SOUNDS OF '66:THE SOUTHERN SOUND

THE SOUTHERN SOUND-Just The Same As You/I Don't Wanna Go U.K. Columbia DB 7982 1966

Wow!  It doesn't get any better than this, or does it?  Nevermind,.  This is a two sider sizzler by a U.K. foursome first brought to my attention back in the 80's on one of those dreadful (quality, packaging etc) "Electric Sugarcube Flashbacks" compilation LP's.  Like most records/bands of this genre this was their only release. Original copies will run you a ghastly $500-$1,000!  And there's even a crazy Norwegian issue in a picture sleeve (see below) that set you back for even more.  Luckily I got to have both tracks in nice quality a few years later (1987 or 1988 I think) on Bam Caruso's "Rubble Volume13: Freakbeat Fantoms", easily their best volume EVER!

"Just The Same As You" is an archetype freakbeat number.  It starts out with a slightly distorted and perhaps ever so slightly out of tune riff that leads into some sullen lead vocals with some very echo-laden backing vocals. The lead vocalist reminds me a bit of Don Fardon of The Sorrows with that sort of deep/moody voice.  On the flipside we have "I Don't Wanna Go", which is a more frantic number.  The sped up riff and echo drenched backing vocals seem to recall Joe Meek at his finest (as in The Buzz "You're Holding Me Down" or The Syndicat's "Crawdaddy Simone") and there's plenty of wiggy tempo changes to add the "freak" quota to this rave -up beat number.

Both sides cropped up on the Rubble Volume 13 "Freakbeat Fantoms" LP/CD comp and can be found on the essential more recent "Rubble Box: Two".  A version was also recorded by a German cat named Knut Kieswetter and it shows up on the equally cool first volume of Rob Bailey's "Le Beat Bespoke" CD comp series.

(Above) Spare a grand for a rare Norwegian P.S. copy?

Hear "Just The Same As You":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_U3Nbx_N-s

Hear " I Don't Wanna Go":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBzxd0--aUs

Freakbeat Defined Part Three

THE GAME-Gonna Get Me Someone/Gotta Wait U.K. Decca F.12469 1966

Oh boy we're into some good stuff here boys and girls. The Game, for those of you not in the know were an incredible U.K. 60's band who cut five very definitive singles in '65-'67(all of which are quite collectible). I was fortunate to get my mitts on the first two back in the day, this one was the second single (more on their Pye debut shortly). Both sides of this killer were produced by Kenny Lynch, a performer in his own right and loosely associated with The Small Faces early on in their Decca career. The band were all under the age of 18 and A-1 mods to the man (boy?).

"Gonna Get Me Someone" first blew my mind when it jumped off the grooves at me on Bam Caruso's "The Electric Crayon Set:Rubble Volume Five" LP compilation back in 1987. Easily on par with Carnaby's brilliant "Jump And Dance" it's a pure mod/pop/proto freakbeat raver from start to finish with delicious harmonies, wiggy little distorted solo et al.. I liked it so much I managed to once cajole my band mates in The Tea Club(who with my leaving became the serious musicians they always were and changed their name to The Insomniacs) to cover it in 1988. I can't recall if we ever played it live but we did record a version of it once. No bother, it's a classic. The flip, "Gotta Wait" is equally worthy, starting off with a clanging power chord-on-the -verge-of-feeding back intro(a Game trademark!) accented by some very nice Who-ish high noted backing vocals and some thundering drums.

Both sides are on the highly recommended Game CD/LP anthology "It's Shocking What They Call Us" AND "The Electric Crayon Set:Rubble Volume Five" which also forms a part of the essential "Rubble Volumes 1-10" CD box set. "Gotta Wait" also appears on Decca/Deram's "The Beat scene" Cd compilation.

"Gonna Get Me Someone":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u76LrSamOas

"Gotta Wait":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DLcaqPJAZw