Rythmn Boy
Ikon Class
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2016
- Location
- Darwin, NT
Already mid-February and no one talking about last year's purchases yet, so here goes.
Mainly local stuff for me again, but a few good things in this lot.
Australia
Laurie Allen and Bobby Bright (Bobby and Laurie) – Crazy Country Hop/ It Ain’t Fair. Go!!, G 5018
The A-side has a Diddley beat, but doesn’t really cut it. The original on the B-side is better, and gets better each time you listen to it.
Ray Brown and The Whispers – Ray Brown and The Whispers, LP. Leedon, LL31,646
First LP by Ray and the boys. No originals here, but there are a couple of inspired covers and several of the band’s singles. What seems incredible is that a third of the songs on this LP also appear on the Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs LP released at the same time. They’re both good, but I think some of The Whispers’ versions have the edge. Interestingly, in both cases the labels imply that ‘Devoted To You’ is the same song as the one done by the Everly Brothers written by Boudleaux Bryant, but it’s not. According to youtube comments, the song done by The Whispers and The Aztecs was written by Liverpool beat band The Dennisons. I read in a Ray Brown interview that his band ‘stole’ ‘Devoted To You’ from The Aztecs because that band ‘stole’ some other song from The Whispers. Maybe, but there are four songs in common on each LP.
Ray Brown and The Whispers – Hits And Brass, LP. Leedon, LL31,798
All the songs on the A-side were also released as singles and four of them were also included on the band’s first LP. In addition to that, their version of ‘In The Midnight Hour’ that appears on the B-side was also later released as a single. It’s a good version, but overall the LP is not good value for money if you already have the 45s. On the other hand, it’s nice to have them all together. It’s a good collection.
Ray Brown and The Whispers – Headin’ For The Top, LP. Calendar, R66-49
Budget release that seems to have come out not long after the Leedon version. Again, not an original song in sight, but there are some classy beat tunes on offer. However, there also a few from an earlier period that maybe should have stayed there, like, ‘High School Confidential’ and ‘Rockin’ Pneumonia’. The fake applause on some tracks is also annoying. I’m three albums in and still two to go, but are the last two Ray Brown and The Whispers LPs worth owning? They seem to be going downhill here.
The Cherokees – That’s If You Want Me To/ Stop The Misery. Go!!, G 5016
It’s the A-side you want here. Doesn’t let up and a cool lead break. The whole thing is far dirtier than The Beau Brummels’ version.
The Cherokees – A Woman With Soul/ I’ll Give You Love. Go!!, G 5028
Both songs are pretty good, but the B-side has the edge. A real belter.
The Feel Goods – Till You Find Out/ A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square. RCA, 101727
The original on the A-side by this Brisbane band is a pretty classy beat tune, Forget about the B-side
The No Names – She Is Mine/ All Because Of You. Polydor, NH 59080
The band that later became The Throb. The A-side is a jaunty sort of beat tune, whereas is ‘All Because Of You’ is a slower bluesy sort of affair. Both are good.
Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs – Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs, Parlophone, PMEO 9377
Originally released in 1965, my copy comes from the Encore Series, which I assume means it was a re-release, but no idea how much later. As noted above, several of the songs on this LP were also covered by Ray Brown and The Whispers. The versions are sufficiently different to make both LPs interesting. I think this iteration of The Aztecs must have been a pretty formidable live band. The great pity is that Tony Barber did not write more songs for them to record.
Paul Wayne – I Need You/ I’m Coming Home, CBS BA-221359
A great double header. Don’t know who the band is, but they’re belting it out here. Paul Wayne, in the meantime, comes across as a genuine crooner, but seeing as how he self-penned both sides he gets full garage credentials from me.
Hong Kong
Judi Jim – I Can’t Forget You [in Chinese]/ Michelle [in English and Chinese]. Columbia, CHK 1016
It’s a bit of a stretch to include this record on a garage forum, but I am guessing there might be a few people interested in Chinese versions of Beatles songs. If so, see the B-side. Judi is a good singer. Not listed on Discogs or 45cat.
Indonesia
Koes Bersaudara – Djadikan Aku DombaMu, 10 inch LP. Mesra, MP 41
I am not 100% sure, but I think this was the brothers’ first release after spending time in prison for upsetting the Soekarno regime’s anti-Western rhetoric by playing Beatles’ songs. The experience shows in the songs, which have a reflective quality, but often with a tension in the music as well. It’s not garage, but more of a subtle folk-psych sort of thing. I like it.
New Zealand/USA
Ray Columbus & The Art Collection – Kick Me (I Think I’m Dreaming)/ She’s A Mod. Colstar, 67-1001
The A-side is just great. I’ve had the song on one of the Ugly Things comps forever, but hearing the 45 blasting out of my sound system is just something else. The B-side is a minor reworking of the song Ray had recorded earlier with The Invaders. It’s good, but sounds a bit lightweight compared to the A-side. But then, ‘Kick Me’ is such a heavy hitter and hard to compete with. A fantastic record.
UK
The Troggs – Hip Hip Hooray/ Louie, Louie/ Say Darlin’?/ From Home. Fontana, T65 016 TE
Most singles and EPs by The Troggs don’t seem to be rare or difficult to come by. Neither is this one, but it is a bit special to me. I was listening to a ‘Best Of’ album by The Troggs on my little picnic-variety CD player and was really taken by their version of ‘Louie Louie’ and thought it would be great to have the single. Then I discovered there isn’t one. It originally appeared on the band’s debut album and never got a separate UK release. However, it was included on a 1967 EP from Portugal, which is my copy. Only 7-inch release as far as I can tell. The other tracks are also good.
Mainly local stuff for me again, but a few good things in this lot.
Australia
Laurie Allen and Bobby Bright (Bobby and Laurie) – Crazy Country Hop/ It Ain’t Fair. Go!!, G 5018
The A-side has a Diddley beat, but doesn’t really cut it. The original on the B-side is better, and gets better each time you listen to it.
Ray Brown and The Whispers – Ray Brown and The Whispers, LP. Leedon, LL31,646
First LP by Ray and the boys. No originals here, but there are a couple of inspired covers and several of the band’s singles. What seems incredible is that a third of the songs on this LP also appear on the Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs LP released at the same time. They’re both good, but I think some of The Whispers’ versions have the edge. Interestingly, in both cases the labels imply that ‘Devoted To You’ is the same song as the one done by the Everly Brothers written by Boudleaux Bryant, but it’s not. According to youtube comments, the song done by The Whispers and The Aztecs was written by Liverpool beat band The Dennisons. I read in a Ray Brown interview that his band ‘stole’ ‘Devoted To You’ from The Aztecs because that band ‘stole’ some other song from The Whispers. Maybe, but there are four songs in common on each LP.
Ray Brown and The Whispers – Hits And Brass, LP. Leedon, LL31,798
All the songs on the A-side were also released as singles and four of them were also included on the band’s first LP. In addition to that, their version of ‘In The Midnight Hour’ that appears on the B-side was also later released as a single. It’s a good version, but overall the LP is not good value for money if you already have the 45s. On the other hand, it’s nice to have them all together. It’s a good collection.
Ray Brown and The Whispers – Headin’ For The Top, LP. Calendar, R66-49
Budget release that seems to have come out not long after the Leedon version. Again, not an original song in sight, but there are some classy beat tunes on offer. However, there also a few from an earlier period that maybe should have stayed there, like, ‘High School Confidential’ and ‘Rockin’ Pneumonia’. The fake applause on some tracks is also annoying. I’m three albums in and still two to go, but are the last two Ray Brown and The Whispers LPs worth owning? They seem to be going downhill here.
The Cherokees – That’s If You Want Me To/ Stop The Misery. Go!!, G 5016
It’s the A-side you want here. Doesn’t let up and a cool lead break. The whole thing is far dirtier than The Beau Brummels’ version.
The Cherokees – A Woman With Soul/ I’ll Give You Love. Go!!, G 5028
Both songs are pretty good, but the B-side has the edge. A real belter.
The Feel Goods – Till You Find Out/ A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square. RCA, 101727
The original on the A-side by this Brisbane band is a pretty classy beat tune, Forget about the B-side
The No Names – She Is Mine/ All Because Of You. Polydor, NH 59080
The band that later became The Throb. The A-side is a jaunty sort of beat tune, whereas is ‘All Because Of You’ is a slower bluesy sort of affair. Both are good.
Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs – Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs, Parlophone, PMEO 9377
Originally released in 1965, my copy comes from the Encore Series, which I assume means it was a re-release, but no idea how much later. As noted above, several of the songs on this LP were also covered by Ray Brown and The Whispers. The versions are sufficiently different to make both LPs interesting. I think this iteration of The Aztecs must have been a pretty formidable live band. The great pity is that Tony Barber did not write more songs for them to record.
Paul Wayne – I Need You/ I’m Coming Home, CBS BA-221359
A great double header. Don’t know who the band is, but they’re belting it out here. Paul Wayne, in the meantime, comes across as a genuine crooner, but seeing as how he self-penned both sides he gets full garage credentials from me.
Hong Kong
Judi Jim – I Can’t Forget You [in Chinese]/ Michelle [in English and Chinese]. Columbia, CHK 1016
It’s a bit of a stretch to include this record on a garage forum, but I am guessing there might be a few people interested in Chinese versions of Beatles songs. If so, see the B-side. Judi is a good singer. Not listed on Discogs or 45cat.
Indonesia
Koes Bersaudara – Djadikan Aku DombaMu, 10 inch LP. Mesra, MP 41
I am not 100% sure, but I think this was the brothers’ first release after spending time in prison for upsetting the Soekarno regime’s anti-Western rhetoric by playing Beatles’ songs. The experience shows in the songs, which have a reflective quality, but often with a tension in the music as well. It’s not garage, but more of a subtle folk-psych sort of thing. I like it.
New Zealand/USA
Ray Columbus & The Art Collection – Kick Me (I Think I’m Dreaming)/ She’s A Mod. Colstar, 67-1001
The A-side is just great. I’ve had the song on one of the Ugly Things comps forever, but hearing the 45 blasting out of my sound system is just something else. The B-side is a minor reworking of the song Ray had recorded earlier with The Invaders. It’s good, but sounds a bit lightweight compared to the A-side. But then, ‘Kick Me’ is such a heavy hitter and hard to compete with. A fantastic record.
UK
The Troggs – Hip Hip Hooray/ Louie, Louie/ Say Darlin’?/ From Home. Fontana, T65 016 TE
Most singles and EPs by The Troggs don’t seem to be rare or difficult to come by. Neither is this one, but it is a bit special to me. I was listening to a ‘Best Of’ album by The Troggs on my little picnic-variety CD player and was really taken by their version of ‘Louie Louie’ and thought it would be great to have the single. Then I discovered there isn’t one. It originally appeared on the band’s debut album and never got a separate UK release. However, it was included on a 1967 EP from Portugal, which is my copy. Only 7-inch release as far as I can tell. The other tracks are also good.
