SING SING EXCLUSIVE: The Romantics - Little Red Or White Lies?

THE ROMANTICS, 'LITTLE WHITE LIES' (Spider, 1977)  AR SPDR 101A - RED WEB

v.

THE ROMANTICS, 'LITTLE WHITE LIES' (Spider, 1977)  101-A - WHITE WEB

A tale of two COMPLETELY DIFFERENT recording sessions.

...which, to this point, no one has cared about because:

1 - It's THE ROMANTICS

AND

2 - The record - in all its incarnations - has always been common and affordable

However, inspired by PATRICK LUNDBORG's recent research and championing of the original, non-hit version of THE STRAWBERRY ALARM CLOCK's 'Incense & Peppermints' on All American Records v. the more familiar and staid hit arrangement on UNI, I figured it was high time to definitively diagnose this depressingingly uncharted discrepancy hitherto only whispered about in the language of wind and ghosts.

First hinted at briefly in a short review of THE ROMANTICS' follow-up single on BOMP! in issue 29 of BLITZ (formerly BALLROOM BLITZ) magazine out of Detroit, Michigan, Nov. '78, which reads:

'In the face of accusations of "sell out" and "commercialism" from many of their fans who were disappointed with their re-recording of their classic "Little White Lies" last year, Hamtramck's Romantics bounce back with a masterpiece that easily qualifies as one of the year's best.'

...an incorrect assessment; nevertheless, I became intrigued.

Not least because I found any allegations of insincerity aimed at the future Budweiser/T.G.I. Friday's commercial kings of poodle-perm, leather-suit, schlock-rock laughable, but also because I've always wanted to see what all the early taste-makers ever saw in THE ROMANTICS anyway. 

Cue Young Steve and the Japanese.

Tentatively mentioned on the PoP "n" RoLL blog (home of THE CHOOSERS among many others), Atsushi and Co. pondered:

'This can certainly be called a pop 'n' roll classic. But did you know that there is a different version of the a-side 'Little White Lies?'

As far as appearance goes the difference is the color of the spider web. The regular version is white  and the special version is RED. The matrix number for the white version is 101-A and for the RED version it's AR SPDR 101A.

As far as the difference in sound, the intro is cut on the special RED version. It starts suddenly from the vocal. The tempo is faster than the usual version, and more than anything, it's a raw, rough performance that is very exciting to listen to.'   *

Which says just about as much as I need to.  As ridiculous as it may sound (and they look), maybe THE ROMANTICS' debut album cover was meant to be a red-leather post-it note pointing back to this earlier recording.

As irreconcilable to their later, major label facelessness as 20/20's early sides and demos on BOMP!, the original version of 'Little White Lies' is as jumping with vitality, energy and an argument for POP! as anything by THE NERVES, SHOES, or DWIGHT TWILLEY.

Too bad the b-side recording on both pressing - featuring some HORRENDOUS Dad-Rock, Blueshammer harmonica - didn't benefit from any second thoughts or re-record re-considerations

Enjoy then, the ORIGINAL, non-hit, RED web version of 'Little White Lies' and the later, tamer, more new-wave ready rendition and decide for yourself which is superior.

SING SING NEWS - YOU HEAR IT...

FIRST!

'LITTLE WHITE LIES' - RED VERSION  (ORIGINAL)

 

'LITTLE WHITE LIES' - WHITE VERSION (RE-RECORDING)

  

*  PoP "n" RoLL blog translation work courtesy of every one's favorite MMA documentarian, Young Steve 'Don't Call Me Mark' Borchardt

BEAT FEET, ''No Ties' b/w 'Aundrea' (FUN'Y Records, 1983)

BEAT FEET, 'No Ties' b/w 'Aundrea' (FUN'Y Records, 1983)

'Discovered' (maybe?) by a Tucson garage turkey recently celebrating his 3Xth birthday and - less recently - allowing me free access to booze and to abuse at his nuptials, this, the lone 45 by BEAT FEET is in - actuality - pretty standard striped-shirt/head-band/heybra new-wave/power pop fare.

...if'n you do not take into account the stirring color string bikini cover art and ragged BEACH BOYS harmony remnants and STEVE JONES rip-off riffs on the A-side chorus.

However, even if you do decide to take stock of neither of those elements, the amateurism displayed by the LEAD drummer on each side is endearingly dumb.

Enjoy then these indiscriminate and un-claimable misogynists - the world is renewed by their passing.  Where they're from I haven't the first idea.

This bud's for you T Dawg!

'NO TIES'

 'AUNDREA'

Sing Sing on WFMU 91.1 FM

Sing Sing Records DJ Night! 
Wednesday, October 2nd, 9pm - Midnight
on The Evan "Funk" Davies Show 

The Sing Sing Records label has been putting out a steady stream of amazing reissues ever since Trey Lindsay and Jeremy Thompson launched it in 2009. Their focus has been mostly on punk and power-pop from the '70s, with the occasional glam nugget mixed in, so you can expect to hear a similar selection of rocking rarities and killer cuts when Trey and Jeremy take over the Evan "Funk" Davies show at 9pm on Wednesday night, Oct. 2. You'll want to dust off your cassette recorder for this one -- don't miss it! 

LISTEN LIVE AT WFMU.ORG

R.U. Carley, 'Boys In L.A.' (private label, 1984)

R.U. CARLEY, 'Boys In L.A.' b/w 'One More Time' (private label, 1984)

I am willing to bet, dollars to donuts, when Ms. R.U. CARLEY and CO. sang the chorus to this sunny-A-side-up piece of fluff boulevard power pop that she had - much more - the city (El Eh) in mind than she did the state (the great Huey P. Long Child Of The Mississippi - LA - Louisiana).

...which is unfortunate, as it's taken this boy in LA (the state) to rediscover this 30 year old municipal gnu wave footnote, long after the GQ boys in corvettes on Sunset had ceased caring.  However, perhaps this was merely a realization of radio rock realpolitik, as one can not cruise very far in the Pelican state bayou.

That said, what is known about R.U. CARLEY is that this is her group's only record, the A-side of which was included on a neuvo Girl Group compilation put out by Rhino ('The Girls Can't Help It') the same year their self-issued single came out and that the B-side is terrible.

That's it.   

THE SHIVVERS it is not!

As phoney as PEARL HARBOR & THE EXPLOSIONS, as slick as the post-Stiff GO-GO'S, yet only one VALLEY GIRL party scene away from immortality.  And, in all actuality, a pretty catchy tune.

Enjoy then R.U. CARLEY and thank me for keeping the B-side all to myself.

'BOYS IN L.A.'


 'ONE MORE TIME'

THE PILLS, 'THE PILLS EP' (VileTone, 1980)

THE PILLS, 'Mini-LP' (VileTone, 1980)

I like PILLS.

MAAAAAAAAN

And, by that statement, I, of course, mean THE PILLS - STR8 OUTTA Phoenix, Tucson* Arizona.

The Copper State's finest circa 1980 and, even by that time well past their prescription expiration date.

Forget skins, brains and guts, this is HAIR, FLARES and (cigarette) BUTTS.  These five PILLS guys are preening proud and looking menthol soft-pack loud.  Also, they have a skilled trade in melodic/if derivative power-pop sounds.

Listen:  90% of all bands taking their style cues from THE NEW YORK DOLLS suck.  And while I don't have PILLS particularly pegged as heroin addict transvestites, the unfortunate scronching BO DIDDLEY cover and their name immediately give it away.

That said, they're still at least a million times better than THE MEAT PUPPETS.

Seriously, if you can listen to 'In A Car' after ingesting this dose, you have massive problems that modern medicine may not be able to fix.

Enjoy then the lone EP Mini-LP by THE PILLS on your ride to the emergency room!

Or choke on a bottle cap!

It's up to you!

*  correct origin of the PILLS confirmed with their biggest fan, Tony "AA"
'DC-10'

'PILLS'

'HOLLYWOOD DOLL'
 
'LEAVIN' TOWN'
 

CLUB WOW, 'Prettiest Girl' b/w 'The Nights Are So Long' (Criswell, 1982)

CLUB WOW, 'Prettiest Girl' b/w 'The Nights Are So Long' (Criswell, 1982)

I'm calling shenanigans.

Not just only on WILLIAM JAMES WILDEN (aka JIMMY ZERO), but also upon anyone who could possibly prefer THE DEAD BOYS to this record.

Look here:  these are facts.  Not opinions:  FACTS; i.e. ideological positions with corroborating evidence to support them.

EXHIBIT A:  THE DEAD BOYS are one of the worst bands to ever be allowed to produce two albums of major label, sub-ALICE COOPER-excretable, sheet-metal, shit metal 'ye-uh!' rock bullshit ever.

Ever! 

PERIOD.

If you - the reader of this blog - find anything - ANYTHING - within this band's half-hearted, half-baked, half-dimensional aesthetic compelling, I personally pity you (condescendingly, not compassionately) and hope you have a great time at the SONNY VINCENT gig later tonight.

All that said, ole JZ managed to throw off the dog-collar, dum-dum leather-jacket yoke of his previous stupid band's stupid incarnation just long enough in 1982 to hook up with former starry-eyed BLUE ASH  bass-player FRANK SECICH to produce one of the best obscuro power pop singles of all time!  No foolin'!

Seriously, how could this miss?  A cover of THE NEIGHBORHOODS' best song, a killer power pop original on the B.  Label art designed intentionally to mimic and make fun of BOMP! RECORDS.  Oh yeah, and bragging rights - you read it right - mine is GREG SHAW's copy!

You can't lose (but I'm afraid you also must deal)!

Finally, for all of you master-Bators out there reading this, (possibly) seething:  Stiv and Co recorded a crap reunion re-do of THE NIGHTS ARE SO LONG in 1987 so stick that in your pipe and smoke it before you start quoting BOBBY SOXX lyrics at me!

'This is actually good music/You're a knave!'

'PRETTIEST GIRL'


'THE NIGHTS ARE SO LONG'

Five Dollar Shoes // Your Rock 'N Roll Band b/w Your Rock 'N Roll Band // Neighborhood Records 1973

(from the Kiss FAQ site)
  Produced by Peter Schekeryk; Engineered by Eddie Kramer & amp; Bruce Staple. Recorded at the Electric Lady Studios, NYC. It's alleged to feature Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley on backing vocals. Five dollar Shoes was: Gregg Diamond (drums, percussion, vocals), Tom Graves (keyboards, vocals), Jim Gregory (bass, vocals), Mike Millius (harmonica, vocals), and Scott Woody (guitar, vocals)

 This ( in my opinion ) is the record to get by this group. Really great track and can still be found for cheap.

YOUR ROCK 'N ROLL BAND