NEWSLETTER #13
Vintage Rock 'n' Roll & Rockabilly
The Band ->
Scott Walker
| THE BAND |
Capitol 77409 |
A Musical History |
● CD $99.98 |
5 discs, 103 tracks, + 40 min DVD, essential
One of the most beautiful "box" sets I've seen - actually it's a full sized
hard-cover book with slots in the back for the discs. This covers The Band's
full history up to their '76 breakup & "The Last Waltz", with 37 unreleased
performances. The first disc covers the pre-history & has their sessions
with Ronnie Hawkins for Roulette as The Hawks, their first "solo" recordings
without Ronnie, some featuring unreleased Levon & The Hawks sessions from
'64-65 incl Robbie's Bacon Fat which Taj Mahal would cover on his
second LP & a fantastic version of Honky Tonk. Then there's their 45s
as Levon & The Hawks & as The Canadian Squires. Then there's the Dylan era,
an unreleased live Tell Me Mama from Liverpool '66 as well as the
version of Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues from the same show that showed
up as a Dylan B-side. There's also 4 never before issued sketches for
"basement tape" sessions, as well as a never before heard Will The Circle
Be Unbroken. The second disc covers "Music From Big Pink", includes the
unedited To Kingdom Come which has a much longer instrumental ending
& has three or four tunes from the session immediately following that were
never released, including a cover of Jimmy Drew's Baby Lou & a
version of Key To The Highway in a time-signature that must be
heard.. Discs 3-5 continue the story & includes a beautiful early version of
All La Glory, three live tracks from a never released Royal Albert
Hall concert from '71, outtakes from "4% Pantomime" with Van Morrison,
Highway 61 with Dylan & some unreleased songs & sketches including
Home Cookin' & Move Me. The DVD starts with a promo film of a jam
& "King Harvest" from Woodstock '70, a couple unreleased performances from
Festival Express, then the highlights, both from Wembley '74, starting with
an incredible version of The Slop by Noble "Thin Man'Watts, an early
history of Garth Hudson, who blows a mean sax, and a complete Genetci
Method/ Chest Fever. The book itself is gorgeous with full liner notes
by Rob Bowman, as well as gorgeous B&W & color photos. (GM)
|
| CANNIBAL & THE
HEADHUNTERS |
Varese 66675 |
Land Of 1000 Dances |
● CD $11.98 |
18 tracks, 45 min, essential
The complete Rampart recordings
from the East LA band who rose to open up for The Beatles. What started out
as just another cover of the Chris Kenner classic became immortal as Bobby
"Cannibal" Garcia, backed by The Blendells, forgot the words & out came "Naa-Na-Nuh-Nuh-Naa"
& the rest is history! Even Wilson Picket based his exuberant cover on their
version. Getting together a real Headhunters with Scar Lopez & the Jamarillo
Brothers, Rabbit & YoYo, the group put out an LP & three singles, all of
which are heard here, as well as the original version of Land which
had a much longer intro. The LP is here in real stereo & includes covers of
My Girl/ Shotgun & Out Of Sight as well as a few originals
including the stompin Don't Let Her Go. The non-LP singles include
another classic follow-up, Nau Ninny Nau & a double sided single
backed up by King Curtis - Follow The Music/ I Need Your Lovin'. (GM)
|
| CHUBBY CHECKER |
Abkco 9225 |
The Best Of Chubby Checker, 1959-1963 |
● CD $12.98 |
24 tracks, 57 min. highly recommended
The Phillie Dance King
is finally heard on great-sounding CD! Besides The Twist (the only
song ever to go to #1, completely drop off the chart, then climb again to
#1) & all it's sequels - Let's Twist Again/ Twistin' USA/ Whole Lotta
Shakin' Goin' On
(he sings "twistin'" instead of "shakin'"), there's also
The Limbo
(plus Limbo Rock/ Let's Limbo Some More) as well as The Hucklebuck/
Pony Time/ The Fly
& of course Popeye The Hitchhiker. (I'm sad that it only
goes up to '63, thus omitting Let's Do The Freddie). Liner notes by Jeff Tamarkin. (GM)
CHUBBY CHECKER: Birdland/ Class/ Dance the Mess Around/
Dancin' Party/ Fly/ Good, Good Lovin'/ Hey, Bobba Needle/ Hooka Tooka/
Hucklebuck/ Jingle Bell Rock/ Let's Limbo Some More/ Let's Twist Again/
Limbo Rock/ Loddy Lo/ Pony Time/ Popeye the Hitchhiker/ Slow Twistin'/ Surf
Party/ Toot/ Twist/ Twist It Up/ Twistin' Round the World/ Twistin' U.S.A./
Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On
|
| DION & THE BELMONTS |
Collector's Choice 071 |
The Complete Dion & The Belmonts |
● CD $27.98 |
Back in stock. Two CD set. A great collection of 49 tracks
featuring all the cuts recorded for Mohawk and Laurie by Dion DiMucci and
his group including the Mohawk sides issued as by Dion & The Timberlanes and
as The Belmonts. Dion & The Belmonts were probably the finest white doo-wop
group and this set includes all the recordings before Dion went solo.
Includes all their hits (I Wonder Why/ No One Knows/ A Teenager In Love/
Where Or When/ When You Wish Upon A Star, etc), 45 rpm single sides (The
Chosen Few/ Teenage Clementine/ I've Cried Before/ A Lover's Prayer,
etc), LP tracks (My Day/ You Better Not Do That/ September Song/ Swinging
On A Star/ It Was Never Meant To Be, etc), alternate takes (Tag
Along/ I Wonder Why/ A Teenager In Love/ Every Little Thing, etc),
studio talk and more. 16 page booklet has extensive notes and rare photos.
|
| THE DOVELLS |
Abkco 9226 |
The Best Of The Dovells, 1961-1965 |
● CD $12.98 |
21 tracks, 51 min, highly recommended
The kids in Bristol
are sharp as a pistol when they do The Bristol Stomp - a song so
catchy that Frank Zappa's Mothers would even cover it live! Led by Len Barry
(Lenny Borisoff), the guys knew how to put out stompin'-good dance tunes.
Includes the sequel Bristol Twistin' Annie/ Hully Gully Baby/ Do The New
Continental & of course You Can't Sit Down. There's a bunch of
great covers here from LPs, including Foot Stompin' & an incredible
version of The Boss Tones' Mope-Itty Mope. Len Barry went on to a
solo career (I remember reading an interview with him in Hit Parader around
'65 where he said the Beatles & The Stones had horrible music, they would
soon die off & his music would be in again). Len's '64 non-hit solo sides
are included, but even more important is the inclusion of his huge Decca hit
1-2-3. Liner notes start off with the band getting together to play
at Bill Clinton's inaugural, with Bill sitting in on sax! (GM)
|
| THE EVERLY BROTHERS |
Collectors' Choice 548 |
It's Everly Time |
● CD $12.98 |
12 tracks, 27 mins, highly recommended
First in a series of
albums to reissue all of the Everly Brothers Warner Bros albums with the
exception of their Christmas album. Only six of these albums have been
reissued on CD before. Each album features original artwork plus new notes
by Richie Unterberger. This is their first WB album 1381 from 1960 and is in
a similar vein to their previous cadence recordings with generally stripped
down arrangements and a high proportion of songs from the prolific and
talented FElice and Bouldleaux Bryant. Though there are no hits here there
are some great songs including one of Don's finest compositions - the
beautiful ballad So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad). The Bryants
provide such gems as Just In Case/ Sleepless Nights/ Some Sweet Day
and the bluesy Nashville Blues. There are several covers including a
terrific version of Ray Charles' What Kind Of Girl Are You. (FS)
|
| THE EVERLY BROTHERS |
Collectors' Choice 549 |
A Date With The Everly Brothers |
● CD $12.98 |
12 tracks, 27 min, highly recommended
Straight CD issue of
Warner Bros 1395 from 1960. Their 2nd WB LP would be one of their last
strong LPs for awhile. Boasting the mega-hit Cathy's Clown, this also
has one of Don & Phil's strongest tunes, which they didn't even put out as a
single - Love Hurts. Also includes their hit cover of Lucille,
& even Jimmy Reed's Baby What You Want Me To Do. Not only did The
Beatles cover So How Come (No One Loves Me) on the BBC, but compare
Don & Phil's Always It's You to the Beatle's chorus of "it's you,
you-you-you" from Hold Me Tight. Liner notes by Ritchie Untermeyer.
(GM)
|
| THE EVERLY BROTHERS |
Collectors' Choice 550 |
Both Sides Of An Evening |
● CD $12.98 |
14 tracks, 34 min, good
CD issue of Warner Bros 1418 from
1961. This one's for the diehard fans only. At this time, The Everlys were
involved in a lawsuit with their publisher Acuff-Rose & couldn't use any of
their material, which included such songwriters as their long-time suppliers
Felice & Boudleux Bryant as well as themselves! As a result, "Both Sides Of
An Evening" (7 songs each "For Dancing" & "For Dreaming") have the Bros.
doing tunes from the 20s! You may see reviews on how well they sing here,
but do you really want to hear them do My Mammy/ My Gal Sal or the
horrible Mention My Name In Sheboygan, as bad as anything on a 60s
Elvis soundtrack. Yes, there are a few good tracks here - Muskrat/ Bully
Of The Town & even a nice version of Hi-Lilli Hi-Lo. (GM)
|
| THE EVERLY BROTHERS |
Collectors' Choice 551 |
Instant Party |
● CD $12.98 |
12 tracks, 28 min, good
CD issue of Warner Bros 1430 from
1961. Don & Phil were still estranged from Acuff-Rose The Who must've loved
this LP, as they retitled their song Circles in honor of the title.
However, it's hard to see who this was aimed at - what teen would want to
sit through the likes of Oh My Papa, a particularly dreary Bye Bye
Blackbird & the infamously titled When Its Night-Time In Italy It's
Wednesday Over Here, a tune that ranks with the worst of Elvis's
soundtrack tunes. There's a few good things here, particularly their takes
on Temptation & Jezebel, a dreamy True Love, & songs
from their daddy Ike - Long Lost John & Ground Hog. (GM)
|
| THE EVERLY BROTHERS |
Collectors' Choice 552 |
Sing Great Country Hits |
● CD $12.98 |
12 tracks, 29 min, recommended
CD issue of Warner Bros 1513
from '63, Still estranged from Acuff-Rose, the boys took a different
approach. This set covers country hits from the 50s & 60s that touched the
pop listeners at some point, though not the then-current country-politan
syrupy tunes. Even includes their 1st original in quite some time, the
closing This Is The Last Song I'm Ever Going To Sing, written by
Sonny Curtis. Also covers of Send Me The Pillow That You Dream On/ Oh
Lonesome Me/ I Walk The Line/ Release Me, etc. (GM)
|
| THE EVERLY BROTHERS |
Collectors' Choice 553 |
Gone Gone Gone |
● CD $12.98 |
12 tracks, 26 min, very good
CD issue of Warner Bros 1585
from 1965. Finally done with their problems with Acuff Rose (see "Both Sides
Of An Evening"), The Brothers put out their first rock'n'roll oriented LP in
four years. However, it's a hodgepodge of tracks going back to 1960, also 4
tunes previously available on 45s. The title tune was the Bros' last great
tune of the 60s & this also includes the cult hit Ferris Wheel as
well as TV & Radio, a fine JD Loudermilk tune Torture and a
driving cover of Ain't That Lovin' You Baby. (GM)
|
| THE EVERLY BROTHERS |
Collectors' Choice 554 |
Rock 'n Soul |
● CD $12.98 |
Warner Brothers 1578 from 1965 features 12 rock 'n' roll and
R&B hits - That'll Be The Day/ Maybellene/ Kansas City/ Love Hurts (
a different version from the one on "A Date With")/ Susie Q/ I'm Gonna
Move To The Outskirts Of Town, etc.
|
| THE EVERLY BROTHERS |
Collectors' Choice 555 |
Beat And Soul |
● CD $12.98 |
12 tracks, 32 min, excellent
CD issue of Warner Bros 1605
from 1965. Only one original here, Don & Phil's own The Man With The
Money, which night be better known from the version by The Who. The rest
are covers of R&B hits, mostly from the 50s. Most of the tunes have the
Bros' harmonies & jaunty tempo which sometimes works (Hi-Heeled Sneakers)
& sometimes doesn't (Lonely Avenue). See See Rider, an uptempo
version of the Chuck Willis version even has a fuzz guitar! And wait till
you hear them "get down" on Walkin' The Dog! (GM)
|
| THE EVERLY BROTHERS |
Collectors' Choice 557 |
In Our Image |
● CD $12.98 |
12 tracks, 26 min, excellent
CD Issue of Warner Bros 1620
from1966. Though the hits had mostly dried up, Don & Phil kept on putting
out many 45s in the mid 60s, most of them flops. However The Price Of
Love had made it to #2 in the UK & Cliff Richard's cover of Don's
It's All Over made the Top 10 in the UK. This set collects 9 of the 45
rpm sides along with three new tracks. Includes perhaps The Brothers worst
track Lovey Kravetz (well, maybe not as bad as Mention My Name In
Sheboygan - see "Two Sides Of An Evening") as well as a few gems like
the Motownish (You Got) The Power Of Love plus Leave My Girl
Alone/ June Is Just As Cold As December., etc. (GM)
|
| THE EVERLY BROTHERS |
Collectors' Choice 558 |
Two Yanks In England |
● CD $12.98 |
12 tracks, 31 min, highly recommended
CD issue of Warner
Bros 1646 from 1966. Kind of a legendary LP - during the heart of the
British Invasion, the Bros go to London to cut an LP. There was no mention
of the backing band on the original LP & all that was known was that 8 of
the 12 tunes were written by L. Ransford. Turns out that was a pseudonym for
The Hollies who supplied the material (mostly B sides & LP cuts) & backing,
with supposedly some guitar from Jimmy Page. Besides the Hollies tunes (Have
You Ever Loved Somebody/ Fifi the Flea) there's also covers of Pretty
Flamingo & Somebody Help Me as well as Don & Phil's own Kiss
Your Man Goodbye. (GM)
|
| THE EVERLY BROTHERS |
Collectors' Choice 559 |
The Hit Sound Of The Everly Brothers |
● CD $12.98 |
Warner Brothers 1676 from 1967 - covers of other artists'
hits - Blueberry Hill/ The Devil's Child/ Sea Of Heartbreak/ (I'd Be) A
Legend In My Time/ Sticks And Stones/ She Never Smiles Anymore, etc.
|
| THE EVERLY BROTHERS |
Collectors' Choice 560 |
Sing |
● CD $12.98 |
12 tracks, 34 min, excellent
CD issue of Warner Bros 1708
from 1967. An anomaly in the Bros releases, this set is full of highly
arranged & orchestrated tunes, originals, but not by Don & Phil, who were
too busy touring. Their bassist, Terry Slater, found some time to write, as
there's five tunes here by him, including the Brotherss final WB hit
Bowling Green. A lot of the tunes here fall under what is now celebrated
as "Sunshine Pop" - the LA studio productions with ornate orchestration &
lots of high wafting voices. Of course, it WAS '67, so Slater came up with
Talking To The Flowers & Mary Jane (with fuzz guitar!) There's
still one great Don tune, It's All Over, & the set closes with three
covers including, of all things, A Whiter Shade Of Pale & a
soul-attempt at Mercy Mercy Mercy! (GM)
|
| THE EVERLY BROTHERS |
Collectors' Choice 561 |
Roots |
● CD $12.98 |
Warner Brothers 1752 from 1968. Throughout the album we get
short excerpts from early fifties radio shows featuring the "Everly Family."
The rest of the material was recorded in 1968. Includes fine versions of
Sing Me Back Home/ Mama Tried/ Less Of Me/ Shady Grove. Some of the
production is questionable (fuzz guitars, horns, etc.) but the album holds
up pretty well. A welcome re-issue for all Everly fans.
|
| THE EVERLY BROTHERS |
Collectors' Choice 562 |
The Everly Brothers Show |
● CD $15.98 |
67 min, 18 tracks, recommended
CD issue of the Warner Bros.
double LP. Liner note writer Richie Unterberger seems to have written off
the Everlys at this stage in their career, but they actually were getting a
2nd (or 3rd) wind. Roots music was back in style & Johnny Cash had one of
the country's most popular TV shows. Don & Phil were actually Johnny's
summer replacement show, which was the same as the title of this set.
Barnaby had reissued the long out-of-print Cadence sides & Warners just had
the hits packages in print, so this was a kind of updating of the catalog,
done live 2/6/70. Includes live versions of hits & covers if others both
from the beginning of rock 'n' roll (Maybelline), from country (Mama
Tried) & current including a lot of Beatles. Most interesting is a 18
min medley including Rock'n'Roll Music amidst such tunes as The
End (Beatles, not Doors), If I Were A Carpenter & The Thrill
Is Gone. And in listening to Walk Right Back, you can hear how
Neil Young cribbed it for Harvest Moon! (GM)
|
| THE EVERLY BROTHERS |
Collectors' Choice 563 |
The New Album |
● CD $12.98 |
14 tracks, 34 min, recommended
First US issue of an LP put out
9/77 by UK Warners 56415. The Everlys were always huge in the UK & this set,
though called "The New Album," boasts an early 60s pic which gives more of a
clue. This is a set of never-before released WB 60s material, most of it
better than the majority of the actual released LPs! Though mostly from the
'61-65 era, my fave here is a version of Empty Boxes done with just
acoustic guitars & vocals, with the song's author Ron Elliot of The Beau
Brummels. Also there's a gorgeous remake of Nancy's Minuet, a fine
Cajun Big Mamou, & Roger Miller's Burma Shave. (GM)
|
| BILL HALEY & HIS
COMETS |
Liberty Bell 3011 |
Bill Haley's Chicks/ Rockin' Around The
World |
● CD $17.98 |
Two Haley LPs from 1959 and '58 respectively. The first is
devoted to songs about girls - mostly rocked up versions of standards (Whoah
Mabel/ Ida Sweet As Apple Cider/ Dinah, etc) along with some more recent
compositions including the great Skinny Minnie. The other LP features
rock 'n' roll songs with an International flavor - some of them reworkings
of standards and most of them fairly lame. Includes Picadilly Rock/
Rockin' Rollin' Schnitzelbank/ Wooden Shoe Rock/ Oriental Rock, etc.
|
| BUDDY HOLLY |
MCA (UK) 112 099 |
Reminiscing |
● CD $11.98 |
18 tracks, 40 mins, highly recommended
This is a reissue of
Coral 75450 with 7 bonus tracks, This was the first album to feature "new"
material by this great artist who died in 1959. The first track - the title
tune is the only finished studio track where Buddy joined forces with the
great tenor sax player King Curtis on a title that could have been a sure
fire hit if it had been released when recorded and reached the charts in
England when it was released as a single. The remaining tracks are demos,
rehearsal tapes, and Buddy's acoustic demos recorded at his home in New York
a couple of months before his death. These were "sweetened" in Norman Petty's studios - edited and re-arranged and with the Fireballs overdubbed.
The overdubs are well done but unnecessarry and dilute the power of the
original recordings as can be heard on the bonus material which includes
five tracks in their undubbed form. In addition there is another song from
the King Curtis session - the fine Come Back Baby plus an early
recording of Maybe Baby with different arrangements. Other songs
include Bo Diddley/ Baby, Won't You Come Out Tonight/ Because I Love You/
I'm Gonna Set My Foot Right Down and others. Includes reproduction of
the original artwork and booklet with new notes by Colin Escott.
|
| THE IMPACTS |
Collectors' Choice 0525 |
Wipe Out |
● CD $11.98 |
11 track, highly recommended
Reissue of Del-Fi 1234, a
cornerstone of Surf music. The Impacts were an early 60's Southern
California surf band led by the blazing guitar of Merrell Fankhauser. The
Impacts weren't just a band fronted by a guitar wizz though. The band was
very tight, powered by Steve Metz's drumming and Jose Rose's great sax work.
Jose could honk & scream or give you a fat ballad sound. They even had a
steel guitar player, Wayne Brown. Wipe Out (they had the original of
this classic surf tune which was a big hit for The Surfaris)/ Fort
Lauderdale/ Impact/ Church Key, etc. Newly remastered in stereo from
original tapes and annotated with quotes from Fankhauser. (AE/ FS)
|
| THE MARVELS |
Night Train 7137 |
Don't Pony With Tony - Do The UT With The
Marvels |
● CD $15.98 |
25 tracks, 56 min, recommended
Subtitled (as if the title
isn't long enough already) "Rare & Unreleased New Orleans & Atlanta
Frat-Rock 1961-65", this set showcases an unheralded band that featured two
different leaders with two different sounds. The original band was an
Atlanta-area frat band (piano & sax) led by Harry - the original singles, on
ABC-Paramount were as by Harry "M" & The Marvels & included the huge
regional hit The UT, a dance out of University of Tennessee which was
as big down south as the Twis was in the rest of the country. They were
refused an appearance on Bandstand because payola-king Dick Clark wouldn't
let them on the show unless they gave him a piece of the publishing! Harry
went into the army, but the band continued with a friend of the drummer now
leading. Cliff Thomas was leader of the Sun group Cliff Thomas Trio with his
brother Ed, & now they made connections with Ace Records in New Orleans &
ended up being Huey "Piano" Smith's band on The Popeye as well as
doing a string of dance oriented singles (Crazy 'Bout The U-T/ Don't Pony
With Tony/ Charleston In The USA). Excellent liner notes which continue
the two leaders' stories after The Marvels (Cliff & brother Ed discovered &
wrote for The Tams, wrote Peggy Scott & JoJo Benson's hits, Harry played
keyboards on the Billy Joe Royal hits & wrote Spooky!) (GM)
|
| CARL PERKINS |
Bear Family BCD 16752 |
Carl Rocks |
● CD $23.98 |
31 track career retrospective of this great rocker's
recordings including 15 of his classic Sun recordings from 1955-57 plus the
best of his Columbia, Decca Brunswick and Mercury sides recorded between
1958 and 1975 and as bonus two previously unissued side from 1990 produced
by Bill Lloyd with Carl accompanied by his sons and steel guitarist Jerry
Douglas. Includes 48 page illustrated booklet with notes by Colin Escott, a
heap of photos and full discographical information on the tracks on the CD.
CARL PERKINS: All Mama's Children/ Baby, Bye Bye/ Because
You're Mine/ Big Bad Blues/ Big Bad Blues/ Blue Suede Shoes (Take 2)/
Boppin' the Blues/ Caldonia/ Dixie Fried/ E.P. Express/ Everybody's Trying
to Be My Baby/ Glad All Over/ Gone, Gone, Gone/ Her Love Rubbed Off/ Honey
Don't (Take 3)/ Honey, 'Cause I Love You/ Honky Tonk Song/ I Wouldn't Have
You/ Jive After Five/ Lonely Heart/ Matchbox/ Memphis in the Meantime/ Put
Your Cat Clothes On/ Restless/ Right String, Wrong Yo-Yo/ Rockin' Record
Hop/ Sittin' on Top of the World/ That's All Right/ Where the Rio de Rosa
Flows/ You Can Do No Wrong/ Your True Love
|
| REPARATA & THE
DELRONS |
Ace CDCHD 1066 |
The Best Of Reparata & The Delrons |
● CD $18.98 |
30 tracks, 71 min, essential
Besides having one of the best
names ever (Reparata was the Confirmation name of lead singer Mary Aiese) R
& the DR's were, in my humble opinion, one of the top three NY girl groups
(the other two2, of course, The Ronnettes & The Shangri-las - in fact Sheila
Reilly is a dead-ringer for one of the Shang's Ganser Twins). Besides having
most of the singles, key LP cuts & an unreleased track or two, this finally
clears up the group's convoluted history. Starting as The Delrons - their
only single Leave Us Alone on Laurie from '64 is here, Mary had a new
set of Delrons for their World Pacific tunes & as Reparata & The Delrons
scored a huge hit with Whenever A Teenager Cries in '64. The group
toured until, when time for another tour, Mary was the only one who showed
up! Having to put out a couple singles just as Reparata, she was next signed
to RCA in '66 on the condition she had a group, so another version was
formed, this one including Lorraine Mazzola, which then went to Mala & had a
huge UK hit with Captain Of Your Ship. The history tells of a
Mary-less R & DRs, then Lorraine taking over the name &, when with Barry
Manilow as the group Lady Flash (she's the one that looks like Cher with
breasts) sued the real Reparata under Manilow's instigation. Find out the
outcome, & other goodies like why on a Jay & The Americans 45 it says "Sorry
Reparata" in the dead groove! (GM)
|
| JOHNNY RIVERS |
Famous Groove 1001 |
Rockin' Rivers |
● CD $17.98 |
32 tracks, 74 min., recommended
Born John Ramistella, Rivers
signed with Imperial Records in 1964 and began a long string of successful
singles and LPs. Largely under-appreciated, Rivers was, even before that, a
talented singer and songwriter (Ricky Nelson covered his Make Believe
in 1960) who had a dozen-plus singles on almost as many labels between
1958-64. This CD collects nearly all of them (why was To Be Loved
left off?) including Baby Come Back on Gone, You're The One on
Guyden, Everyday on Cub, Your First And Last Love on Dee Dee,
That's My Baby on Coral, and many more. (JC)
|
| BOBBY RYDELL |
Abkco 9230 |
The Best Of Bobby Rydell, 1959-1964 |
● CD $12.98 |
25 tracks, 59 min, recommended
Bobby has become so
representative of pre-Beatles teen pop that the era is often called the era
of the Bobbys (the other being Darrin, who could also sing!) Start off by
playing the first track, Please Don't Be Mad, to hear some gorgeous
doo-wop, as well as the follow-up All I Want Is You. However, but
mid-59 there was Kissin' Time (I'm shocked that Chuck Berry didn't
sue over this one "They're Kissin'In Cleveland, Kansas City too") & of
course 60's landmark Wild One, with those chirpy female voices . From
there on all Bobby had to do was show up on Bandstand & the hits kept coming
- Wildwood Days/ The Cha-Cha-Cha/ Sway/ Good Time Baby. Bobby was big
even in the UK, so he tried to fight off the British invasion & at least got
a hit out of the London-recorded Forget Him which was written &
produced by Tony Hatch who would soon turn around Petula Clarke's career. As
a final stab, Bobby even recorded Lennon-McCartney's World Without Love,
but was beaten to the charts by Peter & Gordon. (GM)
BOBBY RYDELL: All I Want Is You/ Best Man Cried/ Butterfly
Baby/ Cha-Cha-Cha/ Ding-A-Ling/ Forget Him/ Good Time Baby/ I Dig Girls/ I
Wanna Thank You/ I'll Never Dance Again/ I've Got Bonnie/ Jingle Bell Rock/
Kissin' Time/ Little Bitty Girl/ Message from Bobby/ Please Don't Be Mad/
Sway/ Swingin' School/ That Old Black Magic/ Third House (In from the
Right)/ Volare/ We Got Love/ Wild One/ Wildwood Days/ World Without Love
|
| DOUG SAHM |
Collectors' Choice 0518 |
Groover's Paradise |
● CD $11.98 |
Reissue of 1974 album featuring the eclectic Mr Sahm backed
by the Creedence Clearwater rhythm section Doug Clifford & Stu Cook and
future Asleep At The Wheel member Link Davis, Jr. on various instruments.
|
| BILLY SWAN |
Collectors' Choice 541 |
Greatest Hits |
● CD $15.98 |
20 tracks, 64 min, excellent
I remember in the mid-70s how
the roller-rink organ-led country pop hit I Can Help leapt out of the
AM radio - loved it! Billy made his name first by writing the tune that
became a hit covered by Clyde McPhatter, Lover Please,
producing Tony
Joe White & playing bass with both Kris Kristofferson & Kinky Friedman. Now
he was given a chance to shine on his own. This set contains the best of his
four Monument LPs '74-77, which contains more in the Help
vein, especially his country hit Everything's The Same (Ain't Nothing
Changed),
plenty of great self-penned tunes - Rock & Roll Blue Moon Pt 1
(there never was a part 2)/
With Their Kind Of Money And Our Kind Of Love,
& a remake of Lover Please,
plus some great covers including his hit version of Don't Be Cruel
& versions of Your True Love
& Matchbox
done with Carl Perkins. Liner notes include a recent interview with
Billy. (GM)
|
| SUE THOMPSON |
Ace CDCHD 991 |
Suzie - The Hickory Anthology, 1961-1965 |
● CD $18.98 |
26 tracks, 66 min, recommended
When "itty biity" voiced
Thompson had her first big hit, Sad Movies (Make Me Cry), in '62, she
was passed as a teenager. However she was a 36 year-old mother of 16 year
old, had been performing western swing since '48, recording since '50, &
with husband #3, country star Hank Penny, had been performing in Vegas since
'58! Discovered by famed songwriter Boudeleux Bryant, Sue was brought over
to Wesley Rose's Hickory label where she had her country-ish pop hits, all
here, including Norman, James (Hold The Ladder Steady)/ Paper Tiger
(a fave of mine way back when). Sue had the Acuff-Rose writers working for
her (this was when they were estranged from The Everly Bros), so the tracks
here were written by the likes of John D Loudermilk (responsible for most of
the hits), The Bryants, & the title tune Suzie was written for her by
Roy Orbison! The pop hits dried up, Sue went to The Nam to entertain the
troops & ended up exposed to Agent Orange. (GM)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Abkco 9223 |
Cameo Parkway ; 1957-1967 |
● CD $59.98 |
4 CD, 115 tracks, essential
Before we begin, I should
probably recuse myself as I grew up in South Jersey from 1961-64, just
across the bridge from Philly, & first discovered Rock 'n' Roll by listening
to Joe Niagra & Hy Litt on WIBG. For the first time ever, the C-P vaults
have been thrown open & these tracks can now be heard legit for the first
time, with more than half (60) being top 10 hits. The reason teen pop
changed so dramatically in the mid-60s wasn't quite as much as The Beatles,
but also the fact that American Bandstand moved from Philadelphia to LA. In
the early years, Dick could count on this local Philly label to supply
studio guests, & the national exposure racked up huge hits in the teen era.
Taken chronologically, we can see the changes in American music. Starting
out with some classics in rock 'n' roll (Charlie Gracie - Buterfly) &
doo wop (The Rays-Silhouettes/ Daddy Cool), with the Bandstand era &
pretty boy exposure, a whole school of teen-pop emerged from Phillie, most
of whom were on C-P, including Bobby Rydell (Wild One/ Volare),
Chubby Checker (The Twist & all it's sequels, Let's Limbo Some
More), The Orlons (South Street/ The Wah-Watusi), Dovells (Bristol
Stomp) etc. After the Brits came in the house, the label leased some
wonderful stuff that ended up as flops on the US market, including the first
singles by The Kinks (Long Tall Sally/ You Still Want Me), Screamin'
Lord Sutch & The Savages (She's Fallen In Love With The Monster Man)
& the gorgeously ethereal Tossing & Turning by The Ivy League. The
Motown Sound was now starting to happen & next up was some of the beginnings
of Philly Soul including early tracks by Patti LaBelle & The Blue Belles,
The 5 Stairsteps, Eddie Holman, The Delphonics & Bunny Sigler. Finally the
label moved to NYC, & the sound from Detroit was the garage sound, led by ?
& The Mysterians immortal 96 Tears, as well as early tracks by Bob
Seger (East Side Story/ Sock It To Me Santa), Terry Knight & The
Pack, who soon morphed into Grand Funk (I Who Have Nothing) & The
Rationals great version of Respect. Throughout the years the label
also hosted novelties (Zacherle's classic Dinner With Drac, The
Hardly-Worthit Players Kennedy take off Wild Thing by Senator Bobby),
answer songs like JoAnn Campbell's I'm The Girl From Wolverton Mountain,
& celebrity tunes like Clint Eastwood's Rowdy. 44 page booklet has
some details as well as liner notes by Jeff Tamarkin. And there's tons more
gems I haven't even mentioned, like Evie Sands' original version of Angel
Of The Morning!. (GM)
? & THE MYSTERIANS: 96 Tears/ Can't Get Enough Of You,
Baby/ I Need Somebody/ BILLY ABBOTT AND THE JEWELS: Come On And Dance With
Me/ Groovy Baby/ Hey Good Lookin'/ PETE ANTELL: Night Time/ THE APPLEJACKS:
Mexican Hat Rock/ Rocka-Conga/ JERRY ARNOLD & THE RHYTHM CAPTAINS: Race For
Time/ VICKIE BAINES: Got To Run/ LEN BARRY: Little White House/ CHRIS
BARTLEY: The Sweetest Thing This Side Of Heaven/ PETER BEST: Boys/ FRANKIE
BEVERLY AND THE BUTLERS: Because Of My Heart/ JERRY BLAVAT & THE YON
TEENAGERS: Back To School One More Time/ BOBBY THE POET: White Christmas (3
O'Clock Weather Report)/ JOE BROWN AND THE BRUVVERS: It Only Took A Minute/
THE CAMEOS: Merry Christmas/ JO ANN CAMPBELL: (I'm The Girl From) Wolverton
Mountain/ Mother Please!/ CANDY AND THE KISSES: Soldier Baby Of Mine/ The
81/ CHUBBY CHECKER: Let's Twist Again/ Limbo Rock/ Pony Time/ The Class/ The
Twist/ Jingle Bell Rock/ Teach Me To Twist/ Slow Twistin'/ CHRISTINE COOPER:
Heartaches Away My Boy/ S.O.S. (Heart In Distress)/ DON COVAY: The Popeye
Waddle/ THE DELFONICS: He Don't Really Love You/ You've Been Untrue/ THE
DOVELLS: Bristol Stomp/ Do The New Continental/ You Can't Sit Down/ THE
DREAMERS: Daydreamin' Of You/ THE DREAMLOVERS: When We Get Married/ CLINT
EASTWOOD: Rowdy/ THE FIVE STAIRSTEPS: Come Back/ Danger! She's A Stranger/
World Of Fantasy/ CHARLIE GRACIE: Butterfly/ Fabulous/ BOBBY GREGG AND HIS
FRIENDS: The Jam Part 1/ THE GTOS: Girl From New York City/ THE HIPPIES
(FORMERLY THE TAMS): Memory Lane/ EDDIE HOLMAN: Am I A Loser/ This Can't Be
True/ THE IVY LEAGUE: Funny How Love Can Be/ Tossing & Turning/ JOEY AND THE
FLIPS: Fool, Fool, Fool/ THE KINKS: Long Tall Sally/ You Still Want Me/
TERRY KNIGHT AND THE PACK: I (Who Have Nothing)/ PATTI LABELLE AND THE BLUE
BELLES: Danny Boy/ You'll Never Walk Alone/ BERNIE LOWE ORCHESTRA: Sing Sing
Sing/ JOHNNY MAESTRO: I'll Be True/ BOBBY MARCHAN: Meet Me In Church/ Shake
Your Tambourine/ THE MARLINS: (Everybody Do) The Swim/ OHIO EXPRESS: Beg,
Borrow And Steal/ THE ORLONS: Cross Fire!/ Don't Hang Up/ Not Me/ South
Street/ The Wah Watusi/ MIKE PEDICIN QUINTET: Shake A Hand/ THE PERSIANS:
Get A Hold Of Yourself/ THE PLAYBOYS: Over The Weekend/ THE RAG DOLLS:
Society Girl/ THE RATIONALS: Respect/ THE RAYS: Daddy Cool/ Silhouettes/
TIMMIE ROGERS: Back To School Again/ BOBBY RYDELL: Forget Him/ Kissin' Time/
Swingin' School/ The Cha Cha Cha/ Volare/ We Got Love/ Wild One/ EVIE SANDS:
Angel Of The Morning/ The Love Of A Boy/ BILLY SCOTT: You're The Greatest/
BOB SEGER: East Side Story/ Heavy Music Part 1/ Sock It To Me Santa/ SENATOR
BOBBY: Wild Thing/ DEE DEE SHARP: Do The Bird/ Gravy (For My Mashed
Potatoes)/ Mashed Potato Time/ Ride/ BUNNY SIGLER: Let The Good Times Roll &
Feel So Good/ Lovey Dovey-You're So Fine/ SOUNDS ORCHESTRAL: Cast Your Fate
To The Wind/ THE SPARKLETONES: Just One Chance/ THE STOREY SISTERS: Bad
Motorcycle/ THE STYLETTES: My Boy/ SCREAMIN' LORD SUTCH & THE SAVAGES: She's
Fallen In Love With The Monster Man/ THE SWANS: The Boy With The Beatle
Hair/ THE TAFFYS: Everybody South Street/ THE TEMPTATIONS: Birds And Bees/
BROWN THE CARROLL BROTHERS: Sweet Georgia/ THE TYMES: So Much In Love/
Somewhere/ Wonderful! Wonderful!/ GEORGIE YOUNG AND THE ROCKIN' BOCS: Nine
More Miles/ Two Weeks With Pay/ LONNIE YOUNGBLOOD: The Grass Will Sing For
You/ JOHN ZACHERLE: Dinner With Drac Part 1
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace CDCHD 1070 |
These Ghoulish Things |
● CD $18.98 |
Ace takes a stab (or maybe several stabs - the more the
merrier) at the Halloween music market with this 28 track CD of horrifying
music - nearly half of them new to CD and including several previously
unissued radio station plugs from 1963 by Bobby "Boris" Pickett.
BILLY DE MARCO & COUNT DRACULA: Drac's Back/ MILTON DELUGG
& ORCHESTRA: The Munsters Theme/ BO DIDDLEY: Bo Meets The Monster/ BILL
DOGGETT: Monster Party/ THE DUPONTS: Screamin' Ball (at Dracula Hall)/ THE
FIENDS: Theme From The Addams Family/ SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS: Feast Of The
Mau Mau/ THE HOLLYWOOD FLAMES: Frankenstein's Den/ VIRGIL HOLMES: Ghost
Train/ THE JAYHAWKS: The Creature (from Outer Space)/ THE KAC-TIES: Mr
Were-wolf/ THE MONOTONES: Legend Of Sleepy Hollow/ JACKIE MORNINGSTAR:
Rockin' In The Graveyard/ THE NU-TRENDS: Spooksville/ BOBBY "BORIS" PICKETT:
Radio Plug For Monster Mash On Station Kfwb/ Radio Plug For Monster Mash On
Station Wcop/ Radio Station Promo For Bill Gavin/ Monster Mash/ BOBBY PLEASE
& THE PLEASERS: The Monster/ THE REVELS: Midnight Stroll/ SONNY RICHARD'S
PANICS WITH CINDY AND MISTY: The Voodoo Walk/ BILLY LEE RILEY: Nightmare
Mash/ ROUND ROBIN: I'm The Wolfman/ ALLAN SHERMAN: My Son, The Vampire/ THE
SWINGIN' PHILLIES: Frankenstein's Party/ THE VERDICTS: The Mummy's Ball/
ORVIN YOES: The Vampire/ JOHN ZACHERLE: Coolest Little Monster
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace CDCHK 1077 |
Ace 30th Birthday Celebration - Rock 'n'
Roll & Doo-Wop |
● CD $11.98 |
20 doo-wop, rockabilly and rock 'n' roll sides from the 50s
and early 60s from the Ace vaults as part of its 30th anniversary
celebration.
THE CADETS: Let's Rock'n'roll/ DOLLY COOPER: My Man/ DANNY
BOY: Don't Go Pretty Baby/ BOBBY DAY: The Bluebird, The Buzzard And The
Oriole/ HUELYN DUVALL: Three Months To Kill/ VERNON GREEN & THE MEDALLIONS:
'59 Volvo/ JOE HOUSTON: We're Gonna Rock'n'roll/ ETTA JAMES: Shortnin' Bread
Rock/ THE JAYOS: Honey Love/ CURLEY JIM & THE BILLEY ROCKS: Rock'n'roll
Itch/ THE JIVE-A-TONES: Wild Bird/ MARVIN & JOHNNY: Ain't That Right/ PAUL
PEEK: The Rock-A-Round/ THE PENGUINS: Cold Heart/ CANDY RIVERS & THE
FALCONS: Mambo Baby To-Nite/ THE SEARCHERS: Wow-Wow Baby/ THE SLADES: You
Cheated/ THE TEEN QUEENS: Rock Everybody/ LINK WRAY: Jack The Ripper/ DALE
WRIGHT & THE WRIGHT GUYS: That's Show Biz
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace CDCHK 1078 |
Ace 30th Birthday Celebration - Garage, Beat
& Punk Roc |
● CD $11.98 |
20 tracks at a budget price as part of Ace's 30th
anniversary celebration - The Sonics, Oxford Circle, She, The Revels, The
Zombies, The Radiators (From Space), The Damned, Vibes, Naz Nomad & The
Nightmares, The Prisoners, etc.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bear Family BCD 16722 |
That'll Flat Git It! Vol. 22 - Columbia
Records |
● CD $21.98 |
Bear Family continues this great series with the first of
four volumes devoted to the rockabilly and rockin' country output of major
label Columbia. Although most of this material has been out before, nobody
does it quite like Bear Family with 30 tracks newly transferred and
remastered for best possible sound and comes with a 40 page booklet with
extensive notes and previously unpublished photos.
THE COLLINS KIDS: Beetle-Bug-Bop/ Hop, Skip And Jump/ Hoy
Hoy/ Party/ LITTLE JIMMY DICKENS: (I Got) A Hole In My Pocket/ FREDDIE HART:
Dig Boy Dig/ ERSEL HICKEY: Goin' Down That Road/ JOHNNY HORTON: Honky Tonk
Man/ Honky Tonk Mind (The Woman I Need)/ Honky-Tonk Hardwood Floor/ I'm
Coming Home/ CLIFF JOHNSON: Go Away Hound Dog/ SID KING & THE FIVE STRINGS:
Let 'Er Roll/ Purr, Kitty, Purr/ Sag, Drag And Fall/ When My Baby Left Me/
BOBBY LORD: Everybody's Rockin' But Me/ No More, No More, No More/ JIMMY
MURPHY: Baboon Boogie/ Granpaw's A Cat/ My Gal Dottie/ Sixteen Tons Rock 'N'
Roll/ MARTY ROBBINS: Long Tall Sally/ Mean Mama Blues/ Tennessee Toddy/
That's All Right/ RONNIE SELF: Big Fool/ Bop A Lena/ Rocky Road Blues/ ONIE
WHEELER: Going Back To The City
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bear Family BCD 16725 |
That'll Flat Git It! Vol. 25 - Columbia
Records |
● CD $21.98 |
30 more from the Columbia vaults.
BILLY 'CRASH' CRADDOCK: Ah, Poor Little Baby/ BILLY BROWN:
Did We Have A Party/ THE COLLINS KIDS: I'm In My Teens/ Just Because/ Rock
Boppin' Baby/ Whistle Bait/ LITTLE JIMMY DICKENS: Rockin' With Red/ WERLY
FAIRBURN: Everybody's Rockin'/ DERRELL FELTS: It's A Great Big Day/ LEFTY
FRIZZELL: You're Humbuggin' Me/ FREDDIE HART: Snatch It And Grab It/ SID
KING & THE FIVE STRINGS: Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight/ Good Rockin' Baby/
I Like It/ Ooby Dooby/ BOBBY LORD: Beautiful Baby/ So Doggone Lonesome/ ROSE
MADDOX: Wild Wild Young Men/ THE MADDOX BROS. & ROSE: The Death Of Rock And
Roll/ Ugly And Slouchy/ JIMMY MURPHY: Here Kitty, Kitty/ CARL PERKINS: Pink
Pedal Pushers/ Where The Rio De Rosa Flows/ MARTY ROBBINS: Maybelline/
Pretty Mama/ RONNIE SELF: Ain't I'm A Dog/ Date Bait/ Petrified/ WAYNE
WALKER: Bo Bo Ska Diddle Daddle/ ONIE WHEELER: A Booger Gonna Getcha
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Buffalo Bop 55175 |
Knock Out |
● CD $18.98 |
Another fine 30 track collection of obscure rockabilly and
rock 'n' roll from the 50s. About 2/3 of the tracks have been out on CD
before. No real gems here but no real dogs either.
THE BLUENOTES: You're A Tiger/ CLINTON BROOKS AND THE B'S:
Tom Duley Rock/ JOE CARL AND THE DUKES OF RHYTHM: Rockin Fever/ CHUCK
CARSON: Moonlight Rock/ TOMMY DUNCAN: Daddy Loves Mommyo/ CHARLIE GRACIE:
Boogie Boogie Blues/ RON HAYDOCK: Knock Out/ Rollin Danny/ ORANGIE HUBBARD:
Is She Sore/ ELLIS KIRK AND THE TOWN AND COUNTRY BOYS: Sweetie Pie/ JOEY
MANCUSO: Cool Cat Crawl/ DONNIE MARTINDALE THE STAR FIRES: Go Jenny/ ARLIE
MILLER: I've Heard/ You Tear Me Up/ MIKE MOOR: The Chick/ JIM MYERS AND HIS
GEMS: Oh Baby Baby/ ARLIE NEAVILLE: Boppin Bug/ Don't Just Stand There/ JOEY
NEPOTE: Doctor Doctor Doctor/ THE NEUTRONS: Don't Be Cruel/ BOB NOLEN:
Bucket Full Of Tears/ WHITEY PULLEN: Lets All Go Wild Tonight/ Tuscaloosa
Luck/ Walk My Way Back Home/ JOHNNY RAMISTELLA: Little Girl/ LEON SMITH:
Honey Honey/ That's The Way/ THE BILL STANTON TRIO: Get Up Get Up And Go/
Rockin With The Blues/ HENRY WILSON WITH THE BLUENOTES: Are You Ready
| |
