More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Wayne Gibson

WAYNE GIBSON-Under My Thumb/Under My Thumb U.S. Pye PYE 71006 1974

British singer Wayne Gibson issued a host of singles in the U.K. in the 60's: two on Decca, two on Pye and four on Columbia to nary a trace of chart action. Fast forward to 1974 and his 1966 cover of The Rolling Stone's "Under My Thumb" (originally on Columbia DB 7911) was gaining so much traction on the Northern Soul scene that it was reissued on Pye's Disco Demand label (DDS 2001) in October 1974 and charged up the charts to a respectable #17!! Like another Pye Disco Demand Northern soul "hit" release from the 70's ( The Javells featuring Nosmo King) it was issued in the U.S. as well as a double sided promo only. 

Gibson's cover of the Rolling Stone's misogynistic "Aftermath" track is a tad more upbeat than the original thanks to the main riff being played by a keyboard that's almost hypnotic. Meshed with some chopping guitar and hand claps it's extremely catchy which no doubt added to it's dance floor popularity on the Northern Soul scene (of interesting note is Gibson's ad libbing line "ain't that peculator baby" in place of Jagger's original ad lib "ain't it the truth now baby"). 

Curiously the track has not been comped anywhere recently nor is it available on streaming! There's a clip available of him performing it with some incredibly awkward dance moves on the British kid's TV program "Crackerjack" available to view here obviously from it's 70's relaunching.

Hear "Under My Thumb":

https://youtu.be/94t-fBz657I?si=u3x3reZ3muG93gfP

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Tony Jackson With The Vibrations "You Beat Me To The Punch"

 

TONY JACKSON with THE VIBRATIONS-You Beat Me To The Punch/This Little Girl Of Mine U.S. Kapp K-639 1965

Ex-Searchers bassist/vocalist Tony Jackson had just two of his eight British singles released here. Today's item in question was the first American release of his. It was his second British single originally released as Pye 7N 15745 in December 1964 and was issued here the following month. 

"You Beat Me To The Punch" was originally cut by Mary Wells in 1962 on Motown. Curiously Tony's previous and debut British single "Bye Bye Baby" (U.K. Pye 7N 15685) was also a Mary Well tune (her debut single in fact)! Tony's version curiously sounds like what you would expect a Searchers cover of it to sound like with it's distinctly "Needles and Pins" style 12 string (acoustic) guitar intro and the decidedly Merseybeat style call and response harmonies. That said it's a pretty amazing reading of the track and it was unfortunate that the number did not gain any traction on either side of the Atlantic! (There is footage of them miming it on "Ready! Steady! Go!" viewable here).

The flip side is a reading of a Ray Charles composition called "This Little Girl Of Mine" and is a mixed bag for me. Musically it starts out really rockin' and raw but the production is absolutely dreadful, and the vocals are extremely bland and antiseptic. They're so high in the mix that they actually overpower the incredible gritty guitar work and combo organ (the song's strongest points in my estimation). 

Both sides have been collected in a number of places: two different Tony Jackson retrospective CD's "Just Like Me" (Bam Caruso) and "Watch Your Step" (Castle) as well as appearing on a few different Searchers compilations and both tracks are available via streaming.  

Hear "You Beat Me To The Punch":

https://youtu.be/HKOtIglgjJ0?si=_Ph5iSJxKl2CKbUk

Hear "This Little Of Mine":

https://youtu.be/qmqnMYQg9yg?si=1tyS6O0aiRJ3hvkY

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Plastic Penny

 

PLASTIC PENNY-Your Way To Tell Me Go/Baby You're Not To Blame U.S. Page One 21.005 1968

U.K. quartet Plastic Penny were one of Larry Page's new discoveries and promptly launched on his fledgling label Page One in December 1967 with their sappy ballad "Everything I Am" (which reached a respectable #6 in the U.K.!). Today's item in question was their third British single issued in July of 1968 (Page One POF 079) and was issued here simultaneously (their previous U.S. 45 RPM release was "Everything I Am" issued in January). 

I have wanted this 45 ever since Mile Stax popped both sides on a cassette mix for me back in the mid 90's and finally tracked down a copy. Both sides are absolutely HEAVY and remind me musically of late era Small Faces. 

"You Way To Tell Me Go" sounds ahead of its time because the lead vocals bring to mind an early 70's glam/pop record (I think a lot of that comes from the lead vocalists high key and phrasing as well). Backed by some chunky Hammond, murky bass and completely ballsy guitar it's absolutely powerful stuff!

Plastic Penny and friend

"Baby You're Not To Blame" is equally powerful, starting out with a throbby bass and a fierce guitar/piano attack that REALLY reminds me of the late era "heavy" Small Faces (ie "Wham Bam Thank You Mam"). I daresay I almost prefer it to the B-side but I am divided on the issue....

Both sides are available on the comprehensive Plastic Penny compilation "Everything I Am (The Complete Plastic Penny)" put out by Grapefruit and on streaming platforms.

Hear "Your Way To Tell Me Go":

https://youtu.be/pBIbKXsIF4w?si=Uxxy8HVDBtPIWv6f

Hear "Baby You're Not To Blame":

https://youtu.be/_V1UulXHCNU?si=fe-TdVVrfTjXVNzH

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The Lancastrian Do Ray Davies

 

THE LANCASTRIANS-The World Keeps Going Round/Not The Same Anymore U.S. Jerden 798 1966

British beat combo The Lancastrians cut nine singles in the U.K. for Pye in '64-'66. Only two were issued here in the States. Today's subject was their last of the two launched here in April 1966 (it was originally released in the U.K. as Pye 7N 17043 in January 1966). 

"The World Keeps Going Round" was of course penned by Ray Davies and previously released by the Kinks as an album track on their third British long player "The Kink Kontroversy" in November 1965 (it was also on their U.S. issue of the same LP released here in March 1966). That said The Lancastrian's single had a snowball's chance in hell of becoming a hit and sank quite quickly here.

"The World Keeps Going Round" was the beginning of a series of lyrically bleak and dark introspective lyrics penned by Davies (example : "You worry 'bout yourself, what's the use of worrying now you're almost grown, you worry 'bout your own, what's the use in worrying cos you'll die all alone"), a trend that would disturbingly continue into 1966 as his mental state became more fragile. The Lancastrians version is fairly close to the original in tempo and delivery, although their's is stronger vocally with double tracked harmony lead vocals and a funky little guitar solo that may or may not be Jimmy Page and his fuzz box (entirely possible as the record was produced by Shel Talmy and Page was his preferred hired gun on session work). 

The flip, "It's Not The Same Anymore" is a somber ballad, pretty mundane stuff compared to their other rocking sides and is easily forgotten up against the majority of their catalog.

Both sides are available on a streaming compilation "The Pye Anthology".

Hear "The World Keeps Going Round":

https://youtu.be/dXyfAaLevrk?si=HKSmPqDH6OBXj325

Hear "It's Not The Same Anymore":

https://youtu.be/VGxJ_fgHRXQ?si=Mt03iucYiwwCnf-F

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Nirvana "All Of Us"

NIRVANA-All Of Us(The Touchables Theme)/Trapeze U.S. Bell B-739 1968

With the passing of founding member Patrick Campbell-Lyons I thought it would be fitting to post a Nirvana single. The British 60's pop psych act Nirvana had a very slim American discography with just three singles and two incredibly rare albums issued here in 1968.  Today's subject was their third and final U.S. release. Curiously it's October 1968 release preceded it's British issue (as Island WIP-6045) by one month!

"All Of Us" is the theme tune to an incredibly boring and mundane film called "The Touchables" about four dolly birds who kidnap a male pop star/idol and hold him captive in their super futuristic space pod home. Despite how dross the film is the theme tune is incredible (the soundtrack LP is an odd affair as well). Leading in with some very churchy organ and baroque cello (and eventually harpsichord) it's an amazing slice of orchestrated pop psych. The airy backing vocals add to the atmospheric feel with incredible strings by Syd Dale and produced by Chris Blackwell and Jimmy Miller.

The flip side "Trapeze" sounds like an almost entirely different band. There's a light touch of a string quartet and though it's not at all unlistenable it doesn't stand up well next to the stellar A-side.

Both sides are available on streaming and the highly recommended Nirvana compilation "Rainbow Chaser: The 60's recordings (Island Years)". 

Hear "All Of Us":

https://youtu.be/kbVyaWbqHWc?si=DCkLPkZZXawKd369

Hear "Trapeze":

https://youtu.be/krIVmKmfFJM?si=2ChkMf5DZ_5sdCnN

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Ian & The Zodiacs "No Money, No Honey"

 

IAN & THE ZODIACS-No Money, No Honey/Where Were You U.S. Phillips 40369 1966

Liverpool bred and German based beat quartet Ian and The Zodiacs released 4 singles (we profiled two earlier ones here and here).

Today's subject was their final single American single. It was issued in the U.K. as Fontana TF 708 in May 1966 and the previous month both here and in Germany (as Star Club 148 548 STF).

"No Money No Honey" is without a doubt one of the band's strongest releases. Built around tandem fuzz and 12 string guitars playing a hypnotic riff it's incredibly punchy and raw. Curiously it was co-authored and produced by Klaus Doldinger (misspelled as "Claus" here). 

The flip side, "Where Were You" sounds almost like a completely different band. It's a mellow/moody almost baroque pop number with flute and harpsichords. The melody reminds me a bit of "The Crying Game" (a track the band recorded earlier, which we will profile at a later date!). 

Both sides were collected on the Repertoire CD compilation "Wade in The Water: The Best Of..." and sadly neither are available through streaming as of yet. 

Hear "No Money, No Honey":

https://youtu.be/VT2duai8jes?si=1wbJTEdj3Zxh3-GT

Hear "Where Were You":

https://youtu.be/FNgwmtKYt-Y?si=pgaW9YRJYmbiSnAN

More U.K. Obscurities: Bill Fay

  

 

BILL FAY-Some Good Advice/Screams In The Ear U.S. Deram 45-DEM-85017 1967

The year was 1996 and I had just purchased an interesting various artists British 60's psych CD called "Psychedalia-Rare Blooms From The English Summer Of Love" (it included some seeds in the jewel case spine and a sticker stating "Grow Your Own! Free Seeds!"). Contrary to the title there were quite a few post 1967 tunes among the tracks and among them were both sides of this 1968 Deram 45 by a guy called Bill Fay. Had I not been more "with it" I would have already known of him as the A-side, "Some Good Advice" was already on the incredible 1987 Deram records compilation LP "Deram Dayze", but somehow I snoozed on that. A few months later I came upon a copy of the 45 for sale at the old Raritan Center record fair for chump change.

"Some Good Advice" is a somber number ushered in with some piano in a minor key with some gentle/subtle Mellotron accompaniment playing behind the ivory tinkling and then this controlled eerie bit of distorted guitar. The lyrics are mournful and almost childlike in their retrospective slant. The whole thing is so simple because it has, really, only three verses but it's got so much going on musically that it's much more interesting bringing to mind Al Stewart's early work in '67-'68. 

The flip side "Screams In The Ears" is more upbeat with a jazzy swing to it while Fay sings in a rather Dylanesque manner with equally Dylanesque lyrics ("well they told me the budgerigar committed suicide, but it was you, I saw you put that gin in it's water I was standing by your side"). It seems to be an observation about a party and instead of Mellotron this time around the piano (which plays some very rollicking trills) is tastefully chased along by some faint Hammond organ with a deadpan chorus "will you stop asking me who I am. Go and find someone else to tell your jokes to. What a great party this is". Apparently Bill was backed on this record by The Fingers. 

Sadly the record did not pip the charts making it quite obscure. Bill went on to be signed to Deram's offshoot Nova and under their banner released an untitled debut LP in 1970 and another LP "Time Of the Last Persecution" on the same label the following year, both have cult followings and have been reissued on CD. Both sides of this single were included. as mentioned on the "Psychedalia" CD and also recently cropped up as bonus tracks on the CD reissue of his untitled debut LP. Sadly neither have appeared on streaming. Sadly Bill passed away in February of last year after enjoying a healthy resurgence in the late 90's with the extremely successful reissue of his first two LP's. 

Hear "Some Good Advice":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvUP6BRPf-s

Hear "Screams In The Ears":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEMlH_a-ERc