New Breed Blues
New Breed Blues with Black Popcorn (Kent/Ace)
This is volume number five in the New Breed R&B series that began way back in 2001. The series was originally inspired by the likes of the influential (then current) Hideaway Club in Manchester and original mod /soul DJs like Roger Eagle, as well as the European Popcorn scene. Five volumes later and the righteous R&B keeps comin’. It’s rockin’, soulful, groovy, bluesy and dance-floor friendly. This ain’t the incessant Motown/Northern sound but rather the rompin’ period where doo-wop, blues, R&B and early rock’n’roll sounds met to get the kids and club goers sweaty, tuned in and turned out. Essential stuff. (24 tracks.)
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The Chiswick Story
The Chiswick Story (Chiswick/Ace)
Back when the world was dark and everything seemed either grey, moustachioed, progressive or just plain old full of shit, an upstart independent label based out of a couple of record stalls and a, soon to be, HQ in Camden Town signed up a few unusual acts that loved their rock’n’roll raw, exciting and energetic. The Count Bishops, the 101’ers and the (Hammersmith) Gorillas made newly christened Chiswick Record label their home and the rock’n’roll world fell to its knees. Well, some of it anyway. I certainly did and I’m sure many of you did as well.
At this point (late ‘75 into 1976) safety pins were not yet required to hold ones band together and the black leather jacket so common place nowadays was still the sign of a either a bad-ass motorcyclist or an old school rocker. The Count Bishops – Chiswick’s first signing – were old school leather jacketed rock’n’rollers and the Speedball EP (released late ’75) – made up of great rockin’ covers – was a rip roarin’ success and helped pave the way for more of the same. Great releases by the likes of the Gorillas, Little Bob Story (France), Rocky Sharpe and the Razors, Radio Stars, Johnny Moped, the Radiators from Space followed and by the end of 1977 Chiswick had even unleashed the mighty Motorhead on the record buying public. More great releases were to follow and
Chiswick’s main men, Ted Carroll, Roger Armstrong and Trevor Churchill, being the men of vision that they are, continued on their merry way and by the end of the 70s had signed the re-vamped Damned (Machine Gun Etiquette anyone?), introduced the world to “world music” through the likes of Albania, had smashes with Sniff and the Tears and had even given a number of artists their first shots at the bigs – Billy Bragg, Shane McGowan, Kirsty McColl anyone?
This double disc contains fifty-one selections from the Chiswick catalogue; a two volume set of liners and is essential to any fan of that fertile and exciting period of late seventies music. BUY HERE!
Romark Records
Romark Records, Kent Harris’ Soul Sides (Kent/Ace)
Great compilation of Los Angeles based soul label run by Kent Harris that features a large selection of tracks released from the early/mid 60s through to the early 1970s. Genre fans will certainly recognise the likes of Mighty Hannibal, Ty Karim and Ray Agee but the rest of the crew is largely obscure and unless you’re soul detective number one will be both in for a treat and wondering where you can find another track or two! You don’t need me to tell you that Ace is unlikely to disappoint and that both the track info and sound quality is as good as it is gonna ever get. (25 tracks.) BUY HERE!
