Austin, besides being the Texas state capital, is home to much of the best in American roots music. Since the 1970s, ballsy blues players, renegade country pickers, and raw-voiced rockers have mixed & matched their musical styles in Austin’s thriving club scene. And that’s where Kent “Omar” Dykes holds court too. And it’s also where he’s recorded his latest Ruf album, Boogie Man, working with some of his adopted hometown’s most famous songwriters and musicians.
He hails from McComb, Miss., a town with the curious distinction of being home turf for both Bo Diddley and Britney Spears. It’s well established that Omar started playing guitar at seven, took to hanging out in edge-of-town juke joints at 12, joined his first band at 13 – the next youngest player being 50 – and played the sort of music where somebody bustin’ a cap at somebody else was just added percussion.
He was still Kent Dykes in those days, but by the time he hit 20 he had hooked up with a crazy-assed party band, called the Howlers, who specialized in playing frat parties. Looking back, he says, “We had two saxophone players on baritone and tenor who wore Henry Kissinger masks. They were called the Kissinger brothers. Not on every song, mind you. Sometimes it was Dolly Parton playing saxophone. Or Cher. And we had these cardboard cutouts from record stores for skits.” They even did fake ads for Sunshine Collard Greens and Howlers’ Fried Chicken – “for that old-fashioned taste that tastes just like Grandma.”
It was a crazy time, but a helluva lot of fun too, with the rough & tumble Howlers playing R&B, R&R and even the occasional polka and western swing tune. A decade earlier and 250 miles north of McComb, Steve Cropper and Duck Dunn had learned their chops exactly the same way as members of the Memphis party band the Mar-Keys.
But Kent Dykes mostly just wanted to play blues. And by then the other Howlers had taken to calling him “Omar Overtone” because he tended to let his guitar feed back on stage while he dropped to the floor to spin on his back in a spontaneous, Big & Tall Store take on break-dancing. As he says, those performances were “sometimes fueled by, a-hmm, alcohol.”
By 1976, the Howlers decided they were ready to bust a big move and relocate to Austin, where such clubs as the Soap Creek Saloon, the Broken Spoke, the Armadillo World Headquarters and Antone’s had created a haven for renegade music. “We worked out of Austin for about a year,” Omar says, “but a lot of the guys decided they weren’t cut out to play music full-time for the rest of their lives. They headed back to Mississippi and Arkansas, and I decided to keep the name. Nobody objected.” And as Dykes says, Omar & the Howlers works better than Kent & the Howlers. Of such decisions are careers made.
Fronting a new lineup, Dykes honed a band capable of the sort of raw, rowdy, rambunctious blues that made Howlin’ Wolf and Hound Dog Taylor legends and inspired Don Van Vliet to become Captain Beefheart.
By then the Fabulous Thunderbirds were also getting started in Austin and T-Bird member Jimmie Vaughan’s kid brother, Stevie Ray, had formed Triple Threat with Lou Ann Barton, future Double Trouble-r Chris Layton and Jackie Newhouse (LeRoi Brothers). The T-Birds were the first to record, cutting their debut in 1979, but Omar wasn’t far behind with Big Leg Beat in 1980. His second, I Told You So, in 1984 made them the big men on the block – or at least along Austin’s famed Sixth Street – earning them consecutive Austin band-of-the-year awards in 1985-1986.
The following year Omar signed with Columbia Records and cut Hard Times in the Land of Plenty (1987), which sold in excess 500,000 copies, and Wall of Pride (1988). Since then there have been another dozen albums, all of them featuring Omar’s guitar and baritone voice, which reviewers describe as a cross between Howlin’ Wolf in his prime and the warning growl of a large primate. Hyperbole aside, the big man’s talents have earned an international following, prestigious awards and induction into the Texas musicians’ Hall of Fame.
For Boogie Man, his newest release on the Ruf label, Omar has brought in some of the songwriter friends he’s made in the 27 years since he left Mississippi for Texas. Ten of the 11 tracks on the 55-minute disc are collaborations. “Co-writing at this point in my life is a lot of fun. To me it’s like free songs. These are ones that I wouldn’t have had the patience to sit down and write on my own. But when you get with friends and drink coffee, tell jokes and stories, and then write something, it always turns out to be something different than what you might have done on your own.”
Plus it’s not exactly heavy lifting to work with such Texas icons as Ray Wyle Hubbard, Darden Smith, Alejandro Escovedo and Stephen Bruton. “Some of them I hadn’t seen for a while,” Omar says, “because like me they’re in bands and on the road. So when we got together, we end up reminiscing a lot. For instance, I’ve known Ray Wyle off and on for 20 years – acquaintances for a long time but pretty good friends now. In the old days, he was busy drinking and partying on his own, and I had my own party going on too.”
Besides the songwriting collaborators, Omar also brought some friends into the recording studio, including guitarists Chris Duarte and Jon Dee Graham (True Believers), Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Double Trouble, George Rains (Sir Douglas Quintet and house drummer on scores of Antone’s label releases) and his frequent running-mates Terry Bozzio (Missing Persons, Jeff Beck, Frank Zappa) and Malcolm “Papa Mali” Welbourne.
About the recording process, Omar says, “I played out for seven and a half months, with only a few days off, and I’d spend those cutting in the studio. I would have liked to take the time off to relax, but it was a lot of satisfaction writing and recording with my friends too. This was an album I’ve wanted to do for a long, long time.”
As for future plans, Omar says he’ll be back on the road soon. “I still do 150-160 shows a year, and with travel days that adds up to a lot of time away from home. It always seems like we’re on a plane headed somewhere.” Omar is touring currently with bassist Barry Bihm and drummer Jon Hahn.
Or as he sums things up in “That’s Just My Life”:
It’s a long way from Pittsburgh down to Knoxville, Tenn.,
But I’m in it for the long haul, and that’s all right with me.
Night-time keeps me in the roadhouse, daylight’s burning up the miles,
The blacktop goes forever, I was born a highway child.
Credit http://www.omarandthehowlers.com/home.html and Copyright to the parties where in the weblink-Bermont/follower of the Howlers
See Also: http://www.last.fm/music/+noredirect/Omar+and+The+Howlers
What Can I Do
Omar & The Howlers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If
I
Did
What niggas do to me
They'd call me
c monster (monsta)!
Goin' fuck around and find out!
If
I
Did
What niggas do to me
They'd call me
c monster (monsta)!
Goin' fuck around and find out!
1st VERSE
I ain't no gansta!
But I ain't no wangsta either!
I choose to use my skills for good
(to build)
Encourage my people.
My niggas take kindness for weakness
Been here to long not to note
That sometimes
You got to handle ya business.
Go toe to toe.
Flow to flow.
El to the bow.
Body blow!
3rd set
I'm swoll.
Self control is what I maintain
Because I've seen a little bit of life
clthough hard work
Worth a little maintaining.
Refraining
From doin' damage
To my life
Yo' life
It's worth more than
c little braggin'.
You don't make it this far talkin' wreck-less.
But wrong is wrong
cnd sometimes you got to be put on a check list.
HOOK
If
I
Did
What niggas do to me
They'd call me
c monster (monsta)!
Goin' fuck around and find out!
If
I
Did
What niggas do to me
They'd call me
c monster (monsta)!
Goin' fuck around and find out!
2nd VERSE
I was minding own business
Just chillin.
Mutha fucka goin call me out the blue
Talkin' he got a feelin'.
He drunk
So
I already know how to deal wit ‘em.
He like my daddy,
He'll pass out
Then you'll forgive him.
Drunk ass
He don't know his shit.
Call me years later to blame me for some shit!
Not an apology
For that other shit.
But renew what angered me
cnd I think on purpose.
Why would you do that?
You so happy.
But that misery
Lovin company
Need a pappy.
I ain't the one!
Don't bring that shit over here!
Match my energy
cnd accomplish something to be revered!
HOOK
If
I
Did
What niggas do to me
They'd call me
c monster (monsta)!
Goin' fuck around and find out!
If
I
Did
What niggas do to me
They'd call me
c monster (monsta)!
Goin' fuck around and find out!
These lyrics from Omar & The Howlers' song "What Can I Do" explore themes of self-control, resilience, and the consequences of negative actions.
In the first verse, the artist acknowledges that while they are not a gangster, they are also not a fake gangster ("wangsta"). They choose to use their skills for good and uplift their community. However, they have observed that some people mistake kindness for weakness, and sometimes they need to assert themselves and handle their own business. They reference engaging in confrontations ("go toe to toe") and showcasing their talent ("flow to flow"). Despite facing challenges, they emphasize the importance of maintaining self-control and avoiding unnecessary damage to their own life and the lives of others. They know that talking recklessly won't get them far, but they also acknowledge the need to address certain wrongs.
The chorus repeats the declaration that if the artist were to respond in the same negative manner as others have treated them, they would be labeled a "monster" and warns those who mistreat them that they may face the consequences of their own actions.
In the second verse, the artist shares a personal experience of being called out by someone while minding their own business. They encounter an intoxicated individual who later tries to blame them for something without any apology for past wrongdoings. The artist questions why this person would intentionally cause further anger or misery and confronts the idea of surrounding themselves with negative influences. They assert that they are not the type of person to bring that negativity into their life and challenge others to match their positive energy and achieve something worthy of admiration.
Overall, these lyrics convey the artist's refusal to respond in kind to negative actions and their emphasis on maintaining self-control and striving towards positive outcomes. They express their frustration with those who bring unnecessary conflict and negativity into their life but also assert their commitment to rising above and focusing on their own personal growth and success.
Line by Line Meaning
If I Did What niggas do to me
If I retaliated in the same way that people treat me
They'd call me c monster (monsta)!
They would label me as a vicious and ruthless individual
Goin' fuck around and find out!
They would soon realize the consequences of their actions
I ain't no gansta!
I am not a gangster
But I ain't no wangsta either!
But I am not a fake gangster either
I choose to use my skills for good (to build)
I opt to utilize my talents in a positive way to create and uplift
Encourage my people.
To inspire and support my community
My niggas take kindness for weakness
My close ones perceive acts of kindness as a vulnerability
Been here too long not to note
After being in this world for a significant period, I have learned
That sometimes you got to handle ya business.
That sometimes you need to take care of your own affairs
Go toe to toe. Flow to flow. El to the bow. Body blow! 3rd set I'm swoll.
Engaging in a direct confrontation, matching each other's rhythm, standing strong to fight back, and feeling physically impacted
Self control is what I maintain
I prioritize maintaining self-discipline
Because I've seen a little bit of life although hard work Worth a little maintaining.
Due to my life experiences and understanding the value of hard work, it's necessary to preserve what I have achieved
Refraining From doin' damage To my life Yo' life It's worth more than c little braggin'.
Choosing not to engage in destructive behavior for the sake of preserving our lives, recognizing its greater importance over superficial boasting
You don't make it this far talkin' wreck-less.
Reckless talking and behavior won't get you far in life
But wrong is wrong cnd sometimes you got to be put on a check list.
However, it's important to address wrongdoing and sometimes hold individuals accountable
I was minding own business Just chillin.
I was minding my own affairs, relaxing and minding my own business
Mutha fucka goin call me out the blue Talkin' he got a feelin'.
Suddenly, someone calls me out of nowhere claiming to have a premonition or a gut feeling
He drunk So I already know how to deal wit ‘em.
He's intoxicated, so I understand how to handle him in such a state
He like my daddy, He'll pass out Then you'll forgive him.
He behaves like my father, getting drunk and then expecting forgiveness once he sobers up
Drunk ass He don't know his shit.
He's intoxicated and doesn't have a clear understanding of the situation
Call me years later to blame me for some shit! Not an apology For that other shit.
Years later, he contacts me to shift blame onto me without offering an apology for his past actions
But renew what angered me cnd I think on purpose.
Instead, he deliberately brings up past conflicts to purposefully provoke my anger
Why would you do that? You so happy.
Why would you intentionally hurt me when you claim to be happy?
But that misery Lovin company Need a pappy.
But some people find comfort in misery and surround themselves with negative influences, as if needing a father figure to validate their actions
I ain't the one! Don't bring that shit over here!
I am not the person to mess with or bring that negativity into my space
Match my energy cnd accomplish something to be revered!
Instead, channel your energy towards achieving something significant that will earn admiration and respect
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Bluesrainbluesrainbow
Wowww!!💕Ty so much "Awesome "" !!💕