Break-A-Way

[axel]

The fact that Mr.Voelkel runs one of the biggest 60s mailorders in Europe somehow distracts from the fact that he also runs one of most excellent 60s garage labels these days, in my opinion.
At one point when ordering stuff from his mailorder I started buying one or two Break-A-Way releases just out of curiosity. It turned out that every single release was great: The Jagged Edge, United Travel Service, The Fifth Order, Morning Dew, The Roosters, The Jujus etc. Also the split 10"s with one group on each side. All of them superb.
The latest one I got is the Abstracts "Hey, Let's Go Now". Great early British Invasion stuff, somewhat after the Beatles but before the Stones, with touches of surf and other pre-Invasion elements. I really like that style. I guess not too many bands were so quick in adopting the new style, before the influence of the harder rocking R&B groups was probably much stronger than that of the Beatles. (Jack London & the Sparrows is another favourite of that specific era.) Funny thing is that the singer of the Abstracts says that they were doing this kind of thing before hearing the Beatles, and that at the time he even claimed that the Beatles stole from them. "Sanity returned somewhat later", he says.
There's a cool article and interview on www.60sgaragebands.com/abstracts.html
So, yeah, I'm a fan of Break-A-Way I must say.
By the way the label homepage seems to have been upgraded recently:
http://www.break-a-way.de/

 

[gregk25]

By the way the label homepage seems to have been upgraded recently:
http://www.break-a-way.de/

I just wish the graphic department of Break-a-Way would be upgraded as well. These United Travel Service and Roosters sleeves were pretty much unbearable (but in an aesthetic league with the outlook of his web-site). If you manage to close your eyes though, Wolfgang put out a number of cool releases.

 

[beccabear67]

I remember good service and packaging. I have a few of the LPs and would like a few more, especially that Guilloteens one. I think I got a United Empire Loyalists LP through him although it had a different label.

 

[Perkeo]

Can`t wait to get that (pre United Travel Service) LP by the Redondos - unreleased Oregon garage yes please! Anyone picked it up yet?

 

[greenfuzz]

Can`t wait to get that (pre United Travel Service) LP by the Redondos - unreleased Oregon garage yes please! Anyone picked it up yet?

The Redondos should be available at the end of the month, followed closely by an LP and EP combo of unreleased '67 garage. The full announcement should be within a week.

Break-A-Way is carrying the garage torch the way Sundazed used to before they starting focusing on straight reissues. The Fifth Order, Jagged Edge, Roosters and Ringers are still among my all-time favorite releases. Wolfgang always does a great job so it's great that he's Aldo announced an EP by The Syndicate.

 

[Duceditor]

I just want to add a comment about Wolfgang Voelkel and Break-A-Way Records... I recently had the privilege of working with Wolfgang on the very release that Axel mentions in his thread starting comment, The Abstracts "Hey, Let's Go Now!" Never in all my years in the music business have I had the joy of working with anyone any way like him. His goal is exactly the same as the music's fans for the simple reason that he IS a fan -- a passionate, wholly involved one. And his knowledge about non-mainstream `60s music is phenomenal.

I wish The Abstracts had found such a producer back in their heyday. Someone who loved the music and was interested in more than just $$$s. But finding him now was a blessing all its own, and he and the Break-A-Way Records team took the Abstracts' 45 year old recordings and worked magic with them -- sometimes mastering and remastering them over and over until they new that what was coming off the vinyl matched exactly what we the musicians (I was the band's lead guitarist) had heard on the studio's monitors all those years ago.

I, too, look for Break-A-Way Records releases. And now I am looking forward to next step for The Abstracts' "Hey, Let's Go Now!" -- its release on CD, likely this Autumn.

 

[Duceditor]

Have to add a few words to this older thread. I have been working these last few days helping to finalize the details for Break-A-Way Records' release of The Abstracts' "Hey, Let's Go Now!" CD. Once again I have to sing Wolfgang Voelkel and all the Break-A-Way team's praises. These are truly lovers of our favorite music. SO, so different from the "big" faceless companies and producers!

-Don

PS - It'll be out next month - September 2013!

 

[greenfuzz]

Great cover, Don. Looks great.

 

[axel]

Cool pics. Is that you on the top right, Don? Great rockin' shot. Looks as if your kneeling down on the floor...

 

[Duceditor]

Yes. Rockin' out at the very first performance of The Abstracts in Concert" November 6, 1964.

I can still get down like that if there is someone around to help me get back up.

The First batch of "Hey, Let's Go Now!" CDs are on their way to dealers now. :) As always working with Break-A-Way on the project was a pure pleasure.

-Don