More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The State Of Mickey & Tommy

 

THE STATE OF MICKY AND TOMMY-Frisco Bay/Nobody Knows Where You've Been U.S. Mercury 72758 1967

U.K. pop psych duo Micky (Mick Jones, he of Foreigner fame) and Tommy (Brown) cut two singles that were released in the U.S. Today's subject was the second. We covered their first back in 2018 here.  They wrote all of their own material and in addition to the two American releases issued a single in Canada, three in Britain (one as "The J & B") and two EP's as well as two 45's (one of which was a hideously rare French only release as Nimrod).

Group original "Frisco Bay" is a pretty light weight number when stacked against all of the other releases. Musically it reminds me of a throwaway track by another U.K. pop psych duo, Twice As Much. The strings have a "Love Is Blue" vibe and though it's well produced and orchestrated it's pretty unremarkable, especially lyrically:

"Frisco Bay, sail away, leave your flowers lying on the shore, where you're going you can find some more...".

The gold however is on the flip, "Nobody Knows Where You've Been", an all out raga tour de force that is greatly indebted to the Fab's "Within Without You" with it's tabla tapping, eerie strings and this incredibly freaky phasing section that comes in mid way that's absolutely mind-blowing. It comes in again at the end as the vocals fade away in a psychedelic wash! Both sides were arranged and conducted by Jim Sullivan of "Sitar Beat" fame and produced by Lou Reizner, the man who signed David Bowie to Mercury records two years later thus bringing the world "Space Oddity".

Norwegian picture sleeve c/o 45cat.com

 

"Nobody Knows Where You've Been" was on Bam Caruso's ""5,000 Seconds Over Toyland (Rubble Volume 15)" comp along with their  previous single "With Love From One To Five" and on the compilation "Curiosity Shop Volume Six" and it is also available on streaming on Spotify. "Frisco Bay" has yet to see a reissue anywhere.

Hear "Frisco Bay":

https://youtu.be/k1INfpUKO4k?si=8gk8CWg1tL7ZlBPK

Hear "Nobody Knows Where You've Been":

https://youtu.be/gMrRezmGEMI?si=AKrI0DfK15yT-GFe

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Roy Budd "Carter"

 

ROY BUDD-Carter/Plaything U.S. DJM 70,022 1971

One of my all time favorite film's is Michael Caine's 1971 British gangster noire tour de force "Get Carter". What makes it such an amazing film is the incredible soundtrack put together by the late Roy Budd, a British jazz pianist who reportedly made the soundtrack for a mere £450 !My discovery of the film and it's phenomenal soundtrack came in the mid 90's when I was being consumed by all things easy/kitsch/bachelor pad/soundtrack music from the 60's and 70's.

"Carter" the opening theme for the film is one of the most incredible title tracks ever. Starting with a monotonous stand up bass line and tabla mixed with train sound affects the main melody then comes in on a harpsichord and is eventually joined by some very Ray Manzarek style electric piano. The whole feel and mood is absolutely hypnotic. There is a video of Budd dubbing sounds onto the film that you can view here. 

Roy Budd c/o From The Vaults

"Plaything" on Side B was utilized as incidental music in the film. It's far more up tempo than the A-side, led by a harpsichord interspersed with organ and electric piano, bass, drums and jazzy guitar. More of an incidental piece, it's still interesting. 

Both sides are available on the many reissues of the soundtrack as well as this interesting 45 box set that compiled four songs from the soundtrack. Both tracks are also available through streaming. AND for those who have never seen the film, have a peek at the trailer:

 

Hear "Carter":

https://youtu.be/YO0dHPhDuLs?si=lsXV_3T8BuFmTFHu

Hear "Plaything":

https://youtu.be/LqTB36ySMk8?si=hSiObspE3vRfdQNs

Mod Is Dead: Psychedelia Is King Part Two-The Who "I Can See For Miles"

 

THE WHO-I Can See For Miles/Someone's Coming U.K. Track 604011 1967

When Pete Townshend was staggering around a Pink Floyd gig at the U.F.O. club London in the middle of a bad L.S.D. trip in 1967 he bumped into loyal Who fan and Goldhawk club mod Ace Face "Irish Jack" Lyons who could hardly believe his eyes. His hero was wearing an Afghan coat and beads and tripping his balls off. Pete was equally astonished that Jack was still in his mod gear and declined Lyon's invite for a pint at the pub across the street instead stating that he was going to go check out the macrobiotic food stall, that his girlfriend, Karen Astley (daughter of "The Saint" theme composer Edwin Astley) was working in her risque paper dress sans undergarments. Karen  Astley was heavily involved with the U.F.O. club and appeared on one of their flyers (see below). 

Pete and Karen Astley, pre-psychedelia (note bottle of Teacher's whiskey)

Roger Daltrey has stated "The Who didn't do peace and love" and though this is essentially true Pete's acid experiences had a major impact on their third single of 1967, "I Can See For Miles". It was unleashed on the British public on October 13, 1967 , strangely it was issued in America on September 18th (where the band promoted it the previous evening on "The Smothers Brothers Show").  Much to Pete Townshend's chagrin (he considered it one of his greatest accomplishments and still does) it stalled at #10 in Britain but went on to become their highest American chart placing single to date reaching #9. The American release featured "Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand" as it's B-side, whereas the British release featured John Entwistle's "Someone's Coming". The lyrics to "I Can See For Miles", partially inspired by Pete's insecurities that Karen was cheating on him while he was on the road (one has the feeling that he was not remotely chaste at this time) were also inspired by his L.S.D. use (something he would end after a bad experience on Owsley's STP while on the flight home to England following the Monterey Pop Festival in June). During one particular trip at a Pink Floyd gig (quite possibly the same one he encountered Irish Jack at) Pete became convinced that Roger Waters was seducing Karen from the stage and was terrified that Waters was "swallowing him" and according to Pink Floyd producer and U.F.O. Club organizer Joe Boyd, Pete spent most of the gig crouched in front of the stage telling all and sundry how terrified he was. 

"I Can See For Miles" put the Who firmly back in their game of powerful singles in the tradition of "My Generation" or "Anyway Anyhow Anywhere" after light weight releases like "Substitute", "Happy Jack" and their ill advised Rolling Stone's cover "The Last Time". Beginning with a resonating power chord and Moon's surprisingly tight drumming (in fact Moon's drumming throughout the entire track is incredibly intricate and disciplined!) "I Can See For Miles" is an iconic track with layer upon layer of buzzing /stinging guitars and a chorus of harmony vocals that perfectly mesh with the thundering crescendo.  This is The Who at their best after spending forever on the road in the United States and recording on the hoof as they criss crossed the country in a Greyhound bus (the backing track was recorded in London and the vocals and overdubs were cut at Talent Masters in NYC and the soon to be finished product was mixed at Gold Star in Los Angeles). 

The flip side, Entwistle's "Someone's Coming" is a polar opposite the A-side. Backed by Entwistle's intricate horns layered in overdubs it's not an unlikable track but truly a throwaway B-side and nothing in the league of previous stellar Entwistle flip sides like "In The City" or "Doctor Doctor". 

We briefly dipped into the waters of the death of mod and the birth of psychedelia way back when in a previous post. 

Hear  "I Can See For Miles"

Hear "Someone's Coming"