IGGY & THE STOOGES - SEARCH AND DESTROY

Whoa baby did I search high and low for this one for a LONG TIME.

Quite possibly my all time favorite rock n roll song.

To be brief, in the new issue of "Fretboard Journal" magazine, I have a story/ interview with Stooges guitarist James Williamson which I'm completely stoked to have written/ published.

On Christmas Eve, the magazines came in, along with this 45.

Now THAT is a Christmas miracle, and its' perfect to blast off your new years eve celebrations.

And it sounds incredible in mono!

from 1973...

IGGY & THE STOOGES - SEARCH AND DESTROY

DARROW FLETCHER - I THINK I'M GONNA WRITE A SONG

This performer, criminally underrated (I don't think there's any type of CD compilation that's ever been released) was a child prodigy who seemingly was born to perform.

Cutting early sides for Groovy Records before his voice changed ("The Pain gets A Little Deeper" has been a featured 45 of the day in the past), and touring with major artists, Darrow never seemed to be able to break nationally, which is an absolute crime. For such a youngster, he completely owns "The Pain' as well as its' flip side, "My Judgment Day" (email me for MP3's if you need them. They are essential listening).

This cut was recorded after his voice changed and the way Darrow could tackle a lyric is, to this listener, the epitome of soul music.

from 1970...

DARROW FLETCHER - I THINK I'M GONNA WRITE A SONG

EDDIE BO - DINKY DOO

Alright; it's an Eddie Bo doubleheader! Yesterday we featured an Eddie Bo production, and here today is one of his earlier sides. And what a cool tune it is! Eddie's so cool, he handles confronting his cheating lady with humor (I ain't no dinky do!). Just lock me up in a room with New Orleans 45's and that sounds like heaven to me.

from 1961...

THE RAINBOWS - KEY TO MY HEART

This beautiful deep soul cut was produced by legendary (and prolific!) New Orleans genius Eddie Bo. Although it's a girl group style record, Eddie's voice is very clear in the mix along with the ladies. This has a great, 3 AM kinda murky, slightly drunken sound.

from 1967...

CHRIS CLARK - LOVE'S GONE BAD

One of the greatest of all Motown records, and one that should have been a massive hit.

At six feet tall, blue eyed/ blonde haired Chris Clark was a native Californian from Santa Cruz. She was the first white woman who recorded for Motown, and worked behind the scenes at Motown for several years. WHAT a voice!

from 1966...

CHRIS CLARK - LOVE'S GONE BAD

While I'm at it, I can't resist adding this video of my band (The Bang Girl Group Revue) performing 'Love's Gone Bad". That's my lovely wife Angeline taking the lead vocals, and I'm on guitar.

WILD MAGNOLIAS - SMOKE MY PEACE PIPE (SMOKE IT RIGHT)

It's been a while since I've featured any of the funkier sounds, and to these are it doesn't get my funkier than this amazing track from this New Orleans congregation. There's a lot of good info at wildmagnolias.net, but they don't seem to mention much about the involvement of NOLA legend Willie Tee (a real favorite at this blog, for sure). Willie wrote this track, and played a big part in many Magnolias recordings.

from 1974...

STEVE MANCHA - DON'T MAKE ME A STORY TELLER

Who am I to deny a request? The other day I received a request for some Steve Mancha, so here you go! This is a superb Detroit deep soul cut, and the only one of his singles that hit the national r&b charts (only to #34). I don't yet have Steve's incredible "Friday Night" 45 (it sells for BIG money; one of these days...)

from 1967...

THE SAPPHIRES - HEARTS ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN

This Philadelphia group (2 guys and one woman) made a run of singles that never quite broke through the charts in a big way between '63-'66. This is an especially lovely ballad, just the type that you know I love to feature on Sundays.
Allegedly, the backing vocals on this track were provided by soul legends by Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson And Melba Moore.

from 1964...

THE SAPPHIRES - HEARTS ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN

JACKIE LOMAX - SOUR MILK SEA b/w THE EAGLE LAUGHS AT YOU

As part of the Mersey Beat scene, it's no surprise that Jackie Lomax and George Harrison rubbed shoulders early on in their careers (Jackie was in the Undertakers at the time). Jackie was one of the first artists signed to Apple Records, and his brilliant Apple album "Is This What You Want" (the CD of which is out of print and selling for silly money) was produced by George Harrison. The first single from that LP, "Sour Milk Sea" is stellar, but the b side is a CRACKING piece of psychedelic English soul (I recommend listening to 'The Eagle Laughs At You" first). Sounds like Eric Clapton blazing away on guitar, too (caught at a precious time before he became a big bore.)

from 1968...

 JACKIE LOMAX - SOUR MILK SEA

b/w THE EAGLE LAUGHS AT YOU

Business matters...

If any copyright holder objects to the music being presented here, PLEASE email me directly and the song will be removed immediately. My intention of this site is educational and encouraging for people to BUY music from the artists, and in the cases of them still performing, GO SEE THEM LIVE! Oh yeah; and HAVE FUN!!!! This is all positive stuff.

To the "anonymous" poster who keeps leaving mean spirited messages here. No, I will not publish them; call me whatever you want it doesn't kill my buzz. This is a FUN blog all about spreading FREE music that is not heard everyday; not a place to go and call names and send hate mail. No one else has complained about rapid share, and we are still averaging 100+ listens per day. In order to keep publishing this blog, it is the only choice. My previous file host continuously exceeded bandwidth restrictions due to so many downloads. So its either rapid share or perhaps Derek's MONTHLY 45. It is a great pleasure to get all of the positive comments about the blog, so thanks to all!

THE AUTOGRAPHS - I CAN DO IT

The Autographs are one of those groups that have a bit of a mysterious history, but a very interesting one. Apparently from Los Angeles, this 3 female/ 2 male group started life as The Impersonators. By the time their first record was released, their name was changed to the Autographs.

Enter Larry Williams; record producer and gangster. While cutting brilliant record after brilliant record at the OKeh label in the mid 60's, he employed the Autographs to sing backups on the northern soul classic "A Quitter Never Wins" (which also features Johnny Guitar Watson). Around the same time, the Autographs cut this remarkable scorcher for OKeh. The group disapperaed, then reappeared around 1970 as the Visitors 9I have not heard this record) then again around 1972 again as the Autographs (haven't heard any from that period either).

from 1967...