Archive for March, 2010
Monday, March 29th, 2010
Listen: Can’t Shake It Loose / Pat Lewis PatLewisShake.mp3
Using the title, ‘Can’t Shake It Loose’, to describe how you feel after the first few listens would be a little ‘done before’. This time there’s coincidentally no better way to say it that I can think of.
Turns out ‘Can’t Shake It Loose’ was Pat Lewis’ very first single as a solo artist. I stumbled on it at a record treasure trove that doubled as a junk store in Brooklyn. It led me to pick up anything I’d find by her through the years, every last one a monster Northern track. That process all began in the late 90′s.
I’ll tell you she was an early Motown backup singer and guess what, has a Facebook page with the most incredible bio. Do yourself a favor – go there. Everyone of you will find out you’ve got Pat Lewis’ voice all over your music collection.
Finding the singles is not an easy or cheap process, but well, well worth it.
Tags: Golden World, Motown, Northern Soul, Pat Lewis, Solid Hit
Posted in Golden World, Motown, Northern Soul, Pat Lewis, Solid Hit | No Comments »
Saturday, March 27th, 2010
Listen: I Thought Of You Last Night / The Konrads
I
A year or two back, there was a sizeable piece in RECORD COLLECTOR about The Konrads ‘I Thought Of You Last Night’, primarily due to David Bowie’s involvement as a one time band member, if only for a few short weeks. Although it’s unclear, and I think unlikely, that he plays on this particular single, it’s understandably become a most desirable item nonetheless.
The article focused on the US Decca release, and at the time of writing, a standard pink label promotional copy had finally surfaced, thereby verifying it’s existence beyond only ever appearing in an old Decca release schedule. The most interesting part being the writer’s fairly adament and embarrassingly for him, dismissive position that the record absolutely did not make it beyond the promotional pressing stage. Therefore supposedly no commercial copies were manufactured. I mean, come on, how the fuck would a journalist some forty years later even know that anyway?
Well, it’s not true. I own a commercial copy.
I emailed the chap a few times, but he never responded.
Tags: David Bowie, Decca, Record Collector, The Konrads
Posted in David Bowie, Decca, Record Collector, The Konrads | No Comments »
Friday, March 26th, 2010
Listen: Looking For A Love / The J. Geils Band JGeilsLooking.mp3
I used to pretty much ignore The J. Geils Band during this period, well always if the truth be told. They were a six piece, one too many in my imaginary rule book, and man did they look bad. Endlessly touring, always playing upstate New York, mostly with some up and coming UK band as support. So, I’d go to the show, but usually found my way backstage to talk with said English group, stalking them for obscure info and details while they boogied through their headline set. It was way more exciting to stand in a crowded dressing room talking to Steve Marriott or Phil May than listen to The J. Geils Band’s blues jams.
Now I wish I could have found a way to do both. Eddie & The Hot Rods were big fans, and I started to appreciate them in hindsight. Barrie Masters constantly pestered everyone about them. So now, I can listen and appreciate them a lot more. Please accept my apologies guys, but you did need a visual make over I’m afraid.
Listen: Lookin’ For A Love / Bobby Womack BobbyWomackLookin.mp3
Bobby Womack, on the other hand, was always a favorite. Funny enough, the English group fan in me had a lot to do with that as well. I was very friendly with Rich Fazekas from United Artists’ LA office in the early 70′s, when they had two distinct sounds to their roster: one a bunch of UK bands like The Move, Hawkwind, Brinsley Schwarz and Family; then the other RnB via Ike & Tina Turner, Monk Higgins, Marlena Shaw, Donald Byrd and Bobby Womack.
It was Roger Chapman who cornered me at the label’s LA location on Sunset, giving a stern lecture about both Bill Withers and Bobby Womack. He took me into Marty Cerf’s office and forced several new tracks from Bobby Womack’s then current COMMUNICATION album on me, at the same time recounting he and Family’s first exposure to Bill Wither’s ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’. It was on the car radio somewhere between Houston and Dallas, and they would literally pull over every time it came on, drooling as it played. Being a Family freak, I hung on his every word of advice, hence my initial Bobby Womack crash course and eventual worship.
Tags: Atlantic, Barrie Masters, Bobby Womack, Brinsley Schwarz, Donald Byrd, Eddie & The Hot Rods, Family, Hawkwind, Ike & Tina Turner, Marlena Shaw, Marty Cerf, Monk Higgins, Phil May, Rich Fazekas, Roger Chapman, Steve Marriott, The J. Geils Band, The Move, United Artists
Posted in Atlantic, Barrie Masters, Bobby Womack, Brinsley Schwarz, Donald Byrd, Eddie & The Hot Rods, Family, Hawkwind, Ike & Tina Turner, Marlena Shaw, Marty Cerf, Monk Higgins, Phil May, Rich Fazekas, Roger Chapman, Steve Marriott, The J. Geils Band, The Move, United Artists | No Comments »
Thursday, March 25th, 2010
Listen: It’s Got To Be Mellow / Leon Haywood LeonHaywoodMellow.mp3
I’ll make this real simple. The single’s a double sider must have. Despite one of my most hated words being ‘mellow’, I tolerate it just fine here. I loved when this got pop airplay back in ’67. And did you know while making solo vocal records, he also played with The Packers and Dyke & The Blazers? Me neither.
Listen: Cornbread And Buttermilk / Leon Haywood LeonHaywoodCornbreadButtermilk.mp3
Phil and I played this at the Otis Clay show we DJ’d a few nights back. Nothing like the A side, this is an instrumental for instance, it sounds damn good loud. As with many a food inspired title, how do you not listen to a single called ‘Cornbread And Buttermilk’?
Tags: Decca, Dyke & The Blazers, Leon Haywood, Lord Warddd, Otis Clay, Phil Ward, The Packers
Posted in Decca, Dyke & The Blazers, Leon Haywood, Lord Warddd, Otis Clay, Phil Ward, The Packers | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 24th, 2010
Listen: She May Call You Up Tonight / The Left Banke LeftBankeSheMayCall.mp3
What a nice initial saga. Both ‘Walk Away Renee’ and ‘Pretty Ballerina’, The Left Banke’s first two singles became deservedly sizeable US hits. Although from New York, both their sound and image were very English, and so they caught my ear.
The 3rd single, ‘Ivy, Ivy’ however, didn’t happen, neither at radio nor with the public, (or as if it mattered with me). They seemed to have completely lost the plot. Turns out, there was a bit of a line up shuffle, most of the original band suddenly weren’t invited to participate – both label A&R and manager clearly being pussies, caved, thereby allowing the inferior track to not only be recorded, but worse yet, released, resulting in a ‘game over’ career killer.
Probably hoping whatever lineup nonsense would calm down and all could be salvaged, Smash lifted ‘She May Call You Up Tonight’ from the first album, issuing it as single number 4. Obviously, the shine for the band had really been tarnished by the very weak ‘Ivy, Ivy’ and airplay was scarce. Luckily, not in my hometown. WNDR played it heavily. I couldn’t buy a copy fast enough.
I bet had ‘She May Call You Up Tonight’ been the followup to ‘Pretty Ballerina’, a big hit it would have become.
Tags: Smash, The Left Banke, WNDR
Posted in Smash, The Left Banke, WNDR | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010
Listen: The End Of Our Road / Gladys Knight & The Pips GladysEndRoad.mp3
Feeling victims, as were The Marvelettes and Mary Wells, of being tossed the leftovers, those songs passed on by Motown’s A level acts (The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations) according to legend, really pissed off Gladys Knight and her Pips (all family members as it turns out). Having moved from Vee Jay to Motown in ’65 with wider success in mind, they quickly found themselves relegated to subsidiary Soul, set up for the more RnB, less leaning pop acts. good call there. From ’66 – ’68, they recorded some of the label’s dirtiest and most raw sides. I’m sure to Berry Gordy’s surprise, ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’ became the company’s biggest selling single at that point, leaping to #2 pop and bringing Gladys Knight’s signature rasp to the mainstream.
Even better was “The End Of Our Road’, it’s followup. Peaking at #15 on Billboard’s Hot 100, it was a mighty strong showing for such a picture perfect dirt and grime black single. Their performance, recording and mix are so aggressive, it’s impossible to not be dragged in. Played this a few nights ago at the Otis Clay show – it sounded mighty powerful through that big system, filled the room, every last head and foot surrendering.
Tags: Berry Gordy, Billboard, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells, Motown, Norman Whitfield, Otis Clay, Soul, The Marvelettes, The Temptations, Vee Jay
Posted in Berry Gordy, Billboard, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells, Motown, Norman Whitfield, Otis Clay, Soul, The Marvelettes, The Supremes, The Temptations, Vee Jay | No Comments »
Monday, March 22nd, 2010
Listen: I’m Satisfied / Otis Clay OtisClaySatisfied.mp3
Otis Clay began a monthly series of Soul/RnB legends making long overdue returns to NY, at the City Winery. Bob Perry instigated the idea – and kindly asked me to dj. I suggested Phil (Lord Warddd) come along and spar, each of us manning a separate turntable. Who would have thought it would be so much fun? We had an absolute ball spinning, real hardcore soul fans appreciating all the obscurities we’d brung along.
Then there was Otis Clay. From the time when you REALLY had to deliver if you wanted a record released, he learned his craft from the church and the man stunned us all. I walked in a fan, and out a disciple. At 67, his voice was more powerful, raw, pure and riveting as it ever could have possibly been – and he delivered it so effortlessly. We, the audience, were not ready.
Listen: I Testify / Otis Clay OtisClayTestify.mp3
Several times indeed, he testified – I’m sure that’s what you’d call it, breaking down songs to a cappella middle parts – and seriously taking us on an out of body, other worldly or some such experience. Certainly not an everyday occurrence by any stretch.
Despite including neither side of his earliest One-derful non-charter in tonight’s set, his eyebrows raised when I asked him to fill out a trusty jukebox tab, requesting this double punch as my choice.
He talked about his Hi Records days, the Hi Rhythm players, Willie Mitchell, and hasn’t a bitter bone in his body. See him if you can. He’s doing a very rare one off June 16 in Chicago.
Tags: Bob Perry, City Winery, Hi, Jukebox Tab, Lord Wardd, One-Derful, Otis Clay, Phil Ward, The Lo Fidelity Allstars, Willie Mitchell
Posted in Bob Perry, City Winery, Hi, Jukebox Tab, Lord Warddd, One-Derful, Otis Clay, Phil Ward, The Lo Fidelity Allstars, Willie Mitchell | No Comments »
Sunday, March 21st, 2010
Listen: The Cisco Kid / War WarCisco.mp3
Today is the first full day of spring, according to my neighbor who knows all these things. Actually it started yesterday at around 1:15, so that didn’t count. Whatever. When it’s about 70°, no humidity with clear blue skies, and I find myself digging through boxes of doubles stockpiled for some 15 years back out in the garage, I know it’s spring. It’s the first thing I do, having itched to get at something or other all winter – and that’s exactly how yesterday was spent. The place is actually a scene from that new TV show about hoarding, the latest condition a doctor will give you tablets for. Corinne went in to get something, and being her first time for a couple of years, and just flipped out on me. So I needed to do some shuffling around anyways.
Brought one of those portable suitcase record players out with me. I bought this one for a steep $20 sometime in the late 80′s when those two parking lots on 6th Ave and 26th St had the weekly junk sales, dealers of everything covering the two spaces. I got into a habit of getting there at dawn, and found records even I can’t believe. One time, I got it into my head I needed a wlp of The Faces debut on Warner Brothers, and found it that very day. Like I willed it to be there. True story.
The player still works, perfectly in fact. It’s one of my favorite pieces, complete with interchangeable 45 adapter spindle. So off I go to the garage to dig and spin. First box, first handful, I find a copy of ‘Cisco Kid’. I’d forgotten Island UK licensed their catalog off Jerry Goldstein around ’75, and proceeded to be his English outlet for War, although quite why United Artists there didn’t hold on to his Far Out Productions was probably a mistake in hindsight.
I freaking love ‘Cisco Kid’. It reminds me of April ’73, when I took my pal and college radio rep for United Artisits in LA, Rich Fazekas, up on his offer to come on out and visit Easter week. The Pretty Things were making their US debut at the Whisky Au Go Go. Did I need more reason? We tooled around non-stop. He turned me on to Mexican food – there was no Mexican food in my college town of Rochester. I’d never had a taco, and given Rich is Mexican, he knew the real deal places to go.
‘Cisco Kid’ was easily the soundtrack to the trip. It was being played everywhere, you remember how hits used to be unavoidable. By early summer when I went to London, it had migrated to their airwaves, and I heard it constantly all over again.
So this time of year brings that all back, and to find a copy in that first handful I grabbed does make me feel frighteningly connected to my records. I love those records.
Tags: Island, The Faces, United Artists, War
Posted in Island, Rich Fazekas, The Faces, The Pretty Things, United Artists, War, Whisky A Go Go | No Comments »
Saturday, March 20th, 2010
Listen: Who Are The Mystery Girls? / New York Dolls NYDollsMystery.mp3
It shouldn’t have been possible – that being when The Dolls reformed a few years back, they’d be any good. Let’s face it, only two of them were left by the time the reunion gained any momentum, and the whole point in ’74 was being young and outrageous. But surprise surprise, I saw them at Randells’ Island with a slew of bands (Iggy & The Stooges, The Strokes, The Pretty Things, The Electric Prunes, Bo Diddley, The Creation) all presented in a one day festival setting by Little Steven, and they tore it up.
Seriously, David Johansen, so thin he made an Olympic runner look heavy, but with absolutely no muscle tone, a skirt type pant combination, pearls, red nails and long hair not unlike Harry Dunn out of The Hullaballoos. What more could you ask for? Now, just as in ’74, when they were sandwiched between Mott The Hoople and 3rd on the bill, Aerosmith, opening the show with ‘Who Are The Mystery Girls?’ nearly caused a riot – it was so powerful. On that day, August 14, 2004, The New York Dolls unquestionably put on one of the best live shows I’d ever seen.
Tags: Aerosmith, Bo Diddley, Iggy & The Stooges, Little Steven, Mercury, Mott The Hoople, New York Dolls, Shadow Morton, The Creation, The Electric Prunes, The Hullaballoos, The Pretty Things, The Strokes
Posted in Aerosmith, Bo Diddley, Iggy & The Stooges, Little Steven, Mercury, Mott The Hoople, New York Dolls, Shadow Morton, The Creation, The Electric Prunes, The Hullaballoos, The Pretty Things, The Strokes | No Comments »
Friday, March 19th, 2010
Listen: Moments In Soul / JT & The Big Family JTBigFamily.mp3
JT & The Big Family, not even sure who they were. Didn’t hang around long enough to find out – them not me that is. Not forgetting, one of the hardest and bravest things to do, in addition to being seminal, breaking new ground etc etc, is making derivative schlock formula pap pop. There were, still are, several masters at it, and the general public many times eats it up. For instance, the Greenaway/Cook machine churned out things like White Plains and The Brotherhood Of Man. And I loved them all.
Along comes this bunch, throwing Art Of Noise and Soul II Soul samples into a blender, and out comes a, well….classic. Classic schlock, to some that is – and no problem. I, for one, am not offended by the term – but don’t forget, reinterpreting classic music through a new combination of samples isn’t all that easy. If it were, I think everyone would have done it well.
As Marianne Faithfull once sang in ‘Guilt’: “give me more more more more, more”.
Tags: Champion, JT & The Big Family, Marianne Faithfull, Soul II Soul, The Art Of Noise, The Brotherhood Of Man, White Plains
Posted in Champion, Greenaway/Cook, JT & The Big Family, Marianne Faithfull, Soul II Soul, The Art Of Noise, The Brotherhood Of Man, White Plains | No Comments »
Thursday, March 18th, 2010
Listen: This Is Ska (Skacid Mix) / Longsy D’s House Sound LongsyD.mp3
I felt one of those late 80′s / early 90′s acid house moments coming on over the past weekend, so pulled out a few that were my staples in the day. No one ever mentions it, but ska had yet another revival of sorts during the E craze. Remember The Beatmasters’ ‘Ska Train’ or Rebel MC’s ‘Street Tuff’? I must post those soon.
The more or maybe most hardcore acid/ska floor filler,as the natives like to say, was definitely Longsy D’s House Sound ‘This Is Ska’. Fuck, it even charted. Yes, I recall riding around London with Crowley, Radio 1 beaming this down the airwaves and out of the dashboard, Friday, dinnertime traffic jam, Soho, looking for a place to park along Dean Street en route to Grauchos. If only we could turn back the clock.
Tags: Acid House, Big One, Gary Crowley, Grauchos, Longsy D's House Sound, Rebel MC, Ska, The Beatmasters
Posted in Acid House, Gary Crowley, Grauchos, Longsy D's House Sound, Rebel MC, Ska, The Beatmasters | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010
Listen: Isn’t It About Time / Stephen Stills – Manassas StillsAboutTime.mp3
I play this often, all the more shocking because it’s true. And unlikely. Never a fan of The Buffalo Springfield nor Crosby, Stills & Nash, never followed the family trees of all those Southern California bands – my friends simply do not believe me when I tell them, I love this track.
Pretty sure this was from the very final days of Manassas, having overloaded even the most loyal followers with their debut double album. ‘Isn’t It About Time’, from the follow up, DOWN THE ROAD, is all full of slide guitars, shakers and drums playing bongo patterns. You could safely tag their sound as tasty.
I wrongly assumed this was a Tom Dowd / Criteria Studios creation, as it sits nicely next to the feel of those Derek & The Dominoes records. But lo and behold, it is not.
Seems Chris Hillman was a big contributor to both the production and the band. He’s a bit of an under-sung talent – and always had a good haircut too.
Tags: Atlantic, Chris Hillman, Criteria Studios, Crosby Stills & Nash, Derek & The Dominoes, Manassas, Stephen Stills, The Buffalo Springfield, Tom Dowd
Posted in Atlantic, Chris Hillman, Criteria Studios, Crosby Stills & Nash, Derek & The Dominoes, Manassas, Stephen Stills, Stephen Stills - Manassas, The Buffalo Springfield, Tom Dowd | No Comments »
Monday, March 15th, 2010
I figured finding a US stock copy at of ‘Autumn Almanac’ at the Forest Hills Church In The Gardens white elephant sale was enough to justify this post. Everyone knows the record, but the warm rush of finding it amongst a stack of good, but common, 60′s 7″ donations I bet everyone does not know. It makes me wonder, what else was there before I arrived – or more likely, I got to hit the stack first. Who would leave this one behind?
Tags: Pye, Ray Davies, Reprise, The Kinks
Posted in Pye, Ray Davies, Reprise, The Kinks | No Comments »
Sunday, March 14th, 2010
Listen: South African Man / Hamilton Bohannon BohannanAfrican.mp3
In the late 80′s, the Record & Tape Exchange in Notting Hill Gate was just giving away records. Yeh, they had that second level, higher priced collectables floor, but all the £1 DJ and average, common ones on the ground floor were an awesome deal. In fact, for a while, they took over an empty store front a few doors down and opened a 10p shop. Everything was 10p, seriously. There was a lot of garbage, but also a lot of gems. Even more so for an American becoming more obsessed with owning everything on a UK pressing as well as the US one.
I couldn’t wait to get there – and usually would head over as soon as I’d land at Heathrow. Started staying at The Pembridge Court Hotel, just off Notting Hill High Street – an outrageously convenient block away. What a great place, with the two orange cats that’d come to your room and sometimes stay the night. It was a pretty popular place, Kate Hyman turned me on to it. The downstairs bar was a well known but secret hangout, Annie Nightingale came by one evening. Talk about a treat. What stories.
I couldn’t resist those Brunswick Hamilton Bohannon 7′s. They were forever in that £1 ground floor bin. He’d basically passed me by when current, especially the later disco and 80′s stuff. But these early/mid 70′s singles are really worth finding. ‘South African Man’ is probably my favorite, and I must have half a dozen UK pressings of it. I couldn’t leave them behind, they were such a bargain.
.
Listen: Dance Your Ass Off (Edited Version) / Hamilton Bohannon BohannonDance.mp3
Anything that sounds great in the jukebox gets a leg up. Bohannon’s endless grooves always fit the bill. In fact, nothing much really happens on a whole lot of his tracks but that endless groove, especially ‘Dance Your Ass Off’, not until the very end. Makes me want the long version, as those strings had to go somewhere. With a song title like that back in ’76, you were sure not to get radio play, and this didn’t, being one of his few Brunswick singles to not chart in the US.
Tags: Annie Nightingale, Brunswick, Hamilton Bohannon, Kate Hyman
Posted in Annie Nightingale, Brunswick, Hamilton Bohannon, Kate Hyman, Record And Tape Exchange | No Comments »
Saturday, March 13th, 2010
Listen: Wavy Gravy (Part 1) / Kenny Burrell KennyBurrellWavy1.mp3
Listen: Wavy Gravy (Part 2) / Kenny Burrell KennyBurrellWavy2.mp3
When I was a kid, we went to see Chet Atkins play the State Fair. I couldn’t believe I was being dragged to this horribly unhip show, why weren’t some British Invasion bands booked instead?
April ’69, Humble Pie played that very stage on their first US tour: Steve Marriott and Peter Frampton. Seemed like an eternity, but it was only three or four years later that those former members of The Small Faces and The Herd stood where I had suffered through Chet Atkins.
Now in hindsight, I wish I’d have paid more attention. And to be honest, it did leave a lasting impression. I can still hear his clean, electric hollow body technique. It’s what connected me to jazz guitarists.
I never bought the albums, not ever. But I sure did look at them in the shops. The Blue Note sleeves in particular were pretty stunning. Once the 70′s and my college radio years began, suddenly all those jazz albums became accessible: Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell.
Give me a clean, fast jazz player any day of the week. The horns and brass, I can’t take it, but guitarists, never get tired of them.
Tags: Blue Note, Chet Atkins, Kenny Burrell, Peter Frampton, Ray Barretto, Stanley Turrentine, Steve Marriott, The Herd, The Small Faces, Wes Montgomery
Posted in Blue Note, Chet Atkins, Kenny Burrell, Peter Frampton, Ray Barretto, Stanley Turrentine, Steve Marriott, The Herd, The Small Faces, Wes Montgomery | No Comments »
Friday, March 12th, 2010
Listen: Substitute / CloutCloutSubstitute.mp3
It always sounded like Abba to me, I didn’t even know it wasn’t Abba for a minute. I did radio promotion for a year or two during the late 70′s, when this was current. John Sykes was the Epic local. I worked for MCA. He oddly had a hard time getting it played. I couldn’t understand why. I used to suggest to some of my Top 40 program directors that they add this instead of whatever I had in my bag at the time. Sandy Beach at WKBW being one of them. What a great guy he was. I think he did play it to tell you the truth.
Basically a #1 everywhere else on the planet. I spun this out when I was dj’ing at Brooklyn Bowl a few weeks back. Sounded mammoth through their PA.
Tags: Abba, Brooklyn Bowl, Clout, Epic, MCA, Sandy Beach, WKBW
Posted in Abba, Brooklyn Bowl, Clout, Epic, MCA, Sandy Beach, WKBW | No Comments »
Thursday, March 11th, 2010
Listen: Wot! / Captain Sensible
Wot!
As Seymour Stein once loudly yelled down the hall to a certain snooty A&R guy, “Don’t lie to me you liar”.
The action never ended on that 21st floor of 75 Rockefeller Plaza, home to the Warner labels for decades. Our Medicine office was conveniently smack dab in the middle of a long hallway anchored on one end by the Warner/Reprise A&R staff and at the other, Seymour and the Sire staff. Duane and I had the best seats in the house.
And anyone who tells you they never liked The Damned is also a liar. Not mentioned as often as they should be, the band were easily an equal to The Sex Pistols when it comes to the UK punk crown. A tie.
Captain Sensible never could, never will, do any wrong. He’s hysterical, a fantastic entertainer, front man, side man, guitarist, bassist, songwriter and an all around good guy. He was a big friend of Joey Ramone’s, and it was The Damned who were the only UK band that flew themselves over from England to honor his life at Hammerstein Ballroom a month after he passed away. His Mom, brother and all his close friends never forgot.
Sometimes the good ones do get their just rewards. Who wasn’t pleased when Captain’s first solo single ‘Happy Talk’ topped the UK charts? Captain Sensible at #1! Yes.
The followup, ‘Wot!’, also a chart success, was even better. It was pure Sensible humor. Hearing it is seeing him in that two piece pink shag rug suit. Great records make you visualize the artist. Here’s the proof.
Listen: Glad It’s All Over / Captain Sensible
Glad
Two years later, when it was looking like the solo Captain Sensible moment had passed, ‘Glad It’s All Over’, with it’s mischievous Kid Creole & The Coconuts fake intro, barreled to a UK #6. Great song, great production, great news. Again, hats off to the Captain.
This was ’84 and towards the end of a six year run, late night weekly FM radio specialty show I co-hosted with Roger McCall. We both found ourselves to be so sick of the ghettoized midnight to 2 AM life sentence of a time slot that the WCMF programmers inflicted on music which should’ve been heard all day. And so we’d end every show with ‘Glad It’s All Over’. They were so in the dark, they never did catch on.
Tags: A&M, Captain Sensible, Duane Sherwood, Joey Ramone, Kid Creole & The Coconuts, Reprise, Roger McCall, Seymour Stein, Sire, The Damned, The Medicine Label, The Sex Pistols, Warner Brothers, WCMF
Posted in A&M, Captain Sensible, Duane Sherwood, Joey Ramone, Kid Creole & The Coconuts, Reprise, Roger McCall, Seymour Stein, Sire, The Damned, The Medicine Label, The Sex Pistols, Warner Brothers, WCMF | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
Listen: Aladdin / Rotary Connection
Aladdin
Often described as a highly experimental band, Rotary Connection were actually the idea of Marshall Chess, son of Chess Records founder Leonard Chess. Marshall was also the culprit behind a new Chess Records subsidiary, Cadet Concept Records, an outlet to focus on psychedelic jazz rock instead of the blues and r’n'r genres which had made the Chess label so popular. Basically, he was a chip off the old block but with his finger on the pulse, as they say.
Despite the left of center commercial attempts, The Rotary Connection were basically unsuccessful at the check out counter, yet their critical and influential imprint grew over time. Looking back on their albums proved a lot more was brewing than most folks gave them credit for. ‘Aladdin’ was in an early stack of promos I picked up at the WMCR one night. I played it every few days for a couple of years. I guess you could say it was in light rotation.
I had no idea Minnie Riperton was their vocalist. At the time, I never even owned the albums, just the 7′s. Years later, the completist in me searched out those long players. Lo and behold, it’s Minnie Riperton. I should have recognized that voice, any time you’re not sure if it’s a piccolo or a person, it’s usually Minnie.
In the mid 90′s, when coffee table trip hop became the must have, hipsters Nuyorican Soul covered Rotary Connection’s ‘I Am The Black Gold Of The Sun’, and almost took it mainstream. I think the problem was it was too white for urban radio, and too black for pop, therefore falling into that bottomless crevasse known as ‘almost crossed over’.
Tags: Cadet Concept, Chess, Leonard Chess, Marshall Chess, Minnie Riperton, Nuyorican Soul, The Rotary Connection, WMCR
Posted in Cadet Concept, Chess, Leonard Chess, Marshall Chess, Minnie Riperton, Nuyorican Soul, The Rotary Connection, WMCR | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010
Listen: Questions I Can’t Answer / Heinz
Questions
I discovered Heinz a good bit after the fact, in the early 70′s. His original band, The Tornadoes were of some interest, ‘Telstar’ being a noticeably eerie hit when I was a little guy. I even remember being scared of it, considering it bad luck.
Year later, I came to connect Joe Meek, who produced ‘Telstar’, with a few other singles of very similar ambience, The Cryin’ Shames ‘Please Stay’ and The Honeycombs ‘Have I The Right’ in particular. I stumbled upon a US 7″ of ‘Just Like Eddie’ by Heinz on the old purple and white London label indicating it’s pre 1965 release, and put down the 25¢ for it in a junk shop somewhere off Salina Street in Syracuse’s not so nice part of town. What a surprise, it was great and had that name, Joe Meek, listed as producer. My curiosity grew.
Now there are endless stories of interest surrounding Joe Meek’s legend, I have a few of my own.
Enamored with his history, I recall vividly getting off an evening arrival flight into Heathrow with Corinne, dropping our stuff off at the hotel, dragging her right into a cab and heading for 304 Holloway Road, where both his infamous studio was located and his even more infamous suicide took place. It was by now very late and in the cold November drizzle, we stood for a good fifteen minutes while I awaited a sign, some communication, anything at all from Joe Meek. This guy was so into the extra terrestrial, certainly he had to know I was there and religiously serious….but disappointingly, nothing happened, so back to the hotel I got reluctantly dragged.
The exact time was the very early morning of November 23, 1988, two days before the Wembley Record Fair, sadly a thing of the past. I recall that date as much of the fair was spent scouring the dealer stalls for Joe Meek related singles, coming home with quite a few, including this ‘A’ label of ‘Questions I Can’t Answer’. As soon as this record hit the turntable, I was addicted.
Search out some Heinz photos, dyed blond hair adding to his nicely twisted look.
Listen: Heart Full Of Sorrow / Heinz
Heart
I began amassing a headful of Heinz trivia and detail, all his singles becoming obsessions. I wasn’t ready for the greatness of ‘Heart Full Of Sorrow’ when I stumbled on a crazy rare US pressing in Dallas. It looked beautiful, almost like new, still shiny. When I finally got home a few days later, it was the first thing I played, recall that bit vividly.
Holy smoke. This production took all of Joe Meek’s techniques and turned them to eleven. It is amongst his very best work. Despite it’s dated sound, all the technology of today’s recording possibilities can’t touch documenting the fear, paranoia and loneliness in Joe Meek’s brain like this can. Classic Joe Meek. Classic Heinz.
Tags: Columbia UK, Heinz, Joe Meek, The Cryin' Shames, The Honeycombs, The Tornadoes, Tower
Posted in Columbia UK, Heinz, Joe Meek, The Cryin' Shames, The Honeycombs, The Tornadoes, Tower | No Comments »
