JONES THE VOICE DOES NORTHERN!

Artist: TOM JONES; Title: NEVER GIVE AWAY LOVE/STOP BREAKING MYHEART; 

Label: DECCA; Format: 7"; Cat. No.: F.12349; Year: 1966; Country: UK

Looking today at this 1966 single from Tom Jones released on Decca - which features two storming tracks that I'm quite happy to file under Northern Soul. One which is fairly well regarded in that respect, one that isn't. 

 The one that generally isn't is the single's A Side "Never Give Away Love", which prior to listening to do the post for this I'd pretty much forgotten just howgood it and Tom Jones were at this point in the mid 60's.  Written by Tom's manager Gordon Mills and produced by Peter Sullivan and it's one that's really been given the full treatment in terms of production.  And definitely well worth checking out - and one I'm more than happy to consider as blue-eyed Northern Soul.

The flip side - the excellent "Stop Breaking My Heart", is the one that has been picked for plays by the talc and spin brigade.  And rather good it is too!  First came across in the context of UK recorded Northern on the Decca Northern Soul compilation CD that Deram issued a few years ago - and it's here that Jones the Voice's contribution to the genre holds its head up with pride.  Be nice to see him dust this down and do it on The Voice perhaps!

COMPACTED ENO (ANOTHER DIGITAL DIVERSION)

Artist: BRIAN ENO; Title: ANOTHER GREEN WORLD; Label: EDITIONS EG/VIRGIN; 
Format: CDS (CD Single); Cat. No.: CDT 41 (EDSCD 4); Year: 1989; Country: UK

Following on from the previous post on Frank Zappa, the next logical place to go is the other CD single mentioned - so here it is.  And this one was the first CD I ever bought - Eno's "Another Green World", from the Our Price shop in Carlisle in 1990.

So on the music. The title track "Another Green World" is the title track from Brian Eno's 1975 album, and was used as the title music for the BBC2 arts show 'Arena', and probably (like it was mine) their first exposure to that genre of music normally associated with him - Ambient.  Despite what some might tell you that the guitar work's done by Robert Fripp - it isn't, and it's Eno you're hearing on that plus all other instruments.

Next up is "Dover Beach" - dating from 1978 and written specifically for  Derek Jarman's debut feature 'Jubilee'.  Again it's just Eno solo - and creating one of those amazing soundscapes in the process - ironic considering where the track was originally used.  And prior to this release the track was unissued on CD.

Next up is "Deep Blue Day" dating from the 1983 'Apollo Atmospheres And Soundtracks' album project that also features Eno's younger brother Roger and sometime Dylan and U2 producer Daniel Lanois.  The best way describe the style of this can be summed up as Ambient Country & Western and features Daniel Lanois on guitar.  The track probably reached it's widest audience when Danny Boyle used in his film 'Trainspotting' and that scene featuring the worst loo in the world!

The proceeding are rounded off with "2/1" from 1978's 'Ambient 1: Music For Airports' set.  The parent set is the first of Eno's fully fledged Ambient Series - although elements of the ambient had appeared as early as the 1973 collaboration with Robert Fripp 'Evening Star' - and was inspired (appropriately enough) by being stuck in an airport for three hours in the mid 70's.  The wordless vocals on this track come from Christa Fast,  Christine Gomez, and Inge Zeininger - and the title itself just denotes which track it as on the original vinyl release i.e. Track 2 Side One.

And thanks to whoever it was that posted the Eno info on AllMusic and Wikipedia as well!

FRANK'S COMPACT PEACHES

Artist: FRANK ZAPPA; Title: PEACHES EN REGALIA; Label: RYKO; Format: CDS (CD Single); Cat. No.: RCD3 1001; Year: 1987

Today's post is one that I tried to do a while back but which didn't make it to the blog due to a few issues with the computer.  Using a different machine so that won't be an issue!!!!  Anyway on with the post - and this CD single from Zappa is one of the first CDs I ever bought - alongside Eno's 'Another Green World'.  Both of which came from the Our Price shop in Carlisle back in 1990.

The lead-off track is the downright wonderful "Peaches En Regalia" - and one of my all-time favourite Frank Zappa tracks.  It comes from his Jazz album 'Hot Rats' - mainly instrumental apart from the Beefheart voiced 'Willie the Pimp' - and inspired by 'Jupiter' from Gustav Holst's 'Planets Suite' (as was Manfred Mann's Earth Band's 'Joybringer').  It such an uplifting track - and alongside Zappa and Ian Underwood you've got Shuggie Otis on bass, and I've said quite a few times on this blog it's well worth checking out if you don't already know it.  And if you're unfamiliar with FZ's work then this as good a place as any to start!

Next up you've got "I'm Not Satisfied" which is Frank and The Mothers in full doo-wop mode.  The track comes from their 'Cruising With Ruben & The Jets' set.  And there's not a single teenage groupie, dodgy Senator, or other Zappa staple character in sight.  The parent LP from what I remember is Zappa's hommage to the doo-wop music he grew up with in the 50's, and which along with the composer Edgard Varèse is the influence that underpins a lot of the distinctive Frank Zappa style.

The third track on offer here is another doo-wop flavoured tune - "Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up" dating from the 1979 'Joe's Garage' set.  Compared to the previous offering this is more of straight forward reading - and I seem to remember that the lead vocal on this was handled by Ike Willis.  It's another good one, and like the other two a good intro in the unique world of the late great Frank Vincent Zappa. 

TIM BUCKLEY AT THE BEEB

Artist: TIM BUCKLEY; Title: MORNING GLORY; Label: BAND OF JOY; Format: CD; 

Cat. No.: BOJCD 009; Year: 1994; Country: UK

Tracks: Dolphins; Honey Man; Morning Glory; Coming Home To You (Happy Time); Sing A Song For You; Hallucinations/Troubadour; Once I Was.

Looking now at this set of Tim Buckley's stuff recorded for the BBC - live on the Old Grey Whistle and a session for John Peel's Radio 1 show.

The opening two tracks come from a performance from BBC 2's Old Grey Whistle Test broadcast on the 21st May 1974.  The opener is "Dolphins" written by Fred Neil is one that had been in Tim Buckley's live set since the late 60's - but which didn't make it on to record till 1974's 'Sefronia' hence the Whistle Test appearance.  Next up is "Honey Man" again from 'Sefronia' and the following track on the parent LP. This is Tim Buckley in his full sexed-up funk mode, which pretty much came about by hanging out with Sly Stone - and between 'Starsailor' and 'Greeting From L.A.' Tim was working as Sly's driver amongst other things!

The next batch of songs recorded on the 2nd April '68 as a session for John Peel's show, and in the main are taken from the 'Goodbye & Hello' set.  And generally better suited to the minimal set of musicians that the slightly overdone arrangements on the original LP.  The reason it's just Tim Buckley, guitarist Lee Underwood and Carter CC Collins - was the cost of bringing over the full band (not to mention the still slightly sniffy attitude of the Musicians Union around this time).  Onto the songs then!

First up is "Morning Glory" and one of those songs that still does it to me - and well worth checking in this version rather than aforementioned 'Goodbye & Hello' set.  Next up is another personal fave "Coming Home To You (Happy Time)" from the 'Blue Afternoon' LP (which is an LP worth checking out!) and one of that you're likely to hear me do on the open mic night at my local. It's followed by "Sing A Song To You" - again originating from the 'Goodbye...' LP and again excellent.  Next up is the biggie - the 11 minute plus opus that is "Hallucinations/Troubadour".  It's what you tend to associate with Tim Buckley from this period - launching into a piece that could go anywhere and morph unexpectedly into something you don't expect - in this case "Troubadour" and in the case of 'Pleasant Street' from the 'Dream Letter' set recorded on the same visit 'You Keep Me Hanging On'.  The proceedings are rounded off with "Once I Was" - another great tune and flute-free (unlike the original LP version).

NORTHERN SOUL ON THE GRAPEVINE

Artist: THE HAPPY CATS; Title: THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKIN'; 

Label: GRAPEVINE; Format: 7'; Cat.: GRP 110; Year: 1978; Country: UK

Looking today at a couple of Northern Soul released issued on Richard Searling's Grapevine label - distributed via RCA here in the UK.  One you'll know and one you may not (depending how much a talcum spin devotee you are!).

The first up is the more obscure of the two - 1978's offering from The Happy Cats.  The A Side gives you their take on the Lee Hazelwood penned "These Boots Are Made For Walkin' ".  First issued on Omack it's one of those instrumental Northern tracks that were popular in the latter half of the 70's - especially at Wigan Casino. And as in a lot of these things it's a question of whether you're a fan of the happy-clappy type/instrumental type Northern tunes - personally I'm not generally but I do like this one. Mainly in part due it being a Lee Hazelwood song who I'm a fan of, and that it's got a bit of Mod/Ramsey Lewis vibe to it.  Taste has a lot to do with I suppose.

The flip side is the rather good "Destroy That Boy" and unreleased until it's appearance here on Grapevine.  A good uptempo track that nods in the direction of Ray Charles and Margie Hendrix - especially on that intro and horn riff that almost sounds like The Genius' 'Don't Set Me Free'.  Valuewise  - this seems to worth around the £8 mark.  And thanks also to Soul Forum post on the Soul Source website for some the info here.

Artist: JUDY STREET; Title: WHAT; Label: GRAPEVINE; Format: 7"; Cat. No.: GRP 106;

Year: 1977; Country: UK

Next up is a Northern track that you should know!  Judy Street's classic "What".  Recorded and originally released in the State in 1968, the song's written and produced by H.B. Barnum.  Again it's one of the tunes that found favour at Wigan Casino - and it's also the only Northern track I know that's got a cello solo on it!  First came across the song via the Soft Cell hit version of the early 80's which then put me on to this one - and finally tracking down a copy at a stall at the first All-Nighter I went to at Stoke Town Hall.

The flip side is a cover of Melinda Marx's "You Turn Me On" - which has intended as the A Side - but getting flipped in favour of 'What' when it arrived in the UK.  Tunewise it's the slower tempo of the two sides on offer - okayish but nowhere in the same league as the A Side.

As is in a lot of these cases Judy Street was unaware of the popularity of "What" until around 2005 - as she'd never toured in the UK. The song's been ranked as being the 23rd most popular Northern Soul tune out of the 500 listed in a poll.  Thanks on this occasion to Judy Street's Wikipedia page for some of the info used here.

HANGING ON TO THAT DREAM

Artist: Tim Hardin; Title: HANG ON TO A DREAM; Label: VERVE-FOLKWAYS;  

Format: 7"; Cat. No.: VS 1504; Year; 1966; Country: UK

Looking today at this 1966 debut from one Rock's lost souls - Tim Hardin. Released on Verve's Folkways imprint this features two achingly beautiful but ultimately hopeless songs, that in a way typify this singer's tragic life and the seemingly constant battle with drugs - in particular the big H.

The A Side gives you "Hang On To A Dream" - opening with a simple bit electric piano before developing into a waltz tempo.  A really great song - and one that caught the ear of Francoise Hardy who cover it on her 'En Anglais' set released in 1968.

The flip side gives you the song that Tim Hardin's probably best know for "Reason to Beleive".  Like a lot of people I came to this via the Rod Stewart from the mid 70's, and it's always interesting to hear these songs done by the original artist.  One thing that's immediately apparent is how short it is (like the A Side) and the other is the Country tempo.  One other I remember hearing was that Rod tried to help out being a fan of his music- and had him as support for one of the Faces tours. However by that time (I'm guessing this the early to mid 70's) the heroin addiction had really taken hold - with the inevitable results.

A sad end.

SOUL TANGO - PART 2

Artist: THE ISLEY BROTHERS; Title: TANGO; Label: UNITED ARTISTS; Format:7";

Cat. No.: UP-1034; Year: 1963; COUNTRY:UK

Continuing the Soul tango theme from the last post, the only place you can really go next is this 1963 offering from The Isley Brothers issued on United Artists.

The A Side is the aforementioned "Tango" - but a tango done in that distinctly Isley Brothers style.  Topped off with a  great lead vocal from Ronnie Isley the production comes courtesy of Bert Berns, and it's one of those tunes that doesn't disappoint in the slightest.  Although the image that thrown up is a bit of an interesting one to say the least!

The B Side's pretty good too!  Which in this case is another Isley's penned tune in the shape of "She's Gone".  A great bit of dramatic Soul in the style of Jackie Wilson (and don't forget that 'Shout' was developed from a improvised vamp on another Jackie Wilson tune) and again well worth a listen.  Like the A Side it's one that I first came across on the compilation that Stateside put out in the late 80's 'Let's Go' which pulled together most of the sides the Isley's did for United Artists - with the exception of the one that came out on Veep just before they signed to Motown (and alleged to feature Hendrix on guitar).