"I DON'T KNOW" by THE SHOOTS (2017)

After months of teasing The Shoots finally release their debut single.

The band are, in effect, the latest Paul Orwell project with lead vocal duties handed to Lord Essien.

‘I Don’t Know’ is two breathless minutes of the good Lord grabbing ya by the short and curlies as the combo snap and snarl like rabid dogs before Orwell unleashes the wildest onslaught of manic freakbeat guitar. On the flip they ‘Do The Jerk’ which could be very dangerous if you’re in close proximity.

Available only as a 7-inch single, with painstakingly period detail, on Heavy Soul Records. Limited to 300 copies, get ‘em while they’re hot. Out today.

IF I'VE ONLY ONE TIME ASKIN' by DANIEL ROMANO (2015)

I raved about Daniel Romano’s Come Cry With Me back in 2013, making it my album of the year (for whatever that’s worth), and his latest LP If I’ve Only One Time Askin’ is another stone-cold country classic following the lineage from Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Gram Parsons.

The man’s a story telling genius, totally out-of-time, this is stuff from a bygone era, but a genius nonetheless. I love his rubbery vocals which bend and stretch and then go slack and deep and pull on the heartstrings. Canadian Romano can do one man, a guitar and a bar stool and, as you’ll hear on this surprising new video to the album’s opening track, animated by Chad VanGaalen, he can stand up front backed by huge sweeping orchestration.

The vinyl edition of If I’ve Only One Time Askin’, released by New West Records, is housed in a beautifully authentic thick card sleeve. Out now.

And here's a stripped back version of "The One That Got Away (Came Back Today)" from the same album.

THE HOWLIN' WOLF STORY (2003)

Here’s a great documentary for ya, The Howlin’ Wolf Story. Loads to enjoy in the tale of the man born Chester Burnett down in Mississippi in 1910 and whose voice sends shivers down the spine and whose moaning alone can shake the bones of an elephant.

There are touching interviews in Don McGlynn’s 2003 film with Wolf’s wife, daughters and band members including Hubert Sumlin and some incredible home movie footage taken by drummer Sam Lay in the blues clubs of 1960’s Chicago. More than anything, Wolf comes across as a lovely, level-headed bloke who bucks the stereotype of poor, drunken, philandering bluesmen.

BRENDA HOLLOWAY ON AMERICAN BANDSTAND (1967)

Here’s a treat, recently discovered footage of the lovely – and modish- Brenda Holloway appearing on American Bandstand, 6 May 1967. Not only does she mime to “Just Look What You’ve Done” but there’s a short interview afterwards to enjoy. “Where did you get those wild shoes?”

And in case you missed it, a plug for the Monkey Picks interview with Brenda from last year (here). Also, on the right hand side of the blog you should now see a “Popular Labels” list which includes categories such as interviews and playlists to make it easier to look back through the archive. Don’t think his’ll show up on phones though. 

JIMMY SMITH - "I GOT MY MOJO WORKING" (1968)

Here’s Jimmy Smith (growls and Hammond grooves), Nathen Page (guitar) and Charlie Crosby (drums) on Danish television playing “I Got My Mojo Working”. Dig it. 

"MAGIC ONION" by THE LOVELY EGGS (2015)

After a couple of years mooching about the house not doing much, everyone’s favourite grin and grunge crackpots, the Lovely Eggs, are back with a new single, album and tour.

“Magic Onion” is the super 45 taster, accompanied in the best Lovely Eggs tradition by a suitably colourful and wonky video which you can see above. The tour began on Friday and ends on 9^th May, with an official launch party for the album, This Is Our Nowhere, taking place at the unlikely venue of London’s Jazz Café on Thursday 7^th May.

All that is exciting enough but even more so personally as Holly and David Egg have very kindly asked me to spin the platters at the launch party. Any tourists wandering in to the Jazz Café expecting an evening of New Orleans Dixieland or 70s style jazz fusion are going to be, well, confused I guess with songs about magic onions, green beans, beef bourguignon and sausage rolls thumbs. Bring it on. Just don’t expect an encore… 

For all your Eggy goodness, check out their site at The Lovely Eggs.

The Lovely Eggs play the Jazz Cafe, Camden on Thursday 7th May 2015 with support from Doglegs. Tickets here.  

THE JEWEL GOSPEL SINGERS - "MY GOD DON'T CHANGE"

Easter Sunday, ‘bout time we done got religion. 

These five young ladies are the Jewel Gospel Singers from Richmond, Virginia and are seen here belting out “My God Don’t Change” on TV Gospel Time in the mid-1960s.

Can’t say I know much about the Jewel Gospel Singers other than they were Doris Anne Allen (singing lead here), Henrietta Doswell, Ernestine Jackson, Ellen Rose and Anne Gardner and released three albums on Savoy Records between 1963 and 1966. TV Gospel Time was a half hour show broadcast by some NBC affiliated channels on Sunday mornings across 49 episodes between 1962 and 1966.

THE VOICES OF EAST HARLEM - RIGHT ON BE FREE (1970)

One of my favourite discoveries last year was the 1970 album on Elektra by the Voices Of East Harlem, Right On Be Free. They're probably best known for their 1973 Leroy Hutson/Rich Tufo/Curtis Mayfield produced single "Cashing In" and whilst that's a great jabbing slice of 70s soul, there's nothing particularly remarkable about it or anything to differentiate the Voices of East Harlem from countless other vocals groups. In fact, Gerri Griffin's dominant lead vocal obscures the very fact they were a group at all. The same cannot be said for their debut Right On Be Free.

Firstly, the sleeve is striking. It's a statement. Sixteen denim-clad, afro-haired, young folk from New York marching, clapping and singing. Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud. Right on. Be free. Rather than a standard group, the Voices of East Harlem were initially a community initiative set up by Chuck and Anna Griffin in 1969. With established gospel singer Bernice Cole as musical director they - up to 20 members, including the Griffin's kids - performed at benefit gigs, prisons, festivals and even on television.

With a rotation of lead singers of all ages, the grooves in the vinyl of Right On Be Free are scarcely wide enough to contain the mass of exuberant and excited voices this street choir frantically pump out backed by a loose yet funky band. They breathe fire into covers such as "For What It's Worth", "Proud Mary" and "Simple Song of Freedom" and original powerful, soul-stirring songs like "Right On Be Free" and "Gotta Be A Change" already sound like established classics.

Listening to the record made me wish there was live footage of them in action. Well, thank the good Lord, there's a whole concert available and it's bang on the time of the album.  Recorded at Tanglewood, Lenox, Massachusetts on 18 August '70 the Voices of East Harlem sing most of the album and also, appropriately enough,  "Young, Gifted and Black". They enter with a choreographed chain gang march and exit after little Kevin Griffin - approximately 11 years old - threatens to steal to the show with his moves during "Shaker Life" and Bernice Cole shows her young protégées how to really sing.

People, be upstanding for... the Voices Of East Harlem.

THE WEDNESDAY PLAY: THE GOLDEN VISION (1968)

The Golden Vision is another Ken Loach directed gem from the BBC's The Wednesday Play series and a must-see for anyone interested in football in those pre-Sky Premiership days or working class life in the late 60s.  

In Loach's familiar style of the time he blends drama, set around a group of Evertonians, superbly acted by a cast including Bill Dean and Ken Jones, who travel down to London to watch their side play Arsenal, and documentary sequences centered around Everton Football Club and their Scottish striker hero Alex Young, nicknamed The Golden Vision.

Written by broadcaster/newsreader Gordon Honeycombe (that name's a blast from the past) it's the interviews with, and attitudes of, the players which are especially enlightening with a revelations they don't enjoy the 90 minutes on a Saturday due to the pressure and alternatively have to relive the boredom during the week by drinking endless cups of tea. Such innocence. 

THE PHROGS - "BABY, I'M GONE" (2001)

The Phrogs were a regular fixture as the live attraction in Mod and 60s clubs back in the mid to late 90s. I saw them more times than I can remember and they were easily one of the better bands doing that circuit. They had a fiery British Beat/R&B thing going on and covered things “Leave My Kitten Alone” which sticks in my mind. The other thing I recall, which made them unique, is they had a frontman who didn’t do a great deal other than shake his maracas, blow a bit of harp and sing the occasional song. He did look cool though. The band, from Southend-on-Sea, were centred on the drummer who not only bashed his kit but sang and during a few songs (I think “I’m A Man” was one) played the organ at the same time. Some trick that. Now, they have a 7” single, “Baby I’m Gone”, out on Manchester’s Crocodile Records. Recorded back in 2001 at Toe Rag studios, it’s a right Elevators/Watchband rave-up. There’s also this breathless footage of them filmed at Channel 4 in the same year. If you can avert your eyes from the vest you're in for a treat. The band are still gigging and the single is available now from www.vinylrevivalmanchester.com

THE SMITHS on CHARLIE'S BUS (1984)

It's April 1984 and The Smiths appear on TV-AM's SPLAT riding something called Charlie's Bus. "Where are we going?" asks one of the many children on the bus. "We're all going mad," replies Morrissey. "I thought we were going to Kew Gardens," says the kid. No flies on that young lady.

Off they trot to Kew Gardens and who should turn up but Sandie Shaw to serenade them with "Jeanne", a song about graves and failure.

Thanks to @binkydawkins for sending in this gem.

MAVIS STAPLES IN CONVERSATION (2009)

Following that incredible concert at the Union Chapel I've been on a big Mavis Staples binge and found this recording of a conversation with American poet Elizabeth Alexander from 2009. Mavis talks about her career, Pops Staples, President Obama, writing letters to Prince and how the Staples Singers once beat up a white man. She also sidesteps a cheeky audience question about Bob Dylan. Well worth finding time for.

PAUL ORWELL - "TELL ME TELL ME" (2014)

Watching the new video from Paul Orwell & The Night Falls three things spring to mind. In order: good hair, good footwear, good tune. That’s always a winning hat-trick in my book especially if I can hear elements of both The Animals and Paul Revere & The Raiders.

London based Orwell writes, plays, records and produces his own material which has yet to be released in any physical format but if "Tell Me Tell Me" and his earlier "Little Reason" are anything to go by, it won't be long before an enterprising label sticks his stuff out. It should be worth waiting for.

THE ROLLING STONES - "CHILD OF THE MOON" (1968)

One of the best Rolling Stones B-sides is “Child Of The Moon”, tucked on the flip of “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”. I’ve never understood why it was hidden away there and didn’t feature on an album.

I was playing it the other day and then rather hopefully searched for any footage on YouTube. Amazingly, and unbeknown to me, on 11 May 1968 the Stones made a promotional video for the song. Directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg and starring a demonic looking band spooking out actress Eileen Atkins, it’s a real treasure.

Attempting to find out more I saw Andrew Male had written a piece last month for Mojo. Read it here.

THE WHO AND THE MAKING OF "GLITTERING GIRL" (1967)

Here’s a fascinating clip of Pete Townshend’s creative process as he runs through ideas for “Glittering Girl” to Who managers Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp at his Wardour Street flat before rehearsing it with the band at the Saville Theatre in London during February 1967.

Filmed as part of Edmund Wolf’s documentary “Die Jungen Nachtwandler”, it was broadcast on German television in July 1967. Interesting to hear Lambert talk about Townshend heading up a "mysterious department called Jazz and New Sounds" for his new Track record label. 

A version of "Glittering Girl" was recorded at De Lane Lea Studios around this time but didn't see daylight until 1995 when it appeared as one of the previously unreleased tracks on a remastered edition of The Who Sell Out.

Thanks to Long John McNally for flagging this up.

THE STANLEY BROTHERS – “IT TAKES A WORRIED MAN” (1966)

This week I’ve mostly been listening to The Complete Columbia Stanley Brothers featuring the 22 songs Bluegrass duo Ralph and Carter Stanley (banjo and guitar respectively) recorded for the label between 1949 and 1952. Its fantastic old-time Appalachian mountain music: full of death, sorrow, angels and heaven.

This footage of the Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys performing “It Takes A Worried Man” (aka “Worried Man Blues”) is from Pete Seeger’s Rainbow Quest show and was recorded a few months before Carter passed away. The tall chap in the middle who steps forward with his guitar is the wonderfully named George Shuffler. Don Miller is on fiddle and the bass fiddler is James “Chick” Stripling. Take it away boys.   

JAMES BROWN ON THE DAVID FROST SHOW (1970)

When James Brown appeared on the David Frost Show in 30 March 1970 he was rather obviously courting the white vote as he schmaltzed (JB style) through covers of “By The Time I Get To Phoenix”, “What Kind Of Fool Am I?”, “Georgia On My Mind” and a duet with Vicki Anderson on “Let It Be Me”. His current album Soul On Top followed a similar theme with jazz standards, middle of the road numbers and even a Hank Williams tune. Three weeks after recording the Frost Show, James was in the studio, back on the good foot, recording “Sex Machine”.

By his own admission Brown was now 25% artist and 75% businessman and although he looked after Soul Brother Number 1 first, he gives a good account of himself to Frost, touching on how his radio stations help communities and how - exasperated by those getting fat of the land whilst poor people suffer – he was issuing James Brown Food Stamps to the poor in the cities he played. It’s entertaining to watch Frost struggle to communicate with Brown but JB’s message of “If everybody gets their shoulders together and push, we can accomplish something here, so let’s do it” is loud and proud.

CURTIS MAYFIELD - "GET DOWN" (1972)

This is the incomparable Curtis Mayfield - a model of heavenly restraint in a sea of funky soul brothers and sisters trying to out do each other with their moves - and a "sho' nuff killer" from his second solo album, Roots. Footage from an episode of Soul Train, first broadcast 25 March 1972. Get down.

THE MONKS KITCHEN - "SHAKE" (2013)

I love the song “Shake”. Sam Cooke’s original; Otis Redding’s electrifying version with Eric Burdon and Chris Farlowe on Ready Steady Go; Brenda Holloway; Ray Charles; Rod The Mod; The Supremes – it doesn’t matter, it’s such an uplifting number it always lifts the mood.

None of the above versions mess round with the original structure, so hats off to The Monks Kitchen for their new interpretation, completely unlike anything that’s gone before. The Monks Kitchen's Shake soup is beautifully served and extremely moreish. Released yesterday as a limited edition single ahead of their new album, Music From The Monks Kitchen, out 18th November on Wonderful Sounds Records. 

TEENAGE FANCLUB - "I'LL FEEL A WHOLE LOT BETTER" (1995)

Keeping with this week’s Gene Clark theme, here – two years after recording “Gene Clark” on their Thirteen album - Teenage Fanclub perform a faithful cover of “I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better” on Channel 4's The White Room.