Fat Mattress

Fat Mattress (ATCO 1968)

Noel Redding - the bass player in the Jimi Hendrix Experience - attempted a career out of the shadow of his rock god frontman.    It ain't half bad.   

When friction developed within Fat Mattress, Noel attempted to sack two members of the band.  Formation contract details were not in his favor and the band sacked him instead.

Noel would be second from right in the below gatefold.

He formed 'The Noel Redding Band' shortly thereafter.  Probably named as such so the band couldn't sack him.  Saw them open for The Patti Smith Group and the long lost and sorely missed Golden Bear in Huntington Beach, CA.

Mad Twists Rock N Roll

Not too many words needed to describe this one.  Found it in a 3 for $5 bin at a record swap this September.  

MAD Magazine was the publication of my youth.  I still have every issue from 1968-1974 stored away in protective sleeves.

In 1962 the put out their first record.  It had been on my want list for a long time.

MAD "Twists" Rock 'n' Roll (Big Top 1962)

A cheery little early rock and roll record with great titles.  Check them out.

(Throwing The) High School Basketball Game
(She Got a) Nose Job
Please Betty Jane (Shave Your Legs)
Somebody Else's Dandruff (On My Lover Baby's Shirt)
Blind Date ((Yaaaaaahhh!!!)
Agnes (The Teenage Russian Spy)
Let's Do the Pretzel (And End Up Like One)
(Even If I Live to Be 22) I'll Always Remember Being Young
(He Fell In Love With Me) When My Pimples Turned to Dimples
She's a Serious (Yeah-Yeah) Teenager in Love
(All I Have Left  Is) My Johnny's Hubcap
I Found Her Number on the Boy's Bathroom Wall

Each title beautifully illustrated by Mort Drucker on the back.

Also on the lookout for the second one - 'Fink Along with MAD' from 1963.  That one has 'It's a Gas' and 'I Love Her ('Cause She Lets Me Watch Her Mom and Pop Fight)'

Capitol Records has the Best Inner Sleeves - Or So They Say

Read these instructions carefully. I never realized that you were supposed to press the inner sleeve against you body to open it.

The Audition Record

Early record stores operated a bit differently than what we got used to in 70's.   The bins were filled with empty jackets.  You had to take your potential purchase up to the counter where they filled it with the record.  

They also had listening booths where you could have a record played for you prior to purchase.

For large retailers, record companies would supply the store with an audition copy to be played in the booths. 

In my youth, there were a few of these types of stores around.  One was Whitwood Music in the Whitwood Mall in Whittier. California.   When I went with my mom to the mall, I could go to Whitwood Music and hang out in the listening booth while annoying the clerk with requests.

Sandy Nelson - Teen Age House Party

Sometimes I'll pick something up for the cover alone.

Sandy Nelson - Teen Age House Party (Imperial 1962) 

I found this years ago at J-Mars (RIP) in Las Vegas.   The record is pretty hacked, but just love the cover.  These teenagers seem to be about 12.    Just kids dancing, except for that ginger kid second from left.  It looks like he just pulled the plug on the record player.  Probably because nobody would dance with him.

Sandy Nelson was a session drummer who put out instrumental albums.  From 1962 to 1966 they came at a clip of about 6 per year.   In 1963 he was in a car accident which resulted in a foot amputation.  He soldiered on with just a little less high-hat.

As the liner notes say - 'here you can enjoy an entire evening of listening and dancing - all to the happy Sounds of that favourite of all teenagers - Sandy Nelson - the incomparable drummer'   This of course if you define an entire evening as under 30 minutes.

This was my first Sandy Nelson record.  Years later, I found about 10 of them in near mint condition for a quarter each at a thrift store.   I snatched them up.

Beat Swap Meet Comes to Grand Park - Los Angeles.

A beautiful Sunday in September.  A record swap meet comes to Grand Park - in the shadow of Los Angeles' iconic City Hall.

I took the subway downtown.   The train was packed with Dodger Fans, Rams Fans, DACA protesters, etc.  So nice to see people using the train for transportation rather than accommodation.

The subway exit is right in the middle of Grand Park and gives a great view of City Hall. 

Grand Park was created when the city decided to move parking lots underground and create a public space between City Hall and The Music Center.   It's been a huge success and hosts celebrations on New Year's Eve and Fourth of July, etc.

Turn the other way, and we get a view of why I came down here.   Seems the all-vinyl Beat Swap Meet has made its way to Grand Park.  

The selection of vendors was quite diverse with Latin and Hip Hop fairly represented.   Probably about 50 vendors total - many of whom were just guys with old records.  I use the Frampton Comes Alive test when deciding to crate dig.  If I see it for $15 I'll dig.  If I see it for $40 I'll pass.  They pressed millions of those things.  Supply far outdoes demand on that title.

This guy had Europe '72 (second row left) for $45 (probably reasonable as it was the green Warners label with booklet).  The Bowie Bootleg Dollars in Drag  (third row second from right) was $150 (probably reasonable as well.  Fewer than 2000 were pressed).   I got few things from this guy.

I'm always on the lookout for trends.  It seems the hot items this season (at least here in LA) are blaxploitation soundtracks.  'Coffy' was playing from one vendor when I got there.  I saw the Truck Turner soundtrack for $40.  I held it and pondered, but ultimately put it back.

Stereotypes abounded.  If I ordered a 'record geek' from central casting and posed him in a photo, I don't think I could have done better than this.

I was merely trying take a quick photo of the Velvet Underground covers in various states of peel  This guy just happened to be there.

I came away with a few titles.    No record over $10.   Three are from the 3 for $5 crate.

I hope this swap meet is a regular deal.  Come back.  I'll go.

West Coast Punk - What? Records EP

What Records? was one of a handful of independent labels capturing the LA punk scene in the early. days.   Other releases on the label were the first single from The Germs and the first single from The Dils.

This particular release featured one song each from three local bands.


What Records? EP (1978)

The copy I have is a reissue of the 1978 release.  The label is pretty much identical to the original save for the additional legal stuff.

Side A features The Eyes performing 'Don't Talk To Me'    This was co-written by Eyes member Charlotte (don't look at me I'm famous) Caffey who later found sound compromised mainstream success in the Go-Go's.    They spelled her name wrong on the reissue.  Not so on the original.

Side B gives us '(The Original) Neutron Bomb' by The Controllers.  A rockin' little tune not to be confused with 'We Got the Neutron Bomb' by The Weirdos.  I saw them a few times, more often than not on the same bill with X.   They had a charismatic African American woman on drums who went by the name of Mad Dog.

Also included in 'Victims' by The Skulls.  Don't remember much about them.  I probably saw them at some point.  Most of the punk shows I attended 1978-1980 consisted of four bands.  Even my youthful short/long term memory forgot most of them at the time.

Music to Read James Bond By

This month is the somethingth anniversary of something related to James Bond.  Not sure what it is.  It could be anything.

So here we have the United Artists compilation of film music to celebrate the occasion.

Music to Read James Bond By (United Artists  1965)

Some photos from the films.  I dig the giant hypo.

The pressing I have is in glorious mono.

I pull this one out every time I get naked, paint myself gold and read James Bond paperbacks.