BULLETIN -
May/ June
2010
Vintage Rock 'n' Roll & Rockabilly
Jackie
DeShannon
->
Clif Richard + Books + DVD
| TEXAS TORNADO The Times &
Music Of Doug Sahm by Jan
Reid with Shawn Sahm |
● BOOK $24.95 |
Hardbound, 201 pages, counts as five CDs for
shipping
Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Doug Sahm was the first American
musician to capitalize on the 60's British Invasion with his band
the Sir Douglas Quintet, whose hits included "She's About a Mover",
"The Rains Came", and "Mendocino". Texas Tornado is the first
biography of this fascinating artist. Jan Reid traces the whole arc
of Sahm's career, as well as the manic energy that drove his
sometimes turbulent personal life and loves. The book follows Sahm
from his youth in San Antonio as a prodigy steel guitarist through
his breakout success with the Sir Douglas Quintet and his move to
California, where, with an inventive take on blues, rock, country,
and jazz, he became a star in San Francisco and invented the "cosmic
cowboy" vogue. Reid also chronicles Sahm's later return to Texas and
to chart success with the Grammy Award-winning Texas Tornados, a
rowdy "conjunto rock and roll band" that he modeled on the Beatles
and which included Augie Meyers and Tejano icons Freddy Fender and
Flaco Jimenez. With its easy-going style, Texas Tornado vividly
captures the energy and intensity of this musician whose life burned
out too soon, but whose music continues to rock.
|
| LOUISIANA ROCKS! The
True Genesis Of Rock & Roll by
Tom Aswell |
● BOOK $29.95 |
Hardbound, 500 pages, counts as eight CDs for
shipping
Louisiana journalist Tom Aswell makes a compelling case for the
state's importance in the history of Rock & Roll-through documenting
the artists, producers, executives, and musicians that lived and/or
worked there. Lovingly written and exhaustively researched (just
check out the Appendix of artists, complete with song titles and
chart placements), covers every aspect of Louisiana music, from
innovative producer Cosimo Matassa to the Blues, R&B, Rockabilly,
and Cajun and Zydeco artists that made music that continues to
inspire and influence to this day. Includes profiles of hundreds of
performers, session musicians and songwriters.
|
|
SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT VOL. TWO
by Anthony P. Musso |
● BOOK $29.95 |
Paper, 336 pages, counts as five CDs for shipping
"Setting the Record Straight, Volume Two"
continues author Anthony Musso's quest to dispel countless rumors,
myths and inaccurate information that surrounds the music and
careers of another 50 top recording artists from the 1950s and
1960s. By way of first hand interviews with solo artists and/or
founding and original members of leading vocal groups of the era,
readers will learn the real stories about each artist's musical
influences, entry into the music industry, and experiences while
touring and performing during the infancy of the rock and roll era.
Learn how legendary vocalist Jerry Butler was first dubbed "The
Iceman", why Ben E. King described his first year as lead singer of
the Drifters as a grueling and somewhat harrowing experience, and
how Gladys Horton and four childhood friends from Inkster, Michigan
(known as The Marvelettes) scored the very first number one hit
recording for Motown Records. Other artists who get to tell their
stories include Maurice Williams, Jimmie Rodgers, Shirley Alston
Reeves of the Shirelles, Percy Sledge, Otis Williams of the Charms,
Anthony Gourdine of Little Anthony and the Imperials, Frankie Ford,
Gene Chandler, Clarence "Frogman" Henry, and many more. These are
the indisputable and accurate accounts as told by the artists
themselves, with the intent of finally setting the record straight.
Note: Volume 1 published in 2007 is also available for the same
price.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Shout Factory 11742 |
The T.A.M.I. Show |
● DVD $18.98 |
48 songs, 112 mins, essential
Before I get into the nuts and bolts of this review, it is important
to say that the James Brown performance footage included in this DVD
is widely regarded as the greatest James Brown performance captured
on film! Keith Richards has famously said that the biggest mistake
the Rolling Stones ever made in their career was to headline over
this James Brown performance. O.K., so if you are still bothering to
read this review after that and somehow need any more convincing,
let me tell you a little about one of the top ten best music films
of all time. The T.A.M.I. (i.e., Teen Age Music International) film
is yet another cultural milestone provided by American International
Pictures (A.I.P.). Somewhere between Beach Party and Edgar Allen Poe
films, A.I.P. managed to put on and film this two-day concert event
at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium -- October 28th and 29th, 1964
-- that featured some of the greatest Rock 'N' Roll and Rhythm &
Blues artists of the time, with no less a musical director than the
great Jack Nitzsche. You get the great James Brown set and the
fantastic Rolling Stones set (much better Than Keith gives it credit
for) along with great performances by the likes of The Supremes, The
Beach Boys (kicking much more ass that you'd expect), Chuck Berry,
Marvin Gaye, Leslie Gore, Gerry and The Pacemakers, a killer set by
the Miracles, show hosts Jan & Dean, and many more. Garage Rock
fanatics will especially freak on the rare performance by The
Barbarians captured here, but there is something for every R&R/R&B
fan of the era to enjoy. This legendary film has never been
officially released on VHS or DVD, so you can finally retire your
murky bootlegs and pick this up. DVd includes commentary by director
Steve Binder, tarilers and radio spots and a commemorative booklet.
(JM)
|
| JACKIE DESHANNON |
Ace CDCHD 1243 |
You Won't Forget Me-The Complete
Liberty Singles, Vol.1 |
● CD $18.98 |
26 songs, 62 mins, highly recommended
For any
consumer that picked up previous compilation "Break-a-Way: The Songs
of Jackie DeShannon 1961-1967" (Ace 1208 - $18.98), here is the
natural follow-up: a collection of Jackie's own recordings cut for
Hollywood's Liberty Records. Prior to signing to Liberty, Jackie
managed to cut 16 songs for nine different labels (many of which are
now collector's items, and may yet see the light of day) but
contained here are sides made with notable producers like Snuff
Garrett, Clyde Otis, and Jack Nitzsche. Covering the years 1960 to
1965, this first of three collections devoted to Jackie's
Liberty/Imperial Records recordings contains all the singles
released (and supposed to be released, but canceled) during that
period, A- and B-sides. Highlights include her original versions of
Needles and Pins (hit covered by The Searchers), I'm Gonna
Be Strong (which Gene Pitney made a hit), and When You Walk
in the Room. Although Jackie did record songs written by others
(notably Goffin/King, Mann/Weil, Ray Charles, and Bobby Helms), she
was the rare artist of the time that also recorded her own material.
Many of these early tracks are cut in the big ballad style favored
in the early 60's (indeed, her vocals are very much in the vein of a
Brenda Lee), but her penchant for R&B and Country shine through on
Ain't That Love/ Baby (When Ya Kiss Me)/ Guess Who/ You Won't
Forget Me, and Little Yellow Roses. Jackie DeShannon was
a major talent and kudos to Ace for making sure she gets her due.
(GMC)
|
| JIMMY DONLEY |
Bear Family BCD 16534 |
The Shape You Left Me In |
● CD $21.98 |
25 tracks, 65 mins, highly recommended
Mississippi
born Swamp Pop performer Jimmy Donley's life was the stuff of
tragedy. A brilliant singer and songwriter he was dead by his own
hand in 1963 at the age of 34. His life was filled with drugs,
alcohol and wife abuse (he was married six times in 14 years - most
of his wives left him in fear of their life!) and one can only
assume that the personal demons that tortured him contributed to the
power of his music. He was a fine swamp pop vocalist with an
expressive bluesy style and wrote hundreds of songs - very few with
his name credited as he would sell the rights to his producers,
managers or anyone else for the money to buy groceries or pay rent.
Donley pitched his songs to Fats Domino who recorded several of them
including the gorgeous What A Price and remained a lifelong
friend. This collection features all the recordings Jimmy made for
Decca between 1957 and 1960 including unissued songs, alternate
takes, previously unissued songs and eight minutes of a "studio
workshop" featuring Jimmy working on the song I'm Alone.
Highlight of the collection is the hard driving title song which has
a composer credit of Marion Carpenter but was almost certainly
written by Jimmy as was the soulful ballad flip What Must I Do.
Recording for a major label meant that Jimmy got the slick Nashville
treatment with vocal choruses and all but that doesn't obscure what
a significant talent this man was. It's a shame that they didn't
include some of Jimmy's recordings for other labels but maybe that
is in the works - I hope so. You wouldn't want this man to marry (or
even know) your daughter but you'd probably travel many a mile to
hear him sing. (FS)
|
| JACK EARLS
& THE JIMBOS |
Bear Family BCD 16935 |
Slow Down - The Sun Years Plus |
● CD $37.98 |
Just arrived. Jack Earls was one of many great
rockers to record for the Sun label and although he recorded quite a
lot of material for Sun only one single was released but that one's
an all time classic - Slow Down. Earls had one of those
classic hillbilly flavored voices that were an integral part of the
Sun sound. The band was the standard two guitars, drums and a
slap-back bass and they had that "just loose enough" sound that
makes even the few mid-tempo songs rock. This collection presents
two CDs of Jack Earls. 41 tracks in all including every Sun session
with the Jimbos (with several previously unissued tracks); and all
of Jack's recordings made in Detroit, from the first commercial
release of Take Me To That Place on Ry-Ho in 1973, to his
1999 I Started Rockin' A Long Time Ago. In an extended
interview with Jack on disc two, he recaps his musical career and
tells vivid stories about rockin' in Memphis. It comes with a 48
page illustrated booklet.
|
| CONNIE FRANCIS |
Ace CDCHD 1245 |
Connie Rocks |
● CD $18.98 |
Although not always thought of as a rocker Connie
Francis had several big hits with rock 'n' roll songs. Rather than
featuring the obvious hits this 28 track collection features some of
her more rocking "B" sides and LP tracks including some titles that
were not unearthed until the 1980s. The tracks here were recorded
between 1957 and 1966 and includes Fallin'/ Lock Up Youe Heart/
Heartbreak Hotel/ Valentino/ Hollywood/ Kiss 'n' twist/ Gonna Git
That Man/ Look At Him/ Whatever Happened To Rosemarie/ Looking For
Love and more. State of the art sound and extensive booklet
notes by Mick Patrick and David Bell.
|
| RUDY GRAYZELL |
Bear Family BCD 16837 |
Let's Get Wild |
● CD $21.98 |
Best known for his original 1956 recording of
Ducktail, Texas singer Rudy Grayzell started his recording
career in 1953 as a country singer and had a local hit with his
first release Looking At The Moon And Wishing On A Star. One
year later he recorded the first cover version of Hearts Of Stone.
After that, he joined the legendary Starday label to record Duck
Tail/ Let's Get Wild, and several other rockabilly classics. And
then he was on the legendary Sun label for one single. This is the
first comprehensive anthology of one of the original legendary
rockabilly starshis set and includes his complete recordings for
Abbott, Capitol Starday, Sun, and Award between 1953 and '59.
Includes the previously unissued complete version of Let's Get
Wild, plus four other unreleased recordings and comes with a 52
page booklet with extensive interviews with Rudy whose life was as
wild as his recordings!
RUDY GRAYZELL: .I Think Of You/ Be Mine Forever/
Bonita Chiquita/ Ca-razy!/ Day By Day/ Duck Tail/ F.B.I. Story/
Hearts Made Of Stone/ I Love You So/ I Won't Be The Fool/ I'm Gone
Again/ It Ain't My Baby (And I Ain't Gonna Rock It)/ Jig-Ga-Lee-Ga/
Jig-Ga-Lee-Ga (alt.)/ Judy (2)/ Judy (3)/ Judy (master)/ Let's Get
Wild (complete version)/ Looking At The Moon And Wishing On A Star/
My Spirit Is Willing/ Ocean Paradise/ Please Big Mama/ Remember
When/ Should I Ever Love Again/ The Heart That Once Was Mine/ The
Moon Is Up (The Stars Are Out)/ There's Gonna Be A Ball/ Yes Daddy
Yes/ You Better Believe It/ You Hurt Me So/ You'll Be Mine/ You're
Gone
|
| BILL JUSTIS |
Teen 105 |
Raunchy |
● CD $17.98 |
Saxist/ pianist Bill Justis recorded for Sam
Phillips' Phillips International for six years under his own name
and as a a session musician scoring a massive hit in 1961 with the
iconic Raunchy before moving to Nashville in '61 to become
one of its top arrangers. This set features most of his issued
recordings for Phillips along with 1963 sessions for Smash where he
recut Raunchy and did fine covers of some of the top
instrumentals of the day. His Phillips sessions found him in the
company of top Phillips studio musicians like Sidney Manker (who
provided the distinctive guitar riff on Raunchy), Roland
Janes, Billy Lee Riley, J.M. Van Eaton and others. Some of the Smash
sides feature feature a fine guitarist (who?). Though some of the
material falls into the realm of "elevator music" there's also some
fine rock 'n' roll instrumentals. 34 tracks in all including
Raunchy/ Cloud Nine/ Paradiddle/ Acapulco 1922/ Flea Circus/ Wheels/
Raunchy '63/ Scroungie/ Rollin'/ String Of Pearls Cha ChaWild Rice/
Guitar Boogie Shuffle< etc.
|
| JERRY LEE LEWIS |
Spectrum 554 193-2 |
The Killer Collection |
● CD $11.98 |
A collection of 20 rock 'n' roll sides from Jerry
Lee's tenure at Smash and Mercury - it includes new recordings of
some of his Sun classics (Breathless/ High School Confidential),
a whole bunch of covers of rock 'n' roll standards (Chantilly
Lace/ Blue Suede Shoes/ I'm Walkin'/ Blueberry Hill, etc) as
well as a few more recent compositions (Bad Moon Rising/ Games
People Play and Me And Bobby McGhee). Jerry Lee's
performances are graet but the strings and girl choruses on many
cuts can get annoying.
|
| THE PARIS SISTERS |
Marginal MAR 087 |
Their Greatest Hits & More |
● CD $19.98 |
27 tracks, highly recommended
Back in stock in
limited quantities. 27 tracks from this fine San Francisco girl
group who were active in late 50s and early 60s other best known for
their giant hit I Love How You Love Me, included here,
featuring the distinctive etherial lead vocals of Priscilla Paris.
Includes songs written by Paris and some from Brill Building
songwriters like Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Doc Pomus and Phil
Spector. Spector produced their big hit as well as several others
here. Also has some fine covers of hits like Dream Lover/
Sincerely/ It's My Party and others plus a remake of Love
and a couple of Priscilla Paris solo cuts. (FS)
|
| CARL PERKINS |
T-Bird 009 |
Whole Lotta Shakin'/ On Top |
● CD $18.98 |
22 tracks, 59 mins, recommended
This CD reissues two
LPs that Carl recorded for Columbia when he was under contract to
them at two different times. "Whole Lotta Shakin'" is from 1958 and
features mostly rock 'n' roll favorites like the title song,
Shake, Rattle & Roll/ Ready Teddy/ Good Rockin' Tonight, etc.
Carl's singing and guitar playing are great but the backing band
gives new meaning to the word "lame." Highlight is Carl's soulful
rendition of the old blues standard Sittin' On Top Of The World.
"On Top" is from 1969 and finds Carl in a more contemporary sounding
vein on a collection of mostly new material including several new
compositions by him including the hard driving Soul Beat and
Champaign, Illinois which was co-written with Bob Dylan. Carl
sounds fine with solid accompaniment from the band which is
contemporary but tasteful. He also does some older numbers including
fine versions of Buddy Holly's I'm Gonna Set My Foot Down and
the old blues standard C.C. Rider. Not classic Carl but
definitely worth a listen. (FS)
|
| ELVIS PRESLEY |
Memphis Recording Service 30065859 |
Off Duty With Private Presley |
● CD $29.98 |
92 page book + 35 track CD, highly recommended
Another amazing and creative Elvis package from the folks at Memphis
Recording Service issued to celebrate the 50th anniversary of
Elvis's discharge from the army in 1960. The booklet has hundreds of
color and black and white pictures from his time in the army, many
previously unpublished, and provides enough background detail to set
the stage for the recordings. The recordings include: 1) Four
previously released Studio B cuts from June 58 - I presume these are
for musical context as they were the only commercial sides recorded
after he was called up. 2) What appears to be the entire set of home
recordings made one evening in May of 58 when Elvis and Anita Wood
visited DJ Eddie Fadal and his wife while Elvis was doing basic
training in Texas. These cuts include 3 songs done by Elvis with
piano and with others sometimes singing along, 3 cuts of Elvis
accompanying Anita Wood on piano and 9 cuts of Elvis singing doo-wop
lines along with other recordings including 5 attempts to work out a
falsetto harmony for the ending of the Tune Weavers' Happy Happy
Birthday Baby (It was Anita's birthday party). 3) The last 11
cuts appear to contain the remaining (and previously unreleased)
material from home recordings made in 1959 at Elvis' residence in
Bad Nauheim, Germany. Other cuts from these tapes have previously
appeared on RCA's "Golden Celebration" and "Platinum boxes" and "The
Home Recordings" CD and on Follow That Dream's "In a Private
Moment." They consist of Elvis singing and playing piano amidst
interjections by others. Sound quality is standard for the studio
material and generally listenable for the home recordings. The piano
gets muddy with full chording but the sound quality iscomparable to
other issues of Elvis home recordings. The listening has more for
the curious than for those seeking finished performances. Elvis is
relaxed and fooling around through most of it and some cuts are
fragments (due to his dropping them and moving on, not to editing).
The big news is for collectors! Apart from one cut on "The Home
Recordings," the Eddie Fadal material has only been out on bootleg
vinyl as far as I know and that was 30 years ago. I've read about
these recordings but have never found them before. The Bad Nauheim
material is almost entirely new to issue on CD or vinyl and appears
to complete the issue of that evenings taping (at least as far as I
can tell from the listing in Joe Tunzi's "Elvis Sessions III"). For
collectors and completists, this makes the release essential but any
fan of Elvis will find much of interest including the beautifully
reproduced photos, the opportunity to hear Elvis in a totally
informal setting and some intriguing snippets of dialogue with Elvis
showing an interest in recording Hank Williams songs and expressing
concern that "they" want him to do more pop oriented material. (GC/
FS)
|
| PAUL
REVERE & THE RAIDERS |
Collector's Choice 2088 |
The Complete Columbia Singles |
● CD $36.98 |
3 CDs, 66 tracks, 188 mins, highly recommended
Finally the much under-rated Paul Revere and crew are getting the
proper collection treatment. This three CD set is exactly what I
have been hoping for, for years. Covering the complete Columbia
singles--both A and B-sides from their classic period--this has so
many good cuts, its pretty mind-blowing. Oft written off as a
gimmick band, Paul & the Raiders should be appreciated as the great
Garage outfit that their earlier records showcase, and the masters
of the rock era record production of their later releases. Not only
did they do one of the top three best versions of Louie, Louie,
(not to mention the answer record Louie-Go Home,) but also
killer versions of Richard Berry's other blaster, Have Love Will
Travel, and Jesse Hill's Oo Poo Pah Doo, etc, before
writing their own masterful singles: Steppin' Out/ Kicks/ Hungry/
Good Thing, and many more. Some of my favorite tracks on here
are the lesser hits and The Great Airplane Strike/ Ups and Downs,
and Him or Me - What's It Gonna Be? are all here sounding as
fantastic as ever. Although the band's last real hit would be 1971's
Indian Reservation (The Lament Of The Cherokee Reservation
Indian,) this set goes all the way up to 1975 well over a decade
of the band's career and trust me there are plenty of quality tracks
in the later years as well, although I'm sure the first disc and a
half of this will get the most plays in everybody's stereos. All in
all, this is the classic story of the little garage band that made
it big, and all of their ups and downs are here for us to
appreciate. Extensive liner notes and discographical info round out
the package and help make this one of my favorite re-issues of the
decade so far. (JM)
|
| DON RICH |
Jin 9091 |
You're Mistaken |
● CD $15.98 |
16 tracks, 62 min., highly recommended
One cool
thing about this Louisiana Swamp Pop practitioner is that he selects
his material from all over hell and gone and makes it all sound of a
piece. The opening three tracks (the title track, Mr. Rainmaker,
and I Buy Her Roses), pleasant, country-inflected ballads,
would seem to promise a kind of consistency, but Rich takes on cover
songs that are atypical for the genre, including Van Morrison's
Into The Mystic, Sam Cooke's Change Is Gonna Come, and
the Hayes/Porter-penned Sam & Dave fave Hold On I'm Comin'.
As a singer, the man has no fear. Nor should he. This music is about
good times and better times than that. Standouts include It Hurt
So Bad, Too Weak To Fight, Child I Love You So,
and the '50 sojourn GoodHearted Man. I was hoping I Think
I Love You was the old Partridge Family schlock hit, which I
would have paid extra to hear, but no such luck. A strong album that
defies you not to have a good time. (JC)
|
| CLIFF RICHARD |
Smith & Co. 1193 |
Just About As Good As It Gets,
Original Recordings |
● CD $15.98 |
Two CDS, 71 tracks, recommended
Though best known as
a pop singer Cliff Richard started his career in the mid 50s as one
of Britain's pioneer rockers and this two CD set brings together a
whopping 71 of his early sides cut in 1958 and 1959 - most of them
rockers. He is backed by his group The Drifters (later renamed The
Shadows) featuring the fine lead guitar of Hank Marvin (though his
earliest sides featured lead guitar by session guitarist Ernie
Shear). Cliff's first guitarist was Ian Samwell who left the band
shortly after Cliff started recording but continued as a songwriter
and wrote several of Cliff's early hits. It includes his cover of
obscure American rocker Curtis Hoebeck's Apron Strings which
was one of his early hits along with (You're So Square) Baby I
Don't Care/ Never Mind/ High Class Baby/ That'll Be The Day/ Donna/
Twenty Flight Rock (one of the best cuts here with great guitar
from Marvin)/ Dynamite/ Travellin' Light/ Livin' Lovin' Doll,
etc. In addition to LP and 45 rpm sides this set includes tracks by
him from the movies "Serious Charge" and "Expresso Bongo" as well as
a bunch of live tracks - the latter get a bit wearing due to the
incessant screaming from the fans. These are confined to disc two
along with some of Cliff's early attempt at pop balladry with
orchestral accompaniments so chances are that you'll be spending
most of your time with disc one! Good sound and informative notes by
Dave Travis. (FS)
|
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