UPDATE: This post was re-uploaded 09/01/2013. Enjoy, NØ.
Big Beat Records WIK 18, 1984.
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This is quite simply one of the best compilations ever. This is the raw sound of some of the wildest rock n' roll tunes ever scraped up off the recording studio floor. It's a collection of original songs that were later covered by The Cramps. If you are a fan of them, then this is a must have, but even if you're not familiar with The Cramps, this is great just for the song by Hasil Adkins alone. The primordial unhinged oozing & throbbing of a complete cerebral meltdown.
The tracklist & song selection on the record (posted here) varies from that of the available cd.
The cd has 16 tracks with three different songs (marked *).
[1. Surfin' Bird - The Trashmen
2. Psycho - The Sonics
3. The Crusher - The Novas
4. *Scream! - Ralph Nielsen & The Chancellors
5. Paralysed - Legendary Stardust Cowboy
6. She Said - Hasil Adkins
7. *Hidden Charms - Link Wray
8. My Daddy Is A Vampire - The Meteors
9. Red Headed Woman - Jimmy Dickinson & The Cramps
10. *Run Chicken - The Milkshakes
11. Radioactive Kid - The Meteors
12. Dateless Night - Tav Falco & Panther Burns
13. Jack On Fire - The Gun Club
14. Folsom Prison Blues - The Geezers
15. Catman - The Sting-Rays
16. Just Love Me - The Guana Batz]
The record has only 14 tracks & begins with a classic not on the cd. So, ripped from glorious vinyl for your listening pleasure...
A1 - Love Me - The Phantom (1:28)
" 'Love Me' by The Phantom, the record that warped a generation 20 years after its release, launches this collection of psychotic delights & nervous disorders. Written in 10 minutes as the b-side to schlock ballad 'Whisper Your Love' by self confessed accidental bigamist & singer Jerry (aka Marty) Lott aka The Phantom, it was recorded in three takes & finally released by Pat Boone on the Dot label 2 years later in 1960.
A2 - Surfin' Bird - The Trashmen (2:21)
'Everybody's heard about the bird', the 'Surfin' Bird' by the Trashmen out of Minneapolis, out of the Rivington's 'Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow' & 'The Bird's the Word'. A Top-5 smash for Dal Winslow (rhythm guitar), Tony Anderson (lead guitar), Bob Reed (bass), & Steve Wahrer (drums) in 1963.
A3 - Psycho - The Sonics (2:10)
Tacoma's Sonics - Bob Bennett (drums), Gerry Rosalie (vocals & keyboards), Rob Lind (sax), Larry Parypa (guitar), & Andy Parypa (bass) cut three albums for Etiquette & 'Psycho' was featured on the third, entitled rather surprisingly
Introducing The Sonics.
A4 - The Crusher - The Novas (1:58)
The Novas, a teen band from Minneapolis, cut this dedication to a local wrestler 'The Crusher' in 1964. Contrary to rumor, it is not The Crusher doing the lead vocal.
A5 - Paralysed - The Legendary Stardust Cowboy (2:25)
The Legendary Stardust Cowboy is from Lubbock, Texas, home of another great singer, Buddy Holly. According to Major Bill Smith, the Cowboy used to dress up in his 16-gallon hat & yellow chaps, go down to the drive-in movie with his guitar & trumpet & perform during the intermission standing on the hoods of cars. He cut three singles for the Major & an, as yet unreleased (1984), album, all in his unforgettable style.
A6 - She Said - Hasil Adkins (2:40)
Hasil 'Haze' Adkins, the one-man band, was born & raised at Jack's Branch, about 9 miles outside Madison, West Virginia. He made his first guitar out of a bucket at the age of seven & never looked back. 'I taught my ownself how to play & I change chords & beats whenever I think I should change...like for instance, you hit down on your strings & count 1-2-3-4, then change to another chord, well, I don't play that way.' Hasil has released 9 singles. The track on this album, 'She Said' was recorded in 1964.
A7 - My Daddy Is A Vampire - The Meteors (3:46)
The Meteors were formed in 1978 by Nigel Lewis (slap bass) & P Paul Fenech (lead guitar), with drummer Mark Robertson joining some time afterwards. Their debut recording was the sound track to a very B-movie short 'Meteor Madness', which included this track. The version featured here was recorded live in Paris in 1982, when drummer Woody had replaced Mark
B1 - Red Headed Woman - Jimmy Dickinson & The Cramps (2:59)
James Luther Dickinson has been recording his 'suburban rock' sound around the Memphis area since the 1960s. He was a member of The Jesters, who cut one of the last records released on the Sun label. It was while at the Sun recording studio that he recorded this track in 1977. The backing group used on this session was The Cramps - one of their earliest recordings. Jimmy Dickinson played piano & sang lead, as well as producing the record in an all night session, the band being locked into the studio by a time lock mechanism.
B2 - Radioactive Kid - The Meteors (1:42)
This track by The Meteors is the Chiswick single in its original form. The band split finally in 1982, with P Paul retaining the name of the group & Nigel eventually forming The Tall Boys with Mark.
B3 - Dateless Night - Tav Falco & the Panther Burns (2:49)
Called 'the brilliantine of American music, smoothing out the rough edges & greasing down the beat', Tav Falco recorded this song with Alex Chilton (guitar), Ronald Miller (bass), & Raw Johnson (drums) in Memphis in 1980. This track was recorded live as part of their debut EP on Frenzi Records & is very rare. The original band re-formed recently (1984) after Tav had cut several tracks with different Panther Burns line-ups.
B4 - Jack On Fire - The Gun Club (4:43)
This song is from the Gun Club's debut album recorded for Slash Records of Los Angeles in 1981. This version featured group leader & ex-Blondie fan club secretary Jeffery Lee Pierce on slide guitar & vocals with Ward Dotson (guitar), Rob Ritter (bass), & Terry Graham (drums).
B5 - Folsom Prison Blues - The Geezers (2:01)
Originally known as Grant & the Geezers, under which monicker they recorded one single, 'Monster Stomp', The Geezers came to the U.K. in 1983 & cut some sides for Big Beat Records. The band consisted of Grant Cleaver (lead vocals), backed by Kevin Daly, Chuck Holder, & Mark Fridland alternating guitar, bass, & drums. The Geezers were from Tempe, Arizona while Grant was from Lewisham, England. Grant was know for his strange stage antics, spending most of the time lying on the floor.
B6 - Cat Man - The Sting-Rays (2:26)
The Sting-Rays are from Crouch End & this song is a cover of the Gene Vincent classic. This version is from their last studio session with bass player M.K. shortly before he left the band to continue his medical studies. The band has cut an album & two singles as well as being featured on a number of compilations. Their unique blend of psychedelic, rockabilly, & Walker Brothers music has created a huge international following. The band features Bal (vocals), Alec Palao (snare, tom-tom, & cymbal), & Mark Hosking (guitar).
B7 - Just Love Me - The Guana Batz (2:14)
The Guana Batz are relative newcomers to the music scene compared to most of the acts on this compilation. The Batz formed in 1982 & are based in the Feltham area. The line-up is Pip Hancox (vocals), Stuart Osborne (lead guitar), Mick White (bass), & Dave Turner (drums). The track featured here was recorded during the sessions for their first EP on Big Beat. This song brings the album to a close with one of the best of the new bands (1984), suffering from the same kind of rockabilly psychosis & garagr disease that haunted The Phantom all those years ago."
Enjoy,
NØ
