Artist: Sharon Tandy & The Feur De Lys. Titles: Stay With Me c/w Hold On. Label: Atlantic. Format: 7". Country: UK. Cat. No.: 584124. Year: 1967.
Double header from Sharon Tandy backed by The Fleur De Lys is today's subject. Released in 1967 on red label Atlantic (via Polydor) the A Side gives you a rather excellent version of the Jerry Ragovay penned "Stay With Me" - and what you get here is possibly the best reading of the song I've heard, and avoids overcooking things - which the Walker Brothers and original Lorraine Ellison version are guilty of. The flip side is an absolute belter - and the song Sharon Tandy's probably best associated with - "Hold On". It's absolutely cracking bit of Mod/Freakbeat/Psyche and features some amazing guitar work from Bryn Haworth - the song had previously been done by the Fleur De Lys under their other guise as Rupert's People - and issued as a single on EMI Columbia - DB 8226, and the difference in the lyrics on this version are mainly down to the band playing it from memory on the Sharon Tandy session. A mint copy of this is currently worth around the £50 mark.
The song was an european hit, and then reissued in the UK as the A Side on Atlantic 584219 in 1968 with the classic psyche/freakbeat Julie Driscol flavoured "Daughter Of The Sun" as the flip side. This is another bit amazing stuff - again check out the Bryn Haworth guitar work. Valuewise a mint copy of this will set you back around £100.
For further Sharon Tandy - your best bet is the Big Beat compiltation 'You Gotta Believe It's... Sharon Tandy' - which features all above mentioned tracks, and a lot more besides. And which I seriously recommend checking out!
Artist: Francoise Hardy. Titles: If You Listen, La Question. Format: LP. Country: France and US. Year:1971.
Slightly different format for this post - as there are 2 LPs I'm focussing on - both issued in (or around) 1971 by Francoise Hardy. Firstly the "If You Listen" album which is to date the last full English language set of songs she's released - which of course doesn't include the track with Blur (the 'La Comedie' full french and half french/half english version of 'To The End'), and 'Revenge of the Flowers' done with Malcolm McClaren. The album was recorded at Sound Techniques in London - the very same studios used by Nick Drake and others on Joe Boyd's Witchseason rosta, and features amongst others Richard Thompson playing on a number of tracks. Other connections include sound engineer Vic Gamm who worked alongside John Wood on the Nick Drake stuff. The highlight of the album for me has to be "Bown, Bown, Bown" - co-written by a pre-Foreigner Mick Brown, who was part of FH's studio band during this period, after having fulfilled a similar for Sylvie Vartan in the mid-60's. And what's great about it - apart from FH being in very fine form as you would expect - is that very Nick Drake-y vibe to the whole thing, especially with the interplay between the acoustic guitars and the Robert Kirby styled strings. There's a french version of this which appears of Francoise's subsequent 1972 LP 'Et Si Je M'en Vais Avant Toi' which I presume was recorded at the same time as the english version (as well as the Portugese version!). And in common with a lot of the stuff translated into french - Francoise does the honours herself - as she did with the Bacharach & David/Shirelles song 'The Love Of A Boy' amongst others back in the 60's. And if anyone was listening to BBC Radio 2 back in January you would have me talking about it on Michael Ball's 'Sunday Brunch' show before they played the song - a great way to get this wonderful song out there to the wider audience it deserves.
Despite what been said about this set on some other Francoise Hardy related blogs, I have to differ. As it's one of those albums that subtly hooks you and gently reels you in without your consciously realizing it. And it has some great tracks on it in addition to one already mentioned. Including 2 by Beverley Martin "Ocean" and the rather excellent "I Can't The One I Want", and 2 by Buffy St Marie:- "Until It's Time For You To Go" and "Take My Hand For A Little While". Add to the version of "The Garden of Jane Delawney", and an enderaring version of Randy Newman's "I Think It's Going To Rain Today" - which pretty much follows the Dusty template. And to round things off an slightly quirky version of ole Shaky's "Till The Morning Comes".
Alternate Cover
La Question 45
The second FH LP is another personal fave from this period "La Question" done with the Brazillain female flamenco guitarist Tuca - and again a pretty superlative set.
What's most noticeable is the stripped down sound and arrangements of the songs - especially when compared to overdone/overcooked arrangements on FH's late 60's stuff - the worst offender I can think of being the 1968 'En Anglais' LP where you're struggling to hear the vocals over the sea of strings. This thankfully doesn't. The thing that immediately struck me when I first heard this (and still does) is that it's pretty apparent that FH had heard Nick Drake's stuff - and "Oui Je Dis Adieu" wouldn't sound out of place in either 'Five Leaves Left' or 'Bryter Layter'. And of it's generally thought to be the case that a joint project between Francoise and Nick Drake was in the planning stages when he died in 1974. (As to whether anything was recorded is a matter of conjecture for another post at another time.) The other highlights here have to "La Question" itself the albums opener "Viens" and "Bati Mon Nid".
Artist: The Velvet Underground. Title: White Heat (EP). Label: AEB. Format: 7"EP. Country: UK. Cat. No.: AEB 100. Year: 1976.
Today's platter under the spotlight is this 1976 EP from the Velvets - feat. 4 tracks that would later surface on the officially released 'VU' and 'Another View' LPs in the mid 80s - but here they are as they first appeared. And it's the first of the Velvet's records that I was intent on getting - in this case found in the Plastic Factory in Brum and which cost me about a fiver, if memory serves. The sleeve's one of those where you can spend sometime identifying/recognising who's on it - all 4 four Velvets plus Nico you can have for starters - the rest you can find for yourselves! Valuewise worth around the £20 mark with its condition.
Side One is devoted to the rather excellent "Foggy Notion" - and just goes to show that Lou Reed was capable writing something that didn't deal with the crash-life lifestyles on the habitutees of The Factory and approaches being a comparatively straight-forward pop song, and as such more akin the Velvets' third LP. Not surprising as it from the 1968/9 period and features Doug Yule in as replacement for John Cale.
Side Two opens up with "Temptation Inside Your Heart" which is that strange beast a Cale era Velvets' track that sounds like he and Lou Reed are actually having fun in the studio - which this tongue-in-cheek Motown/Martha & The Vandellas tribute is without a doubt - ironic because it's pretty much the last thing the Welsh One did with the Velvets' before being sacked by Reed. Next up is the delightfully quirky Mo Tucker showcase that is "I'm Sticking With You" - and I have to admit I prefer the slightly knackered sound quality here to the pristine quality on the officially released version on 'VU'. The final track is another good on in the shape of "Ferryboat Bill" - again from around 1969 and officially issued on the 'Another View' LP.
Today's post is request from erstwhile Playhawk drummer 'Ook the Duke, even though he has this vinyl platter under discussion today - Julian Cope's 1985 "Sunspots" taken from the slightly strange 'Fried' LP - and a fairly accurate description of the state of the Arch-Drude's brain cells around this period. The song itself is one one the more accessible tracks from the album, and only has hints of the somewhat frazzled state the listener found him in on the rest of the album - including the 'Fear' era John Cale style visceral angst that is 'Run Run Raynard'. And it really shouldn't come as any surprise that Mercury/Phonogram dropped him from their rosta - you can almost picture some record company exec fervently hoping that this time they'd get something that sounded more like The Teardrop Explodes - only for this to arrive and then weeping into his filofax in despair as a consequence. Back to the music - the flip side of the 1st single gives you the somewhat more tripped out mushroom-influenced 'I Went On Chourney'.
Record two has on it's A Side "Mik Mak Mok" - another trip through the frazzled brain of Mr Cope. The final track is the rather good "Land of Fear" - which would've have a great single in its own right. This is the second version recorded - the first/demo version can be found as the uncredited bonus track in the 'Sunshine Playroom' 12" where you can hear Star Wars starting/or finishing on the TV in the background. The 3rd is the final track on 1999's '20 Mothers' album.
After this Julian kinda sorted himself out and signed with Island - and in due course produced the outstanding 'Peggy Suicide', then parted company with them after some choice comments about Bono/U2 and a certain Axl Rose in particular. And now follows his own unique path which includes checking out a stone circles or other such neolithic sites or phenomena, delivering lectures on such and still releasing the occasional record when he feels like it.
Artist: The Circus. Title: I'll Always Love You. Label: Jambee. Fomat: 7". Country of Issue: US. Cat. No.: JP-1007. Year: 1960s.
Today's post features a hybrid genre I'm a bit of a fan Psychedellic N. Soul - and the choice today has to be the best example I can think of - The Circus' take on "I'll Always Love You", which Jock Mitchell in Scarborough put me onto, and then gave me the record the last time I saw him - thanks and much appreciated. I reckon this has to have been released around 1966 - though of course it could a year or so either side - but it certainly sounds like it's from '66. The arrangement sticks pretty close The Detroit Spinners original - apart of course from the fuzz guitar solo mid-through, and I did notice that the song's credited to Mickey Stevenson and I Turner - although the latter should be Ivy Jo Hunter. The only other Pysche/N. Soul crossover I can think of the Seeds' seminal 'Pushin' To Hard'.
The flip side of this Circus offering is "Away From This World" and is more straightforward beat/garage type track. And apart from the it's penned by Kevin Murphy and produced by Jordan Miller & Morrie Parker- that's pretty much all I've managed to find out about this single, although whether this the same Circus responsible for the full on Pysche/Garage wowness that is 'Bad Seed (You're A Bad Seed)' I'm not sure. Even a search on the excellent Garagehangover blog draws a blank. Though of course that's not going to stop from continuing to look - and if anyone out there has any additional info please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Artist: T.Rex. Title: 20th Century Boy. Label: T.Rex Wax Co./EMI. Format: 7". Country of Issue: UK. Cat. No.: MARC 4. Year; 1973.
A bumper batch on today's post - first up this 1973 offering from T.Rex. The A Side is the rather good "20th Century Boy" - and possibly his best known song at the present (revived to a great extent after being featured in a Levi's ad a few years back) - and posted as a thanks to the Playhawk boys who did a cracking version in their live set on Saturday night. The B Side gives you "Free Angel", which a okayish bit Glam Rock.
Artist: The Rolling Stones. Title: Satisfaction. Label: Decca. Format; 7". Country of Issue: Germany. Cat. No.: DL 25 000. Year: 1965.
Next up is this German pressing of the Stones classic - which I think I picked up in Brum about 5 years ago - only think to really add is that the title's shortened to just "Satisfaction" - rather the the longer 'I Can't Get No...'
The B Side is "The Under-Assistant West Coast Promotion Man" is pretty much filler material - first surfacing on their 3rd LP 'Out Of Our Heads'. With Mick & Keith using their Nanker and Phelge psuedonyms for the writing credits.
Artist: The Rolling Stones. Title: Mother's Little Helper. Label: London. Format: 7". Country of Issue: Canada. Cat. No.: L.902. Year;1966.
Third up is this rather good Canadain double-header from the Stones - feat. 2 tracks from the 1966 'Aftermath' set. The A Side side serves up the album's opener the excellent "Mother's Little Helper" - just check out Brian Jones on what sounds like an electric sitatr, and the whole thing in general really!
The flip side is another piece of greatness in the form of "Lady Jane" - and don't for one moment let the tune lull you into a false sense of security, as one listen to the lyrics will leave in no uncertain terms as to the subject matter - class distinctions (which where still there to a level in the mid 60's - though rapidly crumbling fast, although it didn't stop the powers that be from trying to make an example of Mick & Keith).
Artist: Tyrannosaurus Rex. Title: Debora. Label: Old Gold. Format: 7". Country of issue: UK. Cat. No.: OG 9234. Year: 1982.
1982 reissue of these 2 tunes from Tyrannosaurus Rex - both originally issued in 1968 on the UK golden oldies Old Gold imprint. The A Side label would lead you to believe that is a reissue of the 1968 single from Marc Bolan and Steve Peregrine-Took - but actually it isn't. What you get here is in fact the LP version from 'Prophets Seers & Sages' - which is the rerecorded and the palindromic retitled "Deboraarobed" - quite appropriate as the track is looped back itself half-way through. And good bit psyche-folk as good as anything the likes of the Incredible String Band or the original Nirvana produced around this period
The flip side is the 1968 version of "One Inch Rock" - itself rerecorded for the first T.Rex LP. Though that version is a lot rockier, as by that point Bolan had moved on from the Tolkien inspired pysche-folk of this period to that curious beast now known as Glam Rock.
Double header from Sharon Tandy backed by The Fleur De Lys is today's subject. Released in 1967 on red label Atlantic (via Polydor) the A Side gives you a rather excellent version of the Jerry Ragovay penned "Stay With Me" - and what you get here is possibly the best reading of the song I've heard, and avoids overcooking things - which the Walker Brothers and original Lorraine Ellison version are guilty of. The flip side is an absolute belter - and the song Sharon Tandy's probably best associated with - "Hold On". It's absolutely cracking bit of Mod/Freakbeat/Psyche and features some amazing guitar work from Bryn Haworth - the song had previously been done by the Fleur De Lys under their other guise as Rupert's People - and issued as a single on EMI Columbia - DB 8226, and the difference in the lyrics on this version are mainly down to the band playing it from memory on the Sharon Tandy session. A mint copy of this is currently worth around the £50 mark.
For further Sharon Tandy - your best bet is the Big Beat compiltation 'You Gotta Believe It's... Sharon Tandy' - which features all above mentioned tracks, and a lot more besides. And which I seriously recommend checking out!
