Thursday, April 29, 2010

Randy Cozen's Top 100 (6T's Rhythm & Soul Special Part 1)

I'll never understand why bootleggers never picked on this 'list'. Through the pass of time this 'list' upgraded to a nearly legendary status among mods and soul fanatics and with a good reason, and remains even today a mystery why not officially and properly compiled by someone? Anyway, let's try take things from the start...

Who is Randy Cozens?

Even if you are an epidermic soul listener, there's no way to not know who Randy Cozens was. A familiar ace face to Britain's mod crowd and co-founder of the 6T's Rhythm & Soul Club, along with Ady Croasdell, today people refers to him as a legendary pioneer of the Northern Soul scene. Like many music fanatics around the world, Randy's 'habit' was to make up tapes with his favorite songs and gave them with one and only purpose. To make people dance and have a good time with these selections. 

'The List' 

Once upon a time was a now defunct music paper that called, "Sounds". Randy as the legend says, was sending constantly letters to this sheet urging the mods of the day to try found their roots in the music of their forefathers. At the time mods had their idols in punk-mod bands like the Jam. Soul and Rhythm & Blues had been forgotten by these crowds. Finally, 'Sounds' ask him to make a Mod Top 100 list with gems of his tastes, in no particular order. Randy came out with this and it was published with the Bank Holiday issue of Sounds in August of 1979. That list was the kiss of life in the decadent then Northern Soul scene and even in our days is something like pyx for starters in the magic world of Soul music.
PS: Actually, this Top100 isn't 100% a Soul scroll. It contains 97 Rhythm & Soul tracks, 2 Ska and 1 red herring to prevent collectors' claiming they own all 100!


So here it is:

1. What’cha Gonna Do About It – Doris Troy (Atlantic)
2. So Far Away – Hank Jacobs (Sue)
3. Come See About Me – Nella Dodds (Pye Int)
4. Hole In The Wall – George Stone (Stateside)
5. Que Sera Sera- The High Keys (London)
6. Getting Mighty Crowded – Betty Everett (Fontana)
7. I Don’t Wanna Fuss – Sugar Pie Desanto (Pye Int)
8. Walking The Dog – Rufus Thomas (London)
9. Hold What You Got – Joe Tex (Atlantic)
10. Time Is On My Side – Irma Thomas (Liberty)
11. I Can’t Believe What You Say – Ike And Tina Turner (Sue)
12. The Drifter – Ray Pollard (UA)
13. Any Day Now – Chuck Jackson (Stateside)
14. The Monkey Time – Major Lance (Columbia)
15. La De Da, I Love You – Inez And Charlie Foxx (Sue)
16. The Cheater – Bob Kuban And The In Men (Stateside)
17. I’m In Your Hands – Mary Love (King)
18. The Jerk – The Larks (Pye Int)
19. I Had A Talk With My Man – Mitty Collier (Pye Int)
20. Oh No Not My Baby – Maxine Brown ((Pye Int)
21. Gotta Have Your Love – The Sapphires (HMV)
22. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love – Solomon Burke (Atlantic)
23. La La La La La – The Blendells (Reprise)
24. Ride Your Pony – Lee Dorsey (Stateside)
25. Selfish One – Jackie Ross (Pye Int)
26. Tired Of Being Lonely – The Sharpees (Stateside)
27. El Watusi – Ray Barretto (Colombia)
28. Treat Her Right – Roy Head (Vocallion)
29. Who’s Cheating Who? – Little Milton (Chess)
30. Out Of Sight – James Brown (Phillips)
31. Mercy Mercy – Don Covay (Atlantic)
32. Open The Door To Your Heart – Darrell Banks (Stateside)
33. A Little Piece Of Leather – Donnie Elbert (Sue)
34. Go Now – Bessie Banks (Red Bird)
35. Searching For My Love – Bobby Moore (Chess)
36. You Can’t Sit Down – Phil Upchurch Combo (HMV)
37. The Duck – Jackie Lee (Fontana)
38. Doctor Love – Bobby Sheen (Capitol)
39. She Blew A Good Thing – The American Poets (London)
40. Watch Your Step – Bobby Parker (Sue)
41. Love Ain’t Nothin’ – Johnny Nash (Pye Int)
42. Randy – Earl Jean (Colpix)
43. Rancid Polecat – Ian And The Clarks (Liberty)
44. Oowee Baby I Love You – Fred Hughes (Fontana)
45. A Touch Of Venus – Sandy Wynns (Fontana)
46. Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood – Nina Simone (Phillips)
47. Ain’t Love Good, Ain’t Love Proud – Tony Clark (Pye Int)
48. I’ve Got A Woman – Jimmy McGriff (Sue)
49. Candy – The Astors (Atlantic)
50. Smokie Joe’s La La – Googie Rene Combo (Atlantic)
51. Mr Bang Bang Man – Little Hank (London)
52. It’s Rough Out There – Jerry Jackson (Cameo)
53. Oh How Happy – Shades Of Blue (Sue)
54. Ain’t Nobody Home – Howard Tate (Verve)
55. Dimples – John Lee Hooker (Stateside)
56. Long After Tonight Is Over – Jimmy Radcliffe (Stateside)
57. Twine Time – Alvin Cash (Stateside)
58. Lipstick Traces – The O’Jays (Liberty)
59. Let The Good Times Roll – Bunny Sigler (Cameo Parkway)
60. There’s Nothing Else To Say Baby – The Incredibles (Stateside)
61. Peaches And Cream – The Ikettes (Stateside)
62. What’s Wrong With Me Baby – The Invitations (Stateside)
63. Hole In The Wall – The Packers (Pye Int)
64. Finders Keepers – Gloria Jones (Stateside)
65. Nothing Can Stop Me – Gene Chandler (Stateside)
66. See You At The Go Go – Dobie Gray (Pye Int)
67. Love Makes The World Go Round – Deon Jackson (Atlantic)
68. Cool Jerk – The Capitols (Atlantic)
69. The In Crowd – Ramsey Lewis Trio (Chess)
70. Rescue Me – Fontella Bass (Chess)
71. 60 Minutes Of Your Love – Homer Banks (Liberty)
72. Sweetest Thing This Side Of Heaven – Chris Bartley (Cameo)
73. A L’il Loving Sometimes – Alexander Patton (Capitol)
74. You’ve Got To Pay The Price – Al Kent (Track)
75. Make Me Yours – Bettye Swann (CBS)
76. The Pain Gets A Little Deeper – Darrow Fletcher (London)
77. Talk Of The Grapevine – Donald Height (London)
78. Always Something There To Remind Me – Lou Johnson (London)
79. Steal Away – Jimmy Hughes (Pye Int)
80. Yes I’m Ready – Barbara Mason (London)
81. Gee Whiz – Carla Thomas (Atlantic)
82. My Girl Sloopy – The Vibrations (London)
83. Gypsy Woman – The Impressions (HMV)
84. You Don’t Know Like I Know – Sam And Dave (Atlantic)
85. I’ll Take Good Care Of You – Garnett Mimms (UA)
86. Nothing Takes The Place Of You – Toussaint McCall (Pye Int)
87. The 81 – Candy And The Kisses (Cameo)
88. Mr Pitiful – Otis Redding (Atlantic)
89. This Can’t Be True – Eddie Holman (Cameo)
90. You Got Too Much Going For You – Jimmy Beaumont (London)
91. Help Me – The Spellbinders (CBS)
92. Higher And Higher – Jackie Wilson (Coral)
93. That’s Enough – Rosco Robinson (Pye Int)
94. I Wanna Be – The Manhattans (Sue)
95. Spring – Birdlegs And Pauline (Sue)
96. Peace Of Mind – The Magnificent Men (Capitol)
97. Hey-Sah-Lo-Nay – Mickey Lee Lane (Stateside)
98. Mercy – Willie Mitchell (London)
99. Gypsy Woman – Derek And Patsy (Island)
100. Dr Kitch – Lord Kitchener (Jump Up)

A Final Note 

As i said many times on my previous posts i can not see myself as a collector but as a music fanatic. I do have a large amount of these tracks (specifically 58 of the 100) but not all. For this reason the tracks behind the links above, are in various bit rates and not in the usually 320 Kbps that this blog accustomed his visitors. I promise you if i ever got them all, to do it myself . I'd like to thank from the bottom of my SOUL this guy/gal who gathered all these gems and upload them for our pleasure!







Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Bo Diddley - "Spring Weekend 1959" (Checker)

That's a record i would like to know more about... I'm no record collector and to tell you the truth i hate record collectors. Most of 'em just buy discs to satisfy their greed and to pomp their-selves to their friends about "that piece of rare vinyl". Anyway, I never knew the existence of this LP. I never found it on my way and probably if i did, i wouldn't have the money to make it mine. It supposed to be a "private pressing", whatever this shit means but i tell you guys, this is a hot smokin' piece of rock n' roll! It has a surprisingly good fidelity for the time it was recorded (rough to the bone!) and the Originator here just kills! I didn't found on the net more things about it. I just made an order n' i can't wait this big fat piece of plastic to come in my hands. It has only seven songs, but the band is at FULL POWER and Bo's vocals came out so distorted and raw like i never heard him before! This was at frat party on Cornell University and i can imagine hearing it, what a blast these lucky bastards at the audience had!  The rip's not mine and probably many of you already downloaded this same zip file from many other blogs but who cares, huh? That's another one! Hear it, dance to it and tell me if yourself is strong enough to resist and not buy this platter! Low bitrate (128Kbps), high energy!
PS: Any information on this is welcome, so if you know more - please comment...

Tracklist:
Hey Bo Diddley (6:50)
Four Minutes Of Bo (4:00)
I'm A Man (6:36) 
Night Train (6:00) 
Cha Cha Bo (3:04)
Yankee Doodle (2:09) 
Bo Diddley Says Goodnight (7:37).

Sunday, April 25, 2010

White Trash Soul Sampler Vol. 1

I always dug home-taping. When I was in my teens i did all the time C-60 TDKs for chicks or friends. It's a cool way to saw who you really are. Some people do it with poems, some other with letters but me with tapes...or CD-R's when we inducted to the digital age. The last few weeks except for the day by day less time (blame it to my job) i had to arrange some things for my wedding. One of the things that got on my shoulders was the party's soundtrack. Of course if it was in my hands only, the things will be a lot easier but it's NOT! I have to please everyone, our parents, our friends and all the guests... So who left to understand totally what I'd like to hear or dance to? You people. Visitors of this blog are at least same minded lads. So i thought to try a first take on a floor filler soundtrack with some tunes out of my thousands favorites. Hope you like it!
Let's see what we got here :


01. Bern Elliott & the Fenmen - "Nobody But Me" : A classic rhythm & beat group from Kent, England. Like many other bands of the era have tried their luck in Hamburg, Germany. Also like many other beat bands of the era signed by DECCA and released two singles and one EP. Although they hit high on charts (both singles on top 30) soon disbanded. Wally Waller and John Povey moved after to the Pretty Things. The rest is history. All tracks the band recorded, to these ears are EXCELLENT! The Isley Brothers track gets the best performance ever! No my friends it wasn't the best by the Human Beinz n' if you don't believe me, take a good listen here. The ultimate party starter!
02. The Fleshtones - "Ride Your Pony" : In a time when most (if not all...) garage bands tried to found and play the most curious 60s punkers, these New Yorkers put on Lee Dorsey and a highly energetic soul stomper! Still the best party band in the world! If  i had the money or the chance, I'll hired them as my wedding band... Ah and Peter Zaremba's fringe is still a fetish!
03. Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels - "Too Many Fish in the Sea/Three Little Fishes" : The Ultimate White Trash Soul singer! The best white soul / rock n roll singer! The best ever came outta Detroit! If ever your party goes to hell and the people gets bored, just put this fucker on stereo and let him do what he always did best...throwing a party!
04. Thee Midniters - "Jump, Jive & Harmonize" : Hispanic causin' panic! Forget all latino rock n' roll bands you know. I know there are many good of them but NONE like thee Midniters! Savage n' loud rock n' roll at it's finest! Only the Sonics could matched them in their heyday. You really need more?
05. ? & the Mysterians - "Sally Go Round the Roses" : My fave execution of the song. Many tried it, many succeed and many failed. Question Mark is the father of Iggy. I saw the truth one night on my dream and I'm totally sure about it! They kick ass after all these years! White Stripes? Black Lips? C'mon gimme a break!
06. The Five Du-Tones - "Shake a Tail Feather" : A classic made known to most of the world through the legendary Landis' movie The Blues Brothers. This excellence penned and produced by Mr. Rhythm himself, bad motherfucker Andre Williams! Bad ass track tailor made to shake asses in the nights! Still shakin' after all these years!
07. The Egyptians - "Party Stomp" : Don't know shit about them! I think were from Detroit. Sure were from Detroit, cause only this city creates sleazy sounds like this one! I'm sure Jim Marshall knows more about them and hopefully in the near future write something for them. However this is a hell of a filthy song! Put your gal do you a striptease under this background!
08. Elvis Presley - "Do the Clam" :  The King's music in his "Hollywood" days was full of shit! Some tracks though were trashy and you know, i fuckin' love trash! This is from the "Girl Happy" movie and the song is pure filth! This gem should have been included on the Las Vegas Grind compilations, period!
09. Jerry Lee Lewis - "Shotgun Man" : How many times have you heard the Killer do a soul stomper? Not many huh? Well, this is your last chance baby n' i tell ya, he's on fire!
10. Derek Martin - "Daddy Rollin' Stone" : I learned this song from Johnny Thunders! This is the original version and it's one of my favorite soul tracks ever. A song about real men.
11. Tommy Louis & the Rhythm Rockers - "Wail Baby Wail!" : Wherein Tommy Louis put Kid Thomas! A frenetic rock n roller with best ever guitar solo! This man makes guitar cheep wild!
12. Bunker Hill - "The Girl Can't Dance" : Quite simply the BEST ROCK N ROLL SONG EVER! Bunker Hill imitates Little Richard and makes him look like a wimp! 400 horsepower speed and the backing band is Link Wray & the Raymen! Again, you really need more?
13. Little Luther - "Do de Squat" : Also here don't know shit! I learned the song from the version that did the A-Bones with the Great Gaylord and it's an R&B winner!
14. Mickey Lee Lane - "Hey Sa-Lo-Ney" : The best ebony song a white dude wrote(?)! To this day a floor filler among few! Ask the guys at the Northern Soul scene.
15. Lonnie Youngblood - "African Twist, Part1" : Don't know if he's the same super-cool saxman known mostly for working with Hendrix, Jackie Wilson and James Brown. Put the shame on me and correct me if I'm wrong here. All i know is that the song's a bad ass boogaloo and made to move your feet any time plays.
16. Andre Williams - "Sweet Little Pussycat" : Ssssshhh. The dirtiest of them all! Hats off to Mr. Rhythm.
17. Little Richard - "Soul Train" : The true king of rock n' roll on a later funky as fuck moment! When it comes for Little Richard you know there's no way to stand still. Otherwise you're dead!
18. The Charmaines - "I Idolize You" : Gigi and the Charmaines improved so good on Ike's and Tina's classic that it got to be heard to be believed! I think it got the best break ever recorded on a soul mover!
19. Lavern Baker - "Think Twice (Version X)" : Hilarious, marvelous, dirty, sexy and gritty! Two monsters on the same space!
20. Gino Washington - "Romeo" :  That's Gino with an "I" and don't mess him with Geno Washington made known in England and adored by the mods. A true Detroit legend in every sense, best remembered for "Out of This World" and "Gino Is Coward" rollers. Here delivers a lesson of how a great soul floor shaker must sound!
21.The Mighty Hannibal - "Somebody in the World for You" : Mighty Hannibal is a forgotten jewel on soul and R&B music. He must be one of the first people that played or create funk! This is my favorite from him.
22. The Velvelettes - "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'" : Of the Motown gals i really dig! That "bop-bop-shookie do-wop" makes me crazy!
23. Eskew Reeder -"Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean" : Esquerita on a weird re-edition of Ruth Brown's song. Cool!


320Kbps


WTS Sampler Vol.1

Friday, April 16, 2010

The Lyres - "Self Centered Girl/What's A Girl Like You Doing In A Place Like This" (7'' Single - 1993 Telstar Records Tr-011)

That's another single from the same era, with the same line up (check previous post) and with the same wild results! On this two-sider the Lyres are a little more punkish. On side "A" there's the Living Ends' dynamite "Self Centered Girl" and on the "B" the excellent "What's A Girl Like You..." which for years was a mystery by whom was originally released.  Many mistaken the track for Van's Them but were the Cincinnati Ohio lads under the same name who as Jeff told changed their name to It's Them cause Van the man got pissed. Released by Telstar Records and of course is an ace! Enjoy!
320 Kbps








Thursday, April 15, 2010

The Lyres - "Stay Away/Grounded" (7'' single - 1994 Moulty Records M-104)

This is an excellent 7inch single by the Lyres. It was released by Moulty Records back at 1994. The line up of the band at the time except of course from Jeff had the long time partner on bass Rick Coraccio, Jim Janota on drums and Jack Hickey on guitar. A rather psychedelic single by the Lyres picking on these two gems. As i said on some of my earlier posts, i hate psychedelia in most cases. This is a perfect example of the opposite. The A Side's "Stay Away" originally by the Mystic Tide, is a masterpiece! A moody Mersey Beat tune heavy on psychedelics and boom! That's it! The great Julian Cope wrote on his Head Heritage :
" The group's early material is well represented by "I Wouldn't Care", "Why", "Stay Away" & "I Search For New Love." These tracks are all ultra cool stabs at a sort of Mersey-Beat sound with garage and surf rock overtones. However things really get cooking with the immortal "Mystic Eyes" (possibly influenced by Them.) "Mystic Eyes" is a pulsating death wail of garage punk oblivion. This thing just oozes all over you, Joe sounding like a second cousin of Eric Burdon on vocals while musically the Tide sound like an east coast answer to the Calico Wall. "Frustration" (not the Painted Ship track) is just a seething, full bore punk camando raid which brings to mind The Craig's "I Must Be Mad" in terms of all out intensity."
Lyres' version is faithful leaving although their unique trademark throughout the song!
On the other side we found the Syn's classic "Grounded". From what are to my knowledge, Syn were British. If you have heard about Syn rumors of being a progressive rock band, that's true... I can't stand progressive as much as i hate psychedelia. To put it mildly, through the pass of the years i found some things under the "psychedelic" tag (mostly unknown bands or maybe not so well known) that were great but i can't say the same thing for progressive...Anyway, Syn as most bands of the day at first played R&B. Before found themselves part of Yes history ( let me go throw up now...), had a sort psychedelic-pop period which is cool. Originally a B-Side on the 1967's single of "Created by Clive" on the hands of the Lyres rocketed to space! Again Jeff's company transformed the tune into a moody garage psychedelic piece not so far from the (Dutch) Outsiders territory. Oh and the refrain is simply BEAUTIFUL!
320Kbps


Monday, April 12, 2010

The Complete (?) List of Songs DMZ & Lyres Taught Us

OK the last week i hooked so much on this "Songs the Lyres taught us" thing, that made me go listen to all my stuff by the Lyres/DMZ family (it's been a while since the last time). And that's A LOT! Anyway, i just noticed I'm a geek. Certainly I'm a geek. I never was a geek in school, but rock n' roll surely made me. I tried to find all the cover versions Jeff did with both bands and place beside them the originals or the versions made him record them. I found from the bomplist site a good one on the Lyres by a guy that signed as Jeroen (by the way very cool job buddy!). With red letters are my updates on Jeroen's Lyres' list. If I made a mistake somewhere forgive me and please correct me too, the way great Jim Marshall did (known worldwide as The Hound). I copy his comment here.Thanks man!

"Actually the original versions of Skinnie Minnie was Bill Haley & the Comets, the original Let's Have A Party was Elvis (pre-Wanda, but the Lyres do the Riverias arrangment), Sick & TIred was originally done by Chris Kenner, Ain't That Lovin' You Baby by Jimmy Reed, Geraldine by the Ole Miss Downbeats, Gettin' Plenty Lovin' by the Gardenias (as My Baby's Tops w/Ike Turner's band, two years before Esquerita's version), Little Sally Tease by Don & the Goodtimes, Louie Louie by Richard Berry, then the Wailers w/Rockin' Rob Roberts."


I didn't found on DMZ something similar, so i did the list myself. I think i own everything by them so i thought to give it a try.
Feel free to revise on any mistakes or pass overs.
This is it:


DMZ:
* - "Are You Gonna Be There?" - Chocolate Watchband
* - "Barracuda" - The Standells
* - "Bloody Englishmen" - The Stooges ("I Wanna Be Your Dog" with different lyrics)
* - "Can't Do That" - The Beatles
* - "Can't Stand The Pain" - The Pretty Things
* - "Cinderella" - The Sonics
* - "Come On Now" - The Kinks
* - "Comin' After Me" - The Flamin' Groovies
* - "Don't Start Cryin' Now" -  Slim Harpo/Them
* - "Frenzy" -  Fugs
* - "From Home" - The Troggs
* - "Glendora" - Perry Como/Downliners Sect
* - "Heart Of Stone" - The Rolling Stones
* - "He's Waiting" - The Sonics
* - "Let's Talk About Girls" - Chocolate Watchband
* - "Nobody But Me" - The Isley Brothers/Human Beinz
* - "Out Of Our Tree" - The Wailers
* - "Raw Power" - Iggy And The Stooges
* - "Rosalyn" - The Pretty Things
* - "Strychnine" - The Sonics
* - "Teenage Head" - The Flamin' Groovies
* - "You Left The Water Running" - Sam & Dave
* - "You're Gonna Miss Me" - 13th Floor Elevators


THE LYRES:
                                                    
* - "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby" - Jimmy Reed/Beau Brummels                                                            
* - "Baby, I Still Need Your Lovin'" - It's Them (Highs In The Mid 60s Vol.21)                                       
* - "Baby It's Me" - Richie's Renegades (Polaris Story)                                                                
* - "Boston" - Gene Clark/The Beefeaters (An early version of The Byrds)                                            
* - "Busy Body" - Roy Lee Johnson/Jolly Green Giants (Teenage Shutdown Vol.1)                              
* - "But If Your Happy" - The Scavengers (IGL Story 1)                                                                    
* - "Can't Stop The Want" - Sandy Sargent                                                   
* - "Changed Man" - Otis Redding                                                                                      
* - "Cinderella" - The Sonics                                                                                              
* - "Diddy Wah Diddy" - Bo Diddley                                                                                    
* - "Dirty Robber" - TheWailers/The Sonics                                                                                    
* - "Don't Tell Me Lies" - Tommy Tucker/The Esquires (IGL Story 2)                                                     
* - "Don't Wanna Cry" - The Buckinghams (Glimpses 1)                                                                      
* - "Feelin' No Pain" - ("Feelin' No Pain" was by the Del-Satins (Columbia 42802, 1963).They did the backup vocals on Dion's post-Belmonts records. If I remember rightly Dion wrote or co-wrote the song.)    
* - "Geraldine" - Classic Ruins                                                                                        
* - "Gettin' Plenty Lovin'" - Esquerita                                                                                
* - "Give Your Love To Me" - Les Copains                                                          
* - "Go Go Girl" - John's Children  (Marc Bolan's Freakbeat group)                                                       
* - "Gonna Find A New Love" - Yo Yo's (Teenage Shutdown3)                                                              
* - "Grounded" - Syn (Broken Dreams 1, Magic Rocking Horse, Perfumed Garden)                                    
* - "Happy Now" - See ''But If You're Happy''                                                                            
* - "Have Love Will Travel" - Richard Berry/The Sonics                                                                         
* - "Here's A Heart" - Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich                                                    
* - "How Can I Make Her Mine" - Bobby Roberts & The Ravons (Garage Punk Unkowns 1-or box set-, Vile Vinyl 1)          
* - "The Hustler" - The Sonics                                                                     
* - "I Can Tell" - Bo Diddley                                                                       
* - "I Confess" - New Colony Six                                                                
* - "If You Want My Love" - Nightcrawlers                                                
* - "I Love Her Still I Always Will" - The Outsiders                                     
* - "I'll Make It Up To You" - The Roadrunners 
* - "I'll Try Anyway" - Pete Best Combo                                                     
* - "I Need You" - The Kinks                                                                     
* - "Itchin' In My Heart" - The Supremes                                                    
* - "It's Alright" - The Kinks                                                                        
* - "It's Over" - The Scavengers (IGL Story)                                              
* - "Jagged Time Lapse" - John's Children                                                  
* - "Jezebel" - Teddy Boys (Garage Punk Unknowns)                                  
* - "Let's Have A Party" - Elvis Presley/Wanda Jackson/The Rivieras    
* - "Let's Talk About Girls" - Grodes/Chocolate Watchband                      
* - "Lily" - Drusalee & The Dead (Hang It Out To Dry)                     
* - "Little Sally Tease" - The Standells/Don & The Goodtimes          
* - "Long Gone" - The Customs                                                                  
* - "Louie Louie" - Richard Berry/The Kingsmen                                      
* - "Love Man" - Otis Redding                                                                   
* - "Love Me Till The Sun Shines" - Dave Davies/The Kinks (Dave Davies, brother of main Kinks' songwriter Ray Davies, wrote the tune and originally released as b-side to Dave's first single "Death of a Clown". Later recorded by the Kinks too and appeared on the album "Something Else By The Kinks")                                                
* - "Lovin' Cup" - Paul Butterfield                                                             
* - "Never Be Free" - Dale & the Devonaires (IGL Story 1)             
* - "Never Met A Girl Like You Before" - The Kinks                                  
* - "Nobody But Me" - The Isly Brothers/Human Beinz                           
* - "No  More" - Either the Chessmen, Morning Dew or Ron Grey & The Countdowns, no time yet to check this.
* - "No Reasons To Complain" - Alarm Clocks (Back From The Grave 1)  
* - "Now I've Got A Witness" - The Rolling Stones                                    
* - "Out Of Our Tree" - The Wailers                                                                            
* - "Pain" - Phil and the Frantics                                                                        
* - "Rescue me" - Fontella Bass                                                                            
* - "Ring Dang Doo" - Sam The Sham & The Pharoahs                                                      
* - "Running Through The Night" - Mystic Tide (Ear Piercing Punk)                                          
* - "Security" - Otis Redding                                                                              
* - "Self Centered Girl" - Living Ends                                                                    
* - "7" - The Sevens                                                                                      
* - "Shake It Some More" - Tony Sheridan/Jay Jays                                                          
* - "She's Got Eyes That Tell Lies" - Him & The Others                                                
* - "Sick & Tired" - Fats Domino                                                                       
* - "Signed DC" - Love                                                                                    
* - "Since You've Been Gone" - The Kingsmen/Uncalled Four ?/?                                                  
* - "Skinny Minnie" - Bill Haley/The Sonics                                                                    
* - "Soapy" - Mickey & The Cleancuts (Ho Dad Hootenany)                                                
* - "Stacey" - Hangmen Of Fairfield County (Hipsville 29 BC)                                              
* - "Stay Away" - Mystic Tide (on Mystic Tide comp)                                                        
* - "Stoned" - The Rolling Stones                                                                              
* - "Stormy" - Jesters Of Newport (Back From The Grave)                                                  
* - "Sun Going Down" - The Outsiders                                                                          
* - "Swing Shift" - The Wailers                                                                                
* - "Take A Look At Me" - Mr. Lucky and the Gamblers (Teenage Shutdown 1)                                  
* - "Teach Me To Forget" - The Outsiders                                                                      
* - "Tired Of Waiting" - The Kinks                                                                            
* - "Today I'm Gay" - Jay Jays                                                                            
* - "Touch" - The Outsiders (Pebbles 25)                                                                      
* - "Upside" - ? and the Mysterians                                                                        
* - "The Way I Feel About You" - Pete Best Combo (English Freakbeat 5)                                          
* - "We Sell Soul" - The Spades (Epitaph For A Legend) - ( pre-Elevators Roky Erickson band)             
* - "What A Girl Can't Do" - Hangmen (Psychotic Moose)                                                    
* - "What's A Girl Like You Doing In A Place Like This" -  It's Them (From Cincinnati, Ohio. Originally called themselves Them. In the words of Jeff changed their name to It's Them cause Van Morrison got pissed)                              
* - "What's Wrong With You" - The Outsiders                                                                    
* - "When I Needed You" - Chain Reaction                                                                  
* - "The Witch" - The Sonics                                                                                  
* - "Wooly Bully" - Sam The Sam & The Pharoahs                                                        
* - "You'll Never Do It Baby" - The Pretty Things




PS: Take a good look at the detail from the scanned back sleeve of  the Lyres' "Live at Cantones" LP (Crypt). I always was and i always ll be a huge fan of the loudmouth and provocative Tim Warren! This rude piece made me love the Lyres before even hear a note! It's at least hilarious (if not waaaayyy true!) and i wanted to find a chance to post it here since a long time. I think it's the perfect occasion! Stay tuned, more Monoman goodies are comin'!

Saturday, April 10, 2010

DMZ - DMZ!! Live!! 1978!! (Crypt - 1986)

If you ever wonder how these animals may sound on a concert, this LP by Crypt tells the story in all Monoman-ophonic glory! Recorded live at Barnaby's, Methuen, Mass. on June 2, 1978 by Erik Lindgren and released on midst of the 80s. All things you're probably imagine are here. Raw and at full speed rock n' roll. Great Monoman originals stripped to the bone plus the unusual for the era covers by bands known only to collectors then such as the Sonics, the Wailers, the Human Beinz and an outta this world execution of Iggy & the Stooges' hymn, "Raw Power"! Unfortunately this gem never re-released by Crypt and from time to time you can see it on eBay changin' hands in salty prices...Hey Tim, why don't you pick on this one? On my recently relocation to our new house this record for some reason slipped and scratched in almost all Side B... For this reason the upload is an old rip of mine on a low 160 Kbps and not in the usually higher quality standards of this blog.
Anyway, a hotshit's always a hotshit and believe me this recording doesn't measured down by compression's algorithms!





DMZ - Relics (Voxx - 1981)

The first ever record i bought from the Lyres was "A Promise Is A Promise". I promised you things by Jeff & Co. so let's start. To this day i still can't pick out a record from Jeff as my favorite. However I know well that one of my first perseverance's were DMZ. An early literature work of how rock n' roll should sound in the 70s. A study on what is punk and who were his grandfathers. As i said many times here, when i was in my teens the calendar wrote 1992... It wasn't easy to find records like this in a country so many thousand miles away from the east coast of the United States in the heart of the grunge craze. So it took me long time to find and complete the discography of these Boston legends. This Voxx LP was my first hit. I still remember clearly how my eyes got out when i saw it packed in a chain of other records. Never got a second thought. I spend my pin money quickly and ran home to hear this platter. Four songs here produced by Craig Leon, later known from the works he did with the Ramones. The other five are 4-track rough n' wild demos and all together a sexist and fun-y punkadelic beast that even today has no rival. Their version of  the Standells' "Barracuda" is my favorite ever. No one ever got even close to this. 13th Floor Elevators well known now (not then) standard "You're Gonna Miss Me" is sure sodden but not on psychedelics, full on speed n' amphetamines and don't forget that Monster Magnet stole "Busy Man"'s intro for their hit "Powertrip". "Can't Stand The Pain" is the Pretty Things classic and who ever can overlook the Conolly penned punk vignette "Lift Up Your Hood"?
These songs re-released by Bomp! (Voxx's parent label) on CD many years before as "When I Get Off" and my eye just caught that the same label recently put out the same LP this time on big fat 180 gr. vinyl. Hurry up. As i like to say, you must own music like this! This is a vinyl rip that i did quickly this afternoon, of course on 320 Kbps. Taste the vinyl scratches on digital format!





When I Get Off


Tuesday, April 6, 2010

20/20 - An introduction to....

The story starts when in 1977 two natives of Tulsa by the names of Steve Allen and Ron Flynt, after witnessing the success of their hometown companions Dwight Twilley and Phil Seymour, decided to seek their musical fame on the bright lights of Hollywood blvd. Once there they were joined by the drummer Mike Gallo and the first 20/20 line up was formed. In the late 70's, LA was the headquarters for much of the country's punk influenced new wave and pop. From the Quick to the Last to the Plimsouls to 20/20, there was no shortage of great rocking pop coming from California, and 20/20 were probably the best of the bunch.
They started gigging very frequently and became household name at famous Madam Wong's in Chinatown. Esther Wong always supported local bands and became famous for auditioning the bands after listening their tapes in her car. She showcased many cool punk new wave bands at the time. Oingo Boingo, The Police, X, The Motels, The Knack, The Plimsouls, The Go Go's were just few that played Madam Wong's. Greg Shaw was one of the first to notice energetic live 20/20 shows and became their biggest fan from the start. He imediately signed them to his BOMP! Records and released their first 7'' single „Giving It All b/w Under The Freeway“. It's an amazing single and very hard to find although you can hear it on the Various Artists Roots of Powerpop CD collection. Soon after that Chris Silagy joined the band on keyboards which changed their sound from traditional 60's influenced to more new wave-ish.
Their 1979 debut album 20/20 produced by Earle Mankey the ex Sparks guitarist really is a true power pop nugget and one of the best debut albums. It has all, power chords, catchy choruses, fabulous hooks and melodies. However, "Yellow Pills" their biggest hit is, in my opinion vastly overrated, and may be the weakest song on the album. "Cheri", "Remember the Lightning", and "Jet Lag" will always remain my favorites and are true power pop classics.
Look Out!, their second album released in 1981, while containing a few very cool tracks („Nuclear Boy“ is one of them), was unfortunately not quite up to par. It was their downfall that continued when they hit rock bottom on Sex Trap. Anyway, the Look Out! tracks are considerably less traditional power pop and have enough hooks to appeal to more adventurous fans who wished the debut had more new wave appeal.
Because of the fact that their label could never translate radio play and sold-out shows into national chart success, 20/20 declined to do the third album Sex Trap for them and they tried to find better luck elsewhere. A new deal with a major label fell through, leaving the band without a label so the band released their third album Sex-Trap in 1982 on their own Mainway Records. Anyway the album was picked up by Enigma in 1983 but the label owners alternated the Mainway release. Two songs were remixed, one song was dropped and one was added, but that didn't help alot and album hardly saw the light of day.
20/20 released two more albums in the 90's. 4 Day Tornado released in 1995 and has that old trademark 20/20 sound but on their 1998 and final 20/20 release Interstate, there's more of an emphasis on their country twang of guitar pop.
Although they never recieved the recognition they deserved, mostly because popularity of Knack's „My Sharona“ literaly washed off all the other bands from the scene, Allen and Flynt continued to record and their reunion gig at the Radio Heartbeat festival proved that they can still deliver their old songs with the same power and pashion they did at their prime.


Story by Vex Voxtone




PS: There's no need to upload any work from 20/20...They did it earlier and they did it with excellent results (vinyl-ripping, scans, etc...as usual of course...) the guys at Power Pop Criminals Blog. Click here to catch 20/20 at their best. 
-the editor-