Smyle –Dream of Me

Smyle –Dream of Me/ Have I Ever Let You Down –Polydor 2050281 (1973 NL)

This is the third single by the Dutch Purepop meisters. It is rarely seen or heard these days and is by far their rarest single. Dream of Me is an orchestrated pop number and fits nicely next to Nimbo or some of the Magic Christian/Iveys material. The B side is more raucous and is the Lennon to the A side’s McCartney. These guys deserve more appreciation than they ever received and having all their four singles (plus the 2 Hammer singles) should be a prerequisite for any discerning Powerpop lover. If you haven’t already, check out the Mark Boon interview here: http://www.nederglam.nl/html/smyle.html
Enjoy!

Hear a full version of Dream of Me



Hear a full version of Have I Ever Let You Down

Flamin’ Groovies -Slow Death –UK Picture Sleeve Demo!

Flamin’ Groovies -Slow Death/Tallahassee Lassie –UA UP 35392 (1972 UK)

Wow... is this the ultimate in cool or what? This is the single that started it all for me. It hit this 12 year old full face and the love story has never ended. I still play this single over and over and 38 years later it still sends shivers down the backbone. The overall attitude, the riff, the lyrics, those pounding drums, the amazing Dave Edmunds production (just check the best hand clap sound ever on the third verse), this single has and does it all...and for me is still the most perfect single I've ever heard or experienced.
Now the UK pic sleeve was only available with some UK demos (250 copies?) and this one came with the hand-out shown here. OK, the German pic sleeve is pretty cool, but this is the ultimate edition of this classic among classics. I am really chuffed getting my hands on this copy, but the good news for others is that I now have a spare copy of the UK pic sleeve in VG+ condition with its EX Demo record.
I am open to offers, but would rather trade for something equally special...any other unreleased Streak acetates out there for example?

Hear a full version of Slow Death

Westland Steamboat –Born Under A Bad Sign

Westland Steamboat –Born Under A Bad Sign/Missouri Train –CBS 4756 (1970 UK)
An interesting find this one. Released in 1970 it can be seen as some sort of Doctor Feelgood precursor with those choppy Wilco Johnson/ Mick Green guitar stabs mixed in with something akin to a rockier Christie (Yellow River). There’s even a Proto Punk element to the song’s construction and a DIY/Garage feel. This is a UK production, but I didn’t immediately find anything about the band in question, although I have a single from producer Stephen Shane called Someone Who Cares on JAM. Let’s see what this posting drags up...

Hear a full version of Born Under A Bad Sign

King's Cross Record Fair this Sunday

I will be here on Sunday and will be bringing 200-300 singles with me...come and say "Hi"

All the best

Robin

Randy Pie & Family –Queen of Dream

Randy Pie & Family –Queen of Dream /Train Goes On –Atlantic K10248 (1972 UK issue)

Randy Pie & Family were a bunch of Hamburgers who formed out of the ashes of The Rattles. After joining forces with Ex Rattle Achim Reichel in Propeller for the Apache Woman single (http://purepop1uk.blogspot.com/2006/12/propeller-apache-woman.html ) and the Let Us Live Together LP, Herbert Hildebrandt and Dicky Tarrach formed Randy Pie & Family.They released two singles on Atlantic before splitting and then reforming as Randy Pie on Polydor (without Hildebrandt) where they went into glossy disco Jazzy Prog mode!!!!!
Queen of Dream (where did the “S” go?) however is totally excellent. Although quite repetitive; it’s a full on crunching mantra with backing vocals which add an almost surreal Heavy Metal Doo-Wop angle over the pounding drums and chugging guitars. Much Fun and rejoicing für alle da unter...

Hear a full version of Queen of Dream

.....................................German Pic Sleeve........................................

Albatross –Tobacco Road

Albatross –Tobacco Road/Let It Roll –Gull 22395 -8N (1975 German issue)

Following their tenure with Mooncrest; Albatross jumped ship to Gull and nearly made it with this corking version of Tobacco Road. Albatross enthusiastically update the old chestnut, adding a Can’t Explain riff in a hugely invigorating performance with Maximum Crunching Glam appeal. The B side Let It Roll is a loud rocker, spouting attitude with a protruding cowbell and also fully deserves to be highlighted here in its entirety. Albatross were: John Jones, Malc Player, Danny Balkwill and Terry Keyworth . John Jones then went on to form Fringe Benefit. He is still active today: http://joejonesqed.co.uk/

Hear a full version of Tobacco Road

Hear a full version of Let It Roll

Creme Soda –Keep It Heavy

Creme Soda –Keep It Heavy/And That Is That –Trinity CST-112 (1974 US)

Keep It Heavy is a lovely West Coast Pop/Psych tune very much in the mould of The Grassroots (Let’s Live For Today) with a touch of The Mamas and Papas. Oddly enough though, this is not a 1966 recording, but a stand out track from a Milwaukee band released in 1974! Again you can thank Bomp magazine for highlighting this band at the time, which led to me discovering this pearl. I just love the mix of Guiro, haunting melody with its Psyched-Out lead break (check out The Barracudas On A Sunday -1981) where I was more than a little inspired by this single...) Creme Soda also released the Punk-o-Billy (I’m) Chewing Gum and an album Tricky Zingers in 1975 that has been bootlegged on vinyl and on CD. The band line-up was Art Hicks, Jim Wilson, Billy Tanon and Ron Jutuman –Any idea what happened to them? Were there any other releases of note from these guys in other incarnations?
Hear a full version of Keep It Heavy

Hear a full version of On A Sunday (From The Big Gap)

Monopoly –Gone Tomorrow

Monopoly –We Belong Together/Gone Tomorrow –Pye 7N 17940 (1970 UK)

Gone Tomorrow is a real screamer, kinda like Lee Curtis & The All Stars (Skinnie Minnie) filtered via The Floyd Dakil Combo (Dance Franny Dance) appearing through Freakbeat’s outdoor and landing out of time in 1970 in the same fashion as Mississippi’s Mr. Union Railway Man (see post November 18th 2008). The A side also starts promisingly but is a poppier and more commercial offering. Raymond Froggatt had a band called Monopoly on Polydor, but it’s unlikely that there’s any connection there.

Hear a full version of Gone Tomorrow

Mothers of Track –Motorcycle Rock

Mothers of Track –Motorcycle Rock/Storm In A Teacup –Monopole S476 (1975 Belgium)

Welcome to the Mutoid world of The Mothers of Track???? Yes, more dorky Belgians albeit this time of the biker persuasion in thick leathers (apart from the accountant geek in the floppy hat).

You want loud Motorbike noises? ROAR...yes, we have them here and with extra siren noises to boot. The track lives up to expectations and is positively imbued with overflowing piston-fuelled power. It’s gritty and dirty like a greaser should be with tasty sharp lead breaks, grunting rhythm guitars and screeching vocals reminding me of the lead vocalist in Catapult. Two of the band went on to form the Belgian Heavy Metal band

Hear a full version of Motorcycle Rock

And now hear a full version of the nifty instrumental B side...