Southern California Spotlight: The Magic Mushroom - I'm Gone/Cry Baby

We jsut keep spinning more records for our SoCal region of the Battle of the Garage Bands. 

Last week (or was it 2 weeks ago?) we spun San Diego's The Lyrics performing the Chris Gaylord penned ravers from the Summer of '65, So What!! and They Can't Hurt Me. Shortly after recording those two legendary numbers, Chris Gaylord and lead guitarist Mike Allen were fired from The Lyrics. The two wandering minstrels joined with John Buell and Gary Williams to become one anew as The Magic Mushroom. The Magic Mushroom (not to be confused with the Philadelphia band of similar name) recorded only one solitary, single and released that blistering 45 in the Summer of '66 on Warner Bros. records. I believe it was released on a smaller local label, Coastline, under the name The Sons.

The A-Side of this Magic Mushroom rocker is the John Buell composed I'm Gone. Gaylord's Harmonica is front and center in this snotty number about a girl who runs around and fails to realize that she's got a good man right in front of her. But damn, she's going to miss him when he's gone! This song appeared on the legendary What A Way To Die comp. Yep, it's that good.

The Flip-Side is the Gary Williams composed Cry Baby. This number is nearly as good as the A-Side. I would go so far as to say that this had hit potential. Jangling open chords and lush harmonies augment a beautifully restrained lead guitar. 

The band traveled to New York to strike it big, recorded some numbers of Gaylord's at Les Paul's house in New Jersey, but nothing ever came of them. This is it. Can't even find a picture of the band. So enjoy what they left us. We're not even convinced that Gaylord and Allen appear on this recording. See the comment section below. 

Until next time, we'll see you On The Flip-Side!

Great Lakes Spotlight: The Pleasure Seekers - What A Way To Die/I Never Thought You'd Leave Me Baby

We're rolling through the Great Lakes Battle of the Garage Bands smoother than a 1964 Buick Wildcat on the rough and tumble streets in America's rust belt. And we've only just begun. 

Today's double sided gem is from Detroit Michigan's, The Pleasure Seekers. And it is our first female entry in the Battle of The Garage Bands! The hedonistic little Pleasure Seekers was comprised of sisters Suzi Quatro and Patti Quatro; sisters Nancy Ball and Mary Lou Ball; and, Diane Baker, who, not long after this recording, was replaced by Arlene Quatro. The band was managed by Dave Leone, who gets writing credit for both sides of this super-rare 1965 single released on the local Hideout Records label.

We've flipped the sides over because -- as usual -- we think the Flip-Side is better. What A Way To Die is, simply put, awesome. The song has a nice Jimmy Reed turnaround riff, bitchin' low-fi production, a perfectly placed spoken voice giving a retort to Suzi's banshee lyrics, reverb drenched over-dubs, growly little vocals, and of course some of the best lyrics ever committed to wax. Watch out boys, these girls are gonna walk all over you as they stagger to the fridge to get another beer.

There is no-way these girls' moms thought this was appropriate. These lyrics are so great, we present every word here for your enjoyment.

Well I love you baby
I'm telling you right here
But please don’t make me decide babyBetween you and a bottle of beer 

And...baby come on overwell come on over to my side (come on baby, to my side)well I may not live past twenty-onebut -- WOO!What a way to die! 

Your lovin' fluctuates babyand everybody knowsbut the temperature always stays the sameon an ice cold bottle of Stroh's 

So...baby come on overwell come on over to my side (come on over, honey)well I may not live past twenty-onebut -- WOO!What a way to die! 

When I start my drinkingmy baby throws a fitSo I just blitz her outta my mindwith seventeen bottles of Schlitz 

And...baby come on overwell come on over to my side (come on...over)well I may not live past twenty-onebut -- WOO!What a way to die! 

You’ve got the kind of bodythat makes me come aliveBut I’d rather have my hands aroundA bottle of Colt 45 

And...baby come on over,come on over to my side (are you coming or not baby?)well I may not live past twenty-onebut WOO! What a way to die!

The A-Side of the single, I Never Thought You'd Leave Me Baby is a raver in it's own right. Groovy bass line and tight vocals. Yeah Baby!

Enjoy. Until next time, we'll see you On The Flip-Side!

Mid-Atlantic Spotlight: The Enfields - She Already Has Somebody/I'm For Things You Do

[Ed. Note: Please see the comment section below for a little bit of color from the song's author, Ted Munda]

Day three of our Mid-Atlantic Battle of the Garage Bands. Today we move to Wilmington, Delaware.

Like everyone else I know who has heard this song, I first came to it by way of the outstanding 1980s compilation, What A Way To Die. Many years later I was lucky enough to come across the single and scoop it up. Because of misinformation from that compilation, I had it in my head that these cats were out of Pennsylvania, but a little internetting showed that -- as usual -- I was wrong. It appears The Enfields hailed from the Wilmington, Delaware area. They put out a number of singles between '65 and '67 and then the band splintered. 

The frontman and songwriter, Ted Munda, was apparently still in high school when he penned She Already Has Somebody (with V. Rago) as well as it's top notch Flip-Side, I'm For Things You Do. It's the band's second single and was given to us in 1966, of course. It features gentle, warbly guitar work by John Bernard who sounds like he has been digging on some surf music. The song also comes with some stellar whispered harmonies courtesy of Munda and Charlie Berl, each of whom appear to have worshipped devoutly at the church of The Holy Zombie with pastors Blunstone and Argent leading the minor key sermons. 

She Already Has Somebody is top notch all the way through. But this Flipper thinks it reaches it's zenith at the surprising and convincing music break starting at 1:20. The break starts with a little bit of a Pete Townshend influenced dead pickup switching and then rolls into a peppy drum beat. The lead then changes keys and goes into beautiful stutter rhythm. The Flip-Side, I'm For Things You Do, is another wonderful rocker that shows great restraint and mousy vocals.

Until next time, we'll see you On The Flip-Side!

Richard and the Young Lions - You Can Make It

Richard and The Young Lions had attitude, dude. The Young Lions hailed from the lovely town of Newark, New Jersey and collectively were Richard Tepp, Bob Freedman, Marc Lees, Norm Cohen, Ricky Rackin, and Jerry Raff. Richard had some seriously long hair and the requisite snarl on his face to make a great front man. It didn't hurt that he could sing, too!

The Young Lions released three singles in their brief career, all on Philips Records. Today's song is, in our humble opinion, the best of their releases. The number is their swan song, You Can Make It, and it was released in March of 1967. This is the A-Side. In a rare public announcement that runs counter to the concept of this site, we warn you...do NOT Flip this record over. Ouch!

You Can Make It was comped on the legendary What A Way To Die record and is one of the standouts on that record. They even graced the cover of the record. That's how we learned of this band.

Until next time, we'll see you On The Flip-Side!