JOHNNY SAYLES - MY LOVE'S A MONSTER

What can be said about this track other than it's cool. Plain and simple, DAMN cool. Texas born and relocated to Chicago, Johnny Sayles cut many great records and never got the hits that he deserved. Probably because the records were just too raw. He died too young (age 56) in 1993, working his second career as a prison guard.

from 1965...

JOHNNY SAYLES - MY LOVE'S A MONSTER

CATHY SAINT - BIG BAD WORLD

While this track is acknowledged by many as one of THE GREATEST of the girl group era (and justifiably so), I know absolutely NOTHING about singer Cathy Saint, and I speculate that she may be someone else recording under a pseudonym (and if you know more, please write!).

This track has it all; lyrically it paints a vivid picture of bad boys to avoid thanks to advice mom mom, driven along by a superb New York City arrangement and production. When I listen to the chord progression it's clear that records like this were such a huge inspiration on the songwriting of Elvis Costello, as it keeps moving and reaching.

from 1963...

CATHY SAINT - BIG BAD WORLD

IDES OF MARCH - GIVE YOUR MIND WINGS

Several years before they went brassy and added a horn section, Chicago's Ides Of March released a string of excellent, jangly garage rock singles for Parrot and Kapp Records that went nowhere (other than local AM radio success). This track shows a fantastic British Invasion influence and was written by a songwriter (Jeff Milne) who started a band called Factory around 1969.

This is my personal favorite of their early singles, and it's one of those records that soars along magically with gorgeous harmonies and guitar jangle for 2:40. And it's a PERFECT 2:40.

Maybe I'm looking far too into it, but it seems as though the band was caught in a moment here where a fantastic track, a string of flop singles behind them, naivety, talent, (perhaps) chemicals all came to a crossroads and drove them into another dimension. This record is just resonating in a very magical way with me this morning.

from 1967...

IDES OF MARCH - GIVE YOUR MIND WINGS

SHERYL SWOPE - CAN'T GET HIM OFF MY MIND

Sheryl Swope's small output of records are added to the category of Chicago/ Detroit soul summit meeting. Sheryl herself was from Chicago, and for this (and subsequent) releases she traveled to Detroit to work with Detroit producer Mike Terry on a song written by the Detroit Brothers Of Soul (Fred Bridges/ Ben Knight/ Robert Eaton, who are probably singing the excellent backing vocals here as well) for magical results.

Sheryl shows off a gorgeous, clear voice that exudes the smooth Chicago sound, backed by that cracking Detroit rhythm and a horn section that has a very Chicago-like sound as well. This track is also a great example of Terry's use of congas that just sound so damn bubbling away on this track. Plus, whoever is playing guitar here puts in a stellar performance. Quite simply, a perfect record. I look forward to featuring another great record from Sheryl Swope soon as well.

from 1969...

SHERYL SWOPE - CAN'T GET HIM OFF MY MIND

EARLES INC. - DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW?

Where does one ever START with this beautiful record? The guitarist starts it all off, laying out some Curtis Mayfield-style licks that bring me to my knees, as the drummer grooves slow and steady in a way that is almost vocal itself in its expression. Add in the sublime vocals (lead singer is Bobby Buchanan) and this St Louis group share an absolute masterpiece with us.

from 1973...

EARLES INC. - DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW?

Comments

Hello all-

For the past 4+ years I've allowed anonymous comments. Not anymore. It seems as though time goes on, I end up fielding more and more crackpots that, plain and simply, have something negative to say which is irrelevant and downright boring. It zaps my energy weeding thru them and often times makes me consider stopping this site. My advice for the critics is START YOUR OWN WEBSITE. Obviously, I post things on here that bring me personal happiness and I am happy to share with anyone who wants to listen. Music is supposed to make us happy, not bring out people's bad vibes.

This will not effect most of the readers of this site who are wonderful, many of whom I have made friends with in the outside world on my travels.

peace,
the editor.

LOVEMASTERS - PUSHIN' AND PULLIN'

First off, I'd like to make mention the passing of Beastie Boy Adam Yauch, aka MCA.  What a tragic loss at such an early age; as so many people in my age group, The Beastie Boys were a guiding light for us to dig a little deeper into the obscure world of funk and soul music, a prodding for which I'm eternally grateful. Plus, it was always (and always will be) a party when a Beastie record is on the turntable.

Lovemasters were formed by singer Edith Andrews, from Chicago's south side. Edith formed a group called the Tonettes after high school, and the group was almost signed to Chess but allegedly negotiations fell apart, after which she began the search for a new group. After placing an ad in Chicago's defender magazine, she received responses from male singers, of which Lovemasters began.

The group signed to Jacklyn records, which was run by John Haygood (stepfather of Darrow Fletcher). The resulting record was written for the "push and pull" dance craze, and this record certainly WAS made for the dance floor, although it sounds great ANYWHERE.

from 1968...

LOVEMASTERS - PUSHIN' AND PULLIN'

THE WURDS - BORN IN CHICAGO

The Wurds, from Chicago, started life as The Dirty Wurds; a band who cut a single called "Why" in 1966 that remains one of the most intense slabs of nascent punk rock ever committed to wax. The Dirty Wurds were a teenage band from Chicago (age 16-17) who cut their teeth together playing bluegrass (!) then went in the beat direction. According to the liner notes from Pebbles, they would regularly open for national acts and practically cause riots!

Here we find them one year older and still just as intense as before (although the primal screams as heard on "Why" are absent). Most surprisingly of all, the group were signed to Chess Records. My assumption is that there was enough of a buzz around the band (they played at Chicago's 1967 Be-In/ Love In) that Chess felt they would be a good band to cross over into the rock n roll market. This record (a fabulous cover of Nick Gravenites blues classic as first heard on The Butterfield Blues Band's 1965 debut) was simply far too raw and unhinged to make any kind of commercial dent, but they sure make for an exciting relic 45 years later.

Sadly, I have just read that Wurds drummer Bob Carter died last week from lung cancer.

from 1967...

THE WURDS - BORN IN CHICAGO

THE VOWS - TELL ME

Here is one of the most obscure Motown singles of them all; The Vows were a west coast group who recorded for many different labels, and also appeared as The Vowels. Lead singer Morris Chestnut, who lays out a seriously intense lead vocal on this track, met up with a Los Angeles based doo-wop group called the Vows after his service discharge in 1961. The group was noticed by the L.A offices of Motown publisher Jobete, and after a west coast single sunk without a trace, Motown still saw potential in the group and released this single on their V.I.P subsidiary. Sadly, it too saw no success but as evidenced by what was in the grooves, this group certainly had talent.

from 1965...

THE VOWS - TELL ME

THE UNDERTAKERS - JUST A LITTLE BIT b/w STUPIDITY

Liverpool's Undertakers were an odd gang; they were known to travel to and from gigs in a hearse! Must have made quite a stir (the similarly macabre Neil Young was also traveling around Canada and the USA in a hearse during '64-'66). This cracking group featured Jackie Lomax on lead vocals, and on this excellent double sider they take on Rosco Gordon's "Just A Little Bit" as well as Solomon Burke's "Stupidity". While Jackie Lomax' voice hadn't quite matured to the point that it did for 1968's incredible "Is This What You Want" LP, he does have a very manic energy and charm in his delivery here.

from 1964...


THE UNDERTAKERS - JUST A LITTLE BIT

b/w STUPIDITY

SAM & DAVE - I FOUND OUT

While the history of Sam & Dave as Stax recording artists and THE GREATEST male soul duo in history (not opinion but fact), it is certainly less known that the duo recorded for three years (for Roulette and two other labels) without ANY hits. Sam & Dave were signed to Stax in 1965 which began a run of hits that cemented the duo's status as the most dynamic duo of the 1960's. Need proof? Simply watch the Stax Live In Europe 1967 DVD; no other performances in history can match the electrifying stage presence, tension, competition and talent of these two.

As for their early recordings, in my opinion this is the best of the bunch. Kinda hip, kinda square Steve Alaimo wrote and co-produced a number which combines secular lyrics with a feel and drive that's straight out of a southern church, and the end result is a real kick in the pants that, for the first time, TRULY shows the potential that these fellas were gonna reach during their Stax years.

from 1964...

SAM & DAVE - I FOUND OUT