As in last month¹s installment I am still engrossed in working my way through virtually the entire SUNDAZED & NORTON records catalogues. And that¹s 45s as well as LPs. There are piles of records strewn throughout the living room. Luckily I’ve got an understanding wife and three kiddies who¹ve grown up surrounded by vinyl, so any temptation on their part to explore my collection is mercifully absent.
I must say that virtually all of these records are completely wonderful. For starters there are about 200 45s titles that Norton Records (New York, USA), have issued over the years. They range from Garage to Instrumental but concentrate mostly on wild and obscure Rockabilly.
So that¹s where my head is at for the time being. Their LP titles are also very very cool.
One album which I was particularly impressed by was a collection of early DOUG SAHM 45s from the late 50s to early 60s. (LP SAHM, DOUG – SAN ANTONIO ROCK – THE HARLEM RECORDINGS 1957-1961). I¹ve been a DOUG SAHM / SIR DOUGLAS QUINTET fan for years and his SMASH LPs from the late sixties are as essential American music as you¹ll ever hear. So I approached this LP with some trepidation as “early” recordings by later stars can be a half formed affair at best. But I needn¹t have worried. DOUG SAHM was already a fully fledged genius at the tender age of 18 (as well as a performing veteran, playing steel guitar with some of Texas¹ top Western Swing acts before he turned 10!!!). HIs sound on these early 45s was already established and very similar to the kind of thing he played and sang right up until his death in 1999. Sahm was (and is) a true original and one of the few genuine geniuses of modern popular music. If you¹re interested in Texas music in general and enjoy a wild blend of Blues, Rnb, Country and Rock, then Doug Sahm is surely the man for you.
Also essential is the SUNDAZED compilation “The Best Of Sir Douglas Quintet” which is actually a reissue of a very rare 1960s compilation on Tribe Records of earlier 45s (both hits and misses) issued on that label. In fact any of his LPs are interesting, not least his late 70s output on labels such as Sonet which saw a welcome return to his pure rockin¹ Texas Roots. If there¹s one artist I wish I could have seen live it’s him (oh, and Link Wray and Hendrix, but that’s another tale).
In recent times I’ve also had a really productive time trimming down by huge 45s collection. I’ve been squirrelling away 45s for years now and must admit that my collection has been getting somewhat out of hand, to the extent that I simply don’t know what I have anymore. Those little platters are everywhere and I thought it prudent to have a bit of a spring clean. On the one hand it’ll release some very tasty titles into this catalogue (starting next month) but it also meant that I spent days listening to 45s that I hadn¹t heard in ages. It’s amazing how you can hear any given record with new ears once you’ve not played it for a year or two.
I “rediscovered”some truly brilliant records in this manner. One such gem is a fantastic Pebbles Garage 45 by SOMEBODY’S CHILDREN “I’m going back to New York City” (UPTOWN USA 1966) which is a frantic Garage/Psych killer. Much in the same vein is the ever brilliant “It’s a bad way to go” by (also from New York) THE BRUTHERS, their lone 45, issued on RCA in 1966. (Their entire recorded output is now on one essential LP on SUNDAZED…again). Another killer 45 which can be found cheap (and, oh yes, I have one last copy for sale) is THE BECKETT QUINTET¹s 45 “No Correspondence” which was also featured on the PEBBLES LP series many moons ago. Essential riff based hard snotty Garage-just the way we like it.
The FLOYD DAKIL 4 (out of Dallas Texas) had a fairly good 45 called “Dance Franny dance” included on the the first Pebbles LP, but far better is a killer 45 (on EARTH) from 1965 called “Bad Boy” (not the Larry Williams song) which is a typically tight Texan R’n¹b Punker much in the same vein as early BOBBY FULLER 4. Who, when I think of it, are also one of the greatest bands of all time. And I have just noticed that this article is taking on a slight Texan flavour. This is only right and just, as I my mind the Lone Star State has produced some of the world¹s (and beyond) greatest music: 13th Floor Elevators, Moving Sidewalks, Bobby Fuller 4, The Vaughan Brothers (Stevie & Jimmy and all the band they played in), Johnny Winter, The Stoics (if only for that ONE brilliant 45 “Hate / Enough of what I need”), Buddy Holly, Sonny Curtis, Albert Collins….the list goes on and on. Also one of the world’s greatest record fairs is held at Austin.
As you can tell I am once again completely smitten with 60′s Garage, R’n'b, Folk-Rock and Psych.
My little dabble in modern sounds has once again been put on the back burner. I simply find the old stuff more satisfying and half the fun is actually unearthing those sounds that were- up to then – completely lost in the midst of time. There is something quite satisfying (and this may well be a predominantly male trait) in the EXCLUSIVITY of these rare and unusual little bits of black plastic that we¹re all obsessed about. When they’re dished up new, and for everyone to have and own without having to work for right of ownership, the fun kind of goes. I¹m sure you know what I mean, even if you don’t agree!
