WHAT THE HELL, COULDN'T RESIST

I wouldn't ordinarily post a song after being prompted by a TV show, but the last scene of the last episode of Breaking Bad featured Badfinger's "Baby Blue" a song I happen to really dig. The juxtaposition of it's inclusion in a tragic scene ending a tragic series was effective, that is in getting me to turn it up and play air drums, totally ignoring what was happening on the screen. It's a great song, and the best part of it, for me, is remembering where I was when it actually made an impact on me. My friend Bill played it for me on his badass component stereo many (many) years ago, after hunting for it for ages. You oldsters can probably relate. In the pre-internet, pre-reissue days, out of print meant out of print, as in the search for some records didn't happen with a few clicks. It was record swaps, mail order, or, in rare instances, a serendipitous score from a thrift store or garage sale. When you have a buddy who is a total fiend of a particular record, and finally gets a copy, dissects it and then plays it on the aforementioned badass component system pointing out every goddamn  nuance, it's going to make an impression. It did, and it stuck. So, last night when Walter White was gasping his last breath, I was reliving a moment with a friend and one of his white whales.

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Listen:
Badfinger - Baby Blue (LP version) mp3 at Cold Splinters
Badfinger - Baby Blue (US Single version) mp3 at Gaper's Blog
Badfinger - No Matter What mp3 at Snuhthing Anything 

STUDIO ONE SECOND STRINGERS

It was that kind of day. If you live in Southern California, you know what a Santa Ana is. For those that don't, it's a weather condition that brings warm dry air in from the east. Higher temperatures, clear skies, and offshore breezes; most common in the fall. It kind of extends summer, therefore it rules. That by itself would have made my day. But what really made my day (commence ho-humming any time), was that the closest record store to me, literally within barefoot walking distance, is now stocking, albeit limited titles, Studio One vinyl. Primitive cover art, crappy printing, and all. Neither of those two positive events of the day merit a post in and of themselves, but they do merit a "I'm going to cap this day off by doing what the fuck I want" type post. And I want reggae. Specifically Studio One. This is just a random selection, with the emphasis being lesser knowns. My favorites in this lot are the Dynamics and Larry and the Cables.

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Listen:
The Dynamics - Let's Make Love mp3 at Dusted Studio One
Winston Jarret - Just Can't Satisfy mp3 at Bad Luck City Studio One
The Sharks - How Could I Live mp3 at Reggae Top Site Studio One
Larry and the Cables - Please Stop Your Crying mp3 at Snuhthing Anything Studio One

SANS FLUFF

I just spent the better part of the last hour watching the thing below about the Fall. I've been a peripheral observer for years, but they've got thirty albums, and you better think twice about asking a true Fall fiend where to start, because a Fall fiend will go off. You'll expect an album title or two, but you'll get a half hour monologue about how great they are. So, up until now, I hadn't bothered.  I knew little about the Fall. After viewing the video, I now know even less. Which, in a weird way, is why what is good about them. They're confounding, rather Mark E. Smith is. That's one thing, dude was a coot way before his time. He's like that guy you know who drinks a lot and never lightens up. The sourpuss who's usually right about things, but doesn't really bring a whole lotta joy to the table. But, he keeps it interesting and that trumps a lot of other other things. Especially when you can do it for thirty seven years.

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Listen:
The Fall - Mr. Pharmacist mp3 at Plain or Pan 1986
The Fall - A Day in the Life mp3 at Beware of the Blog 1988
The Fall - Fifteen Ways mp3 at New Dust 1990
The Fall - Dr. Buck's Letter mp3 at Cargo Culte 2000
The Fall - Sir William Wray mp3 (via Kiwi6) at Another Dying Art Form 2013
This is telling (or not):
Songs the Fall Taught Us - 35 songs the Fall have covered at Beware of the Blog Merle Haggard, the Saints, Nancy Sinatra, the Monks, Deep Purple, Lee Perry, Mothers of Invention, Gene Vincent, Leadbelly, Dean Martin and others.
Visit:
The Fall at Wikipedia
The Fall Online

THE GATOR'S GOT YOUR GRANNY

A friend of mine posted a video of Tony Joe White doing "Polk Salad Annie" a couple days ago, and I've been on a swamp rock thing since. It reminded me again how lucky I was to have been exposed to AM radio. This sucker was a hit in 1969, as was Creedence's "Green River", and a year or so later, Jerry Reed's "Amos Moses". It would seem that it was the era that swamp broke, but those were but three. Not quite the critical mass. But you know what? If it wasn't for the limited musical outlets back then, I may never have heard it. Record companies and radio stations wouldn't have pulled out all the stops to cram everything into one radio format, So, now, if you want to bail and go listen to the same stuff you always listen to, you go on right ahead. I'll be over hear, listening to Mr. Laid Back Badass and his swamp buddies.

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Listen:
Tony Joe White - Polk Salad Annie mp3 at AM Then FM
Tony Joe White - Roosevelt and Ira Lee mp3 at Boogie Woogie Flu
Dale Hawkins - Susie Q mp3 at Rocky52.net
Jerry Reed - Amos Moses mp3 at The Walrus
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Run Through the Jungle mp3 at 8106
Blue Ridge Rangers - Working on a Building mp3 at Dr. Mooneys 115th Dream
Southern Culture on the Skids - Tobacco Road mp3 at BillyChic.com

KEEP THINKING THAT JOCK.

Yeah, he knows it. That look on the face of a high school age Al Casey tells you that this guy knows his shit is hot, and it was. Casey had already been playing pedal steel for ten years and in just a couple more would find himself playing with Duane Eddy, Jody Reynolds, and later as a studio musician in the Wrecking Crew backing..., well you know about the Wrecking Crew, right? They backed everybody. He was also in a bunch of faceless instrumental surf-ploitation bands, the sort of which  that put out LP after LP to cash in on the surf music craze. Dude was one red hot hired gun.

I've posted some of these before, but, thanks to the Dad's 45s (and 78s), there's a couple more that I hadn't heard. You really ought to check out Dad's 45s, it's a guy who posts records from his dad's record collection and his dad had some kinda taste. Really. I'm adding him to my links tonight kinda taste.

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Listen:
Al Casey - The Stinger mp3 (via DivShare*) at Dad's 45s (and 78s)
Al Casey - Night Beat mp3 (via DivShare*) at Dad's 45s (and 78s)
Al Casey - Teenage Blues mp3 at Rocky-52.net
Jody Reynolds (Al Casey: guitar) - Daisy Mae mp3 at Probe Is Turning-On the People
Jody Reynolds (Al Casey: Guitar) - The Fire of Love mp3 at Probe Is Turning-On the People
Al Casey - Baja mp3 at Probe Is Turning-On the People
Al Casey & the K.C.-ettes - Surfin' Hootnanny at Rocky-52.net
*Once you get to DivShare, click on the green Download" button, and scratch your head for fifteen seconds. When the button reappears, you're good to go. 
More on the Wrecking Crew here

SOUND AND STYLE

The album above is one great package. I don't know what the consensus is outside my front door, but within these walls it's a bona fide classic. First off, how do you beat that cover? There aren't enough words. The Doctor takes the piss out of any and all fluff. The music is top shelf DJ stuff, and the backing riddims include repurposed tracks by Horace Andy ("Poison Flour") and Gregory Issacs ("Unitone Skank"). The third down there, "Best Dressed Chicken In Town" is obviously from the same album. It's killer as well.

One more thing: Check the link to ten great reggae cuts, including "Unitone Skank", at For the Sake of the Song, which is what began tonights diversion.

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Songs:
Dr. Alimantado - Poison Flour mp3 at Le Blog de la Grande Chose
Dr. Alimantado - Uinitone Skank mp3 at For the Sake of the Song
Dr. Alimantado - Best Dressed Chicken In Town mp3 at Le Blog de la Grande Chose
Mix:
Unitone Skank mix at For the Sake of the Song Ten reggae cuts with "skank" in the title. 

PRACTICE GUITAR, NOT HAIR

I like cheap recordings. Shitty doing the best we can without a major limited budget studio recordings. Here's two New York Dolls cuts, recorded in the UK in 1972, and produced by Marty Thau, who would start Red Star Records a few years later, releasing the first Suicide LP, the first Real Kids, and the second Richard Hell and the Voidoids LP, among others. I've seen varying accounts on these Dolls cuts. One says they were released on a German label the year before their first LP. Another dates the release as 1978. Regardless, the recordings themselves are early and raw, and that's almost always a plus.

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Listen:
New York Dolls - Bad Girl mp3 at Glorify the Turd
New York Dolls - Subway Train mp3 at Glorify the Turd
Older Dolls stuff Scroll down

WILSON WOBBLE

It's a bubble bursters delight tonight. As you well know, there are countless Brian Wilson freaks who would like to believe his track record is beyond reproach. If you're one of them, this is gonna sting. Brian Wilson's shit stinks, like yours and mine. He may be a musical genius, but boy, when he sucks, does he ever suck. Right about now your scanning the entire Beach Boys catalog in your head. You running down the list of every solo LP he put out, and every record he's produced for other artists. Still can't think of it? One reason is that it was only released in an edition of 250 promo copies and given to industry types and radio stations. So, if it was a Brian Wilson thing, and it was given to radio stations, why haven't you heard it? It's that bad, that's why. Here's the part you are not going to believe: Mike Love had nothing to do with it. Seriously, what kind of world are we living in? The whole story behind this wretched geek bait can be found at Beware of the Blog.

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Listen:
Brian Wilson - Smart Girls mp3 at Beware of the Blog
Your chaser:
The Pop Dose Guide to the Beach Boys, Pt 1 25+ songs from 1962 to 1967, linked within the text.
The Pop Dose Guide to the Beach Boys, Pt 2 30+ songs from 1967 to 1996, linked within the text.
More Beach Boys and Brian Wilson related stuff Scroll down

VU SHAKE

I was listening to an unlabeled mix yesterday, dated 10/09. The instrumental version of the Velvet Underground's "Guess I'm Falling In Love" came on. It sounded righteous. This has happened before, same song. I never have to go looking for it. Every once in a while it just pops up, as if reminding me it's time to revisit its awesomeness. I still totally dig it. I like that it sounds like the Velvets, but it doesn't sound like the Velvets. It's kind of garage, but it isn't. Without the vocals, if you hadn't heard the song before, you might not be able to tell what band it was, or even what year. If you haven't heard it before, give it a go.

There's also a link to two different versions of "Some Kinda Love" at Boogie Woogie Flu. Nice write up too. If you haven't poked around here much, there's a bunch of Velvets related stuff that's been posted in the past. Scroll down this page. A lot of the songs are still there.

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Listen:
Velvet Underground - Guess I'm Falling In Love (instrumental) mp3 at Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban
Velvet Underground - Some Kinda Love (Closet mix) mp3 at Boogie Woogie Flu Go there to get it
Velvet Underground - Some Kinda Love (Val Valentin mix) mp3 at Boogie Woogie Flu Ditto
Note: No idea if the photo is the same incarnation that recorded any of these, I just dug the photo.
Visit:
Other Velvet Underground posts Scroll down

I DIG YOU BAAAY-BEEE, YUUUUUH

Marvin Rainwater died last Tuesday. Who's Marvin Rainwater? A country singer who dabbled in hillbilly, rockabilly, and, at least on one record, yodeling with a dog. He had a slightly novel delivery, particularly when he was enunciating for emphasis. Sure, he's no Hank Williams, but when his name pops up at Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban, Rocky 52 and on volume two of Lux and Ivy's Favorites, you better know that there's something going on.

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Listen:
Marvin Rainwater - Hot and Cold mp3 at Rocky 52
Marvin Rainwater - Down In the Cellar mp3 at Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban
Marvin Rainwater - I Dig You Baby mp3 at Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban
Marvin Rainwater - The Haircut mp3 at Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban
Marvin Rainwater - Tennessee Hound Dog Yodel mp3 at Rocky-52
Video:
Marvin Rainwater - Whole Lotta Woman at YouTube
Visit:
Marvin Rainwater at The Rockabilly Hall of Fame
Marvin Rainwater at Wikipedia

PRE-FUZZ TRAIN

It's a song you've no doubt heard more than a few times. "Train Kept A-Rollin'" has been covered by everybody; Johnny Burnette and his Rock 'n' Roll Trio, Scotty McKay, Screaming Lord Sutch, the Yardbirds, Aerosmith, and your mother. A lot of people assume that Burnette's was the original, because it is the most celebrated, due in no small part to the early use of fuzz. But the original was done by Tiny Bradshaw, and it doesn't get mentioned often, so what the hell.

Jeff Beck attempts the Burlison method

Speaking of fuzz, the fuzz on Burnette's version that is, it's the subject of wide debate by Train Kept A-holics. One story has that it was the accidental result of a loose tube in the amp of Burnette's guitarist Paul Burlison. Another version credits studio guitarist Grady Martin, who was an early fuzzianado. You can read a long debate in this post, including comments from Burlison's son. One last thing before you go: It just occurred to me that the footage in the Michelangelo Antonioni film Blow Up (above), featuring the Yardbirds playing the song in a club, may be paying homage to the Burlison version of the story, with Jeff Beck banging the shit of his amp when it starts shorting out. Remote possibility, I know, but I like the Burlison version too much not to throw that out there. 

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Listen:
Tiny Bradshaw - Train Kept A-Rollin' mp3 (via DivShare*) at On The Flip-Side
Johnny Burnette and  the Rock 'n' Roll Trio - Train Kept A-Rollin' mp3 at Beware of the Blog
Scotty McKay - Train Kept A-Rollin mp3 at Beware of the Blog
The Yardbirds - Train Kept A-Rollin' mp3 (via DivShare*) at On The Flip-Side
Screaming Lord Sutch - Train Kept A-Rollin' mp3 (via DivShare*) at On The Flip-Side
*Once you get to DivShare, click on the green Download" button, and scratch your head for fifteen seconds. When the button reappears, you're good to go.

SCREW 'EM

It went down something like this: Back in 1960, the GFOS pitched an instrumental record to King Records, and they said "Yeah right, get back to doing what you do". Then it was something like, "Fuggit, Nat, let me borrow your name". So the record gets released on another label under the name of his drummer, it does good, and the guys at King were going, "You know guys, we fucked up, we'll do them from here on in". Or something like that. Read the straight dope at Diddy Wah. In proper English. And nab those first two while you can. He doesn't let them linger long.

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Listen:
Nat Kendrick - Wobble Wobble Pt 1 mp3 at Diddy Wah
Nat Kendrick - Wobble Wobble Pt 2 mp3 at Diddy Wah
James Brown - James Brown's Boo-Ga Loo mp3 at Beware of the Blog 
James Brown - Jimmy Mack mp3 at Groove Addict
James Brown - Mercy, Mercy, Mercy mp3 at Groove Addict

I, ELLA IGNORAMUS

You know how to do a good cover? Totally ignore how it was originally done. Do it from sheet music if you have to. If you're a true song stylist, you can make it your own. Do it. Ella Fitzgerald could, even covering Cream and the Beatles. 

It just occurred to me. Years ago, I would have thought of these songs as square. Now I totally dig them. It's not really about getting old and boring, but the years do have a little to do with it. The longer you listen to music, the more your tastes broaden. It's that thing. You still get it. You still get some weird thrill being on the outside and sticking your toe into some unfamiliar genre for the first time. It's one of the things that nudged me into just about every type of music that I hold dear. Probably you too. So, short version: I don't know shit about Ella Fitzgerald. But I do like these songs.

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Listen:
Ella Fitzgerald - Sunshine of Your Love mp3 at Snuhthing Anything
Ella Fitzgerald - Savoy Truffle mp3 at Cover Me
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong - Summertime mp3 at Internet Archive
Visit:
Ella Fitzgerald - A bunch more stuff at Internet Archive
Ella Fitzgerald at Wikipedia
Ella Fitzgerald Official site

HELL YEAH, I CAN LEMONADE

The story goes something like this: In the late fifties, after a string of hits on Specialty Records, Little Richard finds God, and decides to lay low. The label hurriedly switches gears, deciding to concentrate their push on Lloyd Price, who was already on their label. Wait, but what's this? Price tells them thanks but no thanks, he's leaving to start his own label. As a conciliation, he recommends his driver and former pimp, Larry Williams. Williams was brought into the studio and made the most of the opportunity. His songs are covered about five or six years later by the Beatles and the Stones. That's a pretty good career trajectory.

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Listen:
Larry Williams - Dizzy Miss Lizzie mp3 at Joe Troiano's Blog 1958
Larry Williams - Slow Down mp3 at Mercury Paradise 1958
Larry Williams - She Said Yeah mp3 at Beware of the Blog 1959
Larry Williams - Short Fat Annie mp3 at The New LoFi 1957

SONG CRUSH

Petula Clark is one of them. One of those Top 40 singers that seemed squeaky clean but, try as you may, you can't deny that they have something that makes them kind of normal cool. By that I mean, streaming out of the radio on Dad's work bench radio cool. That's where I first remember hearing "Downtown", and the fact that I didn't have rights to the radio dial, nor was I cognizant of hipper Top 40 fare at that young age, may explain my strange attraction to the song, then and now. I was not even aware that my city had a downtown. I wasn't aware that Clark was British, and I was far too young to have any sort of huzza huzza type stirrings. I guess I just liked the song. Still do. 

What started this mini-Pet relapse was an awesome cut at Probe Is Turning-On the People, Clark singing "L'Secret Agent" in French. (Yeah. It's getting all Morticia up in here.) The navigation over at the Probe site is endearingly old school. This song is "Session 450", and, as of today, the newest post on the home page, but next month you may have to scroll down. The "Sessions" are in reverse chronological and numerical order. Sometimes old school navigation is cool. You have to figure it out. That Google shit is for pussies.

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Listen:
Petula Clark - Downtown mp3 at Radio Rock Hit
Petula Clark - Coke commercial mp3 at The Podcast Place I don't like Coke, but I totally dig this.
Petula Clark - Imagine mp3 at NHAC (?)
Petula Clart - L'Secret Agent mp3 at Probe Is Turning-On the People
Video:
Petula Clark - Downtown at YouTube
Visit:
Petula Clark at Wikipedia

CHESTER ARTHUR BURNETT

All it took was one Howlin' Wolf song, and now I'm useless for the night. I'm in the middle of watching a two hour documentary on the man (the one below), so I'm ducking out early. (If you're not doing anything, check it out. So far, from what I've seen, it's really good.)

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Listen:
Howlin' Wolf - Back Door Man mp3 at at Snuthing Anything
Howlin' Wolf - Wang Dang Doodle mp3 at Burning Hand
Howlin' Wolf - Evil mp3 at Snuhthing Anything
Howlin' Wolf - I Ain't Superstitious at Ticket to the Blues
Howlin' Wolf & Muddy Waters - Highway 49 mp3 at Ticket to the Blues
Howlin' Wolf - Killing Floor mp3 at White Light Black Light
Howlin' Wolf - Coon on the Moon mp3 at Ticket to the Blues 
Visit:
The Unofficial Howlin' Wolf page at Perfect Sound Forever - A whole mess of articles, links, photos, and an extensive discography

CATCH YOU ON THE FLIP, I-ROY

Prince Jazzbo passed away from lung cancer a few days ago. Some may consider him a tier two reggae DJ, but he put out some damn good sides. The one below, "Crab Walking", has it all. You really should give it a listen. It's Studio One, it's riddim is from Horace Andy's classic "Skylarking", with Jazzbo toasting over it. And, it's the disco version (not as in disco music, as in the long version), with the dub laced version spliced in and out. So, add that up; Studio One, plus "Skylarking", plus DJ, plus dub. That there equals hot shit. The editing is crude, but that's how they did it. I don't care. I love that song.

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Listen:
Prince Jazzbo - Crab Walking mp3 at Snuhthing Anything Eight minutes
Prince Jazzbo - Pepper Rock mp3 at Reggae Top Site Over Burning Spear
Prince Jazzbo - School mp3 at Reggae Top Site
Prince Jazzbo - Kick Boy Face (streaming) at YouTube Where Claude Bessy got his nom de plume
Visit:
Prince Jazzbo - Good consise profile at Mojo

SAVE YOUR CHEAP PUN

Hot dog! It's Rose Maddox month at Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban! They sure know how to pick 'em over there. Scroll down the home page. Every two or three posts has some of her stuff. Here's just a couple. If you don't know who she is, just read the first paragraph at Wikipedia. If that doesn't wet your whistle, just get the hell out of the way.

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Listen:
Rose Maddox - Move It On Over mp3 at Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban
Rose Maddox - Wild Wild Young Men mp3 at Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban
Visit:
Rose Maddox Month at Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban Interspersed with other goodies.
Rose Maddox at Wikipedia

JERRY, REALLY?

As goofy as the photo above is, maybe if that was the first photo I saw of the Misfits I'd have paid attention. But, as it happened, I only saw the photos of just a couple years later. The trying too hard era was in full swing. They were already becoming caricatures of themselves. No big deal; in the late seventies and early eighties, there were more than enough bands vying for my measly expendable cash. A message to bands who try too hard for that unique image: don't. Some people will dismiss you. Particularly if they had already seen the rise of Kiss.

These are from the Misfits third single, released in 1979, a year after the above photo was taken. The original pressing was 2,000 copies, and a couple dozen promo copies. Which of course makes it hot stuff for punk collectors. Which of course gets the eyeballs rolling.

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Listen:
The Misfits -  Horror Business, Teenagers Fom Mars, and Children In Heat mp3s at Killed By Death Go there to get them.

GOOD AS NEW

Rummaging through stuff to listen to today, I ran into a Fela disc (out of it's sleeve; which, you know, only enhanced the sound). I slapped in on and, man, did it ever sound good. After listening to it for a few minutes, it occurred to me that I haven't posted any of his stuff for quite a while, which is surprising considering how many times I lean on old standbys when I can't think of anything else. Maybe it's been a while since you've listened to him. Maybe you've never heard him, I don't know. If you haven't, just think of him as the Nigerian James Brown of afro-funk, not musically, just as a genre icon, a musical template, who was prolific and consistently solid. He had a relatively nutty life too. What kind of guy creates their own compound, with a commune, a disco and a recording studio, takes 27 wives and, just for the hell of it, proclaims their independence from the Nigerian state? This guy does. Dig these long grooves. If any of you happen to be young, learn this music, it is a door to another world. Carry it forward, with you, as you age. Pass it on. Luke Skywalker.

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Listen:
Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit mp3 at Review Stalker
Fela Kuti and the Africa 70 - Who're You? mp3 at Dusted
Fela Kuti and the Africa 70 - Question Jam Answer (via DivShare) mp3 at American Athlete
Fela Kuti - Mister Follow Follow mp3 at the Cargo Culte
Fela Kuti - Zombie mp3 at Truants
Read:
How Fela Landed Me In Jail by John Barton at the New York Times
Fela Kuti at Wikipedia

CALIFORNIA BORN AND BRED

What the fuck. Johnny Otis did everything. He sang, played piano and drums, was a band leader, producer, songwriter, and arranger, had his own radio show, and his own TV show. He discovered Little Esther, Big Mama Thornton, Jackie Wilson, Little Willie John and Hank Ballard. And he knew when a song required an F-bomb, it deserved to be included (the second line of "The Signifying Monkey"). Few things instill California pride in me like Johnny Otis. It's the same feeling I get from the Flamin' Groovies' "Teenage Head". Does anyone else get that?

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Listen:
Johnny Otis Rhythm and Blues Caravan - Midnight In The Barrelhouse mp3 at Ole Miss Media 1947 
Johnny Otis Show - I Believe I'll Go Back Home mp3 at Ole Miss Media 1969
Johnny Otis - The Signifying Monkey mp3 at Discos y Monstuos 1968
Johnny Otis - Harlem Nocturne mp3 at A Terrible Blogger 1945
Johnny Otis - Hit That Jive Jack mp3 at A Tumblr (?)
Video:
The Johnny Otis Show at YouTube 28 minutes Check Otis with Lionel Hampton, going off at 24:44
Every Beat of My Heart - The Johhny Otis Story at YouTube Short clip
Visit:
Johnny Otis at Wikipedia
Johnny Otis at The Hound Blog

REID'S RECYCLING

If you listen to early rock steady recordings by the Paragons and didn't know anything about them, you might not think they were anything remarkable. The more you listen to reggae though, particularly early reggae and rock steady, the less you notice the production quality, which is not as crisp as you may be used to. Whether it was the production or the pressings, most early Jamaican vinyl is a little muddy. But if you dig that sort of music and listen to it enough, you just sort of tune it out until eventually your imagining it in the era it was released. At that point, the muddiness almost seems to enhance the listening experience. That's when you can truly hear the greatness of the Paragons (or Alton Ellis, or early Toots, or early U Roy, or...). And the Paragons were great, particularly when a young John Holt joined in 1964. Before he went on to a lengthy solo career, Holt wrote "The Tide Is High", the one song of theirs you've probably heard. Their On The Beach LP is a bit like the first Velvet Undergound LP, not in sound, but in that time has proven it a classic, a moment in time where everything came together. Fidelity be damned.

Duke Reid put it out, as well as early sides by U Roy. U Roy would tap into the Paragons' catalog for stuff to toast over, two on his early LP Version Galore, and a few years later another, a riddim rerecorded by the Skin Flesh and Bones band, on the 1975 LP Dread In A Babylon. The fidelity on that one ain't so damned.

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Listen:
The Paragons - Wear You To The Ball mp3 at Kazoo Wailers
U Roy - Wear You To The Ball mp3 at Grounds For Appeal
The Paragons - Tide Is High mp3 at Boogie Woogie Flu
U Roy - Tide Is High mp3 at A.Tumblr (?)
The Paragons - Silver Bird mp3 (via DivShare*) mp3 at Dave's Juke Box
U Roy - Silver Bird mp3 at Xiami
The Paragons - My Best Girl mp3 (via DivShare*) mp3 at Dave's Juke Box
The Paragons - Happy Go Lucky Girl mp3 at Reggae Top Site
*NOTE: Once you get to DivShare, click on the green "Download" button, and scratch your head for fifteen seconds. When the button reappears, you're good to go. Give it a second or two.

SMELL THIS ROSE

If you were to hear the song below, with crickets going off right outside your backdoor on a late summer evening, would you try to follow it up? Hell no, you'd play it, over and over again. No distractions, just a photo and a song.

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Listen:
Lead Belly - Where Did You Sleep Last Night? mp3 at Internet Archive
Visit:
Lead Belly at Wikipedia
Lead Belly Foundation
The photo above, full size (5540 x 4610) at Greenwich Village History

THE TORCH IS FLICKERING

Man, oh man, I ran into Bunker Hill's "The Girl Can't Dance" and, after remembering how much Nick Curran's "Baby You Crazy" sounded like it, it was getting close to sob city over here. Curran died last fall, of mouth cancer. He had one of the best, if not the best, rock 'n' roll voices of the past several decades. Admittedly subjective, but I like raw. If I had one criticism, it's that he could stand a guitar tone adjustment. But that's like looking at Raquel Welch's knees. That voice, though, he's right up there with with Gerry Roslie (the Sonics), Little Richard, Don and Dewey and, yes, Bunker Hill. I know I've said it before. Hell, I've posted about him a half a dozen times. But, who has a better rock 'n' roll voice these days? The sorry thing is that he was young enough (35) that he had still had years of music in him. His last LP, "Reform School Girl", included two of the best pure rock 'n' roll songs I've heard in a long while, "Baby You Crazy" and "Kill My Baby". Seriously, if someone hasn't already put those two out on a 45, it needs to be done. I gotta go make some calls.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Nick Curran and the Low Lifes- Kill My Baby mp3 at KEXP.org
Nick Curran - Doctor Velvet mp3 at dl.dropboxusercontent.com(?)
Bunker Hill - The Girl Can't Dance mp3 at Secret Comics
Nick Curran and the Low Lifes - Reform School Girl (streaming) at Electro Groove

CON MUCHO FUERZA

Depending on how old you are, you might think that reissues of old rare records were always readily available. That wasn't the case. Back in the pre-CD age (meaning vinyl and cassettes only) there were very few reissues floating around, relative to today. Maybe a greatest hits package, or a compilation of songs that shared a style or era, but reissues of really obscure LPs didn't really exist. That means most of the music that was missed in years earlier was either in the hands of collectors, or being swapped in crappy cassette copies that may have been recorded and re-recorded until they sounded like shit. Usually if there was a white whale record that you may have heard about organically (without the aid of online groups) you would just assume that you'd never hear it. Nowadays, there's almost too much available. Really. We've all bought some shitty reissue, released just because someone saw a void, paid whatever licensing there was, and put it out figuring someone would buy it. All of this is a long winded way of saying not all reissues are worthy of being reissued. The Ghetto Brothers sole LP is not one of them. It comes with a story.

The Ghetto Brothers were an offshoot of a Bronx gang of the same name. In the late sixties their turf was surrounded by opposing gangs, but instead of trying to out-baddass the other gangs, they decided to go another route. They picked a spokesperson based on his communicating skills. In 1971, Cornell "Black Benjy" Benjamin walked into the turf of an opposing gang with his hands raised, displaying peace signs, in an effort to negotiate a truce. The opposing gang wasn't too interested. They beat him to death. You would guess that the incident would escalate the violence. That wasn't the case. 

I'm not going to ruin a story already well told. Visit the official site and check the videos. Hell, all the stuff below is worth checking out. The music is Latin funk. Good stuff on it's own merit and deserved of a post on its own. Know this: Musica de Alma, one of the best Latin music blogs that exists, rated one of their songs as number three on their Top 5 Latin Funk Tracks.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Ghetto Brothers - Got This Happy Feeling mp3 at Musica de Alma
Ghetto Brothers - You Say You Are My Friend mp3 at Rollo & Grady
Go there to get it.
Video:
Benjamin “Yellow Benjy” Melendez at Vimeo The Ghetto Brothers story, as told by an original member of both the gang and the band.
The Gang Meeting - Melendez speaking to a gathering of gangs, 1971 at Ghetto Brothers NYC  Afrika Bambaataa, a gang member at 14, was present.
Ghetto Brothers - Ghetto Brothers Power at YouTube
Visit:
Ghetto Brothers NYC
Ghetto Brothers at Wikipedia
Ghetto Brothers at Messy Nessy

FUCK, WHAT A LABEL

If ol' Ronny Weiser isn't good at tooting his own horn, I'll toot the damn thing for him. First a little background. Weiser is the founder of Rollin' Rock Records, specializing in rockabilly records. In the late seventies, because rockabilly was big in the UK, interest kind of seeped into the record collections of the punk rock crowd, including Southern California. That's where Rollin' Rock, a Los Angeles based label comes in. Former rocker Ray Campi, then a moonlighting school teacher, was already getting a lot of attention in the UK in the late seventies, for his Rollin' Rock 45 "Rockin' at the Ritz". Then, about 1979-80, British rockabilly band Levi and the Rockats appeared in L.A., for what was an extended stay (they may have moved there, I forget). Though well intended, I gotta say, they always reminded me of a rockabilly version of what boy bands are now, pretty boy types; maybe because gals seemed particularly interested. Those unconvinced, like myself, would find themselves gravitating towards Rollin' Rock, which was slowly gaining appreciation from a whole new crowd. They had a few old rockers, like Campi, Mac Curtis and others, a few a little further out there (the long hair and bearded Johnny Legend), and some other younger out crowders just cutting their teeth. A Rollin' Rock compilation from the mid-seventies included three songs by Billy Zoom, who was in X around the time all of this backtracking was happening. In 1980, The Blasters debut LP was released, and all hell broke loose. Okay, maybe just some of hell.

Recorded a year or so before their Slash debut, which shares three of the same songs, there were only 2,000 copies of the Blasters Rollin' Rock LP pressed. It sold out quick. Adios Lounge just posted a handful of songs from the original LP, along with a great long and detailed thing about that particular Rollin' Rock LP. That's what prompted this mess, and had me digging for the past day and a half.

 

Weiser moved to the U.S. in 1965 to go to college. Bummed that authentic early rockabilly, and rhythm and blues weren't quite the rage he thought they'd be, he networked, meeting like minded nuts, and starting The Hollywood Rock 'n' Roll fan Club in 1969. The club needed a fanzine, so that's how Rollin' Rock began. In 1971 he started Rollin' Rock, the label, recording bands in his home (there are records with telephones ringing and dogs barking in the background). Crude, but it worked. What followed became a rocker's safe haven, for decades. His is a fascinating story. Check the links below for more on how things coalesced. These were true believers, an island surrounded by a sea of Marshall stack miscreants.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
The Blasters - American Music (Rollin' Rock version) mp3 at The Adios Lounge 1980
The Blasters - Crazy Baby (Rollin' Rock) mp3 at The Adios Lounge 1980
The Blasters - Barefoot Rock (Rollin' Rock) mp3 at The Adios Lounge 1980
The Blasters - Three more songs at The Adios Lounge all from 1980
Billy Zoom Band - Bad Boy mp3 at BillyZoom.com Mid-70's
Billy Zoom Band - Say When mp3 at BillyZoom.com Mid-70's
Billy Zoom Band - Crazy Crazy Lovin' mp3 at BillyZoom.com Mid-70's
Ray Campi and the Rockabilly Rebels - Rockabilly Man mp3 at Music Pop Hits (?) 1980
Ray Boy (Campi) and Jimmy Lee - I Need Love mp3 at Haurie.free.fr/softs 1980
Ray Campi - Rockin' at the Ritz mp3 at Haurie.free.fr/softs 1977
Visit:
Rockin' Ronny Weiser and Rollin' Rock Records at Rockin' Records Translated from French (by Google bot)
The Vinyl File: The Blasters – American Music at The Adios Lounge
Ronny Weiser Interviewed by his son at Rock In Roll (?) Very short, just the facts.
Ronny Weiser interview at The Rockabilly Hall of Fame 2001
Ronny Weiser interview at The Rockabilly Hall of Fame 1999