Desperate Rock'N Roll Volume Ten

Side One:
01. This Little Heart - Dennis Smith
02. You Drive Me Out Of My Mind - Buddy Larrisson
03. Run Rose - Billy Miranda
04. Lovinest Lovin' - Dub Dickerson
05. Mule Skinner Blues - Rocky Jones
06. Lovin' Honey - Gene Morris
07. Ruby Baby - Cody Brennon
08. My Baby Is Gone - Chuck Royal
09. Cuttin' Out - "Sandman" Howard
10. Little Miss Mary - Vilas Craig

Side Two:
01. She's Mine - Chuck Mills
02. I'm Nobody's Fool - Piano Red & Bertha Colbert
03. Gotta Girl - Jimmy Ford
04. My Boy, Sleepy Pete - The Tempo-Tones
05. New Hound Dog - Frank Motley
06. Love Letter - Del Swade
07. Silly Lilly - Les Tasher
08. Gonna Take My Guitar - Bobby Hodge
09. I Wanna Know - The Isley Brothers
10. Stompen' Rock - Tony March

Desperate Rock'N Roll Volume Ten (Mega)

Desperate Rock'N Roll (Zippy)

From the rock 'n' roll underground, from the forgotten netherworld of spaced out hillbillies, two-chord Elvis wannabees and R&B bawlers 'n' squallers, comes another of those mysterious compilations (see T-Bird Party!) seemingly put together from someone's box of obscure, or at least semi obscure, scratched ole 45's. It's sort of a vinyl equivalent of those columns in "Kicks" magazine where one or more Kicksters would sling a pile of platters on to the turntable and describe what they were hearing in a breathlessly rollicking, stream of consciousness hepcat word whirl, all backed up with a deep knowledge of the most obscure tiny record labels from the utmost back of beyond.

So you take a bunch of obscuros, and wrap 'em up in a sleeve featuring sleazy artwork from the cover of some 1950's crime novel or pulp magazine, and bang! you've got yourself the alternative alternative. A promise of sex, violence and pounding adults only rock and roll which should be irresistible to thrill seekers everywhere. Or perhaps it awakens lost memories of being hustled past the windows of dirty bookshops in Cowcaddens or maybe the lights of that shop round the corner from Partick Cross subway station packed with imported American comics and paperbacks and it's a dark, wet winter's Saturday afternoon in 1961, but I digress needlessly.

Does it work? Do the sounds live up to the hype? And hype it is, folks. Well yes, by and large it works for me. This assemblage of twangin' geetars, crashing drums, thick country accents, rasping saxes, rhythm 'n booze howling, and general lo-fi hi-jinks is fun! And in the end that's what counts. Suspend all critical faculties and succumb to the spirit of desperate rock 'n' roll!

Be Bop Wino regulars will be pleased by the presence of a track from the 1956 concert in Atlanta which made up one side of the "Piano Red In Concert" LP. "I'm Nobody's Fool" wasn't included in that LP, so here's a chance to catch up with another piece of Red's amiable schtick. And it's a fine track which fairly rocks along. Other R&B highlights on this collection include a frantic number on Derby by very obscure blues shouter Walter "Sandman" Howard, a frantic "Hound Dog" cash-in from Frank Motley, and a not quite so frantic early Isley Brothers rocker.

When this LP came out it was the only way you were going to hear a lot of this stuff unless you had a record collection to die for. The lack of info added to the mystique, but the internet has changed all that. Now you can find out all sorts of info on the background to these tracks. Moreover, you can listen to most of these tracks and countless other obscure 1950's / early 1960's sides on YouTube as a treasure trove of the rarest rock and roll has been uploaded there by enthusiasts. For instance while I was searching around for details on the Tony March side "Stompen Rock" I came across not only the version on Checker which is on this LP, but I also found the original very rare version which was self issued on a small label called Savoy (NOT the R&B / jazz label). The world has indeed changed since "Desperate Rock'N Roll" sleazed its way into the record shop browsers.

Fax on the Desperate Trax

When it comes to all things Rockabilly, Hillbilly Boogie, or general countrified rock 'n' roll, then the web site of choice has to be Rockin' Country Style. This is a massive searchable motherlode of info which served as an extremely handy aid for what follows below, especially as you can search by compilation title and go straight to "Desperate Rock'N Roll Volume 10." Original release details plus label shots of many of the tracks on this LP are there.

Information on the non-rockabilly tracks came from www.45cat.com, www.discogs.com, YouTube and Billboard.

01. This Little Heart - Dennis Smith - Lyndan 500 - date unknown

02. You Drive Me Out Of My Mind - Buddy Larrisson - Jabar 103 - April 1963

03. Run Rose - Billy Miranda - Checker 957 - July 1960

04. Lovinest Lovin' - Dub Dickerson - from the LP "Sad And Lonely - Country Ballads from The Heart" (Sims Records 102) - 1962

05. Mule Skinner Blues - Rocky Jones - Wasp WR 108 - August 1967

06. Lovin Honey - Gene Morris with the Pages - Edmoral 1012-45 - April 1957

07. Ruby Baby - Cody Brennon & the Temptations - Swan S4089 - November 1961

08. My Baby Is Gone - Chuck Royal and The Sharpsters - Bella 45-2210-58 - January 1959

09. Cuttin' Out - Walter "Sandman" Howard - Derby 45-762 - 1951

10. Little Miss Mary - Vilas Craig and the Vi Counts - International Artists J-2120 - September 1960

11. She's Mine - The Monarchs Featuring Chuck Mills - Band Box 221 - January 1959

12. I'm Nobody's Fool - Piano Red with Bertha Colbert - Groove 4G-0145 - April 1956

13. Gotta Girl - Jimmy Ford - Esther 101 - date unknown

14. My Boy, Sleepy Pete - The Tempo Tones - Acme 45-715 - 1957

15. New Hound Dog - Frank Motley (Dual Trumpeter) And His Crew - Big Town BT-116 - October 1954

16. Love Letter - Del Swade - Production ZTSC-63164 - 1960

17. Silly Lilly - Les Tasher And His Rebel Rocks - Canadian International INT-101 - date unknown

18. Gonna Take My Guitar - Bobby Hodge Accompanied By The Rainbow Rangers - Rebel 819 - 1958

19. I Wanna Know (Baby Will You Be Mine) - The Isley Brothers - Gone 5022 - January 1958

20. Stompen Rock - Tony March with Mike Roncone Orchestra - Checker 887 - March 1958

If this is your bag, then check out SURFADELIC for piles of surf, instro, garage, R&B, rockabilly and trash comps. Beware, your mind will never be the same again.

The Coasters - 20 Great Originals

Note: Side 1, Tracks 1 - 3 by The Robins. All other tracks by The Coasters.

Side 1:
01. Riot In Cell Block Number 9
02. Smokey Joe's Cafe
03. Framed
04. Turtle Dovin'
05. Down In Mexico
06. Young Blood
07. Searchin'
08. Idol With The Golden Head
09. Yakety Yak - The Coasters
10. Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart


Side 2:
01. The Shadow Knows
02. Charlie Brown
03. Along Came Jones
04. Poison Ivy
05. What About Us
06. I'm A Hog For You Baby
07. Run Red Run
08. Shoppin' For Clothes
09. Little Egypt
10. Bad Blood

20 Great Originals (Mega)

20 Great Originals (Zippy)

The Coasters were not only a major R&B act but also a best selling pop act. They had 6 entries in the top ten of The Billboard Hot 100, and a further 4 in the top forty. Their record sales helped Atlantic maintain its position as the pre-eminent R&B label of the late 1950s / early 1960s and were an important factor in the breakout of R&B into the pop mainstream. Although some of their hits had an air of teen novelty about them, most of their records were in fact works of sly hipness if not downright sleaze, thanks to the inventiveness of songwriting duo Leiber and Stoller, and also to the sax stylings of Gil Bernal and King Curtis ...

At last, an R&B act I can remember hearing on the radio! Four of the Coasters' records broke into the British charts in the late 1950's but I'm too young to remember that. What I do remember is that during the first half of the 1960's two of their hits, "Charlie Brown" and "Yakety Yak" were still being played frequently on the BBC, probably because they were seen as having appeal to children. That informed my later rather dismissive opinion of The Coasters as being merely a novelty group for the kids and, boy, was I wrong.

To be frank, this LP which I bought in the late 1970's didn't do much to change my opinion as it suffers from the problems of many mass market issues of that era. Twenty sides have been crammed on to the record with subsequent loss of sound quality. In addition some kind of electronically re-processed stereo was used on certain later tracks, rendering them pretty much unlistenable, so I've ripped the LP to mono in an attempt to remedy that. My advice is to treat this collection as a sampler and if you find yourself digging the cool sounds of The Coasters invest in one of the many compilations available to buy. Recommendations can be found towards the end of this post.

The tracks on this LP are arranged in chronological order, so we start with three tracks recorded for Los Angeles label Spark Records by The Robins, the group from which The Coasters split in 1955 when label owners, songwriters and producers Leiber and Stoller signed up with Atlantic, taking their Spark masters with them. The origins of The Robins were detailed in this post of their Savoy sides from 1949 - 1950, while this post of their Modern / RPM / Crown sides in the early 1950's takes their story up to the point of the birth of The Coasters.

The go-to site for the story of The Robins up to and beyond the point when The Coasters broke away from the parent group is of course Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebooks. His article on The Robins is here:

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Robins/robins.html

Marv's site doesn't have an article on The Coasters but there is a website devoted entirely to the group "The Coasters Web Site - Those Hoodlum Friends" - which you can find here:

http://www.angelfire.com/mn/coasters/

The web site is vast with all kinds of goodies on it. You may lose hours of your life in there. The record session information in the "Fax on the Trax" section below has been gleaned from the hugely detailed recording sessions page of The Coasters Web Site.

The original singles release information is from www.45cat.com. The Coasters singles section is here:

http://www.45cat.com/artist/the-coasters

Here's The Fax on those 20 Trax

As mentioned above, the session information comes from the recordings sessions page on The Coasters Web Site. I haven't attempted to use all the information available on these tracks. In particular I have mentioned only a few of the backing musicians and I have omitted the Coasters' own guitar players. My main motive in mentioning a few of the backing musicians was in order to make sure that Gil Bernal received credit for his tenor sax work on The Robins and early Coasters sides which were recorded in Los Angeles. The contribution of King Curtis to the sides recorded in New York is well known, but that of Gil Bernal doesn't get much attention.

The changing Coasters line ups have been inserted into the chronological sequence.

Riot in Cell Block #9, Smokey Joe's Cafe and Framed were recorded by The Robins in 1954 - 1955 for Spark Records in Los Angeles.

The Robins - Carl Gardner, Bobby Nunn, Grady Chapman, Terrell Leonard, Billy Richard and Roy Richard. Richard Berry on "Riot In Cell Block #9."

Backing musicians include Gil Bernal (tenor sax) and Barney Kessell (guitar).

"Riot In Cell Block #9" was recorded in the spring of 1954. Released on Spark 103 (b/w "Wrap It Up") in May 1954.

"Framed" was recorded in August 1954. Released on Spark 107 (b/w "Loop De Loop Mambo") in September 1954.

"Smokey Joe's Cafe" was recorded in July (or possibly January 1955). Released on Spark 122 in August 1955 (b/w "Just Like A Fool"). Re-released on Atco 6059 in October 1955.

All subsequent titles recorded by The Coasters.

The Coasters (October 1955 - 1957) - Carl Gardner, Billy Guy, Bobby Nunn, Leon Hughes.

Turtle Dovin' and Down In Mexico recorded in Los Angeles on January 11th, 1956. Gil Bernal (tenor sax) and Barney Kessell (guitar) among backing musicians. "Down In Mexico" / "Turtle Dovin'" released on Atco 6064 in February 1957.

Young Blood and Searchin' recorded in Los Angeles in February 1957. Obe "Young" Jessie replaces Billy Hughes on "Searchin'." Backing musicians include Gil Bernal (tenor sax) and Barney Kessell (guitar). "Searchin'" / "Young Blood" released on Atco 6087 in March 1957.

Idol With The Golden Head recorded in Chicago on July 24th, 1957. Released in August 1957 on Atco 6098 as the B-Side of "(When She Wants Good Lovin') My Baby Comes To Me."

The Coasters (1958 - mid-1961) - Carl Gardner, Billy Guy, Cornell Gunter, Will "Dub" Jones.

Yakety Yak and Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart recorded in New York on March 17th, 1958. King Curtis on tenor sax. "Yakety Yak" / "Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart" released on Atco 6116 in April 1958.

The Shadow Knows recorded in New York on August 8th, 1958. Released on Atco 6126 (b/w "Sorry But I'm Gonna Have To Pass") in August 1958.

Charlie Brown recorded in New York on December 11th, 1958. Released on Atco 6132 (b/w "Three Cool Cats") in January 1959.

Along Came Jones recorded in New York on March 26th, 1959. Released on Atco 6141 (b/w "That Is Rock & Roll") in April 1959.

Poison Ivy and What About Us recorded in New York on July 16th, 1959. Backing musicians include Mickey Baker (guitar) and King Curtis (tenor sax). The versions on this LP are alternate takes of the versions originally released on single.

I'm A Hog For You Baby was recorded in New York on August 8th 1958 and re-edited on July 17th, 1959. The version on this LP differs from the single release (titled "I'm A Hog For You") in that it has a different and shorter sax fadeout.

Run Red Run  was recorded in New York on July 23rd, 1959. The version on this LP is a stereo take of the version originally released on single.

The single versions of the above four tracks were released as follows:

Poison Ivy / I'm A Hog For You released on Atco 6146 in August 1959.

Run Red Run / What About Us released on Atco 6153 in November 1959.

Shoppin' For Clothes was recorded in New York on July 29th, 1960. King Curtis on tenor sax. "Shoppin' For Clothes" / "The Snake And The Bookworm" released on Atco 6178 in September 1960. Some pressings retitled "Shoppin' For Clothes" to "Clothes Line (Wrap It Up)" which was the title of the original version of this song which was written by Kent Harris and recorded by him as Boogaloo And His Gallant Crew in 1956 (Crest  45-1030).

Little Egypt was recorded in New York on February 9th, 1961. King Curtis on tenor sax. "Little Egypt (Ying-Yang)" / "Keep On Rolling" released on Atco 6192 in April 1961.

The Coasters (mid-1961 - 1967) - Carl Gardner, Billy Guy, Will "Dub" Jones, Earl "Speedo" Carroll.

Bad Blood was recorded in New York on September 25th, 1961. Backing by The Upsetters. The version on this LP is an alternate take of the version released on single Atco 6210 (b/w "(Ain't That) Just Like Me") in October 1961.

The Coasters on CD

As a top selling pop act as well as a major R&B act, The Coasters' back catalogue has mostly remained in print in some form or another over the years. I have the following two CDs in my collection:

The Very Best Of The Coasters - Rhino / Atlantic. A modest 17 tracks in excellent sound quality. It includes "Sorry But I'm Gonna Have To Pass" which received major attention when it was used in a TV advert for Volkswagen Passat in the 1990s.

What Is The Secret Of Your Success? - Mr R&B RBD 102. A CD version of an LP issued on Jonas Bernholm's Mr R&B label. Published in 1980, this collection has 16 of the lesser known Coasters tracks. Also includes "Sorry But I'm Gonna Have To Pass." I wonder if this is where some advertising exec came across the track and pitched it to Volkswagen?

There's a lot of choice if you want to get a Coasters CD these days. Looks like this one might be the one in which to invest your hard earned cash:

A double CD on the Acrobat label. 56 tracks, including 12 Robins tracks from the Spark label. I've ordered a copy and will report back when I've listened to it.

Edit - The 2CD Coasters set has arrived. It has a 24 page booklet which includes full recording details of the tracks, sourced from the Coasters website I acknowledged earlier in this post. There is also an extensive essay by Paul Watts tracing the history of The Coasters from the foundation of The Robins in 1945. So 10/10 for presentation in this PD collection.

Disc One is especially good with its inclusion of the 12 Robins sides recorded for Spark. I listened to the whole of this disc in one session and it didn't pall at all! I must confess that when I started listening to Disc Two the following day, the going got tougher. There are still plenty of good sides on this disc, but perhaps the Coasters were getting a bit formulaic going into the early 1960s, or perhaps I'd just listened to too many tracks by the same group.

So all in all I can recommend this mid price collection. 56 tracks in all, including two LP only tracks. Presentation is excellent, sound quality is good but perhaps some of the tracks lack a bit of "life" as this is a PD compilation. Overall rating - 7.5/10.
 

T-Bird Party!

Side 1:
01. The Last Of The Big Time Spenders Part 1 - Winehead Willie & Sweet Lucy Brown
02. The Last Of The Big Time Spenders Part 2 - Winehead Willie & Sweet Lucy Brown
03. Bongo Boo Boo - Sneeze & Breeze
04. On The Run - Satch Arnold
05. Sassy - Frantic Johnny Rogers
06. The Chase - Davey Jones
07. Teenage Jump - T. Valentine
08. Night Out - John J. Moses

Side 2:
01. Sweet Sweet Love - J.C. Davis
02. Little Ann - Johnny Knight
03. Punkanilla - The Quarter Notes
04. I'm Not Mixed Up Anymore - Betty James
05. Du De Squat - Little Luther
06. Don't Knock It - Sinner Strong
07. Chewin' Gum - Danny Brown
08. The Kangaroo - Charles Sheffield
09. 'Cile Turner - Crap Shootin' Sinner

T-Bird Party! (Mega)

T-Bird Party! (Zippy)

You can see the shop labels on the front cover of this LP. "Missing Records" of Glasgow is still with us and they are currently situated in Argyle Street under the Heilanman's Umbrella. That's the Central Station Bridge, if you are either geographically or chronologically challenged. They've been in various premises around that area over the years, sometimes expanding to more than one shop, then contracting again, and somehow hanging on in there in their present day location.

Back in the 1990's they had a shop in Wellington Street and although the age of the CD was well and truly upon us they kept racks of vinyl going and among the big 12 inchers were strange and wonderful-looking compilations of R&B, rock 'n' roll and rockabilly with inviting titles like "Savage Kick," "Desperate Rock'N Roll," "Dangerous Doo Wop," "Stompin'," "Lookey Dookey" and so on. And that's without mentioning the "Las Vegas Grind" and "Sin Alley" series which at least had a recognisable record company logo on them - Crypt Records.

Around that time I was introduced to "Kicks" magazine whose message of "save the real rock 'n' roll" seemed to be embodied in those mysterious (but rather expensive) comps. Eventually I plucked up the courage to buy a few just when the shop was selling them off on the cheap as CDs appeared to have won the final victory over vinyl.

So here is possibly my favourite - T-Bird Party! "A swangin' slew of greasy R&B" says the cover. What does that even mean? Like most of these kinds of comps there is absolutely no information on the seemingly random selection of mostly unknown artists. However the internet now allows us all to dig deeper and find out a little more about what the heck is on this disc.

As in life, things aren't always what they at first seem to be, but the hidden truth is usually much more interesting. So read on, and discover that this greasy R&B comp contains sides by Duane Eddy (with The Sharps), a future Elvis soundalike, a wild female rockabilly singer, B. Brown ripping himself off, and a sixty-four year old white Virginia blueblooded lady who sounds like she should have been hollerin' gospel tunes and saving souls in a travelling tent show in the 1920s.

Oh, and I almost forgot - James Brown's sax player is in there too but I didn't include anything about that in the notes below, so you'll have to find out for yourselves. Happy listening, rock 'n' roll fans.

The Trax - Some Fax

01. The Last Of The Big Time Spenders Part 1 - Winehead Willie & Sweet Lucy Brown
02. The Last Of The Big Time Spenders Part 2 - Winehead Willie & Sweet Lucy Brown

The Bigtime Spender Part I / The Bigtime Spender Part II - Bill (Winehead Willie) Murray And George (Sweet Lucy) Copeland - Anna 1121. Released in September 1960.

03. Bongo Boo Boo - Sneeze & Breeze

Love Me - Marvin Fields / Bongo Boo Boo - Sneeze and Breeze - Jam 122. Date unknown. "Sneeze and Breeze" is a pseudonym for Marvin Fields (on the A side of the disc) whose real name was Marvin Benefield. He also recorded as an Elvis sound alike under the name Vince Everett.

04. On The Run - Satch Arnold

On The Run / That Song - Satch Arnold - "Louis" Records 6802. Released in 1963.

05. Sassy - Frantic Johnny Rogers

Sassy / Ramrod - "Frantic" Johnny Rogers - Cindy C-3010. Released in 1958. "Frantic" Johnny Rogers is probably Duane Eddy and the vocal group is probably The Sharps.

06. The Chase - Davey Jones

I Was Blind / The Chase - Davey Jones - Glades 605. Released in 1960.
 
07. Teenage Jump - T. Valentine

Little Lu-Lu Frog / Teenage Jump - T. Valentine - Bea & Baby 110. Released in 1960.

08. Night Out - John J. Moses

Fickle Women / Night Out - John J. Moses - Black Magic 45-61271. Released in 1961.

09. Sweet Sweet Love - J.C. Davis

Sweet Sweet Love / The Monkey - J.C. Davis - Chess 1858. Released in June 1963.

10. Little Ann - Johnny Knight

Little Ann / At Naden's Ebony Door - Jimmie "Playboy" Knight - Phynk Records 1753. Release date unknown. "Little Ann" also has vocal credited to Henry "Mojo" Thompson.

11. Punkanilla - The Quarter Notes

The Interview / Punkanilla - The Quarter Notes - RCA Victor 47-7327. Released in August 1958.

12. I'm Not Mixed Up Anymore - Betty James

I'm Not Mixed Up Anymore / Henry Lee - Betty James - Chess 1837. Released in October 1962.

13. Du De Squat - Little Luther

Du Dee Squat / Steppin' High - Little Luther - Criss-Cross 110. Released in November 1961. Re-released on Dot 45-16325 in January 1962.

14. Don't Knock It - Sinner Strong

Don't Knock It / Nobody But Me - Sinner Strong - Serock SR 2003. Released in 1963. "Sinner Strong" is rockabilly singer Joyce Harris.

15. Chewin' Gum - Danny Brown

Chewing Gum / Standing On The Corner - Danny Brown And His Band - Earth E 702. Released in March 1962. Danny Brown is probably B. Brown of B. Brown And His Rockin' McVouts who had a version of "Chewing Gum" out on Everlast Records.

16. The Kangaroo - Charles Sheffield

 I Would Be A Sinner / The Kangaroo - Charles Sheffield - Excello 45-2205. Released in October 1961.

17. 'Cile Turner - Crap Shootin' Sinner

Crap Shootin' Sinner / The Golden Rule - 'Cile Turner - Colonial  45-7004. Released in November 1959. Lucile Barrow Turner (1895 - 1979) was a native of Virginia. A white woman from an affluent background, she championed and performed Black American music for over 50 years.

The Untouchable Sound Of Bill Black's Combo

Side 1:
01. White Silver Sands
02. Movin'
03. Smokie - Part 2
04. Monkey-Shine
05. Don't Be Cruel
06. Little Queenie
07. Josephine
08. Willie

Side 2:
01. Turn On Your Love Light
02. Memphis, Tennessee
03. Hearts Of Stone
04. Twist-Her
05. Honky Train
06. Little Jasper
07. Do It - Rat Now
08. So What

The Untouchable Sound Of Bill Black's Combo (Mega)

 The Untouchable Sound Of Bill Black's Combo (Zippy)

As bass player in Elvis, Scotty and Bill, Bill Black sits for evermore at the top table in rock and roll Valhalla. What we have here is a boffo compilation of instrumental sides recorded by the group he formed in 1959 after splitting with Elvis - Bill Black's Combo.

The initial line up which featured on the group's biggest hits was - Bill Black (electric bass), Reggie Young (lead guitar), Martin Wills (tenor sax), Joe Lewis Hall (piano) and Jerry Arnold (drums). Their brand of danceable beat heavy music was an instant hit with "Smokie Parts 1 and 2" reaching number 17 in the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1959 and topping the R&B chart in January 1960. The run of chart success continued through 1960 into 1961 with "White Silver Sands" being their biggest hit at number 9 in the Hot 100 and number 1 in the R&B chart.

Their last top 20 hit was "Hearts Of Stone" in February 1961, but their records continued to enter the top 40 and then the lower reaches of the Hot 100 for several years - see the details below in the Trax Fax section. Unfortunately poor health caused Bill to retire from touring and concentrate on a recording studio he opened in Memphis.

The Combo carried on touring with a changing line up (sans Bill) which included Ace Cannon, Carl McAvoy and Chips Moman at various times and at the request of The Beatles featured as the opening act of the Fab Four's US tour of 1964. Bill sadly passed away in October 1965 while undergoing surgery for a brain tumor.

Bill Black's Combo continued to tour and record after Bill's death. There is one example of their later work on this compilation, an excellent version of Bobby Bland's "Turn On Your Love Light."

Their music wasn't well known in the UK, with only two of their records brushing the lower reaches of the charts over here in late 1960, so this LP came as a pleasant surprise when I bought it back in the 1980's. There is a touch of slightly cheesy organ on a few tracks, but in the main it's excellent toe-tapping stuff with "Twist-Her" being a standout for me. It's an absolutely essential choice for your next Big Boss Twist Party, groovers!

Bill Black's Combo was a big influence on fellow Memphis groups The Mar-Keys and Booker T and the MGs, so if you're a fan of their sounds, then you'll love this LP.

There's a marvellous YouTube clip of the group in action in the film "Teenage Millionaire" in 1961. They come across as super-cool -  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm_xBHCtubM

 Teenage Millionaire

A good short article on the group is here -

 http://www.tsimon.com/bblack.htm

Trax Trax Trax - The Fax Fax Fax

Smokie - Part 1 / Smokie - Part 2 - released on Hi 45-2018 in October 1959 - #17 in the Billboard Hot 100, December 1959. #1 in the Billboard Hot R&B Sides, January 1960.

White Silver Sands / The Wheel - released on Hi 45-2021 in February 1960 - #9 in the Billboard Hot 100, March, 1960. #1 in the Billboard Hot R&B Sides, May 1960. #50 in the UK charts in September 1960.

Josephine / Dry Bones - released on Hi 45-2022 in May 1960 - #18 in the Billboard Hot 100, July 1960.

Don't Be Cruel / Rollin' - released on Hi 45-2026 in August 1960 - #11 in the Billboard Hot 100, October 1960. #9 in the Billboard Hot R&B Sides, October, 1960. #32 in the UK charts in November 1960.

Blue Tango / Willie - released on Hi 45-2027 in November 1960 - #16 in the Billboard Hot 100, December 1960.

Hearts Of Stone / Royal Blue - released on Hi 45-2028 in February 1961 - #20 in the Billboard Hot 100, March, 1961.

Movin' / Honky Train - released on Hi 45-2038 in August 1961 - #41 in the Billboard Hot 100, October, 1961.

Twist-Her / My Girl Josephine - released on Hi 45-2042 in November 1961 - #26 in the Billboard Hot 100, January, 1962

So What / Blues For The Red Boy - released on Hi 45-2055 in July 1962 - # 78 in the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1962.

Do It - Rat Now / Little Jasper - released on Hi 45-2064 in March 1963 - #51 in the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1963.

Monkey-Shine / Long Gone - released on Hi 45-2069 in August 1963 - #47 in the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1963.

Memphis Tennessee and Little Queenie - released on Hi LP HL 12017 "Bill Black's Combo Plays Tunes By Chuck Berry" in June 1964.

Little Queenie / Boo-Ray - released on Hi 45-2079 in August 1964 - #73 in the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1964.

Turn On Your Love Light / Ribbon Of Darkness - released on Hi 45-2145 in May 1968 - #83 in the Billboard Hot 100, July, 1968.

A History Of New Orleans Rhythm & Blues Volume 2 (1959-1962)

Side 1:
01. Ooh Poo Pah Doo (Part 1) - Jessie Hill
02. A Certain Girl - Ernie K-Doe
03. Fortune Teller - Benny Spellman
04. Trick Bag - Earl King
05. I Know (You Don't Love Me No More) - Barbara George
06. All These Things - Art Neville
07. It Will Stand - The Showmen

Side 2:
01. Ya Ya - Lee Dorsey
02. Mother-In-Law - Ernie K-Doe
03. Over You - Aaron Neville
04. I Like It Like That (Part 1) - Chris Kenner
05. Sea Cruise - Frankie Ford
06. There's Something On Your Mind (Part 2) - Bobby Marchan
07. But I Do - Clarence "Frogman" Henry

A History Of New Orleans Rhythm & Blues Volume 2 (Mega)

A History Of New Orleans Rhythm & Blues Volume 2 (Zippy)

This collection of New Orleans sides mainly from the early 1960's and mainly from Joe Banashak's Minit and Instant labels (formed in 1959 and 1961 respectively) nicely book ends the series of New Orleans posts which began with the Paul Gayten "Creole Gal" LP about 6 weeks ago.

That collection included some of the earliest R&B tracks recorded in New Orleans for the DeLuxe label and across the following weeks we had sides recorded for Chess and its subsidiaries, mostly under the supervision of Paul Gayten, a Bobby Charles collection, Huey "Piano" Smith sides for Johnny Vincent's Ace label, Little Richard's Specialty sides mostly recorded in New Orleans with some of the best local musicians, and lastly some of Fats Domino's sides recorded for Imperial, often under the supervision of Dave Bartholomew.

The sides on this Rhino collection show a shift away from the 1950s sound of New Orleans towards smoother soul style productions often featuring brass stabs which you just don't find in the earlier R&B style. The figure who dominates many of these sides as producer, arranger, songwriter and piano player is Allen Toussaint who was undoubtedly largely responsible for the development of the early '60's New Orleans sound.

There are, however, connections to some of the LPs featured recently on Be Bop Wino. Frankie Ford's big hit "Sea Cruise" which was recorded for Ace has backing by Huey Smith and The Clowns. In fact the track was originally a Clowns track with vocals by Huey Smith and Gerri Hall. The vocals were removed and replaced with a Frankie Ford vocal and steamboat whistle and bell effects were dubbed on - result: a hit.

One time Clowns vocalist Bobby Marchan delivers what must surely be the talking bridge to end all talking bridges on "There's Something On Your Mind" released on Bobby Robinson's NYC based Fire label. This is a performance that is so over the top that the listener may end up questioning their own sanity. How can such a monologue even exist?

Many of the other musicians on this collection were present on the 1950s material already featured on the blog - the Neville Brothers, Ernie K-Doe, Earl King and of course Clarence "Frogman" Henry whose 1961 recording on Argo of the Bobby Charles composition "But I Do" was produced by Paul Gayten, which is where we came in, I guess. And it got to number 4 in the Billboard Hot 100. Not a bad way to finish this run of New Orleans posts. There'll be more in the near future, but let us pass on to other locations and other music in this, the Be Bop Wino summer of rock 'n' roll.

Release details of the tracks are on the back cover of the LP along with informative notes by Don Waller.

The Fats Domino Story Volume 2 - Ain't That A Shame

Side 1:
01. Please Don't Leave Me
02. You Said You Love Me
03. Don't Leave Me This Way
04. Fat's Frenzy
05. Goin' Back Home
06. '44'
07. If You Need Me
08. Where Did You Stay?

Side 2:
01. Don't You Hear Me Calling You
02. Love Me
03. Little Mama
04. Don't You Know
05. I Know
06. All By Myself
07. La La
08. Ain't It A Shame

The Fats Domino Story Volume 2 (Mega)

The Fats Domino Story Volume 2 (Zippy)

I bought this one a few years ago in a second hand record shop (now deceased) in Shawlands in the South Side of Glasgow, not far from Be Bop Wino HQ. In fact I picked up three volumes of the Fats Domino story - 2, 3 and 4, covering the years 1953 - 1958. Sorry, folks, no volume 1, so no "Fat Man" and the very early R&B hits.

Volume 2 finds Fats on the cusp of becoming a Rock 'n' Roll superstar. The final track, which was originally titled "Ain't It A Shame" was covered by Pat Boone whose version (titled "Ain't That A Shame") reached number one in the Billboard Hot Hundred. Fats' original version reached number ten in the same chart and number one in the R&B chart, becoming the second biggest R&B seller of 1955, behind "Only You" by The Platters.

As you can see from the cover scan, this LP was probably a record library disc. The record itself was in reasonable shape so it scrubs up fairly well in its digitised form. The tracks are a selection from Fats' output on Imperial from mid-1953 to mid-1955, beginning with one of the great rockers, "Please Don't Leave Me." As usual, you can find full details of the tracks below.

Fax On The Trax

Some sources list Cosimo Matassa's J & M Studio in New Orleans as the recording location of all the sides on this compilation, but Rick Coleman, author of "Blue Monday: Fats Domino and the Lost Dawn of Rock 'n' Roll" and annotator of the Ace 5 CD collection of Fats Domino's Imperial singles 1950 - 1965, is certain that the "Please Don't Leave Me" and "Ain't It A Shame" sessions were recorded in Los Angeles while Fats and his band were on tour, "Please Don't Leave Me" being recorded at Radio Recorders and "Ain't It A Shame" being recorded at Master Recorders. There is also uncertainty regarding who exactly played on some of the sessions, so what follows below should be regarded as an approximation.

Please Don't Leave Me and You Said You Love Me recorded on the 18th April, 1953. Personnel: Fats Domino (vocal, piano) with - Wendell Duconge, Robert "Buddy" Hagans, Herb Hardesty (saxes); Walter Nelson (guitar); Frank Fields (bass); Cornelius Coleman (drums).

Please Don't Leave Me / The Girl I Love - released on Imperial 5240 in June 1953. Number 3 R&B.

Rose Mary / You Said You Love Me - released on Imperial 5251 in September 1953. Number 10 R&B.

Don't Leave Me This Way and Fat's Frenzy recorded on the 2nd September, 1953. Personnel as for 18th April 1953 session.

Something's Wrong / Don't Leave Me This Way - released on Imperial 5262 in November 1953. Number 6 R&B.

Fat's Frenzy - released on EP IMP-143 "Fats Domino Rock And Rollin' Vol. 3" in August 1956. Also on Imperial LP 9009 "Fats Domino Rock And Rollin'" in August 1956.

Goin' Back Home and "44" recorded on September 19th, 1953. Personnel as for 2nd September session, although Lee Allen possibly replaces Herb Hardesty.

"44" - released on Imperial LP 9055 "The Fabulous Mr D" in 1958.

Goin' Back Home - released on Imperial LP 9227 "Walking To New Orleans" in January 1963.

If You Need Me recorded on the 27th October, 1953. Personnel - same as previous session.

If You Need Me - released on EP IMP-143 "Fats Domino Rock And Rollin' Vol. 3" in August 1956. Also on Imperial LP 9009 "Fats Domino Rock And Rollin'" in August 1956.

Where Did You Stay recorded on the 14th March, 1954. Personnel - Fats Domino (vocal, piano) with Dave Bartholomew (trumpet); Lee Allen and Herb Hardesty (saxes); Walter Nelson (guitar); Frank Fields (bass); Cornelius Coleman (drums).

Where Did You Stay / Baby Please - released on Imperial 5283 in May 1954.

Little Mama and I Know recorded on the 10th July, 1954. Personnel - similar to previous session but Wendel Duconge and Buddy Hagans replace Lee Allen and Herb Hardesty on saxes.

Thinking Of You / I Know - released on Imperial 5323 in December 1954, Number 14 R&B.

Little Mama - released on Imperial LP 9227 "Walking To New Orleans" in January 1963.

Love Me and Don't You Hear Me Calling You recorded on the 13th August 1954. Personnel as in previous session but Lee Allen and Herb Hardesty replace Wendel Duconge and Buddy Hagans on saxes.

Love Me / Don't You Hear Me Calling You - released on Imperial 5313 in October 1954.

Don't You Know recorded on the 27th January, 1955. Personnel as on 13th August session.

Don't You Know /Helping Hand - released on Imperial 5340 in February 1955. Number 7 R&B.


All By Myself and Ain't It A Shame recorded on the 15th March, 1955. Personnel: similar to above.

La-La recorded on the 30th March, 1955. Personnel probably similar to above.

Ain't It A Shame / La-La - released on Imperial 5348 in April 1955. Number 1 R&B. Number 10 in Billboard Hot 100.

All By Myself / Troubles Of My Own - released on Imperial 5357 in August 1955. Number 1 R&B.

Further Listening

As with Little Richard, the back catalogue of Fats Domino has remained in print in one form or another over the decades. In the UK you can buy public domain CD collections of both the Imperial singles and LPs at what sometimes seems to be almost giveaway prices. For example Not Now Music has a 3CD set "The Imperial Singles Collection" which has 75 tracks and which you may be able to pick up for £5.

Fats fans who hanker after every single he released on Imperial will want the 5 CD series released on Ace Uk. I've got the first 3 volumes and can recommend them most highly.

And that still wouldn't be the complete Fats output on Imperial as some tracks were only released on LP.

Recommended reading - "Blue Monday: Fats Domino and the Lost Dawn of Rock 'n' Roll" by Rick Coleman. Da Capo Press, 2007.

More Fats to be digitised soon ...

Joan Selects Volume 24 - Songs About Food

Joan Selects Volume 24 (Mega)

Joan Selects Volume 24 (Zippy)

File size = 154.9 MB

Track List

01. Dig This Menu Please! - Red Rodney Sextet
02. Saturday Night Fish Fry - The Blue Dots
03. Fried Chicken & Macaroni - The Fascinators
04. Beans And Corn Bread - Louis Jordan
05. Beans N' Greens - The Nutones
06. Sweet Potato Blues - Lonnie Johnson
07. Peanuts - Little Joe and the Thrillers
08. Peanuts - Rick & The Keens
09. Red Hots And Chili Mac - The Moroccos
10. Shortnin' Bread - The Bell Notes
11. Red Beans And Rice - Bob Mitchell
12. Red Beans And Rice - Kokomo Arnold
13. Fried Chicken - The Marylanders
14. Ham Hocks - Cecil Payne
15. Pizza Pie - Norman Fox & The Rob Roys
16. Monkey Hips And Rice - The "5" Royales
17. Rice, Red Beans And Turnip Greens - Little Richard
18. Hot Dog Dooley Wah - The Pyramids
19. Pass The Biscuits Please - Andre Williams
20. Fat Meat 'n' Greens - Edgar Hayes
21. Peppermint Stick - The El Chords
22. Hot Tamales - The Counts
23. Chicken Necks - The Genies
24. Cherry Pie - Marvin and Johnny
25. One Fried Egg - The Charioteers
26. Hot Pastrami - The Dartells
27. Hot Biscuits And Gravy - Marvin Phillips And The Good Timers
28. Crazy 'Bout Your Cooking - Johnny Otis Band
29. I Like Pie, I Like Cake - The Four Clefs
30. Hart's Bread Boogie - Billy 'Red' Love
31. Ice Cream Baby - The Pearls
32. Crab Louis - The Strangers
33. Eat Your Mush And Hush - Sonny Knight & The Cleeshays
34. Hot Dog - Chris Powell
35. Friday Fish Fry - Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson & His Orchestra
36. Hot Pastrami - Joey Dee and the Starliters
37. Hamburger Hop - Johnny Hicks
38. Hoe Cake, Hominy And Sassafras Tea - The Four Vagabonds
39. Chili Dogs - Dusty Brooks
40. Chittlin' Supper - Peg Leg Howell
41. Chittlins & Rice - Champion Jack Dupree
42. Corn Bread - Hal Singer

What is there to say? A musical feast, nay, a banquet, a blow-out, a frenzied self service buffet where you get to eat all you can, and then you go again. And then it's time for dessert. Forty-two tracks about food, served up by Joan in a fashion guaranteed to set the seasoned R&B fan drooling.

What I like about this collection is the cross genre range of the music. Of course there's plenty of doo wop, but mixed in there's pre-war blues, a hint of hillbilly, hot harmony singing, jumpin' jive, proto soul and a smattering of instrumentals, which serves as a reminder of how many an R&B, Hard Bop, Soul Jazz and Soul instro ended up being named after food. And what food! We're talking American food! OK - Mexican too. Red beans and rice, chile, hamburgers, hot dogs, soul food, stuff to make you fat, fat, fat. Could be another compilation in there.

As usual a few of the cuts are from pretty trashed discs. Andre Williams' plea to "pass the biscuits" just about makes it to the end and Marvin and Johnny's "Cherry Pie" has definitely seen better days, but that's part of the Joan Selects experience. There's a folder of label shots to go with the sounds and there's more detail on the tracks (researched by Joan) below.

So a big thank you to Joan for all her work in puttting this collection together. I've listened to it three times and in my opinion this is one of the very best of "Joan Selects." Now for some reason I've got me a hankering for a burger, fries and a Seven Up, but hold the mayo - I'm on a diet!

Original Release Details

01 Red Rodney Sextet - "Dig This Menu Please!" - Released On: Okeh 4-6899 Release date: 1952

02 The Blue Dots - "Saturday Night Fish Fry" - Released On: Ace 526 Release date: 2/1957

03 The Fascinators - "Fried Chicken & Macaroni" - Released On: Capitol F4247 Release date: 7/1959

04 Louis Jordan - "Beans And Corn Bread" - Released On: Decca 24673 A Release date: 1949

05 The Nutones - "Beans N' Greens" - Released On: Combo 45-127-AA Release date: 1957

06 Lonnie Johnson - "Sweet Potato Blues" - Released On: Okeh 8586 Release date: 1927

07 Little Joe and the Thrillers - "Peanuts" - Released on Okeh 4-7088  Release Date: 1957

08 Rick & The Keens - "Peanuts" - Released On: Smash S-1705 Release date: 1961

09 The Moroccos - "Red Hots And Chili Mac" - Released On: United U-193 Release date: 1956

10 The Bell Notes - "Shortnin' Bread" - Released On: Madison M136 Release date: 1960

11 Bob Mitchell - "Red Beans And Rice" - Released On: Derby 731 Release date: 1949

12 Kokomo Arnold - "Red Beans And Rice" - Released On: Decca 7347 A Release date: 1937

13 The Marylanders -  "Fried Chicken" - Released On: Jubilee 45-5113 Release date: 1953

14 Cecil Payne - "Ham Hocks" - Released On: Decca 48139 Release date: 1950

15 Norman Fox & The Rob Roys - "Pizza Pie" - Released On: Capitol F4128 Release date: 1959

16 The Five Royals - "Monkey Hips and Rice" - Released On: King 45-4744 Release date: 1954

17 Little Richard - "Rice, Red Beans and Turnip Greens" - Released On: Peacock 5-1628 Release date: 1954

18 The Pyramids - "Hot Dog Dooley Wah" - Released On: Shell 45-711 Release date: 1959

 

19 Andre Williams - "Pass The Biscuits Please" - Released On: Fortune 839x Release date: 1958 

20 Edgar Hayes - "Fat Meat 'n' Greens" (I) - Released On: Exclusive EXC-1339-3 Release date: 1949 

21 The Elchords - "Peppermint Stick" - Released On: Good 544 Release date: 1958 

22 The Counts - "Hot Tamales" - Released On: Dot 45-1199 Release date: 1954 

23 The  Genies - "Chicken Necks" - Unreleased Warwick recording, circa 1960

24 Marvin and Johnny - "Cherry Pie" - Released On: Modern 45x933 Release date: 1954

25 The Charioteers - "One Fried Egg" - Unreleased Josie recording, 1955

  

26 The Dartells -  "Hot Pastrami" - Released On: Dot 45-16453 Release date: 2/1963

27 Marvin Phillips & Goodtimers- "Hot Biscuits & Gravy" - Released On: Eastman 800 Release date: 1959

28 The Johnny Otis Band - "Crazy 'Bout Your Cooking" - Released On: Exclusive EXC-1299-5 Release date: 1949

29 The Four Clefs - "I Like Pie, I Like Cake" - Released On: Bluebird B-9994-B Release date: 1941

30 Billy Love - "Hart's Bread Boogie" - Released On: Harts Bread H B-66 Release date: 1954

31 The Pearls - "Ice Cream Baby" - Released On: Onyx 511 Release date: 1957

32 The Strangers- "Crab Louis" - Released On: Christy C-45-107-A Release date: 1959

33 Sonny Knight & The Cleeshays- "Eat Your Mush and Hush" - Released On: Eastman ES 787-00 Release date: October 1958

34 Chris Powell - "Hot Dog" - Released On: Columbia 30162 Release date: June 1949

35 Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson & His Orchestra -  "Friday Fish Fry" - Released On: Mercury 8110 Release date: 1947

36 Joey Dee - "Hot Pastrami with Mashed Potatoes Part 1" - Released On: Roulette R-4488 Release date: 1963

37 Johnny Hicks - "Hamburger Hop" - Released On: Columbia 20737 Release date: 1950 

38 The Four Vagabonds - "Hoe Cake, Hominy And Sassafras Tea" - Released On: Apollo 1030 Release date: 1946

39 Dusty Brooks - "Chili Dogs" - Released On: Bullet 346-B Release date: 1951

40 Peg Leg Howell - "Chittlin' Supper" - Released On: Columbia 14426-D Release date: 1929

41 Champion Jack Dupree - "Chitlins and Rice" Released on Apollo 407 Release Date 1948

42 Hal Singer Sextette - "Corn Bread" - Released On: Savoy 671-A Release date: 1948