Professional Documents
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2019-01-01 Vintage Rock PDF
2019-01-01 Vintage Rock PDF
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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
39
RONNIE
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TAGE
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,VVXH
ROCK
ROCKABILLY’S
CULT HERO
THE D
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VINTAGE ROCK 3
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20 30
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50 62
© John Beecher
4 VINTAGE ROCK
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CONTENTS
COVER STORY
GENE VINCENT ...................................................................... 2O
As rock’n’roll started to fade away in the US, Gene Vincent
turned to the UK. Matchbox’s Graham Fenton was there and here
remembers Gene’s triumphs… and ultimate tragedy
THE FEATURES
ROCKIN’ AT THE COFFEE BARS 30
70
........................................
THE REGULARS
ALL MAMA’S CHILDREN ....................................................... 6
The Stray Cats confirm a new album, Billy Fury disappears,
98 76 Elvis’ Comeback comes back, Vintage Rock readers form a
rock’n’roll cinema club and much more
ON THE RADAR .................................................................... 16
All aboard The Dodge Brothers’ locomotive of rockabilly!
84 SUBSCRIBE ............................................................................
9
6 VINTAGE ROCK
All Mama’s Children
Stray Cats
Are Back
Brian Setzer and co are recording a new
album for 2019’s 40th anniversary
T
he Stray Cats are back on the Orchestra, whose Grammy-winning cover
prowl. After reuniting in 2018 of Louis Prima’s Jump, Jive An’ Wail became
for a handful of reunion shows, a surprise hit in 1998, has made the biggest
including a lauded headline spot at Viva Las impression of all their individual projects in
Vegas, the rockabilly trio will celebrate their the interim.
40th anniversary in 2019 with both a new But they are promising a return to classic
album and a full-sized tour. Cats style for the new record. “We have an
“Forty years ago, us three teenagers album’s worth of new songs that are classic
started a little band to play a musical style rockabilly while keeping the music and style
that had long since passed and most folks current and fresh, like always,” says Phantom.
had never heard of,” Brian Setzer says in “In other words… a Stray Cats album.”
a statement. “Forty years later, we stand English producer Peter Collins, who also
together and still get that same thrill and oversaw Setzer’s Jump, Jive An’ Wail, will
exhilaration from the music. That feeling work with the band in Nashville. Vance
is what makes the fireworks go off and the Powell, whose credits include everyone
sparks fly. It makes the world go around.” from Wanda Jackson to The White Stripes
Bandmates Setzer, bass player Lee Rocker to Chris Stapleton, is engineering.
and drummer Slim Jim Phantom haven’t There are no confirmed dates as yet, but
released a studio record since 1993’s Original they will surely include the UK given it is
Cool. The frontman’s own Brian Setzer here the band made their breakthrough.
VINTAGE ROCK 7
9
Cineworld? Pah. Odeon?
Schmodeon… Nah, this pub in
Basingstoke’s where it’s at when
it comes to rock’n’roll cinema
THE EXCELLO
RECORDS
STORY
TREAT YOUR BOOKCASE
CINEMA CLUB
HAMPSHIRE ROCKERS GO TO THE MOVIES...
Randy Fox is well known for his
encyclopedic knowledge of 50s
and 60s rock’n’roll and R&B, and
for his new book he has charted
Hat off to Vintage Rock reader Tony West whose ‘Boozinstoke Rockin the history of Excello Records,
Fraternity’ organises plenty of events for rockers around their Hampshire of his own native Nashville.
neighbourhood. “We have had huge successes with a Pyjama Party, a party on Founded by Ernie Young, the Excello label (and its sister
the Thames, an annual Midwinter Beach Party, and a rockabilly car club drive-in Nashboro imprint) became famous for releasing the
movie … as well as a monthly free entry rockabilly party night.” The latest is a tracks of Slim Harpo, Arthur Gunter, Lightnin’ Slim,
cinema club at the Royal Oak pub in Basingstoke. “The idea of booking out a Lazy Lester, and a host of others. By the early 1960s,
cinema screen and filling it with only those from the area’s rockin’ scene… no Excello recordings were reaching the shores of the UK,
public and no supervision? Well, it seemed like a great idea!” where they inspired young Brits such as Mick Jagger,
And it was, as people came from as far as Swindon, Salisbury and Keith Richards and Eric Clapton to launch their own
Bournemouth to gather. The film was 1979’s cult classic The Wanderers. R&B combos.
“For most of us, we had only ever seen this at a mate’s house on VHS from Through extensive research and interviews, Shake
Blockbuster,” says Tony. “But the best thing of all there was no public to shush Your Hips: The Excello Records Story chronicles the tale
the singalongs, or complain about the inevitable aerial popcorn bombardment, of one of the most unusual labels to emerge from the
regressive juvenile behaviour or the cheering at the favourite scenes – this was 1950s, and sheds new light on Nashville’s rich history
cinema at a fun level!” as much more than a country music city. It’s out now as
Want to join in? Find the ‘Boozinstoke Rockin Fraternity’ group on Facebook. part of BMG Books’ new RPM series.
BILLY FURIOUS!
MURAL OF BRIT ROCK’N’ROLL LEGEND HAS GONE
Sad news we weren’t actually aware of until now: but the Billy Fury mural on Billy
Fury Way in West Hampstead has gone. Faithful Vintage Rock reader Andre Hobus
Jim Linwood
8 VINTAGE ROCK
9
presents
In the
Tour
FEBRUARY
Fri 1st WALSALL Forest Arts Centre 0300 555 2898 forestartscentre.co.uk
Sat 2nd GAINSBOROUGH Trinity Arts Centre 01427 676 655 trinityarts.co.uk
Sun 3rd LOUGHBOROUGH Town Hall 01509 231 914 loughboroughtownhall.co.uk
Wed 6th AYR The Gaiety 01292 288 235 thegaiety.co.uk
Thu 7th FALKIRK Town Hall 01324 506 850 falkirkcommunitytrust.org
Fri 8th PEEBLES Eastgate Theatre 01721 725 777 eastgatearts.com
Sat 9th MOTHERWELL Theatre 01698 403 120 culturenl.co.uk
Sun 10th GLASGOW Eastwood Park 0141 577 4956 eastwoodparktheatre.co.uk
Tue 12th SOUTHEND The Cliffs Pavilion 01702 351 135 thecliffspavilion.co.uk
Wed 13th HAYES Beck Theatre 020 8561 8371 becktheatre.org.uk
Thu 14th BURY ST EDMUNDS Theatre Royal 01284 769 505 theatreroyal.org
Fri 15th BISHOP’S STORTFORD 01279 710 200 rhodesartscomplex.co.uk
Rhodes Arts Complex
Sat 16th CHELMSFORD Civic 01245 606 505 chelmsford.gov.uk/theatres
Sun 17th DERBY Guildhall Theatre 01332 255 800 derbylive.co.uk
Wed 20th YEOVIL Octagon Theatre 01935 422 884 octagon-theatre.co.uk
Thu 21st EXMOUTH Pavilion 01395 222 477 ledleisure.co.uk/exmouth-pavilion
Fri 22nd FROME Memorial Theatre 01373 462 795 fmt.website
Sat 23rd ROTHERHAM Civic Theatre 01709 823 621 rotherhamtheatres.co.uk
Sun 24th STAFFORD Gatehouse Theatre 01785 619 080 staffordgatehousetheatre.co.uk
Wed 27th ST ALBANS Arena 01727 844 488 alban-arena.co.uk
Thu 28th EDMONTON Millfield Theatre 020 8807 6680 millfieldtheatre.co.uk
MARCH
Fri 1st CHIPPING NORTON Theatre 01608 642 350 chippingnortontheatre.com
Sat 2nd CANARY WHARF Boisdales 020 7715 5818 boisdale.co.uk
Sun 3rd WINDSOR Theatre Royal 01753 853 888 theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk
1959-2019
simonfielder.com
ENDORSED BY THE BRITISH BUDDY HOLLY SOCIETY AND THE OFFICIAL BUDDY HOLLY AND THE CRICKETS FAN CLUB
Photo courtesy of Getty/BMG Records/LDPublicity
CHRISTMAS BOXES
WHY NOT TREAT YOURSELF TO BIG RETRO BOXES FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON?
This is in no way surprising… but Elvis through interviews conducted for this year’s Howlin’ Wolf’s Little Red Rooster and Bo
Presley’s ’68 Comeback Special is being HBO documentary The Searcher. Which Diddley’s You Can’t Judge A Book By Its
reissued again for its 50th anniversary. pretty much makes it the final word on all Cover. The 42-tracker also features (among
The new package is a seven-disc super- things Elvis and 1968. Price is around £100 others) Little Walter, John Lee Hooker,
deluxe edition box set, with all existing on Sony. The last issue of VR also makes the Jimmy Reed and Buddy Guy. Confessin’ The
audio and video on 5xCDs and 2xBlu-ray perfect companion. Blues is on 2xCD, 4x12" LP vinyl and also as
discs. That means you get the original Also gift-worthy is a new Rolling Stones a 5x10" vinyl book pack (with art cards by
album, both ‘sit-down’ and ‘stand-up’ boxset… even if it doesn’t feature The Stones illustrator Christoph Mueller). The cover
performances, rehearsals and sessions at all. For Confessin’ The Blues, the band have artwork is by The Stones’ Ronnie Wood,
recorded with The Wrecking Crew in June handpicked the key tracks by the artists who and 10% of net receipts go to Willie Dixon’s
1968, including outtakes. The box set also inspired them, so you get Muddy Waters’ Blues Heaven Foundation. This lavish vinyl
includes an 84-page book with the story told Rollin’ Stone, Chuck Berry’s Little Queenie, edition is circa £50.
10 VINTAGE ROCK
9
ELVIS’
LAST
YEARS K I N G’ S
OF SONG HELLO TO YE
NEW BOOK
GOES TRACK- B O ’ S G O O D B collectables
BY-TRACK ove m b e r sa le o f
THROUGH At Ju lien’s Auctions’ N e
Texan
rret, a super-rich collector,
g in g to M il to n V
THE KING’S belon e d - p hilanthropist and er.
tr a d e r-tu rn
OUTPUT FROM commodities o n ce a g a in proved the clinch to by
rock’n’roll D N A
1969-1977 ia n a H ay ri d e m ic rophone sung in
An original Louis ays went for $15,000 (£11k), while
“I was far too young ever to Elvis in his early d st stage-used Gretsch guitar
Bo Diddley’s la
went for $16,000.
know who Elvis Presley was
while he was alive,” admits
Matt Shepherd of BBC Radio
Cornwall. “I missed out on
the rock’n’roll explosion, the
movie years and the ’68
comeback. I even missed out
on the Aloha From Hawaii
show and all the mass
hysteria when Elvis died
more than 40 years ago.
Yet I have always been an
Elvis Presley fan. My brain is
like a 24-hour jukebox that
mostly consists of Elvis, Elvis
and yet more Elvis.” But now
the BBC DJ has put all his
enthusiasm into an Elvis
book, and it’s a bit different
7 UP FOR JOHN BARRY HISTORY
MAMMOTH NEW BIOGRAPHY CELEBRATES FILM COMPOSER’S BAND YEARS
as it concentrates on the
King’s post ’68 years. Elvis Did you know that The John Barry Seven were beaten only by The
Presley: Stories Behind The Shadows in sales for a British instrumental group of the 60s? John Barry
Songs Vol 1 is a track-by- biographers Geoff Leonard and Pete Walker certainly do, and the authors
track account of that ’69-’77 of celebrated Barry biog, The Man With The Midas Touch, have now turned
output, mixing song facts, their attention to his early group, The John Barry Seven. We can’t do
quotes, interpretations and justice to Hit And Miss: The Story Of The John Barry Seven in these short
trivia. It’s a great companion words; suffice to say that with 350 hardback pages and many previously
to an era of Elvis that is unseen photos, it’s a supremely-detailed account of the group that also
often overlooked. It’s out sheds light on 50s and 60s rock’n’roll/youth culture in the UK. Highly
now via Redshank Books. recommended, Hit And Miss… is published by Redcliffe Press.
12 VINTAGE ROCK
9
The Grange
RECORDING STUDIO
+44 (0) 1760 756394 www.grangestudios.co.uk
Rare & Collectable Records | Original Acetates |Stage Clothing | Guitars | Instruments
Posters | Tickets |Programmes | Autographs | Photographs and much more...
WE DO ALL THE HARD WORK & YOU GET TOP PRICES
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'EZ^/E>hZK<͕WZK'͕W^z,͕/E/͕WhE<͕ZK<EZK>>͕:͕&K><͕>h^͕EKZd,ZE^Kh>͕^Kh>͕/^K͕DKdKtE͕&hE<͕>ASSICAL & MORE
SOLD £880 SOLD £8,600 SOLD £29,995 SOLD £1,995 SOLD £61,000
KŵĞŐĂƵĐƟŽŶƐ͕^ĂŶŬĞLJsĂůůĞLJ/ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂůƐƚĂƚĞ͕EĞǁƚŽŶ-Le-tŝůůŽǁ͕tϭϮϴEͮdĞů͗ϬϭϵϮϱϴϳϯϬϰϬͮǁǁǁ͘ŽŵĞŐĂĂƵĐƟŽŶƐ͘ĐŽ͘ƵŬͮŵĂŝů͗ŽĸĐĞΛŽŵĞŐĂĂƵĐƟŽŶƐ͘ĐŽ͘ƵŬ
RARE EVENTS
ROCK’N’ROLL ROCKIN’ RACE JAMBOREE
7-10 February 2019
RECORDS
FEATURING: The Blasters, Johnny
Knight, The Original Planet
Rockers, The Paladins, Hot
Boogie Chillun and more.
VENUE: Auditorium Municipal Principe de
Early cuts from Gene Vincent and Eddie Boyd, plus Roy Asturias, Torremolinos, Malaga, Spain
Orbison’s adventures in jingle-land and two rare 7"ers from BOOKING: rockinrace.com/en
James Cotton, courtesy of www.omegaauctions.co.uk…
HEMSBY #62 ROCK’N’ROLL
WEEKENDER
10–13 May 2019
FEATURING: Gizelle, Charlie
Hightone & The Rock-Its, The
Polecats, The Revolutionaires,
Hightone Rhythm Rumblers, The Neutronz,
Bonesville, The Outsiders and more.
VENUE: Hemsby Beach Holiday Park, Norfolk
NR29 4HR
THE NIGHT IS SO LONELY C/W RIGHT NOW ROY ORBISON SINGS THE JINGLE BOOKING: hemsbyrocknroll.co.uk / 01772 761522
(CAPITOL F4237 P/S) (HALLMARK/TEEN DISC 102)
GENE VINCENT ROY ORBISON THE ROCKIN ROUND-UP
Very seldom seen is this US Capitol 7" The Big O was commissioned by Coca- 31 May–1 June 2019
from 1960, which was Gene’s only US Cola to record some ‘jingles’ for their FEATURING: Paul Ansell’s Number Nine, Johnny
picture sleeve release. An iconic image of commercials back in 1965 – this 12" Bach & The Moonshine Boozers,
the hardest rocker of his time! contains six ‘radio spots’. The Hayriders, The Bullets, Jack
MINT VALUE: £1,000 MINT VALUE: £350 & The Real Deals and more.
VENUE: Court Farm Country Park,
Banwell, Weston Super Mare
BS29 6DL
BOOKING: rockinroundup.co.uk (tickets on sale
from January 2019)
Adam Prosser
City). From left: Alex Hammond, Mark
Kermode, Mike Hammond, Aly Hirji
Dodge Brothers bottles and pots and pans, plus the drums.
I play assorted guitars and banjo. The other
rule is that no-one plays anything they can’t
carry. Alex can carry an entire drum kit and
his washboard, so he’s allowed to have a
Southampton’s Dodge Brothers can bass drum.”
M
ike Hammond, Mark Kermode, Aly Hirji and Alex Hammond are Alex Hammond (percussion): “Probably
collectively The Dodge Brothers, the UK south coast’s finest writers Bukka White and Washboard Sam on
of “new old songs” that encompass rockabilly, blues, skiffle and more. Special Steamline, but Bukka White in
They’ve released three albums now, including 2015’s The Sun Set (recorded at, yes, Sun general. And The Who and The Sex Pistols.”
Studios) and 2018’s spanking new Drive Train. They are really very good, and should be
famous for more than just having a double-bassist you’ve already seen talking about movies Why are you so-named? After the cars?
on the telly... Or the city famous for cowboys?
Mike: “We were driving back from our first
Briefly, who are Dodge Brothers and Alex who had been a punk drummer to recording in Mark’s 1956 Dodge Coronet.
what do you do? play the washboard. We are a band with I was in the back seat and as we hit the
Mike Hammond (guitar, lead vocals): rules. One is that everyone has to learn a New Forest I had a reverie, a memory of my
“Our current lineup began in 2007 when new instrument every year. Mark plays the childhood in those cars driving through the
Mark [Kermode] wanted us to take part double bass, various harmonicas, accordion pine forests of Alabama. I suggested The
in a BBC Culture Show piece on skiffle. and bagpipes; Aly plays assorted guitars Dodge Brothers would be a good name.
We needed a washboard player, so we got and mandolin; Alex plays washboard, other It kind of stuck.”
16 VINTAGE ROCK
9
ON THE
RADAR Early rock’n’roll = punk rock: Discuss.
Adam Prosser
18 VINTAGE ROCK
9
Gene Vincent
20 VINTAGE ROCK
9
Gene Vincent
VINTAGE ROCK 21
9
Gene Vincent
T
original bad boy
22 VINTAGE ROCK
9
Gene Vincent
GENE
THERAPY
Gene Vincent’s most celebrated
recordings major around the 1956
Capitol sessions before Cliff
Gallup’s departure. But Gallup
actually only played on 35 Vincent
recordings, and the latter’s musical
legacy is far wider than those
admittedly historic tracks. Here,
with occasional commentary from
Graham Fenton, are a few gems
from across Gene Vincent’s career.
PINK
THUNDERBIRD
Bit of a 50s car freak? You gotta
love this one, even more so thanks
to Vincent’s confident delivery.
Along with Pretty Baby - “Uh-uh,
by the way – what’s your name?”
– recorded at the same,
penultimate Gallup session in
October ’56, it’s one of his most
cheeky, swaggering numbers.
UNCHAINED
MELODY
Being of an older generation,
producer Ken Nelson wasn’t
exactly wild about rock’n’roll, and
it’s generally accepted that in
those early sessions he saddled
Vincent with a lot of middle-of-
the-road stuff. Yet the singer
responded brilliantly to the
challenge, delivering faultless
renditions of old standards like
Peg O’ My Heart and Up A Lazy
River. Unchained Melody is a tepid
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty
Ed Caraeff/Morgan Media/Getty
An older, and noticeably bulkier
Vincent on a photo shoot for his
I’m Back And I’m Proud album in 1969
West London-born Fenton says he first saw used to wear at that time. after he’d touched down
Vincent perform in February 1964. “A friend I’d never seen someone at London Airport.
of mine said he was playing at the Hounslow like that, banging the mic “The image young
Baths. In the winter when the swimming stand and throwing it up in people who never saw
pools shut, they’d board them over, making the air!” Gene when he was alive
it like a big hall. So we were standing on In fact, the year of 1964 have, is this rebel figure with
the top of a swimming pool with a stage came towards the end of a run his collar up, mean and moody,”
Graham Fenton belting
at the end. Gene was backed on that tour that had seen ‘Sweet Gene out a Vincent classic at says Fenton. “But he wasn’t
by an English band, The Shouts. We were Vincent’ achieve levels of London’s Ace Cafe really like that. It was Jack Good
standing at the back, and I remember Gene popularity in Britain, France who put him in leathers. When
brushing past us in the beige camel jacket he and Germany that arguably exceeded you see his early clips with the Blue Caps,
anything he had ever achieved in the States. he hasn’t got leathers on, but he’s wild. But
It had started at the end of 1959 when, when Jack Good first met him, he found
“Jack Good had this
Graham Fenron photo courtsey of Ace Cafe
with the hits and live dates having dried up this guy of average height, mild-mannered,
vision of Vincent as a in his homeland, Vincent agreed to come pleasant and quiet-spoken. He was like a
tragic Shakespearean to Britain to appear on the Jack Good- Southern gentleman, a bit square; ‘Yes, Mr
produced, Marty Wilde-fronted TV show Good’ and all that. Good thought: ‘I can’t
character” Boy Meets Girls. On first sighting, Good had have this!’ He had a vision of Vincent as a
GRAHAM FENTON been dismayed by Vincent’s appearance tragic Shakespearean character.”
24 VINTAGE ROCK
9
Gene Vincent
GENE
THERAPY
LOTTA LOVIN’
Johnny Meeks had a choppier,
rougher style compared to his
predecessor, Cliff Gallup. Lotta
Lovin’ came right at the start in
1957, incorporating Vincent’s new
Clapper Boy sound, with Meeks
coming up with the great intro off
the cuff. On Rollin’ Danny on the
same session, his solo work was
stunning, almost Eastern in effect.
Graham Fenton: “Johnny Meeks
said he sat for months trying to get
near Gallup’s style but at the first
rehearsal Gene said: ‘Why are you
playing like that? Play it harder.
I want it like you did when I first
saw you.’ And in the end he played
it different, in his own style.”
Frederick R. Bunt/Evening Standard/Getty
him the way the girls loved Tommy weeks before he died, when he came back
to London for an alimony court case in
‘Bubba’ Facenda” GRAHAM FENTON September 1971. “He’d called our manager
26 VINTAGE ROCK
9
Gems/Redferns/Getty
Gene Vincent
GENE
THERAPY
I’M GOING
HOME (TO SEE
MY BABY)
So, the British couldn’t cut
rock’n’roll? This was recorded at
EMI’s Abbey Road Studio in 1961,
with Norrie Paramor at the
controls. Sax-driven instrumental
combo Sounds Incorporated,
working a lot with Vincent around
this time, provide the backing.
Graham Fenton: “The intro is great
and it builds up beautifully.”
I’M A
LONESOME
Wild things: Vincent toured with
FUGITIVE
British rock’n’rollers The Wild Vincent was a country boy, but not
Angels in the late 1960s really a country singer. Even so he
recorded plenty of songs from that
Earl Sheridan and said he’d like to tour with the stress of the court case, he was probably genre, as well as recording in
the boys [The Houseshakers] again, but he’d drinking more, maybe taking more aspirin Bradley’s Film and Recording
so insulted Sheridan on the previous tour, he for his leg and, bang, something had to give.” Studio in Nashville. I’m A Lonesome
just said: ‘I don’t even want to speak to you, Fugitive was recorded in 1967, after
you get someone else.’ JOHNNY MEEKS, SECOND only he’d left Capitol, for the Challenge
“If Gene had spoken to us direct, we’d to Cliff Gallup in the roll call of Vincent’s album released in the UK as Gene
probably have done it. So he ended with a greatest guitarists, attended Vincent’s Vincent. A recent hit for Merle
pick-up pop band, Kansas Hook. He was so funeral. “The family was arguing, but apart Haggard, it featured some
ill and drinking heavily by then the shows from that Johnny said there were only about Bakersfield-style guitar, and the
fell apart. But I was driving through Perivale three other people there,” recollects Fenton. roving, solitary life on the highway
in my Chevy, when this little Austin pulled “He said it was like a pauper’s funeral. Well, was a theme Vincent would have
up beside me at the traffic lights. Gene was I finally made it to the cemetery in 2001. related to.
in the passenger’s seat and, recognising my His grave is near the San Fernando Highway Graham Fenton: “That whole
car, rolled down the window and called and the headstone is quite eroded. I took album was country style. I had the
over: ‘Hey man, how’s it going? No hard some flowers and just said: ‘This is the only honour of working with Jerry Lee
feelings, shame I couldn’t work with you way I know how to say goodbye. Thanks Merritt, who succeeded Johnny
this time.’ The lights changed, his car went for being a friend.’ The superintendent lady Meeks on guitar, and who wrote
one way, I went the other. Three weeks there said it was now the most visited grave another classic Vincent rocker,
later I heard on the radio he’d passed away in the cemetery. And yet there had been She She Little Sheila, and
from a haemorrhage at his parents’ house virtually no-one outside family to see him performing this with him at a
in California. I know he was ill, but with buried at the ceremony.” Vincent tribute show.”
VINTAGE ROCK 27
9
Gene Vincent
A
PIECE
AT A
TIME
A TRIBUTE
TO GENE
VINCENT
Gary Merrin/Keystone/Getty
(check out My Little Mama).
Nicely packaged with a Vincent, pictured signing
44-page booklet. autographs shortly before
his death in 1971
Even though a couple of tracks Vincent the Clapper Boys’ Tommy Facenda and the Today, younger British rockabilly
recorded at Morgan Studios in Willesden late Paul Peek. He even met up with Ken bands are still drawing inspiration from
with The Houseshakers (a re-recording Nelson, the producer of Vincent’s Capitol the music of Vincent. At the time of
of his classic, yet unaccountable 1958 flop recordings. “I was with the Blue Caps and speaking, Fenton was looking forward to
single Say Mama and Hank Snow’s I’m it was a very emotional occasion for them going into Sugar Ray’s vintage recording
Movin’ On for an album The Battle Of The because they hadn’t seen Ken in years. studio in Essex to put down the vocals
Bands on one of his off days) suggested a They were still calling him ‘Mr Nelson’. for an album of Cliff Gallup-era Vincent
voice shot to bits: other recordings he made He was a sweet old guy. He was 93, and he numbers with the band Race With The
nearer the end, including an incredible lived to be 96. He had to put his hearing aid Devil. “People who never saw him are still
home recording The Rose Of Love for Ronnie in but his mind was still really sharp.” discovering Gene’s music and when they
Weiser in Los Angeles just two months realise those Capitol recordings were made
before he died, show he was still able to cut
it, with all the old vocal touches intact. Like
“The lady there as long ago as 1956 they know the sound on
them is phenomenal. I think Gene Vincent
his old mate Eddie Cochran, Vincent died said it was now the is probably bigger now than when he was
still having so much more to give. most visited grave alive.”
in the cemetery”
In subsequent years Fenton not only The Ace Cafe’s annual Gene Vincent
performed with the Blue Caps, but became Tribute night is on 9 February 2019:
friends with drummer Dickie Harrell, plus GRAHAM FENTON www.london.acecafe.com/news
28 VINTAGE ROCK
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ȣɀȴȼȺȿ̘ȒɅȥȹȶȔɀ̿ȶȶȓȲɃɄ
ROCKIN’ AT THE
COFFEE BARS
In 1950s London, early skiffle bloomed into rock’n’roll in the
coffee bars of the West End. Vintage Rock travels back with
skiffle king Chas McDevitt to days of gig fees paid in
spaghetti and the nascent careers of Cliff Richard, Tommy
Steele, Terry Dene, Wee Willie Harris and more…
WORDS BY JACK HAWKINS
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ȣɀȴȼȺȿ̘ȒɅȥȹȶȔɀ̿ȶȶȓȲɃɄ
Alex Dellow/Picture Post/Getty
W
here was the birthplace he wouldn’t even have an electric guitar in Some of their earliest performances
of British rock’n’roll? his band,” says Chas. were in a church in a London back
Could such a thing ever be That may be so, but Colyer was street near Marble Arch. The Church Of
linked to a single venue? If there is an old undoubtedly something of a catalyst for The Annunciation is still there today, a
cliché that is guaranteed to wind up any what was to follow. Shortly after, in the dowdy, brooding red brick hulk. But that
unreconstructed fan of early rock’n’roll, early 1950s, he and Lonnie Donegan came appearance belies the music that was played
it’s the one about how, on this side of the together as members of The Chris Barber in its crypt for a few months in 1953, making
Atlantic, it only properly kicked off with Band which, on account of Colyer’s heroic it another key venue for those tracing rock’s
The Beatles at the Cavern in 1961. But, just status in jazz circles at the time, took the root performance sources.
as Muddy Waters’ line “the blues had a baby name of Ken Colyer’s Jazzmen. In this unlikely building in the spring
and they named it rock’n’roll” is a gross
simplification of the music’s beginnings, so
are the origins of the performance of rock
music in the UK complex and tangled.
Ken Colyer is regarded as the “spiritual
godfather” of skiffle. But in 1949, when his
Crane River Jazz Band first started playing
in a tin hut next to the White Hart pub in
Cranford, outer west London, beside the
Thames tributary from which they got
their name, their roughneck approach,
energy and lack of technique was arguably
“rock’n’roll in spirit”, as Peter Frame has
written, before the term was known.
But Chas McDevitt, another of the skiffle
greats, winces when the thought is run by
him, saying the phrase would have had
Colyer “turning in his grave”. Colyer hated
the cult of personality and the idea of the
Charles Hewitt/Getty
VINTAGE ROCK 31
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John Pratt/Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty
ȣɀȴȼȺȿ̘ȒɅȥȹȶȔɀ̿ȶȶȓȲɃɄ
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ȣɀȴȼȺȿ̘ȒɅȥȹȶȔɀ̿ȶȶȓȲɃɄ
Keystone/Getty
Adam Faith performed at the 2i’s when
he was first starting out, as lead singer
of skiffle combo The Worried Men
Derek Berwin/Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty
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ȣɀȴȼȺȿ̘ȒɅȥȹȶȔɀ̿ȶȶȓȲɃɄ
SAVE
TIN PAN
ALLEY!
OUR MUSIC PAST
IS UNDER THREAT
bars in the area, business was slow. Lincoln G&G. In the summer of 1956, The Vipers about stoking up a bit of audience reaction.
had tried various ruses such as bringing in took part in the annual Soho Fair, joining Noticing the way The Vipers cut through to
someone who performed Burl Ives-style the parade through the West End, before the youngsters, Paul Lincoln invited them
folk songs, but nothing had pulled in the stopping outside the 2i’s, where they to come and play inside the 2i’s on a regular
younger crowd. However, fate was about to started to play, immediately drawing an basis. Adopting an old Appalachian song Sail
play its hand. enthusiastic young crowd. Unlike many Away Lady and, via some rewritten lyrics,
Wally Whyton had put together his Vipers of the more intellectually-minded jazz or transforming it into the more raucous Don’t
skiffle group having become frustrated by folk artists playing in the coffee bars of You Rock Me Daddy-O, they quickly built a
the constantly changing personnel of the the time, Whyton was from a non-musical following at the establishment.
group of associates he played with at the background, and had fewer hang-ups Meanwhile, with a repertoire that was
slightly ahead of his contemporaries
The annual Soho Fair, 1957, with and already acknowledging American
Chas McDevitt and Nancy rock’n’roll, Tommy Hicks – when on shore
Whiskey’s Freight Train float
leave from his employment in the Merchant
Navy – was spending time playing and
singing with Whyton and his mates. But it
was at the G&G, not the 2i’s.
“Everyone talks about Tommy’s
‘discovery’ at the 2i’s, but my washboard
player was also a photographer and he took
the earliest pictures of Tommy, playing
guitar in Al Burnett’s Stork Room in Mayfair,
where all the ladies and men about town
went,” remembers Chas. It was at the
Stork, too, that Larry Parnes first spotted
Hicks. Still, Steele and the legend of the 2i’s
holds good to the extent that it was indeed
there that he did a guest spot with The
Vipers which so impressed Decca A&R
man John Kennedy that it paved the way
Photo courtesy of Chas McDevitt
VINTAGE ROCK 35
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ȣɀȴȼȺȿ̘ȒɅȥȹȶȔɀ̿ȶȶȓȲɃɄ
were in town. We and The Vipers were the Williams, when they worked in HMV on
Oxford Street, discovering a mutual love
highest paid groups there” CHAS MCDEVITT of skiffle and rock’n’roll. When Terry
36 VINTAGE ROCK
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ȣɀȴȼȺȿ̘ȒɅȥȹȶȔɀ̿ȶȶȓȲɃɄ
Wee Willie Harris (see Vintage Rock issue 37) was one of the 2i’s more eccentric performers. Along with
his outrageous outfits and dyed pink or red hair, he kept a pet monkey which he tethered outside, where
it proceeded to fascinate pedestrians by running up and down the lamp post. Willie also wrote the bar’s
theme song, Rockin’ At The 2i’s, released by Decca in 1957. Rollercoaster Records recently released a
biography, I Go Ape! The Wee Willie Harris Story, along with a 30 track best-of CD, including Rockin At
The 2i’s. Rob Finnis’ book opens the window on a fascinating era in the Soho musical environment of
the skiffle/early rock’n’roll era.
Photo courtesy of Vince Eager
Beverly Lebarrow/Redferns/Getty
Cliff Richard And The Drifters (from
left: Hank Marvin, Tony Meehan, Cliff
and Bruce Welch) made an instant
impact when they appeared at the 2i’s
Photo courtesy of Vince Eager
came along to the 2i’s to see Les Hobeaux with his skiffle band The Worried Men, from skiffle, and the music became more
perform, he ended up singing on stage with before eventually settling for Adam Faith commercial, attracted larger audiences
them. Before long, he had landed a contract when he subsequently went solo. Wally and required bigger venues – the age of the
with Decca, making tame records that belied Whyton was fond of recounting the story coffee bars would soon pass. Yet if the 2i’s
his genuine talent as a visceral rock’n’roller. about how a dejected Nelhams once told is associated with the mid-to-late-50s, it
The 2i’s boss Paul Lincoln had seen this him: “I’ve been playing the 2i’s for three would make a further contribution to the
and lost no time organising what was, in months now, and I’m still not a star.” era that followed. Tony Sheridan was an
effect, the first British all-teenage package East Anglian-born skiffler who’d decided to
show featuring Dene, The Chas McDevitt THE MOST FAMOUS of the all the try his luck at the 2i’s in 1957, just as the
Skiffle Group and Rory Blackwell And The rocking outfits to be hatched at the 2i’s was, skiffle craze was beginning to burn out.
Blackjacks, at the Romford Odeon in March of course, Cliff Richard And The Drifters in He played guitar in Vince Eager’s group The
1957. Dene, though, was the first victim of 1958, even though Cliff, like Nelhams, at first Vagabonds, and then in the band of one of
UK rock’n’roll, destroyed by the press and didn’t think much of the place, having spent the last stars of the 2i’s, Vince Taylor, before
his own instability. “We were touring with “a week there with nothing happening, forming his own group.
him the week he went berserk, smashed a I got fed up.” A year later the big screen When Bruno Koschmider of the
shop window and got arrested,” remembers adaptation of the play Expresso Bongo, with Kaiserkeller Club in Hamburg, having heard
Chas. “That’s when Colin Hicks took his Cliff in the starring role, would perfectly of the 2i’s reputation as a nursery of young
place on the show.” capture the shady Soho music mileu of the talent, crossed the Channel to sample what
Among others for which the 2i’s acted like period, with its teenage bars, strip clubs and was on offer, it was Sheridan and a couple
a magnet was Acton-born Terry Nelhams, dodgy record hustlers. of associates he brought over to Germany.
or Terry Denver, as he called himself when Rock’n’roll increasingly took over The success of Sheridan’s ensemble, the first
British group to play Hamburg in June 1960,
“We were touring with Terry Dene the brought in a flood of beat groups, including
week he went berserk, smashed a shop The Beatles, for whom the trips would help
shape the sound that would transform the
window and got arrested” CHAS MCDEVITT British pop and rock landscape. 9
38 VINTAGE ROCK
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Harry Hammond/V&A Images/Getty
ȣɀȴȼȺȿ̘ȒɅȥȹȶȔɀ̿ȶȶȓȲɃɄ
VINTAGE ROCK 39
9
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M ARTY W I L DE
WILDE ABOUT MARTY
42 VINTAGE ROCK
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Marty Wilde: Wilde About Marty
GAB Archive/Redferns/Getty
‘It may not be American, but it’s ours’ British. Others such as Tommy Steele, Wee
Willie Harris, Terry Dene, Vince Eager,
thought British teens as wannabe and even Tony Crombie, merit honourable
mention, too.
rockers emerged from the UK None of them, to be fair, except perhaps
I
t’s a badge of honour among some of the Atlantic are Lonnie Donegan, whose rock’n’roll musician. It wouldn’t have
in the rock’n’roll fraternity that early skiffle recordings were rock’n’roll in sounded the same. It was similar with my
they never touch the early British spirit and energy, Marty Wilde, Cliff Richard own hit version of Endless Sleep. They were,
stuff. It’s true that much of what was made and Billy Fury, followed by Vince Taylor for me, two songs of the era that sounded
over here was derivative and reliant on and his Playboys, and Johnny Kidd & The right, that sounded like we’d got it.”
re-recordings of American songs. But while Pirates. They weren’t all teenagers, but all
many efforts at recreating the sound of made recordings that stand in their own UNLIKE THE YOUNG white American
American rock in British studios in the late right, while retaining something peculiarly rockers, Wilde and his cohorts didn’t
50s were laughable, no less daft is the view
that nothing worthwhile came from the “To be honest, I wouldn’t want to hear Cliff’s
homegrown response to the phenomenal
new sounds coming out of the States.
Move It played by a proper rock’n’roll musician.
The godfathers of the music on this side It wouldn’t have sounded the same” MARTY WILDE
VINTAGE ROCK 43
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GAB Archive/Redferns/Getty
have the advantage of some old black him to classical music. As a teenager, he “It gave me a slight advantage, I feel, and I
guy sitting in the porch teaching them a describes going to a record shop in his native have always had an appetite for music of all
few blues licks, or even much idea of live Greenwich as “like entering a cave full of kinds. I’m a lucky man in that way because
rock’n’roll performance before they faced diamonds.” The owner sold him the latest a lot of people in the rock’n’roll world were
the ordeal of entering a studio and nudging Bill Haley and Elvis Presley singles, and just rooted into that one style.”
more seasoned musicians towards the new introduced him to the blues of Big Mama And, like many rockers of his generation,
style. As Wilde says, “It wasn’t like we were Thornton and Muddy Waters. he knew how to carry a tune, adoring pre-
living near Beale Street… we were from rock’n’ roll singers like Frankie Laine and
places like Hounslow or Greenwich. You “I loved Frankie Laine Guy Mitchell. “I loved Frankie Laine to
had to feel the thing yourself.” bits. Tracks like Blowing Wild (The Ballad
But, despite a lack of formal training,
to bits. Tracks like Of Black Gold)… so very dramatic, such
Wilde had a well-developed musical ear. Blowing Wild… so very powerful stuff. That sense of drama was one
He’d picked up harmony singing from his of the things I picked up from him.” Wilde
father as a child, and at secondary modern
dramatic, such powerful later recorded Jezebel as a tribute to Laine,
school a music teacher had introduced stuff” MARTY WILDE adding a superb new pulsing rhythm, which
44 VINTAGE ROCK
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Marty Wilde: Wilde About Marty
got him his last Top 20 hit in 1962. Less convivial towards the 18-year-
Wilde’s all-round musicality is old Wilde was seasoned jazz drummer
evident in the singles that led up to Phil Seamen. “We had a right bust up,”
his debut album, Wilde About Marty, Wilde remembers. “We started the song,
released in September 1959. Signed and after the guitar came in, I could hear
to the Philips label, his first single, this swishing sound. Phil was playing the
Honeycomb, came out in October 1957. drums with brushes. I thought: Silly sod,
A cover of the Bob Merrill-penned what’s he doing? So I said, ‘Excuse me,
Jimmie Rodgers hit, it’s been written can we have sticks?’ He said, ‘Whattt?’ I
down by some. But that’s just another
example of the default tendency, especially MARTY WILDE said, ‘Can we have sticks, instead of brushes?
We’re playing rock’n’roll, and it just doesn’t
prevalent in the 1950s, to assume something WILDE ABOUT MARTY sound right to me.’ He just snapped back,
American must always be better. In fact, 1959 • PHILIPS and I didn’t get my way... and a good job too,
Wilde was clearly the superior singer, and because what he did worked.”
accordingly, so is his version of Honeycomb. Still, these experiences were enough
He penned the flipside, Wild Cat, and while to ensure that when Wilde went in to the
he dismisses it as “just a young guy writing Down The Line Philips studio to cut his first long-player,
rock’n’roll”, it’s a good example of British Love Of My Life Wilde About Marty, he insisted to A&R man
efforts to make Bill Haley-esque rock. Put Me Down Johnny Franz that he be backed by his own
Wilde’s boyish, pent-up energy works well, Blue Moon Of Kentucky band, The Wildcats. “I put my foot down.
played off against the slightly stiff horns, and Dream Lover I’d tried to have my band in from the
Bert Weedon’s clean, jazz-based guitar. You’ve Got Love beginning. I’d asked Johnny to let me to use
Endless Sleep gave the singer his I Flipped my musicians on Honeycomb, but it had
breakthrough hit, rising to No. 4 in the gone wrong, we couldn’t get the tempo or
summer of 1958. Again, miles better than chords right. But I wouldn’t use session men
the Jody Reynolds original, Wilde invested on the album, they couldn’t get that feel.
it with real melodrama. “It was moody, and All American Boy We were struggling to get it ourselves.”
I had a kind of sulky, moody face,” he recalls. Mean Woman Blues Even so, Wilde remembers Franz, who
“I was that sort of man back then, so it Are You Sincere? also produced Dusty Springfield and The
suited me image-wise, sound-wise, High School Confidential Walker Brothers in the same studio, with
story-wise.” Don’t Pity Me warmth. “Along with my manager Larry
The guitarists on the session were Splish Splash
Weedon, again, and Ernie Shear, soon to So Glad You’re Mine “Endless Sleep was
work on Cliff’s Move It. “But it was Bert that
did that ‘ba-a-ung’ intro. To start with, they WILDE’S BAND THE WILDCATS INCLUDED BIG JIM moody, and I had a kind
SULLIVAN (GUITAR), TONY BELCHER (RHYTHM
were playing it as ‘jay-ing’, using chords, but GUITAR), BRIAN ‘LICORICE’ LOCKING (BASS), AND of sulky, moody face.
I said, ‘Bert, there’s a guy called Duane Eddy BRIAN BENNETT, BOBBY WOODMAN (DRUMS).
who is playing all single notes on the bass LP PRODUCED BY JOHNNY FRANZ I was that sort of man
strings. Can you do it like that?’” back then” MARTY WILDE
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Silver Screen Collection/Getty
Marty Wilde was born Reginald
Leonard Smith in 1939. The ‘Marty’
in his stage name came from the
1955 smash film Marty
46 VINTAGE ROCK
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Marty Wilde: Wilde About Marty
Parnes, he was very important in my another Jody Reynolds song whose original on the tracks as the Wildcats line-up was
life at that time. He was often guided version Wilde smashed out of the park – undergoing changes at this time before
by what I said, unlike some of the more and a superb cover of Donna, a hit for him settling under the classic line-up of Tony
dominant A&R men. He was very fair with early in 1959, were feats of excellence. Belcher on rhythm guitar, Brian ‘Licorice’
me. He was a great musician himself, a “They could get great sounds and yet they Locking on bass and Brian Bennett on
phenomenal pianist.” were only using little four-track machines,” drums. There’s no doubt, however, that
says Wilde. the electric guitar solos and fills were the
THE PHILIPS RECORD company was The choice of songs on Wilde About work of Big Jim Sullivan, who’d joined The
barely a dozen years old in 1959, having Marty were all the singer’s, reflecting a love Wildcats from Vince Eager’s band. He, along
begun by pressing and distributing other of American rock’n’roll, but nodding to with Hank Marvin, Tony Sheridan and Joe
companies’ releases. Ironically, the first wider tastes. Unfortunately, there is some Moretti, was one of the first rock-dedicated
British No. 1 single on its distinctive blue confusion as to the personnel who played British axemen to emerge in the late 50s, in
label was Frankie Laine’s I Believe in 1953. contrast to old-school players like Weedon,
The studio was on the ground floor of an “They could get great Shear and Eric Ford.
old mansion at 2-4 Stanhope Place, near “The thing Jim had over Hank Marvin,”
Marble Arch. While the studio regularly
sounds and yet they remembers Wilde, “was he’d do a run on the
had 32-piece orchestras in to record, its were only using little guitar so fast, his fingers would be a blur.
technicians had no experience of recording He had that natural talent, but he didn’t have
rock’n’roll. The sound on Wilde recordings
four-track machines” Hank’s great musical ideas. At shows, you’d
such as Endless Love, The Fire Of Love – MARTY WILDE get a row of girls at the front looking
VINTAGE ROCK 47
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CA/Redferns/Getty
piano for a kettledrum, and stamped his
own vocal signature on it by dropping his
voice and drawing out the words on the
punchline. Some stinging breaks from
Sullivan rounded off an excellent recording.
“The lines are funny,” argues Wilde. “What
does ‘she’s like a cannonball’ mean? But
it’s effective. I loved Elvis’s work but it had
that kind of Frankie Laine impact where it
reaches out and hits you on the nose!”
All American Boy was a talking blues
by American country singer Bobby Bare,
sending up Presley’s US Army draft. Wilde,
who accompanied himself on acoustic
guitar on the recording, performed it
live on Oh Boy! and at the Royal Variety
Performance before the Queen Mother, his
easy swagger reflective of a man who has
acquitted himself well on stage and screen.
On some of the tracks, Ivor Raymonde was
brought as arranger. Raymonde went to his
grave in 1990 still with questions to answer
for Gene Vincent’s all-time worst recording,
the appalling Humpity Dumpity, recorded
with his orchestra in London in 1963, but
After a hard day’s work, Marty liked
nothing more than to relax in a floral on the plus side he did fine work with such
armchair with a fag and a dog on his lap artists as Billy Fury on Halfway To Paradise,
and he was effective enough on Wilde About
at me, wiggling around, while four or five something of yourself coming through on Marty. One for the squares, but well done all
guys stood watching what Jim was playing, a recording.” the same, was the ballad Are You Sincere?,
never taking their eyes off the fretboard, just Never a screamer, he had his own style, a hit for Andy Williams, on which probably
mesmerised by his fast playing. Hank never midway between Elvis’s earthiness, and Johnny Franz contributed some upmarket,
did that. He was much cooler, more Scotty Billy Fury’s yearning and The Everly nightclub-style tinkling on the ivories.
Moore style… but Jim could play faster.” Brothers’ purity, and the album had a fine
Sullivan later criticised Johnny Franz version of the latter’s Love Of My Life. The FOR ALL HIS affability, Wilde is not easily
for the dryness of the sound production Wilde singing persona also came across on satisfied, and says this debut album, a steady
on Wilde About Marty, and Wilde partially Dream Lover. “That was a song I liked, but rather than a big seller, left him with no
agrees. “Yes, Johnny did probably flatten the I sang it my way. I had my own tone and it great sense of pride. “I would have wanted it
sound, but, again, these were early days. came across on that. I sung it in a lower key to be better. I aimed as high as I could, and it
He was a stunning, probably classically to Bobby Darin, which suited the timbre of felt like pushing a train up a hill. You could
trained musician, and this music was alien my voice.” never get exactly what you wanted and you
to him, I guess. But, as I say, it was this The one outright rockabilly number Blue were educating musicians and sound men
conflict that gave the British records of the Moon Of Kentucky stuck close to Presley’s all the time.”
time that special sound.” Sun reworking, but as The Wildcats had an Whatever its shortcomings, Wilde About
The flatness of sound, characterised as the electric bass, rim shots on the snare drum, Marty is a historic album as well as a classic
absence of echo, is evident in the opening Bill Haley-style, replicated the click of slap one. In 1959, rock’n’roll LPs by British artists
track, which is, even so, a full-throttle bass. More interesting was the take on were rare. Tommy Steele’s Stage Show and
take on Down The Line. It begins with a Arthur ‘Big Boy’ Crudup’s So Glad You’re Cliff Richard And The Drifters’ Cliff, had
suspenseful drum roll, from the Wildcats Mine, again familiar to Wilde thanks to both been recorded live. Steele’s The
drummer, either Bobby Woodman or Brian Presley’s version, but which sat well with Tommy Steele Story (1957) was, the odd
Bennett, some menacing rhythm guitar and his love for the blues. Like Elvis, he recorded highlight excepted, milk-and-water stuff.
Wilde’s fiery vocal coming in over the top. it as a shuffle, but ditched the barrelhouse Wilde About Marty was a proper rockin’
Other outright rockers on the album, Put Me album, and also marked the real entry of the
Down, Mean Woman Blues and High School “I would have wanted it first generation of British rockers into the
Confidential followed the similar formula technical environs of the recording studio
as head arrangements of raw, visceral
to be better. I aimed as and the process of production. Marty Wilde
excitement, not unlike the rockabilly high as I could, and it was a pioneer, and every single rock album
revivalists in the late 70s. Although Wilde’s that has since been produced in the UK ever
vocals obviously drew on Elvis and Jerry
felt like pushing a train since is the spiritual descendent of Wilde
Lee Lewis, as he says, “You can’t help up a hill” MARTY WILDE About Marty. 9
48 VINTAGE ROCK
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Hayley Madden/Redferns/Getty
Marty Wilde: Wilde About Marty
VINTAGE ROCK 49
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WORDS AND ALL INTERVIEWS BY BILL DAHL
T
Ral Donner’s influence was so great, he Barry Goldberg, then a keyboardist with the house
was even cited by Robert Plant at Led
Zeppelin’s induction into the Rock And band at Teenland on the far North Side, still marvels
Roll Hall Of Fame in 1995 at Donner’s charisma. “Ral Donner pulled up in a pink
Cadillac convertible,” he says. “Ral Donner was the
hink Chicago, and you think blues. coolest!” Donner waxed a slew of Elvis tributes later in
Without the stardom of Muddy Waters, his career before lung cancer claimed him in 1984.
Howlin’ Wolf, the songs of Willie Dixon, Gene Vincent was Ron Haydock’s main man. Hailing
and the recordings of Chess and Checker from west Chicago suburb Brookfield, Haydock
records, it’s true to say that modern music modeled his act around Vincent’s after seeing The Girl
would be a whole lot different. But for all Can’t Help It; his band, The Boppers, even donned
the celebration of Chicago’s blues, doo-wop blue caps. “He looked just like Gene Vincent,” recalls
and soul legacies, the city’s late 50s and James Holvay, then Ron’s pre-teen neighbour, and the
early 60s rock’n’roll scene traditionally flies whole block knew of Haydock’s obsession. “Right on his
under the radar. Not so here. corner, there was a signpost,” says Holvay. “He wrote a
And we begin with one name from sign and he put on there: Bop Street!”
Chicago who actually Don DeLucia’s Cha Cha Records on
did become famous. the South Side pacted The Boppers and
Northwestsider Ral Donner
became an Elvis disciple at 14. He led his “RIGHT ON HIS CORNER, THERE WAS A produced Haydock’s first session in
April of ’59 at a studio in suburban Alsip.
own band, The Rockin’ Five, at Taft High SIGNPOST. RON WROTE A SIGN AND Haydock’s debut was a rocking 99 Chicks,
School, and built a devoted local following,
soon joining Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, HE PUT ON THERE: BOP STREET!” with its risqué couplet “Ninety-nine
chicks, it’d be just my luck / not one of
and Jerry Lee Lewis on an Alan Freed- JAMES HOLVAY the girls I’d wanna…” ensuring a lack of
sponsored bill at the Civic Opera House. airplay. But at live dances and concerts,
Donner even earned an invitation from the colourful Haydock was a draw –
Sammy Davis Jr to perform at the Apollo Theatre… and Holvay recalls a show at a roller rink where Haydock
all before he had a record out. split a bill with local rocker J Mikel And The Hepcats,
Photos courtesy of the artist unless specified
Donner journeyed to Memphis to wax his debut who cut Bettyjean Rock for Ed Cody’s Sonic label in 1958.
single That’s All Right With Me in early ’59, just prior to “I think that was his territory,” says Holvay of Mikel.
his 16th birthday, for the Scottie label. Ral’s managers “He got a bigger response.”
liked the way he sang Elvis’ Girl Of My Best Friend and After a Cha Cha encore called Baby Say Bye-Bye,
sent him to Miami to cover it. George Goldner’s New Haydock headed to Hollywood in 1960 to pursue his
York-based Gone Records picked up the master, and other passion, horror movies. He wrote for fan
VINTAGE ROCK 51
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The untold story of Chicago rock’n’roll
VINTAGE ROCK 53
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The untold story of Chicago rock’n’roll
54 VINTAGE ROCK
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The untold story of Chicago rock’n’roll
CHICAGO’S ROCKABILLIES
THE WINDY CITY’S ROCK’N’ROLL PIONEERS
Hank Mizell came to Chicago from Montgomery,
Alabama in 1956. He teamed with guitarist Jim Bobo
and secured a residency at the Napoleon Lounge.
They were heard there in 1958 by Gene Parsons, owner
of the Eko label. Mizell waxed the throbbing Jungle
Rock at Parsons’ garage studio. Eko miscredited Bobo
as its singer but fixed the error on a subsequent
pressing. A King Records rep heard the 45, his label
reissuing it in 1959. A Dutch bootlegger included
Jungle Rock on a 70s compilation LP and the club
airplay it garnered in Great Britain caused Charly
Records to reissue it – giving Mizell an unexpected UK
smash in 1976.
Tennessee was originally home to Wayne Worley,
who migrated to Chicago at age 18. There was enough
local interest in rockabilly in 1961 for engineer Ed Cody
to record Wayne and his Worley Birds’ revival of Sonny
Burgess’ Sun rocker Red Headed Woman for Cody’s
Western Springs-based Elbridge label. His Elbridge
encore Hully Gully Twist (She’s Quite A Dish) was
driven by Jesse Harvey’s rollicking piano.
Memphis product Eddie Cash cut a couple of
unreleased Sun titles. The Lansky Brothers, Presley’s
favourite clothiers, formed Peak Records and issued
Eddie’s Doing All Right in late ’58. The song stirred up
action in Chicago, and Cash moved there, gigging
everywhere from the Baritz Lounge on North Sheridan
to the west suburban Aurora Hotel. Eddie’s agent gave
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty
VINTAGE ROCK 55
9
The untold story of Chicago rock’n’roll
“We got another kid. Ronnie knew him. His name was A Lovers Prayer, the quartet moved to USA Records in
Ronnie Buonaro.” 1961 for Please Talk To Me. Their USA farewell, My Only
The group impressed Lounsbury with a performance Love, hit the street under the name of The Parlaments.
at his record hop. “He said, ‘How about you guys coming Lounsbury was inspirational to another Chicagoan,
up to my studio on Randolph Street?’ It was an ABC Carl Bonafede. “I’ve run so many dances, and he kind
affiliate. ‘We’ll talk some music, and maybe we can of motivated me into that thing,” says Carl. “When I
record you guys. You got any music?’ We had none at saw him doing it and I didn’t see anybody else doing
all that we wrote. No originals. But I said, ‘Oh yeah, it, that’s when I put my foot in the door.” In addition
we’ve got about four or five songs,” says Basile. to emerging as one of the city’s top promoters and
“We went by Ronnie Buonaro’s house on Taylor Street. managers, Bonafede cut a handful of records as a singer.
Me, Tom and Ronnie Howard actually wrote Early Living in an area known as Little Sicily and later on the
Morning Rock, our first record, in about five minutes. North Side, Bonafede played accordion at age eight.
And then we wrote a slow one. We locked ourselves in “I was up in the window across the street from the
his house from Sunday night until Tuesday morning. ballpark, playing songs like Doggie In The Window,”
We even cut school until Tuesday morning and he remembers. His focus changed when he met Eddie
early afternoon.” Thomas, manager of the Impressions: “He kind of got
Lounsbury brought The Deltones to Chess Records’ me motivated in rock’n’roll.”
studio, cutting six sides on them including two with Bonafede’s 1958 debut single, the self-penned
Debbie Stevens. “We were in there from seven o’clock Halloween rocker Were Wolf, came out on Bill Hall and
at night to about six in the morning,” says Sam. “We’re Stu Black’s TEK label and was cut at Hall Recording
doing Early Morning Rock, the first one, and on that one, Studio, in the Loop. Carl was backed by the Gem-Tones,
we took 26 takes.” Lounsbury sold the Stevens sides to featuring saxist Harry Manfredini. “Harry used to live
Roulette and the Basile-led Early Morning Rock and its right across the street from me,” says Carl, who released
flip to Vee-Jay; both came out under the group’s name. his encore, Baby Sittin’ Blues, on his own Impala imprint
R&B deejay Sam Evans appreciated the prominent under the handle of Carl Bonn. Impala also pressed up
mention of his program Jam With Sam in Early Morning Carl Bonafede has Bonafede’s Two Months Out Of School, with John Sills
Rock, making it one of his themes for the next two years. recorded and produced And His Rhythm Jets in support.
over 200 records
After one Vee-Jay follow-up, the group-penned ballad A priest gifted Carl with his distinctive nickname.
“I sang at a Catholic school dance, and the guy comes up
to me. I used to sing a lot of stuff like Jerry Lee Lewis,
“THIS GUY SAYS TO ME, ‘YOU WANT TO KNOW SOMETHING? I’VE GOT Elvis Presley,” says Bonafede. “He says to me, ‘You want
A FEELING THAT I’M GOING TO CALL YOU THE SCREAMING WILDMAN!’ to know something? I’ve got a feeling that I’m going to
call you the Screaming Wildman!’ And it stuck on
AND IT STUCK ON ME FOREVER” CARL BONAFEDE me forever.”
56 VINTAGE ROCK
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The untold story of Chicago rock’n’roll
VINTAGE ROCK 57
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The untold story of Chicago rock’n’roll
featured backing by trumpeter Jimmy Ford and the ABOVE Ruby Duby Do was some studio musicians together and recorded it, and it
Kasuals). Peterson called his new band The Chicagoans, used as the theme to the became a hit.” Released on Mel London’s Chief label,
1960 crime thriller Key
though they masqueraded as The Livers on their 1964 Witness, starring Jeffrey the instrumental cover was credited to a pseudonymous
instrumental Beatle Time for Constellation. They also Hunter and Dennis Hopper Tobin Mathews. “Paul Glass had a son, and the son’s
played on Inside Of Me, Jimmy Peterson’s 1964 Chess 45. name was Tobin Mathew Glass,” Henson says. “He said,
‘Now here’s my problem: I know you’re really popular,
TOBIN MATTHEWS HAD a national hit in 1960 before he but what I would like to do is use you to help promote
even existed. It all started with a phone call to local this record for me, and you could be Tobin Mathews.
rocker Willy Henson from USA Records boss Paul Then when this little run is over, I promise you, I’ll put
Glass. “They had heard Charles Wolcott’s version of you on USA Records, and we’ll do some vocals.’”
Ruby Duby Du,” says Henson. “They liked it, so they got Henson grew up in Calumet City, Indiana and East
Chicago. “Along comes Bill Haley and then Elvis, and it
was just natural for me to like rock’n’roll,” he says. A trip
“ALONG COMES BILL HALEY AND THE COMETS, AND THEN to Poppel’s Under 21 Tropicana Club in south suburban
ELVIS, AND IT WAS JUST NATURAL FOR ME TO LIKE Riverdale was the turning point. Henson sang three
Elvis numbers, and the owners dug him. “They said,
ROCK’N’ROLL” WILLY HENSON ‘Well, we have a band that needs a singer.’ The band was
58 VINTAGE ROCK
9
The untold story of Chicago rock’n’roll
STEVE KING
FROM PROTO ROCKER TO RADIO PERSONALITY
Chicago radio listeners have luxuriated in
Steve King’s dulcet tones for the last 50 years.
But before that, he was a young rocker himself.
The South Sider’s formal guitar study only lasted
a year. “The rest of my guitar lessons were from
Chuck Berry and Scotty Moore and Cliff Gallup and
Duane Eddy on a turntable,” says King.
Cha Cha issued King’s debut 45 in 1962.
“Kitten Twist was a Kal David song. It was
originally called Do The Twist, and Kal did a demo
session for it. And I played lead guitar on Kal’s
version,” says Steve, who did the same on his
own rendition. “I broke a string, but we didn’t
stop playing.”
Mercury Records A&R man David Carroll signed
King that year. “We did a song called Satan Is
Her Name,”says Steve, who wrote it about his
then-girlfriend. “I was walking home from her
house. This would have been about 11 o’clock at
night, and I was walking just by myself and
started putting together some lyrics and
humming a melody,” he says. “By the time I got
home, I had the song pretty well worked out.”
Cut with his band, The Echelons, Satan Is Her
Name nearly broke nationally.
King moved to Mercury’s Limelight logo the
next year, writing and producing A Thing Called
Love. He used an informal group of backing
singers. “Those were literally the girls who were
our girlfriends,” he says. The band on the flip, an
original titled Strange Love done at Sound
Studios, featured Kal David on lead guitar (he cut
Forgotten Dreams with his Exceptions for the
Ardore label in ’61) and future Chicago (the band)
mainstay Peter Cetera on bass.
called The Rhythm Rockers.” was a male vocal group there,” says Henson. “The one
Then Willy fronted Jimmy And The Jeepers. “I liked guy came up and he said, ‘Did you ever hear Think It
them way better than The Rhythm Rockers,” he says. Over by Buddy Holly?’ And I said no. He said, ‘That’d
“They had that pounding, driving beat.” Jimmy McHugh be a good one for you to do!’ I said, ‘Well, I don’t know
and Ron Lane were the guitarists, Frankie it.’ He said, ‘Well, let’s go in the john and
Gage was on bass, and Norby King was we’ll teach it to you!’” In 1962, Tobin
on drums. “Jim Lounsbury made some
connections,” says Willy. “We were his
“I LIKED JIMMY AND THE JEEPERS signed with Columbia Records and
moved to New York. He cut two Columbia
favourite record hop band.” London WAY BETTER THAN THE RHYTHM 45s and two more for Warner Bros.
booked Chess Records’ studio to cut three
ROCKERS. THEY HAD THAT POUNDING, Chicago’s rock scene exploded during
VINTAGE ROCK 59
9
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c PHERS ON
G L A S M
Y DOU
WORDS B
ith a ne w
is b a ck w ic
d d y Ho lly ilh a r m o n
ss in g, B u R o y al P h
ft er his pa s y of T h e e st o ry of
ty y ears a
es , c o ur te te lls u s th
Six ic al clo th k P atr ick e W a y s ...
s c v
set of mustra. Producer Ni w album, True Lo
Orche h on ic ne
lly ’s s y m p
Ho
O
n Sunday 21 October, 2018, walkers on atmosphere of the truly great. They need to be able to
Primrose Hill came across a giant pair of carry the day and the orchestra just supports them.”
horn-rimmed glasses and the seductive
voice of Buddy Holly, wrapped in velvet strings, Buddy had just started working with strings
wafting across the sunny London skyline. before he died. How did those recordings
The al fresco performance of True Love Ways influence this project?
marked the 60th anniversary of Holly’s final recording “I’ve always viewed these records as if the artist is in
session… and heralded the release of a new album the room and we’re making a new album, rather than
that revitalises a dozen of his classic recordings revitalising old catalogue. And, interestingly enough,
with new symphonic arrangements by The Royal you can learn so much more about the artist by hearing
Philharmonic Orchestra. their performance than you perhaps would by having a
The album was produced by Nick Patrick (Seal, discussion with them. Words can often be interpreted in
Michael Ball, The Piano Guys) who previously united different ways, but with a performance you’re getting a
the Royal Philharmonic with the voices of Elvis Presley, direct emotional connection with the artist that words
Roy Orbison and Aretha Franklin on a string of hit in a conversation can sometimes hide.”
albums that began with Presley’s chart-topping If I Can “A lot of time was spent studying tracks like Raining
Dream in 2015. In My Heart and True Love Ways that had wonderful
string arrangements on them already. Buddy had a
When you did the Elvis album, was Buddy Holly very specific style of string writing, where there’d be a
always on a wish list of other artists to record with lot of those rhythmic pizzicato parts – like that iconic
the RPO? pizzicato rhythm that goes through It Doesn’t Matter
“No-one knew what would happen with the Elvis album, Anymore. We tried to maintain that style on the songs
but after the success of it, one naturally thought, ‘Who that didn’t originally have strings but felt as if they
else would this work with?’ It was Tom Lewis, the head easily could have. On the up-tempo stuff we very much
of artist development and A&R at Decca who decided channelled the spirit of It Doesn’t Matter Anymore.
that Buddy would be great, because of his amazing There’s a lot of bouncing pizzicato and simple little pop
songs and the affection people have for him. Here’s a guy lines. Rather than a carpet of symphonic strings it had to
who had such a short career but so many hits. I think be pop interjections, so it didn’t interfere with the spirit
with these things, the artist has to be in that rarefied of the original records.”
62 VINTAGE ROCK
9
Buddy Holly and the RPO
VINTAGE ROCK 63
9
Buddy Holly and the RPO
Are we hearing Buddy’s guitar? ABOVE Members of The grateful that María Elena has been so enthusiastic and
“We kept all the significant solos that Buddy did, Royal Philharmonic supportive of it. The first tracks we did were True Love
Orchestra at work giving
because those are very specific. We used the original Holly’s hits a 21st century Ways and Raining In My Heart and I was incredibly
track at that point, using the extraction process again to makeover nervous about playing them for her. Thank goodness,
give us a bit more control over warming up the guitar she really loved them and felt it was something Buddy
solo a little bit and treating it in a way that works with would have done, should he have had that opportunity.”
the new elements. So you get a sense of never knowing
where the old finishes and the new begins. It’s a One of the lesser known tracks is Moondreams.
seamless stream that goes through the tracks.” Why did you choose that?
That was actually a suggestion from Buddy’s estate,
It sounds like a painstaking labour of love. How long along with Words Of Love. They weren’t on our list,
did it take to make the album? initially, but they’re really great contributions because
“It took about three months, but the orchestra took it gives people an opportunity to have not just a
about two days. It’s all the other stuff that takes a long, ‘Greatest Hits’ but to discover some songs they
long time. It’s like a film where the actual shoot doesn’t might not necessarily have been aware of. It’s got an
take forever, but it’s all the pre- and post-production opening guitar riff that appeared on so many of the early
stuff that moves around the artist to make it sound Beatles records. It really was an influential record
coherent and not bolted on. It’s very important that for them.”
everything is a fit for the artist and nothing sounds out of
whack, sonically.” Do the classical musicians of the RPO enjoy rocking
through things like Oh, Boy! and Rave On?
Was Buddy’s widow, María Elena, involved in “They love it. It’s not every day that you get to have
the project? the voice of an absolute icon coming through your
“It’s very important that these things don’t appear to be headphones. It lifts everybody’s game. People suddenly
in any way opportunistic and that they have the support think, ‘Blimey, that’s Buddy Holly!’ I had to pinch myself
of the remaining close relatives, as was the case with constantly and think, ‘Can you believe this?’ It’s been an
Priscilla Presley on the Elvis albums. That’s been a big enormous honour to get that close to being in the room
thing for us on all these projects, so we’re enormously with Buddy Holly.”
64 VINTAGE ROCK
9
Buddy Holly and the RPO
...OH BOY,
IT’S GOOD!
BUDDY+STRINGS
IS A WINNING COMBO
It takes just a minute to
realise that Buddy Holly’s
posthumous date with The
Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra is a marriage
made in rock’n’roll heaven.
That first minute is spent in
the company of a sweetly vulnerable orchestral
overture that slowly builds in power and provides the
perfect curtain raiser for what’s to come.
While Buddy was one of the most delicate balladeers
of the 1950s, he was also a fierce rocker and some
rock’n’roll purists may question the wisdom of adding
violins to such raw and energetic singles as Rave On
and Oh, Boy!. They shouldn’t worry, because it’s on the
rockers that this album’s good taste is most evident.
On Peggy Sue, for instance, the orchestra stays out
of the way completely for the first third of the song,
allowing one of the most iconic drum intros in history
to bash away as brightly as ever. When the strings
finally arrive, in the chorus and behind Buddy’s
blistering guitar solo, they’re added with a delicate
touch that adds sparkle and sheen to the performance
without taking over.
Are there any moments from the sessions that BELOW Producer Nick Patrick Rave On similarly still begins with Buddy’s famous
particularly stand out for you? at his mixing desk in stuttering vocal, and the plucked violin adornments
London’s Angel Studios
“I think the first time we did True Love Ways with the have an energy fit for the dance floor. At every point
orchestra. It felt so beautiful, warm and rich, and seemed it’s easy to imagine Buddy and The Crickets on stage,
to enhance his vocal performance. It’s funny how that with their instruments up front, driving the tracks,
sometimes happens. The vocal has a new clarity and a while the orchestra follows them.
new emotional depth, because you can hear more of his The less familiar symphonic ballad Moondreams
voice. You can hear all the tonal quality that is sometimes mixes with popular favourites like Heartbeat on an
lost in some of his earlier recordings, purely because the album that puts a new frame around Holly’s artistry
technical stuff wasn’t available at the time.” and takes nothing away from it.
VINTAGE ROCK 65
9
Roy Orbison
Buddy-plus-orchestra may
be a first, but the new Roy
Orbison album Unchained
Melodies is a repeat team-
up with The Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra.
Vintage Rock looks at the
‘new’ Big O album and
revisits some of the
original recordings…
WORDS BY PETER HERNDON & BILL DAHL
I
f a ‘with-orchestra’ collaboration was likely
where Buddy Holly was headed, it was
something that Roy Orbison already
mastered in his own lifetime. So it was certainly
no surprise when A Love So Beautiful – an album
which saw archive recordings of Orbison overlaid
with fresh orchestral arrangements courtesy of The
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – was released in 2017,
becoming The Big O’s highest charting record for almost
30 years. And so a follow-up, Unchained Melodies, once
again with the RPO, makes total sense. Whether it is
“rock’n’roll” is another matter. But Orbison’s rockin’
years were brief anyway: with that voice and a taste
Evening Standard/Getty
66 VINTAGE ROCK
9
Roy Orbison
“I grew up
listening to my dad
sing Roy Orbison.
Those melodies are
so ingrained in
my soul” CAM
VINTAGE ROCK 67
9
Roy Orbison
68 VINTAGE ROCK
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Roy Orbison
6
THE GREAT
PRETENDER 1961
KEY BIG O TRACKS ON
UNCHAINED MELODIES
The Great Pretender was
BLUE BAYOU
1961 (RELEASED 1963)
Co-writer Joe Melson
FALLING
1963
From the same three-hour
CRAWLING
BACK 1965
Busy Nashville arranger Bill
TOO SOON TO
KNOW 1966
One legendary Acuff-Rose
already a standard when initiated the creation of session as Orbison’s epic McElhiney got the call to do songwriter paying
Orbison recorded it for his Blue Bayou, later In Dreams, Falling was the charts for a good album-length tribute to
Crying album. A 1956 hit by completing it with Orbison, another massively portion of Roy’s MGM another; that’s what
The Platters, with Tony who took two cracks at the orchestrated ballad, with long-player The Orbison happened when Roy
Williams on lead vocals, its song (the first one, from Orbison wracked with Way, that alternated Orbison Sings Don Gibson
words and music were June of ’61, is lost, so we’ll romantic doubts over his between band tracks (with was released in January
written by Buck Ram, the never know how it head-over-heels descent The Candy Men) and huge 1967. Gibson, who had
group’s manager in (he contrasted with the into a love that threatened orchestral ballads. The plenty of insight on pain
said) “about 20 minutes”. extraordinarily to be strictly one-way. latter included lush opener and heartbreak, had
Jackie Riggs, the US atmospheric released Nashville producer Fred Crawling Back, which sold recorded for MGM before
doo-wop singer, also version). It’s one of Roy’s Foster booked two quite a bit better in the UK switching over to RCA
released a version in ’56, story songs; he’s a poor drummers, Buddy Harman than in the US. Its pleading, Victor in 1957 and finding
then Sam Cooke recorded boy pining for his girl and a and John Greubel, either to down-and-out narrative stardom. Too Soon To Know
the song in 1960… but it return to his beloved Blue double the percussive and Roy’s stratospheric was a song from Don’s
seemed a song custom- Bayou. Floyd Cramer added attack or else to give one a vocals were tailor-made for second RCA session, the
built for Orbison. Bob rolling keyboards and breather while the other one another – this was a B-side to his C&W
Moore’s Orchestra featured Charlie McCoy trilled away took on the challenges of real tearjerker – but the chart-topper Blue Blue Day,
on the original, which is a on harp while an all-female Orbison’s arrangements commercial returns and Orbison recorded it
pretty straight cover, but vocal backing chorus (bassist Bob Moore couldn’t compare to his nine years later. Orbison
the more impressive cut is decorated the edges of the remained his studio incredible sales figures at cut the moving ballad only
on the Crying album, where delicate ballad. Why Foster bandleader and orchestral Monument. This was a time five days before his wife
Orbison and his team kept Blue Bayou in his score kingpin). Falling was when Orbison’s lusher Claudette was killed in a
indulged in a much more archives until the summer huge in the UK, but less so material was trying to tragic motorcycle accident,
elaborate and expensive of 1963 and then buried it in Orbison’s home country. compete with the sharper making its heartbreak
recording than Nashville on the back of Mean rock sounds of The Beatles prescient and even
studios normally practised. Woman Blues is anyone’s et al. more poignant.
Fifteen strings players in guess. Linda Ronstadt
1961 to 2018’s full RPO isn’t certainly recognised
actually much of a leap. its beauty.
ROCKIN’
RONNIE His underground classic Rockin’ Bones was released
in 1959, but Ronnie Dawson had to wait until the
1980s to gain true acclaim. To mark 20 years since
his induction into the Rockabilly Hall Of Fame,
Vintage Rock profiles the late, great Blond
Bomber… and speaks to those who knew him best
WORDS AND INTERVIEWS BY JULIE BURNS
R
onnie Dawson was a rare Visit any European real roots r’n’r club Koumis was integral in helping him pick
rocking talent who seemed to today, and it remains the case. Dawson’s raw, the right material and musicians (such as
operate in reverse: the man rhythmic and kinetic tracks sounded like The Polecats’ Boz Boorer) and getting him
known as the Blond Bomber actually a more subversive version of the 50s, and exposure that spanned John Peel recording
got better as he got older. He achieved packs a mean contemporary punch. sessions at the BBC in 1993, performing
regional success in his native Texas back in It must have seemed on the Conan O’Brien
the 1950s, but it was between 1988 and his surreal to receive the primetime American
premature passing in 2003, that the singer adulation that he deserved chatshow, playing at
enjoyed heroic cult status across Europe’s so late in his career. Yet Carnegie Hall; and later
revivalist circuit. While many of his peers’ according to collaborator Yep Roc recordings
careers had packed up early, Ronnie burned guitarist Tjarko Jeen, that featured in the
more brightly second time round. “Ronnie didn't consider movies Primary Colors
“Ronnie’s UK fans were very important his albums a comeback and Simpatico.
to him,” his wife, Chris, tells Vintage Rock as such – he just saw On his Rockin’ Bones
today. “He received more recognition from them as a continuation of CD liner notes, Dawson
those fans than he ever received here in the what he considered to be confessed to having
US. Actually, all over Europe he was more unfinished business.” been “a wallflower” in his pre-musical
appreciated than at home. I am so grateful That unfinished business began when, youth, but by the 80s and 90s, he
for that, as was he.” out of the blue in 1986, No-Hits Records transformed onstage into wildfire
With a handful of hot albums including founder Barney Koumis knocked on personified. Importantly, he was still
Monkey Beat (1994), Just Rockin’ And Dawson’s door at his apartment in Dallas, evolving and generating fresh material.
Rollin’ (’96), and Live At Texas. Koumis was already Uniquely relevant to the rockabilly
The Continental Club (’98), a major DJ on London’s revival, Dawson delivered real rockabilly
Ronnie returned with a rockin’ scene, and with a distinctly modern twist of hard
bang. From London to the essentially brought Dawson blues, country and garage rock. His vocal
Netherlands, cuts such as back from the wilderness was unique in markedly improving with
Still-A-Lot-Of-Rhythm, in 1990 by releasing the age, lending a gruff, rugged swagger to
Rockinitis and the wildly Rockin’ Bones compilation that startling, scorching sound. Fans still
urgent Up Jumped The Devil album. Co-producing a wax lyrical online, describing his music as
became UK clubs’ bopping clutch of subsequent new “just the way this stuff should be – rough,
anthems in those later years. recordings with Ronnie, edgy, and sounds like it was recorded in
70 VINTAGE ROCK
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Ronnie Dawson
VINTAGE ROCK 71
9
Ronnie Dawson
Robbert Bleys
and they would offer you a recording
contract… I won 10 times, and in three
months I was looking at a record with my
name on it.” In terms of screaming girls, he
held his own against other upcoming Big D REMEMBERING
acts of before, including one Elvis Presley.
Billed as Ronnie Dee & The D-Men,
Dawson signed to the R&B-oriented Back
RONNIE
BY TJARKO JEEN
#1
Beat label and delivered Action Packed b/w GUITARIST WITH RONNIE FOR 12 YEARS
I Make The Love in 1958. Despite a lengthy
promotion – even a place on an Alan Freed How did you first get to play with him there, which I did for several
package tour – the single only gained with Ronnie? years, joining his band with Lisa Pankratz
scattergun airplay, as did 1959 release, “Aged 13, I was in a rockabilly band from on drums, and Kevin Smith on bass.”
Rockin’ Bones, this time credited to Ronnie the Netherlands called The Tin Stars.
Dawson ‘The Blond Bomber’. But despite Within a couple of years we were playing Any particular highlights of your
only ripples back then, both tracks are today all over Europe, backing many visiting US time together?
regarded as highly influential. original 50s artists. “It’s hard to pick favourites, though shows
After a spell playing sock-hops with “At 16, in 1989, I met Ronnie at our in New York, Chicago, Austin and New
Western swing group the Light Crust Slagharen Rock & Roll Weekender. I Orleans were always extra-special – those
Doughboys, Ronnie shared the same gathered all my courage, introduced myself were real music towns back then. The
manager as Gene Vincent and toured and said: I know all of your songs and I’m crowd went with us all the way, I can only
nationally with him. By 1960, he witnessed going to play in your band. He looked at explain it as going on a trip to another
Vincent’s American career nosedive as me with that big smile and said, ‘Oh yeah?!’ place together! That just doesn’t happen
rock’n’roll turned into teen-tuned pop. With “A few weeks later, I was playing a gig at very often. In that respect, as a performer,
his boyish voice and cute platinum blond another festival, and from the stage Ronnie was in an elite class, up there with
crew cut, 21-year-old Ronnie was primed I saw Ronnie watching me. Boz Boorer people like James Brown, Aretha Franklin
for teen-idol stardom. Signing with Dick – Ronnie’s regular guitar player at the or Ray Charles. Unfortunately it wasn’t
Clark’s Swan label, he cut two pure poppers: time – started getting busy with Morrissey. witnessed by large crowds… So at this
Summer’s Comin’ and Hazel, showcasing Fast-forward a few months, and I get a call: point it almost sounds like legend.
both on Clark’s famous could I play the next day with Ronnie at “The Continental Club shows in Texas
American Bandstand the Cruise Inn in Amsterdam? When were always fantastic, and I remember the
TV show. But I got to the club, Ronnie said, ‘So you know time we played the Hemsby Rock’n’Roll
just as his career all my songs, huh? Well, let’s see!’ I then Weekender was especially great.”
was about to be played with Ronnie regularly – first with
pushed, the my band The Tin Stars, and on a tour with Which of Ronnie’s recorded tracks did
Payola scandal The Planet Rockers replacing Eddie Angel. you play guitar on?
hit, and Clark had At 21, Ronnie moved me to the USA to tour “I played on three Ronnie Dawson albums:
to get rid of his
72 VINTAGE ROCK
9
Ronnie Dawson
Monkey Beat, Just Rockin’ & Rollin’ – both Milton Brown, to the Nat King
myself and Eddie Angel together on Cole Trio, Al Hibbler, Duke
guitars – and Live At The Continental Club. Ellington and Count Basie.
The first thing I recorded with Ronnie in “As to his European ‘comeback’,
1992 was Up Jumped The Devil, during his he loved it, was grateful for it,
UK tour with The Tin Stars. I was initially and completely embraced it. We
miscredited on Monkey Beat, finally talked about it often but I can’t tell
properly credited on the subsequent 45. you what his opinions were. To
me, it’s because we Europeans are
On tracks such as Up Jumped… and nostalgic and tend to look back
Al Shelton
Rockinitis, did Ronnie detune his into the past and embrace our
guitar to get that distinctive choppy own history, and even the history
riff sound? of others, whereas Americans generally It immediately was business as usual. He
“Yes, Ronnie tuned his guitar down, look forward to the future.” gave us all his customary, one-by-one ‘are
regular Spanish tuning but from C to C. you ready?’ look, and sang and played his
He would call that sound ‘funky’!” What are your favourite Ronnie tracks? ass off. People in the audience were crying
“I like the Live At The Continental Club and laughing and singing along.
Do you agree that Ronnie came into his album as representation of what Ronnie It was incredible; a testament to what
own second time around, when he was live shows were about. The records the human spirit can do. When Ronnie
in his 40s and 50s? were good, but the live shows were often was in remission after the first time, he
“Unlike many of his contemporaries, magical. Tracks that I didn’t play on that asked me to join the band again full-time.
Ronnie never stopped playing. He was I particularly love are Shim Sham Shimmy, It wasn’t to be. The cancer came back
a musicians’ musician who just never Yum Yum Yum, Rockinitis, Party Time and and he was gone not long after. It’s one of
happened to get famous. He was an Bad Case Of A Broken Heart. Of the early the big regrets in my life that we couldn’t
excellent guitar player, on both rhythm stuff, I especially love Jump And Run and make that happen. He had big plans for
and lead. Ronnie could sing pretty much Do Do Do but also, of course, Rockin’ Bones, the future.”
anything – rock’n’roll, blues, rhythm & Action Packed and Congratulations To Me.”
blues, country, folk, jazz and standards, How would you sum up Ronnie’s lasting
and that’s a rarity. Some of my favourite Onstage, Ronnie performed like a musical impact?
memories are of Ronnie singing backstage man possessed… What are your more “Ronnie showed a whole generation how
warming up, or simply in his living room: personal impressions of him as a man? it’s really done, and set the bar. People
usually Harry Nilsson’s Everybody’s “He was calm and grounded – and also still tell me all the time that Ronnie shows
Talkin’, Frankie Miller’s Backland Farmer knew how to have fun. I saw Ronnie dance were the best shows they’ve ever seen.
or Mickey Newberry’s Why You Been one time. It was after a show in Germany His records, old and new, are still much
Gone So Long. Plus standards like Scotch & at the Life Club, and he was relaxing, loved. He showed us that new records
Soda, or his no-nonsense country singing talking to fans and enjoying some Cognac. could be as great and as exciting as the
reminiscent of Jerry Lee Lewis’s Smash Next thing, I look over and he’s dancing original records; that every show should
era… Jerry was one of his favourite with all of us to Carl Perkins. Ronnie was a be played giving it your all; that you can be
country singers.” great, loving, supportive spirit. Everybody a skilled musician and also flat-out rock.
that worked with him long-term had a “To me, Ronnie was the greatest
During the 1980s rockabilly revival, deep personal connection with him – and exponent of all the 50s rock’n’roll artists
Ronnie became a cult figure in Europe. became a better musician. To me, he was a still active after the 50s: impressive in a
Why do you think he was bigger here mentor as well as a friend, in some ways, a contemporary way, without sounding
than in his native United States? father figure.” like a throwback. Ronnie is not so
“It’s important to note that Ronnie didn’t much underrated as overlooked.
considered himself originally as rockabilly. When was the last time you saw, or “Nobody rocked harder or did it
In his opinion, the only rockabilly he ever performed, with him? better than Ronnie, and I know that
recorded was on the comeback albums. “The last time I saw him was a couple of many who had the privilege of seeing and
He regarded his 50s sides as blues, and days before he passed away, in 2003. The knowing him feel that way. He didn’t have
rhythm & blues-based rock’n’roll records, last show I did with him was also his last any kids, but he saw all of us – his band
and that was really his first love. The only at the Lonestar Roundup in Austin, Texas. – as his kids, and his continuing musical
rockabilly he really loved was Carl Perkins, It was very emotional, one of the most legacy. I think that the impact Ronnie
although of course he respected the hell moving experiences of my life. He and all had on all our lives says it all.”
out of Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent. of us knew he didn’t have much time left.
He loved Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Little Before the show he could barely walk or For more on Tjarko Jeen’s projects –
Richard, Muddy Waters, T-Bone Walker, talk. I was worried – how were we going The Modern Don Juans, Shaun Young
Gatemouth Brown, and also Jimmie to pull this off? He somehow reached deep & The 3 Ringers and The Hunt Sales
Rodgers, Hank Williams, Lefty Frizzell, within, and got onstage totally charged. Memorial – see www.reverbnation.com
VINTAGE ROCK 73
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Ronnie Dawson
REMEMBERING
RONNIE #2
BY LISA PANKRATZ DRUMMER IN
RONNIE’S HIGH NOON BAND
“The very first gig I ever did with him and High
Al Shelton
Paul Harris
people get so happy when they discover it!” found his popularity grow
in the 1980s and 90s
74 VINTAGE ROCK
9
Ronnie Dawson
REMEMBERING
RONNIE #3
BY SEAN MENCHER GUITARIST IN
RONNIE’S HIGH NOON BAND
VINTAGE ROCK 75
9
Singles & EP Reviews
----- SUPERB
---- RECOMMENDED Al Dual Les Razerbills
--- AVERAGE THE SUN SESSION LA TOMBE
-- PATCHY EL TORO RECORDS NEXT PHASE: NORMAL RECORDS
- AVOID --- ----
From the title alone you can be Although this four-track EP has a
Rock’n’roll is a universal pretty sure what you’re about to Gallic theme, it is actually from a
receive on this EP and you do combo based in Bradford. Within
language this issue, as rockin’ indeed get four original songs these grooves are a series of spooky
7 "s fly in from Germany, recorded in Memphis’ most
legendary studio. On this 7" the
surf instrumentals with a splash of
B-movie sensibility and a hint of
Austria, Spain and the French- Spanish singer/guitarist offers a stiff the exotic. Organs wail, guitars
measure of rockabilly served hot twang and horrific sound effects
speaking quarter (huh?) of alongside a large portion of deep whisper in the background as we
Bradford. Label names of twanging riffs. With a few releases
already under his belt, Dual took the
take a trip on a West Yorkshire
ghost train while Joe Meek’s eerie
Migraine, Hip Shakin and Fury award for Best Rockabilly Male at
this year’s Ameripolitan Awards.
spirit hovers above us. The whole
package is wildly entertaining,
tell their own story… His train keeps a-rollin’ with this wrapped in period French artwork,
release and it finishes off his most and comes complete with your own
REVIEWS BY CRAIG BRACKENRIDGE successful year so far very nicely. Razerbills mask and business card.
Trini Lopez
SINNER NOT A SAINT
HIP SHAKIN RECORDS
-----
The Hip Shakin label is an offshoot
of the well-respected Pink’n’Black
Records, and they focus on reissues
with a more soulful twist. This 45
features Trini Lopez on the A-side
with his Latin-infused song Sinner
Not A Saint from 1964. Although
this record failed to set the US
charts alight on its initial release,
it’s a real dancefloor filler from the
Texas tornado and one of his last
real rockers before he moved off
into more folky territory a year
later. Over on the other side is the
very exotic swinger Palm Of Your
Hand by Dolly Lyon, a real slow
burner from 1957 that positively
seeps with sauciness. The single
comes in a die-cut retro sleeve and
it is well worth checking out the
label’s previous releases which
include other reissue singles from
the likes of Fats Domino, Wanda
Jackson, The Sapphires and Big
Mama Thornton.
76 VINTAGE ROCK
9
Singles & EP Reviews
The Royal Flush Crazy Cavan & The Cheating Hearts The Rusty Robots
ALL NIGHT LONG The Rhythm Rockers CHEATING HEARTS EP SWEETHEARTS, KISSES,
MIGRAINE RECORDS TEDDY BOY BOOGIE TRASH WAX RECORDS BLOODY KNIVES
---- FURY RECORDS --- KILLJOY RECORDS
Europe continues to offer a rich ----- Rock’n’roll comes in many varied -----
seam of fairly new rockabilly Fury Records continue their series forms and this duo from St Pauli, With two full-length albums
combos and this Swiss four-piece of 7" reissues with this two-track Hamburg’s raunchiest quarter, have already under their belt, The Rusty
prove the point with style. The band offering featuring a double helping a stripped down guitar and drums Robots are a relatively youthful
have been in action since 2007 but of Crazy Cavan’s finest recordings sound that is raw and rowdy in German trio with a sound that
have really turned up the heat on from 1975. The title track is a Ted equal measure. This is a powerful drags you right back to that period
their career in the past few years. anthem oozing with menace and package featuring four original and in the early 80s when the
This is only their third single and some violent lyrical content that very twisted love songs delivered pubescent psychobilly movement
both All Night Long and the flipside, reflected the reality of life on the with a spiteful sharpness and with was still closely entwined with the
Running Square, are written by the streets for many UK revivalists in all of the rough edges intact. rockabilly scene. The three tracks
band and have that solid foot- the 1970s. Over on the B-side is a Don’t expect any low-key acoustic featured on this 7" are all original
stomping beat that they describe as good-time floorfiller in the form of musings here as this couple create a compositions, and if you have a
“wild and raw rockabilly”. Judging the short, sharp shock of Teddy Boy raucous wall of sound that can put taste for the frantic early recordings
them on these two tracks alone they Rock’n’Roll. If you’ve yet to discover most full bands to shame. Only 300 of bands like The Ricochets, The
have obviously got that description the brilliance of Crazy Cavan, this of these have been pressed, all in Sharks and Batmobile then this
bang on. single is an ideal starting point. luscious light blue vinyl. is unmissable.
Louisville Boppers Merle Kilgore Various Artists Fia Sco & The Majestics
MEANEST THING EVERYBODY NEEDS A LITTLE LOVIN’ ROCKABILLY SCRAPBOOK ICEBEAR!
MIGRAINE RECORDS SLEAZY RECORDS PLAN 9 TRASH RECORDS RHYTHM BOMB RECORDS
---- --- --- ---
Proving that there is no generation As well as releasing new material, This 7" EP captures three great Austria is a stronghold for a great
gap in the world of rock’n’roll, Spanish label Sleazy also bring rockabilly acts live onstage in variety of rockin’ acts and here is a
Louisville Boppers are a father and many original rock’n’roll whoppers Austria. Jetting in from the UK, John welcome blast of female-fronted
son guitar duo accompanied by a back onto vinyl. On this single, they Lewis And His Trio get two tracks on hillbilly boogie from the wild Alpen
bass-slapper. This is their debut have partnered two of Merle one side while local boys Crazy backwoods. Both Icebear! and the
single but these South German Kilgore’s finest moments from the Cubes and Chili And The Baracudas B-side Shame On You take you back
rockers have already built up a period when he had been bitten by get a track each on the flipside. to those pre-rockabilly times when
strong live reputation. They have a the rockabilly bug. Everybody The disc is presented in a unique country folks had real class! The
drummer on board for this Needs A Little Lovin’ is a jiver from 8" ring-bound hardcover which vintage sound of this single reeks of
recording and Meanest Thing is a 1955 and Ernie is a stripped-down includes additional info and pictures authenticity and harks back to the
rock-hard blues bopper while the rocker from the following year. from the event itself. It must have very roots of rock’n’roll. Fia’s vocals
B-side, Rockin’ Rolla Mama, features Unless you are determined to track been a lively night out and this sound as if they are slipping
a delightful driving twang. Both down the original releases on chunk of limited edition blue vinyl straight off a shellac 78 and the
tracks are lifted from their LP, Imperial Records, this is a great way offers a perfect snapshot of that atmospheric steel guitar slides
Howlin’ To The Moonlight, and the 7" to capture these rockin’ nuggets on evening’s entertainment in just comfortably close to the slapping
is a hand-numbered limited edition. 7" once again. under 10 minutes. bass and hot club drums.
VINTAGE ROCK 77
9
Vinyl LP Reviews
The Overtones
THE OVERTONES
GAMBLIN’ MAN
---
There’s no doubt that The Overtones are the UK’s biggest selling quasi-doo-wop group in decades.
After eight years, and now a quartet, the group release their sixth album and back it up with a tour that
seemingly visits every town and hamlet in the country.
Alongside a few originals, the group’s repertoire encompasses material from the 70s disco era such as the
first single from the CD, You To Me Are Everything, originally by The Real Thing, who started their musical life
as doo-wop group The Chants, and
Billy Ocean’s Love Really Hurts Smiley Lewis
Without You. ROOTIN’ & TOOTIN’: THE
Revivals like The Drifters’ Save COMPLETE IMPERIAL SINGLES
The Last Dance for Me, and the 1950-61
Motown standard My Girl work in a JASMINE
pleasant middle-of-the-road way, -----
but they really come unstuck with R&B singer, guitarist and songwriter
their attempt at Bobby Day’s Smiley Lewis of New Orleans cut
Rockin’ Robin, which sounds like more than 90 sessions in a 10-year
a cover on the Woolworth’s period, most of which are real
Embassy label. rock’n’roll. But he never conquered
Part of the problem may be the the pop market, and it was left to
missing member from this others like Fats Domino with Blue
one-time quintet was the lead Monday and Elvis Presley with One
singer, and instead of replacing Night to sell shedloads of songs
him, they share leads. However, the Smiley cut first. This double CD runs
late Timmy Matley’s voice does to 61 tracks, and there’s not a duff
appear on one track. Your next one among them. The cream of
mission: Which track? New Orleans R&B, from Huey Piano
Smith to Fats Domino, back him.
80 VINTAGE ROCK
9
CD Album Reviews
JD McPherson
SOCKS
NEW WEST
-----
The least likely person to cut a Christmas record has to be roots
rocker JD McPherson, who first came to our attention with North Side
Gal. However, JD claims this is not a Christmas cash-in, but a fully
fledged rock’n’roll release. And he’s right. The title track is an
amusing, child-like complaint about receiving socks for Christmas,
and many of a certain age will sympathise with that. But it’s
The Embassy Studios Band The Bullets untypical of most of the tracks, most of which rock like the clappers.
A FOOTTAPPING CHRISTMAS BOPPIN’N’SCREAMIN’ There are 11 originals written by JD and musical friends, covering
FOOTTAPPING RECORDS WESTERN STAR every seasonal subject, from the magical All The Gifts I Need to the
---- ---- ‘Bah Humbug’ of Ugly Christmas Sweater. The absolute stand-out
With an all-star line-up including A novel concept, putting three vinyl track, and one likely to get played when Christmas 2018 is just a
Darrel Higham, John O’Malley and four-track EPs, plus a bonus track, memory, is a solid
Bill Crittenden among them it onto one CD for those who missed rocker called
would seem likely that a quality the seven-inchers. This is solid Twinkle (Little
seasonal product would emerge. rockabilly from a band who have Christmas Lights)
And it has. The 14 tracks here mix shown consistency on every format, which JD has
standards with originals, plus an offering 12 tracks plus Boppin’ n’ performed live but
inspired rockabilly revival of the Screamin’ as the bonus. Brett never released on
novelty Grandma Got Run Over By A Waters not only has a fine voice, any format until
Reindeer from The Accidents. John but writes great songs, too. We now. We suggest
O’Malley’s take on Santa Looked A loved the instrumental Missin’ Link, buying the full CD
Lot Like Daddy from the Buck Owens a tribute to the late twangmeister album to get it,
songbook is also notable. This is Mr Wray, and Adam Burney since it’s not on
great fun and a must for any rockin’ guesting on harmonica on Let The the digital
gift list. Season’s greetings to all of Bad Times Roll shows the band are download.
the acts concerned! no slouch at blues boppers either.
Wanda Jackson
THE COMPLETE SINGLES AS AND BS 1954-62
ACROBAT
-----
This 58-track 2xCD set tracks Wanda from a country cowgirl to her
exalted title of The Queen of Rockabilly over an eight-year period
that saw Elvis Presley’s sometime girlfriend become a star.
She erupted on to the UK scene with a storming take on Elvis’ Let’s
Have A Party on Capitol, but American country audiences were
already familiar with her thanks to Decca label hits, included here.
El Camino The Collins Kids Stand out tracks include her original of Silver Threads And Golden
8 DAYS ’N’ DUSTED ROCKIN’ AND BOPPIN’ Needles, Honey Bop and the oft-recorded Fujiyama Mama. Wanda’s
WESTERN STAR JASMINE versatility allowed her to croon country ballads, and then give the
--- ---- rough end of her tongue to roar out rockers like Mean Mean Man.
A second album from hard-driving So sad that this greatest hits She was always given A-list backings, particularly on Capitol,
rockabilly band El Camino, who compilation should turn into a where piano often dominated, and she not only wrote many of her
present some fine originals memorial album for the late Lorrie biggies, but was also offered first chance to record new songs from
alongside a logical Lee Dresser Collins who passed away in August top writers. This release
cover and a less likely revival of an 2018. They were a rockabilly novelty contains a detailed,
Elvis Costello hit. The Lee Dresser in the 50s, with Lorrie standing tall illustrated booklet that
track is Beat Out My Love, while over her ace guitarist little brother also lists her chart
Costello’s Oliver’s Army gets a Larry, but there was no faulting positions in both country
worthwhile re-tread in El Camino their harmonies and onstage and pop charts, both in
style. Their originals are well- confidence. They will be the US and the UK.
observed commentaries and spoofs remembered for Beetle Bug Bop, Considering her ongoing
including The Nutter, No Neck Nelly Hoy Hoy, and Whistle Bait, along influence, it’s fascinating
and In The Pit. Strong vocals with many other tracks that defined that back in the day she
throughout against an authentic the 70s rockabilly revival and which struggled for hits despite
backing suggests this latest offering are still played today. Great value the quality of the output.
will win them more fans. with no less than 35 excellent tracks.
VINTAGE ROCK 81
9
CD Album Reviews
Lindsay Beaver
TOUGH AS LOVE
ALLIGATOR
-----
I’ve got a new favourite female singer. So apologies to Vicky Tafoya,
you’ll have to make do with second place. Chanteuse in question is
Lindsay Beaver, a stand-up tattooed drummer from Canada now
based in Austin, Texas, who has been described as halfway between
Little Richard and Amy Winehouse by Alligator Records boss
Bruce Iglauer.
Roy Orbison Jack Scott This stunning 12-tracker covers 50s rock’n’roll, swamp pop, blues
UNCHAINED MELODIES THE SINGLES AND ALBUMS and ballads but with a voice as powerful as this she could sing the
SONY COLLECTION 1957-62 phone book and still impress. Many of the songs are originals, but
--- ACROBAT her wide tastes encompass Slim Harpo’s Got Love If You Want It, Art
The key credit here is… ‘with The ----- Neville’s Let’s Rock and fellow Austinite Angela Strehli’s Lost Cause.
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’. There have been a number of Stand out track, if I had to pick one, would be her original entitled
Where 2017’s RPO-aided A Love So big-voiced Jack Scott compilations Too Cold To Cry, a rolling, bluesy offering that could be an out-take
Beautiful focused on Roy’s hits, over the years, but few as from Little Richard’s first
Unchained Melodies is driven by comprehensive as this fine offering. album. Her band is
material that “specifically lends Every one of his charting singles, exceptional, too, with
itself to the orchestral format”. both A-sides and flips, are included Brad Stivers on guitar and
Which means ballads Blue Bayou, among the 60 tracks here, and Josh Williams on bass,
Danny Boy, Falling… that often there’s not a duff one among them. and guests such as Marcia
already had strings on them. There’s also selected tracks from Ball on piano.
Add a whole orchestra and you LPs that were never singles. Scott’s This is Lindsay’s debut
have a syrupy middle-of-the- versatility ran from wild rockabilly under her own name, and
road mix that sometimes drowns to deep dark ballads, and it’s safe to say: a career
Roy’s astonishing voice – and fortunately he is still with us, and is born.
that will be a big NO to Big his voice is in good shape. Buy this,
O aficionados. and see him when you can.
COLLECT
THE COMPLETE
SERIES AT
w w w. b e a r- f a m i l y. c o m
84 VINTAGE ROCK
9
Hemsby Weekender
HEMSBY
ROCK’N’ROLL
WEEKENDER
The final Hemsby Weekender of 2018 #61
was the end of an era, as veteran
organiser Willie Jeffery announced he is stepping
down. But a host of great acts saw this landmark
event go out with a bang… setting a high standard
for the new Hemsby that is coming in 2019
WORDS BY JOHN HOWARD PHOTOS BY GARRY LETTS
H
itmaker Gary ‘US’ Bonds proved he was remains agile, and had an easy rapport with the crowd.
a good investment when he headlined Producer and owner of Virginia’s Legrand Records
a packed Hemsby 61 Rock’n’Roll Frank Guida may have written and engineered Bond’s
Weekender at the Norfolk holiday park. Still with early hits, but apparently didn’t share the royalties with
an impressive head of hair and a powerful voice, he the singer, as Gary told the audience.
delighted the crowds with a selection of his party hits He erupted on stage to his debut hit New Orleans,
including, of course, New Orleans and Quarter To Three. ably supported by UK backing band, the oddly-
Co-headliners Rip Masters, also from the USA, and monikered MFC Chicken, and members of the ever-
Jack Baymoore And The Bandits, from Sweden, kept reliable vocal group The Chord Royales.
up the international flavour for a great weekend, tinged Confiding with a smile that he had sung his hits
with sadness since Hemsby organiser Willie Jeffery is more often than he cared to, Bonds conflated some of
handing over control after a 31-year run. his classics into a medley which included Twist Twist
A Hemsby Weekender is more than simply a string of Senora, School Is Out and Dear Lady Twist. His second
acts. There’s also record and clothing stalls, a car cruise, single, he explained, sold “only” 900,000 since it was
a jive contest and a Sunday boot sale, while the vintage believed by some radio jocks to be a tad salacious, but
rail excursions and trips on the Broads often turned a failed to find “fun” too near the mark as he reprised
visit to Willie Jeffery’s weekender into a fun holiday. 1960’s Not Me. Seven Day Weekend featured in the
But it was Gary ‘US’ Bond the crowds had come to British film It’s Trad, Dad!, and was included, if not
see and hear, an infrequent UK visitor making his attained, while I Wanna Holler (But The Town’s Too
weekender debut… Small) got a good response.
Bruce Springsteen was a fan of Bond’s back in the day,
WHEN GARY ‘US’ Bonds’ New Orleans was and gave his boyhood hero a second bite of the cherry,
released in 1960, Disc magazine declared that the record and chart hit, with This Little Girl, which The Boss
– with its wild, party atmosphere – could not have been produced in 1981. Perhaps surprisingly, it garnered the
made in Britain, and they’d have no doubt believed its best response to the set so far.
spaced out, echo sounds couldn’t be reproduced on His biggest seller and number one US hit Quarter
stage either. To Three reliably brought the house down, and having
But they were proved wrong when Gary headlined successfully delivered one medley to the crowd,
over The Beatles on his first UK tour in 1963… and switched to full-on party mode with a running mix
recreated that sound exactly once more at Hemsby in including Johnny B Goode, Hound Dog, Shake, Be-Bop-
2018. Now 79, Gary – by hobby, a champion golfer – A-Lula and Lucille.
VINTAGE ROCK 85
9
Hemsby Weekender
The crowd had found its dancing feet, and sent Gary
off with a huge cheer.
Man, and his own version is writing Rockabilly Man, covered by Ray Campi and
20 others, and Rip’s own version was greeted warmly.
was greeted warmly Amazingly, this was his first Hemsby appearance.
86 VINTAGE ROCK
9
Hemsby Weekender
started was to bring over original American acts “We invested in a superb PA system, the
from the 50s who had never been seen in engineers to keep it sounding as good as it
Britain. We attracted audiences from all over could be, lighting technicians, the top comperes
the world, from Japan, Spain, Germany and and disc jockeys, offering our guests the chance
even Australia. to meet the stars, what I believe to be the best
“It’s becoming increasingly difficult to book printed programme with details of all the acts
the originals. Many have passed on, others have and many other aspects that turned our
retired from music. I am aware that rock’n’roll is weekenders into unforgettable events.
changing, and I am pleased to hand over to Bill, “I would like to thank the many, many people
who has got his finger on the pulse and knows I’ve come to rely on for the smooth running of
what today’s audiences want. the shows, and our thousands of regulars who
“We are immensely proud of what we’ve ceased to be customers and turned into friends.
achieved, both for the artists and for the fans, Our records show we brought in 127 original
and we wanted to go out on a high rather than American acts over 31 years, which speaks for
dilute the quality and quantity of the acts we itself. I would like to reassure everyone that
Hemsby 61 Rock’n’Roll Weekender proved book, and watch the weekenders gradually I’m not hanging up my leather jacket and
historic in more ways than one. Organiser of the peter out. abandoning rock’n’roll, the only music I love,
festival Willie Jeffery (above with wife Varrick) “Obviously, I’m saddened to stop running and will still keep my hand in with other
announced he was standing down, bringing Hemsby, which has been a huge part of my life, promotions.
down the curtain on the longest run of any and that of my wife Varrick, who has been “Finally, I would like to thank all those who
promoter on the weekender scene. Willie, now essential in the continuing success of the shows. came in both May and October to attend
78, is handing over the reins to promoter, disc I didn’t imagine when we started that we would successive Hemsby weekenders, without whom
jockey and group manager Bill Guntrip, a still be running all these years later. we wouldn’t have been able to reach the
well-known figure in retro music. “But the time is right for me to stop, and milestone of 61 consecutive successful shows.
Willie explained: “When we started 31 years hand over to the next generation, whose “I’m sure they will remain loyal to the new
ago, it was just us. Now there are 76 similar members are as enthusiastic about rock’n’roll as promoters, and I’m particularly pleased Hemsby
festivals each year in the UK, Europe and we are. We can look back on what we have done is going to be in a safe pair of hands.”
beyond, which means no-one is more than two with the confidence that we did it right and our Vintage Rock will have more on the future of
hours drive from a show. Our aim when we legacy continues. Hemsby in the next issue, out 7 February 2019.
Jack Baymoore And The Bandits from Sweden now. Their influences are
preceded him, and Jack broke a string on his guitar Johnny Burnette, Johnny Cash,
almost immediately. The Bandits reacted swiftly, moving and The Planet Rockers.
straight into the instrumental Cottonpickin’ and should Tex Speed Combo from
consider adding that sublime Night Raiders tune to their Bolton played Hemsby 46, 48
regular set. Jack, fronting the band for 22 years now, and 50 with much acclaim
both looks and sounds the part in his black shirt and and, made up of previous
rockabilly attitude. The highlight, of course, was the members of The Crawdads and
iconic A-V8 Boogie, but other originals like Drunk Tank Rhythmaires, they play raw
Boogie, Flat Out and I’m Not Crazy sat well alongside rockabilly and classics.
standards like Charlie Feathers’ One Hand Loose and The Danny McVey Trio is
Marlon Grisham’s Ain’t That A Dilly. Baymoore was based in London: Danny first
rewarded with two encores. played Hemsby at an open mic
Elsewhere, some of the newer acts shone on a slot many years ago, and is now
The Danny McVey Trio,
generations-spanning lineup. Race With The Devil, a respected act releasing CDs blasting their way through
formed in 2013, play Gene Vincent’s classics of the on Rollin’ Records and he kept some prime rock’n’roll stomp
Cliff Gallup era, but were unfortunate in their opening up his reputation here. Deville
slot on Thursday when most of attendees were yet to Rebels, a four-piece hard rockin’ rockabilly
arrive. They still played however like they would in band from Wales, play a mix of covers and originals
front of a full house. Also on were The Busboys from and will be recording some tracks at Sun Studios in
Swansea, who play classic rockabilly. They formed in Memphis in July 2019. Dime Store Dukes, formed
1983, disbanded in 1985, but then got back together again in 2015, hail from Lancashire and have just played
in 2016. This was the first band in which Rob Nedin the Shakedown Weekender in Gloucestershire and
(Rimshots/Shufflers) started playing lead guitar. performed their original rockabilly – influenced by
Rockville, the three-piece rockabilly band from Sonny Fisher, Jumpin’ Gene Simmons and Carl Perkins
central Scotland, have been performing for five years – to an appreciative crowd.
VINTAGE ROCK 87
9
Hemsby Weekender
Dylan Kirk And The Killer Combo are from band, with members from Hertfordshire and Devon,
Faversham, Kent. Proving 50s rock’n’roll still has appeal their influences being The Maddox Brothers And Rose,
across the generations, Dylan started performing two Jimmy And Johnny and The Delmore Brothers, not
years ago at just 15 years old, but even at his young age to mention plenty of 50s country and Johnny Cash.
he has played at both the Good Rockin’ Tonight Festival Barny And The Rhythm All Stars, meanwhile, came
in France and the Firebirds Festival in Germany. The in from Paris and can’t be faulted for their enthusiasm
song that inspired him to start playing piano was Jerry and fabulously energetic set which saw frontman Barny
Lee Lewis’ Crazy Arms but he is also influenced by Gene stage diving and singing from the audience at the end.
Vincent, Sonny Burgess and Carl Perkins. MFC Chicken, who were also backing band for
A different flavour of retro was provided by Glenn Gary ‘US’ Bonds but also had their own set, are highly
Doran And The Prairie Echoes, who play hillbilly bop entertaining too, and look the part in smart black
and have a passion for honkytonk. They are a quality Maverick ties and white shirts.
Last Call Romance flew in from Fort Collins, Colorado,
and have plenty of US festivals under their belt. The
Dylan Kirk is from five-piece are not tied to any particular style, write their
Faversham, Kent, and started own songs, and offer a blend of rockabilly, blues and
performing two years ago at swing influenced by Elvis and Patsy Cline, fronted as
they are by the talented Emily Winters.
just 15 years old From closer to Hemsby came Harry Violet And
88 VINTAGE ROCK
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90 VINTAGE ROCK
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uring the representative, he arranged for me to see every
1950s performance of Johnnie’s when he appeared at the
and early Cambridge Theatre for two weeks in the late 1950s.
1960s, showbiz
agents were in many AT THE TIME of Larry Parnes hearing about Tommy
ways much more Steele via the Fleet Street journalist John Kennedy,
important than the Larry had already become an impresario by taking over
artists’ managers. a struggling touring play that was due to appear in the
The general public West End. It was a somewhat seedy script based on
were often under London’s ladies of the night, and the advance booking
the impression that for its opening in the capital were far from favourable.
it was the managers John Kennedy told Larry not to worry, as he “would sort
who were solely it out.” But John’s method of “sorting it out” came as a
responsible for the success of an artist, but more often shock to Larry Parnes – when he arrived at the theatre,
than not it was their agents too. And agents dealt in there were what appeared to be prostitutes accosting
all sorts. theatre-goers as they entered the building. “Don’t
During the 1950s, there were various agencies located worry,” whispered John in Larry’s ear, “everything is
in London’s West End who solely put together variety going great” …and it was. As the curtain went up, John
shows for the hundreds of theatres across the UK. was outside the theatre watching the police arrive and
My manager, Larry Parnes, was involved with the questioning the “prostitutes” who had been accosting
Foster’s Agency of Piccadilly Circus which had various the general public. He said nothing as the police moved
specialist departments handling theatres, films and them on with a warning not to return or they would
television. Head of the variety department was one be arrested, but this didn’t deter the “prostitutes” and
Hymie Zahl. Hymie was approximately five-feet tall, they were back the following night causing yet more
and that’s being generous, and his eyesight was even embarrassment to theatre-goers. But watched from
worse than that of Mr Magoo. When he read anything, afar by John Kennedy, the devious plan fell into place
it would, on occasions, have to be as close as two inches as Fleet Street photographers snapped away to record
from his face; likewise when he was meeting you! With the mayhem developing around Cambridge Circus.
me at 6ft 4in, I had to lean forward… otherwise Hymie The morning’s newspapers were full of the story, and
would have been talking to my navel. I really enjoyed within hours the booking office was inundated with
Hymie’s company, however, and I think he did mine. calls culminating in the run of the play actually being
Occasionally, unbeknownst to Larry Parnes, I would extended. The actors/prostitutes got off with warnings
call into Hymie’s office for a chat: he was always after being suitably rewarded by John for their services.
very gracious and would suggest artistes I should see Larry Parnes quickly learned that the power of the press
perform in order to learn my craft, and tell me of the was just that… very powerful!
dos and don’ts of the business. He knew I was a massive “Publicity is everything” soon became Larry’s
Johnnie Ray fan and, as he was Johnnie’s European mantra and having signed a partnership deal with the
92 VINTAGE ROCK
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A Life in Rock’n’Roll
© Graham Fowell
mischievous John Kennedy, Parnes & Kennedy became Both Larry Parnes and Hymie Zahl were gay
major players with the signing of the first of their many
artistes – Tommy Hicks, soon to become Tommy Steele. and partners in a recently opened gay club in
With Steele, Larry would control the business side of the Old Compton Street called the Golden Guitar
partnership; John, the publicity.
With Elvis Presley and Bill Haley fast establishing
themselves in the British charts, John Kennedy realised interests. There were certain personal factors in Larry’s
that rock’n’roll was the way to go, and persuaded favour however – both he and Hymie were gay and
Tommy to take up the challenge. And, as a merchant partners in a recently opened gay club in Old Compton
seaman, Tommy had discovered rock’n’roll in the Street called the Golden Guitar.
United States when he saw Buddy Holly, so he was With Marty Wilde and myself being the next signings
slightly ahead of the game compared to most to the Parnes & Kennedy stable, Tommy began to feel
British artists. that the rock’n’roll market was developing way too fast
With crafty publicity manipulation on John for his liking and decided to diversify in the hope of
Kennedy’s part, and Larry’s support from Hymie Zahl, becoming more of an all-round entertainer. The lead
it wasn’t long before Tommy was charging up the charts role in the musical Hans Christian Anderson made a
with his first Decca release, Rock With The Caveman. quick transition complete, and it wasn’t long before
Concerts and more hits followed for Tommy, but he was Tommy signed with musical impresario Harold Fielding
soon having to deal with UK rock’n’roll competition who he remained with for much of his career.
in the form of Terry Dene, Wee Willie Harris and The Regrettably, Tommy and his fellow performers
Most Brothers – all of whom had been discovered by didn’t always see eye to eye, and there are numerous
Paul Lincoln, the owner of the 2i’s coffee bar in Old stories of altercations and reprisals he was subjected
Compton Street (see page 30). Such was the popularity to. One example is that whilst performing in the hugely
of the 2i’s, that artistes were queuing up to play for free successful Singing In The Rain, such was his perceived
in the hope Paul Lincoln would sign them up; but with behaviour to the dancers and stage-hands that, prior
Paul using Hymie Zahl as the agent to represent his to a performance, they would pee in the water-holding
managed artists, it appeared there could be a conflict of tank over the stage. With the water gushing down on
VINTAGE ROCK 93
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Vince Eager
RB/Redferns/Getty
THE SIX-FIVE SPECIAL BBC TV show, followed by
ITV’s Oh Boy!, were both produced by Jack Good and
were major productions when it came to showcasing TOP LEFT Oh Boy! producer and of course… but we never did find out if Jack actually got
rock’n’roll talents. Both managers and agents alike manager to the stars Jack Good his vacuum cleaner.
soon got wise to offering all manner of rewards to ABOVE Army-bothering,
persuade Jack to feature their charges in his shows – an window-smashing, alcohol- WHEN I WAS contemplating leaving Larry Parnes,
appearance on a Jack Good production really could add abusing bad boy Terry Dene I confided in Hymie and he suggested I look beyond
a zero to an artiste’s fee overnight. music. He said I should meet a Mr Kitchener who was
As powerful a person as Hymie Zahl was in the the head of another department of Foster’s Agency, the
world of agents, Jack Good was his equal in the world movie and stage division. Unbeknownst to Larry (again),
of television. Hymie knew an appearance on any of a meeting was arranged and Kitchener first commented
Jack’s shows was priceless for one of his artistes, and he on my height and then my features, indicating I would
was desperate to get Jack to use Terry Dene on TV. be excellent for both stage and screen. This really
Terry was going through a bad time. He was thrown cheered me up and brought back the memories of my
out of the army, arrested for being drunk and smashing a being hit on by Burt Lancaster at Churchill’s nightclub
shop window in Wigmore Street, and then his marriage with the offer of a part in his movie Elmer Gantry,
to Edna Savage failed. What Terry needed was positive subject to playing my cards right.
press and under Jack’s guidance he could get it. “They’re looking for an understudy for Officer
I knew that before being approached by Hymie, Jack Krupke for West Side Story, Hymie!” said Mr Kitchener.
Good had already decided he would use Terry on the “The boy [ie, me] could be great for that role. Let me put
show. However, not knowing this, Hymie contacted him forward.”
Jack and put a proposal to him. The offer was: if Jack The audition was held late one morning at Her
featured Terry on Oh Boy!, Hymie would buy Jack a Majesty’s Theatre in the Haymarket, and I felt sick as
vacuum cleaner. Jack thought this was hilarious, but I went through the stage door. Ticking my name off
didn’t have the heart to tell Hymie he’d already decided his list, the stage door manager directed me to the rear
to use Dene. Terry did eventually appear on Oh Boy!, stalls where I registered and awaited my fate. It wasn’t
long before I was called, and a script was thrust into my
Terry Dene was going through a bad time. hand. As I stood centre downstage I was asked to read
the lines in a New York accent whilst walking across the
He was thrown out of the army, arrested for stage. What followed were the most nerve-wracking
being drunk and smashing a shop window few minutes of my life. Within a few minutes I was on
94 VINTAGE ROCK
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A Life in Rock’n’Roll
Governor Films/Getty
my way back to the tube station, having been told that ABOVE June Ritchie and reveal a very glamorous middle-aged lady who politely
I was “too young and inexperienced for the role”, but I Not Vince Eager (AKA Alan invited me in and offered me a throne-like chair in the
Bates) in John Schlesinger’s
“looked good on stage.” With no comment forthcoming kitchen sink classic, A Kind reception area. Feeling my heart racing I was already
on my New York accent, I assumed they were sparing Of Loving beginning to regret having agreed to come at all, but
my feelings. here I was – so I had to make the most of it.
It came as something of a shock when, two years later, Within minutes, two more doors of giant proportions
and post-Larry Parnes, I received another phone call were opened to reveal what looked like a ballroom with
from Mr Kitchener inviting me to visit him once again. a very grand desk situated about 30 feet away at the
“You’re from the north country, Vince, aren’t you?” he far end. Behind the desk sat two gentlemen. Following
asked when I went to his office. I replied, “Well, Mr what seemed like an eternity, I was asked to walk
Kitchener, Grantham in Lincolnshire is certainly up towards them slowly and take my place on yet another
north from here… but I think it’s classed as the East regal-looking chair. After a few personal questions and
Midlands and it’s surrounded by fields full of spuds and small talk, I was asked to read from the script in my
carrots.” “Can you do a Lancashire accent?” he asked. “best Lancashire accent”. Mr Janni and Mr Schlesinger
I explained that I’d certainly give it a try, but why? thanked me profusely following my reading, shook my
“There’s a film entitled A Kind Of Loving being cast, and hand and said they would be contacting Mr Kitchener.
I think you could possibly be what they’re looking for. A few days later, Mr Kitchener phoned me with the
It’s set in Lancashire and it’s being directed by a man news that my audition “went very well, but they felt that
called John Schlesinger and produced by Joe Janni… I wasn’t rugged enough” and “my Lancashire accent not
and they’re happy to meet you.” strong enough.”
It was only a matter of days before I found myself in Any aspirations I may have had to become a film
Curzon Street, Mayfair, looking at the property I had star soon faded. And when I eventually saw the movie,
been given the address of. It had a palatial façade with it was with a guy named Alan Bates in that role I had
Roman-style marble pillars leading to a double front auditioned for. He turned in an amazing, award-winning
door that appeared to be twice my height. I gingerly performance… and the only comfort I could draw from
pulled the bell handle and the door opened slowly to his future successes was that Alan couldn’t sing! 9
VINTAGE ROCK 95
9
Soundtrack of my life
Peggy Sue
BUDDY HOLLY
1957
Like most 13-year-olds at school,
I didn’t know what I wanted to do
and it was my art teacher Alan
Glover who sowed the seeds of my
rockabilly passion. He had an old
acoustic guitar which he played
occasionally in class, and he played
a song I’d never heard called Peggy
Sue. I was so infatuated that he
taught me the chords, and as I was
left-handed I had to play them
upside down. But before long I was
playing along and little did I know
that this song I was playing would
be the deciding factor as to my
musical direction.
GER
INTERVIEW BY VINCE EA
Barefoot Baby
JANIS MARTIN
1956
Dingwall’s in Camden Town was the
place to be seen, other than on
Thursdays when there was a special
rockabilly night around the corner
at the Camden Working Men’s Club.
Brett Waters
The first evening I visited the club
there was this amazing record
being played titled Barefoot Baby
OF The Bullets
by Janis Martin. Janis was being
marketed as the female Elvis and
she was young, she was beautiful
and she was wild. She’d had a few
hits in America, but for me, when
The Bullets have been pumping out prime-cut Barefoot Baby kicked in I suddenly
rockabilly for over 30 years now. Here, vocalist realised that this was all I wanted
in life – I had to become a
Brett Waters shares his personal rockin’ Top 10 professional singer.
96 VINTAGE ROCK
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Soundtrack of my life
Till The End Of The Day Dirty Robber Four O’Clock Baby Cat Squirrel
THE KINKS THE SONICS DARRELL RHODES DOCTOR ROSS
1965 1965 1958 1961
Following my discovery of Peggy When we formed our band, and as In my teens, I was very fortunate in With a new found love of rockabilly
Sue, I bought myself a guitar. I was the one with a guitar, it was finding a few rockabilly clubs in music and a new gang of friends,
I couldn’t find anyone interested in suggested that I should be the Camden Town, London, where I discovered an underground scene
starting a band, but two mates who singer. I’d never sang before, but I lived. I was totally unaware of that was really rockin’! The original
were into 60s music said they’d be I gave it a go with the response what rockabilly really was back Dingwalls in Camden Town was
up for a jam. I wasn’t too keen at being, “That’s it! You’ll do!” I was then, but I soon found myself being where you went on a Saturday
first, but they gave me a ‘Best Of given an album by a band called drawn more and more towards it afternoon and a Sunday night, and
The Kinks’ album to give me an idea The Sonics, my mates said they with every track that the DJs I did every single week. My
of the music they liked. I listened were a bit like The Kinks but from played. One of the songs that now-good friend, DJ Mouse, still
over and over and the track that the US, wilder and more dangerous- I remember was Four O’Clock Baby. runs the club and one track that he
blew me away was Till The End Of sounding. I listened and I especially When I first heard this mono, played made the crowd go wild.
The Day. Even though the track loved this track, Dirty Robber. screeching, and treble-heavy track, It was Dr Ross’ Cat Squirrel and it
wasn’t rock’n’roll, the raw energy Even now when I’m writing, I often it proved to be the most amazing has a thumping beat with
sent shivers down my spine and my think of the energy that tracks like sound I’d ever heard – to this day, harmonica, guitar and drums.
first band was forged this deliver. my vinyl copy is still a favourite and A blues boppin’ sound that still
one of the most prized possessions makes me just want to dance
in my record collection. all night!
CONNIE
FRANCIS
IS NOT
STUPID
The career of Connie Francis had been
up and down until Neil Sedaka came
along with a “puerile” song that he
thought would be an insult to a “classy
lady” like Connie. But what the heck,
reasoned his co-writer Howard Greenfield:
“What have we got to lose, she hates
everything we wrote, doesn’t she? Play it
already!” After hearing only a few lines, Francis
recalled: “I started jumping up and down and I said,
‘That’s it! You guys got my next record!’”
She was right. Stupid Cupid charted both sides of the
Atlantic, and reached No. 1 in the UK in September 1958. Lipstick
On Your Collar went to No. 3 in summer 1959, and – masterfully
playing the “cute” card to contrast with the “masculine kind of
music” of the male rockers – Connie soon racked-up 15 overall
UK Top 20 hits.
98 VINTAGE ROCK
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“Buddy Holly “He made it OK to “Buddy Holly
was way ahead wear glasses. was a
of his time” I was Buddy Holly” beautiful writer”
BOB DYLAN JOHN LENNON MICK JAGGER
CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF
OUT NOW