THE HUMAN INSTINCT-A Day In My Mind's Mind/Death Of The Seaside U.K. Deram DM 167 1967
Here at Anorak Thing we take pleasure in nearly all things Deram and 1960's (with notable exception being the ghastly Whistling Jack Smith's "I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman") and enjoy sharing them with you.
The Human Instinct were one of those band's who sailed off to old Blighty in the 60's hoping to make a name for themselves. Coming from New Zealand in late 1966 where they'd previously cut a few singles as The Four Four's (where they toured with The Rolling Stones on their '66 tour down there) this Kiwi quartet made three pretty interesting 45's in the U.K. on Mercury under their new moniker as The Human Instinct before switching to Deram for this single. The line-up for their '66-'68 U.K. stint was: Dave Hartstone-lead vocals/guitar, Bill Ward-lead guitar, Frank Hay-bass and Maurice Greer-drums. The band were unique as all four members sang giving them a unique harmony sound and Maurice Greer played drums standing up!!
"A Day In My Mind's Mind" evokes The Association with it's multi layer sunshine pop harmonies and flute thanks to some heavy duty production c/o in house maestro Mike Hurst. But there's a bit of harp thrown in with a rather Hendrix style distortion/blistering guitar lick and some great morse code toggle switching at the track's end that makes the number substantially harder than anything the West Coast California seven ever did. But it's all swept into a burst of nearly lysergic sunshine pop thanks to a squeaky clean "la la" chorus that appears during the crescendos and lyrics like "created the flowers and the love of good things that just never existed". ivory tinkling and a really cracking beat. On the flip, "Death Of The Seaside" the band have an almost jaunty Kinks '67 feel with music hall whimsey and less psychedelia. Once again the band's ace harmonies come to fore as the lead singer mourns the "end of the season". Almost like the downside of Kaleidoscope's brilliant single "Holidaymaker"(more on that one someday I promise, with summer almost here it's necessary).
"A Day In My Mind's Mind" has cropped up on the Deram/Decca CD compilation "The Psychedelic Scene". Both tracks were also compiled on the New Zealand CD "The Singles 1966-1971" on the Ascension label which is highly recommended if you can track it down.
Can you freaking believe it? Thirty years ago I was a young lad buying "More Specials" in the import bin at a mall record store for some astronomical price. As I write this I'm now a 43 year old man stuck in some godforsaken airport for the next four hours which fortunately has A.) a pub with B.) a seat at the bar and C.)Smithwicks AND Newcastle Brown Ale on tap. Well into my fifth pint of Smithwick's and with "More Specials" playing through the oft seen in every-public-place-in-America white earphones for my iPod rescuing me from the dreadful piped in 80's crap(Springsteen, Madonna, etc ad nauseam). I don't think I've ever gotten onto a plane completely tanked, but there may be time to change that. "International Jet Set" seems appropriate.
I missed the boys when they reunited and played two gigs in New York City at Terminal Five as it was final exam time for me. Working for the "Rat race"? Maybe next time. Though I'm down on band reunions for the most part I am pleased to hear they were really good and I'm equally pleased that barring Jerry Dammers it was all original members. There have been a lot of dodgy ska acts out there (classic example : The Special Beat Service) and seeing as it has been 30 years, why should early 80's ska be any different from doo-wop, 60's British Invasion or 60's soul bands who reform with one or two original members, some members from another band and a host of members who weren't even born when the songs they're playing were first released. As some aging M.B.E. once mused when he was a rebel and not yet a respectable member of society "what a drag it is getting old".
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?
THE ESCORTS-From Head To Toe/Night Time U.K. Columbia DB 8061 1966
By November 1966 when Liverpool's Escorts had released what would be their final single things had changed. After 5 singles and almost a two year spell at Fontana the band were released from their recording contract without a hit to their name. Coming into a record contract quite late in the "Merseybeat boom" (their first 45 was from March 1964), the band probably didn't have much of a chance despite making some very good records. By late 1966 their line-up had changed considerably seeing lead singer Terry Sylvester head off to The Swinging Blue Jeans (and then onto The Hollies to replace Graham "California" Nash) and a host of others come and go. I've tried piecing the line-up changes together but to little avail. Google searches for "Escorts Liverpool" come up with some very seedy websites......
On their final single cut for EMI's Columbia outlet the band was lead by new lead singer and Liverpool face Paddy Chambers (recently ex of the trio Paddy, Klaus & Gibson and also a veteran of Faron's Flamingos and The Big 3). Their A-side was a cover of Smokey Robinson & The Miracle's LP track "From Head To Toe" (also known to us Mod Anorak's by Chris Clark). The track also featured the tambourine accompaniment of fellow Liverpudlian Paul McCartney who accompanied Chambers to the recording session. Musically it's quite interesting and though it's certainly no storming effort like EMI labelmate's The Action it still has merit. I like the simplicity of it: bass, guitar, drums and piano with Paddy Chambers singing soulfully yet restrained and the call and response falsetto backing vocals. The latter and the former come into play again on the flipside, a Paddy Chambers original called "Night Time" that benefits from some soulful delivery. Both sides were collected on the Escorts Edsel records LP/CD compilation "From The Blue Angel".
The Escorts on German TV's "Beat Club" plugging "From Head To Toe":
We here at the all U.K. 60's things loving "Anorak Thing" would like to take the time to pay tribute to the recently deceased Lynn Redgrave through some clips of her in our favorite films:
HERMAN'S HERMITS-Blaze MGM Records (U.S.) E/SE-4478 1967
Herman’s Hermits in the U.S. in the mid 1960’s (or as they’re often incorrectly referred to on many a U.S. 60’s T.V. show as “Herman and the Hermits, snigger) were like the American cola brand R.C. Cola., always #3 but hoping for higher. Indeed behind The Beatles and The Rolling Stones the band ranked third in record sales in the United States as part of the “British Invasion”, something the folks at their American label, MGM, hoped would change. With lead singer Peter Noone successfully exploited/marketed as a teen idol in the States their target market was, unlike the top two, decidedly slim (the attention span of prepubescent girls was probably not a fair bet to hedge your company on). But MGM had great faith and forged on. This led to the reason where as late as the 1990’s there were still sealed copies of their LP’s to be had almost everywhere. MGM, lacking the insight or common sense actually believed their charges might one day over take The Fabs or The Stones and over pressed copies of their long players in gargantuan amounts. By the time of their sixth U.S. LP “Blaze” in October 1967 the sales market on the band had died down. Little did they or MGM know but the band had scored their last U.S. top ten hit (“There’s A Kind Of Hush” in February ‘67) and would not see the top ten again. The British Invasion was fast dying, even in the unhip and always light years behind American music industry, but no one bothered to tell MGM. “Sgt. Pepper” had all but slain everyone of the “beat group” era save The Hollies and though Herman’s Hermits still managed chart hits in the U.K., their day was pretty much done in the U.S.
“Blaze” (MGM E/SE-4478) was unleashed on the U.S. record buying public in October 1967 where it managed to reach the depressing #75 on the LP slots (it’s predecessor “There’s A Kind of Hush” clocked out at #17). It utilized two previously released U.S. singles, “Don’t Go Out Into The Rain” (May 1967, #17) and Donovan’s “Museum” (September 1967, #39), their B-sides and a slew of other new tracks. It was not released in the U.K. What’s most fascinating is it’s front sleeve. There’s a quadruple color photo image of the band squatting near a pastoral riverbank in their finest (ala Vic Singh’s shot of The Pink Floyd on “Piper At The Gates Of Dawn”) without a title or band name to be seen. Deceiving as the photo may be (the picture is about the only thing “psychedelic” about the album) it’s actually quite good.
SIDE 1: 1. Museum 2. Upstairs, Downstairs 3. Busy Line 4. Moonshine Man 5. Green Street Green
SIDE 2: 1. Don’t Go Out Into The Rain (You’re Going To Melt) 2. I Call Out Your Name 3. One Little Packet Of Cigarettes 4. Last Bus Home 5. Ace, King, Queen, Jack
The LP has some surprisingly striking numbers that are pretty good. “Museum” had previously popped up on Donovan’s U.S. Epic LP “Mellow Yellow” in March 1967 but H.H’s cut it as a single. With orchestration c/o one John Paul Jones it’s miles away from the serene Donovan version. It’s full of all of the archetype “Swinging London” era instrumentation: bold brassy horns, Latin percussion with congas, mild snatches of Hammond, multi layers of guitars etc. Hands down it’s probably one of my favorite tracks by the band. “Upstairs, Downstairs” comes from the pen of fellow Mancunian Graham Gouldman (the band were no strangers to his tracks having previously recorded his “For Your Love”, “Bus Stop” and “No Milk Today”). It’s a light piece of heavily orchestrated pop with strings, woodwinds and some harpsichord thrown into the mix focusing on your typical boy-meets-girl scenario only they're neighbors. “Moonshine Man” is by far one of the most “way out” things the band had ever attempted. From it’s hypnotic Macca-esque “Taxman” style bass line to this snatch of tweaked sitar sounding guitar (that bears a resemblance to the same effect used on The Stone’s “Mother’s Little Helper”) it’s totally uncharacteristic from their other material and was previously used to round off the B-side for “Museum”. “Green Street Green” is not The Kinks style jaunty number you would expect from it’s title but an upbeat sing-along type number (of equal vein is Side Two’s “One Little Packet Of Cigarettes”). “Last Bus Home” is as close as the band ever came to “social commentary” with Noone scowling about waiting for the bus at the end of an unsuccessful night on the pull in the clubs. Dreary, bleak but well executed and a perfect foil to the gaiety that was Petula Clark’s “I Know A Place”. “Ace, King, Queen, Jack” was the LP’s closer. It's another number that defies what you’d expect from the hit machine that gave you “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter”. From some raucous chording and some toggle switch clicking it’s more than obvious the inspiration was The Who and Noone again sings with a sneer about a loser who can’t back away from the card table. It ends with a bizarre rave up where “Punch And Judy” style voices respond to Noone’s complaining (in a very Northern accent) about the replacement of dustman by “mammoth machines that move noiselessly through the streets” and “I didn’t have the education to get a proper job…etc”. Weird, but as trippy as, well they could be.
The Repertoire label reissued the LP on CD a few years ago with a slew of bonus cuts (including the wonderful and rare Graham Gouldman number “The London Look”, originally only available on an E.P. giveaway by Yardley’s Soap), or if you live in America you can go to any good used record store/flea market/thrift store and chances are, you'll find a copy!
"Museum" mimed with live vocals on "The Smothers Brothers Show":
I rarely spend much time here these days writing. When I do write it’s rarely about a new release and usually committed to writing about a seven inch that’s at least 40 years old. Well my friends the latest Georgie Fame CD compilation, “The Mod Classics: 1964-1966” (BGP/Ace Records) has blown my mind in such a way that I feel I cannot let it go without a word or two. I am neither in the employ of Ace records nor do I even benefit from any freebies from them so what I write comes truly from the feeling that all of you out there in Anorak-Land need to own this, pronto.
"20 Beat Classics": Where it all started for most of us.
My introduction to Georgie Fame came on Christmas Day 1984 when my parents bestowed upon my sister and I a VCR. I duly went to the local supermarket (which was open on Xmas Day!) and rented one of the “Ready Steady Go!” VHS compilations and on it was Georgie Fame and The Blue Flames belting out a live, no holds barred version of their 1965 hit “Yeh Yeh”. I was blown away. Amazing stuff, from Georgie’s cool do, to his cheeky possibly stoned grin while singing and simultaneously playing his Hammond while a multi racial band backed him solidly. A few days later a friend presented me with his dad’s well worn U.S. 45 copy of “Yeh Yeh” on Imperial. The quest had begun. a track here and there on cassette’s followed from friends and by 1985 me and just about every other mod I knew on the East Coast had procured a copy of the R.S.O. Georgie Fame compilation LP “20 Beat Classics” from Midnight Records on 23rd Street in NYC. The comp spanned his brilliant U.K. Columbia sides from 1964-1966 sending me off to secure copies of his first two U.S. LP's on Imperial: "Yeh Yeh" and "Get Away". The rest was and still is, history. “20 Beat Classics” was reissued on CD in the early 90’s and till the arrival of “The Mod Classics” it was the only legit CD release of any of Georgie’s U.K. Columbia material (exception being the now difficult to find German 3 CD compilation “box set” if you will, “The In Crowd” and various budget CD comps of the same recycled tracks). Of course the highly dubious Rockin’ Beat label put together some beautiful sounding CD reissues of all of Georgie’s 60’s LP’s all with bonus 45/E.P./ureleased tracks about 6-8 years ago and his CBS years (post 1966) have been well represented with both his LP’s “Two Faces of Fame” and “The Third Face Of Fame” being reissued on CD as a double packaging by B.G.O. and various CBS groovers were compiled on “Somebody Stole My Thunder: Jazz Soul Grooves 1967-1971”. Finally someone has gotten around to plumbing the archives for the Columbia ’64-’66 stuff. Compiled and thoroughly annotated (with lots of great photos, 45, LP and E.P. scans) by Dean Rudland “The Mod Classics” not only looks great, it sounds great. Dean and Co. have left off the “hits” and went straight to lesser known singles, LP and E.P. cuts. Sadly absent are any of Georgie’s ska tracks, but the liner notes seem to indicate there is still hope that these will be dealt with another day. The tracks are as follows:
1. It's Got The Whole World Shakin' 2. Papas Got A Brand New Bag 3. El Bandido 4. Dawn Yawn 5. Get On The Right Track Baby 6. Lovey Dovey 7. See Saw 8. Soul Stomp 9. World Is Round, The 10. Monkeying Around 11. Sweet Thing 12. Something 13. Point Of No Return 14. Lil' Darlin' 15. Funny How Time Slips Away 16. Preach And Teach 17. Parchman Farm 18. Move It On Over 19. Last Night 20. Music Talk 21. Sick And Tired 22. Outrage 23. Monkey Time, The 24. Work Song
