Reviews of tasty and obscure hook-filled rock'n' roll releases (Glam, Heavy Bonehead Crunchers, Powerpop, Pop/psych,Garage, Surf, 60s Girl Group Rock)...Plus any quirky musings that tickle my fancy...
I created this blog in order to stimulate interest, share discoveries and encourage people to go out and search for the original vinyl. Hopefully this blog might also encourage labels to actually compile some of this stuff officialy.
So after 10 hours a day on Friday and Saturday, a more manageable 7 hours of walking and digging was achieved on Sunday. Apart from the sheer size and number of miles walked taking their toll, the hard concrete floor adds to the overall level of pain and tiredness…but, I’m not one to complain, not with the latest purchases... First, let’s talk about a 42 year old dream that became a reality today for 10 Euros... Back in 74/75, I had bought a German Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich LP where my favourite tune Frustration literally jumped out at me. It was so obvious to me that this song deserved to be a single, but no go. All my teenage digging brought up nothing, later discographies has no mention of Frustration ever being on a single, only an EP. In the Internet age, I carried on looking and never found any mention. Fast forward to today and a dealer had a green sleeve on his wall with a band photo that looked familiar, he told me it was a rare Dutch DDDBMT single and lo and behold it featured FRUSTRATION!!! Needless to say I had a big green on my face for the rest of the day. Dreams do come true, ok, slightly sad, but very consistent!
Distant Jim, not a Dutch band but only released in Holland with a Smoke, Junior’s Eyes connection.Never in a pic sleeve it seems…
A nice bunch of pic sleeve including the great Apple single in fetching German picture sleeve. The Tages is not a great coupling, however the German sleeve is ace. Their only single released in Germany
Next up a cracking pair of US Garage Blitzers. The Burning Bush is well-known, however Wanted Dead or Alive features a young Michael Lloyd. Hey Joe cash in time...
Some nice UK issues...
Some 70s sleeves...
Stampeders –Johnny Lightning in a cool German pic sleeve, featured here in one of the most invigorating live performances known to man. Just dig the Buckskin belting bass player
Now, time to digest then hit Olympia next Saturday, but nothing compares to Utrecht. And Yes my flight and hotel is already booked for next April
Day 2 -Saturday A less frantic day, but still 10 hours of continuous digging Some pretty obscure ones including, the Belgian Perhaps Next Tide and the Dutch Phoenix, where you learn that Jimi Hendrix in fact wrote Hey Joe.
Next up a couple of Decca demos. The faux Four Seasons Oldham/Stones folly of Bobby Jameson and the wonderfully lush folk rock pop of The Rothchilds
Nice Dutch only coupling on this Nazz single, Blue Yoghurt is Kenny Young (Umbrella Man)
Dry ice is killer fuzz and Virgin Sleep hypnotic and gorgeous...
The 70s. Lucille is a great Italian Glam cruncher. Blonde on Blonde is nice in its UK pic sleeve. German Albatross pic sleeve (with UK record...)
A couple of LPs too.. . Picked the Skip Bifferty (Orange RCA) and Blond (Tages in lovely Swedish gatefold) Tomorrow is the last day, normally bargain day...let's see
As part of the continual groundhog day ritualised routine of my life, I am of course in Utrecht for the ever great Utrecht fair. Today was day 1, the set up day and I walked, talked and explored from 7am to 5pm non-stop (well apart from one coffee and chips break) The two records that gave me the most joy was the Eyes -Man With Money (always seemed to miss out on that one and the UK Craig -I Must Be Mad, which was top of my UK wants list for 5 years or so)
Nice Swedish copy of The Tomorrow and original Canadian Ugly Ducklings The next bunch includes a Dutch Diversion and Groovies, German Hammersmith Gorillas and Ronno (Mick Ronson) as well as a UK Giant Crab ESP. NZ's Larry's Rebels has a Coke advert
The rest was more of your usual Utrecht over-spill
Tomorrow a time for breakfast then hitting the ground running at 8am...
Dizzy’s Farm –Vodka Collins/Chattanooga Blues –HMR Productions –HMR 592 (1972 US) Another complete mystery disc here. Vodka Collins is a pretty good 70s rocker, with some gritty guitar featuring leslie speaker-like sound during the cool guitar interplay; great playing anyhow…Chattanooga Blues is an uptempo cowbell driven rural choogler; about the merits of moving to the country, upright yet bouncy... Apart from the 1972 release date and that it was recorded and produced by Harry.M Randel- the head honcho at HMR (https://www.discogs.com/artist/3139387-Harry-M-Randel) out of Scotch Plains (NJ), nothing else was found after initial googling –More info and an upgrade would be most welcome!
