JON-Is It Love/So Much For Mary U.S.Epic 5-10242 1967
U.K. psych act Jon (actually a quartet not a solo artist) cut just two singles, "So Much For Mary" b/w "Polly Sunday (Parlophone R 5604 June 1967) and "Is It Love" b/w "Sing Out" (Parlophone R 8249 August 1967). In typical U.S. release fashion of British 60's singles Epic records placed "Is It Love" with "So Much For Mary" on the flip as their sole American release which it the streets in October 1967.
"Is It Love" was first introduced to me via a delightful bootleg psych/Freakbeat CD-R "Jagged Time Lapse Volume One" in the early 2000's before gaining a proper release on the excellent CD "Insane Times: 25 British Psychedelic Artyfacts From The EMI Vaults" . It's a fairly mellow song highlighted by some high pitched backing vocals, xylophone and tack piano that gives it that "Fairy tale psych" element. The high backing vocals mesh with some slick guitar licks and the whole thing has a laid back (ie "stoned") vibe to it all. The lead singer really reminds me of someone from the 70's, only I can't decide if he's more like Gerry Rafferty or Al Stewart.
The flip side "So Much For Mary" (penned by Chris Andrews) sounds like a completely different band. It's uptempo and contains this driving beat with hand claps, Penny whistle and a poppy/happy go lucky feel not unlike The Tremeloes at their sappiest. And the melody at times sounds not dissimilar to "Hang On Sloopy".
As mentioned above "Is It Love" is available on the CD "Insane Times..." and streaming as well. "So Much For Mary" does not appear to have been released anywhere else. The band later morphed into Still Life who made one incredible orchestrated psych pop double sided for Columbia in 1968 "What Did We Miss"/"My Kingdom Cannot Lose" (an incredible two slider that must be heard!).
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.
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.
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.
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".
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)".
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.
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.
I have been a Prisoners fan ever since I bought their U.S. only LP comp "Revenge Of The Prisoners" (a bastardization of their second long player "Thewisermiserdemelza" with substitute tracks from their "Electric Fit" E.P. and other Big Beat era releases to fill it out) at the urging of my cool U.K. mod girl pen pal Debbie Jones back in late 1984. Fast forward to September of 2026 when word went out that the band would stage a three night reunion takeover of King's Hall in the sleepy Kent seaside town of Herne Bay to perform tracks from three of their albums: their second album "Thewisermiserdemelza" the first night, their third (and my favorite) "The Last Fourfather's" on the second and their fourth (that ultimately contributed to the malaise that killed them in 1986) "In From The Cold" on the third and final night. Well despite not setting foot in Britain since 1984 the writing was on the wall. I was heading back to jolly old England to see my favorite 80's band reunite.
Now I had never seen the band perform. The closest I ever came was seeing Graham Day bash the shit out of a kit with The Mighty Caesars back in NYC in November 1988 for Time Warren's "Bad Musick Festival" (read a cool interview with Tim where he discusses the event on my pal Jeff's blog "Shake Some Action" here). I ambushed a hapless Graham and pestered him about the Prisoners before the show. He was surly, moody, aloof and in retrospect asking him about The Prisoners two years after their painful demise was probably akin to asking a grieving divorcee about the happiest times of their marriage two years after the separation papers ink dried, BUT to his credit he not only gave me his address so I could mail him interview questions (which I have republished here) he actually took the time to answer AND mail them back to me AND when their set was over returned to hang with my friends and I and share whiskey with us while the rest of the venue (who had no idea who he was) mobbed Billy Childish! I'm going to be frank. Prior to the release of their latest LP "Morning Star" (2024), "In From The Cold" was my least favorite album by the band. And it did strike me as odd that they were playing it because they spent the past three decades disowning it and insisting that it was never meant to have horns (ala The Pretty Thing's and "Emotions"), so that was a no brainier. I'd head to England and catch the first two nights, easy peasy.
NIGHT ONE 2/27:
The train down to Herne Bay from London was interesting, I passed all the towns and places I had heard mentioned in various Medway books and songs and spied them from my train window: Rochester, Strood, Chatam etc. I even spied the Nag's Head pub from the window, a place Billy Chidish used to sign off at (under his pen name of William Loveday) on the back of Hangman album's thirty years ago! I was staying at a hotel in Herne Bay that was literally overrun with older balding men in black coats, black jeans and the occasional black fisherman's cap and checking in was amusing as I met people from all over (Germany, The Netherlands, etc so far I was "furthest traveled"). I managed to secure a cab into town (the venue was probably a mile away) by a small miracle because the town's Uber and cab system would soon by overwhelmed by this influx of gig tourists taxing the modest local taxi scene. I met my other two American friends (from Seattle and New York respectively) at a lovely pub called The Ship and then off to the gig we trod! I was immediately struck by the observation that seaside towns in the U.K. don't believe in lighting things up in the night like they do here in the States, the venue area was pitch black denying me the opportunity to see what it looked like irl!
Lord Rochester
First on were Lord Rochester, a trio composed of Medway legend Russ Wilkins, Saskia Holling on bass and Embrook Lois on the skins. They performed a spirited but brief set built on a wonderful mix of a Bo Diddley beat and frantic '64 Kinks meets Sutch's Savages. Unfortunately I was not really familiar with much by them so I can't really tell you what they played, but it was over before I knew it!
The Len Price 3
Next up were The Len Price 3, who unlike Lord Rochester, I DID know a lot of songs by. I have been a fan of these guys for the past 20+ years and I have missed seeing them play on the East Coast more times than I care to admit. Their set was a whirlwind and I honestly can't recall everything they played, but I definitely recall "My Grandad Jim", "Swing Like A Monkey", and a few tunes I recognized off their latest LP "Misty Medway Magick", regardless of what they played it was VERY good, I can't wait to see them in a room with 40 other people next week in Hightstown, New Jersey at their sold out gig a local record shyster's record store....
The Prisoners
Then it was time for the headliners....tonight's selection was tracks from "Thewisermiserdemelza", the brain clouds but I distinctly remember "Love Me Lies", a poignant reading of "Tonight" (with James on a grand piano, see below!), "Melanie", "Far Away", "A Dream Is Gone", "I'm Coming Home" etc! All delivered incredibly sharp, not bad for an album that the band probably hasn't played since it came out in 1983!! The band pitched in four or five tunes from their newest LP as well as tracks from their brand new (and only available via pre-order with delivery in person at these gigs) double single "For Your Ears Only". I will admit, tactfully that none of these really moved me (I kept thinking of Homer Simpson bellowing "Play the old crap"), but to each his and her own.
NIGHT TWO 2/28:
Lord Rochester kicked things off again and I remember them doing the Sex Pistols interpretation of "Whatcha Gonna Do About It", only this time it was The Masonics who were in the second spot tonight. I didn't know much about them but they were so damn loud I fled to the lobby to chat with some friends because I was overwhelmed by their volume. Sorry boys. And then the moment I had been waiting for!
"The Last Fourfathers" is without a doubt my favorite Prisoners album, and quite possibly my favorite 80's album as well, in fact knowing that the band were going to be playing it was literally the draw that led me to decide to skip over the pond and to make this happen. The band played the entire LP (not in any particular running order) along with four or five "newer" songs (see above). "The Last Fourfather's" is a bleak album lyrically. Lots of the songs are about broken hearts, broken romance, self pity, self destruction etc and the band did them all: "The Drowning", "Who's Sorry Now", "I Drink The Ocean", "I Am The Fisherman", "Whenever I'm Gone", "Take You For A Ride", "Thinking Of You (Broken Pieces)" etc. The album came across and still does, like Pink Floyd '67 meets Joe Meek, thanks to the brilliant production by Russ Wilkins and has a gritty lo-fi feel to it that gets back to a raw sound (though I enjoy it I always felt that "Thewisermiserdemelza" had a very "polished" feel to it). Once again the band did not disappoint as they played all of these tracks above as well as the album's incredible instrumentals "Night Of The Nazgul" and "Explosion On Uranus" (which segued into "Reaching My Head" and Deep Purple's "Hush"). I can't be sure if they performed the other instrumental "Mrs. Fothergill", but the highlight for me was them not only saving my album favorite "Thinking Of You (Broken Pieces)" for their last encore bit also dedicating it to yours truly (see video below) which had me ABSOLUTELY a gobsmacked and beaming for the rest of the night!! The band also threw in the incredible "Till The Morning Light" from their debut LP "A Taste Of Pink" and closed with, I believe, a cover of Deep Purple's "Hush" (as they did the previous evening), ALL to a thunderous applause from a packed to the gills venue (I'm told Saturday night's performance sold out).
As mentioned above I opted not to attend the third night so I cannot report on that but as I walked out into the dark (why do they not believe in lighting up the sea front in British coastal towns!?), damp night of Herne Bay I knew I had witnessed something spectacular! Well done fellas!!
Johnny Bluesman repping the Empire State and yours truly, the Garden State Boy, Herne Bay 2/28/06
THE DAKOTAS-The Cruel Surf/The Millionaire U.S. Liberty F 55618 1963
Liverpudlian Billy J. Kramer's Mancunian backing band The Dakotas were afforded the opportunity to shine in the own right in the spirit of Cliff Richard and The Shadows and like The Shadows plied their wares without their respectively separately billed vocalist as (initially) an instrumental combo. Their U.K. debut "The Cruel Sea" was launched in July 1963 as Parlophone R 5044 and issued here in September and re titled "The Cruel Surf" in an effort to convince buyers that they were a surf instrumental band. The ploy did not work and sadly there would not be another Dakotas 45 without Billy J. issued in the States. Both sides were penned by the group's guitarist Mike Maxfield and produced by George Martin.
"The Cruel Surf" is an uptempo instrumental. It reminds me of "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" meets a Ventures LP track. It's catchy yet intricate enough in it's playing to not verge mundane, something that sadly a lot of 60's instrumental quartets sadly fall in to, in my view anyway.
Back in late 1988 I conducted a mail in interview with Graham Day (of The Prisoners fame) for my fanzine "Smashed Blocked" which I published in issue #4 in early 1989. I decided to locate it an digitize it and reprint it here:
Graham Day with yours truly, Bad Music Seminar, NYC 11/88
THE TROGGS-Surprise Surprise (I Need You)/ Cousin Jane U.S. Fontana F-1630 1968
The Troggs U.S. run at the hit parade was sadly short and sweet with "Wild Thing" bludgeoning it's way to #1 in July '66 and "Love Is All Around" bouncing them back at #5 in November of '68, but between and after it was bleak, but that didn't stop Fontana records from prolifically releasing their singles......
Their follow up in the States to "Love is All Around" was the absolutely dog shit horrible "You Can Cry If You Want To", which was followed in September 1968 by today's selection, "Surprise Surprise (I Need You)". It was previously issued in The U.K and elsewhere in April with a different flip, the curiously named "Marbles And Some Gum". Canada followed the American lead issuing it with the two year old track "Cousin Jane" as a B-side.
"Surprise Surprise (I Need You)" follows Reg Presley's usual leering lyrical pattern, though this time Reg is not doing the leering. Our protagonist arrives at his place to find "the lights were down, the light's were dim...the table lit by candle light a record player rolled" to find his girl was "making love to someone else instead of me" on top of a rollicking piano and a VERY distinctly proto-Ramones drum beat. Quite rocking! I like this!
Curious Spanish picture sleeve with intentional defacement
The flip, "Cousin Jane", penned by their manager Larry Page in conjunction with David Mathews was previously issued in February '67 as a single by artist Barry Benson. The Troggs version first appeared as an E.P. track in Spain, Portugal and France in 1966 but did not surface in the U.K. until their "Troggs Tops 2" E.P. in July and their second British long player "Trogglodynamite" in 1967. For those not familiar "Cousin Jane", this is the band skirting the taboo of incest and boyhood lust ("Cousin Jane, come to stay again..each night tip toe across the landing kiss her lips just as she's standing there.. each night hold her until the morning...no one will ever know"). The subtle instrumentation is just a piano and what sounds like a glockenspiel which a touch of phlanging on the piano bass notes giving it an eerie and foreboding effect. Despite the song's risque topic it's actually one of my favorites by them in terms of delivery.
Both sides are available on a host of compilations and streaming services.
THE SCAFFOLD-Liver Birds/Jelly Colored Cloud U.S. Bell 849 1969
Liverpool's trio The Scaffold (Paul McCartney's brother Mike, future Poet Laureate Roger McGough and John Gorman) were discussed in previous posts about some of their earlier records where we gave a little background on their four previous American singles ("Lily The Pink", "Do You Remember", "Thank U Very Much" and "Goose".
Today's subject was their fifth American 7" and also their final release of the 60's here. Curiously the sides were different than the U.K. release. "Liver Birds" (the theme to a British TV show of the same name, though a slightly different version than the actual TV theme) was on the bottom side of the inane "Gin Gan Goolie" there (Parlophone R 5812 October 1969). Issued here in December it featured "Jelly Colored Cloud" on the A-side. I've reversed them because I prefer "Liver Birds".
"Liver Birds" is an incredibly catchy number with an opening drum beat that would not sound at all out of place in the Stone Roses era and a funky throbby bass line that falls right in behind the drums making for an incredibly infectious groove. The sing-along/sing-song lyrics espouse the joys of lasses from Liverpool:
"Luton girls have lovely voices, Sheffield girls make finest cooks, Glasgow girls are good at football, Liverpool girls win out on looks", and so on!
"Jelly Colored Cloud" was a track from the previous year issued on what had then been the band's only U.S. LP "Thank U Very Much". It's an odd duck, starting out with an almost nursery rhyme like intro with a child's toy xylophone and some whistling before it totally goes off the rails with fake opera soprano voices behind the fey lead vocals. Whoever decided to make this the A-side of an American single was clearly either in possession of an extreme sense of humor or perhaps dabbling in certain substances, OR so checked out in their job that they just decided not to bother listened to what they were putting out!
Both sides are available on the compilation CD "The Scaffold at Abbey Road 1966-1971" and on streaming.
THE MOODY BLUES-Go Now!/It's Easy Child U.S. Lomdon 45-LON-9726 1964
The Moody Blues U.S. debut came in December 1964 when London issued their 2nd U.K. 45 (Decca F F12022) as 45 LON 9726, a cover of the Bessie Bank's tune "Go Now" (#1 across the pond in November 1964) with it's U.K. flip, a cover of the Lulu Reed/Freddie King duet "It's Easy Child". It stalled chart wise here upon it's release and was relaunched in January 1965 with a new flip, a group original called "Lose Your Money" which graced the flip of their U.K. debut single "Steal Your Heart Away" (a Bobby Parker track, issued in September 1964 as Decca F11971). When reissued it went to #10 in the U.S. hit parade becoming their highest charting U.S single until 1967's "Nights In White Satin" by an altogether different line up with a different sound.
"Go Now" is vastly different from the original thanks to the heavy echo that creates an almost drone effect on the backing vocals throughout the song and has a nice up tempo touch to it courtesy of Mike Pinder's piano moving from the soulful dirge of the original to an almost ragtime swing. It's been a bit played out by it's still a great version.
The flip, a cover of Lula Reed/Freddie King's 1962 single "It's Easy Child", though not as powerful as the original works. Denny Laine handles the lead vocals confidently and Mike Pinder, Clint Warwick and Ray Thomas hold down the backing vocals with Pinder playing a nice rollicking piano solo.
Both tracks can be found on Deram/Decca's CD reissue of their U.K. LP "The Magnificent Moodies" which contains all of their Denny Laine era U.K./U.S. material and is still in print and is available on streaming as well.
TEN YEARS AFTER-The Sounds/Portable People U.S. Deram 45-85027 1968
For me Ten Years After will always be pretentious blues rock dinosaurs. Their untitled 1967 Deram LP debut is not without it's charm (with the jazzy organ instro "Adventures Of A Young Organ" or the jug band blues humor of "Losing The Dogs") but overall it failed to grab me in any major way. How strange is it that the band's debut LP was issued before they ever released any singles? That single is today's item of interest. It was launched in February 1968 in the U.K. (a month later in the USA as Deram 45-85027). I've flipped it for our post because I much prefer the B-side.
"The Sounds" should have been the A-side. Forget any blues pretensions or 20 minute Slim Harpo covers, "The Sounds" is a full on freakbeat gas from start to finish. Curiously it reminds me a bit of Dennis Couldry's "I Am Nearly There" (UK Decca F 12734 issued the same month) with it's downtrodden, morose vocals with lyrics of mental confusion brought on by "the sounds". Is it about paranoia? A bad trip? A man who has just about had enough of life? You decide. There's occasional bluesy but blistering guitar licks that burst out while the main verses feature a subtle organ and almost Gregorian chant backing vocals that gloomily plod along like a freakout dirge and it just builds and builds. The organ gets funkier and sound affects slowly start to pile on creating a brilliant cacophony of paranoia and confusion. It stops abruptly and slowly creeps back in for a few seconds. Positively trippy, man.
"Portable People" is not as groovy. It's not as bluesy as the bulk of their LP tracks but it's a laid back affair with music box piano tinkling away that reminds me of a light weight Lovin' Spoonful track or Canned Heat at their most plastic blues. Totally inoffensive but totally disposable too.
Both tracks are available on a deluxe Deram/Decca reissue of their debut LP that is still in print and are also available on streaming.
DAVID BOWIE-The Laughing Gnome/The Gospel According To Tony Day U.S. London 45-20079 1973
Poor dear David Bowie, he probably turns in his grave every time "The Laughing Gnome" gets a streaming hit...long touted as his LEAST favorite recording, this is it's story.
Launched in the U.K. in April 1967, "The Laughing Gnome" was Bowie's second of three Deram singles. It sank without a trace but was curiously resurrected in September 1973 to capitalize on David's new found fame where it strangely got all the way to # 6!! Sensing that the folks in England might be onto something London records in the U.S. (who like Deram were tied to the parent company of Decca) launched the single here to sadly no avail and simultaneously issued a comprehensive double LP containing most of his entire Deram discography called "Images 1966-1967". Since David Bowie refused to acknowledge its chart ascendancy in 1973 "Top Of The Pops" created their own video for it!
In 1990 during his "Sound + Vision" tour Bowie announced that the set list would be determined by votes made by telephone. The New Musical Express unsuccessfully attempted to convince voters to choose "The Laughing Gnome". Bowie later went on to create a track for charity for Comic Relief in 1999 titled "Requiem For A Laughing Gnome".
For those not in the know, "The Laughing Gnome" is a comedy piece of sorts with "Chipmunk" (as In Alvin and the...) style sped up voices that tells the story of a hapless man who meets a cheeky gnome whom he invites home. The musical backing is an interesting mix of David's standard backing group at the time (The Buzz: Derek Boyes-organ/piano, Dek Fearney-bass and John Eager-drums) plus guitar (Peter Hampshire) and woodwinds that give it an interesting texture almost akin to a Renaissance fair band. The number is not as insipid as it's supposed to be and it's actually fairly catch (despite all the band "gnome puns": "Why don't you get you hair cut you look like a Rolling Gnome" "Yeah I went to the London school Of Eco-gnomics"). Producer/arranger Gus Dudgeon provided the gnome voices and Mike Vernon handled the production. There are allegedly a few alternate versions lurking in the Decca vaults which sadly have yet to be released.
French picture sleeve 1973
The flip, "The Gospel According To Tony Day" is a bleak, down trodden number where Bowie lyrically categorizes his friends and lists his grievances with them. There's some excellent woodwinds and catchy "ba ba ba" backing vocals from the Buzz (who's contribution is minimal, just bass and drums and some tinkling barroom piano). It also contains what many (myself included) perceived to be the "F' bomb ("Waste of f*cking time, take a look at my life and you'll see, take a quick butchers..") but apparently he's singing "flipping".
Danish picture sleeve 1973
Both tracks are available in a multitude of places, most recently on a 7" singles box set of David's 60's Decca/Deram sides called "Laughing With Liza" and streaming as well.
Jamaican born singer and songwriter Jackie Edwards (born Wilfred Gerald Edwards 1938 died 1992) was discovered by Island records supremo Chris Blackwell who brought Edwards to the U.K. in 1962 after he had a brief musical career at home. Once in England Edwards continued to record for Island but his releases were not ska as one would expect but more akin to an early 60's crooner style.
One of Edwards most famous tunes was "Somebody Help Me" which gave the Spencer Davis group a U.K. #1 in 1966. The track was extremely popular and recorded by a bevvy of artists from all over the world. I chose ten, here they are, enjoy:
1. JACKIE EDWARDS- French E.P. Vogue INT.18076 1966
Curiously Jackie's version was only available on his first French outing, this E.P. Pay close attention to the backing track as it was utilized on releases #2, 4 and 5 again. I'd love to know who was playing on this session. Though not as powerful as some of the other examples here it's still an excellent version with it's mid tempo groove and high female backing vocals and fantastic production (courtesy of a young Jimmy Miller, later to work with Traffic and the Rolling Stones)!
Little is known about this release on the legendary U.K. Sue label unfortunately. It utilizes the backing track of the Jackie Edwards version with some female vocalists singing the main chorus but the rest of the lyrics are missing instead replaced by some ad libbed female vocalists (sounding much like the backing vocalists on #1) scat singing with the melody. I'd swear I hear P.P. Arnold's voice in the chorus! It's also probably the most collectible of all of today's examples!
3. THE SPENCER DAVIS GROUP-U.K. Fontana TF 679 1966
Hopefully when this record shot to #1 in the U.K. Jackie saw some serious green from it as he himself was rarely gifted with any commercial success. Based around Muff Winwood's murky bass and his Little Brother Stevie's fuzz guitar this number absolutely cooks, owing in no small part to Stevie's soulful lead vocals make it deservedly the massive hit it was. Curiously the American release featured a very cool/funky organ which was strangely missing from the original British 45 release!
Curiously this version employs the same backing track that we have been discussing! My Rhode Island DJ pal and record collector pal Ty Jesso hipped this to me back in the early 2000's at Mod Chicago 1 and I have been spinning it ever since. Production credits are shared by Jimmy Miller so I am assuming that is for the backing track. Prince's soulful vocals are top notch but unfortunately the number isn't on YouTube....
5. WYNDER K. FROG- LP track U.K. LP "Sunshine Super frog" Island ILP 944 1967
Once again it's that British backing track!! Led by organ player Mick Weaver, this instrumental British combo used many a backing track from records by Jimmy Cliff, Owen Grey and Jackie Edwards and jazzed them up by adding Weaver's wailing Hammond organ on top (like today's version in question). That said that was only a sliver of their musical output and their 6 singles and two LP's all stand on their own as a required immediate listening!
6. THE EVERLY BROTHERS-U.S. Warner Brothers 5833 1966
Also included on the brothers classic 1966 album "Two Yanks In England" (recorded with help from The Hollies, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and as claimed by Graham Nash but not supported by anyone else...Elton John) this version is hands down my favorite of the bunch thanks to the searing fuzz guitar and total "mod Britain '66" musical backing, and of course Don and Phil handle the vocals magnificently!!
7. THE BRITISH MODBEATS- Canada Red Leaf TTM 632 1967
Best known for their absolutely ludicrous choice in clothing (check out their LP), Ontario Canada's British Modbeats cut a version in '67 that borrows the fuzz from the original and speeds up the delivery considerably, but to me it's not really bringing anything new to the table despite decent harmonies.
8. LOS SALVAJES- Spain E.P. track Regal SEDL 19.522 1967
Titled "Que Alguien Me Ayuide" this version by Barcelona, Spain's Los Salvajes adds a dash of freakbeat '66 with their distorted guitars and blistering bludgeoning behind lead singer Gaby Algret's crooning. Along with #6 this is one of my favorite versions!!
9. THE LITTER- U.S. LP track "Distortions" Warick 9445-671 1967
Minneapolis, MN's famed snotty garage act, The Litter included this version on their legendary long player "Disortions", it's pretty much a carbon copy of the SDG version with the fuzz jacked up just a bit but still worth a listen.
10. THE SMALL SOCIETY- U.S. Westchester W-277 1968
The Spencer Davis Group's reach was felt all the way out in Westchester, New York where this fairly obscure version was recorded. Mixing wigged out fuzz guitar with a Farfisa organ this version is a total encapsulation of the late 60's suburban strip mall American rock n' roll that can only be created by kids who live out in the middle of nowhere (like that genre? I just came up with it).
