Ry Cooder completes his California trilogy rounding out 2005’s Chavez
Ravine and 2007’s My Name is Buddy with I, Flathead, an album of music by the fictional musician Kash Buk and his band the Klowns, characters in Cooder’s 95-page novella. The album and novella will be released together on June 24, 2008 by Nonesuch/Perro Verde Records.
The novella tells the story of Kash Buk and his friend Shakey the alien, along with other eccentric characters as they trek through a bygone California filled with deserts, salt-flat racing, Native Americans, seedy dance halls, amusement parks, and sinister plots. The album comprises of fourteen songs by Buk, a hard-boiled salt flat racer and roadhouse musician. Cooder draws his inspiration from country western music, popular mechanics magazines, and science fiction films. I, Flathead reflects change and disruption in a young, post-war do-it-yourself culture of outsiders obsessed with racing cars fashioned from military surplus parts and flathead engines.
Cooder produced the album and wrote or co-wrote all the songs. Below is the track listing for his latest effort.
- Drive Like I Never Been Hurt
- Waitin’ For Some Girl
- Johnny Cash
- Can I Smoke In Here?
- Steel Guitar Heaven
- Ridin’ With The Blues
- Pink-O Boogie
- Fernando Sez
- Spayed Kooley