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 94ยข plus tax, that moment of warmth is unbeatable.
Posted in Billboard, Chess, Jackie Ross, Mary Wells, Motown, Northern Soul, Tammi Terrell |
October 9th, 2010
Listen: Natty Take Over / Justin Hines & The Dominoes 01 Natty Take Over.mp3
Justin Hines & The Dominoes, another of the classic reggae bands on THIS IS REGGAE MUSIC (Volume 3). Every song a classic, bringing me right back to the thrill and tingle of discovering the druggy new genre of reggae even as punk was simultaneously taking over everyone’s life.
It was sonic overload, and I loved every second of it. Both THIS IS REGGAE MUSIC (Volume 3) and Justin Hines & The Dominoes’ JEZEBEL, from which this single comes, are totally worth the effort to find and money needed to acquire – get them both.
But having the singles, hmmm, even better. By ’76, most reggae singles were backed with dub version B sides. This was an exception. ‘Natty Take Over’ is actually the B side to ‘Fire’, but it was ‘Natty Take Over’ that graced that compilation, and so forever burned in my memory.
Besides, to me it’s an A side. Thank God this made it onto a seven inch single, unlike the equally great ‘Uptown Babies’ by Max Romeo & The Upsetters from WAR IN A BABYLON, released during that same era.
Posted in Island, Justin Hines & The Dominoes, Max Romeo & The Upsetters, This Is Reggae Music |
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.
Posted in Ace Records, Billboard, Bubbling Under The Hot 100, Carl Davis, Curtis Mayfield, Okeh, The Rolling Stones, The Vibrations |
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.
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 |
October 3rd, 2010
Listen: The Glory Of Love / Don BryantDonBryantGlory.mp3
Attempting to be the owner of a Hi Records complete singles library has been somewhat of a frustration given that, like every label, some titles flopped quickly, occasionally just as they were being released within the company itself. Finding copies of those records gets pretty dicey.
But equally, it can be a lot of fun, especially when you find one out of the clear blue.
Don Bryant grabbed my ear on first listen, having a very Otis Redding similarity, both vocally and in song choice – all in a positive way. The one last Hi release of his I didn’t have, ‘The Glory Of Love’, made it’s way into my life a week or two back in Cleveland at the record shop inside the Beachland Ballroom. Visit it regularly if you’re lucky enough to be in the area.
Posted in Beachland Ballroom, Don Bryant, Hi |
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
Posted in Brian Traister, Chiswick, Joey Ramone, Jukebox Tab, Little Steven, Mickey Leigh, Roger Armstrong, The Damned, The Ramones |
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
Posted in Hollywood Palladium, Instinct Records, Jukebox Tab, Moby, Record & Tape Exchange |
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.
Posted in Atlantic, Beachland Ballroom, Jukebox Tab, King Curtis, Matt & Kim, Shirley Scott, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2 |
September 27th, 2010
Listen: Two Women / Buster Brown BusterBrown2Women.mp3
Another Detroit find (see previous post).
Buster Brown had his first hit, ‘Fannie Mae’ in, ’59. He was almost fifty at that point. He’s recorded for some of the best RnB labels ever: Fire and Checker, as well as small locals like Serock.
I learned a long time ago to never pass up a Buster Brown record. If you love the early Rolling Stones, here’s why.
Posted in Buster Brown, Checker, Fire Records, Serock |
September 27th, 2010
Listen: Bucket O’ Grease / Les McCann LesMcCannGrease.mp3
I found a fun used record store close to the Majestic Theater in Detroit last week, tens of thousands of 45′s, not all in the greatest shape, but very moderately priced and very playable in the jukebox and on the suitcase players from the 60′s and 70′s – my favorites. It was a field day. I’d tell you the name of the joint, but I paid in cash and seriously do not recall. The club directed me to the shop, so ring them.
It was near closing time, or I’d have bought more. Some were no brainers, like a Les McCann on Limelight called ‘Bucket O’ Grease’ for $1.00
Walked out with about two hundred singles and I’ll be posting a bunch in the next few weeks. Great stuff.
Posted in Les McCann, Limelight |
September 24th, 2010
Listen: Come See Me / The Pretty Things PrettyThingsComeSeeMe.mp3
Written about way more times than it ever got played on US radio embarrassingly. ‘Come See Me’ is without question, one of the all time greats. I can’t think of a single that’s cut louder. Seriously, can you? Always on the border of over distorted, but just, I guess it was too good to be a hit. Too good for the average shlump to hear.
And in their 60′s heyday, if they were this good live, it’s no wonder their friends The Rolling Stones never asked them out on tour, even though Brian Jones was their roommate (not that he had much juice apparently). Makes perfect sense.
The Cramps always had the same problem getting support slots. Who in their right mind wanted to go onstage after they played? Nobody.
Although, hold on, to be fair, White Zombie gave them a few slots, like the San Diego Sports Arena. Yep, I saw The Cramps at the San Diego Sports Arena. The front 25% were going bonkers, the remaining 75%, basically silent – not booing, not speaking, just completely baffled. Genius.
Above: Jukebox Tab signed by Dick Taylor
Posted in Brian Jones, Dick Taylor, Fontana, The Cramps, The Pretty Things, The Rolling Stones, White Zombie |
September 23rd, 2010
Listen: Bonanza Ska / Carlos Malcolm & The Afro Caribs CarlosMalcolmBonanza.mp3
Don’t know about you, but I often get the urge to spin a few early 60′s ska or rock steady sides. Like nuts, they go good with just about everything.
Usually a stickler for properly pressed (meaning not off centered) 45′s, even the perfect molds sound out of key. Add to that, the original tapes for many of these tracks are who knows where – so the pressings are often times cut from worn out, lovingly played vinyl copies. Again, part of the charm.
Never a dull moment when the genre reinterprets some theme, as with TV’s Bonanza, jump style. Fun and funny.
Posted in Carlos Malcolm & The Afro Caribs, Island |
September 22nd, 2010
Listen: Click Clack / Captain Beefheart CaptainBeefheartClickClack.mp3
I’m not generally a fan of songs about sitting by train tracks waiting for the such and such to roll by. As a lyrical theme, once was too much. So I tended to pay little attention to ‘Click Clack’.
Just so happens my Captain Beefheart singles don’t get much attention, on a high top shelf and pretty close to The Beatles, a section I rarely browse. But I admittedly found myself wanting to hear ‘Click Clack’, Joey’s brother having just sent a rough mix of a railroad song my way. I recall when Joe had written it, and played it down the phone one afternoon. Finally, a railroad song that captured my interest.
What the hell, I pulled out his 7′s (always a fun browse) and had forgotten how authentic Captain Beefheart’s rendition of the theme worked. Just enough blues juxtaposed against an unlikely bass and drum rhythm. Almost as if the two sections of players weren’t even listening to each other.
Possibly Captain Beefheart’s most commercial 7″ since his initial ‘Diddy Wah Diddy’, I’m not sure why The Magic Band (as they were now known – as opposed to His Magic Band) were excluded from the label copy despite having played on the single.
One morning, around ’85, I got into my office at Elektra around 9:30, and just cranked The Birthday Party’s ‘Release The Bats’ single, then their latest release. Before it was over, Bob Krasnow was standing in my doorway, huge grin on his face. “What the fuck is this, sounds like Beefheart, I love it”. He would know, having produced much of his Buddah releases and ultimately signing him to Reprise. Not long afterwards, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds became Elektra recording artists.
Hey Bob, where are my points?
Posted in Bob Krasnow, Captain Beefheart, Elektra, Joey Ramone, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Reprise, The Birthday Party |
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.
Posted in Billboard, MCA, Randy Crawford, The Crusaders, Warner Brothers |
September 20th, 2010
Listen: Kind Of Hush / Gary & The Hornets GaryHornetsHush.mp3
Lou Reizner is a name you will notice often if you scour various mid 60′s singles in the Mercury/Philips/Smash/Fontana family. He either produced, A&R’d or both for the company. I’m guessing one of his pet projects, or maybe assignments, were brothers Gary & The Hornets.
Every week several bands suddenly appeared out of nowhere, clad perfectly in wide colorful cords and uncomfortably fitting polka dot or paisley shirts, complimented by the obligatory bowl cut. These kids were no exception.
A hipper looking, but not better sounding, version of contemporaries The Cowsills (sans the Mom), they covered a few well know (Herman’s Hermits ‘Kind Of Hush’) or semi well known (‘The Troggs ‘Hi Hi Hazel’) singles. None with any success.
Listen: Baby It’s You / Gary & The Hornets GaryHornetsBaby.mp3
One such well known track, ‘Baby It’s You’ was recorded by many, including The Shirelles and The Beatles, but the hit went to a female led, more soul/blues white act, Smith. For Gary & The Hornets, it was yet another unsuccessful stab at some Top 40 success.
If I had to guess, the hope was their voices would improve with age – but that wasn’t meant to be. Turns out I have five of their 7′s, and the more recent ones don’t indicate much of an upward trajectory.
Never mind. They were fun at the time, and encouraged many an aspiring youngster to give a go at cutting a single or two, and for that we should give Gary & The Hornets a nod.
Posted in Fontana, Gary & The Hornets, Lou Reizner, Mercury, Philips, Smash, Smith, The Beatles, The Cowsills, The Shirelles, The Troggs |
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.
Posted in Billboard, Brooklyn Bowl, Ike & Tina Turner, The Rolling Stones, United Artists |
September 17th, 2010
Listen: Bo Street Runner / The Bo Street Runners BoStreetBoStreet.mp3
If you recall the period (’64 – ’65), literally every week there were more English and US garage, blues based bands releasing singles, and some of us were twitching increasingly by the day. It was impossible to keep up, and the really obscure singles (like The Bo Street Runners), were probably hard enough to find around the UK, forget about in America and definitely in upstate New York. I’d seen a photo of this band in 16 Magazine – the publication always had one page toward the back with about 8 new band photos per issue, accompanied by a sentence or two (most likely press photos that arrived at the office with a record/bio).
The Bo Street Runners’ blurb mentioned winning a READY STEADY GO competition and releasing ‘Bo Street Runner’ via UK Decca as a result. Little did I know that years later RSG producer Vicki Wickham would become a close friend and gift me her entire record collection. True story. Good thing, I’d have been one of the first kids, in his single digits, to keel over from a heart attack.
Up there with some of the better tracks from The Yardbirds, Them, The Downliners Sect or The Pretty Things. ‘Bo Street Runner’, surprisingly an original song, is pure blue eyed RnB, right down to the maracas and obligatory tambourine keeping time with the beat.
Listen: Baby Never Say Goodbye / The Bo Street Runners BoStreetBabyNever.mp3
In hindsight, some signature names passed thought the ranks of their lineup, including a few guys from both Timebox and Patto, as well as Mick Fleetwood. His timeline is right up there with Ron Wood’s, having been with not only The Bo Street Runners, but also The Peter B’s, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and the original Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac.
Although a rather long standing BSR member, he only ever played on ‘Baby Never Say Goodbye’, the competitive cover of the Unit 4 + 2′s original and charting composition.
Posted in 16 Magazine, Columbia UK, Decca, Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Mick Fleetwood, Patto, Ready Steady Go, The Bo Street Runners, The Downliners Sect, The Peter B's, The Pretty Things, The Yardbirds, Them, Timebox, Unit 4 + 2, Vicki Wickham |
September 16th, 2010
Listen: I’m Tired / Little Milton LittleMiltonTired.mp3
I must have easily twenty Checker 7′s by Little Milton, or Little Milton Campbell, as he’s listed on a few including ‘I’m Tired’.
Written by Savoy Brown’s Chris Youlden, I’m sure I read somewhere that Little Milton decided to cover it as a thank you to the band for releasing a version of his ‘Grits Ain’t Groceries’. Still, what an honor this must have been for not only Chris, but the whole group.
To my knowledge, it’s his last release for the label, and doesn’t even show up on most discographies. Interesting that Donny Hathaway was involved. He didn’t grace many releases that weren’t his own.
Posted in Checker, Chris Youlden, Donny Hathaway, Little Milton, Savoy Brown |
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
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 |
September 14th, 2010
Listen: Rubber Bullets / 10cc 10ccRubber.mp3
I was surprised to see a recent Bob Lefsetz post about 10cc. His musical taste occasionally crosses paths with mine: The Kinks, The Ramones, The Lo Fidelity Allstars and a few others here and there. But he’s usually way west coast soft rock compared to my way east across the Atlantic preferences. A better commentary on the music industry, technology and life issues you’ll have a hard time finding. Check him out.
Surprisingly, he discovered 10cc upon their arrival in ’72, as most Americans didn’t.
‘Rubber Bullets’ was the band’s first UK #1 (US #73), back when they were on Jonathan King’s UK Records (get everything you see on his imprint), and was never off the radio or pub jukeboxes during that English summer. Just about every track by these guys had some oddly appealing production twist that was just not like anything else before and a true precursor to The Buggles. On ‘Rubber Bullets’, for instance, can you hear the drum kit other than during the rolls? Not really. And who noticed. Throw in the doo wop vocals bits (not uncommon for 10cc), bizarre lyrics and you’ve got a spot in history.
Most of their stuff was both funny and socially biting, hence way too thought provoking for the US programmer, usually religating them to radio’s embarrassingly long ignore them list.
Posted in 10CC, Bob Lefsetz, Jonathan King, The Buggles, The Kinks, The Lo Fidelity Allstars, The Ramones, UK Records |
