Wonderfully simple... simply wonderful

In 1988, guitarist, Chuck Carroll quit the Young Fresh Fellows. Not really sure what to do next, the remaining Fellows recorded a dozen songs live in the studio and bootlegged themselves. The limited edition (1500 copies) label-less record came in a plain white sleeve with 3 Young French Fellows 3 scratched into the vinyl. There were also three LP titles etched there too. BEANS & TOLERANCE, WONDERFULLY SIMPLE… SIMPLY WONDERFUL and UPSON DOWNS. Take your pick! The band calls it THE BOOTLEG ALBUM so I guess that’s another option if you want one more. I prefer WONDERFULLY SIMPLE… SIMPLY WONDERFUL because that’s the only name you can read when the record is in the sleeve. Whatever you call it, it’s a great record.

Side one (wonderfully simple) is the rock side. Play this one at your next party. There’s an early version “Go Gorilla” which the band would revisit on a 45 a few years later.

Side two (simply wonderful) is also the rock side but the songs aren’t going to get the party moving like side one does. I hear John Lennon, Neil Young, SISTER LOVERS and Debbie Gibson (yeah, that Debbie Gibson) bits on here. And a never ending country-ish song.

After this record, the remaining Fellows considered ending the band and recorded an LP to be called THE BREAKUP ALBUM as a goodbye. Lucky for us, they changed their minds.

Back in line

20 years after they broke up, Boston's Prime Movers have recorded their debut album. It's woth picking up. Mostly new songs with a few from the band's first run thrown in. Get one!

No more darkness

no more night

Wiggle

wobble

He's an indie star

I’ve never known for sure this song is a well meaning joke or sharp jab. I think it’s funny either way but it’s not gonna be funny at all if you’ve never heard of Mark Robinson. The short lounge bit at the end of the song is a nod to Robinson’s Sammy Davis Jr. obsession.

Side two is a cover of an Unrest song. The original is better. And because the record is a joke about the guy that led Unrest, there is an alternate version of the A-side.

I’d never heard of the Graverobbers before I got this record in 1992 and I’ve heard very little since then but apparently the band was well regarded in Washington DC. Karl Straub, who led the band and wrote “Mark Robinson”, is still playing solo and in several DC bands. Straub also played guitar in Butch Willis' band in the early 90’s. The band’s other guitarist was Mark Robinson.

Alien space song

Idolator was looking for a copy of this song. I sent it to them. They have mentioned it since so I'm gonna post it myself. Enjoy!

Update: OK, Idolator did post the song. But not the version I sent them. Hmphhh.

Going, going,

gone

Kenny & The Kasuals are back

Or were back anyway. This 7” reunion record is from 1979. I don’t know how many of the original Kasuals are on the record but that is Kenny singing. There’s a picture of him looking kinda new wave on the cover. The record was produced by Kenny and Mark Lee, the same guy that managed the band during their mid-60’s heyday. Lee released the 7” on his own Mark Records.

The record itself is not bad once you get past the first song. The ‘live’ medley on side two is easily the best thing on the record. It’s the one to get if you’re only getting one song. This record would be a classic if the other three songs had this much energy. The songs are too long, this one would be much better if it was a minute shorter. Kenny must have been listening to power pop when he was writing these songs.

Kenny & The Kasuals are still performing with three of original members still in the band. They’ve got some shows coming up, go see ‘em if you’re in the Dallas area. I bet they’re a fun band live.

Here’s one strange thing. Kenny’s website doesn’t mention this reunion record. THe site does mention (and several songs from the EP are included on) the GARAGE KINGS album that came out right around the same time. It’s not that bad of a record!

Death's black train

is coming

I lied

when I said I wouldn't change

3000 pounds of U.S. steel

with a 16-year-old behind the wheel

Like a complete unknown

Once upon a time you dressed so fine
You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?
People'd call, say, "Beware doll, you're bound to fall"
You thought they were all kiddin' you
You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hangin' out
Now you don't talk so loud
Now you don't seem so proud
About having to be scrounging for your next meal.

How does it feel?
How does it feel?
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?

You've gone to the finest school all right, Miss Lonely
But you know you only used to get juiced in it
And nobody has ever taught you how to live on the street
And now you find out you're gonna have to get used to it
You said you'd never compromise
With the mystery tramp, but now you realize
He's not selling any alibis
As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
And ask him do you want to make a deal?

How does it feel?
How does it feel?
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?

You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns
When they all come down and did tricks for you
You never understood that it ain't no good
You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you
You used to ride on the chrome horse with your diplomat
Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat
Ain't it hard when you discover that
He really wasn't where it's at
After he took from you everything he could steal.

How does it feel?
How does it feel?
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?

Princess on the steeple and all the pretty people
They're drinkin', thinkin' that they got it made
Exchanging all kinds of precious gifts and things
But you'd better lift your diamond ring, you'd better pawn it babe
You used to be so amused
At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used
Go to him now, he calls you, you can't refuse
When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose
You're invisible now, you got no secrets to conceal.

How does it feel?
How does it feel?
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?

- Bob Dylan

I know it's true

you know it too

Aurora

A while back I posted something about AURORA by The Bill Shepherd Singers. By request, here’s the whole LP.

Bill Shepherd knew the Bee Gees songs very well, he had been doing the orchestrations for the band since 1965. In February, 1968, he put together a group he called the Bill Shepherd Singers and went into a studio for 3 days. This is what the came up with.

Bee Gee's manager Robert Stigwood must have liked what he heard. In April 1968, Stigwood sent Shepherd back to the studio record an album of Bee Gees songs with a full orchestra called (what else) The Robert Stigwood Orchestra. Shepherd must’ve known what Bee Gees songs he liked. Seven songs show up on both albums. Stigwood pulled rank and released his Orchestra's album in August 1968. The Bill Shepherd Singers LP was not released until November '68.

Happy birthday

Don Van Vliet!

I'm gonna

change my way

Well, I never kept a dollar past sunset

always burned a hole in my pants

Who drank my beer

while I was in the rear?

I'm not saying

After a few years of making movies, Nico moved to New York and decided to become a singer. She spent some time at the Blue Angel Lounge and had an affair with Alain Delon.

In 1964, Nico met Brian Jones and he introduced her to Andrew Loog Oldham. Oldham signed Nico to his Immediate label and got his house producer - Jimmy Page – to make a record with Nico. The single came out in August 1965 and it’s a pretty good record. The A-side is an early Gordon Lightfoot song, it’s pretty good but I know some people don’t like the strings. Pfffft. The B-side is an Oldham/Page song and is the better of the two. Brian Jones is rumored to be playing guitar somewhere on here. I wonder if there are any outtakes? The single was re-issued in 1982 and again in 2003.

The record was not a hit. Nico went back to the Blue Angel where she met Andy Warhol introduced her to a band that was not looking for a girl singer.

It's alright

the way that you live

R.I.P.

Sneaky Pete Kleinow

Nobody likes Aunt Bea's wig

Not every record I bought twenty years ago was great. I liked both of these songs when I first got the record but neither one of them has aged all that well. To tell the truth, I had forgotten all about Club Gaga until a couple days ago when I flipped by the 45 while I was looking for something else.

Singing is Club Gaga's main drawback. “Deseo Tu” does start sounding better after I get used to the vocals but the song is way too long. That's pretty much how I felt about in 1985 too. The flip side would sound kinda like the Pastels if the song had fewer singers and less percussion. Was this really an episode of Andy Griffith show?

The record was released on Vraiment Records. The band's own label? There are at least two different covers so I guess there was a second pressing. I don’t know of any other records by the band.

Club Gaga was a big band, there are 7 members listed on the back of the record. No last names though so I don’t know if anybody went on to any other bands. Except for organist Bryan Cook. He was in numerous bands, including Time Toy, The Is/Ought Gap, Oh OK, The Kilkenny Cats and The Hindu Love Gods.

Happy birthday

Paul Revere!

Is there any love

in this world?

Yes, I wish that you were mine

a little bit of time and I'll be fine

"He was looking for the square root of the blues themselves."

About 10 years ago, I found a promo copy of BRIAN JONES PRESENTS THE PIPES OF PAN AT JOUJOUKA at one of the WLRH record sales. I had never heard the record and was glad to find a copy.

It’s a pretty good record once you get past the first few shrill minutes. The ends of the sides are better, either because the trance music needs time to work or they just sound better than the bits at the beginning. The hand claps at the end of side two are the best part of the record to me. Jones edited these down from hours of tapes, it sounds like he may have overdubbed section on to other sections too.

Clay Reed from the Subsonics saw my copy of the record and mentioned that he would like to have a copy too. At the very next WLRH record show, I found another promo copy of the LP and gave it to Clay. Hi Clay!

The title of this post comes from David Dalton. That’s how Dalton explains Brian Jones fascination with Moroccan music.

(Spelling corrected. Thanks Dave E.!)

Happy birthday

Michael Stipe!

She always said she wanted lots of money

she always wanted attention

Land of 8 dances

Today’s record is an early concept album called LAND OF 1000 DANCES. The LP opens with the worst recording of “Land Of 1000 Dances” ever. Apparently this crowd was never told to shut up and dance.

The album is credited to Lloyd Thaxton who hosted a Los Angeles dance show in the early Sixties. Which explains why one of the dances is “Do The Slauson.” Art Fern does not get a songwriting credit. This may have been a popular dance, Thaxton also released an LP called DO THE SLAUSON. It’s got the same cover photo as LAND OF 1000 DANCES. Thaxton recycled more than just songs.

The concept falls apart right away. There’s only ten songs. One is the title song and there are two “Twine” songs. LAND OF 8 DANCES doesn’t make a good album title though.

The dance step for the “The Herky Jerky” should be familiar to anybody that’s ever done the Hokey-Pokey. But that song is public domain and there’s songwriting credit to be earned just for coming up with a new song title. "Mashed Potato Time" sounds a lot like "The Monster Mash". The Hully Gully" and "The Pony Express" fill out the dance card.

“Time To Twine” is the best song here. If you’re only going to get one song, get this one. Unfortunately, “Foot Stomping” is not a cover of the Flares song. It’s “Time To Twine” with vocals, they words don’t help the song. I thought “The Laughing Twine” would be “Time To Twine” with a laugh track added but it’s not. It’s a completely different song with a laugh track.

Does "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" count as a dance? Was there a dance called The Shake?

I don’t know who the musicians are on this record. Perry Botkin, Jr. did the arrangements. The Challengers did an LP for Lloyd Thaxton, I wonder if they played on this one?