Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Classic LP finds

Over the last week or two I've bought quite a few records (both LPs and 45s), many of which I am currently advertising on Ebay in the hope that I can fund more purchases in the future. Here is a varied selection of some of the ones that I am keeping.
1. Fairfield Parlour - From Home To Home. Released in 1970 on Vertigo. Mint value - £350.
This is the second incarnation of the UK psychedelic band Kaleidoscope. When the band's initial success waned they changed their name and actually appeared at the Isle of Wight Festival under this name, despite having assumed yet another name, I Luv Wight, to record the theme for the festival. The LP didn't sell well, despite this, and they disbanded, with a second unissued album only seeing the light of day until 1991 when it appeared under the Kaleidoscope name. This is the first track from the LP, Aries.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoeYOQQ_nZY
2. Tommy Sands - Sands Storm. Released in 1958 on Capitol. Mint value - £80.
Despite early success as a rock and roller, including this excellent LP, Tommy Sands eventually evolved from being a rocking Elvis clone to becoming a rather disappointing middle of the road singer and film star. Teenage Crush was a big hit in 1957 and this LP was pure rockabilly, including high quality covers of Maybelline, Hearts of Stone, Such a Night and Chicken and the Hawk, among others. Tommy went on to marry Nancy Sinatra and found himself blacklisted by Frank. Here's his version of Maybelline, from the LP.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dykhmeSImY
3. Junior Parker - Like It Is. Released on Mercury in 1967. Mint value - £50.
(Little) Junior Parker was one of the blues greats, performing in the Beale Streeters with Bobby Bland and B B King in the early 50s and recording the original of Mystery Train, later recorded by Elvis. He had great success with the Duke label before joining Mercury where he recorded this super Bobby Robinson produced LP. He died in 1971. Here's one of the tracks from the album, Just Like a Fish.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNpChDiFiw0
4. Tommy James & the Shondells - Mony Mony. Released on Roulette in 1968. Mint value - £30.
Tommy James and the Shondells were known as a 'fun' group and had great success in the US from 1966 with Hanky Panky, It's Only Love and Gettin' Together before they eventually had a UK hit with Mony Mony. Hanky Panky was a local hit in Michigan in 1964 but didn't take off nationally until two years later, resulting in the band becoming one of the major 'bubblegum' groups of the late 60s and early 70s, with hits such as Crimson and Clover and Draggin' The Line.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkMgs3lFwkQ
5. Little Richard - Coming Home. Released on Coral in 1963. Mint value £25.
At the height of success in 1957, Little Richard allegedly threw four diamond rings into the sea on a tour of Australia and vowed to sing only gospel songs from then on. This is one of several gospel LPs which featured Richard and, although his voice was still superb, it lacks the rock and roll magic that he was famous for. Fortunately he later relented and I got to see Little Richard perform his dynamic act on several occasions during the 60s, and later, including a particularly memorable show with Sam Cooke in 1962. Here's one of the organ-backed tracks from the LP.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlWNU63wI3U

1 Comments:

At 8:29 pm , Anonymous John S said...

Nice finds mate; although not an album collector I do find myself jealous of the 'Sands Storm'. I think his versions stand up pretty well against the originals - particularly 'Oop Shoop'

 

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