DJ Mike Crash

Irma Thomas Rocks My World - Twice!

2011-11-29T19:09:00.001-08:00

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This is the Soul Queen of New Orleans. And here are two of her biggest cuts!

The first, released in 1960 on Ron, came out when Irma was the tender age of 19. But by that time she'd been married twice and had four children! So she could tell you a thing or two about men. This one hit #22 on the charts and was her first hit. Great sense of humor, swinging beat, screaming horns - "Don't Mess With My Man" has all the makings of a Nola classic.

"Wish Someone Would Care" came out in 1964, and was Irma's biggest hit. It's about a perfect soul tune if you ask me.

Irma Thomas never got the mainstream success she deserved, but she is still known and adored by music lovers everywhere.

Professor Longhair - "Big Chief" - Watch Records, 1964

2011-11-05T10:10:00.000-07:00

Today it's a real treat - one of my favorite records from New Orleans legend Professor Longhair!

Henry Roeland Byrd AKA Professor Longhair AKA Fess was born in 1918 in Bogalusa, Louisiana. Although he didn't really begin to play music seriously until his 30's, and never had a large repertoire, Fess became a huge figure in New Orleans music. He had a unique style which instantly set him apart from his peers, but he lacked the crossover appeal to become a national star.

Black or white, local or out-of-town, they all had Longhair's music in common. Just that mambo-rhumba boogie thing.—Allen Toussaint

Check out "Tipitina", "Let's Go To The Mardi Gras" and "Bald Head" for more of a feel for this cat's sound.
I don't have much info on Watch Records, but I believe it was run by Earl King and Wardell Quezergue. They recorded a ton of great NOLA artists from that era like Eddie Bo, Tommy Ridgley, Benny Spellman and others.Now listen to this and start strutting!

The Cynics - "Sweet Young Thing" - Dionysis, 1985

2011-10-24T03:21:00.000-07:00

Today it's a mid-80's garage rocker from Pittsburgh! So who are The Cynics?

They formed in '83, with Gregg Kostelich on guitar and Michael Kastelic on vocals the constant driving force over many years and lineup changes.The influence of 60's garage punkers and RnB is definitely apparent in this record, their first outing.

“I was maybe 4 or 5 when I started collecting Garage records, and I’ve been listening to that type of music ever since." - Gregg Kostelich

Cynics '92 lineup

These guys are still going strong after 25 years, now on Gregg's "Get Hip" label.

Dionysus Records was based out of California and hosted the Cynics first two outings. Interesting, not only was this The Cynics' first release, I believe this was the label's first 45 release. From the label website:
"Dionysus Records was started by me, quite haphazardly and from scratch at the tail end of 1983 because I wanted to release a 45 by my then band Yard Trauma. The label was actually an extension of a cassette-only label run I ran out of the Roads to Moscow record store on Park Ave in my hometown of Tucson, AZ between ‘81 and ‘83. In 1984, I moved to Los Angeles and became pals with Greg and Suzy Shaw at Bomp who helped me to establish the label here in Southern California and distribute the first two albums (by Yard Trauma and Thee Fourgiven) and a couple of singles (by The Cynics.)"
And of course, the clip!

Halloween 2011 Mix!

2011-10-22T14:43:00.000-07:00

For a limited time only. Something totally different - a bit of a flashback for me to the stuff I listened to in high school. Let's go goth this Halloween!

Oh My Goth It's Mike Crash! by djmikecrash

Rufus Thomas - "Walking The Dog" - Stax, 1963

2011-10-10T05:13:00.000-07:00

This one's a classic tune on a class label, one that always gets the crowd amped. Let Rufus show you how it's done!

A Memphis native, Rufus was performing early and performed until his death, releasing R&B, Blues, Funk and Soul tunes. He was also a comedian and DJ. Now that's what I call an entertainer!
Today's song was the first big hit for Rufus, hitting #5 R&B and #10 Pop. A song's influence can be gauged by the bands that cover it. This monster was covered by The Rolling Stones, The Sonics, Aerosmith, Roger Daltrey, Green Day, The Trashmen, and many more.
We've talked about Stax before; great label with tons of hits. It's pretty hard to go wrong with the early catalog if you ask me.

Billy Gayles - "I'm Tore Up" - Federal, 1956

2011-10-03T03:23:00.000-07:00

Songs about getting drunk - now that's what I'm talking about! Make it a nice RnB shouter, and you've got a tremendous tune like this one.

I don't have too much info on Mr. Gayles. You see on the left, he was born on October 19. 1931 and passed away on April 8, 1993.
A St. Louis native, he was a singer and also played drums. "Tore Up" was his first outting on Federal, but he also released "Let's Call It A Day", "No Coming Back", and "Just One More Time". The last one was in '57. There were a couple of tunes on smaller labels, but I don't see anything after '61. I think today's tune is pretty wild for '56.
You'll note the (in)famous Ike Turner is in on this too, providing the flames for the drunken scorcher. That dude had a hand in just too much good music!
Have a listen!

September 2011 Mix is GO!

2011-10-02T02:20:00.000-07:00

September's mix is up, sorry it's a few days late. Now get Rocking!

Crash's Night Out by djmikecrash

The Marathons - "Talkin Trash" - Arvee, 1961

2011-09-26T03:21:00.000-07:00

Novelty tunes - what happened to 'em? Today's 45 is a weird number from The Marathons, actually both sides are novelty tunes. The flip is "Peanut Butter", a song singing the praises of our favorite nut paste, and was the more popular of the two. I like this side for the naughty edge it has. It's simply one character trying to seduce a young girl, who does nothing but giggle in response. By the end of the record, her dismissive laughs anger the suitor, who finally gives up. It's actually pretty annoying, but I suppose that's the point: by the end you are just as annoyed as the suitor.
The Marathons were really a psydonymn for The Vibrations, who were under contract with Checker. When it was discovered they were recording for another label, a lawsuit resulted, and Checker released their own version of "Peanut Butter". These same folks charted with "Stranded In The Jungle" earlier under the name The Jayhawks (we covered The Cadets version of that song here).

As far as the Arvee label, here's a blurb from "West Coast Sock Hop", an Arvee compilation I came across:
"Richard Vaughn founded his Arvee Records (his initials formed the label's name) imprint in Los Angeles in 1959, and thanks in part to loose-limbed productions by H.B. Barnum and Marty Cooper, had hits right out of the box with frat party R&B acts like the Olympics and the Marathons, and although party R&B tracks (often with deliberate novelty appeal) remained the label's bread and butter, Arvee also dabbled in rock & roll, doo wop, and instrumental surf music."
I first encountered this tune on the wonderful "Talkin' Trash" compilation, but it was misattributed to The Olympics. Have a listen!

The Frantics - "Werewolf" - Dolton, 1959

2011-09-19T02:46:00.000-07:00

This is a classic tune, basically a standard amongst a certain set of bands. It influenced The Cramps' "Don't Eat Stuff Off The Sidewalk". It was covered by Los Straitjackets. The Ventures played it note-for-note and retitled it "The Fourth Dimension". I got in on the action too. So who were the original men behind the music?

The Frantics were based out of Seattle, Washington and were active between '55 and '65. Ron Petersen and Chuck Schoning started as a duo in jr. high, and the band grew from there. By the late 50's they were recording what would become their classic material with Dolton. The two most well-known cuts are probably "Werewolf" and "Fog Cutter", but "Straight Flush" also charted. In the 60's, the band line-up was shifting and thier sound drifted towards the RnB side of things. By '65, they disbanded. There's a great collection of info at this site for those who want to dig into it further.
Dolton was a Seattle-based label started by Bob Reisdorf and Bonnie Guitar, and was active until '67. First called "Dolphin", they changed the name after a few releases to avoid confusion with a Laurie "Dolphin" subsidiary (but they kept the fish in the logo). Aside from The Frantics, other acts included The Ventures, The Fleetwoods, and Vic Dana. Avnet scooped up the label in '63 and in '65 it was merged with Liberty. It was finally closed in '67.
Most of the other songs in The Frantics catalog seem to be of the tamer teen variety, but this one is tough and eerie. Have a listen:

Elliot Shavers & His Bossmen - "Toe Jam" - Checker, 1964

2011-09-12T03:40:00.000-07:00

Today I've got another R&B stormer from one of my favorite labels, Checker. Not much info out there on this cat, but I've come across some other great tunes by Elliot Shavers "and his Blazers". Blazing indeed, both sides of this 45 will burn up a dancefloor. The flip, "Rice And Gator Tails", is no slouch; but this is the side that really does it for me. Have a listen:

The Pyramids - "Hot Dog Dooly Wah" - Shell, 1958

2011-09-05T03:23:00.000-07:00

How about some kinda silly and upbeat doo-wop? Well, that's what you're getting.
I could find no info on The Pyramids. Anyway, this is a finger-poppin' tune about a girl that's a great cook. Obviously such praise can only elicit a response of "HOT DOG DOOLY WAHHH!"

Better view of the logo on the flip, bet that was an issue with Shell Oil

Not a whole lot of info on Shell Records out there. I gather from this discography that today's 45 was the first release for Shell Records. Looks like they were active till the mid-60s at least. The label indicates some involvement with Saxon Music, both Shell and Saxon were under Allied Entertainment of New York. A short note in the November 10, 1962 Billboard Magazine, announcing that Allied was going public, also notes that Allied was formed by Dr. Herbert Breger in '61. That's all I got.

LaVern Baker - Tweedlee Dee - Atlantic, 1954

2011-08-29T03:55:00.000-07:00

Baker

Lavern Baker had music in her blood, being related to both Memphis Minnie and Merline Johnson. A Chicago native, she was born there in 1929. By the mid-40s she was performing around town as "Little Miss Sharecropper". After signing to Atlantic in '53, this was her second release and first big hit - it went to #4 on the R&B chart and #14 on the national US pop charts. "Tweedlee Dee" was an even bigger hit for Georgia Gibbs (a bit of a sore subject for LaVern, she sued unsuccessfully).

And in this corner - Gibbs

LaVern's other big hit was "Jim Dandy", a tune probably familiar to most of you.
From Wikipedia:
"She received the 1990 Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. In 1991, Baker became the second female solo artist inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, following Aretha Franklin in 1987. Her song "Jim Dandy" was named one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll and was ranked #343 on the Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time."
LaVern Baker passed away in 1997, and was buried in Maple Grove Cemetery, Queens, NY.

Irene On My Mind

2011-08-28T12:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had a bad case of hurricane on the brain as Hurricane Irene made her way up the coast to NYC. Luckily, we didn't get hit too bad. But it did bang out this song while I waited for the skies to clear and head back to my local pub. Less than two minutes of surfy silliness.

Irene On My Mind by djmikecrash

Shake Frantic, One Year Anniversary and Final Party

2011-08-23T14:47:00.000-07:00

This Thursday the 25th will be the last Shake Frantic at Huckleberry Bar. It's been fun year, but the DJ booth is getting yanked out and the parties killed along with it. Help me drown my sorrows in delicious booze and music. 588 Grand and Lorimer, 10PM sharp. Be there or be L7.

Facebook invite here.

Mix for August is up!

2011-08-22T17:21:00.000-07:00

New set is up so get at it. This month, a little something different - old school bass, island style! Rocksteady now, rudeboy.

The Harder They Crash by djmikecrash

Hank Ballard And The Midnighters - "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go" - King, 1960

2011-08-22T03:13:00.000-07:00

I play this one all the time, a great, great tune that just puts a smile on my face.

Hank Ballard is a GIANT, I tell you. Maybe you've heard this song before. Or that scorcher "Work With Me Annie". Or maybe you've heard that little tune called "The Twist", which was in no small part responsible for the 60's dance craze scene. In the mid-50's, Hank Ballard had a big hand in creating Rock and Roll.
Hank was a Detroit, Michigan native; performing young in church and enjoying the sounds of singing cowboy Gene Autry. In '53, he joined up with The Royals, but they had to change their name to avoid confusion with The Five Royales. Their first big hit was in '54, "Work With Me Annie" - a huge tune with a not so subtle sexual message.
"Work with me Annie,
Let's get it while the gettin' is good!
(So Good! So Good! So Good!)"
"Annie" led to a number of answer songs like "Annie Had a Baby" and "Annie's Aunt Fannie". In '54, they released respectable ballad "Tearsdrops On Your Letter", but the B-side was a monster that was a number 1 hit for Chubby Checker (twice!), "The Twist".
From Wikipedia: "Ballard & the Midnighters had several other hit singles through 1961, including the Grammy-nominated "Finger Poppin' Time" and "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go" which hit number 7 and number 6, respectively, on the Billboard pop charts."
The band split in '65, never again reaching those early peaks. Hank Ballard did release a few more singles and a James Brown produced album. He passed away in 2003.

Syd and Hank

Based out of Cincinnati, Ohio, King Records put out too many brilliant records to name. Syd Nathan started the label in '43, originally focusing on country or "hillbilly" music. But RnB really picked up at King and sister label Federal starting in the 50's. We're talking guys like James Brown, Bill Doggett, Charlie Feathers, Wynonie Harris, Joe Tex, etc, etc. I've been seeing Federal repros about; so do yourself a favor and buy some!

And, the clip:

Huey "Piano" Smith and The Clowns - "Don't You Just Know It" - Ace, 1958

2011-08-15T03:25:00.000-07:00

It's time for a return to New Orleans, with a classic cut from RnB legend Huey "Piano" Smith.

Huey Smith

Huey was making music from an early age; it's rumored he composed and performed his first tune at the age of 8! By the time he was 15 he was playing clubs, and by the time he was 18 he had signed to Savoy Records. Huey came up as a sideman to some of the biggest names in the business, guys like Little Richard, Lloyd Price, and Earl King. But in '57 he formed The Clowns and began releasing tunes at Ace Records. They hit it big with "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu", an absolute essential New Orleans tune. Today's single, released in '58, is their most well known hit, making it all the way to #4 on the RnB charts. You may also be familiar with Frankie Ford's "Sea Cruise" - a number that Smith composed and originally performed, which took that charts by storm when smooth white crooner Ford did his take.

After the late 50's, Huey was never able to regain that early fame. At some point later, he became a Jehovah's Witness and dropped out of the music scene entirely. But his piano playing, and its influence on Rock and Roll, won't be forgotten.

Johnny Vincent

Ace Records was run by Johnny Vincent. After his start at Specialty as an A&R man and producer, he opened Ace around '54 - '55. Ace had a few great hits, biggest among them the Smith and Ford tunes mentioned above, but by the early 60's things began to slow down and in '62 the label was shuttered. Johnny Vincent passed away in 2000 of heart failure, he was 74.

The Enforcer - "Ride On Marcus" - Well Charge, 1978

2011-08-08T03:23:00.000-07:00

The magnetism of Reggae cannot be denied. Wonderful music, rare records, tons of sub-genres, and a tight community with its own unique culture. This may very well translate into many dollars missing from my wallet and new records on my shelves.
Today's record is a great tune from the mid-late 70's, which I'm hearing is considered by many to be the golden age of that music. As you'll hear, this particular record is well thrashed, and the label picture above is a good indication of what the actual vinyl looks like.
All I know about the Enforcer is they put out some other wicked tunes in the 70's, like "Pay Them". The Well Charge label put out quite a few releases judging by the partial discographies I've seen, but I have no real info on them.
So sit back, relax, and enjoy a minute of this reggae enigma:

Joe Cuba Sextet - "Pud-Da-Din" - Tico, 1972

2011-08-01T03:39:00.000-07:00

This week I'm showing a bit of my Puerto Rican side, with a hot number from Joe Cuba.
Joe Cuba is known as the "Father of Latin Boogaloo", the style that rocked New York in the mid to late 60's with it's original combination of R&B, rock and roll and soul with mambo and son montuno.

Born "Gilberto Miguel Calderón" in New York City, his parents moved to Harlem from Puerto Rico in the 1920s. Joe picked up the conga young, and was playing in bands by high school. Inspired by a Tito Puente performance, he started a band - the "Jose Calderon Sextet" which was later changed to the "Joe Cuba Sextet". Joe Cuba was born!
In 1965, the Sextet got their first crossover hit with the Latin and soul fusion of "El Pito (I'll Never Go Back To Georgia)". Their later hit "Bang Bang" really started the boogaloo craze.

I believe today's cut is from the "Bustin' Out" album, in which Joe starts to move beyond the strict boogaloo style. This particular tune was edited out from early versions of the album. Why? Well, I'll leave you to figure out what "I pud-da-din cause I like it" might mean in this very silly and a little naughty song.
I don't have a lot of info on Tico, but here's the Wikipedia take:
"Tico Records was a New York record label that was founded in 1948. It was originally owned by George Goldner and later acquired by Morris Levy and incorporated into Roulette Records. It specialized in Latin music and was significant for introducing artists such as Ray Barretto and Tito Puente. In 1974 it was sold to Fania Records and stopped releasing records in 1981."

Surprise: in Puerto Rican hoods in NYC, you find these records

And last but not least, the clip!

Shake Frantic! at Huckleberry Bar

2011-07-27T03:31:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, 7/28 at Huckleberry Bar, let's get wild!

The Hollywood Persuaders - "Drums A-Go-Go" - Original Sound, 1965

2011-07-25T02:50:00.000-07:00

Today it's a pounding dance floor orgy from The Hollywood Persuaders!

Mick and Mallory dig that crazy beat!

You may remember this song from the prison riot sequence in Natural Born Killers, and the tune's frantic intensity certainly fits.

Mastermind Paul in the middle

The Persuaders were primarily Paul Buff, he wrote most of the songs and even played many instruments on the recordings. His first hit, "Tijuana Surf", was pressed with buddy Frank Zappa's “Grunion Run" on the flip. The success of that tune started Paul's career, and he linked up with Original Sound records for plenty more tunes.
From the "Drums A Go Go" album liner notes:
"...Paul Buff was working on an idea which showcased drums in the arrangement. Buff’s first attempt was entitled “Drums” and simply featured drums with his wife Allison’s backing vocals. This version was released on an extremely rare promotional single with “Yes, I Want To Dance” as the B-side. Paul Buff went back and completely re-recorded the track with an extremely powerful drum presence, more instrumentation and a sax replacing Allison Buff’s vocal. This version became “Drums A-Go-Go,” and it was an even bigger local success."

Art working the boards in a promo shot

Original Sound is run by Art Laboe, and I believe this is still an active studio in Hollywood. Check out his website here for the full info.

Current pic of the studio

Now start bouncing!

July 2011 Mix Is Here!

2011-07-24T05:58:00.000-07:00

New set for the month is up on Soundcloud, get at it!

July 2011 Mix by djmikecrash

The Utopians - "Dutch Treat" - Imperial, 1962

2011-07-18T03:07:00.000-07:00

Today I've got one of my favorite doo-wop records for ya - but unfortunately I have almost no information on The Utopians. All I know is that they are also known for their hit "Along My Lonely Way" which is a nice doo-wop ballad sought after by record collectors. This one is a great up-tempo doo-wop number, and the other side is ace as well. Pick this up if ya see it, and please send any info on the band if you have it!

The Barbarians - "Hey Little Bird" - Joy Records, 1964

2011-07-11T03:38:00.000-07:00

Today I've got one of my favorite garage tunes for ya - The Barbarian's "Hey Little Bird".
The Barbarians formed in 1964 and were based out of Cape Cod. There's no denying their roots - listen to one of their tunes and the accent is heavy and unmistakable. "Hey Little Bird" was their first tune, and it flopped badly. I think it's a pretty rocking little number and a heavy guitar drone/gong at the end of each verse really makes the song for me.

The Barbarians' big hit was "Are You a Boy or Are You a Girl?", which peaked at around #55 on the charts. Also, I'd recommend checking out "Moulty" - a silly ballad about how the drummer lost his hand, that was later included on the infamous "Nuggets" compilation. The Barbarians split by '68 but I'm glad they left us with a few gems. Here a clip of them performing today's 45 on the TAMI show.

Joy Records was active between 1958 and 1965. Based in New York, it was run by Hal and Mariam Weiss. I also know that the producer of this tune, Al Ham, was the A&R chief at Joy. That's really all I've got on Joy.
And the clip:

King Curtis - "I Never Love A Man (The Way I Love You)" - Atco, 1968

2011-07-03T03:14:00.000-07:00

Today I've got a nice blues-soul instro from sax god Curtis Ousley AKA King Curtis. Maybe you don't know the name, but you've got to know his honking on tracks like The Coasters' "Yakety Yak" or Buddy Holly's "Reminiscing."
Born in 1934, Curtis picked up at sax at age 12. He got his professional career started as a sideman in the 50's and 60's, but by the mid 60's he was able to lead his own band recording plenty of instrumentals for Atlantic. He died tragically, stabbed to death while trying to shoo some junkies away from his apartment stoop in 1971. Curtis was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 6, 2000.

Today's song was originally an Aretha Franklin tune, peep this YouTube clip for a taste of the flavor:

Atco Records released a ton of 45s and I'm sure you've come across many. From Wikipedia:

"Atco Records was founded in 1955 as a division of Atlantic Records. It was devised as an outlet for productions by one of Atlantic's founders, Herb Abramson, who had returned to the company from military service. It was also intended as a home for acts that did not fit the format of Atlantic, which at the time was only releasing blues, jazz, and R&B/soul. The Atco name is simply an abbreviation of ATlantic COrporation."
And now, the clip!

This Thursday at Huckleberry!

2011-06-28T04:02:00.000-07:00

Lightnin' Hopkins - "Move On Out, Pt. 2" - Jewel, 1965

2011-06-27T03:54:00.000-07:00

It's occurred to me that I could probably expand my readership here and my DJ profile in general if I would focus a bit more on a particular style. I guess that's always been one of my issues in life - I just like too many damn things! Right, so today it's a straight Blues record from a giant figure in that genre - Lightnin' Hopkins. I've been in a particularly Blues kinda mood lately since I decided to finally try to learn how to use the harmonica I've got laying around. My poor neighbors!

Born Sam John Hopkins in 1912, Hopkins looms large over the Blues scene and guitar history in general. After learning a thing or two about the Blues from Blind Lemon Jefferson as a youngster, Sam finally got some recognition in Houston in the mid-40's. He started recording...and recording...and recording. We've talked about some prolific cats here, but Lightnin' takes the cake. From Wikipedia: "It has been estimated that he recorded between 800 and 1000 songs during his career."
Peep this clip from the '67 documentary "The Blues Accordin' to Lightnin' Hopkins".

Hopkins died of esophageal cancer in Houston January 30, 1982 at the age of 69. His New York Times obituary named him as "one of the great county blues and perhaps the greatest single influence on rock guitar players."

Some other ol' LP I got layin' around...

Jewel Records was started by Stan Lewis in 1963 out of Shreveport, Louisiana. Initially, he put out mostly Blues material but later branched out with the establishment of sister labels Paula and Ronn. Here's an interesting comment about Hopkins and Lewis' relationship at Jewel from this great website: "Houston-based Hopkins developed a unique guitar style where he would simulate bass, rhythm, lead, and even percussion as he played solo. He also had a unique approach to recording, where he asked to be paid a flat fee for his recordings, with no contracts or royalties. He would do one take of each song, and one take only. His sessions for Jewel would usually include about 20 songs each. Hopkins and Stan Lewis got along well (an instrumental on the second Jewel album was called "Uncle Stan, the Hip Hit Record Man"), and Lewis remarked that he probably recorded more songs by Hopkins than any other artist. "
I believe Jewel was active well into the 90s.
And of course, the clip!

June 2011 Mix is here!

2011-06-21T17:59:00.000-07:00

New mix is up, so go get get get it!

June 2011 Mix by djmikecrash

Duane Eddy - "Rebel-'Rouser" - Jamie, 1958

2011-06-20T03:35:00.000-07:00

I wanted to mix it up with something a little twangier this week, and then I realized the King of Twang himself has not made an appearance here yet! For shame, Mike Crash, for shame. Well, better late than never.
Duane Eddy managed to become a guitar god in the late 50's putting together simple yet rocking little tunes like this one. Born in Corning, NY in 1938, he was already playing guitar at 5. His sonic guise was that of a twangmaster extraordinaire, playing leads on the bass strings of his guitar to great effect. Weird factoid: a 20,000 gallon water tank was used as an echo chamber on one of his early records, "Moovin' and Groovin'" to accentuate his sound.

His follow-up, "Rebel Rouser" was the big hit, getting all the way up to #6 on the charts. Why don't we have instrumental hits anymore? Get cracking musicians!
The man has worked with everyone from Ravi Shankar to Waylon Jennings, and he just keeps cranking out the tunes. He was also the first guitarist to have a signature model, and was inducted into the Rock hall of fame in '94. He's still kicking around God bless him, doing his twang thang.

Jamie was another great label out of Philly, started in 1957 by Harold Lipsius. Today's record was their first big hit, and Duane Eddy basically made the label successful just by his record sales. Any of you diggers have certainly come across this label or one of their subsidiaries such as Phil-L.A. of Soul, Dionn and Sundi. I believe the label stopped releasing tunes in the early-mid 70's.

Friday June 17 at Motor City Bar!

2011-06-14T16:14:00.001-07:00

CAN YOU HANDLE IT?

Love - "My Little Red Book" - Elektra, 1966

2011-06-13T15:16:00.000-07:00

Can Burt Bacharach rock? Well, this week I'll say "yes" - but only if someone like Love covers him.
Love was an LA based Rock outfit active in the 60's and 70's. I have them under the "garage" tag but they're actually hard to pigeonhole in a specific genre with their diverse sound.
The group coalesced around Arthur Lee, who had been gigging and recording with various bands since the early 60's. Love hit the scene in '65 and quickly became popular. Random tidbit: the band initially lived in a house once owned by horror movie legend Bela Lugosi.

Originally penned by Bacharach, Love had a decent-size hit with today's 45, their first single with Elektra. A few moderately successful albums followed: self-titled "Love", "Da Capo" and "Forever Changes". Unfortunately, drug problems (the Legosi heroin curse?) and internal conflicts started to splinter the band in '68. Several more albums were released with a radically altered lineup. Many of the original members have since passed away or faded into obscurity, but a reformed version has toured as recently as 2009. There is a rumor that a lost album from '73 called "Black Beauty" will be released soon, I believe there are bootlegs already floating around.
And...the clip:

Gil Scott-Heron - "Johannesburg" - Arista, 1975

2011-06-06T03:12:00.000-07:00

Today's post is in memory of Gil Scott-Heron, who passed away on May 27th. He was a poet and a musician whose influence on Hip-Hop and Neo-Soul is hard to overestimate.

Born in Chicago but relocated to the Bronx in his early teens, Gil's writing talents were already apparent in high school. In college he started his first band Black and Blues, and wrote his first novels. Starting in 1970 he began to record, and he remained active until his death. "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" was one of his most famous compositions, and is hailed by many as an important proto-rap song. His albums weaved elements of spoken word, jazz and soul into a style all his own. Throughout his career Gil's lyrics discussed social issues of the day, and today's song is a perfect example. "Johannesburg" speaks to the simmering unrest over apartheid in South Africa.

"They tell me that our brothers over there

are defyin' the Man

We don't know for sure because the news we

get is unreliable, man

Well I hate it when the blood starts flowin'

but I'm glad to see resistance growin'

Somebody tell me what's the word?

Tell me brother, have you heard

from Johannesburg?"

Gil wasn't without his demons. He was sentenced to 3 years for cocaine possession in 2001, and was arrested again in 2007 for the same charge. He also quietly suffered from HIV for years before going public in 2008, which may have contributed to his death.
The world lost a great poet last week. RIP Gil Scott-Heron!

Wolfman Dub

2011-06-05T05:45:00.000-07:00

I got inspired by The Frantics' "Werewolf" and ended up with this dubby tune, listen or download the MP3 at Soundcloud!

Wolfman Dub by djmikecrash

Edgar Blanchard - "Let's Get It" - Ric, 1958

2011-06-02T15:47:00.000-07:00

Today we've got a 45 from Edgar Blanchard, a New Orleans guitar legend! Edgar had a hand in hundreds of recordings as a performer or arranger in the 50's and 60's. This man was a pivotal player in the NOLA RnB scene, to be sure.

Edgar was born on August 17, 1924 in Grosse Tete, LA. Early on his family moved to New Orleans, and early on Edgar began playing guitar. It's rumored the man was gigging when he was barely in his teens! After a stint in WWII, he came back home and got to work studying music seriously at Grunewald's. The Gondoliers were formed in short order and began performing around the city by the late 40's. Around '49 or so, The Gondoliers put out their first single, "Creole Gal Blues" with Edgar on vocal duties.

Get it, Edgar!

The Gondoliers faded and the name was revived later with a new lineup, but Edgar was gigging and recording all along, playing with the likes of Roy Brown, Little Richard, Professor Longhair, Ray Charles, and many many more. One record in my collection on which he appears is a personal fav, Eddie Bo's "Oh-Oh" on Chess. Edgar drops a rockin' solo here that would make Eddie Cochran proud.

We don't talk 78s here, but this one is a monster

Today's 45 may have been one of the first on the Ric label, I don't note any earlier in the discographies I've seen. I've selected a piece out the middle where Edgar mixes it up on this fine instrumental.
In the 60's Edgar began to have health issues that interfered with his touring. In 1972, Edgar Blanchard passed away suddenly from a heart attack.
We've talked a bit about Ric before here on the blog, but you can also check my Wikipedia article here for more info. You'll note Joe Ruffino, the label owner, is credited on this 45 but I'm certain that reflects just a business arrangement rather than a musical one.
And of course, the clip:

Crash or STFU

2011-05-25T03:35:00.000-07:00

My new mix for the month is up, so get at it!

Crash or STFU by djmikecrash

Bo Diddley - "We're Gonna Get Married" - Checker,1966

2011-05-23T03:16:00.000-07:00

Today's one of my favorites - Bo Diddley. I'm pretty sure everything this man touched turned to gold, I've really enjoyed all of the records of his I've come upon. This one's a real stomper of a tune, where Bo reminds all you guitar players out there that rhythm guitar ain't no second fiddle! This song was released towards the end of Bo Diddley's career at Chess, but he shows no signs of slowing down on this wild cut. You may remember this song from my last mix, which featured only songs from the Chess / Checker catalog. Check it out here.

Sporting his trademark guitar

I don't have anything to say about Bo Diddley that hasn't been said a hundred times already. Check the web for details, I thought I'd just share this clip of his most famous (only?) acting cameo from a personal fave, "Trading Places".

And of course, the clip!

2x The Crash Love!

2011-05-19T17:05:00.000-07:00

Next week I got ya covered. Thursday at Huckleberry Bar in Williamsburg and Friday at Motor City in Manhattan. You can't lose!

The Frogmen - "Underwater" - Candix, 1961

2011-05-16T03:23:00.000-07:00

I happened upon this cool little instro while on a dig a few weeks ago and thought I'd share.
Not too much info out there on The Frogmen, but I did find this page from the April 17, 1961 issue of Billboard magazine touting the song as a breakout record in Seattle and LA.

Candix was a label based out of LA. Founded in 1960, the only decent size hit on the label was The Beach Boys first single "Surfin'". From Wikipedia: "Candix staffers Joe Saraceno and Russ Regan are attributed with renaming The Pendletones as The Beach Boys, in an attempt to make them more marketable." Certainly today's record was another tune in the surf vein. Unfortunately, the label was just a flash in the pan, bankrupt by 1962.

As I was not able to find a picture of the Frogmen, I've selected this artist's rendering of them recording thier big hit.

The Hullaballoos - "Party Doll" - Roulette, 1964

2011-05-09T03:37:00.000-07:00

I thought today's post would illustrate pretty nicely the evolution of Rock from the 50's to the 60's. This tune was originally by Buddy Knox, and we covered it on this blog back in August of '10 here, but I've got the clip here for comparison:

The original version was released in '57. Now when The Hullaballoos come around in '64, they take the original and turn the volume and tempo up to 11. Now we're rocking to a beat those crazy 60's cats can really groove to!

The Wikipedia hive-mind tells us The Hullaballos were considered "british invasion" and hailed from Hull, England (hence the name). This explains why they were able to take American music, expand on it, and sell it back to us so effortlessly.

Ah, what British smiles you have!

We covered Roulette in the original Buddy Knox post, check that for details on the label.

Big Maybelle - "Ring Dang Dilly" - Savoy, 1956(?)

2011-05-02T02:51:00.000-07:00

Big Maybelle, or Mabel Louise Smith as her momma called her, put out a ton of great R&B, Blues and Gospel. She is probably best known for her '56 hit "Candy" but she has a long catalog of releases, mostly on Savoy. Mabel's big hits were in the 50s, starting with "Gabbin' Blues" in '52. Unfortunately drug and health issues took center stage in the 60s (although she did release a hit cover of "96 Tears" in '67). She passed away in '72 from complications due to diabetes. This single was Mabel at the top of her game, and it rocks pretty hard if you ask me.

Savoy Records was founded in 1942 by Herman Lubinsky. Based out of Newark, NJ, the label focused mostly on Jazz, Blues, and RnB. Lubinsky died in 1974 and I believe the releases stopped then. All Music guide describes him as "famous for being a rather profane cheapskate who had a low opinion of many of the musicians that he recorded". Savoy Records was purchased by Arista in 1975.

Eddie Bo - "Tell Me Why" - Apollo, 1956

2011-04-25T03:18:00.000-07:00

For the fourth and last installment in my series of posts on Eddie Bo, I thought we'd change up the styles again. Eddie Bo put out many flavors of tunes over his career, so why not sample a few. We heard how Eddie can Rock, we heard some very New Orleans R&B flavor, and we heard some glorious Funk. So today we've got a bluesy ballad for ya. "Tell me why?" Eddie demands to know. "Why did you do this to me?" Getting your heart broken sure does hurt, but boy some good music can come of it.
Based in New York City, Apollo Records was started by Ike and Bess Berman in 1945. Although the label initially put out music in a variety of styles, they settled on R&B in the early fifties and are particularly remembered for vocal R&B groups like The Five Royals and The Larks. I believe the label folded in '59.

Shake Frantic! at Huckleberry Bar

2011-04-22T03:46:00.000-07:00

Thursday the 28th, come out to Huckleberry Bar for great drinks and great music! 10PM til late late.

Southside Games

2011-04-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

New set for the month is up! Some gems from my Chess and Checker collection. From the city I grew up in the shadow of - Chicago.

Southside Games by djmikecrash

Curley Moore & The Kool Ones - "Shelley's Rubber Band" - House of Fox, 1970(?)

2011-04-18T03:14:00.000-07:00

This week's 45 is yet another in the series of Eddie Bo records. Although credited to "Curley Moore And The Kool Ones", this one's got Eddie Bo all over it. Great funk for the dancefloor, with some springy reverb used to amp up that rubber band groove. There's a tune by the Meters called "Stretch Your Rubberband" and a tune by Eddie Bo called "The Rubber Band" - was this a dance?

Check out this post at Funky 16 corners for some info on Curley Moore, I actually don't own any other 45s by him but I'm on the lookout.
I couldn't find any info on the House of the Fox label, or Leian Rogers Enterprises. Please pass it along if you have some!
Now get funky!

Crash Race!

2011-04-13T03:28:00.000-07:00

This Friday at Motor City - let's get craze!

Eddie Bo - "Tell It Like It Is" - Ric Records, 1960

2011-04-11T03:24:00.000-07:00

This is the second post in our series of Eddie Bo 45s, check this post for biographical info on Eddie Bo, and check the "bocage" tag for all the posts.
"Tell It Like It Is" is one of my favorites, Eddie Bo perfectly captures that New Orleans parade vibe and the music forces you to march around the dancefloor.
Ric Records was a New Orleans record label active in the early 60s that released tunes from most of the local RnB artists of the day. For detailed info, peep the Wikipedia article I authored here, and check this link for a complete discography.
Now let's take it to the streets!

Eddie Bo - "I Love To Rock And Roll" - Ace, 1958

2011-04-04T03:31:00.000-07:00

How is it possible I haven't covered an Eddie Bo record here yet? This guy was a giant, seriously one of the most under-appreciated musicians to come out of New Orleans. And to say he was prolific is an understatement - he easily put out over 50 singles, writing/arranging/performing for most of his adult life. I have a grip of his releases, but instead of posting them all today I thought I'd institute a "bocage" tag and post one every now and then. So let's do this!

Edwin Bocage was born on Sept 20th, 1930, and was raised in New Orleans, Algiers and the 9th Ward to be specific. Many of the male members of his family labored by day, but were musicians by night; and his mother was a self-taught pianist and friend to Professor Longhair. After a short stint in the Army, Eddie came back to New Orleans and studied music at the Grundwald School. First starting in Jazz, he soon moved into the exploding RnB scene.
After his first recorded performance, a single for Ace Records (Al Collins' "I Got The Blues For You Baby") in '55, Eddie Bo began releasing a steady stream of material - a long streak of music that spanned over 40 different labels and as many years.

There were only a few chart hits - "Check Mr Popeye" (a novelty dance tune that spawned a dance to rival the twist in NOLA) and "Hook And Sling" (a drum-heavy funk monster) were probably the biggest. He passed away after a heart attack on March 18, 2009. It pains me to think that I was in New Orleans a few times when he was alive and never made it to his "Check Your Bucket" club. Today's tune is a dancefloor Rock tune that showcases Eddie Bo's wild side at it's best.
Johnny Vincent started Ace Records in 1955 after getting his start at Specialty Records. Headquartered in Jackson, MS, Ace released plenty of important New Orleans RnB and Blues, featuring such artists as Earl King, Frankie Ford, Jimmy Clanton, Huey "Piano" Smith, Joe Tex, Scotty McKay and Bobby Marchan. I believe Ace went under when it's distributor VeeJay did, in '66.
For further reading on Eddie Bo, check out his offical site for the biography, but record hounds need to check this amazing site which illustrates Eddie Bo's discography nicely.
And of course, the clip:

The Jamaicans - "Ba Ba Boom" - Treasure Isle, 1967

2011-03-28T03:14:00.000-07:00

This week it's some Rocksteady bidness from The Jamaicans! My collection of Rocksteady is almost nonexistent, which is a shame because this music is amazing. Hopefully I can fix that this year.

For a large chunk of cash the nice man in Jamaica sent me a thrashed record

First starting out as a two man outfit called the Cool Shakes, the band grew to five members and became The Jamaicans. After cutting a few singles with Treasure Isle, they entered "Ba Ba Boom" in the '67 Jamaica Independence Festival's song competition and took first place.

The Jamaicans split in '72 but not before dropping a few more nice bits. Check out "Things You Say You Love" and "Black Girl".

Treasure Isle was a small label run by Arthur "Duke" Reid. The label was named after his family business - a liquor store! Before the label his "Duke Reid's the Trojan" sound system was one of the better known ones on the island.

The label released ska and rocksteady tunes in the 60s but the output slowed in the 70's. Duke was never was a big supporter of the roots reggae sound and that limited the growth of the label. I believe Treasure Isle came to an end when Duke passed away in '75 from cancer.
Now get ready - time to rocksteady!

It's baaaaacckk - Shake Frantic!

2011-03-27T13:35:00.000-07:00

Time again for Shake Frantic at Huckleberry Bar! This month I've got DJ extraordinaire Phast Phreddie, and I've given him strict instructions to make you MOVE. So let's go, let's go, let's go!
Facebook invite is here. Bring your friends (but please, don't bring Charlie Sheen anymore).

Crash Rules Everything Around Me

2011-03-25T04:32:00.000-07:00

New set is up for March, so get it!

Crash Rules Everything Around Me by djmikecrash

The Ramrocks - "On The Rocks" - Antler Records, 1959

2011-03-21T03:13:00.000-07:00

I love these kinda silly, kinda lounge-y, kinda drunken instrumental jams from the late-50s. Middle-aged men at the club, drunkenly leering at the cocktail waitresses. This one's spiced up with a little latin edge.
Wasn't able to dig up any info on the Ramrocks out there. I was able to find a discography for Antler Records, which suggests they were only active from '59 to '60. I don't see too many names familiar to me in the lineup aside from the Teen Queens. The label indicates they were based out of NYC. I believe this tune was on one of the wonderful "Las Vegas Grind" comps.

Warren Lee - "Star Revue" - Dee-Su, 1966

2011-03-14T03:20:00.000-07:00

Today I've got a real dancer of an RnB tune. It has all the ingredients - RnB, mid 60s, NOLA, and Toussaint. Unfortunately, Warren Lee never made the big time. So not only is he underappreciated, but biographical info is scarce. Most of today's info is courtesy the fine folks at the now silenced Funky 16 Corners blog.

Warren Lee was born in 1938 in Vacherie, LA. His first recorded single was for Ron Records in '61, with ‘Unemployed’ b/w ‘The Uh-Huh’ . Over the next few years he released sides on Soundex, Nola, and Jin. None of these single made it very far. When this tune landed in '65, it was certainly his best to date. Having RnB demi-god Toussaint on board didn't hurt. This tune was good enough to make it outside of the New Orleans market and onto a few compilations. After a few more releases, Lee moved to the funky side of things, releasing ‘Funky Bell’ on Wand (with The Meters backing him!).

He shows up once more on the Choctaw label in '74 with "Direct From The Ghetto". That seems to be the last of Warren Lee's recording career.

Info on Deesu is also in short supply. I believe it was a smaller label, probably from New Orleans, which worked out a P&D with Dover Records. Dover Records Inc was run by Cosimo Matassa, a well-known studio engineer considered by many to be pivotal in the creation of the "New Orleans Sound".

Many small labels working under Dover, including Deesu, Nola, Tailgate, Frisco, White Cliffs, and Eight-Ball, probably went under when Dover went bankrupt in '68.
So here's a taste of today's tremendous tune. Of course, if you've ever heard me play I'm sure you've heard this a few times already.

The Swinging Blue Jeans - "Shakin' All Over" - HMV, 1964

2011-03-07T03:05:00.000-08:00

Record rule #432: Songs with "shakin'" in the title have gotta be good. Today's 45 is from The Swinging Blue Jeans. After a start as a jazz-influenced skiffle group in '57, the band switched over to rock in the early 60's, becoming part of the British Beat movement. They quickly landed a contract at HMV, and started off strong with "It's Too Late Now, which made the Top 40. You may also know them from '63's "Hippy Hippy Shake". Today's tune is the Danish release of a cover of the Johnny Kidd and the Pirates original (the original hit #1 in the UK in '60). This tune has become a standard and has been covered by everyone and their mother. The Swinging Blue Jeans kicked around for a lot longer, but never really reached the heights of the early 60's again.

Your mum would approve of these fine lads

His Master's Voice, of HMV or short, was an off-shoot of Gramophone Company. Gramophone Company goes all the way back to the late 19th century, and HMV has been involved in more mergers and takeovers than most.

Random old-ass 78 from HMV

The label seems to have stopped by the 80s, but it was revivied in '88 for Morrissey's "Viva Hate".
And, the clip:

Time again for "Where Y'at"?!

2011-02-26T05:05:00.000-08:00

This is tonight people, get into it!

English Beat - "Hands Off She's Mine" - Go Feet Records, 1980

2011-02-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

Today it's one of my high school favs - English Beat! Formed in Birmingham, England, in 1978, The English Beat were one of the more popular acts associated with the 80's Ska revival. They launched their career with a cover of Smokey Robinson's "Tears Of A Clown" on Two Tone records. Note the name of the band was "The Beat" but they were known in the States as "The English Beat" to avoid legal issues with California power pop group "The Beat".

After two successful albums and touring the world with the likes of David Bowie, The Clash, The Police, The Pretenders, R.E.M., The Specials and Talking Heads, English Beat split in 1983. One of the more notable things to rise out of the ashes was 80's pop group Fine Young Cannibals. Gotta admit, "Good Thing" was a helluva catchy tune.
Go Feet was a label founded by English Beat, and it was used used to release many of their early recordings. Today's 45 was actually Feet 01.
From the very informative fan site at here: "The Beat established its own label as an attempt to shield themselves from the many negative aspects of dealing with corporate record labels. In this way, the band was given more creativity to record the music as they wanted as well as to expose bands that the major labels would not take a chance on."

Aside from The Beat, the label featured releases from The Congos, The Mood Elevators, and Pato And Roger. For the most part, the label stopped actively releasing in '83.

And of course, the clip!

Juba Gunn Theme

2011-02-19T06:18:00.000-08:00

I laid down this tune last year, but I never really shared it - so here it is! Just a short, silly thing - a lot like me.

Juba Gunn Theme by djmikecrash

Larry Williams - "Slow Down" - Specialty, 1958

2011-02-14T03:16:00.000-08:00

You can't talk about New Orleans RnB/Rock without talking about Mr. Larry Williams. So lets!
Born in 1935, Larry took to the piano as a youngster. In his teens, his family relocated to Oakland, CA, but Larry found himself back in New Orleans before too long. One of his first jobs was working as Lloyd Price's driver. Larry quickly befriended many musicians, playing with the likes of Price, Roy Brown, and Percy Mayfield. In 1955 he met Little Richard, and was introduced to the cats at Specialty. When Little Richard decided to leave the Rock world for a stint in the minisrty, Larry Williams was quickly prepared by Specialty to follow in Richard's footsteps on the label. So out came the piano-driven stompers!

Rick James don't have a thing on Larry Williams

"Bony Marone" was his biggest hit, but there were many others - and today's 45 is one. You may have heard a cover of "Slow Down" by The Beatles, John Lennon in particular was a big fan of Williams. "Slow Down" was also covered by The Jam, Brian May, and The Young Rascals.
Larry Williams always had a connection to the seedier side of things. He was reputed to have worked as a pimp before making it in music. And he was arrested for the sale of narcotics in 1960, resulting in jail time. The drugs and violence continued to follow him throughout his life. One of the more infamous episodes: 1977 he held a gun to Little Richard's head over a cocaine debt. Cocaine's a hell of a drug!
On January 7, 1980, Larry Williamswas found dead from a gushot wound to the head in his Los Angeles home - an apparent suicide that has been contested by some.

Behind that door, Rupe's got the craziest RnB you ever heard

Specialty Records made a huge contribution to music history with an impressive catalog of releases stretching back to 1946. Tons of RnB, Blues, early Rock, and Gospel came out on Specialty. The label was run by Art Rupe, known by many as one of the most honest businessmen in the shady world of music. The label seems to have stopped producing records in the early 60s, but I believe many of the early singles were re-released over the years so 45s are abundant. There are the old 10" records out there though, for those 78RPM heads.
And of course, the clip!

February 2011 Mix is Fire!

2011-02-09T04:05:00.000-08:00

The theme for this month's mix is Fire - download some hot tunes to warm you on a cold Winter night!

Burn Crash, Burn! by djmikecrash

Jon Thomas - Hard Head Pt.1 - Mercury, 1957

2011-02-07T03:06:00.000-08:00

This week I've got a nice piece of wax to grind to - a proper titty-shaker from Jon Thomas. Born February 21, 1918 in Biloxi, Mississippi, his family relocated to Cincinnati in 1921. He got his start beating on chairs to make music as a child, and worked his way up to the piano. From an early age he knew - he wanted to play music for a living. In '55 he put together his first quartet, and in '56 he began popping up on records for local label King. Shortly after he started releasing his own material on Mercury - at first a few singles and culminating in an album in 1960 with an appearance on Dick Clark's show. After touring around to promote the album, he seems to have slowed down. The next thing I can find is an ad for a restaurant in Cincinnati in 1978, touting his organ skills as a reason to dine there.

I couldn't find a picture of the man or any further info, so if you have some, please pass it along!
Today's song was probably one of his first singles, and it sounds to me like the perfect accompaniment to a smokey gentleman's club. This song also has the distinction of one of the longest recorded horn blasts I've heard - that's some serious honkin'!
I don't think we've covered a single from Mercury here before. Founded in Chicago in 1945 by Irving Green, Berle Adams and Arthur Talmadge, Mercury released a ton of jazz, blues, rock, even country.

You may also know them by on of their subsidiary labels: Blue Rock Records, Cumberland Records, EmArcy Records, Fontana Records, Limelight Records, Philips Records, Smash Records and Wing Records. In the 80's, Mercury was folded into PolyGram, and then into some kinda Seagram, Universal, Island, DefJam mashup. As a larger label with a broad spectrum of sounds released, you'll find music ranging from sublime to shit on Mercury 45s - but you're certain to see them again and again in those dusty bins.
Now, let's listen to the clip and get our strip-tease on!

Bobby Mitchell - Try Rock And Roll - Imperial, 1956

2011-01-31T03:36:00.000-08:00

You know I love New Orleans R&B, and today we've got some from Bobby Mitchell.
Bobby was born in Algiers, LA in 1935, the second child of a fisherman's family of 17 (!?). When he was 10 yrs old, his first "shows" were singing for nickles outside the local liquor store. After a stint in his high school chorus, Bobby formed The Toppers at the tender age of 17. In May of '53 they released thier first single on Imperial, "I'm Crying". This group was held back by the fact most of the members were still in high scool and couldn't take time to tour. Even if they could, they were too young to play in clubs! The group finally split when members got drafted in '54. This allowed Bobby to seek a career on his own, and he began releasing solo single on Imperial.

Today's 45, capitalizing on the then new Rock fad, made it to #14 on the national R&B charts. He had another hit in '57 with "I'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday" (later covered by Fats Domino). Imperial dropped most of it's New Orleans roster in '58, and after that Bobby had more difficulty but still managed to put out new material on several smaller labels and continued touring through the early 60s.

At WWOZ in the 80s

A heart attack stopped the touring, but he remained active in New Orleans until his death in '89.
And of course, the clip!

Digital Wins Reason #27: Amateur Audio Restoration

2011-01-29T14:12:00.000-08:00

One of the things I enjoy about converting my vinyl to digital is that it allows me the opportunity to make my music sound as good as possible.
After ripping my vinyl (at 24 bit / 48k), these are some of the options I have:
1) Maximizing The Gain - my tool of choice is Peak from Bias. Been using it for years, and a scaled down verision is available on the cheap! The "Change Gain" feature, when used with the "Clipguard" option, is an easy way to maximize the gain of your song. It will analyze the audio and automatically set the proposed gain at the maximum possible level to avoid clipping. Tip: get rid of loud clicks and pops first as these will prevent you from getting the highest overall gain possible.
2) Removing Pops - I use a couple of different methods for removing clicks or pops. For a very short pop, you may be able to zoom way down and simply cut out the offending audio. Of course in some sections of audio this may be noticable, so technique number two is to highlight the offending pop, and use the "Change Gain" tool to bring the gain down as low as you can without it sounding odd.
3) Removing Hiss - this one's a bit trickier to remove. You can try to use an EQ or low pass filter to remove this hiss, which usually resides in the high-end frequencies. Be careful though - a heavy hand with the EQ can really kill a song. In most cases, the best you can hope for is minimizing the noise, not removing it completely.
4) Rejoining Splits - Ever had a 45 where a long song was split between the sides as "Part 1" and "Part 2". Well, with a little bit of effort you can rejoin them into one continuous song! This is simply a matter of pasting the side two audio at the end of the side one audio. Of course, you'll need to do some trimming at the end of side one and the beginning of side two before the two songs mesh properly - that's the time-consuming part. Well worth the time to extend a good jam a few more minutes!
5) Advanced Cut N' Paste Repair - there may be sections of audio which require more attention than a quick snip or EQ. For these areas, one solution may be to cut a similar section from elsewhere in the song and paste it over the offending part. Of course, there's a limited amount of issues that can be resolved this way, dependant on the particular song. But if that pop or scratch is destroying one drum or a repeating riff, you may be in luck. Using this technique it is also possibe to make one great sounding version of a tune using the good bits from two or more mediocre copies of a record. Don't forget, if the problem is only on one channel of the audio, you can paste a section from the other channel!

Here's a small example, showing how a little bit of trimming, cutting, and gain control can help a scratched record. The patient is Johnny Adams' "Closer To You". The result isn't perfect, but much more listenable I think. Got more tips? Send 'em!

Ike & Tina Turner - I Wish It Would Rain - Minit, 1969

2011-01-24T03:15:00.000-08:00

Today's 45 is a hot slab of soul from Ike & Tina Turner. What can really be said about the Queen of Rock and Roll that hasn't been said? This woman born to a family of modest means in Tennessee was occasionally performing with Ike by the time she was 18.

A lucky break allowed her to sing on 1960's "A Fool In Love" which became huge hit. Anna Mae Bullock married Ike in Tijuana and "Tina Turner" was born. Ike Turner was involved in the music business forever. He was helping the DJ at WROX in Clarksdale Mississippi at the tender age of 8. The first recording he was ever involved in, "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston, is considered by many to be one of the first "Rock" songs ever. Through the 60s and into the mid-70's, Ike and Tina were untouchable.

One of the best album covers ever!

But in '76 Tina split with accusations of abuse, and Ike's career floundered while Tina's slowed before a massive comeback in the early 80's with hits like "Private Dancer" and "What's Love Got To Do With It". She was even nominated for an award for her acting in "Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome".

Two legs enter, no men leave..

I don't believe today's single on Minit was a big hit, rather just another solid tune in a long career of wonderful music. Tina's voice is what makes it, elevating anything it graces. Have a listen:

Where Y'at?!

2011-01-17T04:47:00.000-08:00

Time again for my monthly at The Charleston! Spicy R&B and Rock all night provided by yours truly, and just steps away from the Bedford L stop. Let the good times roll!
$3 wells/drafts all night, but you've got to RSVP for the deal. "Attend" the Facebook Invite or email me at djmikecrash@gmail at least 2 hours before the event, and I'll make sure the cheap booze flows.

The First Edition - Just Dropped In - Reprise, 1968

2011-01-17T04:17:00.000-08:00

Many of you know this fine tune from the Cohen brothers' "Big Lebowski". But what many don't know is that it's Kenny Rogers on vocal duties. "Wait, that's The Gambler?" You betcha.

Kenny's long career in music started in the late 50's with a doo-wop group called The Scholars. After some minor success with them Kenny tried to go on his own, and later joined a jazz trio, "The Bobby Doyle Trio", before moving on to the folky New Christy Minstrels. But real success didn't happen until the formation of The First Edition in 1967.

Their second offering on Reprise is today's 45. Apparently this tune was first recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis in '67 but rejected. I'd love to hear that! The song is meant to be a warning about using LSD, written by well-known Nashville songwriter Mickey Newbury.

"I got up so tight I couldn't unwind,

I saw so much I broke my mind"

Kenny's smooth voice and the song's non-traditional feel and psychedelic flourishes sent it to #5 on the charts, and sent The First Edition on a long and successful career. They finally split in 1975 but not before many more hits and even a television show, "Rollin' On the River". Kenny went on to massive Pop Country hits, a fast-food chicken franchise, inspiring goofy websites, and even being spoofed on Mad TV. Kenny Rogers is a bona fide cultural phenomena.
And now, the clip!

Crash Bash at Motor City Bar!

2011-01-11T17:45:00.000-08:00

Come celebrate my birthday with a night of music provided by...me! Friday the 14th!

Ruth Brown - "This Little Girl's Gone Rockin'" - Atlantic, 1958

2011-01-10T03:12:00.000-08:00

Ruth Brown was born in 1928 in Portsmouth, Virginia. Her father directed a local church choir, giving her an early taste of song. Inspired to pursue a career in music by then-popular artists Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington, Ruth ran away from home with trumpeter Jimmy Brown in 1945. Oh to be 17 and ready to rock! After an introduction to the folks at Atlantic Records in 1948, Ruth had her first hit in '49 with "So Long". She had a string of hits after that, spending plenty of time on the charts.

From Wikipedia:

In all, she was on the R&B charts for 149 weeks from 1949 to 1955, with 16 top 10 blues records including 5 number ones, and became Atlantic's most popular artist, earning Atlantic records the proper name of "The House that Ruth Built".

Today's single dropped in 1958, and made it to #24 on Billboard's pop chart. Written by Bobby Darin and Mann Curtis, it seems like an attempt to get a piece of the exploding Rock market. Ruth's pop sensibilities keep the song from rocking out too hard, but the result is defintely a fun tune. How to define the genre is tough - Rockabilly from the Pop R&B perspective? Give it a listen and tell me what you think.

Snow Can't Stop The Rock

2011-01-09T07:11:00.000-08:00

New mix for January is up on Soundcloud, so get it!

Snow Can't Stop the Rock by djmikecrash

Carl Perkins - "Boppin' The Blues" - Sun Records, 1956

2011-01-03T04:05:00.000-08:00

Carl Perkins was born in 1932 in rural Tennesee. The son of sharecroppers, he was exposed to hillbilly, blues and gospel music growing up. His interest in the guitar started early, but since his family couldn't afford one he started with a "guitar" his father fashioned from a cigar box and a broomstick. Later he was able to purchase a proper, but used and abused, guitar from a neighbor. He also picked up a thing or two from fellow field worker John Westbrook. Some advice from 'Uncle John' on playing the guitar:
"Get down close to it. You can feel it travel down the strangs, come through your head and down to your soul where you live. You can feel it. Let it vib-a-rate."

Feel the Vibrations, Carl!

After years of solid playing, first part-time in local taverns and slowing moving to full-time regional hitmaker on Sun Records, Carl's big break was with "Blue Suede Shoes" in 1956. From Wikipedia: "Released on January 1, 1956, "Blue Suede Shoes" was a massive chart success. In the United States, it scored No. 1 on Billboard magazine's country music charts (the only No. 1 success he would have) and No. 2 on Billboard's Best Sellers popular music chart. On March 17, Perkins became the first country artist to score No. 3 on the rhythm & blues charts." - Rockabilly had arrived!
"Boppin' the Blues", released later that year, reached no. 47 on the Cash Box pop singles chart, no. 9 on the Billboard country and western chart, and no. 70 on the Billboard Top 100 chart.
After a very long and succssful career, Perkins died on January 19, 1998 at the age of 65 at Jackson-Madison County Hospital in Jackson, Tennessee from throat cancer after suffering several strokes.
Started by Sam Phillips in Memphis in 1952, Sun Records' important place in the history of Rock 'N' Roll music is undisputed. Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash - just a few of the folks who got their start at Sun.

Sam working on his latest phat beat

The evolving Rockabilly sound with it's fusion of Hillbilly/Country music and blues influences was certainly cemented at the Sun studio. Did you know Sun mostly put out RnB music early on? Wish I had some of those singles! Sun Records is still around, but it's just a vehicle for merchandising options on material from the glory days of the 50's - all your Sun Records golf balls and coffee mug needs are covered. I don't think they've released any new music since the early/mid 60s, but perhaps I'm mistaken.
And now, the clip!

Underdogs - "Judy Be Mine (a/k/a Friday At The Hideout)" - Hideout Records, 1965

2010-12-27T03:57:00.000-08:00

The week I've got a Midwest Garage burner from The Underdogs! So let's talk mid-60's Michigan for a minute.
Harper Woods is a city on the outskits of the east side of Detroit. Incorprated in the Fall of 1951, Haper Woods ended up become a suburban oasis of music, mostly due to a small club called The Hideout.
Opened in May of 1964 by Dave Leone and Ed Andrews in a VFW hall, The Hideout quickly became a hit with the local teens. Says Dave Leone: "It was the first teen club in the state of Michigan that featured live music. Up until that time there had been teen dances with recording artists, mainly black, lip-syncing to records".
Adding a record label to the club enterprise, the first release was a limited run LP featuring local house band The Fugitives. One song on it, "Friday at The Hideout" was penned by Leone. When members of The Fugitives split for college, The Underdogs took over as the house band at The Hideout. The Underdog's performance of "Friday at The Hideout" ended up being the first proper release on the fledgling label.

The Underdogs - I think..

My info on the Underdogs is pretty sparse. I know the members included Tony Roumell and Chris Lena on guitars, Mike Morgan on drums, and ???? on vox???. I belive this single was recorded at Underground Sound Studios. This particular single was also issued on Reprise once a national distribution deal was worked out. If you see a copy of The Underdog's "Get Down On Your Knees", definitely do yourself a favor and pick up this classic cut, my favorite from the band.
Guys like Bob Seger, Mitch Ryder, Ted Nugent, Glenn Frey and MC5 were involved with the club and/or label over the years. For an introduction to Hideout Records and plenty of info on the scene, check out the compilation "Friday at The Hideout" on Norton.
And now, the clip!

Big Sambo & The Housewreckers - "At The Party" - Eric, 1960(?)

2010-12-20T03:35:00.000-08:00

This is a great Little Richard-style stomper of a party tune. Details however, are sketchy - speak up if you know something!
Big Sambo & The House Wreckers were from Beaumont, Texas, led by sax honker James Young.

"The Rains Came", on the flip, is the more well-known song from this single. You'll note the record indicates Huey Meaux aka "The Crazy Cajun" was involved. Huey is a DJ/Publisher/Label Owner who made his mark in Texas after moving at a young age from his hometowm near Kaplan, Louisiana. He was involved with artists like Barbara Lynn, Joe Barry and Rod Bernard and T. K. Hulin. Huey's probably best known for his Friday night radio program on KPFT-FM in Houston.

Back to Mr Young - it seems the single's rise to fame was interrupted by some angry folks at the NAACP who demanded Young lose the "Big Sambo" moniker. Also interesting, the Sir Douglas Quintet covered the flip and had a hit with it in'66.
From what I can gather, Eric Records was a subsidiary of Tear Drop Records, which Heuy Meaux started sometime around 1960. If the dates are right, that makes this record an early release for the label.
And of course, the clip:

2009 Christmas Mix is back!

2010-12-15T04:43:00.000-08:00

Hey folks, here's the Christmas mix I put together last year. Hope ya enjoy and have a wonderful holiday!

Christmas with DJ Mike Crash by djmikecrash

The Clash - "White Riot" - CBS, 1977

2010-12-13T03:45:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd mix it up this week with a Punk 45. And I was actually alive when this record came out, so that's different (yes, I was the ripe old age of 1).
"White Riot" was The Clash's first single after signing their first big record deal, with CBS. The contract was signed on January 27th, and The Clash reported to the studio the next day to churn out the first single. The sessions took place in CBS's studio on Whitfield Street, with Mickey Foote on as producer. (interesting tidbit: the Stooges recorded "Raw Power" at the same studio in '73).

More Punk Than You

"White Riot" was a tune inspired by the '76 Notting Hll Carnival Riots, which members of The Clash accidently found themselves caught in. Simmering racial tensions, exacerbated by the National Fronts' increased public presence, got disaffected black youth rioting that day - so how did The Clash get "White Riot" out of that?
From Kris Needs' great book "Joe Strummer and the legend of The Clash":

"Being inspired to write a song called "White Riot" in response to the Carnival incident can never be considered one of the band's blunders. They were simply calling for white people to show a similar passion for change and action as the black youths at Notting Hill. Not neccesarily by throwing bricks at coppers, but simply getting off their arses and not being content with their drab lot in life."

Pic from the Notting Hill riots

The song wasn't a big charter in the States and only reached #38 in the UK, but it did spend a total 33 weeks on the UK charts.
The Clash of course went on to become Punk legends. If you don't enjoy The Clash, then I'm sorry, but we can't be friends.
CBS Records released the non-US versions of US-based Columbia Records, to avoid confusion with EMI's Columbia Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company. Columbia is the oldest surviving brand name in pre-recorded sound, being the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. Columbia is now owned by Sony.
And of course, the clip!

William Bell - "Eloise (Hang On In There)" - Stax, 1967

2010-12-06T03:58:00.000-08:00

The other day I was running through some 45s and I realized there were a few I never got around to ripping to digital so I could play them out. I've been really missing out by not having this monster in my bag! Great, great tune.

Bell was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He took the last name "Bell" as a stage name in honor of his grandmother, whose first name was Belle. After a start with The Del-Rios in the 50s, he began releasing records on Stax in the early 60's with "You Don't Miss Your Water".

"Share What You Got (But Keep What You Need)" was his first big hit in '66. His later hits were covered by artists such as Cream, Billy Idol, and Albert King.

This particular tune seems to be a bit under-the-radar, I don't believe it had any real chart success. As you can see by the label, this was another collaboration with Booker T. Jones. Kind of a shame this one didn't break out as it's a real corker!

Stax Records is an epic record label, defining the Memphis Soul sound. Otis Redding, Booker T & The MGs, Rufus Thomas, The Bar-Kays - just a handful of the tremendous artists that released on Stax.

From Wikipedia: "Stax Records, originally named Satellite Records, was founded in Memphis in 1957 by Jim Stewart, initially operating in a garage. Satellite's early releases were country music records or straight pop numbers, reflecting the tastes of Stewart (a white country fiddle player) at the time."

Out of Satellite Records came Stax Records (a portmanteau of the names of the two owners of the company: Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton) and Volt. In the early/mid 60s they rose from regional to national labels alongside Motown. By the late 60's Stax started to falter after legal troubles with distributor Atlantic and the death of Otis Redding. Stax/Volt Records was forced into involuntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy on December 19, 1975.

If you see a Stax 45, just give it a listen! And now, the clip:

The LAST Graveyard Rock!

2010-12-03T03:34:00.000-08:00

Please come out for my last Graveyard Rock party at Trophy Bar. It's been fun, I need to give up this gig to focus on a new j-o-b. Wednesday the 8th!

Desmond Dekker - "Isrealites" - Uni, 1968

2010-11-29T04:03:00.000-08:00

And now for something completely different - a little Ska from legend Desmond Dekker! Desmond is a Jamaican music giant, who's impact was felt around the world. Hell, an old friend from college even named his son Desmond Dekker! My first introduction to Desmond Dekker was in high school when his song "007 (Shanty Town)" blew my mind. I've been a fan of Ska/Rocksteady since.
In 1941 he was born Desmond Adolphus Dacres in St. Andrew, Jamaica and grew up in Kingston. After some encouragement from his friends Desmond auditioned for a few labels in 1961. and was able to land a contract at Beverley's record label with the help of Derrick Morgan. His first song in '63, "Honour Your Mother and Father", was the first in a string of hits. From Wikipedia:
"In 1968 Dekker's "Israelites" was released, eventually topping the UK Singles Chart (the first reggae hit to do so) and peaking in the Top Ten of the US Billboard Hot 100. Dekker was the first Jamaican artist to have a hit record in the US with a form and style that was purely Jamaican, though he never repeated the feat."
One of the funny things about this tune is that despite being well known and loved, most don't have clue what the heck Desmond is saying. The lyrics are as impenetrable as "Louie, Louie".

Desmond's career slowed down a bit in the 70's before riding the 2Tone second-wave ska movement to increased popularity. Once that movement died out in the early 80's, so did the gigs, and Desmond declared bankruptcy in 1984. He did work on a few more projects after that point, mostly re-recording old hits and projects with other musicians. Dekker died of a heart attack on 25 May 2006, at his home in Thornton Heath in the London Borough of Croydon, England, aged 64.
This is actually the only record I own on the Uni label. Here's the Wiki blurb on them:
"Uni Records (short for the label's legal name Universal City Records and rendered as UNI) was a record label owned by MCA Inc. The brand, which long featured a distinct UNi logo, was established in 1966 by MCA executive Ned Tanen and developed by music industry veteran Russ Regan. Notable artists on Uni included Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Foundations, Hugh Masakela, Brian Hyland, Desmond Dekker, Bill Cosby, Elton John, Neil Diamond, Dave and Ansil Collins, Fever Tree and Olivia Newton-John. In 1967, Uni took over management of MCA's newly acquired Kapp Records. In 1971 Uni was merged with Kapp and the co-owned American Decca Records, to form MCA Records. The Decca, Kapp, and Uni labels continued to be used for new releases for a short time, but in late 1972, new releases by their former artists began appearing on the MCA Records label; before long their back catalogs had been transferred to MCA as well."
And of course, the clip!

Jessie Hill - "Ooh Poo Pah Doo" - Minit, 1960

2010-11-22T05:08:00.000-08:00

This one's a real stomper! After some call and response oohs and ahhs, Jessie yells "I'ma tell ya 'bout Ooh Poo Pah Doo!". Apparently Ooh Poo Pah Doo has something to do with "creating a distrubance in you mind". This song certainly creates a disturbance on the dancefloor! Born on December 9th, 1932 in New Orleans, Jessie Hill was a lifetime musician, performing in bands from his high school years. After working as a drummer with Professor Longhair and then Huey "Piano" Smith, he put together the House Rockers in 1958.

The origins of this particular song are interesting. Apparently it was actuallly penned by a local "winehead" piano player known only as "Big Four". Jessie caught him performing this tune a scribbled down the lyrics on a paper bag. The intro was borrowed from Dave Bartholomew. The House Rockers then added the song to their repertoire and it quickly became a crowd favorite. After shopping this song unsuccesfully at Ric/Ron, Jessie finally found a taker at Minit Records. Allen Toussaint was brought in to produce the session, but since he didn't really get the tune he wasn't able to add much. “I didn’t think ‘Ooh Poo Pah Doo’ made much sense,” admitted Toussaint. “I thought songs had to be more expressive. But when I saw the effect it had on people, I began to look at things differently.”
After starting out as a local Carnival favorite, "“Ooh Poo Pah Doo" slowly built up steam over the course of a year till it broke nationally, peaking at #3 in Billboard’s R&B chart and #28 on the pop chart.
Unfortunately, Jessie and the House Rockers were never able to replicate that early success. But he did cut a few more tunes in the "nonsense words" vein, here are some from my collection.

Jessie did have a short and rather successful stint on the West Coast, but problems with alchohol and a nasty temper made it hard to be productive for long. After returning to New Orleans his worsing personal and financial condition alienated him from most of his friends. He passed away in 1996 from heart and kidney failure on September 17, 1996 and was buried under a plywood grave marker in Holt Cemetery.

For those wanting more detail, I highly recommend this bio: http://www.offbeat.com/2002/02/01/jessie-hill/.
We've talked about Minit before here (http://djmikecrash.blogspot.com/2010/04/gene-dozier-hunk-of-funk-minit-records.html). All you need to remember is that if you see a 45 on this label, just grab it. In my experience, there are far more hits than misses in the Minit catalog, especially in the earlier releases.

And, the clip!

"Where Y'at?" has been moved to a new date!

2010-11-20T09:42:00.000-08:00

My monthly gig at The Charleston is now the 4th Saturday of every month! Hope to see ya!

November 2010 Mix: Bop-A-Munga!

2010-11-15T09:42:00.000-08:00

During the 50s and 60s, tons of popular culture was inspired by far away jungles and the natives and beasts we imagined lived inside them. For my November 2010 mix, I've put together some of my favorite tunes in that vein. The natives are restless, and need to dance!

Bop-A-Munga by djmikecrash

The Applejacks - "Rocka-Conga" - Cameo, 1959

2010-11-15T04:50:00.000-08:00

Sometimes a record grabs me for the sheer silliness of it. This is one of those records. I guess I'd call it a "novelty dance" number. While researching it, I came to know the story of Dave Appell.

Are those groupies back there?

The Applejacks, not to be confused with the Beat group of the same name from across the pond, was basically a studio band under the direction of Dave Appell. Appell (pronounced "apple") has a long history in the music business and is a bit of a jack-of-all-trades. After getting his start arranging for several United States Navy big bands during WWII, he arranged for a few other dance orchestras and recorded several tunes for Decca as the "Dave Appell Four".
Somewhere in the mid-late 50's, Appell moved back to his hometown of Philadelphia and got involved with Cameo Records doing background vocals, session work as a guitarist, engineering, arranging, and producing. From Wikipedia:
"In the summer of 1958, Appell got an idea for a song from the Philadelphia String Band of a marching-type song with a dance beat. He wrote an instrumental song called "The Mexican Hat Rock," a jumped-up version of the old "Mexican Hat Dance," that he had his studio band record. The song was released under their own name on Cameo that fall and became a big dance hit on American Bandstand, reaching # 16 on the charts. The Applejacks also charted with "Rocka-Conga" (# 38) later in the year.

Appell went on to become the leader of Cameo-Parkway's house band, backing such artists as Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, The Dovells, Dee Dee Sharp, and The Orlons. Their records Appell also arranged and, in many cases, produced, and even co-wrote with Kal Mann, like "The Twist," "Let's Twist Again," "Bristol Stomp," "Mashed Potato Time," and "South Street." These were the years of the twist and other dance crazes, in the launching of which Appell played a vital role. Appell left Cameo in 1964."
Mr. Appell is 87 and still doing his thing - you can check out his website here: http://www.daveappell.com
Cameo Records was based out of Philadelphia and was a subsidiary of Cameo-Parkway Records. Founded in December 1956 by Bernie Lowe and Kal Mann, the label had many hits with previously mentioned artists. Judging by what I find while digging, The Orlons were particularly popular (at least round these parts). The British Invasion of the mid-sixties put a hurt on the label, and one of their last big hits was "96 Tears" by ? and the Mysterians. By 1967, the label winding down and being sold off in pieces.
And, the clip:

The Cramps - "The Way I Walk" - Vengence, 1978

2010-11-08T04:14:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd mix it up this week with something more current (only 30 years old!). This is The Cramps' very first release, b/w "Surfin Bird". In my eyes that makes it a pretty epic 45, I just wish mine was in better shape!
What can be said about the Cramps that hasn't already been said? Some record collector art geek from the Midwest picked up a fellow record-nerd hitchhiker in California sometime in 1972 - and those two went on to become Lux Interior and Poison Ivy, the core of The Cramps.

Their fusion of Garage, Rockabilly and Punk sounds took NYC by storm and inspired too many musicians to count. The Cramps are REQUIRED listening, people.

My own personal Cramps experience is pretty limited. I remember seeing a "punk" in the goofy 80's movie "Back To The Beach" wearing a "Bad Music for Bad People" t-shirt and I thought "this sounds like music I should check out". Luckily, my uncle Marcos and my cousin Maria were huge Cramps fans and were happy to sort out a few tunes. They actually took me to my only Cramps show: March 7, 1991 with the Reverend Horton Heat at Chicago's Riviera Theatre. I had just turned 15 and I didn't really know what to expect, I just knew these guys had a really crazy and weird rocking vibe. I think the "wildest" shirt I had was a very hippy tunic kinda thing I got in Jr. High for a costume so I wore that. Obviously I was pretty clueless and probably looked like a huge asshole. But the show was amazing, of course. It was defintely a turning point in the creation of the music-geek degenerate you see before you today.
Back to the song. If you're a hardcore Cramps fan or record nerd, then you're aware that many of The Cramps best songs were either covers of older tunes or borrowed liberally from them. "The Way I Walk" is a great example.

The original is a belter of a tune from Detroit-rocker Jack Scott released in 1959. Check out the original in this YouTube clip:

Note the difference between the Scott and Cramps versions. The Cramps take the original version, strip it to its raw rock essence, then drag it through a dirty alley and soak it with booze until it's a lean, mean, attitute machine. Crampsified!
I strongly feel that The Cramps' deep knowledge of great old music is what enabled them to make great new music. That's one of my main motivators in DJing these days - trying to educate folks on gems from the past so they can make the gems of tomorrow! It makes me crazy when I hear new music sampling other music that was only produced only a few years prior. Really, is that as far back as most these days are willing to look for inspiration?
As far as the "Venegence" label, I believe this was an imprint started by The Cramps for releasing their own material. This first issue was cheekily numbered "666". There were a few more issues on this label before it disappeared, but I believe it was resurrected later for some reissues and one new album.
And finally, the clip!

Shake Frantic! at Huckleberry Bar

2010-11-03T07:27:00.000-07:00

This month we're holding the event on a Wednesday since Huckleberry Bar is closed on Thanksgiving. The upshot - no work tomorrow so let's party all night! I'll buy a drink for anyone that can name all the artists in the flier.

Next up: Graveyard Rock at Trophy Bar!

2010-11-03T07:22:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, November 10th at Trophy Bar! Don't let hump day drag you down, fight the work-week beasts!

Kathy Keegan - "Nobody's Gonna Hurt You" - Al-Brite Records, 1960(?)

2010-11-01T05:11:00.000-07:00

Info is really scarce for today's 45! All I could really dig up on Kathy Keegan is that she is perhaps English-born but was living in New York (second hand info which is supposedly from the liner notes in her "When You're Young And In Love" album on DCP International (DCL 3800).

This is only pic I could find!

The vibe of this tune really reminded me of Wanda Jackson's "Funnel of Love", but I believe Keegan's song came out about a year before Wanda's. Lack of available info on this singer or this song make me wonder if it didn't rise above a local hit, which would be a real shame!
"...there is a touch of Judy Garland in Keegan's vocal delivery, but the vocalist is still distinctively Keegan. Petite (4 feet 11 inches, 100 lbs), Kathy projects in clarity of tone and quality of purpose all that she sings." - Billboard, April 25,1964
Other articles of this period indicate Mrs. Keegan had a busy nightclub and television apperance schedule, appearing at places like the Copacabana in New York, The Flamingo in Vegas, The Ed Sullivan Show, etc.
Al-Brite label info is also scarce. I do know they were a small Brooklyn-based label. I found this partial discography here, with most of the release dates missing: http://www.globaldogproductions.info/a/al-brite.html
I also dug up this ad from the November 30, 1959 issue of Billboard Magazine.

The label's addresss is in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn and looks to be a Chinese market of some sort currently.
And now, the clip!

Fontella Bass & Bobby McClure - "Dont Mess Up A Good Thing" - Checker, 1965

2010-10-25T04:31:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite records! Of course, I play the hell out of it.
Fontella Bass (born July 3, 1940, St. Louis, Missouri) is best known for her hit "Rescue Me", which was released the same year. She was already singing in front of crowds at church by the time she was 5 or 6. (Personal secret: I sang in church as a kid. Apparently, even shitty singers get a break sometimes!) A few years later, she was touring and singing with her mother throughout the South.

In the early Sixties she recorded a few tunes for the Bobbin label which were produced by Ike Turner, but they didn't get much play outside of St. Louis. A few years later she moved to Chicago and hooked with Chess Records, and the hits came fast and furious.
Bobby McClure was born in Chicago but raised in St. Louis. Similarly, he got his start singing in church and took it from there. He did some work in St. Louis with Fontella Bass as the "The Oliver Sain Soul Revue featuring Fontella and Bobby McClure".

After a split with Sain, McClure and Bass released a few duets on Checker - I believe this was the first and it did quite well, reaching top five at R&B radio and peaking at #33 at pop. Later that year she returned to the studio for "Rescue Me". From Wikipedia: "The song "Rescue Me" shot up the charts in the fall and winter of 1965. After a month-long run at the top of the R&B charts, the song reached #4 at the pop charts and gave Chess its first million-selling single since Chuck Berry a decade earlier. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc."
Checker Records was born in 1952 and was an offshoot of giant Chess Records out of Chicago, a label that comes here up often and will much more.
And now, the clip!

Halloween Weekend Part 3: Niagara on 10/31!

2010-10-23T06:55:00.000-07:00

Halloween Weekend Part 3: Niagara on 10/31! Don't give me any of your lame ass "I gotta work tomorrow" excuses. THIS IS HALLOWEEN.

Halloween Weekend Part 2: Motor City on 10/29!

2010-10-22T04:57:00.000-07:00

Halloween Weekend Part 2: Motor City on 10/29!

Shake Frantic! at Huckleberry Bar

2010-10-21T05:09:00.000-07:00

Time again for my monthly at Huckleberry Bar! Thursday 10/28, be there or be square!

Halloween 2010 Mix Is Here!

2010-10-19T05:14:00.000-07:00

Hey kids, enjoy this creepy Halloween mix!

Halloween 2010 Mix by djmikecrash

The Virtues - "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" - Hunt Records, 1959

2010-10-18T08:09:00.000-07:00

Today we've got a great slab of early instro rock from Philadelphia's the Virtues!
Frank Virtue put this band together in 1947 after being discharged from the Navy in '46 to look after his family. Starting a band was the natural thing to do after his stint as bandleader of the Regular Navy Dance Band while enlisted.

Ralph Frederico on the piano and Steve Rossi on the guitar filled out the trio. After touring for the better part of a decade doing smaller gigs, the boys decided to try to get a piece of that Rock N' Roll craze in the late 50's. Here's the low-down from Wikipedia:
"By this time, the group's lineup had expanded, with Virtue on the bass, John Renner on the saxophone, Jimmy Bruno on the guitar, Joe Vespe on the drums, and Dave Kaplin as an occasional vocalist. Under the name The Virtues, they released a rock reworking of Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith's country hit "Guitar Boogie" in 1958 under the title "Guitar Boogie Shuffle". The instrumental became a major hit in the U.S., peaking at #27 on the Black Singles chart and #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1959. The single also became a sheet music smash, selling well worldwide. Several singles followed – "Flippin", "Boogie Woogie", "Vaya con Dios" – but none of them succeeded; the group was signed by ABC/Paramount, but their only return to the charts was with the 1962 release "Guitar Boogie Shuffle Twist" (U.S. #95).

Towards the end of 1962, Virtue disbanded the group and pursued a career as a record producer and recording engineer. His studio, Virtue Recording Studios, located at 1618 N. Broad St., was one of the top studios in Philadelphia for a number of years until closing in the early 1980s. His original studio, in the basement of his house on Fayette Street, was where "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" was originally recorded."

If you'd like to read more about the Virtues, I'd recommend this page: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-virtues-p24947/biography
Note, I believe Virtues studios is where some of my favorite music was recorded for the Phil-L.A. of Soul label - "The Horse" and "Boogaloo Down Broadway" (covered here!)
Hunt seems to have been owned by Globe Record Corp and dispributed via Am-Par Records. Perhaps they were Philly based? I can find no other info on this label - please share if ya have some.
And now, the clip:

Sunday the 17th at Niagara!

2010-10-11T08:12:00.000-07:00

Come out and play with me!

The Electric Prunes - "I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)" - Reprise, 1966

2010-10-11T05:46:00.000-07:00

Today I've got something a little different and..psychedelic - The Electric Prunes! Is this band's name aweful or awesome? Too close to call really, although rumor is that it was jokingly suggested as a last minute name idea for their first release "Ain't It Hard"/"Little Olive". That single flopped.

But the next one, today's 45 "I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)" was a hit! It remains their highest charting success, reaching 11 in the USA and 49 in the UK. This tune wasn't penned by the group, but rather the songwriting team of Annette Tucker and lyricist Nancie Mantz. Apparently the band's producer, Dave Hassinger, thought they needed some help in the songwriting department and made the connection. The signature reversed guitar lick which opens the songs appears to have been a happy accident of the recording process. Here's a qoute from singer James Lowe:
"We were recording on a four-track, and just flipping the tape over and re-recording when we got to the end. Dave cued up a tape and didn't hit 'record,' and the playback in the studio was way up: ear-shattering vibrating jet guitar. Ken had been shaking his Bigsby wiggle stick with some fuzztone and tremolo at the end of the tape. Forward it was cool. Backward it was amazing. I ran into the control room and said, 'What was that?' They didn't have the monitors on so they hadn't heard it. I made Dave cut it off and save it for later."
This record was a slow starter when released, but it gradually picked up steam and became the hit that really started the bands career. "Too Much To Dream" was later covered by Stiv Bators, The Damned, Doro Pesch, Paul Roland and others.
This song was included in the classic "Nuggets" compliation in 1972, allowing it to reach many new fans. The Nuggets album is just a tremendous collection of mid to late 60's Rock, and you MUST pick it up. Over the years it's been expanded into a several CD set I believe. Oddly, I was exploring 60's Rock and I found the Nuggets compliation late - after I had already purchased most of the songs individually. At any rate, when I realized this comp existed I just had to have a copy - here's a pic of my copy of the early 70s vinyl release.

The Electric Prunes actually got back together in around 2000, and in 2002 released a new recording titled "Artifact". They're still touring, and I hear they are working on some new material with Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins.
And finally, the clip!

Graveyard Rock at Trophy Bar!

2010-10-06T06:57:00.000-07:00

Time for another Rockin' good time at Trophy Bar! October the 13th! Let's get ghoulish.

Lloyd Price - "Stagger Lee" - Sparton Records, 1958

2010-10-04T05:01:00.000-07:00

Lloyd "Mr. Personality" Price is a New Orleans native and RnB legend. Now age 77, Lloyd is still kicking around doing his thing - go Lloyd!
His first big hit was "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" for Specialty in '52. But after that huge record, Lloyd didn't have any hits till the late 50's. A short stint in Korea for the war didn't help.

When LLoyd was back in the States he put together KRC Records with Harold Logan and Bill Boskent, and they put out a strings of hits via ABC records, today's "Stagger Lee" included. "Stagger Lee" is a great tune with a long history. From Wikipedia:
"Stagger Lee", also known as "Stagolee", "Stackerlee", "Stack O'Lee", "Stack-a-Lee" and several other variants, is a popular blues folk song based on the murder of William "Billy" Lyons by Stagger Lee Shelton.

The version recorded by Mississippi John Hurt in 1928 is considered by some commentators to be definitive, containing as it does all of the elements that appear in other versions.
Peep this article for more info on that murdering pimp who later inspired so many musicians: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stagger_Lee_Shelton (spoiler: the fatal fight may have been started by an argument over..politics?)
Elton John, Nick Cave, The Clash, and The Black Keys are just several folks who were influced by the original tale.

On March 9, 2010, his 77th Birthday, in New Orleans, Lloyd Price was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame and on June 20, 2010, Price appeared and sang in season 1 finale of the HBO series "Treme". (After some strong initial reservations, I finally watched this show and think it's...pretty good.)

Lloyd also markets this line of food products named after his first big hit!

Sparton Records was a Canadian record label based out of London, Ontario. Rather oddly, it was formed by a radio manufacturing company called Sparks-Withington Corp from Michigan. I can imagine a boardroom meeting where someone excitedly shouts out "I GOT IT! We'll make the radios... AND THE RECORDS!" Spartan was manufactured and distributed by Columbia, and they had some other distribution deals with various labels. I believe this particular song came out on NYC's ABC Records originially, so I'm assuming ABC and Sparton had some sort of distribution deal going. Sparton folded in the 60s.

And now, the clip!

Friday, October 8th at Beauty Bar Chicago!

2010-09-29T20:24:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to announce a gig in the city that city that I schooled me musically, Chicago! October the 8th, 7PM-9PM at Beauty Bar! Sweet home Chicago, here I come!

The Facebook invite can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=130061460378215&ref=mf

Gene Vincent - "Be-Bop-A-Lula" - Capital, 1956

2010-09-27T06:03:00.000-07:00

Gene Vincent! You can't start talking about Rockabilly without mentioning Gene Vincent. A true legend, and one of the pioneers of the Rockabilly movement. Vincent Eugene Craddock was born in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1935. Gene showed an interest in music early and got his first guitar at age 12. He decided to pursue a career in the Navy instead, but luckily for music lovers, his miltary career was cut short and he never saw combat. One thing Gene and I have in common - we both got into accidents on our Triumph motorcycles. But his accident in 1955 was quite serious, and his leg was damaged so much that doctors wanted to amputate it. He kept the leg, but walked with a limp and suffered chronic pain after that.

From Wikipedia:
"Craddock became involved in the local music scene in Norfolk. He changed his name to Gene Vincent, and formed a rockabilly band called the Blue Caps (a term used in reference to enlisted sailors in the U.S. Navy). The band included Willie Williams on rhythm guitar, Jack Neal on upright bass, Dickie Harrell on drums, and the innovative and influential lead guitarist, Cliff Gallup. "

Cliff rockin' in the studio

Cliff Gallup (June 17, 1930 - October 9, 1988) was an incredible guitarist who was a huge influence on many guitarists after him. When I started to learn to play guitar, one of the first things I did was sit down and try to figure out the solo to Vincent's "Race With The Devil". Cliff never understood all the fuss about his playing, and when he died had worked a long career as a school janitor. His wife even requested the obituary not mention his time with the Blue Caps! Gallup was ranked 79th in Rolling Stone magazine list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and is a Rockabilly Hall of Fame inductee.
"Be-Bop-A-Lula" was Gene's first big hit and it launched his career. Oddly, Capital didn't immediately recognize it as such and released it as a B-side. This song was No. 102 on Rolling Stone magazine's "500 Greatest Rock and Roll Songs of All Time" list.

An ad from Captial. Gene in the right-corner, in the good company of Wanda Jackson and Ernie Ford.

After Gene's career began to slow in the States, he started to tour Europe and found an appreciative audience. In 1959 while touring England, he was involved in a taxi accident which left him with a broken collarbone and ribs. The same accident left legend Eddie Cochran dead, many years before his time.

Gene Vincent died on October 12, 1971 from a ruptured stomach ulcer while visiting his father in California. He was the first inductee into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame upon its formation in 1997. The following year he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Vincent also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
And now, the clip!

September Mix Is Up!

2010-09-26T19:24:00.000-07:00

My new mix for September is up on Soundcloud, enjoy!

September 2010 Mix by djmikecrash

Jimmy Forrest - "Night Train" - United Records, 1952

2010-09-18T08:33:00.000-07:00

We're going way back to 1952 for this huge RnB tune that spawned about a million cover versions. Many of you my age or younger may recognize this song as the one being performed at the dance scene in the movie "Back To Thie Future".
Jimmy Forrest (January 24, 1920 - August 26, 1980) was a Jazz musician born in St. Louis, Missouri. From Wikipedia:
"(Jimmy Forrest) played alongside Fate Marable as a young man. He was with Jay McShann in 1940-42 and with Andy Kirk from 1942-48, when he joined Duke Ellington. During the early 1950s, he led his own combos. He also played with Miles Davis, in the Spring of 1952 at The Barrel Club. After his solo career, he played in small combos with Harry "Sweets" Edison and Al Grey as well as appearing with Count Basie."
"Night Train" was Jimmy's smash hit. It reached #1 on the Billboard R&B chart in March 1952 and stayed at the top for seven weeks. For many white kids, this was their first introduction to "race music".
Now "Night Train" had it's influences: the opening riff can be found in Duke Ellington's "That's the Blues, Old Man" and "Happy-Go-Lucky Local", and Forrest was part of Ellington's band during the period in which this song was performed. But Forrest's own solo and a new stop-time rhythm is what really made this song. Before we start discussing some of the covers, let's listen to the original:

Now some of the many, many covers. First, Louis Prima's 1957 version - a real scorcher!

And during the 60's somewhere, legendary California surfer rockers The Rumblers released this version on Dot (from my collection, off the "Boss" LP).

Or how about some mid-60's Ska flavor - get skanking with Danny Davis and Byron Lee!

And let's not forget James Browns' hopped up funk masterpeice of a version!

I could go on, but I think you get the point: this tune has become a standard and has inspired countless musicians.

Jimmy blowing minds back inna day

United was formed in July of 1951, and May 1952 the company added a second imprint, States (how patrotic!). United/States recorded the whole gamut of African-American popular music styles of the day: blues, jazz, vocal groups, rhythm and blues jumps, and gospel. By the end of the 50s, the labels had fallen into decline and went under. But they had a terrific run for those 10 years.
Here's a great resource for info on the United/States record labels, I recommend it for those of you deep history buffs: http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~campber/unitedstates.html

Link Wray "Rumble Mambo"/Red Saunders "Hambone" - OKeh, 1963

2010-09-13T04:48:00.000-07:00

It was just too difficult to pick one side of this 45! So we'll have a listen to both.

Theodore Dudley "Red" Saunders was a Jazz drummer and bandleader born in Memphis, Tennesee. Over the course of his long career he worked with such notables as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Woody Herman, and recorded with Big Joe Turner. There is an amazing write-up on Red and his discography here that I won't even try to touch: http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~campber/saunders.html

Promo for the original Hambone release

"Hambone" was originally released in 1952, and went #20 on the R&B charts for one week. The Hambone Kids' contribution of rhythmic practice is "hamboning" or "patting juba": slapping various body parts as a substitute for drumming and utilizing a traditional West African beat.
"More correctly, it's the 'patted juba' rhythm, which got it's first airing in this country as the popular "shave and a haircut, two bits" beat when it was popularized by black shoeshine boys. Kids would slap the rhythm, using their legs, stomachs and chests as drums. Because the hambone off the hog was a popular item in poor Southern households for flavoring and thickening a pot of greens, the name somehow got attached to the juba rhythm by the time it reached Southside Chicago's schoolyards."
- "What Was The First Rock N' Roll Record?", Jim Dawson and Steve Propes
By the way, What Was the First Rock 'N' Roll Record? is a great book and I highly recommend it for those you you looking to learn more about early Rock. Spoiler alert: there is no first Rock N' Roll record! Now back to Hambone..
After "Hambone" popularized the juba rhythm, it was famously used by Bo Diddley in 1955 for his "Bo Diddley" on Checker - openning the floodgates for juba-based Rock songs. To name a few: Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away", Johnny Otis's "Willie and The Hand Jive", the Strageloves' "I Want Candy", and The Stooges "1969". And the kids still love that crazy beat!

The Hambone Kids with Red on the drums

This version of "Hambone" is actually a sparse, alternate take of the original version, in which the Hambone Kids and Dolores Hawkins are accompanied throughout by guitar, bass, and drums only; the rest of the band contributes nothing, except shouts of "Hambone!" at the beginning and end of the piece.

The other side of this record is a rather odd pairing - a version of Link Wray's "Rumble" titled "Rumble Mambo". Since we already talked about Link a bit here, I'll skip the biographical info. Link Wray released a few versions of "Rumble" over his career in an attempt to capitalize on it's popularity. This particular version has a great flavor that sets it apart from the others.

Flier for one of Link Wray's last gigs

Okeh (pronounced 'okay') was started by by Otto K. E. Heinemann in 1918, making it one of the oldest labels we've ever talked about. Okeh jumped in the "race" music market early, and released loads of Jazz from the classic era. Here's another interesting bit from Wikipedia: "Okeh Records pioneered the practice of "location recording" in 1922. Starting in 1924, Okeh also sent mobile recording trucks to tour other parts of the country to record performers not heard in New York or Chicago. Regular return trips were made once or twice a year to New Orleans, Louisiana, Atlanta, Georgia, San Antonio, Texas, St. Louis, Missouri, Kansas City, Missouri, and Detroit, Michigan, recording a wealth of jazz and early country music artists." Columbia bought a controlling interest in Okeh in the mid-20s, but after the early 30s production began to slow. Okeh went through several small starts and stops before finally being deactivated by Columbia in the 70s.
And now, the clips!
Hambone (Alternate Take)

Rumble Mambo

2010-09-10T10:29:00.000-07:00

My monthly at Huckleberry Bar! The next one is 9/30.

Where Y'at?

2010-09-10T10:26:00.000-07:00

Here's the new poster for my monthly at The Charleston. Cajun food and spicy tunes!