BULLETIN -
July/ August
2009
Vintage Rock 'n' Roll & Rockabilly
The Avalanches
->
Various Artists + Book
| LOVE ME
TENDER The Stories Behind
The World's Best Loved Songs by Max Cryer |
● BOOK $16.95 |
Hardbound, 192 pages, counts as four CDs for shipping
"Love Me Tender" tells the remarkable stories behind forty well-known
songs-from "Blue Moon" to "Moon River", from "Greensleeves" to "Somewhere
Over the Rainbow" - in this very entertaining book. Using a storytelling
approach, Cryer uncovers the genesis of assorted spirituals ("Ave Maria",
"Amazing Grace"), anthems ("The Star-spangled Banner", "God Save the
King/Queen"), show-tunes ("I Could Have Danced All Night", "I Don't Know
How to Love Him"), traditional numbers ("Happy Birthday", "Rudolph the
Red-Nosed Reindeer"), contemporary pop songs ("Candle in the Wind",
Yesterday"), vaudeville and music-hall ditties ("You Made Me Love You",
"It's a Long Way to Tipperary"), and everything in between. Some of his
choices are puzzling (why two songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber?) and obscure
("Beyond the Blue Horizon"?), but all n' all this is a very entertaining
and informative read.
|
| THE AVALANCHES |
Collector's Choice 787 |
Ski Surfin |
● CD $12.98 |
12 tracks, 32 min., highly recommended
Not the Australian electronica outfit whose musical mischief is ongoing, but a one-off
instrumental studio project released by Warner Brothers in 1963 (LP
WB-1525) featuring, among others, studio guitar masters Billy Strange and
Tommy Tedesco, the nearly ubiquitous Hal Blaine on drums, and future
leader of Bread, David Gates on "Fender bass." The basic concept here is
surf music for winter months, thus all the songs are either directly or
indirectly related to that frosty season and Xmas, or more accurately, the
song titles are. The boys cover Baby, It's Cold Outside, which is
odd in that that song's charms are almost entirely derived from the
interplay of voices, but there you are. They cover Sleigh Ride and
Winter Wonderland, and more, and add original compositions with
such chilly titles as Avalanche and Slalom. The sound here
deviates from traditional 1960s surf insomuch as piano and occasional
steel guitar have been added to sweeten the mix. Solid fun but not
earthshaking or groundbreaking, or in this case, surf-breaking. (JC)
|
| THE BEL AIRES |
Crossfire 9512 |
The Origins Of Surf Music - South Bay
Surf, Vol. 1 |
● CD $17.98 |
26 tracks, 67 min., recommended
Although the Bel-Aires
only had one hit in the seminal surf number Mr. Moto, founding
member Paul Johnson (who once turned down an offer to join the Beach Boys)
makes a strong case in the booklet notes for his band's place in surf
music history. With recording dates ranging from 1960-1963, these cuts
offer the band's early "home recordings," including a version of Mr
Moto from 1960, tracks from their "Liberty sessions," and other studio
and (later) home recordings from '62-'63. The best cuts (e.g., Volcanic
Action, Kamikaze) are strong indeed, but the real interest here
is the demos and home taped material that shows the development of the
band, and the sound that become known as surf music. The home recordings
have the poor sound quality that one would expect for the time, and one
recording from a television show called Pickwick Park was actually taped
off the TV speaker by Johnson's mother. But as a history of the group and
the surf sound that thrived before the British invasion changed
everything, the notes and music make up a kind of documentary well worth
investigating. And if you pick up a copy of band's Volcanic Action! CD on
the Sundazed label, you will have every available piece of Bel-Aires
music. (JC)
|
| CHUCK BERRY |
Hip-O Select 12465-02 |
You Never Can Tell-Complete Chess
Recordings, 1960-66 |
● CD $79.98 |
The second volume devoted to the complete Chess recordings
of the great pioneer rocker Chuck Berry is now available. It's a limited
edition four CD set (5,000 copies worldwide) with 108 tracks. The `60s
hits weren't as plentiful, but the era covered by this new set is filled
with Berry classics-to-be such as No Particular Place To Go/ You Never
Can Tell/ Nadine (Is It You?)/ Come On, and Promised Land,
great instrumentals like his two jams with Bo Diddley (Chuck's Beat/
Bo's Beat), and an increased concentration by Chuck on blues,
including a series of great covers of classics like The Things I Used
To Do/ Worried Life Blues, and Drifting Blues These were the
years prior to Berry leaving Chess for three years at Mercury, and he made
the best of them. The set includes 18 previously unreleased tracks, 2
songs previously only available on a publishing sampler, plus numerous
other rarities. Besides the hits, the great blues covers, and other
familiar fare, the rarities include a 45 minute live in concert segment
recorded in Michigan during October of 1963 that was intended for release
but was shelved and features hot versions of Guitar Boogie/ Johnny B.
Goode, and Let It Rock, among others. There is also a
previously unreleased July 1965 session wherein Chuck performs a pair of
Big Joe Turner hits, Honey Hush and Shake Rattle & Roll, and
the package also includes previously unreleased instrumental versions of
Brown Eyed Handsome Man/ My Mustang Ford, and Wee Wee Hours..
The set includes in-depth liner notes by Chuck Berry
biographer/discographer Fred Rothwell and features complete session by
session recording credits, period graphics and photos, and a '60 to '66
singles discography.
* = unissued DISC ONE: Drifting Blues/ I Got To Find My
Baby/ I Got To Find My Baby (stereo remix)/ Don't You Lie To Me/ Worried
Life Blues/ Our Little Rendezvous/ Bye Bye Johnny/ Bye Bye Johnny (stereo
remix)/ Run Around/ Run Around (stereo remix)/ Jaguar And Thunderbird/
Diploma For Two/ Little Star/ The Way It Was Before/ Away From You/ Down
The Road Apiece/ Down The Road Apiece (stereo remix)/ Confessin' The
Blues/ Sweet Sixteen/ Thirteen Question Method/ Stop And Listen/ I Still
Got The Blues/ I'm Just A Lucky So And So/ Mad Lad (instrumental)/ Surfin'
Steel (Cryin' Steel) (instrumental)/ Route 66 (take 10)/ Route 66 (alt.
take 11)/ I'm Talking About You/ Rip It Up/ Come On/ Come On (alternate -
stereo)/ Adulteen - previously unreleased commercially/ The Man And The
Donkey
DISC TWO: Go Go Go (alternate take)*/ Go Go Go/ Trick Or Treat/
Brown Eyed Handsome Man (instrumental)*/ Brown Eyed Handsome Man/ Brown
Eyed Handsome Man (stereo remix)/ All Aboard/ Guitar Boogie*/ Let It
Rock*/ Almost Grown*/ Chuck Berry dialog*/ Johnny B. Goode*/ Introduction
/Instrumental*/ Sweet Little Sixteen*/ Wee Wee Hours*/ Chuck Berry
dialog*/ Maybellene*/ Medley: Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight/Johnny B.
Goode/School Day*/ Nadine (Is It You?)/ You Never Can Tell/ The Little
Girl From Central/ (The) Things I Used To Do/ I'm In The Danger Zone
(previously unreleased commercially)
DISC THREE: Fraulein/ Lonely All The
Time (Crazy Arms)/ O Rangutang (unfaded instrumental)/ Big Ben (Blues)/
Promised Land/ Brenda Lee/ No Particular Place To Go/ You Two/ Liverpool
Drive (instrumental/ Chuck's Beat (instrumental)/ Bo's Beat
(instrumental)/ Little Marie/ Go, Bobby Soxer/ Lonely School Days/ His
Daughter Caroline/ Dear Dad/ Want To Be Your Driver/ Spending Christmas*/
The Song Of My Love/ Butterscotch (instrumental/ After It's Over
(instrumental)/ Why Should We End This Way DISC FOUR: You Came A Long Way
From St. Louis/ She Once Was Mine/ Jamaica Farewell/ My Little Love Light/
I Got A Booking/ St. Louis Blues/ Shake Rattle & Roll (take 23)*/ Wee Wee
Hours (instrumental)*/ Honey Hush (take 3)*/ Run Joe/ It's My Own
Business/ One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)/ Every Day We Rock
And Roll/ My Mustang Ford (instrumental)*/ My Mustang Ford/ My Mustang
Ford (stereo remix)/ Merrily We Rock And Roll/ Vaya Con Dios/ Wee Hour
Blues/ It Wasn't Me/ It Wasn't Me (stereo remix)/ Ain't That Just Like A
Woman/ Right Off Rampart Street/ Welcome Back Pretty Baby/ Sad Day, Long
Night (instrumental/ Ramona Say Yes/ Ramona Say Yes (alternate mix)/ Viva
Viva Rock `n' Roll/ His Daughter Caroline (fast version)*/ Lonely School
Days (fast version)
|
| EDDIE COCHRAN |
EMI (UK) 267 778-2 |
The Eddie Cochran Story |
● CD $38.98 |
Four CDs, 134 tracks, essential if you don't have the Bear
Family set
In the short space of five years from his first country
recordings in 1955 to his tragic death in car accident in 1960 Eddie
Cochran accomplished a great deal with many fine recordings under his own
name as well as accompanying numerous other performers. Last year Bear
Family issued an amazing eight CD set featuring 262 tracks with a large
hard cover book (Bear Family 15989 - "Somethin' Else" - $209.98) that
reissued just about every extant release featuring Eddie. If that release
is too expensive or just too much you should consider this modestrly
priced four CD set with 134 tracks featuring at least one take of most of
his recordings along with a selection of his work as a session musician.
The first disc features his pre Liberty recordings including many tracks
that were not discovered until long after his death including his earliest
country sides with Hank Cochran (no relation) as by The Cochran Brothers.
The duo swiftly latched on to rock 'n' roll and after the first half a
dozen tracks most of the rest is rock 'n' roll including Eddie's first
solo recordings though only one single was originally issued from his solo
sides. It also includes accompaniments to Hank Cochran and Jerry Capehart.
The next two discs features at least on take of all his Liberty sides
recorded between 1957 and 1960 including, of course, all his great hits
like Sittin' In The Balcony/ Drive In Show/ Summertime Blues/ C'Mon
Everybody and Somethin' Else as well lots of great lesser known
and originally unissued sides and a handful of alternate takes. The last
10 tracks of the third disc are a selection of the instrumentals that were
not discovered until the 1980s and show just what a brilliant musician he
was. Disc four opens with 11 stereo versions of his Liberty recordings and
continues four superb takes of Liberty tracks where he was accompanied by
Sonny Curtis & Jerry Allison of The Crickets. There are 18 tracks with
Eddie accompanying singers like Gene Bo davis, Ray Stanley, Johnny
Burnette, Bob Denton, Gene Vincent and others and the set ends with four
live cuts. Unlike Bear family's massive 192 page hard cover book this set
is accompanied by an 8 page booklet with two pages of notes, some photos
and list of tracks! Still for this price this is a wonderful cross section
of all the most important recordings of this rock 'n' roll pioneer. (FS)
THE COCHRAN BROTHERS: Guilty Conscience/ Mr. Fiddle/
Your Tomorrows Never Come/ Two Blue Singing Stars/ JERRY CAPEHART & THE
COCHRAN BROTHERS: Walkin' Stick Boogie/ Rollin'/ HANK COCHRAN: Latch On/
EDDIE COCHRAN: Yesterday's Heartbreak/ JERRY CAPEHART: Heart Of A Fool/
EDDIE COCHRAN: My Love To Remember/ THE COCHRAN BROTHERS: Latch On/ EDDIE
COCHRAN: Pink Peg Slacks/ THE COCHRAN BROTHERS: Slow Down/ Fools Paradise/
Tired And Sleepy/ Open The Door/ HANK COCHRAN: I'm Ready/ EDDIE COCHRAN:
Half Loved/ Teenage Cutie/ Dark Lonely Street/ JERRY CAPEHART: Latch On/
EDDIE COCHRAN: Half Loved (Ver.2)/ Pink Peg Slacks (Ver. 2)/ Long Tall
Sally/ Blue Suede Shoes/ Long Tall Sally/ Blue Suede Shoes/ I Almost Lost
My Mind/ That's My Desire/ Cotton Picker/ JERRY CAPEHART: That's What It
Takes To Make A Man/ EDDIE COCHRAN: Mighty Mean/ Twenty Flight Rock/ Dark
Lonely Street/ Completely Sweet/ Sittin' In The Balcony/ Have I Told You
Lately That I Love You/ Cradle Baby/ Pocketful Of Hearts/ Mean When I'm
Mad/ Tell Me Why/ Proud Of You/ One Kiss/ Am I Blue/ Lovin' Time/ I'm
Alone Because I Love You/ Sweetie Pie/ Undying Love/ Completely Sweet
(Version 2)/ Drive In Show/ Stockings And Shoes/ Twenty Flight Rock
(Version 2)/ Ah, Pretty Girl/ Theresa/ Pretty Girl/ Think Of Me (Stop
Version)/ Jeanie, Jeanie, Jeanie/ Never/ Little Lou/ Ah, Pretty Girl
(Version 2, guitar solo)/ Nervous Breakdown/ Love Again/ Summertime Blues/
Crusin' The Drive In/ Nervous Breakdown (Version 2)/ One Minute To One/
Teenage Heaven (Take 7, with dialogue)/ Think Of Me (Chorus Version)/
C'mon Everybody/ Don't Ever Let Me Go/ Let's Get Together/ I Remember/
Teenage Heaven/ I've Waited So Long/ Jelly Bean/ Don't Bye, Bye Baby Me/
Rock And Roll Blues/ My Way (Take 4)/ Three Steps To Heaven/ Weekend/
Three Stars/ Somethin' Else/ Boll Weevil Song/ Milk Cow Blues (Take 3)/ My
Love To Remember/ Little Angel (No Overdubs)/ Hallelujah, I Love Her So
(No Overdubs)/ Three Steps To Heaven/ Cut Across Shorty/ Cherished
Memories/ String Fever (Instrumental)/ Jungle Jingle (Instrumental)/
Guitar Blues (Instrumental)/ Meet Mr Tweedy (Instrumental)/ Gruybo - aka
(Drum City) (Instrumental)/ Strollin' Guitar (Instrumental)/ Hammy Blues
(Instrumental)/ Songs Of New Orleans (Instrumental)/ Jam Sand-Witch
(Instrumental)/ Eddie Blues (Instrumental)/ Pretty Girl (1st Stereo
Version)/ I've Waited So Long (Stereo)/ Ah, Pretty Girl (Stereo)/ Jeanie,
Jeanie, Jeanie (Stereo)/ Weekend (Stereo)/ Pretty Girl (Take 2, Stereo)/
Hallelujah, I Love Her So (Stereo)/ Little Angel (Stereo)/ EDDIE COCHRAN
WITH THE CRICKETS: Cherished Memories (Stereo)/ Cut Across Shorty
(Stereo)/ Cherished Memories (Stereo)/ Three Steps To Heaven (Stereo)/
GENE BO DAVIS: Let's Coast Awhile/ Drowning All My Sorrows/ SKEETS
MCDONALD: Heartbreakin' Mama/ You Oughta See Grandma Rock/ RAY STANLEY: My
Lovin' Baby/ Kiss And Make Up/ JACK LEWIS: I.O.U./ JOHNNY BURNETTE: Me And
The Bear/ AL CASEY: Willa Mae/ BOB DENTON & EDDIE COCHRAN: Thinkin' About
You/ Pretty Little Devil/ Sick And Tired/ BOB LUMAN: Guitar Picker/ THE
HOLLY TWINS: I Want Elvis For Christmas/ DERRY WEAVER: Itty Bitty Betty/
THE FOUR DOTS: Hide And Go Seek/ Don't Wake Up The Kids/ GENE VINCENT: Now
Is The Hour/ EDDIE COCHRAN: Sittin In The Balcony (Live)/ Whole Lotta
Shakin' Goin' On (Live)/ Money Honey (Live)/ Sweet Little Sixteen (Live)
|
| JIMMY DELL |
Bear Family BCD 16508 |
Cool It, Baby |
● CD $21.98 |
20 tracks, 44 mins, recommended
Jimmy Dell (Jimmy Delbridge) was a fine and obscure rock 'n' roll singer and piano
player who only
had four singles issued between 1955 and 1962 but thanks to Bear Family we
get a full CD of this artist featuring eight previously unissued songs and
two alternate takes of issued songs. Jimmy was active on the lively
Phoenix, Arizona scene and worked closely with the young Duane Eddy and
this CD features his first single from 1955 on which he duets with Duane
on two country songs in the style of country brothers like Jimmy & Johnny
produced by Phoenix legend-to-be Lee Hazlewood and issued on his EB X.
Preston label - an impossibly rare release. The remaining recordings are
fine rock 'n' roll and were cut between 1956 and 1962 for RCA and Von -
many with a band including another Phoenix legend - Al Casey. Two of the
tracks Sweet Potatoes and Skippin' are R&B instrumentals
featuring Jimmy playing organ and Brad Bauer playing some nice tenor sax.
Jimmy recently returned to performing and is scheduled to appear at the
"Rockabilly Rave" festival this year. (FS)
|
| WANDA JACKSON |
Bear Family BCD 16631 |
Wanda Rocks |
● CD $24.98 |
35 tacks, 80 mins, essential
This one's been out a while
but hasn't been reviewed before. With Wanda Jackson finally taking her
rightful place in the Rock and Roll hall of fame, hopefully she will get a
whole new generation appreciating her fantastic work. Wanda "Rocks" indeed
on this collection; if any woman had a better voice for Rock
'N' Roll/
Rockabilly, I've yet to hear her. Covering her key "Rockin'" years from
1956 - 1961, this simply has one great track after another. From her
Country flavored I Gotta Know/ Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad, and
Honey Bop, to her most famous Rockabilly cuts Let's Have A Party/
Fujiyama Mama/ Mean, Mean Man, and There's A Party Going On,
that's only a sample of her greatness. You also get lesser known, but no
less great cuts like Tongue Tied/ Funnel of Love, and Who Shot
Sam. Wanda could also take songs famously recorded by others and not
just put her stamp on them, but absolutely own them, check out Lonely
Weekends/ Riot in Cell Block #9 (note her key lyric changes,)/
Tweedle Dee/ Stupid Cupid/ Slippin' and Slidin', and many more, that
are as good, if not better in most cases then their classic original
versions. I love this collection from start to finish and if you have only
a cursory amount of Wanda Jackson in your collection, you definitely need
more and this is an essential collection of her work, done in the fine job
expected from Bear Family. (JM)
WANDA JACKSON: (Let's Have A) Party/ Baby Loves Him/
Brown Eyed Handsome Man/ Cool Love/ Fallin'/ Fujiyama Mama/ Funnel of
Love/ Hard Headed Woman/ Honey Bop/ Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad/ I Gotta
Know/ I Wanna Waltz/ It Doesn't Matter Anymore/ Kansas City/ Let My Love
Walk In/ Lonely Weekends/ Long Tall Sally/ Lost Weekend/ Man We Had a
Party/ Mean Mean Man/ Money Honey/ My Baby Left Me/ Riot in Cell Block #9/
Rock Your Baby/ Searchin'/ Slippin' and Slidin'/ Sparkling Brown Eyes/
Sticks and Stones/ Stupid Cupid/ There's a Party Goin' On/ Tongue Tied/
Tweedle Dee/ Who Shot Sam/ Yakety Yak/ You Bug Me Bad
|
| JON & THE
NIGHTRIDERS |
Crossfire 9511 |
Stampede! |
● CD $17.98 |
First CD reissue of 1986 album by one of the finest surf
music revival groups. Led by guitarist and surf historian John Blair th
group included Jeff Nicholson on Bass and Dusty Watson on drums with
George White adding sax on a number of tracks. The CD issue features five
bonus tracks - four of them live.
|
| CHARLIE RICH |
Bear Family BCD 16513 |
Charlie Rocks |
● CD $24.98 |
31 tracks, 75 mins, highly recommended
This is the perfect
Charlie Rich CD for your collection. This features all up-beat material
from his classic 50's and 60's recordings. So you get not only his famous
Sun Records recordings, but also great post-Sun tracks like Big Boss
Man/ I Washed My Hands in Muddy Waters, and "Mohair Sam," to name a
few. For those who dig Charlie Rich, but thought that the three CD Sun
records box set was a bit much, this is the one for you. This captures the
essence of the man's early work and is fantastic from start to finish. You
get the classics like That's Rich/ Lonely Weekends/ Popcorn Polly/
Rebound/ Charlie's Boogie/ Big Man/ Philadelphia Baby, etc. With
Alternative takes of Goodbye Mary Ann/ Whirlwind/ Big Man, and
Lonely Weekends. Since this comes from Bear Family, you get the
expected quality production, with extensive liner notes, discographal info
and song-by-song histories. Charlie Rich was a big man with a big talent
and this is a big, wonderful sounding CD. (JM)
|
| CHARLIE RICH |
Charly SNAJ 744 |
The Complete Sun Masters |
● CD $27.98 |
3 CDs, 102 tracks, 235 mins, highly recommended
Here we
have riches of Charlie, certainly what any Charlie Rich fan has been
waiting for. You get one CD of officially released material and then two
full disks of "From The Vaults" goodies - including some never before
released material. So you get his best known songs from the era like
Lonely Weekends/ Midnight Blues/ Break Up, etc, plus a ton of
lesser-known originals and covers. Rich was quite under-rated as a
songwriter; one of the great aspects of this collection is how it
showcases so many great Rich originals, with at least 2/3rds of the
material featured here from his own pen. Yes Ma'am/ What's My Name?/
The Ways Of a Woman in Love, and so on, show an artist that should
have been bigger long before he did make it big, but for whatever reasons
it didn't happen that way. You do get some pretty impressive covers as
well, with fine takes on Unchained Melody, and Blue Suede Shoes,
just to name a couple put together in an attractive box that includes a
richly detailed 36 page booklet with track by track annotation. (JM)
* = previously unissued DISC ONE: Whirlwind/
Philadelphia Baby/ Rebound/ Big Man/ Lonely Weekends/ Everything I Do Is
Wrong/ School Days/ Gonna Be Waitin' On My Knees/ Stay/ Who Will The Next
Fool Be?/ Caught In The Middle/ Just A Little Bit Sweet/ It's Too Late/
Easy Money,/ Midnight Blues/ Sittin' And Thinkin'/ Finally Found Out/
There's Another Place I Can't Go/ I Need Your Love/ Sad News/ Red Man/
C.C. Rider/ Come Back/ Apple Blossom Time/ Break Up/ That's How Much I
Love You/ Juanita/ Whirlwind (undubbed)/ School Days (undubbed)/ It's Too
Late (undubbed)/ Come Back (undubbed) DISC TWO: My Baby Done Left Me/
Charlie's Boogie/ Blue Suede Shoes/ Juicehead Baby/ Baby, I Need You/ Oh,
Lonely Days/ Portrait Of My Love/ Seven Dreams/ Waiting All Alone*/ The
Ways Of A Woman In Love/ Thanks A Lot/ It Hurt Me So/ Donna Lee/ Never
Mind Little Girl*/ I Love No One But You/ Deep Freeze,/ Popcorn Polly/
Give In,/ Those Places Round Town,/ Sail Away/ Sail Away (demo)/ Am I To
Be The One? (Duet with Jerry Lee Lewis)/ Jeannie With The Light Brown
Hair/ Unchained Melody/ I've Lost My Heart To You/ My Heart Cries For You/
Right Behind You Baby/ The Loneliest Days/ Lonely Hurt Within/ Now
Everybody Knows/ Don't Put No Headstone On My Grave/ That's Rich/ Time And
Again/ Goodbye, Mary Ann/ Gentle As A Lamb/ You Never Know About Love/
Lonely Weekends (Alternate) DISC THREE: Little Woman Friend Of Mine/
Time's A-Wasting/ You Made A Hit/ Yes, Ma'am/ Stop Thief/ What's My Name?/
How Blue Can You Be?/ I Said Baby/ Cloud Nine/ Ain't It A Shame ?/ The
Wedding Is Over/ Unsuspecting Me*/ If You Knew/ Somehow We'll Find A Way*/
Every Day (And Evey Night)/ There Won't Be Anymore/ Closed For Repair*/
(We Belong To) Each Other*/ Untitled Instrumental/ Long Way From
Tennessee/ Every Day (That You're Away From Me)/ Baby, I Need You/ When/
My Mountain Dew*/ Graveyardville/ Ballad Of Billy Joe (Undubbed)/ Since
You Said Goodbye*/ Too Many Tears/ Little By Little*/ Life Is A Flower/
I'm Making Plans/ Stop Fakin' Your Love (Alternate)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace CDCHD 1216 |
Honey & Wine-Another Gerry GOffin & Carole
King Song |
● CD $18.98 |
26 tracks, 70 mins, essential
A song collection as good as
"Goffin & King: A Gerry Goffin and Carole King Song Collection 1961-1967"
(Ace 1170 - $18.98) screamed for a follow-up, and here it is. Like the
first set, this one also mixes well known tracks by the Drifters (Up on
the Roof), the Monkees (Pleasant Valley Sunday), and Bobby Vee
(Go Away Little Girl) with lesser known songs by popular artists
(the Turtles, Jan & Dean, the Hollies). There's also the odd track
presented here in a version that's not the best known (Nancy Wilson doing
No Easy Way Down, famously cut by Dusty Springfield; Jody Miller
doing He Hit Me (And it Felt Like a Kiss), which was originally a
notorious flop for the Crystals). And when the artists run the gamut from
Gene Pitney to Freddie Scott to Connie Stevens to the Rising Sons (Taj
Mahal and Ry Cooder's early band) you know that diversity is the name of
the game. Bottom line: if you have the first volume, then this volume is
mandatory. (GMC)
MAXINE BROWN: Oh No, Not My Baby/ ANDREA CARROLL: That
Boy I Used To Know/ BERTELL DACHE: Not Just Tomorrow, But Always (Mono
Single Version)/ CAROLYN DAYE: A Long Way To Be Happy/ JACKIE DESHANNON:
Child Of Mine/ THE DRIFTERS: Up On The Roof/ MARIANNE FAITHFULL: Is This
What I Get For Loving You/ THE HOLLIES: Honey & Wine/ CHUCK JACKSON: I
Need You/ PETER JAMES: Stage Door/ JAN & DEAN: The Best Friend I Ever Had/
BEN E. KING: Tell Daddy/ BARBARA LEWIS: Don't Forget About Me/ GENE
MCDANIELS: Point Of No Return/ JODY MILLER: He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A
Kiss)/ THE MONKEES: Pleasant Valley Sunday/ TAMMY MONTGOMERY: Make The
Night A Little Longer/ THE MYDDLE CLASS: I Happen To Love You/ GENE
PITNEY: Every Breath I Take/ THE RISING SONS: Take A Giant Step/ FREDDIE
SCOTT: Brand New World/ ARLENE SMITH: He Knows I Love Him Too Much/ CONNIE
STEVENS: They're Jealous Of Me/ THE TURTLES: So Goes Love/ BOBBY VEE: Go
Away Little Girl/ NANCY WILSON: No Easy Way Down
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace CDCHD 1219 |
Your Heard Them here First - Rock's Icons
Before They |
● CD $18.98 |
24 tracks, 58 mins, highly recommended
Ever wanted to hear
what a band with both Neil Young and Rick James as members sounded like?
Or a band with Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal? How about early Joe Cocker, David
Bowie (when he was still using his real name David Jones), pre-Humble Pie
Peter Frampton, or Warren Zevon? Well, here's your chance because Ace has
helpfully compiled a CD with pre-fame tracks by all of the above and more.
The time frame of these tracks ranges from 1959 to 1968 (exception: an
early Lou Reed track that didn't make its first appearance anywhere until
2000 via another Ace collection) and many truly reflect their time: for
example, Cocker's cover of the Beatles' I'll Cry Instead is pure
imitation Beat Group and is hardly in the same league as the innovative
overhaul Cocker and his cohorts would later give the Beatles' She Came
in Through the Bathroom Window. A few tracks are not what you would
expect, like The Mynah Birds (the group with Young and James) very
folk-rock It's My Time; others hint at what the artist would
eventually become, like Levon & the Hawks' (aka The Band) The Stones I
Throw and The Beefeaters' (The Byrds) Please Let Me Love You.
Most unbelievable moment: that Bill Medley was a part of the Coasters'
rip-off Prison Break by The Paramours. Oh well, I guess everyone
has to start somewhere. Anyway, this collection is loads of fun and
totally worth it if only to hear Marty Balin making like a teen idol on
You Made Me Fall. (GMC)
LONG JOHN BALDRY & THE HOOCHIE COOCHIE MEN: Up Above My
Head I Hear Music In the Air/ MARTY BALIN: You Made Me Fall/ THE
BEEFEATERS: Please Let Me Love You/ MICHAEL BLESSING: The New Recruit/
J.J. CALE: Outside Lookin' In/ CHERILYN: Dream Baby/ JOE COCKER: I'll Cry
Instead/ LINK CROMWELL: Crazy Like A Fox/ THE HERD: I Can Fly/ THE
INTERNATIONAL SUBMARINE BAND: Truck Driving Man/ DAVIE JONES AND THE KING
BEES: Liza Jane/ DANNY LEE: Stop Calling Me Baby/ ARTHUR LEE AND THE
LAG'S: Rumble Stilts Skins/ LEVON & THE HAWKS: The Stones I Throw/ LYME &
CYBELLE: Follow Me/ THE MYNAH BIRDS: It's My Time/ THE PARAMOURS: Prison
Break/ BO PETE: Groovy Little Susie/ THE PIGEONS: In The Midnight Hour/
LEWIS REED: Your Love/ THE RISING SUNS: 1983/ MARK ROBINSON: Can't Let Her
See Me Cry/ THE ROCKETS: Hole In My Pocket/ FLIP SLOAN: Little Girl In The
Cabin
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bear Family BCD 16721 |
That'll Flat Git It, Vol. 21 - Atlantic
Records |
● CD $21.98 |
29 tracks, highly recommended
This was issued about a year
ago but the first batches we got had pages missing from the booklet - a
problem which has now been fixed. The "missing" volume 21 in this great
series finally appears and was worth the wait featuring 29 hot sides from
the vaults of Atlantic and it's subsidiary Atco and EastWest labels.
Though mostly associated with black music in its early years the labels
management brought the same degree of great taste to its rockabilly and
rock 'n' roll releases as it did to blues, R&B and jazz even though very
few of its rock 'n' roll releases made much impact on the charts. Among
the artists featured here are Hal Willis (the fabulous My PInk Cadillac),
Al Henderson, Teddy Redell (the original recording of Judy later
recorded by Elvis), Bobby Brant (aka Bobby Poe with the hot Rockin'
Nellie with great piano from Big Al Downing), The Kingsmen (not
rockabilly but hot rock 'n' roll instrumentals by group that was actually
Bill Haley's Comets in 1958), Dean Beard (his classic Rakin' And
Scrapin' ), Mad Man Taylor, Barbara Greene (hot covers of Little
Richard's Long Tall Sally and Slippin' & Slidin with tough
unknown guitarist and King Curtis on sax), Pat & The Satellites (bluesy
instrumental), David Gates (11 years after these fine rockabilly sides he
formed the group Bread), Sonny West (the original recording of Rave On
by it's writer recorded at Norman Petty's studios) and others. As usual
for Bear Family the sound quality is incredible and the 52 page booklet
has extensive notes on all the artists, rare photos and full
discographical info. (FS)
DEAN BEARD: Party Party/ Rakin' And Scrapin'/ BOBBY
BRANT: Piano Nellie/ THE CASTLE KINGS: Jeanette/ BRACEY EVERETT: The
Lover's Curse/ DAVID GATES: Swingin' Baby Doll/ Walkin' And Talkin'/
BARBARA GREENE: Long Tall Sally/ Slippin' And Slidin'/ AL HENDERSON: Ding
Dong Dandy/ Mary Jane/ THE KINGSMEN: Better Believe It/ The Cat Walk/
Weekend/ PAT & THE SATELLITES: Jupiter C/ RAY & LINDY: Big Betty/ TEDDY
REDELL: Can't You See/ Judy/ GLENN REEVES: Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee/
Rockin' Country Style/ JIMMY SIMMONS: Too Hot To Handle/ MAD MAN TAYLOR:
Rock 'n' Roll Espanole/ Rumble Tumble/ BUDDY THOMPSON: I've Got A Good
Thing Going/ This Is The Night/ JUNIOR THOMPSON: Jungle Girl/ SONNY WEST:
Rave On/ HAL WILLIS: Bop-A-Dee Bop-A-Doo/ My Pink Cadillac
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Fantastic Voyage 17 |
Good Rockin' Tonight - Red Hot Rockabilly |
● CD $22.98 |
Three CD set with 75 great rockabilly and rock 'n' roll
sides from the period 1954 through 1958. There are a handful of more
obscure sides but it's mostly the usual suspects - Elvis, Carl Perkins,
Roy Orbison, Eddie Bond, Johnny Carroll, Warren Smith, Billy Lee Riley,
Jerry Lee Lewis, The Johnny Burnette Trio, etc. There's also some country
artists trying their hand at this new fangled thing like Autry Inman,
Ferlin Huskey, Webb Pierce and others. Among the lesser known artists are
Jimmy Lloyd, Johnnie Strickland, Slick Slavin, Billy Harlan, etc. The set
is arranged approximately chronologically opening with Elvis's 1954
rendition of Good Rockin' Tongight and ending with Connie Dycus's
1958 Rock-A-Bye Baby Rock. Excellent sound and booklet has brief
notes and some nice label shots. If you don't have much rockabilly than
this would be a great introduction.
EDDIE BOND: Rockin' Daddy/ EDWIN BRUCE: Sweet Woman/
SONNY BURGESS: Ain't Got A Thing/ We Wanna Boogie/ JOHNNY BURNETTE TRIO:
Lonesome Train/ Rock Billy Boogie/ The Train Kept A-Rollin'/ JOHNNY
CARROLL: Rock 'n' Roll Ruby/ JOE CLAY: Duck Tail/ Sixteen Chicks/ JACKIE
LEE COCHRAN: Mama Don't You Think I Know/ Ruby Pearl/ LORRIE & LARRY
COLLLINS: Whistle Bait/ SIMON CRUM: Bop Cat Bop/ JACKIE DEE: Buddy/ CONNIE
DYCUS: Rock-A-Bye Baby Rock/ JACK EARLS & THE JIMBOS: Slow Down/ JIMMY
EDWARDS: Love Bug Crawl/ THE FARMER BOYS: Cool Down Mame/ CHARLIE
FEATHERS: One Hand Loose/ GLEN GLENN: Everybody's Movin'/ CURTIS GORDON:
Draggin'/ BILLY HARLAN: I Wanna Bop/ RAY HARRIS: Come On Little Mama/
Greenback Dollar, Watch And Chain/ FERLIN HUSKEY: Slow Down Brother/ AUTRY
INMAN: Be Bop Baby/ It Would Be A Doggone Lie/ WANDA JACKSON: Cool Love/
Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad/ Mean Mean Man/ SLEEPY LABEEF: All The Time/
BRENDA LEE: Bigelow 6-200/ Little Jonah (Rock On Your Steel Guitar)/ JERRY
LEE LEWIS: Great Balls Of Fire/ High School Confidential/ Whole Lot Of
Shakin' Going On/ JIMMY LLOYD: I Got A Rocket In My Pocket/ BOB LUMAN: Red
Cadillac And A Black Moustache/ Try Me/ GENE MALTAIS: Crazy Baby/ JANIS
MARTIN: All Right, Baby/ Bang Bang/ Will You, Willyum/ SKEETS MCDONALD:
Heart Breakin' Mama/ THE MILLER SISTERS: Ten Cats Down/ TERRY NOLAND: Ten
Little Women/ ROY ORBISON: Ooby Dooby/ Rockhouse/ CARL PERKINS: Blue Suede
Shoes/ Dixie Fried/ Matchbox/ WEBB PIERCE: Teenage Boogie/ BARBARA
PITTMAN: I Need A Man/ ELVIS PRESLEY: Baby Let's Play House/ Good Rockin'
Tonight/ Mystery Train/ DWIGHT PULLEN: Sunglasses After Dark/ BILLY LEE
RILEY: Baby Please Don't Go/ Flyin' Saucers Rock 'n' Roll/ Red Hot/ JACK
SCOTT: Leroy/ Two-Timin' Woman/ RONNIE SELF: Bop-A-Lena/ GENE SIMMONS: I
Done Told You/ MACY "SKIP" SKIPPER: Quicksand Love/ SLICK SLAVIN: Speed
Crazy/ RAY SMITH: Right Behind You Baby/ WARREN SMITH: I ve Got Love If
You Want It/ Miss Froggie/ Ubangi Stomp/ JOHNNIE STRICKLAND: She's Mine/
HAYDEN THOMPSON: Love My Baby/ LEW WILLIAMS: Cat Talk/ PEANUTS WILSON:
Cast Iron Arm
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Flesh Den 6909 |
Rock 'n' Roll Orgy |
● CD $17.98 |
27 tracks, 61 mins, highly recommended
Here's another
outstanding offering of oddities and obscurities. If you have previous
volumes in this outrageous series, then you know what to expect. For the
uninitiated, what you have here is a (un)healthy dose of primal hillbilly
madness, moonshine powered maniacs carving out their own little slice of
Rock 'N' Roll history. Some of the tracks here have appeared on similar
compilations like the splendidly bizarre (and somewhat annoying)
Woodpecker Rock by The Braves featuring Nat Couty. Though a number of
tracks are hitting the shiny round plastic for the first time. Other gems
include 50 Megatons by Sonny Russell, Go Slow Fatso by Bobby
Ruteledge, and Wild Hog Hop by Bennie Hess. Possibly the rarest cut
on here would be the alternate acetate that was recently unearthed for
I'm Gone by Vic Gallon, a scratchy, but impressive piece of Rockabilly
archeology. Strap yourself in for a wild ride. (JM)
BILLY ADAMS: Rock Pretty Mama/ THE BRAVES, VOCAL NAT
COUTY: Woodpecker Rock/ BOB CALLAWAY: Tick Tock (Early Version)/ BOBBY
CARTER: If You're Gonna Shake It/ RIC CARTEY: Scratching On My Screen/
JOHNNY DOVE: Looking For Money/ VIC GALLON: I'm Gone (Alt Version)/ STAN
GUNN AND THE COUNTRY HEPCATS: Baby Sitter Boogie/ BENNIE HESS: Wild Hog
Hop/ DOTTIE JONES: Honey Honey/ JACK LANE: King Fool/ HANK LEGAULT: I
Knew/ MIKE MCALISTER: I Don't Dig It/ THE MORRIS BROTHERS: Rockin Country
Fever/ DUBB PRITCHETT: Five O'Clock Hop/ THE REBEL ROUSERS: Red Headed
Woman/ THE REBELAIRES, FEATURING SAMMY SMITH: Satellite Rock/ DARRELL
RHODES: Runnin' And Chasin'/ ROBBIE ROBBINS: Hurry/ SONNY RUSSELL: 50
Megatons/ BOBBY RUTLEDGE: Go Slow Fatso/ CURLY SANDERS: Brand New Rock And
Roll/ LAVERNE STOVALL: Left Behind/ BUCK TRAIL: Knocked Out Joint On Mars/
WALLACE WATERS: Holiday Hill/ BILL WATKINS: Missed The Workhouse
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