Technical difficulties....

Sorry folks, I thought I was going to be able to post a 45 today but various pieces of equipment have been acting-up ever since we experienced damp conditions around the beginning of September.

I need to switch out amplifiers [again]. The last one I have is an un-rebuilt mid 50s mono tube amp. Not the worst thing in the world. I just don't like having to rely on it. All my other amps are making crackling noises.

Also, I just discovered that the ADC side of my sound card is fried. This means I can't rip anything on this computer until I buy an external unit.

Tomorrow I'll try ripping with the laptop.

It should work once I install the correct software.

Put them two triggermen on...

In through my nose and out through my mouth....

Ya gotta be real to be a eastbank sista...

I haven't seen this clip in years.

Ya know, there are a very few select tunes which I consider quintessentially New Orleans, and this is def one of them.

I've owned the 12 inch Ep since I was 10.

It's the first record I ever bought with my own money.

Hurtin' each other just for kicks.....

A tough 45 to get your hands on.

Tough enough that it wasn't until last spring that the average person could easily hear it at all. That's when someone who doesn't actually own the record posted an audio clip on youtube along with a scan of the 45 lifted from Popsike. I suspect the mp3 came from a now unavailable mix posted online a couple of years ago.

Anyway, here's my rip of the a-side. As far as I know, it's never been comped.......which is surprising given that it's a superior example of Wardell Quezerque's production work.

Hope ya'll enjoy.........

Boogie children....

What a crazy week it's been.

Anyway, we're back home, power is on, and the internet is working....at least for the moment. I imagine Cox [the local ISP] will find a way to screw it up soon enough.

Fyi, Cox may be the only ISP to ever establish an official 'apology' line....a special number to call when you felt the need to hear a pre-recorded apology for their lousy service. This was after Katrina. Truth.

I couldn't help but notice various recent news reports about how folks in Louisiana are "whining" about the lack of power in the aftermath of Isaac. Just so ya'll know, complaining about our local utility service is a time honored tradition. I might also point out that we enjoy a general level of "service" which many of you would find appalling. Making a fuss is often the only practical recourse. Truth, yet again.

Oh yeah, to add to the weirdness of the past week, I finally saw two complete episodes of "Treme". My apologies to those who like the show, but I thought it total trash. For all it's laudable use of local color, every single time the possibility of 'realness' raises it's head the show's production team falls back on cliches and canned sound.

Seriously ya'll, "Treme" and "Glee" are not that far apart. Get a grip.

New Orleans, land of dreams [and a million false projections].

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I'm about to quit buying records through the mail. It's not really necessary, and I'm getting very tired of receiving broken 45s. Three, in the last few weeks.

This is one. It's now cracked when it used to be a very nice original copy. Apparently a USPS drove a truck over it. I suppose I should be happy it wasn't delivered in 16 pieces.

Hope ya'll enjoy........

They don't want to see me with you....

Good news [at this point, I'll take whatever I can get]. This morning's forecast is a little less alarming than last night's. 80 mph winds with gusts up to 100, then slowing back down a bit.

The weather service reported that Isaac hit Cat. 1 hurricane status a couple of hours ago....which means it's reached sustained winds of 75 mph.

The storm's forward movement is slowing down, which as I understand it, increases the amount of rain it'll drop. I believe the current projection is something around 18 inches...up an inch or two over yesterday.

Looks like some storm surge estimates are down. As far as I know, the city has either already closed all floodgates or is the process of doing so.....including the first closing of the huge not-quite-finished Lake Borgne surge barrier.

I have ultimate faith in My Boy. He can def take care of himself.....and he knows he's gonna catch living hell if my dad so much as stubs a toe. I imagine the party will begin soon enough. They've a portable generator and are well stocked with food, water, and 14 different varieties of alcohol.

Anyway, this goes out to both my husband and my dad. A bit of an in-joke.

One of two recordings Earl King made of this song. It was meant to be included on King's unreleased "Street Parade" album. Production by Allen Toussaint.

Hope ya'll enjoy.......

Some joke 2....

By the time everything was packed up this morning, it was clear that I was heading for Austin. We undoubtedly would've been fine in various places around the state, but ya know, while you're at it why not just drive till you're well out of the line of the storm? Even simple power outages are a problem when charged with the care of an infirm elderly aunt and her totally obnoxious peekapoo, "Cinders".

And then there's the little problem of the free-ranging mess known as "Baby Girl".

So, yeah you rite, I weenied out and headed for the one place I knew I'd be able to get a warm bath over the coming week. My Boy along with various relatives [including my father] have decided to stay in New Orleans. I am, of course, very concerned.

While Mayor Landrieu is quite correct in saying that Isaac is not Katrina and that the city is far better prepared that it was......I, like many others who don't have access to major News outlets, are completely spooked by this storm. If nothing else, you can put it down to being 'once bitten'.

But then there's also the graphic issued earlier today by the National Hurricane Center which shows Isaac becoming a hurricane shortly after midnight tonight, and reaching wind speeds of 90 to 115 miles per hour 24 hours later.

Wind speeds of 100 mph may not be the same as wind speeds of 150 mph, but it's still not-good no matter how you look at it.

That's right, Cat 2 pushing towards Cat 3.

I sincerely hope I'm wrong.

Some joke....

Not funny. Not funny at all.

While we're of course hoping this scenario doesn't play out [on August 29th, of all days], it's not like I really want Isaac to hit any place else either. Truth is, we're probably going to have problems with the storm surge no matter were the storm comes to land.

Ironically enough, we just got home after spending a week and a half in Austin. So, now we have to turn around and go back???

My Boy definitely falls on the 'better safe than sorry' side, so it's entirely possible that Baby Girl and I will drive to Morgan City tomorrow morning and stay with relatives. My mother is probably coming as well. Possibly even a few others. That way, if need be, we'll be part of the first wave of westward evacuation. And if things change, we can simply turn around and go home.

What can I say? My husband is protective. No harm in that. Right?

Please help me.....

Here's a cut a friend and I have been paying some attention to lately. Seems it may be a rare example of James Booker playing both piano and organ on a single record....the organ bit being overdubbed. Sure sounds like him, in fact I can't imagine it's anyone else.

Beyond that, this is the b-side of one of two 45s recorded by Katherine Holt, both on the Booker label. As far as I know, nothing is known about her.

The flip-side of this 45 gets the occasional play, but you rarely hear this tune. Checking DJ playlists online, I can only find two spins listed. Unsurprisingly, one of those being on WWOZ, New Orleans.....which is, without a doubt, one of the greatest radio stations in the world.

*Blows a kiss to Billy Delle* [wherever you are].

Hope ya'll enjoy. It's from 1963...........

[addendum: I don't think any of Katherine Holt's recordings have ever been comped]

I'm still in love with you.....

Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of the band Black Merda. And I do understand that after playing on a number of great sides in Detroit, under several different names, that Anthony Hawkins, VC L. Weasley, Charles Hawkins, Tyron Hite, et al, wanted to do something different than play straight up soul/funk.

But....I really don't understand how the guys could record this absolutely amazing one-off 45 with Linnie Walker [the Hawkins brothers' sister] and apparently not consider the project worthy of more effort.

Actually, I'm a little pissed off that they didn't 'cause I think I deserve to hear more Linnie. How's that for being self-centered?

Btw, all of Black Merda's recordings are still available on one format or another. That includes the killer collection of rarities titled, "The Psych Funk Of Black Merda", on which both sides of this 45 can be found.

Hope ya'll enjoy.........

Ninety nine and a half won't do.....

Here's some teaser footage from the yet to be released film "By And By: New Orleans Gospel At The Crossroads".

I feel really bad about this, but I somehow missed the film's Kickstarter campaign this past spring. I can't imagine how that happened. I've been keeping an eye on this project for a couple of years now. Such a shame that they didn't make their goal. A double shame that I didn't promote it here....'cause I certainly would've/should've.

Anyway, it looks to be a great film. Hopefully it'll be finished soon.

James Williams Sr. [guitar, vocals] is the last original member of the Crownseekers, but that doesn't mean the present line up is somehow inferior, 'cause it ain't.

Probably just a stylistic thing, but I'm seriously wondering if Mr. Williams didn't play/sing on the record I posted yesterday? I found info online that says he auditioned for the Southern Bells in the early sixties, but not whether he was ever a member. This would have been before the formation of the Crownseekers in 1965.

If anyone has more info, please pass it on.

Hope ya'll enjoy. It's a killer clip.

Tell me, how does it feel?

I'm never so much at a loss as when I try to write about Gospel music. Not only am I admittedly ignorant on the subject, but info is very hard to find even on relatively well known groups.

What I do know for sure is that the Southern Bells have been around a very long time [like 50 years]. I myself have seen a couple of incarnations of the group, several times over. But when it comes to knowing who's actually singing on this particular record, or for that matter, when it was made....I'm clueless.

Sorry folks, one of my many failings is that I'd rather spend money on records than on books about the people who make them.

Hope ya'll enjoy..............

Dance while you can....

I doubt you'll see this clip posted anywhere else, but I think Unc would approve.

Looking sharp, dancing with the ladies, drinking Miller High Life. Notice the watch worn on the hand, not the wrist. That's whatcha call style darlin'.

Folks have been celebrating Lionel Batiste Sr.'s life for more than a week now, including a second line parade last Saturday.

The procession is tomorrow. It will undoubtedly be huge.

[Update: unfortunately we had a lot of rain yesterday.......which always includes some flooding. The second line parade was re-scheduled for Monday]

Put your arms around me, both day and night....

Derek See posted this 45 about six months ago and even though the record is apparently well known amongst the "northern soul" crowd, I'd never heard it before. Which isn't all that surprising.

Anyway, Derek's link is gone [in fact, the whole player is gone] and the tune is just too good to pass up. Basically, I started trying to find a copy from the moment I heard it.

And what a strange episode in record hunting that turned out to be. Ya see, it's not very often I go looking for a record which I know absolutely nothing about. Frankly, I can't ever remember being all that interested in any MGM release before. In short, I'm clueless.

So I hunt around and in the end I buy a copy which I'm pretty sure isn't a bootleg [there are a lot of them about], but on the other hand I don't really know what it is I have bought. I remember thinking that maybe it was a later 70s reissue because it was so very cheap [originals can be quite expensive].

Anyway, I get the 45 in the mail and it looks like it's NOS, even comes in a MGM sleeve....and I'm happy, never thinking twice about the purchase.

Months go by and the record sticks close to the turntable.

Then one day recently, I'm checking an online set sale when I spot a perfect twin of my 45, priced at 120 euros. What a shock. Ya see, I'd never seen a scan of a stock copy until then.....or so I thought.

Amazing. Seems I bought a beautiful original stock copy for $16 including postage....without knowing what I was doing. Even if the record more realistically sells for $80, it's still a very nice surprise.....and a tiny bit un-nerving. If there's such a thing as a Fairy Godmother of Vinyl Collectors, I think I may have one.

I'm hoping you followed the link to Derek's post, but in case you didn't I should point out that The Jewels are actually Lady Bo & The Family Jewels.

Here ya go, a record which virtually defines the term "stomper".

Hope ya'll enjoy..........

Nose full of white.....

Sorry to be away so long. Duty called.....as well as the need to get out of town for a few days.

I'm not a huge fan of instrumentals but this one kills me. I can play it over and over and over.

Anyway, it's awfully quiet in here. Time to get the party started.

Hope ya'll enjoy.........

Baby, I need you.....

I've spent a fair amount of effort trying to trace this 45.....and every time I think I might have something, it turns out to be utterly inconsequential.

So, Hillery [Hillary on the other Electrostats 45] McGinnis? Well, beyond the fact that nobody knows anything about him, there are a number of Hillary, Hilary, and H. McGinnis' in Southern Louisiana. In fact, McGinnis, as a last name, isn't exactly what ya might call 'uncommon' in the area. I suppose I could spend a week calling them all..............

Three Oaks? Well, the only local reference I can think of is to the old plantation house that the corporate predecessor to Domino Sugar bulldozed in the late sixties for absolutely no reason at all. [A pox on those involved].

21st Century Studio in New Orleans? That's a real head scratcher. Outside of the releases on Three Oaks, I've only ever found that credit on one other record. The Isaac Clark 45 I posted awhile back on the Finger Tips label. If anyone has any info on the place, I'd love to hear about it.

Arranger Tommy Morel? Well, yeah, there is/was a rather well known man by that name in the city [I think he might live in Dallas now]. He's an ex-football player/business man. Having once met him about 10 years ago, I seriously doubt there's a connection.

As far as I can tell, none of the three [!] publishing companies listed on the label show up in the BMI database. However, there was a company called Mempro, which marketed itself as an "all-inclusive" artist representative, based in Memphis. Again, I doubt there's a connection...but who knows?

Obviously, I don't.

Hope ya'll enjoy. Sir Shambling calls the tune "insidious".

I call it a sleeper.........

I see a teardrop on your coat.....

Because I tend to think everyone reads Dan Phillip's, Home of The Groove, I also tend to forget to mention when the man truly outdoes himself.....like his continuing series on Wardell Quezerque titled, "Tracking the Big Q Factor".

If you haven't checked out the series yet, then you definitely should. Loads of info along with a shocking number of rare records posted. Unfortunately, the links are now dead on Pts. 1, 2, and 3.....but they're still good on Pt.4a....and of course Pt.4b was just published a few days ago.

I would also advice that you check out the links Dan provides to pages on Sir Shambling's site within the text. Between the two of them they provide the best, most complete, overview available on several very obscure artists.

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Before I forget, I should post these two tunes. They come courtesy of regular reader, "Lance McCoy", who, I'm sorry to say, gets no prize beyond my sincere gratitude. Ya see, I've been begging for an mp3 of this record for over two years now. And that's because no one I know had ever heard the 45, much less ever seen a copy, that is, until "Lance" came through for the win. *big applause*

As far as I know, the record has never been comped. It's by Huey Smith and was released on Instant 3297 in 1969. Pt.1 is an instrumental jam. Side-B is where the vocals come into play. Unfortunately, there are no label scans.

Two Way Pockaway Pt1.

Two Way Pockaway Pt2.

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I don't imagine there's any need to introduce Bobby Bland. Or for that matter, any need to fret about coming up with a song his fans aren't familiar with. Thus I'll stick to a tune I consider nearly impossible to forget.

From 1968. My only complaint is that it doesn't run for 20 minutes or more..........

New Dance!...and Funky Good Advice

I've been looking for a cheap copy of this record for a good long while. Not that it shows up all that often, but when it does, it commonly goes for $60 to $80. Which, much more often than not, is enough money to remind me that I need to pay the bills.

Anyway, this is my score of the month. A totally beat up copy of a great two-sider that looks like it shouldn't even play through. But it does [ha!]. And even better, a little cleaning made it sound quite acceptable [ha! ha!].

Hope ya'll enjoy......

Before You Get Married

Rare Back And Stretch

Drummer ain't had none in a long time....

This goes out to Doug Schulkind at WFMU who for some unknown reason happens to think what I do here, on the blog, is special. I've rarely been so flattered in my life.

While I agree that the dedication is a bit obvious, it's such a good excuse to play the silly thing that I can't resist the temptation.

Actually, while I'm at it, it's been far too long since I thanked everyone who visits, comments, sends emails. Ya'll are such a lovely crew. Thank you. My only regret is that I often don't have time to respond in the manner I'd like. In particular, finding time to answer emails has become a big problem.

Obviously I'm having trouble finding time to post as well. Between taking care of the Monster Child and running a business I'm lucky to get the laundry done much less do something I actually enjoy, alone.

Anyway, I'm still here, plugging along. Hope ya'll stick around too.

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Adolphus Holcomb, aka Little Hooks, and his brother Ray Holcomb [on this record, Ray Nato] worked together for virtually their entire professional lives, starting in the early 50s and lasting into the late 70s. And they recorded quite a few records under various group names along the way.

The odd thing about this record is that the Holcomb brothers were basically through recording by the mid 60's, yet in 1972 they reappeared with this atypical, incredibly charming little record. I have no idea how well it sold, but it must have done something sales-wise because it was picked up for national release on the United Artists label. As far as I know, it was their last 45.

Charming? I'm not sure I've ever said that about a 45 before.....but yeah, it's charming. There's a nice lo-fi homemade quality to it. Less hard funk than a sweet little groover that almost always makes me smile.

Hope it makes ya'll smile too...........