| EDDIE COCHRAN |
Ace CDCH 237 |
The Early Years |
● CD $18.98 |
Early rarities by The Cochrane Bros., Jerry Capehart,
Albert Stone, Darry Weaver and of course Eddie himself in the spotlight.
20 cuts of collectable Cochran.
|
| EDDIE COCHRAN |
Rockstar 001 |
Rock'n'Roll Legend |
● CD $21.98 |
20 tracks, 44 mins, recommended. The first decent &
legal Cochran CD, 20 non-Liberty tracks, including most of the tunes
(and a few demos) done for Ekko with Hank Cochran as The Cochran
Brothers. This has 4 alternates not available on the vinyl version - a
version of Guybo without final guitar overdub, take 5 (and false
start 4) of Jellybean, an alternate of Take My Hand by The
Four Dots with Eddie on guitar, and a finished alternate, with hand
claps, of Don't Bye Bye Baby Me, plus the usual great Cochran
collectables like Pink Pegged Pants/ Skinny Jim/ Latch On/ Let's
Coast Awhile/ Chicken Shot Blues, etc Excellent sound courtesy of
Boppin' Bob Jones, detailed notes by Adam Komorowski and a couple of
cool rare photos. (GM)
|
| EDDIE COCHRAN |
Rockstar 008 |
Mighty Mean |
● CD $21.98 |
Rockstar continues to unearth and reissue Cochran rarities
and this collection includes several never before issued cuts - some
from Eddie's personal collection. It includes live performances of Twenty
Flight Rock and Sittin' In The Balcony from around 1957, a
previously unissued instrumental and an early version of the song that
later became Mean When I'm Mad. These are joined by the rare
Cochran Brothers sides dubbed from mint copies of the original records
and more. It also includes a number of interviews from 1957 with Eddie,
Jimmy Bowen, Buddy Holly & The Crickets and Connie 'Guybo' Smith.
|
| EDDIE COHRAN &
FRIENDS |
Rockstar 009 |
Vol. 1 - Cruisin' The Drive In |
● CD $21.98 |
30 tracks, 70 min., good Don't let the above rating fool
you. All production standards here are very high indeed. The sound
quality is solid; the liner notes are scrupulously thorough, and the
vintage photos are great. The reason that I rate the disc as less than
"recommended" is because, for me at least, it marks one more
attempt to scrape the bottom of the Eddie Cochran barrel for just a few
more marketable numbers. There is, according to the liner notes, one
previously unreleased vocal by Cochran here, the title tune, an
uncertain run-through of an undistinguished lyric. But the vast majority
of the program features the nominal star of this set only as an
accompanying musician. The featured vocalists are actually Bob Denton,
Ray Stanley, Lynn Marshall, Jack Lewis, Jerry Capehart (who is awful!),
Jewel Akens, and Gary Williams (from a home tape recording). Good stuff,
I presume, for L. A. music scene archeologists or folks seeking their
Eddie Cochran PhD's. (DH)
|
| EDDIE COHRAN &
FRIENDS |
Rockstar 010 |
One Minute To One |
● CD $21.98 |
28 Tracks, 62 min., good In the CD booklet, Rob Finnis
indicates that the bulk of the Rockstar labels' catalogue is now
comprised of Eddie Cochrane related material. Unless you are an Eddie
Cochrane completist, there isn't a whole lot here that would be of great
interest. There are 11 songs by Cochrane (four of them instrumentals)
and the other cuts are performed by people such as Jerry Capehart (Cochrane's
manager and songwriting partner), June Cochrane (his sister-in-law), the
Kelly Four and others. The cuts themselves range from demos of songs
Cochrane recorded to songs (some of them demos) that he played guitar
on. The CD booklet is very informative, but there is just too much
filler material found here. (RS)
|
| EDDIE COCHRAN |
Rockstar 011 |
Rockin' It - Country Style |
● CD $21.98 |
26 tracks, 48 mins, very good Those persistent folks at
Rockstar come up with more unissued Eddie Cochran recordings - this time
26 previously unissued cuts made at the home of Chuck Foreman between
1953-55. It's all straight country material, often with an upbeat flavor
and features Eddie on guitar and Foreman, who is usually in the lead
role playing steel guitar. The emphasis is on jazzy instrumentals in the
Speedy West/ Jimmy Bryant mould though there are a number of vocals by a
very young and uncertain sounding Eddie Cochran. Lavishly documented in
great detail with amazing photos in the 16 page booklet. This will be of
most interest to Eddie Cochran fans and music historians as the country
music here is very ordinary and there is no real rock 'n roll for the
rock'n roll collector. Pleasant though. (FS)
|
| EDDIE COCHRAN |
Rockstar 014 |
Don't Forget It Again |
● CD $21.98 |
Those fanatics at Rockstar are at it again with another
Eddie Cochran collection mixing material that has been out before with a
few unissued cuts including the hot instrumental String fever and
the eminently forgettable acoustic guitar instrumental Rain.
There are also some alternate takes of previously reissued tracks and a
number of accompaniments where Eddie's guitar work outshines the often
lame vocals. There are also a couple of live cuts from 1957 (Alan Freed
show, I think). The instrumental work throughout shows just what a fine
and varied guitarist he was - on
one cut he even sounds like Les Paul!
|
| EDDIE COCHRAN/
GENE VINCENT |
Rockstar 016 |
Town Hall Party |
● CD $21.98 |
26 tracks, 60 mins, highly recommended
Thanks to companies
like Rockstar we are now able to hear some more great and long forgotton
moments in rock 'n roll history. This set features two pioneers live on
the legendary Southern California based TV show "Town Hall
Party". Best known as an outlet for country performers the show, on
the air from 1953 and 1960, also featured many great rock 'n' roll and
rockabilly performers. Fortunately kinescopes of a number of the
original shows are preserved at the Country Music Foundation which is
the source of these priceless recording. Eddie is featured on a show
from February 1959 accompanied by the excellent Dick D'Agostin & The
Swingers. He does eight songs including his most recent hit C'Mon
Everybody (twice!), Summertime Blues and several covers
including great versions of Fats Domino's Don't Blame It On Me
and Chuck Berry's School Days both of which he had not recorded
elsewhere. Lots of great singing and guitar playing from Eddie. There is
also and interesting interview of Eddie by Johnny Bond which is several
cuts above most interviews of rock 'n roll performers. Gene is featured
on two shows - from October, 1958 with The Bluecaps and from November,
1959 with Town Hall Party musicians. The first show includes the
expected Be-Bop-A-Lula plus High Blood Pressure/ Dance To The
Bop and others including two not recorded elsewhere - Hank Williams'
You Win Again and Jerry Butler & The Impressions' For Your
Precious Love and Gene does a splendid job on them reminding us what
a superb and versatile singer he was. The Town Hall musicians do a
decent job accompanying Gene on three fine performances - Roll Over
Beethoven/ Over The Rainbow and She She Little Sheila. While
sound is not exceptional it's more than satisfactory and the 12 page
booklet includes informative notes and great stills from the kinescopes.
So when do we get the video? (FS)
|
| JACKIE LEE COCHRAN |
Hydra 27102 |
Jack The Cat |
● CD $18.98 |
29 tracks, 74 min., recommended This is a much enlarged
reissue of Hydra's 1985 LP dedicated to the recordings of this New
Orleans-based artist whose 50's recordings are hot items among
rockabilly collectors. Not being such a collector myself, I guess it's
fair to admit that I much prefer his 70's recordings for Rollin' Rock
Records. But, fear not, fans of either decade should be pleased here,
since this lengthy set includes most of his early cuts, plus a healthy
sampling of his later, more clearly country, numbers. Highlights include
Hip Shakin' Mama/ Ruby Pearl/ Buy a Car/ Georgia Lee Brown/ Endless
Love/ Bop Town, and Rockabilly Music. A nicely-produced
package from start to finish, with excellent sound quality, an
appropriate vintage cover photo of the artist, and an enthusiastic 32
page booklet. (DH)
|
| THE COLLINS KIDS |
Bear Family BCD 15537 |
Hop, Skip & Jump |
● CD $65.98 |
| There are 59 tunes on 2 CD's plus a beautiful photo packed
20 page LP sized booklet. All but 16 have been issued on the 3 Collins
Kids LP's by Bear (BFX 15074, 15106 & 15108). If you don't know, the
Collins Kids were a brother and sister rockabilly act, originally from
Oklahoma, who found a degree of fame and fortune after moving to the LA
area and landing a big spot on Tex Ritter's TV show Town Hall Party.
Unlike most rockabilly artists, the Kids were warmly received there and
on many other national shows. Even though they had no hit records they
hung on until the early 60's (when Larry's voice changed and Lorrie got
married) because they were so exciting to teens and cute to adults. And
they could be cutsie at times like on I Wish and Soda Poppin'
Around but the great rock'n'roll tunes are very plentiful - Beetle-Bug-Bop/
I'm In My Teens/ Hop Skip & Jump/ Hoy Hoy/ Hot Rod , etc. Now
let's see what's new. There's a session from 1961 with Lorrie singing 4
wonderful country tunes - Ain't You Ever/ What'cha Gonna Do Now/
Waitin' And Watchin'/ Home Of The Blues . With Larry on lead guitar
and Ralph Mooney on steel, the backing band sounds a lot like The
Buckaroos. There are a couple of instros by Larry - Fire Ball Mail
and Spur Of The Moment with Harold Bradley's famous Nashville
studio band. Three more tunes from Larry's solo country sessions (early
60's) are included. And a trio of Lorrie's tunes, done in a red hot mama
vein, show a surprising maturity - Blues In The Night/ Another Man
Done Gone/ There'll Be Some Changes Made . It's a shame she didn't
continue in country because I think she would've given Wanda Jackson a
run for the money. (AE)
|
| THE COLLINS KIDS |
Bear Family BCD 16250 |
The Rockin'est |
● CD $21.98 |
22 tracks, 47 mins, recommended
If the Bear Family box set
is too much here's a chance to pick the best of the rockers this perky
teen duo cut for Columbia between 1955 and 1959. The Collins Kids were a
brother and sister rockabilly act, who found a degree of fame after
landing big spot on Tex Ritter's TV show Town Hall Party. Unlike most
rockabilly artists, the Kids were warmly recieved there and on many
other national shows. Though they could be cutsie at times this disc is
all rockin' with such numbers as Hop Skip & Jump/ Just Because/
Move A Little Closer/ Go Away Don't Bother Me/ The Cuckoo Rock/ The'yre
Still In Love/ Heartbeat, etc. And, if at time, their squeaky voices
get to be a bit much Larry will usually rescue the proceedings with a
hot guitar solo on his double necked Mos-Rite guitar. Usual high quality
Bear Family production with 16 page booklet with informative notes, rare
photos and full discographical information. (FS)
|
| THE COLLINS KIDS |
Krazy Kat KKCD 14 |
Rockin' On T.V. |
● CD $16.98 |
| 31 tracks, 66 minutes, good. 31 frantic frolics by those
adorable urchins of rockabilly - the Collins Kids, Larry & Lorrie.
They were about 15 and 18 when these shows were taped in 1956 and 1960.
18 of these were originally released on the Country Routes LP 9002. As
you might guess the sound quality ain't so hot but the music is! If you
just want to dig a slab of early rock 'n' roll history, this is it. They
giggle and cut-up on almost every tune, many of which can only be heard
here. Kokomo/ You Are My Sunshine/ Hoy Hoy/ Hot Rod/ Dance To The
Bop/ Hound Dog/ Peter Gunn/ Catfish Boogie , etc.. (AE)
|
| THE COMETS |
Collectables 620 |
Mercry, Mercy |
● CD $11.98 |
12 sides from mid 60s young teen band from Winston-Salem,
North Carolina (ages 10 through 14!). Mostly R&B covers - Mercy,
Mercy/ The Lats Time/ Johnny B. Good/ Mr. Pitiful/ Memphis/ I Got You (I
Feel Good), etc.
|
| COMMANDER CODY |
MCA MCAD 659 |
Live From Deep In The Heart Of Texas |
● CD $10.98 |
Live recording from Austin Texas, 1973. 13 songs,
including such staples as Down To Seeds And Stems/Crying Time/Riot In
Cell Block #9/Too Much Fun.
|
| COMMANDER CODY |
MCA MCAD 10092 |
Too Much Fun - The Best Of Commander Cody |
● CD $13.98 |
Hits compilation with Lost In The Ozone/ Hot Rod
Lincoln/ 20 Flight Rock/ Beat Me Daddy Eight To The Bar/ Truck Drivin'
Man/ Mama Hated Diesels/ Smoke Smoke Smoke That Cigarette/ Everybody's
Doin' It plus live versions of Down To Seeds And Stems Again/
Diggy Liggy Lo/ Too Much Fun and more from California's grungiest
cowpoke rockers. Great stuff, man.
|
| THE COUNT FIVE |
Collectables 6039 |
Psychotic Reaction - The Very Best Of |
● CD $13.98 |
Reissue of classic 1966 album with 6 bonus non-LP cuts.
High powered maximum R & B from 5 San Jose kids (they were 18 &
19 at the time), mostly originals including the title hit that out-Yardbirded
the Yardbirds, and covers of 2 early Who tunes, My Generation
& Out In The Street (GM)
|
|
BILLY
"CRASH" CRADDOCK |
Bear Family BCD 15610 |
Boom Boom Baby |
● CD $21.98 |
This disc collects Craddock's 21 earliest efforts,
recorded between 1958-60, including several like Ah, Poor Little
Baby/ Little Ole You on which he sounds a lot like Elvis Whatsisname.
And despite frequent diversions into teen town (School Day Dreams/
Report Card Of Love), the album manages a surprising number of
credible rock'n'roll and rockabilly performances, including the
straightforward I Want That/ Am I To Be The One/ Sweetie Pie/ Treat
Me Like You Do/ Heavenly Love and the title track. Session talent
like guitarist Grady Martin and pianist Floyd Cramer add authority to
the proceedings. Notes from Jimmy Guterman, discography from Richard
Weize. (JC)
|
| CREEDENCE
CLEARWATER REVIVAL |
Fantasy 8382 |
Creedence Clearwater Revival |
● CD $15.98 |
| CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL - 20 BIT REMASTERS Soon after
I moved to California from Cleveland more than 20 years ago, I settled
in a small town north of Berkeley called El Cerrito. Little did I know
that, besides being the home of Roots & Rhythm, Down Home Music
& Les Blank's Flower Films, it was also the hometown of one of the
best bands ever to come out of the US! However, they weren't well served
when the CD reissues came out, with fairly inadequate sound except in a
few compilations. Now the original releases (not counting their million
& a half compilations) have all been redone in JVC's 20 Bit K2 Super
Coding. Don't want to get into technical stuff - let's just say it sound
fantastic!! All the CDs are housed in a slipcase, with new liner notes
written by some of the top music writers of the time, along with an
unpublished pic in each pamphlet. (GM)
8 tracks, 34 minutes, recommended
Originally issued July '68 .A young band starting to stride. Includes
their 1st hit on both AM & FM, their cover of Dale Hawkins' Susie
Q, along with more fine covers of Wilson Pickett's 99 1/2
& Screamin' Jay Hawkins' I Put A Spell On You, along with
some of the budding fruits of John Fogerty's early writings, Porterville
& Walking On Water. New liner notes by Ben Fong-Torres (GM)
|
| CREEDENCE
CLEARWATER REVIVAL |
Fantasy 8387 |
Bayou Country |
● CD $15.98 |
7 tracks, 34 minutes, essential My fave CCR record!
Released just 6 months after the 1st LP, John Fogerty shines on this
one, with some of the strongest material of any band! From doing mostly
covers to writing Proud Mary/ Keep On Chooglin'/ Penthouse Pauper
& the title track, with the only cover being a blazing version of
Little Richard's Good Golly Miss Molly. Liner notes by Joel
Selvin. (GM)
|
| CREEDENCE
CLEARWATER REVIVAL |
Fantasy 8393 |
Green River |
● CD $15.98 |
9 tracks, 24 minutes, essential Released August '69, the
3rd LP in just over a year. Short on playing time, but a near perfect 24
minutes it is! Not a wasted song here, with the singles being Bad
Moon Rising/ Lodi & the title classic, along with wonderful
Fogerty songs Tombstone Shadow/ Cross-Tie Walker/ Wrote A Song For
Everyone/ Commotion & the only cover, Ray Charles' The Night
Time Is The Right Time. Liner notes by Dave Marsh (GM)
|
| CREEDENCE
CLEARWATER REVIVAL |
Fantasy 8397 |
Willy & The Poor Boys |
● CD $15.98 |
10 tracks, 34 minutes, highly recommended A step down, but
not by much. Originally released Nov '69, this was CCR's 3rd LP of '69,
their 4th in 16 months! A more traditional sound, with covers of 2
Leadbelly tunes, Cotton Fields & Midnight Special,
& The Poor Boy Shuffle, which has the band as a skiffle band,
complete with washtub bass & scrub board! Add classics Down On
The Corner/ Fortunate Son, the screamin' It Came Out Of The Sky,
plus Effigy/ Don't Look Now, etc. Liner Notes by Ed Ward (GM)
|
| CREEDENCE
CLEARWATER REVIVAL |
Fantasy 8402 |
Cosmo's Factory |
● CD $15.98 |
11 tracks, 42 minutes, essential The perfect CCR release,
originally from 7/70. Mostly a 50s feel here, from the covers (Roy
Orbison's Ooby Dooby, Bo Diddley's Before You Accuse, Big
Boy Crudup's (via Elvis) My Baby Left Me) to the Fogerty classics
Travelin' Band/ Up Around The Bend/ Run Through The Jungle, with
a few concessions to hippiedom (the almost psychedelic Ramble Tamble,
the druggy Lookin' Out My Back Door), and a few nods to gospel
(the beautiful Long As I Can See The Light), protest (Who'll
Stop The Rain), even a look to the future of extended dance
versions, with the 11 minute Heard It Through The Grapevine.
Notes by Robert Christgau. (GM)
|
| CREEDENCE
CLEARWATER REVIVAL |
Fantasy 8410 |
Pendulum |
● CD $15.98 |
10 tracks, 42 minutes, recommended Released by any other
band, this would probably be a classic. But as it's CCR & released
in December '70, only 5 months after Cosmo's Factory, & Creedence's
6th in 2 1/2 years, it's showing signs of weakness. For the 1st time,
all 10 tunes are Fogerty originals. Includes 2 of my fave tunes, the
under-rated Pagan Baby & Hey Tonight, along with the
classic Have You Ever Seen The Rain?. The other tunes just
haven't aged as well, including Sailor's Lament/ Molina/ Born To Move,
& the 6 minute instrumental Rude Awakening #2, possibly one
of the only CCR tunes that could be called boring!!. Tom Fogerty would
leave only a few months after this release. Notes by Joel Selvin. (GM)
|
| CREEDENCE
CLEARWATER REVIVAL |
Fantasy 9404 |
Mardi Gras |
● CD $15.98 |
10 tracks, 29 minutes, fans only Released in April '72, a
year after the group became a trio, CCR goes out in a whimper. Bassist
Stu Cooke & drummer Doug "Cosmo" Clifford comprise one of
the best rhythm sections in rock history. Unfortunately, neither one is
a good front man &, unfortunately, they demanded to have equal time.
So each member gets to write & sing 3 tunes on the LP. John's
opener, Looking For A Reason, kinda says it all, & in a
plodding pseudo-country style. Fogerty's other 2 tunes are classics, Sweet
Hitch-hiker & Someday Never Comes, & the band's final
cover tune is a rip-roaring version of Ricky Nelson's Hello Mary Lou.
Stu & Cosmo's tunes unfortunately range from mediocre to
embarrassing! Remember the good times!! Liner notes by Craig Werner.
(GM)
|
| CREEDENCE
CLEARWATER REVIVAL |
Fantasy 9686 |
The Concert |
● CD $15.98 |
14 tracks, 52 minutes, recommended This is the way to
remember CCR! Originally released in December '80, this was originally
mistakenly released as "Royal Albert Hall", when it was
actually recorded in Oakland 1/31/70. The original quartet as a
powerhouse! The 1st 13 tracks are, except for a 5 minute opener Born
On The Bayou, have CCR as the masters of the 3-minute single, with
most of their best singles (Proud Mary/ Green River/Down On The
Corner, etc) along with several classic album tracks - Commotion/
Travelin' Band, & a couple of covers - Night Time Is The
Right Time & Midnight Special, before thanking opening
band Booker T & The MGs & slamming into a 9 minute Keep On
Chooglin'! Liner notes by Stanley Booth. (GM)
|
| THE CRICKETS |
Bear Family BCD 15599 |
Still In Style |
● CD $21.98 |
Perhaps you, like me, wondered who the singer was among
those guys pictured on the cover of the old Coral LP that The Crickets
put out after Buddy Holly's death. Bear Family's informative notes have
the answer: It was usually none of those three guys; it was usually Earl
Sinks, and they've also got a picture of him. Unfortunately, even with
that mystery solved, the music that The Crickets produced after Holly
was gone is still rather uncharismatic. Even their much earlier version
of member Sonny Curtis's I Fought The Law only makes me thankful
that Bobby Fuller sang it later with more conviction. The 23 tracks here
feature a mix of original material and covers of other rock n' roll
standards: Deborah/ When You Ask About Love/ Great Balls of Fire/ So
You're in Love/ Rockin' Pneumonia and The Boogie Woogie Flu.
Production values are up to Bear Family's usual high standards. (DH)
|
| THE CRICKETS |
Rockstar 002 |
Ravin' On From California To Clovis |
● CD $18.98 |
The Crickets tenure with Liberty Records in the early 60s
produced some pretty dull pop offerings. This collection features 24
tracks from that same period, many of them previously unissued - with
good reason - they were even more dreary than the issued titles. It's a
little baffling to me that the Crickets after Buddy Holly's death have
such status since most of their recordings are bland as can be and their
version of the Holly hit Rave On here is little more than a
parody - one wonders what they were thinking. John Ingman's extensive
notes discusses the sessions in great depth though it would have been
clearer if it had been presented in standard discographical format. All
is not completely lost - the disc ends with the full 8 minute interview
between Buddy Holly, Jerry Allison and disc jockey Freeman Hover in
Denver, Colorado in November 1957 and also includes a photo from that
interview. (FS)
|
| THE CRICKETS |
Rollercoaster RCCD 3006 |
Double Exposure |
● CD $21.98 |
|
THE CRICKETS: Baby my heart/ Brown-eyed handsome man/ Don't ever change/
Everyday/ I fought the law/ It doesn't matter anymore/ It's so easy/ La
bamba/ Love's made a fool of you/ Maybe baby/ More than I can say/ My
little girl/ Oh boy/ Peggy Sue/ Rave on/ Teardrops fall like rain/ Tell
me how/ That'll be the day/ Think it over/ True love ways/ Well...all
right/ When you ask about love
|
| THE CYRKLE |
Columbia CK 47717 |
Red Rubber Ball |
● CD $12.98 |
The Cyrkle were 3 (later 4) enterprising young men who
captured the hearts and imaginations of the folk-pop world for a brief
moment in 1966. During that time they exhibited a fierce commitment and
zest for living the Young Life. Not as gutsy as the Critters; not as
nasty and macho as the Association nor as raunchy as the 5th Dimension,
the Cyrkle nonetheless carved a tiny niche with their successive hits Red
Rubber Ball and Turn Down Day (both included here) before
fading in early '68 to write ad jingles (sadly not included here). All
the trappings of the period are on this 18-track collection: sitars,
quavering flutes, swirly organ, harpsichord, wimpy but confident 3-part
harmonies. Red Chair Fade Away/ Cloudy/ Straighten Out My Messed Up
Life. 2 cuts previously unreleased.
(RS)
|
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