Anorak Thing

The Hipster Image

2012-01-27T11:00:00.002-05:00

THE HIPSTER IMAGE-Can't Let Her Go/Make Her Mine U.K. Decca F12137 1965

Alongside names like The Gass, The Quik, The Loose Ends, The Meddy Evils, The Richard Kent Style et al, The Hipster Image are legendary among mod/U.K. 60's record collectors for not only the extreme financial value of their discs, but the great music contained within.

The Hipster Image was a moddy looking 5 piece who had previously made an appearance on a rare as hen's teeth Lyntone flexi disc E.P. pressed for Kelle University's Rag Week charity drive (featuring introductions by annoying hack D.J. Jimmy Saville) with two tracks, "All For You" and a decent version of Donnie Elbert's classic "A Little Piece Of Leather" (which shows up on "New Directions 3: Floor Filler Killers" CD) . Animals manager Mike Jeffries was hipped to the band by Saville and promptly secured them a contract with Decca records. It was produced by the Animals keyboardist Alan Price and released in April 1965 (precisely one month before Price's departure from the band was announced in the music weeklies).

"Can't Let Her Go" is a somber mod/jazz type record. The vocals are mellow and there's so cool sax on the intro and the guitars/piano perfectly accent the lead singers double tracked phrasing . The vocalist on the bridge has one of the lowest baritone and reminds me of Mick Talbot! Lots of mod folks prefer the faster paced flip side, "Make Her Mine" because it's far more uptempo and therefore much more dance floor friendly. Accented by a driving sax lick and some cool percussion (cowbell?) and a jazzy laid back style of vocal delivery. Either way it's hard for me to pick a favorite as they're both great tunes. Sadly The Hipster Image did not make another record.

TRIVIA NOTE:
The Alan Bown Set attempted a go at "Can't Let Her Go" in September 1965 as Pye 7N15934 and like The Hipster Image's version failed to register a hit.

"Can't Let Her Go" appeared on Decca/Deram's CD compilation "The R&B Scene" while "Make Her Mine" was comped on their CD "The Mod Scene".

Hear "Can't Let Her Go":

http://youtu.be/gxBIVkZ_99g

Hear "Make Her Mine":

http://youtu.be/tynJjZsqQeo

Rebel Rock In Asbury Park Part Two

2012-01-26T15:36:00.000-05:00

1/15/12 Asbury Park, NJ

Way back in November I posted a pic of a Paul Simonon mural by Shepard Fairey I stumbled upon in Asbury Park, New Jersey:

http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2011/11/rebel-rock-in-asbury-park.html

Well over the weekend I was back and my friend Mick London pointed out what was left of another mural he did on the remains of the old Fast Lane club (which I was unaware of) bearing what's left of the face of Joe Strummer (the original mural also contained, among others, John Lydon, Joey Ramone etc)!

January's Picks

2012-01-24T11:29:00.001-05:00

1. JACKIE MITTOO-"Black Organ"
It's hard to pick a groovy organ track by Jackie Mittoo from the 60's/early 70's. This is probably the one I'd go with from the CD comp of his stuff on a CD I scored a used copy of called "The Keyboard King At Studio One". Funky organ indeed!

2. THE CLASH-"Hateful"
"London Calling" is, bar none, my fave non-mod band LP from 1979. The tracks on it take me back to a period where I'd just begun to get into "new" (ie non 60's) British bands and the playground in 8th grade before the soul crushing, physically and mentally abusive period called high school. "Hateful" allows me to gloss over it all with rise tinted glasses because it made me realise that no matter what happened back then I always had The Clash.

3. THE HOLLIES-"All The World Is Love"
The B-side of "On A Carousel", this is '67 trippy Hollies at their finest, with raga backing vocals, layers upon layers of harmonies and minimal musical backing letting their amazing vocals carry the whole thing. The '66-'67 period has and always will be my favorite Hollies era and it's no better exemplified by this track.

4. THE DENTISTS-"I'm Not The Devil"
Discordant, lo-fi jangly sounds from Medway, U.K. home of the Prisoners, Milkshakes and Daggerman. From their debut LP "Some People Are On The Pitch, They Think It's Over, It Is", which is really over due for a proper reissue. Yes the vocals are perhaps a tad too Smiths influenced (don't get me started on "them") but it's not too "indie" to be lame and not too "80's" either with just enough "60's" inspiration to make it work.

5. THE WHO-"The Rock"
Santa brought me the "Quadrophenia" box set and it along with all the goodies included in it, the disc sound amazing, Townshend's synths mix perfectly with Entwistle's brilliant horn arrangements trapped by Moon's powerhouse drumming, that for once, is disciplined and tight!

6. THE AUTUMN LEAVES-"Magic Red Raincoat"
The second 45 by this Twin Cities (that's Minneapolis/St. Paul to our non American readers) is without a doubt perhaps the finest 7 inch ever from that period known as the 90's. From it's jangly/raga guitar licks, wiggy recorder (or is it a flute?) noodling and it's overall cool 60's vibe it never lets me down. It's also available on their debut CD "Treats And Treasures".

7. THE STOCKING TOPS-"I Don't Ever Want To Be Kicked By You"
A brilliant slab of late 60's Brit girl groups sounds that's easily akin to the Flirtations Deram era output and lovingly unearthed by RPM for their "Dream Babes 8: Stockingtop Pop" CD. Hipped to me by my Twin Cities (which is where again?) pal Keith Patterson, this 1968 number has stellar arrangement by John Paul Jones and was written and produced by Kenny Lynch. Brilliance, sheer brilliance!

8. TINTERN ABBEY-"Vacuum Cleaner"
I never tire of '67 Deram psych/pop sounds. Without a doubt, as I've often touted from my little soapbox here, this one of the finest moments of British 60's psychedelia ever!!!

9. THE MIGHTY AVENGERS-"Hide Your Pride"
This is an obscure rocking slice of U.K. 60's beat on Decca from 1964, the first of their four singles on that label and the only one NOT to feature a Jagger/Richards composition on the "A" side (the others were "So Much In Love", "Blue Turns To Grey" and "Walkin' Thru The Sleepy City"). Oddly the lead singers phrasing is dead on with head La Lee Mavers!

10. THE KINKS-"Shangrila"
I love The Kinks, along with Bowie's 60's catalog, The Small Faces and Georgie Fame they're in the dead heat for my #1 fave 60's band. There are so many good tracks that speak to working class stiff's, and being a working class stiff who's somehow managed to masquerade as middle class this number is not far from my heart and head, especially in these trying economic times.

Mods & Rockers

2012-01-20T11:40:00.000-05:00

HASTINGS ROCKS THE MODS

I've been a bit too consumed/busy to lay out any wordy, snippy posts these days so I hope this little pathe clip will do.....

The Pink Floyd '67

2012-01-17T09:52:00.000-05:00

Just an excuse to post some groovy pics of The Pink Floyd taken in 1967 at (what I believe was) the De Lane Lea studios during the recording of what would become "A Saucerful Of Secrets".

New Boots (no panties or contracts though)...

2012-01-12T14:58:00.000-05:00

Hello dear readers. We are back from our holiday (Festivus?) hiatus and hopefully will be supplying you with more prolific posts in the near future (time permitting). Our postings have been a bit slim as shortly before the holidays the PC at Anorak Thing H.Q. blew it's mother board so we are making due with an old lap top. Today's post takes us to the subject of foot wear.

When Dr. Marten began producing footwear in the People's Republic of China I grimaced. It's pretty god damned hard to go through life without something that's not been made by those bloodsucking Communist bastards, but I was damned if any of my clothing or apparel would come from them! I've been wearing D.M's since 1989, having previously, derisively referred to them as "skinhead wear". All of the pairs I've owned were made in the U.K. My British made Dr. Marten's have outlasted most of my articles of clothing. I have a pair of oxblood six hole lace up Gibsons that are still soldiering on 19 years later and a black pair that have been going since I purchased them in Chicago during the very first Mod Chicago back in 2002. A few years ago I reluctantly purchased a pair of ten hole D.M. black boots, made in China. They are already falling apart, they've begun to crack in creases on the instep. Now I will have to add that I rather diligently care for my leather footwear, part of that comes from my strict upbringing that required a near military precision in caring for my Sunday best and of course that also comes from my modernist leanings (and military service where of course I had a massive leg up from both, especially the former). These boots of course got the same TLC that my British made D.M's did, but to no avail. Enter Joseph Babic, a smart man about town in the Big Apple who hipped me to a U.K. boot manufacturer who's been around for ages that made D.M. style footwear: William Lennon & Co.

http://www.williamlennon.co.uk/

They've been making quality British made boot wear since 1899 and they have boots that look exactly like good old D.M.'s. Like D.M.'s they feauture a highly flexible light tread oil, acid and alkali resistant air cushion sole. Joseph pointed out that they held up well too so I asked Santa for a pair of cherry red 8 hole Solovair boots and they duly arrived under my Xmas tree c/o my generous wife. I was immediately taken by how well they were constructed. At £78.95 plus p&h they weren't cheap, but hey, you get what you pay for and they fit and feel great. Let the great experiment begin!

Happy Holidays From Anorak Thing!

2011-12-22T15:11:00.000-05:00

We're on holiday hiatus so Merry Christmas and best wishes for a groovy, safe, fun filled 2012!

December's Picks (And Everyone's)

2011-12-21T08:41:00.001-05:00

1. DR. FEELGOOD-"All Through The City"
My pal John Jorgensen loaned me the Feelgood's documentary "Oil City Confidential"and I immediately busted out and dusted off "Down By The Jetty". This one is one of my faves on it, a great end of the night/coming home with the milkman" tune, something I haven't done in a long, long time!

2.BLUR-"There's No Other Way"
Twenty years ago I was living just two scant miles away from Anorak Manor here and playing the crap out of this CD, and believe it or not 20 years on it still sounds pretty good as I wind down the same lanes I did as a much, much younger and thinner man. From when they wore baggy pants and went through the silly period where they trooped down to the Merc and decided they were mods, silly art school twits.

3. JOHNNY KIDD & THE PIRATES-"I Can Tell"
"Oil City Confidential"sent me also scurrying to revisit Johnny Kidd and company. There are at least half a dozen U.K. 60's covers of this number that I'm aware of and this has always been my fave thanks to Johnny's voice and Mick Green's brilliant chops on the six string.

4. THE MIKE STUART SPAN-"Children Of Tomorrow"
Bleak, heavy guitar stuff. These guys are always touted as psychedelic heroes but I see more of a parallel with the equally mislabeled Open Mind or a less wanky Eire Apparent. Regardless this is very powerful stuff.....

5. DUSTY SPRINGFIELD-"Goin'Back"
Mighty stuff this, hands down my fave version of this tune ever. The strings and horns make the hairs stand up on the back of my neck every time!! It never fails to make me stop what I'm doing and wait for the crescendo in the middle where it all kicks in much like the bit on "A Day In The Life".

6. THE BUNCH-"Spare A Shilling"
Quirky spot of U.K. mid 60's psych pop unearthed care of the "We Can Fly"series, it's well produced, catchy and bears little resemblance to their previous 45 (see http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2008/10/bunch-more-60s-brit-mod-r.html )
where they sounded like a more mod version of The Animals '66. The horns and organ are still there but there's a touch of "fairy dust" to it and an all around jaunty "feel good" bit to it.....

7. OLIVER NELSON-"Sound Pieces For Jazz Orchestra"
One of the benefits of having a used jazz CD section at my local record shop means I can always walk out with three or four classic 60's jazz discs for under $20. This CD "Sound Pieces" on Impulse, was a recent catch. It's sort of all over the place but this particular number a brilliant little piece from '66 that seems to anticipate David Axelrod.

8.JACQUES DUTRONC-"Comment elles dorment"
Boozy, almost country western crooner from Jacques second LP from 1968 (his first three LP's were all untitled) where he sings rather laconically. Like nearly all of his tunes I haven't a f*cking clue what he's on about but he's got a great voice and the music and production are great!

9. THE KINKS-"Do You Remember Walter"
This one is utterly timeless because the older I get and the more lost people get in the shuffle of life the more of an impact this number seems to have on me on days where I'm reflecting on those who I've become disconnected with.

10. THE RICH KIDS-"Ghosts Of Princes In Towers"
Punchy punky power pop care of Glen Matlock and Midge Ure, a million miles away from Glen's previous band's New York Dolls wall of noise guitar style and nowhere near the bleak synth angst of Midge's next big job.

Polydor In The 60's: Home of the Cool-Part Two

2011-12-17T10:58:00.002-05:00

1. THE SOFT MACHINE-"Love Makes Sweet Music" Polydor BM 56151 1967
Like the Jack Bruce number mentioned in the previous posting, this track came to me via a dodgy Polydor LP compilation called "Rare Tracks". It blew me away so much that I snapped up a copy of the single as soon as I saw it on the wall at Rockit Scientist in NYC. Forget any preconceptions of tedious jazzy prog jams you may associate with the Soft's as this 45 will knock you on the ear with it's cheery Blues Magoos style pop. Oddly I do not think it has ever been legally reissued anywhere yet. More crimes.

http://youtu.be/VpE8dkUHuz4

2. THE GODS (Thor-Hermes-Olympus-Mars)-"Garage Man" Polydor 56158 1967
Found on the flip side of the frantic/bluesy style rework of the "Come On Down To My Boat Baby" this pre Ken Hensley/Uriah Heep 45 features the lead guitar talents of a young Mick Taylor shortly before being snapped up for finishing school in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. Taylor plays some very Bluesbreakers like runs while the lead singer tells the tale of woe of purchasing a lemon from"the garage man" with some nifty combo organ filling in the background.

Hear it on:
"Echoes From The Wilderness"

http://youtu.be/zGU5Qj4jXIE

3. THE CREATION-"How Does It Feel To Feel" Polydor 56230 1968
Too much has been written on these guys everywhere so I'll suffice to say I was never a fan of a lot of their post Planet material, but this monster is an exception. Musically it bears no resemblance to the hippie jams that were going around in '68 when this dark 45 hit the streets and Eddie Phillips guitar pyrotechnics and Jack Jone's ominous beat paint the bleakest, meanest tale ever sang about the dark.

Hear it on:
"Our Music Is Red With Purple Flashes"

http://youtu.be/EAaymrmwH7E

4. NICKY HOPKINS and THE WHISTLING PIANO-"Mr. Pleasant" Polydor 56175 1967
Yet another "Rare tracks" entry, ace piano session man Nicky Hopkins takes the Kinks cheeky track and adds a bit of knees up to it with his bar room piano treatment with a chorus of slightly off key whistling (ala Whistling Jack Smith). Unreissued of course!

5. THE SLENDER PLENTY-"Silver Tree Top School For Boys" Polydor 56189 1967
We've discussed this '66 Bowie track elsewhere here numerous times and it was also cut by the Beatstalkers but this is my fave. It's droning fuzz guitar is faithful to Bowie's original demo while the lyrics campily portray dope smoking at a posh public school (ripped from the headlines after Bowie read of a pot smoking scandal at Lancing College).

Hear it on:
"Justifixation"

http://youtu.be/ohHogk8YHF0

6. THE LION TAMERS-"Light" Polydor 56283 1968
Flipside of a track called "Speak Your Mind", "Light" first came to light thanks to Bam Caruso on the "Rubble Volume 17:A Trip In The Painted World" LP (the only LP volume I missed out on actually, so I had to wait a good twenty years to hear it on CD on the box set). It's whimsical without being too twee with a slight hint of trippiness!

Hear it on:
"Rubble Volume 17:A Trip In The Painted World"

http://youtu.be/j9vfk5BfMQk

7. THE PEEP SHOW "Mazy" Polydor 56196 1967
These cats were a short lived U.K. psych group managed by none other than one time ace face and High Numbers svengali Peter Meaden. You can read more about the band and Meaden's involvement over here at Kevin Pearce's excellent down loadable blog:

http://yrheartout.blogspot.com/2011/11/belief-in-mischief-3.html

"Mazy", the flipside of the somber "Your Servant Stephen", is a trippy number full of jangling reverberations, hippy Indian flutes, cascading psychedelic effects that rate it as one of the classic British 60's lysergic monsters!

Hear it on:
"Rubble Volume 13: Freakbeat Fantoms" and on "Mazy:The Secret World Of The Peep Show" a Peep Show CD compilation (also available for download from iTunes)

http://youtu.be/CWks7ffhtnw

8. STU BROWN & BLUESLOGY-"Just A Little Bit" Polydor 56195 1967
Another inclusion on the old Polydor "Rare Tracks" LP was the final single by Bluesology featuring Reggie "Elton John" Dwight pounding the ivories. Most of you might know this track from the freakbeat version by The Act, which was actually cut almost a year later. This version is more r&b with some brilliant horns and barrel house piano work trotting along with the driving drum beat. Again, there's been no sign of any reissue action.

http://youtu.be/JtuZ3R_sGCA

9. JOHNNY GUSTAFSON-"Just To Be With You" Polydor MB 56022 1965
This was the debut solo single by ex-Merseybeat bassist Johnny Gustafson, who left The Merseybeats when Billy Kinsley returned to claim his spot. Johnny Gus always had the pipes and this soulful outing is a perfect example of that!

Hear it on:
A now out of print German Mersey's CD "A and B Sides, Rarities".

http://youtu.be/Tvyx4WZF1Zo

10. THE NIGHTRIDERS-"It's Only The Dog" Polydor 56116 1966
We discussed who these guys morphed into over at:

http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2011/05/us-only-uk-pop-sike-pressings-part-ii.html

These Brummies chose to cover an obscure non-hit from The Kingsmen (which did not see a U.K. issue), replacing it's near "Louie Louie" meets "Chain Gang" licks with something a bit meatier and far more punchy with some snotty Jagger-esque vocals. It's been on two different "Electric Sugarcube Flashbacks" LP's but hasn't, to my knowledge, popped up on any CD reissues or legit comps.

http://youtu.be/-zXHemfbbLg

Rock N' Roll Hall Of Fame

2011-12-13T07:54:00.003-05:00

It was announced last week that The Small Faces AND The Faces would be inducted into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame (alongside Donovan and erm....Guns & Roses, among numerous other sh*t bands like the latter...). For some inane reason the heads at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame decided to combine the two bands as on inductee, for some reason either they didn't know the difference or they, like many other Americans, were confused by The Faces debut LP here in the States which wrongly proclaimed who they were:

Okay maybe I'm being a tad anal here, after all The Small Faces were pretty much one hit wonders here in the States ("Itchycoo Park") and since obviously the folks at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame are complete fucktwits (oh b.t.w they've also nominated The Red Hot Chili Peppers as well, just to give you an idea of which orfice they've been keeping their heads in when they're not using them for you know, thinking). Okay so both bands shared the same bassist, keyboardist and drummer, but that's about it. Steve Marriott lead vocals and lead guitar and Rod Stewart lead vocals and Ron Wood lead guitar, BIG difference. Two different sounds. You can draw comparisons this way, below is a Small Faces video and then a Faces video:

Small Faces/Faces man at the organ and patron saint of "Anorak Thing" Mr. Ian McLagan was interviewed on the whole shebang and you can catch his witticisms on the whole matter here,where he concedes, as do we, that at least they made it in:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/faces-and-small-faces-keyboardist-ian-mclagan-talks-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-induction-20111207

In case you are STILL confused here are the two bands:

Here are THE SMALL FACES (having just smoked a few "jazz Woodbines" and defaced some kids artwork)

And these are THE FACES (having probably just emptied the contents of the hotel bar's stock).

Got it now?!

Cat Stevens '67 Tribute To The Everyman

2011-12-10T14:36:00.006-05:00

CAT STEVENS-Matthew And Son/Granny U.K. Deram DM 110 1966

There are a multitude of cool Deram 45's by Cat Stevens, but this, his second for the label, is my favorite. "Matthew And Son"joins the ranks of loads of great U.K. mid 60's records that tackle the topic of the everyman and his workaday drudgery (The French Revolution "9 Till 5", Rupert's People "Reflections Of Charles Brown", The Kinks "Dead End Street" etc). It's also a classic example of some of the wonderful creative, orchestrated pop singles released on Deram in '66-'67. Like most of these, Steven's tune is sympathetic to the cause of our working stiff protagonist behind an array of brass and strings and his rapid fire vocal delivery with stellar arrangement by the famed "easy" listening arranger/producer/conductor Alan Tew is razor sharp. It's like the "Smithers Jones" 1966 in my book. It's flip, "Granny", to me is equally as powerful. With it's clockwork tapping behind a subtle build up of strings, brass, piano and some nifty jazzy guitar (dig the licks during the middle brass "solo") the whole thing falls into place.

Pop star Cat rubbing elbows with Cliff, Samantha Juste (aka Mrs. Dolenz) and Micky Dolnez

Both tracks can be found on the Deram reissue CD of his debut LP "Matthew and Son"with a host of other 45 rpm bonus tracks (some in mono and stereo mixes).

The first time

2011-12-07T14:31:00.001-05:00

In every modernists life there's always a plethora of "first times": their first bespoke pair of trousers, the first time they heard The Jam, their first parka, the first Small Faces record they bought. I was recently reminded of my first time I ever saw The Move on video. In the 80's there was no YouTube, cool 60's videos were something that changed hands so many times they were over-duped to the point where you could hear the audio but you could not determine whether it was The Who or The Kinks you were watched because the quality had deteriorated so badly! There were few "dealers" selling this stuff and if they were it was the same washed out crap: Cuby and The Blizzards in a zoo with Van Morrison miming "Mystic Eyes", Zachary Thaks in a rehearsal space, etc.

In May 1989 my friend Mike Sin and I took a trip to California for Mods Mayday '89. We spent the week in San Diego and wound up hanging out with The Funseekers from Minneapolis who happened to be there the same week too. One night after a Funseekers/Trebels gig at the Casbah Club, Mike Stax invited us all back to his pad to hang out and watch videos and he proceeded to show us live clips from a German TV show called "Beat Beat Beat" and here in crisp, black and white were the Move playing three songs live, rapid fire in their original 5 piece line up. I had never seen any footage of The Move (I also saw, for the first time that evening, live footage of the Small Faces and Creation for the first time as well!), and I was...well "moved". It was aired on June 27, 1967 (the episodes other guests were P.P. Arnold and Graham Bonney lip synching and The Creation, The Warriors and Cherry Wainer and Don Storer performing live) . This is classic pre-perm Move, they'd clearly been in their flower power gear for a few months, having ditched the gangster garb that spring and were obviously now more reliant on Roy Wood's quirky originals than the obscure soul/r&b covers that were part of their craft in their op art/mod gear pre-gangster days of their late '66 Marquee Club period. As you can tell there is still some evidence of their syncopated soul/r&b onstage moves (no pun intended) in this clip that the peace and love flowers and bells have failed to erase, also present are their aggressive stage stance, something they incorporated into their act with their gangster suits and TV/car smashing antics onstage. Regardless the Summer '67 Move are something to behold as you can see performing live "Walk Upon The Water", "I Can Hear The Grass Grow" and "Night Of Fear":

Polydor In The 60's: Home of the Cool-Part One

2011-12-03T07:40:00.001-05:00

In the U.K. in the 60's Polydor records may not have had the star power that EMI or Decca had but if you go through their discography they had as many cool U.K. freakbeat/mod/r&b/psych 45's (and loads of U.S. soul/r&b singles as well) as EMI or Decca. I decided to compile a list of my faves. It started out as a top twenty then I knocked it back down to ten. It was no mean feat as there were multiple Creation 45's on the label and I also had to narrow it down to exclusively English acts (sadly forcing me to omit such numbers as Aussie Normie Rowe's Graham Gouldman track "Going Home" , Nederbeat heroes The Golden Earring's "That Day", mega rare Northern soul fave Tony Middleton's "To The Ends Of The Earth" and the Swedish Steampacket's "Take Her Any Time", which was released in the U.K. by The Longboatmen to ensure there was no confusing them with the Long John Baldry crew). I also omitted 45's by The Bee Gees and The Jimi Hendrix Experience for the same reason. Sadly there is no Polydor compilation of any of these tracks. There could easily be, like Decca/Deram and EMI did years ago, CD's focusing on the different genres: a psych one, an r&b one etc.

1. THE BETTERDAYS-"Don't Want That" Polydor BM 56024 1965
One of the immediately apparent visions of cool from was this raw slice of '64 Stones/meets '65 Yardbirds. It's harp wailing is bluesy but the slashing guitar work and Jimmy Page style guitar solo and Nicky Hopkins style piano tinkling reeks of Birds/Who influence and anticipates freakbeat, it's flip a so-so version of 'Here Tis", graced the legendary "Pebbles Vol 6: The Roots Of Mod".

Hear it on:
Bootleg 45 reissue

http://youtu.be/dhSv2xHGwx4

2. JACK BRUCE-"Rootin' Tootin'" Polydor 56036 1965
Other than the six CD Jack Bruce box set this brilliant debut solo 45 by the then Graham Bond Organization bassman is nowhere to be found on reissue which is absolutely, positively criminal as this single is beyond all shadow of a doubt one of the finest British 60's r&b 45's to have ever been laid down. Bruce croons in a jazzy Mose Allison style about how hip he is while (presumably) his G.B.O. band mates lay down a solid groove. It doesn't get better than this mods.

Hear it on:
Jack Bruce "Can You Follow" box set

3.THE DEEJAYS-"Black Eyed Woman" Polydor BM 56501 1965
"Speak it now....", so begins the raw and gritty track by these Swedish based Brit exiles on one of their two British 45 releases. First brought to my attention on one of the "Transworld Punk" LP comps in the 80's this track offers one of those rare moments where frantic U.K. r&b/proto freakbeat crossed wires with the snottiness and D.I.Y of U.S. 60's styled garage music.

Hear it on:
"Rubble Volume 13: Freakbeat Fantoms"

http://youtu.be/pf8_XGTf1Uo

4. JASON'S GENERATION-"It's Up To You" Polydor BM 56042 1966
Backed by the curiously titled "Insurance Co.'s Are Very Unfair" this track first came to my attention in the late 90's on a bootleg CD titled "Purple Hearts From Pastures Gone". Produced by Harvey Lisberg (who managed Graham Gouldman and Herman's Hermits) I don't know a thing about the band. The track is as a common theme here (unintentionally), very American influenced.

Hear it on:
"Purple Hearts From Pasture's Gone"

http://youtu.be/tJGedhtJ3_E

5. THE VOIDS-"I'm In A Fix" Polydor BM 56073 1966
The flip side of "Come On Out", this track would easily have been at home on one of the "Back From The Grave" comp albums with it's cheesy fuzzed out main riff, off key vocals and sloppy production that sounds like a bunch of American teenagers in a garage, but alas it was cut by a bunch of British guys and like the people of Stonehenge "No one knows who they were or what they were doing, but their legacy remains".

Hear it on:
"Echoes From The Wilderness"

http://youtu.be/MoM_mhs-zGo

6. THE SUGARBEATS-"Alice Designs" Polydor 56120 1966
Pure genius. This Tandyn Almer track (composer of The Action's "Shadows And Reflections" and The Association's "Along Comes Mary") is both unique because no one else covered it in the U.K. (originally cut in the States by the mondo obscure Mr. Lucky & The Gamblers whose version is more frantic and not at all "harmonic") and amazing because of it's layers of West Coast style harmonies, trippy flute and masterful production. Akin to '67 vintage Action it's one of the greatest tunes of it's genre.

Hear it on:
"We Can Fly Volume 3"

http://youtu.be/Yk7vYDJdMAs

7. GARY WALKER & THE RAIN-"Spooky" Polydor 56237 1968
Though not a patch on Dusty's classic reading of The Classics IV version Gazz and Co.'s version is pretty groovy, though not as strong as their other tracks it merits inclusion here because I think their arrangement is subtle even though it's fairly close to the original.

Hear it On:
"Album No.1" LP reissue on CD with bonus tracks.

http://youtu.be/tQ3nU3sDjJ0

8. THE FLEUR DE LYS-"Mud In Your Eye" Polydor 56124 1966
The Fleur De Ly's have a few brilliant freakbeat classics and also a few of duds in their 7 single U.K. discography. This, alongside their version of The Who's "Circles" and it's flip "So Come On" (Immediate IM IM 032) exemplifies what freakbeat is all about: maniac drumming, crashing guitars, an incessant/driving riff etc It doesn't get much heavier than this in '66 kids.

Hear it on:
"Reflections", a Fleur De Ly's CD retrospective.

http://youtu.be/7rDdjP77vVM

9. THE CARAVELLES-"Hey Mama You've Been On My Mind" Polydor BM 56137 1967
Known here on these shores for their hit "You Don't Have To Be A Baby To Cry", this U.K. female duo cut a bunch of unremarkable singles until this one. With it's Spector-esque production and angelic vocal delivery what's not to love? Not a hit but easily their most in demand and collectible 45.

Hear it on:
"Dream Babes Volume Five: Folk Rock And Faithful"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3RZh-kq83o

10. KINGSIZE TAYLOR-"Thinkin'" Polydor 56152 1965
Liverpudlian Ted "Kingsize" Taylor's career was all but limited to Germany (where he spent most of his time) after the Beatles brought Merseybeat into the national spotlight. This was one of his handful of U.K. 45's (actually his last) and was recorded after the dissolution of his back up band The Dominos. It bears no resemblance to the rock n' roll sounds cut during his Cavern days and is more reminiscent of the smoother more soulful r&b played by the likes of Cliff Bennett in '65-'66.

Hear It On:
"Chocolate Soup For Diabetics Volume Three"

Sawdust Caesars

2011-12-02T08:12:00.000-05:00

April 1995

November's Picks

2011-11-29T13:40:00.001-05:00

1. GRAHAM DAY & THE GAOLERS-"I'm Glad I'm Not Young"
You've gotta love a track that sings "young and still carefree I was walking down the street, dressed in pink paisley, Beatles boots upon my feet, I got a punch in the nose for wearing funny clothes..". It's taken me some time to get my head around these guys, possibly because like The Len Price 3 they're not doing anything musically that my home team The Insomniacs weren't doing 20 years ago, but it's still rocking regardless of it's lack of complete originality. From their LP "Triple Distilled".

2. PAUL WELLER-"7 & 3 Is The Strikers Name"
I think this is possibly the strongest track Weller has ever written since "Going Underground", I really do. It's clever, catchy, trippy and above all has lyrics that grab you: "Curse my master and his and his slaves and his soldiers too, curse those fuckers in their castle they're all bastards too". Heavy soul indeed.

3. MENSWEAR-"125 West 3rd Street"
Remember Menswear? The crux of that hideous "Touched By The Hand Of Mod" piece in "N.M.E.", a bedroom band that became more known for being "seen" and when they were finally "heard" they surprised everyone by actually making some competent music?! Their untitled debut CD had about three good songs on it, this was one of them, a pastiche of Bolan and Roxy Music via "Velvet Goldmine". Britpop's second wave was all about faux mods in make up with exaggerated John's Children/Creation fringes, crap Merc suits, trainers and running jackets, playing 90's rock n' roll with a glammy edge, Menswear to a 't". Oh and b.t.w, 125 West 3rd Street (in NYC anyway) is a hardware store............since 1933!

4. SLIM HARPO-"Tip On In"
I'd long accused The Stones of nicking this number's rhythm during the long drawn out improvisational part of "Goin' Home" till I realized that "Goin' Home" predated this number by a year!! That said I think it's quite okay for an American blues man to cop a Stones lick and turn into something gritty and groovy like this 1967 45 on Excello.

5. EDDIE COCHRAN-"Summertime Blues"
This number always gets me. Cochran's slight affectations have an almost Southern Elvis twang (he was born in Minnesota and raised in California) and that bass, that bass must've kept Jet Harris awake at night trying to get that sound! I can't help but think of my dad every time I hear this and think of how he told me this number takes him back to being a teenager pounding the pavement in his decaying seaside town looking for a Summer job in the late 50's.

6. THE QUIET FIVE-"When The Morning Sun Dries The Dew"
I stumbled upon this mellow beat ballad on an iTunes playlist and was blown away by it's melding of pre-Moody Blues solo Justin Hayward meets Unit 4+2. I've no clue who these guys were other than they were British and had a few 45's in the 60's (and did a killer version of the Stones "I Am Waiting").

7. THE BLUE JEANS-"Sandfly"
An odd one off B-Side of the Hollies-esque (ie "Do The Best You Can") style "Hey Mrs. Housewife" single by The Swinging Blue Jeans from 1969 during their has been/chicken-in-the-basket cabaret days. Coincidentally their lead guitarist, ex-Escort Terry Sylvester, joined The Hollies the previous year to replace Graham Nash. It's 1969 so of course it's a bit trippy (well as trippy as these guys could be) with it's funky groove laid down by a slight Hendrix chug to the tepid guitars with some very funky bass and minimal organ all about how groovy it would be (from a voyeuristic point of view) to be a sand fly.

8. THE STYLE COUNCIL-"Party Chambers"
I digress, when T.S.C's debut single "Speak Like A Child" came out I liked it's flip side, "Party Chambers" better. Despite my abhorrence for all things synthesizer (bar the odd Ultravox "Vienna" era tune) I love this track, I don't know why, but I do. I think it reminds me of game show music from my childhood in the early/mid 70's and therefore perhaps makes me feel somehow smug and secure?! Maybe it's the beer..............

9. BOOKER T. & THE M.G.'s-"The One Who Really Loves You"
I don't recall the last time I dusted off the old "Green Onions" LP/CD, so I decided it was time and became reacquainted with their jazzy/Jimmy Smith-esque debut album and as always this track never fails to leap out at me amongst it's somewhat mediocre other tracks that fill it out.

10. JON-"Upstairs, Downstairs"
Some day someone is going to catalog the massive number of Gibb brothers compositions they recorded and demo'ed while still based in Australia, most of which, like this track, never saw a legit Bee Gee's version issued and were instead issued by other artists utilizing a Bee Gees backing track (joining the ranks of Ronnie Burn's "Coalman" and "Exit Stage Right" and Adam Faith's "Cowman Milk Your Cow") . But till then we're going to have to make do with killer tracks like this one!!

The Four Pennies '66

2011-11-28T07:52:00.001-05:00

THE FOUR PENNIES-Keep The Freeway Open/Square Peg U.K. Phillips BF 1491 1966

The Four Pennies get slagged off quite often because of their tepid hit "Juliet" (which was actually a B-side)! They actually had some killer tunes, among them a rollicking reading of Leadbelly's "Black Girl" (Phillips BF 1366 October 1964), an interesting take on Buffy St. Marie's "Until It's Time For You To Go" (Phillips BF 1435 September 1965), an upbeat single originally cut by Bobby "The Polish Prince" Vinton called "Trouble Is My Middle Name" (Phillips BF 1469 February 1966) and a Georgie Fame-ish number called "She Didn't Say Yes" on their 2nd LP "A Mixed Bag" (Phillips BL 7734 1966).

Today's article in question is their next to last of six singles for the Phillips label before the band went bust in late '66 (with bassist Fritz Fryer moving on to A&R/production work and handling numerous cool sessions like The Open Mind!) and in my opinion it's their best with both sides being equally amazing. Released in the Summer of 1966 it's not at all different from the beat/ballad style they employed on their earlier sides relying heavily on some tight harmonies and lead singer Lionel Morton's strong vocals. "Keep The Freeway Open" starts out with some jangly guitars that remind me of The Poets or the Zombies and has a rapid fire vocal delivery with some clever rhyming. It's a ballad of sorts but it's so wonderfully done it's not at all twee or sappy. "Square Peg" follows the same formula but with more treble on the guitar adding an almost "British folk rock" feel to it. It's also possibly one of the handful of British beat songs about a guy in jail because he killed someone! The backing vocals add layers of texture beneath the

Both sides have been compiled on a budget U.K. CD called "The Very Best Of.."

Both tracks can be heard in samples on this "Best Of.." CD:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Very-Best-Four-Pennies/dp/B000007YYJ/ref=pd_sim_m_h__2

And this post is a cool excuse to post their version of "Black Girl":

60's Anglo Power Pop Defined: The 'Orrible 'Oo Debut!

2011-11-27T11:31:00.032-05:00

Where to begin....unless you've had amnesia or have spent a lifetime in a cave in the Himalayas you can't help but be familiar with with the power pop prototype that is The Who's "I Can't Explain". Just a few short months (6 to be exact) after releasing a single as The High Numbers ("I'm The Face"/"Zoot Suit" U.K. Fontana TF 480) the band had ditched their aping of U.S. r&b tunes and lead guitarist Pete Townshend began branching out and writing his own original (and what he deemed at the time on a BBC session as "commercial") pop compositions.

From it's Kinks inspired ringing Rickenbacker opening chord intro to it's smooth high backing vocals (care of The Ivy League) the number exemplifies "power pop" in the purest mid 60's Anglo pop sense. This blue print of short bursts of basic chord progressions with high register backing vocals spawned countless other bands like The Eyes, The Game, The Smoke, The Favourite Sons and dozens, if not hundreds more. Keith Moon's sloppy drums accented by some well place hand claps (but not Jack The Barber this time) tie it all up in a nice little package. Produced by Shel Talmy it ranks, to me, as one of the most classic moments in the history of British 60's rock n' roll.

I first heard it on a New York FM rock n' roll station, possibly WNEW, at the onset of my mod-dom. I was immediately captivated (having only been familar with "My Generation") by what I heard and even more so when the DJ told us it was The Who. My friend Woody was happy to announce that not only did he own the track on his "The kids Are Alright" double LP but that he'd gladly let me take such "rock n roll bullshit" off his hands for free. Sadly the version contained on it was the "live" on "Shindig" version full of screamagers and off key harmonies, I had to wait another year before purchasing "Meaty Beaty Big And Bouncy" to acquire it. Twenty years later I had both the original U.K. and U.S. 45 pressings (actually two U.S. pressings, the rainbow Decca label and the pink Decca label), and still do, some things you just don't part with.

U.S. pressing

Sadly lost forever, The Who plugging their debut 45 on "Ready Steady Go" 1965

Groovy German 45 P.S. c/o of:
http://www.thewho.info/index.htm

Topping up...........

2011-11-25T13:28:00.000-05:00

Here Come The Nazz............ Nice

2011-11-23T16:07:00.002-05:00

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THE SMALL FACES-Here Come The Nice/Talk To You Germany Columbia C 23 524 1967

It's tough to choose a favorite Small Faces song, even harder to choose a favorite Small Faces European picture sleeve 45! I've owned, probably over three dozen SF's picture sleeve EP's/45's and today's topic is both one of their coolest looking sleeves and one of their best tunes.

The sleeve, a German pressing, is a work of art. Mac and Ronnie are wearing some boss three button suits, Steve has a white Levi's jacket and is investigating a pair of aviators shades, Ronnie's got on desert boots and Kenny is wearing a brilliant looking pair of striped shoes and a striped long sleeved tennis shirt with a pair of (presumably) white Levis. How fucking cool is that?

I'll save you all the SF's history lesson and get down to business. The band's keyboard player Ian McLagan has stated that "Here Come The Nice" came from repeated listenings of Lord Buckley's "The Nazz" (aka "Here Come The Nazz") with liberal dosings of hash at the band's communal pad at 22 Westmoreland Terrace, Pimlico, London. The band's code word for stoned just also happened to be "nice" and one of their catch phrases was "it's nice to be nice". You can groove on the hysterical spoken word piece below by Lord Buckley, with or without herbal enhancement, it's your choice. In a time where the BBC were allegedly upset by song lyrics like John's Children's "Desdemona" or The Beatles "I Am The Walrus" the notion that a band could manage to not only get airplay but reach #12 in the U.K. pop charts in June 1967 with a song about a drug dealer without getting banned or censored is nothing short of amazing! The delivery is perfect with some excellent harmonies by Ronnie and Mac backing Steve's typically soulful lead vocal track while the percussion and subtle Hammond build a solid layer beneath it all.

The flip side, "Talk To You", is equally brilliant stuff with some great piano licks by Mac (backed up by some cool Hammond beneath it all). Steve's vocals are as soulful as ever with string backing vocals from Ronnie and Mac. The number holds the distinction of being the band's first B-side to grace an LP as well (it appeared two weeks later on their second album, their untitled debut Immediate LP,IMLP 008).

Both sides appear pretty much eveywhere but I strongly advise you hear them in Mono on the double 35th anniversary edition CD of their second LP.

Rebel Rock in Asbury Park

2011-11-22T09:05:00.000-05:00

I spent this past weekend down in Asbury Park, New Jersey, my seaside "Brighton" as a teen. The town's been through some rough patches but it's on it's way back, though I hardly recognize some of the place as the Asbury Park of my youth has been torn down in a lot of spots. I was. however, pleasantly surprised to find this Paul Simonon mural near the remains of the old carousel house on the boardwalk, in fact we had to literally wait to photograph it as people were politely queing up to do so! It's kind of ironic to find it here as The Clash played a gig at the other end of the boardwalk in 1982 at Convention Hall before they became rock stars here and began playing stadums! My old friend Mick London tells me it's the handiwork of an artist named Shepard Fairey who came to town in September to adorn the city with other pieces.

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The Lovin'

2011-11-21T11:20:00.001-05:00

THE LOVIN'-All You've Got/Do It Again U.S. Fontana F-1606 1967

Here's another weird one, the last of two 45's by a U.K. freakbeat group called The Lovin' before the underwent a name change and a musical makeover and became The Nerve. Like The Loot, they were managed and discovered by Larry Page AND had some minor Troggs connections. Page signed them to Page One where they released two 45's (see

This one was issued in the U.K. as Page One POF041 in October 1967. I am assuming that the Larry Page/Troggs connection got them a release in the States on the Troggs U.S. label Fontana, odd considering there were U.S. Page One singles, though perhaps the U.S. branch of Page One was not launched at this point in time as most U.S. Page One releases are from 1968. Then again all The Troggs U.S. records from this time were on Fontana too, go figure!

"All You've Got" is perfect freakbeat. It begins with slightly out of tune, jangling, distorted guitar with a heavy beat and a chunky/heaviness to it all behind a fey, weary sounding lead vocalist with trademark high backing vocals (ala Who/Creation). "Do It Again" is heavier, with the same hard edged, plodding, primitive Troggs style beat behind a wall of distortion and the oft mentioned high vocals. Both sides perfectly encapsulate the freakbeat sound before psychedelia came and wiped "guitar bands" out of vogue. The band were soon out of the "freakbeat" genre and with help from Reg Presley of the Troggs became the pop outfit The Nerve, but that's another record for another entry!

"All You've Got" appeared on Bam Caruso's "Rubble 16 Glass Orchid Aftermath" LP/CD and "Keep on Believing" was on the "Circus Days Volume 3" CD/LP.

Hear "All You've Got":

http://youtu.be/0WjuqL7ARKs

Hear "Do It Again":

http://youtu.be/-GDHChMPoSc

I'd like to extend a hearty thanks to Ellis Kingston's "Shindig!" Issue 20 Lovin'/Nerve article, from which some information for this piece was culled!

From Sweden: The Mascots

2011-11-19T15:35:00.001-05:00

THE MASCOTS-Words Enough To Tell You/Walking With My Angel Sweden Decca F 44508 1966

The Mascots are one of my favorite 60's Swedish bands after, of course, The Tages. There are best known for their melodic/harmony beat ballad "Words Enough To Tell You" which first came to the attention of the faithful through the 80's compilation album of 60's Swedish tracks "Searching For Shakes" and doubtless a new generation of fans through it's inclusion on the "Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts from the British Empire and Beyond, 1964–1969" CD box set.

"Words Enough To Tell You" is a perfect balancing of the "beat ballad" style yet not too corny or weak with nods to both The Zombies and The Hollies at their best! The bands powerful harmony style crossed with the Poets/Zombies-like amplified acoustic 12 string is truly infectious. "Walking With My Angel", written by Goffin/King, was originally cut by Bobby Vee though I'm certain the band copped it from Herman's Hermits. The arrangement is certainly similar, needless to say no matter who's doing it it's a pretty weak tune.

Pic courtesy of Jon Burchard

There needs to be a good Mascots CD, their double LP/CD "1964-1968" is out of print (it is available for download from Amazon.co.uk to UK buyers only though). As mentioned earlier you can snag the A-side on "Nuggets II" and the CD reissue of "Searching For Shakes" but that's about it!

Hear "Words Enough To Tell You":

http://youtu.be/Pmn79za2iHs

Festival '68

2011-11-18T10:26:00.000-05:00

Brilliant archival rocksteady/reggae footage from '68, cheers to Kevin Pearce for sharing this:

It's all about accessorizing...

2011-11-17T08:49:00.001-05:00

One of the amusing things about being clothes crazy is the knack for altering or accessorizing store bought clothing to make it your "own".

Last year I scored a Calvin Klein pea coat at a bulk buy store called BJ's. I liked it because in addition to being very inexpensive it had epaulets, a nice stark line across the upper chest like a Donkey jacket and strips of material that buttoned at the cuffs (IS there an actual name for that fashion friends?). My only problem was I was not too happy wearing a coat that said "Calvin Klein" on the buttons. So I set about looking for new buttons. I'd never replaced buttons on a coat before, only a suit so it became sort of an adventure. It took me a bit to get the button sizing down . I'd ordered some cool bronze buttons that had this rustic wheat sheaf /blazing sun motif look to them, all very "Wicker Man" looking but , d'oh! They were too small. I then thought a Swedish coat of arms (three crowns) would look cool but I could only find them in gold, which I thought would clash with a black jacket as I'd set my mind on silver or bronze, not gold. I then discovered through an online forum on vintage buttons (luckily before ordering again) that if you buy buttons for a coat they must be thick enough to clear the heavier material when buttoning (that scotched any ideas on utilizing some fancy blazer buttons). Eventually I stumbled upon a site that catered to Revolutionary War reenactors and found these wonderful British army reproduction pewter buttons that were both the right thickness and the right circumference. With help of my favorite seamstress/mother in law I soon had the buttons switched out in time for the cold snap that fell upon "pint with the boys" night!

Pewter repro 18th Century British army button

Finished product (with obligatory pint)

Cool Foreign E.P.'s Part 41: The Kinks In Tartan Trews

2011-11-15T11:16:00.001-05:00

THE KINKS-Dandy/Rosie Won't You Please Come Home/Party Line/Fancy France Pye PNV 24177 1967

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The Mohawks Part Two

2011-11-14T07:54:00.002-05:00

THE MOHAWKS-The Champ/Sound Of The Witchdoctor U.S. Cotillion 45-44002 1968

I first heard "The Champ" by The Mohawks at an Empire State Soul Club dance back in the late 80's (1988 I'm thinking?), who if you don't know, were, bar none, THE best soul night New York City has ever seen, nor will see as far as I'm concerned (I was proudly, one of the first 100 members, member #73 to be exact, still have my old membership card). Back then there was of course the typical rumors (all untrue) of who they were that have long since been settled in even the most provincial of places (like New York City in the 80's).

Anyway this was the debut single by organ master Alan Hawkshaw's wonderfully funky and camp studio musician consortium known as The Mohawks. It first was released in the U.K. on Pama (PM 719) in 1968. What prompted a U.S. release I will never know! Loosely based on the main riff Otis Redding/Carla Thomas vehicle "Tramp" (well more than loosely, outright plagiarized I'd call it!) "The Champ" follows the typical Mohawks formula of fluid organ lines from Hawkshaw's Hammond, female backing vocalists repeating the title and horns behind it all. The flip side we have "Call Of The Witch Doctor" which is quite a departure from The Mohawks material. For starters it's not heavy on the organ and sounds like a calypso/ska track (nicking it's intro/main riff from "Sweet Soul Music") with use of some very ska horns (complete with a Rico-esque trombone solo!), not a bad track at all, just not what you'd expect!

Both cuts surfaced on the CD/LP reissue of their legendary LP "The Champ" on Vampisoul Records.

Hear "The Champ":

http://youtu.be/r4PPGPrBq7Y

Hear "Sound Of The Witch Doctors":

http://youtu.be/sUq4KEUIsAQ

Alan Hawkshaw reunited some years back with his studio cohorts and played a series of gigs as "The KPM All Stars" (KPM stands for Keith Prowse Music, a studio music library), one of which from London's Jazz Cafe can be viewed below where Alan Hawkshaw leads the band through "The Champ":

Happy Veteran's Day 11/11/11

2011-11-11T13:32:00.000-05:00

XTC!

2011-11-10T10:18:00.001-05:00

XTC were the first band I'd ever seen live (April 11, 1981 at the Capitol Theater in Passiac, New Jersey with Joan Jett and The Blackhearts and Jools Holland and His Millionaires). I wish I had photos of it, but I don't, my friend Rudie took hundreds of pics, but neither he, nor his photos are with us today. Can any one out there oblige me with some photos? Their set was mostly material from "Black Sea" as well as favorites from "White Music", "Go 2" and "Drums and Wires" as well as a few previews of tracks that would be on "English Settlement" and they tore it up. Andy Partridge was wearing a white ruffled shirt and a gray jacket that resembled something a Civil War officer would've worn, every time he sang it looked like his head was about to explode as his face turned bright red as he bellowed all the numbers out like a man on a mission. The following year we were set to see them again and Andy got "stage fright", which nobody, myself included, who'd ever seen them play bought for one minute.

The Move Get Sued !

2011-11-09T10:48:00.001-05:00

THE MOVE-Flowers In The Rain/(Here We Go Round) The Lemon Tree Portugal Stateside PSS 1001 1967

I don't think any band other than The Move can go down in history for being sued by a Prime Minister for libel. In August 1967 the band's manager Tony Secunda (unbeknown to any of The Move) printed up promo postcards for distribution to promote their new single "Flowers In the Rain" featuring a cartoon of then Prime Minister Harold Wilson in his bathtub with his personal secretary Marcia Williams (now herself a politician)taking dictation next to him, NOT Wilson in bed with Williams as Wikipedia and other sites are quick to mention (I saw the actual postcard or a clever knock off at a record show once, it was online for awhile too till , obviously, someone made them take it down). Wilson of course, was not amused. He sued The Move for libel and won. In October, 11, 1967 the High Court upheld the suit and designated that all royalties accrued from the song would go to charities of Wilson's choice. To this day song writer Roy Wood does not see a penny from the song, which has gone on to be used in TV commercials and ranks, allegedly, as one of the band's greatest selling singles of all time. It also holds the distinction of being the first song ever played on the BBC's Radio One's , by DJ Tony Blackburn. Radio One was the Beeb's new more rock n' roll friendly format created in response to the defeat of pirate radio. The incident led to a management rethink and the band parted ways with Secunda (briefly winding up under the evil Don Arden!). Today's 45 rpm specimen comes from Portugal.

"Flowers in The Rain" marks a departure for The Move from their harder edged five piece power pop/mod sound of their first two singles on Deram which you can read about here:

http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2009/08/move-debut.html

http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2010/07/move-part-two.html

"Flower In The Rain" benefits from some brilliant pop psych orchestration scored by a young American named Tony Visconti who'd just come under the wing of the band's producer Denny Cordell, who took them along with him to the label Regal Zonophone (previously only the home to "Christian" rock n roll like The Joy Strings et al). It also marks their debut in the genre of carefully orchestrated, well crafted psychedelic pop that would lead to other famous tracks like "Blackberry Way". Like most good Move singles lead singer Carl Wayne shares the vocals, with lead guitarist Roy Wood taking the chorus. The flip side, "(Here We Go Round) The Lemon Tree" is in the same vein orchestration wise, a bit too twee for me I'm afraid, I prefer the version cut by their Brummie pals The Idle Race for a U.S. only release. You can read about that here:

http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2011/05/us-only-uk-pop-sike-pressings-part-ii.html

Roy Wood takes the lead vocals on this track but the melody is just too saccharine for my ears. I was never a huge fan of this track and I'm afraid time has done little to change that!

The band in Secunda's office at the time of the lawsuit, pic courtest of Getty Images.

Both sides can be found on a variety of Move CD's, we recommend the double CD deluxe edition of their untitled debut 1967 LP or the equally cool 4 CD box set "Anthology 1966-1972". The band found time to dodge being followed by MI 5 (as their members allege during the Harold Wilson incident) to make a promo film for the track which you can view below:

A few other issues of the 45:

Rare South African 45 P.S.

German 45 P.S.

French 45 P.S.

Belgian 45 P.S.

Spanish 45 P.S.

U.S. pressing

U.K. pressing

TRIVIA NOTE:

If you were friends with me in the 90's you probably received a U.S. copy of this single from me along with a U.S. pressing of "Fire Brigade" as I literally bought a dozen copies of each at the Princeton Record Exchange for 50 cents a copy (along with equally as many U.S. copies of Prince Buster's "The 10 Commandments" on Phillips and U.K copies of Roy C's "Shotgun Wedding" on U.K., all at the same price)!

George Harrison "Living In The Material World"

2011-11-08T10:55:00.001-05:00

This past weekend, by way of numerous segments of short viewings, I managed to finally watch Martin Scorsese's George Harrison documentary "Living In The Material World" before it evaporated from on demand viewing on my local cable network. Like most rock n' roll documentaries these days there's no narration other than the principal participants telling their story amdist a mix of snap shots, home movies, live clips, in the studio footage and contemporary news reel clips to set the mood. There is an ocassional voice reading Harrison's words from postcards, letters and journal entries. I was rather amused that Scorsese chose to utilize the same format we've seen in so many other rock n' roll documentaries (The Beatle's "Anthology", The Who's "Amazing Journey" etc) and not really change or deviate from the standard formula.

There are no archival quotes by John Lennon on George but both of his living band mates are on hand to tell the tale along with his widow Olivia, son Dhani (shot with all of George's guitars behind him like his "Magical Mystery Tour" Strat and 12 string "A Hard Days Night" Rickenbacker), ex wife Patti Boyd, Yoko and numerous former band mates (Billy Preston, Klaus Voorman, Tom Petty etc). Oddly Eric Clapton seems to have more air time than Paul and Ringo combined! What struck me odd was that both Paul and Ringo had nary a trace of gray to complement their bags and crows feet, leading me to suspect that either the footage was old or that both of them have grown simultaneously vain in their old age and have began dying their hair in very unnatural shades of brown! Macca's infamous "he was like my younger brother" metaphor was not repeated and Ringo touchingly sheds a tear when discussing George's passing.

As expected the program is heavy in the Indian/sitar/meditation/spirituality angle with an excruciating segment on the Hare Krishna Rada Krishna Temple 45/LP he produced (and it actually charted, shame on you British record buying public!). Unfortunately I am no closer to appreciating the solo work of George after viewing the program, especially "Dark Horse" and the painful live footage including a horribly hoarse , off key rendition of my fave Harrison solo track "What Is Life". Not being old enough to really remember the Beatles (I was 4 when they called it quits) I do, with precise clarity, recall most of their solo hits that were all over the radio in the 70's. I had all but forgotten about "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)",. "Cracker Box Palace" and later "hits" were not mentioned and the dreadfully boring Travelling Willbury's segment was fortunately short.

All in all it didn't turn me into a George Harrison fan musically but it reaffirmed my longstanding belief that he was indeed the "quiet Beatle" and quite possibly the only one who was really capable of somehow riding out all the bullshit. He skipped John's hackneyed political pretensions, Ringo's 70's marathon celebrity hobnobbing and his later grumpy old man antics (with "peace and love" of course)and Macca's outright refusal to ever own up to his bossy nature back in the day. Here's a guy who got stabbed by a nutcase who broke into his house, pulled through all that (how a Beatle who was supposedly paranoid after Lennon's death didn't have a squad of ex-S.A.S guarding his estate is beyond me)and went to his death still beng, literally, all about "peace and love".

I found this great bit of Keith Richards (not in "Living In The Material World"), talking about George:

Soul Brother Clifford!

2011-11-07T07:21:00.002-05:00

THE EQUALS-Soul Brother Clifford/Happy Birthday Girl Germany President 14 539 AT 1970

If you ignore their attire on their later records you'll find that even later in their career The Equals made some pretty cool records! "Soul Brother Clifford", a 45 from 1970, is one of my favorites and always has been. In 1997 when I started a DJ night called Hub City Soul with my co-conspirator Scott Belsky he spun it at nearly every night (and to great aplomb).

Led off by some groovy organ (U.K. copies credit the record as "The Equals with Al Dickinson (organ)") the band tell a tale of a cat who's organ playing in church is so funky that everyone is getting up on Sunday morning to go check him out. Their reggae-ish shuffle is laid into a typically upbeat and funky Equals groove with their standard exhorted chorus and likeable groove. I had a cheap Korean Equals CD that contained a weird version without the organ and a completely different vocal track from Derv Gordon where he does some improvisational lyrical stuff at the end after chanting the title he exhorts "even the white people". "Happy Birthday Girl" is boring proto glam 12 bar rock n roll with rollicking piano and is an exercise in late 60's U.K. "rock n' roll nostalgia" mediocrity.

Good luck finding any affordable original record Equals CD's at the moment with either of these tracks!

True Story:
DJ-ing at the very first Mod Chicago in 2002 a gang of racially mixed English ex-pats for some reason began chanting the number after The Embrooks set, I quickly dug the record out and spun it and had my hand shaken numerous times and offered many drinks. They were amazed that an American knew of The Equals let alone played their records. Hey we Yanks are good like that.

Hear "Soul Brother Clifford":

http://youtu.be/NyDlqk5Gvss

Hear "Happy Birthday Girl":

http://youtu.be/8fA1mvaiClw

Cool Foreign E.P.'s Part 40 The Sorrows en Mexico- Ay Carumba!

2011-11-04T08:02:00.002-04:00

THE SORROWS-Pink Purple Yellow and Red/My Gal/Baby/She's Got the Action E.P. Mexico Pye/Gamma GX 07-458 1967

Cool cufflinks.......

2011-11-04T07:56:00.000-04:00

Robot cufflinks (with functioning arms and legs) c/o my friend Chaz. Beer c/o the Firkin Tavern.

This world is big and wild and half insane.............

2011-11-02T08:04:00.001-04:00

Fame At Last: Georgie Fame

2011-11-02T07:43:00.000-04:00

GEORGIE FAME (AND THE BLUE FLAMES)-"Fame At Last E.P.":Get On The Right Track Baby/Point Of No Return/I Love The Life I Live/Gimme That Wine U.K. Columbia SEG 8393 1965

Georgie Fame is one of my favorite 60's British artists ranking right up there with The Small Faces, The Kinks and Bowie's '65-'67 output. And like The Small Faces and The Kinks you can find a variety of picture sleeve 45's and E.P.'s by him out there. Fame released 6 E.P.s in the U.K. for the Columbia label, this was his fourth, released hot on the heels of his U.K. #1 "Yeh Yeh". Oddly all four tracks on the E.P. had previously seen issue on his 2nd U.K. LP "Fame At Last" (Columbia 33SX 1638), which coincidentally featured the same cover shot as today's E.P. subject! The Blue Flames line up at this time was considered by many to be their "classic" line up composing of Mick Eve (tenor sax), Johnny Marshall (baritone sax), Tex Makins (bass), Speedy Acquaye (congas) and Red Reece (drums). My copy, as scanned above was autographed by the man himself at a gig during a week long residency at the Blue Note in New York City, he made it a point to tell me that if you looked closely at the photograph on the LP you'd notice his fingernails were dirty!

Fame's treatment of Ray Charles "Get On The Right Track, Baby" is well known and he adds his own bit of jazziness to the number but keeps it pretty faithful to Brother Ray's with the exception of a slight increase in the tempo (and sweetened by Speedy's congas and some nice sax work, a trademark of the '64 era Blue Flames). Gene McDaniel's "Point Of No Return" is no carbon copy either. Fame and Co. take the sharp punctuations of the original and turn into into a more swinging number by adding some tasty Hammond/sax action from the get go. In fact it ranks as one of my fave tracks by the band from this era, fattened up by a very smooth sax solo by Johnny Marshall and Speedy's incessantly pleasant conga drums. Mose Allison's "I Love the Life I Live" is next up, it is pretty faithful to the original but with Georgie replacing the stride piano with some tasty Hammond and his own laid back vocal mix style. The always hysterical "Gimme That Wine" originally cut by Lambert Hendricks and Ross, closes the E.P. Fame pulls out all the stops in cheekiness whilst sticking to the originals arrangement but adding some twists of his own c/o his trademark groovy "Hammond n' horns".

You can find "Get On The Right Track Baby" and "Point Of No Return" on two essential Fame CD's (both still in print) the famous "20 Beat Classics" and more recent "The Mod Classics '64-'68". "I Love The Live I Live" can be found on "20 Beat Classics" and the budget compilation "The Very Best of.." CD. "Gimme That Wine" has yet to see a widespread legitimate CD reissue as of yet.

Hear "Get On The Right Track Baby":

http://youtu.be/6tXgiGw2FDY

Hear "The Point Of No Return":

"Anorak Thing" wishes to thank Nick Rossi for his informational assistance in the composing of today's post.

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The Applejacks

2011-11-01T14:33:00.003-04:00

THE APPLEJACKS-Tell Me When/Baby Jane U.S. London 45LON9658 1964

The Applejacks, as we've discussed in earlier posts were unfairly maligned for a variety of reasons in the 60's. The sexists dismissed their having a female bassist as a gimmick and their hit reading of Lennon and Macaa's "Like Dreamers Do" forever consigned them as musical footnotes in the great catalog of "bands who's Beatles covers gave them their only hit". I wholeheartedly disagree and feel that The Applejacks, despite a few weak tracks, are on the whole a pretty rocking group.

Today's article is a U.S. pressing (in fact it's the only U.S. Applejacks single I've come across) of the band's U.K. debut 45 (Decca F 11833, February 1964). "Tell Me When" is an upbeat ditty propelled by the band's tinny, tinkling piano and happy go lucky feel. "Baby Jane", written by the talented Pete Dello (later to front the Deram act and write other Applejack's tracks "It's Not A Game Anymore" and "Make Up Or Break Up") is one of their most rocking sides. With a driving beat, cool bass runs and a punchy feel it is set apart from so many mediocre 60's British beat group records!

The band would go on to cut six more singles for Decca, their next being their highest charting (#20) U.K. hit "Like Dreamers Do" five months after this debut.

Both sides are included on the highly recommended Applejacks complete Decca recordings anthology, a CD reissue of their untitled Decca LP put out by Cherry Red.

Hear "Baby Jane":

http://youtu.be/yjX5cHJ30ko

For a cool interview with their bassist Megan Davies go to:

http://www.brumbeat.net/sixmegan.htm

Kiss Redeemed? Watch and listen.............

2011-11-01T10:15:00.000-04:00

I've never in my life liked Kiss musically, but dig what these guys enjoy:

John's Children: Lift Up Your Skirt And Get Banned

2011-10-30T07:51:00.002-04:00

JOHN'S CHILDREN-Desdemona/Remember Thomas A Beckett Germany Polydor 59 104 1967

Today's topic is one of the most famous John's Children tracks, not necessarily their best, but it's well known because it marks the debut of their newly recruited guitarist Marc Bolan and because it contained a line which allegedly incurred some wrath from the BBC (though I honestly find it hard to believe the Beeb would be so troubled by a band so obscure). Who knows, maybe this was more P.R. from their manager Simon Napier Bell who freely admitted to encouraging their outlandishness!

"Desdemona" was never one of my favorites by the band until I became a T Rex fan. I think it's down to Bolan's warbling "Desdemona" backing vocal that always rubbed me the wrong way till I got used to his elfin warbling. The number is pretty mundane in itself in musical delivery other than a freaky interlude where Bolan can be heard coaxing some feedback in the middle, what's most interesting are Bolan's quasi beatnik lyrics which I find quite cool. And then of course there's the "offensive" line "lift up your skirt and speak/fly" line which I don't perceive as anything sexual just good old witchy/proto hippie gobbledygook.

I prefer the flip side, "Remember Thomas A. Beckett". It's full of silly crash bang wallop drumming and some off kilter backing harmonies. It is purported that the band used the funds gained in royalties from "Smashed Blocked" in The States to buy a club in Leatherhead, Surrey called The Bluesette which they renamed "The Thomas A. Beckett", whether this was more the productive yarn spinning on their then manager Simon Napier Bell, I'll never know but it sounds impressive! To me the lyrics speak of necrophilia ("won't your blues eyes ever shine? Whys your hand cold all the time ?") and murders ("you're running, I'll follow, you're screaming, I'll catch you, and chop you in pieces..."). Thomas A. Beckett of course was a historical figure, (not to be confused Thomas Beckett with the Archbishop of Cantebury, murdered on Henry VIII's order in 1170) who was , for a time, Australia's chief justice in the late 19th/early 20th Century. Strange lads those John's Children, one wonders what Andy Ellison and John Hewlett had in mind when they wrote it!!

TRIVIA NOTE:
Recently Acid Jazz unearthed an "alternate" version of "Desdemona" that featured on their "Rare Mod Volume Three" CD that contained the line "why do you have to lie?" in place of "lift up your skirt and speak/fly", showing that despite all pretensions of rebellion John's children were not above conformity if need be................

Both tracks are available on a variety of John's Children CD compilations ("The Complete John's Children" and "Smashed Blocked"), which are all sadly, out of print. What the fuck is up with that?!

Hear "Desdemona":

http://youtu.be/VGtgacHMIec

Hear "Remember Thomas A. Beckett":

http://youtu.be/A6e0EOhmtmM

The MEGA rare U.K. picture sleeve.

Norway:The 60's

2011-10-30T07:48:00.000-04:00

Sweden always gets to focus of attention when it comes to 60's Scandinavian sounds. With The Tages, The Mascots, The Lee Kings, Ola and The Janglers, The Shanes and The Namelosers (to name but a few) that's understandable. But what about Norway? Norway had it's share of great 60's bands too. Like:

The Wizards:

http://youtu.be/e_q88zhf9vw

126:

http://youtu.be/MVm7-NT7p24

http://youtu.be/5xlByIApj9Y

http://youtu.be/InCY8SBK-Ww

and their silly Dylan pastiche:

http://youtu.be/InCY8SBK-Ww

And my all time faves from Norway, The Pussycats:

http://youtu.be/cKyk3sJZ2_s

http://youtu.be/aQDIQqCOmUI

http://youtu.be/i2DRpajcYvM

pic courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/groups/95262625275/#!/groups/95262625275/

White Girls On Motown:The Lewis Sisters

2011-10-27T09:47:00.001-04:00

Until Motown set up their Rare Earth label for white rock n' roll acts, pale faces, other than Chris Clark, weren't something you associated with Motown. To every rule there is an exception and that being two Caucasian jazz singers called The Lewis Sisters. They were reputed to be school teachers (a Motown 45 single picture sleeve even credited them as "the singing school teachers") and both held music degrees. They cut just two singles for Motown via their V.I.P. imprint:

"You Need Me"/"Moonlight On The Beach" V.I.P.-25024 August 1964
"He's An Oddball"/"By Some Chance" V.I.P.-25018 May 1965

They really were sisters and their names are Helen and Kaye. They startred out in the 50's as jazz singers bumping elbows with Les McCann with whom they recorded an LP for Liberty called "Way Out Far" in 1959. Eventually they gravitated to Motown where they were initially signed as recording artists but eventually utilized for songwriting (penning the Gladys Knight and the Pips classic "Just Walk In My Shoes" among others) but their output there was limited to the two singles above. The best of which for my money is "He's An Oddball". They did also record a number of vocal tracks for demos for the label, one of which was the brilliant "Don't Make Me Live Without Your Love" which is in my book their greatest effort. In fact it's among my top ten favorite all time soul tracks. The track was issued on the essential double 2002 CD "A Cellarful Of Motown Volume 1".

TRIVIA NOTE:
Kaye's 15 year old daughter Lisa cut a 45 on V.I.P. as well called "Hang On Bill"/ "Puppet On A String" in 1965 (V.I.P.-25023).

Hear "He's An Oddball":

http://youtu.be/auLl0Vhe5iU

Hear "You Need Me":

http://youtu.be/MDum-Bo6kV0

Hear "Don't Make Me Live Without Your Love":

http://youtu.be/bzTc7zBAieE

My old pal Larry Grogan blogged about them in a bit tacked onto a Bill Dogget piece on his Funky 16 Corners blog which you can read here:

http://funky16corners.blogspot.com/2006/04/bill-doggett-his-orchestra-funky-feet.html

A rare French E.P. featuring both of their V.I.P. sides,
courtesy of http://beatsixties.blogspot.com/

Revenge Of The Cybermen Explained!

2011-10-26T08:37:00.000-04:00

It's long been a topic of conversation since back in the day that The Prisoners had nicked "Revenge Of The Cybermen" from the music being played in the dance hall scene in the famous "Get Carter" film. I'd long thought the number in "Get Carter" sounded a lot like Willie Mitchell's "30-60-90". Recently I stumbled upon a video upload on YouTube of the scene with information clearing it all up. It would seem the song in "Get Carter" is indeed "30-60-90" but instead of the Willie Mitchell original (which it's clearly not) it's performed by a group called the Jack Hawkins Showband from a live LP they recorded called "Everything Is Beautiful" from a gig at the Blackpool Larcano.

Pic courtesy of http://easylisteningworld.blogspot.com/

Graham Day of The Prisoners obviously has a sense of humor about it all as this clip of him and his band The Goalers proves as they cover "30-60-90" at a gig in Dublin where he cheekily introduces it as "a number I thought I wrote a long time ago"!

And here's Willie Mitchell's original version that started it all:

http://youtu.be/485v_4eodxk

And here's The Prisoners "Revenge Of The Cybermen":

http://youtu.be/CPV7kEMTtq4

Page One Perfection: The Lovin'

2011-10-25T07:59:00.003-04:00

THE LOVIN'-Keep On Believing/I'm In Command U.K. Page One POF 035 1967

The Lovin' were your archetype British 60's freakbeat band. They made just two singles for Larry Page's Page One label, but what a great two singles they were.

Formerly known as The Children the band were snatched up by Page who, in the spirit of '67, renamed them The Lovin'. They were: Stuart Moore (lead vocals), Rob Duffy (vocals/rhythm guitar), Steve Taylor (vocals/lead guitar), Ian Day (bass) and Mike Jackson (drums).

"Keep On Believing" was penned by the songwriting duo of Dwyer/Price (who'd penned The Loot's, another Larry Page act's, debut 45 "Baby Come Closer" see

http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2010/11/loot-debut.html).

It's not as hard edged as the other three tracks cut by The Lovin' but it's still quite good reminding me a bit of The Creation thanks to their utilization of very high pitched backing vocals and distorted guitar chugging along. The flip side, "I'm In Command", is far superior in my book, with it's slightly overblown melodic main lick (it sounds like they cranked the amp up to "11") and some great power poppy vocals. It's a perfect slice of when beat group sounds met the harder/wiggier edge of freakbeat.

"Keep On Believing" was reissued on Bam Caruso's "Rubble Volume 16: Glass Orchid Aftermath" but criminally "I'm In Command" has not been reissued. It has been covered live by New Jersey's power pop trio The Insomniacs, brought to their attention by yours truly (see a brief clip of them performing it below).

I'd like to extend a hearty thanks to Ellis Kingston's "Shindig!" Issue 20 Lovin'/Nerve article, from which some information for this piece was culled!

October's Picks

2011-10-24T08:12:00.001-04:00

1. 5:30-"You"
A blast from this past. This one time mod band reinvented themselves on the heels of The Stone Roses and issued the excellent "Bed" CD in 1991 with quite a few powerful tracks, like this one and 20 years later it still sounds quite powerful in it's wall of wah-wah guitar oblivion!

2. ALICE COOPER-"Beautiful Flyaway"
My pal Ray Fracalossy turned me onto this track (and "Shoe Salesman") on a much treasured mix tape he made me while I was away during Desert Shield/Storm from their "Easy Action" LP. "Beautiful Flyaway" is a brilliant, melodically intricate piano driven piece of pop perfection, not what you'd expect from these heavies!

3. THE TELEVISION PERSONALITIES-"Three Wishes"
I'd known of these guys from "I Know Where Syd Barrett Lives" 45 but it wasn't until some dark times in 1986 that a S.F. pen pal turned me onto their "They Could Have Been Bigger Than The Beatles" LP which she kindly sent me a copy of (bless you Carrie White wherever you are!). This tune was and still is the best on the album. Disjointed, bleak and chillingly atmospheric.

4. THE WILD ANGELS-"Please Don't Touch"
This rocking U.K. 45 version of the Johnny Kidd classic on the B&C label (home of some early Atomic Rooster singles) actually dates from '69 and sounds more like '65, killer!

5. THE AUTUMN LEAVES-"Why Must You Feel So Bad"
One of the crappy things about owning WAY too much music is you unintentionally overlook stuff so with ye olde iPod on "shuffle" this gem came across and I'd forgotten how freaking cool this LP/CD by this Twin Cities group ("Treats And Treasures") is, in fact it stands as my fave long player on the 90's!

6. VAMP-"Floatin'"
Drearily downtrodden 1968 offering from Vamp, a band comprised of ex-Pretty Thing Viv Price, Andy Clark, Mick Hutchinson, and ex- Fleur De Ly Pete Sears delivered in almost stoned, heavily Anglicized lead vocals. One of the crown jewels of the dodgy 1983 "Perfumed Garden" compilation LP.

7. REGGIE KING-"So Full Of Love"
Why is it that the best Reg King solo tunes didn't make it on the LP? This one was left on the cutting room floor and fittingly issued on the "Missing In Action" E.P. It easily could slide for "Brain" era Action material with it's tabla, raga licks, near Eastern style vocal melodies and groovy harmonies.

8. SLADE-"How Does It Feel"
This is one of my fave Slade tracks. I think it's down to the grandiose bombastic delivery (flutes, horns, strings) which make it all sound very full and not unlike some brilliant tracks on "Quadrophenia" like "5:15" or "Dr. Jimmy".

9. GENERATION X-"Promises Promises"
Long before MTV, "Rebel Yell" and obscurity Billy Idol fronted Generation X and sang about pathetic rock n' roll dinosaurs in this anthemic power punk number, and then within 8 years became one.............

10. THE KINKS-"Autumn Almanac"
Hands down the best song ever written about my favorite, but rapidly short in these times of global warning, season. I can't feel the rustle of leaves beneath my feet or the cool morning fall air without this Kinks klassick popping into my brain!

The Face of '68 Says Goodbye To The Herd

2011-10-21T09:03:00.000-04:00

THE HERD-Sunshine Cottage/Miss Jones U.K. Fontana TF 975 1968

The Herd are best known as the home of one Peter Frampton (after stints with The Preachers and Moon's Train aka The Train). They actually cut three 45's in the U.K. prior to Frampton's joining. Upon becoming their lead singer they cut 4 singles on Fontana in the U.K. (all hitting the U.K. Top 20). This would be their 5th for Fontana and their last with Frampton who left in early 1969 to join Steve Marriott in Humble Pie.

The music press at the time claimed that this record was to be produced by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane, but they are, as you can see, not credited on the label. In fact it was produced by Frampton and keyboardist Andy Bown. I'll have to say it sounds rather muddy compared to the earlier opus works on Fontana (produced by Steve Rowland) and obviously Bown and Frampton were still finding their feet in the knob twiddling department.

"Sunshine Cottage" is an interesting track as it couples both Frampton's lead vocals with the baritone of bassist Gary Taylor on the chorus (also along for the ride was actor Victor Spinetti's brother Henry on drums who had recently replaced Andrew Steele). Taylor's Righteous Brother's styled vocals were often utilized for single lines in various Herd numbers, sometimes to good effect, though on this number it sounds a bit corny. What carries the number is the groove set by Frampton's distorted guitar and the catchy chorus. Sadly it fizzled in the chart's no doubt aiding Frampton's decision to jump ship. The flip side "Miss Jones" is a cheeky misogynistic number about a secretary from the point of view of a lecherous boss, very dated but somewhat rocking lead vocals, I know what Andy Bown and Gary Taylor's voice sounds like and this isn't it, wonder who it could be? Whoever it is it's the same vocalist who sang on the post Frampton 45 "The Game" and a few unreleased post- Frampton era cuts that have cropped up (ie "Follow The Leader"). Anyone got any idea?

Both sides are available on a variety of Herd CD's, the best and most recent (and more to the point, still in print!) is "Paradise Lost: The Complete Fontana Years".

You can hear both tracks (in samples) here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Paradise-Lost-Complete-Fontana-Recordings/dp/B004ITYQTK/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1319037156&sr=1-1

Swedish 60's Sounds Abound!

2011-10-21T08:43:00.002-04:00

We here at "Anorak Thing" are mad about 60's Scandinavian sounds. Our pal Jon Burchard shared the Mascots clip below and this led to discovering more brilliant 60's Nordic beat clips on YouTube. Enjoy!

Throwing darts in lover's eyes.....

2011-10-21T07:54:00.000-04:00

Whether you call him The Thin White Duke or The Dame to us here at "Anorak Thing" it's all the same because at the end of the day he's still The King and we here at "Anorak Thing" wear that proudly on our lapel...........

Manfred Mann's Swedish Only 45

2011-10-20T15:01:00.001-04:00

MANFRED MANN-You're My Girl/Box Office Draw Sweden Fontana 267.906 TF 1968

One of the grooviest things about being a former record collecting nerd is that rare moment where you discover a song you've never heard before by a band you've owned tons of records by that is only available on an off the wall foreign pressing. Case in point, today's item, a Manfred Mann 45 with an A-side only issued in Sweden (the cut appeared in their 1966 Fontana LP "As Is", their first with Mike D'Abo as their lead singer).

"You're My Girl" is a wiggy track for Manfred Mann. It has a disjointed rhythm with some guitar bashing away chords while vibes play along with a bizarre effect that almost makes them sound like the recording is under water. I think that's what grabbed me immediately when I first heard the track on a CD-R bootleg compilation many years back. "Box Office Draw" utilizes the same guitar effects as the band used on "Just Like A Woman" and relys on the pop precision backing vocals and the lead vocals of Mike D'Abo, in fact the melody and pace seems a bit similar to "Just Like A Woman's" flip "I Wanna Be Rich" in parts!

"Box Office Draw" can be found on the U.K. CD "The Very Best Of The Fontana Years" while both cuts can be found on the CD reissue of their "As Is" LP.

Hear "You're My Girl" :

http://youtu.be/UMT-2u8rNDo

Hear "Box Office Draw":

http://youtu.be/9GE2eSWxeow

In The 80's.....

2011-10-20T08:24:00.000-04:00

After all the '79 mod bands were gone and Weller went soulboy there was still a lot of interesting stuff in the U.K..................

More Who Covers: From Sweden The Mascots

2011-10-19T07:34:00.002-04:00

THE MASCOTS-So Sad About Us/Stewball Sweden Hep House HS 09 1967

The Mascots were a Swedish 60's group who cut two LP's and a whole load of great singles during their four years of existance (1964-1968). Next to The Tages they're one of my fave Swedish 60's groups and like the Tages they embraced a few styles along the way. Starting out as another British beat group influenced band they moved on to embrace a slightly harder more rocking "mod" influence (which is where today's subject leads us).

The Who were monstrously huge in Scandinavia (Sweden in particular) and in '65-'66 had made numerous pilgrimages there, so it's no surprise that any Swedish bands covered their material. The Mascot's version of the Who's "A Quick One" album track "So Sad About Us" is not nearly as jangly or punchy as the original but it's still good as it trades the Who's melodic/ Rickenbacker feel to a plodding/harder edged delivery. The band change the lyrics during the bridge a bit for some reason, but considering they're singing in a second language from their mother tongue I find it pretty impressive regardless (and amusing, they sing "all the kids are jumping around and everybody's there...", or so it would seem, instead of "but you can't switch off my loving like you can't switch off the sun"). The B-side, "Stewball" an old folk-blues standard was probably learned through The Hollies (who were possibly even bigger than The Who in Sweden) version on their "Would You Believe" LP (who learned it from Peter Paul and Mary's interpretation!). I was never fond of the track and the Mascots don't do it much justice, but no one really can!

Sadly neither cut are available anywhere, which is criminal, they weren't even on the old Mascots EMI double LP/CD (now out of print) "Mascots 1964-1968"!

Hear "So Sad About Us":

http://youtu.be/sNEDrFsaFw8

Hear "Stewball":

http://youtu.be/4KtBvMQm5w8

Pic courtesy of Jon Burchard

Billy J. Kramer's Hip Makeover

2011-10-18T07:44:00.004-04:00

BILLY J. KRAMER-The Town Of Tuxley Toymaker Part 1/BILLY J. KRAMER & THE DAKOTAS-Chinese Girl U.K. Reaction 591014 1967

Billy J. Kramer had seen better days by 1967, his previous record, "Sorry" (Parlophone R 5552), recorded without The Dakotas, was his last before EMI washed their hands of him. Enter his manager Brian Epstein's new business partner Robert Stigwood and his new label Reaction. Stigwood's newest charges, an Australian combo called The Bee Gees, were supplying all and sundry (especially those Brit solo singers whose careers were past their expiration date) with new material consisting of tracks unreleased by themselves in the hopes of bolstering the flagging careers of these artists. See our earlier entry on Billy Fury cutting a Gibb brothers track (backed with a tune by another new hopeful, David Bowie):

http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2010/10/billy-fury-and-david-bowie.html) .

Billy J. was given a track of theirs called "The Town Of Tuxley Toymaker Part 1" (a similarly down on his luck Gerry Marsden was given a Brothers Gibb track called "Gilbert Green" which was released on CBS 2946 in August 1967, as he too had been ushered off EMI). Sadly for Kramer, Fury or Mardsen the Gibb's Midas touch only worked on their own careers and nobody elses.

"The Town Of Tuxley Toymaker Part 1" is not a terrible record, it was suited for Billy's new supper club/cabaret persona in it's big solo vocal delivery but it's odd and abrupt key changes ratchet up the freakiness quotient during the chorus that breaks up the dreary, slickly produced pap.

The flip side is another horse of another color! Written by former backing band mates Mick Green and Robin MacDonald, "Chinese Girl" sees Billy J. being backed by The Dakotas for one last time. Forget the slightly un-P.C. lyrics if you can and focus on how rocking this number is. Mick Green does his brilliant string chopping in between some raga style licks with a "Train Kept A Rollin'" feel to it all. No ballad/supper club crap here kids. There is also a superior alternate version titled "Kinky Chinese Girl" that was in the can and available on an exhaustive EMI Billy J. CD compilation ("Do You Want To Know A Secret: The EMI Years 1963-1983") and is also available from iTunes with way out distorted guitars, a new lead vocal track and some serious phlanging that needs to be heard as well. I daresay it's way better than the original.

Kramer had one more excellent record after this in the following year when he cut an excellent version of Harry Nilsson's brilliant "1941" for the NEMS label (56-3396) in March.

German pressing on Polydor with Billy in his groovy "Mad Max" hairdo, having finally chucked his quiff.

"The
Town Of Tuxley Toymaker Part 1" can be found on a compilation CD of 60's versions of Bee Gee's compositions called "Maybe Someone Is Digging Underground". "Chinese Girl", as mentioned about can be found in alternate version form on the CD set "Do You Want To Know A Secret: The EMI Years 1963-1983" and in it's original 45 mix form on the A.I.P. CD/L.P. "English Freakbeat Volume 5".

Hear "The Town Of Tuxley Toymaker":

http://youtu.be/yNjXx8DUp3Q

Hear "Chinese Girl":

http://youtu.be/w1rkXqijLbo

The Prisoners!!

2011-10-17T13:53:00.000-04:00

Here's some groovy videos of The Prisoners, 1985 vintage, good stuff!

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Duffy Power

2011-10-17T07:24:00.000-04:00

DUFFY POWER-I Don't Care/Where Am I? U.S. Veep V 1204 1964

Duffy Power wasn't a household name in Britain, so I'm not sure what prompted the good folks over at Veep records in the States to decide to release a 45 of his here! Perhaps it was the success of the rolling Stones that allowed similar obscure U.K. r&b artists to gain a release here, we'll never know. Veep was an odd choice as they were primarily a soul label! "I Don't Care" was Duffy's 11th U.K. 45 (it was actually the B-Side to "Where Am I?" which was released in August of 1964 as Parlophone R 5169 no nary a ripple of interest). I chose "I Don't Care" because it's a bluesy r&b number that's well suited for Duffy's smokey voice. "Where Am I?" is a ballad and though he's pretty much got the pipes to carry off anything the tune itself is sadly lacking.

Both sides have been collected on the amazing double CD on RPM chronicling Duffy's 60's r&b output "Leapers And Sleepers", a must for any fans of mod/jazzy British 60's r&b.

Des Mods & Des Rockers

2011-10-13T09:50:00.001-04:00

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The Soulful Brit R&B sounds of Winston G

2011-10-13T07:29:00.001-04:00

WINSTON G.-Cloud Nine/I'll Make You Cry Tomorrow U.S. Warner Brothers 7003 1967

This is the third of five singles by a group called Winston G. We spoke about a later single by them earlier at:

http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2009/09/freakbeat-67.html

This single is a soulful affair, in fact you'd think it was another band based on our previous entry (which was actually the single following today's item in question)! It was released in the U.K. as Decca F 12444 in 1966. It's not to be confused with the late track of the same name by The Temptations. It contains high pitched female backing vocalists (not unlike the horrid Breakaways shrill noise on Georgie Fame's "Fame At Last" LP) which puts me off a bit but luckily the lead vocals and the powerful horns make it a great track (I the arrangement was done by Les Reed, who also did the same for Paul & Barry Ryan). I haven't a clue what the flip is like as I never played it, guess I should huh?

"Cloud Nine" was reissued on the British 60's r&b/soul CD compilation "Mix A Fix:U.K. Floor Fillers 2".

I've since found some groovy info on the illusive Winston G:

http://forgottenbands.blogspot.com/2010/01/winston-g-wicked.html

Who it would seem formed the basis of The Fox ( responsible for the 45 "Hey Mr. Carpenter"/"Seek And You Find", NOT The Fox on Fontana), more on that 45 soon I promise!

Hear "Cloud Nine":

http://youtu.be/DqsxmDk29Uk

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The Mohawks Part One

2011-10-12T09:16:00.002-04:00

THE MOHAWKS-Baby Hold On Part One/Baby Hold On Part Two U.S. Cotillion 45-44037 1969

More Hammond B-3 goodness from this Alan Hawkshaw studio only vehichle, this time from the U.S.A on the Cotillion label ,as far as I know this and the issue of "Champ" (Cotillion 45-44002, more on that one soon) were their only releases on the label.

Had this been the 80's "Baby Hold On, Part One and Part Two" would've been edits from a 12" extended dance mix. Both tracks are typical brass and organ workouts with some backing studio female voices adding a chorus and singing the title repeatedly. I like "Part Two" better because the organ really cuts into some seriously groovy trills which is really the only reason you'd own a Mohawks 45 in my estimation!

Pic c/o http://www.alanhawkshaw.com/

"Baby Hold On" was issued on the legit Vampisoul CD reissue of The Mohawks insanely collectable LP "The Champ" but not in form of this single (ie "Parts One And Two").

Hear "Baby Hold On Part One":

http://youtu.be/3po99yHV2H0

Hear "Baby Hold On Part Two(edited)":

http://youtu.be/_uU6brrMFKM

It was 30 years ago...........

2011-10-11T09:24:00.001-04:00

Thirty years ago this month The Jam released "Absolute Beginners" (U.K. Polydor POSP 350). I can recall with absolute certainty not being very impressed by it at first (a common issue with most Jam singles for me after "Going Underground", which was the first Jam single I bought hot of the presses after becoming familiar with them). I was far more impressed at the time by the B-side, "Tales From The Riverbank". I think I still prefer it, though that's not to say "Absolute Beginners" doesn't still resonate in my 45 year old mind in a positive way. It blows me away that thirty years ago I bought this piece of plastic (and it came with a cool little insert, which you can see below with the lyrics, a must for a teenager who's ears were not yet attuned to British accented songs). And I still have it, with all of my other Jam singles.

Bring you a tale from the pastel fields
Where we ran when we were young
This is a tale from the water meadows
Trying to spread some hope into your heart
It's mixed with happiness - it's mixed with tears
Both life and death are carried in this stream
That open space you could run for miles
Now you don't get so many to the pound

True it's a dream mixed with nostalgia
But it's a dream that I'll always hang on to
That I'll always run to
Won't you join me by the riverbank

Paradise found down by the still waters
Joined in the race to the rainbow's end
No fears no worries just a golden country
Woke at sunrise, went home at sunset

Now life is so critical, life is too cynical
We lose our innocence, we lose our very soul

True it's a dream mixed with nostalgia
But it's a dream that I'll always hang on to
That I'll always run to
True it's a dream mixed with nostalgia
But it's a dream that I'll always hang on to
That I always run to
Won't you join me by the riverbank
Come on and join me by the riverbank

Equals Debut (of sorts)!

2011-10-11T07:59:00.003-04:00

THE EQUALS-Baby Come Back/Hold Me Closer Germany President 19456 AT 1967

The Equals, you can't go wrong with the original 60's Equals. Their mix of rock n roll soul/r&b and ska/reggae rhythms was ahead of it's time as was the fact that they were probably the first multi racial rock n' roll band to grace the U.K. Top 20. They were even bigger on the Continent where today's copy comes from (Germany to be precise). Hailing from North London they were: Derv Gordon(lead vocals), Lincoln Gordon (rhythm guitar), Eddie Grant (lead guitar), Pat Lloyd (bass) and John Hall (drums).

"Baby Come Back" was the band's second single, hitting the streets in early 1967 in the U.K., initially it did not chart but instantly made #1 in places like Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands (to name a few). Upon a re-release in the U.K. in 1968 it became their only British #1 becoming certified as a gold disc. It became they only U.S. Top 40 entry reaching #32.

For those who haven't heard it "Baby Come Back" it is characterized by Eddie Grant's infectious funky guitar lick that sounds straight off of an early Wailers session (perhaps it was the intention?) and Derv's distinctly West Indian accented lead vocals and rousing chanting backing vocals from the rest of the band. "Hold Me Closer" utilized the same guitar effect but was faster and punchier (thanks to the locomotive engine beat laid down by John Hall). It contains some well placed horns that punctuate the number at the right moment too.

Sadly as discussed in previous posts there sadly seems to be a lack of legit original recordings Equals CD's in print at the moment!

The Gallery of Ghastliness

2011-10-09T12:17:00.001-04:00

Ugly Ben Sherman products 101:

I believe Members Only never flew the Union Jack so Ben you're the first.....Go Team Revson!

No one wants to pay $50 for your ugly fucking t-shirt, even a 15 year old mod.

At the risk of offending my gay friends, this is a VERY feminine jacket, in fact I'll bet none of my gay friends would wear this! And they have the nerve to call it a "Harrington"?!

Nothing says I'm a teenage ticket better than a pair of bulls eye bowling shoes!

Elbow pads are wrong period, denim ones are worthy of the death penalty....

There is nothing worse than a bearded hippie hipster in a Ben Sherman....except maybe an over inked hip hop rude girl...

Vomit.

This ensemble gives me vertigo...

Who the fuck buys this shit?!

They call it the "Glory Brogue", who the hell dreams up the names for their gear? I guess "ugly pair of suede brogues" would've gotten me fired or at least a written letter of reprimand if I were working for them....

A Ben Sherman wallet, nothing says "I'm a knob" like a Ben Sherman wallet with Union Jack lining....for ~~mods~~ suckers only

In the 80's my friend Steve wore a Chess Club jacket just like this, he still probably does, who knew he'd be cool 30 years later according to Ben Sherman!

Stop Me If You've Heard This One:True Tales of Record Collecting Part One

2011-10-06T07:34:00.011-04:00

Back in the mid to late 1990's I was forced to move back to the family homestead for a bit as I was rather heavily in credit card debt due to A.) one too many shopping trips to 99X for clothes, B.) one too orders to Craig Moerer's record mail order business and C.) living right across the street from Vintage Vinyl. True story ten grand later!

My record collecting pal Haim Kenig informed me that the Princeton Record Exchange had acquired a massive collection of 45's from the recently shut down Radio Free Europe (who knew the end of the Cold War and the fall of communism would be manna for record geeks?) and that they would be hitting the shelves. I left work at lunchtime and met him there and we each took one end of the store and worked our way across the store till we were literally in the same box. The next day I took the whole day off and and we met up first thing in the morning. We took lunch and dinner breaks at the nearby Athenian restaurant (R.I.P) and spent the entire time the store was open going through everything crouched over as all the boxes were on the floor beneath the LP bins (also R.I.P.) Ah to be young, I'd be in traction now if I did that for more than a few hours let alone two days! Nearly all of the rare stuff had been snatched as it had been gone through by the people who worked there and a few dealers they knew before it hit the shelves. I borrowed some $ from my dad with the intention of starting a "records for sale" little side gig and came home with probably enough to fill one of your standard white oblong cardboard 45 boxes. Most if not all were German pressings of 60's stuff, well over half of it went on E-Bay a year or so later and the rest on my website/list about 5-6 years ago. The collection ran from basically the early 60's to the 80's, a lot of it was crap. There seemed to be an ungodly large number of Joni James and Jack Jones 45's, I don't know if it unnerved the Commies but it'd sure get under my skin. I did score some great stuff (The World of Oz, The Mirror, Chris Farlowe, Paul & Barry Ryan, The Rattles, The Small Faces etc) the picture sleeves were usually in bad shape with lots of stickers (see examples below) and shredded but the records were in great shape. I'm not sure why because I'm quite certain Radio Free Europe wasn't giving Gene Latter, Screaming Lord Sutch, The Pretty Things or Twice As Much any heavy turntable rotation!

A week or two later I was back and a staff member at the store told me they'd found half a dozen more boxes that weren't out yet and that no one had gone through them from the store or otherwise and dutifully hauled them out and placed them in the corner. I found a nice U.S. copy of the Dream Police "Living Is Easy" in mint condition and there amongst the Shelia E 45's and Heino E.P.'s was the stuff that legends are made of...with it's center missing was Columbia DB7686 aka "On The Horizon"/"Crawdaddy Simone" by The Syndicats. It was in VG++ condition, in a tattered green and white U.K. Columbia stock sleeve with a few stickers on the label. It was $15!! I was broke. I no longer had a credit card and it was Thursday and my ATM was tapped (I got paid the next day). I stashed it back whee I'd found it and went out to a payphone and began calling my pals in the area. Shaggy wasn't home, Kevin either. I panicked. I took the chance of asking the clerk who brought them out if he could hold a record for me and he hemmed and hawed and eventually said no that it wouldn't be fair or some bullshit. I contemplated shoplifting it, surely the fine and shame and minor criminal record would be worth it right? No. So I stuck it in a Shelia E 45 sleeve and put it in another box and wrote down it's location on a scrap of paper in my wallet. I went back the next day when I got paid and was there when they opened the store. It was gone. I suspect my asking the clerk to hold it sent some signals and perhaps I was watched and they too sussed what I'd hid. Maybe some Shelia E fan entered right after I left and stumbled upon it, I'll never know. The Dream Police 45 was still there though.

Photo courtesy of http://www.45cat.com/

The Dame On Deram

2011-10-05T12:08:00.003-04:00

DAVID BOWIE-The Laughing Gnome/The Gospel According To Tony Day U.K. Deram DM 123 1967

It's well known that one record that haunts Mr. David Bowie: this campy April 1967 single by him which was reissued at the height of the Ziggy era (1973) and much to the surprise and chagrin of all concerned, charted reaching a respectable #6! In 1990 when Bowie's audience were able to "phone in" votes for their favorite Bowie tracks to be performed N.M.E. attempted to encourage readers to vote for "The Laughing Gnome" so that Bowie would add it to the repertoire. Their effort failed.

It's really not as awful as everyone slags it off to be, certainly it's the least favorite of all of the 60's Bowie tracks pre-"Space Oddity" tracks in my book but hey whatever. The inane sped up chipmunk voices (gnomes in this case) are a bit much and the lines are pretty corny: "Why don't you get your hair cut you look like a Rolling Gnome" "Yeh I went to the London School of Eco-gnomics"..... but the instrumental backing is amusing (woodwinds and tinkling piano and some nice murky bass, a formula utilized on his debut LP two months later). The B-side is where it's at in my books. I'd long sworn Bowie sang "Waste of f*ckin' time , take a look at my life and you'll see, have a quick butcher's" at the tracks fadeout, but a commenter at this excellent Bowie blog:

http://bowiesongs.wordpress.com/

has convinced me it's "waste of flippin' time,.."! Sigh, and here I thought Bowie had snuck in an "f" bomb in '67. The number is a brilliant study in cynicism as Bowie singles out names of people who've disappointed him or slighted him (edging on bordeom where he quips "Your mind, blow it, blow it!") while his backing band of Derek “Chow” Boyes (keyboards), Derek “Dek” Fearnly (bass), John “Ego” Eager (drums) provide backing amongst some renaissance fair styled baroque woodwinds. And how many other records do you know of came with a bassoon solo? Just this one.

David would release one more 45 on Deram (DM 135), a re-recorded version of an album track called "Love You Till Tuesday" in July of 1967 before his contract expired and he moved on to perms, art labs and songs about wayward spacemen. Both tracks are on any multitude of Deram era Bowie comps, we strongly recommend hearing it on the deluxe 2 CD edition of David's first LP where you can hear both mono and stereo mixes of both tracks.

Trivia Note:
"The Laughing Gnome" was recorded and released by personality Ronnie Hilton in the U.K. in July of 1967 as HMV POP 1600 where Hilton delivered it spoken word in a semi thick Yorkshire accent.

Collector's Note:
As with all original 60's U.K. Bowie Deram releases the matrix numbers on the original issues are upside down. The 70's reissues bear the same serial numbers but have the matrix number right side up.

Hear "The Laughing Gnome":

http://youtu.be/gFoEjAMsmtg

Hear "Gospel According To Tony Day":

http://youtu.be/GidrQdpNy8E

Cha-cha-cha-ching, French 1973 reissue

Trippy 60's Promo Films Part Two: The Hollies "Carrie Anne"

2011-10-04T10:51:00.000-04:00

Down at the Flamingo.....

2011-10-03T11:12:00.004-04:00

GEORGIE FAME & THE BLUE FLAMES-"Rhythm & Blues" Night Train/Parchman Farm/Work Song/ Baby Please Don't Go U.K. Columbia SEG 8382 1964

Live records in the 60's by British artists are sometimes patchy affairs but none conveys the feeling of an intimate setting like Georgie Fame's debut LP recorded live at London's mod/jazz Mecca The Flamingo. No one else in the world is better associated with this famous London r&b night spot than Georgie Fame and The Blue Flames, so it should only seem fitting that Fame's debut 1964 LP should be recorded live at the club ("Rhythm & Blues at the Flamingo" Columbia 33SX 1599). This was his second U.K. E.P. (his first was discussed over here:

http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2009/02/more-uk-60s-ska-r-sounds.html

The E.P. titled "Rhythm & Blues", was released in November 1964, exactly two months before his "Yeh Yeh" single took him to the #1 slot in the U.K. for several weeks. It contained four tracks from the LP recorded one sweaty night live onstage to an appreciative, lively crowd.

Georgie Fame and The Blue Flames 1964

The Flamingo audience was a curious mix of Soho figures, U.S. servicemen (they can be heard shouting in between tracks on the album), West Indians, mods and seedy underworld types. The U.S. servicemen were allegedly eventually banned from the club by the U.S. military after a stabbing occurred on the premises. One of my favorite blogs discusses the incident here, but this was BEFORE the recording of the LP/EP so who knows:

http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2009/06/the-flamingo-club-in-wardour-street-and-the-fight-between-johnny-edgecombe-and-lucky-gordon/

The E.P. opens with James Brown's "Night Train" (also the LP's opener) from the moment they're introduced and the band kick in you can almost feel the electricity just listening to the track as the band's horn section and Fame's Hammond put the number through the paces (and accented by Speedy Acquaye's conga drums). It's followed by a reading of Mose Allison's "Parchman Farm" (punctuated with some excited shouts by Georgie's gang of U.S. fans present for the recording). No one in the U.K. did Allison's work as well as Georgie Fame in my estimation and this track nails it.

Side Two opens with an interpretation of Oscar Brown Jr's reading of Nat Adderley's "Work Song" with full enthusiasm. Mose Allison's "Baby Please Don't Go" closes the E.P. (it closed the L.P. as well) in all it's rawness and once again showcases Fame's adept skill at interpreting Allison's work masterfully adapting it with Hammond and horns. All four tracks are well executed, but sadly the recording quality sounds a bit muffled (not nearly as crisp as The Big Three's live E.P. from the Cavern a year earlier) with certain instruments sometimes being hard to hear as if the mics were far away from the stage, regardless it's a priceless piece of British r&B history that perfectly, no doubt, encapsulated a brilliant moment.

Georgie outside the Flamingo with his yoga mat.

The LP has never been officially released on CD but tracks from it appear on a host of Georgie Fame CD's in the U.K. "Parchman Farm" and "Work Song" were compiled on the essential Big Beat G.F. CD "Mod Classics 1964-1968" whilst "Night Train" and "Baby Please Don't Go" appear of the CD "The Very Best Of..."

Hear "Night Train":

http://youtu.be/EnR8n5Nw0pw

Hear "Parchman Farm:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa0D2tYZwhE&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLBA8F6D21B1B688A5

Hear "Baby Please Don't Go":

http://youtu.be/HoWkQfb0ZAQ

Back In Action!

2011-10-03T11:01:00.002-04:00

We're baaaaack. If you ever want to take stock of how much crap you've accumulated in your life, move!

On Hiatus!

2011-09-22T12:13:00.000-04:00

We're moving (geographically) so "Anorak Thing" is on hiatus while Mr. Anorak Thing pulls up stakes to a new residence and a new life! We will return with our usual passion! In the meantime here's the Thin White Duke summing it all up nicely:

September's Picks

2011-09-21T01:24:00.000-04:00

1. BLUR-"She's So High"
It's hard to believe it was almost 20 years ago to date and I was a recently demobbed soldier and my friend Dave Woj and I were well into our umpteeenth pint one sunday night at Old Bay when this trippy video came on by this band doing this song on the pub's sole TV. Anyway it reminded us alot of the pseudo-psychedelic sonic onslaught perpetuated a few years earlier by our good friends Lord John. I duly purchased "Leisure" the very next day at Jack's in Red Bank and for the next 4 or 5 years this was my favorite band until "The Great Escape". It just boggles my mind because it literally, seems like not that long ago.

2. THE NASHVILLE TEENS-"Last Minute"
A nice bit of weirdo b-side action from the Teens, this was the flip of their jaunty stab at Randy Newman's "The Biggest Night Of Her Life" from late '67 and unearthed on one of the "New Rubble" compilations. It has some spooky backing vocals and some great phlanged piano, subtly trippy without being clumsy.

3. MASTERSWITCH-"Action Replay"
Brilliant one off single by a punky band with power pop leanings which has sadly been overlooked on the CD compilation scene. Lead singer Jimmy Edwards later formed Time U.K. with Rick Buckler and the two of them later formed the ill famed Sharp with Bruce Foxton.

4. THE SNEETCHES-"Empty Sea"
A brilliant little pop song from a quirky band from the late 80's/early 90's, it has all the trappings of that era as far as recording techniques but the melody and snappy vocal harmonies wash all that "contemporary" stuff away in it's lush grooviness!

5. CHAD STUART & JEREMY CLYDE-"The Emancipation Of Mr. X"
Utilizing a them later explored by Blur ("Tracy Jacks" ) and The Len Price Three ("Mr. Grey") Chad & Jeremy give us the tale of a 9 to 5 executive who has enough of the daily grind and finally snaps, in the most melodic, orchestrated pop way possible. From their amazing LP "Ark".

6. 999-"Boys In The Gang"
One of my favorite English punk bands this number captures why I like them. Their tunes are melodic and unlike a lot of their peers they could actually play, very well too!

7. PANDAMONIUM-"The Sun Shines From His Eyes"
A jaunty piece of pop-psych found of the flip side of the lysergic, Hollie's influenced "No Presents For Me" is this simplistic but groovy little ditty of sing-along semi psychedelic '67 style goodness.

8. HERMAN'S HERMITS-"The Man With The Cigar"
As a kid I thought this B-side of "A Must To Avoid" was boring, years ago I gave it another shot and was immediately taken by it's somber backing vocal, simplistic/melodic guitar solo and the general down trodden ambiance of this great number.

9. JOHN WONDERLING-"Midway Down"
After being familiar with The Creation version for 25+ years imagine my surprise to find out last year that it was a cover by a U.S. artist named John Wonderling! The original is far trippier than The Creation's Kinks style kitsch and features a groovy little fairground organ bit!

10. SYD BARRETT-"Octopus"
Until I read Rob Chapman's "Syd Barret-A Very Irregular Head" I'd long believed this song to be a bunch of entertaining gobbledygook psychobabble. It turns out that the majority of the lyrics are fragments of lines from poems, literature and children's stories cleverly linked up by Syd and pit to music, in fact all this years I thought he'd been singing "The Madcap laughed at the man on the border.." when in fact he was/is singing "mad cat"! Genuis.

Wailin'

2011-09-20T15:27:00.002-04:00

Junior Walker & The Allstars live at the Ram Jam Club, 1967:

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The Merseybeats

2011-09-20T11:07:00.002-04:00

THE MERSEYBEATS-Don't Let It Happen To Us/It Would Take A Long Time U.S. Fontana F-1513 1965

This was The Merseybeats 6th U.K. single (Fontana TF 568 May 1965) . I'm not certain how many of their releases cropped up here in the States on Fontana besides this one. You've got to hand to American labels who kept plugging away at releasing records by Liverpool bands in 1965 long after the city was a dead zone for A&R men. The Merseybeats are one of my favorite Liverpool bands alongside Billy J and Co. and The Big Three, sadly though they seemed to have had crap stage outfits as photos (like the one below) will attest.

The A-side is a semi lukewarm version of The Shirelles number, doesn't really do anything for me at all. Kinda weak actually. The flip side, "It Would Take A Long Time" is my fave of the two. It never made it onto Edsel records legendary Merseybeats compilation "Beats And Ballads" so it was new to my ears when I first picked this single up from the long gone Cheap Thrills record shop in New Brunswick, NJ back in the 80's. It was penned by band members Tony Crane and Aaaron Williams and has a slight country feel (well Ringo always claimed Liverpool was the country music capital of Britian!).

Williams, Gustafson and Crane, 1964

Both sides appeared on the excellent 2002 Bear Family CD "I Think Of You" which compiles all of their original 60's tracks (including a few German language versions of their tracks) in one place.

10 Great Film Soundtracks

2011-09-19T07:58:00.004-04:00

Picking ten cool film soundtracks was no easy chore but I managed to pull it off. I've excluded music films that have a half assed plot thrown around them just to string together a bunch of cool songs (ie "Gonks Go Beat" or "The Ghost Goes Gear") and similarly omitted all of The Beatles flicks.

1. "Beat Girl"
John Barry had the fortunate knack for being able to be both the band leader for a bona fide rock n' roll combo (The John Barry Seven) and a composer/arranger with "The John Barry Sound" (aka "The John Barry Orchestra"). This 1960 film (titled "Wild For Kicks" in the U.S.) allowed him to flex both throughout the whole thing. The theme tune, kicking off with legendary Barry sideman Vick Flick's raunchy guitar lick and bursting into a brass barrage is one hell of a way to start a movie and nobody did that better at it's time than The JB 7. The film soundtrack also features a vocal version of the main title theme by then U.K. heartthrob Adam Faith (who stars in the film as well as singing on two other tracks ). The incidental music in the movie is equally amazing (esp. the gritty-jazzy "The Stripper") and the closing credit "End Shot:Slaughter In Soho" is chilling!

Buy it:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beat-Girl-John-Barry/dp/B004IOP2PW/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1316004380&sr=1-1

2. "The Knack (And How To Get It)"
John Barry again, this time it's 1965 and he loans his brilliant orchestral scoring ability to this understated cool black and white kitschy Dick Lester London flick. It's mostly an orchestral affair with snatches of jazziness (and a vocal track of the main theme done in a Mark Murphy styled smoky way) and quirky bits. The best of the lot being the trumpet/flute instrumental "Here Comes Nancy Now" and the quirky "Photo Strip" and of course not forgetting the brilliant main title theme tune with it's bits of jazzy organ, shimmering female backing choral bits and sweeping string arrangement!

Buy it:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Knack-How-Get-Soundtrack-SOUNDTRACK/dp/B000005Z62/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1316006417&sr=1-

3. "Blow Up"
Herbie Hancock's score for Antonioni's 1966 "Swinging London murder mystery" is atmospheric and perfectly suited from the moment we hear it's brief, but punchy opening title theme with it's excellent organ breaks and jazzy guitar licks (masterfully covered by The James Taylor Quartet in 1987). The funky organ groove of "Bring Down The Birds" (it's main riff was later sampled by Deelite on "Grove Is In The Heart" hit, something I took great pleasure in pointing out to my squad whilst in the army when it came out in 1990) and "The Thief" are equally on par with the main title. The films more somber moments are perfectly framed by Hancock's mellow pieces like "Jane's Theme". The Yardbird's cameo of the powerful "Stroll On" (a re-write of "Train Kept A Rolling") rates as one of the great moments of British 60's rock n' roll on celluloid and is included in the soundtrack. The CD reissue of the soundtrack contains The Loving Spoonful's "Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind" which features in the film. The "End Title" is a mash up of the opening title with some brilliant brass. I'd be dead curious to know who the session players were on this LP!

Buy it:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blow-Up-Original-Motion-Picture-Soundtrack/dp/B003647BNG/ref=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1316004589&sr=1-4

4. "Up The Junction"
Manfred Mann Mk.II's crowning moment is the score for this incredibly well done 1967 British film adaptation of a book by Nell Dunn about a deb slumming in the East End. Mike D'Abo's pop precision vocals on the main title track as well as other amazing tracks like "Walking Round", "I'm Just Looking" and "Just For Me" are slices of amazing "Pet Sounds" meets British 60's pop psych. My favorite track of the LP is Mike Hugg's excellent "Sing Songs Of Love" (featuring a lead vocal by Hugg himself as D'Abo takes a backseat). Indeed Hugg composed a great deal of the LP. There are several instrumental moments too, the best of the lot being the jazzy Hammond n' horns version of the main title.

Buy it:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Up-Junction-Manfred-Mann/dp/B0000247P8/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1316005383&sr=1-1

5. "The Touchables"
This 1968 mundane caper about four dollybirds who kidnap a pop star and take him to their way out modular space age home to be their sex slave is a dreadful film (despite the sexy Judy Huxtable) . BUT it has an amazing soundtrack kicking off with Nirvana's"The Touchables Theme ("All Of Us)", an orchestrated piece of brilliant pop psych. There's also some killer r&b care of Wynder K Frog's upbeat instrumental "Dancing Frog" and The Ferris Wheel's version of "Respect" is not half bad. Used in the film but not on any soundtrack issues is an early pre-LP version of "Interstellar Overdrive" by The Pink Floyd. The incidental music by Ken Thorne is quite good, though far more "background" stuff than any of the previously mentioned tracks.

Buy it:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Touchables-Original-Motion-Picture-Soundtrack/dp/B004TYYIAG/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1316005778&sr=1-1

6. "Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush"
The soundtrack to this 1967 U.K. sex romp reads like a Who's Who of the Class of '67! The newly minted Steve Windwood act Traffic lead off with the title theme as well as contributing an alternate version of the "Mr. Fantasy" LP track "Utterly Simple" and "Am I What I Was or Am I What I Am". The decidedly dated Spencer Davis Mark II contribute the bulk of the album's work with boring workmanship r&b like a version of "Looking Back", but their gem of the film is an older Windwood era Hammond organ/percussion instrumental jam called "Waltz For Caroline" (previously known as "Waltz For Lumumba"). Andy Ellison of John's Children contributes the weary/wistful "It's Been A Long Time" which fits nicely into it all.

Buy it:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/HERE-WE-ROUND-MULBERRY-BUSH/dp/B000005Z61/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1316006214&sr=1-1

7. "Bedazzled"
Few people realize that Dudley Moore's forte included being an accomplished pianist/composer. He composed all of the tracks for the brilliant score for him and Peter Cook's 1967 vehicle about downtrodden fry cook Stanley Moon (Moore) selling his soul to George Spiggot /Satan (Cook). The films most famous track is "Bedazzled" sung by Cook (as "Drimble Wedge & the Vegetation") in a spot on "Ready! Steady! Go!" pun sequence in the film with phlanging effects, organ and Ladybirds style female backing vocals. The orchestral version of the same tune is equally powerful in a wash of brass and strings, 60's film soundtrack kitsch doesn't get any better than this! "GPO Tower" is a perfect camp Swinging London film swatch, "The Millionaire" is a cocktail piano jazz version of the main title and "Strip Club" (we seem to have a lot of film tunes with "strip" in the title here don't we?) is a campy bit of horns and organ discotheque groover incidental music and Moore's vocal take "Love Me", his impassioned P.J. Proby meets Tom Jones style number (from the "RSG" sequence as well) rounds it all out rather nicely.

Buy It:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bedazzled-Soundtrack-Revisited-Dudley-Moore/dp/B0042837EW/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1316006245&sr=1-1

8. "Get Carter"
I don't think any film has ever benefited from such a tasty soundtrack as this Michael Caine 1971 "gangster comes home for revenge" tour de force has from the brilliant composing/scoring of the late great Roy Budd. The opener "Get Carter" (aka "Carter Takes A Train") is a classic. With it's upright bass plonking down a firm riff then the tabla, harpsichord and Doorsy electric piano fall in (interspersed with sound effects of high speed passing trains) and it's hard to surpass in my book. Most mods will know the dance hall scene music (sadly absent from any soundtrack issues thus far) from The Prisoners re-write/rip off of it as "Revenge Of The Cybermen", but I think the sequence's music is loosely based on Willie Mitchell's "30-60-90". There are a few female vocal non-instrumental tracks on it, the soulful "Looking For Someone" and the down right moody/jazzy "Getting Nowhere In A Hurry" that's accented by a staple of the soundtrack, the harpsichord as well as a host of other atmospheric instros.

Buy It:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Get-Carter-OST-Roy-Budd/dp/B003TOMSP4/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1316006287&sr=1-2

9. "Vampryos Lesbos"
Manfred Hubler and Seigfried Schwab's groovy soundtrack (under the guise of "The Vampire's Sound Incorporation") to this 1971 Jesse Franco vampire/sex romp for the late beautiful Soledad Miranda is a stunner. Admittedly many of the tracks on this LP/CD (subtitled "Sexadelic Dance Party") are not all from the "Vampyros.." flick but from another Franco venture called "She Killed In Ecstasy" as well. Bursts of layers of horns are mixed with funky organ, throbby porn film bass runs, sitar and a host of trippy effects make it all a worthwhile venture, no filler, all killer as they say. Best of the lot: the "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" influenced "There's No Satisfaction", the jazzy guitar "Droge CX 9" and the wiggy "The Lion And The Cucumber", a way out tune punctuated by primal grunts and screams with fuzz guitar, swirling organ, trippy horns (some of which are phlanged) and sitar!

Buy it:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vampyros-Lesbox-Various-Artists/dp/B000C4A1CG/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1316006329&sr=1-1

10. "The Italian Job"
Best known for it's Mockney lads chant # "Get A Bloomin' Move On (This Is The Self Preservation Society"), Quincy Jone's brilliant score has a lot more to offer than the previously mentioned lively sing-a-long. The soundtrack and the film kick of with Matt Monro crooning "On Days Like These" which is a nice light touch to kick things off. The LP varies and doesn't rely on the same melody oft repeated in different guises (ala 'the knack" or "Up The Junction"). My fave of the bunch is a mellow organ and acoustic guitar track called "Somethin's Cooking".

Buy it:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Italian-Job-Original-Soundtrack/dp/B000053F2R/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1316006387&sr=1-1

Hildegard Knef

2011-09-16T06:48:00.001-04:00

Hildegard Knef would've been just another boring Euro chanteuse had not the great folks at Marina records not turned me onto these two groovy English language tracks on their amazing "In Kraut" CD compilations!

Hildegard Knef was, so I'm surmising, sort of (West) Germany's answer to Barbara Streisand or Connie Francis, not always hip, but fortunately unlike Babs she made a few cool records as you'll hear below. She also survived World War Two after alleged internment and first starred in a few films (she was quite stunning in her yoyounger years) before going on to become Germany's most famous post war chanson.

I've long found it ironic and eerie that in "Holiday Time" she almost prophetically sings about the Munich Olympics massacre when she drawls about police accidentally shooting hostages in a bank robbery and in the next line sings that the Olympics was coming to Munich (where inept police sharpshooters would accidentally riddle Israeli athletes, hostages of the P.L.O, with bullets on a runway at Furstenfeldbruck).

The Zombies-She's Coming Home

2011-09-15T10:40:00.000-04:00

THE ZOMBIES-She's Coming Home/I Must Move U.K. Decca F12125 1965

Without a doubt nearly all of The Zombies 60's single tracks are amazing. I can honestly say that unlike The Beatles or The Hollies there are no equivalents to the mundane boredom of "Love Me Do" or lame American covers like "Stay" or "Searchin'" in the Zombies U.K. A-side discography. Picking a favorite Zombies number is really a tough call, but today's A side item rates as one of my faves ever since I first heard it in a "new light" on the "Time Of The Zombies" Epic U.S. double LP in 1986 (I owned it on 45 for over a decade and never really dug it!).

September 1965's "She's Coming Home" (the band's fourth U.K. single and third American one) has all the makings of your typical Zombies "teen angst" number: the tragic protagonist, his long lost (but soon to be returning love) and this somber minor chords tastefully accented by Rod Argent's piano and organ (whilst Colin Blunstone soulfully croons). Ken Jone's production is, as always, top notch and crystal clear. On the flip we have "I Must Move", a number that easily could have made an A-side. Starting out with Paul Atkinson's echo drenched acoustic guitar it's one of the St. Alban's boy's greatest triumphs in my book. The harmonies and melody are precision pop at it's finest.

Both sides can be found on a multitude of products, I personally recommend Big Beat's CD "The Singles Collection" which collects all their Decca AND CBS British 45 rpm tracks, in Mono!

Hear "She's Coming Home":

http://youtu.be/94b6BKeUiAk

Hear "I Must Move":

http://youtu.be/flUjhGoHVq8

For entertainment purposes here's Brenda Holloway tearing up "Shes' (He's) Coming Home":

The Greatest Film Theme Tune Ever

2011-09-13T10:32:00.000-04:00

One Hundred (100) Followers!

2011-09-13T07:50:00.000-04:00

Conrats to us as we now have 100 followers, that means somebody is paying attention! A big thanks to all of you who read, follow or are subscribed to "Anorak Thing" and to all of you who comment on a regular basis (a big shout out to Diskojoe and C.).

QUADROPHENIA 9/14/11

2011-09-13T07:47:00.005-04:00

"Quadrophenia". It's a word or phrase guaranteed to spark an intercine (or is it "inter-scene"?) war among a group of mods at it's very mention. There are of course, two "Quadrophenia"'s, the original 1973 double LP by The Who and the dreadful but easily lampoon-able 1979 film (released 32 years ago today actually). We are here today to talk about the album. For me it has been an up and down relationship. The double album and I are like an old married couple who have the stereotype love/hate relationship but like it or not it is still, thanks to it's beginnings, a very large part of me.

I was first introduced to the album's tracks via the film soundtrack double LP in 1981 when I purchased a cut out of it. It was not until the summer of 1982 that a friend and I took a copy out of the library in his town to listen to that I finally became acquainted with it in it's original form. I think what struck me immediately was the songs content. As much as I loved The Jam they never SANG about mods (lucky for them!) and the '79 bands did but in a more subtle way and here it was The Who singing about beach fights, suits, pills and yes the hallowed mode of mod transport, the scooter (a Vespa GS scooter to be exact). Townshend's lyrical imagery is still to this day as powerful as it was when I heard some of these tracks that summer day in my friend's stepfather's parsonage study. "The Real Me" (which opens the album after the quasi-psychedelic "I Am The Sea") still packs a massive "ooomphhh" thanks to the sheer power of the number. Bassist John Entwistle's impeccable brass work carries the album and it's no better exemplified on "The Real Me". In fact most of the tracks still have a certain punch to them, like "5:15", "Cut My Hair", "Is It in My Head?" ,"The Dirty Jobs", "Bell Boy" and even the synth laden instrumental "Quadrophenia" all still sparkle for me in their own little way. Though I disdain the "Quadrophenia" film for what it has become and what it spawns (moronic impressions of mod, that dreadful "we are the mods" chant etc) I must say that "I Am The Sea"/"The Real Me" is a perfect way to begin any film and the shots of Phil Daniels riding his Lambretta around (past loads of late 70's vehicles) cannot be ignored.

I think my disdain for "Quadrophenia" occurred as part of my backlash in the mid 90's that resulted when NYC was suddenly inundated by these scruffy Brit pop type mods who I derisively referred to as "yob mods" because of their faux football terrace behavior, their lack of style and their literal belief that Blur's "Boys And Girls" was how life should be, in that order. Thanks to Blur et al there was this sudden influx of "new mods" who were taking the film quite literally and on about beating up "rockers" and basically carrying on like a bunch of primates. The film and all the tribal crap espoused by it was being taken as gospel and suddenly it was a guide on how to behave in the way that Richard Barne's "Mods" book had been for me in '81. This was, in some small part due to the British music papers and that dreadful "Touched By The Hand Of Mod" piece that espoused Blur, Mantaray, Thurman and loads of bands (real and "bedroom") that were never heard of again where it was all "speed, scooter, Quadrophenia". With this there was also a sudden praise for the LP by these "ace face's in trainers" and my head began to turn by unfortunately associating it with them. It put me off on the album for very long time. I seem to recall many, many years ago flogging it on some online mods forum while all this was happening as being the result of what would've occurred if "E.L.P. made an album about mod". This was of course at a time where I'm assuming I was not amused by it's banks and layers of synthesizers and was not at all interested in 70's music outside of Bowie and Bolan! Fool.

"Down by the jetty", Asbury Park, NJ Spring 1995: me and Rob Farrell are forced into the sea by the NYC yob mods infringing on our patch.

Luckily time erased both the Brit pop mods who moved onto their next "cool" thing and my distaste for the album, which thanks to occasional doses of iPod nostalgia has come back into my world. It's funny but on the occasion that I get to get out and about and meet one of my friends from "the old days" (the 80's) I'm immediately always jarred into remembering, quite fondly, a rather appropriate line from "Bell Boy":

"but I see a face coming through the haze, I remember him from those crazy days..."

Then there's this delightful blog with some groovy factoids about the film:

http://psychobabble100.wordpress.com/2010/07/25/september-14-2009-20-things-you-may-not-have-known-about-%E2%80%98quadrophenia%E2%80%99/

Amazon.com recently began taking advance orders for the November, 14, 2011 deluxe edition, titled "Quadrophenia:The Director's Cut Box Set" which in the style of David Bowie's "Station To Station" box set looks like quite a treat! It is set to include 4 CD's (including two discs exclusively of demo's), a 7" 45 of "5:15" b/w "Water", a 100 page hardbound book, collectible" insert cards and a DVD all housed in a groovy LP sized, album cover facsimile box! I think I'll be pre-ordering mine....

To my wife, if you're reading this, this could be my B-Day AND Xmas gift...

"Some nights I still sleep on the beach....": British mod early 80's.

"A beach is the place where a man can feel he's the only soul in the world that's real...": old mod, buzzing on 5 pints of Smithwicks
Asbury Park, NJ 12/19/10

Cool Foreign E.P. Sleeves Part 39: The Tages

2011-09-10T21:24:00.000-04:00

THE TAGES-In My Dreams/I Still Remember/Those Rumors/Dancing In The Street E.P. France Impact IMP 200.006 1966

I got a feeling of optimism...General Public

2011-09-09T09:06:00.014-04:00

Back in early 1984 it was sort of weird period for me to be a mod or whatever it was that I was trying to be. The Jam were long gone, all the '79 mod and ska bands were gone and I was clinging to hopes that new bands would emerge (luckily within six months I'd be digging deep into..."the Rubble" he heh heh and turn my back on "contemporary music" till Brit pop's 15 minutes). True I'd gotten really into a West Coast band called The Three O' Clock, but there weren't British (and in my Anglocentric mod music world that meant a lot)and they were just a tad too new wavey for me to REALY follow with the ssme conviction that I'd worshipped the Jam, The Specials or (ack!) Secret Affair. Then in the spring of 1984 there came a burst of hope from my car radio on WPRB, my local "cool" college radio station one day whilst driving around (I was 17 and yes I had a car, more on that some other day). The voice sounded incredibly familiar, was it...? Yes it was! It was Dave Wakeling of the (English) Beat! The band were called General Public and the record was called "Tenderness". I immediately located a British music monthly (I can't recall what, possibly "The Face"?) and it mentioned the band's line up which was a veritable freaking super group: ex- members of The Specials, The (English) Beat, Dexy's Midnight Runners/The Bureau and even Mick Jones from The Clash!! My ship came in!

I was completely blown away by it, it had all these great bits (an oboe even reminding me immediately of the 1st LP era Bowie tracks I was so enamoured with) and it sounded so fresh (it holds up okay but admittedly it's a bit "too 80's" for me now). I immediately bought the single in the "import" bin of a record store in Quakerbridge Mall (where I'm still known to snag an occasional Ben Sherman or three when I'm in the area 27 years later........) and played it constantly and put it on a cassette tape and it was on in my car 24/7 (alongside other un-mod numbers like Aztec Camera's "Oblivious", The Cure's 'Love Cats" and of course heaps of Squire, Dexy's Midnight Runners and Syd Barrett...., but the latter is another teenage tale for another day). When it eventually garnered a U.S. release I snagged that one too. In fact my U.S. copy is still brand new and my U.K. copy is literally unplayable. Maybe that's because I played it so many times or that I played it so many times on my then crap stereo (actually wait by then I'd actually had a nice stereo that my mom actually bought for me on credit that i was paying her back for bi-weekly). But the record reminds me of this brief kernel of brightness and optimism in my mundane, depressing world that was the spring of 1984 knowing that I'd finally be out of high school in a few short months and feeling young and actually for once, happy. Every time I hear it I'm 17 again and in the seat of my Triumph Tr-7 tooling around with the sunroof open with my French crew cut in a well worn pair of desert boots and a tennis shirt (non Fred Perry at this point in the game) before the weight of the world was thrust upon me with adulthood.

US Issue Front

US Issue Rear

U.K. Issue

Trippy 60's Promo Films Part One: The Troggs "Love Is All Around"

2011-09-09T09:05:00.000-04:00

One of the great things about the 60's is most of the cool bands occasionally got around to making promo films. More time then often they'd be little exercises in cinema verite (the boring concept of standing in a white room and mining with your gear didn't occur till the late 70's..). Quite a few of them were very trippy, like this one, the first in our series of "Trippy 60's Promo Films" (I almost typed "porno"...now wouldn't that be cool it that were on the old YouTube..):

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Wynder K Frog

2011-09-08T09:13:00.000-04:00

WYNDER K. FROG-I'm A Man/Oh Mary U.S. United Artists UA 50320 1966

No one in this little mod/r&b/soul community of ours can deny the mighty Hammond organ power that was the short lived late 60's British combo known as Wynder K Frog. They racked up three LP's and 5 singles plus a rare as hell flexidisc in the U.K. In the U.S. their last two LP's were released on United Artists and they had a contribution to the "Touchables" soundtrack LP. Today's specimen is the only U.S. 45 I have ever encountered by them. Interestingly it was not released in the U.S. in this form, the U.K. issue of "I'm A Man" (Island WIP 6014) featured "Shook, Shimmy Shake" as it's flip, while this American pressing featured a track that was not issued in the U.K. called "Oh Mary". We discussed the U.K. pressing at:

http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2009/07/even-more-uk-60s-hammond-horns-mod-r.html

As discussed in the post above the band's treatment of "I'm A Man" is legendary stuff. "Oh Mary" is an interesting number. It was written by a West Indian singer named Jackie Edwards (who also wrote "Somebody Help Me" and "Keep On Running", both of which were covered by The Spencer Davis Group). He released a version of "Oh Mary" in the U.K. (as Island WI 287 in July '66) on the B-side of a track called "Think Twice", it was also later cut by the U.K. r&b band The Primitives in their European based phase and graced a rare French E.P. by them. The Wynder K. Frog version is basically the backing track of the Jackie Edwards version with Mick Weaver's funky Hammond instead of Jackie's vocals. Regardless of how "recycled" that may seem it's a killer record thanks to it's powerful "Hammond n' horns" mixture and rate right up there with their other monster B-3 tracks.

Sadly no one has released a Wynder K. Frog compilation CD as of yet, which is absolutely criminal seeing as how popular their music is compared to far more obscure acts who get much more reissue action. Tracks have turned up on various instrumental comps and Edsel reissued their 2nd LP "Out Of the Frying Pan" on CD in the 90's which is long out of print, but that's about it.
Hear "Oh Mary" by Wynder K. Frog:

http://youtu.be/DmHKyDMjGL4

Hear "Oh Mary" by Jackie Edwards:

http://youtu.be/EeuVpKt4rzI

Hear "I'm A Man":

http://youtu.be/phZq_1HEO-E

Herbie Goins and The Night-Timers On French TV

2011-09-07T14:13:00.000-04:00

To busy to blog today so here's a piece of vintage U.K. 60's r&B Nick Rossi found on YouTube of Herbie Goins and The Night-Timers featuring former Georgie Fame and The Blue Flames alumni Speedy Acquaye (congas), Mick Eve (tenor sax) and Eddie "Tan Tan" Thorton (trumpet) live on French TV:

A public service anouncement featuring ska....

2011-09-06T09:30:00.001-04:00

On The Road To Cairo with Jools & Brian

2011-09-06T07:45:00.001-04:00

JULIE DRISCOLL, BRIAN AUGER AND THE TRINITY-Road To Cairo/Shadows Of You France Marmalade 421405 1968

So tell me, is it me or doesn't ol' Jools look like a youthful Jam era Paul Weller on this sleeve? Sorry just asking...

I'll have to say it's taken me a good 20+ years to get my head around "The Road To Cairo". As songs go it probably wouldn't be interesting if it was done by anybody else but let's face it Jools voice is pretty hard to compete with and that's what finally brought me around on it. Auger's churchy organ adds an air of cool mysteriousness about it as well.

"Shadows Of You" is by far the better of the two. The crack music section of Brian Auger on the Hammond, Dave Ambrose on bass and Clive Thacker on drums lays down an amazing jazzy groove for Driscoll's soulful voice to springboard off of. Jools voice of course is top notch on this. Although she's got a great voice I far prefer her singing group originals or tracks that are non-U.S. soul covers. Don't get me wrong, it's not that she's bad at them they just are usually carbon copies of the original and it's far more interesting to hear her interpreting someone else's work in her own style or even better a group original!

Both sides were compiled on the still in print CD compilation "Brian Auger:The Mod Years" as well as a far more exhaustive compilation of Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and The Trinity's material called "A Kind Of Love In 1967-1971".

Some Jools pin-up action because there are far too many pics of men on this blog.

Graham Nash Pardoned After 43 Years

2011-09-01T08:59:00.001-04:00

After leaving the Hollies 43 years ago Graham Nash was pardoned by this blog for leaving the band to become a full time California hippie and join Crosby, Stills and also Young. In retrospect I think I'd have become a bearded denim clad hippie if I had to wear a white tux with a bow tie and play chicken in a basket gigs too. Remember kids there is no such thing as "variety" in the variety show circuit!

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Liverpool's Escorts

2011-09-01T08:43:00.002-04:00

THE ESCORTS-Come On Home Baby/You'll Get No Loving That Way U.S. Fontana F1512 1965

The Escorts were one of those late era Liverpool bands who got signed in '64 when the whole Merseybeat bubble had just about burst and sadly missed the boat in the fame and top ten hits game. They recorded six singles in '64-'66, none of which sadly made much impression. They are most famous because their lead singer, Terry Sylvester, jumped ship to join the Swinging Blue Jeans to replace Ralph Ellis in 1966 before the Escorts final single which we discussed over at:

http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2010/05/liverpools-last-gasp.html

Sylvester then moved on to The Hollies in January 1969 to replace Graham Nash, a post he held until 1981. This was The Escort's fourth release (seeing the light of day over the pond as Fontana TF 570 in May 1965). It was written by the Addrisi brothers (responsible for the rocking "That's When Happiness Began" and The Association's smash "Never My Love", among others). "Come On Home Baby" is my favorite of all the Escorts tracks. It's driven along by future Hollie Sylvester's strong lead vocals and excellent harmonies. It has a nice gritty little guitar solo as well. The flip side, "You'll Get No Loving That Way" is a mid paced number that's actually quite decent and is slightly reminiscent of The Everly Brothers.

Both sides were compiled on The Escorts LP/CD anthology on Edsel "From The Blue Angel".

The Escorts in possibly the worst get ups next to the Merseybeats Henry VIII collars....

You can hear both tracks as well as the entire "From The Blue Angel" over at:

http://phrockblog11.blogspot.com/2009/04/escorts-from-blue-angel-1964-1966-uk.html

Or hear "Come On Home Baby":

http://youtu.be/BydmUq9cRco

Cool Foreign E.P.'s Part 38:The Motions

2011-08-31T10:20:00.000-04:00

THE MOTIONS-Every Step I Take/Stop Your Crying/Hard Time Blues/Everything That's Mine E.P. France Vogue 18097 1966

The Loot on CBS

2011-08-31T09:37:00.000-04:00

THE LOOT-Whenever You're Ready/I Got What You Want U.K. CBS 2938 1967

I'm completely puzzled about The Loot. We've discussed several of their records on the Page One label (you can view them here):

http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2010/11/loot-debut.html

and

http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2011/08/more-uk-obscurities-on-us-labels-loot.html

What always perplexes me is that they couldn't have possibly have been the same band as has often been reported in various fanzines and even "Record Collector"! They managed five singles on Page One and two on CBS. The two CBS offerings by "The Loot" (today's topic included) in no way musically resemble the Page One act called 'The Loot". That's not to say that either version is bad, in fact I rather like the CBS Loot tracks I've heard. That's both sides of today's post and it's CBS follow up the anti-flower power cash-in "Don't Turn Around" (UK CBS 3231) and equally dig the Page One Loot's tunes like "Baby Come Closer", "She's A Winner" and "Radio City". Can anyone of you sort me out?

Okay onto the music at hand! "Whenever You're Ready" is a slick '67 style pop song, nothing trippy, nothing "comtemporary" in any sort of gimmickery, just a straight ahead uptempo pop song. I'd compare it to The Grass Roots but with better lead/backing vocals and some groovy organ behind it all. "I Got What You Want" is in a similar vein, though far superior in my book because it's a bit punchier with some cool power chord breaks and has some great 60's young lad on the pull lyrics "your body's so slim, but you won't give in.....".

Both sides appeared on Radioactive's short lived "The Loot: Single's A's & B's" CD compliation.

Hear "Whenever You're Ready":

http://youtu.be/Y1cibaBDpys

Hear "I Got What You Want":

http://youtu.be/Y1cibaBDpys

Before color everything in the 60's and even 70's was in black and white......

2011-08-29T11:24:00.002-04:00

A gratuitous excuse to share some groovy black and white snaps of the beautiful people in the 60's and 70's...

Don Powell from Slade in 1969, all boots no bovver! But very convincing looking.

This is Hildegard Knef, a groovy fraulein who had a tough life but didn't let that stop her from being entertaining!

Gratuitous eye candy, any excuse to share the beauty that is Diana Rigg.

Jane Birkin with hubby John Barry, the REAL "Alfie", he had a separate apartment for "late night's at the recording studio". She left him when she discovered he was shagging the au pair. True story, he copped to it in "Mojo".

David Bowie in Tony Visconti's flat late 1967. His debut LP tanked and he's got no record contract but he still looks cool as *uck, a true Bohemian!

"Look luv you want to watch those Dartford boys they're all a bunch of ponces"
Michael Caine with then girlfriend Bianca Pérez Morena de Macias before she hooked up with an L.S.E. drop out.

Presumably Rita was telling George Melly that although he was a talented writer sometimes he came off as a gasbag and that The Move called and wanted their suit back.

I've always loved this pic of Marianne:The Mini, the pretty smile and the skirt, which I'd like to think had basement A/C.

Maurice Micklewhite's guest spot on the failed 1964 reality TV show "Life With The Lennons"

The Equals

2011-08-27T09:27:00.000-04:00

THE EQUALS-Laurel And Hardy/The Guy Who Made Her A Star Belguim President PTF 200 1968

Well kids we here in Lower Binfield are hunkering/bunkering down for the inevitable onslaught of Hurricane Irene which should hit us around midnight tonight. In the Dunkirk spirit that prevails in this household I give you today's post....

The Equals have always been one of my fave 60's bands. I first heard "Baby Come Back" on the Friday night 60's program on WPRB back in 1984 and within a year had secured their U.S. 1968 RCA LP "Baby Come Back" which had some of their best tracks, including a number that I was already familiar with through a cover by '79 mod heroes The Purple Hearts called "A Guy Who Made Her A Star"!

Admittedly "Laurel And Hardy" is probably one of thee worst Equals tracks ever, it's just god awful unlistenable stuff!! But flip the record over and woah! "The Guy Who Made Her A Star" is actually pretty subtle as Equals tracks go. It lacks that amphetamine driving force found on so many other stompers like "I Won't Be there" or "Softly Softly", but this is in no way detrimental to the song. It's slow groove is it's key as Derv Gordon sings about the girl who became a star and forgot all about the guy who busted his back getting her there. Eddie Grant plays a brilliant but low key solo and it's back to business, killer track.

"Laurel And Hardy" has graced several Equals "Greatest Hits" compilations, though I'm not sure whether or not "The Guy Who Made Her A Star" has ever been comped anywhere. Sadly it does not appear as though there has been an exhaustive Equals CD compilation nor do there appear to be too many Equals CD's even in print!

Hear "The Guy Who Made Her A Star":

http://youtu.be/93vznlZdRpk

"Mad Men" and The Return of the Dreaded 2 Button Suit

2011-08-26T09:32:00.001-04:00

A few weeks back it was a Friday morning and I met my good friend Chaz, a U.K. ex-pat who's ten years my senior and got into the "mod" thing a few years before me, at a local shopping mall. I passed off some coupons for a sale Lord & Taylor were having. We later went into Macy's and were descended upon by sales clerks like sharks on fresh chum. After awhile it felt like we were in a bazaar in some Third World countries where merchants run up to you with things to buy, seriously. While there we both lamented how for about five seconds (or maybe half a year) three button suits made a comeback in mainstream fashion (albeit with wider lapels, which I actually like on occasion). Then they vanished because everyone got "Mad Men" mad and the dreaded two button suit made it's return. Or at least that's what Chaz and I decided. But take a look at the suit section of any men's department in a clothing store, sure there have always been two button suits available for the conservative "old man" types, but for the suits geared towards the "young(er) modern professional" the three button suit was the deal.

"Mad Men" suit from Kenneth Cole

I never liked "Mad Men", I tried but after a few episodes, I got bored and couldn't get into it. It didn't help that most of the "mod" type people I knew when on about it like the second coming of Peter Meaden. What I found even more interesting that some mods on the West Coast (we're in the States here if you hadn't already guessed) seemed to dig it so much they were embracing the look and having "Mad Men" parties and "Mad Men" themed DJ nights. Wow, scary. All in those ugly two button suits, not my thing, never was, never will be. Though it may be "out of style" I will continue to wear three button suits/jackets. I work for "the man" and though I don't wear a suit very often when I do it's always been a three button job, so for about a year there I was actually cutting edge. I probably still am because civil servants are not the contemporary fashion plates from the private sector that I see riding the train that's for sure!

High school 1982, Dad's plaid jacket with the sleeves rolled up with a white polo shirt and a Chords badge on my lapel. I thought I was the shit, but I looked like shit with those sleeves rolled up!

In truth though I did wear a two button jacket once when I was a kid in high school. I got this great two tone black plaid jacket that was my Dad's and wore it, even though I was 15 my arms were still longer than my Dad's in his early 20's when he wore the jacket so I did that dreadful 80's "new wave" thing and rolled up the sleeves! Ack! Too dumb and young to know any better. The other day I watched the entire clip of The Specials on "Saturday Night life" that I'd posted on an earlier entry this week and damned if everybody in the band except Terry Hall wasn't wearing a two button suit, guess none of us had a clue in the early 80's!?

The Phantom Five command a hefty $15 at an Asbury Park record shop, photo c/o Donald "Shaggy" Snook. Me second from left.

I also had another two button jacket which buttoned higher and had lapels that were very narrow. I wore it for the sleeve of my one and only recorded vinyl appearance with a group (The Phantom Five) I was in back in 1986 and wore it till it disintegrated a year or two later.

Me and Chaz, we're serious about looking serious. Ian McLagan gig, 2/27/09

And though I can possibly accept the return of the two button jacket however I pray that the three piece suit NEVER rears it's ugly threads again in my lifetime.....

More From The Genuis of Graham Gouldman

2011-08-25T08:17:00.000-04:00

THE HOLLIES-Look Through Any Window/So Lonely U.K. Parlophone R 5322 1965

The Hollies and Graham Gouldman, a winning combination. Both hailed from Manchester and like fellow Mancunians Herman's Hermits , The Hollies recorded several Graham Gouldman compositions (both groups recorded versions of "Bus Stop"). "Look Through Any Window" was the first Gouldman track The Hollies recorded. It went to #4 in the U.K. upon it's release in August 1965 (it also became their first U.S. single to chart in the Top 40 reaching #32). Gouldman would later give the band "Bus Stop" (June 1966) and cut a version of a track of his called "Schoolgirl" which would go unreleased until recently.

"Look Through Any Window" kicks off with Tony Hick's characteristic 12 string intro and becomes a Hollies three part harmony tour de force with lead vocalist Alan Clarke, Hicks and Graham Nash. One of the track's strongest instrumental assets is drummer Bobby Elliot (check out the clip below of him in action as the band play live on German TV's "Beat Club", readers will note The Hollie's also performed "Very Last Day" and "I Can't Let Go" on the same episode while fellow guests The Walker Brothers lip synced...).

The flip side "So Lonely", a band original, starts out with a jarring, distorted chord of vibrato from Hick's 12 string again. It's somber but equally decent with some great Everly Brothers style harmonies from Nash and Clarke (The Hollies would later back Don and Phil doing a version of their own for their 1966 LP "Two Yanks In England").

Both tracks are available in a variety of places, none better than the 6 CD set we earlier touted:

http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2011/08/hollies-clarke-hicks-nash-years.html

Hear "So Lonely":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OQaB0q5VPM

Cool Foreign E.P.'s Part 37: Los Salvajes!

2011-08-25T07:16:00.000-04:00

LOS SALVAJES-Todo Negro (Paint It Black)/Una Chica Igual Que Tu (With A Girl Like You)/Es La Edad/Que Alguien Me Ayude (Somebody Help Me) E.P. Spain Regal SEDL 19.522 1966