Archive for the ‘Billboard’ Category
Friday, October 15th, 2010
Listen: What The World Needs Now Is Love / Jackie DeShannon What The World Needs Now Is.mp3
Listen: Put A Little Love In Your Heart / Jackie DeShannon Put A Little Love In Your H.mp3
She was on one of those fund drive, non profit shows, where you can get some 8 CD set of the ‘golden age’ for a $150 pledge, and then there were a bunch of other 60′s acts playing for a mummified audience to hawk the whole shabang.
The Association were on too. They sounded great, but ouch did they look awful.
Jackie DeShannon on the other hand, sounded and looked beautiful, classy, deservedly confident. Did all the hits, which sadly totaled two (‘What The World Needs Now Is Love’, ‘Put A Little Love In Your Heart’). In her day, she was churning out singles, for years really. Signed to Liberty and part of the now romantic LA record business which included Phil Spector and Jack Nitzsche, many times the songs were not her own.
Listen: A Lifetime Of Loneliness / Jackie DeShannon A Lifetime Of Loneliness.mp3
There were a patch of Bacharach/David releases. Some were a bit over-written, too many parts, and not so memorable at the time (‘A Lifetime Of Loneliness’ comes to mind). This was never the case with those she had a hand in writing. Doesn’t matter, fact is, they all sound classic now.
Jim Lahat told me Jackie DeShannon made her first UK trip in ’07, stopped by the BBC for an interview, and was a total class act. She sure looked it the other night.
Listen: When You Walk In The Room / Jackie DeShannon 01 When You Walk In The Room.mp3
And when she wrote a smash, she really would hit it out of the park: ‘When You Walk In The Room’. Hard to believe her version charted for only one week in January ’64, peaking at #99.
Tags: Jackie DeShannon
Posted in Billboard, Burt Bacharach, Hal David, Jack Nitzsche, Jackie DeShannon, Jim Lahat, Liberty, Phil Spector, The Association | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 13th, 2010
Listen: Oh No Not My Baby / Maxine Brown MaxineBrownOhNo.mp3
Infamous Carole King (did you know she married one of The Myddle Class) / Gerry Goffin classic. Like many of their compositions, ‘Oh No Not My Baby’ was recorded by a whole bunch of folks. Cher, Manfred Mann, Fontella Bass, Dusty Springfield and Dee Dee Warwick amongst my favorites.
The US hit version went to Maxine Brown (#24, 1964). Unfortunately, most of her singles for Wand (Pye International in the UK for this one), as well her duets with Chuck Jackson, achieved undeserved low Billboard pop chart peaks, Bubbling Under The Hot 100 entries or non hits whatsoever. Hence, their place in every last Northern Soul price guide.
As with most of her work for the label, Cissy Houston and The Sweet Inspirations provided backups. It had to have been a magical time around the New York studios that catered to the RnB sessions in those days. Seems a day didn’t pass without a classic being recorded, just think of all the unreleased, forgotten songs.
Worth getting: BEST OF THE WAND YEARS, a flawless cd comp from Ace UK with the usual amazing booklet. The details will have you drooling.
Above: Jukebox Tab signed by Maxine Brown
Tags: Ace Records, Billboard, Bubbling Under The Hot 100, Carole King, Cher, Chuck Jackson, Cissy Houston, Dee Dee Warwick, Dusty Springfield, Fontella Bass, Gerry Goffin, Jukebox Tab, Manfred Mann, Maxine Brown, Pye International, The Myddle Class, The Sweet Inspirations, Wand
Posted in Ace Records, Billboard, Bubbling Under The Hot 100, Carole King, Cher, Chuck Jackson, Cissy Houston, Dee Dee Warwick, Dusty Springfield, Fontella Bass, Gerry Goffin, Jukebox Tab, Manfred Mann, Maxine Brown, Pye International, The Myddle Class, The Sweet Inspirations, Wand | No Comments »
Monday, October 11th, 2010
Listen: Different Drum / The Stone Poneys StonePoneysDifferentDrum.mp3
Ok, so a follow up single isn’t always better than the hit preceding it, as was maybe the case with ‘Up To My Neck In High Muddy Water’. It’s hard to top ‘Different Drum’. In fact, Linda Ronstadt never did. At least I don’t remember her doing it, possibly due in part to my general lack of interest toward country leaning music back then.
‘Different Drum’ was indeed another story though. It became a radio staple not long after Jefferson Airplane’s somewhat similar sounding ‘White Rabbit’, and at the same time as both ‘Itchycoo Park’ by The Small Faces and ‘Zabadak’ from Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich.
‘Different Drum’ felt a bit psychedelic, even though it wasn’t. Maybe it was by association. Nick Venet was the producer and his work covered many genres. As a Capitol in house employee, seems he was handed all their youth culture signings of the day, thus slotting The Stone Poneys sessions between The Leaves, Lothar & The Hand People or Hearts & Flowers. It was one of many historic times at the Capitol Tower.
Listen: Up To My Neck In High Muddy Water / Linda Ronstadt & The Stone Poneys StonePoneysUpToMyNeck.mp3
Long before Simon Cowell, the ruthless corporate machine gnawed it’s way through bands, carving out the superstar for investment and mainstream marketing, leaving the other members to survive somehow. As when Clive Davis butchered Big Brother & The Holding Company for Janis Joplin, so too, it seems, did Capitol decimate The Stone Poneys for the asset now known as Linda Ronstadt.
‘Different Drum’ by The Stone Poneys was literally still on Billboard’s Top 100 when ‘Up To My Neck In High Muddy Water’ was released as Linda Ronstadt & The Stone Poneys. Housed in a full color sleeve, big things were expected. The record stalled at #93, but the setback was only temporary. She skyrocketed. It’s a great single despite the misery.
Linda Ronstadt was particularly critical of The Ramones, having gone to CBGB’s, catching an early performance and trashing them the very next day in a local New York paper. It was a hurtful moment that they talked about on occasion. So when Elektra threw a rather lavish party for her in New York, upon release of a successful new album, CANCIONES DE MI PADRE, the mischievous idea of inviting the band was impossible to resist and they were happy to attend.
We all met at Paul’s Lounge on 3rd and 10th, now a drug store, for a drink, then proceeded uptown to the event. Monte of course came along, Michael Alago and Arturo Vega did too. Everyone cleaned up on designer Mexican food, the album theme being traditional Mexican folk songs, and waited patiently for her to make the rounds, greeting her guests. The moment when she turned towards our table was classic, but it was too late to turn back. Obviously, she’d not been forewarned. Her look was priceless. DeeDee smiled and stared very menacingly, John just glared. Joey, after about five or ten seconds, decided to break the silence with “So Linda, long time no see”.
Nervously: “How are you guys doing?”
“We’re fine” replies John before she’s even finished her last word.
Incredible singer, successful artist but at that moment, Linda Ronstadt was stumped. Wincing, she backed away and slithered into the crowd.
Touché.
Tags: Arturo Vega, Big Brother & The Holding Company, Billboard, Capitol, CBGB, Clive Davis, Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich, Dee Dee Ramone, Hearts & Flowers, Janis Joplin, Joey Ramone, Johnny Ramone, Linda Ronstadt, Lothar & The Hand People, Michael Alago, Mike Nesmith, Nick Venet, Simon Cowell, The Leaves, The Ramones, The Small Faces, The Stone Poneys
Posted in Arturo Vega, Big Brother & The Holding Company, Billboard, Capitol, CBGB, Clive Davis, Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich, Dee Dee Ramone, Hearts & Flowers, Janis Joplin, Joey Ramone, Johnny Ramone, Linda Ronstadt, Lothar & The Hand People, Michael Alago, Mike Nesmith, Monte Melnick, Nick Venet, Simon Cowell, The Leaves, The Ramones, The Small Faces, The Stone Poneys | No Comments »
Sunday, October 10th, 2010
Listen: Selfish One / Jackie Ross JackieRossSelfishOne.mp3
Always thought, for the longest time, this was a Mary Wells or Tammi Terrell single. With it’s intentional Motown swing and sound, I vaguely recalled hearing it as a current. And despite it’s somewhat pricey Northern Soul status (a genre loosely defined as Motown soundalikes that flopped), it was actually a US #11 Billboard pop hit.
Forever, ‘Selfish One’ evaded me, until my trip a few weeks back to Detroit. I’d completely forgotten about it’s unfilled slot in my wall shelf.
Great thing about collecting records, there’s always something you need. And when you find it at 94¢ plus tax, that moment of warmth is unbeatable.
Tags: Billboard, Chess, Jackie Ross, Mary Wells, Motown, Northern Soul, Tammi Terrell
Posted in Billboard, Chess, Jackie Ross, Mary Wells, Motown, Northern Soul, Tammi Terrell | No Comments »
Friday, October 8th, 2010
Listen: End Up Crying / The Vibrations VibrationsEndUp.mp3
Been meaning to create a section somewhere on the blog’s layout for great double siders. Once I do, this will reside in a new home. Until then….
I admit it, my knees go weak for the sight of a 60′s Okeh pressing in it’s original company sleeve. Usually I prefer a dj copy of any record, but with a few labels, Okeh being one, I love both.
These records always struggled for pop airplay in those days, well it’s still that way I guess. Just baffles me how something as good as ‘End Up Crying’ didn’t catch fire. Probably down to hindsight being 20/20. At the time, this was most likely considered just another Motown-lite, having peaked at 130 on Billboard’s Bubbling Under The Hot 100 chart in May ’65. If not for that, there’d be no Northern Soul, so give thanks at the end of the day.
Listen: Ain’t Love That Way / The Vibrations VibrationsAintThatLove.mp3
To think though, Carl Davis and Curtis Mayfield were all over Okeh releases, this being just one. Talk about an insurance policy. Despite all eyes and Northern Soul book values focusing on the A side, ‘Ain’t Love That Way’ feels equally deserving of such status. It might be the one I ultimately favor. I think.
Check my previous post on The Vibrations, and how I was lucky enough to see them live as a little kid, vivid memory cells still intact of their on stage somersaults, backdrops and flips.
Until you find your own version of this 7″, I can’t recommend strongly enough getting THE VIBRATING VIBRATIONS:THE OKEH AND EPIC SINGLES 1963-1968, released last year by UK’s Ace/Kent label – if only for the booklet.
Tags: Ace Records, Billboard, Bubbling Under The Hot 100, Carl Davis, Curtis Mayfield, Okeh, The Rolling Stones, The Vibrations
Posted in Ace Records, Billboard, Bubbling Under The Hot 100, Carl Davis, Curtis Mayfield, Okeh, The Rolling Stones, The Vibrations | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 6th, 2010
Listen: Some Guys Have All The Luck / The Persuaders PersuadersLuck.mp3
Only in hindsight did I hear The Persuaders version of ‘Some Guys Have All The Luck’. God only knows how that happened. I worked at a one-stop in Fall ’73, delivering records to accounts, and to my apartment….bad karma. I thought there wasn’t a 7″ I had left out of those personal allocations, but obviously I was wrong.
Add to that, how did I miss it on the radio? There was nothing else to listen to while doing those said deliveries and this one went pop, peaking at #39 in Billboard that very November.
Eventually, around the Christmas season, I got moved inside, pulling orders and restocking. At this I was a whizz. Could do it in my sleep – and loved it. I was in the LP department – all organized by label, then chronologically by catalog number within each. Can you imagine sections for King, Okeh, Fontana, Sue, Deram, Philips, Parrot, Stax, Smash…….ok enough torture.
The front half of the warehouse was dedicated to the 45′s. Maude did my version of the job up there, and she had a Kevin pile – one of everything. Well, sometimes 5 or 10, depending on varying factors. Once a one hundred count box was full, off to the tape dispenser, then on to the cart, bound for the delivery truck, it went. Oh to go back in time.
Still, I didn’t end up with a copy of this one for years.
Listen: Some Guys Have All The Luck / Junior Tucker JuniorTuckerSomeGuys.mp3
Fast forward. 1980.
Oldest trick in the book: cover classic soul songs in a reggae style. Pretty much works every time. In this case, beyond great.
I fell in love with Junior Tucker’s ‘Some Guys Have All The Luck’ upon release. I dare say it got played hundreds and hundreds of times in my record room that year, and on my radio shows.
Corinne and I were both reggae lovers, having been weened on the hard corp Lee Perry and Jack Ruby releases Howard was sending our way starting in ’76. An all time favorite series, THIS IS REGGAE MUSIC, especially Volume 3, became our crowd’s anthem anthology. And I dare say all my best friends from that period can be transported back to some of the greatest times of our lives when we spin it nowadays.
Had I known then, that about ten years after Volume 3′s release, I would one afternoon walk into Chris Blackwell’s office, and suggest reviving the series with a Volume 4 and 5 (Volume 5 exclusive to reggae style RnB covers – this was included), and that he would say “Yes”, my heart would have frozen.
Tags: Atco, Billboard, Chris Blackwell, Deram, Fontana, Howard Thompson, Island, Jack Ruby, Junior Tucker, King, Lee Perry, Okeh, Parrot, Philips, Smash, Stax, Sue, The Persuaders, This Is Reggae Music
Posted in Atco, Billboard, Chris Blackwell, Deram, Fontana, Howard Thompson, Island, Jack Ruby, Junior Tucker, King, Lee Perry, Okeh, Parrot, Philips, Reggae, Smash, Stax, Sue Records, The Persuaders, This Is Reggae Music | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 21st, 2010
Listen: Street Life / The Crusaders CrusadersStreet.mp3
I can admit it, I never payed a blink of attention to Randy Crawford, although I did love her name. Her Warner Brothers album sleeves left me believing she was safe RnB sludge. Plus I had tunnel vision back then for all things punk.
Along comes her feature on The Crusaders’ ‘Street Life’ single, which was a record I worked as the local MCA radio promo guy back in ’79.
Wow. I loved this and since then, have loved her too (despite some questionable picture sleeves). ‘Street Life’ probably would have been more respected if it hadn’t become a hit – but it did. And deserved to as well. Sometimes there is justice.
To this day. ‘Street Life’ is considered a rare groove classic, one of those UK soul affectionado terms that I admittedly am not sure the meaning of. Fact is, Randy Crawford has a terrific voice, one that’s very much appreciated in the UK and Europe, but sadly not here in the US. Despite ‘Street Life’ peaking at #17 Stateside, and #5 in the UK, she has never had a Billboard chart entry on her own. Given my leaning toward all things British, I guess my passion for her makes sense.
Tags: Billboard, MCA, Randy Crawford, The Crusaders, Warner Brothers
Posted in Billboard, MCA, Randy Crawford, The Crusaders, Warner Brothers | No Comments »
Sunday, September 19th, 2010
Listen: Sexy Ida (Part 1) / Ike & Tina Turner IkeTinaSexyIda.mp3
You are correct, this is not my first Ike & Tina Turner post, nor will it be the last. My wall shelf easily has a foot long upright section dedicated to their singles, all of them essentials.
I recently played ‘Sexy Ida (Part 1) at the Brooklyn Bowl residency, and man did it sound hot through a big PA. Parts 1 and 2 would certainly have you thinking a six or seven minute album version was lazily divided into halves so as to fit the whole song onto a 7″. Not the case here, which is a rare occasion – indeed possibly one of a kind.
Listen: Sexy Ida (Part 2) / Ike & Tina Turner IkeTinaIda2.mp3
‘Sexy Ida (Part 2) is in fact a less black, more rock-of -the day rendition. Sounds to me like their recent mainstream successes with ‘Proud Mary’ and ‘I Want To Take You Higher’ inspired Ike Turner to record a more guitar heavy rendition to the track, just in case the white underground and pop stations took a shine. In fact, it has a uncanny resemblance to The Rolling Stones, who Ike & Tina Turner had been touring with quite frequently at the time. Despite Part 2 being pressed up as a double sided DJ promo, it was Part 1 that got some traction, eventually struggling to an unjust #65 on Billboard’s Top 100 (#29 Black) in early ’74.
Choose your favorite – but it should be well easy to guess mine.
Tags: Billboard, Brooklyn Bowl, Ike & Tina Turner, The Rolling Stones, United Artists
Posted in Billboard, Brooklyn Bowl, Ike & Tina Turner, The Rolling Stones, United Artists | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 1st, 2010
Listen: I Likes To Do It / The People’s Choice PeoplesChoiceLikesToDoIt.mp3
Listen: Big Ladies Man / The People’s Choice PeoplesChoiceBigLadies.mp3
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.
Tags: 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
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 | No Comments »
Friday, August 27th, 2010
Listen: Hello, Hello / Claudine Longet ClaudineHello.mp3
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.
Tags: A&M, Andy Williams, Billboard, Claudine Longet, Jane Birkin, Jo Ann Castle, Sopwith Camel, The Flying Lizards
Posted in A&M, Andy Williams, Billboard, Claudine Longet, Jane Birkin, Jo Ann Castle, Sopwith Camel, The Flying Lizards | No Comments »
Thursday, August 5th, 2010
Listen: A Satisfied Mind / Bobby Hebb BobbyHebbASatisfiedMind.mp3
I hated his hit ‘Sunny’ when it was current in ’66. Absolutely loathed that sucker. Got rammed down everyone’s throat, plus being so safe and mellow it managed to cross all the formats – you literally couldn’t get away from it. Logically it peaked at #2 during it’s healthy fifteen week US chart run.
Yet ‘Sunny’ was so strong that everyone from Ella Fitzgerald and The Electric Flag to Georgie Fame and Les Mc Cann were covering it too. Now I wish I’d had better taste at the time. Not only has it become a favorite through the years (I’ve collected over 30 covers on 7″) but I’m hooked on his voice as well. Like Jon Lucien years later, and probably Mel Torme prior, he has this calming tone that appeals to my valium side. His follow ups were pretty great too. I think he should’ve been around a lot longer.
The followup single, released just after ‘Sunny’, was a great double sider. ‘A Satisfied Mind’, despite possibly being a bit ‘Sunny’ sounding, has held up – I know cause it’s on my jukebox and plays a lot. I never tire of it. Not so with the public, peaking at #39, and lasting only six weeks total on the Billboard Top 100.
Listen: Love Love Love / Bobby Hebb BobbyHebbLoveLoveLove.mp3
The B side, ‘Love Love Love’, is now considered to be his ‘other’ hit – having gained UK Northern Soul success in ’72. When re-released there due to demand, it sold well and charted at #32. Most tracks on his one and only Philips LP, SUNNY BY BOBBY HEBB are worth many listens too. Get it if you can.
Tags: Bobby Hebb
Posted in Billboard, Bobby Hebb, Electric Flag, Ella Fitzgerald, Georgie Fame, Jon Lucien, Les McCann, Mel Torme, Northern Soul, Philips | No Comments »
Friday, July 30th, 2010
Listen: Magic / Pilot Pilot.mp3
Even in the 70′s, nobody wanted 7″ singles. Not the employees at Discount Records on the Syracuse University campus, where I worked that is. It was all about albums.
Excellent. That meant when the salesmen from the various labels made their weekly rounds, I had zero competition rifling through their trunks for the latest releases.
I had seen this one enter the UK charts, and a week or so later, landed a copy from the local Capital rep. My eyes bulged later that night after the first spin. This was flawless. I moaned for months about it’s lack of US airplay, when slowly but surely, ‘Magic’ actually gained ground, eventually charting, then peaking at #5 on Billboard’s Top 100, even higher than it’s UK #11. Now that’s a first.
Listen: Just A Smile / Pilot PilotJustASmile.mp3
Having begun as former Bay City Rollers, most of Pilot ended up joining The Alan Parsons Project – not surprising given he himself produced all their recordings. A later single, their last UK chart entry, should have made it higher than #31.
Something about Pilot’s sound and songwriting that pointed towards The Buggles in a big way. Anyone else notice that?
Tags: Alan Parsons, Billboard, EMI, Pilot, The Bay City Rollers
Posted in Alan Parsons, Billboard, EMI, Pilot, The Bay City Rollers | No Comments »
Saturday, July 17th, 2010
Listen: Solitary Man / Neil Diamond NeilSolitaryMan.mp3
According to Wikipedia, Neil Diamond’s first single for Bang was released May 21, 1966. If so, then I love WOLF even that much more – they tipped it as Hit Bound on May 7 (see below). No joke, this was one hell of a radio station. I know several mid sized cities had them – the ‘other’ Top 40 that played many of the non hit RnB, British Beat and Garage records. Not only a God send, but I have a feeling, these were the stations that created the crazies like myself.
‘Solitary Man’ was a bit dark, or sad – something I still can’t quite put my finger on. It wasn’t his last to have that quality. ‘Shilo’ had it, ‘Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon’ did too. I hadn’t realized it fizzled out at #55 in Billboard that year, maybe because in ’70, when re-released by Bang after he’d left the label for a, by then, very successful run on UNI, ‘Solitary Man’ re-charted and peaked at #21. Bizarre, all those radio programmers that wouldn’t touch it originally now proving their stupidity by playing it a few years later. Justice.
Tags: Bang, Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, London American, Neil Diamond, WOLF
Posted in Bang, Billboard, Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, London American, Neil Diamond, UNI, WOLF | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 14th, 2010
Listen: It’s Cold Outside / The Choir ChoirCold.mp3
Tis the season to be…..playing songs about cold weather. ‘It’s Cold Outside’ peaked at #68 in Billboard in early June ’67 and proves all this nonsense about lyrics fitting the season is hollow. Actually, I recall the record picking up airplay ever so slowly when initailly released in December ’66, so I guess the intention was a wintertime hit.
Despite it’s revered spot in garage rock history, it’s more a sentimental memory for me. I used to light up when it came on the air that winter, as it got played quite early in the upstate New York area. The looser WOLF jumped on it straight off, and by spring/summer slow poke WNDR was on board.
Summer ’67, repeated again in ’77 and even ’87, represents many a fantastic single. It was hard to keep up with all the hits and new releases.
But you gotta love this naive, sloppy garage band performance – despite it currently residing a bit too comfortably in the power pop catagory, a genre that usually has me running in the opposite direction.
Tags: Roulette, The Choir
Posted in Billboard, Roulette, The Choir, WNDR, WOLF | No Comments »
Sunday, July 11th, 2010
Listen: Richard Corey / Them
Richard
I religiously collected local radio station charts placed in all the record shops and record departments at the variety stores. Every town had them. They’re really fun to scour nowadays for the national non-hits as well as being a great snapshot of the music you could hear at that given moment. If you search ‘music survey’ at eBay, there are always a bunch listed for auction.
I recall WT Grants on Salina Street in Syracuse had a huge record department, and stocked everything you could want, especially as WOLF, one of the town’s two Top 40 stations was pretty adventurous, playing a lot of obscure English rock and US RnB. This was a God send for me from ’65 – ’67, until they buckled and went all Billboard on us. That said record department had a soda counter attached to it, up a few steps with typical glittery colored American Graffiti style booths looking down on the hustle/bustle of kids pawing through and buying records (today you see the same activity at an Apple store or Game Stop), and they had a great jukebox. It was jammed with all the latest up and comers. I remember investing a dime to hear ‘Bend It’, well not only hear it but watch the single spin round on the store’s lavender/purple Rock-ola, at the same time admiring a factory printed Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich jukebox tab to accompany it. I wonder where that tab ended up. Hate to think.
My only problem with WT Grants or Walt’s being there were so many choices, and not enough money to buy them all on my $1 a week allowance and some cash from mowing lawns. I still get cold sweats hearing a lawn mover. I would literally walk up and back neighbor’s yards behind their mowers deciding what record this torturous act would earn me and I distinctly remember suffering through several yards earning enough to buy The Cream FRESH CREAM. I went cheap, and sprung for the mono pressing as they were $1 less. Who knew then that monos would end up way more valuable than their stereo counterparts. Man, am I happy I bought them: The Pink Floyd PIPER AT THE GATES OF DAWN, The Jimi Hendrix Experience AXIS: BOLD AS LOVE and Big Brother & The Holding Company CHEAP THRILLS to mention a few that reaped incredible returns. Well if I ever decide to sell them that is. I soon figured out other ways to get all these records and more for free. That saga is covered in my Jack Dupree post for the more curious of you.
Meanwhile, the one record that got played by WOLF (and I bet only by WOLF in the whole of the US as I’ve never seen it on any other local chart, ever) but not stocked, was ‘Richard Corey’ by Them. It’s actually a Paul Simon cover and Van Morrison reportedly hated it.
If you couldn’t find something at Grant’s there was also Walt’s Records, just down a block and right next to a peanut shop, freshly roasting their wares.
Walt’s was a great shrine to obscure stuff, and very RnB heavy. The place smelled fantastic, a constant mixture of vinyl and those roasted nuts. Like Grant’s, I was told they “couldn’t get” this single by Them either. “Couldn’t get”, what the hell does that mean? Turns out the lyric “He went home last night and put a bullet through his head” was a big deal….I’m guessing neither outlet dared stock it just in case. Guns were not cool once. It’s a shame that’s changed. And it took me years to find this as I’m sure not many were pressed. How WOLF got away with playing ‘Richard Corey’ heavily for several weeks without a problem is surprising, but they did.
Tags: Big Brother & The Holding Company, Billboard, Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich, Decca, Jack Dupree, Jukebox, Music Surveys, Parrot, Paul Simon, Radio Charts, Rock-Ola, The Cream, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Pink Floyd, Them, Van Morrison, Walt's Records, WOLF, WT Grants
Posted in Big Brother & The Holding Company, Billboard, Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich, Decca, Jack Dupree, Jukebox, Music Surveys, Paul Simon, Radio Charts, Rock-Ola, The Cream, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Pink Floyd, Them, Van Morrison, Walt's Records, WOLF, WT Grants | No Comments »
Saturday, July 10th, 2010
Listen: Martian Hop / The Ran-dells 01 Martian Hop.mp3
This is a very early memory for me – it was really a kids record yet in ’63 sat nicely with the early surf hits, like ‘Surfin’ USA’, ‘Surf City’ and even ‘Wipe Out’ depsite The Ran-dells hailing from New Jersey. A #16 Billboard Pop single, not so surprising – but also peaking at #27 on the magazine’s Black Music charts more of a shocker.
All my pals loved it. Listening these days, I can’t help notice that electronica moment at 1:27, as well as in the opening bit. Extra-terrestrial sounds were finding their way onto vinyl around this time actually. Joe Meek had just gone #1 globally with The Tornadoes’ ‘Telstar’ as well as releasing the UK EP, I HEAR A NEW WORLD.
The Ramones should have covered this one.
Tags: Chairman, Joe Meek, London Records, The Ramones, The Ran-dells, The Tornados
Posted in Billboard, Chairman, Joe Meek, London Records, The Ramones, The Ran-dells, The Tornadoes | No Comments »
Thursday, June 17th, 2010
Listen: (I Love You Babe But) Give Me My Freedom / The Glories GloriesFreedom.mp3
Like a lot of people, I have a soft spot for anything on Date, and Direction for that matter. They were sister US/UK companies and had great A&R. I wish I knew more about The Glories, but really don’t. Most of their stuff is in the Northern groove, so I’m in.
Listen: Try A Little Tenderness / The Glories GloriesTenderness.mp3
Obviously not a Northern ‘stomper’ as they like to say, but I love any version of ‘Try A Little Tenderness’. Luckily, everyone I know that recorded it had pipes, although Nico or The Flying Lizards would have made interesting listens.
Listen: Sing Me A Love Song / The Glories GloriesSing.mp3
There’s a beautiful trade ad from a ’67 issue of Billboard for this one. Full page. Awesome shot of the girls. Wish my scanner could have handled it’s size. Spun ‘Sing Me A Love Song’ at the Otis Clay show recently – sounded killer through the big speakers
Tags: Billboard, Date, Direction, Nico, Northern Soul, Otis Clay, The Flying Lizards, The Glories
Posted in Billboard, Date, Direction, Nico, Northern Soul, Otis Clay, The Flying Lizards, The Glories | No Comments »
Saturday, June 12th, 2010
Listen: Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine / Country Joe & The Fish CountryJoeLorraine.mp3
During the summer of ’67 when ‘the late night DJ was your fireside chat friend’, I would lie in bed with the transistor radio under my pillow, exactly as The Ramones described it in ‘Do You Remember Rock & Roll Radio’, dialing in these far beaming AM stations, usually from Boston. They’d play a nice array of all the hippie underground bands who looked so extreme and oozed the sound of San Francisico’s Haight-Ashbury seemingly dersirable lifestyle. Country Joe & The Fish were certainly tied with Big Brother & The Holding Company for best name, and after slowly climbing up the Bubbling Under The Hot 100 Billboard list for six weeks, ‘Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine’ finally peaked at #95. Not such a great result, but was I ever happy to lay my hands on this single.
Having heard it once during a quiet summer night, it sounded as alien at the time as it actually does now. Then, it was mysterious, now probably just not aging well. But my soft spot for it is still there.
You learn something everyday supposedly. I found out just tonght Corinne saw them at The Fillmore. After all these years, somehow this fact never came up. Bizarre.
Tags: Billboard, Bubbling Under The Hot 100, Country Joe & The Fish, Fontana, The Ramones, Vanguard
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Monday, June 7th, 2010
Listen: Land Of 1000 Dances / Cannibal & The Headhunters Cannibal1000.mp3
Often covered through the years, there were two ‘Land Of A Thousand Dances’ floating around during the mid 60′s. Thee Midnighters and this one. For some reason, Cannibal & The Headhunters’ rendition was live with an audience, sounded wilder, and with a band name like that, I couldn’t help it becoming my preferred version. Oddly enough, this wilder take was also the bigger hit, peaking on Billboard’s Hot 100 at #30. Through it’s entire initial chart run the single was always listed on the Rampart label, yet I have both a Rampart and Date pressing in my collection.
I never thought twice about it, just figured the logical explanation was Rampart was a tiny indie (indeed it was – from East LA) and when the record started getting traction, a major, or in this case, a major’s smaller imprint (CBS distributed Date) picked it up to take national. Oddly enough, that’s not what happened. Charting in early ’65 and peaking a few months later in May – for some reason (who will ever know?), Date reissued it a year or so later in summer ’66, when it sort of re-charted, meaning it Bubbled Under The Hot 100 for two weeks, peaking at #106.
Now why should anyone care about this? As far as I’m aware, no one does. But little things, about a record business era gone forever, I find vastly interesting. I wish someone out there was a former Date employee. I’d have a lot more questions about that infamous lime green label.
Tags: Billboard, Bubbling Under The Hot 100, Cannibal & The Headhunters, Date, Rampart
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Saturday, May 22nd, 2010
Listen: Speard It On Thick / The Gentrys GentrysSpread.mp3
Listen: Brown Paper Sack / The Gentrys GentrysBrown.mp3
I really believe this band got cheated out a of much brighter career due to MGM’s mess up. After having a monster smash (#4) with ‘Keep On Dancing’, one of several local garage band records that caught on regionally, in hometown Memphis, and being quickly scooped up by a major, the single continued it’s ascent to success. Produced by ‘about to be’ super succeassful Chips Moman (The Box Tops, Merrilee Rush, Sandy Posey, Joe Tex, Wilson Picket, Herbie Mann), the label awarded the follow up, ‘Spread It On Thick’, with a full color sleeve (indicating ‘let’s go for it’), but confusingly the equally strong B side ‘Brown Paper Sack’ was afforded premier biling on the other side of the same sleeve (see above).
Talk about mixed signals. Some stations played one side, some the other – immediately splitting airplay reports and sales tallys, thereby watering down either song’s visibility to the all important, major market, tight playlisted Top 40 stations, most of who would seldom jump on a single until it reached at least #40, and then only if accompanied by that infamous brown paper sack.
And so the unravelling of a strong future began.
“Spread It On Thick’ peaked at #50. while ‘Brown Paper Sack’ (the song not the well known, aforementioned envelope slipped to radio PD’s and MD’s with a few honey bees inside. Yes, it’s called payola – still is) stalled at #101. Obviously there were many empty brown paper sacks from MGM for this one.
Listen: Everyday I Have To Cry / The Gentrys Gentrys.mp3
Somebody at MGM believed in The Gentrys and had juice, as they were allowed to struggle along, releasing more good singles and a second album, GENTRY TIME, from which ‘Everyday I Have To Cry’ comes.
No idea whatsoever where I picked up the promo of this, but only just now realized it must have come from a radio station library, and indeed one that used the Billboard chart positions as reference.
Have a look at each number crossed off in red. It’s the record’s chart progression on the Hot 100, when in it’s final week, whereby it peaked at #77, there are a couple of black, instead of red, lines through the number. Was the station’s coding system to use black as a way to indicate a record’s position during it’s final week? Who knows, but I like to speculate yes. NO ONE else on earth would care mind you.
I certainly heard this more than a few times on the air, and went for it straight away. What a great song, right down to the untouched Memphis accents.
Tags: Billboard, Chips Moman, Herbie Mann, Joe Tex, Mark Lindsay, Merrilee Rush, MGM, Sandy Posey, The Box Tops, The Gentrys, Wilson Pickett
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