The Rivingtons - Papa Oom Mow Mow! (The Liberty Years)

I started the music education of my 8-months old son from the very first days of his life.

I know-I know I'm totally stupid, but there's something inside my head telling me that if I played him the things I like, in his subconscious might stuck something and in the future this little monster work on daddy’s record collection...

Anyway, one thing's for sure. He reacts positive by laughing and shaking every time I played him the Rivingtons and especially when comes the turn of “Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow”! I tried it with the Trashmen's ‘'Surfin' Bird" or the Ramones version and the results were the same!

The Rivingtons are for sure along with the Coasters the most played R&B/doo-wop act on my home stereo! Their rockin’ n’ rollin’ R&B has no other makeweight when it comes for pure, stupid and raw fun! 
For decades many “purists” of the genre gave shit to the band as a silly & wacky novelty act. Pfff! If anyone cares I’ll try to correct some things.

The Rivingtons had a long story in business. Sententiously I must mention some details which I’m sure gonna raise lots of eyebrows. Al Frazier (the baritone vocalist) in high school had a group (the Mello-Moods) with Paul Robi, a future member of the well known (even to my mother), the Platters. Unfortunately never recorded anything. Frazier interrupted for a while due to a military service in Korea. When came back, tried his luck forming a group under the Emanons name which attracted enough interest for a local TV appearance but nothing more.

And that’s where the Rivingstons story had started. I’m sure many of you know who the Lamplighters of the Federal fame are. Well, how many of you know that the Rivingtons are in fact the same group under a new name? How many of you also know that for sometime were Duane Eddy’s “Rebels”? How many of you people know that they cut sides for Warner Bros with Roy Milton and for and end how many know that they did records with the monster, Kim Fowley?

The Rivingtons are true legends. They even helped in a way for starting punk! Yes, the Trashmen got big with the “Surfin’ Bird”, a combination of their songs “Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow” and “Bird’s the Word”. After the Ramones picked it up and place it on “Rocket from Russia” became a standard cover tune for many bands. Even the Cramps tried it!

They had more songs to dance to like crazy than the two you’re familiar (give a shot on “Have Mercy, Mercy Baby” or Little Richard’s remakes!) and excellent soul ballads (“I’m Losing My Grip”, “Deep Water” etc.) that makes them one of the few quartets from this period who became the bridge through the early and frenetic R&B/ doo-wop stylings to the later Soul stomps!

Aces!




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Bird's the Word!

Induct Link Wray!

When Eric contact me a couple o' days ago about this i felt honored who picked this blog for a cause like this.
I still believe of Rock N Roll Hall of Fame as a piece of shit, made by the music industry just for their own purposes. I still don't give a shit if they think of Madonna as an influential  rock n roller... I just laugh loud.
And it's not only Link. Don't know and i don't care to check it, but I'm quite sure nor Little Walter is inducted, nor Dale Hawkins! They should probably call it Squares Hall of Fame. Or better Rock's Biggest Sales Hall of Fame.
Rock N' Roll is a whole lot of different story from just rock...
On the other hand most people sees what you have saw him. And like it or not, this shit attract people's attention. So, if they believe on what its inducted there as rock n' roll, we must turn their heads to the real thing. And Link's the real thing.
I really don't know what more to add from what i earlier wrote about him.
I checked on my old KICKS magazines and found what master Tim Warren inked in his piece epilogue (KICKS No.3 - 1984) :

"Well, that's all folks. Just remember: If there had been more people like Link Wray, there probably woulda never been hippies, progressive rock, disco, new wave, and all this crap that passes for "rock n' roll" these days!!"

Still 26 years ahead of your time Tim!

On Eric's site you can sign for the crusade. On a quick look you see ass kickers like Davie Allan or Eddie Angel among the supporters. And that tells a lot. I'm in it all the way, even if i don't believe that the squares behind this hall of fame bullshit, ever let a PUNK like Link Wray be involved with most of their other wimps. Sure inducted already Chuck Berry and Little Richard but if they didn't done it the whole place it would be be covered with rotten tomatoes! The Stones is another story...Their importance is obvious even if now turned out a trademark as big as Coke or McDonald's...
Support the whole thing. Go to Eric's site and sign goddammit! Let the squares know about RUMBLE at last!
Below is what Eric wrote and sent especially for this blog.
Thank you man!

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What is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame without Link Wray? In the words of White Trash Soul, "It ain't no rock at all." That is a sentiment shared with the online petition website http://inductlinkwray.com/ dedicated to the rock hall induction of Link Wray and memorializing one of rock's most innovative guitarists.

Link Wray has a far more reaching influence than most guitarists. His reverb drenched originality can be heard in surf, punk, grunge, garage, classic rock even metal and rockabilly. An argument can be made that Link was the originator of Psychobilly. There is no debate at all that Link truly was The Father of The Power Chord! His highest charting single, the 1958 release Rumble forever altered the course of music. It contained the single most influential D chord in the history of recorded music. While others were charting with variations of R&B and rockabilly, Link was defining what rock should forever be. Pure volume, raw attitude, add distortion, feedback, reverb and more volume and the formula for rock music Link Wray style is achieved. In order to duplicate his live sound in the studio, Link punctured his amplifiers with a pencil. Today there are guitars, amps, speakers, pedals etc. manufactured to accommodate the sound Link Wray originated.

In addition to Rumble, recommended listening for those unfamiliar with Link's music should include: Rawhide, Jack the Ripper, Ace of Spades, I'm Branded, Pancho Villa, and Dinosaur. Two really good seldom discussed  intrumentals I recommend are White Lightning and Drag Race. Some cool vocal tracks would be: Fire, Hillbilly Wolf, She's That Kind of Woman, and Goodtime Joe. Link could do the down and dirty blues in his own admitable style as well check out Climbing up a High Wall, Big City After Dark and Ain't That Lovin You Babe. Link was a huge Elvis fan and if you delve much into his discography you're likely to find some Presley songs covered.

Listen to Rumble keeping in mind it was released in 1958 and listen to Rawhide and bear in mind it was released in 1959. Compare both of those songs with everything released during those two years and I'm sure you'll agree, Link Wray was decades ahead of his time. In my opinion his music is among the most timeless ever recorded as rock. Link Wray deserves to be inducted into the rock hall for the influence of Rumble alone. That museum will forever lack credibilty until the likes of Link Wray, Dick Dale, Dale Hawkins, Davie Allan, and Johnny Burnette see their deserved recognition. As of 2010, Link Wray continues to be the missing Link.

This article was written by Eric Moore, the founder of http://inductlinkwray.com/
Join us in our cause! http://inductlinkwray.com/online-petition/

The Phantom Surfers - The Great Surf Crash of '97 (Lookout - 1996)

Although the Phantom Surfers claim their selves as "the worst surf revival band", believe me are among the best if not the best!
They formed in 1988, part of a scene tilted on rock n' roll with comrades like the Mummies & the Trashwomen, and created a blast which has deeply roots in the late 50s-early 60s surf movement and especially on monsters like the Trashmen, the Crossfires and the Revels!
As the legend says, formed just to fill the last hour a gig at the University of Santa Cruz. You know...University means Frat! Santa Cruz means Surf! What's best for them except for their "in the red" music, is the totally COOL image with the Lone Ranger-masks plus the white suits! I always loved a cool uniform on a hot band or on a hot gal!
Their debut LP, "18 Deadly Ones" released by Billy & Miriam of course under Norton's signature and that's the biggest compliment! If the KICKS crew digs something, at least is something you should buy and play hard!
This is my fave (along with their debut...) release of these mysterious mask-men and it was a huge surprise when i noticed that the label's logo was by...Lookout! A company mostly known for mediocre pop-punk...
Anyway, as far as i know they still exist and if its true, we still have a hope to listen cool surf instros, even if the calendar says 2010!

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Lancelot Link Wray 

The Crimson Shadows - Even I Tell Lies (Sunlight - 1985)

These guys were the absolute definition of the term "mayhem"!
The Crimson Shadows were among the very few and the very first that took on garage punk not only in Sweden but Europe in general, the first half of a suck ass decade like the 80s.
They had three at least talented song writers (Peter Maniette, Jens Lindberg and Mans P. Mansson), that more or less on 'em the whole rock n' roll scene of Sweden lean on, with later bands like The Wylde Mammoths, The Highspeed V, The Livingstones and continue to these days with the Maharajas, the Maggots and the Strollers!
They were drunks to the bone, savages and terrorists not only in their music but in lifestyle. There are lots of stories about them on how raised hell and gave the creeps in every single band of that scene or every single show!

They were ex-mods which means they had a thing about fashion...They were the best looking band or maybe the coolest gang of punks the last 25 years! Again the stories about how many women attracted and ate, are now legendary!
They left a huge legacy and with a good reason. Some of them written above.
If you're looking for primitive, raw and mindless fun you came to the right place...
This is the 2nd single by them and i chose it for the reason made me buy it lotsa years back. The incredible photo of the back sleeve, with Mans holding a Lyres-like guitar and an old type microphone in front of him...
It doesn't get much cooler that this!


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Get it!

The Stomachmouths - This Is...The Stomachmouths (Sunlight - 1st 7" - 1985)

Another fave band of mine, of course from Sweden and of course a megalith of this monstrous garage punk revival that took place in the 80s. I liked their image more than all the others! There's something here i always wanted to tell. All these bowl haircuts were sure awesome and incredibly cool but...tell me a garage band of the 60s with this image (except for the Music Machine) and I'll quit writing my opinion.
Don't know where this fashion started but Mars Bonfire never was an alienated punk kid (although a cool person) like the Sonics or Larry & the Bluenotes...
The Stomachmouths were and still are the only true DNA originals with the aforementioned punks.
This is their first offering. Snotty and savage the way garage or better...punk should be played!
A vinyl rip of course...Stay tuned more to come.
A blast in few chords! 


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Wild Trip!

PS: The scans taken from the Savage Sounds Wordpress . Once again thanks buddy whoever you are! Put the sleeves, i put the music!

The Devil Dogs - Saturday Night Fever (SFTRI - 1994)

This is the shit! The Hot Shit! The rockinest piece of this devil music called rock n' roll in the whole 90s decade!
Once Nicke Hellacopter claimed it is the best record of that decade. Quite simply is one of the best EVER.
These New Yorkers knew the history of rock n' roll and they knew it the right way.
The Devil Dogs were a totally unique sounding blend of 60s american garage, 50s american rock n roll plus the "Wall of Sound" of Phil Spector.
Rock n' roll played by Americans and ignored by Americans. A drive through the fast lane. A one way ticket back to your teenage years. If you don't like this record probably you're a square. Surely you're a square.
C'mon these are the Devil Dogs and you have been invited to a PARTY!
The best of your life...
A CLASSIC!


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Big Fuckin' Party!

Dr. Ross - Boogie Disease (Arhoolie - 1992)

OK, I'm no Blues expert, in fact I'm no expert at all in everything. But i do have on my record collection some things from the masters of blues. Muddy Waters was my first love, Howlin' Wolf & John Lee Hooker are on my pantheon and if i have to dance to some i sure pick on Sonny Boy Williamson and his wild harmonica!
But my favorites if i had to pick some are Dr. Ross, Hound Dog Taylor and Eddie Taylor!
Let's concentrate on the first. Dr. Ross was a one man band in every sense of the words. He played the guitar, harmonica, bass drum and hi-hat at the same time and with unreal results! Primitive, as you might think it's the word - synonymous if we had a book or a dictionary for this bad ass!
He had a very hard life, witnessing murders, racist attacks plus a world war service...
He recorded for monsters such as Sun and Chess and his influence on rock n rollers like the Flamin' Groovies was huge. The Groovies remake his own "Boogie Disease" as "Doctor Boogie" on their "Teenage Head" masterpiece! If you already heard it, you know what I'm talking about!
I read somewhere that a little before his death, the assholes in music industry gave him a Grammy but this is not an information you should hold on your brain hutch...What you should is to take a listen loudly on this compilation and run after on Norton's or Crypt's mail orders to catch it while is still around!
File Under : Hot Shit, Bad Ass, Fire-burning


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Click here to Boogie!

In Memory of Alex Chilton : The Box Tops - Soul Deep The Best Of... (Arista - 1996)

I just read the sad news of Alex Chilton's loss.
The last true outsider? I'm quite sure he was. Always turned his back on the music industry and their tricky games. Possibly the best white soul singer although he touched also many of rock n roll's other genres. A Memphis native, tasted at a very young age the sweet success with the Box Tops and their "Letter". Many compared him to Steve Winwood and with a good reason. Both were whites with deep soulful voices and teenage stars. Alex soon gave up this shit. Never wanted to be part of a stardom universe. And that's why i love him. That's why we love him. The great Cub Coda wrote about him "In a business that reinvents itself at every turn, Alex Chilton has managed to survive for three decades with a three-fold career as well — his early recordings with the Box Tops, the three albums he did with Big Star in the mid-'70s, and the spate of cool, but chaotic, solo albums he's recorded since then..To some, he's a classic hit-maker from the '60s. To others, he's a genius British-style pop musician and songwriter. To yet another audience, he's a doomed and despairing artist who spent several years battling the bottle, delivering anarchistic records and performances while thumbing his nose at all pretenses of stardom, a quirky iconoclast whose influence has spawned the likes of the Replacements and Teenage Funclub.For a guy who grew up in and around Memphis, there isn't anything remotely Southern about Alex Chilton. Although fully aware of his surroundings and in tune spiritually with its most lunatic fringe aspects, Alex Chilton's South has more to do with genteel Southern intellectualisms than rednecks."... No more no less than these words.
I saw on the net that lots of blogs posted  Big Star's recordings or the later solos. White Trash Soul ADORES of course Big Star and thinks of "Bangkok" single as on of the best ever but.. The Box Tops is my favorite. Blue eyed Soul, with lots of R&B touches even some psychedelic...One of the best american bands of the sixties, hands down! If you haven't took a deep dive yet, here's your chance.

PS: Chilton was the man behind the board on some of the first (and best...) recordings by the Cramps. The embodiment of coolness! We really gonna miss you man!

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Cry like a baby!

Johnny Burnette & the Rock 'N Roll Trio (Coral - 1957)

Not much to say here for this platter... Really there are no words in every language to describe in every sense the energy and the importance of this classic  in Rock N Roll music!
For most of the world, this record is one of the ten best ever in Rockabilly... To me is a punk masterpiece. Don't laugh, man. I know what i am saying. This thing came out for the first time in 1957. C'mon, try to find something from this period of time, take a good look at your record collection to see if you have somethin' to even match this aggressiveness and tell me again, is this punk or not?
Punk, at least for me, it's a tag to describe best a rock n roll that played in the most furious way, in an out of control manner full of snottiness and wild actions... Again, is this record punk or not?
This album isn't just Memphis finest or Rockabilly's finest, is the template for later bands from the early Yardbirds to Motorhead and the Pirates. Even Macca the Beatle when covered the Big Joe Turner classic "Honey Hush", do it Johnny Burnette way.
Listen to this album's version of "Train Kept A Rollin'" and tell me-is what Lemmy had in mind or what?!
A fireburner for every side-burned out there still five decades later!

Who talked 'bout Elvis?

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Try It!

Gene Vincent - Ain't That Too Much! The Complete Challenge Sessions - (Sundazed HC 12004 - 1994)

A warning first. This is not a rockabilly album although it is 100% Gene Vincent!
The mid sixties found Gene in lot o' trouble with alcohol, low sales and already a place in the "oldies" circuit.
The leather dressed wild man was in a blur and didn't know what direction to take as a next step.
And there came Challenge Records, put him in a studio with A-Class session men such as Glen Campbell, Al Casey, Dash Crofts and Jim Seals and made him took out his dark side that always was a promise but never til then a truth. If you don't know who these session-men were, google a little, but Glen Campbell and Al Casey were responsible for some of the BEST surf and hot rod music ever came out! Sundazed has some very cool releases about them and believe me deserve every dollar/euro out off your wallet.
These legendary now recordings have been re-released some times from the moment this CD came to my hands but on this booklet only you are able to find the EXCELLENT (as usual) liners from Billy Miller of the A-Bones/Kicks/Norton fame and deserves to try a little bit harder to get this edition. On Sundazed's website it's only available for download...
Anyway, here Gene's in fine condition darker than ever and sounds like if the early Byrds tryin' to play more in a garage vein or better, like the Everly Brothers in psychedelics and with Gram Parsons on their arsenal. Not bad huh? There are hard stuff like the amazing "Bird Doggin'" or the song that named this CD. My faves though are the heartbreakin' slows of "Am I That Easy To Forget", "Hurtin' for you Baby" and a song that easily equals his rockiest past on Capitol, the autobiographical "Born To Be A Rolling Stone" !
This is a forgotten chapter on Gene Vincent's life and music but no less good, decent and true.
Lads and gals, this is the other side of the coin.

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Try it!

Esquerita - Esquerita! (Capitol T 1186 - 1959)

This is not Little Richard. He's got more pancake, a higher pompadour, glam-sissy sunglasses but he taught Mr. Penniman all the tricks that made him the true king of Rock N Roll! It can be, right?
Yes it can! I'm not going to tell you the story of this MASTER called Esquerita (aka SQ Reeder, Eskew Reeder Jr, Magnificent Milochi etc). If you get here and still doesn't know him go to the Hound's Blog and read carefully. This is a lesson kid you'll have to teach!
Quite simply without Esquerita, there's no Little Richard! And quite simply without Little Richard there's no Rock N Roll!
These recordings are the CRAZIEST EVER! The WILDEST EVER and if your heart listening to this doesn't pump your blood to the rhythms of an uzi, sorry man you're clinically DEAD!

I copy from Charles Gillett bible on rock n roll, "The Sound of the City":

"If a producer or arranger was deputed to the sessions he must have been bound and gagged and put in a corner, for there was little sign that anyone responsible for the records had been concerned for their commercial potential...The violence that was normally only a promise (or threat) in rock'n'roll was realized in Esquerita's sound"

Go n' get everythin' under Esquerita's signature. You must own at least his Capitol recordings if you consider yourself a rock n roll fanatic! Norton's a good place to start!

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Click here and hear Satan himself!

The Wailers - Out Of Our Tree (Etiquette Records - 1965)

A proto-punk masterpiece! If you came here and you think the only Wailers were Bob Marley's, then you should leave this space immediately! These guys taught all NW America how to play rock n roll in the most savage way! Ask everyone from the Sonics to the Kingsmen even Jimi Hendrix (OK that's difficult...) and there's just one name, The WAILERS! Responsible in a big way for creating known terms today like PUNK or Garage, they had already a long record in rock n roll before this supershit came out at 1965!
They found Rockin' Robin Roberts, they found the Sonics and through their label Etiquette throw out blasts impossible even today to be re-produced. The same name song is quite simply the BEST punk song ever, hands down! Little Richard is still the main influence and on tracks like "Dirty Robber" or "Bama Lama Bama Loo" (the later a cover tune of HIS majesty), the foot is stuck on gas! The Beatles' "I'm Down" takes the treatment really deserves, two gears up and 300 horsepower hitting the night plus the PURE FILTH of "Hang Up"! C'mon, ballads like the "Unchained Melody" is here to attract gals, don't bother! 
Along with Sonics' "Here Are The Sonics" and "Boom" these records are the brilliant examples of how to play rock n roll and disturb people!

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Blast It Out!

The Rivieras - California Sun (Grand Prix 1990 GPCD-9922)

The main reason that made me start lookin' back for them as a full of hormones teenager, was the Ramones! Yass! The three first covers da brudders ever did, were by them ("California Sun", "Let's Dance", "Do You Wanna Dance"). The Rivieras were one of the fine last and pure American rock n' roll bands before the Brits took over the charts and the hearts of the youngsters.
The pride of South Bend, IN, to these days are best remembered for their over the top remake of Joe Jones "California Sun". With this fireball almost hit No.1 in the charts but some kids from Liverpool stopped their  infectious beat. The full of power drum beat intro and the now signature guitar and organ riff drove the song once and for all to the pantheon of the best rock n roll songs!
This must be a boot since I'm quite sure the only official and from the master tapes re-releases of their works are out from Norton ( go get the "California Sun" and "Let's Stomp with..." CD's NOW!) but this must be the first ever in digital format dating back in 1990!
A party record for the upcoming weekend! Blast it out!

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Blast This!

Flamin' Groovies - "Now" (Sire - 1978)

The fact that the Flamin' Groovies until now to most people are a "CULT" band makes me angry!
I mean, these folks were the only white colored gang (OK, the Stones too) that ever came close to the Chuck Berry's sound! Anyway, this is their second Sire album and again it's produced by the great in all, Dave Edmunds.
 Not on the levels of its predecessor, but hey c'mon, who else since then came to even  approach a stone cold classic like "Shake Some Action"?!
It finds the band more tight though, with more snugness on their shoulders and a cool that stamped perfectly on the record's front sleeve. I still love this picture as the first time i stared at it with my eyes wide open and a think on my head, "I wanna be like them, i wanna dress like them!".
The great Mike Wilhelm of the Charlatans fame now placed officially beside them and as you might guess, SHINES throughout this record! Cyril Jordan found at last a same weight guitar player to fill their unique sound. Many oldies cover versions (as usual) but once again all brilliant and fantastic! The Byrds' "Feel A Whole Lot Better" (my all time fave tune by Gene Clark), The Beatles' "There's A Place", The Rolling Stones "Paint It Black" and "Blue Turns To Grey", Paul Revere & the Raiders' "Ups & Downs" plus Cliff Richards' (!) early UK hit, "Move It" all packed and squeezed here for your listening pleasure!
Originals like "Yeah My Baby", "Good Laugh Mun" and "All I Wanted" are the serious sequels to "Shake Some Action"'s peak and overall this is a hell of a fun record! What was the last time you use the key word "fun" for a rock n roll album?...
This is a Japanese edition with a descent sound, but to this day, Sire Groovies albums haven't got the treatment they truly deserve. Hope any time soon.
100 % satisfaction guaranteed rock n roll album!

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