Steve Cropper (1941-2025)

 

Steve Cropper: the MG, the Cobra, the Royal Spade, the Mar-key, the Blues Brother. A HUGE chapter in one of the greatest record labels ever as a co-writer, producer, and above all, lead guitarist for their legendary house band. An absolute giant! Come to think of it, it's incredible that 'Green Onions' was simply the result of a few guys goofing around in the studio. With a lethal Telecaster in hand, he has produced the most self-effacing, funky sounds ever, with metronome-crisp timing, deadly accurate chops, earth-moving bottom-line riffs and sharp, nasty little licks. So, in the name of Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Link Wray, Johnny Thunders and Steve Cropper, let me preach one more time and tell you to keep all these Eric Claptons, Richie Blackmores and Stevie Ray Vaughans to yourselves. Here's to the lean, mean and understated fingers of the best ever. Safe travels motherfucker. 

The Throb - Meet The Throb (White Trash Soul 60s Punk No.4)

 

The Throb were an R&B/garage band from Sydney, Australia. They existed for just two years, starting from 1965 and briefly shot to national prominence. Despite their short tenure, the group's punkish potential is evident in their two superb singles. The first is their snarling garage-punk version of 'Fortune Teller', which smashed its way to the top of the national charts in early 1966. The second is their arrangement of the traditional folk song "Black (Is the Colour of My True Love's Hair)". A slashing, feedback-drenched rendition, which pop culture historian Ian D. Marks calls "the most adventurous pop recording made in Australia in 1966".

Their take on "Fortune Teller' was obviously based on The Rolling Stones and not on the Allen Toussaint original and if I remember correctly, their leader, John Bell (vocals, guitar and harmonica), was The Easybeats' original singer for a while and he was friends also with the duo of Harry Vanda and George Young (for those not in the know, George was the older brother of Malcolm and Angus from AC/DC). Anyway, on stage the group had a wild, leather-clad presence that rivalled the Easybeats for sheer euphoria and their debut record and subsequent live shows were unqualified successes. 

Searching for a follow-up to 'Fortune Teller', the group recorded two tracks at Bill Armstrong’s new studios in South Melbourne: a cover of The Kinks' B-side 'I Need You' and a John Bell original called 'One Thing To Do'. However, both tracks were ultimately shelved and did not see the light of day until the '80s when Raven Records included them on Volumes 2 and 3 of the original Ugly Things LP series. Their management eventually selected John Bell's proto-power pop original, 'Turn My Head', and the radical reworking of 'Black' which surpassed the brilliance of their debut, although it was reportedly too shocking for some audiences and radio types in 1966, and didn't perform as well. By the time 'Black' was released in August 1966, some band members were tired of constant touring and after a few lineup changes, sometimes playing as a three-piece, they called it quits. 

All Throb seven known recorded tunes are gathered in one place by me for your listening pleasure. Throughout their short lived existence, Throb were renowned for their wailing harmonica and tormented performances. A 60s punk delirium with howling guitars crying out against suffering vocals that could rightly be placed alongside those of The Missing Links, The Purple Hearts or even The Easybeats. 

David Peter and the Wilde Sect - "The Tornado Sessions" & "Out Of My Mind / Don't Leave Me" (White Trash Soul R&B Series No.21)

Hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark, David Peter and the Wilde Sect tread the line between old-school beat and garage. Their music was fast, raw and loud, authentic sixties-based R&Beat, with beforehand guitars, pounding and steady traps with an added and impressive harmonica wailing. This was rock 'n' roll played the way it's meant to be, as it was by outfits such as The Milkshakes in the recent past or by the early Stones and as their name betrays, the Downliners Sect more than half a century back. Chuck and Bo's ghosts are everywhere, and of course that's a compliment! During their brief lifetime, they only released an EP and a single, and both were gathered by me for your listening pleasure. I wish they had done more.

Various Artists - Wau Y Los Arrrghs Under Influence

I had no idea who Wau Y Los Arrrghs were until these lunatics took the stage at Slovenly's first 'WE'RE LOUD' festival in Athens, Greece, back in 2015. I was mostly there for my teenage crush, the New Bomb Turks, when all of a sudden... BOOM! Yep, just like the Sonics one! I couldn't believe what I was witnessing: the most insane, manic garage PUNK I had ever seen and heard in my life and the most Back from the Grave-influenced outfit since the days of Gravedigger V or the Gruesomes! Naturally, I spent most of my money on their merch and I had to rely on my cousin, who I had dragged along, to provide the rest of the night's booze and it's needless to say also that ever since I have never missed a release of theirs.

Anyway, half (if not most) of their songs are covers of sixties punk and surf instros classics, given Spanish titles and lyrics. In fact, even Los Arrrghs' originals are built on quite many knicked riffs and rhythms. The end result sounds like the Trashmen and the Sonics enjoying paella and sangria at a drunken fair in a small Spanish village in a province full of savages. As mentioned, many of these 'spanishised' songs are a good source of trivia, even for those familiar with the garage, beat or surf genres and here's another 'Under Influence' compilation that's sure to annoy your neighbours!

1. Demolición - Los Saicos
2. Searching - The Omens
3. King of The Surf - The Trashmen
4. Girl (You Captivate Me) - ? & The Mysterians
5. My Brother The Man - We the People
6. I've Been Thinking - Paul Bearer & The Hearsemen
7. It's Great - Jonah & The Whales
8. Yes I Do - The Hatfields
9. They Can't Hurt Me - The Lyrics
10. Help Me Find Myself - The Troyes
11. Can't Be A Lie - Los Mockers
12. Time Will Tell - The Kinks
13. Your Body Not Your Soul - Cuby & The Blizzards
14. On My Mind - Mike Berry
15. One Fine Day - Shel Naylor
16. Sur Une Nappe De Restaurant - Jacques Dutronc
17. Yo Grito - Los Sirex
18. Ace Of Spades - Link Wray & The Raymen

Gary “Mani” Mounfield (1962 - 2025)

Shocked and devastated upon hearing the tragic news. Mani's basslines soundtracked my boyhood. Our boyhood. When he joined The Stone Roses, he was the missing piece that made their star shine. He brought the funk and the groove to their psychedelic indie dance rock 'n' roll. In the annals of rock 'n' roll history, Mani's transition from Roses to Primal Scream stands out as a monumental shift, one of the most significant moves in the genre's storied past. Drawing on his own post-punk background, he gave Bobby Gillespie and his bandmates a new dark twist in a bold second act. 

He was a Manchester music icon and a passionate lifelong United fan. He died on the honest side of history, unlike so many others. He was a massive talent and a top Red, both in football and political terms. A proper geezer and a working class hero. Safe travels motherfucker. 

The Phantom Brothers - Germany's Wildest Beat Group (White Trash Soul R&B Series No.20)

 

The Phantom Brothers were formed in 1959 by sailors Horst Krüger (lead guitar and vocals) and Rudi Krüger (drums), who also belonged to a rocker gang, and Olgerd Woköck (guitar and vocals), a wholesaler. They performed as the Phantoms in Rendsburg. The trio, who took their name from the French band, Les Fentomes, made their first live appearance in 1960. They renamed themselves to the Phantom Brothers when Wolfgang Woköck, Olgerd's brother who played lead guitar with the instrumental group the Tornados, joined the band as bassist.

On 1 December 1963, they came third in a Star Club competition - yes, the one that the young savage Beatles played in and Jerry Lee Lewis recorded the best ever live LP - and were signed by Manfred Weissleder, owner of the famous now St. Pauli rock'n'roll venue before he sent them all over Europe to perform, with guest appearances including the Iron Door Club in Liverpool. Mike Stax (The Tell Tale Hearts/The Crawdaddys/Ugly Things magazine) referred to them as "Germany's Wildest Beat Group" hence the title of my compilation. All of their singles feature outstanding R&B performances with edgy, aggressive guitars and pounding drums, this is why the German youngsters nicknamed them their country's answer to the Rolling Stones. 

Dieter Horns of another Star Club garage beat band, the German Bonds said: "The Phantom Brothers were the absolute punkiest and hardest thing to see at the time. The Pretty Things later were perhaps similar. The Phantom Brothers were from the boonies. But they performed it so mercilessly, we could all just take our hats off." Their early 1966 and first single, “Chicago” b/w “It Ain't Necessarily So" remains a 60s punk monster which forced Tim Warren to include it in the famous Trans World Punk Rave Up compilation in 1987. Crude!

Beady Eye - Complete 7Inches (WTS Popkid No.3)

Beady Eye was often dismissed as Oasis 2.0, whatever that means, but they were much more than that. Of course they sounded like Oasis minus Noel, because that's what they were (duh!). People expected that, and there are plenty of things to be snobby about just to seem hip or sophisticated to a certain crowd, but nobody actually gives a fuck. You know why? Because, just like The Faces, Slade or The Ramones, Beady Eye (or Oasis, for that matter) was always a people's band. There were no pretentious assholes, just an old-school rock 'n' roll gang with a warmth that knicked whatever they liked, just like their heroes did. So fuck you very much if you came that far!

Their reception among critics and the "indie" mob was, at best, sceptical. Their records just weren't good enough for them. I don't know what they were thinking and to be honest to this day I'm typing these lines, I don't care. Because you don't buy into Beady Eye for the groundbreaking stuff, mate. I mean, take a closer look at them. Their artwork and aesthetic were massively influenced by the Immediate Records and the whole Swinging London scene. I have always been captivated by their connoisseur, characterised by that mod-style dressing with flashy shirts and scarves, not to mention the incredible jackets, reminiscent of those worn by The Creation, The Birds and any other mid-to-late sixties freakbeat band worth their salt, along of course with those iconic Beatles hairdos from the "Rubber Soul" era. 

As for the songs, you can clearly hear the influence from The Beatles and The Who to the early Humble Pie or Status Quo at their most hooligan and pub rowdy. Even when they tried to adopt a more adventurous and psychedelic approach, on their second and last step "BE" incorporating the motorik Velvets rhythms (and some Stooges like one note piano), they were still able to produce some seriously good music when they were in the mood for it. 

So, if there's one thing I can be sure about, it's that Beady Eye were definitely a singles kind of band. Thinking of this, I gathered all their seven-inch singles, even the Pretty Green super rare remixes two-sider and after a LONG hiatus, I played them all again on my earphones and I'm telling you guys and gals that I haven't been able to listen to another band for two days in a row now. 

Anyway, I always thought they were great and didn't deserve to fail so badly or having such a bad mouthing. Beady Eye was rock 'n' roll at its best, in a time real rock'n'roll was/is under most people's radar and definitely underground. There's none of that mainstream stuff, no anthemic choruses, and it's kind of raw — at least by Oasis standards. And when the songs were good, they were fuckin' brilliant! And oh, at least had an identity. After all, you can't take the opinions and criticism of people who thought their haircuts weren't cool seriously. They're clueless and have no connection to rock 'n' roll or its history. Right? RIGHT!

Re-Up: Iggy & the Stooges - "Unrough Powder: The Trueborn Raw Power Mixes" (WAXEP001)

Esquerita! - The Soul Sides: 1966-1968 (WTS Soul No.7)

Here's another uncompiled chapter that I lay my hands on. The same thing was hoped for with Little Richard's Brunswick stuff that was posted a few months prior to the RSD release. By the way, have I ever mentioned how much I hate RSD and its prices? The music industry can go fuck itself! It's ridiculous what's happening with vinyl prices in general nowadays. Could something else become fashionable and trendy, and quite quickly please? You need a small fortune every time you want to buy something. Capitalists and record collectors can all kiss my arse. 

Anyway, let's get back to the subject. Here's my attempt to bring together Esquerita's mid to late-60s soul recordings in one place. He wasn't calling himself Esquerita now, but Eskew Reeder, SQ Reeder or The Magnificent Malochi instead. I don't know why he did this, but it definitely didn't help his sales. The story goes like this: Following the unissued Detroit sessions on Berry Gordy's Motown, Esquerita travelled to Atlanta, Columbus and New York city. He reportedly played with both Jimi Hendrix and Maurice James at the Hawaii Kai on Broadway. He probably knew Jimi from a previous session with Little Richard, I suppose, or maybe he just knew him in general. Just like Gene Vincent did before, which resulted in his manic rock 'n' roll recordings for Capitol Records that most people are familiar with, Hendrix brought Eric Burdon to see him but nothing happened. A completely unissued session for Herb Abramson's Triumph Records, came to light thanks to Bear Family Records in 1990 as 'Sock It To Me, Baby' with great liners by Norton's Billy Miller. Esquerita performed alone with his piano. 

In November 1965, he recorded four tracks for Okeh in Nashville, Tennessee. Two singles were issued in 1966, ‘I Want to Know’ and ‘Tell the World About You’, with backing vocals from the Sweet Inspirations. In an interview with legendary Kicks magazine, Esquerita said that he had relocated to Puerto Rico in 1965 or 1966, where he worked in nightclubs, before moving to Miami Beach, Florida. Esquerita claimed that he had played on Little Richard’s Okeh sessions during this period also. 

Screaming Jay Hawkins also referred to Esquerita as having worked in New York clubs, playing the organ with just a drummer backing him, and having had his wild and famous pompadour cut down. Another session was planned, the one at the Bell Sound Studios in New York for an unknown label. An acetate featuring five tracks, surfaced in Miami and a second acetate appeared on eBay sometime in the 2011. The style is similar to the Okeh sides: up-tempo and mid-tempo soul-blues with excellent drumming, as S.J. Hawkins said. There is a seven-minute version of Nina Simone's 'Sinner Man', featuring outstanding performances by both musicians. The whole thing was released by Norton Records as 'Sinner Man: The Lost Session' in 2012, and is definitely worth tracking down. 

Esquerita's next chapter was with Brunswick Records, the same label as Little Richard once again, he had just adopted the name 'The Magnificent Malochi' and Dr. John, who was living in Los Angeles at the time, is credited on keyboards (Harold Battiste played on that meeting too!). The session ended abruptly and the single was not released until the following year due to a violent clash with his manager, Charles Greene. During his second session with Brunswick in Los Angeles, Little Richard recorded his first Esquerita song, 'Stingy Jenny', as I mentioned in my piece on Ricardito more than six months ago.

His final single, released on the Cross-Tone label (a division of Columbia) and was recorded in New York in 1968 (or 1969 according to different sources). One side was dedicated to the glorious days of the famous New Orleans club, the Dew Drop Inn. In the liner notes to 'Vintage Voola' Esquerita is quoted, "Have you ever heard "Dew Drop Inn" by me? Little Richard heard mine and tried to copy it. You see, Richard — that big-headed child — can be stubborn sometimes. I told him, 'Man, if you do the song word for word like I told you, you'll have a hit!" And so he did the King and Queen of rock'n'roll on the amazing Reprise LP 'The Rill Thing'. The A side was the one that was a little later adopted by the young lads in England and their Northern Soul scene, the 'You Better Believe Me' masterpiece! This tune of storming rhythm and soul is absolutely sizzling and should have been a huge hit but it wasn't once more.

Are you still with me? OK, as I mentioned earlier, here's an unofficial gathering of his last ever recorded, released and uncompiled all-in one place gospel-infused soul shouters! All eight sides are as brilliant and feverish as everything else he did. I've added a bonus track at the end: the 1965 'Dew Drop Inn' demo recording of just him, his piano and a tambourine raising hell. Cheers!

The Who - Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy (Alternate White Trash Soul Version)

 

'Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy' is the first in a long line of Who compilations. It is also widely regarded as the best. One reason for its success is that it has an actual purpose. Meaty was designed as a collection of the group's singles, many of which were never released on albums and it was compiled by Pete Townshed himself.  

However, there were some negative aspects to the situation at first. Kit Lambert, The Who's manager, tried to change the track order, but failed because too many copies had already been produced. The UK release was delayed because The Who and their other manager, Bill Curbishley, failed to consult Lambert but anyway. Aside from 'Boris the Spider' and 'I'm a Boy', every track on the album had been released as a single in the UK. Furthermore, all except 'A Legal Matter', 'Magic Bus and 'The Seeker' were top ten hits. 'Happy Jack', 'I Can See for Miles', 'Magic Bus' and 'Pinball Wizard' were also Top 40 hits in the US.

As it was released before 'Who's Next', it doesn't feature any of the group's later radio friendly "rock" hits. But that's for the best, in my opinion at least. I never liked them that much, if at all, right after. The Who have always been a maximum R&B outfit of pill-poppin' mods, not a bunch of long-haired hippies.

This time, I'm offering an alternate version of 'Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy'. I love the Ox, but 'Boris the Spider' was a joke, not a proper song — let alone one worthy of such a great collection. So I threw it out, don't care for any different aspect, it's my blog after all. I replaced it with what I consider to be the most underrated early Who song: 'Circles', which I learned from the Fleur De Lys' cover version when I was younger. Then I added two more: 'Call Me Lightning' was another US-only single that made it to the Top 40. Aside from that, it remains an amazing sonic blast of proto-power pop with added doo-wop vocals — it could have been easily a song by the Action!

At the tail end of this alternate look of mine it's the monster that is 'Goin' Down'. A song by Don Nix, a veteran of the Memphis music scene, having been involved with the very first house band for Stax Records, The Mar-Keys, since the late '50s. It is likely that this version was based on Freddie King’s rendition, which appeared on his 1971 album 'Getting Ready'. Pink Fairies and the Jeff Beck Group both tried it in the studio and at concerts, but Townshend and Co. probably went there first. There is only a live recording of it from 1971, and its sole legitimate release was on the 1987 rarities kind of thing album, 'Two's Missing'. A powerful smack in the vain of  'Live at Leeds'. Of course a no single release but to yours truly a battle cry to their younger and angrier days.  

All original MBB&B songs are ripped from the 1985 US CD version by MCA. 

The reason was no other than Steve Hoffman's remastering. A well-known figure in the audiophile community, he is named for using every time the best available source tapes and Hoffman's mastering is praised widely for improving the sound of the early Who recordings. The key element of his remastering work was the replacement of the original LP's fake stereo tracks by using vintage true stereo and mono mixes. I often visit his forum to see what Steve or others have to say about recordings and pressings I'd like to put my hands on. 

For the Meaty project, he wrote this: That's what I tried to do for the original MCA MEATY CD. The big problem is that in the late 1970s, the Who's material was "divided up" and the earlier stuff (starting, I think, at PICTURES OF LILY and going back) stayed at Brunswick, UK and stuff from I'M A BOY and later) went to the Who for their new TRACK label. So in the UK there are two different sets of owners, two different master vaults and a lot of confusion and bad blood. In the USA everything stayed with Decca/MCA so it was easier for me to recompile the set from scratch (I only had an afternoon) but a lot was a tape copy from the UK but at least true mono or true stereo. I doubt that would be possible to do in the UK now except by legal wrangles.

For the Extras I used rips from: 

1. CIRCLES, The Who '66 (2001 CD - Polyboy Records, duophonic)
2. CALL ME LIGHTNING, Magic Bus - The Who On Tour (2007 CD, Decca Records Japanese, Stereo)
3. GOIN' DOWN, Who's Missing & Two's Missing (2011, Polydor Records, SHM-CD Japanese, Stereo)

I also created the front sleeve featuring the then WHO logo, which I attached to the bottom right corner using scans of the original pamphlet that came with the American edition of 'Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy' in 1971.