In Dan’s Garage…#87

Holy moly. It seems like a decade since I last did this, and it’s not for lack of wanting to do it, the time just seems to slip away from me faster as I grow older, you know what I mean????? I swear to God The Almighty that a week feels like a few hours these days. Sheesh. I’ve been nickel and diming this post for at least a month now, all while gathering up more 45s and pissing my lovely wife off as well while little piles of records appear out of nowhere, and cardboard mailers begin to stack up. On the bright side, all this background activity should keep this blog going for a good long time. In case you haven’t noticed, quite a few of the old posts have been re-upped. This is a time consuming process, but I did find a nice uploading tool to get gobs of files up at once, yet it still takes some time for that process as well. I figure I’ll have them all taken care of by the end of the month (hopefully).     One of the big reasons that my time is so precious these days is this steady gig I have with some friends called “The Imaginary Band”. We’re simply a commercial “Classic Rock” band, but we’re very good at what we do, and my Saturdays are pretty much booked till the end of the year which is great if you’re in a “working band”. This is the most work I’ve done as a musician in my entire life, and at 53 it feels great. Yeah…we play “old music, for old people” but most of us middle agers aren’t done rocking yet, especially me, and after languishing in Garage Rock bands for the past 35 years playing second fiddle to The Chesterfield Kings or worse yet being completely ignored altogether, it feels good to have people truly appreciate what I do, even though it the same old stuff you hear on FM radio. I do manage to slip in a few “nuggets” here & there like the Bubble Puppy’s “Hot Smoke & Sassafras. That always gets the folks scratching their heads a wee bit.    Thanks again to all for kind words and comments, hopefully I’ll scrape up a little more time to make these posts more frequent, In the meantime enjoy this one……

Galaxies – The Raunchy Twist / San (1962) Let’s start with a good old time early 60’s instrumental that sounds a lot like Duane Eddy. I’m not sure if this is the same group that was from Tacoma, WA, but it’s a possibility. These guys plow through a version of Bill Justis’ classic and put the “twist” tag on it so’s they could sell more records!

Tommy Kay Show – I Need Someone Now / Man Without A Name (196?) I’m not exactly sure of the date that this was recorded, but it certainly sounds like an early 60s teen weeper backed with a moody instrumental. Embers records was a subsidiary of Cuca Records out of Sauk City, Wisconsin, famous for a few garage killers.

Strangers – Tell Me / Easy Livin’(1965) I Can’t tell you a whole lot about this one except that it most likely is from California, and they do a pretty good cover of the Stones’ “Tell Me”. The flip is a pretty good instrumental although it definitely sounds like “filler”.

Cicadas – That’s What I Want / Hey Wha’ D’ya Say (1964) Way cool version of this song that made the rounds in several groups including the Liverpool Five. This here is one of my favorites though, with it’s warbly guitars and excellent background vocals. The Cicadas were from Australia and had several other 45s that I’ve never had the pleasure to hear.

Shevelles - How Would You Like Me To Love You / I Could Conquer The World (1964) A fine British group that had a few decent 45s released from ‘63 to ‘68, mostly in the R&B/Mod style. This one was a nice pop two sider produced by Don Charles who was somehow connected to the great Joe Meek.

Jesters Of Newport – Stormy / Where Have You Been All My Life (1966) A true classic in every sense of the word. I guess they were from southern California and recorded this in the back of a record store or something, ‘cause it sure sounds like it! One of the true garage/punk greats!

Kitchen Cinq – Determination / You’ll Be Sorry Someday (1966) One of the very first finds from “Fat Chuck’s” cache of 45s and to this day one of my favorites. Hailing from Amarillo, TX, they were originally called the “Y’alls” and had fuzzed out version of "The Beatles’ “Run For Your Life” on Ruff Records. They also recorded a decent LP and several other 45s.

Bob & Kit – You’ve Gotta Stop / Autumn Too Long (1966) An extremely obscure 45 from a guy/girl combo from who the hell knows where?????? this reminds me a lot of lyme & cebelle, or perhaps the Gas Co. Really nice folk/rock/pop with a prominent 12 string guitar.

Kords – Boris The Spider / It’s All In My Mind (1967) A previously unknown group, they are actually from Milton, FL (near Pensacola), and did quite a bit of touring in clubs, etc. around the southeast from 1967-72. Their story can be read by clicking here.

Rokes – Let’s Live For Today / I’ll Change My Papers (1967) This here is the supposed “original” version of the song, and I only put that word in quotes because it was the Living Daylight (IDG #86) that released the FIRST version. This one came shortly after and achieved no more success than the Daylights, although the Italian version “Piangi Con Me” was huge in Italy as were many other Rokes releases in that country. The Grass Roots got a hold of this great song and the rest is history……

Looking Glass – Kathy’s Dream / Migada Bus (1967) A way cool psychedelic 45 by a band that I thought were the same guys that sang the very popular 70’s hit “Brandy”, but I can’t really confirm that. A truly tripped out two sider that covers all the psychedelic bases so to speak…..

Omen – Once Upon A Taste / Melancholy Moonlight Minded Dreamer (1967) I remember scoring this one in Utica, NY for 10¢ along with the awesome “I Love You” by The Worlocks. Superb psychedelia with “eastern” influenced fuzz guitars wailing in the background and some dirge-like vocals. From Lake Mahopac, NY in the Catskills.

Thomas Edisun's Electric Light Bulb Band – Common Attitude / No One’s Been Here For Weeks (1967) A group from Lafayette, LA (or somewhere in that area) that I can’t get enough info on to really make a definitive statement about them. I think they recorded an unreleased LP of great Beatle influenced stuff, but I don’t think it was ever issued. This one here is a great psychedelic two sider.

West Minist’r – My Life / Mr. Fingers (1968) A group from Fort Dodge & Gowrie, Iowa that released a few excellent 45s in the late 60s and have been inducted into the Iowa Music Hall Of fame. This I believe was their last 45, an od two sider that really shows “two sides” to this great band. The A side being a flat out heavy rock number, and the B side being a rather whimsical, almost novelty psyche/pop tune.

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