Old Melodies ...
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The Hi-Fi's - Snakes And Hi-Fi's (1967)
Posted: 10 Nov 2012 12:51 PM PST
http://allmusic-wingsofdream.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-hi-fis-snakes-and-hi-fis-1967.html
One of the finest examples of the beat-bands-go-bonkers syndrome, the
psychedelic pop album Snakes and Hi-Fis was released in Germany in mid-1967
by exiled British group the Hi-Fis, and has long been established as a
highly sought after rarity on the worldwide beat/psych collectors market.
Bass – Gary UnwinDrums – Mel WrightGuitar – Mike Douglas (3)Organ – Brian
Bennett (2)Written-By – Malcolm Lenny
http://www.discogs.com/HiFiS-The-Snakes-And-HiFiS/release/157104
The Hi-Fi's were a London-based band that tried for two years to break out
of clubs with some recording success, cutting sides for Piccadilly and Pye,
including a catchy singalong called "Will You or Won't You," which managed
to be salacious and innocent at the same time, and the more
energetic "She's the One," and also did well by Leiber & Stoller's "I Keep
Forgettin'." It was all to no avail as the group went hitless into 1967,
dropped from their third label in as many years, and headed for the more
lucrative environs of Hamburg, Germany, where English bands were still
treated as special. Their singles cut in Germany failed, but they still got
to record an entire LP.
Label: Star-Club Records – 158 035 STYFormat: Vinyl, LP, Album Country:
GermanyReleased: Jun 1967
1. Treed Softly For The Sleepers (02:11)2. Here I Stand (02:35)3. Snakes
And Ladders (03:07)4. Grade A Girl (02:15)5. What A Bulb (02:18)6. Carolle
Ann (01:56)7. Up And Over (02:39)8. Odd Man Out (02:21)9. I'm A Box
(02:40)10. Your Haunting Me (02:20)11. Uwe Aus Duisburg (02:01)12. My Cards
Numbered 17 (02:16)13. No Two Ways (02:18)
"...The HiFis were a wonderful mid 60s London-based group that would
eventually relocate to Germany and release the above Star-Club lp in 1967.
Prior to the LPs release, the HiFis (also known as the Hi-Fi’s) also
released a series of singles. These singles were more in a soul beat style
though some of them are pretty good and worth seeking out. Their lineup
consisted of Brian Bennett (vocals and keyboards), Mike Douglas (vocals and
guitars), Malcolm Lenny (vocals and lead guitar), Gary Unwin (bass), and
Mel Wright (drums).
Many UK groups would relocate to countries such as Germany or Italy because
being a British Invasion group that played original rock n roll was seen as
something special abroad. Many of these groups like the Rokes, the
Primitives, and the Sorrows (a really excellent group) would see great
success and sell lots of records. The HiFis did pretty well in Germany and
were a popular live group. This success allowed them to record their only
album, Snakes and HiFis. I have seen other magazines describe the lp as “a
brilliant mixed bag of an lp” or “one of the finest examples of the
beat-bands-go-bonkers syndrome.” I have even heard some compare the HiFi’s
guitar and rhythm section to that of the legendary Monks (a funhouse effect
in which everything seems about ready to fall apart but the band pulls thru
in the end to keep things together). I agree with all these comparisons
though it’s really hard to put a label on the HiFis, they were pretty
unique.
There are several great tracks on Snakes and HiFis: Tread Softly For The
Sleepers (a great chunky mod psych track that reminds me of late period
Action), Snakes and Ladders, What’s A Bulb, I’m A Box, Calorie Ann (soaring
vocals and whacked out lyrical concerns), Odd Man Out, You’re Haunting Me,
My Cards Numbered 17, and the awesome but strange Uwe Aus Duisburg. Just
by looking at these titles one can tell that this music is NOT the typical
beat psych fare. As mentioned before, this lp was recorded at a time when
beat groups were experimenting with different sounds and turning to
psychedelia, so there’s a bit of an advanced mid-60s sound – short 2 minute
pop songs with a freaky edge. For those of you who love the Kinks, the
Idle Race, the Move, the Tages and the Ro-d-y’s (a great group from the
Netherlands), you’ll love this reissue (the 2008 Wooden Hill cd version to
be exact). Standout picks on my end are the buzzing organ psych of What’s
a Bulb, which is an absolutely brilliant track, and Uwe Aus Duisburg. The
latter track vaguely reminds me of The Move with its galloping tempo and
gonzoid lyrics – it’s a track that would fit in well with today’s modern
indie radio stations. Other good ones are the Pet Sounds influenced You’re
Haunting Me and the truly bizarre I’m A Box. Both of these tracks carry a
unique mellow buzz and one may also note that I’m A Box was strangely
released as a single (this track had no hit potential whatsoever). Wooden
Hill reissues are usually limited, so pick one up if you can. Snakes and
HiFis is definitely an obscure gem and a must hear for fans of Brit
psych...." ~ by Jason (THE RISING STORM )
///////////////////////////////////////////
The Lively Ones - Hang Five!!! The Best of the Lively Ones
Posted: 10 Nov 2012 09:51 AM PST
http://allmusic-wingsofdream.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-lively-ones-hang-five-best-of.html
RepostThe Lively Ones - Hang Five!!! The Best of the Lively Ones1995
A well-chosen 24-song retrospective, with six pages of informative liner
notes by surf authority Domenic Priore. Includes "Goofy Foot,""Surf
Rider,""Rik-A-Tik," and lots of other highlights from their Del-Fi
releases, as well as a rare single they did for Smash.
///////////////////////////////////////////
The Boots - Here Are The Boots (1966) + bonus
Posted: 10 Nov 2012 09:43 AM PST
http://allmusic-wingsofdream.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-boots-here-are-boots-1966.html
Repost by RequestThe Boots were a German outfit formed on the model of such
British Invasion blues-based outfits as the Yardbirds, the Pretty Things,
and Them. Lead singer Werner Krabbe had most definitely heard at least a
couple of Van Morrison singles, while lead guitarist Jurg "Jockel"
Schulte-Eckel utilized fuzz-tone effects for all they were worth, and also
may have had a passing awareness of the Who; at least, he was known —
before Jimi Hendrix ever started showing up with lighter fluid on stage —
for playing his instrument with screwdrivers and other metal tools as well
as the occasional beer bottle. The rest — Uli Grun on rhythm guitar, organ,
and harmonica; Bob Bresser on bass; and Heinz Hoff on drums — variously
pulsed, thumped, and pounded away behind these two lead punk maniacs,
making some very busy as well as very bluesy records in the bargain, which
were also characterized by fairly nimble vocal work. Somewhere midway
between the Yardbirds and Them, with hints of the pyrotechnics that the Who
and the Creation would perfect each in their own way, the Boots were
popular in Germany and were also good enough to rate a recording contract
with Germany's Telefunken Records, which yielded a pair of LPs as well as
several singles. Krabbe exited in early 1966, following the release of
their garage-punk single "Gaby," though the band hung on for another year.
The latter single was featured on Rhino's summer 2001 release of Nuggets II.
The Boots' first album consisted almost entirely of covers of recent
British and American hits, and/or R&B-rock oldies done the British Invasion
way. No record by a 1960s record so dependent on cover versions is going to
be great unless your name is the Rolling Stones or the Yardbirds, but The
Boots do bring enough of a weird spin to the material to make it more
worthwhile than the average such LP. Their obvious inspiration is from
bands such as the Rolling Stones and Yardbirds, though Them and the Pretty
Things weigh in as perhaps their biggest influences. The awkward accent
(all songs are in English) and the fractured, almost zany arrangements they
bring to the songs make them over into something odder, as well as making
them invariably gloomier than their prototypes. Though R&B-based tunes are
the main diet here, some of the more memorable tracks are stylistic
departures, like their spooky cover of the neglected Zombies 45 "Remember
When I Loved Her" -- one would guess, the only cover of the song from the
time -- and the eerie instrumental "Enchanted Sea," which strongly recalls
the Tornados (of "Telstar" fame). The 1998 CD reissue adds four bonus
tracks, including the 45 cuts "In the Midnight Hour" and "Watch Your Step,"
along with live covers of Them's "One More Time" and Billy Boy Arnold's "I
Wish You Would" (obviously based on the Yardbirds' version). All but one of
the tracks ("Baby Please Don't Go"), however, is available on the best
single-CD Boots compilation, Smash...! Boom...! Bang...!.
///////////////////////////////////////////
The Lively Ones - Surf Drums (1963)
Posted: 10 Nov 2012 08:54 AM PST
http://allmusic-wingsofdream.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-lively-ones-surf-drums-1963.html
One of the best of the many instrumental surf bands working the Southern
California region in 1963, the Lively Ones made recordings built around
storming, reverb-drenched Fender guitars embellished by occasional raunchy
sax breaks. Originality was not the Lively Ones' forte; over a period of
about 12 months, they ground out about five albums, filled out with many
covers or retitled numbers based on other rock and R&B compositions. They
had a couple of hits in the L.A. area in 1963 ("Surf Rider"
and "Rik-A-Tik"), but their best moment was probably "Goofy Foot," whose
staccato gunfire of riffs deservedly propelled the track onto several
modern best-of-surf anthologies. They ranged far and wide for source
material, giving the surf treatment to "Telstar,""Exodus,""Rawhide," and
Cole Porter's "Night and Day." Even the overdone standards are arranged and
executed with panache. One best-of compilation is all you need, but anyone
who likes Dick Dale will dig the Lively Ones' similar sleek arrangements
and prototypically twangy, classy surf guitar leads.
The second Lively Ones long-player, Surf Drums (1963), was compiled in much
the same way their debut had been created, comparable to the vast majority
of rush-released platters of the era. Del-Fi Records owner Bob Keane
collected a few of the band's previous singles alongside a variety of
already established covers, many of which were concurrent hits for other
artists. The instrumental quintet had gained a sizable name for themselves
in and around the Orange County, CA, scene, scoring regionally on covers of
the Ventures' dynamic "Spudnik" and the Fireballs'
effervescent "Rik-A-Tic." The album opens up with a remake of Duane Eddy's
mid-tempo, ambling "40 Miles Bad Road." The track is the perfect vehicle
for Jim Masoner (guitar) and Joel Willenbring (sax), whose collaborations
became an integral ingredient not only in the Lively Ones' sound, but
helped to separate them from the plethora of similar units. Providing
support for the soloists and rounding out the personnel are solid
contributions from Ed Chiaverini (guitar), Ron Griffith (bass), and Tim
Fitzpatrick (drums). Despite the dearth of original compositions, the
aggregate muscle through some choice overhauls of genre favorites, most
notably the soulful strut of the Rockin' Rebels'"Wild Weekend," the
high-energy yakety sax on the Belairs'"Mr. Moto" and the analogous
rearrangement of "Tuff Surf," an R&B entry from the relatively obscure
Nobel Watts. [Surf Drums was reissued and paired with Surf Rider! on a
two-fer CD from Collectors' Choice Music in 2004.]
///////////////////////////////////////////
The Hi-Fi's - Snakes And Hi-Fi's (1967)
Posted: 10 Nov 2012 12:51 PM PST
http://allmusic-wingsofdream.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-hi-fis-snakes-and-hi-fis-1967.html
One of the finest examples of the beat-bands-go-bonkers syndrome, the
psychedelic pop album Snakes and Hi-Fis was released in Germany in mid-1967
by exiled British group the Hi-Fis, and has long been established as a
highly sought after rarity on the worldwide beat/psych collectors market.
Bass – Gary UnwinDrums – Mel WrightGuitar – Mike Douglas (3)Organ – Brian
Bennett (2)Written-By – Malcolm Lenny
http://www.discogs.com/HiFiS-The-Snakes-And-HiFiS/release/157104
The Hi-Fi's were a London-based band that tried for two years to break out
of clubs with some recording success, cutting sides for Piccadilly and Pye,
including a catchy singalong called "Will You or Won't You," which managed
to be salacious and innocent at the same time, and the more
energetic "She's the One," and also did well by Leiber & Stoller's "I Keep
Forgettin'." It was all to no avail as the group went hitless into 1967,
dropped from their third label in as many years, and headed for the more
lucrative environs of Hamburg, Germany, where English bands were still
treated as special. Their singles cut in Germany failed, but they still got
to record an entire LP.
Label: Star-Club Records – 158 035 STYFormat: Vinyl, LP, Album Country:
GermanyReleased: Jun 1967
1. Treed Softly For The Sleepers (02:11)2. Here I Stand (02:35)3. Snakes
And Ladders (03:07)4. Grade A Girl (02:15)5. What A Bulb (02:18)6. Carolle
Ann (01:56)7. Up And Over (02:39)8. Odd Man Out (02:21)9. I'm A Box
(02:40)10. Your Haunting Me (02:20)11. Uwe Aus Duisburg (02:01)12. My Cards
Numbered 17 (02:16)13. No Two Ways (02:18)
"...The HiFis were a wonderful mid 60s London-based group that would
eventually relocate to Germany and release the above Star-Club lp in 1967.
Prior to the LPs release, the HiFis (also known as the Hi-Fi’s) also
released a series of singles. These singles were more in a soul beat style
though some of them are pretty good and worth seeking out. Their lineup
consisted of Brian Bennett (vocals and keyboards), Mike Douglas (vocals and
guitars), Malcolm Lenny (vocals and lead guitar), Gary Unwin (bass), and
Mel Wright (drums).
Many UK groups would relocate to countries such as Germany or Italy because
being a British Invasion group that played original rock n roll was seen as
something special abroad. Many of these groups like the Rokes, the
Primitives, and the Sorrows (a really excellent group) would see great
success and sell lots of records. The HiFis did pretty well in Germany and
were a popular live group. This success allowed them to record their only
album, Snakes and HiFis. I have seen other magazines describe the lp as “a
brilliant mixed bag of an lp” or “one of the finest examples of the
beat-bands-go-bonkers syndrome.” I have even heard some compare the HiFi’s
guitar and rhythm section to that of the legendary Monks (a funhouse effect
in which everything seems about ready to fall apart but the band pulls thru
in the end to keep things together). I agree with all these comparisons
though it’s really hard to put a label on the HiFis, they were pretty
unique.
There are several great tracks on Snakes and HiFis: Tread Softly For The
Sleepers (a great chunky mod psych track that reminds me of late period
Action), Snakes and Ladders, What’s A Bulb, I’m A Box, Calorie Ann (soaring
vocals and whacked out lyrical concerns), Odd Man Out, You’re Haunting Me,
My Cards Numbered 17, and the awesome but strange Uwe Aus Duisburg. Just
by looking at these titles one can tell that this music is NOT the typical
beat psych fare. As mentioned before, this lp was recorded at a time when
beat groups were experimenting with different sounds and turning to
psychedelia, so there’s a bit of an advanced mid-60s sound – short 2 minute
pop songs with a freaky edge. For those of you who love the Kinks, the
Idle Race, the Move, the Tages and the Ro-d-y’s (a great group from the
Netherlands), you’ll love this reissue (the 2008 Wooden Hill cd version to
be exact). Standout picks on my end are the buzzing organ psych of What’s
a Bulb, which is an absolutely brilliant track, and Uwe Aus Duisburg. The
latter track vaguely reminds me of The Move with its galloping tempo and
gonzoid lyrics – it’s a track that would fit in well with today’s modern
indie radio stations. Other good ones are the Pet Sounds influenced You’re
Haunting Me and the truly bizarre I’m A Box. Both of these tracks carry a
unique mellow buzz and one may also note that I’m A Box was strangely
released as a single (this track had no hit potential whatsoever). Wooden
Hill reissues are usually limited, so pick one up if you can. Snakes and
HiFis is definitely an obscure gem and a must hear for fans of Brit
psych...." ~ by Jason (THE RISING STORM )
///////////////////////////////////////////
The Lively Ones - Hang Five!!! The Best of the Lively Ones
Posted: 10 Nov 2012 09:51 AM PST
http://allmusic-wingsofdream.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-lively-ones-hang-five-best-of.html
RepostThe Lively Ones - Hang Five!!! The Best of the Lively Ones1995
A well-chosen 24-song retrospective, with six pages of informative liner
notes by surf authority Domenic Priore. Includes "Goofy Foot,""Surf
Rider,""Rik-A-Tik," and lots of other highlights from their Del-Fi
releases, as well as a rare single they did for Smash.
///////////////////////////////////////////
The Boots - Here Are The Boots (1966) + bonus
Posted: 10 Nov 2012 09:43 AM PST
http://allmusic-wingsofdream.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-boots-here-are-boots-1966.html
Repost by RequestThe Boots were a German outfit formed on the model of such
British Invasion blues-based outfits as the Yardbirds, the Pretty Things,
and Them. Lead singer Werner Krabbe had most definitely heard at least a
couple of Van Morrison singles, while lead guitarist Jurg "Jockel"
Schulte-Eckel utilized fuzz-tone effects for all they were worth, and also
may have had a passing awareness of the Who; at least, he was known —
before Jimi Hendrix ever started showing up with lighter fluid on stage —
for playing his instrument with screwdrivers and other metal tools as well
as the occasional beer bottle. The rest — Uli Grun on rhythm guitar, organ,
and harmonica; Bob Bresser on bass; and Heinz Hoff on drums — variously
pulsed, thumped, and pounded away behind these two lead punk maniacs,
making some very busy as well as very bluesy records in the bargain, which
were also characterized by fairly nimble vocal work. Somewhere midway
between the Yardbirds and Them, with hints of the pyrotechnics that the Who
and the Creation would perfect each in their own way, the Boots were
popular in Germany and were also good enough to rate a recording contract
with Germany's Telefunken Records, which yielded a pair of LPs as well as
several singles. Krabbe exited in early 1966, following the release of
their garage-punk single "Gaby," though the band hung on for another year.
The latter single was featured on Rhino's summer 2001 release of Nuggets II.
The Boots' first album consisted almost entirely of covers of recent
British and American hits, and/or R&B-rock oldies done the British Invasion
way. No record by a 1960s record so dependent on cover versions is going to
be great unless your name is the Rolling Stones or the Yardbirds, but The
Boots do bring enough of a weird spin to the material to make it more
worthwhile than the average such LP. Their obvious inspiration is from
bands such as the Rolling Stones and Yardbirds, though Them and the Pretty
Things weigh in as perhaps their biggest influences. The awkward accent
(all songs are in English) and the fractured, almost zany arrangements they
bring to the songs make them over into something odder, as well as making
them invariably gloomier than their prototypes. Though R&B-based tunes are
the main diet here, some of the more memorable tracks are stylistic
departures, like their spooky cover of the neglected Zombies 45 "Remember
When I Loved Her" -- one would guess, the only cover of the song from the
time -- and the eerie instrumental "Enchanted Sea," which strongly recalls
the Tornados (of "Telstar" fame). The 1998 CD reissue adds four bonus
tracks, including the 45 cuts "In the Midnight Hour" and "Watch Your Step,"
along with live covers of Them's "One More Time" and Billy Boy Arnold's "I
Wish You Would" (obviously based on the Yardbirds' version). All but one of
the tracks ("Baby Please Don't Go"), however, is available on the best
single-CD Boots compilation, Smash...! Boom...! Bang...!.
///////////////////////////////////////////
The Lively Ones - Surf Drums (1963)
Posted: 10 Nov 2012 08:54 AM PST
http://allmusic-wingsofdream.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-lively-ones-surf-drums-1963.html
One of the best of the many instrumental surf bands working the Southern
California region in 1963, the Lively Ones made recordings built around
storming, reverb-drenched Fender guitars embellished by occasional raunchy
sax breaks. Originality was not the Lively Ones' forte; over a period of
about 12 months, they ground out about five albums, filled out with many
covers or retitled numbers based on other rock and R&B compositions. They
had a couple of hits in the L.A. area in 1963 ("Surf Rider"
and "Rik-A-Tik"), but their best moment was probably "Goofy Foot," whose
staccato gunfire of riffs deservedly propelled the track onto several
modern best-of-surf anthologies. They ranged far and wide for source
material, giving the surf treatment to "Telstar,""Exodus,""Rawhide," and
Cole Porter's "Night and Day." Even the overdone standards are arranged and
executed with panache. One best-of compilation is all you need, but anyone
who likes Dick Dale will dig the Lively Ones' similar sleek arrangements
and prototypically twangy, classy surf guitar leads.
The second Lively Ones long-player, Surf Drums (1963), was compiled in much
the same way their debut had been created, comparable to the vast majority
of rush-released platters of the era. Del-Fi Records owner Bob Keane
collected a few of the band's previous singles alongside a variety of
already established covers, many of which were concurrent hits for other
artists. The instrumental quintet had gained a sizable name for themselves
in and around the Orange County, CA, scene, scoring regionally on covers of
the Ventures' dynamic "Spudnik" and the Fireballs'
effervescent "Rik-A-Tic." The album opens up with a remake of Duane Eddy's
mid-tempo, ambling "40 Miles Bad Road." The track is the perfect vehicle
for Jim Masoner (guitar) and Joel Willenbring (sax), whose collaborations
became an integral ingredient not only in the Lively Ones' sound, but
helped to separate them from the plethora of similar units. Providing
support for the soloists and rounding out the personnel are solid
contributions from Ed Chiaverini (guitar), Ron Griffith (bass), and Tim
Fitzpatrick (drums). Despite the dearth of original compositions, the
aggregate muscle through some choice overhauls of genre favorites, most
notably the soulful strut of the Rockin' Rebels'"Wild Weekend," the
high-energy yakety sax on the Belairs'"Mr. Moto" and the analogous
rearrangement of "Tuff Surf," an R&B entry from the relatively obscure
Nobel Watts. [Surf Drums was reissued and paired with Surf Rider! on a
two-fer CD from Collectors' Choice Music in 2004.]