White Witch

You never know what you'll turn up just digging through the miscellaneous record bins in the used stores. For example, a couple of weeks ago I found this cool relic from the past.

White Witch - Capricorn Records - 1972

The second I saw this cover I pretty much knew that I had to buy it. And at $5.99 it was over and done and sold. Later on I looked White Witch up online and discovered that they're from my hometown of Tampa Florida. I was in grade school when this record came out, so anything White Witch was doing at the time went way over my radar. I did have a have a favorite babysitter who might have been into them, who knows...she kind of had her finger on the pulse of the rock scene at the time. (No wonder I had a crush on her, but that's another story.)

Released in 1972 on Capricorn Records, White Witch is Ronn Goedert: lead vocals, Buddy Pendergrass: organ, piano and mood, Buddy Richardson on lead guitar, Beau Fisher on bass guitar and Bobby Shea on drums.

Musically, they're all over the map on this, their first of 2 albums. I've seen online that many people prefer their second album to this one. This record does his its "swing for the bleachers" feel about it, but you can't blame the band for that. Tampa Florida wasn't the sort of place to find fame and glory back then. I understand they opened for Alice Cooper and other big names at the time. From the music on this record it sounds like they would have been a good time live.

So, for your listening pleasure, here is a cut from White Snake named "Illusion". It's a wild one!

Pretty Things start the Seventies

Contemporaries of the Stones, Pretty Things were, for many 60s garage fans an edgier, nastier band that never got the mainstream attention they deserved. Maybe that's a good thing if fame brings bloat and complacency. After briefly playing in an early incarnation of the Rolling Stones in 1962, Dick Taylor formed Pretty Things with vocalist Phil May, and promptly released a handful of garage classics like "Rosalyn", "Don't Bring Me Down", and "Road Runner" to fans eager to slam into the stage and each other in dingy dance halls. The 60's saw the Pretties release three albums before creating what most consider their definitive classic S.F. Sorrow.

Recorded at Abbey Roads Studios, S.F. Sorrow is considered one of the first concept albums, next to The Who's, Tommy. Engineered by Norman Smith, S.F. Sorrow is a blend of psychedelic and hard rock that should have sold a mint, but was lost in a year of monster releases by The Beatles, Pink Floyd and The Kinks. Poor management, bad promotions, line-up changes and touring mishaps did little to help The Pretties earn the commercial successes that lessor bands found. S.F. Sorrow would be their last album in a decade that produced what many consider to be Pretty Thing's best material.

I was introduced to the Pretty Things about 10 years ago by a young guy working in a now gone record store in Tempe Arizona. He also told me to "stay away from their 70s stuff."

Well, I don't always listen to advice, and had heard that their first album in the 70s, Parachute, released in 1970 is considered another forgotten classic. With a lineup that includes Phil May doing vocals, Wally Waller on bass, John Povey on keyboards, Skip Allen on drums, and Vic Unitt on guitar, Parachute is another terrific record that fell under the radar for rock fans who got fed CSN, Jefferson Airplane, James Taylor and Grand Funk Railroad instead.

Here is "Cries from the Midnight Chorus" which is the 8th track on the first side of the album.

Classic Psychedelic Rock - Clear Light

To fully appreciate the spectacular sound of double drumming in CLEAR LIGHT, play this record at high volume.

Clear Light - Electra Records

All right, I've played this record loud a handful of times. In fact I'm playing it now as I write this to get into the groove, I can hear the dogs howling outside. But I have to say, I'm not getting the spectacular sound of double drumming. What I do get is a pretty decent psychedelic record from 1967 that pretty much went nowhere when it was released. I'm sure that Electra had ideas of having Clear Light ride the success of their other little combo at the time, The Doors. Hell, the kids really dig that new sound, and here we've got a handful of guys that look like a rock band, so let's sign 'em up, boys!

Members of the band listed on this record are: Cliff De Young - lead vocal, Bob Seal - guitar, Ralph Schuckett - organ, piano and celeste, Douglas Lubahn - bass guitar, Dallas Taylor - drums, Michael Ney - drums & percussion. And to round out the credits we have Robbie Robison - guru and Lee Housekeeper - seer and overseer. Produced by Paul A. Rothchild.

As for the music, it's a pretty fair example of rock and psyche blend. Sometimes it feels like the band is having an identity crises, which might explain why this is their one and only offering as Clear Light. Afterwards members of the band all went on to more successful ventures. Now, almost 50 years later, record nerds like me find their one and only album in plastic wraps stocked among assorted duds and nuggets in downtown record stores. I've seen copies of it a few times since picking up mine. I would imagine the prices asked for it are far more than the guys in Clear Light would have dreamed of. Actually, I didn't pay all that much; $9.99 plus tax; a good deal for a nice clean playing record. You can see a little wear on the edge of the cover, but I'm not complaining. I think it's also been released on CD, so you might see it there in your jaunts downtown.

I still don't get the need for two drummers though...

Saturday Morning Psychedelic - Blues Magoos

Actually they're more a blend of garage and psych than purely psychedelic, but they did have the gumption to put "psychedelic" in the title of their first album for Psychedelic Lollipop on Mercury Records in 1966. I think it's a great title, myself. Tells you right away what you're getting when you flip that vinyl on the turntable and have the kids gather around to dig the sounds...

The album features their original hit, "(We Ain't Got) Nothing Yet" among a selection of originals and covers, including "Tobacco Road" (J.D. Loudermilk) and "I'll Go Crazy" by James Brown. The whole record is a gas, to borrow an ancient term, and I was happy to find a nice copy of it on vinyl recently.

Line up on the album is Ralph Scala - "Quiet, Shy, Good-Looking, plays his organ while singing." Ronnie Gilbert - "Loud, Funny, Lazy, plays bass." Peppy Thielheim - "An Idol, Lovable, '17', Drop-out, plays rhythm guitar." Mike Esposito - "Psyched Out, Warm, Friendly, Rich, plays lead guitar. And Geoff Daking - "Blond, Beautiful, Straight, plays drums."

Linked here is their song "Sometimes I Think About" written by Gilbert-Scala-Thielheim-Esposito and produced by Bob Wyld and Art Polhemus.  Noted here is that the liner notes taken from the album cover say that it's Thielheim and not Thielhelm as I've seen elsewhere. Perhaps someone who knows more than I do will correct me on that.

Roy Orbison - Mystery Girl

Written by Bono and The Edge for Roy Orbison's album Mystery Girl, "She's a Mystery to Me" is a great Roy Orbison performance and pretty cool video directed by David Fincher as well.

Ramones - Howling at the Moon

Produced by David A. Stewart, "Howling at the Moon" is a classic should-have-been-a-monster song for the Ramones from their 1984 album Too Tough To Die. Couple notes about the song; Ben Tench (familiar to fans of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) adds his talents to keyboards. It features a somewhat rare guitar break in it. Also the song had some small exposure as a video on MTV. But by small exposure, I mean almost no exposure compared to the other crap on MTV's rotation back then. It was written by Dee Dee Ramone and dedicated to Vera Ramone. Why this song didn't explode from radios that year, I have no idea. I'm trying to remember what bullshit songs were hits back then and I'm drawing a blank. No doubt some dreck by Phil Collins instead. Enjoy...

Saturday Night Rock - Johnny Cash by The Mission Creeps

Very cool song by The Mission Creeps called "Johnny Cash off their newest CD Midnight Blood. I know they're coming to Phoenix in June for an appearance at the Retro Ranch Party, details of which are on their website you can visit through the attached link. I'm hoping to check them out. I think it will be a good time.

Wednesday Night Rock - "Loose" by The Stooges

Iggy Pop is probably one of the coolest rockers around and The Stooges deserve all the praise they get, even if it is late. This is my favorite song off The Stooges second album Fun House. There is no way you can listen to "Loose" and not feel that power kicking right to the groin. I hear songs like this and want to smoke cigarettes, drink whisky and grab that dirty girl who likes to throw that up-from-under look at you by the keg. Released in 1970 Fun House was written and performed by Iggy Pop, Dave Alexander, Ron Asheton and Scott Asheton. Steven Mackay joined the band playing saxophones on two of the songs. The Fun House album gives you The Stooges at their best, when Rock was dangerous and dirty.

Sunday Psych - Julia Dream

Very cool song from 1968, "Julia Dream" by Roger Waters was the B side to "It Would Be So Nice" and has turned up on various compilation albums since. I've got it on the Pink Floyd album Masters of Rock released on a German import label in 1974 for Columbia/EMI that I bought from Sun Bums Records in Tampa, thirty-some years ago. That's the cover below. My niece got into vinyl collecting a few years ago and managed to hijack some of my Pink Floyd albums, but she didn't get this one.

Blue Mask - Lou Reed

It's not the easiest thing to be a Lou Reed fan. Not every album since the Velvet Underground days works for me, but I admire those who don't give a shit about always giving fans what they want and expect. Blue Mask from 1981 (RCA Records) was different though. MTV music, this wasn't. Bare bones rock with 2 guitars, bass and drums ripping into your face. More than thirty years old now, several years older than your average college kid, and it still sounds relevant and powerful and awesome. I hear songs like this and I am taken right back into that feeling of falling in love with loud guitars all over again. Just like that first wet kiss from a dirty girl. The line up here was Lou Reed on vocals and guitar, Robert Quine on guitar, Fernando Saunders on bass and Doane Perry on drums.

Saturday Night Rock: Riot

No, No...NO! For the last friggin' time, not Quiet Riot, just RIOT! Forget that other crap that those so-called classic rock stations insist on playing. That's for kids weened on MTV. This is the real thing, RIOT. I can't tell you how many times over the years when I'd mention RIOT, to have someone say, "Oh you mean Quiet Riot." No, I never meant that crummy band. And it's a shame that the two ever got confused. Okay...I'm probably being too hard on that other band, but, are you kidding me? Does anyone have to hear "Bang Your Head" ever again?

I saw RIOT play live in Lakeland, Florida somewhere around 1980 or 1981, I can't remember the exact year. They were the opening band for...that's just it. I have no idea. I can't remember who the headliner was that night. It says a lot about a band who was relatively unknown in Florida at the time, opening for another band that you can't remember at all. RIOT took the stage hungry that night and ate it alive!

This cut "Swords and Tequila" is from one of the best hard rock albums from that decade, Fire Down Under which was released in 1981 on Electra/Asylum Records. Fire Down Under was their 3rd album and one of two RIOT albums I still have on vinyl. The line-up for this album is Mark Reale / guitar, Sandy Slavin / drums, Rick Ventura / guitar, Guy Speranza / vocals, and Kip Leming on bass. "Swords and Tequila" is written by Guy Speranza and Mark Reale. Give it a shot!

Husker Du - Books About UFOs

I don't know how anyone can not hear this bouncy love song by Husker Du and not smile and relate to it in some fashion. Written by Grant Hart for their album New Day Rising "Books About UFOs" has all the right ingredients for a great song. There is a love-struck nerd, a dreamy girl who reads books about UFOs, faraway planets, and a promise to name one after her. And who wouldn't have a monster crush on a dreamy girl who reads books about UFOs? 

Husker Du had a lot of really cool songs in their career, but this is one of their very best in my humble opinion. I typically prefer Grant Hart's songs to Bob Mould's, who usually went deeper, often more painfully, into his subject matter. This is one band that I'm glad I got to see back in the 80s before their breakup. Along with bassist Greg Norton, Husker Du was easily one of the best bands of that decade, and sadly not played enough, if at all, by crappy radio stations today (nor then) who give lip service to so-called 80s music. Yeah, that's right. Forget about that Phil Collins crap and go out there and find the really good stuff instead. Enjoy.

Flying Burrito Brothers

Too country for the rock stations and too rock for the country stations, The Flying Burrito Brothers created a slew of classic songs that put a stamp in a lot of the popular music genres that would follow them, notably in songs by The Eagles, Little Feat, and even the Rolling Stones, on to many of today’s “alt-country” singer songwriters and bands like Lucinda Williams and Drive-By Truckers.

The Flying Burrito Brothers were formed by Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman along with Chris Ethridge a year after both Parsons and Hillman played together on the Bryds album Sweetheart of the Rodeo. Hillman had come from a country background; while Parson’s had an affinity for RnB, Country and Blues stirred into a mélange he dubbed “Cosmic American Music.” Together with “Sneeky” Pete Kleinow on pedal steel guitar, the Burrito Bros recorded their first album The Gilded Palace of Sin in 1969.

Parsons stuck around just long enough to complete a second album with the Burrito Bros, Burrito Deluxe, but his increasing time away from the band to hang out with his pal Keith Richards and his notorious lack of discipline split the terrific team he’d created with Hillman.

Rick Roberts replaced Gram Parsons and the band took a more “country rock” road with their music and completed a third record in 1971, The Flying Burrito Brothers. By this time, Hillman had his sights set on other projects as did other members of the band, and the lack of any airplay were taking a toll. They completed one last album, Last of the Red Hot Burritos, before parting ways, to reunite only a few times after.

I pulled the track from YouTube here, “Christine’s Tune” (aka Devil in Disguise) by both Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman about a dangerous little chick the band knew from their earliest gigs. I could have selected any of the songs from that first album, they’re all that good.

Blame it on Mary-Anne

Oh wow...I’m so glad I found this song again! This was the 1^st 45 record I ever owned, thanks to my mom who picked it along with a portable record player of my own. I was in first grade and up to this point I had only a couple long  players of children’s stories like Jack & the Beanstalk, The Three Little Pigs, Cinderella, and Pinocchio to name a few, that I could only listen to on my dad’s hi-fi. I think they got tired of my asking them to play records on it and decided to get my own record player.

 

 

“Mary-Anne with the Shaky Hands” appears on THE WHO SELL OUT, and was released on the Decca label in this different version as the flipside to “I Can See for Miles.”  Much as I loved “I Can See for Miles” I played “Mary-Anne” way more often, and credit this song (and “Miles”) for kick-starting my love for rock music, nice and loud, with just the right amount of pop to it. Years later when I got to see The Who play at Tampa Stadium they played this song, much to my delight. I’m sure my mom has no memory of getting me this record, but I sure do. I’ve long since lost the single 45 of Miles/Mary along with a lot of my stuff from childhood. But I do own the LP, THE WHO SELL OUT, which it appears on in its more acoustic version.

Cool Books - Used

Some interesting finds in a couple used bookstores. The first set are two paperbacks by Chester Himes published in the 70's by Signet.

I love the covers. I hadn't seen these editions before but I wasn't about to leave the bookstore without snapping them up. Coffin Ed and Gravedigger Jones are getting some seventies makeovers for these editions. Looking forward to reading them. For Love of Imabelle is also known as A Rage in Harlem.

The next couple are more on the trashy side, but for a buck each I didn't mind picking them up.

The Cannibals from 1968 (Avon Books) is Keefe Brasselle's insider portrait of the entertainment industry. It's touted as shocking and all that. Lots of teaser blurbs inside full of hype and hysteria. The back of the cover proclaims it as "The most talked about novel of the decade" but I'd not heard of it before. Too bad the cover is worn. The Barracudas was published in 1973 (Avon Books) and comes without any hype at all. It seems pretty much ignored as of today. Oh well, I love its cover with that ponce smoking a cigar studying that dish's backside as she makes some sort of appointment over the phone. Should be good trashy fun.

Last for this group is a Rock & Roll novel from 1974 (Avon Books). Rock & Roll Retreat Blues by Douglas Kent Hall.

I had an English professor from FSU (back in the 80's) state that there has never been a good novel about Rock written yet. Ever. Whether or not he knew of this book I'll never know. The back description mentions plastic motels, Plaster Casters, "willing, glittering groupies," "mind-altering drugs," Hells Angels and a mad bomber. Sounds like all the right ingredients to me. Plus I kind of dig that psychedelic cover, to boot. We'll see how it turns out.

In the meantime, I still have to get through Gravity's Rainbow.

I Found a Peanut, one day....Thee Midniters

I’m the first to admit that I can’t spell for beans, but that’s the real name of a terrific mid-sixties garage rock band from East L.A. Thee Midniters could pretty much do it all; surf, rave-ups, soul, rock and you get the idea. Apparently, early in their career they’d wear Lone Ranger masks when performing and throw them to the girls in the crowd. I have no idea what the girls would throw back at them in return.

 

The lineup changed a bit through their career and included Little Willie G., Larry Rendon, Benny Caballos, Little Ray Jimenez, George Dominguez, Roy Marquez, Ronny Figueroa, Romeo Prado, George Salazar and Benny Lopez, in addition to later members Danny La Mont and Jimmy Espinoza.

 

There is a killer live version of “Land of a Thousand Dances” they do that I would recommend checking out if you’re so inclined. They had a regional hit with the terrific “Whittier Blvd.” that you may have heard, or not if you’re only glued to commercial radio. I got introduced to Thee Midniters through one of the numerous garage rock compilations I’ve picked up over the years. Later on, I was happy to find IN THEE MIDNITE HOUR!!! CD from Norton Records, exclusively of Thee Midniters songs including the ones mentioned above. Here is “I Found a Peanut” for your pleasure. It’s got a weird vocal about what happens after eating that strange peanut you found. You’ll have this one stuck in your head later, trust me.

 

 

Garage Classic - The Soul Shakers

Here is a cool tune from 1966, "It Really Works" (Patterson - Thomas, Bo Mac Music, BMI) performed by The Soul Shakers. It was recorded in 1966 for Ace label. The flipside is "Catch That Girl" which is another cool tune. I like this one though because, to my ears, there is a definite Brian Wilson feel vibe going on here. Plus the drumming is terrific.

New! Improved!

One from the vinyl vaults that I like to put on the turntable now and again is Blue Cheer's 3rd album, New! Improved! Blue Cheer, released in 1969 on Philips Records.

This record represents a change of line-up for the band, with the departure of guitarist Leigh Stephens for Randy Holden and Bruce Stephens taking over guitar duties. In a sense, the record is one of two bands, with all of Randy Holden's tracks on side two and Bruce Stephens on side one. Randy Holden's tenure with the band was a short one, lasting about a year and represented on only three tracks on this album. Two of those tracks are Blue Cheer classics, written and sung by Holden, with long, sonic solos on both. Side one is pretty good too, much more polished than the "Summertime Blues" sound on Vincebus Eruptum. Holden wasn't particularly happy with his time in the band however, feeling that the band's chaotic lifestyle and drug dependencies left little to no time for it to rehearse and work together as a cohesive unit. Blue Cheer would go on to make more records and tour without Randy Holden.

I got my copy used a couple years back. It's clear by the cover that it had a long history sharing space with any manner of bongs, beer, cigarettes and shag carpeting. Still, the vinyl inside is in fine shape and sounds great. Attached is their take on a Bob Dylan classic with Dick Peterson, Paul Whaley, Bruce Stephens and Burns Kellogg in the line-up.

Back cover for my copy, tape and all.



"a flying gas..."

A record I've been getting into more and more lately is Incredible Kaleidoscope by The Kaleidoscope on Epic Records from 1969. The album is composed of only 7 songs, culminating in the 12 minute epic "kitchen sink" instrumental "Seven-Ate Sweet". This was their third album and a nice showcase for their amazing blend of influences - folk, Eastern, blues, blue grass, psychedelic rock - you name it. The lineup on this record include: David Lindley (guitar, violin, banjo and vocals), Soloman Feldthouse (guitar, oud, clarinet, caz, jumbus, vocals and feet) say what?, Templeton Parcely (violin, organ and vocal), Stuart Brotman( bass, vocal), Paul Lagos (drums, vocal), along with a guest artist, Max Buda on harmonica. All in all, it's an entertaining record and like the blurb says above, a flying gas. Attached is "Cuckoo" which is the first song on side two. Enjoy.

As a blurb in the liner notes say, ". . . has never been hastily ushered from hysterical mobs." TeenSet

Hootenanny, Hell Yeah!

Here is one of the coolest CD's ever for the Halloween season. And I mean ever! If you're a fan of bands like Southern Culture on the Skids, The Ghastly Ones, Reverend Horton Heat, Los Straitjackets, Rob Zombie, to name only a few, then you'll love this collection of Horror rave-ups from Zombie A Go-Go Records...

Halloween Hootenanny - 1998 - Geffen Records Inc.

I picked this CD up at the sorely missed East Side Records in Tempe Arizona some years back. I've already got stuff by some of the bands in this collection, and picking this one up was a no-brainer. The fun is kicked off by horror-host Zacherle and doesn't stop until the end (which is as good a place as any, right?) blasting out surf-tinged Horror and Rockabilly A-La Go Go to get than inner monster inside you out of the morgue and into the parlor where the action is. Okay, once again, I love this stuff. It reminds me never to grow up and take life too seriously like those stuffed shirts we all see at the office every day with their Starbucks in hand and the sticks up their....well you know who I'm talking about. Contributors include: Swingin' Neckbreakers, Davie Allen and the Phantom Surfers, The Bomboras, The Amazing Crowns, The Born Losers, and The Legendary Invisible Men, to name a few more. If this stuff doesn't get the bones a-rattlin' then you must be dead, man!