Elvis was a country boy

Most biogs of Elvis go on about how he was a black man in a white man's body. He was steeped in the blues and his music and clothes said owed more to Kokoma Arnold than Eddy Arnold. Well, all that might be true, but there was plenty about Elvis that had a country tinge. Take a listen to Just Call Me Lonesome and tell me that ain't the countryish song you've heard by anyone. Even ol' Hank hisself couldn't have been more redneck. And what's more country thatn rollin' a girl in the hayloft. Take a look at Elvis and Dolores Hart and then imagine how cool their kid would've looked like if she'd hadn't seen the Light.

Bill Crittenden and the Sweet Georgia Boys - Hard Luck Baby

Bill Crittenden and the Sweet Georgia Boys - Hard Luck Baby
Foot Tapping Records FT081

Track listing: RUNNIN' AROUND / HARD LUCK BABY / FOR THE HEART / I'M READY / JUST PLAIN LONESOME / LATCH ON / CRYIN' IN THE RAIN / LONELY HIGHWAY / MIDNIGHT SHIFT / YOU DONT KNOW / ALL I WANNA DO / HARD LUCK BABY #2 / A DAY IN THE LIFE OF COOL CAT CHUCK.

What a great release this is. Bill Crittenden of the Kingcats has teamed up with two of the hottest musicians on the UK scene for an album of rockabilly with more melody than thrash. Carlos & the Bandidos guitarist Malcolm Chapman is on fire throughout the album, with tasty licks that compliment the songs and Crittenden’s sweet vocals. Mick Wigfall who has graced Darrel Higham and Paul Ansell albums among others provides the bass and produced the album at his Sweet Georgia Brown studios – hence the bands name.

As I said, their sound is from the melodic end of the rockabilly spectrum, sort of like Go Cat Go or the afore-mentioned Paul Ansell. Looking at the line-up you would assume that a three-piece without drums would be playing nothing but slappin’ rockabilly circa 1955, but that’s not the case, they produce a full, well rounded sound.

The set is split between six originals and seven covers. Best of the originals are All I Wanna Do, Lonely Highway and the two versions of the title track Hard Luck Baby.

The covers are all strong with the early Cochran related numbers, I’m Ready and Latch On being spot on replicas with Chapman playing some nice Eddie guitar. Crittenden gives a superb vocal performance on the Bellfuries’ Just Plain Lonesome. Elvis 70’s number For The Heart is an inspired choice, changed from the King’s big ballad into a hopped up slap bass rocker. My two favourites though are the Billy Fury numbers, with You Don’t Know being a heartfelt tribute to the Sound of Fury ballad. The other, Runnin’ Around, the CD’s opener, is the best thing on the album. It’s a great choice and wonderfully performed. It’s up there with Porky’s One More Star in the Billy Fury tribute stakes. A great way to start a great album. I’d love to see them live.

Furious - The Future of the Teddy Boys

I know it’s been said about hundreds of groups over the years, out of wishful thinking more than bullshit, but Furious really could be the future for rock ‘n’ roll. They’re the best thing to come out of Liverpool since Billy Fury, and that includes that over-rated gang of mop-toppers who screamed more than their girl fans. They have the right look and attitude for a teddy boy band and they are the heirs apparent to Crazy Cavan and the Rhythm Rockers when they decide to hang up their crushers – what a sad day that’ll be. The first couple of years saw them playing local dates to any crowd they could - the mind boggles at the thought of these young teds slapping away to the delight of the goths and the skinheads. Nowadays they have such a good reputation on the rocking scene that they now play dates all over Europe.

Formed in 2003, the backbone of the band are the Halligan brothers, Mark and Andy. According to Roy Williams of Nervous Records their Dad drives around in a 1958 black Zodiac, and the first thing you see when you walk in the door of their house is a big jukebox. Their drummer was originally Mark Fazakerly, but is now Yann Gourmelon.

To date the boys have only released one EP, but the good news is they are currently in the process of cutting their debut album. If it can generate half the excitement of their live show it’ll be well worth the wait. I saw them at the 2008 Rockers Reunion and was blown away by them. It’s in your face rock ‘n’ roll, hot, sweaty and bloody good.

Furious EP – (Nervous Records)

1.ASBO Shuffle 2.Don't Change Your Style 3.All Night Long 4.Pretty Little Lilly

Mark Halligan (vocals and piano on All Night Long)
Andy Halligan (guitar)
Chris Hough (bass)
Dave Searson (drums)

For more info including live dates check out their website at http://www.rockfurious.com/

Rockin' Song of the Week - Number 51

Los Raw Meat - Shots! (Sleazy Records)

This manic Spanish quartet are a more potent Barcelona foresome than Eto'o, Henry, Messi and Ronaldinho ever were. Oscar Novell is a wild vocalist, Marti Gallen plays an explosive guitar and Alvar Costache and Juan Garces maintain a formidable rhythm. Shots! Is a modern day classic, a relentless bopper full of energy and menace. The chorus is full of hiccupy vocals with loads of chuggin', scratchin' pickin'. If you like Runnin' Wild's Killer Taco Stomp (who couldn't?), you'll love this and their Sleazy LP could be just for you. Whilst the Spanish take the sporting world apart with the tennis, soccer and cycling, their rockabilly bands continue to shine as well.

Recommended downloads: Raw Meat, the boppers Beat of Love and La Puri and the two hot instros Aauuuaaahhh! And Armadillo Hurricane.

Photo of the Week - Three Cool Cats

What a great photo. Found it on the web the othe day and now I can't remember where. I think it was retro-Dame. How young these cool cats look as they embark on a rockin' journey that still continues today. The quiffs are immaculate with Slim Jim looking like Danny Zuko's best bud Kanicci or whatever his name was. Lee Rocker looks like an extra from a Cary Grant film and Brian Setzer looks about twelve years old. He reminds me of the kid in the film American hotwax, the kid who runs Buddy Holly's fan club.

Vince Taylor - Jet Black Leather Machine

Vince Taylor - Jet Black Leather Machine
ACE CDCHD 1213

1. BRAND NEW CADILLAC 2. JET BLACK MACHINE 3. MY BABY LEFT ME 4. MY BABE 5. WHAT'CHA GONNA DO (WHEN YOUR BABY LEAVES YOU) 6. I'LL BE YOUR HERO 7. MOVE OVER TIGER 8. SWEET LITTLE SIXTEEN 9. BABY LET'S PLAY HOUSE 10. TWENTY FLIGHT ROCK 11. MEMPHIS TENNESSEE 12. JEZEBEL 13. ENDLESS SLEEP 14. PLEDGING MY LOVE 15. COLD WHITE AND BEAUTIFUL 16. LONG TALL SALLY 17. JEANNIE, JEANNIE, JEANNIE 18. RIGHT BEHIND YOU BABY 19. I LIKE LOVE 20. A SHOT OF RHYTHM AND BLUES 21. HI HEEL SNEAKERS 22. ROCK'N'ROLL STATION

Vince Taylor is one of those singers who story is probably more interesting than his music. He is a cult hero who to me is like Johnny Kidd, a handful of great songs but nothing that quite matches the hype. Taylor was born Brian Maurice Holden in London in 1939 but moved to the States with his family in 1946. He returned to London when Tommy Steele was the height of British cool. Before you could say whatcha guv’nor Vince Taylor and the Play-Boys were born.

Recent times haven’t seen a lot of activity on the reissue front, but Ace records have put that right with Jet Black leather Machine, a 22 song career overview. Both sides of the first Parlophone single are here, a hot rockin’ take on Roy Orbison’s Sun rocker I Like Love and Ray Smith’s Right Behind You Baby where he sounds a lot like red Hot ‘n’ Blue’s Mouse! Both sides of the follow-up are also here, one of the great 45’s from the east side of the Atlantic. Johnny Ace’s Pledgin My Love is given a strong reading but it’s the flip that has maintained his name over the ensuing 50 years. Brand New Cadillac is a classic, and should be in everyone’s record collection. Written by Taylor it has stood the test of time and has been a highlight of stage shows from The Clash to the Stray Cats. Amazingly the single did nothing so Vince was off to Palette Records where I'll Be Your Hero and Jet Black Machine were released in August 1960. Jet Black Machine is almost neo-rockabilly and light years from Cliff and Marty Wilde. Having said that, it’s okay but not brilliant. I’ll Be Your Hero builds into a forceful stroller with good vocals.

By the 60’s he was a leading light on the French scene, complete with black leather costume and a great live show. Musically, he was starting to get a bit uneven. My Baby Left Me is frantic and very much of it’s 1965 vintage. Another early Elvis number, Baby Let’s Play House is crackin’ and rocks like the clappers, as does Chuck’s Memphis, Tennessee. On the other hand, Sweet Little Sixteen and My Babe are a mess. Twenty Flight Rock is really good despite a drummer working overtime between two guitar solos. Jezebel is an acquired taste that sounds better once the trumpet and drums introductions are out of the way.

Long Tall Sally is too 60’s for me and the twist version of Jeanie Jeanie Jeanie is woeful. Cold White and Beautiful is pure shite, unthinkable that this is the guy who did Brand New Cadillac. The CD closes as spectacularly bad as it started stupendously good. Rock ‘n’ Roll Station is a 1976 collaboration with experimental musician Jac Berrocal that sucks. Despite these lapses, this CD has a dozen great songs that should gladden the hearts of rockers across the globe.

The Wanderers - Bang Bang

THE WANDERERS : BANG BANG (Foot Tapping FT061)

TRACK LISTING:CRAZY ROCKIN' REDHEADED GIRL / MAYBE I / SLOW DOWN / OFFBEAT BOOGIE / HOLE IN MY POCKET / BANG BANG / SUNTAN TATTOO / GENE & EDDIE / GOT A LOT OF RHYTHM IN MY SOUL / ROCKABILLY GUY / WASTING TIME WITH YOU / JITTERBOP BABY / FEEL LIKE ROCKIN' / LONG BLACK SHINY CAR.

The Wanderers are Katy & Pagan Gould and they make ends meet around the Midlands playing a mix of rockabilly and country. They don't so much sing duets as alternate vocals chores. For their debut release on the Foot Tapping label they've been lucky enough to have Darrel Higham on board, and it's his guitar that makes this drives this CD along.

Katy is particularly good on Got A Lot Of Rhythm In My Soul, Bang Bang, Maybe I and Suntan Tattoo. Pagan is okay on the Stray Cats' Gene and Eddie but is much stronger on the Polecats' Rockabilly Guy which also suits Darrel to a tee. His best number is the opener, Crazy Rockin' Redheaded Girl, originally by Two Tons of Steel.

You'll know all the songs in their original form, but The Wanderers manage to give them a freshness that make this more than just a karaoke album. The class of Darrel Higham looms large throughout and I'm sure the Gould's wish they could have him on stage every week.

Rockin' Song of the Week - Number 50

Elvis Presley - (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear (RCA)

I don't know what happened here, but last night changed my mind completely about this song. It's always struck me as a bit of a kiddies song that was too cute to be of any substance. That's probably true, but for some reason, last night when it came on my iPod on random play, it just sounded so fantastic.

Elvis' voice is so engaging, it sounds more playful than the teddy bear, and if you forget the Loving You cowboy suit and just enjoy the vocals, I'm sure you'll love it to. Perhaps you do already, somebody did, it sold a million copies. He works in perfect tandom with the Jordannaires for a slice of magic that runs at less than two minutes.

Recommended listening: I believe he had a few records out - perhaps you might have heard them and got your favourites already!! If not, get back in your hole and turn the lights off.

Rockin' Song of the Week - Number 49

Ken Craig - Silver Coin (Bertram Int. 45-216)

Another artist who has managed to keep below the radar and for all that's known about him I'm probably right in assuming that despite the title, this record didn't make him much silver coin. Craig was serving in the US Air Force at Hickham Field, Hawaii when he cut this for the Honolulu label.

The label might not have been prolific but it did give us Robin Luke and Bill Lawrence's brilliant Hey Baby! From the ass end of the ’'50s, Silver Coin is an atmospheric number that has a western feel. It sounds like the soundtrack for a gunslinger movie that would have Glenn Ford walking into the sunset with his pistol still smouldering in his hand.
As far as I know, Ken Craig only had one other release, a duet with his wife Karol from 1961.

The Rhythm Aces - Hand Me Down Suits 'n' Hobnail Boots

Track listing: You Lied To Me / 78rpm / Tunnel Of Love / Ten Bob Millionaire / Doin' The Creep / What's The Matter Baby? / Life At The Top / The Fabulous Rosina / Carry On Teddy Boy / The First Teenager / I'm Bad.

Shropshire band The Rhythm Aces are causing a stir on the rock ‘n roll scene are fast developing a reputation as one of the hottest new Teddy Boy bands around. I saw them at the Rockers Reunion and after Mike Sanchez were the best thing on the bill, easily out-performing a woefully pedestrian Sleepy LaBeef, and for my money, a lot better than the showy Lucas and the Dynamos.

Hand Me Down Suits ‘n’ Hobnail Boots is their much anticipated debut album featuring a dozen self-penned numbers. Being a ted band there’s obviously a lot of heavy bass lines and hypnotic rhythms, but they don’t just thrash away aimlessly. They write unusual songs that are never less than interesting and you get the impression that this is a well thought out album. No writing a song in ten minutes on the way to the studio, but actually crafting them.

The opener, You Lied To Me has plenty of drum work going on and the guitar solo has a hint of Cliff and the Shadows. 78rpm sounds like a cross between Tommy Steele and the Riverside trio – if that makes sense!! Tunnel of Love is bopper with a tasty guitar figure running through it. Cosh Boy is in the Stray Cat Strut mould with lyrics to match the menacing stroller beat.
Ten Bob Millionaire is pure rockabilly and a real highlight of the album. What's The Matter Baby rocks along nicely with a couple of guitar nods to Scotty Moore and Luther Perkins. Life At The Top is a great bit of skifflebilly that is one of those unusual numbers that make them different enough to stand out from the crowd.

The Fabulous Rosina is a hard rockin’ tribute to a fit chick with great drums and guitar and - “ a pocket rocker teaser”. Carry On Teddy Boy is a no-holds barred anthem that could become their signature song. The First Teenager thunders along with an Eddie Cochran feel before the album closes out with the atmospheric I’m Bad.

Brian Setzer Orchestra Tour Dates

Hell's bells (or should that be jingle bells), surely not. The snow is only just melting from this winter and I see Brian Setzer is planning next years winter tour. Am I just being parnoid or are we really only 300 days from Christmas? I don't wanna be a killjoy for all you snow lovers but let's have a bit of sun first. Me and the misses love his Orchestra stuff, and I'd love him to bring the band over to Europe, but I suppose the cost makes it unfeasable - although he seems to play Japan every other month. I'm going to put on Lonely Summer Nights and give Baby It's Cold Outside a miss for nine months. For those of you lucky enough to be able to go, the winter dates are as follows;

Nov. 20 @ Motor City Casino, Detroit, MI
Nov. 21 @ Genesee Theater, Waukegan (Chicago), IL
Nov. 25 @ Sovereign PAC, Reading, PA
Nov. 29 @ Keswick Theater, Glenside, PA
Nov. 30 @ Hammerstein, NYC, NY
Dec. 4 @ Foxwoods, Ledyard, CT
Dec. 7 @ Peace Center, Greenville, SC
Dec. 9 @ Ryman, Nashville, TN
Dec. 14 @ Isleta Casino, Albuquerque, NM
Dec. 15 @ Dodge Theater, Phoenix, AZ
Dec. 16 @ Spotlight 29 Casino, Coachella, CA
Dec. 18 @ Gibson Amphitheater, Los Angeles, CA
Dec. 20 @ Warfield, San Francisco, CA
Dec. 22 @ Table Mountain Casino, Friant, CA

Jason Lee Wilson - Another Hole In Another Wall

Jason Lee Wilson - Another Hole In Another Wall
Rhythm Bomb Records - RBR5679

You can tell from his song-writing that he’s steeped in the history of hillbilly and rockabilly, little surprise when you consider he born and raised in the hill country of south-east Tennessee. In 1998, he formed the rockabilly band the Cumberland Runners, and although he’s gone solo, they still they occasion gigs together in the South. He singed to Rhythm Bomb Records resulting in the High Country album in 2007 where he was backed in the studio by label-mates, the Round Up Boys. They provide sympathetic backing that perfectly compliments Wilson’s songs. Such was the universal acclaim of that album, Rhythm Bomb have again teemed JLW with the Roundup Boys for this latest album, which regretfully is my introduction to the guy.

I know it shouldn’t matter, but I already loved this guy before I heard him – he’s the grand-cousin of Marvin Rainwater gaddamit. Jason Lee Wilson recorded this fine album in Berlin, Germany in the famous Lightning Recorders studio.

The opener is a chugging honky tonk number. The title track sounds like early BR549 to me with JLW’s voice not disimilar to Chuck Mead. Truckstop Betty has more steel than Pittsburg and is great uptempo country music. I know we keep saying that country music ain’t what it used to be, but songs like this remind us what it could/should be. The Field And The Vine visits Johnny Cash territory with the Roundup Boys giving a spirited nod to the Tennessee Three. I Used To Wish On A Star is stone-cold country with a great 50’s feel with a gentle layer of backing vocals that lifts the song from really good to fantastic – this is so authentic it makes Dwight Yoakam seem like a pop star, and I love Dwight!

Tired Of Being Sorry has a 60’s feel that reminded me of Buck Owens. There’s more hillbilly fever in Tough Roe To Hoe which tells of the woe’s of a gold-digger. He morphs Johnny Cash with Hank Snow for the foot tappin’ Golden Girl. I love the mournful Too Much Walking, with it’s passing nod to Merle and Joe Nichols – this is timeless country music that you wouldn’t believe was cut in the 21st Century.

The album closes out in fine form with the beautiful You Call Me A Fool, Be Warned which sounds like Elvis’ take on Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues and the honky tonker My Last Ride. A great album that should appeal to broadminded rockabillies and will have country lovers frothing at the mouth. I’d love to think this was the future of country music, but we all know the reality.

Battle of the Song No.1 - Rockin’ Daddy

Sonny Fisher - Rockin’ Daddy – Starday 179
Eddie Bond - Rockin’ Daddy – Mercury 70826

So who cut the definitive version of Rockin’ Daddy, Sonny Fisher or Eddie Bond?

The song epitomizes everything that makes rockabilly great. It’s full of bravado and images of dressing up in your best cat clothes for a good night of unrelenting rock ‘n’ roll to cure your blues. Both versions are sublime, and although they’re both rockabilly in it’s truest form, they’re both very different.

When Sonny Fisher entered the Goldstar Studios in January 1955, rock ‘n’ roll was still in its infancy. Perry Como was still the rage and outside of the south, Elvis Presley was unknown. The results that day are startling, with Fisher’s Rockin’ Daddy being as raw as music can get. Joey Long’s guitar cuts through the air like a switchblade knife and Leonard Curry and Darrell Newsome lay down a stark beat that holds nearly as much menace as the guitar. In the early days of ’55, a lot of rockabilly numbers were by country singers who were trying anything to get some coin. No such nonsense here though, with these vocals, Sonny Fisher couldn’t be anything but a hard-assed young buck with rockin’ on his mind.

Eddie Bond didn’t cut his version for another twelve months but the wait was well worth it. His version has a fuller sound with a crack band that included future Nashville legends Reggie Young and John Hughey. Young is blistering throughout and don’t be fooled by Hughey being in the mix with his steel guitar, this is rockabilly music – cowboy hats ain’t in sight.

So while Eddie Bond made more great records than Sonny Fisher, and he can justifiably claim to be “a rockin’ daddy from Ding Dong Ten-O-See”, I have to say that if I had to play one version of Rockin’ Daddy to show Martians what rockabilly is all about, I’d have to go with Sonny Fisher’s.

Elvis Mather - RIP

This week we lost our little Elvis, the King of the Hillbilly Cats. When we got him and his sister Missie they were just six weeks old and they stole our hearts the first moment we saw them. Elvis had a beautiful personality, easy going, friends with everyone, never interested in falling out with other cats. As long as there was food and cuddles to be had, he was happy. He started life in brown and black stripes before developing a full black coat and a belly wobble to die for. He always had that wiggle, it was why we called him Elvis. They both loved their mum and they both loved their food. Elvis has spent the past 16 years sleeping on Julie’s neck or lying on her chest. When he could be prised away he would sit on my lap watching the football.

He was Julie’s best friend, a good listener and a wonderful stress toy. He was a celebrity as well, everyone knew him, and people we hadn’t met for ages would always ask, “how’s Elvis”. He's in the sleevnotes of MfP's Gene Vincent CD, The Great Rocker, and was supposed to be filmed by our national tv company until he got stage-fright - shades of Vegas '56 I suppose. The house is an emptier place without him and though our hearts are aching now, we're all the richer for having shared our lives with him. In 1981 Sonny Fisher sang Elvis, I Miss You – he could have written it for me. God bless you Elvie, words can't do you justice - it was a priviledge to be with you, you’re always in our hearts, and we’ll see you, Missie, Billie and George again one day.

Lisa George and The Pedalos

Lisa George and The Pedalos

Blue Eyed Rockabilly Boy

Raucous Records - RAUCD 216

Track listing: Blue Eyed Rockabilly Boy / Ain't Love Addictive / My One Desire / Black Cadillac.

Lisa George is a new name to me but it appears she’s been making a living behind the mic for quite a few years already. She began in the all-gal rockabilly band Helles Belles before joining a soul revue The Rumble Band. She has also an extensive resume with theatre roles ranging from backing that tosser Lily Savage and playing the role of Tammy Wynette in “The Queens of Country” UK tour. Now she’s back on the rockabilly circuit with the Pedalos, a quartet with a penchant for the exotic beat that suits Lisa’s vocals to a tee.

They’ve been signed by Raucous Records with their debut album imminent. In the meantime, Raucous have released an EP to whet the appetite, featuring two tracks from the album and two that are for this EP only. They were recorded by Chris Cummings at his Riverside Studios in Blackpool. Blue Eyed Rockabilly Boy is a storming opener written by Lisa and rhythm guitarist Adrian Shuie McKenna. It launches into life with a grumbling guitar from ex-Slingshots axeman John England, giving it an early Stray Cats feel. The track has that 80’s feel and the heavy bass reminds me of the Blue Cats’ Wild Night. The vocals growl and I could see this becoming a dance floor favourite.

Ain’t Love Addictive will also be on the album and it’s a ballad which gives her plenty of space to clean her pipes. The cover of Dorsey Burnette’s My One Desire is the weakest thing here, it’s not bad but it lacks the drive of the Stray Cats version. No such problem with Black Cadillac which gives Joyce Green a run for her money. England is on fire again, and it’s a great closer for a great single.

Pat Cupp - Long Gone Daddy: The Complete 50's Recordings

Pat Cupp - Long Gone Daddy: The Complete 50's Recordings
El Toro Records - ETCD1019

1 That Girl Of Mine (Demo)2 I Guess It's Meant That Way (Demo)3 Baby Come Back (Demo)4 Do Me No Wrong (RPM)5 Baby Come Back (RPM)6 Long Gonne Daddy (RPM)7 To Be The One (RPM)8 Long Gonne Daddy (Crown)9 Do Me No Wrong (Crown)10 Baby Come Back (Crown)11 That Girl Of Mine (Crown)12 I Guess It's Meant That Way (Crown)13 Baby Come Back (Rollin' Rock)14 Do Me No Wrong (Rollin' Rock)15 Long Gonne Daddy (Rollin' Rock)16 That Girl Of Mine (Rollin' Rock)17 I Guess It's Meant That Way (Rollin' Rock)18 I Won't Remember To Cry (Rollin' Rock)

Pat Cupp was a short-term recording artist who cut a bunch of great records in 1956 never to be heard of again for nearly half a century. Repro singles on Rollin' Rock and the odd track on compilation CD’s have had to suffice, but that’s all changed now as El Toro have grouped all his stuff onto one, breathtaking CD. It’s amazing that this guy didn’t become a star and have a long career in the business. Sods law dictated that once he was discovered, his hearing packed in and he had to retire all together.

Growing up in Arkansas he was able to see and join on stage such rockers as Elvis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins, not a bad way to start your career. In early ’56 a trio of demos were cut at the Onyx Studio in Memphis. All three are here and they all show great promise with That Girl Of Mine being a great slab of rockabilly. In April he played the Louisiana Hayride and came to the attention of Joe Bahari of Modern Records who signed Pat to record on the RPM subsidiary. On 13th May, 1956 he was taken to KWKH in Shreveport Louisiana where he laid down a handful of rockabilly gems during a mammoth, fruitful session. Although they made no impact at the time, Long Gone Daddy, Do Me No Wrong, Baby Come Back and I Guess It's Meant That Way have now gained legendary status. Pure unadulterated rockabilly it’s a match for the Sun rockers that resurfaced during the 70’s rockabilly revival. His vocals are excellent, youthful and fresh without ever sounding stretched and the band are red hot, especially Johnny Gatlin who plays a pepper-hot guitar.

The next session was held at Cosimo Matassa’s studio in New Orleans where the sound was changed from rural rockabilly to New Orleans style rock ‘n’ roll. The results were equally impressive. I’ve listened to the rockabilly and New Orleans versions of Long Gone Daddy one after the other and the difference is amazing – but it’s impossible to say which version is the best. You need to listen to them and see what you think – it’s like choosing between your kids. Sadly that was it for Pat Cupp, who joined the US Air Force and retired from the business, unaware that forty odd years later he would be called to Europe where he quickly became a hero. Snap this up, it’s a brilliant release, rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll as good as it gets.

The Best Of Crest Records - Rockin' & Rollin

The Best Of Crest Records - Rockin' & Rollin
Yellow Records – SPV 306652 CD.

1. Wild Man Wild - Jackson, Hal / Chromatics, The 2. Skinny Jim - Cochran, Eddie 3. Can You Bop? - Wilson, Tom 4. Stack A Records - Tall, Tom 5. Been Gone A Long Time - Sanders, Hank 6. Somebody To Love - Bowen, Jimmy 7. Primitive Love - Reeves, Tom 8. Buzzsaw - Gee Gees, The 9. Lovin' Lorene - Garrison, Glen 10. Rock'n'Roll Blues - Skylar, Norm 11. Umm, Kiss Me Goodnight - Lowe, Buddy 12. Spotlight - Frank and Ernie 13. I.O.U. - Lewis, Jack 14. Ballin' Keen - Caraway, Bobby and Terry 15. Pretty Little Devil - Denton, Bob 16. Ridin' The Frets - Desert Stars, The 17. You're The Reason - Edwards, Bobby 18. Rockin' And Rollin' - Bills, Dick 19. Can't Walk Em Off - Cooper, Marty 20. Drowning All My Sorrows - Gene Bo Davis 21. What Happened Last Night - Donn, Johnny 22. Yea, Yea, Come Another Day - Casanova, Tony 23. Date Bait - Skidmore III, Bill 24. Bumble Twist - Baugh, Phil 25. Cool Juice - Law, Tommy 26. You're The Prettiest One - Classics, The 27. Three Carburettors - Carson, Don 28. Function At The Junction - Whitfield, Smoki 29. Don't Be Bashful Little Girl - Four Young Men 30. Three Stars - Dee, Tommy

Yellow Records is a subsidiary of the German label SPV and they are hitting the market with a trio of Eddie Cochran related releases in collaboration with Tony Barrett's long running Rockstar Records. This one is a 30-track celebration of the Hollywood based Crest label. Rockstar released “Talk About A Party” which covered virtually everything on offer here, but it’s likely that quite a few will have missed that as looking at my copy here, I was shocked to see that it came out back in 1999. Where has time gone?

Eddie Cochran was the star name of the label and although he only had one release on Crest he was often to be heard backing some of their artists. His single was the wonderful Skinny Jim, and it’s in crystal clear sound here, exploding from the speakers with all the freshness of the best timeless rockabilly. He also provides the guitar on Gene Bo Davis’ Drowning All My Sorrows which I first heard on a Rockstar vinyl many moons ago, but the version here is different and the guitar doesn’t sound like Eddie. Jack Lewis’ IOU is only a so-so song, saved by Eddie’s guitar which is head and shoulders above the material. Pretty Little Devil is a contry tinged rockaballad duet between Eddie and Bob Denton which hits the spot and features his signature ending. It’s thought to be Eddie playing the solo onm the wild rocker, Cool Juice by one-off artist, Tommy Law, a great slice of unadulterated rock ‘n’ roll.

Ramblin’ Tommy Scott’s Been Gone A Long Time is given a superb rockabilly treatment by Hank Sanders, a full decade after Scott’s original. Glen Garrison’s Lovin’ Lorene has rightly become a rockabilly classic over the past few decades as has Ballin’ Keen by Bobby and Terry Caraway.

Crests biggest hit is here, Bobby Edwards’ You’re The Reason, a perfect combination of rock ‘n’ roll and country. Country fans might be shocked to learn that the hard-edged instrumental, Buzzsaw by the Gee Cees is Glen Campbell - no mean guitarist. Dick Bills was his uncle and Bills has a great rocker here, Rockin’ And A Rollin’ which has two fabulous guitar breaks, which I assume are Campbell as he was part of his uncles band in the early days.

From the black end of the market we get Smoki Whitfield’s sax rocker Function At The Junction and Hal Jackson and the Chromatics whose Wild Man Wild gets the CD off to a flying start, despite a violin solo. You’re The Prettiest One by the Classics is a good doo-wopper that wasn’t on the Rockstar CD. I really liked Don Carson’s Three Carburettors, a strong novelty rocker that sees him backed by a vocal group, believed to be the Four Dots.

The sound throughout is clear and full and the packaging is colourful with informative sleevenotes from Fred James. A great CD which will hopefully do well enough for the label to be encouraged to bring out further releases.

Rockin' Song of the Week - Number 48

The Upsetters - Baldhead Baby

While Little Richard was on a sabatical trying to get closer to God, his backing band the Upsetters were in Chicago getting closer to the Devil. The band were a hardened group of musos who had learnt their trade working the tough club circuit for a couple of years before Dinky Dick called it a day - for a while anyway. Everything with the Georgia Peach was overboard, and that included his jewels once he's seen his message from Above. This left the Upsetters to make a name for themselves. They signed with Vee Jay and used their sax-man Wilbert "Lee Diamond" Smith as vocalist on a couple numbers. Grady gaines was the mainman of a quality band that included drummer Chuck Conner and guitarist Nathaniel Douglas among its throng. Baldhead Baby from '58 is a sax lead rocker with obvious nods to Little Richard and Fats Domino.

Recommended downloads: Mama Loochie, Pig Tails & Blue Jeans, Take It Home to Grandma and two great instrumentals, Jay Walking and Wake Up.

Rockin' Song of the Week - Number 47

Dennis Binder - Early Times (Modern 930)

Dennis Binder was a singing piano pounder from Rosedale, Mississippi who'd recorded in Chicago and Memphis in the early '50s. By 1954 he was working with the Delta dynamo Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm having apparently ventured into Clarksdale with his band to challenge Ike and his guys to a battle of he bands. I'm not sure who won the battle, but Ike was impressed enough to take Binder into a Clarksdale, MS studio with Jesse Knight, Willie Sims and a twin tenor sax attack of Eugene Fox and Bobby Fields. They recorded a quartet of tracks that had quality stamped on every note. A tribute to Early Times whiskey the song is powered by Ike's boogie guitar riff and the vamping saxes doing the da na na - da na na that was to be all the rage for future show closures. Binder's vocals had that hypnotic, almost lazy feel that was not unlike another Turner frontman, Jackie Brenston. Within twelve months Turner and Binder had parted following a dispute over pay. Ike had bigger troubles down the road, but for the moment he was recording some of the best music in the south, be it tough r'n'b or gut-wrenching blues. Best place to find Early Times is the Rhythm Rockin' Blues: Ike Turner & His Kings of Rhythm CD on Ace (CDCHD553) which showcases the extraordinary work Ike Turner was producing at this time. Binder has now turned 80 but is still playing, amazingly having his first album released just two years ago. I knew whiskey was good for you.

Recommended downloads: The New Orleans style I Miss You So and the slower call-and-responce barroom baller, You Got Me Way Down here, both from the same session as Early Times.

Chuck Mead (BR549)

Born: Charles Lynn Mead, 22 December 1960, Nevada, Missouri

Anyone familiar with the retro-hillbilly band BR5-49 will know Chuck Mead as the Robert Redford look-a-like who plays lead guitar, shares lead vocal responsibilities and is pretty much the smooth talking front man of the band. He claims that he and Gary Bennett formed a partnership after they met in a bar and had a contest to see who could sing the most Johnny Horton songs - not a bad reason to form a band.

Bennett was singing in Nashville's bar/boot store Robert's Western Wear when he was joined by Mead, who'd also been playing on Lower Broadway, with the Homestead Grays. They formed BR5-49 in 1993, adding Smilin' Jay McDowell on slap-bass, Shaw "Hawshaw" Wilson on drums and Don Herron on fiddle/steel/kitchen sink/penny whistle/comb/pin-that-drops/clogs/two fingers/harmonica/coconut shells (useful for Tennessee Stud) and dobro. They built up a reputation as the city's best/only real country band, playing covers of Hank/Cash/Horton/Moon(who?)/Faron Young etc. They made their money from a tip jar. Their name came from a sketch on Hee Haw. By '95 they were becoming a tourist attraction and late comers had to settle for a view of the band from outside on the street. The place was so packed that even a few Music City Row executives turned up. Surely they were too country! Regardless, they were signed to Arista on October 13, 1995, and immediately recorded a mini-CD, recorded live at Robert's. Made up of originals and covers, it shows the band were raw, but obviously they wanted it this way. They'd insisted when they signed to Arista that they would only record for a major label if they could retain their hillbilly sound - they didn't want to sell out (just yet!).

They toured with the Mavericks and Junior Brown and in late '96 they recorded their first full length album. The album was a critically acclaimed success, with another high quality mix of originals (Even If It's Wrong) and covers (Cherokee Boogie). Country (ha) radio was typically sceptical of playing anything with a hoe-down feel, but the record still managed to enter the top 40. Other highlights of the album included One Long Saturday Night and Lifetime to Prove.
The next album came in 1998, Big Backyard Beat Show, which followed the same format as the others. Another goodie, it featured tracks that were a staple of their live show, like 18 Wheels And A Crow Bar and My Name Is Mudd. With Bennett and Mead still sharing the lead vocal role, their close harmonies had also improved. I know it's Chuck's birthday, but I can't go on without mentioning the musicianship of Herron, whose all-around work is great, but particularly his steel guitar playing.

In '99 they toured the US with the Brian Setzer Orchestra during which they recorded a full live album, Coast To Coast. When Arista's country division went the way of the dodo, the band were on the street. They were picked up by Lucky Dog (Sony) who proceeded to try to make them sound like 90% of country radio. The album This Is BR549 was a real let down. The band now looked like the Beatles, they had a heavy radio-friendly drum beat and the songs seemed far removed from Little Ramona and Sweet Sweet Girl. For some reason they even removed the hyphen from their name. As with the others, the record failed to sell (despite the drop of the hyphen).

After a long quiet spell the writing seemed to be on the wall and it came as no surprise when a split was announced. Bennett and McDowell left and were replaced by singer/guitarist Chris Scruggs and bassist Geoff Firebaugh. They band produced a mini CD but it's distribution was poor, in fact it was shit - only being for sale at gigs. Now the easy going blond guy with the big smile, the good looks and the tasty guitar licks is going solo and later this week I'll review his new album, Journeyman's Wager.