More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The Lancastrian Do Ray Davies

 

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".

Hear "The World Keeps Going Round":

https://youtu.be/dXyfAaLevrk?si=HKSmPqDH6OBXj325

Hear "It's Not The Same Anymore":

https://youtu.be/VGxJ_fgHRXQ?si=Mt03iucYiwwCnf-F

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The Creation

THE CREATION-Painter Man/Biff Bang Pow US Planet 45-119 1966

British based American producer Shel Talmy launched his short lived Planet label in December 1965. By the time of the label's final release exactly a year label he'd released 22 singles in the UK, 7 of which were issued in the US.  The most famous act on Planet was of course the quartet known as The Creation. Talmy issued their debut single "Making Time" b/w "Try And Stop Me" in the States in in July of 1966 (where it was covered by an Abilene. Texas group called The Livin' End!) as Planet 45-116. Curiously it was issued with the same catalog number as it's U.K release which was a practice Talmy would use on all his releases. The band's second single, "Painter Man" b/w "Biff Bang Pow" was released here in November, a month after it's British counterpart.

For those not in the know The Creation were a British four piece that grew out of a quartet called The Mark Four. Their debut single "Making Time" was issued in both the UK and the US on Planet.

"Painter Man" is characterized by guitarist Eddie Phillip's use of a violin bow on his guitar (a technique later adopted by Jimmy Page in The Yardbirds the following year) amid a perfect mid tempo mod pop art beat with ringing guitars and high Who style backing vocals.

Guitarist Eddie Phillips flanked by lead singer Kenny Pickett.

The flip-side, "Biff Bang Pow" is the stuff of legends. My four year old son asked "Is this My Generation" when he heard it coming from my lap top and I think that's probably a pretty good assessment. The Nicky Hopkin's ivory tinkling and the high "oooo's" can't help but make you think of The Who but it stands in a league of it's own thanks to the sheer power and brilliance, Who comparisons not withstanding.

Both sides are available on a multitude of Creation compilations floating around out there.

Hear "Painter Man":

https://youtu.be/ywl6cdemYmw

Hear "Biff Bang Pow":

https://youtu.be/OmCupPRLWCw

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Mickey Finn

MICKEY FINN-This Sporting Life/Night Comes Down U.S. World Artists 1048 1965

This 45 was the same band we've blogged about before when they were previously known as Mickey Finn & The Blue Men. Following our recent theme of American releases of off the wall British records we give you this one on World Artists (also known for releasing Chad & Jeremy records, a few Reparta and The Delrons 45's AND  the U.S. only pressing by Steve Marriott's pre-Small Faces band The Moments doing "You Really Got Me").  For previous entries on the lads dig:

http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2009/05/yet-even-more-uk-60s-skar-sounds.html

http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2008/12/white-british-long-hairs-on-blue-beat.html

This was the band's fourth single (it's U.K. release was Columbia DB 7510). Both sides were produced by Shel Talmy.  Ian Whitcomb did "This Sporting Life" first, but regardless this version is far superior to his. I'm sorry but I could never take Ian Whitcomb and his whole "Hollywood Englishman" schtick very seriously.

"This Sporting Life" is sort of a bluesy dirge, the vocals are soulful and there's some great Nicky Hopkin's style bar room piano topped off with some very Alan Price- Animals era styled organ playing!  

The flip side is where the real gold is (to my ears anyway). "Night Comes Down" is a frantic slice of proto-freakbeat  that starts out with a cool descending/repetitive jazzy bass line and then the disjointed guitar kicks in till the whole thing is just a maddening exercise in insanity.  It reminds me a bit of John's Children's "Smashed Blocked" or The Small Face's "E To D (aka Running Wild)" with their possible drug induced paranoia and the lead singer repeating (frantically) "and it's tappin' on my brain, tappin' on my door, tappin' on my brain...". Killer stuff.

Both sides of the Blue Beat 45 have been legally reissued to the collection of their work "Garden Of My Mind: The Complete Recordings 1964-1967".

Hear "Night Comes Down":

http://youtu.be/okVfqLy9lWE

Hear "This Sporting Life":

http://youtu.be/xH-gamZ532w