Moss

Lee Hazelwood?

Oriphiel

Nancy Sinatra's song writer? Alright, I'll definitely check him out!

Moss

He actually has some interesting stuff. Like this one:

Oriphiel

Well, as recommended by Moss, here's Lee Hazlewood!

The LHI Years


I know it's redundant to post this picture, as Moss already did, but I have to put a picture of the album under the title! It's tradition!

A fairly recent compilation, this one was apparently issued in 2012 by Light in the Attic Records (who seem like a great independent label from Seattle, with a focus on reissuing vintage material).

According to my sources (especially his website, which has a nice biography: Homepage - Lee Hazlewood | Lee Hazlewood) Lee Hazlewood and his family moved around quite a bit in his youth. He tried his hand at multiple occupations, being a musician, soldier, and radio jockey. It was during his time as an energetic radio personality and disc spinner that he became friends with a young Duane Eddy (yeah, that Duane Eddy). They both loved the transformation of Country into Rockabilly, and quickly bonded over their shared musical interests. Together with Duane Eddy, Al Casey, and Sanford Clark, they created the song "The Fool", which became Hazlewood's first penned hit.


Lee Hazlewood. His moustache was busy in an interview elsewhere, and so sadly couldn't appear with Lee in this photo.

From there, Hazlewood became a professional song writer, eventually starting his own record label. Lee Hazlewood Industries, or "LHI", is the label he used to put out his solo albums, as well as producing the work of others. And yeah, he wrote Nancy Sinatra's hit. You know the one. I can't say the name, or else we'll all start singing it, and I'll never get around to finishing this thing.

So, you now know the general context of this album. It captures Lee Hazlewood's fairly brief solo career (brief compared to his song writing and producing career, anyway). Let's get to it!


Sid and Nancy eat your heart out! Nevermind that, here's Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra

1. "Califia Stone Rider" - Right from the start, I can already get a feel for Lee's sound. Definitely influenced by the popular music of the 60's. It was a time when Pop, Folk, Country, and Jazz were kind of a synonymous mash-up. Anyway, this one has a nice backing, with a beat-music drummer and a horn section. Lee Hazlewood's voice is a bit deeper than I expected, but it works fairly well in contrast with the voice of Suzi Jane Hokom, his partner in this duet. Not bad, but not fantastic (you know me. If it doesn't have at least three fuzz guitars, I get disinterested).

2. "The Bed" - Wow, and I thought his voice was deep in the previous track! This number tune-wise sounds like something someone would sing as the theme to one of those Western movies we all know and love (and if it was going to be a theme song, I personally think it would have worked better Ennio M. style, with a female power-vocalist, and a twangy and dirty Surf-esque guitar in the background). This one is good though, with the beat-drummer and horn section returning, as well as female vocalists in the background. And was that a sitar at the beginning, and popping up throughout the song?

3. "Sleep in the Grass" - A duet with Ann-Margaret. This one starts off as a slow Country ballad, before becoming a kind of Gospel stomper for the chorus. I like the string instrument that plays in the background during the bulk of the song (A mandolin? Or maybe just a guitar. I've never been good at identifying instruments). This one is kept interesting by Ann-Margaret's high to his low, which seems to be a good formula for Lee so far (being in a duet with a female vocalist), as well as the tempo/tone change of the chorus.


Warning! Standing within a mile of Lee Hazlewood will cause you to spontaneously grow a macho moustache!

4. "Leather and Lace" - A cool song with just the tiniest bit of a Folk/Psych feeling to it.Another duet, this one has vocalist Nina Lizell as Lee's partner in crime. Definitely the most compelling and haunting track so far, I think it benefits especially from the string section in the background.

5. "If It's Monday Morning" - Here Lee goes Cash style, giving us a baritone story accompanied by a guitar. It works pretty well, being kept very simple (there's no horn/string section here, and certainly no guest vocalist). Not bad, but I can imagine this song would be torture-fuel for someone who hates the "macho-voice + guitar" style of Country. And I might have misheard the lyrics, did Lee say he'd "probably get stoned"? Groovy.

6. "The Night Before" - Basically the last two tracks mashed into one. This one is a solid haunting number about a man who reflects on the night before, when he (presumably) got drunk and did something involving a woman that he now regrets. Another track going for the toned down feeling, with Lee singing alone.

7. "Bye Babe" - Similar to "If It's Monday Morning" in that Lee does the baritone blues with a guitar accompanying him. Only this time it's a bit faster and catchier, with drumming and organ work, as well as backing vocalists, in the background. Lee really loves depressing songs, doesn't he?


Ann-Margaret and Lee prepare for the most dramatic tea party ever.

8. "Victims of the Night" - Another duet with Ann-Margaret, this one is an upbeat Country Pop tune. It has pretty catchy and fun instrumentation, with an acoustic guitar doing it's thing and a harmonica coming in now and then. The light vocal harmonies that come in the background around the minute and a half mark onward are a really nice touch, as well. All in all, a fun and solid number!

9. "Chico" - Yet another duet with Ann-Margaret (i'm starting to see a trend here), it isn't quite as fun as the last track, but I do like the guys doing the soul-scream Mariachi style about a minute and ten seconds in (right after Ann-Margaret finishes her bit). Also, I find it kind of funny that this is the second song I've heard so far in this journal where a girl pines over a guy named "Chico" (the first was "Chico's Girl". Man, people just can't resist that Chico). Lee keeps it simple, while Ann-Margaret hits with a good amount of balladic power.

10. "Hey Cowboy" - Nina Lizell returns for another duet with Mr. Hazlewood. With that trademark smooth Jazz feeling that a lot of 1960's Pop has, this one is another decent track. I like the analogue/echo effect on their voices, as it adds just the slightest bit of dirtiness/roughness that the song needs to help balance out the sweetness of it.

11. "No Train to Stockholm" - A smooth number with the same Country/Folk influence that most of the tracks on this album share. Driven along by Lee and a solid bass line, there's also a male backing vocalist (who comes in for the chorus).


Unable to resist the urge any longer, Suzi Jane Hokom attempts to devour Mr. Hazlewood in order to gain his powers.

12. "Won't Tell You Your Dreams" - Another Cash style guitar and vocals number, this one also borrows the bass line and male backing vocalist of the last song. Good, but a bit unremarkable. Man, can Lee Hazlewood really depress you. His voice is like what teardrops would sound like if they had vocal chords.

13. "Nobody Like You" - Suzi Jane Hokom is back for the attack! This time both she and Lee basically stay in the background and repeat the chorus, and let what sounds like the Creature From The Black Lagoon take the foray with occasional vocal flourishes. Joking aside, i'm guessing that's Lee with a groovy sound effect layered over his voice?

14. "Trouble Maker" - Another sad song, this time about a ne'er-do-well hippy who screws around while everyone around him is working hard. Sounds like a groovy guy! Unfortunately for him, he gets arrested. Why? The song never says, but I'll assume it's vagrancy. Anyway, he goes to court and gets... Uh, sentenced to death. And then they hang him from a tree. Meanwhile Lee basically, with a tear in his eye, raises the American flag and salutes a bald eagle. All in all it's not a bad song, but it's definitely got a cheese factor to the lyrics.

15. "What's More I Don't Need Her" - Very influenced by the Folk scene, this one is fairly catchy with the backing of it's talented string section. And is that a Harpsichord in the background? What's with Lee Hazlewood and random background instruments that I can't quite identify? Anyway, this one is pretty good, and sounds like it came from the soundtrack of a movie about a grand adventure.


Nancy and Lee, looking as cool as someone can without sitting on a motorcycle.

16. "Come On Home To Me" - This one opens with Lee Hazlewood telling the audience like it is, before a guitar and bass come in to accompany him. Right around a minute and ten seconds in, the song speeds up while Lee says "Come on", and it sounds like things are about to get exciting... but then the song goes back to the original beat. Honestly, I think it would've improved the song if they'd kept speeding things up instead of slowing them down.

17. "I just Learned to Run" - The finishing track of the album, and we're treated to... another sad song. And of course, there is some weird instrument in the background that I can't quite identify, although I think it may just be a keyboard/electric organ this time.

Well, we've reached the end of this one. I can honestly say that, before this album, I had never listened to a Lee Hazlewood song before. While he's definitely outside of my whole Garage Rock comfort zone, I can understand the appeal in his music. While I find many of his solo tracks a bit too slow and similar sounding, I have to admit that I had fun with his duets (especially when he's teamed up with Ann-Margaret). If you love guys with macho-voices and acoustic guitars, and can't get enough of ballads, then you really should check this one out. Alternatively, if neither of those types of songs interest you, then this album might literally kill you if you listen to it in it's entirety.

Oriphiel

Speaking of Lee Hazlewood, let's talk about a relatively obscure band on his LHI label, one that he eventually dropped due to their commercial failure. The underground of the sixties had more than just Garage Rock, and despite the name of this journal, I love to find obscure bands from other genres as well. Well, without further ado, here's a bit of Garage-Soul (there's even a distorted and kinda-fuzzy guitar in one of the tracks!), brought to you courtesy of...

Honey Ltd.



Honey Ltd.! Back in the mid sixties, college students Laura Polkinghorne, Marsha Temmer, Joan Sliwin, and Alexandra Sliwin formed a band, playing at venues (like The Hideout!) in their local city of Detroit. They called themselves "The Mama Cats", and eventually were signed to LHI (prompted by a move to the west coast) under the name "Honey Ltd." After recording their self-titled debut in 1968, Alexandra left the group, and they carried on under the name "Eve". Attempting to carry on despite a lack of commercial success, they released "Take It and Smile", before LHI decided to drop them. Here, we'll be examining their debut (the only LP they released as the band Honey Ltd.), which was apparently backed by "The Wrecking Crew", a large group of studio musicians in Los Angeles who provided instrumental backing for innumerable stars and hit songs.

In the tradition of honoring the unusual and forgotten musicians of the sixties, here's Honey Ltd.!


Honey Limited! Clockwise from top right: Marcia Temmer, Joan Sliwen, Laura Polkinghorne, and Sandy Sliwen! I believe Laura Polkinghorne was the 'lead' vocalist, often taking the helm in their songs.

1. "The Warrior" - Honey Ltd. opens their album with a smooth song that starts as a Folk Ballad, with a burst of the Motown influenced soul (during the chorus) that would help create the Funk sound of the seventies. Not a bad start! And no, it has nothing to do with the movie "The Warriors".

2. "No, You Are" - A Vocal-Pop number in the vein of The 5th Dimension, this one obviously has an emphasis on clean harmonies. I like the guitar in the background, but it's far too quiet (and gets overpowered by the vocals), as well as the brief electric organ number near the end. The chorus shakes up the beat from the rest of the song, but I think a fuzz guitar could have added the dirty contrast that this song needs. As it is, it's a good song that really ought to have charted (at the very least locally) in it's day.

3. "I've Got Your Man" - Similar to the last number, only this time a single vocalist takes the reins while the others back her up. Again, I like the guitar but it just can't compete with the loud vocals. Anyway, this track has a pretty catchy tune, and soul to spare! Also, the vocalists work really well together, especially for the final thirty seconds of the track.


Lee Hazlewood just can't resist crashing their advertisement, in the bottom left corner.

4. "Silk 'n Honey" - The end of the A-side, this one is a pretty smooth and relaxing number. The weird vocal effect from Lee Hazlewood's song "Nobody Like You" returns briefly over the backing vocalists in the second half of the song, and who doesn't love a generous serving of tambourine? Alright, time to flip the record over...

5. "For Your Mind" - Opening up the B-Side, this one is livened up by the solid drumming. Really, these girls have nailed down vocal harmonies. From the two minutes and eight seconds mark onward, the guitar/bass and drums work very well with the harmonies, and it makes me wonder why they didn't have more of an emphasis on instrumentation during the rest of the song (and the rest of the album, for that matter).

6. "Come Down" - A moving and compelling track with fabulous vocals, and the drumming is top notch once again. I'm normally not the biggest fan of Soul/Folk and Vocal-Pop (though I do love "The Mamas and the Papas", among other bands), but I actually really like this one!


It's been a hard day's night... Sorry, I automatically sing that whenever I see a band running somewhere.

7. "Louie Louie" - A cover of Richard Berry's Rock 'n Roll classic, this is definitely the stand-out song of the album! With fantastic vocals and a distorted guitar that lets loose in the second half of the song, not to mention awesome funk-drumming, everything just comes together perfectly! I highly recommend this one, regardless of what genre you normally enjoy listening to.

8. "Tomorrow, Your Heart" - The last track of the album, we're played out with a light and slow Vocal-Pop piece that kind of reminds me of Spanky And Our Gang. However, the song every now and then breaks into a fast beat, with a touch of Funk to it, and these parts work well with the otherwise clean and steady meat of the song.

Another day, another album (or two, in this case). I was very surprised with how much I liked "Honey Limited" (especially their cover of Louie, Louie), and it really confounds me as to how they failed to destroy the charts (and that they were dropped from LHI). But the underground is full of bands like them, who despite having a very marketable and clean sound just never managed to take off. It's also interesting that a Vocal-Pop band shared a stage with some of the tougher acts of the local Detroit scene in the sixties. My hat's off to you, ladies.


Here's a video of them performing live in Vietnam!

Oriphiel

Hey, i'm back! Lately I've been reading other member's journals, and have noticed that many of them have some very good writing beyond just reviews. Stories, poetry, all very well-made and a pleasure to read. I figured that I may as well try my hand at it, too. Worst case scenario, if my writing is awful, at least you'll all have something to laugh at for awhile! Anyway, let's get to it. I've decided to go with a Western, because I grew up watching the old Spaghetti flicks and have always wanted to write one of my own (and yes, before you ask, my story is going to be very cheesy, over-dramatic, and super-violent. I'm going for authenticity here!). And since I'm terrible at coming up with names (with the name of this journal as a prime example), I'll just call it "A Western" for now. I'll probably update it weekly, putting up one section at a time. Well, here goes...

A Western

Every now and then, a person is born who doesn’t quite fit in with life, yet can’t stand to embrace death. Often, they spend their time in amusement and distraction, whittling away the moments of their life in a noble selfishness. Others, upon seeing a world that displeases them, resolve to shape it into a figure that is more to their liking. Rachel Kay, ever the outcast, couldn’t lay claim to either lifestyle, being too ambitious to let her life simply pass by, and being too cynical and self-doubting to believe that the world could ever truly be changed by her hand. If you’re curious as to what became of her, then know that her life was of the sort that is remembered not for it’s length, but in awe of the astonishing violence therein. It is quite a story, but before it is told I must mention one thing; in this story, Rachel Kay is the villain.

As a young girl, Rachel spent her days in the same fashion that most all uneducated children in the times of the “wild west” did; every day was three meals, with many chores in between. Of course, even the strictest parents with the most unforgiving schedules can’t keep their children from finding ways to slip away. Whenever Rachel found such laxity in her parent’s attentiveness, she’d escape to the world outside, chasing the local wildlife and rolling down hills with a simple sense of excitement. And when the evening came, and she fell asleep in her simple yet comfortable bed, her thoughts raced with the powers that dreams oft grant them. And in these dreams she was something grand, a gallant hero who travelled around the world in search of adventure.

Rachel’s dreams became much more animated after Lady Fate provided her with a firearm. It should be noted here that, as Rachel had no friends of her own beyond the association by proxy that all children in a small town share, she had created her own. Her name was, in point of fact, “Lady Fate”, and she was both an imaginary friend and enemy. If something good happened, Rachel would see her there, pulling the strings of destiny in her favor. Likewise, she was also the laughing devil behind all of Rachel’s misfortunes. It was during one of her “good” streaks that she delivered a gun into Rachel’s hands.

At this time, Rachel had slipped away from her parents, and was rolling down a hill outside of town. As she reached the bottom and stopped, she looked up to see none other than Lady Fate, standing tall and drumming her fingers on her hips. She gave Rachel a wide smile, and said “Come on, little chalk. I’ve found somethin’ real keen for you.” “What is it?” answered Rachel. “Well, would you rather have a gift, or a surprise?” “A surprise!” “Then I can’t tell you! Now come on.” The two walked off towards a hill in the distance, with Lady Fate leading the way. Suddenly, Rachel stopped.

She remembered how Lady Fate had tricked her so many times before, and refused to fall victim to her schemes. Lady Fate noticed that she had stopped, and turned around to face her. “What’s wrong, Rachel?” she asked. Rachel shook her head. “Oh, you’re not still mad about the thing with the fire, are you?” she asked with a sly smile and a slight tone of chiding disbelief. Rachel nodded her head angrily. Lady Fate took on a sympathetic expression, saying “Oh sweety, I didn’t want to get you scolded, but I simply had to. The web of fate is spun so intricately; if you stare unmoving at one tiny thread, you’ll never see where that thread leads, and how it connects to the rest of the mess.” Rachel continued to stare angrily at her, though she now took on more of a blank expression. Lady Fate sighed, and said “Well, I suppose I could tell you about breaking eggs to make omelettes, but I’m sure it’d be lost on you.” Rachel narrowed her eyes and ignored Lady Fate, saying “You laughed at me. When I got caught.” Lady Fate shrugged and smiled. “Well, if you absolutely have to do something, you may as well enjoy yourself while you do it. I’m a silver-lined girl, you know.”

Rachel had grown tired of Lady Fate’s incoherence, and turned to leave. Lady Fate quickly spoke up, saying “Now, Rachel, I know you don’t trust me, but I promise you that if you follow me, you’ll have the happiest moment of your life. Within reason, anyway.” Rachel kept walking. “I know about your dreams, little chalk. I know that you’re not satisfied with doing chores and rolling down hills.” Rachel stopped. “You want to be a something grand, don’t you? A legend?” Turning to face her, Rachel smiled. “There we go,” said Lady Fate. She smiled back at Rachel, and said “Well, today is the day that your dreams come true. If you follow me, that is.” Rachel eyed her suspiciously, saying “And I won’t get into trouble?” Lady Fate laughed, and replied “Oh honey, you’ll be trouble.”

Oriphiel

The 1960's were an interesting time, with many wildly different styles and genres coming together to influence the culture of music. It's always an amazing experience to examine these bands, different as they were from each other, and to appreciate what each song of theirs had to offer. The last few entries of this journal have certainly been fun, and i'm surprised with how much I enjoyed music without any fuzz-guitars (gasp!). It was also fun writing up the first part of that story up there, and I hope you guys got a kick out of it. But it's time to return to the world of go go boots and wild energy (after all, the name of this journal is still "Stuck in the Garage", isn't it?). So let's get into it! I'll start with a band that I've mentioned quite a lot in this journal. They're a Garage band that took their cues from the legendary Blues musicians of old. And now, the context...


The legendary and mysterious Robert Johnson. Though not much is known about him, he supposedly died before the age of 21. His songs were very influential on his peers, and luckily were preserved in two recording sessions.

Of all the revivals to take place in the world of music, one of the most interesting is the "Blues Revival" of the 1960's. With artists like Robert Johnson posthumously having their work compiled and released to the masses for the first time ("King of the Delta Blues Singers", 1961) as well as long-time Blues Icons having a resurgence of popularity (as with Bo Diddley and McKinley Morganfield, aka "Muddy Waters"), the youth of America and England in particular became bewitched by the raw and powerful style of music that offered an incredible contrast to the Pop music of their time. Not only that, but people began to realize where Rock 'n Roll had gotten it's grit and attitude from, and wanted to learn more about such an influential yet obscure style of music. And of course, wherever young people congregate and listen to music, bands are going to be formed. One such band was...


Muddy Waters, a master Delta blues-man, had an incredible amount of influence on the Revival movement. Active throughout his lifetime, including during the 1960's, one of his earliest surviving recordings is a cover of Robert Johnson's influential "Walking Blues".

The Shadows of Knight! Influenced by the original Blues artists, as well as the wave of modern Revivalists (most notably The Rolling Stones, The Animals, and The Yardbirds), The Shadows of Knight formed with a mission to put Chicago back on the Blues and Rock 'n Roll map. Created in 1964, they began their career the same way that most every band does, competing with other local bands to play at parties and dance halls. Their career truly took off when they played at "The Cellar", an infamous Illinois club (There were a lot of those in the sixties, huh? Giving a history of those infamous clubs and venues would probably make for an interesting journal in it's own right). They must have impressed the right people, because they quickly became the main attraction. Playing every weekend, they'd routinely pack the joint to capacity with young people eager for a taste of their unique brand of Garage Blues. Their signature song was a cover of "Gloria" by the band "Them", and their audiences always responded very well to it at their shows. It was at such a show that the boys of Dunwich Records heard them, and immediately offered them a contract.


The Rolling Stones are one of the most well known Rock bands of all time, and certainly the most well known band of the Blues Revival.

The Shadows of Knight accepted, and recorded their signature song to be released as a single. Now, Gloria was a song that many people in America had never heard of, having been famously snubbed by radio-censors for suggestive lyrics. When The Shadows of Knight released their take on it, it was the first time many people had ever heard it, and they immediately fell in love with it's wild energy. It quickly approached the Billboard top ten in America and Canada, receiving extensive radio-play, however it never hit the top of the charts, for multiple reasons. The first reason is simply bad timing. Released in 1965, the single was put out right in the middle of the British Invasion, where even seasoned American musicians had trouble hitting the top of the charts (not to mention that they had to compete with bands like The Beatles, The Dave Clark 5, and The Rolling Stones). The second reason is that Dunwich was a small independent label, and had a great deal of trouble capitalizing on the single. They weren't able to press enough 45's to keep up with demand, and didn't have the resources to promote it on the level of their competition.


Van Morrison's band "Them". Talented and influential, their hit "Gloria" took the world by storm, but was unfortunately kept from being played on many radio stations.

Regardless, "Gloria" was a smash hit, and The Shadows of Knight followed up with an album by the same name. The album Gloria went on to receive critical praise, as well as the praise of their fans, and went gold (sold over a million copies). But like almost every Garage band, after getting their big break they broke apart. Suffering from constant line-up changes, and being overly-pressured to release a follow-up hit to Gloria, the group lost their steam and eventually split apart to go their seperate ways (although the band technically carried on under one original member who remained, and kept the name). However, short lived as they were, their music had a massive influence on the Garage scene of the mid and late sixties, and they helped prove that American bands could indeed compete with their British counterparts. Without further ado, let's begin...

Gloria


Remember this one from the entry about The Pandoras?

1. "Gloria" - The single that rocked the charts, it's not hard to see why people fell in love with this tune. It's got an infectious guitar line (especially after the chorus), a solid beat, and the trademark raw sound of Garage Rock. The singer's vocals have that Blues-style laxity to them (and graduated with honors from the prestigious "Mick Jagger School of Not Giving a Damn"). This song was a gateway into Garage Rock for many modern listeners and practitioners, as the 45 has always been relatively easy to find and acquire compared to other more obscure Garage numbers, due to it's popularity back in the day. Not only that, this song was what put Dunwich Records on the map.

2. "Light Bulb Blues" - A fast and driving foot-stomper, this is the first of their three original songs on the album, with the rest being covers. For an original, it captures the feeling of Blues very well, and mixes it fantastically with the wild fuzz-guitar laden Garage Rock sound.

3. "I Got My Mojo Working" - The classic Muddy Waters number (originally performed by the amazing Ann Cole), with an injection of speed and distortion! Very fast and infectious, the guitars work very well with the drums and bass to create a solid yet fluid back beat. And of course, the dirty harmonica work is the perfect thing to tie it all together.


The Shadows of Knight!

4. "Darkside" - Time to cool down with a slow song that takes it's cues from the Vocal-Pop of it's time, however the occasional guitar flourish help to keep things on the Garage Rock side of things. I'm starting to notice that the band sounds similar to Tommy James and the Shondells (Spin "Hanky Panky" as well as "Crimson and Clover" some time and see if you agree). This is the second original song of theirs.

5. "Boom Boom" - A cover of John Lee Hooker's original, this is a nice and dirty shuffle with a solid beat and wild vocals! The guitar in the background helps to spice things up, but it's really the drumming and bass playing that keep things moving here.

6. "Let It Rock" - Right from the beginning, you can tell that this was originally a Chuck Berry number (with the signature into guitar riff from many of his songs), and i'm sure he got a kick out of it back in the day! Getting hit by the "Blues + Garage Rock" formula, this one works very well and should keep your foot tapping 'till the end. Fun fact: While the worlds of Rockabilly and Garage Rock seem very different, this cover (created during the height of the Garage Rock movement, in the mid sixties) was created just six years after the original was released.



7. "Oh Yeah" - Alright, which influential Blues/Early Rock musician hasn't been covered yet... Yup, Bo Diddley! With the "Hoochie Coochie Man" beat made famous by Muddy Waters (Also known as the "Bad to the Bone" beat to modern audiences), you can't go wrong! This is a very fun Bluesy track, and a great addition to the album!

8. "It Always Happens That Way" - The last of their original tracks, this one is a fun track about a guy who always messes things up. I really like the fuzz-guitar work here, especially in the flourish after the chorus! The dirty and sloppy vocals are right at home here, and the bassist does an admirable job as well.

9. "You Can't Judge a Book by Looking at the Cover" - Another cover, this time they go for a WIllie Dixon penned number (which starts a trend that continues until the end of the album). A great rocker with very fun guitar work (especially from the one minutes and twenty seconds mark onward), it's another great Garage tune with a taste for the Blues.



10. "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man" - Another song with the "Hoochie Coochie Man" beat, this time it's actually a cover of the original from which the beat came! The masterpiece of the Willie Dixon and Muddy Waters tag-team, it's no surprise that it would pop up on a Blues Revival album. The Shadows of Knight handle it very well, but then again, has there ever been a cover of this song that wasn't great?

11. "I Just Want to Make Love to You" - The final track of the album, it's another Dixon/Morganfield number! And of course, as a Blues song, the Shadows of Knight are right at home here. Again, I've got to give props to the bassist for keeping up and not being drowned up by the others, and the bass solo that they pull off is very fun as well!

All in all, I think Gloria is a very fun and exciting album, but it also has a few problems. The first is that they stick very close to the "Blues + Garage Rock" formula, which means that many of the tracks are similar sounding. While songs like "Darkside" help to change things up, they still could have used a bit more variety. On the plus side, their original numbers were just as good as their covers, and they really did a stand-up job nailing the sound that they were going for! I highly recommend this album, and I believe the entirety of it has been uploaded to youtube if you're looking to get a sample of it.


After demand for their music rose, Dunwich got famous record label Atco to be their distributor, and to help with things like pressing.

I'll part with a fun fact: The Shadows of Knight were originally simply called "The Shadows", but had to change their name after learning about the UK rockers by the same name!

Oriphiel

I'm back again, and I've got something very special with me. It's a collection of Latin Garage Rock from the 1960's! With four CD's and almost a hundred tracks (though it's also available in a set of records, for vinyl junkies), writing up this beast is going to be quite an endeavor, so I hope you'll pardon me if I skip the introductions and jump right to it! Rather than plowing through it all at once, I'll split this one up and look at each CD individually over time. Ideally, I'll post a new part every day, alongside whatever Garage Rock album/compilation I'm looking at that day (so you'll all get two entries for the next few days). Alright, let's go!

Los Nuggetz


For fans of cheesy horror/sci-fi movies, the homage to "Santo" on the bottom right should get a smile out of you! He was a quintessential part of Latin cinema in the 1960's.

From S'More Entertainment and Rock Beat Records, this is essentially the Latin answer to the fairly well known "Nuggets" collection on Elektra/Rhino. Produced by James Austin, a veteran compiler who used to work with Rhino, he apparently left them to co-found Rock Beat Records. Now, let's dive right into this thing!

Disc One

1. Los Shains - "Bule Bule" - Fairly well known compared to many of their peers, Los Shains kick off this compilation with a rockin' cover of Sam the Sham's "Wooly Bully"! Fast and furious, the guitar work is nice and distorted and culminates in a fun scramble in the middle of the track.

2. Los Locos Del Ritmo - "Hey Joe" - A Garage Rock classic, Hey Joe was a pretty popular song for bands to cover back in the day. This version is fun and energetic, capturing the Psychadelic sound of America and England with it's electric organ and fuzz guitar work.

3. Los Salvajes - "Es Le Edad" - Another fairly well known band in their time, Los Salvajes offer the compilation it's first song that isn't a cover. A wild number with a great guitar solo, there's also a fun part where the singer talks to the audience in a comically deep and gravelly voice (around the fifty second mark).


Los Salvajes!

4. Los Yorks - "El Psicodelico" - Starting with a shout, this one just gets rougher as it goes on! If you couldn't tell by the name, this track is a wild go go mover with a tinge of Psychadelia to it. While it's certainly energetic, I think it could have used something like a tone shift to keep things interesting.

5. Kaleidoscope - "Colours" - Starting with a drum line, things heat up when the fuzz guitars kick in. Unlike the previous tracks, this Psychadelic number is sung in English (though they have a pretty heavy accent). There are fun (if random) sound effects, like a bike horn and amp feedback (as well as the obligatory electric organ).

6. Los Ovnis - "Ya Se" - This one hits you with a fuzz guitar that sounds like it's coming through a slashed amplifier cone (a lovely tradition started by The Kinks)! A fun song with enough changes and excitement to keep things nice and hot (and the guitar solo is a nice touch).

7. Erasmo Carlos e Sues Tremandoes - "Vem Quento Que Eu Estou Fervendo" - Looks like they were trying to set the record for "longest song title" and "longest band name" in this journal. Well, they won! A bit slower than the last tracks, this one focuses on the electric organ and drums rather than guitar work (and even has a fun solo where the saxophone and electric organ call-and-respond).

8. Los Matematicos - "Me Atrapaste" - You should recognize this one right away; it's a cover of "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks! I think it's a little slower than the original, but it certainly makes up for it with sheer intensity on the part of the vocalist. And just like the original, it has a guitar solo that rolls around like a happy cat! I believe Los Matematicos were another fairly well known band in their time, and most of their songs from what I've heard have been pretty good covers (Like "La Nina Bu", a cover of Sam the Sham's "Ring Dang Doo").


Los Matematicos!

9. Los Shains - "El Tren Pasa Esta Noche" - A cover of Johnny Burnette's famous take on the song "Train Kept A Rollin'", one the songs that helped cement heavy distorted guitars in the world of Rock 'n Roll. With good vocals and guitar work that remains faithful to the Rockabilly classic, this one is sure to please the golden age rocker in you!

10. Gloria Benavides - "Esta Botas Son Para Caminar" - Yup, it's a cover of Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Were Made For Walkin'". The vocals are alright, but the drumming is very weak compared to the originals (and honestly, the short drum burst before Nancy's vocals was my favorite part of the original! Don't know why). All in all, it just sounds a little flat, and could have used more energy.

11. Los Bravos - "La Moto" - Another track that hits you right from the start with a fuzz guitar! This one has cleaner vocals than many of the other tracks, and the vocalist sounds like they were probably more used to Ballads than Garage Rock numbers (though they do have a good bit of grit to their voice).

12. Los Apson - "Satisfaccion" - I probably don't even need to say what this is a cover of ("Satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones). I love the heavy drums that slam in after the guitar intro! With good vocals/harmonies and great guitar work, this one has enough energy to do the Rolling Stones proud!


Los Apson!

13. Los Mockers - "I Wanna Go" - Another song where the vocalist sings in heavily-accented English. Obviously taking their cues from sloppy singers like Mick Jagger, it certainly adds to the strange and wild atmosphere. Love the harmonica, by the way!

14. Los Matematicos - "Pregunto" - Los Matematicos return with another Kinks cover, this time playing "I Need You" (which is one of my favorite tracks of theirs). This one stays pretty faithful to the original, and the vocals (especially the light harmonies) are good as well.

15. Los Americans - "Probemos Otra Vez" - A cover of "Let's Try Again" originally by the Rockin' Berries, this one has more of a contemporary Latin sound to it than it does a Garage Rock sound. With two vocalists that harmonize well with each other, this one would be right at home on a modern Latin radio station.


Los Americans!

16. Los Apson - "Triste Luna" - A cover of "Mr. Moonlight", a song that was apparently originally performed by Dr. Feelgood (and later covered by The Beatles). A nice and slow song, it's good but a little unremarkable.

17. "Xerb/Xerk Radio ID" - An awesome addition to the atmosphere of the compilation, this is a vintage Latin radio station ID! It allows you to hear what anxious radio listeners heard back in the day, right before a rockin' song came on.

18. Los Polares - "Que Chica Tan Formal" - Wow, this compilation has a lot of fuzz guitars! I'm not complaining, though. With a talented and clean vocalist (as well as good backing harmonies), a nice contrast is created with the dirty guitars. A cover of "Respectable" by the Isley Brothers (of "Twist and Shout" fame).

19. Los Salvajes - "Todo Negro" - Garage bands really loved The Rolling Stones and The Kinks back then, huh? Here's a cover of the driving yet haunting "Paint It Black". It's not bad, but I don't think it quite captures the energy and depth of the original (this is what I meant when I said that I didn't think anyone could quite capture the sound of Paint It Black like the Stones, back in the Girls in the Garage Volume 2 entry).

20. Los Cheyenes - "Conoces El Final" - I like the Beat/Jazz taste of the drums and bass, as well as the Psychadelic electric organ, however the vocalist sounds completely wiped out here. They're very strained sounding, and it drags down the potential power of the track.


Los Cheyenes!

21. Los Apson - "Voy Por Ti" - A cover of Willie Dixon's (he sure wrote a lot of fun songs, huh? I need to learn more about him) "Seventh Son", this is a rough shuffle with a backing female vocalist coming in for the chorus. There's also a harmonic wave (ala "Twist and Shout"), which is of course followed by shouting and a guitar solo.

22. Los Shakers - "Amame Dos Veces" - A cover of The Door's "Love Me Two Times", this one is actually pretty good! With a talented vocalist and guitarist, and fun electric organ work during the chorus, there's a lot to like here.

23. Los Polares - "La Droga" - A cover of "LSD" by The Pretty Things, this number is a pretty simple and straight forward rocker with nice, rough vocals. It's a little humorous, with the backing vocalists harmonizing the acronym "LSD".

24. Los Shains - "Shains A Go Go" - There is a universal law that states that everything with "a go go" in the title must be excellent (though whether it's excellently good like this song or excellently bad like "Monster A Go Go" is a toss-up). A very fun instrumental, this one was obviously created to keep the go go clubs a-movin'.


Los Shains!

25. Los Chijuas - "Te Quiero" - If you like The Zombies, you might get a kick out of this cover of their song "I Love You"! Taking a page out of The Zombies jarring yet catchy semi-Psychadelic Vocal-Pop style, it's definitely a fun track!

26. "Spanish Cola Commercial" - Remember Coke's old theme song? Here's a fun Latin version of it that made the radio rounds back in the day. Like the radio ID that popped up earlier, it's a fun addition to the compilation!

Well, that's part one down! Now I've only got three left to go...

DeadChannel

Oh, hey, this is pretty cool. Garage rock is a lot of fun.
My Dad played that Sonics album around the house a lot for a while, which gave me an appreciation for the genre.

Oriphiel

I'm back, and I come bearing gifts! I've got an amazing album with me, as well as the next part of the short story that I started up there (just tell me if it starts to get boring, and I'll throw in a few dinosaurs and laser beams)! And lastly, I have the next part of Los Nuggetz, which will bring us up to the half-way mark. Let's get to it...

But first, I'd like to quickly give out a big "thank you!" to everyone on Music Banter! You've all been very nice and supportive, and I really appreciate it! Alright, now let's get to it...

In the sixties, many Garage Rock bands competed with each other to have the fastest and roughest act around. However, some bands decided to go the opposite route, and vie for a slow intensity to their tracks. This "heavy" quality, as well as a penchant for experimentation, would distinguish many Psychadelic acts as "Progressive" bands in the late sixties and early seventies (and eventually "Heavy Metal", but the history of that genre is a story that could be far better told in another journal). One of the pioneers of the "heavy" sounds, today we'll be looking at...

From Nowhere



The Troggs! Comprised of bassist Pete Staples (who has a fantastic website, Pete Staples Songwriter Musician, with loads of rare photos of the band, and was a major source of information for this entry), drummer Ronnie Bond, vocalist Reg Presley, and guitarist Chris Britton, The Troggs were a UK band formed in 1964. According to Pete's website, they have kind of a fun story of how they got together. After a band called "Ten Feet Five" began to lose members and momentum, their manager found another band called "The Troggs" that was having a similar problem. The managers of both bands decided to just combine the two, keeping the name "The Troggs", and so their classic line-up was born!


The Troggs!

After recording the single "Wild Thing", which became a chart-topping smash hit in America and the UK, they followed up on their success with the album "From Nowhere" (titled "Wild Thing" in the U.S, and featuring a different track list), which did very well for them. From there, they continued to release hit singles, however their momentum slowed down considerably by the end of the sixties, when they finally fell apart (though they've technically carried on in one form or another over the years, with multiple reunions and various line-ups). Now, let's get to the music!



1. "Wild Thing" - A Rock 'n Roll radio staple, it's very easy to see why this track became such a hit! With a driving drum beat, low distorted guitars, and rough yet smooth vocals, this is without a doubt the most popular and influential song to be created by a Garage Rock band. What more needs to be said? If you haven't heard this one before, give it a spin some time!

2. "The Kitty Cat Song" - I wasn't expecting such a light-hearted song as a follow up to the last number... Still, the loud bass and drums help to add a nice contrast to the clean sound of the track! Definitely took it's cues more from Pop music than the Garage scene.

3. "Ride Your Pony" - Vocal-wise, this one sounds very influenced by Merseybeat bands like The Beatles. However, the low distorted guitar mixes perfectly with the bass and drums to create a nice, heavy back beat that gives this one a hit of the rough Garage Rock sound! A fast and catchy song that complements the album very well.

4. "Hi Hi Hazel" - As an odd change of pace, here's a clean Vocal-Pop number with a horn section. Still, the singer and the bit of grit to his voice help to add at least a little dirtiness to the track. Though it's not my favorite track, it's good to see some experimentation with different types of music, rather than just loading the album with Garage tunes.



5. "I Just Sing" - And we go right back to the action, with the loud bass and deep drums hitting you right from the start! A melancholy rocker with compelling vocals, this one also has a fuzz-guitar solo in the middle! This is a nice track, with just a splash of Psychadelia to it.

6. "Evil" - The Troggs spice things up by trying their hands at yet another style, this time with the Blues. Apparently written by Shelby Singleton (a fairly famous song writer), this number has just a hint of a "Hoochie Coochie Man" feeling to it. All in all, a fun song with great Bluesy guitar playing! Here ends the A-side, so flip the record over and let's continue...

7. "Our Love Will Still Be There" - Kicking off the B-side, this one opens with the loud bass and fuzz-guitar drawing you in. Changing up their style again, this one has a bit of a Folk/Psychadelic feeling to it. And of course, the back beat is very loud and heavy throughout the track!

8. "Louie, Louie" - The most covered song of the sixties (seriously, how many covers have there been so far in this journal?), The Troggs coat the original in lead and let it sink into the depths of heavy Psychadelia. Very fun and heavy, with a great guitar solo, it's a worthy take on a great classic (though it's not my favorite cover of Louie, Louie that I've heard so far. That one still goes to Honey Ltd.).



9. "Jingle Jangle" - Another change of pace, The Troggs dip back into the Folk/Psychadelic sound. A simple and fairly clean song, I wouldn't be surprised if this one got radio-play in it's day.

10. "When I'm With You" - This one kind of has an old Country/Southern beat to it, it's another Vocal-Pop number with a heavy back-beat to balance things out. Sounds like something The Beatles would've played in their early days.

11. "From Home" - The heavy back-beat returns, this time in a frantic and jarring tune with occasional fuzz-guitar flairs! This one has a very Hendrix-y Hard Rock solo in the middle that leaves a good impression, though it is rather short. All together, a fun and unusual track!

12. "The Jaguar and the Thunderbird" - Finishing off the album, we get yet another change of style, this time with a Rockabilly number. A cover of Chuck Berry's hot rod rocker, The Troggs add their signature back-beat and get right to business. A nice tribute to the golden age of Rock 'n Roll, with good vocals/harmonies!



And the music comes to an end! Having only heard The Troggs before with their similar-sounding songs "I Want You" and "Wild Thing", I expected them to have that standard sound and rarely deviate from it. That's not the case at all! With forays into Psychadelia, Folk, Hard Rock, Vocal-Pop, Blues, and even Rockabilly, I was really surprised with their experimentation and variety! They seem to be one of those bands that's very good at making different sounding songs, while also having a distinctive signature sound that ties all of their songs together (you just know it's The Troggs when you hear one of their numbers). All things considered, this is a very fun album, and I highly recommend it!

Part two of today's update, in which I upload more of that short story and embarrass myself with my terrible writing, will be coming shortly! And then I'll write up the next portion of Los Nuggetz, which I'm really getting a kick out of so far!