We have been super busy here since our brick-and-mortar shop closed. We have been getting to know a lot of lovely people all across the globe on this worldwide wobbly thing. We have also been selling face-to-face at Record Fairs and various events, including The Rockabilly Rave. We had intended to tell you all some stories about these events, but we got carried away with the fabulous records we have for sale and wrote far too much, so we will hold our tales of strange people obsessed with noise-making little bits of plastic for the next newsletter.
There have been some great releases across multiple genres since our last newsletter, and we are going to pick out six that have really spun our heads for you.
We’re taking a break to visit the Tear It Up festival in Croatia, June 2-12, so orders placed now will be processed on our return. And if you are at the festival, look us up!
Young Jessie – Mary Lou / You Were Meant For Me – Mercury R/P
Sometimes we get so immersed in our little Rock n Roll world that we forget how actually obscure some of our giants are. We think everyone will know exactly who Young Jessie is, we assume anyone could join in and sing along with his “mega hit” Mary Lou, surely everyone instantly links him with Richard Berry. I am reminded of all this as I just dropped onto the internet just to check out my memories of Young Jessie. So a little background before talking about this particular fantastic 45.
As with so many super singers he first emerged as part of various Vocal Harmony Rhythm and Blues groups. I will skip the info on these groups as it is as always a tangled web of individuals, record labels, near misses and great sounds. I will mention however his stint in The Flairs with Cornell Gunter and Richard Berry which gave us the classic She Loves to Rock jiver. The Bihari Brothers recognised the talents in this group and pretty much took each member into the studio to record solo. Obediah Jessie took the stage name Young Jessie as he wanted people to know he was a teenager, just 17 when he recorded his first single, I smell a Rat, a cover of the Big Mama Thornton track penned by Lieber and Stoller. His voice is so strong that when he sings about love, lust and life he sounds like a man who has lived through it all for decades. We totally understand the need to tell people he was young. His powerhouse vocal is matched by searing guitar and “violent pin point” drums.
For his next single, we were graced with the original cut of Mary Lou, one of the songs that we think of as being part of the DNA of Rock n Roll. The loping, lazy rhythm and call and response of this song prefigures the snotty garage punk of the 1960s, but the opposing insistent piano and blasting sax create a totally different sound. The lyrics are amazing for a first song written by, let’s remember, a teenager. A tale of love, theft, corruption and maybe even murder. This, amazingly, was not a chart hit, but it became a standard for many R&B-obsessed music fans. It was covered many, many times, notably (for us) by Ronnie Hawkins.
Jessie carried on recording and we honestly believe every record he issued is great so we will try to stop being distracted and finally get to the 45 above. The first version of Mary Lou came out in 1955, and as I said, it was not a hit, but it was popular. He decided (or maybe it was producer Jack Nitzsche’s idea) to take another run at it 8 years later on the flip side of the soul-shaking You Were Meant For Me. Now we have already raved about the original, so how good can a recut be? Well, taking that killer as a starting point, this version blasts off into a whole new world. We get a slightly slower version, with masses of added instruments and female backing vocals. In rock n roll, less is often more, but in this case, more is more. Every little rim shot, every backing “hey hey”, every guitar string sting truly enhances the centre of the song, which is Jessie’s magnificent voice. The overall sound is not a wall, it is a sound structure, a framework, that is completed when you dance.
Like we said, sometimes we forget how obscure our heroes are, and sometimes we get reminded just how lucky we are that they existed at all.
Young Jessie – Mary Lou
Young Jessie – You Were Meant For Me
Eddie Noack – Psycho / Invisible Stripes – K-Ark
The darkest of dark country, as I listen to this 45 images from the famous film of the same name flick through my mind, in particular the final frames where Anthony Perkins looks up and smiles.
This song is sung from the viewpoint of a killer who is to be completely removed from his actions. It sounds like it was recorded in a vast echoing cave, the weeping steel guitar wails sadness, the time signature keeps changing. The terror of the song becomes more intense with each verse.
Psycho has the honesty and power of songs from centuries-long folk / country tradition that includes classics such as Knoxville Gal, Darlin’ Corrie (aka Dig a Hole) and Tom Dooley. Part of the reason these songs passed into “tradition” is that people believed the events took place in the next town or just over the hill. These songs were news reports of their time. They were sung by itinerant balladeers not just to entertain but to inform people that truly terrible things can happen.
Psycho however, is completely modern, the title alone is a keyword in postmodern thought. It is not based on a particular event, although people associate it with Ed Gein due to the film title link. It describes the late twentieth-century phenomenon of the serial killer (even though that term would not be defined until six years after the release of the song). Perhaps most importantly, the singer does not plead to God for redemption or forgiveness.
The most shocking detail in the song is the attitude of the singer as he relays his murderous confession to his “mama”. Mamas have a special place in country songs. They are (outside of God) the last hope, the one who still loves the boy headed for the gallows, the one who comes to get her baby out of jail, the one who will keep him safe from growing up to become a cowboy. In this song, however, she is not a ray of light in the darkness. She is an accuser and finally a victim.
I could go on; this recording has other historical influences and future impacts all over the place. So grab the 45, set your player to repeat and have a really Psycho session.
Eddie Noack – Psycho
Eddie Noack – Invisible Stripes
The Truffle Valley Boys – Come Back To The Valley – Tenbrooks 10″ Album
This album is the fourth 10-inch album from the boys in four years and is absolutely fantastic Bluegrass. When the first album came out in 2022, we were stunned at the virtuoso playing, which matches the best of the genre. It has a sincerity that cannot be faked and a high, lonesome sound that is essential. It was constantly on the turntable in the shop, and it was added to many purchases, even for people who said they did not like Bluegrass.
So with all that said you may be assuming that these tracks are taken from old tapes or records scoured from shops and maybe barns across Appalachia. The surprise is that the Truffle Valley Boys are from Italy, and they are currently blowing away crowds across Europe and even the US.
The band is a four-piece with the super classic string band line-up of guitar and lead vocal (Matt Ringressi), banjo (Germano Ciavone), guitar and dobro (Denny Rocchio), double bass (Emanuele Valente). All the band members contribute to vocals, and each is a multi-instrumentalist. They can switch instruments with each other and swap in mandolin and other instruments as they feel appropriate for a track. The band use one microphone when they perform. They move around the stage to raise or lower volume using the space in the venue like another instrument. They have used the same technique on this analogue recording, which was made straight to tape at Flipsville Studio in Sweden.
The playing on the record is wonderful, the band have the tightness and confidence that comes only from years of playing regularly together, in halls, on stages and even in churches. I love every note on this LP, but special mention must go to Matt’s singing. His vocals sound as if they come straight from his heart and go to your heart. His voice conveys love, loss, and life, reminding you of all the times you have experienced them throughout your life.
The Truffle Valley Boys – Come Back To The Valley promo
Ervin Rucker – Done Done The Slop / So Good – Duplex
Done Done has been filling dance floors and wearing out shoe leather for many years. It was initially released as on this reproduction on Duplex in 1959. It captures what many people now say is early Soul crossover sound but sounds like a Rockin’ RnB number to us.
Ervin’s story is like a cut-and-paste R&B / Blues singer bio, he was born to musical parents and initially sung in church as a teenager before being lured across to RnB / Blues. He has an early life hopping around the South honing his talent before starting a recording career, jumping from tiny label to tiny label. Unfortunately for Ervin, the surprise hit never came, and although he was relatively successful for many years, eventually becoming a featured vocalist with Johnny Otis in the 1970s (and you all know we love Johnny here) we do not have a lot of recordings to enjoy.
Duplex was formed in 1958 by the RnB great Jimmy Liggins, whom you will know from tracks such as Drunk, Something Goin’ On in my Room, and many more, in Fayetteville Tennessee and was connected with Linco in the same town. The first issue for the label was credited to Mattie Jackson and his Blues Hawks, but on the B side, we have Ervin on vocals. The next year, Jimmy moved the operation to San Diego (Ca), and it seems Ervin decided to go with them.
We finally get to our subject. Ervin was now set to record, but it seems that the Blues Hawks did not move California, so the fabled Jimmy Liggins and his band backed the relative newcomer on the tracks we have here. I mentioned Jimmy above and have to assume everyone reading this at least knows his best known tracks and some of his history as one of the men who put the Rhythm into Rhythm and Blues before they even called it RnB let alone the later rebranding to Rock n Roll.
On this track, we have decades of experience from the band pushing forward the comparatively young singer. This combination of confidence of age and arrogance of youth ferments into a brew that had been a DJ must have for decades. It lifts hearts and feet everywhere. On the flip, we have a song that references the 1957 hit of Little Bitty Pretty One but brings Jimmy’s big band experience and Ervin’s tough vocals to the interpretation to create a huge sound that has unfairly been overlooked due to the quality of the flip.
The Done Done The Slop was picked up by Mad Mike and played, then reissued on his label in 1966, the track then went underground before being rediscovered by our Juke Box Jam friends. This really is a 45 that cannot be kept down. Play and enjoy.
Ervin Rucker – Done Done The Slop
Ervin Rucker – So Good
John Lee Hooker – Hoogie Boogie / Women In My Life – Modern
No introduction needed here. The word legendary gets thrown around too much but that soubriquet is appropriate here. There are many books telling his life story and exploring his legacy, so we are going to assume you know who he is or can easily find out.
His first recording from 1948, Boogie Chillun is a foundation stone in the structure of Rock n Roll. His vocal rasp and attacking guitar truly set the stage for every raucous kid that followed in his tracks. We are sure everyone has various LPs either later specifically recorded tracks or compilations of singles in their collections. What is quite shocking to realise, though, is that many of his earliest (and in the opinion of some) his best recordings have never been reissued as singles. In fact, some were issued as 78s and never issued on 45 at all. That is changing with these issues. These are not straight reissues but selected tracks recorded for Modern Records that reflect the virtuosity and power of this great artist.
This double-headed set starts with Hoogie Boogie from 1949, which was the B-side of the second Modern issue. It is very similar to Boogie Chillun but taken at a slightly faster pace with extra finger snappin’ stompin’ “percussion”. This was also issued by Modern as Rhythm No 2. So a more aggressive version of the foundational Boogie Chillun, what’s not to love! The flip side is from 1951 and again appears to have never been issued on 45. With another four years of experience under his belt, John really lets us have it, adding full lyrics over the top of a blazing blues guitar blast. The vocals add a whole new level, and the guitar work is more complex and assured. His rollin’ style is fully formed, and the additional stings and trills are years ahead of their time. This is a legend in the making.
John Lee Hooker – Hoogie Boogie
John Lee Hooker – Women In My Life
John Lee Hooker – Shake Holler And Run / Gotta Boogie – Modern
Topside of this 45 is from 1955 and was issued at the time on 45 as well as on a 78. This is really different from the earlier tracks. Here we have John reflecting the musical changes of these tumultuous times. John still has his unmistakable style with that voice and always imitated but never matched guitar to the fore, but now we have added saxophones, pianos, drums and more. This swinging Rockin’ blues may be clearly influenced by others, but it remains pure John Lee Hooker. Absolutely raucous.
The flip is John returning to his Boogie Chillun roots. This was again issued on 78 and 45, but such an early 45 is extremely rare. This is a genuine revisit to one of the most important and hypnotic riffs in the history of Rock n Roll. He does not just run through the excellent grooves; he renews them. The guitar is rougher, the vocals are equally as fantastic as the earlier versions, and every version is different but great. I am sorry, but people always want to rank versions, but sometimes they can just be different but equal. And I think that is where we started, so let’s exit through the door we came in and enjoy this great music without having to make it a competition, this art is all co-operation, not conflict, fun for all and all for fun.
John Lee Hooker – Shake Holler And Run
John Lee Hooker – Gotta Boogie
Wow, what a selection and there is so much more to enjoy on the website. Have a search through listening to great tracks and stacking them up for purchase – remember if you are in the UK and buy six or more items, we pay postage and packing for you.
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