SONWBALL // SNOWBALL // 1977 GUINNESS RECORDS

Snowball was a group from Brooklyn NY active in the late 1960's and early 70's consisting of Joey Carbone and Richie Zito. The record is actually a collection of demos sent to the tax scam Guinness label by their producer and released several years later without the bands knowledge.  Really solid record and one of the more consistent Guinness releases.


SIDE1

SIDE2

COPENHAGEN, 'Don't Sail Too Near The Wind' b/w 'Tonight' (Copenhagen, 1977)

COPENHAGEN, 'Don't Sail Too Near The Wind' b/w 'Tonight' (Copenhagen, 1977)

Copenhagen.

A flavourful brand of chewing tobacco.  Also, the capitol of Denmark and the Hamlet kingdom's most populous city. 

Additionally, Mark DeCerbo’s pre-FOUR EYES aggregation with one lone sleeveless self-issued 45 to their credit.

And, while it might not rank up as high in the firmament as ‘Disengaged,’ both sides show DeCerbo’s slavish 60s revival style already well ensconced a full two years prior to the prescription lens being donned and before The Knack was anything other than the title of an old movie starring Rita Tushingham.

But you don’t have to take my word for it; here’s Four Eyes’ Mark:

Even a cursory look would show us that Four Eyes themselves got their start in San Diego circa 1976 as a country boogie band, eventually mutating into a power-pop group called Copenhagen. The quintet lasted just over two years, during which time the group shared a two room flat at the Catamaran Hotel, while nominally the house band at Webb's in Ocean Beach. Copenhagen became the backing band for both blues guitarist Tomcat Courtney and art rocker Gary Wilson, even joining him on a short promo tour for his legendary "You Think You Really Know Me" album.

The line up changed often in their short life span, but by the time their incredibly rare 45 "Tonight/Don't Sail Too Near The Wind" was issued, Copenhagen consisted of DeCerbo (guitar, vocals), Jeff Becker (guitar), "Mighty" Joe Longa (harmonica and keyboards, later with the Jacks and Powerthud), Barry Scott (guitar and vocals, Chris Creasman (bass, vocals) and Steve Bidrowski (drums, later of the Unknowns)- the single by the way is as melodic a piece of jangly pop rock as you're likely to find. Also of note they opened for Cajun legend Doug Kershaw at the La Mesa Lanes Bowling alley, and promptly had their keyboard player nicked by Kershaw.

Power pop with a City Rock chaser.  I rate it as a raer treat.

'DON'T SAIL TOO NEAR THE WIND'

'TONIGHT'

LEFT HAND DRIVE // JAILBAIT/MOTORWAY CROW // BANCRUPT RECORDS 1977

 

First of two singles from the great Left Hand Drive, the second, also great single 
 "Who Said Rock N Roll Is Dead" has been uploaded to youtube..Here's a short history of the group by bass player John Brassett.   Left Hand Drive were a group from Northampton UK, originally formed in about 1973.
The first version was a twin lead guitar set up with bass, drums and a singer. The leader was Dave Clemo along with Jack Swann and Gary Tyla on vocals. I can't remember the names of the drummer and bassist.
I joined as bass player in 1974 and soon after Tommy Kerr joined on the drums and Steve Parrish replaced Gary Tyla as singer. All this sounds a bit like Dallas( without the oil, Sue Ellen... or the money).
Anyway, the first version folded in 1976 with Dave Clemo leaving and Martin Harney taking over on vocals. This was the group that released two singles ( Jailbait/ Motorway Crow and Who Said Rock and Roll Is Dead/ I Know Where I Am) on our own Bancrupt Records label.
Left Hand Drive split in 1979 with me and Jack Swann forming The Russians. Jack died a couple of years ago . I'm still going strong!

 ENJOY!! 

PINBALL SUMMER /// OST /// CELSIUS RECORDS 1980

First off, if you've never seen this movie, cancel your plans tonight and do it.

and while you're at it, put this soundtrack on repeat for the rest of the summer.
Every song's a hit!
You've earned it!

PINBALL SUMMER OST

SUNDAE TIMES /// US COLOURED KIDS /// JOY 1968

Really great LP and a must for any fan of the Equals.
Sundae Times were the first all black Rock 'n' Roll group in the UK comprised of Fuzzy Samuel, Dell Richardson and Eddie Grant, they put out a handful of singles on President and this one LP.

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RADIO LONDON, 'Songs From Dark Rooms' (Pterodactyl, 1983)

RADIO LONDON, 'SONGS FROM DARK ROOMS' (Pterodactyl, 1983)

'These go to 11.'

Blatant laziness and localism from this native stomper of southern Magnolia state soil.

Jackson, MISSISSIPPI - yes, you read that right - powerpop group formed by Jeff Lewis, original guitarist with Jackson’s (only) other “big” (quotations denoting relativism) pop group, THE WINDBREAKERS.  After playing on the band’s debut EP, “Meet The Windbreakers,” Jeff split for more green-circled Angophile pastures to form RADIO LONDON, leaving behind this double-shot, self-produced, self-issued deuce-pack double 45 as the band’s only vinyl legacy.

Four (COUNT EM! FOUR!) moody cuts in a jangly pop vein not too far removed from THE WINDBREAKERS themselves make up the whole of “Songs From Dark Rooms,” only with a slightly darker, more angst-ridden R.E.M-ish lyrical slant largely absent from the oeuvres of Messrs Lee and Sutcliff.  Of the four cuts, “Things Get Broken,” is the clear winner with its great burning guitar solo and clap along/smash along beat.

Centered upon the local club/dive W.C. Dons, RADIO LONDON played with nearly everybody in the largely isolated Jackson punk / new wave scene - from THE GERMANS to THE MEN WITH NO I.Q.'S until the band's eventual dissolution.

And it's up to you now, gentle reader, to decide whether or not they were simply wasting their time. 

Oh, and also, if some perpetrating BMX butthole from California can convince you that this is in anyway actually a minimal synth record at heart. 

Shred it.

'10 TURNS TO 11'

'SAD DAY'

'THINGS GET BROKEN'

'WHERE ARE YOU?'

ANDY GEROME, 'I've Got To Hold You' b/w 'Only One More Song (Opaque, 1980)

ANDY GEROME, 'I've Got To Hold You' b/w 'Only One More Song' (Opaque, 1980)

If I’m doubtful that the sins of the awful white-pop-reggae B-side of this single will ever be forgiven, I’m more than confident that the hype-line parenthetical ‘FEATURING FORMER MEMBERS OF BRIAN SANDS’ MILK and MOSES’ will fail utterly to put any proverbial butts in seats other than Clayton Silva’s and my own (and we’d been camped out here for months anyway).

BUT…if anyone is curious about the post-CHOIR/pre-PAGANS-cover doings of BRIAN SANDS and former CHOIR member DENNY CARLETON, I daresay it is well worth a look and a listen (‘TINY TIM medleys, RUDY VALLEE songs, "2000 Man" by THE STONES, baseball cards thrown from the stage along with group photos posing with man-sized shampoo bottles…"Whistle A Happy Tune" and" Getting To Know You" were turned into rock songs and readings were delivered from an old Army joke book during any lulls in the music.  Then there were originals such as Brian's own "Eat The Hot Dog Now, Get Sick Later" and Dennis's infamous "Boy Can I Dance Good”’).

But save your fork, there’s pie:  AMERICAN (NOISE) pie!  ANDY GEROME’s lone single also featured some string-benders and skin-pounders who had previously tolled it down and torn it up with the likes of CIRCUS (‘Feels So Right,’ ‘Stop Wait & Listen’) and sun-shaded city rockers AMERICAN NOISE.  Talk about your Cuyahoga social degree!

…and, really, besides that, there’s not that much more to comment on.  Other than that ANDY GEROME and Co. once opened for THE BALONEYHEADS on a show that was broadcast on Cleveland’s WMMS FM and that GEROME pays the bills these days trading in JOE SATRIANI-instrumental guitar rock/blues/fusion jazz moves.

Oh, and the fact that ‘I’ve Got To Hold You’ is an amazing song – every inch the equal of anything ever released by BLUE ASH, CLUB WOW or DON KRISS and, unlike a lot of the material by those groups – with a terminal vector radio-eye zeroed in on the lead formations of the Top 40 charts.  The arpeggios around the two-minute mark are particularly heart-stopping.

1000 copies pressed on the band’s own Opaque Records (‘Music Denser Than Real Life’) and never issued with sleeve, enjoy then the A-side and thank your lucky stars that I’m not dropping the B.

‘I’VE GOT TO HOLD YOU’

‘ONLY ONE MORE SONG’