Well, this is a “project” that started ‘bout 3 months ago and ended a few weeks back. Many of you guys and ladies asked for a new White Trash Soul compilation, and this time I thought to do it better. Which means, a cool crack to produce a decent collection of mostly 45 rpm originated songs from my fave kind of music. Rockin’ & Rollin’ R&B or Soul stompin' shakes, some obscure some not , well chosen (I hope…) and placed, in order to create a cool soundtrack for one (or maybe more) of your next parties. I know, that’s some REALLY hard work for someone to do but what the hell, it worth the shot! I always loved compilations in the vein of “All Night Soul Stomp!”, “Downtown Soulville”, “Jump & Shout!”, “Shakin’ Fit” or “Pow City!”. Amazin’ gatherings of obscurities, perfectly suitable for (what else?) dance! But I wanted also these shakin’ and tremblin’ screamers to be in a package well designed plus some liners (well, kind of…) that was lacking of the aforementioned boots. The ‘liner notes’ unfortunately, didn’t make it to the ‘CD artwork’, but you can copy 'em if you still want, from the piece that follows (I’m no Billy Miller anyway and if you don’t have 'em, you’re not missing something actually). I had many ideas but I didn’t know how to generate an end result like the one you are now able to see. And there came to picture my French connection! My beloved and faithful partner in crime, Jean Philippe. We exchanged about 40 emails (at least) to come to an end for this artwork thing, but I’m totally happy with the final results! Completely true to our ideology, we have borrowed/stole things - but as once a teacher of mine told me back in the high school days, “there’s no parthenogenesis in art at least…”. There are also some semiotics for the more hooked that I dig the most! Don’t know when I’ll found the time to do again something like this – but til then hope to like, dance, scream and vibrate to this comps’ songs! All the best,
Mihaleez
Sugar Pie DeSanto - "Go Go Power" (Checker 1160, 1966) – Sugar Pie DeSanto 's a cousin of Etta James. This family for sure had tons of talent in its circles! Don’t know why Sugar Pie never hit big, but she was a hell of a writer and performer! She was one of the first black women in the industry that created and at the same time introduced so STRONG material! Chess/Checker should have use this weapon better… “Go Go Power” is one of her best songs but wait a minute… Mrs. DeSanto never wrote or performed a weak tune! If you buy the recent Ace comp of her Chess material you’re gonna know the reason why!
Holly Maxwell - "Philly Barracuda" (Star 100, 1966) – One of the best examples of the Chicago Soul/Boogaloo dance craze! Never mind the “Philly” on the title, this is a pure and well executed Chi- town stomper! I always thought of the drums as the basic instrument on R&B/Soul records. This is a good case to vote positively on my above statement!
Lewise Bethune - "Chitown Boogaloo" (Sack, 196?) – That was a mysterious track for me. After many tries I came to conclusion that this Lewise is actually the same Louise that with her sister Kendra Spotswood were for a moon part of the great Shirelles’ history! This Sack 45, is the well known now anthem “My Baby Likes To Boogaloo” of Don Gardner, but with female vocals plus those “Ooh-Ah!” backings, obviously inspired/taken by the king of the all black R&B boogaloo-ers, Jerry-O! A very COOL take and for sure a good reason to shake your ass a little!
The Antennas - "Be Yourself" (Clay 201, 1962) – I’m owing MANY thanks to the Detroit Cobras for letting me know (and) this song! The Antennas were probably from Chicago and if not, they sound like a Chi-Town’s group. At first an all male doo wop group who found in the face of Shirley Shelton an Etta James female vocalist and created in their sole release a hell of dance track but unfortunately made also two serious mistakes…1st they put it on the flip…2nd They were too much a head of their time. Mind you this song got out in 1962, try found a song by this year sounding like “Be Yourself” and I’m gonna give you my Excello Records t-shirt!
Marsha Gee - "Peanut Duck" (Joker! 0001, 1965) – That’s another mystery… Recorded in Philadelphia back in the sixties and there are many theories on who’s the singer behind these animal (duck) noises… Found ‘accidentally’ by some dj in the 70s and released til then many times, mostly as a boot 45 or as a member of compilations like this, but remains though one of thee best laid back and at the same time killer dance tracks ever committed on tape! There was around a ‘true’ Marsha Gee vocalist but it’s almost identified that had absolutely no relation to this tune’s singer. I really wonder how and why remained for so many years on a back corner of a dusted studio…
The Bar-Kays - "Bar Kays Boogaloo" (Volt S417, 1967) – As important as Booker T & the MGs for the Stax/Volt labels, the Bar-Kays are to this day known to the most of the world as ‘the Otis Redding’ band. Of course that’s a medal they fairly (and proudly) wore but are more to this combo if you’re interested…Their original line up (and best) had James Alexander (bass), Jimmy King (guitar), Ronnie Caldwell (organ), Phalon Jones (sax), Carl Cunningham (drums) and Ben Cauley (trumpet) and sadly recorded only one LP before Alexander and Cauley follow Otis in death on this tragic plane crash back in 1967… “Soul Finger” remains a stone cold classic at least for the Funky Soul genre and no record collection is broad without it. “Bar-Kays Boogaloo”‘s my fave track from it and the only tune here make it from a long play and not from a 45. Unmistakably swingin’!
Rex Garvin & The Mighty Cravers - "Emulsified"(Okeh 7174, 1963) – A NYC/Bronx original, started out in music business in the early 50s not only as a singer, but also as a bandleader, pianist/organist, songwriter and arranger for other artists. By 1959 Rex Garvin launched his own recording career and in 1961 formed the famous Mighty Cravers. With the Cravers on his side changed many labels and released about a dozen singles, with “Sock It To ‘Em J.B.” as the most famous. Many mistakes “JB” for James Brown but in truth were it for James Bond! Anyway, “Emulsified” is maybe the second most known and came out through Okeh's etiquette. In my head Rex Garvin & the Mighty Cravers are a HUGELY underated group and I still wonder why someone (even a bootlegger) not gathered all of their sides on a sole release. I still also need to hear their one and only (?) LP on Tower (1968). As I read many times it was Funky as Hell! Anyone can share it? Dig throughout the song the organ riffage!
Stacy Lane - "African twist" (Excello 2293, 1967) – If you try to google a little for this Wilson Pickett-esque lunatic, be sure to add by side keywords like ‘soul’ or ‘r&b’, otherwise you’re gonna get a thousand results of porn material due to the same named busty ‘star’! Don’t know much about him and there’s hardy nothing on him in the net. I only got this Excello single ( I know also he got at least one more), and it’s a part of a late 60s dance craze about motherland Africa. Imagine a boogaloo Wilson Pickett, in a rawer (!) situation and you’ll be close to the crazy sounding world of Mr. Lane. Ungawa indeed!
J.J. Barnes - "Chains Of Love" (Groovesville 1006, 1967) - If there's one thing I like the most for/from the punk n' roll bands originated from the Detroit area, is their full appreciation on the city's soul tradition. From the Five to the Gories this element make an appearance almost in all bands recordings or concerts. So, in my post-teens and through Mick Collins band, I've learned this classic! “Chains of Love” is one of J.J.'s “toughest” sides. The song's written by the great Melvin Davis and released via the Groovesville label. And I said toughest cause J.J. Barnes is mostly known to the UK Northern Soul fans for his “mellower” sides (“Our Love Is in the Pocket” etc). A heavy soul dance floor filler with raw & fat production.
Eskew Reeder - "You Better Believe Me" (Crosstone 1007, 1969) - The impact of a figure like Esquerita (Eskew Reeder, SQ Reeder Jr., Fabulash, Magnificent Malochi etc…) was instant when I first look at him on the Norton website some ages back! So much that I made him too (I know, I'm not that original right?) White Trash Soul’s key face. That's probably my fave Esquerita tune of his “second phase”, cause as we said many times in here; the Capitol material is simply untouchable! A Benzedrine-like soul stomper of the few of the era in those heights of energy that makes you wonder why SQ didn't cut more of the same clothe. No wonder Northern Soulsters made this song one of the scene's trademarks!
Nat Kendrick & The Swans - "(Do The) Mashed Potatoes" (Dade 1804, 1959) - “Ladies & gentlemen STAR TIME, are you ready for STAR TIME?” Those famous words in the beginning of “Live at the Apollo” LP fit perfectly in this case! In fact, this is James Brown and his Famous Flames plus King Coleman! For more on this you can look back on a previous post about our sadly missed King.
The Emperors - "Searchin'" (Mala 561, 1967) - Philadelphia's heaviest, rockinest and most danceable group, hands down! I fuckin' love the Emperors! I dig them the most cause they really were a 'garage soul' group! Actually was the total definition of the term! Imagine the Coasters playing boogaloo instead of R&B add by side a groovy as fuck, garage punk like organ with heavy percussion beats and boom, you'll have the Emperors! This is probably their most rare 45 in their catalog. And it's indeed the Coasters' masterpiece, adopted, blended and twisted via their unique sounding angle! I must say more on them on a future piece…
Combo Kings - "Mish Mash Soul" (Flo-Jo 4095, 1962) - A brilliant example of boogaloo, they way cooked then in cities like Philadelphia or Chicago. From the little I know for these Combo Kings, were a very energetic group of youths (age of the members varied from 11yo to 17yo!) who rule the clubs of their city. They were wide known in their area and used to back up 'bigger' names of the era such as the Isley Brothers, Sam Cooke and Gary US Bond when these came to show up on the American Bandstand shows. The kind of band I always wish to witness in a dance, if I had a time machine!
Earl Palmer's Party Rockers with The Jay Hawks - "Johnny's House Party" (Aladdin 3379, 1957)– Oh, that’s quite a gathering! Earl Palmer was the BEAT behind countless sides of rock & roll, and when I’m saying countless I mean it! From Little Richard and Don & Dewey, to Eddie Cochran, Jan & Dean, Beach Boys, Larry Williams among others ( to these “others” put on names such as Frank Sinatra, Tom Waits or Neil Young but that’s no rock & roll at all). The JayHawks of-course were the doo wop/r&b group that’s mostly known for the “Stranded in the Jungle”, a song the New York Dolls took and transform into a sleaze-fest! In the “session” was also present the GREAT Rene Hall putting up some FILTH on guitar. What we have here is thee ABSOLUTE TITTYSHAKER of all time! And good party song like this must be drunk sinked, sloppy and with a loose atmosphere all around it! And that’s the definition of the above!
The Valiants - "Frieda Frieda" (Keen 4008, 1958) – An amazin' rockin' R&B track that even Little Richard would have killed for! Actually the Valiants version of “Good Golly Miss Molly” released earlier than the Master's even though Mr. Penimann's take was earlier recorded. I learned the song via the Barry Whitfield & the Savages album “Dig Yourself”, searched for it a while, found it, grab it and till then remains at the height of my Little Richard soundalikes ever! You'll gonna know why in a little!
Paul Peek & His Peek-A-Boos feat. Esquerita - "Rock-A-Round" (NRC 001, 1958) - That's the only song in here that's from a white dude. BUT… 1. This white dude was a Gene Vincent's Blue Cap! 2. Co-written by Peek and Esquerita featuring the key slayer himself pounding those 88s! And it's a hell of a tune! The drums and the keys are trying to beat each-other in song's favor and ours flavor! Cycling rhythms, exploding in your face without further warning! I wish sometimes Gene was involved too…
Don Covay - "Ooh, My Soul" (Firefly 313, 1958) - A legend in its own right, Don Covay may be more known as a Soul maestro but in his earliest was no less than a Little Richard type, electrifying rock & roller! He cut some CLASSIC two-siders sometimes under the nickname of Pretty Boy and he was one of the few that got Richard's personal OK for what he was doing. Tracks like "Bip Bop Bip" (with Richard's "band" the Upsetters accompanying), "Switchin' In The Kitchen", "Rockin' the Mule" or this hard edged Penniman's cover, prove there was more to him than just another one of King's imitators or throne claimers.
Elder Charles Beck - "Rock & Roll Sermon Pts 1 & 2" (?, 195?) - Totally raw, primitive, electrifying and testifying guitar amp driven gospel! Forget the MC5, this is the real shit! A anti-rock n' roll tune, completely possessed by the devilish rock n' roll spirit! A Luciferian attempt to eulogize God's goods...Ha-ha! As diverse as this sound, believe me, it is! If this preacher was God's soldier he sure did it the wrong way! Thanks Devil for putting his nasty tail on this hot smokin' piece of soul disarray! Let's face it, NO ONE can beat the evil powers of Rock & Roll!
