More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Heinz

 

HEINZ-Questions I Can't Answer/The Beating Of My Heart US Tower 110 1964

U.K. producer Joe Meek's "golden boy" and one time Tornados bassist Heinz Burt had a host of 45's issued in the U.K. as a solo artist. London issued his debut US 45 "Just Like Eddie" (45-9619 ) in October 1963 but 1964 saw Heinz joining the host of Meek acts who's material would be leased for U.S. release through Capitol records Tower outlet (we profiled a Tornados release on the label here and a Tom Jones one here). 

"Questions I Can't Answer" was Heinz's sixth U.K. 45 (issued as Columbia DB 7374 in October 1964). It was issued simultaneously here on Tower and like all of Meek's other singles on the label it failed to chart. "Questions I Can't Answer" is an interesting number, kicking off with some sax and a "Louie Louie" style beat. It's one of Meek's more sophisticated productions, but that is in no small part due to arranger Ivor Raymonde who "sweetened"the track up (as he did with many Meek releases transforming his muck into something more commercially viable). The drums are unmistakably Meek's trademark sound but there's an interesting almost phased/backwards piano effect at about 0:10 in that's incredibly ahead of it's time followed by ivory tinkling and female backing vocals. 

The flip "The Beating of My Heart" is a full on over the top Meek production with lots of echo, spacey backing vocals, that archetype drum sound etc. None of this can save the number for me despite the great intro as it, to my ears, descends into a mundane ballad worth it only for the freaky arrangement and a blistering guitar solo (Richie Blackmore?).

Billy J. Kramer with Heinz, 1964, photo by Lewis Morley

The A-side appeared on the Castle Music Joe Meek two CD compilation "Joe Meek: The Alchemist Of Pop", and both sides appear on a 2013 double CD collection "Heinz: The Essential Collection". 

Hear "Questions In Can't Answer":

https://youtu.be/dxmyUpaKDMk

Hear "The Beating Of My Heart":

https://youtu.be/2_VhN0UwjsU

Top 10 80's 45's Part Two: Britannia Rules The (Air) Waves!

Many years ago we profiled my ten favorite 1980's 45's here, in this post I have decided to explore a further ten. 

1. DEPARTMENT S-"Is Vic There?" US Stiff TEES 7-02 1981

I'm not entirely sure how I found out about this record, I suspect I had heard it on college radio but I know for a fact that my copy came from a U.K. pen pal (Debbie Jones phone home!), even more amusing as my copy is in American pressing. Regardless of how or where I first heard it "Is Vic There?" is unique and unlike anything else that was in the air (Spandau Ballet's "Chant No.1", Adam & The Ants etc). With a catchy beat backed by reverberating, jangling, feedbacking guitars, atmospheric organ, disinterested lead vocals by one Vaughn Toulouse and a haunting/hypnotic guitar lick "Is Vic There?" is not easily forgotten and entirely difficult to remove from one's head. 

https://youtu.be/YlbcNvlseVI

2. THE SPECIALS-"Ghost Town" UK Two Tone CHS TT17 1981

Music can be a time capsule and for me "Ghost Town" will always bring me back to my first trip to the U.K. in August of 1981 when this was just bumped off the #1 slot by Spandau Ballet. The nation wide riots were only days previously and things were still tense and everywhere I looked (in the Tube especially) there were packs of skinheads with the ominous tramp of boots and all the cops looked tired and freaked out. And along came the Specials with a Tchaikovsky "Swan Lake" style intro and the powerful horns playing off the flute and with the powerful lyrics painting a bleak picture of the then deplorable conditions in the U.K., not remotely ska it's the best thing they've ever done to this man's ears and will never be bettered.

https://youtu.be/RZ2oXzrnti4

3. DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS-"Geno" UK Late Night Feelings R 6033 1980

I can't recall whether it was "Rolling Stone" or "Creem" magazine that sang praises of these guys and gave some background to this track for my impressionable young mind to absorb (the same article explained the phenomena of "Northern Soul" as well). "Geno" is a tribute to the American born 60's British soul legend Geno Washington, who with his Ram Jam Band wowed audiences all over the British Isles with their no holds barred r&b/soul music show. The power behind "Geno" is not it's powerful brass section (which interestingly sounds more like a marching band then a Stax horn section) but lead singer Kevin Rowland's impassioned delivery and lyrics. It speaks volumes of a personal conviction and the epiphany that was seeing Geno Washington play:

"Back in '68 in a sweaty club (Oh Geno) before Jimmy's Machine and the rocksteady rub (Ohhhh Geno) on a night when flowers didn't suit my shoes after a week of flunkin' and bunkin' school, the lowest head in the crowd that night just practicing steps and keepin' out of the fights.

Academic inspiration you gave me none, you were Michael The Lover, the fighter that won, and now just look at me as I'm looking down on you, though I'm not being flash it's what I'm built to do".

Powerful stuff.

https://youtu.be/Z5KgMUgvtig

4. DAVID BOWIE-"Ashes To Ashes" US RCA PB-12078 1980

David Bowie has often been accused of being sharp enough to anticipate a trend and stealing from it before it became mainstream, but he has also been credited with fostering lots of them. The bleak/nihilism of the so called "New Romantic/Blitz/Futurist" musical and fashion movement applied to Bowie in both of those situations.  He was canny enough to get in on the ground floor with the movement and used some of it's movers and shakers in the promo video for the track and yet without him one doubts the whole thing would have ever existed and therefore he played both parent and love child to movement. "Ashes to Ashes" is bleak, spooky and full of some positively eerie synthesizer parts whilst musically defiling the memory of dear old Major Tom from his first hit "Space Oddity".

https://youtu.be/HyMm4rJemtI

5. THE TIMES-"Red With Purple Flashes" UK Whaam WHAAM 2 1981

One time Television Personalities member Ed Ball started his own neo-60's influenced band The Times in 1981 where they burst onto the scene with this debut 45 on Dan Treacy of the TVP's brilliant Whaam label. Taking it's name from a description that the 60's band The Creation gave their music, "Red With Purple Flashes" is less 60's influenced than you would expect and at times suffers because of it's absolute shit production and recording but it's Ed Ball's clever lyrics and their attempts to make a very 60's record (fuzz guitar, phlanged drums and plenty of "doo doo doo's" in the chorus) that win the struggle, but only just barely.

https://youtu.be/z_PlHY-SUe8

6. BAD MANNERS-"Walking In The Sunshine" UK Magnet MAG 197 1981

Bad Manners were a different kind of ska band. They were pickled eggs and cream pies in the face to Madness pints of bitter or The Specials razor across the cheek. "Walking in The Sunshine" seemed like their first record that was "serious" after songs that almost sounded geared to appearances on "Tis Was" (a British children's TV program) like "Can Can" or their debut "Ne-Ne Na-Na-Na Na-Nu-Nu". It's powerful brass section and moody Hammond trills sound almost positively sinister alongside it's slightly funky rhythm that at times brings to mind UB40, all punctuated by lead singer Buster Bloodvessel's bellowing vocals. 

https://youtu.be/JG8LaDlUuo8

7. THE REVOLVING PAINT DREAM-"Flowers In The Sky" UK Creation CRE 002 1984

One of the earliest releases on Biff Bang Pow leader Alan McGee's Creation label "Flowers In The Sky" is probably one of the most psychedelic records of the 80's, certainly at least in Britain, outside The Dukes of Stratosphear of course (see below). The "Tomorrow Never Knows" drum beat, backing vocals and buzzing/backwards guitars evoke 60's British psychedelia at it's best while the wall of noise, airy vocals and production show where Ride and My Bloody Valentine AND Brit pop came from. 

https://youtu.be/WDXOLilMA3s

8. THE JAMES TAYLOR QUARTET-"Blow Up" UK RE-Elect The President FORD 1 1987

The James Taylor Quartet were formed from the ashes of Medway 60's influenced/garage legends The Prisoners with their keyboardist James Taylor and bassist Allan Crockford. The JTQ did a multitude of things, first off they introduced something that was distinctly non-80's sounding  and (most importantly) they gave lots of mods an introduction to Hammond jazz (myself included). Their Booker T. styled reworking of the theme for the film "Blow Up" led one mod to pump coins into a jukebox one Friday night at Maxwell's so that punters would have to hear it endlessly as he sipped his pint of Double Diamond. Taylor's Hammond and twangy guitars care of his younger brother David give it a distinct Stax feel, something that was positively lacking anywhere in the 80's, especially in the land of Jesus and the Mary Chain and The Smiths

https://youtu.be/nD2EUNtYBlc

9. THE DUKES OF STRATOSPHEAR-"The Mole From The Ministry" UK Virgin VS 763 1985

The most psychedelic record of the 80's came from the three remaining members of XTC and bassist Colin Moulding's brother on drums who decided to play 1967 dress up and created a fake psychedelic band that topped anything and everything that was aping the era. While bands from the Groovy Cellar like The Mood Six were dressing like The Move and making records that sounded like Talk Talk or A Flock Of Seagulls The Dukes were a full on legit 60's act with zero traces of 80's recording techniques or effects. "The Mole From The Ministry" is every bit as much as The Rutle's "Piggy in The Middle" as it is the Fab's "I Am The Walrus" but there's snippets of Pink Floyd '67 vintage as well as a host of other British psychedelic gems thanks to Mellotron, varispeed effects on singing and speaking, Lennon-esque vocals , backwards bits, hidden dialogue and the kitchen sink thrown in for good measure! Recorded on a lark it spurned and mini LP and a full length LP two years later.

https://youtu.be/X-fL68DbcQ0

10. THE BARRACUDAS-"Summer Fun" UK Zonophone Z5 1980

This number will always remind me of the last day of school in 1982 heading to the beach with a bunch of friends in the back of a pick up truck blasting this on a boom box on the way there. With their 60's American West Coast sound the Barracudas added something interesting to new wave and in a classic case of "Coals to Newcastle" (or in this case "Steel to Pittsburgh") their poppy surf beat and high Beach Boys harmonies towards the end of this number perfectly encapsulated an era long gone by while still sounding "modern". The Plymouth Barracuda commercial at the beginning is a gas and the "ba ba bap ba ba ba ba" chorus is totally infectious and those fucking harmonies man......wow!

https://youtu.be/Y4dBjjGeAWA

Eric Burdon: From Geordie R&B Belter To Acid Messiah: "Monterey"

 

ERIC BURDON AND THE ANIMALS-Monterey/Ain't That So US MGM K13868 1967

L.S.D. changed a lot of people in the music world, and none more so than Newcastle's own Eric Burdon who made the leap from Geordie brown ale supping flat cap wearing r&b disciple to full blown acid eating flower child. 

The Animals were huge in the States racking up eight hits here on the MGM label before Burdon revamped the line up with all new faces retaining only the last Animals drummer, ex-Nashville Teen Barry Jenkins and rechristening themselves as "Eric Burdon & The Animals". And with this revamp came the make over brought on by changing times and a little something called Lysergic Acid Diethylamide. By mid 1966 Burdon became a full on L.S.D. convert and the band's predilection for Chuck Berry took a back seat. Such was Burdon & Company's freak street cred that they were among the handful of British acts invited to perform at the Monterey International Pop  Music Festival held in Monterey, California June 16-18, 1967. Burdon also introduced The Who at the gig and then commemorated the event with the release of this December 1967 single "Monterey" (it not released in the U.K. until the following year).   As cringe worthy as the lyrics are (especially when Burdon refers to Ravi Shankar as "Ravi Shanknar") with all the name checking (Hendrix, The Byrds, Brian Jones as "His Majesty Prince Jones", The Who etc) it's musically interesting. In some cases with each mention of a particular musician there's something musical to represent them, ie electric sitar during Ravi Shankar's name or a trumpet riff during Hugh Masekella's mention.  The whole track is carried around by a raga guitar lick mixed with some horns that have a slightly "pop" music feel, being neither jazzy nor r&b and then some sawing cello/violin comes in to add an even freakier effect. 

"Ain't That So" is an interesting number. It's an almost polar opposite of the A-side. Kicking off with a Dave Clarke Five style drum roll it reminds me a bit of "We're Not What We Appear To Be" with it's fuzz guitar and lyrical message of "freedom for youth" ("you stick to your scene baby, we got our own"). Regardless of it's "message" I really dig it, it's repetitive chorus grows on you!

"And may the baby Jesus shut your mouth and open your mind": Burdon mixes psychedelia with evangelism.

Both sides are available on an extensive five CD retrospective "When I Was Young: The MGM Years 1967-1968". 

Hear "Monterey":

https://youtu.be/WJoqfOmfRhE

 Hear "Ain't That So":

https://youtu.be/3gesfCIU4gk

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Sounds Nice

 

SOUNDS NICE-Love At First Sight/Love You Too US Rare Earth R 5008 1969

I have always disliked Serge Gainsourg and Jane Birkin's "Je T'Aime Mon Non Plus", I'm not a prude but it's gross to my ears. Just the idea of that scruffy tramp Gainsbourg being intimate with anyone, let alone on record, real or faked is just enough to make me lose my lunch. That said I always liked the melody of the tune. 

Then along came Sounds Nice, a U.K. easy listening instrumental venture that was the brainchild of Decca A&R man Tony Hall comprising of arranger/producer Paul Buckmaster and organist Tim Mycroft. They covered "Je T'Aime.." as "Love At First Sight" at the suggestion of Hall who heard the original in France (it was notoriously banned upon it's June '69 release in Britain). Issued here in the U.S. on Motown's predominantly rock n' roll off shoot Rare Earth in September 1969 it failed to make any ripples in the US despite charting in the U.K. (strangely it was issued here a month before it was in Britain). Wrapped in swirling organ accompanied by lush orchestration, "Love at First Sight" is the encapsulation of kitsch easy listening, but the funky organ and bass/drums really swing. Legend has it the band's name came from Paul McCartney's comment when Tony Hall played the newly completed project for him. 

The flip "Love You Too" is a quaint B-3 led instrumental with sophisticated strings and congas that would not be at all out of place on Roy Budd's "Get Carter" soundtrack.

Both tracks are available on the sole Sounds Nice LP "Love At First Sight" on Rare Earth ( See photo above) that's chock full of groovy Hammond instrumentals like the brilliant reading of the Beatle's "Flying" and a total Swinging London Hammond groover "Continental Exchange" that would have made an amazing 45! It's fairly easy to find and relatively inexpensive. 

Hear "Love At First Sight":

https://youtu.be/3RQ-dZ7c8w0

Hear "Love You Too":

https://youtu.be/YszkSf3phpg

The Sound of '67: The Pink Floyd's Debut

 

THE PINK FLOYD-Arnold Layne/Candy And A Currant Bun U.K. Columbia DB 8156 1967

On Sunday January 27th of 1967 Princeton, New Jersey born and bred (local boy makes good!) producer and former Elektra records U.K. A&R man Joe Boyd was in Sound Techniques studios with his new findings a London based four piece called The Pink Floyd.  Boyd had previously left Elektra after offering them The Move, Tomorrow and The Pink Floyd. After three resounding replies of "No!" from his label boss Jac Holzman back in America he decided to resign and start his own production company and immediately sought out British bands to record. He had worked with the Pink Floyd earlier that month cutting an alternate version of "Interstellar Overdrive" and "Nick's Boogie" for Peter Whitehead's film "Tonight Let's All Make Love In London" (these tracks would not be officially released in their entirety until 1991). 

The end results of the session on January 27th yielded a finished product of two recordings, "Arnold Layne" and "Candy And A Currant Bun", both band originals penned by the ir lead singer/guitarist Syd Barrett. The band's managers Peter Jenner and Andrew King (aka Blackhill Enterprises) shopped these tracks around as a demo. After a back and forth with Polydor and EMI the band ultimately went with EMI who signed them to their Columbia outlet. In an unusual move EMI chose to release the finished product as their debut single rather than re-record it with their usual staff production crew (standard label policy at the time allegedly). The downside was that EMI artists were only allowed to be recorded by EMI staff at their Abbey Road studios which unfortunately meant that out intrepid hero Joe Boyd's production assistance was no longer required. One can't help but wonder what a Boyd produced version of the band's debut LP "Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" might have sounded like. 

"Arnold Layne", a cautionary tale of a cross dressing man who steals women's unmentionables off of their laundry lines late at night has grown into legend. Roger Waters and several associates of the band maintain that "Arnold" was based on a real life individual in Cambridge, where the band were from. Syd himself mused "Arnold Layne happens to dig dressing up in women's clothing. A lot of people do so let's face up to reality" (Melody Maker April 1, 1967). Though the not banned by the BBC (it rose to a respectable # 20 in the U.K.) it was banned by those intrepid underdog's at Pirate Radio's Radio London (who's financial backers were decidedly unhip). The band filmed a black and white promo film for "Arnold" in February 1967 at the seaside in East Wittering, West Sussex utilizing a variety of masks and a tailor's dummy.

"Arnold Layne" was and is like nothing else in the charts in March 1967 when it was released. Though The Beatles' "Penny Lane"/"Strawberry Fields" was certainly pretty way out the rest was the likes of Petula Clark, Engelbert  Humperdinck, Vince Hill etc. Chart contemporaries aside "Arnold's" strength is in it's freaky Farisa organ solo care of Rick Wright and Syd Barrett's unique lyrics. Syd's vocal delivery sounds almost disinterested at times.

The flip "Candy And A Currant Bun" (originally titled "Let's Roll Another One") is far more freaky. With it's high pitched backing vocals accented on the end word of each verse and distorted guitar intro it's clearly going to be something way out. The guitar/keyboard solos are full on freakouts and possibly the closest a Pink Floyd 60's single got to replicating the experimental madness that their live gigs were known for. Wright's Farfisa noodling sits perfectly with Barrett's feedback and Zippo on Fender Esquire guitar technique. Contrary to what you may read on the Internet (YouTube in particular) there are no recordings of the number as "Let's Roll Another One" and anything you hear are clever fakes at best.

Both sides are available in a host of places, most recently the "1965-1967 Cambridge St/ation (sic)" collection and the similar "Pink Floyd-The Early Years 1967-1972" collection. 

Hear "Arnold Layne":

https://youtu.be/H3DGpINHX5Q

Hear "Candy And A Currant Bun":

https://youtu.be/MboUz0fJb6w

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Cops N' Robbers

COPS' N ROBBERS-St. James Infirmary/There's  Gotta Be A Reason US Parrot 45-PAR- 9716 1964

Watford, England's r&b quintet Cops N' Robbers issued just three 45's in the U.K., their debut November 1964's "St. James Infirmary" b/w "There's Gotta Be A Reason" was launched as Decca F 12019. It was simultaneously released in the States on Decca's U.S. offshoot Parrot (behind releases by Lulu, The Zombies and Billy Fury and a host of other "British Invasion" acts).

"There's Gotta Be A Reason" was my introduction to the band, appearing on a the second volume of the German various artists album series "Broken Dreams: The Hopes And Glories Of British Rock 1963-1969", while it's flip "St. James Infirmary" soon came on my radar via See For Mile's "Sixties Lost And Found Volume Three" compilation LP. 

Cops N' Robbers live 1965 at The Studio Jazz Club, Westcliffe-On-Sea, Essex

Pic by John Ricks c/o Sam Knee

"St. James Infirmary", a blues tune dating back to the 1920's was covered by a host of British 60's r&b bands but Cops N' Robbers take the prize for the first band of the genre to record it for a release (it was later covered by The Graham Bond Organization, Georgie Fame and Eric Burdon & The Animals, to name a few). I've never been a huge fan of the track, but Cops N' Robbers give it a go with just simple organ and some baleful singing. There's a harmonica solo, but my brain keeps playing Dick Heckstall Smith's amazing sax solo on The before mentioned G.B.O. version in it's place!

Then there's the flip side, "There's Gotta Be A Reason", which to my ears is the far superior of the two tracks and would have made a far stronger A -side. Driven by a monotonous yet catchy, slow riff it's filled up nicely by some combo organ trills reminiscent of Alan price on those early Animals records and cool call and response backing vocals. The lead vocalist sounds almost snotty and detached which to my ears just oozes cool.  

Neither side has seen a reissue in a really long time, with "There's Gotta Be A Reason" popping up on Decca/Deram's excellent "The R&B Scene"comp in the late 90's (and a vinyl only reissue a few years ago). There was an unauthorized Cops N' Robbers LP/CD collection put out by a certain dodgy label in Pennsylvania in the late 90's but we don't condone bootlegs.

Hear "St. James Infirmary":

https://youtu.be/mpODSj-WDxs

Hear "There's Gotta Be A Reason":

https://youtu.be/6QT2Py2WvB4

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

1. GRAHAM GOULDMAN-"The Impossible Years" RCA Victor 47-453 1968

As a member of The Mockingbirds and author of a multitude of hits for The Hollies, The Yardbirds, Herman's Hermits etc, Graham Gouldman  had quite a high profile in the 60's. In 1968 RCA Victor issued an LP in the U.S. of his versions of his own material (several of the tracks previously recorded by other artists). Two U.S. only singles were issued from the LP, the first of which was this number, previously recorded/released in the U.K. by Wayne Fontana. Gouldman's version is far superior in my mind due in no small part to the lush orchestration/woodwinds beautifully arranged by John Paul Jones. Though Peter Noone is given production credits Gouldman asserts that Noone was never seen during the recordings.

https://youtu.be/ZqUvi3IBLcQ

2. JAMIE POWER-"Love's Gonna Go" Jamie 1307 1966

This was the B-side of U.K. r&b performer Duffy Power's second U.S. single for the Jamie label under the curious moniker of "Jamie Power" (the topside was a fairly mundane version of "There's No Living Without Your Loving", previously cut by Manfred Mann). "Love's Gonna Go" is a moody r&b ballad with some bluesy guitar, mild instrumental backing, a harmonica solo and Duffy's powerful blues belter of a voice. Strangely it was also used a the B-side to it's U.S. predecessor "She Don't Know" (Jamie 1299 1965).

https://youtu.be/8KB5lZQv2vw

3. THE IN-BE-TWEEN-"Security" Highland 1173 1966

Possibly one of the rarest and most sought after U.S. singles by an obscure U.K. group is this 45 by The In Between's (credited here as "The In-Be-Tween") who of course later became Ambrose Slade and then finally Slade. Their frantic, evisceration of Otis Redding's "Security" is pure full on freakbeat as the band plow through through it with their Black Country soul cover band beat gusto. Though uncredited on the label the record was produced by Kim Fowley. 

https://youtu.be/nkO7J1fwtJw

4. SMALL FACES-"Mad John" Immediate ZS7 5012 1968

Immediate records issued this U.S. 45 (it was also released in Canada and Australia) coupling two tracks from the band's "Ogden's Nut Gone Flake" LP (the B-side was "The Journey").  Both tracks are slightly edited with Stanley Unwin's narration removed from them. "Mad John" actually contains a longer musical passage at the end with Marriott's almost Celtic "aye diddley aye die die" repeated twice instead of once like the LP version.

https://youtu.be/zo9TMeI3Gp0

5. GEORGIE FAME-"Last Night" Imperial 66299 1968

Attempting to capitalize on Georgie Fame's sudden U.S. success with "The Ballad Of Bonnie And Clyde" on Epic records, his previous U.S. label Imperial pushed out this curious single containing an edited LP track (shortened by almost three minutes), a cover of The Mar-Key's  instrumental "Last Night" as an A-side. Curiously the edited mix had previously been utilized by the label as a B-side to their 1966 pressing of "Sitting In The Park" (Imperial 66220 December 1966). The edit retains the segment where the band launch into a few bars of The Rolling Stone's "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and fades out prior to their going into snatches of Martha and The Vandella's "Nowhere To Run".

https://youtu.be/SUGCJLW2_qI

6. THE GROUNDHOGS-"Shake It" Interphon IN-7715 1965

Rock lore has it that British late 60's blues monoliths  The Groundhogs secured this U.S. only release thanks to intervention from the man himself John Lee Hooker, who they had backed on a U.K. tour. Regardless whether that's true or not "Shake It" is a frantic slice of primordial British r&b: wailing harmonica, bluesy "Baby Please Don't Go" style licks and driving Nicky Hopkin's style stride piano, a far cry from their later heavy monolithic blues.

https://youtu.be/LVktktxyKDY

7. HERBIE'S PEOPLE-"Semi Detached Suburban Mr. Jones" Okeh 4-7265 1966

Okeh launched this U.S. only cover of the Carter/Stevens tale of marital jealousy exactly at the same time that Manfred Mann's version was being released in the States on Mercury. Interestingly Herbie's People retained the original title while Manfred Mann changed the "Jones" to "James" so as not to sound like a kiss off to their recently departed lead singer Paul Jones. Though lacking the charm (and Mellotron) of the Manfred's version this one gets plaudits for it's effort.

https://youtu.be/bDr-a-fAoN8

8. FARON'S FLAMINGOS-"Let's Stomp" Columbia 4-43018 1964

Liverpool's Faron's Flamingos, like The Big Three were known as  "musician's musicians" and though their vinyl output was slim (just two singles in the U.K.) they were swept up in the A&R man blitz of Merseybeat and afforded one single in the U.S. (split with Rory Storm and The Hurricanes). Their version of Bobby Comstock's "Let's Stomp" is pure adrenaline acting as father/mother and midwife to The Sweet's "Ballroom Blitz" and later, The Milkshakes.

 https://youtu.be/1Tr--RyoSkM

9. PETER BEST-"I Wanna Be There" Original Beatles Drummer Best-800 1965

This is one of the many Pete Best 45's issued in the United States after Best and his  group were brought to NYC in 1965 by producer Bob Gallo (he also shipped The Undertakers over at the same time). "I Wanna Be There" is an almost soul tune of sorts, though the vocals are a bit rough by vocalist/bassist Wayne Bickerton (Pete Best was merely the drummer and sang on none of the New York recorded Gallo releases) but it's still a decent tune and shows promise. Bickerton and his then band mate Tony Waddington (guitar) would later go on to cut the track with the U.K. based South Carolina female soul trio The Flirtations for Deram released on both sides of the Atlantic in different configurations. Gallo shares writing credits on the label with Waddington though all Flirtations versions of it bear the Bickerton/Waddington song writing credits.

https://youtu.be/tUKGGfmClBc

10. .THE MOVE-"Yellow Rainbow" A&M 966 1968

A&M had been the outlet for all of the Move's U.K. Regal Zonophone singles ("Flowers In The Rain" and "Fire Brigade"). They did however pass on the band's debut untitled LP for a U.S. release but curiously chose "Yellow Rainbow", an LP track as their next U.S. single issued in August of 1968. "Something" was the B-side, which would wind up as the flip of the band's November U.K. single "Blackberry Way" (reused again in February '69 for the U.S. pressing of "Blackberry.."!!). "Yellow Rainbow" is an apocalyptic vision sung by the band's rhythm guitarist Trevor Burton full of backwards bits and thundering bass care of in house glamor boy Christopher "Ace" Kefford. It was not issued anywhere else as a single.

https://youtu.be/doDzdxAs0OU