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.
Made it nice and early and copped around 20 singles by 7:45am. Then spent the rest of the day picking up the odd single here and there. Nothing totally mind blowing (yet), but some choice singles... mainly spares...
Found a nice copy of the Proto Punk/Glam Lee single, only the 2nd copy I have ever seen. Corporation is a fine near Bonehead Dutch rocker. Did I really nead a 4th different sleeve of the Jungle Jim single?...Of course I did!
Cool cover on that Wild Angels single. How cold I pass on the Jets single? Blunderbuss is Tony Atkins and Gerry Morris (Galahad)
I had never seen that (US) Beat pic sleeve before...tight trousers ahoy!
The Rag Dolls is a cool cover of an obscure Vanda & Young song. Incredible Hog sounds really promising. I can now add a UK issue to my Swiss Pic sleeve of the Dunno single, although the B side has been feted in some circles, I much prefer the A side, a nice pop tune. Duffy is a neat UK rocker, in fact both their singles are well worth picking up. The Rain single is great. I will feature it one of these days, as I should with Rokoko Man...it sounds like it looks!
I expect a smaller haul tomorrow...we'll see
Jon Savage and Johan Kugelberg, following a Greek meal. The food was really good -Honest!
Jimmy Pasha and The Hi-Shots –Dance To The Rock ‘N’ Roll/I’ll Be There - SKY 1000 (1974 UK) Pentagon –Dance With Me/Take Your Hands off My Woman –Nevis Records Nev S 104 (197? UK) As I felt that each song in its own right did not justify an individual review, I have combined their strengths in order to present a (phased) themed post. Now both tracks are close to being considered Junkshop Glam, but just miss hitting the spot in a consistent manner. Jimmy Pasha’s song is pretty weak, BUT features some phased drums along with archetypical Glam “HEYs” and handclaps during the middle break which is the song’s highlight helped by some strident guitar. Pentagon was released on the same label that released Planet of The Drapes by The Flying Saucers. Here the Rock ‘n’ Roll revival angle is enlivened somewhat by a phased (yes again) Glitter Beat which helps pull the performance above perfunctory 50s clichés...
Hear a full version of Dance To The Rock ‘N’ Roll
Hear a full version of Take Your Hands off My Woman
Jeffries –Do You Feel Allright/Get Me A Car –Mouse MMC 1005 (1974? Bel)
Obscure Belgo Glam alert... With its thudding drums and manly YEAHs, Do You Feel Allright (sic) is nearly a true Junkshop classic contender. Although the horns fit well with the tune; a little more fuzz wouldn’t have gone amiss. Think of Peter D. Kelly on a diet of frites smothered in sauce. It has been listed as a 1974 release, although the reverb on the intro drum sound makes me think this could have been recorded 2-3 years later. However the song/performance would have been really dated by 76/77...The B side is definitely early/mid 70s and is a pretty ghastly orchestrated MOR number (although with some screeching lead guitar)...So who knows
Long Tall Ernie and The Shakers –Rockin’ Rocket/ Rock and Roll-Polydor 2050371 (1975 NL)
Rockin’ Rocket is one of the better Long Tall Ernie sides. It’s more Glammy that most of their other releases and has a quirkiness in the production and song structure which elevates it above many of the overtly commercial 50s reruns that exemplified much of their output.
Here is one to check out, Alan Merrill is playing in London. Hopefully the set will also be beefed up with some Streak and Vodka Collins tunes as well...
Saturday, November 05 GlamRacket & Amp75 present Alan Merrill & The Arrows 7.30pm-4am - BAND ONSTAGE 9.30PM adv £6
GlamRacket and Amp75 present: Alan Merrill & The Arrows: Original lead singer and founder member of Seventies Glam Superstars 'The Arrows' making his first live London appearance in over 10 years. Alan Merrill is the writer and original recording artist of 'I Love Rock & Roll', one of the biggest Rock hits of all time. Part of the RAK stable alongside Suzi Quatro, Mud, Smokie & Cozy Powell, The Arrows scored major hits with 'Touch Too Much', 'My Last Night With You' and more. The band starred in their own television series, 'The Arrows Show' as well as touring the UK and Europe extensively.
The band will be onstage at 9.30pm. Ticket holders will receive automatic entry into the now famous 'GlamRacket' event at the Lexington, from 11pm to 4am. http://www.wegottickets.com/event/116622
Tyrannosaurus Rex –Get It On/ Raw Ramp –IL NIL 9045 (1971 Italy)
I don’t know how uncommon this single is, but somehow T.Rex got regressed to a Tyrannosaur on this 1971 Italian issue in its fetching picture sleeve. Get It On is the one that got me hooked on T. Rex as an 11 year old back in ‘71 thanks to a dopey department store assistant who played side 2 of Electric Warrior instead of side 1 whilst I listened on those old “phones”. No not headphones, but two telephones without a mouthpiece which you clasped to each side of your head...remember those? Anyway Get It On was instantly infectious, I knew within 10 seconds that this was for me. It was only later that I discovered Raw Ramp on that Bolan Boogie Lp. It’s a bit strange hearing Raw Ramp without the preceding There Was A Time, but Raw Ramp appears to be the same version. Marc had a quite a singular way to pronounce breast-s-t-s-s...A great track to play on a Sunday...
Black Hawk –Little Suzie Looker/Love Like A Man –Sundi Records 320 (1971 US)
Like a leaner and meaner Mississippi Queen crossed with a Sweet B side, Little Suzie Looker is a fine obscure hard rockin’ pre Glam stomper-Riff dependent with cow bell to the fore and good vocals. The B side is a workman-like cover of TYA’s Love Like A Man. Black Hawk were probably out of Orange County and this may have been their only release.
Agnes Strange Give Yourself A Chance Birdsnest UK 1975 American Jam Band Jam Jam Young Blood France 1973 Anthony Bygraves Painted Lady Pye UK 1974 Bang Questions Capitol Germany 1972 Bear Brothers Bondiagio/ Red Shoe Trucken Philips France 1973 Bonnie St. Claire Clap Your Hands And Stamp Your Feet Philips UK 1972 Brett Smiley Va Va Va Voom Anchor UK 1974 Britania Right Down The Line EMI UK 1973 Burton, Lane and Gibbons (B.L. & G) Live In The Mountains/Janie Slow Down Birdsnest UK 1971/75 Buster Superstar Bradleys UK 1974 Cherry Slush I Cannot Stop You USA Records US 1967 Christopher Milk Hey heavyweight UA US 1971 (Sealed copy) Crunch Let's Do It Again Young Blood Germany 1973 Fatty Lumpkin Millionaire Clarion Aus 1974 Fatty Lumpkin Don't knock my boogie Clarion AUS 1973 Flight Save Me Children/ Are You Coming Out Tonight BUK Germany 1975 Fogg Dancin' To The Music WB UK 1975 Funktion Dance of The Clangers Pye UK 1972 Good Grief Girl in Green Freedom Canada 1970 Heart Lovemaker Jupiter Germany 1974 Humble Pie Big Black Dog A&M UK 1970 Jook Alright With Me RCA UK 1972 Josuha Jenny CNR NL 1973 King Harvest Jumping Jack Flash (parts 1 +2) RCA Aus 1971 Libido (Dana Gillespie) Hold On To Your Fire Mooncrest UK 1973 Matt Black & The Doodlebugs Punky Xmas Punk UK 1976 Mersey Kids Keep on Rockin' Pathe France 1974 Moonquake War Rance Aquarius Canada 1975 Muff Do The Hand Jive/ Discotheque King Polydor Germany 1975 Neil Christian She's Got The Power Jupiter Germany 1976 Next Hard Time EP Radar France 1976 Ning Machine Decca Germany 1971 Oliver Day Crazy Love Bus Stop UK 1975 Pete Dunton Taking Time RCA France 1973 Pony It's Gonna Be So Easy/same 20th Century US 1974 Reactions Summertime Rock 'n' Roll Vogue France 1975 Revolver But How I Love It Polydor Germany 1974 Rotomagus Fightin' Cock Butterfly France 1971 YEAH!!!! Shado Evil City Montrose UK 1974 YEAH!!!! (again) Shiva The Legend of Tutankhamun Dart UK 1972 Spiv Oh You Beautiful Child Pye UK 1973 Starbuck Wouldn't You Like It? RCA UK 1973 Stefan And The Wild Boys Dying in St. Louis Gonna Make You Blue Artists of America US 1976 Stephen Right On Running Man Antic UK 1974 Stonehenge ( For The Love Of A) Sweet Woman Like You Renegade US 197? Stormer My Home Town Ring O' Records UK 1978 Strange Fox Rock and Roll Band BASF Germany 1973 Sweeny Todd Roxy Roller Nova Germany 1976 T.N.T Big Trouble (Part 1+ part 2) Jam UK 1972 Tank Heads I Win, Tails You Lose Bumble UK 1973 Ted Mulry Gang Jump In My Car Philips Germany 1976 Teddy Lane Bye Bye Love/ Heartbreak Negram Dutch 1973 Teddy Lane Do The Rock N' Roll Reprise Germany 1973 Third World War Ascension Day/ A Little Bit of Urban Rock Regal Zonophone France 1971 Thirteen Girls Aren't The Same EMG France 1978 OOOOH! Thundermug Africa/ You Really Got Me Stateside Germany 1972 Villain Photograph Bell UK 1975 West Point Don't Know Why Decca UK 1970 Zoo Walking Jupiter Germany 1974
And one LP...
Do What Thou Wilt“The Satanic Rites of British Rock Delivered From Acetates and Rare Pressings 1970 -1974”
An easy hop over the Channel and here I am in Paris. It is the first time I have been to the Cidisc record fair in Champeret. I had low expectations, but it looks like it will be a pretty good fair. The organisers are good guys so I got in on set up day without any hassle...I spent a couple of hours browsing today, about 75% of dealers were already set up, but I will return tomorrow before heading off to the flea market at Clignancourt.
An ok batch today. I have my eye on a couple of high ticket items, we'll see...
Jupiter –The Meteor Song/ Life Is Getting Better Every Day-Parlophone R5967 (1972 UK)
...More songs that sound like The Move. I guess I could start a whole series based on Move-soundalikes with The Casuals Tara Tiger Girl being an outright leading contender. But lo and behold, straight from my doormat, comes this John Goodison opus (http://www.allmusic.com/artist/john-goodison-p80954/biography) which more than borrows from Blackberry Way. A strange record for 1972, it could have easily have come out 4 years earlier, but it’s a charming piece of Psych/Pop fluff nicely grounded to a pseudo Stomp beat. The B side is more of the same with more Move moves on the chorus...
Hear a full version of The Meteor Song
Hear a full version of Life Is Getting Better Every Day
Hi I have just listed the following singles on ebay. It took a bloody long time to do! Some rare Punk, Powerpop, Glam plus the ususal Purepop stuff. I am about 1/3 through and will be listing the second lot in about 3 weeks' time -Good Luck! You may find them here http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/purepop1uk/m.html?_trksid=p4340.l2562 As I reminder -check out the clip of the great Josuha track...
Autographs-While I'm Still Young- RAK UK 1978
Automatics - When The Tanks Roll Over Poland Again- Island UK 1977
Barry Ryan-Do That - Dawn UK 1975
Beaut-Goodbye Judy -Infinity Aus 1976 ( A MUST!!!)
Big Carrot-Black Jack/Squint Eyed Mangle -EMI UK 1973
Blitzkrieg Bop-Let's Go-Lightning UK 1978
Boys- I Don't Care-Movieplay Portugal pic sleeve 1978
Boys-(She's My Girl) She's All Mine (PIC SLEEVE!) Outrage US 1975
Buster Jangle's Flying Mattress-Love Has Taken Over My Brain RCA UK 1971
Casuals-The Witch/ Good Times Dawn UK 1974
Change-Lazy London Lady Orange UK 1974
Christ Child-Let 'Em Eat Rock Barak UK 1978
Class 50-Freerider/The Time Machine The Electric Record Company UK 1977
Covers-Modern Girls Decca UK 1979
Cyanide-Mac The Flash Pye UK 1978
Dancer-Hate Generator Dawn UK 1975
Dazzle-Jim'll Fix It DJM UK 1975
Dwarf-Backstage Queen Merlyin US 1975
Esprit De Corps-Anxiety Come UK 1981 (not the 70s lot, but rare DIY PUNK)
Flamin' Groovies-Slow Death UA UK 1972 (UK pic sleeve)
Goom-Massai (parts 1+2) Pye UK 1972
Heartbreakers-One Track Mind Track UK 1977
Helter Skelter - I Need You/Goodbye Baby Sticky UK 1977 (DEMO)
Jeff Britton & The Spitfires- Rub Out Decca UK 1976
Josuha-Jenny -Jupiter Germany 1973
Ken Khury-Baby Doll-Jupiter Germany 1975
Kimi & Ritz -I Was in Love With Danny But The Crowd Was In Love With Dean Epic UK 1975
Laurie Marshall (Paul St. John) -Carry On Loving Emidisc ACETATE UK 1972?
Legs-So Many Faces WB UK 1973
Linda Kendrick-Sympathy For The Devil Dawn UK 1974
Maniacs-Chelsea 77 UA UK 1977
Matayo-I Like Rock N Roll/ Matayo RAK UK 1975 (Paul & Barry Ryan)
Matchbox-Don't Shut Me Out/Rod RAK UK 1971
Matt Black & The Doodlebugs-Punky Xmas Punk UK 1976
Meteor-Any Minute Break Away US 1977
Monsoon-Hot Honolulu Nights Trojan UK 1971
New Hearts-Just Another Teenage Anthem CBS US 1977
One Hit Wonders-Hey Hey Jump Now/ Goodbye CBS Germany 1972
Paul Ryan-Natural Gas Maple Annie UK 1972
Paul St. John-Flying Saucers Have Landed Pye UK 1972
Rammalamma -Roll It over Private Stock UK 1975
Ramones-Swallow My Pride Sire UK 1977
Ramones-Blitzkrieg Bop Sire UK 1976 (Original pic sleeve)
Ramones-Rockaway Beach Sire UK 1977
Ramones-I Remember You Sire UK 1976
Razar-Ascension Day Polydor UK 1978 (YEAH!)
Rockets-Rock and Roll Drummer Philips Germany 1974
Rowdies-A.C.A.B Birdsnest UK 1978
Shepperton Flames-Take Me For What I'm Am/Goobye Deram UK 1969
Sisters-There's A Raver Coming Home WB Germany 1974
Stefan And The Wild Boys-Dying in St. Louis Gonna Make You Blue Artists of America US 1976
Suzi Quatro-Rolling Stone RAK UK 1972
Sweeny Todd- Roxy Roller Nova Germany 1976 (German Pic sleeve)
Coloured Balls –Flash/ Dave The Rave –EMI 10344 (1973 Aus)
Led by the late great Lobby Loyde, Flash finds the band in their absolute Sharpie-Ball-Power prime. It’s such an exuberant performance and although the band can really play, Flash finds them containing any musical indulgences and any over-muso leanings that would at times appear on their second LP. It’s just an amazing straight-ahead down the line full-on power trip. The B side is slightly more Bluesy and somehow reminds me of Stackwaddy. A truly great single
Elmer Goodbody Jnr. –Do Ya/Mad About You –Charisma CB 279 (1976 UK)
Forest –Do Ya/I’ll Stay With You –Midland International MID 1 (1976 UK)
Do Ya exemplifies the maxim –maximise the minimum, where less always means MORE! The Move’s Do Ya is probably one of the greatest riff songs ever and follows a prestigious lineage that goes all the way back to Louie Louie and lives on through to Fireball and other Sweet Jane knock-offs. So what makes these two versions so weird is that they both lessen the impact of that riff, and attempt to highlight the song beyond.. Elmer Goodbody Jnr’s (Mike Sheridan’s leather clad alter ego) version is more akin to George Harrison transplanted to a Brum backwater...A strange revisit but quite charming in its laidback approach. Forest on the other hand play it straight, shorten the intro (what were they thinking of?), and emasculate the power of the riff (to make it more radio friendly?) An OK version that gets better as the song nears its end...but nothing to write home about...
Maalstroom- There’s A Party Going On/Gonna Tell My Momma –Phoenix PX130 (1976 US)
Here’s a big one and still a bit of a mystery...It pretty much hits all the parts - satisfying Heavy Bonehead requirements along with high Garage ethics and also encroaches into Proto-Punk territory. There’s a Party Going On is all beer-swilling Biker Dumb Boogie BUT features one of the cheapest and most gratifying Fuzz guitar sounds around. Gonna Tell My Momma is my favourite of the two tracks, the fuzz remains but is augmented by what sounds like frenzied bongos while the track’s tempo seems to fluctuate somewhat. Recorded in 1976 at Pinnacle Sound Studios, it appears that the band may at one time been called Mississippi, but this is not definite. I have tried to track down different band members, but I only got as far as the producer listed on the label, Clyde Snider .
CS: “Around 1976 there was a band in my studio (Pinnacle Sound Productions at the time) called "Mississippi"...They recorded three songs; two songs were for a single and the third song was a song called "Birthday Nose Job" that had hilarious lyrics...”
However it appears that the session producer was an interesting gentleman called Jerry Katz
CS: “The producer was a guy named Jerry Katz. Katz was the one who arranged for the recording session. They were all from out of town so I was unfamiliar with any of them. Katz was a paranoid schizophrenic who thought the government had put a "square-wave transmitter" in his head and was listening in on all his conversations. However, he was a good producer for the band. The recording engineer was Bill Hammitt...”
It is not clear why Clyde ended being credited as producer.
CS: “I doubt there would be another Clyde Snider with Pinnacle Sound Productions anywhere else in the world. Maybe they broke with Jerry Katz and put my name on the label because I owned the studio...The main thing I remember about the session was how crazy Jerry Katz was. The band was in the studio for several days. Before every session Katz would place his head on our big Taberaser tape eraser and turn it on to the scramble the square-wave transmitter the government had put in his head. Then he would put aluminium foil in his ears...”
I have had no luck (so far) in tracking down the band themselves, it may be that one member now works at Clear 1017fm in Oregon, but I have had no response, hopefully this post will help bring more information to light
Bandy Legs –Ride Ride/Don’t Play Games –WWA WWS011 (1974 UK)
Ride Ride is a fine sparkling Glam number with Elmer Goodbody inflections... Which makes sense as Bandy Legs was a Birmingham outfit with affiliations to the Idle Race and Move (guitarist Mick Hopkins was in the Lemon Tree andpost Jeff Lynne Idle Race). The band actually changed its name and became hard rock band Quartz after signing to Jet Records. It must have been quite an about-turn for the band to go all Hairy Metal as another of their singles (Silver Screen Queen on Pye) is in pure Rubettes mode!
Rammalamma –Roll It Over/Can’t You Feel It –Private Stock PVT. 10 (1975 UK)
Whilst going through piles of spare singles (will probably be listing around 200 of them in October), I came across this near forgotten gem. Roll It Over occupies that special place between Rock N' Roll Revival and Crunching Glam with nifty Groovies-like Slide guitar. If anything it reminds me of Smith &Weston's version of A Shot of Rhythm & Blues on Decca.
The Wacky Clackers –Crazy Balls/ How Will I Know –Poko Records NC-S-45-122 (1971 US)
Out of New Orleans, without a whiff of Allen Toussaint, comes this highly entertaining Bubblegum meisterwork to cash in on what was then a huge global phenomenon (Klackers, Click-Clacks, Clackers, Ker-Knockers etc...) Whatever they were called, they would surely be banned in school nowadays as offensive weapons!
The Wacky Clackers were in fact the Montalto Trio in disguise who consisted of brothers Lance -guitar (AND Clackers!), Richard - bass and Alfred Montalto on drums. Crazy Balls is beautifully dumb and catchy, and god...don’t those clackers cut through the mix? Enjoy! Me?...I’m off to clack my balls...
Hear a full version of Crazy Balls
PS: I have just updated my 45 collection, see the first link to download. Still a work in progress...
Chook-Cold Feet/Tables Turn –Havoc H 1005 (1971 Aus)
Chook were a local Melbourne band and only managed to release this sole single before splitting up soon after. However a promo video was made, which you can see below. The sound is crunchy and heavy with top lead guitar from Alex O’ Hara. Not quite reaching the depths of pure Bonehead, but worthy in its riff-led heaviness all the same. The band were Mick Sampson (Vocals), Alex O'Hara (Guitar), Ian Ryan (Bass) and either Jeff Lowe or Kim Constable on Drums.
A couple of years back I purchased the second Twister single Getting Nowhere Fast and raved it up here http://purepop1uk.blogspot.com/2010/02/twister-getting-nowhere-fast.htmlIt has taken me nearly 18 months to finally secure a copy of their first outing and it was certainly worth the wait. As a bonus, I have also conjured up the full story of Twister with the generous help of Mike (Angel) Davis who was also kind enough to send me an endless array of photos and press clippings...Enjoy
Holy Smoke is the great first single by Twister, a glorious concoction of Powerpop, Power Boogie and Glammy Proto Punk. The performance is as tough as nails, full of metallic clanging guitars, cutting cowbell and crunching handclaps. The whole performance is tight as hell and the superb vocals are close to what The Radio Stars were doing around the same time. Although extra trebly, the sound slices through the vinyl as if it was butter.“We thought it was a great and as we recorded it, it sounded great. Trouble is RCA didn't want to spend much so they gave us a totally inexperienced producer/engineer (Chris Neal) who played everything back through the big monitor speakers in the studio as we recorded...Result was a recording that sounded pretty tinny when played back through anything less than 1000 watts..” (MD)
The B side Midnite has that Aussie styled Daddy CoolEagle Rock/Hi Honey Ho guitar motif. If nothing else these guys had real taste. All 4 sides they released are up there with the best of what Australia had to offer in the 70s. They must have been a blistering live act
Hear a full version of Holy Smoke
Hear a full version of Midnite
The line up (from left to right) was Mike Davis -Guitar Geoff Turner –Vocals, Bass, Marty Barclay –Lead Guitar and Steve Rose –Drums
The origins of Twister was a Queensland band called Bedrock featuring Geoff and Steve who were friends with Marty a guitarist from another Queensland band. The band moved to Sydney to secure a bigger audience where they met Mike.
MD: “I met Geoff through a mutual friend during this period when we connived to get Geoff a job working with me in a Quality control chemical lab. Geoff and I quickly became firm friends as I saved his life countless times from the hands of uncontrolled chemical reactions. Through him I was prompted to hone my rather basic guitar skills to become rhythm guitarist for a soon to be formed new band which would follow the break-up of Bedrock...”
This line up was tentative and it would be another few months before Mike fully joined Twister. The band then started to play gigs, often as support act
MD: “We played in all sorts of places. I remember Hurstville Civic Centre, Doyston RSL, Blacktown RSL, various pubs and clubs, all the usual haunts. The place we played most would have been Chequers in the middle of Sydney where we would do 4 hour nights quite regularly or sometimes play with other bands (Dragon, Swanee, Angels, etc). Also we did the Bondi Lifesaver pretty frequently where we often supported Cold Chisel. We made one trip to Melbourne to try and crack a new audience there. I think we supported the Little River Band and a stripper who's name escapes me!”
“On the back of a truck at the Hoyts cinema complex opening in Sydney...”
Through their live work, RCA came a knocking...
MD: “We had some guy who was reasonably well known at RCA and would come see us play every now and then. It took a while but I remember signing the contract and thinking this is it...”
“Us signing our recording contract with RCA. Left to right Mike, Steve, Geoff, Manager of RCA, Marty and someone else...”
What were the hopes from the deal? How was Chris Neal introduced into the equation?
MD: “Getting a record made was what it was all about in those days We were over the moon to get a contract. RCA's heart wasn't really in the whole new band thing though. They made their money from Elvis and big bands so we were just a bit of a shot in the dark sort of game to them. Anyway, they gave us an untried guy (Chris Neal) who engineered and produced the record at Alberts Studio. It sounded pretty good as we made it but he recorded and mixed it through great big powerful studio speakers and when we got a test pressing home and put it on our record player it sounded like the chipmunks. Quite a few people we met at gigs were keen to get the record but RCA's ineptitude wasn't limited to the recording studio. They couldn't seem to get the record into record shops. So many people couldn't buy the record even though they wanted to...”
How did you see yourselves –Hard Rock, Glam or what?
MD: “Status Quo was certainly a big influence. Tight chunky rock and roll is what we were in to. I know Geoff and I went to see Ted Mulry and Hush three times in one weekend so we must have admired them too. We loved ZZ Top and Queen and were most respecting of Sherbet (though we had no thoughts of being like the Sherbs). Come to think of it we were glued to the TV whenever Abba came on but we didn't seek to copy them either...”
Still reeling from their experience on their first single, they doubled their efforts to ensure that a second single would be the one to break them.
MD: “We made our feelings known about our disappointment with RCA's dealings with the first single. the top guy wasn't that impressed with our cheek but they gave us a second chance, found us a good producer/engineer(Bruce Brown and Russell Dunlop) and sent us to the studio. They also financed us a film clip which was pretty essential in our minds at that time. The film clip was cheap but OK but they gave us too much control over it. We were ahead of our times and did some crazy stuff with the production. We had them put a bouncing ball above the words of the chorus (we didn't think "thinking somewhere, going nowhere was too clear I guess) and worse we put rolling titles at the end with our names...”
WATCH THIS SPACE FOR THE VIDEO-COMING SOON!
Fan club card
MD: “I think RCA were something to do with a tour of Tasmania that we did when the single was out, also they got us some interviews on a couple of TV shows that showed clips at the time. The ten day tour of Tasmania was our real taste of pop stardom. Our clip appeared on a couple of TV shows coinciding with it, we did several gigs during the tour, had interviews on radio and had sex with a lot of nice girls. Unfortunately distribution didn't happen again with this single and more stories of people unable to obtain the records came to light...”
What happened next?
MD: “The flop of the second single was it I'm afraid. Disco was pretty big then so gigs weren't that thick on the ground for Quo style rock bands. I can't remember the day we decided to give up but not long after the second single we drifted away from each other. There was no anger or recriminations, we had tried and failed and we got on with our lives. Geoff joined the Radiators soon after but I don't think the rest of us played in any notable bands...”
“A letter from two schools in Canberra that didn't want us to break up plus pages of signatures...”
Great work from Ryan Richardson. He has archived old issues of Richard Robinson's Rock Scene online and animated them so you can peruse back issues and immerse yourself in the world of "then". It's got great functionality as you can flick through the pages, zoom in etc...Although nothing will replace having the real thing in your hands, this is as good as it gets. Essential reading!
Click on the title link or go to the links section
Shado –Evil City/Tell You I Know –Montrose MON 1001 (1974 UK)
Evil City is perhaps my favourite track on the no longer available Do What Thou Wilt comphttp://purepop1uk.blogspot.com/2011/01/do-what-thou-wilt.html. Evil City is a furious fuzzed up rockerwith somehow reminds me of Radio Birdman with added pathos, but the B side is more laidback kind of like Ralf McTell walking though a forest. Shado were a complete bunch of unknowns as far as I know..any more information out there? Hear a full version of Evil City
Roger Cook –Samantha Dear -unreleased acetate (1972 UK)
OK, we are not talking about demon-infused dementia as on Cut Loosehttp://purepop1uk.blogspot.com/2009/02/cut-loose-stud-leather-story.html, but a lighter, gentler form of madness from Stud Leather’s Roger Noel Cook, Alan Kirkham and Dickie Graves. Never intented for commercial release, Samantha Dear is a fun near-ragtime drinking song, featuring a neat line in spoon dexterity. It could be a Kinks-like satire, but the sincerity is overwhelming -they really mean it man!
From Roger himself, here’s the inside scoop: Roger:"This was the founder members of Stud Leather recording a song I wrote while drunk in the bath...It was a tribute to skiffle....Dickie Graves played eccentric piano and it set off my vocal a treat (as long as you were drunk while listening to it...and while taking part)....Dickie also played spoons on it and there was a waste basket kicked over at the end...This was at least 18 months before "Cut loose"....and was never intended for release... There are at least 3 or 4 other songs long forgotten that went onto acetates but were never intended for release "Hour after Hour"....."We're Gonna Fly" and others all recorded a cheapo studio run by a bald guy called Curly..."
Meteor –Any Minute/ I Am The Wind –Break Away BA 001 (1977 US)
Formed by Tony Bennett’s two sons (Danny and Dae) with Gordon Javna all “surviving” members of Quacky Duck (and his Barnyard Friends...). New Jersey’s Meteor seem to have been a one-off, but a mighty good one at that. If anything I am reminded of Wowii (Hoods) as the powerpop is enveloped in neo Spectorian suburban grandeur. Great tune, great production and a great find
I had this flyer hanging around, but would love to know more, what with my penchant for all things simian...Well they're called Gorilla that's for sure and they look like they would sound great...was anything recorded/released?
