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.
Posted in Bob Perry, City Winery, Hi, Jukebox Tab, Lord Warddd, One-Derful, Otis Clay, Phil Ward, The Lo Fidelity Allstars, Willie Mitchell |
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.
Posted in Island, Rich Fazekas, The Faces, The Pretty Things, United Artists, War, Whisky A Go Go |
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.
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 |
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”.
Posted in Champion, Greenaway/Cook, JT & The Big Family, Marianne Faithfull, Soul II Soul, The Art Of Noise, The Brotherhood Of Man, White Plains |
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.
Posted in Acid House, Gary Crowley, Grauchos, Longsy D's House Sound, Rebel MC, Ska, The Beatmasters |
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.
Posted in Atlantic, Chris Hillman, Criteria Studios, Crosby Stills & Nash, Derek & The Dominoes, Manassas, Stephen Stills, Stephen Stills - Manassas, The Buffalo Springfield, Tom Dowd |
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?
Posted in Pye, Ray Davies, Reprise, The Kinks |
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.
Posted in Annie Nightingale, Brunswick, Hamilton Bohannon, Kate Hyman, Record And Tape Exchange |
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.
Posted in Blue Note, Chet Atkins, Kenny Burrell, Peter Frampton, Ray Barretto, Stanley Turrentine, Steve Marriott, The Herd, The Small Faces, Wes Montgomery |
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.
Posted in Abba, Brooklyn Bowl, Clout, Epic, MCA, Sandy Beach, WKBW |
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.
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 |
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’.
Posted in Cadet Concept, Chess, Leonard Chess, Marshall Chess, Minnie Riperton, Nuyorican Soul, The Rotary Connection, WMCR |
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.
Posted in Columbia UK, Heinz, Joe Meek, The Cryin' Shames, The Honeycombs, The Tornadoes, Tower |
March 8th, 2010
Listen: Love / The Virgin Sleep
Love / The Virgin Sleep
For a UK summer ’67 psychedelic snapshot, Deram were a pretty dependable label. Extending Decca, their parent company’s policy of the previous four years (basically grabbing up as many blossoming bands as possible and awarding them a single or two to see if they had something) gave The Virgin Sleep their 15 minutes. ‘Love’ has ranked respectfully among the most sought after period singles, and obviously for good reason. Sounding not unlike The Troggs’ more druggy tunes, the band modelled this after the Buddhist chant ‘Om Mane Padme Hum’ and logically threw in a sitar. ‘Paint It, Black’ beware.
Listen: Halliford House / The Virgin Sleep
Halliford House / The Virgin Sleep
Produced by in-house Decca staffer, Noel Walker, both ‘Love’ and it’s B side, ‘Halliford House’ left no psychedelic studio trick untried. The crack ending here being solid proof.
Listen: Secret / The Virgin Sleep
Secret / The Virgin Sleep
Things went a bit more commercial for their second and last swing at the hit parade. Keith Mansfield was brought in to ‘arrange’. His history was incidental music for TV and film. Nice choice. Didn’t work though, as far as chart success went. Sounding not unlike the future classical ideas The Move would explore makes me wonder if Roy Wood was a fan. Still the psychedelic accolades remained intact, as ‘Secret’ has turned up on a few hardcore comps of the genre.
Listen: Comes A Time / The Virgin Sleep
Comes A Time / The Virgin Sleep
As with ‘Secret’, ‘Comes A Time’ was produced by Rod Buckle. He must not have enjoyed the experience given his name never surfaced again, to my knowledge. Despite some nice Honeybus moments, it’s always ignored. This B side really grew on me, by accident if truth be known. The turntable was on repeat.
Posted in Deram, Keith Mansfield, Noel Walker, Rod Buckle, Roy Wood, The Honeybus, The Move, The Troggs, The Virgin Sleep |
March 7th, 2010
Listen: James Brown’s Boo-Ga-Loo / James Brown
James Brown's Boo-Ga-Loo / James Brown
One day, around ’90, I decided to own every last James Brown single from the 60′s and 70′s. It was a most fun challenge, and surprisingly easy. Don’t forget, we were still in the heyday of folks dumping their vinyl for cd. Despite all the unsolvable problems that began with the onset of the cd configuration, it was absolutely a miracle for the vinyl collector. What could be better than the entire world wanting to unload their records?
James Brown’s temporary switch from the King label to Smash lasted a only year or two. Seems he signed one contract before the previous one expired, ultimately settling it all by agreeing to record only instrumentals for Smash. Some fans seem to downplay their interest in the period – not me. Besides, I’m a sucker for any releases from the Mercury Records Group: Philips, Fontana, Blue Rock, Limelight and of course Smash.
The best part of all this being the public tired of his assembly line, contract fulfilling output, so sales declined faithfully with each release. These last few before returning to King became the hardest to find. Good fun in my book.
‘James Brown’s Boo-Ga-Loo’ came and went completely unnoticed. Although the label copy suggested it’s from his NEW BREED album, it’s not. Well, sorta not. The track is actually an edited version of ‘New Breed’ retitled and easily doubles as incidental music for a B movie. No problem.
Listen: Jimmy Mack / James Brown
Jimmy Mack / James Brown
Equally enamored with muzak renditions of familiar hits meant many of his singles for the label were prime wants like ‘Let’s Go Get Stoned’ plus his own covers of ‘Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag’ and ‘Try Me’ for instance.
The last Smash 7″, and non-LP as well, is a lazy, slightly mundane (and therefore perfect for my tastes) version of Holland-Dozier-Holland’s ‘Jimmy Mack’. As with many of the jazz organists from that period, I bet they all rattled out these one after the other in a day long session, thereby making both recording costs and sales pressure low. Everyone needed a few for party music I guess. Another hard one to find, yet most likely competition is pretty minimal.
Posted in Blue Rock, Fontana, Holland-Dozier-Holland, James Brown, King, Limelight, Mercury, Philips, Smash |
March 6th, 2010
Listen: If You Want Me To Stay / Sly & The Family Stone [audio:
http://www.somanyrecordssolittletime.com/records/SlyWant.mp3]
Time for some trainspotting, courtesy Duane Reade. I stopped by to pick up a prescription, and what’s playing over the sound system but ‘If You Want Me To Stay’. Used to be this one was heard everywhere, all the time. That repeated exposure eroded over the years, now it’s a big treat on the occasional occasion, like tonight. It just stood out against all the other overplayed oldies, the intentional lo-fi recording giving it alien character. It was a nice change.
As it was eventually confirmed, Sly Stone scrapped the first version of FRESH, from which this came. He decided to re-record the whole thing: sometimes the instrumental track, others the vocal takes and even others, both; making all the songs noticeably different to the astute fan, but probably not even turning a head amongst the casual listeners.
Listen: If You Want Me To Stay (Scrapped Version) / Sly & The Family Stone [audio:
http://www.somanyrecordssolittletime.com/records/SlyWantOuttakes.mp3]
Proof of the fairly secret first recording came way back, via the album’s first single, ‘If You Want Me To Stay’, as the initial 7″ stock were pressed using that wrong master. It’s visually impossible to tell it from the much more common official version, by the label that is (read on). I didn’t even realize I had a copy of anything particularly rare for years.
At the time, I was working for a one stop record distributor, the whole front half of the warehouse dedicated to 7″ singles. Both store buyers and jukebox operators populated the place constantly, it was a most fantastic hubbub of activity, every last person focused on records. Having grabbed a copy as soon as they arrived from the plant, it was clearly in hindsight that I discovered owning a first pressing. Even at the time, I just assumed it was an intentionally different version for the single. Actually, not until a month or so after getting it did I even notice the version on Top 40 radio sounding different than mine. Then I realized everyone’s copy had a different version from mine. I was baffled for ages.
The only way to tell, as every last detail of the label copy is identical on both pressings, being created for the official version – is to scour the run off groove. Official pressings read: ZZS 158443, whereas the mistake copies read: ZZS 158431.
Happy hunting.
Posted in Duane Reade, Epic, Sly & The Family Stone, Sly Stone |
March 2nd, 2010
I really do appreciate Van Morrison for many reasons. He toured about 10 years back, maybe more, with Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames as his band, and John Lee Hooker supporting. I figured the Georgie Fame bit would mean more cohesive song structure as opposed to some of the free form shows he’d done. True, it did. But not before giving Georgie and his band a 4 song spotlight set, whereby they played his biggest US successes (‘Get Away’, ‘Yeh Yeh’, The Ballad Of Bonnie And Clyde’ and remarkably ‘Daylight’). In addition Van did ‘Gloria’ much to everyone’s surprise, especially as he and Georgie kept it pretty close to the original.
Listen: Boom Boom / John Lee Hooker JLHookerBoomUKA.mp3
Up first was John Lee Hooker, during possibly his last tour. What an unexpected treat. There was none of that new material stuff to endure, instead the classics, played raw and fluidly, all the while seated. No surprise for him to play ‘Boom Boom’, ‘I Love You Honey’ and ‘Dimples’.
Listen: Big Legs, Tight Skirt / John Lee Hooker JLHookerBigLegs.mp3
Most surprising was when pulling out a more obscure favorite ‘Big Legs, Tight Skirt’. Not only was hearing the song a thrill, but the set up story was hysterical beyond belief. You can just imagine.
Listen: Yeh Yeh / Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames GeorgieFameYehYeh.mp3
To be honest, I hadn’t realized Georgie Fame was even involved until a few days prior. Nor did I expect a solo set. To say it was a treat is vastly understating the moment. Voice still perfectly intact, players easily replicating the groove.
But the most unexpected bonus of the night: a jukebox tab.
It was originally set up for Van Morrison to do the honors via management. Rumored to be difficult, I was pretty shocked when a confirmation call came through with instructions to meet stage door right post show, and get escorted in to see Van, which I promptly adhered to. In a small dressing room, Van was standing waiting. This seemed rather bizarre. Why was I so lucky? He’d been briefed on my request, so when he inquired about song choice, I asked would he do one for Them as well. “Sure, just show me what to write and where”. ‘Richard Cory’ was my choice, I indicated clearly where to write what, Van took the penned signed his name (see tab below) and huffed from the room. Although disappointed at being so close to a signed jukebox tab for Them, I thought it was pretty interesting that this signature, and the accompanying story, was how he wanted to be remembered:
Georgie Fame, on the other hand, was just the opposite, even recalling the B side, which I hadn’t had the chance of researching prior to the show:
Posted in Columbia UK, Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames, Imperial, John Lee Hooker, Jukebox Tab, Stateside, Van Morrison, Vee Jay |
February 28th, 2010
Listen: Rivers Of Babylon / Boney M BoneyMRiver.mp3
Listen: Brown Girl In The Ring / Boney M BoneyMBrownGirl.mp3
If ever there was a double sider, this one qualifies. Probably by accident, Boney M’s massive worldwide success, their cover of The Melodians’ Jamaican hit ‘Rivers Of Babylon’ was coupled with ‘Brown Girl In The Ring’. Who knew? The A side was such a smash in the UK (#1) that even the flip took hold, got played and charted on it’s own right (also #1). It was a time when Boney M could do no wrong, German accents and all, one of many consistent ‘phenomenas’ in England. When they get themselves worked up, they really get themselves worked up.
Boney M was everywhere – and seemingly all walks of musical taste liked them. I know I did.
Rasputin /Boney M BoneyMRasputin.mp3
Their NIGHTFLIGHT TO VENUS album contained both ‘Rivers Of Babylon’ and ‘Brown Girl In The Ring’ as well a bunch of other classics: the title track, a version of The Creation’s ‘Painter Man’, ‘He Was A Steppenwolf’ and ‘Rasputin’ (which became the followup reaching #2). One of those huge selling albums, like we don’t really have much anymore, the ‘Painter Man’ track became a single, charting at #10, a whole year after the double A whammy peaked.
Painter Man /Boney M BoneyMPainter.mp3
Somewhere in that team, good taste prevailed. Not only did they cover The Creation, they had a go at The Smoke’s ‘My Friend Jack’, Bobby Hebb’s ‘Sunny’, The Yardbirds’ ‘Still I’m Sad’ as well as Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich’s ‘Zabadak’.
Posted in Atlantic, Bobby Hebb, Boney M, Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich, Sire, The Creation, The Melodians, The Smoke |
February 27th, 2010
Listen: In The Ghetto / Candi Staton CandiStatonGhetto.mp3
Country Soul, as Candi Staton’s sound has been tagged, well I guess somebody had to do it. Thankfully, her great voice lent itself to loads of covers while with Rick Hall’s Fame Records, including ‘Stand By Your Man’ and ‘That’s How Strong My Love Is’. Just after Fame secured distribution through United Artists in ’71, he and Candi cut this Mac Davis song at the company’s studios on Avalon Avenue in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. A history with some of the greatest voices both Fame and Rick Hall certainly had: Etta James, Clarence Carter, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin.
Mac Davis, now who would have thought he wrote ‘In The Ghetto’. Not me. This version is a nice end piece to Elvis’, a hit some 4 years earlier.
I had a few Candi Staton singles in the collection, but honestly, didn’t realize the power of her voice until hearing the compilation cd, titled simply CANDI STATON that Mat sent me. We’d been sitting in the Spreadeagle Pub in Camden – and I think ‘In The Ghetto’ came on the jukebox or something. Anyways we both basically lit up at the mention of her name, and he offered up his extra copy. Without it, I think I’d still be a little in the dark about her greatness.
Posted in Aretha Franklin, Candi Staton, Clarence Carter, Elvis Presley, Etta James, Fame, Mac Davis, Mat Osman, Rick Hall, United Artists, Wilson Pickett |
February 26th, 2010
Listen: You Beat Me To The Punch / Mary Wells MaryWellsPunch.mp3
I agree with those who say Mary Wells was the first lady of Motown, well if I turn a blind eye to Brenda Holloway, Kim Weston and Tammi Terrell that is. I guess because she had the biggest pop crossover hit out of the bunch with ‘My Guy’ sort of justifies it. Whatever, she had the voice and the presence. There are some fantastic shots of her on various UK album sleeves, and that blond hair dye job turned brassy orange – I just love it.
No question, she and Smokey Robinson were a perfect match and gave her the biggest successes. Same with The Marvelettes. It’s just something about his productions, maybe it’s the drum sound or use of vibes combined with handclaps. Some magic recipe was definitely at work, I never could put my finger on it though.
Listen: Two Lovers / Mary Wells MaryWellsTwoLovers.mp3
Then there’s the lyrical twist, most prevalent on ‘Two Lovers’. It doesn’t get much more clever than this. What happens at the end of this song again, how does the two lovers thing play out? I forget every time.
It’s a drag about the royalty issue that drove Mary Wells from Motown. Once burned, it’s sometimes hard for certain folks to move beyond it – by all counts, that summed up her attitude toward Berry Gordy. And so the downward spiral began.
Listen: Dear Lover / Mary Wells MaryWellsDearLover.mp3
The fact that ‘Dear Lover’ was substandard compared to any of the Smokey songs, in a way, became the appeal. I do love a struggle to polish up something fairly mediocre in the world of singles and follow-ups. I find it rather interesting, the way all parties involved go through the motions, hoping no one else will notice that it’s actually not very good.
In the case of ‘Dear Lover’, seems producer Carl Davis basically tried copying the Motown sound – unsuccessfully. Is that a description of Northern Soul or what? Exactly the whole point of the genre, making substandard copy attempts glorious in their own way.
Probably the most Northern of any Mary Wells track, it’s absolutely become a favorite.
Posted in Atco, Atlantic, Berry Gordy, Carl Davis, Mary Wells, Motown, Northern Soul, Oriole, Smokey Robinson, The Marvelettes |
