Rockin' Song of the Week No.85 - Marty Brown

Rockin' Song of the Week No.85 - Marty Brown - I'd Rather Fish Than Fight

Marty Brown was one of the nearly-men of the early CMT years. I thought he was great, and that in itself sort of doomed him and ensured he'd never make it big time. He's hardcore country, the type that would have Shania running for the barn (there's a thought hey!). He was born in Maceo, Kentucky where he was raised and worked the tobacco fields. As you do when you come from that neck of the woods and sing country music, Brown made his way to Nashville, where he should have found fortune and fame. To be fair, he did to a certain degree - let's face it, I'm 4,000 miles away and I'm a fan.

He recorded four albums for MCA, with his first two, High And Dry and Wild Kentucky Skies being great. They are hard-edged honky tonk records with the rockers being particularly strong. Brown signed for the highly tasteful Hightone label and his Here's To the Honky Tonks for them was again an artistic success even if the charts didn't reflect so. Over the years he toured with such heavyweights as Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson and Hank Williams, Jr. I understand he still performs but he should be so much more.

I'd Rather Fish Than Fight is from 1993, and was pushed with a video that had heavy rotation on CMT at the time. Produced by Richard Bennett and Tony Brown, the backing crew included no less than Larrie London, Buddy Emmons, Marty Stuart and Stuart Duncan. No wonder if rocks like crazy, these guys have been around the block a bit. If you haven't heard this song, believe me - you should. This is a brilliant uptempo hillbilly bopper that is better than Wayne Hancock at his best - and that is some compliment. The most overlooked song in country music during the 90's.

Recommended downloads: Too many, but try Honky Tonk Special which was BR549 before they were even formed. It sounds like them at a Hank Williams Convention. Your Sugar Daddy's Long Gone is another great slice of honky tonk. From the slower end of the market, try In My Wildest Dreams, and have a look-see at the youTube clip below.

Rockabilly 514

WON "BEST DOCUMENTARY" and "BEST ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK" AWARDS!

NOMINATED FOR 4 AWARDS AT THE DIRECTOR'S CHAIR FILM FESTIVAL 2009:

Best Documentary
Best Editing
Best Soundtrack
Best Sound

For more info about this film please contact me: info@PatriciaChica.com

"Rockabilly 514" is a feature social rockumentary by Patricia Chica and Mike Wafer. "Rockabilly 514" is about the rockabilly sub-culture within Montreal and its people who share a lifestyle influenced by the 1950s.

"Rockabilly 514" tracks an array of colorful characters: musicians, dancers, pin-up models, event promoters, burlesque troop, DJ's, car customizers, tattoo artists, and vintage clothing vendors. All these people share their love for everything rockabilly throughout various events and gatherings, notably the Red Hot & Blue Rockabilly Festival (the only rockabilly weekender in Canada) that illuminates a whole community; as well as the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Festival, which is overflowing with thousands of like-minded enthusiasts from around the world.

Official website: http://www.Rockabilly514.com
MySpace: http://www.MySpace.com/Rockabilly514

Flip`s Instro gems #5 - Bill Black`s Combo – Do It - Rat Now

Flip`s Instro gems #5 - Bill Black`s Combo – Do It - Rat Now

Bet ole Sarge Presley was tickled pink n black (not) when he saw Smokie,Pt 2 and White Silver Sands by his old compadre Bill Black climbing both the pop and r n b charts in 1960, the auld slapper had been reduced to session work and working in an appliance store before his Hi records started selling like hot cakes, very popular in all the jukebox markets, appearances on Dick Clark, a teen movie slot (Teenage Millionaire) and another Ed Sullivan show all quickly followed. Before the formula became lick by numbers the Combo cut some shit hot boppers like Movin` and a slinky Don`t Be Cruel, later Little Queenie became a northern soul dance floor fav in the Uk (off the great BBC plays Chuck lp) and the touring version of the Combo even opened for the Beatles on their first major US tour. Perhaps that`s why that Bill`s original slap bass now resides in casa McCartney (a birthday gift from his late wife Linda apparently,sadly not a penny went to the Black`s as the bass and many other momentos vanished from the studio after Bill`s early death from a brain tumour in 65)

Anyhow this little quirky cracker is one of my favs mainly because I bought the sheet music for it back in my piano lesson days and later I found out that the author of Do It - Rat Now and keyboard man is non other than Jerry Lee`s cousin Carl McVoy. Now according to JLL`s oldest sis Frankie Jean older cousin Carl was the most talented of all the cousins. Carl recorded briefly for Sun, HI and a few small labels but his greatest success came with this track and his time with the combo of Black. He still worked in construction and Bobby Emmons would cover for him when he couldn`t get time off work

Despite several big pop hits, top selling albums and tours, Bill did not live long enough to enjoy the fruits of his Hi success (Joe Coughi had even given him a good royalty deal and a publishing deal, Lyn Lou named after his daughter Nancy`s nickname of Linda Lou, he also had a small label named Louis after his son and the great song Lover Please penned by young Billy Swan appeared on it by Denis Turner,later covered by Clyde Macphatter no less)

On one of my Memphis trips I visited Bill`s grave to pay my respects, it was during Elvis week and by evidence not many other El fans had bothered to go and see it, perhaps if Elvis and Gladys graves had stayed in their original spots then some fans would`ve searched Bill`s out. I love Elvis to bits but I always reckoned both Bill, Scotty and to a lesser extent DJ deserved more financial reward for their important part of the greatest story ever told

This band should be in the hall of fame

Rockin' Song of the Week No.84 - Wes Pudsey & The Sonic Aces

Wes Pudsey & The Sonic Aces - My Baby Looks Like Betty Page

There’s a few got Aussie bands on the scene nowadays, one of the best being Wes Pudsey & The Sonic Aces. They’ve been at it for over ten years and have been around the world in their quest to spread the word. Along the way they’ve worked with Restless, the Space Cadets, Southern Culture on the Skids, The Go Getters, Slim Jim Phantom and Wanda Jackson.

For me their best song and the one that really made their mark is My Baby Looks Like Betty Page. It seems unbelievable to think that it was as long ago as 1999 that we first heard it. It’s modern day rockabilly at its best. Thunderous beat and high-octane guitar. Best of all, they made a proper, MTV quality promotional video. Enjoy it below.

Rockin' Song of the Week No.83 - Link Wray - Please Please Me

Picture this. It’s February 23rd 1964 and Link Wray lies on the hard bed of some two-bit Washington motel. He gets up to mash his finished smoke into the bedside ashtray and switches on the black and white Admiral television set. With a bit of time to kill before heading to his show tonight he flicks through the channels, waiting for something to catch his eye. All the usual shit, so he plumps for the Ed Sullivan Show.

On come these four floppy haired guys from England that he’d been hearing so much about. What was all the fuss about. After watching them do Please Please Me, Link still wasn’t sure. Flicking your heard from side to side with big poofy fringes going in your eyes – that’s not what Link called rock ‘n’ roll. He wondered how anyone could buy their stuff while he hadn’t seen the charts for five years?

Disillusioned, he went into the cold, rainy night and jumped in a cab. He had to tell the driver to take him to the Howard Theatre. Problem was, he was playing the little club across the street – even on his own turf he wasn’t making it like he should.

The club was full of his usual fans and a few younger kids who had started to wear their hair long and droopy in the front, kinda like them Beatles boys he’d just watched. Link wooed the crowd with Rumble and Raw-Hide and his people loved it. A couple of the hairy ones didn’t seem that interested though - they talked among themselves and tried to act cool to the old-school dude on stage.

Fuck it. This is my turf and I can outplay these young pups every day of the week. Link turned to the band and said, “follow me”. He launched into a monstrous version of Please Please Me that little Georgie Harrison couldn’t dream of playing. There were power chords instead of head flicks and drum beats that Ringo couldn’t have driven if he’d have had Pete Best helping him. The crowd went mad and so the story goes, those kids in the crowd slinked to the toilets, wetted their combs and came back out with a quiff where the mop-top had so recently flopped.

I’m sure none of that is true, but it’s the way I see it in my mind.

Buddy Holly CD Box Set -That`ll Be The Day

At long last the definitive Buddy Holly cd box set

Back in 63 when Buddy`s dubbed Brown Eyed Handsome Man 45 reached the upper UK hit parade it sounded fresh to my junior school ears on my brand new Fidelity transistor radio, the rocker sounded contemporary in the age of the beat of the Mersey, I didn’t realise Buddy was dead until I came across my uncle Brian`s Buddy Holly Story Coral lp around 64 (turned out he`d seen Buddy and the lads on their only ever gig in Wales in March 58),by then the Beatlz,Stonez ,Searcherz and a zillion other wanabees had covered Lubbock`s finest, I bought up everything I could find on Brunswick, Coral, Ace Of Hearts and MCA, in the mid 70s we had John Goldrosen’s epic book, the awesome UK compiled 6lp box set ( and a lesser German one), old Don Maclean Gary Busey and Paul McCartney did their bit to keep the music alive.

Eventually I saw various touring versions of the Crickets and met Jerry,Joe B, Sonny and many of the rest of the “More crickets than a dog’s got fleas”, the movies, the musicals the local beers in Wales named after Holly tunes etc etc. By now I was buying all the bootlegs and all the books and fanzines I could find. The lack of a legal Buddy Holly and the Crickets complete cd box set has been the greatest shortfall/outrage in rock n roll, anniversaries, legal disputes,broken promises,endless best ofs, day the music died docs etc etc but one of the cornerstones of rock n roll history has been sadly wanting. Even the Big Bopper could exhumed and reburied recently. The historic 70th Buddy birthday and 50th crash anniversary came and went with a few more almost but not quite releases, I think a major marketing opportunity was missed by failing to get it out by Feb 3rd 2009.

But at long last I`m delighted to say in belated response to the bootlegs the 50 year Uk copyright releases by uncle Thomas Cobbley and all his merrie men the gargantuan Universal company has got its act together with Maria Elena Holley etc all on board. The good news is further enhanced by the project being handled by Universal`s high standard reissue wing Hip O Select, I have their brilliant Muddy Waters,Chuck Berry,Bo Diddley, Little Walter, Burnette RnR Trio and Jerry Lee Lewis projects already and they are a US benchmark for packaging and in particular for sound quality. Mind you , you`ll still need a copy of Jack Huddle`s epic Starlight Starbright and a few other gem to get Buddy`s session work.

By the end of this month there will be a release limited to a mere 7000 copies world wide, of 6 cds with 203 tracks, so that`s Santa sorted out then, US readers can get it direct from Hip O`s web site and elsewhere in the world from usual mega outlets of the rainforest type and in Europe from the long established mail order (UK postal strike permitting!!) like rab specialist Bimbam records – tell em Philip sentcha.

BOB@BIMBAMREC.FREESERVE.CO.UK

BUDDY HOLLY - NOT FADE AWAY: THE COMPLETE STUDIO RECORDINGS AND MORE

(The great and highly influential Buddy Holly had a relatively brief three year professional recording career. However, because of his enormous talent, enthusiasm for music, and the fortunate emergence of recording tape while he was quite young, we have been left with a vast recorded legacy of 203 tracks that fill out the six CDs of this new limited edition Hip-O Select box set, "Not Fade Away/The Complete Studio Recordings And More."

The 203 tracks range from his earliest recordings when 12 to 15 years old to demos with Bob Montgomery; from his earliest recordings with The Crickets and a set of garage recordings to his first studio recordings for Decca in Nashville; from the Coral and Brunswick recordings and hits that made him famous to his heralded apartment tapes. There are 6 previously unreleased tracks, including most of an August 1955 session, plus another 11 recordings previously unreleased in the U.S. Furthermore, all of the original, locatable undubbed original recordings are here as well as all 57 of the overdubbed versions recorded both in New York City and Clovis months and even years after the "day the music died." Many of these recordings are also hard-to-find or are making their CD debut, having only appeared on the 1979 LP/cassette box set.

The music on "Not Fade Away" is packaged in a yearbook size 80 page book, featuring numerous rare photos and session-by-session recording information. There are also two sets of liner notes: "Legacy" by Billy Altman, which puts Buddy’s career in perspective, and "The Music" by Bill Dahl, a lengthy tome that traces the music session by session. Consultant for this project is noted Holly historian Bill Griggs, with special thanks to Maria Elena Holly. "Not Fade Away" was produced by Universal’s Andy McKaie.

Track listing:

Disc 1: 1. My Two-Timin' Woman, 2. I'll Just Pretend, 3. Take These Shackles From My Heart, 4. Footprints In the Snow, 5. Flower Of My Heart, 6. Door To My Heart, 7. Soft Place In My Heart, 8. Gotta Get You Near Me Blues, 9. I Gambled My Heart, 10. You And I Are Through, 11. Down The Line, 12. Baby, Let's Play House, 13. Down The Line, 14. You And I Are Through, 15. Baby, It's Love, 16. Memories, 17. Queen Of The Ballroom, 18. Memories, 19. Moonlight Baby a/k/a Baby, Won't You Come Out Tonight, 20. I Guess I Was Just A Fool, 21. Don't Come Back Knockin', 22. Love Me, 23. Midnight Shift, 24. Midnight Shift (false start/alternate), 25. Don't Come Back Knockin' (alternate), 26. Don't Come Back Knockin', 27. Blue Days, Black Nights, 28. Love Me, 29. Baby Won't You Come Out Tonight, 30. I Guess I Was Just A Fool, 31. It's Not My Fault, 32. I'm Gonna Set My Foot Down, 33. Changin' All Those Changes, 34. Rock-A-Bye Rock, 35. Because I Love You

Disc 2: 1. Rock Around With Ollie Vee, 2. I'm Changin' All Those Changes, 3. That'll Be The Day, 4. Girl On My Mind, 5. Ting-A-Ling, 6. Rock Around With Ollie Vee, 7. Modern Don Juan, 8. You Are My One Desire (false start), 9. You Are My One Desire, 10. Gone (incomplete), 11. Gone, 12. Gone (alternate take), 13. Have You Ever Been Lonely (incomplete alternate), 14. Have You Ever Been Lonely (alternate), 15. Have You Ever Been Lonely, 16. Brown-Eyed Handsome Man, 17. Good Rockin' Tonight, 18. Rip It Up, 19. Blue Monday, 20. Honky Tonk, 21. Blue Suede Shoes, 22. Shake Rattle And Roll (partial), 23. Bo Diddley, 24. Ain't Got No Home, 25. Holly Hop, 26. Brown-Eyed Handsome Man, 27. Bo Diddley, 28. I'm Looking For Someone To Love, 29. That'll Be The Day, 30. Last Night (undubbed), 31. Maybe Baby (first version), 32. Words Of Love, 33. Mailman Bring Me No More Blues, 34. Not Fade Away (alternate overdub), 35. Not Fade Away, 36. Everyday

Disc 3: 1. Ready Teddy, 2. Valley Of Tears, 3. That'll Be The Day (greetings to Bob Thiele), 4. That'll Be The Day (greetings to Murray Deutsch), 5. That'll Be The Day (greetings to Bill Randle), 6. Peggy Sue (alternate take), 7. Peggy Sue, 8. Listen To Me, 9. Oh Boy (undubbed), 10. I'm Gonna Love You Too, 11. Send Me Some Lovin' (undubbed), 12. It's Too Late (undubbed), 13. Oh Boy, 14. An Empty Cup (And A Broken Date), 15. Rock Me My Baby, 15. Rock Me My Baby, 16. You've Got Love, 17. Maybe Baby, 18. Send Me Some Lovin', 19. It's Too Late, 20. Tell Me How, 21. Little Baby, 22. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care, 23. Look At Me, 24. Mona (rehearsal), 25. Mona (version 1), 26. Mona (version 2), 27. Mona (version 3), 28. Rave On, 29. That's My Desire (two false starts plus undubbed master), 30. Well...All Right Well...All Right, 31. Fool's Paradise (alternate take 1), 32. Fool's Paradise (alternate take 2), 33. Fool's Paradise (undubbed master)

Disc 4: 1. Think It Over (false start & rehearsal take), 2. Think It Over (undubbed alternate), 3. Think It Over (undubbed master), 4. Take Your Time (false start & alternate take), 5. Take Your Time, 6. Fool's Paradise, 7. Think It Over, 8. Lonesome Tears, 9. It's So Easy, 10. Heartbeat, 11. Love's Made A Fool Of You (undubbed), 12. Early In The Morning, 13. Now We're One (fragment), 14. Now We're One, 15. Come Back Baby, 16. Reminiscing (undubbed), 17. True Love Ways (mono mix), 18. True Love Ways (stereo mix), 19. It Doesn't Matter Anymore (mono), 20. It Doesn't Matter Anymore (stereo), 21. Raining In My Heart (mono), 22. Raining In My Heart (stereo), 23. Moondreams (mono), 24. Moondreams (stereo), 25. You're The One, 26. That's What They Say (w/fragment), 27. What To Do, 28. Peggy Sue Got Married, 29. That Makes It Tough, 30. Crying, Waiting, Hoping, 31. Learning The Game, 32. Wait Till The Sun Shines Nellie

Disc 5: 1. Slippin' And Slidin' (slow version #1), 2. Slippin' And Slidin' (slow version #2), 3. Slippin' And Slidin' (fast version), 4. Drown In My Own Tears (fragment)/Buddy & Maria Elena talking in apartment, 5. Dearest (alternate take), 6. Dearest, 7. Untitled Instrumental (a/k/a Buddy's Guitar/listed as "Tremolo Instrumental"), 8. Love Is Strange, 9. Smokey Joe's Café, 10. Peggy Sue Got Married, 11. Crying, Waiting, Hoping, 12. That's What They Say (version 2), 13. What To Do, 14. Learning The Game, 15. That Makes It Tough, 16. Baby Won't You Come Out Tonight, 17. Because I Love You, 18. Changin' All Those Changes, 19. I'm Gonna Set My Foot Down, 20. It's Not My Fault, 21. Rock-A-Bye Rock, 22. Brown-Eyed Handsome Man, 23. Bo Diddley, 24. What To Do, 25. Peggy Sue Got Married, 26. Crying, Waiting, Hoping, 27. That Makes It Tough, 28. That's What They Say, 29. Learning The Game, 30. Reminiscing, 31. Wait Till The Sun Shines Nellie, 32. Dearest (version 2), 33. Slippin' And Slidin' (slow version 2)

Disc 6: 1. Baby Let's Play House (I Wanna Play House With You), 2. Down The Line, 3. Wait Til' The Sun Shines Nellie (overdub version 2), 4. Reminiscing, 5. Flower Of My Heart, 6. Door To My Heart, 7. Soft Place In My Heart, 8. I Gambled My Heart, 9. Gotta Get You Near Me Blues, 10. Gone (version 3), 11. Rip It Up, 12. Honky Tonk, 13. Blue Suede Shoes, 14. Shake Rattle And Roll, 15. You And I Are Through, 16. Baby It's Love, 17. Memories, 18. Queen Of The Ballroom, 19. Love's Made A Fool Of You, 20. Wishing (mono), 21. Wishing (stereo), 22. Maybe Baby, 23. That's My Desire, 24. Have You Ever Been Lonely (version 1), 25. Good Rockin' Tonight, 26. Blue Monday, 27. Ain't Got No Home, 28. Holly Hop, 29. Slippin' And Slidin', 30. You're The One, 31. Love Is Strange, 32. (Ummm, Oh Yeah) Dearest, 33. Smokey Joe's Café)

USA HIP-O-SELECT





The Crickets and Keith Richards from the Texans induction into the musicians hall of fame in 2008



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8QLuD-Ew-k

Flip's Instro Gems #3 - Floyd Cramer

Instro Gem # 3 Floyd Cramer -Flip Flop & Bop

As a kid all I knew about Floyd was his million selling cool country pop instro hits like On The Rebound and Last Date, featuring his famed slip note style and that he played with God.

One of my earliest and still fav El albums was Something For Everybody, a ballad side and a rocking side, guess which one I played the pants off! I spent a year having piano lessons on an old upright playing scales and all these boring things like Golden Slumbers but when ever the old dear slipped out to answer the phone I pummelled away on the Floyd descending chords from the brilliant I`m Comin` Home, couldn't believe it wasn`t a 45.

Later ,when I started collecting in old junk shops (no oldies stores then), I came across an old battered black RCA victor 45 from 1958, one side was Sophisicated Swing (arggghhh) but the other was the epic Flip Flop & Bop where ole uncle Floyd finally tears loose ripping through this roadhouse stomping 12 bar boogie woogie gem with some style, (reminds me of that great piano scene at the end of the marvellous Diner movie) I suspect it`s the A team and his ole Elvis sidekicks like Chet "Boogie" Atkins and Boots Randolph wailing away for the 130 odd seconds of musical bliss, alas though I vainly searched through many of his countryploitan standards recordings which sold by the bucketload I never found anything that moved me as much as this piece of musical mayhem

There is a 70s live album where the Floydster almost kicks back the stool in Killah style whilst ripping through our lil` gem (probably bored shitless by playing those three chord country classics his audience wanted) and the country crowd clap along in classic Steve The Jerk Martin whitefolks style, is just off the actual beat (also on the tube of you)

This bopper sits nicley with those great June 58 rockers he cut with soon to be Germany Pvt Presley I Need Your Love Tonight, A Big Hunk Of Love,Ain`t That Lovin You Baby and I Got Stung and the couple of post army live shows El did with the A team in Memphis and Honolulu. Always wished that he would`ve played on the EP Vegas comeback in 69.

Shame the Flip (which incidentally gave me my moniker) 45 never sold in the truckfuls that Date and Rebound did otherwise we could be talking Floyd C piano rocker and not the famed Nashville sideman and hall of famer. He left us far too young (ciggies apparently) but remember him this way , also check out the El clip as well

Floyd Cramer - Flip Flop & Bop

Elvis and Floyd -I`m Comin Home

Rockin' Song of the Week No.83 - Alvin 'Red' Tyler

Alvin 'Red' Tyler - Snake Eyes
Ace 556 (1959)

Alvin ‘Red’ Tyler was a major player on the New Orleans studio scene and was a regular collaborator of producer Allen Toussaint. Snake Eyes was one such event and was written by the duo. The fact that the song is a brilliant slice of New Orleans rock ‘n’ roll shouldn’t surprise anyone as the band included Tyler and Toussaint on sax and piano respectively, and other stalwarts, Frank Fields on bass and Justin Adams on guitar. The song was issued on the local Ace label in 1959 and was also included on Red’s rare long player, Rockin’ And Rollin’ a year later.

On the sleevenotes to the Bear Family CD The Complete 'Tousan' Sessions, Toussaint paid tribute to the sax man, “He was really good at puttin' things together in the studio. He knew how the studio and recordings functioned so much better than I did at the time.”

His career had started in earnest in 1949 when drummer Earl Palmer recommended him to Dave Bartholomew. It was a time when Bartholomew was becoming the main man in town and before you could say Southern Comfort he was recording guys like Tommy Ridgley, Jewel King and the emerging talent Fats Domino. Over the coming years he worked with the likes of Shirley and Lee, Lloyd Price, Little Richard, Professor Longhair, Clarence 'Frogman' Henry, Frankie Ford, Jimmy Clanton and James Booker.

I’m not sure whether Ace owner Johnny Vincent recorded him as a thank you for his loyalty or because fellow honker Lee Allen had shown that there was a place on the charts for New Orleans sax men. Whatever the reason, I’m just glad it happened because Snake Eyes is a blast. Tyler’s sax is obviously well to the fore but Toussaint’s piano isn’t too shabby either.

Rockin' Song of the Week No.82 - Link Wray

Link Wray - Good Rockin' Tonight
Swan S-4201 (1965)

Link Wray's Swan period in the early 60's produced some of the hardest rock 'n' roll you'll ever hear. His playing was sensational and whether he was doing originals or covering famous hits he pretty much blew the amps and made the songs his own. None more so than Good Rockin' Tonight which was no mean feat when you consider the versions by Elvis and Roy Brown to name but two.

Link's version is what we call a mother-humpin' road house stomp. He plays the ass of it and his voice is something else. He growls along before squeeling like a pig, showing why he made his name as an instro man. While the voice might have it's limitations and a career in a sweet-singing doo-wop band was never in the cards, the energy and enthusiasm put him up there in the Esquerita bracket.

The band play their part as well with the drummer making Wild Bob Burgos sound like Pat Boone's best friend. And if you're going to have hand claps in a song, use them like Link does here. They sound like an Alabama church revival - full blooded and hip to the beat. Everything in this song is on the money and right up-front. Roll over Wynonie and tell Roy Brown the news - Link is picking his guitar and there will be good rockin' tonight.

Recommended downloads: From the Swan period I love Ace of Spades, Jack the Ripper, Black Widow and what about the great version of Please Please Me which shows what a Beatles record should sound like.

Glen Glenn is 75

Glen Glenn was 75 this week. I love this guy, happy birthday Glen. So good they named him twice, his best tracks like One Cup Of Coffee and a Cigerette and Everybody's Movin' are rockabilly at it's best. Me and Phil met him a few years ago at Hemsby and he's a dreamboat guy. The nicest guy you'll ever meet. We had a photo taken with him and because of the angle the photo was taken out it looks like he's about 3 foot 6. If I can dig it out I'll post it, until then chuck him on your record player and play some cool California rockabilly.

Ray Campi v Jimmie Skinner

I was listening to Jimmie Skinner late last night and when I heard How Low Can You Feel I thought of Ray Campi. The rockabilly bass man is a massive fan of Skinner and his much had a profound effect on him. It was actually via Ray Campi that I got into Jimmie Skinner. My introduction to Campi was courtesy of his wonderful stage act on the Blue Suede Shoes video of many moons ago.

Ray Campi told Now Dig This once that “I must have recorded more Jimmie Skinner tunes than anyone except Jimmie himself.” The ones I know him doing are Doin' My Time, Don't Give Your Heart to a Rambler, Baby You Don't Know My Mind and How Low Can You Feel but I’m sure there’s probably others.

There career’s and styles were completely different but nowadays I can’t think of one without the other. In my job we deal with ramblers and every time someone mentions ramblers I always hum in my head “keep it away from rambling’ Ray”. It’s weird what goes on in your head, unless it’s just me and my buddy in there.

A man of many trades within the industry, Jimmie Skinner tried his hand as a DJ, songwriter, performer, label owner, and record salesman. His first successful composition was Doin My Time in 1941 but he had to wait until 1957 before he had a hit record himself. On Mercury Records he scored with I Found My Girl in the U.S.A. and Dark Hollow, but he never managed to repeat the trick. He tried his luck with loads of labels before his death in 1979.

Everyone reading this page will know the story of Ray Campi. Basically he had a couple of no-hit singles in the 50’s the best known being Caterpillar (I’ll be honest here and say I don’t think much of his early work) before being a key figure in the rockabilly revival of the 70’s, thanks to his sterling work for Ronnie Weiser’s great Rollin’ Rock label.



My favourite songs of the ones both Campi and Skinner recorded are Don't Give Your Heart To A Rambler and How Low Can You Feel. On Rambler I prefer the Skinner original, it’s so well sung and the music has a haunting sound that is perfect. Ray does a fine cover and I love his oh-so country voice and the final flourish “keep it away from rambling’ Ray”.

How Low Can You Feel is another matter. Ray Campi’s version is brilliant and blows Jimmie’s outta the water. The bass sound is so rounded and I love the acoustic rockabilly treatment. The addition of the “thump thump thump” is inspired. Jimmie Skinner’s is a lovely rendition, but it doesn’t have the thump thump thump factor.

Rockin' Song of the Week No.81 - Freddy Countryman

Freddy Countryman - Cocaine Blues

I know zip about Freddy Countryman, except for one thing - his version of the infamous Cocaine Blues is absolutly awesome. It's got a Johnny Cash backing but I just adore Countryman's vocals. This is the only song of his I've got, but I'd love to hear him do more of the uptempo country. When I listen to this I holler lawdy lawdy have mercy on me. I've heard his instro Back Up And Push band it's pretty good, but it's a waste of such a great voice. Looking at Terry Gordon's great site I see that Freddy Countryman had a handful of singles on the WED (Western Electronics Division) label out of Los Angeles. If you want his Cocaine Blues you can find it on the old Honkin' Billy LP (5552) which came out in 1994.

Flip's Clips No.7 - Jerry Lee Lewis

Jerry Lee Lewis - Turn On Your Lovelight

Now Shaun and I have several things in common, we are Welsh, we love cats, we support Spurs and Wales, but most importantly of all we just lurveeeeeeeeeeeeee Mr Jerry Lee Lewis. I`ve been a fan since seeing his famed 64 Granada TV show in the mid 60s and Shaun has been a fan for ten minutes or so (;-)) and we`ve seen him in Wales, Scotland, England and Memphis (and the Lewis ranch).

Now Shaun also digs rockabilly bass boppers, Elvis, Shaky, Stray Cats etc and I dig Eddie Cochran, Fats, Dave Edmunds, Chuck n Elvis but when it comes to da Killah it`s a different kettle of fish, he simply is THE man, on record, onstage and in life, totally unique and the greatest of the greats in our humble opinion.

So I thought I better put some Lewis clip up before we get disbarred from the First Assembly Of Lewis church (Ferriday and Wales branch), back when ole El was doing his tv and stage comeback and ole Johhny C and the Everlys had their own great tv shows the legendary Jack Good`s sidekick Rita Gillespie (who workd on Oh Boy, Shindig and the legendary Catch My Soul stage show) came up with some great tv pilots featuring JLL, family and musical friends but sadly as great as they are ( I mean JLL doing Ubangi Stomp fer gawd`s sake) they were not taken up for national syndication, fortunately the tapes survived and the long gone US cable channel Outlaw Music showed them in the 90s, this is one of my fav clips as it features JLL singing Bobby Bland`s classic r&b gem Turn On Your Lovelight whilst playing the drums, yes drums, watch and wonder without further ado!

Battle of the Song No.4 - A Legend In My Time

A Legend In My Time - As peformed by;
Don Gibson, Ricky Nelson, Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash

Don Gibson was one hell of a songwriter with a portfolio that included no less than Oh Lonesome Me, Blue Blue Day, Sea of Heartbreak and I Can’t Stop Loving You. I read once, I think in Now Dig This that he considered himself more of a songwriter who sang than a singer who wrote. And that’s probably fair, because although his voice was good, his songs were brilliant. I was surprised during my research to learn that the only version to reach the country charts was by Ronnie Milsap in 1975.

Country music is built on it’s lyrics, and the saying goes, the sadder the better. Throw in a big hunk of pity and you’re starting to get here. No song plays the pity card any better than A Legend In My Time. “If loneliness meant world acclaim / Everyone would know my name / I'd be a legend in my time”. The upshot though is that they don’t, “But they don't give awards / And there's no praise or fame / For a heart that's been broken / Over love that's in vain”.

When Gibson was interviewed about the song in Nashville on 7th September 1973 he said, “This song was written on the road to Knoxville, Tennessee, in a car with Mel Foree. I was reading an article in a magazine I had picked up about an entertainer. He was talking about show business and his career and how he would like to be a legend in his time. I told Mel that that would be a good title for a song, so I started humming.” The guy was a genius with the pen, but how does his version stack up against the others?

Don’s original is pure Nashville circa 1960. The sympathetic backing courtesy of the A Team had the right amounts of backing vocals, piano and guitar to allow Don’s voice to portray the pity in the message.

The Ricky Nelson version from his 1963 long player, “Sings For You” is a really good cover. The backing is very similar with James Burton adding a few extra embellishments. Ricky’s vocal performance is strong and belied his teeny bopper image.

Roy Orbison’s version was probably the first time I’d heard the song. My mate, the much missed Alan Galbraith, used to play it all the time. It was on the earth-shatteringly great Lonely & Blue album which included no lesser gems than Only The Lonely and Blue Angel. The Big O’s version of Legend is quite different to Gibson’s. The session from mid September 1960 was held at Nashville RCA studios, with his usual producer and engineer, Fred Foster and Bill Porter, using string arrangements to augment the same, without ever threatening to drown out the Bob Moore led country pickers. The haunting, atmospheric sax solo gives the words an extra dimension. On top of that, Roy plays with the lyrics for all they’re worth. A stunning masterpiece where the singer, the musicians and the material, bond in perfect harmony. He recorded the song again in 67 for the "Sings Don Gibson" album and that's great, but the first version is the best.

I love the Everly Brothers and think they are the tightest unit in rock history, but there’s something not quite there with their version of Legend. There’s just something missing that I can’t put my finger on. Their vocal performance actually reminds me of the style they were to employ in their 80’s comeback albums, EB84 and Born Yesterday.

Johnny Cash cut the song sometime between 2002 and 2003 just prior to his death. It was released late in 2004 as American V, and as with most of the American series it’s a dark, acoustic version. His worn, tired vocals gave most of the American recordings a hard edge that gave the mainly death and religious material an added effect. His take on Legend is no different and it was an inspired choice of song for that final period in his life.

The two that missed the boat with this song are my two main heroes. I would absolutely have loved to hear Jerry Lee do it at the London Sessions. When he did No Headstone On My Grave he had the upstart British musicians eating out of his hand and he knew it. His ego grew even more and he told them he didn’t want a headstone he wanted a damn monument. You can just imagine him doing this and shouting out that he’s already a legend in his time. Obviously the other guy who should have covered this was Elvis. In the early 60’s he’d have slayed it. Take a listen to Suspicion or Fame and Fortune and tell me that this wasn’t the perfect voice. With the Nashville band giving him the same backing as Don Gibson’s original, it would be phenomenal, and it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to know that this would be the perfect version.

I know there’s been loads of other versions, including Hank Snow but I have got a life and the five above will have to do. To be honest the handful I’ve looked at are the cream of the crop. As it is, the winner of today’s battle of the song is Roy Orbison. Beautifully sung, totally convincingly sung by the king of pain.

If heartaches brought fame in love's crazy game,
I'd be a legend in my time.
If they gave gold statuettes for tears and regrets,
I'd be a legend in my time.
But they don't give awards, and there's no praise or fame
For a broken heart that's been broken over love that's in vain.
If loneliness meant world acclaim,
Then everyone would know my name --
I'd be a legend in my time.

Brian Setzer Orchestra - Songs From Lonely Avenue

Brian Setzer Orchestra - Songs From Lonely Avenue
Surfdog Records

Tracks:

01. Trouble Train
02. Dead Man Incorporated
03. Kiss Me Deadly
04. Gimme Some Rhythm Daddy
05. Lonely Avenue
06. King of the Whole Damn World
07. Mr. Jazzer Goes Surfin'
08. Mr. Surfer Goes Jazzin'
09. My Baby Don't Love Me Blues
10. Love Partners In Crime
11. Passion Of The Night
12. Dimes In The Jar
13. Elena

Anybody who’s read my pages here or at the Rockabilly Hall of Fame will no I’m a massive fan of Brian Setzer, whether it be with the Stray Cats, the 68 Comeback Special or his Orchestra. Being a rocker first and foremost, the three line-ups mentioned above are probably chosen in the right order as well. I like a bit of swing but I’m never going to buy a zoot suit.

This latest Orchestra venture is being dubbed “A Soundtrack To An Unwritten Film” with the film in question being a film noir from the 40’s. Setzer wrote all the songs, the first time in his long career that this has happened. So, what’s the result?

Basically it’s all okay. Most songs have got a spark courtesy of his guitar, but otherwise are nothing special. Best example is Passion Of The Night, where he plays some wicked guitar that helps hide what’s basically a crap song. The best moments are when the double bass is well to the fore, as in the opening pair, Trouble Train and the very Stray Cattish Dead Man Incorporated. King of The Whole Damn World also has a neat rockin’ beat that could be the best song here.

The title track is very mundane and whilst Setzer’s acoustic guitar on the closing track Elena is excellent, the song itself does nothing for me. Dimes In The Jar is average and the two Jazz/Surf tunes were boring. The same can’t be said of the duet Gimme Some Rhythm Daddy, a lively mover with some neat 20’s vocal sections.

Bigger fans of swing and jazz will no doubt enjoy it more than me, I just hope the next album is with the 68 Comeback. I get the feeling that although Brian Setzer is a big swing fan, he was born to be a rockabilly.

Rockin' Song of the Week No.80 - Ricky Nelson - Mighty Good

Ricky Nelson - Mighty Good
Imperial 5614 (1959)

As mighty good as it felt to Ricky, it sounds mighty good to the rest of us. Ooh wee. Ricky Nelson always had a crack band behind him and together with his easy-on-the-ear vocals and great songwriters, his singles nearly always hit the spot. Even by his high standards, Mighty Good features pretty high on the Rickster Scale. Amazingly, the song was cut fifty years ago today at Master Recorders in Hollywood with Jimmy Haskell producing.

The band was the usual suspects James Burton (guitar), James Kirkland (bass), Gene Garf (piano), Richie Frost (drums) and Billy Strange also on guitar. Kirkland and garth were soon to be replaced by Joe Osborne and Ray Johnson, but that’s irrelevant. The other song cut on the date was I Wanna Be Loved but it was the top side of Imperial 5614 that floats my boat.

Mighty Good was written by regular Ricky Nelson tunesmith Baker Knight and was a typical Nelson rocker in that James Burton picks his ass off throughout. The female backing vocals round out the sound and compliment Ricky’s controlled performance. As well as underpinning the beat, Jimmy B gives another in his long line of wonderful solos. At a time was rock ‘n’ roll was making way for the Bobby Soft era, Mighty Good showed that Ricky was a genuine rocker.

Rockin' Song of the Week No.79 - Jerry Irby

Jerry Irby – Clickety Clack
Daffan 108

I like Jerry Irby a lot. All I’ve got is the Collector CD and a few other songs on the odd compilation, but that’s probably all I’ll need. Although his history is steeped in the Western Swing field, having worked with most of the biggest swingers in the game and having cut that style throughout his career, it’s the more basic hillbilly numbers that get to me.

Jerry Irby had a couple of big hits on MGM in the late '40s, but he recorded for hundreds of labels, big and small. Come the rock ‘n’ roll age and Irby was happy to have a crack. Probably in October ’56 he was in the ACA Studio in Houston, Texas cutting the great mover, Clickety Clack. The backing is very much on the country side of rockabilly, but it’s a peach. It was released on his western swing buddies Ted Daffan’s self named label but made more noise in 1976 than 1956.

Recommended listening: Who doesn’t love Hillbilly Boogie? I’m also partial to a couple of country classics, My Gal From Tennessee and One Cup Of Coffee And A Cigerette (not to be confused with the Glen Glenn rocker). Then there’s the two versions of 49 Women, the rockabilly take and the earlier country version which is on the Collector CD. I got 49 women and I only need one more – can you imagine all the nagging – the guy must be more thick skinned than a rhino. I love the line, “49 women are better than 3 or 4, if you five you still got 44”. Looking at the photo on the cover, he looks too much of a gentlemen to look at women, never mind actually having ’em. He looks like guy in Oh Brother Where Art Thou – the one who is hooked up with George Clooney’s misses, the one the little girls say is “bona fide”, “he’s a suiter”.

CLiff Richard & the Shadows line in Cardiff 2009

Harry Webb & Drifters 50th Anniversary Tour
Cardiff - 20 October 2009.

Much to my amazement I really enjoyed last night's Cliff Richard and Shadows 50th anniversary gig in Cardiff, bought tickets for the Mrs last Xmas thinking well, at least I`ll enjoy the Shadz.

Great stage set up, Brian on raised drums, his lad on keyboard alongside Mark Griffiths (Cliff n Evs bass). Bruce, `ank and pink jacketted one stage front, no backing singers or gawdawful dancers, no eurovision, xmas or falsetto warblings, great big video screen above band with the big three getting their own space.

Sticking to green Columbia era 58-63 primo C & S, the old codgers romped thru the rockers with aplomb and even made a decent fist of the ballads and pop/film tunes. Cliff kept his usually irriating shape throwing in check and concentrated on warbling whilst having the pee taken out of him frequently by Hank and Bruce (which did save mne the bother of getting nudged by the mrs). Long show, just
under 150 mins. We had a night of tunes by the likes of Sammy Samwell, Cliff n Shads, Johnny Otis, Ral Donner, Jack Clement, Jerry Lee, Bobby Freeman, Leiber n Stoller, Ruth Brown, Jerry Lordan, Eddie Cochran, Huey Smith, Melvin Endsley and Santo & Johnny.

The singalong biggies were kept to a 15 min section near the end when he sea of balding and greying heads could be seen swaying in front of me like crazed penguins. Highlights included High Class Baby which woulda made uncle Darrel H proud, a super Dynamite, C` Mon Everybody, Gee Whiz, I Could Easily, and a stonking 9 Times Out of 10 straight into It`ll be Me which had ole Harry gasping for breath before the next ballad ( I Love You I think). Move It sounded great, closer to the original than the solo Cliff`s recent versions. Nice acoustic bit with Travellin Light and All Shook Up slowed slightly ala Billy Swan.

In an ideal world he wouldn't have bottled out of the knife in the back line in Sea Cruise going for a more politically correct train on a track, he would have acknowledged esp in Cardiff the Dave Edmunds arrangement of Singing The Blues, mentioned Jet, Tony,Liquorice etc and esp Ian Samwell and ole Ernie cos he kept on about bleeding uncle Norrie P all night and his chart positions, which were often wrong and he had to re do Next Time cos he got the words wrong - senility strikes Peter Pan.

A lot of the audience were happier with the ballads like Voice In the Wildernes, Next Time etc but he did keep saying people forget we were a rock n roll band originally. If they fine tune this tour in the future ( the Shads final ever show was supposedly the one in Cardiff a couple of years back) then hopefully some of his better songs like Apron Strings, Choppin` and Changin`, D In Love & Mumblin Mosie would get a look in. Thankfully, Schollboy Crush was left on the shelf where it rightly belongs.

Shadz seemed to get louder applause for their sets, Savage and Sleepwalk shone out amongst the usual suspects, Brian Bennet was excellent throughout. Night was spoilt by some tall football yob shouting out Jack Army when Hank made a joke about Swansea, same loony kept shouting out "where's Jet, look you, isn't it, bach, Livin` Lovin Doll" but my ribs have healed now. If you like Ricky or the Evs, then you would enjoy this professionally done and musically sound show - the DVD will be out in Nov.

Flip don't Tease.

And lest we forget what the fuss was all about.

Flip's Clips No.6 - Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry - Promised Land

Let`s leave the country archive for awhile. Next month ole uncle Chuckles is coming to south Wales for 2 gigs but I reckon ole Phillybuster here and the young `un` "little Jimmie" Mather won't be attending (nearly a £100 for the two shows) I`ve seen Chuck around a dozen times and he`s been brilliant four times ( 72 - 84), ok thrice and dire the other 5 times, usual suspects ie crap tuning, poor pick up band, thudding bass, short set with Dingblydiling taking up a quarter of it and I`ve already got tickets to another gig on the same night as the local show.

I felt the same last time Little Richard came here, stick to me records n videos ta very much, its rock n roll but not as we know and lurveeeeeeee it, I`d rather recall the decent show Mr CB did in the Docklands arena in London a few years back with ole JLL stonking thru a short opening set and Little Richard and his oh so boring "clap yer hands have ya read my religious tract, are there any posers sorry dancers who wanna come up, all the men say OOOH, here's a Fats/Bob Seeger/Larry Willaims toon in fatc anything not by me " set, a good humoured Chuck with a decent piano man saved the day.

Glad to here Chuck is finally going to play the Viva Las Vegas rab fest and that he'll be backed by a stellar band of 50s experts, always wanted him to tour here backed by dave Edmunds Rockpile and then to record and album guided by Dave, who like George Thorogood does Chuck`s songs properly.


I love Chuck`s music to pieces, recently bought the 2nd Hip O Select 4cd box You Never Can Tell the early 60s years which is fabulous esp the new live album on it, I have Fred Rothwell`s great Long Distance Info book on his music and even bought the 4dvd US version of Hail R N R, Taylor " mr Helen Mirren" Hackford the director and Keith Richards the musical direction deserve the Nobel peace prize for getting through it in one piece.

Between 1955 and 65- ish he cut the greatest self penned rocking r&b/rnr records of all time. One of my all time favs is the travelogue Promised Land apparently written during his 2nd incarceration (he had to get special permission to get a map in case he was planning a break out!!), now both Elvis and the great cajun rocker Johnnie Allen have done sterling versions but I love Chuck`s original, got it on UK Pye and US Chess.

This great clip is almost like a sequel to the great Jazz On A Summer's day movie in that Chuck appears on this b&w French tv show in the mid 60s backed by jazzer the George Shearing quintet ( I think!!), dig the beatnik on the double bass,looks like Mike Stoller in Jailhouse Rock, chuck looks and sounds great slim, greasy haired, that marvellous sly smile and cheeky eye movements and moving n groovin for all he's worth, even the mike collapse is covered by a cool duckwalk, check the side bar for the other gems from this show. there's a very abrupt ending - hinted at by Chuck`s usual foot stomp to finish it being almost cut off, remember him this way, the Stones,Beach Boys etc etc should all bow down and say a prayer for this marvellous singer songwriter giving us a golden decade indeed.

Flip remembers Mickey Gee

In memory of Wales` greatest guitarist - Mickey Gee

Earlier this year I sadly attended the funeral of the Welsh guiatr great Mickey Gee in Cardiff, many musicians were there including Shaking Stevens, Geraint Watkins, Andy Fairweather Low, John David, Terry Williams,John Lewis and Ian Calford, Mickey had provided immaculate Fender bending to all these guys, he`d played with Ian`s dad the late Cal Ford and the Brakemen.

He was a valued part of Edmunds Rockpile and played on the great Carl Perkins Rockabilly Session tv show. He also played with Tom Jones, Lulu, Joe Cocker,Bill Wyman as part of Willie and the Poor Boys and the great 70s rockabilly band Memphis Bend recording a brillaint album on UA that sadly has not been issued on cd and was an important part of the Shaky sound during the 80s chart hits years. When ill health hit him in the 90s he turned down many lucrative jobs/tours preferring to turn up in the local pubs and clubs of Cardiff and sitting in.

A few years back much to my surprise BBC Wales tv acknowledged that music started before Tom Jones by putting this prog out reunting Edmunds, Geraint, Mickey, Andy, etc and one of the many highlights was Mickey`s version of the great Chuck Berry blues rocker Betty Jean (given the wrong title on youtube BTW).

There's an old b& w clip of the pre fame Tom Jones in rocker mode doing What`d I Say and Chills n Fever on tv, look carefully at the young guitarist with hair it`s Mr Gee!

My fav memory of Mickey is of him blowing up his amp doing a Burnette rab classic as his set opener, much of a delay ensued as a roadie went off in his van to find another amp, eventually he set up the new one, Mickey played the Burnette intro and the new amp blew up!

I also love the story about Chet Atkins dressing room where Chet was holding court to all these modern guitar gods when Mickey shyly entered the door, most of the stars looked at this shy bald bloke and wondered who the gatecrasher was. Chet spotted him and called him over to sit next to him and got them both guiatrs whilst they ripped thru the Reed/Atkins classic The Claw, much jaw dropping ensued in the room, I bet they're still jamming up there.

Sadly missed, a wonderful part of my collection is devoted to Mickey.