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Aloha ! The Supersonic Guitar Man played violin by age five and switched to guitar at seven; by 13 he was composing. At the start of World War II he joined the U.S. Army and ended up leading an Air Corps band. After the war, he played at radio station WNEW until 1957. Thereafter, he worked as a session musician and arranger/conductor while establishing his own career as composer and recording artist. Some of his early compositions include "Gazachastaliagen," "Got a Match," and "String of Trumpets", and here’s my two favorites ones. Billy Mure - Hawaiian War Chant Billy Mure - Chopsticks Guitar

The California-based ex-truck driver's first record was the country ballad "Gambling Fury", which he recorded as Singing Jimmy Drake on the Indiana label Claudra. He joined Dot Records in 1956 and had two of the biggest novelty hits of that year. His first hit, "Transfusion", concerned the thoughts of a drink-driver who is in need of a blood transfusion after a car crash. Despite the sick subject matter, it was hilarious, though the British public were spared it when London Records refused its release. The follow-up to this US Top 10 hit was "Ape Call", a tale about cavemen recorded in hip language, with jungle calls courtesy of Red Blanchard. After his few months in the spotlight he returned to obscurity, despite later unsuccessful recordings on Big Ben and Embee. Read those 2 excellent bio here and here Nervous Norvus - Transfusion Nervous Norvus - Ape Call Nervous Norvus - The Wild Dogs Of Kentucky Oh and by request,here’s a repost The Jacks/Cadets...

Marion « Little Walter » Jacobs is widely considered the greatest blues harmonica player ever. A Creole who could speak French (oui messieurs dames), he was born in Marksville, Louisiana in 1930. He took up the harmonica as a child, at first playing polkas and waltzes, and by the time he was 12 he was on his own, working the sidewalks and bars of New Orleans with his instrument. He had also discovered the music of John Lee Williamson, and modeled his early blues style on that of Williamson’s. From 1952 to 1968 Walter recorded about 100 titles for Chess, of which about half were issued on record as of the early 1970's. Previously unreleased material is making its way to newly released CD's. Grab 'em. Walter also recorded frequently as a sideman for Chess/Checker in the years 1952-1968 in addition to extensive touring, including a tour of England in 1964 with the Rolling Stones. He was incredibly powerful, endlessly inventive, and rocked like hell. He was killed in a street...

…Real name Whaley Thomas Cartey… stop …Born in 1937 in Atlanta, Ga… stop …Cut Ooh-Wee in 1956/Nov.24… stop …Born To Love One Woman in 1957/May 20… stop …Primitive Rock’n’Roll… stop …I’m ok I’m ok…Have a good day… end of transmission . Ric Cartey - Born To Love One Woman Ric Cartey - Ooh-Wee

Esquerita was born Eskew Reeder, Jr. in 1935 in Greenville, South Carolina. He spent his early years playing piano in E.W. Watson's Tabernacle Baptist Church. Esquerita established himself as the house rock and roller at the Owl Club on Washington Street under the moniker "Professor Eskew Reeder". It was there that he was 'discovered' by Gene Vincent's rhythm guitarist Paul Peek . On the strength of demos recorded at Greenville radio station WESC, Gene Vincent convinced Capitol Records to sign Reeder, who at this point changed his name to "Esquerita". His wild piano style and stratospheric pompadour made him a favorite with both fans and his contemporaries, and his name added to his mystique. There's a lot of wild wailin' and piano poundin' goin' on my friends. Esquerita - Hole In My Heart Esquerita - Rockin' The Joint RIP Gonzo

Welcome back you all ! (and thanx for all the comments/mails !). Let’s begin, shall we ? James Moore (also known as Harmonica Slim and Slim Harpo) was born on January (or February) 11, 1924 in Lobdell, Louisana. In the mid-1950's Moore became a professional musician and began recording for Excello in 1955, first accompanying Lightnin' Slim, then as featured artist under the name "Slim Harpo" which continued until 1969 except for a release on Imperial, based in New Orleans, in 1962. On January 31, 1970 at the peak of his fame, James "Harmonica Slim/Slim Harpo" Moore died in Baton Rouge, Lousiana of a heart attack and is buried in Port Allen, Louisana. At least, he had the chance to escape disco music. Slim Harpo - Strange Love Slim Harpo - That Ain't Your Business

Pray the Lord, it’s John & Jackie Time ! Gene Maltais (another avatar to do !) knocked on the doors of several record companies, one of which was Aladdin who got their artists Johnnie & Jackie to record Gene's songs 'Gang War' ,'The Raging Sea' and ‘Little Girl’ (released in May 1958). But, Gene didn't like the way Aladdin handle his songs and didn't sign a contract. So what do we have here ? An unwanted baby, a raunchy record from outerspace ! John & Jackie - Little Girl John & Jackie - The Raging Sea Friday Bonus ! The Zanies - The Mad Scientist See you on Monday folks. (And don’t forget to check out the Holy Blogs on your right, they’re all great !)

"THE BLONDE BOMBER -- RONNIE DAWSON ." Even those that only saw and heard Dawson once, though, were unlikely to forget him There was that unearthly appearance -- the shocking-white brush cut, the ghostly pale complexion. And an equally unearthly, high-pitched voice that made it difficult for listeners to tell if he was a man or a woman. The actual singles he managed to release were a mixed lot, but "Action Packed" -- with its ceaseless exhortations to "HEAR ME?" -- has to be one of the ten best obscure rockabilly treasures of all time. Dawson was 19 when "Action Packed" was issued in 1958. As Chris Dickinson observes in his liner notes to the Rockin' Bones reissue, "It's hard to argue with Ronnie's assertion that a car just ain't fast enough to get him where he's going."Later, Dawson found a whole new audience in the indie/alternative crowd, most of whom weren't born when « Action Packed » & « Rockin’ Bones »...

Otis Rush moved to Chicago in 1948, but he had learned to play the guitar, which he played upside down and left-handed. and harmonica as a child in Mississippi. By 1954 he had begun to play the guitar in earnest, inspired first by the rugged Delta blues of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf and then by the recordings of B.B and Albert King. Rush gained enough respect in Chicago blues circles for the composer and bass player Willie Dixon to help him secure a recording contract with Cobra Records in 1956. He pioneered what critics dubbed the "West Side style", which included « impassioned soul-tinged vocals, coupled with an intense, yet urbane, style of guitar playing »(Er, I really like blues critics….). Otis Rush - Jump Sister Bessie Otis Rush - My Baby Is A Good 'Un

The world will always remember John Barry for his association with James Bond, but by 1958 his band was backing up-and-coming rock star Adam Faith (The John Barry Seven, formed back in 1957), and when Faith made his film debut in the 1960 film ‘Beat Girl’, it was Barry who supplied its hip jazz and rock score. Beat Girl became the first British movie to issue a soundtrack on long playing records. The soundtrack has been reissued on CD and is well worth seeking out. The blend of a big brass section with Vic Flick's monster guitar sound is very reminiscent of the Bond scores, but a little rougher and, maybe, more interesting. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang ! John Barry - Beat Girl John Barry - The Off Beat

Hello children, gather ‘round and listen to that story… Dwight Pullen was born in the poor neighbourhood of Blountsville, Alabama on March 5, 1931 .He penned 'Everybody's Got A Date But Me' and co-wrote 'She She Little Sheila' for Gene Vincent's 'Crazy Times' LP (1959). He’d cut Sunglasses After Dark' (Carlton 455) in 1958, but the record sadly failed to ignite the charts .Anyway, 'Sunglasses' has passed into that select group of discs that are now rightly regarded as rock 'n' roll classics. Unfortunately, Dwight Pullen was another victim of cancer : he died on November 24, 1961. He was only 26. I hate mondays. Dwight 'Whitey' Pullen - Sunglasses After Dark Dwight 'Whitey' Pullen - Everybody's Rockin'

One of the greatest, though most obscure Sun records acts, Joe Hill Louis, also known as the Be-Bop Boy, was one of the One Man Band giants! Unlike some of the more refined, ambidexterous One Man band Blues artists, Louis was a raw, wild performer who didn't display particular expertise on the drums, guitar or harmonica, but displayed an amazing talent to make the wild mess of his simultaneous playing hold together just enough to get through the song. He made his recording debut in 1949 for Columbia, but the remainder of his output was issued on R&B indies large and small: it's the Phillips (Sam Phillips's first extremely short-lived logo), Modern, Sun , Checker, Meteor, Big Town and House of Sound. Louis was only 35 when he died of tetanus. Joe Hill Louis - Boogie In The Park Joe Hill Louis - Gotta Let You Go Joe Hill Louis - Tiger Man And...BIG F****** THANX to Deep Soul Junkie !!! Aloha From Hell.

A rough, rowdy rock & roll singer, Larry Williams had several hits in the late '50s, several of which — "Bony Maroney," "Dizzy, Miss Lizzy," "Short Fat Fannie," "Bad Boy," "She Said Yeah"… Larry was born in New Orleans in 1935. He apparently worked for a time as a valet to Lloyd Price, which led to his recording for Specialty. His first big hit was Short Fat Fannie, on Specialty. It was a wild party song somewhat similar to something that Little Richard was doing at the same time. The wild songs established Larry Williams as a serious rock-and-roll performer in 1957. But his career might have had more impact had he not become seriously involved with the drug scene. In 1980, Williams was found dead in his Los Angeles home; he died of a gunshot wound to his head. The medical examiners called the death a suicide, but rumors persisted for years after his death that he was murdered because of his involvement in drugs, crime and — all...

The early 60’s saw the formation of a great many, mostly amateur, mostly instrumental bands across Southern California in unspoken anticipation of the forthcoming surf music trend. The Surfmen (perfect name for a surf band isn’t it ?) were one such typical outfit. Paradise Cove c/w Ghost Hop was a big local hit in California in 1961 and was released on The Los Angeles label, Titan. Oh and for the record ,The Surfmen changed the name of the band in 1962 for The Lively Ones (but it’s another story….) The Surfmen - Ghost Hop The Surfmen - Paradise Cove

From out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, came a young man named Myron Lee (real name :. Myron Robert Wachendorf). Myron was only 17 when he entered a talent contest in 1958 on a program called "Tommorrow's Stars" on KELO-TV in Sioux Falls. They won and were asked to be on each Saturday; also to back up other contestants when needed. Myron Lee and his band The Caddies cut some brilliant rockin' music back in the 1950's, but never scored a much deserved hit record. However, today 'Homicide' and 'Aw C'mon Baby' (1959) are regarded as Rockabilly classics. "I consider myself a lucky guy for having the chance to grow up in a wonderful time with wonderful music and I was able to make a living from having all that fun." Myron Lee,1992. Myron Lee & The Caddies - Aw C'mon Baby Myron Lee & The Caddies - Homicide

“Big Mama” Thornton was a large, tall, imposing woman that commanded the stage and took charge of everything and everyone around her. She dressed like a man and she was known to take no lip from anyone at any time. She was also a woman that knew the blues and could sing the blues with a power to match and even surpass many noted male singers. In the early 1950s, Big Mama signed with the Peacock label. It is there that she was the first to record “Hound Dog” in 1953. Written by composers Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller and given directly to her to sing, the song reached number one on the R&B charts. But Big Mama received only $500 for her entire life recording “Hound Dog”, while Elvis Presley went on to make it a Rock and Roll classic three years later. That's a damned shame, because Thornton's menacing growl was indeed something special. Big Mama Thornton - Hound Dog Big Mama Thornton - I Smell A Rat And here is the answer to Hound Dog ! Rufus Thomas Jr - Bear Cat (The ...

The five members of Ganimian And His Orientals were all Armenian-Americans, led by Charles "Chick" Ganimian, who would later become perhaps the most successful American-born oud player. The band's repertoire included Turkish, Armenian, Arabic and some Greek dances and songs... and just like the Beatles, the ability to read music was superseded by playing by ear! Anyway,.it’s an amazing LP with superb Middle-Eastern belly-dance vibe, not dry or academic but as real as a hazy party night of spicy food and liquor at the local kebab parlour ! The guy also had some 45s under various names (Ganim’s Asia Minors, included on the same 1958 LP), and probably more album releases. One track pops up on the great John Berberian LP on Verve 10 years later, and « Come with me to the casbah » has been covered by a lot a surf instrumentals bands. Ganimian & His Orientals - Come With Me To The Casbah Ganim's Asia Minors - Daddy Lolo And as a bonus, I have to add this amazing song ...

The multi-talented performer Johnny « Guitar » Watson parlayed his stunning guitar skills into a vaunted reputation as one of the hottest blues axemen on the West Coast during the 1950s. He was listed as Young John Watson when he signed with Federal in 1953. His first sides for the King subsidiary found him still tinkling the ivories, but by 1954, when he dreamed up the absolutely astonishing instrumental "Space Guitar," the youth had switched over to guitar… "I used to play the guitar standing on my hands, I had a 150 foot cord and I could get on top of the auditorium - those things Jimi Hendrix was doing, I started that shit!" . Johnny Watson. Johnny Guitar Watson - Space Guitar Johnny Guitar Watson - Gettin' Drunk Johnny Guitar Watson - One Kiss WEEKEND SPECIAL ! Tony Bennett - Rags To Riches Have a good weekend..I'm off to bed; I've got the flu....DAMN !

This is the classic retardo sloprocker that the Cramps made famous ; Legendary Bakersfield, California, ultra-grinder b/w ace dance flipper! (thanx to Norton Records ) Are you ready ? It’s Karaoke time again !!! (where are the dancing girls? ?) When the sun goes down and the moon comes up, I turn into a teenage goo goo muck. I cruise through the city and I roam the streets, looking for something that is nice to eat. You better duck! When I show up! The goo goo muck! I'm the night headhunter looking for a head, with the way-out body underneath that head. I'll get you baby with a little luck, I'm a teenage tiger and a goo goo muck. You better duck! When I show up! The goo goo muck! The city is a jungle and I'm a beast, A teenage tiger looking for a feast. I want the most, still I'll take the least, I'm the goo goo muck tiger and a teenage beast. You better duck! When I show up! The goo goo muck! (written by Ed James) Ronnie Cook & The Gaylads - Goo Goo Muck...

Already a harp virtuoso in his teens, the first Sonny Boy (Rice Miller would adopt the same monicker down in the Delta) learned from Hammie Nixon and Noah Lewis and rambled with Sleepy John Estes and Yank Rachell before settling in Chicago in 1934. He recorded prolifically for Victor both as a leader and behind others in the vast Melrose stable (including Robert Lee McCoy and Big Joe Williams, who in turn played on some of Williamson's sides). Sonny Boy cut more than 120 sides in all for RCA from 1937 to 1947, many of them turning up in the postwar repertoires of various Chicago blues giants. Yeah. John Lee Sonny Boy Williamson - Hoodoo Hoodoo John Lee Sonny Boy Williamson - Mellow Chick Swing

In 1957 Duane Eddy met discjockey Lee Hazlewood, who became his producer. He asked Al Casey, Larry Knecktall (piano) and Steve Douglas (honking sax solos) to become his back-up group, and dubbed them "The Rebels". They signed a contract with Jamie Records (Philadelphia) in 1958 and he had his first real hit with "Rebel Rouser".Lester Still, Lee Hazlewood's partner at the time, came up with the word "twangy", after which Duane was referred to as "Mr. Twang", or "Duane Eddy and his Twangy Guitar". Duane stayed with Jamie Records until 1962, when he left to join RCA. Songs like « Stalkin’ » & « Peter Gunn » did their part to help keep the raunchy spirit of rock & roll alive, during a time in which it was in danger of being watered down… Duane Eddy - Stalkin' Duane Eddy - Peter Gunn