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THE ROGUES – ’Say You Love Me’/’Secondary Man’ (Thunderbird Records 507) 1967

updated entry from March 2008

The Rogues hailed from Buffalo, New York and were the same Rogues that released the awesome folk punk jangler ’You Better Look Now’ on Audition in 1966. Check it out on Teenage Shutdown Volume 5. 

The R’n’B rave up ’Train Kept A Rollin’ can be heard on Teenage Shutdown Volume 14.

Back to this 45 on Thunderbird. Here The Rogues sound like a completely different band than on their earlier offering. The A-Side ’Say You Love Me’ is a straight 60s pop song in the style of The Association. Their song ’Windy’ comes to mind.

The excellent flip ’Secondary Man’ is a magical slice of Beatlesesque ’Revolver’ era psychedelia with stunning backwards tape effects.

The Rogues issued a further single ’Should You Care’/’The Rest Of The Way’ (Thunderbird Records 511) Thunderbird Records also released choice 45s by The Druids and William Penn Fyve.

comments:

* Just wanted to call your attention to the songwriterz ”Calandra/Mallaber” on The Rogues single. Tom Calandra waz the bass player in another Buffalo band RAVEN, who cut a couple of singlez and an album for Columbia Recordz.

A live album recorded at local club The Inferno also waz released on a small label Discovery Recordz by a former manager. Gary Mallaber waz the drummer in thiz same band and went on to major fame playing with Van Morrison (Moondance) and the Steve Miller Band among otherz.

Tom Calandra (now deceased) waz a very close friend of mine and I know Gary also.

Currently he iz drumming for the Chicago Bluez Reunion project with Harvey Mandel, etc. Thought I’d send you some trivia.

Best alwayz—-

* Heard The Rogues in their ’club’: Rogues Gallery. Think it was on or near Niagara Falls Blvd.

* The Rogues were the Best !!!
They could sound exactly like any of the bands whose songs they played, Beatles, Stones, R & B groups, etc.

When they did concerts back in the 1960’s girls would scream as if it was the Beatles.
They released 3 ”45’s” but it seemed like the B sides were always the best, like Secondary Man and You Better look Now.

Michael Spriggs, the lead guitarist has had the best post-Rogues career playing with CW bands in Nashville, and is still an A-list session player.
http://michaelspriggs.com/
Love them still !!

Does anyone have any tapes of any of their live performances???

* Also, you mentioned Raven aka the Rising Sons with Tommy Calandra and Gary Malabar. The lead singer was Tony Galla, who is still singing and playing blues in Los Angeles, California.

He is still awesome.
I saw him recently and he did a great imitation of a duet that James Brown and Luciano Pavarotti did of It’s a Man’s world. Tony Galla sang both parts to perfection.. now that’s talent. Check out him doing a 60’s hit “In Love”.

(28/08/10)

THE ROGUES – ’Train Kept A Rolling’/’You Better Look Now’ (Audition Recording 6110) July 1966

Over the past week I’ve been focussing my attention on Buffalo, NY group The Rogues. They made quite a name for themselves locally with their British Invasion sounds and wild gigs at their own Club called ’The Rogues Gallery’. The English sound was mixed into a potent brew with the addition of jangle guitar.

Their debut single was a rockin’ version of ’Train Kept A Rolling’, no doubt a live favourite. The Rogues probably heard this rhythm and beat from The Yardbirds who released it on their studio album ’Having A Rave Up’..

More interesting for me is the super cool flip and band original ’You Better Look Now’. I first heard this magical folk 12 string jangler via The Chesterfield Kings back in the early 80s, who I may add did a sterling job with it.

(27/08/10)

THE ENFIELDS – ’She Already Has Somebody’/’I’m For Things You Do’ (Richie RI-670) May 1966

One of the best garage punk compilations of all time is ’What A Way To Die’ and I remember getting this when it first came out and being blown away by the all time great melodic folk punker ’She Already Has Somebody’ by The Enfields.

The LP was great but the liners were terrible, especially the entry for The Enfields which seemed to be just made up nonsense.

Thankfully all of The Enfields music was made available on CD in the 90s but it’s a release that I never got around to buying. So I decided to research The Enfields in various sources at hand and found an interview with leader Ted Munda in Misty Lane – Issue 14.

This interview was conducted in 1995 when Munda was 44 years old (this is what he said) and the main thing I got from the interview was that the singer/songwriter from The Enfields (as well as the rest of the band) was still at High School in Wilmington, Delaware when they recorded their classic minor key folk rock.

I’m not a Zen Priest. I wrote a book called ”Zen Munchkins” (Little Wisdoms) and ”The Fizits” published by Charles E. Tuttle Co.

I’ve done a lot of music since the Enfields and would like a Record Company to release it all. I am working on a very advanced Healing Center, Capstone Vortex and have the architectural design copyright and Trademark to the design. Music, Light and Sound. Peace, TED MUNDA bizingo33@gmail.com

07/08/10

PRIMROSE CIRCUS – ’P.S. Call Me Lulu’/’In My Mind’ (President PT-314) 1970

Primrose Circus hailed from Rice in Houston, Texas and got together in 1965 but at that initial time frame they were calling themselves The Bedbugs.

They soon became established on the local scene playing colleges and teen dances just like the thousands of garage bands that seemed to infiltrate America after the so called British Invasion.

In late ’65 The Bedbugs got an offer of work in San Francisco and relocated to Sunnyvale where they became the house band at the Jamaica Inn for a month playing six nights per week.

The band decided to change their name at this point and they became known as The Sandmen and started getting gigs in the heart of the City playing larger venues and strip joints eventually becoming resident band at the Pierce Street Annex.

During 1966 The Sandmen recorded some demos at a studio in San Francisco and on their return to Rice, Houston started shopping these demos around various labels in order to get their music released.

It was during this activity that they met up with a local singer/songwriter called John Casbarian who gave them some of his songs to record. These songs turned out to be both sides of this disc under review.

The band recorded Casbarian’s songs at Andrus Studio in Houston but with Casbarian’s vocals over the backing track that they had laid down.

The demo tapes made there way to Los Angeles and eventually to label boss Lou Adler who offered them a deal with Mira Records but with a further name change to Primrose Circus.

’P.S. Call Me Lulu’ is a pop psych delight and is pure 1967 greatness with jangle, tambourine and turned on harmonies.

The flip ’In My Mind’ sounds like something Simon & Garfunkel could have recorded if someone had given them a tab of clear light.

It has been suggested that Primrose Circus came from Los Angeles or even being just a studio combo messing about with free time. Maybe the Mira Records label added to this confusion.

In Erik Tanner’s article he suggested that the Mira 45 was released in May 1967, however according to other sources it was 1968.

Amazingly, the record was picked up by President Records and released in England sometime in 1970. I doubt Primrose Circus would have been aware of this at the time having officially disbanded in December 1967.

line-up on recording:
Harry Guffee (bass)
Mike Groves (guitar)
Bob Tanner (guitar)
Jerry Lawson (drums)
John Casbarian (vocals)

(07/08/10)

I found this small picture of The Paperhangers in an edition of KRLA Beat magazine.

I was curious because I’d never heard of them before and I’m almost certain the proposed 1967 Capitol release ’Guess What I Can See’/’Time Will Tell’ never saw the light of day.

I spent some time on the ’case’ and found out that Brent Maglia released a solo album on Fantasy Records in 1977 called ’Down At The Hard Rock Cafe’. It seems that Vito Giovannelli also played on this album.

A Brent Maglia song titled ’We Can’t Let Go Of Love’ was recorded by the walrus of love a.k.a. Barry White.

Reader comments:
Brent is still recording. Lives in Granada Hills and has a law degree. Vito owns a restaurant in Granada Hills, Casa de Pizza, Pete living in Thousand Oaks. Ron is married and working a regular job

That’s my dad Vito there…..I wish I could hear this recording….I know he would love to hear it again also….thanks for the pic…

(12/07/10)

GREGORY DEE & The AVANTIES – ’The Slide’/’When Will I Be Loved’ (Bangar BA 00658) Nov 1964

Bangar was a short lived record label operating out of Minneapolis releasing 45s by the local talent between 1964/65. One such talent was vocalist and hammond organist Gregory Dee Maland who, with his band of outsiders, The Avanties became one of the top draws in Minneapolis, MN.

’The Slide’ was their final record on the Bangar label (they also released records on Twin Town) and is a song probably about a style of dancing. So, the lyrics are pretty lame then, but the music rocks with some cool organ and a killsville guitar break.

The flip ’When Will I Be Loved’ is an OK version of a Phil Everly ballad.

line-up:
Greg Maland (vocals/organ)
Dave Metzold (guitar)
Frank Prout (bass) – he joined The High Spirits in late ’66
Doug Nelson (drums)

Reader comments:
Sad to announce that I just read in the Mpls Star Tribune that Gregory Dee (Maland) passed away Sept 2012 age 68 in Mount Vernon, Wash. The life of the late Gregory Dee, a mainstay on the Twin Cities rock scene in the 1960s, will be celebrated with performances by many of his contemporaries — the Trashmen, the Castaways, the Underbeats, the Del Counts, the Gestures and the singer/organist’s own Avantis, known for the 1964 regional hits ”The Grind” (an organ-fueled instrumental) and ”Olds-Mo-William.”

Gregory Dee Maland, 68, died in September after a series of strokes over the past six years in Mount Vernon, Wash., where he’d lived for many years. Proceeds go to the non profit Guitars for Vets. (6 p.m. Sun Dec.2 Famous Dave’s Uptown, $5.) Jon Bream

Sooo sweet. Need my fix of this song every so often. Thanks for fixing the link! I grew up in Minneapolis, and saw this band several times.

In about ’68 or so, I screwed up my courage and walked up to Greg at the end of a gig, and asked why they no longer played The Grind. He was distracted by untangling some cables to be packed up, and shrugged. ”Nobody wants to hear that stuff any more,” he replied. Fortunately, by the end of his life, he knew otherwise.

WOW – this song popped into my mind this morning! Brings back great memories of Bel Rae Ballroom Tuesday nights in the 1960s.

(23/05/10)

BOBBY COMSTOCK – ’I’m A Man’/’I’ll Make You Glad’ (Ascot 2175) 1966

Here’s a first for ’Flower Bomb Songs’. Your author and International Playboy EXPO67 has been drinking Jack Daniel’s all evening and I’m nearly as pissed as Keith Moon was back in 1974 when Mr Moon and his best mate Ringo were indulging in the odd tipple at ’Ringo Towers’

Trouble is that when I’ve had a few too many I get even more opinionated than I normally am or at least that’s what ’Er Indoors says..

Anyway, here’s a red hot double sider by Bobby Comstock (surely in need of a ’Best Of’ on Sundazed)…

Bobby hailed from Ithaca, New York and with his band The Counts, had been releasing 45s since the late 50s.

Then The Beatles and The Stones killed everything in America pre 1964 so Mr Comstock wanted some of that invasion action.

’I’m A Man’ is a killer rendition by a group of musicians clearly at home in the studio. It was also part of the neglected ”Out Of Sight” album released in 1966.

The flip ’I’ll Make You Glad’ is also pretty neat and is non LP and non comp. Checking the label credits it was written and produced by the collection of whizz kids who recorded as The Strangeloves.

(21/05/10)

WAYNE PAV & The ORPHUNS – ’Oh Mona’/’Bring It On Home’ (Pav Records 650) 1967

According to FA&F and confirmed in issue 3 of ’Lost and Found’ this outfit hailed from Chicago and cut this record sometime in 1967. Both sides are GREAT but show just how much they were out of touch with what was happening in ’67. The music on offer harks back to the Invasion sounds of 1964/65.

The Bo Diddley stomper ’Mona’ titled on this disc ’Oh Mona’ is given the teen garage treatment with an edgy mix, gruff vocals and some inept but killer guitar.

The other side ’Bring It On Home’ is a faithful rendition of the Sam Cooke hit but The Orphuns are clearly more influenced by the version by The Animals.

This was the group’s second and last 45.

Good to see this 45 still out there. The band started as a college band and went from there. I love ”Bring It On Home” the best, but then, my brother sang it with such heart.

(19/05/10)

THE ETHICS – ‘(A Whole Lot Of) Confusion’/'(I Can’t Get You) Out Of My Mind’ (Dynamic 2001) 1966

The Ethics came from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and this 45 demonstrates their lo-fi garage approach. ’Confusion’ is a tough R’n’B workout but to my ears doesn’t rise above the mediocre. I prefer the uncompiled pop of ‘(I Can’t Get You) Out Of My Mind’ on the flip.

The group would change their name to The Invasion and release a couple more 45s on Dynamic Sound.

For further reading head on over to Garage Hangover.

(17/05/10)

THE BRITISH WALKERS – ’The Girl Can’t Help It’/’Lonely Lover’s Poem’ (Charger CRG-108) June 1965

One of the most popular groups from Washington D.C were Invasion obsessed The British Walkers. During their time as an active combo releasing 45s on various labels (Try, Cameo, Manchester, Charger) they also had a kind of ’revolving door’ where members were concerned.

I checked out a British Walkers myspace page and they appear to have had as many members as the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

’The Girl Can’t Help It’ written by Bobby Troup and a big hit for Little Richard in 1957 provides an insight into the sound they created on record.

By all accounts they really rocked live with their English styled garage beat and built up a strong following at their local hang out, ”The Roundtable”

The flip ’Lonely Lover’s Poem’ is a rather forgettable beat ballad lament with corny spoken parts where the singer tries his best English accent but believe me I’m English and no one talks like this in these parts. A bad move gents but in 1965 and on a B-Side I suppose it was worth a gamble.

(11/05/10)

GRANT HIGGINS – ’The Way I Feel’/’Shame Shame’ (Limelight Y-3036) Oct 1964

I don’t know anything about Grant Higgins so any information will be welcome. I’ve checked some reference guides and this 45 was also released on Karen Records.

The flip side, ’The Way I Feel’ is a Grant Higgins original and is an early attempt at Invasion beat. The Jimmy Reed cover, ’Shame Shame’ is a harmonica heavy R’n’B swinger more akin to early Rolling Stones than The Beatles..

DJ/Producer Ollie McLaughlin is credited on the label. He was based in Ann Arbour, Michigan. So perhaps Grant Higgins is from this region.

Grant Higgins was from Adrian, Michigan. The 1st label for this release was Karen #320. Limelight re-released both songs in October, 1964.Grant had at least one other 45, on the Twirl label. MopTopMike

Grant Higgins is a family member by marriage. A book about his career was recently published including all of his recordings on (1) CD. If you are still interested let me know, I will be happy to provide you any information.

(09/05/10)

THE GLASS FAMILY – ’Teenage Rebellion’ (Sidewalk Records 920) 1967

I believe that The Glass Family were from Santa Cruz, CA and were a collection of three musicians, Ralph Parrett (guitar), David Capilouto (bass, keyboards) and Gary Green (drums). They were an active band and secured gigs with The Doors and The Grateful Dead. These influential gigs may have led them to get a deal to record music for Sidewalk Records.

This 1967 single was probably just used to promote the exploito teen flick ’Teenage Rebellion’ because this song, written by Mike Curb and Harley Hatcher appears on the soundtrack.

Glass Family also had one of their own songs ’I’m Losing It’ released on the Sidewalk Records compilation ’Freak Out U.S.A.’

They went on to sign for Warner Bros and an album titled ’Electric Band’ followed.

(14/03/10)

THE KOLLEKTION – ’Savage Lost’/’My World Is Empty Without You’ (Heads-Up Records W101) Aug 1967

As I continue my excavation of psychedelic 45s, I’ll give some ’Flower Bomb Songs’ time to an obscure Miami, Florida group called The Kollektion, who only released one record during their brief existence.
’Savage Lost’ is a pounding heavy psych number that was a surprise local hit in their home region, reaching the Top 10 on WQAM.

This could be one of the earliest heavy psych records released and was very progressive for an America band.

The Kollektion were regulars at the local hang out ’The World’ and saw their popularity rise not only with a hit record but by the fact they were busted by the cops for ’mary jane’ possession.

The flip ’My World Is Empty Without You’ is a Fudge heavy arrangement of The Supremes song composed by the Holland, Dozer, Holland team.

I briefly checked out The Kollektion singer Angel Rissoff’s website and in his biography he didn’t even mention his days in one of Florida’s most important psychedelic rock bands. I find this very strange indeed. ’Savage Lost’ is probably the best thing he ever wrote.

(07/03/10)

THE PILGRIMAGE – ’Bad Apple’/’You Satisfy Me’ (Mercury 72631) Nov 1967

Essential two sided 45 from an obscure act from Long Island, New York.

Mercury Records appear to have had some faith in The Pilgrimage with a full page colour advert for this release in a November ’67 edition of Billboard. It’s a shame that no one cared because the record bombed.

The red label stock copy doesn’t exactly grow on trees either, most copies I’ve seen are the white label promos, surely an indication that the release was not widely distributed.

’Bad Apple’ starts off with some pounding drum action, the kind of primitive beat that almost makes me wanna jump outta the window in search for some skulls to crack open. The singer handles lead vocals with assurance and the guitar and organ parts colour the garage noise.

The song was written by the song writing team of Burton & Sawyer.

Their most famous song is ’I Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore’ recorded by The Young Rascals and numerous other 60s groups. Lori Burton also released her own records on Mercury. Also check out ’Nightmare’ by The Whyte Boots.

Reader comments:
The band was from New Jersey and was the inspiration for a bunch of imitators… Like the Vanilla Fudge who ripped them off and their arrangements. The fudge would come and watch their act as they all knew each other.

Some of the members are still active musicians like Tom Pergola and his band called Burn out in Los Angeles. Originally called The Pilgrims until Mercury ran into some copyright hassles and changed their name. Great live act with perfect timing and stage presence.

After RICK MARTIN and the SHOWMEN broke up, 2 very distinct bands formed, the PIDGEONS, and the BOSS-MEN. Tom Pergola was in the BOSS-MEN with Pat Portfolio (organ), Alan Hecht (sax), Jimmy Principe (sax), Dick Watson (bass and lead vocal)and an unknown drummer. the BOSS-MEN broke up right before the RASCALS hit big. Tom Pergola was amazed by the RASCALS and formed the PILGRIMS to copy the RASCALS, and the PIDGEONS copied the PILGRIMS. the PIDGEONS became VANILLA FUDGE

(17/03/10)

ESB – ’Mushroom People’/’Let Me Touch You’ (In Arts Records 102) 1967

This group of hipsters from Hollywood went from having one of the longest names in pop (ie) The W.C. Fields Memorial Electric String Band to probably the shortest ESB.

The band were formed out of the ashes of two local acts that promised much but went to nowheresville. George Caldwell and Robert Zinner were in The Bees. Richard Fortunato and Steve Lagana were in The Preachers. Bass player Patrick Burke may have been in a later line up of The Preachers.

’Mushroom People’ is in effect their third release but one of the first on the newly formed Hollywood label In Arts Records who also had The Good Time Singers and Smart & Cole Inc on their books.

The song is pretty cool with the odd ’mary jane’ lyrical reference indicating pot of course. It’s a strange psychedelic affair, starting out all mellow and hip then suddenly bursting into a faster rhythm, culminating in a Who like wig out.

’Let Me Touch You’ is a slow and brooding acid raga psych nugget. It’s such a beautiful sound in my mind. Like a mix of ”Younger Than Yesterday” era Byrds and Buffalo Springfield. Dig that trippy ”In Arts” record label. A feast for your eyes and mind. 

”I can make you feel like raindrops falling to the ground.”

(28/02/10)

THE SMOKE – ’The Smoke’ (Sidewalk Records ST-5912) 1968

I’ve probably played this record hundreds of times, maybe as many times as ’The Notorious Byrd Brothers’ and that’s saying something.

This studio based group consisted of Michael Lloyd (bass/keyboards/vocals/sundry items), Steve Baim (drums) and Stan Ayeroff (guitar). All three members also recorded as The Rubber Band.

The Smoke album is a very consistent effort with a strong Sgt Peppers influence and I could have chosen any song on the album to represent it on my blog but I’ve went for the pop psych delight of ’Umbrella’.

This is a comment from early 2011 made by a spokesman from Sundazed Records vis their Facebook page: We’ve talked about this here before, some place… Here’s the deal, once again… It’ll NEVER happen from us. We had an agreement in place for the project many years ago, had mastered the project from the original analogs, had all the artwork done – and then the licensor wanted to hold it back.

We waited for them, got set to go again with their complete blessings – spent more time and money on it, solicited it to our distributors, and then the licensor wanted it held back… AGAIN. Honestly, it can TOTALLY be someone else’s nightmare project from here forward – we’re on to bigger and better things, for sure…

(21/02/10)

DAVID HOLLIS – ”Sheri” /”Monkey Man” (Hip H-111) October 1967

Now here’s a performer I don’t know anything about. Just who is David Hollis? Several checks in various reference books and online sources reveal absolutely nothing.

In fact my website is probably the first place this fantastic double sided psychedelic 45 has had it’s brief moment of glory.

This release was one of the earliest on Hip Records (a short lived Stax subsidiary). Steve Cropper has been name checked on the label as a co producer with Natalie Rosenberg. Don’t know anything about Natalie but Mr Cropper is probably the guitarist from Booker T and the MG’s.

David Hollis has got it real bad for Sheri. He’s totally tripped out by her but there’s too many I’m Sorry’s in the lyrics for my liking. David, you ain’t gonna get your girl back by being all sappy……be a caveman like those guys from The Avengers.

The music backdrop for ’Sheri’ is a baroque psych lovers dream. It’s very trippy and the whispered vocals add to the the overall coolness.

The flip ’Monkey Man’ is a slow paced groover…….’You better cool it while you can, Monkey Man’…..

This record is a real find for me. It’s never been compiled before as far as I know.

Hey, thank you for posting the ”Sheri” song. I have not heard that since 1968/9? David Hollis is an artist based in German Town, TN. This tune was very popular on the Memphis stations upon release. eclectic ear!

(19/02/10)

THE PAINTED FACES – ’Anxious Color’/’Things We See’ (Manhattan 808) June 1967 

One of the classic psych singles to come out of Florida was ’Anxious Color’ by The Painted Faces. They were short lived but left behind some fine singles.

Their first 45 was released locally on Qualicon. This coupled the moody folk rock lament ’Things We See’ with ’I Want You’… The former turning up again as the flip to the Manhattan release.

’Anxious Color’ is where it’s at though with raga sounding guitar leads giving the song a psychedelic sound. According to the liners of the Distortion compilation this 45 was a big hit in South West Florida, hitting number 1 on some stations. It even got extensive airplay on Los Angeles stations making the Top 10. This was probably due to their Mike Curb connections.

(14/02/10)

ROCKIT – ‘(Blame It) On The Pony Express’/’Amblin’ (Verve VK10654) 1971

This is a rather obscure and needless to say marvellous record by a genius called Michael Lloyd. He was of course highly influential as a member of The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band then demonstrated his pop psych brilliance with The Smoke.

According to several WCPAEB articles I’ve read (special mention must be given to the exhaustive piece by Shindig magazine) Rockit were in effect a mini reunion of my ’Transparent Day’ GODS. Michael Lloyd was aided in this project by Shawn and Dan Harris.

I did some research on this disc because the information about the Rockit record has been scant to say the least. The Shindig article only briefly mentioned it but no label scans were provided. According to a book called ’MGM Labels – A Discography’ the A-Side ‘(Blame It) On The Pony Express’ was recorded on the 15th of December, 1970 at the MGM studios in Los Angeles.

Two songs were recorded at this session….’Pony Express’ and ’Don’t Make Me Into Something I’m Not’…maybe the latter recording is still unreleased to this day?

The entry states that both songs were destined to be released as a 45 on MGM K14222 but for some reason this was cancelled and transferred to Verve Records.

‘(Blame It) On The Pony Express’ is bouncy and uplifting soul pop and should have sold millions but didn’t and so languishes in obscurity. The flip is the ethereal ’Amblin’…..a pop song so perfect it makes my head hurt. It’s wondrous soundscape reminds me of the previously mentioned Smoke music.

‘Amblin’ actually predates Blame it on the Pony Express, it was used for the soundtrack of the 1968 Steven Spielberg short movie of the same title. Strangely enough it was credited to October Country in the film credits, which makes me wonder if the Harris bros actually appear on this recording.

(10/02/10)

THE HELLO PEOPLE – ’If I Should Sing Too Softly’/’Pray For Rain’ (Philips 40572) Nov 1968

The Hello People were a manufactured group put together by producer Lew Futterman and based in New York. He had the grand idea to merge musicians with mime to create a new sound; that at least was the concept, although the flower pop of ’If I Should Sing Too Softly’ is pure 1968 both in sound and production. The song remains uncompiled.

At their gigs The Hello People would perform in weird clothing and wear mime make-up. They would not talk to the audience between songs instead perform short mime acts.

This concept and the quality of their music may have extended their lifespan as group. They released several singles and three studio albums before the decade ended.

Ex Remains drummer Norman Smart is known to have performed with The Hello People and is believed to have played percussion on their records.

They performed on some TV Shows notably The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and The Johnny Carson Tonight Show and these performances can be located on You Tube.

(12/02/11)

THE SUNSHINE COMPANY – ’Back On The Street Again’/’A Year Of Janie Time’ (Liberty 15034) Oct 1967

The phrase sunshine pop couldn’t be any more apt to describe the lyte flower power sounds of the classic ’Back On The Street Again’…. The Sunshine Company formed in Los Angeles during 1967 and combined their soft vocal harmonies with the folk rock sound to produce two and a bit minutes of perfect harmony pop.

You may note that this German release is an edited version with a faded outro.

Comparisons with The Mamas And The Papas were inevitable but the group were quick to distance themselves from that outfit during an interview with KRLA Beat.

Leader Maury Manseau stated:

”I think the comparison is valid only in the fact that both of us are vocal groups. But then – it’s not really that either, because we do our own instrumentals all the time, and they have a band behind them. I think we’ve got our own thing and it’s different.” 

’Back On The Streets Again’ was a hit and work poured in. They appeared on TV Shows Joey Bishop, Woody Woodbury and The Laugh In. Maybe one day tapes of these performances will show up on You Tube.

The Sunshine Company also recorded a vocal backing for a Clairol TV Commercial.

Compilation appearances have been rare (they won’t appeal to the fuzz and farfisa crowd) but this song surfaced on Nuggets Volume 10 (Rhino Records) back in the mid 80s.

Guitarist Douglas Mark was previously a member of The Grains Of Sand.

(12/02/11)

KATFISH – ’Dear Prudence’/’Street Walkin’ (Big Tree Records BTS-16045) 1975

Sometimes the 70s threw up some strange curios, records that belonged in another time. Take this 45 from Katfish who were believed to be from Lewiston, Maine. They probably went into the studio to record gig favourite ’Dear Prudence’ but it came out at the other end sounding like a record from late 1969 thanks in every way to producer Bob Herne’s psychedelic studio tricks.

He served his time well in the late 60s producing for The Flat Earth Society and Lazy Smoke.

”Dear Prudence won’t you come out to play,
Dear Prudence greet the brand new day”

There’s a picture cover of this release and it shows a four piece group in daft ’70s clobber so it doesn’t look like Katfish were on some kind of ’60s revival trip. The flip ’Street Walkin’ is a typical ’70s rocker and probably a good indication of what they sounded like most of the time.

Readers comments:
We saw Katfish in the early 70’s be fore they opened for Aerosmith in Lewiston and they were a great band to bad for bad management I miss going to the bars and clubs to hear them play Best wishes boys. spear.mike@ymail.com

Yes, we were from Lewiston Maine. We recorded these tunes at EAB Studios, and Bobby Hearne engineered and produced us. The owner of EAB, Ed Boucher loved the Beatles and encouraged us to record this, and at his expense, we did. Being the confident, cocky 19 year old’s we were, we thought an up-tempo cover of this great Beatle tune would be kool.

It caught the ear of the president of BIg Tree Records and they released it nation wide the summer of 1975, it got as high as 63 on the Billboard Hot 100, if memory serves, and stayed on the charts for 8 weeks.

It got us the opportunity to open for the likes of, Marshall Tucker, Charlie Daniels, Brownsville Station to name a few.

We had a heady, glorious short lived run, but what a blast! Not too shabby for 4 nobody’s from a a little mill town in Maine. We all still perform and record to this day in our various own musical projects and are all still friends.

Katfish was:
Nick Knowlton, vocals
Jeff Wright, guitar
Maurice McKenna, bass, vocals 
John G. Hart, drums – Rock on! (*John sent this update)

Hello John: I really loved that song when I was a kid, I was 13 when it was out. I remember the store and the other 45 I got with dear prudence – it was ABBA – S.O.S. Played the shit out of both 45s – A-side and B-side of both.

I just played ”Dear Prudence” and I wondered ”Did they have a follow-up single?

Did a search on ”google” and found this article. So, Did you guys have any other records? Maybe a local single? I would like to hear it.

Tried searching on eBay and I found a local pressing of ”Dear Prudence” on Gonad, with picture sleeve – bought it! There were a couple of Big tree pressings but no other single. Just wanted you to know I still love that version of the song. As far as I am concerned it is the best version. Good Job!! Later Ed S

Nick knowliton the singer/vocals still preforms for fusions at the Ramada inn in Lewiston he has his own business the music connection sings for weddings and events he’s still a awesome singer.

Did you guys play in Portland at Deering Oaks in the late 70’s? If so, I remember it being awesome. I had been trying to find more info over the years but I thought it was ”Catfish”

Hey Rick, yes we did. It was a promotion (if memory serves …been a few decades bro) by a popular Portland Maine Top 40 radio station then called WJBQ. We set up in the middle of Deering Oaks as I recall on top of a flatbed truck trailer.

We just rolled up one nice summer afternoon. We set our own gear up. In those primitive days, bands even brought their own P.A Systems.

We just cranked old school from the stage with our Marshall Stack for guitar, Univox for bass, Lead singer screaming thru the P.A, and me bashing my Ludwig kit with baseball bats for sticks and let her rip!! It had a crazy turnout as I recall.

It was promoted heavily by one radio station. No, social media back then man, just peeps that listened to good radio, and starved for great free rock that we were glad to deliver.

It would be called a flash mob now I guess? I even have pics from that show if you want them just contact me at drummers@maine.rr.com. I am only on this site tonight because I stumbled on it due to my wife watching boring gardening shows and I was learning some new blues licks and migrated here some how.!! Too funny!.

John, This goes back, but wanted to express to you how much I liked this cover and *still* like it more than the The Beatles original! I remember when your version came out in Maine.

It did get some good airplay on radio stations like WJBQ (and a lot of requests). I bought the 45 and still have it, what, some 40 or so years and 10 moves in 5 states ago! Was there ever an LP? I know I saw you guys a few times.

Listened to Aerosmith a lot back then and thought you opened for them maybe at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, no? If not, there was a place in L.A called The Bird I sometimes went to, which closed some years ago, I think, so maybe it was there.

I gather Lewiston has changed a lot in recent years. Is WBLM still there? Glad to hear you’re all still doing music, and wonder if you’ve ever considered, just for kicks, a reunion to record another great cover? Technology has made audio/video easier, faster, and cheaper, ya know… Best wishes to you all. W.L.

So sorry, I just learned Nick Knowlton passed away in 2017.

(12/02/11)

THE BANANA SPLITS – ’Wait Til Tomorrow’/’We’re The Banana Splits’ (Decca 32391) September 1968

Unknown but hip session musicians drop some acid and turn on their minds and create the lush baroque sunshine pop masterpiece ’Wait Til Tomorrow’ complete with some tripped out harpsichord. Too bad the tune was intended for kids TV Show The Banana Splits and was ignored at the time then forgotten.

But were they unknown but hip session musicians? They were probably unknown to most but they were professionals.

Co-Writers Ritchie Adams and Mark Barkan wrote many of the songs ’performed’ by The Banana Splits and The Archies.

Dig a little deeper and it transpires that Mark Barkan produced The Deep album ’Psychedelic Moods’ and co-wrote two songs from that set ’Crystal Nite’ and ’Trip #76’.

He also released a 45 in his own right ’A Great Day For The Clown’/’Pity The Woman’ on December Records. ’Pity The Woman’ is a fantastic mod dancer just waiting to be re-discovered.

Mark Barkan also produced the incredible psych killer ’The Life Game’ for Ry Cooper released on Musicor Records and wrote songs for The Monkees and lots of other performers that fall under the radar of my blog. 

(11/02/11)

THE HIGHER ELEVATION – ’Summer Skies’/’Country Club Affair’ (Liberty 56035) 1968

’Summer Skies’ is a perfect up-tempo pop song to listen to especially during these cold English Winter nights. The Higher Elevation were previously called The Monocles and were a big hit in their locale of Colorado.

During mid 1967 the group decided to give themselves a ’hipper’ name and so they changed to The Higher Elevation and relocated to Los Angeles.

They hooked up with producer Frank Slay who has been mentioned on my blog before (he also produced The Yankee Dollar & Strawberry Alarm Clock) and recorded this perfect sunshine pop number at Sunset Studios in Hollywood Blvd. Both sides of this disc were written by song writing team John Carter and Tim Gilbert.

In a perfect world this would have been a huge hit but the record sank without much trace…..

(10/02/11)

THE MAGICIANS – ’Lady Fingers’/’Double Good Feeling’ (Columbia 4-44061) 1967

New York group The Magicians are perhaps best known for their classic ’An Invitation To Cry’ but even the greatness of that recording failed to give them the hit it deserved. Thankfully many more people were able to hear the song via the original Nuggets LP.

One of THEE very best psych tinged folk rock records was ’Lady Fingers’ recorded in January 1967 and released as their final single on Columbia (after it flopped The Magicians were dropped by the label).

Written by Magicians Alan Gordon and Garry Bonner ’Lady Fingers’ is an absolute jewel complete with complex and sublime harmonies.

(10/02/11)

DON AND THE GOODTIMES – ’I Could Be So Good To You’/’And It’s So Good’ (Epic 5-10145) April 1967

This combo were originally from Portland but relocated to Los Angeles in October 1966 and quickly established themselves as a hot new teen act on the Sunset Strip. They were often on TV during this time frame appearing on shows including Lloyd Thaxton, Joey Bishop, Woody Woodbury, Hollywood A Go Go and becoming a house band on Where The Action Is.

’I Could Be So Good To You’ sees the group trading in their tuff North West punk sound for a commercial sunshine pop approach. The Beach Boys/Association influence is in evidence on this classy hit 45.

Members Don Galluci, Jeff Hawkes and Joey Newman formed Touch when Don and the Goodtimes faded from the scene.

Thanks. It’s also notable that Don Galucci went on to produce for Elektra Records, one of his noted productions being Fun House by the Stooges.

(09/02/11)

THE YELLOW PAYGES – ’Crowd Pleaser’/’You’re Just What I Was Looking For Today’ (UNI 55089) Nov 1968

To start off my blog entries of  sunshine lyte winners how about this uncompiled and forgotten nugget by The Yellow Payges. The top side of the 45 is the Cream like wah wah rocker ’Crowd Pleaser’ but flip it over for the flower pop of ’You’re Just What I Was Looking For Today’.

The Yellow Payges began life as The Driftones but a change of name and a little bit of luck saw them becoming the houseband at The Hullabaloo on the Sunset Strip.

Indeed they played most nights during ’66-’67 at one of L.A’s various hip joints and were a very popular group but national success never came.

’You’re Just What I Was Looking For Today’ was written by the famous song writing team of Carole King and Gerry Goffin and this cut was produced at Gold Star Recording Studios in Hollywood by in demand L.A producer Norm Ratner who had previously worked with luminaries such as The Bees, The Leaves, The Regents, The Hook and my favourites W.C. Fields Memorial Electric String Band.

The single was a Billboard Spotlight pick in November 1968 but went nowhere.

’You’re Just What I Was Looking For Today’ was also recorded by Them, you can find their take on the album ’Now And Them’…. 

(08/02/11)

THE FIVE BUCKS – ’Now You’re Gone’/’No Use In Tryin’ (Afton Records 1701) April 1966

This teenage garage band formed at the University Of Michigan, Ann Arbor during August 1965. All group members had played in earlier outfits before relocating to Michigan and were all solid musicians. That tightness is in evidence with their debut single on Afton Records, released some eight months after their formation.

The top side ’Now You’re Gone’ is a wonderful moody ballad with some great vocals and mournful organ. The flip ’No Use In Tryin’ is one of the best ’66 punkers to come out of Michigan and is notable for it’s superb vocal harmonies and killer farfisa break.

By 1967 The Five Bucks had changed their name to Byzantine Empire and were releasing quality Association style harmony pop on Amy Records.

(25/01/11)

THE LOST CHORDS – ’I Won’t Have To Worry’/’I Want To Be Her Man’ (Vaughn Ltd VA-725) March 1966

I’ve taken a day off work and I’m stuck in the house waiting for a delivery hence the reason that I’m adding a few blog entries today. I promised Mr Messis that I’d add some of his favourite teen angst and desperate cuts. He really digs the beyond great folk rock whine of ’I Want To Be Her Man’.…check it out on ’Class Of 66’….

’I Won’t Have To Worry’ is a blatant steal of ’You Won’t Have To Cry’ by The Byrds but who cares about that when this young garage outfit from Birmingham, Alabama fondly re-write the tune and the words and call the song their own. Listen out for the crude guitar break and harmonies.

The Lost Chords have found their rightful place on my blog with their heartfelt genius. Gene Clark would have been all smiles.

Readers comments:
my grandfather is Jimmy Whitworth. he is the one on the record.

If this record is the one that list j Whitworth above the name of the group. I would love to buy it. also interested in pics of the group. I can be contacted at lacynajarro@yahoo.com

trying to put something together. my dad was j Whitworth. lacynajarro@yahoo.com. do u have any photos

(25/01/11)

THE TYRANNIES – ’She’s A Queen’/’Little Girl’ (Watch Records 45-1903) June 1965

Not a great deal of information is known about The Tyrannies who put out this obscure folk rock gem in the Summer of 1965. According to Fuzz, Acid and Flowers they hailed from Abita Springs, Louisiana and this was their only release. Surprisingly, they don’t get a mention in Barry Wickham’s Price Guide?

’She’s A Queen’ is a minor key lament of a lost love. The singer has been dumped by his girl but to him she’s still his Queen. You’ll find this song on the compilation ’Class Of 66’ but the flip and more up-tempo folk rock jangler ’Little Girl’ has been overlooked by compilers.

The Tyrannies were a very good Garage band in the Covington, Louisiana area back in the 60s. The late Thurman Lytell was the leader of the band.

(25/01/11)

RON GRAY – ’Hold Back The Sunrise’ /’The Shake’ (HBR 488) July 1966

This obscure record by Ron Gray on the collectable Hanna Barbera label is currently flavour of the month amongst mod collectors and/or 60s Club Scene DJs. There is no predicting at the moment just how many $$ it could go for, at least upward of $400…

’Hold Back The Sunrise’ has been known for some time though, way before the trendy mods caught wind of this minor key moody masterpiece. Way cool, inspirational organ and fuzz garage sound on this one.

It certainly merits it’s status. The record got a small advert in Billboard magazine – August 1966.

The flip ’The Shake’ sounds like it could have come from a much earlier period. Some solid guitar on this rocker.

But what about Ron Gray? According to Barry Wickham’s garage records price guide he hailed from Monroe, Louisiana and released another 45 on N-Joy Records.

Gary Gray: Ron Gray was my father and I remember in the mid 60’s when he recorded this song, and others. I still have a 45 of it in my home. Ron is still alive, lives in the Dallas Texas area.

He did live in Monroe for a time, but he was raised in Springhill, Louisiana and that is where I was born also. I have several of the original 45’s he made and still remember the music very well.

(10/11/10)

EMBRYO INFINITY REBIRTH – ’Walls’/’Let Me Tell You A Story’ (Way Out Records W 105) 1971

Here’s a very strange and obscure record from 1971… First of all what a fantastic name for a band, Embryo Infinity Rebirth…what the hell does that mean? The downer psych sound is pure 67/68 period, maybe the songs on this disc were recorded then but released some years later.

Way Out Records were a small independent label operating out of Cleveland, Ohio. Some sources suggest that this is where the group hailed from, but information from the Buckeye Beat website places Embryo Infinity Rebirth from Pittsburgh.

’Walls’ is a tripped out acid drenched stoner, haunting and sparse in equal measure. The production is not the best but get past the muddiness and it’s a killer.

The flip ’Let Me Tell You A Story’ sounds like a bunch of hippies singing around a camp fire with everyone joining in, including the hand clappin’ woman who heats the big pan of beans and sausages.

(08/11/10)

THE GUYS WHO CAME UP FROM DOWNSTAIRS – ’Growth’/’Nothing We Can Do!’ (Disc-Guys 6836) 1968

’Growth’ is a pounding fuzz and farfisa punk tune by a combo of teens with one of the worst group names of the 60s. They arrived at the name because they used to practice downstairs in the basement at drummer Chuck Farnum’s house (natch)…

The Guys….hailed from Iowa and may have even been stars in their own street. The flip ’Nothing We Can Do!’ is a jangly sad lament that could have been superb with some clattering tambourine.

line-up:
Chuck Farnum (vocals/drums)
Mark Hanchar (guitar)
Jack Goodenow (farfisa)
Rod Reynolds (bass)

That’s my dad’s band, how funny. They made it onto the TV show, Happening ’68. Guess they were not ”Happening” enough they lost. You should see the picture I have!

(19/10/10)

THE SATYRS – ’Yesterday’s Hero’/’Marie’ (Spectrum 2668) 1968

This all time classic garage single was released by a bunch of teens from Haddon Heights, New Jersey in 1968. According to Bob Agnew, guitarist from the group, they were a gigging unit for about a year competing in ’Battle Of The Bands’ contests and the other low key performances like teen dances etc.

They did get to support a couple of bigger name bands in Philadelphia namely, The Ultimate Spinach and Mandrake Memorial but other than that and this great one sided disc, The Satyrs drifted away just like so many groups did back in those days.

According to Bob Agnew both sides were recorded at Admiral Wilson Blvd Studio in Camden on a two track unit.

Only 400 records were pressed making it a difficult 45 to track down and when it does come up for sale it’s usually sought after. Shame my copy has ”Mike” and ”843” written on the label, this could indicate that it came from a local radio station….

line-up:
Bob Agnew (guitar)
Mike Doerr (vocals)
Craig Morrill (bass/vocals)
Andy Madajewski (drums)
Kenny Reibel (organ)

(18/10/10)

A LITTLE BIT OF SOUND – ’Incense And Peppermints’/’I Want You To Know’ (Carole Records 1002) October 1967

Carole Records, a division of Sidewalk Records were a small Los Angeles label distributed by GNP Crescendo but who & why & where obscurities A Little Bit Of Sound came from is unknown. Perhaps they were a studio based group of hipsters put together by L.A songwriter/producer Jerry Styner.

Mr Styner’s usual line of mischief involved working with Mike Curb on movie scores for exploito flicks put out by Sidewalk Productions and producing records for the likes of The Second Time, Boston Tea Party and this combo.

I did a random search on google and his name appeared as a born again Reverend out in some Californian desert area. Talk about a career change!

’Incense And Peppermints’ is a loose and rougher version of the big hit in the Summer of ’67 by Strawberry Alarm Clock. It certainly doesn’t have the same polish as the original but who cares cos this less refined punker with a cheapo organ break is killer.

The flip ’I Want You To Know’ has plenty of fuzz but maybe could have done with that cheapo organ sound instead of what sounds like a beat up bontempi. Still coolsville though.

update from Billy Goodnick:

Billy Goodnick here, drummer for A Little Bit of Sound. We did win the Pepsi Boss Battle of the Bands, but our contract was with Uni Records and it never amounted to anything. They were not required to negotiate the stock contract and we decided to pass.

Jerry Styner ”discovered” our band playing a backyard party at Dale Korngold’s house in Sherman Oaks. He lived up the block. He asked if we wanted to do a recording and ’Incense and Peppermints’ was the result.

The instrumental track was waiting for us when we got there – Hollywood heavyweights link Hal Blaine on drums had already laid down the tracks. 

We learned the lyrics, made up the harmonies and recorded the vocals in one day. Then we did the B-side, written by the band (no time to go upstairs and look at the vinyl).

Other group members were Steve Diamond (now a multi-grammy-winning song-writer), Ron Ziskin (creator of the original American Gladiators TV show and now a film producer), Scott Whitman and Mike Abramson. We all went to Van Nuys High School together and played for about 3 years.

(10/10/10)

THE MOVING SIDEWALKS – ’99th Floor’/’What Are You Going To Do’ (Wand 1156) 1967

Years before ZZ Top legend Billy Gibbons grew his beard longer than one of Queen Lizzy’s plush rugs at Buck Pal he was singing and playing lead guitar in The Moving Sidewalks.

They made a name for themselves in Houston, Texas playing psychedelic blues rock but it’s their stonewall ’60s garage punk classic ’99th Floor’ that they’re best known for amongst garage fanatics (like myself).

’99th Floor’ is a punk killer with pumped up teenage attitude, wild guitars, thrilling combo organ and fuzz then one of THEE greatest punkoid gee’tar breaks of all time. I’ve seen a picture of The Moving Sidewalks looking thrilled that they’re with their idol Jimi Hendrix.

Well Mr Hendrix never came up with anything as stunningly glorious as ’99th Floor’…he probably was just as pleased to meet them…..I think he was cos Jimi gave Billy one of his guitars after a gig when they supported The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

The 45 was first released on the local Tantara label, sales were strong and it got a further release on Wand. My copy is on the latter but instead of uploading the music from the single I’ve used the previously unreleased and longer version that appeared on the fabulous Big Beat collection ’Uptight Tonight’.…..

(05/10/10)

THE McCOYS – ’Fever’/’Sorrow’ (Immediate IM 021) Nov 1965

Teen group The McCoys from Union City, Indiana followed up their big hit ’Hang On Sloopy’ with ’Fever’. This one’s got a cool guitar break and is commercial enough, but for me it’s the folk rock flip ’Sorrow’ that flips my switch.

’Fever’ only charted at number 44 in England and so The McCoys were forever labelled with the ’one hit’ wonder tag. ’Sorrow’ was noticed by The Merseys (see last blog entry) and they had a big hit with it. Maybe The McCoys picked the wrong song to promote!

(25/09/10)

RICHARD AND THE YOUNG LIONS – ’Open Up Your Door’/’Once Upon Your Smile’ (Philips 40381) July 1966

The trilogy of Richard and the Young Lions singles began with this pounding garage slab of teen spirit made even more memorable due to the abundance of loud fuzz bass and the distinctive sound of an African hair drum that gives the tune a memorable pulsating drive.

The group hailed from Newark, New Jersey and were led by the tall and skinny Richard Tepp who appears to have been obsessed by Mick Jagger. He borrows Mick’s vocal delivery to great effect here and I’ve seen the clip of Richard and the Young Lions performing ’Open Up Your Door’ on TV Show Swingin’ Time (aired September 1966) and he’s pinched some of Mick’s stage moves.

The flip ’Once Upon Your Smile’ is slow paced moodiness with some brass and organ. Both songs were written by songwriters Larry Brown and Raymond Bloodworth who were recording artists in their own right and released records as The Distant Cousins.

The record sold well, some copies coming housed in a picture sleeve.

(22/03/11)

RICHARD AND THE YOUNG LIONS – ’Nasty’/’Lost And Found’ (Philips 40414) December 1966

The follow-up to ’Open Up Your Door’ proved to be a frustrating flop. I’m surprised ’Nasty’ didn’t fare better because it’s another winner with it’s garage fuzz power bombs and Richard Tepp’s Jaggerisms. This could almost be The Rolling Stones in truth.

Both sides were written by the same song writing team as before, this time around the flip ’Lost And Found’ is a gentle ballad with commercial appeal.

(23/03/11)

RICHARD AND THE YOUNG LIONS – ’You Can Make It’/’To Have And To Hold’ (Philips 40438) February 1967

The third and final Richard and the Young Lions single was the garage classic ’You Can Make It’ which again kept to their usual sound of pounding drums and fuzz action. Sadly though the record stayed well clear of any decent chart position and the group were dropped by Philips, never to be heard of again.

I first heard ’You Can Make It’ on the all time classic 80s garage compilation ’What A Way To Die’ and when I started collecting original 60s garage and psych singles this killer slab of wax was high on my wants list.

line-up:

Richard Tepp
Fred Randall
Lou Vlahakes
The Twig
Bob Freedman

(24/03/11)

THE GORDIAN KNOT – ’The Year Of The Sun’ (Verve V6-5062) 1968

According to the liners on the back of The Gordian Knot studio album ’Tones’, the group relocated from Mississippi to the go go wonderland named Hollywood, Los Angeles. This proved to be a good move because their multi layered harmony pop was perfect ear fodder for the sunshine set.

They rubbed shoulders with film stars and influential music people, playing private party gigs for Richard Harris, Natalie Wood and Eddie Fisher. They managed to secure a six month residency at P.J’s in 1967, then in August of that year opened a new hip joint called The Factory.

By 1968 they had enough of their own material to record an album and entered MGM/Verve Studios in L.A. with producer Clark Burroughs. He had recently performed production duties on many of The Association’s hits. According to the Verve Records Catalogue (this can be found online) The Gordian Knot recorded all of the songs found on their album on the 26th March 1968.   

’The Year Of The Sun’ is pure pop perfection with soaring complex harmonies, flute and acoustic guitar. The song was lifted from the album and released as a single with ’If Only I Could Fly’ but it was unfairly overlooked.

(26/02/11)

THE GORDIAN KNOT – ”We Must Be Doing Somethin’ Right” / ”Broken Down Ole Merry-Go-Round” (Verve VK 10612) July 1968

With a running time of four and a half minutes ’Broken Down Ole Merry-Go-Round’ was clearly intended as an album track but the song found it’s way on the flip of this single release. The instrumentation is minimal as the song is heavily arranged in favour of the angelic three part harmonies.

There’s also room for a weird mid song break where it goes English toytown but then reverts back to  melancholic pop psychedelia

According to information from an issue of Billboard in March 1968, The Gordian Knot were scheduled to make a TV appearance on The Steve Allen Show on 28/03/68. Maybe one day that performance will end up on YouTube.

(02/03/11)

GENE CLARK – ’Only Colombe’/’The French Girl’ (Sundazed 192) rec April 1967

Yesterday’s posting of ’The French Girl’ by The Daily Flash got me thinking about the very obscure take that Gene Clark recorded in April 1967.

His version was slated as the B-side of ’Only Colombe’ for a single release to maintain his profile after the disappointing reception of the studio album ’Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers’.

Unfortunately, the single was cancelled and Gene Clark left Columbia Records. The recordings were produced by Gary Usher and arranged by the legendary Curt Boettcher with vocal support by his group The Ballroom. The same collection of musicians worked with Tommy Roe when he recorded ’Moon Talk’, reviewed previously on my site.

Both songs would remain unheard until 1991 when a posthumous CD collection of Gene’s work was released shortly after he died at the age of 46. Those fine folks at Sundazed released this excellent retrospective 45 in 2008 using the mono mixes.

(06/03/11)

THE DAILY FLASH – ’The French Girl’/’Green Rocky Road’ (UNI 55001) January 1967

Back in the 60s Seattle was the centre of a regional rock scene and perhaps The Daily Flash were one group from that scene who had the talent to break out nationally. The fact that they failed is a mystery.

They relocated to Los Angeles in 1966 and made a name for themselves playing numerous gigs at The Whiskey A Go Go. The group even secured performances on TV shows, Boss City and The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.

’The French Girl’ was released during late January 1967 but made little impression in most areas apart from Seattle where it went Top 10. It’s such a great baroque pop highlight and deserved a better fate.

Surprisingly, it’s only been compiled once before, way back in 1988 on the vinyl LP Baubles collection put out by Big Beat. 

Apart from the cool Psycho album, there are some ace Daily Flash tracks (in mono!) on a neat coloured vinyl EP on Sundazed. The Greek magazine ”Time” did an interview with them and on the free CD there is a cover of CC Rider by the ‘Flash from ’66.

(15/03/11)

FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH – ’Liza Jane’/’Witness People’ (Colgems 66-5003) April 1969

The Fountain Of Youth were a teen group from Fredericksburg, Texas who previously recorded as The Crossfires releasing the following 45:  ’Who’ll Be The One’/’Making Love Is Fun’ (Tower 278)… They came to the attention of the Colgems label who signed them in March 1968 (there is a mention in a Billboard magazine from this time)..

Looking at the promo pic of The Fountain Of Youth it shows the teenagers to be a clean cut, square looking combo in psychedelic shirts. By the time of this single, their 4th for Colgems,  I’d be surprised if they looked as wholesome as this.

’Liza Jane’ was released in April 1969 and is typical bubblegum pop of that time period. The jewel is the heavy psych flip ’Witness People’… There isn’t that much information around about The Fountain Of Youth but they seemingly had a lead singing drummer!

Richard Podolor produced their Colgems singles. He also worked with psych outfit The Glass Family, The Starfires, The Standells, The Chocolate Watch Band and many more I’m sure. 

line-up:

Jimmy Panza (lead vocals & drums)
Gary Itri (bass & vocals)
Gary Jenschke (lead guitar & vocals)
Ken Molberg (rhythm guitar & vocals)

Readers comments:
Ken Molberg (the guy with the glasses) had left the band at this point and isn’t featured on this song. He’s a lawyer now.

Ken Molberg is a Judge in Dallas.

I went to high school with all four of these men. I knew them well. I just found out today that Gary Itri (second from left) has passed away.

(14/03/11)

THE LEWIS & CLARKE EXPEDITION – ’Why Need They Pretend?’/’Chain Around The Flowers’ (RCA Victor 66-1022) April 1968 (German release)

The Lewis And Clarke Expedition released a handful of 45s and an album on Colgems and are long overdue some kind of retrospective CD compilation. This single from April 1968 was featured in the movie ’For Singles Only’ and was not on their studio album.

’Why Need They Pretend?’ is laid back acoustic pop psych with strings and flute. I really DIG this! 

Singer songwriter Travis Lewis (real name Michael Murphey) went on to have success in Country music.

(12/03/11)

SHARKES & ME – “Buses”

Thanks to a tip off from Wilthomer here’s Dutch group Sharks & Me with their freakbeat version of ’Buses’. It was compiled on Rubble Volume 9 s/t ’Plastic Wilderness’ (Bam Caruso KIRI 079) 1991.

Here are the liner notes from that compilation:

”While we’re in Amsterdam let’s check out Sharks & Me , who formed in ’65 and consisted of Wim de Vries (bass, vocals), Lia de Vries (vocals), Kees Meuren (drums), Lex Luft (guitar) and Dick Dickens (guitar). They made only two singles before metamorphosing into Mayflower.

THE HUNG JURY – ’Buses’/’Let The Good Times In’ (Colgems 66-1010) Oct 1967

Colgems unknowns The Hung Jury released this puzzling 45 in October 1967. Nothing much has been written about the combo and no guides list the record, so all in all they’ve had scant recognition.

This is a shame because ’Buses’ is a memorable sunshine pop tune and has that perfect summer of ’67 sound with pleasing vocals and tinny organ.

’Buses’ then bursts out of the sunshine and into the darkness with a twenty second thrill ride of controlled fuzz guitar. A complete and welcome surprise.

The song writing team of Parker and Moeller wrote ’Buses’…Thomas Moeller was the keyboardist in UK beat group Unit 4+2 and they wrote most of their strongest material. The producer Chris Houston (surname more often Huston) was lead guitarist in another English group The Undertakers.

A full page advert in Billboard October 1967 signalled the beginnings of The Hung Jury. Colgems seemingly had more in store for them but this was their first and last release.

The Hung Jury also released one 45 for Atlantic under the name The Trav’lers. ”The Heart of Juliet Jones/ Shadow of Defeat” Atlantic 2398, 1967. The Atlantic record was released before the Colgems record. After that, this group seems to have disappeared. Too bad, both records are great.

(07/03/11)

THE ROBBS – ’Jolly Miller’ (Mercury LP SR 61130) Nov 1967

Third entry on my blog for The Robbs, this time around an album track called ’Jolly Miller’.

As far as I know ’Jolly Miller’ is a traditional folk song but the original composer is unknown. Dee Robb gets an ’arranged and adapted’ credit on the back of the LP.

The Robbs version is very experimental considering their normal songs are pleasant pop and folk rock. Their adaption is classy Byrdsian psychedelia with strange weird noises and sound effects. Bliss!!

(06/03/11)

GRAF ZEPPLIN – ’You’re In My Mind’/’Sunset’ (Orlyn 8140-4588) June 1968

This group of teenagers from Oak Park, Illinois formed in late 1966 and came up with the name Graf Zepplin after seeing a 1930 postage stamp commemorating the German aircraft. Drummer Dave Green mis-spelled zeppelin on his drumkit but fortunately the group stuck with Graf Zepplin (I think it looks cooler anyway).

In March 1968 Graf Zepplin won a Battle Of The Bands out on Navy Pier, Lake Michigan, their prize being some free recording time at Recordings Unlimited Studio in Chicago.

’You’re On My Mind’ written by farfisa organist Bob Blumenthal would have been a moody garage number but the sound engineer added some wild sound effects from an oscillator which completely transformed the song into a classic psych mindbender.

The flip ’Sunset’ is a mellow trippy folk ballad and quite charming it is too.

500 records were pressed and were given away to friends and sold at gigs. Copies are now sought after.

Line-up:
Gary Knaus – rhythm guitar
John Armour – lead guitar & lead vocals
Bob Blumenthal – farfisa
Bill Steed – bass
Dave Green – drums

(05/03/11)

LAVENDER HILL EXPRESS – ’Visions’/’Trying To Live A Life’ (Sonobeat RS 102) Dec 1967

Lavender Hill Express hailed from Austin, Texas and included in their ranks Jess Yaryan and Rusty Wier who came to prominence in Austin’s hottest group The Wig.

I can’t think of much flower pop coming out of Texas but ’Visions’ is a wonderful and elaborate sunshine groover with rich vocal harmonies and a string arrangement by the Austin Symphony Orchestra. The memorable harpsichord is played by arranger Richard Green.

The single was recorded in November 1967 and released in stereo just before Christmas.

(03/03/11)

THE UNDERGROUND – ’Satisfy’n Sunday’ / ’Easy’ (Mainstream 660) Dec 1966

Updated post from 28/10/08

Here’s a band that lives up to it’s name (ie) they’re so underground, they’re unknown and forgotten. If they were indeed remembered at all.

As for the ’sound’ on offer. Well both sides have that L.A folk rock backbeat with male/female vocals and harmonies. Think of typical bands of the era like The Peanut Butter Conspiracy and Yankee Dollar and you’ll form the pictures and hear the sounds in your minds of The Underground.

This 45 on Mainstream Records was sandwiched between releases on the label by The Wildflower ’Baby Dear’ (Mainstream 659) and Fever Tree ’I Can Beat Your Drum’ (Mainstream 661).

It also charted in some local areas reaching number 18 in Gary, Indiana in December 1966 and Top 20 in Akron, Ohio the following month.

A follow up single on Mainstream 667 titled ’Get Him Out Of Your Mind’ / ’Take Me Back’ sank without trace and The Underground were no more.

Readers comments:

The Underground were from Houston, TX. This was recorded at Andrus Studios around the same time as the Elevators were recording there.

Two more items on The Underground: Here’s a link to a music poll in the 2/12/67 edition of the Houston Post which confirms that The Underground were indeed from Houston.

Another link informs of a recording session by The Underground and indicates that one of their female singers was none other than future country star K.T. Oslin, who was then using the name Kay.

(02/03/11)

TOMMY ROE – ’Sweet Sounds’/’Moon Talk’ (ABC 45-10933) May 1967

Another two songs were extracted from the album ’It’s Now Winter’s Day’ and this single faired even worse than the previous one. ’Sweet Sounds’ did not dent the charts and so the amazing pop psych flip ’Moon Talk’ was probably heard be very few people.

’Moon Talk’ in my opinion is perfect lysergic lyte pop and one of the numerous examples of the incredible and esoteric production skills of Curt Boettcher. His studio work was on a higher elevation during the ’67-’68 period.

Tommy Roe was also fortunate to have stellar backing from guitarist Mike Deasy and session regulars Ben Benay, Toxie French and Jerry Scheff who later recorded the psychedelic Goldenrod LP.
Ballroom members Jim Bell and Michele O’Malley and future Millennium members Lee Mallory and Sandy Salisbury were also studio cohorts.

(25/02/11)

TOMMY ROE -’It’s Now Winters Day’/’Kick Me Charlie’ (ABC 10888) January 1967

Tommy Roe is probably best remembered for his hits like ’Hooray For Hazel’ and ’Sweet Pea’ but in late ’66 his eyes began to see day-glo colours, just like most musicians and performers and his new experimental sound is now considered to be soft psych heaven.

’It’s Now Winters Day’ written by Roe and produced by Our Productions (Curt Boettcher and Steve Clark) was taken from the album of the same name.

Sales were mediocre despite the lavish production and was regarded as a flop. The flip ’Kick Me Charlie’ dates from mid 1966 and is a harmonica driven rocker with some pounding bass and crunching guitar.

(24/02/11)

THE EPIC SPLENDOR – ’A Little Rain Must Fall’/’Cowboys And Indians’ (Hot Biscuit Disc Company 1450) Nov 1967

The Epic Splendor were probably a studio band put together by Capitol Records in New York to record and release music on their newly formed subsidiary label Hot Biscuit. ’A Little Rain Must Fall’ was a decent sized hit locally but it’s way too souly for my blog.

The flip ’Cowboys and Indians’ written by brothers John and Terence Boylan is a lyte psych pop song with some great trippy guitar and an unusual beat. It sounds like a bluesy The Lovin’ Spoonful.

The Boylan brothers recorded as The Appletree Theatre and John played in a later line-up of The Hamilton Streetcar.

(23/02/11)

THE NOVA LOCAL – ’If You Only Had The Time’/’Games’ (Decca 32138) May 1967

Decca Records had a lot of faith in teenage group The Nova Local offering them an album deal and taking out a full page colour advert in Billboard trade magazine in May 1967. A couple of singles were also released, ’If You Only Had The Time’ is on the long player but the flip ’Games’ is not.

By all accounts the group formed at Chapel Hill College in North Caroline and quickly established themselves on the local circuit but outside of NC they were virtually unknown.

’If You Only Had The Time’ is a delightful pop psych tune written and sung by Randy Winburn who now goes by the name Rand Winburn.

(22/02/11)

THE FIVE AMERICANS – ’7:30 Guided Tour’/’See-Saw Man’ (Abnak AB-126) Dec 1967

The Five Americans enjoyed enormous success with hit singles and albums in the mid 60s but outside USA they were virtually unknown. By the end of 1967 the music scene was getting experimental and progressive and their homage to The Beatles with the Sgt Pepperesque ’7:30 Guided Tour’ is a highlight.

The flip ’See-Saw Man’ sounds like it was a song from a much earlier period than that of ’7:30 Guided Tour’, which was recorded during November 1967. It has the distinctive Five Americans organ sound combined with strange rhythms and Monkees style background vocal harmonies.

The Five Americans have had two retrospective CD collections released on Sundazed over the years but ’See-Saw Man’ has never been featured. Maybe the mastertape has been lost?

(21/02/11)

THE CHILDREN – ’This Sporting Life’/’McIntosh’ (Dagonet DG-78) 1966

I’m almost certain this is the same group that recorded as The Offbeats and Somebody’s Chyldren because the writer of ’McIntosh’ is Paul Dobies and the label is Dagonet. I wrote about Somebody’s Chyldren last year.

’This Sporting Life’ is a garage take of Ian Whitcombe’s original. This one starts off slow then bursts into a Yardbirds type rave-up. I’ll leave this one for a future Cavestones.

The flip ’McIntosh’ is a lyte sing-a-long folk tune with trumpet. Strange and interesting in equal measure but not something the closed minds of the fuzz and farfisa crowd would have time for. That’s what makes my music blog different.

(20/02/11)

THE CITY ZU – ”Eeny Meeny” / ”Too Much, Too Soon, Too Fast” (Dot 45-17166) Nov 1968

’Too Much, Too Soon, Too Fast’ is a fast paced sitar sounding psychedelic rocker by The City Zu, a competent bunch of musicians from Bellevue, Washington. During their recording career they released three singles with this side being by far their most experimental.

As it seems with most of the records I’m spotlighting this month the best side just happens to be the neglected B-Side. This cut was produced by Ray Ruff who had previously worked with Fargo (’Sunny Day Blue’/’Robins, Robins’) and it was written by Los Angeles session guitarist Jerry Cole.

He had left his licks on many 60s hits and even cut his own psychedelic albums with groups he formed in ’66/’67 called The Id and The Animated Egg.

The Ray Ruff and Jerry Cole connection was further enhanced when they set up their own label in 1969 called Happy Tiger Records.

Readers comments:
Good post, but Jerry Cole and Ruff didn’t form Happy Tiger, they came in later, Ruff as a producer, Cole as a sideman and recording artist.

My sister worked with Doug Heath’s girlfriend in Bellevue in 65-66. She use to tell me about City Zu gigs at Lake Hills Roller Rink in Bellevue and The Happening in Downtown Seattle.

(20/02/11)

THE CANDYMEN – ’It’s Gonna Get Good In A Minute’/’Go And Tell The People’ (ABC 45-11141) Nov 1968

Alabama’s The Candymen are probably best known for being Roy Orbison’s backing band during the early to mid 60s but members John Rainey Adkins (lead guitar), Bob Nix (drums) and Billy Gilmore (bass) were tempted by their manager and producer Buddy Buie to start playing gigs and recording music in their own right. 

Dean Daughtry was hired to play keyboards and they recruited singer Rodney Justo who had previously been a member of  The Mystics from Tampa, Florida.

Several 45s and two albums were released on ABC Records, none of which were big hits, maybe ’Georgia Pines’ sold in quantity but that song just ain’t my scene. The majestic country psych jangle of  ’Go And Tell The People’ is easily their most experimental cut and was probably another piece of greatness lost on a B-Side.

My white label promo comes with a big X on the other side indicating to me that ’It’s Gonna Get Good In A Minute’ was likely the side the label wanted ’pushed’.

Either way, both sides are non LP and it’s the most difficult Candymen 45 to track down.

(19/02/11)

THE WIGGGS OF 1666 – ’Never’/’It Will Never Be The Same’ (Mercury 72527) January 1966

With a very strange name like The Wigggs Of 1666 I was expecting sonic bliss but what I got from the A-Side ’Never’ is tedium of the lowest order. I played this side once a few years ago and it turned the colours in my mind a darker shade of white. Really terrible folkie sounds with male/female vocals.

The flip ’It Will Never Be The Same’ is how it should be done. It appears that this square and unhip folk combo took a couple of drags on a strong spliff and got totally wired.

Information on The Wigggs Of 1666 is non existent. There is no mention in FA&F and BW Price Guide lists the record but does not provide a location. Both sides were produced by Hal Mooney, an experienced in-house arranger and producer for Mercury Records throughout the 60s.  

(16/02/11)

GEORGE EDWARDS – ’Norwegian Wood’/’Never Mind, I’m Freezing’ (Dunwich 45-117) March 1966

Here’s a pretty damned great folk rock 45 to collect by George Edwards, who at the time was a Chicago based folkie playing the local venues. He was in the right place at the right time and started working with Dunwich Records as a session musician and was involved in the early recordings of The Shadows Of Knight.

That connection enabled him to record and release this 45 as a solo artist. ’Norwegian Wood’ is his version of The Beatles classic but I’ll highlight ’Never Mind, I’m Freezing’ for my lyst.

The vocal delivery reminds me of Sal Valentino’s wavery takes and the folk rock backing is a highlight, especially the drums…pure greatness.

George Edwards (now known as Ethan Kenning) would later form H.P. Lovecraft and three of his songs recorded by them are absolute essential and perhaps my favourite Lovecraft trips ….’Mobious Trip’, ’Electrallentando’ and ’Wayfaring Stranger’.

(15/02/11)

THE CYRKLE – ’Penny Arcade’/’The Words’ (Columbia 4-44224) July 1967

By the time Columbia released ’Penny Arcade’ by New York based group The Cyrkle their hits had dried up and interest in them had waned to such a degree that members Don Dannemann and Tom Dawes, the writer of  ‘The Words’ would soon decide to quit, then change careers, direction, whatever you want to call it and start composing jingles for TV commercials.  

The flip of ’Penny Arcade’ is a neglected psychedelic pop nugget. ’The Words’….with it’s sumptuous folk rock 12 string jangle, sitar sounds and assorted studio trickery it’s most certainly a blissful pop psycher that earns it’s rightful place on my blog.

Reader comment:

Another killer track, that I was lucky to find a UK copy of in a junk shop 20 years ago. The Cyrkle went totally OTT on the track ”Nicole” on the Mynx soundtrack, sitars, backwards treated eastern guitars, a farfisa savagely abused and an all out freak out at the end!!! Total mayhem.

(14/02/11)

THE CRITTERS – ’A Moment Of Being With You’/’Good Morning Sunshine’ (Project 3 PR45-1326) 1968

The Critters recordings with Project 3 have been virtually ignored in preference to their folk rock and pop hits on Kapp. ’Mr Diengly Sad’, written by Don Ciccone will always remain their signature tune but their 1968 work with a vastly different line-up displays great assurance and technique. The vocal harmonies especially are amazing.

The sunshine harmony pop of the flip ’Good Morning Sunshine’ makes it into my lyte lyst. Incidentally, the song was written by original member Chris Darway but he was not part of the Project 3 version of The Critters. Maybe it was a song that they had held back from Kapp.

Only Jim Ryan on vocals and lead guitar and bassist Kenny Gorka remained from the original line-up, indeed they had also been part of The Vibratones from 1965 that eventually changed their name to The Critters.

personnel:

Jim Ryan (vocals/lead guitar)
Kenny Gorka (bass)
Jeff Pelosi (drums)
Bobby Spinella (organ)

I am a huge fan of the wonderful Critters. My favourite LP of theirs is ”Touch ‘N’ Go” and my two favourite tracks are ”A Moment Of Being With You” and ”Cool Sunday Morning”, although ”Good Morning Sunshine” is also very good.

(14/02/11)

THE ROBBS – ’Next Time You See Me’/’I Don’t Feel Alone’ (Mercury 72616) Sept 1966

’Next Time You See Me’ is a perfect example of what I’d call lyte pop, the tune is commercial and radio friendly and obviously aimed at the charts. Mercury tried hard to break the band nationally but of course that never happened.

Snuff Garrett’s production includes some backwards guitar. He had previous production credits with The Astronauts, The Briks and The Gypsy Trips.

(13/02/11)

THE ROBBS – ’Bittersweet’ / ’End Of The Week’ (Mercury 72641) Jan 1967

(Original review 31/05/08) 

I was doing a bit of internet surfing the other day and learnt that Dee Robb from The Robbs died in February 2008. It’s always sad for me when I read that 60s songwriters/musicians die. Fortunately their music will survive a lot longer.

Dee Robb was the lead singer and chief songwriter of Milwaukee band The Robbs. It turned out that The Robbs may have been one of the unluckiest bands of the mid to late 60s.

Although their 45s charted locally they never succeeded in achieving national acclaim because almost every one of their releases only reached the ’bubbling’ under section of The Billboard chart.

’Bittersweet’ was The Robbs third Mercury 45. On this disc the services of hot production team P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri were given control to perhaps push the band to the next level. After all, their songs had been big hits for The Grass Roots, The Turtles and The Searchers. Maybe none bigger than ’Eve Of Destruction’ made popular by Barry McGuire.

’Bittersweet’ is a magical folk-rock tune notable for it’s catchy chorus and pleasant Robbs harmonies. Surprisingly this song has only really ever been digitally compiled on my series of comps. Check it out on Cavestones #20..

A recent search on the Searchin’ For Shakes database reveals that The Robbs have no comp action apart from a cassette only release put out by Strange Things magazine back in 1990…On this they introduced ’Bittersweet’…I doubt if this cassette is around any more.

The flip of this 45 is a Dee Robb original titled ’End Of The Week’….this time around they go for a surf pop approach, similar in style to The Beach Boys’ more obscure surf moments. This song is non LP so well worth you getting a copy.

line-up:

David Donaldson (aka Dee Robb) guitar/vocals
Robert Donaldson (aka Bruce Robb) organ
George Donaldson (aka Joe Robb) guitar
Craig Krampf (aka Craig Robb) drums

bass duties was usually done by session players from Hollywood notably Larry Knetchel or Joe Osborn 

I used to see them perform at an Appleton beer bar, The Quarry, in the 60s. They were amazing. If I remember right they’d come out and do some warm up stuff then come back for a couple sets.

Dee, on a Rickenbacker (sometimes 12 string), Craig on the drums, Bruce on double base drums, and Joe on an amazing wooden organ (might have Bruce and Joe mixed up).

Super musicians and great sound!! Great lighting. Cool clothing. One set they’d wear motorcycle chain belts that they had gotten from the Milwaukee Outlaws. They were incredible in their original persona, before they got homogenized by big-time.

(13/02/11)

THE TROPICS – ’For A Long Time’/’Black Jacket Woman’ (Thames Records T-103) 1966

The Tropics were one of the leading bands to emerge from the Tampa Bay scene that included The Rovin’ Flames, The Roemans, Hoppi and the Beau Heems, The Savages and The Outsiders.

This rather GREAT! double sider is my favourite 45 that they released mostly because it has an abundance of glorious jangle.

’For A Long Time’ written by songwriter Travis Fairchild has all the elements I dig in a 60s garage record (ie) punky vocals, jangle guitar, cool musicianship and production as well as lyrics that are full of fucked off attitude.

For a long time you’ve been hangin’ me ’round
I tell you girl I ain’t your clown
I tell you girl I ain’t gonna hang around….for a long time.

’Black Jacket Woman’ is a slow tempo folk rocker, very Byrdsian in song structure and melody. I could listen to this type of coolsville all day and all of the night. The Yorkshire Puddin’ and Zone V also recorded versions.

Both songs were produced by Jim Sessody and Vince Palmer.

An excellent interview with Buddy Pendergrass (guitar/organ) from The Tropics can be found in Issues 1 & 2 of a fanzine called Kaleidoscope.

Definitely some great songs! One correction, though — Travis Fairchild was one person, the leader of the Clefs of Lavender Hill. His songs were also recorded by the Echoes of Carnaby Street and Squires V.

(27/04/11)

THE TEARS – ’Rat Race’/’People Through My Glasses’ (Onyx 2201) January 1968

The Tears are probably best remembered (if at all) for their fuzz ravin’ non hit swinger ’Weatherman’. I first heard it on the compilation LP ’Sixties Choice – Volume 2’. It took a long time for their follow up ’Rat Race’ to get some comp action, then Big Beat put that situation right in 1994 with their CD ’The Scorpio Records Story’.

The Tears hailed from Sacramento and were a popular live draw in and around their home turf. Both sides of this disc were recorded in 1967 at Fantasy Records Studios in San Francisco.

The record was slated to be released on Scorpio Records at the tail end of ’67 but the release was shelved when the label was sold.

’Rat Race’ and ’People Through My Glasses’ are powerful fuzzadelic tunes heavy on the fuzz and organ in equal measure. Listen out for some mind bending studio trickery. File under COOL!

(26/04/11)

SUNSHINE REIGNS – ’Acelia Dulfin’/’Laura (Is The Girl)’ (MBM Productions 1946) 196?

This combo are a mystery to me, nothing is written about them in any of the sources I have and no one has written about them online. MBM Productions were a small label operating out of Crowley, Louisiana, so perhaps that’s a clue as to where Sunshine Reigns came from.
MBM Productions also released a 45 by 49th Blue Streak – another unknown group.

’Acelia Dulfin’ was the flip side and it’s a mournful teen garage loner/outsider trip about a girl not worth bothering about. It starts off with a spoken intro over some mysterious bass and farfisa organ and it’s quite clear that the singer has been burned by this chick before.
After the spoken intro the song bursts into folk rock jangle

”This is a story about a friend I once had
For he’s mixed up with this girl
And I knew she was bad.
So I gave him some advice about her
And I think you ought to listen to it to,
It might help you some day”

(25/04/11)

ROBB LONDON and the ROGUES – ’Bitter Tears’/’Standing Under Big Ben’ (Beckingham Records BJ-1083) 1965

Beckingham Records were a small label operating out of San Antonio, Texas that were obviously touched by the Brit Invasion influence. It’s all there if you look for the clues on the label….the music though is pure American, in particular Los Angeles folk rock and those teen punk moody ballads.

’Bitter Tears’ is a slow, moody and short (1:45) rant of folk rock greatness edged along by a clattering tambourine. I can’t hear any drums so the tambourine has become the backbeat for the sullen and depressed Robb London.

The flip ’Standing Under Big Ben’ (these guys just loved the English angle) is another moody gem.

Two more Robb London and the Rogues 45s were released on Beckingham which I don’t have at this point in time but they’re on my radar.   

(25/04/11)

THE GANTS – ’Try Too Hard’ (Liberty LRP-3455) July 1966

I first discovered The Gants via Pebbles Volume 8 (’I Wonder’ was compiled) and so when Bam Caruso released a retrospective LP in 1988 full of Gants music it was a must have. One of these days I’ll cover The Gants 45s on my blog in detail but for now I’ll post ’Try Too Hard’.

’Try Too Hard’, recorded in Los Angeles, is their version of the rockin’ garage number written by Dave Clark & Mike Smith. Maybe The Gants were influenced enough by The Dave Clark Five to cover this fuzz ravin’ gem. According to the liners of the Bam Caruso release The Gants toured with the English beat group during the early part of 1966.

’Try Too Hard’ was a rare highlight on the LP ’Gants Galore’ but sadly this smokin’ tune was not released as a Gants 45 side.

(24/04/11)

THE MOURNING REIGN  – ’Our Fate’ (Sundazed SEP 115) June 1966

The Mourning Reign, from San Jose, left behind some fabulous recordings all of which were gathered together and released on Beatrocket back in 1998. One such piece of greatness was ’Our Fate’ an up-tempo garage folk rock gem, written by lead singer Beau Maggi.

The group enjoyed some success as a touring group even supporting Eric Burdon & The Animals during a week long stint in Northern California.

The Mourning Reign were dealt a body blow when frontman and songwriter Maggi was drafted to Vietnam and things were never quite the same.      

(24/04/11)

THE SHEFFIELDS – ’Nothing I Can Do’/’My Only Wish’ (Fenton 980-C) August 1965

Hundreds of American groups (maybe thousands) were influenced by the Brit Invasion sound and none finer than The Sheffields from Holland, Michigan. They even called themselves after a City in England such was the need to embrace the rampant English ’disease’ of rock and roll from 1964 onwards.

’Nothing I Can Do’ is a perfect harmonious beat number that sounds like the best song The Searchers never wrote. This was always one of my favourite cuts on ’Scream Loud’ The Fenton Story. It was also re-recorded and released on the Chicago based Destination label in 1966.

line-up:
Dale Knoll (bass)
Ron Gibson (lead guitar)
John Dunn (rhythm guitar)
Rodney Mullett (drums)
Gary Teall (lead singer)

Reader comment:
I went to school with all these guys, also dated a couple. They were a great group and we all knew they were going to go places, that is, until Viet Nam happened. Very unfortunate timing for the group. Thanks guys, for all the awesome music and friendship over the years. Your classmate,Genie Taylor

(23/04/11)

THE KINGS RANSOM – ’Shadows Of Dawn’/’Streetcar’ (Integra 102) 196?

The follow up Kings Ransom 45 was the charming pop psycher ’Shadows Of Dawn’ which is clearly influenced by The Association, especially the background vocals.

The group had moved away from the folk jangle brashness on this release and were heading towards a more sophisticated sound, but this would be the final Kings Ransom record.

Previously unreleased Kings Ransom songs from 1966 were compiled on the recent Allentown Anglophile compilation.

Reader comment:
I am from Allentown, home of the Kings Ransom I remember them playing weekly at King Arthurs Court

(22/04/11)

THE KINGS RANSOM – ’Shame’/’Here Today Gone Tomorrow’ (Integra 101) July 1967

Another teenage group with the ’English’ sound were The Kings Ransom from Allentown, Pennsylvania. They combined the energetic beat approach of The Rolling Stones with a 12 string Rickenbacker to produce an altogether satisfying folk punk jangler in ’Shame’..

’Shame’ and the flip ’Here Today Gone Tomorrow’ were group originals and recorded at Frank Virtue studio and found an interesting article in Billboard from March 1968 that I’ve uploaded below.

The Kings Ransom were one of those obscure mid 60s groups that had a big local following but were virtually unknown outside of their home State. The played regular at venues such as The Purple Owl, King Arthur’s Court, The Mod Mill and The Mad Hatter.

line-up:
Bob Dougherty (vocals)
Vince Homick (rhythm guitar)
Bob Werley (lead guitar)
Chuck Hoey (drums)
Glen Zoski (bass)

(22/04/11)

THE FIFTH ORDER – ’Goin’ Too Far’/’Walkin’ Away’ (Diamond D-212) November 1966

Teenage group The Fifth Order hailed from Columbus, Ohio and their 1966 release ’Goin’ Too Far’ is considered a garage classic and quite rightly so. By late 1966, The Fifth Order had acquired a strong fan base due in most part to their wild gigs and lead singer Billy Carroll who had a stage presence that the girls went nuts for.

The group recorded the fruits of this 45 at a studio in Louisville, Kentucky. The chose two originals by songwriter Jack Sender (who was not in the group) and it was released on the small indie label Counterpart. Sales of the record went through the roof.

According to the liners of the Break-A-Way retrospective from 2004, it sold upwards of 18,000 copies. It was a number 1 smash in Columbus and charted in Ohio and the Midwest.

Diamond Records then licensed it for national release but it didn’t sell in the quantities hoped for. But good news for garage fans in 2011 because it’s a fairly easy 45 to score. The flip ’Walkin’ Away’ has merseybeat moves and is another strong song with immediate appeal.

(20/04/11)

THE FIFTH ORDER – ’A Thousand Devils (Are Chasin’ Me)’/’Today (I Got A Letter)’ (Laurie LR 3404) Sept 1967

During mid ’67 The Fifth Order returned to producer Ray Allen’s studio in Louisville, Kentucky and recorded five Jack Sender songs. The best song and garage classic ’Bonfire’ was for some insane reason not chosen as a side for the single that followed in September.

’A Thousand Devils (Are Chasin’ Me)\’ was picked as the A Side. With it’s jaunty commercial sound and soul influenced background vocals, the record did well locally once again when released on Counterpart. This time around Laurie Records signed the group and the 45 was picked up for national release but flopped.

According to the liners of the Break-A-Way release, The Fifth Order appeared on TV Show ’Upbeat’ in Cleveland. Maybe one day the tapes of that performance will show up some place on the internet.

(21/04/11)

THE FIFTH ORDER ’Bonfire’ (Break-A-Way 010) unreleased recording 1967

German re-issue label Break-A-Way Records release superior retrospectives of 60s garage bands and on most occasions find previously unused demos and studio recordings that for a mixture of reasons were never used at the time.

’Bonfire’ would surely have become a sought after disc had it been released when The Fifth Order were one of the best groups in Ohio. This song written by Jack Sender is (in my opinion) as good if not better than the big hit ’Goin’ Too Far’….

The group missed out by not releasing this killer but I’ve been collecting obscure 60s records long enough to know that bad moves and decisions hindered many teenbeat groups.

The Rickenbacker jangle is present along with those pounding bass notes ala ’Goin’ Too Far’… Not only that but there’s some subtle fuzz which is obviously killer kool but not loud enough in the mix for my tastes. The lyrics seem to describe a swingin’ chick who’s too hot to handle.

”She’s a little bonfire leave her alone.”

The following – take a bow:
Billy Carroll (vocals)
Jim Hilditch (lead guitar)
Jeff Fenholt (rhythm guitar)
Jeff Johnson (bass)
Mike Comfort (drums)
Gary Steger (rhythm guitar on ’Goin’ Too Far)
Jack Sender (songwriter)

(21/04/11)

 THE HAZARDS – ’Tinted Green’/’Hey Little Girl (C’mon Let’s Live)’ (Unicorn 23793/4) 1969

Every now and again I become obsessed by a song and at the moment the song doing my mynd some pleasurable damage is ’Tinted Green’ by The Hazards.
I’ve not got this rare 45 and have never seen it offered for sale via dealer lists etc. I checked popsike and a copy in ’worn’ condition and full of noise sold for almost $1600. That kind of price is an indication that it’s a sought after disc and beyond scarce.

’Tinted Green’ has been compiled just the once on the vinyl only release ’Highs In The Mid Sixties – Volume 21, Ohio, Part Two’. The record used for that compilation sounds like it’s in poor condition.

There is loud snap, crackle and pop from start to finish. I’ve uploaded an MP3 from this disc in all it’s crackling glory, I didn’t bother to clean the wav file only boosting the volume to make it sound much louder. 

So why do I think ’Tinted Green’ is killer? Well, just listen to that eerie farfisa organ high in the mix and loner garage psych vibe. Now that is just a fantastic sound.

According to Barry Wickham’s Reference Guide, the 45 was pressed in 1969. That may be so, but the sound is not the usual heavy rock sound of ’69. What would you rather have, Led Zep or The Hazards? I know who’d win out in my EXPO67 world.

I spent some time researching The Hazards but wasn’t having much luck until I crashed onto the Buckeyebeat website. Here is that entry in full: 

Location: North Jackson, 1966-70.

This group was formed by two sets of brothers who lived in the truck stop communities of North Jackson and Berlin Center.

The oldest member had been playing since the early 60s in small combos using the name Peppermint Twisters but in 1966 the official Hazards formed, originally under the name Saints of Soul.

The band didn’t have much opportunity to play live as there were very few places to play. In 1967, 23 year old Chuck Tomich from nearby Ellsworth joined the band as keyboard player (he had been Western Reserve High classmates of the drummer some years ago).

Chuck took his military severance pay and bought the band new equipment and changed the name to The Hazards. Chuck wrote a couple songs, using the pen name Jason C. Lee, and the band went to United Audio and recorded the garage psych masterpiece ”Tinted Green”, which reflected Chuck’s disillusionment about his Vietnam War experiences. The excellent ”Hey Little Girl” was originally intended for the A-side.

The band got the tapes to Bryte Star in Newbury for release and distribution. The band was told that at least 2500 copies were sold, but due to the record’s extreme rarity, that seems like a con job (about 2490 copies must be in a warehouse somewhere).

Copies of the record were distributed with a picture insert. The Hazards didn’t last long, as three of the members were well into their 20s and a couple wanted a steadier gig. Chuck Tomich hooked up with a couple Youngstown area musicians in a short lived band called Group Therapy before forming Blue Amber.

The Hazards – this original 45 in ’worn’ condition sold on eBay in September 2010 for $1593

(18/04/11)

THE NIGHT CRAWLERS – ’You Say’/’Night Crawlin’ (Maad Records IMP-51166) May 1966

During their brief existence The Night Crawlers from Owatonna, Minnesota, released one 45 on the small Maad Records label. Approximately 1000 copies were made over two pressings. The original release is the green and white label with ’Joel Recordings of Mankato, Minnesota’ on the label. My copy is the second, black label Columbia pressing.   

’You Say’ is a commercial folk rocker with 12 string jangle and flashes of tambourine. It’s no surprise that Night Crawler Marc Reigel confirmed that they were Byrds fans in a recent interview over on garagebands.com

The flip ’Night Crawlin’ is an instrumental composed in the studio on the spot and taped as a live jam.

Despite a huge following and regular gigs The Night Crawlers disbanded in late 1967 when some members graduated from Carleton College and moved on. The Night Crawlers have set up their own Facebook page with in depth details of their history and many cool gig photographs from 1966/67.

Line-up:

Marc Reigel (piano and organ)
Mark Headington (bass)
Mike Jines (guitar)
Bill Redeker (drums)
Barry Gillespie (vocals)

Great post. I believe Bill Redeker became an television reporter for ABC News.

(16/04/11)

THE NIGHT CRAWLERS – ’Want Me’/’Feel So Fine’ (Feathered Apple FA-6510) issue from 1966 acetate

When American teenagers went into the recording studio during 1966 armed with their guitars, drums, a fuzzbox, a farfisa organ and enough swagger & attitude to make Mick Jagger look like a choirboy, the results were invariably 60s punk classics…

The Night Crawlers cut some songs at CBS Studios in Chicago that sadly never saw the light of day until someone unearthed an acetate of ’Want Me’. It then ended up on garage comp ’Back From The Grave – Volume 8… I never really took much attention to the song on that release and it wasn’t until Mark Taylor sent me a copy of his homemade CD collection G45 Unwaxed that ’Want Me’ hit me like a sledgehammer.

The fuzz and farfisa overload packs a powerful punch and thanks to Switzerland re-issue label Feathered Apple, vinyl lovers can have ’Want Me’ on a 45 where it surely belongs.
My copy is one of the few that came with a pic sleeve.

The other songs recorded at CBS Studios but ignored and never released were the flip on the acetate ’Feel So Fine’, ’Dandelions’, ’Chimes Of Freedom’, Just Like Romeo & Juliet’ and ’Shoulder Of A Giant’. Maybe in the future these ’lost’ recordings will see the light of day.

I recently made contact with Night Crawlers organist Marc Reigel who has granted my wish to use pictures of his group on my site. 

(15/04/11)

THE MORNING DEW – ’Be A Friend’/’Go Away’ (Fairyland 1003) July 1967

The follow up Morning Dew single proved to be a disappointing seller in 1967 but that has no bearing on my appreciation for a two sided winner in every way.

The group chose ’Be A Friend’ as the top side and the song more than enhances The Morning Dew’s solid reputation as a recording unit. Maybe at over 3 and a half minutes it’s a little too long and could have been edited to a shorter and punchier folk rocker. Once again the subtle use of fuzz guitar is a massive enhancement.

The flip ’Go Away’ could have easily been the A-side. This one follows the same style as ’No More’….

(14/04/11)

THE MORNING DEW – ’No More’/’Look At Me Now’ (Fairyland 1001) April 1967

The Morning Dew were a group of youngsters from Topeka, Kansas who released two sought after singles in 1967. Over the years they have had various collections re-issued by labels such as Collectables, Cicadelic and Break-A-Way Records, all with previously unissued material and different takes of their 45s.

There’s even an official Morning Dew website and I’ve uploaded the group shots that can be seen here from that site.

’No More’ is a cool piece of teen beat made even more special by the mid song fuzz break by singer/songwriter Mal Robinson. I understand that Mal used a Mosrite fuzz box for the killer rave up.
Only 2000 copies of the record were made and released on the small local label Fairyland Records. The record quickly sold out due to The Morning Dew’s huge reputation as a live act and became a regional hit.  

Line-up:
Mal Robinson (guitar/vocals)
Don Sligar (drums)
Don Shufford (bass)
Don Anderson (rhythm guitar)

(13/04/11)

NEAL FORD AND THE FANATICS – ’Bitter Bells’/’Don’t Tie Me Down’ (Tantara T-1101) 1966

This combo released many singles on various labels during 1965-69 and proved to be a popular draw in their home City of Houston, Texas. They failed to sell many records in other locations and to this day are still very much unknown. They’ve had plenty of compilation appearances but never a full retrospective which they’re long overdue.

’Bitter Bells’ is a minor key jangle ballad that will soothe your mind. A stereo version exists from the groups studio album.

Some years ago Mark Taylor from Oz compiled many of his acetates onto a 2 CD set titled ’G45 Unwaxed’…This collection contained many unknown killers and also an early take of ’Bitter Bells’ with a different arrangement and original backing vocals.

(01/04/11)

BOB MORRISON – ’Hey! Puppet Man’/’I Looked In The Mirror’ (Columbia 4-43451) Dec 1965

This is such a fantastic double sided record by Bob Morrison.
Columbia Records signed him for a run of singles and with his clean cut image I think the label were aiming him at the teener market. Perhaps both sides of this disc written and arranged by Bob Morrison took them by surprise.

’Hey! Puppet Man’ is garage pop heaven with killer fuzz throughout, there’s no let up and this side really rips. But, I’m in a folk-rock mood at the moment so I’m featuring the flip ’I Looked In The Mirror’.

This side is a slow paced moody folk rock tune and is a pure mystical loner trip. Bob sounds really pissed off with his lot on this one. Either way, the listener gets two sides of perfection.

A couple more singles on Columbia followed but not with the vibe of this debut. He then signed to Monument in late 1968 and began writing songs for other artists, mainly AOR.

A solo album did follow in 1971 but I’ve not heard it.

Columbia discography:

’Hey! Puppet Man’/’I Looked In The Mirror’ (Columbia 4-43451)
’I Fall To You’/’Then Suddenly’ (Columbia 4-43565)
’I’m In The Place’/’Wait’ (Columbia 4-43726)
’The Work Song’/’Go Away’ (Columbia 4-44009)

(31/03/11)

CHER – ’Where Do You Go’/’See See Rider’ (Liberty 66136) October 1965

In 1965 there was only one ’Queen of the Sunset Strip’ and that was Cher. She famously beat The Byrds in the sales market with ’All I Really Want To Do’ a few months earlier but her follow up ’Where Do You Go’ slumped and didn’t reach the Top 40 in England and was therefore considered a flop.

The flip side is the far superior ’See See Rider’. I’ve heard this song many times by numerous groups, none finer than The Animals take, but I’ve got huge respect for this folk rock/girl group hybrid version that really proves Cher was hip and so was Sonny Bono for that matter.

He gets the arranger and producer credit and he creates a real turned on Phil Spectoresque wall of sound.

’See See Rider’ was recorded at Gold Star Studios, Hollywood with the best sessionmen from Los Angeles. Certainly no expense spared on this one.

(29/03/11)

THE HUMAN BEINGZ – ’Hey Joe’/’Spider Man’ (Elysian Records 820F-3376) 1966

The Human Beingz hailed from Youngstown, Ohio and hit the big time with a version of ’Nobody But Me’. Now that song quite rightly gets it’s acclaim and came to my attention via Lenny Kaye’s Nuggets LP in the early 80s.

But what did the group have to offer before their hit record? Well, they released a couple of well received 45s on local labels and in 1966 came up with ’Spider Man’, a terrific folk jangler written by T.J. Voithofer of The Counts. Absolute genius.

The other side has The Human Beingz performing the folk rock standard ’Hey Joe’.

Line-up:
Mel Pachuta (bass)
Dick Belley (lead guitar-lead vocals)
Mike Tatman (drums)
Ting Markulin (rhythm guitar)

(28/03/11)

THE REMAINS – ’Say You’re Sorry’ (Epic EP 9068) Spanish EP 1967

Unless certain records fall out of the clouds and into my hands I’ll never own them. Take this four track EP by the legendary Remains that got a release in Spain. Over the years this record has become the holy grail for Remains collectors probably for the great looking picture sleeve that houses the black gold.

This was up for sale on eBay this week for a wallet bursting $1300. It didn’t sell, but one look at previous auctions sales of this EP suggests that the price wanted by the dealer wasn’t that far off the mark. The record usually goes for approx $1200 on the rare occasions that it’s offered for sale.

The music of course needs no introduction but my highlighted song ’Say You’re Sorry’ is one of The Remains more obscure recordings created in the studio on August 9th, 1966 in New York City.

(19/03/11)

CHIPS & CO – ’Marbletown’/’Let The Wind Blow’ (M5 192) 1965

Not a great deal is known about Chips & Co so I’m hoping this post will prompt some information. The group were thought to come from upstate New York (FA&F) but it has also been suggested that they were from Connecticut. I found a small advert in a 1966 print of Billboard announcing the release of their second 45 on ABC ’You’re You’ confirming the group originated from Jersey.

’Marbletown’ is a driving rocker with a strong beat but I prefer the flip ’Let The Wind Blow’…listen out for a throbbing rhythm with trashy surf guitar and an up-tempo Bo Diddley beat. Cool indeed.

(18/03/11)

THE REMO FOUR – ’In The First Place’ (Pilar 02V) unreleased 1967 recording 

Back in the late 90s American director Joe Massot decided to re-release his 1968 film ’Wonderwall’ after it started to get some recognition from the music press and in particular Noel Gallagher who was the lead guitarist and songwriter for Oasis.

He’d seen the movie on late night TV during the early hours and decided to write a song with the same title. A massive hit followed, along with renewed interest for the ignored 60s flick ’Wonderwall’.

The movie soundtrack was created by George Harrison who recruited Liverpool group The Remo Four to be his backing band. It has since been revealed that John Lennon, Ringo Starr and Eric Clapton also participated, although they remained uncredited due to contractual reasons at the time.

Massot set about tracking down all the original elements of the soundtrack. Several masters were located in the tape libraries of Abbey Road Studios and EMI’s Bombay studios. However there were still some music cues missing. Massot decided to contact George Harrison to see if he could be of assistance.

Harrison searched deep in his personal vaults and eventually located all the multi-track masters that he had created for the movie. He passed the tapes to Massot to be used for the soundtrack restoration. It was then that Joe Massot made his startling discovery.

The tapes contained most of the missing music cues. The Wonderwall tapes also included a hidden gem. Apparently Harrison had been working on a SONG for the movie – called ”In the First Place”. However since the commission had been for instrumental music and there seemed to be no obvious location for a song in the movie – he had not bothered to submit the track to the film’s director!

The song was an extremely strong piece of psychedelic pop – in the style of the Beatles’ ’Blue Jay Way’ recorded by Harrison just weeks before the Wonderwall sessions. The atmospheric style perfectly matched the movie’s mood.

Since he was in the process of re-editing the film, Massot felt that he could find a way to include this long-lost gem. In fact he wanted to use it as the film’s theme song. He approached Harrison with news of his discovery and his request.

Wonderwall is apparently a project Harrison still feels great pride in. It was the first time that he was commissioned for a project as a creative person outside of the Beatles. Harrison considered the request – and he readily agreed to the use of his recording in the film. He even gave permission for the song to be commercially released as a single in conjunction with the reissue of Wonderwall.

He sought just two minor conditions. Though the song was produced by him, clearly features his lead vocal, and is heavily influenced by his ’Blue Jay Way’ eastern/psychedelic style of composition and arrangement – he was not actually the song’s composer. It had been written by two of his session players for the Wonderwall soundtrack. The composers were Colin Manley and Tony Ashton – two members of the disintegrating Remo Four group.

Harrison first of all wanted to be sure that his fellow Liverpudlian musician pals were properly credited for their composition – and that the song was not erroneously represented as having been his composition. (He acknowledged having been the sole producer of the recording – and agreed to accept the official credit as producer.)

Secondly, Harrison did not want to be officially credited as the artist or as a vocalist on the record. The song had been written by two members of a group that was barely in existence at the time of the recording – and that had indeed officially disbanded shortly after the Wonderwall sessions.

But the recording had included the instrumental playing of its four members. The group – though never commercially successfully – was a well-respected Liverpool group which had provided instrumental backing for many local artists. Harrison’s guest performance on the 1970 Ashton, Gardner & Dyke album attested to his affection for his ex-Remo Four musician pals.

The shy and retiring “quiet Beatle” – Harrison requested that the track be officially credited as a performance by The Remo Four.

At the time he took this decision, Harrison was also aware that none of the four members of the defunct group were in good financial health and that one of the song’s two composers – Colin Manley (who in recent years played with another old Liverpool group The Swingin’ Blue Jeans) – was also in poor physical health. In fact Manley died just a few months later.

Close friends say that Harrison’s insistence on sole credit going to a forgotten and long unsung band of pals (and to not take any credit for his performance) is a typically generous gesture by the reclusive ex-Beatle.

Two stereo mixes of ’In The First Place’ were remastered. One of them is the original Abbey Road Mix which is much longer. The second is the movie mix. Both are supreme examples of UK psychedelia.

(20/06/11)

THE YOUNG IDEA – ’With A Little Help From My Friend’/’Colours Of Darkness’ (Columbia DB 8205) June 1967

The Young Idea were a song writing duo who had a big hit with The Beatles’ ’With A Little Help From My Friends’ in the Summer of 1967. It reached #10.

Tony Cox and Douglas Macrae-Brown penned the far more interesting flip ’Colours Of Darkness’. This side is a well produced pop psycher with touches of the baroque with the sweetening strings and finger cymbols.

This hit record gave them the opportunity to record an album which was released in ’68. The cover shows the duo jazzed up in their new Kings Road threads and Small Faces haircuts. They just look like a couple of posh kids in trendy gear to me though.

Footnote: the title of the song under review lent it’s name to a volume of Rubble in the early 90s.

(17/06/11)

THE DOWNLINERS SECT – ’Rock ’n Roll Music’ (RBCSP 002) (recording 1964)

I never knew this but in 1964 The Downliners Sect recorded four songs that were gonna form their follow up EP to ’At Nite In Great Newport Street’.

Unfortunately, the tape went missing and the songs have remained unheard until now!

The tape was bought in a ’job lot’ of tapes from an eBay auction in 2009 and remarkably, the missing Downliners Sect tape was among them. The music contained on the manky old tape is very lo-fi sounding but it is indeed a valuable and historic document for Downliners Sect completists available now on this limited edition vinyl only EP.

(16/06/11)

THE SWINGING BLUE JEANS – ’Good Golly Miss Molly’/’Das Ist Prima’ (Electrola E 22 734) 1964

I doubt you’ll find these two Swinging Blue Jeans cuts on any ’Best Of’ collection but that’s where Circles 8 comes to the rescue. The group were formed in Liverpool during late 50s and were playing merseybeat at The Cavern Club long before The Beatles happened to run riot there.

It seems that The Swinging Blue Jeans recorded these songs (vocals in German) during their stint in Germany, possibly Hamburg. They were probably recorded in late 1963 or early 1964.

The English version of ’Good Golly Miss Molly’ was recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London on 14th February 1964.

Both sides really rock in a good merseybeat way with an almost ’live’ feel. There’s a crackin’ guitar break on ’Good Golly’ but ’Das Ist Prima’ is little more restraint with heavy use of harmonica. Really hot stuff by The Swinging Blue Jeans.

line-up:
Ralph Ellis (guitar/vocals)
Norman Kublke (drums)
Ray Ennis (guitar/vocals)
Les Braid (drums)

(15/06/11)

THE POETS – ’Now We’re Thru’/’There Are Some’ (Decca F.11995) October 1964

Glasgow beat group The Poets are now widely known among 60s beat fans but at the time they were largely ignored then forgotten. That was until they were re-discovered in the mid 80s on those super cool Bam Caruso Rubble compilations.

’Now We’re Thru’ was released the month I was born. I was just too young to put on a pair of Cuban heels and hot foot it down to my local Woolworths Store to buy the 45.

Fortunately, my lack of purchase power did not matter as the record scrambled into the lower 30s on the Pop Chart and can be considered a minor hit.

The song is a moody and dense mix of sound, with layers of 12 string guitar. The echoey production by Andrew Loog Oldham adds to the songs ethereal sonics.

(14/06/11)

THE GIBSONS – ’Night And Day’/’City Life’ (Major Minor MAM 504) 1967

The Gibsons released seven singles on various labels (CBS, Deram and Major Minor) but most of them are in the square pop genre and not 45s Flower Bomb Songs would be interested in. ’Night And Day’ treads that well worn path of forgettable pop music but the flip ’City Life’ is the sound The Gibsons should have ventured more into.

’City Life’ (as reviewed in 117 – circa 1992) ”Is droll mod observations a la Fresh Windows”…couldn’t have put it better myself so I won’t try. The label image shown is my copy of the Belgium release. Maybe the record faired better on the Continent?

C: Oh wow, I just had a shock seeing a piece of artwork I did way back when – I drew that (rather corny) cover of 117 (as it happens to be something my husband collaborated on, and if I say it myself, well, what a great little ‘zine!) Must thank you for the mention!

No way is your drawing ‘corny’….I bought all of those 117 fanzines 20 odd years ago when the team was printing it on an irregular basis. One day I’ll probably write an entry about those 117’s. I enjoyed reading them at the time although some of the writers were complete piss takers.

C: Thanks, great that you had those 117s, if you ever write a post on them I’ll look out for it! We still have ours. Yes, they did enjoy being somewhat irreverent and liked a bit of tongue-in-cheek antagonism..! I did the first 5 covers and some of the inner a/w. Happy days! Loving your blog.

117 was a fabulous magazine, all 9 issues are full of the best UK psych writing. John had the best sale lists – I picked up Equals, Primrose Circus, Clear Light 45’s at rock bottom prices. It would be lovely to see a piece on this fantastic read.

C: Nice to see these comments! Yes 117 was the (at times, delightfully warped) brainchild of John Faulkner and my husband. Funnily enough we’d been re-reading it recently – just before I saw this post (and still like The Gibsons’ City Life – seeing as that’s what triggered this!)

(11/06/11)

DEAN FORD AND THE GAYLORDS – ’He’s A Good Face, But He’s Down And Out’/’You Know It Too’ (Columbia DB 7805) January 1966

They were saddled from the onset with an appalling name but I suppose the word ’gaylord’ wasn’t associated homosexuals like it is nowadays. That said, the group were from Glasgow and quite popular in Scotland during the early to mid 60s, appearing on some local TV Shows.

’He’s A Good Face, But He’s Down And Out’ is a decent mod beat song with some pleasant harmonies but it flopped so the group relocated to London and changed their name to The Marmalade and enjoyed much success with square pop records, although their B-Sides were often classy psychedelic affairs. 

Reader comments:
Got to mention this was written by AL KOOPER/Irwin Levine who co-wrote ”This Diamond Ring,” ”I Can’t Quit Her,” Pitney’s ”I Must be Seeing Things” and many others. Thanks!

(11/06/11)

THE LIMEYS – ’Cara-lin’/’Feel So Blue’ (Decca F.12382) April 1966

Not a great deal is known about The Limeys, a couple of reference guides state that they hailed from North London but that’s about it. ’Cara-lin’ was their third single and is a version of The Strangeloves classic.

The song has also been recorded by The Sorrows (it’s on their album) and Australian performer Johnny Young, where it was a decent sized hit.

The Limeys version though disappeared without trace. Shame because it’s an absolute blast with some serious fuzz guitar work and bass runs that are so loud they could move mountains. It’s certainly a terrific sound and deserved a better fate.

(10/06/11)

THE OPEN MIND – ’Magic Potion’/’Cast A Spell’ (Acme AD451038) originally released on (Philips BF 1805) August 1969

About 10 years ago the small independent label Acme reissued the ultra rare LP by The Open Mind and with it came a bonus 45 of ’Magic Potion’. 

The stereo mastertapes were used for the release, although the original 45 has the mono mix.

Back in 1967 they were known as The Drag Set and their mod beat winner ’Day And Night’ was released on the CBS subsidiary Go. By ’68 they had changed their moniker to the more progressive sounding Open Mind and signed to Philips.

’Magic Potion’ was their second single after the flop ’Horses And Chariots’ but once again fame and fortune failed to materialize and The Open Mind would remain unknown until those Bam Caruso Rubble compilations in the 80s.

’Magic Potion’ attacks the senses with loud fuzz embellished with a twin lead guitar barrage. It also pleases with it’s wah wah phase during the instrumental break. Quite astonishing really!

line-up:
Mike Brancaccio – Guitar/Vocals
Timothy De Feu – Bass
Phil Fox – Drums
Terry Martin – Guitar/Vocals

(05/06/11)

THE BARRIER – ’Georgie Brown’/’Dawn Breaks Through’ (Eyemark EMS 103) April 1968

I’ll continue my ’Made In Britain’ series with this potent mod psych winner from London based group The Barrier (they were also known as The Purple Barrier)

Forget the A-Side ’Georgie Brown’, this sing-a-long with trumpets and the old joanna just ain’t my scene.

Stick with the intense flip ’Dawn Breaks Through’….Both songs were recorded in late 1967 at Tony Pike Studios in Putney, London and released on the tiny independent label Eyemark several months later.

(16/11/10)

EPISODE SIX -’I Can See Through You’/’When I Fall In Love’ (Pye 7N 17376) Oct 1967 (stereo)

Whenever plaudits and various lists of the very best English psychedelic songs are written in magazines and reference guides, this majestic slice of aural acid by Episode Six never gets a mention.

’I Can See Through You’ written by Roger Glover has been a firm favourite of mine ever since I heard it on an old Eva comp in the mid 80s. Over the years I’ve looked for an original mono 45 but have never seen it for sale.

Fortunately I’ve got a great vinyl Episode Six LP comp from 1987 on PRT Records which collects all of their PYE singles. BUT they’ve used the stereo masters…never mind.

’I Can See Through You’ is laden with ideas and could almost be three songs in one, the pace changes from quick to slow, with bursts of trippy vocal effects and echoed drums that sound just SO great…

Roger Glover and Ian Gillan quit the group in 1969 to join Deep Purple.

”I can feel,
I can hear,
I can see through you”

(13/11/10)

THE HERD – ’From The Underworld’/’Sweet William’ (Fontana TF 856) August 1967

I’ve highlighted The Herd a couple of times on my blog over the years, you’ll find the entries in the archives.

’From The Underworld’ was a big hit for the group and the single eventually peaked at number 6 in the UK charts during October 1967.

’From The Underworld’ has a big production with church bells, strings, and a choir all moulded together with some great sounding fuzz guitar. The song was written by the hit making team of Howard-Blaikley (responsible for the DDDBM&T pop overtures).

The little known B-side ’Sweet William’ is a gem made even better with the inclusion of period ’67 mod hammond groove. This song was a group original written by Andy Bown and Peter Frampton. Who knows what The Herd could have come up with if they hadn’t gone all out for the pop hits?

”Oh sweet William, please don’t pick the flowers”

(26/10/11)

SIMON DUPREE AND THE BIG SOUND – ’For Whom The Bell Tolls’/’Sleep’ (Parlophone R 5670) March 1968

Back in 2008 I wrote about this group’s hit record called ’Kites’. Sounding very similar to late period Moody Blues, ’For Whom The Bell Tolls’ was their follow up to the whimsical psychedelia of ’Kites’, this too had a psych sound with mellotron but was more pop than whimsy. The record stalled at number 43 in the Charts and would have been considered a flop.

The flip ’Sleep’ again utilizes the mellotron and has a sound closer to the progressive ballads they would record under their new name of Gentle Giant a couple of years down the line.

(24/10/10)

THE JYNX PACK – ’She’s In Love’/’I Can’t Make Up My Mind’ (Mercury 72501) Oct 1965

This very obscure record was released only in USA on Mercury by The Jynx Pack and naturally the combo were considered by many as an American group. However, I was never convinced and raised the question over 3 years ago on the G45 Forum.

Since then it has been confirmed that The Jynx Pack were in fact an English group whose members didn’t even know that their recordings, probably recorded at Maximum Sound Studio in South East London, had been released. Lead singer Bill Cox confirmed this when he left a message on the rarely updated ’Peach Fuzz Forest’ website.  

Both sides of this disc are moody beat numbers with just a touch of freakiness, especially in the guitar breaks.

Reader comments:
Yeah, I know….posts have slowed down somewhat lately….Too busy researching Cornish music scene in the 60s & 70s (www.kernowbeat.co.uk) 

PFF is in in semi-retirement, but not dead yet! As ever, a great selection of posts and I really should post more often to say thank you for the great records and write ups

(10/10/10)

THE CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN – ’Fire!’/’Rest Cure’ (Track 604022) June 1968

Track Records supremo and The Who Manager Kit Lambert produced this totally original psychedelic rock song by the weird and wonderful Arthur Brown and his associates. I can still remember the first time I saw the grainy black and white images of The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown performing the huge hit ’Fire!’ on a repeated episode of a 1968 Top Of The Pops show.

The fella had some helmet thing on his head and flames were spitting out from it from all angles. The display would never get past the over the top ’health and safety’ brigade these days. But that was the 60s and it was a world before we were all forced to be mollycoddled for our own well being.

’Fire!’ hit the top spot within weeks and was the one and only time The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown would have their day in the sun.

Guitarist, Vincent Crane went on to form prog rock group Atomic Rooster whilst drummer Carl Palmer made his name in ELP.

footnote:

In the late 90s I attended a Record Fair held at Newcastle University. The special guest for the day was Arthur Brown. My lasting memory was seeing Mr Brown wandering around one of the corridors outside the main venue, looking lost and confused.

I then overheard him ask someone, ”Where are the toilets mate?”

I guess even the ’God Of Hellfire’ needs to pee.

(21/09/10)

C.C.S. – ’Whole Lotta Love’/’Boom Boom’ (Columbia 2C 006-91.810M) Sept 1970

By the end of the 60s men had started growing fashionable but ridiculous Jason King style ’handle bar’ tashes and their girlfriends had decided to burn their cheap and ill fitting brassieres. Music also saw some drastic changes with a shift from psych to progressive and heavy rock.

Traditional Blues guitarist Alexis Korner was no different and he formed heavy rock outfit Collective Consciousness Society or the less of a mouthful C.C.S. with a selective band of session musicians and up and coming hip producer Mickie Most.

Korner’s band of outsiders recorded an instro version of Led Zeppelin’s ’Whole Lotta Love’ b/w John Lee Hooker’s ’Boom Boom’ and scored an unlikely hit at the tail end of 1970.

The record reached number 13 in the UK charts and was used as the theme tune for music show ’Top Of The Pops’.

However, I did some research recently and according to the BBC website technically, the TOTP theme was not by CCS, but was recorded by the TOTP orchestra one morning before the day’s rehearsals.

Having said that, the band was conducted by John Cameron on that occasion and many of the musicians were CCS regulars. This enabled the production to tailor the tune to the correct duration and, more importantly, avoided the weekly payment of royalties to the record label.

Yet again proof that the BBC have always been a bunch of tight fisted gets.

(15/09/10)

THE EASYBEATS – ’Friday On My Mind’/’Made My Bed; Gonna Lie In It’ (United Artists UP 1157) October 1966

By 1966, Australian band The Easybeats had conquered their homeland although most people probably don’t realise that all band members were from post WWII families who had migrated to Australia from England, Scotland and Holland.

’Easyfever’ had taken hold of the Aussie teens and they couldn’t get enough of this raucous beat group and their insanely catchy tunes. Quite rightly, The Easybeats planned to stretch themselves musically and relocated to London, England in July 1966.

Thousands thronged Sydney airport to cheer their heroes on their way to Swingin’ London, possibly including fans such as Rolf Harris, Crocodile Dundee, Skippy ’the Bush Kangaroo’, Dame Edna and the cast of Prisoner Cell Block H…

Recordings took place at Abbey Road Studios under the leadership of the famed hip producer Shel Talmy. The first fruits of their labour were the incredible smash hit single ’Friday On My Mind’.

Check out the flip ’Made My Bed: Gonna Lie In It’ which has always been a massive personal favourite.

(12/09/10)

BOEING DUVEEN AND THE BEAUTIFUL SOUP – ’Jabberwock’/’Which Dreamed It?’ (Parlophone R 5696) May 1968

Hmmn, how could I follow my previous posting of ’I Am The Walrus’…Well, let Dr Sam Hutt take you on a trip with his way out and demented ’Jabberwock’.

The song lyrics are based on the creature from Lewis Carroll’s ’Alice In Wonderland’, so much so, that Dr Hutt gives the tripped out Victorian author a co-credit.

Dr Hutt came to prominence in the 60s by legally prescribing potent LSD to the famous rock stars at his drug addiction surgery in Ladbroke Grove, London.  His association with hip London musicians and acid only meant one thing… A trip to the recording studio.

’Jabberwock’ can be found on Rubble 14 – ’The Magic Rocking Horse’.
(07/09/10)

THE ESCORTS – ’Dizzy Miss Lizzy’/’All I Want Is You’ (Fontana TF 453) March 1964

The Escorts played at Liverpool’s Cavern Club during the same period as their friends The Beatles. Indeed they beat their rivals at being the first mersey group to record Larry Williams’ classic ’Dizzy Miss Lizzy’.

The Escorts version has a youthful teenbeat sound with a crisp backing. According to the liners of the long outta print Escorts retrospective on the Edsel label, band members Terry Sylvester and Mike Gregory dismiss the 45 citing the lack of production skills by Jack Baverstock.

Despite a tour with Gene Pitney, Billy J Kramer and Cilla Black to promote their debut record, The Escorts never charted in England. At least they had some sharp suits and boots and one of my favourite band logos from the 60s.

(31/08/10)

THE EQUALS – ’I Get So Excited’/’The Skies Above’ (President PT 180) January 1968

I wrote about another mod cruncher by The Equals a couple of years ago, you’ll find that review in the archives   ’I Can See But You Don’t Know’.

’I Get So Excited’ was a small hit of sorts in England (got to number 44) but it’s the mod psych crossover of the flip ’The Skies Above’ which is the real gem here by this London reggae/pop outfit led by Eddie Grant. He also wrote this killer.

Sadly, it’s one of the hardest Equals discs to track down.
Here’s a rare picture of The Equals that I’ve scanned from the 1970 Teenbeat Annual.

(30/08/10)

THE APPLEJACKS – ’Tell Me When’/’Baby Jane’ (Decca F.11833) Feb 1964

So here we are, the first entry in my ’Made In Britain’ series and it’s the debut 45 by a beat group from Solihull in the West Midlands. I’m no big fan of The Applejacks and I’ve only got this one record in my collection.

The music I’ve heard by them is very much at the ’square’ end of things (ie) chirpy smiling faces, a bloke wearing national health specs, short hair and suits that a Bank Clerk would wear for work (or at least would in the 60s)……in other words too corporate and clean cut.

Their best ever recording is ’Baby Jane’, the flip of this Top 10 single from February 1964. It was written by the Dello and Cane partnership who would eventually form their own group called Honeybus a few years down the line.

’Baby Jane’ is tough sounding beat, it’s just a shame that they didn’t stick with this sound.

(30/08/10)

THE ZEPHYRS – ’There’s Something About You’/’She’s Lost You’ (Columbia DB7481) Feb 1965

I’ve got this two sided winner on the American imprint Rotate Records which appears to be easier to find than the UK issue on Columbia Records.

’She’s Lost You’ was a small hit in England reaching number 48 in early 1965. Seems a shame for such a great R’n’B/mod group that they’re almost completely overlooked despite having the ’in’ sound to break through to the next level.

Sadly, this well dressed London based mod band missed out on deserved acclaim despite ace producer Shel Talmy’s production skills.

The B-Side ’There’s Something About You’ really swings with beatitude and combo organ. Dig the high quality film of The Zephyrs performing this all time classic forgotten jewel.

(28/08/10)

THE DELTONICS – ’The Hurt And The Pain’/’She’s Mine’ (Trident TR-666) 2002

After the demise of The Mystreated and before being re-united with Mole in The Higher State, Marty Ratcliffe kept to his ’66 garage punk roots with a little known UK combo called The Deltonics who specialized in a potent mix of fuzz and farfisa.

’The Hurt And The Pain’ is one such authentic ’66 punk gem that is simple in it’s construction and totally cool and satisfying because of it.

The other side ’She’s Mine’ is much more crude in it’s design and recording. This one is for the ’Back From The Grave’ crowd.

Mole was selling copies of this 45 via his eBay store last year but I’m thinking that all copies may have been sold. The record was never officially released and only 200 copies were pressed. Fewer copies still came with the promo picture of The Deltonics. A future rarity, I’m sure!

(01/01/12)

THE WITCH DOCTORS – Death Ray ’63 (Dionysus ID074538) 1992

The Witch Doctors were a short lived group from the L.A and Orange County areas of CA and contained ex members of The Untold Fables (Paul Carey) and The Fuzztones (Jake Cavaliere). They did, however, release some singles and an album that are well worth tracking down.

’Death Ray ’63’ is a spooky Ventures inspired organ wig-out and is my pick out of this excellent four song EP recorded at the famed Wallyphonic Studios in Pasadena.

The other stand out is their killer version of ’I’m So Restless’ which is far superior than the original from 1965 by Dutch beat group Cuby and the Blizzards.  

(29/12/11)

THE STROLLERS – ’Bring Her Home’ / ’Stay Away’ (Low Impact Records 004) April 1998

Second 45 from Swedish band The Strollers and it certainly has quality written all over it. First of all the cover is very thick, just like those 60s EPs. Also the vinyl is heavy. This has got to be one of the heaviest 45s I’ve got (as in weight). So The Strollers or rather Low Impact Records certainly spent some money on this release.

I’m not too sure about the haircuts The Strollers are wearing. There’s a couple of members who seem to have been cutting their own hair in the dark but who gives a shit about image? (well I do actually…)

Fortunately it’s the music that really counts and ’Bring Her Home’ is a powerful garage rocker with a ’high in the mix’ farfisa organ sound.

’Stay Away’ is a full on fuzzfest with a loud pulsating beat. It’s one of those teen punk girl ’put down’ anthems. This one has a cool garage guitar solo…The singer has attitude and he wants his girl to fuck off.

”I’ve made up my mind baby
I ain’t got nothing to say
Just stay away from me.”

Mathias Lilja (lead vocals, guitar and songwriter, he wrote both songs here)
Henrik Wind (farfisa organ, vocals)
Peter Kalin (bass guitar)
Martin Karlsson (drums)

(27/12/11)

PAUL MESSIS – ’Time Will Tell’/’When You Pass Me By’ (State Records THS-005) Oct 2010

This goes out to those of you who haven’t discovered the genius of Mr Paul Messis yet… This is Paul’s third terrific 45 in a row (his previous two have been reviewed and can be found in the archives) and continues his run of melancholic themes of isolation, loneliness and in the case of ’Time Will Tell’, unrequited love. 

This record is SO great it’s difficult for me to know where to start. How about the label? Well, it’s unfussy and pure 60s right down to the State Records logo which for those of you who haven’t sussed, is a homage to the Fenton label out of Michigan. These State guys know exactly how to create a purist label.

’Time Will Tell’ sends shivers down my spine with it’s majestic opening 12 string jangle. The yearning, love lorn words are neatly held together by this Byrdsian sonic delyte and Mole’s perfectly responsive backbeat.

An excellent promo video of the song filmed in super cool black & white, shot on location around various Medway Towns in Kent can be found on Paul’s website Paul Messis – Garage Punk Unknown

’When You Pass Me By’ has a similar lyrical theme but is a fierce fuzz punker.

There is a planned LP release sometime in 2011 with the working title of ’The Problem With Me’. Paul has already informed me that the recordings are now finished and he is proud of his achievements. Of course these recordings would not nearly be as good without the crucial help from Marty and Mole from The Higher State.

(05/02/11)

DAVID PETER AND THE WILDE SECT – ’Out Of My Mind’/’Don’t Leave Me’ (Dirty Water Records DWC1044) June 2010

Another Dirty Water Records signing are Copenhagen’s David Peter & The Wilde Sect who administer two raucous R&B cuts on this recent single.

This sort of Danish beat would have gone down a storm with past generations. Dig those sloppy but thunderous drums and primitive guitars. The vocals have a corny and unrecognisable English accent. If you’re from England you’ll know what I mean.

Both sides were recorded at Black Tornado Studios during last Summer.

(05/02/11)

THE BRANDED – ”She’s My Woman” / ”Justine” (Dirty Water Records DWC1028) June 2009 

Two sides of modern garage R’n’B can be found on this single by The Branded. They’re from Malmo, Sweden and have released other records but this is the only one I’ve got.
’She’s My Woman’ is soaked in fuzz and pounds along nicely. I also dig the garage punk vocals.

Singer and guitarist Lea Tea is English and was previously in Thee Exiters. I’m not sure if the other guys, bassist John Krantz or drummer Anders Hansson have been in other groups, but I’m sure they must have been. 

(02/02/11)

OS HAXIXINS – ’Depois De Um LSD’/’Espelho Invisivel’ (Groovie Records 0101) 2008

Call me old fashioned if you want but in my opinion almost all contemporary music is shit. Sometimes though, on a rare occasion, I’ll open my ears to music recorded after 1979.

I’d read some ravin’ reviews about a garage psych group from Sao Paulo, Brazil calling themselves Os Haxixins so I decided to investigate. So far I’ve only bought this single by them which I think is their debut 45 and limited to 500 copies on green vinyl.

Both sides are fine and purist examples of 1967 Los Angeles groove. These guys have got The Doors & Iron Butterfly heavy psych sound down on vinyl perfectly. Other groups have tried this combination in the past but NONE have come close to matching Os Haxixins. They even add some wild fuzz guitar in the mix for good measure.

(28/01/11)

THE PLEASERS – ’A Girl I Know’/’Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ (Arista 217) Nov 1978

I’ll wrap up my Pleasers retrospective with their fourth and final single.  

’A Girl I Know’ is terrible and by now I don’t think Arista Records knew what to do with the group. The song sounds like one of those cringeworthy French or German Eurovision Song Contest efforts.

Quite why they thought this would have been a hit is anyone’s guess. All it did was end The Pleasers career as far as I’m concerned.

Even the artwork for the sleeve is embarrassing, in which they seem to be promoting a skinny red tie instead of a worthwhile group of moptops. Thankfully, the B-Side saves the day here. ’Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ shows that The Pleasers could still write catchy sub three minute powerpop tunes that were radio friendly.

I’m not saying that this song could have been a hit or anything but it would have been a better way to go than the dreadful ’A Girl I Know’…

The Pleasers were dropped by Arista after this flop and it appears that they disbanded with an unreleased album in the vaults.. This eventually did see the light of day recently with a Japanese only release. I’ve not heard it so can’t comment.   

The Pleasers have their own website and have uploaded some great promo pics. I’ve used a couple of them on my blog.

(26/12/10)

THE PLEASERS – ’You Don’t Know’/’Billy’ (Arista 209) 1978

The third Pleasers release saw them very much in a powerpop mode especially with ’You Don’t Know’. The 60s influence was still in evidence with the harmonies and jangly guitar but this nugget, again produced by Tommy Boyce, had a late 70s contemporary sound.

I’m not sure that the record met with any success sales wise and after three successive flops The Pleasers needed a hit.

’Billy’ has a rock and roll vibe but is not my cuppa tea.

(25/12/10)

THE PLEASERS – ’The Kids Are Alright’/’Stay With Me’ (Arista 180) 1978

Erstwhile songwriter/producer Tommy Boyce was actively involved with The Pleasers during 1978 and this double sided 45 was the fruits of their liaison. The strange thing for me was that the beaty ballad ’Stay With Me’ wasn’t even mentioned on the record sleeve (front or back) and even more weirder was that they or the record company chose a Who cover as their next single.

’The Kids Are Alright’ is a decent enough attempt and has a polished production but I much prefer the ignored flip ’Stay With Me’….

(24/12/10)

THE PLEASERS -’A Thames Beat EP’ (Arista 152) Nov 1977

Going against the punk/new wave grain of 1977 were The Pleasers from London who embraced the sound of ’64 era merseybeat and in particular The Beatles, on this way cool three song EP.

Reading an article about them in an old Record Mirror from January ’78 they were billed as the next ’big thing’, along with The Rich Kids and XTC. Fame and fortune did not happen for The Pleasers but they did leave behind some sparkling 45s with that all important 60s beat. I’ll be reviewing those over the coming days.

According to an interview with group members Steve McNerney and Bo Benham in Zigzag #80 they had been trying since December 1976 to attract the right guitarist and drummer to help provide the beat sound that they craved. It took them almost a year to find Nick Powell and Dave Rotchelle.

The Pleasers soon dropped the Tremeloes, Searchers, Who, Beatles covers at their gigs and concentrated on their own material of outstanding beat music. They wrote great songs with superb harmonies, jangling guitars with that perfected and wholly authentic 60s backbeat.

It must have been hard to believe that it was 1977 when these chaps were performing their pleasing beat. Remember this was light years ahead of any so called revival.

They had the songs, they had the gear and they had the moptops. They were The Pleasers.

(23/12/10)

THE ADVERTS – ’One Chord Wonders’/’Quick Step’ (Stiff Records 13) April 1977

’One Chord Wonders’ was the debut single by The Adverts, who in panda-eyed bassist Gaye Advert had a genuine punk sex symbol in their ranks…. The song itself has that essential ’back to basics’ approach and was totally refreshing for 1977.

It never got near the charts of course but got the group some publicity and a slot on the Stiff UK National Tour supporting The Damned etc.

(20/12/10)

THE VIBRATORS – ’Baby Baby’/’Into The Future’ (Epic 5302) May 1977

Having a great punkoid band name that would probably offend sex starved execs and squares alike didn’t matter that much in the snobbish world of 70s punk rock. The Vibrators were derided in the scene for being bandwagon jumpers having been signed earlier to Mickie Most’s record label RAK. Group members still had long hair which was also uncool.

No one cares about that any more thankfully. ’Baby Baby’ is such a well produced anthem of sorts coming across like something Mott The Hoople would have come up with in ’77 had they still been around….

For your underground punk rock enjoyment try the revved up snarl of ’Into The Future’ on the flip.

(16/12/10)

THE EMBROOKS – ’Jack’/’Dawn Breaks Through’ (Circle Records CPW S102) 2002

I’ve got thousands of singles in my collection (I gave up counting years ago) but none of them weigh heavier than this psychedelic artifact from 2002 by The Embrooks.

This three piece outfit were a kind of garage supergroup led by ex Mystreated member Mole and having in their ranks ex Head and the Hares guitarist Alessandro Cozzi Lepri and ex Dirty Burds drummer Lois Tozer.

Both songs on this essential disc are pure 1967/68 UK mod psych, authentic in every way and skilfully produced by Liam Watson at the famous Toe-Rag Studio in London.

’Dawn Breaks Through’ is a fabulous rendition of The Barrier classic and in my opinion it’s equal at the very least.

Only 500 copies were pressed.

(18/11/10)

THE GRAVEDIGGER V – ’Be A Cave Man’ (Voxx 200.038) 1987

By the time Greg Shaw released this collection of out-takes, rehearsals and live rave-ups by San Diego combo The Gravedigger V, they had been dead and buried for 3 years. After recording their classic studio album in ’84, this group of teenage garage punks had seemingly fallen out and moved on to other projects.

’Be A Cave Man’ was an outtake from the album recordings at Silvery Moon Studios in Hollywood. Their version of The Avengers classic sounds as primal, snotty and arrogant as much of the cuts that did appear on the LP ’All Black And Hairy’, so I’m not too sure why this was left to remain in the vaults.

Reader comment:

Since there are none…let’s leave a comment on the Gravedigger V.I was about 16 by the time I got their ”All Black & Hairy” album around 1986 and we all knew that the band had already split up a couple of years earlier apparently even before that LP came out…

The Morlocks took it a step further with their ”Emerge” mini LP (horrible artwork I thought!)…but for me, thousand of miles away, years before the internet the Gravedigger V were some of the really cool bands around, in a sort of cartoonish kind of way, like the Gruesomes…back then we had bands like the Lyres, the Fleshtones and the Fuzztones regularly play our local club (where the original ”Be a caveman” was a classic!)but it would have been great seeing the Graveddiger V, still enjoy listening to those bands when I do (I quickly outgrew the Fuzztones though…somehow…)

(06/11/10)

QUANT – ’I’ve Got No Time’/’Walk In The Shallows’ (Detour Records DR069) Oct 1998

The second and final 45 by Quant was this great double sider with ’I’ve Got No Time’ being the plug side. This time ’round Quant are less hippie psych and much more late 60s rockin’….Rachel Croft’s vocals remind me of Sharon Tandy and the gruff freakbeat style howls from Francois Nordmann really work.

’Walk In The Shallows’ is quite a different sound, mixing psych rock with some jazzy interludes.

The band appeared on a Channel 5 TV show called ’Raw TV’ in 1999. I’ve not seen the clip and don’t know what Quant were performing that day. Hopefully the clip film will turn up on YouTube at some point in time.

(06/11/10)

QUANT – ’Play With Mary’/’Close Your Eyes’ (Detour Records DR061) 1997

Quant (named after 60s fashion icon Mary Quant) were a short lived London group from the late 90s. They only released two singles then were gone, which is a shame because the recordings they left behind demonstrated that they were onto something different (for the time) with their heavy acid rock mixed with sitar and tablas.

’Play With Fire’ is a psychedelic mass of wah wah guitars, backwards tapes, sitar, tablas, flutes, flanging and Small Faces riffs. In other words the proverbial psych ’kitchen sink’ has been thrown into the mix. An all round cool as fuck sound.

I don’t know much about Quant. They never got mentioned in any music magazines that I read or were the focus of any fanzines. The press release that I got from Detour Records (that I can’t find) confirmed that ex Clique drummer Matthew Braim started the group in ’96. There was only 1,000 copies of the record pressed making it a difficult one to find these days.

line-up:   
Matthew Braim (drums)
Jack White (guitars)
Stewart Turner (bass/sitar)
Rachel Croft (vocals/percussion)
Francois Nordmann (bongos/tablas/flute)

Readers comments:
Heh… someone just sent me this link. I played bass on the first single. Quant were formed after Rachel, Jack and I moved down from Leeds in 1996.

We were in a band called The Reaction before Quant, and hooked up with Matthew and Francois. I parted company with the group under rather acrimonious circumstances after the first single. Very strange times.

I used to see these play at the untouchables mod clubs in London. I own this single on vinyl still, I picked one up when I saw them at purple pussycat club night in the 90’s

(04/11/10)

MY FAVOURITE THINGS – ’Fruit Machine’/’Memphis’ (no label) 1995

When I first started my blog back in March 2007 I decided to highlight groups from any era as long as I liked them. Writing solely about 60s groups would bore the fuckin’ shite outta me….Take this 45 for instance, it’s not garage, psych or punk rock but I dig it nonetheless.

I remember seeing an advert in a music mag back in the mid 90s, can’t remember the magazine…. anyway, all you had to do was send your name and address and My Favourite Things would send their latest record direct to your door for FREE. It helped that they commented that some of their favourite things were The Rain Parade, Gene Clark, Big Star and Julian Cope….well I was in, too good an offer to ignore!

’Memphis’ is purepop with jangle, very commercial and well produced. I was shocked out just how good the record was for a freebie.

It’s just such a summery sound with that jangle and those vocal harmonies. Could have easily been a radio hit. Too bad England went Brit Pop crazy in the mid 90s.

My Favourite Things were, formed in 1992 from the ashes of five piece band The Hungry I (the other two members of The Hungry I were Eyeless In Gaza singer Martyn Bates and Steve Dullaghan from The Primitives) 

They split up after the release of their 2nd 45 ’Syd’ a tribute to Syd Barrett.

line-up:
John O’Sullivan (guitar/vocals)
Simon O’Grady (bass/vocals)
Peter Burke (drums)

(01/11/10)

THE UNHEARD – ’Don’t You Stand In My Sunshine’/’I Don’t Believe’/’I Don’t Want Anything But You’ (Kavern 7 Records – K7-007) 1987

I wrote about this record back in April 2008 but since then I received some photos of The Unheard from Steve Mulrooney, a regular to my site but never got around to posting it (until now).

Steve: ”Out of interest, you featured a 45 by Oz band The Unheard a few months back. The Unheard evolved out of The Stayns, of which I was the original bass player.

The Unheard still play today – with the original drummer and singer. Gordon their first guitarist moved to Melbourne and helped form The Breadmakers”

My review in April ’08:

Continuing my trip through the dark recesses of my record collection, post 1975 releases, I pulled this three song EP out of an Australian box….The Unheard were a group of four garage teen punks and their record was probably ’unheard’ in the late 80s.

I dig the fact that they preferred to have a picture of a tone-bender fuzz box on the front cover of their record, with a very small pic of themselves on the back of the sleeve. And it’s for that reason I’m giving them number 40 slot on my Renaissance Fair Top 50 chart.

All three songs are fuzz punkers with barely a tune to write home about. (this doesn’t matter to me as long as there is attitude, punk screams or fuzz and The Unheard offer all three key ingredients)

’I Don’t Believe’ is perhaps their best song.

line-up:
Gordon Johns (vocals/guitar/writer of all three songs on EP)
Michael Wilson (bass)
Stephen O’Brien (drums)
Patrick Browniee (vocals/organ)

Readers comments:

So what of The Stayns? Did they leave any recordings behind? They certainly left two super cool gig posters behind as proof of their existence.

Steve: ”The Stayns never recorded anything. I actually left the band to travel the world before they started gigging. They imploded whilst I was gone, but when I returned we reformed with a slightly different line-up and played a few gigs. Then Pete the guitarist got a job in Canberra and left, and that was it.

We had a hasty reunion last year but didn’t do any gigs”

The version of the Stayns that gigged around Wollongong featured Gordon Johns and myself Steve O’Brien on drums the A side of this Unheard single was performed by the Stayns and written by Gordon and the recording due to misfortune, ended up becoming the Unheard as only Gordon and myself made it to the studio, thus the end of the Stayns and the start of the Unheard.

The Unheard continue to this day from 1986 and that was the only record we have ever put out!

I was the singer in the original Stayns that gigged around Wollongong – Andrew Williams. I have the original live recording of a gig at the Coniston Hotel, which includes Don’t Stand In my Sunshine, mentioned above that The Unheard went on to record. I also have a video recording of the same gig….rare but great fun to listen and watch.

Fellow Wollongong rockers! Noddy here from the Mutated Noddy’s. Kick-started the underground scene in 1983, covering Stooges, MC5, Radio Birdman, Doors, 13th Floor Elevators, and many unheard-of 60’s Psyche bands.

Played the Conno as well where one of our amps blew up. Peter from the Stayns joined us on guitar for a while as well.

The Mutated Noddy’s have a site at Bandcamp, as does my later band Froghollow (psyche and lots more), and I have my own under Noddyparp. Forever rockin!

(31/10/10)

THE CHESTERFIELD KINGS – ’You Better Look Now’ (Mirror Records) 1982

One of the first and BEST garage revival groups of the 80s were The Chesterfield Kings. Their early singles and first two studio albums are where it’s at and I can still remember my eyes lighting up when I happened upon ’Here Are The Chesterfield Kings’ LP in a record store in Newcastle, England back in 1982.

At last some kindred spirits wearing the same type of clothes as me, with long hair, tight jeans and cuban heels!

Anyway, to bring my Rogues exposé to a conclusion I’ll post The Chesterfield Kings version of the classic ’You Better Look Now’…..The Kings really do the song justice with authentic 60s style production from Armand Schaubroek, jangling 12 string guitars and Greg Prevost’s moody vocals.

File under E for essential…

(28/08/10)

An interview with Paul Messis

Paul Messis is a young songwriter from Billingshurst, a small town in West Sussex, England. His vision is to re-create the jangle punk sounds of obscure American groups from 1966.

He writes angst ridden, loner type songs and uses vintage instruments. Fortunately for him and everyone who digs this type of music he’s currently being guided by Marty and Mole from The Higher State.

Paul’s released songs have all been recorded at their Sandgate Sound Studios.
His (so far) two very authentic sounding 45s are opulent jewels in the stinking morass known as contemporary music.

Paul read my review of his debut 45  ‘The World Is Square’ on my site last year and we have been exchanging emails since then. Here’s a recent interview I conducted with him earlier this month.

You’re still only 24 years old so would have missed the 60s garage revival of the mid 80s. There are virtually NO bands playing your kind of music any more. So how did you discover 60s garage and when did you decide to write your own songs in the garage style?

I discovered 60s garage music around the time I was 15 years old which would have been around 2001, prior to that as a kid I had a wide scope of influences hitting me from all directions.

My grandfather was really into be-bop, blues and jazz, my uncle was really into bands like Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream and the whole Krautrock thing and my parents were both into stuff which ranged from typical 70’s rock and soul.

However during my school years I was a bit of an Outcast and like the Kinks song goes decided ”I’m Not Like Everybody Else”…. during High School I listened to a lot of 80s indie, stuff like Spacemen 3, Jesus and Mary Chain etc and found that these groups were quoting garage bands from the 60s as influences, which when you are a kid you just grab and research into instantly.

Since 15 years old I have always played some form of garage punk, but always leaned more to songs with melody.

You seem to write songs that fit perfectly in with the teenbeat folk janglers of mid ’66. Is this type of garage your favourite genre?

Yeah the Garage Janglers are my favourite in the genre, comps like Class of 66’, Shutdown 66, The Teenage Shutdown series and New England Teen Scene have had such a huge influence on me.

Not only cos the songs are all brilliant, but I also really relate very much to the lyrics and the general vibes of the tracks, many of those kids sing about things that actually have happened and still do happen to me.

So yeah the moody folk-punk aspect to garage is my favourite indeed. I do have some fuzzed out punkers I’d like to record in the future, but it just depends how I feel when I go to Folkestone to record. I have about 40 odd garage songs I could record with Marty and Mole and continue to write songs all the time.

Have you played in any bands before?

Yeah I have played in a few bands actually, During the first few years of moving to Sussex in 2002, I played in an Iggy and the Stooges type band called The Deviants we only played at peoples houses and did a few local gigs I never really got along with the rest of the band, plus didn’t feel confident with my guitar playing back then and decided to leave.

Around 2006 I joined London Mod-Garage Punk band The Fallen Leaves on Bass and played with the guys for about a year, it was really fun, I am still friends with the band, but personal commitments meant I left.

I then briefly started playing in a group with Sterling Roswell, but we only did about 3 gigs together, I had to stop playing with him cos I was going through various trials in my life and I really had to stop playing music and find a job etc.

How did you connect with Mole and Marty from The Higher State?

This is a funny story actually, Marty liked my demos on Myspace and we had sorta got a friendship online. The Higher State were going to be doing a gig In Hastings which although is a bit of distance for me, I felt ’Hey it’s still Sussex’, and went and saw them.

Me and Marty hit it off fine and in-fact have become really good mates. I basically enquired with Marty about how much a 45 costs to make and if he knew anyone I can contact… a few days later he emailed me and said ”fancy doing a 45 with us?” … I of course said ”Yeah!!”

Your first single ’Stuck In Society’/’The World Is Square’ is a very strong debut 45. Both sides are killer and both sides are very different in the own unique sounding way. Were you satisfied with the results?

Yeah I was happy with both sides, although I guess because of my initial fear of playing in front of others after such a long time, I didn’t get the same amount of energy on ’The World Is Square’ recording as my original demo had.

The moment we all heard the mixed version of ’Stuck In Society’ and knew instantly we had faithfully recreated a track which mixed a Surf Sound and Merseybeat sound together, Which is very similar to what the Minnesota garage sound is (check out any release on Soma) We all felt that nobody else is doing this kind of garage stuff in the contemporary garage scene, so we all were really pleased with the results.

What instruments were used during the session?

For the ’Stuck in Society’/’World Is Square’ session, we used Mole’s Ludwig for Drums, Marty used our friend Gina’s Fender Jaguar which is a beautiful piece of guitar, I used my Hagstrom Futurama Guitar and for Bass I used my Vox Cougar, the amps we used were Fender Twin Reverb and Marshall Bass Amp.

You told me earlier that almost all of the 500 records pressed have sold. Are you surprised by this?

Yeah most definitely, Marty and Mole have told me endlessly that they are not surprised. BUT personally yeah I am surprised that the record has sold well.

I am a lone musician from the middle of nowhere West Sussex, I don’t have a band to promote it with live. The 45 just appeared to be a word of mouth thing, I know that the people that really dig the record, know where I am coming from, those who don’t get it quite frankly can’t be garage fans.

Your new single on 13 O’Clock Records is perhaps even better than your first. ’Lost And Found’ is a perfect folk jangler. At times the guitar has a tripped out raga sound. Tell me about the recording session for this song.

Well The demo I did at home for this track, the guitar solo was more Byrds-esque, but I forgot how to play what was on my demo. The thing with ’Lost and Found’ is I used a 12 string electric guitar on it which non of my previous tracks did. For me ’Lost and Found’ is a very personal song.

When I record songs with Marty and Mole, we usually just knock them out in about an hour or two, there hasn’t been too much time spent on them.

’Lost and Found ’ was an enjoyable session cos every thing just seemed to fit together, I was playing all the guitar parts very well, the bass part was a challenge but I eventually remembered how to play it and got it down ok… and I even allowed Marty to play one note on the record, which is the Fuzztone note at the end of the song (just so he can say he played on the track haha).

’I Gotta Go’ is teen punk all the way. How did the recording go with this? Did Mole or Marty play anything and what instruments were utilized?

I Gotta Go was really easy to record, what happened with this track was this… I played the guitar and Mole played drums and we recorded it, I then recorded the Bass Part, I then added the 12 string electric, I then added Combo Organ which was funny, cos Marty and Mole laughed at the fact I played the whole song with one finger.

It is pretty primitive my keyboard playing. I then did the lead vocals, and then asked Marty and Mole to add some backing vocals whilst I enjoyed a cup of coffee in the garden. 

You mentioned to me in Sept 2009 that a cover of ’Live And Die’ originally recorded by Texas garage band The Barons would be released on a comp given away by perhaps Shindig magazine or Lost In Tyme. Will this release still happen?

No, unfortunately I doubt any magazines will feature this cover on their comp CDs, We will keep it in the vaults for something in the future I am sure??

What I’d mostly like is for the original members of The Barons to hear it, cos I reckon they would really dig it. It is a very faithful cover version.

What are your plans for the future?

Well I have a few new songs to record with the guys in Folkestone, one is called ’Time Will Tell’, which in my head will be like a Byrds-esque or Nightcrawlers styled love song, it is a song I wrote from the heart and I know when completed with full band it will be a great great track.

The other new song is called ’I’m Leaving Town’ which has a New England garage vibe and will have a ’fuzztone guitar throughout’ I guess it is still folk-punk though.

I also have a real Back From The Grave styled song I’d like to record called ”I’m Sick’ which I’d like to attempt to record, cos I believe I could really nail that BFTG sound.

I also hope over the year I can manage to record some of my Myspace demos with the guys, songs like ’Escape’, ’Alexandra’ and ’Why’ would really sound great with the State records touch….. I have loads of plans musically.

I would like to get a group together and play the odd gig live, more as a personal achievement more so than anything else and If I managed to do an LP that would simply be killer.

(19/03/10)

THE GUILLOTEENS – ’I Don’t Believe’/’Hey You!’ ((HBR 446) August 1965

This entry is the first in a three part look at The Guilloteens HBR singles. They hailed from Memphis and were fortunate to have ’The King’ as a supporter who used his contacts to get them a regular booking at the Red Velvet Club in Hollywood.

Now that they were in Folk-Rock City and making money and meeting girls, the next step was to find a record label to release their sounds. This came in the unlikely form of HBR, a recently formed label mainly associated with cartoons.

The Lewis Paul Jr original ’I Don’t Believe’ was their first 45 and sold well in Los Angeles. The song is notable for it’s dense production and solid lead vocals by Lewis.

It’s interesting to note that The Guilloteens recorded an earlier demo of ’I Don’t Believe’ with help from Phil Spector. This version was never completed when the group signed to HBR.

The Moonrakers released their version of ’I Don’t Believe’ on Tower Records.

The flip ’Hey You!’ written and sung by Laddie Hutcherson is a solid Kinks style guitar rocker. The Guilloteens performed this song on Los Angeles TV Show Shiveree.   

(09/04/11)

THE GUILLOTEENS – ’For My Own’/’Don’t Let The Rain Get You Down’ (HBR 451) October 1965

The Guilloteens follow up to ’I Don’t Believe’ was the superb punk jangler ’For My Own’…HBR even sent out some copies resplendent in a psychedelic picture cover. ’For My Own’ was, in my opinion, their finest two and a bit seconds of coolness. Strong vocals, chiming guitars, clattering tambourine and uncluttered production equals greatness in my book.

The flip ’Don’t Let The Rain Get You Down’ is a Brit Invasion ballad and is similar in sound and style to the slow paced ballads The Searchers churned out.

It was therefore no surprise to learn from Mike Markesich’s sleeve notes from The Guilloteens ’Complete Singles Collection’ released on Misty Lane Records, that the Memphis trio performed with The Searchers on TV Show Shindig playing the R’n’B standard ’I Got My Mojo Working’ and by all accounts out performed them.

(10/04/11)

THE GUILLOTEENS – ’I Sit And Cry’/’Crying All Over My Time’ (HBR 486) July 1966

Lead guitarist and main vocalist Lewis Paul Jr quit The Guilloteens in 1966 and the group also left Hollywood and returned to Memphis.

According to Laddie Hutcherson ”He was frustrated with the management.”

Budd Delaney was brought in on bass guitar and Laddie Hutcherson switched to lead guitar. Drummer, Joe Davis continued as the enigmatic sticksman.

Their third and final HBR release was the rockin’ garage bliss ’I Sit And Cry’ written by new member Delaney. This one pounds away at the senses from beginning to end. The flip ’Crying All Over My Time’ ain’t no slouch either and was compiled on Highs In The Mid Sixties – Volume 8.

misc information:

Laddie Hutcherson died 2009
Joe Davis died 2008

(10/04/11)

THE THOMAS GROUP – ’Penny Arcade’/’Ordinary Girl’ (Dunhill 45-D-4027) March 1966

The Thomas Group, for whatever reason, have rarely been compiled and are unknowns to most. They were a group of clean cut teenagers that formed in 1965 at Beverley Hills High School, their style of play was not influenced by the so called Brit Invasion but pure pop with surf and folk rock overtones.

They were talent spotted by Dunhill Records and put under the tutorage of famed songwriters P.F. Sloan & Steve Barri who wrote, arranged and produced most of their material. The Los Angeles ’Wrecking Crew’ of Hal Blaine (drums), Joe Osborne (bass) and Larry Knechtel (keyboards) laid down the backbeats. What The Thomas Group contributed in the studio is therefore unclear, probably just the vocals.

Curiously no Thomas Group songs were compiled on the recent Sloan & Barri CD collection released by Ace in 2010.

Both sides are sunshine pop charmers, well written and executed as you would expect. The falsetto on the chorus of ’Penny Arcade’ is P.F. Sloan.

Readers comments:
I had this 45 when I was a kid (DJ 45 just like the one pictured) and while I knew it wasn’t a hit, it may as well have been as many spins as it got on my record player back then.

The fact that it’s virtually unknown is criminal. Another fun fact I haven’t seen mentioned here is that drummer Tony Thomas is the son of actor Danny Thomas.

Yo, Bubblegum Skinny-A real pleasure to hear that you enjoyed this record back when!!Thank you for your comment. It’s way cool. Greg Gilford THOMAS GROUP

Frank Young: I was the project creator of the Ace Records Sloan-Barri CD. I’d originally hoped it would include a lot more Dunhill material. Alas, the evil Universal/MCA monster own all the Dunhill masters.

Their exorbitant licensing fees lessened our ability to have Dunhill material on the disc. Ace Records hasn’t spoken to me since the CD came out, so I assume it hasn’t sold well.

They won’t answer my e-mails and I’ve quite frankly given up on pursuing more projects in the CD realm.

(03/04/11)

THE THOMAS GROUP – ’Autumn’/’Don’t Start Me Talkin’ ’Bout My Baby’ (Dunhill 45-D-4030) May 1966

The second Thomas Group 45 was released a few months after their debut and sold well in some markets. Their profile was raised when they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and performed ’Autumn’…Dear ’Old Ed’ introduced them as having a ’groovy, smooth rock sound’….

Once again P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri wrote and produced both sides adding background vocals. The sound of ’Autumn’ is uplifting pure pop and should have been a massive hit, especially with the Ed Sullivan Show exposure.

Readers comments:
Autumn is one of Sloan/Barri’s most beautiful songs. Sloan’s own demo of it, also beautiful, is available on the PF Sloan fan group at http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/pfsloan.You have to register and look around a bit to find it. Trivia: the drummer in The Autumn Group is now a Hollywood lawyer who earned a shout out from Jeff Bridges when he accepted an oscar for Crazy Heart. Just discovered this site, really like it. AP

I am really digging the Thomas Group, both ”Autumn” and ”I’ve Got No More To Say” were new for me. As ever Colin I am deeply in your debt!

Really cool to see comments from Anonymous & Keith B. Thank you. Just for the record, the drummer in Thomas Group is the son of Danny Thomas, an ultra successful actor/producer in Hollywood, 1950s-1990s. Tony, the drummer, went on to produce numerous smash TV shows. The ‘Hollywood’ lawyer of the group: Robert Wallerstein. So thanks- Greg Gilford, Thomas Group.

THE THOMAS GROUP – ’I’ve Got No More To Say’/’Then It Begins’ (RCA Victor D-4062) January 1967 (Canadian release)

The third Thomas Group single was released during the first month of 1967, some copies were housed in a picture sleeve. The back of the sleeve contained information about the group and it’s members. It also confirmed that P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri were writing and producing exclusively for The Thomas Group. As it turned out, this 45 would be the last one written by the famous songwriting duo.

’I’ve Got No More To Say’ has a passing Beatles influence and is probably the only song they recorded with an ’English’ sound. The flip ’Then It Begins’ comes across like a clever re-write of ’Red Rubber Ball’.

line-up:
Tony Thomas (drums)
Greg Gilford (organ/lead vocals)
Marty Howard (lead guitar)
Robert Wallerstein (rhythm guitar)
David Goldsmith (bass)

In late 1967, Steven Gaines replaced Marty Howard on lead guitar.

Amazing to see this! Incredible that there’s a copy of this around, still! From the lead singer, Thomas Group- Greg Gilford. Thank you for posting!!

(06/04/11)

THE THOMAS GROUP – ’Is Happy This Way’/’Ordinary Girl’ (Dunhill D-4117) November 1967

The final Thomas Group single was the sunshine pop tune ’Is Happy This Way’ written by Susan Haber who wrote ’Please Don’t Ever Leave Me’  for The Cyrkle. This time around the lead vocals from Greg Gilford were blended with Steve Barri’s.

The single flopped and although The Thomas Group recorded other songs for possible future release the record label dropped them thus ending the career of a promising pop group that had sadly failed to sell 45s in any significant quantity.

Readers comments:
Back in 1988 Big Beat released a pair of cool vinyl comps ”Dunhill Folk Rock Vol 1 had ”Is Happy This Way” whilst Vol 2 had ”Penny Arcade” along side MFQ, Jerry Yester, Terry Black, the Iguanas and The Lamp Of Childhood and many others

I got both of those Dunhill LP comps back in the 80s. They’re such a brilliant collection, full of classy folk rock and other oddities.

Hopefully one day The Thomas Group will get a collection released with those unreleased songs. An albums worth of material lies in the vaults somewhere.

I know that last year Gear Fab Records was in discussions to produce a Thomas Group comp. I don’t know what the current status is; it’d be more than welcomed…

The deal fell apart but it’d be cool to bring the idea back. I’ve got a proposal for an 18 song CD comp of the complete THOMAS GROUP recorded collection. Contact me at Greg.Gilford@Gmail.com

Indeed. I have an 18 song complete collected recordings of THOMAS GROUP, which Gear Fab was considering doing. Universal Music Group controls the Dunhill and ABC/Dunill masters.

They can be very problematic in the licensing of their sound recording copyrights. So, even without Universal, THOMAS GROUP has 11 recordings ready for CD comp release! Contact Greg.Gilford@Gmail.com

(06/04/11)

THE BLUES MAGOOS – ’So I’m Wrong And You Are Right’/’The People Had No Faces’ (Verve Folkways KF-5044) Feb 1967

Sometime in 1964 a teen band from Bronx, NY calling themselves The Trenchcoats were formed by schoolmates Ralph Scala (vocals/keyboards) and Ronnie Gilbert (bass). They were joined by John Finnegan (drums), Dennis Lapore (guitar) and Emil ’Peppy’ Theilhelm (guitar).

Noteworthy gigs in Greenwich Village at the Cafe Wha? and the Nite Owl followed. By now they had been renamed The Bloos Magoos. In September 1965, the group recorded some tracks including both songs on this disc that were written and produced by Rick Shorter.

According to the liners of the official Mercury CD ’The Best Of The Blues Magoos – Kaleidoscopic Compendium’ this record remained in the can until it’s release during February 1967, seemingly as a cash in on the big success the group were having with the classic 45 ‘(We Ain’t Got) Nothin’ Yet’.

Those familiar with The Blues Magoos music will no doubt be surprised that ’So I’m Wrong And You Are Right’ and indeed the flip ’The People Had No Faces’ are folk rock tunes with Jaggeresque vocals.

Their famous farfisa groove and hard psychedelic guitar sound was clearly not in evidence on these early recordings.

This was initially released in early January, 1966. It’s on Verve-Folkways #5006, credited as the Bloos Magoos A Record World magazine announcement by the label stated this 45 and a few others would be issued the first week of January.

Of course, the label tried to cash-in once ”Nothin’ Yet” was quickly ascending to the Top Ten nationally. So in February 1967, it was re-released, on Verve-Folkways 5044, with the updated group name. On a side note, it would be great if you, or someone could find Rick Shorter and get his story! MopTopMike

(12/08/10)

THE BLUES MAGOOS – ’Tobacco Road’ (Fontana LP TL.5402) 1966

The Blues Magoos made the switch from Verve Folkways to Mercury in early ’66 and started work on material which would become their studio album ’Psychedelic Lollipop’.

A slight line-up change also occurred with Geoff Daking taking over on drums.

In England the album was released on Fontana and simply named ’Blues Magoos. No need for the cringeworthy American title.

The first Blues Magoos single to be released was ’Tobacco Road’/’Sometimes I Think About’ on (Mercury 72590) in June 1966. It’s a single that doesn’t often come up for sale and one that I don’t have in my archives..

The Blues Magoos probably heard this song from The Nashville Teens who had a top 10 hit in England with it in June 1964. The Blues Magoos version keeps a similar beat/tempo but a freak out mid section is introduced employing tape delay with some psych noise effects to achieve a psychotic/lysergic throb, but at over 4 minutes long the 45 had no chance of being played on the radio and it sank.

I picked up my mono copy on Fontana from a long gone record shop in Camden Town, London back in 1987 for £20. A lot of money for me in those days but I simply had to have it.

(14/08/10)

THE BLUES MAGOOS – ‘(We Ain’t Got) Nothin’ Yet’/’Gotta Get Away’ (Mercury 72622) Nov 1966

The garage anthem that is ‘(We Ain’t Got) Nothin’ Yet’ was written in mid ’66 in the basement at the Albert Hotel, NYC where The Blues Magoos used to practice. Little did they know at the time that this song would propel the group into the Top 5 on Billboard and the associated fame and glory.

At just over 2 minutes long ‘(We Ain’t Got) Nothin’ Yet’ is a swirling mass of organ, trippy lead guitar and pounding bass. The sound was just right for late 1966 and with their super cool image and bowl haircuts, well, The Blues Magoos had the sound, the look and plenty of swagger.

The flip ’Gotta Get Away’ is equally as good and could easily have been a hit in it’s own right. The record got exposure in France and Holland with copies coming housed in fab picture sleeves. It also got a release in England but failed to dent the charts.

(16/08/10)

THE AMERICAN BEETLES – ’Say You Do’/’I Wish You Everything’ (Yorey Records Y-1001) 1965

This group from Florida had a very unfortunate name, some would say an appalling one. Just what were they thinking of? Fortunately by 1966 they had the good sense to rename themselves The Razer’s Edge.

Soundwise The American Beetles had a very raw British Invasion approach with the flip ’Say You Do’ being a prime example of their undiluted teenbeat punch.

The A-Side ’I Wish You Everything’ is a slow beat ballad with some sweet harmonies and is pretty much mainstream radio fodder.
New York producer Bob Yorey was responsible for getting The American Beetles sound down on tape for this release and I’m guessing that Yorey Records was his label.

Readers comments:
The American Beetles performed at my Dad’s nightclub in the mid 60’s I got to play my first song ever on stage with them…Twist & Shout…way cool on my first electric guitar a Futurama !

I performed with The American Beetles in the mid 60s at the 40 Thieves Club in Bermuda. It was my first song I ever played with a band! We sand Twist and Shout….I wonder where these guys are now…Billy, Tom & Victor were 3 of the guys names….

I believe this is the band I saw several times in the 60’s at Frenchy’s, Hayward California!! Dave Heironymus, drummer!?

I saw the American Beetles in hayward, ca during the 60’s

(05/05/10)

THE AMERICAN BEETLES – ’Hey Hey Girl’/’School Days’ (Roulette R-4559) 1964

Here’s another great single by The American Beetles and again both sides are produced by Bob Yorey. He is even responsible for writing the energetic Invasion style rocker ’Hey Hey Girl’….it has to be said that there’s a big nod to The Dave Clark Five on this cut with it’s thumping bass lines and primitive drums pounding away in the background.

The flip is a cover of ’School Days’ by Chuck Berry.

Reader comment:
Victor is my fave uncle. He’s doing great! I’ll never forget the first time he came up in that getup. me and my little girlfriends like to have died at his feet! he’s awesome

(07/05/10)

THE BUNDLES – ’Mark My Words’ (unreleased Autumn Records recording 1965) 

Another group who sadly failed to release anything on Autumn Records despite recording for the label were The Bundles. Little is known about them or why label owners Tom Donahue and Bobby Mitchell did not release the solid two sides of ’Mark My Words’ and ’Watch Me Girl’ that were left in the Autumn Records vaults. 

’Mark My Words’ is a memorable folk rock jangler with fuzz guitar and would have made a stunning 45 release. It took almost thirty years to be heard but once again we have Big Beat to thank for rescuing The Bundles music. Both sides were compiled on ’Dance With Me’…

(02/07/11)

THE US – ’Just Me’ (unreleased Autumn Records recording 1965)

I’ve been playing the Big Beat CD ’Dance With Me’ sub title ’The Autumn Teen Sound’ daily for the past week and it’s an absolute delight full of obscure releases on Autumn Records as well as recordings that were left in their vaults.

One such previously unreleased Autumn Records recording is the folk rock coolness of ’Just Me’/’How Can I Tell Her’. According to the liners, this single was shelved when The Us fell out with label owner Tom Donahue and Autumn Records producer Sly Stewart.

They felt that the songs needed a string arrangement but The Us leader Bob Segarini refused his songs being ’sweetened’ in such a way. A tough stance to have when your group hasn’t even released a record.

Neither side backed down and this stalemate meant that the proposed 45 was never released and despite huge promise, The Us broke up soon after.

During their short lifespan The Us were based in San Francisco, although they were regulars to the Sunset Strip during the folk rock boom of 1965. The picture above shows them outside hip club London Fog on Sunset Blvd.

Bob Segarini formed The Family Tree following the demise of The Us.

(01/07/11)

GILES STRANGE – ’Watch The People Dance’/’You’re Goin’ Up To The Bottom’ (Boom 45-60.022) Nov 1966

The Strangeloves hit big in mid 1965 with the classic ’I Want Candy’ and had a couple of hits afterwards but by the turn of ’66 the trio of Bob Feldman, Richard Gottehrer and Jerry Goldstein were mainly writing songs and undertaking production work for other bands.

An exception was this cool two sided winner from Giles Strange a.k.a. Jerry Goldstein that had all of the right commercial moves but went nowhere.

He wrote, arranged and produced both sides of the disc and in a perfect world it would have been a smash. It’s quite a difficult record to locate and is relatively unknown and uncompiled.

The 45 was also released in England in December 1966 (Stateside SS 570) but missed the charts and probably never got near a radio playlist.

love the subject matter in this song – how hard life on the road is; the monotony, the adoring girls boyfriends dirty looks, the lack of creativeness!! No wonder the Strangeloves sent out impostors to be them whilst they stayed in the studio.

(31/05/11)

THE OTHER FOUR – ’Searching For My Love’/’Why?’ (Musette Records 6517) 1965

According to the liners of ’Fuzz, Flaykes & Shakes – Vol 2’, The Other Four were a group of teenagers from San Diego. They had previously called themselves The Man-Dells and had released a 45 ’Oh No’/’Bonnie’ for the Dandy label. I’ve not heard this but it gets a decent review in the tome ’Fuzz, Acid & Flowers’.

The A-Side ’Why?’ is excellent teen garage with some stabbing organ work by a kid called Rick Randle. The flip ’Searching For My Love’ is where it’s at though. I love this Beatleseque jangle folk rocker and heartfelt lyrics of lost love. Fragile and charming in equal measure.

This is a great track, both Man-Dells tracks and 6 by the Other Four (including Searching For My Love) are added on to the Brain Police CD on Normal Records.

(29/05/11)

THE OTHER FOUR – ’Once And For All Girl’/’These Are The Words’ (P.L.A.Y. Records 711) 1966

The next Other Four release was this pop charmer on the obscure P.L.A.Y. label with the jangle beat and harmonies of the top side ’Once And For All Girl’ being an obvious stand out. There’s some adventurous organ work on this side, an all round cool song. It’s more pop than garage and something The Monkees would have had a hit with.

The flip ’These Are The Words’ is a pleasant lyte pop song with more gorgeous harmonies.

(30/05/11)

THE BANANA – ’She’s Gone’ (Norton ED-289) rec 1967

The Norton label vinyl comp ’Aliens, Psychos and Wild Things’ is an essential release full of rare and unissued Virginia garage from 1964-67. The real find for me is an acetate by The Banana on which they have crudely recorded The Velvet Underground’s ’There She Goes Again’ and a memorable folk jangler called ’She’s Gone’.

The fascinating story behind The Banana can be found in Ugly Things #24. Amazingly, the group were a combo assembled from American soldiers serving in Vietnam during 1966-67. Leader Dean Kohler had previously performed in a Portsmouth group called The Satellites but then got drafted to kill the yellow man.

While in Vietnam he some how cobbled together a group, pitched a tent and hooked the instruments up with a generator and proceeded to record some songs live using bamboo microphone stands.  
’She’s Gone’ is a sublime Kohler original and a fitting reminder of The Banana’s ingenuity.

(25/05/11)

THE SATANS – ’Makin’ Deals’/’Lines And Squares’ (Manhattan 801) May 1966

Absolute genius record by a group that has so far avoided much recognition, I’m sure that would change if information was known about them. It appears that The Satans hailed from Fullerton, California and were produced by Sidewalk Records guy Bob Sommers who also produced records by The Sweets, The Unforscene and 18th Century Concepts (I’m sure there’s more).

With a name like The Satans and a song about selling your soul to the Devil I’m not sure that ’Makin’ Deals’ would get much radio play. But it’s such a strange world that 45 years later I’m posting it on my blog without such unnecessary censorship.

When I checked the £ to the $ rate this morning (something I do everyday since I buy records from USA) it was 1.666. Now that was surely a sign to write about The Satans.

check out these lyrics from ’Makin’ Deals’

”Like I said before
I’m the man that makes the deals.
I make them for your soul
Whatever you feel.
So sign your name
On the dotted line
Give you what you want
But your soul is mine.”

The flip ’Lines And Squares’ is less intimidating but it’s still a cool folk rocker and well worth hearing.

Readers comments:

The Fullerton, CA connection was sourced from me back in the mid 90s. I tried to find these guys for over a decade. The only names I have are Mike Murphy and Randy Stewart. Both resided in Fullerton, CA. ”Makin’ Deals” got a Record World pick to click mention.

I always had it that these cars were a Louisiana band thanks to the Eva comp and the distribution address on the label. What’s the chance that these cats were a studio creation? I’m guessing pretty high.

(29/04/11)

THE NIGHTCRAWLERS – ’A Basket Of Flowers’/’Washboard’ (Kapp K-746) Feb 1966

The Nightcrawlers from Daytona Beach, Florida, had a sizeable hit with their first record ’The Little Black Egg’. Their second single was the Byrdsian 12 string folk rockin’ tambourine bashin’ ’A Basket Of Flowers’, first on the local label Marlin, then released throughout USA on Kapp Records.

Here’s what Nightcrawlers lead guitarist Sylvan Wells had to say about ’A Basket Of Flowers’. *

”The lyric idea for ’A Basket Of Flowers’ was Rapunzel in the tower. It was really written around the chord progression which I came up with then vocalist Charlie Conlon and I finished it off. The chords are very complicated for a rock ’n’ roll song.

I used a Mosrite 12 string guitar that we would borrow from the music store in Sanford. We did like The Byrds and all that stuff”.

(* quote taken from the Big Beat liners of The Nightcrawlers CD)

(28/04/11)

THE VEJTABLES – ’Shadows’/’Feel The Music’ (Uptown 741) January 1967

The Vejtables from the Bay Area of California enjoyed some success with folk rock hits ’I Still Love You’ and ’The Last Thing On My Mind’ from 1965 but by the Spring of  ’66 only veterans Bob Bailey and Frank Smith were left from the original group.

Three former members of The Preachers were recruited, Richard Fortunato, Zeke Camarillo and Steve Lagana who in my opinion made The Vejtables more dynamic and exiting on record.

The new line-up recorded several new songs at Leo Kulka’s Golden State Recorders during April and May 1966 but had to wait until January 1967 (it gained a mention as a new release during that month in Billboard magazine) for any sounds to emerge on vinyl. This two sided gem on the small Uptown label seems to have been ignored at the time though.

’Shadows’ has got a very strange and unique sounding bass line. As unnerving as the beat is, I find myself unable to resist. Raga guitar weaves around the pumping bass……”Shadows follow us stalking mistrust” 

The flip ’Feel The Music’ is a fabulous acid punker that is based heavily on The Who tune ’Out In The Street’ but The Vejtables colour the scene with more raga rock guitar. Both sides are essential.

(13/11/11)

STU MITCHELL with Wes Dakus’ Rebels – ’Acid’/’Casting My Spell’ (Kapp K-829) 1967

The Wes Dakus Rebels were an Edmonton group who had been around since the early 60s as a recording outfit. Stu Mitchell was their drummer but on this Kapp Records release from 1967 he assumed frontman status and sang/wrote his own composition ’Acid’. His spoken delivery sounds uncannily like Jim Morrison’s don’t you think?

’Acid’ was recorded at the famous Norman Petty studio in Clovis, New Mexico sometime in mid 1966. It’s a weird, doom laden sound with a sparse production.

The constant church bells and haunting sound effects give it a somewhat mysterious eeriness. The star on the label indicates that this was the A-Side but I very much doubt it would have got past the radio controllers because of the songs subject matter.

The flip ’Casting My Spell’ is a jaunty pop number with some subtle fuzz and remains uncompiled.

(10/11/11)

THE BEAUTIFUL DAZE – ’City Jungle Part 1’/’City Jungle Part 2’ (RPR Records R-101) 1967

Hold onto your crystalized mind until the eggman collects it for The Beautiful Daze are about to take you on a lysergic trip with their ’beautiful production’ to the City jungle wherever that is. My guess is that it’s Los Angeles circa 1967, as this amazing acid fuelled 45 was recorded in Hollywood.

I first discovered ’City Jungle Part 1’ way back in the 80s on a garage psych comp called ’Acid Dreams’ and it completely blew my mind. Who were these guys? How did they get that sound? What planet did they come from? I had all of these questions back then but had no answers. Fast forward almost 30 years and I still have no answers.

’City Jungle Parts 1 & 2’ is psychedelic mayhem or sonic dementia depending on your state of mind at the time of listening. It sounds like The Beautiful Daze incorporate twin acid leads, joyful psych noises that is probably an echoplex, mind altering feedback and maximum fuzz action.

They even have time for a mid song Association type sunshine pop interlude but that peace quickly fades away as more fuzztone guitars burn away the sunshine.

It seems that the single was a Los Angeles underground hit as I’ve seen numerous copies on RPR Records for sale over the years. It was also released on Spread City Records and Alpha Records.

(08/11/11)

THE X-TREEMS – ’Substitute’/’Facts Of Life’ (Star Trek Records 1221) 1969

The X-Treems hailed from St Louis, Missouri and were a popular group in their home town but like most local outfits remained largely unknown everywhere else.

That was until the 80s when this 45 was ripe for the compilation market, especially the flip ’Facts Of Life’ which is regarded as a garage psych classic, probably due to the over the top use of fuzz guitar.

’Substitute’ is an energetic take of The Who original but it seems that The X-Treems had a fraction of the former’s studio budget as the production is muddy and amateurish but still enjoyable. The record label name of Star Trek is great though, no doubt influenced by the TV Show.

Line-up:
Gary Wood (bass/vocals)
Alan Shelby (guitar/vocals)
Phil Markley (organ)
Rick Tello (drums)

MTM: This 45 was a massive quantity find in the late 70’s early ’80s. A good $5-10 pick up in those days, even thru the early part of the ’90s!The 45 was released in the spring of 1969.

(06/11/11)

THE RAINY DAZE – ’Blood Of Oblivion’ / ’Stop Sign’ (Polydor 56737) October 1967

The Rainy Daze were from Denver, Colorado and they had a fair sized hit with something of a novelty song called ’That Acapulco Gold’ supposedly about weed.

The main songwriter in The Rainy Daze was Tim Gilbert who collaborated with John Carter (who was not part of the band) This song writing duo wrote most of the original material recorded by The Rainy Daze. They also had several songs recorded by other artists. For instance, Hardwater and The Yankee Dollar covered their songs ’City Sidewalks’, ’Good Old Friends’ and ’Sanctuary’.

Perhaps their most famous song writing credit is ’Incense And Peppermints’ recorded by The Strawberry Alarm Clock although bass player George Bunnell from SAC suggests that the melody and body of the music to ’Incense And Peppermints’ was already written but no one from the band could come up with any lyrics.

Enter Rainy Daze, Yankee Dollar and Strawberry Alarm Clock producer Frank Slay. He suggested that Tim Gilbert and John Carter could finish the song. This they did along with taking ALL song writing credits.

Getting back to this record then. ’Blood Of Oblivion’ is cool pop psych with some magical organ interplay. ’Stop Sign’ is also interesting and has the inclusion of brass. Both songs are not on The Rainy Daze album released to cash in on the hit ’That Acapulco Gold’.

line-up:
Tim Gilbert (lead singer/rhythm guitar)
Sam Fuller (bass)
Bob Heckendorf (organ)
Kip Gilbert (drums)
Mac Ferris (lead guitar)

(04/11/11)

THE BENTLEYS – ’Now It’s Gone’/’Night Time In The City’ (Devlet 443/4) 1966

Mike Kuzmin’s book ’Sounds From The Woods’ has proved invaluable to pinpoint The Bentleys as a Stroudsburg area group of Pennsylvania. According to Mike, some members were active in another Stroudsburg group called The Devils. They had a Devlet single release in 1964 ’Devil Dance’/’Just Like That’

’Now It’s Gone’ is a classy fuzz and tambourine shakin’ garage rocker with some good vocal harmonies. The 45 proved to be a hit in Lehigh Valley although outside their home area The Bentleys probably remained unknown. The flip ’Night Time In The City’ is a squaresville ballad.

(01/11/11)

THE BARE FACTS – ’Instant Happiness’/’There Won’t Be A Next Time’ (Harvest H-727) April 1966

Earlier this month I was checking the internet for any possible unknown information on The Bare Facts from Ohio who released ’Bad Part Of Town’/’Georgiana’ on Jubilee Records. By chance, I happened upon a one entry blog simply called ’Bare Facts’. The article was written by Steve Kirkman who was a member of teen group The Bare Facts from LaPorte, Indiana.

Steve also uploaded a couple of promo photographs of The Bare Facts taken sometime in 1966 which I’ve posted here.

The Indiana Bare Facts released two 45s, the first on Harvest Records which has a crude garage sound. ’Instant Happiness’ can be found on Teenage Shutdown ”No Tease” comp. I don’t have the original 45 so I’ve used a transfer of the song from TS but have increased the volume somewhat because it was mastered really low on that LP. Mind you, ’Instant Happiness’ sounds very crude anyway!

The Bare Facts line-up on ’Instant Happiness’/’There Won’t Be A Next Time’ was:

Steve Kirkman (lead vocals/bass)
Dan Topolski (guitar)
Bob Corsby (drums)
Kevin Shuter (keyboards)

Some line-up changes took place in mid ’66. Jim Sipe replaced Bob Corsby on drums and they added Ron Shaw and Dave Curtis, both played trumpet and some other instruments.

The Bare Facts also started playing the ’Chicago sound’ and were greatly influenced by The Buckinghams, The American Breed and The Four Tops among others.

A second 45 followed, which I’ve not heard, probably has that horn rock influence. No garage guide I’ve got lists ’Does She Love Me’/’I Think I’m Falling In Love’.

Reader comment:
I played trombone in the BARE FACTS (I think in 1971 – 1973?) after meeting those guys @ the Purdue extension. Anyone have contact data for Dave Curtis or Ron Shaw? ThanksClarence Novakcnovak@hughes.net

(31/10/11)

THE E-TYPES – ’She Moves Me’/’The Love Of The Loved’ (Sunburst SBM 45-001) October 1966

Perfect double sided English Invasion sounds from The E-Types, a teenage beat group from Salinas, near San Jose. After building up a loyal local following, supporting big name groups and winning a Battle Of The Bands contest, The E-Types secured a deal with Sunburst Records and travelled to Los Angeles to record some songs under the tutelage of Ed Cobb and Richie Podolor (two names that have cropped up on ’Flower Bomb Songs’ several times).

The summer sounding garage pop of ’She Moves Me’, written by Cobb, deserved to have been a big hit but it didn’t break out on a national level, however, it was a decent sized seller in their home territory and Orlando!

The flip ’The Love Of The Loved’ is a Lennon-McCartney penned pop song, unreleased by the Liverpool mop-tops, and ideal material for The Beatles obsessed E-Types.

’She Moves Me’ featured on Dick Clark’s TV Show ’Where The Action Is’ where The E-Types lip-synched their song at Echo Beach, Los Angeles.

(28/10/11)

NOBODY’S CHILDREN – ’Jungo Partner (A Worthless Cajun)’/’Let Her Go’ (United Artists UA 50090) Dec 1966

If you like your fuzz action (which I’m sure you do) cop some of this ’Satisfaction’ inspired raucous garage rock from Maryland’s Nobody’s Children. There’s more than a hint of The Rolling Stones about ’Jungo Partner’ to keep me happy and the singer appears to have mastered Mick’s vocal delivery and by the sounds of it Nobody’s Children have also got the Stones’ swagger.

I’ve listened to ’Jungo Partner’ many times over the years and still have no idea what the song is about. Why a ’worthless cajun?’ eh?…Were these the same Nobody’s Children who released ’I Can’t Let Go’ on Bullet Records?

The flip ’Let Her Go’ is a commercial Brit Invasion jangly pop tune which reminds me of early Searchers B-Sides. Pretty good side. 

Readers comments:
A great classic rocker, it starts off as the old blues standard ”Junco Partner” which was covered by quite a few artists including the Holy Modal Rounders and the Family of Apostolic, but the fuzz knocks into a whole other song.

The Clash did this one too…reggae style! the first time I came across this weird name, it was in the mid-80s when I bought Pebbles 6, ‘the roots of Mod’, and there was a band called Junco Partners…I think they were from Newcastle…this one is a GREAT version!

(27/10/11)

THE OFF-BEATS – ’Mary’/’You Tell Me’ (Tower 205) January 1966

’Mary’ is one of the shortest songs to ever feature on ’Flower Bomb Songs’ and at just under 1:30 minutes it must surely rank as one of the shortest from the 60s. To my ears it sounds like a mersey beat ’La Bamba’.

Clearly, The Off-Beats are influenced by the so called Brit Invasion and that is even more evident on the flip ’You Tell Me’ where these Californian teenagers perform a David Allen penned acoustic beat ballad.

The Off-Beats changed their name to The Children (’This Sporting Life’) then to Somebody’s Chyldren (’I’m Going Back To New York City’)…check out the links (labels) below for information on these releases.

update from Michael Dennis Trerotola

Hi Colin!

I recorded that at the famous GOLD STAR STUDIOS in LA. This is the studio where Righteous Brothers recorded You’ve lost that loving feeling. Richie Valens recorded La Bamba and Donna, Ike and Tina Turner and of course Phil Spector. It was located on Vine and Santa Monica. 

Thank you!!

Dennis

Reader comments:

Dennis Trerotola passed away today at 9:04 AM PACIFIC time. He was 67 years old.

When I was in grade school, our nun was pushing this band on us. Apparently someone in the group was a relative. A few kids purchased a copy and someone played it in our classroom. That’s probably all the copies that were sold. ? Ed Kaz

(24/10/11)

YESTERDAY’S CHILDREN – ’To Be Or Not To Be’/’Baby I Want You’ (Parrot 45-PAR-314) January 1967

Yesterday’s Children from Connecticut, unleash a powerful fuzz blast with a guitar tinged with the sitar sound. The singer spits out his sadness cos his girl has really hurt him bad since she left him, now his life lies in ruins. 

”Seven days of tear and pain
Since you left me all alone.
The world is empty now
It will never be the same…no”

The single was their first and only record release in this garage style. The group recorded an album for Map City Records which I’ve not heard but it’s supposedly late 60s heavy rock.

’To Be Or Not To Be’ was a small hit on the WPOP Radio Charts, Hartford, CT and entered the top forty during February 1967. Yesterday’s Children also had a four track EP released in France resplendent in a picture sleeve. I’ve not got this but found an image on popsike.

The flip ’Baby, I Want You’ has no fuzz but is still a pretty good tune with just a hint of the British Invasion sound that they left behind on their fuzz swinger.

(22/11/11)

DICK CURTIS – ’Funny Girl’/’It’s Not The Same’ (CRI 5202) 196?

Here’s an obscure 45 by Dick Curtis who I know nothing about. The label offers some clues though, Colortronics Recording Industries, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Could this be where Mr Curtis was from?

The most interesting side is the flip ’It’s Not The Same’, an urgent 60s punker that was compiled some years ago on the CD only release ’Grains Of Time’.

Readers comments:
An excellent track, with a great song and guitar, however it is the care lavished on the vocals that does it for me and makes me think that Dick was a MOR singer on his day off.

This 45 pairs two songs recorded at vastly different times. The A side is ”Funny Girl”. This Colortronics label 45 was released in the fall of 1972. ”It’s Not the Same” was recorded in mono (A side is stereo, I think, I’d have to play my 45 and check).

”It’s Not The Same” was written and applied for copyright registration in December, 1964. Richard Curtis was living in West Los Angeles, California at that time he filed for registration.

(21/10/11)

LIMEY & THE YANKS – ’Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind’/’Gather My Things And Go’ (Loma 2059) October 1966

Limey & The Yanks formed in mid 1965 in Garden Grove, Orange Country and soon after became regulars at various Sunset Strip venues. Their first 45, ’Guaranteed Love’ on the collectable Star burst Records label established them as an act with the potential to break out of Los Angeles.

They enjoyed plenty of publicity and appearances on prime time music shows which should have seen their potential reap deserved rewards but the follow up single ’Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind’ on Loma didn’t take Limey & The Yanks to the next level.

This is a shame because several unreleased Limey recordings have recently emerged suggesting that an album could have followed any sizeable hit.

’Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind’ was also released as a 45 by The Bit A Sweet and The Marauders.

I found a discussion about ’Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind’ on the old G45 Forum. It appears that The Marauders released their version of the song first as the B-side to ’Jug Band Blues’ (July/August 1966), followed by Limey & The Yanks (October 1966). The Bit A Sweet version was released sometime in 1967 as a B-side.

Readers comments:
I’ve actually heard 5 different versions of ‘Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind”. There is a debate whether The Marauders or Limey & The Yanks performed it first. The Bit A’ Sweet performed it a year later.

The other two versions were performed in the past couple of years. Both terrible in my opinion. I do prefer Limey & The Yanks version of the song.

There is another ”garage” version of the song, by the Emotionals from Wisconsin, but that 45 wasn’t issued til January, 1967.I think there is a soul version, but I don’t have the 45.

(16/10/11)

THE BEAVER PATROL – ’E.S.P.’/’Just Like A Lady’ (Columbia 4-44139) May 1967

If you think that you’ve heard ’E.S.P.’ before you’re probably thinking The Pretty Things and the song in question will be ’£.S.D’ written by Dick Taylor & Phil May.

It’s basically the same song but The Beaver Patrol, from Hollywood, Florida, have changed the title, some other words and given themselves a writing credit as per shown on the label.

Either way, it’s a powerful fuzz drenched punker that drives hard and I mean hard. Production is by The Strangeloves member Richard Gottehrer.’E.S.P.’ was probably a little too ’out there’ for the average radio listener back in mid ’67.

The other side ’Love Like A Lady’ appears to have been the plug side as it was selected as a predicted chart spotlight in Billboard during May 1967.  

possible line-up:
Gary Vandy (guitar)*
Jim Bledsoe (bass)
Mike Cooper (guitar)
Floyd Humphreys (guitar)
Jim Becker (drums)

* line-up is speculative, all names gathered from a thread on the forum Limestone Lounge*

* I have been contacted by Gary Vandy who confirmed that he was not on this recording*

Other combos who recorded ’E.S.P.’ were The Rain, Giant Crab and Big Brother.

(15/10/11)

THE PRIMATES – ’Knock On My Door’/’She’ (Marko M 923) September 1965

This record is a true item of beauty, just take a look at the gorgeous label. Dark red on gold with black simply goes graphic designers of the world. Those cats at Marko Records certainly knew that colours, fonts and simplicity can make or break an artistic label. One of the BEST!

Right, now I’ve got that outta the way, what about the music? Let’s just say both sides are 60s garage wonderments. The flip ’She’ is a moody masterpiece and will stay floating around your mind for ever. Once heard, never forgotten.

The thundering bass guitar that introduces ‘Knock On Your Door’ sounds like a steam train coming off it’s tracks, then right away we’re into the teenbeat mayhem who’s theme is a common one among teenage groups. The singer’s been burned by his girl but she decides she wants him back….Glad that the singer, John Demetrious kind of told her to fuck right off out of his life for good, cos he’s not gonna open his door to her ever again.

The Primates hailed from Astoria, New York and were all in their mid teens. But as you know age makes no difference, in fact they were probably at the perfect age to create their garage double sider.
A follow up single on Marko ’Don’t Press Your Luck’/’Cathy’ is also a classy affair. One side rocker the other side beat ballad.

Line-up:
Joe Ferdinando (drums)
James Hartofius (bass)
Gus Kaselis (organ)
Barry Bozzone (lead guitar)
John Demetrious (rhythm guitar/lead vocals)

(13/10/11)

THE BARE FACTS – ”Bad Part Of Town” / Georgiana” (Jubilee 45-5544) October 1966

This outstanding double sided garage rocker was recorded by a group of teenagers from the Portsmouth area of Scioto County, Ohio.

Back in the mid 80s I must have played ’Bad Part Of Town’ hundreds of times having discovered the song via my favourite ever garage psych comp ’Mayhem & Psychosis #2’.

It was only natural to want to own an original copy of ’Bad Part Of Town’ when I decided to seriously collect 60s garage singles in the late 90s.

Both sides were recorded at Jay Gee / Jublee Records studios in Broadway, NYC sometime in 1966. The record didn’t break out on a national level but sold thousands back home in Scioto County, Ohio where The Bare Facts were considered rock’n’roll royalty and mainly a blue eyed soul group.

A second Bare Facts 45 followed but the punk attitude had been replaced by a commercial pop sound.

Line-up:
Ron Pruitt (rhythm guitar)
Bill Williams (lead guitar/vocals)
Dave Craycraft (organ)
Rusty Pruitt (drums)
Randy Boldman (bass)

(12/10/11)

THE ADVANTES – ’I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better’/’Done It Again’ (Tripper 60611) 1966

Here’s a crudely recorded and produced record by a group of teenagers from Pennsylvania (according to Barry Wickham’s Price Guide). Both sides have that basement sound and to be honest the lo-fi couldn’t get much lower.

The labels were even put on the wrong side of the disc, hence the reason for the song title stickers. This record couldn’t get anymore amateurish. The boys from The Advantes must have been really pissed off.

’I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better’ is a solid version of Gene Clark’s classic folk rocker but for me the jewel is on the B-Side. ’Done It Again’ is probably an Advantes original and the group really begin to smoke on their folk garage anthem.

The lead guitarist sets my pulse racing with his mid song guitar break and that drummer with his basic skin pounding gets top marks for creating a rather special and unassuming backbeat. a REAL treat.

Some copies of this 45 have the labels reversed. Copies have been found with stickers correcting the titles, others do not. There are also pressings with the sides labelled correctly, I have one, and have sold copies of the correct label pressings. The group was from Sunbury, PA. Several of the guys soon after formed a group called Sundae Train – they had two singles ”I Wanna Be” / “Wake Up (Sleepy Girl)” for the 20th Century-Fox label (#6693) in ’67, and then a deal for a 45 (”Sing Sweet Barbara” / Love Affair Of The Happy People” and an LP (The Sundae Train) on the BT Puppy label in ’68.

(10/10/11)

THE SAGES – “In The Beginning’/’I’m Not Going To Cry’ (RCA Victor 47-8760) January 1966

Jim W, a regular contributor to my site, suggested that I take a look at an obscure record he had by The Sages. I have this record in my collection and always assumed that because it was on an American label that The Sages were from USA. The music on both sides of the disc certainly sounded American to me.

I started researching the group and discovered that their lead singer was Trevor Brice who had enormous worldwide fame with late 60s English band Vanity Fare. Indeed three members of The Sages were also present in Vanity Fare.

Trevor Brice has his own website and much of the information and group pics were uploaded from his site.

It transpires that The Sages started life as a beat combo in 1962 calling themselves The Avengers. Group members all hailed from the Medway Towns of Kent, England and were regulars on the circuit.

Sometime in 1965 they became The 4 Avengers, eventually getting a record deal to release a single in USA. However, due to contractual reasons they had to change their name from The 4 Avengers to The Sages.

’In The Beginning’ was released in USA (only) during January 1966 and the record got a write-up in music industry magazine Cash Box at that time. The A-Side is a strange song with religious overtones based on the Book of Genesis.

The real deal is on the flip though. ’I’m Not Going To Cry’ is a medium paced folk rocker with some haunting vocals from Trevor Brice and jangle guitar. The drum action from Bob Pluck is also impressive.

Both songs were written by local Medway songwriters Johnny Keith and Derek Webb who wrote several songs for Joe Brown. The producer, Lionel Segal was very active during the 60s and eventually became co-owner of hip indie label Strike Records.

line-up:
Trevor Brice (vocals)
Tony Goulden (lead guitar)
Tony Jarret (bass)
Bob Pluck (drums)

Lee Fairbrother:
As much as a good drummer Bob Pluck was it was actually me, Lee (Willum) Fairbrother who was the fourth Member of the Sages. Pleased to put record straight. Trevor and myself are still in contact.

(10/07/11)

THE PLASTIC PEOPLE – ’It’s Not Right’/’This Life Of Mine’ (Kapp K-789) Nov 1966

I do not know much about The Plastic People, an obscure folk rock group from San Francisco (according to the Barry Wickham Garage Reference Guide). They released two 45s on Kapp Records that went nowhere, the second, ’Hide’ coming housed in a limited edition picture sleeve showing the boys dressed in the same kind of gear as The Beau Brummels.

The debut 45 is quite a gem with magical harmonies; one glance at the label shows legendary Los Angeles pop psych producer Curt Boettcher’s involvement along with Jim Bell. A partnership that produced countless sweet aural delights during the mid to late 60s.

Discography:

’It’s Not Right’/’This Life Of Mine’ (Kapp K-789)
’Hide’/’Glad With What I’ve Got’ (Kapp K-823)

(09/07/11)

THE TIKIS – ’If I’ve Been Dreaming’/’Pay Attention To Me’ (Autumn Records 18) June 1965

The Tikis were a popular surf group from Santa Cruz but had not released any records until they signed to Autumn Records and changed their music style in keeping with the so called British Invasion sound.

’If I’ve Been Dreaming’ was a decent but safe stab at beat music and surprisingly was not compiled on those Big Beat Autumn CD releases from the 90s. Perhaps the master tapes were missing?

The flip ’Pay Attention To Me’ is a merseybeat inspired mover where the singer is trying hard to keep up with the backbeat. His vocals are not that convincing but the rhythm section is, particular the swingin’ guitar break.

More Tikis singles would be released in 65/66 with no success but with the addition of ex Beau Brummels drummer John Peterson some time in early 1967 and a change of name to The Harpers Bizarre their time had come with a hit version of Paul Simon’s ’59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)’.

line-up:
Ted Templeman (drums)
Dickie Scoppettone (rhythm guitar)
Dick Yount (bass)
Ed James (lead guitar)

Hey COLIN—Ted Templeman became a big ”producer” for Warner Brotherz Recordz in the 70z.Best alwayz—”mad” louie

(06/07/11)

JACQUES DUTRONC – ’Le Monde a l’envers’/’J’Avais La Cervelle Qui Faisait Des Vagues’ (Disques Vogue 45-4010) 1971

I’ll complete my Jacques Dutronc expose with this 1971 single that neatly updates his francais rhythms with a more progressive sound. There’s still that beloved tambourine rattle, subtle fuzz and some background hammond organ.

I wonder if this was a hit? Or if Dutronc was that bothered, because he was starting to focus his attentions on French movies during this period.

Reader comment:
”Le Monde à l’envers” was not a hit. The side A of the record, ”J’avais la cervelle qui faisait des vagues” was the first song written in verlan (a language based on the inversion of the syllables), with a music very french… Very interesting…

(17/05/11)

JACQUES DUTRONC – ’Le Responsable’/’Laquelle Des Deux Est La Plus Snob’ (Disques Vogue 45-1596) 1969

The Dutronc magic was still in evidence during 1969 with this monster mod shaker complete with the Frenchman’s rapid vocal delivery, killer guitar, brass and trademark tambourine bashin’.

Quite possibly his finest work.

Readers comments:
yep! Definitely his best. Up there in the French top 3 with ”Dodecaphonie” by Antoine’s backing band Les Problemes and Michel Polnareff’s ”Time Will Tell”. Lolly Pope.

My favorite Dutronc’s tune would be ”je suis content” and maybe ”à la queue les Yvelines” I think I’ve heard ”le responsable” too much in 60s parties, it’s still one of my favorites too

(16/05/11)

JACQUES DUTRONC – ’Les Metamorphoses’ (Disques Vogue EPL 8630) 1968

This Dutronc EP carries on with the same kinda bag as the previous one but with mixed results. The opener ’Le Courrier Du Coeur’ is irrating French pop sung crooner style. ’Ca Prend, Ca N’Prend Pas’ is blues rock and is quite listenable.

The best two cuts are reserved for the second side with the psychedelically processed ’Les Metamorphoses’ the pick. The French seemed to make no attempt to write and perform psychedelic music in the 60s, there are rare examples…very rare attempts.

At least Dutronc offers us a Donovan(esque) surprise.

(15/05/11)

JACQUES DUTRONC – Fais Pas Ci, Fais Pas Ca (Disques Vogue EPL 8611) 1968

Dutronc weaves more magic on this 1968 four song EP with my favourite ’Fais Pas Ci, Fais Pas Ca’ being the standout. This cut races along with Dutronc’s sharp vocal delivery over a crisp tambourine rattle and at 1:40 in length ends all too quickly.

Curiously, ’Fais Pas Ci, Fais Pas Ca’ was not compiled on the recent Jacques Dutronc ’Best Of’ CD on RPM? 

’L’Augmentation’ is perhaps the most well known song here, ’Comment Elles Dorment’ has a vague Doors like sound with it’s eerie organ weaving throughout the arrangement.  

Special praise also needed for the wonderful EP sleeve design.

Readers comments:
in France the most well known song is ”fais pas ci fais pas ça”it was used in an advertise during years, and also for a TV theme it’s one of his most famous songs actually I think (with les cactus, j’aime les filles, la fille du père noel, et moi et moi et moi or les playboys)

In this EP, the hit is ”Il est cinq heures, Paris s’éveille”, number one in France, number 3 in Holland (see Charts). ”Fais pas ci, fais pas ça”, nº12 in the hit-parade of the magazine Salut les Copains”, is now the credits’ music of a french TV serial, ”Fais pas ci, fais pas ça”.

(14/05/11)

JACQUES DUTRONC – ’Les Rois De La Reforme’ (Disques Vogue EPL 8587) Nov 1967

The fifth Jacques Dutronc four song EP followed in November 1967 with only the quasi psychedelic ’Les Rois De La Reforme’ getting repeat plays in EXPO67 towers. The piss taking hippie anthem (of sorts) ’Hippie Hippie Hourrah’ is passable but a bit novelty for my tastes.

Reader comment:
”la publicité” is my fav on this EP, I love this song! I think I’ve already played it in parties! anyway ”hippy hippy hourrah” is also great, I’ve seen two days ago the Black Lips in live and they did a nice rendition of it in English

(11/05/11)

JACQUES DUTRONC – L’idole (Disques Vogue EPL 8536) April 1967

By the start of 1967 everything was looking rosy in Jacques’ garden. He’d had three smash hit singles in France and was in a relationship with the beautiful Francoise Hardy. Surely it couldn’t get much better than that (as long as he had his cigarettes).

The fourth Dutronc EP was released in April 1967 and again featured three decent songs and a real bad  apple spoiling things. ’Ain’t got a clue why he’d want to record ’J’aime Les Filles’….terrible French pop.

’J’ai Tout Lu, Tout Vu, Tout Bu’ is a strong Kinksy rocker but the winner for me is ’L’idole’ complete with searing fuzz bursts and a stop start arrangement.

(07/05/11)

JACQUES DUTRONC – ’L’espace d’une Fille’ (Disques Vogue EPL 8498) December 1966

The third and last Jacques Dutronc EP to be released in 1966 was ’Les Cactus’, the picture cover showing Jacques decked out in mock Mexican gear with an acoustic guitar standing in front of a huge cactus. Yes, the 60s artistic shots could be that obvious sometimes.

Out of the four songs on offer the folk rock tinged ’L’espace d’une Fille’ is my favourite.

Only the appalling ’La Compapade’ shows that the Frenchman was fallible.

(02/05/11)

JACQUES DUTRONC – ’La Fille Du Pere Noel’ (Disques Vogue EPL 8497) October 1966

The enormous success of the first Dutronc EP made a follow up an obvious one and the four songs on this disc mirror much of his debut. There is a more garage sound though on two of the tracks, for instance ’On Nous Cache Tout, On Nous Dit Rien’ there’s some neat fuzz guitar and there is compact organ utilized on ’Sur Une Nappe De Restaurant’.

The only song not compiled on the recent Dutronc ’Best Of’ EP released on RPM is ’La Fille Du Pere Noel’…not sure why the compiler didn’t use it but it’s got a satisfying Bo Diddley backbeat with Dutronc’s lazy Dylan style vocals. Too good to miss.

Readers comments:
Hi Colin, thanks for your nice comment on the Wrong Words! if you enjoyed the song, the LP is a pretty good deal I think it’s strange to not have put ”la fille du père noël” on the RPM comp’.

In France it’s one of the most famous Jacques Dutronc’s songs (with ”les cactus” ”les playboys” or ”il est 5 heures du matin”) and it’s also a great one.Someone (I can’t remember who) quite famous here in France did a funny cover of ”la fille du père noël” mixed with ”jean génie” of Bowie, which is quite similar!

Among my personal favorites of Dutronc you have ”hippie hippie hourrah” which was covered by the Black Lips in the recent years, very nice song with a melody inspired from a traditional song from Britany , a kind of drinking song.

The Dutronc song was about the bandwagon hippies: people which became hippies because you could sell more discs but not because of their own convictions.

This record with ”Les playboys”, nº1 in France, nº30 in Germany, nº32 en Holland, is the best seller EP for Dutronc. His CD best seller is ”Dutronc au Casino” (760 000).

A Belgian group, Été 67, sings ”On nous cache tout, on nous dit rien” (I think it’s possible to see in YouTube).It’s possible to hear public versions of ”La fille du père Noel” and ”Sur une nappe de restaurant” in the last record of Dutronc, ”Et vous, et vous, et vous”.

(02/05/11)

JACQUES DUTRONC – ’Mini-Mini-Mini’ ((Disques Vogue EPL 8461) June 1966

In France, Jacques Dutronc is now a national treasure but in the 60s he was a Superstar. His good looks, high cheekbones and blue eyes helped enormously. So did his fabulous mod clothes.

Jacques’ first record was this four track EP, all of which were sung in French (why not that’s where he’s from). I don’t speak French and don’t have a notion what he’s singing about but I dig the sound and that’s what’s important to me.

All of the cuts on this EP are very primitive and quite crude in their recording. I can hear a strong Bob Dylan and Troggs influence particularly on ’Mini-Mini-Mini’. In France the EP sold approx 300,000 copies (can you imagine that!)

comment from a reader:
Hi, I just discovered your fantastic blog today and as a French guy I was naturally attracted by the Jacques Dutronc section ! Just to say it’s a pity you don’t speak French because lyrics by
Jacques Lanzmann are really the key to understand why Dutronc was so successful.

It’s obvious the music is great but it’s only half of the thing. I say that because I read you was wondering about « j’aime les filles. The clue is not only he sang with a crooner voice to mock the genre but all the way through the song there are references to hip night clubs or places like Megeve and St Tropez and so on. in les play boys too and the pun at the end « telepnonez moi, telephonez me is funny too.

Dutronc/Lanzmann’s era is a topical reference to the 66/68 era, and typically Parisian.

If you could have the lyrics translated you would discover a new perspective in the understanding of those masterpieces.
All the best.
Grégoire

et moi et moi et moi was covered by the Mungo Jerry under the title ”alright alright alright” but the original song is much better as you can imagine!

Just come across your blog – great stuff. I knew nothing about Jacques Dutronc until reading your posts, but it caught my eye as I’d previously seen a clip of him doing ‘Et moi et moi et moi’ on the German ‘Beat Club’ programme on which it really stood out!

Restaurant in New York owned by Daniel Boulud uses this song Mini Mini Mini on its website.

(01/05/11)

THE V.I.P.’S – Every Girl I See (Funtona V 8600) bootleg LP

One of the very best R&B/soul groups to come out of England during the mid 60s were The V.I.P.’s. They emerged during the beat boom in the small town of Carlisle. This place was obviously far too small for their talents so they re-located (like most groups) to London.

The V.I.P.’s were hugely respected on the circuit and played all of the premier London venues such as the hip The Scotch Of St James Club. They went largely ignored by the record buying public in England though despite some strong single releases.

They had loyal followings in Germany where they were regulars at The Star Club in Hamburg during 1965/66 and in France where they released three EPs. Much of the material on these EPs never saw any release in Britain.

’Every Girl I See’ is one such mod mover with a slightly trippy production that was hidden away on a French EP.

The V.I.P.’s called it quits in early 1967 but soon returned as Art then changed their name again, this time to Spooky Tooth.  

(18/06/11)

THE V.I.P.’s – ’That’s My Woman’ (Funtona V 8600) bootleg LP

’That’s My Woman’ never saw a release in Britain but it was the flip of ’Mercy, Mercy’,  a 1966 single released in USA. It also featured on a bootleg German EP from the 80s.

The song was also recorded by The Nashville Teens who released it on Decca in January 1967.

The V.I.P.’s treatment of ’That’s My Woman’ is a raw fuzztoned blast and at just over two minutes is short enough to be perfect for radio. Sadly, probably few people would have heard it’s power at the time. 

(19/06/11)

THE V.I.P.’s – ’I Wanna Be Free’/’Don’t Let It Go’/’Smokestack Lightning’ (Fontana 460.982 ME) October 1966 – French release

’I Wanna Be Free’ b/w ’Don’t Let It Go was released in Britain during October 1966 but flopped. I actually prefer the soul ballad of sorts ’Don’t Let It Go’ on the flip but overall I know that The V.I.P.’s had much stronger material that Island could have put out.

The French EP on Fontana added a pedestrian version of Howlin’ Wolf’s ’Smokestack Lightning’ which I’ve never cared for no matter who records it. It’s just one of those songs that doesn’t get me stirring with any interest.

(20/06/11)

LES GYPSYS – ’Je Ne Te Pardonnerai Pas’ (Tryptic Records TR01) re-issue

Earlier this month I posted rare and exclusive pictures of French group Les Gypsys. Jean Pierre Hipken, bass player from Les Gypsys has been in touch with me several times over the past few weeks and I had a big surprise the other day when he sent me a signed copy of the super cool re-issue of his old band’s 45 ’Proletaire’.

The re-issue is very limited (500 copies) and is already SOLD OUT!!

This time around for my second and final Gypsys post I’ve uploaded the tough R’n’B flip ’Je Ne Te Pardonnerai Pas’ which you will hear is pure Pretty Things in sound and structure. 

(23/04/11)

THE PERSUADERS THEME – 1971

Back in the late 60s and early 70s when men were men they did macho things like having punch ups, they drank barrels of real ale and could still get up for work next day.

They kept their unchanged underpants on for days on end, they smoked cigars, drove fast cars and gambled their pay away. Quite often they went unshaven for weeks.

Sadly, modern men are now either mincers, metrosexuals or have allowed themselves to be hen pecked by an overbearing woman.  

But cheer up my faithful men friends from around the globe, I’ll attempt to release your pent up male pheromones with this GREAT theme tune from John Barry. It’s from British TV show The Persuaders starring future James Bond, Roger Moore (Lord Brett Sinclair) and Hollywood superstar Tony Curtis (Danny Wilde)..

The format of the show was simple: these two International Playboys teamed up to solve cases the courts could not.

During their escapades they would bed woman, have some fights, get into some scrapes and bed more woman. Proper bloke stuff in other words.

 John Barry also delivered the goods with theme tunes for movies such as Midnight Cowboy, The Ipcress File, The Knack and plenty of James Bond highlights. Rule Britannia!

(04/09/10)

I’ll continue my ’Made In Britain’ series with this relic from 1969.

Back when I was a pre teen kid in the 70s I remember watching repeats of TV Show Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased).

This was first shown in England during the late 60s. It was a weird private eye show with a twist because it involved a ghost (Marty Hopkirk) his partner (Jeff Randall) and a foxy blond Dolly Bird. Their seedy approach to fighting crime was a cut above the usual crime fighting tripe.

The theme always stood out to me as being a classic and was used by The Godfathers as their signature tune when they came out on stage at gigs back in the mid 80s, well it was the couple of times I saw the group perform.

The theme tune was compiled on a CD called ’Cult Fiction Royale’ in the 90s.

Keith Bickerton:
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) was a great programme, that I never missed in the 60’s. There is an obscure musical connection: the actor who played Jeff Randall was the boyfriend of Chiitra Neogy who made the wonderful ”The Perfumed Garden” album on Gemini. Sadly the actor died relatively young.

(02/09/10)

THE SESSIONS – ’Let Me In’/’Bouncing Bass’ (Fontana F-1529) November 1965

I’ve had this record several years and did some research on it ages ago but never got around to posting it on ’Flower Bomb Songs’. I guess after writing about The Sorrows version of ’Let Me In’ last time out, this is the perfect time for The Sessions.

Scant information exists about The Sessions but they were a short lived Brum beat outfit that enjoyed NO releases in England but somehow ’Let Me In’ b/w ’Bouncing Bass’ got a release in USA.

The Sessions included future Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and according to his official website The Sessions also included Chas Hodges (bass), Nicky Hopkins (piano), Jimmy Evans (drums) and singer/songwriter (and future Sorrows member Miki Dallon on vocals).

The studio sessions for both recordings took place during March 1965, so this version was way earlier than the more familiar Sorrows take. ’Bouncing Bass’ is an instrumental.

(11/09/10)

THE SORROWS – ’Let Me In’/’How Love Used To Be’ (Piccadilly 7N35336) August 1966

The Sorrows were one of the toughest sounding bands to emerge from the mid 60s R’N’B scene in England. Far more gritty than the more popular groups on the scene and of course Don Fardon was a hugely talented vocalist. Just perfect for the supercharged Sorrows mod sound.

Miki Dallon’s ’Let Me In’ is a powerful song with crunching guitar, powerful vocals and a pulsating beat or could that be freakbeat? Not surprisingly, it was far too snotty for the charts and it sank into oblivion.

The flip ’How It Used To Be’ is a moody masterpiece and is the perfect come down after the thundering raunch of ’Let Me In’. This is a classic two sided 45 in every sense.

(08/09/10)

BILLY FURY – ’I Call For My Rose’/’Bye Bye’ (Parlophone R 5788) July 1969

England’s answer to Elvis Presley was probably Billy Fury and he enjoyed lots of rock ’n’ roll hits pre Beatlemania. None of these songs are ’Flower Bomb Songs’ material. However, in December 1966 Billy Fury signed to Parlophone and some of this material does fit my blog criteria.

Every Billy Fury Parlophone 45 is tough to score and they rarely turn up because each release bombed worse than the previous one. So this new CD release is essential if you want to listen to these rare and forgotten sides.

Have a listen to his self penned ’Bye Bye’ which borrows heavily from hammond heavy groups like Spencer Davis Group and The Brian Auger Trinity. He’s certainly got a great mod mover with this one.

(31/08/10)

GIL NOW – ’Dis-Le Moi’ EP (Barclay 71182) 1967

This week a couple of vinyl music Blogs I regularly visited decided to call it quits, which is a shame of course. They were both well written and I was able to discover some new sounds via these outlets.

I think the bloggers quit due to time constraints which may be true but I have a feeling they both wrapped it in because of a low receipt of comments and/or other people blatantly downloading their MP3s and label scans & images and posting them elsewhere without any credit.

I’ve noticed that my label scans and photos are all over YouTube, but has my site had any credit? Has it fuck! AND the amount of garage records for sale on eBay where the seller has cut and pasted my review has me laughing my tits off.. (p.s. I don’t actually own any tits it’s just coin a phrase)

Anyway, enough of the EXPO rant. Here’s a rarely seen undiscovered gem by French singer Gil Now. I know nothing about the geezer but he looks like he was a well turned out mod.

The most notable cuts for ’Flower Bomb Songs’ are the brassy hammond movers ’Dis-Le Moi’ and ’Les Ville’ (both will feature on my next Circles compilation)

’Dis-Le Noi’ uses the same rhythm section of ’Skate’ by Dean Parrish but adds some new lyrics. I don’t care about that when Gil Now can churn out such a monster mod club sound.

(22/10/10)

THE ROB HOEKE RHYTHM AND BLUES BAND – ’When People Talk’/’Rain, Snow, Misery (Philips JF 333 592) September 1966

The common practice with most when discussing Dutch groups is to name drop The Outsiders, Q65 or Cuby and the Blizzards to name but three. Sure they recorded some memorable rockin’ beat tunes but my absolute favourites are The Rob Hoeke Rhythm & Blues Band.

They had a terrific run of singles during the mid to late 60s, none better than the punked out R’n’B of the bone crunchin’ ’When People Talk’….talk about making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Wow, such a killer.

I can’t make out most of the words but who cares when you’ve got that fuzz guitar sprawling all over Hoeke’s  boogie piano fills, clattering tambourine and trippy backwards sound effects mid way through this beat made by freaks.

(08/06/11)

Jim W has supplied me with several scans of Euro picture sleeves over the years for ’Flower Bomb Songs’ and recently he found a demo tape of a 1967-68 Dutch group called The Locks. He obtained the six song tape from a band member (via a friend) way back in the 80s.
Since then Jim has tried to track the band down but has never been successful. They originated from the Southern part of Holland.

Although the taped sounds were not sonically the best I can still detect that The Locks had something to offer and were obviously influenced a great deal by the more progressive psych sounds from the West Coast like The Doors and Iron Butterfly.

songs on tape:

I’m Gonna Fight
Island Of Love
Tomorrow
Rainy Days
We Need Help
It Seems To Me

(01/06/11)

THE MASCOTS – ’Call Me Your Love’/’Baby, Baby’ (Decca F 44420) late 1964

Here’s evidence that the British Invasion sound had reached Stockholm, Sweden by late 1964 with a charming two sided beat 45 by The Mascots. This was their third single and the last time I looked on YouTube there was an excellent quality promo clip of the group performing ’Call Me Your Love’ probably for a Swedish pop show.

’Baby, Baby’ is a little more rough around the edges and has a pretty neat beat guitar break raising the standards. My copy comes with a picture sleeve that has seen some damage, but it shows that The Mascots were sharp mod dressers.

(10/06/11)

LOS CANARIOS – ’Peppermint Frappe’/’Keep On The Right Side’ (Sono Play 20.051) 1967

’Peppermint Frappe’ is a strange psych soul mover with a great guitar riff and maximum brassy bursts. The vocals are powerfully delivered over the mod backbeat. The song at times veers towards full blown psychedelia but twists and turns in a danceable manner.

Probably why ’Peppermint Frappe’ is popular at mod events (so I’ve read).

Both songs were recorded at Lansdowne Studios, London during June 1967. Not a great deal has been written about Los Canarios but I believe that they were from the Canary Islands, Spain.

(15/06/11)

THE FLAT EARTH SOCIETY – ’When You’re There’ (Fleetwood FCLP 3027) 1968

When I first heard The Flat Earth Society LP in the 80s via a bootleg vinyl copy it immediately became a fixture on my turntable. The album ’Waleeco’ came housed in a psychedelic collage sleeve with a small picture of the group, they looked very young and at the time of recording the music these boys were all still teenagers.

The album opener ’Feelin’ Much Better’ is a classic psych rocker with it’s stoned guitar moves over some folk-rock tambourine frills. That song more than any, became my favourite Flat Earth Society song and still is.

After all of these years I still feel the need to play ’Waleeco’ on a regular basis and it’s an album I always play from beginning to end; as a studio album it has so many different moves from psych rock, folk, raga and even medieval. Remarkable considering the age of the group members.

In Boston, Massachusetts where The Flat Earth Society hailed from they were probably complete unknowns. I don’t think the album was actually sold through record stores but only by mail order.

In 1968 it would cost the buyer $1.50 plus six Waleeco candy bar wrappers. Mint copies of the LP will now set you back about $500. Unwanted copies were thrown away in 1974 when Fleetwood Records had a clear out.

My bootleg vinyl copy I obtained in the 80s was sold when I bought the stereo version Arf Arf released in the early 90s. The surviving mastertapes were used and it’s a re-issue I strongly advise you to purchase.

(26/12/11)

THE ROGUES – ’Lawdy Miss Clawdy’/’Take Ten’ (Rogue) 1965

There must have been hundreds of groups in the 60s calling themselves The Rogues and here’s another one of them who managed to record a 45. I don’t know anything about these Rogues, not a great deal of information is on the label so it may have been a vanity pressing of a few hundred discs.

’Lawdy Miss Clawdy’ is the timeless rock ’n’ roll tune, this one’s got a neat guitar sound and at 2:00 minutes long is a short, sharp shock of coolness.

(17/12/11)

THE JESTERS III – ’Say That I’m The One’/’Pledge Of Love’ (Coulee C45-114) April 1965

I’ve seen a publicity photo of The Jesters III and unsurprisingly they’re a three piece combo with smart jackets and neat haircuts. On the pic they’re billed as The Jesters Three.

They’re thought to have been from La Crosse, Wisconsin but other than an entry in Barry Wickham’s Garage 45 Price Guide nothing has been written about them. ’Say That I’m The One’ did turn up on a recent Gravel CD so maybe that release has some liner notes about the group?

’Say That I’m The One’ was the B-side and has a beat sound with a singer obviously influenced by Buddy Holly. Clocking in at 1:46 the song doesn’t really get going. Would have been better with a guitar break.

’Pledge of Love’ is a love ballad.

Readers comments:

Here is some information from Gary E. Myers book about Wisconsin Rock/Pop, ”Do You Hear That Beat.” The Jesters III were in fact from La Crosse, Wisconsin.

They existed from 1963-1969. Band members were Wayne McKibbin on guitar, Jim Burkhardt on bass, and Tom Eisenman on drums. Wayne McKibbin helped form the group Hope, who recorded for Coulee and A&M in the 70’s.

Tom L. Eisenman moved to California and became an Evangelical Covenant Church pastor, author and speaker.

Wayne Carlyle McKibbin moved to California and became a Presbyterian minister and prison chaplain. Died July 4, 2005 (brain cancer, age 59).

F. Burkhart moved to Colorado and became Chair of the UCCS Physics Department.

My father was Wayne C. Mckibbin, and yes the band was from Wisconsin. After that the band Hope was formed and signed with A&M records.

(15/12/11)

THE CINDERMEN – ’Think Of Me’/’I’m Happy’ (Moonglow M-5002) 1965

Last year I made contact with Cindermen drummer Sam Sinopoli and he furnished me with much needed information about his teenage beat group from Fresno, California.

At the time I did not have their debut 45 ’Think Of Me’ in my collection but since then I’ve added it to my stash of records so I thought I’d give it some exposure. (My copy has been signed by group members)

’Think Of Me’ written by Cindermen lead singer Fred Perry is a noteworthy Brit Invasion influenced jangly pop song with an equal measure of The Beatles and The Searchers. It’s such a commercial sounding disc and should have been a massive seller.

(14/12/11)

FISH ’N’ CHIPS – ’Four Times Faster’/’The Whole Thing Is Getting Out Of Hand’ (Joy Records 45k-297) May 1965

This group of teenagers from Bergen County, New Jersey certainly have that Brit Invasion beat sound with their commercial sounding ’Four Times Faster.’ Don’t know if it was a hit or anything but Fish ’n’ Chips appear to have been successful in their own region often supporting bigger name groups.

The producer, Tommy Kaye may be known to some as a songwriter having been the composer of ’Hey Little Bird’ performed by The Barbarians (also for Joy Records).

line-up:
Steve Mann (guitar)
Rich Klechner (bass/vocals)
Don Swicker (drums)
Pete Trugiani (guitar)
Bruce Herring (vocals)

Readers comments:

Tommy Kaye went on to produce Gene Clark – he was calling himself Thomas Jefferson Kaye by that time. He also recorded in his own right -a couple of good albums on Dunhill that managed to get issued in the UK. (Davie)

This is a great little track with it’s harpsichord and massed voices. I wonder if Tommy Kaye is Thomas Jefferson Kaye who recorded some very Byrdsian tracks on his solo albums, and went on to produce the epic ”No Other” for Gene Clark?

Four Times Faster was a Top 40 hit in the NYC area, getting considerable air time on both WABC and WMCA. The group did Saturday afternoon matinees at Palisades Park with Cousin Brucie while also opening for the Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Rascals, Mitch Ryder, The Dave Clark Five and others. Sadly, my brother Rich passed away suddenly in September of ’07.

I was in 10th grade when this tune came on WABC at lunch in Bergenfield H.S. cafeteria and the room went nuts; Rich and I looked at each other and smiled-one of those unforgettable moments!

(12/12/11)

PAWNEE DRIVE – ’Break My Mind’/’Ride’ (Forward Records F-103) May 1969

Probably a studio outfit from Los Angeles, Austin Roberts, the singer/songwriter of ’Ride’ had links with the Hanna-Barbera cartoon enterprise.

’Ride’ is hard driving bubblegum and had the potential to be a smash but was lost on the flip of ’Break My Mind’. Shame, as this one really rocks and the suggestive lyrics are a hoot.

Readers comments:
Austin Roberts was also the lead singer here. This also was released under the band name ”River Deep”, as the B-side of the cool Zombies-influenced ”Shelley Tell Me Why”.

EXPO67:
Thanks Jeffers – when I was doing some research on the record I found a message written by Austin Roberts on spectropop back in 2006. As his memory seemed a bit hazy I didn’t include it in my write-up:From spectropop

Re: ”Ride” by Pawnee Drive Austin Roberts wrote: I wrote Ride as the B side to Shelly Tell Me Why (which many have never heard of, I’m sure).

There was another version of it cut with Buddy Randall as lead singer (lead vocalist of the Knickerbockers) which was the A side of the Pawnee Drive single though George Tobin may have left my demo vocal on it, I honestly don’t know).

Joe Nelson (hi Joe) knows a lot more about things that I was involved in than I can remember. I’m gettin’ old I guess (62).Thanks!

Poking around this morning, I notice there was another Pawnee Drive 45 out, ”Little Girl” c/w ”Homeward Bound”

It appears that the Pawnee Drive were the Knickerbockers who recorded under this name for legal concerns with their previous label …

(10/12/11)

ACID VISIONS (Voxx VHM 200.008) 1983

I started buying 60s garage compilations in 1984 and my earliest experience into the world of comps were Acid Visions, Attack Of The Jersey Teens and the first two volumes of Back From The Grave.

Throughout the 80s I kept a diary and notes of any records that I bought, so I’m hoping those will reveal the exact date and vinyl bought from Funhouse Records, a mail order records emporium, who, during that time used to get a monthly order from me.

My insatiable thirst for 60s garage and psych LPs had to be curtailed with a small budget because during 1984 to 1988 I was either unemployed or spending life as a student.  Money was tight but I somehow always found spare cash for compilations.

’Acid Visions’ on Voxx Records was the one comp that truly opened my mind to a whole new sound. Those Texas groups with their wild fuzztoned noise really appealed to my senses.

This LP was on heavy rotation and has been a constant thrill for nearly 30 years. Strangely, I’ve never got any of the songs compiled on an original 45. Some of them will be within my budget but I’m thinking that records by A-440, The Stoics and Satori will be outta my price range (if they ever did show up for sale)

Over the years I’ve downloaded hundreds of label scans from fellow collectors and the scans that appear with this article are from the collections of Rich Strauss and Mark Taylor who both have stellar garage collections.

A couple of the scans come from popsike. Of course the ’Acid Visions’ label and back cover pics come from my treasured vinyl copy of the latter.

The edited liners that make up the bulk of this article were written by Peter Buesnell and are the words that appeared on the back cover of ’Acid Visions.’

Side One opens with ’Comin’ Up Fast, Part 1’, by The Great Believers out of Houston. Originally known as Amos Boynton & the ABCs, the group consisted of Johnny and Edgar Winter, Amos Boynton and Dave Russell.

A great fuzz bass pumps along with everybody shouting and talking to provide a great party atmosphere. Johnny laments about not being able to grow up in the mid 60s, missing out on mini-dresses and the like. (I’m hoping Buesnell means that Johnny wanted to see mini-dresses on girls not to actually wear them himself).

Out of Fort Worth, came The Scotty McKay Quintet. McKay opened for The Yardbirds and was befriended by Jimmy Page. He sent Page a tape of ’Train Kept A-Rollin’, Page sent it back with his lead guitar dubbed in. The result is one of the best versions you’re likely to ever hear.

A-440, Rock Romano of The Fun and Games played guitar for A-440, who were from Houston. ’Torture’ is a great psychedelic punker with a raw vocal singing about death and other great subjects while a voice whispers the song title over and over behind the music. The drummer bangs unmercifully at the kit while a Bubble Puppy style lead guitar and thick Farfisa organ chords fill it out.

The Things were from Houston but little else is known. Their recordings never made it to vinyl, which is a shame, as they were a great Farfisa based band. A nice fuzz guitar interweaves through both of their songs.

’I Don’t Believe It’ and ’In Your Soul’ originate from tapes.

The Stoics have one of the most interesting stories of all the bands here. Comprised of Bill Ash, later in The Children on lead guitar, Al Acosta lead vocals, Sam Allen drums, Roy Quillan on rhythm guitar and Mike Marachal on bass, they came from San Antonio.

The Stoics had become favourites of a Mexican gang called ’Capinch’. They always won all the ’Battle Of The Bands’ in San Antonio. It seems that the ’Capinch’ would always be present during the voting to make sure all the kids picked The Stoics. Nothing more than friendly persuasion, of course.

’Enough Of What I Need’ was also recorded by The Children (on Laramie Records), could have been a big hit but the KTSA Radio Station in San Antonio banned it because of the line:

”Remember all the nights you kissed my lips
And the pleasure of my fingertips”

As a result of no airplay, there were no sales and no need to press more than 150 copies, thus a very rare record. The flip side ’Hate’ is also a very strong tune, being originally credited on the 45 to Jay Ketira, leader of the ’Capinch’, even though he didn’t write it. Always helps to keep your friends happy.

Satori was a one man group from Houston. Dennis Warkentin played everything in sight for this one. The song featured on ’Acid Visions’ is ’Time Machine’, the B-side of the single is ’1000 Micrograms of Love’.

’Time Machine’ is one of the most frantic all out rockers of the 60s, much like ’7 & 7 Is’ by Love. The lead guitar has a high trebly sound that eats at you through the whole song and doesn’t let up. Truly one of the most unique things out of Texas, collectors will be looking hard for this one.

The Ramadas was one of Neal Ford’s bands before he formed The Fanatics. ’Life Is So Tough’ is almost a parody of all the white boy plays the blues bands. This actually sounds like white boys playing the blues with almost easy listening vocals over a nice bluesy pattern.

Listening to these guys singing about how tough life is will definitely give you a lift.

Although Roy Head is currently pursuing a country career, at one time he was a great rock’n’roll singer. ’Easy Lovin’ Girl’ written by Johnny Winter, is one of Roy’s great rockin’ cuts. 

The Great Believers are the back-up band with Johnny Winter providing some great fuzz guitar and with, we presume, Edgar Winter playing some wild vibraphone. Roy Head shows off some fine rhythm ’n’ blues vocalizing on this tune.

’Easy Lovin’ Girl’ is from tapes and previously unreleased.

Besides his work with The Believers, almost all of Johnny Winter’s output has been the blues. One of the exceptions to this is the B-side of ’Leavin’ Blues’. ’Birds Can’t Row Boats,’ a Byrds/Blue Things like guitar rings throughout with Johnny doing his best impression of Mouse imitating Dylan. The lyrics are worth the price of admission alone.

”Ugly are the spiders of the mind
The reality of you turns them on”

The comp used an album version of ’Birds Can’t Row Boats’ which is a slightly different take/mix of the single released on Pacemaker Records.

The Pandas were a five man combo from Alamo City, San Antonio. Originally called The Centurys, they released a version of ’Whole Lot Of Shakin’ in 1965. This single ’Walk’ is one of the best Texas ravers.

It features incredible fuzz lead/rhythm guitar and a bass riff that pulsates so much you’ll want to get up and dance before you realise what’s happening. The Pandas later became The Giant Smiling Dogs, with no known recordings.

Since ’Acid Visions’ was released in 1983 it has been confirmed that The Bad Roads hailed from Lake Charles, Louisiana and were a six piece outfit. Members were Buzz Clark (vocals), Terry Green (lead guitar), Brian Smith (rhythm guitar), Mike Hicks (bass), Kenny Cooley (tambourine) and Danny Kimball (drums).

’Blue Girl’ is one of those instantly addictive songs with a great fuzz lead, punky sneering vocals and Farfisa pumping along in the background. It has a memorable guitar breaks in the middle of the song. Killer!!

It was originally assumed that The Bad Roads were from Texas however, this was untrue. They did travel to Houston in 1967 to appear on a The Larry Kane Show, a local TV music programme to lip-sync two songs. I wonder if the tape still exists? 

The Bad Roads had all four of their songs re-issued by Sundazed in 1999 on a must have EP.

Closing out the album is Amos Boynton & The ABCs, the earlier incarnation of The Great Believers. This is a different version of ’Comin’ Up Fast’ with different lyrics, vocalists and a much heavier fuzz guitar line. This version was recorded in Tyler, Texas.

Records used on ’Acid Visions’:

THE GREAT BELIEVERS
’Comin’ Up Fast Part 1’/’Comin’ Up Fast Part 2’ (Cascade 365) January 1970 *see comment from MTM*

SCOTTY McKAY QUINTET
’The Train Kept A’Rollin’/’The Theme From The Black Cat’ (Falcon FIC-101) 1967

A-440
’Torture’/’It’s Just Your Mind’ (Sona USA-103) May 1967

THE STOICS
’Enough Of What I Need’/’Hate’ (Brams Records BM-101) January 1967

SATORI
’Time Machine’/’1000 Micrograms Of Love’ (Stefek Records S-621) June 1967

THE RAMADAS
’Life Is So Tough’/’The Very First Time’ (New World 2008) 1965

THE PANDAS
’Walk’/’Girl From New York City’ (Swingtime SW-1001/2) 1966

THE BAD ROADS
’Blue Girl’/’Too Bad’ (JIN 45-210) September 1966

JOHNNY WINTER
’Leavin’ Blues’/’Birds Can’t Row Boats’ (Pacemaker Records PM-243) 1966
**album take used on Acid Visions**

Readers comments:
MTM: The Bad Roads single was released in September 1966.
The Great Believers 45 was released in January, 1970, likely as one of those ”cash-in” type deals, since Johnny was recording for Columbia Records at that time.

In my rather motley 45 collection, I do have the Stoics 45, bought from Doug Hanners after he found a box of them in a Texan warehouse and sold them for $12.00 each in the late 70’s. My copy was rather battered (but playable)and was autographed by W. Ash!

Paul Messis: Johnny Winters influenced my own ‘Why’, this LP was equally of an importance to me, it was one of my first garage comps I found around the age of 16.

The liners are wrong about ”Birds Can’t Row Boats.” It is not a ”slightly different take” but the music track overdubbed with a completely different vocal (not by Winter) and rewritten as ”The Statue.”

About Johnny Winter’s song: The text isn’t ”The reality of you turns them on”, but ”The reality of Hewitt turns them on” Hewitt was an Irish author, much beloved by Bod Dylan and the song ”Birds can’t row boats” is supposed to be written and sung in an exaggerated Dylan-style.

(06/12/11)

KEITH EVERETT – ’The Chant’/’Light Bulb’ (Mercury 72854) 1968

Keith Everett, real name Keith Gravenhorst had a big hit in Chicago on TMP-Ting Records ’Don’t You Know’/’Conscientious Objector’ and a follow up on the same label followed. However, his music career stalled somewhat when he was posted  to Vietnam shortly after ’Don’t You Know’ started to make inroads on the charts. Presumably, the follow up was released whilst he was fighting the yellow man.

The Mercury release from 1968 is scarce but well worth tracking down. ’The Chant’ is hard driving bubblegum pop with fuzz about a runaway slave and his eventual murder by his captives after being shot in the ribs….nice…. Not a subject that would encourage radio airplay.   

(01/12/11)

THE FANTASTIC ZOO – ’Midnight Snack’/’This Calls For A Celebration’ (Double Shot 105) November 1966

When The Fogcutters from Denver, Colorado relocated to Los Angeles sometime during 1966 they got a deal with the fledgling Hollywood label Double Shot who had just scored a big hit with ’Psychotic Reaction’ by The Count Five.

But for some insane reason ’Midnight Snack’ was deemed the potential hit and was thus The Fantastic Zoo’s debut A-Side. The song is tedious after a couple of listens, pretty much a Lovin’ Spoonful influenced novelty. Far superior is the flip ’This Calls For A Celebration’ which perfectly encapsulates L.A folk rock merging with the new sound of psychedelia.

(26/11/11)

THE MYSTERIES – ’Please Agree’/’I Find It’s True Love’ (Manhattan 815) November 1967

According to FA&F The Mysterians were a trio from Orlando in Florida who released three 45s during their existence, ’Please Agree’/’I Find It’s True Love’ was their second.

Releases on the Mike Curb/Sidewalk connection label Manhattan Records raise my interest as the latter also released 45s by garage greats The Painted Faces and The Satans but ’Please Agree’ is uptempo pop music in reality. Having said that it does have a somewhat unique sound and was a top ten hit in Orlando during January 1968.

Line-up:
Tom Bennett (drums)
Henry Seymour (bass)
Tom Zackton (guitar)

Reader comments:
The Mysteries played around the Naples-Ft. Myers area as well… which is where they came to the attention of Wally Fredrickson Sr., whose son was a member of the Jesters. Fredrickson had connections to Harley Hatcher and Mike Curb, which is how the Jesters, Painted Faces, and Mysteries all wound up on Manhattan or Sidewalk.

(24/11/11)

FRONT PAGE NEWS – ’Thoughts’/’You Better Behave’ (Dial 4052) January 1967

’Thoughts’ has been comped several times over the years most recently on the Sundazed series Garage Beat ’66 from the mastertapes but that version is different with more fuzz action at the intro and outro, it also sounds slightly slower. The single release version on Dial is shorter and much more dynamic.

It was thought that Front Page News hailed from Fort Worth in Texas but according to the liners of Garage Beat ’66 – Volume 5, it seems that the group went to Fort Worth from Tulsa, Oklahoma to record their music under the name of The New Imperials. However, for reasons unknown their name was changed to Front Page News for the 45 release.

’Thoughts’ is a cool fuzz and tambourine bash with the kind of tune that hangs around in your mind for days. Needless to say it remained in obscurity.

(20/11/11)

THE DESCENDANTS – ’Garden Of Eden’/’Lela’ (MTA Records 112) November 1966

The gentle and soothing soft psychedelia of ’Garden Of Eden’ by New York group The Descendants has escaped the compilers over the years so I was pleased to put that right on my recent Cavestones series. ’Garden Of Eden’ is the type of song I’d imagine Simon & Garfunkel to come up with had they ever started to ease their minds with lysergia.

On the other side ’Lela’ is a fabulous burst of Bo Diddley shuffling energy and has cropped up several times on lame sounding compilations. Curiously, this 45 saw a release in England on CBS Records during January 1967.

Reader comments:
I actually wrote Lela. We did that in one take. The drum solo could have been recorded better. We spent 7 days doing Garden of Eden, then had 1 hour to do Lela. I copied the feel etc from the rolling Stones song MONA.

In New Zealand this single was released on the Salem label: XS.119

(19/11/11)

THE HIGHER ELEVATION – ‘The Diamond Mine’/’Crazy Bicycle’ (Chicory Records CH-408) 1967

This is the second time out for The Higher Elevation on Flower Bomb songs. 

’The Diamond Mine’ was written and performed by Dave Diamond, a Los Angeles DJ who played underground psych rock to the LA teens and no doubt influenced many people along the way with his airplay obscurities. His backing band on ’The Diamond Mine’ is The Higher Elevation.

’Crazy Bicycle’ has a very ’67 English mod sound with it’s Who/Action style background vocals and brass. More Rubble than Pebbles. An earlier incarnation of The Higher Elevation was The Monocles and their ’Spider And The Fly’/’On The Other Side Of Happiness’ was also released on Chicory Records, CH-407.

Both ’Spider And The Fly’ and ’The Diamond Mine’ were part of Pebbles Volume 3, ”The Acid Gallery”.

John Carter, the co writer of ‘Crazy Bicycle’ is the same John Carter who was one half of the Carter/Gilbert song writing team.

(17/11/11)

THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH – ’Hard Woman’/ ‘Things Of The Past’ (Sur-Speed 223) 1967

This particular group/artist is not to be confused with The Fountain Of Youth who recorded for Colgems but one listen to this raw garage blast and I’m sure you’ll hear the difference anyway.

It is thought that this Fountain Of Youth were from Tennessee, although that conclusion is probably based on the location of the Sur-Speed label. The latter was owned and run by Nashville producer Red Wortham who also owned Bullet Records and Delta Records.

’Hard Woman’ is a hot garage rocker with a great surf guitar riff. The vocals are buried in the mix and the drums are primitive and cool, sounding like the guy is tapping away on monkey skulls. Listen out for the killer psych guitar break that ends the performance.

Forget about the flip ’Things Of The Past’ which is an early 60s teener ballad.

(15/11/11)

THE TREES –’Don’t Miss The Turn’/’Your Life’ (Bali-Hi 808) 1968

I wrote about The Trees way back in March 2007 but at that time I didn’t really have much information on them. Since then, I’ve did a little more digging and it’s confirmed via several sources that The Trees hailed from Trenton, New Jersey.

’Don’t Miss The Turn’ is a solid fuzzy punker with moody ambitions. It’s got a weird acid guitar break, a sound I find compelling. Writer credit is Lon Van Eaton on both tracks. This cut appears on the CD 30 Seconds Before The Calico Wall.

”Don’t miss the turn into my mind, Oh! I’m on a one way trip, don’t make the left turn”

The flip ’Your Life’ is 60s pop and has a commercial sound. It remains uncompiled.

line-up:
Lon Van Eaton (keyboards)
Derrek Van Eaton (vocals)
Tim Case (drums)
Bob Heil (bass)
Michael Kremper (guitar)

After this single on the independent Bali-Hi label The Trees shed members Bob Heil and Michael Kremper and replaced them with Steve Burgh and Bruce Foster then renamed themselves Jacobs Creek and signed to Columbia. An album followed described as late 60s rural rock with progressive moves.

I don’t know for sure as I’ve only heard the 45 ’What You Hear’/’A Love Song’ both written by Lon Van Eaton.

Jacobs Creek appear to have been a successful New York group playing at Andy Warhol’s Factory and supporting The Doors. The Van Eaton brothers were then talent spotted by associates of Apple Records and recorded a 1972 album for Apple with George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

After rubbing shoulders with Rock Music’s elite in the ’70s the Von Eaton brothers more than likely forgot all about their first 45 but nothing they recorded after The Trees can possibly come close to the fabulous acid punker ’Don’t Miss The Turn’…. 

(22/04/12)

PHLUPH – ’Ellyptical Machine’ (Verve V6-5054) April 1968

I bought this album many years ago and every so often feel the need to play it in it’s entirety starting from the first cut on Side One ’Doctor Mind’ right through to the end of Side Two ’Patterns.’ As an album I think it works very well with plenty of interesting moves.

Phluph (pronounced fluff) is a strange name for a group but great for searching for information on the internet because there’s no other group around past or present with such a name.

According to the liners on the back of their self titled album Phluph hailed from the Boston area and were (as it turned out) unfortunately lumped in with the ’Bosstown Sound’ groups of 1968.

Unfortunate, as these groups were frowned upon by the hippie select of radio stations and music weeklies that hyped every West Coast group but lambasted the so called ’Bosstown’ outfits or just simply ignored them.

According to the Verve studio archives, Phluph spent three occassions at their New York studio laying down songs from October 1967 to February 1968…..The first Phluph 45 was from their October ’67 session and coupled ’Doctor Mind’/’Another Day.’ Both of these songs appear on the album.

A second single ’Patterns’/’In Her Way’ from their December ’67 session followed shortly after, probably to generate some interest for their album which was released during April 1968.

Phluph may have enjoyed some success locally but it appears that they were virtual unknowns everywhere else. Over the years the compilers have also ignored them but the organ dominated mover ’Doctor Mind’ has recently come under the spotlight of mod DJ’s around the world and as a consequence this 45 has now become quite desirable.

My choice is the psychedelic ’Ellyptical Machine’ with it’s trippy organ and subtle fuzz guitar which I feel is buried too deep in the mix.

(18/04/12)

JELLY BEAN BANDITS – ’Country Woman’/’Generation’ (Mainstream 674) December 1967

The Jelly Bean Bandits in ’67 were:

Billy Donald (vocals)
Jack Dougherty (guitar)
Fred Buck (bass)
Michael Raab (organ)
Joe Scalfari (drums).

They came from the Newburgh area of New York. Research on the band suggests that they were previously called The Mirror but changed to The Jelly Bean Bandits after signing with Mainstream Records.

The cover of the Mainstream album shows the Jelly Bean Bandits resplendent in cornball bandit outfits (because they were asked to dress like their name for the photo shoot) Three of the band members have also got facial hair. BUT don’t expect to hear hippie music. These bandits made classic garage psych and their best songs are on this 45.

The plug song was the uncompiled ’Country Woman.’ This is a slow paced punkadelic tune with a cool but too short guitar solo. It sounds like freaky blues.

Perhaps their better known song is on the flip. ’Generation’ has been compiled before on Mayhem and Psychosis volume 1.

The opening spoken line ’look to the skies the flying saucers will always be there’ is followed by a groovy backbeat complete with echoey drums and the typical ’67 garage psych guitar noise. I particular love the drum sound as the song reaches it’s climax. Great stuff indeed.

(16/04/12)

THE PLEASURE FAIR

The Pleasure Fair were a soft rock harmony group based in Los Angeles during the late 60s who released three singles and an album on Uni before members went their seperate ways.

Although commercially unsuccessful they did leave an impression and have recently enjoyed a certain acclaim following their inclusion on a CD series of compilations called ’Soft Sounds For Gentle People.’

The origins of The Pleasure Fair were in the mid 60s when Robb Royer and Tim Hallinan got together as a duo, having met at San Fernando Valley State College. They performed folk-rock standards as Robb & Tim, later adding female singer Michele Cochrane, giving the performers a whole new dimension.

Not long afterwards the trio added a fourth member, a skilled guitarist named Stephen Cohn.

Their sound now became a happening thing and typical of the California harmony outfits of male/female vocal groups.

It is believed that the group were billed as The Inn Group during this period in time, although group members appear to have no recollection of this name. Evidence has appeared though supporting this name in the form of a promotional picture. Maybe this was done by their management without the groups knowledge?

What ever their name at this time, a one off single deal with HBR was secured and the 45 ’Junior Executive’/’I’m Telling It To You’ was released during late 1966 as The Rainy Day People. Both sides were group originals and not really typical of The Pleasure Fair sound to come.

’I’m Telling It To You’ for instance has some subtle fuzz guitar and could have been a real sunset strip swinger had the fuzz been louder, the backbeat slightly quicker and with a farfisa organ solo instead of the horn arrangement.

Although Snuff Garrett is listed as the producer on the HBR record it is believed that Leon Russell and J.J. Cale were at the controls. These two produced a host of cool records during the 1966-67 period in Los Angeles including the The Leathercoated Minds material.

The group signed a recording contract with Uni Records in 1967 and were billed as The Pleasure Fair for the first time, a much more ’in’ moniker for the psychedelic times, with David Gates hired as the arranger and conductor for their self-titled album.

The long-player comprised twelve songs, eight of which were original compositions by Royer, Hallinan and Cohn with outside material by Van Dyke Parks (’Come To The Sunshine’), Graham Gouldman (’East-West’), The Beatles (’The Things We Said Today’) and a version of ’Barefoot In The Park’ from the recent movie of the same name.

The album is a fine release of Californian soft rock with pleasing melodies and harmonies. There is nothing on it that will get the psychedelic ’heads’ turning. I’m not sure how they managed not to have at least one acid drenched song on an album recorded in Los Angeles during 1967 but The Pleasure Fair managed it!

Having said that, the song ’Turnaway’ is a delight with a rather complex harmony part reminiscent of The Association and has some trippy whispered ’turnaway’s’….
 
If you dig the gentle side of things (like I do) it’s well worth a listen and surely due for a CD re-issue with the addition of the mono 45s (including those as The Rainy Day People).

The Pleasure Fair briefly appeared in ”Tagged For Murder”, an episode of Ironside, aired during October 1967. The group were seen listening to a playback of their song ’Turnaway’ in the studio. I’ve not seen this but you never know, the scene may end up on YouTube one day.   

The excellent ’Morning Glory Days’/’Fade In Fade Out’ were taken from the album and released as a single. No big hit followed which is both a shame and a little puzzling as ’Morning Glory Days’ has that flower power sound that would have been all over the radio during 1967/68.

A second single,'(I’m Gonna Have To) Let You Go’/’Today’ followed shortly after but appears to have flopped. The top side does not sound like The Pleasure Fair at all. It appears that this piano dominated ballad was written especially for Michele Cochrane to highlight her vocals and almost feels like a solo release. The flip ’Today’ is far superior and could have come from the album sessions.

Another song that Royer and Hallinan wrote but did not record as The Pleasure Fair was ’Say What You See’, produced by Jimmy Griffin and arranged by David Gates. It was sung by a trio calling themselves The Curtain Calls (Dot 45-17093). The song was also recorded by Lesley Gore.

After the demise of The Pleasure Fair, Robb Royer, Jimmy Griffin and David Gates combined forces as Bread and had major success with a genre of music that is not covered by my site ”Flower Bomb Songs”…

Just an FYI, but by the time of the second single Michele Cochrane had left the band and had been replaced by another girl singer, also named Michele (though no-one connected with the band can recall her second name !!) and its her you can clearly hear in this release.

Discography:

The Rainy Day People – ’Junior Executive’/’I’m Telling It To You’ (HBR-512) 1966
The Pleasure Fair – ’Morning Glory Days’/’Fade In Fade Out’ (UNI 55016) July 1967
The Pleasure Fair – ‘(I’m Gonna Have To) Let You Go’/’Today’ (UNI 55078) 1968
The Pleasure Fair LP (UNI 73009) October 1967

(13/04/12)

THE ID – ’The Rake’/’Wild Times’ (RCA Victor 47-9195) 1967

It was thought that The ID were just a ’faceless’ studio outfit from Los Angeles who created exploito psych music but it turns out that The ID were a group of experienced musicians including Jerry Cole, Don Dexter, Glenn Cass, Norm Cass and Rich Clyburn.

Check out their album ’Inner Sounds’ for wild guitars, eastern mysticism and psychedelic experimentation. It really is an undiscovered gem, although Billboard did give it a spotlight pick during in June 1967. It doesn’t seem to have generated much interest as the album and two singles taken from it seem to have left no trace.

The final 45 taken from ’Inner Sounds’ was this pairing with ’Wild Times’ my stand out. The opening riff is similar to ’The Great Airplane Strike’ by Paul Revere and the Raiders before the songs goes off in a whole new psychedelic direction.

(09/04/12)

THE TRAVEL AGENCY – ’Time’/’Made For You’ (Tanqueray 20102) December 1966

It is believed that The Travel Agency hailed from San Francisco and were originally called Act III releasing a 45 ’Made For You’/’M.F.Y’ on Kookaburra Records in 1966. According to FA&F, the group then re-located to Los Angeles and changed their name to The Travel Agency.

Another release on Kookaburra Records followed combining ’Time’ with an instro of ’Time’ on the flip. Curiously, ’Time’ was also released on Tanqueray backed with ’Made For You’ some weeks later…

’Time’ is an impressive psychedelic rocker which recalls The Byrds circa their ’Younger Than Yesterday’ period. Added into this potent mix is some magical raga guitar and vocal harmonies. ’Made For You’ is much more poppy but still a charmer and a good example of the ’66 L.A. pop sound.

The Travel Agency appear to have been successful in so far as a further 45 and album were released on Viva Records a few years later.

It appears that this bunch evolved into Shanti, whose 1971 self titled album is easily my favourite raga rock album ever. Their drummer Frank Lupica later made the Cosmic Beam Experience album.

(04/04/12)

THE JOINT EFFORT – ’The Third Eye’/’The Children’ (JE-1) 1967

This Hollywood group were discovered by L.A. scenester Bud Mathis who was also managing The Brain Train at the time. After a debut single they changed their name to Clear Light and signed to Elektra of course.

The Joint Effort worked on the Sunset Strip, eventually becoming regulars at hip club Gazzarri’s in early 1967. Sometime that Summer Bud Mathis and co-manager Barry Cantor financed this 45 on the group’s own label thoughtfully named Joint Effort.

’The Third Eye’ is a blistering psychedelic folk-rocker that could have only come out of Los Angeles. Listen out for a mix of sublime raga guitar & feedback and of course the killer harmonies. The lyrics were written by Bud Mathis and according to the liners of the ’Bud Mathis Sunset Trip’ retrospection LP on Dionysus, he took inspiration from the teachings of a Spiritual Master of the Sound Current who told him about the ’third eye’…

The flip ’The Children’ is yet more stunning raga psych with fuzz and feedback. The Joint Effort could have been contenders but their follow up was nowhere near as good as this.

line-up:
Dave Callens (vocals/guitar)
Wanda Watkins (vocals)
Edmund Villareal (guitar/vocals)
Clyde Kaye (bass)
Jeff Salisbury (drums)

(02/04/12)

THE RAINY DAZE -’Snow And Ice And Burning Sand’ (UNI 3002) April 1967

After the success of the single ’That Acapulco Gold’, The Rainy Daze were given the luxury of a studio album which became an underground hit. With several singles and an album to their name I’m a little bit surprised that this group from Denver, Colorado have not had the CD re-issue treatment.

I’ll focus my attention on ’Snow and Ice And Burning Sand’ which did not grace the side of any 45. This cut was the last song on Side 2 and closes the album in fine style with it’s mellow reflection and air of English(esque) psychedelia.

(29/03/12)

THE DEEP – ’Color Dreams’ (Cameo-Parkway P 7051) November 1966

I’m still on my Rusty Evans trip at the moment and have been diggin’ this 1966 album by The Deep who were a studio based group comprising Rusty and Mark Barkan.

Just check out the cover art with that hallucinatory figure armed with a guitar, the psychedelic font used for the album title is a trip with it’s garish pink, off-set by the sky blue song-titles on a jet black background.

Even if you had never heard of The Deep in ’66, the sleeve alone would have been enough persuasion for the acid munching youth to pick it from the rack to get some of that Deep action.

’Color Dreams’ is an obvious highlight from this long-player but I can’t help but feel that it’s a Kim Fowley ’Trip’ rip-off. But I don’t care about that.

Rusty’s deep gruff vocals again hit the mark just like they did on the Ry Cooper 45 (reviewed last time out). This is psychedelic rapping over fuzz guitars….

“Blue black purple mac
Orange yellow funny fellow
White brown pink town
Orange red pink bed
We’ll pretend yellow man
Jesus saves planet rays
Green red Commie dead
Blue green yellow scream
Spanish fly golden eye 
Pearly white outta sight…”     

(23/03/12)

RY COOPER – ’1983’/’The Life Game’ (Musicor MU-1148) February 1966

This was the first and only 45 by Ry Cooper a.k.a. Rusty Evans who went on to release albums (with associates) as The Deep and The Freak Scene. He also had connections with The Nervous Breakdowns and The Third Bardo as a producer….he was very much a psychedelic pioneer although this rare single on Musicor Records is raw folk-rock.

The gruff and pissed off vocals are perfect for this type of protest music. It appears that ’1983’ was the top side as this was the song given a Chart spotlight in Billboard during February 1966.

(23/03/12)

THE FREAK SCENE – ’A Million Grains Of Sand’ (Columbia CS 9456) April 1967

’Psychedelic Psoul’ was the fascinating and tripped out work of Rusty Evans who had earlier blew the minds of whoever found the time to listen to his earlier recordings as The Deep. Before the latter, Rusty released a far-out punked up folk-rocker as Ry Cooper. Those two releases will be covered on ’Flower Bomb Songs’ in the near future.

’Psychedelic Psoul’ was listed as a new release in Billboard trade magazine during April 1967 but that seems to be about as much exposure as The Freak Scene got despite being on a huge label like Columbia Records.

Even the group members are a mystery, although it is probable that Rusty Evans was aided in the studio by Mark Barkan who is listed on the back of The Deep album. Mark has been mentioned on my site before when I reviewed ’Wait ’Til Tomorrow’, the baroque sunshine pop 45 by The Banana Splits…

’A Million Grains Of Sand’ is an eastern raga psych mindblower that opens Side One of ’Psychedelic Psoul’ and it’s certainly an acid treat. Curiously, Rusty Evans re-recorded the song for his 1969 album released as ”Marcus”

”Like a million grains of sand
Through the fingers of my hand.
Falling grains are just like dreams,
I wish I could understand”

(15/03/12)

THE LEATHERCOATED MINDS – ’Sunset And Clark’ (Fontana TL.5412) 1967

This is my rare UK copy of The Leathercoated Minds LP ’A Trip Down The Sunset Strip’ on Fontana. It also happens to be the essential mono mix. How this rather obscure and completely ’underground’ album managed to get a release in Britain is unclear….

The album cover is a picture of Roger Tillison and Terrye Newkirk who were a folk-rock duo based in Hollywood. They cut a 45 as The Gypsy Trips.

It is believed, however, that Terrye Newkirk did not perform on The Leathercoated Minds album but Tillison did, along with producer and arranger John J. Cale and sundry musicians employed by Viva Records.

’A Trip Down The Sunset Strip’ is quite a period piece and a tyme capsule of the coloured sights and sounds of the L.A. teen scene circa 1966-67. Unfortunately the cover versions don’t stand well next to the originals but the snippets of conversations and car noises between the tracks recorded on West Hollywood’s Sunset Strip are cool.

The instrumentals featured such as ’Sunset And Clark’ are really where it’s at. These were all written by John J. Cale.

Readers comments:
This one took me a long time to track down, and I still have yet to hear the mono, but I think it’s a keeper. As far as psychsploitation efforts from the era go, it’s one of the best. Love the version of ”Eight Miles High” in particular.

I’m guessing you realized that John J. Cale would later go on to fame and fortune as J.J. Cale? I think this was his first LP effort in what amounted to a 30+ year career making great music. I’d wager Leon Russell and other members of The Shindogs guested here as well, as they were Okie buddies of Cale’s and Tillitson’s.

He was already J J Cale – ”real” name John Weldon Cale (1938-2013) the J J moniker was created by a venue in LA that hired him around the same time as the Sunset Strip LP. Venue owner wanted to avoid confusion with Cale’s Welsh contemporary, John Cale of the Velvet Underground.

As an aside, I met Cale (JJ) in 94. On telling him I had a copy of the Sunset Strip LP, he advised me, in a slow Tulsa drawl: ”Best thing y’can do wi’ that, my friend, ‘s jus’ throw it away…”. Needless to say, I haven’t obeyed!

(12/03/12)

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE – ’D.C.B.A. – 25′ (RCA Victor LSP-3766) March 1967

It’s been five years this month since I started my website ’Flower Bomb Songs’ and I’m certainly perplexed that I’ve never reviewed any music by one of my all time favourite groups, Jefferson Airplane. I’m not sure why I’ve never discussed their merits, maybe I was too concerned with obscurity.

Jefferson Airplane most definitely were not obscure during their breakthrough year of 1967. Their long player ’Surrealistic Pillow’ peaked at #3 on the Billboard chart in USA and the album stayed there for 56 weeks.

Not that I’ve ever been impressed by such commercial statistics, I’m more interested if the music within the grooves releases my mind to higher elevations and the Jefferson Airplane have been doing just that ever since I discovered their beautiful sounds in the early 80s.

The psych tinged folk-rock genius of ’D.C.B.A – 25’ is an obvious highlight of ’Surrealistic Pillow’. Written by guitarist Paul Kantner, it’s often overlooked whenever I read reviews and articles about the Airplane. Maybe the reason for this is that ’D.C.B.A. – 25’ never graced the side of a 45. I honestly believe it would have made a killer single.

I always thought that ’D.C.B.A. – 25’ was a very strange song title and the meaning didn’t register with me until I read the liners of the RCA stereo CD re-issue of ’Surrealistic Pillow’.

Here, it was explained that Kantner named his melodic folk-rocker in reference to the songs chord progression and the numerical part ’25’ is the designation chemist Albert Hofmann assigned to his best known chemical discovery LSD-25.

The song was recorded at Studio B in RCA’s studio in Hollywood during November 1966.

(09/03/12)

THE FOLKLORDS – ’Jennifer Lee’ (Lion-LP 104) 1969

Under the spotlight today is this charming acid folk album by The Folklords titled ’Release The Sunshine’. One look at the kaleidoscopic cover with members of The Folklords dressed in their hippie psychedelic garb, the genius title of the album displayed in a tripped out ornamental lace mat and the font used for ”The Folklords” indicate to me that the listener will be in for something special.

The Folklords formed sometime in 1968 in Toronto, Ontario and signed a contract with independent Canadian label Allied Records. The same label as The Plastic Cloud, another obscure but equally appealing psychedelic combo.

At the time of recording ’Release The Sunshine’, The Folklords had no drummer so the eighteen year old son of Allied Records staff producer stepped in. His drumming technique can be described as basic but I feel that only adds to the greatness of the record as a whole.

All twelve songs on the album were group originals, written by bass player Tom Waschkowski and guitarist Paul Seip. The ever-present autoharp played by Martha Johnson adds to the acid dreaminess.

The original album on Allied Records sank without trace but is now highly sought after and exchanges for upward $400. Fortunately, in 2007, Lion Productions re-issued ”Release The Sunshine” on vinyl in a quantity of 700 copies. These were promptly sold out within days and even the re-issue is a hard one to find!

A great piece of acid folk wonderment and the auto harp really makes it. Allied were an excellent label as well as the mighty Plastic Cloud, the 1st Reign Ghost album is pretty fabulous.

(04/03/12)

THE CHURCHILL DOWNS – ’Don’t Turn The Light Off’ (Shadoks Music 137) 2011

One of the highlights of 2011 was Shadoks LP (limited to 500 copies) release of unreleased tapes by The Churchill Downs who were a popular and hip group in Hollywood during 1967-68. The group even became the house band at the famous Gazzari’s, a notorious club on the Sunset Strip.

For whatever reason, The Churchill Downs failed to secure a recording contract with any label and the music they laid down with producer Gary Paxton during late 1967 to mid 1968 remained unheard.

The earlier recordings are great but as ’67 became ’68 the psychedelic direction and some of the line-up had changed to a more soul rock sound.

The stand out is the Strawberry Alarm Clock influenced ’Don’t Turn The Light Off’, co-written by Don Adey who went onto record an album as Jamme with Keith Adey and some of Hollywood’s finest session players, including Larry Knetchtel and Jim Gordon.

I bought this the other day, paying £32 for it which is very costly for a non vintage LP. Overall I dig the selections on Side One in particular the opener ‘Don’t Turn The Light Off’.

This is a real find and reminds me of Strawberry Alarm Clock. The Cream influenced recordings are not gonna be a big hit with most G45 members but the inclusion of fuzz guitar pleases me.

Most of Side Two was recorded in mid 1968 and is no great shakes. ‘Alfie’ is terrible and I get the impression The Churchill Downs were moving towards a more psych soulful sound which is and will never be my scene.

Too bad they changed direction. Their version of ‘Ostrich People’ can’t compete with The Chocolate Tunnel either. The sound quality is fantastic by the way as is the thick card sleeve.

(28/01/12)

JACKSON C. FRANK – ’Dialogue’ (Columbia 33SX 1788) December 1965

Folk singer Jackson C. Frank hailed from Buffalo, New York but at the age of twenty decided to travel to London to be part of the growing mid 60s folk scene in England that included Bert Jansch, Ralph McTell, Donovan, John Renbourn, Sandy Denny, Al Stewart and of course fellow countryman Paul Simon who was already active on the English club circuit.

Jackson C. Frank got a recording contract with Columbia Records and was fortunate to meet up with Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel who were both blown away by the genius of Jackson’s songs.

Paul Simon offered to produce his recordings financed in part by his royalty earnings from ’Sounds Of Silence’.

The mournful, downbeat and loner folk ’Dialogue’ is from Jackson’s Columbia album which was released in small quantities in December ’65. Few copies sold outside the London folk set and it’s now become a very expensive rarity and still largely unknown.

Few copies ever show up for sale making the Jackson C. Frank CD release ’Blues Run The Game’ a must have addition to anyone’s music collection. 

”I want to be alone
I need to touch each stone.
Face the grave that I have grown.
I want to be alone”.

Comments:
When I went to the London folk clubs (Les Cousins, Bunjies etc) in the early 70’s, many of the regulars said that Frank was the finest performer and songwriter they had ever seen, and he had just disappeared. At that time he had become a tramp living in the Bowery in New York.

Yes that’s right, he was living rough on the streets of New York after his notion of finding old friend Paul Simon. He was also in and out of mental hospitals and lost his left eye after being shot in a drive by shooting. By the end of his life he was a fat and bloated paranoid schizophrenic.

(11/01/12)