An Alternative History of "Pop" Music

[famethrowa]

their version of Zappa's Help, I'm a Rock.

What?? It's barely even a song!

[Brundle-Fly]

Party Music - Show Out - Francis Lai   Released in 1967 on Decca (OST)



Francis in action



Funky Beach Boys-esque number from the obligatory party/club scene from any 1960s romp/ thriller. In this case, one of Michael Winner's early directorial outings. I've never seen it but have had the soundtrack for donkeys, picked up on the strength of the cover. I think I might have to finally seek the movie out as it sounds right up my Carnaby. Phenomenal cast.

Here's an interesting bit of controversy about the film from Wiki.

In the United States, the film was denied a MPAA seal of approval due to a scene between Oliver Reed and Carol White which supposedly implied cunnilingus.[2] Winner, in his audio commentary, said he considered the scene to show masturbation. The Catholic League inaccurately described it as "fellatio".[citation needed] Universal distributed the film through a subsidiary that was not a member of the MPAA. Along with a similar scene in Charlie Bubbles (1967), this helped to bring about the end of the Production Code in the US and its replacement with a ratings system.

The film has been incorrectly named as the first mainstream film to propose the use in the dialogue of fuck. In fact, the BBFC certified the film after demanding the removal, or at least obscuring, of the word fucking in June 1967, three months later than Ulysses, which suffered heavier cuts. The error seems to have arisen because of a longstanding lack of easily obtainable film release date information.

Said track is at the 11:03 mark

Party Music - Show Out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok19gvskOzU

[daf]

Mike Stevens & The Shevelles - Go-Go Train



Released in January 1967 as the B-side of "Cathys Clown" - did not chart

The Shevelles started off in Cardiff in Wales in the mid 1960's.  Their roots go back to 1962 when Brian Davies teamed up with Tony Sheveton and Dave Edmunds to form The Raiders.  Tony departed to go solo and Edmunds would later emerge in the early 1970's as a solo act.

Brian Davies "I went on to form a new band with Mike Stevens (guitar/singer), Eddie Lace, (lead guitar), Trevor Lewis (piano), Bob Jones (drums) and myself on bass.  We called ourselves "The Afro Cuban Combo".  God knows where we got that name from and I think it was early 1963 we entered an all Wales group competition.  The prize was a recording contract with Oriole records.  One of the judges was John Schroder the A and R man for Oriole.  We went on to win the competition, beating a group called Tommy Scott and the Senators who went on to become Tom Jones and the Squires."

 

Brian Davies "When we went up to London to live, Oriole Records thought because we were friends with Tony Sheveton, it might be ideal to team up with him and change the group name to the Shevells, and record under the name "Tony Sheveton and the Shevells".   Tony went on to have a solo hit in Australia called "A Million Drums".  That is when Mike took over lead vocals and we became The Shevells."

Davies departed at this point to join The Riot Squad, and was replaced by Geoff Mcarthy from Cardiff. The Shevells played often at the Flamingo Club in Wardour St, London with Georgie Game and the Blue Flames.

Brian Davies "Mike was a great singer and should have done more and so should Tony Sheveton. Both came back to Cardiff in Wales in the early 70's.  Mike joined the band in the top rank and Tony and myself ended up resident in local nightclubs."

Released in 1967, but with all the name-checks of the big movers and groovers on the mod scene - I'd have guessed this would have been from 1965 or 1966 at the latest!

I can imagine this playing in a discotheque scene in ITC's The Baron  - as our hero tracks down some stolen antiques on their way to East Germany, while lovely Sue Lloyd mingles with the plastic-skirted dollybirds on the dancefloor.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[As far as I can tell, although they both emerged on the scene at around the same time, Mike Stevens isn't the same bloke as Meic Stevens - who was a folk singer who sang mainly in Welsh.]

[Brundle-Fly]

Rain  - The Sunshine Company   Released in 1967 on Imperial.



As it's lavly 'n' sunny, here's some more sunshine pop from some more sappy but lovable Californian hippies. Sunny but we might have light showers later, so here's their take on The Beatles Rain. One of the Fabs' finest tunes and rarely covered back then (or even since?).

The Sunshine Company was an American sunshine pop band from Los Angeles, California. Originally the duo of Mary Nance and Maury Manseau, the group later added the rhythm section of bassist Larry Sims and drummer Merel Bregante and signed to Imperial Records, releasing their debut album in 1967. They scored three hit singles on the U.S. singles chart over the next two years before disbanding after their third album, 1968's self-titled effort. Sims and Bregante later backed Loggins and Messina.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjbKzEArV-s

[purlieu]

Transparent Day by The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band

The Eighth Day - Building With A Steeple

https://youtu.be/ra_7B44pr4Q

Couple of stunners there. The west-coast stuff never had a massive impact on me - lacking the ludicrous whimsy of the British music hall stuff and the grittier underbelly of the likes of The Zombies - so it's lovely to find some stuff that I like.

[purlieu]

The Moody Blues - Twilight Time

Days of Future Passed is the second album and first concept album by English prog rock band The Moody Blues, released in November 1967 by Deram Records. With its fusion of orchestral and rock elements, it has been cited as one of the first examples of progressive rock. Keyboardist Mike Pinder had purchased a Mellotron, a tape replay keyboard, and written a song, 'Dawn is a Feeling' as a starting point for a concept piece about a day in the life of everyday man. Written by the Moody Blues' flautist Ray Thomas, 'Twilight Time' primarily describes the scene in the sky after the sun has set. It is one of the more upbeat songs on the album (along with 'Peak Hour'), played in a brooding minor key, and also has a heavy psychedelic rock sound to it.

The track is part of the 'Evening' suite with the more eastern sounding 'The Sunset'. Although 'The Sunset' is a lovely piece in itself, I really wanted to highlight how great this two minute stomper is.

[daf]

Carneby? . . .

Andy Fisher - Carneby Street   



Released, as the B-side of "Der Babyspeck ist weg", in Germany in May 1967

Andy Fisher - (who also worked under the names Johnny Fischer and Christian Dornaus) - was born Johann Ernst Fischer. He worked a thin seam of vaguely humorous novelty songs, mainly released in Germany from the mid 60's to early 1970's.

His second single, "Mr Cannibal", (b/w "Computer Nr 9"), was released in October 1966, and yes, I'm only mentioning it so I can post the outrageous picture-sleeve!

 

[Brundle-Fly]

The beginning of that sounds like The Residents!

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

More sunshine pop...

Another Day, Another Heartache by The 5th Dimension



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbcHE_B6xTc

One of the finest vocal groups of the era, the 5th Dimension scored loads of big hits - but this wasn't one of them. Written by top pop duo Steve Barri and P.F. Sloan, it's typical of the sunshine pop genre in that the technicolor melody and arrangement mask a downbeat lyric. Also, more sitar.

The 5th Dimension are an American popular music vocal group, whose repertoire includes pop, R&B, soul, jazz, light opera and Broadway: this melange was called "Champagne Soul".

They became well known during the late 1960s and early 1970s for their popular hit songs Up, Up and Away, Stoned Soul Picnic, Medley: Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures), Wedding Bell Blues, One Less Bell to Answer, Never My Love and (Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep at All, as well as the 1967 album The Magic Garden (an ambitious song cycle written and produced by the great Jimmy Webb).

Some of the songwriters popularised by the 5th Dimension went on to careers of their own, especially Ashford & Simpson, who wrote California Soul. The group is also notable for having more success with the songs of Laura Nyro than Nyro did herself.

P. F. Sloan was an American pop-rock singer and songwriter. He was very successful during the mid-1960s, writing, performing, and producing Billboard Top 20 hits for artists such as Barry McGuire, The Searchers, Jan and Dean, Herman's Hermits, Johnny Rivers, The Grass Roots, The Turtles and The Mamas and the Papas. Sloan's signature song is Eve of Destruction, a 1965 US number one (and UK no. 3) for Barry McGuire. Many of his songs were written in collaboration with Steve Barri. Their partnership yielded two US Top Ten hits — Herman's Hermits' A Must to Avoid and Johnny Rivers's Secret Agent Man.

In 1970 fellow songwriter Jimmy Webb composed a tribute song titled P.F. Sloan.

[daf]

Please welcome Peter Lorenzo and The Guys Now Dancers . . .

Burt Bacharach - Bond Street



Released as a single in the UK in May 1967 -  did not chart

Originally appearing as "Home James, Don't Spare the Horses" on the soundtrack of the 1967 spoof James Bond film Casino Royale.

 

The track was dusted down, re-arranged and re-titled "Bond Street" for a single release, and was also included on Burt Bacharach's 1967 album Reach Out.

[jamiefairlie]

John Williams - Flowers In Your Hair

https://youtu.be/3sTR9XB7NRA



Not the "light classical" guitarist fellow. This John Williams was the lead vocalist in a band called The Authentics before recording his only album and this single.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

The Sun Lights Up The Shadows of Your Mind by First Crow to the Moon



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_5pfzKpWow

Another group who released just one single before vanishing into the haze. They were from Brooklyn, and a young Chris Stein, later of Blondie, was apparently a fan. He'd turn up at rehearsals and provide them with grass. Sadly, their singer died of leukemia in 1968 and the devastated group went their separate ways.

This B-side is an organ-driven psychedelic stormer.

[Oz Oz Alice]

I'm very impressed with that one, particularly the keys and the tape trickery. That's been added to my garage play list.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

What?? It's barely even a song!

I suppose you have to admire the perversity of not only covering it in the first place, but also releasing it as a single.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpPghmWhY-g

[daf]

The Timebox - Walking Through The Streets Of My Mind 



Released as the B-side to 'Don't Make Promises' in October 1967 - did not chart

'The Take 5' formed in 1965 in Southport, with the following members: Ollie Halsall - vibraphone, guitar  /  Chris Holmes - piano, organ  /  Kevan Fogarty - lead guitar and vocals  /  Clive Griffiths - bass  /  and Geoff Dean - drums.

The band turned professional and went to London in October 1966. They were soon working on package tours with The Kinks, The Small Faces, Tommy Quickly, and Lou Christie, as well as having a residency at the Whisky A Go Go. They then added the US singer Richard Henry, and the band changed their name to Timebox, an American term for a prison cell.

Signed to Piccadilly Records in February 1967, they released two singles including the groovy "Soul Sauce" in April 1967.

 

Following this, Henry returned to the United States. Drummer Geoff Dean contracted tuberculosis and was replaced by Andy Petre. Mike Patto then joined the band, and took on a prominent role as vocalist and songwriter. When Petre quit, the drum stool was filled by John Halsey. They signed to Deram, and released the single 'Don't Make Promises' in October 1967.

Couldn't decide between this and 'Soul Sauce' - so I've sneakily sneaked both in!

[purlieu]

Very much overdue, my Shadows contribution for 1967...
The Shadows - Maroc 7

Maroc 7 is a 1967 British thriller film directed by Gerry O'Hara and starring Gene Barry, Elsa Martinelli, Leslie Phillips and Denholm Elliott. The screenplay concerns an international jewel thief who hatches a plan to go to Morocco and steal a valuable artifact.

The theme song was an instrumental by the Shadows: "Maroc 7" rose to No. 24 on the UK singles chart in April 1967.

With some unusual guitar sounds, some exotic instrumentation, a drum solo in the middle and an Eastern sounding melody, the track is about the closest The Shads came to doing a psychedelic track.

[Brundle-Fly]

Flower Power Fred - Harry. H. Corbett With The Unidentified Flower Objects. Released on Decca in 1967.





Another record from the days when women were called 'birds' and men drank Pale Ale.  It's interesting that Harry was supposed to be miffed that he was never taken seriously as a dramatic actor after Steptoe & Son but surely he didn't do himself many favours compounding his comedic presence with daft novelty pop singles like this?  Great fun!

Corbett recorded multiple 45rpm records, most of which were novelty songs based upon the rag-and-bone character, including "Harry, You Love Her" and "Junk Shop".He recorded a number of sea shanties and folk songs. In 1973, he recorded an album titled Only Authorised Employees To Break Bottles which was a "showcase of accents", with songs from Corbett in a range of accents, including Liverpudlian, Brummie, and Mancunian; the title echoes a notice which is visible in the bottle-smashing scene in the film 'The Bargee'. The album was recorded in 1973 and released in 1974 on the Torquay, Devon-based RA record label with support from the seventies folk band 'Faraway Folk': Including the album, he released over 30 songs.

Flower Power Fred
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=32&v=ABjhYMA5xiM&feature=emb_logo

The B-side

I'm Saving All My Love'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=8&v=Wv5qxliziFg&feature=emb_logo

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

I know we keep saying this, but honestly, this thread just keeps on giving. Fabulous.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

96 Tears by Big Maybelle



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlGf7y5S6IU

The redoubtable R&B belter wraps herself around ? and The Mysterians' rinky dink garage rock classic. Maybelle's version is funkier, fuller, she sells the living hell out of it. The single never got any higher than #96 in the U.S. hit parade.

Mabel Louise Smith, known professionally as Big Maybelle, was an American R&B singer. Her 1956 hit single Candy received the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1999.

In 1955 she recorded Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On, produced by an up-and-coming Quincy Jones, a full two years before Jerry Lee Lewis. He credited Smith as being the inspiration to make his version much louder, raunchier and more raucous (which, in typically self-effacing Killer style, sounds like he was implying that his version was better).

By 1967, the hits had long since dried up, but as evinced by this recording she'd lost none of her arresting vocal presence. She died in 1972, aged 47.

[jamiefairlie]

The Lamp Of Childhood, - First Time, Last Time

https://youtu.be/pzBktQar-qw



Short-lived American folk rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1966. The band was founded by Jim Hendricks, husband of Cass Elliot. Elliot and Hendricks previously performed together in the New York-based folk trio The Big 3.

The band released three singles which failed to chart and disbanded in 1967.

[daf]

The Exception - Gaberdine Saturday Night Street Walker



Released in June 1967 - did not chart

The Hooties were formed in Birmingham during the summer of 1966 with drummer Alan "Bugsy" Eastwood and guitarist Roger Hill (both former members of The Brumbeats), plus Tony Clarkson on bass guitar.

Dave Pegg (from The Uglys) was recruited to replace Tony Clarkson who left later that year to join World Of Oz. One of Pegg's friends was Robert Plant who recommended The Hooties to music publisher Eddie Kassner which gained the band a recording contract with CBS.



Re-naming themselves 'The Exceptions' their first single release was recorded at Regent Sound studios in London. Robert Plant actually played tambourine on the A-side titled 'The Eagle Flies On Friday', released in March 1967.

Dave Pegg : "Bobby Hill (Roger's brother) had a brainwave to 'buy' the record into the charts so he toured the shops buying our record by the box full."

Unfortunately, the New Music Express and Melody Maker had just been alerted about this type of activity so the retail figures for that week were ignored. The record did however attract interest in Germany where the band performed it live on the popular TV show 'Beat Club'.

A second single titled 'Gaberdine Saturday Night Street Walker' was issued, with the band's name now shortened to 'The Exception'. Shortly after, Dave Pegg left the band, and the following year, would join Fairport Convention.

[daf]

Back for another nibble . . .

The Crocheted Doughnut Ring - Happy Castle 



Released in December 1967 as the B-side to "Havana Anna" - did not chart

Though a flop B-side in the UK, "Happy Castle" became a minor hit in Japan.

 

The band called it quits in early 1969, with some of the members going onto form the offshoot band River. Decca decided to turn down the band, and they fell apart as quickly as they formed.

[daf]

Kippington Lodge - Shy Boy 



Released in October 1967 - did not chart

Nick Lowe first met Brinsley Schwarz at the Woodbridge School, where they made music as Sounds 4+1 with Barry Landerman and Phil Hall.  Lowe assumed bass duties and Schwarz guitar, while Landerman handled keyboards and Hall also guitar. 

After leaving school, Lowe, already used to a nomadic existence as his father was in the Royal Air Force, decided to go and see some more of the world, leaving Schwarz to return to his native Tunbridge Wells in Kent. Here Schwarz formed Three's A Crowd with Pete Whale (drums) and Dave Cottam (bass) - who were signed to EMI in 1967, and with the return of Barry Landerman, changed their name to Kippington Lodge.

 

The band attracted enough local buzz to come to the attention of EMI's Parlophone label and producer Mark Wirtz. After releasing the singles 'Grocer Jack' and 'Sam', Mark Wirtz was still beavering away on his Teenage Opera. Another song intended for it, "Shy Boy", was given to Kippington Lodge, and released as their first single. The group were dissapointed to find that the musical backing had already been recorded by Wirtz and session musicians, and they were only required to provide the vocals.

 

It was around the same time that Dave Cottam left the band, and Nick Lowe filled the vacancy on bass, and would soon be penning songs for the group.  Barry Landerman left to join Vanity Fare, Bob Andrews joined on keyboards and Pete Whale's exit paved the way for Billy Rankin to join the band. In 1970, with the addition of Ian Gomm on rhythm guitar, Kippington Lodge morphed into the band 'Brinsley Schwarz'.

[Brundle-Fly]

It Sure Is Groovy -  Quincy Jones feat. Gil Bernal Released on UA in 1967





A cracking number from a cracking Quincy Jones soundtrack for a cracking film. Another music god for whom we should be proud to be living in his time. I haven't gone for the Ray Charles title track (that was tough) but have picked this lilting soul tune instead sung by Gil Bernal.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM8eiWcc7CM

[purlieu]

Kippington Lodge - Shy Boy 



Released in October 1967 - did not chart

I prefer this to Tomorrow's version purely for that intro!

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Bill Fay - Some Good Advice

https://youtu.be/bvUP6BRPf-s



From London, this was his debut single. He recorded two albums but dropped out of view by 1971. However, he became something a cult figure for later folkies and those two albums were re-issued in 1998 to great acclaim. He then returned and has produced a few albums of new material in the last few years.

The B-side, Screams in the Ears, is hilariously misanthropic. It's young Mr Fay at a boring party full of dreadful people, wishing he was anywhere but there. It makes Dylan at his most acidic sound like Lorraine Kelly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PxbafDkN7o

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

She May Call You Up Tonight by The Left Banke



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aNM6l0l3NY

The melancholy monarchs of baroque 'n' roll, the Banke are best known for Walk Away Renee and Pretty Ballerina. This perfect pop tune was released in May 1967, a surefire hit in the making. Friends, it never even cracked the top 100. The band broke up for the first time in 1969.

But their influence on the delicate likes of Belle & Sebastian and the Elephant 6 collective is obvious. They weren't forgotten.

In 1967, tensions between songwriter/keyboardist Michael Brown and the rest of the band soon began to surface. When Walk Away Renee belatedly became a hit, the original band had become inactive. Brown decided to capitalise on the single's success by assembling a new version of The Left Banke for touring purposes. This line-up featured future Spinal Tap member Michael McKean on guitar. Well fancy that!

[jamiefairlie]

Vogues - Just What I've Been Looking For

https://youtu.be/w6GyN842Xz4



Another slice (ray?) of US sunshine pop....

[daf]

The Uglys - And The Squire Blew His Horn 



Released in August 1967 - did not chart

The Uglys evolved from a late 1950s line-up called "The Dominettes". By 1963, the Dominettes were re-named "The Uglys". When interviewed for the Midland Beat newspaper, the group said; "It brings us embarrassing moments but we are achieving our object by using the name. You see, interest is aroused as soon as we are advertised to appear anywhere. People come along to see if we really are ugly!"

Like many West Midlands bands, The Uglys were sent over to Germany in 1964 where they played a two month engagement in Munster. At the time, vocalist Steve Gibbons and drummer Jim Holden still worked day jobs which they had to give up. Their guitarist Alan Pierce decided not to go so was replaced by keyboardist John Gordon. The long hours of performing in Germany added little to their wallets but certainly helped the group become a much tighter sounding unit.

Eventually, the Uglys secured a recording contract with the delicious Pye label, and the first release from the group in 1965 was an original song entitled 'Wake Up My Mind'. Surprisingly, the single was a hit in Australia and New Zealand where the record received considerable airplay.

 

In 1966, there were more changes in the Uglys line-up with the departure of Bob Burnett along with John Hustwayte who went to live in South Africa. Roger Hill, who was considered one of Birmingham's best guitarists, was selected to replace Burnett. John Hustwayte's replacement was a young guitarist named Dave Pegg from a local band called Roy Everett's Blueshounds. Pegg had auditioned as guitarist for The Uglys but when Roger Hill got the job, Steve Gibbons offered Dave the position of bass guitarist.

in 1967, Dave Pegg left to join a new local group called The Exception, and was replaced by Dave Morgan from a local band called Blaises.

Dave Morgan : "I went to see them play at the Hen & Chickens pub in Langley. Steve performed every song with a voluminous show of theatrical gestures, acting out the lyrics in a deliberate melodrama, something I had not seen done before. For one song he came on with an enormous long brass instrument. He blew down it with his characteristic show of pomp and circumstance, to the song 'And The Squire Blew His Horn'. All this was quite a novelty to me at the time!"

[purlieu]

The Uglys - And The Squire Blew His Horn 



Released in August 1967 - did not chart

Bloody hell.