JANUARY PLAYLIST

Joy Marshall goes shopping. 

1.  Charles Mingus – “Moanin’” (1960)

I was fortunate to catch the Mingus Big Band twice at Ronnie Scott’s this week. Sounds extravagant but I’m pleased I did as each 90 minute set only had time for half a dozen treatments of Mingus material in a Big Band format. They were fantastic on both occasions (different sets) and I guess Mingus himself would’ve approved of hearing his music arranged and presented in a way which wasn’t always practical in his lifetime. Among the numbers aired were Gunslinging Bird, Song With Orange, Diane, Bird Calls, Sue’s Changes, The Child’s Hour of Dream, So Long Eric, Goodbye Pork Pie Hat, Fables of Faubus (retitled Fables of Trump) and one of my favourites, from Blues & Roots, Moanin’.

2.  John Ashley – “Little Lou” (1960)

Ashley featured in many late 50s/early 60s TV shows and films (ones containing cars, werewolves or beaches appear to have been favourite) but it’s this rocking teen-drama which is of most interest. He’d later go on to produce the first four series of The A-Team and it’s his voice that narrates the introduction, fact fans.

3.  Little John – “Just Wait And See” (1965)

Fat horns, clinking keys, punching drums, call and response vocals, thumping, dog’s dangly bits floorfiller. Don’t even think about trying to find an original on Gogate. Sensational.

4.  Joy Marshall – “And I’ll Find You” (1968)

Recorded shortly before Marshall’s untimely death, Vicki Wickham’s sumptuous production for her Toast Records makes this fall somewhere between Dusty Springfield and Dionne Warwick.

5.  Glass House – “Touch Me Jesus” (1971)

Holland-Dozier-Holland get sanctified on their Invictus label with a 45 aimed at the dancefloor more than pulpit. The fact no members of Glass House appeared on the record, which was in fact recorded by Darlene Love’s group the Blossoms, didn’t appear to trouble their conscience.

6.  The Miracles – “Ain’t Nobody Straight In LA” (1975)

From the LP City of Angels which provided the Miracles biggest ever hit, “Love Machine”, this was a bold move. It took a couple of listens to catch which side of the fence they were with sitting – sounded like a piss take at first (“homosexuality is a part of society, well I guess they need more variety”) - but it’s supportive, embracing of diversity, with the group deciding “gay people are nice people too, man” before heading off to a gay bar. Cracking tune too.

7.  George Jones – “If Drinkin' Don’t Kill Me (Her Memory Will)” (1981)

From the song’s Wikipedia entry: The upswing in his professional life brought little peace to his personal one; dogged by a years-old cocaine addiction and a near thirty year drinking problem, he continued to miss shows, engage the police in high speed chases, and show up at award shows obviously inebriated to accept honors. The despairingly hopeless "If Drinkin' Don't Kill Me (Her Memory Will)" verged on topicality as Jones sang about falling out of cars at four in the morning and drinking "twenty bottles."

8.  The Stairs – “I Remember The Day” (1988)

Recorded by a young Edgar Summertyme during his time on a YTS scheme at Attic Studios with early evidence of his Syd Barrett/Strawberry Fields leanings. Now featured as one of many curios on a new odd and sods Stairs compilation, The Great Lemonade Machine In The Sky.

9.  Spiritualized – “She Kissed Me (It Felt Like A Hit)” (2003)

Hold tight as J. Spaceman launches this rocket.

10.  Paul Orwell – “Attack” (2016)

The songs are pouring out of Paul Orwell at the moment and Heavy Soul are catching them in a bucket and sticking them out as fast as their little arms and legs are able. This latest blink and you’ll miss it 45 is a simple yet effective acid rock Bolan boogie.

TEEN TOWN - THE MOTOWN STORY (1965)

1965 was the year Motown exploded into the consciousness of the American people. The label had seen hits but now they could be viewed – as Berry Gordy intended – as a succession of hits leaving one central assembly line.

Such was interest in the label that an edition of Detroit-based CKLW Channel 9's show Teen Town devoted a whole hour’s edition to what presenter Robin Seymour refers to as the Motown Records Corporation.

Some of the studio performances by the Marvelettes, the Miracles, the Supremes with a gurning Ms Ross, the Temptations and Little Stevie Wonder are familiar but what makes this all the more fascinating is Berry Gordy and Barney Ales talking the host through behind the scenes footage recorded at Hitsville of the artists, writers and producers rehearsing material. Listen out for Seymour's fully justified gasp of "Oh my!" when the Marvelettes' Wanda Young comes into view.

JANUARY PLAYLIST

Ten tunes currently creating merriment at Monkey Mansions.

1. The Louvin Brothers – “The Great Atomic Power” (1952)

Considering Ira and Charlie Louvin feared mushroom clouds of destruction would rain down from on high blotting out the works of man they sounded remarkably upbeat about it. The reason?  God will surely save His children. Phew, that’s a weight off my mind.

2. Mel Williams – “Send Me A Picture, Baby” (1955)

When waiting to cut his new 45 for Federal Records I wonder if Mel asked for something people can whistle along to. If he did, they took him literally. What otherwise would be a standard big voiced R&B stroller is made more interesting (or perhaps annoying) by employing a whistling passer-by.

3. Faye Richmonde – “Sadie’s Still Got The Rag On” (1957)

Boys, if you’re thinking of knocking on Sadie’s door and asking her out to play, her mum reckons you’ll be wasting your time because she’s still got the rag on. Mumps, she says, but I’m not convinced. From the album My Pussy Belongs To Daddy released, presumably under the counter, in 1957.

4. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – “When The Words From Your Heart Get Caught Up In Your Throat” (1968)

That’s such a typical Smokey phrase. You can just imagine him coming up with the title and knocking the rest of the song together over lunch. The competition would’ve killed for songs like this yet Smokey could afford to chuck it away on the flip of “You Can Want”.

5. Os Mutantes – “Bat Macumba” (1968)

Mixing their Brazilian rhythms with imported US and UK psychedelic rock Os Mutantes eponymous debut album is wonderfully wigged-out from start to finish.

6. Darrow Fletcher – “(Love Is My) Secret Weapon” (1975)

I have to be careful to play this sort of stuff out of the earshot of Mrs Monkey as a pound to penny she’ll go “Turn this disco shit off” or “What’s this Luther Vandross bollocks?” If that’s also your natural reaction to a silky mid-70s soul dancer then you’d best steer clear too.

7. Siouxsie & The Banshees – “Supernatural Thing” (1981)

The Banshees wouldn’t be top of the pile of expected coverers of Ben E. King’s funk classic but they did it. The studio take appeared as the B-side to “Arabian Knights” but I’ve been playing the live version recorded for a Richard Skinner BBC session; all quirky rhythms and jagged shards of metallic noise. I'm still hoping they'll return one of these days. 

8. Slim Moore and the Mar-Kays – “How Long” (2011)

Introducing Slim Moore and the Mar-Kays is the best new soul album I’ve heard in years, not that it sounds very new, more an amalgamation of every cool Blaxploitation soundtrack. “How Long” contains just enough of a hint of hip-hop to pull it away from mere pastiche.       

9. Band A Part – “Blankets” (2011)

Despite the title this is sung in their native Spanish tongue. My grasp of the lingo is too shoddy to grasp what they’re on about but they sound enough of a sweet blend of St Etienne and Camera Obscura to get un abrazo from me.

10. Ballard – “Pretty Colours” (2013)

A rough and ready pill-eyed adrenaline rush written, recorded and released by Darren Riley quicker than it takes the Rolling Stones to assemble their stage set.