The Ames Brothers - Destination Moon

8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 LET'S GO!
Come and take a trip
On my rocket ship
We'll have a lovely afternoon....

Space age sci-fi at it's best.  Did you know the 1969 moon landing was not the first. The Ames Brothers were there first in 1959.  No need for a space suit when you're wearing a tuxedo.  No space helmet because the air is fine.  No atmosphere, no problem. 

It looks like they found a lot of bitchen rocks, though.

Cover lists credits for dress, shoes, jewelry and gloves.    I wonder if they forgot to change the liner notes after they switched to this picture from typical 50's cheesecake.  


So away we steal
In a space-mobile
A supersonic honeymoon
Leave your cares below
Pull the switch, LET'S GO!
8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
DESTINATION MOON!


I got this at at thrift store in the Atwater Village neighborhood of Los Angeles.  When Silver Lake could not longer hold all the hipsters (and hipster oriented businesses) they spilled over into Atwater Village and Echo Park.

U2 - The Joshua Tree Singles

U2's been in the news lately.  Seems they dropped their new album for free on iTunes this week.  Well they did a little bit more than drop it.  They pushed it to 500 million iTunes account holders - whether they wanted it or not. I've heard it said that they should have called their new album 'Spam.'

They're actually embracing the new business model of the music industry.  Back in the day, the concerts were inexpensive to encourage people to see the band, then go home and buy the record.  Now the recorded music is presented free or inexpensive to get you to go hear the music so you go out to the concert.  Not only are ticket prices higher than the $6.50 top price back then, but there is a ton of merchandise that goes with it.   $45 t-shirt anyone?

Not to diss the band.  It's not really their fault.  I saw them a few times and they were excellent.  Put out some killer albums as well.  They were also very generous with B-Sides to their singles.  Both 'The Joshua Tree' and 'Rattle and Hum' had a series of four singles each.  

I'll present 'The Joshua Tree' series below.  It's a cool collection of pictures sleeves each featuring an individual band member.  All photos by Anton Corbijn.  Photos of the Anton Corbijn photos by me.

'With or Without You' b/w 'Luminous Times (Hold On To Love)' and 'Walk to the Water'

B-Side plays at 33 1/3

"Hey Anton - Is this enough like Stevie Wonder's 'Talking Book'"

'Which one of us whistled for the limo again?'

'Where the Streets Have No Name' b/w 'Silver and Gold' and 'The Sweetest Thing'

B-Side Plays at 33 1/3

"I love hide and seek in the desert.  They'll never find me here"

'If we each look in a different direction, we'll be sure no coyotes surprise us'

'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For' b/w 'Spanish Eyes' and 'Deep in the Heart'

B-Side Plays at 33 1/3

'It's hot.  I'm tired. My feet hurt and we're all out of potatoes'

'Adam - This is the last time we let you pick the hotel'

'In God's Country' b/w 'Bullet the Blue Sky' and 'Running to Stand Still'

B-Side is on the LP.  Plays at 33 1/3

"Hey Anton - Where's my cover shoot?  How come I'm last?  I'm supposed to be first.  I can do 'Talking Book' as good as Edge"

'Don't know about Bono - He's having trouble staying focused'

The Rattle and Hum series will follow at some point.  Same concept.  Four of them with a solo portrait of a band member on each one.  

Excuse the humor in the captions below the photos.  I really like this band, but there are times I wish they didn't take themselves so seriously.  Hope I don't offend their disciples.


The Rattle and Hum Singles

Back Side of the Faces

I recently came across some 45's by the Faces.  I always thought they were a great band, despite the fact that their flamboyant singer, Rod Stewart, overshadowed them at the end before going off to an annoying career as a solo artist.  Other members went on to supplement other British bands.  Ronnie Wood and Ian McLagan went on to play with the Rolling Stones.  Kenny Jones joined the Who.  Ronnie Lane paired up with Pete Townshend on an album or two.

The 45's were a revelation.  The B-Sides on three of them consist of in studio jams without vocals.  They didn't appear on the albums.

Maybe I'm Amazed b/w Oh Lord I'm Browned Off

B-Side is one of those loose jams.  Surprisingly, the A-Side is a studio take.  I was fully expecting the live version that's included on 'Long Player'

Had Me a Real Good Time b/w Rear Wheel Skid.

An offering from Long Player  - although in edited form coupled with another one of those studio jams.  The A-Side gives songwriting credit to 'Bonnie Wood - Rod Stewart.'  I'm sure Ronnie wasn't too happy about that.  For some reason this is credited to the Small Faces.

Cindy Incidentally b/w Skewiff (Mend the Fuse)

The A-Side is from their final album 'Ooh La La.'  The B-side is another one of those studio Jams.   B-Side gives credit to McFagan.  I'm sure Ian wasn't too happy about that.

Pool Hall Richard b/w I Wish it Would Rain (With a Trumpet)

Their final track.   A gritty rocker.   This never came out as a 45 in the USA as it was custom here to make consumers buy 10 tracks they already had to get the one they didn't.  It showed up on their 'Greatest Hits' LP released after their demise.  In the UK, this was sensibly put out as a 45.  The B-Side, recorded live, foreshadows the mediocrity to come with Rod's solo career once the band dissolved.

 A great band worth looking into. I kind of wish they would have carried on without their singer.  They did it before when Steve Mariott left the Small Faces to form Humble Pie.  It was not to be.   Ronnie Lane left the band for health reasons towards the end and wasn't on the final tours.   Ronnie Wood went on to a better gig.  The Faces hadn't officially broken up when he toured with the Rolling Stones in '75. Kenny Jones had a decent run with The Who.   Ian McLagan is now based in Austin and regularly tours with his Bump Band.  

Patty Duke - Don't Just Stand There

Patty Duke.  Talented actress.  Star on Broadway at a young age.  One of the youngest people to ever win an Academy Award.  Star of her own television series.  Role model for teenage girls.

Posing in a dress that looks like the ones my mom and my sister used to make from patterns.

As a star of stage screen and television, it only makes sense that she should be a recording star as well.  Someone at United Artists Records (which coincidentally was the studio behind her hit TV show) thought she could sing.  If she could, it's not evident on this record.  

This record has a hand written note on the front cover:

"Liz Gambon (Look at some of the songs  - even if you think I'm crazy)" 

OK. I'm not sure what this means.  The songs here consist of (among many others) 'Danke Schoen,' 'Say Something Funny,' 'The End of the World.'  I don't quite get it, but then again I'm not on the same wavelength as Liz and Patty.

Could Patty Duke be speaking to Liz Gambon in the same way the Beatles were speaking to Charles Manson?  

Could Liz Gambon have some sort of insight to Patty's later in life bout with bi-polar disorder?  Had we listened to Liz could we have gotten Patty the help she didn't seek until later in life?

Was Liz the only one who got the subliminal message from the TV show about Patty's sanity?  After all - she was schizophrenic with another personality in the form of a British 'cousin.'   

Was nobody alarmed that a hot dog made her lose control?

The mirror is often used as a cinematic symbol of a split personality

Patty did manage to further her career, succeeding her TV father as president of the Screen Actors Guild.  My favorite Patty Duke role is that of Neely O'Hara in 'Valley of the Dolls.'  Who can forget that hysterical fit in the rain screaming "Neely O'Hara" or the fight in the bathroom with Susan Hayward where she flushes a wig!

I don't remember where I bought this record. Most likely at a thrift store.

Velouria Records in Visalia

In the central part of California lies the Central Valley.  The Coast Ranges make up the western flank.  The eastern flank is made up of the Sierra Nevada.  It's one of the nation's most productive farmlands.  It's home to Bakersfield - birthplace of the Bakersfield sound in country music.  The state capital, Sacramento, is on the northern end.  Fresno, the 'raisin capital of the world' and the fifth largest city in California, is at its center.  Modesto, where American Graffiti takes place, is a typical example of a Central Valley small town.  The place is flat and hot.

This brings us to Visalia.  Located between Bakersfield and Fresno on State Route 99, it's a slightly larger than average town in the central valley.  It serves as the gateway to Sequioa/Kings Canyon National Parks.  The closest place to the park one can get a hotel room.  They have a  somewhat vibrant downtown with nice restaurants and a restored movie palace.   It's the last place you'd expect to find a record store.

About two years ago, we took a family trip to Sequoia/Kings Canyon.  Not wanting to spend the first day of our trip driving, we left Los Angeles in the afternoon with the plan of staying in Visalia overnight and taking the 40 minute drive up to the park in the morning.   While looking for a place for dinner, we ventured into the central business district.  We found a nice restaurant that could hold its own with any of the fancy-ass places in the big city (the name escapes me - but this isn't a restaurant blog - so forgive me.  I think it's name was a number).  While parking, we found ourselves in front of Velouria Records.   Unfortunately they were closing as we pulled up.

 I don't have a photo of the store - but I did get me a t-shirt

My wife, Winnie Margate, who fully understands my obsessions, suggested we delay our departure in the morning so I could crate dig.  Knowing that I would chomping at the bit until they opened, I let rational reasoning take the lead.  I thought it best that we stop on the way back.  The valley is so hot, I wondered how people ever got records safely from the store to their home.   So stop on the way back we did.

What I found was a revelation.  I wasn't expecting a used vinyl selection as deep and varied.  Stock rivaled the finest used record stores in the big city, without the picked over feel one normally finds in larger stores.  From what I gather, the store is owned by a woman who always wanted to own a record store.  She got her wish.  She appeared to be the only employee - or maybe the only one who was willing to work on Sunday.   Stock is nicely organized and staff knows where everything is and what they have.

Given their location, they do have a decent selection of country, but it doesn't predominate.  All genres are represented healthily.  My only regret was that I didn't have more time to spend going through the 45's.


I don't recall what I got there that day.  I think maybe Loretta Lynn's 'Fist City' album.  It was once owned by someone named 'Marg.'

I wonder if Marg liked this song because of the lyrics. 

If you don't wanna go to fist city
You better detour around my town
'Cause I'll grab you by the hair a the head
And I'll lift you of the ground.

Did Marg get in barfights with other women when she heard of her man 'cattin' around with a kitty?'

I digress.  This speculation of a record's previous life is the subject for future posts.  I actually like it when a used record has someone's name on it.  Even better when there's some sort of dedication.



If you ever find yourself in Visalia, be sure to visit Velouria.  Just remember to take your records out of the car when you stop for ice cream at Dewar's in Bakersfield.

Website:   Velouria Records

RIP Series - Johnny Winter

Since I just started this here blog recently, I'm going to periodically do some posts in tribute to some musical greats (and not so greats) who have departed in the last year or so.   I'll catch up at some point and be more timely.  Until then, I've unfortunately got a lot of catching up to do.  

I'm avoiding the well researched career tributes and appreciations.  I'll leave that the to paid professional scribes.  I'm sticking to my basic subject matter and blogging about the records.

Johnny Winter - Second Winter

Johnny Winter's second album is somewhat of an oddity.  It was released in 1969 in an era where the album was restricted to about 45 minutes.  (Long before the expanded 75 minute CD format became the norm and forced artists to produce what amounted to a double album each time out).  So the story goes that there was too much material for a single album and not quite enough for a double.  Normally there would be a few choices:

1.  Hold back some material for future releases.

2.  Release the remaining tracks as B-Sides.

3.  Flesh out the album with a live side as filler.

4.  Scrap the additional material entirely.
5.  Hastily throw together some covers or loose jams to flesh out the album (I'm looking at you Underture).

Well Johnny Winter chose another option.   He released a three sided record.  Two LP's on Columbia.  One record consists of side1 and side 2.   The other Side 3 and a blank side.

The blank side

I purchased this at Second Hand Tunes in Chicago.  Not sure if it was the Clark Street store or the one in Evanston.  I heard they're both closed now.

We're Having a Holiday in Hawaii

Well one of you is at least.

Don't mean to lift my leg on your beach blanket, little boy In a bikini, but....

Hawaii is rabies free.   As a result they have strict quarantine laws for pets.    At minimum it's five days.    Maximum is 120 days.   

So while you're frolicking on the beach and learning the hula, Lassie is in a dark, damp Hawaiian doggie prison.  Just passing the time scanning the countryside for nene and mongeese through the tiny window.    Only poi and water for nourishment.   Marking the days on the calendar with paw prints.   Rattling his doggie dish against the iron bars to get attention.   

Poochie may get one day to frolick on the beach with his wierd looking friend.  Next day it's back in the crate and into the cargo hold of an aircraft for six hours.   Who knows what kind of re-entry rules apply in the state they came from.  

This is probably why Fido doesn't look so happy in the picture.   After his stint in the big house, he was thrown into the water to make it seem like he was on vacation.   We all know you're not really on a family vacation unless somebody gets wet at some point.  

I think I picked this one up at a thrift store.   It once belonged to someone named Terpstra.  They must have been afraid of losing it at a luau.   

If the intent of this cover was to sell records, then they succeeded.   I shelled out a hard earned 50 cents for it.