Books About Record Producers and Label Owners & DJs

In the last few years, many of the best books I have read about music are not about musicians but other people in the music business. Biographies about record producers and record label owners are very readily available these days. Here are my favorites:

"Spinning Blues into Gold: The Chess Brothers and the Legendary Chess Records"
by Nadine Cohodas
Both a biography of Leonard and a history of the Chess label. Add to this book recent biographies of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, and the book about Chuck Berry's legal problems and you get quite a story about Chess Records. There are two other biographies about Leonard Chess. One I am not wild about and I haven't read the other.

"Dewey and Elvis: The Life and Times of a Rock 'n' Roll Deejay"
by Louis Cantor
Very little about Elvis, actually, and that's OK. This book is about the legendary radio DJ Dewey Phillips, in a town full of legendary DJs. When I finished this book, I felt as if I had prowled through every street and haunt in downtown Memphis. The quality of writing in this book is a massive improvement over the author's previous book which was about WDIA radio.

"My First 90 Years Plus 3"
by Kenneth F. Nelson (Ken Nelson)
Ken Nelson produced thousands of recordings for Capitol Records and I have long thought of him as one of the best producers. So little had ever been publicly known about Ken Nelson. Now, at the end of his life he tells about everything, more detail then I would ever expect to known about Nelson, even stuff like family problems.

"Record Makers and Breakers: Voices of the Independent Rock 'n' Roll Pioneers" by John Broven
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed reading this wonderful book about independent record labels from the mid 1940s through the late 1960s. I really think John Broven deserves to be nominated for literary awards for this book. Are you aware of book awards for music history, oral history, or business & enterprise history that could possibly be awarded for this book? It's that good.

Next up is the autobiography of Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller. I'm really looking forward to this one!

I think the biography of Sam Phillips was published in England only? Am I right about that? This may explain why I've heard little about it.

I regret not reading Jerry Wexler's bio while it was still in print. Used copies are pricey. Have any of you read Ahmet Ertegun's book?

Bangs

It is now August, 2007, and I have just now gotten around to reading "Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung" by Lester Bangs. Years ago, I checked this book out of the public library and flipped through it long enough to know I wanted my own copy. I bought one in 1999 (the receipt is still stuck in the middle) and have just now read the darn thing. (At any given moment I own about twenty books I've bought but have not gotten around to reading. I am usually reading a couple of books. I'll get around to reading them all eventually and this is one that just didn't seem urgent.)

Boy, this Lester sure gets worked up over things. Time and again while reading this book the author reminded me of a dog furiously chasing after his own tail. I can sympathize with him, especially in his articles dated in the early 1970s. In these earliest essays, he suggests that all he really wants to do is just listen to some new, good, basic rock 'n' roll music. Well, in those days that was pretty hard to come by since we were deep in the heart of the prog rock era. It is obvious that he, like myself, found a lot to like in the 1960s but were not too happy with the 1970s. It almost seems that we took different directions at about that time. Whereas he took a path that led him to the likes of David Bowie, Kraftwork, and Richard Hell, I took the path to the dimly lit, unswept corners of record stores where they kept a few blues records. I was thoroughly happy learning the joys of blues by the likes of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Big Walter Horton, and Hound Dog Taylor. Not long after I learned just how similar were the sounds of rockabillies like Gene Vincent and honky-tonkers like George Jones. At this point, I knew I had found my home, musically. I wonder if Lester Bangs would have shed his frustration and found a greater contentment if he had taken a similar direction musically? Might he have penned less anguished missives at an earlier age writing for Living Blues than Creem? Had he lived to the present day, would he have danced the night away at British rockabilly "weekenders" or festivals like the Ponderosa Stomp or Cavestomp? Dunno, maybe, hope so. Or would he be one those guys who must always find something to feel uncomfortable about?
Near the end of the period covered in this book, Lester seems to have identified some kind of inner contentment, if not able to completely embrace it then at least face toward it. If only he'd taken a few more steps in that direction before it was too late for him.
Indeed he made an impression.

Favorite CD and Records Releases for 2007

2007 was not a year of great musical revelations to me. This years list is surprisingly and disappointingly short on pre-Beatle music, in particular rockabilly. My big surprise is the presence on this list of so much psychedelic-era music. I wore tie-dye shirts a lot this year, so maybe there is some teen aged nostalgia stirring inside of me. My 2006 trip to Memphis and all the concerts I attended in Kansas City afterward vastly reinforced my devotion to rockabilly and all manifestations of pre-Beatle rock 'n' roll and its antecedents. Somehow, the rockabilly flame didn't burn so brightly in 2007. But then, that's the beauty of having a life-long devotion to music and an open mind willing to embrace never-before-heard sounds. Please note that there is no order of preference, no letter, number, or star grading here. I got enough of that in school. The criteria for inclusion on this list are: 1) I own a copy of this CD (bought and paid for, not a burned copy given to me. I am not a music thief.). OR 2) The music on this CD/LP just knocked me out. OR 3) I thought this CD/LP was an important release that needed to be made available to the public. Here goes:

The "5" Royales, "Catch That Teardrop", Ace CDCHD1055

Arthur Alexander, "Lonely Just Like Me: the Final Chapter", Hacktone/Elektra RS271932

The Blue Things, "Let the Blue Things Blow Your Mind", Cicadelic, CICD1966

The Coasters:
"There's a Riot Goin' On: The Coasters on Atco", Rhino Handmade, RHM2 7740
"Down Home", Varese Sarabande, 302 066 844 2

Dick Dale:
"King of the Surf Guitar", Sundazed, SC6251
"Checkered Flag", Sundazed SC6252
"Mr. Eliminator", Sundazed SC 6253
"Summer Surf", Sundazed SC6254

Bobby Fuller:
"Rock 'n' Roll King of the Southwest", Norton ED325
"Live!!!", Norton ED326

Buddy Holly, "Ohh! Annie!", Roller Coaster, RCCD3056

George Jones, "She Thinks I Still Care", Bear Family, BCD16818EK

Pink Floyd, "Piper At the Gates of Dawn", EMI, 503919-2-9

Del Shannon, "Rock On", Acadia/Evangeline, ACAM8147

Ringo Starr, "Photograph: the Very Best of Ringo", Apple/Capitol/EMI, 04932 27

The String-a-Longs, "The Tex-Mex Teen Magic of the String-a-Longs", Ace, CDCHD1144

Gene Vincent, "The Outtakes", Bear Family, BCD16842FR

The Traveling Wilburys, "The Traveling Wilbury Collection", Rhino, R2 167868

Travis Wammack, "Memphis + Muscle Shoals = Travis Wammack", a do it yourself release with no label or catalog number

The Yardbirds:
"The Yardbirds Story", Charly/Snapper, SNAJ736CD
"Roger the Engineer"/"Over Under Sideways Down", Repertoire, REP5088

various artists collections:

"Get Ready to Fly: Pop-Psych From the Norman Petty Vaults", Big Beat/Ace, CDWIKD262
"Now Hear This: Garage & Beat From the Norman Petty Vaults", Big Beat/Ace, CDWIKD263
"That's Swift: Instrumentals From the Norman Petty Vaults", Ace, CDCHD1158

"Love Is the Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970", Rhino, R2 165564

"Vee Jay: the Definitive Collection", Shout Factory, 10485

OK, you've seen the list. Now if you care, some comments:

The "5" Royales, "Catch That Teardrop", Ace CDCHD1055 The "5" Royales: God, what a tough sounding rhythm 'n' blues vocal group. This CD contains later music they recorded in Memphis for the Home of the Blues label and also contains solo records made by group member Lowman Pauling for King records while the group also recorded for King.

Arthur Alexander, "Lonely Just Like Me: the Final Chapter", Hacktone/Elektra RS271932 reissue of Arthur's final album from the 1990s with bonus tracks including radio performance and demos

The Blue Things, "Let the Blue Things Blow Your Mind", Cicadelic, CICD1966 excellent mid 1960s band from Lawrence, Kansas, fine example of very early psychedelia before 30 minute solos became de rigueur

The Coasters:

"There's a Riot Goin' On: The Coasters on Atco", Rhino Handmade, RHM2 7740 RELEASE OF THE YEAR!!! Winner of Daddy-o Dilly's World Heavyweight Title. This is THE ONE! All of the Coasters recordings for the Atco label from the 1950s and 1960s with lots of alternate takes. Between the Coasters themselves, the greatest songs ever written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, the soaring saxophone solos of King Curtis, and the best session musicians in Los Angeles and New York, this was a truly winning team of musicians! What a great organization of talent! I sincerely hope this will be the first of many Rhino Handmade releases that will contain the complete Atlantic label recordings of as many of their rhythm 'n' blues legends as possible. My list of favorites include: Wilson Pickett, Solomon Burke, Don Covay, Arthur Conley, the Clovers, Sam 'n' Dave, Percy Sledge, and Big Joe Turner. I really hope this happens.

"Down Home", Varese Sarabande, 302 066 844 2 The Coasters complete recording from the Date and King labels. In the late 1960s after they left the Atco label, the Coasters were reunited with song writers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and brilliance briefly returned to their music, but alas the times had changed too much for the public to care anymore. Great music still. Add to all this the autobiography of Coaster Carl Gardner published in 2007. A big year for Coasters fans.

Dick Dale:

"King of the Surf Guitar", Sundazed SC625

"Checkered Flag", Sundazed SC6252

"Mr. Eliminator", Sundazed SC6253

"Summer Surf", Sundazed SC6254

Dick Dale has repeatedly expressed his frustration with his Capitol recordings and I understand. Again and again he was teamed with producers and session musicians who were trying to smooth down Dick's sound for more commercial pop appeal. The results showed how much these people kept getting in Dick's way. There are some songs here and there on these albums where Dick cut loose and showed everyone the endless barrage of notes he can forcefully play all day and night long. Even on those tracks there is a bit of a thin sound here. They just couldn't record Dick's fiery thunder. I don't think we ever really heard Dick Dale on record the way he truly sounds until his 1990s CDs came out on the Hightone label. There finally we heard Dick Dale in all his surf drenched glory. Still, it's great to see that Dick Dale's original LPs being released on CD. There is one more to go, the live album and we have been promised a rarities collection, which should include many more non-LP tracks from the 1960s.

Bobby Fuller:
"Rock 'n' Roll King of the Southwest", Norton ED325

"Live!!!", Norton ED326

These recordings have been released before in the 1980s, but those LPs are long out of print. Norton does us a favor by putting these fine collections of Bobby Fuller's Texas recordings on two LPs. No CD releases here thus forcing the necessary point that you STILL NEED TO BE LISTENING TO RECORDS, dammit. The 40th anniversary of Bobby's death went virtually unnoticed in 2006. These LPs are a belated acknowledgment that the Bobby Fuller Four were an unmatched rock 'n' roll band.

Buddy Holly, "Ohh! Annie!", Roller Coaster, RCCD3056 Buddy Holly's 1956 recordings. There are some takes here we have not heard before and others we have never heard this well. The booklet features a surprising new interview with Bobby Peeples, a guy who had the wherewith-all to record Buddy Holly before the world gave a damn.

George Jones, "She Thinks I Still Care", Bear Family, BCD16818EK Simply the best country music release I heard in 2007. Jones complete recordings from the United Artist label. Even though the time span represented here is only two and a half years, 1962-1964, there are five CDs in this set. A lot of the Possum's best music is here: "She Thinks I Still Care", "Not Exactly What I Had in Mind", "The Race Is On", "Just a Girl I Used To Know". I have always been fascinated by the country singer with a chip on his shoulder. Jones fills the bill. Reminds me of too many of my uncles. This is Bear Family's first ever George Jones box set. There need to be more. I think the next one should contain his complete Starday and Mercury recordings. Can you imagine a box with his complete Epic recordings? It'll be a big 'un!

Pink Floyd, "Piper At the Gates of Dawn", EMI, 503919-2-9 In drastic contrast to George Jones, here we have Pink Floyd's first LP, a psychedelic masterpiece from 1967, on a three disc set: the original British track lineup in mono, same in stereo, and the non-LP and U. S. LP tracks plus alternate takes. Fer Gawd's sake, get the THREE disc version, not the U. S. TWO disc version.

Del Shannon, "Rock On", Acadia/Evangeline, ACAM8147 Like the Arthur Alexander CD described above here we have Del Shannon's final album from the 1990s reissued with bonus tracks which include the non-album B sides from the three singles originally released from the album. Del Shannon was lavished with support from Traveling Wilburys members Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, and George Harrison all heard here. Not everyone will agree, but I took great delight in hearing how former Electric Light Orchestra leader Jeff Lynne started a second career for himself in the 1980s producing records for many of my favorite musicians from 1950s and 1960s, including the Everly Brothers, George Harrison, Duane Eddy, Del Shannon, and Roy Orbison. Lynne gave these artists a sympathetic modern updating of their sounds and it paid off handsomely for most. Del Shannon's music really adapted superbly to this sound and you can hear it best here. Del never sounded better. Many have wished aloud that Del could have been the fifth Wilbury after Roy Orbison died in 1988. Del died himself a mere fourteen months after Roy. Orbison and Shannon remain among my very favorite rock 'n' roll singers. Their back-to-back deaths still haunt me and I feel it whenever I hear this CD. The original release of "Rock On' was not a hit like other Wilbury spin-offs and that was a real shame. Del took his own life and reportedly died very frustrated.

Ringo Starr, "Photograph: the Very Best of Ringo", Apple/Capitol/EMI, 04932 27 Since Paul McCartney can't record for Capitol Records without having to hand over a big chunk of it in alimony payments, he left to go to a Starbucks/Concord label. Capitol Records sees the value of having as many Beatles as possible on their label. It's a license to print money as they say. John and George are posthumously released on Capitol, so that leaves only one living available Beatle. Thus for the first time since the 1970s, Ringo has been welcomed back with open arms. Since we can't have Paul, we'll take Ringo. And why not? It gave them, among other things, the chance to put out this excellent greatest hits collection. Ringo had records out in the 1970s that were as good as solo records by the other Beatles. He benefited greatly for musical support from the other three. One tune that came right at the end of Ringo's hit parade was "Wrack My Brain", contributed by George. I wish this one could have been a bigger hit. The bonus DVD allows us to see the memorable video Ringo made with Buck Owens on the duet remake of "Act Naturally", a song they are both famous for.

The String-a-Longs, "The Tex-Mex Teen Magic of the String-a-Longs", Ace, CDCHD1144 In 2006 and 2007 we were treated to a number of CDs containing music produced by Norman Petty in Clovis, New Mexico. This is the second compilation of the String-a-Longs from Ace Records. On many tracks you will hear what sound to me like three guitars and generous use of a Magnatone amplifier. This combination created a unique sound that I really like.

Gene Vincent, "The Outtakes", Bear Family, BCD16842FR Six CDs of Gene Vincent's alternate takes from his Capitol recording session. You may hear as many as thirteen attempts at the same song and that can strain your attention span but by God here it is. This is one of a series of CDs called "Outtakes" currently coming out on Bear Family. This and the Johnny Cash "Outtakes" collection are, I believe, the only CD box sets ever released on Bear Family that are not packaged in LP sized boxes with the discs in jewel cases. You'll hear lots of gripes and grouching from the control both by producer Ken Nelson, who very recently died.

The Traveling Wilburys "The Traveling Wilbury Collection", Rhino, R2 167868 I loved the Traveling Wilburys. I never dreamed that Roy Orbison would be in the same band as George Harrison. I didn't really believe it until I saw the video on TV in 1988. Again Jeff Lynne provided aging rock stars with a sympathetic modern sound that paid off on the charts. When the first Wilbury album came out, it was constantly right next to Roy Orbison's "Mystery Girl" on the Billboard chart for months occupying the the top five. Like everything else released under Harrison's Dark Horse imprint, the Traveling Wilbury's two albums were out of print for a decade. Rhino finally reissued the two along with the videos on a DVD. This was a best seller during the Summer. I disagree with Rolling Stone's reviewer who gave this compilation a two star review saying the music here was inferior to the music released by individual Wilburys. I many cases I PREFER this music to solo music I have heard particularly by Dylan, Lynne, and Petty.

Travis Wammack, "Memphis + Muscle Shoals = Travis Wammack", a do it yourself release with no label or catalog number He of "Scratchy" fame simply shows everyone how it's done on this self-released CD. Nobody makes records like this anymore. Time was, everybody did. They've all forgotten how. Travis makes fools out of guitar players everywhere. But that's not all. Whenever I listen to Travis Wammack, either old or recent recordings, I am not just directed to his guitar wizardry. Travis knows how to give a song a lot of pop hooks, making you think you my have heard it long ago on Top 40 radio, which you did not. Travis seems to take delight in staying home in Alabama and making homemade releases like this one for anyone who cares to seek them out. "The music industry be damned" seems to be Travis' unspoken motto.

The Yardbirds:

"The Yarbirds Story", Charly/Snapper, SNAJ736CD

"Roger the Engineer"/"Over Under Sideways Down", Repertoire, REP5088

What a banner year for Yardbirds fans! The Charly four CD box set is I think the third incarnation of this collection and it has NEVER SOUNDED BETTER! I have never heard the music of the Yardbirds this clear before. This is a very big improvement over previous releases of the Yardbirds' music and this is the one to get. It has been repeatedly said that everything the Yardbirds recorded up through 1966 is owned by their original manager and is supposed to all be here. The booklet contains an amazing essay about this era of the group including, finally, a detailed report of their Memphis recording session produced by Sam Phillips. The two biographies of the Yardbirds never told this amazing story. The "Roger the Engineer" set offers the group's 1966 LP (which is my favorite by them) in both U. S. stereo and German mono versions, again sounding better than ever. Do you think we'll ever see a complete box set of the Yardbirds? I am not counting on it.

various artists collections:

"Get Ready to Fly: Pop-Psych From the Norman Petty Vaults", Big Beat/Ace, CDWIKD262 "Now Hear This: Garage & Beat From the Norman Petty Vaults", Big Beat/Ace, CDWIKD263 "That's Swift: Instrumentals From the Norman Petty Vaults", Ace, CDCHD1158

Occasionally over the years we have seen a few photographs and write-ups about bands that were recorded by Norman Petty in the later half of the 1960s. Buddy Holly-styled rockabilly this ain't, so interest in this music has been slight, yet any rock music recorded by Petty ought to be of some interest. Enter compilation producer Alec Palao who seems to be very active in producing CDs of obscure 1960s music that have been ignored by other compilers and as a result has been shedding light on rock music of that era that has deserved wider recognition. "Get Ready To Fly" is a surprising set. The groups aren't bad and Norman really demonstrates great creative skill with stereo separation, feedback, and other effects necessary for this kind of music. Norman was clearly on top of things even during the Woodstock era. The best of the three CDs here, though, is "That's Swift". It is full of early 1960s surf tunes and related instrumentals. Groups and pickers from the Southwest you've never heard of but boy could they tear it up. Imagine the sweaty dance floors they filled up!

"Love Is the Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970", Rhino, R2 165564 Music history revised yet again by Alec Palao, who compiled this four CD and hardback book set of the late 1960s San Francisco scene. The compiler makes very clear that inclusion on this set was merited only by his favorable opinion of the music, and NOT by who was the most famous/notorious, who sold the most records, who made the Scene nightly. Thus alongside hit makers still heard on radio are groups you may have only seen mentioned in fine print. Some of these groups are pretty full of themselves but the whole hippie movement was a very self-conscious sociological experiment to start with and the music reflected the same. Word is this CD set is nominated for a Grammy.

"Vee Jay: the Definitive Collection", Shout Factory, 10485 The Vee Jay record label in Chicago recorded every kind of rhythm 'n' blues music imaginable. Prepare yourself for a veritable jukebox of great sounds. Hard Chicago blues, doo-wop, soul, gospel, slick or down home, it's all here. This four CD set is similar to another collection released a few years ago by Charly Records in England. The Charly box set also includes a very generous amount of jazz from the Vee Jay label, all of it great, and that's the big difference between these otherwise similar box sets. The Shout Factory box chose to not pay much attention to jazz.

Mad Mike Monsters

comments shared with Norton Records honchos Billy & Miriam:

Having heard the three "Mad Mike Monsters" CDs today, I was able to confirm my hunch that I have been hearing some of these songs on radio here since the early 1970s courtesy of local radio personality Lou "Louie Louie" Constantino. Louie moved from Pittsburgh, PA, to Topeka, KS, around 1969 and became a Top 40 DJ on KEWI ("big KEE-WEE Happy Channel 1440"). By the early 1970s he moved to WREN and started his "Louie Louie Show" playing 1950s-early '60s rock 'n roll and rhythm 'n' blues on Saturday nights. Over the years, his weekend oldies show moved around to seven different radio stations in the area, by my count, but he hasn't been on the air these last few years. I'm certain he must have listened to Mad Mike while in Pittsburgh. Like Mad Mike, Louie would claim on the air that he was playing some records you could not hear on radio elsewhere and in some cases he was right. Louie also was a DJ at lots of dances at nightclubs, company Christmas parties, outdoor events, etc. Mad Mike's on-air name had the initials MM while Louie's on-air name had the initials LL. I know Louie occasionally mentioned Porky Chedwick on the air ('cause he talked a lot about Pittsburgh) but I can't recall him mentioning Mad Mike. He may have and I simply had never heard about him elsewhere and didn't make a connection. Anyhow, there are indeed five songs on your Mad Mike CDs that I have heard Louie Louie play on radio here since the mid 1970s. They are: Instrumentals: "Chop Suey Rock" Jimmy Heap: "Gizmo" (heard this one A LOT) Harvey: "Anyway You Wanta" Shane Kai Ray: "Jungle Talk (I Want Some of That)" Delcos: "Arabia" My frustration with Louie was that I thought he devoted too much air time to doo-wops and practically ignored my beloved rockabilly music. This imbalance was addressed by Marshall Barber on HIS '50s-'60s radio show during the 1990s and especially when I was his once a month co-host. God, that was a lot of fun being on the radio for three hours on Friday nights. I'm really going to have to share these Mad Mike CDs with Louie. These days Lou Constantino works in the meat department at a big new supermarket and I say hi to him when we sometimes shop there. We hear him announcing meat specials over the intercom. Oh well, that's show biz!

World Record's Original Site Burns to Ground

The original location of Bud Dingman's World Records store burned to the ground recently and is, as of this writing, in the process of demolition, little more than a pile of bricks. Starting in 1979, World Records was the only serious used record store in town. It was a great meeting place for local record collectors. I spent many a payday there plowing through stacks of LPs and 45s. I was really learning a lot about 1950s and early 1960s rock 'n' roll, country, and rhythm 'n' blues music then. Owner Bud Dingman shared his knowledge which resulted in sales of records.
The store moved a few blocks to 6th & Washburn in the 1990s which was a better location and a little bigger.

http://www.wibw.com/home/headlines/30873044.html

TNA Wrestling Comes to Kansas Expocentre

TNA Wrestling came to the Kansas Expocentre on August 23, 2008. This was the most fun I've had watching wrestling in person since ECW came to Kansas City twice in 2000. Recent heavyweight champion Samoa Joe joined most of the other wrestlers for a lengthy autograph signing session after the final match which was really nice of them.

The days when major wrestling promotions could nightly fill the 10,000 and 20,000 arenas seems to be over. I am just glad that WWE is not the only nationwide promotion. TNA (which stands for Total Nonstop Action) is the fun wrestling show to watch these days. See "TNA Impact" Thursday nights on Spike on cable TV.

See more photos taken at TNA on my Flickr photo album.

Favorite CDs released in 2008

I annually list new releases of compact discs and records that I think merit mention. Most are compilations, reissues, and box sets of vintage rock 'n' roll, rhythm 'n' blues, and country. I put off doing this for three months during which time I recall 2008 being a pretty slim year, at least for me. Now that I have pulled together those items worth mentioning, I see just what a slim year '08 was! Actually, I added several older CDs to my collection this year including many psychedelic bands from the late 1960s that I thought were worth revisiting (that's how I came to a belated appreciation of the Dutch band The Shocking Blue, of all things!). But now it's time for Daddy-o Dilly's list of the best new CDs I heard in 2008:

Arthur Conley: "Soul Directions" Collectors Choice Music CCM913 & "More Sweet Soul" Collectors Choice Music CCM914.
Add these to the two-LP-on-one CD on the Collectables label and you get good U. S. CD reissues of all four of Arthur Conley's Atco LPs from the 1960s. Arthur remains one of my very favorite soul singers. He was introduced to the world by Otis Redding, another reason to admire Otis.

Buddy Holly: "Not Fade Away" El ToroETCD1016.
A three CD collection of every scrap of tape with the voice or guitar of Buddy Holly recorded during the year 1957 (including phone calls!), following the trend set by the 1956 collection released by Rollercoaster the year before. This is one of those European releases that do not require licensing from the owners of the recordings because the material heard here is over 50 years old (just barely), thus not subject to current copyright laws there. The good side of these European copyright laws is that it allows devoted fans to compile and release budget priced CDs containing music rabid fans want to hear and sell them under circumstances that allow them to produce and manufacture better than bootleg quality products without being clandestine about it. The bad side is that these collections often use secondary sources for their material because the owners of the recordings sure as hell aren't going to let them near the master tapes without paying royalties. It can also discourage CD labels that make properly licensed CDs from original sources from bothering because these out-of-copyright labels have already beat them to it. I tend to side with those labels that put out properly licensed CDs made from master tapes and first generation acetates. Still, I'm glad I have this CD set. Buddy Holly always sounds great. I especially like hearing those records by other artists with Buddy playing guitar such as Billy Walker, Carolyn Hester, and Jack Huddle. They are here, too.

The Jesters: "Cadillac Man" Big Beat/AceCDWIK282
Next to the "Mad Mike Monsters" CDs discussed earlier, this is my other favorite CD from 2008, which just made it under the wire in December. The Jesters were a mid-1960s garage band in Memphis that had the privilege of recording with Sam Phillips and having a record released on the Sun label. One of Sam's sons, Jerry, plays guitar in this fabulous band. Now, even though these guys have that mid '60s sound nailed, you can still hear that these guys are keenly aware of the rockabilly and blues that was recorded in this same studio the decade before. I mean this as a complement (just so I'm not misunderstood) but play the first two tracks on this CD to someone who has no idea who you are playing and then tell them its the White Stripes. They just might believe you. I have praised the welcome revisionist history of 1960s rock 'n' roll as documented by Alec Palao. This CD is another of his productions. Once again, Palao shines light on a neglected corner of 1960s rock 'n' roll that no one bothers to examine and finds brilliant heretofore-undocumented music. The Jesters were briefly included and a really nice LP box set in the 1980s on the Charly label "Sun Records Into the '60s", the final LP box set of Sun Records on Charly. Alec Palao may have been introduced to the Jesters by that box set. The Jesters along with Randy and the Radiants were Sun Records contribution to the mid '60s Beatle/Stones-era sounds. By then Sun Records tried to follow trends instead of setting them like in the 1950s. Within a couple of years Sam Phillips would sell off his beloved label and studio.

Hawkshaw Hawkins: "Car Hoppin' Mama" Bear Family BCD16988AH
The Bear Family label again shows its smarts by acknowledging the anniversary of the airplane crash that killed Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas, and Hawkshaw Hawkins by releasing a CD each by these superb country singers in their "Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight" series of CDs that feature each artists up-tempo/near-rockabilly tunes. Thank God they did because I confess to never having heard much at all by Copas or Hawkins in spite of my keen interest in Patsy. Turns out Hawkshaw Hawkins was a really great country singer who could rock with the best of 'em. There are many tracks on this CD that has some of the finest fidelity I have ever heard. The credit begins with the engineers who recorded these tunes so crisply in the first place, then to the tape vault archivists who cared for these tapes for so many decades, and then to the digital transfer wizards at Bear Family who are simply the best in the world. Listen to "It Would Be A Doggone Lie", "I'll Be Gone", and the title track. Have you ever heard 1950s music recorded better than this?

Roy Orbison: "The Soul of Rock and Roll" Sony/BMG88697 05537 2
The 20th anniversary of the death of Roy Orbison was appropriately observed with this four CD career retrospective, the MP3 release of Roy's complete last-ever concert, an especially nice new documentary on BBC television in the U. K., the repeat of Roy's 1970s U. K. TV special, and dozens of newspaper, magazine, and website articles. Nicely done, really. Even the grumpiest of fans were impressed. This CD compilation includes most of the necessary hits and important songs. What is here to excite completist fans are several really old recordings by Roy that have only come to light in the last few years including a handful of songs recorded at a party in someone's house in Texas in 1956. The sound quality on most of these very early informal recordings sound quite good considering how bad tapes and discs from this era can sound. Roy was lucky in this regard. I also direct your attention to the comments made the accompanying booklet by Fred Foster, the owner of and producer at Monument Records where Roy made his biggest hits. It is clear that Foster probably enjoyed his experience recording songs by Roy Orbison more than anything else he ever did in the music business. You can tell he absolutely loved working with Roy. In recent years Fred Foster has become visible among Roy's fans and it is nice to have him share his experiences so eloquently. What I do not like about this four CD set are these stupid cardboard slots that hold and badly scratch the discs. Everyone's doing it these days (last years "Love Is the Song We Sing" compilation and this year's Buddy Holly compilations are more offenders) and I hate it. I immediately put the discs in slim jewel cases and they stay there. Once again the Bear Family sets the gold standard for multidiscs sets. Almost all of their box sets house the CDs in jewel cases in boxes, not these dopey book cover-type packages. I want my CDs in jewel cases and boxes. Do you hear me?

Buck Owens: "Live In Scandinavia” Sundazed SC11166 & "Act Naturally" Bear Family BCD16850EK
I never got to see Buck in person. Damn! I really wanted to! From the grave, Buck goes to bat twice in 2008. The "Live in Scandinavia" LP gets a CD release. This is not the best thing I ever heard but what impresses me here is the unerring rhythm of guitar player Don Rich. He is clearly leading the band here. And while I'm waiting for the Hagars and Buddy Alan to finish at least I can listen to Don's great chugging-along on guitar. He was great. The Bear Family item is a five CD box set that includes everything Buck recorded as a band leader during his first eleven years which takes us from his tentative early numbers through his impressive stab at rockabilly (everyone loves "Hot Dog") up through his early hits on Capitol under the unobtrusive baton of producer Ken Nelson. We are promised another box that takes up where this one leaves off. I've often described Buck Owens and the Buckaroos as the happiest country band I ever heard. Their music bounces right along like no one else in country music. Buck was the really big contrast to the country singer with a chip on his shoulder. I never cease to be amazed at how much country music is self-loathing. It makes me enjoy country music with tongue firmly in cheek. I love the idea of California country musicians in the 1950s and 1960s doing-very-well-thank-you without benefit of the Nashville Sound. Capitol Records, producer Ken Nelson, and a battalion of California country musicians virtually led by Buck were the alternative to what went down in Nashville. Competition is a healthy thing.

Gene Vincent: "Rebel Heart Vol. 10" TKO Magnum CDMF111.
I appreciate the sustained effort made here to present less than high fidelity recordings of the great Gene Vincent in this series of CDs. His vocal brilliance comes through even on the low-fi recordings. I'm told this will be the final volume in this series. It was hard to find on this side of the Atlantic.

Hank Williams: "The Unreleased Recordings" Time-Life 80031-D
The first of a few three-CD sets to come containing previously unreleased radio performances by the King of country music. This collection strengthens earlier examples of Hank and his Drifting Cowboys performing at their best in less formal settings than the pressured environment of recording studios. I've never heard anyone seriously sing "On Top of Old Smokey". But as Hank warns us in his introduction, he thought everyone missed the point of the song and reels it out the way he think it ought to sound.

Now for the Best of 2008, the World Heavyweight Championship belt is passed-on to Mad Mike!
Various: “Mad Mike Monsters”, volumes 1, 2, and 3, Norton CED 338, 339, 340.
Please read my earlier post about these three fantastic CDs (also available on LP) that document the unhinged rock ‘n’ roll that largely went ignored by the major radio stations and more polite society during the early and mid 1960s. Mad Mike was a radio personality in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on smaller radio stations. He like the more famous Porky Chedwick held dances for teenagers in nightclubs throughout the city where he played records like those heard on these CDs. It’s as if the musicians in these bands never had any false hopes that they would ever become rich and famous playing music like this and really didn’t care, either. Music for its own sake. As long as it makes the people in front of them dance their asses off, that’s all that matters. Although I’m sure they would not turn down a fortune if it were handed to them. Any rate, rock ‘n’ roll never sounded as unhinged in 2008 to me like it does here on these three discs. There might be more volumes in this series. This is the real stuff.

Even though 2008 saw a small crop of great music for me, 2009 is starting out with a vengeance in spite of the times. In February there was a logjam broken at Universal for Buddy Holly CDs in honor of the 50th anniversary of his death. In March alone, Bear Family is releasing three gotta have box sets by Hank Ballard, Eddie Cochran, and George Jones along with great single discs by Ray Smith, Link Davis, and Frankie Lymon. The Ace label is wrapping up their series of Little Willie John. Hip-o Select is coming out with a five CD set of Little Walter and a second four CD set of Chuck Berry. I can’t believe what’s out already in 2009.

The Hank Ballard box set is the first in what I REALLY hope will be several box sets by other artists from the King/Federal/Deluxe label. I would love to see box sets by Earl Bostic, Freddie King (coming in July!), Bill Dogget, and MOST OF ALL MOON MULLICAN!!! The George Jones box set is the first of two to complete Jones’ recordings for the Musicor label followed by the second box in July. They already have a box set containing Jones’ entire recordings for United Artists. The Eddie Cochran box set has come out a full year before the 2010 50th anniversary of his death in England.

If Hip-o Select is putting out multi-disc sets of the great artists from the Chess label like Little Walter and Chuck Berry, I think they ought to scrap their two disc series of Muddy Waters and Bo Diddley and go for big box sets and include Howlin’ Wolf, too.

It has been over a year since Rhino Handmade put out the wonderful four CD set containing the complete Atco recordings of the Coasters. I would love to see many similar sets containing the complete Atlantic/Atco catalogs of all the important rhythm ‘n’ blues artists such as Wilson Pickett, Percy Sledge, Solomon Burke, Don Covay, the Clovers, and Big Joe Turner among others.

We’ll see what all gets noted in this blog next year!

UPDATE:  Since this blog was written the Rhino Handmade label has indeed released multi-CD compilations of Wilson Pickett & Percy Sledge, both of which I am very happy with.