Archive for the ‘Jukebox Tab’ Category
Friday, August 12th, 2011
Listen: Buffalo Gals (Single Edit) / Malcolm McLaren & The World’s Famous Supreme Team
Buffalo Gals (Single Edit) / Malcolm McLaren & The World's Famous Supreme Team
Howard Thompson sent me this one the week of release in Britain, or more likely, even before street date. Getting those packages from him provided yours truly the honor of being the first disc jockey in America to play so many great records, ‘Buffalo Gals’ being one.
Back then, I co-hosted a midnight – 2am Specialty show, as they’re referred to nowadays, on the town’s local AOR outlet, WCMF. Those stations were basically the enemy, force feeding the public on mainstream corporate rock only, although in the case of this particular one, with the occasional great record or two thrown into evening rotation.
Their overnight jock, Roger McCall, would always have considerable leeway given his shift, and spun more than a safe number of playlist no-no’s in those early hours. We ended up co-hosting that show together, specializing in all the groovy stuff of the moment, on Tuesday nights.
Every once in a while, there’d be some mind blowing record, often from England and courtesy of Howard, that I’d take in to debut.
Like Howard, Roger and I had musical tastes that were profoundly in synch and we’d play those singles over and over really loudly in the studio while simultaneously doing the show, and of course giving them some needle time as well.
Yes, this was one of those records. Seriously, our jaws dropped on first listen. How could anything possibly be so good?
Years later while working at Island, Chris rang and asked me to take a meeting with Malcolm McLaren, he having originally signed him to the US label and issuing ‘Buffalo Gals’. Malcolm’s reputation certainly preceded him, so I was excited.
Honestly don’t recall what he was shopping at the time, maybe his French voguing record that ended up on Epic. But he was a riot to sit with for half an hour. An absolute storyteller/salesman.
Once we concluded the meeting, I pulled out my jukebox tab with the usual autograph request as part of the ask. Malcolm happily obliged, paying me quite the compliment: “Well, this truly is a new idea”.
Above: Jukebox Tab signed by Malcolm McLaren
Tags: Chris Blackwell, Howard Thompson, Island, Jukebox Tab, Malcolm McLaren & The World's Famous Supreme Team, Roger McCall, WCMF
Posted in Chris Blackwell, Howard Thompson, Island, Jukebox Tab, Malcolm McLaren & The World's Famous Supreme Team, Roger McCall, WCMF | Comments Off
Sunday, July 31st, 2011
Listen: Wow Wow Wee (He’s The Boy For Me) (Mono) / The Angels
Wow Wow Wee (He's The Boy For Me) (Mono) / The Angels
Some things are meant to happen. Two weeks ago, maybe more, I grabbed a random cd for the car, had some errands to run. The iTouch is a wonderful thing, light, thin, easy to transport. Easy to misplace too. Haven’t seen mine in weeks. Hence the cd, and out of alphabetized storage as well, therefore an artist beginning with A. The Angels.
Not to repeat myself from yesterdays re-post, but I was a fan, and let me tell you, ‘Wow Wow Wee (He’s The Boy For Me)’ sounds mighty great in the summer. I swear I’ve played it fifty times, between the car and having pulled out a copy for the upstairs RCA changer.
Like all things 60′s, it sounds best in mono. Why the majors dig out and polish up the stereo versions for their anthologies, I don’t get. Maybe the rest of humanity prefers to remember the music the way it didn’t sound. Not me. With the windows down, blaring, the stereo version was admittedly more than passable. But first rule is, once in the house, back to mono.
Days ago, Eric Mache emails a link for the girl group review doubling as a tribute to Ellie Greenwich at Lincoln Center, and who’s included but The Angels. The event was a non-stop cavalcade of impeccable voices, very RnB leaning. Five hours that flew by in a flash. Other than dashes to the signing tent for jukebox tab stalking, I never left my seat.
Above: Jukebox Tab signed by Jiggs Allbut
Tags: Eric Mache, Jiggs Allbut, Jukebox Tab, Smash, The Angels
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Sunday, June 19th, 2011
Listen: Nutbush City Limits / Ike & Tina Turner
INutbush City Limits / Ike & Tina Turner
Given that Ike & Tina Turner’s Bolic Sound Studio from the 70′s was quite near LAX, I asked my cab driver would he please cruise past it’s address, 1310 North La Brea, on our way to the airport yesterday. And of course, he did. Every Los Angeles trip I try to visit some historic location or landmark, most of the time only historic to me, usually bringing on the creeps, which is exactly the plan. More often than not, they now provide zero clues to the past. Like after an auto accident is cleared away, the street cleaned up, like it never happened. All that history just gutted, renovated, erased. It’s disgraceful.
Such was the case here. Given the early morning hour, it meant the area stood deserted, smoggy and still asleep. The building now connected to it’s legend only in address. Equal parts sad and eerie. What went on behind those walls in the early 70′s? What about the decor? What happened to all that equipment, furniture, or those wall hangings, plaques? I recall friends from United Artists working in the label’s office at the time, saying Ike Turner’s deal, which included large advances and complete studio funding, pretty much sank their ship. When you’re spending someone else’s dime, you tend to over-decorate I’m sure.
One thing was certain, there, right in front of my eyes, just a few yards away, stood the building where Ike & Tina Turner recorded and mixed a portion of their vast output. Lucky enough, we hit a red light. I had a solid minute to just stare and zone and imagine. Surely some priceless characters spilled out into the broad daylight, splat onto that corner, in who knows what outfits or states, after many an all night session. Not to mention, the boxes of promos arriving for each release. Where did they all go?
Tags: Bolic Sound Studios, Ike & Tina Turner, Ike Turner, Jukebox Tab, United Artists
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Wednesday, June 15th, 2011
Listen: Sitting In The Midday Sun / The Kinks
Sitting In The Midday Sun / The Kinks
June 26, 1973. The first day these two feet ever touched British soil or more accurately, the carpeting at Heathrow. Just dug through my sock drawer to verify. It’s where all the old passports are kept.
Three days later, ‘Sitting In The Midday Sun’ was officially released in the UK, according to the label copy on the demo pictured above. And that’s probably very accurate, given it was one of the first records heard when I finally, like finally, finally, finally got to hear BBC Radio 1. Believe it, in those days, the great radio of the UK was not a click away.
Now there are many priceless summertime songs, and one could opinion differently, but ‘Sitting In The Midday Sun’ is amongst the very best. Always overlooked, often for The Kinks’ own ‘Sunny Afternoon’, but don’t be fooled. This is the one. The tingle of hearing The Kinks new single on the radio that day in June ’73 was a grand privilege. Despite ‘Lola’ being a massive US hit just three years earlier, by ’73 The Kinks were relegated to finished, has beens, completely washed up by American programmers. But in homeland England, they were still being played on the radio, a kind of musical precursor to open source.
I know exactly the spot where this monumental moment occurred. It was about two hundred yards into Regents Park, sitting up against the first tree to the very left of the park entrance directly opposite the Great Portland Street tube station. This became my good luck spot for making a fake pillow (music was not allowed in the Queen’s Park, as a bobby once gently scolded) out of cousin Dinah’s large transistor radio and spending hours listening almost daily.
Dinah still has that wireless in her kitchen, and lives in the same flat a few blocks away on Cleveland Street, W1. I visit her and the radio every time I’m there.
That spot and that radio introduced Roy Wood ‘Dear Elaine’, Junior Campbell ‘Sweet Illusion’, Linda Lewis ‘Rock A Doodle Doo’, Dave Edmunds ‘Born To Be With You’, Kevin Ayers ‘Caribbean Moonshine’ and The Honeybus ‘For You’, amongst many, to this insatiable teenager.
All great singles but nothing near the direct hit ‘Sitting In The Midday Sun’ delivered. I was still in a swirl from up and moving to England without a plan in the world, and only $200 in my pocket. The beautiful insanity of youth, you have to love it. It was as though Ray Davies was speaking right at me, every last word. A little frightening in one way, given almost all of them applied. Thankfully the song’s calming conclusion helped keep the two pints I’d chugged en route at the Tower Tarvern on Clipstone Street down.
A little over two weeks later, The Kinks played a one day, outdoor festival at the White City Stadium in London. I didn’t want to go, it was expensive and other than Lindisfarne, the few UK bands playing were regulars at The Marquee. Besides, I recall a load of US groups as well, like Edgar Winter, by then quite polished and nothing like the soul review of Edgar Winter’s White Trash from a few years prior. I came to England to escape American bands. But how could I miss The Kinks, especially as I was now possessed by ‘Sitting In The Midday Sun’.
It was a cold day for July. Never will I forget exiting the tube at White City and thinking, “I don’t want to do this”. Literally did an about face and decided to go back, then stopped. What an idiot, coming all this way and already having bought the ticket. Still, something felt not right.
Turned out this was the day Ray Davies quit on stage, just like that. Said he was “Fucking sick of it all’ straight after playing ‘Waterloo Sunset’, and left to the horror of the crowd. Everyone literally looked at each other in fear, was this really happening? Days later, all the music press covers announced the bad news to the world. ‘Ray Davies Quits Kinks’, as the MELODY MAKER headline read. I still have my copy.
Radio 1 stopped playing ‘Sitting In The Midday Sun’.
Listen: Sweet Lady Genevieve / The Kinks
Sweet Lady Genevieve / The Kinks
It was not a good week. Family also announced their breakup. Two of my all time favorites, gone. Still, with glam in full swing, the mind did wander and life did go on.
Miracles can happen. What seemed like an eternity in reality lasted about three weeks. Ray Davies was now out of the hospital, where he’d gone directly following his stage exit that day for a stomach pumping. False alarm, The Kinks were in tact, with a new single in the wings even.
Was it the joy of having The Kinks back that made ‘Sweet Lady Genevieve’ sound even better? I don’t think so. We were all crazy about this record. Well, Corinne and I that is.
By Fall, both of those UK A sides were coupled as a US 7″ on RCA, and an American tour announced. We ventured to New York for the triumphant return of The Kinks at The Felt Forum, and somehow figured out the band’s hotel, The Warwick on 54th Street. So we booked a room there as well.
Never a shy one, she calls the front desk and asks to be connected with Ray Davies, and sure enough, he picks up the phone. Without hesitation, Corinne explained we had traveled hundreds of miles from upstate New York to see the show, and would he be so kind as to play ‘Sweet Lady Genevieve’. My jaw was on the floor.
Did you just talk to Ray Davies? “Yep.”
The Kinks didn’t play ‘Sweet Lady Genevieve’ that night, but between songs, during either one of his Rudy Vallee style renditions or some old dancehall classic, Ray Davies did a quick a cappella verse/chorus from ‘Sweet Lady Genevieve’, and we know to this day, it was just for us.
Tags: BBC Radio 1, Dave Edmunds, Edgar Winter's White Trash, Family, Junior Campbell, Kevin Ayers, Linda Lewis, Marquee, Melody Maker, Ray Davies, Roy Wood, Rudy Vallee, The Felt Forum, The Honeybus, The Kinks
Posted in BBC Radio 1, Dave Edmunds, Edgar Winter's White Trash, Family, Jukebox Tab, Junior Campbell, Kevin Ayers, Linda Lewis, Marquee, Melody Maker, Ray Davies, RCA, Roy Wood, Rudy Vallee, The Kinks | Comments Off
Monday, June 13th, 2011
Listen: Sad Day / The Rolling Stones
Sad Day / The Rolling Stones
A terribly under rated and overlooked Rolling Stones classic, ‘Sad Day’ got played as much as A side ’19th Nervous Breakdown’ in my bedroom growing up. It wasn’t even name checked on the US picture sleeve (above), and never included as part of a proper album.
Someone at Decca UK had the seemingly good sense/terrible judgement to make it a British A side in April ’73. Huh? Must have been a featured track on one of the many, theme-less compilations Decca were shoveling out at the time.
Corinne hates that I put my foot down recently and situated a small, 45 only, early 60′s RCA stacker on the headboard of the awesome blond Hollywood bedroom set I found at a house sale almost twenty years ago, in factory fresh condition. And ‘Sad Day’ has gotten many more plays in the past few weeks than it’s equally fantastic A side. Just for the record.
Always scour sleeves in used vinyl shops for jukebox tabs. It’s amazing the ones you will find, and the shops could care less about them. A warning though, once you start you’ll have a hard time stopping.
Tags: Decca, Jukebox Tab, London Records, The Rolling Stones
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Sunday, June 5th, 2011
Listen: Something You Got /Alvin Robinson
Something You Got / Alvin Robinson
The voice. It’s why there’s not a song Alvin Robinson ever recorded that doesn’t hit dead center. Even though his steady income through the 60′s until the late 80′s was as a guitarist, it’s one of the wonders of the world that Alvin Robinson’s voice never took center stage, as in I wonder how that’s even possible. There are some great blog overviews of his recorded history, this one will lead you onto to others.
My first introduction to ‘Something You Got’ came via Them, one of the many highlights on THEM AGAIN. Not long afterward, my uncle gave me Alvin Robinson’s version, complete with the jukebox tab, basically unplayed, out of some malt shop account his vending company serviced. In most such locations, white rock soaked up kid’s dimes, bar only Motown mainstream hits when it came to anything black based. Not sure why he’d even take a chance on records like these, given jukebox companies needed to buy their records from one stops and seldom got anything but double A sided promos for free, which were clearly unusable in the players.
Listen: Something You Got /Chuck Jackson & Maxine Brown
Something You Got /Chuck Jackson & Maxine Brown
Years later, in a panic to get everything Maxine Brown centric, what did I discover but a version and vocal that could actually equal Alvin Robinson’s. A mid-chart (#55) Billboard Top 100 single in ’65, it was one of several duets they released together and their most successful. Three of the others, coincidentally, all peaked at #91.
Tags: Alvin Robinson, Chris Kenner, Chuck Jackson, Chuck Jackson & Maxine Brown, Jukebox Tab, Maxine Brown, Pye International, Them, Tiger Records, Wand
Posted in Alvin Robinson, Chris Kenner, Chuck Jackson, Chuck Jackson & Maxine Brown, Jukebox Tab, Maxine Brown, Pye International, Them, Wand | Comments Off
Sunday, April 3rd, 2011
Listen: Overkill / Motorhead
Overkill / Motorhead
Seminal single. Seminal song actually. Not that I need to tell anyone this. But funny enough, many of the most common records I post get the greatest number of plays. Go figure.
As with lots of singles considered hard core metal, like rap, electronic and dance, a 7″ is fairly uncommon. I don’t see many ‘Overkill’ copies on 45 about, and therefore love this one even that much more.
Listen: Too Late, Too Late / Motorhead
Too Late, Too Late / Motorhead
The A side is certainly well known, but I’m pretty sure ‘Too Late, Too Late’ never made it to an album. Guessing it’s been scraped off the barrel bottom to resell the fans on a ‘Best of’ cd with pretty much material they already own, but as a traditional vinyl B side….here you go.
Above: Jukebox Tab signed by Lemmy
Now the real point of this Motorhead post is to give you a look at the jukebox tab Lemmy filled out a few weeks back.
Here’s the thing, Lemmy will do anything for Howard Thompson. HT pretty much has carte blanche with him. In short, when no one was interested in signing Motorhead, and I do mean no one, Howard saw the obvious while running A&R at Bronze, gave them a singles deal and the rest is indeed, history.
So tagging along with him to a Motorhead show is a no brainer. Into Lemmy’s inner dressing room we go, complete with all the trimmings. Meaning lots of Jack and coke, and potato chips. And Lemmy of course, gracious as can be.
Hanging out with the man from Motorhead is a major thrill, period. For me, the added value of sitting talking with one of The Rockin’ Vickers is basically priceless.
Tags: Bronze, Howard Thompson, Jukebox Tab, Motorhead, The Rockin' Vickers
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Wednesday, December 29th, 2010
Listen: Misty / Groove Holmes RichardHolmesMisty.mp3
There are many, many covers of Erroll Garner’s ‘Misty’ from ’54. Some people will complain it’s schmaltzy, a bore or that it’s too adult. But be informed, the greats have done it in varying styles: Aretha Franklin, Donald Byrd, Johnny Mathis, Sarah Vaughan, The Vibrations, Donny Hathaway, Julie London, Stan Getz even Timebox.
Almost forty years later, in ’91, ‘Misty’ was inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame, not surprising given one of the most common jokes about the RIAA’s recognition process is how out of touch they can be.
It’s a fact: like Bobby Hebb’s ‘Sunny’, ‘Misty’ weathers just about every genre well.
Tags: Aretha Franklin, Bobby Hebb, Donald Byrd, Donny Hathaway, Grammys, Johnny Mathis, Jukebox Tab, Julie London, Prestige, RIAA, Richard Groove Holmes, Sarah Vaughan, Stan Getz, The Vibrations, Timebox
Posted in Aretha Franklin, Bobby Hebb, Donald Byrd, Donny Hathaway, Grammys, Johnny Mathis, Jukebox Tab, Julie London, Prestige, RIAA, Richard Groove Holmes, Sarah Vaughan, Stan Getz, The Vibrations, Timebox | No Comments »
Friday, December 17th, 2010
Listen: Blue Beat / The Beazers BeazersBlueBeat.mp3
What it must have been like. Probably more glamorous as a fantasy than in actual reality. Like life on the chitlin circuit, or what this song has always captured for me: the Beat Group circuit, if I may. English touring combos, most with an undeservingly flop single or two out, driving up and down the UK in nasty, smelly, unheated vans, getting paid squat, existing on grease drenched, vile motorway fry-ups to compliment their dirty clothes, hair and fingernails…check the photo on the back cover of Decca’s compilation HARD UP HEROES to capture the essence. Why The Beazers’ ‘Blue Beat’, a Decca master, wasn’t included on that comp baffles me. It’s about my only criticism though, a superb, must have collection and package.
A slightly eerie and haunting soundtrack to that predominantly regretful lifestyle, ‘Blue Beat’ also marks one of Chris Farlowe’s earliest recordings, actually his third release, and second for Decca. Apparently recorded to cash in on the brief bluebeat movement, which seems to have resurfaced more times than we can all count, it’s a pretty fine record, faux ska guitar pattern and all.
About ten years back, armed with a page of blank jukebox tabs, I approached Alan Price for a signature at an after party for the 60′s Extravaganza show featuring his band, The Alan Price Set, plus The Zombies, Manfred Mann and Chris Farlowe at The Royal Albert Hall. Having done his jukebox tab duty with ‘Simon Smith And The Amazing Dancing Bear’, he was only too happy to volunteer Chris Farlowe sign one as well. Shouting across the room for him to come quick, our man B lined my way.
Upon arrival, Alan Price proclaims, “Chris, you have to do this, it’s a top idea”.
Baffled, Chris Farlowe obliged. Pretty handy that these guys were from a generation that would, sometimes catastrophically, sign anything, hence here was my chance:
Above: Jukebox Tab signed by Chris Farlowe
Tags: Chris Farlowe, Decca, Manfred Mann, The Alan Price Set, The Beazers, The Zombies
Posted in Chris Farlowe, Decca, Jukebox Tab, Manfred Mann, The Alan Price Set, The Beazers, The Zombies | No Comments »
Saturday, November 13th, 2010
Listen: The Robots (Edited Version) / Kraftwerk KraftwerkRobots.mp3
Thirty two years. It’s a long time.
Well that number represents two things: how many years ago ‘The Robots’ was released and how many years behind contemporary music just about every commercial radio station in America is. They still have no idea.
Believe me, liking this single or Kraftwerk in 1978 got you many a cross eyed look. No worries, I was used to them. The same facial expression greeted me for loving The Pretty Things first album, The Pink Floyd’s PIPER AT THE GATES OF DAWN, even that wild and zany Jimi Hendrix Experience. Yes, other kids would shoot stuff at my crowd in the school hallways for our queer tastes. I recall one classmate hassling me for liking “the nigger that wears women’s clothes”. True.
Upstate New York was not a very open minded place in the late 60′s.
Now I guarantee you, most of those ignorants are still listening to these very bands, yes still.
Fast forward to 2002. I’m working at Columbia and our chairman had decided to sign David Bowie. He passed around the demos from HEATHEN, his forthcoming label debut. Settling into a weekly A&R meeting, he asks me what I thought of the songs.
“Garbage. I hate them.”
“What! You never liked Bowie? You didn’t like ZIGGY STARDUST?”
“Boss, when I liked ZIGGY STARDUST, I got laughed at in the hallways and chased home after school by bullies.”
There was no way this guy was into a bloke wearing a fake fur top shaped like two rabbit ears, hot pants, seamed fish net stockings and stilettos in ’72 (David Bowie’s exact outfit at the Syracuse Landmark Theater that very year).
In truth, there was no replacing the pulse of those moments, like championing any of the above in their prime, when you’re insatiable for the sonic palate cleansing these genre inventing acts provided. It was a rush. You felt high every time you listened, and you couldn’t listen enough.
Like Kraftwerk, THE MAN MACHINE. A defining work of music that changed culture, introduced the world to the sound of technology. And a whole bunch of people still don’t even know that it has yet. That’s how far ahead of their time Kraftwerk were/are.
You’re going to be dead for an awful long time, so don’t ever, ever miss them in concert if you can help it. In many ways, there is no better live act. When it comes to electronic music, only The Chemical Brothers come close, and they’re a completely different experience altogether.
Tags: Capitol, David Bowie, Jukebox Tab, Kraftwerk, The Chemical Brothers, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Pink Floyd
Posted in Capitol, David Bowie, Jukebox Tab, Kraftwerk, The Chemical Brothers, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Pink Floyd | No Comments »
Friday, November 5th, 2010
Listen: Sheena Is A Punk Rocker / The Ramones 06 Sheena Is A Punk Rocker.mp3
Never ever put off until tomorrow what you can do today.
I decided to get both John and Joe to hand write the ‘Sheena Is A Punk Rocker’ lyrics, then frame them, with a copy of the record in the center. John, not surprisingly, did an immaculate job. He was a very profound autograph collector, and specific about how his name should be signed. You’ll notice on any items with his inscription, little to no variation in his signature. Even the jukebox tab shined with his neatness.
He once convinced me to go with him to an autograph collectors show near his place in LA. I got Ellie May, Tabitha from Bewitched and the three girls from Petticoat Junction to sign 8 x 10′s. It was total fun, but he didn’t succeed in switching my interest from records to one of his obsessions: autographs. Good try though.
And so, I always meant to get Joe to do those lyrics too. You know how you think, I can do that tomorrow or next week. But it never came.
We all miss Joe so very much still. Isn’t this just one of the greatest singles ever made?
Above Lyrics and Jukebox Tab: Johnny Ramone
Tags: Joey Ramone, Johnny Ramone, Sire, The Ramones
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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 »
Thursday, September 30th, 2010
Listen: Smash It Up (Single Version) / The Damned DamnedSmash.mp3
The other day, my super pal Brian Traister maintained the real UK punk band, best ever, were The Damned. I agree.
Every single was just flawless, for ages. Their run on Chiswick being one of those career peaks, and they had several. Produced by Roger Armstrong, I forever hassle his memory cells for details of those sessions. Talk about endless stories of greatness.
When Joey’s Mom and brother Mickey still had the promised 50th birthday party for him, which he unfairly missed by a month and four days, The Damned were the only UK band that flew themselves over to honor what they maintained in the press since day one: The Ramones were the true fathers of punk – it proved who was the real deal from England and who were the money machines, copy cats and fakes.
Hearing the roar when Little Steven announced them (all the acts were kept secret but regardless, 4400 tickets were completely sold out in fifteen minutes to Joey Ramone’s well earned honor) still brings chills. Up came the curtain, and there were The Damned.
Some things were meant to be: Roger was in NY that week, and we made sure he sat right there, in the first box, with Joey’s Mom.
God bless The Damned.
Above: Jukebox Tab signed by Captain Sensible
Tags: Brian Traister, Chiswick, Joey Ramone, Jukebox Tab, Little Steven, Mickey Leigh, Roger Armstrong, The Damned, The Ramones
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Wednesday, September 29th, 2010
Listen: Go / Moby MobyGo.mp3
Moby is a good soul. I’ve met him a few times. He lives his life to help and save animals. For that alone, I love the guy.
Once you get too popular, like via his massive PLAY album, there’s the inevitable backlash. Eight hit singles. Ten million albums. A lot of folks get jealous. But if the exact same album didn’t sell, they’d be moaning about it being ignored. You can’t win.
Way before PLAY, Moby’s first big hit, well underground hit, was ‘Go’. I remember seeing him with The Prodigy as support at The Hollywood Palladium in LA, must have been around ’92 – ’93. Their EXPERIENCE album was current, and like the recording, The Prodigy were fantastic. So was Moby.
I will never forget the chills running up my spine when he started the first notes of ‘Go’. Everyone felt them.
Finding the promo-only 7″ at The Record & Tape Exchange in Notting Hill a few months later for 50p was almost as good.
Above: Jukebox Tab signed by Moby
Tags: Hollywood Palladium, Instinct Records, Jukebox Tab, Moby, Record & Tape Exchange, The Prodigy
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Tuesday, September 28th, 2010
Listen: It’s Your Thing / Shirley Scott ShirleyScottThing.mp3
In my world, there is no bad version of ‘It’s Your Thing’. Unlike many, many original classics that are pointless to try re-doing (‘Be My Baby’, ”Sheena Is A Punk Rocker’ – someone please tell The Red Hot Chili Peppers and U2 to stop making fools of themselves trying, ‘See Emily Play’….the list is looooong), some songs seem written to be personalized, reinterpreted. This is one.
Now Shirley Scott can do no wrong in my small place of the universe. Ever seen a bad picture of her? No.
From the great era when being black and trying to get your hair blond resulted in a beautiful orange do, Shirley Scott was queen. And when she got behind that Hammond B3 in those southern juke joints, it had to be heaven.
Found this, her version of ‘It’s Your Thing’ featuring King Curtis in Cleveland a week or so back. On tour with Matt & Kim not only means I get to watch one of the world’s greatest bands every single night, but also allows me to wander the streets looking for used records after soundcheck.
I didn’t need to go far. Stumbled on this, right there inside the Beachland Ballroom complex (2 live music rooms, 2 additional bars with incredible 7″ jukeboxes plus a hip antique clothing/kitch collectables/ great junk/record shop in the basement). In addition to about one hundred-ish 7″ singles that I struggled back to the bus with (Kim commenting ‘How do you plan to hide these from Corinne?’), this particular one had the additional value of it’s original jukebox tab stapled to the sleeve. I already had the promo back home, but a stock copy with the tab intact was just calling out my name.
Tags: Atlantic, Beachland Ballroom, Jukebox Tab, King Curtis, Matt & Kim, Shirley Scott, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2
Posted in Atlantic, Beachland Ballroom, Jukebox Tab, King Curtis, Matt & Kim, Shirley Scott, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2 | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 15th, 2010
Listen: Little Boy / The Crystals CrystalsLittleBoy.mp3
How is it possible that ‘Little Boy’ was not a hit. It will always be one of the unexplained wonders of the world. No surprise Phil Spector flipped his lid. This (#92), ‘River Deep – Mountain High’ (#88), The Ramones ‘Baby I Love You (never charted at all). How appalling. What an embarrassment.
I do recall hearing the record a lot in my hometown though. All the Phillies singles seemed to get played upstate. And when ‘Little Boy’ was current, I neglected to get me a copy. It wasn’t until summer ’73 when I finally bought one for 35p at Graham Stapleton’s stall outside Cheapo Cheapo Records on Rupert Street in London’s Soho. What a bargain. As always, the label copy name checks included Larry Levine and Jack Nitzsche.
Fast forward to the late 80′s. I’m working at Island, A&Ring Marianne Faithfull. The company was searching for something a bit more current on the upcoming album. She’d done STRANGE WEATHER prior, and it’s old Europe Prague winebar angle was getting tired. I’d suggested New Order produce. Chris wasn’t feeling that. It was apparently too young a look. Somewhere in the mix, Jack Nitzsche became the possible candidate, so off to LA went Marianne to try writing with him, see if some result could develop.
He had just produced the soundtrack to THE HOT SPOT, a truly terrific album with John Lee Hooker, Miles Davis and Taj Mahal. There was even a single released, and that’s posted elsewhere on this blog.
Jack actually called me one day with an update, basically saying nothing much was getting done. Not the best news, but getting a call from Jack Nitzsche with any news at all was huge in my book.
No sooner did he ring than Marianne was on the phone.
“I need to get out of here. All he wants to do is fuck me”
“So do it”
“Kev!!!”
She was back in NY days later. So much for that collaboration.
Above: Jukebox Tab signed by LaLa Brooks
Tags: Cheapo Cheapo Records, Graham Stapleton, Jack Nitzsche, John Lee Hooker, Jukebox Tab, LaLa Brooks, Larry Levine, Marianne Faithfull, Miles Davis, New Order, Phil Spector, Philles, Taj Mahal, The Crystals
Posted in Cheapo Cheapo Records, Graham Stapleton, Jack Nitzsche, John Lee Hooker, Jukebox Tab, LaLa Brooks, Larry Levine, Marianne Faithfull, Miles Davis, New Order, Phil Spector, Philles, Taj Mahal, The Crystals | No Comments »
Saturday, July 31st, 2010
Listen: This Charming Life / Joan Armatrading JoanCharming.mp3
Tell you what – I have never missed any of Joan Armatrading’s New York shows – ever. Last week was no exception. In a blink, she’s been writing, recording and touring now for 40 years…..40 years!
That’s a lot.
And the new single ‘This Charming Life’ self-celebrates her luck, whereby she can earn a solid living playing music to fans around the world. She appreciates it and has peace with her career. Her words, not mine.
Often coined as difficult, I say she has every right to be, if in fact that’s true. One single after the other, over four decades, not getting a fair shake at radio or mainstream exposure because of her inability to fit in, more like not being afraid to be herself. I’d be difficult too.
I stood in line to get my jukebox tab signed, happy to be a fan. It was truly fun.
When it was my turn to go to the alter, Joan barely looked up as I explained my request. “I only sign my name” was her cold response. Even better. Chose for yourself how you want to be remembered.
Her quick signature was suddenly accompanied by a smile and then, “I know you”. She remembered me! I was a kid again.
The conversation proceeded, and we had a most rewarding exchange. My feet didn’t touch the ground for hours, so enthralled, I forgot to ask her to please fill in the rest of the jukebox tab. Never mind. I’m content.
Joan Armatrading is a higher form of life. We are all lucky that she walks on the face of this earth. Believe it.
Tags: Joan Armatrading, Jukebox Tab
Posted in 429, A&M, Joan Armatrading, Jukebox Tab | No Comments »
Sunday, July 4th, 2010
Listen: 4th Of July / X X4thOfJuly.mp3
If a ’4th Of July’ post on the 4th of July appears overly clever and obvious, I understand. But the clever idea came from local rock station 101.9 WRXP. I was a few blocks from home, fired up the car radio and on it came:
This fucker sounded so good plus I love X so much and thought, any reason to honor them is just fine by me.
Man, was I lucky. Got hired by Howard at Elektra and X were the first band I got to work with. Dream come true? Never even dreamt that one in my wildest, so yeah, pretty amazing.
You couldn’t find a better bunch of people. Not only the band, but every last person involved with them as well.
Bob Krasnow, our chairman, always supported X, loved their music and rightly saw them as the label’s most important political poets.
Getting them on the radio was a very different story. Although the band got some love from the alternative rock team, when it came time to take them to the next level, more mainstream exposure and opportunity, the brakes were always applied by Dave Urso, your typical old school 80′ sleaze ball promotion head. Yes, he pretty much put a lid on their career, sort of. X still play to bigger crowds than ever and he……..uh…….
Funny thing, it was the first, but not the last time I witnessed the head of promotion actually run the company, despite the chairman thinking he was the guy in charge. You see, the way it worked was as follows: the chairman would need to decide where to put the financial investment to pay off radio for play and would get that ultimate guidance from the top radio guy. So you tell me, who’s driving that plane?
Now, of course, the public has a much stronger voice. A local station doesn’t want to play a song, no problem. Their audience flocks to myspace and hears what they want. Gone are the days when the traditional gatekeeper is in charge. How fun.
It may only be once a year, but at least X get one play. If Bruce Springsteen had written and/or recorded this classic instead of Dave Alvin, it would’ve been a monster.
Never say never I like to think. Who has the publishing on this? Maybe they need to get off their ass, find it a placement, try to keep their job.
Tags: Bob Krasnow, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Alvin, Dave Urso, Elektra, Exene Cervenka, Howard Thompson, John Doe, Jukebox Tab, WRXP, X
Posted in Bob Krasnow, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Alvin, Dave Urso, Elektra, Exene Cervenka, Howard Thompson, John Doe, Jukebox Tab, X | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 29th, 2010
Listen: Don’t Stop Loving Me, Baby / Pinkerton’s Assorted Colours PinkertonsDontStop.mp3
True story. I know you will think this is a lie, but I swear on a stack of Ramones albums that it is not.
UK manager Dennis Muirhead paid me his yearly visit at Columbia Records in the late 90′s. We’d met back in ’85 when I’d first joined Elektra and he always stopped by when he came through town. One of his clients at the time was Stuart Colman. Stuart lived then in Nashville and had produced many successful country acts, but had prior UK hits with Shakin’ Stevens. Dennis gave me a package including all his producers latest discographies which I browsed while catching up. I noticed Stuart had started his career in the 60′s with The Shadows. So I said to Dennis, hey this guy goes back a bit, is he English? Affirmative. I proceeded to say I wish these fellows would list all those really early engineering jobs they would have started out doing prior to that first producer opportunity. “I mean, Dennis, he could have worked on something obscure like…..Pinkerton’s Assorted Colours or something”. I just grabbed that fun, eccentric example out of my head.
Dennis looks me square in the eye and says “He was IN Pinkerton’s Assorted Colours”. Silence. Neither of us could believe what had just transpired. “You’re not kidding are you, well call him now”. He suggested one better, that I ring his place asking for him as a member of the band, which I did. I let Stuart know fairly fast that Dennis was there with me, and we had a very nice chat. I mailed him this jukebox tab, he autographed it and sent it straight back.
Above: Jukebox Tab signed by Stuart Colman
As for the group, I was interested because of the name. When I saw their first single ‘Mirror Mirror’ entering the UK charts, I had to hear them asap. But it wasn’t to be for ages. Even though released Stateside, it was nowhere to be heard or found. WMCR, the little station that gave me all those unwanted promo singles at the time, weren’t serviced by London, parent company of Parrot Records – home to Pinkerton’s Assorted Colours. Damn. I was jonesing by the time their second single hit. ‘Don’t Stop Loving Me, Baby’ limped into the UK Top 50 at #50 for one week. I love a good followup flop usually more than the previous hit, so this was reaching fever pitch.
Finally I was successful, finding it in a 25¢ bin at The House Of Oldies on Bleeker Street in NYC when my Aunt Nancy invited me along to visit some relative for a few days. I got a ton of London titles there – The Cryin’ Shames, Lulu & The Luvvers, The Gonks, Hedgehoppers Anonymous and Jonathan King among them – all nice orange swirl promos. This is a great double sider. Not overly special but a solid British staple. Actually, just tonight I realized some similarities to Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich thereby explaining a lot of it’s appeal for me.
Listen: Will Ya / Pinkerton’s Assorted Colours PinkertonsWillYa.mp3
The B side ‘Will Ya’ is my favorite of the two, but just. That timid but still wildish fuzz solo is the tie breaker. Mike Goldsmith picked me up the stock copy pictured, only a few months ago, at Academy Records in Brooklyn. I had never seen nor heard of one being pressed as it seemed likely this would never have made it beyond the promo stage – but here it is.
Tags: Decca, Jukebox Tab, Parrot, Pinkerton's Assorted Colours, Stuart Colman
Posted in Columbia, Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich, Dennis Muirhead, Elektra, Hedgehoppers Anonymous, House Of Oldies, Jukebox Tab, London Records, Mike Goldsmith, Parrot, Pinkerton's Assorted Colours, Stuart Colman, The Cryin' Shames, WMCR | No Comments »
Friday, June 25th, 2010
Listen: Dream Baby Dream / Suicide 13 Dream Baby Dream.mp3
Wedensday was Alan Vega’s birthday. He’d kill me if he knew I was letting on, but Vega never goes online, so no worries. Having said that, he and his partner in Suicide, Marty Rev, always were, and still are, sonically light years ahead of the rest of the planet. Have you ever seen Suicide live? They are more powerful than ever. Do not waste the rest of your life. See them ASAP. Search youtube and check them out performing ‘Dream Baby Dream’ on The Midnight Special, making awesome TV back in ’79. Thanks Bruce Springsteen for rightfully honoring Suicide and performing this at concerts. Apparently his respect for Alan and Marty goes way back. Good one.
Above: Jukebox Tab signed by Alan Vega
Tags: Alan Vega, Bruce Springsteen, Marty Rev, Suicide, The Midnight Special
Posted in Alan Vega, Bruce Springsteen, Island, Jukebox Tab, Marty Rev, Suicide, The Midnight Special, Ze | No Comments »
