More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Johnny Kidd & The Pirates

 

JOHNNY KIDD AND THE PIRATES-"I'll Never Get Over You" / "Then I Got Everything" U.S. Capitol 5065 1963

Johnny Kidd and The Pirates are best known for their seminal rock n' roll classic "Shakin' All Over" (which was their debut U.S. 45 on the strangely named Apt label as 45-25040 in August 1960). American audiences would have to wait another three years for another Johnny Kidd single to surface here in the form of today's item "I'll Never Get Over you" issued in October 1963 (released previously in the U.K. on His Master's Voice POP 1173 in June of 1963). 

"I'll Never Get Over You" was Kidd's ninth British single, his second during the "beat music" era and his second to feature the talents of one of his most famous side men, guitar god Mick Green. Written by Gordon Mills (also responsible writing a few other Kidd covers notably "Hungry For Love" and "Jealous Girl" as well as discovering Tom Jones and supplying him with a slew of hits), it's probably one of his most powerful numbers and reached #4 on the U.K. charts. Kicking off with some crashing chords and a happy go lucky melody "I'll Never Get Over You" musically has the power of a Big Three single but it's Mick Green's proto power pop guitar chords that give the number it's edge, his solo is tasty as well. With one listen to this track it's easy to see why bands like The Who took their inspiration from Kidd & Co.

Johnny Kidd and the boys on "Ready! Steady! Go!" 1963

The flip "Then I Got Everything" (written by Kidd and Mick Green) has some cool Green guitar work with a catchy riff and some brilliant chord chopping, but there's something about it that sounds almost too much like the A-side, regardless it's still half decent. Unfortunately for any American fans of Johnny Kidd and Co. there would be no more U.S. releases by the band, though he went on to record seven more singles in the U.K. for HMV before his tragic death in a car accident on October 7, 1966 on his way home from a gig.

Both sides are available on the indispensable EMI double CD collection "The Complete Jophnny Kidd & The Pirates" (which is available on Spotify). 

Hear "I'll Never Get Over You":

https://youtu.be/9PyHO7dIpfw

Hear "Then I Got Everything":

https://youtu.be/ThR9YhsGnI0

10 LP's You Should Check Out

1. J.J. JACKSON'S DILEMMA-"J.J. Jackson's Dilemma" US LP Perception PLP 3 1970
A big hats off to Mark over at Monkey Picks for turning me onto this album awhile back. By 1970 soul belter J.J. Jackson's glory days were rapidly fading in his rear view mirror, a make over was in order and his backing group known as The Greatest Little Soul Band In The Land became J.J. Jackson's Dilemma. Recorded in the U.K. the album itself is all over the place, which can be both good and bad. There's a freakout guitar/flute instrumental called "Indian Thing" that borders on tedious, but then there's the horn heavy "Who Knows" (that recalls early Chicago) and speaking of Chicago there's an over the top reading of their "Does Anybody Know What Time It Is" that's worth the price of admission alone. It has been reissued on both CD and LP.

2. RANNY SINCLAIR-"Another Autumn" US LP Modern Harmonic MH-8043 2017

With a voice recalling the huskier tones of Ann Margret crossed with the childlike waif voice of Claudine Longet and the pitch of Lesley Gore, vocalist Ranny Sinclair cut four singles for Columbia in 1964-1966 (the final one with Dave Brubeck) that verge on jazz with others being mild pop before retiring from music. Presumably she had cut enough material to enable Columbia to release an LP in 2017 (eight of the twelve songs it contained previously made up her four singles for the label). "Ode to A Cowboy" (a 1965 A-side) is the best thing Lee Hazlewood never recorded and is my favorite of the bunch and "Fan The Flame"(her first single) is silky smooth and punctuated by some brilliant horns, while non-45 tracks like "There Won't Be Trumpets" is luscious jazzy elevator muzak with Lesley Gore style vocals, "Autumn In Our Town" is smoky jazz crooner pop and "Barbara Allen" is lyrically like something out of a creepy b-movie that would not have been at all out of place on a Scott Walker LP. It is available on both CD and LP.

3. HARDIN & YORK-"Tomorrow Today" US LP Bell 6043 1969
From the ashes of the second line up of The Spencer Davis group vocalist/organist Eddie Hardin and drummer Pete York formed this duo. "Tomorrow Today" their debut LP is a rollicking mixture of soulful r&b, funky gospel tinged rock n' roll and an all round good time driven by Hardin's funky Hammond playing that can be as heavy as early Deep Purple or jazzy as The Peddlers. The LP is worth it for the title cut alone with it's deep churchy Hammond and Hardin's soulful vocals (sweetened by some angelic female backing vocals).  it's a brilliant slice of 1969 that is fortunately short on self indulgent solos and pretentiousness so indicative of it's release date. "Drinking My Wine" is like vintage Windwood era S.D.G. meets The Peddlers whilst "Candlelight" is pure early Deep Purple meets Argent organ grooviness. It has been re-released on CD by both RPM and Repertoire.

4. PAT BOWIE-"Out Of Sight" US LP Prestige PRST 7385 1965
Jazz vocalist Pat Bowie's sole LP is best known for it's inclusion of her much sought after debut Prestige 45 "I've Got Your Number". Musically backed by jazz heavy hitters like Milt Hinton (bass). Kenny Burrell (guitar) and Ray Bryant (piano), "Out Of Sight" is at times more supper club jazz which can be interesting (such as on "Get Out Of Town" with it's powerful vocals and smooth sophistication). But it can also be a tad mundane ("The Music That Makes Me Dance").  On the upside there's the hard hitting "What Is this Thing Called Love" (possibly the most up tempo track on the album) and the dreamy "Joey, Joey, Joey" (aided in no small part to the flute magic of Seldon Powell). Sadly it has not been reissued as of yet.

5. GARY FARR-"Take Something With You" UK Marmalade 608013 1969
British r&b veteran Gary Farr tread the boards for quite a few years in the mid 60's with nothing to show for it but a handful of singles and an E.P. that though are all decent bear nothing utterly remarkable. His debut solo LP for manager Giorgio Gomelsky's Marmalade label changed all of that. With help from former Action/current Mighty Baby members and produced by former Action lead singer Reggie King, "Take Something With You" is a brilliant LP that falls somewhere between the first Faces album and Colin Blunstone's first solo LP. Musically lots of the tracks come off like a less heavy Mighty Baby while Farr, having eschewed his blues belter vocals of '64-'66 has found his own voice that sounds like a perfect melding of laid back 60's California rock n roll meets baroque British late 60's folk/pop. The album's lead off tune "Don't Know Why You Bother Child" is a brilliant acoustic guitar/flute driven laid back number that sounds like an outtake from Mighty Baby's second album (ditto for "Green", "Curtain Of Sleep" and "Time Machine") and the title track is pure Ronnie Lane/Faces brilliance. "Why Not" is a wonderful tapestry of flute, acoustic guitar and Mellotron. Original copies are quite expensive but fortunately it has been reissued on both CD and LP (containing bonus tracks in both instances).

6. CHAD & JEREMY-"Distant Shoes" US LP Columbia CL 2564 1966
California based British expat duo Chad & Jeremy are often lauded for their two final US recorded long player's "Of Cabbages And Kings" (1967) and "The Ark" (1968) but little fanfare is ever given to their previous album, 1966's "Distant Shores". It sees them firmly moving out of the airy/folk duo pop of their earlier career and firmly ensconced in jangly, melodic pop full of Byrdsy 12 string guitars, Association style choral pop perfection whilst including obligatory (and sometimes pointless AND unnecessary) covers of contemporary standards. But don't let that last disparaging tidbit discourage you, "Distant Shores" is a mellow masterpiece.  There's a few pointless covers like "Homeward Bound" (though its use of tabla and harpsichord is interesting) and "The Way You Look Tonight". But there's a sublime "Everyone's Gone To The Moon" and the title track is a Byrds meet Association slice of California sunshine pop perfection, as is "I Won't Cry" and "Don't Make Me Do It". Sundazed has reissued it on CD and original LP copies are not terribly hard to find at a decent price.

7. TOM SCOTT with the CALIFORNIA DREAMERS-"The Honeysuckle Breeze" US LP Impulse AS-9163 1967
With an album cover of a guy laying on his back blowing a sax in a field surrounded by colorful graphics that look like they were borrowed from a Blues Magoos album you know that this LP is going to be a little odd. The brainchild of saxophonist Tom Scott (and virtually a who's who of California session players like Glen Campbell, Carol Kaye etc), it's all over the place with a hybrid mix of jazz, raga sometimes with Ray Conniff style singers (perfectly personified with the opening/title cut). There's a slew of contemporary covers, The Association's "Never My Love" (essentially a note for note cover with some honking sax added), a baroque flute/harpsichord muzak "She's Leaving Home" (complete with cheesey vocals) and a sax led freaky version of "Mellow Yellow" that's like Lawrence Welk on a bad acid trip in an elevator! The rest of the LP follows suit from the raga meets Lee Morgan "Blues For Hari" (with some tasty vibes) to the Brady Bunch a Go-Go meets gospel raga of "Deliver Me" it's a bizarre trip worth taking!! It has since been re-released on vinyl as original copies are quite expensive to obtain.

8. JOE PASS-"Stones Jazz" US LP World Pacific WPS-21854 1967
There were loads of jazz albums devoted to 60's rock n roll artists but my favorite of the lot is jazz guitarist Joe Pass 1967 album of interpretations of Stones tunes. Leaving the more trippy/raga jazz versions of Jagger/Richards to the likes of Gabor Szabo, Pass's versions verge on elevator muzak/easy listening thanks to the subtle horn arrangements it still manages to shine brilliantly and reminds me in part of Manfred Mann's jazzy instrumental readings of contemporary pop standards with vibes, flute and Wes Montgomery style guitar licks. There's an uptempo George Benson-esque "Play With Fire" and an upbeat/uptown reading of "Mother's Little Helper" that reminds me of something from an Oliver Nelson LP. But it's not all upbeat, there's a mild Samba/Cocktail jazz take of "19th Nervous Breakdown" and a subtle but swinging downbeat interpretation of "Paint It Black"and not a bad apple in the barrel to my ears. Original copies are quite affordable and there are also a Japanese CD issue from 2012 and a late 80's vinyl repressing by Memoir Jazz (in addition to a Japanese vinyl pressing). 

9. TERRY CALLIER-"The New Folk Sound Of Terry Callier" US LP Prestige PR 7383 1966
Vocalist Terry Callier is best known for his Northern soul "hit" "Ordinary Joe" but rewind to six years earlier when Prestige issued his debut (and astronomically expensive) long player and the name Terry Callier referred to an all together different kettle of fish. "The New Folk Sound Of Terry Callier" is a musically sparse folk/blues affair with just acoustic guitar (by Callier) and bass. His guitar playing reminds me of a less complicated Davy Graham while his powerful voice (the LP's greatest strength) is similar to that of Oscar Brown Jr. The album's stand out track for me is the morose but sublime "Johnny Be Gay If You Can" (an interesting tale of a man who's wife is snatched by Satan and then returned because she's so evil). Further LP stand out's in this folk/blues tour de force are "Promenade In Green", "Oh Dear What Can The Matter Be" and the majestic "Spin Spin Spin". It has been re-released on vinyl by Prestige and Craft Recordings  on CD by Craft (with original Prestige copies fetching as high as $500!!).

10. JOHN ANDREWS TARTAGLIA-"Tartaglian Theorem" US LP Capitol ST-166 1968

This album is a mystery to me. I can find no info about it other than it was the brainchild of a British born composer named John Andrews (or John Tartaglia depending what you read). He first came to my attention with his spaced out version of "Light My Fire" on the 1996 CD compilation "The Sound Gallery Volume Two". It sounded like something from the "Vampyros Lesbos" film soundtrack with it's spine tingling strings, fuzz guitar, sitar etc. Fast forward to a few years ago when I stumbled on the LP and it was even weirder! There's a brilliant Moog vs strings version of "A Day In The Life" that sounds like Arthur Fiedler and The Boston Pops doing mescaline with Enoch Light. The LP unfortunately can't decide if it's a freak out version of "101 Strings" or armchair muzak (see/hear his versions of "Abram, Martin And John" and "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", yawn). BUT the LP's strength is in it's freakiness if you can skip the elevator muzak. Sadly outside of a few tracks being utilized on various artists lounge/easy compilations the LP has yet to be reissued, although original copies are not terribly expensive to obtain. 

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Tony Rivers & The Castaways

TONY RIVERS AND THE CASTAWAYS-I Love The Way You Walk/I Love You US Constellation C-128 1964

East London beat quintet (and later a sextet) Tony Rivers and the Castaways are best known for being Britain's biggest Beach Boys aficionados and having an incredible knack for perfect harmonies. But before the West Coast sounds bug bit them they were a run of the mill beat group. Their second British single was February '64's "I Love the Way You Walk" b/w "I Love You" issued on Columbia as DB 7224. Curiously it got a U.S. release on the predominantly soul/r&b Constellation in June, where it would be the band's only U.S. release.

"I Love The Way You Walk" is an unremarkable beat group rip off of John Lee Hooker's "Dimples".  It's a mid tempo beat number with some high Jan & Dean style falsettos and and tight harmonies, but it's fairly pedestrian stuff, a perfect instance of a great group cutting a mediocre track.

The real gem on this seven inch is the B-side (hence my picturing it here instead of the A-side) "I Love You". It's a powerful beat ballad with an angst ridden feel, superb harmonies, a mid tempo punch and some excellent chord/key changes.

Both sides were collected on RPM's "Tony Rivers Collection Volume 1 Castaways: The Complete Studio Recordings 1963-1967".

Hear "I Love You":

https://youtu.be/lQYAAuc0bGM

Hear "I Love The Way You Walk":

https://youtu.be/nunbuRbvglc

Only In America! 10 U.S. Only Pressings Of U.K. 60's 45's

When The Beatles hit the United States airwaves the floodgates were opened and anything British was fair game for the U.S. record buying public. What followed was a deluge of off the wall artists who suddenly had records being released in America. In many cases some of these were never issued in the British Isles. As part one of a four part series here are ten of those releases.

1. THE MOMENTS-"You Really Got Me" World Artists 1031 1964
Steve Marriott's pre-Small Faces band the Moments recorded a few tracks in 1964, two of which were oddly only issued as a 45 in the US. Their cover of "You Really Got Me" was released literally within days of The Kink's versions American debut. Back in 1985 in my zine "Smashed Blocked", I compared it to Phil Daniel's bath house acapella version in "Quadrophenia", which though a bit unfair isn't that far off the mark either. For Small Faces completists only! Of note the flip "Money Money" has a musical backing track that was used in the U.K. release of the tune by Hamilton King (His Masters Voice POP 1356) that was issued three months later.

https://youtu.be/pk9MLl55pCg

Scan c/o 45cat.com

2. PINK FLOYD-"Flaming" Tower 3786 1967
Here's a weird US only 45 issue of two tracks ("The Gnome' was on the flip) from their British "Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" LP that was released in conjunction with their brief and ill fated November 1967 US tour. "Flaming" had been trimmed from their US pressing of their debut LP (which also lost "Bike" and "Astronomy Domine" but added "See Emily Play"). Despite frequent being touted as a different mix the differences are very slight, with the 45 utilizing the U.K. mono mix, which although slightly different from the later US stereo mix is hardly an alternate take as many have suggested.

https://youtu.be/txICA1lOSwE

3. THE IDLE RACE-"Here We Go Round The Lemon Tree" Liberty 55997 1967
The Idle Race's debut release (after morphing from Brum beat group The Nightriders) was this September 1967 U.S. 45 written by Roy Wood of The Move. The latter's version was included on the B-side of their August 1967 U.K. smash "Flowers In The Rain" (and issued here both sides intact in October as A&M 884). Curiously The Idle Race version was not issued in the U.K. owing to the believe that it would not chart owing to it's previous release by The Move. It differs considerably from their recording eschewing the string quartet backing of the original and considerably more upbeat and "rocked out" and of course features Jeff Lynne's unmistakable voice.

https://youtu.be/txC04nK-uIc

Scan c/o 45cat.com

4. THE UNDERTAKERS-"I Fell In Love (For The Very First Time)" Black Watch BW 5545 1965
This US only release by the Liverpool Jackie Lomax led quintet The Undertakers ranks as one of the rarest British Invasion 45's in the United States with copies going for nearly $1,000 in E-bay bidding wars. "I Fell In Love (For The Very First Time)" is a primordial freakbeat number with some catchy sax/fuzz guitar interplay and a powerful recurring riff, easily the best and toughest tune by the band. It was recorded at Talentmaster's Studio in NYC after the band were brought over by producer Bob Gallo and they broke up shortly after recording it (The Pete Best Combo were also brought over by Gallo and recorded there as well).

https://youtu.be/vGEBgVOICGQ

5. THE FORTUNES-"Fire Brigade" United Artists UA 50211 1968
This is yet another U.S. pressing of a Move cover and a non-U.K. release, though this time The Move's versions of the track in question were issued in both the US and UK. The Move's US pressing of "Fire Brigade" was released in February, the same month as this cover, yet another instance of US record companies attempting to out do an original pressing with a rival version. Though not remotely a patch on the original, this recording is of interest purely for it's kitsch value as it's far too lightweight for my liking. It was also issued in Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.

https://youtu.be/4oVPmR9d9wg

6. THE FRUIT MACHINE-"The Wall" American Music Makers AMM-0021 1969
Late 60's U.K. act The Fruit Machine cut two singles for the British label Spark, neither of which were released here but this January 1969 release (also issued as a double sided promo) was only to be found in America. "The Wall" was first unearthed by Greg Shaw on his "Electric Sugar Cube Flashback" series and is a pop psych dirge of sorts featuring muted trumpets, woodwinds and glockenspiel amid a psychedelic wash known as "phasing". Incidentally one of our readers pointed out that "The Wall" is a cover of a track recorded and released the previous year by The Naked Truth (Jubille 45-5662).

https://youtu.be/uoMajgOmlqw

7. JAMIE POWER-"She Don't Know" Jamie 1299 1965
British r&b singer Duffy Power had two releases on the U.S. label Jamie credited to "Jamie Power" for some bizarre reason. "She Don't Know" was the first of the two and not released anywhere else in the world. It's a mid tempo r&b track with strong vocals and a musical backing that falls somewhere between The Soul Agents and The Pretty Things. It's flip-side "Loves Gonna Go", was utilized again on his next Jamie single "There's No Living Without Your Loving". 

https://youtu.be/ZmUR6WW7ReQ

Scan c/o 45cat.com

8. THE ANDREW OLDHAM ORCHESTRA-"I Get Around" Parrot 45-9745 1965
Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham vacillated between wanting to be Phil Spector or George Martin, and like the latter he cut a slew of fairly innocuous  instrumental versions of his charge's tracks along with contemporary pop covers. Often these would contain voices just singing the song title or chorus but heavy on the instrumentation, sometimes with interesting results and always using the cream of British session players. This Beach Boys cover is no different from that formula but its amazing thanks to some vicious fuzz guitar, silly backing vocals and seriously murky bass. An entire U.S. only LP (containing both sides of this single) was also released called "East Meets West" of Beach Boys and Four Seasons covers.

https://youtu.be/v1LDyw13924

Scan c/o 45cat.com

9. CARL WAYNE & THE VIKINGS-"My Girl" ABC-Paramount 45-10752 1965
With two U.K. single releases on the Pye label future Move lead vocalist Carl Wayne and his backing group The Vikings final release (issued after the Move had actually formed) was this U.S. only Motown track. As Motor City covers go it's fairly competent reading of The Temp's "My Girl" with a musical backing not unlike the Searchers and decent vocal harmony (no surprise as his band mates Chris "Ace" Kefford-bass and Bev Bevan-drums would later apply the same talents in The Move).

https://youtu.be/MvFyx6su2ck

Scan c/o 45cat.com

10. DAVE CURTISS & THE TREMORS-"Que Sera Sera" Karate 45-514 1965
Beat merchants Dave Curtiss and The Tremors released three singles in the UK on Phillips in '63-'64 and released this odd ball U.S. only 45 twice in the U.S. (with sides reversed) in 1965. Their reading of "Que Sera Sera" massacres all others with some fuzz guitar and a trashy sound that would do The Milkshakes proud.

https://youtu.be/h_MM-wpy0pk

More U.K. Tracks On U.S. Labels: Freddie & The Dreamers Fifteen Minutes In America

FREDDIE AND THE DREAMERS-A Little You/Things I'd Like To Say US Mercury 72462 1965

We already pilloried former milkman Freddie and his backing band The Dreamers in an earlier post so let's suffice to say that almost a year or two after his fifteen minutes were up in the UK new life was breathed into the corpse of this long dead group when the British Invasion was still going great guns here in the USA in '65. So much so that their recording career continued onward with this July 1965 release (that like it's predecessor "Do The Freddie" was not even issued in the UK).  "A Little You" was penned by Gordon Mills, a music mogul best known for introducing Tom Jones to the world (Jone's version of the cut appeared the following year on his "Atomic Jones" LP). It stands as one of the band's best tracks in my estimation as Freddie sings in a strong assured way not relying on that dippy few warble or idiotic giggling (and fattened up by double tracking). The musical backing is solid throughout with some strings sweetening it up.

Freddie rings the dairy to ask for his old job back.

The flip side "Things I'd Like To Say" musically is not bad but it's a god awful beat track that's not helped by Freddie's sappy voice. Next....

Both sides were compiled on an EMI USA CD collection way back called "The Definitive Collection" that's still available used on the cheap.

Hear "A Little You":

https://youtu.be/YTd2TVWg7KM

Hear "Things I'd Like To Say":

https://youtu.be/cci4Lnl7ojk

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The Kitsch Sound Of Keith Mansfield

KEITH MANSFIELD & HIS ORCHESTRA-Soul Confusion/Boogaloo US Epic 5-10504 1969

The whole rediscovery of the "kitsch/easy"scene hit me like a ton of bricks in the mid 90's, thoroughly bored with what Brit Pop had become and always looking back I found myself grabbing every CD compilation of British 60's/70's easy/lounge/kitsch/music library sounds that I could lay my hands on. One name that seemed to pop up frequently on them was that of Keith Mansfield. In addition to being a man behind the scenes for loads of incidental "music library" tracks that were gracing lots of these CD comps he was also an arranger (best known for his work on Love Affair's "Everlasting Love" and Marmalade's "Reflections Of My Love" to name a few). Fast forward to many years later and lo and behold I discovered that one of my favorite tracks by him from the genre ("Boogaloo") was released as a single in the U.S. (and oddly nowhere else!). It took even more years for me to track down a copy as apparently there were only promo copies pressed.

With "Soul Confusion" on the A-side this single was issued in August 1969. "Soul Confusion" is a groovy instrumental brass and Hammond track.  It's funky organ has a feel of The Mohawks which leads me to suspect it's Alan Hawkshaw on organ. What sets this track apart from the Mohawks is the blistering fuzz guitar and the almost porn flick musical backing feel to it, sleazy and greasy, with the organ delightfully carrying most of the weight with brass parts that are more than reminiscent of Mansfield's "Powerhouse Pop".

But for me the real kick is on the flip, "Boogaloo". Starting off with a laid back groove of bass/guitar/drums and females voices softly crooning the title over and over until one by one the more prominent instruments begin falling in: flute, brass and eventually some more of that funky organ from the A-side shredding it before some groovy flute carries it to the fade out.  Magic!!

"Boogaloo" has cropped up on a host of bootleg compilations but to my knowledge neither side of this 45 has seen an appearance on any legit compilations!

Hear "Soul Confusion":

https://youtu.be/tu7ZcY8XvF4

Hear "Boogaloo":

https://youtu.be/ps-5aqRUNeU

More Obscure U.K. 45's On U.S. Labels: The Graham Bond Organization

THE GRAHAM BOND ORGANIZATION-St. James Infirmary/Wade In The Water Ascot 2211 1966

Today's specimen is the first U.S. pressing of a Graham Bond single (and I believe the sole example of a U.S. Graham Bond Organization single).  "St. James Infirmary" was the A-side for the February 1966 release of Columbia DB 7838 back in the U.K. (where it was backed by "Soul Tango"). The band's line up at this juncture was Graham Bond (organ/vocals), Dick Heckstall-Smith (sax), Mike Falana (trumpet) and Ginger Baker (drums). The line up debuted on vinyl in February with the previously mentioned U.K. issue of "St. James Infirmary" and later recorded an instrumental under the moniker of The Who Orchestra called "Waltz For A Pig" in March of 1966 that was utilized by the Who as a B-side for "Substitute" . The results of this this entry's single were recorded in January 1966 and released here in the States in April.

"St. James Infirmary" is amazing and the G.B.O.'s version is probably my favorite interpretation of it. Bond wails like a bluesman possessed and sounds like he means every word he's singing as if he's in mourning.  Heckstall-Smith's sax and Mike Falana's trumpet are positively haunting turning the number into a mournful dirge and of course Ginger Baker's pounding drives it all along.

Graham Bond 1966

The version of "Wade In The Water"on this release is a completely different recording than it's U.K. cousin, January 1965's flip to the dreadful "Tammy" (Columbia DB 7471) that was also the version that was used on their debut LP "The Sound of '65". This new version was cut in January of 1966 minus Jack Bruce who was forced out by Ginger Baker (who had taken over the band's operations as Bond slipped further into heroin drenched ineptitude) in late 1965. Regardless of Bruce's absence it's still classic G.B.O. at their finest. Bond's "Phantom of the Opera" style intro on the B-3 kicks off one of their best instrumental tracks ever.  Every member of the band sweats blood on this, Bond is a wild man on the organ as Ginger Baker pounds the shit out of his kit doing his best Elvin Jones breaks while Dick Heckstall-Smith squeezes some bending notes out of his double sax parts and new member Mike Falana's trumpet adds to the revelry!

Both tracks would be the final G.B.O. single with Ginger Baker  as he would leave to form Cream in April/May of 1966. The G.B.O. would cut one more single one year later on the U.K. Page One label "You Gotta Have Love Babe" b/w "I Love You" (POP 014 February 1967).

Both tracks are featured as bonus tracks on the Repertoire CD reissue of the G.B.O's "There's A Bond Between Us" and on the essential "Wade In The Water" box set.

Hear "Wade In The Water":

http://youtu.be/Ncnjtoi5r1U

Hear "St. James Infirmary":

http://youtu.be/ZoQG9wN0mAk