Monday, January 31, 2011

Observations From the Forefront-Winter Storm Dance Party-Lost Hits

It's too early to tell what the winter storms are going to do here and storm number one is passing through as we speak. The storm has decided to take a more northerly track so the guess is going to be about a inch or two for today. Storm number 2 will take place tomorrow and its track is still unknown, it's one of those infamous Oklahoma Hook Storms that develop in the rockies and heads SE to the sooner state and then rides from SW to NE. Guess is that 8-12 inches is on tap but then again if the track goes more south, it will be less but if it comes up more north then we could get more. We managed to have not too many of these snowstorms this year but it's winter.

This time of year brings us the Winter Dance Party which has sold out the last few years up in Clear Lake at the Surf Ballroom. We all know the story of 51 years ago when Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and The Big Bopper took that ill fated trip in a blizzard but their legend lives on at the Surf and this year the big headline is Jerry Lee Lewis with Roy Head on Saturday Night. Gary Troxel's Fleetwoods, Little Peggy March and our good friend Kevin Montgomery will perform. The Thursday Night show will give us Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Harold Winley and what's left of The Original Clovers and The Collins Kids (to which 50 years onward they're not but Larry Collins back then had a voice that rivals Wanda Jackson-ah puberty back then). The Friday Show has 50's retro rockers Flash Cadillac along with Tommy Allsup doing the musical honors. Allsup is the direct link from the Buddy Holly Surf era as you know he gave up his plane seat to The Big Bopper on the coin flip. Of course this is all weather permitting but it's that rare big event in winter that people make the trek up to Clear Lake. The concerts are sold out but there are other events to see and do. Bring lots of money if you go.

Next week at the Point will be the final Beaker Street broadcasting from that station by Clyde Clifford. And then The Point will return with the same 20 songs that they couldn't play at that time. Classic Rock Radio isn't that much better than the insufferable root canal that is KDAT here. With Beaker Street at least you get to hear the album cuts from albums that FM radio used to play after hours. Or what music did before the corporate takeovers of the 80s and 90s. Their playlist is documented on their archives site
http://www.beakerstreet.com/

Ever since discovering You Tube, I am simply amazed of what I have found in terms of forgotten music of my youth. Music that Oldies Radio don't play, classic rock don't play. But somehow the dedicated out there have preserved in their own special way. Although I have yet to find Duke & The Drivers's Watch You Got on the net, the original Soul Brothers Six version is available. But I do want to share three songs taken from You Tube of forgotten singles. I'd add more but don't want to overdo it.  If this works perhaps I'll might make it  a habit of choosing more  forgotten singles. After all you can't rely on your neighborhood corporate radio station to ever play these. Unless Little Steven plays them on his Underground Garage Show.  These singles pretty much give you a peek into my record collection when I was growing up and shows you how unconventional when it comes to playing music.  

I Need Love-The Third Booth 1967 Remember those old box set of 10 45s you could get for 2 bucks? They put a top ten single and and then add a bunch of forgotten or uncharted singles from forgotten bands. The Third Booth was one of those singles that I got in a box set one time. Actually this had some decent singles at the time (Al Green You Say It, Music Machine-Double Yellow Line) in this box set. The Third Booth came from Peoria and made a single that recalls a meeting between Paul Revere & The Raiders and a melody along the lines of Gloria. I have the scratchy 45 but somebody in You Tube land had a better sounding copy. Produced by Jerry Allison or Buddy Holly's drummer. At least that's what I'm thinking. Independence Record 86 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX70SCzM7nE

Neal Ford & The Fanatics-Shame On You 1966  Came out on Hickory Records 1433 and I found a promo copy at the old Salvation Army.  I'm surprised that The Pebbles series never included this little number which is as freaky as they come.  Has all the markings of a garage rock classic, complete with Neal Ford's sinister voice before Alice Cooper.  Ford and company recorded a few more singles for Hickory but none ever came close to the bizarre as this song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO5DwGFugd4

Bobby Brant-Piano Nellie 1958  And my last offering into the past comes from Texas rockabilly that recorded for White Rock out in Texas and had a backing band featuring Big Al Downing on piano. Another single that was grouped into a package of ten records for 2 bucks  (this box set included Ben E King's Let The Water Run Down, Ray Agee-The Gamble, Ray Charles Smack Dab In The Middle), this actually sounds more like Sun Records and Downing wails away on the keys like a demented but more disciplined Jerry Lee Lewis.  Atlantic picked the record up for distribution but assigned it on the lesser known East West Label (EW 124).  I still have the single but it has seen better days and would love a better copy but not going to pay 85 bucks for one.  We'll have to settle on this link.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3TUtJutp-4

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