"Shimmy" is a nice li'l instrumental, but flip that 45 back over! 'Cause "Nothing Takes The Place Of You" is one of the most moving soul ballads ever...
Pickwick, I cosine 200%! . I love this as an example of THE great Jeckyll/Hyde 45 of all time. Deep Deep soul on the a (the hit, which is why this is relatively easy to find) and absolute Hammond brutality on the flip.
His split personality showed up again! I have a followup single, "I'll Do It For You," which is an excellent "N.T.T.P.O.Y." knockoff (in a minor key this time), but the backside is "The Toussaint Shuffle," an instrumental go-go grinder. Haven't played this single in a minute, but I do recall that the "Shuffle" didn't have the same impact as the "Shimmy." I should listen again.
Incidentally, this time last year at Tower Records' closeout sale I scored a Toussaint McCall compilation CD...he had a lot more good stuff than the hit (and the B-side).
Makes me want to rent the original 'Hairspray' to see TM sing 'Nothing Takes the Place of You'
Good thing the movie came out or else people would still be thinking that Toussaint McCall looks like the guy on the right:
[color:red]BTW, I think that this white dude on the cover of McCall's album may be the label owner's son[/color]
"Ill do it for you" is BADASS...the minor key does it on that track...sounds sinister...yeah the Toussaint Shuffle is cool, has a nasty little distorted guitar solo
I'm coming in late, so comments about a few posts:
The Frank Frost record you'll see on Jewel for $10 is most likely a later press, like most LP's in the J/R/P family, there are multiple presses, many later ones on cheap thin vinyl. The OG heavy vinyl can go for more. It's a great album, one of my personal favorite blues LP's, but I really want to know the deal with this one:
The Five by Five LP is *OK* but does not live up to the non-LP singles on the same label, like "15 Going on 20," which is a lewd rocker of the highest order. The LP has a few good tracks, but a number of tepid ones as well. "Fire" and "Hang Up" are included on the album.
John Fred & His Playboy Band are one of my favorite acts on the label, really one of my favorite acts of the 60's! One of those 60's bands you can follow as their sound changes from release to release to reflect the times - from their first single in 1959 of rockabilly pop, to the frat rock sounds of their first album (which includes an AWESOME medley of John Lee Hooker's "Boogie Chillun" and Frankie Lee Sims' "Walkin' with Frankie"), the more Stones-ish approach to their second album, and onto the Beatles influences of the "Agnes English" LP, renamed "Judy In Disguise" when that single went all the way to number 1. Their final LP for Paula, "Permanently Stated," finds them jumping on the bubblegum and pop-psych bandwagon, and as usual, with some very satisfying results. A very pro outfit, and Fred's easygoing style makes for a great frontman. It's unfortunate how bad the LP they made next, for UNI, is - it's as if leaving the Louisiana homebase took away their mojo. My personal favorite John Fred track: their cover of Mouse & the Traps "Sometimes You Just Can't Win" on the Agnes English LP.
There is also some great gospel on Jewel, not the least of which is the Meditation Singers "A Change Is Gonna Come" LP, produced by Andre Williams, which includes a few slices of incredibly funky gospel.
Bobby P. is one hell of a nice guy. Great stories, killer trucker cap, and the mini-cans of beer we drank over there were quite refreshing in texas early summer heat. Book him if you're organizing a soul revue... the older artists appreciate your support and renewed enthusiasm for the music.
I saw him a year ago at the Ponderosa Stomp in Memphis and he was spitting out those little rhymes and downhome sayings with the quickness. I would have stayed for his whole set, 'cept he was the last act of the festival and I was good and burned out by then. I was still digging what I was seeing.
GREAT LP! Goes for loot because there were only maybe 500 to a 1000 pressed(although thousands of jackets were printed, Sam always printed more jackets than LPs, you can get a bill just for a clean jacket) I was lucky and sold a test press of it last year. Got some good loot for it. Also, historically it is an important LP as it is one of the very first modern blues LPs...up to that time, blues was a 45 a 78 medium, as I am sure you know. But music wise, it is kick ass juke joint steez. I made some CD burns of the test press, if you would like one...
I'm coming in late, so comments about a few posts:
The Frank Frost record you'll see on Jewel for $10 is most likely a later press, like most LP's in the J/R/P family, there are multiple presses, many later ones on cheap thin vinyl. The OG heavy vinyl can go for more. It's a great album, one of my personal favorite blues LP's, but I really want to know the deal with this one:
Which album is this? The one on Philips Int'l with that out-of-focus pic of the raggedy farmer grinning and playing guitar? (The Popsike link doesn't show much...) Anyway, I have a CD reissue and can guarantee this is quality early-sixties rockin' blues...as downhome as a fish fry, but with enough of a beat that I could see kids of that time dancing to it on American Bandstand.
John Fred & His Playboy Band are one of my favorite acts on the label, really one of my favorite acts of the 60's! One of those 60's bands you can follow as their sound changes from release to release to reflect the times - from their first single in 1959 of rockabilly pop, to the frat rock sounds of their first album (which includes an AWESOME medley of Jihn Lee Hooker's "Boogie Chillun" and Frankie Lee Sims' "Walkin' with Frankie"), the more Stones-ish approach to their second album, and onto the Beatles influences of the "Agnes English" LP, renamed "Judy In Disguise" when that single went all the way to number 1. Their final LP for Paula, "Permanently Stated," finds them jumping on the bubblegum and pop-psych bandwagon, and as usual, with some very satisfying results. A very pro outfit, and Fred's easygoing style makes for a great frontman. It's unfortunate how bad the LP they made next, for UNI, is - it's as if leaving the Louisiana homebase took away their mojo.
I know. John Fred's career trajectory almost reads like that of "Dewey Cox" (the fictional fifties rocker immortalized in a movie coming out tomorrow). Ever heard the album that Fred made later for Guinness?
I've always felt that Fred was an underrated treasure, and "Boogie Children" (as the label spelt it) is a Frickin' gutbucket MONSTER. As much as I love "Judy In Disguise," I gotta admit that most of his "psychedelic bubblegum" phase doesn't do it for me. It looks good on paper, this white soul guy trying his hand at psychedelia, but doesn't impact like it should. And I agree, the Uni album is a waste (although I admire his nerve for rewriting "Sweet Soul Music" as a WTF tribute to Nilsson, Pete Townshend and Johnny Winter - even by rock standards, those three acts have nothing in common!).
There is also some great gospel on Jewel, not the least of which is the Meditation Singers "A Change Is Gonna Come" LP, produced by Andre Williams, which includes a few slices of incredibly funky gospel.
Also on the gospel tip: both the Violinaires and Ernest Franklin cut some cool Jewels after they left Chess.
GREAT LP! Goes for loot because there were only maybe 500 to a 1000 pressed(although thousands of jackets were printed, Sam always printed more jackets than LPs, you can get a bill just for a clean jacket) I was lucky and sold a test press of it last year. Got some good loot for it. Also, historically it is an important LP as it is one of the very first modern blues LPs...up to that time, blues was a 45 a 78 medium, as I am sure you know. But music wise, it is kick ass juke joint steez. I made some CD burns of the test press, if you would like one...
Truth.....back in '83 when I went to Sun Studios to buy one of their deceased employees collections I saw 100's of jackets for all the Phillips International LP's....I grabbed some Frost and some Frank Ballard covers......I've found both LP's out in the wild and they are both good.
Sun also had about 3 inches of broken 78 pieces covering the floor of their stock room. When I asked if they had any 78's the dude told me they had sold them all to a traveling Carnival to be used in a "Break the record with a ball" game!!!
How can we have a Paula thread and not mention THE UNIQUES?!
Two classics from them:
"You Ain't Tuff" (one of THE great countrified garage tunes ever)
"You Don't Miss Your Water" (great version of the William Bell classic)
Also on Paula, I personally like the two "Redd Holt Unlimited" LP's, which have some slightly "out there" tracks worth hearing. And the Young-Holt Unlimited "Superfly" LP as well, of course.
How can we have a Paula thread and not mention THE UNIQUES?!
Two classics from them:
"You Ain't Tuff" (one of THE great countrified garage tunes ever)
"You Don't Miss Your Water" (great version of the William Bell classic)
They're usually remembered as a garage band, but they killed it as far as all-around versatility. I'm also fond of "Areba" (the surfish guitar instrumental), "Run & Hide," "Knock On Wood" and their hard-rawk version of Little Walter's "My Babe."
In the '80s, Charly released a surprisingly weak comp of Paula's white pop-rock acts, Born On The Bayou. Could have been better, but it was ALL obvious cover versions, not enough obscure remakes or originals (although it does contain John Fred's scorching "Boogie Children").
Comments
"Ill do it for you" is BADASS...the minor key does it on that track...sounds sinister...yeah the Toussaint Shuffle is cool, has a nasty little distorted guitar solo
I'm coming in late, so comments about a few posts:
The Frank Frost record you'll see on Jewel for $10
is most likely a later press, like most LP's in the
J/R/P family, there are multiple presses, many later
ones on cheap thin vinyl. The OG heavy vinyl can go
for more. It's a great album, one of my personal favorite
blues LP's, but I really want to know the deal with this one:
http://www.popsike.com/php/detaildatar.php?itemnr=130109687964
The Five by Five LP is *OK* but does not live up to
the non-LP singles on the same label, like "15 Going on
20," which is a lewd rocker of the highest order. The LP
has a few good tracks, but a number of tepid ones as well.
"Fire" and "Hang Up" are included on the album.
John Fred & His Playboy Band are one of my favorite acts
on the label, really one of my favorite acts of the 60's!
One of those 60's bands you can follow as their sound changes
from release to release to reflect the times - from their
first single in 1959 of rockabilly pop, to the frat rock
sounds of their first album (which includes an AWESOME medley
of John Lee Hooker's "Boogie Chillun" and Frankie Lee Sims'
"Walkin' with Frankie"), the more Stones-ish approach to their
second album, and onto the Beatles influences of the "Agnes English"
LP, renamed "Judy In Disguise" when that single went all the
way to number 1. Their final LP for Paula, "Permanently Stated,"
finds them jumping on the bubblegum and pop-psych bandwagon,
and as usual, with some very satisfying results. A very pro
outfit, and Fred's easygoing style makes for a great frontman.
It's unfortunate how bad the LP they made next, for UNI, is -
it's as if leaving the Louisiana homebase took away their mojo.
My personal favorite John Fred track: their cover of Mouse & the
Traps "Sometimes You Just Can't Win" on the Agnes English LP.
There is also some great gospel on Jewel, not the least of which
is the Meditation Singers "A Change Is Gonna Come" LP, produced by
Andre Williams, which includes a few slices of incredibly funky gospel.
I saw him a year ago at the Ponderosa Stomp in Memphis and he was spitting out those little rhymes and downhome sayings with the quickness. I would have stayed for his whole set, 'cept he was the last act of the festival and I was good and burned out by then. I was still digging what I was seeing.
GREAT LP! Goes for loot because there were only maybe 500 to a 1000 pressed(although thousands of jackets were printed, Sam always printed more jackets than LPs, you can get a bill just for a clean jacket) I was lucky and sold a test press of it last year. Got some good loot for it. Also, historically it is an important LP as it is one of the very first modern blues LPs...up to that time, blues was a 45 a 78 medium, as I am sure you know. But music wise, it is kick ass juke joint steez. I made some CD burns of the test press, if you would like one...
Next time I buy records from you, I'll definitely be looking for one ...
Which album is this? The one on Philips Int'l with that out-of-focus pic of the raggedy farmer grinning and playing guitar? (The Popsike link doesn't show much...) Anyway, I have a CD reissue and can guarantee this is quality early-sixties rockin' blues...as downhome as a fish fry, but with enough of a beat that I could see kids of that time dancing to it on American Bandstand.
I know. John Fred's career trajectory almost reads like that of "Dewey Cox" (the fictional fifties rocker immortalized in a movie coming out tomorrow). Ever heard the album that Fred made later for Guinness?
I've always felt that Fred was an underrated treasure, and "Boogie Children" (as the label spelt it) is a Frickin' gutbucket MONSTER. As much as I love "Judy In Disguise," I gotta admit that most of his "psychedelic bubblegum" phase doesn't do it for me. It looks good on paper, this white soul guy trying his hand at psychedelia, but doesn't impact like it should. And I agree, the Uni album is a waste (although I admire his nerve for rewriting "Sweet Soul Music" as a WTF tribute to Nilsson, Pete Townshend and Johnny Winter - even by rock standards, those three acts have nothing in common!).
Also on the gospel tip: both the Violinaires and Ernest Franklin cut some cool Jewels after they left Chess.
Truth.....back in '83 when I went to Sun Studios to buy one of their deceased employees collections I saw 100's of jackets for all the Phillips International LP's....I grabbed some Frost and some Frank Ballard covers......I've found both LP's out in the wild and they are both good.
Sun also had about 3 inches of broken 78 pieces covering the floor of their stock room. When I asked if they had any 78's the dude told me they had sold them all to a traveling Carnival to be used in a "Break the record with a ball" game!!!
Yes - I think that raggedy farmer is Frank ...
No, although a friend had it and did not give it high marks.
if so, its nice they way juxtaposed that pic with an in-focus photo of frank in a dapper suit, almost like some kind of statement or something
Two classics from them:
"You Ain't Tuff" (one of THE great countrified garage tunes ever)
"You Don't Miss Your Water" (great version of the William Bell classic)
Also on Paula, I personally like the two "Redd Holt Unlimited"
LP's, which have some slightly "out there" tracks worth hearing.
And the Young-Holt Unlimited "Superfly" LP as well, of course.
Some great 45's, "Southern Country Boy," "Booze in a Bottle,"
"Stop talking In Your Sleep," "Booby-Trap Baby," etc ...
They're usually remembered as a garage band, but they killed it as far as all-around versatility. I'm also fond of "Areba" (the surfish guitar instrumental), "Run & Hide," "Knock On Wood" and their hard-rawk version of Little Walter's "My Babe."
In the '80s, Charly released a surprisingly weak comp of Paula's white pop-rock acts, Born On The Bayou. Could have been better, but it was ALL obvious cover versions, not enough obscure remakes or originals (although it does contain John Fred's scorching "Boogie Children").
and "Do The Flo Show"!!!!
Also:
Eddy Giles - "Losing Boy" (on Murco, a Jewel subsidiary)
Joe Valentine - "Can't Stand To See You Go" (Ronn)