The Radio Stars - "Radio Stars Radio Sessions 1977-1978) (a Die or DIY? Compilation)

Another one of those groups the music press didn't like in 1977/8 because they were older and reminded those journalists of themselves. Just a couple of years before 1977 these very same Journalists were singing the praises of Genesis, Bruce Springsteen and Lynard Skynard.
The Radio Stars had Andy Ellison of 1967-era John's Children, and were basically Glam band 'Jet' rebranded as Punky Power Pop. If you listened to Jet's 1975 album, they sound like a slightly slower Radio Stars, so maybe they weren't totally jumping on the Punk Bus after all?
It all sounds very Eddie and the Hot Rods style Pub Rock fused with the more edible parts of Punk Rock, with lashings of tongue in cheek humour.
Well I always thought they were a rather good fun band,who didn't take themselves or anything else very seriously.....that could describe The Damned,but they had better press and were a tad cooler for the kids.

Track Listing:

Peel Session 17/05/1977:

1 No Russians In Russia
2 Dear Prudence
3 Dirty Pictures
4 Horrible Breath

Peel session 07/11/1977:

5 Is It Really Necessary
6 Don't Waste My Time
7 The Beast Of Barnsley
8 Good Personality

Peel Session 4/9/1978:

9 Sitting In The Rain
10 Radio Stars
11 Sex In Chains Blues
12 Boy Meets Girl

Capital Radio Session 5/1978:

13 From A Rabbit
14 The Beast Of Barnsley
15 Dirty Pictures

DOWNLOAD radio to kill the video star HERE!

Fruit Eating Bears - "Singles, Demo's,and Live 1977/78" (a Die or DIY? Compilation)

Once described as a South London Charity shop Ramones, due to their standard garb of leather jackets and t-shirts. The Fruit Eating Bears are a fine example of Pub Rockers embracing (or exploiting) the Punk Rock sound and merging it with their own sixties R&B sound. Not unlike The Pirates, but without the raw meat.
They even donated a tune for Mick Green and the boys, who did a version of the Bears' own "1.30 2.30 3.35"; which they wrote for Lew Lewis.(The recording here has exactly the same backing track that Lew used!)
There is a strong element of bandwagon jumping in their sound.That tongue in cheekiness kind of fake punk that The Alan Milman Sect carried off so successfully.I suppose the Fruit Eating Bears were a paler version of that, but in a Pub Rock stylee. 
However their main claim to fame, and the first time I saw them, was as a surprise entry into the UK heats of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1978.A lame concession to the passing New Wave fad by the BBC i wager. I of course announced "Door In My Face" as my favourite to my mum, and it finished 11th out of 12 songs. In hindsight it was by far the best song naturally.Check out the video below:

Tracklist:

1 Door In My Face
2 Going Thru' The Motions 
3 Chevy Heavy 
4 Fifties Cowboy
5 1.30 2.30 3.35
6 Indian Giver
7 Love Comes In Spurts
8 Flirt In A Skirt
9 High School Lover (In The U.K.) 
10 Shop Door Squeeze
11 I Don't Wanna Be The One
12 Egyptian P.T. 
13 Green Love
14 Remand Wing 
15 Seven And Seven Is
16 Flies
17 Heaven (In The Palm Of My Hand)
18 I Met Her In Her Magazine
19 Croydon Girls
20 Disco Bop
21 I'm Down

DOWNLOAD the only group with a eurovision entry on this blog HERE!

The Bishops ‎– "Cross Cuts" (Chiswick Records ‎– CWK 3009) 1979

The (Count) Bishops' swansong was probably their best album; mainly because its production values, commercially viable for that particular epoch, appeals to my media conditioned reflex that has never left me since 1979. Conceptually, the rougher production of their earlier work is superior, but for sheer joy of listening, otherwise known as 'entertainment'; this work, with the power pop setting button depressed on the automated mixing desk, is a better and more exciting listen.
Unfortunately, shortly after recording this , main man Zenon de Fleur was killed in a car accident in his beloved Aston Martin, to join Jonny Kidd, Eddie Cochran, and Marc Bolan among the Rock'n'Roll elect who died on British roads in a British car.
The tracks are the usual aggressively played  cover versions mixed in with a few self-penned punky R&B numbers. Fleetwood Mac's "Somebody's Gonna Get Their Headkicked in Tonight" makes another welcome appearance.

Tracklist:

I Take What I Want
Could You Would You
What's Your Number
Your Daddy Don't Mind
Good Times
Too Much Too Soon
Rolling Man
I Want Candy
Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight
Hands On The Wheel
Don't Start Me Talkin'
These Arms Of Mine
No Lies
Mr. Jones

DOWNLOAD or get your head kicked in tonight HERE!

The Bishops ‎– "Live!" (Chiswick Records ‎– CH 7) 1978

In and around 1978, record companies, in all their wisdom, thought that making an act who wasn't selling enough units, change their name to sound more 'Punky' would solve the problem. They  had Eddie and the Hot Rods shorten their name to just, 'The Rods' , The Ruts became 'Ruts', and The Count Bishops became "The Bishops". Unsurprisingly this just caused confusion and sales reduced even further. What happens then is release a cheap live mini-album as a loss-leader to reel in the unsuspecting punter.....wait a minute isn't this that pub rock group The Count Bishops?.....no...it's The Bishops, new wave band, slurred the Chiswick marketing manager.
This 10" mini album, was, incidentally, recorded live at the Roundhouse in Chalk Farm London 18th Feb 1978.
It captures The (Count) Bishops at their best, in a live environment, with their slightly more punkyfied guitar sounds for the 1978 audience.

Tracklist:

Too Much Too Soon 2:40
Till The End Of The Day 1:57
Taking It Easy 3:07
Train Train 3:05
Someone's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight 2:32
Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White 2:25
Don't Start Me Talking 2:23
Baby You're Wrong 2:27
I Don't Like It 2:01
I Want Candy 3:10

DOWNLOAD this 10 inch bishop HERE!

The Count Bishops ‎– "Good Gear" (Dynamite ‎– DYR 33001) 1977

More honest unpretentious new wave of rock'n'roll from Pub Rock legends The Count Bishops. This one was only released in continental europe, probably because they didn't wear designer punk clothing from capitalist puppet and future  'Dame', Vivienne Westwoods silly shops. Gimmie dirty old flares, afghan coats and long hair in 1977 over bondage strides with bumflap any day. True anti-fashion.

Tracklist:

A1 Don't Start Cryin' Now 2:04
A2 Shake 2:08
A3 Walkin' The Dog 3:38
A4 Somebody 2:50
A5 I Want Candy 3:23
A6 Wang-Dang-Doodle 5:37
B1 Dear Dad 1:40
B2 Confessin' The Blues 3:25
B3 Little By Little 2:40
B4 Carol 2:35
B5 Bye Bye Johnny B. Good 2:00
B6 Dust My Blues 2:50
B7 Shake Your Moneymaker 2:38

DOWNLOAD and get your arse into gear HERE!

The Count Bishops ‎– "The Count Bishops" (Chiswick WIK 1) 1977

Nowadays, a band playing primarily covers of sixties tunes would be regarded as a bit of a cruise ship act. But back in 1975/6 it was very difficult to actually find the original records by, for example The Kinks.One really had to seek them out. There was no reissue culture at all, and no iTunes (good), so it was nigh on impossible to own these songs, or even more so, to see a group play them live with a bit of balls.
What puts the Count Bishops above the standard modern saturday night pub act (on between the Karaoke and the quiz) is their punky rock attitude and passionate delivery.By 1975 this attitude had all but disappeared; time had slowed down, and the mid sixties seemed like an eternity ago. These Pub Rock groups were essential for reintroducing something real and meaningful back into the pompous Rock scene, populated by the untouchable elite of the monsters of the post-woodstock generation......fucking awful. Rock'n'Roll had grown out of perspective; putting it into a stadium separated it from its true size......a small beer stained sweaty room in the back of a pub is where this primal music belongs....and that include Led Zeppelin too.....but they're shit and the Count Bishops aren't and never will be.

Tracklist:

A1 I Need You 2:22
A2 Stay Free 3:08
A3 Down In The Bottom 2:52
A4 Talk To You 3:45
A5 Shake Your Moneymaker 2:31
A6 Down The Road Apiece 2:51
B1 Baby You're Wrong 2:44
B2 Don't Start Crying Now 2:05
B3 Someone's Got My Number 2:33
B4 Good Guys Don't Wear White 2:47
B5 You're In My Way 3:11
B6 Taste & Try 2:33

DOWNLOAD the bishops of pub rock HERE!

The Count Bishops - "Speedball" (Expanded Edition)" (Chiswick SW1) 1975

From the dirty grimier end of Pub Rock came the Count Bishops, with a kind of sound that linked Dr Feelgood with Eddie and The Hot Rods.
The kind of Punk coloured aggressive R&B rock'n'roll that made the Pub Rock scene so influential on the kids who would form the so-called 'Punk' movement.
This ep, along with eleven bonus tracks from the original session, are an electric blast of Chuck Berry inspired Rock'n'Roll. From the generation who were too young for Hippie but grew up in the best part of the sixties, and wanted to recreate that excitement.....'cus there sure as shit weren't much of that in 1975.
You had to do it yourself, because ELP and Yes weren't gonna do it for you.Excitement not Excrement please.

Tracklist:

Original EP:
1 Route 66
2 I Ain't Got You
3 Beautiful Delilah
4 Teenage Letter

Bonus Tracks:
5 Cry To Me
6 Buzz Me Baby
7 Sweet Little Sixteen
8 Honey I Need
9 Carol
10 Don't Start Crying Now
11 Mercy Mercy
12 Reelin' And Rockin'
13 Down The Road Apiece
14 I'm A Man
15 I Want Candy

DOWNLOAD at speed and have a ball HERE!

The Downliners Sect ‎– "Showbiz" (Raw Records- Unreleased RWLP 106 / Sky Records ‎– Sky 301) 1977 / 1979

The Downliners Sect were a British sixties punk band who played rough and ready UK style R&B with a punk attitude.No ambitions towards musicianship or musical advancement, they kept it primitive and never sold out to this day!
Like the 'Pirates' they re-emerged around 1977 recognising fellow spirits in the Punk Rock movement, and got picked up by Lee Woods superb RAW label. They released a single, and proceeded to record the album, but RAW ran out of cash and it remained unreleased. That is until the band stole the tapes and had it released in Germany instead, to total public indifference.

Lee Wood(Mr Raw Records): "I recorded an album with them. I paid many thousands of pounds and then they “stole” the tapes from the studio and sold the tapes to a German record label.

That’s gratitude for you!"

I suppose that's a Punk Rock thing to do?!

Also during 1977 The Downliners Sect were partly responsible for two of the greatest Punksploitation albums of all time, with "The Vacants" and "FU2".....highly recommended, and you can download them from this blog HERE! and HERE!

The 'FU2' album has a few, much improved, souped up versions of songs from this "Showbiz" LP.

The Vacants album is just one of the greatest 'lost' masterpieces of Punk/Pub rock ever.

Tracklist:

Showbiz 4:02
Let's Ride 2:44
Break Up 3:40
Frustration 2:50
Out Of School 3:28
Playing My Guitar 3:03
Richmond Rhythm & Blues 2:28
Loose Ends 3:48
Wild Time 3:21
Red Hot Mama 2:46
Blue Coup De Ville 3:01
Mismanagement 5:37

Bonus Tracks:

Killing Me (Raw Single B-Side 1977)

Showbiz (Original Raw single version 1977)

The DOWNLOADer's sect is HERE!

Pink Fairies ‎– "Never Neverland" (Polydor ‎– 2383 045) 1971

Bands that played Rock'n'Roll were a rarity in the early seventies, and here's one of them, The Pink Fairies.
They contributed the proto-punk anthem "Do It" to world culture, a virtual punk manifesto expressed as a three minute symphony.
The rest of their canon never really matches the heights of "Do it",except maybe "City Kids" from the "Kings Of Oblivion" album gets closer than the rest; but they contributed a nascent punk attitude, and the roots of some of the more rock orientated Pub Rock.

Tracklist:

Original Album:

1 Do It 4:15
2 Heavenly Man 3:41
3 Say You Love Me 3:48
4 War Girl 4:34
5 Never Never Land 6:55
6 Track One, Side Two 4:41
7 Thor 0:58
8 Teenage Rebel 5:20
9 Uncle Harry's Last Freakout 10:51
10 The Dream Is Just Beginning 1:18

Bonus Tracks:

11 The Snake 3:58
12 Do It (Single Edit) 3:04
13 War Girl (Alternate Extended Mix - Previously Unreleased) 4:34
14 Uncle Harry's Last Freakout (First Version - Previously Unreleased) 12:24

DOWNLOAD don't think about it just do it HERE!

The Deviants ‎– "Ptooff!" (Underground Impresarios ‎– IMP 1) 1968

The list of the original British Daddies of Punk can extend a long way back, was it The Kinks? The Troggs? Nearly all American Sixties Garage Punk had the same roots, with large amounts of The Animals and the Stones thrown in. Which in turn produced The Stooges and The MC5, which in turn re-influenced the UK, in the same way the UK re-influenced the USA by saving rock'n'roll for them.
The British MC5 were The Deviants, although probably not influenced by the Detroit scene, they evolved around the same time, but slightly earlier. I notice that they did play the UFO club  as The Social Deviants, in early 67, where Mick Farren (journalist, activist and the singer of the group) ran the door, supporting Arthur Brown.
The Deviants had a lot in common with 76 punk, a political agenda, a celebration of amateur musicianship, and an aggressive basic rock sound.
Also ,of course, they included a couple of influential figures for the future Pub Rock scene, namely Mick Farren and ,later Deviants member Larry Wallis (Pink Fairies/Motorhead).
Prime Proto-Punk.

Tracklist:

Opening 0:05
I'm Coming Home 5:52
Child Of The Sky 4:25
Charlie 3:50
Nothing Man 4:22
Garbage 5:32
Bun 2:35
Deviation Street 9:08

DOWNLOAD without deviation HERE!

Motörhead ‎– "Leaving Here / White Line Fever" (Stiff Records BUY9) 1977

My first experience of Motorhead was via the "Bunch Of Stiffs" compilation on Stiff Records, and "White Line Fever" was the tune representing them.
Wasn't impressed initially, but I was impressed by their unique image. No-one looked like that in 1977.
In them days I had a limited record collection, so this got played a lot; so naturally it grew on me,and now love it as much as "Overkill", "Bomber" and "We Are The Road Crew"! One of thee top ten greatest groups (before Fast Eddie left) ever.

Tracklist:

A - White Line Fever

B - Leaving Here

DOWNLOAD a few lines HERE!

Motörhead ‎– "On Parole" (United Artists-unreleased) 1976

A lot of people with long hair point to Motorhead as the precursors of that terrible affliction called NWOBHM. You know,that movement populated by spotty, lank greasy haired, denim and leather clad, exclusively male, geeks.

This is mostly true, but was not the intention of Lemmy to inspire an army of groups who played sped up Black Sabbath and Judas Priest numbers. He always described his groups music as Rock'n'Roll, not Heavy Metal; which of course is correct.

Always dumped in the Metal category, they had more in common with Punk than Black Sabbath. It just so happened that they dressed like bikers, which is the look that tragically got adopted by those acne scarred New Wave Of British Heavy Metalheads. Motorhead started basically as an associate member of the Pub Rock scene, and they sounded like Pub Rock too.

Their first album was the unreleased "On Parole" with pub stalwart drummer Lucas Fox, and ex-Pink Fairy/ Deviants Proto-Punker Larry Wallis;recorded in 1975, but not released until Motorhead were popular.

With new recruits Phil Taylor and Fast Eddie Clark, this album was re-recorded almost entirely as the "Motorhead" album on Chiswick in 1977.

Personally I prefer "On Parole" to the Chiswick version,even though the following three or four albums are absolute Rocking classics. I do like the less cranked up, basic, version of Motorhead. Especially as the NWOBHM kids hated it.

Tracklist:

Motorhead

On Parole
Vibrator
Born To Lose
City Kids

Fools
The Watcher
Leaving Here
Lost Johnny
On Parole (Alternate Take)
City Kids (Alternative Take)
Motorhead (Alternative Take)
Leaving Here (Alternative Take)

DOWNLOAD some new wave of british rock'n'roll HERE!

The Rockin' Vickers ‎– "The Complete Rockin' Vickers" (1964-66)

Did someone mention the Rockin' Vickers? The biggest phenomenon north of the Watford Gap in 1965 to 66 I've heard....but listening to this, I doubt it.
A mixture of Beatles-esque harmonies (Like everyone in 1965), with a dash of "Satisfaction" fuzz,(like everyone in 1965 to 66), and some Ray Davies songs (of which there wasn't enough of in 1965 to 66!).
The only reason this obscure working mens club beat music from up North is here, is because Pub Rock Legend Ian 'Lemmy' Kilminster joined this beat combo in 1965,as guitarist, and left in 1966 to roadie for Jimi Hendrix and join the Sam Gopal Band.At least one good move there.

Lemmy is the gormless one on the extreme right.

So the Rockin' Vickers (fine name by the way), never got within a hundred miles of Joe Meek, or sucess, but were allegedly very popular in the pubs and clubs of northern Britain.
For some reason they did a version of "The Kids Are Alright", changed the words and called it "It's Alright"; or more likely they copied The Who song, later to be told they will have to give Mr Townsend the writing credit. 

Tracklisting:

1 I Go Ape
2 Someone Like This
3 Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart
4 Stella
5 Its Alright
6 Stay By Me
7 Dandy
8 I Don't Need Your Kind
9 Baby Never Say Goodbye
10 I Just Stand There
11 Say Mama
12 Shake Rattle & Roll
13 Whats The Matter Jane
14 Little Rosy

DOWNLOAD from the church of lemmy HERE!

Joe Meek ‎– "The Alchemist Of Pop - Home Made Hits & Rarities 1959-1966"

So we've established that Joe Meek began the modern do it yourself recording ethic, yes?
So we'd better hear the Hits?
The best of which have to be self-proclaimed medium, Geoff Goddard's tunes. Primarily 'Johnny Remember Me',sang by John Leyton, and the beyond weird "Skymen".
"Johnny Remember Me" has to be one of the top Ten weirdest Top Twenty hits ever(Number one actually!). Up there with Laurie Anderson's "O Superman", The Associates "Party Fears Two", and Public Image Ltd's "Death Disco".
Geoff actually made more money from all this than anyone,and the regular royalties supplemented his school caretakers job until his death.
Little did I know, whilst watching camp classic seventies Brit-com "Are You Being Served, that the character who played Mr Spooner, who replaced Mr Lucas, was none other than Mike Berry; one of the most successful artists in the Joe Meek stable!
There were lots of surprise guest appearances by many future stars of the rock world, including Bowie,Ritchie Blackmore, Chas Hodges (Chas and Dave), Jimmy Page, Rod Stewart,Tom Jones, and probably many more!?

Check out this great BBC documentary on the great man HERE!

Tracklist:

–Emile Ford & The Checkmates - What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For 2:04
–Lance Fortune - Be Mine 1:49
–The Fabulous Flee-Rakkers - Green Jeans 2:25
–Ricky Wayne & The Flee-Rakkers - Chick A'Roo 1:50
–Michael Cox - Angela Jones 2:40
–The Flee-Rekkers - Sunday Date 2:53
–Peter Jay - Paradise Garden 2:41
–Danny Rivers - Can't You Hear My Heart 3:03
–The Outlaws - Swingin' Low 2:04
–The Outlaws - Ambush 2:22
–Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers - You Got What I Like 1:35
–John Leyton - Johnny Remember Me 2:39
–Mike Berry & The Outlaws - Tribute To Buddy Holly 2:57
–The Moneymakers - Night Of The Vampire 2:49
–John Leyton - Wild Wind 2:13
–Iain Gregory - Can You Hear The Beat Of A Broken Heart 1:36
–Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages - 'Til The Following Night 3:45
–John Leyton - Son This Is She 2:24
–Mike Berry & The Admirals - It's Just A Matter Of Time 2:11
–Don Charles - Walk With Me My Angel 3:08
–John Leyton - Lonely City 2:11
–The Tornados - Telstar 3:20
–Michael Cox - Stand Up 2:17
–The Packabeats - Theme From 'The Traitors' 2:32
–Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers - Can Can '62 2:29
–Houston Wells & The Marksmen - North Wind 2:34
–Mike Berry & The Outlaws - Don't You Think It's Time 1:40
–The Tornados - Globetrotter 2:40
–The Tornados - Ridin' The Wind 2:26
–Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages - Jack The Ripper 2:45
–The Tornados Robot 2:38
–Glenda Collins - I Lost My Heart At The Fairground 2:34
–Houston Wells & The Marksmen - Only The Heartaches 2:52
–Jenny Moss- Hobbies 2:05
–The Saints - Wipeout 2:56
–Heinz Just Like Eddie 2:43
–Geoff Goddard - Sky Men 2:46
–Pamela Blue - My Friend Bobby 2:09
–Heinz - Country Boy 2:00
–The Dowlands - All My Loving 2:19
–Heinz - You Were There 1:55
–The Honeycombs - Have I The Right 2:56
–Heinz - Questions I Can't Answer 2:19
–The Honeycombs - I Can't Stop 2:35
–The Blue Rondo's* Little Baby 2:34
–The Honeycombs - Something Better Beginning 2:13
–David John & The Mood - Diggin' For Gold 2:37
–The Honeycombs - That's The Way 2:57
–The Syndicats - Crawdaddy Simone 3:15
–The Cryin' Shames - Please Stay 3:14
–The Buzz - You're Holding Me Down 3:05
–The Riot Squad - I Take It That We're Through 2:46
–Jason Eddy & The Centremen - Singing The Blues 2:28
–Glenda Collins - It's Hard To Believe It 2:59

DOWNLOAD part one and turn 1's and zero's into gold HERE!

DOWNLOAD part two and continue digging more gold HERE!

Joe Meek ‎– "The Joe Meek Collection: Intergalactic Instro's" (1960-65)

As we've taken a short detour down the cul-de-sac of pre-Beatles UK Rock'n'Roll, it makes sense to bring perspective back to DIY music, and the granddaddy of DIY is obviously the deranged independent producer, Joe Meek.
He turned his flat into a sound lab and recording facility, crammed to the gills with knobs, dials, valves and heath-robinson style gizmo's.
The toilet was his preferred area to record saxophones and public toilets were his preferred area to handle scrotal sacs, as he was a highly illegal Homosexual.A prisonable offence in the early 60's.
He was also prone to violent rages and generally psychotic behaviour.Culminating in blowing away his landlady with a shotgun and then turning it on himself,all this on Febuary 3rd 1967, the 8th anniversary of Buddy Holly's death (Which Meek had famously predicted before it happened)!....But you won't find his face on any t-shirts, because he was overweight, Gay and lacking that tragic beauty of your Cobains and Curtis's.
Character flaws aside, he managed to cobble together a ton of bizarre sixties pop tunes, based largely around his pet subjects of Horror Films, Westerns,communicating with the dead,and Science Fiction. He was the first British artist/producer to score a number one hit in the USA.
Some of the weirdest tunes,along with some of the weirdest behaviour existed in that flat at 304 Holloway Road, London N7.
So here's a collection of spaced-out instrumentals, among which are some demos and some unreleased tracks. As a little treat there are three live recordings of the Tornados (who once included the target of Meeks frustrated lust , Heinz) which show that the sound Joe produced on these records couldn't be reproduced on stage -- a problem for a lot of his musicians.

As Jesus once said, "The Meek will inherit the Earth".
Track Listing:

01.Moontrekkers - Night Of The Vampire 61-09
02.Ramblers -  Just For Chicks 63-11
03.Jay, Peter & Jaywalkers - Oo La La 63-05
04.Lavern, Roger & Microns - Red Rocket
05.Moontrekkers - Hatashiai (Japanese Sword Fight) 62-03
06.Fabulous Flee-Rekkers-Green Jeans 60-04
07.Checkmates-West Point 63-03
08.Sounds Incorporated-Keep Moving 63-08
09.Spooks-The Spook Walks
10.Tornados-Lawrence Of Arabia
11.Stonehenge - MenPinto 62-02
12.MoontrekkersReturn Of The Vampire
13.Jay, Peter & Jaywalkers-Totem Pole 63-02
14.Saxons- Saxon War Cry 65-06
15.Original Checkmates-Union Pacific 63-06
16.Flee-Rekkers-Cerveza
17.Moontrekkers-Melodie D'Amour 61-09
18.Ramblers-Take It Away
19.Stonehenge Men-Big Feet 62-02
20.Moontrekkers-There's Something At The Bottom Of The Well 62-03
21.Ramblers-Dodge City 63-11
22.Sounds Incorporated-Order Of The Keys 63-08
23.Original Checkmates-The Spy 63-06
24.Moontrekkers-Sunday Sunset
25.Jay, Peter & Jaywalkers-Jaywalker 63-02
26.Fabulous Flee-Rekkers - You Are My Sunshine 60-04
27.Moontrekkers-John Brown's Body
28.Jay, Peter & Jaywalkers-Poet And Peasant 63-05
29.Tornados-Telstar (live)64-?? 
30.Tornados-Exodus (live)64-?? 
31.Tornados-Czardas (live)64-?? 
32.Meek - JoeTelstar Demo

DOWNLOAD from deepest space HERE!

Johnny Kidd & The Pirates ‎– "The Complete Johnny Kidd & The Pirates" (EMI ‎– CDKIDD1)

Original Rock'n'Roll, sometimes called Classic Rock'n'Roll, UK style, was generally absolute shite!....but, there were two or three absolute classic tunes, that rivaled the very best stuff that came out of america before their soul crushing system destroyed it all by 1958. 
Just as it was left to France to save Jazz, it was left to the UK to save Rock'n'Roll, and in fact re-invent it (That should read,'In fact Invent it!') into the modern form that is still with us today.Although in the original template, UK rockers produced very little of the classic repertoire, we know and ,sort of, love today.
Of these classic tunes, we got Cliff's "Move It", Vince Taylor's "Brand New Cadillac", and two from Johnny Kidd, "Please Don't Touch" and "Shakin' All Over".....all fucking fantastic primal toonage from the R'n'R gene, or jean, pool.
Why is this stuff on this blog?Which is primarily about DIY music from the 70's and 80's, you may ask?
Well, Johnny Kidds backing band were the Pirates, who became prime influences and movers in the burgeoning Pub Rock scene in the UK, which, in turn, was a form of Live DIY, and a very influential catalyst for the Punk Rock revolution, which was the primary influence for the DIY explosion....if one could call it an 'explosion'?
They deserve to be here anyway for the sheer brilliance of those two timeless classics!

I did mention a funny story about the recording of "Shakin' All Over" earlier in this thread, so I'd better recount it hadn't I?

In my early days in France, after moving here from the UK, I met a bizarre looking gentleman, who described himself as a "Bass Player". Called Tony Bell.He sported a jelly-fish style array of straggly ginger tendrils of hair, dangling from the edges of a strategically donned Baseball Cap; beneath which I suspected was a landing strip of pasty, hairless scalp.Luring in victims for his insatiable appetite of relaying endless tales of Showbiz hi-jinks.
Also he had a top lip which was burdened with a ginger handlebar moustache atop a set of goofy teeth that resembled some kind of forgotten graveyard!If that wasn't enough, he sported a pair of pale blue eyes that seemed to point in diametrically opposite directions; not unlike Marty Feldman, as Igor in Mel Brooks' "Young Frankenstein".
He was very keen to recount his experiences in the early UK Rock'n'Roll scene, down at the "2i's" coffee bar in Soho, London; The birthplace of British rock, where Cliff and the Shadows hung out,among others.
He reeled off a list of all the famous rockers he played with back in the day and beyond; Like Tommy Steele in Vegas, Screaming Lord Sutch,Joe Meek(the supreme Daddy of DIY),the legendary Big Jim Sullivan, but never mentioned Johnny Kidd, disappointingly.
Suitably impressed, we invited him,his disciple,and Missus (Irene), round our house for dinner.
Thinking they would probably like to hear some music from the early days of Rock, I made a playlist that included Johnny Kidd's "Shakin' All Over".
So, as soon as that played, they looked at each other and giggled; then said....."Ah, this always gets played whenever i'm around someone's gaff(He-He-He)", said Tony.
"Oh yes? And why do you say that" I inquired.
"Well, I played Bass on this. The bass player couldn't handle the part so EMI got me in as a session man....never got a credit though."
Well, the gullible twat that I am, was gushingly impressed enough to want to hear more of his monotonous showbiz monologues.He'd had so much cocaine in Vegas with Tommy Steele's band that a cavity had formed in his skull, and green pus oozed out a hole in the side of his nose, between those Feldman-esque lazy eyes of his.
He did have a high tolerance of drugs, because he brought his own weed, and shared it with my, then Missus, who left me(good by the way!), and is now with some other dodgy 'bass player' from the incredibly clueless and awful Gaye Bykers On Acid!...what is it with Bass players? Y'know.... those geezers who hang around with musicians?.
Anyway, i digress,and i'm definitely NOT 'bitter', (Get out of Jail FREE card springs to mind); but, It was such hyper strong skunk, that, she passed out, started a mini-fit and pissed herself....and I don't mean from laughing....she actually pissed herself as she lay prostate on the couch. She seemed Dead, and i had a hard job finding out if she was actually breathing!....While I did this i reassured my guests by saying, "Carry on eating,I'm just checking to see if she's not actually dead!"
They didn't seem at all phased by this,and more to the point actually carried on eating(?),which seemed to confirm that they had witnessed events like this before in a previous transient Rock'n'Roll lifestyle.
After my former co-habitee,Justine, had recovered, we waved bye bye, and returned to the house.
I'm not actually as gullible as I earlier suggested, and went straight to work on the internet to discover the truth about this extremely sceptical claim.
Quickly I found the e-mail address of the God-like Johnny Spence, bass player with the pirates, who didn't play on "Shakin' All Over", but knew the original Bass Player, Brian Gregg. He informed me that the Brian was more than capable of playing the bass parts, but if my friend(Tony) felt good saying this untruth then he saw no reason why anyone should burst his bubble. I was not disappointed with this response from one of my favourite musicians ever(if only for that angry face!)....what a great non-star attitude eh? Now that's Rock'n'Roll.....(said in a funny Paul Daniels style voice).
I never did confront Tony with this info, whats the point in humiliating such a character,just because he lied to impress people to alleviate his self-esteem problem ...mostly to girls I think. How else was he going to pull looking like some kind of freaky ginger Preying Mantis?
You can read the original Johnny Kidd Bassist's account of the recording session by clicking here if you so desire.
And if you ever visit Abbey Road Studio's, don't say, "Wow!Is this where The Beatles recorded, say "Wow! Is this where Johnny Kidd and the Pirates recorded?"....because they did.

PS....for Mick Green fans(and if you aren't, why the fuck not????), check out part two of the download, to experience the classic Wilko/Greeno rhythm/Lead telecaster guitar style that we know and love on so many Dr. Feelgood and Pirates mark 2(76-82) recordings. These people were the Beatles for me. 

Tracklist:

Part One:

Please Don't Touch 1:50
Growl 2:20
Yes Sir That's My Baby - Version 2 1:39
Steady Date 2:36
Feelin' 1:57
If You Were The Only Girl In The World 2:36
You Got What It Takes 2:01
Longin' Lips 1:45
Shakin' All Over 2:21
Yes Sir, That's My Baby 1:43
Restless 2:10
Magic Of Love 2:05
Linda Lu 2:32
Let's Talk About Us 3:20
Big Blon' Baby 2:03
Weep No More, My Baby 3:11
More Of The Same 1:50
I Just Want To Make Love To You 3:00
Please Don't Bring Me Down - Version 2 1:54
So What 2:24
Please Don't Bring Me Down 2:07
Hurry On Back To Love 2:28
I Want That 2:24
I Can Tell 2:29
A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues 1:58
Some Other Guy 2:27
Then I Got Everything 2:00
I'll Never Get Over You 2:05
Ecstasy 2:29
Hungry For Love 2:13
Castin' My Spell - The Pirates 2:22
My Babe - The Pirates 2:44
Dr. Feelgood 1:50

Part Two:

Always And Ever 2:56
Whole Lotta Woman 3:11
Your Cheatin' Heart 3:17
Let's Talk About Us - Version 2 2:20
A Little Bit Of Soap 2:26
The Fool - Version 2 3:07
Oh Boy 1:38
Send Me Some Lovin' 3:06
Big Blon' Baby - Version 2 1:48
Please Don't Touch - Version 2 2:04
Right String But The Wrong Yoyo 2:32(MP3 sample download)
Shop Around 3:04
I Know 2:23
Jealous Girl 2:37
Where Are You 2:20
Don't Make The Same Mistake As I Did 2:27
The Birds And The Bees 2:02
Can't Turn You Loose 2:16
Shakin' All Over ('65) 2:22
Gotta Travel On 3:00
Bad Case Of Love 2:00
You Can Have Her 2:50
I Hate Getting Up In The Morning - Version 2 2:04
This Golden Ring 2:47
It's Got To Be You 2:25
I Hate Getting Up In The Morning 2:05
Send For That Girl 2:44
The Fool 4:09
Send For That Girl - Version 2 2:42

DOWNLOAD part one HERE!

DOWNLOAD part two HERE!

DOWNLOAD part three....the missing tracks,including The Pirates first single without Johnny HERE!

The Pirates ‎– "Shakin' At The Beeb - BBC Sessions 1976-1978"

A group who weren't afraid of actually working hard, instead of moaning about unauthorised downloads or streaming. No problem was it for the Pirates to play a gig every night and do plenty of sessions for the media. Hard as Nails they were, not like the pussies who call themselves pop Stars these sad ol'days. This is why we love 'em. Like us ordinary blue collar workers, who don't simply have to do something once and lay back to watch the readies roll in. We have to do it every day or we are homeless, pretty much like how The Pirates approached their career.
So go ahead you Pop stars, whinge and whine about how market forces are making you actually work for a living....like the rest of the planet.....so shut your pie holes, or we'll send the boys round.....

"Oi Mick, that kant and millionaire Kanye West is moaning again,lets sort him out after the gig?"

Tracklist:

Disc One:

(It's Rock'n'Roll Dec 11th 1976)
1 Sweet Love Of My Mind 

2 Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee
3 Tear It Up
4 Brief Interview
5 Castin' My Spell
6 Milk Cow Blues

(Peel Session Jan 12th 1977)
7 Put Your Cat Clothes On
8 Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee
9 Let's Talk About Us
10 Talkin' 'Bout You

(BBC 'In Concert' Sept 17th 1977)
11 Please Don't Touch
12 Sweet Love On My Mind
13 Drinkin' Wine Spoo-Dee-O-Dee
14 Gibson, Martin, Fender
15 Honey Hush
16 You Don't Own Me
17 Shakin' All Over
18 Milk Cow Blues
19 Lonesome Train

(Peel Session Nov 14th 1977)
20 I Can Tell
21 Four To The Bar
22 Shakin' All Over
23 Gibson, Martin, Fender

DISC TWO:

(BBC 'In Concert' June 3rd 1978)
1 Please Don't Touch
2 Linda Lou
3 Sweet Love On My Mind
4 Gibson, Martin, Fender
5 I'm In Love Again
6 Johnny B Goode's Good
7 Voodoo
8 Shakin' All Over
9 All In It Together
10 Johnny B Goode

(Peel Session June 18th 1978)
11 Johnny B Goode's Good
12 Voodoo
13 Shake Hands With The Devil
14 Long Journey Home

(BBC In Concert Dec 2nd 1978)
15 Please Don't Touch
16 Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee
17 Don't München It
18 Four To The Bar
19 Goin' Back Home
20 You Don't Own Me
21 Johnny B Goode's Good
22 Shakin' All Over
23 All In It Together

DOWNLOAD part one (port) of this pirate ship HERE!

DOWNLOAD part two (starboard) of this pirate ship HERE!

The Pirates ‎– "A Fistful Of Dubloons" (Edsel - ED 102) 1981

The reformed Pirates swansong was this album of rockers on Edsel from 1981; just as the Wanker Bros advance money was running out, and they had to get proper jobs!
Ironically, it is their best studio bound recording, very nearly equaling the live Pirates sound. Rock'n'Roll don't get much better then this.

Tracklist:

Linda Lu
Honey Hush
Put Your Cat Clothes On
Sweet Love On My Mind
Lonesome Train
Milk Cow Blues
Casting My Spell
Tricky Dicky
Tear It Up
Kaw-Liga

DOWNLOAD a fistful of digital toons HERE!

The Pirates ‎– "Happy Birthday Rock´N´Roll" (Cube Records ‎– HI FLY 33) 1979

This was called "Hard Ride" in the US, with a different track order and a laughable cover featuring a sexy lady swinging a lantern on a slow exposure setting. 
One has to marvel at the complete and utter cluelessness record companies display on a remarkably consistent level.
There is no Live Pirates on this studio only outing,and it suffers for this omission.
Its a venture in tamed wildness,but its got the funky "Hey Mary" and the pub classic "1-30, 2-30, 3-35", a peon to the joys and pitfalls of Horse racing.
Not the best Pirates LP, but good unpretentious fun nevertheless.  

Tracklist:

You Can't Sit Down
Hey Mary
Golden Oldies
Alarmer
Lady (Put The Light On Me)
Happy Birthday Rock'N'Roll
Going Back Home
Lemonade
1:30, 2:30
Hard Ride

DOWNLOAD a birthday gift from Rock'N'Roll HERE!

The Pirates ‎– "Skull Wars" (Warner Bros K56468) 1978

For the second Warner Bros Pirates album, the bosses decided to keep the same formula as "Out Of Their Skulls", a mixture of Live and Studio Pirates. The live action coming from the Hope and Anchor, and one suspects it was from the 1978 "Front Row Festival" set that the Pirates contribution to the "Hope and Anchor"album was pruned from.
Again, the live stuff is electrified hi-energy Rock'n'Roll of the highest quality. The studio tracks are great also, but they just lack that spark of the live Pirates, where they were at their best.
Wanker Brothers dropped them after this,because they failed to sell enough units.Apparently the band had received a rather hefty advance that kept them going for another couple of years, so no harm done eh?
As a bonus i've added the 1978 version of "Shakin' All over".....can't go wrong there now can we? the B-side is a rather dodgy Eagles out-take facsimile.....but gimmie The Pirates doing shit like that rather than the actual Eagles anyday!? 

Tracklist:

Long Journey Home 3:42
Dr. Feelgood 1:57
All In It Together 3:16
Johnny B. Goode's Good 2:27
Johnny B. Goode 4:06
Talking About You 3:08
I'm In Love Again 3:10
Voodoo 2:31
Four To The Bar 2:50
Honey Hush 2:23
Diggin' My Potatoes 3:35
Shake Hands With The Devil 3:30

Bonus Tracks:
Shakin' All Over (7" single 1978)
Saturday Night Shoot Out (7" single B-side 1978)

DOWNLOAD the album HERE you scurvy dogs!

The Pirates ‎– "Out Of Their Skulls" (Warner Bros K56411) 1977

Well, if Dr. Feelgood were the Flying Squad in the Sweeney, then The Pirates were the villains. They looked well mean and menacing. Johnny Spence, the bass player, had a glare that could turn me to jelly! And drummer Frank Farley looked like he could tear your arms off at any second!

Left to Right, Spence, Green,and Farley, before they give you a good, and deserved kicking!

As well as being the great Johnny Kidd's backing band, the Pirates were the main inspiration behind Dr. Feelgood, donating the name from one of their songs, and guitarist Mick Green being responsible for developing the lead/ rhythm guitar style that Wilko Johnson would model his own style on.
Mick Green was therefore also responsible , through Wilko, for Andy Gill from the Gang of Four;whose tendrils stretched to the less proud grandchildren, Red Hot Chilli Peppers.....scheeesh....Mick would be turning in his grave!

Wilko on stage with his heroes.

With the rise of the Feelgoods, an opportunity arose for the classic Pirates line-up to reform and show these jumped up Pub Rockers how to do it.
So with this New wave of honest dirty rock'n'roll, The Pirates found a new and appreciative audience. Frequently supporting a number of the early Punk bands, where their balls to the wall aggressive R'n'R went down a storm with the kids. These chaps looked, and sounded, like the real deal, with their 'Don't Mess' image and electrified Live performances.
Having no clue who the Pirates were, I saw their pictures in the Music press in 77/78 and thought these guys frighten me more than the pale pussies of the Pistols,Clash and Skrewdriver put together, and then some!
Then upon hearing "Out of their Skulls" and that razor sharp clean guitar violence of Mick Green, and the brute force of their music I was definitely hooked.
Side A captured them live, crackling with sweat and electricity in legendary Pub Rock venue The Nashville Rooms, in those heady days of 1977.
Side B, the studio side, lacks a bit of the intensity, and an audience, but is still pretty rockin'.they were definitely at their best in a live situation.
They also reintroduced the planet to that Brit Rock classic "Shakin' All Over", penned by their previous employer Johnny Kidd. Despite the fact that this line up of the Pirates didn't play on that recording, these were the boys that Fred 'Johnny Kidd' Heath gave the blessing to record using The Pirates name. Although his original name for the band was going to be Fred Heath and the Nutters, which I quite like?
I have a funny story about the recording of "Shakin' All Over", but i'll save that for the Johnny Kidd post after the Pirates classic records, its a good one.

"Ooo you facking boggin at you fackin kants!?"

Live Side - Nashville Rooms, London, April '77:

Please Don't Touch 2:02
I Can Tell 2:19
Peter Gunn 2:02
Lonesome Train 3:01
Shakin' All Over 2:24
Milk Cow Blues 3:03

Studio Side - Rockfield, Wales, March '77:

Drinkin' Wine Spo' De' O' D 2:56
Do The Dog 2:37
Gibson Martin Fender 3:26
Don't München It 3:33
That's The Way You Are 2:42
You Don't Own Me 2:47

DOWNLOAD into your skulls HERE!