It's hard to believe that New Westminster could be the heart of the R&B Scene, but there it was, the mid 60's, and IKE AND TINA TURNER were on the bill! The former Hollywood Bowl, under new ownership of Les Vogt and the management of Douglas Miller, became the short lived Grooveyard, and took its rightful place in local music history. MARVIN GAYE, ETTA JAMES, LITTLE JUNIOR PARKER, THE SPINNERS, and BO DIDDLEY performed there, as well as hot Northwest groups THE KINGSMEN, PAUL REVERE AND THE RAIDERS, DON AND THE GOODTIMES, and even THE SONICS. Most importantly, The Grooveyard gave some of Vancouver's hottest acts a stage and, on some very special evenings, you could see up to ten live bands and dance 'til you dropped. It just didn't get any better. The original album was the brainchild of Les Vogt, band manager, concert promoter, rockabilly performer, and owner of the Grooveyard. He thought the album would generate more publicity for the club and the bands in his management stable. He took his idea to musician and song writer Tom Northcott and local entrepreneur Jack Herschorn at their offices, where they operated New Syndrome Records. All the songs on the album were recorded and engineered by Robin Spurgin at his studio. [..] The songs were not really recorded live in the club, but were actually played live in the studio with no added overdubs. Oddly, the crowd noise that was added to the background was recorded at the Arctic Club (a Vancouver Jazz venue) and not at the Grooveyard. [..] Recorded in 1966 and released in 1967, the originals pressing of the double album was only 1000 copies (making it one of the most sought after albums in Vancouver record collector circles). Doug Cuthbert, the original drummer for the Night Train Revue, did the original cover design. (taken from the liner notes)
Neptoon Records was responsible for this re-issue (Neptoon 005 / 2004) and as one might expect it consists mainly of Soul and R&B covers. Not a bad album, all bands are competent and the music has a special Northwest sound. The Stags for instance did a fine cover of The Wailers' "Out Of Our Tree" as well as an innocent version of The Byrds' "It Won't Be Wrong", The Shockers could easily find place on any "Northwest Battle Of The Bands" volume and The Shantelles' cover of "Have Love Will Travel" leans more towards to The Sonics than to the Richard Berry original (but in a smooth way). Live! From The Grooveyard is surely an artifact but also a hipshaker and quite good listen through.
Tracklist: 1. Epics - It's Growing 2. Epics - Knock On Wood 3. Night Train Revue - Letter Song 4. Night Train Revue - 99-1/2 5. Soul Unlimited - Get Out Of My Life Woman 6. Soul Unlimited - Choo Choo 7. Kentish Steele & The Shantelles - Have Love Will Travel 8. Kentish Steele & The Shantelles - Land Of 1000 Dances 9. Kentish Steele & The Shantelles - Leaving Here 10. Kentish Steele & The Shantelles - Mercy Mercy 11. Stags - It Won't Be Wrong 12. Stags - Out Of Our Tree 13. Shockers - You Don't Love Me 14. Shockers - It's You Alone 15. Nocturnals - Mustang Sally 16. Soul Unlimited - Little Joe 17. Soul Unlimited - Something You Got 18. Night Train Revue - Sometimes I Wonder 19. Night Train Revue - You Don't Know Like I Know 20. Epics - Cleo's Back 21. Epics - If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time 22. Shockers - Don't Bring Me Down 23. Shockers - You Better Run 24. Nocturnals - Slow Down 25. Nocturnals - You Make Me Feel So Good 26. Nocturnals - Get On Back 27. Stags - Drive My Car 28. Stags - Everybody Knows (I Still Love You) Personnel: [EPICS] Jayson Hoover (vcls) Jim Harmata (gtr) Bob Kidd (bs) Bill Gibson (keyb'ds) Gunther Klaus (sax) Dave MacPhail (drms)
[SOUL UNLIMITED] Carl Graves (vcls) Bob Nahirnak (gtr) Wayne Pealo (bs) Robbie Buchanan (keyb'ds) Al Lynch (trumpet, vcls) Bruce Norris (trombone) Ken Bronsch (sax) Stan Williamson (drms)
[KENTISH STEELE & THE SHANTELLES] Kentish Steele (vcls) Paul Dean (gtr) Brian Pulham (bs) Brian Tingle (organ) Gary Greensword (trumpet) Warren Clarke (trumpet) Stu Meadows (trombone) Brian Tansley (sax) Glen Gish (sax) Jim Patterson (drms)
[THE STAGS] Lloyd Manuel (gtr) Pete McKinnon (bs) Dan Hunt (organ) Norm Stacey (drms)
[THE SHOCKERS] Keith Foreman (vcls) Mike Wilson (gtr) Carl Erickson (bs) Ed Coppard (keyb'ds) Dave Jonsson (drms, vcls)
[NOCTURNALS] Ron Henschel (gtr) Wayne Evans (bs) Chad Thorp (organ) Roger Skinner (sax) Carl Erickson (sax) Bill McBeth (drms, lead vcls)
Peter 'Moon' Gosling was the vocalist, keyboardist and mastermind behind Moon's Train and wrote most of the songs with Stones bassist Billy Wyman, who managed and produced this Beckenham/London group. Their only official release for MGM in 1967, the 45 "Deed I Do/It's In Her Mind" went nowhere. The band had enough material for an intended album but after Gosling and Wyman had drifted apart it remained in the can. In 1998 Tenth Planet released a 16 song album (Tenth Planet TP037) with the proposed tracks from an acetate (except "Marriage Is For Old Folks"). The music is typical soulish Mod, pretty much in the Alan Bown Set mould although I prefer the songs that take the same line as the Small Faces, the powerful "Wait For Me" and especially the anthem-like "My Town". Also included are the Gosling/Wyman compositions "Shades Of Orange" and "Loving, Sacred Loving" as instrumentals, later picked up by The End for their "Introspection" album.
Tracklist: - The Life I Lead
- Wait For Me
- You Got Me
- Say What I Mean
- Loving, Sacred Loving
- Bakerman
- Telephone Talker
- My Town
- I'm Not The Marrying Kind
- I Get Excited
- My Love For You
- Shades Of Orange
- Home And Dry
- Nervous
- Moanin'
- Memories Of You
Personnel: Caroline Attard (vcls) [A]
Jernima Smith (vcls) [A]
Lewis Rich (vcls) [A]
Peter 'Moon' Gosling (keyb'ds, vcls) [AB]
Ken Leamon (sax, flute) [AB]
Peter 'Face' Lynton (gtr, bs) [A]
Tony Chapman (drms) [A]
Ian Dibbon (gtr) [B]
Peter Atwood (bs) [B]
Alec Brown (trumpet) [B]
Malcolm Penn (drms) [B] Band origin: London
There was no real connection between the two bands except that they shared the same label (Ember Records) in their early days. After the Dave Clark Five started to hit the charts high Ember Records used them as a lure to promote the Wahington DC's and released the "Dave Clark Five with The Washington DC's" album. It contains only two songs of the DC5 but eight tracks of The Wahington DC's, who had prior to this release a number 1 hit in Turkey with "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine", but failed to make the charts in England. The LP didn't make any impact too and very little was heard of the group over the next two years. They then got a record deal with CBS and reappear on the scene in '66 with the excellent "32nd Floor" 7-inch, followed by the even superior "Seek And Find" single. Again success eluded them and as a consequence the band headed to the continent where they were seemingly better recognized than in their homeland. The end of '68 saw the release of their final 45, the cool Mod/Freakbeat "I've Done It All Wrong/Anytime". Not long after the group finally split.
The CD-only release on Repertoire (Repertoire REP 4314-WY / 1993) contains the first three DC5 singles, white-bread early '60s Pop if you ask me. More interesting is the tracklist of the Washington DC's (17 tracks in total) that contains their whole output plus 2 unreleased songs.
Tracklist: [Dave Clark Five] - Chaquita - In Your Heart - First Love - I Walk The Line - That's What I Said - I Knew It All The Time
[Washington DC's] - Seek And Find - I Love Gerald Chevin The Great - 32nd Floor - Whole Lot More - Any Time - I've Done It All Wrong - Kisses Sweeter Than Wine - Where Did You Go - Shimmy Shimmy - Sweet Little Rock'n'roller - Yakety Yak - Little One - Is It Me - Have You Seen My Baby - Carol - Return To Me - Have You Seen My Baby [alt. take] Personnel [Washington DC's]: Pat Curley (lead gtr) [AB] Barry Fitzgerald (gtr) [ABCD] Roger Creed (bs) [AB] Baz (drms) [A] Glen Duke (drms) [BC] Roger Saunders (vcls, lead gtr, keyb'ds) [CD] Berbie Trott (bs) [C] Gary Lee Illingworth (keyb'ds) [C] Walt Monaghan (bs, gtr, keyb'ds) [D] Brian Hillman (drms) [D] Band origin: London
Discographie: Albums: 1. (C) The Dave Clark Five With The Washington DC's (Ember FA 2003) 1965
45's: 1. (B) Kisses Sweeter Than Wine/Where Did You Go (Ember EMB S 190) 1964 2. (C) 32nd Floor/Whole Lot More (CBS 202226) 1966 3. (C) Seek And Find/I Love Gerald Chevin The Great (CBS 202464) 1967 4. (D) I've Done It All Wrong/Anytime (Domain D 9) 1968
The first release on Whaam! records (a label headed by the Television Personalities' Dan Treacy), Pop Goes Art! is basically a Television Personalities album with Treacy and his longtime cohort Ed Ball trading roles: Ball is the singer and songwriter, and Treacy just plays guitar and bass. The amateurish cover (the original LP cover was a simple white jacket with a design silkscreened on the front and a small piece of paper glued on the back listing the song titles) and no-budget production can't hide the wit and inventiveness of Ball's take on Carnaby Street-era pop. Besides two immediate classics, "Miss London" and the brilliant "I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape" (a song Ball would record several more times in the '80s), the album includes the B-side of Times' first single, "Biff! Bang! Pow!" - not the song by Ball's freakbeat heroes the Creation, but an homage to that band using the same title - and the eight-minute psychedelic closer "This Is Tomorrow," featuring the sort of droning plane-crash guitar that would figure into the next couple of Television Personalities records. Pop Goes Art! is a completely ingenuous record with no agenda, other than the re-creation of one of Ball's favorite musical eras. (Stewart Mason / allmusic guide)
Tracklist: - Picture Gallery - Biff! Bang! Pow! - It's Time! - If Now Is the Answer - A New Arrangement - Looking at the World Through Dark Shades - I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape - Pop Goes Art! (Melody in Mono) - Miss London - The Sun Never Sets - Easy As Pie - This Is Tomorrow... Personnel: Edward Ball (vcls, gtr, bs, keyb'ds) [ABCDEFGHI] Daniel Treacy (gtr) [B] John East (bs, vcls) [ABCD] Paul Damien (drms, vcls) [ABCD] Ray Kent (organ) [C] Keith Allen (drms, vcls) [D] Paul Mulreany (drms, gtr, vcls) [EHI] Jowe Head (bs) [E] Richard Green (gtr) [E] Paul Heeren (gtr, vcls) [FHI] The Shed (bs) [H] Jan Stevens (vcls) [HI] Nick Heyward (bs) [I] Band origin: London
Discographie: Albums: 1. (B) Pop Goes Art! (Whaam! LP 01) 1982 2. (C) This Is London (ArtPop ART 19) 1983 3. ( ) Hello Europe (ArtPop ART 17) 1984 4. (A) Go! With The Times (ArtPop ART 21) 1985 5. (D) Enjoy (ArtPop ART 15) 1986 6. ( ) Up Against It (ArtPop ART 16) 1986 7. (E) Beat Torture (Creation CRELP 038) 1988 8. (F) E for Edward (Creation CRELP 053) 1989 9. (F) Et Dieu créa la femme (Creation CRELP 070) 1990 10. (G) Pure (Creation CRELP 091) 1991 11. (H) At the Astradome Lunaville (Creation CRELP 123) 1992 12. (I) Alternative Commercial Crossover (Creation CRELP 137) 1993 13. ( ) Sad But True (Rev-Ola CREV055CD) 1997 14. ( ) Pirate Playlist '66 (Creation CRECD 222) 1999
[13. 1987 recordings]
45's: 1. Red With Purple Flashes/Biff! Bang! Pow! (Whaam! 002) 1981 2. Here Comes The Holidays (Voici Les Vacances)/ Three Cheers For The Sun (Artpop POP 50) 1982 3. I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape/ The Theme From "Dangerman" (ArtPop POP 49) 1982 4. Blue Fire/Where the Blue Begins (ArtPop POP 45) 1984 5. Boys Brigade/Power Is Forever (ArtPop POP 46) 1984 6. London Boys/(Where to Go) When the Sun Goes Down (Unicorn PHZ-1) 1986 7. Manchester/Love and Truth (Creation CRE 71) 1990
[2. A-side as Joni Dee feat. The Times]
E.P.'s: 1. I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape [+ 5] (ArtPop No. 1) 1983 2. Blue Period [+ 4] (ArtPop No. 2) 1985 3. Boys About Town [+ 3] (ArtPop POP 43DOZ) 1985 4. Times TV [+ 4] (Fire BLAZE 16T) 1986) 5. Manchester [+ 2] (Creation CRE 71T) 1990 6. Lundi Bleu [+ 7] (Creation CRE 114T) 1992 7. Finnegans Break [+ 3] (Creation CRE 158T) 1993
Link removed. A re-issue is available
Listen to Looking at the World Through Dark Shades
This Auckland band's debut album was one of the best Garage/R&B/Mod efforts that came out of New Zealand. On their follow up "Find Us A Way" they veered towards to a more but less interesting Mod/Soul style. They continued to release further albums till the '70s. This CD (Ascension ANCD018 / 2000) contains the cool first album (with their fantastic version of "How Is The Air Up There?"), some tracks from the aforementioned second release and all their 45's from 1966-67, most notably the great garage punker "Don't You Stand In My Way". There's also an other compilation around. You can find it on thePessimist Clubblogspot.
Tracklist: - On Top Of The World - How Is The Air Up There? - Little Red Book - Jump Back - Bright Lights, Big City - I Put A Spell On You - What Ya Gonna Do About It - Land Of A Thousand Dances - I Take What I Want - Shake - Parchman Farm - The Pied Piper - I've Got My Mojo Working - Ride Your Pony
[Bonus Tracks] - Find Us A Way - All Purpose Low - Too Many Fish In The Sea - Rosalie - Tell The Truth - Gimme Some Lovin' - Cool Jerk - Thank You For The Flowers - Don't You Stand In My Way - Hey Girl - Hey Baby - Coming Home - I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore - Stupidity - Respect Personnel: Kevin Borich (lead gtr, vcls, piano) [ABCDEFGH] Phil Key (rhythm gtr, vcls) [ABCDEFG] Trevor Wilson (bs) [ABCDF] Brett Neilson (drms, vcls) [AB] Bruce Howard (organ) [BCDEF] Brian Harris (drms) [C] Keith Barber (drms) [DEFGH] Reno Tehei (bs, rhythm gtr) [EF] Peter Roberts (bs) [G] Ronnie Peel (bs) [H] Band origin: Auckland (New Zealand)
Discographie: Albums: 1. (B) La De Da's (Philips PL 08791) 1966 2. (B) Find us a way (Philips PL 08792) 1967 3. (D) The Happy Prince (HMV SCXO 7899) 1969 4. (H) Rock And Roll Sandwich (EMI EMC 2504) 1973 5. (H) Legend (EMI EMA 309) 1974
45's: 1. (A) Little Girl/Ever Since That Night (Talent City TCS 2002) 1965 2. (B) How Is The Air Up There?/Pied Piper (Philips PF 338077) 1966 3. (B) Don't You Stand In My Way/I Take What I Want (Philips PF 338078) 1966 4. (B) On Top Of The World/Hey Girl (Philips PF 338090) 1966 5. (B) Hey Baby/Other Love (Philips PF 338092) 1967 6. (B) All Purpose Low/My Girl (Philips PF 338094) 1967 7. (B) Rosalie/Find Us A Way (Philips PF 338095) 1967 8. (D) Come Fly With Me/Swallow Little Swallow (Columbia DNZ 10637) 1969 9. (D) Come Together/Here Is Love (Parlophone NZP 3343) 1969 10. (G) Sweet Girl/I Can't Find A Reason (Columbia DO-9375) 1971 11. (G) Gonna See My Baby Tonight/Fare Thee Well (Columbia DNZ 10761) 1971 12. (G) Morning, Good Morning/You And Me (Columbia DNZ 10782) 1972 13. (H) I'll Never Stop Loving You/It' The Beginning (Columbia DNZ 10829) 1973 14. (H) Too Pooped To Pop/Honky Tonkin' (Columbia DNZ 10862) 1974 15. (H) Too Pooped To Pop/She Tells Me What To Do (EMI EMI 10464) 1974 16. (H) The Place/No Law (Against Having Fun) (EMI EMI 10467) 1974 17. (H) Honky Tonkin'/Temple Shuffle (EMI EMI 10579) 1974
The Flames were from Johannesburg and led by the brothers Steve, Brother and Ricky Fataar. "Soulfire" (Rave (S)RMG (5)1234 / 1968) was their fourth album and it can be best described as soul-pop with hints of psychedelic. "Lost" and "If You Think You're Groovy" are one of the better tracks here. They did also a fair version of "You keep Me Hanging On" and "Solitude" is a masterpiece of eastern influenced psychedelic music. The rest of this album is pretty lame. "Useless Illusions" for instance is the biggest "Nights In White Satins" rip-off ever. The whole thing is not really my bag but it was a request and so I post it here (I've got this rip from Soulseek once, the bitrate is 128 kBit/s and there's sadly no artwork). You can find more informations about The Flames on theirwebsite.
Tracklist: - Lost - If You Think You're Groovy - For Your Precious Love - I Was Made To Love Her - Useless Illusions - Try A Little Tenderness - Restless - A Place In The Sun - Wishes - Solitude - You Keep Me Hanging On Personnel: Steve Fataar (gtr) [ABCD] Brother Fataar (bs) [ABCD] George Faber (drms) [A] Eugene Champion (gtr) [A] Ricky Fataar (drms) [BCD] Edries Fredericks (gtr) [B] Baby Duval (gtr) [C] Blondie Chaplin (gtr) [D] Band origin: Durban (South Africa)
45's: 1. Dixie/Mr. Moto (Rave 45 R 219) 1963 2. Maniac/Modern Casanova (Rave 45 R 220) 1963 3. Is It You/Nobody Tells Me [What To Do] (Rave 45 R 239) 1964 4. One Of These Days/Don't Play That Song (Rave R 276) 1965 5. Like A Baby/Glory Of Love (Rave R 285) 1966 6. He'll Only Hurt You/You Don't Have To Say You Love Me (Rave R 286) 1966 7. If You Need Me/You Better Move On (Rave R 292) 1967 8. Respect/Down In The Valley (Rave R 295) 1967 9. Lost/Restless (Rave R 301) 1968 10. For Your Precious Love/A Place In The Sun (Rave R 307) 1968 11. Don't Make Your Children Pay/Purple Haze (Rave R 309) 1968 12. Can't Help Myself/Purple Raindrops (Rave R 310) 1968 13. Streamliner/Follow The Sun (Fan Records Fan 101/1) 1968 14. Tell It Like It Is/Don't Fight It (Trutone Tos 539) 1969 15. See The Light/Get Your Mind Made Up (Trutone Tos 757) 1970
[2. as Steve & The Flames] [6. as Zane Adams & The Flames] [13. flip side by The Several] [15. as The Flame]
Mostly Mod tunes on the second Oddities volume (ODDS-002 / 2002). But there is also an excellent psychedelic number by Rifkin and a fine pop tune by The Candydates. This compilation came with an one-sided bonus single. It's an acetate of an early Stones number called "We Were Falling In Love". You find the first volume onHigh All The Time.
Tracklist: 1. Chris Andrews - Hold On taken from the single Hold On/Easy (Decca F 22668) 1967 Line-up incl.: Chris Andrews (vcls).Origin: Romford (Essex/UK) → London 2. O'Hara's Playboys - Blue Dog taken from the single Voices/Blue Dog (Fontana TF 949) 1968 Line-up: John O'Hara (lead vcls, tenor sax), William A. Simpson (lead gtr), William "Sweet" Mathiesen (bs), Bobby Campbell (organ, vcls), Peter Green (sax), Dave McHarg (drms). Band origin: Glasgow (Scotland) → Sheffield (Yorkshire/UK) 3. Eddie Cave & The Fyx - It's Almost Good taken from the single Fresh Out Of Tears/It's Almost Good (Pye 7N 17161) 1966 Line-up: Eddie Cave (vcls), Dennis Swale (lead gtr, vcls), Peter Newton (bs), Geoff Workman (keyb'ds, bs, vcls), Ray Remms (sax), Richard "Dick" Hanson (trumpet), Dave Irving (drms). Band origin: Liverpool (Merseyside/UK) 4. Peenuts - Trouble taken from the single Theme From The Monkees/Trouble (Continental PD 9233) 1967 Line-up: unknown. Band origin: UK 5. New Formula - Burning In The Background Of My Mind taken from the single My Baby's Coming Home/Burning In The Background Of My Mind (Pye 7N 17552) 1968 Line-up: Mike Harper (vcls), Martin Fallon (lead gtr), Bruce Carey (bs, gtr), Ricky Dodd (vcls, sax, hrmnca, flute), Tommy Guthrie (drms). Band origin: Corby (Northamptonshire/UK) 6. Epics - Henry Long taken from the single Travelling Circus/Henry Long (CBS 3564) 1968 Line-up: Vic Elmes (lead gtr, lead vcls), Ian Jansen (gtr, vcls), Stuart Tann (bs, lead vcls), Mike Blakely (drms, vcls).Band origin: London 7. Justin & Karlsson - Somewhere They Can't Find Me taken from the single Somewhere They Can't Find Me/What More Do You Want (Piccadilly 7N 35295) 1966 Line-up: unknown. Band origin: UK 8. Robb & Dean Douglas - Phone Me taken from the single I Can Make It With You/Phone Me (Deram DM 132) 1967 Line-up: Robb Douglas [real name Ray Fench], Dean Douglas [real name Joe Fagan].Band origin: London 9. Heinz - Movin' In taken from the single Movin' In/I'm Not A Bad Guy (Columbia DB 7942) 1966 Line-up incl.: Heinz Burt (vcls).Origin: London 10. Rifkin - Continental Hesitation taken from the single We're Not Those People Any More/Continental Hesitation (Page One POF 071) 1968 Line-up: Rifkin [Ed Furst] (vcls, gtr, sitar), Dee Murray (bs, vcls), Colin Frechter (harpsichord, vcls), Dave Swarbrick (drms, vcls). Band origin: London 11. Group Therapy - Remember What You Said taken from the single Remember What You Said/River Deep, Mountain High (Philips BF 1744) 1969 Line-up: Ray Kennedy (vcls), Art del Gudico (gtr, bs), Jerry Guida (organ), Tommy Burns (vcls, drms), Michael Lamont (drms, perc). Band origin: New York (US) 12. Glorious Revolution - Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood taken from the single Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood/Rudi's In Love (Oak acetate) 1968 Line-up: unknown. Band origin: UK 13. Brendan Phillips - Something's Happening Outside taken from the single Pack Your Bags/Something's Happening Outside (Mercury MF 931) 1966 Line-up incl.: Brendan Phillips (vcls). Origin: Surrey 14. Andy Ellison - Arthur Green taken from the single It's Been A Long Time/Arthur Green (Track 604018) 1968 Line-up incl.: Andy Ellison (vcls). Origin: London 15. Candydates - Don't Let Me Down taken from the E.P. The Candydates (Oak EP OAK 409) 1966 Line-up: unknown. Band origin: UK 16. Rolling Stones - We Were Falling In Love (bonus) taken from an one-sided Emidisc acetate (1964) Line-up: Mick Jagger (vcls, hrmnca), Keith Richards (gtr, vcls), Brian Jones (gtr, vcls), Bill Wyman (bs, vcls), Charlie Watts (drms). Band origin: London
16 track collection of UK freakbeaters released on the Paranoid label (Paranoid PARA CD001 / 1998). No liners, just the front-/backcover (the last three songs are not listed on the CD) and the enjoyable music for sure.
Tracklist: 1. Richard Kent Style - Go Go Children taken from the single No Matter What You Do/Go Go Children (Columbia DB 7964) 1966 Line-up: Richard Kent (vcls, trumpet), Neil Levine (lead gtr), Harvey Rose (bs), Ian McGregor (sax), Austin Verner (sax), Ronnie Smith (trumpet), Desmond Whitehead (drms). Band origin: Manchester (Greater Manchester/UK) 2. Chicago Line - Shimmy Shimmy Ko Ko Bop taken from the single Shimmy Shimmy Ko Ko Bop/Jump Back (Philips BF 1488) 1966 Personnel incl.: Mike Redfearn (bs).Band origin: Sheffield (Yorkshire/UK) 3. Thane Russal - I Need You taken from the single Drop Everything And Run/I Need You (CBS 202403) 1966 Line-up incl.: Thane Russal [aka Doug Gibbons] (vcls). Origin: London 4. Jimmy Winston & His Reflections - It's Not What You Do taken from the single Sorry She's Mine/It's Not What You Do (Decca F 12410) 1966 Line-up: Jimmy Winston (vcls, gtr), John Weider (lead gtr), Alex Dmochowski (bs), Tony Kaye (organ), Terry Slade (drms). Band origin: London 5. Ten Feet - Shoot On Sight taken from the single Shoot On Sight/Losing Game (CBS 3045) 1967 Line-up: unknown. Band origin: UK 6. Alan Bown Set - I Really Really Care taken from the single Gonna Fix You Good/I Really Really Care (Pye 7N 17256) 1967 Line-up: Jess Roden (vcls), Tony Catchpole (lead gtr), Stan Haldane (bs, vcls), Jeff Bannister (organ, vcls), John Anthony (sax), Alan Bown (trumpet), Vic Sweeney (drms).Band origin: London 7. Universals - Hey You taken from the single I Can't Find You/Hey You (Page One POF 032) 1967 Line-up: Chris Lamb (trumpet), Mort Sullivan (tenor sax), Brian Keith (vcls, trombone), Foggy Little (lead gtr), Tony Murray (bs), Paul Raymond (keyb'ds), Terry Parsons (drms). Band origin: London 8. Wards Of Court - How Could You Say One Thing taken from the single All Night Girl/How Could You Say One Thing (Deram DM 127) 1967 Line-up: Rod Sones (vcls), Bob Lee (lead gtr), Rob Smethers (gtr), Trevor Danby (bs), Nigel Silk (drms).Band origin: Buckhurst Hill (Essex/UK) 9. Edwick Rumbold - Come Back taken from the single Specially When/Come Back (CBS 202393) 1966 Line-up: Jeff Martin (vcls, gtr), David Gyngell (bs), Sidney Baker (organ), Robin Laws (drms).Band origin: London 10. Magic Lanterns - I Stumbled taken from the single Rumplestiltskin/I Stumbled (CBS 202250) 1966 Line-up: Peter "Coco" Shoesmith (lead gtr, vcls), Jimmy "Jambo" Bilsbury (gtr, vcls), Ian Moncur (bs, vcls), Alan Wilson (drms). Band origin: Warrington (Cheshire/UK) 11. Worrying Kynde - Got The Blame taken from the single Call Out My Name/Got The Blame (Piccadilly 7N 35370) 1967 Line-up: John Lamb (vcls), Lawrence "Fig" Fagan (lead gtr), Eddie Lamb (bs), Ray Bartrip (keyb'ds), Roland Rees (drms).Band origin: London 12. Gods - Garage Man taken from the single Come On Down To My Boat Baby/Garage Man (Polydor 56168) 1967 Line-up: Ken Hensley (vcls, keyb'ds, gtr, perc), Mick Taylor (lead gtr), John Glasscock (bs, vcls), Brian Glasscock (drms). Band origin: Hatfield (Hertfordshire/UK) 13. Herd - This Boy's Always Been True taken from the single So Much In Love/This Boys's Always Been True (Parlophone R 5413) 1966 Line-up: Terry Clark (vcls, gtr), Gary Taylor (gtr, bs, vcls), Louis Cennamo (bs), Andy Bown (keybd's, vcls), Mike Underwood (drms). Band origin: London 14. Lindsay Muir's Untamed - Daddy Long Legs taken from the single Daddy Long Legs/Trust Yourself A Little Bit (Planet PLF 113) 1966 Line-up: Lindsay Muir (vcls, lead gtr), Andy Dickson (bs), Peter Kelly (keyb'ds), Brian Hire (drms).Band origin: Bognor Regis (Sussex) 15. Peeps - Gotta Get A Move On taken from the single Gotta Get A Move On/I Told You Before (Philips BF 1478) 1966 Line-up: Martin Cure (vcls), Steve Jones (vcls, lead gtr), Graham Amos (bs), Paul Wilkinson (drms).Band origin: Coventry (West Midlands/UK) 16. Voids - I'm In A Fix taken from the single Come On Out/I'm In A Fix (Polydor BM 56073) 1966 Line-up: unknown. Band origin: Somerset (UK)
This Chicago band was best known for their huge hit "Bend Me, Shape Me". "Pumpkin, Powder, Scarlet And Green" was their third album (Acta/Dot SMD 74445 / 1968) and it's a pretty good one indeed. "Cool It" for instance was a hit that never was, very danceable and powerful that nearly touches Northern Soul territory. "Welcome You're In Love" and "Master Of My Fate" (with sitar) were the other winners. Not a lost gem but except for "The Right To Cry" and "Music To Think By" a constantly good record although there's a bit too much brass at times.
Tracklist: - Pumpkin - Cool It (We're Not Alone) - Welcome, You're In Love - The Right To Cry - Ready, Willing And Able - Take Me If You Want Me - Powder - Scarlet - Anyway That You Want Me - Master Of My Fate - Music To Think By - Train On A One-Track Mind - I'm Gonna Make You Mine - Green Personnel: Gary Loizzo (vcls, gtr) Al Ciner (gtr) Chuck Colbert (bs) Lee Graziano (dr) [Kevin Murphy] (keyb'ds) Band origin: Chicago (Illinois/US)
Discographie: Albums: 1. American Breed (Acta (Dot) 38002) 1967 2. American Breed II "Bend Me Shape Me" (Acta (Dot) 38003) 1968 3. Pumpkin, Powder, Scarlet And Green (Acta (Dot) 38006) 1968 4. Lonely Side Of The City (Acta (Dot) 38008) 1968
45's: 1. I Don't Think You Know Me/ Give Two Young Lovers A Chance (Acta 802) 1967 2. Step Out Of Your Mind/Same Old Thing (Acta 804) 1967 3. Don't Forget About Me/Short Skirts (Acta 808) 1967 4. Bend Me, Shape Me/Mindrocker (Acta 811) 1967 5. Green Light/Don't It Make You Cry (Acta 821) 1968 6. Ready, Willing And Able/Take Me If You Want Me (Acta 824) 1968 7. Any Way That You Want Me/Master Of My Fate (Acta 827) 1968 8. Keep The Faith/Private Zoo (Acta 830) 1969 9. Hunky Funky/Enter The Master (Acta 833) 1969 10. Room At The Top/Walls (Acta 836) 1969 11. Cool It (We're Not Alone)/The Brain (Acta 837) 1969 12. Can't Make It Without You/When I'm With You (Paramount 0040) 1971
Simon Dupree started out The Howling Wolves and later became The Road Runners, a Portsmouth-based R&B band. 'Simon Dupree' was actually vocalist Ray Shulman and the band got the new name in 1966. Their early music was almost entirely soul, mostly Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding covers.Their debut 45, I See The Light, was a good stomping R&B number, but it made little impression on the record buying public. The flip side was more soul-based with lots of brass. Their follow-up, Reservations, was an uptempo, organ-driven R&B number, which was certainly one of their better singles. It's sales were quite encouraging although it failed to make the Charts. The flip side, You Need A Man, was frankly nondescript. Their next release, Day Time, Night Time, was another organ-led R&B belter. A fine record of its type but again it failed to Chart. The flip side was similar in style but a weaker composition. Their album, Without Reservations, released at the start of August 1967, included much of the material from their live act. There's the soul medley, 60 Minutes Of Your Love/A Lot Of Love, a cover of Sam Cooke's Amen, as well as some self-penned compositions like Who Cares and Get Off My Bach. The only remotely psych-pop track was There's A Little Picture Playhouse and the album certainly isn't worth purchasing for connoisseurs of psychedelia, but it is if soul or R&B is your scene. The release of the quasi-psychedelic Kites in October 1967 marked a drastic change of image and musical direction. Recorded at the Abbey Road studios it's full of interesting sound effects and instruments like the mellotron, gongs and vibraphone. It shot them into the Top Ten but gave them an image that was at odds with their R&B roots which they had difficulty reconciling themselves to. The flip side, Like The Sun Like The Fire, also had a hint of Sgt. Pepper about it but wasn't quite as good. From here on the band's career was in decline through their failure to score another Top Twenty hit. Of their later singles, For Whom The Bell Tolls and Broken Hearted Pirates, are the most interesting. The former did reach No 43 in the Charts in April 1968. It features some pleasant flamenco-style guitar and another strong vocal performance from Ray Shulman as well as tolling bells, naturally. They also recorded a single called We Are The Moles Pts 1 And 2 (Parlophone R 5743) under the pseudonym of The Moles in 1968. When the group dissolved in 1969, the Shulman brothers went on to form Gentle Giant. (Taken from "Tapestry Of Delights")
This collection of their best songs was released by See For Miles (SEE FOR MILES CM 109 / 1986).
Tracklist: - Kites - Like The Sun Like The Fire - Sleep - For Whom The Bell Tolls - Broken Hearted Pirates - 60 Minutes Of Your Love/A Lot Of Love (Medley) - Love - Get Off My Bach - There's A Little Picture Playhouse - Day Time, Night Time - I See The Light - What Is Soul - Amen - Who Cares - She Gave Me The Sun - Thinking About My Life - It Is Finished - I've Seen It All Before - Reservations Personnel: Derek Shulman (vcls) [AB] Phil Shulman (sax, trumpet) [AB] Ray Shulman (bs, gtr, vcls) [AB] Pete O'Flaherty (bs) [A] Eric Hine (keyb'ds) [AB] Tony Ransley (drms) [A] Gearie Jay Kenworthy (bs) [B] Martin Smith (drms) [B] Band origin: Portsmouth (Hampshire/UK)
Discographie: Albums: 1. (A) Without Reservations (Parlophone PMC/PCS 7029) 1967
45's: 1. (A) I See The Light/It Is Finished (Parlophone R 5542) 1966 2. (A) Reservations/You Need A Man (Parlophone R 5574) 1967 3. (A) Day Time, Night Time/I've Seen It All Before (Parlophone R 5594) 1967 4. (A) Kites/Like The Sun Like The Fire (Parlophone R 5646) 1967 5. (A) For Whom The Bell Tolls/Sleep (Parlophone R 5670) 1968 6. (A) Part Of My Past/This Story Never Ends (Parlophone R 5697) 1968 7. (A) Thinking About My Life/Velvet And Lace (Parlophone R 5727) 1968 8. (B) Broken Hearted Pirates/She Gave Me The Sun (Parlophone R 5757) 1969 9. (B) The Eagle Flies Tonight/Give It All Back (Parlophone R 5816) 1969
Rare, original and hard to get music is the demand of that blog here. If a record is still available through mailorders I won't post it (but I make exceptions if I get the feeling the dealers force up the prices). Enjoy the music and... ...leave comments (or leave me alone).
It's hard to believe that New Westminster could be the heart of the R&B Scene, but there it was, the mid 60's, and IKE AND TINA TURNER were on the bill! The former Hollywood Bowl, under new ownership of Les Vogt and the management of Douglas Miller, became the short lived Grooveyard, and took its rightful place in local music history. MARVIN GAYE, ETTA JAMES, LITTLE JUNIOR PARKER, THE SPINNERS, and BO DIDDLEY performed there, as well as hot Northwest groups THE KINGSMEN, PAUL REVERE AND THE RAIDERS, DON AND THE GOODTIMES, and even THE SONICS. Most importantly, The Grooveyard gave some of Vancouver's hottest acts a stage and, on some very special evenings, you could see up to ten live bands and dance 'til you dropped. It just didn't get any better. The original album was the brainchild of Les Vogt, band manager, concert promoter, rockabilly performer, and owner of the Grooveyard. He thought the album would generate more publicity for the club and the bands in his management stable. He took his idea to musician and song writer Tom Northcott and local entrepreneur Jack Herschorn at their offices, where they operated New Syndrome Records. 
