Anyone with more than a passing interest in rockabilly can tell you, Johnny Carroll was the real thing. Unfortunately, despite having an exuberant stage presence, and appearing as himself on the big screen (in Rock Baby, Rock It), he was one of those rockabilly second stringers that U.S. audiences passed over (which of course means he was well received in Europe). That said, his music has been on a bunch of rockabilly compilations, and he did record for both Sun, and, in the 70s, Ronnie Weiser's Rollin' Rock Records (the latter, in itself, says volumes about his authenticity).
Though I listen to his stuff occasionally, I wasn't prepared for what I ran across today. Waxidermy posted a couple songs from a later private pressing, from 1975. By that time, Carroll had met a model and Miss Texas runner-up, Judy Lindsey, and, lets just say she out-Yoko'd Yoko Ono. Whereas the worst thing that can be said about Yoko Ono is that she may have possibly contributed to the Beatles break up (which might be a good thing, depending on your opinion of the Beatles), at least she recorded some whacked-out shit. Lindsey, on the other hand, had designs on becoming a singer, and Carroll was eager to help her. Eager enough to record with her, as a duo, Judy and Johnny. Folks, it's not pretty. Okay, so in the world of oddball private pressings, it might be of interest, but rockabilly fans will see it as a major black spot on an otherwise impressive career. Listen to the first few cuts below, and then, if you dare, listen to the two cuts at Waxidermy. Comparing his stage presence in the video below to the lounge sounds of Judy & Johnny, it would seem that Lindsey drugged him, either with some sort of schmaltz pill, or with her beauty.
Though I listen to his stuff occasionally, I wasn't prepared for what I ran across today. Waxidermy posted a couple songs from a later private pressing, from 1975. By that time, Carroll had met a model and Miss Texas runner-up, Judy Lindsey, and, lets just say she out-Yoko'd Yoko Ono. Whereas the worst thing that can be said about Yoko Ono is that she may have possibly contributed to the Beatles break up (which might be a good thing, depending on your opinion of the Beatles), at least she recorded some whacked-out shit. Lindsey, on the other hand, had designs on becoming a singer, and Carroll was eager to help her. Eager enough to record with her, as a duo, Judy and Johnny. Folks, it's not pretty. Okay, so in the world of oddball private pressings, it might be of interest, but rockabilly fans will see it as a major black spot on an otherwise impressive career. Listen to the first few cuts below, and then, if you dare, listen to the two cuts at Waxidermy. Comparing his stage presence in the video below to the lounge sounds of Judy & Johnny, it would seem that Lindsey drugged him, either with some sort of schmaltz pill, or with her beauty.
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Listen:Johnny Carroll - Crazy, Crazy Lovin' mp3 at Rocky-52.net
Johnny Carroll - Wild Wild Woman mp3 at Rocky-52.net
Johnny Carroll - Rock Baby, Rock It mp3 at Rocky-52.net
Johnny Carroll & the Hot Rocks - Rockin' Maybelle mp3 at wa3.cn
The oddballs:
Judy and Johnny - Lady & Knowing Me Knowing You (streaming) at Waxidermy
Video:
Johnny Carroll - Rockin' Maybelle at YouTube
Visit:
Johnny Carroll bio at Arvel.com
Johnny Carroll at Wikipedia
Johnny Carroll at the Rockabilly Hall of Fame
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