The Who Support The Stones

In 1967 Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were thrown in jail on unrelated (to each other) drug charges.  Keith was set up by news of the world and busted at his home.  Mick was found to be in possession of amphetamines for which he had a prescription issued by an Italian doctor.  The whole thing was basically a war on youth culture.  The Rolling Stones were considered bad influences and role models.  The man wanted to put them down.

The whole incident rendered The Stones inactive for much of 1967. 

The Who wanted to help out by keeping the music of Mick and Keith on the charts.  Their intention was to release singles while Mick and Keith were incarcerated.  They managed to get one out before the a judge threw out their case.

The Who  - Under My Thumb b/w The Last Time (Track 1967)

For the Love of Company Sleeves

When buying a box of 45's sight unseen, those that have company sleeves are usually horribly mis-matched.  I try to marry them up with the correct labels whenever they appear in a box.

Columbia, Atlantic and Atco are seen often.  Seen less often are obscure labels that may have only had a few hits.   I managed to get this one for Colossus records in the latest box

The Venus 45 was not in the box.  Fortunately I already had the 45 in my collection.  It's safe inside the intended company sleeve.   Pretty cool!

When The Throwaway B-Side Lives On

In 1972, cartoonish glam rocker Gary Glitter released this single.

Gary Glitter - Rock and Roll Part 1/Rock and Roll Part 2 (Bell 1972)

It's kind of a dumb song with a very present rhythm section.

....but part 2 - which is merely an extension of the backing track without the lead vocal - had legs.

Gary Glitter is currently serving time in prison for child sex crimes.  It was around the time of his arrest that sports teams began playing Rock and Roll Part 2 at games.  It caught on and is a crowd favorite.

Recently, it was featured in the film Joker where the title character dances down a flight of stairs.

Sing along with me.  Rock and Roll Rock Rock and Roll

I Did It Once Again

Seems I never learn.  I blindly acquired a box of 45's on eBay.  As usual, I spied a few titles on the picture that led me to believe there may be some gems in the box.

I did OK this time out.  I did, however, come to the conclusion that people were assholes to their records. 

Hawkins

Not very much of a household name, but Ronnie Hawkins is very important in the evolution of rock and roll.

He was a rockabilly guy from Arkansas in the late 1950's.    He landed a gig at a club in Canada and travelled north with his band The Hawks.   His drummer was Levon Helm.  One by one, other band members left his employ.  As they did, they were replaced by local young musicians.   Robbie Robertson on guitar, Rick Danko on bass. Richard Manuel on keyboards, Garth Hudson on organ. 

As a unit, they caught the attention of John Hammond, Jr - son of the legendary Columbia executive and a blues artist in his own right.    He did some sessions with them.  From that connection they caught the attention of Bob Dylan who was looking toughen up his sound.   They toured Europe with him and played at the much bootlegged (and much mislabeled) Royal Albert Hall concert in 1966.

When the Dylan gigs ended with a still suspicious motor cycle accident, they holed up with Dylan at Big Pink in West Saugerties, New York.   They worked up some of their own material and were re-christened as The Band.

The result is a bunch of Canadians giving us back our Americana - Much like the Brits giving us back our  blues.

RIp Series - Jack Scott

Geez there are so many of these that some of the more obscure ones slip by. 

Jack Scott was an Italian rockabilly cat from Ontario, Canada.  He had more chart appearances than Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent, yet is hardly remembered today.

Jack Scott - The Way I Walk/Midgie (Carlton 1958)

Probably his best known track.  Covered by The Cramps in the late 70's and remained a staple in their live set until the end.

Jack Scott - Burning Bridges/Oh, Little One (Top Rank International 1959)

Another chart appearance.  This one about ending a relationship and burning letters.  It hints at an escalation to burning down a house.

RIP Series - Neil Innes

Neil Innes - founding member of the Bonzo Dog Band.  Co-creator of the The Rutles.  Songwriter for Monty Python.

Let's start with the Bonzos.    Their initial exposure was in The Beatles film Magical Mystery Tour.  They appeared performing their song 'Death Cab for Cutie' which inspired an Emo band's name.

The Bonzo Dog Band  - The Doughnut in Granny's Greenhouse (Edsel 1969)

Their second record contains the hit 'Can Blue Men Sing the Whites.' 

Not included on this record - but who can resist 'The Intro and The Outro,'   'Urban Spaceman,'  'Hunting Tigers Out In India'  Classic stuff.

Later on, Neil wrote the music and starred in one of the first 'mockumentaries' playing Ron Nasty in 'The Rutles - All You Need is Cash.'  The soundtrack album and film mirrors The Beatles casting The Rutles as the pre-fab four. 

As a Python collaborator, Neil can be seen in Monty Python and the Holy Grail as minstrel singing 'Brave Sir Robin.'

Terry Jones Has Ceased to Be

Monty Python member Terry Jones is an ex-person.  Mr. Creasote has sampled his last forkfull.

The origin of the term 'spam' for unwanted email can be traced back to one of their skits.   but..... Let's talk about a record.

The Monty Python Matching Tie and Handkerchief (Arista 1973)

On the surface it's your basic comedy album with creative packaging.   The die-cut cover appears as a package you might find at a department store.

Pull out the inner sleeve to reveal a Terry Gilliam illustration of a hanged man.

It's the free record that sets this apart from any other. 

One side is double tracked.  Two complete programs are included.   Which one you get depends on where the needle drops.  So in essence this is a three sided record.

As we lose Terry Jones and the 'Seventh Python' Neil Innes (or he he the eighth behind Carol Cleveland), I leave you with their hit single.

According to Eric Idle's recent memoir, the most requested song at British funerals.  Mixed by George Harrison who single handedly funded Life of Brian because he wanted to see the movie.