We got the hi-fi high and the lights down low.....

THE BIG THREE- "At The Cavern" E.P. ( What'd I Say/ Don't Start Running Away/Zip A Dee Doo Dah/Reelin' And Rockin') U.K. Decca DFE 8552 1963

With the discovery of The Beatles in 1962 Liverpool was inundated with swarms of A&R men looking for the next best thing. Having passed on The Beatles Decca grabbed a few, The Mojos and arguably Britain's first "power trio" : The Big Three.  Despite just 4 singles and one E.P. (and numerous personnel changes) The Big Three's recording career was short, barely 18 months.  Their line up for this E.P., referred to as their "classic Big Three line up" was: John "Hutch" Hutchinson (drums/vocals), Brian Griffiths (guitar) and John Gustafson (vocals/bass).  Never very stable, the band had numerous personnel changes. In fact by the time of this E.P.'s release in November 1963 the line-up who played on it disitergrated with John Gustafson and Brian Giffiths moving on to form a band called The Seniors with Ian Broad from Rory Storme and The Hurricanes (Gustafson eventually joined The Merseybeats to replace Billy Kinsley a few months later). 

The final product of this line up was our E.P. in question recorded live on a sweaty Thursday night (August 29, 1963 to be exact) by producer Noel Walker in front of a packed audience at Liverpool's legendary Cavern Club.  Opening with Cavern DJ Bob Wooler's wordy hipster intro ("Welcome to the best of cellars. We got the hi fi high and the lights down low so here we go with The Big Three show") the band barrel through an insane amphetamine version of Ray Charles "What'd I Say" full of false stops, audience participation and pure 100% adrenaline. It's almost anti-climactic when the band launch into an original (a rarity for most Liverpool groups) called "Don't Start Running Away", which though lacking the punch of it's predecessor manages alright. The flipside is a half assed version of "Zip A Dee Doo Dah", where the band sounds like a drunken frat rock band.  Things close with Chuck Berry's "Reelin' And Rockin'" which differs little from the original but still has some enthusiasm.

TRIVIA: Decca photographer David Wedgbury failed to capture all three members onstage during the recording of their set so the band were forced to put their sweaty black suits back on and pose onstage afterwards.

Johnny Hutch onstage at The Cavern during the recording

of the E.P. Pic by David Wedgbury

All four tracks were included on a recent Big Three CD retrospective "At the Cavern" along with some of their other rocking sides.

Hear "What'd I Say" from the "At The Cavern" E.P.:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRfQ-hm3APs

E.P. Moodiness

THE MOODY BLUES- E.P. U.K. Decca DFE 8622 1965 (Go Now/Lose Your Money/Steal Your Heart Away/I Don't Want To Go On Without You)

This May 1965 offering is an interesting E.P. as it features three previous Moodies "A" sides, their debut single "Steal Your Heart Away" and it's flip,  "Lose Your Money" (Decca F 11971 September 1964), their #1 smash "Go Now" (Decca F 12022 November 1964) and their previous single "I Don't Want To Go On Without You" (Decca F 12095 February 1965).  Usually British 60's E.P.'s either carried two singles (A's & B sides) or four non-LP/non-45 tracks.  This is sort of an oddity as it contains three previous A-sides, two of which failed to register much of a chart impact!  Curious stuff.  The sleeve photo is yet another classic example of brilliance from Decca's in house lensman David Wedgbury.

All four tracks are available as bonus tracks on the various CD reissues of their debut LP "The Magnificent Moodies" .

The Scene-Something That You Said: Some Things Age Well

THE SCENE-Something That You Said/Stop-Go U.K. Diamond DIA 003 1984

Those of you that are familiar with this blog will know my feelings on most 70's/80's "mod" records. Without going into one of my rants (which means I'm going to) a lot of it stems from my perception that a great deal of these bands didn't age well for me. Maybe it was the anthemic "youth" message that just lacks substance to a married 43 year old dad, maybe it was that some of them sounded like third rate Jam copyists. Another stumbling block on this genre for me is production and the reliance on the (then) contemporary production and recording effects. There'd be a band who looked mod but had guitars that sounded like U2 or god forbid, had a synthesizer. Now I'm not down on synths, Ultravox's "Vienna" LP is still a fave but I'm a firm believer in the dogma that if you're going to call yourself a mod band then you need a Hammond or some sort of combo organ or something that sounds like one. Enter The Scene. No anthems, no synths, no crappy clothes, no Flock of Seagulls style-production, no tinny/crappy sound and no scent of cash-in.

Flashback to October 1984, I'm in London at The Merc on Carnaby Street.  Though I'm not sure what this had to do with The Merc of today as this one was just a teeny little shop run by a friendly older Asian guy named Jimmy and it was pretty much nothing but records, fanzines, rally patches, badges and t-shirts (no clothes in sight).  On the wall there was this poster of these four sharp looking geezers called The Scene and copies of their single "Something That You Said" hanging everywhere and it looked amazing with four panel pics of each band members and stark minimalistic black and white graphics, serious looking.  I inquired what they were like and a few seconds later Jimmy obliged.  In stunned silence I listened and left the shop with a clutch of other "mod" records, among them six copies of "Something That You Said" for myself and my pals back in the States.  I was in a pub around the corner from Carnaby Street (god what the hell was the name of that place?!) looking over my finds and a few mods were eyeing me. Eventually one of them came over and chatted and then they all did and after numerous insults about my being American they were looking over my purchases and advised me to "bin" all the 45's except The Scene ones and that I should come with them to see The Scene play in a few nights (sadly I was going to be in Wales and missed ever seeing The Scene, but I left the place quite wobbly after my first ever pints of beer in a pub).  Without going into detail about the other records I bought that day let's suffice to say they were all sold eventually on E-bay in the late 90's with the exception of a few Squire singles I snagged and one other, today's entry.

The Scene had grown out of a band called 007 who'd been around since the early 80's .  As The Scene they had previously released an earlier single ("Looking For Love"/"Let Me Know"  Diamond DIA 001) in 1983 and at the time of this single's release their line-up was: Andy Welsh (vocals), Gary Wood (guitar), Russell Wood (bass) and Andy Orr (drums).

"Something That You Said" still sounds as brilliant today as it did to an 18 year old in London in 1984.  I think what grabbed me then and still does is that it has power. It's not tinny sounding.  What I love most about it are the "ba-ba-ba-ba's", they're reminiscent of The Action or any other great 60's band.  The gritty little guitar licks during the break are nifty and the whole thing is pretty damn forceful.  I think what appeals to me is it's firmly 60's influenced but it's still original in the fact that it's not a case of "let's get some crappy vintage Vox gear and make a shitty garage record".

The flip "Stop Go" was recorded live in Belfast (or so the sleeve claims) and shows the same vitality as the A-side and the band's Rickenbacker 330 firmly jangles through.  In fact it reminds me of The Plimsouls if they were British (and better dressers).  I seem to recall reading stories in the mod fanzine press back in the day that the band did an Irish tour where they allegedly spent all their cash early into it on booze.  I'm wondering if this was recorded on the same tour, if it's in fact true. Either way it's a great story and makes me wish I'd had the chance to meet these guys and hear them play.

Through FaceBook I've become acquainted with their guitarist Gary Wood who informs me that The Scene have reformed and are doing a bit of gigging in the U.K.  I've also recently discovered that all of their material (their three singles plus various tracks from compilation albums) is available on CD from Detour records along with recordings the band made prior when they were called 007.

Check out The Scene's MySpace page:

http://www.myspace.com/007thescene

Hear "Something That You Said":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J99y6RFdwSg

Hear "Stop-Go" :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBnnx88NM3g

The Move Part Two

THE MOVE-I Can Hear The Grass Grow/Wave The Flag And Stop The Train U.K. Deram DM 117 1967

Since we covered the whole Move story in an earlier posting (see August 13, 2009 entry) let's skip all that and get down to their second single . Their debut "Night Of Fear" rocketed to #2 in the U.K. charts turning the "five Brummie thickos" (as they were described by their late lead singer Carl Wayne) into over night stars. Stardom demanded a new single A.S.A.P. and in house tunesmith/lead guitarist Roy Wood responded. What always blew me away was that Roy Wood wrote some lyrically trippy tunes and was a professed and confirmed non-drug taker. Where most people suspected Roy's songs were about drugs more than often they dealt with mental illness (more on that in a bit).  Released on March 31, 1967 today's topic made it to #5 in the U.K. charts.

"I Can Hear The Grass Grow" indeed has a  sort of "psychedelic message":

"my mind's attracted to a magnetic wave of sound.  With the streams of colored circles making their way around".

Led by bassist Chris "Ace" Kefford's rumbling bass run intro , "I Can Hear The Grass Grow" is a perfect vehicle for The Move's well oiled "West Coast" harmony vocals machine and some very melodic licks and manic drumming keep it lively.  What I've always dug about The Move were their vocal prowess.  During the breaks Roy Wood takes a line while the rest do Beach Boy's styled "oo-oo-oo's" then Ace Kefford shows off his soulful Steve Winwood style pipes for a line before it all comes back to lead singer Carl Wayne.  And that's rhythm guitarist Trevor Burton singing the barely discernible bass vocal parts on the chorus.

The flip, "Wave The Flag And Stop The Train" is another classic pre-perm (I'm referring to the period where some of the band got perms and they all started wearing kaftans and all that clobber) "mod era" Move track when they were as powerful as the Who or The Creation.  The chunky rhythm of this track is propelled by Ace's funky bass and Bev Bevan's classy but disciplined drum breaks, and of course once again the four man vocal team lends it's hand (and Roy even gets to sing a verse) before it all fades out. The lyrics?  About a girl trying to throw herself from a moving train.

The band listen to the playback of "I Can Hear The Grass Grow"

Both sides have been issued on numerous Move compilations but I strongly recommend the box set ("Anthology") that came out last year where you can hear both tracks in pristine quality!

The flower power pre-perm Move play "I Can Hear The Grass Grow" live on
German TV's "Beat Beat Beat"  June 26, 1967

Hear "I Can Hear The Grass Grow":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTknhO-xj8M

Hear "Wave Your Flag And Stop The Train":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU4P5HXNxds

Ace Kefford signing copies of "I Can Hear The Grass Grow"

at an April 1967 Move "in store"

The Move outside The Tiles, early 1967.  The mod look

is fading and the flower power look is coming.

"I Can Hear The Grass Grow" live on French TV 1967, try not to laugh at Car's showboating and bad hair.

1985 East Coast Mod Scene Anthem

THE ARTWOODS-I Feel Good/Molly Anderson's Cookery Book U.K. Decca F 12465 1966

Back in 1985 everyone on the East Coast Mod Scene that was in my little clique (well not "mine" but one I belonged to) owned about half a dozen of them same LP's. Among them were Georgie Fame's "20 Beat Classics", The Action's "The Ultimate Action" on Edsel Records and another Edsel compilation LP "100 Oxford Street" by The Artwoods. I first heard The Arwood's "What Shall I Do" (more on that 45 soon) on a various artists LP called "My Generation" (see December 18, 2009 entry). I liked it and wanted to hear more and took a gamble on their above mentioned Edsel album. The track that blew me away instantly was "I Feel Good". I turned my pals Mod Fun onto it and they began covering it live. By now the number had reached legendary status in our crowd.

Fast forward to 25 years later.  By now I've long been familiar with the original version by Benny Spellman, which I admit I prefer, in fact I rarely listen to The Artwoods these days, but this number still has it's charm in nostalgia for me.  For those not in the know The Artwoods were fronted by Ron Wood's brother Art, with Derek Griffith's (guitar), Malcolm Pool (bass) future Deep Purple man Jon Lord (organ) and Keef Hartley (drums). Signed to the Decca label they released 5 singles, an impossibly rare E.P. and an equally unobtainable for less than a month's pay-check LP ("Art Gallery") before moving to Parlophone for their last 45 as The Artwoods (their final 45 was issued under the pseudonym of The St. Valentine's Day Massacre on Fontana in 1967).  Like many of their mod/r&b peers the band relied heavily on U.S. soul/jazz/blues and r&b covers.

Released in August of 1966 The Artwood's version of "I Feel Good" bears little resemblance to the plodding, steady, horns driven Benny Spellman original.  Instead it relies on a crisp fuzz guitar and a trebly bass that kick the song in at twice the speed of the original.  Art Wood's lead vocals lack the soul of the original of course but Lord's underlying Hammond and the band's subtle backing vocals give it a life of it's own.  On the flip we have the wonderful "Molly Anderson's Cookery Book". On their previous single, a year earlier the did a fuzzed out cover of Sam & Dave's "I Take What I Want " (Decca F 12384).  The flipside was a cheeky jazzy instrumental curiously titled "I'm Looking For A Saxophonist Doubling French Horn Wearing Size 37 Boots".  On our single in question they repeated the zaniness with "Molly..".  Essentially it's a chance for Griffith's and Lord to play Wes Montgomery and Brother Jack McDuff while Wood recites a bizarre recipe ("add 73 Spanish newts....and one sound proof gorilla") in deadpan delivery. 

"I Feel Good" has appeared on all The Artwoods CD compilations (there were 3 of them the last time I checked) and "Molly Anderson's Cookery Book" has finally been reissued on Repertoire's "Singles A's & B's" (after being omitted from "100 Oxford Street" and the CD reissue w/ bonus tracks of their sole LP "Art Gallery").

Hear "I Feel Good":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6_SPKwOSxw

Hear "Molly Anderson's Cookery Book":

https://youtu.be/w3TAPf6cn1s

Mod Anthems: Part Two

THE COASTERS-Shoppin' For Clothes U.S. Atco 45-6178

I'm sorry kids but it doesn't get any closer to defining what "Anorak Thing" is all about than this amazing record by The Coasters.  I first heard this on a cassette tape back in the mid 80's when a Welsh mod penpal named David Kennard (where are you now mate?) sent me a tape of a BBC radio documentary on mods filled with great clips of music and comments by original mods.  Playing in the background were a variety of tunes, some of which I've yet to decipher, some I already knew.  The quest led me to some amazing finds (it was here I first heard Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbird's "Buzz With The Fuzz" and The Ikettes "I'm Blue (Gong Gong Song)").  It also led me, eventually to this track.

It's somber, slow, cool, suave and above all it's about a guy going into a shop to buy a suit:

"I was shopping for a suit the other day

And walked into the department store
I stepped on the elevator and told the girl
"Dry goods floor"


When I got off I saw a salesman was coming to me
He said "Now, what can I do for you"
I said "Well go in there and show me all the sport's clothes
Like you're supposed to"

He said, "Well, sure, come on in buddy
Dig these fabrics we got laid out on the shelf"
He said "Pick yourself out one
Try it on, stand in the mirror and dig yourself"


Ohhhhhh...That suit's pure herringbone
Ohhhhhh...Yeah, that's a suit I'd like to own
Ohhhhhh...Buddy, that suit is you
Ohhhhhh...Yeah, I believe it too


I see for the business man you feature the natural shoulder
That retail, wholesale indeed
It's got the custom cuffs and the walking short
He said "And I'm gonna let you have at a steal"


And for the playboy you have the latest in tweed
With the cut-away flap over twice
It's a box-back, two button western model
He said, "Now ain't that nice"


Ohhhhhh...Them buttons are solid gold
Ohhhhhh...You made a deal, sold
Ohhhhhh...That collar's pure camel hair
Ohhhhhh...Well, you can just set it down right in that chair

Now you go back there and you get that paper and let me sign on the dotted line
And I'll make sure I get all my payments in right on time
Hey wait a minute buddy, let me go back there and do a little checking on you
Then the man come back, he said "I'm sorry my man but your credit didn't go through"
Why, what you mean


Ohhhhhh...Ain't this a shame
Ohhhhhh...My heart's in pain
Ohhhhhh...Pure, pure herringbone
Ohhhhhh...That's a suit you'll never own
Oh, Lord have mercy
I got a good job, sweeping up after school... "

Hear "Shoppin' For Clothes":

Manfred Mann:Pop Jazzbos Part Two

MANFRED MANN-Instrumental Assassination E.P.: Side One: Sunny/Wild Thing Side Two: Get Away/With A Girl Like You U.K. Fontana TE 17483 1967

As previously discussed in our May 28, 2009 installment, Manfred Mann were no strangers to jazz and as we discussed in that date's posting on they'd already released "Instrumental Asylum" (U.K. HMV 7EG 8949) an E.P. with jazzy versions of four current pop hits.   With a switch from HMV to Fontana in August of 1966 AND a new lead singer (former Band of Angels lead singer Mike D'Abo who replaced Paul Jones) the Manfred's had seen their share of personnel shuffling.

In December 1966 they released a second E.P. of jazz styled interpretations of the top forty called "Instrumental Assassination".   The line up for the E.P. comprised of Manfred Mann on keyboards, Mike Hugg on drums/vibes, Tom McGuinness on guitar, Dave Richmond on double bass, and strangely, new bassist Klaus Voorman on recorder.  Presumably this was an "in" joke and also presumably because the E.P. was perhaps recorded before Voorman had joined?  I'm a little unclear on that one. Housed in a stylish E.P. sleeve bearing an image of a Walther P-38 pistol in a bold font it's eye catching.

Bobby Hebb's "Sunny" (also a sizable hit for Georgie Fame in the U.K. in September 1966) is first on the chopping block. It's sloppy and sounds like a bunch of the guys went to the pub, got pissed, came back and cut a half hearted jazz version of "Sunny" accented by some slightly off key shouting the chorus in unison.  Next.  Their label mates Trogg's "Wild Thing" is next, it's interesting because Manfred utilizes a Mellotron which gives it a more "way out" feel.  Side Two's "reading" of Georgie Fame's U.K. #1 "Getaway" is my fave of the lot.  It starts out with a voice chanting "Getaway" deep enough to sound like a bullfrog croaking and moves swiftly into a swinging vibes led groover with some excellent drumming by Mike Hugg and some nice Hammond complementing the vibes.  The Troggs are again the subject (odd how the E.P. is essentially two Troggs and two Georgie Fame hits!), this time it's "With A Girl Like You".  It begins with a sawing double bass and progresses into a descending military march where each instrumental (guitar, vibes etc) all come in one at a time.  It doesn't get as swinging as "Getaway" but it's still quite interesting, of course slightly marred by the drunken sounding "vocals" (luckily away from the mikes) and every time you think the number is about to end the military march drumbeat resurrects it!

Strangely the E.P. actually managed a U.K. chart placing (#40, their lowest chart placing in the U.K. for a 7" to date), their lowest chart placing to date and it is interesting to note it was produced by Shel Talmy (who began working with the band upon their signing to Fontana).  I'm not certain if it has ever been reissued as any Fontana era CD compilations seem to have overlooked it.

Hear "Getaway":