Detroit super soul singer, Marvin' Tyrone 'Jones (1942-1982) aka Jack Montgomery recorded and released only four 45s.
Existing from 1962 to 1970, the Los Angeles based Revue record label recorded/pressed about 60 45s, soul, soul-funk, soul-funk-jazz.
Don't know who she is. I've dug around over the years trying to come up with any information on this Bamboo label 45. Though Sylvia Thomas likely was from Chicago. This was her only 45 and recording released. ' So Will I ' was the first 45 in a series of about 20 released on the label.
Contrary to the St Louis label address, this was a Chicago based soul label which existed from 1968 to 1971.
Whether this Chicago label started in St Louis then moved to Chicago, or simply pressed and distributed their 45 catalog out of St Louis is anyone's guess. The Bamboo label was owned by Yolanda Hardin, mother of Mel Harden - Mel Hardin of soul singing duet, Mel & Tim - 'Backfield In Motion' also on the Bamboo label. The flip side is 'At Last'.
Drummer, composer/singer, and younger brother of R&B/pop singer Lloyd Price, this Hull label 45 was first recorded/pressed in 1961. It was pressed again with the same flip and added arrangements in '65 on the Up-Down label. Can't find info on where this was recorded...possibly in NYC. Though Leo grew up and lived in Kenner, LA, the Hull record label was out of the Brill building in New York City.
Leo played and composed with many other artists, including a cross country tour with his brother Lloyd in the early mid-50s. He also co-wrote 'Send Me Some Lovin' for Little Richard. Other than his two Hull and Up-Down label 45s, he recorded and pressed only one other 45 on the GMC label in '67.
The flip side: 'Quick Draw'
La Sorella di Cristina - "Cristina's Sister." Can't find much info on this 45. Found another Andrea Tosi 45 released on the same label, 'Junior' out of Milan, Italy. Both produced by "Lord". The flip side of this is - 'La Girandola'.
Wish Beppe wouldn't have written on her back! Guess I can't blame him.
Roughly " Sister Cristina, once me if you can " - Beppe
Below: Second Andrea Tosi Junior label 45 from 1965.
And two other mid-60s, "Quintetto Andrea Tosi" E.P.s ...one pressed in Portugal, the other pressed in Italy.
Louis Prima (1910 – 1978), trumpeter/singer, jump blues/swing bandleader, features his guitarist Ronnie James on this a-side.
Ronnie James was Louis' guitarist for two years in the early 70s. Owned by Louis, the Prima-Magnagroove record label existed out of Las Vegas from about 1962 to '72.
Great funk with a bit of cheese, backed by some fantastic drumming by Jimmy Vincent. 'Two Face' may be just that, a bit annoying perhaps in its' wah-wah goodness, but also a perfect display in exercising a funky freakout overindulgence.
The b-side is 'Oh Happy Day.'
This track is from the same 1972 recording sessions which produced the LP, 'Louis Prima with Sam Butera & the Witnesses - The Prima Generation '72.'
* note: this is not heavy metal vocalist/guitarist, Ronnie James Dio.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Rickets' Special'
'Buttermilk Pt I & II'
'2120 South Michigan Ave'
Three songs, three artists, one mod riff. Who was first? I feel as if I've done some half-assed detective work with no absolute conclusion.
Case in point, three great instrumental recordings from the 60s, all with the same bass line, guitar riff, and harmonica break.
Quite curious to me are the recordings, and recording dates from all artists involved, two in fact, with different writers' credits...
Quite curious still, is the fact that I recently discovered the Rickets, a mod/psych/German rock & roll band with some very rare early 60s recordings.
The song in question, a live recording from the Rickets called 'Rickets Special', first recorded on a vintage Telefunken two track tape recorder in 1963.
(early to mid-60s Rickets)
The Rickets did release a 45 in 1964. Probably released in Germany and/or Europe only. Unfortunately I've never seen the label to check the writer's credits. Though I did find online the original 45 rpm picture sleeve.
The a-side, 'My Dear' flipped over reveals a great b-side tune, 'Rickets' Special'.
The Rickets -'Rickets Special' was apparently re-recorded and retitled, 'Action Painting' sometime between 1965-67.
This version does appear on a rare German prog/kraut-rock compilation LP from 1970 entitled,'Wir Im Scheinwerfer' (We In the Spotlight).
If this first live 1963 recording date is accurate, it would predate both the Rolling Stones' and Sly Stone's "penned versions"...
Could the Rolling Stones have heard the Rickets version in some form before 1964? It's possible.
It's also possible the Stones, and later Sly Stone "lifted or borrowed" this brilliant hook/arrangement from the Rickets, both claiming the song as their own?
Or is it possible that the Stones had already been playing their '2120 South Michigan Ave' in clubs live, before they recorded it later in 1964 with the Rickets just adopting it and recording the tune just from hearing it live?
The Rickets' "original" live tape from 1963. This does sound a bit progressive for 1963(?)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sly Stone spinning the sounds at KSOL radio - San Francisco 1967
photo: Micheal Ochs
It also seems odd that Sly Stone's recorded Autumn label 45 from 1965 takes writer's credit one year after the Rolling Stones recorded and released their Decca version (essentially the same tune).
Recently read that Sylvester Stewart aka 'Sly Stone' is broke and living in a large trailer somewhere in Los Angeles. Not sure how true or to what extent, but it's always sad to read about poor circumstances talented artists fall upon.
Sly Stone put his mark on music, not to mention San Francisco's musical history. One of the top first artists to help bridge, blend, and shape 60s rock and soul together.
And here, his second 45 from 1965 pressed on the San Francisco Autumn label.
But wait, this funky, mod riff sounds familiar...?
Recorded in 1964 at Chess records in Chicago - The Rolling Stones 5x5 UK Decca EP.
Note writers' credit on '2120 South Michigan Ave':
Nanker and Phlege, a pseudonym used by the Rolling Stones between 1963 and 1965.
The song title is the address to Chess records, Chicago.
Who was first? Does it really matter? Not really.
Personally, I feel the Stones may have came up with the first arrangement/riff.
I just like the song and I'm intrigued that I noticed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AN UPDATE:
Here are a couple of emails that may put this story to rest:
In Feb. I received an email from a guy named Ernst. Not sure if he was/is associated with the band or a former member of The Rickets:
To:ThomasSherrod
Hi Thomas,
the titel "action painting" is live-recorded in 1963
with a Telefunken Recorder 1/4" Tape.
The Titel is new recorded for the German TV-Show
"Wir im Scheinwerfer".
It`s released on vinyl LP: Label RESONO: Wir im Scheinwerfer.
5 Tracks from the Band. THE RICKETS
Look at You Tube: cicodelico
psychedelic freakout 1966/67 ricketts action painting
Cheers
Ernst
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In March I received another email from Marius.
This may be our answer...
Hi Thomas,
I found your blog entry by chance about the question, if the Stones have been influenced by the Rickets in the early 60s or even copied one of their songs.
My uncle happens to be the founder of the Rickets. He was later replaced by his brother. I recently play with the Rickets' drummer in a 60s and 70s cover band together with my father who also joined the Rickets in the late 60s till the 2000s. Since I got many records of the Rickets I'm very sure that their recording is not from 1963! As you mentioned in your blog, it sounds way to "progressive" for 1963. The number of the year is wrong. Must be from the mid 60s. Furthermore the Rickets were known to cover many Stones songs back in the day. All in all, the Stones haven't stolen the idea from the Rickets. It's the other way round I guess ;)
" Say thanks to life. A bird will sing.
There will be music for the whole day.
Say thanks to life. The moment given to us.
Let's look under the vines for the rising sun.
Five minutes of love. Five minutes is enough
to change your life so we love the world.
We're happy. Five minutes of love is all I need to
forget the sad days (Let me forget them)
and like that world. It belongs to the two of us.
The sun has set. And the train has whistled.
But before you go, wait a little on the platform.
You tell me "think of me." You say "don't get cold."
You do up my scarf. You take me into your arms.
Five minutes of love. Five minutes is enough
to change your life (To change your life)
so we love the world. We're happy.
Five minutes of love is all I need to
forget the sad days (Let me forget them)
and like that world. It belongs to the two of us... "
South Bay Area - San Francisco garage rock masters, the Count Five formed in San Jose, California in 1964. Recorded in Hollywood between 1965-66, this was the Count Five's last 45 of six released in 1969 on the Double Shot label. This is the b-side flip to 'Mailman'.
Not a 45 this time, but a song from the 1974 Jamaican LP, 'Play Me Sweet And Nice' by Marcia Griffiths. Roots reggae sounds with some great tracks on this LP.
This song has been covered and recorded about a hundred times by everyone in all genres of music. Most know Roberta Flack's 1972 version, but I've always loved this version by Marcia Griffiths.
A tough song to cover if not done right. Many have fallen into a sappy, at times uncomfortable, emotional sound and interpretation. Marcia's version here sounds emotionally warmer and a bit less sad. She honors her feelings with more strength. Intriguing to me also because it can sound past tense, but we're never really sure...
'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' surprisingly was originally written in the style of a folk song in 1957 by British folk singer/songwriter, Ewan MacColl.
This blog is for lovers of the song pressed on the vinyl 45, songs lesser known, to obscure...
Player files NOT DOWNLOADABLE, historical/reference info only...
(Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Also for anyone interested in "outsider" fine art - click my profile to view my other blog with some of my paintings, drawings, collages, GIFs.
Please leave a comment, question, or correction. thomnishon@yahoo.com
The days of finding 45 rpm records at flea markets, thrift stores, garage sales, and even record stores is fading fast in the iPod/digital device age... Have hunted 45s for many years. Love the ritual of dropping the needle into the groove, watching it spin, hearing a few dull clicks, crackles, pops, hisses, the label art, etc.
Unfortunately, hearing these records pressed and converted into digital files diminishes the sound a lot. It just doesn't give a warm analog sound records have. To hear a vinyl 45 through speakers and an amp is quite stunning. But it will have to do. Happy listening.
