The Irrepressible Ricky

It's been a long time since I've randomly pulled something out of the 7 inch collection.

So here we go with Ricky Nelson.

Critic types malign him as being lightweight. Elvis light.

The guy is the son of a band leader and his singer.  He grew up on his parents' TV show.  First as the young 'Irrepressible' Ricky.  Then growing up into a genuine teenage idol.

I don't have to apologize for liking his early rockabilly sides.  He had the best musicians daddy's connections and money could acquire.  Most notably guitarist James Burton.

Here are two EP's from one of those massive blind singles purchases.

Ricky Nelson - Down the Line EP  (Imperial 1958)

Ricky Nelson - You'll Never Know What You're Missin'  (Imperial 1959)

This one features the Jordanaires

Rick's later career veered into soft country rock before The Byrds and The Eagles adopted the genre.   He died in a plane crash after allegedly freebasing cocaine caused a fire onboard.

Tommy James Doesn't Have and Ego Problem

Tommy James - Christian of the World  (Roulette 1971)

Tommy James' second solo album features this jaw dropping cover.   The album features the hit 'Draggin' the Line.'   

I'm not sure what's going on.  He thinks he's Jesus I guess.   Take a good look at the cover.  First off, his followers are not holding actual crosses.  They have little 'X's much like the things puppetmasters work with.   I would have been odd to follow Jesus around with a cross anyway.  Think following Caryl Chessman around with a gas chamber.  Think following Micheal Jackson around with a vial of propofol.

His followers are actually wrapped in bedsheets.  I'm sure they didn't have designer flower print clothing in the first century.

The scene continues on to the back cover.  Here we have flower bedsheet follower pulling a knife on a baby.

Just in case you didn't think Tommy James was divine, we get a soft focus shirtless cheesecake picture on the inner sleeve.

Captain Beefheart - Lick My Decals Off, Baby

For a long time I've been looking for a viny1 copy of this album  Finally found a copy at Rasputin's in Berkeley, CA

Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band - Lick My Decals Off, Baby   (Straight   1970)

This is the follow up to their classic Trout Mask Replica double LP from the prior year.  Often times is sounds like cacophony of sound,  In reality, the Captain rehearsed his band relentlessly.  This is exactly like he wanted it to sound,  There is nothing like a Captain Beefheart record.  Highly influential, never imitated,

The back features Captain Beefheart's original artwork.  He would later abandon music for a career as a visual artist.

My big thrill is having the original pressing on the Straight Records label

When Frank Zappa left Verve/MGM, he set up his own label through Warner Brothers/Reprise.  Bizarrre Records was for Mothers of Invention/Frank Zappa releases (along with Lenny Bruce and Wild Man Fischer).  Straight Records was set up for other artists nurtured by Zappa.   Captain Beefheart was one of those.  As was Alice Cooper and the GTO's (Girls Together Outrageously)   The Straight moniker didn't last all that long and later pressings of Straight product appeared on Warner Brothers or Reprise.

Space age couple, why don't you flex your magic muscle?

Duane Eddy

Here's a guy who discovered the reverb setting on his amp and made a career out of it.

And turned that simple amp setting into 'A Million Dollars Worth of Twang.'

Not a speedy picker by any means.   He tended to play a few notes and let them float.  Rebel Rouser being probably his biggest hit.

Capitol Records Stereo Manifesto

When Stereo records began to appear on the market, each label touted the reason why theirs sounded better.   Below is Captol's stereo manifesto touting their 'new improved full dimensional stereo.'

This type of sound was on most Capitol recordings in the '60's.   They were so insistent on it they decided it was a good idea to remix and remaster Beatles recordings.   It didn't hurt their success, but the original UK mixes produced by George Martin are now considered definitive.  The Capitol mixes are only available on the original vinyl pressings and the recent box set money grab.

   

Pearl Jam in Three Colors

In 1994, the CD boom was in full swing.  Major labels weren't pressing that much stuff on vinyl.  Many LP's were not released in the format.

An exception was Pearl Jam.  Their second and third albums, Vs and Vitalogy respectively, were released on vinyl in advance of the CD issue.

The singles pulled from Vitalogy shared their joy of vinyl.  A joy that was rare at the time.

Pearl Jam - Spin the Black Circle b/w Tremor Christ (Epic 1994)

The single was a throwback to the Epic label design that was retired in the '70's.  The song is an obvious tribute to records.  This time we get the classic yellow design..

Pearl Jam - Immortality b/w Rearviewmirror (credited to The Frogs)  (Epic 1994)

This time in blue with a hole to show the label.

Pearl Jam - Not For You b/w Out of My Mind  (Epic 1994)

This time in red - with no depiction of the label on the sleeve

Interestingly enough on these, the A Sides say they're from the Epic album 'Life' which is incorrect.  The album cited should have been Vitalogy.

Swedish Rock and Roll

And you though the only thing that came out of Sweden was ABBA and The Shocking Blue.

Here we have

Swedish Rock & Roll Dammit

Check out these bands.    The Mushroom River Band may be big some day.

Electric Light Orchestra - Yes, They Put Out One Great Record

In 1972, UK psych band The Move embarked on a side project.   Jeff Lynne, Roy Wood and Bev Bevan planned an LP by a fake band called The Electric Light Orchestra.   The name is a pun based on (obviously) electric light and (not so obviously) light orchestra.

The Electric Light Orchestra - No Answer (United Artists 1972)

The album was recorded during the same sessions as The Move's final album - Message From the Country.

Members of The Move dressed in appropriate garb on the back cover.   Since United Artists was a film company, the year of publication is in roman numerals.   MCMLXXII.

We get a lyric sheet.

And a gatefold sleeve.

Now the story gets a little more interesting.  Officially, this was supposed to be a Move album in disguise.  The Move were under contract with Capitol where Message From the Country was released.  This release went to United Artists who couldn't use The Move name.  On the label, the artists is listed as 'Move Enterprises LTD Presents the Services of The Electric Light Orchestra.'

As a further humorous aside, the album supposedly had no title.  A secretary at United Artists was tasked with contacting the UK record company to see what the album was supposed to be called.  She called and got no answer.  That was written down on a form somewhere.  As a result, the album was called 'No Answer' in the USA.

After the release of this album, the move cut two more great singles.  California Man  (later covered with much success by Cheap Trick)  and Do-Ya (later covered by the Roy Wood-less ELO to much success).   Roy Wood left The Move before ELO could record a second album.   Subsequent releases by the remaining members of the band carried the Electric Light Orchestra moniker.

The rest is, as they say, history.  Roy Wood went on to release several awesome records with his band Wizzard and a few great solo albums.  ELO went on to worldwide success by taking the edges off and getting more mainstream.  Very much like the Peter Gabriel and Genesis saga.