Topic: 60's Music Thread

[Rich Finegan]

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Strawberry Alarm Clock's only big hit was "Incense and Peppermints", and while catchy, it's nothing more than bubblegum psychedelic pop. Check out "Pictures of Matchstick Men" by The Status Quo!

Another of my favorites! How'd you know?
And this time they're not just playing along with the record in this clip. The vocals certainly are different!
I got this 45 when it came out in summer 1968 and over the next few years picked up their next few singles and the "Matchstick Men" album. But when the group got into more rockin' material in the mid-1970's they lost me. Too much like everyone else. But "Pictures of Matchstick Men" - THAT's unique!

[metaldams]

I got this 45 when it came out in summer 1968 and over the next few years picked up their next few singles and the "Matchstick Men" album. But when the group got into more rockin' material in the mid-1970's they lost me. Too much like everyone else. But "Pictures of Matchstick Men" - THAT's unique!

From a heavy metal point of view, Lars Ulrich of Metallica recently said when he grew up in Denmark in the 70's, Led Zeppelin were not very popular over there.  He said the big four of hard rock and heavy metal were Deep Purple (number 1), Black Sabbath, Uriah Heep, and..........Status Quo. 

I find that comment particularly interesting since I have not heard much by Status Quo, but if you research them, they are huge almost everywhere in the world outside of America.  I recently heard a compilation of their more psychedelic/Brit Pop stuff, and while I liked some of what I heard, I'm actually interested in hearing their mid 70's harder rock stuff.

[Rich Finegan]

From a heavy metal point of view, Lars Ulrich of Metallica recently said when he grew up in Denmark in the 70's, Led Zeppelin were not very popular over there.  He said the big four of hard rock and heavy metal were Deep Purple (number 1), Black Sabbath, Uriah Heep, and..........Status Quo. 

I find that comment particularly interesting since I have not heard much by Status Quo, but if you research them, they are huge almost everywhere in the world outside of America.  I recently heard a compilation of their more psychedelic/Brit Pop stuff, and while I liked some of what I heard, I'm actually interested in hearing their mid 70's harder rock stuff.

My brother Ken is with you. He likes the harder rock stuff, while I like the weird psychedelic earlier stuff. So between us we have Status Quo pretty well collected!

[garystooge]

I find that comment particularly interesting since I have not heard much by Status Quo, but if you research them, they are huge almost everywhere in the world outside of America.

That raises an interesting point. There were a lot of British groups whose songs charted really high in the U.K. but didn't even make the radar screen here.  If someone had only one big U.S hit, but had several U.K. hits with songs that never got airplay here, were they a 1-hit wonder? And what about singer/songwriters who had one big hit on their own, but wrote songs that were big hits for others? Are they 1-hit wonders?

Oh and we all agree...."Matchstick Men" is awesome!

[metaldams]

That raises an interesting point. There were a lot of British groups whose songs charted really high in the U.K. but didn't even make the radar screen here.  If someone had only one big U.S hit, but had several U.K. hits with songs that never got airplay here, were they a 1-hit wonder? And what about singer/songwriters who had one big hit on their own, but wrote songs that were big hits for others? Are they 1-hit wonders?

Oh and we all agree...."Matchstick Men" is awesome!

Being born in 1978, 60's music is something I look back on before my time as something to enjoy, not something I lived through.  My initial spark for getting deep into music, as a lot of you know, was heavy metal, and not necessarily the video ready hair metal type.  When I got into high school, though it was outdated by a few years at this point, I liked the old thrash metal stuff and could care less what a hit single was, as could Slayer, as could Exodus, as could Testament, etc., etc., etc.  They were live bands and album bands.

Now, while my tastes have certainly broadened and matured immensely since high school, that whole attitude of not giving a shit about hit singles has stayed with me.  I like a lot of hit singles, but hardly pay attention to the fact they are hits.  So terms like one-hit wonder are barely in my vocabulary, I just don't think along those lines when judging an artist.

Now Gary, my friend above I was telling you about who is COMPLETELY opposite of me as far as attitude on hits was shocked when I mentioned "Waterloo Sunset" is considered one of the great Kinks songs because he never heard of it.  This is a 53 year old, by the way, not some guy my age.  He honestly thinks the arena rock period, and maybe "Lola" is the most valid Kinks.  All he knows is American chart success.

Then again, to also bring up what you said above, wasn't "Waterloo Sunset" a number 2 in the U.K. while not charting at all in America?

[Rich Finegan]

Then again, to also bring up what you said above, wasn't "Waterloo Sunset" a number 2 in the U.K. while not charting at all in America?

"Waterloo Sunset" was released in the U.S. as a single (Reprise #0612) in 1967 and sure enough did NOT even make the Billboard "Hot 100" singles charts in the U.S.

[Rich Finegan]

Being born in 1978, 60's music is something I look back on before my time as something to enjoy, not something I lived through. 

Living through it does make a difference. I even like the Buddah/Kama Sutra label "bubble gum" stuff (1968-1970 era) mentioned earlier because I heard it all WHEN IT WAS NEW. (And yes, I have numerous 45's and LP's by those groups).
Sure it's silly and trivial. But that's okay. It means more than that somehow...when one has lived through it.

I can't stand later bubble gum stuff, but that Buddah label stuff still sounds good to me. 

[stooged and confused]

"Waterloo Sunset" was released in the U.S. as a single (Reprise #0612) in 1967 and sure enough did NOT even make the Billboard "Hot 100" singles charts in the U.S.

Without coming off like a promotion whore, I discuss so many of these topics, including a number of great Kinks songs that were huge in their native land but stiffed here, in my books. Another artist who was a giant star in the UK that barely made a dent on the U.S. radar was Cliff Richard. He was the UK version of Elvis and sold over 250 million records worldwide and had over 125 Top 40 hits in the UK beginning in the 50s! Cliff's 1st U.S. hit was in 1976 with "Devil Woman". His two other big hits here were "We Don't Talk Anymore" and "Dreaming."

[stooged and confused]

Living through it does make a difference. I even like the Buddah/Kama Sutra label "bubble gum" stuff (1968-1970 era) mentioned earlier because I heard it all WHEN IT WAS NEW. (And yes, I have numerous 45's and LP's by those groups).
Sure it's silly and trivial. But that's okay. It means more than that somehow...when one has lived through it.

I can't stand later bubble gum stuff, but that Buddah label stuff still sounds good to me. 

I feel the reason for this is the Kama Sutra/Buddah bubblegum stuff used top notch session musicians, so even though songs like "Simon Says" and "1-2-3 Redlight" are ridiculous, the production is stellar. Incidentally, lead vocalist for Ohio Express (YUMMY YUMMY, CHEWY CHEWY) was Joey Levine. He popped up again in another "group" called Reunion who had a hit with "Life Is A Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me)". I always liked "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'" by Crazy Elephant. The guy doing the goofy laugh (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha) was, wait for it.....Joey Levine.

[stooged and confused]

One more factoid....The guy behind Buddah was Neil Bogart who went on to form Casablanca Records and signed acts like Kiss, Donna Summer and The Village People! He later set up Boardwalk Records and had Ringo Starr and Joan Jett on his roster.

[Rich Finegan]

Another artist who was a giant star in the UK that barely made a dent on the U.S. radar was Cliff Richard. Cliff's 1st U.S. hit was in 1976 with "Devil Woman". His two other big hits here were "We Don't Talk Anymore" and "Dreaming."

My favorite is "We Don't Talk Anymore".
I have his U.S. 45 of "Congratulations" (on Uni 55069) from 1968 which as you know was not a hit in this country. It's the tune that George Harrison & friends ripped off for "It's Johnny's Birthday" on Harrison's 1970 album "All Things Must Pass".

[stooged and confused]

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For those not familiar with the Crazy Elephant hit...for your consideration.

[metaldams]

Without coming off like a promotion whore, I discuss so many of these topic, including a number of great Kinks songs that were huge in their native land but stiffed here, in my books.

My spending has been very frugal these days minus Christmas gifts, but I'm hoping come raise time in the spring, I'll be spending more.  I haven't forgotten you, as I'm still interested in the book.

Yeah, it is a tragedy how that great Kinks period was overlooked in America, but I think that had something to do with them being baneed by the union to play live in America for a few years.

I read an interview with Paul Stanley of KISS once and he said when he was growing up he'd follow both the U.S. and U.K. charts and note how different they were.  He said he discovered lots of good music unknown in American by checking the U.K. charts.

[shemps#1]

Pictures of Matchstick Men is a great song. I actually first came across a cover by Ozzy Osbourne and Type O Negative before hearing the original.

[youtube=425,350]gLUwUKo8oTQ[/youtube]

[stooged and confused]

Yeah, Metaldams. I think you and Rich would be like a kid in a candy store with my books. They are right up your alley. I plan on having them in stock at all times, so whenever you're ready. I was interviewed last week by the major paper here in Phoenix and they are doing a full color story/spread on my collection and the books that will appear in the Sunday January 9 edition. They will also have it digitally online with a slide show!. I'll post the link here once they have it up. It should be cool!

[Rich Finegan]

I always liked "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'" by Crazy Elephant. The guy doing the goofy laugh (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha) was, wait for it.....Joey Levine.

Crazy Elephant - yes I have that 45, plus three others and their LP. The weirdest is a 1970 single called "There Ain't No Umbopo" (Bell 875). The "Crazy Elephant" on this one is actually at least three (or maybe all four) of the musicians who were about to become the group 10cc.  
Have you heard that one?

[stooged and confused]

Crazy Elephant - yes I have that 45, plus three others and their LP. The weirdest is a 1970 single called "There Ain't No Umbopo" (Bell 875). The "Crazy Elephant" on this one is actually at least three (or maybe all four) of the musicians who were about to become the group 10cc.  
Have you heard that one?

I have, believe it or not! Most are also familiar with The Archies, another studio group concoction. SUGAR SUGAR was a monster hit and was sung by Ron Dante, who also formed another "group" called the Cuff Links and had a #9 hit with "Tracy". Dante later became Barry Manilow's producer on all of his big hits. Incidentally, The Archies were the brain child of Don Kirshner, the music mogul who created The Monkees and ran the classic Brill Building stable of music publishing. Jeff Barry helmed the recordings of The Archies, and, along with his ex wife Ellie Greenwich, wrote and produced tons of hit records for Phil Spector acts and dozens of others. Carole King/Gerry Goffin/, Neil Sedaka/Howard Greenfield, Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil, Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller, Burt Bacharach/Hal David, Doc Pomus/Mort Shuman and even Neil Diamond, were all songwriters from the Brill Building factory and wrote for Elvis, The Coasters, The Shirelles, The Monkees, The Crystals, The Ronettes, Little Eva's LOCOMOTION and countless others!

[stooged and confused]

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Here's TRACY by The Cuff Links. Very light and catchy as hell!

[metaldams]

Pictures of Matchstick Men is a great song. I actually first came across a cover by Ozzy Osbourne and Type O Negative before hearing the original.

[youtube=425,350]gLUwUKo8oTQ[/youtube]

Really a shame what happened to Peter Steele.  Any guy who claims his two greatest musical influences are The Beatles and Black Sabbath is OK in my book.

I never checked out much of that covers album and haven't really been interested in anything Ozzy's done in the past 10 - 15 years.  I think it's a combination of his new idiot public image, his family hogging the spotlight, the fact he hasn't performed too well anytime I've seen him in concert, and the fact he hasn't made interesting music.  But yeah, Ozzy also covers John Lennon, King Crimson, The Beatles, and even duets with Leslie West on "Mississippi Queen."

Interesting line about Status Quo on wikipedia, assuming it's true, of course.

"They have recorded over 60 chart hits in the UK, more than any other rock group in history. 22 of these have reached the UK Top Ten."

[garystooge]

"Waterloo Sunset" was released in the U.S. as a single (Reprise #0612) in 1967 and sure enough did NOT even make the Billboard "Hot 100" singles charts in the U.S.

....and was #42 on Rolling Stone's list of the top 500 songs of all-time. Like Metal said, it's a shame that they were banned from touring here, which completely ruined them commercially for a long period.  And this was a group that had dozens of throw-away songs that were just as good or better than their few hits. For example, "You Really Got Me" was #82 on the Rolling Stone list. Isn't this B-side from 1965 just as good? And is this early punk?
[youtube=425,350]LSTYLMMFEBw[/youtube]

[shemps#1]

Actually that cover was originally on the soundtrack for Howard Stern's movie Private Parts back in '97.

[metaldams]

Actually that cover was originally on the soundtrack for Howard Stern's movie Private Parts back in '97.

Oh geez, you're right!  I was just assuming it's on his covers album.  Shows how out of touch I am with current Ozzy.

[garystooge]

What can you tell us about this band, Rich Finegan? Cool song and sounds like the guitarist can play a little but never heard any more from them. I've posted 2 versions of the song.  My ears are pretty shot but it sounds like the first is a mono mix, the 2nd in stereo.  Is it possible to enjoy psychedelic music in mono???

[youtube=425,350]Qja2ptq_p7I[/youtube]

[youtube=425,350]9fst7AtHOhI[/youtube]

[metaldams]

....and was #42 on Rolling Stone's list of the top 500 songs of all-time. Like Metal said, it's a shame that they were banned from touring here, which completely ruined them commercially for a long period.  And this was a group that had dozens of throw-away songs that were just as good or better than their few hits. For example, "You Really Got Me" was #82 on the Rolling Stone list. Isn't this B-side from 1965 just as good? And is this early punk?

Exactly, and for the record, I prefer "I Need You" to "You Really Got Me."

I know hits had their place and they bring awareness to the general culture (excuse me, I mean kulture, we're talking the Kinks here), but they also pigeonhole groups, sometimes unjustly.  I work with a guy who thought the Kinks were a transvestite group because of "Lola."  I almost wanted to cry.

[Rich Finegan]

What can you tell us about this band, Rich Finegan? Cool song and sounds like the guitarist can play a little but never heard any more from them. I've posted 2 versions of the song.  My ears are pretty shot but it sounds like the first is a mono mix, the 2nd in stereo.  Is it possible to enjoy psychedelic music in mono???

[youtube=425,350]Qja2ptq_p7I[/youtube]

[youtube=425,350]9fst7AtHOhI[/youtube]

Yes, that first clip is mono (probably recorded from the 45) and the second is stereo (probably from the album or a CD reissue of it).
They both sound good to me. I have no problem with psychedelic music in mono. A large part of my collection of this kind of material is original 45's, and most of them are mono.

I don't know much about that group Bubble Puppy. Without doing an elaborate search I can say that as far as I know they had one LP and 4 singles. Their first 45, "Hot Smoke & Sassafrass" was the only one that was a hit in the charts. It made it all the way up to #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, debuting on 2-15-69 and lasting 12 weeks on the charts.

I have that hit 45, but none of their others. As usual, the hit 45 is the more common one. The ones that were not hits are much harder to find (although in this age of eBay one could probably find all or most of them any time!) I haven't tried too hard to find them, but wouldn't mind hearing their others or their album. I do like the B-side of the 45 I do have.

The book that gives the Billboard chart listings gives the following brief info about the group:
"Psychedelic rock band from Austin, Texas. Later recorded as Demien".

Here's a listing of the 45's put out by the group's label International Artists, including the four by Bubble Puppy:
45 Discography for International Artists Records (1967 - 1970)

101 The Coastliners - Alright / Wonderful You
102 Ray Brooks - You Done Me Wrong / Because You're A Man
103 Johnny Williams - Honey Child / Another Love
104 The She's - The Fool / Ah Geel Maurie
105 Kathy Clarke - My Summer Prayer / Little Girl Called Sad
106 Tom Harvey - So Ah In Ah Love / My Love Is There
107 The 13th Floor Elevators - You're Gonna Miss Me / Tried To Hide  
108 Sterling Damon - Rejected / My Last Letter
109 The Disciples of Shaftesbury - My Cup Is Full / Times Gone By
110 Thursday's Children - Air Conditioned Man / Dominoes  
111 The 13th Floor Elevators - Reverberation (Doubt) / Fire Engine  
112 Frankie and Johnny - Sweet Thang / Times Gone By
113 The 13th Floor Elevators - Before You Accuse Me / Levitation  
114 The Chayns - Night Time / Live With The Moon
115 Thursday's Children - Help, Murder, Police / You Can't Forget About That  
116 Billy Wade Mc Knight - I Need Your Lovin' / Trouble's Comin' On
117 Frankie and Johnny - A Present Of The Past / Right String Baby
118
119 The Chayns - There's Something Wrong / See It Thru
120 Lost and Found - Forever Lasting Plastic Words / Everybody's Here
121 The 13th Floor Elevators - Baby Blue / She Lives  
122 The 13th Floor Elevators - Slip Inside This House / Splash 1
123 Beauregard - Mama Never Taught Me How To Jelly Roll / Popcorn Popper
124 Rubayyat - If I Were A Carpenter / Ever Ever Land
125 Lost and Found - When Will You Come Through / Professor Black
126 The 13th Floor Elevators - May The Circle Remain Unbroken / I'm Gonna Love You Too  
127 Lightnin' Hopkins - Baby Child / Mr. Charlie
128 The Bubble Puppy - Hot Smoke And Sassafrass / Lonely  
129 Endle St. Cloud - Tell Me One More Time / Quest For Beauty  
130 The 13th Floor Elevators - Livin' On / Scarlet And Gold  
131 Sonny Hall - The Battle Of The Moon / Poor Planet Earth
132 The Shayds - Search The Sun / Bring Your Love
133 The Bubble Puppy - Beginning / If I Had A Reason  
134
135
136 The Bubble Puppy - Days Of Our Time / Thinkin' About Thinkin'  
137 Shayde - A Profitable Dream / Third Number
138 The Bubble Puppy - What Do You See / Hurry Sundown  
139 Endle St. Cloud - She Wears It Like A Badge / Laughter  
140
141 Arnim and Hamilton - Pepperman / Walkin' Midnite Coffee Break
142 Ginger Valley - Ginger / Country Life