X-teens: …big boy's dream / X-teens

One of Many Great Things to Emerge from... The Rip Van Winkle State?

Yep. That's one of the ways by which they refer to themselves, those folks in North Carolina. A few years back, though, there were some there who refered to themselves as The X-teens.

They musta refered themselves to the correct individuals, I'd say, in that they eventually had a sweet little 5 Song EP released on Moonlight Records in 1980. And the reference must have continued, positively, through the release of the Full Length Album X-teens, on Dolphin Records, in 1983.

Yep.

X-teens: ...big boy's dream

1. Johnny's Having Fun
2. Fragile Beings
3. In a Grey Circus
4. Venus
5. Big Boy's Dream

X-teens: X-teens

1. Nobody
2. In Droves
3. Tonight Tonight
4. Anyone Can
5. Baby John
6. Heaven in Your Eyes
7. Romper Rheumatism
8. Penny
9. Hard is a Love Daparting
10. Nothing Left to Say
11. Emotion X-teens
12. Happy Again
13. Shift and Rotate
14. Cold War

You can check out the website of he who produced both of these, Don Dixon, here: http://www.dondixonmusic.com/

And Finally, after lookin' around for it for 23 years, I find that Power Pop Criminal$ has been kind enough to post "Love and Politics," the X-teens final output. Go get it Here. Be sure to check out the rest of the site, too, and to leave a comment if you're as impressed as I am.

Ray Martin and His Orchestra: Thunderball and Other Thriller Music / Billy Strange, His Guitar and Orchestra: Goldfinger

Two from Her Majesty's Secret Service

Both of these records were released in 1965, both are named for James Bond films and both feature mostly instrumental collections of popular music. That's where the similarities end, though. These are very different records but both are great for different reasons.

The first is by Ray Martin. You may know Ray from the two volumes he created for the Stereo Action series (Dynamica and Excitement, Incorporated). He also recorded a record called "Goldfinger and Other James Bond Thrillers." This record is Exotica Spy Jazz with lots of Stereo Exploitation, Nonsense Ooooh-Ahhhh Lyrics, Zappy Brass and Zinging, Swirling Strings. It will sound great as you're flashing down a mountain road in your Aston Martin DB5.

Ray Martin and His Orchestra: Thunderball and Other Thriller Music

1. Thunderball
2. The Knack
3. Theme from 'The F.B.I.'
4. Theme from 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'
5. Mister Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
6. Theme for 'Honey West'
7. I Spy
8. Theme from 'Trials of O'Brien'
9. The Young Set

The second record is probably a little better suited for listening to in the Sunbeam Alpine that was the car Bond drove in the first film, Dr. No. It's a bit more Pop oriented than the Ray Martin album, but that makes sense considering that it was recorded by the fella that played guitar on Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots were Made for Walking." Billy Strange also played with Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, The Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, and Speedy West. He's got a great website: http://www.billystrangemusic.com/.

Billy Strange, His Guitar and Orchestra: Goldfinger

1. Goldfinger
2. More
3. Paladin (Have Gun Will Travel)
4. Goin' Out of My Head
5. I Feel Fine
6. Theme for Pussy Galore
7. Peter Gunn
8. Dear Heart
9. Theme from The Munsters
10. The Jerk
11. Come See About Me
12. Man with the Golden Arm

G.E. Smith: In the World / The Paley Brothers: The Paley Brothers

Pure Pop for Tuna People

These two records have next to nothing in common. What they do share, however, is what is known as Pop Sensibility. Pop Sensibility is that thing that makes things sound good to just about everybody. Of course, some folks hate that which the majority adore and, so, reject the idea that one can actually quantify quality based on acceptance. In other words... Not all of what we refer to as Popular Music is, in fact, Popular.

Our first example is by G.E. Smith. George Edward Smith grew up in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and played in the band behind Hall & Oates for most of the 80s. Many remember him as the ponytailed leader of the Saturday Night Live Band from 1985 to 1995. In the meantime he filled his empty moments playing with folks like Mick Jagger and David Bowie. There is a great biographical sketch of him here: http://www.greenmirror.com/gebio.html.

This is a solo effort from 1981. It's a Really, Really Great Record.

G.E. Smith: In the World

1. Heart Frozen Up
2. Real Love
3. Rita
4. The Blind Boy Rag
5. Nuns with Guns
6. Powerman
7. Sad About Girls
8. Fake o' the Land
9. James Brown
10. In the World

And then there's this. This is the type of record that I was prepared to hate with all of my heart and soul when it came out in 1978. It's like all of that stuff that was, back then, being pumped out by Rex Smith and Lief Garrett and Shaun Cassidy!!! Eck!

But... This record was Different! It was GOOD!!! And the Paley Brothers were members of the Boston Punk Underground!!! So it kind of freaked me out. The thing that convinced me was the fact that The Paley Brothers teamed with The Ramones to record a cover of Ritchie Valens' "Come On, Let's Go" for the Soundtrack of "Rock 'n' Roll High School."

You would do well to visit this site to find out more: http://www.punkblowfish.com/BlowfishPaley.htm.

The Paley Brothers: The Paley Brothers

1. You're the Best
2. Too Good to Be True
3. I Hear the Bluebirds Sing
4. Magic Power
5. Turn the Tide
6. Stick with Me Baby
7. Tell Me Tonight
8. Lovin' Eyes Can't Lie
9. Come Out and Play
10. Down the Line

The Raunch Hands: Learn to Whap-A-Dang with The Raunch Hands / El Rauncho Grande

It's a Raunchy Re-Post (by Request)

The Raunch Hands have Returned! Go Here Now and Read All About It - http://www.licoricetree.com/Rockers/raunch%20hands.htm.

In the meantime (and for those of you who are not yet familiar with this particular brand of Brilliant Rock & Roll Insanity), here is a 6 song EP from 1985.

The Raunch Hands: El Rauncho Grande

1. Man Needs a Woman
2. El Rauncho Grande
3. Mess Around
4. Storm Warning
5. Spit It on the Floor
6. Ford

And here is the repost. Not only a tremendously rockin' set of songs, this record is a wonderful educational opportunity. As a matter of fact, it is a great record for several reasons:

1. - It's got a nice beat and you can dance to it

2. - The more beer you drink the better it sounds

3. - If you haven't figured out how to Whap-A-Dang yet, this'll fix ya.

The Raunch Hands: Learn to Whap-A-Dang with The Raunch Hands

1. What Yer Doin'
2. Getcha Some
3. Chicken Scratch
4. Blackjack
5. Kangaroo Juice
6. Thunderbird
7. Whap-A-Dang
8. County Fair
9. Exotic
10. Is It True
11. Chicken of the Sea
12. Upset Her

The George Shearing Quintet: Satin Affair / Jackie Gleason: Velvet Brass

Satin and Velvet

It makes sense that these records are named as they are because they both contain some of the smoothest sounds ever recorded. I ripped the first, Satin Affair, by The George Shearing Quintet & String Choir, after seeing two of his other Satin records posted on April 4th and 8th over on Stax o' Wax. Shearing is one of the classiest of the crowd that fits into the Easy Listening category. He is, in fact, most often refered to as a Jazz musician. This album is amazingly good and includes one of the best recordings of Stardust that I've ever heard. It is, also, monopophic.

The George Shearing Quintet: Satin Affair

1. Early Autumn
2. You Were Never Lovelier
3. Stardust
4. Baubles, Bangles and Beads
5. It's Not You
6. The Party's Over
7. Midnight Sun
8. Here's What I'm Here For
9. I Like to Recognize the Tune
10. My Own
11. My Romance
12. Bolero #3

Speaking of Monophonic recordings… The second of these two is a repost. If you don't already have a copy of it, you need to get it. This is one great lounge record.

Jackie Gleason: Velvet Brass

1. You're Driving Me Crazy!
2. Skyliner
3. But Not for Me
4. The Man I Love
5. Cherokee
6. Me and My Shadow
7. Take the "A" Train
8. By the Beautiful Sea
9. Am I Blue?
10. What's New?
11. Girl of My Dreams
12. My Buddy
13. I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me
14. September Song
15. Out of Nowhere
16. Chinatown, My Chinatown

Split Enz: True Colors

I Bought It 'cause It Sounded Good...

Of course... I could have bought it because it looked really cool, too. I'm not sure which mattered most to A&M Records in 1980. Thankfully, it was a really good record!

This was the first album I had ever seen with a Laser Etched Image Etched into it by a Laser. The idea of an Image being Etched into Anything by a Laser in 1980 was Pretty Wild. The idea of a Vinyl Record Album (which we had been taught to keep safe from scratches) being Scratched to Pieces by a Laser and Still Playing was... Well... Astounding!!! I mean... We weren't even supposed to touch the surface of these things with our greasy little fingertips, for Pete's sake!!!

I searched all over this thing we call The Internet and found this picture, along with a whole bunch of info about the band and this album at: http://www.thelogbook.com/disc/enz/

Allow me to state at this point that I will forever refer you to those who have actually searched and researched the information instead of claiming to have it myself. Them other guys are lots smarter than I am. I have more records than they do, though, so we make a good team.

What I do know about this band is this. For one: Enz is the technical term for the Reservoir at the tip end of a Condom. That being said, the name Split Enz had a good bit in common with The Lovin' Spoonful and 10cc. For two: They were from Australia and were led, by this point anyway, by The Finn Brothers. The Finn Brothers, of course, ended up being The Crowded House Guy (Neil) and That Other Finn Guy (Tim). The band was, actually, composed of a number of tremendously talented individuals, all of whom contributed to the group's interesting-yet-accessible sound. This is one of several great records by a really great band. It was pretty cool lookin', too.

Split Enz: True Colors

1. I Got You
2. Shark Attack
3. What's the Matter with You
4. Double Happy
5. I Wouldn't Dream of It
6. I Hope I Never
7. Nobody Takes Me Seriously
8. Missing Person
9. Poor Boy
10. How Can I Resist Her
11. The Choral Sea