Hello and welcome to another No Hit Records newsletter about how that stuff that goes around, gets around. Specifically, we’re looking at some newly-released Rockabilly and storming Rock n Roll 45s. We spent quite a long time going over definitions with this newsletter and maybe in some future newsletter we will kick that debate around. But for now, let’s dive in with one of the undisputed Kings of Rockabilly and move on with other top-rank artists.
With Charles Arthur Feathers we are going to skip the biographical stuff because his stories are far more interesting, and probably closer to reality than any nailed-down research. Charlie first recorded for Sam Phillips in 1955 with an issue each on Flip and Sun (although as with everything Charlie was involved in the releases were complicated.) He even has an Elvis Sun connection with a writer’s credit on Elvis’s last Sun 45. There is no argument that he was there at the ground zero of Rockabilly. He moved on from Sun to various labels but he never changed what he did. When collectors started discovering his work he graciously told interviewers what they wanted to hear and this, along with a great self-belief, meant he did not always remember things the same way as anyone else did. His music was not a style he could adopt or discard. In our opinion, although he is pure Rockabilly he is also amongst the last of the country troubadours. He mainly recorded his own compositions and he lived every line every time he sang. He was a wonder to see live and although he is gone we are lucky enough to have his records.
Charlie Feathers – Bottle To The Baby / Runnin’ Around – Rollin
Starting at Sun, two originally unissued tracks from 1956 and 1955 respectively. Runnin’ Round is a different take than the version on the Norton 45 and it sounds like Sam pushed the record button as he heard Charlie hit the spot as tough Rockabilly pushes through on a county bop number. Again not the Norton 45 version and not the King version, we have a fantastic earlier version of one of the best known of Charlie’s recordings. The whole arrangement is a long way from the King version with a slightly slower pace and a more prominent bass. The guitarist is trying to find a place to come in and leaves it until very late but when he does he really rips it up. Overall two fine versions that are a lot more than just beard-stroking collector ‘interesting’.
Sorry but we haven’t got a sample of this recording yet but as soon as we do we’ll let you know. Alternatively, click on the button below to see this record in our shop, that is where we’ll post the recording when we’ve got it.
Charlie Feathers – Nobody’s Woman / When You Come Around – King
Moving on to King records we have two sides originally issued on two separate 45s in March and April 1957. These are absolute Rockabilly classics with Charlie supported by Jerry Huffman and Jody Chastain on bass and guitar (no drums). Sometimes less is more.
Nobody’s Woman
When You Come Around
Charlie Feathers – Why Don’t You / Jungle Fever – Kay
Following Charlie through the labels we get to this amazing Kay double-sider. Why Don’t You is a top bop but the flip is a real surprise, a sleazy, jungle rhythm grinder that is nothing like anything Charlie had done before. In fact very little like anything anyone had done before.
Why Don’t You
Jungle Fever
Hardrock Gunter – Boppin To Grand Father’s Clock / Rock-A-Bop Baby – Island
OK, so you want something not like anyone else. Hardrock was recording country boogie and was close to Rockabilly from the early 50s onwards. He even recorded for Sam Phillips on Sun before Elvis. These two tracks are from 1958 after the Sun explosion but retain Hardrock’s unique style. Rock-a-Bop is a stripped-back rockabilly number and a great dancer but it is Grand Fathers Clock that has been filling dance floors in obscure clubs since the 1970s. It really is not like anything else. It is a nonsense lyric-infused take on a nursery rhyme with the echo turned up to 11 and the rhythm supplied by a percussive guitar is almost like a reggae record. Like we promised, not like anything else but all the better for it.
Boppin To Grand Father’s Clock
Rock-A-Bop Baby
Joe Clay – Sixteen Chicks / Slipping Out And Sneaking In – Vik Repro
Joe Clay was a teenager when he recorded these major label subsidiary Rockabilly classics and his youth and enthusiasm imbue the tracks with so much joie de vivre one half expects the actual record to start dancing. Sixteen Chicks was released in 1956 but Joe was no threat to label-mate Elvis. Slipping Out did not come out for another 30 years but is well worth the wait. The stinging guitar leads on these sides are provided by none other than Mickey Baker in a very early example of a mixed-race recording session.
Sixteen Chicks
Slipping Out And Sneaking In
Tommy Labeff – Tore Up / Ride On Josephine – Wayside
Tommy / Sleepy La Beff / La Beef was a man mountain who hardly needed a microphone when he performed. The sheer power of his voice and delivery are well captured on these two sides from 1961 and 1962 originally issued on Crescent and Wayside. Tommy started his recording career on the Starday label in Texas contributing some archetypal Rockabilly to the legendary label. These tracks show that he did not rest on his laurels and here he is racing into the future with hard rockin’ Texas boogie that retains all the fire of the older style.
Tore Up
Ride On Josephine
Tony Casanova – Showdown / Boogie Woogie Feeling – Dore
Moving on again with more boogie woogie feeling but not your old-fashioned Maple Leaf Rag. As originally issued in the last month of the last year of the 50s on Dore, this is a raging raw Rock n Roll double-sider. The thumping drums opening the boogie side announce this is full-blooded Rock n Roll even before the wild guitars and screaming vocals kick in, this side is an earthquake. If you want to turn the 45 over for a breather you are out of luck. The other side is even wilder. It is taken at a slightly slower pace but with the guitar coming in right from the start sounding like it is being played with a razor blade the record is as tough as nails. Added to this are the straight-up violent lyrics threatening retribution to the man foolish enough to mess with Tony’s girl. A killer two-sider.
Showdown
Boogie Woogie Feeling
Night Raiders featuring Mickey Hawks – Cotton Picking / Screamin’ Mimi Jeanie – Profile
Closing out we have two more storming Rock n Roll numbers that have packed dance floors for decades. These were originally issued on separate 45s both on Profile in 1958 Bip Bop Boom and 1959 Cottonpickin. The label was best known for RnB and Blues issues and this issue really has a strong Little Richard black rocker influence. The top side is a fast-paced instrumental and the flip is a – what else? – screaming vocal with savage backing.
Cotton Picking
Screamin’ Mimi’ Jeanie
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