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There's something about the mix of (Steve) Morgen's wispy vocals mixed with fuzzed out, raw psychedelia that's very appealing here. A bombastic vocalist would turn the track into a relatively generic track, but the childlike vocals and lyrics add an English-like edge to the track, which truly elevates during the more restrained chorus-like section (staring for the first time around :48).
Morgen's LP is very rare and very collectable, but for my ears it's this single that's priceless.
Born in St Louis (where he began his recording career in a band called The Blue Notes, a different group than Harold Melvins'), Chuck Bernard relocated to Chicago as a young man. Despite his obvious talent and excellent material such as this, he didn't make much of an impact on either the local or national charts.
This was his debut Chicago recording under the guidance of genius Monk Higgins.
Yet another example of an excellent singer who slipped thru the cracks.
This New Zealand group had a long run with success on their native island as well as Australia, and started life in the early '60's known as The Young Ones. By 1964, management had hooked them up with a new lead singer named Larry Sturdy, and the group became known as Larry & The Rebels.
By the end of 1968, the group had seen many singles hit big down under, but the group split into two factions- Larry going solo and The Rebels continuing on.
This was their final release, and while a fine beat number it was, admittedly, out of date at the time of release in 1970. However, it sure sounds fine today!
Ernie Hines journey as a musician saw the Mississippi born singer/ guitarist move to Chicago in the early 60's (where he cut records for the USA label, and also performed with Slim Harpo), then move to Memphis in the early 70's where he was signed by Stax main man Al Bell to the Stax subsidiary label We Produce where he cut a lone LP (from which this excellent 45 was taken).
Ernie Hines is still active today, and alternates between gospel and secular music.
South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela became extremely popular in the US in the late 60's, a position that was cemented by his massive crossover hit "Grazing In The Grass" and an uncompromising appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival. It's fair to say that his appearance in the Monterey Pop film exposed the masses of the rock/ pop crowd to African music for the first time. Hugh also appeared as lead trumpet on the Byrds track "So You Wanna Be A Rock And Roll Star."
Fast forward a few years to 1973, where this track cuts a groove so deep it's impossible not to fall in. If we weren't already hypnotized, at 1:40 in to the cut, someone turns on the echo for a truly freaky trumpet solo and an ending that just blows me away.
From what I can gather, Johnny Fairchild was a white singer from New Orleans backed by a cracking, black r&b group who released two singles in 1959-60.
This is one of those records where, while there may not be much information about the artist, the information in the grooves will be more than sufficient. This is one hot side with a sound that must have been incredibly cutting edge and powerful to have actually HEARD in 1959.
And it sure sounds boss today.
from 1959...
JOHNNY FAIRCHILD & THE NITE RIDERS - PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE
Formed in 1964, The Galaxies IV were formed while still in high school in Trenton, New Jersey and have the distinction of being (I think) the only garage/ psych band that featured an accordion (although I don't hear it on this track, which may or may not be a good thing).
The group released four singles before adding a new lead singer and becoming The Galaxies V; THIS is the record that the stars aligned for. VOILA; a mind melting psychedelic masterpiece which was released in the summer of '67 to boot.
During '65-'67, RCA Victor released some truly incredible rock and soul 45's, and for the most part they all sank without a trace. If it wasn't for their Elvis income, the incompetency of RCA in the promotion department probably would have ran them out of business.
Ted Taylor, born in Oklahoma, had a long and varied career that included gospel and secular music. With a massive discography, his wailing falsetto cut through the doo wop era to the golden age of soul and beyond.
While Ted released scads of records, it was his storming and scorching r&B records that I dig; like this one! This record was cut in Chicago by the great Carl Davis.
To some, the 45 RPM single edit is near treason; how DARE they edit down an artistic statement for commercial reasons?
As for me, I have a short attention span, so 45 edits are usually okie dokie.
The 8 minute LP version of this track is certainly one of Texas' 13th Floor Elevators masterpieces, but when it comes down to it, I really enjoy the 4 minute edit, as it contains the following:
Stacy Sutherland's guitar intro that practically defines psychedelic music. Stacy is one of the unsung heroes of guitar; every time I turn up the reverb on my amp and let my fingers do the walking, I have Stacy's playing on my mind.
Danny Thomas' steady, soul/jazz influenced drumming that never wavers and, when combined with Tommy Hall's amplified jug, sounds damn near a slowed-down techno groove. But Danny could swing way harder than any drum-machine propelled techno track.
The moment at 2:03 when Roky Erickson's voice goes into the stratosphere.
The moment at 2:25 when the group launches into the bridge section which is one of their songwriting peaks, and in my opinion one of THE most transcendent moments in music. I've listened to it thousands of times, and it never fails to make my jaw drop.
The only thing missing from the edit are more verses of Tommy Hall's acid mystic lyrics, and being as un-penetrable as they are, that may or may not be a bad thing depending on your tastes.
True, when a groove cuts as deep as the band does on this track sometimes I wanna hear the full eight minutes, but for a pure adrenaline rush this single edit is just what the doc prescribed.
The Carltons were from Washington DC, and included James Leon Diggs, Larry Bell, and Jerry Norris. James Leon Diggs, the writer of this side, was also a member of The Knight Brothers at the same time, and that group was also recording in Chicago at the same time (I believe this record was also cut in Chicago). The group were obviously big fans of the Impressions, and they show off a lovely vocal blend with a Curtis Mayfield-like falsetto lead. The Carltons also provided vocal backing on Andy Mack's excellent "Later Than You Think".
The Carltons releases did not fare well commercially and by the end of 1964 (which was also the year of their debut) the group was finished.
A few weeks back I posted Australia's Somebody's Image and their version of "Hush". Shortly after the teenage group recorded that track, singer Russell Morris was encoraged by the excellent OZ band The Groop to strike out on his own. Legend has it that producer Ian Meldrum heard composer Johnny Young perform the song (meant for another singer) and strong armed him by refusing to leave until the singer allowed the producer to cut a demo of the song, as he saw it as the perfect vehicle to launch Morris' career.
His bullying tactics proved correct, and the single became the biggest hit in Australia in 1969, and made the local charts in Chicago and New York as well.
The song itself is simple, yet catchy; however, the production (said to be the most expensive single cut in Australia up to that point) is what makes it truly outstanding. The American release (wisely, in my opinion as the final 3 minutes are quite freaky) cuts it in two, although it was the full 6:36 version that rose to the top in Australia.
Instrumental backing is provided by The Groop, and those lovely harmonies are none other than The Chiffons.
Little Sherman was actually Chicago songwriter Sherman Nesbary (aka Verble Domino!); Sherman's biggest claim to fame was writing "We Don't Have To Be Over 21" which was recorded by the Jackson 5ive and was their second release (pre-Motown) on the Steeltown label.
While Sherman didn't write this side (unless J. Porter is another pseudonym), he did have a hand in the excellent arrangement which is pure, late 60's Chicago soul.
from 1969...
LITTLE SHERMAN & THE MOD SWINGERS - THE PRICE OF LOVE
This single was the followup release to their US #1 hit "The Game Of Love", and also the second-to-last release featuring Wayne Fontana as the frontman of this Manchester, UK group.
While there's no denying the commercial appeal and greatness of "Game Of Love", this followup release is just as strong. The record has a sinister edge, propelled along by the excellent drumming of Ric Rothwell, some downright bizarre tambourine hits, and an incredible guitar break courtesy of Graham Foote. These guys were seriously excellent musicians, as their Beat Beat Beat performance (seen on youtube) shows off.
Wayne left the group mid-tour in 1965, and struck out on a solo career. He had some solo hits in Australia, while the Mindbenders had another massive hit in "Groovy Kind Of Love" the following year.
from 1965...
WAYNE FONTANA & THE MINDBENDERS - IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT TOO LATE
Like so many long running vocal groups, Los Angeles' Younghearts (aka Young Hearts, New Young Hearts, The Standards, The Bells) saw major lineup changes through their career. The group was formed in 1961 at Dorsey High School in L.A by Bobby Sanders and Charles Ingersoll, and with many members coming and going, the group lived on through the 70's, although longtime member Bobby Solomon tragically died of cancer in 1975 at age 31. A nice history of the group can be found here.
One constant with any Younghearts record is the quality of the vocalists, whoever they may be on the track. I love the relaxed proto-disco feel of this record, and those amazing harmonies on the intro just knock me out every time I hear them.
Like many fringe folkies, beatniks, and downright weirdos, the San Francisco chaps that made up the Charlatans were transformed by the arrival of The Beatles in the United States in early 1964. The group, along with the hit making (yet "scene-excluded") Beau Brummels, were the two groups that began the San Francisco sound. What the Beau Brummels had in tightness and professionalism, the Charlatans were sloppy, freaky and downright anarchic.
The group were also stylistic trendsetters in their appearances in Victorian and western garb; Victorian vintage clothing became a ubiquitous part of the 'Frisco scene, and Jon Lundberg's music store in Berkeley became the epicenter as not only THE place for bay area musicians to buy their instruments, but also Lundberg's had racks of vintage clothing which was completely innovative and took the scene by storm.
The Charlatans took on a summer '65 residency at the Red Dog Saloon in Virginia City, NV; typically the type of situation where a group hones their chops and "gets it together". In the case of the Charlatans, they took a bunch of acid, had a good time and probably improved a little bit musically without losing their sloppy charms that are heard on this single.
After a disastrous stint as Autumn Records recording artists that yielded no record, The Charlatans were signed to Kama Sutra Records. Seemingly a fitting home for the group as KS was also home to the Lovin' Spoonful, label A&R refused to release the groups intended first single, a cover of Buffy St Marie's "Cod'ine". This song was pulled from the sessions and released to commercial failure. The group's 1966 LP remained unreleased until 1986, and though they limped along and released an LP in 1969, the charm was gone. Guitarist Mike Wilhelm continued on as a member of Loose Gravel and The Flamin' Groovies, and Dan Hicks (initially on drums, then later guitarist) went on to great success with his Hot Licks.
I saw the reformed Charlatans in 2005 at the Chet Helms memorial concert in Golden Gate Park, and they were loose, anarchic, and rollicking. Just as they shoulda been.
Detroit singer Belita Woods cut two of my all time favorite 45's ("Magic Corner" b/w "Grounded", plus "That's When I'll Stop Loving You") and later fronted a disco band called Brainstorm. She has also been part of the touring George Clinton & The P-Funk All Stars Band (and I think I spotted her onstage a couple years ago singing with Charlie wilson of Gap Band fame). She is still in excellent voice.
The only sad thing is that Belita simply didn't release enough records under her own name! This excellent side was co-produced by Motown's Barrett Strong. Her powerful voice could drive a stomper, and, as heard here, propel a ballad into orbit.
Ben, Frank, John, and Merlon Norfleet were brothers and cousins from Chicago's southside. The brothers were the children of members of a gospel group called The Norfleet Brothers, and it's obvious when hearing the vocals that these young men grew up singing in church.
Under the names Little Ben & The Cheers, The Cheers (after Ben was drafted and sent to Vietnam), and The Norfleet Cousins the group released over a dozen singles but never achieved the type of success that they truly deserved.
To put an even stronger tragic end to the story, Ben died in the late 70's due to agent orange poisoning from his service in 'Nam.
Thankfully, he left behind a legacy which included brilliant records such as this one, showing off his incredible voice and talent.
The Flame (aka The Flames) were an extremely popular young group in their native South Africa when they decided to move to London in 1968. While on a tour with The Beach Boys, Carl Wilson spotted the group and was bowled over by their impressive songs and musicianship. The Beach Boys had recently started their Brother Records label, and he signed the group and moved them to Los Angeles where they recorded their Brother LP which proved to be their final release. This single is taken from that album, and sounds as though it walked off of a 1967 Beatles release! It would fit right in on Magical Mystery Tour.
Shortly after The Flame split, Beach Boy Dennis Wilson injured his hand which prevented him from drumming; the 'Boys recruited Blondie Chaplin (guitar) and Ricky Fataar (drums) to become Beach Boys, and they were key members during the group's rebuilding popularity as a strong live act, culminating on their excellent work on The Beach Boys In Concert LP. Ricky went on to play Stig O'Hara in the brilliant Beatles spoof "The Rutles" in 1978.
A scorcher; I don't know the moves to the Philly Barracuda per se, but this record makes me wanna shake it nonetheless!
Chicago's Holly Maxwell sang in groups starting in junior high school, and began her recording career in 1965 at age 20. She still performs to this day at blues clubs and festivals, in Chicago and Europe.
Holly went on to work with such legends as Curtis Mayfield and Barbara Acklin (who worked as her manager), and also as a fill in for Tina in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue(!)
Behold, the greatest double sided American garage psych 45, EVER; and you may quote me on that. From the fabulous Chocolate Watch Band, who hailed from my neighborhood (well, fifteen minutes away in San Jose/ Cupertino), proving once again that much of the greatest music comes from the suburbs, and not major cities. San Francisco has (and had, according to people I know who were on the scene in the 60's) an incredibly provincial outlook and looks down upon areas that are outside of the city when it comes to the arts and culture. Records like this certainly call bulls*%t on those types of attitudes.
Released shortly before the band's "classic" lineup went up in flames, this record captures the group at their incendiary peak, and shows how it was not only plausible but DEFINITE that they blew many of their San Francisco Sound peers off of the ballroom stages in 1967.
Singer David Aguilar shows a serious Mick Jagger influence (and that ain't a bad thing), while group musical director/ guitarist Mark Loomis positively SOARS over both sides of this record while the band cuts a serious, locked-in groove. "No Way Out" started as a studio warmup jam, until Aguilar launched into a spontaneous lead vocal that epitomizes a certain type of experience that may be psychedelically charged but comes off as quite punk, leading up to that incredible ending. "Are You Gonna Be There" is catchy enough to where it could have been a smash hit, but the rawness (and lack of promotion) kept it at bay.
from 1967...
THE CHOCOLATE WATCH BAND - ARE YOU GONNA BE THERE (AT THE LOVE-IN)
Willie Tee (Turbinton) was one of the many geniuses of New Orleans music. He was also incredibly accomplished at a young age; his debut single, presented today, was cut when he was all of 18 years old!
Tee combined jazz with r&b in a brilliant way, and it was a pairing that was quite natural. There was no pretension to his music; Willie used his jazz ability to make incredibly sophisticated music that swung with harmonic complexity that seemed simple.
Willie's records got stronger over time, but I love the charm of this single. Tee's voice is already fully developed and strong, there's plenty of attitude, and the horn chart is pure NOLA.
In a career full of sexy records, this just might be Tina's sexiest; its distillation of Willie Dixon/ Muddy Waters via Led Zeppelin concocted into something that became distinctly Tina.
This single was from the final sessions with Ike before Tina left, for good.
Before going in a much jazzier/ progressive direction with their Capitol Records debut in 1969 (Loosen Up Naturally), San Francisco's Sons Of Champlin (named after keyboard player Bill Champlin) cut one of THE GREATEST psychedelic soul singles.
Augmented by a full horn section and seriously strong musicians, The Sons waxed one seriously fiery single here, which was also their debut. This record got some airplay here in the bay area, but never took off nationally as it should have.
Known as The Prophets until c1969, this group (from Georgia) were a multi-racial, male/female group that were well loved on the eastern seaboard "beach" scene. The group does a fabulous job in copping a little bit of the late 60's Chicago sound on this track, which shows off those lovely male/ female harmonies laid over an excellent track.
The 'Prophets remained a gigging entity until 1985.
