Playlist and general update: It's kinda weird, but my fave disc of the past week or so is Chris Stamey's The Summer Sun (Ork, 1977). Not that it's a weird disc or whatev, it's just that it's still icy cold over here and I've been sufferin' from a ongoin' cold/flue for well over a week now. Coughin', weezin', sneezin' and the compulsory tsunami of snot. Hardly the right mindset for diggin' this Chilton produced Spectorish gem. "Oh summer sun where art thou?" Speakin' of uncle Phil, I've recently dug up this 1976 45 by Stars In The Sky, a duo consisting of Dan and David Kessel, sons of Spector sidekick Barney Kessel. Both Baby Hold On and Love (What A Feeling) have that patented wall of sound, while the former also sports a stingy Edmunds-type solo. As good as anything on Shake Some Action, no kiddin'. Speakin' of which, The New Legion Rock Spectacular's take on Second Cousin (Spectatcular, 1975), must be one of the first (and best!) Groovies covers ever, almost beatin' Loney & Co. at their own game. Anybody familiar with their full-length from around the same time? The Fast's Kids Just Wanna Dance (Ram, 1977) is a solid Chin/Chap-like pop tune (produced by Richard Gottehrer, no less). These guys got a recent comp on Munster that's OK-ish at best, but this and their track on the first Max's disc are their best songs. Standard powerpop fare by now I guess, but the Rubinoos' I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend (Beserkley, 1979) is still on heavy rotation here at HQ. Fans of this kind o' stuff might wanna check out Nada Surf's latest album The Weight Is A Gift, slightly more moody in Big Star-ish way next to the exuberant Rubinoos, but a contender anyway. One day I'm gonna write a re-appraisal for the mucho malignered Akron Ohio scene, 'cause I've been spinnin' these age ol' Clone 45s like hell recently. Bizarros, Human Switchboard, Rubber City Rebels, Waitresses and even Tin Huey. The Stiff comp that started the hype is still available cheap and serves as a fine introduction. Damn, it's gettin' late and I still wanna tell you about the Twinkeys' Aliens In Our Midst and the Quick's Pretty Please. Better save 'm for next time. Over and out. Aaaaaa-choo!
3 comments:
I know / love almost all what you mentioned here, Jeroen.
That Chris Stamey 7" is awsome. At this era, I was also listening to Dwight Twilley Band 1st LP and the Real Kids 7".
Those Akron groups were great too.
About the Groovies : this Stars In The Sky 7" is brilliant. And so is the New Legion Rock Spectacular 7", but my opinion is that it's not as good as the Groovies - this bass guitar part is the best I've ever heard. I didn't know that NLRS issued an LP, but I just ordered it on Music Stack, gonna tell you how it is when I get it. In this LP, they cover "Headin' For The Texas Border" - anyone noticed that the song is based on Ray Charles "I Don't Need No Doctor" ? Ray's intro is even better than the Groovies' one, every one have to hear that.
Patrick
Can't believe I've never heard the Ray Charles swipe, 'cause it's so obvious... Thanks for the tip-off Patrick! Gonna pull out Scincerly tonight, the title tune has some of the best backwards guitar ever. And yeah, please keep me posted on the NLRS LP, I remember it being reviewed in Bomp magazine once but can't seem to locate it right now.
Thanks again!
Well whadda you know. Steve Hesske forwarded this link on the current whereabouts of the Human Switchboard's Robert Pfeifer.
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