Showing posts with label Rhythm n' Blues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rhythm n' Blues. Show all posts

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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!

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The Senders - "Goodbye Cruel World" (CD, Action Records - 2000)

Hi there!
You know, the hardest thing in this blog thing situation is what to write the second time you present a band or an artist from your 'pages'? To think what you haven't notice the first time and put it down. But what about the third? OK, I guess is not that hard if this band are the mighty Senders from New York and happens (naturally) to belong on your 'favorites' close club.
We 're leaving out this time the usual Johnny Thunders references and go further, straight to the point. So this album's my fave. Even though is from latter period of the band and has original ace guitarist Wild Bill Thompson playing in half of the songs. Cause you know, on the rest there's some Freddy Lynxx guy (he-he!!!) filling his shoes! Hmm, I guess the Senders and the Thunders relations would never stop, cause Freddy's like the only one ever never mimic the Saint but carried the torch of his unique style playing to the new generations. The production's great, the performances are SWINGIN' and the songs as usual a prefect blend of originals and splendid taste cover toons (from Willie Dixon to the Stones and from Gene Vincent to the Crazy Teens!). You really have no idea guys HOW MUCH I DIG bands in the vein of the Senders, like the Red Devils or the Fabulous Thunderbirds! This greasy punkitude R&B wailin'! I wish they were more of that heritage around today...

PS: I must thank one more time WTS faithful 'follower', Steve, for handing me this in a better bitrate til the day find it somewhere in its real condition. Thanks man!


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Various - "The Ace Blues Masters, Vol. 2 - 4th and Beale and Further South" (CD, WestSide - 1998)

I've bought this CD in a second hand store some years back, that was in a good 99% a load of crap situation in its four light green painted bordello like walls. And it was really a treasure thing waiting to be rescued from the cesspool of Madonna, 50cent and Puff Daddy waste of plastic and alumina. And I was such a dick then to pick it up just for the Frankie Lee Sims stuff, but man, I've LEARNED so much through this and in a good part what is actually the real primitive raw blasting rhythm & blues music!
As I said, the driving force for me to buy it was Frankie Lee Sims' "Walking with Frankie" an amazing song I first heard from the Barrence Whitfield & the Savages hyper frenetic debut and wasn't containing on another one Sims CD comp I had. And OK, Sims' songs are standouts obviously but NO LESS impressive are also Joe Hill Lewis one man band pounding (here in a previously unissued 1954 session) or Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup's by 1952 (Yes! The one a young, greasy and pink suit wearing Elvis cut his song and wrote history with "That's All Right Mama") all for the legendary Memphis Ace label! I'm no blues expert but I know when something's REALLY GOOD and honest and if you 're in a mood for some serious crankin'/blastin' Rhythm & Blues action, well, here's a very good shot of it!


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Chuck Berry - "The London Chuck Berry Sessions" (CD, Chess/MCA - 1989 ~ Original Release 1972)



"CHUCK BERRY'S GOTTA BE THE GREATEST THING THAT CAME ALONG, HE MADE THE GUITAR BEATS AND WROTE THE ALL TIME GREATEST SONGS, NOW DO YOU REMEMBER ALL THE GUYS THAT GAVE US  ROCK N' ROLL?"
 - BRIAN WILSON

"IF YOU ARE GOING TO GIVE ROCK N' ROLL ANOTHER NAME, YOU MIGHT CALL IT CHUCK BERRY!"

 - JOHN LENNON


HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHUCKSTER!!!



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Various Artists - "Lend Us A Quid, The Tanked-Up, Dressed Down, Dirty-Ass R&B Side of Pub Rock!" (WAXCD 004)


Hi there! When I was in my teens, one of my dream jobs was to be an archivist on record companies in the likes of the British Ace. Actually I’m still dreaming of this quite a lot... You know, dreams are for free! Anyway, I was fascinated by the thing totally. I mean, you’re getting paid to search the vaults of legendary 
labels like Stax, Modern or Meteor, to write the liners, to interview long forgotten heroes and to gather a compilation for the listening pleasure of a majority that has obviously an upper IQ level and of course great taste! And this was the driving force for starting the whole WAX CDs compilations. The addition of JP makes many matters easier, BUT I tell you guys that this persuasion’s not an easy shit to do. You’re setting yourself higher standards every time and you’re coming to a point that you feel imprisoned on your own ‘fun’ idea. OK, I made it look quite weepy but what I’m trying to say is that when you get positive reactions from other people for your ‘work’, it is obvious and happens almost subconsciously to want to make it even better next time and all of a sudden this photo’s not so good, this track doesn’t fit well, and when you’re come finally to an end, you realize that you have already spent on this two or three months! But it’s still a fun thing to do and I wish this was my every day routine! As you can see, this time we have picked on Pub Rock. Be careful though, we didn’t want to make just ‘another’ gathering of well known songs. And we wanted also this stable to have a ‘concept’. And the concept here is the “Dirty R&B” side of the idiom. That means no Brinsleys, no Ace, and no Bees Make Honey. Nothing against these bands of course, Brinsleys in fact are one of my favorite combos of the era but this shit here’s about raw uncompromised energy! I wanted the punk forefathers, the ones that teach the Pistols and their generation who Music Machine was and where this evil force called rock & roll was born or/and by whom?! 
In my mind the best rock & roll combo came outta UK (in all periods of time!), hands down are Johnny Kidd and the Pirates. Way cool than many before or since! No wonder these guys were a huge influence on our subject. Mick Green patented the sound made Wilko a hero and their song was the reason why the Feelgoods christened themselves this way. I tried to stick to a ‘heavy’ R&B beat for all selections here and I tried as well to link past with the then present and future. Downliners Sect was no new to the game of course, but seeing their kids succeeding in their own game, jumped up the wagon and released at least one killer LP (they did the same with punk as FU2, but that’s another story waiting to be told). Lemmy and co. was no less than a kick ass pub band in their prime, and along with 'their gals' created a mayhem picking on Johnny Kidd’s classic “Please Don’t Touch”. MC5’s front man Rob Tyner left an interesting (at least) single with the Hot Rods backing him up, and the more garage approach of the movement with The Inmates and The Cannibals (driving force was and still is Mike Spenser of the MKI Count Bishops) who introduced the Nuggets to a generation of punks that wanted to re-establish rock & roll but not in the traditional way. I included also the Little Roosters (WHATTA NAME!) and the nuclear blast in the form of a song named “I Need a Witness (produced by Joe Strummer), a song the Cock Sparrer (!) made widely familiar, the Hammersmith Gorillas savage take on the Kinks (Gaaaaaaallll you really got me gowin!), here from the original single and not from the RAW records re-press that had mastering/sounding problems plus the Bob Seger Chuck Berry homage by none other than Terry Gibson of the Sect! The Untouchables Wilko produced single as far as I know is quite a rarity already, and Dr. Feelgood’s live hyper speed take on Jerry Lee just rips! There’s an interesting little story behind every track here and why chose it but we will need more time to put into shape a thing thats already late a bit… So, hope you enjoy it and try find all these bands if you already haven’t. And keep in mind that Pub Rock was the true but unfashionable movement that REALLY saved rock & roll’s ass! RESPECT!
PS: "Lend Us A Quid" was the ironic pin my idol Steve Marriott used to wear during his pub rock days. Many of the fans still believe this was the sad end. I'm not one of those! I wish anytime soon, some better sounding tapes from the ones already exist to surface in public... 

As usual no bootlegging on WAX CDs. Share and dance freely!



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Dr. Feelgood - "Malpractice - Italian Pressing" (United Artists, 1976)

One of the coolest (does exist such word?) ever ‘bad habits’ that I witnessed so far, it's the one my faithful partner JP has! He spends almost uncalculated his money on buying... the same record (in both formats) and MANY times! And I suspect this happens with just one purpose on his mind… To find the best sounding pressing or mastering! I admire you mate! Lucky me of course, cause as all record collectors use to do, I do have on my vault some of my fave discs in three or four different mixes but that's it! I prefer to throw my (everyday less and less...) money off my pocket for different things! So, the other day sent me this email:
 “Dr Feelgood Malpractice: you probably heard it a million times before (and I won't blame you for that), both the CD and the UK LP versions sound loud & clear, but the Italian pressing I ripped  yesterday sounds (almost) like a different mix (for some reason), with thundering bass & drums. Surely Feelgood is great for Brilleaux & Wilko, but the rest of the team is kicking some serious ass too, and this is very nicely highlighted on this version. I'm enjoying it even more [damn it, the pounding on "Going Back Home" is so good], so I needed to share it with you!”
 And guess what? For one more time he was 100% right! God bless you man! Next move was to add this bona-fide rip to my i-pod and in the next morning on my way to the job, I touched the play button anxious to hear on my own to what my friend raved so much about the previous night… BOOM-BAM-BOOM! If some of you guys and gals out there is a sound engineer, please explain to me WHY THIS HAPPENS?  I mean, I know this brilliant record upside down from my teens, and this is a CLEARLY better sounding shit! Anyway, I believe I don’t have to tell much (or add…) about the Feelgoods or this record especially that you haven’t read already probably somewhere else, but this is definitely the best garage record of the 70s! Cause for me Dr. Feelgood were actually a garage outfit. Tight as hell, rhythmic like an uzi in a paroxysm mode, more confident in comparison with their debut and with a perfect position between cover toons and the Wilko penned originals! From my house to the place I work it’s about an hour distance, and even if it was early morning, i had a strong will to attend the hearing with some bourbon (the first J. Geils Band record I played right next, made things even worse).  OK, for one more time I'm bubbling up so much saying actually nothing. I'll put a dot here. Listen to this even if you have it. You'll understand why immediately!


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The (Count) Bishops - "Live! - Japanese Pressing" (Chiswick, 1978)

I know this brutal live document has some uploads in the blog-sphere already, but this is quite 'different'. The best thing about blogs is enclosed in just one word and that is "communication". I learned MANY things through the years from other people's spaces, had the time to 'correct' and 'sift' things that i had on my mind in a blurry situation and make friends as good as the 'real ones', everyone have in real life. Me and JP are working for quite long on a new WAX CD project. Some things made us hold up the whole 'disquisition' (haha, yeh right!) but in the whole process some sparks got up. Anyway, hopefully in a few days we will be able to present you this new essay. So, partners are made from the same clothe, and in a one way or another sway each-other. And one of my 'influences' on him are my beloved Count Bishops! Jean Philippe started diggin' for records like this one and got up with a Jap version i never had and probably in this cursed country that i live, never find, at least in a reasonable price! The sound on this classic by now LIVE 10" (i know it was out on 12" format also) is raw and at the same time smooth. The way women like their men (right babe?), haha. Along with "Speedball" this is my fave Bishops record. It got me some time to habituate "new" singer, Dave Tice but on this all band members swing and sweat! Gosh, I'm sure these fuckers torched every single bar dared to book them! I wish a video tape resurrect sometime with Bishops doing their thing!
Later lads!


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In Memory of Etta & Johnny ... Etta James - "Rocks The House" (Argo/Chess, 1964) & The Johnny Otis Show - "Cuttin' Up" (Epic, 1970)

This post was meant to be a little bit celebrating... Yesterday this blog got into his third year of life and i was preparing a gift in a titty-shaking way... You know, sleazy 'Las Vegas Grind' type 45s just for the occasion. The sad news of losing Etta & Johnny left this fair for another time. Without people like those two, a blog space like this would have never existed anyway. I'm not expecting from you to need this dork here, type some words telling who these titans were. And I'm not expecting also to need me to bring in your ears some of their sounds. Actually i wasn't going to post anything cause sometimes saying nothing, says a lot. But it's 2 in the morning, kids and wife sleeping as all normal people tend to do except for me and my guilt for not solemnize two of the greatest r&r/r&b heroes ever. So that is, and I'm shutting my mouth down, letting the music do the 'dirty' talking. And that's what i liked the most for both of 'em. They were dirty and sexually starving monsters just like this music orders.  R.I. P.
PS: If that says something, Johnny Otis was Greek... and Black!

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The Cannibals - "Christmas Rock 'N 'Roll" (HIT, 1986) / "Good Guys" (Big Cock Records, 1977) / "Nadine EP" (HIT, 1978)

Hi again. I really struggle to keep things going on in here too. You really have no idea what it's happening in this small place of the world called Greece, onetime cradle of civilization... But i don't want and i won't let those bastards grind us down as my beloved Motorhead used to say! You know, with two little fellas 'round the house it's kinda easier to get in the mood for Christmas and that's what I'm going to do!  I tried with my faithful partner in crime/buddy from a long distance, Jean Philippe to catch up the holidays with a brand new WAX CD but too much work for both of us... Maybe it's better this way, cause with a new year rising on our heads and some new hopes together, hopefully we will be ready to introduce our new essay along with the celebration of this blog's existence for two years now and stalking/heading for a third, in the same vein, with the same guts and the same rock & roll energy! I had prepared something else for the occasion but I'll save it for a little later cause some hours before, came to my mail this Christmas present for all you White Trash Soul-sters out there! Of course the reliable mind behind these rips is Jean Philippe and i like to thank him one more time in public for being a patient fellow traveler and a very good friend behind a computer screen. Yeah, they do exist such friendships! I'd like to thank you one more all you guys and gals for keeping our flame alive with your (daily?) presence, leaving comments, sharing thoughts and sometimes links but most of all your love. Jean Philippe and me want to express our gratitude for making this page a cool meeting place and we're giving a new rendez-vous for the next year. Have fun with your families, your friends and all the persons that making your lives worthy, throw parties, make sex, drink loads of booze and enjoy every minute of the holidays are coming. For the history these are three mighty ass rock & roll singles from the gang of Mike Spenser, the one's on the days spirit. Run Run Rudolph!
See ya next year!


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The Cannibals - "The Rest of The Cannibals" (GMG, 1985)

Oi! What's up? I'm writing you these lines outta home for business, from a low limit access wi-fi connection of a semi-good hotel, here in Thessaloniki. Not much time for babble and not in a good cheer either. So, what we got here's maybe thee best 'album' of Mike Spenser's Cannibals. Or for better, the logical next step for someone looking for an expedient for the first Count Bishops line up. I wish Mike had done more with the Bishops but hey, that's a mighty fine kick ass rock & roll record too! The punkish R&B we all like here, with a more 60s garage approach on this. And that means sloppy fun playing by the band and its countless members, tons of beer cans (of course empty!) and disposal for savageness! Something like the Inmates in a possessed Motorhead state! 'The Rest of the Cannibals' is a compilation, probably never re-released on digital format with all the groups singles circa 1977 - 1979, "Good Guys" included (yep - the Standells classic), which is their first and John Peel's favorite. Cheers!
*A Jean-Philippe rip and offering



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The Sorrows - "Take A Heart" (Piccadilly, 1965)

Hi there! I'm pushing myself too hard the last weeks on many things and i feel kinda tired. We are working along with Jean Philippe for many days now on a new WAX CD also and as you can easily imagine there's hardly no time for anything else. Likewise, i don't want to lose touch with you guys and gals and even if I'm not in a good mental shape, i thought to devote some lines on a very underestimated band of the British sixties boom that more or less the previous post taught me about through their cover versions. Of course we 're talking about the Sorrows. The archetypical 'freakbeat' group and in a way proto-punk was as many said not that R&B oriented as the Pretties or the Downliners, but for sure that hard! That's their first on Piccadilly, a subsidiary of PYE and it's the aggressiveness in personage! Raucous vocals, thundering drums, lightning guitars for a band that obviously was too much ahead of its time! Call me paranoid, call me sulfurous, call me what you will anyway, but the Sorrows 'Take A Heart' was (and still is!) way better than say Who's 'My Generation'! A little later they turned out as psychedelic kinda Dylan-esque outgrowths or Italian speaking pre-progsters, but we forgive them. There are not much long plays from that period of time with an edge like theirs!

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Little Bob Story - "Livin' In The Fast Lane + 6 Inédits" (Fnac Music,1991 - Originally by Crypto & Chiswick as "Off The Rails", 1977)

Well this rave up here got virtually everything i like on a rock & roll record! Tanked-up, leather dressed, sneakers carrying, dirty-ass R&B, the way played THAT GOOD in his half a century plus life, by (very) few and in the end was the true forefather of what is now known as 'punk movement' back in the 70s. And this record being made by a "five feet nothing of guts and energy" Frenchman along with some street harbor brats not unlike those you can see outside of bordelos. And it was produced (adding by side his filthy boogie guitar as well) by Sean Tyla of the Ducks Deluxe/Tyla Gang notoriety. Yes, the same Sean Tyla whom Keef tried to drag unsuccesfully for his Rolling Stones label. The same Sean Tyla who refused to produce the Sex Pistols and declined to join in Motorhead (!).
And if you're one of those maniacs (I am...) judging in many cases a record by the label's logo, this one wears proudly the one of Chiswick records, home at the time of same heights hellraisers such as Motorhead and the Count Bishops. BTW, on Chiswick released as "Off the Rails" but in France Crypto put it out as "Living in the Fast Lane" so if you ever come against it, it's the same blazing piece of vinyl. That's the digital reissue of it, using a part of "Off the Rails" front sleeve but the Crypto's title. I found it a few months ago (not many days after Ratb0y sent me the links of Spalax reissue) in a second hand store, so i guess by now this re-edition is an out of print situation too. Whatever, this is probably in my top 5 of the most played records ever and with a good reason. A fine blend (or mess!) of cover tunes and originals, in the punkish R&B vein of Dr. feelgood, only this time better! The Sorrows' "Baby" transformed actually in a Muddy Waters on speed shape, "Little Big Boss" the toon Wilko & Lee Brilleaux would have killed for, "Riot in Toulouse" a slow burner blues guitar mayhem with Little Bob's voice sounding just like late Bon Scott's plus A KILLER version of Them's "I'm Gonna Dress in Black" that puts original in the bucket's tap once and for good! There's really not a weak song in here, at least for the list that constitute the original pressing. Be sure to put this edgy fireball among "Down by the Jetty" and "Speedball +11".


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The Five Aces - "Shout & Shimmy" (Saagaloo Records, 2007)


Hey, it's Friday. Even if you're not in the mood, Fridays almost always work fine to your cheer, right? And if anyone of you people going to have a party this weekend, make sure not forget to put this thing on. Damn, i still haven't found it on CD (dissapperead from the face of this earth quite quick). All i got is this compressed version but it works just fine til the time this pep pill come finally on my hands. You know, i usually write my own opinion for what i like to present, but Mark Lamarr covered me entirley with the following piece. Wickedly sinister Hammond hard driven and at the same time, suave pre-Soul R&B, to do the boogaloo! File Under: Sharp dressed ass shakin'! Give yourself a spin.

"Imagine the Small Faces meeting the Poets and jamming with Chuck Berry and John Lee Hooker at a late night 60's blues session. THAT is the Five Aces." - Mark Lamarr, BBC Radio

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Re-Up! Screamin' Joe Neal - "Rock And Roll Deacon" W/ "Tell Me Pretty Baby" (Originally on Shippings, 1959 - reissued by Norton, 1995)


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Bo Diddley - "Bo Diddleyrama Grind Series Vol. I, Keep Your Big Mouth Shut! Thee Originator's Instros" (WAXCD 002)

The original idea belongs to Kogar's Jungle Juice (this blog's cool place to hang out - check my blog roll) and I've posted his version also in the very early days of the blog, but... was obviously something not right with me and this rar file. I decided then to expand the whole brilliant idea, include better sounding rips of the songs and make (along with my faithful partner in crime, Jean Philippe - without whom...) a proper CD jewel case artwork for you out there who want things be done in a more connoisseur way.
I've learned many Bo songs when I was younger by the cover performances of groups like the Tell Tale Hearts or the Crawdaddys at first and in continuance by monsters in the likes of The Pretty Things or the Downliners Sect and I knew till then that I must go find the originals. You can't go to "z" without knowing first all the previous letters of the alphabet, right ( I've learned it in reverse as you might guess...)? So, when I first downloaded Kogars version, I peeved by two things immediately...1st. the absence of many more brilliant tracks and 2nd. why the included songs were in a such a low bitrate? I mean, if the “rights owners” of these blasts are going to hunt you down, give 'em a good reason at least, ha-ha!
I started ripping the tracks, tag them with all the right info for the listeners, place them chronologically and add as many more songs a CD lets today. I still let out sadly some amazing tracks (the two instros from the Bo/Chuck Chess album are the first that come in my mind right this moment) but hey, there's nothing more you can do about it. I stole our series title (yes, hopefully there be more) from a dude I don't know his (nick) name, but I thank him anyway and I encourage him to contact me and get his credit if he ever land to the WTS planet of loon. This is PURE cut and shave chunka chunk Bo, speechless and mighty as ever! If you like what you're about to hear - you own to yourself to go get the records. Cheers! 
*No bootlegging on WTS - WAX CDs. This is ONLY for Soul Self Satisfaction and/or educational purposes. Share and dance freely!


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Don Craine's New Downliners Sect - "I Can't Get Away From You / Roses" (PYE, 1967)

I recently put out of the shelf some early Ugly Things issues to check some things on (what else?) the Pretty Things. I was immediately hooked on an excellent three piece homage (maybe the best and the more detailed ever) on the R&B-protopunk savages, the Downliners Sect. I was totally forgot the reason why dusted off those vintage (now...) sheets. BTW, did you know that the Sect turned down both Rod 'the mod' Stewart and Steve Marriott in an audition for the place of the band's new harmonica player? Did you know that Van Morrison still rates them high? Knowing those trivia or not, many have tried all over the years to undermine Sect's importance and influence. Even Greg Shaw... Yes, the man whose alone responsible (in a big part) for all this garage revival movement, in the Bomp's British Invasion issue wrote them off and hounded them! Anyway, this time pick up on a rare, beautiful and kinda strange piece of plastic - at least for all of us who know well Downliners' history and fanaticism for R&B... The story goes like this...By the end of 1966, R&B wasn't the hottest thing around. Pop, Psychedelia and Soul took over the charts, and as a result of this the bands who still wanted to play the blues started to have day by day less gigs bookings. Soon the Sect had to confront this new order. Of the known members only Don Craine (guitar, vocals) and Keith Grant (bass, vocals) stayed in place and a new band created from scratch with the additions of Kevin Flanagan (drums),  Bob Taylor (lead guitar) and...Matthew Fisher (keyboards). Have i ever told you how I HATE Procol Harum? No? Well here's the moment! MUCH! As much as post-Syd Barrett Pink Floyd or any other prog shit. But here the man's just painting with his organ. The influences of soul and psychedelia are obvious on both sides of this single, even though the raw R&B holds up for good here too. The late reissue of the record inverted the original location of the songs ("Roses" metamorphose into A side tune), but the prototype one-off Pye release had the Remains (!) song as covered by the Sect first in line. And that's an oddity. I really wonder how this tune came to Sect's repertoire cause I'm quite sure at the time at least, the Remains was a no familiar name for the British crowd. And "Roses" quite simply one of the very best songs the Downliners Sect wrote and recorded throughout their long lasting career. I'm not going nuts usually for what the mod/garage crowds referred to as "Freakbeat", but this two-sider really stands out as one of the genre's best! If you wanna hear the Sect going heavier, darker and organ driven here's your chance.

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The Crawdaddys - "Crawdaddy Express" (VOXX, 1979)

I know you know already, i have a bad thing going on with most moptops of the so-called 80s garage revival scene, right? OK, i know many of 'em were at least good in what they were doing BUT... I don't like fashion and to me first come the music an' not the outfits, the hair, the glasses and/or the Cuban heels. There was a band then, that started in the late 70s, right in the midst of the "trend" of punk in both sides of the Atlantic ocean, and had the GUTS and the BALLS to play rootsy, filthy bad ass R&B, the way Pretties, Them and Downliners (OK, Stones too) taught us. Hailed from America (San Diego), even though their sound was deeply soaked on those Brits mentioned above. John Peel dug them a LOT, Mike Stax in their favor dumped homeland, flew there, joined in and all the rest's by now to more of you, a well known history (Tell Tale Hearts, Ugly Things Mag etc). Their appropriate look on classic sides by John Lee Hooker, Willie Dixon, Lazy Lester or Chuck Berry were SUPERB and their name of course picked up by the legendary London R&B club where the Stones and the Yardbirds started to make an impact. A punkier/punchier approach on what many pub rock bands played in England (is this punk or what?). Except for a fully influential & satisfying LP, this was VOXX's first number, the child label of Greg Shaw's Bomp!, almost entirely responsible for what good or bad came out from then til now under the term of 'Garage'! Recorded on a friend's of Greg Shaw (what else?) garage for the total production cost of 12$!!! Hear this platter and come tell me back if you still consider the Fuzztones or the Chesterfields as the best...



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The Excitements - Some Raves on the Hottest Rhythm & Soul act 'round the globe, hands down!!!

Barcelona has the good fortune to swagger proudly that this period have both the best football/soccer team and the best band around! And there are more to these Excitements guys (and gal!) in resemblance with the city's first football squad! Both subject-matters are tight, dance-stomping, funky, hard-edged at times and with tons of SOUL! Forget Sharon Jones and the Daptones, forget Raphael Saadiq (btw, I really can’t see the reason why people are raving about him, but anyway...) and forget in the end any other so-called “new funk-soul” act (yes, even the very sympathetic Eli ‘Paperboy’ Reed). And you know, sometimes all these ‘filing’ sites like Facebook or Myspace do something worthy except for ‘connecting people’ (do you really believe this?…). The Excitements came to my attention on the same day and from two different directions. First was Eric Ratb0y asking me about them and secondly their Myspace page. And then WHOA!  Some google search and credit card disburse later, their brand new release (first long play on Penniman – btw great name for a label guys) was about to come in my hands some days later. I’m still trying to catch their two already sold out 7-inchers but I’m sure in a way or another I’m gonna make ‘em mine sooner or later. And they 're sounding like a band from my favorite music era/style. Somewhere when tough R&B started to involve into what later christened as ‘soul’! Imagine the Wheelsville/Premium/D-Town house bands (if they ever such bands existed ) crossing paths with Little Richard’s Upsetters having Tina in her prime and primitive (with a large amount of Sugar Pie DeSanto added powder), scream and shout on a mic! Yeeeeaaahhhh THAT GOOD, people! I mean, who else in year 2011 choose to cover a softer moment of Little Richard (“Never Gonna Let You Go”) or super cool floor burners in the likes of The Falcons, Barbara Stephens, Jimmy Dee or Nelson Sanders (kudos guys for pickin’ up on one of my VERY fave R&B stormers! – “This Love Is Here To Stay”). Don’t try finding something else; this combo’s the hottest shit around… And Koko’s a Goddess!
PS: This album produced by the mighty hands and dirty genius of Mr. Mike Mariconda (The Raunch Hands, The A-Bones), "Fuck the Mummies" indeed!

Buy some Excitement Here!



I Want To Be Loved
Fat Back
Love Is Here To Stay


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The Pretty Things - "The Pretty Things" (Fontana, 1965)

I've read already countless times that The Pretty Things debut long play was "a legendary exercise in anarchy". As much as a cliche this might sound, it's the least you can say about it. Fontana records chief Jack Baverstock when arrived to oversee his label's newest 'hitmakers', "walked out after half an hour with us" as the liners point out. Indeed, the Pretty Things were no less than five unruly, filthy and dirty to the max youths with a never-ending hunger for rhythm & blues! When you're going to read something about 'em the word 'mayhem' appears on the script immeasurable times. No wonder why Mick Jagger used all his connections to keep them down and even if those creeps sang the opposite, this indigestible prick finally succeed. But tapes and records are still here to remind us who were the filthiest of them all. The spiritual godfather of this album is the Man, Bo Diddley. Chuck's here too but his tunes Diddleyfied so much that sound to these ears like Bo's tracks or as i read somewhere else, like outtakes of the "Two Great Guitars" sessions. No less than four McDaniel toons appear in here. But the whole 'jungle beat' filtered and distorted through over-amped guitars, crushing drums and snarling vocals. Again, this is really one of the places where punk started. A roaring example of how garage was born. Sometimes i wonder how the rock & roll history would have be if the Pretties weren't THAT MUCH suicidal. The ironic front sleeve is perfect introduction of what are you going to witness. Five bumps who dare to provoke and even if you try to beautify them, the end result will be a total disgust! Is that punk or what? That's British R&B at its rawest and dirtiest and if the Rolling Stones are too pussy for you, well here's your chance. And Vivian Prince fuckin' rule!


The A-Bones drum head with Viv Prince


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MUST BUYS!!! JERK BOOM! BAM! Greasy Rhythm & Soul Party Volumes 1,2,3 & 4 - The Last Chance To Dance!


I really can't wait to come in my hands these four volumes of vinyl slices, full of late 50s to mid 60s gritty american R&B and greasy soul stompers! I made an order last week but Vol. 3 seems to be out of stock in many mailorder sites and i'll have to wait to got 'em all at once. No wonder these wicked swings, sells like hot cakes! I'm sure if you're reading this blog constantly, know already MANY of the floor burners in here! The packaging looks amazin', the concept seriously builted (Vols 1&2 are all male and in correspodence Vols 3&4 are all gals) and the sound as i read in many pieces quite simpy, kills! Take a look at the tracklist following or play some of the embedded videos to get an idea of what these imprisoned in plastic savages can do at your next party! When i (finally) get them, i'll comment more on these but some things look cool just by staring at 'em, right?

VARIOUS - JERK! BOOM! BAM!, VOL. 1 - (Jerk! Boom! Bam! Records – Jerk RSAB-111)

TRACKLISTING: 01. Charles Gray & Les Watson & The Panthers - Baby Don't Do It 02. Otis Williams - You Know How Much I Care 03. James Crawford - I Don't Care, I Don't Care, I Don't Care 04. Jimmy Mccracklin - Lets Do It All 05. The Rivals - She's Mine 06. Benny Turner - I Don't Know 07. Chico Leverett - Work Work 08. Willie C. Echols - Shimmy Shelly Shake 09. Willie C. Echols - Satellite Stroll 10. Alex Spearman - Mama-ka-toko-laka-poo-poo-yay 11. Young Jessie - Mary Lou 12. Rudi Stewart - Baby You Goofed 13. Lorenzo Holden - The Wig 14. Dave Bartholomew - Hey Hey 15. Madman Jones - Jes' One Mo' Time 16. J. L. Smith - Did You Do The Mosquito 17. The Huntsmen - Send Me Some Lovin'

VARIOUS - JERK! BOOM! BAM!, VOL. 2 - (Jerk! Boom! Bam! Records – Jerk RSAB-112)

TRACKLISTING: 01. Billy Lamont - So-called Friends 02. Bobby & Expressions - Sloopytime 03. Albert Collins - I Don't Know 04. The Rivals - Make Yer Mind Up 05. Jimmy Raye - Hey Lets Dance 06. Sam Baker - The Bump 07. Gene Burke - Monkey Man 08. Mckinley Mitchell - You're Not Gonna Break My Heart 09. Danny White - The Twitch 10. The Pyramids - What Is Love 11. Marv Johnson - Come On & Stop 12. Tony & Tyrone - Turn It On 13. The Isley Brothers - I Say Love 14. Allen Wayne - Chills & Fever 15. The Ideals - Go-go Gorilla 16. Wilbur Reynolds - Tenderiser


VARIOUS - JERK! BOOM! BAM!, VOL. 3 - (Jerk! Boom! Bam! Records – Jerk RSAB-113)

TRACKLISTING: 01. The Autographs - Do The Duck 02. Joan Proctor - Matchmaker 03. The Azaleas - Hands Off 04. Baby Jean - Oh Johnny 05. The Gems - That's What They Put Erasers On Pencils For 06. Lisa Bett - I'm Movin On 07. The Raeletts - One Room Paradise 08. Little Brenda Starr - Mix It Up 09. Mary Johnson - These Tears 10. Tawny Reed - Needle In A Haystack 11. The Orlons - Don't You Want My Lovin 12. Dorothy Williams - Watchdog 13. Marie Knight - Come On Baby 14. Virgie Till - Loose Me Love 15. Lottie Joe Jones - I Believe To My Soul 16. Ruth Brown - Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean 17. Big Mama Thornton - Tom Cat

VARIOUS - JERK! BOOM! BAM!, VOL. 4 - (Jerk! Boom! Bam! Records – Jerk RSAB-114)

TRACKLISTING: 01. Toni Wine - River Deep, Mountain High 02. Ketty Lester - West Coast 03. Tawny Reed - I've Got A Feeling 04. Irene & The Scotts - Why Do You Treat Me Like You Do 05. The Geminis - Big Brother 06. Verna Rae Clay - I've Got It Bad 07. Phil & Marie - Love Doctor 08. Judi Clay - Let It Be Me 09. Lydia Marcelle - Everybody Dance 10. The Gypsies - It's A Woman's World 11. The Geminis - You Put A Hurting On Me 12. Vicky Gomez - Boys Are A Dime A Dozen 13. Robin Rice - I've Had It 14. The Dynettes - New Guy 15. Paula Lamont - A Beatle Meets A Ladybug 16. The Vonns - So Many Days






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