pop

The Knack – Banana Man

Posted by funky16corners on July 16, 2017
Posted in: 45s, Culture, folk rock, Iron Leg, Music, pop, Rock, Sunset Strip. Leave a comment

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The Knack

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Listen/Download – The Knack – Banana Man

Greetings all.

Before we get started this week …

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It’s time for the 2017 Funky16Corners Pledge Drive.

Since Iron Leg, and the Iron Leg Radio Show podcast are dependent of the continued health of Funky16Corners, and continue under the banner of the Funky16Corners Radio Network, it behooves me to post these links here, too.

The pledging will also take a slightly different form this year, moving to Patreon (click here or on the logo below to go to the Funky16Corners page) , where you will be able to spread your contributions out over the entire year, which will help cover the ongoing server/broadcast/hardware expenses. This year has seen the upgrade of a couple of crucial pieces of equipment, and any help you fine people can provide will keep the machinery moving here at Funky16Corners central. So please dig deep so we can continue to do the same!

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I first wrote about the Knack in this space five years ago, with their classic 45 ‘Time Waits For No One’.

They were – to refresh your memory – a SoCal group that laid down four 45s for Capitol between 1966 and 1968, and then had their memory all but steamrolled by the success of the 1970s/1980s Knack (a completely different group) and ‘My Sharona’.

This Knack wrote and recorded some excellent, UK-influenced pop/rock in their relatively brief time together, with lots and lots of hooks, complicated guitar interplay and group harmonies.

‘Banana Man’ was the b-side of their second to last 45 in 1967.

It has a much more “West Coast’ sound (produced by Lex De Azevedo who also produced the Four King Cousins) than their previous 45s, sounding locked in to the Sunset Strip folk rock/goodtime pop vibe.

Oddly enough, as good as the Knack’s 45s are – and they are (good) – I don’t see them as potential hits. They are all well written, well played and filled with interesting ideas, buyt ultimately they seem just a bit too interesting for the charts.

It’s a little painful to suggest that a band might be too interesting for the charts, but in this case (and many, many others during that densely packed 1965-1968 period) it was likely true.

Thanks to aggressive promotion by Capitol the group had a couple of pockets of regional success – with ‘I’m Aware’ and the other side of this 45 ‘Pretty Daisy’ – but never broke through on a larger scale.

That said, all of the Knack’s 45s have been collected and reissued (with bonus tracks) by Now Sound, and the collection is highly recommended.

I hope you dig the track and I’ll see you all next week.

Peace

Larry

 

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PS Head over to Funky16Corners for some soul.

Tina Mason – Are You There

Posted by funky16corners on June 25, 2017
Posted in: Bacharach/David, cover versions, Culture, Iron Leg, Music, pop, Uncategorized. Leave a comment

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Tina Mason

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Listen/Download – Tina Mason – Are You There

Greetings all.

Before we get started this week …

________________________________________________

It’s time for the 2017 Funky16Corners Pledge Drive.

Since Iron Leg, and the Iron Leg Radio Show podcast are dependent of the continued health of Funky16Corners, and continue under the banner of the Funky16Corners Radio Network, it behooves me to post these links here, too.

The pledging will also take a slightly different form this year, moving to Patreon (click here or on the logo below to go to the Funky16Corners page) , where you will be able to spread your contributions out over the entire year, which will help cover the ongoing server/broadcast/hardware expenses. This year has seen the upgrade of a couple of crucial pieces of equipment, and any help you fine people can provide will keep the machinery moving here at Funky16Corners central. So please dig deep so we can continue to do the same!

Example

_______________________________________________

The record you see before you made its way into my crates a few years back via the inclusion of an early version of the the song ‘What’. That tune, written by HB Barnum was originally recorded by Judy Street and went on to become a Northern Soul classic.

The version by Tina Mason (recorded/released shortly after the Street 45) is a slightly slower, more stylish affair, but still cool.

Mason had a short but interesting recording career, first with Tina and the Mustangs on Capitol, then on her one full album.

She had a certain amount of Southern California success, having performed at Disneyland and then becoming a regular on ‘Where the Action Is’ (where she met her future husband, Phil ‘Fang’ Volk of Paul Revere and the Raiders.

Her 1967 album ‘Is Something Wonderful’ was produced by David Axelrod and arranged by HB Barnum (no doubt the reason she recorded ‘What’) and features a wide variety of sounds.

Mason’s stuff walked the line between girl-group and soul, as well as a certain kind of sophisticated pop.

Today’s selection is a great cover of the Bacharach/David ‘Are You There (With Another Girl)’ (title truncated on Mason’s album), which was a hit for Dionne Warwick in 1965.

Mason’s version is a great showcase for her voice, backed with a lush arrangement, sounding like a kinder, gentler wall of sound. There’s a booming bass, shimmering rhythm guitar and understated strings and brass, with a female chorus backing Mason’s lead vocal.

The production by Axelrod is typically first-rate, and it’s a wonderful take on a great song.

The LP is apparently pretty hard to find these days, but it was reissued (with bonus tracks) on CD in 2008 by Now Sounds.

I hope you dig the track, and I’ll see you all next week.

Peace

Larry

 

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PS Head over to Funky16Corners for some soul.

Testify Episode #4

Posted by funky16corners on June 11, 2017
Posted in: 45s, Au Go Go, Baroque, Beatles-esque Sounds, Brill Building, British Beat, Bubblegum, Buffalo Springfield, Country Rock, cover versions, Culture, folk rock, garage punk, Iron Leg, Laurel Canyon, Leon Russell, Music, pop, psychedelia, Rock, Sunshine Pop, Testify!, Uncategorized. Leave a comment

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Testify Intro
Globetrotters – Globetrotters Theme (Kirshner)
Gil-Scott Heron – The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (Flying Dutchman)
James Rivers – Fonky Flute (Kon-Ti)
Horace Andy – Show and Tell (Money Disc)
JJ Barnes – Don’t Bring Me No Bad News (Ric Tic)
Gloria Jones – Tainted Love (Champion)
Intruders – Every Day Is Like a Holiday (Gamble)

Gabor Szabo – Pretty Girl Why (Blue Thumb)
Gary Burton Quartet – Sweet Rain (RCA)
Nino Rota – Cimitero (RCA)
Grateful Dead – Dark Star (45 Edit) (Warner Brothers)
Grateful Dead – Doin’ That Rag (Alt) (Warner Brothers)
Neil Young – The Loner (Warner Brothers)
Kaleidoscope – Egyptian Gardens (Epic)
Kaleidoscope – Pulsating Dream (Epic)
Harumi – Talk About It (Verve)

Waylon Jennings – Love of the Common People (RCA)
Waylon Jennings – You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away (RCA)
The Gosdin Brothers – Sound of Goodbye (Capitol)
Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers – So You Say You Lost Your Baby (Columbia)
Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers – I Found You (Columbia)
Everly Brothers – T for Texas (Warner Brothers)
Flying Burrito Brothers – Hot Burrito #2 (A&M)
Poco – Hurry Up (Epic)

Darelycks – Bad Trip (Fine)
Mouse and the Traps – Lie Beg Borrow and Steal (Fraternity)
The Choir – I’m Going Home (Roulette)
The New Yorkers – Mr Kirby (Scepter)
Them – One Two Brown Eyes (Parrot)
Terry Reid – Superlungs (Epic)

Colin Blunstone – Caroline Goodbye (Epic)
Four King Cousins – God Only Knows (Capitol)
Four King Cousins – I Fell (Capitol)
Paul Williams – Trust (A&M)
Al Wilson – The Dolphins (Soul City)

Rex Garvin and the Mighty Cravers – I Gotta Go Now (Up On the Floor) (Like)

Testify Episode #4. Originally broadcast 06/07/2017

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Now dig this!

Offered today for your delectation is the most recent episode of my show Testify! which sails out over the airwaves live, every Wednesday night from 10-12 on WFMU’s Give the Drummer Radio.

Since it is at its heart as Iron Leggy as it is Funky16Cornered, I thought you might dig it.

I also bring you news, that being that the Iron Leg Radio Show will – as part of the Funky16Corners Radio Network – be going live as well, on a monthly basis.

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I will provide more details as the date of the first episode approaches.

Until then, dig Testify! (tune in on Wednesday night) and I’ll see you all next week.

Peace

Larry

Testify! Episode #2

Posted by funky16corners on May 28, 2017
Posted in: 45s, Atomic Guitar Destruction, Au Go Go, Beatles-esque Sounds, Brill Building, British Beat, Bubblegum, cover versions, Culture, Curt Boettcher, Easy, folk rock, Funky16Corners, garage punk, Iron Leg, Jimi Hendrix, Laurel Canyon, Music, Original versions, Pledge Drive, pop, psychedelia, R&Beat, Rock, Soundtrack, Sunset Strip, Sunshine Pop, Super Rock, Surf Music, Testify!, Wall of Sound, WFMU's Give the Drummer Radio. Leave a comment

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Testify Episode #2. Originally broadcast 05/24/2017

Testify Intro
Roger and the Gypsies – Pass the Hatchet Pt1 (Seven B)
Roy Ward – Horse With a Freeze Pt1 (SevenB)
Bobby Williams – Boogaloo Mardi Gras Pt1 (Capitol)
James K Nine – Live It Up (Federal)
Curly Moore and the Kool Ones – Shelley’s Rubber Band (House of the Fox)
Doug Anderson – Hey Mama Here Comes the Preacher (Janus)

Theme From the Saint
Billy Strange – Theme From the Man From U.N.C.L.E. (GNP)
Baker Knight and the Knightmares – Hallucinations (Reprise)
Beckett Quintet – No Correspondence (Gemcor)
Blue Things – Orange Rooftop of Your Mind (RCA)
Cast of Thousands – Girl What You Gonna Do (Tower)
Motifs – If I Gave You Love (Selsom)
Beauregard and the Tuffs – Ramblin’ Rose (Decca)
The Kinks – The Last of the Steam Powered Trains (Reprise)

Soupy Sales – The Mouse (ABC-Paramount)
Maggie Thrett – Soupy (From tha Soul)
Evie Sands – I Can’t Let Go (Blue Cat)
Shangri Las – Bulldog (Red Bird)
Janis Ian – Letter To John (Verve)
Sly and the Family Stone – Dance to the Medley (Epic)

The Isley Brothers – Testify Pts 1&2 (T-Neck)
Ray Sharpe – Help Me (Get the Feeling) (Atco)
Billy Lamont – Sweet Thang (20th Century Fox)
Lonnie Youngblood – Go Go Shoes (Fairmount)
Lonnie Youngblood – Soul Food (That’s What I Like) (Fairmount)
Sonny Hopson WHAT Aircheck 1969
Jerry Blavat and Yon Teenagers – Discophonic Walk (Favor)
Georgie Woods – Potato Salad Pt1 (Fat Back)
John R – Keep On Scratchin’ (Smash)
E Rodney Jones with Larry and the Hippies Band – Right On Right On Sex Machine (Westbound)
Hank Marr – White House Party (Wingate)
Music Out
Rex Garvin and the Mighty Cravers – I Gotta Go Now (Out On the Floor) (Like)

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Greetings all

I am in the process of gearing up for this year’s fundraiser, as well as a reassessment of blogging/podcasting workload.

All podcasts, Funky16Corners Radio Show, Iron Leg Radio Show and my weekly live bag, Testify! on WFMU’s Give the Drummer Radio will continue going forward.

The actual written end of the blogs may undergo some truncation to accommodate the increased production schedule.

I want to keep the Iron Leg Radio Show as the first post of the month, so the new episode will be dropping next Sunday, 6/2/17.

This week I’m posting this past week’s episode of Testify! which I think you’ll dig if you enjoy either of the blogs/podcasts.

You can also hit up my archive page over at WFMU for the previous episode, as well as all episodes going forward (broadcast every Wednesday night from 10-12).

So dig this, and I’ll see you all next week.

Peace

Larry

Iron Leg Radio Show Episode #73

Posted by funky16corners on April 30, 2017
Posted in: 45s, acoustic, Au Go Go, Brazil, Brill Building, British Beat, Bubblegum, Country Rock, cover versions, Culture, folk rock, freakbeat, Iron Leg, Iron Leg Radio Show, Jazz, Laurel Canyon, Music, Now Sound, Original versions, pop, psychedelia, Rock, Soft Pop, Soundtrack, Sunset Strip, Sunshine Pop, Swinging London. Leave a comment

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Why hello there!

Playlist

ILRS#73


Murmaids – Paper Sun (Liberty)
Super Dupers – Mickey Mouse March (Design)
The Unknown – All Over the World (La La) (Cinema)
Owen B – Nowhere To Run (Janus)
Free Ferry – Friend (Date)
Michael J James – Love’s Funny (Uni)
Twiggy – When I Think of You (Capitol)

Margo Guryan – Take a Picture (Mala)
Margo Guryan – What Can I Give You (Mala)
Gary McFarland – River Girl (Prestige)
Freda Payne – Lonely Woman (Impulse)
Trombones Unlimited – Sunday Morning (Liberty)
Claudine Longet – Think of Rain (A&M)
Julie London – Sunday Mornin’ (Liberty)
Julie London – Come to Me Slowly (Liberty)
Spanky and Our Gang – Sunday Mornin’ (Mercury)
Margo Guryan – Spanky and Our Gang (Mala)
Astrud Gilberto – Think of Rain (Verve)

Wanted – In the Midnight Hour (The Detroit Sound)
Del Shannon – Move It On Over (Amy)
Animals – We’re Gonna Howl Tonight (MGM)
Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers – Got To Get You Into My Life (Parlophone)
Mikos Theodorakis – Jet Rock (20th Century)
Mikos Theodorakis – Let’s Dance the Jet (20th Century)
Grass Roots – Beatin’ Around the Bush (Dunhill)
Grass Roots – House of Stone (Dunhill)
Mel Street – Green River (GRT)

Listen/Download -Iron Leg Radio Show Episode #73 – 157MB/256kbps

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Greetings all.

Welcome to this month’s episode of the Iron Leg Radio Show.

This time out we have even more new and recent arrivals, as well as a long set of music recorded and/or written by Margo Guryan.

As always, I hope you dig it, and I’ll see you next week.

Make sure you subscribe to the podcast in iTunes!

Peace

Larry

 

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PS Head over to Funky16Corners

Aerial Landscape – Proposition 13 b/w Are You Sleeping

Posted by funky16corners on April 9, 2017
Posted in: 45s, Culture, Iron Leg, Music, pop, Sunshine Pop. Leave a comment

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Traces of existence, yet nary a picture of the group…

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Listen/Download – Aerial Landscape – Proposition 13

Listen/Download – Aerial Landscape – Are You Sleeping

Greetings all.

I picked up the record you see before you years ago on a trip to Pittsburgh, which proved to be both an interesting city, as well as fertile digging ground.

I know little more about Aerial Landscape now than I did when I first pulled this 45 out of box and bought it “blind”.

The group apparently released two 45s for RCA in 1968, both produced by Rick Jarrard and arranged by George Tipton (both of whom had worked on Harry Nilsson’s records for RCA during the same period, which is why I bought the record).

Their brief discography includes three originals and a cover of Joni Mitchell’s ‘Both Sides Now’.

The Aerial Landscape sound is a mix of sunshine pop and folk rock, with the vibe straying into Free Design territory, especially on the first track I bring you today, ‘Proposition 13’.

Though there are singers of both sexes, the female singers are more prominently featured and the arrangements by Tipton are typically stylish.

The flipside of the 45, ‘Are You Sleeping’ has a slightly dreamier feel, with an opening guitar figure that sounds like it was lifted from ‘Guinnevere’ by Crosby, Stills and Nash.

Other than a single chart appearance – where they fit into the milieu quite nicely – and brief reviews in Record World and Cashbox, the Aerial Landscape seems to have left nary a trace.

Review From Cashbox:
AERIAL LANDSCAPE (RCA Victor –

9432)

Proposition 13 (2:32) [Pune’s Polo, £
BMI-McEntyre, Leiren] West Coast-y |
group vocal session backed by a fetch-
ing trumpet lick from time to tome [
make for an infectious track that V)
could grab bright play on pop stations. *
Up-tempo smoothie for material and j
a grand session give the team a shot 1
at hit ratings. Flip: “Are You Sleep- ,
ing” (2:41) [Same pub, BMI-Hansen]

That said, it’s a groovy 45, and I’ll be on the lookout for the other one.

I hope you dig it and I’ll see you next week.

Peace

Larry

 

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PS Head over to Funky16Corners for some soul.

Iron Leg Radio Show Episode #72

Posted by funky16corners on April 2, 2017
Posted in: 45s, acoustic, Au Go Go, Bacharach/David, Beatles-esque Sounds, British Beat, Country Rock, cover versions, Culture, Exploito, folk rock, freakbeat, garage punk, Iron Leg, Iron Leg Radio Show, Laurel Canyon, Leon Russell, Music, Ohio Music, Original versions, pop, psychedelia, Rock, Sunset Strip, Uncategorized. Leave a comment

Example

Why hello there!

Playlist

ILRS#72


Rod Stewart – I Wouldn’t Ever Change a Thing (Mercury)
Sweet Linda Divine – Young Girl Blues (Columbia)
Sweet Linda Diviine – I Love My Dog (Columbia)
Earth Opera – American Eagle Tragedy (Elektra) (45 Edit)
Little John – We (Epic)

Deviled Ham – Come On In (Super K)
McCoys – Beat the Clock (Bang)
McCoys – Like You Do To Me (Bang)
Ohio Express – Soul Struttin’ (Cameo)
Ohio Express – I Find I Think of You (Cameo)
Ohio Express – Try It (Cameo)
Super Dupers – Captain Marvel Jones (Design)

Ian and the Zodiacs – This Empty Place (Philips)
Richard Dawson – Apples and Oranges (Carnation)
Richard Dawson – His Children’s Parade (Carnation)
Christmas Spirit – Will You Still Believe In Me (White Whale)
Buzz Clifford – I See I Am (Dot)
Buzz Clifford – I Am the River (Dot)

Listen/Download -Iron Leg Radio Show Episode #72 – 157MB/256kbps

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Greetings all.

Welcome to this month’s episode of the Iron Leg Radio Show.

 

This month I have a very groovy collection of new and recent arrivals, going in all directions at once, treading on the borders of prog, digging into beat, psych, freakbeat, popsike, and baroque pop.

There are some very groovy things herein, as well as what I hope will be some surprises.

As always, I hope you dig it, and I’ll see you next week.

Make sure you subscribe to the podcast in iTunes!

Peace

Larry

 

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PS Head over to Funky16Corners