Now it's time to give these weird sounds the credit they deserved.
It's amazing; just LOOK WHAT I HAVE FOUND in thrift stores, second hand markets and sometimes even IN THE TRASH CAN.
Thanks to CD I was able to save these unusual tunes on 45 rpm 7" records. It's obvious that these 45s have been played a lot, so surface noice is almost obligatory. No hi-tek cd quality, but just back to the times where no one had ever heard of digital recording studios.
All the songs on these compilations are from the original 45 rpm records released prior to 1980 when CD took over the world of warm vinyl sounds. I've tried to exclude any song that's been compiled before, but as I don't own each and every compilation album ever made, there might be some songs that you already own on another compilation album. Look, listen and enjoy...
LABEL: In The Trash Can Records
CAT # : GARBAGE06
Subtitle: Mojo Incense - 16 super soul & beat blasters
Another 60's filled volume, but this time real dancefloor fillers and killers. These 45s are too wild not to make them available to y'all. Some vocal and some instrumental, some with heavy Hammonds and others with fuzzy gee-tar sounds, going from basic beat to funky hipshakers..
(Domain 45-1405-V from 1964)
Sure thing that Round Robin is the roundest of 'em all. The man (who recorded the fabulous "I'm the wolfman") is as wide as he is tall. He began his soul career on Domain and in 1965 he changed to Challenge and Capitol. On the b-side there's "8096 Vineland" by Round's Boys, the backing band of Round Robin. Maybe this'll turn up on a future volume.
2. chicken lickin' - okie duke
(Ovation 144.451)
Okie Duke is completely unknown to me; it's not the same as The Okie Doke Band. Frantic organ sounds, crazy laughter, silly lyrics about "the sky's fallin'" and other mayhem make this an ultra cool dancefloor filler! And then you still haven't heard the other side. Just listen a little bit more to this volume.
3. flowers to sunshine - jamie lyons
Vogue INT.80121 from 1967)
And even faster is this instrumental by Jamie Lyons, who belongs to the Music Explosion. That explains why this 45 was produced and co-written by the bubblegum Super K production kings Kasenetz and Katz. See further for the flip.
4. goodbye big town - sue & sunny
(Reflection 144.449 from 1969)
Not every good poppy soul song was recorded for Motown. This is an excellent proof of that. It's a pity that this girl duo failed to record more songs. On the A-side they show their religious side: "Let us break bread together": to be forgotten.
5. she's so far out she's in - billy fury
(Decca 26.079 from 1966, in UK Decca F12459)
UK rockin' hero Billy Fury has recorded this great soul stomper on Decca. The song was written by Baker Knight who also wrote Ricky Nelson's "Lonesome town". Now it's hard to believe that he was as popular as Cliff Richard in the late 50s, but Cliff DID survive the Beatles and Billy didn't. No more chart toppin' hits, but he still released some 45s until the end of the decade. This is the b-side of the minor hit "Give me your word".
6. incense - the anglos
(Island WIP 6061 from 1969, in 1965 on Brit WI1004)
This is actually Steve Winwood with probably the same backing band as the Spencer Davies Group, but nobody seems to know for sure. In between these two releases it was also released on Fontana and on Sue and still it refused to become a hit. Is it possible that even then people didn't know it was teen hero Winwood singing?
7. penquin breakdown - l.j. reynolds & chocolate syrup
(Ronnex R1558)
Probably early 70s and released on the Belgian label Ronnex.
The Penquin Breakdown is an underestimated soul instrumental that is somehow the musical link between the late 60s Motown sound and the early 70s Philly sound. The organ and the orchestrated arrangements are so typical of that time. Reynolds' recording output started in 1969 and ended around 1987. He was also active in The Dramatics (see vol 39).
8. give everybody some - the bar-kays
(Stax 169 019 from 1967, first on Volt 154)
The Bar-Kays need no introduction. "Soul finger" has been heard on every dancefloor all over the world, but "Give everybody some" seems to be forgotten or at least very underestimated while this instrumental should have been as big as its predecessor. Hammond, horns and heavy guitar sounds surrounding pounding drums, what more do you need to have a brilliant time?
9. mojo pt 2 - the knockouts
(Tribute 199 from 1964)
Part 1 already appeared on several compilation albums so let me surprise you with Part 2 that starts where Part 1 ended. It's like the Knockouts go berserk and aren't able to stop this song. "I got my mojo working" was never treated this way! Ann Cole recorded it first (in 1957) and Muddy Waters as well and in the next 40 years it must have been covered hundreds of time.
10. the skies above - the equals
(President PTF180 from 1968)
For me this is the best song The Equals ever recorded. It's the flip of the chart single "I get so excited" and also written by their singer Eddy Grant. The Equals will always be remembered by their millionseller "Baby come back".
11. watts breakaway - the johnny otis show
(Epic 4-7332 from 1969)
The man who commercialized the Diddley-beat. The Johnny Otis Show was a legend in their days and still is. "Willie and the hand jive" and especially "Castin' my spell" (and dozens of other releases) made him world famous. And still nobody seems to know The Watts Breakaway. Strange, because it's such a great song. The 50s and the early 60s were his days. In 1969 he was merely a band leader, but am I glad he still had the chance to record this soul stomper together with singer Delmar Evans.
12. soul struttin' - jamie lyons
(Vogue INT.80121 from 1967)
If you liked his "Flowers to sunshine" on this volume, you're going to love "Soul struttin". Jamie Lyons from Ohio had a few solo releases but he'll be best remembered as the singer and keyboard player of The Music Explosion, one of the earliest and best bubblegum pop bands. Their biggest success was "Little bit o' soul", but for me they're best known for their album track "96 tears", a superb version of that Question Mark & Mysterians classic.
13. ain't no colour to soul - okie duke
(Ovation 144-451)
This side is even better than the other "Chicken lickin" (see earlier). Deejays: play this organ twister and tear the dancefloor up. You'll be a hero for at least a week.
14. do the batman - gate wesley & band
(Atlantic 45-2319 from 1966)
"Zap! Pow!" Do the Batman on the dancefloor and take off in your batmobile. Gate Wesley asked Billy LaMont to sing on these two sides (the flip is on vol 32).
15. the run run - the carousels
(Pye 45 PV.15270)
Have you survived this soul overdose? Back to beatsville with UK beat youngsters The Carousels. Actually I don't know where they come from, but they really sound like that. I assume it's been recorded around 1964. This is the b-side of "Holiday romance", a song you have to forget.
16. animal crackers in cellophane boxes - gene pitney
(CBS 2641 from 1967)
Another well known artist with a lesser known recording. This song is so unusual that it's so obvious why it never became a hit. And that's exactly why I love it so much. Gene's career can be narrowed to one hit "Something's gotten hold of my heart", but the man did more than that. He's gained respect of many music lovers and musicians as well such as Nick Cave and Marc Almond, two artists I respect a lot as well.
