BLESS MY SOUL!!!!!!

I'm sure a few of you are wondering where "In Dan's Garage..#21" went. Well it seems that I've violated a copyright, and the post was yanked. I don't necessarily have a problem with that. I mean,  rock stars are entitled to their royalties, and so are indie record companies that provide us with great music. I'm really not an "anti-establishment" type of guy, I just like to share what I've amassed with eager listeners. I really equate this with trading CD-Rs with pals, and since the vast majority of this stuff is so under the radar, I never thought I'd be "victimizing" an "artist" or record label. I have no issues with removing "offending content" from my blog. I just wish one of these assholes would inform me of who or what I was offending. THAT pisses me off. So until I get this figured out, #21 will have to be buried for the time being. Sorry.

In Dan's Garage...#22

Ooh Ooh! That's what Gunther Toody used to say on "Car 54" when he was really excited. I miss that show dammit, and it's not out on DVD yet. They used to have it on TV Land, but now I gotta sit through this "High School Reunion" shit. And that thing with "The Cougar"??? Don't even get me started. I could have an entirely different blog on how much I hate that crap. Al "Grandpa" Lewis used to be on Car 54 too, as well as the late great Fred Gwynne who was Grandpa's son-in-law in what is one of the Top 10 greatest sitcoms ever...The Munsters. By the way... he was Gunther's sidekick in Car 54. Sorry. Got a little sidetracked there. I'm excited today because I usually post these once a week. I made a little extra time for myself though, and I'm happy to say I'm ready to post #22. So enjoy the "Double Whammy" this weekend!!! (or Monday... whatever...) 

Scorpions - (Ain't That) Just Like Me / Hello Josephine

Man Oh Maneschewitz!!!! Here's a rip roarin' start to this post. These guys were from Manchester but actually had greater success in Holland, where the "Hello Josephine" was a sizable hit. The B side though, is the gem here. Just Like Me rips the Searchers' version (and anyone else's for that matter) to shreds. One of the best ever!!!!!

Bobby Jameson - I Wanna Love You

Bobby Jameson's career was a varied one. He had a critically acclaimed album produd by Curt Boettcher in 1967. This however is his first release, a super cool acoustic guitar driven number that defies description. It's not exactly garage, it's not exactly folk rock, but it definitely has a lot of attitude.

Henchmen - Rockin' Robin / Baby What's Wrong

Hailing from down under (that's Australia OK?) is this neat, beat rocker from a Melbourne group, and a great example of how small labels like Swan tried to capitalize on the beat boom. I don't think this was as big a hit as "She Loves You" though.

Trolls - Smething Here Inside / Laughing All The Way

Finely crafted pop/punk from a Chicago group. 

Count & The Colony - Say What You Think

Count & The Colony were from Saginaw, Michigan, and shared labels with ? & The Mysterians on their first 45s. This one is probably from 1967 and was released on the Nashville based SSS International label. Kinda sounds like "Rockin' Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu".

5 Of A Kind - Please Tell Me(They Were Wrong)

I'm not too sure about this great moody garage 45. There was a Five Of A Kind from Texas on Vandan records, but I don't think this is the same group.

Beatstalkers - Get A Better Hold On / Left Right Left

Way cool freakbeat from Scotland's biggest beat group. Well, at least they were the biggest in 1965.

Bristols - Where Am I Going

Real obscure moody garage from Springfield, MA. Sorry, can't come up with anything here....

Other Half - It's Been A Good Day / I Won't Be Back

So I get this 45 on Ebay thinking it's probably the "Mr. Pharmacist" guys, and this gem shows up. What a pleasant surprise! This is two sides of great, moody, inept garage from who knows where. The A side sounds a little bit like The Beau Brummels.

Chosen Few - Why Can't I Love Her / La La La La La

One of the gazillion "Chosen Few's" from the 60's. This one I believe is from the New Haven, CT area.

Myddle Class - Free As The Wind / Gates Of Eden

I love these guys. They're one of the best bands to come out of the sixties. I'd rank them right up there with the Remains. Unfortunately, they never hit it big and left us with only three 45's, this being their second.

Bards - Owl And The Pussycat / Light Of Love

Pacific NW group who had about a dozen 45s. They did two versions of "Owl", and this is the later one from 1968. Real cool heavy psyche. The flip was recorded in '66 and is a nice folky flavored organ punker.

Billy & The Kid - Troubles Of My Own / Shut Down Again

Another mystery group. The only thing I can tell you is that Millemka Productions was a Mitch Miller operation to promote new acts for Decca Records in the USA. Somehow, I think 'ol Mitch wasn't around when these guys were recording.

Selective Service - Shake

Real cool fuzz laden version of San Cooke's classic dance tune.

Tree - No Good Woman / Man From Nowhere

WOW!!! Absolutely one of the deadliest 60's punkers ever. "Fuzz, Acid, & Flowers" calls this one"a typical raw punk number..." I don't know about you, but the line... "You're ugly and you're fat,and you got no teeth" sure as hell ain't typical to me. 

Teddy Boys - Where Have All The Good Times Gone / La La

These guys were from Hyde Park, NY, an affluent community about an hour or so north of NYC. The Teddy Boys were one of the more popular bands around the "Hudson Valley" area, and are most famous for their version of "Jezebel', a killer 60's garage classic. They tackle a Kinks classic on this 45 and actually do a better job (IMHO). The flip is slow, but killer also, with fantastic fuzz guitars.

Chosen Few - Hey Joe

Sorry to confuse anyone. It wasn't my intention to post two "Chosen Fews" twice, but this one came up sooo... I don't think this group is related to the Chosen Few up above. They may be from Canada, but since I have no info, who the hell knows??? This is a decent version that kind of mixes Jimi Hendrix, with some straight up folk rock.

Get It HERE

In Dan's Garage...#20

Happy Valentines Day! Yikes! Have I done this "Dan's Garage" thing twenty times already???? I'm glad you're all enjoying these posts. As I've always said, it gives me a good reason to sit down and spin records. It's really relaxing. This post features the usual "eclectic" mix of 60s sounds. I really don't plan themes for these things, I just grab a handful of 45s and go at it, although about two thirds of this post are very recent acquisitions. I will in the future post an all instrumental edition, and one that will feature upstate New York groups so stay tuned. On to the music...

Liverpool 5 - The Snake

I'm a real big fan of these guys, mostly because they could cover songs with their own unique spin, and this is no exception. "The Snake" was a huge hit for Al Green in 1968, but this version pre-dates it by about a year and a half. This flip is a real disappointment though, as most of their 45s were solid two siders.

Bandits - Baby Feel Good

From 1964 comes this Buddy Hollyish number with some amusing Beatlesque style falsetto "wooos". Note the real sparse production and lack of any electric guitars......

Sterlings - Thank You Babe

OK, so I'm listening to this 45, and it's a real good folk rocker with some nice "wall of sound" style production, and it hits me...I think these guys are the same group as The Changin' Times who were famous for "How Is The Air Up There" and a real good version of "The Pied Piper" of which this very song here was the flip side of. I'm pretty sure they're the same tune although I don't have the Pied Piper 45 in front of me to confirm it. By the way...where the hell was I when they were selling stuff like this for 5 cents??????

Floyd & Jerry with The Counterpoints - Summer Kisses / Why Do You 

 

Floyd & Jerry Westfall were brothers who did sort of an Everly Brothers styled thing, and were big stars in the Phoenix  area. They had several 45s, their best being "Believe In Things" a great folk rocker. This one is a bit tamer, and has nice teenybopper sound to it.

Beau Brummels - Good Time Music / Sad Little Girl

  

The last of five 45s they released on Autumn, this is a great two sider. I'm anything but a fan of John Sebastian and The Lovin' Spoonful, but the Beau's version of this song is pretty good, with some nice chugging guitar work. The flip is a typically great slow folk rocker that they always did so well. 

Debs - Life And Soul Of The Party

  

Girl groups anyone???? Why not? This is a pretty cool cover of a Petula Clark tune, with a nice fuzz guitar driving it along in the background, and oddly enough, it has that same "wall of sound" type thing heard on the Sterlings 45. I can't come up with any info on this group except that producer Joe Venneri was in The Tokens of "Lion Sleeps Tonight" fame, and was probably a house producer for a bunch of things on Mercury records.

Mike Settle - Bhubee Baby

  

Not exactly a "garage" 45, but I really like it. The guy sounds a lot like Sir Doug, and it has this cool swampy vibe to it. Mike Settle was from Tulsa, OK and wasin The New Christy Minstrels, and Kenny Rodgers and the First Dimension.

Rockin' Ramrods - Don't Fool With Fumanchu / Tears Melt The Stones 

  

A very popular Boston act, these guys relesed at least nine 45's in various styles. This shows two sides of the group. The A side is (another) garage novelty with a nod to "Louie Louie", and the flip is a frantic, yet depressing garage mover with real off key vocals.

Motivators - Ode To Loneliness /  Heart Of Blue

Talk about depressing. This El Paso group waxed not one, but two sides of sublime moodiness. Both songs feature cool Farfisa organ.

Rumbles - Fourteen Years / It's My Turn To Cry

Omaha, NE biggest act from the 60s. The Rumbles, also known as Rumbles LTD. released 14 45s on 10 different labels. This one is a great moody (here we go again....) two sided folk rocker with fantastic 12 string guitars and vocals.

Great Scots - Don't Want Your Love / Give Me Lovin'

  

Supremely cool band from Nova Scotia. The A side is fantastic invasion styled beat, and the B side is a beat raver with gruff screaming vocals. All of this group's output is highly recommended. 

Pride & Joy - If You're Ready / Girl

  

Originally known as the Del-Vetts whose "Last Time Around" is a bona-fide garage classic. They don't disappoint with this one either. Basically a rewrite of "Last Time" with a different arrangement, this one has the same intense fuzz guitars and menacing vocals, and the flip is a great folk rocker (seems like there's a plethora of those this time around eh?).

Astronauts - I Know You Rider

  

Another great song from this very versatile group who covered all styles from surf, to this traditional folk rocker. Again.The flip is really atrocious though....

Collectors - Make It Easy

  

Totally crazed psych punker from Vancouver. These guys were produced by Dave Hassinger, who at the time was also working with The Grateful Dead on their first LP. You can tell they have somewhat of a "Bay Area" sound to them, especially the guitar solo with it's heavy vibrato, which to me sounds like it was heavily influenced by Jorma Kaukonen. 

Country Joe & The Fish - Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine / Masked Marauder

  

Hey! Why don't we go right to the Bay Area and check out Country Joe & The Fish?? I'm not a huge fan of San Francisco area bands, but The Fish's 1st LP, along with the first Grateful Dead LP are among my favorites, mainly because of the heavy use of Farfisa and Vox organs, and relatively "non-progressive" guitar tones.

Capes Of Good Hope - Lady Margaret

Here's some trippy psychedelic "raga  rock" 45 from Chicago. This is a great example of how groups from 1967/68 were so influenced by Indian and Middle Eastern sounds.

Amen Corner - Nema

The Amen Corner were a fine beat/psyche group from the UK. Although most of their material falls a bit short of garage or beat or even psyche, this one tune stands out. I think it's great.

Alan Franklin Explosion - Bye Bye Baby / Peice Of My Heart

  

OK, this is a weird one. If you've ever heard "The Blues Climax" LP you know that it's one of the worst recorded things ever. I mean, it's bad. But in a good way you know? Kinda like The Milkshakes, although I wouldn't put this act in the same league. So I was a bit surprised to hear a more "polished" Alan Franklin on this 45, which sounds as if it was recorded in a different session, although I must say, for 1970, this is pretty lo-fi.

Gregorians - Dialated Eyes

  

Maybe I should have called this post the "Special Depressed Edition", because this song here takes the cake. This guy talks about fathers beating their kids for sneaking beers, and mom just doesn't give a rats ass because she's so messed up herself, with her "dialated eyes" Though this is a very late 60's effort that edges on progressive rock, it deserves inclusion here.

Jaspar Wrath - Did You Know That

I may get some groans of disapproval for including this one from 1972, but I really like it. These guys were from New Haven, Connecticut and also had an album.

Get it HERE

In Dan's Garage...#19

 

Greetings friends, and welcome to another edition of my humble little blog. It's real cold here in  upstate New York this weekend, and I'm sure all those who live in this part of the hemisphere are praying for warmer weather. Or at least a brief thaw. It's also Super Bowl Sunday, so I need to get this out of the way so's  I can make some grub for a few pals of mine who are coming over to visit. I'd also like to thank, and give a plug to an especially fine blog out there called "Flower Bomb Songs", who did a really nice article on my former band the Projectiles. It's also full of insanely cool music, so if you like my blog, you'll love this one. Let's get on to the music shall we????

Danny Peil & The Tigers - Jingle Jump

  

 Here's a great early rocker fom Milwaukee, WI. This was a freebie that came with some kind of "Jingle Hop" toy that you wrapped around your ankle and sort of skipped rope with. The same record was also released as Danny Peil and The Apollos.

Bo Pete - Do You Wanna (Have Some Fun) / Groovy Little Suzie

  

This is none other than Harry Nilsson himself before he became successful. This is real good garage stuff here, with a cool fuzz guitar, and the B side is a Little Richard style rocker written by John Marascalco, the same guy who wrote "Good Golly Miss Molly", "Ready Teddy", and "Rip It Up".

Ron Dels - Tina

  

Another nice, easy going early rocker from Fort Worth, TX. Delbert McClinton went on to be successful in country music.

Bryan Peters - She's That Kind Of Girl / Sherry

 

 Real cool, moody number from a total mystery guy. The flip's a keen teen ballad.

Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs - That I Love

 

 Great Aussie beat from a guy who had a long and prolific career. 

Transatlantics - Many Things From Your Window / I Tried To Forget

 

Not much is known about this group, except that they were from Grays in Essex. That had at least one other 45 released in the US on Jubilee, which is also good. This is a nice Searchers style two sider.

Danny & Jerry - We've Got A Groovey Thing Goin'

 

 Fantastic take on a lesser known Simon & Garfunkel tune. Great organ and fuzzy guitars throughout this one. This was produced by Ron Gray, the guy who gave us the outstanding "Hold Back The Sunrise" in #6, and could possibly be the same band.

Shaggy Boys - Stop The Clock

 

 This one's a neat stomper that kind of sounds like a garage version of The Vogues, or Jay & The Americans. Produced by Shadow Morton of Shangri-Las fame, this is most likely a New York City studio group.

Dow Jones & The Averages - Chim Chim Cher-ee / Bring It On Home

  

Another mystery group, most likely from California. When I first purchased this 45 way back when, I listened to the A side which I thought was pretty good, and just ignored the flip. I mean, how good can a cover of a song from "Mary Poppins" possibly be, right? Wrong. It's actually a pretty creative take on it. Really!

X-cellents - Little Wooden House / Hang It Up

 

Tough, screaming garage from Dayton, OH. The flip is a good frat style tune.

E Types - Put The Clock Back On The Wall / 4th Street

 

This is probably one of the best psych/pop 45s of all time. Produced by Ed Cobb, (Chocolate Watchband, Standells), this was supposedly recorded on an all night amphetamine binge...

Fabulous Tynsions 5 - Lone Ranger Man / Daniel Boone (The Frontiers Man) 

  

Every once in a while, I have to throw in a good "novelty garage rocker". This is a good one too, extolling the virtues of two of America's greatest heroes. "Lone Ranger Man" is a ripoff of "Secret Agent Man", and the "Daniel Boone" is more of a blue eyed soul tune.

Lanny Hunt - Suzie Q

  

Let's continue with a little more "soul" influenced rock and roll. This interesting version of Dale Hawkins' classic is from the Pacific NW, and was produced by Lynn Easton of Kingsmen fame. This has a great British "Mod" feel to it.

Live Five - Who Knows

  

Great garage/pop from Salem, OR featuring a really tough guitar sound with superb vocal harmonies

Blue Things - Somebody Help Me

 

 The Blue Things were one of the great lost bands of the 60s, who probably should have been much bigger. This is a great cover of The Spencer Davis Group's big hit. Dig the fuzz.....

Original Intrigues - I've Tried My Best / The Reasons Why

 

 Wow. This is a rather crude recording by what sounds like a late 60s hippie act. I think they skipped going to a recording studio and just did it in their basement. Anyway, both sides are real interesting, and absolutely nothing is known about this.

Rupert's People - I've Got The Love / I Can Show You

 

 Here's an amazing piece of British psychedelia. Rupert's People released three 45s, this being their last, and I think it's the best. Real nice swirly, dreamy psyche at its best. The singer sounds a bit like Steve Marriott and there a little "Day Tripper" riff in there too!

Tiffany Shade - Would You Take My Mind Out For A Walk / One Good Reason

  

Fine garage/psyche from Cleveland, OH. Great guitars and vocals too!

End Game - Could This Be Love

  

Here's one I'm not too sure of. The record is in stereo which indicates that it's most likely a post 1968 release, but they sound strangely wayahead of their time, maybe early 70s, yet still very "garagey". Almost a "power pop" sound. The song publisher is Carldell Music who also published The Shandels who did "No Way Out" on Carldell Records, "Please Stay" on Shutdown '66  and "Shades Of Blue" from Teenage Shutdown.  Could it possibly be a later incarnation of that group?????

MC5 - Looking At You / Borderline

  

Not much needs to be said about these Detroit legends I'm sure. While "Kick Out The Jams" may be their most popular tune, and the one they are most identified with, this 45 is in my opinion, their finest moment. Nothing they ever did compares to the sheer ferocity in which both sides of this 45 are delivered. I wish I could have been in the studio when they recorded this.... 

Get it HERE