psych-rock garage / proto-punk - NYC 1968

"Psych rock, garage rock, proto-hippy punk ..." The Group Image's, 'HIYA' Community label 45 stood out in 1968. A fantastic B-side clocking in at 6 1/2 minutes. This longer flip side version blasts off like a journey building with speed, only to derail and explode beautifully into its' acid-soaked freak-out end.
Through the hundreds of now obscure to rare psych-garage rock 45s pressed during the mid-to late 60s, New York City's, 'The Group Image' and their movement in time and place in rock history should be expanded a bit beyond 'HIYA' - their only 45 released.

'HIYA' owes much of its' musical journey largely in part to the amazing vocal performance of the group's lead singer-front woman, Sheila Jones aka Sheila Darla.

Sheila Darla's vocal performance on 'HIYA' could place her to a close version of Iggy Pop, Rob Tyner of the MC5, or perhaps the vocal stylings of Patti Smith who would start performing about six years later.
Sheila's vocal here is sort of like a spasmodic speed-fueled Grace Slick crossed with a small dragon or perhaps a wild goose. Her energetic performance and vocal push might be described as exactly where one's head needs to be.

More than just another late 60s acid-rock band, NYC East Village's, 'The Group Image' was really quite literally a "Community."
Their "musical happenings," or NYC performances/shows were at the Palm Gardens, the Cheetah Club, the Fillmore East among others. According to Ray Merry, musician/MC and then director of The Group Image activities from 1967-68, "The Group Image was the first East Coast hippy commune. "

At the height of their popularity the 'Group Image' had somewhere between 25 to 50 members. " Musicians, artists, writers, organizers, technicians, diggers, everyone was included and contributed in someway to their musical happenings, be-ins, public freak-outs, and Group Image Enterprises."

In a tribal sense, The Group Image lead the way, was an integral part, or grounding point to the thousands of hippy kids who invaded New York's East Village during the years 1967-68.

From the Village Voice 'Scenes' column, April - 13 - 1967 :

" THE WHOLE COMMUNAL thing in the hippydelic underground keeps growing and getting stronger. To be " free within the group " is the idea that everyone is responding to. The latest of these loosely knit tribes is the Group Image, who consider sound and light two of the few universal truths.
They probably have no more than 25 actual members, but after a number of highly successful public freak-outs, they are causing a lot of excitement. At these events there is total permissiveness. Each person is allowed to be anyone -musician, frenzy-dancer, flower. It looks a little disorganized at first, but the mass energy being released by everyone doing their own thing loosens up everyone's uptight.
" We say 'yes' to everything," said one Group Image leader. " We are a step-phase organization. We want to turn everyone back on themselves. A lot of people in this thing are bending their minds, and we want to see them bend all the way until they get straight with the world. " "

The Group Image headquarters and workshop was located at 83 2nd Ave & East 5th Street in the East Village.
The Group Image Community Enterprises not only included the band and their own music/record label, but produced light shows, had their own graphics shop, darkroom, boutique shop, and also published their own magazine, 'Innerspace.' They turned out and sold silkscreen prints, posters, paintings, shirts, hats, games, and other psychedelic artifacts.
Not only did they produce graphic work for the band's own publicity, but they did subcontract work for other businesses, including artwork for an ad agency, even a full graphic cover painting for Time magazine's July-7-1967 issue.
The Group Image Community Enterprises even helped fund and sponsor 'Trans Love Energies,' a commune/collective in Detroit and later in Ann Arbor, Michigan in which the band the MC5 emerged.

Innerspace Magazine - Founded and started in 1966. Published and edited by Group Image member, Linn "Freeman" House - NYC

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The Cheetah Club NYC - Another 'The Group Image' venue and interior view with period club flyer


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'The Group Image' members' cover painting created for Time magazine's 7-7-1967 issue.



Time magazine cover artists and 'The Group Image' members, Roger, Peter, and Jimmy (all Milwaukee to NYC transplants) with friends, and a photograph of an old Indian named Gordon Whitefoot.
Time magazine's 'A letter from the publisher' writes, "They dislike apportioning credit or using their family names..."
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From The Village Voice "Scenes" column - 1967
The Group Image slogan:
"Come to Flushing Meadow and dance on the grave of the Worlds Fair."

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One of the many band announcement flyer ads from their regular music gigs at the Palm Gardens - 310 W. 52nd St. NYC

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Recently came across 'The Group Image's' short bio entry in Lillian Roxon's 'Rock'encyclopedia from 1969:

Interesting and even more curious to find this entry. If 'The Group Image' did "represent American culture" at the Olympics in Mexico - 1968, I've not found any more detailed info. ``````````````````````````````````````````````

'HIYA' is included on 'Mouth In The Clouds,' The Group Image's only LP released circa 1968.
Compared to 'HIYA' the other nine songs on 'Mouth In The Clouds' have a softer folk-psych blues sound - to my ears anyhow.
Never having seen them perform live, always wondered if the songs on 'Mouth In The Clouds' translated much into how their live shows must have been or sounded? A bit difficult to compare, perhaps more distinct, sort of stripped down whimsy and all a bit less frenzied in energy compared to 'HIYA'. Nonetheless still psychedelic.
Their other songs might compare to the sounds of 'Grace Slick and the Great Society' (the early incarnation of the Jefferson Airplane), 'Country Joe and the Fish', or possibly the sounds of the band, 'Elephant's Memory' before 1970.
With their one and only LP, The Group Image were not such a developed LP band, but will likely be remembered as an all inclusive "live" group, or "happening" that was to be experienced in the moment in an exact time in history.

west coast surf instrumental ~ California 1962

Classic surf instrumental b-side from the band's second single. The Sentinals were from San Luis Obispo on California's Central Coast.
The a-side flip is: 'Tor-Chula'

On the street job offer interview ~ San Francisco 1963

When the streets where alive. When the streets where cool. A real to reel job interview on the street - San Francisco, California 1963

Bright young job applicants riding the cable car 1963

R & B / early soul group dancer ~ Virginia 1963

From '62 to 1963, The Grandison Singers recorded/pressed only three 45s during their time together, all on RCA Victor. They also had an EP pressed in Spain consisting of the same US recorded songs. Found this 45 some time ago, but couldn't find much info/detail until recently. Was curious as to who the singer was.
The Grandison Singers, two sisters and their two cousins originally from Virginia. From church gospel to secular R&B and early Soul, a familiar history/musical path many groups/artists took in the early years of RnB & Soul. A measured chorus, these ladies can sing and the slightly delayed lead-in makes the song build. Piano player, arranger, lead vocal, Floyd Bibbons sings it out.

The 'Hungry i' nightclub around 1959-60, a venue The Grandison Singers played in when it was still located on Jackson street in San Francisco.

Mary and Helen Grandison right top/bottom w/their cousins Dorothy Webster and Floyd Bibbins.

pedal steel guitar instrumental ~ Nashville 1964

>>

Pete Drake 1932 - 1988

Nashville maestro of the pedal steel, artist, publisher, producer, record label exec, and the musician who introduced Peter Frampton to the talk-box guitar. He also played his pedal steel on Bob Dylan's, 'Lay Lady Lay' among others.

Hello loyal 45 RPM followers.
It's most unfortunate that the file sharing site "yourlisten" that I've used here for more than a few years does not technically work anymore - At least not for me. A tech glitch? Tried contacting multiple times to no avail...
In the meantime, this blog is on hold until I figure out another service and repost some of the better broken 45 post links. Will be back soon with more obscure to unusual 45s.

punk/pop ~ Belgium 1977

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First released in Belgium in 1977, I remember first hearing 'Ça Plane Pour Moi' on KQAK 99 FM in San Francisco sometime in the early 80s. The station played a lot of New Wave/Post-Punk at the time. Always liked the song, but never figured out who the artist was.
Happy to finally come across this 45.

Besides being a killer power-pop/punk tune that stills holds up after 40 plus years, it's an interesting story. It sold over a million copies worldwide, reaching the top 10 in Europe, the top 100 in U.S., but is still relatively obscure to many.

The story starts with Belgian singer/guitarist writer/producer, Lou Deprijck, who had been in a number of bands starting back in 1968 with the Belgium band, 'Liberty 6' followed by 'Kleptomania', 'Two Man Sound', and finally, 'Lou & The Hollywood Bananas' in 1978.

Apparently Lou Deprijck had most of his success with these groups in Europe with varying degrees.

Interesting to note that for close to 30 years, Plastic Bertrand's lead vocalist was credited to and thought to be, Roger Jouret...
Roger Jouret had played drums in the Belgium band, 'Hubble Bubble' around 1974. But according to Lou Deprijck, was a terrible singer.
Roger is pictured on all Plastic Bertrand record sleeves and lip-synched in all their videos.

This was the beginning of the problem. Vogue records, for image reasons wanted Roger to be the perceived lead singer especially after the record took off in sales with Roger's image on it. Perhaps they didn't want fans of the song to feel they had been had, not sure(?)
When in fact it was Lou Deprijck who actually sung, co-wrote, produced, and recorded 'Ca Plane Pour Moi' first before recruiting and teaming up with Roger Jouret, the "perceived" front man...Lou agreed initially as long as he got paid.
In fact, Lou was the lead vocal on all Plastic Bertrand's recordings.


The real original singer, Lou Deprijck.

In 2006 Lou re-recorded a new version of ' Ça Plane Pour Moi'.
The AMC record label who then owned the rights took him to court claiming he didn't have the rights to the song. Ironic for sure. Lou countered the claim. The truth then came out.
In 2010, after careful listening, a Belgium court decided it was in fact, sung by Lou Deprijck who co-wrote and produced the original song!

Translated this song is absurd nonsense...

'Ca Plane Pour Moi...
It Glides For Me
That's Life For Me

This Works For Me
Everything Goes Well For Me
I Am The King Of The Divan!'

Roger Jouret & Lou Deprijck around 1978

rocksteady reggae ~ Jamaica 1969

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Haunting rhythmic vocal side reissue pressed on a correct late 60s, "period-blue" Supreme label. The flip is, 'So Many Problems' by the Viceroys. The Supreme label was an offshoot/subsidiary label of producer Coxsone Dodd's Studio One label through the early 70s.
Recorded at Studio One in Jamaica in 1969, 'Whisper To Me' was originally pressed/released the same year on a blank Jamaican Estick label (also as Estic) with the B-side flip, 'I Need Love.'

If 'Whisper To Me' was ever intended to be officially released on any of Coxsone Dodd's stock - full design colored labels, it's anyone's guess. It never was at the time. Such is the case and mystery with many great Jamaican blank pre-release 45s.

Cecile Campbell joined Jamaica's, 'Soulettes' in 1968 during the middle period of the group's incarnation with Rita Marley (Bob Marley's wife) and Hortense Lewis (not to be confused with reggae soulster, Hortense Ellis).
She recorded two other 45s, 'Breaking Up' with Jackie Estick on the Studio One label in 1968 with the flip, 'Musical Scorcher' by the Sound Dimension (also pressed on Muzik City). The other, 'Shimmering Star' which was pressed on a blank Coxsone/Studio One pre-release label about the same time. Though not sure of the flip.

'The Soulettes' in 1968, left to right: Rita Marley, Nora Dean, & Cecile Campbell.
Nora Dean left the group in 1969, joined/replaced then by Hortense Lewis.

roots reggae ~ Jamaica 1972

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

Greatest soul singers of all time

Subjective of course. Just for fun. Huge honorable mentions go to: Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Edwin Starr.

soul / funk vocal ~ New Orleans 1969

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Edward Ross, aka "Little Buck", started out originally as a singer/member of Huey "Piano" Smith's Clowns in the late 50s.
As a solo artist, Little Buck recorded and released only four 45s from 1960 to '69 including this Seven B label 45. Really a perfect soul side and a brilliant vocal performance.
(*Note this is not R&B singer/guitarist Little Buck Sinegal, who has a 45 on the La Louisanne label).

From 1965 through the early 70s, the New Orleans based 'Seven B' label released about forty two 45s. The story of this song and Little Buck himself, is tough to be completely clear on. The music/backing track was written by New Orleans soul-funk musician/composer/producer, Eddie Bo (Edwin Bocage).
It was first recorded/pressed in 1968 as, 'Lover And A Friend' - a duet on the Seven B label by Eddie Bo & Inez Cheatham. Produced by Seven B label owner, Joe Banashek at Cosimo Matassa's studios in the French quarter of New Orleans. Eddie Bo composed and arranged the song using drummer, Bobby Williams, Louis Clark on guitar, and Paul Boudreaux on bass.

A year later Little Buck sang over the existing, 'Lover And A Friend' backing track with different lyrics written by Huey Smith and Brenda Brandon. In 1969 it was pressed and released again on Seven B as, 'Little Boy Blue'.
The flip side is, 'Whisper My Name'.

Aside from his four solo 45 pressings, in 1968 Little Buck recorded another great two-side soul vocal on Joe Banashak's Instant label. Recorded with Huey Smith's group The Hueys, 'You Ain't No Hippie / Coo Coo Over You' displays Little Buck's distinct soul/funk style of singing on both sides. Huey Smith's co-writer and common law wife, Brenda Brandon, sings backup on 'Coo Coo Over You' along with one of Huey's on and off backup singers, Pearl Edwards* (*unconfirmed, researched deductive guess - could also be Gloria Franklin, who Huey used on other sessions at this time...).

The flip side: 'You Ain't No Hippie' I like a bit better for it's uptempo, slightly frantic pace and timely topic. For 1968, a bit of a throwback sound and production perhaps. Almost sounds like an early 60s R&B dance record, to my ears anyhow. Little Buck calls out all the "Hippie" impostors -Though not sure if being bald makes anyone unqualified to be a Hippie...
Whoever he is, wherever he is, I love Little Buck's singing.



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hardcore / punk rock ~ UK 2016

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REPOST from 2016

Though their lineup and sound has changed over some forty years, Discharge still has a speed-sonic, truthful grind. No nostalgia here. Still hardcore. Still punk rock. Still calling out the global kleptocrat fascist bastards who continue to war, steal, and shit on the world.
Though haven't followed them closely over the years, really like this recent Nuclear Blast label 45.
Genres of music get defined and categorized with time. Mid-80s punk and metal were already mixing. Good or bad, I suspect if you asked any real punk in the late 70s or 80s how they felt about metal, categorized since as "d-beat..." one might get a stare or a middle finger.
Though never considered myself a punk. Always liked Discharge. One and only time I saw them here in late-80s San Francisco, the crowd of mostly what seemed like bike messengers, didn't receive them well at all. Some punk purists might disagree, I always liked their "metal" leanings especially as of late. Still a hardcore thrash-fuck-you wall of sound, Discharge is still alive and well.
" New World Order Gonna Profit From Death... "
Timely sounds for timely times.

The flip side is: 'Ain't No Feeble Bastard' (live).


UK's Discharge - late 70s

'New World Order' is also on their new LP/CD,
'End Of Days.'
NOT Downloadable-support the band!

CD's/vinyl/downloads...
thenightmarecontinues.yolasite.com/
www.nuclearblast.com