Cool Foreign Picture Sleeves Part 54: The End In Spain

THE END-You'd Better Believe Me Baby/You Must Do Something Spain Sonoplay SN-20.002 1966

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The Riot Squad

THE RIOT SQUAD-I Take It That We're Through/Working Man U.S. H.B.R 1966

The Riot Squad cut 7 singles in the U.K. for the Pye label in the 1960's, the last  five were produced by the legendary Joe Meek. Three of the band's 45's gained U.S. releases on three different labels, the last two were Meek productions.  Today's subject (recorded in Meek's apartment at 504 Holloway Road on March 14, 1966), is in my estimation  is the strongest of all the band's Meek produced material. It was their last U.S. 45 released in July 1966 on the always eccentric  Hanna Barbera Records label (who in between releases from their cartoons put out 45's by garage teens The Guilloteens, The Five Americans, "The Avengers Theme" by Laurie Johnson and U.K. artists like The Epics and Jimmy James & The Vagabonds among others).

"I Take It That We're Through" kicks in with some over the top bass/fuzz guitar on the intro before adding a combo organ and sax that mesh perfectly.  The vocals have the all too familiar sound technique used by Meek and remind me of several Honeycombs sides.

The tour de force continues on the B-side with "Working Man" that utilizes the sax/organ mix and a great fuzz bass/guitar lick at the end of each chorus and a gritty guitar solo worthy of Meek's previous release "Crawdaddy Simone" by The Syndicats.

The bands ever shifting line up for this 45 was: founding member Bob Evans (sax) and Nero Gladman (vocals), Terry Clifford (guitar), Butch Davis (organ), Roger Crisp (bass) and Del Roll (drums). The latter five musicians reconstituted the band in a 1965 reshuffle with Evans being the only original band member and appeared on all five of the group's Meek produced 45's. Both sides were credited to "The Riots".

The Riot Squad '66 line-up.

Both sides are available in a variety of places, notably Sequel's 2003 CD compilation "Jump".  The A-side cropped up on Sequel/Castle's 1991 CD "The Joe Meek Story: The Pye Years" and on their 2006 CD "Joe Meek Freakbeat" while it's flip wound up on their 2002 "Doin The Mod" series on "Volume 4: Ready Steady Stop!".

Hear: "I Take It That We're Through":

https://youtu.be/1eOq-ODej_w


Hear "Working Man":

https://youtu.be/mb4GCWZsFgI

10 Zombies Covers

After seeing the Zombies perform  "Odessey And Oracle"   awhile back I got to thinking about 60's covers of Zombies tracks which eventually became a challenge to compile. Never one to shirk a musical challenge I set about picking ten from around the world. I could have easily just done ten U.S. 60's garage covers of Zombies songs (where it seems the Zombies rated behind The Stones and Yardbirds for "most covered British Invasion tracks") but to keep it diverse I went with bands from all over the world. Enjoy!

1. THE MINDBENDERS-"I Want Her She Wants Me" U.K. Fontana TF 780 1966
Beating The Zombies version on "Odyessey & Oracle" to a release by nearly two years The Mindbenders version differs because it's more sparse then the Zombies with lead singer Eric Stewart's voice pushed to the front of the mix and far less keyboards than the later version.

https://youtu.be/F9nZbxadahU

2. ROBBIE PETERS-"She Does Everything For Me" Australia Festival FK-2156 1968
Released almost a year to date of the Zombies original (released Downunder as Decca Y7355 as the flip to their final Decca era 45 "Goin' Out Of My Head") this Australian cover is a pounding, frantic freakbeat treatment ramped up 100 mph that doesn't let up.

https://youtu.be/QTukL55sQVc

3. THE LIVE FIVE-"I Must Move" U.S. Piccadilly 236 1967
This obscure U.S. cover by a band from Salem, Oregon starts off sounding like something entirely different, indeed the middle and the organ solo bear little resemblance to the original so it's quite unique. The band sing "I must go" by accident once instead of "I must move" in one part leading me to wonder if they'd heard Phoenix, Arizona's Phil & The Frantics re-write "I Must Go" (Rabbit 1219 1966)?  High marks for originality in NOT doing a note for note version.

https://youtu.be/uU0hc3UUaIk

4. LOS CHIJUAS-"Te Quiero (I Love You)" Mexico LP track untitled LP Musart 1389 1968
Mexico's Los Chijuas are responsible for an untitled rare as hell LP that is so obscure collectors debate whether it's from 1968 or 1969 because no one seems to know.  Among the slew of Spanish language versions of contemporary covers on the album is a cover of "I Love You".  Presumably learned from the San Jose, California band People who scored a top 20 hit with a version in the States in '68 with a Santana-esque treatment as this version owes quite a bit to their version.

https://youtu.be/sDulynpwOag

5. THE MASCOTS-"Woman" Sweden Decca F 44512 1966
Along with The Who The Zombies were huge in Scandinavia, Sweden in particular where a rare as hell untitled Decca LP was issued (Decca LK 4843) in 1966 where this track first saw it's Swedish release. The Mascots version actually surpasses the original in my book because it melds the original numbers beat punchiness with some great r&b style rave ups.

https://youtu.be/m5EHVPkY914

6. THE WEST FIVE-"If It Don't Work Out" U.K. HMV POP 1513 1966
Rod Argent wrote "But If It Don't Work Out" with Dusty Springfield in mind and she gladly accepted cutting a version which appeared on her second British long player "Ev'rything's Coming Up Dusty" released in October 1965 (Phillips RBL 1002). In March '66 the beat group The West Five issued their version on a 45 which bears closer relation to the Zombies version thanks to it's strong drums and piano accents. In fact I daresay I prefer this to the original thanks to it's stronger feeling.

https://youtu.be/x3w1BdFngVg

7. MARTY RHONE & THE SOUL AGENTS-"What More Can I Do" Australia Spin EK-1383 1966
Next to the United States Australia held the record for largest amount of Zombies 60's covers (oddly there were just three in the U.K., two versions of "But If It Don't Work Out" and an instrumental called "Shadows" issued by The Second City Sound). This version of "What More Can I Do" sounds much like an American garage 45 thanks to it's tough guitar, lo-fi production and combo organ.  The vocals are polished and clash with the gritty but wonderful racket the band kick up.

https://youtu.be/DUn3HhBnkBE

8. THE BUCKINGHAMS-"You Make Me Feel So Good" U.S. USA 860 1966
Covered in the States by at least half a dozen other bands (The Sonics, The Gentrys, Kenny & the Kasuals to name but a few) this version was the flip of The Buckingham's November 1966 #1 U.S. hit "Kind Of A Drag".  It sticks fairly close to The Zombies original but succeeds because the musical backing, like most U.S. Zombies covers is much more raw (and I like the guitar solo much more than the original).

https://youtu.be/t2yTFChyvVY

9. OLA & THE JANGLERS-"She's Not There" Sweden Gazel C-159 1965
Sweden's Ola & The Janglers were the first Swedish 60's band to cover the Zombies.  I'm a big fan of Ola & The Janglers but I'll have to admit this version is pretty awful.  The backing is pretty spot on but the vocals sound so incredibly twee that it makes me wonder if they were doing a piss take ala Ian Whitman's "You Turn Me On"? Worth it only for the Door-sy organ solo.

https://youtu.be/y1N840DJgBE

10. THE SOUTHERN GENTLEMEN-"I Want You Back Again" Australia Columbia DO-4714 1966
The flip side of "A Wondrous Place" by Australia's Southern Gentlemen benefits from some fuzz vibrato effect which thoroughly negates the normally jazzy feel that this track (which oddly was never issued in the U.K. by The Zombies but saw a 45 issue in the USA, Canada, Australia etc) but it still swings.  

https://youtu.be/BN_ACQ5r188?si=evjPhQNhxGanqLZ5

***The author wishes to thank Alec Palao for his excellent "Zombiemania: pictures and stories of the fabulous ZOMBIES!" 1998 publication for it's discography assistance*****************************

GRAHAM BOND: Live At The BBC And Other Stories

My head nearly exploded this past Summer when it was announced that there would be a three CD Graham Bond live BBC CD set on it's way. Fans and owners of the 2013 4 CD Graham Bond Organization "Wade In The Water" set will be amused to note that in addition to the seven versions of "Wade In' The Water" on that collection they will now be in possession of a further four versions with this compilation should they, like me, purchase this! I was expecting more Graham Bond Organization material on this collection. Half of this set is either Bond's previous G.B.O. band The Don Rendell Quartet (and a few guest appearances on alto saxophone with other less known combos) or his post G.B.O. bands Bond & Brown and The Graham Bond Initiation (neither of whom ever did much for me musically). The quality for the most part is quite decent with a few notable exceptions but the cover photo of the G.B.O. in action and no indication of who performed what when I pre-ordered it from Amazon made it seem a bit, shall we say, deceptive.

DISC ONE:
The first CD kicks off with The Graham Bond Quartet April 1963 session hosted by the always amusing George Melly. The line up consists of Bond (Hammond/Vocals), John McLaughlin (guitar), Jack Bruce (double bass), Ginger Baker (drums) and guest vocalist Bobby Breen from the Johnny Dankworth Orchestra (who had previously spurned Bruce and Baker for being too "loud"). The first number is an incredible version of "Bluesology". Equally stunning and also of note are "I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town" and Bond's original "Spanish Blues".  All of which swing in no small part to the powerhouse Bruce/Baker rhythm section.

The Graham Bond Quartet briefly backed our hero Duffy Power on a single "I Saw Her Standing There" (the second Lennon/McCartney cover ever issued a few months after Kenny Lynch's "Misery"). An undated 1963 session with the Quartet backing Power is contained with four tracks (including the previously mentioned Fab Four cover). The playing is incredible as expected but at times Power sounds a bit ragged at times but redeems himself with a version of "Summertime".

The September 1962 BBC session of Bond blowing alto with the Don Rendell Quintet (along with future GBO sax man Dick Heckstall-Smith) is an excellent time capsule that reminds one of the mod vs trad jazz argument that is now all but forgotten. It starts out with a great intro by host Steve Race who says:
"When people with narrow tastes complete about modern jazz, particularly about experimental modern jazz they tend to forget that it's roots lie firmly in the older forms. If they can't hear the connection that's a fault in their listening not in the music itself. For a session of modern jazz that knows it's ancestry we present the Don Rendell Quintet."
The session swings kicking off with a version of Cannonball Adderley's "Things Are Getting Better" .  Not content to be a jazz covers band they perform quite a few originals in the session including pianist John Burch's "Troika" and "Kazeef", leader Rendell's compositions ""Persian Party" and "Richmond Festival" and a Bond original "Elsie And Ena" (titled "Bring Back The Burch" on their LP "Roarin").

DISC TWO:
The second disc starts off with a January 1966 session Graham Bond Organization session featuring Bond (vocals/organ), Dick Heckstall-Smith (saxophone) , Mike Falana (trumpet) and Ginger Baker.  There's a colorful introduction by George Melly who introduces the band by describing what they're wearing! It was this line up which cut my favorite version of "Wade In The Water" (which was released as a single in the US) which starts the session. Also included are a Bond original called "Only Sixteen" (creepy with later allegations that Bond would sexually abuse his wife's teenage daughter) and a version of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" that grooves.

The Bond & Brown 1972 session (featuring Bond's wife Diane on lead vocals on one track and Pete Brown on another) is excellent quality. Again, musically not my thing (as is the case with most post '67 Bond material).

There's an odd little piece from '62 recorded in Bond's front room of him and Dick Heckstall-Smith noodling around on their saxes called (unsurprisingly) "Improvisation". For G.B.O. completists only.

There's a raw as hell 9:40 live version of "What'd I Say" from either 1966 or 1967 with the short lived final  G.B.O. line up of Bond/Heckstall-Smith and drummer Jon Hiseman with some raunchy lyrics. It's actually quite good both musically and quality wise though a bit too long.

A 4 song Graham Bond Quartet session with Duffy Power from July 1963's "Pop Go the Beatles" is incredible, but the source quality is a bit sub par.  It sounds as though it was recorded from a mic placed near a radio speaker but regardless it's incredible with Power's performance surpassing the other session on Disc One. Power sings "I Got A Woman" and "I Saw Her Standing There" while the band play two instrumentals, a Bond "Green Onions" inspired instro original called "Cabbage Greens" and "Spanish Blues".

DISC THREE:
Seven tracks by the Graham Bond Initiation from January 1970 and  March 1970 respectively introduced by John Peel make up the third disc. Again not my thing but the quality is excellent. the version of "Walkin' In The Park/I Want You" is actually quite good though a bit on the long side for my liking.

DISC FOUR:
The final disc is an odd selection of rarities and fodder.  The opening track "Things Are Getting Better" comes from an incredibly rare 1962 E.P. "Jazz And Twist" (Vaux VA 8) by the Brian Dee Trio featuring Bond blowing some excellent alto sax. The fodder comes in the form of an instrumental called "Blew Through" that somehow wound up Philamore Lincoln's 1970 U.S. only LP "The North Wind Blew South" (Epic BN 26497) . It's not bad but it reminds me too much of incidental music by the "Saturday Night Live" house band at times! A 1962 jam session from Club 43 in Manchester provides five tracks of Bond again on alto with Ken Wray & The Joe Palin Trio.  The quality and the playing are all fairly decent with again another version of "Things are Getting Better" along with "Work Song", "Sack O' Woe" etc.

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

TIMEBOX-Beggin'/Woman That's Waiting U.S. Deram 45-85031 1968

Most of you out there are no doubt familiar with this record, quite a dance floor filler for the past 25+ years.  It's not often that a British record trumps the American original but I feel this version easily betters it's predecessor, though I quite enjoy the original Four Seasons version too. I DO NOT, and I cannot stress this enough, like the "remixed" version that cropped up a few years ago in this un-original age of sampling, remixing, overdubbing and whatever other colorful terms they use for "thievery because of lack of talent". It takes talent to record a record, any moron can remix it and throw beats and do whatever it takes to give it the "now" sound. Okay, rant over.

Timebox were a British five piece who recorded two singles for Piccadilly before moving onto Deram in for five more. They were at the time of this singles release: Mike Patto (ex-Bo Street Runners)-lead vocals, Ollie Halsall-vibes/guitar/vocals, Clive Griffiths-bass, Chris Holmes-keyboards and future Rutle John Halsey-drums (in fact today's item in question was the first single he drummed on). Like many British bands in the mid 60's live they were a soul/r&b band who knew how to occasionally get "freaky" on record, as this record proved.

The pre-psych "mod/soul" era Timebox

May 1968's "Beggin'" was as close as Britain's Timebox ever got to being a success on their home turf (it climbed to #38).  It was however quite big in Europe and gathered releases in a multitude of countries, including two different issues in the United States.  Deram's U.S. branch must have expected big things from it as I swear this is the only non-hit Deram U.S. release I've ever seen more copies of. Regardless of it's hot potential it's a brilliant slice of British blue eyed soul (something Deram was quite famous for if you've been reading our blog).  From it's vibes, to Patto's soulful vocals the whole thing just grooves so well, imminently danceable stuff!  

Post mod/suits era Timebox

The flip side is altogether different though, but it's still great. It also happens to be from my other favorite genre Deram is known for: British psychedelia. "A Woman That's Waiting" bears more than passing resemblances to "I Am The Walrus" from it's sawing string section and plodding beat and even it's regal trumpets, but before it can become and act of overt plagiarism Halsall's vibes kick in a jazzy little break that takes it back to swirling strings and Patto's blue eyed soul vocals.  Easily one of my favorite Deram releases of all time. Both sides were produced by former "Ready! Steady! Go!" host Michael Aldred.

Both sides were included on the essential CD "The Deram Anthology" which is fortunately still in print.

TRIVIA NOTE: Interestingly "A Woman That's Waiting" was first issued as a B- side to the French only version of The Rascal's "Come On Up" (Deram DR 41826) in April 1968.

MANY thanks to this Mike Patto website:

http://www.pattofan.com/

where these Timebox photos were culled from. Below are two groovy live clips of Timebox performing live on French TV!



Hear "A Woman That's Waiting":

http://youtu.be/f1k9C7UuR6g

Great Obscure U.K. 60's Sides: The Barron Knights Do Pete Townshend

THE BARRON KNIGHTS-Lazy Fat People/In The Night  Dutch Columbia DB 8161 1967

Long before Randy Newman raised the world's hackles with a track called "Short People", one Pete Townshend provided a well known U.K. comedy/cabaret/rock n' roll quintet called the Barron Knights with an unreleased track of his doing who released it as a single in March 1967....This of course was not a unique instance as The Pudding would release an unheard of track of his called "Magic Bus" (Decca F12603) the following month (and a whole year before the Who's version) and Oscar had launched his "Join My Gang" the previous year.

"Lazy Fat People" is a firmly tongue and (in?) cheek number about...well...lazy fat people.  It's jaunty and a bit "odd" in the same way "Whiskey Man" or "Boris The Spider" were.  It's vocal delivery seems to anticipate Queen but the rapidly ascending harmonies add to the whole satirical feel to the number by giving it an almost acapella feel.  Lyrically I'm sure people were and possibly are offended by it but I'll take that with a grain of salt as I quite enjoy it.  The B-side is another pointless exercise in, well a pointless B-side.

    Pete demo-ing, perhaps "Lazy Fat People"?

Strangely I don't think this number has ever been reissued, but someday someone needs to do a "Songs of Pete Townshend" CD comp the same way they've done with The Bee Gee's and David Bowie!

Hear Pete's demo of "Lazy Fat people":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssxrmX2qJGY

Hear The Barron Knight's "Lazy Fat People":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSdIf7aHRyI

Great Obscure U.K. 60's Sides: The Bunch

THE BUNCH-Don't Come Back To Me/You Can't Do This U.K. CBS 2740 1967

The Bunch began their career as a soulful, moddy U.K. seven piece with a powerful horn section before morphing into psych pop thanks to a slew of John Pantry compositions on their last two 45's of four singles for the CBS label.

Today's subject concerns their mod/soul/r&b period.  We previously wrote about their debut 45 way back in 2008, this was their second released in May 1967.  "Don't Come Back To Me" starts out with a soulful intro before breaking into great ska rhythm on organ and horns.  The ska/soul balance is maintained throughout the number and works thanks to the strong horn section and the catchy call and response chorus.

THE BUNCH

On the B-side "You Can't Do This" is even stronger in my estimation. Again it's propelled by their massive horn section but this time it's beneath a poppy but soulful groove which works.  It reminds me a lot of bands that were cutting similar sounds at the time on Deram like The Quik and The Eyes of Blue in that there's a heavy blue eyed soul vibe going but the vocalists aren't desperately trying to convince the listeners that they're a black American r&b singer.

"Don't Come Back" sadly has yet to be comped but "You Can't Do This" was resurrected for Past and Presents "New Ruble" series and appears on "New Rubble Volume 4: Utopia Daydream" and is also available for download on iTunes.

Hear "Don't Come Back To Me":

https://youtu.be/4_eTrXuTWh8

Hear "You Can't Do This":

https://youtu.be/T4lskIrQqds