Some Cool 60's Euro Francoise Hardy Picture Sleeves!

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The Roulettes Fini

THE ROULETTES-Help Me To Help Myself/To A Taxi Driver U.K. Fontana TF 876 1967

The Roulettes were one of those bands who sadly never had the hits they deserved.  When the changing tide on the British music scene occurred in '66 or so even the beat groups with hits  weren't able to adapt (exceptions being of course, The Beatles and The Hollies).  They sadly wasted away on the panto circuit with Adam Faith (with whom they had a dual career backing on recordings until late '65 and still accompanying him onstage after). Members Russ Ballad (guitar) and Bob Henrit (drums) were part time members of Unit 4 + 2 (becoming full time members after this single's failure). By the end of 1966 The Roulettes ended their 8 single stretch on EMI's Parlophone without a hit to their credit.  They signed with Fontana in early '67 and released "Rhyme Boy Rhyme" b/w "Airport People" (TF 822) in April of 1967.  It sank without a notice.

In October they released what would be their last 45. Unlike the un-spectacular, innocuous pop sounds of their preceding Fontana 45 this one actually sounded "with it". "Help Me To Help Myself" sounds very much like the Unit 4 + 2 and their penchant for harmonies on their '66-'68 material. The number starts with some trippy period phlanged piano and is carried by some subtle muted trumpet (straight out of some mid 60's U.K. TV show and culminating with a solo accompanied by some guys impersonating a trumpet by humming)) and the band's precise poppy harmony vocals.  It's a great departure from their beat sounds and an improvement on their M.O.R. pop of the preceding Fontana 45.

"To A Taxi Driver" is sadly not as exciting, it's okay but more of a mid tempo mundane exercise. Written by Unit 4 + 2's Tommy Moeller and Brian Parker (interestingly their previous single had a B-side called "Airport People" as mentioned earlier, were they on a "public transport" song kick?).  It's got these muted trumpets that sound like something you'd hear on a Les Reed score and has this lazy Ray Davies '67 B-side feel punctuated by these backing vocals that periodically chant "Taxi driver!" multiple times.

"Help Me to Help Myself" was comped on Psychic Circle's "Fairytales Can Come True Volume 1" (the best of the series on my book), whilst "To A Taxi Driver" is still unreissued to my knowledge.

Hear "Help Me To Help Myself":

http://youtu.be/ME5FDSl_cNg

Personal Situations: My Road With The Jam 1979-1982

I recently got around to collecting a book on The Jam called  "Thick As Thieves: Personal Situations With The Jam" which is a fans eye view of the band via personal recollections, photos, memorabilia etc . Reading the impressions of others got the gears in my teeny brain moving and I decided to put mine down in print.

The Jam story for me began in Autumn 1979 when a new kid arrived at school in my 8th grade class.  We became friendly and the first time I went to his house his room was covered floor to ceiling with photos and clippings and posters of all sorts of bands.  Among them was a color photo of three guys in Union Jack suit jackets standing defiantly. One of them had granny glasses like Roger McGuinn. Now I had liked 60's music (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Herman's Hermits, The Monkees, The Animals, The Byrds, The Searchers etc) since 4th grade and was pretty much a devout musical Anglophile.  These guys were clearly British.  They were called The Jam. My friend, it would transpire, had never heard of them but got the picture from a magazine of full page photos of "punk rock" bands (the reverse side of the photo were four rough looking chicks called The Runaways). Years later he gave me the famous picture which I have to this day, full of staple holes from his wall and masking tape residue from mine (see a scan of it below). Next, if I recall correctly I bought an issue of a rock n' roll magazine called "Creem" with my then faves The Knack on the cover.  Inside were articles on The Jam AND another band I'd heard on TV (via "Saturday Night Live") The Specials.

I would not hear The Jam until July, 11, 1980 when they performed "Start" and "Private Hell" (which in the "keep the TV volume low so as not to disturb my sleeping parents" atmosphere thought they were singing "I'm In Hell") on ABC TV's legendary sketch comedy show "Fridays" (check it out here) . Powerful. Paul Weller wore dark green tinted round glasses and thrashed a Rickenbacker, chosen guitar of heroes The Beatles, The Byrds, etc. Sure the bassist looked like David Cassidy but the drummer was mean looking and had the highest hairline I'd ever seen. Countless times I'd bring his pic to the barber who'd tell me "Be thankful you'd don't have such a high hairline like him because he'll be bald before long". They moved around the stage, not staying still for a second.  In my life I'd hear the occasional lack luster Jam live performance.  This was not one of them. Weller and Foxton's vocals were tight and the band's playing was like a well oiled machine.  The following day I bought "Setting Sons". My parents had painted my room that day and to this day I can't listen to that album without thinking of being 13 and in that dark, feverishly hot room overcome by paint fumes, fascinated by what I'd heard. I found a huge Jam badge(see below) at a local t-shirt/badge/head shop and got a t-shirt of them (a horrible red print of three frames of barely discernible figures with "The Jam" in black stencil over the top of the muddy images).  My next Jam t-shirt was better, the three cartoon faces knotted together by their ties from the label of the "This Is The Modern World" LP label. Soon I'd have dozens of Jam badges, and patches (which I still have, preserved in a box in my dresser like some family heirloom or religious relics). The next thing I tracked down by The Jam was their LP "Sound Affects" which here in the States came with a freebie white label promo of "Going Underground" b/w "The Dreams Of Children". Which suited me just fine as I'd been knocked over the moon having seen the video for "Underground" on a short lived half hour music video show hosted  by the late Bob Welch called "Hollywood Heartbeat" (I kid you not!). Soon thereafter I acquired a cut out (top right corner missing) US pressing of "All Mod Cons".  I had to wait till the Summer of 1981 to go to the U.K. to purchase a double gatefold LP of "In The City" and "This Is The Modern World". I was Jam mad.  More great singles, "Funeral Pyre" (first heard live on NBC TV's late night talk show "The Tomorrow Show" (see it here) where they'd also done a funky version of "Pretty Green" where Weller added bits of Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" and "Funeral Pyre" (with the end credits rolling over them). Then in early 1982 I bought a 12" E.P. with a live track titled "A Town Called Malice" and on the flip a drawn out disco jam called "Precious".  I was very confused.  For the first time in my life I'd heard a Jam record I didn't like and couldn't understand.  When "The Gift" came out the dilemma continued. 

 

The Jam, from my view, live at The Trenton War Memorial, May 1982

Lucky for my 15 year old self The Jam were playing an all ages gig at a concert hall in my great state capital Trenton, NJ.  My dad dropped my pal Rudie and I off at the Trenton War Memorial for the gig (large theater where they usually have symphonies, ballets, plays, ack!!) early (though not early enough to have caught their soundcheck). We wandered in (doors wide open, no one on them) and had evidently just missed The Jam's soundcheck. We made our way down this long hall towards the backstage area (as evidenced by all the industry suits in out of date clothes scarfing up buffet food) and a large West Indian man (who we later learned was "security") stopped us and said we weren't allowed beyond the area without a pass. We protested a bit and frustrated his patience. Along came this solid older rough looking fella with a graying quiff and Jam t-shirt. He nodded to the large gent and put his hands on our shoulders and introduced himself as Paul's dad and the band's manager. He asked if we'd be "good lads and hang out by the side exit door and maybe I'll see if I can get the lads out for an autograph, I can't have you back here, Bruce is in his underpants and I've got 50 c*nts from Polydor around" (said well in earshot of them!). We hesitated a bit then he said something like "C'mon be good lads and help me out" shook both our hands, said enjoy the show (after asking if we had tickets, which we did) and off we went. We never met The Jam but did notice Rick Buckler walk off the bus through the side door, we were too shocked to speak to him, both because we were star struck and at 15 years old taller than him AND he had this funky Devo t-shirt on! He looked at us and understood and grinned and nodded and said "How ya doin' lads?" (or "Alright then?"). Paul's dad did not introduce the band the night as we had expected, we were instead "treated" to an intro by a late night cable TV music show host who's name I forget (who was later bludgeoned to death Bob Crane style...) and they kicked off with "Running On The Spot".  I was deaf for two days after, seriously, I heard a high pitched whine for the first day at least, that's how loud The Jam were in the second row (we were in like row 15 and having noticed empty seats up front, grabbed them and no one cottoned to what we'd done)!  I used to have a scrap of notebook paper that I'd diligently copied their set list down on, but that's sadly lost to time, but they played a great, tight, well executed set.  Bruce played an acoustic guitar on "That's Entertainment", Paul played about 6 different Rickenbackers and a Telecaster on "Precious".  They did most of the tracks from "The Gift" and I remember a rousing "David Watts" with Bruce clapping his hands held aloft working the audience into a participation frenzy.  I'm sure there's a set list online someplace (actually the whole gig can be heard here).  I have a few pics that a friend of a friend took from the gig but I don't want to step on his toes by publishing them here without his consent.

 

My first Jam badge, placed on a Levi's jacket for scale reference.

Sadly the end came a bit too soon for my liking but in retrospect I was guilty of blind devotion to later Jam era things that now don't gel well with me.  We've trod that road already earlier here. But I will have to say that I never followed a band like The Jam.  I bought every record I saw by them (when I could afford to).  When Polydor reissued their 45's I traded all of my 60's Stones LP's for the lot when a friend offered the deal (those Stones LP's were beat to shit, I'll never know why he did that, generosity I guess). True I became an even bigger fan of The Small Faces and The Action, but The Jam were the last contemporary band I really followed like a sports team or a religion.  I'm glad they were around for me and though I don't listen to them with the intensity that I once did, they still have a place and their music is still, for the most part, enjoyable and relevant to me.

"Oh No Just Another Teenage Jam Fan": the author at home 1983

Mod Cash-in?:The Incas

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

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

THE INCAS-One Night Stand/I'll Keep Holding On  U.K. Parlophone R 5551 1966

It's mystery time boys and girls.  I haven't a clue who these guys were, what their story was or how it was that a (presumably) British band covered a track each by two (then) current mod heroes The Small Faces and The Action on one 45.  This post also marks one of those instances where I'm writing about a 45 I never owned with scans borrowed from the coolest record website in the world (whom I regularliy contribute scans to). 

I first heard The Incas version of The Small Face's debut LP cut "One Night Stand" many years ago on a CD comp of dubious sources (but high quality nonetheless) called "Rare Beat Tracks Volume ?".  I found them in my handy "Record Collector" price guide and saw that the A-side was a tune called "I'll Keep Holding On".  What were the odds it was The Marvelettes/Action tune?  A few days ago a friend passed me Volume 14 of an even more dubious CD comp series called "Beat Club" (down loadable from a certain website that we neither condone nor publicize).  Contained within said disc was The Incas doing "I'll Keep Holding On".  It was indeed The Action tune, I call it that because it's a note for note carbon copy of The Action's interpretation of the Marvelettes number. It was released on the same label as the Action, 11 months after their version.  Neither version are bad, of course neither can compare to The Small Faces or Action tracks but I find it amazing that someone chose to cover a track a piece from each and issue it.  Was it a deliberate attempt at a "mod" cash in?  Was it the band's idea?  Or producer Mike Berry's? (Berry was certainly never one to play a part in a good old "studio only" band, in fact he did so later with The Shepperton Flames, which you can read about here).  If any of you readers out there can solve this mystery we'd certainly like to hear!

Hear "I'll Keep Holding On":

http://youtu.be/EKjiOu-8upw

Hear "One Night Stand":

http://youtu.be/WxrxUXNVdfU

ADDENDUM:
Reader Steve scarf wrote in and said:
"Hi.

 

The Incas were a popular local band in Scarborough, Yorkshire, UK. Same town and same time at which Allan Palmer was singer with a local band called The Mandrakes. A few years later Allan Palmer became Robert Palmer and the rest, as they say, is history

 

Signed by a London agent in 1966 The Incas had their shot at fame a few years before Palmer.

 

I think only three of them took the leap and went to London.

Chris Bagnall, vocals, Bob Woodyatt and Bri Thompson on guitars.

 

After spending eight or nine moths in London and releasing one single they returned to Scarborough.

 

Chris and Bri are no longer with us but Bob Woodyatt is still playing locally to this day.

 

Best regards,"

Can You See The Real Me Before I Get Tired And Old:The Who Live

The Who "Quadrophenia" live at Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey 2/22/13

I had struggled with going to see The Who's several month long U.S. tour of their "Quadrophenia" LP since it was first announced and I got a gander at the ticket prices.  I mused that I'd rather spend the money on the Action book (which was actually more than an individual ticket for the gig we attended).  The price seemed outrageous, the possibility that they were "tired" and "played out" seemed equally possible, I hate the atmosphere of "stadium rock" (especially the corny sing alongs and proles who carry on like it's a religious rite) and none of these prospects filled me with enthusiasm. Reviews from people I knew varied.  The sheep all loved it, my hardcore Who fan pals, were more cautious (by the way Johnny Bluesman I'm still waiting for that phone call on how the gig was before we committed to buying tickets!). Luckily they were playing so many dates that my malaise, indifference and downright laziness did not get in the way of date availability (they'd played on the East Coast in November already and were back again) and my thoughtful wife dutifully scored us tickets for a date in Atlantic City , NJ, the East Coast answer to Las Vegas. Like Las Vegas it's the biggest gathering point of douche bags and ill mannered sorts and a perfect place for a late night sweep to cleanse the nation of it's worst citizens in one fell swoop (vote for ME!). My wife summed our seats up perfectly: "they're not in the nosebleed section but we're not at the front of the stage either".  Thanks to the two jumbo tron monitors to the left and right of the stage we got a perfect view of Roger's abs and Pete's almost complete metamorphosis into Donald Pleasance and the sound was perfect and so was the view. We settled into our seats to the left side of the stage. Dead ahead of us was the soundboard. With the sound crew I noticed a hardcase looking bald man in a black crew neck and was staring at him as he looked really familiar  As his eyes met my glance I realized I was eye to eye with Bill Curbishly, one time Shepherd's Bush mod/hard nut and long time Who road manager....I smiled. He didn't smile back right away till he clocked me.

 The band played the entire LP in it's running order with three overhead circular screens above the stage (scooter lamps actually) where they projected a host of wiggy old clips of the 60's (mods, Brighton pier, themselves in various 60's/mod points of their career).  After awhile the video screen images got pretty lame.  If they'd kept it at the subject matter concerning the LP it would've been fine but when they veered off to Vietnam, various American shithead politicians, Maggie Thatcher, 9/11, the Occupy lefties etc I thought it was a bit too pretentiously indulgent.  Though there was a powerful scene during "Love Reign O'er Me" of Brighton's West Pier engulfed in flames which was pretty spooky.  Rather than give you a track by track run down I've just written it all the way I;m recalling it, little images and bits that remain in my shoddy memory......

When the lights went dim and the scooter lamp screens projected lapping waves and the sound of them came mixed as strains of my fave Who track "The Kids Are Alright" echoed through the cavernous auditorium the stage was set for the inevitable bellow of "Can you see the real me can you? Can you?" it kicked off with 'The Real Me" and it's punchy brass and funky bass lines. The band were tight as hell there was no doubting that. Sadly Roger's voice can't hit the notes he used to so everything was delivered deeper and more than once I noticed him pull the mike away from his mouth when the chance appeared that he might just not hit that note.  At times it was like watching your fave footballer try to get the ball and score that last winning goal before retiring and instead he's mid field gasping for air.  Pete's voice is no better, in fact at times he sounded like Red Foxx ("But I'm one ya big dummy.."?). I'm also thinking that since this show has been on the road so long that maybe Roger and Pete's voices may have suffered from doing this several times a week? But I think maybe I'm making excuses. Pete helped out by singing "Drowned" and his brother Simon (on hand as second guitar) took the lead of "The Dirty Jobs" (where he switched the first and second verses). Pete played "I'm One" on his own under a white spotlight.  His voice was raw and haggard but he delivered it with conviction. On "Helpless Dancer" Pete refrained from singing the line "just like the lesbians and queers" instead pointing to the audience for some reason, whether it was an attempt at being "P.C." or a bit for audience participation I'll never know, or maybe he just couldn't hit that note. For "Bell Boy" they showed footage of Moon singing the track live with the audio of the original vocal track.  As I'm down on backing tapes I'll make an exemption and state it was better than some guest clown coming up and doing it. And while we are on the subject on Mr  Moon let me state emphatically that Zak Starkey WAS the engine that drove The Who that night.  Moon's shoes aren't easy to fill (ask Kenny Jones) but he did an admirable job by rather than replicating Moon's drum bits note by note he cleaned them up in my estimation by adding his own style (I've always thought Moon's drumming was sloppy by the time "Quad" rolled around). And he looked pretty cool in a burgundy button up with white cuffs and collar like his old man wore in'65/'66 (and sported a cool pair of burgundy Tartan trou as well).  John Entwistle too came back from the dead on the jumbo tron for a 40 minute bass solo on a tune called "5:15" which was clearly NOT the length of the tune or his bass solo. The two man brass section were my faves, especially during the instrumentals "The Rock" and "Quadrophenia" (equally powerful on "5:15") which literally made the hairs on my legs and neck stand on end. But there was plenty of typical rock n' roll wankery.  The WAY too long guitar solos on "I've Had Enough" and "Love Reign O'er Me" being primary examples of why this thing is a joke that I've never gotten or found funny, the microphone swinging, no smashing guitars though......

After they finished "Quadrophenia" they played all the usual Who hit garbage: "Who Are You", "Baba O'Reilly", and a few more "hits"(ie lameness) prompting a big audience singalong, though I'd actually been serenaded all night long as the cow next to me caterwauled along with ever song on top of her lungs in my ear in between repeated "wooooo"'s and yelling "Pete" (even funnier during Moonie's "vocal spot" she kept yelling "Keith!" on top of her lungs). They closed with "Tea And Theater" and I got a chuckle when Roger repeatedly told the audience to "shut the fuck up" as the howls threatened to drown out Pete's acoustic guitar he smiled the first time he said it but by he second time he had to utter it he was clearly NOT pleased and added "You take the time to listen you should take the time to learn as well".  I couldn't agree more with the man...After the show we walked back down the boardwalk to our hotel with a slight mist rolling in off the sea on the wet planks with the waves crashing in the distance and past the remains of the Hurricane Sandy ravaged Steel Pier and I swore I could hear a trumpet playing out in the distance....

Slagging The Who off is like talking shit about an old friend you've been through thick and thin with.  They come out and give you 101% and no one will deny their generosity with an all proceeds benefit going for cancer research this Thursday night with Elvis Costello and The Attractions at Madison Square Garden among other admirable fund raising events they've been a part of.  But like any relationship with an old friend you've got to be honest and the time has come for me to say to The Who, it's time to chuck it in. It's long overdue and it's getting embarassing.
And to quote The Jam "but didn't we have a nice time? Wasn't it such a fine time?"

Teenage Wildlife:David Bowie 1965 Footage

Footage of David Bowie (in my estimation shot during his pre-mod/Lower Third days whilst still with The Manish Boys, in fact I'd swear the first three lads you see in the clip are members of the band) shot on a London street in 1965 was recently discovered.  You can read all about it here and watch the cine clip below. It's not much but still amusing, especially when young Davy Jones notices he's being filmed and flashes a friendly grin.

R.I.P. Tony Sherdian