Largo

Last night I made my sweetie a mixtape (well, it's in iTunes now, but that sounds so much less romantic) that included a couple of songs from Largo, the long-deleted 1998 concept album about, well, America, inspahrd by Dvorak's "New World Symphony" and masterminded by a couple of, um, ex-Hooters, that nobody but my buddy Geoff from Philly (who finally got his review of it pubbed on the All Music Guide) liked.

Actually, that's not strictly true: according to Geoff, Pete Townshend liked it enough to buy copies of it for everyone he knew, including Roger Daltrey, who now performs a couple of the songs in his live shows. "Gimme a Stone," which I included on her mixtape, is sung on the album by the Band's Levon Helm, and it's an anthem for every little guy that takes on the big guys, which makes it perfect for her.



I can't understand why this thing wasn't a hit when it was released. (Then again, I'd be the world's shittiest A&R man.) They even made it onto Letterman, with Taj Mahal (singing and barking!), Joan Osborne (another fave of Geoff's 'n' mine), Levon's ex-bandmate and Mercury Rev familiar Garth Hudson, and a hurdy gurdy.







Also on board: the Chieftains, Cindy Lauper, Carole King, and Willie Nile (whose '79 performance at Reunion Arena was the most memorable thing about the Who show I saw him open there). It's not the lineup that's important, though; it's the toons. But don't take my word for it; it's available again digitally via iTunes or Amazon.