme
Canada #1
Personal Groom
My Funny Valentine
The Winter Rice
Turn out the Lights
Cat Food in my Pocket
24 Hour War
Other Instrumentalists:
Chano - Congas
Little Robert - Vocals
Unplugged and Passed Out represented a rather dark period in The Insignificants' notorious career. Considered a masterpiece by not really anyone, critics are still wondering how Sheriff and the Mayor was recorded, and why. This album also represented the first time the Slugfests were used for backing vocals, there are still several law suits pending.
Sheriff and the Mayor
Little Man
Spider and the Fly
Preachin and Teachin
Come Together
Spurs a Janglin
Let Us Walk
Dandelions
Clearview Heights
Other Instrumentalists:
The Slugfests - Vocals
Third Rail was The Insignificants' first futile attempt at reaching a larger audience by actually playing tunes that others might actually want to hear. It was also the first time that they showcased guest artists. I use the term "guest" loosely since it has been widely held that "The Lads" actually incarcerated several "guests" until they finally gave in and recorded.
French Intro
Little Red Rooster
When Baby turns Blue
4 and 20
Corea in the Park
LenAnne
Why Can't a Man have 2 Wives
Another Side to Life
Worms Crawl In
The Third Rail
Just like James Dean
Other Instrumentalists:
Chick McCoy - Vocals
Chano - Congas
Al 'da Hit Man' - Vocals, Guitar
Little Robert - Vocals
In Bum's Rush, The Insignificants reached another milestone by actually hiring another instrumentalist semi-full time. Luke Askew, a devout French Canadian Quebecois Separatist, joined the boys about half way through these recordings. Needless to say his presence can be felt. And despite the rumors of tension between him and SanWich, many critics feel that anything to cover up that Insignificant sound can't be all bad.
Rio del Soul
Hot Shots
Whistlin Past the Graveyard
Bum's Rush
Polar Bear in Manhattan
The Doctor
Already Do
Seven Nights of Rock
Heart Attack and Vine
Canada #1
Mountain Folk
Other Instrumentalists:
Luke Askew - Drums and Percussion
Mr. Blue Field Man - Vocals
The Slugfests - Vocals
Daunkashein is considered to be The Insignificants' "Get Back" album. Actually after hearing the critics commentary, most would consider it their "Get Out" album. But not to be deterred "The Lads" have put together their most upbeat musical collection in years, barring that bootleg tape of them on a train from New Orleans to Nashville. The fact Luke Askew is even on this tape is amazing considering the fist fight that broke out at the Corona del Perro. But that's another story for another time.
Daunkashein
Party in My Pocket
New Guinea Pygmies
Say Goodbye
Mirna's Forbidden Mitten
Talk Stops
Nobody's Business
Hidin the SanWich
Why Can't I Sleep with your Cat Tonight
Good for the Soul
Park Avenue
Daunkashein (Reprise)
Other Instrumentalists:
Luke Askew - Drums and Percussion
The Slugfests - Vocals
Also known as the Beginning of the End, this album was the last appearance by Hadji Martini. The whole mood is actually quite creepy in which you can sense something bad is going to happen. Basically the record companies and the authorities had just had enough, and the 5 tracks on the extended version are last we've ever heard of Hadji Martini.
My Dark Places (Cajun Version)
Coldwater
Pocket Change
Jazz Cat
Invitation to the Blues
Michelle
Highway 61
Trouble
Dark Reprise
Part of the Pavement
--- Extended Version ---
Jam1
Jam2
Sorry Charley
Baby Turns Tiel
Third Rail
Was this necessary, probably not. But with the exit of Hadji Martini, this was pretty much considered the end of the traditional Insignificants. How can you select a "Best of" when all of these tunes were equally guilty of perpetuating the myth known as The Lads. Funny thing, this was probably their most popular work and the first one to actually be available on CD.
Voodoo Stew
Party in My Pocket
Hot Shots
Hidin the SanWich
When Baby Turns Blue
Coldwater
Say Goodbye
Corea in the Park
Invitation to the Blues
Spurs a Janglin
Polar Bear in Manhattan
Third Rail
Talk Stops
Park Avenue
Sorry Charley
Sheriff and the Mayor
With the absence of Hadji Martini, SanWich was in sort of a dilemma. How to keep the show going and also be able to pay for his ever growing bar tab. The Exodus, Hadji's demise, and a new found addiction to guitar collecting left SanWich wondering what to do, go solo, join a Top 40 band, become a flamenco guitarist and head off to Spain? What he came up with was the first and to anyone's recollection only blues opera, Go Figure. Enlisting an unlikely candidate in Mingo Deville (Hadji's long estranged cousin) to replace Mr. Martini, bringing back Chick McCoy, blackmailing his uncle Dr. MaJuJu Jones, and even against all odds patching things up with Luke Askew, Go Figure proved to be a testament to middle aged angst. "It burps real well" went a review in DeadBeat magazine.
Entracte
MaJuJu Intro
I Must be Crazy
Real Rare Year
Tend to Mah Bidness
Shoes of Love
Clancy
Deli Boy
The Hospital
Buzzards are Back
Salt of the Earth
Tangled Screams
The Wedding
Queen of New Orleans
Mr. Segal
Big Brown Gal
Other Instrumentalists:
Luke Askew - Drums and Percussion
Dr. MaJuJu Jones - Harp and vocals
The Slugfests - Vocals
In what is their first commercial release with the new lineup, Scrubbing Mother goes to prove no matter how much money you put into these guys, they still are Insignificant. Trying to release covers of their own tunes, the Lads figured to show the public their "range". What they instead show is how "deranged" they really are. It's bad enough that they in the past have trashed Tom Waits and Jagger/Richards tunes by the score, but going after Lennon/McCartney and Gerry Mulligan, they are right on the borderline. The one bright spot on the album is a wonderful rendition of Autumn Leaves sung by someone attributed to as "The Lady of the Lake". Authorities are still investigating.
Scrubbing Mother Intro
Say Goodbye
Everything's Cool
Baby's Got Back
B Bridge
Autumn Leaves
Line for Lyons
Lip Drop
Herr2
One After 909
You Can't Always Get What You Want
Adios
Father's Day
Other Instrumentalists:
Lady of the Lake - Vocals and flute
Luke Askew - Drums and Percussion
Dr. MaJuJu Jones - Harp and vocals
The Slugfests - Vocals
Ok. We don't know what happened here. To call this an Insignificant album is almost blasphemy. The only thing Insignificant about this is a couple of the tunes, one which SanWich threw away years ago and one by the MIA'd Hadji Martini. The rest is a concoction of Mingo Deville and Chick McCoy reliving Chick's glory years with Woodleigh Courts. Mingo in essence is ripping off SanWich's guitar parts while at the same time imitating Hadji. All of this being done while SanWich was convalescing at the Sacred Heart Monastery in Cork, Ireland right next to a Guinness bottling plant. Rumor has it that he was investigating a siting of the long departed Hadji Martini. We can only surmise SanWich just figured, the more the merrier, hiccup!
Sugar
Groovin High
Chain Lightning
502 Blues
Oogly Moogly
Rich Women Clean Booze
B Bridge
Would Some Turn the Radio on for Me
Stolen Moments
Junior Beaugess
Other Instrumentalists:
This is another strange one in the repertoire. What started out as a simple birthday present expanded into a cheap way to get off the hook for any holiday, and ended up a continent away as being the defining Insignificant recording. Whatever. Originally done without the knowledge of SanWich, safer that way due to pending legal difficulties, he took it and ran like Jim Brown after a night at Alfonso's. Well the rest is history. Basically a sort of best of with some added jazz standards in it. The fact that it was used as the basis for the Lads first world tour to New Zealand remains a mystery.
Susanne's Song
Everthing's Cool
B Bridge
Invitation to the Blues
Corea in the Park
When Baby turns Blue
Bernie's Tune
Autumn Leaves
Herr2
Joy Spring
Mr Segal
Rio del Soul
AuPrivave
Other Instrumentalists:
Chano - Congas
Luke Askew - Drums and Percussion
Lady of the Lake - Vocals and flute
Finally, a true SanWich Jones inspired album. The Jazz musicians were all thrown out or told to shut up and it was back down to basics. Though at first it seems SanWich may have mellowed after all of Mingo's and Chick's aimless jazz meanderings, he gets right back on course with “Where Mah Dawg”. A true SanWich classic. This is what the North County faithful had been waiting for, a true renaissance of gutteral sounds, scatalogical inuendo, and raucous debauchery. Ok, that might be taking it a bit far, but it's good to see SanWich back in top form. Also, if you listen real hard you may hear Hadji in the background.
Cat in the Coloseum
Take My Time
Sweet Black Angel
SanWich in Harlem
Julie
Where Mah Dawg
Healing Time
Infidel Blues
To Chicago
Don't Listen
Texas Awl Blues
Ballad of the Thin Man
Take This
The Table
Other Instrumentalists:
Luke Askew - Drums and Percussion
The Impecables - Horns