Blues Magoos: (We Ain't Got) Nothing Yet 1967

Originally formed in The Bronx, New York in 1964 as The Trenchcoats. In 1966 they changed their name to Bloos Magoos, before settling on Blues Magoos. Their debut album (Psychedelic Lollipop) was released in 1966. Even though (We Ain’t Got) Nothing Yet was included on that album, it was not released as a single until 1967. Written by Ron Gilbert, Ralph Scala and Mike Esposito, it pecked at number 5 on the Billboard Top 100.  Gotta Get Away was the B-Side. Just over a year later, after releasing two more albums, they broke up.  But the band’s management and singer/guitarist Peppy Castro backed by various hired musicians kept the name alive until 1972. 

    It's fair to say Deep Purple’s 1970 hit, Black Knight owes a debit to (We Ain’t Got) Nothing Yet’s main riff.

Produced by Bob Wyld, Art Polhemus

Mike Esposito                 Guitar
Geoff Daking                 Drums
Ronnie Gilbert                  Bass
Peppy Castro      Vocals/Guitar
Ralph Scala        Organ/Vocals

(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet.mp3

Gotta Get Away.mp3

Montrose: Space Station #5 1973

In 1973, respected session musician Ronnie Montrose formed his own band, Montrose. He  had played on albums by Herbie Hancock (Mwandishil) and Van Morrison (Tupelo Honey & St. Dominique's Preview). The original Montrose line up included Sammy Hagar. But the reason I am posting this is more personal. When I was 17 one of my favorite bands was the Irish Punk band Stiff Little Fingers. Over the years I came to realise that some of their best ideas were not their own and that they were not the most original of bands. But I always thought their debut single Suspect Devise was a great song. One day someone told me to listen to Montrose’s Space Station #5. I finally tracked it down and put it on. After 50 seconds of spacey hippy noises on came the Suspect Devise riff. I was, as we say in my country, gutted. This is the song Stiff Little Fingers stole the riff for Suspect Devise from. The B-Side is a cover of the Roy Brown / Elvis song Good Rockin' Tonight.

Produced by Ted Templeman

Sam Hager               Vocals
Ronnie Montrose      Guitar
Bill Church                  Bass
Danny Carmassi       Drums

Space Station #5

Good Rockin' Tonight

As a bonus here's Stiff Little Fingers' Suspect Device. This is the Rigid Digits  Records single version. Which is different to the one on the album Inflammable Material.

Suspect Devise

The Clique: Sugar On Sunday 1969

 

The Clique were a band from Houston, Texas. Formed by record producer Gary Zekley in 1966. Although their recordings featured mainly session musicians Jerry Cope, Sid Templeton and Tommy Pena formed the core of the touring band. Sugar on Sunday was their third single. It was a cover of a Tommy James & the Shondells song.  It was released on White Whale Records in 1969 and reached number 22 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was the highest chart position they ever reached. They released one album and several more singles before disbanding in 1972. The Clique might have stayed an obscure little known 60’s Texan band. But in 1986 a group form Athens, Georgia called R.E.M. covered the B-side of this single (I am Superman) and now The Clique are famous for that. Forever linked to R.E.M.

***Warning recorded off of vinyl. Surface Noise***

Sugar On Sunday

I am Superman

As a bonus, here's their first single. A cover of the 13th Floor Elevators Slash 1.

Splash 1 

The Original Barbara Ann : The Regents 1961

 

This is the original Barbara Ann later made famous by The Beach Boys. The Regents recorded their version in 1958 but it wasn't released until 1961. It was written by Fred Fasser, whose brother Chuck sang in the band. They were called The Regents because when they where choosing a name they were recording at Regent studios and lead singer Guy Villari smoked Regents cigarettes. They saw that as a sign.

Guy Villari                                 Lead
Sal Cuomo                      First Tenor 
Chuck Fassert            Second Tenor
Tony Gravagna           Sax, Baritone
Don Jacobucci                         Bass

***Warning recorded off of vinyl. Surface Noise***
The Regents - Barbara Ann

Crazy Horse: Downtown 1971

 

In 1971 Crazy Horse were at a loose end. After being plucked out of obscurity two years earlier by Neil Young. When he changed their name from The Rockets to Crazy Horse and used them to record his second solo album (Everyone Knows This Is Nowhere). They then tour with him and recorded bits of his third album (After The Gold Rush).  Now they were unemployed again as the ever-restless Neil Young wanted to work with different musicians and had Cosby, Stills, Nash & Young commitments. They decided to capitalize on their newfound fame. Keeping the name Crazy Horse they recorded an album.

Downtown was the only single released - at the time - from the album. In different markets different songs were used as the B-side for example in France it was Crow Jane Lady. On the version I have its Dance, Dance, Dance. Although the mp3s are take from a CD not the vinyl. 

Downtown was written by the guitarist Danny Whitten and Neil Young. A version recorded live at the Fillmore East in 1970 appears on Neil Young’s 1975’s Tonight’s The Night.  The B-side Dance, Dance, Dance is sung by the drummer Ralph Molina. It was written solely by Neil Young. In 1975 he re-wrote the lyrics calling it Love Is A Rose and gave it to Linda Ronstadt to record. Neil Young’s own version appeared on his 1977 compilation album Decade.

Danny Whitten                        Guitar, lead vocals
Ralph Molina                                 Drums, vocals
Billy Talbot                                        Bass, vocals
Nils Lofgren                                    Guitar, vocals
Jack Nitzsche                                  Piano, vocals

Produced by        Jack Nitzsche & Bruce Botnick

Downtown
Dance, Dance, Dance

As a bonus here's the original 'I Don't Want To Talk About It.' Taken from the Crazy Horse album. It was written by guitarist the late Danny Whitten.
I Don't Want To Talk About It
And the Linda Ronstadt's 'Love Is A Rose'. To compare with Dance, Dance, Dance
Lind Ronstadt - Love Is A Rose

The Specials A.K.A. - Gangster 1979

In 1979, out of nowhere (Coventry actually) appeared this single by the multiracial The Specials A.K.A.. They seemed to act as a counterpoint to the racist element creeping into music via some in the Oi/Skinhead camp. Although their sound was based on Jamaican Ska and Rocksteady, it seemed fresh. You could dance to it and not just the pogo. There was a degree of musicianship that was frowned upon in punk. But it still had the energy of punk.

This was the first release of 2 Tone Records. The reason The Selecter appeared on the flipside is because The Specials A.K.A. had used their entire recording budget (£700) on recording Gangsters and didn’t have a B-side. The instrumental The Selecter had been recorded two years earlier in 1977 by Coventry musicians Neol Davis, John Bradbury and Barry Jones. John Bradbury was now the drummer in The Specials A.K.A.. When Gangsters took off, Neol Davis set about forming a band under the name The Selecter. The Specials A.K.A. (soon changed to just The Specials, before the A.K.A. was again readded in 1981) were one those seminal bands that inspired a musical moment and legions of imitators.

Terry Hall                                                                vocals
Jerry Dammers                                                keyboards
Lynval Golding                                rhythm guitar, vocals
Neville Staple         toasting, backing vocals, percussion
Roddy Byers                                                    lead guitar
Horace Panter                                                 bass guitar
John Bradbury                                                        drums


The Specials A.K.A. - Gangster
The Selecter - The Selecter

***Warning The Selecter track was recorded of off vinyl. Some Surface Noise.***

As a footnote, here's the original song Gangsters was based on, Prince Buster's 1965 hit Al Capone.

Prince Buster - Al Capone

The Original 'How Is The Air Up There?' by The Changin' Times 1965

Firstly, sorry about the quality of this mp3. Its taken from a pretty messed up vinyl copy. It is a very rare recording. If anyone has a cleaner version please send me an email. The La de das’ 1966 version of this song is rightfully coincided legendary in New Zealand. This is the original version from 1965 by The Changin’ Times. I know nothing about them I can’t even find a photo of them.

**Warning! Recorded off of old worn vinyl. A lot of surface noise**

The Changin' Times - How Is The Air Up There