Great Lakes Spotlight: The Turfits - Losin' One/If It's Love You Want

Day three of our Great Lakes Region of the Battle of the Garage Bands takes us to Ohio for the first time. That is where we find four Buckeye men wearing mini-skirts and frilly blouses. I don't know what more I can say about that.

The Turfits hailed from two small towns West of Cleveland, Fremont and Findlay, Ohio. The band was Whitey Gwinup, Gary Reddick, Kenny Turner and Roger Hilty. The members had been in various other bands and came together into one as The Other Ones. But, ironically, there was already another band called The Other Ones. So this other, Other Ones held a "name the band" contest at one of their shows. From that contest came the winning name of The Turfits. Okay. One has to wonder what the hell the other suggested names may have been for these hep-cats to choose The Turfits above the others? The Roadkill Kittens IV? The Pink Fluffies? The Mama's Boys?

Regardless, the curiously dressed, curiously named band recorded two songs written by Whitey Gwinup. Two songs he brought with him to the band. The A-Side is right out of garage songs 101. Losin' One has a  slow groove with a meandering Farfisa organ weaving it's way through the song. I particularly love the subtle fuzz guitar at 1:05 leading into the organ lead. The song was credited to the whole band per legal requirement. As is so often the case, the label misspelled a name. In this case, Gwinup's. The Flip-Side, If It's Love You Want, is a much more upbeat number. Again. Garage 101. Great back-up vocals, heavy organ, sweet guitar lead.

The record was recorded in Cleveland and released on Capitol Records in October of 1967.

As is the case with all things Ohio, we took a lot of info and pics from the great website, Buckeye Beat. They were given the pics from Whitey Gwinup and Wayne Van Doren.

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

James Burton and Ralph Mooney - Corn Picken'

It's Corn Pickin' time! We return today to Shreveport, Louisiana and to James Burton. We mentioned in yesterday's post that a young James Burton was on guitar for yesterday's Dale Hawkins tune, La-Do-Dada. Today we feature that guitarist front and center.

James Burton was raised in Minden, Louisiana, just an opossums throw away from Shreveport. He cut his chops early as a self-taught guitarist and became the spokes-picker for a distinct style of guitar playing called chicken picken'. That flat pick/finger pick/under-string-pluck/note bending combo thing he does so well is on full display here on his own composition, Corn Picken'. Burton's second, and final, solo single was released on Capitol Records in March of 1968. It's one minute and 47 seconds of pure geetar pickin' goodness.

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

Song of the Week: Gene Vincent and his Blue Caps - Race With the Devil/Gonna Back Up Baby

Race With The Devil

Gonna Back Up Baby

[originally published on 8/20/13. Reposted today in honor of Cliff Gallup's birthday]

For my money, Gene Vincent's second single, was the best he and the Blue Caps ever did. Race With The Devil was written by Gene Vincent (I discount all cases of the manager being given equal writing credit, as is the case on this disc) and recorded in Nashville on May 1st, 1956. This was the same inaugural session that provided yesterday's double sided gem, Be-Bop-A-Lula and Woman Love.

Race With The Devil is well named. This song sounds just like one would think a race with a devil would sound. If those races had soundtracks, that is. The highlight of the song is without question the two guitar breaks by Cliff Gallup. The tone, attack and stylings of his two solos typify Rockabilly perhaps better than any other song. Gallup used a 1955 Gretsch Duojet played through his Standel 25L15 amp and his home made echo box to create the delicious tone.

We're also giving you the Flip-Side, Gonna Back Up Baby, which showcases Gallup's Bigsby vibrato in great form. 

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

Song of the Week: ? and the Mysterians - Make You Mine/I Love You Baby

Make You Mine

I Love You Baby

? and The Mysterians (pronounced Question Mark and the Mysterians) were certified hep-cats. That's for sure. Cool name. Cool look. Cool sound. The Saginaw, Michigan all latino quintet struck gold with their original composition, the 1966 garage classic, 96 Tears. Two solid albums and a handful of follow-up singles were released in the next two years, but nothing much came of those records. Catching lightning in a bottle twice proved to be difficult. 

In 1968 singer Rudy Martinez (aka Question Mark), Eddie Serrato, Frank Lugo, 14-year old Frank Rodriguez on organ and Bobby Balderrama left Cameo-Parkway Records and did a one-off single with Capitol Records. Both sides, Make You Mine and I Love You Baby were composed by frontman, Rudy Martinez. This doesn't sound much like 1968 to me. No heavy guitars, no growling vocals, no extended jam. Nope. This is more like 1965. "Say Man, how's the party and where's my baby?" Its downright quaint. 

Song of the Week: People - I love You

Today we're going to follow up on a Zombies post which was part of the Parrot Records Spotlight we did last week. The Flip-Side of that single we featured was a Chris White penned tune called I Love You. I noted the 1965 double sided gem of a record failed to make the top 100 in the US but that another band scored a hit with it. Here is that record for you today.

People was a six-person band out of San Jose, California who scored a hit with The Zombies' number. The band recorded the number in 1967, released on Capitol Records January of 1968 and with a real label behind them (yes, I'm looking at you Parrot Records) was able to get enough national airplay that their version hit #14 in the Summer of 1968. It's definitely a little more hippy-dippy than the Zombies original but the inherent quality of the record holds up nicely in this version. Ultimately they didn't stray far from the original: slowed it down a little, added a moody intro, a few effective tacet moments on the C major in the chorus.

People apparently got wrapped up in The Scientology movement and when singer Larry Norman refused to join the organization, he was sacked from the band. Now the rest of the band plays private gigs for the high priest, John Travolta in his inner sanctum. Play the two versions back to back and let us know which you like better. 

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

Song of the Week: The Beach Boys - Darlin' and Here Today

Darlin'

Here Today

Here at On The Flip-Side we tend to focus on the little records that could, not the Goliaths of the music world. But occasionally we break that rule for a compelling record. Today is one of those days.

By the time The Beach Boys recorded and released Darlin'/Here Today for Capitol Records in the waning hours of 1967, the band was in a downward spiral. Brian Wilson's tenuous hold on stability was not so firm. The music scene had changed enough that The Beach Boys were considered passé by most of the hep-cat record buyers who were focusing on The Doors, The Beatles and Jefferson Airplane. But that didn't stop the band from making one last great single. And here is that record.

Darlin' was written by Mike Love and Brian Wilson and recorded on October 27, 1967 with Carl singing lead. It's a curious vocal performance as Carl struggles to hit the higher notes of the song...but in a good way. His performance is enthusiastic and charming and the harmonies, as was always the case with the band of brothers and cousins, is tight as hell. It's a shame the song fades out. Songs should NEVER fade out. Never. An irony here is that this, the last great Beach Boys 45, inspired a Zombies song in their twilight hours. Any guesses as to what that song is?

The Flip-Side is an older song, Here Today, which first appeared on the much vaunted Pet Sounds album in 1966. It's one of the better Beach Boys songs ever with the Pet Sounds trademark lush production. The musicians on the song are the vaunted Wrecking Crew and they nail it on this track. I'm particularly smitten with the music break starting around 1:45. You can hear Brian Wilson yelling out the music cues at two points. Mmmmm, nice.

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

Song of the Week: Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps - Be-Bop-A-Lula/Woman Love

Be-Bop-A-Lula

Woman Love

These early Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps singles are just amazing. Gene Vincent was a crazed rockabilly rebel before there were ever crazed rockabilly rebels. Gene Vincent grew up in Norfolk Virginia and served in the US Navy until 1955 when a motorcycle accident crushed his leg and left him unfit for service. He turned to his old love, music, and started performing around the tidewaters of Virginia where a local DJ, Sheriff Tex Davis, took note. Davis took over management and assembled a new, better band, for Vincent. One of those musicians was an older gentleman by the name of Cliff Gallup. His guitar work on these early Blue Caps singles (he was only in the band for the first 18 months) lift these songs from great to spectacular. 

We listen today to both sides of Gene Vincent's first single, released in May of 1956 for Capitol Records. It's the well known Gene Vincent penned tune, Be-Bop-A-Lula with the less well known Flip-Side, Woman Love.

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