The Sonics - "Don't Believe In Christmas/Santa Claus" (7"single, Norton - 1997)

*** Have a Very Loud Christmas!!! ***

 

A Celebration... Rockin' and Rollin' with Ian and Bobby!!! The Rolling Stones - "Welcome to New York" (LP, Trademark of Quality {Bootleg} - 197?) and Small Faces - "Small Faces" (LP, Immediate {Original MONO press} - 1967)

R.I.P. Ian McLagan (12 May 1945 – 3 December 2014)

It's been a rough couple of days for the world of Rock & Roll... You really need me to tell you who Ian McLagan was?

R.I.P. Robert Henry "Bobby" Keys (December 18, 1943 – December 2, 2014)

"Bobby went down in a tub of Dom Perignon. Bobby Keys, so the story goes, is the only man who knows how many bottles of it it takes to fill a bath, because that’s what he was floating in. This was just before the second-to-last gig on the ’73 European tour, in Belgium. No sign of Bobby at the band assembly that day, and finally I was asked if I knew where my buddy was — there had been no reply from his hotel room. So I went to his room and said, Bob, we gotta go, we gotta go right now. He’s got a cigar, bathtub full of champagne and this French chick in with him. And he said, fuck off. So be it. Great image and everything like that, but you might regret it, Bob. The accountant informed Bobby afterward that he had earned no money at all on that tour as a result of that bathtub; in fact he owed. And it took me ten goddamn years or more to get him back in the band, because Mick was implacable, and rightly so. And Mick can be merciless in that way. I couldn’t answer for Bobby. All I could do was help him get clean, and I did."

— Keith Richards

 

Farewell my friend... R.I.P. Midnight Rambler

This one hit me hard... VERY HARD. I'm totally devastated for a friend I never had the chance to talk to, face to face... Internet age, god bless his digital heart.
We have exchanged much more through the years than just links of cool rock & roll music... What I love the most about this blog thing shit is that I found some very good and interesting persons to communicate, even though I didn't know how they look like... And strangely enough I knew something was wrong the last months cause the posts on Sons of the Dolls spaced out, but I wasn't sure if it was something with health and I was afraid to ask...

On September the 6th on my post about the Babysitters documentary, we had the last quick chat.
"Hi Mihaleez, thanks for the link ! Very good words like always in WHITE TRASH SOUL!" had left me in the comments section and I replied, "Thanks man, without you I wouldn't have had some of the Babysitters stuff... the credit goes to you!". The credit goes to him in fact for a lot more than the Babysitters stuff... Hope he's gonna hang out up there with Johnny and Jerry. Cheers buddy!

My condolences to Patrick's family. He will be missed...

Rufus Thomas - "Do The Funky Chicken, STAX 24-bit Remasters" (CD, Concord/Universal - 2011)

Hey there! Everything's fine? I hope so. Sorry for slowing down a little bit, we're on a roll the last
months. Along with JP we 're in a hurry to catch Holidays with a new WAX like project and on top of this, I reconnected with my old pal Manos for a new printed zine! I'm firing on all cylinders as you can guess cause there's work to do too with my dayjob and the other blog, the one about Olympiacos basketball team...
Anyway, there's always a little time I suppose for an upload and a few words, right? So, that's my fave Rufus Thomas LP. I know there's maybe an argument here, but I don't care. For those who don't who Rufus was (shame on you), everything's included in this: A Memphis Soul legend, of the first rock & roll DJs ever and 'The Crown Prince of Dance'! Need more? He gave Stax its first hit record ("Cause I Love You" with daughter and later superstar Carla), the one actually made the Atlantic giant turn eyes down there and start a collaboration which is no hyperbole to say, changed the face of the music (at least in my mind).
And coincidentally this again was the first one after the break up with Ahmet Ertegün and Herb Abramson's company. Having lost superstar and King of Soul, Otis Redding on a plane crash and all of its back catalog to Atlantic, Stax/Volt vice- prez Al Bell visioned a 'suicidal' to many then 28 LP release project for the company's resurrection. And the forgotten by the end of the 60s Rufus was back!
The 'house band' of Booker T and the MGs took place in the studio and guitar master Steve Cropper handled the production duties as well. Son Marvell with Isaac Hayes sat on the keyboards and the famous Memphis Horns with Ollie and the Nightingales were a full on back up fill.
From the opening same title song to the funky recreation of "Bear Cat" (originally the answer to Big Mama Thornton's, "Hound Dog") and all the bonus tracks in here, like the Eddie Floyd penned "Funky Mississippi" there's plenty of good time ass shakin' silliness! Yep the same one made the Ramones as brilliant... So fuck serious music, rock & roll's nothing else but fun,OK?

Yours Truly!

PS: Go ask Poison Ivy from where with Lux took the "Can your pussy Do the Dog?" inspiration...

Great Esquerita and Mighty Hannibal comic strips by Avi Spivak! Dig Kicksville Confidential #1, NOW!!!!

Heeeeeyyyyyyy, found these strips (quite late, I know shame on me - missed also BLOG TO COMM's review, strange things...) on the net and with no second thoughts took the credit card outta ma wallet and placed the order! I'm sure you'll have to do the same, cause trust me YOU NEED this one! And if the rest of this comic book is as cool as the following Esquerita and Hannibal strips, then can't wait for the second rumored issue... Avi Spivak of HUMAN BEING LAWNMOWER fame does the pencil and Billy Miller the storytelling! This is rock & roll history lads...

Pic taken from http://avispivak.blogspot.gr

Chuck Berry - "..Berry Is On Top" (LP, Chess - 1959) {US Mono Original Pressing}

On the 18th day of the past October, Chuckster the man, the legend and the rock & roll himself touched the 88! He's just a year younger offa ma favorite team, he-he! Anyway, there's no reason at all to repeat ourselves or any other old cliché about HIM but there's always a good reason for a Chuck Berry post, right? RIGHT!
So, the other day JP mailed me he was busy ripping stuff a friend of his, gave him (btw, many thanks JF!!!). I asked about it and responded among others with this CLASSIC. For a minute the selfish lil' devil on my left shoulder told me to keep it for own pleasure (I mean, it's in fuckin' MONO!!!!) but the angel on the other side reminded me that we 're on a mission from God, so I gave up the idea (I'm Elwood, I always wanted to be Elwood but that's another story). To cut a long story short, this was Berry's third Chess long play - but technically an all the hits at this point gathering plus some more.
The great late Cub Koda once said "If you had to sweat all of Chuck Berry's early albums on Chess (and some, but not all, of his subsequent greatest-hits packages), this would be the one to own."
So what are you waiting for Chrissake? 

New York Dolls - "One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This" (LP, Roadrunner - 2006)

At the time of "One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This" release, I had with my buddies still the zine and I got in contact with Kevin K for an interview. Among the other stuff we discussed, I couldn't resist myself to ask him 'bout the new then New York Dolls line up and album... He answered to have a listen to it before proceed, but it was good one though even if he doesn't liked the idea of a "New York Dolls" stamp on it without Johnny, Jerry and Killer Kane. "A Las Vegas Dolls title it would have fit more I think..." Kevin told me and I laughed quite loudly as I remember.
I have bought the CD a few weeks before the concert with the Sex Pistols here in Greece and it was very good indeed just as good they were on stage and for sure better than Johnny Lydon's sad caricatures...
So, after all these years I'm having the same opinion about it: A very cool record, perhaps the better one of the many comebacks we witnessed at the time (do you remember the crappy Stooges' "Weirdness"..?) and definitively equal with the Rolling Stones "A Bigger Bang" for instance which I though of it as a descent record too. But just like in Stones case, adds nothing to the myth both the bands have.
Anyway, so why we bother posting it? Because it sounds superlative on vinyl, especially if the rip comes from Jean Philippe's hands and it contains as well the last recorded music by Bo Diddley, no less... Dig!

The Damned - "The Peel Sessions of 30th Nov 1976 & 10th May 1977" (12" EPs, BBC Enterprises/Strange Fruit - 1986/1987)

 

"The Damned and the Mopeds were punks from a strictly rock 'n' roll background, without the glam bit. Which is where I come from. It's got free spirit and a lack of worry that I like."

Billy Childish

PS: Legendary Sessions, by the most legendary Brit rock & roll DJ with one of the best punk rock bands of the era. Strong sizzling sets of a gang at its most ferocious peak, just before to become some goth caricatures... "Neat,Neat,Neat" - "New Rose" - "Stab Your Back" - "I Fall" - "Fan Club", they're all here!

Thanks for the Kicks! Paul Revere, RIP

-Vox Guitars ad with Paul Revere & The Raiders, 1966-

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion! - "Orange" (CD, Crypt - 1994)

Ahhhhh, The Blues Explosion! Still much controversy about them, right? OK right from the start, I dig them and I dig them A LOT! They're in many ways responsible for the younger generations to turn their heads into black music again (rock & roll, blues, funk, soul etc). And they were awfully sexy once upon a time... Actually just as sexy and raunchy will get black music, which is again, A LOT! Hmmmm, come to think of it, actually ONLY black music is sexy but anyway, I think you got it!

So, purists are fuckin' jerks - period! They always were. They're nazis in everything and their thinking is similar if not the identical to those bastards but life and art luckily had taught us that without mixing bloods, no wonder's going to happen and those stupid "purists" attacked/accused the Blues Explosion in the beginning at least, for not being "authentic". Andre Williams, R.L. Burnside and Rufus Thomas though had no problems as history proved just like Bo, Muddy or Chuck had no problems for the Rolling Stones back in the 60s.

Nevertheless I'm still scratching my head in oddity with this record... I mean, is sooooooooo brilliant but quite extremist as well for people like Tim Warren, don't you think (here as you can see for yourself in the original Crypt jacket and not the lame aluminum of Matador!)? With "Orange" the Blues Explosion added scratches and dance beats to their "Meters going Stones having James Brown and Lux Interior" formula with an enormously marvelous end result! Still fresh, neat and funky as fuck as it was 20 years back when at first came out... This is Blues Power!!!

The Jam - "Zoo 5-track EP" (Promo CD, Polygram Greece - 1999)

It took me a little to actually like Paul Weller, you know I'm a huge Clash fan ("They got Burton suits, Ha! you think it's funny... Turning rebellion into money"), but it was a prescribed route actually... The Small Faces and The Who influences, the American Soul/R&B worships, the Mod ethos and The Kinks totally British pop sensibilities... You know, I fell in the end (sorry Joe).
Once in a conversation we had with Brian Young (where are you man?) for the upcoming then 'Good Vibrations' movie, he wrote me this:

"The punk bands lied a lot more and made a lot of promises they never kept - or intended to..in fact for me the only punk I ever saw put his money where his mouth was - was Paul Weller who bankrolled several indie bands/labels/publications...but then Weller wasn't a spoilt rich brat like most of the so called punk spokesmen....oh and live the Jam could wipe the floor with all the other UK punk bands..believe me. Their singles are pretty flawless...."


I remember taking Joe Strummer's side and setting up a 'controversy' just to drag Brian more into this and tell me more of his brilliant memoirs (this guy must write a book, he's a great storyteller!!!) than anything else, he-he. Anyway, that's an official digipack Promo-CD from 1999, given away with the now defunct (and MOJO equivalent) ZOO magazine. It doesn't have something rare within its digital grooves, but I guess the existence of such a thing it's quite rare by itself, right?! And it has five of the best Jam songs ever as well.

Nevermind The Strypes, Here's The 45s!

These 45s fellas are from Carlisle, England and they wore their influences quite proudly on the jacket and the title of their latest EP, "Teenage Depression"! Right?! Tanked up, high octane R&B - the way legendary outfits like Eddie and The Hot Rods and Dr. Feelgood reminded once to the world with mod suits, mop-top haircuts and incredibly good playing for mid teens (all members reportedly are 16)! Great to see young lads pickin' up on rock & roll, instead of corporate precast shit! I mean, GREAT!
Anyway, don't know if there's a 'competition' with The Strypes or something, I guess the media are always in search of such 'rivalries' but I tell you this, if you dig the Ireland's finest you're gonna lose your mind with the 45s! No wonder why Wilko Johnson got them under his wings... As far as I know, they only have two singles on their backs (both great I've download them and they're on a loop in my iPod since) I'm waiting for the "Depression" EP to come one of these days on ma doorstep (use the link on the right to order yours) but I'm still in search of their first one double A-Side killer, "It Ain't Over / Devil of a Woman". White Trash Soul approved combo, can't wait really for a gig and a proper full release!

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Cosimo Matassa, RIP

Cosimo with Jimmy Clanton, 1958

Sad news unfortunately run on.. Cosimo Matassa, the legendary New Orleans recording studio owner,
engineer and rock 'n' roll pioneer has died yesterday at the age of 88. A true unsung legend, Cosimo was responsible for virtually every single R&B record in New Orleans for almost three decades and it isn't far from the truth to say that without him city's R&B wouldn't have been the same!
At his J&M studios, engineered inter alios Fats Domino, Little Richard, Smiley Lewis, Loyd Price, Guitar Slim, Professor Longhair, Earl King and Art Neville! In 1955 he moved to the bigger Cosimo Recording Studio, where acquainted Alain Toussaint and Lee Dorsey. At Toussaint's (now washed up by Katrina hurricane) studios, Sea-Saint, recorded artists such Paul McCartney, The Neville Brothers and Dr. John during the 70s. I'm sure with a little google search from your side, you're gonna know why Cosimo even at this age, was a huge loss for Rock & Roll...

Wreck-ommended listening:  The Cosimo Matassa Story (Proper Box 129) 4-CD set / 2007
and the brand new one from Ace: Cracking The Cosimo Code: 60s New Orleans R&B And Soul

Rob 'Throb' Young, RIP

With grief read this morning the tragic news of Rob 'Throb' Young's death. The former Primal Scream guitarist was the original guitar hero in a band I grew up with and still has a special place in my heart. Rob was present in every zenithal Scream moment, especially on 'Screamadelica' and 'Give Out But Don't Give Up', both personal favorites of yours truly. A proper rock & roller indeed. We all gonna miss those licks and riffs...

Livin' Out Rock 'n' Roll: The Story of the Babysitters & The Last Of The Teenage Idols - 100% legally online viewing!!!

Like many of the stuff you've found in here all those years, I was too young too for the mighty Babysitters and The Last Of The Teenage Idols. What d' you mean who the fuck are they? OK mate, I'll tell you this, they were among the very few flame keepers of the Johnny Thunders meets Mott the Hoople true rock & roll tradition, in a time full of neo-romanticism synth crap, totally silly clothes, Wacko-Jacko, Boy George and Milli Vanilli stupidness plus an MTV at its most powerful... Is that enough?
They looked like some Tigertailz-like average pop metal group, but no sir, they were pure at heart and dirty in mind, Chuck Berry influenced rock & rollers! "Living Out Rock'n'Roll" was the title (if my memory serves me well) of their first shot on the now classic Flicknife Records 1983 "Trash on Delivery" compilation (my good friend Midnight Rambler have posted this and all Babysitters related stuff on his brilliant Sons of the Dolls space, check here for what's still available), and it was as shit hot as any Hanoi Rocks toon at the time! Unfortunately they never had the success or even the cult recognition of their Finnish comrades but that's why we love 'em so much, right?
I haven't checked it yet cause I rushed myself to offer you what Paolo (the documentary's director) mailed me for all you White Trash Soul readers, so this is not obviously a review of this but no one cares I'm sure. I'm definitely sure on the other hand that all you glam punkarollers out there, gonna like it. And I'm hoping for names like the Soho Roses, Gunfire Dance or Dogs D' Amour to march through our screens too... Fuck man, I picked the wrong period to quit drinking and smoking!
Anyway, this is a 100% legally online free viewing of the film. Buttz sang in his Elvis mannerisms then, "Everybody Loves You When You're Dead"... Better late than never pal! Now where's that T-Rex shirt of mine, woman!?

“Potentially the worst rock ‘n’ roll band in the whole world. They’re that good!”

Sounds Magazine

The Jesus and Mary Chain - "Cutmedeadnailmedownandkickmyhead" (LP, No Label JMC 10 - 1985)

For the Mary Chain diehards, probably THE BEST ever bootleg on vinyl! And quite rare as I checked on the net. I found many requests, many questions but very little information about it. Allegedly a 'Live at Westminster Abbey' recording but as I far as I know actually from a mini Creation Records tour of 1984. Anyway, I'm a big Mary Chain fan but not as huge to know such details, so if there's something wrong here, please advice. No track-list printed on the beautiful psych-punk sleeves or the labels, but it's almost sure that contains recordings from two (still unknown) different venues. Overall, a brilliant sounding boot (with an even better rip courtesy of Jean Philippe as usual!), from the classic line up (I assume) of Reid/Reid/Hart and Gillespie with great guitar mix and well chosen covers ("Barracuda", "Ambition", "Vegetable Man") alongside classic now toons. Early Chain at its most chaotic and fuzziest! Dig now, thank us later!

-Early Chain with McGee-

The Prisoners - "Hurricane, The Best of The Prisoners" (CD, Big Beat - 2004)

The Prisoners were among the best (if not THEE best) European garage outfits of the last 25 years or so, period! And if this post would have to end for some reason on the previous quote, it would have been as well completed and justice given!
Really now, I don't know what else to say about them except of the same old cliché that luck was never on their side, as in (m)any of the cult heroes in the history of rock & roll... And that many of the 90s Britpop heroes had them as an obvious blueprint and icons. The Charlatans, The Stone Roses, The Inspiral Carpets, The Shed Seven and The Ocean Color Scene are for sure some among them. None of them though had the guts and the gusto The Prisoners had. I mean, look at The Strypes... Are they an imitation of a lower quality or what?! OK they're not, actually they're quite good but I had to abuse a little the current trends, you know...
Heavy influenced by the Pretty Things of the "Emotions" era and the Kinks (of course!) with a nice ad of Booker T & the MG's, were as much mods as garage revivalists.  Great songwriting skills, danceable rhythm section, raw sounding guitars and heavy Hammond grooves are (in) the Prisoners' DNA. And Graham Day's one of the best and most faithful Marriott students ever. There's a whole lotta soul in here, I'm not joking. These guys really knew where to look for inspiration in the midst of a decade full of bad taste. And as usual Ace/Big Beat guys, did a hell of a good job with this cause that's indeed band's "finest moments all wrapped up on a single CD". Forget Paul Weller, this is still Britain's best kept secret, this is the real shit! Then came the Prime Movers and the James Taylor Quartet...

Pic taken from Ace website

Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers - "D.T.K. - Live at The Speakeasy" (LP, Jungle/SMS - 1982 ~ Japanese press )

I was thinking on my way home that Billy Rath died on the same day as Elvis Presley and almost immediately came a second thought about the last chapter in Legs McNeil/Gillian McCain brilliant book, "Please Kill Me"... For those haven't read it yet, Chapter 44 is closing the book and has Jerry Nolan on his last legs, terribly sick and lonely right after Johnny's death, thinking about the past. In between many things, he remembered he attended a young Elvis show (he was ten at the time) that changed his life ever since... What a strange coincidence..? What a stunning afterword... Well, that's probably the most haunting, otherworldly rock & roll writing ever put on paper and for sure my favorite... Read it and you'll understand what I'm trying to say now... My partner, JP was informed about Billy's passing from our blog. Then mailed me this as a White Trash Soul tribute. I couldn't have think something better, buddy!

Jerry & Billy at Hotel Stadt in Västervik, Sweden 25/7-84 - Taken from The Waldos Facebook page

Broken Heart... RIP Billy Rath

Official Facebook page 'bout Johnny Thunders movie, "Looking for Johnny" have posted this a couple of hours back: "Thank you for the music and for being part of our film. Billy Rath RIP." There's nothing else on the web at the moment, but the aforementioned page is sadly, accurate enough... We here as well known Heartbreakers aficionados, want to express our sorrow to Billy's family and thank him for being part of one of the most important ever bands in rock & roll! R.I.P. 

Little Richard - "The Rill Thing" (CD Reissue, Collector's Choice Music - 2009)

Don't know why took so long to the public to figure out how cool were many Blues and R&B legends in their late 60s/early 70s comeback LPs, but I guess never too late. I was obsessed with it! The first bunch that I lay my dirty hands upon were Muddy Waters' "Electric Mud", "London Sessions" and the Johnny Winter (RIP) produced "Hard Again", about twelve years back. From then it was a non stop downhill, he-he! So, as you might guessing I'm on the other side of the river. I totally disagree with the purists or the artists themselves (like in Howlin' Wolf's 1969 Cadet "Album", for instance...). I mean, why Elvis "68 Comeback" regarded as brilliant (which is) and not Bo Diddley's "Black Gladiator" or Little Richard's "Rill Thing"? Cause both originators have tried to update their sound and for me at least, they succeeded. So, where Big Bad Bo got psychedelic funky, the Georgia Peach got swamp rock! Although Reprise (RS-6406, 1970) tried to push it as a comeback album, Little Richard was in fact 'back' many years before, cutting brilliant (though sadly unsuccessful) rhythm & soul sides for labels like O-Keh, Vee-Jay, Modern and Brunswick. "The Rill Thing" was a loan King Little Richard gave to his tribe, especially on Creedence Clearwater Revival and it was time to get the requite for this. Recorded and produced by him at (the now legendary) Muscle Shoals in Alabama, the sounds captured on tape found the real king of rock & roll in heat. His voice was mighty loud as it was on his Specialty hits and the music was greasy, swampy and funky soulful! “Dew Drop Inn” and the album's (now multi-sampled) opener “Freedom Blues” were written by Richard and long time friend, old lover and influence Esquerita (on credits shown as Esgrita!) if that says something (it does!)... The Beatles' "I Saw Her Standing There" funkified surprisingly enough by the man who gave inspiration to Lennon and McCartney partnership and although at first crabs, after two or three listens fits perfectly to the other album's tunes.

Don't know why really, this one still brings mixed emotions. I'm finding it as a truly exceptional and equal creation to this man's legacy! An album for sure drug fueled by cocaine and guilty pleasures but as well, an album of its time and place. Try play it betwixt and between "Sticky Fingers" and "Bayou Country" and you will understand what I'm saying...

Rolling Stone No.59 / May 28 ,1970 - taken from Arouse Your Passion blog

Darlene Love with 'Miami' Steve Van Zandt work on a NEW album!

R&B legend Darlene Love works on a new album with  'Miami' Steve Van Zandt (E-Street Band, Undergound Garage, Silvio Dante of the Sopranos)!!! Of course the recordings will be out of Van Zandt's garage rock & roll label, Wicked Cool Records. Photos from the recordings taken from the Wicked Cool's Facebook page. Can't wait!!!

Doo doo doo lookin' out my back door...

-Check in comments to see why does the Dude hate the Eagles...-

The Classic line-up is back together! Gabba-Gabba Hey Heaven (or Hell)... RIP Tommy Ramone

The Plimsouls - "The Plimsouls...Plus" (CD, RCA/Rhino - 1992)

I'm going back and forth for an hour or so, staring at the screen having absolutely no idea what to write... I mean, come on you jerk, that's one of your fave bands ever and you don't know what to tell people about? I guess all this has something to do with their importance of course... 'Cause Peter Case's post-Nerves garage pop outfit still remains the untouchable "people need to know" band in my book. Yeah even better than Paul Collins Beat! The legend says for a moment Plimsouls were the hottest band in L.A. but Knack's success backfired the whole thing... So sad, cause unlike 99% of powerpop bands, Plimsouls seem to had their radars turned on the Stones early rock & soul ferocious dynamics than the Beatles sha-la-las. And that's why I guess I love 'em so much... That's the excellent 1992 Rhino reissue (don't know if there's another newer out-there) which collects their classic synonymous first album, the even more important and quite rare "Zero Hour" EP plus a bunch of B-sides. You don't need more at least for a start...

The Jesus and Mary Chain - "Upside Down/Vegetable Man" (7" Single, Creation - 1984)

Fuck shoegaze this is pure rock & roll! And when I say rock & roll, I mean ROCK &
ROLL! As pure, dirty, sexy and violent as it meant to be originally. I know there's this old cliche about Mary Chain's sound, you know Beach Boys meet Velvets or the Ronettes fronting the Suicide or Neubauten nailing the Shangri-Las, but this is totally true. William Reid's chaotic, manic industrial noises are probably the closest thing ever to Ron Asheton, period. I really don't get all this art-fag nonsense about them... If the Cramps were from the Highlands they will sound and look just like the Reid brothers.
This single kick-started Creation's dignity and re-established Britain's proud on producing genuine rock & roll acts/records. And it's no exaggeration saying this single's one of the most important ever in rock & roll.
Don't know how many re-prints officially came out, the first one was surely dressed in black with red fonts but there's more as you can see in here changing main image's black color with pink, red and yellow. This copy as far as I know though, has to be the formal second UK pressing but I'm quite lost and no expert in this... Who cares anyway?  A guy called Neil Taylor who used to write for the NME said to Primal Scream leader, and Mary Chain's drummer during 'Psychocandy' era Bobby Gillespie, that they were the best band since the Pistols... And still remains I should add... 'Upside Down' stands still as a landmark JAMC song and Syd Barrett's 'Vegetable Man' is incredible as well. Dig!

The Jetboys - "Stealing Lynxx Chase, Vol. 1: Toilet Luv - Live at Gibus 1989" (WAX Tape 001)

Hey there! 

We finally made it! I mean, we tried our best on this for a year or so (maybe even more!) and we ended having as many problems as in all other WAX releases combined!!! Really now, we’re not lazy basterds… OK we are a little, but you have no idea how difficult it was. The whole procedure from the day our friend Steve handed us the tapes (yes, there are more!) waaaaayyyyy back till the proud moment (now!) of the Bobcat Twins first cassette release, many things have happened to delay this project. I'm not even trying to categorize those fuckups they're too many... 
Anyway, we’d like to thank our friend Steve for being patient all this time (a year? more..? I’m afraid to check it…) and Freddy Lynxx for being smart enough to give away those tapes (actually treasures). What my part JP did was only to remove hiss and that with care. We didn't want to ruin anything and we didn't! As the title hints, there's a Vol. 2 in sketch but you have to wait a little I'm afraid... JP has a brand new baby (congrats mate, all the best!!!) rockin' & rollin' his and his wife's nights, but we promise we're not going to delay THAT much  any other time...

As usual no bootlegging on WAX stuff, share and dance freely!

The Stooges - "The Stooges" (LP, Elektra - 1969 ~ 1st U.S. Pressing)

Hey! Whassup?
We 're late on many things but except for the usual shit my laptop's gone, too! Thankfully the loss on data matters wasn't big, but till the time comes for a new one (not much money these days, I'm living in Athens Greece, remember?) I'm typing these words from an old tiny Asus netbook that my fingers can barely touch the buttons on it, with no extra drives for ripping even CD things, not enough space for downloading (20 GB HDD and the 60% of them been taken by the OS), so go figure the situation... Talking about blogging right?!

I guess it's time for my partner to save my ass, he-he! We haven't mention Scott Asheton's loss and we haven't wrote a word for his savagery importance, but come to think of it, do you really need White Trash Soul jerks to tell you 'bout Scotty? Naaahhhhh! But you NEED in diverse, White Trash Soul jerks for bringing you the best possible sources in order to hear your rock & roll the way this should be heard...

"BTW, you probably heard Scott Asheton recently passed away. I thought that maybe you could post a good vinyl rip (mine!) of the stooges 1st LP (I know: you hate that hippie 10 minutes tracks). This is a killer pre-proto-punk LP, and the vinyl first US pressing smokes. Crunchy fuzz & crystal clear drums, kills the shitty sounding CD-remasters. Just my 2 cents.
Good evening!"

That's right, that's my pal's shot on me yesterday ( I haven't even replied yet I just ran into this). I love him man, I dig the way he thinks I am a 30 something one track minded prick (actually I AM, he-he) that questions even the Stooges!!! OK, I never liked jams in rock & roll (kick out them!!!) but there's an excuse for our beloved Ann - Arborers for those crappy extended tracks... John Cale, man! Major mistake, never count on a Velevet Underground member... I mean, NEVER! (Hate mails accepted on the known email address of the blog, ha-ha!)

So what we were saying? Ah yes, who's the most powerful drummer ever? John Bonham? Pffffffffff......

R.I.P. Scotty

The Beach Boys - "Mok's SMiLE Fan Mix" (CD-R, 2001)

Hey, I’m with a few days off after an exhausting tour on most Greece’s cities for work for about half a
month. So we came to my old lady’s parents yesterday to spend days supposedly ‘relaxed’. Of course no rest when you have two little boys around but can’t complain, I REALLY like the way they’re making my wife MAD (he-he)! So here I am once again, trapped in a city that has ABSOLUTELY no relation to rock & roll and art in general, a house with no stereo but three TV sets (go figure…) and as confederates to me, an iPod and a tablet with a good measure of music and books (BTW, go catch Bobby Keys autobiography, it's a must read)... There is only a big chain record store in the city with a good 99% crap on its shelves and nothing else… Having nothing really cool to do anyway I decide to give a chance (poor me) and kill time in there. For about an hour I was hanging around with no luck at all but with a weird confidence in companion and right when I was ready to give up, BOOM, The Beach Boys’ SMiLE Sessions Box dusty and unvalued, almost thrown behind shit like Michael Bolton was waiting patiently for how long who knows, for someone like me to understand the treasures locked in! I did one last move to check the price even if I had instantly determined to proceed and then there’s another surprise for yours truly… A ridiculously low price to make things even better... There's God somewhere, Brian Wilson was right!
I rushed myself home, opened my laptop, ripped the damn thing and spent the next few hours by trying to read the booklet or Keys’ book, but no way sir! I mean what in the world was I thinking of? Is there a way to hear such a gem and doing at the same time something else except maybe for chain smoking totally released from anything that's annoying?!
I’m pretty sure there’s no need to tell you people what SMiLE is for pop culture in general. There’s no way someone seriously involved with music to not know the whole story, mystery and legend that surrounds Brian Wilson's and Van Dyke Park’s masterpiece for so many decades. After countless bootlegs and reconstructions we’re able at last, to have an officially released monster and another one by Brian and his band (2004’s ‘Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE’) to fulfill the drawing!
Did I just say ‘reconstruction’? Oh well, there are many of them around the net and if you’re a Beach Boys lunatic, you’re gonna have already most of them if not all, right? Of them all I always carry with me on my external hard drive the ones been made by Purple Chick and Mok! I mean, listen again to these 'fan mixes' if you hold ‘em and take notice that in many cases predated ‘Sessions’. Brilliant, exceptional labors by fans for fans only! And you know our approach to this already cause we 've tried many times something similar, so anything created with love and passion by fans through this space always going to have reverence!
In case you 're getting it for the first time, here’s another chance to hear Mok’s SMiLE Version, arguably one of the best around generally and not only to the ones been made by fans. Words bellow by Mok himself:

"I did this Smile edit back in 2001 way before Brian put it all together and basically, it brings in all good quality elements of the original recordings to form a nice listening experience. It's not an attempt to create a complete album, but for the sake of being completionist, it includes almost every available piece from that era, just edited together in a more cohesive manner.

It seems the more time goes by the more nostalgic I get about the time before BWPS. That might not make sense, but there was a lot to dream of then, when Smile was a perfect figment in out imaginations, different each one. Although I was thrilled at Brian's finished album, this 'version' will always have a spot in the rotation. It was quite a surprise to me that after Brian's was done, people would still want to hear what I did - maybe it is that nostalgic thing in others as well. Of course, nothing sounds like the '60s... I continue to be amazed at how it seems every few weeks I am sending out a few more copies. The thing I enjoy most about it now is reading people's comments back - the connection we make through the material. Common emotions linking people in different states and countries. Anyway, just glad to know that there's other folks out there who 'get it' too. Feel free to pass it along to anyone you think would get something out of it.

I'm uploading it in an effort to post my original contribution to this phenomenon that so many were and are involved in creating and perpetuating.  Hopefully some folks will get a kick out of it, and for others, perhaps just a point of reference.

Thanks again,
Mark

Fan Mix - "Mok's SMiLE" - finished 6/28/01 ~ This is *my* created mix of Smile, long before the master finished it himself. Enjoy!
Source: Various boots (original silvers) > Pro Tools 5.2 (Mac) edit > bounced to 16-bit/44.1 kHz AIFF > FLAC (Total time - 62:28)

Here's a rough idea of what's on this disc and the work that went into it:

1 - Our Prayer
This is a synchronization of the beautiful stereo mix with the mono mix found on bootleg (which I believe is a more coherent sound).
2 - Heroes and Villains
This is an amalgamation of all of the great pieces of Heroes, in an order I find appealing. There are attempts at increasing the clarity of the mix made by using the isolated vocal tracks from Sea of Tunes synchronized with the main mono track (making a rough stereo). Longer than I would like (8:00) but I feel complete by the end. (probably 3rd most worked-on)
3 - Barnyard
Pitch matched the instrumental track from bootleg with the demo piano and vocal from the GV box. It fits, amazingly, although a considerable amount of elbow grease was applied.
4 - I'm In Great Shape
The 'waking up' sounds of H&V sections mixed into the actual wakeup "mornings tumble out of bed..." vocal/piano demo by Brian (a bit cleaned up).
5 - Do You Like Worms
IMHO, the right pieces in the right order, this track sounds amazing. I believe one of the finer sounding tracks, 99% in stereo. Vocal clarity was obtained by mixing splits (again) into the stereo track.
6 - Child is the Father of the Man
Hard to get great quality, since most of the material comes from acetates, but I mixed several different 'takes' and 'remakes' of this song into one, satisfying another completions urge. Nobody's thought of *this* yet. Lots of work went into this (probably 4th most worked-on).
7 - Look
Not much editing, just judicial eq to clean up - the sequencing of this song and the next are key.
8 - Good Vibrations
A GV 'greatest hits' edit - the best parts of this song mixed as if it was whole. Now I hear this edit when I hear this song on the radio (and it hasn't ruined it). Find it in your heart to forgive my hacks, I think it's worth it.
9 - Holidays
Segueing out of GV, Holidays is not edited, just cleaned up as well. This track and Look were 'done' IMHO. A clever way in and out of GV.
10 - The Old Master Painter
A tough edit of the stereo instrumental with the mono vocal mix. These do not sync up well, but my crossfades take care of the wonky-ness.
11 - He Gives Speeches
Padded at the beginning and faded out at the end, a minor touch-up to the "beginning of side 2" (for me).
12 - Wonderful
The version from the box set, unaltered. This is beautiful, and never should be messed with.
13 - I Love to Say Da-Da
I know, I know, Cool Cool Water isn't Da-Da, but I felt this made a better flowing track with the two edited together (water chant drops in the middle).
14 - Mrs. O'Leary's Cow
H&V intro is Fire. This segues quite nicely into Cow, and that dies out.
15 - Friday Night
After the craziness, the 'rebuilding' smoothness comes in. Stereo Version was cleaner, sorry for the right channel only woodwork. (Woodwork is always in mono!)
16 - Reprise
A reprise of the H&V theme, with no H&V-specific vocal. I thought it went well here. A cleaned-up edit and fade makes it leaner, but still nice.
17 - Vega-Tables
This was just love from the beginning. This plays everything I want to hear of Veg, with only a slight weird phasing that could not be avoided. So many sections with so many edits, this was probably the most intensive editing on the project. Mostly stereo (where it counts) and I 'never was lazy' putting it together.
18 - Wind Chimes
Almost the same edit as on the box set, but using stereo sources from the bootlegs for (better?) sound.
19 - CabinEssence
This incorporates the 'instrumental' sections from the boots (I can't ever go without hearing that) with the completed Carl vocal version from the box set. I cleaned up some of the vocals on this track so they stand out a little more.
20 - You're Welcome
Regardless of the intent, I couldn't resist putting this on there. Very little work involved, but it might be noticeable to others...
21 - George Fell Into His French Horn
I clipped a small section of this because I heard the segue from this track to the next in my head months before attempting this project. It makes me laugh and works in a way you would never expect.
22 - Surf's Up
One of the hardest things to work on in the project and ultimately the most rewarding. I love the stereo backing track, but wait, there's now Brian's demo vocal (and only Brian) in sync! Pitch correction, time compression, whatever it took, I had to do it just to see if it could be done. This was the whole inspiration for the project, and the last thing I worked on. Try not to cry when you hear it the first time. Goosebumps every time.
Ultimately it's too long and overstuffed to be an 'album', but there never was an album, and this is my way to feel totally complete with Smile (if one ever can)." - Mok

Good Vibrations anyone?!

The Rolling Stones - "Metamorphosis - Bootleg Version" (CD, Maximum - 2002)

Stones anyone?
I never thought I had this! A very pleasant discovery of the past days dive on my old hard drives!! Original Metamorphosis LP was just another subject of hostility between ex-manager Allen Klein and the band back then. A rare/odds collection with a messy story, pressing and sound.
Bill Wyman supposedly in communication with the other Stones members accumulated this compilation (mind you, still the only 'official' with outtakes/rarities of their catalog). Right away Klein (owner of all of their early work...) took in charge and released it... The legend says the whole controversy began on the material that's imprisoned in vinyl's grooves. Allegedly Bill Wyman's point of view was perhaps closest to a fan's and Klein's to a banker's... Personally don't give a shit in what both sides said or the hardcore fans/purists... Metamorphosis badmouthed and that's a completely unfair situation.
What you rock & roll fan get is first rate demo material on songs the Stones gave away to other artists (some of them later thank god, redone by the band) in a time Andrew Oldham was trying to be the European Phil Spector or something! You know, in mid 60s Jagger and Oldham created and All Star session team that had in its set (among others) Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Nicky Hopkins and Mike Leander in order to cut demos of Jagger/Richards 'leftovers'... And many of them as the legend says found their way to this shady release. Like the Johnny Thunders favorite (mine too) "I'd Much Rather Be With The Boys"... Is that pop heaven or what, people?! You get for instance the Jagger's vocal on the same backtrack that used for Chris Farlowe number one hit or a great Chess studio outtake on Chuckster's "Don't Lie to Me" or Beggars Banquet/Let It Bleed oddities like Stevie Wonder's "I Don't Know Why"... Not bad, right?! I'm telling you, NOT BAD AT ALL!!!
What this boot comes to fix is the most important, though, and that's the sound. I read in many internet sources that real US release had suffered by muddy sonics and bad pressings. Don't know... What I know for sure is that this Russian boot has deep and rich output. And it has also great packaging (a thing many bootleggers don't care for). They could have been easily WAX staff members if they have passed it for free to the public and not selling it...
They have used UK's pattern and added 10 more tracks in the best ever released audio quality! Personal favorite (along with "I'd Much Rather Be With The Boys")? "If You Let Me" an oddity from Between The Buttons (another infamous Stones album and another personal heartthrob of yours truly). Dig!

WAX Stuff Revisited!

Hey! It's been a while since the last time, I know and I'm sorry for all you guys and gals if I let you down... Too much to do too little time... I was checking my emails every two or three days and I was keeping notes on what you're asking, so I decided to begin from where I left off and to start with what I promised.
We don't have as much spare time as we want to or as we used to, but we 're not going to let also those creeps making money on our labor. And here goes a HUGE thanks for the way you embraced our 'projects'!
This post restarts White Trash Soul! All missing or not WAX stuff, re-upped for all WTS friends who came late to our company.  I wasn't able to FLAC our first volumes, even if I wanted to... And that's because I made the terrible mistake to keep the lossy files on my hard drives and not the ones I originally ripped in WAV... As you already know probably, many of them were picked from vinyl slices and that's not a piece of cake situation...
Don't worry though, from Volume 5 and on all are in lossless!We're no dead yet, stay tuned for more Rock & Roll!