This delve into songs first heard in the 80s at one of the record hops still taking place as part of London’s remaining 50s/60s Teddy Boy/Rocker scene looks at:
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Song: ‘Lights Out’
Artist: Jerry Byrne
From: New Orleans
Recorded: 1958
General
Three Covers One Band
Clue One. The three bands covered: The Paragons/The Nerves/Randy and the Rainbows.
Clue Two. My experiences of seeing them live: in 1982, when I was still at school, my mum—who I get my thing for music from—got us tickets to see this band, only for them to spilt up on the tour before playing the gig. They were my top band at the time; I was totally gutted.
In 1991, I was going to spend a weekend at the Hells Angels’ Kent Custom Bike Show. It turned out that on the same Saturday night, the lead singer of the band was appearing as a solo artist at Wembley, London, on a bill that included the likes of INXS, Jesus Jones and the Hothouse Flowers. Continue reading
Meeting Edgar Broughton
The following is an account of true events: the names of those involved have been changed (including the dog’s).
My introduction to the Great Edgar Broughton started in a pub said to have once been frequented by highwayman Dick Turpin.
Aged fourteen, me and a couple of mates found we could get served in the Schooner, located—though no longer there—where Streatham High Road meets Hermitage Lane.
Bumble Bee: the Sting in the Tale of LaVern Baker!
Artist: LaVern Baker
A.K.A.:
- Delores Williams
- Little Miss Sharecropper
- Bea Baker
From: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
Song: ‘Bumble Bee’
Recorded: 1960
Walking with Jimmy McCracklin
Artist: Jimmy McCracklin
From: a point of contention; either Elaine, Arkansas or St. Louis, Missouri.
Song: ‘The Walk’
Recorded: 1957
Tornado!
The Jiants
Members:
- Jerry Hedges (guitar)
- Andy “Russell” Anderson (vocals)
- Bill Lee Balsbaugh (piano)
- Ron Wolfe (drums)
- Ray Umbarger (bass; not shown in the picture of four)
From: Marion, Indiana, U.S.A.
Song: ‘Tornado’
Released: 1959
Mercy! The Collins Kids
The Collins Kids
Members: Lorrie and Larry Collins
From: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Song: ‘Mercy’
Released: 1958
The Echo Valley Boys: Wash Machine Boogie
The Echo Valley Boys
Members:
- Bill Browning
- Art Fulks
- Merl Hoaf
- Jackie Wooten
- Roy Barker
- Marshall Looney
From: Ohio, USA.
Song: ‘Wash Machine Boogie’
Released: September 1957
The Great Rock n Roll Little White Lie
The story of how I found out one of the U.K.’s greatest recording studio’s best kept secrets; something any music tourist would probably prefer not know. Continue reading
Killing Joke & How I Might’ve Almost Ended-up Being a Porn Star
Recently I’ve been thinking of writing something about how certain songs can take me to a very specific time and place.
Last week I was lucky enough to see Continue reading
N. P. Ryan 