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

Scandinavia and especially Sweden, played a key role in the 80s re-generate of Garage.
Swedes always had the talent to speak and sing perfectly in English language. All these kids en-fleshed the power, the snotty attitude and the whole “basement” atmosphere of legendary comps like "Pebbles" or "Transworld Punk", creating CLASSICS that can easily stand proudly next to the works of their 60s forefathers!
The Creeps, The Stomachmouths, The Crimson Shadows, The Highspeed V, The Nomads and in our case The Wylde Mammoths, had the punk savageness of The Sonics plus this unique Rhythm & Blues sound, patented from the Pretty Things and their Dutch aficionados, Q65 and The Outsiders.
In a quick look on the net I noticed some uploads for the two LPs the Mammoths released through Crypt but what about their 7inch EPs?
By the way, the Wylde Mammoths were the first ever “modern” group that signed Crypt! I read many times that (the master!) Tim Warren tried to convince these cavemen for a proper re-release of their albums on CD. The last time that any new info came to my attention; it supposed to be out with bonus great, live n’ savage material but… You never know with these Cavemen!
Anyway, I totally ADORE and RESPECT Mammoths’ leader, Peter Maniette whatever has in his mind!
So, these are all their (super rare!) three 7inch EPs, ripped from my vinyl collection and gathered together with their covers. I must give a credit to this dude on the Savage Sounds (http://savagesounds.wordpress.com) for the scans since mine died long ago and I’ll have to replace it when I found some spare time! Anyway, thanks bro whoever you are!
Let’s hope sooner or later to have in our hands at least their two LPs "Go Baby Go!" and "Things That Matter" re-released and gathered with bonus WYLDE material!
‘Till then, enjoy what this blog offers!

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"Four Wolly Giants" - 7" EP 
Tracklist:
All The Birds Are Gone 
I’ve Been Hurt (And She Don’t Care) 
I Got You
You Gonna Need Me When I’m Gone
 
Personnel:
Peter Maniette: vocals/guitar/harp
Per Wannerberg: guitar
Patrick Emt: bass
Johan Maniette: drums

Help That Girl 7" EP

 

Tracklist:
Help That Girl 

Nothing I Can Do 

You 

In My Lonely Room

Personnel:
Peter Maniette: vocals/guitar/harp
Per Wannerberg: guitar
Patrick Emt: bass
Stellan Wahlstrom: drums

Misty Lane 7" EP

 Tracklist:
You Gotta Go 

Drivin’ 

Bloodhound 

I Can’t Change

Personnel (maybe...):
Peter Maniette: vocals/guitar
Thomas Sodergran: guitar
Jens Linberg: bass
Patrik Sjorvist: drums

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The Last Drive - Underworld Shakedown (Hitch-Hyke Records 1986 LIFT002)

The Last Drive are arguably the best rock n roll gang ever came out of Greece. Period.
Today are reformed and with a new album. It's ok, but it's not rock n roll. At least the way they taught rock n roll to creatures like me. You see, born and bred in Greece is not a cool way to hear and dig these sounds. Everything came here with a distance of 10 years later. Garage, Beat, Punk...I don't care for the other shits. As I said, they're not rock n roll, so i don't fuckin' care!
They are still good guys and in their 40s now, maybe matured, but  I'm not! I'm still in my early thirties.
With one of my best friends, Dimitris, we took and excellent interview about 2 years ago for our then fanzine. Never came out both. Maybe someday when we found the time, translate the whole conversation in English and post it in our blogs.
What's unique about them is that they were almost from the beginning something like street intellectuals.
On the "Underworld Shakedown"'s thanx list huddle guys and gals like: Philip K. Dick, Ranxerox, Iggy Pop, Link Wray, the Human Expression, the Velvet Underground, Larry & the Bluenotes, Johnny Burnette, Catherine Deneuve and the whole LP was dedicated to James Cagney!
You know, the dude on "White Heat" movie!
I mean, in a time when the whole wide world gave cool garage revivalists that dedicated their albums to the Flintstones, these fuckers pick on the above!
Ah and the music's here a blender of all these. Not only Garage. To tell you the truth, i still believe this is one of the BEST albums rock n roll ever throw out! And yes, it came from a small corner of this earth that has nothing to do with rock n roll! Nothing at all! Greece....
"The Valley of Death" did Greg Shaw check them, "The Night of the Phantom" tears in pieces Larry's original, "Sidewalk Stroll" has the best sneaky riff Link Wray never produced and "Repulsion" has the sweat of Catherine Deneuve's beautiful eyes in Roman Polanski's movie with the same name.
"Misirlou" proves why only Greeks can play her (ask Roubanis too), and "Blue Moon" has the lament of Elvis' loss.
You really need more...?

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  Track List:

01. Me 'N My Wings
02. Valley Of Death
03. Poison
04. Misirlou
05. This Fire Inside
06. Blue Moon
07. Sidewalk Stroll
08. The Shade Of Fever
09. Every Night
10. The Night Of The Phantom
11. Repulsion

Personnel:

Alex K. - Voice, Ripper Bass

George - Guitar, Slide Guitar, Fuzztone Mess, Vocals

Nick "Pop Mind" - Guitar, Fuzztone Guitar, Feedback, Vocals

Chris B.I. - Drums, Tambourine, Vocals

Hannelore Thospann - Organ on "Every Night"

Me holding the limited edition remastered colored vinyl 

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Whip It On 'Em - Sixteen Soul Stirring Stompers (Candy Records LP )

Ok, if I must be honest the Motown’s soul was and still remains the absolute PEAK of the genre! Even if it was in a way mainstream, popular and sold millions of records, it was also highly energetic, extremely emotional and gave a thousand reasons to be liked by your body and your heart. 

On the other hand there was Stax and Atlantic. Atlantic was substantially a makeweight to Motown and Stax (my favourite if I have to pick some) was the rawer side of the two above giants. If you have to blame someone for starting the Funk, blame Stax! Those were more or less the basic 3-pole of soul music.

There were more although smaller labels with lesser known artists (to be specific, known only to fanatics) that treated soul like rhythm & blues or better, like rock n roll! They approached it as a mindless fun only music, tailor made for your legs and your ass only!

This long outta print compilation to me is something like Soul music’s “Nuggets” or even better Soul’s “Back from the Grave”. What your ears going to taste is raw and wild, hard and heavy soul stomps, nitty gritty boogaloos with rough vocals and warn your ass, extremely up-tempos!

If you look at the right places, you’re being able to catch a CD under the title “Shakin’ Fit!” still on Candy Records, which in fact are 13 of these ass kickers plus 16 more! If you like this maybe I’ll upload it later. A great batch of obscure pre-Funk 45s for your legs only. Ok, your ass too!

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Track list:

01. Don Gardner - "My baby likes to boogaloo"
02. Pancho Villa & The Bandits - "Ain't that bad"
03. Bobby Davis - "Damper Down"
04. Rex Garvin & The Mighty Cravers - "Sock it to em J.B. pt 1"
05. Joe Matthews - "You better mend your ways"
06. Four Holidays - "Grandma Bird"
07. Kitty Love - "You gotta change"
08. Donald & The Delighters - "Wang Dang Dula"

09. Sonny Raye - "Whip it on me"
10. Mickey Lee Lane - "Hey Sha-lo-ney"
11. David jones and the fenders - "Boss with the hot sauce"
12. R.T. & The Pot Lickers - "Sticky Pig Feet"
13. The Five Du-Tones - "Sweet Lips"
14. Bill Robinson & The Quails - "The Cow"
15. Don & Dewey - "Heartattack"
16. Harvey Scales & The 7 Sounds - "Get Down"

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T- Bird Party! A Swangin' Slew O' Greasy R&B 1957-61 (2000 - Crypt?)

If it comes for mostly unknown R&B acts of the 50s, with goofy lyrics, greasy raw sound and a campy essence (Esquerita's style), then i'll go apin' CRAZY! This digital platter is full of these elements. Gritty rhythm & blues (even some jump blues) that sometimes intrudes the soul area, galvanized specially for dancers and wild wild drunken parties! It contains several dynamites but the one that makes the difference here, is the "Du De Squat"  hymn, the original (i think...) recording by Little Luther, made famous decades later by the sloppiest party band ever, the A-Bones featuring the world's best worst singer and Sultan of Squat, the Great Gaylord! No further info 'bout the label though in the covers, but I'm quite sure the master of rude and primitive pow ,Tim Warren and his Crypt Records are behind this! Loads of corny wailin' FUN here! "DIG IN BABY, DRINK UP AND TURN IT UP"!

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Dale Hawkins - Oh! Suzy-Q (Chess LP 1429-1958) + 8 Bonus!

A true Legend in his own way, the Louisiana born & bred Dale Hawkins came to this world to teach some lessons 'bout simple and hard ass rock n roll! The rest of the world got to know him best for "Suzy Q" more from the versions that did the Rolling Stones or the Creedence Clearwater Revival and less his, but Who F***in' Cares? A damn good song is always a DAMN GOOD SONG! And that's A HELL OF A GOOD SONG!
As one of the few white artists of Chess Records created a mayhem that no one ever again can duplicate! His father played in a country band and on the other hand Dale always liked the blues. I guess you know now why this ace put out music like this! Animals like James Burton, Roy Buchanan and Scotty Moore picked up by him for an extra blast on his Chess recordings. Shit! I don't wanna write more. This man was a Tornado as his song claimed and cliche phrases like "will be miss him" here are the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth! What this blog offer for your education is the 1958's "Oh! Suzy-Q" LP that cut on Chess plus more eight fire-burners! All you have to do is to blast 'em!
Your next steps is to order from Norton Records the "DAREDEVIL"(LP/CD 256 - Unreleased & Rare MONSTERS!) and the "ROCK N ROLL TORNADO" from Ace (CDCHD 693 - The ABSOLUTE gathering of the Checker sides! ).

Track List:

01. Suzy Q
02. Don't Treat Me This Way
03. Juanita
04. Tornado
05. Little Pig
06. Heaven
07. Baby, Baby
08. Mrs Merguitory's Daughter
09. Take My Heart
10. Wild, Wild World
11. See You Sonn, Baboon
12. Four Letter Word - Rock
13. Aint't That Lovin' You Baby (Bonus)
14. My Babe (Bonus)
15. Liza Jane (bonus)
16. Lonely Nights (Bonus)
17. Every Little Girl (Bonus)
18. Lulu (Bonus)
19. First love (Bonus)
20. Gooblie Booblie (Bonus)

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Mark Lamarr Presents - Mule Milk 'N' Firewater (WESTSIDE - WESF103 - 2000)

One more E-X-C-E-L-L-E-N-T compilation from the hands of Mark Lamarr! A true study on the Rhythm & Blues and Rock & Roll sound from the late 40s to the early 60s! All from the vaults of the legendary label "King" and its subsidiary labels "Deluxe" and "Federal"! For those to know, you might guess that the level of the traks here is unquestionably "A" grade! Even for the beginners who wants to go deeper and deeper to these frantic ass shakes, there are plenty of well known names such as Big Jay McNeely, Little Willie John, Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, Roy Brown, Jack Dupree and Joe Tex. The true aces of this party stomper though (at least for me) are the two supershits courtesy of Rudy Ray Moore and the Gardenias! The Dolemite in 1955's "Ring a Ling Dong" excels in everything you might think and the vocal group of Gardenias KICKS ASS in a superhot re-execution of Esquerita's classic "Gettin' Plenty Lovin''", here as "My Baby's Tops" backed up from Ike Turner's Kings Of Rhythm!
Outstanding piano boogies, wailin' wild saxophones, out of control drum beats from the masters of the genre! Trully lads, this must be ONE of the few R&B collections out there that are synonymous with the word "UNBELIEVABLE!" and it's a true shame Westside Records didn't re-released it yet making it overnight a rare hottie! Give this thing a play and grab it if you ever found it!

Track List:


01. Rudy Moore - Ring A Ling Dong (2:28)
02. Roy Brown - Hurry Hurry Baby (Unissued Alternate) (2:57)
03. Brown, Little Tommy - Goodbye I'm Gone (2:26)
04. Fred Clark - Bobby Sox Rocker (Unissued Take 2) (2:33)
05. Big Jay McNeely - Mule Milk (Unissued) (3:04)
06. The Checkers - Can't Find My Sadie (2:39)
07. Five Jets - Everybody Do The Chicken (2:43)
08. Hank Ballard & The Midnighters - That Woman (2:02)
09. Fred Clark - Ground Hog Snooper (2:17)
10. Rufus Gore - Fire Water (2:19)
11. Champion Jack Dupree - Stumbling Block (3:03)
12. Joe Tex - Davy You Upset My Home (2:37)
13. The Lamplighters - Bo Peep (2:17)
14. Las Gardenias - My Baby's Tops (2:27)
15. Joe Perkins & The Rookies - How Much Love Can One Heart Hold (2:18)
16. Danny Cobb - Hey Mr Warden (2:39)
17. Topsy, Tiny - Aw Shucks Baby (Take 2) (2:23)
18. Joe Benson - Rock 'n' Roll Jungle (2:20)
19. Little Willie John - Look What You've Done To Me (2:11)
20. Little Willie John - Uh Uh Baby (2:08)
21. H-Bomb Ferguson - Midnight Ramble Tonight (2:19)
22. Ronnie Molleen - Fat Mama (2:20)
23. Willie Wright & His Sparklers - Got A Feelin' (2:35)
24. Hank Ballard & The Midnighters - Come On Baby Let's Shake It (2:08)


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Interview : Philippe Marcadé (The Senders, The Backbones)

No special introduction needs to our guest. Philippe Marcadé is a true legend. I feel very honored that he took happily my request for an interview. Light up a cigarette (this is a smoking FREE area!), put some alcohol to your glass and read what answered to my silly questions!

 
Hi Philippe. Thank you for the chance you gave me to interview you. I’d like to take things from the start. You are French, right? What was the thing that made you flew to NYC and leave behind Europe in the first place and when did that happened?

Well, that was in 72, I was 17 and going to Art School in Paris, where I grew up. I went to Amsterdam one weekend and met this American kid from Boston named Bruce, who was just the coolest. He came back to Paris with me, and when he went back to the States, a month or so later, I went along, planning to spend a month there. 38 years later, I’m still in New York… Never finished Art School…

Europe and especially France have a long tradition for liking American music, especially rock n roll. Are you aware of this? I mean, you were a rock n roll-rhythm & blues fanatic before you get there?

Yes, well, I grew up with The Beatles and The Stones, like everybody else, but I saw Vince Taylor play in Paris when I was 15 and that just shook my world. But most of my “Vintage R&R and R&B” education came later, here in the States.

Once Tim Warren said that rock n roll ignored totally by Americans and what’s left is only Europe and maybe Japan as a market for this kind of music. Is it true? What’s the eye beam of a European  that lives in the States?

Yeah, I think it’s true. Willy DeVille did make it to #1 in the charts in France with his version of "Hey Joe", while no-one gave a damn for him here.

 
The Senders were your first ever try for a band? Give us some details for the beginning and please clear up one thing. I’m a Thunders fanatic. There are several sources that claim Johnny was an original member of the Senders even though never recorded something officially with them. On the other hand some others believe that never was a true member of the band and just helped on concerts. So, what’s the truth here?

Well, he wasn’t an original member, but he did join in for five gigs! Steve, our bass player, was a friend of Johnny since high school, so he was always around. The Senders started in 76 and I was originally the drummer, but the rest of the band insisted I just sing. I’m not sure if it was because they though my singing was so great or if they just hated my drumming!  We had this cool Mexican guitar player named Jorge, but he went home to Mexico, and so when that line-up fell apart, in 78, Johnny, who was himself having a feud with Heartbreakers at the time, offered to do a handful of gigs as our guitar player. It was never supposed to be a permanent thing. We only played three nights at Max’s and two at Hurra’s. It was great, thou, ‘cause he was totally into it, even insisting on learning our tunes instead of going for covers he already knew, which amazed us. The gigs with him were a blast. One of them was filmed and is on Youtube, now. Johnny made up with the Heartbreakers and we got Wild Bill Thompson as our permanent guitarist. Thru the years, Johnny always came back to do a tune or two with us, thou, when he was in town. He was a great friend and we miss him very much.

When and were did you met Johnny? How this friendship started?

In Boston in 74. Bruce and I went to a party after a New York Dolls concert and ended up playing dice with Johnny, with big pink furry dices like the ones you hang on rear-view mirrors. Bruce got him all worked up by talking about… tomato sauce, of all things!  Both being Italians, they got into this hilarious debate on how to cook it right..!  It ended up with Johnny inviting himself over for a spaghetti dinner at our flat. We thought he was joking, and, indeed, were astonished when he called up a couple of weeks later, as the Dolls had came back to play in Boston again. He came over with Sable Starr, they loved Bruce’s tomato sauce and adopted us for life!!


For what already know and read in several books about NYC’s rock n roll scene of the 70s, no one seems to involve the Senders in that picture. I mean ok, there are few mentions for the band but to me except for the Dolls, all “first” (chronologically) bands there; wasn’t rock n roll at all. Television, Patti Smith, the Velvets? Ok arty- for sure, fresh breath-hmm, alright but rock n roll..? No way! I think the Heartbreakers along with the Ramones, the Senders and the Dictators are the real ones! What’s your opinion about it? Don’t you feel a little bit laid out being on the front and never get the credit you deserve?

Nice compliment, thank you very much. I’m delighted and surprised when we are mentioned anywhere, but, I mean, you know, I was also surprised they didn’t throw me off the stage after five minutes at our first gig!!

       
The Hound wrote on his blog that the Senders gigs were the perfect place to be for your nights out! What he wrote exactly is: “It was a great place to meet girls, usually skinny one with too much mascara, straight blond or black hair, black cotton tights and spike heel shoes.” Really now, the Senders attracted the female society of the city? That’s rare man for a rock n roll show, don’t you think?

We mostly attracted people we owned money to!!


I found that the press of the time treated very well to the Senders. The Village Voice, the Soho News and the Trouser Press even the N.M.E. all wrote cool things about you. What happened and the band’s first release was by Max’s Kansas label and not from a major like most of the other groups?

Max’s had a restaurant, and they made us an offer we couldn’t refuse: Free food!! We did send our demos to some Majors. We got them all back, and were always amused by the big  “RETURN TO SENDER” stamped across the envelope.


Is it true that Max’s had on the menu a drink called “The Sender”? What’s the recipe for it?

Yes, it’s true, but I don’t remember what was in it.  You could also get a Blondie, or a Heartbreaker, or, if you REALLY wanted to die, a Suicide, which had gin, whiskey, vodka, cognac and God knows what else in it.


 To this day the Senders are remembered as “the New York’s answer to Dr. Feelgood”. I read also that when the Feelgoods came to States, after their show tried to check you on concert. What happened? They saw you? What were their reactions?

We loved them, and yes, they came to see us at CBGB, right after getting booed off the stage at the Palladium, opening-up for Gentle Giant!! We met Lee Brilleaux, that night, which was an honor.

You have played the drums for the Gang War, a band mostly remembered by the fans of Johnny Thunders and Wayne Kramer. Why did you leave them? What you recorded with them? Tell me a few things on this too. There must be a LOT of drugs there, huh?

Johnny called me up, one night, all exited, to tell me that he was starting a new band with Wayne Kramer, which, of course, I though was fucking great. They wanted to start recording right away and needed a drummer. I was in New York and they were in Michigan but before I could blink they had me on a plane that very night and in a studio in An Arbor moments later. I was thrilled to meet Wayne who turned out to be even cooler that I had imagined. There were no rehearsals or anything. Ron Cooke, a friend of Wayne from Detroit was on bass, great guy too. I just sat at the drums having no idea what we were gonna do. They rolled the tape and Johnny just looked at me and said “Bo Diddley” and so I started ..Bam-ba-bala-bam bam-bam.. and we recorded Who Do Voodoo on the spot. Then we did M.I.A., then it was Just Because I’m White, Fats Domino’s I’m Gonna Be A Wheel and I’d Much Rather Be With The Boys, from The Stones. They didn’t like the studio we were in, so the second night we went to another one. One funny thing that happened was that when we got to that studio, the guy who owned it got a little freaked out when he saw us arrive and asked to see everybody’s I.D! Gang War’s “manager” told him:
“You must be joking! These guys happen to be very famous musicians! This is Wayne Kramer from The MC5, and you got Johnny Thunders from The New York Dolls over here!” The owner didn’t seem convinced at all and spat back “Don’t try to pull a fast one on me, buddy, my son was a big fan of The New York Dolls and he’s right here!”. He then proceeded to call his son “HEY, BILLY, COME DOWN HERE A MINUTE, WOULD YOU ?!” and out comes the fat kid in bermuda shorts, eating a sandwich.. “Is this one from the New York Dolls?” he asked, pointing at Johnny. The kid took a close look, hesitated a bit, then declared, amazed “It’s Johnny Thunders, dad, their guitar player!!”. So they let us in…
Johnny put me up in this real nice house where he was staying with his wife Julie and their two babies. We recorded for three nights in a row. The band being brand new, Wayne and Johnny were obviously thrilled to be playing together and sparks were flying! Back in New York, I wasn’t sure what to do, but I couldn’t just dump my own band, you know, we were totally into it.  Gang War wanted to tour and The Senders were already booked here and there, so it would have been hard to be able to do both. In the end, for some strange reason, I kinda concluded that, with Johnny on board, Gang War may not survive very long, and decided to stick with my own droogs. But my three nights in Michigan as Gang War’s first drummer remains one of the best memories of my life.

You were for many years the city’s hidden truth. I read that when the Senders finally were ready to go massive; the deaths of Marc Bourset and Richie Lure got you back for good. Did you felt ever that you miss the chance for a wider audience or a bigger reputation?

No! We played for a total of 25 fucking years to our same beloved gang of idiots, crazed chicks, hep cats and real gone dads!  They just kept coming back, eventually with their kids! Who could ask for more?!  I miss Moe and Ritchie terribly, but that’s a whole other story…

 How arranged the contact with Marc Zermati’s Skydog label? You must be one the first acts that recorded exclusively for the label since if I remember correctly until then was a mostly bootleg company.

 I think he just approached us at Max’s or something. It may have been thru Johnny.. I can’t remember. He was really nice and quite interesting. He had produced The Dogs in France.

 I’d like to ask you about your book "Au-Delà De L'Avenue D", some things. Unfortunately I don’t have read it yet because it’s only in French. Are you planning to re-publish it in English and if yes when?

 Yes, absolutely! I finished the English version a few months ago (it’s called Beyond Avenue D) and I am presently looking for an American publisher.  Do you know one?!


 By reviews on the net it seems like fun thing to read. Tell us few things about it. I guess that the entire city’s rock n roll intelligentsia passes on from the pages, huh?

It’s the story of my first ten years in the States, from 72 to 82, so from age 17 to 27. It takes you on a wild ride from Paris to a Federal Penitentiary in Arizona… From stealing plants from hotels in Boston to moving to New York and having the Ramones play their very first gig at your party… From Max’s and CBGB’s backrooms to the Tropicana Hotel in L.A… Along the way, I smoke a joint with Bob Marley and quite a few more with a 94 year old guy named Conny, spend summers in Provincetown with Nan Goldin and Cookie Mueller, fall down a mountain, get attacked by Nancy Spungen’s junkie cat, become a junkie too, have a crutch on Debbie Harry, help her write the French lyrics for Denis, adopt a dog who eats my pot, open for The Clash at Bond’s Casino, open a store named Rebop, throw up in some girl’s mouth, go see the Cramps, talk about vacuum cleaners with Sid Vicious,  hit some guy in the face with a paper-weigh, get arrested again, get glue in my eye, get mugged at knife point, bring home Johnny Thunders and some Blintzes from Kiev, get mugged at gun point, live at night... never sleep…  And a lot more! It’s a very funny book. I really hope you can read it soon.

By the way, have you read Andre Williams’ “Sweets” book?  It’s on Billy & Miriam’s KICKS Books Original. I found it fantastic! I thought these guys on whatever touches their hands (Norton, Kicks, the A-Bones and the Zantees) it’s a sure A-class thing. The Senders played with both of their bands. What do you think about them?

Billy and Miriam are fantastic and I love ‘em all up! Norton has never put out a record that’s not way-cool or very interesting. I always loved the Zantees and the A-Bones. Bruce Bennet is a pisser, and Lars, and all of them Bones, they’re sweet kids! And they play the coolest shit too! I didn’t read Sweets yet, thou, but I’m gonna. Andre Williams rules. Now pass the biscuits, please!

In my mind, you, the Hound, the Norton/Kicks guys, Nick Tosches, the Cramps, the Ramones, the Dictators, the Heartbreakers and many others from the NY scene of the 70s, were the coolest party/company ever! It always fascinates me the thing that all bands, writers, record producers, photographers of NYC were a huge company and the “gossips” or stories in book like yours or Legs’ “Please Kill Me” told in this hilarious way! It must be a great thing to be young and be a part of that scene, huh?
Yes. And on top of that I just happened to see all this stuff during my very first months in the States, which made it all the more exciting. I remember not being able to tell if this was this exciting because the bands were so great or because the city was still so new to me. In retrospect, I think it was great because it was a very small scene. Very local and underground. Everybody knew everybody, no-one was signed, no money, no… internet! One must also remember that these were the freest times in the entire history of man kind, simply because the pill already existed but AIDS didn’t yet.  I miss that sense of freedom. Times have changed alright… Can’t even smoke on a plane anymore!! 


On Freddy Lynxx’s “Full Cover”, you re-invented “Baby Glows in the Dark” I must admit with a SUPERB result! Freddy’s a hero of mine but whenever tried to gather information or find him I came to a dead end! On that record there are so many LEGENDS gathered together that I can’t stand not to ask you to tell me some details or stories for the procedure of this record! Whatever you want, just please tell me!

Freddy’s great, definitely one of the sweetest guy I know. I met him after a Senders show at Continental Divide. He was with a girl who told me she had met me before at Marc Zermati’s flat in Paris and had passed-out. Much to my surprise, she then promptly passed-out AGAIN! We had to call an ambulance and rush her to the hospital. While they were looking her over, Freddy and I started to talk about Johnny Thunders and I couldn’t believe how much he knew about him. In the end we talked for hours and completely forgot about the girl! He came back to New York in 99 to tape some stuff and offered to produce some Senders sessions in exchange for us backing him up on some of his own stuff. He had Kevin K. there too. We ended up having Freddy join us on guitar on some of the songs we recorded.  This became "Goodbye Cruel World".   

From the Senders’ trip through the years, I learned a lot of excellent songs thanks to your cover versions. Tell me your favorite artists, songs, books - anyway, things you can live without. It surprised me also that on “Goodbye Cruel World” album you did a great version of the Sin Alley classic, “Crazy Date”! The only other cool band I know that did the same thing was the Nomads from Sweden. You know not a common track to cover. Do you like obscure compilations such as “Sin Alley”, “Savage Kicks”, “Desperate Rock N Roll” etc?

 Yeah!  The Hound turned me onto Crazy Date, by Crazy Teens, He made me a couple of compilations on cassettes “The Hound’s Rockers”, and I use to tape his show on WFMU. Discovering “new” old obscure records kept the Senders going forever. We’d plan to quit soon then hear a song like Crazy Date and go “WOW! We gotta do that one!” and book more shows. This went on for years. Sophie Lo, a good friend and a graphic artist in England, made a real cool video of Crazy Date, with Flip The Frog, the Ub Iwerks cartoon caracter. More recently, she did two more with two original Senders songs: You Really Piss Me Off, then an incredible one for Don’t Fuck With Me, which you should check-out ‘cause it’s a real beaut’ ! They’re all one Youtube.
As for my favorite artists, books, songs… I love Howlin’ Wolf, Gene Vincent… Korla Pandit… ! I love Cherokee Dance by Bob “Froggy” Landers with Willie Joe  and his Unitar. I also love The Monkey Speaks His Mind by Dave Bartholomew. My fav’ book may be Crackpot by John Waters, a must read! 

And what about the Backbones? No matter how I searched for this band I didn’t found much. It was a soul group, right? Did they record something? Can you give me some more here please?

I sang with the Backbones from 83 to 88. I started that band with Brett Wilder and Bill Dickson, who were from the Rousers. I wouldn’t say we were a “soul” band, no, but more soul-ish than the Senders, yeah. White trash Soul!! We did open for Wilson Picket, once! We did stuff by Johnny Taylor, Howard Tate, James Carr..  It was a joy and there were some real good players in that band, like Kenny Margolis, from Mink DeVille on keyboards, and Steve Johnson, who is a great guitar player, Brian Hudson, from the Kingpins, on drums, and especially Danny Ray and his fabulous saxophone. We did cut an LP for Midnight Records in 86, and we had a single: Static Soul b/w Ike Turner’s I’m Fed Up.


 You did also some graphic art on records. The one I had is the 3rd X-mass album by Midnight Recs. I noticed also that a lot of garage groups choose to cover the Senders (The Vipers and the Ultra 5 are two that I have in mind this moment) and I’m quite sure that I have a boot of Thunders somewhere with a version of “The Living End”. What do you feel when someone choose to cover the Senders just like the Senders did with artists like Howlin’ Wolf etc? What are your favorite covers on the Senders?

Bands who covered songs I wrote really gave me the most sincere compliment I could ever dream of. I love the Vipers version of No More Fooling Me.  A French band called the Greedy Bastards covered Devil Shooting Dice, Don’t Mind Me and a couple of others. A Sender-cover band! And they’re great too! Made my day!  And yes, you’re right, I did do some graphic art for a few album covers. I did one for Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, I hope he liked it and didn’t put a spell on me!


One last thing. I asked Walter Lure the same question. How do you feel after the shutting down of CBGB’s? It was the last one from an era that gave so much to world culture and rock n roll. I mean a place like Max’s now selling hamburgers…That are sad things…

All the action is in Brooklyn, now.  CBGB had a long boring slow death and by the time it closed down places like Continental Divide or the Lakeside Lounge were where it was at, anyway. It was a good thing Max’s closed when it did. Die young, stay pretty.
What did Walter said?!

Read what Walter Lure said HERE!
If you already know French buy "Au delà de l'avenue D" HERE! 

The Humpers - Plastique Valentine (Epitaph 1997)

Since the demise of the Hearbreakers, no other band catch their ethos, their power and their sleaziness better than the Humpers. I still wonder how these mofos released albums under Epitaph's etiquette?!
I mean, take a look at them! No skates, no bermuda shorts and no baseball caps! Skin tight jeans, leather jackets, black ray-bans, greasy hair and even greasier sound! Filthy animals as their name proudly pronounce with misogynistic lyrics and the Thunders sound as their pattern. There's no bad album by them! Really! My fave is "Live Forever or Die Trying'" still on Epitaph but as a tribute to this very day, "Plastique Valentine" wins to the points. The perfect soundtrack for the day! Don't take them seriously; especially for what they're saying in this album's songs. Rock n Roll is about fun and "Plastique Valentine" is one of those rare records that made to provoke. I 'm really bored with politically correct assholes who in every click of our lives found mistakes or wrong words! Take your gal and put this blaster on! I'm sure she'll get the picture if she had any sense of humor.
320 Kbps

Have fun and....Happy Valentine's Day!

  
Happy Valentine!

Chris Bell - I Am The Cosmos

The Chris Bell story is the story of depression, underappreciation and unbeleviable musical talent all mixed up. From the first chords of „I am the cosmos“ it is obvious that this lonesome young man had inner demons kept deep inside of his soul.
He started playing in his early teens, heavily influenced by The Beatles and other british invasion bands like The Kinks, The Who and The Yardbirds, which was very strange at the time in Memphis, where black 60's Stax sound was the biggest thing. The Beatles influence was so heavy on him, that he wanted to learn all about their studio techniques so he was spending most of his time in the Ardent studios in Memphis.
Chris Bell and Andy Hummel formed Big Star together with drummer Jody Stephens and charismatic Alex Chilton, who was already a well known vocalist from his days in Box Tops. Chris and Alex knew each other from their school days, but they never clicked together, at least not until they played their songs to each other, which deeply impressed them both. Majority of this beautiful tunes can be heard on majestic Big Star's „#1 Record“ which every serious musical listener should have in his collection. Although all of the songs on the album are credited to Bell/Chilton fame, same as in Lennon/McCartney case it is more than obvious which songs are Bell's and which are Chilton's. Just listen to Bell's desperate shout from the top of his lungs on album opener „Feel“, which sounds like he is drowning and crying for help, and chorus line „... I feel like I'm dying  ...“ in his case is more than prophetic. After putting so much talent and effort in this record, Chris was so dissapoineted with the fact that distribution of the album was completely miserable. Record company really didn't know how to promote white anglo influenced rock band from the black soul capital Memphis.
Suffering from deep depression Chris left Big Star in 1972. and started consuming large amounts of bourbon and using drugs. He also concentrated on writing more and more material, which was recorded in pieces both in Memphis and in France when spending his time there. One of the songs he wrote in that period is his most memorable one, the amazing „I am the cosmos“. A beautiful soul searching power pop classic, that could easily fit on Big Star's Third/Sister Lovers album. On these songs he worked with many of his long time companions from his early pre-Big Star bands, but also with Chilton who provided his backing vocals on „You and your sister“, one of the greatest unknown love songs ever written. Bell's solo work remained totally obscure until Rykodisc decided to release a full length cd, collecting both his unreleased material and his sole single (I am the Cosmos b/w You and Your Sister), which was released in 1978 on Chris Stamey's Car Records label, and is now collectors item.
Chris Bell died on the early morning of december 27th 1978 when his white Triump struck a telephone pole, killing him instantly. He was returning home from his fathers restaurant, and it will always be a mystery to me how a man that talented ended up managing fathers restaurant. I hope this small article will illustrate how important Chris Bell was as a musician, both in Big Star and as a solo artist. His and Big Star's influence on alternative 80's and 90's rock bands is inevitable. R.E.M., The Replacements and The dB's all cited Big Star as their main influence, This Mortal Coil recorded their versions of both Chris Bell single songs and Seattle band The Posies recorded a single in tribute to Chris Bell, covering two of his songs „Feel“ and „I am the cosmos“.

Vex Voxtone

 

Download Link Removed Due To Complains
Thank you

VA - Songs The Cramps Taught Us Vol.1

"Conjuring a fiendish witches' brew of primal rockabilly, grease-stained '60s garage rock, vintage monster movies, perverse and glistening sex, and the detritus and effluvia of 50 years of American pop culture, the Cramps are a truly American creation much in the manner of the Cadillac, the White Castle hamburger, the Fender Stratocaster, and Jayne Mansfield. Often imitated, but never with the same psychic resonance as the original, the Cramps celebrate all that is dirty and gaudy with a perverse joy that draws in listeners with its fleshy decadence, not unlike an enchanted gingerbread house on the Las Vegas strip. The entire psychobilly scene would be unthinkable without them, and their prescient celebration of the echoey menace of first-generation rock & roll had a primal (if little acknowledged) influence on the rockabilly revival and the later roots rock movement." These words not mine. Mark Deming wrote them and are the opening paragraph on allmusic.com's piece on the Cramps. A band created from rock n roll lunatics for rock n roll maniacs! Most of the group's known songs were cover versions by forgotten or underground if you want it, rock n roll monsters. Even to those songs that had their names on credits, are shamelessly copy/paste pastiches of these heroes. On Cramps' taste have built some of the best ever rock n roll compilations. The "Born Bad" series are the perfect examples and had slightly different track lists in comparison with this.
The "Songs The Cramps Taught Us" if I'm right were the first of those bootleg in fact series - that gathered some of the best R&R - R&B (s)hits ever buried in the groove of a piece of wax! Many companies (?) touched their hands on this concept and just a google search proves my claim. At least 6-7 different front covers. The same holds good for the tracks. Anyway, this is the Vol.1 of three (at least) CD versions! If it was easy to grab it i wouldn't post it here but it took me LONG to found it myself so i guess this is quite tough to find item. Try it if you want it on Norton's or Crypt's mail orders. The sound is excellent (fuck you audiophiles, i mean filthy, dirty, greasy and raunchy!) and has a 24 color booklet with very good liners! Some bootleggers are connoisseurs and deserve your sympathy, man!

A look at the track list and you'll see for yourself why i rated this compact disc so high!
A guaranteed party shaker and an educational induction to the world of 50s & 60's Trash Rock N Roll!

Track List:

1. The Sparkles - Hipsville 29 B.C.
2. Dwight Pullen - Sunglasses After Dark
3. Link Wray - Fatback
4. Sherrif & Ravels - Shombolar
5. The Riptides - Machine Gun
6. Bo Diddley - Dancing Girl
7. The Trashmen - Surfin Bird
8. Walter Brown - Jelly Roll Rock
9. The Sonics - Strychnine
10. TheRumblers - Boss
11. Third Bardo - Five Years Ahead Of My Time
12. The Busters - Bust Out
13. The Phantom - Love Me
14. Jett Powers - Go Girl Go
15. Ronnie Cook & Gaylads - Goo Goo Muck
16. The Runabouts - Strangeness In Me
17. The Groupies - Primitive

18. The Frantics - Werewolf
19. Elroy Dietzel - Rockin Bones
20. Dale Hawkins - Tornado
21. The Shells - Whiplash
22. Keith Courvale - Trapped Love
23. Freddie & Hitchikers - Sinners
24. Charlie Feathers - Can't Hardly Stand It
25. Andy Starr - Give Me A Woman
26. R. Lewis Band - Get Off The Road
27. Hayden Thompson - Blues Blues Blues
28. Lee Dresser & Krazy Kats - Beat Out My Love
29. Andre Williams - Bacon Fat
30. Jack Scott - The Way I Walk
31. Elvis Presley - Do The Clam

Shake a lake boy!

As usual 320 Kbps and full scanned covers.

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The Hellacopters - Killing Allan 7'' single (Psychout Records - Psych 001, Feb 95)

I still remember the first time i held "Supershitty to the Max!" on my hands! It was the front cover that made me first look at it. It remind me immediately the SST records' front covers. But it was not that way of punk rock. On the back four figures from another world! Absolutely greasy and dirty. Cigs and beers on their hands n' mouths. The one lad had a Nomads t-shirt (fuckin' wow!) and some other had a Motorhead baseball cap! A third was like the bastard Johnny Thunders forgot during his presence in Stockholm and the forth was like a Caucasian Bad Brains member, you know with dreadlocks but sure not a rastafari dude! "It can be real" i thought to myself...Yeeeees, it was. It blew me right away! Next move was to start go back to their 45 rpms (not so back then...). This was their first single on their own Psychout Records (well actually Nicke's). Two originals and a kick ass cover of Social Distortion's "The Creeps". At last, punk rock again has found it's origins in rock n roll. At last, 100% fuel injected action outta my speakers and at last a band that surely knows this music belongs only to the streets!
A thousand copies pressed and (as) you can imagine, by now is already a collector's item trading in high prices. The Poison Idea said it right "record collectors are pretentious assholes" but if you ever want it original beware, it is pressed only on blue vinyl. I saw it one time on red wax but later the band told me on an interview that it is a boot. There are also the "Creem of the Crap" compilations where the band collected all the singles in a fairly budget price. So...

This supershit recorded during their 3rd or 4th rehearsal on a 7-track recorder by Fred Estby. Mixed at Sunlight Studio, Stockholm, Sweden a day in December 1994 by Tomas Skogsberg.

As the front cover says "100% Custom Play Punk Rock Slop!"

Download HERE!

320Kbps

Motörhead - Motörhead (Rare Deluxe Leather Digipack - Original release 1977 by Chiswick Records)

First things first! Motörhead are, were and always be a true, filthy, dirty, take no prisoners Rock N Roll band! No heavy metal, no thrash (even though their influence is more than obvious), no shit! The same thing for AC/DC! I can't stand people talking about these two over the top bands as metallers! I have no problem with heavy metal and the sub-genres of it. There are bands from this kind that are true ass kickers. But Lemmy, Fast Eddie, Filthy "animal" Taylor, Angus and Malcolm Young or Bon Scott had nothing in common with these guys that wear swords and talk about dragons, castle battles or burning churches! Ok? Unless every one that having long hair and wearing a leather jacket is a metalhead...
This album was the landmark of a new direction in this 4/4 frenetic steamroller called Rock N Roll! Sloppy genius is the best description for it. Their loose attitude and image, something between Hell's Angels and Teddy Boys, with skin tight jeans, swastikas and iron crosses, cigarettes and booze, attracted every single fanatic of a music that seemed to died with the coming of the hippies. Little Richard on speed played the bulkiest way you might hear it, even today! United Artists at first signed them and recorded an album that stayed on the vaults until the 1979 ("On Parole") when the heads start making sense and bring money to the companies. The legendary label of Chiswick gave, them and the world the chance that needed and the rest is history! I personally want to thank Ted Caroll for what he ever done for rock n roll with his companies (Ace is one of the few labels around that RESPECT rock n roll!) and especially for saving Motörhead!
The music press hated it but against all squares of this world, sell enough to keep them alive! The first "FUCK YOU" by Lemmy and Co. was an undeniable truth! It came out on the era of punk rock and even though there was a LOT of denial for groups that had long hair (ok here's some misconception...The Ramones or the Dolls had short spikey hair?) punks liked it; cause punk was nothing else but the Second Coming of rock n roll.

Anyway, all enemies ate shit and died! Motörhead continues to this day to raise hell and if you ever haven't see them on a concert then.... you should! This album is thee fire starter! 33 years later and with many re-releases (i have them ALL best is the latest from Ace with the original silver on the logo and this one i just posted) remains the monolithic baby and you smell it on it breath! As usual on this blog, ripped at 320Kbps.
Oh!one more thing about Lemmy....More than any other Rock N Roller ever put his foot on this planet, he's the BADDEST MOTHERFUCKER OF THEM ALL!

 

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The Real Kids - Tribute to the Real Kids + The Taxi Boys EP

The Real Kids will always have a special place in my book. Couple of years ago I was playing in a band and at one point we started talking about bands and records that we own and came to the conclusion that four out of five members all had first Real Kids LP.
The Real Kids same as Big Star, Flamin Groovies, Dictators, Fleshtones or The Plimsouls can be put in the category of bands that America generate periodically and who never hit the spotlight but always remain essential. Formed in mid 70s by John Felice after him leaving Jonathan Richman's Modern Lovers. Richman's „keep it clean“ philosophy was never what Felice had on his mind. He wanted rock n roll band fueled with cheap toxines and that's what The 'Kids was all about. Although beantown scene will always be remebered for such acts as Aerosmith, Boston or The Cars mainly because of their commercial success and massive radio airplay, the underground scene at the club RAT was as exciting and vibrant as it was at the NYC's CBGB's or L.A.'s Masque. Just imagine what a thrill it must've been seeing bands like DMZ, Nervous Eaters, Lyres, Neighborhoods, Thundertrain and even Mission of Burma all sharing the same stage. The Real Kids were specially known for their energetic in your head live shows and that's what led New York's Red Star label (home of Vega/Rev Suicide) to sign a record contract with them. Before that The Kids already released amazing 45 inch single „All Kindsa Girls b/w Common At Noon“ on small French label Sponge and also two of their tracks (Who Needs You and Better Be Good) appeared on Boston „Live At RAT“ sampler.
The Real Kids 77 debut is a perfect rock 'n' roll record. Recorded in three nights at the Ultima studios in NYC the songs on this album vary from jumpy teen anthems like "All Kindsa Girls", heartbreakin „Just Like Darts" where Howie Ferguson beats hell out of his drums in best Mo Tucker manner, rip roaring „Reggae Reggae“ to power poppy „Better Be Good“ or „My Baby's Book“ with Alpo Paulino's backing vocals melodic hooks. Bands passion for fifties and sixties music is more than evident on cover versions of Buddy Holly's „Rave On“ and Eddie Cochran's „My Way“ and Even Boston legend Jeff MONOman Conolly contibuted his wild Jerry Lee Lewis piano playing on Frankie Ford's „Roberta“. This masterpiece album have the perfect blend of charming power pop melodies and teen punk angst. Unfortunately various disputes between band members and management led to decline of this first and classic Kids' line-up which didn't recorded until 1998 when Ferguson and Borgioli joined Felice and Paulino again on „Down To You“ recordings .
 The later incarnation of the band was as much important as the earlier output. Outta Place and Hit You Hard LP's recorded in 1982/83. were produced by legendary Boston power pop genius Andy Paley of Paley Brothers fame. Also Felice had a short stint with his Taxi Boys side project which was actually second Real Kids lineup minus Alpo Paulino and Bobby Morin. Taxi Boys EP was released on Greg Shaw's BOMP! in 1981 and that was the first time Felice met Billy Cole.
Unfortunately sadly overlooked the band never hit it big time although they were always meant to be the next big thing. If there is any satisfaction The Real Kids were always stars in France but that wasn't always enough to pay the bills.

Words by Vex Voxtone

This supposed be an article for the supposed ( i know- i know, my fluency on English is beyond everything!) printed edition of White Trash Soul. I told Vedran to write something about a favorite band for both of us, the Real Kids. Vex sent it to me yesterday and here it is. There's not much more to say about them. An underestimated band but TRUE rock n roll heroes! Faithful to what this blog said, I'm not going to upload their stuff that's easily available on your cool record store near you, even though i own almost everything by them. The good folks at Norton have their CLASSIC homonym record plus some more cool toons such as "No Place Fast" & "Grown Up Wrong" on digital format. Go get them right away. But I'm not going to let you unsatisfied. A fantastic (and very hard to find) tribute album on them with cool cats like the Campus Tramps, the Basement Brats, the Breadmakers and the Slow Slushy Boys plus....The Taxi Boys EP! Not bad, huh?
Cheers!

  

  

I Wanna Be A Real Kid Tribute - Download

The Taxi Boys EP - Download