The Shamrocks - Smoke Rings Around The Cadillac (1964-68 sweden, stunning r 'n' b with garage drops)

The Shamrocks, not to be mixed up with The Swiss Shamrocks or the UK band. 

Sweden 1962, Bjorn and Jan joined together with Bernt and Goran and formed a band, calling themselves The Shamrocks. At the time, their music was inspired by The Shadows. They did their first performance as an instrumental group. Some months later, a singer named Dick Emretzon joined. 

After their military service, they started an intense search for new members, which resulted in a very successful constellation, featuring Jimmy Lindskog on guitar and Dieter Feichtinger on bass. At Kingside Club in Stockholm they won a talent competition which resulted in a recording contract with Karusell Records. They adopted the Renegades song "Cadillac" and were called "The Scandinavian Beatles". Karusell then was bought by the big German record company Polydor, which had an international repertoire. 

The Shamrocks were transferred to Polydor as one of the label’s international star groups. The Shamrocks now touring through Europe. In 1966 they did their first performances in Paris, France. ”Cadillac” had reached the charts, and they performed at famous places like Top Ten and Moulin Rouge. Later in the year, The Shamrocks did their first tour in England, appearing on the same stages as The Hollies, The Moody Blues, The Mindbenders, Paul & Barry Ryan, Georgie Fame, Marianne Faithfull and others. 

Finally they did a concert at the famous Olympia, one of the most prominent music halls in the world. This time they appeared with the King of Rock’n’Roll himself: Jerry Lee Lewis. After Jan Granaht left the group in 1967, Bjorn, Dieter and Kent decided to go on as a trio. A new image was disussed, trying out more visual effects. Together with a ”fireworks artist”, a tremendous firework show was put together: water-falls, smokescreens, Bengal fires, showers of sparks – you name it... 

The group returned to Germany for a farewell concert at the Beethovenhalle in Bonn. And then Kent remained in Bonn after this last gig. After a while Bjorn and Dieter decided to make one last ”thanks and farewell”-tour in Germany.

by Martin Lundstrom

Tracks
1. We Gonna Make It (Lindskog, Feichtinger) - 2:55
2. A Lonely Man (Lindskog, Calstrom) - 2 10
3. Skinny Minny (Haley, Keefer, Grabler, Dafra) - 3 00
4. A Mountain Of Silver (Feichtmqar, Weiss) - 1:55
5. Cadillac (Brown, Gibson, Johnson, Maller) - 2:45
6. Easy Rider (Arr:Sone, Collier) - 1:50
7. And I Need You (Lindskog) - 2.22
8. Zip A Dee Doo-Dah (Wrubel, Reuter and Reuter Frol) - 2:15
9. La La La (Paul) - 2:31
10.Things Will Turn Out Right Tomorrow (Brown, Gibson, Johnson, Mallet) - 2:00
11.Ballaballa (Lippock) - 2:08
12.Oxford Street 43 (Feichtinger, Granhat, Rinsberg, Wrangert) - 2:38
13.Don't Say (Feichtinger, Granhat, Rinsberg, Wrangert) - 2:53
14.Nobody Cares About Me (Feichtinger, Granhat, Rinsberg, Wrangert) - 2:20
15.Days (Feichtinger, Granhat, Rinsberg, Wrangert) - 2:33
16.Smokerings (Feichtinger, Granhat, Rinsberg, Wrangert) - 3:18
17.See Me Coming (Feichtinger, Granhat, Rinsberg, Wrangert) - 2:00
18.I'm On The Outside Loocking In (Feichtinger, Granhat, Rinsberg, Wrangert) - 2.50
19.Please Don't Cry (For Me) (Feichtinger, Granhat, Rinsberg, Wrangert) - 2:43
20.Gipsy Lullaby At 10:30 (Feichtinger, Granhat, Rinsberg, Wrangert) - 248
21.Missconception (Feichtinger, Granhat, Rinsberg, Wrangert) - 2:58
22.I'm Ready For The Show (Feichtinger, Granhat, Rinsberg, Wrangert) - 2 24
23.Cadillac (Paris Version) (Brown, Gibson, Johnson, Maller) - 2:45
24.How The Time Flies (Feichtinger, Granhat, Rinsberg, Wrangert) - 2:28
25.Travelin'man (Wells, Miller) - 3:03
26.The Smiling Kind (Hazzard) - 2:08
27.Don’t You Know She's Mine(Carter, Keen, Show) - 2:25
28.Daytime Nighttime (Hugg) - 2:50
29.Rich Life (Chamhers, Pawson) - 2:20

The Shamrocks
*Dick Emretzon - Vocals (1962-64)
*Jan Granaht - Guitar (1962-67)
*Bjorn Wrangert - Drums
*Bernt Ek - Bass (1962-64) replaced by
*Dieter Feichtinger - Bass (1964-present)
*Goran Andersson - Guitar (1962-63) replaced by
*Kent Risberg - Guitar (1965-present)
*Jimmy Lindskog - Guitar and Vocals (1963-65) replaced by
*Curt Nylen - Guitar and Vocals (2007-present)

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The Downliners Sect - Sectuality (1964-66 uk, stylish mod r 'n' b, Charly two disc edition)

This double-CD set is essential listening -- not just for Downliners Sect fans, but for anyone who's ever worn out copies of any of the first three Rolling Stones albums or owns anything by the Yardbirds, the Pretty Things, Them, the Graham Bond Organisation, the Animals, early John Mayall, the Shadows of Knight, or any of countless blues-inspired American garage bands. 

In content, it's approximately equivalent to Charly's Yardbirds Ultimate Collection, encompassing the complete contents of the Downliners Sect's three original LPs, from the bluesy "Baby, What's Wrong" to the pounding, proto-psychedelic "Glendora." Thus, listeners don't get the EP and demo tracks "Cadillac," "Roll Over Beethoven," "Beautiful Delilah," or "Shame Shame Shame," and "I Can't Get Away from You" and "Roses" are also missing from the other end of their history -- all of which are present, along with a lot else, on See for Miles' Definitive Downliners Sect: 

The Singles A's & B's, which is the perfect complement to this set. What listeners do get is two hours of some of the most delightfully raw and unaffected, downright affectionate British renditions of American rock & roll and R&B, so unstylish that they achieve a kind of beguiling, offhanded stylishness all their own -- where the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, the original Fleetwood Mac et al. all had personalities with a certain allure and mystery that made them insinuate themselves into the music, the Sect thump away with more enthusiasm than distinctive talent or personalities, or inventiveness.

That must be why they can shift from sounding like Chuck Berry or Bo Diddley to Bill Haley & His Comets on "I'm Hooked on You," then resemble the early Spencer Davis Group on "Comin' Home Baby," then suddenly sound like the rawest American garage band this side of the Litter on "Why Don't You Smile Now," then switch back toward the Rolling Stones on "Don't Lie to Me" (which includes the most delightfully out of tune bass accompaniment you may ever hear on a finished, released record, not that the guitarist seems to have known where middle C was either...), and follow that with the jocular "May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose," sounding like the Pretty Things having fun -- and they even end in a vaguely Kinks-like mode (circa 1966-1967) with "The Cost of Living." 

And all of that's on their last album, which isn't usually thought of as representing their peak -- geez, on "I'm Looking for a Woman" they get into this Bo Diddley groove that's so perfect, despite being so much more flaccid than Bo would ever permit his band to sound, that your fingers will start dancing to that shave-and-a-haircut beat; there's just something so real and honest about the way these guys plunked and plodded their way through their music, running on sheer bravado and a genuine affection at their core -- it didn't propel them to stardom (except maybe in Scandinavia), but it makes their stuff worth hearing in full 40 years later, and how many bands beyond the Rolling Stones is that true about? 

This set will dazzle any enthusiast of British blues or British Invasion rock, or, for that matter, first-rate American-style garage punk. The sound is excellent and the annotation is very thorough; there are some misprints and missing words on the song listings, but where it counts, this set would be worthwhile even at twice the price. 

by Bruce Eder

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Baby, What's Wrong (Reed) - 2:53 

2. Be A Sect Maniac (Collier) - 1:59 

3. Little Egypt (Leiber, Stoller) - 7:44 

4. Sect Appeal (Collier) - 2:00 

5. Find Out What's Happening (Jerry, Crutchfieid) - 2:08 

6. Insecticide (Collier, O'Donnell, Evans) - 2:19 

7. Hurt By Loue (C, I. Fox) - 2:45 

8. One Ugly Child (Bright) - 2:21 

9. Lonely And Blue (Grant, Gibson) - 2:43 

10.Our Little Rendezvous (Berry) - 2:32 

11.Guitar Boogie (Arr. Gibson) - 1:35 

12.Too Much Monkey Business (Berry) - 2:01 

13.Baby, What's On Your Mind (Reed) - 1:44

14.Cops And Robbers (McDaniel) - 2:31 

15.Easy Rider (Arr Sone. Collier) - 2:39 

16.Bloodhound (Bright) - 1.59 

17.Bright Lights (Reed) - 2.29 

18.I Wanna Put A Tiger In Your Tank (Dixon) - 3.31 

19.I Want My Baby Back (Botkin, Gariield) - 3.38 

20.Midnight Hour (Evans, O'Donnell, Evans, Collier) -  4.15 

21.Now She's Dead (Remhatdt) - 2.42 

22.Wreck Of The Old '97 (Trad. arr. Evans, O'Donnell) - 3:02

23.Leader Of The Sect (M.,  J. Collier) - 2:04 

24.I Cot Mine (Collins) - 2:20 

25.Waiting In Heaven (O'Donneli, Evans, Collier) - 2:43 

Disc 2
1. If I Could Just Co Back (Collins) - 2:48
2. Rocks In My Bed (Arr Collier, Evans, O'Donnell) - 5:00
3. Ballad Of The Hounds (Fitzmorris, Rhodes) - 2:01
4. Little Play Soldiers (Cooper) - 3:23
5. Hard Travellin (Arr Collier, Evans, O'Donnell) - 2:19
6. Wait For The Light To Shine (Rose) - 2:34
7. Above And Beyond (The Call of Love) (Harian, Howard) - 2:08
8. Bad Storm Coming (Collier, Evans, O'Donnell) - 2:35
9. Midnight Special (Arr Collier, Evans, O'Donnell) - 1:55
10.Wolverion Mountain (Kilgore. King) - 2:37
11.Ail Night Worker (R. Thomas) - 2:34
12.He Was A Square (Reinhardt) - 3:05
13.Hang On Sloopy (Russell. Farrell) - 2:17
14.Fortune Teller (Neville) - 2:22
15.Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey (Penimman) - 2:05
16.Everything I've Got To Give (Evans) - 2:02
17.Outside (O'Donnell, Evans) - 2:29
18.I'm Hooked On YOU (Gibbson, O'Donnell) - 1:19
19.Comin Home Baby (Tucker, Dorough) - 2:52
20.Why Don't You Smile Now (Philips, Vance, Reed, Cale) - 2:07
21.Don't Lie To Me (Berry) - 2:34
22.May The Bird Of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose (Merritt) - 2:56
23.I'm Looking For A Woman (McDaniel) - 3:15
24.The Rock Sect's In Again (Collier) - 2:47
25.Brand New Cadillac (Taylor) - 2:13
26.Clendora R. (Stanley) - 2:42
27.I'll Find Olft (Evans, Collier) - 2:12
28.The Cost Of Living (Gouldman., Cowap, Lisberg) - 1:46

The Downliners Sect
*Don Craine - Vocals
*Terry Gibson - Guitar
*Keith Grant - Bass, Vocals
*Ray Sone - Harmonica
*John Sutton - Drums

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Brownsville Station - No BS (1970 us, debut album, exciting roots 'n 'roll, garage tinged, Wounded Bird reissue)

From its formation in 1969 to its demise in 1979, Brownsville Station maintained its reputation as one of the hardest working bands in Michigan. Led by the irrepressible Cub Koda, the band wore its 50’s Rock and Roll roots on its collective sleeve. Blending their love of Blues and Boogie styles with an energetic stage show and a sense of humor, Brownsville Station became a favorite in the Midwest and in arenas across the country. 

Michael ‘Cub’ Koda grew up loving music in Southeast Michigan in the 1950’s. The Mickey Mouse Club was a popular television show for kids and Cub borrowed his nickname from “Cubby”, one of the regular characters on the program. Although he started out playing the drums, Cub switched to guitar after his father purchased a newspaper in tiny Manchester, Michigan.

Cub formed his first band, the Del-Tinos, while he was attending Manchester High School. This early band would foreshadow Brownsville Station in that they combined Rock and Roll, Rhythm and Blues, and Rockabilly. The Del-Tinos released their first 45 on their own Del-Tino label in 1963, a cover of Roy Orbison’s early Sun recording of “Go Go Go”. The band recorded two other singles before breaking up in 1966.

After a couple of false starts, Cub formed Brownsville Station in 1969 following a chance meeting with Michael Lutz at a record store in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They quickly added bassist Tony Driggins and drummer T.J. Cronley to complete the group. 

It was a heady time to be in a band in Southeast Michigan with local groups like the Rationals, MC5, the Bob Seger System, SRC, and the Stooges signing recording contracts with major labels. Brownsville Station started out as an opening act for many of these bands blasting out R&B covers like Gino Washington's "Gino Is A Coward" and building an avid fan base in the process. 

In 1970, they recorded a local hit single with a Cub Koda original called “Rock And Roll Holiday” on the Hideout label. The song became an audience favorite and the band’s set-closer for the next four years.

Brownsville Station’s second single, “Be-Bop Confidential” was first released on Punch Andrew’s Palladium label out of Detroit, but it was picked up for national distribution by Warner Bros. Records in 1970. 

The band recorded its first album, “No B. S.”, on Palladium that same year. Once again Warner Bros. stepped in to distribute the record nationally. Brownsville Station’s third single, “Do The Bosco”, was released from the album and became another local hit. 

Unfortunately, Warner Bros. looked at Brownsville Station as a type of “oldies” parody much like Sha-Na-Na, and the band got lost in the shuffle of the major label. They were dropped in 1971 after the next single, “Tell Me All About It”, tanked despite having Bob Seger singing on the last verse.

Michigan-Rock-Legends

Tracks
1. Be-Bop Confidential (Davis, Vincent, Hargrave) - 2:31
2. Guitar Train (Michael Lutz) - 2:10
3. Rockin' Robin (Robert Byrd) - 2:52
4. Blue Eyed Girl (Michael Lutz) - 2:34
5. City Life (M. Lutz, C. Koda) - 3:07
6. Do the Bosco (M. Lutz, C. Koda) - 2:34
7. Roadrunner (E. McDaniels) - 2:37
8. Hello, Mary Lou (G. Pitney) - 3:13
9. Cadillac Express (Cub Koda) - 2:35
10.My Boy Flat Top (Bennet, Young) - 2:08
11.Rumble (Link Wray) - 3:09

Brownsville Station
*Cub Koda - Guitar, Vocals
*Michael Lutz - Clarinet, Guitar, Vocals
*T.J. Cronley - Drums
*Tony Driggins - Bass
Guest Musicians
*Pat McCaffrey - Keyboards
*Sr. All Malli - Accordion
*Big Jim Bruzzese - Percusion
*The Applesaucettes - Vocals

Other Brownsville Stations
1974  School Punks

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Andwella - People's People (1971 ireland, splendid folk rock, japan remaster issue)

Originally known as The Method, a heavy psych/blues trio led by David Lewis (and the band Brush Shiels first saw Gary Moore play with when Gary subbed for David when the Method played a Dublin club in 1967?). 

The Method became Andwella's Dream when they moved from Belfast to London in 1968. They signed to CBS and recorded a stunning debut LP "Love & Poetry". The original drummer only plays on one track ("Felix") as he got homesick and returned to Belfast. Gordon Barton then joined the band. 

"Love & Poetry" captures the moment when psychedelia was at the point of splintering into progressive and acid folk. There are various styles and moods across the record with consistently strong melodies and some killer Hendrix-esque guitar. It's rightly regarded as a psychedelic classic by many collectors around the world. 

CBS released three singles including two non-LP A-sides "Mrs Man" and "Mister Sunshine" which are worth tracking down. These have not surfaced on CD reissues for some reason. 

In 1970 Dave McDougall joined on keyboards, the band name was shortened to Andwella. They moved to CBS's Reflection imprint (home to Steamhammer & Dogfeet) for subsequent releases. 

A gorgeous Hammond organ sound underpins the two albums released on Reflection. The first of these was "World's End", released in 1970, which is the better of the two. Though it is less psychedelic and less adventurous than the debut and doesn't revisit the same heights, it is more consistent, more measured and contains several outstanding songs. At times recalls the best work of Traffic and early Santana. 

That same year, David Lewis produced another album on Reflection, hippie poet David Baxter's very odd "Goodbye Dave" album. All the music on this LP was written by Lewis and performed by Andwella. 

In 1971 the original rhythm section was replaced by Dave Struthers (bass/vocals) and Jack McCulloch (ex One In A Million & Thunderclap Newman, drums). This lineup recorded the final album, "People's People" (1971) which is a step closer to the mainstream but still an enjoyable album. In 1974 a track from this album was released as a single credited to The Bridge. 

After Andwella split, David Lewis released two solo albums on Polydor in the 70s. 

Dave McDougall later worked with Speedy Keen (ex Thunderclap Newman). Nigel Smith was later in Khan (after their LP), Magna Carta and Pentangle. 

Irish-Rock

Tracks
1. She Taught Me to Love - 3:16
2. Saint Bartholomew - 3:04
3. World of Angelique - 3:35
4. Mississippi Water - 3:28
5. I've Got My Own - 2:45
6. Are You Ready - 2:32
7. Four Days in September - 3:51
8. Lazy Days - 1:26
9. People's People - 3:27
10.Behind the Painted Screen - 3:30
11.All for You - 2:20
All compositions by David Lewis

Andwella
*David Lewis - Guitar, Piano, Organ, Vocals
*Dave McDougall - Piano, Organ
*Dave Struthers - Bass, Vocals
*Jack McCulloch - Percussion

1969  Andwellas Dream - Love And Poetry

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Fifty Foot Hose - Cauldron (1968 us, perfectly arranged dark experimental psych rock, Big Beat bonus tracks edition)

This is a true forgotten classic. Out of the great San Francisco acid wave, bassist Louis “Cork” Marcheschi -- along with husband and wife, guitarist and Slick vocalist David and Nancy Blossom, bonus guitarist Larry Evans, and Kim Kimsey on drums -- produced but one album in 1967, then basically faded away into normalcy. At the time, critic Ralph J. Gleason said, “I don’t know if they’re immature or premature.” I believe history has proven them to be the latter. 

While the razor-bladed blues rock fuzz and love laden “I’m just trying to free my mind” lyricism may have been par for the course for that era, the Blossom’s jazz influences met with Marcheschi’s homemade Radiophonic synths and Theremins to create a sound tragically ahead of its time. Acid Mothers Temple makes a decent living these days doing basically the same thing, touring with a Roland synth, but, since Cork made his own, the aural electricity smothering Cauldron in space sounds is just too fantastically dirty and totally original.

Each Doctor Who warp and UFO multidimensional warble is a Technicolor snowflake caught in a notion where time is no longer relevant, totally unable to be absorbed by a mind without blowing it. These remarkable noises augment a solid base of haphazard prog-blues and Nancy’s dispassionate vocals to make an undeniably classic and deservedly legendary LP, easily on par with the greatest works from the Elephant 6 catalogue or anyone who played at the only good Woodstock. I can see why the ’60s generation may not have dug it, though. 

The synthetic opening “And After” sounds like a broken stylus making a feeble impression of a healthy needle as it digs deeper and deeper into the virgin vinyl. Many copies were probably returned on this notion, let alone the fact this is the next level shit today. When this album came out, it was like showing a Shatner-era Star Trek fan The Matrix. They couldn’t really form a full idea as to what they really had in front of them. You sure missed out, 1967.

by Alan Ranta

Tracks
1. And After  (Marcheschi) - 2:06
2. If Not This Time (Blossom) - 3:39
3. Opus 777 (Marcheschi) - 0:22
4. The Things That Concern You (Evans, Evans) - 3:30
5. Opus 11 (Marcheschi) - 0:26
6. Red The Sign Post (Blossom, Roswicky) - 2:58
7. For Paula (Marcheschi) - 0:30
8. Rose (Blossom) - 5:07
9. Fantasy (Blossom) - 10:14
10. God Bless The Child (Herzog, Holiday) - 2:36
11. Cauldron (Blossom, Kimsey, Marcheschi) - 4:55
12. If Not This Time (Demo) (Blossom) - 3:39
13. Red The Sign Post (Demo) (Blossom, Roswicky) - 2:17
14. Fly Free (Demo) (Blossom) - 2:41
15. Desire (Demo) (Evans) - 11:39
16.(The Ethix) Bad Trip (33 RPM) (Marcheschi) - 3:21
17.(The Ethix) Skins (Marcheschi) - 2:24
18. (The Ethix) Bad Trip (45 RPM) (Marcheschi) - 2:03

Fifty Foot Hose
* David Blossom - Guitar, Piano
* Nancy Blossom - Vocals
* Larry Evans - Guitar, Vocals
* Terry Hansley - Bass
* Kim Kimsey - Drums
* Cork Marcheschi - Electronics, Sound Effects
The Ethix. (Tracks 16 to 18 ) The line-up was possible 
* Cork Marcheschi - Bass
* Bob Noto - Guitar
* Bob Gibson - Vocals
* Gary Doos - Drums

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Ray Owen's Moon - Moon (1971 uk, effective heavy space psych rock)

Taken off his first and only seff-titled solo album, released in 1971. Ray Owen was the original vocalist in British outfit Juicy Lucy, and he appeared on their first self titled album in 1969. He left the band, his replacement being Paul Williams, and formed his own band, with Dick Stubbs and Les Nicol on guitars, Ian McLean on drums and Sid Gardner on bass. 

Their first and only album, which is quite rare and collectible, was released on Polydor Records, and it featured a number of really good riff laden tracks, in addition to a stunning version of Hendrix's "Voodoo Child", which Owen would redo in the mid 90's when he reformed his own version of Juicy Lucy. His career after Ray Owen's Moon is much of a mystery, as no record can be found of any other bands he may have featured with afterwards. 

As was mentioned, he reformed Juicy Lucy in the mid nineties and released an album called "Here she comes again" on HTD Records, with three unknown, but very good, musicians. For the record, Paul Williams also reformed another version of Juicy Lucy in the mid to late nineties, under the name "Blue Thunder".

Dinosaurdays

Tracks
1. Talk to Me - 5:30
2. Try My Love - 5:02
3. Hey Sweety - 2:36
4. Free Man - 3:01
5. Don't Matter - 6:10
6. Voodoo Child - 4:51
7. Ouiji - 4:59
8. Mississippi Woman - 5:32
9. 50 Years Older - 5:12
10.Outro - 0:48

Ray Owen's Moon
*Ray Owen - Vocals, Piano, Guitar
*Sid Gardner - Bass, Keyboards
*Les Nicol - Guitar
*Dick Stubbs - Guitar
*Ian Mclean - Drums

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Plastic Penny - Currency (1969 uk, spectacular psychedelic rock, Repertoire bonus tracks release)

They are too good a group to vanish without trace after one hit. On this, their first album since Brian Keith left, they show they are talented songwriters as well as good performers. Apart from a rather dreary seven and a half minute version of Macarthur Park they come through well on tracks like Currency, Turn To Me, Give Me Money and Sour Suite, which includes a well-executed drum solo.

Tracks
1. Your Way to Tell Me Go (P. Raymond, T. Murray) - 2:52
2. Hound Dog (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - 2:48
3. Currency (M. Graham, N. Olsson, P. Raymond, T. Murray) - 3:40
4. Caledonian Mission (J. Robertson) - 3:00
5. McArthur Park (J. Webb) - 7:35
6. Turn to Me (E. John, Bernie Taupin) - 2:46
7. Baby You're Not to Blame (P. Raymond, T. Murray) - 2:53
8. Give Me Money (P. Raymond, T. Murray) - 3:00
9. Sour Suite (M. Graham, N. Olsson, P. Raymond, T. Murray) - 8:12
10.She Does - 3:08
11.Celebrity Ball - 2:41

Plastic Penny
*Michael Graham - Guitar
*Tony Murray - Bass
*Nigel Olsson - Drums
*Paul Raymond - Organ, Piano

1968 Two Sides Of Penny

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The Mindbenders - With Woman In Mind (1966-68 uk, fine beat psychedelia, extra tracks german edition)

Remaining together following the departure of frontman Wayne Fontana, the Mindbenders got off to one of the most promising starts any band could enjoy, when their debut single "A Groovy Kind of Love" soared to number two in the U.K. and topped the chart in America. And had the group only succeeded in locating a decent follow-up, they might well have developed into one of the finest British bands of the late '60s.

Instead, a series of disastrous choices of 45s condemned them to the ranks of rank also-rans, and it is only later that the sheer quality of their other work -- material hitherto lost on two Mindbenders LPs -- had been re-evaluated sufficiently to let listeners state that here was one of the greatest of all Britain's post-beat bands. 

A Groovy Kind of Love album totally failed to capitalize on the success of its title track, floundering to a lowly number 92, while a second song by "Groovy" composers Carole Bayer and Toni Wine, "Ashes to Ashes," scarcely improved on that in the singles' listings. It made number 55, although Fontana did still try to capitalize on it, repressing the Groovy Kind of Love album with "Ashes to Ashes" replacing "Don't Cry No More." (Later in the year, "Ashes to Ashes" hit number 14 in Britain, but only after the vaguely Spector-ish "Can't Live With You (Can't Live Without You)" had struggled to break the Top 30.

The Mindbenders made their final American tour in July 1966, kicking off in Atlanta on Independence Day, in front of a capacity 25,000 crowd. It was a shame they were only the opening band. James Brown was the headliner and, while Eric Stewart remembered, "we went down quite well," a more memorable show came when the Mindbenders played the Fillmore West later in the tour. "The liquid light show was great and really worked with our act, which was a lot heavier than on our records."

Stewart himself had developed into a very strong songwriter in his own right, contributing one song ("My New Day and Age") to the newly emergent prog rock favorites Family, and coming up with another, "Yellow Brick Road," which has been described as "the best record Traffic never made." For singles, however, the Mindbenders continued looking outside for new material. 

It was not necessarily a bad decision; their taste, after all, remained impeccable. Their final release of 1966, "I Want Her, She Wants Me," for instance, was written by the Zombies' Rod Argent and was handed to the Mindbenders a full year before it reappeared on the Zombies' own Odyssey & Oracle album.

Fighting hard to keep abreast of the changing currents, the Mindbenders next embarked on their most audacious yet strangely prescient move yet, a full-blown concept album. No matter that, several months before Sgt. Pepper and even longer before SF Sorrow and Tommy, nobody had even heard of concept albums, the Mindbenders' With Woman in Mind remains a gem in that genre. And yet, despite the presence of both "I Want Her, She Wants Me" and "Ashes to Ashes," plus a startling new Graham Gouldman song, the lascivious "Schoolgirl" is an undiscovered gem as well. Unreleased in America, it did little anywhere else and disappeared as quickly as the accompanying single, yet another Bayer/Wine composition, "We'll Talk About It Tomorrow."

Faltering ratings and drooping self-confidence, of course, were not necessarily an insurmountable hurdle. The group was invited to contribute two songs to the soundtrack of Sidney Poitier's movie To Sir, With Love -- "number one hitmakers the Mindbenders" are seen performing live in the school gymnasium, airing "It's Getting Harder All of the Time" and "Off and Running," both sides of their next single. Unfortunately, not even major celluloid exposure could break the group's run of bad luck. Neither could an infusion of new blood, after drummer Ric Rothwell quit to be replaced by Paul Hancox. 

By the end of the year, the band was reduced to recording covers of current American hits, which could be rush released in Britain in the hope of beating out the original. Art had been reduced to a crapshoot and, even as the first of the Mindbenders' efforts, a version of the Boxtops' "The Letter." ground its way to number 42 in September 1967 (the competition, by the way, reached number five), it was clear that the end was in sight.

The Mindbenders made one final stab at reversing their fortunes, re-recording "Schoolgirl" and pulling out every psychedelic rock trick in the book. A BBC ban (that lasciviousness again), however, kept the single a good arm's length from either the radio or the charts and, when a reading of Robert Knight's "Blessed Are the Lonely" followed "Schoolgirl" into the dumper, in March 1968, Bob Lang quit (he would reappear as a member of soft rockers Racing Cars in the mid-'70s). He was replaced by Graham Gouldman, in which form the band cut one final single "Uncle Joe, the Ice Cream Man."

The Mindbenders broke up, calling it a day at the Liverpool Empire on November 20, 1968, the last night of a U.K. tour with the Who, Arthur Brown, and Joe Cocker. Stewart and Gouldman, however, would continue working together, first as partners in the newly launched Strawberry Studios, then as one half of 10cc. 

by Dave Thompson

You have to sort of pity the Mindbenders -- the group, which had seemed destined for success, had fared so poorly since "A Groovy Kind of Love" that their second LP, With Women in Mind, barely got heard, despite its being as strong as anything that the Kinks were putting out on LP in 1967. The album picks up where the group's first, self-titled album left off, comprised of generally bracing rock & roll with a soul edge and a sense of humor, as well as a solid layer of inventiveness.

Ric Rothwell's highly ornamented drumming holds everything together, giving Eric Stewart and Bob Lang room to add their elegant flourishes and, in Stewart's case, moments of impressive flash, as well. They turn in a convincing R&B-laced rendition of the Goffin/King-composed "Honey and Wine," which is highlighted by killer vocals and a nicely understated guitar break, while "Schoolgirl," which got them banned by the BBC (over its allegedly lascivious tale of teen pregnancy), is an astonishingly catchy number that ought to have had enough hooks to get heard over here.

And their cover of Donnie Elbert's "A Little Piece of Leather" is so beguiling with its jagged, angular, quasi-psychedelic guitar break around the catchy chorus that it's almost worth the price of the album by itself.
by Bruce Eder

Tracks
1. To Be Or Not To Be - 1:58
2. Honey And Wine - 2:55
3. Schoolgirl - 2:20
4. A Little Piece Of Leather - 3:01
5. Shotgun - 3:06
6.1 Want Her She Wants Me - 2:19
7. Mystery Train - 2:59
8. The Morning After - 2:13
9. Homework - 2:51
10. Airport People - 3:07
11. Cool Jerk - 3:11
12. Ashes To Ashes - 2:26
13. School Girl (Single Version) - 2:06
14. Coming Back - 2:51
15. Blessed Are The Lonely - 2:59
16. Yellow Brick Road - 3:00
17. Uncle Joe The Ice Cream Man - 2:21
18. The Man Who Loved Trees - 2:31
19. Don't Cry No More (Live) - 2:40
20. Land Of 1000 Dances (Live) - 1:43
21. In The Midnight Hour (Live) - 1:17
22. See See Rider Jenny Jenny (Live) - 1:34
23. A Groovy Kind Of Love (Live) - 1:57
Bonus tracks from 13-18
Tracks 19-23 from German Tv-Show

The Mindbenders
*Ric Rothwell - Drums
*Bob Lang - Bass
*Eric Stewart - Guitar

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The Shamrocks - The 60's Beat (1966 uk, smashing blues mod beat)

Great tough 60s R and B, the lone LP by this formation was recorded and released in Germany only.  The band was founded  1962 on the Isle Of Wight first with Ricky Shane or Roger Card on vocals, both had left till 1963. In 1964 the band went professional, even opened for the Rolling Stones. By end of 1964 they left their small Island to find luck in Germany. They played at well known 60s Clubs in Berlin and recorded the 1st LP in early 1965.  Together with a first 45 Shame Shame Shame the LP was released in march 1965. Now with a keyboarder in their lineup, they toured through Germanys  bigger halls, together with some other bands like The Mozarts (NL) and Die Hexer (Germany) promoted under The Beat Monster Show. It lasted the whole year and even got continued in 1966 in Hof /Saale The Freiheitshalle furniture got  nearly destroyed. 

In 1966 they opened for the Hollies at Cirkus Krone in Munich, afterwards they jammed together at the PN-Club. A new hard driven R&B  single : Midnight Train - Crossbow, produced by Drafi Deutscher reached  the shops in 1966, this time on the Hansa label (19186AT). In 1967 the band split. Their leader Gary Cowtan (now playing guitar) stayed in Berlin, did sessions for Marianne Rosenberg or Peter Maffay among many others. As a member of the group Wednesday 2LPs got released in late 70s. He opened his own studio in Berlin and produced and did lyrics for Marc Seaberg,  "Looking for Freedom" reached the top of the charts with an interpretation by baywatcher.

Tracks
1. Shame, Shame, Shame (W. J. Reed) - 2:12
2. Down Home Special (Mc Daniel) - 3:25
3. What's All This (Cowtan) - 1:53
4. Dusty Road (John Lee Hooker) - 2:11
5. Rocks In My Bed (Johnson, Vogian) - 5:22
6. Sticks And Stones (Turner, Bevry) - 2:10
7. Road Runner (McDaniel) - 2:36
8. Howling For My Baby (Burnett) -  1:46
9. Big Boss Man (W. J. Reed) - 2:28
10. Nursery Rhyme (Hurner) - 2:58
11.I' m Mad (Jacobs, Agoin) - 2:15
12. Walking The Boogie (John Lee Hooker) - 2:37
13. Smoke Stack Lightning (Burnett) - 4:25
14. Got My Mojo Working (Preston Foster) - 2:29
15. Shame Shame (Mono Single) (W. J. Reed) - 2:12
16. Down Home Special (Mono Single) (Mc Daniel) - 2:26
17. Crossbow (Mono Single) (Cowtan) - 2:28
18. Midnight Train (Mono Single) (Cowtan) - 2:48

The Shamrocks
*Gary „Gordon“ Cowtan - Bass, Vocals
*Dave Eaglen - Guitar, Vocals
*Bern Roberts - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Pete Channing - Drums
*Barry Millership - Bass (1964-3/1965)
*Dave Allen - Keyboards (1965-1967)

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Plastic Penny - Two Sides Of Penny (1968 uk, remarkable psychedelic rock, Repertoire extra tracks edition)

Plastic Penny originally came together in the summer of 1967 when ex Universals members vocalist Brian Keith, organist Paul Raymond and bassist Tony Murray decided to form a new band with guitarist Mick Grabham and drummer Nigel Olsson. The Universals had released two singles on producer Larry Page's Page One Records ("I Can't Find You" and "Green Veined Orchard") before disbanding and so it was to Mr. Page that the newly named Plastic Penny turned to form a contract. 

The band's debut single was "Everything I Am No Pleasure Without Pain" (POP 051). Released in December 1967 the A side was a cover of a song originally released by The Box Tops and Plastic Penny took it straight into the UK top ten, reaching Mo. 6 and spending ten weeks in the charts. However, the follow up single "Nobody Knows" (written by Bill Martin and Phil Coulter)/"Just Happy To Be With You" (POP 052) failed to chart and the various members began to indulge in other activities. 

Vocalist Brian Keith already had a lot of session experience and he left in mid 1968, later turning up in Congregation, Big Balls and The Great White Idiot and Screaming Lord Sutch amongst others. The remaining members soldiered on, with Raymond taking on vocal duties. In mid 1968 they released the album "Two Sides Of A Penny" (POL 005) and followed it with the single "Your Way To Tell Me To Go/Baby You're Not To Blame" (POP 079). November 1968 saw a cover of Leiber/Stoller's "Hound Dog/Currency" (POP 107) followed by "She Does/Genevieve" (POP 146) in mid 1969 by which time the group existed only in name as the various members decided to go their separate ways. 

Tony Murray joined The Troggs and also contributed bass to Elton John's "Empty Sky" album. Paul Raymond joined Chicken Shack for two years and then played with Savoy Brown between 1971-76. Heavy Metal band U.F.O. was his next step between 1977-79 and he was also a member of the Michael Schenker group. Mick Grabham formed Cochise with Rick Willis, released a solo LP "Mick The Ladd" in 1972, and was a member of Procol Harum between 1973-77. Since then he's been an in demand session guitarist working with the likes of Bandit, The Dukes, Yvonne Elliman, Dave Greenslade and Micky Jupp amongst others. Nigel Olsson's post Plastic Penny career reads like an A-Z of Rock! 

He provided the drums for Uriah Heep's debut LP "Very 'Eavy Very 'Umble" and then worked with Elton John on a permanent basis between 1969-74. He also released five solo albums ("Drum Orchestra", "Nigel Olsson", "Drummers Can Sing Too", "Changing Tides" and "Nigel") and has worked with the likes of Eric Carmen, Spencer Davis, Kiki Dee, Randy Edelman, Linda Ronstadt, and the Who to name but a few. History may remember Plastic Penny as 'one hit wonders' but there's no doubting the excellent musicians training ground it provided!

by Mark Brennan

Tracks
1. Everything I Am (D. Penn, S. Oldham) - 2:26
2. Wake Me Up (B. Keith, P. Raymond) - 3:09
3. Never My Love (D. Addrisi, D. Addrisi) - 2:23
4. Genevieve (P. Raymond, T. Murray) - 2:08
5. No Pleasure Without Pain My Love (B. Keith, P. Raymond) - 2:42
6. So Much Older Now (P. Raymond, T. Murray) - 2:36
7. Mrs. Grundy (B. Keith, P. Raymond) - 5:16
8. Take Me Back (B. Keith, P. Raymond) - 2:20
9. I Want You (John Group) - 3:25
10. It's A Good Thing (B. Keith, P. Raymond) - 2:47
11. Strawberry Fields Forever (J. Lennon, P. McCartney) - 4:27
12. Nobody Knows It (B. Martin, P. Coulter) - 2:31
13. Happy Just To Be With You (B. Keith, P. Raymond) - 2:57

Plastic Penny
*Michael Graham - Guitar
*Brian Keith  - Vocals
*Tony Murray - Bass
*Nigel Olsson - Drums
*Paul Raymond - Organ, Piano

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