Jeff Beck Flies Solo

JEFF BECK-Hi Ho Silver Lining/Beck's Bollero U.K. Columbia DB 8151 1967

I find it interesting that upon leaving The Yardbirds in November 1966 (after a brief period where the band was graced with both Beck AND Jimmy Page) Jeff Beck was scooped up as a solo performer by Micky Most who sought to groom him as a pop star. It is somewhat ironic that he would soon attempt the same on the Yardbirds flagging U.K. career less than a year later.

In March 1967 the U.K. was treated to the debut "solo" single by Jeff Beck "Hi Ho Silver Lining" (simultaneously a version by The Attack was issued on Decca F.12578).  It's an interesting departure because, well it's a pop song with orchestration, not something you'd expect from an Elmore James disciple!!  It works, not because of Beck's semi flat vocals but from the orchestration and his nifty little trademark distorted solo.  The flip is the stuff of legends.  Recorded while Beck was still a Yardbird it's an adaptation of Ravel's classical piece "Bolero" with Jimmy page on guitar, John Paul Jones on bass, Nicky Hopkins on piano and Keith Moon on drums.  While it was no secret that Moon was on drums his presence was kept under wraps as he was under contractual obligations to Robert Stigwood's Reaction label as a member of The Who at the time.  The number is one of those crystalized moments of Sixtie's brilliance where what starts off as just a few players having a laugh in the studio becomes legendary when the product is delivered.  Everyone involved gets their chance to shine and Moon goes absolutely batsh*t during the "rave up". "Hi Ho Silver Lining" gave Beck his first Top Ten "solo" hit and the flip was a precursor to many more "superstar" arrangements, namely The Jeff Beck Group, formed less than a year later.

Jeff Beck, scooterboy?

Both sides were collected on his CD collection "Shape of Things: 60's Groups & Sessions".

Scotland's Jam?!

THE JOLT-I Can't Wait/ Route 66 U.K. Polydor 2059 039 1978

The Jolt were often touted as "Glasgow's Jam".  And why not?  They were a spunky/power-punky three piece on Polydor (the same as the Jam), they wore matching suits, were "mod"/60's influenced, produced by the Jam's first producer Chris Parry AND their second producer Vic Smith (later to become Vic Coppersmith-Heaven).  The difference?  The Jolt did not have a Paul Weller figure to write two and a half minute angst ridden 45 rpm barrages and the U.K. was ready for two 3 pieces "J" bands on Polydor in suits embracing the 60's.

That said The Jolt (Robbie Collins-vocals/guitar, Jim Doaks-bass and Ian Shedden-drums) released some pretty good records. Their debut 45 ("All I Can Do"/"You're Cold") was more akin to early Buzzcocks than The Jam in my estimation. This was their third 45 (the second one being an amphetamine fueled swipe at "Whatcha Gonna do About It" ).  "I Can't Wait" is a great slice of teenage power pop with a stiff driving beat, slashing guitars and throby bass.  Vocally Robbie Collins reminded me a lot of 999's Nick Cash and this number is proof enough for me.  The flip is a 100 mph speed freak version of the standard "Route 66", slightly uninspired but not bad either.

Shortly after this single the band added a fourth member and at the height of the '79 mod "revival" issued an E.P. in June called "Maybe Tonight" that featured a then unreleased Paul Weller composition called "See Saw". The band broke up soon thereafter with drummer Ian Sheddon joining the mod band The Small Hours (who he'd been gigging with) full time.

Both tracks are available on the CD reissue of their sole LP on the Captain Mod label which also adds all of their other non-LP tracks.


Hear "I Can't Wait":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4RwPSYsy9s

Dreadful Singles By Otherwise Decent Bands Part One........

THE MIRAGE-Mystery Lady/Chicago Cottage Belgium Page One POF 078 1968

A Mirage by any other name.........

Cool Foreign E.P.'s: Part Twenty Two

THE ANIMALS-It's My Life/I Believe To My Soul/I'm Gonna Change Te World/Let The Good Times Roll France Columbia ERSF 1717 1965

Dexy's Midnight Runners

Before "Come On Eileen" was consumed by the masses here in the States and became the "Celebration" or "We Are Family" of white trash weddings everywhere or a drunken karaoke standard for stupid white girls to screech along with Dexy's were nothing to mess with.  This, my friends is the Dexy's Midnight Runners I fell in love with as a teenage mod in Bumf*ck, New Jersey in 1981. I give you from the well documented "Projected Passion Revue",  Dexy's Midnight Runners at their best:

The 10 Greatest 60's British Psychedelic Records

Scan c/o http://www.45cat.com/

1. THE FACTORY-Path Through the Forest U.K. MGM 1444 October 1968

An insane aural lysergic mind warp with disembodied vocals fed through an effect that make them sound like a clinical trip guide while the drums and guitar lay down a metronome of wigginess in the background.  The lyrics come straight from the pen of the enlightened:

"you've got to slow down now or you'll go cold..."

"shadows confuse you and silence is loud, you're reaching for the light you're losing sight..."

Hear It On:
"Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts From The British Empire And Beyond" Box Set
"Chocolate Soup For Diabetics Volume III"

Scan c/o http://www.45cat.com/

2. DANTALIAN'S CHARIOT-The Madman Running Through The Fields U.K. Columbia DB 8260 September 1967

Zoot Money and Andy Somers (Summers) ditch soulful Hammond n' horns mod r&b, drop acid and reinvent themselves. Get the full story from "Anorak Thing" October 1, 2009.

Hear It On:

"Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts From The British Empire And Beyond" Box Set

"Rubble Volume 8:All The Colours Of Darkness"

"Chocolate Soup For Diabetics Volume I"

Scan c/o http://www.45cat.com/

3. KALEIDOSCOPE-"Flight From Ashiya" U.K. Fontana TF 863 September 1967

A psychedelic childlike picture book story by way of a jangling/reverberating song about a plane crash written under the influence of cheap Spanish red wine by four guys who claimed to not have imbibed in hallucinogens!

Hear It On:

"Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts From The British Empire And Beyond" Box Set

"Rubble 4: The 49 Minute Technicolour Dream"

Kaleidoscope-"Tangerine Dream" LP/CD

4. THE PINK FLOYD-"See Emily Play" U.K. Columbia DB 8214 June 1967

Syd Barrett and Co.'s second single commemorating a young lady among the bright young things/junior socialite set that flocked to early Floyd gigs at the U.F.O. and the Roundhouse, "Emily" is pop psychedelia encapsulated, sonically way out enough for the freaks but short and sweet enough for the radio. It earned them a well deserved U.K. #6.

Hear It On:

The Pink Floyd-"Relics"

Syd Barrett/The Pink Floyd-"An Introduction To Syd Barrett"

The Pink Floyd-"1967 The First Three Singles"

Scan c/o http://www.45cat.com/

5. CALEB-"Baby Your Phrasing Is Bad" U.K. Phillips BF 1588 June 1967

Set phasers and phlangers to full freak out!  Get the scoop in the "Anorak Thing" October 26, 2010 entry.

Hear It On:

"Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts From The British Empire And Beyond" Box Set

"Rubble Volume Four:The 49 Minute Technicolour Dream"

"Chocolate Soup For Diabetics Volume Five"

Scan c/o http://www.45cat.com/

6. TINTERN ABBEY-"Beeside" U.K. Deram DM 164 November 1967

The mother of all British psychedelic 45 rpm artifacts and sole commercial offering by this legendary quartet.  Get more musings on this platter by checking out "Anorak Thing" October 28, 2009.

Hear It On:
"Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts From The British Empire And Beyond" Box Set
"Rubble Volume 12:Staircase to Nowhere"
"Decca Originals-The Psychedelic Scene"

Scan c/o http://www.45cat.com/

7. ONE IN A MILLION-"Fredereek Hernando" U.K. MGM MGM 1370 December 1967

The brilliant debut and one of two amazing singles by a band that provided a perfect example of when the freakbeat producing mods embraced psychedelia.  "Fredereek Hernando" is a glorious cacophony of phasing (aka "sky-ing"), varispeed instruments, searing guitar, harmonies and tells the tale of a funeral.  Psychedelia was not all gnomes, freeing your mind and flowers.

Hear It On:

"Chocolate Soup For Diabetics Volume One"

Scan c/o http://www.45cat.com/

8. THE END-"Shades Of Orange" U.K. Decca F 22750 March 1968

Protege's of Rolling Stones Bill Wyman, The End went from beat to mod/r&b and donned the kaftan's and got freaky after a lengthy sojourn in Spain with help from Wyman and pal Will Gosling (who played in a band called Moon's Train who made the similar "mod/r&b to psych" jump).  Wyman's production is amazing and makes one wonder what the 1967 Stones would've sounded like if they'd let him have a crack at it!  Oh and I'm sure you're sick of hearing this, but Charlie Watts taps the tabla on this.

Hear It On:

"Decca Originals-The Psychedelic Scene"

The End-"Introspection" LP/CD

"Rubble Volume 6: The Clouds Have Groovy Faces"

Scan c/o http://www.45cat.com/

9. THE 23RD TURNOFF-"Michael Angelo" U.K. Deram DM 150 September 1967

Formed from the Scouse beat/freakbeat combo The Kirkby's (responsible for the magnificent fuzz/garage number "It's A Crime") the 23rd Turnoff were named after a Liverpool exit on the M1 and issued just this one single.  An archetype "sophisticated" British 60's psych record it boasts a masterful production mix of organ, horns, melotron and baroque arrangements over a lyrical lamentation about, one would assume, Michelangelo.

"why should it be that a man such as me who cares not for money and fame shouldn't be rich with god's natural gifts to have something to show at the end of life's game..."

Hear It On:

"Rubble Volume 12:The Staircase To Nowhere"

"Decca Originals:The Psychedelic Scene"

The 23rd Turnoff-"The Dreams Of Michelangelo"

10. TOMORROW-"My White Bicycle" U.K. Parlophone R 5597 April 1967

Ex-mod's The In Crowd ditch plaid shirts and ice cream jackets for velvet flares and bells and become Tomorrow and write a homage to the Dutch provos fave mode of transportation with loads of psychedelic studio effects to take them into the charts.  Catch up on the full length synopsis over at "Anorak Thing" August 5, 2010.

Hear It On:

"Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts From The British Empire And Beyond" Box Set
Tomorrow-"Tomorrow" LP/CD
"Psychedelia At Abbey Road"

NOTE:
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We here at "Anorak Thing" do not condone, suggest or support the use of hallucinogenics and other so called "mind expanding" drugs that interfere with original aural pleasures intended by the above sounds.

Cool Foreign E.P.'s Part Twenty One:Chris Farlowe

CHRIS FARLOWE-Out Of Time/Baby Make It Soon/Think/Don't Just Look At Me E.P. Holland Stateside/Immediate HSE 2011 1967