More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Twiggy

TWIGGY-When I Think Of You/Over And Over U.S. Capitol 5903 1967

 In the 60's being a celebrity pretty much guaranteed you a recording contract (see Capitol label mate "Ted Cassidy") so it should be no surprise that Swingin' London icon and model Lesley Lawson aka Twiggy released a record. Actually she released several, but this was her U.S. recording debut and curiously it preceded the U.K. release (Ember S244) by seven months!

Surprisingly Twiggy's voice is not at all bad! "When I Think Of You" is a full on party, with brass, female Breakaways style backing vocals and a blistering guitar underneath it all as Twiggy croons confidently . It was produced by Tommy Scott who co-wrote it with Peter Law.

The flip, "Over And Over" is a mediocre tune drenched in double tracked echo that makes her sound like she's singing in the bottom of a well with this annoying cheezy piano tinkling (no doubt care of Phil Coulter who co-wrote the track with Tommy Scott). Next!

"When I Think Of You" has appeared on a variety of compilations, most recently Grapefruit's various artists comp "You Can Walk Across It On The Grass (The Boutique Sounds Of Swinging London)" which is also available on streaming. 

Hear "When I Think Of You":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBQZe0jcdCU

Hear "Over And Over":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F7BWg0ohYw

The Searchers-"Someday We're Gonna Love Again"

THE SEARCHERS-Someday We're Gonna Love Again/No-One Else Could Love Me U.S. Kapp 609 1964

Liverpool's Searchers hold the distinction of being the second most successful Liverpool 60's band in the United States in both chart and sales wise, with seven Top Forty hits all in the relatively brief window of just a year (1964-1965). 

"Someday We're Gonna Love Again" was their ninth U.S. single released in July of 1964 where it reached #34. It was simultaneously issued in England as Pye 15670. It was previously recorded by Barbara Lewis. Back in my younger years I bought an amazing Searchers 10" EP on PRT and this was one of my favorite tracks on it. The single would also be their last with bassist Tony Jackson, who left after being ousted following a ham fisted power struggle that saw him threaten to "out" drummer Chris Curtis in an attempt to gain leverage in leading the band (a position that was for all intents and purpose, held by Mike Pinder). 

For the uninitiated "Someday We're Gonna Love Again" is the epitome of "The Searcher's sound": jangly/chiming guitars, double tracked harmony vocals and a chirpy, uptempo feel to it all. It's catchy, and the infectious "do dit doo do doo do dit" chorus sticks pleasantly in one's brain. 

The flip side, "No One Else Could Love Me", was penned by drummer Chris Curtis . Sadly it's fairly unimpressive, and though it showcases the band's incredible harmonies the song itself is a fairly pedestrian beat ballad. 

Both sides are available on a host of Searchers collections that thanks to the likes of Castle Communications are NEVER out of print. Both sides are also available on streaming. 

Hear "Someday We're Gonna Love Again":

https://youtu.be/gUehZ7elW-U?si=ZtmCF1x9B7peLkuK

Hear "No One Else Could Love Me":

https://youtu.be/Jxy3NmE6Itc?si=pbZqaRJObDpBVwhK

My Top 10 Joe Meek Productions

1. PAUL AND RITCHIE AND THE CRYING SHAMES-"Come On Back" Decca F12483 1966

This was the final of three singles by this Liverpool band (all produced by Meek).  It was also among his last productions before his death in February 1967 and is easily his most "psychedelic".  It's haunting combo organ and distorted bass with swatches of slashing guitar with heavy vibrato bleeding through is hands down the most trippy thing Joe Meek ever did while the song itself has elements of U.S. 60's "garage" to it.  Meek's productions all but ignored psychedelia and he tended to utilize the same tricks he'd been using since the early 60's on all of his records right up until the end but this one seems a bit more "contemporary" than the rest, whether that was intentional or not remains to be seen. 

https://youtu.be/DE63II3Nef0?si=0qtUGltabRJpVz4k

2. THE BUZZ-"You're Holding Me Down" Columbia DB 7887 1966

Not to be confused with David Bowie's backing band from the same time (something bootleggers and errant journalists frequently resorted to confusing) these guys were actually Scottish.  The first time I heard this track was in the late 80's on a bootleg LP comp called "Searching in The Wilderness", shortly after it appeared in far better quality AND in it's correct length on Bam Caruso's "Freakbeat Fantoms" LP (the version used on "Searching..." was the American single mix which is shorter).  The whole track is a cacophony of fuzz guitar (that is total freakbeat) and the depraved sounding vocals with typical Meek compression on the whole thing just jacks up the freaky aspect!  It all resembles a paranoid speed freak meltdown ala John's Children's "Smashed Blocked" or the Small Face's "E Too D", something Meek was all too well aware of.

https://youtu.be/TmneIzd4hjs?si=jHJF1S0914bVOmIk

3. HEINZ-"I Get Up In The Morning" Decca EP DFE 8545 1963

Taken from his untitled first E.P. this rockin' little number is my favorite track by the blonde bomber. The funky little guitar licks come care of a young Ritchie Blackmore (acknowledged by Heinz not once but twice in the track before a solo..."Take it Ritchie") and though I'd swear the female backing vocals are Glenda Collins the E.P. sleeve states they are by The Fletchers (who were also known as The Cameos). It's easily his strongest release in my estimation and has a relatively clean (ie "not weird") production!

https://youtu.be/46jWNYTXIKw?si=iM7jh16AeSteXEVN

4. THE RIOT SQUAD-"I Take It That We're Through" Pye 7N.17092 1966

This was the band's second of four singles recorded at 304 Holloway Road (their fourth and final single was Meek's last release causing a friend to quip "it was so late it practically had Meek's brains on the master tape reel") and it's my favorite.  It combines some wild sonic reduction on a fuzzed out guitar lick while the compression on the saxophone bends the sound so it resembles some sort of Middle Eastern reed instrument while the band's high pitched backing vocals are given the Meek touch. But that fuzz bass intro.....wow, just wow, it's a total window rattler. 

https://youtu.be/1eOq-ODej_w?si=TAunZFS4lRMxReI4

5. THE HONEYCOMBS-"That Lovin' Feeling" Pye 7N.17173 1966

The Honeycombs final single marked the end of a career with Meek that yielded ten singles, an EP and two LP's under his tutelage in just two brief years. My old pal Keith Patterson once aptly described it as "The Honeycombs outdoing The Episode Six" which is a true assertion as the numbers harmony male/female vocal style is akin to to that of The Episode Six's records for the same label at this time.  Starting out with a part raga/ part Flamenco guitar lick it has a slight Middle Eastern feel and is carried by Honey Lantree's backing vocals (that sound like the mike was down the hall from her!) and the compressed combo organ and a typical echo drenched guitar solo add to the amazing blend. 

https://youtu.be/15jU_UOQ95Q?si=-fW5i2PBvWH4SaSO

6. THE TORNADOS-"Too Much In Love To Hear" Columbia DB 7856 1966

By the time the band switched to Columbia from Decca they were the Tornados in name only , with another Meek band The Saxons, assuming the role of the "new" Tornados. "Too Much In Love To Hear" was penned by it's members Pete Holder and Robb Huxley (credited here as "Gale", a misspelling of his "other" last name Gayle) . It's a rarity among Tornados 45's as it's a vocal number.  Led by some tack piano with the typical Meek production flourishes it's a moody piece , sort of a beat ballad with a nice jazzy/Shadows style guitar solo and a welcome pleasure to hear vocals on a Tornados record!! Interestingly Huxley later moved to Israel where he joined The Churchills who cut a trippy (and far improved in my book) version of the track which was comped on one of the "Strange Things Are Happening" CD comps.  For a more detailed history of the "New Tornados" check out Robb Huxley's extensive and highly informative web page here. The band would cut just one more 45 with Joe Meek, but that, as they say, is another story for another time. You can read that story here.

https://youtu.be/y8_yrX0CNhs?si=FyqcTWUxSL24TpMy

7. GLENDA COLLINS-"Something I've Got To Tell You" Pye 7N.17044 1966

Joe Meek had very few female vocalists on his roster but none was better or as well known as the dynamic Glenda Collins. The track, the ultimate musical confession of infidelity, was written by Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley (frequently misidentified as "Howard Blaikley" like this label) and had previously been recorded by The Honeycombs on their second LP "All Systems Go" where it showcased for the first time, drummer Honey Lantree on lead vocals (it also cropped up on Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich's debut LP).  I think Glenda's February 1966 version is the definitive one in my book thanks to the top shelf presentation.  Meek took no chances and secured the services of arranger Ivor Raymonde to wrap it up in strings and massive orchestration, but in the end sadly it was not a hit despite the stellar arrangement and Collin's powerful vocals .

https://youtu.be/DeUu4lLitpY?si=KdCKqyIIbU2ig5Ac

8. JASON EDDY & THE CENTERMEN-"Singin' The Blues" Parlophone R 5473 1966

My introduction to the weirdness of Joe Meek came in 1982 with the inclusion of this cut on Greg Shaw's legendary LP compilation "Pebbles Volume Six: The Roots Of Mod". Jason Eddy (real name Albie Wycherley and previously "Jason Eddie") was the brother of Ronald, better known as Billy Fury. Jason's O.T.T. cover of the Marty Robbin's hit "Singin' The Blues" pulls out all the stops with everything sped up (is that a horn or a guitar sped up on tape?), blistering guitar (sounding very similar to some of Richie Blackmore's other guitar work for Meek) and the vocals that sound like they're trying not to get swept away by the manic pace of this song. 

https://youtu.be/Uoc0odAY3x4?si=4uUov8xUmvh0tKnE

9. BOBBY CRISTO AND THE REBELS-"I've Got You Out Of My Mind" Decca F 11913 1964

This is probably one of my favorite of Meek's "beat"group releases. It's a nondescript number with almost flat vocals but there's something catchy about from it's stereotypical Meek beat and slashing/tinny sounding guitars and a certain charm to it all. It was their sole release and it was unearthed in 1983 for See For Miles excellent compilation LP "Sixties Lost And Found Volume 3". 

https://youtu.be/scu9ew-E7ow?si=YobRAJlqEbl0wGO1

10. DAVID JOHN & THE MOOD-"Bring It To Jerome" Parlophone R 5255 1965

These unsung heroes of Brit r&b cut three singles in their short career. Their last two were on Parlophone and were produced by Meek. This reading of Bo Diddley's "Bring It To Jerome" was the first of those two. Seeped in gritty r&b harp blowing it's a swampy/gritty little mess with typical Meek drums (or lack thereof?)/percussion and raw vocals. Thankfully it was one of two tracks by the band included in Greg Shaw's epic "Pebbles Vol 6: The Roots Of Mod" LP (which also included the Jason Eddie track above). 

https://youtu.be/-x-OAgXCrIs?si=acb3_hZRkKjgLpMH

All label scans are courtesy of 45cat.com and all singles are U.K. releases.

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Episode Six

 

EPISODE SIX-Lucky Sunday/Mr. Universe U.S. Chapter One 45-2902 1968

Six piece British harmony pop group the Episode six released ten singles during their career from 1965-1968. Four of them were issued here in the United States including this one which was originally issued in the U.K. on Chapter One (CH-103) in October 1968 and was released here the following month where it would be their final American release (the band would cut one more single back home before falling apart when lead singer Ian Gillian and bassist Roger Glover defected to replace Rod Evans and Nicky Simper in Deep Purple).

"Lucky Sunday" is a perfect little slice of orchestrated sunshine pop (with orchestration care of the legendary Les Reed) that's vocal perfection thanks to the band's razor sharp choral ability that's always made them sound like Britain's answer to Spanky and Our Gang (to my ears anyway). The music almost takes a back seat to the choral pop perfection of the number though the strings and regal horns certainly work well enough together!

Five of the Episode Six

The B-side, "Mr. Universe" has often been described as sounding like the Moody Blues. I really don't get that from it at all, it's a cheeky little pop number with phlanged bits (ala "Pictures Of Matchstick Men") and this underlying blistering guitar.

Both sides are available on a host of Episode Six compilations and are both available on streaming. 

Hear "Lucky Sunday":

https://youtu.be/ybAs98LGe2U?si=EtIFdiZqqIJ3nztw

Hear "Mr. Universe":

https://youtu.be/X4HACW3Nig0?si=dx7xtmmXpmTnNBZ5

Classic 60's Albums: Manfred Mann "The Five Faces Of Manfred Mann"

MANFRED MANN-"The Five Faces Of Manfred Mann" U.K. LP His Master's Voice CLP 1731 1964

Manfred Mann hold a unique place in British 60's r&b annals in that they embraced a multitude of influences and covered an equally large pool of genres: blues, jazz, soul, r&b, gospel etc. All of this is no better exemplified than by their debut British long player profiled here today. What makes it all even more unique is that for a debut album there are six band originals comprising just under half the album, no mean feat for a debut album considering that Stone's featured only three on theirs. Led by South African ex-pat Manfred Mann on keyboards the band benefited from having an incredible front man in the shape of Paul Jones who not only had a strong voice but was an incredible harp blower as well. Along for the ride were multi instrumentalist Mike Hugg on guitar (flute and sax as well), bassist Tom McGuinness and Mike Hugg on drums/vibes. "The Five Faces Of Manfred Mann" was launched in Britain on September 11, 1964. 

SIDE ONE

1. "Smokestack Lightning" (Burnett)

2. "Don't Ask Me What I Say" (Jones)

3. "Sack O' Woe" (Adderley)

4. "What You Gonna Do?" (Jones, Manfred)

5. "Hoochie Coochie" (Dixon)

6. "I'm Your Kingpin" (Mann, Jones)

7. "Down The Road Apiece" (Raye)

Side One roars off with a fairly competent reading of Howlin' Wolf's "Smokestack Lightning" (curiously included on the Yardbird's debut LP as well), aided in no small part by Paul Jone's incredible harp blowing ability. The band original "Don't Ask Me What I Say" is next. It's one of my favorite tunes by them utilizing a "Can I Get A Witness" style melody delivered fast and edgy and complimented by a jazzy little sax solo by band guitarist/multi instrumentalist Mike Vickers. Cannonball Adderley's "Sack O' Woe" again offers the band a chance to flex their jazz chops offering an interesting merging of sax, harmonica and vibes (the latter care of Mike Hugg), all delivered at a frenetic pace. "What You Gonna Do" is another strong band original, a perfect moody/moddy little piece of business with incessant harmonica/organ interplay and previously was issued as the flip to their hit rendition of "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" a few months prior. Willie Dixon's (via Muddy Waters) "Hoochie Coochie" is next up, it's a fairly mundane treatment, not the strongest track on the album mind you, but not the weakest either. "I'm Your Kingpin" is another band original that is so full of soul that you would be forgiven for expecting it to be a blues cover. Driven by a forceful piano/harmonica combination it chugs along nicely and is accented by not only some jazzy vibes but by a groovy little sax solo as well (it was previously issued as the flip side to "Hubble Bubble Toil And Trouble"). Side One is closed with "Down The Road A Piece", no doubt the band were influenced by Chuck Berry's reading of this track from the Forties, but they make it their own with a sax/harmonica dual lick and some bluesy piano hammering.

SIDE TWO

1. "I've Got My Mojo Working" (Morganfield)

2. "It's Gonna Work Out Fine" (Seneca, Lee)

3. "Mr. Anello" (Hugg, Jones, Mann, McGuinness, Vickers)

4. "Untie Me" (South)

5. "Bring It To Jerome" (Green)

6. "Without You" (Jones)

7. "You've Got To Take It" (Jones)

Side Two kicks off with "I've Got My Mojo Working", in my opinion it's the weakest point of the album, the band's playing is of course excellent but it's just mundane to my ears. Ike and Tina's "It's Gonna Work Out Fine" is next and fortunately it's a palette cleanser after the previous track in no small part due to Paul Jone's vocals and Manfred's subtle electric piano. The band original, "Mr Anello" is next, it's an instrumental and no doubt it's title refers to one half of the famous London footwear manufacturers Anello and Davide. It's driven by some jazzy guitar that weaves in and out and a barrel house piano that would do Jerry Lee proud and there's some harp wailing in between. "Untie Me" is a cover of the obscure 1963 r&b ballad by the Tams, it's a halfway decent reading and provides an interesting mix with all of the more blues or jazz based tracks it's surrounded by. Bo Diddley's "Bring It To Jerome" is next, I like it it's but not nearly as powerful as David John and The Mood's gritty Joe Meek produced version from the following year. The band original "Without You" is next and in my estimation it's one of the album's strongest tracks. The beat is down and dirty and bluesy and it's fattened up by an incredible flute and vibes solo joining the prerequisite harp wailing and Paul Jone's baritone growling (it was issued in January as the B-side of "5-4-3-2-1!"). "You've Got To Take It" closes the album and it is another band original. It's not the strongest track but gets kudos because the band could have easily followed the norm and padded the album out with another Chuck Berry or Howlin' Wolf cover!

Mod Anthems Part One: The London Boys

DAVID BOWIE-The London Boys U.K. Deram DM 107 1966

Mod anthems...what IS a mod anthem? Is it the lyrics? The feeling? The music? When I was 13 or 14 my "personal mod anthems" changed from week to week and was often a combination of all of those and more. One week it'd be "Time For Action" or "Glory Boys" by Secret Affair , "Millions Like Us" by The Purple Hearts etc etc et al and who could forget the eternally pigeon holed "My Generation"!?!?

In the fall of 1983 I stumbled upon "The London Boys" on a London Records cassette comp called "Starting Point" during my quest to hear/own the rest of Bowie's non-LP Deram cuts. I had found my anthem driving late one night in a Triumph sports car through the fall swept rural roads of Bumf*ck, NJ feeling quite sorry for myself and it was a somber, sober bare bones mod torch song that leap from my shitty car stereo speakers and begged me to take notice. It was at that moment I realized that it was THE mod anthem. It was, and still is.. and much more. Bowie, despite his Anthony Newley pretensions was never a full on crooner. "The London Boys" was and is, an exception to that rule. From it's somber, glum beginning warble to the lifting full throttle cabaret ending (which David Robert Jones delivers like the Frank Sinatra of modernism) the number is a masterpiece. Restrained by a simple bass/organ backing with strains of brass (muted trumpet and tuba woodwinds) the song builds as the pitch of Bowie's plight reaches it's full descent. Lyrically poignant and proud despite the "against all odds" scenario of hopelessness, and failure faced by the song's young protagonist, "The London Boys" ages well (it was cheekily covered with some style and jazz/ska panache by The Times in 1985 on creepy  Mark Johnson's short lived mod Unicorn label). Unlike "My Generation" or any jaded/dated Secret Affair record this is the stuff of dreams, broken ones albeit, but dreams nonetheless. All of this while Bowie was still just 19 years of age. In a way it's a great social observation on one hand as Bowie was firmly tapped into the London scene (and was at the time gigging heavily at the Marquee Club with his backing band The Buzz at the time) but in a way was also as an outsider because despite a great deal of front he didn't actually live in London and when he was not couch surfing he was safely ensconced back home at 4 Plaistow Grove, Bromley at his parents home.

Originally it was demoed with Bowie's third band, The Lower Third at Pye records Marble Arch studios in the fall of '65. It was immediately rejected for release by Pye due to it's language about overt drug use(sadly this version is seemingly lost forever as unlike many other 60's Bowie tracks no version has surfaced among bootleggers or Bowie fans alike). The second version (which was used on the eventual single) was recorded in a demo session at R.G. Jones studios on October 18, 1966 as part of a series of demos in the hopes of ensnaring a record contract (Bowie had since been dropped by Pye after three brilliant but commercially unsuccessful singles). The trumpet was cut at this session and presumably the woodwinds were later dubbed in Decca/Deram's studio as the label was loathe to allow the use of outside studios to record obscure acts. The demos had their desired effect and David Bowie was awarded a contract with Decca's new Deram off shoot. "The London Boys" would surface as the B- side to his debut Deram 45 'Rubber Band" on December 2, 1966.

"Well, it tells the story of life as some teenagers saw it - but we didn't think the lyrics were quite up many people's street. I do it on stage though, and we're probably keeping it for an EP or maybe an LP. Hope, hope! It's called "Now You've Met The London Boys", and mentions pills, and generally belittles the London night life scene."
-David Bowie in "Melody Maker" in Feb. 1966

Hear "The London Boys" :

https://youtu.be/scFpxKdm2w4

EPILOUGE 2025:

In 2000 David Bowie began tinkering with "a 60's album", an entire LP devoted to re-recordings of tracks of his from the Sixties. Ultimately titled "Toy" the project was given a thumbs down by EMI/Virgin despite Bowie completing a dozen tracks which according to Tony Visconti caused Bowie to ultimately decide to leave the label. The project was posthumously released in 2021 and among it's tracks was a version of "The London Boys". Bowie had reintroduced the song into his live set in 2000 to wide acclaim and the then current arrangement was not terribly far from the original 1966 recording albeit some vocal phrasing differences (clearly David Bowie was not going to attempt to hit the notes he did as a 19 year old). Subsequently in 2022 there were multiple releases of an E.P., "You've Got It Made With All The Toys"  with selections from "Toy" including an absolutely breathtaking live version of "The London Boys" recorded at the Roseland Ballroom in NYC on June 19, 2000 complete with strings and clarinets, hear it here. I'm not usually a fan of re-recordings nor do I think much of "Toy" but I AM very impressed with this reworking. Hear it for yourself and decide.

*****This piece was originally published on Uppers.org on October 22, 2007****

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The Virgin Sleep

 

THE VIRGIN SLEEP-Love/Haliford House US Deram 45-DEM-7514 1967

I've long been enamored by freaky British 60's records cut by straight looking mod guys in immaculate back combed or center parted hair, Hush Puppies, patterned trousers and plaid or op art shirts (Herbal Mixture, The Score, The Flies, to name but a few). Enter The Virgin Sleep (Tony Rees, Rick Quilty, Alan Barnes and Keith Purnell) from Richmond, Surrey. One look at their photo of them below would lead you to believe they were just another Small Faces/Action aping "mod" band. One listen and you know right away that this is NOT a "mod" band.  Their debut single was released in the UK as Deram DM 146 in September 1967 and was simultaneously issued here in the States. 

 The A-side, "Love" loosely follows a chord progression and tempo not too dissimilar to The Trogg's hit "Love Is All Around". Strangely it's Deram release date was 9/1/67, a month and a day prior to The Trogg's number! It is doubtful that they influenced each other, but still a strange coincidence to note. It's backed by a string section that reeks of The Trogg's hit but also echoes The Left Banke and some of the more orchestral moments of David Bowie's debut LP (also on Deram), while the backing vocals have an eerie Buddhist chant meets Franciscan monk quality to them, with some sitar thrown in there for either good measure (or trendiness?). The whole mix is absolutely hypnotic and I find it to be among the greatest of British 60's psychedelic singles issued and it jumped straight out at me when I first heard it in 1985 on See For Miles marvelous LP compilation "The British Psychedelic Trip 1966-1969". 

The B-side, "Haliford House", is more somber and definitely not a very joyous tune. It's about a mental institution where children's toys are manufactured. It's vocals are monotone, as if the lead singer is heavily sedated and other than a brief, blistering freakbeat guitar riff here and there it's pretty low key and uneventful. The Virgin Sleep cut one more single ("Secret"/"Comes a Time" UK Deram DM 173, January 1968) but this was not released in the United States. We will be discussing this in a future post!

"Love" has popped up on both the "The Great British Psychedelic Trip Vol. One " CD compilation and Mojo magazine's box set " Acid Drops, Spacedust & Flying Saucers: Psychedelic Confectionery from the UK Underground, 1965-1969", while "Haliford House" has appeared in bootleg form only on one of the "Hen's Teeth" CD compilations and the  "Justafixtion" 3 CD box set. 

Hear "Love":

https://youtu.be/a3hf2CR9HDc?si=6w8DfpPWeXPUXOWv

Hear "Haliford House":

https://youtu.be/AqI--gr5OdY?si=a1OT7Wr0_iAiYcfe

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The End " I Can't Get Any Joy"

 

THE END-I Can't Get Any Joy/Hey Little Girl U.S. Phillips 40323 1965

The End were one of the first band's Bill Wyman took under his wing in the 60's when he decided to branch into production as part of his fledgling Freeway Music enterprise (which also later included Moon's Train, John  Lee's Groundhogs, Hamilton and The Movement etc) . Wyman met the band when they were opening for the Stones backing Andrew Loog Oldham's flavor of the week Charles Dickens.

Their debut release, "I Can't Any Joy" was issued in the U.K. as Phillips BF 1444 in October 1965 with Wyman at the controls (and as I have written previously here I have always wondered what The Stones would have sounded like with Bill in the producer's chair). It was simultaneously released in the U.S. It was penned by band members David Brown (bass) and Colin Giffin (Lead guitar/vocals). 

"I Can't Get Any Joy" is not, in my estimation the strongest track by The End, but over the years I have grown to like it. The subtle sax by member John Horton brings it along and helps it from becoming just another nondescript mid 60's beat number. 

Unfortunately for me the flip "Hey Little Girl" is utterly forgettable. It's not something I would revisit any time soon. 

The single failed to cause any impact in the U.K. and the band eventually relocated to Spain where they cut and released five incredible singles. They would not release any other records in the United States until three years later when their incredible second British single, "Shades Of Orange" was released here. 

Both sides are available on a host of End compilations, most recently the double album "From Beginning To End" that nicely scoops up ALL of the recorded efforts (including their Spanish only 45's). Both tracks are also available on streaming platforms. 

Hear "I Can't Get Any Joy":

https://youtu.be/tud3c3osXNg?si=g_2i9T-vVxd2PEtx

Hear "Hey Little Girl":

https://youtu.be/L1IhQutC2-8?si=oCJSDi8dbhAievN8

RICK BUCKLER R.I.P.

Word filtered through Instagram yesterday like wild fire reporting the passing of Rick Buckler, drummer of my favorite band of my youth, The Jam.

Rick was actually the guy I thought looked the coolest when I first discovered The Jam. Those Roger McGuinn glasses and high hairline always looked cool to me ("Hair by Schumi" on the back of the "All Around The World" 45 sleeve). I remember looking in awe at their records and bringing a magazine with a picture of the Jam to my hair stylist, Bob Willis who immediately took the piss out of me. "See that c*cksuckers hairline? He's gonna be bald in a few years, you need to find something else". I disregarded his advice and he cut my bangs like Rick's but with my lower hairline I looked like a Wellend. So I turned my attention to emulating Paul Weller's hair instead (but not before going around like that for what seemed like an eternity). 

Rick was the only member of the Jam I ever met. When my friend Rudie and I were caught by The Jam's gargantuan security man Joe (I think that was him name?) creeping into the backstage area at the Trenton War Memorial Jam gig (May 19, 1982) he shuffled us along until John Weller politely shoved us out a side door (after courtesy asking if we had tickets with a promise that he'd "send the boys round for an autograph"). After standing outside for what seemed like ages were noticed this short fellow in what my memory says was a Devo t-shirt approaching the door (my memory has been wrong frequently in details like that). As he got closer we realized it was Rick Buckler heading to the door we were blocking. Mouths agape and speechless we just stood there. Sensing our situation Rick grinned and awkwardly nodded and said "Alright then? Got tickets for the show? (something John Weller said as well, I wondered what would have happened had we said "No"?). We nodded yes and moved out of his way, speechless. I think I was also speechless because I couldn't believe that at 15 years of age I was taller than Rick Buckler!!

I followed Rick's post Jam career with Time U.K. with genuine interest and unlike Bruce's solo records or most of the Style Council releases I still genuinely like some of their stuff, "Remember Days" in particular. No mean feat when lots of my "likes" from "then" did not age gracefully.

Rick always struck me as a gentleman and anyone I knew who met him came back with wonderful stories about him. And in this spirit I shall leave you with this rather jovial interview with him from a few years back.....

Rest in peace. Rick Buckler 1955-2025

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The Pretty Things "Come See Me"

 

THE PRETTY THINGS-Come See Me/Judgement Day U.S. Fontana F-1550 1966

The Pretty Things were a band who I really didn't know a thing about, their name was everywhere and I had seen a photo of them in a "Life" magazine book at school on Great Britain and a friend had put "Can't Stand The Pain" on a cassette mix for me but I never investigated further. Curiously I bought "The Electric Banana" LP in 1986 but that was it. Then in early 1987 my then girlfriend made me a mix tape of their songs, mostly culled from the Bam Caruso Pretty Things compilation album "Closed Restaurant Blues" that encompassed their '65-'67 sounds on Fontana records (picking up where the earlier Edsel records compilation LP "Let Me Hear the Choir Sing" had left off). At the time I was knee deep in my obsession with a U.K. mod band called Makin' Time and was playing the grooves off their posthumous second album "No Lumps, Fat Or Gristle Guaranteed". The moment I put on that Pretty Things tape that kicked off with "Come See Me" Makin' Time were all but forgotten.....

"Come See Me" is a song that is frequently guilty of confusing people about it's origin. It was written by the American soul singer J.J. Jackson in conjunction with Pierre Tubbs and Sidney Barnes. Frequently it's claimed that J.J. Jackson recorded it first, this is in part true. Jackson cut a demo version backed by The Jeeps (which was included on the Strike records CD compilation "The Best of Strike Records") BUT the first actual release was by the Pretty Things who launched their version in the U.K. on April 1966 as Fontana TF 688. Jackson liked what he heard and then decided to record and release his own version which saw the light of day in April on 1967 on the Strike label in England as JH 329. It would not be released in the United States until the following year in March as Loma 296 (curiously Johnny Maestro  released a version with The Crests in America on Parkway P-999 in August of 1966!). 

As in the case with many American 60's releases of British material, this one got altered. Presumably Fontana U.S.A got spooked by the British b-side "L.S.D." and decided to substitute it with "Judgement Day", a track culled from the U.S. issue of the band's untitled debut long player. 

For the uninitiated "Come See Me" is a two minute and forty five second monster. From John Stax's murky bass line intro Nicky Hopkin's subtle ivory tinkling it's an absolute tour de force accented by Dick Taylor's disjointed fuzz licks on the chorus! ("Ugly Things" honcho and Pretty Things fan/expert supreme Mike Stax told me that John Stax remembers guitarist Dick Taylor playing bass on the track, Dick modestly remains unsure). 

Though "Judgement Day" is certainly no "L.S.D." it's not easily forgotten either because it's suitably ballsy enough to compliment the searing A-side, fair cop!

Both sides are available on a variety of Pretty Things compilations, the most recent being the 2017 "Greatest Hits" collection put together by Mike Stax, which is also available on streaming. 

Hear "Come See Me":

https://youtu.be/Ty1iKoVdcCI?si=D3bXfsDTk8l1Rcj-

Hear "Judgement Day":

https://youtu.be/utzYb5ZizVI?si=7Dx2Pmw3Pb10EA0R

Classic 60's Albums: Simon & Garfunkel "Sounds Of Silence"

SIMON & GARFUNKEL-"Sounds Of Silence" U.S. Columbia LP CL 2469 (mono) LP CL 9269 (stereo) January 17, 1966

SIDE ONE:

1. "The Sounds of Silence" (P. Simon)

2. "Leaves That Are Green" (P. Simon)

3. "Blessed" (P. Simon)

4. "Kathy's Song" (P. Simon)

5. "Somewhere They Can't Find Me" (P. Simon)

6. "Angie" (B. Jansch)

So here's how this goes...two New Yorker's, (Paul) Simon and (Art) Garfunkel cut a few folk LP's and eventually get pissed off at each other and go their separate ways.  One (Paul) runs off to England for a month or so and immersers himself in the British folk scene and comes back (with a nice British accent). AND because there's this thing happening called "folk rock" in his absence, the canny folks at CBS records have slapped the same sounds you heard on Mr. Zimmerman's brilliant "Like A Rolling Stone" onto some of their previously issued Simon & Garfunkel tracks like "The Sound Of Silence" (re titled "The Sounds Of Silence") the kids are buying it faster than ice cream. Folk rock is a hit and by September of '65 it's burning up the pop chart where it will eventually reach #1! And where there's a hit, there needs to be an LP....

Enter our LP in question which was released on January 17, 1966. And for all of my jaded observations on the commercialism and cynicism about the the heartless, clueless and shameless U.S. record industry I love this album.  Was it a big attempt to cash in on "folk rock"?  Of course it was.  But once in awhile the suits get it right and come up with something that sounds great and this was one of those times.  And being a 60's Anglophile it's been a base for a mother load of covers by British artists, in most cases hot on the heels of it's release (more on that further down)!

The LP kicks off with the somber "The Sounds Of Silence".  I can remember tramping around a snowy sidewalk in the West Village (that's NYC) at about 2 or 3 in the morning in the late 80's with this playing in my head .  It was one of those perfect moments for a perfect song. There were no iPhones or Androids or earbuds, iPods or even CD Walkmans in existence then so I had to play it in my head.  Like a great deal of the tracks on this platter this is one of what I call "the table for one" soundtrack numbers that seem to reflect isolationism, disenchantment and unintentional solitude (see "I Am A Rock" below). Next up we have "Leaves That Are Green", a harpsichord laced happy go lucky shuffle that's full of optimism.  "Blessed" is another one that evokes all of that black/bleak negativity. All the name checking NYC places reminds me of the gritty Big Apple you saw in "Midnight Cowboy" film that was still fairly visible when I was in my youth pounding the pavement's of NYC at ungodly hours and in (now gentrified) ungodly neighborhoods back in the mid/late 80's. "Blessed" best line for me is:

"I've got nowhere to go, I've walked around Soho for the last night or so..."

Of all the album's tracks this rates as one of my faves because it also evokes a nihilism fueled cynicism in it's lyrics that 58 years later still have an acidic bite to it:

"my words trickle down from a wound I have no intention to heal.......I have tended my own garden much too long"

"Kathy's Song' bounces back to the evergreen, sunny acoustic folkie thing singing about England and some gal over there, clashing with the gritty B-movie sound of... "Somewhere They Can't Find Me". This is one of my other choice favorites from this elpee.  It's lyrical imagery is that of a part time crook on the run leading a double life is so perfect it could have been a movie. It is interwoven with some groovy Fender Rhodes noodling and subtle trumpet care of Hugh Maskella (or so I've heard) and brilliant words from Rhymin' Simon before he became the musical vampire of the Third World in later years:

"oh baby you don't know what I've done.  I've committed a crime I've broken the law.  But when you were here sleeping and just dreaming of me I held up and robbed a liquor store..."

It's intro is a melody nicked from a track called "Anji" written by our eternal hero Davy Graham, whom Simon was presumably turned onto during his brief U.K. sojourn.  Originally copies of the LP incorrectly credit Bert Jansch with writing the track.   Which leads us to..... a note for note cover version of Graham's acoustic instrumental "Anji, which though lacking the nimble fingers of the original still comes off pretty well and gets an A+ for probably being the first Americans to cover the master.  There are more bits of "plagiarism/inspiration". 

Side Two:

1. "Richard Cory" (P. Simon)

2. "A Most Peculiar Man" (P. Simon)

3 "April Come She Will"(P. Simon)

4. "We've Got A Groovy Thing Goin'" (P. Simon)

5. "I Am A Rock" (P. Simon)

The next side's opener "Richard Cory", is lifted from a poem by American poet Edwin Arlington Robinson in title and story line, though Simon adds some gritty industrial realism with his lyrics while a groovy little three chord "Memphis" style lick shuffles in the backdrop amongst the "Highway 61 Revisited" style organ/guitar/bass/drums. Our song's protagonist is a wealthy industrialist/philanthropist (who in a touch of 1966, has orgies on his yacht) but whose money can't buy him happiness so he goes home and puts one in his brain. All of this is seen through the eyes of a prole eking out a meager existence in one of his factories.  The suicide topic continues with a social observation on "A Most Peculiar Man" (pre-dating Ray Davies similar topic "Did You See His Name"), about a loner who ends it all as seen through the eyes of of his fellow apartment dwellers (one can easily imagine a 1960's NYC apartment building with gossip on the stoop on through an open first floor window onto the pavement below).  There's some brilliant stuff going on in this one, especially the discordant acoustic guitar slashes when the actual suicide is touched upon in the song and faint keyboards that sound like chimes. "April Come She Will" is another one of those upbeat acoustic numbers that seems to kill the bleak/cynical groove (much like "Leaves That Are Green"). Next up...the groovy "We've Got A Groovy Thing Goin'", which takes Nat Adderley's "Work Song" (made popular with rock n' roll crowd via fellow Columbia artist and Uber cool jazz hipster Oscar Brown Jr. who added lyrics to the Adderley instrumental) and rearranges a few notes and adds new lyrics BUT still it's a "groovy little" number!! The heavy drum hitting intro is HEAVY care of session man Hal Blaine and there's jazzy horn bits thrown in as well.   "I Am A Rock" closes the album.  It's perhaps the greatest misanthrope anthem of all time.  Again the groovy "Highway 61 Revisited" arrangement brings it all back home, again (dig Larry Knetchel's organ trills) and once again, one can't help but conjure up seedy images of the old Big Apple before Disney/Giuliani wiped away the filth and of an individual who doesn't want to move beyond the four walls that safely surround him from the cold light of day and the garbage both human and manufactured:

"I have my books and my poetry to protect me.  I am shielded in my armor. Hiding in my room, safe within my room, I touch no one and no one touches me"

Wow, solid stuff. A misogynistic/misanthropic mantra for the ages indeed!

Of course our pals across the pond wasted precious little time getting in on the "Sounds Of Silence" bandwagon. In the U.K. The Hollie's cut "I Am A Rock" on their January '66 LP "Would You Believe" (Parlophone PMC 7008), Justin & Karlsson cut a decent version of "Somewhere They Can't Find Me" in February '66 (Piccadilly 7N 35295), Adam, Mike & Tim served up " A Most Peculiar Man" in April '66 (Columbia DB 7902), Them released their final single with Van Morrison, a rocking version of "Richard Cory" in May '66 (Decca F 12403) and The Kytes released "Blessed" in June of '66 (Pye 7N 17136). And someone named Ruth Veldon cut "A Most Peculiar Man", resplendent in a baroque backing care of the great Ivor Raymonde. Of course none of these made any chart impact whatsoever as the originals were riding high in Britannia. While over in Sweden Ola & The Jangler's cut a half decent version of "We've Got A Groovy Thing Goin'" in their mother country as the flip side to "Poetry In Motion" (Gazell C-186) in '66.

For more Paul Simon adoration check out this post on 10 Simon & Garfunkel cover.

The 60's Are OVER, Roll On The U.K. 70's.....

Today's post explores U.K. early 70's releases by band's from the 60's OR sound like they're from the 60's!

1. THE PEDDLERS-"Tell The World We're Not In" U.K. Phillips 600 034 1970

U.K. jazz/r&b trio The Peddlers curiously were on Phillips from '64-'67 and then moved to CBS and then arrived back on Phillips in 1970 with this track that was the theme tune for the creepy post Swinging London celluloid "Goodbye Gemini", driven by some extremely funky organ work it's an incredible little tune that swings! There's an interesting U.K. TV clip of them performing it on a program with lead singer Roy Phillips literally looking like a Eugene Levy character on "SCTV"!

https://youtu.be/OyzZV-vpGGI?si=MIyMpL0F1x22jhBt

2. MICHAEL BLOUNT-"Acorn Street" U.K. CBS S 5248 1970

I can tell you nothing about Michael Blount or this tune. I discovered it during the COVID lock-down/quarantine on Spotify and immediately sought out the 45. It starts out as a mellow acoustic guitar singer/songwriter thing akin to Duncan Browne before the strings come whooshing in (check out the part where he sings "I'm just a lazy so and so") giving it a complete '67-'68 psyche pop feel that totally betrays it's 1970 release. Curiously it lasts barely a minute and a half!

https://youtu.be/yh3kEhlfMzE?si=0HboEC2kds8rxi-w

3. JIGSAW-"No Questions Asked" Germany Metronome M 25.408 1972

Jigsaw may be familiar to some of you for their massive international 1975 hit "Sky High", but the band date all the way back to 1968 when they began with a slew of highly collectible psych-pop singles for MGM, Music Factory AND Phillips. Fast forward to 1972 and they cut this infectious, catchy little ditty for the flip of the tedious Bach update of "Jesu Joy Of Man's Desiring". "No Questions Asked" is a beautiful little pop exercise that could easily be from 1967 or 1968 with it's catchy/blistering fuzz guitar, organ and incredible pop hooks.

https://youtu.be/ifgn83iJ11I?si=CS1AGx9Y2D_lnRjt

4. PHILAMORE LINCOLN-"You're The One" U.S. Epic 5-10594 1970

The full story on Philamore Lincoln's "Zelig-like" musical existence can be found here, so we are going to avoid his colorful back story. Philamore's voice was interesting because he was capable of fey/waif like vocals on some stuff (like "Running By The River" b/w "Rainy Day" his 1968 single) and deeper more baritone stuff like this U.S. only single issued from his stellar 1970 long player "The North Wind Blew South", which curiously was only originally issued in the U.S. and Canada. AND there's a tasty guitar solo on it by Jimmy Page which spices the dreamy arrangement sweetened by sorrowful strings and congas.

https://youtu.be/2r86ZruuWWs?si=ZRpQct0FrO_eFDib

5. BLONDE ON BLONDE-"Castles In The Sky" Spain Ember 45.39-A 1970

South Wales Blonde On Blonde are best remembered as proto prog rockers but their debut single "Castles On The Sky" was issued in no less than eight different countries! It's one of THE trippiest songs ever with it's ethereal backing vocals, restrained fuzz guitar meshing perfectly with some Mellotron (that brings to mind Brian Jone's masterful use of the medium on "We Love You") that weave in and out of each other. This was first brought to my attention by the post Bam Caruso imprint Strange Things Are Happening on their 1990 CD "Circus Days Volume 1&2". It was promptly road tested by yours truly on a trip where it perfectly gelled among British 60's psychedelic tracks. 

https://youtu.be/AK6sV4jo3nQ?si=Mh2_jvPmQkJ8Qas9

6. ANDREW BOWN-"Tarot" U.K. Parlophone R 5856 1970

Former Herd keyboardist (and future Status Quo stalwart) Andrew Bown bounced back shortly after the band's dissolution with this incredible single which was used as the theme song to a British children's TV program "Ace Of Wands" (about a stage magician who possesses supernatural powers which enable him to fight evil). Wrapped in Mellotron and some funky acoustic guitar "Tarot" is the coolest TV theme ever with Bown's unique vocals on top. Interestingly it was reissued last year by a small U.S. boutique label Think Like A Key Records. 

https://youtu.be/ebQEzIRlRIU?si=FoLLjbyLBI3rW3bl

7. DON FARDON-"Belfast Boy" U.S. Decca 32696 1970

From the pen of my personal heroes Tony Colton and Ray Smith (with help from Johnny Harris) comes this ode to the late legendary Man U footballer Georgie Best by former Sorrows lead singer Don Fardon. Originally conceived for a BBC television documentary "The World Of Georgie Best", "Belfast Boy" bounces along with some incredibly cheesy synth and it's main strength is Fardon's strong lead vocals and the catchy lyrics. 

https://youtu.be/gle-xiGGxZA?si=HqlJv7afO5zyFbSu

8. DAVID BOWIE-"Memory Of A Free Festival Parts One And Two"  U.S. Mercury 73075 1970

"Memory Of A Free Festival" was David Bowie's second attempt to reignite the flame that burned with "Space Oddity". Sadly it failed. Written to commemorate a happening he helped create for his local Beckenham Arts Lab in August 1969 (an affair that was sadly clouded by the passing of his father), "Memory of a Free Festival" might have all the peace and love trappings in the lyrics but it's the freaky mix of Moog (played by Ralph Mace) and Bowie on a cheap chain store chord organ pushes it into an incredible sinister feel. This is especially felt on Side Two where it turns into a mantra "The sun machine is coming down and we're gonna have a party" sounds ominously like the death rattle of a doomsday cult (aided by some blistering guitar by Mick Ronson prefacing his work on "The Man Who Sold the world" album and the Moog veering close to E.L.P's "Lucky Man" a year later). 

Part One:

https://youtu.be/vFbW48ro19w?si=KiuHbTGjKlDwU0Nu

Part Two:

https://youtu.be/Ye8kSJ8gxgI?si=x6Faz042KkxOAFA0

9. THE TROGGS-"The Raver" U.S.Page One 21,035 1970

By 1970 The Troggs had been on life support in the hit department for several years now and unleashed a string of raw tracks to ring in the 70's, which though lacking the desired commercial success were incredibly unique. Starting with "Come Now", a lascivious b-side they immediately followed it up with this hypnotic and lewd number led by a jaw harp, and some guitars (the bass doesn't come in until the last half a minute of the tune!) in which Reg Presley repeatedly leers "a boys not a boy and a mans not a man till he's been with a girl like my Joanne". 

https://youtu.be/wQAbT_D-aq4?si=_46lpngLF5hGGUro

10. OCTOPUS-"Girlfriend" Portugal Penny Farthing N-61-1 1970

Octopus are responsible for the incredibly collectible rare 1971 pseudo prog meets flower pop LP "Restless Night" . "Girlfriend" was the flip of "Laugh At The Poor Man", their debut single released in the U.K. in late 1969 but issued in no less than four other countries in 1970 (where our Portuguese copy dates from"). "Girlfriend" is a perfect sunshine pop harmony track with some great power pop hooks that comes across like Gilbert O'Sullivan being backed by Badfinger! Members Nigel Griggs and Malcolm Green later cropped up in Split Enz!

https://youtu.be/Js8PekM3Tgo?si=2dj_7Oqn5gEuaQ-k