V/A - T-Bird Party! A Swangin' Slew of Greasy R&B - 1957-64

Label: Lido (Official?); Year: 1995; Format: Vinyl LP

Not too long ago I took a short bus trip to a relatively new record store in the suburbs of Buffalo, NY and returned home with a nice haul of interesting records, one of them being the compilation reviewed today. First and foremost though I learned that T-Bird is a colloquial for Fort Thunderbird, a personal luxury card entering the market in 1955. Considering the fact that the songs contained on this LP are all from 1957 through 1964 my guess is that a T-Bird Party would involve a drive-in restaurant where people gathered around their cars and fast food being served by girls on roller skates. It would also make sense that people attending those parties came up with ideas to start bands, after all it was the beginning of the Rock'N'Roll era and excitement was in the air. Unfortunately as with many of these compilations there is absolutely zero information provided about the artists featured, which is a big shame as this record seriously kicks ass and is still widely available on vinyl as well as on all streaming platforms. I really don't know whether Lido was actually a real record label, and I seriously doubt it. Regardless, the little information I have been able to find, mainly through discogs, is all I have and it will have to do. "A Swangin' Slew of Greasy R&B" actually describes all the songs fairly accurately as each one of them will take you on a wild trip to a time that in my imagination must have been much more exciting in many ways as the modern world we know and live in was just starting to take shape and music was part of that whole evolution. By the Mid-50s Rhythm and Blues has contributed to the development of Rock'N'Roll and the seventeen songs on this record highlight how exciting it must have been to be part of such an incredibly important period in our more recent history. Some of my favorite tracks to be found on this platter are 'Chewing Gum' by Danny Brown, 'The Kangaroo' by Charles Sheffield or 'The Chase' by Davey Jones. If you are interested in finding out how modern music has evolved over time, do yourself a favor and pick up this record or many others in this vein as they will not only enrich you musically but also culturally when it comes to the rich and vast history of African-American artists.

Little Walter - Hate To See You Go LP

Label: Chess Records; Year: 1990; Format: Vinyl LP

Not too long ago I watched the movie Cadillac Records which chronicles the rise of Leonard Chess, a Polish Jewish immigrant in Chicago and famous for having created Chess Records. While I thought that the movie was alright for what it is I did enjoy the actors playing the roles of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf or Little Walter. This morning I definitely didn't feel like putting on a punk or hardcore record as my head was a bit foggy and god knows what my body has been trying to shake off for some time now, but don't you worry the virus won't jump over the intranet. Good news is though that I was in the mood to listen to some music and I remembered that I have this Little Walter LP on my shelves, an ideal record to relax to without increasing the fogg levels so to speak. Marion Walters Jacobs (Little Walter) was born in Louisiana in 1930 and learned to play the harmonica by the time he was twelve years old. Like many other blues musicians he worked his way up to Chicago through the South by reaching the shores of Lake Michigan in 1947. Walter is for many reasons being regarded as one of the two best and most influential blues harmonica players, the other one being Sonny Boy Williamson. Like so many other of his peers in Chicago Walter played on Maxwell Street before meeting up and joining Muddy Waters' band. It is needless to say that together they created the standard that all Chicago blues bands would be judged by, and rightfully so. I can only imagine how exciting it must have been to hear the newly-electrified harmonica riffs for the first time, but for that you had to be there. The tracks on this originally in 1969 released LP were all recorded between 1952, Walter's first year as a solo artist for Chess, and 1960. Since the songs were recorded over a period spanning several years one would think that they might sound very different only to be reminded that back in the '50s time and trends didn't move as fast as they do today and artists were more likely to stick to what they knew and loved instead of trying to reinvent themselves over and over. One of the best songs on the album is the song "Roller Coaster", a wonderful instrumental, on which a certain Bo Diddley is cited as "probably" having played the guitar. The earliest track ,"Blue Midnight", features Muddy Waters, and is another outstanding track. On most of the tracks Little Walter is accompanied by Willie Dixon on bass and Fred Below on drums and the guitar often played by Robert Lockwood Jr.. You really can't go wrong with this record if you like Chicago blues and/or would like to learn more about it. Little Walter packed in a lot in his short life and died at the age of thirty-eight in 1968. He left behind a lot of great music and for that we should be eternally grateful. 

Motorheadgirlschool - St Valentines' Day Massacre 10"

Label: Earmark; Year: 2003; Format: 33 RPM 10" EP

In hindsight it's clear to see that the collaboration between Motorhead and Girlschool was one of the best in Rock'N'Roll history, period. As a matter of fact the St Valentines' Day Massacre EP reached Number 5 in the UK Singles chart, the highest either band has ever been able to climb in the charts. Back in 1979 when Lemmy discovered Girlschool through their "Take it all away" single he fell in love with the band and thought rightfully so that Girlschool kicked just as much ass as any other band consisting of guys only. Lemmy went even further and invited Girlschool as a support act on their first big tour in support of the "Overkill" album. The friendship between the two bands resulted in the release of St Valentines' Day Massacre, released originally on Valentines' Day of 1981. The concept of the EP is very simple, Motorhead covers a Girlschool song, "Emergency", while Girlschool cover a Motorhead song, "Bomber", and last but not least together they cover the outstanding Johnny Kid & the Pirates classic "Please Don't Touch", which landed the band(s) as Headgirl a TV appearance on Top Of the Pops and definitely played a role in chart success. Personally I like the "Bomber" version with Kelly of Girlschool singing better than the original Motorhead version, and I think that says it all. This is truly one of those records that will never age and be a favorite for many of us for the rest of our lives. Say what you want about Lemmy, but back in the late '70s and early '80s he made sure that an all-female band was offered the same opportunities as every other band and Girlschool went on to have a fine career, deservedly so. It is sad to think that Lemmy, Philthy Animal, Eddie and Kelly are no longer with us, hence I raise a glass to them and this fine record. 

Crazy Cavan 'N' The Rhythm Rockers - Rockability LP

Label: Charly Records; Year: 1976; Format: Vinyl LP

Let me tell you straight off the bat that it sure as hell isn't easy to do many blog entries during the summer months as I am not someone whose energy levels feed off of hot weather, actually quite the opposite. Luckily I don't live in one of those States where it's constantly 110 degrees, otherwise I'd have to hide in a freezer for the remainder of the summer. Anyway let's get down to business, and with that I am talking music and to be more specific Crazy Cavan 'N' The Rhythm Rockers. Since I was a little kid I've always had a bit of an ear for Rockabilly as my father had a little stack of LPs of artists like Buddy Holly, Bill Haley & His Comets and a few others hence I was exposed to the music early on and it stuck with me ever since, at least to a degree. Teddy Boys on the other hand were not exactly the best friends of punks, at least not in Europe where I grew up. As a result of that I had very little to no exposure to local Rockabilly scenes with the exception of a few people that were open minded and frequented the punk scene as well. It must have been 2010 or 2011 though when I did see Crazy Cavan with his band at the 100 Club in London and I remember having a blast. My friend and I kind of stuck out with our rather casual clothes as most people were dressed in their Teddy Boy and Girl uniforms rocking out to the tunes of Crazy Cavan. I discovered Crazy Cavan through a good friend of mine back in Switzerland as he's always been a big fan and is a good few years older than myself having experienced the Rockabilly revival scene first hand. Cavan Crogan (aka Crazy Cavan) got his band together as early as in the late '60s celebrating long forgotten American artists like Charlie Feathers. They played their socks off in little clubs during the early '70s and were eventually discovered by two DJs in London's East End. After having released two 7"s on their own Crazy Rhythm label and the first LP on Rockhouse Records the band eventually signed to Charly Records in February of 1976 and "Rockability" was the first record to have come out on said label and was the beginning of a lengthy collaboration. One thing I would like to bring up as food for thought is the fact that when it comes to the months and years pre-dating the punk rock explosion it is often glam rock or pub rock that are mentioned as the main influence of early UK bands. I don't remember ever hearing or reading much about the rockabilly revival scene and their influence on punk rock, maybe due to both fractions viewing each other with contempt. Musically as well as fashion wise though it should be said that without a doubt rockabilly has definitely had an influence on early punk rock acts, at least in the UK, leading to quite a few punks discovering said roots in the early '80s through bands like the Stray Cats for instance. As for "Rockability" I really love the album and can't think of even one song that could have been scrapped. Whether you like your rockabilly up-tempo in songs like 'Stompin' Shoes' "Nobody Else Like you" or my favorite "Knock Knock" or you prefer the more swooning songs such as "Delores" or "Sweet Little Pretty Thing" you will find plenty of both on this full length. For now I own just this one LP by the band but I definitely keep my eyes out for their first and third LPs so stay tuned for more. Unfortunately Cavan Crogan passed away in 2020 (RIP), aged 70 years old. Should you want to find out more about the band's history please click on below link for an interesting article in Vintage Rock Mag. 

https://www.vintagerockmag.com/2020/07/crazy-cavan-a-rockabilly-star-in-heaven/

Wayne Kramer - The Hard Stuff (Dope, Crime, the MC5 & My Life Of Impossibilities)

Publisher: Da Capo Press; Year: 2018; Format: Hardcover Book

I had bought this book back in 2018 when it had come out and as per the price sticker on the back I only had to shell out fourteen bucks at Strand Book Store in NYC, a steal for a truly fantastic book. I remember reading it the same year or the year after so my memory as to the details contained in the book is shoddy to say the least. Hence this week I made it a little project to revisit certain chapters and by doing so I quickly realized why I liked the book so much in the first place. Just like the subtitle of Wayne's memoir suggests this book will take you on a wild ride around the U.S of A. starting off in Detroit where Wayne's story originates, and where of course the MC5 formed. From early childhood on Wayne is obsessed with Rock'N'Roll and after having discovered Chuck Berry he knows that one day he will be the badass on stage churning out mean riffs to hard and soulful music. Something I always enjoy about memoirs, and this book is certainly no exception to that, are the early chapters where readers are drawn into a world of the past, a world that is largely forgotten now. Detroit has a rich history when it comes to popular music as well as a history of a former economic powerhouse where many people could live comfortably on one family member's salary thanks to a good union job in the auto industry. It is hard to believe how bustling this city once was before the economic downturn has turned it into a crime ridden ghost town ultimately being forced into bankruptcy a few years back. Capitalism simply doesn't give a shit about people and Detroit amongst other cities in the rustbelt has been rebuilding for decades to gain back a little bit of its glorious past. Wayne's life in a way resembles Detroit in the sense that when it's good it's really good and when it's bad, it's really bad. I don't have to go into details when it comes to the MC5 as they are rightfully regarded as one of the most important Rock'N'Roll acts ever having walked this earth. The fact that they had a pretty significant impact on the '70s punk rock explosion definitely bypassed Wayne up to the point when he meets Johnny Thunders with whom he played in Gang War for some time. After the MC5 fell apart, so did Wayne's life and drug addiction and a career in petty crime and as a cocaine supplier eventually led him to serve a lengthy stint in Federal Prison where he befriends Red Rodney, a colorful jazz character. After life in prison Wayne's life is a steady up and down and takes him from Detroit to the Lower East Side of NYC, Key West in Florida, Nashville Tennessee and Los Angeles where he meets Brett Gurewitz of Epitaph Records who enables Wayne to have another go at a career as a recording artist. Anybody who has been following Wayne in recent years will know that at seventy five he is still very much active on stage, as a matter of fact I just saw this morning that last night he performed with Pere Ubu in New York City. Thanks to a collaboration between Billy Bragg, Wayne and his wife Margaret since 2009 Jail Guitar Doors has been a successful independent initiative to provide musical instruments to inmates locked up in prisons across the United Kingdom and the United States which just proves that Wayne has learned his lessons and wants to give back as much as he can. I understand that amongst die-hard MC5 fans Wayne is a divided figure as he for instance blocked the release of the MC5 documentary which is a true shame in case you are lucky to have been able to see it on a burned copy like myself. But, this book is not about who is to blame and for what but about redemption and a life lived on the edges of society while recording some fantastic tunes throughout the decades. If you haven't read this book yet then you should kick out the jams and get to it fast! 

Spread from the book with photos of Wayne with Mick Jones of the Clash, Johnny Thunders etc.

Update 2-3-24: Unfortunately brother Wayne Kramer passed away yesterday, February 2, 2024. Rest in Peace, Wayne. 

Little Richard - Here's Little Richard LP

Label: Specialty Records; Year: 1957; Format: Vinyl Stereo LP

Let's face it, if it wasn't for Little Richard, born on Christmas Day in 1935 in Macon, Georgia, I most likely wouldn't be writing about all these exciting records that were released way later then this one here,  dating all the way back to 1957. It all has to start somewhere and when it comes to Rock'N'Roll then Little Richard is often referred to as the "Architect of Rock'N'Roll", and I for one certainly don't think that to be an exaggeration. I got this LP not all that long ago and it's definitely seen better days, but it's tough to come across Little Richard LPs out there in the wild hence I was happy to shell out three bucks for a somewhat beaten up copy which still plays perfectly fine though. And let's be honest here; I am far more excited to buy old records than reissues as the smell and feeling of the old ones just can't be beaten. But back to Little Richard now, who I am sure most of the losers reading this blog will be familiar with, and if not, then I seriously have to ask myself under which stone you were hiding for the last god knows how many decades. I think what fascinates me most about Little Richard is the fact that he was one of the earliest black artists bringing people of all races together, and let's face it back in the roaring fifties that was a big deal as segregation here in the United States was unfortunately a daily thing. I hear the words 'game changer' way too often these days and honestly I really don't like them and never use them, but there are exceptions as to when they can be used and this is one of them. Little Richard transformed popular music and had a huge impact on so many artists and bands that the list would be endless. Lemmy of Motorhead for instance is just one of many who always made sure he mentioned Little Richard when asked about his main influences. The world of Rock'N'Roll, Soul, Funk, Rhythm & Blues and the list goes on was changed once and for all by Richard Penniman and we should all be thankful for that. Oh right, what about the record? Well, all of you will have heard "Tutti Frutti" or "Long Tall Sally" at some point in your life, but the rest of the LP is just as good, if not even better. My favorite is "Rip It Up". Little Richard lived a long life and passed away in the spring of 2020, RIP. Luckily his music lives on forever.  

The Jam - In the City LP

Label: Polydor (Spain); Year: 1977; Format: Vinyl LP

Many, many years ago when I got into Punk/Hardcore Punk I scoffed at bands like the Jam or even the Clash for that matter. I was of the opinion that those were nothing else than boring rock bands trying to sound somewhat punk rock. Throughout the decades though my taste and understanding of music has gradually changed to the point where I eventually reached the point of exploring the Jam catalogue. The band's history is interesting in the sense that it starts as far back as 1972 when school friends Paul Weller and Steve Brookes set out to start a band in the unassuming London suburbs of Woking in Surrey. Their early live shows often happened at youth clubs or workin men's clubs and consisted of mainly covers of fifties rock'n'roll acts, but they did have some of their own original numbers as well. Another intriguing fact is that from very early on Paul's father, John Weller, a featherweight champion and cabbie, was heavily involved in the music career his son would go on to have. Unlike many other parents of that time he was very supportive of what Paul was doing and through some of his boxing contacts things started to come together for the band as by 1974 the band started to play in London and landed a supporting slot for Thin Lizzy at Croydon's Greyhound. By 1976 Paul Weller was exposed to the nascent Punk Rock explosion happening in London and things started to take off for the Jam, now a trio of Paul Weller on guitar/vocals, Bruce Foxton on bass guitar and Rick Buckler on drums. According to Alex Ogg's punk bible "no more heroes" it was actually devoted fan Shane MacGowan of Nipple Erectors and later the Pogues who pushed the Jam to Chris Parry of Polydor. Their first LP, released in 1977 is in some ways an odd record in the sense that it is definitely not a pure punk rock record, but neither is it a Mod record. Nevertheless what counts most is that it is a good record, built on the Jam's live performances and recorded in just eleven days. Paul Weller has never made it a secret that he will forever be loyal to his love of '60s music, be it the Who, the Beatles or Motown. And that's exactly what you can expect from this album as the raw energy of punk rock collide with the pop sentimentality of Paul Weller's songwriting resulting in great songs such as "In The City" or my favorite "Away From The Numbers". In many ways this first album only foreshadows as to what was to come and should be viewed merely as an appetizer when it comes to the talent the Jam had. Stay tuned for more from the Jam down the road. 

Larry Williams - Unreleased LP

Label: Specialty Records; Year: 1986; Format: Vinyl LP

The beauty of walking into a record store and hearing instantly something played over the stereo that I like is a feeling that I have always cherished, and that will hopefully never die out. So, it was only a week ago when I took a long walk in my neighborhood and stopped at my local record store up the road from the house. Over the stereo was blasting Larry Williams, an artist I had not been familiar with but instantly fell in love with. This week I was also thinking that at some point in the not so distant future I will introduce you to the two record stores here in Buffalo, NY that I mainly use for record shopping these days. I don't buy many records, and as you will have noticed if you read this blog, only old stuff and reissues, but I thought especially for people traveling through Buffalo it might be good knowledge to have hence stay tuned. On to Mr. Williams (nee Lawrence Eugene Williams) then, born 1935 in New Orleans, Louisiana. After having been uprooted by his parents' move to Oakland, California Larry returned to New Orleans in 1954 where he began working for his cousin Lloyd Price as a valet. Larry was eventually introduced to Little Richard and with being a piano player for Lloyd, Williams eventually signed his own record deal with Art Rupe's Specialty Records. This record collects quite a few previously unreleased or alternate version of songs from the label's vast vault. According to the sleeve notes by Joey Mattia the LP was compiled and mastered by Little Walter of Boston, a prominent DJ and expert in the field of 50's and 60's rock'n'roll: "We have compiled this album with some of the most rocking tunes you'll hear. Some of the songs are alternate takes from the sessions where the original hit was recorded. These alternates are every bit as exciting as the ones that were originally released. At the time, Art Rupe, founder of Specialty Records, felt that maybe these sides were not as good as they could have been, but hearing them anew, we all felt they were dynamite!"

While researching for this entry this morning I came across the fascinating history of Specialty Records and the fact that Art Rupe just died recently at the age of 104. It could very well be argued that without artists and independent record label owners such as Rupe the DIY punk rock explosion would have never taken off the way it did as inspiration has to always come from somewhere. It could also be argued that sadly it is often the case that record labels try to cash in on artists that are no longer with us and by 1986 when this record had come out Larry was already dead for several years after having committed suicide in 1980. Williams' later life was plagued by drug abuse and violence, sadly nothing uncommon with a lot of artists from his generation. If you appreciate well crafted and wild' '50s rock'n'roll then you will not be disappointed with this record and should get your greedy hands on a copy of this. Rockin' Pneumonia it is!!!

Art Rupe obituary from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/apr/18/art-rupe-obituar