AL GREEN: Livin’ For You (Hi 2257).
A mixture of silky sweetness and braying brass characterizes the latest relaxing softly thumping slowie from America’s number one seller of singles. Penned by Al with just producer Willie Mitchell, it’s a lovely mushily enveloping sound, coated with sugary strings and cooing chix. Thought for the day: singles-wise sales-wise, Al Green is to America what Gary Glitter is to Britain . . . and that about sums up the two nations’ current differences of opinion.
ARETHA FRANKLIN: Until You Come Back To Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do); If You Don’t Think (Atlantic 45-2995).
With an approach that is more appealingly Pop than usual, Aretha tackles this Stevie Wonder co-penned slinkily propelled lurching semi-slowie amidst a delightful setting of Arif Mardin-arranged ingenuity. “I’m gonna rap on your door, tap on your window pane” sings the chix-echoed Lady Soul to a rapping, tapping rhythm – and everything else conspires to plop, tootle or soar in delicious counterpoint. This one should have good chances in Britain. The dead slow flip finds Miss Franklin singing the blues back in church, with spine-tingling effect.
LOGGINS & MESSINA: My Music (Columbia 4-45952).
Kings of American radio format, Jim and Kenny here sound like Simon & Garfunkel impersonating Van Morrison singing “Little Bitty Pretty One”! For all that, there’s also a commendable amount of 1950s spirit in their performance, with a hint of the Everly Brothers impersonating the Kalin Twins singing “Baby Driver” . . . which brings us back to where we came in! There’s some fine brass work too, and indeed if I didn’t like the overall result you wouldn’t find it mentioned at all. Oh, and there’s even a sneaky snippet of ska! Continue reading “November 24, 1973: Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Loggins & Messina, The Dells, Executive Suite, Gamble & Huff interview”
THE FATBACK BAND: Njia (Nija) Walk (Street Walk) (Perception PS 540).
They give you enough choices, but this is generally referred to as “Street Walk”! Now that Kool & The Gang’s “Funky Stuff” is finally out here, the position it held as most-imported Street Funk single is taken by this leapingly alive rhythm-jumping follow-up to “Street Dance” . . . even though this has not done spectacularly well on America’s R&B Chart, where it certainly deserved to do better. Propelled by a watery wah-wah wukka-wukka-ing amidst an extremely tight, clearly defined buoyant bouncy bass with some Latin percussion and the odd burst of brass, it’s basically an instrumental with jive-talk interpolations and chanting. Interestingly there’s even a mention of Bertha Butt (you know, one of the Butt Sisters), whose name has strayed from the Jimmy Castor Bunch’s old “Troglodyte (Cave Man)”, an early example of the sort of sound which has been developed into Street Funk.
Surprisingly, “Street Walk” is NOT a “Parrty” record: for the epitome of “Parrty” you’re going to need the James Brown-penned/arranged/produced:
LYN COLLINS (THE FEMALE PREACHER): We Want To Parrty, Parrty, Parrty (People PE 630), which from its “Hey you, blow your whistle!” intro to its inane “Parrty, Parrty, Parrty” chant is about as apt a summary of the new genre’s clichés as you’re likely to find.
TONY ORLANDO and DAWN: Who’s In The Strawberry Patch With Sally (Bell 45424).
Despite a vintage-looking title like that, this new Rag-Rock bouncer from the “Dawn’s New Ragtime Follies” LP is yet another Levine & Brown-penned number. Like that last one, it’s slow starting; unlike all the others, it really is almost pure Vaudeville, even if not strictly Ragtime. It’s great fun and commendably authentic, and probably too specialist in appeal to be a big hit. Continue reading “November 17, 1973: The Fatback Band, Lyn Collins, Tony Orlando & Dawn, Mark/Almond, The Chi-Lites”
J. HINES & THE FELLOWS: Camelot Time (De Luxe 150).
Last week’s copy cut off kind of abruptly (‘cos I wrote too much!), just as I was about to refer to this as being influenced by the early 1966/7 sound of the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, the originators of Street-Funk. It is indeed a dance-step record, although it bears no relation to the “Parrty” (sic) craze that is currently prevalent. Produced by the delightfully-yclept Gingerbread Doughboy, this is a bass-heavy chinking guitar-led pounding instrumental that’s funky in a dated yet thoroughly satisfying sense. The newie by James Brown is for Party People, however –
JAMES BROWN: Stoned To The Bone (Part 1); Stoned To The Bone (Some More) (Polydor PD 14210).
Although we in Britain never even got to hear his great “Sexy Sexy Sexy”, America has this fine ‘n funky (if fairly typico) dancer as a follow-up while we have to wallow in “Woman”, which has yet to be released Stateside. Hey, how long before the streets of London are filled with roistering throngs inanely chanting “Parrty, Parrty, Parrty!”?
THE INTRUDERS: I Wanna Know Your Name; Hang On In There (Gamble ZS7 2508).
The mighty Intruders are back on the US Charts with 5:49 of sheer beauty! The sexy studs who started the thing called the Philly Sound with writers/producers Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff in the mid-60s have reverted to a super-slow romantic ballad style, complete with doodling piano-backed long monologue rap, on this lush ‘n lovely Norman Harris arrangement. It’s sorta like Billy Paul singing Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes, as in atmosphere it’s similar to the latters’ slowies but without their vocal astringency. The ‘Truders keep it all mellow, while flipside they churn and chunk it up a bit on a Bobby Martin-arranged gentle clopper. Continue reading “November 10, 1973: J. Hines & The Fellows, James Brown, The Intruders, The O’ Jays, Holland-Dozier”
JOHNNIE TAYLOR: Cheaper To Keep Her (Stax STA 0176).
To follow up Johnnie’s blockbuster “I Believe In You” slowie, this Bobby Bland-type sparsely-backed steady-sockin’ smooth blues by ex-Falcon (Sir) Mack Rice could not be a more unexpected (and refreshing) change of approach. “I Believe” was itself a change from the hard-hitting “Jody” dancers with which Johnnie has been identified since ‘68’s “Who’s Making Love”, but in fact he began his secular singing career after leaving the Soul Stirrers gospel group (where he had taken over lead when Sam Cooke left the group) by singing just the sort of Bland-ish blues that this “Taylored In Silk” track represents.
Interestingly enough, Johnnie is not alone in the R&B Charts with this style now, thanks to a similar treatment by the Steve Alaimo-produced Charles Latimore of an old Earl Hines-Billy Eckstine number made famous in a fuller version by T-Bone Walker during the ‘40s:
LATIMORE: Stormy Monday (Glades 1716).
Using just his surname now, Latimore (who I once met with Brad Shapiro at Atlanta airport, en route from Miami to Muscle Shoals!) is preceded by a coolly knocking Ramsey Lewis-ish jazzy piano-and-rhythm intro before he breaks into a restrained but raw reading of the song’s main verse, punctuated at length by an equally “dry” harmonica. As I said, this reversion to the old-style sophisticated Soul-Blues is an unexpected and refreshing change. Could it become a trend?
THE DRAMATICS: Fell For You (Volt VOA 4099).
Storming up the R&B Charts, this Tony Hester-penned/produced “A Dramatic Experience”-culled slowie is less dramatic than lovely. Starting with staccato brass and tinkling noises, it eases vocally from a soulful Temptations sound into some epiglottic contortions after the manner of Al Green, the Memphis King: however, even while the lead gets Memphis, the group stay Detroit. The result is extremely relaxing and awfully pretty, as is that of the other hot Soul Vocal Group slowie: Continue reading “November 3, 1973: Johnnie Taylor, Latimore, The Dramatics, Tavares, The Persuaders”
MUDDY WATERS: Can’t Get No Grindin’ (What’s The Matter With The Meal); Garbage Man (Chess CH 2143).
The Blues singer who launched a thousand careers, Muddy Waters was at the height of his own career during the mid-‘50s in America and during the early-‘60s in Britain, the latter being the period when he influenced every so-called “R&B”-er from the Rolling Stones on down. He’s still admired of course, mainly as the leader of a legendarily tight Blues band, but with the passing of the white Blues boom his name is heard much less frequently. All that could change now! This, the title track from his latest US LP, finds Muddy in good voice, his extremely tight band in superbly tight and concise form, and the addition of a Ray Charles-ish electric piano in amongst the more traditional instrumentation: so what’s different? The intensely pounding power, that’s what! Under, over and right through everything there’s an unremitting gut-shaking booming bass the likes of which you’ve never heard, cutting through that is the spiky acidity of the electric piano and a spurt of obligatory mouth harp, while in amongst it all the dry-sounding guitars chink and scrub away to produce an important counterpoint to the dominating bass. Add Muddy’s bouncy voice with some good-time call-and-answer response from the group, and the overall result is spelt E-X-C-I-T-E-M-E-N-T! It’s all so simple and yet so right. Few if any other recording stars could produce so much from so little, which is where the master with all his years of experience wins over his more famous pupils. Muddy Waters don’t wash cleaner than clean, but do have that miracle ingredient!
THREE DEGREES: Dirty Ol’ Man (Philadelphia International ZS7 3534).
The Three Degrees are the girlie group who succeeded the Chantels with producer and sometime singer (“Some Other Guy”), Richie Barrett. Under his guidance they hit on several occasions, most notably with their rap-introed revival of the Chantels’ “Maybe” about three years ago, and with their early Sweet Soul “Gee Baby” in 1965: also, they were the night club group who appeared on screen in “The French Connection” (so THAT’S who they were!). Anyway, the girls have now returned to their Philadelphia roots, signing on with Gamble & Huff as producers / penners for their first single on Philadelphia International (they did actually have one single on G&H’s Neptune label a while ago). While perfectly good, the fairly typical Philly Sound clopping rhythm-propelled result is a bit of a disappointment, using as it does the girls’ sweetly pure and wailing voices less for their own sake than as a usefully shrill vocal instrument with which to pierce the blanketing musical instrumentation. However, it’s probably the right approach to give the girls a First Choice-type British hit when the record comes out here next month.
American Singles
WILBERT HARRISON: Get It While You Can; Amen (Action ACT 4613).
The “Kansas City”, “Let’s Work Together” man – or rather, one man band – is back on the re-designed Action label with the news that he’s your Soul Food man . . . get it while you can! Sounding unique as always, he’s amalgamated African/Caribbean-ish Creole street calls with intricately picked guitar, vibrantly quavering harmonica, tricksy shuffling rhythm and bouncy booming bass to produce a fascinatingly funky musical texture which IS the record, the song itself being no more than the ingredients of a New Orleans menu itemized with all the genial good humour of a Creole Judge Dread. Gourmets, cognoscenti and dancers who use their hips more than their feet will be awarding this tasty gumbo at least four rosettes and three forks! Preaching-introed Gospel flip. PICK OF THE WEEK. Continue reading “October 27, 1973: Muddy Waters, Three Degrees, Wilbert Harrison, Steve Miller Band, The Osmonds”
BROWNSVILLE STATION: Smokin’ In The Boy’s Room (Big Tree BT 16011).
Released as it was to coincide with the autumnal return to school, this choppy rocker was obviously predestined to become another of those temporary ‘teen anthems – indeed, can it be only coincidence that the general noise of raucous voice, chord-smashing bar accents, and freer harmonica-tinged instrumental passages is immediately reminiscent of Alice Cooper’s (admittedly slower) “Eighteen”? When last heard of on this page, Brownsville Station were busy converting “Let Your Yeah Be Yeah” from Reggae to Rock. In fact the band started out as alleged Rock Revivalists, but (to judge from those of their records that I’ve heard myself) they always seem to have done their reviving in a way which took the most obvious elements from the music of the past – a past embracing both late-‘50s American and mid-‘60s British “Rock” – and then treated those elements in a style that smacked of the ‘70s. This is really what they’ve done here. The lyrics are a cross between Eddie Cochran at his most punkoid, Pete Townshend at his most ‘teen-appealing, and Shel Silverstein at his most Dr Hook satirical, while parts of the musical structure are pure Rock ‘n Roll played and mixed in with a Stones-derived modern raunch . . . plus, of course, that Alice Cooper snotty quality. So, is the result the ‘teen anthem that its makers predestined it to be? Radio tipster Kal Rudman is pushing it hard and reports “Good ‘teen phone requests” from WOKY Milwaukee and KLIV San Jose, with similar good reaction from all the other secondary stations who are playing it – BUT, as few if any of the major stations have added the tune to their playlists yet (the curse of modern American radio is its super-cautious programming), it’s only moved a modest 85-78 on this week’s Record World chart. And a big “Hello” to Capital Radio, whose programming seems so far to be a bit different – between 11.00 and 11.30 of their very first day (this Tuesday) they repeated two records which had been featured during their very first hour of transmission only six hours earlier: OK, Billy Preston being a Chart-bubbler is understandable, but Sergio Mendes & Brazil ’66 singing “Scarboro Fair” is, although a nice catholic choice, kind of an odd oldie to receive such attention, surely? Oh, the waves are alive with the sound of newsak!
MILLIE JACKSON: Hurts So Good; Love Doctor (Spring SPR 139).
Millie began her career by singing with the Charlie Lucas Combo – a pity she wasn’t with them when I penetrated Brooklyn’s darkest Bedford-Stuyvesant district to catch the Combo at the Sonia Ballroom in ’64 – and is now featured alongside label-mate Joe Simon singing on the movie soundtrack of “Cleopatra Jones”. Both these sides are from the flick, the topside Phillip Mitchell-penned hurting Soulful slowie being a huge R&B hit that’s growing Pop, and much in demand on import here. At last she has found, after a string of comparatively trite Pop-R&B dance hits, some slower yet equally successful material that is able to return her to the pure Soul style with which she so impressed on her earlier “Child Of God”. The Jackie Avery-penned flip finds her back in the uptempo groove, though.
CARLA THOMAS: Love Among People; I Have A God Who Loves (Stax STA 0173).
Speaking of Phillip Mitchell, who penned “Hurts So Good”, he also happens to have co-penned (with Ernie Shelby) this terrific new slowie for the Memphis Queen, Rufus Thomas’s little girl, Carla, who herself co-produced it with Stax veep Al Bell. The result is an even-keeled unemphatic mellow mood, with jazzy flute amidst the gentle electric piano early on, before the softly snarling brass, chunky MG’s rhythm and subdued wah-wah flourishes shift the tune subtly along to its more highly-strung churning finish. It may seem sacrilege to say it, but dear Carla’s voice seems – while not actually similar – just a little bit reminiscent of dear Donny’s! She is in fact in superbly understated Soulful form, and more dramatically Soulful on the “Wattstax”-culled inspirational flip. Continue reading “October 20, 1973: Brownsville Station, Millie Jackson, Carla Thomas, James Brown, Four Tops”
Stateside new spins An RRM exclusive service bringing you the first news and reviews of the hot US releases every week
FRED WESLEY & THE J. B.’s: If You Don’t Get It The First Time, Back Up And Try It Again, Party; You Can Have Watergate Just Gimme Some Bucks And I’ll Be Straight (People PE 627).
Here we have a case of the titles being more impressive than the actual music! The simple handclap-beat chant-accompanied riff, led by Fred’s trombone and James Brown’s vocal exhortations, is no more than both typical and typically functional in each case, with neither side coming even close to the irresistible funk of the team’s “Doin’ It To Death” (or for that matter, despite the A-side’s title, to the “Parrty” of Maceo And The Macks). Still, diehard fans of James Brown – The Hitman – The Godfather Of Soul, who penned / performed / arranged / produced as usual, will dance along happily for a few weeks until his next release.
HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUENOTES: The Love I Lost (Parts 1 & 2) (Philadelphia International ZS7 3533).
Expecting another drawn-out slowie from these spine-tingling masters of the Philly Sound? Well, the slow electric piano intro of their latest Gamble & Huff-penned / produced (Bobby Martin-arranged) US hit is enough to confirm such expectations – until it suddenly picks up into a churning fast hustling rhythm and the boys begin singing their answer to all the dance hits that the O’Jays, Intruders and Four Tops have scored in this style. That reference to the Philly-aping Tops is no accident either, for the maturely masculine tones of the Bluenotes’ lead singer (Teddy Pendergrast?) are reminiscent of those of the Tops’ Levi Stubbs in some way. This should find friends In Britain, where their slowies failed to follow-up “If You Don’t Know Me By Now.”
THE ESCORTS: Look Over Your Shoulder; By The Time I Get To Phoenix (Alithia AR 6052).
Shades of the Prisonaires? The Escorts are evidently a gaol-formed group of cons who were produced by George Kerr while still serving their time. For material, George chose the sweet slowie with which he created such a masterpiece when recorded by the O’Jays back in 1968 – unfortunately, although the Escorts’ singing is in no way to be faulted, the new tinkling arrangement by Bert Keyes just fades away into insignificance when compared with the revolutionary knocking and thumping original by Richard Tee. At least the flipside standard presents no such definitive original against which to be measured, but then neither does it present much of a challenge. As with the topside, the group’s well-executed (although none too distinctive) harmony interplay comes across despite the cloying instrumentation. Continue reading “October 13, 1973: Fred Wesley & The J.B.’s, Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes, The Escorts, Manhattans, Earth Wind & Fire”
DIANA ROSS & MARVIN GAYE: You’re A Special Part Of Me; I’m Falling In Love With You (Motown M 1280F).
Mary Wells, Kim Weston, Tammi Terrell, and now Diana Ross, the latest distaff partner for Marvin Gaye. With the teaming of two such superstars the electricity might have been expected to crackle, but unfortunately the result is somewhat disappointing. Marvin, who in recent years has pioneered a new and highly personal approach to Soul singing, is on these duets reduced to the musical level of his less subtle partner, and spends most of the time providing background support for the piercingly pitched tones of Miss Ross (whose contribution will admittedly ensure that these tunes come over well on car radios). The Berry Gordy-produced A-side is a clumsy, lurching, jerky, thudding and thundering slowie which returns poor Marvin right back to his days with the late Miss Terrell. Luckily the Margaret Gordy-penned and co-produced flip side is more sympathetic in every way: a slushier, slower, simpler and prettier song altogether, it even has some appealing word-play that would have been worthy of Smokey Robinson eight years ago. In addition, Marvin manages to get closer to the microphone than Diana on this side. If this review seems particularly biased against Diana Ross, then her many fans need not get up in arms because it must also surely tell them that they (and maybe they alone!) are going to love this record.
MARIE OSMOND: Paper Roses; Least Of All You (MGM K 14609). When Anita Bryant recorded this pathos-filled sentimental thump-along Easy Listening Country lilter in her stentorian “Two-Way Family Favourites” tones, who’da guessed that one day her performance would be bested by that of a mere slip of a girl, the teenaged sister of the most famous male group in the World? Who’da guessed that this young girl, with such an illustrious Pop (with a capital “P”) family, would in fact aim herself at the Country Charts? Who’da guessed that she would be produced by none other than top Country star, the “Southern Gentleman,” Sonny James? Who’da guessed the result would be similar to the Anita Bryant version, but gentler and a whole, whole lot better? And, after all that, who’da guessed that Marie Osmond would come across as an entirely convincing Country singer? True, on the Sonny James & Carole Smith-penned slow flip she is successful in sounding just like her brother, Donny – uncannily like him – but that just means that at long last half the male population of the World can re-direct their lust in a healthier direction. Hey, Marie, you-all can sing at my barn dance, any time you want!
ELVIS PRESLEY: Raised On Rock; For Ol’ Times Sake (RCA APBO 0088).
After seeing a title like that, all El’s old faithful frustrated fans can be forgiven for getting a bad case of slobbering at the mouth. Trouble is, neither El nor the song deliver the goods. Penned by Mark James, the latter has some interesting lyrics which do indeed hark back to a vaguely Presley-ish past, only to be rendered by the old groaner in a tremulous whinny over a scudding rhythm that bears no relation to Rock past or present. Continue reading “October 6, 1973: Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye, Marie Osmond, Elvis Presley, Bloodstone, The Persuasions”
JACKSON 5: Get It Together (Motown M 1277F).
It has to be faced: the Jacksons are in trouble, with falling record sales not only here but also in America. Whatever happened – to the Transylvania Twist? – no, sorry, that was meant to come out as, whatever happened to their supposedly fanatical following? The powers behind them at Motown have obviously been concerned by the problem, otherwise why else would this, their latest hit, show label credits for as many as five writers, producer Hal Davis end executive producer Berry Gordy among them? The result is indeed a hit, and the healthiest-looking one that the boys have had for some time. It’s also a good record, having a herky-jerky choppy rhythm structure with jagged sax and strings behind it, a repetitive synthesised bass-line through it, and jittery frantic vocal work from Michael and his brothers slotted in between it. This dominating rhythm track has, of course, the effect of making the whole thing less a song than a sound . . .and as sounds are notoriously difficult to break with melody-loving British audiences, the release here of the “Skywriter” LP track instead of “Get It Together” was possibly a wise decision on the part of Tamla Motown. Except that “Skywriter” doesn’t seem to have done much, either. As I was saying, the Jacksons are in trouble.
RAY PRICE: You’re The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me (Columbia 4-45889).
On looking through some back issues of RM the other day, I discovered that when I originally reviewed Ray Price’s hit Country version of “For The Good Times” I actually recommended it to Perry Como fans! How’s that for a prophecy? Ray has a voice that is slap bang in that Perry Como-styled Easy Listening groove, and by rights he should be just as popular – even if you yourselves aren’t into that sort of thing, do at least tell your mums and dads about him. His latest American hit is streaking to the top of the Country Charts and is also climbing Pop, where in fact its totally un-Country straight Easy Listening sound rightly belongs. Another of those Jim Weatherly-penned slowies, it reminds me of nothing so much as Rod McKuen’s Frank Sinatra-sung “Love’s Been Good To Me.” Expect Val Doonican to cover it any day.
THE OVATIONS: Having A Party – Medley (MGM K 14623).
When the Memphis-recorded Ovations first broke through in the mid-‘60s singing “It’s Wonderful To Be In Love” on Goldwax, the voice of their lead singer, Louis Williams, was obviously modelled on that of the late Sam Cooke, whose cool Gospel-style has had such an influence on so many Soul singers. After a period when nothing much has been heard from them, the Ovations are back in the R&B Charts with – guess what? – an unabashed tribute to Sam Cooke and the songs which he made famous in the early ‘60s. Recorded live (and it really does sound as if the enthusiastic audience was there at the time, even if only in the studio), Louis and the group, augmented by some girls, satisfy the requests which they evidently keep getting for Sam Cooke songs by running together over an infectious easy-paced clap beat such Cooke favourites as “Having A Party,” “Twisting The Night Away,” “Wonderful World,” “Meet Me At Mary’s Place,” “Soothe Me,” and “Amen” (the last two admittedly are less readily identified with Cooke), all moulded to the basic “Having A Party” tune and backing. Apart from its natural appeal for Sam Cooke (and Ovations) fans, this record is also notable because it is one of the few in existence which accurately captures the feel of a black singer in front of a black audience. Continue reading “September 29, 1973: Jackson 5, Ray Price, The Ovations, The Allman Brothers Band, Stevie Wonder”
The acoustics of Wembley’s Empire Pool, last Friday, conspired with an overly harsh amplification system to render at times the jagged compositions of Mr. Francis Vincent Zappa into an unfair approximation of musique concrète. Those parts of the mainly instrumental programme which overcame this problem tended to be the passages played by the composer/conductor himself on wah-wah guitar, by keyboard virtuoso Mr. George Duke on clarinet, and by French jazz violinist M. Jean-Luc Ponty on electric fiddle.
Joining Messrs. Zappa and Ponty in a wah-wah pedal equipped front line (who had also a nice line in high-kicks and dips) were multi-instrumentalist Mr. Ian Underwood on electric clarinet, saxophone and synthesizer, and tonsured Mr. Bruce Fowler on electric trombone.
A notable contribution was made by Mrs. Ruth Underwood’s much amplified percussive specialties, while Mr. Ralph Humphrey and Mr. Tom Fowler played, respectively and respectably, drums and bass.
In common with the appearance by Mr. Zappa and his Mothers orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall about four years ago, the programme consisted chiefly of new compositions with several repetitions (“We’re gonna leitmotif like crazy”, to quote Mr. Zappa), a few old favourites such as “The Dog Breath Variations” and “Son Of Mr. Green Genes” (“The hits keep on comin’”, to quote again), and the celebrated “Brown Shoes Don’t Make It” as one of the two vociferously demanded encores.
In common with last year’s concert by Mr. Zappa’s Grand Wazoo orchestra at the Oval, the highlight of the evening was provided by a shuffle: of the two played, it was impossible to identify the new “Kung-Fu Shuffle”, but both were excitingly performed with much emphasis placed on M. Ponty’s electrifying fiddle.
Had the aforementioned acoustic problem not marred their presentation, the more complex parts of Mr. Zappa’s new work might have been received with the universal acclaim which greeted the “hits” and the rambling acidic electricity of the “shuffles”.
My only personal regret about the evening is that, since fate robbed me of the chance to see Mr. Zappa with Messrs. Flo and Eddie, I have yet to attend a concert which featured Mr. Zappa’s greasy love songs & cretin simplicity more than his serious music.
Straight from the States
THE SOUL CHILDREN: Love Is A Hurtin’ Thing; Poem On The School House Door (Stax STA 0170).
After several successful but to my mind disappointing singles, the two guys/two gals Soul Children have come up with a genuine 100 per cent Super Soul goodie. Their topside treatment of the Lou Rawls oldie is hoarsely hollered and funkily gritty: however, it’s the flipside dead slowie about a trip the group made back to their childhood stamping ground which is the real gas. The trip turned out to be one of those ill-fated ventures of a type which should have been foreseen, proving as it did only how much time changes things and how sad as well as happy memories are always liable for revival. The nostalgic scene is set by first one of the guys and then the two girls each in turn telling a part of the story, in a pure Gospel style, before suddenly the other guy comes crashing in with a passionate screaming intensity which lifts the tune up another notch. You see, there had been a custom back at their old school for all the graduates to leave behind them a token by which to be remembered, and he has just remembered what he left – not a trophy, an honorary record or a citation like the others, but . . . you guessed! . . . a love poem on the school house door. What’s so aroused him, though, is that the poem was spurned by its intended recipient – and he had written two copies, one on the school house door and one imbedded deep down in his heart. The latter is still there, and he proceeds to soul it to us all one time. This incredibly exciting slab of gut-wrenching soulfulness has finally returned the group to the sort of form that was so impressive on “The Sweeter He Is”, four years ago. Obviously, it is a must for all Deep Soul lovers.
THE TEMPREES: Love’s Maze (We Produce XPA 1811).
Recorded with Soul Group Freaks only in mind, this dreamy Sweet Soul slowie is one of those obscure exquisite beauties which are unfortunately far too Deep to be Pop over here. It features each of the three guys in the group alternating on lead, their switchovers sometimes being almost discordant – and hence exaggeratedly Soulful. The hand-clapping sparsely-backed easy-beat flip, “Wrap Me In Love“, is just as nice. Those who dig will dig, muchly!
CHEECH Y CHONG: Basketball Jones (Featuring Tyrone Shoelaces) (Ode 66038).
Remember the Brighter Side Of Darkness, the schoolboy Soul Vocal Group who recently had a US smash with “Love Jones“? Well, “head” humourists Tommy Chong and Cheech Marin, the Chinese and Chicano comedians, have now made this spoof near-copy of that hit! Young Tyrone wails away that he’s got a basketball jones – ever since he was a little baby he’s always been dribbling, in fact he was the baddest dribbler in the neighbourhood! – and he gets everyone to sing along with him to the monotonous slow melody, just like the Beatles did on such classics as “All You Need Is Love” and “Hey Jude”. The result is more good-humoured than humorous . . . and a US hit. Continue reading “September 22, 1973: Frank Zappa live, The Soul Children, The Temprees, Cheech Y Chong, Carl Carlton, Marvelettes”
James Hamilton's Disco Page 