Bill Haley And His Comets - Rock 'N' Roll Stage Show Part 2 EP

Side 1:
01. A Rocking Little Tune
02. Hide And Seek

Side 2:
03. Choo Choo Ch'Boogie
04. Blue Comet Blues

Download from here:

http://www93.zippyshare.com/v/H1cQcY8R/file.html

The final EP in our Bill Haley UK EP posts. Brunswick OE 9279 was released in December 1956.

Recording details:

"A Rocking Little Tune" was recorded at The Pythian Temple, NYC on the 30th March 1956. Personnel: Bill Haley (rhythm guitar); Franny Beecher (lead guitar); Billy Williamson (steel guitar); Rudy Pompilli (tenor sax); Johnny Grande (accordion); Al Rex (double bass); Ralph Jones (drums).

"Hide And Seek" was recorded at The Pythian Temple, NYC on the 23rd March 1956. Personnel as above with vocal by Billy Williamson.

"Choo Choo Ch'Boogie" and "Blue Comet Blues" were recorded at The Pythian Temple, NYC on the 27th March 1956. Personnel as above with vocal on "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie" by Bill Haley, Johnny Grande plays piano. No vocal on "Blue Comet Blues."

Original release details:

"A Rocking Little Tune" and "Hide And Seek" were first released in August 1956 on US Decca LP "Rock 'N' Roll Stage Show" Decca DL 8345, and on US Decca EP "Rock 'N' Roll Stage Show Part 2" Decca ED 2417.

"Choo Choo Ch'Boogie" was first released in August 1956 on US Decca LP "Rock 'N' Roll Stage Show" Decca DL 8345, and on US Decca EP "Rock 'N' Roll Stage Show Part 2" Decca ED 2417. Subsequently issued in December 1956 on 45 and 78 on US Decca single 30148, B Side of "Don't Knock The Rock." Single failed to chart.

"Blue Comet Blues" was first released in August 1956 on US Decca LP "Rock 'N' Roll Stage Show" Decca DL 8345, and on US Decca EP "Rock 'N' Roll Stage Show Part 2" Decca ED 2417. Subsequently issued in October 1956 on 45 and 78 on US Decca single 30085, B Side of "Rudy's Rock." Single reached number 34 in the Billboard pop chart in November 1956.

Discographical information from Chris Gardner's Bill Haley Database.

I cannot recommend the above site too highly for all things concerning Bill Haley. Further information in these posts was gleaned from "Unsung Heroes Of Rock 'n' Roll" by Nick Tosches and "The Billboard Book Of USA Top 40 Hits" by Joel Whitburn.

This copy of "Rock 'N' Roll Stage Show Part 2" was one the first vinyl records I digitized back in 2007. It belonged to long time Glasgow friends the Lawson family and somehow I inherited it. The front cover was pretty trashed and torn mainly because as well as housing the EP, an original UK issue of "(We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock" was also crammed inside. See this scan for the cover as it actually is:

I posted the EP on the old Rock Hall forum (Be Bop Wino was but a gleam in my eye back then) and a fellow forum member who wished to remain anonymous kindly produced cleaned up versions of the front and back covers:

For this post I've gone back to the original beat up version of the cover, worked on it a little with Photofiltre, and produced a version which is not quite so pristine looking as the above, but (I like to think) still preserves the "lived in" look of an artifact from the 1950s. I have also cleaned up the back cover, but it didn't require much work as it was in pretty good condition.

All three versions of the front cover are included in the download so you can chose whichever you prefer.

That's me all Bill Haleyed out now, but he may make a reappearance on the blog if and when I get round to restoring the epic post "Rock The Joint!"

Bill Haley And His Comets - Rock 'N' Roll Stage Show Part 1 EP

Side 1:
01. Calling All Comets
02. Rockin' Through The Rye

Side 2:
01. Hook, Line And Sinker
02. Rudy's Rock

Download from:

http://www6.zippyshare.com/v/ZKY9VvNW/file.html

Thanks again to Allan for this original 1950s Bill Haley EP. Brunswick OE 9278 was released in the UK in December 1956. The same EP was released in the US in August 1956. This is the first appearance of this EP on Be Bop Wino, after a delay of 5 years in getting it posted. Never mind, "Rudy's Rock" is worth the wait.

Recording details:

"Rudy's Rock" and "Hook, Line And Sinker" were recorded on March 23rd 1956 at The Pythian Temple, NYC. The personnel were:

Bill Haley (vocal & rhythm guitar) ; Franny Beecher (lead guitar) ; Billy Williamson (steel guitar) ; Rudy Pompilli (tenor sax) ; Johnny Grande (piano) ; Al Rex (double bass) ; Ralph Jones (drums)

"Calling All Comets" was recorded on  March 27th 1956 at The Pythian Temple, NYC. Personnel as above.

"Rockin' Through the Rye" was recorded on March 30th 1956 at The Pythian Temple, NYC. Personnel as above.

Original release details:

"Calling All Comets" was originally released in August 1956 on the US Decca LP "Rock 'N' Roll Stage Show" (DL 8345) and the US Decca EP "Rock 'N' Roll Stage Show Part 1" (ED 2416).

"Rockin' Through The Rye" was originally released in June 1956 on 45 and 78 on the US Decca single Decca 29948, B side of "Hot Dog Buddy Buddy." Single did not chart.

"Hook, Line And Sinker" was originally released in August 1956 on the US Decca LP "Rock 'N' Roll Stage Show" (DL 8345) and the US Decca EP "Rock 'N' Roll Stage Show Part 1" (ED 2416). It was subsequently released in March 1957 on 45 and 78 on the US Decca single Decca 30214, B side of "Forty Cups Of Coffee." Single did not chart.

"Rudy's Rock" was originally released in August 1956 on the US Decca LP "Rock 'N' Roll Stage Show" (DL 8345) and the US Decca EP "Rock 'N' Roll Stage Show Part 1" (ED 2416). It was subsequently released in October 1956 on 45 and 78 on the US Decca single Decca 30085, b/w "Blue Comet Blues." It reached number 34 on the Billboard pop chart in November 1956.

One more Bill Haley EP to come, and then we'll have something a little more "unusual" courtesy of long time contributor El Enmascarado.

Bill Haley And His Comets - Rock Around The Clock EP (Re-up)

Side 1:

01. (We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock

02. Mambo Rock

Side 2:

03. R-O-C-K

04. See You Later, Alligator

Download from:

http://www10.zippyshare.com/v/RQhQygSC/file.html

Re-up of another UK issue Bill Haley EP donated by Allan. As with the previous "Rock'N Roll" EP, "Rock Around The Clock" was issued in June 1956 and contained 2 tracks by what I like to call The Comets Mark 1 on Side 1, backed by 2 tracks from The Comets Mark 2 (the post Jodimars breakaway lineup which featured Rudy Pompilli and Al Rex) on Side 2.

Full details of personnel and recording dates are on the original post (from 20th December 2011) here:

http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/bill-haley-and-his-comets-rock-around.html

The original US single release of these tracks was as follows:

"(We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock" on Decca 29124, April 1954. Number 1 in the Billboard pop chart, summer 1955

"Mambo Rock" on Decca 29418, January 1955. Number 17 in the Billboard pop chart.

"R-O-C-K" on Decca 29870, March 1956. Number 16 in the Billboard pop chart.

"See You Later, Alligator" on Decca 29791, December 1955. Number 6 in the Billboard pop chart, early 1956.

Bill Haley And His Comets - Rock'N Roll EP (Re-up)

Side 1:
01. Razzle Dazzle
02. Two Hound Dogs

Side 2:
03. Burn That Candle
04. Rock-a-beatin' Boogie

Download from:

http://www37.zippyshare.com/v/qJKeE2xG/file.html

Continuing with the Bill Haley story ... the next 4 posts will be of original 1950s UK issues of Bill Haley And The Comets EPs, commencing with "Rock'N Roll." I must thank generous contributor Allan for 3 of these EPs. He sent in sound files and image files for "Rock'N Roll", "Rock Around The Clock" and "Rock 'N' Roll Stage Show Part 1."

Unfortunately I only ever did get round to posting the first two of these EPs. I must have been all Bill Haleyed-out back then in December 2011, so 5 years later here I am trying to make amends by posting all 3 of these EPs plus "Rock 'N' Roll Stage Show Part 2". I have a copy of that last EP which belonged to long time family friends the Lawson family and I originally posted it back in the very earliest days of the blog in 2007. This time round I'll give it the full 2016 style Be Bop Wino treatment.

In 2007 I also posted a copy of "Rock'N Roll" which belonged to the Lawsons but this present post has the sound files plus scans from Allan along with cover scans from that first copy of the EP.

The first Bill Haley EP to be issued in the UK was "Dim, Dim The Lights" (Brunswick OE 9129), in July 1955. The tracks on that EP were: "Shake, Rattle And Roll", "ABC Boogie", "Happy Baby" and "Dim, Dim The Lights."

In June 1956 two more Bill Haley EPs were issued in the UK: "Rock'N Roll" (Brunswick OE 9214) and "Rock around The Clock" (Brunswick OE 9250).

The original post on "Rock'N Roll" (9th December, 2011) can be found here:

http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/bill-haley-and-his-comets-rock-n-roll.html

That post contains full details of recording dates and personnel on the 4 tracks, plus a scan of an original single release of "Rock-a-beatin' Boogie" from Joan.

"Two Hound Dogs" and "Razzle Dazzle" were recorded by the first hit making line up of The Comets. "Burn That Candle" and "Rock-a-beatin' Boogie" were recorded after the departure of Joey D'Ambrosio, Marshall Lytle and Dick Richards to form The Jodimars, and the arrival of Rudy Pompilli, Al Rex and Ralph Jones as replacements. More details of the whys and wherefores of the breakup are in the 2011 post on the huge success of "(We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock" here:

http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/rock-around-clock.html

Here are the original US release details of the tracks on the "Rock'N Roll" EP:

"Razzle Dazzle" / "Two Hound Dogs" was released on Decca  29552 in June 1955, reaching number 15 in the Billboard pop chart.

 "Burn That Candle" / "Rock-a-beatin' Boogie" was released on Decca 29713 in October 1955, reaching number 9 in the Billboard pop chart.

More Bill coming soon!

Bill Haley And His Comets - Rock Around The Clock EP (Brunswick OE 9250)

Side 1
1. (We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock
2. Mambo Rock

Side 2
1. R-O-C-K
2. See You Later, Alligator

Download from here:

http://www10.zippyshare.com/v/RQhQygSC/file.html

Thanks again to donor Allan for contributing this Bill Haley EP which was released in the UK in June, 1956.

All 4 tracks were recorded at the Pythian Temple, New York City in 1954 – 55.

“Rock Around The Clock” was recorded on the 12th April, 1954. The Comets were:

Bill Haley (vocal and rhythm guitar); Danny Cedrone (lead guitar); Billy Williamson (steel guitar); Joey d'Ambrosio (tenor saxophone); Johnny Grande (piano); Marshall Lytle (double bass); Billy Gussak (drums)

“Mambo Rock” was recorded on the 5th January, 1955. The Comets were:

Bill Haley (vocal and rhythm guitar); Franny Beecher (lead guitar); Billy Williamson (steel guitar); Joey d'Ambrosio (tenor saxophone); Johnny Grande (piano); Marshall Lytle (double bass); Cliff Leeman (drums)

Scan courtesy Joan K

“R-O-C-K” was recorded on the 22nd November, 1955. The Comets were:

Bill Haley (vocal and rhythm guitar); Franny Beecher (lead guitar); Billy Williamson (steel guitar); Rudy Pompilli (tenor saxophone); Johnny Grande (piano); Al Rex (double bass); Cliff Leeman (drums)

“See You Later, Alligator” was recorded on the 12th December, 1955. The Comets were:

Bill Haley (vocal and rhythm guitar); Franny Beecher (lead guitar); Billy Williamson (steel guitar); Rudy Pompilli (tenor saxophone); Johnny Grande (piano); Al Rex (double bass); Ralph Jones (drums)

Ripped from vinyl at 256 kbps.

Scratchy Old Record Time - Bill Haley EP

Genuine 1950's UK-issue Bill Haley 45rpm extended play disc. Dreadful artwork on the front cover. Back cover has good liner notes - it's interesting to read the author struggling to categorise the music. The music? Ah, yes here's Bill Haley and the Comets on the same blog as some of the giants of Jazz and R&B, and guess what? Old Bill doesn't sound too bad at all! There'll be more rock'n'roll and even hillbilly on here. It's all good music!

http://rapidshare.com/files/57980147/Rock_N_Roll_EP.rar

password = greaseyspoon; ripped from vinyl at 320kbps; click on the link to get the music and the covers.

My thanks to the Lawson family - I borrowed this from them about 25 years ago. I must return it some day ...