Reggie King R.I.P.

Words are flitting around the Internet that Reggie King, the lead singer of one of my fave 60's bands The Action, has passed away. After lots of back and forths between my peeps and I on Facebook Pete Watson's daughter Luann was kind enough to pop me a line telling me that it was confirmed by her dad that Reg had indeed passed away from cancer and would be buried tomorrow.  I wrote this dozen's of times today on Facebook and I will write it for the final time: it would've been awful if this had been a rumor but even more so if it were to be true.  Two of my fellow Action fans/scribes over in the U.K. have fittingly paid their tributes which I strongly suggest you read:

http://monkey-picks.blogspot.com/2010/10/memories-of-reggie-king.html

http://caughtbytheriver.net/2010/10/caught-by-the-reaper-reggie-king/

I'm not really sure what to write.  I'm not one of those guys who gets all philosophical on his blog or on Facebook when So and So from "Happy Days" or the guy who played harmonica on "Grooving At The Mud Hole" dies. I reserve these moments for people who really affected me in some way instead of being just some pop culture has-been foot note. The Action, along with The Small Faces and Georgie Fame are, however my favorite 60's band.  From their Motown covers to their half baked (double entendre) "lost Sessions" CD/LP "Brain/Rolled Gold" and even Reg's 1971 untitled solo LP (and it's even more brilliant outtakes mini LP "Lost In Action") Reg's voice set the band apart from others.  It didn't matter if he was crooning soul covers, aping the West Coast harmony sound of the Association , getting heady with tracks like "Brain" or back to the blue eyed soul stuff with "You Go And Have Yourself A Good Time" on his solo LP Reg knew how to deliver the goods in his own style. Unlike many of his peers and contemporaries Reg didn't try to sound like anybody else, he sounded like Reg.

I think with his passing it's best to let the man himself sum it up with a song that perfectly suits when someone else has moved on with "You Go And Have Yourself A Good Time":




Rest in Peace Reg.

Happy B-Day Manfred: Manfred Mann Mark One E.P. Number Four

MANFRED MANN-There's No Living Without Your Loving/Let's Go Get Stoned/Tired Of Trying, Bored with Lying, Scared Of Dying/I Put A Spell On You U.K. E.P. HMV 7EG 8922 1965

This was the last E.P. released by what I call the "classic" Manfred's line up before guitarist Mike Hugg split.

"There's No Living Without Your Loving" is one of those ballad's lead singer Paul Jones was so fond of.  Not really an awful track but by no means a great one either.  The band's cover of the Ashford/Simpson composition "Let's Go Get Stoned" is brilliant.  It's soulful, it's jazzy (with some neat little B-3 licks by Manfred) and it swings and by the time it's over you want to "stop by the wine shop on your way home and say let's go get stoned".  The crown jewel of the E.P. for me is "Tired Of Trying, Bored With Lying, Scared Of Dying". It's a brilliant social commentary from the pen of Paul Jones addressing xenophobia, teenagers, racism etc:

"You cry about the teenagers for breaking your rules, it don't occur to you you never built enough schools.."

"the fascists horrify you it's a sin and a shame, discrimination, immigration what's in a name.."

The number is delivered with some rocking piano tinkling and very distorted guitar licks with usual top notch vocals from Paul Jones. I've always been suspect of versions of Screaming Jay Hawkins "I Put A Spell On You", but this version is an exception. It's actually probably one of the better versions I've heard with some very soulful vocals from Paul Jones and a moody/jazzy feel throughout the whole number care of some subtle organ, enthusiastic backing vocals from the rest of the boys and a kick ass sax solo!

All of the tracks on this E.P. can be found on the essential Manfred Mann CD compilation. "Down The Road Apiece: Their EMI Recordings 1963-1966".

Hear "Tired Of Trying....":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5b-FzRfB3U

Hear "I Put A Spell On You":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0Np_4rKDBc

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Ian & The Zodiacs

IAN & THE ZODIACS-Why Can't It Be Me/ Leave It To Me U.S. Phillips 40343 1966

Like our hero's The Remo Four, Ian and The Zodiacs were one of those Liverpool bands who were virtually unnoticed "back home" and packed off to Germany where they worked for nearly three years achieving a modicum of stardom and success over there.

This 45 was criminally unissued in the U.K. and came out in Germany on Star Club and Phillips in the U.S.  It's easily one of my most favorite records by a 60's Liverpool band.  It's got a cool underlying riff beneath it all and some powerful vocals from lead singer Ian Edwards. The track reminds me, musically, of a mid 60's Roy Orbison number with some a "mod" feel to it.  

"Leave It To Me" is more of a ballad thing with an acoustic guitar and harmonies, reminds me of Peter and Gordon or Chad & Jeremy, not bad but pales with that rocking A-side!  Musically it reminds me of The Poets, but it's not something that bears repeated replays. 

Ian & The Zodiacs perform "Why Can't It Be Me" live on German TV's "Beat Club" 1966

"Why Can't It Be Me" was on the Dig The Fuzz compilation LP "Clap Hands Daddy Come Home" and both sides of the 45 were featured as  bonus tracks on the CD reissue on one of their Star Club LP "Just Listen To.." on Repertoire. The band's lead singer Ian Edwards sadly passed away in October 2007.

Hear "Leave it To Me":

https://youtu.be/XhOfOcqm4C4?si=tgTH7-RILL5bbQcN

David Bowie 60's Covers: Billy Fury

BILLY FURY-Silly Boy Blue/One Minute Woman U.K. Parlophone R 5681 1968

Despite the fact that he was still an unknown David Bowie had chalked up a few releases of his compositions by other artists, in no small part due to the persistance of his manager Kenneth Pitt. Among them were Kenny Miller ("Take My Tip" Stateside SS 405, April 1965), Oscar ("Over The Wall We Go" Reaction 591012 January 1967), Ronnie Hilton ("The Laughing Gnome" HMV Pop 1600 July 1967) and Pitt's other act, The Beatsalkers doing what would be the first of three Bowie tracks ("Silver Tree Top School For Boys" CBS 3105 December 1967). Despite all of these releases by 1968 David Bowie was in limbo. He'd been dropped by Deram after just three singles and a debut LP (see Anorak Thing June 1, 2009 entry), none of which charted and attempts at being signed by another label were grim (even being turned down by Peter Asher at Apple records). Nonetheless Pitt continued to plug away at both getting a new recording contract and pushing Bowie's material for other artists to cover.  He managed to convince Billy Fury's manager Larry Parne's that Bowie had something to offer his client. By 1968 Billy Fury's hit days were long gone. Despite a switch from Decca to Parlophone in January 1967 he hadn't scored a hit on EMI's label. Game for a chance at anything Parnes agreed to record a version of "Silly Boy Blue", a track that had already graced Bowie's debut album, as Fury's next single.  Sadly it did nothing for either the artist or the composer.

Billy Fury's version of "Silly Boy Blue" follows the original closely, opting to utilize the Buddhist slant lyrics of Bowie's LP version and all their Tibetan imagery of yak butter statues and reincarnation (the lyrics on Bowie's original demo cut with The Lower Third at R.G. Jones studios in Morden, Surrey in 1965 concern running away and growing old and pre-date his brief flirtation with Buddhism that led to the lyrical re-write). The production is over the top, not in an excessive way but in a full on manner with horns, strings and lush production/arranging (arranging care of Alan Tew and production and musical direction care of future Jam producer Vic Smith).  Fury's vocal delivery is far punchier than Bowie's which makes the number more interesting in my book and the fade out is downright chilling.  The flip is pretty much a note for note cover of The Bee Gee's original, though lacking the spark that propels the A-side.

Billy Fury 1967

Both sides have just been reissued on the brand new Billy Fury CD compilation "The Complete Parlophone Singles".

Hear "Silly Boy Blue":

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

Kinky!

THE KINKS-Dedicated Kinks E.P.:Dedicated Follower Of Fashion/Till The End Of The Day/See My Friend/Set Me Free U.K. Pye NEP.24258 1966

I very recently noticed that amongst all my fave U.K. 60's groups I've blogged about (Who, Small Faces, Action, Move, Zombies, Georgie Fame, Manfreds etc) there's one I've left out: THE KINKS!

For shame!  Well there's not much I can say about them that hasn't already been written so I've scoured my old archives for scans of something interesting and came across this U.K. E.P. which came out in the Summer of 1966 (in the midst of a crisis plaguing the band as Ray Davies was going, temporarily off the rails).  All four tracks were all previously issued as Kinks A-sides but what makes it interesting is that it's far less common than other U.K. Kink's E.P.'s like "Kinksize Hits" or "Kinksize Session" and perhaps as scarce as the more in demand "Kwet Kinks" (featuring the U.K.'s first airing of their U.S. "hit" "A Well Respected Man"). 

Cool pic of the lads in action on the Continent, 1966

I'm not going to bother to blag on about where you can find these tracks as 60's Kinks songs have been licensed everyplace. I've got these tracks on the CD versions (with bonus cuts) of the "Kinda Kinks" and "Kontroversy" LP's.

Cool Foreign E.P.'s Part Eighteen: The Motions uit Den Haag

THE MOTIONS-I've Waited So Long/It's Gone/For Another Man/I've Got Misery France E.P. Disques Vogue INT 18017 1966

Enter Peter Green

THE PETER B'S-If You Wanna Be Happy/Jordell Blues U.K. Columbia DB 7862 1966

This here kids is the vinyl debut of the legendary John Mayall's Bluesbreakers/Fleetwood Mac guitar hero Peter Green. The Peter B's (also known as Peter B's Looners) were an instrumental quartet featuring Peter Green -guitar, Dave Ambrose (later to join The Brian Auger Trinity)-bass, Peter Bardens (ex-of The Cheyenes and Them)-keyboards and Mick Fleetwood (ex-Bo Street Runners and The Cheyenes)-drums.  The band were managed by the famous Gunnell brothers (along with other more famous London r&b acts like Georgie Fame and The Blue Flames, Zoot Money & The Big Roll Band, Chris Farlowe and the Thunderbirds and John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers).  Falling under the Gunnell's umbrella meant that the band got a great deal of exposure playing with their other acts, backing or opening for many visiting American soul/r&b acts, playing as last minute substitute for the other acts and playing the host of clubs run by the Gunnell's (The Flamingo, The Ram Jam etc).  Despite this exposure the band never really became anything more than a springboard for some very famous names and eventually mutated into The Shotgun Express a vehicle for the vocal talents of Rod Stewart and Liverpudlian Beryl Marsden (see Anorak Thing February 11, 2009 entry).  They secured a few BBC sessions (which have yet to see the light of day save one track, see below) where the band showed off their affinity for jazz/r&b where they played Big John Patton and Booker T and the M.G.'s covers.  Among the tracks they performed in their last B.B.C. session (February 2, 1966 on "Jazz Beat") was a Caribbean flavored interpretation of Jimmy Soul's 1963 hit "If You Wanna Be Happy".  This became their one and only single which was released in March 1966.

As indicated above "If You Wanna Be Happy" has a light Caribbean inspiration, not really a ska vein but more of a cod Calypso thing built around Barden's organ with a kitschy ascending/descending organ scales solo that reminds me of a late era Tornado's record (see Anorak Thing February 10, 2010 entry for comparison) with some mock patois chat.  It's catchy and kitschy.  The flip "Jordell Blues" is a straight out bluesy number built around Barden's jazzy piano and some bursts of guitar pyrotechnics from Green.

The band as drawn by Peter Bardens, 1966.

Surprisingly neither side, has to my knowledge, been reissued anywhere before. This is rather surprising given the host of star players featured in the band and the fact that they recorded for EMI's Columbia output one would suspect it would not be that difficult to license/re-issue the tracks?

Addendum:

"If You Wanna Be Happy" was reissued on the now out of print double CD retrospective "Write My Name in the Dust: the Peter Bardens Anthology 1963-2002".

Hear "If You Wanna Be Happy":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ParH90v__rg

Hear "Jordell Blues":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QNyQc1LcHo

AND a groovy snatch from their February 2 1966 live BBC session doing "Outrage":

http://youtu.be/Q8qoeKt_IbE