Nipper - The RCA Dog

Few corporations are lucky enough to have a mascot as famous as Nipper.   He's the RCA dog that served as corporate logo in a painting showing him being confused by the sound coming out of a phonograph.  The sound presumed to be that of his master droning on about something.

So famous is Nipper that his likeness is displayed in The Smithsonian.  The above stained glass window once adorned the factory in Camden, NJ.  He was on the label of RCA records for decades - save for that period in the 70's when they had that orange label.   (In the UK, they never used Nipper after that period as the trademark was owned by HMV)

But.....Nipper is a fox terrier - a smooth one rather than a wire - but still a fox terrier.   I have had many fox terriers.  It's highly doubtful he was mesmerized by the sound of 'his master's voice.'  Fox terriers don't care about their master's voice.   They do, however, care deeply for vermin.   A more believable scenario has to do with the surface noise on the old '78's.   Nipper is probably thinking there's a mouse in there scratching away.  Personally I'd get him away from the hi-fi.  It's likely to turn into a pile of metal in the next few minutes.

I once had a foxy dismantle a woodpile single handedly because a critter ran underneath it.  They've caught birds and squirrels.  And they'd bring them in the house as gifts - well not gifts actually - they'd put them in front of you but quickly snatch 'em up and run when you tried to dispose of it.  I had two at one time playing tug-of-war with a squirrel. 

You get the picture. They're crazy - all of them. 

Here's a typical reaction to something as commonplace as a sprinkler

Happy Holidays

Snuggle up. Sleep tight while visions of sugar plum fairies dance in your head.

It's Liberace on The Night  Before Christmas!

Also available on 8-track if you'd like to listen in your car.

Jeff Beck Truth

In the late sixties, there was a heavy blues boom coming out of the UK.  Often the origination of this genre is credited to Led Zeppelin.  Not discounting the brilliance of Led Zeppelin I, it certainly was not the first.

In my opinion, it belongs to.....

Jeff Beck - Truth (Epic 1968).   

This was released months before Led Zeppelin I and pretty much defined the genre.  Jimmy Page set out to top Beck at his own game.  

The band featured Rod Stewart on vocals and Ronnie Wood on bass.   This was Rod before he became a caricature of himself.  Long before he adopted the look of your odd aunt who had a lifelong 'roommate.'  Long before he had to ask his audience if they thought he was Sexy.   He wouldn't want to hear my answer.

Enough about him.  Beck absolutely plays circles around his protoges.  Led Zeppelin even included You Shook Me on their debut.  Beck does it better.

And here I am spinning some Truth.  Play it loud!

The Glitterhouse

I came across this in a thrift store.  I don't remember where or when.  I'm always game for obscure psych records.  I'm not surprised I bought it, but I just don't remember the details.  It probably entered the collection with a stack of others.  

 I rediscovered it when refiling a Gong record.   I gave it a clean and a spin.  Wow!

The Glitterhouse - Color Blind (Dynovoice 1968)

The sound is somewhat close to early Procol Harum.   Their genesis is from Long Island  - not really known for its contribution to the genre.  They were managed by Bob Crewe - the man behind The Four Seasons.  They were on a subsidiary of Dot Records which boasted Pat Boone on their roster.  All things against this album having legs.   

The band is probably best known for providing the soundtrack to Roger Vadim's Barbarella with Jane Fonda.  To the best of my knowledge, this is their only album.

My Daughter Went to Hong Kong

My daughter went to Hong Kong.  I had been before and was asked what were some of my favorite things.  I, of course, insisted she go to Paul's apartment to shop for records.   When asked if I wanted anything, I suggested goofy Asian pop/psych from the sixties.   This is what she came back with.

Rica and Sakura - Hitmakers (have no idea about year or label)

Just what the doctor ordered!  Goofy psych/pop personally recommended by Paul.

And on translucent orange vinyl to boot!

She told me it was a highlight of the trip - and she was there for the hurricane!

When in Hong Kong - it's an absolute must to visit Paul.  Check out my earlier blog posts.

https://vinylstatistics.blogspot.com/2014/08/record-underground-in-hong-kong.html

https://vinylstatistics.blogspot.com/2014/08/inside-paul.html

Roxy Music Cover Models #4 - Country Life.

In slight variation to the cheesecake photos gracing the first three albums, the fourth takes a slightly different approach.

Roxy Music - Country Life (Polydor 1974)

This time out, the photo seems more like two women caught in the headlights.  A sharp contrast to the 'come hither' looks of the previous three.

In contrast to the other three albums, Bryan Ferry was not having an affair with the models.  These two are German tourists Ferry met while vacationing in Portugal.   Using a line he had the privilege of using often, he asked them to get undressed to model for the next Roxy Music album cover.  They obliged.   The two later assisted Ferry in the German portion of Bitter Sweet which opens side 2.


So shocking was the cover for Americans, the US version came wrapped in opaque green shrinkwrap with a sticker.

Later pressing removed the girls entirely only depicting the bushes.

In Praise of Old Warner Brothers Pressings

To my ear, nothing sounds better than original Warner Brothers pressings on the green labels.  There's a warmth and fullness to the sound I don't hear coming from other companies  - even UK or German pressings from other labels.

The common perception (at least by me so that means everyone else) is there was a definitive change when they switched to the gawd awful looking trees label.  In reality the dip in quality and warmth happened about a year or so later.

Warner Brothers (and subsidiaries Reprise, Discreet, etc) did not operate their own pressing plants. Instead, they outsourced to others.  During the 'green label' period they were using Columbia's plants.

In 1973 they switched to the gawd awful trees label.   For about two years, they still pressed at Columbia.  These pressings can be identified by the clamp ring on the label about 3/4 if an inch from the runout groove.   See below for an early pressing of Bear's Choice by Grateful Dead.  If you squint, you can see the ring passing through Vol.1 and the skull logo.

Sometime in 1975, Warner's switched their outsourced pressing to Capitol.   Capitol pressings can be identified by the clamp ring closer to the middle - at about the same place a 45 spindle would go.

I first became aware of the difference when I spied a copy of Grateful Dead's Europe '72 on the Green label.  I snapped it up just because it looked cooler.  I had an subconscious feeling it would sound better.   In comparison to the copy I bought in 1977, the warmth jumped out.  Phil's bass was right there, the kick drum resonated in my chest.  Wow!.  From that pressing, my appreciation of the green labels grew.   It was only upon geek investigation did I discover the overlap of warm pressings and gawd awful trees labels.   Billion Dollar Babies had the warmth as did Zappa releases prior to Zoot Allures.

Fortunately, during this period Warners did not use Columbia for 45's.  Columbia pressed on styrene.  Warner's 45's are on vinyl.  More to come on the use of styrene in 45's.

The Lemon Pipers - Beyond The Green Tambourine

To most of the world, The Lemon Pipers are considered one hit wonders with their pop/psych gem Green Tambourine.

Their story goes a little deeper.   Signing to Buddha Records in 1967 was probably not the best move artistically for the Cincinnati band.  The Lemon Pipers were a psych band.  Buddha was a bubblegum label - the home to the 1910 Fruitgum Company and The Ohio Express.   When it came time to do the first album, Buddha enlisted Brill Building songwriters to come up with safe hippy songs for 12 year olds.  

The Lemon Pipers - Green Tambourine  (Buddha 1968)

I picked up this LP at a record fair.  Mostly out of curiosity to see what a nine minute Lemon Pipers tune could be like.

Evidently what happened was this.....    There weren't enough songs to fill the album, so they needed to fill the remainder with long tracks that were more in line with who The Lemon Pipers were. The result is awesome and completely changed my perception of the band.

Bruce Springstone

Who doesn't love a good parody record?   Presenting Bruce Springstone.  The Flintstones theme as done by Bruce Springsteen. A fun record poking fun at the master of honest stories of working people as told by rich rock stars.

Bruce Springstone  - Live at Bedrock Featuring (Meet The) Flintstones

I especially love the spoken preamble.

I remember,
I remember when I was just a kid
Growin' up on them backstreets, in an old stone-age town
I used to come home at night from my job,
I had a job flippin' dino burgers
I'd see the quarry, it'd be just closing down by then
Little bird up on the pole,
He's screaming out how the working day's over
And I'd see them dinosaurs,
They'd be herding out through the gates
And the workers,
They'd be giving them cars a running start with their fat little feet
Now, so, so one night I'm crossing the alley
And I see this one worker coming home to his little stone hut
And I seen the lady's lunch pail by the door,
And he calls out to his wife,
"Hey Wilma! I'm home, honey

The B-Side is that American Anthem - Take Me Out to The Ball Game.  Illustration shows Bruce sliding into base holding his guitar which would have an amazing sound if played.

Ella Covers Savoy Truffle

Yes, THAT Ella and THAT Savoy Truffle.

Ella Fitzgerald - Savoy Truffle b/w I'll Never Fall In Love Again (Reprise 1970)

George Harrison's homage to a box of chocolates and the subsequent loss of teeth covered by jazz great Ella Fitzgerald.  Have a listen.

Let It Out (Let it All Hang Out)

Aside from loving the song, I picked this one up because it was a 45 on Verve.   I didn't have any as highly collectable 45's by The Velvet Underground or The Mothers have proven elusive or hideously expensive.

The Hombres - Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out)/Go Girl, Go  (Verve 1967)

That said, what's the story with this pressing.   The LP that includes this is on Verve Forecast.  I did a little research and found out a few things.

Verve Forecast was the result of a joint venture between Folkways and MGM.  MGM wanted to preserve the Folkways imprint to segregate the folk music true to it's image.  Folk releases went out out on Verve Folkways.  Rock/Psych releases had the imprint of Verve Forecast.   

So why the blue Verve label on this one?   According to legend (and the entries on 45cat.com), the Monarch pressing plant ran out of Verve Forecast labels and pressed them using the label of the parent company Verve.    Since this 45 was shooting up the charts at a breakneck pace, demand was high and on a rush given the short shelf life of hit songs then.   Monarch couldn't wait and improvised.

The B-Side is a pathetic little Beach Boys knock off.

The Beatles on ATCO

It's well known that Capitol Records turned down it's right of first refusal on The Beatles in 1963.  As a result, their early EMI sides were picked up by Chicago based R&B label Vee-Jay for USA release.   Some of these crept out on Vee-Jay subsidiary Tollie.     Subsequent 45's got picked up by Philadelphia indie Swan.

Prior to signing with EMI, The Beatles spent a well documented time in Hamburg honing their craft.  While there, they recorded as a backing band for UK Ex-Pat Tony Sheriden.  One of these recordings featured a John Lennon vocal.  It was up for grabs as a US release.  At the height of Beatlemania, ATCO wanted a crack at it.

The result is this semi-rarity,  The Beatles on ATCO with Pete Best on drums. 

The Beatles - Ain't She Sweet b/w Nobody's Child    (ATCO 1964)

Davy Does Dylan

Before he was a Monkee, Davy Jones was a Broadway star.  He starred as the Artful Dodger in the stage version of Oliver!.   Based on this  - and an attempt to get him signed to Columbia Pictures as they owned the rights to the movie version - Davy got a record deal with Columbia's record company Colpix

David Jones (Colpix 1965)

Not much to recommend here other than a hoot of a Dylan cover.

In its original incarnation, the album didn't sell and Davy didn't get the part in the movie version of Oliver!   Colpix had a warehouse full of these.  What to do?   Davy becomes a Monkee.  Slap a sticker on it and redistribute.  That didn't work either and the record was easily found in cut out bins still sealed well into the 80's.

Possibly because of this arrangement, The Monkees recorded for Colgems which was a joint venture between Screen Gems and Columbia Pictures.  Much easier to create a joint venture than buy out a contract.

Our B Side

I love 45's.   The B Side for me is the main attraction.   Let's take a moment to talk about Three Dog Night. 

They didn't write their own material - which resulted in them not being taken seriously by 'serious' rock audiences.  They were primarily an AM singles band at the time AOR was taking over.

So here's one of their last singles....

Shambala b/w Our 'B' Side  (Dunhill 1973)

One of my favorite sub genres - the mystical magical place song.  The best one being by The Cramps - Kizmiaz.   Anyway  - this is Three Dog Night.  It's pure pop and not psych at all.

So let's talk about the B side.   In many cases when the band didn't write their own material or had one main songwriter  - others were allowed a composition on the B Side.   The Who did this with B-Sides typically written by Entwistle, Daltrey or Moon while Townshend had the A Side.  Royalties on singles were equally split between the A and B side so the composer of a sub standard B side got the same reward as the composer of the hit.

Three Dog Night didn't even come up with something good enough for that purpose until later in their career.

Band members Jimmy Greenspoon, Chuck Negron and Corey Wells pulled together this little ditty.  They didn't even try to  conceal the purpose.

Sample lyric

Here it is, our big break baby
Yes it is, our B side baby
Someday we'll write an A side maybe
But if we will, what should we write baby
Rock and roll, blues in half time
Soft and low, or even old reggae

We'll try to make our minds rhyme baby
It's your fault if we're just lazy
Kids, are you humming it?
1, 2, 3, 4

Anyway  - shout out to Chuck Negron.  He lives up the street from me. 

Why are there no dates on records from the '60's?

An easy way to find what year a record was released is to read the fine print on the label or jacket.  I do this quite a bit when adding something to the database or doing a quick check as my 60 year old mind can't always remember everything.

So I noticed that only RCA seemed to have dates on their records prior to 1971.  I wondered why as everyone seemed to date their albums later.

Recordings weren't eligible for copyright protection until 1972!   A recording of Dylan doing public domain songs was fair game.

RCA dated their records, but they were copyrighting the LINER NOTES AND COVER ART!


Dylan's New Morning only lists the artwork under the copyright. This was probably an attempt to dissuade the bootleggers who were targeting Dylan.

The Title Don't Lie - The World's Longest Limbo Record

Having a Limbo Party?  Tired of changing the record every two minutes or placing the 45 on repeat as the competition heats up?  Well here's your answer.

Billy Strange - Limbo Rock (Coliseum 1962)

The title doesn't lie.  This is the world's longest limbo record.  What we get is 20 minutes of Limbo Rock on each side.   Instrumentation changes here and there, but the same 12 bars repeat incessantly without a breath.   So when Murray and Madge are locked into a Limbo Death Match, nobody needs to change the record.  Genius.

Makes me want to have a drink with an umbrella in it.

Do You Think This Artist Would Have Gotten a Record Deal if they Didn't Have a Famous Family Member #5

Simon Townshend has a very famous brother.   Because of the this he got to make a record.

Simon Townshend  - Sweet Sound (21 Records 1983)

From the looks of the cover, he worked as an auto mechanic or a coal miner during the day.  That being said, he has a very clean shirt.  Either he just put it on or he's wearing some new miracle fabric.   (Personally I can't wear white as often times lunch is on me).  Thanks to brother Pete - who produced this record - he got to be a star for about 30 seconds.


Simon is currently filling in as a second guitarist in the current configuration of The Who.  Family charity.

Sinatra for the UK Only

In 1962, Frank Sinatra visited the UK.   While there, he recorded with Robert Farnon, one of the top conductors in Great Britain.  As Usual, Sinatra didn't do multiple takes.  He had a sore throat and was unhappy with the results.  The result is this LP that was only released in the UK

Sinatra Sings Great Songs from Great Britain  (Reprise 1962)

My basic review is that it ain't that good.  The arrangements aren't really there and Sinatra actually sounds bored.  I can see why Frank chose to keep this under wraps in the USA.  That said, he still sings rings around the current crop of imitators.  Hello Michael Buble.

To get a little geek - Reprise was distributed in the UK via an arrangement with Pye.  This would explain why Reprise got The Kinks

And for you total geeks, the photo of Sinatra on the label is different from the ones used on US Reprise.

Cosby's Label

Before the Cosby Show became a mega hit.  Before he became the spokesman for Jello and Roofies, There was Bill Cosby the record man.

His label, Tetragrammaton, only lasted a few years.

Their biggest hits were early sides by Deep Purple.    When John and Yoko attempted to release Two Virgins which featured Lennon's London Times flapping in the breeze, Capitol/Apple refused to release it.   Tetragrammaton stepped in and released it wrapped in a brown paper bag. 

So what is Tetragrammaton you ask?   It's the term for the Hebrew trick of writing something without actually writing it.  You see, they're not allowed to write 'God' so they write 'G_D' instead.  Kind of silly if you ask me as you've communicated what you want to say.   If we were to apply the same method to gentile writing, GD is shorthand for 'goddamn,'   So I'm not sure they're winning here by writing 'G_D.'   Almost as silly as that symbol for Prince.

So stop whining and finish your GD Jello shot already. 

Memories of El Monte

Primer mi carucha, Chevy '39
Going to El Monte Legion Stadium
Pick up on my Weesa, She is so divine
Helps me stealing hub caps, wasted all the time.
Fuzzy dice, bongos in the back
My Ship of Love is ready to attack.

In the early 60's, local Los Angeles DJ Art Laboe was putting on 'oldies' show at the El Monte Legion Stadium about 10 miles east of downtown LA.   It wasn't really a stadium.  More of a dumpy union hall comparable to Winterland.



Since we're talking the early '60's, Doo Wop from the '50's were the 'oldies.'   Frank Zappa was a fan of this music from his high school days.  As a young struggling musician out in Cucamonga, Frank and bandmate Ray Collins wrote this song and pitched it to Art Laboe.

The Penguins - Memories of El Monte b/w Be Mine  (Original Sound 1963)

It was picked up and recorded by the Penguins who had recorded the doo-wop classic Earth Angel some years before.  Cleve Duncan was the only original member to sing on this.   After this recording, they reformed and hit the oldies circuit.   Frank Zappa went on to form The Mothers of Invention a few years later.

More on the El Monte Legion Stadium.

http://www.elmontelegionstadium.com/history.html

My Name Jose Jimenez

In the early sixties, comedian Bill Dana adopted the character of naive Bolivian swept up in the space program.   His name...Jose Jimenez.    It was milked for all it was worth.  More people knew the name of the character than the comedian himself.  The liner notes emphasize the character is warm individual an offends nobody.  Yeah right.

Totally not OK today, but this was long ago before everyone got so sensitive.  RIP Frito Bandido and Speedy Gonzalez.

José Jiménez: "My name... José Jiménez."
Ed Sullivan: "Well, now I see you have some of your space equipment with you. Uh, what is that called, the crash helmet?"
José Jiménez: "Oh, I hope not."

Ed Sullivan: "Now, what do you consider the most important thing in rocket travel?"
José Jiménez: "To me the most important thing in the rocket travel is the blast-off."
Ed Sullivan: "The blast-off."
José Jiménez: "I always take a blast before I take off. Otherwise I wouldn't go near that thing."

Let's start with the one with a cover that used to terrify my daughter when she was a toddler.

Jose Jimenez in Orbit, Bill Dana on Earth (Kapp 1962)

It started with this one.

  The First Man In Space - Jose Jimenez The Astronaut    (Kapp 1961) 

Prior to conquering space, Jose commanded a submarine...

Jose Jimenez The Submarine Officer  (Kapp  1960)

My daughter grew up OK and now has no fear of Bolivians in helmets.   I, on the other hand, still possess a reasonable unease. 

Roxy Music Cover Models #3 Stranded

Stranded - The Third Roxy Music Album (Island 1973)

By the time we get to the third one, Eno is gone.    For the cover model, we get Marilyn Cole.  She was playmate of the year in 1973.   Of course, she was having a fling with Bryan Ferry at the time.

This particular cover is supposed to depict someone stranded in the jungle.  In wardrobe, she was fitted in the dress and quite pleased with how it looked on her.  When the actual shoot arrived, the photographer tore the dress and hosed her down.  Not quite as glamorous as she had envisioned.

RIP Series - Marty Balin

Not much more can be said about counter-culture heroes Jefferson Airplane (yes kids, there is no 'the').  The band started in the San Francisco folk scene which morphed into the 'San Francisco Sound.'  JA was the first band to get signed by a major - RCA.  Following their success, every major had to have their San Francisco Band.  Warner Brothers got The Grateful Dead.  Columbia got Big Brother an Moby Grape.  Capitol got Quicksilver and Steve Miller.   Jefferson Airplane cracked mainstream AM radio with White Rabbit and Somebody to Love.  They headlined the Saturday night slot at Woodstock (which ended up with them going on Sunday morning).

To most, Grace Slick is the focal point of the band.  Not to diminish her contribution, I wholeheartedly disagree.   Paul Kantner contributed vocals, guitars and songs. Bass and guitar duo Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady anchored the sound with their unique style.  When they left the band to devote their full attention to Hot Tuna, JA became Jefferson Starship. 

And they had three singers who could weave in and out of each other like great jazzmen.  Paul Kantner, Grace Slick and the recently departed Marty Balin.  Marty was the guy who got knocked unconscious at Altamont.   He left the band shortly thereafter.

Marty's contribution is never more evident than on their first live album

Jefferson Airplane - Bless Its Pointed Little Head  (RCA 1968)

The first track on Side 2 consists of everything that made the band great.   Starting with Jack's slap base as everyone else slowly comes in.   Then the vocals.  Starting with Paul, but quickly overshadowed by Grace and Marty.   Hot lead guitar from Jorma accompany the soaring vocals.

The next two tracks showcase Marty on lead vocals.  It's No Secret which was chosen as Jefferson Airplane's first single.

I have an original pressing.  A pre Dynaflex RCA.   It came with a black inner sleeve and an insert.   Why, I don't know.

Marty's stellar contribution to this set is Plastic Fantastic Lover, his love song to his stereo system.

 Worth a lyric reprint.

Her neon mouth with a bleeding talk smile
Is nothing but electric sign
You could say she has an individual style
She's a part of a colorful time

Super-sealed lady, chrome-color clothes
You wear 'cause you have no other
But I suppose no one knows
You're my plastic fantastic lover

Your rattlin' cough never shuts off
Is nothing but a used machine
Your aluminum finish, slightly diminished
Is the best I've ever seen

Cosmetic baby, plug into me
And never, ever find another
And I realize no one's wise
To my plastic fantastic lover

The electrical dust is starting to rust
Her trapezoid thermometer taste
All the red tape is mechanical rape
Of the TV program waste

Data control and I.B.M.
Science is mankind's brother
But all I see is draining me
On my plastic fantastic lover

So when you think of Marty Balin, throw out that MOR crap from the '70's.   You don't need Miracles.   Go for Volunteers or After Bathing at Baxters. Jefferson Airplane if full flight can be stunning. 

Do You Think This Artists Would Have Gotten a Record Deal if They Didn't Have a Famous Family Member #3

Edgar Winter.

I'll probably get a lot of flack for this one from fans of daft '70's arena rock.  Edgar would be nowhere without Johnny.  He started out as a sideman in Johnny's band.  From there he got 'noticed'

Edgar Winter Group - They Only Come Out at Night (Epic 1972)

A while back, I put on this record and had to take it off.  This album was a huge hit.  Gawd it's awful.  We can blame Edgar for that silly keyboard/guitar thing so popular in the '80's. 

There I've said it.   The albino army is coming at me with Tiki Torches and plenty of sun screen.  Extreme White Lives Matter!

Do You Think This Artist Would Have Gotten a Record Deal if They Didn't Have a Famous Family Member #2

Chris Jagger.

Blessed with a megastar brother, Chris Jagger managed to release two albums before slipping into obscurity.

Here's the first, simply titled Chris Jagger.

It's unclear why someone chose to put a big X over his face.

Although his recording success doesn't come near his brother's, he has managed to surpass him in the marital fidelity department.  He's been married to Keri-Ann Muller, the model who graces the first Roxy Music album and Mott the Hoople's Mott, for more than 25 years.

Peter Gunn

Quite simply one of the coolest albums to come out of the '50's.  

The Music From Peter Gunn (RCA 1959)

This may (or may not be) the first soundtrack album to a TV show.  The mood of this is cool jazz, but the title track has a persistent riff that's pure rock and roll.  It's been covered by Duane Eddy and Jimi Hendrix.  They don't get much cooler than this.

This is an 'orthophonic' recording - which means they used electric microphones instead of acoustic horns for recording.   RCA was the first company to do this - IN 1925!   The term stuck until stereo and Dynagroove took over.

This was the first ever record to win a Grammy as album of the year - a category they got horribly wrong in years to come.  Christopher Cross comes to mind.  (apologies to those who like cupcakes).