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WALES - ROCKABILLY
Our friends/readers in Europe, US and all over the globe seemed to think that Wales was merely a small country that was part of England (not!!). We may be small with a population of under three million people, but we have a distinctive diverse culture, history and a rocking tradition reaching back to the fifties. Indeed the ethnically diverse areas of Cardiff's famous Tiger Bay were swinging to imported US sounds in the early 50s, with 78s by Joe Turner and Wynonie Harris etc being brought in by Welsh sailors who travelled the world from Cardiff on coal and merchant ships.
South Wales has been a bastion of the UK's rocking scene from the 50s through the barren 60s and 70s with bands like the Backbeats, Dave Edmunds, Shakin' Stevens & The Sunsets and Crazy Cavan & the Rhythm Rockers defiantly waving a confederate flag in the face of bland UK pop. Many of those pioneering musicians are still rocking hard as the new millenium approaches.
Of course many of the 80s/90s bands are continuing that tradition. The very successful award winning Rimshots are the present champions but we have other contenders too. Our first pages in this section featured our most commercially successful artists Shaky and Dave Edmunds. Over the coming months we aim to feature many of the past and present stalwarts of the big beat.
SPONSORED LINKS:
Al Willis and the New Swingsters -
Got Some Rockin' To Do
Crazy Times Records CTRDC 107
Tracklist: Got Some Thinkin' To Do, No More Love, (I'm So Blue I Could Cry) Feelin' Low, Nice And Polite, Brown Mountain Light, Coffee Time, Dead Dodo's Blues, Georgia Bound, Love All Through The Night, Samuel Hall, You're My Queen, Goin' Mad, Big Iron, Voodoo Woman
Al Willis hails from Poitou-Charentes, France and is known for two cracking releases on Tail Records. His new album sees him with a new band, The New Swingsters and a new label, Crazy Times Records. It's a newly launched French label managed by Crazy Little Peter of Crazy Times Music. The New Swingsters are Yves "Vivi" Selem on drums and Pascal Albrecht on slap bass. Willis himself takes on the guitar duties and the vocals, obviously. He lists his influences as Mac Curtis, Elvis, Bob Luman, Johnny Cash, Merle Travis and Chet Atkins and you can see elements of them all in his work. Vocally he's in the Bob Luman mould, and if that sounds like high praise indeed, then it should be.
The title track is a brilliant rockabilly number that sets the scene for a great album. His voice sounds so much like Luman on Nice And Polite, an unusual rocker that really appealed. The instrumental Big Iron starts off like a bad Dire Straits number before turning into a classy tribute to the country pickers of the past like Chet Atkins and Merle Travis. You're My Queen and Voodoo Woman aren't as good but that's getting picky. His cover is Samuel Hall is fine with his Luther picking spot on and the country of (I'm So Blue I Could Cry) Feelin' Low suits him to a tee. A couple of other highlights are Love All Through The Night which sees him rock-out and the controlled rock 'n' roll of No More Love. A thoroughly enjoyable album that will surely sell by the bucketfull following his set at this summers Rockabilly Rave.
Shaun Mather
May 2008.
Top 15 YouTube Rockin' Gals
There seem to be more female performers on the rockin' scene now than ever before and to quote one of the greatest, Barbara Pittman, they're getting better all the time. Here's 15 hot performances with apologies to any I've missed out.
Marti Brom - Black Cadillac
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seQ2DoWFAgM
To me, still the cream of the crop, Marti Brom gives a scorching version from the 10th Rockabilly Rave in March 2005.
Vicky Tafoya - Why Do Fools Fall In Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlmb3eaZXvw
With her backing band, the Big Beat, live at The Rhythm Riot 2004. With a voice to match her look, she's the Marie Adams of the new Millennium.
Cari Lee & The Saddle-Ites - Eenie Meenie Miney Mo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4y25dYGhKQ
Hot version with great sound. I love these country-girl outfits.
Catslappin' Crissy - Rock My Baby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLb5UpQ6pyY
New one on me but goes like the clappers.
Miss Mary Ann & the Ragtime Wranglers - Watchdog
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxl_YPmkIhY
Miss Mary Ann shows off her great vocals at the Hi-Rockabilly Festival in Calafell, Spain in September 2004.
Imelda May - Johnny's Got A Boom Boom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ8pKX_WsPQ
From the Old Joint Stock Theatre in Birmingham, April 2008, Imelda hypnotises with her band that includes hubby Darrel Higham and the great Al Gare on bass.
Josie Kreuzer - Good Time Girl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCoE-M056l4
Always enjoyable, but where is Josie Kreuzer these days?
Kim Lenz - The Swing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JyjKZ5snrE
Great cover of my favourite Johnny Carroll song from the Hollywood Showdown 8.
Lil Esther and her Tinstars - Rock Boppin Baby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tceNfL9R_xQ
The Edwin Bruce bopper get's a fitting tribute from the wonderful Lil Esther at the Rockers Club Festival 2008.
Honeycats - Happy Hour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFWGF6WnaRE
The Japanese rockaphillies cover the old Housemartins song.
Eva Eastwood - Shake This Shack
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq-JYEU1FZ4
The Swede recorded on stage at Hemsby 2006
Sue Moreno - Believe What You Say
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpuI0nS0BNo
More than just a pretty face, Sue Moreno gives a hot performance of the Ricky Nelson number at the 2007 Rockabilly Rave. Did I mention hot?
Ruby Ann & Eddie Clendening - Hoy Hoy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jzm-5UH4nok
Duet from the New Years Party 2008 at the Amsterdam Cruise Inn. They burn up the Collins Kid classic with two dymanic guitar solos from Eddie Clendening.
The Southerners
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcU6HRg24gM
Hot and sweaty might in an Anaheim juke joint in 2007.
Ranch Girls & the Ragtime Wranglers - Way Down Yonder in New Orleans
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoAgpkHV1Sw
The much-missed Ranch Girls from a gig at a big jukebox fair in Holland in May 2002.
Shaun Mather
April 2008.
The Hi-Strung Ramblers -
Run Boy Run
Wild Records
Track listing; Under Your Spell, Searching for My Baby, All is Wrong (without you), Lonesome Wolf, Baby Goodbye, Run Boy Run, Lessons Learned, Pure Misery, Last Time, Dirty Dog, Alone on a Saturday Night, Rivers of Tears, Fleet Bleep Boogie
One of the latest additions to the ever expanding Wild Records roster is the The Hi-Strung Ramblers who only formed in 2003 but have made big in-roads on the scene in during that short time. They play a hybrid style of rockabilly and rockin' blues and consist of Carlos Gomez on lead guitar and vocals, Iggy Garcia on upright bass, Dandy Sutphin on rhythm guitar and harmonica and Jesse Gomez on drums. To me the thing that helps the band stand out from the crowd is Sutphin's harmonica which adds a layer that some rockabilly bands lack.
Their debut release from 2005, Hobo Bop, sold well enough to warrant a reprint, helped by their flamboyant stage shows. Three years later they are again undertaking an extensive touring scheule to promote Run Boy Run. It's a relentless album of pulsating rockers and will please the punters. There's a western quality to the opener rocker with a Johnny Cash guitar run throughout that helps kick the album off in fine fettle. The title track is a shit-kicking stomper that will fill dance floors around the world. Alone on a Saturday Night reminded me of the early Ronnie Hayward years and Lonesome Wolf returns to Johnny Cash territory. I couldn't spot a weak song on the set and would happily recommend it.
Shaun Mather
April 2008.
Runnin' Wild -
I Dressed In Black Today
Drunkabilly Records CG33188CD
Track List: All I Want, Don't Come To Near, I Dressed In Black, Bad Case, Ice Cream Crime, That's What I Like, If You Wanne Be My Baby, Guitar Breaker, Little Ole Wine Drinker Me, Hungry For Your Love, Big Bamboo, Jack O Roonie, Lejour Ou T'es Partie, My Gal From Abilene, Bright Light, Don't Come Too Near.
I just loved the bands single Killer Taco Stomp which I think is still available from El Toro Records. A hard rockin' anthem that proved there's still plenty of space for rockabilly in the modern era. The band hail from Brussels in Belgium and consist of Patrick Ouchene on guitars and vocals, Koen "Johnny Trash" Verbeek on drums and Jack Fire on stand-up bass. This is their fourth album to date and has a pretty unique sound that is both exciting and dark at the same time. It's rockabilly of the new Millenium (is it still new, eight years in?) with the band playing their own style - very rocking but never sounding like some forgotten song of the 50's.
The mood for the album is set from the opener, All I Want, that goes like the clappers with a couple of jazzy guitar solos. The title track pays homage to a lost love, not Johnny Cash as I imagined when I say the title. Bad Case starts as a haunting ballad that builds into a stepped up slice of rockin' hillbilly with fiddle and steel. That's What I Like is a galloping tribute to the fairer sex in general while Hungry For Your Love praises the chubbier ones in particular.
Lejour Ou T'es Partie, Big Bamboo and the instrumental Jack O Roonie didn't do much for me, but apart from that it's good stuff all the way. Guitar Breaker is a storming rocker and Dean Martin's Little Ole Wine Drinker Me sparkles with this swinging treatment that ole Deano would have been intrigued to hear. Ouchene and Verbeek's If You Wanna Be My Baby takes Muddy Waters down Union Avenue in the style of the 80's band Riverside Trio and it's great fun and no doubt a highlight of their live show. My favourite on the album is the bopper My Gal From Abilene which sounds like Paul Ansell's Number Nine. A worthwhile album that will no doubt please their legion of followers.
Shaun Mather
April 2008.
Deke Dickerson -
King of the Whole Wide World
Major Label Records
Track listing: King of the Whole Wide World (introduction); Deep River; I Can't Wait To See You (Go); Misshapen Hillbilly Gal; Put Me Down; Boone County Blues; Make Way for a Better Man; Itchin' for My Baby; Do You Think of Me; Fool's Gold; Trumpet; Early for the Bell; Bomb Shelter (for My Heart); Double-Clutchin'; King of the Whole Wide World (reprise)
Deke Dickerson is the Chet Atkins of the modern rockabilly/hillbilly scene, who has a well earned repuation as the model professional. His guitar picking is second to none and he has also won acclaim for his production work and even his sleeve notes on a variety of vintage retrospectives. Despite all thisa, I have to hold my hand up and say that his albums have never really done too much for me, they all contain a couple of good tracks but nothing that stands comparison to his live shows. Until now that is. This latest release sees him go up a couple of notches and finally does justice to his undeniable talent.
Deke perfected the act of guitar playing on his custom double-neck Mosrite guitar and made his name in the vibrant California scene with Dave Stuckey as the hillbilly duo Dave and Deke, whose Hollywood Barndance included the great tribute to our bald headed heroes, Chrome Dome. When they parted amicably he formed his own band the Ecco-fonics, the best of whose albums is 1998's Number One Hit Record album on HighTone's HMG label. I've heard two or three of their albums and as I said, they've never quite hit my spot.
The new CD, King of the Whole Wide World is a varied set from hooped-up bluegrass to rockabilly. Among the guests on it are Chris "Sugarballs" Sprague, Carl Sonny Leyland, "Crazy" Joe Tritschler, The Lucky Stars, Jimmy Sutton, Pete Curry of Los Straitjackets, Mitch Polzak and Mary Huff of Southern Culture on the Skids.
Among the rocking side of things we get the moody bopper Deep River, a tasty over of Put Me Down, the wonderful Sun-styled I Can't Wait To See You (Go) and the flat-out rocker Itchin' for My Baby. There's a Blasters quality to Fool's Gold, Trumpet harks back to 706 Union and Bomb Shelter (for My Heart) is one of those delightful numbers that sits on the fence between rockabilly and country. Firmly on the country side of things, "Double-Clutchin’'" sees Deke trading blows with Tritschler on a Buckaroosesque twin guitar instrumental whilst the excellent Boone County Blues has him in Flatt and Scruggs territory. Make Way For A Better Man may have been written by Willie Nelson but sounds like a Charlie Rich Smash record. Do You Think Of Me is a stone-cold country classic with Huff.
The CD kicks off and ends with the title track (not the Elvis song) which is smothered in track featuring digitally applied vinyl crackle for authentic effect. The pick of the whole shebang has to be Misshapen Hillbilly Gal, a hillbilly tour-de-force with the Lucky Stars. Fans of Junior Brown will lap this up. The vinyl version comes with the bonus track Beans on Toast but I've no idea what that sounds like - bloody good if the rest of the album is anything to go by.
Shaun Mather
April 2008.
Warren Earl - Original Rockabilly
Earl Records
I wasn't really expecting much from this because the front cover wasn't the most professional, it seemed like a run-of-the-mill cheapie jobs that you could do with a colour printer, a ream of paper and plenty of printer cartridges. But as Bo Diddley says, you can't judge a book by looking at the cover. Hailing from Brisbane, Australia, you would swear that this guy came from Eddiebondsville, Tennessee. The first time we heard Don Cavalli we all thought that someone had discovered a box of unissued Charlie Feathers in a Memphis warehouse. Well Warren Earl is like this but with Eddie Bond - to my ears anyway.
Released on his own label, Earl plays all the instruments (with the aid of overdubbing obviously) and he does a pretty mean job. I thought his double bass work was particularly well played and recorded. Playing from the age of nine, he got into music via his father's record collection consisting of rockabilly, hillbilly boogie, country, western swing and jazz. If that worries you that his sound may be a bit too varied, fear not, this album is pure Tennessee rockabilly. No need for a track by track review, it's all excellent. Try Rocket Ship Blues or Be Bop Boogie for examples of the Eddie Bond sound.
Copies can be purchased by contacting Warren on his Myspace page at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=217009377
Shaun Mather
April 2008.
Memphis YouTube
What can you say about the Memphis rockabillies?
Johnny Burnette - Hound Dog
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auZsxwqsx7k
From 1956 this is prime time Memphis rockabilly. No wonder the flying saucers were scared to land.
Sonny Burgess - We Wanna Boogie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J24vrBYfmDk
Sonny Burgess & fellow pianist Kern Kennedy playin at High Rockabilly 2005 (Spain).
Billy Lee Riley - Pearly Lee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RX3__OGGg4
Recent front row footage of BLR with Dutch band The Bellhops from October 2007 in Roermond, Holland.
Carl Perkins- Blue Suede Shoes 1956
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGib9ror1dQ
From Green Bay 2007, it's sadly too short a clip but the bright suit is enough to get you going.
Hayden Thompson - Love My Baby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0in-nH9Fec
Original Sun Rockabilly Star at The Rhythm Riot 2006
Jack Earls & the Ragtime Wranglers - Take Me To That Place
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Thx1okcgE9A
Live at the Rockabilly Rave Camber UK, October 2004.
Barbra Pittman - I'm Getting Better All The Time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPYimxf1W1U
Ms Pittman at the Rockabilly Rave shortly before her untimely death. Miss Mary Ann and Lynette Morgan look more than happy to supply backing vocals. Great rocking version, and probably the first handclapping solo I've ever enjoyed.
Carl Mann - Mona Lisa / I'm Comin' Home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIkGuXU_eO8
Carl Mann rocked it up at Screaming Fest Saturday the 9th of June 2007.
Narvel Felts - My Babe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hV4hcS6bPlw
The always excellent Narvel Felts rocks the Green bay 2005 festival with Ashley Kingman on lead guitar.
EXTRAS:
Charlie Feathers - That Certain Female
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6qIUqyp2eQ
Not concert footage of Charlie but a funny guy called Mike miming. Great face.
Junior Thompson - Raw Deal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOJtjSTxbk0
Again, not a clip of the artist but equally exhilarating footage of the ultra rare 78 spinning around on an old record player. I just wish it was my 78!
Shaun Mather April 2008.
Lil' Esther And Her Tinstars -
Gone Is My Mind
Empire Records EMPCD109
My Heart Gets Lonely / Mr Sun / Love That Man / Confusin' Love / Small Change / I've Got A Lot Of Time To Do A Lot Of Things / Gone Is My Mind / True Or False / Rock 'Til My Baby Comes Home / I've Got The Boogie Blues / Arguments & Alibis / There's No Right Way To Do Me Wrong / I've Had Enough / Treat Me Kind / It's Love.
With a voice as delightful as her appearance, Lil' Esther remains one of the true darlings of the rockabilly circuit. She burst onto the scene as a third of the Bugaloos but has been working solo for a number of years now. She works with the Tinstars who are led by her husband and rhythm guitarist Rick De Bruijn. Such is her standing that no less than Big Sandy, John "Rimshots" Lewis and Don Cavali have written songs especially for the album. For anyone not familiar with Lil' Esther, she sounds comparable to Marti Brom. She comes from the country side of rockabilly and is more akin to Patsy Cline than Wanda Jackson, in both her voice and the band's sound.
The duet True Or False, the hypnotic Rock 'Til My Baby Comes Home and Cavalli's Arguments & Alibis rock as hard as anything on the album. Charlene Arthur's I've Got The Boogie Blues swings along with guests Joost van Es and Rini Goldini adding some tasteful fiddle and steel guitar. Goldini plays some nice harmonica on John Lewis' cleverly written Small Change. Big Sandy's Love That Man is a highlight of the album and his other contribution Confusin' Love is a tidy high stepper.
The two standout tracks for me include the opener, My Heart Gets Lonely, with Ronald Visser's piano adding a nice touch to a really engaging slice of rockin' country - her voice is simply wonderful on this. The other is The Miller Sisters' There's No Right Way To Do Me Wrong, a beautifully crafted country number that could have been written just for her, it fits her and guest singer Judith van den Berg like a glove. Credit should also go to the Tinstars who sound so authentic throughout.
Shaun Mather
April 2008.
Hi Voltage -
I Gotta Gun
Rollin Records - RRCD005
Hailing from the Scottish capital Edinburgh, Hi-Voltage are now in their ninth year and seem to enhance their reputation with every new release. This latest is their fourth to date, and its a cracker, one of the best albums I've heard for a couple of years. The diversity is astounding and they excel in all styles, whether from the modern day sound of the title track to the traditional, authentic rockin' hillbilly of Say What You Mean. The band members are Keith Turner on vocals, Paul Paterson on lead guitar, Matt Curtis on doghouse bass, Ian Morris on drums and Kenny Tomlinson on sax. There's not a weak link amongst them but special plaudits to Turner and Paterson who are both the cats knacks.
What Paterson's wife must have thought when he ran My Gal Lillie past her is anyone's guess, "ugliest gal in town, but I don't have to worry 'bout her running around". Pretty Baby is one of the most upbeat, fun rockers you'll hear and a joyous spirit literally jumps out of the grooves. Jack Scott's I Never Felt Like This is given a fresh injection of life and the picked-up pace is wonderful. Movin' On has Turner sounding like a 70's Elvis behind a throbbing beat. He sounds a bit Way Downish on Ice Cold Baby as well, a neat number that gives Tomlinson a chance to blow his brains out. Lonesome Road is an unusual ballad, sounding like the guys wrote it for Rio Bravo forty years too late. The album finishes with the stomping Sittin' By The Pool, another reminder that the band are playing in 2008 not 1954.
The band have a fuller sound than your basic three-piece, sounding more like the top 70's bands Johnny & the Jailbirds etc. I think it's they're a breath of fresh air on the scene (as both performers and songwriters) and more power to their elbow. A great album, thoroughly recommended to everyone with hearing.
Shaun Mather
April 2008.
Shaky's Occassional Bootleg Series No. 7
Stray Cats -
BBC Radio 17 June 1992
When I got home from work tonight the first thing I spotted on the doormat was a little brown envelope of joy. Inside were my tickets for the Stray Cats Farewell Tour concert in Manchester, so I just slipped some Cats onto the CD player and spent the next couple of hours listening to an array of recordings by them. One of them was the interview and set they did for the BBC in the summer of 1992. The interview sees them in great spirits despite the worst efforts of the interviewer. They talk glowingly about Dave Edmunds and when asked what makes him so special they say, "as a lover he's gentle, he's sensitive to our needs and he's Welsh"!
Although they were touring to promote the Choo Choo Hot Fish album, luckily they only play Lust And Love from it. It's an acoustic set and kicks off with a very rhythmic version of Eddie Cochran's Nervous Breakdown, with Setzer in fine voice for the mumbling giggly bit at the end. They get cajoled into doing Crazy Little Thing Called Love and it's a good version despite the lack of lyrical knowledge. If I'm being picky I'd say that Stray Cat Strut is a bit too jazzy and Lust And Love is well, something from the Choo Choo album - nuff said. They generate a lot of excitement in Mystery Train complete with extended yodel solo. The rehearsal for this show from earlier in the day is also out there and is worth tracking down as it contains neat versions of Summertime Blues and Oh Boy.
Shaun Mather
March 2008.
Shaky's Occassional Bootleg Series No. 6
BR5-49
Live at Disneyworld, Orlando, Big Bang Concert Series - 27 May 1997
Time Changes Everything, Long Gone Lonesome Blues, Even If It's Wrong, Little Ramona, Pain Pain Go Away, My Name Is Mudd, Baby Are You Gettin' Tired Of Me, Crazy Arms, Hometown Boogie, The Party's Over, Cherokee Boogie, You Are Never Nice To Me
Live at Lawrence Clinton State Park, Wakarusa Festival - 19 June 2004
Cajun Persuasion, Cherokee Boogie, So Doggone Lonesome, Ain't Got Time, Shakin' The Blues, Honky Tonkin' Lifestyle, I'm Alright, My Window Faces The South, Long Gone Lonesome Blues, Run a Mile, Me N Opie, No Friend of Mine, Tangled in the Pines, Charmin' Betsy, That's What I Get
BR549 must be pretty much everyone's favourite barroom band. An entertaining live band that pack a solid punch of skill, fun and a massive repertoire they looked at one stage during the 1990's as if they were going to be country music's saviours. Amongst their back catalogue is a live album but there has been relatively little on the bootleg front, so I was especially pleased to come across these two gems a while back.
This Disneyworld concert comes from their original days and being a soundboard recording the quality is really good without all the instruments coming through loud and clear. I saw them a couple of times in the UK and was blown away by their stage presence. The interplay between all members was brilliant and the two guys up front clicked better than Keane and Berbatov. Gary Bennett was a pure hillbilly vocalist while Chuck Mead sounded more uptown and loved the rockin' stuff. It was a great blend that allowed them to play just about anything in the country and rockabilly songbook. Their two styles can be seen as early as the first two songs with Bennett breezing through Bob Wills' western swing classic Time Changes Everything whilst Mead rocks up Hank's Long Gone Lonesome Blues. The twelve song set here include a handful of tracks that have become synonymous with the band, Even If It's Wrong, Cherokee Boogie, Little Ramona and My Name Is Mudd and they're all played as expertly as you'd expect.
The Wakarusa Festival (from Mead's hometown) bootleg comes seven years later and sees a new line-up without Gary Bennett and the happy-go-lucky Smilin' Jay and perhaps less importantly without the hyphen between the 5 and the 4. The tracklist shows more of a lean toward the bands then current album Tangled In The Pines. Again the mix is everything you'd expect from the band, from their own Me N Opie to Johnny Cash's So Doggone Lonesome. Who else in Music City has the knowledge, ability and even the desire to play the likes of Long Gone Lonesome Blues and Shakin' The Blues. Of their own stuff, Honky Tonkin' Lifestyle says it all. A great band and these two items here are fit to improve anyone's collection.
Shaun Mather
March 2008
Imelda May -
Love Tattoo
Ambassador Records - AMBA1004
Imelda May is the Dublin born bombshell who has been around the scene for a couple of years as a solo artist and with Mike Sanchez and Blue Harlem. She's also the wife of rockabilly star Darrel Higham, who plays some exhilarating guitar on her latest album Love Tattoo. I've seen her live a couple of times, once at the Rhythm Riot and once in Shrewsbury as part of the Mike Sanchez Extravaganza with the Extraodanaires and was impressed by her torchy, dark vocal style. She seems to have got better over time and the new album sees her stretching herself both vocally and as an artist.
This isn't ordinary rockabilly, it's got jazz and blues infusions, seductive vocals and the backing of the band gives it a professional edge that her debut album lacked. The band consist of Dave Priseman on all the horny instruments, Dan McCormack on the plinky bits, Dean Beresford on drums and the ever reliable Al Gare on double bass. To top it off we have hubby Darrel on all the burning guitar bits. This album allows him to show his versatility that isn't always possible in a three-piece rockabilly setting.
Highlights of the set are the rockabilly title track, the explosive opener Johnny Got A Boom Boom and the raunchy Wild About My Lovin'. The only track not written by Imelda, It's Your Voodoo Workin' has an early 60's r'n'b feel and smokes. Big Band Handsome Man is the best of the lot, complete with exotic beat, her best vocal performance to date and great trumpet from Priseman. It reminds me of a modern day Tico Tico. There's a couple of really slow numbers that drag a bit but otherwise this is a really enjoyable album from an artist that just could go all the way to the top. Last year she was nominated for Best Burlesque Singer 2007 and make her movie debut singing in the forthcoming American gangster movie, 'Dark Streets'. If the world is looking for a new Amy Winehouse without the baggage, Imelda could be the one.
Shaun Mather
March 2008
Top 15 Neo-Swing on YouTube
I know swing isn't everyone's cup of tea and some would even question what place it has on a rockabilly site. I'd counter that by saying, put your pre-conceived ideas to one side and just listen to the music without trying to pigeon-hole it. To my mind, neo-swing isn't too far from big band rock 'n' roll and r'n'b. So for those who don't mind a little bit of the swing revival, here's a few bands to enjoy.
Ray Collins Hot Club - Barefoot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUnIawTQO9M
The original Ray Collins Hot Club video of their song floor-filler, Barefoot. Shot in black and white the video is so authentic, you'd absolutely bet your house that this was from the 50's. Brilliant.
Squirrel Nut Zippers - Put A Lid On It
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdAt4qWvz_8
Great song, great video, great performance from the hot and talented Katherine Whalen
Puppini Sisters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lPo69BAY2c
Short but sweet ad for todays Andrews Sisters. A fun group with a great sound, this quick promo should get you hooked.
Lindy Hop Showdown 2006
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myJj0mNNe1Y
A seven minute dance-off with some of the best lindy hop you'll ever see.
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - Mr. Pinstripe Suit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gmpmjsq8Z70
Black and white promo with the gangster look. One of my favourite swing songs.
Brian Setzer Orchestra - In The Mood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bn716JumeOU
Promo with Hollywood glitz and some hot-rods. MTV with some style at last.
Royal Crown Revue - Somethings Gotta Give
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtIEFMztMfk
Fun promo for the legendary Royal Crowns.
Vicky Tafoya - Why Do Fools Fall In Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlmb3eaZXvw
Vicky Tafoya and the Big Beat, live at The Rhythm Riot 2004 on her first show in England. She seemed to rock the joint.
King Pleasure - Mr Blues Is Coming To Town
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfJhQxtBAGk
Professional slot from BBC TV with their great cover of the Wynonie Harris classic. One of the top bands on the circuit they were swinging before it became trendy.
Lavay Smith - Between The Devil & the Deep Blue Sea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJ4SLvfB748
Lavay Smith on the San Francisco variety tv show Fog Town Network on April 30, 1995. The band cover the old Arlen-Koehler classic made popular by Cab Calloway in 1931 and Louis Armstrong in 1932 amongst others.
5 In Love - Walk Like An Egyptian
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGsBdLJpVrI
A really swinging version of the Bangles 1980s hit.
Black Cat Zoot - No Swingin' In Your Walkin'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ3Gv-XXQgU
New German band show their wares with this cool promo vid from last year.
Pinstripe Suit - You, Me, and the Bottle Makes Three
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTAM9UKozL4
Robin Phillips' 6-piece swing band, Pinstripe Suit, play their version of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy's, You, Me, and the Bottle Makes Three. The band's good and the gal who shares the vocal duties is smokin'.
Whizz-Bang - A swing nem jatek
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaTpEX8M0Xo
Hungarian neo-swing band in the tradition of bands like Big Bad Woodoo Daddy, Royal Crown Revue, Cherry Poppin Daddies and the Brian Setzer Orchestra.
Bellevue Cadillac
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdkVjHOjDpI
Jack Nicholson appears as guest chauffeur and sometime singer with a band called Bellevue Cadillac.
Shaun Mather
March 2008
Ruby Ann -
Train to Satanville
Wild Records
Track listing: Train To Satanville, Dynamite, Ain`t That Loving You Baby, That`s The Way I Feel, I Want A Lover, I Hear You Talking, Just For You, Look At That Moon, Eeny-Meeny-Miney-Moe, The Big Bounce, Don`t Call Me Honey, King Of My Heart
Ten years after hitting the scene with the Boppin' Boozers, Ruby Ann has joined the much celebrated Wild Records label in Hollywood, CA. By all accounts Ruby Ann is a lively personality with a voice to match. She started her career with the Portuguese band The Boppin' Boozers, before going solo with gigs across Europe. She’'s played all the big European festivals and now appears to be giving the States a taste of her magic.
The band for the new album are a star studded bunch with Eddie Clendenning and Gautier Golab sharing lead guitar duties across the album. Iggy Garcia plays upright bass, Jeff Gerow takes it out on the drums and Li’'l Luis Arriaga plays rhythm guitar. If that’'s not enough, the CD was recorded and engineered by Omar Romero. Ruby Ann tackles a mixture of originals and covers and has a big voice that sees her shine on most of the numbers.
The title track is the best thing on the album, a dark bit of rockabilly with strong Wandaesque vocals that builds from a torchabilly burner into a flat-out rockabilly. You would be doing her an injustice to label her a Wanda Jackson soundalike or just a rockabilly singer, because she’'s more than that. There’'s rockabilly in the storming Sun covers of Jimmy Prichett’'s That the Way I Feel and the Miller Sisters’' Eenie-Meenie-Miney-Mo, and there’'s more than a dash of r ’Äòn’' b in the excellent take on Ain’'t That loving You Baby and The Big Bounce. I Want A Lover and Don’'t Call Me Honey are highlights of the album, courtesy of raunchy vocals and plenty of driving guitar from Li’'l Luis. King Of My Heart sees her assume the title of Miss Rockabilly 2008, a masterful piece that should get the strollers onto their feet. So, a highly recommended album that can only enhance her reputation as one of the top performers currently on the scene. Shaun Mather
March 2008
The Loveless Cousins -
No Squares Ever Tag Along
El Beasto Records
The Loveless Cousins hail from A Coruna in Spain and are the new kicks on the block, only forming in December 2004. As the name suggests, they are a family concern with cousins Quique and Nestor Pardo forming the backbone of the band. Quique had been the bass player for The Honky Tonkin' Boozers and he persuaded their guitarist Ramon Corona and a drummer Santi Roma to complete the Loveless Cousins line-up. They tampered with country music before settling on a rockabilly sound. After a couple of years tearing up the Spanish scene they are poised to take their energetic sound farther afield and the sound on this CD suggests they will do just fine. The band are proud to announce that the album was recorded in analogic and mono at the Circo Perrotti Estudios where bands such as the Nu Niles have recorded.
The music is hardcore rockabilly in the style made popular by Hot Boogie Chillun and Runnin' Wild. The best numbers are Lyin' Lips Woman, the less frantic I Don't Wanna See You Go and Lose My Mind. They do a fine cover of Ray Smith's You Made A Hit, but the pick of the bunch for me is the hypnotic Mischief Woman, very Hot Boogie Chillun. Available from http://elbeasto.com/shop/, it's well worth a listen.
Shaun Mather
March 2008
Golden Age of American Rock & Roll 11
Ace Records CDCHD 1200
I thought this series was done and dusted but happily, Ace seemed to have buckled under public demand and so five years after it's predecessor, we now get Volume 11 of the legendary Golden Age of American Rock & Roll series. As is customary for the series, the CD runs to a generous thirty tracks and comes complete with an exhaustive booklet. It goes without saying that compilers Trevor Churchill and Rob Finnis have come up with a brilliantly varied set.
Some of the tracks have seen the light of day time and again and certainly don't need reviewing here, suffice to say that they've never sounded better than they do here. Lavern Baker, Charlie Gracie, the Drifters, Cookie and the Cupcakes and Shirley & Lee are all as clear as a bell.
There are plenty of less obvious choices that maintain the standards. Picture Billy Fury trying swamp pop and you might come close to Last Chance by Collay & the Satellites, which came out on the New Orleans label Sho-Biz in the spring of 1960. You're The Apple Of My Eye is a great white doo-wopper from the Five Lovers, apparently billed as the Four Elvis Presleys. It's great but it ain't that great!! Bobby Pedrick Jr was only 13 when he cut White Bucks And Saddle Shoes and although he sounds like a girl it's a strong rocker from Pomus-Shuman with a ringing guitar break. The song rose to number 74 in 1958 and with a bit more plugging Big Top could have taken it higher. Bobby Comstock's hopped up version of Tennessee Waltz on Herb Abramson's Blaze label is a fine romp and the booklet has an interesting report on the battle that ensued in 1959 when Comstock's version vied for airplay with Jerry Fuller's version on Challenge. The 5 Satins (of In The Still Of The Nite fame) moonlighted as the New Yorkers for the exotic Miss Fine.
Other notables are the beautiful Sammy Turner version of the standard, Lavender Blue which hit the top three in 1959 on Big Top Records. Ronnie Love's 1960 Dot release Chills And Fever has the Little Willie John feel to it and picked up a cover from none other than Tom Jones.
I'm not sure what the plan is with the series, but would like to think that future volumes will now be forthcoming. I can't imagine they'd just release volume 11 in isolation, I certainly hope not because this is one of the best rocking series we've ever had. As an aside I saw a review of the album on Amazon and a guy from Blackpool said, "Its also good to see this is not Rock Critics stuff - I don't need to be told yet again that Pat Boone was ripping off black music." Fair comment mate - I agree. Ace just give you the heads-up on the song and let us judge for ourselves.
Shaun Mather
March 2008
James Intveld -
YouTube Top Ten
Singer James Intveld is one of the coolest guys on the scene and as great as his CD's are, there aren't exactly hundreds of them. SO another way to get your fix is to watch him on YouTube. Here are a few highlights ...Fame & FortuneShaun Mather
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkKd2V7NAps
Taken from Elvis's Birthday Bash 08 at the Music Box Theater in Hollywood, this year was the 22nd event. The brainchild of Intveld and Ronnie Mack it's now run by Art Fein with help from the L.A. City Council. JI sizzles on this great cover of a much overlooked Elvis classic.
Wake Up Little Susie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMfN9Jv-Mh0
A duet with Russell Scott from Art Fein's brilliant Rockabilly Bandstand. Filmed on March 13, 1989, the boys pay homage to the world's finest siblings.
Good Rockin' Tonight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny5CMpmkfWc&feature=related
From Art Fein's Poker Party in 1987, JI is joined by Billy Zoom and Brian Setzer. It's a driving acoustic version with Setzer and Intveld inspiring one another. Poor old Billy Zoom gets tongue tied when called for the first solo, although he gets to redeem himself later.
One Sweet Letter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDdEATYFELs&feature=related
A great version of Joe Liggings' One Sweet Letter from the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend. He looks cool in his jacket with plenty of hip shaking stage presense. This is what i imagine Billy Lee Riley must have been like in his heyday.
Stringin Me On
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDpbI7HRnlY
JI and his band perform Stringin Me On at the Saxon Pub in Austin, Texas during SXSW on March 14, 2007
Let's Get Started
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InqDNvqow8k
Live at the Mercy Lounge, Nashville in November, 2007. Looking every inch the cowboy for the Nashville crowd, this is great country music in the best Intveld vein.
Perfect World
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4uXOOcffm0&feature=related
Again from the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend, he comes across as the cool Elvis manersisms wityhout ever looking like one of them tosspot impersonators.
Country Hick
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNsZQ5r0KvY
Ronny Mack and James Intveld duet at the Rockabilly Bandstand show, in March '89. James plays bass, but the real star of the show must be Ronny Mack's heair which looks like something from the Hair Bear Bunch dressing room. Good song, amazing hair.
Modern Don Juan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-H6NklHmog
Again from the VLV weekender, James is tailor made for Buddy Holly and the laidback soft rock of West texas.
James Intveld & Friends - SXSW 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ1rsahLMm0
Artistically shot eight minute look at JI's set at Jinny's Little Longhorn on March 17, 2007.
March 2008
Bobby Lee Trammell - RIP
The other day I checked my emails and the Digest I had from the Rockabilly Hall of Fame yahoo list had three messages. Kick in the teeth 1, Billy Lee Riley had suffered a heart attack during hip replacement surgery. Kick in the teeth 2, the Stray Cats would be calling it a day after making a farewell tour. Kick in the teeth number 3, the great Bobby Lee Trammell had died at home in Jonesboro, Arkansas. I know that we've become acustomed to our heroes dying but three bits of crap news in one day was going a bit far. It now appears that Billy Lee is doing fairly good considering and although it's sad that the Cats are finishing at least they're playing a tour first, but there isn't anything remotely positive about Bobby Lee Trammell. The poor bugger is dead - the wildman of Arkansas has screamed his last word. Like all great rockabilly stories it involves Memphis somewhere along the line. In BLT's case he made his stage debut thanks to the charitable Carl Perkins and soon auditioned for Sam Phillips, but a lack of patience saw him head to California where he came to the attention of promoter and label owner Fabor Robinson. Anyhoot, here's to man deemed too wild for Ozzie and Harriet.
MY TOP 3 BLT's1. You Mostest Girl - one of the greatest Elvis style rock 'n' rollers. I would love Elvis to have cut this at either the Big Hunk O' Love session or for the Elvis Is Back album. Cut in March 1958 at Western recorders in Hollywood, this peach should have made him a star. Thanks to a four-piece black harmony group and some crisp backing, it's his finest ever moment.Shaun Mather
2. I Sure Do Love You Baby - from Bob Luman's band he used James Burton on lead guitar, James Kirkland on bass and himself on rhythm guitar, the b-side of Shirley Lee is a fine slab of mid tempo rockabilly.
3. My Susie J, My Susie Jane - Same setting as You Mostest Girl this time from the back end the 1958 summer, and a straight ahead rocker with sax, backing vocals, piano and a sparkling solo from the great Joe Maphis. His third single, this one really should have been a hit. Brilliant.
February 2008.
Billy Fury - 25th Anniversary
It doesn't seem possible but its twenty-five years ago today that the great Billy Fury passed away. I come from a family of Billy lovers with my mum being a fan since the heyday and no doubt helping turn myself and my sister into fans. My mum was working in a shop window in the early 60's when Billy walked by, causing her to knock half the stuff over. To top it all, my wife is a fan as well. Whereas she frowns a bit when I play a Don Williams or some other country shit (her words not mine), its always okay to play The Sound of Fury. When I first got into rock 'n' roll my earliest heroes were Elvis, Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Jerry Lee Lewis and Billy Fury and although others became special to me over the years, Johnny Cash for instance, those original five will always be the top dogs. As I'm writing this Julie has just said that whenever she thinks about our music she always thinks Elvis, Gene and Eddie, Billy and the Stray Cats because that's what we always listened to as teenagers together.
Something that still stick in my mind long after it should have vanished is when the May Fair came to my hometown Presteigne when I was a school kid and one of the prizes at the darts stall was a postcard of Billy in his leopard skin shirt. I tried as hard as I could to get that picture but the darts were blunt and the board was rock hard - proved by the fact that the postcard was still there when the fair came back the following year. The first answer phone we ever had used to play Billy's Phone Call which was always nice to listen to before speaking to some double glazing quote.
Whereas the past 25 years have seen the star of Elvis burning as bright as ever, sadly the name of Billy Fury has all but died here in his homeland. Apart from my beautiful and sadly missed pussy, Billy Furry, I don't think I've heard the name mentioned in years. I know there's a couple of tribute acts doing the rounds, with Colin Gold being very good. As I mentioned in my review of the recent Rockers Reunion, the young Liverpool Teddy Boy band Furious played a couple of his songs, so perhaps there's hope for a revival. Let's face it, he was a million miles better than most things Britain produced and at least a couple of miles better than the far more successful Cliff Richard. The old Bachelor Boy might have done a mean lip curl but for the all around package Billy was the man. He has stage presence and his performances were raunchy in a way Cliff just couldn't carry off. Billy was a good looking dude who you could imagine would carry through the dirty deed whereas Cliff might look okay but if you took him home he'd probably help your mum knit a cardigan. I've asked the three girls in my life to give me their top 10 and here they are.
Julie's (wife) Top 10 - no order except for the first one
Gonna Type A Letter
Halfway to Paradise
You Don't Know
Maybe Tomorrow
I Will
In Thoughts of You
In Summer
A Thousand Stars
Last Night Was Made For Love
Like I've Never Been Gone
Pat's (mum) Top 10 - no order
Last Night Was Made For Love
Like I've Never Been Gone
Halfway to Paradise
A Thousand Stars
I'll Never Find Another You
In Thoughts of You
Wondrous Place
Once Upon A Dream
Somebody Else's Girl
It's Only Make Believe
Sharon's (sister) Top Ten - in order
Wondrous Place
In Thoughts of You
My Advice
Don't Leave Me This Way
Maybe Tomorrow
Jealousy
Alright, Goodbye
I'll Never Find Another You
Don't Say It's Over
You Don't Know
My Top 10 - in order
Don't Knock Upon My Door
Wondrous Place
Don't Jump
Margo
I'm Lost Without You
That's Love
Baby How I Cried
Maybe Tomorrow
Turn My Back On You
I'm Lost Without You
Shaun Mather
shaky@shaunmather.wanadoo.co.uk
28 January 2008
Rivermead Leisure Complex, Reading - Saturday, 19th January 2008
The 25th Annual
Rockers Reunion Winter Party
The last Rockers Reunion I attended was when the Blue Caps headlined at the Brixton Academy, so this was my first visit to it's new home at Reading and I must say it's an ideal venue for this event. There's enough room for the stalls, the bar, the dancers and general loiterers. On top of that the sound was good and the whole ambience was terrific.
The first two bands, Mean Streak and particularly Midnight Shift were fine openers who played their part in getting the crowd warmed up. The temperature rose with the much anticipated set from Liverpool teenage teddy boy band Furious. It's an interesting name which shows attitude and menace, but does anyone know whether it is in any way a play on words for Liverpool's own Billy Fury? Their wild version of Billy's Don't Knock Upon My Door was breathless, full of energy and drive. There seemed to be a genuine affection for the boys from the older generation of Teds, which is a great boost for them and the scene alike. As much as I love Cavan (and I do), there has to be new blood coming through. Other highlights of their set were Please Don't Touch and Baby Blue.
I was a bit nervous about the reception Paul Ansell's Number Nine would get with a ted crowd. Dressed in a cowboy hat and singers covers of Billy Ocean songs isn't what they're used to, but such is the quality of this band I shouldn't have worried. Ansell's voice is a wondrous thing and Antonio Conti plays a beautiful bit of guitar. They opened with a cracking version of the Ruby, setting the scene for a great set of country styled rockabilly. Red Lights hit all the right buttons and I was blown away If I Ever and Early Morning Rain. Best song of all had to be Don Gibson's Sea of Heartbreak, a simply stunning version. They encored with a Roy Orbison Sun number, and while everyone else would have done Domino or Rockhouse, these guys treated us to a blinding Sweet And Easy To Love.
For some reason I wasn't really expecting much from Johnny Powers. I knew he'd be good because he had Chris Casello with him, the same guitarist who played the Baby Face Assassin for Jack Scott at Hemsby a couple of years ago. He's a really talented guitarist and together with a sax, bass and the ever wonderful Mark Kemlo (Rimshots/Gene Gambler) on drums, the sound was solid rock 'n' roll. I enjoyed JP more than I thought and he had a good stage presence and a powerful voice. Rock Rock and Me And My Rhythm Guitar were particularly pleasing but the show stopper was obviously Long Blonde Hair which was sung twice much to the delight of everyone. The band were tight, JP was rocking and Casello was on fire.
The night was brought to a quite end by the laid back doo-wop of Crazy Cavan & the Rhythm Rockers - well, not quite. Cavan and the boys gave a wild, romping set that included all their biggies from Teddy Boy Boogie to My Little Sister's Got A Motorbike. From the opening strains of Both Wheels Left The Ground the stage was inundating with fans helping out on vocal and lap-dance duties. Lyndon Needs is a lethal weapon on guitar and his energy levels haven't lowered over the years. The Spanish Ted we met in the hotel before the gig was loving it by us and there was even a glimpse of the halcyon days of the 70's with a couple of dancers getting in to handbag scuffles. Great stuff, the perfect end to a perfect night.
Shaun Mather
shaky@shaunmather.wanadoo.co.uk
January 2008
Shaky's Occassional Bootleg Series
Bruce Springsteen Play Elvis
SPL Live Vol. 11 - BigBallsBilly's FTP
01. CC Rider - (BS Story Vol 6)
02. Blue Suede Shoes - (Clubs' Stories)
03. Heartbreak Hotel - (Roxy Night)
04. Good Rockin' Tonight - (Paramount Night)
05. Suspicious Minds - (Rocks The Playpen)
06. I Can't Help Falling In Love with You - (Independence Night)
07. Follow That Dream - (Live 75-88)
08. Johnny Bye Bye - (A Night For The Vietnam Veteran)
09. Wear My Ring Around Your Neck - (London Calling)
10. Mystery Train - (Foxboro, MA, August 01, 2003)
11. Viva Las Vegas - (Las Vegas, Nevada, May 27, 2000)
12. Love Me Tender - (Uniondale, NY, April 02, 1988)
Bruce Springsteen has never been shy about singing the praises of rock's earliest pioneers, especially Elvis. He saw Elvis live at the Philadelphia Spectrum on 28th May 1977 and the previous year during his Born To Run tour he even claimed to have jumped the Graceland walls and made it to the front door in an effort to get to Elvis. Unfortunately the security guards rejected him, although Elvis was in Lake Tahoe anyway. The similarities between the two entertainers are considerable, from their stage charisma to the dedication of their fans. It's one of these heavenly souls from the world of the Boss who has undertaken this sterling job here, collating a dozen live Springsteen performances of songs Elvis had cut. They range from 1971 to 2003 and for the most part the sound quality is excellent.
I saw Springsteen at Roundhay Park in Leeds during the legendary Born In The USA tour of 1985 and although the show was in excess of three hours he didn't manage to squeeze in an Elvis song - big fan my arse! Even Springsteen's biggest detractors, who might argue that his voice isn't great, would be hard pressed not to acknowledge the quality of his E Street Band.
I was really looking forward to this album, intrigued to hear what sort of job Bruce would do on Elvis. Heartbreak Hotel from the Roxy in LA in '78 absolutely smoulders. The guitar, piano and sax are lowdown and dirty and it's possibly the greatest vocal performance I've ever heard from Bruce and I've got virtually everything he's cut. Blue Suede Shoes goes like the clappers and has all the vibrancy of the Boss at his best. He gives his best to Good Rocking Tonight and Wear My Ring Around Your Neck but the sound quality is poor.
Follow That Dream is supposedly the Boss' favourite Elvis song. You won't recognise the song when it starts, it sounds like something from Bruce's wrist-slashing Nebraska period but it's a builder as they say. Suspicious Minds and Can't Help Falling In Love with You (cut at Wembley three days before I saw him) are fine versions that stay true to the King's arrangements. His intro to the latter and the way he talks about the waste of Elvis' death is a lovely tribute. As is Mystery Train, dedicated to the late, great father of rock 'n' roll Sam Phillips, who'd just passed away. BS added that without him none of us would be here today, before giving it a great blues reading. Viva Las Vegas has the holiday gamblers well up for it and although the sound is ropy you can't fail to feel the excitement.
BS wrote Johnny Bye Bye about Elvis and before it starts he reminisces to the A Night For The Vietnam Veteran audience about being nine years old sitting in front of the tv set, and on came Elvis and thinking "I wanna be just like that." The slow version of CC Rider didn't work for me at all, devoid of any passion or excitement and I wasn't expecting much more from Love Me Tender but I actually enjoyed it a lot. Well worth checking out on the web, an excellent addition to the collections of Elvis and Springsteen fans alike.
Shaun Mather
Shaky@shaunmather.wanadoo.co.uk
January 2008
The Hydrant 2007 -
Rockabilly Live!
Tracklist: Sisir Opa, Show Time, Rockabilly Riot, Jalan-Jalan, Kakikukaku, Ku Jatuh Padamu, Rockin' A Rock, Pantai Surga, Taste Of Rock, Jump, Baby, Jump, Saturday Night, Shout
When Sam twiddled at the control panel as Elvis, Scotty and Bill laid the foundations for what was to become rockabilly they had no idea whether that sound would actually make it outside of the studio walls. History tells us that not only did it escape the studio, it spread like hellfire across the world. Nowadays that sound is stronger in pockets like Scandinavia and Germany than it is in its homeland. Even countries like Croatia have had there own bands but until now there has been nothing out of the Bali/Indonesia area. Until now that is, so step the mic The Hydrant, a vibrant four-piece band steeped in the rockabilly sounds from Elvis Presley to the Stray Cats. Formed from various bands in 2004, Wiz, Zio, Morris and Marshelo share a love of all things rocking and are proud to be the premier band of the region.
They're live shows have gone down a storm and they are now one of the top attractions in the area in any musical genre. I can see why this might be so as this album is an high energy affair. The sound is more Stray Cats than Elvis and is very '80s. The rhythm section is tight as a nun's snatch and the guitar work is very exciting. If I'm being really picky I'd have to say that the lyrics and vocals are not quite up to the mark. It's not a bad voice it's just the quality of the English isn't great, and why should it be. Half of the CD is in their native tongue and I can't blame them for that. I'm sure some hot rocking instrumentals would shut me up.
Well worth supporting, I'd love to see this band carry on spreading the world out East. Fans of the Stray Cats will find much to admire here and for that I'd say this was worth purchasing. Good luck to the band for the future.
Shaun Mather
Shaky@shaunmather@wanadoo.co.uk
January, 2008
Jerry Lee Lewis -
10 YouTube Classics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5wi1o_W8UY&feature=related
Following the Wembley country show in London in 1987, some of the tour moved on to mainland Europe. The clips here are from Stavanger, Norway. Tanya Tucker looks hot but Jerry Lee is smokin'. The live show clip is breathtaking but the interview with him walking through a car park, playing guitar, singing Jimmie Rodgers is vintage - the best clip I've seen this year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lenxfm0n1pQ&NR=1
70's Killer in leg-shakin' form. Looking good, fit and crazy, just how we love him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-clmG5EU54&feature=related
The Killer rocks through "Boogie Woogie Country Man" on a memorable episode of "Nashville Now" in late 1985. The picking and Jerry's playing are great, the sound is good, but the Killer's jumper and yellow glasses need to go - decide for yourself with the gloves.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czf1lnfh69U
Taken from October 12th 2006 when Jerry Lee was in Hollywood to promote the Last Man Standing CD. He plays a few songs for media and fans.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_O5YdBhEP6Y
From Paris in 1987, the Killer treats us to a rare version of Hey Baby. Complete with JLL standing on top of the piano playing with his cowboy boot, it's great to hear Bruce Channel's greatest moment given the Memphis Beat jangle. Even the ending where Jerry puts the mic back in it's stand is class.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REeOIGngYiE
Taken, I think, from a Country Awards show in 1979, Jerry opens with the classic quote, "Me and Elvis Presley might not of won any awards but we know who the kings of rock and roll are" the Killer proceeds to rasp his way through his headstone-song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkv8dLjnkOo
From April '72 BBC's Old Grey Whistle Test is given a country treat in the shape of Think About It Darlin'. If he ain't the greatest country singer ever I'll eat Garth Brooks' hat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ3hvu2hARA
8 minute documentary circa '72/73. "Modesty is not one of Mr Lewis' virtues. His fans think he's adorable and Mr Lewis admires their taste." I like it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxDJAJ_aLUY
From 1994 it's great to see the Killer backed by a bona fide, slap bass rockabilly band. The guitarist has a quiff that would make Kenny's hair curl!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_wXrmvi3os
Dixieland rock 'n' roll from Conway twitty on the Mississippi. Charley pride and Loretta Lynn are among the guests in the crowd.
Shaun Mather
shaky@shaunmather.wanadoo.co.uk
December 2007
Terry & Gerry -
Let's Get The Hell Back To Lubbock
Cherry Red Records CDMRED315
Hello / Butters On The Bread / TV Song / Dennis & Brian / Wait Until Your Older / Clothes Shop / Kennedy Says / Banking On Simon / Wolfman's Request / Hello (LP Version) / Joey / Ballad Of A Nasty Man / C.A.R.S. / A Thousand Towns / Percy Crusoe / The Good, The Bad, The Usherette / Fashion Rodeo / The Armchair Terrorists Song / How Long Johnny / Reservation / A Sea Shanty For The Gravy Boat / Hello (Slow Version) / Oscar's Theme / Reservation (Ira Hayes Mix) / Pizza Pie & Junk / The Last Bullet In The Gun / Victory Polka / Independents' Day / Joey (Piano Version) / Butters On The Bread (Live At The Powerhouse 1985) / Dennis & Brian (Live At The Powerhouse 1985) / Wait Until Your Older (Live At The Powerhouse 1985)
Two decades after the demise of the political skiffle duo Terry and Gerry, Cherry Red Records have collated all their singles, album tracks and a few live numbers on one superb CD. I loved their From Lubbock To Clintwood East album and played it to death in my Aberystwyth bed-sit. We had a local student band at the time, Railroad Bill and the Box Car Stompers who played traditional skiffle and I dreamed that Britain's own contribution to rock 'n' roll was on the verge of a comeback, thirty odd years after Lonnie Lonnegan and Nancy Whiskey.
Terry and Gerry seemed to have everything it took to make the big time, a good novelty sound and the type of socially aware lyrics that were so popular at the time. It was like John Cooper Clark or Billy Bragg with some decent melodies. Gerry Colvin had taken American Studies at university and worked for an American bank before turning to music. Terry Lilley had started his career in the punk bands Dennis & the Din Makers and Vision Collision. The line-up was completed with Doreen Deville on washboard and Andy Downer on second extra guitar, with Jeremy Paige and Mick Howson coming in off the subs bench. Their lilting vocals and driving acoustic sound was fresh and they made an immediate impact on the independent scene. They were more MNE than Smash Hits and more Janice Long than Dave Lee Travis. They seemed a bit too smart for an indie band in their black jackets and ribbon ties, but their tales of Thatcher's Britain hit the right cord for lefties everywhere. They came to the attention of the legendary BBC disc jockey and champion of the unknown bands John Peel after he picked out their demonstration tape because his wife's best friends were also known as Terry and Gerry. They ultimately recorded three sessions for the John Peel programme.
Their debut EP came out on Robert Lloyd's Vindaloo Records, with the top side featuring 3 songs that ran for a whopping total of five minutes. The highlight was Butter's On the Bread, a great song about the miners' strike of 1984 "the butter's on the bread of the rich man's life". From the very beginning, the wonderful thing about their songs was the perfect combination of fun music with a serious message. In early 1985 they moved to In Tape records where their first single was the energetic call-and-response romp, Clothes Shop. A cynical look at the fashion trend of the day, it got a favourable review from Morrisey on Radio 1 and reached number 5 in the UK Indie chart. Later in the year they released the follow-up, Banking on Simon which became the theme to regional children's television show Poparound. It was the flip-side Joey, which caught my ear though - a downbeat ballad about a young man addicted to drugs.
Their first and only album was the brilliant From Lubbock to Clintwood East, a fourteen song, dufferless masterpiece. The whole album is included on this new release and newcomers to the group will be able to wallow in such classics as Ballad of a Nasty Man, / The Good, the Bad and the Usherette, C.A.R.S, A Thousand Towns, The Armchair Terrorist's Song and Fashion Rodeo. The next single was surprisingly, Reservation, a good song but surely not as good as the half dozen just mentioned. The b-side was Pizza Pie and Junk, a story of the dream of going to America on either Freddie Laker's or Richard Branson's then revolutionary cheap airlines - "get my picture taken with little Mickey Mouse, truck on down to Washington and spit at the White House".
Their last single before calling it a day and going their separate ways was the suicide ballad, Last Bullet in the Gun which went all the way to #1 in the indie charts. A great finish for a great little duo, who came on the scene for a fleeting moment and vanished all too soon. Gerry Colvin has since worked with The Man Upstairs, Alison Moyet and now now performs and records with Nick Quarmby as ColvinQuarmby. Terry Lilley studied for and achieved a higher national diploma in jazz studies - aparently, the only double-bass player ever to do so. Jeremy Paige formed Rumblefish and Mick Howson joined the Destroyers, a 15 piece gypsy band.
It's a shame Terry and Gerry didn't stick around a while longer and that this Cherry Red release only had to be a single set. If only their complete works required a four CD box set to do it justice. A fabulous CD that is well worth checking out whether you've heard of them or not.
Shaun Mather
December 2007.
Charlie Hightone and the
Rock-It's - EP
Sleazy Records SR03
Tracklist: Booze Booze Booze, You Don't Care, Dead End Track, We Did
Ivan Vela - Vocals and acoustic guitar: Ricardo Cuenca - Guitar: Emilio "Sioux" Fuentes - Guitar and Lap Steel: Conde - Double Bass: Juan Fresneda: Drums.
Rockabilly bands seem to be growing like oranges in Spain in recent years. Fairly new to the scene are Charlie Hightone, a five piece bunch that formed in 2002 as a quartet before the addition three years later of Emilio "Sioux" Fuentes on second guitar and lap steel. This enhanced sound coincided with their debut release on the Malaga based Sleazy Record label. The present day sees them playing the big festivals, including next years Rockabilly Rave in the UK. Hopefully this little ol' EP is just a taster for a full blown album early next year. The four numbers are excellent ventures into the various guises of rock ''roll' Booze, Booze, Booze rocks hard with Hardrock Gunteresque vocals and the best rockabilly whistles since the heyday of Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps. If there was such a thing as a rockabilly chart, then this slab of rab would go straight to number one. You Don't Care is unusual with it's western strains and some understated Chet Atkins style picking. Dead End Track sounds like Duane Eddy backing Johnny Cash, in a broken rhythm that has Sun written all over it - especially when the singer sounds like Sonny Burgess. We Did is a fun romp with some wonderful country guitar and is the Collins Kids type of song that just doesn't get done anymore. A thoroughly enjoyable EP that hints at one of the freshest acts we've seen for quite a while.
Shaun Mather
November 2007.
Jack Rabbit Slim -
Sleaze A Billy
Western Star Records WSRC016
1.Jeeze Louise 2.The Man Who Counts 3.Lula Mae 4.Kitten With a Whip 5.Dragstrip 6.Bop Attack 7.Black Dog 8.A Devil's Heart 9.Hightone Woman 10.Queen Bee 11.Wild Wild Party 12.Cars
Wild rockabilly quartet Jack Rabbit Slim are back with their second CD, the long awaited follow-up to 2005's Sin-uendo. I'm not sure whether the band are named after the bar in Pulp Fiction or the woman's bedroom accessory. If it's the latter, why don't they cover I Vibrate or Big 10 Inch? Lead singer and former Bob and the Bear Cats front man, Bob Butfoy wrote eleven of the tracks here, the exception being their strolling cover of Gary Numan's Car. The rest of the band consist of Tom Hayes on guitar, Nick Linton on bass and Paul Saunders on drums. The whole shitandshaboodle is rounded off with Eileen Earley on sax and Steve Holbrook on piano. It's this full blooded sound that turns this from a run of the mill rockabilly albums into one of the finest albums I've heard for many a year. There's no better example than the opening track, a red hot rocker that sounds like something from the rockabilly revival of 25 years ago. I know I've said it before but too many bands have the basic trio set-up and unless they are of the highest quality the sound comes over a bit shallow. Happily, JRS avoid that trap by having a fully rounded sound and just as importantly, their songs are extremely well written. The piano on Jeeze Louise is a case in point, the song is great anyway but the touches of piano make it sound like Cavan's Both Wheels Left The Ground or any Gene Summers numbers. This is such an exciting rocker, one of the best new songs I've heard.
The Man Who Counts is a fine Johnny Casher with touches of Big River flowing through it after a Folsom intro. Lula Mae is more hardcore bop in the style of Jeeze. Kitten With A Whip is my least favourite on the album - the lyrics are more than interesting and I'd love to see a video for it, but the beat sounds like a so-so Cramps song. Dragstrip is a flame-throwing instrumental which must have Link Wray looking down with a warm heart. Wild Party and Bop Attack say it all in the titles and Black Dog is a blistering slice rockin' blues. The atmospheric Devil's Heart is enhanced by some tasty sax and drums. There's a Johnny Burnette Trio feel to Hi-Tone Woman and a touch of Bo Diddley to Queen Bee.br>
The band are working hard on the circuit and this superb release is bound to enhance their reputation. My album of the year without a doubt. Brilliant.
Shaun Mather
November 2007.
The Droptops -
Wild Hare Pecords Presents
Wild Hare Records
Here's a pleasant little package from retro record label Wild Hare. From West Virginia, Wild Hare have an impressive roster that includes originals Pat Cupp and Joe Penny, together with new young blood like Buck Stevens, Thommy Burns and Slick Andrews. They seem to be a friendly label and are constantly on the look out for new bands. Check out their website www.wildharerecords.com for further details on how to contact them or to buy their product. This Droptops release is packaged in a printed cardboard folder and therefore retails at a very reasonable $5. A neat initiative that will be interesting to see how it goes.
As you can see from the album cover the band consist of one guy and two girls - just like all our dreams. They come from the appropriately named Rockville, Maryland and have been performing in the DC metro area for the past four years. Lead singer and bass player Johnny Bozarth comes from the mild mannered style of rockabilly vocalists, sounding more Jimmy Bowen than Sonny Burgess! That's okay though, we all need a change from a frantic screamer - I'm drifting back to my dreams again. Elizabeth plays a mean Gretsch guitar in true rockabilly fashion and Christine keeps the beat together on drums.
The songs are all written by the trio and they show an affinity for Sun Records and Clovis, New Mexico in particular. If I had one complaint it would be that there's a lack of variety. Most of the album is mid paced and perhaps would benefit from a flat out belter and a couple of ballads. The excellent lead off track Where There's Smoke and When You Go are fine examples of the band's sound, not unlike a Roulette Record. She's My Baby sees them kick up a gear, the guitar being particularly hot. The pace goes down a notch for You Treat Me Mean but in all honesty it's a weak song. So all in all, a fine release that is definitely worth checking out, especially at that price. Don't forget to check out the Wild Hare website as well.
Shaun Mather
November 2007.
John Fogerty - Revival
Concord Records
The beauty of John Fogerty's albums is that they maintain the timeless sound that he'd captured with Creedence Clearwater Revival. Blue Moon Swamp was a magical album that could have been from any point on the Fogerty timeline. The reason is equal parts the catchy songs and the passionate vocals, which haven' changed a bit despite the advancement of age. This latest release is also a homecoming of sorts. Fogerty hasn' been on speaking terms with his old Fantasy Records label for many a year, but now they've been bought out by Concord Records, who have managed to sign him. It seems to have reinvigorated him and he gives his strongest nod yet to the Creedence days.
CCR are revisited with tunes like the scornful Gunslinger, and the brilliant Don' You Wish it Was true. If this was included on a Best of Creedence no-one would know different. How has he managed to retain that glorious, exuberant voice? It Ain' Right is a rockabilly workout that should become a feature of his future tours. Summer of Love pays tribute to the Woodstock years with a sound steeped in the heavy tones of Hendrix. This blistering tribute is as close as my record collection will get to Old Jimi. Talking of tributes, guess what Creedence Song is about?
Broken Down Cowboy might be a tad lightweight in such esteemed company as Gunslinger, and I wasn't blown away by Somebody Help Me where his voice actually shows it's age for the only time on the album. River Is Waiting is a reflective ballad, while Longshot and Long Dark Night see JF attack today’'s society and politics, not unlike his heyday classics like Fortunate Son. So all told, a mighty fine release that should hit the spot for all Creedence/Fogerty fans.
Shaun Mather
October 2007.
Brian Setzer Orchestra
Wolfgang's Big Night Out
Surfdog Records
Having had a crack at the 50's and then the 40's, Brian Setzer now revisits the 30's - the 1830's! For his seventh studio album with the BS Orchestra Setzer has decided to take his Gretsch down the classical route. My misses has her car stereo tuned to a classical music station most days, but I soon turn the dial when I get in. I know some of the biggies but I'd say my knowledge of classical music was about the same as my grasp on house music - zilch.
The idea for the album came about after Setzer was playing The Blue Danube Waltz on his guitar when his wife heard him and suggested he do an album in a similar vein. He enlisted the help of legendary 84 year-old composer and arranger Frank Comstock, who had worked with the likes of Les Brown and Doris Day, and together they rewrote the charts to the three minute format. They encorporated the big band sound to the classical tunes and as ever, Brian's guitar virtuosity is evident throughout.
Beethoven's "Fur Elise", retitled For Lisa is very jazzy with Setzer's acoustic runs, a clarinet and the violin being at the songs core. The title track comes from Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusic" and is as big bandish as the album gets. The opening guitar to Take The 5th (Beethoven's "5th Symphony") is a joy and his electric solo is just that - electric. You won't be surprised to find that 1812 Overdrive is based on Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" and again it's well written and performed.
Here Comes The Broad (based on Wagner's "Lohengrin" and Mendelssohn's "A Midsummer Night's Dream") is the best way to go down the aisle with a thumping double bass, Glenn Miller brass and rockabilly guitar. The most rocking song on the CD is Honey Man, a Stray Cats meets Andrews Sisters take on Rimskey-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee". Swingin' Willie (Rossini's "William Tell Overture") does indeed swing and you'd be forgiven for thinking that Sinatra was going to start singing.
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" is renamed Take A Break Guys and is a bit too jazzy for me, leading me to hit the skip button. One More Night With You sounds like an something from the Vavoom era and is pretty enjoyable. Khachaturian's "Sabre Dance" goes like the clappers and Setzer gives Dave Edmunds a run for his money, ultimately losing because of the arrangement not because of the guitar technique. When the song is going hell for leather it's shit hot but the quiet moments tend to spoil it a bit. Still great stuff but DE did his in one blistering take. Having just spent a long weekend in Budapest on the Danube, Strauss's "Blue Danube", rechristened Some River In Europe, hits all the right spots.
On first hearing I thought the album was pretty good but not totally overwhelming. As have to admit that I've now heard it three times and have started to really enjoy it. At least I now have a classical CD in my collection.
Shaun Mather
October 2007
Pop Goes the Rockabilly
1. Union Avenue - White Wedding
Rockabilly quintet Union Avenue hail from Scotland and have found a niche in the market by covering pop songs in the style of Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two. Some songs work better than others but the ones that do work are great. They make the songs like they were always Cash songs, in no small part to the vocals of Andrew Cardno and the Luther picking of guitarist Paul Paterson. They recently had the Radio 1 record of the week for their cover of Motorhead's Ace Of Spades and have been support acts for The Stranglers and Lee Rocker among others. Billy Idol's White Wedding was a frantic slice of pop in the early 80's, with a full blown production. Union Avenue stripped the song to the bare bones and even recorded it on vintage equipment for an authentic Sun sound. They pulled a master stroke in slowing the tempo and letting the song breath the way JC's best songs did. A classic version that makes Billy Idol's redundant.
2. Paul Ansell's Number Nine - Red Light
A highlight of Number Nine's live set, Red Light does indeed spell danger when the wrong version is played. Billy Ocean is as shite as Paul Ansell is great, and their versions show the difference. Ocean's is just drab pop music whereas Paul Ansell and Number Nine give a menacing rocked up performance. Not rockabilly per say but that isn't what they're about. It's high energy with a rocking emphasis but not restrained by the narrow parameters of pure rockabilly.
3. Big 6 - Tiger Feet
The Dream Team of the rocking scene, band members include Mike Sanchez and ? among its ranks. They play with a smile on their face and the music ranges from Bill Haley style rock to ska. They are particularly adept at converting glam-rock songs into rock 'n' roll with the likes of Slade and T-Rex being given the sax and slap-bass treatment. Their version of Mud's Tiger Feet is a romp, heavy on the sax and drums. Like the original it's a dance-floor cert.
4. Dave Phillips - Tainted Love
If ever you needed to explain to someone why a guitar is better than a synthesiser just take a listen to Soft Cell's version then take in Dave Phillips. I first heard this on Radio 1 on a school trip to see the Severn Boar and tried to convince everyone on the bus that this was better than Soft Cell's limp version. I'm not sure what percentage of John Beddoes School was bent, but no-one agreed with me.
5. Darrel Higham - Kingston Town
I know it wasn't the original but it was the UB40 version that I first heard back in the 80's. I never liked them and thought Red Red Wine was abysmal. Darrel's version of Kingston Town is a different animal all together. There isn't a lot of difference between reggae and rockabilly, the hypnotic, incessant beat being the embodiment of both styles.
6. Demented Are Go - Crazy Horses
There couldn't be a bigger contrast between the squeaky clean Osmonds and psychobilly trio Demented Are Go. The two versions of the song echo the differences with the toothy Mormon family sounded contrived and controlled as they reach for an orgasm of excitement. The Cardiff stompers, by contrast are totally convincing as they rape the song and bring it to a crazy level that would make Donny and Marie blush.
7. Doug Church - Graceland
Elvis impersonators aren't my favourite people in the world but where Doug Church manages to avoid my hatred is that he doesn't copy Elvis songs. Instead he gives modern songs the Elvis styled vocals, and it works well. There's the saying that riding a moped and shagging a fat girl are both fun to ride as long as your mates don't find out. I think listening to Doug Church is a bit like that as well. It's surreal hearing what sounds like Elvis singing about "going to Graceland, in Memphis, Tennessee".
8. Stray Cats - You Can't Hurry Love
Not the Stray Cats' greatest moment but still a lot better than either Phil Collins or Diana Ross. Much like the Dave Phillips selection at number 4 it was good to hear a pop song with a double bass and therefore given a bit of balls.
9. Jets - Yes Tonight Josephine
I didn't even realise this wasn't a Jets original when I first heard this back in the day. It seemed such a straight ahead rockabilly song that it was impossible to imagine it was just a run of the mill pop song. This was the break out song for the Cotton brothers and for a couple of years they were on tv everytime you turned it on. Oh how we wish those days would return.
10. Meteors - These Boots Were Made For Walkin'
Apparantly Frank Sinatra hated Tommy Sands as a son in law so much that he used his Mafia influence to make sure that Sands couldn't get work. If Nancy had of married Meteors front-man Paul Fenech instead I reckon Ol Blue Eyes would have arranged for Fenech to take a trip down the Hudson in a body bag. Whatever, the Meteors version of These Boots Were Made For Walkin' is a miles from Nancy, just like a good psycho should be.
Shaun Mather
October 2007
Buddy Holly -
Hollybilly
El Toro Records
Disc: 1 1. Baby, Won't You Come out Tonight? 2. Love Me (With Studio Chat) 3. Don't Come Back Knockin' 4. Midnight Shift 5. Blue Days, Black Nights 6. Rock Around with Ollie Vee [Fragment] 7. Rock Around with Ollie Vee [July 1956 Version] 8. Because I Love You 9. Changing All Those Changes [Clovis Demo Version] 10. I Guess I Was Just a Fool 11. It's Not My Fault 12. I'm Gonna Set My Foot Down 13. Rock-A-Bye Rock 14. Girl on My Mind 15. That'll Be the Day 16. Ting-A-Ling 17. I'm Changin' All Those Changes [Fragment] 18. I'm Changin' All Those Changes [Nashville Version] 19. Modern Don Juan 20. You Are My One Desire [False Start] 21. You Are My One Desire 22. Rock Around with Ollie Vee [November 1956 Version]
Disc: 2 1. Hony Tonk [Undubbed Lubbock Demo] 2. Good Rockin' Tonight [Undubbed Lubbock Demo] 3. Brown-Eyed Handsome Man [Lubbock Demo] 4. Bo Diddley [Lubbock Demo] 5. Rip It Up [Undubbed Lubbock Demo] 6. Blue Monday [Undubbed Lubbock Demo] 7. Blue Suede Shoes [Undubbed Lubbock Demo] 8. Shake, Rattle & Roll [Undubbed Lubbock Demo] 9. Ain't Got No Home [Undubbed Lubbock Demo] 10. Holly Hop [Undubbed Lubbock Demo] 11. Bo Diddley [Undubbed Clovis Demo] 12. Brown-Eyed Handson Man [Undubbed Clovis Demo] 13. Have You Ever Been Lonely? #1 [Undubbed Lubbock Demo] 14. Have You Ever Been Lonely? [Fragment] 15. Have You Ever Been Lonely? [Fragment] 16. Have You Ever Been Lonely? #2 [Undubbed Lubbock Demo] 17. Gone [Fragment] 18. Gone #1 [Undubbed Lubbock Demo] 19. Gone #2 [Undubbed Lubbock Demo]
When I was a kid my record collection consisted of a few Elvis, Stray Cats, Jerry Lee, Gene and Eddie albums and I played them to death up in my bedroom playing snooker on a little snooker table. One Christmas I asked my mum and dad for a Buddy Holly album, which they were happy to do as my dad was partial to a bit of the boy from Lubbock. I was expecting to hear wall-to-wall rock 'n' roll hits but was surprised to hear some lessor known gems that hinted at a Buddy Holly I never knew existed.
Tracks like Baby, Won't You Come out Tonight?, I'm Gonna Set My Foot Down and Holly Hop became as well known in my house as Oh Boy and Maybe Baby. Over the years I've heard more and more of the early stuff and find it fascinating. This latest double CD set from the splendid El Toro label is therefore a welcome addition to everyone's collection. Running at 41 tracks and costing the price of a single CD it's great value for money and should be snapped up.
This collection includes his complete 1956 recordings, a pivotal year in his development. It includes all the surviving masters from his three Nashville sessions for US Decca, together with his first demo sessions cut for Norman Petty in Clovis, New Mexico, and home recordings from Lubbock, Texas.
I'm sure you're all familiar with the majority of stuff here so a song by song review isn't needed. Highlights for me are the Nashville sessions where Floyd Cramer, Harold Bradley join Buddy together with the brilliant Grady Martin.
Basically you've got a rough and ready second CD which is never less than interesting and a truly wonderful first CD that stands up there with Elvis' Sun sessions as the benchmark by which rockabilly standards are set. If there's a better song than Rock Around with Ollie Vee, I ain't heard it. And by the way, what a great name for this CD.
Shaun Mather
September 2007
Shaky@shaunmather.wanadoo.co.uk
Robert Gordon & Chris Spedding -
It's Now or Never (2007)
RYKO Records - RCD 10915
A Mess of Blues - I Beg of You - Don't Leave Me Now - I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone - Peace In the Valley - Don't Be Cruel - Lawdy Miss Clawdy - My Baby Left Me - Too Much - Love Me - Trying To Get To You - (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - It's Now Or Never - It Feels So Right - Young and Beautiful
The summer of '77 kicked off with the release of Robert Gordon's first album and ended with the death of Elvis. The King may have died but a worthy disciple had been born. The past 30 years have seen Robert Gordon stand tall and strong as one of the torch bearers for '50s rock 'n' roll, a role he continues to this day. This latest release sees him team up with old buddy, guitar wizzard Chris Spedding. From his debut with Link Wray, Gordon has seen the value in having a first-rate axeman at his side. For this tribute album, he chose to record in Nashville, home to many an Elvis session and used the legendary Jordanaires on backing vocals.
The material is from the early days of Elvis from the Sun period to the earlier days on RCA, with just A Mess of Blues and the title track from the post-Army years. The renditions are true to the originals and there's not a weak track. As you might expect, the rockers are great with Lawdy Miss Clawdy and My Baby Left Me being exceptional. I really dug the well chosen movie classic (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care, and the Sun gem I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone where Spedding gives a big nod to Scotty Moore.
If you can't listen to a cover version without moaning that the original was better then pass this by, but if you can enjoy any rendition for its quality, you'll love this. Robert Gordon sounds brilliant throughout and it was an obvious labour of love. Probably the best tribute album to Elvis that I've ever ehard.
Shaun Mather September 2007.
Elvis 30th
Being an Elvis fan has been an odd experience over the years. You find yourself having to defend why you like him, explain what was so great about him and asked why you don't just catch up with the times. The last part is easy to answer, I'll catch up with the times as soon as someone starts recording anything that can hold a light to what I listen to. As to what made him great, I just offer to lend them a DVD or a CD and find out for themselves.
I always find it strange when someone says that they don't like Elvis' music what, none of it. Not the rock, the country, the blues, the folk, the gospel or even the pure pop? What do you listen to? Such was the quality of his voice that whatever genre he sang in, provided the material was strong, his version was top drawer. So if for example you like a bit of blues then surely you must like the songs Elvis did in that style. Unless, you're an ass-wipe who just doesn't want to give him a shot. See, I'm getting defensive now and this is a rockabilly site where most people like Elvis.
One of the things that doesn't do Elvis any favours is the loony, OTT fans he's acquired over the years. For example, in today's Commercial Appeal, there's a story about a brother and sister who are making their first pilgrimage to Graceland this year, though they've loved Elvis for years. The sister makes her own Elvis jumpsuits, sewing on the plastic beads while watching Elvis movies over and over. "The first Elvis suit I made for my son when he was 3, and now he's 15," she said. "I'm sorry I didn't name him Elvis." Try defending that in an argument with your mates!
The star of Elvis continues to shine bright, with album sales still keeping him in the charts around the world. As I write, there's a new double CD "Elvis The King" (who came up with that imaginative title) at #2 in the UK midweek sales charts. A single of Hound Dog is hovering around the top 10. I read the other day that the average age of visitors to Graceland is 34 which considering that he's been dead for 30 years is some achievement. It hopefully shows that he will still be relevant for a few years to come.
What then is his appeal? I think he appeals to different people in different ways. We've got a 17 year-old lad living with us at the moment and he likes all the modern bands but is also a fan of the 70's Elvis. My misses loves the 50's Elvis and is completely turned off by his later stuff. Me, well I like everything. I could give some of the movie soundtracks a miss, but even during that period he still recorded the odd gem. Anyway, here's my favourites of the various genres he recorded in.
Rockabilly - Baby Let's Play House
This is rockabilly personified. Whereas with gospel, country and blues he was recording in a long established genre, treading in the footsteps of his idols, with rockabilly he set the standard. His five singles at Sun defined the sound. Rockabilly was born with him, Scotty Moore and Bill Black in Memphis and everyone else would be forever compared to their efforts. Baby Let's Play House was a salacious slab of mayhem. Mom and pop might have thought this mumma's boy had dish washers and baking cakes on his mind, but the kids knew that is was tongue-tennis and belt-buckle rubbing that the Memphis Flash was really thinking about.
Gospel - An Evening Prayer
I must admit that my knowledge of gospel music is limited, very limited. In fact it extends to the recordings by Elvis, Jerry Lee, early Sam Cooke and a few other bits and bobs. I know there's the revival type gospel that Elvis did like Saved and then there's the dramatic ballad type. Those are the gospel songs that sound like doo-wop-for-God. Elvis was brilliant as this, his voice and heart gelling as one. An Evening Prayer, like Mahalia Jackson's original is all about power of the voice, and belief in the words. From an eclectic couple of days in 1971, the session produced more than a few gems, but none better than this - the piano and organ ooze Sunday mornings down South.
Blues Reconsider Baby
Elvis and Boots Randolph must have eaten turnip greens on the steps of a black Chicago speakeasy for months before this session. They are low down and dirty and totally immersed in the blues. I don't think Boots ever sounded better than this and Elvis is at the absolute top of his game. It's a shame that a full blown concept blues album wasn't recorded around this time can you imagine Elvis tackling some of the Excello stuff with Lazy Lester or Slim Harpo wailing away on the harmonica?
50's Rock 'n' Roll Don't Be CruelWhat can you say about this. They say that it was the first Elvis RCA song to move Sam Phillips, and you can see why. The perfect rock 'n' roll record, it covers every aspect, from the lyrics of teenage love, driving bass and guitar lines, backing vocals about the only thing it doesn't have is a sax solo.
Country - Just Call Me Lonesome
Elvis was more known for destroying country music than singing it in it's purist sense. From the earliest days of Blue Moon of Kentucky, he took country songs, stripped them of their whiteness and added his own soul and some Mississippi blackness. Just Call me Lonesome is straight ahead Nashville country with plenty of steel but no fiddle. Elvis sounds so at ease and this is one of my favourites in his vast catalogue.
Pop Suspicion
A beautifully exotic pop song that was perfect for the time. I always feel it was an injustice that it was Frank Sinatra who hosted the Welcome Home TV special on Elvis' return from the Army. Can you imagine if Ol' Blue Eyes had been replaced by Dean Martin. Instead of Frank's flat dulcet tones we could have had the dream-team pairing of Deano and Elvis exchanging verses, flirting with the words, two of the worlds greatest singers in perfect harmony. Them crooning, the audience swooning ah, if only.
Shaun Mather
16 August 2007.
Rocky Velvet -
It Came from Cropseyville!
RVM CD001
Despite forming in the Albany, NY area, there's still a new kids on the block feel about Rocky Velvet. Apart from a single on Cacophone in 1997 they haven't released anything as a band until this beauty. The past decade has seen long periods of inactivity as a band although the individual members have been busy on the scene. Guitarist Graham Tichy has played with Wanda Jackson, Linda Gail Lewis, Robert Gordon and Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. Bass player Jim Haggerty has been playing with the likes of Wanda Jackson, Chuck Berry, Robert Gordon and Bo Diddley. 2007 finally sees the release of a full blown album and the wait has been worth it. The band worked closely with producer Frank Moscowitz to get an authentic 50's sound.
The band are absolutely solid as a rock with drummer Jeff Michael and bassist Haggerty powering the rhythm section along. The thrills come from Tichy who is one of the most accomplished guitarist in the rockabilly world. While singer Ian Carlton doesn't have the most distinct voice he can certainly carry a tune and doesn't let the sound down.
The majority of the CD is covers and they're pretty much all well chosen and well played. The only one that didn't do anything for me was the opener but King Kong has never hit my spot. Wayne Walker's All I Can Do Is Cry, Johnny Powers' Rock Rock and Benny Joy's I'm Gonna Move all stand up well to the original but the covers that really shine are the Rocking Saints' Cheat On Me and Move Around. It's given a rocked-up hillbilly reading which to these ears is better than Groovey Joe Poovey's excellent original.
Of the originals, the impressive Don't Stop is a stop-starter with call and response vocals and tasty picking from Tichy. The best song though is Haggerty's Poor Poor Lonely Me, the best thing on the album. I'm not sure how to describe it, but would say it was closer to Restless' Tag Man Tag than Robert Gordon's Red Hot know what I mean!
So, a classy release and one of the best of the year. Surely we won't have to wait another ten years for something else. I'd be intrigued to hear the follow-up and would hope that it might include a few more originals. The band have just been voted 2007's Best Band in the Capital Region by the Metroland Magazine so hopefully that and the new album can spur them on to the next level.
Shaun Mather
Shaky@shaunmather.wanadoo.co.uk
September 2007.
Darrel Higham -
Monochrome Dream
Foot Tapping 050
With a new release seemingly coming out every couple of months, Darrel Higham is rapidly becoming the Willie Nelson of the rockabilly scene. Again on his Foot tapping imprint, Monochrome Dream is one of his best to date. It's got the usual mix of originals, straight forward covers and a couple of surprises where songs are given a fresh reading, far removed from their originals.
The album kic
