Apples and Peaches for You: It's NRBQ Jukebox 2!

This set of songs that NRBQ taught us starts in 1958 with I Got A Rocket In My Pocket, a single that took Terry Adams over a decade to find after he heard it on the radio as a kid.  Scroll down past Terry's mugshot in this interview for the details.

It's loaded with Q fan favorites: C'mon If You're Coming, Hot Biscuits and Sweet Marie, Wild Weekend, 12 Bar Blues and more (31 songs in all!)

Thanks to blog reader Robert -- who identified Daddy-O as a private press single from a Massachusetts band called The Checkmates -- I finally got my hands on a copy to share with you. It took awhile to find, but nowhere near as long as Terry had to search for Jimmy Lloyd's single!

My Daddy-O 45 isn't in great shape, but Al Santos (seen on the cover of his LP Gaiety Polkas) was in fine form when he cut the tune. The b-side (I Love My Babciu And Dziadziu) is more sentimental. You can get a taste of it in this video of Richie Kendra performing his composition.

There's one more NRBQ Jukebox to come, and it's devoted to the jazz side of NRBQ's repertoire.  But this one's got country music, rock and roll, rockabilly, blues, and a little bit of soul.

The Best Of Ivan Julian

The Outsets, 1983

Ivan Julian (born 1955) has been playing guitar professionally since he was a teenager.  After leaving the Voidoids, Ivan fronted his own band, The Outsets. Tommy Keene was one of the guitarists who auditioned for The Outsets; decades later, he and Ivan toured as an acoustic duo. 

The Outsets were followed by Lovelies, a band led by Cynthia Sley, ex-Bush Tetras (who was married to Ivan at the time.)  Lovelies made a 1988 album called Mad Orphans.  Ivan and Cynthia have a son, Austin Sley Julian, who is in a band called Sediment Club.

Ivan and Cynthia in 1988 (photo from Ffanzeen)

Ivan guested on Sandinista ("Ivan Meets GI Joe" is about him), and he played on solo albums by Bob Pfeifer (ex-Human Switchboard) and Richard Barone (ex-Bongos). While in The Voidoids, Ivan played bass with Jon Tiven's Yankees and on Billy Karloff's The Maniac.

In the 90's, Ivan formed a lasting association with Matthew Sweet.  Ivan played on the Altered Beast, Goodfriend, and Sunshine Lies albums, and performed in Sweet's live band for the better part of the decade.

Ivan Julian with the late Robert Quine

Today I'm sharing the first of two volumes of The Best Of Ivan Julian. This one features recordings from 1976 through 1999: The Voidoids, The Outsets, Lovelies, Lord Boy and other artists who Ivan played with. The next post will feature Ivan's music from the 21st century. He is an incredible guitarist, as well as a talented songwriter, singer, engineer, and producer.

If you don't know Ivan Julian, check out this interview or this one, and watch the 2020 documentary You Don't Know Ivan Julian.

Ring Out The Old With Rough Trade

 

One more trio of Rough Trade singles compilations to end the year. Volume 31 starts with four songs from a young Lucinda Williams, followed by four from James and four from Miracle Legion (with members of The Sugarcubes as guests on "Johnny's Dilemma"). The Assassins shared members with The Mabuses. The set ends with My Jealous God (RT 228).

Vol. 32 includes A.R.K. (aka A.R. Kane), Sandie Shaw, Lucinda Williams' sparkling "Passionate Kisses", The Band Of Holy Joy, and a mini-album (RTM 235) by Two Nice Girls (who cover Donna Summer, The Carpenters, Sonic Youth and the "Speed Racer" theme song).

Vol. 33 opens with little known bands Helter Skelter (my rip) and This Picture, followed by more My Jealous God and A.R. Kane, The Butthole Surfers covering Donovan, and Sudden Sway's Yves St. Raisa remixes. That brings us almost to the end of the singles discography.

A fond farewell to two of my favorite music blogs. Dr. Drunk planned his departure after completing an alphabetical survey of his extensive punk collection. AJ at Téama Ó Chártaí Breataine had no such plans; a hard drive failure decimated his music collection. Readers have encouraged AJ to continue his blog, but he hasn't responded yet. Best wishes for the New Year to music bloggers and readers everywhere.

Whither The End Of The Rough Trade Singles

Vol. 28 starts with another mini-album, Vampire Can Mating Oven (RTM 205) by Camper Van Beethoven.  A spoonerism of a portmanteau!  RT 206 is an EP by a group called Thirst, which had many connections to The Fall.  Martin Bramah was the singer, Karl Burns the drummer.  Thirst guitarist Carrie Lawson was in The Weeds with Simon Wolstencroft (another Fall drummer).  Andrew Berry of The Weeds made a solo single which was the debut release on Mark E. Smith's label, Cog Sinister.  

Shelleyan Orphan is next, followed by another short lived Liverpool group called Stepping Razor, and the Clappers Power EP by Brother D (who recorded the pioneering political rap "How We Gonna Make The Black Nation Rise?")

Vol. 29 opens with The Motorcycle Boy (Meat Whiplash plus the late Alexandra Taylor of Shop Assistants), followed by The Heart Throbs, Craig Davies, Sudden Sway, The Wygals, and the very last Smiths single on Rough Trade (RT 215).

Vol. 30 begins with Gene And Jim Are Into Shakes (who wisely changed their name after this single), followed by Shelleyan Orphan, S.O.B. (Sound Of Bootsy), Sandie Shaw, more Heart Throbs, more Craig Davies, and The Band Of Holy Joy (RT 223). The eight minute Gene and Jim song was split in half on the 7". There was an instrumental version on the b-side of the 12", but nobody needs that much of one song, especially a novelty song that has aged poorly. 

The contents of all previous volumes were assembled from other blogs, mp3 search sites, Soulseek, and my CD collection.  In order to complete today's sets, I had to spend time and money on a few elusive singles. I make sacrifices for you people! Stepping Razor, S.O.B., and The Wygals' b-sides are exclusive world premiere rips.

Kidding aside, I was pleased to discover that "The Room" (b-side of The Wygals' exquisite "Passion") is different from the version that appeared on their must-have LP, Honeyocks In The Whithersoever (ROUGH 134). Wheresoever you may find it, that album is a must! "What Me Worry" is also non-LP, and ends with a hot guitar solo by Gene Holder.

The Little Red Rough Trade Songbook

 Tav Falco photo by Deck Reeks

Here's a twist: Rough Trade releases of cover songs. "Lola" by The Raincoats might be the best-known example. Or maybe it's the Slits' version of "Man Next Door", or Stiff Little Fingers' transposition of "Johnny Was" from Trenchtown to Belfast. 

There are proto-punk classics here from the Velvets, Stooges, Seeds, Troggs, Stones, and Roxy Music; as performed by Cabaret Voltaire, Dr. Mix & The Remix, Shockabilly, and Spizzenergi.

Two songs were written by Mayo Thompson, who was a key figure for Rough Trade from 1979 to 1982. Mayo produced records for The Raincoats, SLF, Scritti, and others. He played guitar for Pere Ubu. And he led a new lineup of The Red Crayola (with fellow RT artists Gina Birch, Lora Logic, Epic Soundtracks, and Allen Ravenstine).

So it's fitting that Galaxie 500 performs The Red Crayola's "Victory Garden" and Mayo himself sings "Horses" (from his 1970 album Corky's Debt To His Father) with Pere Ubu. Galaxie 500 also covers "Final Day" by Young Marble Giants. Weekend (with Alison Statton from YMG) plays her former bandmate Stuart Moxham's song "Carnival Headache". 

Rough Trade released Sandie Shaw's version of "Hand In Glove". And then there's the cover that was allegedly the "last straw" for Johnny Marr: "Work Is A Four-Letter Word". Perhaps he had a few choice four-letter words for Moz before leaving The Smiths. I don't know too much about these things.

Rough Trade was able to release new music from Robert Wyatt because Wyatt's major label contract did not prohibit him from recording other artists' songs. Thanks to this loophole we have Wyatt's breathtaking versions of "Biko" and "At Last I Am Free" (as well as the rest of the singles compiled on Nothing Can Stop Us, and the 1984 EP Work In Progress).

In The Precinct Of On-U Sound

Coneyl Jay photo of Little Annie from DP 21

The first On-U Sound Disco Plates (released in 1982-83) were 10" records that featured Kishi Yamamoto's black and white portraits, each in a bold and angular frame.

A decade later, On-U issued a second series of 10" Disco Plates, this time with monochromatic color sleeves featuring the photography of Coneyl Jay (on DP 21 through DP 27). 

In 2015, the On-U label revived the 10" Disco Plate once again with Kishi's photographs and the classic border design. The latest Disco Plate (DP 62) was released this year to accompany Lee Scratch Perry's Rainford album. (A dub version of this album, entitled Heavy Rain, has been announced for release next month.)

Some of the earliest Disco Plates were compiled in CD form, on Discoplate Collection Part 1 and Part 2. Most of the Disco Plates from the early 1990's remain uncompiled, and some have never seen digital release.

Today we have five of them. Vocalists include Andy Fairley, Bim Sherman, Jesse Rae, and Little Annie, backed by the likes of Dub Syndicate and Strange Parcels. The Little Annie Disco Plates are my vinyl rips. For more of Little Annie, immerse yourself in this epic career-spanning post by my friend Nathan Nothin!

Armageddon Records: Singles Volume 2

Armageddon was a three-headed label: its founders were Richard Bishop, Peter Dyer, and David Loader. Dyer apparently spent a lot of time in Atlanta: his US label Press Records once shared an address with Danny Beard's DB Recs label (as well as Beard's venerable Wax & Facts record store). 

This is why Armageddon's roster included a number of Atlanta and Athens musicians (Kevin Dunn, Method Actors, Pylon, and the Swimming Pool Q's). Some Armageddon releases appeared in the US on the Press and DB labels.

When the three founders parted ways, Richard Bishop* started Aftermath Records* and briefly continued Armageddon's numbering scheme with 12" EP's by Paul Roland (fka Midnight Rags). David Loader started the labels Quiet and Shout. 

Watteau Music, the publishing arm of Armageddon, also released a single by Rhythm Method (a pleasant ska version of Paul Anka's "Diana"). An LP by Rhythm Method was slated to be ARM 13, but was not released.

Prior to the aftermath of Armageddon, another dozen singles appeared, featuring everyone from Adrian Munsey and his orchestra to the brothers Bruce and Guy Woolley; Amsterdam's Schlaflose Nächte; and -- unlikeliest of all -- Geordie's take on "Nutbush City Limits" (recorded after Brian Johnson left Geordie for AC/DC). You'll have to find that last single yourself, if you really want to hear it.

It was when Mythkoz recently posted The Optimists' rousing Oi version of McCartney's "Mull Of Kintyre" that I was inspired to collect the rest of the Armageddon 7" discography. A tip o'the tam o'shanter once again to Old, Weak, But Always A Wanker!

* - not that one. 

SAN FRANCISCO PUNK: First Wave, Part Two (1979-80)

Frankie Fix and Johnny Strike of Crime

Some SF punk bands didn't record until late, and some broke up before their best-known records were released. The Avengers split shortly before their second EP came out in 1979. The Nuns broke up in 1980 (Jennifer Miro left before the '79 single), but they reunited to record their self-titled LP (a joint release by Posh Boy and Bomp! Records).  

The Mutants didn't release a record until 1980. UXA's debut album (also on Posh Boy) came out in 1981. The Offs' album was released in 1984, a year after Don Vinil's death. Crime broke up in 1982 with only three singles to their name. VKTMS also split up in 1982, but reunited in the 90's. VKTMS singer Nyna Crawford died in 2000.

Subterranean Records didn't exist yet when The Tools made their first single, but the No Alternative EP was one of the label's earliest releases. This set also includes the second and third Breakouts singles. (Check the comments for No More, the Breakouts' 12" EP from 1983. Thanks, Nathan!)

Avengers (Jimmy Wilsey on the right)

Johnny Strike (last surviving member of Crime, and a successful novelist) died in 2018, as did Avengers bassist Jimmy Wilsey (who was better known as lead guitarist for Chris Isaak).

In happier news, Penelope Houston will lead the Avengers as opening band on this year's US tour by Stiff Little Fingers.

Returning And Burning With Hypnolovewheel

Hypnolovewheel was among my favorite American bands of the 80's and 90's (along with MX-80 Sound, Redd Kross, Christmas, The Method Actors and The Embarrassment). Each of these groups made music that was brainy, noisy, eccentric and fun. 

In ye olde Trouser Press Record Guide, Byron Coley wrote of Hypnolovewheel: "When they come up with something that's potentially too catchy, Dave Ramirez and Steve Hunking bury it under a small load of six-string noise." The band was also capable of a wistful beauty in songs like "Pleasant Valley" and "Black Hole Of Love".

Hypnolovewheel released five albums between 1988 and 1993. There are also five singles and EP's, including a double 7" called Sybil which devoted one side to each member of the quartet. The Swinging Singles Club blog recently wrote about how ugly those 7" sleeves were. I can't say the LP's were prettier.

playing Bird Box in Long Island

Good news, my fellow Hypnolovewheel fans: these talented gents are still making music! Singer/bassist Dan Cuddy and drummer Peter Walsh formed a group called The Special Pillow!! Their first LP was released in 1994, and they came back with a folky fresh fifth album in 2018!!! 

Dave Ramirez and Stephen Hunking released two singles in 2018 as Grand Union!!!! The cuddly Stephen Hunking and hunky Dan Cuddy made two recent albums as the XL Kings!!!!! And all of these albums and singles are available on Bandkampf!!!!!!

Hypnolovewheel reunited on several occasions to open for Yo La Tengo, as YLT are friends and fans of HPNLVWHL. I found one of those shows on Sugarmegs and tagged the songs. The set includes "Candyman", a strong contender for my Fall-Like compilation. Hope you enjoy these winsome loads of six-string noise and wistful beauty.

Hunking, Cuddy, Ramirez, and Walsh
(or is Walsh on the left and Hunking on the right?)

Everybody's Boring But Pearl Harbour (Part 1)

The singer known as Pearl Harbour was born in 1955 to an American soldier and a Filipino mother, and was raised in Germany with four older brothers. At the age of 17, she moved to San Francisco with ambitions of becoming a country singer. At 18, she joined a dance troupe called the Wood Nymphs. In 1976, Pearl became a dancer for The Tubes (after beating a hundred other performers in a talent contest). She then joined a Tubes-related cabaret act called Leila And The Snakes. "We did four sets a night: punk, cocktail hour, comedy, skits, tap dancing, twirling hula hoops while singing. It was kind of like being in a play. Interesting and fun for awhile, but you got tired of it.... Then I wanted to branch out into rock and roll." Leila And The Snakes released a 1978 single called "Rock & Roll Weirdos".  Pearl, John Hanes (drums) and Hilary Hanes (bass) split from the Snakes, added guitarist Peter Bilt, and formed Pearl Harbor and the Explosions. Their debut single Drivin' was a local hit in SF for 415 Records, and was re-released by Warner Bros. A self-titled album followed.

The Explosions imploded after two world tours. "I wanted the show to be more wild rock & roll. They were more interested in jazz, funk, and rhythm & blues and a little bit straighter kind of show," Pearl recalled in an interview. (The Explosions did perform the Sparkletones' classic Black Slacks and Pearl's rockabilly tune Nerves.) The Explosions' drummer and bassist John and Hilary Hanes (aka the Stench brothers) joined Damon Edge and Helios Creed in Chrome. Pearl moved to London, where she knew members of the punk and pub rock scenes. Pearl had a contract with Warners for a solo album. She wrote songs with guitarist Nigel Dixon (from British rockabilly band Whirlwind) and pianist Geraint "Otis" Watkins. Micky Gallagher from Ian Dury's Blockheads was the producer. Musicians who participated in the sessions included Paul Simonon and his brother Nick, Mick Jones, Topper Headon, Wilko Johnson, Steve New, Steve Goulding, and BJ Cole. Pearl's first single was a cover of Fujiyama Mama (first recorded by Anisteen Allen, then made famous by Pearl's rockabilly role model Wanda Jackson), with Pearl's original composition Nerves on the flipside.

The music on Pearl's debut solo album, Don't Follow Me, I'm Lost Too (1980), ranged from rockabilly to country (Losing To You), girl groups (Everybody's Boring But My Baby), New Orleans R&B (Let's Go Upstairs), and the autobiographical Filipino Baby. The LP was a showcase for Pearl's eclectic taste, her sense of humor, and the expressive range of her voice. According to her website, Pearl didn't think it suited the spirit of the punk era to print the all-star guest list on the album cover. 

Pearl and Paul Simonon married in 1982. There are live videos from this period of Pearl singing Fujiyama Mama with the Clash, and Pearl and Wilko Johnson joining the Stray Cats onstage at Montreux for Be Bop A Lula. Wilko produced Pearl's next single, a cover of Voodoo Voodoo (first recorded by LaVern Baker). Pearl's next album was recorded at Abbey Road. Nigel Dixon, Otis Watkins and BJ Cole were back, along with members of Tenpole Tudor. Warners didn't pick it up, but Pearls Galore (1983) was released in Japan, on Epic/Sony.

Another album (also called Pearls Galore) was recorded with producer Richard Gottehrer and a Japanese punk band called The Mods. Nigel Dixon and Chris Spedding also contributed guitar work. This LP was released by in Europe by Island Records in 1984. Some of the songs from the previous album were rerecorded, along with a new version of Nerves and covers of the Rocky Fellers' Killer Joe and the Buddy Knox hit Hula Love. Gottehrer had produced the Go-Go's, Blondie, and other New Wave artists, but his songwriting and production credits go back to the girl group era. He seemed to be a perfect match for Pearl (who had been singing the Shangri-Las' song Out In The Streets since she was in Leila And The Snakes), but the album and its singles didn't chart. Pearl made several tours of Japan with The Mods between 1983 and 1985. After her marriage ended in 1987, she moved back to SF. Her former writing partner Nigel Dixon joined her ex-husband Paul Simonon in the short-lived band Havana 3 A.M. Nigel Dixon died in 1993. Pearl is alive and well (and still gorgeous), and she occasionally performs in LA and SF.

First photo of Pearl (with Leila And The Snakes) by Chester Simpson.  Third photo by Richard McCaffree (from the 1980 book X-Capees).  Second and fourth photo (with The Mods) appeared on Pearl Harbour's Instagram. Pearl noted that she lived for three years in the storage shed seen in the second photo. Interview quotes from Mary Campbell, "Singer Pearl Harbour has curious past, bright future." (AP)

Subterranean Miscellanea: Arkansaw Man

Patrick LoVullo and Stephen Clarke (trombonist unknown). Photo: Jeanne Hansen

Arkansaw Man was a trio that was part of the SF scene at Club Foot and The Sound Of Music clubs. Arkansaw Man's discography is limited to a single on Subterranean Records; an EP on Club Foot founder Richard Kelly's Modern Masters label; and two compilation tracks (one of which I can't find: an Epitapes cassette called The Beauty Of The Warning).

Arkansaw Man was led by guitarist Stephen Bartholomew Clarke.  He and bassist Patrick LoVullo also played trumpet. Arkansaw Man drummer Glenn Sorvisto had played in Houston punk band The Hates. In the 90's he was part of the Oakland improv scene and drummed for a trio called Happy New Year. Sorvisto died in 2012.

According to Tom Mallon's recording discography, Stephen Clarke played on a 1983 demo by The American Music Club.  He also played on Phantom Limbs' second album (released in 1986). Clarke was later in the groups Servants Of The Public Wheel, Critical Chip, Pluto, and Can vocalist Malcolm Mooney's Tenth Planet. Here is a video of Clarke and other Pluto members performing with Malcolm Mooney in 2010.

Clarke has released two albums of solo acoustic guitar: 2005's Roots N Hubris and 2012's Tomorrow's Train. He has a Youtube channel with videos of several unreleased Arkansaw Man songs that were recorded with Mallon in 1983.

Ten years ago, a Table Of The Elements offshoot label called Radium reissued Arkansaw Man's 1982 EP. From the sleeve notes: "With a brilliant economy of means and a sparseness reminiscent of dub, the band got an amazing jump start on the whole post-Slint, post-Gastr, post-Rock thing." On the EP's first track, "The Ballroom Song", members of the Club Foot Orchestra and a SF quintet called The Varve guest on saxes, trombone, and clarinet.  

LoVullo, Clarke, and Sorvisto (photo by Jeanne Hansen)

Subterranean Miscellanea: Wounds

Paul Casteel (photo by Rebecca G. Wilson)

Wounds (sometimes spelled Woundz) formed after Paul Casteel and Chris Coon split from the early SF punk band (Impatient) Youth.  Paul played bass in (Impatient) Youth, but became the singer for Wounds.  Chris Coon (drums) also played briefly with SF trio No Alternative. Wounds self-released a 12" EP in 1981 (with now famous producer David Kahne). Wounds also appeared on Let Them Eat Jellybeans, the Eastern Front live LP, and Subterranean's Red Spot comp. 

Another SF band called Tanks made a 1981 single "Bongo Congo" b/w "March Of The Slugs". The b-side was cowritten by Casteel and Wounds flautist Susy Delkman. Casteel and Tanks guitarist Susan Miller were also on the Bruce Lose single. Susan Miller later played with Bad Posture and Frightwig. Tanks' bassist and drummer joined Pop-O-Pies -- more Subterranean connections!

Black Athletes
(photo by Jennifer Patterson)

Paul Casteel later formed SF bands Black Athlete (who appeared on Thrasher Magazine's first Skate Rock tape), House Of Wheels (Skate Rock #6), and Touch Me Hooker (with Jimmy from Crucifix Tony Guerrero from Free Beer). Casteel was one of the first skaters on Jak's Team (along with Johnathan Henrickson from the Toiling Midgets). In 2007, Casteel sang with No Politics at a benefit for Mabuhay Gardens' owner Ness Aquino. No Politics was a one-off SF "supergroup" that included East Bay Ray (DK's), Steve DePace (Negative Trend, Flipper), Dave Chavez (Sick Pleasure, Code Of Honor, Verbal Abuse), and Bruno de Smartass (Red Asphalt, Sluglords, Bad Posture, Flipper). In 2008, Casteel sang with the reunited Negative Trend (DePace, Craig Gray, and Paul Hood). 

In the late 1970's -- while Casteel and Chris Coon were in (Impatient) Youth -- Negative Trend and The Sleepers spawned Flipper and the Toiling Midgets. Steve DePace and Will Shatter (both of Negative Trend) formed Flipper with Ricky Williams (Sleepers) and Ted Falconi (whose band SST made a 1978 EP produced by Tommy Tadlock!) Flipper soon replaced Ricky Williams with Bruce Loose. Tim Mooney (Sleepers) and Craig Gray (Negative Trend) formed Toiling Midgets with Paul Hood and Johnathan Henrickson, and Ricky Williams joined as singer.

Anyway, back to Wounds...  Wounds was Casteel (vocals), Chris Coon (drums), Susy Deikman (flute), Anthony Fisher (guitar), and Jay Lehman (bass). The four song self-titled EP is my rip, and I added the tracks from Red Spot and Eastern Front, plus the Black Athletes song from Thrasher's Skate Rock tape. The latter four songs were recorded by Tom Mallon (bassist in Toiling Midgets, American Music Club and the final lineup of Negative Trend). Tom Mallon recorded many SF punk records for Subterranean and other labels). He died in 2014. You can peruse Mallon's incredible list of recording credits here (which include the first Wounds demo, possibly the source of the Red Spot songs).

Wounds (photo by Chester Simpson)