Greetings music lovers!!!! I've been home sick the past few days, and thought it would be a great opportunity to spin some 45's and share them with you all. I just got hit with some kind of "non covid" respiratory virus, and it's taking me down HARD. That being said, I like to use my time of convalescing to good use, so here we are today!
I just grabbed a bunch of 45's that haven't been posted yet, and did my "stream of consciousness" thing which to be perfectly honest with you, works out quite well. I have a "system" where I "mark" the 45's I haven't posted yet, with a little sticker as you can see in this pic....
So, anything I come across with this little marker, is fair game for this blog, and let me tell you, I am overrun with sleeves that have these little colorful stickers on them!
I think this is a pretty good edition as I've included some very recent acquisitions, along with some 45's that have been hanging around for a while waiting to be let loose on this here blog 'o mine.
Thanks to all who stick around here and please share all this with your friends and loved ones!!!!!
The Deltones featuring The Gypsy - Bow Legged Annie / La-La-La (1959)
Back in 1992, I lived in a rented duplex with my former wife and my first born, which was comfortable, but ownership of the property was tenuous at best. We were literally chased out of this place after living there for three years and the whole situation was chaotic. In all the chaos, I lost a box full of VALUABLE 45's and this was one of them. I saw this on Ebay and had to buy it because it was one of my absolute favorites.
I don't know who the "Gypsy" was, but I'm guessing he's the lead vocalist on this white hot slice of rockin' R&B. Please enjoy!
Bobby Flores - Every Day I Have To Cry / Hey Girl, Please Listen (1968)
I'm not exactly sure if this 45 is from 1968, but I don't have anything telling me otherwise. Bobby Flores, according to this little blurb in a trade mag...
Uniques - Bolivar J / Lady's Man (1965)
I love The Uniques. They had a slew of 45's on Paula Records, and I still don't have all of them yet, although I think I only need two or three more, and this was one I'd been wanting for a while. Bordering on Garage, R&B, and Country, they consistently released great music during the mid sixties. Joe Stampley would later have a successful career in Country music.
Grasshoppers - Mod Socks / Twin Beat (1965)
Here's another one that has slipped through my fingers dozens of times!!!!!
The Grasshoppers were from suburban Cleveland, OH and included a guy named Benjamin Orzechowski who played rhythm guitar, drums and sang as well. He later moved to Boston, bumped around there for a few years, changed his name to Benjamin Orr, met Ric Ocasek, formed a band called The Cars, and received worldwide fame. Orr sang on The Cars' "Just What I Needed" as well as a bunch of other hits. I love these stories of guys that played in local bands like The Grasshoppers, only to hit the big time later. Orr died of pancreatic cancer in 2000 and was admitted to the sleazy and corrupt Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with the Cars posthumously in 2018.
I Giganti - La Tomba Dell Amore / Proposta (1967)
I Giganti (The Giants) were an Italian group from Milano and had around 19 45's released in Italy, a very popular band I may say. I've been lucky enough to find two of their 45's which are a mixed bag of pop and psyche.
Westwinds - A Look Into Your Eyes / Summer (1966)
Not sure where these guys are from. Something tells me Pacific Northwest, and something else tells me Minneapolis, MN. Can someone out there help???? Both sides are lightweight garage sounds with a good dose of Wurlitzer Electric piano.
Del Shannon - She / What Makes You Run (1966)
Del Shannon's Liberty years were probably his best. He had top notch production, top notch material, and he seemed to be at the top of his game vocally, witness his version of "Under My Thumb", which rivals the Stones' original. Written and produced by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, those two assholes gave the song to The Monkees who would have a hit with it, or at least it was one of their more popular songs on their TV show. I wish Del had gotten more of a fair shake on this stuff. I get it, he was considered "old hat' by 1966, and business is business, but I feel he should have gotten better treatment. I saw him at an oldies review with a bunch of aging "has been" acts back in the 90's just before he passed away, and he was far and away the best act in the show.
Thanks Del.
Devons - Come On / A Little Extra Effort (1966)
The Devons had three 45's on Decca, quite a mixed bag if you ask me. I haven't heard their first one, but their second 45 was a cover of "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" and had a distinct folk rock flavor to it. This one on the other hand, sounds like The Four Seasons backed by a solid garage band.
I am NOT a Four Seasons fan. I had a fight with a co-worker once (nothing physical mind you) about who was the greater Italian - American artist, Frank Sinatra, or Frankie Valli. Well, I'm firmly in the Sinatra camp, but my co-worker was trying to make a case for Frankie Valli, and even accused me of not really being Italian.
Where the hell am I going with this????
Look, I get that both those guys were nice Italian boys from New Jersey, hell, Frankie Valli was even on The Sopranos and did an admirable job on that show, that is until he got whacked by a couple of Italian guys that Tony Soprano hired. But Frank Sinatra is still "The Chairman Of The Board", OK??? 'Nuff said.
Oh yeah, this 45. This was produced by Gary Usher who also took care of The Beach Boys, The Byrds, The Surfaris, The Hondells, in other words, he was quite an eclectic guy, but certainly focused quite a bit on surf and vocal related groups. As I stated previously, both sides of this 45 have a Four Seasons style to it, I like "A Little Extra Effort" better because it has a bit of a folk/rock influence.
Jon Mark - Night Comes Down / Baby I Got A Long Way To Go (1965)
Here's a cool and interesting 45! Jon Mark played guitar with Marianne Faithful, and a group called "Sweet Thursday" that included Nicky Hopkins, and Alun Davies (who would go on to play with Cat Stevens), but he is most famously known for playing "fingerstyle guitar" in John Mayall's post Bluesbreakers band, and is on Mayall's popular "Turning Point" LP. After his stint with Mayall, he and sax player Johnny Almond created Mark/Almond and had a certain degree of success in the seventies.
"Night Comes Down" is very cool and sounds a lot like the stuff he played with Mayall. The flip is also great, possibly better than the A side. Apparently, this was produced and co-written by Shel Talmy, and "Night Comes Down" would later be released by The Mickey Finn on one of their 45s, also produced by Talmy.
New Lime - Whenever I Look In Her Eyes / And She Cried (1965)
Here's a band that we've featured several times. I've often stated that The New Lime were from Cincinnati, OH, but I guess they were actually from Kentucky, Campbell County to be precise, which is just across the river from Cincinnati. Now that we've got the geography lesson out of the way, we can discuss this 45 which is the first released by this group. They would have 15 45's total released on Fraternity, Counterpart, Minaret, Boss, and even a couple on Columbia, as they were picked up for national distribution because of their regional popularity. Most of their sides are really good, although there's a few clunkers in the mix. This two sider is very good.
Third Degree - Your World's Gonna Be My World / My Guy (1968)
Lets take a sharp U-turn here with some syrupy girl group sunshine pop sounds! "My Guy" is pretty bland, in fact, it's an embarrassing attempt at pulling off a Motown classic. They do redeem themselves somewhat on the flip, which is a pretty good up-tempo sunshine-pop at that.
Joy Unlimited - Oh Darling (1969)
Joy Unlimited were a band from Germany that featured Joy Fleming on lead vocal. I guess they were kind of a prog-rock act, but I wouldn't know for sure because the only thing I've ever heard from them is this fine cover of The Beatles' "Oh Darling". They pretty much nail this one, and don't take to many liberties with it.
Jellyroll - Help Me Over / Trying To Forget Someone Too (1971)
Jellyroll was one of a plethora of bands promoted by "MCA" in the late 60's and early 70's. MCA, during this period, consisted of a bunch of labels, most notably Uni and Decca, but also included Coral, Brunswick, Kapp, and others. Eventually, everything ended up on MCA Records as they absorbed them all, but some of what was released during this era was pretty cool heavy psyche and progressive rock. This one's a good example.
Android - Lucky Man / Society's Child (1970?)
I’m putting the B side of this first, because it's really the more interesting one. Emerson, Lake, and Palmer were perhaps the epitome of British progressive rock acts, although I'm sure you can make a case for others (Yes, Genesis, Gentle Giant....), so it's fascinating how a virtually unknown group, that I think were from Pennsylvania, re-worked "Lucky Man" without the synths, and added a cool fuzz guitar solo to it. This really isn't a bad version of the song. I'd love more info on these guys if anyone out there has some! Oh, by the way, the other side isn't too bad either!
