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Greetings from London. I read some of the discussion about the increasing number of visitors to Vinyl Vulture forum, and the fears of long-standing ‘members’ that they take out lots of information, tips and finds, but leave nothing for others. This made me feel somewhat guilty! I have enjoyed the old site – devoured the guides and listings for over a year – and yes have found some great music by following recommendations. I have been cheerfully collecting vinyl of all persuasions (easy, 70s jazz funk, british jazz, folk, prog rock) for around 8 years now – but have been working in complete isolation – no-one to swap / trade with or discuss finds. It is only recently that I thought of the internet! So here I am – presenting 12 finds that may be of interest to someone – none cost more than £5, most a single pound. Apologies if I am preaching to the converted, and you know all these LPs like the back of your hand, but as I say, I have been working in the dark! There - I give something back...
Muzak’s Stimulus Progression number 2
Specialists in the physiological and psychological applications of music.
Picked this one up a few years ago in a junk shop in Clapham, London, of all places.
Tracks to each side are arranged in ascending order of stimulation, so of course I went straight to the last ones!! Side One’s climax was a revelation – Phil Bodner’s cover of ‘Black Magic Women’ is an impressive and funky little number, great bass, drums and hammond, as is to a lesser extent, the penultimate track of that side ‘Temptation Eyes’ (arranged by Frank Hunter) – an upbeat soulful number. Side 1 is definitely the stronger - the rest is fairly predictable – from rich strings to chirpy brass numbers.
Big Mouth – (Spindizzy Records 1971)
Don’t know much about this one. Soul / funk from 1971. Starts off with a classic – ‘Mr Charlie’ – a ‘don’t do drugs’ stomper. The singer, Stu Gardner, has a great soul voice, and went on to be Bill Cosby’s musical director. It even features some fine guitar work by a certain Nils Lofgren! Other tracks of distinction – ‘Wake up little girl’ (psychedelic soul), ‘Family Thing’ (epic gospel soul).
CC Rides Again (Weed 1969)
A very strange trip this one and for only £1! The fact it is on a label called Weed indicates clearly its intent. Again don’t know very little about it at all… Basically covers of some favourite tracks of the time. It opens with a surreal and glorious triple bill – a rickerty run through William Tell Overture acts as intro – straight into a soulful ‘CC Rider’ and then we fade into a studio with background chatter, a tuba begins a familiar bass line, cowbell chimes in the beat and we are into a version of Spinning Wheel that blows Shirley out of the water! Side 2 finds the laidback but grooving ‘Can I see you in the morning’. Don’t know who the singer is, but a certain Sherlie Mathews is thanked on the sleeve, and she was one of the vocalists on the soundtrack for ‘Electra Glide in Blue’…. Produced by Deke Richards.
Mel Taylor and the Magics – In Action (Warners 1966)
Worth it for the opening track alone – Drums A-Go-Go – one of my favourites. Unrelenting pounding drums over a Shadows guitar line. Other winning tracks ‘Bullseye’, ‘Bongo Rock’ (same theory as Drums a-go-go, but with crazy bongos instead), and ‘The Creeper’. The tracks are short and to the point – and the sound – boy is it LOUD.
Jean Yves Labat - M Frog Bearsville 1973
OK this is plain and simple bonkers. Discovered and recorded by Todd Rundgren, Labat is clearly one deranged individual, but that makes for an outstanding unique musical offering. It comes with an 8 page booklet of nonsense, explaining how M Frog started music in a boys choir, then discovered Buddy Holly and went to Paris to study avante-garde electronic music… “ But it was all a bit too much to take in. He sought some inner quiet and joined a Benedictine monastery….” Yeah right. It also introduces his notation for synthesiser music that is based on colour. Opening track ‘We are Crazy’ and ‘Monkey People’ are highlights for me – but it is hard to pick out any particular pieces – should be heard as one opus I think. It is full of rich and heavy synth sounds (I think he uses the EMS synthesiser) and is way ahead of the game for 1973. (Found this one recently in NYC)
Roy Budd -The Stone Killer (Italian recording 1974)
I dug this up in a dusty shop in Sydney and I had to lay out a huge 25p! Not bad for what I think is arguably Budd’s finest soundtrack. I guess everyone knows all about it, but I love the tracks ‘On the trail’, ‘Down Downtown’ and ‘The Chase’. It really works as a complete and unified album as well, which is rare for a soundtrack.
Jeanie Greene - Mary Called (Elektra 1971)
I have a strange attraction to ‘rock meets gospel’ works, I guess started by Hair (I love Edmundo Ros’s latin take on that, by the way). Following longstanding favourite party track Hallelujah, by Chi Coltraine (on Let it Ride LP), and the mad Lalo Schifrin Rock Requiem, I have a new top tune from this album – ‘Put your good on the line’, ending with a gospel chorus chant which for some reason reminds me of Spiritualised! The whole album is beautiful – Jeanie comes across as a Janis Joplin who has ‘seen the light’.
Nelson Riddle – Communication (MPS)
I have a feeling that this is probably fairly well known – I seem to recall someone mentioning ‘Volcano’s Daughter’ as a bit of a classic, and it is most certainly the standout track on the album. I have to say that I have a soft spot for ‘Uptown Dance’ too – a latin number with nice flute and guitar (Herbie Mann meets Jose Feliciano). Got this one somewhere in Paris.
John Schroeder – The Dolly Catcher (Piccadilly 1967)
I don’t know why this isn’t universally recognised as his masterpiece. It is a fantastic play with 60s pop and psychedelic sounds. Sure, it is a formulaic cash-in on the summer of love – but who cares when the formula is 100% correct and the results are just as good as the ‘serious’ stuff it is ripping off? Top of the pile of fabtastic tunes are ‘Explosive Corrosive Joseph’ (killer bass line, perfectly stupid vocal echo ending); ‘But she ran the other way’ (the unsung beginnings of prog rock) and a mighty fine version of ‘Up, up and away’. All arranged by John Cameron, of course.
Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’77 – Primal Roots (A&M 1972)
I love all his stuff, but it is this album (along with the track Crystal Illusions) that demonstrates just how far he ended up pushing the Brazilian musical envelope, combining it here with African rhythms. I defy anyone not to be blown away by the 19 minute epic – ‘The Circle Game’ – true genius.
Myrth – S/T (RCA 1969)
Can’t find anything out about this one – anyone know anything?? It has not left my turntable for more than a week since I picked it up at Spitalfields Market last summer. This is a seriously underrated album. I guess it is a jazz/blues album, though with a progressive rock fusion to certain elements. Spread through the album are 3 linked instrumental tracks – a kind of Myrth trilogy – ‘Myrthiolate’, ‘Aftermyrth’ and ‘Myrthadrine’ and these frame the rest of the tracks. These are predominately ‘blue-eyed soul’ numbers with brass – funky and original. Each track is separated by a short recording of birdsong… but it is the instrumental tracks that are most impressive – even a drum break! I guess they were allowed to be a bit ‘experimental’ on these – some strange instruments and sounds add to the mix. It also includes a great trippy track (with reverse recording) ‘Shed my skin’ which comes across as proto Tom Waits meets Manfred Mann – awesome.
Chris Barber – Drat that fratle rat! (Freedom 1973)
Not all trad jazz this one. A great track ‘Fegalemic Pegaloomer’ dominates and is a funky number by Steve Hammond – it reminds me of Mike Gibbs (Tanglewood era). Not easy to find – German release apparently, though I think it is on a CD somewhere, combined with another album. Chris Barber made another album worth searching out – ‘Get Rolling’ around this time.
Greetings from London. I read some of the discussion about the increasing number of visitors to Vinyl Vulture forum, and the fears of long-standing ‘members’ that they take out lots of information, tips and finds, but leave nothing for others. This made me feel somewhat guilty! I have enjoyed the old site – devoured the guides and listings for over a year – and yes have found some great music by following recommendations. I have been cheerfully collecting vinyl of all persuasions (easy, 70s jazz funk, british jazz, folk, prog rock) for around 8 years now – but have been working in complete isolation – no-one to swap / trade with or discuss finds. It is only recently that I thought of the internet! So here I am – presenting 12 finds that may be of interest to someone – none cost more than £5, most a single pound. Apologies if I am preaching to the converted, and you know all these LPs like the back of your hand, but as I say, I have been working in the dark! There - I give something back...
Muzak’s Stimulus Progression number 2
Specialists in the physiological and psychological applications of music.
Picked this one up a few years ago in a junk shop in Clapham, London, of all places.
Tracks to each side are arranged in ascending order of stimulation, so of course I went straight to the last ones!! Side One’s climax was a revelation – Phil Bodner’s cover of ‘Black Magic Women’ is an impressive and funky little number, great bass, drums and hammond, as is to a lesser extent, the penultimate track of that side ‘Temptation Eyes’ (arranged by Frank Hunter) – an upbeat soulful number. Side 1 is definitely the stronger - the rest is fairly predictable – from rich strings to chirpy brass numbers.
Big Mouth – (Spindizzy Records 1971)
Don’t know much about this one. Soul / funk from 1971. Starts off with a classic – ‘Mr Charlie’ – a ‘don’t do drugs’ stomper. The singer, Stu Gardner, has a great soul voice, and went on to be Bill Cosby’s musical director. It even features some fine guitar work by a certain Nils Lofgren! Other tracks of distinction – ‘Wake up little girl’ (psychedelic soul), ‘Family Thing’ (epic gospel soul).
CC Rides Again (Weed 1969)
A very strange trip this one and for only £1! The fact it is on a label called Weed indicates clearly its intent. Again don’t know very little about it at all… Basically covers of some favourite tracks of the time. It opens with a surreal and glorious triple bill – a rickerty run through William Tell Overture acts as intro – straight into a soulful ‘CC Rider’ and then we fade into a studio with background chatter, a tuba begins a familiar bass line, cowbell chimes in the beat and we are into a version of Spinning Wheel that blows Shirley out of the water! Side 2 finds the laidback but grooving ‘Can I see you in the morning’. Don’t know who the singer is, but a certain Sherlie Mathews is thanked on the sleeve, and she was one of the vocalists on the soundtrack for ‘Electra Glide in Blue’…. Produced by Deke Richards.
Mel Taylor and the Magics – In Action (Warners 1966)
Worth it for the opening track alone – Drums A-Go-Go – one of my favourites. Unrelenting pounding drums over a Shadows guitar line. Other winning tracks ‘Bullseye’, ‘Bongo Rock’ (same theory as Drums a-go-go, but with crazy bongos instead), and ‘The Creeper’. The tracks are short and to the point – and the sound – boy is it LOUD.
Jean Yves Labat - M Frog Bearsville 1973
OK this is plain and simple bonkers. Discovered and recorded by Todd Rundgren, Labat is clearly one deranged individual, but that makes for an outstanding unique musical offering. It comes with an 8 page booklet of nonsense, explaining how M Frog started music in a boys choir, then discovered Buddy Holly and went to Paris to study avante-garde electronic music… “ But it was all a bit too much to take in. He sought some inner quiet and joined a Benedictine monastery….” Yeah right. It also introduces his notation for synthesiser music that is based on colour. Opening track ‘We are Crazy’ and ‘Monkey People’ are highlights for me – but it is hard to pick out any particular pieces – should be heard as one opus I think. It is full of rich and heavy synth sounds (I think he uses the EMS synthesiser) and is way ahead of the game for 1973. (Found this one recently in NYC)
Roy Budd -The Stone Killer (Italian recording 1974)
I dug this up in a dusty shop in Sydney and I had to lay out a huge 25p! Not bad for what I think is arguably Budd’s finest soundtrack. I guess everyone knows all about it, but I love the tracks ‘On the trail’, ‘Down Downtown’ and ‘The Chase’. It really works as a complete and unified album as well, which is rare for a soundtrack.
Jeanie Greene - Mary Called (Elektra 1971)
I have a strange attraction to ‘rock meets gospel’ works, I guess started by Hair (I love Edmundo Ros’s latin take on that, by the way). Following longstanding favourite party track Hallelujah, by Chi Coltraine (on Let it Ride LP), and the mad Lalo Schifrin Rock Requiem, I have a new top tune from this album – ‘Put your good on the line’, ending with a gospel chorus chant which for some reason reminds me of Spiritualised! The whole album is beautiful – Jeanie comes across as a Janis Joplin who has ‘seen the light’.
Nelson Riddle – Communication (MPS)
I have a feeling that this is probably fairly well known – I seem to recall someone mentioning ‘Volcano’s Daughter’ as a bit of a classic, and it is most certainly the standout track on the album. I have to say that I have a soft spot for ‘Uptown Dance’ too – a latin number with nice flute and guitar (Herbie Mann meets Jose Feliciano). Got this one somewhere in Paris.
John Schroeder – The Dolly Catcher (Piccadilly 1967)
I don’t know why this isn’t universally recognised as his masterpiece. It is a fantastic play with 60s pop and psychedelic sounds. Sure, it is a formulaic cash-in on the summer of love – but who cares when the formula is 100% correct and the results are just as good as the ‘serious’ stuff it is ripping off? Top of the pile of fabtastic tunes are ‘Explosive Corrosive Joseph’ (killer bass line, perfectly stupid vocal echo ending); ‘But she ran the other way’ (the unsung beginnings of prog rock) and a mighty fine version of ‘Up, up and away’. All arranged by John Cameron, of course.
Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’77 – Primal Roots (A&M 1972)
I love all his stuff, but it is this album (along with the track Crystal Illusions) that demonstrates just how far he ended up pushing the Brazilian musical envelope, combining it here with African rhythms. I defy anyone not to be blown away by the 19 minute epic – ‘The Circle Game’ – true genius.
Myrth – S/T (RCA 1969)
Can’t find anything out about this one – anyone know anything?? It has not left my turntable for more than a week since I picked it up at Spitalfields Market last summer. This is a seriously underrated album. I guess it is a jazz/blues album, though with a progressive rock fusion to certain elements. Spread through the album are 3 linked instrumental tracks – a kind of Myrth trilogy – ‘Myrthiolate’, ‘Aftermyrth’ and ‘Myrthadrine’ and these frame the rest of the tracks. These are predominately ‘blue-eyed soul’ numbers with brass – funky and original. Each track is separated by a short recording of birdsong… but it is the instrumental tracks that are most impressive – even a drum break! I guess they were allowed to be a bit ‘experimental’ on these – some strange instruments and sounds add to the mix. It also includes a great trippy track (with reverse recording) ‘Shed my skin’ which comes across as proto Tom Waits meets Manfred Mann – awesome.
Chris Barber – Drat that fratle rat! (Freedom 1973)
Not all trad jazz this one. A great track ‘Fegalemic Pegaloomer’ dominates and is a funky number by Steve Hammond – it reminds me of Mike Gibbs (Tanglewood era). Not easy to find – German release apparently, though I think it is on a CD somewhere, combined with another album. Chris Barber made another album worth searching out – ‘Get Rolling’ around this time.
I will be eternally gratefull.
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