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VINTAGE
ROCK 'N' ROLL & ROCKABILLY
Bill
Haley -> Brian Hyland
| BILL HALEY &
HIS COMETS |
Bear Family BCD 15506 |
The Decca Years And More |
● CD $99.98 |
5 CDs, 132 tracks, 5 hours, 42 min., good
Haley left Essex
in 1954 and signed with Decca; his first release was Rock Around The
Clock and, as luck would have it, it failed miserably. It wasn't until
the movie Blackboard Jungle that the song became a massive hit. So did
Haley's neutered cover of Joe Turner's Shake, Rattle And Roll. For
the casual Haley fan this collection is overkill in the extreme, including
as it does an entire disc's worth of alternate takes (almost all
previously unreleased)--6 takes in a row of I Got A Woman is likely
to be a bit much. Likewise, Haley's instrumental sessions--he plays rhythm
guitar--may be of limited interest to many. But the first 2 discs are
chock full o' winners and sure to please even casual fans of fifties
R&R. And the diehard Haleyophile will glory in such unclassics as Wooden
Shoe Rock/ El Rocko/ Rockin' Rollin' Schnitzlebank/ Piccadilly Rock,
and other thematic musical experiments. It's all here and much more, his
decade or so at Decca. The man often credited with performing the first
rock and roll song deserves a box set this nice with a LP-sized, 32 page
booklet full of info and pics, but it is not for all markets. (JC)
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| BILL HALEY &
HIS COMETS |
Bear Family BCD 16157 |
The Warner Brothers Years & More |
● CD $147.98 |
Six CD box set with book featuring all of Bill's American
post-Decca recordings. In addition for his Warner Brothers sides it
includes recordings for Buddah, Gone, Guest Star, Apt, Cory and others.
Includes many previously unissued sides.
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| BILL HALEY &
HIS COMETS |
Hydra 27105 |
Rock 'n' Roll Show |
● CD $21.98 |
16 tracks, 44 mins, recommended A fascinating document and
some good music too! A previously unissued recording of rock 'n' roll
pioneer Bill Haley and his Comets performing live on April 17, 1955 in
Cleveland, Ohio - just a month before he topped the charts for the first
and last time with Rock Around The Clock. That song is featured
twice along with other popular Decca tunes like Dim Dim The Lights/
Shake Rattle & Roll and Mambo Rock along with a couple of
his earlier Essex sides. Almost half the set features lead performances
from members of the Comets - often doing straight pop songs in a rocking
style. Bill and the boys are in good form though Bill was suffering from
laryngitis which reduced his already somewhat limited range. Sound quality
is satisfactory though on the first song Birth Of The Boogie Bill's
vocal mike was off. The 24 page booklet itself is almost worth the price
of the set with great photos from the 1955/56 tour by Haley & the
Comets, interesting notes and fascinating and revealing extracts from
Bill's personal diary. (FS)
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| BILL HALEY &
HIS COMETS |
Hydra 27107 |
On Screen |
● CD $21.98 |
A collection of 19 Haley rarities from the period 1954-1958
taken from movies, TV broadcasts and radio shows including performances
from the rare 1954 movie "Roundup Of Rhythm", the better known
"Rock Around The Clock" and "Don't Knock The Rock", Ed
Sullivan and Ray Bolger T.V. shows, Alan Freed radio show and more. Songs
include Crazy Man Crazy/ Shake, Rattle & Roll/ Huckleberry/ Rudy's
Rock/ The Saints Rock 'n' Roll/ Rip It Up/ Forty Cups Of Coffee/ Razzle
Dazzle, etc. Comes with 28 page booklet with detailed notes, rare
photos and discography of these recordings. (FS)
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| BILL HALEY &
HIS COMETS |
MCA MCAD 11957 |
Best Of - The Millenium Collection |
● CD $11.98 |
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BILL HALEY: Burn That Candle/ Dim, Dim The Lights (I Want Some
Atmosphere)/ R-O-C-K/ Razzle-Dazzle/ Rock Around The Clock, (We're Gonna)/
Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie/ Rudy's Rock/ See You Later, Alligator/ Shake,
Rattle And Roll/ Skinny Minnie/ The Saints Rock 'N Roll, The/ Thirteen
Women (And Only One Man In Town)
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| BILL HALEY &
HIS COMETS |
Rollercoaster RCCD 3001 |
Rock The Joint! |
● CD $21.98 |
22 tracks, 58 mins, recommended
Reissue featuring most of
the recordings Haley made for the Holiday and Essex labels in Philadelphia
between 1951 and 1953. Bill Haley may not have invented rock 'n roll or
even have been the most compelling performer but he was certainly among
the pioneers. His 1951 Rock The Joint has most of pieces in place
complete with slap bass and driving electric guitar - three years before
Elvis walked into the Sun studios. By 1953 Haley has changed his groups
name from The Saddlemen to The Comets and added a saxophone to the line up
and adopted the style that was to become his trademark and millstone for
the rest of his life. Some of his later Decca recordings sound desperately
formulaic but these recordings find him energetic and inspired. It
includes R&B covers (Rocket '88/ Yes Indeed), country
tearjerkers (Tearstains On My Heart
Down Deep In My Heart), upbeat country (Green Tree Boogie/ Jukebox
Cannonball) and, of course original rockers (Rockin' Chair On The
Moon/ Real Rock Drive/ Fractured, etc.). Haley's vocals are convincing
and the band is excellent including some exceptional guitar work from
Danny Cedrone. Booklet has detailed notes and a discography of the
Holiday/ Essex recordings. Sound quality is outstanding. (FS)
BILL HALEY: Chattanooga choo choo/ Crazy man crazy/ Dance with a dolly/
Farewell so long goodbye/ Fractured/ Green tree boogie/ I'll be true/ Icy
heart/ Jukebox cannonball/ Live it up/ Pat-a-cake/ Real rock drive/ Rock
the joint/ Rocket 88/ Rockin' chair on the moon/ Stop beatin' round the
mulberry bush/ Straight jacket/ Sundown boogie/ Tearstains on my heart/
Ten little indians/ Whatcha gonna do/ Yes indeed!
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| BILL HALEY'S COMETS |
Hydra 27100 |
We're Gonna Dig This |
● CD $21.98 |
Recent recordings featuring original members
of Bill's band.
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| LARRY HALL |
Collectables 5582 |
Sandy - A Golden Classics Edition |
● CD $11.98 |
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| BEN HALL & THE
RAMBLERS |
Rollercoaster RCCD 3004 |
Country Ways And Rockin' Days |
● CD $21.98 |
28 tracks, 68 min., recommended
Hall's clearest claim to
rock 'n' roll fame is the fact that he wrote Blue Days Black Nights,
one side of Buddy Holly's first Decca single. Nonetheless, even though his
friends Holly and Sonny Curtis accompany him on two other numbers here, on
this disc Ben Hall is much more a country artist than he is a rocker. And
these late 40's to early 60's tracks here show him to be an effective one.
The title list includes Even Tho'/ Crying on My Shoulder/ Gunfighter's
Fame/ Drifting Along with the Wind/ You Were on My Mind, and a 1960
version of Blue Days Black Nights. Fewer than half of these numbers
were issued near their time of recording; those that were issued were on
the Gaylo or Talent labels. Production values and sound quality are solid,
and packaging is cardboard. (DH)
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| DALE HAWKINS |
Ace CDCHD 693 |
Rock 'n Roll Tornado |
● CD $18.98 |
30 track collection of Dale's Checker sides, 8 previously
unissued (mostly for good reasons).
DALE HAWKINS: Back to School Blues/ Boogie Woogie Teenage Girl/ Boy Meets
Girl/ Caldonia/ Convicted/ Cross-Ties/ Don't Treat Me This Way/ Four
Letter Word (Rock)/ Grandma's House/ Heaven/ Hot Dog/ I Want To Love You/
La-Do-Dada/ Lifeguard Man/ Little Pig/ Liza Jane/ Lonely Nights/ Lovin'
Bug/ Mrs Merguitory's Daughter/ My Babe/ One Dozen Roses/ See You Soon
Baboon/ Someday, One Day/ Superman/ Susie-Q/ Sweetie Pie/ Teenage Dolly/
Tornado/ Wild Wild World/ Yea-Yea (Class Cutter)
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| DALE HAWKINS |
Mystic Music 54322 |
Wildcat Tamer |
● CD $15.98 |
First album of new recordings in 30 years by this Louisiana
rockabilly legend cuts at Dale's own Hawk's Nest studio. Many new songs by
Dale himself, a few covers and, of course, a remake of Susie Q.
Some good stuff here though some of the performances are a bit
overindulgent.
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| DALE HAWKINS |
Norton CED 256 |
Daredevil |
● CD $14.98 |
12 tracks, 26 mins, recommended
Don't let the "high
fidelity" on the cover fool ya - these are pretty rough sounding. A
dozen unreleased treasures from Dale's personal archives, recorded
'56-'64. The most important is the original demo, Susie Q/ If You
Please Me, which not only kickstarted a career & presented a
classic but are also the very 1st recordings of the then 15 year old James
Burton! Most of the tunes are raw but VERY rockin', & even includes an
impromptu number recorded by Dale (gtr) & Roger Miller (vcl) called Wish
I Hadn't Called Home, done while both were smashed on little yellow
pills, a couple tunes backing Danny Ray White (Hey Pretty Baby/ I Can't
Stand Your Ways Anymore), & Dale's band backing Maylon Humphries (Weep
No More). Booklet has photos & great liner note recollections from
Dale. Number Nine Train/ Everglades/ Mumbly Peg/ Superman. (GM)
|
| RONNIE HAWKINS |
Rhino 70966 |
The Best Of Ronnie Hawkins & The Hawks |
● CD $11.98 |
17 Roulette sides recorded between 1959 and '63, plus one
Cotillion single from 1970 (Down In The Alley with Duane Allman). Forty
Days/ Mary Lou/ Come Love/ Bo Diddley/ Wild Little Willy and more from
the Canadian Elvis, with backup by Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Richard
Manuel and other soon-to-be members of The Band.
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| MICKEY HAWKS |
Star Club 506002 |
Bip Bop Boom |
● CD $21.98 |
24 tracks, 59 mins, recommended
24 tracks from this wild
rock 'n roll singer and piano player best known his classic Bip Bop
Boom issued in 1958. That monster hit is here along with a fine remake
from 1989 along with lots of other sides recorded in the 50s, 60s, 70s and
80s - Rock & Roll Rhythm/ Screamin' Mimi Jeanie/ Cotton Pickin'/
Way Out Willie/ Gonna Dance Tonight (Part 1)/ Ain't Gonna Cry/ Rockin' In
The 50s/ Fifties Girls/ Me And My Harley Davidson/ The Good Old Days
and others. There's also a brief spoken message from Mickey. The 16 page
booklet has extensive notes and great photos. (FS)
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| RON HAYDOCK &
THE BOPPERS |
Norton CED 247 |
99 Chicks |
● CD $14.98 |
29 Tracks, 66 min., recommended Ever heard of Ron Haydock?
Neither had I, but after listening to this CD and reading Miriam Linna's
26 page booklet (it was difficult to get the booklet back into the
jewel-box cover because it was so thick) you'll realize that he was one of
rock n' roll's true characters. He did everything from leading a band that
did a pretty good copy of Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps (music by this
band makes up the bulk of the CD), to editing monster fanzines, writing
adult novels and appearing in low-budget rock n' roll horror flicks.
Included in those movies is Rat Pfink a Boo Boo. Are you getting
all of this? Among the songs are some outtakes from movies and some surf
tunes that were music for those movies. It's all wild, man. The music is
good, but the value of the CD is learning about one crazy cat. (RS)
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| BEN HEWITT |
Bear Family BCD 16199 |
You Got Me Shook |
● CD $21.98 |
This features all the Mercury recordings cut by this fine
rocker for Mercury between 1958 and 1960 plus seven previously unissued
demos that he made for Elvis and the rare Mercury single cut by his
guitarist Ray Ethier.
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| BEN HEWITT |
Bear Family BCD 16200 |
The Spirit Of Rock 'n' Roll |
● CD $21.98 |
New recordings by this 50s rocker.
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| ERSEL HICKEY |
Bear Family BCD 15676 |
Bluebirds Over The Mountain |
● CD $21.98 |
25 tracks, 51 min., recommended
If you don't recognize
rockabilly icon Ersel Hickey from his best known song, Bluebirds Over
The Mountains, you'd surely recognize his image from the famous Gene
LaVerne photo of him pointing his guitar in the direction of anonymity.
Either way, this compilation collects all of his Epic and Kapp sides and
throws in some extras. So you not only get "Bluebird," you get
the (vastly inferior) Canadian version as well. Epic session notables
include the unreleased Roll On Little River, as well as the
incomplete Due Time/ Shame On Me/Stardust Brought Me You, unissued
cuts all. The two unissued tracks from Kapp are Magical Love/ A Mighty
Square Love Affair. Typically great packaging from Bear, including a
wealth of cool pix, bio by Colin Escott, and discography by Richard Weize.
(JC)
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| EDDIE HODGES |
Teenager 604 |
I'm Gonna Knock On Your Door |
● CD $18.98 |
21 tracks, 48 min, very good
Eddie was a child star who got
his start singing in the Broadway version of The "Music Man" - what would've
happened if he ended up in the movie instead of Ron "Opie" Howard? He later
was in "A Hole In The Head" with Frank Sinatra & can be heard on the hit
High Hopes. From here, we get the beginnings of a singing career, with
kid themes like I Ain't Gonna Wash For A Week/ Mugmates/ Just A Kid In
Love, even a remake of High Hopes. His 2 biggest hits are here,
of course - (Girls Girls Girls) Made To Love & the title tune. More
interestingly, there's some later pop tunes after his voice changed a bit,
with tunes written by Randy Newman (She Doesn't Love Me), Gene Pitney
(Across The Street), Jackie DeShannon & Sharon Sheeley (Would You
Come Back) & Al Kooper (The Water Is Over My Head). The most
interesting is a version of Dylan's Love Minus Zero, with backing by
future members of Neil Young's Crazy Horse, Danny Whitten, Billy Talbot &
Ralph Molina. (GM)
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| BUDDY HOLLY |
MCA MCAD 11956 |
Best Of - The Millenium Collection |
● CD $11.98 |
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|
| THE HONEYDIPPERS |
Shattered 011-2 |
Big E Boogie |
● CD $15.98 |
15 tracks, 43 min., recommended The Honeydrippers manage to
avoid the self-conscious excess (and pointless hiccupping) of those
rockabilly bands that seem to view arrested development as a worthwhile
goal. They also avoid the rawness that made the original rockabilly so
dangerous and such roots groups as, say, The Kingbees, exciting. Nothing
wrong with these guys (Gary Twinn & Danny B. Harvey) though: total
pros, originals about hotrods and girls, a 5 Royals remake, a '58 Plymouth
on the cover. (JC)
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| BRIAN HYLAND |
MCA 11034 |
Greatest Hits |
● CD $10.98 |
18 tracks, 47 min., good A few months back MCA of France
produced a retrospective of this gentle-voiced teen idol. Not to be
outdone presumably, that company's domestic branch now offers this
slightly shorter (by two tracks) and less expensive variant, with fine
stereo sound on most cuts, worthwhile notes, discographical information,
and photos from various stages of the artist's career. Featured tracks
include Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka-Dot Bikini/ Ginny Come
Lately/ Sealed With a Kiss/ Warmed Over Kisses, and his surprise 1970
hit version of Gypsy Woman. Pleasant pop music from the 60's,
nicely packaged. (DH)
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