In Dan’s Garage…#114

Hi all!!!! Well it’s been a while since I last posted and as this all too familiar tale goes, I’ve been busy as hell. The entire month of October was full including a very snazzy out of town wedding and several other events that kept me occupied. I just got back from a crazy wonderful vacation in the Dominican Republic that was to say the least, fantastic. If you ever get a chance to visit Punta Cana, I highly recommend it. Beautiful sand and beaches, warm weather, and the people are fantastic. Cigars aren't bad either but if you visit I suggest you purchase in the duty free shops at the airport. MUCH cheaper than the “tourist” spots.     In an effort to get this one out I’ll be rather brief. Records are piling up, and I’m having a difficult time sorting things out at the moment. This post is somewhat short (only 24 tracks) mainly because I finished a box and hit a wall. I really don’t want to put sub-par material on this blog, at least in the “Dan’s Garage” comps, so I’m considering moving that stuff over to “Dan’s Leftovers” a blog that I’ve sadly neglected since I started it. I may do a “one single at a time” format there and just post pics with a link to a sound file. This will be for a bunch of stuff that I've obtained that falls into the pop/schlock/weird category. It doesn’t matter if its good or if it sucks, I’ll post it and comment accordingly.    This one starts off with some fairly traditional stuff and takes a sharp left turn into weird territory. I hope you all enjoy, it’s good to be back.

Gregory Dee & The Avanties – The Slide / When Will I Be Loved (1965) Another classic from one of Minneapolis’ best bands. “The Slide” is a great dance number and the flip is a nice cover of the Everly’s “When Will I Be Loved”

Roadrunners – Roadrunner Walk / Tell Her You Love Her (196?) I’m not sure when this Michigan based 45 came out, but it definitely sounds like early sixties, although one source says it may be from 1968. I doubt it…

Peace & Love – “New” 96 Tears / Come On Up (1969) Not sure where this crew is from, but the “New” 96 Tears sounds a lot like the old one. Not bad though, at least they didn’t screw it up. Funky cover of “Come On Up” on the flip.

Fabulous Farquahr - Sister Theresa's East River Orphanage / My Eggs Don't Taste The Same Without You (1968) A folky/psychedelic group from Boston that had a couple of LP’s and shortened their name simply to Farquahr in 1970. This is a decent two pop/psych two sider.

Ford Theatre – Wake Up In The Morning / Time Changes (1969) A group out of Massachusetts, they weren’t exactly part of the “Bosstown Sound” but had a similar approach to their playing. A great psychedelic two sider.

Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus - Quick Joey Small (Run Joey Run) (1968) Almost definitely a studio group, this 45 is pretty good, mixing typical bubblegum arrangements with some snotty vocals. I like.

Strawberry Alarm Clock – Barefoot In Baltimore / An Angry Young Man (1968) One of many 45’s this group released, but unlike the pop/psych sounds of “Incense & Peppermints” this is a very polished pop effort that doesn’t sound anything like their mega-hit.

Sunrise Highway – Goin’ To California / The Love Game (1968) Not exactly sure where these guys are from, but my best guess would be they were a New York  City studio group. Here they do a version of “Goin’ To California” that I featured by the Boys From NYC on IDG #17. Quite a different arrangement.

Love Affair – Someone Like Me (1968) A nice soulful B side from a British group that had some success in the late 60s

Magic Lanterns – Friscoe Annie (1970) A British group that was rumored to have Ozzy Osbourne as one of their members, but he was confused with bass player Mike “Oz” Osborne. Mostly a pop group, they did have this somewhat heavy B side in 1970.

Scot Richard Case – I’m So Glad / Who Is That Girl (1967) Superb two sider from one of Detroit’s finest bands. DIG IT!!!!

Ormandy – Sparrow’s Corner / Good Day (1970) While we’re in Michigan let’s check out Ormandy, a group from Lansing, MI who played gigs with a lot of the great groups from the area including The Stooges and the probably rubbed elbows with Scot Richard Case as well. Kinda cool mix of psych, pop, and soul. Word has it that their sax player ended up in Bob Seger’s band.

Glass Harp – La De Da (1972) The Glass Harp from Youngstown, OH were quite popular in the late 60’s early 70’s and featured guitar whiz Phil Keaggy. They sort of straddled a line between progressive jam type rock and British pop with a healthy dose of Christian lyrics thrown in (Keaggy would go on to be big in the Christian music scene). This one sounds as if it could have been on Abbey Road, a good example of their British influences.

Mother Earth - Good Night Nelda Grebe, The Telephone Company Has Cut Us Off (1969) A San Francisco group that originated in Texas, listening to this will obviously remind you of Janis Joplin. Two of the members were in The Wig, one of my favorite Texas bands.

Banchee – Searcher’s Life (1971) Banchee released two LP’s, one in ‘69 and the other in’71, both featured great heavy guitar riffs. This song is from their second LP “Thinkin”.

HERE