early group soul / bossa nova ~ New York 1962

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One of the many incarnations of The Clovers, with Roosevelt " Tippie" Hubbard singing lead, this is the original recording of 'Bossa Nova Baby'. The song was a hit for Elvis a year later in '63.
Quite fast for "Bossa Nova." Nice sax solo by King Curtis.

yé-yé pop ~ Belgium 1966

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Belgian yé-yé singer/guitarist, Ariane Buyst started playing in Brussels sometime in 1963 with her group, 'Ariane Et Les 10/20'. From '64 to 1965, the group released five EPs on the Brussels based Palette label. They played in Belgium, toured the Netherlands, even opened for Cliff Richard at the end of 1964.

Ariane Et Les 10-20 first EP from 1964

Blue-eyed soul/pop singer, Len Barry's hit, '1-2-3', which he co-wrote, was huge in 1965.
A top ten hit in four countries, by 1969 it was covered and recorded about thirty times by everyone from Ramsey Lewis to Jan & Dean, Jimmy Smith to Herbie Mann, Sarah Vaughn to yé-yé chanson singer, Annie Markan.

One of my favorites, and possibly one of the best cover versions next to Len Barry's first original, this Palette label 45 by Ariane is really magnifique. It has energy and soul. I like it because it has a production sound one hears in a lot of "northern soul" recordings, but is also very much still in the style of the classic yé-yé beat sound that was popular in Europe in the early to mid-60s.

In 1966 Ariane decided to go solo. This Palette 45 is her first recording as a solo artist. She recorded and released four other 45s before disappearing into musical history. The flip side, 'Ice Cream' she co-wrote.

mod yé-yé pop ~ Quebec, Canada 1966

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Mod Québécoise yé-yé pop fille, Jenny Rock (Janine de Bellefeuille), does her fantastic cover version of Donovan's, 'Sunshine Superman'.
The flip is, 'Noir C'est Noir ('Black Is Black' by Los Bravos)'.
This song is on her Apex label LP, 'Jenny '67' also.

prog folk-rock ~ Quebec, Canada 1975

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If you listen to, or grew up listening to 70s progressive rock, you may not have heard of the band, 'Harmonium' from Quebec, Canada. The music Harmonium produced through the 70s was equally as good as other similar sounding "Prog Folk-Rock" bands of the time. The difference is, Harmonium are French-Canadian and chose to sing in French, which may have made it difficult for wider audiences. But surprisingly, one doesn't have to know French to enjoy the feeling Harmonium's records take you on.
Listening to Harmonium's music, I often am reminded of a parallel sound in Nick Drake's music - In fact, his songs might stand up or mix well with Harmonium.

I suppose posting a 45 is really just a taste of Harmonium's sound. A lot of "Rock" from the 1970s didn't always lend itself to the format of the 45 rpm record. Many bands who produced a "Prog Folk-Rock" sound, composed music for the LP format. Listening to an LP was sort of an event. One would listen to all the songs in succession on an LP. Great bands in this genre would often lead their listeners through their compositions into the next song. They were often connected. One song would inform the next.
With exceptions, not always the case with much new music composed today. I mean, pick your favorite 2000 songs and let the iPod roll...

Although, 1970s FM radio would play songs from bands, it was not always about the "3 minute radio hit". Much like many similar sounding bands/artists of the time, i.e., Nick Drake, Yes, Genesis, Fairport Convention, King Crimson, Supertramp, Pink Floyd, etc., Harmonium were not hit makers, they were composers and LP makers.

Harmonium was an LP band and should probably be listened to best in this way. Guitarist, singer, composer, Serge Fiori was really at the core of their music, as was Serge Locat, Michel Normandeau, and Louis Valois. But the group had many contributing members during their short history.

Harmonium ~ Quebec 1976

Harmonium's music has a distinct French inspired, lush, symphonic, folk-rock sound that reflects the mid-70s like a bookmarker in place and time. Their music captures the feeling of Quebec, the landscape, and the sensibility of the Québécoise culture.
Having spent some time in Quebec myself, Harmonium's sounds are unique, melancholy, and beautiful.

'En Pleine Face' (In The Face) is the flip to 'Dixie'. Both songs are on their Celebration label LP, 'Les Cinq Saisons' (The Five Seasons) from 1975.

Not the best translation,
but I like the feeling of the song and the lyrics hold true:

"Another tour page
Oh oh oh oh

Too bad for this day
Oh oh oh oh

Melt your ice
Or change place
Melt your ice
It is me that fell in full face
What do I need to do?

We have nothing more to give ourselves
Oh oh oh oh
There's more sounds to ring
Oh oh oh oh
Melt your ice
Where else changes place
Melt your ice
It is me that fell in full face
What do I need to do?

As an old lady
Who has more charms
I'm coming to you, I come to you
As an old lady
Who has more charms
I come to you, come to you, come to you

Give me a sign
At the end of your line
I cannot hear you anymore
Where are you
I do not know
I cannot hear you anymore
Where are you
I do not know
I cannot hear you anymore
Where are you
I do not know
I cannot hear you anymore
Where are you
I do not know
I cannot hear you anymore"

rocksteady instrumental ~ Jamaica 1968

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Roland Alphonso - mid-60s

Roland Alphonso's beautiful sax playing really shines here. Backed by the Beverley's All Stars, 'Dreamland' was written by him. Recorded in Kingston, and pressed on Leslie Kong's Beverley's label, it also was pressed the same year on the UK's Pyramid label.

Many white label "pre-release" 45s out of Jamaica were pressed, given out, or sold with minimal information on the labels. At the same time, some were legitimate, promo, pre-releases that were simply given out before being pressed officially with full colored designs, logos, and musical information to be sold to the general public.
The flip side of this: '54-46 (That's My Number)' by Toots and the Maytals (also first recorded the same year).

Stock Beverley's 45 from 1968 .

soul / gospel ~ Chicago 1965

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The Staple Singers in 1968.
Left to right top: Pops, Pervis, Yvonne, Mavis.

Written about the 50 mile civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965.
Recorded live at New Nazareth Church, Chicago April 1965 - written by Roebuck "Pops" Staples.

soul dancer ~ Detroit 1968

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Al Gardner in 1969

ska / early rocksteady - Jamaica 1963

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Lord Creator (Kentrick Patrick) somewhere in Jamaica, early 60s

funk soul vocal ~ Louisville, KY 1968

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An obscure funk side dancer with a bit of a stripped down sound. Credited as a writer, I believe this was Dede Townsend's only 45 recorded and released. The flip side is 'This Is Our Life'.
Couldn't find more info on musicians backing. The small Derby-City label released a total of only two 45 rpm records as a label. Both recorded and pressed in 1968, the other being, The Heartbreakers - I've Got To Face It/How Do You Say Goodbye.

northern soul / pop vocal ~ 1968

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Timi Yuro ... August 1940 ~ March 2004

Chicago born singer songwriter, Rosemarie 'Timothy' Yuro recorded and released over two dozen 45s, most through the 60s. Recorded in London, this song was released originally only in the UK, as a B-side on the Liberty label. This United Artists 45 reissue is the same 1968 recording pressed sometime in the 2000s.
Many of Timi Yuro's recorded sides reflect more of a straightforward pop vocal sound, to my ears anyhow. But vocally, Timi Yuro really had a lot of range. 'It'll Never Be Over For Me' also appears on her 1968 LP, 'Something Bad On My Mind'. Side and song, a 45 with a beautiful performance and production of blue-eyed soul and one of her finer moments.

UK 1st press Liberty label 1969

Timi in '69

pop vocal ~ 1965

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From 1962 through the early 80s, singer-songwriter Bobby Goldsboro recorded and released over sixty 45 rpm records.
Starting out in the early 60s as a guitarist in Roy Orbison's band, he also hosted his own TV variety show in the early 70s.
Known for his sweet and often sentimental pop tunes, he also has had many soulful, well-crafted pop songs, many crossing over into a more northern soul sound.

roots reggae ~ 1972

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This 45 was first pressed in 1972 on the Jamaican 'Splash' Label.
Many reggae cover songs don't often credit the original songwriters on record labels. I see this a lot on reggae 45s. This 1974 Clocktower press label 45 is the same recording.
Neil Young never sounded so good.

roots reggae ~ Jamaica 1973

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left: Val Douglas, top: Robbie Lyn, right/far right: Mikey Richards, Geoffrey Chung, bottom: Mikey Chung

Instrumental version of the 1970 Kris Kristofferson classic. Lloyd Charmers version/vocal. Mikey Chung on lead guitar.

roots reggae ~ 1970

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Found this a couple of years ago in a "rock-pop" long box at Amoeba Records here in San Francisco. A misfiled mistake? Don't know.
John Holt did some great covers.
This is a US press of the same Studio One recording from 1970.
Great Neil Diamond cover.

mod soul / northern soul dancer ~ 1965

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Ketty Lester in 1964

northern soul dancer ~ 1966

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Class uptown soul and a great mid 60s dance side. This is the B-side flip to 'I'll Take Good Care Of You'

Garnet Mimms in 1964

country / outlaw country - Nashville 1977

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Johnny Paycheck ...1938 - 2003

Rock & Roll / Heavy Metal ~ 1995

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LP cover art / painting by Joe Petagno

Remembering Motörhead ...
45 rpm ? Not this time, but a rippin' LP track, and another cautionary tale I "rediscovered" from their 1995 recording - 'Sacrifice'. Recorded in Los Angeles, this record is getting harder to find in any format now.

" In my life so far, I have discovered that there are really only two kinds of people: those who are for you, and those who are against you. Learn to recognize them, for they are often and easily mistaken for each other. "
~ Lemmy Kilmister

R&B instrumental ~ 1965

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Sonny Forriest (Sonny Forrest) 1934 - 1999
Born in North Carolina, Sonny played guitar with the Coasters in the early 60s, as well as doing a lot of studio work with others, including Ray Charles.

early ska ~ Jamaica 1959

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Rolando Alphonso 1931 ~ 1998

Compared to much music that was popular in Europe and the US during the time, I'm always amazed by the unique sounds that came out of Jamaica in the late 1950s.

Rolando Alphonso really put his own signature style of sax playing on much of the Ska and Rocksteady music that would develop later on. One can hear Mento, American Jazz, and R&B influences, but still a musical sound that was very new and all its' own for the time.

This 1958-59 recording with Clue J and the Blues Blasters, originally was pressed in Jamaica on the 'Worldisc' record label in 1959.
Though the same recording, this 'Studio One' label press is probably the second or third mid-60s press out of Jamaica.
An instrumental shuffler, 'Proof Rum' is early Ska at it's finest.

rock / grunge ~ Los Angeles 1994

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One of the best bands of the 1990s.
After a long absence, the mighty L7 was back touring this past year. Let's hope they write and record some new music this new year. This song is on their 1994 LP, 'Hungry For Stink'.

www.l7theband.com

rocksteady / reggae ~ Jamaica 1968

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2010 reissue - Japan

Yvonne Harrison recorded about a dozen sides starting with a couple of duet records in the early 60s with Roy Panton and also Derrick Morgan. Backed by Tommy McCook's band, 'Near To You' was written by her.

Simply a fantastic reissue press of her original 1968 Caltone recording. I've always preferred finding original first press records. This is an exception. Bought it through the mail (about 12 bucks w/postage).
To run into this 45 is tough enough, especially outside the UK. Expect $200. to $400. for an original press, that is if you find someone who wants to sell it?!


original 1st press Caltone UK 1968

I've been completely obsessed with this 45. There are a few rocksteady sides one could call haunting. Haunting, beautiful, quality rocksteady sound and vocal.