Friday, December 30, 2011

Last Platterpuss Broadcast of 2011

In case anyone missed my broadcast on Top Shelf Oldies this past Wednesday, here it is for download to listen to at your own convenience. Now that Christmas is over, I say we skip New Years and head right into Spring Training. Play Ball.

AMOS MILBURN - CHICKEN SHACK BOOGIE (1955 Vers.)
MARTHA & THE VANDELLAS - NOWHERE TO RUN
THE SONS OF FRED - BABY WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO
LESLIE DAWSON - RUN FOR SHELTER
KYU SAKAMOTO - HANA SAKU MACKIKADO (HAT'S OFF TO LARRY)
STATUS QUO - ICE IN THE SUN
THE VELVETS - WILD LITTLE WILLY
LITTLE IKE - SHE CAN ROCK
THE YOUNG SAVAGES - THE INVADERS ARE COMING
THE VONBRELLAS - WINGS OF AN ANGEL
THE DIABLOS - SINCE YOU'RE GONE
DARROW FLETCHER - INFATUATION
THE MENACE - YOU DON'T EVEN WINK YOUR EYE
THE HOLLIES - BABY THAT'S ALL
CRABBY APPLETON - LUCY
MEL DORSEY & THE HEARTBEATS - LITTLE LIL
THE BLUES PROJECT - NO TIME LIKE THE RIGHT TIME
THE COBRAS - SINDY
THE SUGAR CANYON - ON TOP OF THE WORLD
THE MUSIC MACHINE - THE PEOPLE IN ME
THE KINKS - THIS IS WHERE I BELONG
THE MAR-KEYS - BLUE PEANUTS

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Back Off the Chain Gang

As of around 7:30 PM, Nov. 30 I am once again a member of the great unemployed. I can't say that it came as a great surprise and I also can't say that I am too upset about it. To be perfectly honest I grew to really hate this job over the last few months. After the first initial shock I felt like a weight had been lifted off my back. The economy still stinks out there and I don't have a lot of money saved up so I find myself having to make choices about things I used to take for granted but at this point in my life a little belt-tightening is probably not a bad thing to get used to.

I read an interesting article in the Huffington Post written by Steve Van Zandt. Now I realize that Miami Steve is not one of the great political commentators of our time but he does make a very interesting point. As long as politicians (both Democrat and Republican) are so dependent on campaign contributions, nothing is going to change. Biting the hand that feeds you is never a good career move. In his exact words, "We need to eliminate all private finance from the electoral process." I'm not sure I agree with him completely. After all, in the last presidential election I donated $50 to Barack Obama's campaign and I'm certainly not expecting any special favors to come my way because of it. But if I'd donated $50,000 I might feel differently. So he does raise an interesting point and something to think about.

By now, most of you reading this already know about the deaths of Howard Tate, Hubert Sumlin and Dobie Gray. Over the past week much has been written about them and many of their records have been posted on various blogs and on Youtube. So I have little or nothing to add really but I did feel the need to acknowledge them as I really loved their music. And now, on with the show.

Adam Faith - I Don't Need That Kind Of Lovin'

This song was on my very first playlist back on Sept. 25, 2008 and has long been deleted by Rapidshare. To these ears most of what he recorded, with and without the Roulettes is little more than schlock but he did do a few cool rockers.
Junior McCants - Try Me For Your new Love
One of these days I will get to updating my "Way to Go" section and when I do I will definitely be posting a link to Derek's Daily 45 which is where I found this nifty upbeat soul dancer.
The Sugar Canyon - On Top of The World
Back in the late 60's when psychedelia and long bluesy guitar solos ruled the roost, Buddah Records in NYC was merrily swimming against the tide, cranking out one bubblegum single after another. I doubt if The Sugar Canyon was a real band (were ANY of them?) but it doesn't matter. If bouncy, catchy pop is your thing, it doesn't get a whole lot better than this.
The Young Fresh Fellows - Rock'n'Roll Pest Control

Sometimes these guys come on a little too jokey for my tastes but this particular song, off their debut LP "The Fabulous Sounds Of The Pacific Northwest" has always been a favorite of mine.
Papa Lightfoot - Wine, Women, Whiskey
I don't know anything about Papa Lightfoot except that this song comes from a really fine 4-disc set called "Juke Joint Blues" which can be found at Amazon.
Downliners Sect - Lonely And Blue
Any of you who are readers of Ugly Things have undoubtedly been reading about Downliners Sect's goings on for the last 15 years as, along with The Pretty Things, they are a favorite of editor Mike Stax. Listening to this it's not hard to hear why.
Kenny Smith - I'm So Lonesome, Baby
Here's another record by an artist I know nothing about, in fact I never even heard of him until I got the CD "Keb Darge & Little Edith's Legendary Wild Rockers" which is also available pretty cheaply at Amazon.
The E-Types - I Can't Do It
I've always had a soft spot for this kind of mid-60's poppy garage. I'm sure that original copies of this record sell for unheard of sums but luckily, this was reissued by Sundazed a few years back.
Dick Dale- Jessie Pearl

Dick Dale is mostly known for his string bending instrumentals but here he turns in a vocal similar in style to some of Eddie Cochran's better records.
The Moving Sidewalks - Every Night A New Surprise
While these guys are mostly known (besides morphing into boogie rockers ZZ Top) for their monstrous garage rocker "99th Floor", this is another keeper by them.
The Cobras - Sindy
This was recorded in 1955 for the Modern label of Hollywood California. Primo slow doo wop complete with a spoken middle section. Perfect make out music.
DMZ - Rosalyn
Before he formed The Lyres, Jeff Connolly was in DMZ. Musically, both bands had pretty much the same approach although DMZ may have been a little rougher around the edges - never a bad thing. Here is a live version of The Pretty Thing's "Rosalyn".
The Disturbers - Coming To Your World
From somewhere in the wilds of Pennsylvania these guys show (to my ears anyway) a bit of a Dylan meets the Seeds influence. Some cool organ playing throughout definitely adds a nice touch. Good guitar solo too.
Norma Jenkins - Me Myself And I
Nice mid-tempo soul from this songstress that I must admit to having no previous knowledge of whatsoever until I heard this song on Kent's Carnival of Soul Vol 1 CD. With a lovely voice like she had it seems kind of surprising she never made it further.
The Spliffs - You Know What They'll Say

Power Pop lover that I am, this has been a favorite of mine for a really long time so I was really surprised when I did a search and found that in the 3+ years I've been doing this blog I had never posted this absolute gem of a record. So here it is. Enjoy.
William Penn Fyve - Blow Your Mind
It's hard to believe that this garage pounder by these 5 guys from Palo Alto, CA has never been comped. I don't remember where I got it from but it's a killer track.
Willie Tee - Teasin' You

I saw Willie Tee in concert a few years ago and he could still sing as sweetly as ever. Sadly he passed away from colon cancer not long after that show. "Teasin..." was released as a single in March of 1965 on Atlantic Records with the fabulous "Walking Up A One-Way Street" as the b-side but it only made it up to number 97 on the Billboard Top 100.

There's no place else that I can go