Old Melodies

Uve Schikora - Das Gewitter - 1972 (Amiga) DDR

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 10:48:00 +0000

PEPOST by REQUEST

Rock From East Europe (Germany)

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uve_Schikora

http://www.ostbeat.de/SchikoraUve.htm

http://www.ostmusik.de/schikora.htm

http://dm-musicstations.blogspot.com/2008/06/uve-schikora-und-seine-gruppe-das.html

Uve Schikora - Vocals, soprano sax, piano, organ;

Michael Schubert - Vocals, 12-string guitar;

Bernd Müller - Organ;

Jürgen Matkowitz – Guitar (gründet später Prinzip);

Jürgen Diessner - Bass;

Reiner Mihatsch - Drums;

Frank Schöbel - Vocals.

A highly recommended gem from the vaults of East German's Amiga label. a review on UK’S Vinylvulture describes 'Das Gewitter' (translated with 'the storm') sounding 'like Black Sabbath meets the Mohawks!' indeed the music featured here is a superb mix of Progressive, Funk & Krautrock including heavyduty hammond riffs, violent fuzz guitars leads, killer basslines, electric wahwah sax, over the top musicianship & above all, long numbers! big samples and breaks on the 12 (!) minute title track, which is loaded with wicked proggy beats supplied by funky organ culminating in some delirius rock drumming. 'Oh Angela' is a blaxploitation style tribute to Angela Davis with great lyrics in german. 'Deine Augen' kicks off with a catchy uptempo Funk Beat, turning in its 2nd half into a weird oriental freakout percussion groove. more exclusive proggy beats on 'So Einen Sommer Lang' featuring a mad midtempo fuzz break sounding just like 'Graves To The Graveyard' from 'The Last Rebel' soundtrack. absolute essential Euro Prog album .In parts reminding me the Zappaesque funky prog of Dutch band Doctor Dopojam,while hints of Xhol can be found in the instrumental parts.

Here's what Crack In The Cosmic Edge writes:

"An obscure DDR band, who took a step on from pop music, blending in psychedelia and Krautrock, to make something quite unique. Beyond Die Puhdys, quaintly dated, yet with the raw edge of invention, and hints of Nosferatu and Xhol in the instrumentals. It shows that, had history been different, bands like this may have blossomed like their Western counterparts.

Uve Schikora (vocals, soprano sax, piano, organ), Michael Schubert (vocals, 12-string guitar), Bernd Müller (organ), Jürgen Matkiowitz (guitar), Jurgen Diessner (bass), Reiner Miehatsch (drums), + Frank Schöbel (vocals)." ~ MUTANT SOUNDS

http://rutracker.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3744026

http://www.krautrock-world.com/Forum/myBB/archive/index.php/thread-448.html

Theo Schumann Combo - 1969 (Amiga) DDR

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 10:01:00 +0000

Theo,небольшой эстрадный Оркестр Шумана,был одной из первых групп в ГДР,основанных в 1961-м году.Этот небольшой эстрадный Оркестр выпустил под лейблом AMIGA три альбома.

VA - Instrumental Nuggets Vol.2

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 09:39:00 +0000

Source WEB

VA - Instrumental Nuggets Vol.1

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 09:37:00 +0000

Source WEB

Van Morrison & Georgie Fame - How Long Has This Been Going On

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 09:34:00 +0000

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_Long_Has_This_Been_Going_On

Throughout his career, Van Morrison has incorporated jazz phrasing and techniques into his singing, so it was only a matter of time before he released a full-fledged jazz record. Recorded with his longtime pianist Georgie Fame, How Long Has This Been Going On is Morrison's jazz album, and it is a muddled affair. Alternating between standards and reinterpreted originals, the album is too casual to be a pop album and too restrained to be a jazz album. Fame's charts aren't particularly original or compelling, but Morrison deserves a fair share of the blame as well -- he mistakes jazziness for jazz.

The Beach Boys - Live Knebworth 1980

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 05:48:00 +0000

VA- RARE BEAT ROCK VOL.1-2

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 16:38:00 +0000

I found this collection on the web and I think it's a private collection

Made with very good taste

1. BOOMERANGS - DREAM WORLD (IRELAND) - 1966 (2:48)

2. BRIAN DIAMOND & THE CUTTERS - BIG BAG WOLF (UK) - 1965 (3:22)

3. BRIAN POOLE & THE TREMELOES - YOU CAN'T SIT DOWN (UK) - 1965 (2:15)

4. CASEY JONES & THE COVERNORDS - YOCKOMO (UK) - 1965 (2:34)

5. CLIFF BENNETT & THE REBEL ROUSERS - GOT MY MOJO WORKING (UK) - 1964 (2:26)

6. DENNY SEYTON & THE SABRES - HOUSE OF BAMBOO (UK) - 1964 (2:24)

7. EYES - PEANUT BUTTER (UK) - 1965 (2:12)

8. FOUR PENNIES - LOVE'S JOURNEY (UK) - 1964 (2:26)

9. FOURMOST - TODAY I'M IN LOVE (UK) - 1965 (2:19)

10. FREDDIE & THE DREAMERS - SOMEBODY ELSE'S GIRL (UK) - 1963 (2:32)

11. GEORGE BEAN-ERUMER (UK) - 1964 (1:37)

12. GREENBEATS - IF THIS WORLD WERE MINE (IRELAND) - 1964 (2:03)

13. GUVNERS - THE KISSING HAD TOSTOP (UK) - 1963 (2:00)

14. IAN & THE ZODIACS - SO MUCH IN LOVE WITH YOU (UK) - 1965 (2:20)

15. JOE BROWN & THE BRUVVERS - SALLY ANN (UK) - 1963 (1:57)

16. JOHNNY MILTON THE CONDORS-A GIRL NAMED SUE (UK) - 1964 (2:15)

17. KNICKERBOCKERS - LIES (USA) - 1965 (2:48)

18. LEE CURTIS & THE ALL STARS - SHOT OF RHYTHM AND BLUES (UK) - 1964 (2:19)

19. MERSEYBEATS - I THINK OF YOU (UK) - 1963 (2:29)

20. MIKI DALLON - I'LL GIVE YOU LOVE (UK) - 1965 (2:17)

21. MINDBENDERS - CAN'T LIVE WITH YOU, CAN'T LIVE (UK) - 1966 (2:33)

22. ODD PERSONS - HAND JIVE (GERMANY) - 1966 (2:26)

23. OVERLANDERS - CALL OF THE WILD (UK) - 1963 (3:07)

24. PUPPETS - POISON IVY (UK) - 1963 (2:09)

25. RATTLES - DO WAH DIDDY DIDDY (GERMANY) - 1964 (2:14)

26. RIVETS - WADE IN THE WATER (UK) - 1966 (2:23)

27. ROULETTES - TELL TALE TIP (UK) - 1963 (1:45)

28. SAXONS - LITTLE CHILDREN (UK) - 1964 (2:30)

29. TAGES - I'L BE DOGGONE (SWEDEN) - 1966 (2:13)

30. TOGGERY FIVE - I'D MUCH RATHER BE WITH THE BOYS (UK) - 1965 (2:32)

31. UNDERTAKERS - THINK (UK) - 1964 (2:32)

32. UNIT 4+2 - SORROW AND PAIN (UK) - 1964 (2:35)

ENJOY !!!

VA - Beat,Rock und Blues aus der VR Polen (Amiga 1975)

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Thu, 31 May 2012 13:34:00 +0000

VA - Beat,Rock und Blues

aus der

Volksrepublik Polen 1975

LP Amiga 855394

[02:58] 01. Stan Boris - Mein Freund, der Regen

[03:41] 02. Maryla Rodowicz - Mit dir in den Bergen

[05:06] 03. Die Skalden - Was Liebe war ...

[02:44] 04. Krystina Pronko - Sag

[04:22] 05. Liliana Urbanska - Kto dogoni wiatr

[02:29] 06. Gruppe Bractwo Kurkowe - Kasia und die Sonne

[04:28] 07. Maryla Rodowicz - Alles war mal da

[03:06] 08. Gruppe Breakout - Nie zapalaj swiatla

[03:54] 09. Gruppe ANAWA - Glaube daran

[02:40] 10. Gruppe 2+1 - Chodz pomaluj moj swiat

[02:29] 11. Die Skalden - Abends auf dem Bahnhof von Kansas City

[02:33] 12. Gruppe Bractwo Kurkowe - Schornsteinfeger Johnny

Beat Beat Beat - vol. 20 (movie)

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Wed, 30 May 2012 16:37:00 +0000

The Regines I Take What I Want

The Regines Down In The Valley

The Karlins Take The Water Or The Wine

The Rokes Che Mondo Strano

David Garrick Don't Go Out Into The Rain

The Rokes Let's Live For Today

Dave Davies Death Of A Clown

The Alan Price Set Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo

The Alan Price Set Don't Do That Again

David Garrick Unchained Melody

The Alan Price Set The House That Jack Built

The Alan Price Set Rip It Up

VA - Best of British Beat

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Wed, 30 May 2012 16:26:00 +0000

VA - Best of British Beat

60 Uforgettable Tracks From Golden Age Of British Beat

Cd1

01.Bert Weedon - Apache 02:36

02.Ricky Valance - Tell Laura I 02:39

Love Her

03.The Southlanders - Aint that A 02:46

Shame

04.Lonnie Donnegan - Rock Island 02:27

Line

05.Alma Coogan - I'm in Love Again 02:01

06.Tommy Steele - Singing the Blues 02:24

07.Ricky James - Party Doll 02:05

08.Rory Blackwell - Bye Bye Love 02:16

09.Neville Taylor - Mercy, Mercy, 02:24

Mercy

10.The Five Chesternuts - Teenage 02:20

Love

11.Marty Wilde - Angry 02:04

12.The Hunters - Teen Scene 02:03

13.The Shadows - Saturday Dance 01:43

14.Vince Eager - Lonely Boy Blue 02:54

15.Billy Fury - That's Love 01:46

16.Vince Taylor - Brand New Cadillac 02:36

17.Bill Forbes - Once More 02:13

18.Suzi Miller - Tweedle Dee 02:26

19.Dickie Bennett - Dungaree Doll 02:22

20.Humphrey Lyttleton - Bad Penny 02:45

Blues

Cd2

01.Don Lang - Rock N Roll Blues 02:35

02.Larry Page - Start Movin 02:08

03.Terry Wayne - Matchbox 01:50

04.Jim Dale - Be My Girl 02:01

05.Joey Castell - Trying to Get to 02:30

You

06.Terry Dene - Baby She's Gone 02:51

07.Johnny Kidd and the Pirates - 02:22

Sakin All Over

08.Janice Peters - A Girl Likes 01:58

09.Dean Webb - Hey Miss Fannie 02:09

10.Dickie Pride - Slippin' and 02:16

Slidin'

11.Duffy Power - Dream Lover 02:22

12.Cliff Richard and the Shadows - 02:46

Apron Strings

13.Craig Douglas - Only Sixteen 02:13

14.The John Barry Seven - Walk 02:14

Don't Run

15.Marion Ryan - Sixteen Reason 02:34

16.Ray Ellington - Giddy Up A Ding 02:10

Dong

17.Tony Crombie and the Rockets - 02:01

Teach You to Rock

18.Lee Lawrence - Don't Nobody Move 02:43

19.Lorne Lesley - I Don't Know 02:40

20.Sally Kelly - Little Cutie 02:15

Cd3

01.The Drifters - Jet Black 02:13

02.Kem Mackintosh - Raunchy 02:18

03.Wee Willie Harris - Riot in Cell 03:17

Block No 9(

04.Most Brothers - Whole Lotta Women 02:28

05.The Mudlarks - Book of Love 02:09

06.Lord Rockingham's XI - Hoots Mon 02:14

07.Cliff Richard - Move it 02:22

08.Emile Ford and the Checkmates - 02:06

What Do You Wanna Make Those Eyes

09.Jody Gibson and the Muleskinners 02:19

- if You Don't Know(

10.Keith Kelly - 02:26

(Must You Always) Tease Me

11.Dave Sampson and the Hunters - 02:32

Sweet Dreams

12.Four Jones Boys - Tutti Frutti 01:59

13.Deep River Boys - 02:37

(Were Gonna) Rock Around the Clock

14.Frankei Vaughn - My Boy Flat Top 02:32

15.King Brothers - A White Sport 02:19

Coat (and A Pink Carnation)

16.Terry Wayne - Your True Love 01:54

17.Laurie London - He's Got the 02:21

Whole World in His Hands

18.Colin Hicks and the Cabin Boys - 01:54

Empty Arm Blues

19.Adam Faith - Made You 01:43

20.The Vipers Skiffle Group - Don't 02:18

The Hounddogs - Respect (1967) Germany

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:23:00 +0000

The Hound Dogs German 60's beat group from Berlin

http://www.ph-ludwigsburg.de/wp/boettcher/hounddogs_html.html

[02:47] 01. Hound Dogs - Shake
[02:41] 02. Hound Dogs - I´m Gonna Treat You Right
[01:42] 03. Hound Dogs - Respect
[02:50] 04. Hound Dogs - I Feel Good All Over
[02:42] 05. Hound Dogs - The Dog
[02:40] 06. Hound Dogs - Something You Got
[02:45] 07. Hound Dogs - Tell Her (I Know Something About Love)
[02:52] 08. Hound Dogs - Shotgun
[03:48] 09. Hound Dogs - Try And Love Again
[03:09] 10. Hound Dogs - Treat Her Right
[02:28] 11. Hound Dogs - Don´t Fight It
[03:03] 12. Hound Dogs - Chicken Doodle
[02:49] 13. Hound Dogs - Gloria
[02:53] 14. Hound Dogs - Clarabella

Thanks Okefenokee (RH)

Wanted "Gloria" CD

(http://www.allmusic.com/album/gloria-mw0001621959)

Big Brother & The Holding Company - Big Brother & The Holding Company (1967)

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:12:00 +0000

http://www.chickenonaunicycle.com/Big%20Brother.htm

Big Brother are primarily remembered as the group that gave Janis Joplin her start. There's no denying both that Joplin was by far the band's most striking asset, and that Big Brother would never have made a significant impression if they hadn't been fortunate enough to add her to their lineup shortly after forming. But Big Brother also occupies a significant place in the history of San Francisco psychedelic rock, as one of the bands that best captured the era's loosest, reckless, and indulgent qualities in its high-energy mutations of blues and folk-rock.

Big Brother was formed in 1965 in the Haight-Ashbury; by the time Joplin joined in mid-1966, the lineup was Sam Andrew and James Gurley on guitar, Peter Albin on bass, and David Getz on drums. Joplin, a recent arrival from Texas, entered the band at the instigation of Chet Helms, who (other than Bill Graham) was the most important San Francisco rock promoter. Big Brother, like the Grateful Dead and Quicksilver Messenger Service, were not great songwriters or singers. They didn't entirely welcome Joplin's presence at first, though, and Joplin did not dominate the group right away, sharing the lead vocals with other members.

It soon became evident to both band and audience that Joplin's fiery wail -- mature and emotionally wrenching, even at that early stage -- had to be spotlighted to make Big Brother a contender. But Big Brother wasn't superfluous to the effort, interpreting folk and blues with an inventive (if sometimes sloppy) eclecticism that often gave way to distorted guitar jamming, and matching Joplin's passion with a high-spirited, anything-goes ethos of their own.

Big Brother catapulted themselves into national attention with their performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in June 1967, particularly with Joplin's galvanizing interpretation of "Ball and Chain" (which was a highlight of the film of the event). High-powered management and record label bids rolled in immediately, but unfortunately the group had tied themselves up in a bad contract with the small Mainstream label, at a time where they were stranded on the road and needed cash. Their one Mainstream album (released in 1967) actually isn't bad at all, containing some of their stronger cuts, such as "Down on Me" and "Coo Coo." It didn't fully capture the band's strengths, and with the help of new high-powered manager Albert Grossman (also handler of Bob Dylan, the Band, and Peter, Paul & Mary), they extricated themselves from the Mainstream deal and signed with Columbia.

The one Big Brother album for Columbia that featured Joplin, Cheap Thrills (1968), wasn't completed without problems of its own. John Simon found the band so difficult to work with that he withdrew his production credit from the final LP, which was assembled from both studio sessions and live material (recorded for an aborted concert album). Cheap Thrills nonetheless went to number one when it was finally released, and though it too was an erratic affair, it contained some of the best moments of acid rock's glory days, including "Ball and Chain," "Summertime," "Combination of the Two," and "Piece of My Heart."

Cheap Thrills made Big Brother superstars, a designation that was short-lived. By the end of 1968, Joplin had decided to go solo, a move from which neither she nor Big Brother ever fully recovered. That's putting matters too simply: Joplin never found a backing band as sympathetic, but did record some excellent material in the remaining two years of her life. Big Brother, on the other hand, had the wind totally knocked out of their sails. Although they did re-form for a while in the early '70s with different singers (indeed, they continued to perform in watered-down variations into the '90s), nothing would ever be the same.

The debut, self-titled album from Big Brother & the Holding Company is an evolving paradigm, ten tracks initially issued on Mainstream Records, a label that would have success in 1968 with "Journey to the Center of the Mind" by Ted Nugent's Amboy Dukes. Unfortunately for Janis Joplin and Big Brother & the Holding Company, the respectable performances and all of the material on this disc are undercut by a weak production that sounds rushed. Recorded on December 12, 13, and 14 of 1966, it's quite telling that perhaps the best two songs from the sessions, Peter Albin's tribal-sounding "Coo Coo," and Janis Joplin's fiery "The Last Time," were only available on a 45 rpm and played as treats on FM radio "rare tape" nights. Those two songs have an intensity and drama missing from laid-back album cuts like "Easy Rider" and "Intruder." Big Brother's strength sans Janis was their ability to experiment and rely heavily on ideas to make up for their lack of musical prowess. Sad to say, there is little of that experimentation here. Even a potential science fiction Peter Albin composition, "Light Is Faster Than Sound," comes off like an audition tape instead of the hit it could have been had it the cosmic explosion of a "Journey to the Center of the Mind." The album does contain interesting studies of future classics, like Moondog's "All Is Loneliness" (the street poet eventually signing with Columbia himself), and Joplin's creative arrangement of "Down on Me," making it more of an entertaining textbook than a deep musical experience. It was the lack of product from superstar Janis Joplin which kept putting an emphasis on this release with little else available to satisfy rabid fans who couldn't get enough Janis. Columbia picked up the album and re-issued it in its original form, then reissued it again with "The Last Time" and "Coo Coo" added.

Freddy King - Bossa Nova & Blues (1963)

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Wed, 30 May 2012 12:53:00 +0000

Guitarist Freddie King rode to fame in the early '60s with a spate of catchy instrumentals which became instant bandstand fodder for fellow bluesmen and white rock bands alike. Employing a more down-home (thumb and finger picks) approach to the B.B. King single-string style of playing, King enjoyed success on a variety of different record labels. Furthermore, he was one of the first bluesmen to employ a racially integrated group on-stage behind him. Influenced by Eddie Taylor, Jimmy Rogers, and Robert Jr. Lockwood, King went on to influence the likes of Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Lonnie Mack, among many others.

Freddie King (who was originally billed as "Freddy" early in his career) was born and raised in Gilmer, TX, where he learned how to play guitar as a child; his mother and uncle taught him the instrument. Initially, King played rural acoustic blues, in the vein of Lightin' Hopkins. By the time he was a teenager, he had grown to love the rough, electrified sounds of Chicago blues. In 1950, when he was 16 years old, his family moved to Chicago, where he began frequenting local blues clubs, listening to musicians like Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Little Walter, and Eddie Taylor. Soon, the young guitarist formed his own band, the Every Hour Blues Boys, and was performing himself.

In the mid-'50s, King began playing on sessions for Parrott and Chess Records, as well as playing with Earlee Payton's Blues Cats and the Little Sonny Cooper Band. Freddie King didn't cut his own record until 1957, when he recorded "Country Boy" for the small independent label El-Bee. The single failed to gain much attention.

Three years later, King signed with Federal Records, a subsidiary of King Records, and recorded his first single for the label, "You've Got to Love Her With a Feeling," in August of 1960. The single appeared the following month and became a minor hit, scraping the bottom of the pop charts in early 1961. "You've Got to Love Her With Feeling" was followed by "Hide Away," the song that would become Freddie King's signature tune and most influential recording. "Hide Away" was adapted by King and Magic Sam from a Hound Dog Taylor instrumental and named after one of the most popular bars in Chicago. The single was released as the B-side of "I Love the Woman" (his singles featured a vocal A-side and an instrumental B-side) in the fall of 1961 and it became a major hit, reaching number five on the R&B charts and number 29 on the pop charts. Throughout the '60s, "Hide Away" was one of the necessary songs blues and rock & roll bar bands across America and England had to play during their gigs.

King's first album, Freddy King Sings, appeared in 1961, and it was followed later that year by Let's Hide Away and Dance Away With Freddy King: Strictly Instrumental. Throughout 1961, he turned out a series of instrumentals -- including "San-Ho-Zay," "The Stumble," and "I'm Tore Down" -- which became blues classics; everyone from Magic Sam and Stevie Ray Vaughan to Dave Edmunds and Peter Green covered King's material. "Lonesome Whistle Blues," "San-Ho-Zay," and "I'm Tore Down" all became Top Ten R&B hits that year.

Freddie King continued to record for King Records until 1968, with a second instrumental album (Freddy King Gives You a Bonanza of Instrumentals) appearing in 1965, although none of his singles became hits. Nevertheless, his influence was heard throughout blues and rock guitarists throughout the '60s -- Eric Clapton made "Hide Away" his showcase number in 1965. King signed with Atlantic/Cotillion in late 1968, releasing Freddie King Is a Blues Masters the following year and My Feeling for the Blues in 1970; both collections were produced by King Curtis. After their release, Freddie King and Atlantic/Cotillion parted ways.

King landed a new record contract with Leon Russell's Shelter Records early in 1970. King recorded three albums for Shelter in the early '70s, all of which sold well. In addition to respectable sales, his concerts were also quite popular with both blues and rock audiences. In 1974, he signed a contract with RSO Records -- which was also Eric Clapton's record label -- and he released Burglar, which was produced and recorded with Clapton. Following the release of Burglar, King toured America, Europe, and Australia. In 1975, he released his second RSO album, Larger Than Life.

Throughout 1976, Freddie King toured America, even though his health was beginning to decline. On December 29, 1976, King died of heart failure. Although his passing was premature -- he was only 42 years old -- Freddie King's influence could still be heard in blues and rock guitarists decades after his death.

VA - Guitar Rock The Late 60's Vol. 2

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Wed, 30 May 2012 12:46:00 +0000

VA - Guitar Rock The Late 60's Vol. 1

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Wed, 30 May 2012 12:43:00 +0000

VA - Times Go Passing By (We Are Now So Old)

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Tue, 29 May 2012 20:33:00 +0000

01 - I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night) - The Electric Prunes

02 - Piangi Con Me - The Rokes

03 - Reflections Of Charlie Brown - Rupert's People

04 - I Must Be Maid - The Craig

05 - Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) - The First Edition

06 - Pictures Of Matchstick Men - The Status Quo

07 - Can't Seem To Make You Mine - The Seeds

08 - Somebody To Love - The Jefferson Airplan

09 - Time Machine - Beggars Opera

10 - See Emily Play - Pink Floyd

11 - A Day We Fall In Love - The Monkees

12 - The Love Sound - The New Beatnicks

13 - Naked When You Come - The Lollipops

14 - My World - The Petards

15 - White Rabbit - The Jefferson Airplane

16 - She - The Monkees

17 - Hey Mr Holy Man - Kiss Inc.

18 - Lets Live For Today - The Grassroots

19 - Crimson & Clover - Tommy James

20 - On The Road With My Bag - The Petards

21 - Dear Delilah - The Grapefruit

22 - As Tears Go By - The Torero's

23 - Second Movement; Andante - Deep Purple

The (St.Thomas) Pepper Smelter - Soul & Pepper (1969) Peru

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Tue, 29 May 2012 19:47:00 +0000

The (Saint Thomas) Pepper Smelter is a fantastic psych band from Peru with English vocals and great cover versions of "In A Gadda Da Vida", "Strange Brew" and other

Formed 1969, Lima, Peru

Disbanded 1970

Members Gerardo Manuel Rojas (vocals, tambourine), Beto Tataje (guitar, vocals), Juan Carlos Barreda (bass, vocals), Carlos Manuel (drums, vocals), Freddy Macedo (keyboards)

01 - In A Gadda Da Vida

02 - Pepper's Boogaloo

03 - Strange Brew

04 - Words Of Pain

05 - People

06 - Heart Teaser

07 - Can You See Me?

08 - Answer

09 - Betty Boom - Little Monster-Doggie And Peggie At The Witches Castle

10 - Hey Joe

11 - Is My Guitar

12 - Raga Gag

This rare album was released in Peru in 1969 by EL VIRREY Records (PERU)

in catalogue number DVS 689.

The (Saint Thomas) Pepper Smelter берёт своё начало из серф-гаражной команды Los Shain's, образовавшейся в 1966-м. Выпустив 3 (по другим данным 6) альбомов, в основном кавер-версий хитов англо-американских групп того времени, и порядка 30 синглов, после ряда изменений состава группа распалась на две. Половина музыкантов организовала Los Nuevos Chain's, которая записала один кавер-альбом и несколько 45-пяток, а другая - The St.Thomas Pepper Smelter.

Их единственный альбом "Soul and Pepper" стал первым перуанским релизом, переизданным за рубежом. Мексиканский лейбл выпустил этот альбом под названием «In-a-gadda-da-vida» с другой обложкой и несколько иным треклистом.

Рок в стране инков. В поисках Эльдорадо.

Heimatliche Klaenge vol.117

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Sun, 27 May 2012 16:29:00 +0000

Heimatliche Klaenge - Deutsche Schallplatten-Labels

Native Sounds - German Record-Labels

vol.117

private tapes 4 Beat-Scene in Flensburg

01 - Good Time Man - German Four Plus One

02 - Sweet Sweet Things - German Four Plus One

03 - Believe Me - The Diamonds

04 - Highway - The Diamonds

05 - Catch A Wave - The Foot Tappers

06 - German Fraulein - The Beatniks

07 - World Of The Young - The Beatniks

08 - When - Wolwi Brothers

09 - You've Got What It Takes - You & I

10 - Patricia - The Voice

11 - To Have A Friend - The Voice

12 - Leave Your Home - Sunrise (aka The Voice)

Heimatliche Klaenge vol.116

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Sun, 27 May 2012 16:27:00 +0000

Heimatliche Klaenge - Deutsche Schallplatten-Labels

Native Sounds - German Record-Labels

vol.116

private tapes 3 Beat-Scene in Braunschweig

01 - Carmen - The Kingbees

02 - No More Lies - The Kingbees

03 - Matchbox - The Black Devils

04 - You Really Got Me - The Ghosts

05 - You Better Move On - The Ghosts

06 - She Put A Hurt On Me - The Action

07 - Melissa - We Few

08 - Hava Nagila - Phantoms

09 - My Generation - The Churls

10 - Cadillac - The Stomps

The Cherry People -The Cherry People (1968)

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Mon, 21 May 2012 17:10:00 +0000

A late-'60s pop group with an overtly commercial, AM radio-directed sound, similar at times to things done by the Turtles or Left Banke, but much chirpier, like a somewhat less bubblegummy variation of the Cuff Links ("Tracy"). Little of their material was self-penned, and their self-titled album isn't even recommended to connoisseurs of this kind of stuff.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cherry_People

Although best-loved on the UK Northern Soul scene for the track “And Suddenly”, and despite the overtly Psychedelic threads that illuminated their publicity shots, Cherry People were an effervescent five-piece pop band originating in Washington DC. There are no deranged freak-outs to be found here – the bands forte’ was the short, sharp pop song and they were good enough practitioners of the genre to score a US hit with the aforementioned cut in 1968.

Signed by Jerry Ross’s Heritage label, the band appear to have been marketed as a Monkees-style teen sensation and impressed contemporary reviewers with their showmanship, onstage professionalism, and tight live sound.

Like their role models, the individual band members had well-defined ‘personalities’ undoubtedly designed to appeal to as wide an audience cross-section as possible. Doug, fronting the band on lead vocals, harmonica and percussion was destined to be the band’s adventurous heartthrob (“I want to go to the Florida Keys, and go skin-diving for buried treasure.”) Rocky was the poor kid made good (“My drum kit was a couple of tennis racket handles and a garbage can.”)

Christopher was the band’s intellectual (“I’ll play guitar and sing. If I can’t get doing that I’ll grow a beard and be a guru.”) Punky was the wacky one (“I love soap operas, man… I’m having a special guitar made with a transistor TV built in so I don’t miss anything.”) Bassist Jan was the adorable wimp (“One day I picked up a seashell and even it wouldn’t talk to me.”)

Yes, there was something for every girl here… and where the girls were, the boys would surely follow! Unfortunately things didn’t work out quite ass well as planned as Cherry People only survived long enough to cut a Solitary Album for Heritage, at Bell Sound in New York, before fading into obscurity.

Kicking off with the hit single “And Suddenly” (HE-801SS), which enjoyed a lengthy eleven week run in the Cashbox charts (Entering at #98 in July 1968 and peaking at #43), that eponymous album (Heritage HTS 35000) is featured in it’s entirety here. Like everything else on this Lp, this carefully crafted little gem clocks in at well under the three-minute mark. the Cherry People were never ones to indulge in excess.

There’s plenty of diversity throughout too. The up tempo “Girl on the Subway” introduces forthright brass and “I’m The One Who Loves You” some striking, spiraling string effects while the appropriatly entitled “Imagination” , with it’s treated vocal, sounds vaguely influenced by English psychedelia of the period. “Do Something to Me” is a Soulful better, displaying yet another side to Cherry People’s multifaceted talents whereas “Don’t Hang Me Up Girl” sounds as though the band might have been giving their Righteous Brothers 45s some serious needle time.

The album close as it began, with insistent, joyous pop in the shape of “Light Of Love” which is an appropriate not on which to conclude this resume of the brief but not inconsequential career of Cherry People. Given the breadth of the styles and influences at work, any fan of 60’s pop music will surely discover something to delight in. ~ redtelephone66

[02:03] 01. The Cherry People - And Suddenly

[02:51] 02. The Cherry People - Girl On The Subway

[02:21] 03. The Cherry People - On To Something New

[01:52] 04. The Cherry People - Imagination

[02:37] 05. The Cherry People - Mr. Hyde

[02:10] 06. The Cherry People - Do Something To Me

[02:06] 07. The Cherry People - Ask The Children

[02:05] 08. The Cherry People - I'm The One Who Loves You

[02:50] 09. The Cherry People - Don't Hang Me Up, Girl

[02:36] 10. The Cherry People - Light Of Love

The Cherry Slush - Looking Back

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Mon, 21 May 2012 16:31:00 +0000

Saginaw, Michigan garage band the Cherry Slush formed in mid-1965, teaming singer Danny Parsons, guitarist Mark Burdick, bassist Art Hauffe, keyboardist Brian Bennett, and drummer Dick Coughlin. Originally known as the Wayfarers and later the Captives, in late 1966 the group tapped local legend Dick Wagner -- of Detroit sensations the Bossmen and the Frost, and later a sought-after session player -- to produce their debut single, "She'll Be Back." The record earned regional attention, and the Cherry Slush next traveled to Cleveland to cut the follow-up, 1967's "I Cannot Stop You." The single was a smash throughout southeast Michigan, reportedly selling in excess of 75,000 copies. With guitarist Gene Bruce replacing Burdick, the band recorded its third single, "Day Don't Come," at Chicago's famed Chess Studios; though another local blockbuster, it failed to garner attention outside of the Detroit scene. In late 1968, the Cherry Slush recorded their final single, a cover of the Beatles' "Birthday." The following year, the band dissolved. In 2001, Wagner's WMG label compiled Looking Back, a collection of all the Cherry Slush's singles. In the summer of 2002, the lineup of Parsons, Bruce, Hauffe, Bennett, and Coughlin reunited for the first time in 33 years to play a set as part of a Wagner tribute at Saginaw's White's Bar.

http://home.unet.nl/kesteloo/cherryslush.html

http://www.grandrapidsrocks.com/bands/cherry_slush.php

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-cherry-slush-p185161/biography

The British North-American Act - In The Beginning (1969)

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:54:00 +0000

FLAC - Request

Named for an act of British Parliament that helped establish the Canadian constitution, the British North-American Act were, fittingly enough, comprised of musicians from both Canada and the U.K. (though in the true spirit of internationalism, keyboard man Andy Bator was born in Hungary), and their sole album, originally released in 1969, is a gentle and likable fusion of folk-rock and psychedelia, with a bit of garage rock creeping in around the edges. "Joe Cool" is a swaggering tale of a self-styled ladies' man that wouldn't seem at all out of place on a vintage garage rock playlist (especially with Bob Allen's primal guitar work), and "If You're Looking for Honey" covers similar musical ground, but most of the album follows a gentler and trippier path, especially the sunny "Corduroy Coat," the languid and low-key "The World Would Understand," the baroque pop exercise "Just How Do You Feel" (complete with harpsichord), the moody and Farfisa-driven "Don't Run Away," and the bittersweet "Only a Dream." The light, poppy touch of many of these songs makes the British North-American Act sound just a bit behind the times for 1969 -- while most of their peers were cranking up their amps and dropping acid, these guys were seemingly following more benign pursuits, both musically and recreationally, but the songs are well crafted, the band plays them with strength and taste, and the 12 tunes are just varied enough to give the performances a broad musical palette without losing sight of the group's identity. And at a time when bands were beginning to stretch their albums out to epic scale, In the Beginning... offers plenty of entertainment in an efficient 29 minutes. There's little that's visionary and life-changing about the British North-American Act, but they produced engaging and likable pop that deserves a wider hearing among fans of the music of the era.

Mp3:

http://dm-musicstations.blogspot.com/2009/06/british-north-american-act-in-beginning.html

Les Sauterelles - View To Heaven 1968

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:13:00 +0000

Швейцарская культовая группа Les Sauterelles была образована в 1962 году, а своего творческого апогея достигла в конце шестидесятых. Основу коллектива составлял гитарист и вокалист Тони Весколи (Toni Vescoli), другие же участники «Кузнечиков» часто менялись, так что нет смысла упоминать их всех. К выходу “View To Heaven”, за плечами артистов была национальная слава, семь синглов и альбом, успешные гастроли по Германии. К октябрю 1968 года новый альбом достиг 2-го места в швейцарском хит-параде. Квинтет выдал 13 замечательных композиций исполненных в лучших традициях бит-рока, чего стоит блестяще исполненная Silly Damsel со стилизацией под начало 60-х. Не чужды талантливым исполнителям отходы в модную психоделию, а так же обращение к национальным музыкальным корням. Все песни спеты на английском и только заключительная лукавая и веселая Auf Wiedersehen – на немецком. Группа записала еще один альбом, несколько синглов и распалась в 1970. Весколи занялся сольной карьерой. Компакт переиздан на фирме Progressive Line в 2002 году.

1 Montgolfier 2:49

2 Big Old Sun 2:08

3 Hippie Soldier 2:32

4 Hello, One Kiss, Goodbye 2:00

5 Good New Times 2:21

6 Where Have All The Flowers Gone? 1:47

7 Silly Damsel 3:46

8 Heavenly Club 2:38

9 Homage 2:31

10 Hotel Continental 2:44

11 Dream Machine 2:33

12 It's All Over Now Baby Blue 3:14

13 Auf Wiedersehen 1:15

LES SAUTERELLES View To Heaven (2002 Australian exclusive 13-track digitally remastered CD album, the 2nd longplayer from the legendary Swiss beat group, originally released in 1968, heading in more of a pop-psych direction than their earlier material, expanding on the group's trademark vocal harmonies, includes the hit tracks 'Heavenly Club' and 'Dream Machine').

The Koobas - The Koobas

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:58:00 +0000

The Koobas were among the better failed rock bands in England during the mid-'60s. Their peers, among the most talented group of the early British beat boom never to make it, included the Roulettes, the Chants, and the Cheynes. Favorites of the press and popular for their live shows, they somehow never managed to chart a record despite a lot of breaks that came their way, including a tour opening for the Beatles, top management representation, and a contract on EMI-Columbia. The group was formed in 1962 by guitarist/singers Stuart Leathwood and Roy Morris, drummer John Morris (who was quickly succeeded by Tony O'Reilly), and bassist Keith Ellis, all of whom were veterans of Liverpool bands such as the Thunderbeats and The Midnighters. The band, known at one point as the Kubas, did a three week engagement at the Star-Club in Hamburg in December 1963 and out of that built up a serious reputation as performers. They had a sound that was comparable to the Beatles, the Searchers, and the Mojos, as Liverpool exponents of American R&B with a strong yet lyrical attack on their guitars and convincing vocals. It wasn't until after Brian Epstein signed them a year later, however, that a recording contract (with Pye Records) came their way. They got one false start through an appearance in the movie Ferry Cross the Mersey, starring Gerry & the Pacemakers, playing one of the groups that loses a battle-of-the-bands contest, but the Koobas' footage ended up being dropped from the final cut of the film. Their debut single, "I Love Her" b/w "Magic Potion," failed to chart, as did its follow-up, despite the exposure the group received opening for the Beatles on their final British tour.

Coming off of those nine shows, the group was booked into the most prestigious clubs in London and started getting great press, but two more singles failed to dent the charts in 1965 and 1966. They jumped from Pye Records to EMI-Columbia in 1966, and continued to get good, highly visible gigs, including a January 1967 appearance with the Who and the Jimi Hendrix Experience at the Savile Theatre (owned by Brian Epstein), and a tour of Switzerland with Hendrix. The group's sound was a lean yet melodic brand of R&B-based rock & roll, similar to the Beatles, though the Koobas didn't start to blossom as songwriters until fairly late, which may have been part of their problem. They recorded good-sounding and very entertaining songs, but somehow never connected with the right sound at the proper moment. By the middle of 1967, they'd altered their look and their sound, moving away from American-style R&B and toward psychedelia. The group members also began writing their own material, sometimes with help in the lyric department from their new manager, Tony Stratton-Smith. Their singles still utilized outside songwriters, however, and the group's best crack at the chart came early in 1968 when they recorded Cat Stevens' "The First Cut Is the Deepest," complete with heavy fuzz-tone guitar. Their single garnered some airplay but was eclipsed by P.P. Arnold's Top 20 version of the same song. Despite his best efforts, Stratton-Smith couldn't help the group overcome the failure of their last single. The quality of their gigs and the fees they were earning began declining, and their morale soon followed. By the end of 1968, the Koobas had agreed among themselves to go their separate ways. Ironically, the group's split coincided almost perfectly with Stratton-Smith's final effort on their behalf. Despite the failure of a succession of singles, EMI-Columbia agreed to let the band cut a long-player in late 1968. The group lasted just long enough to finish the album, Koobas, a mix of topical songwriting, psychedelia, R&B, and nostalgia that might've found an audience if only there had been a Koobas still together to tour behind it and promote the record in early 1969. Instead, by 1970 the album was already in the cut-out bins. Keith Ellis jumped to Van Der Graaf Generator and then Juicy Lucy (with whom he played on the major U.K. hit "Who Do You Love"), and later moved to Los Angeles. Stuart Leathwood became part of the duo Gary & Stu, with Gary Holton, and was later a member of the group March Hare. The Koobas' early work on Pye is effectively scattered over several CD releases, including Watch Your Step from Sequel Records. In the summer of 2000, Beat Goes On reissued their self-titled EMI-Columbia album with eight bonus tracks drawn from their early singles for the label, thus assembling their complete post-1966 work in one place for the first time.

In a sense, it's unfair to rate Koobas entirely by this, their only LP, because they were already in the process of calling it quits as a group when they cut it late in 1968; indeed, it's likely that if they'd thought they would have a possible future, a couple tracks that are here might never have seen the light of day. That said, Koobas is a good document of its time: Its three best songs, "Royston Rose," "Barricades," and "Gold Leaf Tree" are resplendent in rippling guitar parts, lots of fuzz-tone, searing breaks that sound like George Harrison's or Tony Hicks' playing pumped up by a few hundred amps, and drum patterns lifted right out of "Rain" and a dozen equally impressive psychedelic tracks, and some very pretty singing. Unfortunately, the best parts of this album are juxtaposed with too many self-indulgent exercises in quaint nostalgia (which the Kinks could pull off but no one else in mid-'60s England ever could without looking silly) and psychedelic digressions like "Here's a Day" and "Fade Forever" (which, with its heavy Mellotron sound, recalls moments off of the Zombies' Odessey and Oracle without ever being as clever). Their rendition of "A Little Piece of My Heart" is closer in spirit to their older Pye singles and it is easily the best song on this album, as a descendant of their old R&B-based Liverpool sound. Reissued on CD in August 2000 with the rest of their EMI/Columbia output.

Little Feat - Little Feat&Sailin Shoes (1971;1972)

noreply@blogger.com (Dmitrich) — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:52:00 +0000

Little Feat — американская рок-группа, образовавшаяся в 1969 году в Лос-Анджелесе, Калифорния, и исполнявшая эклектичный блюз-рок с элементами кантри-рока, южного рока, ритм-энд-блюза, музыки соул. Высокое техническое мастерство музыкантов удачно вписывалось в общий формат классик-рока 1970-х годов, но группа создавала крайне неортодоксальную музыку и — во многом благодаря оригинальным музыкальным идеям лидера Лоуэлла Джорджа (в прошлом — участника Mothers of Invention) — приобрела культовый статус и уважение музыкальных критиков. После смерти Лоуэлла Джорджа в 1979 году группа распалась, а воссоединившись в 1987 году, не сумела восстановить прежний авторитет — хотя, гастролировала каждый раз с неизменным успехом. Одиннадцать альбомов Little Feat входили в Billboard 2000

http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Feat

http://hardrockcafe.narod.ru/l/littlefeat.htm

Little Feat is an enormously versatile rock band with an ever-growing cult following in the United States and Europe. Detroit Free Press contributor Gary Graff describes Little Feat as "one of those groups that baffled record company executives and radio station program directors [with] a Cuisinart blend of rock, country, jazz, soul, blues and gospel, chopped and mixed into a dish that defied categorization." In fact, the band probably owes its current existence to the popularity of album-rock and classic-rock radio stations. Many Little Feat albums from the 1970s are still selling today thanks to the enduring allure of Feat hits such as "Dixie Chicken" and "Oh Atlanta," and the group’s new work is finding enthusiasts as well.

Little Feat’s down-and-dirty blues-rock was primarily the invention of Feat founder Lowell George. George and bass guitarist Roy Estrada were veterans of the Frank Zappa band Mothers of Invention before they formed their own group in 1970. The original incarnation of Little Feat also included keyboardist Bill Payne and drummer Richard Hayward, both of whom had

spent years establishing themselves in the California rock scene. Much of the early Little Feat material was composed and sung by George, a talented songwriter and producer. The group’s first live gigs were performed under the dubious name Country Zeke and the Freaks, but George eventually hit upon the name Little Feat when he recalled how former band companions had teased him about his feet.

George was so well-connected in the music business that he had little trouble persuading Warner Brothers to sign his new band. Their debut album, Little Feat, was released in 1970. A "fine set of post-psychedelic country-influenced rock," to quote the Rolling Stone Record Guide, Little Feat sold steadily behind the group’s spirited concert performances. A second album, Sailin’ Shoes (1972), was hailed by critics for its ground-breaking fusion of widely varied musical elements and for its catchy lyrics, most of them provided by Lowell George. Unfortunately, the band’s eclectic sound defied easy categorization, so pop stations were not quick to play Little Feat cuts. As a result the band sold more albums in Europe than it did in America, although concert attendance was hefty on both sides of the Atlantic.

Roy Estrada left Little Feat in 1972, and George recruited several new members to fill the gap. That year bass guitarist Ken Gradney, guitarist-vocalist Paul Barrere, and conga player Sam Clayton joined the group. These performers form the nucleus of the current version of Little Feat, and in the early 1970s they proved to be valuable members of a promising band. The first album produced by the expanded Little Feat band was Dixie Chicken, released in 1973. The title song from this release is probably the best-known Little Feat number, a swinging, good-natured rocker with elements of gospel in its sound. A 1974 album, Feats Don’t Fail Me Now, also sold well and produced another popular single, "Oh Atlanta."

A rock band’s success is measured in increments of one million, and under those criteria Little Feat did not seem so successful. Album sales in the United States averaged a half-million per title or less, despite critical acclaim. Still, the band was prosperous enough to continue recording and performing, with Payne and Barrere contributing more and more material to the albums as the decade wore on. George gradually diminished his role in the group as he sought a solo career, but he was still a member of Little Feat and can be heard singing on the 1979 album Down on the Farm, which was released after his death from a heart attack.

George’s untimely death proved to be the undoing of Little Feat. For several years the band suffered caustic reviews that suggested its reputation rested solely on George’s talent. Rather than put that hypothesis to the test, the group disbanded in 1979. Then a curious thing happened. Little Feat actually gained popularity. Copies of the classic Little Feat albums continued to sell, much to the delight of Warner Brothers executives. The group’s best numbers began to be featured on classic-rock radio stations. Like other hard-rocking bands of the early 1970s, Little Feat got a second wind from the music public’s taste for vintage recordings.

Little Feat re-formed in 1988 with a fine representation of original members—Payne, Hayward, Gradney, Barrere, and Clayton—and with new associates Fred Tackett and Craig Fuller. In little more than two years the group released two albums of new material, Let It Roll and Representing the Mambo, which both sold more initial copies than any of the classic Little Feat works. The group’s music was also used in the soundtracks of two feature films, Pink Cadillac and Twins. On tour once again, Little Feat played to appreciative audiences in smaller arenas, drawing the kind of devoted followers usually associated with cult bands like the Grateful Dead.

The comparison between Little Feat and the Grateful Dead is not an idle one. Both groups are at their most brilliant in live settings—a fact not lost on Little Feat’s critics over the years. Little Feat’s virtuoso instrumentation plays extremely well in mid-size theatres. The band’s current audiences are as eclectic in make-up as is the music itself—young rockers who list the group as an influence on their work, middle-aged business people with a fondness for real rock, and vintage hippies rejoicing over the rediscovery of an old friend. In the Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock & Soul, Irwin Stambler describes Little Feat as "a premier concert band, one able to involve the crowd passionately in its constantly changing mixture of vocal and instrumental sounds."

Needless to say, Little Feat’s original aim was to ascend to the highest pinnacles of rock music fame. That ambition has been denied the group, but more satisfying accomplishments have come in droves—praise from critics, influence, and most importantly, lasting music. "What we do is rather special," Bill Payne told the Detroit Free Press. "Basically, what we’re trying to do is develop this thing into a nice, long run. It takes work to bring that growth, and we’re willing to do it."

Selected discography

Little Feat, Warner Brothers, 1971.

Sailin’ Shoes, Warner Brothers, 1972.

Dixie Chicken, Warner Brothers, 1973.

Feats Don’t Fail Me Now, Warner Brothers, 1974.

The Last Record Album, Warner Brothers, 1975.

Time Loves a Hero, Warner Brothers, 1977.

Down on the Farm, Warner Brothers, 1979.

Let It Roll, Warner Brothers, 1988.

Representing the Mambo, Warner Brothers, 1990.

Books

Lillian Roxon’s Rock Encyclopedia, Grosset, 1978.

The Rolling Stone Record Guide, Rolling Stone Press, 1979.

Stambler, Irwin, The Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock & Soul, revised edition, St. Martin’s, 1989.

Little Feat - Little Feat 1971

It sold poorly (around 11,000 copies) and the band never cut anything like it again, but Little Feat's eponymous debut isn't just one of their finest records, it's one of the great lost rock & roll albums. Even dedicated fans tend to overlook the album, largely because it's the polar opposite of the subtly intricate, funky rhythm & roll that made their reputation during the mid-'70s. Little Feat is a raw, hard-driving, funny and affectionate celebration of American weirdness, equal parts garage rock, roadhouse blues, post-Zappa bizarreness, post-Parsons country rock and slightly bent folk storytelling. Since it's grounded in roots rock, it feels familiar enough, but the vision of chief songwriter/guitarist/vocalist Lowell George is wholly unique and slightly off-center. He sees everything with a gently surreal sense of humor that remains affectionate, whether it's on an ode to a "Truck Stop Girl," the weary trucker's anthem "Willin'," or the goofy character sketch of the crusty old salt "Crazy Captain Gunboat Willie." That affection is balanced by gutsy slices of Americana like the careening travelogue "Strawberry Flats," the darkly humorous "Hamburger Midnight" and a jaw-dropping Howlin' Wolf medley guest-starring Ry Cooder, plus keyboardist Bill Payne's terrific opener "Snakes on Everything." The songwriting itself is remarkable enough, but the band is its equal -- they're as loose, vibrant and alive as the Stones at their best. In most respects, this album has more in common with George's earlier band the Factory than the rest of the Little Feat catalog, but there's a deftness in the writing and performance that distinguishes it from either band's work, which makes it all the more remarkable. It's a pity that more people haven't heard the record, but that just means that anyone who owns it feels like they're in on a secret only they and a handful of others know.

Little Feat - Sailin Shoes (1972)

Little Feat's debut may have been a great album but it sold so poorly, they had to either broaden their audience or, in all likelihood, they'd be dropped from Warner. So, Sailin' Shoes is a consciously different record from its predecessor - less raw and bluesy, blessed with a varied production and catchier songs. That still doesn't make it a pop record, since Little Feat, particularly in its first incarnation, was simply too idiosyncratic, earthy and strange for that. It is, however, an utterly thrilling, individual blend of pop, rock, blues and country, due in no small part to a stellar set of songs from Lowell George. If anything, his quirks are all the more apparent here than they were on the debut, since Ted Templeman's production lends each song its own character, plus his pen was getting sharper. George truly finds his voice on this record, with each of his contributions sparkling with off-kilter humor, friendly surreal imagery and humanity, and he demonstrates he can authoritatively write anything from full-throttle rock & roll ("Teenage Nervous Breakdown"), sweet ballads ("Trouble," a sublimely reworked "Willin'"), skewered folk ("Sailin' Shoes"), paranoid rock ("Cold, Cold, Cold") and blues ("A Apolitical Blues") and, yes, even hooky mainstream rock ("Easy to Slip," which should have been the hit the band intended it to be). That's not to discount the contributions of the other members, particularly Bill Payne and Richie Hayward's "Tripe Face Boogie," which is justifiably one of the band's standards, but the thing that truly stuns on Sailin' Shoes is George's songwriting and how the band brings it to a full, colorful life. Nobody could master the twists and turns within George's songs better than Little Feat, and both the songwriter and his band are in prime form here.