Favourite Freakbeat

THE FAVOURITE SONS-That Driving Beat/Walking Walking Walking U.K. Mercury MF 911 1966

Back in the day (early 90's) I bought this vinyl bootleg LP comp called "Psychedelia Volume Two: The Fairy Fellers Master Stroke".  On it was this powerful bit of freakbeat called "Walking Walking Walking" by a band called The Favourite Sons.  I'd never heard of the band or the track but I was floored.

Fast forward to the late 90's and I've tracked down the single.  On the A-side we have a freakbeat version of the Willie Mitchell soul classic "That Driving Beat" with the originals main horn lick replaced by some fuzz guitar.  It's somewhat soulful but way too freaky to be "r&b", sort of like The Koobas when they covered "You Better Make Up Your Mind" (see Anorak Thing January 13, 2009 entry).  Not a patch on the original but still interesting.

And on the flip we have the monster that is "Walking Walking Walking".  The best way I can describe this is imagine Ali Mackenzie of The Birds fronting The Eyes or The Game.  The vocalist's voice reminds me a lot of The Bird's front man's pipes and the pinnacle of the track is the distorted power chords that make the song the freakbeat legend (in my book anyway) that it is.  The number comes complete with a perfect distorted freaky solo that bears the archetype freakbeat '66 sound.

"That Driving Beat" was included on the CD "That Driving Beat Volume One" while "Walking Walking Walking" is on the CD "English Freakbeat Volume Three" (where it was obviously nicked from the "Psychedelia Volume Two" LP comp!).

Hear "Walking Walking Walking":

https://youtu.be/GR23KAD_Wkc

Hear "That Driving Beat":

https://youtu.be/vbAaXLUoyZM

The Truth, The Whole Truth And Nothing By The 80's Truth.......

THE TRUTH-Who's Wrong/She's A Roller U.K. Pye 7N.15598 1965

This was the second 45 by a 60's U.K. duo (Frank Ailello and Steven Jameson) known as the Truth (who made way better records than a bunch of flat-topped, bomber jacket wearing soulies in the 80's who also called themselves "The Truth").  In my book it's their best of all seven of their singles.  "Who's Wrong" is driven by a cool little incessant riff and some scowling vocals.  The lyrics are purely cynical;

"well this guy comes by and tells me I should cut my hair and wear a tie and he turns around does his best friend in, puts him in the ground and collects on him.."

 But it contains a great line in the form of the chorus that innocently protests "I ain't hurtin' anybody by bein' me".  Pure mod/beat cool '65 style where the music is still sort of like a beat group but punchier.  "She's A Roller" is okay, not really my thing, but not unlistenable either.  The vocals and instrumentation are great it's just the song itself does absolutely nothing for me!

"Who's Wrong" has bee reissued on Castle's "Doin' The Mod Volume Four: Ready Steady Stop" CD compilation while "She's A Roller" has been included on their "Doin The Mod Volume One: The Go Go Train". Both sides are also available on the Truth CD collection/compilation "Who's Wrong: Mod Bedlam 1965-1969".

Trivia note:
Steve Jameson went on to make Northern Soul records under the moniker of Nosmo King in the early 70's.

Hear "Who's Wrong":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dya0acqDmE

Hear "She's A Roller":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IduTCKPfig8

Up The Junction

MANFRED MANN-Up The Junction Theme/Sleepy Hollow UK Fontana TF 908 1968

Manfred Mann were one of those rare British 60's bands who managed to stay on top from the beat/r&b boom through psychedelia despite personnel and genre changes. I've always much preferred the Paul Jones era Manfreds, nothing against Mike d'Abo, I think he's a fine vocalist I just thought that most of the Manfred Mann Mark II stuff was a bit too "bubblegum" for me (exceptions being their brilliant "debut" with him Dylan's "Just Like A Woman", their second 45 with him "Semi Detached Suburban Mr. James" and it's U.S. only B-Side "Each And Every Day" which was cut by Siomon Dupree and The Big Sound as "Daytime, Night Time"). Aside from that I'd rate their "Up The Junction" LP as the high water mark for me because I found little pleasure in any of their stuff like "My Name Is Jack", "Ha Ha Said The Clown" (which poses the question: which is more dreadful the Yardbirds or the Manfred's versions?!) or their huge hit here in the States "The Mighty Quinn" (not to be confused with a film of the same name, which I haven't seen but I'm sure sucks based on the premise of naming a film after a hit song). On the subject of that we have a song here today that also happens to be the title of a film.

1968's "Up The Junction" is one of my top ten favorite British films of the 60's.  I was just thrilled to see it's been released on DVD (in the U.K.).  I'm not going to give you the run down on the plot in detail but let's say it's like this, a deb gets bored with the mansion and Roller etc and takes a flat in the East End gets a job in a factory and becomes enamored with knees up's and all the gritty working class stereotype stuff whilst dating a young mod who in turn is so desperately keen to escape all of this.  The Manfred's soundtrack makes the film and I couldn't imagine a better band for it.

The title "Up The Junction" is certainly Brian Wilson-esque with it's layers of harmonies and production, not to mention numerous key and timing changes and a multitude of instruments.  Lyrically and musically  it's the perfect backdrop to the gritty, dreary factory worker setting of the film.  For anyone who's ever worked in a factory it's a pretty depressing thing and this number, to me, captures it all perfectly, in fact so much so it's close to the bone for me. "Sleepy Hollow" is not really my thing, it's a little too close to the saccharine pop period of theirs that immediately followed this 45/LP.  It's not unlistenable just way out of character from it's brilliant topside.

Both tracks are on RPM's reissue of the "Up The Junction" LP which I cannot recommend enough!

Hear "Up The Junction":

https://youtu.be/hedvvXl1q3k

God Save The Village Green

In honor of The Kinks brilliant track "The Village Green Preservation Society"

We are the Village Green Preservation Society

God save Donald Duck, Vaudeville and Variety,

We are the Desperate Dan Appreciation Society
God save strawberry jam and all the different varieties.
Preserving the old ways from being abused
Protecting the new ways for me and for you
What more can we do

We are the Draught Beer Preservation Society
God save Mrs. Mopp and good Old Mother Riley.
We are the Custard Pie Appreciation Consortium

God save the George Cross and all those who were awarded them
We are the Sherlock Holmes English Speaking Vernacular.
Help save Fu Manchu, Moriarty and Dracula,

We are the Office Block Persecution Affinity.
God save little shops, china cups and virginity,
We are the Skyscraper Condemnation Affiliate

God save tudor houses, antique tables and billiards.
Preserving the old ways from being abused.
Protecting the new ways for me and for you.


What more can we do
God save the Village Green.

Dreadful Singles By Otherwise Decent Bands Part Two

FIRE-Round The Gum Tree/Toothy Ruthie Germany Decca DL 25359 1968

"Father's Name Is Dad" by Fire, one of the greatest 60's British freakbeat records off all time right? Well then Fire made their second single, and like the caption said below this German P.S. 45 in the liner notes to a Bam Caruso "Rubble" volume: "horrible 2nd single". They weren't kidding. Cool as hell looking sleeve, three geezers with a cannon, nice red tint. Happy as a clam to locate this one, till I got it home and played it. "Round The Gum Tree"? Awful, god awful, bubblegum crap that rots your teeth in one listen, with annoying "Alvin & The Chipmunks" backing vocals. Sold at a record show!

U.K. Late 60's "Head" Sounds

VILLAGE-Man In The Moon /Long Time Coming U.K. Head HDS 4002 1969

There are a slew of classic British 60's numbers that are so amazing, yet barely reissued who's original copies aren't exactly on par with that of say, a 60's Kinks 45 in the price tag department.  I never really was fortunate enough to own too many of these singles and since I like to write pretty much exclusively about records I've owned that leaves the category a bit slim.

On that topic I give you an obscure 1969 45 on the aptly named Head records label (home of both LP's by former Action members Mighty Baby).  I heard this track first on the dubious quality "Electric Sugarcube Flashbacks" compilation LP series (on the vinyl "Volume Four") and it took me awhile to get my head around the first few years as it was sort of "long" (4:15).  Led by British 60's organ r&b legend Peter Bardens this was their sole 45 and featured future Elvis Costello and The Attractions bassist Bruce Thomas.

"Man In The Moon" starts out with some ethereal organ and then gets a bit heavy with some great bottom end bass.  What I love about this record is it's from 1969 and despite the organ work it's not overly heavy like some of the plodding/wanky Deep Purple stuff of the period.  Halfway through it gets a bit "improvisational" but never too "way out" either.  It reminds me of early Atomic Rooster if they were a bit more "lysergic".

"Long Time Coming" is an organ based instrumental that's not at all heavy, it's a weird hybrid of 60's U.K. mod/r&b and British 60's instrumental theme music (like my faves The Barry Grey Orchestra for instance).  If not for the zooming bass runs I could easily imagine this as the theme song for some Gerry Anderson TV show with puppets!

It's perplexing but neither side had been officially released on CD until after Peter Barden's death.  Both tracks cropped up on his now out of print double CD compilation "Write My Name in the Dust: the Peter Bardens Anthology 1963-2002" and only the A-side had seen a reissue and that was on the above mentioned long player and an equally dubious catch all "Electric Sugarcube Flashbacks" CD volume in the early 90's.


Hear "Man In The Moon":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A48p_r1hthI

Hear "Long Time Coming":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kxrWVDSJe8