White Trash Soul

The (Count) Bishops - "Live! - Japanese Pressing" (Chiswick, 1978)

2012-01-28T21:07:00.001+02:00

I know this brutal live document has some uploads in the blog-sphere already, but this is quite 'different'. The best thing about blogs is enclosed in just one word and that is "communication". I learned MANY things through the years from other people's spaces, had the time to 'correct' and 'sift' things that i had on my mind in a blurry situation and make friends as good as the 'real ones', everyone have in real life. Me and JP are working for quite long on a new WAX CD project. Some things made us hold up the whole 'disquisition' (haha, yeh right!) but in the whole process some sparks got up. Anyway, hopefully in a few days we will be able to present you this new essay. So, partners are made from the same clothe, and in a one way or another sway each-other. And one of my 'influences' on him are my beloved Count Bishops! Jean Philippe started diggin' for records like this one and got up with a Jap version i never had and probably in this cursed country that i live, never find, at least in a reasonable price! The sound on this classic by now LIVE 10" (i know it was out on 12" format also) is raw and at the same time smooth. The way women like their men (right babe?), haha. Along with "Speedball" this is my fave Bishops record. It got me some time to habituate "new" singer, Dave Tice but on this all band members swing and sweat! Gosh, I'm sure these fuckers torched every single bar dared to book them! I wish a video tape resurrect sometime with Bishops doing their thing!
Later lads!

In Memory of Etta & Johnny ... Etta James - "Rocks The House" (Argo/Chess, 1964) & The Johnny Otis Show - "Cuttin' Up" (Epic, 1970)

2012-01-22T03:07:00.000+02:00

This post was meant to be a little bit celebrating... Yesterday this blog got into his third year of life and i was preparing a gift in a titty-shaking way... You know, sleazy 'Las Vegas Grind' type 45s just for the occasion. The sad news of losing Etta & Johnny left this fair for another time. Without people like those two, a blog space like this would have never existed anyway. I'm not expecting from you to need this dork here, type some words telling who these titans were. And I'm not expecting also to need me to bring in your ears some of their sounds. Actually i wasn't going to post anything cause sometimes saying nothing, says a lot. But it's 2 in the morning, kids and wife sleeping as all normal people tend to do except for me and my guilt for not solemnize two of the greatest r&r/r&b heroes ever. So that is, and I'm shutting my mouth down, letting the music do the 'dirty' talking. And that's what i liked the most for both of 'em. They were dirty and sexually starving monsters just like this music orders. R.I. P.
PS: If that says something, Johnny Otis was Greek... and Black!

The Pink Parker (Graham Parker & the Rumour) - "Hold Back The Night" (Vertigo, 1977 - EP)

2012-01-18T02:06:00.000+02:00

F*ck Elvis Costello! I never liked him. I bought when I was a youngster two albums, which were ok but I can’t stand him! A sniveling nerd and nothing else! I still can’t understand also what’s on a woman’s mind… My eyes had been blown by surprise (to put it mildly...) when I read for the first time in the cool McNeil/McCain book 'Please Kill Me' the part in which Bebe Buell was ‘confessing’ her love for the aforementioned wearing spectacles bloke… I mean OK, love’s blind BUT what in the bloody hell gal, did you find to him? He wasn’t Buddy Holly, even if he wanted to; he could have never come close to his brilliance! And Elvis? Elvis! Oh my god, someone should stop parents giving names without second thoughts! And the sad/crazy/unreal part of this story it’s that this sell-out became a star and Graham Parker not!

I can easily spend my/your time by insulting 'Elvis' and forgot that this piece here is about Graham Parker. Don’t try finding someone better in this league, Parker was the best. Actually, Parker was a league by himself! I despite all this ‘Brit Springsteen’ non sense. I mean OK, just like Bruce, Graham had all the right influences and a shit hot band backing him up (the Rumour was a round up of ace pub rock stars -- Brinsley Schwarz and Bob Andrews from Brinsley Schwarz, Martin Belmont from Ducks Deluxe, Steve Goulding from Bontemps Roulez plus Andrew Bodnar), but unlike Spingsteen GP’s influences were visually audible. Van ‘the man’ Morrison, the Stones and a healthy dose of pure American Soul built his sound, having by side an almost Dylan-ish ability to write clever and auto sarcastic lyrics. His three first Mercury albums (at least...) are totally brilliant works and this page suggesting them without second thoughts as add-ons to your record collection. Anyway, the 'Pink Parker' EP belongs to the pantheon now of the absolutely legendary and kick-ass releases of the late 70s. A 7inch EP consisting by four fantastic songs, two studio non-LP tracks and two live (officially bootlegged, whatever that means anyway...), the title-track a KILLER rendition of the Northern Soul classic, "Hold Back The Night" originally by the Trammps with the Rumour and the Rumour Horns firing in all cylinders!

White Trash Soul's Previous Year Hot Tenners!

2012-01-15T19:51:00.001+02:00

Better late than never, right? I’m a little late on this, just two weeks, but many of the records you’re about to check in the next lines; released in the last days of the previous year and I needed to have some more spins to see if they deserve a place in the top 10 White Trash Soul’s New Releases list or not. I tried not to sift a lot. I mean, a good 90% of the stuff that comes naturally in your mind, are probably those you played and liked the most. One more thing's that some of them are actually 2010 releases, but due to the fact i bought 'em in 2011 makes me wanna put them in here too and i guess that's counting, right? Btw, some of the records listed below haven't got at the moment their 'physical' place on my shelf, but i was able to hear them, take a bite and put 'em on my 'following strikes' from (guess where?!) downloads and that's the reason why downloads do exist. Advertising! OK narrow minded people behind a desk? So, in no particular order these are the White Trash Soul quality approved selections. Go make 'em yours and you won't regret!
PS: For any arguments, derelictions or just your point of view, there's this little button down there saying 'comments'... Feel free to post whatever your point of view is!

New Releases

The Dustaphonics – ‘Party Girl’ (King-A-Ling)
The Buttshakers – ‘Headaches & Heartaches’ (Back To Mono)
The Excitements – ‘The Excitements’ (Penniman)
The Phantom Keys – ‘The Real Sounds of…’ (Screaming Apple)
King Salami & the Cumberland Three – ‘Fourteen Blazin’ Bangers!!’ (Dirty Water)
Brandy Butler & the Fonxionaires – ‘Don’t Want Nothing’ (CopaseDisques)
V/A – ‘Mojo Presents: Sticky Soul Fingers – A Rolling Stones Tribute’ (Mojo)
J.C. Brooks & the Uptown Sound – ‘Beat of our Own Drum’ (Vampisoul)
The Morlocks – ‘Play Chess’ (Popantipop)
T-Model Ford & the Gravelroad – ‘Taledragger’ (Alive)

Reissues

Barrence Whitfield and the Savages – ‘Barrence Whitfield and the Savages Plus 10 More for the Pot’ (Ace)
Melvin Davis – ‘Detroit Soul Ambassador’ (Vampisoul)
The Fleshtones – ‘Roman Gods / Up-Front EP…Plus’ (Raven)
The Outta Place – ‘Monaural’ (Screaming Apple)
DMZ / Lyres – ‘Radio Demos / Live at Cantones, Boston 1982’ (Munster)
Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs - ‘The MGM Singles’ (Sundazed)
Iggy Pop & James Williamson - ‘Kill City - Restored, Remixed, Remastered’ (Bomp)
Bo Diddley - ‘Bo Diddley's Beach Party’ (Hip-O)
John Mayall - ‘So Many Roads, An Anthology 1964-1974’ (Universal)
Howlin' Wolf - ‘Smokestack Lightning, The Complete Chess Masters’ (Hip-O)

Compilations

V/A – ‘Jerk. Boom! Bam! Greasy Rhythm N’ Soul Party, Volumes 1’ (Jerk Boom! Bam!)
V/A – ‘Jerk. Boom! Bam! Greasy Rhythm N’ Soul Party, Volumes 2’ (Jerk Boom! Bam!)
V/A – ‘Jerk. Boom! Bam! Greasy Rhythm N’ Soul Party, Volumes 3’ (Jerk Boom! Bam!)
V/A – ‘Jerk. Boom! Bam! Greasy Rhythm N’ Soul Party, Volumes 4’ (Jerk Boom! Bam!)
V/A – ‘R&B Hipshakers Vol. 2: Scratch That Itch’ (Vampisoul)
V/A – ‘Mr. Hot Shot Present: The R&B Review Vol. 2 (3&4 for vinyl version)’ (King Novelty)
V/A - ‘!Chicas! Spanish Female Singers 1962-1974’ (Vampisoul)
V/A - ‘Buttshakers Vol. 8’ (Mr. Luckee)
V/A - ‘I Hate Cherries Vol. 2’ (Sleazy)
V/A - ‘Jukebox Jam!’ (Jukebox Jam)

Night Trains - "Sleazeball" (Acid Jazz, 1994)

2012-01-11T00:57:00.001+02:00

Not again! I got this feeling in the first place when our little 'zine was in its last legs. That 'must write something' feeling got me bored quicker than i thought it would and the next logical level was another nail (mine's this time) in our cool mag's coffin. Suddenly i felt the same. And you know, blogs not about this. You must write, share, post anyway something when you're into the groove and not cause that's what your dictatorship mind demands! Another thing was/is the concept. You know, this is a 'garage/soul/rock & roll' page and that's the way should be left! Fuck rules man! Sometimes you're your own worst enemy. I got to be 33 y.o. to see why many of the people already knew me (my best friends included), referring to me as an adherence person! And i was wondering 'why?'. Cause you trapped in asshole on your own keen rules, that's why!
So, this album i believe it's a club classic. Not the way 'Screamadelica' is, but probably due to the fact that in the late 80s the Acid Jazz label was ruling the sweaty nights 'round London, this pill must was one of their best weapons. I told you before, I'm a 90s kid and i got to all these by myself and not because of some hype. I still like Acid Jazz. I believe this label got something of my idiosyncrasy. It digs the same way garage punk, soul and r&b as 'vexed' jazz, funk or even some electro. Don't know shit about the Night Trains. Who they were, what they did, if they had a hit or how many records were able to put out. I just gave a little check for their discography on the net. I bought this cause i liked the front sleeve (don't ask me why) and as usually (still...) happens to me of the label's logo. I haven't heard it in years. Brushing up your record collection always have something to offer and this time was this groooooovy baybee compact disc. I'm sure you can get it through some internet auction and on the other hand surely this never re-printed so...till the next time my mind command me to give you something, slip in.
Yours faithfully.

Eddie & the Hot Rods - "Live At The Marquee EP" (Island Records, 1976)

2012-01-05T01:10:00.000+02:00

Hi there! Happy new year to every single one of you guys and gals! We 're back, entering our 3rd year's essence; looking forward for mo' action packed music! So, let's get straight to the point. Eddie & the Hot Rods are among those bands I'm still listening constantly in fact since my early teens. And how not? They are kicking some serious asses as i'm reading on gig reviews still! Of course the period from 1975 to 1981 was their landmark and the peak of their hi - powered rock & roll engine. I yet think of their 45 rpm singles and EPs as the better format for buying and hearing them firing in all cylinders! My fave Hot Rods period was when the absolute brat / reincarnation of the ancient blues outlaws, Lew Lewis, blustered this poor harmonica as a full force member but don't look for him in this dynamite. He just sat there for two singles. But the storm wasn't about to simmer down... What's in here is the very definition of punk rock! A pub rock band, casting in the past and finding the lost for many years rock n' roll roots! And when i'm talking about 'roots' i'm not saying the obvious ones (Chuck, Bo etc) just like the rest of their comrades did. These vagrants got a little further though by checking the 60s garage and R&B bands to draw up from there all their primitive instincts! Question Mark & the Mysterians "96 Tears", Bob Seger's best Chuck Berry song that the Man never wrote "Get Out of Denver", Them's "Gloria" and Stones' "Satisfaction" delivered in hyperspeed and sweat. At the end of 1976, NME journalists vote for this single as the second best of that year. I really wonder what was the first...

The Cannibals - "Christmas Rock 'N 'Roll" (HIT, 1986) / "Good Guys" (Big Cock Records, 1977) / "Nadine EP" (HIT, 1978)

2011-12-17T00:57:00.000+02:00

Hi again. I really struggle to keep things going on in here too. You really have no idea what it's happening in this small place of the world called Greece, onetime cradle of civilization... But i don't want and i won't let those bastards grind us down as my beloved Motorhead used to say! You know, with two little fellas 'round the house it's kinda easier to get in the mood for Christmas and that's what I'm going to do! I tried with my faithful partner in crime/buddy from a long distance, Jean Philippe to catch up the holidays with a brand new WAX CD but too much work for both of us... Maybe it's better this way, cause with a new year rising on our heads and some new hopes together, hopefully we will be ready to introduce our new essay along with the celebration of this blog's existence for two years now and stalking/heading for a third, in the same vein, with the same guts and the same rock & roll energy! I had prepared something else for the occasion but I'll save it for a little later cause some hours before, came to my mail this Christmas present for all you White Trash Soul-sters out there! Of course the reliable mind behind these rips is Jean Philippe and i like to thank him one more time in public for being a patient fellow traveler and a very good friend behind a computer screen. Yeah, they do exist such friendships! I'd like to thank you one more all you guys and gals for keeping our flame alive with your (daily?) presence, leaving comments, sharing thoughts and sometimes links but most of all your love. Jean Philippe and me want to express our gratitude for making this page a cool meeting place and we're giving a new rendez-vous for the next year. Have fun with your families, your friends and all the persons that making your lives worthy, throw parties, make sex, drink loads of booze and enjoy every minute of the holidays are coming. For the history these are three mighty ass rock & roll singles from the gang of Mike Spenser, the one's on the days spirit. Run Run Rudolph!
See ya next year!

Ear-checkin'...

2011-12-16T23:54:00.000+02:00

I'm already late on this (a huge sorry to the guys and gals of the bands)and it also ended up boring as hell by saying constantly the 'I had no time at all this period' cliche, but unfortunately it's the truth and nothing but the truth...
And you know something, when along with my best friends we were printing our fanzine, the usual 'pain in the ass' situation was the reviews section. I mean, if you respect what you are doing (and you have to remember always that you're not a critic or a proficient on this, but just a fan) you own first to yourself and then all the others, to tell your opinion exactly as it is. And that thing alone was making many bands sad or angry, cause they thought they had by you a 'bad review'. Bollocks! Due to this, MANY times refused in the near past to get and introduce stuff by current bands, having the aforementioned fear in my mind. I did a small exception with the following groups cause 1. they gave me their personal OK to write freely what i feel and 2. from the first hearing i was OK too, cause at least i liked what I've heard!
The One and Nines are a cool soul/pop combo from the New Jersey. And when i say cool, i mean it. Don't be afraid of the 'pop' word just mentioned. Their popular sensibilities had more in common with the 60s gal groups we all know here, than in what most people refers to by using the term. There's a Ronettes touch trough-out their melodies but where in the Ronnie's gals were the Wrecking Crew as a back-up, imagine here the Hi! records house band. Yep, a great southern soul powder comes to sweeten your bad day at work from the first sec the needle or the laser would touch the preferable disc. BTW, their new single (yes we're talking about a 45 rpm single, not a CD...) recorded analogically and mastered deep down in Memphis by no other than Scott Bomar (The Bo-Keys, Impala)! Give a first listen here and then order directly from the band's site.
Different sounds for the next band and if you like the Dwarves, then you're in! The Depravos De La Mour had all the 'sickness' of the dudes mentioned in the first line plus! Garage-y, lo-fi, filthy and funny. They reminded me from the first push on the play button, something in the likes of a thirty & dirty Hasil Adkins, having as a back up band, the Pagans with tons of 'strange' things consumed in large amounts. I really dig the hand made cut and paste sticker that tried to hide the previous or maybe the wrong typed name (Retardos De La Mour). Punk rock in the real sense. I'm not sure how often I'm gonna put his fucker on the machine for a repeat but if i had the chance to catch 'em live, i would have done it regularly and without second thoughts. Try find the guys here.

Charlie & The Wide Boys - "EP" (Anchor, 1974)

2011-12-10T20:50:00.000+02:00

A hugely underrated good ol' time rock & roll band, by the pioneers of the British pub rock movement and deeply rooted in the dipole of the Stones and the Faces tradition, formed in 1973 and quite quickly sacked from the face of the earth. "Never known to stray beyond three or four chords, like Dr. Feelgood, were hip to the beat group look when it mattered". Skinny ties, tight trousers and a bunch of good songs were a lot though for this little space on the net to point out to you the importance of Charlie & the Wide Boys. That's the only release those boys had during their lifetime (an album appeared in the shops two years after group's demise) and it's a damn fine piece of vinyl. An undiscovered by many gem that absolutely defining the term 'guitar based rock & roll'!

The Cannibals - "The Rest of The Cannibals" (GMG, 1985)

2011-12-01T01:43:00.000+02:00

Oi! What's up? I'm writing you these lines outta home for business, from a low limit access wi-fi connection of a semi-good hotel, here in Thessaloniki. Not much time for babble and not in a good cheer either. So, what we got here's maybe thee best 'album' of Mike Spenser's Cannibals. Or for better, the logical next step for someone looking for an expedient for the first Count Bishops line up. I wish Mike had done more with the Bishops but hey, that's a mighty fine kick ass rock & roll record too! The punkish R&B we all like here, with a more 60s garage approach on this. And that means sloppy fun playing by the band and its countless members, tons of beer cans (of course empty!) and disposal for savageness! Something like the Inmates in a possessed Motorhead state! 'The Rest of the Cannibals' is a compilation, probably never re-released on digital format with all the groups singles circa 1977 - 1979, "Good Guys" included (yep - the Standells classic), which is their first and John Peel's favorite. Cheers!
*A Jean-Philippe rip and offering

The Sorrows - "Take A Heart" (Piccadilly, 1965)

2011-11-25T21:32:00.000+02:00

Hi there! I'm pushing myself too hard the last weeks on many things and i feel kinda tired. We are working along with Jean Philippe for many days now on a new WAX CD also and as you can easily imagine there's hardly no time for anything else. Likewise, i don't want to lose touch with you guys and gals and even if I'm not in a good mental shape, i thought to devote some lines on a very underestimated band of the British sixties boom that more or less the previous post taught me about through their cover versions. Of course we 're talking about the Sorrows. The archetypical 'freakbeat' group and in a way proto-punk was as many said not that R&B oriented as the Pretties or the Downliners, but for sure that hard! That's their first on Piccadilly, a subsidiary of PYE and it's the aggressiveness in personage! Raucous vocals, thundering drums, lightning guitars for a band that obviously was too much ahead of its time! Call me paranoid, call me sulfurous, call me what you will anyway, but the Sorrows 'Take A Heart' was (and still is!) way better than say Who's 'My Generation'! A little later they turned out as psychedelic kinda Dylan-esque outgrowths or Italian speaking pre-progsters, but we forgive them. There are not much long plays from that period of time with an edge like theirs!

Little Bob Story - "Livin' In The Fast Lane + 6 Inédits" (Fnac Music,1991 - Originally by Crypto & Chiswick as "Off The Rails", 1977)

2011-11-11T01:08:00.000+02:00

Well this rave up here got virtually everything i like on a rock & roll record! Tanked-up, leather dressed, sneakers carrying, dirty-ass R&B, the way played THAT GOOD in his half a century plus life, by (very) few and in the end was the true forefather of what is now known as 'punk movement' back in the 70s. And this record being made by a "five feet nothing of guts and energy" Frenchman along with some street harbor brats not unlike those you can see outside of bordelos. And it was produced (adding by side his filthy boogie guitar as well) by Sean Tyla of the Ducks Deluxe/Tyla Gang notoriety. Yes, the same Sean Tyla whom Keef tried to drag unsuccesfully for his Rolling Stones label. The same Sean Tyla who refused to produce the Sex Pistols and declined to join in Motorhead (!).
And if you're one of those maniacs (I am...) judging in many cases a record by the label's logo, this one wears proudly the one of Chiswick records, home at the time of same heights hellraisers such as Motorhead and the Count Bishops. BTW, on Chiswick released as "Off the Rails" but in France Crypto put it out as "Living in the Fast Lane" so if you ever come against it, it's the same blazing piece of vinyl. That's the digital reissue of it, using a part of "Off the Rails" front sleeve but the Crypto's title. I found it a few months ago (not many days after Ratb0y sent me the links of Spalax reissue) in a second hand store, so i guess by now this re-edition is an out of print situation too. Whatever, this is probably in my top 5 of the most played records ever and with a good reason. A fine blend (or mess!) of cover tunes and originals, in the punkish R&B vein of Dr. feelgood, only this time better! The Sorrows' "Baby" transformed actually in a Muddy Waters on speed shape, "Little Big Boss" the toon Wilko & Lee Brilleaux would have killed for, "Riot in Toulouse" a slow burner blues guitar mayhem with Little Bob's voice sounding just like late Bon Scott's plus A KILLER version of Them's "I'm Gonna Dress in Black" that puts original in the bucket's tap once and for good! There's really not a weak song in here, at least for the list that constitute the original pressing. Be sure to put this edgy fireball among "Down by the Jetty" and "Speedball +11".

Various Artists - "Songs DMZ Taught Us - 28 Beat & Proto-Punk Originals To Scare The Shit Out Of Your Local Mohawk Caricatures!" (WAX CD 003)

2011-10-27T23:54:00.001+03:00

Welcome to our 3^rd installment on what this space regards as ‘heroes’, leavin’ out almost always what the large crowd might thought or not on what is ‘rock & roll’! WAX CDs are here at WTS HQ, a rejuvenescent breath and each time me and Jean Philippe exchange ideas, rip records and design the covers of a ‘new release’, we’re in a “speed’ situation! And DMZ were/are for both of us a legendary outfit. Of the few in their era that wore proudly the then unknown roots of punk with the Sonics, the Wailers or the Troggs. A band that pre-dated Lyres and the whole 80s garage revival movement (or trend) by far! No paisley shit, no mop top pretentiousness, just raw undisputed energy deeply sourced to every Kennedy era US town daddy's garage and teen faces full of acme and raunchiness!

We knew that in 2011 most of these songs if not all, are well known but there’s always a new field to seed your weeds right? This time most of the tracks ripped by Jean Philippe and with a good reason. He transferred most of the songs here from vinyl records instead of CDs (I was about to do the opposite, i know... I'm a lazy bastard!) and gave our label the marking we declare! WAX from waxed godammit! Our pattern was every single DMZ release through the years plus a new Munster release of a Lyres line up represented by the 4/5 of DMZ. So, as our title proudly pronounce, what you get is "28 Proto-punk & Beat" rave-ups, by the original artists (in some cases not) "to scare the shit out of your local punk caricatures"! And believe me, these blasts they'll do it snugly! So long.
*No bootlegging on WTS - WAX CDs. This is ONLY for Soul Self Satisfaction and/or educational purposes. Share and dance freely!

Frankie Miller - "Once In A Blue Moon" (Chrysalis, 1972 - Reissued by Eagle, 2003)

2011-10-26T01:03:00.001+03:00

My white trash soul fixation had started a loooong time ago, when i was in my teens when dudes like Rod Stewart and Steve Marriott both came first to picture as Sam Cooke's Caucasian ghosts/reincarnations. Through the pass of the ages and MANY records after (should i say thousands?), the large amount of respect on the two aforementioned lads is still there, but thank God I found some more on this hunt for trying find the'best' of them all. OK, I know it's a stupid thing (at least) all this madness - cause such thing quite simply doesn't exist, but as i said that's an adhesion of my mind and i can't do really much to stop it. An also fellow traveler on the blog-sphere, Mr. Ratb0y, posted some days ago some things by a great Swedish band who liked their wine cheap and their women nasty. But who doesn't right?! Well, these Diamond Dogs guys are truly fantastic and i had the chance some years ago when along with my buddies we were printing a real magazine 'bout things we like (some might call it fanzine), to interview their singer Sulo. I can't remember if this chat finally made it, cause not long after we blew the whole thing but for sure this fine chap taught me a lesson. Actually wasn't just a lesson but a whole new chapter in the rock & roll history for me, the way i like rock & roll histories to be told or written. And he poked me to go find all the records by a Scottish long forgotten and whiskey soaked voiced pal, who's name is Frankie Miller. And i did it. And i found out that was more (as always) in this passion of mine to discover. And i tell you guys and gals, if you don't already come face to face with his records, well grab this chance I'm giving you now and let the rocks do the roll. This guy holds now (along with Scott Morgan) the scepter on what dazzled you in the first lines of this post.
That's his debut, and the band's backing him from stem to stern is no other that the pub-rockers fabuloso, Brinsley Schwartz! And that's reason enough to make this record yours. Imagine something like a next door Faces, and you're in. Hope this be to you as tasteful was for me, the first time was up against it!

The Mar-Keys/Booker T. & The MG's - "Back To Back" (Atlantic/Stax, 1967)

2011-10-16T23:12:00.000+03:00

Hi there! I had an argument (all my life seems to be an argument but i really like it, haha!) the other day 'bout some same old stupid debate, on who's the best guitarist ever walked this earth, blah blah, blah. OK, i have a tremendous respect for Jimi but he was a bit too show-off for me. You know, my negative/reactional nature drove me all these years to go find some 'replacements' as answers to the 'public's opinion' on many things considered as 'classics' or 'untouchables'. So you can't hold all these Eric Claptons, Jeff Becks, Richie Blackmores, Stevie Ray Vaughans and let me preach in the names of Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Link Wray and Steve Cropper!
And all this weekend was an enormous trip to what great Steve Cropper did. From Booker T & the MGs to Mar-Keys, and from Blues Brothers to every single southern soul star was choiced to back up as the master six stringer of the Stax/Volt factory. For some strange reason this record wasn't heard more than two times since the day bought it. For some strange reason i listened to it back to back, four times in a row. A live at Paris back in 1967 recording, when the Stax/Volt Revue, was setting up Europe's stages on fire. Really now, this is as hot as it gets, and for sure one of the best and most underestimated live documents ever! The two legendary Memphis outfits, with Steve Cropper of course doing his thing, delivering the most solid groove ever waxed! This is substantially what should be called 'party music'!

The Five Aces - "Shout & Shimmy" (Saagaloo Records, 2007)

2011-10-07T19:36:00.001+03:00

Hey, it's Friday. Even if you're not in the mood, Fridays almost always work fine to your cheer, right? And if anyone of you people going to have a party this weekend, make sure not forget to put this thing on. Damn, i still haven't found it on CD (dissapperead from the face of this earth quite quick). All i got is this compressed version but it works just fine til the time this pep pill come finally on my hands. You know, i usually write my own opinion for what i like to present, but Mark Lamarr covered me entirley with the following piece. Wickedly sinister Hammond hard driven and at the same time, suave pre-Soul R&B, to do the boogaloo! File Under: Sharp dressed ass shakin'! Give yourself a spin.

"Imagine the Small Faces meeting the Poets and jamming with Chuck Berry and John Lee Hooker at a late night 60's blues session. THAT is the Five Aces." - Mark Lamarr, BBC Radio

DIG! feauturing Brian Jonestown Massacre & the Dandy Warhols (2004)

2011-09-29T15:55:00.000+03:00

Hi there. Not in a good mode the last weeks. I’m sure almost every single one of you guys and gals heard about Greece’s financial troubles and believe me that thing already has a major impact on our lives and pockets making every day living harder. Anyway, I wish I had the strength to kill some of those bastards allegedly governed the country, but I don’t… My only shelter is my family and the music. And I found myself hooking deeply with records haven’t heard in a long time. And I mean in a LONG time. Jesus and Mary Chain, Brian Jonestown Massacre and Dandy Warhols are some notably examples. Druggy, feedback drenched and hypnotic pop vignettes perfectly designed for situations like this (…and more). So, I had on the shelf a DVD that for years was waiting patiently to grab my attention. I can’t remember exactly how this came to my hands, possibly as a present, but whoever was the one that brought it to me deserves my gratitude. Don’t bite of course the hysterical opinions/reviews for the ‘best rock & roll documentary’ ever. But it’s good. Actually it’s very good! The treat here is the love/hate relationship of the bands leaders Courtney Taylor-Taylor and Anton Newcombe with the rest of both crews sharing poison. I read many things for the movie after seeing it and I came to conclusion that this was for sure pretended, but it’s totally entertaining and I guess has many truths hidden in its whole hype. I dig both bands the same. I’m really enjoying their drug fueled creations with maybe a little more sympathy for the side of Brian Jonestown Massacre (what a name!). Many pass up Warhols possibly because of their mainstream acceptance, but a closer listen on their first two albums will change any opinion I believe and enlist ‘em as one of the coolest pop bands of the past years. The pop idol here’s Antony Newcombe and not as many may guess Courtney Taylor – Taylor. A full on (heavy) drugs genius, totally outrageous and wild with a dose of paranoia in fleshed, rules with no opponent around every minute of this documentary. Death threads, on stage fights and sharply born teasings (the bar of soap for the Warhols ‘to clean up their act’ make me smile even this moment), give a more spicy element on the story/rivalry but without falling the trap of having here a kitschy scandal/chit-chat motion picture. Really now, even if you don’t like any of the bands the plot will get you from the start and as long as it lasts you’ll found yourself definitely having a good time watching it! A tragically comical movie of what possibly happens in the rock & roll world.

Watch DiG! online here:

Stiv Bators - "L.A. L.A." (Bomp, BCD 4046 - 1994)

2011-09-21T22:29:00.001+03:00

I’m a fan of Stiv Bators but as much as I dig Dead Boys and his solo efforts on Bomp, the same way I (almost) despise the Wanderers or the Lords of the New Church. Too much 'Blade-Runner' scenarios on one hand and too much goth on the other....Sorry, but i won't buy. I'm a pure 'dumb' fun kind of guy. I prefer to remember him the way he looked earlier on and not with candles and black painted nails... On Dead Boys was a true nihilistic force an’ answer to Johnny Rotten and the Sex Pistols and a lil’ later was a Knickerbockers/Choir/Beatles power popper, flourish in style with Vox guitars and tight mods suits!

Many punk fanatics at first disappointed with this turn of Stiv's career, but the only thing he wanted at the time was to get rid the persona of the Dead Boys front man. Personally speaking, i go nuts with this la-la-la songs with loud guitars. And Bomp! was the perfect place for someone who wanted to play that kind of music. This great compilation includes the excellent aforementioned Bomp singles, alternate & demo versions, jam sessions with Kim Fowley and the Runaways plus the stunning version of "I Stand Accused", a song originally by the Glories which because of this guy named Elvis Costello, had to stay in the can until the release of "L.A L.A". Such fun!

Re-Up! Screamin' Joe Neal - "Rock And Roll Deacon" W/ "Tell Me Pretty Baby" (Originally on Shippings, 1959 - reissued by Norton, 1995)

2011-09-17T01:54:00.000+03:00

Bo Diddley - "Bo Diddleyrama Grind Series Vol. I, Keep Your Big Mouth Shut! Thee Originator's Instros" (WAXCD 002)

2011-09-07T23:43:00.000+03:00

The original idea belongs to Kogar's Jungle Juice (this blog's cool place to hang out - check my blog roll) and I've posted his version also in the very early days of the blog, but... was obviously something not right with me and this rar file. I decided then to expand the whole brilliant idea, include better sounding rips of the songs and make (along with my faithful partner in crime, Jean Philippe - without whom...) a proper CD jewel case artwork for you out there who want things be done in a more connoisseur way.
I've learned many Bo songs when I was younger by the cover performances of groups like the Tell Tale Hearts or the Crawdaddys at first and in continuance by monsters in the likes of The Pretty Things or the Downliners Sect and I knew till then that I must go find the originals. You can't go to "z" without knowing first all the previous letters of the alphabet, right ( I've learned it in reverse as you might guess...)? So, when I first downloaded Kogars version, I peeved by two things immediately...1st. the absence of many more brilliant tracks and 2nd. why the included songs were in a such a low bitrate? I mean, if the “rights owners” of these blasts are going to hunt you down, give 'em a good reason at least, ha-ha!
I started ripping the tracks, tag them with all the right info for the listeners, place them chronologically and add as many more songs a CD lets today. I still let out sadly some amazing tracks (the two instros from the Bo/Chuck Chess album are the first that come in my mind right this moment) but hey, there's nothing more you can do about it. I stole our series title (yes, hopefully there be more) from a dude I don't know his (nick) name, but I thank him anyway and I encourage him to contact me and get his credit if he ever land to the WTS planet of loon. This is PURE cut and shave chunka chunk Bo, speechless and mighty as ever! If you like what you're about to hear - you own to yourself to go get the records. Cheers!
*No bootlegging on WTS - WAX CDs. This is ONLY for Soul Self Satisfaction and/or educational purposes. Share and dance freely!

Re-Up! The Stomachmouths singles ("This is... The Stomachmouths" , Sunlight - 1985 & "I'm Going Away", Got To Hurry - 1986)

2011-09-01T00:04:00.000+03:00

The Nomads - "16 Forever/Salvation By Damnation" (7" - Amigo, 1987)

2011-08-28T16:11:00.000+03:00

Hi there! Nothing's change, I'm still a bored misanthrope in a phase of self searching... This old records safari i was telling you on the previous post, drove me in places i forgot how great they were. But it's kinda strange to be shown in here... i guess... I mean, I'm in a HUGE Monster Magnet re-appreciation and maybe you can't really understand how much JOY I'm receiving listening to the "Spine of God" or "Dopes to Infinity" albums. I'm feeling like this covertly fag marine on 'American Beauty', full of guilt's being in a pleasure by listening to these new hippie freaks! And let's not forget about Tim Warren... I'm sure he's going to write me off of his books as a true punk n' roll fanatic if he ever read this, but hey - hedonism is hedonism what can you do, right?
A garage punk band I've always loved and respected, Sweden's boast - the Nomads, never being afraid of fans' clamor. They always loved the Sonics and the Stooges as much as they loved the Blue Oyster Cult. My fave record by them (and they are MANY!) it's the Dictators' lost gem "16 Forever". They taught me the song and wasn't in my hands until recently when the good Norton fellas and their official release, gave the chance to stop my holy grail crusade on this. I still like the statement of the song! "You ain't gonna make a grown-up out of me!". Yeah, I've gotta make my wife listen just once to this song with the hope to stop bothering me for why i still like to wear my converse all stars or band t-shirts anywhere and everywhere. '16 forever' babe, sorry! B-side's "Salvation by Damnation" and it's a damn great song too, but had the bad fortune to be gathered along with the teeniest anthem ever!
PS: I'm cheating a lil bit here, cause I'm too lazy to rip the original vinyl single and what i included it's the (slightly different) album version of the song, but hey it's still great even without these 'annoying' scratches!

Oblivians - "Soul Food" (Crypt, 1995 - CR 055)

2011-08-23T00:15:00.000+03:00

Hi there! Just got back from my summer vacations and I'm not in the mood for...basically anythin'. I hate come backs. Anyway, the best way to find some strain i guess is to put out of your record collection some long time forgotten gem and recapture its greatness. And that's what i have to offer. Oblivians. Yeah! Amazin' band, true hoodoo voodoo spirited, swamped and rock & roll to the last cell of its DNA. Memphis soaked and even if almost everyone today seem to tag 'em under the 'garage punk' etiquette, this trio has more in common with bands like Tav Falco's Panther Burns or the Cramps than say, the Chesterfield Kings. They used to change instruments in studio and on stage. They used to pay tribute to Ramones by naming themselves with the last name of 'Oblivian' (Jack, Eric and Greg) and they used to make kick ass records! That's their debut . "Soul Food" 's exactly what proudly pronounced. A raw, pre- Elvis swamp blues hip shake of a preacher dabbled in Jim Beam. A sinner's side of view for gospels. Joint a little and see ya back (hopefully) in a couple o' days.

Don Craine's New Downliners Sect - "I Can't Get Away From You / Roses" (PYE, 1967)

2011-08-13T01:54:00.000+03:00

I recently put out of the shelf some early Ugly Things issues to check some things on (what else?) the Pretty Things. I was immediately hooked on an excellent three piece homage (maybe the best and the more detailed ever) on the R&B-protopunk savages, the Downliners Sect. I was totally forgot the reason why dusted off those vintage (now...) sheets. BTW, did you know that the Sect turned down both Rod 'the mod' Stewart and Steve Marriott in an audition for the place of the band's new harmonica player? Did you know that Van Morrison still rates them high? Knowing those trivia or not, many have tried all over the years to undermine Sect's importance and influence. Even Greg Shaw... Yes, the man whose alone responsible (in a big part) for all this garage revival movement, in the Bomp's British Invasion issue wrote them off and hounded them! Anyway, this time pick up on a rare, beautiful and kinda strange piece of plastic - at least for all of us who know well Downliners' history and fanaticism for R&B... The story goes like this...By the end of 1966, R&B wasn't the hottest thing around. Pop, Psychedelia and Soul took over the charts, and as a result of this the bands who still wanted to play the blues started to have day by day less gigs bookings. Soon the Sect had to confront this new order. Of the known members only Don Craine (guitar, vocals) and Keith Grant (bass, vocals) stayed in place and a new band created from scratch with the additions of Kevin Flanagan (drums), Bob Taylor (lead guitar) and...Matthew Fisher (keyboards). Have i ever told you how I HATE Procol Harum? No? Well here's the moment! MUCH! As much as post-Syd Barrett Pink Floyd or any other prog shit. But here the man's just painting with his organ. The influences of soul and psychedelia are obvious on both sides of this single, even though the raw R&B holds up for good here too. The late reissue of the record inverted the original location of the songs ("Roses" metamorphose into A side tune), but the prototype one-off Pye release had the Remains (!) song as covered by the Sect first in line. And that's an oddity. I really wonder how this tune came to Sect's repertoire cause I'm quite sure at the time at least, the Remains was a no familiar name for the British crowd. And "Roses" quite simply one of the very best songs the Downliners Sect wrote and recorded throughout their long lasting career. I'm not going nuts usually for what the mod/garage crowds referred to as "Freakbeat", but this two-sider really stands out as one of the genre's best! If you wanna hear the Sect going heavier, darker and organ driven here's your chance.

Kicks Books Hip-pocket Paperbacks!

2011-08-11T15:34:00.000+03:00

Hip-pocket paperbacks are (so!) COOL the same way are 45rpm records! It's the same (sub)culture. When i was younger, many eyebrows raised by fellow "rock & rollers" when i was confessing my praise for books and reading in general. For them, books were for nerds... I gladly found with the passing of time that many admirers of Gene Vincent liked the same way (for example) James Elroy. Through fanzines and especially via Miriam Linna's "Bad Seed", i entered the world of vintage sleazy paperbacks. There was no return till then. I'm sure you all know already that the hip couple of Billy & Miriam entered the world of publishing again, only this time picked up on books and not fanzines. First came Andre Williams "Sweets", then Sun Ra's "This Planet Is Doomed" and now's time for the GREAT Nick Tosches to receive the baton with its "Save the Last Dance for Satan". At the moment I only have (and read) Andre's essay, but those other two mentioned above are on the way to my possession. I'm sure i'm gonna dig 'em and i strongly believe that you'll have to do the same. For many years now rely blindly on Miriam's & Billy's choices, whether that is recorded material whether it is written and i tell you never felt disappointed, not once.
BREAKING NEWS on Kicks Books: More cool things are in the slips such as Harlan Ellison's classic "Sex Gang" re-print, Kim Fowley's "Tall Cool One" and a book Billy prepares in a long time for his (our) obsession about Fortune label! I just can't wait.
Check & order!

Thee Mighty Caesars - "Caesar's Pleasure" (Big Beat, 1994)

2011-08-03T00:20:00.000+03:00

I’m sure I told you this before but I’m never bored to repeat myself in some things. For White Trash Soul there are only two people who can wore proudly the tag of the true mastermind behind the 80s whole "garage revival" movement/trend: Jeff Connolly and Billy Childish. And as much I complain for the first one for not having much recorded work out in the streets often, I do the same from the opposite for the second! It’s quite impossible to have all recorded output by Billy gathered in your record vault. And to tell you the truth you don’t have to. There are Childish works that’s (obviously) essential and there are those who simply are an unnecessary overproduction (not sonically speaking of course). I mean, I rate the man very high and he’s for sure one of the more influential figures the last 20 years but as a punk rock monolith he is should have probably know better the old punk moto of “Less Is More”, right?
But enough with complaining let’s start on what I’d like to do. I haven’t decide yet if I do it in a row or with spaces, but I want to bring you in touch with some of the best songs and groups Billy got involved through the years, one way or another. And that means the Pop Rivets, the Milkshakes, the Mighty Caesars, the Headcoat Sect, the Delmonas etc. For sure my favorites are the Caesars and the ‘Shakes. Primitive, raw, cheap recorded rhythm & blues and rock & roll, the way 50s masters taught us. The Mighty Caesars were the punkier approach of these elements. Imagine the Damned of the first record trying play 60s R&B (where's "B" there's BEAT!) with Kinks riffs and you’re in! I’m not on the Mummies’ mind but I bet my Link Wray long plays that the Caesars were if not the basic blueprint of their sound, then one of the most important. The band was born from the ashes of the Milkshakes minus one guitar. This line up hold up for just the debut release and from their second, came to fill the drum stool no other than the ex-Prisoners hipster Graham Day! By the time the two cool chicks (Sarah of the Delmonas an' Fay Hallam of Makin' Time) came to picture, Thee Mighty Caesars were the best yet criminally ignored garage punk outfit around the globe! Make some noise and hail to Caesar!

-image taken from mindrocker.net and the Young Pennsylvanians Weblog-

Re-Up! The Wylde Mammoths EPs ( "Four Wolly Giants", 1986 - Mystery Scene / "Help That Girl", 1987 - Crypt / "Misty Lane EP", 1994 - Misty Lane )

2011-07-14T23:09:00.000+03:00

The Crawdaddys - "Crawdaddy Express" (VOXX, 1979)

2011-07-10T12:36:00.000+03:00

I know you know already, i have a bad thing going on with most moptops of the so-called 80s garage revival scene, right? OK, i know many of 'em were at least good in what they were doing BUT... I don't like fashion and to me first come the music an' not the outfits, the hair, the glasses and/or the Cuban heels. There was a band then, that started in the late 70s, right in the midst of the "trend" of punk in both sides of the Atlantic ocean, and had the GUTS and the BALLS to play rootsy, filthy bad ass R&B, the way Pretties, Them and Downliners (OK, Stones too) taught us. Hailed from America (San Diego), even though their sound was deeply soaked on those Brits mentioned above. John Peel dug them a LOT, Mike Stax in their favor dumped homeland, flew there, joined in and all the rest's by now to more of you, a well known history (Tell Tale Hearts, Ugly Things Mag etc). Their appropriate look on classic sides by John Lee Hooker, Willie Dixon, Lazy Lester or Chuck Berry were SUPERB and their name of course picked up by the legendary London R&B club where the Stones and the Yardbirds started to make an impact. A punkier/punchier approach on what many pub rock bands played in England (is this punk or what?). Except for a fully influential & satisfying LP, this was VOXX's first number, the child label of Greg Shaw's Bomp!, almost entirely responsible for what good or bad came out from then til now under the term of 'Garage'! Recorded on a friend's of Greg Shaw (what else?) garage for the total production cost of 12$!!! Hear this platter and come tell me back if you still consider the Fuzztones or the Chesterfields as the best...

The Nomads (US) - " From Zero Down" (Crypt LP 006, 1985)

2011-06-28T23:01:00.000+03:00

''Here 'tis at long last a full - length long player chock - fulla primitive, raunchy rockin', most of it in its first airing to the public cauz these songs were never released. Mount Airy, North Carolina is a quite southern town - at least it was until 1966, when four teenage outcasts began rockin' up a torrent of sounds to get the world off their backs, swing with chicks, make some dough and most of all, have fun. The Nomads played all summer at roller rinks, Elks lodges, and a whole slew of bars throughout the upper reaches of North Carolina and southern West Virginia. In March, 1966 they recorded a batch of demo songs at the basement Stark studios. These songs make up most of this album. In Summer '66 they re-recorded and released two songs on a 45; "Not For Me" and " How Many Times". No big chart action resulted from this 45, and they held off from recording again until April 1967, with the release of the awesome "Thoughts of a Madman" / "From Zero Down" 45 for Tornado records. The group started to split up in late '67 due to college, Vietnam and jobs. So, we present the full recorded history of one of America's great lost garage punk combos.''
That's a piece from the back of this GRRRRRR-eat record (and one of the first numbers for Crypt). I didn't bought it at the time came out cause i was too young and the only Nomads i knew was the 'modern' garage outfit from Sweden, but when i first got it on my hands i was totally blown away! All of the back sleeve looked like jumped out pages from an early Kicks mag! The photos, the fonts, the way liners being written - the whole set up! And what's inside, some really hot shot teenage punk of the Kennedy era US! No moptops, no paisleys, just underage filth! The funny thing's that Tim Warren always hated the same named Swedish now legends (and here's maybe the only disagreement i ever had with the master, i really like them!).
By coincidence i was trying to clean up mess on my warehouse the other day and came across to this.

Hahaha! Tim Warren always knew where the true and good punk rock is! Along with the Squires LP, anything by the Lyres, the two Wylde Mammoths, the Devil Dogs, the Raunch Hands and the Dirtys CD, the absolute peak of the Crypt records raw shit output!

The Excitements - Some Raves on the Hottest Rhythm & Soul act 'round the globe, hands down!!!

2011-06-17T01:06:00.000+03:00

Barcelona has the good fortune to swagger proudly that this period have both the best football/soccer team and the best band around! And there are more to these Excitements guys (and gal!) in resemblance with the city's first football squad! Both subject-matters are tight, dance-stomping, funky, hard-edged at times and with tons of SOUL! Forget Sharon Jones and the Daptones, forget Raphael Saadiq (btw, I really can’t see the reason why people are raving about him, but anyway...) and forget in the end any other so-called “new funk-soul” act (yes, even the very sympathetic Eli ‘Paperboy’ Reed). And you know, sometimes all these ‘filing’ sites like Facebook or Myspace do something worthy except for ‘connecting people’ (do you really believe this?…). The Excitements came to my attention on the same day and from two different directions. First was Eric Ratb0y asking me about them and secondly their Myspace page. And then WHOA! Some google search and credit card disburse later, their brand new release (first long play on Penniman – btw great name for a label guys) was about to come in my hands some days later. I’m still trying to catch their two already sold out 7-inchers but I’m sure in a way or another I’m gonna make ‘em mine sooner or later. And they 're sounding like a band from my favorite music era/style. Somewhere when tough R&B started to involve into what later christened as ‘soul’! Imagine the Wheelsville/Premium/D-Town house bands (if they ever such bands existed ) crossing paths with Little Richard’s Upsetters having Tina in her prime and primitive (with a large amount of Sugar Pie DeSanto added powder), scream and shout on a mic! Yeeeeaaahhhh THAT GOOD, people! I mean, who else in year 2011 choose to cover a softer moment of Little Richard (“Never Gonna Let You Go”) or super cool floor burners in the likes of The Falcons, Barbara Stephens, Jimmy Dee or Nelson Sanders (kudos guys for pickin’ up on one of my VERY fave R&B stormers! – “This Love Is Here To Stay”). Don’t try finding something else; this combo’s the hottest shit around… And Koko’s a Goddess!
PS: This album produced by the mighty hands and dirty genius of Mr. Mike Mariconda (The Raunch Hands, The A-Bones), "Fuck the Mummies" indeed!

The Excitements Myspace

The Excitements on Facebook

Buy some Excitement Here!

I Want To Be Loved

Fat Back

Love Is Here To Stay

The Pretty Things - "The Pretty Things" (Fontana, 1965)

2011-06-05T13:55:00.001+03:00

I've read already countless times that The Pretty Things debut long play was "a legendary exercise in anarchy". As much as a cliche this might sound, it's the least you can say about it. Fontana records chief Jack Baverstock when arrived to oversee his label's newest 'hitmakers', "walked out after half an hour with us" as the liners point out. Indeed, the Pretty Things were no less than five unruly, filthy and dirty to the max youths with a never-ending hunger for rhythm & blues! When you're going to read something about 'em the word 'mayhem' appears on the script immeasurable times. No wonder why Mick Jagger used all his connections to keep them down and even if those creeps sang the opposite, this indigestible prick finally succeed. But tapes and records are still here to remind us who were the filthiest of them all. The spiritual godfather of this album is the Man, Bo Diddley. Chuck's here too but his tunes Diddleyfied so much that sound to these ears like Bo's tracks or as i read somewhere else, like outtakes of the "Two Great Guitars" sessions. No less than four McDaniel toons appear in here. But the whole 'jungle beat' filtered and distorted through over-amped guitars, crushing drums and snarling vocals. Again, this is really one of the places where punk started. A roaring example of how garage was born. Sometimes i wonder how the rock & roll history would have be if the Pretties weren't THAT MUCH suicidal. The ironic front sleeve is perfect introduction of what are you going to witness. Five bumps who dare to provoke and even if you try to beautify them, the end result will be a total disgust! Is that punk or what? That's British R&B at its rawest and dirtiest and if the Rolling Stones are too pussy for you, well here's your chance. And Vivian Prince fuckin' rule!

The A-Bones drum head with Viv Prince

MUST BUYS!!! JERK BOOM! BAM! Greasy Rhythm & Soul Party Volumes 1,2,3 & 4 - The Last Chance To Dance!

2011-05-25T13:44:00.000+03:00

I really can't wait to come in my hands these four volumes of vinyl slices, full of late 50s to mid 60s gritty american R&B and greasy soul stompers! I made an order last week but Vol. 3 seems to be out of stock in many mailorder sites and i'll have to wait to got 'em all at once. No wonder these wicked swings, sells like hot cakes! I'm sure if you're reading this blog constantly, know already MANY of the floor burners in here! The packaging looks amazin', the concept seriously builted (Vols 1&2 are all male and in correspodence Vols 3&4 are all gals) and the sound as i read in many pieces quite simpy, kills! Take a look at the tracklist following or play some of the embedded videos to get an idea of what these imprisoned in plastic savages can do at your next party! When i (finally) get them, i'll comment more on these but some things look cool just by staring at 'em, right?

VARIOUS - JERK! BOOM! BAM!, VOL. 1 - (Jerk! Boom! Bam! Records – Jerk RSAB-111)

TRACKLISTING: 01. Charles Gray & Les Watson & The Panthers - Baby Don't Do It 02. Otis Williams - You Know How Much I Care 03. James Crawford - I Don't Care, I Don't Care, I Don't Care 04. Jimmy Mccracklin - Lets Do It All 05. The Rivals - She's Mine 06. Benny Turner - I Don't Know 07. Chico Leverett - Work Work 08. Willie C. Echols - Shimmy Shelly Shake 09. Willie C. Echols - Satellite Stroll 10. Alex Spearman - Mama-ka-toko-laka-poo-poo-yay 11. Young Jessie - Mary Lou 12. Rudi Stewart - Baby You Goofed 13. Lorenzo Holden - The Wig 14. Dave Bartholomew - Hey Hey 15. Madman Jones - Jes' One Mo' Time 16. J. L. Smith - Did You Do The Mosquito 17. The Huntsmen - Send Me Some Lovin'

VARIOUS - JERK! BOOM! BAM!, VOL. 2 - (Jerk! Boom! Bam! Records – Jerk RSAB-112)

TRACKLISTING: 01. Billy Lamont - So-called Friends 02. Bobby & Expressions - Sloopytime 03. Albert Collins - I Don't Know 04. The Rivals - Make Yer Mind Up 05. Jimmy Raye - Hey Lets Dance 06. Sam Baker - The Bump 07. Gene Burke - Monkey Man 08. Mckinley Mitchell - You're Not Gonna Break My Heart 09. Danny White - The Twitch 10. The Pyramids - What Is Love 11. Marv Johnson - Come On & Stop 12. Tony & Tyrone - Turn It On 13. The Isley Brothers - I Say Love 14. Allen Wayne - Chills & Fever 15. The Ideals - Go-go Gorilla 16. Wilbur Reynolds - Tenderiser

VARIOUS - JERK! BOOM! BAM!, VOL. 3 - (Jerk! Boom! Bam! Records – Jerk RSAB-113)

TRACKLISTING: 01. The Autographs - Do The Duck 02. Joan Proctor - Matchmaker 03. The Azaleas - Hands Off 04. Baby Jean - Oh Johnny 05. The Gems - That's What They Put Erasers On Pencils For 06. Lisa Bett - I'm Movin On 07. The Raeletts - One Room Paradise 08. Little Brenda Starr - Mix It Up 09. Mary Johnson - These Tears 10. Tawny Reed - Needle In A Haystack 11. The Orlons - Don't You Want My Lovin 12. Dorothy Williams - Watchdog 13. Marie Knight - Come On Baby 14. Virgie Till - Loose Me Love 15. Lottie Joe Jones - I Believe To My Soul 16. Ruth Brown - Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean 17. Big Mama Thornton - Tom Cat

VARIOUS - JERK! BOOM! BAM!, VOL. 4 - (Jerk! Boom! Bam! Records – Jerk RSAB-114)

TRACKLISTING: 01. Toni Wine - River Deep, Mountain High 02. Ketty Lester - West Coast 03. Tawny Reed - I've Got A Feeling 04. Irene & The Scotts - Why Do You Treat Me Like You Do 05. The Geminis - Big Brother 06. Verna Rae Clay - I've Got It Bad 07. Phil & Marie - Love Doctor 08. Judi Clay - Let It Be Me 09. Lydia Marcelle - Everybody Dance 10. The Gypsies - It's A Woman's World 11. The Geminis - You Put A Hurting On Me 12. Vicky Gomez - Boys Are A Dime A Dozen 13. Robin Rice - I've Had It 14. The Dynettes - New Guy 15. Paula Lamont - A Beatle Meets A Ladybug 16. The Vonns - So Many Days

White Trash Soul Presents: "Romp, Stomp & Grind!" - 25 Wicked 'N Obscure R&B and Soul Stomps! (WAXCD001)

2011-05-20T23:46:00.003+03:00

Hi there! It’s been a while since the last time we talked in depth, right? In these days of absence, our second son came to rule (along with our first) our lives and if you’re already a proud parent, you might know probably what this thing means! A full 24/7 attempt to re-direct and re-organize the new parameters of your life. I’m not complaining but really there’s no time to hear a record or to read some lines of a book and due to this I was thinking that I was right ‘bout the frequency of posting up stuff here. Just as Jerry Lee Lewis said,”I’m right! I’m always right! Once I thought I was wrong but I checked it out…I was right!” Ha-ha!

Well, this is a “project” that started ‘bout 3 months ago and ended a few weeks back. Many of you guys and ladies asked for a new White Trash Soul compilation, and this time I thought to do it better. Which means, a cool crack to produce a decent collection of mostly 45 rpm originated songs from my fave kind of music. Rockin’ & Rollin’ R&B or Soul stompin' shakes, some obscure some not , well chosen (I hope…) and placed, in order to create a cool soundtrack for one (or maybe more) of your next parties. I know, that’s some REALLY hard work for someone to do but what the hell, it worth the shot! I always loved compilations in the vein of “All Night Soul Stomp!”, “Downtown Soulville”, “Jump & Shout!”, “Shakin’ Fit” or “Pow City!”. Amazin’ gatherings of obscurities, perfectly suitable for (what else?) dance! But I wanted also these shakin’ and tremblin’ screamers to be in a package well designed plus some liners (well, kind of…) that was lacking of the aforementioned boots. The ‘liner notes’ unfortunately, didn’t make it to the ‘CD artwork’, but you can copy 'em if you still want, from the piece that follows (I’m no Billy Miller anyway and if you don’t have 'em, you’re not missing something actually). I had many ideas but I didn’t know how to generate an end result like the one you are now able to see. And there came to picture my French connection! My beloved and faithful partner in crime, Jean Philippe. We exchanged about 40 emails (at least) to come to an end for this artwork thing, but I’m totally happy with the final results! Completely true to our ideology, we have borrowed/stole things - but as once a teacher of mine told me back in the high school days, “there’s no parthenogenesis in art at least…”. There are also some semiotics for the more hooked that I dig the most! Don’t know when I’ll found the time to do again something like this – but til then hope to like, dance, scream and vibrate to this comps’ songs! All the best,

Mihaleez

Sugar Pie DeSanto - "Go Go Power" (Checker 1160, 1966) – Sugar Pie DeSanto 's a cousin of Etta James. This family for sure had tons of talent in its circles! Don’t know why Sugar Pie never hit big, but she was a hell of a writer and performer! She was one of the first black women in the industry that created and at the same time introduced so STRONG material! Chess/Checker should have use this weapon better… “Go Go Power” is one of her best songs but wait a minute… Mrs. DeSanto never wrote or performed a weak tune! If you buy the recent Ace comp of her Chess material you’re gonna know the reason why!

Holly Maxwell - "Philly Barracuda" (Star 100, 1966) – One of the best examples of the Chicago Soul/Boogaloo dance craze! Never mind the “Philly” on the title, this is a pure and well executed Chi- town stomper! I always thought of the drums as the basic instrument on R&B/Soul records. This is a good case to vote positively on my above statement!

Baby Jean - "If You Wanna" (Stacy 505, 1962) – OK, that’s MY ABSOLUTELY FAVORITE DANCE/R&B/SOUL record EVER! I still need information ‘bout who was/is Baby Jean and her recording career if this existed anyway ( I hope so)… On the flip there’s the equally frantic “Oh Johnny”. Driving beat, manic force and LOUD female vocals compose the best (for White Trash Soul…) 45 ever! I really can’t think of any party with one of the two tracks of this monster not playing twice at least!

Big Maybelle - "Quittin' Time" (Rojack 118, 1968) – Randy Cozen’s and Norhern Soul fans in general fave female, is mostly known for her Okeh sides even though she tried many ‘different’ things on her brilliant career. She even covered the ? & the Mysterians garage classic “96 Tears” and with outstanding results! That’s one of her most memorable 45s in the sixties, on the Rojack label and it’s a monster for all the fans of the upbeat R&B/Soul dancers! “Quittin’ Time” 's on the pantheon of White Trash Soul’s toons for both known (by me…) versions. I dig both the same and just because I had previously shared the “All Night Soul Stomp!” compilation with the Kansas City Playboys take inside, this time took on Big Maybelle’s dynamite interpetation!

Lewise Bethune - "Chitown Boogaloo" (Sack, 196?) – That was a mysterious track for me. After many tries I came to conclusion that this Lewise is actually the same Louise that with her sister Kendra Spotswood were for a moon part of the great Shirelles’ history! This Sack 45, is the well known now anthem “My Baby Likes To Boogaloo” of Don Gardner, but with female vocals plus those “Ooh-Ah!” backings, obviously inspired/taken by the king of the all black R&B boogaloo-ers, Jerry-O! A very COOL take and for sure a good reason to shake your ass a little!

The Antennas - "Be Yourself" (Clay 201, 1962) – I’m owing MANY thanks to the Detroit Cobras for letting me know (and) this song! The Antennas were probably from Chicago and if not, they sound like a Chi-Town’s group. At first an all male doo wop group who found in the face of Shirley Shelton an Etta James female vocalist and created in their sole release a hell of dance track but unfortunately made also two serious mistakes…1^st they put it on the flip…2^nd They were too much a head of their time. Mind you this song got out in 1962, try found a song by this year sounding like “Be Yourself” and I’m gonna give you my Excello Records t-shirt!

Marsha Gee - "Peanut Duck" (Joker! 0001, 1965) – That’s another mystery… Recorded in Philadelphia back in the sixties and there are many theories on who’s the singer behind these animal (duck) noises… Found ‘accidentally’ by some dj in the 70s and released til then many times, mostly as a boot 45 or as a member of compilations like this, but remains though one of thee best laid back and at the same time killer dance tracks ever committed on tape! There was around a ‘true’ Marsha Gee vocalist but it’s almost identified that had absolutely no relation to this tune’s singer. I really wonder how and why remained for so many years on a back corner of a dusted studio…

The Bar-Kays - "Bar Kays Boogaloo" (Volt S417, 1967) – As important as Booker T & the MGs for the Stax/Volt labels, the Bar-Kays are to this day known to the most of the world as ‘the Otis Redding’ band. Of course that’s a medal they fairly (and proudly) wore but are more to this combo if you’re interested…Their original line up (and best) had James Alexander (bass), Jimmy King (guitar), Ronnie Caldwell (organ), Phalon Jones (sax), Carl Cunningham (drums) and Ben Cauley (trumpet) and sadly recorded only one LP before Alexander and Cauley follow Otis in death on this tragic plane crash back in 1967… “Soul Finger” remains a stone cold classic at least for the Funky Soul genre and no record collection is broad without it. “Bar-Kays Boogaloo”‘s my fave track from it and the only tune here make it from a long play and not from a 45. Unmistakably swingin’!

Rex Garvin & The Mighty Cravers - "Emulsified"(Okeh 7174, 1963) – A NYC/Bronx original, started out in music business in the early 50s not only as a singer, but also as a bandleader, pianist/organist, songwriter and arranger for other artists. By 1959 Rex Garvin launched his own recording career and in 1961 formed the famous Mighty Cravers. With the Cravers on his side changed many labels and released about a dozen singles, with “Sock It To ‘Em J.B.” as the most famous. Many mistakes “JB” for James Brown but in truth were it for James Bond! Anyway, “Emulsified” is maybe the second most known and came out through Okeh's etiquette. In my head Rex Garvin & the Mighty Cravers are a HUGELY underated group and I still wonder why someone (even a bootlegger) not gathered all of their sides on a sole release. I still also need to hear their one and only (?) LP on Tower (1968). As I read many times it was Funky as Hell! Anyone can share it? Dig throughout the song the organ riffage!

Billy 'The Kid' Emerson - "The Whip" (M-PAC!/MAR-V-LUS 7207, 1963) – A true R&B pioneer but unfortunately, overlooked. This tune has both legs nailed to a soul ground, but The Kid walk through blues, R&B and rock & roll with the same high quality standards. On his first steps had by side Ike Turner. Actually Ike was the one that brought him to Sam Phillips attention and at Sun cut many classic sides. He never got high on charts but his songs covered by many big names with most notable example the one of Elvis Presley (“When it Rains it Pours”). "The Whip"’s for sure one of the best laid back and cool as f*ck soul songs ever waxed.

Stacy Lane - "African twist" (Excello 2293, 1967) – If you try to google a little for this Wilson Pickett-esque lunatic, be sure to add by side keywords like ‘soul’ or ‘r&b’, otherwise you’re gonna get a thousand results of porn material due to the same named busty ‘star’! Don’t know much about him and there’s hardy nothing on him in the net. I only got this Excello single ( I know also he got at least one more), and it’s a part of a late 60s dance craze about motherland Africa. Imagine a boogaloo Wilson Pickett, in a rawer (!) situation and you’ll be close to the crazy sounding world of Mr. Lane. Ungawa indeed!

Wilson Pickett - "She's Lookin' Good" (Atlantic 584183, 1968) – What more can I say or add that never been said ‘bout HIM before? I did a couple months a tribute to his excellence and I really got no words to put on. OK, let’s go then to why pick on this. Stacy Lane had another record on Excello under title “No Brags Just Facts” that’s actually “She’s Lookin’ Good” with different lyrics. And it’s another winner by the Man and a half! In a manner kinda like “1000 Dances” and with tons of attitude, it’s certainly a toon with guts about facts on gals!

J.J. Barnes - "Chains Of Love" (Groovesville 1006, 1967) - If there's one thing I like the most for/from the punk n' roll bands originated from the Detroit area, is their full appreciation on the city's soul tradition. From the Five to the Gories this element make an appearance almost in all bands recordings or concerts. So, in my post-teens and through Mick Collins band, I've learned this classic! “Chains of Love” is one of J.J.'s “toughest” sides. The song's written by the great Melvin Davis and released via the Groovesville label. And I said toughest cause J.J. Barnes is mostly known to the UK Northern Soul fans for his “mellower” sides (“Our Love Is in the Pocket” etc). A heavy soul dance floor filler with raw & fat production.

Eskew Reeder - "You Better Believe Me" (Crosstone 1007, 1969) - The impact of a figure like Esquerita (Eskew Reeder, SQ Reeder Jr., Fabulash, Magnificent Malochi etc…) was instant when I first look at him on the Norton website some ages back! So much that I made him too (I know, I'm not that original right?) White Trash Soul’s key face. That's probably my fave Esquerita tune of his “second phase”, cause as we said many times in here; the Capitol material is simply untouchable! A Benzedrine-like soul stomper of the few of the era in those heights of energy that makes you wonder why SQ didn't cut more of the same clothe. No wonder Northern Soulsters made this song one of the scene's trademarks!

Nat Kendrick & The Swans - "(Do The) Mashed Potatoes" (Dade 1804, 1959) - “Ladies & gentlemen STAR TIME, are you ready for STAR TIME?” Those famous words in the beginning of “Live at the Apollo” LP fit perfectly in this case! In fact, this is James Brown and his Famous Flames plus King Coleman! For more on this you can look back on a previous post about our sadly missed King.

Nathaniel Mayer with The Fortune Braves - "I Want Love And Affection (Not The House Of Correction)" (Fortune 567, 1966) - The master / originator of the unproved term 'garage soul'? Definitely! Nathaniel Mayer helped by three facts. His voice which at a very young age had somehow a gritty croon, his label (Fortune) that still today no one succeed to re-create the sounds captured in the small Detroit record store of D. Brown, and last but not least, his band (the Fabulous Twilights) who had an exploited sound and to these ears only the Emperors had the ability to catch. This masterpiece (along with “Village of Love”) remains to this day excellent examples of how black Detroit sounded outside Motown's embraces! A whole great and wide chapter you NEED to discover if you consider yourself a soul/R&B fanatic!

The Emperors - "Searchin'" (Mala 561, 1967) - Philadelphia's heaviest, rockinest and most danceable group, hands down! I fuckin' love the Emperors! I dig them the most cause they really were a 'garage soul' group! Actually was the total definition of the term! Imagine the Coasters playing boogaloo instead of R&B add by side a groovy as fuck, garage punk like organ with heavy percussion beats and boom, you'll have the Emperors! This is probably their most rare 45 in their catalog. And it's indeed the Coasters' masterpiece, adopted, blended and twisted via their unique sounding angle! I must say more on them on a future piece…

Combo Kings - "Mish Mash Soul" (Flo-Jo 4095, 1962) - A brilliant example of boogaloo, they way cooked then in cities like Philadelphia or Chicago. From the little I know for these Combo Kings, were a very energetic group of youths (age of the members varied from 11yo to 17yo!) who rule the clubs of their city. They were wide known in their area and used to back up 'bigger' names of the era such as the Isley Brothers, Sam Cooke and Gary US Bond when these came to show up on the American Bandstand shows. The kind of band I always wish to witness in a dance, if I had a time machine!

Earl Palmer's Party Rockers with The Jay Hawks - "Johnny's House Party" (Aladdin 3379, 1957)– Oh, that’s quite a gathering! Earl Palmer was the BEAT behind countless sides of rock & roll, and when I’m saying countless I mean it! From Little Richard and Don & Dewey, to Eddie Cochran, Jan & Dean, Beach Boys, Larry Williams among others ( to these “others” put on names such as Frank Sinatra, Tom Waits or Neil Young but that’s no rock & roll at all). The JayHawks of-course were the doo wop/r&b group that’s mostly known for the “Stranded in the Jungle”, a song the New York Dolls took and transform into a sleaze-fest! In the “session” was also present the GREAT Rene Hall putting up some FILTH on guitar. What we have here is thee ABSOLUTE TITTYSHAKER of all time! And good party song like this must be drunk sinked, sloppy and with a loose atmosphere all around it! And that’s the definition of the above!

Mary Hankins With The Tiki-Turbans - "Ants In My Pants" (Continental 12451, 1964) – Ants in your pants indeed! A floorfiller soul/ r&b track like no other! Forget James Brown, this is a hot smokin’ piece o’ wax! Not much info for these maniacs too, but who cares really? The first time I’ve heard this, I knew I had found the slogan I needed for my WTS logo!

The Valiants - "Frieda Frieda" (Keen 4008, 1958) – An amazin' rockin' R&B track that even Little Richard would have killed for! Actually the Valiants version of “Good Golly Miss Molly” released earlier than the Master's even though Mr. Penimann's take was earlier recorded. I learned the song via the Barry Whitfield & the Savages album “Dig Yourself”, searched for it a while, found it, grab it and till then remains at the height of my Little Richard soundalikes ever! You'll gonna know why in a little!

Paul Peek & His Peek-A-Boos feat. Esquerita - "Rock-A-Round" (NRC 001, 1958) - That's the only song in here that's from a white dude. BUT… 1. This white dude was a Gene Vincent's Blue Cap! 2. Co-written by Peek and Esquerita featuring the key slayer himself pounding those 88s! And it's a hell of a tune! The drums and the keys are trying to beat each-other in song's favor and ours flavor! Cycling rhythms, exploding in your face without further warning! I wish sometimes Gene was involved too…

Wailin' Bill Dell & His Bachelors - "You Gotta Be Loose" (OJ 1003, 1958) - Don't know shit 'bout Wailin' Bill Dell except for the fact that he's WAILIN'! Τhis thing totally rips! Two notes, less than two minutes, a monster & a storm! Wicked & breathless example of what today is called "black rock & roll"!
Don Covay - "Ooh, My Soul" (Firefly 313, 1958) - A legend in its own right, Don Covay may be more known as a Soul maestro but in his earliest was no less than a Little Richard type, electrifying rock & roller! He cut some CLASSIC two-siders sometimes under the nickname of Pretty Boy and he was one of the few that got Richard's personal OK for what he was doing. Tracks like "Bip Bop Bip" (with Richard's "band" the Upsetters accompanying), "Switchin' In The Kitchen", "Rockin' the Mule" or this hard edged Penniman's cover, prove there was more to him than just another one of King's imitators or throne claimers.
Elder Charles Beck - "Rock & Roll Sermon Pts 1 & 2" (?, 195?) - Totally raw, primitive, electrifying and testifying guitar amp driven gospel! Forget the MC5, this is the real shit! A anti-rock n' roll tune, completely possessed by the devilish rock n' roll spirit! A Luciferian attempt to eulogize God's goods...Ha-ha! As diverse as this sound, believe me, it is! If this preacher was God's soldier he sure did it the wrong way! Thanks Devil for putting his nasty tail on this hot smokin' piece of soul disarray! Let's face it, NO ONE can beat the evil powers of Rock & Roll!

Dave Edmunds, The Rockfield Rebel + The Rockfield Story (By Greg Shaw - Bomp! Magazine Issue 15 - Spring 1976)

2011-05-09T23:49:00.000+03:00

“Roots-rockers are seldom as purist as Dave Edmunds. Throughout his career, he stayed true to '50s and '60s rock & roll – for Edmunds, rock & roll history stopped somewhere in 1963, after the Beach Boys’ first singles but before the Beatles’ hits.”

The above piece was taken from the allmusic.com site on the overview of the great artist, sorry rock & roller named Dave Edmunds. Cause rock & roll is no art, it’s more than this! Anyway, of course I have a boundless respect for the Beatles but as a music fan I’m more to Dave Edmunds side of things. And you know it’s cool to like better the Ronettes than the Beatles, right? Dave is an underappreciated guitarist. If you already witness Love Sculpture records’, you know what he was/is able to do with this weapon in his hands (“Sabre Dance” gives the boot to all the Claptons of this world). When the blues outfit of Sculpture called its quits, Dave on his small recording studio, launched a kind of successful career just by recording and playing all the instruments by himself, pickin’ almost entirely on ‘oldies’ covers. And what job he did! He was the ONLY ONE that tried and succeeded to re-create the unique sounds of Sun, Chess and Philles, a subject that MANY (if not all…) tried and of course FAILED! Don’t get wrong on him, he was no revivalist. At least in the way we all think of revivalists today. He was/is a PURE fan of the golden age of American rock & roll. I’m not sure what I like more on him, cause he was excellent bandleader just like he was the best maybe producer of the genre after Phil Spector. I never understood why the Stones never tried something with him behind the boards. Their sometime evil twin (the Flamin’ Groovies) got him to produce monsters, and “Shake Some Action” is (at least) a good example. Brian Wilson listening to an Edmunds recording said was “God behind the drums”! Really now, there are tons of things I could say ‘bout the brilliancy of Mr. Edmunds and I really don’t know where to start and where to finish. The Rockpile were probably the best pub rock band of the 70s and is a chapter that also needs further investigation for most of the rock & roll fans. This is a GREAT piece on Dave Edmunds by the mighty pen of Greg Shaw as it published with Bomp! Magazine back in Spring 1976. That’s essential reading and it’s truly a pity we don’t have today writers or musicians with a passion like theirs! Hope this excerpt is the start for all those never looked on Dave Edmunds brilliant career for both of his personas, musician & producer. As long as Dave’s still around, there’s hope for roots rock & roll to survive.

Norton turns 25! Vintage Billy Miller Interview (What Wave #19 - 199?)

2011-04-28T20:59:00.002+03:00

Everybody's got a favorite label, right? Well, more than one actually but everyone's got some small record industry to support with a passion similar to his fave football/basketball/whatever anyway team! Of the "modern" labels White Trash Soul's darling is Norton! I know you know it but i need sometimes (OK, most times) to repeat myself. And Norton just marked 25! That's right, A quarter of century full of rock & roll. And rhythm & blues. And soul. And gospel. And surf... I have picked last week my latest copy of Ugly Things fanzine. Actually a magazine now (or a pocket tome). I'm sure you all know Mike Stax's brainchild but as i said, i have to repeat myself. Ugly Thing's the last great fanzine til some other (hopefully) of the currents, start to characterize his self just like KICKS did, or Bomp! or Ugly Things... And i tell you guys & gals, it's a winner for one more time! And it has a 21 page tribute to the mighty Norton/Kicks empire! And i read this piece three times in a row before go further. So, i guess you all understand what should do next huh?
Anyway, i found a Norton tribute/interview on a cool zine of the late 80s/early 90s scene. What Wave hailed from Canada (Miriam's homeland) and it was a very cool read. On issue 19 (came out probably in 1990 - but i didn't found anywhere a date to confirm this), Billy Miller gave an interview to the guys and i thought to scan those pages, as a good coincidence to celebrate the label that had/has in its arms "A six and a half foot Cyclops drag queen, a pair of singing Siamese twins, an Indian with a lung, at least three murderers, the nation's number one art thief, the world's first wheelchair confined bad guy wrestling manager, a hillbilly who sings about the joys of chicken, cheese and decapitation, at least three pimps, an elephant thief, a convicted pornographer, about a dozen guys that wears turbans for no apparent reason, one guy who claims to be from Saturn and another who claims to be from Mars, and we even gotten to Kim Fowley"!
Happy Birthday and thanks a lot for changin' my life (in a way)!

-Click pics to enlarge-

Kent Morrill of The Fabulous Wailers (R.I.P. 1941-2011)

2011-04-22T18:21:00.000+03:00

I just found out that the organist/vocalist of the NW legends and proto-punk masters, the (Fabulous) Wailers, died a few days ago after some years battle with the fuckin' disease... His wife said that the night before sang in his sleep "Louie Louie", a song the Wailers had an equal share in fame as the song's own writer the mighty Richard Berry! You can actually read more on this on the Louie Report... If you don't own already the Wailers material, you should start immediately. White Trash Soul sends his boundless respect to Kent Morrill for what he achieved in life. The Wailers, The Sonics and the Louie! Its' all about THREE CHORDS, a CATCHY TUNE and a bunch of UNDECIPHERABLE WORDS! R.I.P.

The Sweet Divines - The New Ikettes?

2011-04-11T23:39:00.000+03:00

Wooooh weee! I really lost my mind fellas! These ladies are the real thing! The absolute funkified all gal soul combo of our era! I crashed them accidentally and as it happens usually with things like this, you can only do just one move... To get down on your knees and beg for more! As i searched, found that they 're part of the cool society that encloses, Eli 'Paperboy' Reed, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Dig Deeper soul crew and last but not least, Mighty Hannibal (!). Fuck, how many times in this life should i curse my fate for not be a new yorker? If you're one and you didn't catch 'em live already, you SHOULD be ashamed! I can't wait for a vinyl copy of their "Heckuva Man" EP (sorry, no i-tunes for things that got SOUL!). Sexy, smooth and dirty... My cup o' tea! I wish all gals looked and sound like the Sweet Divines! If you're a fan of sweet southern soul music, if you 're still wearing Stax t-shirts and slam your luck frequently for not having a chance to catch at their heights Etta James, Dusty Springfield, Ike & Tina's Revue jamming with Eddie Bo or Allen Toussaint, you maybe got lucky this time... Their reincarnation in four hot Divas bodies got one name...The Sweet Divines! I need before long a vinyl slice of these gals work! Anyone out there obtain these signals?

http://www.thesweetdivines.com

http://www.myspace.com/thesweetdivines

http://www.facebook.com/thesweetdivines

"Ah-ha-ha-ha! Ever get the feeling you've been cheated? Good night!"

2011-04-01T13:11:00.000+03:00

The above phrase belongs to Johnny Rotten on his last night on earth as Rotten. Then became Lydon....
Well, I don’t have much time lately to deal in general and this blog’s not an exception. To tell you the truth I’m not in the mood either.
Of course I didn’t get bored of this, and communicating with other people through music is something very revitalizing but… Just yesterday I discover that most upload links from this space are by now dead. It’s obvious now. The takedown notifications stopped but they targeted White Trash Soul as a “criminal”, “pirate” whatever anyway site. And it’s worthless to spend all this time from my spare with no cause.
I’m waiting for my second son's birth in a few days and my firstborn demon demands everyday more attention. And that’s fair. And I’m proud of him for every new thing thinks up to with a new day’s coming! I really like when he points with his tiny fingers on my records first and then at our home sound system. He REALLY seems to like what daddy puts on.
I’ve bought so many books and records during the last period that when I’m think of it I realise that I didn’t gave them a proper listen (or read) or a listen (or read again) at all. So I guess it’s time for slowing things down a little bit, for all the above reasons and re-arrange some things. Recharge my batteries and give some space to you guys and gals to miss me and to miss you. As I said many times before, White Trash Soul made me a better person (by sharing things and thoughts), and even if I wanted to I would never be able to dump it. And if I must be a down to earth kind of guy (I never was actually) I must face the blessed truth that with two little fellas ‘round the house, there’s not much time really to post with the previous rhythms. And there are many things to share and exchange here and hoping this time not to be chased. Be a follower of this blog to not miss a thing.
I’ve got some emails and comments by friends of the page for a new White Trash Soul compilation. Yeh, that’s a good idea. I'd rather do something more creative by picking an amount of tracks beneath thousands than just to pick a record and then shoot some words. And that’s a damn hard work to do! You have people in the one hand who want the classics, the well known tracks and on the other there are those who want the obscures. I never made separations like this one, but I can’t blame anyone for his tastes. Cool tracks are just cool tracks. Well known or not. The only thing I always try to notice to avoid is the position of ‘em. I was guarded on this even when I was a little kid and made home tapes for my friends or the chicks (no one ever liked them anyway…). Just like if you’re playing music in a club. Which one goes first and which one should follow? This time I asked for help on the artwork piece cause sorry Bo, many times in life you can judge a book by looking at the cover. And Jean Philippe helped on this one too and with outstanding results! We are working on it still and hopefully in a few days you'll be able to dance to it... If they let it (of course) exist somewhere in the net...
We will not going to talk to each-other that often, but when it's time - we must have lots to say.
Take care all of you and thanks for supporting me.
I'll be back...

Mihaleez

Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band - "Shake a Tail Feather Baby!" (Piccadilly, 1967)

2011-03-25T21:19:00.002+02:00

Not to be confused with the Detroit igneous shouter Gino Washington, this Geno was not bad at all - even though my personal fave of the two, is the one with an "i" on his name. Geno Washington was an American Air Force GI, stationed in England during the period of the big R&B Boom! Clever enough to understood this, got involved with the growing day by day culture of the Mods and became the frontman of a well oiled machine under the name of the Ram Jam Band. His musical background had a healthy dose of Little Richard, Wilson Pickett and Don Covay and even though his voice was not something special to be remembered of, his energy and especially on stage, made him win with his own sword a secure place among this period's pantheon.
Geno with the Ram Jam early on scored a hit on Piccadilly in 1966 with the "Water" and even though never entered the highest positions of the charts, made some more appearances in there through the years that followed. Arguably their best were at concerts cause they had the skills to easily pack a place and make the sharp dressed crowd to sweat their suits. Of the last clause's truth - people today usually stands (when it comes for recorded material) on their first two live records (" Hand Clappin' Foot Stompin' Funky-Butt...Live!" & "Hipsters, Flipsters, Finger-Poppin' Daddies!") but... the heretic lunatic of this space prefers their only (?) studio recorded long play, for a presentation. "Shake A Tail Feather Baby!" had it all! A great front sleeve and a good dose of Memphis Soul execution-ed in its RAWER and FUNKIER instances! With Stax in mind ("Raise Your Hand," "Knock on Wood", "Who's Foolin' Who") or rock n' roll ("Bonie Moronie"), Geno and the Ram Jam delivered a classic of gritty vocals, wailin' saxes with pounding drums and phunky strings. The keywords on this, should be "Energy" and "Vitality". Perhaps, the best ever approach of the Stax sound, outside America.
320 Kbps

~~Phunky Butt!~~

The Detroit Cobras - "Black Tie - Live" (Bootleg - TOTH-948CD-R, 200?)

2011-03-21T00:32:00.002+02:00

photo by Christopher Chouinard

The Detroit Cobras were/are the exact respective of groups like the Lyres or the Milkshakes. A garage approach on everything obscure and cool 'bout Soul and R&B music, 'specially of the 60s era. I really can't remember someone doing it better if not doing in it at all! And it's one of those rare things in rock & roll when a "cover band" has more to tell and spread than the obvious, to reduplicate or repeat things.
Don't know if you already knew this, but when I'm saying it on a conversation, everyone seems to mount his eyebrows... Alex Chilton was responsible for this band more or less... They seem to be blessed with coolness from the day one. They searched on trashcans and dusted off brilliant sides by artists like Irma Thomas, the 5 Royals, Gino Washington, Nathaniel Mayer, The Olympics, Shangri-Las, the Ronettes, Mickey Lee Lane or the Gardenias... And all this without looking like mods but like street punks. They have on their arsenal the BEST female vocalist came outta US the last 20 years at least. Rachel Nagy's the SEXIEST chick around. Something like a real cool Janis' daughter in a stripper's disguise! They were SO GOOD that legendary songwriters like Jackie DeShannon and Ellie Greenwich expressed their will to wrote new material especially for them! Nothing's just luck in this life, right? If you don't own their records just add it on this next week's schedule and start with it. A great live appearance that broadcasted by Detroit's WCSX radio station with the Cobras blasting out a 17 song set that smokes! That's as far as i know an only CD-R boot but if anyone from you guys and gals out there knows more, please comment.
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~~Black Tie!~~

DMCA trouble... Pirates, aren't we all?

2011-03-16T01:17:00.000+02:00

Take-down notifications my ass! I'm sick of it! You know, people through blogs sharing their passions, expressing their feelings and why not, educate in a way some others who didn't have the luck or the opportunity to catch a piece of culture. But i know, who gives a fuck, right? "Show me the money"! And Google gives you the rights to express your thoughts but with barriers... How ICE-T have said it? "Freedom of Speech...just watch what you say..." I'm not going to stop this blog even though day by day i become less interested on doing this. And I'm no fuckin' criminal! I never consider myself a thief. I never put an advertise in this space and i never being interested on donations. I spit on the last one. Bloggers that receive donations, are moochers and nothing else. I'm SO out of my mind this moment! So, if you wanna see me as a criminal, well here i am - I'm going to accomplish my boyish dreams and act as a Pirate! Pam pam, pam pam! But I'm not going to delete this blog. You have to do it! Get it? You!
Learn to share motherfuckers!

The Sonics - "Live - Fanz Only" (LP, Etiquette/Fan Club - 1987)

2011-03-09T20:23:00.002+02:00

Imagine this. Let's say there's somewhere a lexicon with words explaining pictures (or sounds...). And somewhere in it there's this classic photo shoot of the Sonics "BOOM!" front sleeve, OK? So, let's give it a try and put aside all these words perfectly fits 'em...
"Savage", "ferocious", "explosive", "mayhem", "vulgar", "dirty", "motherfuckers", "bumps", "strollers", "hooligans", "tough", "gritty", "hard", "thump", "powerhouse", "energy", "raw", "stripped down", "manic", "splinter", "punchy", "bust", "fuck", "young", "juvenile", "devilish", "tilt", "distortion", "fuzz", "buzz", "drunk", "earthquake", "dangerous", "venomous", "lethal", "uncontrollable", "sweaty"...Gosh, it's endless...
Or you can abstract all the above with just one......Punk! That's right, the one and only true punk band ever stomp feet n' boots on this planet. The Stooges looked like lame imitators and the Black Flag as an orchestra of wind and string instruments compared to the Sonics. Hard boiled, rock n' roll thugs that took genre to another level. Don't frazzle it, this is where the action is! Period.
PS: That's a very rare item of the Sonics discography. Came out in 1987 by Etiquette (their original company) in the States and the French New Rose/Fan Club label for the Europe. Three tracks here, recorded during the 60s decade ( James Brown's "Please, Please, Please", the Seeds "Pushin' To Hard" and Bo Diddley's standard "I'm a Man") and three more from a 1972 reunion show (Little Richard's "Lucille" in a version that RIPS, and their own "Psycho" and "The Witch" - the later two outcropped on the "Psycho-Sonic" compilation and the Norton's reissue of "BOOM!"). That's the only record by them i don't own. Thankfully Jean Philippe did and made the rip for our listening pleasure (and unpleasantness for your neighbors!), exclusively of course for White Trash Soul!
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~~Aaaahhh Wooooo!~~

Iggy & the Stooges - "Raw Power" (1973, UK Edition - CBS) In search of the best mix, the best pressing or the best mastering..?

2011-03-07T16:15:00.007+02:00

There's a weird justice in music and especially in rock & roll when someone referring to a "successful" band or record. Something like a hoodoo voodoo shit. I mean, no one seemed to like the Stooges when the Stooges actually were the hottest shit around. Disappointing sales lead to many of the problems they confronted (drugs was another one) and sooner than later disbanded. Through the years and as their legend still grows (they tried their best to reduce him with all these unnecessary tours and the crap that titled "Weirdness" - thankfully failed), the sales around the "Stooges" trademark should grow by now, day by day. I own all their official albums in three or four different editions, and I'm of those Stooges fanatics that didn't get a lot further. Of course there are some cool boots too on my library. Sales wise, the Stooges must be now a strong card. Not long time a go some dust got up for the Legacy "Raw Power" box set-special edition whatever anyway they named it. "Raw Power"'s my all time fave album (OK, "Exile"'s too but no Velvets' "Banana" here sir...). My desert island record. The one that changed my mind on what is "hard" or "metallic" in music. Til then i was searching on the wrong places for it (Sabbath etc). I know, i was another one that ate the bate, thankfully for a little. Through the ages, people referring to this monolithic output as "one of the most important proto-punk records".I spit on this. This is (along with "Here are the Sonics" and "BOOM!") THEE proto-punk classics. The only ones you really NEED to own. And there comes the 1.000.000 dollars question... What's the better mix of this? Or better should we add, the better pressing...or mastering? I've got already four different "Raw Power" releases and I've heard already some more. The first one i picked was bought by me back in 1994 and it's a CD with the reference CDCBS32083. Next steps were the "Rough Power" mixes put out by Bomp!, the 1996's re-mixes of Iggy's for Legacy and the last one's the big fat vinyl of Sundazed. There are tracks that had obvious differences like for example "Search & Destroy" or "Gimme Danger" and others that in my ears at least sound exactly the same ("Raw Power")... But actually are more on the subject. So much, that you have to become an academic and not a punk rocker... But what the hell, I've grown up enough to claim still that I'm a young speed freak and to tell you the truth it always fascinated me searching on "mysteries" like the one we opened here.
Facts: The secret weapon that makes "Raw Power" a legendary long play (except for its brilliant music of course) , is the disadvantage of the "production". I don't know if exists a book on the matter (probably not - i guess i would have know its existence but anyway...) but as you can find on various sources, Iggy blew it by himself. He had Columbia on his back, the best line up ( i prefer Ashetons as the rhythm section and Williamson as the axeman) a 24 track studio...and he used just three channels... THREE! It always sounded like a demo snappily recorded - alive in the studio, than a major label's project. And all these to me are GREAT! If it comes for rock & roll (aka punk rock), fidelity it's a small matter. It's the performance and the action that really counts. And both aforementioned elements, shines throughout "Raw Power"'s duration. Naturally, big fat ass people of the Main Man and CBS, freaked upon hearing the original mixes and bring along Bowie to set an order to the mess (or chaos). I don't like Bowie. But there are things on him that makes me respect him. And yes, I'm one of those who dig better Bowie's mixes than Iggy's. Iggy agreed with the Bowie option.
"...The most absurd situation I encountered when I was recording was the first time I worked with Iggy Pop. He wanted me to mix Raw Power, so he brought the 24-track tape in, and he put it up. He had the band on one track, lead guitar on another and him on a third. Out of 24 tracks there were just three tracks that were used. He said 'see what you can do with this'. I said, 'Jim, there's nothing to mix'. So we just pushed the vocal up and down a lot. On at least four or five songs that was the situation, including "Search and Destroy." That's got such a peculiar sound because all we did was occasionally bring the lead guitar up and take it out.." said Bowie on an interview.
You really need some guidance to go further and spent some more money on the same record to hear by yourself and judge. I tried to track down Jean Philippe to tell his opinion on this cause he's a master at it. I mean, this bloke has at least 10 different "Raw Power" copies... I failed. But you know what, i love internet. I thought i was one of the few fans of the Stooges and "Raw Power' especially... What a dumb-ass! Jean Philippe turned me on to a different mix i haven't noticed til a few days ago. The "Embassy Reels"...And it's an entirely different chapter that we're going to explore together but after finishing my homework first. He was right, i did a research and through the lot of the "Raw Power" posts found zero on the UK edition, with the unbeatable echoed version of "Search & Destroy"! So he made as usual an EXCELLENT rip of this and sent me the links to share it with you people. You really need to hear this version! Above, there's a copy of some things sent me via emails we've exchanged the last days to see a master's view on the subject.

"As for Raw Power, so many things have been said about it...where to start?

To make a long story short:

* Since its 1973 release, people -including the stooges themselves- have been complaining about the thin sound of the Bowie original mix. In fact, only the first track, Search & Destroy has a harsh sound, other tracks have balls.

* The original 1973 CBS UK pressing has a different mix for Search & Destroy. Who did this mix? Who knows/who cares? Punchy mix with clearly audible bass & drums. It was also available on *some* cassettes ["cassette mix"] and on *some* 1977 Raw Power UK reissues on CBS/Embassy ["Embassy mix"]. I own an Embassy reissue, but it doesn't have the alternate mix. It does sound different, though, with more bass, but it's probably a mastering issue rather than a different mix. As far as I know, the alternate mix was a UK-only release (Holland and Australian pressings, for example, have similar orange CBS label, but it's the same mix as the US one).

* The recent Raw Power Sony 3 CD reissue was supposed to have alternate mixes ("Embassy Reels"), but this rip-off release just has the regular mixes:

"Background on two more tracks: ‘Raw Power’ was cut from the Columbia U.S. catalog within a year or so after its release, but had reappeared on the CBS UK budget-line Embassy Records line, “by popular demand” of Brits at the dawn of the punk rock era. Matheu began importing copies to the Peaches record store he managed in Detroit. He immediately noticed the Embassy LP and cassette mixes of “Raw Power” and “Search And Destroy” were different than the U.S. mixes he knew. Three decades later, Matheu informed Dickinson of the Embassy issue, and Dickinson contacted Richard Bowe at the Sony UK archive. They were able to find the original tapes – now known as the Embassy Reels – which did, indeed, have different codes and matrix numbers on them. As Dickinson began transcribing the Embassy Reels, it wasn’t just ‘Raw Power’ and ‘Search And Destroy’ that were different, it was a completely alternate mix for the whole album. The alternate mixes of ‘Shake Appeal’ and ‘Death Trip’ on this Rarities CD are some of the fruits of that search."

This is just bullshit.

* Until recently, I wasn't even aware of this alternate mix (only Search & Destroy is different, the rest of the LP is the same), though I've been listening this LP for almost 25 years. When I found it, I share it with some members of the stooges forum. One of them re-posted it on a crappy Velvet Underground forum, without even letting me know, but I don't really care. Maybe it's time for this UK mix to have an "official" posting (sort of), and your cool blog is probably the best place for it...if you want..."

Many thanks Jean Philippe!
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~~Raw Power!~~
Removed due to complaints

Tiny Topsy - All the Singles, Excerpt from "Tiny Topsy and Friends" (Bootleg CD, Rock 'N' Rhythm - 2006)

2011-03-02T00:40:00.001+02:00

LaVern Baker, Big Maybelle and Big Mama Thornton are three of the household names that come easily to someone’s mind when it comes for busty and big voiced divas of the 50s R&B circuit. Luckily there were more. One of the first names I crashed on when I was searching for obscure big fat mammas some ages ago, was that of Tiny Topsy.
Obviously an ironic – self sarcastic nickname. Mark Lammar in the liner notes of “Roc – KING Up a Storm” CD (Westside, 1999) wrote about this:
"Tiny in the same spirit you'd call a bald man curly, Tiny Topsy definitely had the lungpower to match her name"! And yass, she sure had the lungpower to match not only her name but many on the scene. Don’t know much about her. She (maybe) started with Al Smith’s eight piece jazz/R&B combo and run with it for a couple o' years in the Chicago club scene. In 1952 the band broke and Tiny found a roof on the KING’s label subsidiary Federal, for about 7 singles, unfortunately without hitting the charts. Every single side it’s brilliant, even the novelty tune of “Western Rock & Roll” which was basically a pastiche of then hits like “Sweet Little Sixteen” and “Lollipop”. “Come On, Come On, Come On” and “You Shocked Me” are kick ass rockers in the vein of Etta James “Tough Lover”. “Aw! Shucks Baby” and “Just A Little Bit” are screamers equal of LaVern’s in Atlantic. The latter’s certainly the original version of what was meant to become a classic in other people’s hands. Rosco Gordon had in 1960 a #2 hit version with it and the Killer Jerry Lee, covered it on his “Southern Roots” album with edgy results. After Federal, Tiny Topsy had just one more try in the recording business with the two sider of “Working On My Baby” w/ “How You Changed” on Argo but still no chart action. Mind also that this single issued in the UK as “After Marriage Blues” on Pye.
Topsy died at the very young age of 34. Many years later, a label from Denmark emerge an LP with all her Federal sides, under the title of “Aw! Shucks Baby” (Sing, 1988) probably an official release but the mastering compared to the newly Ace Records release of the same material, lacks in fidelity. There’s also a cool boot CD on the streets for those who want to catch at once all of her sides (Ace’s CD for licensing reasons does not contain the Argo/Pye single) with the title “Tiny Topsy and Friends” with a good 19 cuts bonus by artists such as Big Maybelle, Etta James or Mickie Champion.
A growling yelling mama that shoulda been bigger, but what the hell – legends have built that way many times, and I guess it’s time for Tiny Topsy’s turn.
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~~Aw! Shucks Baby...~~

-From the Wang Dang Dula Database-

Lorraine Ellison - "Stay With Me (Baby)" W/ "I've Got My Baby Back" (Loma / Warners - 1966)

2011-02-22T21:53:00.001+02:00

Did you ever caught yourself breaking down to pieces without a reason? Without absolutely NO reason?! And all this by just hearing a song accidentally... I'm running one of my best periods of my life, I'm married with the woman i dreamed and sure i don't have an expelled hidden.There's no fuckin' reason for my eyes to fill with tears and my back to crawl god dammit with a love song... Am i going to be a square linnet now? On my 30s? Pfff...
And i never really liked ballads... What tha fuck it's going on here?
I wonder how many songs in your life may touch you like this? By taking you without a warning from the neck and mangle your flesh without mercy? That's the very fuckin' meaning, explanation whatever you want anyway of the term "Deep Soul"! A full emotional moment that sadly comes VERY FEW times in your life. The absolute peak! A merciless fire, a stripped down version of your despair down on paper. Sometimes poetry is just as raw. And if the myth's proved right, this brilliance was because of Frankie who at the last minute canceled the session. The orchestra was there, warmed and so was Lorraine Ellison. An unknown black beauty. What caught on tape it's Drama in its pure Wagner meets Spector vein! Avoid this post if you're recently heartbroken. You're not gonna make it. Lorraine's begging gonna burn you like hell and if after all these you're still with us, comes that "remember" with the orchestra tumbling down and a last refrain... That last refrain... How did she kept herself alive and breathing and...singing...? Three and a half minutes of what real SOUL music actually is!
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~~Stay With Me...~~

Hound Dog Taylor and the HouseRockers - "Natural Boogie" (Alligator, 1974)

2011-02-18T00:45:00.001+02:00

I like to think of Hound Dog Taylor (Theodore Roosevelt Taylor his real name) as the punked up version of Elmore James or John Lee Hooker. I think he equally borrowed things from both. The slide from the first and the economical (at times minimal) boogie of the second. He was unique. Really now, not only in sound. He was six fingered but the extra bone never really utilized for guitar playing. But hey, that's fuckin' cool! He had very difficult child years and the six fingers was an added problem to all the others. And he picked up guitar first time at his twenties. What i go in for Hound Dog is that he had absolutely nothing in terms of musical skills. And that's what i dug always in real rock & roll. Somehow, the best, the rawest and highest in energy levels tracks produced by people who actually didn't know how to really play their instruments. Hound Dog knew this. He knew his advantages were his drawbacks. He used to say "When i die, they'll say i played like shit--but it sure sounded good!". And boy, he sure sounded GOOD!
The House Rockers were the perfect companion. Just another guitar and a drum set. No bass. Pure primitive rawness. Sloppy and drunken, at times in speed an sometimes kinda laid back, were the last of the Mohawks. The last true blues combo. Hound Dog Taylor had virtually nothing before the two CLASSICS he recorded for Alligator (there were more to come after death). A single for Bea & Baby ("Baby is Coming Home" / "Take five"), another one for Firma ("Christine" / "Alley Music") and a last for Checker ("Watch Out" / "Down Home" ). Anyway, for a cool piece on Hound Dog Taylor check Hound's blog.
What i have to offer it's his second Long Play, "Natural Boogie". As wild as the first, as primitive as few in the blues' history. I must do a t-shirt with his 6 fingered hand immediately...
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~~Roll Your Money Maker~~

Various Artists - "All Night Garage Service" (Waterfront Records, 1986)

2011-02-12T00:35:00.002+02:00

I have searched for this comp over the years quite a lot but I sadly failed to succeed. It has a big “Garage Service” stamp on, but don’t wait sir to found in it paisley shirt mop top revivalists.
You know, I moaned a bit on some previous posts ‘bout the lot of the so-called ‘Garage Revivalists’ of the 80s. OK, there was a good percentage of them all that had one at least kick ass record in their arsenal but hey, paisley shirts never was punk. And sometimes (as the old slogan says) “Image is everything!”
Johnny Rotten used to refer onto ‘pub rock’ bands as “rubbish”... Of course I rate Pistols high, but I always thought of Wilko’s chunky Telecaster as punkier than Steve Jones Gibson. And there were much more groups in the UK that period of time that were more ‘garage’ or ‘punk’ than the ‘obvious’ press darlings (even though once again, many of them were totally great).
And this compilation’s got plenty. You can actually hear Wilko Johnson doing Sam the Sham’s “Wooly Bully”, Eddie & the Hot Rods on a blistering live execution of their classic "Teenage Depression", Steve Hooker's excellent "Thunders meets the Cramps" Shakers, on "How Did You Know" (Mr. Hooker was the mastermind behind this release also) or the Len Bright Combo with members of Wreckless Eric's band and the Milkshakes! "Chunkchakanchunk - chunkchunck, chunk" Bo and Chuck rhythms and riffs for those who knows where the roots of garage punk are.
This record not long time ago posted on TwilightZone! from the CD reissue with the bonus tracks.
If you wanna hear now how this sound through a needle's dive in the plastic, check once again brilliant Jean Philippe's rip contribution exclusively for White Trash Soul!
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~~All Night Garage Service!~~

R.I.P. Tura Satana (1938 - 2011)

2011-02-10T23:26:00.001+02:00

The most dangerous females are the busty ones. And Tura was the wickedest and the most venomous! If Link Wray was a woman should have been Tura Satana. Ask Poison Ivy for more...

Sam Cooke with the Soul Stirrers - "Specialty Profiles" (Specialty, 2006)

2011-02-08T19:45:00.001+02:00

My “thing” with the gospels and the artists that served the genre started because of people like Rev. Julius Cheeks, Rev. Charlie Jackson or Bunker Hill. It was the screams and the filth in their voice of people like the aforementioned that made me “turn my head to God”…
However, there was a quartet that took genre into other places, more popular and (why not) sexier? The Soul Stirrers got my attention because they had in their potential, Sam Cooke (they had also for a moon, Julius Cheeks, but he left picture as quickly as he entered). Their origins go back to 1920’s but that’s not our subject here. Our subject basically is Sam. You know, screamers are my main diet but Sam was something special. The funny thing’s that I discovered Cooke through Rod Stewart. I must was 16 or 17 at the time and I was chasing records in a big basement. Suddenly I’m hearing an amazing worm voice coming out of the speakers. I turned then to the owner with a self trust that brakes bones and say “Rod the Mod” right? Ouch… I still remember how he turned me down, moved his head right and left with negativity only to quip, “No, Sam Cooke”… I know, he should have add “you moron”…
That day was a good lesson for me, for both my arrogance and my knowledge. I should have thanked him then but I left just chattering insults. Now’s time to correct things, so thanks a lot Mr. bald headed smart ass!
With Sam Cooke, the Soul Stirrers hit big. The ladies of course found in him not something spiritual but sexual. The Sam Cooke fronted Stirrers often said was the forerunner for doo wop and soul. I kinda agree. That’s a cool compilation (and the only thing anyway I got by them) on sides they cut for Specialty.
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~~Stirring your Soul~~

Eskew Reeder - "Green Door" W/ "I Waited Too Long" (7inch single, Minit - 1962)

2011-02-03T20:55:00.003+02:00

The subsequent Capitol years found Steven Quincy Reeder Jr. changing many cities, many labels and many names. Of course we are talking about Mondo Bizarro's answer to Little Richard, the mighty Esquerita. I still remember clearly the first time I stared at his WILD image-trademark on Norton Recs website.

From then (and that’s quite a lot ago…) a never-ending hunting on things related to him have haunted me in a daily basis. I mean, Voola was indeed Rock & Roll's answer to "Plan 9 from Outter Space"! And fuck, there are still things by him that’s never been re-issued. And I never really understand why to this day someone failed to gather S.Q.'s complete output in a box or a comp...?

Anyway, the key figure here was no other but the great Allen Toussaint. In 1962 Esquerita traveled with Joe Turner to New Orleans. The wild voodoo city of the South. The place where Little Richard cut thee best of his screamers. Quite quickly made the right connections there and have started gigging on the immortal now Dew Drop Inn. Joe Banashak of Minit Records heard about him, caught him in the act and signed him in a hurry. On March 2 of the same year, Voola entered the studio accompanied by a gang that included Toussaint's studio regulars, Allen himself and ....the goddess Irma Thomas! Don't know how much songs SQ cut at that session, i know for sure that one of his best works after leaving Capitol (and sadly manic rock & roll) recorded that same day and pressed on vinyl under the code Minit 45-648. What's on the two sides of this 45 spin are "Green Door" and "I Waited Too Long". The first's an insane re-assessment of a silly 1956 No.1 hit by Jim Lowe. The Second's a slow soul stringed ballad featuring on backing vocals no other than...Irma! Sure, Esquerita never again reached the heights of the Capitol era... But he had the unique talent to put the pomp on whatever his hands wanted to touch!
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~~Green Door~~

LaVern Baker - "Let Me Belong To You" (Brunswick, LP - 1970)

2011-01-31T23:39:00.001+02:00

I think i lost my Mojo! Seriously guys now, i have no inspiration at all! OK, I'm no Charles Dickens but I'm sure i can handle it a little and put down on paper (OK the digitalized version of it) some words that makes sense. I bought some really good stuff a few days ago, and all I'm doing is hearing LPs after LPs and CDs after CDs. For a break I'm reading a chapter or two of Nick Hornby's "Fever Pitch", but still no inspiration at all for what i must offer to you people...
I was diggin' on my records but i wasn't sure. I mean, there are plenty of great platters there but if you haven't something good to say... Just don't do it. Anyway, the one minute i was hot on one thing and the other i was thinkin' "naaaahhh", not this one. Finally i came through this. I love LaVern. I mean I LUV LaVern Baker! She was the sexiest, toughest, bustiest diva of the 50s! A real force of nature! Everyone should have Lavern's records on Atlantic. What she cut there it's easily the best example of how rock & roll or rhythm & blues should come out of a woman's mouth. "Voodoo Voodoo" for example is Little Richard in full feminine hormones battle! But i guess most of you already know these. I'm sure though that not many had the chance to hear Baker as a mellow and more polished Soul queen. And i really don't know why the sides she recorded for Brunswick in the 60s remain unavailable. I never crashed on a new package of these recordings. The good folks at Ace headquarters must do something and certainly, immediately. Not only on this LP. LaVern on Brunswick had diamonds and pearls, and comparing to these whatever Aretha recorded it's just mediocre crap. Like both version's of "Think Twice" with Jackie Wilson (you can hear the "dirty" one on the White Trash Soul Sampler No. 1 in here), or the floorburner "Batman to the Rescue" or the never released before til 1998, "I'm Gonna Get You". This record came out in 1970 and it's actually a "highlights" compilation of the seven Brunswick singles. Exchange hands on eBay for about 50 $ and since i never saw it anywhere else, i decided to post it here. Only Etta James can match Lavern Baker and here's the more melancholy side of her majesty.
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~~Let Me Belong To You~~

Wilson Pickett - "In The Midnight Hour" (Atlantic, 1965 - this reissue by Rhino, 1993)

2011-01-25T20:46:00.003+02:00

OK it's official, I'm outta my mind! How in the hell i forgot that a couple o' days ago we had the sad celebration of five years without Him? Five years without the baddest motherfucker! Five long years without the man and a half himself! On 19th January 2006, Wilson Pickett had left the building and from since the whole world lives without the toughest of them all... The roughest voice ever in Soul and the sweatiest grooves ever produced for the dance floors, are for good now linked with the Wicked Pickett! Forget any other when it comes for Wilson Pickett! I know I may sound like a blasphemous bastard right now, but that's how i feel. And if i must continue under sacrilege mode, i should add that he was for sure a son of a demon. He took all of his gospel memories and influences and strained them through his big bad lungs creating the very same moment hot blooded and sex driven funky music! Even though i have in my mind a million things to say 'bout him, I'll tell none. I mean, where in the bloody hell should i start and where to finish? Should i talk for the Falcons first? Should i talk for the Atlantic era or the Stax? Should i talk for picking up on a young Duane Allman, or should i talk for the bad behavior on women, his gun carrying, the drug problems and the jail sentence? He was not nicknamed "Wicked" by accident, be sure. I have always liked to provoke and evoke people when I'm having a conversation. In the past I've met many mods and you know, mods like to see themselves (even today) as the Soul knights. The ones that carrying the Soul torch in this age... Pfffff! None of them I've met had a good word for him... Coincidental? I don't think so! OK, don't wanna be malevolent and I'm sure there are many of 'em liking him, but almost all agreed to one thing. Wilson Pickett wasn't that good as Marvin Gaye or Diana Ross for example... Go figure! But i understand. He was too nitty gritty, too filthy and too bastard for a clean cut crowd, right? Don't get me wrong, here. I have nothing against mods, but what I'm typing now are true experiences. They always seemed to like better Northern and he was too Southern!
Anyway, that's probably his first long play for Atlantic. Not sure, but i won't waste time to check on geeky things. I chose it cause it's actually a compilation of singles in an era counting from 1962 to 1965. It contains also the magnificent Falcons (whose member was also Eddie Floyd), the ultra classic "Midnight Hour", the co-penned with Don Covay (another master!) "I'm Gonna Cry" and the first recordings he made with the Stax crew (f*ck the Eric Claptons of this world, Steve Cropper was GOD!). And as the liners points out:
' "Wicked" Pickett: a tall, dark and dangerous lady slayer and the envy of millions of wanna be "man and a halfs" from Cincinnati to Sheffield!" '
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~~Don't Fight It!~~

1 Year White Trash Soul!

2011-01-21T00:06:00.000+02:00

I have never thought to start a blog. I was always a printed magazine kind of guy. I still am. Nothing's the same with something you can touch your hands on. There's no comparison. And that's why i'm posting here thoughts and music. Cause true fans never stays with something immaterial like mp3 or flac. They want the real thing, something to touch their hands on. Like vinyl records or even CDs. If you have the chance to touch a beautiful woman, you would stay just with her pictures? I don't think so. But it's a good an' easy way to share along with your thoughts, the "body" of it. You can talk about Link Wray, Little Richard or Chuck Berry and boom! here it is you can actually hear it and decide for yourself if this blogger writes bullshit or what he said fits with your personality! But sadly most record companies, even the small ones don't see it that way. Narrow minded people confounded to be out mached by their era.
Anyway, I'd like to thank you all for your support, even by stopping by here and leaving a comment or not. It's the same for me and i won't complain. I'm here to share my passion and not to see myself as a "cool blogger". You know, "i had yesterday" 500 hits, wow"! If 500 people visit this blog and just one agree with me or for better, discover something he didn't know previously, that's the greatest reward for me! I'm trying to answer to all comments. If i forgot sometime someone, sorry. I 'll try to fix it up next time.
Thanks again and keep the rocks rollin'!
See you in next post!
Yours trully
Mihaleez

The Cannibals - "Bone To Pick" (HIT Records,1982)

2011-01-17T22:36:00.001+02:00

There are two kinds of legends in rock & roll. Those who had make it big (commercially or artistically acclaimed) and those who didn’t.

Mike Spenser sadly belongs to the second category. He was the original vocalist of the Count Bishops and I LOVE the Bishops as a few bands in the world. I do understand why so many fans of the band or the music press dug the second singer, Dave Tice cause he had a hell of voice but sorry, I go for Mike all the way! Dave had a gutsy gravel throat but Mike was the caveman here! The Bishops on “Speedball” were the true sons of the Pretty Things! I have never heard such rawness since the early days of the Sect and the Pretties (always talking for UK).

With Mike behind the mic, Bishops were the garage punk version of the Pretty Things. And there’s not much really more to say cause what I’ve already wrote, I believe strongly speaks for itself!

There’s a big confusion for what Mike did and what not after the Bishops. There must be one or two bands before the Cannibals but that’s a mystery to me. I have searched over the internet countless times and still no complete bio or discography for Mike. I guess when I found the time, should I try to track him for an interview.

The Cannibals are what the name exactly pronounced. The most primitive thing came outta England in the late 70s and all the 80s. They were the originators of ‘Trash’. For some strange reason, only a small amount of compilers around the world include them in the so called ‘Garage Revival’ thing, but the Cannibals were more garage and definitely more punk than say, the Fuzztones or the Chesterfield Kings of this world! They had great originals (I mean GREAT!) and they preferred to cover Bo or Chuck just like the Sonics & the Stones did, than “Psycho” or “99^th Floor” as most of the other like minded used to. And although I adore toons like these, sorry but I go better for a cool rendition of “Nadine” than “Dirty Water”! Oh and the Cannibals really did justice better than others on cover songs of 60s punk bands like the Standells “Good Guys” for example. I know that you may be a little bit suspicious on what I’m writing now but like all other times here, I’m for sure a jubilant fanatic but no blind man to not spot you on the bad things even from the ones I really have a taste for. And the Cannibals were and still are the shit! It’s often mentioned that the B side of the “Good Guys” single (on Cock Records), was one of John Peel’s favorites. The famous (now) Black Box of 142 with his all time faves, secured them a place in the pantheon of rock & roll publicity for ever. With a credit like this you simply can do no wrong, right? Prepare the cauldrons and put fire above...it is time to feed the Cannibals!

A Jean Philippe contribution exclusively for White Trash Soul!

FLAC

~~Bone to... Pick!~~

Melvin Davis with the Nite Sounds - "Playboy" W/ "I Won't Be Your Fool" (Fortune, 1962)

2011-01-15T02:11:00.001+02:00

The more you go deeper on things, the more you find the hidden truths. Music can not be an exception. I started my love for Motor City's music tradition through Motown. Then came the Stooges and the MC5. That's when i started figuring how many different aspects and sides this city had. Bob Seger and Mitch Ryder became my next darlings and from there i just lost counting!
Fortune Records came a lot later to my frame. You see, Devora Brown's one track mind still pisses me off. Fortune must be the only legendary label from those times that still has a few proper and official reissues... Go figure, the crudest and at the same time more soulful label of them, remains still in the hands of bootleggers. And luckily enough, thank God for these mofos. If they weren't around, personally i wouldn't have the chance to catch and fell in love with legends like Nolan Strong, Andre Williams, Nathaniel Mayer and... Melvin Davis!
The last one's one of the few SO multi-talented figures I've ever crashed. Producer and a drummer, songwriter and performer, label owner and arranger! He was the staccato snare on the Miracles' "Tears of a Clown". He was the one that penned Norther Soul triumph, "Chains of Love" (for J.J. Barnes) and had in his many bands members like David Ruffin and Wayne Kramer! Not bad credits, right?
After all these years of diggin' and record hunting, Melvin's along with Andre and Gino Washington my absolute favorites, when it comes for "forgotten" heroes.
That's his Fortune single. It was credited to Melvin and the Nite Sounds. The Nite Sounds was the band behind Fortune's hit, "Mind Over Matter" by GREAT Nolan Strong. They played also on Nathaniel Mayer's "Leave Me Alone" among many other. Excellent n' passionate soulful vocals, memorable bass lines and pounding drums on both sides of this single! The bass back up vocals are courtesy of Jay Johnson of the Diablos (!) and the sax played by a white boy named Nick Malamas and yes he was a Greek! Please let me have some proud here, cause we Greeks have not so many chances to fanfare 'bout Rock & Roll or R&B...
Hear this gem and understand for yourself why even with a lot of time distance, Melvin Davis is up there with thee best of the city's music parade...
320 Kbps

~~Playboy!~~

Screamin' Joe Neal - "Rock And Roll Deacon" W/ "Tell Me Pretty Baby" (Originally on Shippings, 1959 - reissued by Norton, 1995)

2011-01-11T01:09:00.001+02:00

There was a time in my life that my only ambition was to found lookalikes or sound-a-likes of Little Richard!
Yeh, i know, something got wrong with me from a very tender age... Anyway, i was chasing (OK i admit, still do) like a nutso comps like "Savage Kicks" or "Stompin'" just with the hope to "discover" a cogent dude that had the screaming abilities of Mr. Penniman! Of course I've learned lotsa more with these.
One of the many greats i crashed on was Screamin' Joe Neal. And i was always fascinated by names or nicks with a prefix like "screamin'" or "little". So Joe Neal had a bonus just with this! Not many things are known for the man. He's probably dead even though i hope for the opposite. He recorded two (now) legendary singles one for the Shippings label and another for Emerge. Most sources claim on the net that both singles was on Emerge, but i always trusted better Wang Dang Dula database on these matters and due to this i have the need to tell you too. That's his first and his best. A 1959 wailer in the likes of Little Richard, Esquerita, Kid Thomas and Bunker Hill! Made in St. Louis and re-produced for the next generations as a deposit with love from Norton recs. According to a page dedicated to him, one local guitarist recalled :
"He got his name from crawling around the audience on his knees. He would creep up on a woman and scream at them. Scare the shit outta them."
In just one word, WILD!
320 Kbps

~~Rock & Roll Deacon!~~

Otis Redding & the Pinetoppers - "Shout Bamalama" W/ "Fat Gal" (Orbit & Confederate, 1960-61)

2011-01-06T23:24:00.003+02:00

Sometimes we must invent (in a way) new terms for helping us describe things, even if these are unproved. For our next subject, the tags 'Rhythm & Blues", "Rock & Roll" or "Soul" can not describe in its full glory, the mayhem captured on tape, half a century ago. We should really call this "garage soul" or maybe "punky R&B" and still we're not going to be 100 % correct.
The great Otis Redding stays to this day as one of the finest! He really got it. Angry and at the same time smooth. Passionate and true. His idol though was no James Brown, but the real king of Rock & Roll, Little Richard. If this was a math equalization, the specific two-sider must had no unknown X. A frantic, pounding, frenzy and deliriously stomping soul hard drive for what is made in a hurry and proposed for butt shaking!
I even like the myth that surrounds it. Otis was Pinetoppers' driver. The Pinetoppers were a kick ass combo. Seriously, these fuckers were as mean and tough as Little Richard's Upsetters! Many times and just from that single judging, think of 'em as the black Raymen! Yeah, that MEAN! So, they went to Memphis for a session at Stax, things not worked properly, Otis grabbed the mic and BOOM! The rest is history! Rock & Roll simplicity and brilliancy have hided most times in such occasions. Primitive rawness that makes Iggy & the Stooges sound like your parish choir boys! No Shit! If you're looking for the most Wild & Savage records ever, have in mind this and the Bunker Hill's "Girl Can't Dance". No wonder after these, Little Richard turned to God... I only wonder what the savage young Sonics would (or could) have done if they had touched their filthy hands on?!
PS: I have seen this single with many different labels. King, Confederate, Orbit and Sue... I think Orbit's the original but it's easier to find King's re-print. I can't remember clearly but, I'm sure for King and Sue issues this credited to Otis Redding only and not with the Pinetoppers but it's the same screamer (well OK, King's single has overdubs and it's slightly different but anyway...), so if you ever see it watching you, grab it!
VBR

The Cramps - "1976 Demo Session W/ Girl Drummer Miriam" (Bootleg LP, 19??)

2011-01-03T23:01:00.001+02:00

Happy New Year to you all White Trash Soulsters out there!
Hope this season be the best in your lives til the next one. Not many time ago, i was ranting 'bout Miriam Linna's drum pounding for the early Cramps. I offered some things and i asked if anyone by you was sitting on a demo session she did with them, that produced not by any other but Richard Robinson, mostly known as the man behind the board for the Flamin' Groovies masterpiece, "Teenage Head".
A very cool bloke from France named Jean Philippe, was hearing upon my wishes and answered today with this (full scans included)!
A million thanks mate! I am truly now "an eternally grateful bastard"!
So, the very first blog entry for 2011 is by the Cramps, featuring M. Linna on traps.
It doesn't get more primitive than this!
FLAC

~~1976 Demo Session~~

Various Artists - "Sock It To 'Em Soul" (Warner, 2004)

2010-12-30T00:21:00.001+02:00

What was the last time you bought a compilation that hails from a major label and worth utterly its money? Not lately, right? And that's sad cause most majors are sitting on countless masters of well known or for better, forgotten jewels! All they ever wanted was the easy money. Well, this one here's thankfully a shining exception. Not again one of the many under the term "Northern Soul" with a dubious stature. In fact, not "Northern" at all! A KILLER set of 60s Soul tracks from the vaults of Atlantic, Stax, Atco, Loma, Reprise and Warners! Gritty, tough & groovy, up-tempo dancers perfectly suited for every party!
New Year's eve's always a good reason for having a party! Put it on, tire out your bodies and have a good time remembering the bubble of John Belushi on "I Don't Know":
"I said Baby, You know when you bend over I see every bit of Christmas, and when you bend back I'm looking right into the new year! She said Honey, honey you know I gave up cigarettes for my new year's resolution... But I didn't give up smooooking!!! I said, Woman!, woman you gonna walk a mile for a Camel, or are you gonna make like Mr Chesterfield and satisfy? ....She said, That all depends on what your packing.... Regular or Kingsize! Then she pulled out my Jim Beam, and to her surprise it was every bit as hard as my Canadian Club! I said, What now you gotta say baaaaaabeee? She said, Umm... I don't know!"

Hope all friends of this blog ll found in 2011 all they ever wanted! See ya next year guys and gals and...oh! Have a drink on me.
320 Kbps

~~Funky Street!~~

Rudy Ray Moore - "This Ain't No White Christmas" (Norton, 2001 - original release 1971)

2010-12-25T01:26:00.002+02:00

I don't like "holiday" music. It's fuckin' boring. There are few exceptions though. Phil Spector's "A Christmas Gift For You", remains arguably thee best! The "Wall of Sound" in its full MONO glory and through the ethereal voices of the Ronettes, the Crystals and Darlene Love, still makes a misanthropic creature like me to borrow something of the silly snow dust of the Christmas interlude. I said "thee best" and not "my favorite", OK? Well, my fave is a Chess forty five by Chuck Berry. I'm sure you all know that I'm talking about "Run Rudolph, Run" single. And I'm sure you all guys and gals involved with rock & roll music, just adore this toon! In every version of it and not only the original. From Keef to Dave Edmunds and Lemmy, "Rudolph" just has the right licks for someone to like a "holiday" record. And what we got here it's the funniest, the raunchiest and the dirtiest! From Dolemite with love and a lot of "X" behind it. Mr. Blaxploitation himself, delivers 30 cm of pure lust and I'm sure all you know what I'm talking about... Capitol reissued this platter on CD for the first time in 1996 and guess what, in a very short time dissapeared from the face of earth. The same thing happened by Norton who picked up on this in 2001. If you check their website, there's a comic sad face telling us that's out of stock for both formats, vinyl and CD.
Merry Christmas to ya all and send kids to bed, Santa's cuming!
256 Kbps

~~Merry XXX-Mas!~~

The Sound Explosion - "Hangover Baby" BW/ "Some Other Guy" (Pegasus,1993)

2010-12-18T19:32:00.001+02:00

It was the early 90s and i was a full blown, acne faced and very much a common teenager of the era. Even though i had already on my record collection rock & roll and soul jewels, i couldn't keep myself outside of the main trends. OK, i wasn't into crappy MTV stuff never, but i was chasing like maniac releases by Mudhoney, the Supergrass or the Happy Mondays for instance. I still like those bands. I still like Oasis giving you an example and I'm not ashamed of this. I have seen countless bands live, both, huge names and dudes that never make it outside of their neighborhood and i still rank the Oasis Greece gig as one of my faves. Anyway, as i told you i was on garage from that early age. From the little information a kid from the province then could catch, i was hooked on the Fuzztones and the Chesterfield Kings. When the 'tones finally arrived in Athens, i took the bus and came to my grandmother who lived here. I was anxious and overexcited for this and all i did til time came and pass through the Rodon club doors (if i remember right...), was to fantasize how this gig might be. The opening act was the Sound Explosion. A name not so well known. Loco guys and vintage dressed teens just a little older than me. "Not bad" I'm sure should have think but i was still there just to hear & see Rudi Protrudi and Mad Mike Czekaj... Less an hour after Sound Exlposion's gang got onstage, i was totally blown away by their sound and attitude and all i wondered now was "how in the hell these Fuzztones would jump over this performance"? Of course they couldn't. It was the beginning of my never ending love for them! I was painting their logo on my school books (see pic further down) and i was preaching for them on my radio show. They were WYLD! I often refresh my memory with their singles and their one and only record on Music Maniac and I still remember fondly how their friends from the first lines of the crowd shouted their requests!
That's their first on Pegasus. A collector's item by now, exchanging hands on HIGH prices. Pity, cause every home should have this two-sider and all in general Sound Explosion singles. I mean never anyone think of a proper release with all the singles' sides of the Sound Explosion? I don't think so... I never asked John. I'm afraid of the answer i might get, so leave it as it is. But again, it's a FUCKIN' SHAME! That's the best 60s punk played by a band in the 90s!
320Kbps

~~Hangover Baby!~~

Julian Cope's N.M.E. article, December 3 -1983 'bout Garage and Psychedelia

2010-12-14T23:07:00.000+02:00

I guess everyone knows who saint Julian is, right? Even if you're an admirer of his work or not (I am), Julian Cope is a person who has a deep knowledge for music (and i mean DEEP) and especially what many of us referred to as "psychedelic". And we're not talking about hippy crap here sir. His webspace is known widely as "Head Heritage" and if you're not a regular already there, then you must start now (there's a link on the right pane of this blog, just click on it and you're going to have a bad trip assuredly!).

Twenty seven Decembers back, Julian wrote a piece about garage punk and psychedelia on the N.M.E. paper. This piece turned over the years as an influential essay on what we called today "garage revival". Remember this, this article pre-dated all the Fuzztones and the Chesterfield Kings of this world. And it wasn't written by a Rudi Protrudi or a Greg Prevost but by the singer of the Teardrop Explodes! There was no internet and downloads. There was no plethora of bootlegged 45s in compilations and in the end, there was a huge blur of what was actually 'garage' and what wasn't. Many did the same mistakes as many now-days do again. Embroil psychedelia with the hippies. I wasn't able to read this by the time got out. I was just 5 years old, how could i besides? I found it re-printed in an old 'zine and that was it, my life changed! Then came Tim Warren and all things for me found its way.

Now's time to do the same with the hope to attract as many new blokes as i can. And as Julian said, "Don't turn Hippy on me!"

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"The Dog-star rages! Nay 'tis past a doubt, All Bedlam, or Parnassus, is let out." - Alexander Pope

WHEN I TELL YOU about psychedelia, you can forget all the Peace-Love-Dove shit. You can forget about all the hippies you ever hated. You can forget about the understanding and the answer. Cast your mind back to the question.

Cast you mind back 5-10-20 years to the first time you ever thought about sex. When a penis, a vagina, were new words in a book.

They fit together, you say? One gets hard and one gets soft? That's repulsive, I'm going to be sick. Never think about it. Do my parents do it? Why did they invent it? Will I ever do it? Why did they invent it? I hate everything.

Your first psychedelic experience. The ship goes down with all your sanity.

So here we are - Psychedelia, when the question gets bigger and bigger, and the answer fades out obsolete.

Forget Timothy Leary and forget about the Tom Wolfe stories. When LSD hit the world, the intellectuals thought about it and the rest freaked out.

It's the rest we're interested in.

It's the rest who made the music. Not The Grateful Dead, not Quicksilver Messenger Service, not the Moody Blues. The ones we should be interested in are the 17-year-old kids from Birmingham to Albuquerque who took acid and tried to play old Van Morrison/Stones riffs. Suddenly they were something very new. True they couldn't play very well and the singer didn't know the words, but we all mean it don't we? So we could be bigger than anyone.

"Look out, I'm gonna get my seven Cadillacs, And maybe I'll drive around the World" - The Silver Fleet

THE SINGER in every great psychedelic group was 5' 10". He stooped because his friends were small and he felt like a spaz. He sung about being himself, his ideal self, which was really Mick Jagger.

His real life was a dry-wank.

This is psychedelia.

Garage-music overproduced in four track studios. Musicians who wanted to be so famous. fuck, I'd sell out if I know how to! People who were too nihilistic to ever get it together.

Say yes to - Ed Cobb, Sky Saxon, Syd Barrett, Roky Erickson, Eddie Phillips, Arthur Lee, Moulty, Mouse, Dave Aguilar, and all the others who never could.

In their hunchbacked Twilight Zone, they made the best, most formidable sound ever. Rock powered emotion in all kinds of music. Arthur Lee? you say. Wimp music! Sky Saxon? A spoilt rat-faced child!

Then fuck you I say. Fuck your lack of compassion, your world concern, and for forgetting the individual, the small want-to-be-big individual who tore out great handfuls of his soul for a promise of a no-meaning 15 minutes of fame.

I love them. I love their misery. I see their parallels strewn out in front of me: Patti Smith, with baby, in some Midwest Hicksville, thinking she is at peace. Marc Almond hysterical and praying for fame with an on-off switch. John Cale's waking dream of one daytime radio play. Peter Hammill seeing his reflection in Mega-Bowie, Mega-Gabriel, Mega-Marillion. They are many. And I love them too.

So forget the Hippy.

We're talking of pre-Hippy, when even the quietest music had an intent that could not be ruffled.

A three chord riff, delicate voice and; "Oh, the snot has caked against my pants," - Arthur Lee 1967

THIS IS psychedelia. One album, almost alone, inspired new love and attitude to the music.

"I just hope you have as much fun letting it spin as I did putting it together." - Lenny Kaye, on 'Nuggets', 1972.

For the time being, I shall presume that everyone has a copy of 'Nuggets'. If you know nothing else about psychedelia, you should know this. If not, put the paper down and go and listen to all the basics: The first Pink Floyd, 'Revolver', Traffic, The 13th Floor Elevators, 'Sgt. Pepper', 'A Web of Sound', 'Forever Changes', etc.

'Nuggets' was and still is the basic introduction. It gave us groups that were then so obscure but now, to a mass of people, are favourite listening. It introduced us to The Seeds, Chocolate Watchband, Elevators, Remains, Standells, Electric Prunes and so many others who had classic but unknown songs released. By now we know that had also recorded classic LP's.

But during the '70's, these LP's were sold next to garbage like Strawberry Alarm Clock, Josephus, Blue Cheer, Bubble Puppy, anything on International Artists. You had to listen to all the I.A. catalogue to find out that the only things necessary were the 13th Floor Elevators LP's.

Psychedelia was being sold as hippy music by charlatans who thought any journey-thru-my-inner-mind-man nonsense was hip.

But the influence of 'Nuggets' was deep-rooted. This supposed 2nd Division music was the real psychedelia.

"Between thought and expression lies a lifetime" - Lou Reed

SO HERE we are in 1967. The Beatles have already previewed what's going to happen with 'Revolver'. The Rolling Stones are about to give psychedelia a bad name with a piece of 90% trash called 'Their Satanic Majesties Request'. The Yardbirds are featured in Blow-Up, a far-out forerunner of Zabriskie Point where Jeff Beck destroys his guitar during 'Train Kept A Rollin'.

In the US the vanguard was being led by Grace Slick, Jerry Garcia, John Cipollina and more mid-twenties graduates intent on rationalising the scene. The Doors had signed to Elektra, successfully promoting previous Elektra biggie Arthur Lee into Total Paranoiac.

And then came the group who drew the line between the hippies and the rest.

They were The Mothers of Invention. They had been signed as a blues band by an acid raving A&R man who committed suicide by self-immolation when the bill for their first masterpiece, 'Freak Out', came to over $20,000. The Mothers were unsafe and unsanitary; unhealthy leaders of the real underground.

Frank Zappa was shrewd enough (and old enough) to laugh at the very scene which bought his records. His songs were anything but the anthems-of-togetherness adored in Haight Ashbury. They were vile attacks on both straights and weirdos. Songs like 'Plastic People', 'Flower Punk' and 'Trouble Every Day' were vicious. Yes, you could laugh, but how did we know he wasn't laughing at you?

The Mothers sound even influenced the suburban punk groups. Teddy and His Patches, from San Jose, did a mind-blowing cover of 'Suzy Creamcheese', available on 'Pebbles III'. Psychedelia Piss-takes continued with 'I'm Allergic To Flowers' by Jefferson Handkerchief. The punks were becoming yippies, long haired peace-haters. It even swept to Britain with the Mothers-influenced Deviants.

In 1967, Frank Zappa produced 'Loose Lip Sync Ship', an instrumental 45 by The Hogs. The Hogs were really The Chocolate Watchband, a collage of musicians like by Ed Cobb, writer of 'Tainted Love' and producer of millions. Until 'Nuggets', The Chocolate Watchband were unrecognised. Now three LP's are re-released and there is even a new 'Best Of' compilation.

A raw diverse R&B group, they were the true psychedelic incarnation of The Rolling Stones. Clattering Bo Diddley beats, zinging guitars, their singer Dave Agular genuinely believed that Mick Jagger was ripping him off. At a time when the right place at the right time counted for so much, The Chocolate Watchband were horrendously mistimed.

Their only hit, 'Let's Talk About Girls', was recorded in such a rush that Dave Agular was not even there to sing it. Don Bennett, a writer and a friend of Ed Cobb, was asked to sing and it started a long relationship. Bennett also wrote some Standells songs and created a precedent for Ed Cobb: the producer used The Chocolate Watchband as a pallet for weird ideas. On the first and second albums the group playing is often utterly different from the supposed line-up. 'Gone And Passes By', the very best song they ever recorded, is a subterranean Stones, played like Brian Jones was actually getting his own way for once. Zing, electric sitar over zombie bone dance, cavernous recording and voodoo-Dr John, 'Walk On Gilded Splinters' into Beefheart's 'Kandykorn'.

Yes they hit low, but when they were up, they left everyone else wanking.

Richard Marsh was an image weasel, sucking on lemons and waiting for fame. In early 1966 as Sky Saxon, 'Pushing Too Hard' made his group The Seeds massive. On front covers of teen mags all over the US, Sky Saxon and his three suede cohorts stared out, eyes wrinkled and blinking, anxious to get back to their nocturnal two-chord world. The follow-up to 'Pushing Too Hard' was 'No Escape'. In all ways, it was the same song. Sky Saxon felt his one emotion very intensely.

You can make a commercial success of almost anybody. Lassie was massive and even Noele Gordon had her day. But in Sky Saxon, we have to draw the line. His ideas imploded and whole albums were devoted to the worship of the E and D chords. The other Seeds were his wanton disciples. Organist Daryl Hooper used the same solo in at least 10 songs. In one uncharacteristically different song, 'Nobody Spoil My Fun', the group has to shift completely during Hooper's solo, so intent is he on playing his regular part.

For the Seeds , success was an uncomfortable bonus. How could Sky Saxon maintain his role as the world's whipping post when they sold records? Titles like 'You Can't Be Trusted', 'It's A Hard Life', 'Can't Seem To Make You Mine'. 'Two Fingers Pointing At You', all sung by a 10-year-old hysterical brat, were to have limited appeal. Their LPs became primeval classics and Saxon held the banner for all punk singers. After three studio and one brilliantly fake live album, his focus became hazier and hazier. A change of style for a terrible blues LP and later a change of name to Sky Sunlight. The backyard and the world became one place. A bit like Roky Erickson.

The 13th Floor Elevators were the Texas group. On International Artists of Austin/Dallas/Houston, they had a massive hit with Erickson's 'You're Gonna Miss Me'. This had already been a local hit for Roky's early group, The Spades, in 1965. By 1967 he was eating peyote, the psychedelic desert drug, and turning on all the local groups who spent the previous months lamenting Texas' lack of surf.

There is now a brilliant six LP set called 'Flashbacks' available which includes covers of such Elevators classics as 'Splash 1' and 'Reverberation'. Tom Verlaine talked wildly of Televisions debt to the Elevators and songs like 'See No Evil' from 'Marquee Moon' are inspiring proof. Television even opened with a cover of 'Fire Engine' from the 'Psychedelic Sound of...' album and their live 'Arrow' LP includes a brilliant version.

Groups like Rising Storm and Mystic Tide took the brutal sound for themselves and even Iggy Pop was enmeshed for a while. 'Flashbacks III' includes an unsafe and magnificent 'I Can Only Give You Everything' by the Iguanas. With a young Jimmy Osterberg on drums and singing, the song nightmares along over cattle crossings and iron bridges. With a familiar Elevators screech-siren sound, the whole song begins and ends in the tunnel.

"I am from Mars," claimed Roky Erickson in an interview. The journalist wondered, had he any proof?

"I call my mother Ma," he replied.

After the first LP Erikson went into an asylum. The second album was written mainly by the other , more coherent members of the group. The only other weirdo was John St. Powell who changed his name to Powell St. John. Erikson repaired, came out of the asylum to record 'Easter Everywhere', the new album. After that he freaked out again and went back to the asylum.

There were no real weirdos in The Electric Prunes. They formed one maniac intent on destruction. All their early recordings are so raw, they are almost unplayable. On 'You've Never Had It Better', from the 'Everywhere Chainsaw' compilation, they are singing from purgatory to a world with no ears. Their manager, a TV personality called Ben Willow, was intent on making them huge. A deal with Reprise and a tab of acid for the in-house writers.

In Hey Presto time, Nancy Tucker and Mary Mantz gave them 'I Had Too Much Too Dream Last Night' plus a follow-up 'Get Me To The World On Time'. Both singles were classically produced psychedelic punk, fake far-eastern organ and ratty vocals. The songs were hits but the LP was a real bore. They didn't seem to have much control and it was mainly wimpish slush.

'Underground was their second LP and is still available. It was their classic. More in control, they start with the brilliant 45 'Great Banana Hoax', Bo Diddley rhythm and squealing Farfisa. The whole LP was massive with its scythe guitar sound and Pete De Freitas clatter. On 'Hideaway', the drums go crazy and the guitar shrieks. On 'Children Of Rain' the organ phases in a familiar funfair avalanche. On 'Antique Doll' the bass is treacherous, the voices sweeter than need. It's their only consistently great moment. After this they gave over power to a writer/arranger called Dave Axelrod. He is guilty of producing two of the weakest ever albums; 'Mass In F Minor' and 'Kyrie Eylson'. These are bogies up the nose of a great group. Amen.

THE BASICS of British psychedelia are far better known. We've all heard 'See Emily Play', 'All You Need Is Love', 'Paper Sun', 'Hole In My Shoe', but it's hard to separate the good from the shit. Psychedelia here became as style. Every group had a rainbow-abstract-world-in-my-head sleeve. Even Vince Hill and Noel Harrison had 'weird' hits. If they were noticing it, it must be selling.

But what about the others? What about the failures?

The biggest losers were The Creation. They were so close to making it. Pete Townshend asked their guitarist, Eddie Phillips, to join The Who. He wouldn't so Townshend joined The Creation fan club.

Because of their lack of success, Creation fans tend to over-rate them now, so intent on telling us what should have been. True their songs are pretty great. 'Painter Man' and 'Life Is Just Beginning' are so like nursery rhymes, so hummable. When Boney M had a hit with 'Painter Man', it was no shock.

Onstage The Creation were pop-art; Kenny Pickett would stop singing and spray-paint a canvas behind him. Eddie Phillips used a violin bow before anyone, and on all their records, his guitar is so barely controlled that it often feeds back during verses. Edsel have released 'How Does It Feel To Feel'. It's a put together LP and it's great.

But even more manic were The Misunderstood. Like some blues version of the Pop Group, plundering both The Yardbirds and Bo Diddley, and ending up like Captain Beefheart; all crescendos and screeching steel guitar.

Until last year their recordings were rare, rare. Then Cherry Red put out the 'Before The Dream Faded' LP. Get it, it's good. I used to hate 'Who Do You Love', but their version made me rethink, it's like a different song, even delicate in parts. Of course they weren't successful, but they did leave California and live on chips for a year while they tried to make it.

For most of the American groups the major influence was obviously The Rolling Stones. But look further and you'll see the other main groups were The Pretty Things and Van Morrison's early group. Them.

Listen to any US compilation and Them feature everywhere in both songs and attitude. Versions of 'Gloria', 'I Can Only Give You Everything' and 'Baby Please Don't Go' are found throughout. Other songs such as 'Mystic Eyes' were a perfect blue-print for the plundering US garage groups. Listen to The Rising Storm, the Mystic Tide duo, and The Moonrakers.

The Shadows of Knight hit big with their version of 'Gloria' and took Them's style for 'Oh Yeah' and 'Light Bulb Blues'.

Ironically, early Them singles featured session men backing Van Morrison. Decca, in their usual three-piece suit attitude, had no faith in the group.

Eventually, Them split from Morrison and went to Texas, the place which had always loved them so much. They recorded some of their best songs there, such as 'Dirty Old Man' on the 'Moxie' no. 2 EP.

'NUGGETS' INSTIGATED a whole new genre: The Psychedelic Compilation. In 1979, two sets of these albums appeared called 'Pebbles' and 'Boulders'. Both were influenced by Lenny Kaye's 'Nuggets' idea but on a far more wanton and amateur scale. Tracks were often so obscure that no tapes were available and the original scratchy single had to be used as the master.

For a while, these two were essential. They gave a glimpse of previously unknown groups. They have also built into hefty sets. 'Pebbles' now has twelve LPs and 'Boulders' nine.

I've never been a fan of the 'Boulders' series. The sound quality is poor and the tracks are available on many of the newer compilations. But 'Pebbles' still has many essential volumes in Numbers 1,2,3 and 5.

Volume 3 is pure garbled garage psychedelia. Some of it is just plain terrifying.

On 'Spider And The Fly' by The Monocles, the singer is a ten-year-old whose body is turning into a spider. He cries "Help me, help me" as he devours his mother, thinking she's a fly.

Of 'Flight Reaction' by The Calico Wall, it is impossible to print a description. If you don't have this album then buy it. Is it essential? Is the moon made of cheese? Songs with titles like 'Horror Asparagus Stories', 'The Reality Of (Air) Fried Borsk' and 'Suicidal Flowers' are essential to any collection.

The volume you have to have is No. 5, the Punk Masterpiece. Every song has the same theme:

singer meets girl, girl bogs off

singer loves girl, girl screws singer's arch rival

singer loves girl, girl is unaware of singer's existence

On 'No Good Woman' by The Tree, the singer berates his girlfriend, "You're ugly and you're fat, and you've got no teeth". Why does he stay? He sings the whole song with his finger pointed at her throat. "I bought you two Mustangs, and a Cadillac".

The album treats women as though they were a tank regiment, to be beaten down into submission.

Unfortunately the latest compilations now make 'Pebbles' and 'Boulders' seem pale in comparison. While these two have wandered into boring areas, the new US and British albums are getting rawer and more far out than ever.

THE HEIR to the 'Pebbles' throne must be the 'Psychedelic Unknowns' LPs. At first just a two EP set, five albums have now been issued. These include real classics: most obviously 'In The Past' by We The People. 'In The Past' also covered by The Chocolate Watchband, is one of the most beautiful psychedelic songs ever, with a high balalaika guitar sound and raga rhythm. At the time, We The People were complete unknowns but the Eva label, from Paris, has issued their 'Declaration Of Independence' album which is raw and beautiful.

The Calico Wall, refugees from 'Pebbles', turn up with a death wail called 'I'm A Living Sickness', a kind of walking pace Doors. Other names from 'Pebbles' included The Squires and The Split Ends, and there's a double speed cover of Love's 'My Flash On You' by The Sixpence.

I've talked about the 'Texas Flashback' series before. They really are necessary but are now very hard to get. Easier to find is the 'Mindrocker' series, again on Eva. You may find you have doubles of certain songs but it's justified because they are all so good. Volume 4 is easily the best. Based on an old bootleg called 'Acid Visions', Eva has added four Moving Sidewalks tracks and created a new LP. The sound is better than the earlier album and cheaper, but you don't get the wonderful one-off sleeve.

I won't spend vast amounts of time on each compilation, but there are certain vital ones and 'Back From The Grave' is a biggie. The guy who has released its two volumes is a maniac. Into the music at 12, he is now 25 and spends his time driving a hired car the mid-west of America in search of gems. These albums are worth it for the sleeve notes alone.

The groups on these albums are true danger. Long hair? No Faggot Way!! The Malibus, The Brigands, Ralph Neilson & The Chancellors. You'd never get names like that in a psychedelic revival. And at the top of the pile is The Nova's version of 'The Crusher'. Sung by a 200lb. redneck, it devours the Bananmen version.

The same attitude reigns for 'What A Way To Die', a new US compilation and probably the best so far. Subtitled "Forgotten Losers From The Mid-60's", it is incredible, so violent and fucked-up.

From Chicago, and probably with Lou Reed writing, are The Beechnuts with 'My Iconoclastic Life'. As the sleeve says, it is one of the scariest records ever.

"My life is nil, I just take pills

sit for hours just watching the flowers".

Richard And The Young Lions are another one-off classic with the amassed guitars and tubular bells on the start of 'You Can Make It'. They're featured on the sleeve and look like members of five different groups. Other big features are the Human Beinz before they wimped-out and the first ever Standells recording. Whoopee!

Others to look out for are 'Psychedelic Sixties' volumes and the two 'Off The Wall' albums. These are very much garage psychedelia.

For out and out wierdos, look for 'Mindblowers'. The sleeve is a bit cosmic in orange and yellow swirls but the music is faultless, with an early 13th Floor Elevators recording of 'Tried To Hide'.

But the true find is 'Go Insane' by The Doors. It's one of three acetates left and is a blues-rant of song later to become 'Celebration Of The Lizard'. I love it. Morrison sounds so young, unformed voice and no chest beating. For Doors freaks , it's on White Rabbit Records.

The final US essential is 'Psychedelic Moose And The Soul Searchers', an album of magnum opuses ranging from Mouse and The Traps wail of Jeremiah's 'No Sense Nonsense' to The Blue Things 'Orange Rooftop Of Your Mind', a kind of Yardbirds thing, Actually, The Blue Things appear on about seven different compilations and each track is incredible. And there we leave America.

THE BRITISH COMPILATION scene is very restrained compared with its US partner. Albums like 'Not Just Beat Music' have been around for a while but the brain damage was only really started with 'Chocolate Soup For Diabetics'. Now running at three volumes, 'Chocolate Soup' is out-and-out classic.

Volume 1 opens with 'Train To Disaster' by The Voice. Like waiting for a late night tube, it comes screaming out of a tunnel and pummels you in the head. Typical end-of-the-world lyrics and snotty, sneering vocals. It ends in a pandemonium of guitars and treads your face into the ground.

The Misunderstood are featured but even they are upstaged by the mania of The Craigs' 'I Must Be Mad'. It's 'I Can See For Miles' at breakout speed, a commando raid of guitars, the drummer frantically over-playing to make up for his lack of time-keeping.

On The Tickle's 'Smokey Pokey World', the melodies are bright and the acid-guitar line is so pure and simple. One real weird-out is a group called One In A Million. Both of their featured songs are The Jam if they hadn't "Souled-Out". Gruff Weller voice, identical Foxton harmonies, how I wished they'd gone in this direction.

Chocolate Soup has a companion album of psychotic R&B called 'The Demention Of Sound'. Far more raw, it features The Bow Street Runners and The Sorrows, both raw and unmanageable. If you like Cherry Red's Misunderstood LP then you'll love this. Syn, who are on 'Chocolate Soup', are featured here as their blues incarnation, The Syndicates. 'Crawdaddy Simone' is a blues 'European Son', surging across the Russian Steppes.

The man behind Chocolate Soup is Sean Gregory. I've no idea who he is but I love him for his records and for his sleevenotes.

Chocolate Soup also has a two-volume brother in 'Electric Sugar Cube Flashback'. Pressed in the US it features many of the Chocolate Soup bands plus other oddities such as 'Jabberwocky' by Boeing Duveen & the Beautiful Soup and 'Scene Through The Eye Of A Lens', an early Family song when Roger Chapman still sounded like Fergal Sharkey. Best track is 'Gong With The Luminous Nose' by the ubiquitous Fleur De Lys. They have tracks on many compilations, each one a Who/Yardbirds dream of a song.

"Nine times the colour red

Explodes like heated blood" - The Zodiac

That colourful piece of doggerel is included to warn you. There may be many great new LPs around but some of the compilers are obviously intent on flooding a brilliant market with Hippy crap.

For example, if you buy 'Perfume Garden I' you get a brilliant shot of charged punk psychedelia. You get The Eyes, The Birds, and a whole load of riches. But beware if you buy Volume II, you get a whole bunch of hippy and pre-heavy metal with a couple of classics thrown in. I read a 4_ star review in Sounds and smelled an incense burner reviewing it.

The Psycho label which releases 'Perfumed Garden' is a weird conglomerate of classic and bad. Similarly, 'Endless Journey I' on Psycho is dirty and brilliantly fucked up whilst 'Volume II' is failed Mellotron groups who would have killed for a Roger Dean sleeve.

Anyway, enough slagging good intentions. The final album deserving of a mention should really go in a "miscellaneous" category. It's 'Ugly Things', a compilation of Australian psychedelia. I included it here because of its British sound; very Yardbirds, very Pretty Things. They promised Volume II about three years ago. But while that has never surfaced, the rest just keep coming.

IF ANYONE is wondering "where's the Byrds section?" and "what about Buffalo Springfield?" forget it. Yes, they were great too, but everybody knows about them. Everybody should know about these groups, too. I hope in 1996, there are articles about Aztec Camera, Flipper, The Undertones, Alan Vega, Pere Ubu. Everyone remembers them now. But everyone should remember them always.

If anyone is wondering where to buy these albums, them you'll just have to look. The best shops are Vinyl Solution in London, Midnight and Venus Records in New York and maybe G.I. Records in Edinburgh. You can find them everywhere if you try.

I hate revivals of any kind so I hope the Psychedelic Revival has finally died down. But one group that has to be mentioned is The Chesterfield Kinds. Their LP could be from 1967, so close is it to the original. They only record the most obscure classics and are pure Chocolate Watchband.

I hope loads of people can be moved by this music but I have one savage plea:

Don't Turn Hippy On Me.

DISCOGRAPHY (Some have no record label)

Nuggets (Elektra)
Chocolate Soup For Diabetics, Vols. 1, 2, 3. (Relics Records)
Pebbles Vols. 1-12 (BFD)
Boulders 1-9 (Moxie)
Electric Sugar Cube Flashbacks 1 & 2 (A.I.P.)
Back From The Grave 1 & 2 (Crypt)
What A Way To Die (Satan)
Mindblowers (White Rabbit)
Psychotic Moose & The Soul Searchers (P. Moose)
Texas Flashbacks 1-6 (Flashback)
Ugly Things (Raven)
Off The Wall 1 & 2 (Wreckord Wrack)
Psychedelic Sixties 1 & 2 (Cicadelic)
Acid Dreams
A Gathering of the Tribes (and Son of...) (Bona Fide)
Mindrocker 1-8 (Line)
Demention of Sound (Feedback)
Perfumed Garden I (Psycho)
Endless Journey I (Psycho)
Glimpses 1 & 2 (Wellington)
The Chosen Few (A Go Go)
Psychedelic Unknowns 105 (Calico)
Magic Cube (10")
New England Teen Scene (Moulty)
Everywhere Chainsaw
Relics (dB)
Oil Stains (dB)
Burghers
Texas Punk Groups (Eva)
Sound of the Sixties (Eva)
High in the Mid-Sixties
Hipsville 29 B.C.

BEWARE OF...

Perfumed Garden II
Endless Journey II
Glimpses III
Pennsylvania Unknowns
Houston Hallucinations
Echoes In Time

Julian's piece copied from here

The 5.6.7.8's - "Teenage Mojo Workout" (Sweet Nothing, 2002)

2010-12-09T23:40:00.002+02:00

I know i know, i gave a quick look before start begin to write this piece and a good 95% of what i found on the net for the 5.6.7.8's, mention the words "Tarantino" and 'Woo Hoo"! Not bad credits to go with, but hey, these gals have a lot more for someone to check or say than these two.
The 5.6.7.8's of course aren't new on the game. Their cat-ish primitive amalgam of garage rock n' roll-a-billy attracted a loyal fan base early on an with the right moves and some dose of luck, hit (quite) big. I must admit that even myself and because of the gals here, gave the attention deserved to the Rock-A-Teens... They were right in front of me, KICKS crew had covered their story but all i wanted was three little devil driven Japanese chicks to kick my ass! Yoshiko's my favorite! A cute little lynx that playing the guitar on a Link Wray level while screaming on microphone words that sometimes needs you to check on the lyrics (if these exist somewhere...) or the original version if it's a cover tune, to understand what she says! But who cares? She's for sure the "Fujiyama Mama" that legendary Wanda Jackson sang some decades ago. Her sis Fujii Sachiko behind the traps tries to keep steady their train, a for sure of far East Miriam Linna and the tall (at least of the three...) Yoshiko Yamaguchi, playing the bass somewhere in between of the Dee Dee Ramone and the Sun records hillbilly cats. "Teenage Mojo Workout" it's for me their best record. It worth's his price alone just for their version on "Hanky Panky"! I mean, listen to the filth that's produced from Ronnie's guitar (especially in the beginning) and go tell me if I'm wrong anywhere here! They cover also Bo, Booker T & the MG's, Ike & Tina or Bob & Earl proving the best way their intentions and their gusto! All in all, a FUN three chord rock & roll CD best served hot for your next party. Imagine the Ronettes playing with their own instruments The Sonics, Bo Diddley and Wanda Jackson and you're closer than ever to the 5.6.7.8's wild and cute world!
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~~Teenage Mojo Workout~~

New Lost In Tyme Records releases! Check out the Basements & thee Martian Boyfriends, NOW!

2010-12-03T19:31:00.001+02:00

Lost In Tyme records is not new on the market. OK they 're not veterans but in the garage circles they already make sense with their stuff. The Royal Hangmen, The Way-Outs and The Mean Things filth-ed the early steps and now's time (or better...tyme) for some new kicks! The Basements from Thessaloniki Greece and Thee Martian Boyfriends from Belgium have trusted at label bosses hands, Peris (Lost In Tyme zine) and John (the Sound Explosion) their brand new blasts and be prepared to piss off your neighbors once again! Read carefully the press releases and have a ball with 'em!

For any further info click here, here or here!

The Basements - "Heart of Stone EP" (7")

Yeah!! This is it!!

We had so many years to listen to a band like this here in Greece. THE BASEMENTS are a five piece combo coming from Salonika and as real Caveteens, they produce a primitive sound that is really missing so much in nowadays!

If you are into the new trendy alternative noisy Garage sound, or into the menopause progressive sound of the 70’s, then forget about it… this is not for you….

But if you are digging the sound that THE CHESTERFIELD KINGS, THE CRIMSON SHADOWS, THE CYNICS, taught us, then this golden piece of vinyl is for you!

Four original garage punk stompers full of fuzz guitars, screams & wyld organ sound. We are taking about real GARAGE PUNK SOUND… just like those days were Wyld & Primitive… but most of all played in a BASEMENT!!

Thee Martian Boyfriends - "Thee Martian Boyfriends" (CD)

Out of the Red Planet (That is Mars, for you Morons!) come 4 little green men with a huge organ named Thee MARTIAN BOYFRIENDS!

When their flying saucer crashed somewhere in New Mexico, they were horrified by the ugly sounds they heard on the radio.

So they decided to teach the earthlings a lesson in good taste and stepped in the nearest pawnshop. All they could find was an old Farfisa organ, a 1964 Fender Jaguar and a fuzz box but they thought this old shit was good enough.

Once they turned up the volume all hell broke loose….the songs were drenched with fuzzed out guitar and cheesy organ sounds.

So people of the Blue Planet, you better run for cover or learn how to dance the Martian BOOGALOO because these new kings of FUZZ are here to conquer the world and NO HUMAN WILL GET OUT ALIVE....

The Cramps featuring Miriam Linna on drums (Excerpt from "How to Make a Monster", Vengeance - 2004)

2010-11-29T00:22:00.001+02:00

OK, I'm bored to death to repeat my self even though i do this thing constantly. Well, is there anyone of you guys out-there that you don't already know who Miriam Linna is? OK, if you 're a newcomer on this blog I'll give some tags to google a little and find out for yourself her brilliancy! These are : KICKS magazine, Norton Records, Flamin' Groovies Monthly, The Zantees, The A-Bones and... The Cramps!
Many mistake Miriam as the original drummer of our beloved and mighty cannibals, but... actually the first was Pam Ballam (whatta a great nick was that!). But she was the first the Cramps did a recording with. Officially some of them found its way to the public through 2004's "How to Make a Monster" Cramps CD compilation with lotsa previously unreleased tracks of the band and with various line ups included. If my memory serves me well, that brought some tension between Lux, Ivy and Linna, cause the first two never get permission from the last to release this stuff; but the sad loss of Lux made the ones that left behind to bury the hatchet. It's obvious on Miriam's blog entrances about her early days with the Cramps. If you didn't already read and save on you HDDs these pieces, do it swiftly here, here and here! That's history, written in the unique "KICKS" way and essentially given to the fans with great pictures and stuff! I have made pdf files of every post so far Miriam uploaded on Kicksville 66, as a letter of administration to my children when they grow up and must catch on the right chapters of rock & roll! I advise you to do the same, before it's too late...
So, these recordings here not the complete with Miriam behind the traps but sure are the better sounding! I use most times, the Wang Dang Dula site for a deeper knowledge on things i like and i found some boots with more or less, most of the tracks they did together. The one i really need to catch is the "1976 Demo Session" produced by the Flamin' Groovies soundman Richard Robinson!... Any of you guys got it? If yes, please share and I'll be an eternally grateful bastard!
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~~Don't Eat Stuff Off The Sidewalk!~~

Tracks:
- Live at Max's, Kansas City, on January 14, 1977 -
Don't Eat Stuff Off The Sidewalk / I Was A Teenage Werewolf / Sunglasses After Dark / Jungle Hop / Domino / Love Me / Strychnine / TV Set / I'm Cramped
- Studio, October 1976 produced by Richard Robinson -
I Was A Teenage Werewolf / I Can't Hardly Stand It

Downliners Sect - "Nite In Gt. Newport Street" EP (Contrast Sound RBC SP 001, 1964)

2010-11-23T12:43:00.004+02:00

The Downliners Sect had no common ground with all the other British R&B bands of the era. Although many puts 'em in the same can with the Rolling Stones or the Yardbirds, the Sect were rawer and punkier. The only band could match them, were the early Pretty Things. They had obvious similarities. Both bands were edgy. Both bands were punky in sound and attitude. Both bands blew them all cause they were too filthy to be superstars and both bands understood exactly what Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry were trying to say with their unique sound! The parents and the tabloids of the era complaining about the Stones and the Beatles long hair... C'mon, are kidding me?! Mick and Paul were too cute and pretty and in a big way even though their fans deny it, much of their impact on gals wasn't for their music. Don't get me wrong here. I'm a huge Stones fanatic and i respect Beatles melodies and harmonies brilliancy like not much other things in the world, but hey, Don Craine or Phil May never going to be everyone's darlings! And that's the reason why i rated them so high in my mind's hierarchy! And their sound...Gosh that CRUDENESS! I mean, those two gangs were the only from the entire British empire that could easily put their selves in the garage punk intelligentsia!
The "Nite In Gt. Newport Street" EP was the Sect's first release. They had previously recorded on studio Bo & Chuck's "Cadillac" & "Roll Over Beethoven", but for some strange reason this took turn on 1965 if I'm right. Penniman's people have it on the streets again, and i tell you, especially on Bo's tune they kick some serious asses. I strongly believe that this along with the Liverbirds version of "Mona", are the best ever approaches by white people, if not any, on Big Bad Bo (even though i remember clearly John from the Sound Explosion disagree with this opinion, cheers mate)! So, this EP was a self financed release on the large amount of...400 copies. And it worth's a fortune today. If you don't picked up already Penniman's 1000 copies reissue, i guess you'll have to wait for another one pick it up and make it available again in all its crude and raw excellence! Oh, i forgot to tell you that this shit, recorded live in the street's club Studio 51 and i guess you might guess what's happening in here, right?! As the front cover warning, the Downliners Sect PREACHING Rhythm 'N Blues! The hard way i must add... But don't expect something less from people with such bad behavior and their name taken from a Jerry Lee Lewis song...
This is the most primitive record came outta England, and that's enough reason to pay some respect to its savageness!
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~~Nite In gt. Newport Street~~

Jerry McCain - "Turn Your Dumper Down With..." (Black & Allright LP - 001, 1996)

2010-11-21T16:34:00.001+02:00

Jerry McCain is for harmonica just what he's for guitar Link Wray and for piano Esquerita! A wildman. If you'll ever have a chance to meet an alien and this green lamp headed creature ask you the one million dollars question, "What's Rock & Roll you back-warded scum?" you should say, "Jerry McCain, Link Wray and Esquerita"! That's right. OK you should add next Bo, Chuck & Little Richard but we 're flapping our mouths now. Anyway, if you ever wondered by whom barfed the wildest sides and then putted on vinyl plastic, that's the unholy trinity!
Jerry "Boogie" McCain is a key figure for this devil's music. He speed-ed up the blues in a way that make them instantly and without knowing it, punk! On the well known label of Excello created mayhem. The same thing happened and a little earlier for the Trumpet. And what I'm offering here it's a whirlwind bash. Raw as hell and bad to the bone. Don't know if the young Rolling Stones or Pretty Things have known then, Jerry. I'm pretty sure though that even if they knew him, they wouldn't want to touch their hands on. Cause he's DIRTY!
I used the word "punk" somewhere. That happened not only for the attitude of his music. McCain purchased and cut by himself with a cheap record machine (remember, we're talking about the 50s, OK?) his earlier tracks like the one that sent to Trumpet Records, Little Walter's "Crazy 'Bout You Baby". He took Uncle John's side on "Run, Uncle John, Run!" as an answer to Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally" ("Gonna tell aunt Mary, about uncle John..."), recorded a session with the Shindings (better known now as Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs!) and to this day along with Kid Thomas, are the coolest cult figures of Rhythm & Blues and the punks of the idiom. D'ya really need more?
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~~Run, Uncle John, Run!~~

Various Artists - "Ugly Things, the CD" (Raven, 1992)

2010-11-19T23:34:00.001+02:00

On the last UGLY THINGS magazine (issue #30 - Summer 2010), have placed a cool article by Johan Kugelberg on great (at least) and influential 60s punk compilations that grew up generations of misfits (here's another one) which makes a passing through the "Back From The Grave" series of Crypt, "the Chosen Few" volumes (by A-Go-Go), the "Garage Punk Unknowns" Volumes by Stone Age (Hmmm, OK - Crypt) or the small "Nuggets" brother, the "Pebbles". Of course there are (thank God!) millions out there and with all these blogspots around, day by day become zillions. Sure the article has "missings" but hey, this guy wrote his favorites. Everybody got some. More or less i agree with all the selections that Johan made, but I'm still wondering why he'd left out an obvious choice... The one that has the same name with the magazine that extends hospitality on the aforementioned piece. The one that turned our heads to Australia and had inside his grooves all the bastard kids of the Pretty Things (don't forget what the pretties did there...). And I'm talking about Raven's "Ugly Things" series! Originally on LP format (4 volumes) with the first one (and the best of them all) on the streets back in 1980 and the last in 1989. Here's the "best of" CD version of the four; and believe me the one you really need to chase. From here have started my obsession with the Missing Links, the Chants R&B and the Purple Hearts. 26 over the top R&B savage punkers, the way Phil May and Dick Taylor taught 'em. Dirty riffs, pounding drums and walking screams in a 70 minutes full throttle mayhem!
Many thanks to the original ripper of this (at first a torrent), I owe him a lot.You NEED this album!
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~~Ugly Things!~~

The Crossfires - "Out Of Control" (Sundazed, 1995)

2010-11-14T18:06:00.002+02:00

I fuckin' hate the Turtles! I can't stand the hippies anyway - so imagine if these hippies were fat stoned singing altogether with "pom-pom-poms" and shit, "So haaaaappy togeeetheeeerrrr!"... Grrrrrrr!!! I need an uzi and a clip of bullets!
Ain't life full of contradictions? The Crossfires were one of these repugnant things. I mean, take a serious look on these photos here. OK, did you check them carefully? Awright, then give a listen to these fuckers recordings. I tell you people and before you can take a judge for yourself, the Crossfires were a bunch of strolling savage teenagers! One of the USA's most killer surf-instro combos! And actually were the first incarnation of the...Turtles for fuck's sake. As a one track mind i am there was no chance to give a shot on this CD if i knew first who got involved. I know, I'm a sucker but at least respect my honesty. That's another out of print compilation and don't know why these good folks at Sundazed HQ didn't re-reissue yet, gems like this one (preferable format this time, vinyl). From the known surf hymns of "Fiberglass Jungle", 'Chunky","Inferno" and "Silver Bullet" to inspired rockenrollers like Buddy Holly's "That 'll be the Day", "Justine" and the mean lean "One potato two potato", the 'fires just sets dance-halls on (what else?) fire! All these sides along with the Flo & Eddie produced DMZ Sire LP, gives you some reasons to respect something of the Turtles history and proves that none was born a square, he becomes one later!
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~~Fiberglass Jungle!~~

Los Saicos - "Wild Teen-Punk from Peru 1965" (Electro Harmonix, 1999)

2010-11-12T00:17:00.001+02:00

Much hype lately for the psychos from Peru under the same name due to the great compilation got out by Munster. And not without a reason. They were a killer punk combo, probably the best 'round the world in its era (leave outside for obvious reasons, US and England). Of course they never came close to monsters like the Sonics or the Trashmen, and please don't bite the bate I've seen often lately that they were equal of the above, but... They sure were A grade ass kickers!
I bought this some years ago from Norton. I saw it on their catalog and when you're reading something like this,
"Title tells the whole loco tale! Mere words cannot begin to describe the sheer insanity of the 12 brutal bashings on this ten inch LP!" you just can't help yourself to not place an order! Their cult hit 'Demolicion" it's the evil twin of the Trashmen's "Surfin Bird"! Yes, that good! On rave-ups like "Intensamente", "Fugitivo de Alcatraz"or "Salvaje", Los Saicos sound like a street gang menacing people on the hood's corner and even when they "mellow" a little a bit on tracks like "Te Amo" or "Ana", their love words sounds like threats and not like promises! Their guitars snarling at every turn, and the drums have a pure deep and evil cannibalistic tribalism that makes most surf combos sound like fags!
Don't be fooled, if you're looking for real 60s Punk don't try find it on the Seeds or the Music Machine... Here's the real deal!
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~~TATATA...YA,YA,YA!~~

The Kingsmen - "In Person" (Originally on Wand 1964, reissue by Sundazed, 1993)

2010-11-06T17:14:00.002+02:00

So, here’s an ancient math equalization.

Small kids + full time job = no personal time at all

I’m trying to read three books at the same time. I’m trying to listen to every new record I bought (that’s why i-pods exists, God bless their little digital heart!) and when this little devil goes to sleep, I remember my undergraduate years writing words like these, in the late hours. Of course my wife’s moaning constantly, but hey, I’ve got a life too!

So, one of these books is Dave Marsh’s “Louie Louie” and I tell you, it’s a good one. Until now has a good structure and even though dealing with the most popular rock & roll tune ever, has lotsa more to tell you than the song’s history. Anyway, I maybe own about a hundred different “Louie Louie” versions but I’m sure I heard already more than 500 (at least). If anyone’s interested, my faves are by Motorhead, the Troggs (actually I strongly believe Lemmy had as blueprint Troggs’ version), the Sonics, Black Flag…gosh it’s endless. If you’re in a real rock & roll act, simply you can’t fail with a song like this. Everybody knows that “Louie” was a Richard Berry’s song. The first that adopted it and transformed it into a protopunk hymn were the Sonics’ fathers and idols, the Wailers. Rockin’ Robin Roberts was a key figure on this for sure and turn out of turn this Wailers’ version was the landmark for the Kingsmen.

Ahhh, the Kingsmen! OK, I think that even my mother knows them. Landis’ “Animal House” carried the torch to the younger generations and at the time Kingsmen recorded this menace, got a big hit (no 2 – November 1963). The youngsters got crazy, the parents got scared and the cops tried to understand if this two and a half chords, hided communism behind. The picture lower down is one of the many by the FBI files on rebellious "Louie"! How much stupid these @#$^$# were they?!

“In Person” was the LP (originally by Wand) that included “Louie Louie”. It also has "Ben Scepter", a Don Gallucci composition that got it with him after leaving the Kingsmen and forming the magnificent Don & the Goodtimes, which is a crude R&B stomper perfectly designed for garage and mods hops! I don’t like that much the other Kingsmen’s platters (too clean-cut frat for my tastes), but this one for sure a must have. Tough and dirty R&B punkers on a pre-Beatles era and with a strong NW influence all over it! Not bad at all, right?!

The many R&B and Soul covers in it via their garage aspect makes “In Person” a sure shot and a protopunk classic, that has all the important elements to be on the White Trash Soul’s pantheon! And remember this, for this blogger any primitive record that makes people wanna go insane and get drunk, is an ESSENTIAL.

PS: I did this rip from the Sundazed's CD reissue of 1993 with the bonus singles cuts of "Haunted Castle", "the Krunch" and "the Gamma Goochee" . As i checked on their site it's sadly an out of print item. I can't wait for a big fat vinyl reissue of this and i promise to get rid of this digital copy!

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~~In Person~~

The Fleshtones - "Forever Fleshtones" (Danceteria Records, 1994)

2010-10-30T10:13:00.001+03:00

The Fleshtones often counted by many as a garage band. Musically speaking, this designation seems to be at least limitating. This NYC legendary party outfit, always were and always be a genius mixture of all cool things hapenned in rock & roll the last 50 years! I guess that's why they call their-selves 'Super Rock', right? Of course had (and still have) fuzz in their sound and of course they use a Farfisa organ, but... They always chose to cover R&B or Soul obscurities instead of 60s punk classics like all the other "80s garage bands" did. And of course their own material was equal in terms of quality and in comparison with the covers.
Many of the Fleshtones fanatics have one thing in common with the so-called 'rock journalists'. They all agree to the fact that "Roman Gods" and "Hexbreaker!" were the best outputs the 'tones offered to the world in their long time career (almost 3 decades and counting!). Well, I'm one of the possible exceptions. Sure i adore both aforementioned albums, but what it's closer to my heart is "Forever Fleshtones" A.K.A. "Beautiful Light". As you already able to see for yourself, we Europeans got the Danceteria edition as "Forever Fleshtones". I did a quick google search for "Beautiful Light" and came to conclusion that the only differences the two albums had were the covers (the one's front sleeve the others back) plus a sepia coloration on the US edition ("Beautiful Light"). This masterpiece had as producer the R.E.M. axeman, Peter Buck and recorded in Athens Georgia with outstanding results! To tell you the truth, this thing alone made look R.E.M. with more sympathy. Anyway, that's a deeply soulful recording. Rootsy as usual but with a hoodoo voodoo vibe all over it. "Take a walk with the Fleshtones" it's the best ever Kinks rip off and "Whistling Past the Grave" picks not so secretly eyebeams on an another 60s British band, the Yardbirds, while "Beatiful Light" seems to have a southern soul warmness. "Pickin' Pickin'" and "Push on Through" are the Soul stompers of the record and future participatings on comps like 2050's "Land of 1000 Dances Vol.56". The album's closing number, it's a psychedelic (yes psychedelic! - in the unique Fleshtones way, though) masterpiece ("Mushroom Cloud") and has an organ that sounding if it's sampled by a Human Expression or a Seeds old 45 single. All these and more can be found inside this record's heart. If there's one disc by the Fleshtones that needs to be immediately back in stock, that's "Forever Fleshtones" (or "Beautiful Light").
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~~Take a walk with the Fleshtones!~~