I AM NOT ONE FOR FADS BUT THIS ONES ONE FAD I LIKE!!!! I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED ON MY TOPSY TURVY PROGRESS!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
MARY WELLS! CAN'T YOU SEE (YOU'RE LOSING ME)
I WAS LURKIN AROUND ON DEREKS DAILY45S TODAY AND I HAD TO REPOST THIS WONDERFUL MARY WELLS TRACK DIG IT HEAR!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
ReAcTiOn!!!!!!!
LAST WEEKEND I VENTURED UP TO CHARM CITY TO PLAY SOME WAX!!!! IT WAS A BLAST! THANK YOU SO MUCH AMANDA!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Grant Smith and the Power, debut 45, a soul version of The Spencer Davis Group’s ‘Keep on Running’
Organist Val Stevens, guitarist Les Morris, bassist Mike Harrison, Jerry Mann on saxophone, and drummer Charlie Miller and his brother Ralph Miller (trumpet) had been playing together in the rock-soul group, Eddie Spencer & The Power since October 1966 when a decision was made on 1 January 1967 to introduce a new frontman, singer Ellis Grant Smith, together with guitarist Jim Pauley to replace Les Morris, from rival band E G Smith & The Express. At the same time, Brian “Otis” Ayers, who had previously played with Ralph Miller in The Beau Keys, replaced Jerry Mann on sax. Two weeks later, another former Express member and second drummer, Wayne “Stoney” Stone joined.
During its first year of existence, the group established a solid fan base on the Toronto live circuit, billed either as E G Smith & The Power or as Grant Smith & The Power. Shortly after a show at the Broom and Stone in neighbouring Scarborough, on June 27, 1967, Charlie Miller left the band. Reduced to a single drummer, Grant Smith & The Power headed to the United States for the next two months for live work. On returning to Toronto in early September, Jim Pauley left and was replaced by guitarist Jon Palma.
In New York, the band were offered a deal by Tony Orlando, and promptly recorded their debut single, a soul version of “Keep on Running”, previously a hit for The Spencer Davis Group, coupled with Smith and Stevens’ “Her Own Life”, came out in January 1968 and featured the revised line up (as did a second single on MGM). Both singles were recorded with guest sax player, Steve Kennedy, at Toronto music mogul Art Snider’s Sound Canada studios.
Soon afterwards, Palma left and new guitarist Kenny Marco, who had played with Ayres and Ralph Miller in The Beau Keys during the mid-‘60s (and in the interim, The Upset), was recruited. Around this time, Grant Smith & The Power opened for The Hollies and Spanky & Our Gang at Toronto’s O’Keefe Centre on March 17, 1968. The following month, the band headed off for another US trip, supporting the likes of Janis Joplin, Traffic and Rare Earth.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
NORfOlK VA's OwN SHIPTOWN RECORDS!!!!!!!
The Grooms "I Deserve A Little Bit More"
In the 1960's when Atlantic, Staxs, and Motown records were at there peak. In Norfolk Va. there was SHIPTOWN records headed by the original "Mr. Biggs" Noah H. Biggs. Mr. Biggs developed his company by giving young kids [artists] with a strong desire to sing and perform achance. Most believe that if Mr.Biggs would have had a stronger desire to make money rather than helping to develop the young artist talent,maybe Shiptown would have been the Atlantic or the Motown of the 60'sand 70's.
The Shiptown talent pool could rival any other labels talent pool in that era. Mr. Biggs produced hundreds of records. His talent consists of the bands The House Rockers, the Positive Sounds band [Amos Hunteron drums, James Carver on sax guitar player lil-Mike stood out on many of Shiptown's recording sessions. The Positive Sounds [I almost blew mymind] is a collector's item to this day. Then there was The Anglos featuring Joe Webster aka "little daddy", Big Rob, Eugene, and Baby,there hit "Small town boy" is also a collectors item till this day! TheDream Team, The Idets, Wilson Williams, Art Ensley, Flip Flop Stevens["Come on let's do that thing" another collectors item] The Grooms,Shirley Johnson, The Fabulous Pop-Tops, The Showmen [featuring Norman"General" Johnson later of The Chairmen of the Board] who's hits are still beach music giants today! Next there's the beautiful and soulful Barbara Stant whose hits are some of today's biggest Northern soul's classics Then there's little Ida; Ida Sands who was dubbed Shiptown's Dianna Ross unquestionably one of the most talented singers in the country and also the other half of the Soul Duo along with Joe Webster who's song "Sad Xmas" has been a major hit until this very day.
Shiptown Records was one of very few black record companies in the 60'sand 70's to be booked in white clubs and on all white concerts, which was the start of what is called East Coast Beach Music today! Noah "Mr.Biggs" Biggs worked out a relationship between "Nimrods" his very own booking agency and Levin-Herman a company run by two young white kidsto cross over in the music market which was very successful for them both.
Noah the original "Mr. Biggs" also promoted concerts with performances by not only Shiptown's artist, but along with other major acts such as Al Green, Dianna Ross and the Supremes, The Stylistics, The Delfonics,James Brown, James Cleveland, The Mighty Clouds of Joy and many manyothers including the Isley Brothers who's Mr. Biggs has got to be a result of Noah "Mr.Biggs" Biggs who's trade mark was; sharply dressed,always suit and tie, along with matching brimmed hats! You tell us.
Noah "Mr. Biggs" Biggs passed away in 1978 but his legacy and style lives on today! Now comes "Mr. Biggs II" the second generation. Howard"Mr. Biggs" Biggs the son of the late Noah Biggs brings you all the old and new "Shiptown/HowBig" Soul, Blues Funk and beach music sound that is so NEEDED today! In this day in time of saying anything on a song, we're bringing back good singing and good music for all to listen and to appreciate. We hope you'll enjoy it!
Thank you, "Mr.BIGGS"
Monday, March 23, 2009
MR. OTIS REDDING THOMAS!!
LAST SATURDAY MY WIFE AND I WENT TO THE PORTSMOUTH VA. SPCA!!! AND WE PICKED UP A PAL FOR OUR FEMALE CAT GIDGET! MR. OTIS REDDING THOMAS,IS AROUND 10MONTHS OLD AND HE IS A HEMINGWAY LIKE HIS SISTER!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
MAH NA' MAH NA'
Mah Nà Mah Nà" debuted as part of Umiliani's soundtrack for the Italian mondo film Svezia, inferno e paradiso (Sweden: Heaven and Hell) (1968), a pseudo-documentary about wild sexual activity and other behavior in Sweden. The song accompanied a scene in the film set in a sauna. The lead part was sung by Italian singer/composer Alessandro Alessandroni.[1]The song also appeared on the 1968 soundtrack album released for the film.
"Mah Nà Mah Nà" was a hit in many countries in 1968–1969. In the U.S. it peaked at #55 in the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and #44 on the Cash Box magazine chart in October 1969.In 1969, Henri Salvador recorded a variation titled "Mais Non, Mais Non" ("But No, But No" or "Of Course Not, Of Course Not"), with lyrics he had written in French to Umiliani's tune.
The song became familiar to many from its renditions by the Muppets on television. On 30 November, 1969, "Mahna Mahna" was performed on the The Ed Sullivan Show by a Muppet also known as Mahna Mahna, and the Snowths. Also in 1969, "Mahna Mahna" was performed on Sesame Street by a character that was later known as Bip Bipadotta, along with twoAnything Muppet girls.
During its 1969-70 season, "The Red Skelton Show" used the Umiliani recording as background music for a recurring blackout sketch. The otherwise silent bits featured Red and another performer, dressed as Moon creatures, playing with equipment left behind by the Project Apollo astronauts.
In 1973, a rendition of "Mah Nà Mah Nà" on the Moog synthesizer was released on the album More Hot Butter (Musicor MS 3254) by Hot Butter, best known for the pop tune "Popcorn". It was re-released on CD in 2000. In 1969, the first season of Sesame Street featured a sketch featuring two muppet girls who are unsure of what to do, until they decide to sing a song, enter an unusual-looking version of the latter Muppet character Mahna Mahna (whose named was later changed to Bip Bippadotta, so as to differenciate him from the Mahna Mahna character on The Muppet Show) who begins singing "Mahna Mahna", prompting the girls to join him.
In 1976, the first episode of The Muppet Show to be recorded (featuring Juliet Prowse), used "Mahna Mahna" as the first sketch. It was performed by the Muppets "Mahna Mahna and the Snowths". As a result, the original Piero Umiliani recording finally became a hit in the UK, where the Muppet Show soundtrack album featuring the Muppets' version went to number one.[2]
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