THE DOVELLS – Bristol Stomp – (Parkway) – 1962

Posted on July 18, 2021 by Franko

I came to the The Dovells through one event. Many years ago, in an op shop, I bought a single by Len Barry, “1-2-3”.. That song from 1965 I think one of the best pop songs of the 1960s.

Len Barry was the lead singer of The Dovells.

The Dovells were a white doo wop group from blue collar “streets” and neighbourhoods of Philadelphia.

The back sleeve of the record notes the “five handsome and talented lads” (all born in 1942 or 1943) who made up the group …

Len Barry – Lead Singer

Danny Brooks – Bass

Jerry Summers – First Tenor

Mike Dennis – Second Tenor

Arnie Satin – Baritone

Being from multiethnic meting pot of Philadelphia this doesn’t sound quite right, though on the Parkway label 1962 it did but the “handsome and talented lads” were all, just about ethnic kids from the Philly, all quiffs and blue eyes soul, looking to music as a way out.

Their names were a giveaway. You could be a black artist, but you couldn’t be a white ethnic one, especially if you weren’t Italian.

The only surprise, given their Philly background, is their general lack of Italian-ness (Bobby Rydell, Fabian, Frankie Avalon etc all came out around the same time) … “general” … there were some who passed through their ranks.

So, more accurately but unlikely to grace a record sleeve in 1962 …

Len Borisoff – Lead Singer

Jim Mealey – Bass

Jerry Gross – First tenor

Mike Freda – Second Tenor

Arnie Silver – Baritone

“The Dovells were an American doo-wop group, formed at Overbrook High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1957, under the name ‘The Brooktones’… Gross left the Brooktones in 1959 to form the group The Gems with Jerry Gross, Mark Stevens, Mike Freda, Warren Purdy, and Roland Scarinci. The remaining Brooktones signed to Parkway Records in 1960 and added Jerry Sirlen and William Shunkwiler to the group, while changing the band’s name to The Dovells. While rehearsing “Out in the Cold Again”, which turned out to be the B-side of “Bristol Stomp”, Len called Jerry and asked for help with the harmonies. After two days of trying, Len asked Jerry to be part of the group and replace two of the other members. Sirlen and Shunkwiler were replaced by Gross and Freda. Mark went on to start his own group Tony & the Raindrops (“Our Love is Over”, a local hit), and later joined The Dovells in the 1960s. Warren Purdy went to work for the Boeing Corp., Roland Scarinci enlisted in The Marine Corps then went on to work for AT&T… The Dovells at that point (1961) were Len Borisoff (aka Len Barry), Gross, Silver, Mealey, and Freda, which went on to record eight hit records, starting with the “Bristol Stomp”. .. Len left at the end of 1963 for a solo career under the name Len Barry. The high point of his solo career was the Top 5 smash “1-2-3” in 1965, and the follow up hit “Like a Baby”.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dovells

Barry seems to have had a vision of what he wanted to achieve… “Earlier group differences exploded at a Christmas show performance in Miami Beach. According to Jerry, a dispute arose over whether or not to tailor their talents to the Miami crowd. Most of the group wanted to, and they threatened to quit after the show. Len, the dissenting voice, saw that he was outnumbered and quit instead:. https://www.thedovells.com/biography.html

He went on to define blue eyed soul (soul sung by Caucasians though in fact even though the soul it was influenced by was soul sung by black artists infused with white pop and aimed at both racial markets)

The Dovells were one of many white doo wop bands that followed black doo wop bands into the market. Black doo wop was based on the black trad vocal bands of the 40s who in turn lifted from the white barbershop quartets and vocal groups of the 20s and 30s. The difference between the two was in temperament and outlook and the fact (and this is a broad generalisation) that the white doo wop groups were aimed more at dancing … be it stompin’ or slow and romantic.

The genre revolves around singles but when fortunate enough to put out an album it seems the albums are sequenced to be played right through at a party. Dancing tunes, followed by slow tunes.

Thematically they cover everything from dancing songs to hooking up songs to breaking up songs.

In other words, everything that would resonate with teenagers and early 20 somethings.

The band had signed Cameo / Parkway records in 1960, and like other similar small independent labels, execs Bernie Lowe (Bernie Lowenthal), Kal Mann (Kalman Cohen), and A&R head Dave Appell were all songwriters.

Lowe wrote the new lyrics to “Hound Dog” that Elvis recorded and Elvis’ “Teddy Bear” (with Kal Mann), “Kissin Time” by Bobby Rydell and later Kiss (also with Kal Mann) and “Wild One” for Bobby Rydell (with Kal mann and Dave Appel)).

Kal Mann also wrote “Lets Twist Again” (with Dave Appell) for Chubby Checker and “Fabulous” under the pseudonym of Jon Sheldon for Charlie Gracie which was later covered by Paul McCartney

Dave Appel had been in the 1950s trad pop vocal and instrumental group The Applejacks wrote “Butterfly (with Kal Mann) for Charlie Gracie and “Wildwood Days” for Bobby Rydell (with Kal Mann)

They, naturally, wrote most of the original songs for this album though inbetween a batch of old black doo wop covers , a standard and a Len Barry song.

There is an innocence in the music (yes, I know a widely used trope for early 60s pop music) but there is a joy in the music. It is working class dance your troubles away music where blacks and whites mixed (The Dovells played in black clubs regularly) as opposed to campus based civil rights and folk protest music of the time, where blacks and whites, largely, didn’t mix. Go figure. Here the music is class based rather than race based, and you can all escape your worries or enjoy your youth, even if only fleetingly…

The black and white distinction that follows isn’t meant to be a distinction but an indication at the fluidity of music ….

Tracks (best in italics)

Side One

  • Mope-Itty Mope – (Bosstone – Chatman) – originally released as a single in 1959 by The Bosstones which included Len Barry as a singer. The lyrics have been updated to refer to the Bristol Stomp singer. In its 1959 and 1962 version there are echoes of the Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow by the Rivingtons (1962). A catchy, if gimmicky, song.
  • Foot Stompin’ – (Aaron Collins) – First release by black vocal group, The Flares, in 1961 and written by Aaron Collins a black doo wop singer wo had been in The Jacks and The Cadets. Another dancer with a prominent saxophone.
  • Little Girl of Mine – (Goldner – Cox) – First release by black R&B vocal group The Cleftones in 1956. A superior cover of a great up tempo R&B vocal song.
  • Three Coins In The Fountain – (Cahn – Styne) – First recording by Frank Sinatra with Orchestra conducted by Nelson Riddle for the film of the same name in 1954. The white vocal group the “Four Aces” had a US#1 the same year. I love this song. This version doesn’t capture the right note of romantic melancholy for me. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Coins_in_the_Fountain_(song)
  • Change! – (Sheldon – Leon) – An original. Sheldon and Leon are Kal Mann and David Leon Appell. “Changing partners can be crazy fun” the lyrics suggest.  Dance partners of course.
  • I Really Love You – (Mann – Appell) – a mid tempo dancer

Side Two

  • Bristol Stomp – (Mann – Appell) – the big hit from the year previous. A stomp dance song. Not so much a dance instruction song like the “twist” or the “pony” but a song about a dance that you can dance to … if that makes any sense. Great fun. Later (1962) covered by labelmate Chubby Checker. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Stomp
  • Ah Choo! – (Sheldon – Leon) – a novelty song. Filler. Sung well, but …
  • Deserie – (Cooper-Johnson) – First release by black doo wop group The Charts in 1957. A mid-tempo ballad with some high notes and an orchestra (or, at least, strings) lurking in the background. Quite good.
  • Let’s Twist Again – (Mann – Appell) – First release by Chubby Checker (1961) and a #8US hit. The band acknowledge Chubby in the song. A great song though not up there with the original. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let%27s_Twist_Again
  • Out In the Cold Again – (Koehler-Bloom) – First done Glen Gray and The Casa Loma Orchestra in 1934 and much covered. The Dovells seem to have taken their inspiration from Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers US#10 version from 1957 (a band they professed as a favourite). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out_in_the_Cold_Again
  • No, No, No! – (Borisoff) – an excellent up-tempo love song. Boppy and a toe tapper.

And …

A little of this goes a long way but your foot will be tapping … I’m keeping it.

Chart Action

US

Singles

1961 #2US Pop

1961 #7 US R&B

Album

Failed to chart

England

Nothing

Sounds

Mope-Itty Mope

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pteD1L4sgf0

Foot Stompin’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqIXYBsvW2w

Three Coins In The Fountain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_70MZxfoWc

Bristol Stomp

live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCOB5-E4P6Y

mp3 attached

Let’s Twist Again

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyFp0yyXHZw

Out In The Cold Again

No, No, No!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-e6TbUxhqs

Others

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sNJVV_wX9k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZjzqUB-I8U

Review

—

Bio

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dovells

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-dovells-mn0000784670/biography

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Len_Barry

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameo-Parkway_Records

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernie_Lowe

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kal_Mann

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Appell

Website

https://www.thedovells.com/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheDovells

Trivia

  • “The Dovells continued as a trio, and recorded as The Magistrates for MGM in 1968. As the Magistrates, they recorded the chart hit “Here Comes the Judge,” taking advantage of the popularity of the skit on the TV show Laugh-In. Gross and Freda wrote and produced the song, added the female voice of Jean Yost (Hillary), and performed as The Magistrates as well as The Dovells. Freda left to do his own thing in 1969. The Dovells (Gross-Silver-Stevens) went on to be a big hit, in Las Vegas and the Night Club circuit around the country, doing over 300 shows a year”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dovells
  • “The Dovells performed at both of President Bill Clinton’s inaugural balls, with Clinton guest appearing on saxophone. In 1991, Len Barry reunited with The Dovells twice. He died in a Philadelphia hospital of myelodysplasia, a bone marrow disease, on November 20, 2020. He was 78 years old.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dovells
  • When music and art collide … pop culture. https://www.williampenn.bank/pop-culture-mural-coming-to-bristol-borough-this-spring/

RIP Len Barry 1942 – 2020

Posted in Doo Wop, Pop Rock | Tagged | Leave a comment

WE FIVE – You Were On My Mind – (A&M) – 1965

Posted on May 30, 2021 by Franko

I only knew the “You Were on My Mind” single by this pop folk act from the 60s which i like so it was a treat to come across this album with that single

History … “Michael Stewart formed We Five after graduating from Pomona Catholic High School and attending Mt. San Antonio College with guitarist Jerry Burgan). He was the brother of John Stewart of the Kingston Trio and came from Claremont, California. When Michael was a student at the University of San Francisco in 1964, he formed We Five as a quartet, although it soon added another member. The group played adult rock ‘n roll, pop jazz, Broadway show tunes, and Disney tunes. Stewart did all the arrangement” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Five

A variation: “They were based in San Francisco but the group’s members came from outside the area. Mike Stewart (from Riverside, California, brother of The Kingston Trio’s John Stewart) and Jerry Burgan (who’d moved out from Kansas City) started singing folk songs together during high school in Claremont, California, around 1961. Mike played several string instruments (acoustic and electric guitars, bass and banjo) while Jerry stuck with his trusty acoustic guitar. While attending the University of San Francisco in 1963, they met the electric axe-obsessed Bob Jones of Honolulu, Hawaii. Two more Claremont compadres joined up, bassist Pete Fullerton and singer Sue Davies (whom Mike and Jerry had known from high school). In those days they called themselves The Ridgerunners, though for a short time the name was changed to The Michael Stewart Quintet. Frank Werber, the Kingston Trio’s manager, also took on managing duties for the younger Stewart’s group. Werber’s connections got them an audition with Capitol Records, but nothing came of it … Davies left after a year or so and was replaced by Santa Ana, California native Beverly Bivens. Her arrival in the spring of ’64 coincided with an engagement at San Francisco’s Hungry i nightclub and a name change to We Five (Werber’s idea).” https://www.waybackattack.com/wefive.html

The line up was:

  • Michael Stewart (1945–2002) (baritone-bass, 5-string banjo, 6-string acoustic guitar, 9-string amplified guitar)
  • Beverly Bivens (born 1946) (low contralto to high soprano, rhythm guitar)
  • Jerry Burgan (1945-2021) (tenor, 6-string acoustic guitar)
  • Pete Fullerton (tenor, acoustic and Fender bass)
  • Bob Jones (1947–2013) (baritone-tenor, 6-string electric jazz guitar, 12-string electric guitar)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Five

They picked up on a song written by Sylvia Fricker, of Ian & Sylvia (from their Northern Journey album from  1964), called “You Were on My Mind.” The song became a giant hit during the 1965-1966 folk-rock boom.

“After completing their second album, Make Someone Happy, later in 1966, lead singer Beverly Bivens decided to leave the group. To continue, We Five replaced Bivens with Debbie Graf Burgan (wife of guitarist Jerry Burgan) and added a full-time drummer in Mick Gillespie for live performances …  The group would record two albums with Debbie Burgan singing lead, Return of the We Five (1969) for A&M and Catch the Wind (1970) for Vault. Neither album came close to the success of the earlier Bivens material. In 1970, Stewart, Jones and Fullerton all quit We Five, breaking up the original band … Subsequent events

After We Five split up, Debbie Graf and Jerry Burgan kept a version of the group going through 1977. This group recorded another album in 1977, Take Each Day as It Comes for AVI Records before also disbanding. From 1977 through 1981, Jerry and Debbie performed as “The Burgans”, supported by bassist Paul Foti”.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Five

This is folk, but folk at the pop end of the spectrum. Not dissimilar to The Seekers or Peter, Paul & Mary in their more pop moments. They are a folk version of the trad pop act The Anita Kerr Singers, emphasising the female voice with male backing as opposed to the masses male chorus of traditional; old folk in sea shanties and frontier songs..

But I love it. Folk lends itself to pop (and rock). Pop folk may not be taken seriously by enthusiasts in either camp but the public like it, or rather, liked it. It is less regional, more user friendly, and easier of the ears.

When it is “too easy” on the ears then there could be a problem.

And, We Five don’t only do folk songs. They do pop songs, rock ballads, and Broadway songs. They have covered all the bases and open themselves to schmaltz. And, cunningly (?) they have taken the hits of the previous five years and folkified them in a pop way. They aren’t folk purists but punters with one eye on the market. But, that is honest and the motivation for many (most) musicians.

And, you know … here, it works.

The group’s mix of acoustic guitars and gentle high harmonies has a wonderfully sunny ethereal quality, but with a touch of melancholy. They are California sunshine on a winters day …. it makes you wonder what Brian Wilson could have done with them..

I love vocal groups and find them relaxing on the brain … maybe its because everyone sings in harmony and that’s what we are looking for … people banding together in harmony?

I don’t know … it’s just a thought.

We Five anticipate Spanky & Our Gang. The Mamas & the Papas and especially the The Pozo-Seco Singers. I can even hear a touch of Grace Slick in the vocals – though less strident and not psychedelically slanted.

And there was part of their problem … they were just not hip enough to be part of the emerging San Francisco psych folk scene … though none of those band had any hits on the Easy Listening charts either. It was not the first time that looks would be more important than content in music, nor, definitely, the last.

The always interesting Ritchie Unterberger had this to say about this album. “Despite the presence of the cheery folk-rock title smash, much of We Five’s debut LP was given over to collegiate folk-pop renderings of standards such as “Tonight” (from West Side Story), “Cast Your Fate to the Winds,” “My Favorite Things,” and Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” Some cuts mined a more satisfying mild folk-rock territory; the confused direction was only compounded by “I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin’,” an odd Mersey-styled raveup. The harmonies are nice, and an overlooked influence upon the early San Francisco rock scene. But the album as a whole is pretty lightweight, with nothing else in the same league as “You Were On My Mind.” https://www.allmusic.com/album/you-were-on-my-mind-mw0000844861

With all respect, he acknowledges them as an “overlooked influence” but he seems to listen to the songs individually. I think the album, as a whole, is more pleasing than any sum of its parts.

For so many reasons, including Bev Bevins voice alternating between high (soprano) and low (tenor), the harmonies, the arrangements, and the broad range of music selection (making the album fun in a trainspotters way) make this a great album of the time.

Tracks (best in italics)

Side One

  • Love Me Not Tomorrow – (John Stewart) – written by Michael’s brother John from The Kingston Trio, this comes across as a Peter Paul and Mary song if they were fronted by Grace Slick. Not too bad, quite reflective… a strange one to open and album with
  • Somewhere Beyond the Sea – (Charles Trenet, Jack Lawrence) – Bobby Darin’s mammoth #6 hit from 1959. I love this song so it’s always going to get a thumbs up. And this version is great in its new Peter Paul and Mary style folk suit. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyond_the_Sea_(song)
  • My Favorite Things – (Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II) – The popular show tune from “The Sound of Music” which came out in 1959. The popular film with Julie Andrews singing was from 1965. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Favorite_Things_(song)
  • If I Were Alone – (Mike Stewart, John Stewart) – A good folk song. More folk than rock and with a hint of Phil Ochs in the folk.
  • Tonight – (Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein) – from the 1957 musical and 1960 film “West Side Story”. Often covered, and another song I love. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonight_(West_Side_Story_song)
  • Cast Your Fate to the Wind – (Vince Guaraldi, Carel Werber) – by jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi (later, a lyric was written by Carel Werber). Another good updating and anticipating sunshine pop. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cast_Your_Fate_to_the_Wind

Side Two

  • You Were on My Mind – (Sylvia Fricker) – originally done by Sylvia on Ian & Sylvia’s album “Northern Journey” from 1964. The song has been covered many times post We Five, including versions by Englishman Crispian St. Peters (1965) (who had a #2UK hit with it … and a #36 in the US) in 1966, The Lettermen (1966), Family Dogg (1969), Jay and the Americans (1970), and Susanna Hoffs (1992). Wonderful folk pop. Inspired. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Were_on_My_Mind
  • Can’t Help Falling in Love – (George David Weiss, Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore) – Elvis’ big 1962 hit (#2US, #1 UK, #3 Australia) from the film “Blue Hawaii” (1961). Who hasn’t done this song? But, in 1965, to cover an Elvis 60s movie song for a “folk” album is pretty “out there”. It’s wonderfully done with their own spin on it, making it one of the best versions of the song. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Can%27t_Help_Falling_in_Love
  • Small World – (Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim) -from the 1959 Broadway show and 1962 film “Gypsy”. It still sounds like a Broadway song but it’s quite a joy on the ear.
  • I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin’ – (Dorothy Heyward, Ira Gershwin, George Gershwin) – a song composed in 1934 by George Gershwin for the 1935 “folk-opera” Porgy and Bess (1934). Done by heaps and in the successful film of the same name from 1959. This fits in stylistically if not in mood. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Got_Plenty_o%27_Nuttin%27
  • Softly, as I Leave You – (Antonio De Vita, Hal Shaper) – Done by everyone, usually in the trad pop space, including Bobby Darin and Andy Williams both in 1965. A haunting song. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Softly,_as_I_Leave_You_(song)
  • I Can Never Go Home Again – (John Stewart) – a familiar theme in 60s folk … wandering, rootless, ”alienation”. Excellent. – 1965 –

 And …

The album creates a contemplative almost ethereal mood. There is more, a lot more, here than meets the eye (errrr, ear) … I’m keeping it.

Chart Action

US

Singles

1965     “You Were on My Mind” Billboard Hot 100           #3

1965     “You Were on My Mind” Adult Contemporary Chart #1

Album

1965 #32

England

 Nothing.

Sounds

Love Me Not Tomorrow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4vVtI8Z6Zs

Somewhere Beyond the Sea     

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6UUJTp1DSg

Cast Your Fate to The Winds    

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfikqU0WCK8

You Were on My Mind  

Live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZM2TtU6jLM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbuzEjEHso0

live 2008

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_ie-Dz4LbM

mp3 attached

Can’t Help Falling In Love         

mp3 attached

Softly As I Leave You   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwem863AC3U

Others

Live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZtquwNlt5I

Interview 1965

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_s5sgcqil4

promo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnBD-4Pcybo

Review

https://www.allmusic.com/album/you-were-on-my-mind-mw0000844861

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Were_on_My_Mind_(album)

Bio

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Five

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/we-five-mn0000254997/biography

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Stewart_(musician)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverly_Bivens

interview with Gary Burgan : 

http://www.classicbands.com/WeFiveInterview.html

history

http://www.rebeatmag.com/it-was-50-years-ago-today-you-were-on-my-mind-by-we-five/

https://www.waybackattack.com/wefive.html

http://www.richieunterberger.com/catchthewind.html

Website

—

Trivia

  • Michael Stewart produced Billy Joel’s breakthrough “Piano Man” (1973) album.

Posted in Folk Rock | Tagged | Leave a comment

DAVE EDMUNDS – Riff Raff – (Columbia) – 1984

Posted on March 28, 2021 by Franko

This is usually considered to be one of Edmunds worst (or if nice, weakest) records.

A lot of criticism comes for the Jeff Lynne 80s production.

So, ELO, Jeff Lynne and 80s mainstream revivalists would criticise it less.

For some inexplicable reason, Dave Edmunds decided to shoot for mass success with the album “Information” (1983), enlisting Jeff Lynne of the Electric Light Orchestra to give him a contemporary, synthesized sheen. Since “Slipping Away” (#39 US pop 1983) was a minor hit and the album did okay (#51US Pop, #92UK), Edmunds brought Jeff Lynne back to produce “Riff Raff”, a record that essentially replicates the sound and style of ‘Information”.

It seemed like a good idea at the time

With the exception of 80s revivalists, it doesn’t now.

I thought this type of  sound was awful then and I find it practically unlistenable now. Many a good song and great artist was ruined (at worst), or, had potential thwarted (at best), by that 80s mainstream sound.

On top of that it is 1984.

The “80s sound” didn’t really become mainstream until about 1982. Before that everything sounded like the late 1970s.

(This is a “derrrr” point but I will explain). Music, not surprisingly, doesn’t follow the Christian calendar or time periods defined as years, months or weeks.

For example, in musical history short hand, people love to say that Elvis was a 50s artist and the Beatles were a 60s band. Elvis started in 1954 (almost half way through the 50s) and the Beatles didn’t “dethrone” him (in the US) from the charts until 1964 (almost half way through the 60s) and then Elvis returned to the charts in 1968. Yet, the 50s was Elvis’ decade and the 60s were the Beatles decade. I assume we do that because that is when they first had their big impact but it also tends to make us lazy when thinking of  musicians and music styles..

So, the 80s sound “started” in about 1982, perhaps 1983 and I have always had problems with it, especially when it was used to “update” old rock and old pop stars, like it is here.

I don’t care it if it paid dividends at the time, for posterity, it, more often than not, brings winces and disappointment.

I can understand the logic. You have to pay the bills and at the time the sound sounded new and inventive …

But …

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, but lose his soul?” -Mark 8:36”

Okay, that’s a bit much in this context but sometimes it feels that way.

Perhaps, when you are caught up in merging new sounds and technology you don’t know how they will effect your sound at the time or for ears in the future.

Co-Producer Jeff Lynne is (partially) responsible. Lynne, extremely talented and a lover of 50s and early 60s music should know better. Unfortunately, he also loves technology (look at the evolution of his band ELO)).

A mix of the wrong producer, and updating of sound with 80s technology spells disaster for a retro rocker and popper like Edmunds.

Edmunds tends to attract rock ‘n’ roll purists and Lynne as co-producer is too modern pop sounding, which was never going to work. The music sounds very ELO circa the “Secret Messages” album from 1983 (not surprisingly) also due, partially, to the presence of ELO keyboardist Richard Tandy.

Jeff Lynne co-produces five songs (songs one, two and four on Side One and songs two and three on Side Two) and they are all swamped by his overproduction and overuse of the Oberheim synthesizer. The vocals are also processed into an electronic-sounding mess. The rest are produced by Edmunds and come out a little better.

Edmunds is a forceful musical personality. His music, in this space, doesn’t always work but there is always something to redeem mistakes.

Here, with the exception of Tandy we have Terry Williams (on drums) and John David (on bass) who have been regular Edmunds sidemen (on and off) going back to his band Love Sculpture in the 1960s.

And, they have similar musical tastes to Edmunds.

Though the album comes out a little schizophrenic.

As the Trouser Press reviewer said, “… Edmunds inexplicably put himself in the hands of machine-pop mastermind Jeff Lynne, whose wholly inappropriate production and songwriting contributions make for baffling listening on Information and Riff Raff. Though neither album is as dreadful as Edmunds devotees would have you believe (each actually contains a couple of memorable tracks), they’re symptomatic of the malaise that dogged Edmunds’ recording career for much of the ’80s”.http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=dave_edmunds

Jeff Lynne isn’t solely to blame, Dave co produced and the songs he produced along arent that much better in sound. Edmunds would have been better sticking to his guns and producing the whole thing in his style as he did when he produced the Stray Cats, The Everly Brothers and the Fabulous Thunderbirds at around the same time. He created clean 50s and 60s retro sounds there, updated, but they were sparse enough to remain appealing.

There is a sort of  bomp, bomp, bomp associated with the 80s sounds where synths were featured and there is a certain 80s retro fun to that. It is present here and is enjoyable on that level though over the course of the whole album in grates.

In any event, the album didn’t do well.

Edmunds wouldn’t make another studio album for six years (although he would release a live album in the interim and concentrate on producing for others).

Tracks (best in italics)

Side One

  • Something About You – (Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland, Brian Holland) – First appeared on The Four Tops “Second Album” (1965) and was a #19 US Pop (#9 R&B) hit in the same year. This could be an ELO outtake. It does have a certain bop which is fun but ….
  • Breaking Out – (Jeff Lynne) – being written by Lynne there is no surprise this sounds like ELO – not bad though.
  • Busted Loose – (Paul Brady) – First Appeared on Irish folk rock popper Paul Brady’s album “Hard Station” (1981). This isn’t too bad … in i’ts repeated back beat it sounds like Status Quo if they were poppier and less hook driven
  • Far Away – (Jeff Lynne) – boring
  • Rules of the Game – (John David) – written by Dave’s bassist – boring

Side Two

  • Steel Claw – (Paul Brady) – Another song by Irishman Paul Brady from his “True For You” (1983) album. Tina Turner also released a version on her “Private Dancer” (1984) album. This is a little better. Some good lyrics but it’s all muddy with an emphasis on the music not on the lyric.
  • S.O.S. – (Jeff Lynne) – more ELO sound alike and quite catchy despite itself.
  • Hang On – (Steve Gould) – First released by roots rocker Alvin Lee in 1981 this one would suite Dave perfectly, under different production circumstances.
  • How Could I Be So Wrong – (John David) – a ballad. The first. It is trying for a 60s feel with deep soul gospel asides. It doesn’t work. Boring.
  • Can’t Get Enough – (Dave Edmunds) – a 60s rocker in the “Tobacco Road” style. Not great but great fun and one of the best songs on the album.

And …

“Bad” or “weak” .. take your pick. But, because I love Edmunds … I’m keeping it.

Chart Action

US

Singles

1984 “Something about You” #18 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks chart (not the Top 40 charts)

Album

1984 #140

England

Singles

—

Album

—

Sounds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCtppC4lLAY

Something about You

Video clip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdwnE52wRzw

Breaking Out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCvRz7XsKdU

Busted Loose

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kunarG_-LGo

Far Away

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GkmAHtvpag

Rules of the Game

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY6Kx_y_QjU

Steel Claw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIMdypPcQy4

S.O.S.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kocxDXn3wFk

Hang On

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTa3QN5fW1U

How Could I Be So Wrong

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvVLAF1q5vk

Can’t Get Enough

mp3 attached

Others

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGu8AD5oCJk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-KjEiB2oTQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BMwPmS5hR4

Review

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riff_Raff_(album)

https://www.allmusic.com/album/riff-raff-mw0000840381

http://mcmaenza.blogspot.com/2014/08/dave-edmunds-riff-raff.html?_sm_au_=iVVR76tfTvRws1NF

http://www.thelogbook.com/music/dave-edmunds-riff-raff-i-hear-you-rockin/

I quite like this punters succinct review, which seems to sum up the album well though i prefer other songs, “So what the hell does a guy like Dave Edmunds need with synthesizers?  You can put the blame for the many failings of this album squarely on the production of Jeff Lyne.  He produced half of the tunes on this album, and they just reek of the 80’s with synthesizers and synth-drums drowning out Edmunds’ great voice and guitar.  It’s just not a match that suits a guy like Edmunds very well.  However, on the songs produced by Edmunds the sounds is much better with the guitar a lot further up front in the mix.  “Steel Claw” is the best of the bunch, with “How Could I Be So Wrong” running a close second.  I imagine Edmunds used that title a second time upon listening to the playback of this album”. https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/dave-edmunds/riff-raff/

Bio

http://www.keysandchords.com/an-interview-with-dave-edmunds.html

Website

https://www.facebook.com/DaveEdmundsOfficial

Trivia

  • Personnel: Dave Edmunds – guitar, vocals / John David – bass / Paul Jones – harmonica / Richard Tandy – keyboards / Terry Williams – drums
  • Notice how the front sleeve (on the US release above) accentuates with a colour box Dave’s strumming hand … he is quite the guitarist.
  • In Europe the album had a different sleeve.

European sleeve

Posted in Rock & Pop | Tagged | Leave a comment

NERVOUS EATERS – Nervous Eaters – (Elektra) – 1980

Posted on February 28, 2021 by Franko

I knew nothing about this band but I took a chance because they look vaguely power pop (actually the guys on the back sleeve seem to cover a number of styles (power pop, arena rock, 60s jangle and new wave …in that order  see pic of back sleeve) and they were on the (well loved by me) Elektra label … though, admittedly, some time after the Elektra sounds I like.

 As it turns out they were big in Boston and perhaps the “next big thing”. Every town has one or more of these acts. Big locally but never making a dent anywhere else. Most though don’t get signed to a major label like Elektra.

Band history. Here is the wikipedia article in total …why paraphrase it .. they have done a good enough job, with reservations.

“The Nervous Eaters, one of Boston’s first punk/new wave bands, debuted in early 1977 with Steve Cataldo on vocals and guitar, Robb Skeen on bass, and Jeff Wilkinson on drums. They had used the name some years earlier, but had not performed live under it. As the Rhythm Assholes, they had backed local rock legend Willie Alexander on his single “Kerouac” and in concert. After a name change, they made their debut at the hub of the city’s alternative music scene, the Rathskeller—known as the Rat—in January 1977.Their first single, “Loretta”, appeared that year on the club’s Rat label.

Early on, the band experienced problems holding on to a second guitarist, but Alan Hebditch, a childhood friend of Cataldo’s, became a regular fixture in early 1978. Along with DMZ and the Real Kids, they were considered among the scene’s “punkier” bands. Centered on Cataldo’s “great rock & roll voice” and “jangly guitar”, in the description of AllMusic’s Joe Viglione, they were the “Rolling Stones of Boston…hard-rocking, riff-blasting, tongue-in-cheek”. By 1978, they were one of the most popular acts in the city. Their second Rat single, the new wave–style “Just Head”, appeared in 1979.

After the release of “Just Head”, the band brought on a new second guitarist, Jonathan Paley. Ric Ocasek of scenemates the Cars produced a ten-song demo for the band that attracted major-label attention. Their self-titled debut album, produced by Harry Maslin, was released by Elektra Records in 1980. Trouser Press’s Ira Robbins retrospectively panned it: “This Boston quartet had long been a local critics’ choice; after this major-label record brought them a national hearing, it’s hard to understand why. Nervous Eaters is an awfully tame set of J. Geils–like R&B and Hall and Oates–style soul.” Belying the “R-rated and lovingly sexist” lyrics of “Loretta” and other album tracks such as “Get Stuffed” and “Girl Next Door”, Viglione writes that the album’s sound falls “somewhere between the Ronettes and the Four Seasons”. Nonetheless, in his view, “The disc works despite being a slight misrepresentation of the artist.” It met with little commercial success, and the Nervous Eaters disbanded in 1981″

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nervous_Eaters

I always hesitate when some bands circa 1980 with guys well into their 20s or 30s and dressed like this are called “new wave / punk” (and they are on-line). It seems to be a retrospective re-invention. I’m sure they weren’t at the time (I could be wrong). People writing the bio’s many years later latch onto the emerging sound (now regarded as influential and popular) and throw the band into that to give them some more cache. (Usually the band themselves when they are writing their bio some years after the fact).

The inclusion of guest musicians, Nicky Hopkins (session man for the Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who and others) , Steve Cropper (guitarist with  Booker T. & the M.G.s) and Andy Paley (of the Paley brothers who has his roots in 60s bands) would indicate otherwise.

Now .. don’t get me wrong …

… everyone of the guys I have mentioned is legendary (especially Paley) and have put out great music but, they are not the session musicians you would see for a punk band.

Nervous Eaters don’t look like a punk band (check out the back sleeve – power pop, stadium rock, 60s folk rock and new wave are all covered), not even by a 1980 standard when looks hadn’t become (as) formalised as later. Of course can be deceiving – look at Brisbane’s The Saints…. they didn’t look it but they were one of the first of the 70s punk batch. The punk look (without the substance) was codified by the English bands (where looks are (always) more important than content) and then the subsequent post Green Day explosion took that to the nest (though tamer) level.

The band were perhaps too old to be punk. Into their late 20s or early 30s. (Yes I know Iggy was older but he had  doing it since the mid to late-60s).  In fact Andy’s brother Jonathan Paley (also of errr the Paley brothers) is rhythm guitarist for the Nervous Eaters. He, like his brother had roots in late 60s bands. And, as youthful looking as lead singer Steve Cataldo may be he released a singer songwriter fuzz psych album under the moniker of “Saint Steven” in 1969. He, also, had already been in  Front Page Review (and perhaps famous Boston psych rockers “Ultimate Spinach”). Youth is not everything. But, if punk is more than music and includes, style, attitude, outlook and life experiences then age will colour your music .

Yes , yes … I know there are a lot of old punks (sadly) around now but that wasn’t the case in 1976.

Despite being too old at the time (perhaps), too un-punk looking with too many non-punk influences these buys played a raw, visceral rock n roll.

As the big local drawcard they opened for many punk and new wave bands including The Ramones, The Damned, The Pretenders, The Police so no doubt, this rubbed off…

I think the band is perhaps better described as a straight ahead rock and roll band with garage overtones (much like 70s Flamin Groovies, though not as “retro”)

They were certainly “pre-punk” on their early sounds (check out the youtube links below) if we need a tag and then became part of the all encompassing “New Wave”.

Like many acts their big label sign up (Here Elektra) watered down any punk sound they had.

The big label sign up and the money meant that they needed to adopt some softer (and more chart friendly) new wave stylings..

They were probably forced on them by the label but all these guys seem to have been around long enough to know that they are doing.

In any event – this is what we have got …

Here the sound is watered down but these guys can still punch it out (but don’t enough) and play tight. The “garage” has been replaced by “jangle” which i don’t have a problem with though the “jangle” should be up front. Their age shows they are more than a one trick pony. They come over as a cross between Bruce Springsteen, the Flamin Groovies with a touch of mid-70s Bowie …

… and there is nothing wrong with that, it’s a good place to be.

In fact, in many ways it’s better.

Thiry should have become more well known

All songs written by Steve Cataldo and produced by Harry Maslin (who may have been the wrong producer for this).

Tracks (best in italics)

Side One

  • Loretta –  a straight ahead rocker in the Jim Carroll meets Lou Reed style that is crying out for more rawness. Still, a great song.
  • By Yourself – it seems slight on first list but this is quite a catchy song with great harmonies
  • No Sleep Tonite – another pop song with great harmonies … it’s as if Jay and the Americans were around in 1980 and doing power pop ballads. Still, catchy.
  • Walkout – slight
  • No Time – another misstep
  • All Except You – catchy with pop rock overtones. This reminds me a little of Suzi Quatro & Chris Norman’s “Stumblin’ In” from 1978 in its gentle rock bounce. I like it. Nah, I love it.

Side Two

  • Get Stuffed – needs to be a lot nastier. The gang vocal backing emphasizing the sentiment in the title became a cliché. This is Fisher Price punk by guys who should know better. Admittedly the song would work for a young and snotty band..
  • Girl Next Door – nice late 70s style Flamin Groovies (Chris Wilson era) jangle sounds with a touch of power pop. A treat!
  • Last Chance – a “street” song in the Springsteen style updated to Willy DeVille and Jim Carroll. I like it ….
  • Hooked – more jangle and again, catchy
  • Out On A Date (She Said No) – ha, ha .. the usual theme in rock ‘n’ roll songs …. a nice ominous beat runs through the song.
  • She’s Got The Kind Of Love – another song with a great beat that should have been a little less tame.

And …

A missed opportunity. This needs to be a lot dirtier. But the mid tempo jangle songs are really catchy, though the jangle should be louder. Still,  … I’m keeping it.

Chart Action

Nothing nowhere (well not nationally at least)

Sounds

Loretta

1976 version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-qObaURt6Q

Live 1979

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8Jidc7ShLg

live 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye3P-P1CoVc

All Except You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvt709dte8M

Get Stuffed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syeDxB1Fbbw

Girl Next Door

live 1970s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxdOP6B5PzY

mp3 attached

Last Chance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkj9HvxSD6w

Others

Early pre-punk from 1979

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO_xFWl0swU

Live 1978

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW1um6JLW-A

live

1998

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JtKZagHVKU

Review

https://www.allmusic.com/album/nervous-eaters-mw0000825639

https://trouserpress.com/reviews/nervous-eaters/

Bio

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nervous_Eaters

https://pleasekillme.com/nervous-eaters/

http://badcatrecords.com/BadCat/SAINTsteven.htm

Website

https://www.facebook.com/NervousEaters

Trivia

  • Personnel: Bass, Backing Vocals – Robb Skeen / Drums – Jeff Wilkinson / Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar – Steve Cataldo / Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals – Jonathan Paley
  • Producer, Mixed By, Engineer, Percussion – Harry Maslin. “Harry Maslin is an American record producer, recording/mixing engineer, and studio owner/designer. In the mid-1970s, he engineered No. 1 hits for Barry Manilow (“Mandy”), and Dionne Warwick & The Spinners (“Then Came You”). As a producer his chart hits include David Bowie’s “Fame” (US No. 1) in 1975 and “Golden Years” (US No. 10) in 1976, and seven singles in the Top 5 for Air Supply from 1980–82, including “The One That You Love” (US No. 1).“https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Maslin
  • “The band briefly reunited in 1986, with Cataldo, Wilkinson, Hebditch, and Paley. They recorded a six-song EP, Hot Steel and Acid, for the French-based New Rose label; it was subsequently issued as well by Boston‘s Ace of Hearts Records. … In early June 2013, the band went on the road again, supporting the Stranglers at Brighton Music Hall, though at least one member has moved to California. In 2018, the Nervous Eaters and their old manager James Harold put out Live at the Rat 2 on DVD, and Rick Hearte, owner of Ace of Hearts, issued a CD re-release of Hot Steel and Acid with more songs added. A new CD is expected to follow in 2019. They will be on the road doing gigs in support of those CDs through 2018–2019. The band now consists of drummer David Mclean, Alan Hebditch on guitar and vocals, Nick Hebditch on bass and vocals, and songwriter Steve Cataldo on lead guitar and lead vocals”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nervous_Eaters
  • Lead singer Steve Cataldo was also in a brief band called The Reflectors with Jonathan Paley in 1983.
  • The sleeve is die-cut with imprinted “bite” marks along the right edge … nervous eaters – get it …. ?

RIP

Jimmie Rogers 1933 – 2021

Posted in Power Pop, Punk and New Wave, Rock & Pop | Tagged | Leave a comment

BOBBY RYDELL – Bobby Sings Bobby Swings – (Cameo) – 1960

Posted on January 31, 2021 by Franko

More Bobby!

It has been a little while since my last comment. Crazy covid and the general fluctuations in life have broken my routine/s.

But, I’m back with an old favourite

Bobby Rydell.

In increasingly complicated times (or maybe they were always complicated and people never took the time to notice) music that is poppy, good natured and devoid of world event drama can take you to a good place.

That’s why people buy it. That’s why Hollywood musicals were all the rage during the great depression, that’s why disco was so big during all the social ills of the 70s. people want to dance or, just otherwise, be happy.

The answer may be “blowing in the wind” and the “times may be a-changin'” but that doesn’t mean that the day to day ups and downs don’t impact on an individual. They do, even if they occur, as they do here, in the middle of the Cold War with potential nuclear Armageddon around the corner.

Rock popsters like Bobby sang of the day to day highs (the new girl in town, the new love, the car, the freedom of youth) but also the lows (the girl dumping you, the girl cheating on you, and general teen angst).

Sometimes they would allude to or make veiled references to events but more than often than not they were just trying to tap into the concerns you had as a teenager.

And, it worked. And, singers today still do the same..

It’s been a while since I was a teenager but this music takes me to a place when I was a teen. Okay I was a teen some 20 plus years after this album was recorded but I was listening to a lot of this type of music when I was a teen (along with the California hardcore, paisley underground, Australian garage rock and whatever else I was listening to at the time….eclectic? perhaps but i watched a lot of old films on TV and spent a lot of time in op shops).

In many ways this music has dated better than some of its contemporaries.

I like the era, the culture and the prima facie simplicity of it all.

Of course it wasn’t as simple or innocent as it sounds, but I can disregard that, and, importantly, I can sing along and tap my feet. .

This album (bobby’s second) came out in 1960 and it covers all the bases at the time. Bobby rock ‘n’ pop is there but there is a some (rocked up) “swing” which was taking over the market as the young rocksters (posters) like Bobby Darin  and Pat Boone had major hits and songs with big bands in a swinging style.

You have to keep your ear on what’s going on at time … assuming you want a career.

This paid dividends in chart placings though as per usual the album didn’t make the charts. Before the Beach Boys and Beatles the only rock act to have album sales of any note was Elvis.

Obviously though it sold enough for the label to keep releasing albums by Bobby.

Bobby, at 18 years old, is in fine voice. He has an assurance in his voice  that is surprising …. it would be easy to mistake him for a, errrr 25 year old.

The “sings” side seems to be Side Two which concentrates on ballads, whereas the “swing” side is side one with all the up-tempo songs.

There is a great bounce to this album and the only downside in the female preppy chorus backing vocals like an updated Mitch Miller production. They take a back seat to the male backing vocals on the second side. It doesn’t distract to much though it does date the album and takes away any edge that may have been there. They

Then again, its meant to be light …

Tracks (best in italics)

Side One

  • Saints Go Marchin’ In – (Rydell, Day) – The old black gospel song that has been done by everybody. Just about all the trad posters had a go at it, as did the jazz vocalists and folksters. In rock it also featured heavily. Being a song in the public domain anyone could put their name to the song if they add a couple of lyric changes (hence the writing credit). Elvis did the song in 1956 during the “Million Dollar Quartet” jam session (which wasn’t released till 1990) and also recorded a version for his film, Frankie and Johnny (1966) and the Beatles did as the flipside to their first single (with Tony Sheridan on vocals in 1962). They were, clearly, aping Jerry Lee Lewis’ version from his self titled 1958 debut album. Bobby is perhaps, tapping in to the Jerry Lee’s 1958 version, or The Crew Cuts version from the same year or Fats Domino or Isley Brothers from 1959, or Jack Scott from 1960. Either way is is more rock and pop than gospel and it really moves along. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_the_Saints_Go_Marching_In
  • Chemistry – (Lowe, Mann) – Bernie Lowe and Kal Mann wrote Elvis Presley’s “Teddy Bear” plus a batch of other hits for other stars.  They teamed up to form Cameo-Parkway Records in 1956. Accordingly they wrote a truck load of songs for Bobby who they had signed to the label. This sounds like a “Fever” rewrite and it is really well sung.
  • Volare – (Modugno, Parrish) – First done in Italian as “Nel blu, dipinto di blu” in 1958 which was a big hit (#1 USA, #10UK), then done in English the same year by Dean Martin and another big hit (#12US, #2UK, #1AU).Connie Francis included the song in her album “Connie Francis Sings Italian Favorites” from 1960. So it was popular with the Italians. Decades later, Rydell’s version was featured on the soundtrack of Richard Wenk’s 1986 comedy horror film “Vamp”. Dean’s version is legendary but this version is as good. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nel_blu,_dipinto_di_blu_(song)
  • Hey Good Lookin – (Williams) – Originally by Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys in 1951. A staple of country musicians rock versions were done by Carl Perkins and Gene Vincent in 19858 before Bobby tackled it. This is pure po. I’m not sure what Hank would have thought but it works as pop.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hey,_Good_Lookin%27_(song)
  • Stop Foolin Around – (Lowe, Mann) – First recorded by Bobby. Fun.
  • I’d Do It Again – (Ballard, Tobias) – First recorded by Bobby. More fun with the familiar story song … he passed up on “the blue eyed chick (who) walked past”

Side Two

  • Toys – (Merill) – a nice sad ballad.
  • An Angel Is Missing – (Ballard, Tobias) – First recorded by Bobby. An obscure cover version was done by Jimmy Capri in 1961. Angel-y backing vocals ram the point home. The love is “:heavenly” . Perfect artefact of the era.
  • I Cried For You – (Lyman, Freed, Arnheim) – Written by Arthur Freed, Gus Arnheim, Abe Lyman and first recorded by The Collegians (1923). It has been done by many trad pop singers (including Frank Sinatra in 1956) and a rock n pop version by Connie Francis in 1958. It has a spoken mid section directed at the subject like Elvis’ “Are You Lonesome Tonight” from 1960, but so do tanley Kirkby’s recording from 1928 and Al Jolson’s recording from  1949. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Cried_for_You
  • Where Is My Love – (E. Marshall) – – First recorded by Bobby.. written by songwriter Ed Marshall who is most known for writing ‘Venus’, for Frankie Avalon (#1, 1959). It is no dissimilar to “Venus” .. it could be a ballad version of “Venus” in an alternate universe.. That works on me.
  • The Great Pretender – (Buck Ram) – Often done but First recording and first release by The Platters (1955) who had a mammoth hit with it (#1US, #5UK). Not an easy song to do as the original is so well known. Bobby does it admirably. The male bac king vocals are welcome. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Pretender
  • Please Don’t Be Mad – (Lowe, Mann) – First recorded by Bobby. Another solid song, well sung. This could be an Elvis song (Bobby sings it in a relaxed Elvis style) from the time with backing vocals not dissimilar to the Jordanians.

And …

Wow. This is just poppy rock. But, this is perhaps one of the great examples of early 60s rock ‘n’ pop. A minor masterpiece….. I’m keeping it.

Chart Action

US

Singles

1960 Volare – #4

UK

Album

—

England

Singles

1960 Volare  – #22

Album

—

Australia

1960 Volare  – #4

Album

—

Sounds

Saints Go Marchin’ In

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62wV3YPw5R4

Volare

Live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCfgTxcRIdg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5bBcepwgsw

mp3 attached

Hey Good Lookin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASU0-iDwO9w

I’d Do It Again

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK06tDXrwaM

An Angel Is Missing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwktrmR_w0s

The Great Pretender

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZU5NIRWQcs

Please Don’t Be Mad

mp3 attached

Others

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF4jVnW4jWo

Review

—

Bio

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Rydell

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bobby-rydell-mn0000062270/biography

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernie_Lowe

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kal_Mann

Website

http://www.bobbyrydell.com/

Trivia

  • Curiously … there are a couple of album title variations. I have listed the US pressing of the album title. The Australian press ling is “Bobby Swings Bobby Sings”. Perhaps they thought the “swing’ was going to go better than the “sing ” in the Australian market? The UK version of the album “Bobby Rydell Sings and Swings” is different again. In New Zealand they retained the title but reversed the cover art (and altered it). Oddly, it seems that the same track order runs through all the albums. So why the art and or title changes? Who knows.

RIP

Phil Spector 1939 – 2021

Krunoslav “Ki?o” Slabinac 1944 – 2020

Charley Pride 1934-2020

US – back sleeve

Australia

 

England

New Zealand

Posted in Pop Rock, Rock & Pop | Tagged | Leave a comment

CONNIE FRANCIS – Happiness – (MGM ) – 1967

Posted on November 29, 2020 by Franko

The album is subtitled “Connie Francis on Broadway Today”

And that sums up the album.

Connie does Broadway songs popular circa 1967.

Every song (with one exception) from “current shows or shows about to open”, according to the liner notes. Not sure which is the exception as “Golden Boy” and “Fiddler on the Roof” both had Broadway debuts in 1964, and “Man of La Mancha” debuted on Broadway in 1965.

The Broadway album was a fixture amongst trad pop singers like Tony Bennett “Mr. Broadway” (1962), Frank Sinatra “My Kind of Broadway” (1965), Andy Williams “Songs From My Fair Lady And Other Broadway Hits” (1964), Bing Crosby “Sings The Song Hits From Broadway” (1948), as well as rock and pop singers like Bobby Darin “In A Broadway Bag” (1966).

Connie was friendly with Bobby so maybe she got the inspiration from him?

Then again Connie tackled all the trends in music styles in her albums: country and western, folk, foreign language, Hawaiian music, Broadway, religious songs, film songs, twist songs, children’s songs, rock and pop ….

And, she rarely failed.

Are the albums held high today?

No.

But, they are all listenable with some, naturally enough, being better than others.

What holds them together is her professionalism and wilfulness to play around with the songs a little without departing too far as to make them unrecognizable or to displease a lover of the original.

Broadway songs by their nature – being sung from a stage – need a bit of bombast (both in vocals and instrumentation) behind them. Even the quiet songs are meant to thump you around the head.

I have nothing against that but Connie is a pop singer.

She can do bombast but her sensibility is in pop.

So, these songs are, without doubt, still Broadway bound (sic) but there is a pop sensibility replacing the bombastic frills of the originals.

That gives them less power. Still listenable, but less power when compared to the originals. Some of the songs are actually better than the Broadway originals but they will never replace them.

I also note a Broadway album in the “Summer of Love” is visibly anachronistic. I don’t  assume Connie is going to go braless, put flowers in her hair or “go to San Francisco” but  this one is well out of step.

And, that may be an admiral quality.

According to the liner notes Connie chose the songs and concentrated on love songs and love songs that are upbeat. She felt that too many singers sang “sad songs, unrequited love songs, themes of melancholy and despair and a heart that’s tattered and torn from disappointment”.

So maybe this is a “summer of love”, Connie style.

Connie was 29 years old and already “of a different era”. Her audience had changed. She wasn’t singing for people younger than her, or of her age, but for older types.

There is no problem with that … as long as they buy the records …. and they were buying them less and less.

Produced by Bob Morgan.

Tracks (best in italics)

Side One

  • Happiness – (Clark Gesner) – from the musical “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” – a highlight and sing perfectly.
  • Together Forever/My Cup Runneth Over (Medley) – (Harvey Schmidt, Tom Jones) – from the musical “I Do! I Do!” –  quite beautifully arranged and sung with great dreamlike backing vocals.
  • Hallelujah, Baby – (Jule Styne, Adolph Green, Betty Comden) – from the musical “Hallelujah, Baby!” – big and brassy. Connie does it okay.
  • Willkommen & Cabaret (Medley)- (John Kander, Fred Ebb) – from the musical “Cabaret” – The 1972 movie soundtrack with Liza Minnelli is perhaps the best-known of the recordings. Bigger and brassier. Connie’s version is close(er) to the Broadway version but Liza’s subsequent “big” version of the second part of the medley is what everyone wants to hear.
  • Fiddler On The Roof/To Life (L’chaim) (Medley)- (Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick) – from the musical “Fiddler on the Roof” – a song to be sung by a large Jewish man in full voice here done by a small Italian girl. Hmmmmm.
  • Walking Happy – (Jimmy Van Heusen, Sammy Cahn) – from the musical “Walking Happy” – catchy and pleasant

Side Two

  • Illya Darling – (Manos Hadjidakis, Joe Darion) – from the musical “Illya Darling” – not too bad. Melina Mercouri did it on stage. Connie captures the continental European quality in the song.
  • If They Could See Me Now/I’m A Brass Band (Medley) – (Cy Coleman, Dorothy Fields) – from the musical “Sweet Charity” – the best known version comes from the 1969 film starring Shirley MacLaine. This version is no way near brassy enough, in vocals or brass.
  • Sherry – (Laurence Rosenthal, James Lipton) – from the musical “Sherry!” – well sung.
  • I Wanna Be With You – (Charles Strouse, Lee Adams) – from the musical “Golden Boy) – Sammy Davis Jr did this in the Broadway production from 1964 and has the gravitas. Connie doesn’t..
  • My Best Beau – (Jerry Herman) – from the musical “Mame” – a well sung trad pop ballad.
  • The Impossible Dream – (Mitch Leigh, Joe Darion) – from the musical “Man of La Mancha” – The only pop hit. The song has been done by everyone including Ed Ames (1966),  Jack Jones (with altered lyrics) (1966) (#35 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and went to #1 on the adult contemporary chart), Frank Sinatra (1966),  Jim Nabors (1966), The Temptations (1967),  The Vogues (1968), Glen Campbell (1968), Andy Williams (1968), Cher (1968), Sammy Davis, Jr. (1969), Scott Walker (1969), Elvis Presley (1972). I like when blokes sing this song with a lot of drama (because it is a blokes song lyrically) but Connie does a great version. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Impossible_Dream_(The_Quest)

 And …

This is superior pop (especially if your bag is Broadway (sic)) though a touch disposable. Still … I’m keeping it.

Chart Action

Nothing nowhere

Sounds

Happiness

mp3 attached

Together Forever/My Cup Runneth Over (Medley)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owATcEISOpc

Willkommen & Cabaret

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Btnt10DOZQc

Fiddler On The Roof/To Life (L’chaim) (Medley)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AcfTxHnoaw

Illya Darling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMsQMkjkPeo

The Impossible Dream

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a8GOmH26Hs

Others

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWyV2f2N1lo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr0gA2eDbDg

Review

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happiness_%E2%80%93_Connie_Francis_On_Broadway_Today

Bio

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/connie-francis-mn0000117064/biography

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Francis

Website

https://www.conniefrancis.com/

Trivia

—

RIP

Jerry Jeff Walker (1942 – 2020)

Posted in Pop Rock, Popular & Crooners | Tagged | Leave a comment

PAUL REVERE & THE RAIDERS – Something Happening – (Columbia) – 1968

Posted on October 11, 2020 by Franko

Anyone who reads this blog knows I love my Paul Revere & The Raiders. Check out  the other album comments..

I got them into about  fifteen years ago though they were and still are relatively unknown over here in Australia. There were many US acts of the 60s who had incredible domestic popularity in US but limited international popularity (Gary Lewis & the Playboys, Johnny Rivers etc). We were (i Australia), then, largely under the sway of English pop cultural imperialism. Sure there were many popular US acts but every bleep and minor chart success in England seemed to get a release and run over here whereas the same cannot be said of the all the US acts. Or, it seems like that to me after years of scouring op shops for records from the 50s and 60s. All my Paul Revere vinyl are US pressings.  In fact, I don t think I have ever seen an Australian pressing of a Paul Revere album.

The last Paul Revere album comment was from 2016.

But things have changed since then.

Specifically, Quentin Tarantino made (the magnificent) “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” which features four Paul Revere & the Raiders songs (from the same era as this album).

Tarantino’s cultural capital and persuasiveness is so that he can elevate or shine a light (which people will follow) on “old” music, obscure music and actors of the past.

I love Tarantino’s films  and …. wait, I’m sure he has got in my head. Time and again in music and film he seems to have tapped into what I like. If he hasn’t got into my head I’m not sure what the common environmental, cultural or intellectual links are. Even socialisation doesn’t seem to explain it. Look we are all individuals but I can guarantee you there are a thousand other individuals out there that are very similar to you …. if that makes any sense. But there has to be a commonality in background, experience or temperament (which is a result of background and experience). With Tarantino … we are within a few years of each other in age and both liked the pop cultural and popular culture aspects of American culture, albeit he from within (Los Angeles) and me from without (Brisbane, Australia). Otherwise what does he have in common with a kid of catholic Croatian migrants born in the 1960s in Brisbane who was brought up on Elvis, John Wayne, Jerry Lewis, cowboy movies, Star Trek, American music and TV shows and who spent a lot of time in op shops looking for old movies and music? Or maybe that’ sit? The only divergence seems to be in the martial arts film obsession he has .. mine didn’t extend past loving David Carradine’s Kung Fu (I still have all my bubble gum cards), Bruce Lee films. Being chased by local thugs waving nunchuks at the time probably scarred me. I digress , but it is odd. Quentin, what’s going on?

I love Tarantino’s films  and, again, he uses music to good effect to add to the images and narrative.

There are so many scenes of “cool” and Paul Revere and the Raiders are an inspired choice to accompany the narrative. They were around at the time and they were popular despite how history or rock music “writers’ may treat them. It’s a perfect fit without any obviousness about it (though I’m not sure why he didn’t slip in some Elvis who was still Hollywood living and starting to revive his career with some up tempo contemporary sounds).

And it’s not lost on singer Mark Lindsay who says on his website, “Acclaimed filmmaker Quentin Tarantino included four Raider tunes (three of which Mark wrote or co-wrote) in his latest hit movie, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and even included a vintage video clip from the TV show that Mark co-hosted, Happening. Three of the movie songs are included on the official movie soundtrack”. https://www.marklindsay.com/bio.html

Tarantino has also joined Mark Lindsay on stage for a discussion on his soundtrack. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2019-10-03/quentin-tarantino-once-upon-a-time-hollywood-soundtrack-grammy-museum

The Raiders album “The Spirit of ’67” made the year previously (the country soul-ish “Goin to Memphis” album separates that from this) has two songs “Good Thing” and “Hungry” on the soundtrack. The album after this ” Hard ‘N’ Heavy (With Marshmallow)” from 1969 has “Mr. Sun, Mr. Moon” and the other track is the 1968 B-side “Theme From It’s Happening”.

So this album misses out though it could fit in. I suspect it missed out because the songs used were all (with the exception of the B side …which was a theme to a popular TV show of the band appeared on at the time) big hits (Good Thing” #6, “Hungry” #4,  “Mr. Sun, Mr. Moon” #18). They would have been in the air circa 1967 / 1968 / 969.

Tastes were changing (rapidly) and Paul Revere & the Raiders weren’t afraid of changing. I have banged on about this quite a bit in relation to these guys and other acts … I don’t mind change as long as you stay true to yourself. Tweak your sound, add to it  but don’t lose your soul. Paul Revere and the Raiders were a fine example of that. They tried many styles of music:  country rock, pop, psych, frat rock, big balladry, R&B, white soul, experimental but they never strayed from their garage rock soul, as i said on another comment on  this blog about them … “The key to their success was their commitment to upbeat rock ‘n’ roll whilst acknowledging change, and they weren’t precious about it as evidenced by the fact that sometimes they were “influenced” by bands that post dated them. They did, as I have said, keep their original sound, but unlike a slavish imitator or someone just jumping the bandwagon. Also, they did this even through line-up changes though Paul Revere (the keyboardist) and Mark Lindsay (the vocalist) were the nucleus of the group which was lucky as Revere knew where to take the group and Lindsay could sing anything”.

This doesn’t  do you any favours with the “credible” rock historians who tend to lump them in with the Monkees (and there is nothing wrong with the Monkees) though the Monkees have more credibility (to them) because they had an genius like Mike Nesmith in their midst.

I suspect much like Bobby Darin, (another greatly underrated talent) who continually threw new sounds into his style, the tastemakers don’t like expansive visions just narrowly focused ones … perhaps it’s easier for them to write about narrow visions?

The Raiders had just released the country soul-ish “Goin to Memphis” which didn’t do that well, so it was time for a change.

The “Summer of Love” was still hot (sic) in 1968 and psychedelia was in the air. The Raiders regular producer , Terry Melcher, was not around (“Goin to Memphis” was produced by Chips Moman) so Mark Lindsay stepped into those shoes. He really starts to assert himself around here … writing all the songs, producing the album and of course singing  lead on every track.

This was psychedelia with some hard edges and enough pop to keep the fans happy.

It is not dissimilar to the Monkees (around “Head”) but has enough in common with The Beach Boys (and the Nazz) also.

For a pop album by a popular band there is a lot of left of centre things going on. Maybe not quite as good as the Beach Boys in there post- Pet Sounds albums (which are great) this is still ambitious stuff. Where any fault lies is that whereas the Beach Boys create a mood across an album as a whole here we have a number of stylistic jumps that hold together but not together as well. It’s a small complaint when there is so much going on and most of it is good.

The only thing that let’s them down is the cover art which is just too “straight’ for the contents of this album.  Sometimes (rightly or wrongly)  the “cover art” sells an album more the contents.

For background on the band check out my other comments on them in this blog.

Tracks (best in italics)

Side One

  • Happening Intro / Too Much Talk – the intro is pure television and “Too Much Talk” is, thematically, a protest-like song and musically of it’s time .But, what a time. The song changes tempo a couple of times and introduces pop, garage, and experimental elements throughout its running time. Excellent. This version of “Too Much Talk” is a re-recording of the single
  • Happens Every Day – a bit of harpsichord or harpsichord sounding organ in here (as was popular at the time) with a fluffy big sound, not dissimilar to the Monkees and some English stuff like the Hollies.   
  • Burn Like A Candle – a drug warning song of sorts (odd for 1968 – this is not “White Rabbit”, “Magic Carpet Ride” or “Break on Through”) … so , spiritually, it is, perhaps, a psych updating of their earlier “Kicks” song. This is great pop with a non-commercial exit..
  • Observation From Flight 285 (in 3/4 Time) – Very evocative and melancholy is this quiet and haunting view of planet Earth from eight miles high (not dissimilar to The Kinks (magnificent) 1970 song “This Time Tomorrow”)
  • Get Out Of My Mind – it starts with a car on a road and ends with title  repeated over and over. A punk statement to be sure.

Side Two

  • Don’t Take It So Hard – pop rock, Much like the Monkees and much like some of the raiders earlier work. Catchy fun.           
  • Communication (Part 1 & 2) – a hard rocker with fuzz guitar and a strident bass line like a (future) mix of disco and Grand Funk Railroad. Wonderful.
  • Love Makes The World Go Round (Don’t You Let It Stop) – subversive pop with a faux calypso beat (as if sung by Donovan)!. What the hell is going on? I don’t know but it doesn’t matter this is entertaining in its weirdness.
  • Free – rock with psychedelic fuzz overtones.        
  • The Good Times – Strings arranged by Glen D. Hardin who later arranged and played piano for Elvis. Pure gentle psychedelia, of the east coast variety. Not dissimilar to the Left Banke but also very much like Davy Jones of the Monkees. The song is about Mark and his future wife growing old together.
  • Happening ’68 – The theme to the TV show and a hoot (it, like the intro opener, is pure TV). This track was recorded in Memphis (a left over from their previous album sessions it seems) 

And …

By 1968 it was clear the Raiders were not a garage band anymore. They haven’t lost their soul but they are going somewhere else and they are willing to lose their audience with their quirkiness. This is wonderful stuff. A great and yes (another) underrated Raiders album … I’m keeping it.

Chart Action

US

Singles

1968 “Too Much Talk” #19

1968  “Don’t Take It So Hard” #27

Album

1968 #122

England

 nothing

Sounds

Happening Intro / Too Much Talk

video clip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViQ9FjZs1dA

mp3 attached

Love Makes The World Go Round (Don’t You Let It Stop)

video clip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNqHIff5Qac   

Free     

Video clip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujvcucN9amg

Others

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lohb-4Gc-I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5C-DXhBsrE

an episode of “Happening” from 1969 with Freddy Weller and David Soul (as a judge)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAX2Pw7d26I

Review

https://www.allmusic.com/album/something-happening-mw0000649032

Bio

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:h9fuxqugld6e~T1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Revere_And_The_Raiders

an album round-up post Tarantino

https://rockandrollglobe.com/pop/the-everlasting-endurance-of-paul-revere-the-raiders/

Website

http://www.paulrevereandtheraiders.com/main.html

https://www.marklindsay.com/

http://www.myspace.com/paulrevereraiders

Trivia

  • With Mark as producer/songwriter/singer, Paul Revere on organ, Joe Correro Jr on drums, Freddy Weller on guitar, Charlie Coe on bass, and Tommy Smothers on the liner notes.
  • According to the liner notes by Mark Lindsay, “All cuts in this album were recorded at Columbia Studios , Hollywood except for “Happening 68” which was recorded in Memphis. Tennessee. The automobile heard at the beginning of “Get Out of My Mind” is a Ferrari 275 GTB. Thanks again to Glen D. Hardin who conducted with such verve all the string things, and special thanks to “Dashing” Dave Diller who was first engineer from start to finish on this album. And thanks to you for listening”.
  • Glen D Hardin – later played piano for Elvis
  • The album title: In the mid-60s the Raiders were regulars on the music TV show “Where The Action Is”. After it was cancelled Revere and Lindsay returned to television as hosts of a new weekly Dick Clark-produced show, , Happening ’68 (later shortened to Happening) in which the Raiders made several appearances. It was popular enough for a spin-off. From July to September that year (1968) a Clark-produced daily series It’s Happening, also hosted by Revere and Lindsay also aired.

 

RIP

Johnny Nash (1940 – 2020)

Mac Davis (1942 – 2020)

Posted in Garage, Surf and Frat, Psychedelic | Tagged | Leave a comment

PURE PRAIRIE LEAGUE – Pure Prairie League – (MCA) – 1972

Posted on August 30, 2020 by Franko

This is a record you often see in op shops or, rather, one you think appears all the time in op shops. The drawn character on the front sleeve was on many Pure Prairie League sleeves so it would be forgivable to think that it was the same album (though the drawings are different).

In any event, I have never got around to listening to these guys.

I’m not sure why.

Somewhere I got it into my head they weren’t authentically country (on the country rock side of the equation) much like The Eagles or Dr Hook aren’t. And they aren’t (or are, depending on how you look at it):

“Pure Prairie League was formed in Columbus, Ohio, in 1969 by singer/songwriter/guitarist Craig Fuller, bass player Jim Lanham, and drummer Tom McGrail, who named the band after a women’s temperance group in the 1939 Errol Flynn movie Dodge City. Pure Prairie League built up a following in Ohio, playing around Cincinnati for a year before earning a record contract with RCA Victor. By that time, McGrail had left and been replaced by Jim Caughlan, though Billy Hinds had also drummed with the band for a time. Adding steel guitar player John David Call, the group went into the studio and recorded its self-titled debut album, which was released in March 1972 with a cover depicting a Western character named Luke, an illustration drawn by famed American painter/illustrator Norman Rockwell that had first appeared on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post in 1927. Luke would turn up on all the band’s subsequent album covers, giving them a distinctive visual conception”. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/pure-prairie-league-mn0000371879/biography

The band’s origins go back to 1965 and Waverly, Ohio, with singer and guitarist Craig Fuller, drummer Tom McGrail, guitarist and drummer Jim Caughlan and steel guitar artist John David Call (who had played together in various bands since high school, notably the Vikings, the Omars, the Sacred Turnips and the Swiss Navy). Despite the roots in Waverly, Pure Prairie league was actually formed in Columbus, Ohio, and had its first success in Cincinnati (Ohio).

But what is authentically country?

I don’t associate Ohio with country music but then what do I know, I’m not American. I do know that Kentucky and West Virginia are next door and I do associate them with country music.

So, Ohio it probably is.

Does it matter?

Well, it does matter to me, because sometimes bands just jump on current sounds / music bandwagons without having any affinity for the sound. That annoys me a little. Sure, take the influence and bend it and make it something else.

Of course there are people who are brought up on sounds who have no geographical relationship to the music and they transcend their surrounds. In the country and Americana world Chip Taylor was from Yonkers, Peter Rowan was from Massachusetts and so on … it happens all the time.

So, it doesn’t matter, but I do like some geographical relationship to the music (especially in folk music, and country still is, or as a folk music).

I know people will disagree but I mean how seriously can you take a white reggae band born and bred in Beverly Hills? Or a rock n roll band from England? (harrrr) …. Okay, I‘m being humorous re the latter (maybe) but you can see what I am saying … unless you add something from your background (time and place) you aren’t really doing anything useful.

The exception may be if you totally immerse yourself in whatever you are into your single mindedness may be enough transcend local culture and geography.

I think I have dwelt way too much on this point, and perhaps not even convinced myself.

It doesn’t matter in any event because Pure Prairie League are “country rock”.

And they sound like pretty authentic country rock.

“Country rock” is that hybrid of rock and country that developed in the late 60s (as a sound, though its roots were in the music of Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash) and became a major commercial sound with The Eagles in the early to mid-1970s.

A lot of the air waves were dominated by country harmonies with rock asides.

Poco, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Firefall, Crosby, Stills & Nash, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Loggins & Messina and many others (most here not from country areas) had hits and followings.

Their sounds were slicker than the first generation of country rockers like The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Gram Parsons … all who were from California, regardless of where their individual members came from.

To be fair, just like the cowboys who came from all over to Hollywood in the 30s to appear in B Westerns, Los Angeles became a mecca for all sorts of rural types from western California, the south west, the deep south and the high north looking to make it in a west coast music industry high on country sounds.

They were all chasing the rhinestone cowboy dream and sprinkling some of that fantasy dust on the locals.

This was the Pure Prairie League’s first album and is usually thought to be their best along with their second album, “Bustin’ Out” (1972). The reason given is that Craig Fuller is the lead guitarist and lead vocalist on these albums. Craig Fuller was born in Ohio but grew up in Oregon. He formed Pure Prairie League in Ohio and departed in 1973 (Fuller had to face trial for charges of draft evasion in Kentucky (before conscientious objector status could be arranged) and was sentenced to six months in jail (he would have to perform two years of community service in a hospital in Kentucky). He formed country folk rock band American Flyer in 1976 and recorded a couple of albums with them, formed a duo with Eric Kaz, joined Little Feat later and re-joined Pure Prairie League.

Fuller wrote half of the songs on this album also.

He was the prime mover at this stage in the Pure Prairie League career (and George Powell was almost on a par). Without him (them) they went on to record another ten or so albums though, perhaps, they were always trying to recreate the sounds of the first album or the breakthrough second album (despite the fact that by the late 70s none of the members were from the original line up).

There are only eight songs on the album but four over the four minute mark including one over seven minutes, They get into the country “vibe” as many a country rocker liked to. Country musicians prior to country rock would not have done the same. But it works, albeit on a laid back country stoner level. This is slick country rock and but given that it is earlier in the piece, the harmonies are still a little rough and ready and not as controlled as later. This is beautiful stuff and a “joy to hear” as suggested in the (good) liner notes.

Tracks (best in italics)

Side One

  • Tears – (Fuller) – as beautiful a country rock song as you are going to hear.
  • Take It Before You Go – (Fuller) – another good track. Not dissimilar from the first
  • You’re Between Me – (Fuller) – Over five minutes and goes pretty briskly and with a hint of the Byrds from their country period..
  • Woman – (Adam Taylor) – Taylor was singer and songwriter (solo and in group “Country Funk”) who worked with Todd Rundgren, David Sanborn, Paul Butterfield, Orleans, and Aerosmith, among others. Mick Ronson covered the song on his “Play Don’t Worry” album from 1975. Lead Guitar by Hugh McCracken.  A wonderful song.

Side Two

  • Doc’s Tune – (Powell) – a short instrumental that is pleasant and lovely.
  • Country Song – (T. P. Waterhouse) – I don’t know much about the author of this track (he wasn’t in the band) but it seems to have been first recorded here. At over seven and half minutes it is country rock with extended country jamming in the bridge  … a very long bridge. There is a bridge in the bridge. It goes on but it is quite a toe tapper.
  • Harmony Song – (Fuller) – not dissimilar to what Jerry Jeff Walker would have done about the same time.
  • It’s All on Me – (Powell) – More in the Byrds style. Always welcome. I think the Eagles borrowed from this also. A great song.

And …

A little of this goes a long way but when it’s this good it doesn’t matter. A classic album in the country rock genre … I’m keeping it.

Chart Action

Nothing

Sounds

Tears

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k8eCm58Hfw

live, later line up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rMqRL30X1Y

mp3 attached

Take It Before You Go

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbcI05So7CI

You’re Between Me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdZYCnEh_2s

Woman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGKU6oltNRE

Doc’s Tune

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC0cnQZmrus

Country Song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUsigXVd-OQ

Harmony Song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vmC1h2HzUw

It’s All On Me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP8akj9plNI

Others

With Vince Gill

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=pure+prairie+league+

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l4vac9QVt8

chat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycohL_cHz5M

Review

https://www.allmusic.com/album/pure-prairie-league-mw0000845654

http://therockasteria.blogspot.com/2014/03/pure-prairie-league-pure-prairie-league.html

Bio

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_Prairie_League

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/pure-prairie-league-mn0000371879/biography

https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/pure-prairie-league

the (one sided punter) in the comments here make a case for later Pure Prairie League

https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/country-rockers-pure-prairie-league-play-picks-from-their-long-shape-shifting-career/Content?oid=72668727

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Fuller

Website

https://pureprairieleague.com/

Trivia

  • Personnel: Craig Fuller – lead guitar, vocals / George Powell – finger-style guitar, rhythm guitar, vocals / Jim Lanham – bass guitar, background vocals / John David Call – steel guitar / Jim Caughlan – drums. Additional personnel: Hugh McCracken – guitar / Barbara Merrick – vocals / Starr Smith – vocals / James “Westy” Westermyer – vocals. Producer: Bob Ringe
  • Hugh McCracken played as session man with many artists including Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon, Roberta Flack, Paul and Linda McCartney, John Lennon, Van Morrison, Neil Diamond, B. B. King, Billy Joel, Kenny Loggins, Steely Dan, Bob Dylan.
  • Producer Bob Ringe went on to found Survival Manangement Inc in 1992, a management agency owned and run by him and with a lot of notable acts : Black Label Society, Leslie West, The Golden Ghosts, Danzig, Alan Parsons and others

Posted in Country Rock | Tagged | Leave a comment

DELANEY BRAMLETT – Mobius Strip – (Columbia) – 1973

Posted on August 16, 2020 by Franko

I probably shouldn’t like Delaney Bramlett as much as I do.

I don’t like white blues much (well, unless it is bastardised or taken on a flying carpet somewhere). The “faithful” stuff, when white, I find a little artificial.

I mean, white men (and women) can have the blues, but that’s what country music is an expression for.

Blues is a Afro-American expression and extension of their suffering, errr their “blues”.

God knows I’m not trying to be woke but straight white blues just doesn’t click with me. I know they are white but their suffering is different. I do concede though that there is a sliding scale of white blues singers.

They may all be white but not all white is the same.

White people can’t express the same blues vocal and lyrical emotion as Afro-Americans..

White people form the north of the US even less.

White people from England is just ridiculous.

White people from non English speaking nations is laughable.

That’s why it is easier to fake blues guitar than it is to fake blues vocals.

And, I think the Afro-American blues is not just an emotion but a time and place.

Even blacks singing the blues who come from other parts of the world and other eras I find a little off putting.

And, how Delaney fits into my narrowly (and perhaps unfairly) defined rules, is. well, he is a bloke from the “south” and grew up with this music in the air.

So his appropriation is only once removed.

Of course, like I said above , if the blues are bastardised or taken somewhere else then fine, because, music is meant to be built on.

Delaney Bramlett doesn’t do that in any great way but he does do that

Accordingly there is some “down home” blues emotion here, but, he, also, knows he is not black.

There are horns, rhythm, beat, groove, and country stylings which takes this music outside the “blues” and makes it (to me) palatable and a delight.

As his T-Shirt on the back sleeve declares, this is “rock n roll” or more accurately this is “roots” rock n roll.

And, like a lot of roots rock ‘n’ roll there is more “rhythm” than “blues”, more joy than despair, more white than black.

And so it works.

He isn’t trying to steal the blues away from  the black man, just as Elvis wasn’t, or Jerry lee wasn’t, or Johnny Winter wasn’t, or Captain Beefheart wasn’t, or Jon Spencer wasn’t.

He is, like they are, a kindred soul, a fellow traveller.

This is his second of six solo albums, each playing to smaller, audiences.

Delaney hit his peak with his ex-wife Bonnie in Delaney and Bonnie. Together they hit many highs in blue eyes souls and rhythm.

Check our my other comments for background on Delaney, but …

“Bramlett was born in Pontotoc, Mississippi (1939). He began playing guitar when he was eight years old, but didn’t get serious about playing until he was a teenager. He started singing in school and at twelve he had a quartet. Bramlett joined the United States Navy before he was 17. He was in the Navy for two and half to three years before being discharged… After his stint in the Navy, he moved to Los Angeles, California in the early 1960s, where he worked as a bartender before he started performing in bars. He was performing at the Palomino Club in North Hollywood when he was asked to appear in a pilot for a new television show, Shindig!.By 1965, Bramlett was a regular member of the Shindogs, the house band of the television show Shindig!. He established himself as a singer-songwriter, writing with fellow musicians Joey Cooper, Mac Davis, and Jackie DeShannon. During this time, he worked with J.J. Cale and Leon Russell and released some unsuccessful solo singles. … In the late 1960s, British guitarist Eric Clapton joined Delaney & Bonnie & Friends on tour, after which Bramlett produced and co-wrote songs for Clapton’s debut solo album, Eric Clapton. Clapton has credited Bramlett for pushing him to sing and teaching him the art of rock vocals. Bramlett produced King Curtis’s last album … Bramlett taught George Harrison, who was then with the Beatles, to play slide guitar, which resulted in Harrison‘s hit “My Sweet Lord.” Bramlett wrote, recorded, or appeared on stage with many notable performers, including Joe Cocker, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Billy Preston, John Lennon, the Everly Brothers, Spooner Oldham, Steve Cropper and Billy Burnette”.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaney_Bramlett

Along the way he met Bonnie Bramlett, and married her (1967) and divorced (1972). He died in 2008.

This album came out the year after his divorce. It’s his second solo album and clearly divorce has had an effect on him. Then again, he is singing the “blues’. Otherwise, Delaney seems to have not missed a musical beat (sic). He is drawing on what he was doing with Delaney & Bonnie (I expect that as an accomplished guitarist, songwriter, and producer he would have been the prime mover) … country blues songs about people, love, life and moral decisions.

And, as for the album title .. perhaps it is a statement on Delaney’s roots … “In mathematics, a Möbius strip, band, or loop also spelled Mobius or Moebius, is a surface with only one side (when embedded in three-dimensional Euclidean space) and only one boundary curve. The Möbius strip is the simplest non-orientable surface … An example of a Möbius strip can be created by taking a paper strip, giving one end a half-twist, and then joining the ends to form a loop; its boundary is a simple closed curve which can be traced by single unknotted string. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%B6bius_strip

This album he co-wrote (largely) with Doug Gilmore, a songwriter (he wrote with Mickey Newbury) and producer (he produced the underrated Lee Dresser) who he had worked with before (they co-wrote a song for the Delaney & Bonnie album “Accept No Substitute” in 1969.

Produced by Delaney Bramlett (naturally enough as he produced most of Delaney & Bonnie) and Doug Gilmore.

Delaney and Doug Gilmore also worked on, in 1973 on the intriguing John Ussery ?album “Ussery” who contributes some guitar here..

All songs written by Written-By – Delaney Bramlett, Doug Gilmore unless otherwise indicated.

Tracks (best in italics)

Side One

  • Are You A Beatle Or A Rolling Stone – a hoot of a rock stomper about life on the road. A great track.
  • What Am I Doin’ – a funky Muscle Shoals style horn and rhythm dominated song which works up quite a groove.
  • A Young Girl –  (Randy Sharp) – by country songwriter Sharp – later released by him on his “Just About Love” album from 1976. This is a country weeper (with southern soul stylings).
  • Big Ol’ Piece Of Blues – just as the title says and a lot of fun.
  • Circles – quite powerful with a rhythm that relects the title …. going in circels.

Side Two

  • When A Man Is In Need Of A Woman – similar in mood to the Percy Sledge “When a man Loves a Woman”.
  • I’m A M-A-N – screamed vocals competing with horns this is a tour de force in this style …
  • B.B.’s Blues – (Billy Burnett, Delaney Bramlett, Doug Gilmore) – co-written by rockabilly legend Billy Burnette (son of Dorsey Burnette, nephew of Johnny Burnette, cousin of Rocky Burnette). “Everybody loves the blues” …. an honest comment or a cynical statement, I’m not sure.
  • A Little Bit Of You In Me – with steel guitar by the legendary Red Rhodes this is a country come country rock mid-tempo lament with familiar country music tropes. Great fun.
  • California Rain – the South goes to the west coast. California rain (or a request fro some) summed up, emotionally and musically, in Southern terms … horns, big chorus, gospel fervour and a crescendo of emotion. I like it.

And …

A great album in the genre and a lot of fun … I’m keeping it.

Chart Action

Nothing no where

Sounds

Are You A Beatle Or A Rolling Stone 

mp3 attached

What Am I Doin’ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-36gz0nbOLc

A Young Girl   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxehVqvwi9c

Big Ol’ Piece Of Blues 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JayUiULfqjs

Circles 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDsy2Z1fThY

When A Man Is In Need Of A Woman 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8X6MgxcgBI

I’m A M-A-N 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBwXkDtrEuw

B.B.’s Blues 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnIQ9R6NkUA

A Little Bit Of You In Me 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYo-qGeTdy4

California Rain 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybAePIkFT7k

Others

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2evuKqoAwc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sQ2jLgItkk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AatumCGNAM8

Review

https://www.allmusic.com/album/mobius-strip-mw0000847828#:~:text=Mobius%20Strip%20was%20recorded%20and,its%20predecessor%2C%20Some%20Things%20Coming.

https://bluesmatters.com/delaney-bramlett-some-things-coming-mobius-strip/

Bio

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaney_Bramlett

http://badcatrecords.com/BadCat/DELANEYbonnie.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaney_%26_Bonnie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIQTLgyrLuY

Website

—

Trivia

  • Personnel:

Arranged By [Horn Arrangements], Trumpet – Daryl Leonard

Arranged By [Track Arrangement] – Delaney Bramlett

Baritone Saxophone [Baritone Sax] – Jim Gordon

Bass – Robert Wilson

Drums – Ron Grayson

Guitar [Guitars], Vocals, Percussion – Delaney Bramlett

Horns [Horn Section] – Daryl Leonard*, Jerry Jumonville, Jim Gordon

Organ – Tim Hedding

Piano – Jim Hobson

Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax] – Jerry Jumonville

Trombone – Larry Savoie

  • “The tunes where there are other backing vocals feature Venetta Fields and Chris Thomas King and some group called “the Hired Choir,” as well as a “mini-choir” comprising the children of Bramlett, and King (for Fleetwood Mac fanatics, this marks the very first recorded performance of Bekka Bramlett)” https://www.allmusic.com/album/mobius-strip-mw0000847828
  • Delaney’s daughter (with Bonnie), Rebecca became a singer, professionally known as Bekka Bramlett. She joined Fleetwood Mac in 1993 after the departure of Stevie Nicks
  • As a teen Delaney’s band played on the same bill as Elvis in Mississippi.

 

RIP: the great Trini Lopez 1937 – 2020

 

Elvis … 43 years ago today ….

Posted in Blues Rock, Roots Rock, Southern and Boogie Rock | Tagged | Leave a comment

TRINI LOPEZ – Trini Lopez in London – (Reprise) – 1967

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Franko

I feel like some Trini Lopez. I can almost hear the groan from some of you out there.

I don’t care … I like Trini and it’s my time.

By 1966, and this album seems to have been recorded in very late 1966, Trini’s big chart success’ were a thing of the past. After his breakout #3 US Pop hit in 1963, “If I had a Hammer”, he placed only three other songs into the US Pop Top 40. He was, however, in the upper regions of the Adult Contemporary charts and a frequent performer on TV. His albums weren’t huge hits but they were consistent sellers, especially with the slightly older crowd.

At the same time the British rock “invasion” of the US music charts was at its peak, and many less overtly rock ‘n’ roll acts from the Isles who appealed to older crowds, like Tom Jones and Petula Clark, were also having chart success in the US.

Perhaps that’s why he, or more likely the label, decided to have him record this album at Pye Studios in London. Or, rather, perhaps they took advantage of his London stay. Trini had a supporting role and was filming “The Dirty Dozen” in England so why not fly his producer Don Costa and use local musicians and see what happens?

Maybe some of the British invasion success would rub off. And to make sure he even covered some British pop and rock tunes along with recent songs (or recently revived songs) which would have been familiar to audiences.

He, also, as was his want threw in a couple of originals. Trini wasn’t adverse to writing a couple of snappy tunes.

Of course Trini puts his stamp on everything … his go go guitar and his occasional whoops are unmistakable and  given that he has his normal arranger and producer in London it begs the question … do you meed to be in London to do this?

This could easily have been done in Hollywood and no one would have noticed the difference.

A local producer and some more obscure English pop could have made the album more distinctive, but, having said that, there is a little more of an international pop flavour on this album, something which Trini would explore on later albums, and he is, clearly, having fun.

The album failed to set the world on fire but at least Trini got a (working) holiday out of it.

And it was swinging London and all that … and Trini had already been swinging for four years with his go go beat.

I’m sure he taught them a thing or two,

Tracks (best in italics)

Side One

  • Takin’ The Back Roads – (Morrison, Andersom, Harvey) – I don’t know much about this song or it’s songwriters. It sounds a little like a film theme song. It’s light but quite pleasant, and catchy, and ultimately memorable.
  • Strangers In The Night – (Kaempfert, Singleton, Snyder) – the often recorded magnificent song forever associated with Trini’s label mate and label owner (Reprise) Frank Sinatra. Frank had a hit with this in 1966 (#1 Pop. #1 UK) at the height of rock ‘n’ roll and the “British Invasion”. Quite good but not a patch on the original. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strangers_in_the_Night
  • Love Letters – (Heyman, Young) – a often record trad pop classic. Ketty Lester had a #5 US Pop hit with in 1961. The intro is different and the beat is faster but I can hear some Elvis, who charted this in 1966(US #19, UK #6), in the vocals. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Letters_(song)
  • Happy – (Kusik, Lopez) – a Trini original. Co-writer Larry Kusik was a reasonably busy pop songwriter in the 1960s and70s. This is great sin-a-long type of pop song.
  • Mame – (Herman) – The Broadway musical “Mame” was a Broadway hit in 1966 and Bobby Darin had a #53 US Pop hit with it in the same year. Not bad but you really need a “big” voice like Darin.
  • Your Ever Changin’ Mind – (Snyder, Sonnenberg) – First done by English pop singer Crispian St. Peters in 1966 (#106US). A very contemporary (1966) song. It’s strange hearing Trini singing this type of song but he does it well and it is catchy.

Side Two

  • Gonna Get Along Without Ya’ Now – (Kellem) – Often recorded Patience and Prudence had a US #11 in 1956. In 1964  Tracey Dey (#51) and Skeeter Davis (# 48) charted the song in the US. Quite a gentle groovy song. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonna_Get_Along_Without_Ya_Now
  • Lady Jane – (Richards, Jagger) – The Rolling Stones hit (US #24 1966). Trini does this as a trad pop standard and it works. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Jane_(song)
  • It Had To Be You – (Kahn, Jones) – A Trad Pop often recorded (hundreds of times) inculcating a version by Ray Charles on his “The Genius of Ray Charles” album of standards from 1959. Also done by Fabian (1960) and notably Bobby Darin in 1961. Trini does this as a Trad Pop with a beat (much like Chris Montez was doing at the time). Excellent. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Had_to_Be_You_(song)
  • Fever –  (Cooley, Davenport) – Little Willie John’s song from 1956 (#24 US, #1 R&N US) though Peggy Lee’s version from 1958 (#8 US, #5UK) (with reworked lyrics by Lee herself) is, perhaps, more famous. Elvis Presley released a near identical version to Lee’s for his 1960 album, “Elvis is Back”. There have been many other versions. The tempo is increased so the “fever” isn’t a sultry sexual one. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fever_(Little_Willie_John_song)
  • I Wanna Be Around – (Mercer, Vimmerstedt) – There is a fascinating back story to this song. Tony Bennett had the big hit with it (#14 Pop, #5 easy listening in 1963) and it was covered many times most notably by Bobby Darin (who he is channeling) and Jackie Wilson in 1965. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Wanna_Be_Around
  • That’s What Makes The World Go Round – (Henry, Lopez) – co-writer Robert H. Hensley was a singer, songwriter (as Jericho Brown) and actor and songwriter (as Bob Henry). A contemporary (1966) mid tempo big pop song. Great fun.

And …

No earth shaker but this undeniably fun and quite “groovy”. An underappreciated album …. I’m keeping it.

Chart Action

US

Singles

Three singles were released but only one charted on the pop charts

1966 Takin’ the Back Roads

1966 Your Ever Changin’ Mind  #131 (cashbox industry charts)

1967 Gonna Get Along Without Ya Now #93 Pop, #23 Adult Contemporary

Album

1967 #114 Pop

England

Singles

1967 Gonna Get Along Without Ya Now #41

Album

—

Sounds

Takin’ The Back Roads

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtKgahoGi88

Strangers In The Night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25cBvmMePEI

Love Letters

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63sBNAE3SWc

Happy

Live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPnyOOzqShg

Mame

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42EqXURE-gs

Your Ever Changin’ Mind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUQqE5c0F7U

Gonna Get Along Without Ya’ Now

mp3 attached

Lady Jane

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktOOyq3mVCw

It Had To Be You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx1Ucbr6LXM

Fever

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8sXI7VquO8

I Wanna Be Around

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH430oF6ZKM

That’s What Makes The World Go Round

mp3 attached

Others

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaKrnbBE4s0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2IX4yKX2OE

Review

—

Bio

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trini_Lopez

https://markguerrero.net/14.php

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Costa

Website

http://www.trinilopez.com

Trivia

  • According to Jim Brown’s autobiography, “Trini Lopez’s part was supposed to be larger, but he demanded that his part be even bigger, or he’d walk off the movie, which you don’t do to director Robert Aldrich. The next day the question was asked, “Where’s Jimenez? (Trini’s character is Pedro Jimenez),Charles Bronson said “He got hung on an apple tree. Broke his neck.” An obvious jab at Lopez’s hit song “Lemon tree.”” That perhaps explains why his character dies off-screen during the parachute jump before the final action sequence. He did get to release a two songs related to the film: The Ballad Of The Dirty Dozen b/w The Bramble Bush (1967, Reprise). https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061578/trivia

Posted in Pop Rock | Tagged | Leave a comment