In a follow-up of sorts to today’s story on Johnny Cash not endorsing John McCain from the great beyond, let’s take a look at the debate over how excited he’d have been about the Cash Remixed disc his son, John Carter Cash, is executive producing. As the album approaches its Oct. 14 release date, reaction to pre-release tracks has been somewhat negative, including the above take on “Sugartime.” It’s by Kennedy, who according to the album’s press release is “a cornerstone of the new UK music movement called DirtyPop.”

One particularly harsh assessment:

John Carter Cash and Compadre Records must have decided Johnny Cash’s memory and music weren’t worth respecting anymore. They were probably just thinking of easy profits when they decided to release 20 of Cash’s songs recorded on Sun records but remixed into a garbage-sounding album. I’ve had the questionable “pleasure” of listening to three samples on Compadre’s website. The songs are crowded, some times it sounds like there are two songs playing at the same time, and the rap and hip-hop arrangements just don’t mix well with Johnny Cash’s music. Johnny Cash is timeless, and his music should not be polluted with a totally non-related element.

As it says on Compadre’s website, their challenge was “to maintain this [Cash's] fantastic charm and personality while filing [sic] out the sound and creating bold re-interpretations. The remix producer’s reverence and gratitude is essential to the process. The goal is to bring the sensibility and technology of 2008 to recordings universally accepted as timeless with the blessing and support of the custodians of Johnny Cash’s legacy.” What can I say? They didn’t achieve any of their goals, and they came up with a very crappy product.

This post–which ends with the sign-off “I would never buy this album; I view it as an insult to an American icon and I wish it had never happened”–apparently hit John Carter Cash’s radar, leading him to jump into the fray.

Well Well! I knew this would happen. I bring to the table exhibit number one. Have any of you heard my father’s version of “The Time of the Preacher” for the Willie Nelson tribute twisted Willie? Rascalita, who exactly is “they”? Please. My father was a rebel and quite open minded about music.
John Carter Cash

Posted by John Carter Cash | August 11, 2008, 8:00 pm

My verdict on the album is mixed, since there are some inspired takes, including Apparat’s take on “Lonesome Whistle. But the argument could certainly be made that if Johnny Cash wanted Pete Rock to remix one of his tracks, he would have done so while he was around.

Cash Remixed [Compadre Records]
Why They Shouldn’t Let John Carter Cash Handle His Daddy’s Songs [Real Country Radio]