SHEESH, NOT ANOTHER SINGLES GOING STROONAD SO SOON???
Here's more of them singles/EPs/what-have-yous randomly dragged outta the boxes and piles, listened to and approached as if they were fresh produce to encapture (made that word up right onna spot and I hope it sticks like Warren G. Harding's "normalcy" did!) the garden of my mind. Some surprises here too, or at least they are to me given my typically sieve-like brain!
Early San Francisco beat pre-San Francisco bleat.
The Trend kept up the trend towards the SF infatuation with British Invasion pop and general goodtime auras in the same vein as the Vejtables, the Mojo Men, the original Flamin' Groovies and Moby Grape, a group I never did cozy up to until somehow it all hit me like a slab of concrete. Maybe even v. early Jefferson Airplane when they had that gal who got knocked up in it.
A boff selection featuring Ron Nagle and the rest romping through an authentic mambo, not to forget some straight-ahead pop rockers that I could just imagine woulda made its way to the gal with the chubby thighs that rub together and make pimples's portable record player. Heck, "Empty Shoes" has the same rhythm and romp as "Last Train to Clarksville" which says just as much good about the Trend as it does the Monkees!
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Yeah, another one of those eighties-era homemade singles done up by someone who almost immediately vanished into thick air. Some of these outta nowhere spins were good, others bad and if I'd have to rank this 'un I'd say it definitely was of the former variety. These Rocks guys got the garage production thing down snat enough making this record sound about as authentic a sixties/seventies local rock release as you can get. Of course the singer's crazed nasal whine helps out, echoing the unrequited longings of suburban slob teenbos who ain't gonna get no gash no matter how hard they tried!
A-sides kinda/sorta reminds me of late-sixties Rolling Stones when they were starting to get a somewhat country twang while the flip actually recalls those House of Guitars Kack Klick/Churchmice singles which sounded so swell mixed in with the likes of the Novas and Ralph Nielsen and the Chancellors. Whoever the singer for this group was, he coulda been the eighties answer to all of my favorite rock primitives from Bernie Joelson to Magic Michael.
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I can sure remember when a whole load of these locally-produced records by locally-produced rock 'n roll bands on locally-produced record labels were actually worth purchasing! Later on it was like "hey you groups, go out and make a ton of records before you get your act together enough to give us something worth listening to", but at one time the more of these spinners that were comin' out the merrier because they really had something important to say as far as the continuation of a rock credo went!
These Bostonians ain't no exception even though they unfortunately fizzled out just like all of those other neat eighties groups that gave doofs like me so much hope. "Change" is a pretty good fast-paced pop-rocker that not-so-surprisingly reminds me of something the Droogs might have been able to (and might still be able to) whip up for a nicer-than-nice a-side. The by now familiar Haunted song on the other side is good but not anywhere as good as the original. But then how many of these retro-covers have reached the same pinnacles of fantabulousness of the originals anyway? An "A" for effort anyway. Get it, only TRY finding it (which you just might!).
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Here's one classic that I haven't spun in quite some time, the France-only reish of "Hey Joe" with a live segment from a '77 live show containing a whole number of tuneage drifting and intertwining in ways that the Grateful Dead never woulda dreamed of!
What else can you say about the a-side which shows Smith at the beginning of her prowess weaving the teenbo anthem of 1966 into her patented mythology involving Patty Hearst and the Symbionese Liberation Army. Tom Verlaine lays down some rather spidery guitar work that I'm sure made more'n a few folk in on the game hungry for some actual Television wares at a time when them Eno demos were making the rounds and getting more'n a few rock fans drooling uncontrollably.
Flipster's the real surprise what with the tail end of some Velvet Underground-riffed number (faded in) leading to a reading of "Radio Ethiopia" leading into "Rock 'n Roll N-word" (y'see, it's OK for Patti to use "that word" but me? ARE YA KIDDIN'?) and "Land" with lotsa Smith talk in and between. Sounds so swell, especially the no-waveish guitar duel twixt Smith and Lenny Kaye which I sure shoulda liked to have gone on for a whole lot longer'n it did!
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In what purports to be a bootleg from a group who I thought would have been bootlegged long ago, this under-the-counter effort does the group Love swell enough even when you consider that it came out a good thirtysome years too late. Actually the a-side's Arthur Lee with some relatively "new" psychedelic act called Baby Lemonade doing the infamous Sons of Adam single side, but it captures the essence of what the original Love version would have sounded like even if it does show strains of post-sixties polish. Flip's got a side off the once-rare pre-Love American Four single which reflects the 1964 dance craze and cars attitude more than it does the 1966 expand your mind and eventually end up like David Crosby one. "Gethsemene"'s nothing but a segment of "You Set the Scene" played backwards which somehow makes sense but don't ask me how.
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Syd Barrett-FINAL SESSIONS ABBY ROAD STUDIOS 1974 7-inch 33 rpm EP (Magic
Mushroom Records bootleg)
To be frightfully honest about it, I'm positive that most of you readers'll think there's nothing special about these (I think) recently-unearthed backing tracks laid down during Barrett's final session. As usual I disagree---on this nicely packaged EP (a bootleg so you know that the quality's gone into the production!) Barrett kneads out various blooze riffs (one entitled "John Lee Hooker") and other quite promising instrumentals that I get the feeling even Syd knew never were gonna see the light of day --- until now that is. It's fractured like anything and pretty much of historical value only, but oh what a history! (By the way, I reviewed this 'un exactly fifty years and three/four days since its recording which is something that should make anyone who was coming of age and discovering musical life in other forms via word of mouth and the import bins feel rather ancient!)
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A Destroy All Monsters-related effort that was released by the same bunch (mainly Cary Loren) who put out that boffo Monsters EP with the Virgil Finlay cover. Some turdburgers might have said that the Detroit Sound was dead and buried by the time these tracks made their way out, but it's more'n obvious that the spirit of the late-sixties was shinin' on what with records like this and groups like Sonic's Rendezvous Band up and about.
Basically the core of the '77 Destroy All Monsters without Niagara and Michael Davis but with minimal help from Ron Asheton, and if you liked the Monsters' high energy romps there's no reason why this ultra-obscurity shouldn't be in your collection. If you can only find a copy that is because even when I snatched this 'un up it was rare (check Youtube and burn one if it's up and about)!
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What was Bon Scott doing before lending his tonsils to the likes of AC/DC? Singing in this group that has about as much to do with Scott's later act as Vanessa Del Rio has to do with the Anti-Sodomy League. For a guy who was pretty much down and dirty with the legacy of seventies hard rock these sides sure come off soft and creme-filled center, nice enough pop that might be good for a few spins now and later but nothing you'd want to be inundated with when you could spend your time listening to something more soul-searing, like early AC/DC f'rinstance. Proof that Australia was once a pretty nice and hopping place for music and other things, although as we all know that has unfortunately changed.
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Billy Childish's female auxiliary playing the sixties beat right around the same time music in general became so dudsville that even listening to an interpretation of Beethoven's fifth played through my gaseous colon would have sounded better.
Flashy takes on the Doors and Henry Mancini (btw my uncle "knew" him when the two were growing up in Aliquippa Pennsylvania and unc said that everyone thought he was a fag walking around with his violin case'n all. And we all know who had the last laugh on that!). While this is not exactly the sorta music I'd wanna listen to while locked in a room for twennysome hours straight it sure is a nice switch of modes for my own satisfaction.
I have the feeling that Paul McGarry has a poster of the Del Monas pinned up somewhere in his shack and he has to take it down every time the wife walks into the room!
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On this early-nineties effort Saunders proceeds even further from the metallic screech of the Angry Samoans. Done up during the height of his seventies AM pop immersion, the Sweet classic is remade/remodeled in a way that wouldn't suit any fan of the group but wha' th' hey. Flipster eludes me with the reversed backing track and dialogue I assume has something to do with the then not-so-late Mr. Lou Reed, although back when this was unleashed some thirtysome years back I probably knew what it was all about and coulda cared less. Here's a fact that'll make a lump in your throat...Metal Mike is now a whopping SEVENTY-TWO YEARS OLD which I think is about the same age Charley Weaver died. Don't think that Mike's walking around in suspenders and a funny hat yet.
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This be the second Mee-Mees EP that, as if you didn't know awlready, didn't make it out '78 way due to lack of funds. Better late'n never I guess, although I know all of you rock-starved maniacs who were up and about back then woulda loved to have had this 'un spinnin' on your Hitachi or even hibachi for that matter. Reviewing this is (just like I am) useless considering how each and every one of you who tunes into this blog knows the whys and wherefores of this group, so come to your own conclusions and remember them days when records by groups like this 'n Half Japanese sure did their darndest to re-introduce trash aesthetics into a world where "hip" kids would hang mouths agape when hearing the sound travel from one speaker to another.
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A-side's such a bonafeed classic that even Rush Limbaugh used to use it as bumper music. A definite "nugget if you duggit" that made that punk rock tape compilation in FUSION (which might be the kinda "mixtape" you should have in your very own collection, and cook one up for me while you're at it!). The other side's a definite Merseysound ripoff but like you in the bathroom it holds its own. A fine slab from a rock group who sure did the world swell before making that anti-Amerigan rock record that got all of those hippie kids buyin' it up while mom 'n pop fumed.
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One of those reminders of why I hated listening to the radio until I heard "Get it On (Bang a Gong)" during my pre-pubesprout days of duh. The gurls used to wax eloquent about Donny and Crew but I held my nose at least until that one single about Skylab that I kinda liked, but anyway here's that hit which is so treacly sweet that I'm finally gonna get that Ozempic Rx filled after the insurance company said nada because I ain't a full-fledged diabetic. One more record for kid brother to go stompin' on while prowling through big sis's room.
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Gotta admit that I prefer Chad and Jeremy to their one tall guy and another with glasses doppelganger Peter and Gordon, but this particular slice just ain't as juicy as I would have hoped. The a-side sounds somewhat like a commercialized Fairport Convention and the flip's too string gloss mooshy to even be a good enough get yer gal into the mood tit squeezer. Eh, it's way more listenable than anything that is deemed listenable these days so why should I quarrel? They sure were good on the Van Dyke show though.
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Gee, can't seem to shake these two off! Anyway here's their first hit, the only one to make it big in England while becoming a monstrous hit leading to many others over here in the United States of Acne. I ain't got not complaints about this 'un as far as being a middling British Invasion track --- sure the Sonics or Kinks woulda blown 'em off the stage but you can enjoy it in its own teenybop way. The other side has a laughably gloppy version of that Peter Paul and Mary hit you older turds were forced to sing in music class, something which I'm sure should get you more riled up than me having to sing "Up With People!".
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The "Earth Angel" guy creating more music with those gloppy strings bound to get the bras off and the tits squeezed (unlike "Donna Donna"!). Since it wasn't as big a hit as the Ernest Ashworth version I get the feeling that there were more bras left on and a whole load of unsatisfied suckems out there which is too bad for the gals. Well, at least the radio might played "Theme From a Summer Place" later on...that was always one that got the libido bubbling full blast for alla them susceptible teenbos!
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I might've written this 'un up onna blog earlier but if I did so what, you get ANOTHER review of it goody goody you. A-side's that wild instrumental from the WAILERS AND COMPANY/TALL COOL ONE album and it still rages hot early-sixties drive that stood in the face of all the droopier music that was supposedly ruinin' things for all those rock 'n rollers just waiting for the Beatles (believe-you-me, there was enough good rock 'n rollin' stuff comin' outta the early-sixties to counteract all of the horrid mainstream moosh once you get down to it and study a few charts of the day!). The flip's another version (I believe the '64 mini-hit remake) of "Tall Cool One" under its original title. It is good enough even if this take lacks the slow moody drive of the original but better this onna charts than "Roses Are Red". Overall this is some pretty hotcha early punk rock that makes a good portion of the punk that came out post-eighties sound mighty petunia-esque!
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One of them early sides by Vern Wray and what used to be known as the Palomino Ranch Hands, here doing a rockabilly bopper driven by bro Link's humpin' sound. Considering what I know about Vernon's career as a pop crooner type (never did hear any of these sides so I'm going by mere hearsay) this does come as somewhat of a surprise, almost as much as when the once-slick Vern went the Willie Nelson route in the early seventies and grew his hair long with a beard to match! The other side's a slow mover which I get the feeling sounds close to the Ray Vernon style of classic teen croon that even got Dick Clark hypin' him (well, Mr. Clark dug the Wraymen too which is at least one good feather in his somewhat empty cap!). As far as Vern's and Link's subsequent output goes, this might have been the danged start of it all.
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Given the general beat-upness of this 'un I get the idea that the original owner got quite a few Christmas spins outta the thing. I also get the idea that the same guy now belongs to some crazy religious cult that doesn't believe in celebrating Christmas which is why I'm now in possession of this beaut! Too bad for the grandkids (who are probably locked in some closet) but great for me given how starved for Stoogemania I was during my groaning up days (folks too cheap to get an antenna high enough to draw in the Cleveland and Pittsburgh indie stations that were showing the Stooges because they thought the antenna would keep blowing over and they didn't wanna dish out the money in case it did, and besides I watched enough tee-vee as it was and you wonder why I grew up so frustrated!).
It's the revival-era Stooges, toned down a tad but still hitting the sparks for the spoiled brat generation. It may not quite translate to record the way it did to tee-vee and the theatres but its good 'nuff to at least ooze some kidtime frolicking feeling outta you. If you were the type of ranch house kiddie who was front and center for these guys whether they were popping up on ED SULLIVAN or the afternoon kid show you'll get a kick outta it. Give it a spin, and while yer doin' it pause for a moment and think of all the suburban slobs (or at least me) who were denied growing up with these guys because of budget conscious parents and local stations who would rather show Merv Griffin or some rerun of a series that didn't need to be aired the first time around for that matter!
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By the time this single came out (1989) there were many self-produced small label efforts by the usual "underground rock" suspects to choose from, that is if you were a fan of the rockin' Big Beat. Unfortunately a good number of the records that were getting unleashed weren't worthy of anyone's time and thankfully got washed down the drain of "who cares" (see Prime Mover review above), but this rarity is one that really was savable if you were might picky about what was allowable in your collection. Not that the Voodoo Dolls were whatcha'd call jaw-dropping inspiring, but they could sure punch out a song in ways that your local REM wannabes never could fathom. Straight ahead rock 'n roll without the frills (think the New York Dolls without Johansen's pout), the kind they used to call "punk" before that term became one of eternal pariahdom. Not bad really.
I want to go through Scepter records catalogue a bit more, heard about a lot of goodness there!
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