SO MANY RECORDS, SO LITTLE TIME

September 2nd, 2010

The Outer Limits / Acid Gallery

Listen: Dance Round The Maypole / Acid Gallery

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It was December 2000, and I was stranded in England for a few days. Actually, I was jamming to get home on the Friday, when early that morning I got a call from Will Botwin, then president at Columbia, asking very nicely if I could stay through Monday night for an Emiliana Torrini showcase. Will was always the greatest guy, awesome boss – how do you say no? I mean, he could have just told me I needed to do it. Period. But it was never his way.

So I suddenly found myself with three full days/nights on my hands. Reading the latest Mojo on the flight over, I was annoyed to be missing The Roy Wood Christmas Extravaganza Tour. I should have juggled the trip to take it in – by then it was too late. But hey, now that I’m here for a few days extra – let me check this out again.

Sure enough, that evening Roy Wood was a couple hours away, in Wolverhampton I seem to recall. Jackie Hyde in the touring/artist relations department at Sony got me tickets and passes God love her. And I was on the 6 pm train heading north I think – alone. No one was interested in joining me. Grass is always greener.

I get there around 8, and decided to try speaking with Roy Wood, why waste this backstage pass? The band/crew etc are all around and tell me Roy has gone down the road to the pub. Ok. I wander off down the wet, deserted street and find said establishment. Walk in, there propped up against the bar is a lone Roy Wood, nursing a pint. I proceed over, and no problem, he’s as friendly as I’d hoped. All talk about the past welcomed. Really fun guy.

I was always curious about the Acid Gallery single. He wrote and produced it, but it sure did sound like The Move to me. Was it? He confirmed his participation but no, it wasn’t The Move. Instead it was “some guys who were on Deram back then, name escapes me”.

Well was it The Syn, or The Eyes Of Blue, um, Tintern Abbey?

“No, these guys had a hit a few years later with ‘Yellow River’ “.

Bingo: The Outer Limits.

“That’s them” he confirms. “Nice piece of trainspotting”.

Listen: Just One More Chance / The Outer Limits

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Actually The Outer Limits changed their name to Chrisite and had that smash. Main writer in both bands was Jeff Chrisite and he’d originally written ‘Yellow River’ for The Tremeloes but decided to record it himself after they dragged their feet. The rest is history, I guess. I loved that Outer Limits single, ‘Just One More Chance’ at the time, summer ‘67.

Listen: Great Train Robbery / The Outer Limits

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But the follow up, ‘Great Train Robbery’, holy whatever…talk about British sounding. And on Immediate’s subsidiary imprint, Instant. Even better. Now why Immediate needed another in house label is pretty funny actually. Still very nice label and stock sleeve. Well done Andrew Loog Oldham.

The Roy Wood Christmas Extravaganza was a total treat that night. 12 piece, all female band. Sounding full scale, Phil Spector live. Reproducing all those Wizzard hits flawlessly. Roy kitted out in black teddy-boy jacket, purple lapels, purple streaks in the infamous do and a lavender Strat. Once a star, always a star.

The finale, ‘Blackberry Way’ and ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday’ being sung along loudly by a full theater audience with fake snow falling on the stage. Doesn’t get much better.

One last closing bit to the Roy Wood pub conversation:

Will you fill out my juke box tab?

“No problem”.

Above: Jukebox tab filled out by Roy Wood

Posted in Acid Gallery, Andrew Loog Oldham, CBS, Deram, Emiliana Torrini, Immediate, Instant, Jackie Hyde, Jukebox Tab, Roy Wood, The Eyes Of Blue, The Move, The Outer Limits, The Syn, Tintern Abbey, Will Botwin |

September 1st, 2010

The People’s Choice

Listen: I Likes To Do It / The People’s Choice

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Listen: Big Ladies Man / The People’s Choice

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You may remember ‘Do It Anyway You Wanna’ form ‘75. It got The People’s Choice to #11 on the Billboard Top 100, the closest vocalist Frank Brunson got to a Top 10 with his band of rotating members.

This was the record that started it for he and them in ‘71, when the lineup included some infamous Philadelphia names from the local soul scene: David Thompson, Darnell Jordan, Johnnie Hightower, Stanley Thomas, Valerie Brown and Marc Reed.

Despite it too, shockingly, reaching Billboard’s Top 100 (#38), ‘I Likes To Do It’ has become a hard to get, Philly soul template, right down to the song title. Very nice recent garage sale find amongst a stack of John Denver, Olivia Newton-John and Bee Gees disco era singles. How did it get there, once again reinforcing the garage sale rule: don’t judge a stack of unsleeved singles by the top record.

Posted in Billboard, Darnell Jordan, David Thompson, Frank Brunson, John Denver, Johnnie Hightower, Marc Reed, Olivia Newton-John, Phil-LA Of Soul, Stanley Thomas, The Bee Gees, The People's Choice, Valerie Brown |

August 31st, 2010

Peggy Lee

Listen: Fever / Peggy Lee

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Ever driven through the eastern tip of Maine and up to Nova Scotia? It’s like Norway. And if you haven’t been there, well they’re all basically greener and cleaner than anywhere else. Nova Scotia is particularly another world onto itself. An oasis of cool, almost fall-like weather in August, amongst many other exotic things.

Do the drive sometime, with absolutely no plan in place, stop and flop wherever. The bed and breakfasts are mindblowing. Family friendliness, spotlessly clean, overly comfortable, they’re heaven. And the food – be ready – you will over eat, happily. For some real fun, fire up the scan function on the FM wireless, something called a radio that was popular during the last century and interestingly still in most cars. Our scan gives you a ten second soundbite per station. That means they have exactily ten seconds to stand and deliver or it’s ‘next’.

To their credit, the things you’ll hear are shocking. Remember, this is Canada, and they generally tend to be a bit more English in many ways. Through the years, lots of the UK acts got exposure and traction there, hence into the Canadian charts they went. Now, the most unexpected songs can be found on their oldies stations. I like this.

Then there’s the AC stations – absolutely fascinating time warps. Even more bizarre and inviting than those oldies formats. Believe me, that ten second scan function will have you amused for hours.

Peggy Lee’s rendition of ‘Fever’ is certainly a well known classic, you don’t need me to let you know that bit. But have you heard it lately? Wow. When it came on, it sounded truly fantastic.

Standing out like nothing I can describe, the production and arrangement brought me right back to her live performance. I was lucky enough to get tickets for one of Peggy Lee’s last New York performances in the 90’s, at The Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center, where she performed in a wheelchair. Didn’t matter. She blew everyone away.

All the lights went dark, and I mean pitch black, for ‘Fever’. The audience was ready, and religious. A single, intense, perfectly precise spotlight lit her snapping fingers as the extra long intro teased the crowd up to that first lyric. Sparsely lit throughout, beams highlighting just the right musicians, their musical body parts and instruments throughout. The visual direction was a work of art.

Listen to the song, your imagination won’t need to work hard to envision what went down. I really hope you all got to see her live too.

Unforgettable.

Posted in Capitol, Peggy Lee, The Rainbow Room |

August 30th, 2010

Seatrain

Listen: 13 Questions / Seatrain

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Despite my preference for the British bands from the 60’s and 70’s, there’d many times be an American group as part of those three bands bills, so prevalent at the time. Like there were always three at The Fillmore. Three bands were kind of a given.

No recollection which bill Seatrain were part of, ‘13 Questions’ was current at the time and I remember liking the set.

Besides, I did fancy the look of the Capitol label around this time: those lime green with purple/black logo albums, then the circular orange and red with graphically matching blue/yellow bullseye 7″ label/sleeve combos. Plus, Capitol used a lot of recycled vinyl, whereby they’d grind up and melt down returns and defectives with the label still affixed, hence ‘Capitol surface noise’ as we all coined it. Example: did you EVER hear a Quicksilver Messenger Service album without it during the quiet patches? There you go – the proof.

I must admit, it made all those records by Joy Of Cooking, The Band and yes, Seatrain sound a touch desirable to one person at least. I liked Capitol’s particular sound of crackle.

Listen: I’m Willin’ / Seatrain

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Seems ‘13 Questions’ had a fair share of airplay on the FM stations in it’s day. I know I heard it on occasion, as was the case with their version of Lowell George’s ‘I’m Willin”. Despite their genreal lack of lyrical ability, seems they were not alone. Lowell Geroge, on this particualr song at least, is clearly no poet – I mean, are these words supposed to be funny?

Still, I’d acquired a taste for violin in rock, when well done as in the case of Family, it can make one quite open minded. Then I saw The Flock support John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, and Jerry Goodman was setting the place ablaze. Really good stuff. Likewise with Seatrain. Richard Greene was a much more subtle but classy violinist. His playing was never overdone. Live, they were pretty raw and earthy. In the studio though, with George Martin producing (no doubt wearing his signature shirt, tie and suit coat), they were sadly cleaned, polished and de-souled. He did have a knack for white washing things in the booth (see my post on The Action).

Got home that night after seeing the band and played both ‘13 Questions’ and ‘I’m Willin” a good half dozen times each, until I could stand the ‘Capitol surface noise’ no longer.

Posted in Capitol, Family, George Martin, Jerry Goodman, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Joy Of Cooking, Lowell George, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Richard Greene, Sea Train, The Action, The Band |

August 29th, 2010

Ten Years After

Listen: The Sounds / Ten Years After

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Abrupt false ending followed by slight reprise, non-musical sound effects, over echoed background vocals: all quickly becoming standard psychedelic production ideas by ‘67/’68. Simple to observe now, but then…it was ‘pass the headphones’ stuff.

Mike Vernon, I believe signed Ten Years After to Deram prior to starting probably the best UK blues label in terms of both quality and success, Blue Horizon. I’m guessing it was this band’s original musical style that most likely drew them together.

‘The Sounds’, although recorded as a single during that short period between album one and two, and released spring ‘68 (UK B side / US A side), actually marked the beginning of a unique songwriting style that blossomed fully on STONEHENGE, their third full length and first of a flawless trilogy (SSSSH and CRICKLEWOOD GREEN).

Ten Years After were about to be on a roll, due to a wildly blistering performance at Woodstock of ‘I’m Going Home’. It’s original recording was released as a followup 7″ to ‘The Sounds’. Coupled with ‘Hear Me Calling’ meant it became a classic double sider. The Woodstock version made both the film and soundtrack album, hence Ten Years After enjoyed the perfect artist development curve making those (and other albums) deservedly successful and their live draw solid for years.

‘The Sounds’, at time of release, could be found nowhere, and surprise surprise, heard nowhere in the US – certainly not upstate. It took me years to snag a copy, around ‘74 I would guess, when then MCA salesman Ed Terracino (former London Records employee) gave me a stack of singles from his basement stash. I am forever grateful Ed if you’re reading.

Never did see them play this one, and maybe they never did. It must have been around SSSSH when they made their way to Syracuse, with Humble Pie supporting. It’s was Humble Pie’s first US tour, and although nowhere near as interested in their boogie rock as the music of the member’s previous bands (The Small Faces and The Herd), I went along, being a huge Ten Years After, but also with the possibility of meeting Humble Pie as a bonus.

I’ll admit, Humble Pie were surprisingly great live, still bean pole skinny, clad in lime, purple and pink velvet pants/suits and little girl blouses, America hadn’t influenced their wardrobe or haircuts yet, so it was well enjoyable.

Ten Years After, on the other hand, appeared bored and sullen. No biggie – it happens. Playing Syracuse understandably nothing to look forward to I guess.

Afterwards, I made my way backstage, really in search of Humble Pie to stalk them for Small Faces and Herd details, when I came across Chick Churchill moping dismissively against a wall. Probably an unpleasant day for the fellow, and I suppose me excitedly getting to the real point of our conversation: where are Humble Pie, didn’t help. Although I loved those Ten Years After albums mentioned above, he did throw a temporary wet blanket on my mission to covert any and all to his band.

Posted in Blue Horizon, Chick Churchill, Deram, Ed Terracino, Gus Dudgeon, Humble Pie, Mike Vernon, Ten Years After, The Herd, The Small Faces |

August 28th, 2010

Wes Montgomery & His Brothers

Listen: June In January / Wes Montgomery & His Brothers

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Having recorded initially with his siblings as The Montgomery Brothers, Wes Montgomery released his first few Fantasy singles continuing to include the boys. This is one.

I’ve many times thrown on a handful of his 7’s, or an album. They make for a good mood feel. I’d actually forgotten about finding ‘June In January’ in such perfect condition until doing some filing earlier this evening, so when deciding to share it, did some Wes Montgomery research.

Basically, he learned his craft by listening to and learning the recordings of idol, guitarist Charlie Christian and was known for his ability to play Christian solos note for note. As a result, he got hired by Lionel Hampton for this very reason.

According to Jazz guitar educator Wolf Marshall, Montgomery often approached solos in a three-tiered manner: He would begin a repeating progression with single note lines, derived from scales or modes; after a fitting number of sequences, he would play octaves for a few more sequences, finally culminating with block chords. He did not know scales or modes, let alone musical theory and used mostly superimposed triads and arpeggios as the main source for his soloing ideas and sounds.

Don’t ask me what the hell he’s talking about – I just like when Wes sounds like he’s showing off, even though he’s completely not.

Posted in Charlie Christian, Fantasy, Lionel Hampton, The Montgomery Brothers, Wes Montgomery, Wolf Marshall |

August 27th, 2010

Claudine Longet

Listen: Hello, Hello / Claudine Longet

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A horribly under appreciated icon, such is Claudine Longet, former wife of Andy Williams (himself not given enough props). Why she is not respected or even revered as one of the great French vocal impressionists is extremely unfair.

It wasn’t always that way, as her first few A&M albums indeed sold well, charted Top 30 and spawned a few much played singles on the adult contemporary stations.

Her cover of this Sopwith Camel hit, ‘Hello, Hello’ in ‘67 was one such classic, a perfect mix of The Flying Lizards, Jo Ann Castle and Jane Birkin. As with most AC hits of the day, it struggled to a lowly pop #91 on the Billboard Top 100.

In good company though, as most of the great singles never got much traction on the US pop stations. Unfortunately, that hasn’t changed.

Posted in A&M, Andy Williams, Billboard, Claudine Longet, Jane Birkin, Jo Ann Castle, Sopwith Camel, The Flying Lizards |

August 26th, 2010

Martin Denny

Listen: Call Me / Martin Denny

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When I think of Julie London (see previous post), I think of Liberty Records, I think of bachelor pad music and then my trusty jukebox. The sum of those parts many times equals a Martin Denny single. Name a 50’s cocktail comp that leaves him off and you’re naming one that needs be left in the shelf.

What better than a remake of the Tony Hatch classic, ‘Call Me’. This Ramsey Lewis Trio influenced instrumental battles the Chris Montez hit version to the finish line as they both reach for that camp remake crown. It’s a tie says I.

Posted in Chris Montez, Julie London, Liberty, Martin Denny, Ramsey Lewis Trio, Tony Hatch |

August 25th, 2010

Julie London

Listen: Nice Girls Don’t Stay For Breakfast / Julie London

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You can listen to Julie London for the rest of your life if you want, and probably find it hard to get intimately familiar with her entire recorded output: 32 albums. She’s so good, I say give it a try.

Signed to Liberty Records from ‘55 – ‘69, yet had only one single that made the Billboard Top 100. Now that’s a commitment to the artist.

But what a worthy choice. Endless suggestive song titles and double entendres, many hysterical now in the 21st century, surely at their time of release, they turned many a lonely guy on. Knowing her own vocal weakness, or strength in my book, she’s qouted as follows: “It’s only a thimbleful of a voice, and I have to use it close to the microphone. But it is a kind of oversmoked voice, and it automatically sounds intimate.” Now there’s a recording technique tip if I’ve ever heard one.

Wonderfully out of place in the ‘67 musical landscape, ‘Nice Girls Don’t Stay For Breakfast’ was even, in it’s day, a 50’s throwback to an era when, I guess, it was never talked about that even nice girls DID stay for breakfast. In fact, my guess is they probably were breakfast.

Never mentioned as one of her greats, and she has many, many greats, this single is most elusive. Yes, it’s the title of one of her final albums, but the 7″ – good luck.

Posted in Bobby Troup, Jack Webb, Julie London, Liberty |

August 21st, 2010

Heart

Listen: Barracuda / Heart

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Heart had the bad timing of critical mass appeal around ‘77, just as punk was our religion. Talk about a jinx. Heart were helium coated, corporate, Lee Abrams AOR gack. They were literally nauseating. And loathed. Well, not by the masses, but those of us who felt we were in the know, with proper taste.

In hindsight, they were fascinating, for every sonic reason listed above. Now their glistening studio perfection is bizarrely intoxicating, addictive even, very much like the Roy Thomas Baker Queen productions and almost alien.

As with most of the big bands of the day, the ones radio rammed down our throats (REO Speedwagon, Journey, The Doobie Brothers), I always ended up having a guilty pleasure or two by each and every one. Heart were no exception.

Listen: Nothin’ At All / Heart

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I absolutely loved ‘Nothin’ At All’, right down to the apostrophy in it’s title, mainstream turned up to eleven production and all. Then there’s the picture on the sleeve. A styling faux pas representing everything that had gone horribly wrong with American AOR radio. Indeed, it exemplified why it eroded music as an important part of US culture. But I loved that single. Still do – more than ever actually.

Somewhere in the mid/late 90’s, there was a benefit at The Ritz, after it’s relocation uptown to where Studio 54 was once housed. Don’t recall the cause, but the headliners were Joey Ramone and the Wilson sisters from Heart. They had a side project at that time: The Lovemongers. And that’s who played on this occasion.

I went along with Joe. He had a bunch of friends backing him that night, playing some classics by other bands as well as a few from The Ramones, and was kinda in an ‘everyone come along for a laugh and a few beers’ mood.

Heart’s original road manager, Kelly Curtis, who went on to manage Pearl Jam, was with Ann and Nancy. Kelly and I became great friends in the early 90’s. He helped me out in life when I really needed it – in a big way and I’m always thrilled to see him, particularly as this was very unexpected (I think he was passing through town that day – or something). So he invited me into to meet Nancy and Ann.

By now, my venom for their music had long past, and it was a pleasure to sit and talk with these two incredibly lovely people. At one point, trying to make an extreme point, I quantified it with, “but don’t mind me, I love Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich”. Ann sits straight up and exclaims ‘I love Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich too’. Instant fast friends. We dug into songs, details and how we first heard them – as fans do. Somewhere in the conversation mix, I mention my other, at that time, obsession: Sunbeam mixers. Nancy’s guitar tech, in the room at that moment, whips round and says “You’re into Sunbeam – me too”. Ann says “He really is – show him”. So this guy takes off his T shirt, turns his back to me and proudly displays a ton of Sunbeam toaster tattoos across his torso. All the classic models.

Yes, hard to believe but every word of the above is true.

Posted in Ann Wilson, Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich, Heart, Joey Ramone, Journey, Kelly Curtis, Lee Abrams, Nancy Wilson, Queen, REO Speedwagon, Roy Thomas Baker, Sunbeam, The Doobie Brothers, The Lovemongers, The Ramones, The Ritz |

August 19th, 2010

Lorraine Ellison

Listen: Stay With Me / Lorraine Ellison

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I was thinking about my previous post (The Exciters) and a whole lot of Bert Burns details kept coming to mind, like one of his reportedly last songs, written with Jerry Ragovoy, being ‘Piece Of My Heart’. After being made super famous by Big Brother & The Holding Company, there really was no point in trying to compete with a re-recordings, although some did. Janis Joplin clearly had a definitive knowledge of the great RnB singers at that time. I remember her being interviewed by Dick Cavett and mentioning her favorite being Tina Turner. Neither he nor the silent audience knew who that was. She dug up and recorded greats by Garnet Mimms, Bobby Womack, Howard Tate and obviously Jerry Ragovoy (who wrote many of the aforementioned); undeniably making them hers.

There’s a cd compilation currently available, TIME IS ON MY SIDE – THE JERRY RAGOVOY STORY 1953-2003. I highly suggest getting a copy. It overviews an impressive array of styles, but mostly pure RnB. One of the songs it includes is ‘Stay With Me’ by Lorraine Ellison. Now oddly enough, I love her version even though I don’t love love love her voice. I like her an awful lot, but prefer a bit more husk. When combining her with Ragovoy’s songs though, it always works.

Now the following is a true story. If someone were to tell it to me, I wouldn’t believe them – it’s so far fetched. About 8 years ago, I went down to the village to meet Kate Hyman for lunch. She was looking at a small, really run down (needed gutting to be exact), brownstone and suggested we meet there (just off Carmine Street), have a look and go eat. I love looking at property and she knew it – so bang, we had a plan. A mutual friend, Glen Schiller, was the agent and he walked us through the then rotting, water damaged debris of a home – now renovated and clearly worth a fortune. I was a little timid about going up the stairs but followed along. There was literally nothing, and I mean nothing, in the building except a perfect, US promo copy of Lorraine Ellison’s ‘Stay With Me’ (the second issue – pictured at the top) propped against a bedroom wall. I know – you think I’m lying. I swear on my Mother’s life – this is true. I couldn’t believe it. There should have been a faint sound of ‘magic’ or ‘angels’ or ‘fairydust’ backgrounding my arm reaching down and chiming when as fingers met the sleeve, just in the movies.

This copy was mint. The sleeve factory fresh. What the fuck was this doing here? I asked Glen – he didn’t have a clue and said “Take it”. Well you only need to say that to me once. I did. So there you go – meant to be.

Posted in Bert Berns, Big Brother & The Holding Company, Dick Cavett, Ike & Tina Turner, Janis Joplin, Jerry Ragovoy, Kate Hyman, Lorraine Ellison, The Exciters, Warner Brothers |

August 18th, 2010

The Exciters

Listen: A Little Bit Of Soap / The Exciters

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I’ve had this single for decades. It’s the version of ‘A Little Bit Of Soap’ that introduced me to the song in ‘66. I know The Jarmels actually had the big success with it several years earlier, but I was in diapers. Now, when I occasionally hear it on an oldies program, it’s always that Jarmels version – which for me doesn’t compare to this. I guess it’s Brenda Reid, The Exciters vocalist, that makes the difference, as she has exactly the kind of voice I love. The Exciters were clearly a Brill Building type of act, having covered songs written by/been produced by/signed by so many of it’s familiar names: Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, Bert Russell, Lieber & Stoller and Bert Berns.

In the 80’s, while working at Elektra, Bob Krasnow our chairman had signed Bert’s daughter, Cassandra Berns, and put me in charge of A&R-ing her project. This turned into a real stroke of luck as I got to spend time with the Berns family down in Atlanta and heard many stories of the great days at Bang Records (the label he formed with Ahmet & Nesuhi Ertegun and Jerry Wexler). His widow (he passed away in ‘67) Eileen proceeded to run their record and publishing business.

Eileen was an absolute firecracker. I liked her so much, especially when she generously walked me through their studio complex, littered with 50’s and 60’s jukeboxes, which I’m guessing Bert had collected; then into a big closet full of 45’s and said, “Take whatever you want”. Now that is just not what you tell a record junkie.

Bang and Shout (Bang’s offshoot label) obscurities galore and indeed, where this copy originated. Wisely, she had future Bang artists cover this, and many of their catalog’s songs, with continued success. ‘A Little Bit Of Soap’ charted twice more in later years by Nigel Olsson and Paul Davis (both on Bang). One winter’s Saturday easily ten years ago, I gave it a spin for old time’s sake and was suddenly bitten by The Exciters bug which is not, by the way, treatable.

Posted in Bang, Bert Berns, Bob Krasnow, Cassandra Berns, Eileen Berns, Elektra, Ellie Greenwich, Shout, The Exciters, The Jarmels |

August 17th, 2010

The Hullaballoos

Listen: I’m Gonna Love You Too / The Hullaballoos

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Do not mistake this British band as the resident pop group on the US HULLABALOO show from ‘65 – ‘66. They did appear, six times to be exact, but were only coincidentally sharing a similar name. Admittedly their second album, THE HULLABALLOOS ON HULLABALOO would confuse even the most attentive. Alas, the band’s name was indeed spelled differently than the program’s. So no – they were not the house band.

As with just about every group in those days, we saw their pictures way before getting to hear the music. I was too young to be aware of all the Buddy Holly similarities they shared, so to me, they were completely original. I vividly remember seeing the sleeve to ‘I’m Gonna Love You Too’ in a local shop and being instantly smitten. Bleach blond, all four – this was even more radical than The Pretty Things, who had the longest hair yet. Hullaballoos’ drummer Harry rivaled any member of The Pretty Things to date, not only in hair length but color too, hence out doing them in my book. My parents were aghast to find I planned to bleach my hair as well. It never happened – not yet that is.

Despite endless stories of infamous thievery directed toward Roulette Records, they did get their singles distributed and heard. ‘I’m Gonna Love You Too’ got played a bunch initially.

Listen: Did You Ever / The Hullaballoos

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The followup, ‘Did You Ever’ was played slightly less, but performed more than any other song on US television.

Listen: Learning The Game / The Hullaballoos

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Unfortunately, ‘Learning The Game’, my favorite of the four, was not played at all in my hometown. The single made it to the Bubbling Under Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at #121 during a short two week run, so some play obviously was achieved. Once I got my copy, I cherished it all the more.

Listen: I Won’t Turn Away Now / The Hullaballoos

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The very hard to get fourth single and sleeve, ‘I Won’t Turn Away Now’ is classic British beat. Little Steven played The Hullaballoos recently. I was in the car and thought, justice after all these years. God bless Sirius.

In the early 80’s, when I started working at Elektra, the lure of free phone calls to the UK were too much to pass up. I called Hull directory information, and secured two of the four Hullaballoos’ phone numbers. Ultimately, I only spoke with Andrew Woonton. Initially our conversation proceeded as follows:

“Hi is this Andrew Woonton?”

“Yes, who’s calling?”

“My name is Kevin, from Elektra Records in New York and I was wondering, were you once a member of The Hullaballoos?”

“Uuuuuum, aaaaah, yes why?”

I launched into being a fan, but later in the conversation he revealed his initial hesitation. Turns out he was still getting calls from creditors wanting payment for hotels, vehicles and other expenses obligated some 20 years prior by Roulette on behalf of The Hullaballoos.

Did this band get what they deserved in any way. No. In fact, their youtube footage recently had the audio removed, apparently by the song publishers. Come on, cut these guys a break.

And I’m still miffed at not seeing the shows they shared with The Zombies and The Nashville Teens back in ‘65 at the Brooklyn Paramount.

Below my postcard from their fan club:

Posted in Andrew Woonton, Bubbling Under The Hot 100, Columbia, Elektra, Hullabaloo, Roulette, The Hullaballoos, The Nashville Teens, The Pretty Things, The Zombies |

August 16th, 2010

Jimmy McCracklin

Listen: The Walk / Jimmy McCracklin

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His biggest chart hit, ‘The Walk’, was a result of an AMERICAN BANDSTAND appearance in ‘58, although the record was released in ‘57. Thus was the power of the very limited music outlets at the time. Then it was called television. Dick Clark’s weekly program must have been aggressively ‘worked’ for such precious exposure. To Dick Clark’s credit, many of the black acts, often who’s records were covered by white performers thus robbing them of the ‘hit’, were given shots. Jimmy McCracklin was one. It’s a great combination of RnB and Jump Blues, which he carried over from the release of his first single, ‘Miss Mattie Left Me’ in 1945.

He went on to record for a few labels including Imperial and Stax, where with Lowell Fulson, co-wrote the massive ‘Tramp’ as recorded by Carla Thomas & Otis Redding, and as recently as 2007 played the San Francisco Blues Festival for the sixth time.

Posted in American Bandstand, Carla Thomas, Checker, Dick Clark, Imperial, Jimmy McCracklin, Otis Redding, Stax |

August 15th, 2010

Gwen Guthrie

Listen: Ain’t Nothin’ Goin’ On But The Rent / Gwen Guthrie

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Anyone who says they don’t love this record is really missing out, maybe even lying.

Having previously made a handful good singles for Island, especially ‘Peanut Butter’, it was this Polydor 7″ that became her crowning moment. She did it all too. Produced, whereby Gwen Guthrie out Roger Troutman’d Roger Troutman. Not easy. And the lyrics – talk about coining every nuance in existence. They’ve never dated, never will.

Flawless.

Posted in Gwen Guthrie, Polydor, Roger Troutman |

August 14th, 2010

The Wild Tchoupitoulas / Robert Palmer / Aaron Neville

Listen: Meet Me Boys On The Battle Front / The Wild Tchoupitoulas

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Listen: Brother John / The Wild Tchoupitoulas

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Listen: Man Smart, Woman Smarter / Robert Palmer

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Turns out the legendary album by The Wild Tchoupitoulas was even more legendary than originally thought. It was a bit of a first in it’s day, critics choice and all that. I remember Kathy Kenyon sending an envelope of singles to my college radio station back in ‘76. She worked at Island then, left for several years and ended up returning when I started in the 80’s. Small world.

That package included these two Wild Tchoupitoulas 7″s and Robert Palmer’s ‘Man Smart, Woman Smarter’. Seems the label was going through a New Orleans fetish. Robert Palmer’s album (as well as Jess Roden’s then current one) were all recorded there with either The Meters, The Neville Brothers and/or Allen Toussaint contributing. When Chris Blackwell goes for something, he goes for it (reggae, world music, go-go).

Apparently, The Wild Tchoupitoulas project lead to the formation of The Neville Brothers, who until it’s recording, had never played together. Hard to believe they, not only as brothers but a band, started a long career as a result of that very album.

Listen: Tell It Like It Is / Aaron Neville

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For some reason, they reissued the Aaron Neville single ‘Tell It Like It Is’ (originally on Stateside) in England. That pressing was also included in the package. That re-release reminded me of how much I loved it, not owning the original at the time. All in all, a pretty memorable watermark – thanks Kathy.

Posted in Aaron Neville, Allen Toussaint, Chris Blackwell, Island, Jess Roden, Kathy Kenyon, Par Lo, The Meters, Wild Tchoupitoulas |

August 13th, 2010

Thunderclap Newman

Listen: Accidents / Thunderclap Newman

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Not enough people seem to appreciate Thunderclap Newman.

For such a British sound, they surprisingly had a pretty big US hit with ‘Something In The Air’. It, and their album HOLLYWOOD DREAM, were produced by Pete Townshend. Word is they were a studio concoction put together by Pete to help John ‘Speedy’ Keen, a roadie for The Who. Speedy Keen had indeed quite a talent for songwriting (doing just that for all but one song on the LP) and playing. He later released two solo albums, as well as some great singles including ‘Bad Boys’, a reggae style Chris Blackwell produced favorite of mine.

This track though, was the followup to ‘Something In The Air’. A 9:40 version of ‘Accidents’ can be found on the album, complete with kitchen sink psychedelics during a loooong middle part, but it’s the 7″ version that out-Englishes the Englishness of ‘Something In The Air’, if you can believe that. If not, just listen, Yes, heaven on earth.

Guitarist Jimmy McCulloch was noticeably great – his intertwining parts here (every song actually) are hugely melodic and make all Thunderclap Newman’s songs a little more special.

He later joined Stone The Crows and a very obscure band called Blue. They actually scored a minor hit, ‘Capture Your Heart’, when signed to Elton John’s Rocket label, but previously had two albums on RSO, the first of which included the single ‘Little Jody’, an absolutely perfect, must own pop record, made even more perfect by Jimmy’s playing.

I’m posting the mono single version of ‘Accidents’ here. A stereo version can be found on the cd reissue of that infamous HOLLYWOOD DREAM album, but for some reason they left off the mono. Sloppy….

Posted in Andy Newman, Chris Blackwell, Elton John, Jimmy McCulloch, Pete Townsend, Speedy Keen, Stone The Crows, The Who, Thunderclap Newman |

August 12th, 2010

Fleetwood Mac

Listen: Station Man / Fleetwood Mac

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Much critical praise is deservedly lavished on the first incarnation of Fleetwood Mac: the Peter Green years. Many a great single came from that span (‘67 – ‘70). Then there’s the Buckingham/Nicks lineup from ‘76 onwards and their astronomical success. Yet it seems little to no attention is ever paid to the middle bit. It’s here where some of my favorite albums by them reside.

Ok, I loved THEN PLAY ON, after which Peter bailed – certainly leaving on a high. The Peter-less followup (literally the same lineup minus one), KILN HOUSE was pretty great too. First of all, the album cover was a beauty, and the abrupt shift away from blues toward the Jeremy Spencer preferred 50’s RnR was a nice change. ‘Station Man’, the B side to ‘Jewel Eyed Judy’, had such a swaggering groove, it really feels like a one take jam – in a good way.

Listen: Hypnotized / Fleetwood Mac

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By ‘73, Bob Welch was established as a member and important songwriter – his haunting vocals and lyrics matched each other, and this band, pretty perfectly. By ‘73, he and Christine McVie were the consistent strong song components on MYSTERY TO ME. Very ying and yang but it worked. Like Bob Welch’s ‘Bermuda Traingle’, ‘Hypnotized’ was nicely eerie and luckily for the 7″ junkie, made it to a B side. I love having it on a single.

Listen: Heroes Are Hard To Find (Single Version) / Fleetwood Mac

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The lead track from ’74’s HEROES ARE HARD TO FIND is hard to top. I still listen to it pretty faithfully some 30 years later. I’ve posted the hard to find, mono single version up top.

Posted in Bob Welch, Christine McVie, Fleetwood Mac, Jeremy Spencer, Peter Green, Reprise |

August 11th, 2010

The Marmalade

Listen: Baby Make It Soon / The Marmalade

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Apparently, The Marmalade’s ‘I See The Rain’ was one of Jimi Hendrix’s favorite records. Their most collectable release, considered a psych classic, on and on.

All good, a deserved single. Having released a few musically revered but consumer ignored 7’s, UK CBS decided they’d had enough. Onto their pop assembly line The Marmalade went.

Perfect. The more manufactured or schlock, as one friend arrogantly puts it, the singles became, the more I liked them. Indeed, pop/schlock 60’s and 70’s UK singles in general – especially non-hits by nobodies get me excited every time.

‘Baby Make It Soon’ was probably a song the band hated and most likely didn’t even play on. Who cares….it’s a period classic, and many a person’s guilty pleasure. That, I would bet my life on.

Definitely a keeper.

Posted in CBS, Epic, Jimi Hendrix, Keith Mansfield, Mike Smith, The Marmalade |

August 10th, 2010

King Sunny Ade & His African Beats

Listen: Ja Funmi (Remix) / King Sunny Ade & His African Beats

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Chris Blackwell was always a believer that the world would be, or eventually be, open minded and enjoy a wider musical palate. Logically, in the early 80’s he started releasing African artists to the pop consumer. Everyone enjoys a bit of world music in their life, right?

Unfortunately, not as many as would have – had they heard it.

When I joined Island, it was like an oasis, being a part of the music business, yet at the same time comfortably away from the mainstream. An A&R person’s dream come true. You could take a flight to Paris for a Ray Lema or Ali Farke Toure show – and have Chris excitedly anticipate your opinion.

But even before Island, I was bitten by the King Sunny Ade & His African Beats bug. Roger McCall and I would play his stuff seamlessly amongst all the punk, reggae and new wave on our weekly ’specialty show’.

We particularly loved ‘Ja Funmi’ – I wonder, did anyone else?

Listen: Ase / King Sunny Ade & His African Beats

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There’s a great 12″ extended dance mix of ‘Ase’ that Island US promo’d, but an edited 7″ – now that’s a treat. Found this one lying around Island’s London St. Peter’s Square radio department – seems the promo folks were only too happy that I carted off a whole 25 count boxlot with me.

A beauty indeed.

Posted in Chris Blackwell, Island, King Sunny Ade & His African Beats, Roger McCall |

SO MANY RECORDS, SO LITTLE TIME

The Outer Limits / Acid Gallery

The People’s Choice

Peggy Lee

Seatrain

Ten Years After

Wes Montgomery & His Brothers

Claudine Longet

Martin Denny

Julie London

Heart

Lorraine Ellison

The Exciters

The Hullaballoos

Jimmy McCracklin

Gwen Guthrie

The Wild Tchoupitoulas / Robert Palmer / Aaron Neville

Thunderclap Newman

Fleetwood Mac

The Marmalade

King Sunny Ade & His African Beats

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