The Holidays - Watch Out Girl

I've been bored and digging through boxes of old 45's at home while recouperating from surgey. The one good thing is that I'm finding some nice 45's i didn't even know i had. This is another one. Great little Detroit soul nugget from 1966. Not rare or anything, just awesome.

As for The Holidays:

The Holidays were a Detroit group who are remembered for a record, "I'll Love You Forever," (1966) that their members didn't even appear on. Edwin Starr sang lead and J.J. Barnes and Steve Mancha supplied backing vocals, and some say that Eddie Anderson made the session too. When the record hit, producer Don Davis revitalized The Holidays with new members to capitalize on the song's success. Starr, Barnes, and Mancha never performed as The Holidays.
The original Four Holidays began as the Fresandos, who cut "Your Last Goodbye" on Star-X Records in 1959. Renaming themselves the Four Holidays, they did "Deep in My Heart" in 1961 on Master Records. Jimmy Holland, Jimmy Ruffin, and possibly the Barksdale brothers (Cleo, Robert, and James Mitchell) were the other members; all may have sang with the group at one time or another, with one bouncing in as another bounced out.
Ruffin recorded a solo shot, "Don't Feel Sorry For Me" b/w "Heart," on Motown's Miracle label in 1961. He was drafted and didn't resume recording until his duty was over. Two singles fell on Markie Records in 1963-1964 -- "Grandma Bird" and "I'll Walk Right out That Door." Nothing was selling, and their next appearance was an uncredited backing of Emmauel Laskey on "Lucky to Be Loved By You" b/w "Our World" (1965). It's believed that Ruffin recorded on the Markie releases; he signed with Motown upon returning from active duty and began recording on their Soul subsidiary in 1964.
A stint with Golden World Records followed, and their first release, "I Love You Forever," soared to number 36 in 1966. After a second single on Golden World, they went with Revilot Records for three flops (1967-1968). The group now consisted of Jimmy Holland, Jack Holland, Jay Reid, and Tony Hestor. Hestor was a songwriter; he wrote the B-side of a Marvelettes' single, "A Little Bit of Sympathy, A Little Bit of Love," on Tamla Records in 1964. He also did a solo, "Just Can't Leave You" b/w "Watch Out," on Karate Records in 1966. The Holidays next appeared on Soulhawk Records with "My Baby Ain't No Plaything" b/w "Maybe So, Maybe No" (1969); Hester and Richard Wylie wrote both sides, it made a little noise locally and Westbound Records picked it up and credited it as the New Holidays in 1970. Jimmy Holland also cut a non-selling solo release on Blue Rock in 1965 and one for Syco Records.

The Holidays - Watch Out Girl

Nova's Nine - Pain

Nova's Nine from Statesville, North Carolina.

The band formed from Gary Brown's earlier band, Creations, and the Mann brothers', Firebirds. Ultimately they became students of Huxley and changed their name to Brave New World. As Nova's Nine, they recorded "Pain" in 1968 on Heritage Records, later picked up by ABC.

For a nice little "pain" story check out Echo's In The Wind.

I see this tagged as Northern Soul (must be the horns?) but it has a Garage rock feel to me.... Love that organ in the background.

As with many songs from the era, it is way too short and man, it sure woulda been cool if they threw a fuzz guitar solo in there.

Any way, cool tune. Check it out.

Nova's Nine - Pain

Merrell Fankhauser & HMS Bounty - I'm Flying Home

Merrell Wayne Fankhauser is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who was most active in the 1960s and 1970s with bands including the Impacts, Exiles, Fapardokly, HMS Bounty, Fankhauser-Cassidy Band, and MU.

In 1960 he joined a local band called The Impacts as lead guitarist. Their Ventures-influenced sound developed a strong following at the start of the surfing scene. In 1962 they recorded an album which was later released, without the band's knowledge, by Del-Fi Records, and which included a tune "Wipe Out" which Fankhauser suggests later provided the basis of the hit by the Surfaris.

Fankhauser left the band and moved to Lancaster, California. There he met Jeff Cotton (later of Captain Beefheart's Magic Band), and in 1964 they formed The Exiles. The band - which also included John "Drumbo" French - had some success but broke up. Fankhauser moved back to the coast, formed a new band, Merrell and the Xiles, and had a minor hit with "Tomorrow's Girl" in 1967. An album followed which included old Exiles songs and newer psych folk material. For the album the band was credited as Fapardokly, taking its name from the surnames of the original members - Fankhauser, Dan Parrish, Bill Dodd and Dick Lee. Despite its later cult acclaim, the album was not a success. Fankhauser and Dodd then formed another, more overtly psychedelic, band with Jack Jordan and Larry Meyers, naming it HMS Bounty. They won a recording deal with Uni Records, and their self-titled album was released in 1968, followed by the single "Tampa Run". However, success was again thwarted, by personal and record company problems and the band split up.

Reuniting with Jeff Cotton in 1970, Fankhauser then formed the group MU. In 1971 their first album was released and became a radio hit. Increasingly fascinated by legends of the lost continent of Mu, Fankhauser then relocated to the Hawaiian island of Maui in Feb. 1973. A second MU album, without Cotton, was recorded in 1974, but not released until the 1980s. Fankhauser then recorded a solo album, "Maui", issued in 1976.

Fankhauser continued to record, occasionally with friends including John Cipollina and more recently Ed Cassidy of Spirit, as well as producing new surf albums credited to The Impacts.

I just pulled this out of a box of junk 45's. It's a little played w/ some snap, crackle & pop but a pretty great little psychedelic nugget. Very happy to have found it. Enjoy.

Groovy baby....

Merrell Fankhauser & HMS Bounty - I'm Flying Home

The Grasshoppers - Twin Beat

Nice instrumental garage / surf rock jam from 1965 from The Grasshoppers on the Sunburst label out of Cleveland Ohio. Has a bit of a Tequila vibe, cool drums and nice guitar. This 45 was later picked up by Warner Brothers.

And oh yeah, one Benjamin Orzechowski (later Benjamin Orr, bassist/vocalist for The Cars) was a member. How's that for some hidden trivia???

The Grasshoppers - Twin Beat

Sir Mack Rice - Dark Skinned Woman - Part 1 & Part 2

This record makes me feel good. And not just because the tunes are great but because this was a gift from a friend that came just at the right time. I hadn't been feeling to well starting last wed. night and on through the weekend. I wound up going to the hospital Monday night with what i found out was acute appendicitis. With in a few hours i was in the operating room. A quick night at the hospital and return home to a new package sent from a record friend who has been more generous through the years with vinyl than i can ever re-pay him back. So i know i've gone on rants before about record ass-wipes and how many unscrupulous record jerks there out out there but for everyone of those there seems to be more "good guys" than bad. This is from one of them. The good guys.

Thanks brother!

As for Sir Mack Rice and this track:

Mack Rice (born Bonnie Rice, November 10, 1933, Clarksdale, Mississippi), is an American songwriter, whose compositions have been performed by many well-known artists, including The Staple Singers, Ike and Tina Turner, Albert King, Johnnie Taylor, Shirley Brown, Rufus Thomas, Etta James, Billy Eckstine, Eddie Floyd, Buddy Guy, The Rascals, Wilson Pickett, Albert Collins, Busta Rhymes, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Otis Clay and The Blues Brothers (in Blues Brothers 2000).
Some of his better-known songs include "Respect Yourself", "Betcha Can't Kiss Me (Just One Time)", "Cheaper to Keep Her", "Cadillac Assembly Line", "Money Talks", "Cold Women With Warm Hearts", "Do the Funky Penguin, Pt. 1", "It Sho Ain't Me", "Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin'", among others. His best known composition and only hit as a solo performer is "Mustang Sally."
Rice began his work in the R&B field in the 1950s based in Detroit, performing with the Five Scalders in 1956 and with the Falcons (fellow band members included Eddie Floyd, Wilson Pickett and Joe Stubbs) from 1957 to 1963. He performed as a solo vocalist in the years to follow, but his biggest successes were as songwriter for other artists on labels like Stax and others in the 1960s and following decades. He began his solo vocalist career at Stax in 1967, recording on Atco Records beginning in 1968. Rice is one of the few musicians whose career touched both Motown and Stax Records.
In 1992, backed by the soul band The Dynatones, Rice released his first solo album, "Right Now" on Blue Suit Records. On it he reprises a number of his hit songs along with a mixture of new tunes.
Rice lives in the Detroit area, and is still performing.

The tune from 1975 but it right at the year when funk started turning disco but it's still funky enough to stay clear of the disco ready for the dancefloor production or corniness of later years disco syrup....


Cheers!
dd


Sir Mack Rice - Dark Skinned Woman - Part 1

Sir Mack Rice - Dark Skinned Woman - Part 2

Kane's Cousins - Support Your Local Bands

A buddy of mine just shared the follwing statement from LA Times writter David Ackert and i thought i'd share as well....

“Singers and Musicians are some of the most driven, courageous people on the face of the earth. They deal with more day-to-day rejection in one year than most people do in a lifetime. Every day, they face the financial challenge of living a freelance lifestyle, the disrespect of people who think they should get real jobs, and their own fear that they'll never work again. Every day, they have to ignore the possibility that the vision they have dedicated their lives to is a pipe dream. With every note, they stretch themselves, emotionally and physically, risking criticism and judgment. With every passing year, many of them watch as the other people their age achieve the predictable milestones of normal life - the car, the family, the house, the nest egg. Why? Because musicians and singers are willing to give their entire lives to a moment - to that melody, that lyric, that chord, or that interpretation that will stir the audience's soul. Singers and Musicians are beings who have tasted life's nectar in that crystal moment when they poured out their creative spirit and touched another's heart. In that instant, they were as close to magic, God, and perfection as anyone could ever be. And in their own hearts, they know that to dedicate oneself to that moment is worth a thousand lifetimes.”

- David Ackert, LA Times

With that being said this one goes out to all those struggling musicians and lifers who continue to push forward even when the odds are stacked against them and to the folks who do in fact support them. If you don't support local music..... well, you really should.....

As for the 45, it's a bit goofey but the words are true.

Let's give a hand to your local band 'cause they're really grand and the work very hard!

Kane's Cousins - Support Your Local Bands

Kill City - Secret Smile - Beggin For More - Cancer of the Mind

Kill City was an LA punk & rock band that consisted of members of The leaving Trains (Tom Hofer) The Web (T. A. Black & Andi Hayes) & Brad Holtzman (Darb) from The Need.

Their only single on Dionysus is a nice rocking slab of female fronted rock punk that splits hairs with X (Billy Zoom guitars) & The Stooges w/ a lil' dirty sounding Blondie thrown in....

Love the cover, and the cool color vinyl made this 99 cent addition well worth it....

Kill City - Secret Smile

Kill City - Beggin For More

Kill City - Cancer of the Mind

The Poor - She's Got The Time (She's Got The Changes)

1967 garage pop from Colorado. Written by Tom Shipley of Brewer & Shipley fame (One Toke Over The Line). Nice little tune that is way too short....

The band consisted of sevreal members through the years but bass player Randy Meisner later went on to play with Poco, Linda Ronstant and The Eagles. Randy Meisner was also in the Drivin Dynamics before all this. I posted one of The Drivin Dynamics 45's HERE: way back when.

A little more info about the band and its members and other realeases can be found HERE: on a Randy Meisner band info page.

The Poor - She's Got The Time (She's Got The Changes)

The Mints - Night AIr

Early Jive-Bop-Rocker by The Mints. Night Air is the flip of Pledge of Love by Ken Copeland on Imperial records from 1957.

PS - I've just about had it with DivShare so i am trying out MediaFire because DivShare eats shit.

PSS - I guess mediafire bites too..... ugh.

PSSS - Back to divshare....... ugh.

The Mints - Night AIr

Marty "B" - Lucky Old Sun - Puppet On A String

This is great & bad.... Sounds like a drunk Elvis wanna-be and the backing band is just as tanked. Marty "B" mumbles and stumbles his way through "Lucky Old Sun" & "Puppet On A String" in very "i wish i was Elvis" hap-hazard manner. The Guitar player is doing his best drunk noodle-ing but falls a bit short. It's so bad it is great. I'm sure there were a million of these Elvis wanna-be's out back then cutting their own records. I wish i could see what Mr. "B" looked like but I really could find NOTHING out about this record on The Big "B" Recording Inc. label out of Levittown, Pa. or who Marty "B" was but this is a pretty awful/awesome 45. If you know anything about it feel free to drop it here. I live for finding crap like this. Enjoy!

Marty "B" - Lucky Old Sun

Marty "B" - Puppet On A String