"The Association On Crystal Meth": The Cape Kennedy Construction Company

 

THE CAPE KENNEDY CONSTRUCTION COMPANY-The First Step On The Moon/Armageddon U.K. President PT 2645 1969

One of my favorite British 60's psychedelic 45's is today's subject, July 1969's (released a few weeks after the first steps were taken on the moon) one off release by the curiously named Cape Kennedy Construction Company on the groovy President records label. A YouTube user once commented on this record that it sounded like "....the Association on crystal meth" and Nigel Lees in "Record Collector" unfairly dismissed it in his "A To Z Of British Psychedelia" series (I forget his exact words but they were not kind). I think it's equally amazing on both sides, though both are vastly different and definitely have different lead vocalists. 

"The First Step On The Moon" starts out with some very churchly organ joined by some VERY Joe Meek/Tornados meets Barry Grey ("Thunderbirds/U.F.O. etc) influenced "spacey" combo organ, vibes and restrained fuzz guitar that works perfectly! The vocals remind me of a Carter/Lewis project (it's reputed that John Carter is the lead singer according to some liner notes) leading me to suspect that it was a studio only concoction. The vocals and their accompanying harmonies are positively amazing and have an ethereal charm about them when splashed up against the restrained Meek inspired musical backing.  

The flip side, "Armageddon" was first introduced to me back in the mid 90's on the bootleg "Psychedelia" series on Tiny Alice Records ("Psychedelia Volume One: Oil Emulsion Slide" to be exact). It starts with some very forlorn organ (reminiscent of Felius Andromeda's "Meditation") and a distorted and completely disembodied voice quoting scripture ("as he gathered to a place called Armageddon and the seventh angel of the Lord poured out his bowl upon the earth and the voice from heaven from the throne said it is done") that is suddenly punctuated by a sonic boom of a jet (presumably delivering "the bomb"). Both the organ and voice have always remind me of the mutant doomsday cult in "Beneath The Planet Of The Apes". The vocals are fey and plaintive sounding as the vocalist sings a protest type song about the futility of peace ("they blow us up, they put us down, they've made it up, they've made it rough") that is occasionally punctuated by bursts of a rocking section and the ominous sonic boom with the spooky organ continuing throughout on a loop with the track ending with the bleak sounds of the wind and a off kilter church bell after the organ increases in volume.

Both sides have cropped up in several places but the best place to get them both is on the President records LP/CD compilation "Sometimes I Wonder: The Psychedelic Pop Sound Of President" which is also available on streaming. 

Hear "The First Step On The Moon":

https://youtu.be/HOo1SDxKiQo?si=dcO5C4S7GnZvRNSz

Hear "Armageddon":

https://youtu.be/xyridEejOss?si=Fh2-ZdPPg2NeTxJQ

Great U.K. 60's MOD 45's: The Lloyd Alexander Real Estate- "Gonna Live Again"

 

THE LLOYD ALEXANDER REAL ESTATE-Gonna Live Again/Watcha' Gonna Do (When Your Baby Leaves You) U.K. President PT 157 1967 

Hackney, East London's very own Lloyd Alexander Real Estate made just this one single, but what a glorious single it is! Long forgotten and buried until both sides of this killer 1967 President records single was unearthed on a CD comp in 2011 (see below) it's probably one of the most powerful slices of British 60's r&b.

The A-side, "Gonna Live Again" is a MONSTER track. It kicks off with some very ska-like skat/percussion vocalizing not unlike "Gun Of Navarone" or a '67 Prince Buster 45 and proceeds into this funky "I'll Be Doggone" style riff backed by some strong horns via their twin sax players and churchy Hammond organ and very slick but poppy sounding backing vocals. It's completely catchy and bears REPEATED listening. 

The B-side is a reading of Chuck Jackson's "Wat'cha Gonna Do (When Your Baby Leaves You)". It's not anything earth shaking to these ears in light of the absolutely earth shaking A-side but the powerful Hammond n' horns backing is powerful and completely solid and quite enjoyable nonetheless!!

After the band split in 1969 three of the members went on to form the group Audience, who are best known for providing a few tracks on the soundtrack of the famous "Bronco Bullfrog" film. 

Both tracks are available on RPM's three CD compilation "Looking Back: 80 Mod, Freakbeat And Swinging London Nuggets". 

Hear "Gonna Live Again":

https://youtu.be/_-_WHXlv4qE?si=PeR1kc6Ck34FWFs8

Hear "What You Gonna Do":

https://youtu.be/uO8WFf7bv1M?si=yczSY_-yhHilkdQm 

Songs That "Rubble" Taught Us: Finders Keepers "On The Beach"

 

FINDERS KEEPERS-On The Beach/Friday Kind Of Monday US Fontana F-1609 1968

Finders Keeper's "On The Beach" came into my orbit (and probably everyone else's) on the famous 1984 Bam Caruso LP compilation "The 49 Minute Technicolor Dream" (Rubble Four). Finders Keepers were a U.K. harmony pop quintet from Wolverhampton who released three singles in their home country, one on CBS and two on Fontana (this was their first on the label and their only U.S. release, issued as TF 892  in December 1967 in the U.K. and in March of 1968 in the U.S.).

I have pictured the B-side "On The Beach" because even though it's the B-side it's the track I prefer. 

The A-side "Friday Kind Of Monday" was penned by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich and was first covered/released by an obscure American act called The Meantime in September 1967, who were rumored to be a studio only concoction with Ellie Greenwich on vocals . Finder's Keeper's version is quite similar in arrangement and just a tad more sped up. It's not unlistenable per se but it's a fairly pedestrian slice of U.K. mid 60's harmony psych pop.

"On The Beach" is the stronger of the two with it's intricate layers of harmony vocals intermingled with

harpsichord and sweeping strings (and the obligatory regal trumpet tooting). To these ears it's an amazing slice of British orchestrated sike pop.

 

Band members Glen Hughes went on to find fame in Deep Purple and Mel Galley in fellow head bangers Whitesnake. They both crossed paths in Trapeze in 1969 with members of The Montanas. 

As mentioned above "On The Beach" appeared on Rubble Volume Four and "Friday Kind Of Monday" appeared on Volume 14 of the "Piccadilly Sunshine" series. 

Hear "Friday Kind Of Monday":

https://youtu.be/ZNSBiA1sU9c?si=m8BMhLwJJQJOPQWd

Hear "On The Beach":

https://youtu.be/ZNSBiA1sU9c?si=m8BMhLwJJQJOPQWd

The Best Of Sue Records (U.K.) Part Four

1. INEZ FOXX-"Mockingbird" WI-301 1963

Brother and sister duo Charlie and Inez Foxx had a prolific career with the U.K. Sue label releasing one LP and six singles 1963-1964. "Mockingbird" (originally issued in June of 1963 on Symbol in the U.S.) was their debut on the label released in December 1963 and was hugely successful sales wise.

https://youtu.be/g47_NI1CWNQ?si=Ak_QjYBtISoMK8kr

2. LITTLE JOE COOK-"Stormy Monday Blues" WI 385 1965

"Stormy Monday Blues" was of a not so hush hush release by Chris Farlowe and The Thunderbirds (who were technically still signed to Columbia but en route to a new chapter with Andrew Loog Oldham's Immediate label) under the pseudonym of "Little Joe Cook". To my ears it's one of the best things he ever did, aided in no small part by Alvin Lee's nimble fret work. The number is edited with the track continuing on Side B. 

https://youtu.be/f_fjjaRWFn8?si=5tF7ZesP-jmqPAjv

3. BOB & EARL-"Baby I'm Satisfied" WI-393 1965

Soul duo Bob & Earl cut three singles and one LP for the label. "Baby I'm Satisfied" (originally released in the States on Chene in July 1964 with "The Sissy" as the A-side and "Baby..." on the flip) was their  second 45 for Sue, far inferior in my opinion to "The Sissy" which was also recorded by The Action (but unreleased until the 80's). 

https://youtu.be/XlouR0g8Flo?si=aKm-tAqO_X4GQLV9

4. BETTY EVERETT-"I've Got My Claim On You" WI-352 1965

Betty Everett released a slew of 45's in the U.K. on Stateside and Fontana before this one off Sue release issued in January 1965. Like many U.K. Sue releases it was not a new release having been originally launched way back in 1962 in America on the One-derful label. 

https://youtu.be/YXYW2Ea3dyM?si=Bt0O8oKsZSTFiUEL

5. HANK JACOBS-"So Far Away" WI-313 1964

Mod jazz keyboard hero Hank Jacobs was one of the handful of U.K. Sue artists who's single was actually released in the United States on Sue as well (October 1963). This highly in demand killer double sided instrumental (paired with "Monkey Hips and Rice") was launched in Britain in April 1964. 

https://youtu.be/6UX3NhaTwV8?si=Sk8Vl3YVQSJlKQH7

6. ELMORE JAMES-"I Need You" WI-4007 1966

The late blues legend Elmore James had an extremely prolific career (albeit posthumously) with the U.K. Sue label seeing their release of two LP's, four singles and appearances on multiple Sue compilation albums. Sue WI-4007 was his last release for the label on April Fool's Day 1966 and was previously issued as a single in the U.S. on Sphere in October 1965 as a flip to "Shake Your Moneymaker". 

https://youtu.be/0R1Re167hQw?si=Oqt2xSJoDYeHx1ij

7. THE OLYMPICS-"The Bounce" WI-348 1964

The Olympics released just one single on the label after a string of U.K. releases on HMV and Vogue. "The Bounce" was originally released in the United States on the flip of "Fireworks" in November 1962 on the Tri-Disc label, and saw a December 1964 release in Britain where it became the A-side. 

https://youtu.be/mQVX1QF6tKk?si=kT3Ka4VJICKL-D7m

8. BUSTER BROWN-"Fannie Mae" WI-368 1965

Blues man Buster Brown had just one release on Sue in the U.K. with the April 1965 release of his original 1959 debut single (in America on Fire), including it's original U.S. flip side "Lost In A Dream".  It was his third of just four singles released in the U.K.

https://youtu.be/ZmxCQU1rHUY?si=C3mCqcHlNew1D9rp

9. THE SHADES OF BLUE-"Oh! How Happy" WI-4022 1966

American blue eyed soul folks The Shades Of Blue saw their sole British release here on Sue who unleashed their American #12 smash to Britain in September 1966. The number was written by Edwin Starr and originally released in March of '66 on the Impact label in the US of A. 

https://youtu.be/WGN8OSLrakI?si=A-VE_nZbEpuqxSwF

10. WILLIE MABON-"Got To Have Some" WI-320 1964

Veteran blues belter and Anorak Thing personal fave Willie Mabon saw three singles released on Sue in the U.K. This was his debut release for the imprint and was unleashed on Britain in October 1965 (it was originally issued in the States on Formal in September 1962). 

https://youtu.be/rh9eiW6yzSw?si=4oYHMmqldxg17LUZ