Friday, May 15, 2009

Lamp Post set list from May 13th

The West-Siders - "Candy Yams" (Infinity cat. INX-031 (Audition copy))
Hal Blaine (The Drummer Man) and The Young Cougars - "Challenger II" (RCA Victor cat. 47-8282)
Jon Thomas - "Tizzy" (Junior records cat. 1003 (D. J. Copy / Not For Sale))
Adolphus Bell And The Up Starts - "Lafin Gas" (Satin Records cat. 1111)
Tony and Joe - "The Freeze" (ERA Records cat. 45-1075)
Hollywood Flames - "Crazy" (ebb cat. 119)
The Spats - "Gator Tails and Monkey Ribs" (ABC-Paramount cat. 45-10585)
The Souljers - "Poochum" (Rampart cat. 648)
King Coleman - "The Boo Boo Song (Part 2)" (King cat. 45-6085)
Tom and Jerroo - "(Papa Chew) Do The Boo-Ga-Loo" (Jerry-O Records cat. JO 111)
Doug Clark And The Nuts - "Milk The Cow" (Jubilee cat. Record No. 45-5546)
Alvin Cash & The Hundred Dollar Bills - "Party Time" (Seventy-Seven Records cat. 77-118)
Billy Sha-Rae - "Do It" (Hour Glass cat. HG-007)
Mamie Galore - "Special Agent 34-24-38" (St. Lawrence Records cat. 1004)
Pigmeat Markham - "Sock It To 'Em Judge" (Chess cat. 2059)
Bobby Byrd - "Try It Again" (Kwanza Records cat. KWA 7703)
Paul Kelly - "Hooked, Hogtied & Collared' (Warner Bros. Records cat. WB 7823)
Tyrone Chestnut - "The Bump" (Intrepid cat. 75003)
The Propositions - "Africana' (Movement cat. Mov - 1973 - 6)
Lonnie Smith - "Move Your Hand - Part 1" (Blue Note cat. BN-1955)
The Three Sounds - "Still I'm Sad" (Blue Note cat. 45-1935)
Blue Mitchell - "Swahilli Suite" (Blue Note cat. 45-1944)
Dede Soul and The Spidells - "Soul Chills" (Julmar Records cat. JU-254)
Oscar Weathers - "The Spoiler" (Top and Bottom Records cat. 405)
Don Covay & The Jefferson Lemon Blues Band - "Standing In The Grits Line" (Janus Records cat. J - 164)
Lou Courtney - "Hot Butter 'N All - Part 1" (Hurdy-Gurdy Records cat. R101)
Eldridge Holmes - "Pop. Popcorn, Children" (ATCO records cat. 45-6701)
Frankie Newsome - "Don't Mess With My Lovemaker" (Part II) (Savern cat. SN-104)
Charles Mintz - "Give A man A Break" (Up Look Records, Inc. cat. U-12270)
Marvin Holmes & The Uptights - "Ride the Mule - Part II" (Revue cat. R 11026)
Sammy Gordon And the Hiphuggers - "Upstairs On Boston Road; PT I" (For The Archives Records Co. cat. Record No. AR 1-70)
Bo Diddley - "I'm High Again" (Checker cat. 1200)
Gus "The Groove" Lewis - "Let the Groove Move You" (Tou-Sea Records cat. 131)
Pancho Villa & The Bandits - "Ain't That Bad" (Symbol Records cat. 202)
Jimmy Dobbins - "Little Miss Perfect" (Crash Records cat. M 2066)
Toussaint McCall - "The Toussaint Shuffle" (Ronn Records cat. RONN 9)
The Animals - "I'm Crying" (MGM Records cat. K-13274)
The Headstones - "Bad Day Blues" (Pharaoh cat. P-152)
The Seeds - "Mr. Farmer" (GNP Crescendo cat. GNP-383)
The Chocolate Watchband - "Sweet Young thing" (Mutt Records cat. M-1004)
Thee Midniters - "Land Of A Thousand Dances" (Chattahoochee Records cat. CH 666)
The Monkees - "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" (Colgems cat. 66-1002)
The Thirteenth Floor Elevators - "You're Gonna Miss Me" (International Artists cat. 107)
The Balloon Farm - "A Question Of Temperature" (Laurie Records Inc. cat. U4KM-8676)
Batman And Robin - "Who The Fuck Is Superman" (Be Scared! Records cat. BS! - 01)
DMZ - "Busy Man" (Bomp! cat. BOMP 111)
The Damned - "Neat Neat Neat" (Stiff Records cat. BUY 10)
The Alan Milman Sect - "Stitches In My Head" / "I Wanna Kill Somebody" (Britz Records "Britz Blitz Mini Album" cat. Britz Blitz 1 - FM)
Heartbreakers - "One Track Mind" (Track Records cat. 2094 137)
The Victims - "Head" (Golden Disc Records cat. GDR 1002)
Alternative TV - "You Bastard" (Deptford Fun City Records cat. DCF 002)
Generation X - "No, No, No" (Chrysalis cat. CHS 2207)
X-ray Spex - "Warrior In Woolworths" (EMI Records cat. INT 583)
Ruts - "Staring At The Rude Boys" (Virgin cat. VS 327)
Gang of Four - "Damaged Goods" (Fast Product cat. Fast 5)
Buzzcocks - "Orgasim Addict" (United Artists cat. UP 36316)
Devo - "Sloppy (I Saw My Baby Getting)" (Booji Boy Records cat. 75677)
The Dickies - "Manny, Moe & Jack" (A&M Records cat. 2225)
Wreckless Erik - "Whole Wide World" (Stiff Records cat. BUY 16)
1910 Fruitgum Co. - "Indian Giver" (Buddah Records cat. BDA 91)
Tony Joe White - "Save Your Sugar For Me" (Monument cat. Mn45--1206)
Nilsson - "Rainmaker" (RCA Victor cat. 74-0161)
Maurice Rodgers - Coming In Out Of The Rain" (Double Shot Records cat. #143)
Floyd Smith - "Soul Strut" (Dakar Records cat. 45-604)
Mickey And His Mice - "Cracker Jack" (Marti Records cat. R12986)
Rusty Bryant - "Fire Eater" (Prestige cat. PRT-750)
James Brown - "My Thang" (Polydor cat. PD 14244 (Promotional Copy / Not For Sale))
Laura Vane & The Vipertones - "Stream" (Unique cat. UNIQ154)
Lefties Soul Connection Feat. Flomega - "Have Love Will Travel" (Melting Pot Music cat. MPM 072)
Lenny McDaniel & The New Era - "Something Out Of Nothing" (Seven B cat. 7016)
Sweet Vandals - "Thank You For You" (Inique cat. UNIQ 158)
Gate Wesley & Band - "(Zap Pow!) Do The Batman (Atlantic Records cat. 45-2319)
Busey's Soul Benders - "Soul Power" (Busey's cat. 2485)
The Wildest...The Kookiest...The Grooviest...The Slurpiest - "Dance The Slurp" (7 Eleven cat. 7810)
Alf Newman - "It's A Gas" (Golden 12 cat. G 12/52)
Doc Bagby - "Mix It Up" (VIM - Variety In Music cat. Vim 517)
The Nu-Trons - "Beat" (Eldee Records cat. 45-85)
Al Caiola and Orchestra - "Diamonds Are Forever" (Two Worlds cat. # 801)
Henry Mancini - "Baretta's Theme" from The Cop Show Themes (RCA cat. APL-1896)

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Primitive Sound System - Wednesday May 13th at the Lamp Post - 10 PM to Closing

Hello Y'all
This Wednesday I'll be rolling my bloated body down the hill to the Lamp Post where I'll spinning a batch of 7s. This is either the fourth or fifth time I am back here and I have yet to repeat a record. I have dipped into the punk boxes for a set so it is the first new genre I have added to the set since spinning there. Up until now it has pretty much been Soul / Funk / R&B, some Garage, Latin and Jazz and that is it. This format as given me the opportunity to spin some records that I just don't take with me on a regular basis for one reason or another. Do you like something so much that you try not to abuse it for the fear of over doing it? You never want to lose that feeling or connection you had with it. Recently I have had good luck finding some nice records for cheap. I ran through some of them for last Thursday at D.C's and below is some more from the new bin. Some of these I have been chasing for a while and others I have never heard of. I love spinning at the Lamp Post. The crowd extremely friendly and always receptive to what ever you play. Steff and Claudia will be holding down the fort and keeping you drunk so be kind with the tips.

- pat.
Primitive Sound System - http://primitivesoundsystem.blogspot.com

Wednesday, May 13th
Spinning from 10PM to Closing
Lamp Post Bar & Grill
382 2nd St
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(201)-222-1331
Lamp Post MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/lamppost

Some of the hundred and twenty songs you can possibly play in four hours:
Al Caiola and Orchestra - "Diamonds Are Forever" b/w "Mod Squad" (Two Worlds cat. 801)
I only have a few Al Caiola records where is is the leader. As a sideman he was the guitarist on about a thousand records. He would be as deeply entrenched in the Space Age Lounge music history as anyone else if not more than most. Unfortunately on many of the records he has played on to be noticed might be considered too much or aggressive. Luckily for him he is featured on about a hundred records with guitar in the title. I do have the brilliant, yes brilliant, "Sounds for Spies and Private Eyes" on United Artists. An amazing batch of songs from many of the best Spy and Cop movies and shows. When I came across this 7-inch I didn't remember these titles being on that LP. I was right. I was REALLY hoping the "Mod Squad" theme was just going to be mind blowing but sadly it falls a little flat. Not bad just a little boring. On the other hand "Diamonds Are Forever" is great. A real raw stripped down version. This is what "Diamonds Are Forever" would sound like as a TV Theme as opposed to a Bond film. There is a Horn section that, for the most part, sounds like large farting elephants. That is NOT a bad thing. It is incredible. The slow baritones keep things from getting too fast and when the trumpets come in over the top they sound that much more bright. Caiola is soulful yet precise and the haunting and mysterious sound of his guitar is perfect for this theme. It really bums me out that "Mod Squad" is not more explosive even despite the efforts of a very note filled trumpet run. Oh well, "Diamonds" will have to do.

Oh yeah, did I mention that Caiola is from Jersey City? That's right born and bred. I guess it is back to the Sali by the tunnel to dig up some more LPs from the lost souls of the Lounge scene.

James Moore - "Feet" b/w "Cool" (Soft Records cat. S-1014)
What the HELL?! OK, this has a funk side and a guitar instrumental side. It's like someone saw me coming. There are few songs I have that have a "happier" sound than the intro of "Feet." Unfortunately the song isn't exactly the happiest. Mr. Moore basically is walking around the country trying to catch up to his lady. No matter what he does and no matter how far he travels he can't seem to close the gap between them. His poor tired itchy feet. The band is tight consisting of bass, guitar, drums and a horn section that accents the simple, raw song beautifully. On the back of this wonderful song comes "Cool" which opens with a little country riff but immediately ends up on the Bluesy / R&B side of things. The guitar is way out front and sadly the horns are gone. Though there is an amazingly long note on a sax that sounds exactly like a harmonica and a hammering piano that pounds away in the background. The horn honks, skronks and wails as the guitar takes a moment out of the spotlight. The whole thing can't be more than two minutes long but then that is what makes this so great. Damn I am happy. Essential two-sider... at least for me.

Georgie Woods - "Potato Salad" Part I & II (Fat Back Records cat. 541)
"Like I say baby, don't eat chicken on Sunday, it'll put a hole in your soul" This is a food song of the highest order. The music is kicking and Mr. Woods comes off as being slightly crazy. He is certainly having fun, that is for sure. I'm wondering if the backing was recorded for another use and he decided to have some fun with it. The drums and bass are heavy and there are vibes dancing around having as good of a time as Mr. Woods is. There is even a nice little break but that doesn't stop Mr Woods even for a second. He keeps rapping as the sax steps out of the darkness from behind the break and fills the space with some moody, emotional playing. What a great mix of sounds. "Write that down... AH HA!"

Floyd Smith - "Soul Strut" b/w "Getting Nowhere Fast" (Dakar Records cat. 45-604)
A nice big heavy break opens up this Soulful romp. Mr. Smith raps his way through the directions of a new dance, "The Soul Strut" but honestly he seems more interested in what the ladies look like than how they are moving on the floor. There is an aggressive sax that bursts out over the pounding drums and keeps everything extremely groovy. My favorite part is when he instructs all the men to stop dancing and let the ladies do the "Soul Strut" one more time. So the dance seems to be three steps to the left and then three to the right and is made better if you are wearing a mini-skirt. Excellent, I have found a new theme song! "Getting Nowhere Fast" is a stirring ballad with a really big sound. There are backing vocals that would make Elvis' stage show jealous and Mr. Smith's raspy voice and screaming plea is perfect for the beautiful arrangement. I don't normally play or even like ballads but this is out of this world. Crazy.

Eddie Long - "There's No Weapon Like Woman's Tears" b/w "Mo Jo Workout" (Fun City Records cat. F-100)
I know I have the Bobby Long & His Satellites version of this on some record. I can't seem to find it. I had flipped through the "New Arrivals" box at Big City and I am not sure how I flipped passed this. I can only assume someone had looked at it, put it back after I was done looking and luckily Jared showed it to me. All I can say is, thank you. This version is only slightly different and I have been trying to find the version I have to A/B them. Oh well. From what I can tell the music is really similar. There is a more Funk rhythm guitar at points and the song seems a little more tightly played than the Bobby Long versions. The call and response is missing in this version replaced by what seems to be double tracked vocals which is OK because I know when to shout out the backing. The drums are super tight, taken at breakneck speeds and hold together through the break. Great version.

Tyrone Chestnut - "The Bump" b/w "Bumping" (Intrepid cat. 75003)
Slow and low that is the tempo. I heard this a while ago but since there are so many songs called the bump it made it hard to place. What struck me was the twisted vocals. Mr. Chestnut yells out in what can be considered ecstasy filled pain. I'm not exactly sure if there is a note he is trying to hit or mood he is trying to set. I do know this is Funky as hell and a vocal performance like this is what keeps songs interesting. I like the way the organ follows him through the quiet parts and there is a honking baritone sax that punctuates in between notes like a fog horn. The rest of the horns are buried slightly giving space to Mr. Chestnuts crazed vocal. Side two is instrumental and the horns are out front replacing the vocals. It would have been really interesting if Mr. Chestnut would have accented the quiet moments with his euphoric yet tortured sounds.

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Primitive Sound System and Bill Dolan at D.C.'s - Thursday May 7th from 9PM - Closing

Hello Y'all,
A few weeks ago was Record Store Day. Now that is a holiday I can celebrate. So I packed up the family and off we went to the City. We took our six year old son to Generation Records on Thompson Street. We walked around for quite a while when suddenly he yelled, "I KNOW WHAT I WANT!" Two minutes later he was back with a CD in his hand. He could have chosen anything. His decision. Anything at all, he knows what he likes and he has a pretty good range of genres to pick from. So what did he choose? Green Day - Dookie! Not a bad first record for a six year old. He opted for the CD since he has a player in his room. I grabbed a few 7-inches and off we went to the next store. Some time after eating at Panna II we parted ways so he could go to the park and I could dig deep into the boxes at Big City Records. All in all I'd say it was a pretty good Record Store Door.

- pat.

Primitive Sound System
VINYL RULES!
"Audio Visual Triumphs and Disasters" - http://primitivesoundsystem.blogspot.com

Primitive Sound System, Bill Dolan & Joe Raaen and of course Larry The Hunter will be our mixologist
Thursday May 7th 9PM to Closing
D.C.'s Tavern
505 8th Street
Between Jefferson and Madison
BACK IN BACK
Hoboken, New Jersey
PH: 201-792-5550
http://www.dcstavern.com
http://myspace.com/dcstavern

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Records and descriptions you can trust...

Bo Diddley - "Im High Again" b/w "Another Sugar Daddy" (Checker cat. 1200)
Bo Diddley - "Do The Frog" b/w "We're Gonna Get Married" (Checker cat. 1475)
You don't know DIDDLEY! Bo Diddley was one of the first musicians I was exposed to as a kid. My Dad had this amazing LP with Bo on the cover threatening you with his guitar. He was turned slightly, full of attitude and It was simply called, Bo Diddley. Like any great Super-hero, his secret identity was larger than life. What I loved about the cover was that Bo looked like a such a real Nerd. There was something that much more powerful about him because of it. Massive, bookish and badass. He was hiding something with that look and like the Hulk when it came out there was no escaping it. Unlike most musicians, Bo remained completely relevant until is death. Sometime in the 80's I picked up a Bo Diddley record called, "Where It All Began." It was pretty beat up and only cost a buck or two (since I have replaced it with a better copy which has the die-cut cover intact). When I got it home and dropped the needle... my jaw dropped. I had no idea Bo could be so progressive. I certainly felt like I had dropped the ball on knowing Bo. Sometime in the late 90's the LPs "The Black Gladiator" and "Big Bad Bo" got reissued and "Where It All Began sat nicely between them.

These two releases pre-date all three of these LPs. "I'm High Again" is from 1968 and "Do the Frog" from 1966.
The beat on "I'm High Again" jumps out of the grooves. Hammering from the first second. Bo knew exactly what to do. How to change with the times and not only stay current but actually be a part of the younger sounds around him. There are psychedelic guitar effects bubbling under the surface throughout explodes just before it ends. The sounds are like several guitars being swung around over head. Swirling and out of step with each other. Bo compares his relationship to being on a high and casually tosses off the comparison to LSD. There is a simplicity that makes him hip and not come across like your uncle joining a discussion about "the pot." GO! BO! "Another Sugar Daddy" is easily as good and will see the needle as much as "I'm High..." the sound here is a bit more of a throw back but not too far back. The beats are funky and the back-up vocals are raunchy, sexy and soulful. "Do The Frog" is just crazy good in the way any "do the _ _ _ _ _" (you fill in the blank) song is. This one literally sounds like it was recorded in a Garage. I know the organ sound in the back but I can't quite place it. The drums could be a tambourine and a wooden box but there are drum rolls toward the end. A lot of drum rolls. HOLY SHIT THIS IS GREAT!

Thee Midniters - "Land Of A Thousand Dances" Part I & II (Chattahoochee Records cat. CH 666)
I love the re-issue that Norton Records did for these guys a couple years ago. "Jump, Jive and Harmonize" is simply brilliant. A true stand out on the LP is the bands version of "Land of A Thousand Dances" and I couldn't be happier to have stumbled upon this copy. Part two features some of the wildest guitar playing anywhere and this band is definitely wild. There is no question that this is live and unfortunately the band struggles to be heard over the noise and screams. The guitar is pure perfection cutting through the din with a sound that is not only raw Garage rage but Soulful and Jazzy as well. Side two is really just a showcase for the guitar but the band keeps things moving enough to make this worth playing to get some drunks out on the dance floor and play human bumper cars.

Oscar Weathers - "The Spoiler" (Top and Bottom Records cat. 405)
I love records that have a big sound. This is one of those records. Vibes, soft and sweet back-up vocals, horns and pleading lead vocals. Somewhere there is an action movie that sadly does NOT have this on the soundtrack. Maybe he already has, but I am surprised Quentin Tarantino hasn't grabbed this up for one of his films. The song lopes along and never really changes but nor does it have to. just enough of everything to keep things moving, shoulders shaking slowly and eyes closed and lost in the sound.

The Coasters - "Charlie Brown" b/w "Three Cool Cats" (Atco Records cat. 45-6132)
The Coasters are another early lesson from my Dad's record collection and equally revered as Bo Diddley, Johnny Cash or Donald Byrd. Three Cool Cats has always been a favorite and I could be ant more excited to have it on a glorious 7 inch. This is raw and simple. the drums are as stead as a metronome. The guitar is lounge Jazz sly, the congas pop when an accent is needed and we are treated to a brief sax solo that lifts everything up for a moment. Of course the vocals are just stellar. Like a favorite food or even a favorite pair of socks some sounds always sound pleasing to us, the Coasters vocals ALWAYS sound pleasing to me. These guys are endlessly cool even when telling us so which is really difficult to do. Sorry unless you are in the Coasters you just ain't this cool.

Ray Rodriguez - "Workout" Part I & II (Ghetto Records cat. G - 010)
Ahh... BOOGALOO BABY! Workout part two is one of the best Descarga / Boo-ga-loo tracks I have ever heard. I think I have this on a comp somewhere but I KNOW it doesn't sound this good. Ghetto was Joey Bataan's short lived imprint and he acted as musical director on this masterpiece. and This is one of those tracks that you want playing every time you walk into a room. The band is sharp as hell and knows it. The first solo is a beautiful sax solo that doesn't just try to impress with force but engages in subtle interplay with the baritone sax. Together they create an atmosphere layered on top of the rest of the band. The track is so good that without the solos it would be great. With the solos it is one of the best records I have ever heard. There are a lot of individual reasons this is so good but one element stands out throughout the duration, knowledge. This band knows the material, knows how to play it and knows that we will notice if they aren't putting their hearts and souls into every beat. The title says it all and I definitely need to catch my breath.

Doc Bagby - "Mix It Up" (VIM - Variety In Music cat. Vim 517)
Sadly I don't know enough about Doc Bagby. I will certainly make an effort to find more after picking up this 45. "Mix It Up" punches you in the face with heavy as hell organ, drums, congas and horns. Everything is pushed to eleven and Doc Bagby seems intent on keeping that way. He does take an organ solo at one point but this is a Garage Instrumental not a Jazz side. Some how the sound is both familiar and unique. The sheer force of the track is impressive. This is like the Peter Gunn theme but played with the intent to leave your bloody body in a back alley or pushed off the dock not to save you.

Lefties Soul Connection - "Code 99" b/w "Buckaloose" (Melting Pot Music cat. 063)
Lefties Soul Connection - "Have Love Will Travel" featuring Flomega b/w "Here Come The Girls" featuring Flomega (Melting Pot Music cat. 075)
There is a very small place where Garage Rock and Soul / R&B meet. When the combo is done right it is brilliant. Lefties Soul Connection are a favorite Organ New Funk band of mine and I was pretty excited when I saw that they were covering "Have Love...." These guys get it. There is enough kick to the guitar and drums to keep this parked in the Garage but the organ swings from Garage to Soul throughout. What almost always kills any attempt at a cover, especially one so rooted in history, is the vocals. Here that is not an issue even for a second. Singing, screaming and leading us to the asylum, Flomega, rips through this classic and can certainly hold his own with the best.

The Nu-Trons - "Beat" b/w "Searchin" (Eldee Records cat. 45-85)
Not sure if this is the same Nu-Trons that I have doing "Tension" on Federal but that doesn't matter to my ears. This is easily now one of my favorite guitar instrumentals. The guitar quietly and gently introduces the drums but the drums are certainly not shy. The drums are obviously on display here (you did catch the name, right). There is an equally soft spoken sax solo before the drums take a short aggressive break before laying back into the mix. The band locks back in and takes this groove to the end. Great stuff.