Hollywood Yanks: Chad & Jeremy

CHAD AND JEREMY-Paxton Quigley's Had The Course U.S. Promo Columbia 4-44660 1968

Chad (Stuart) and Jeremy (Clyde) had an interesting odyssey, far bigger in the States than in their home in the U.K. they were dubbed "Hollywood Yanks" after being based out there and appearing on a host of American TV shows like "The Patty Duke Show", "Batman", "The Dating Game" and Chad (along with fellow ex-pat Lord Tim Hudson) did the Liverpudlian vulture voices for Disney's film "The Jungle Book".

Strangely their U.S. 45 discography was more than double their U.K. output, their U.K. releases ended with 1966's "You Are She" while they continued to release U.S. singles on Columbia (whom they'd been with since 1965's "I Have Dreamed") right up till 1968.  Today's subject was their final U.S. 45 from the film LP soundtrack "Three In The Attic", technically their last long player, issued in October 1968. My copy is a double sided promo. It was also issued with a flip "You Need Feet (You Need Hands)" bearing the same catalog number.

By 1968 they'd been generously afforded the opportunity to release two amazing yet commercially dismal albums, "Of Cabbages And Kings" (1967) and "The Ark" (1968), both recorded in the States with no expense spared with production by Gary Usher. "Paxton Quigley's Had The Course" was issued on the LP "The Ark" and was also used in the film "Three In An Attic" which starred Christopher Jones (shortly after his appearance as "Max Frost" in "Wild In The Streets") as Paxton Quigley a lothario held in an attic by three women. Easily fitting in with their material from "Of Cabbages And Kings" or "The Ark" (where it also closed side two of), "Paxton Quigley's Had The Course" is a lushly produced (by Gary Usher) pop psych ditty with an upbeat lilt, vocals through a Leslie, catchy acoustic riff, some funky cowbell and Fab Four psych pastiches towards the end (and what sounds to me like a cross between "S.F. Sorrow" meets The Moodie's "On The Threshold Of A Dream").  Certainly one of the freakiest thinks C&J ever concocted!

It is available on the CD reissue of "The Ark". Interestingly "Paxton Quigley" is the name of woman female firearms advocate....

Hear "Paxton Quigley's Had The Course":

http://youtu.be/Coe1BmPJB_Y

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

SVENSK-Dream Magazine/Getting Old  U.S. Fontana F-1605 1967

The curiously named 60's group Svensk were not in fact Swedish but were a U.K.pop/psych duo from Bournemouth! Formed in 1967 by locals Roger Hopkins, an aspiring music journalist AND fashion photographer and Jason Paul, a model. The two had met on a shoot in Paris and upon their return to the U.K. hatched the ideas to form a group. Hopkins secured a meeting with Page One impresario Larry Page through none other than Roy Orbison and upon hearing their demo for an original composition called "Dream Magazine" Page smelled a "hit" and signed them to his Page One label.  The single was launched in August 25, 1967 as Page One POF 036. It's American counterpart, seen here today hit the shelves in December 1967 on Fontana (as was the practice with nearly all of Page One's releases destined for America until the label was launched in the U.S. in June of 1968).

For those who've never heard it "Dream Magazine" is a perfect mid tempo pop psych masterpiece.  Starting out with some classical Bach organ it's simplistic backing of acoustic guitar, drums and bass works well with the subdued vocals and the atmospheric organ adding just the right touch.  It reminds me of a mix of Nirvana meets Philamore Lincoln, never a bad thing at all.

The flip "Getting Old" is a bit rougher edged but still has a pop/psych air about it and though not as powerful as the A-side it is still a great tune.  It reminds me a lot of the End's "Cardboard Watch", maybe it's the vocal phrasing.  Sadly the tune was not the hit Page predicted, but he kept them around for one more single "You" b/w "All I Have To Do Is Dream" (Page One POF 050 November 1967).  I have not come across a domestic copy of this so it's safe to say today's specimen was their only U.S. release.

Svensk, courtesy of Marmalade Skies

"Dream Magazine" was reissued on the debut CD of excellent "Piccadilly Sunshine"series on "Volume One" as well as the CD version of "The Electric Sugarcube Flashback".  "Getting old" showed on on the "English Freakbeat Volume 3" CD/LP as well as the "Hen's Teeth Vol.1" CD.

For the full story on Svensk head over to Marmalade Skies here.

Hear "Dream Magazine":

http://youtu.be/u0saBEH0Jbk

Hear "Getting Old":

http://youtu.be/X6aPunRbW4g

DUFFY POWER R.I.P.

I just received word here at Anorak Thing H.Q. that our British r&b hero Duffy Power passed away on February 19th 2014. A more fitting tribute will follow shortly in the meantime you can have a gander at some of our bits on his records here, here and here. He also placed in our "Ten 20th Century Britons You Should Know" feature.

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Rey Anton & The Peppermint Men

REY ANTON & THE PEPPERMINT MEN-Wishbone/Kingsway U.S. ABC-Paramount 45-10652 1965

Bournemouth, U.K.'s Rey Anton cut a slew of 45's in his native country. He cut three as a solo artist on Oriole, one on the same label with The Batons and five with The Peppermint Men and three later ones with The Pro Form (with whom he appeared in the film "Date Line Diamonds" along with The Small Faces and Kiki Dee).
Today's item of interest was his seventh U.K. 45 (Parlophone R5245 February 1965) and to my knowledge the only one that garnered a U.S. release.

"Wishbone" is a gritty little piece of Chicago style r&b driven by a harp with a "Hi Heel Sneakers" meets "Big Boss Man" groove to it with some gritty vocals reminiscent of fellow r&b cats David John & The Mood. The flip side "Kingsway" at first almost sounded like an instrumental version of the A-side till I had a listen again back to back until I figured out it was not!  It does utilize the same harmonica and chugging guitar lick so beloved to mid 60's U.K. Chicago style  r&b records.

Rey Anton & The Peppermint Men

And of course not only are either of these tracks on YouTube but neither have surfaced on any compilations. In fact prior to finding this 45 I'd really not heard much of Rey Anton's stuff save the excellent sax driven "Premeditation" (cut with The Pro Form and released on the "New Directions:British Blue Eyed Soul" CD compilation)and the tepid r&b of the final U.K. single with The Peppermint Men "Nothing Comes Easy" (on a Psychic Circle CD of the same name). Whether The Peppermint Men became The Pro Form or they were an entirely different band is anybody's guess. If you know we'd certainly love to hear from you!

Here Come The Nice: The Small Faces Immediate box digested and dissected

The whole shebang on my dining room table (London underground coaster and wicker place mats not included)

The Small Faces "Here Come the Nice" box set has been in the works for some time now.  It wasn't and isn't cheap and like The Action book from last year the decision to purchase it did not come without some seriously hard contemplation. But being a Small Faces fan for over 32 years I decided it would be the last huge purchase of their stuff and didn't think twice about suspending visits to the pub for a month or so to come up with the bread to cover it.

A lot of folks (myself included) were a bit dismayed that there would still be stuff to put out seeing as their four "proper" (ie released while they were still a functioning band) U.K. LP's had been reissued in Deluxe double CD form.  The question remained: how much COULD there be left?!  What Charly has done is take all the band's Immediate era recordings (done between 1967 and 1969) in mono/stereo, demo and sometimes backing track form and splash them over 4 CD's.  All from original master tapes (the story of how many of them were tracked down is almost a "Raiders of the Lost Ark" epic of sorts and is chronicled in the book that comes with the set). There is a great deal of overkill if like me you enthusiastically previously purchased the recent deluxe versions of their Immediate era LP's. Disc one(Worldwide A's B's and EP's") is entirely mono mixes said  tracks, nothing new here, move along.  Disc two ("The Small Faces In The Studio:Olympic, IBC and Trident Sessions") is best described as a "Beatles Anthology" style collection of fans only minutia: backing tracks, false starts, studio chatter, alternate mixes of unfinished tracks all in stereo or mono. A cursory glance of unheard of titles like "Wit Art Yer", "Doolally", "Shades Of Green", "Anything" and "Saide Mamoon" had me hoping for new and unheard of tunes but these are merely original working titles of tracks we all have heard before. Disc three ("The Small Faces In The Studio:Olympic, IBC and Trident Sessions-Part 2") features more of the same with new titles like "This Feeling Of Spring", "Jack" "Fred", "Kolomodelomo" and "Jenny's Song" to "old" songs, in similar forms as described as above.  However we are treated to one new to our ears number: "Mind The Doors Please". Sadly it's a meandering 5 minute 4 second jam between Ronnie and Kenny that's as equally ponderous and disposable as Syd Barrett's famed 20 minute 14 second jam "Rhamadan". Disc four ("Out-Take And In-Concert") offers alternate mixes of finished tracks and the 5 song live set from a November 18, 1968 gig at Newcastle City Hall. The later is remastered at it's correct speed and has the dubbed on in the studio screams removed (though the gig's actual screams and fuzzy instrumentation/vocal's low in the mix quality is still present).  That said I enjoyed disc two and three because it's damned fascinating to hear songs like (for example) "Green Circles", "I Can't Make It" or "Donkey Rides A Penny A Glass" in almost stillborn form on their way to becoming the tunes we now know and love, warts and all (example Steve stopping the recording and telling Kenny how the drums should come in on "Things Are Going To Get Better" or Steve instructing Mac to go up an octave on what would become "Tin Soldier" and shouting to tape op George Chkiantz in an Irish accent). Granted these may seem mundane to someone who owns a Small Faces album or two but for those of us who  would be classified as "the serious fan" it's something of a second coming.  But there's loads of other goodies that justify the $154.00 Amazon.com charged me (WAY cheaper from my original UK pre-order from Charly for well past $200, which I luckily cancelled thanks to my good pal Johnny Bluesman who's eagle eye spotted this more affordable pre-order from Amazon.com)

The box.

Enclosed in a large 12" X 12" box are a hardbound book with loads of color and black and white photographs telling not only the band's story on Immediate (and as mentioned above how the master tapes were located) but a blow by blow description of the music contained on the four CD's housed within it's flaps (virtually everything the band recorded while with Immediate), an essay on their photographs by Gered Mankowitz and several pages of tribute quotes by a host of rock n' rollers on their favorite band (from members of Kiss to Pink Floyd to local boys The Smithereen's drummer Dennis Diken). There are two facsimile 8 x 10 promo photos, a mock up of an Immediate press kit for the band, two posters (one replicating the "Tin Soldier" picture sleeve the other for a gig at Newcastle City Hall with PP Arnold, The Nice, Gary Walker & The Rain etc), a book of the lyrics for all of their Immediate era songs with photos and five postcards (1 band pic and an individual one of each member) and most interestingly of all a numbered certificate of authenticity actually signed by Kenny Jones and Ian McLagan. But it does not end there kids.  There are but four 7" records within as well: a mock up one sided acetate of "Mystery" (an interesting alternate mix of "Something I Want To Tell You" from a projected but scraped 45 idea), a repro of their Album Sampler (a one sided 7" of various tracks from their untitled 1st Immediate LP strung together by a voiceover DJ Tommy Vance on red vinyl), a repro of their French "Here Come the Nice" E.P. (white vinyl) and a repro of their French "Itchycoo Park" E.P. (on blue vinyl). All of which sound amazing!

There are but four 7 inches...

Like me by now you've no doubt soured on shelling out any more dough on The Small Faces catalog but if you're a fan like me then you've more than likely got this already. Sadly it appears as though it's already in the process of vanishing as Amazon has it listed as only available "New and used from these sellers" starting at $250.00. He who hesitates....

Ronnie and Steve performing "Itchycoo Park" on TV Autumn '67 not yet shedding their mod togs.

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The Fortunes

THE FORTUNES-The Idol/His Smile Was Just A Lie U.S. United Artists UA 50211 1967

The Fortunes, a U.K. 5 piece best known for their tight harmonies, were at the time of this 45's September 1967 release (their 5th in the States) one hit wonders. They had previously hit pay dirt with "You've Got Your Troubles" which had clocked in at #7 in the U.S. top 10 in August 1965. They were far bigger in the U.K. where they were, for a time, frequent visitors to the charts, though by 1967 those days were on the wane.

"The Idol" was their 11th single in the U.K. and their first on United Artists after leaving Decca. Released in the U.K. in August 1967 (United Artists UP 1188) it was also their first 45 on United Artists (after a a 4 single run of Decca material on the Press label). Produced by Glyn Johns it marked a decidedly different approach, sure their trademark harmony vocals were still there but the musical backing was suddenly "contemporary".  There are faint slices of Mellotron, a swooping Macca '66/'67 style baseline, some fuzz guitar and best of all some cynical lyrics about the pop star game:

"Mine is the story of the record star.  The world at my feet but I've come too far. Thanks to the riches that have come my way I can walk up into cupboards I can swim down at my pool, I can throw expensive parties, yes afford to be a fool. There are girls round every corner but they only want to be just a partner for a short time to the idol that is me..."

It's sadly underrated and definitely overlooked with some great hooks. As the number winds down there's a hint of psychedelia as it slows down to just some deep "ahhh"'s and Melloton bits beneath some slow acoustic guitar almost akin to The Pink Floyd's "Scarecrow".

"His Smile Was Just A Lie" is a jaunty cheeky mid 60's pop number with some thoroughly Moody Blues influenced high backing vocals with more Mellotron (even more prevalent than the A-side) further cementing the Moodie's comparisons.

Groovy Italian P.S. c/o 45cat.com

Sadly the single made zero impact on either side of the Atlantic which is more the pity as it's an incredible little record.  United Artists in the U.S. next Fortunes release was a U.S. only stab at The Move's "Fire Brigade" (UA 50280) in February 1968 (more on that soon kids), which like it's predecessor, did nothing. You can catch a gander of that over at my pal Larry Grogan's blog "Iron Leg". By a fluke they would materialize in the U.S. charts again in April 1971 with "Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again" (at #15) (Capitol 3086).

"The Idol" has cropped up on a number of U.K. Fortunes "Best Of.." CD's, though I haven't seen the flipside on anything else.

See the band performing "The Idol" (or lip syncing anyway) on "Beat Club":

https://youtu.be/-U_k6k76FG8?si=O1vvRM3D8m924vnN

Hear "His Smile Was Just A Lie":

http://youtu.be/x5XPd3qpqdg

Shoe-less In America Part One: Sandie Shaw

SANDIE SHAW-(There's) Always Something There To Remind Me/Don't You Know U.S. Reprise 0320 1964

Dangenham, Eseex's most famous Ford factory worker Sandie Shaw (real name Sandra Goodrich) was launched on America in November 1964 with her second British single, "There's Always Something There To Remind Me" (U.K. release Pye 7N 15704 two months earlier) a good two decades before it was bludgeoned to death with synths by Naked Eyes on America radio every five seconds in the 80's. It's nothing on the Lou Johnson version which this pretty much attempts to replicate right down to the tandem horns and backing female vocals (a fact I was not aware of this until the mid 90's when I read an interview in a fanzine with an original 60's British mod who slagged off his girlfriend back then for liking this and topping her up by playing her the Lou Johnson 45) .

Sandie Shaw will always be a double edged sword for me.  There are times where her voice catches me in the wrong way and sounds like she's shrieking and others where I'm more interested in the arrangements/production . Regardless I will always have a place in my heart for this song, it was the first track I'd ever heard by her on this ultra dodgy PRT records double LP in the mid 80's called "Purple Hearts From Pastures Gone" when I was pretty much into anything made in the U.K. in the mid 60's and okay though as indicated earlier it's not a patch on the Lou Johnson version it's still enjoyable. The B-side "Don't You Know" has all the production trappings of a mid 60's Dionne Warwick/Burt Bacharach record, but it does absolutely zip for me as it's utterly unmemorable.

For foot fetishists only.  One of my fave Sandie Shaw pics.

Sandie's 60's material is pretty much everywhere as Castle communications throws her catalog (along with that of The Kinks, Searchers, Foundations and Bowie's three Pye 45's) at anything in the hopes that it will stick to it. I've been long served by the two CD compilation "The '64-'67 Complete Sandie Shaw" for the better part of two decades now.

Hear "There's Always Something There To Remind Me":

https://youtu.be/hp-FnGb4wbY?si=ln086tP_8LdnKBeN

Hear "Don't You Know":

http://youtu.be/ZV55mxXKQ6U

Eye candy from a 60's Dutch teen magazine, anorexia!