Small Faces US Debut 45

SMALL FACES-Whatcha Gonna Do About It/Whats A Matter Baby US Press 45 PRE 9794 1965

 Such was the power of all things from England in the USA that in October 1965 Press records issued the debut 45 by a new and unknown London quartet called the Small Faces. The band made their UK debut in August 1965 on Decca F 12208 (which eventually rose to # 14 there) just a few short months after forming with Steve Marriott (lead vocals, guitar), Ronnie Lane (bass), JImmy Winston (keyboards) and Kenny Jones (drums).

Classic David Wedgbury Decca promo photo

Debut 45's don't come much stronger than "Whatcha Gonna Do About It". Loosely based on Solomon Burke's "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love"  it was written by Ian Samwell (author of Cliff Richard's "Move It") and Brian Potter (later to write "Don't Pull Your Love", "One Tin Soldier" and many other hits). Propelled by Winston's Vox Continental organ and Steve Marriott's blisteringly raw vocals it has an air of aggression that reminds at times of an American garage punk record.

The flip side is a cover of Timi Yuro's June 1962 hit "What's A Matter Baby" (Liberty 55469). If not for Marriott's incredible vocal's it would be just another mid tempo r&b cover, but nonetheless it's worth a listen. Interestingly outside of this and a version of The Miracle's "You Really Got A Hold On Me" the band pretty much veered away from soulful ballads.

Both sides have been issued in a variety of places, the best being a deluxe edition of their untitled debut Decca LP.

Hear "Whatcha Gonna Do About It":

https://youtu.be/43Dc9BsHhDY

Hear "What's A Matter Baby":

https://youtu.be/mx0DkeDPd-M

Hear a Live BBC version of "Whatcha Gonna Do About It":

https://youtu.be/D_AVRGJr_7E

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The World Of Oz

WORLD OF OZ-King Croesus/Jack US Deram 45-85034 1968

The UK Deram psych pop quartet World Of Oz were not a smashing success at home so one wonders why not only all three of the U.K. 45's were released here but US Deram went one better by issuing a 4th single unissued anywhere else of two cuts from their untitled LP ("Beside The Fire"/"Mandy-Ann" Deram 45-85043). They were however quite successful  "on the Continent" so perhaps this has something to do with it?

"King Croesus" was released in the UK as Deram DM 205 in August of 1968. It was released the following month here in the States. Produced by Wayne Bickerton it's not the band's strongest 45. It starts with some organ/Mellotron and it has a regal/churchy feel with some sweeping strings and great harmonies.  The whole thing brings to mind The Bee Gees '67. It's also shorter than the LP version.

Scan c/o 45cat.com

For my money the real gold is the flipside "Jack", though not credited on this 45 it was orchestrated by Mike Vickers (who also handled the top side as well). Vicker's stamp is easily felt in it's incredible whimsical feel with a mixture of strings and brass and layered harmonies making it an archetype quintessential toytown psych classic. There's an almost soulful feel to the horns that reminds me of their label mates The Flirtations (who were also produced by Wayne Bickerton).

Both sides are available on multiple reissue packages of their untitled 1968 Deram LP .

Hear "King Croesus":

https://youtu.be/PiFwvsK9ny4

Hear "Jack":

https://youtu.be/Hlf3oR3yezw

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

JULY-Hello, Who's There/The Way US Epic 5-10415 1968

July were one of the more obscure UK psychedelic bands who nonetheless built up quite a discography (including an untitled LP that even gained a US release)! Their October 1968 UK 45 "Hello, Who's There"/"The Way" (Major Minor MM 580) was their second single and was issued in the US the following month. It also saw releases in Belgium, France, Germany and Spain, it would however be their final release.

"Hello, Who's There" would not have been my strongest choice of contender's for an A side given the band's other material. July were capable of some pretty psychedelic stuff and "Hello, Who's There" sounds too cheeky-chappie/Cockney sing along psych for my liking with it's quirky melody and a sound not unlike the Bonzos after too much time "down the boozer". The backing brass also has a hint of Oompah band to it which is not remotely entertaining and adds to the schizophrenic nature of the track. The lead vocals remind me a bit of Phil May in the Pretties voice on the "SF Sorrow" stuff.

"The Way" is more freaky (in a positive way), with it's faint sitar and distant/disembodied vocals that sound not too unlike the effect on "Tomorrow Never Knows".  It quickly degenerates into a heavier fuzz guitar driven groove that's pretty trippy before trailing off into a mind numbing jam/ groove of wah-wah, sitar and some drums that bring it into a trance.

Belgian pressing

"The Way" appears on their untitled LP in a slightly different mix however "Hello, Who's There" did not.  Subsequent CD reissues of the LP have included both tracks.

Hear "Hello, Who's There":

https://youtu.be/YNxeTbvqTuc

Hear "The Way":

https://youtu.be/86dDqwgJDmk

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

THE SORROWS-Take A Heart/We Should Get Along Fine US Warner Brothers 5662 1965

Coventry's quartet The Sorrows released a host a great singles in the UK on the Piccadilly label (7 to be exact) and an LP, most of which were produced by the legendary John Schroeder. "Take A Heart" was their third single and managed to rise to #21 in the UK charts (Piccadilly 7 N 35260) in August 1965.

Written by singer/producer Miki Dallon (who wrote a bulk of the bands material) it's easily their best known track.  It was issued in the US in October 1965 and would be their sole release here.  Stock copies do exist but white label promos are far more common.

"Take A Heart", for those not familiar is a slow burner built on lead singer Don Fardon's moody voice and the subtle almost tribal drum intro. The number slowly builds with each instrument entering the fray and the pace picking up slightly before bursting forth into a proto-freakbeat smash with a gritty guitar solo worthy of Dave Davies. It was my introduction to the band back in the mid 80's when I discovered it on a PRT record 6 track 10" various artists E.P. called "It Happened Then".

Yet another band pictured on "Ready Steady Go" who's footage no longer exists!

The flip side "We Should Get Along Fine" is a beat ballad, not their best work, but not at all unlistenable.

Both sides are available on a host of Sorrows collections, we recommend the most recent double CD collection of all their material "You've Got What I Want-The Essential Sorrows 1965-1967".

Hear "Take A Heart": 

 https://youtu.be/8aVp71rQhlk 

 Hear "We Should Get Along Fine": 

 https://youtu.be/sns0gfyZmpY

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The Bonzos US Debut

THE BONZO DOG DOO-DAH BAND-I'm The Urban Spaceman/Canyons Of Your Mind US Imperial 66345 1968

The infamous Bonzo Dog (Doo-Dah) Band's debut American 45 was a release of their smash UK hit (#5!) "I'm The Urban Spaceman" (UK Liberty LBF15144, October 1968) . It was issued here in December of 1968.  Produced by Paul McCartney famously using the pseudonym of "Apollo C. Vermouth" and written by band member Neil Innes (better known to Americans as Ron Nasty in "The Rutles") it failed to trouble the US charts, which didn't stop Imperial from issuing an LP titled "Urban Spaceman" (essentially their "The Doughnut In Granny's Greenhouse" LP give or take a few tracks)! The band's connection with the Beatles went back to McCartney's brother Mike recommending them for the Fab's "Magical Mystery Tour" (in which they can be seen vamping "Death Cab For Cutie" in a strip club).

For those not acquainted with "I'm The Urban Spaceman", the Bonzo's most famous tune, it's a light hearted little number that's not readily comparable to anything else. Led by some pan flute, tuba and ukulele it's probably one of the more bizarre pop songs of the 60's. My fave is the solo featuring a "Doo Dah Horn" (a horn mouthpiece placed on a garden house with a funnel on the end and recorded while oscillating). It's also sung by Neil Innes (most of the band's tracks were usually handled by Vivian Stanshall) which makes it sound quite different from the usual Bonzos fare.

The flip, "Canyons Of Your Mind" is a Vivian Stanshall tour de force. The band had previously already explored tongue and cheek doo-wop type numbers before ("Death Cab For Cutie" in "Magical Mystery Tour" for instance) and it continues here but with typically bizarre lyrics with Stanshall camping it up in an over exaggerated Elvis type voice and an intentionally bad, flubbed guitar solo by Innes.

Both sides can be found in a variety of places. There's an excellent 3 CD collection on Amazon that collects nearly all their material called "Original Album Series" or if you're in line for something slimmer there's a domestic CD featuring both called, simply, "Urban Spaceman".

Here's a clip of the band on British TV's excellent "Colour Me Pop" doing "Canyons Of Your Mind":

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The Ivy League "My World Fell Down"

THE IVY LEAGUE-My World Fell Down/When You're Young US Cameo 449 1966

My introduction to Britain's squeaky clean harmony trio The Ivy League came not via one of their many UK hits but from this semi obscure 45 that they cut in 1966 which was included on Bam Caruso's Rubble series on 1988's "Volume 7: Pictures In The Sky". It would be their last US release, issued in December 1966 (the UK version on Piccadilly 7N 35348 was previously issued in October). "My World Fell Down" was also covered by the US group Sagittarius and released as a single in the US in May 1967 (Columbia 4-44163) and the UK in August 1967 (CBS 2867) featured on the famous 1972 US 60's garage compilation "Nuggets".

"My World Fell Down" is easily the best cut The Ivy League ever came up with.  Written by John Carter with fellow tune smith Geoff Stephens it's aided in no small part due to the somber strings care of producer Terry Kennedy.  The orchestration and the band's brilliant harmonies weaving in and out of the sawing strings are nothing short of brilliant! It has a certain bleakness to it only matched by, say, The Move with "Blackberry Way".

The flip side, "When You're Young" is dreadful because of the children's backing vocals (the British release credits read  "accomp. by The Children's Choir Dr. Barnardo's Barkingside" (Dr. Barnardo's is a charity organization in Britain charged with the aid and care of orphans and foster children. David Bowie's father, Haywood Jones was a PR man for Dr. Barnardo's interestingly). They're like fingernails on a chalk board and not at all groovy like the kids of Keith West's "Excerpts From A Teenage Opera".

As mentioned frequently in our other Ivy League posts both sides are available on a variety of Ivy League compilation CD's. As their material is owned by Castle Communications they've been licensed to death.

Hear "My World Fell Down":

https://youtu.be/Z2xbqExuB1o

Hear "When You're Young":

https://youtu.be/eBat4_NjNyw

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Spooky Tooth's Debut

SPOOKY TOOTH-Sunshine Help Me/Weird US Mala 587 1967

In 1967, UK psychedelic band Art (formerly mod/r&b connoisseurs The V.I.P's ) were going nowhere.  Their debut 45 a cover of the Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" sank without a trace as did their Guy Steven's produced LP "Supernatural Fairy Tales" (both were released on Island records). Island's boss Chris Blackwell met a New Jersey born keyboardist named Gary Wright (later to find fame in the US in 1975 with the hit "Dreamweaver") who was in London and hooked him up with Art.  The result was a name change and Spooky Tooth was born.

Their debut 45, the Gary Wright penned "Sunshine Help Me" was produced by Jimmy Miller and released in the UK on Island ( WI-6022) in December 1967 and simultaneously launched in the USA on the Bell records subsidiary Mala (curiously the band's debut US LP would be on Bell).

"Sunshine Help Me" is driven by some great harmonies, tabla and organ/ harpsichord and Mike Harrison and Gary Wright's vocals (though Wright's screeching can be a bit much, somehow sounding suspiciously like Mick Jagger's histrionics on "Sympathy For The Devil" though predating it obviously).  I always dug Harrison's strong voice on the V.I.P's and Art stuff so it's definitely an asset.  There's an almost chunky, Hendrix style groove to the guitars and something about it also reminds me of late era Small Faces Immediate era stuff.

The B-side "Weird" was previously cut by Art as "I Think I'm Going Weird" on their LP. Re-recorded by Spooky Tooth its slowed down a bit and the organ is heavier in the mix and Gary Wright's vocals have a Steve Windwood-like quality to them, but I have always preferred Mike Harrison's soulful vocals so the Art version wins out for me.

Both cuts are available on a Spooky Tooth CD collection "Lost In My Dream:An Anthology 1968-1974". Mike Harrison sadly passed away on March 25th.

Hear "Sunshine Help Me":

https://youtu.be/SLTGYfmqQeI

Hear "Weird":

https://youtu.be/razqLdc0y28