In Dan’s Garage…#95

Hi Y’all! I was going to get this one out last Sunday, but the lingering effects of a particularly NASTY flu left be bedridden for a few days. Then I had to go back to work and schlepp mail for the rest of the week, and now I’m back to my desk punching away at this here blog! I’ve got some more interesting cuts for you all to enjoy and a good bit of it is post 1960’s but still fits in well with my overall theme so I hope you like it.   Anyone out there ever seen that show “American Pickers”???? If you haven't, it’s a “reality” show where these two annoying yuppies go around in a really expensive van “searching” for junk and antiques from pack rats across the country so they can turn around and sell them to other really rich yuppies for an obscene profit. We all know that they have people that scope this shit out in advance and the show is definitely scripted, and I love it when they get all flustered and upset because the old codger that lives in the shack next to his pile of junk will not sell them a rusty old piece of shit for some insane offer. But I digress. Point is, wouldn’t it be great if there was a show like that about record collectors????? I mean, I could lease myself a nice van, and travel across the country stopping at record stores, garage sales, antique shops, etc. scoping out fine pieces of vinyl. They could have segments where I haggle with the store owner for a M- copy of The Vistas’ “Moon Relay”, or stumble across an old warehouse that’s been storing a defunct radio station’s records for the last 30 years and they tell me I can have the shit for free, but I have to haul it away myself…….Ooops, I’m sorry, I was just daydreaming. That would would be fun though wouldn’t it? In the meantime I’m just going to enjoy what I’ve got here and keep picking away at the dregs here locally. Oh, and writing this blog as well. Enjoy.

Mickey Dolenz – Don’t Do It (1967) Somewhere between Mickey Dolenz’ career as a child actor and his stint with the Monkees, 1965 to be exact, he recorded this 45 for Challenge records that was left unissued until 1967 when he had established himself as the front man for TV’s most famous “pre-fab” rock group. The result was this rather cool pounder.

Miki Dallon – Do You Call That Love / Apple Pie (1965) Miki Dallon is perhaps most famous for writing the freakbeat classic “Take A Heart”, but he also released several 45s, the insane “I’ll Give You Love”, and this neat two sider.

Moody Blues – Everyday / You Don’t (1965) Ahhhh, there’s that beautiful swirly orange label again!!! This 45 was one of several follow-ups to the Moodie’s huge hit “Go Now” that never quite caught on even though I think both sides of this record are better songs.

Minitmen – Smokin’ In The Boys Room / Rollin’ In Money (1965) Not much is known about this 45 except for the fact that it was written and produced  by Doug Morris, the same genius behind The Barbarians who incidentally also recorded at Allegro Sound Studios. Ironically, Morris would produce a different “Smokin’ In The Boys Room” in 1973 which was a huge hit for Brownsville Station.

Vacant Lot – I Blew It / When Things Go Wrong (1967) Rumor has it that this bunch was from Clifton, NJ. The A side is a quirky up-tempo number whilst the B side is a great moody garage ballad.

Woolies – Who Do You Love / Hey Girl (1966) A group from Lansing, MI, this was their second 45 and first for Dunhill which became something of a regional hit in 1966. They would continue on through the seventies but never quite achieved the success they had with this one.

Lords – Death Bells At Dawn / Light Rain (1966) Wow. Here’s a 45 that defines “moody”. Talk about depressing, there’s few that reach down to this level. Apparently New Jersey was the home to this group of malcontents and this is their only known release. I got lucky when I found this one as it included one of their business cards in the sleeve as well!

Spats – She Done Moved (1966) I like the Spats a lot, even though some of their output was “novelty” type stuff. This is an example of how they could lay down perfect garage/punk and is a true classic as well.

Nightcrawlers – Basket Of Flowers / Washboard (1966) Genius folk/rock follow-up to “Little Black Egg” and perhaps their best 45

Renaissance - The Name Of The Game Is Love / That Someone Isn’t Me (1966) Here’s another one that’s tough to get a grip on. My guess would be that these guys were from the Chicago area, but I could be way off. In any case this group delivers with a rockin’ garage two sider.

Soul Inc. – Love Me When I’m Down / I Belong To Nobody (1968) These guys were a busy bunch from Louisville, KY and recorded several 45s for local labels before Counterpart records from Cincinnati released this in 1968 and was then picked up by Laurie for national distribution. Oh so cool thumper with a heavy edge to it. The B side is a very good moody ballad in stark contrast to the top side.

Little Boy Blues – It’s Only You / Is Love (1968) The Little Boy Blues were originally a blues influenced garage band from Chicago that issued the classic “Great Train Robbery” (as featured on Highs In The Mid Sixties Vol. 4) and had an excellent version of “I Can Only Give You Everything” as well as several other great cuts. By 1968 though, they had morphed into a, shall we say’ more “eclectic” act and released an LP on Fontana that was a mixed bag of lite and heavy psychedelia. This two sider is an example of what are considered the two best cuts.

Früt – Prison Of Love / Send Me Down (1971) Originally known as “Früt Of The Loom”, they first released the utterly fantastic “One Hand In The Darkness” (a 45 that I had won in an auction about 30 years ago and was unable to pay for leaving me a deadbeat in “Goldmine” terms, and I’m still trying to get my hands on a copy to this day) and then came out with this 45 about 3 or 4 years later. An excellent rocker on the A side with a do-woppish ballad on the B.

Five Man Electrical Band - Absolutely Right / (You And I) Butterfly (1971) Sure we all know these guys right? Their big claim to fame was perhaps one of the most annoying songs in the history of rock music “Signs”, a sanctimonious piece of crap that rubbed me the wrong way the very first time I ever heard it. This 45 though, contains two rather well crafted pop/rock songs with very good harmonies and some nice guitar work. From Canada, this group was originally known as the Staccatos who had a bunch of successful records before they changed their name.

Wicked Truth – Take A Chance / Rock No More (1973) This 45 was long thought to be a late sixties effort, but I did some research and it is indeed from 1973, or at least that was when this was pressed. I’d say ‘73 would be very accurate given the style and delivery. Very heavy handed with lots of Hammond organ. I don’t know anything about this band except that they recorded this at Edgewater Acres in Alexandria, PA. Edgewater Acres was a sort of hotel/resort in Pennsylvania very close to State College, the home of Penn State. It was run by a couple named Ted and Ruth Reinhart who did a long running weekly country and western radio show from the studio in the hotel where this group presumably recorded this 45. “Teru” was an amalgam of Ted and Ruth’s first names obviously, and they also released their own LPs on the label as well. Unfortunately for Ted, he was embroiled in some kind of sex scandal involving underage girls and taking them across state lines and was eventually caught by the FBI and convicted and is presently doing time for it. Yikes. Sorry to end this post on such a bad note, but it is a true story. The record’s not bad though. I particularly dig the crazy organ work on the B side.

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