More Record Company (1968)

So we were looking at blaxploitation in one my classes last week and someone began questioning the "authenticity" of phrases such as "you dig it," "don't take no jive," "right on," etc. in Foxy Brown. The subtext here is that the director, Jack Hill, is white, so there was some off-the-cuff pondering of whether or not a white person can effectively write dialogue for black characters. Um yes, this is what grad school can be like, but unfortunately no, it's not like this every class. Usually there's a lotta more talk about Adorno and Benjamin and Kant and shit. I finally had to speak my piece, saying that yes, the dialogue may come off stilted (for a taste just listen to the language in the trailer), but that it certainly didn't strike me as unauthentic. That's probably because I had been listening to Eldridge Cleaver of Soul on Ice and Black Panther Party fame laying it down in this speech from 1968 just hours earlier. In his write-up on the back cover, Reginald Mayor states: "Speaking and writing in that eloquent all balls language understood by black people, Cleaver speaks to all people with the insistence that they chart their own destiny..." All balls indeed.

This has become one of my favorite labels this past year. I dig the silhouette image of Cleaver speaking and the high contrast black and white works for me. Plus I think the logo for More Record Company, which as far as I can tell only released this LP, is pretty snazzy. The black and white fill on the label is actually the reverse of how it appears on the front cover.

Jihad Productions (1968)

I thought this would be a somewhat appropriate counterpoint to yesterday's label. Nothing too complicated in terms of design. Orange is my top color. Unfortunately the scan isn't quite up to snuff in terms of capturing the brightness. I do appreciate how there appears to be an attempt at centering all the text, but the song titles are off by a good quarter inch at least. But what song titles they are. For a taste of what this sounds like, you can check out this fanmade YouTuber of "Beautiful Black Women."

I did some digging on Jihad Productions -- it's a hell of a name and not one I'd imagine would really go over so well these days. From what I understand poet Amiri Baraka aka LeRoi Jones (he's in the center on the cover) started this label but then only released three albums. Soul & Madness was the third. The second, A Black Mass, is one I've been searching for since I was in high school because this one old head at the local record store who managed for Sam Rivers was always getting me hyped about obscure Sun Ra records. I picked this up on the cheap at a D.C. flea market along with a handful of free jazz and Angela Davis LPs. Soul and madness for sure.

CNC Spring Update

Collector Not Completist is on temporary hiatus - back soon with more fantastic labels!

The Beach Boys - Smiley Smile (Brother, 1967)

? and the Mysterians - 96 Tears/Midnight Hour (Cameo 1966)

The clearest musical memories of my childhood revolve around Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing" video, a Beach Boys cassette tape we listened to on family vacations, and my dad pointing out the piss-stained monolith on the cover of "Who's Next." It would be only a slight exaggeration to say that my interest in records stems from that last moment.

In that spirit, I'm going to begin my time at this blog with a song I remember clearly from my childhood. Whenever this came on the radio, my dad would impress on me how cool it was that the guy's name was a symbol. Greil Marcus said this should be our country's national anthem.

This copy actually belongs to my mother-in-law; we were digging through her records last Christmas and she graciously loaned this to me.

Dylan Thomas Reading His Complete Recorded Poetry (1963)

Library sale find: first printing, first edition. I've known many a drunk, fat Welshman in my day and I know they want nothing more than to be taken seriously. Since I'm pretty much the same way, I feel this side provides a nice break from my earlier posts, i.e. crusty-noise-gutter metal rock made by testicle-obsessed Satan worshipers. Boy, the Welsh can really sing, I mean serious pipes. Makes me wonder if Dio was Welsh. It's ironic that this is a spoken word LP. Anyway, I do love this double album and the center label and the thick-ass vinyl. I have always wanted to record my own version of A Child's Christmas in Wales/Berwyn. If you read this, tip your next jar of autumn ale to the man who porked Shirley Jackson right under her husband's nose.

Paul Nudd

Music To Strip By - Party Fun Songs from the Golden Age of Burlesque Played by "Bald" Bill Hagan and His Trocaderons (1966)

Obviously the most played side in my collection. "Party Fun Songs from the Golden Age Of Burlesque" Tonight!!! A Funfilled Party Program From The Golden Age Of Burlesque Featuring The Pulsating Rhythms Of--"Bald" Bill And His Trocaderons!!! A Rollicking Show For The Pleasure Of All Who Enjoy The Gentle Art Of The Strip-Tease!!!

Paul Nudd

SF-11400 (1961?)

A Varied Program Of Stereo Dynamics! To Scare Hell Out Of Your Neighbors (Stereo Fidelity)

One for All Hallows' Eve-eve, and I like to display the cover outside my front door at this time of year. The label isn’t so scary, nor the sounds particularly dynamic, with only the nationalist chant of the first track “Adolf Hitler” conjuring any shivers. I’ve got a few stereo test records, which I’ve never used for that purpose, though I find they’re most compelling in the way they graphically represent sound. A totally hasty, cut-rate release, but I’m glad they splurged on the color printing for this label.

YV45013 (1967)

The Ugly Ducklings (Yorkville)

The great garage band makes an awkward attempt at blue-eyed soul. The a-side “Gaslight” is over-produced with horns and strings, and the instrumental b-side shown is a more stripped-down blues workout (which is to say, a total snore). I love the abstract swaths of pastel color on this Yorkville label, though confusingly their early singles and LP were released on “Yorktown” (?!).

ACL 1147 (1963) / AH 116 (1966)

Lew Stone And His Band featuring Al Bowlly and Nat Gonella –
10:30 Tuesday Night (Ace of Clubs)

Nothing Was Sweeter Than The Boswell Sisters (Ace of Hearts)

A bit of a cheat, sneaking two related labels in one post (sorry Alexander), but I think they're most compelling when viewed together. These reissue imprints of Decca released LP comps of blues, jazz and big band 78s in the 1960s. Apparently, the Ace of Clubs were dedicated to UK acts, and Ace of Hearts covered American performers. Classy design all around, adopting vaguely psychedelic imagery later in the decade, and the covers are protected with the patented “Clarifoil” laminate. But it’s the really spiffy labels that I love, though I’m still baffled by the upside-down catalog numbers featured on the right side of each. About the music: Bowlly and the Boswells demonstrate that pop of the 30s and 40s need not be cloying.

OSR-LPM-5015 (1966)

(Turn On) The Music Machine (Original Sound)

The band’s gimmick of machine-like precision (wearing all-black outfits and no pauses between songs in their live set) carries over to the center label. The small white lines that form the circumference not only look cool, but apparently also aid in calibrating your turntable! If you can’t make out the fine print along the bottom, it says: “When lines appear to stand still record is revolving at exactly 33 1/3 RPM.” It sort of works, but I’m more won-over by the stark font and clean design. Musically, their second album is even better, and I think they are actually much more soulful than the image lets on.

Volt (1968)

I LOVE this Volt label. The colors, the geometric layout, and especially the Volt logo. Check out that electricity! Zap! Crackle!

Plus, it's a funked-up soul instrumental of the Beatles, with a fun horn arrangement. Thanks, Bar-Kays!

Atco (1969)

I'm surprised that this blog has gone on for nearly a year without someone posting any Atco labels. Just a peek of this yellow circle coming out of a sleeve sends a thrill up my leg. Probably due to my deep and abiding love of the early Dr. John records that came out on Atco, Gris-Gris up through Gumbo. But I'll give anything on Atco a spin.

Vanilla Fudge don't seem to get much respect, but I think they had something going on. The self-titled first album is great, and most all of their records are a pretty good listen, especially when they're doing covers of soul classics (You Keep Me Hangin' On) or offbeat pop tunes (Some Velvet Morning) in their slowed-down heavy psych style. I feel like there should be a renewed interest in Vanilla Fudge right now, considering how "in" and "hip" screwed stuff has become recently with the kids. Maybe being what amounts to a cover band with a garage-y psychedelic hard rock flavor was an easy way to write these guys off once they faded from popular relevance, but it seems like a pretty damn cool idea nowadays.

Design-wise, it's not really that remarkable of a label layout. The logo makes me think of a stained-glass window. But I do have to say I really love that font used for the title text. It reminds me of the font on a self-inking date stamper.

Parlophone

Some elegant design and typography here, and a really good record too- which is surprising given that it is one of those shameless collusions of the record industry with the travel industry. Now, that said, it is by no means legit middle eastern traditional music, but its not just persain tinged lounge either. Fine musicianship as well. And two comedy/novelty numbers, Filmon Wahbi is now on my to find list.

Chattahoochee

This is one of four b-sides for the Murmaid’s one hit wonder, "Popsicles and Icicles". I’m showing the b-side because it looks a little better and I didn’t want any diehard fans to confuse this pressing for one of the others; which either featured "Blue Dress", "Bunny Stomp", or "Comedy and Tragedy", depending...

Winners Circle

Another record from my mother. It’s funny; I like the Searchers, have great memories of my dad’s rock n’ roll band playing Love Potion #9, recorded my own version on my dad's four track when I was in high school, but have never actually liked the song.

The Kapp logo however is super-awesome.

Hello Mudduh, Hello Fadduh! (1963)

Hello! My parents recently gifted me with their record collection and the ol’ family stereo. The majority of what I’ll be posting over the next two weeks will come from their collection. While I haven’t come across anything incredibly rare, going through their records has brought back a few memories. In dedication to my parents and the upcoming 14 days I’d like to say, “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh!”

Note the name written on tape has my mother’s maiden initial. In 1963 Cindy Wilson was 12 years old and buying records regularly.

I really like the arrows against the orange.

Roulette (1966)

Once I had a dream where I was a really brilliant oud player- like, just wailing. I woke up so jazzed and certain of my musical destiny that I marched on down to Lark in the Morning in San Francisco, took one of them puppies off the wall, and started to play. Now, anyone with sense can predict what happened next (i.e., I merely added to the horrible, horrible racket of Fisherman's Wharf tourists "jamming" tunelessly on mbiras and digeridoos), but sometimes you just gotta follow those dream feelings, man. Anyway: oud. It ain't got no frets. It's hard to play.

You'd never guess how hard when listening to Armenian-American oud virtuoso John Berberian, of course. This record comes before the electrified psychedelic sounds of Middle Eastern Rock, and is more "traditional," but still truly rockin' in the non-genre sense. The Record Fiend blog has a nice post about the contents.

I just picked this up at one of Boulder, Colorado's newest purveyors of LPs, Absolute Vinyl, which is more than making up for the closing of Bart's CD Cellar (Bart himself has a new "Music Shack" that I still need to check out). Feelin' pretty lucky about the vinyl scene here in this little college town- for now, at least! As soon as I saw that Roulette label (a classic, I'm told), I knew I had to share it.

Mobile Fidelity (1962)

Plantation (1968)

Oh, the jukebox single... beat to hell, dirt cheap, and easily available on a Ronco comp replete with "As seen on TV!" ads. But the 45 is cheaper and only features one song that you don't want to listen to instead of twelve. So you pay for it at the resale shop counter--a few barely listenable 7"s mixed in with some Isaac Asimov paperbacks, an old high-school gym t-shirt, some old Time Magazine back issues...

Consider the scene: 1968, a Moose or Elk lodge, entertainment slot machines by the bar, and in the corner a mini-skirted, single-mom regular punching in #13 for Jeannie C. Riley's "Harper Valley P.T.A." There's a greatness to this scene no matter how you look at it.

By the late 1960's, alcohol was decidedly uncool in the youth scene. It was your dad's habit, not yours, so there's something telling in the success of this single in the year that America fell into radical bedlam--a reminder that it was the same year that Nixon was inaugurated. The song tells the story of a "Harper Valley widowed wife," tramping around in miniskirts at bars, causing a ruckus in the neighborhood, and finally telling off all the judgemental hypocrites in the P.T.A. for being just as bad as she is. What makes the song even weirder is that Jeannie C. Riley, in her 20s at the time, is singing about her own mother, a woman who would have hit her prime while the boys were overseas in the Pacific. I guess the jukebox success of this song, evidenced by the worn grooves on this particular copy, gives a little hint to the motivations and secret wildness of Nixon's silent majority.

Plantation Records proprietor Shelby Singleton, name-checked here on the label, is yet another weird fixture of the Nashville music scene, and probably deserves a book of his own. He made a fortune on this particular single, purchased Sam Phillips' Sun Records (and back catalog) in 1969, and co-founded a label with Bill Cosby called Tetragrammaton, which released John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Two Virgins." Weird. Weird all over the place.

So, you know, a drink to the jukebox single, to the Elk lodge, to everyone in town being kind of a drunk and sexpot... Nostrovia!