Speers –B.C.R

Speers –B.C.R/You –Polydor 2054171 (1976 DK)

What it is with Danish bands and perfect hair? As with The Children and Walkers, Speers sport perfectly groomed barnets. What of the contents? Well B.C.R is a rampant and crunchy ode to The Bay City Rollers no less. In fact it is probably one of the best Roller tributes, it certainly is the fuzziest and rockiest of the bunch. Lyric-wise who knows? If there are any Danes watching, a translation of the lyrics would be most welcome.
PS: A copy of this single was recently put for sale at an exorbitant starting price on ebay by a well- known dealer couple. It has now appeared in their online shop if anyone feels that way inclined…

Hear a full version of B.C.R

The Sound of Summer Part 1 –Euclid Beach Band –There’s No Surf in Cleveland

The Euclid Beach Band –There’s No Surf in Cleveland/Laugh in The Dark –Scene Records SR 45001 (1978 US)
With summer finally giving us a belated showing, it’s time to dust down our boards and enjoy some summer sounds 70s style. There’s No Surf in Cleveland is a novelty surf number, but it’s beautifully produced and arranged with a killer tune. It’s as good as Cruisin' Music and there’s a further Raspberries connection as the song was remixed by Eric Carmen. It appears that some of the members were at one time or another part of Eric’s backing band. The single was then picked up nationally by Epic and Eric was more heavily involved on the ensuing LP.

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Chalice –Nine To Five Girl

Chalice –Nine To Five Girl/Nearly Gone –Clarion Records K 5740 (1974 AUS)

Transplanted from Manchester to Perth, Chalice released two earlier singles that have already been reviewed here on Purepop http://purepop1uk.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/chalice-in-my-world.html
and http://purepop1uk.blogspot.co.uk/2009/10/chalice-ebenezer.html
Nine To Five Girl was the 3rd Chalice single on Clarion prior to their move to Polydor. Whilst In My World betrayed a strong Who influence, Nine To Five Girl and its flip highlight their knack for laying down harmonies in a West Coast Sunshine mode. In fact Nine To Five Girl sounds like a Sunflower  outtake, but it’s a top catchy pop number in its own right. The same applies to Nearly Gone which could have been a Bruce Johnston penned number from the same period.

Hear a full version Nine To Five Girl



Hear a full version Nearly Gone

The What –The Devil’s Game

The What –The Devil’s Game/The End –Smite LH-16664 (1977 US)

From 1977, but sounding from much earlier, comes this prime example of Heavy Bonehead. I can’t find any reference for the band or the label for that matter, but from its heavy dirge to the answer and call choruses, it’s a boner-fide addition to the heavier side of the Bonehead spectrum

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Unpublished Junkshop Glam article from Record Collector

5 years ago Record Collector commissioned me to write a Junkshop Glam piece for their magazine, covers and labels were scanned, it was all set to go and then....nothing happened.
So here is the  link to the unedited article...enjoy

http://unpublishedjunkshopglam.blogspot.co.uk/

Jumbo –She Said

Jumbo –She Said/Wasting My Time –CBS 7820 (1972 UK)

This was the first of three singles released by Jumbo (including the sought after Round and Round on Epic). She Said is a fine near Glam up-tempo pop tune with a mid-60s song construction. It’s catchy as hell with great production touches and it’s another case of a song escaping instead of gaining the exposure it deserved. The B side is more CSNY sounding so of less interest. Jumbo were originally from Swansea and were discovered by The Tremeloes. Two of the members Bob Benham and Aaron Woolley then joined Alan Blakley and Chip Hawkes on some of the more Glam inspired Trems singles.

Hear a full version of She Said