Various Artists “Forty One Sixty The Songs of The Shambles” (Blindspot Records 109)

The curious title of this Shambles tribute album stems from the fact that this was the address where the band’s fearless leader, Bart Mendoza, once lived and wrote many of their tunes there. 4160 Bachman Place, San Diego, California was actually the exact location. The Shambles evolved from another great band, Manual Scan, and the disc contains material from both groups. Active from 1980 to 1992, Manual Scan were power popping Mod gods, and when The Shambles came into being shortly after their demise they duly followed suit and are still going strong today. Like the bands that inspired them, Manual Scan and The Shambles concentrate on hooky pop pleasures. Not an ounce of fat cushions their tunes, as they’re short, sometimes sweet and sometimes sassy. Read the rest of this entry »

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“Eleven Unsung Heroes of Early Rock and Roll” by Dick Stewart (Lance Monthly Press)

Selling lots of records proves people like the music. But massive commercial acceptance doesn’t necessarily match artistic brilliance or integrity. As the title of this excellent book states, “Eleven Unsung Heroes of Early Rock and Roll,” touts eleven musicians who experienced mainstream success in varying degrees and were highly influential in the development of rock and roll, yet are seldom given the credit they deserve. To the casual radio listener, most of the folks covered here would be considered one or two hit wonders, but their talent, insight and dedication to the music runs deep. Read the rest of this entry »

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Skid Roper “Rock and Roll Part 3” (Blindspot Records 145)

Singer, songwriter and master of a million instruments, Skid Roper initially rose to prominence in the eighties, performing and recording with the wild and wacky Mojo Nixon. Come the nineties, Skid Roper embarked on a solo career, and here’s his third album, the appropriately titled “Rock and Roll Part 3.” Let me being this review by saying those who are already acquainted with Skid Roper will be triply knocked out by the disc, and those who have never heard his work until now are guaranteed to turn into immediate disciples. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Blue Things Story “Volume One 1964-65” (Cicadelic Records 975)

If you lived in the Midwest during the sixties and attended gigs, there’s a good bet you have fond memories of The Blue Things. Based out of Hays, Kansas, the band possessed all the markings of a supergroup. Stellar chops, smart songwriting skills, a sense of adventure and a cool image should have catapulted The Blue Things straight to the top of the charts, but the music business obviously isn’t always fair or kind. The band was even signed to a major label, RCA Records, and aside from producing a rope of righteous singles, they also cut a most excellent album. A Blue Things renaissance occurred in the eighties, as sixties garage rock collectors discovered and championed their efforts. Cicadelic Records, located in Arizona, was the first label to reissue the band’s material on a widespread basis, which eventually resulted in not only a trio of separate installments documenting the many musical phases they went through, but a whopper of a box set. Read the rest of this entry »

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Various Artists “Tribute to JJ Cale Volume 1: The Vocal Sessions” (ZOHO Roots 201007)

Boasting a loyal fan following and seriously respected by fellow musicians, JJ Cale is certainly worthy of a tribute album. Born in Oklahoma, the singer, songwriter and guitarist migrated to Los Angeles in the sixties, where he formed a band called The Leathercoated Minds that recorded an album for the Viva label. Titled “A Trip Down The Sunset Strip,” the disc mainly consisted of psychedelic garage rock hits of the day, and went onto become quite a collector’s item. 1970 saw Eric Clapton cover JJ Cale’s “After Midnight,” which topped the charts and duly provided the fledging artist with widespread recognition. Since then, the two musicians have frequently worked together, and in 2008, their album, “The Road To Escondido” won a Grammy. Swarms of other performers have rendered JJ Cale’s tunes as well, including Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bob Dylan, Santana and Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. Read the rest of this entry »

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Kristi Callan with The Jigsaw Seen “Sleep”/”Morning Glory” (Vibro-phonic Recordings 12023)

Now here’s a great collaboration! Having initially achieved recognition in the eighties as the lead singer of  Wednesday Week, Kristi Callan has continued to pad her resume with a string of shining moments. Aside from carving out a nice solo career for herself, Kristi has also performed and recorded with famed figures such as Dave Davies and The Ventures, and currently fronts Dime Box Band. Active since the late eighties, The Jigsaw Seen is renowned for their bewitching brew of psychedelic pop rock. Discs like “Shortcut Through Clown Alley,” “My Name Is Tom” and “Zenith” are classics of their ilk, and have dutifully awarded the Los Angeles band flocks of fans. Administered by Kristi’s haunting vocals, “Sleep” stands as an electrifying slice of orchestrated pop splendor. Built upon a solid foundation of classy string arrangements and trebly guitar work, the quirky atmospheric tune, which was composed by Kristi, sparkles with melodic radiance. Dipping their toes into the Oasis songbook, Kristi and The Jigsaw Seen deliver a drifting, dreamy cover of “Morning Glory,” set in an acoustic format. As evidenced by this musically literate single, Kristi Callan and The Jigsaw Seen make an artistically compatible team.

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“Record Store Days” by Gary Calamar and Phil Gallo (Sterling Publishing)

For better or worse, the digital revolution has certainly altered the way people listen to and purchase music. While there’s no denying modern tricks make music immediately accessible, the business, on a financial level and, depending on your personal point of view, artistically, has suffered greatly. Musicians no longer need to rely on labels to package and promote their wares. As time marches on, actual recordings are quickly becoming a thing of the past. A mere click of the mouse on the computer allows one to download any song or album they desire. Such practices, which once could have only occurred in a science fiction novel, are clearly responsible for the demise of countless labels and record stores. Read the rest of this entry »

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“Corn Flakes With John Lennon” by Robert Hilburn (Rodale)

For more than thirty years, Robert Hilburn was not only the music critic and editor of “The Los Angeles Times,” but his interviews, reviews and artist profiles have also been featured in numerous other publications throughout world. Seduced by music at a very young age, Hilburn was particularly keen on the country and rhythm and blues sounds of the late forties and early fifties. He was a teenager when rock and roll came crashing through the gates, and was immediately drawn to this energetic new form of music. While Hilburn’s taste in music sways heavily towards the mainstream side of the dial, he approaches his subjects with an extra keen eye. He remains objective and his intelligent observations definitely provoke food for thought. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Rockets “The Rockets”/”No Ballads” (Renaissance Records 160)

Not to be confused with the Los Angeles band that later changed their name to Crazy Horse, this particular group came from Detroit, Michigan. Formed in 1972 by drummer Johnny “Bee” Bandajek and guitarist James McCarty, who earlier had made their claim to fame with Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels, The Rockets cut a total of five albums during the course of their existence. Although the band was hot stuff on a local level, they received only pockets of airplay elsewhere. “The Rockets” and “No Ballads,” which were released on RSO Records in 1979 and 1980 respectively, definitely rank as the band‘s best work. Now available on one compact disc, both these albums are ripe for rediscovery. Clinging fast to their Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels roots, the band practiced a festive brand of high energy blue-eyed soul music. Read the rest of this entry »

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Formed in 1965, The Doughboys released two singles, “Rhoda Mendelbaum” and “Everybody Knows My Name,” that have since become favorites with record collectors from here to eternity. Steady gigs provided the Plainfield, New Jersey band lots of exposure, making them a local sensation. It was a sad moment for many when The Doughboys called it quits as the sixties bled into the seventies, but thankfully the members of the band continued playing music. Bassist Mike Caruso took the session route, working with Jimi Hendrix, for instance, while lead singer Myke Scavone joined Ram Jam, who netted a top forty hit with “Black Betty,” and drummer Richard X. Heyman launched a solo career that has resulted in a truckload and a half of critically acclaimed power pop discs. Read the rest of this entry »

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Various Artists “Where The Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets 1965-1968” (Rhino Records 519759) 

If there was ever a time in rock and roll when the rock really rocked and the roll really rolled, it was the mid to late sixties. Because the music was still relatively young, there were no preconceived notions to be had, nor was there such an obsessive emphasis on image and marketing as there is today. Enthusiasm and experimentation reigned supreme. Some of the most thrilling sounds spawned during this period stemmed from the sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles, and here’s a box set, four discs in all, that guides the listener on a mercurial voyage of what was happening then. Christened after Dick Clark’s television show of the same name, “Where The Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets 1965-1968” contains a whopping one hundred and one tracks, which are split between famous faces and obscure acts. Read the rest of this entry »

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“The British Invasion” by Barry Miles (Sterling Publishing) 

Clocking in at over three hundred pages in length, “The British Invasion” is the perfect coffee table book. Those familiar with the music, art and fashion of the times probably won’t find any real revelations here, but the photos of the performers and assorted artifacts are drop dead gorgeous. Reprints of articles from vintage magazines are a joy to behold, and the text is superbly written. Read the rest of this entry »

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Meet The Beat Rats, a four piece band from New York City, who recreate the sound, style and attitude of an early sixties British combo with utter perfection. The best rock and roll has always been built upon a skeletal foundation of a few basic chords, trashy drumming and impassioned vocals, and “A Cellar Full Of Rats!” trembles and shakes on such ground. Energy and enthusiasm are doled out in spades, making for a collection of highly infectious songs.

A happening hybrid of peppy Mersey pop inspired melodies, surf slanted guitar licks and rugged garage rock overtones inhabits each and every corner of the album. Having studied and adopted the finest points of the masters, The Beat Rats are today’s version of The Big Three, The Pretty Things and John, Paul, George and Ringo wrapped in one explosive package. “Only 16,” “She’s Twisted,” Mine All Mine” and “The Beat Rats Theme” are executed so convincingly that you can’t help but be blown away by the band’s undying devotion to the music they play. But “A Cellar Full Of Rats!’ is no cheesy nostalgia type effort, as the delivery is fresh and vital. Scruffy, raw and teeming with danceable grooves, here’s a record guaranteed to warrant repeated listenings.

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San Mateo School of Rock – The San Mateo County Fair (August 22, 2009)

 When rock and roll reared its raunchy head in the fifties, the majority of folks believed the music was just a fad. But how wrong they were. The beat goes on and on and on. Generation after generation, kids are strapping on guitars, picking up drum sticks, screaming into microphones and forming bands. And that brings us to School of Rock, which was established in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1998. More than a decade later, the school thrives, with operations dotted all over the country now. Read the rest of this entry »

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At the height of their career, Paul Revere & The Raiders were a serious threat to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and all those other shaggy-haired British combos troubling the charts at the time. Born in the Pacific Northwest, the band not only harvested a heap of hit singles, but they were also regulars on Dick Clark’s “Where The Action Is!” television show, which naturally provided them with a double dip of exposure. The group’s faces further adorned the covers and pages of teen magazines, transpiring them into genuine superstars. Decked out in colonial war uniforms, Paul Revere & The Raiders were additionally recognized for their wild and crazy live performances. Synchronized dance steps, coupled with goofy jokes were always part of the program. Read the rest of this entry »

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The genesis of Five Man Electrical Band goes all the way back to 1964, when they came to be as The Staccatos. During the next several years, the Canadian band was regularly heard on local airwaves, earning them a gold star as one of the region’s most respected acts. Personnel shifts occurred, and in 1969 The Staccatos changed their name to Five Man Electrical Band. Read the rest of this entry »

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Does anyone remember The A’s? I somehow missed them when they were around, but became acquainted with them several years ago in the form of “Godfathers of Power Pop” and “The History of Power Pop” collections, which include a couple of their songs. A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania band, The A’s recorded two albums for the Arista label before crawling into oblivion. Read the rest of this entry »

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