Pop/Rock/Strange: Original LPs
The Word: Everything from select top pop & rock (instrumental & vocal) of the normal kind to "incredibly strange" classics & unknowns, including micro-label oddballs, spoken (literature, instruction, product-promotional, etc.), occult curios, perky percussion, cheesecake jackets, ham-fisted amateurism, greasy kid stuff, and other manna for the adventurous.
Discounts (usually free mailing or $5 off per item) for all multi-item orders--buy 2 or more!
Lou Adessa & Vince Benay: Chevrolet Sings of Safe Driving & You; Columbia Special Products CSM-838 "Limited Edition"; E-/N- S $50 (or V+/E+ S $35, specify) -- commerce/pseudo-folk; GM may be on hard times now, but in the '60s they issued this wonder (one of the most desirable commerce-promo LPs, and the best such LP about cars) to attract the youth market; 8 zippy, original songs cashing in on the latter days of the '60s folk movement & urging drivers not to tear up the roads in a powerful new Chevy; some songs will appeal to funk and psyche collectors (you don't have to like folk), and most of them will amuse anyone hip to song poems, goofy lyrics ("cars don't stop on dimes"), custom pressings, etc.; An Exciting Thing, Grown-Up Baby, Cities & Towns, Nowhere Fast, Gentle Things, When the Wrong Thing Happnes, The Natural Laws, Man-Made Laws
Manny Albam: Drum Feast; United Artists UAS-6079; 1960; deep groove E-/E S $20 -- percussion; a classic for beatheads & several cuts above similar fare by peers Dick Schory, Mike Simpson, etc. (closer to such masterpieces as Les Baxter's Teen Drums); gorgeous, clever art concept has banquet-on-drum-kit jacket & liners as "Menu for Drum Feast": Drum Feast, Pickled Beats, Cymbal Soup, Egg Foo Gong, Mallet Salad, Rare Snare, Stick Fricassee, Tea 'n Tympani, Traps Suzettes, A Sip of Drum Bouie; some light marks but plays fine (very thick vinyl!)
Aki Aleong & his Licorice Twisters: Twistin' the Hits; Reprise R-6011; 1961; deep groove E+/N $30 -- twist; scarce, delightful LP by the TV/film star/dancer/musician; Unchain My Heart, Lion Sleeps Tonight, Ya Ya, Please Mr. Postman, Big Bad John, Fool #1, Walk On By..
Aki Aleong & his Teen Twenty: C'mon Baby Let's Dance; Reprise R-6020; 1961; deep groove, white-label promo E-/E+ $30 -- twist; another wonderful LP by the TV/film star/dancer/musician; "Now Let's Popeye" is the big hit; The Roach, The Stroll, Hully Gully, The Grind, Surfer's Stomp, Pony-Time..
Sheldon Allman: Drunks; Del-Fi DFLP-1217; 1st/deep groove V+/E- $35 -- spoken/comedy/interview; "A Del-Fi OFF GUARD Recording Vol. 1" captures mock-interviews/scenes with actual vintage boozers; "hilarious off-guard encounters with inebriates" & probably the best & most interesting of all such man-on-the-street, audio-verite interview records; rare & all the better for being collected/conducted by Sheldon Allman (it takes a funny man to cope with funny drunks); great jacket art too
Atom Ant in Muscle Magic; Hanna-Barbera Cartoon Series HLP-2041; 1965; deep groove E-/E- S $200 -- one of the top "kids records" collectors items; great jacket & the music, & stories w/music, are pretty exciting, too; some standard wear but looks & plays very well
The United States Army: The Army Opportunities Album; [no #] N-/N $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- spoken w/music; "career messages presented by the U.S. Army Recruiting Command...do not use after June, 1974"; our favorite Army recruitment LP has wonderful radio promotional spots of various types (one even w/futuristic electronic sounds) on Side 1 & really fine interviews Side 2; also curious is the jacket photo of groovy civilian couple on motorcycle (less deadly than combat, at least)
[Astara] Robert & Earlyne Chaney: Out of Time Into Eternity; Astara Foundation; 1960; gold vinyl deep groove E-/V+ $25 -- occult/religion/spoken; organ intro/finale by Donna Morgan; somewhat Christian-mystic but definitely out-there/SubGenius California cult, vintage -- we're collecting the whole series, of which this is the 1st LP; "Astara Esoteric Record Library, Church Service Extension--Record No. 1"
The Astronauts: Surfin' with the Astronauts; RCA Victor LPM-2760; AUTOGRAPHED!!! V+/V $40 -- surf; some vocal, some instrumental, considered their best LP (or one of the 2 best); plays really, really well despite visible disc wear (finger prints, etc.); the added value is it's autographed by the entire band; Batman, Kuk (terrific original), Baja, Misirlou, Pipeline, Banzai Pipeline, Let's Go Trippin', Movin' (GREAT), Surfer's Stomp, Surfin' USA, Susie-Q, Baby Let's Play House
The Astronauts: Rockin' with the Astronauts; RCA Victor PRM-183; 1965; deep groove 1st press N-/N- $25 -- rock/guitar/hot rod/surf; mono-only record club comp gives you not only fresh art & liner notes but also some of their best work (surf & hot rod, anyway); some vocal, mostly instrumental; Bo Diddley, Be-Bop-A-Lu-La, Little Ford Ragtop, Twist & Shout, Baja, Let the Good Times Roll, Crawfish Song, Competition Coupe, Shortnin' Bread, Banzai Pipeline
The Astronauts: Go...Go...Go!; RCA Victor LPM-3307; 1965; deep groove, 3rd N/E+ shrink $20 -- nice!; Quiet Village, Gouch, Go Go Go!, Almost Grown, I'm a Fool, Hey Sugarfoot, Out of Sight Out of Mind..
Bakery & Jazz Ensemble: Rock Mass for Love; MCA/Decca DL-75328; 1971; 1st/only N-/N- S $20 -- funky rock/religion; the greatest LP of the period from Western Australia (except possibly any by Rolf Harris), hippy but very hip & no more religiose than the Electric Prunes' "Mass in F" LP--too good to be called Jesus Rock!; rec. live in front of 6,000 well-behaved people (huge number for Perth!); partly spoken (address by John Hazlewood, Dean of Perth); led by Peter Walker & Bruce Devenish
Frank Barber (Deep Percussion) -- see Moog
The Barry Sisters: Something Spanish; ABCS-578; E+/E S $20 -- vocal; arr. & cond. by the great Chico O'Farrill
The Bat Boys: Batman; Pickwick/Design DLP-249; 1966; E/E- S $20 -- instrumental; terrific original works inspired by the Batman TV show but unique!; guitar, organ, drums, some effects (car engine sounds); Batman, Mighty Mayhem, Cheatin' Charlie, Uppercut Blues, Fight Flight, The Villain Strikes, Out with the In Crowd, Behind the 8 Ball, Mars' Visitor, It's Murder!
Ruth Batchelor & Voices of Liberation: Songs for Women's Liberation-Reviving a Dream; Femme 82671; sealed S $25
Harper's Bazaar Exercise Album (Bazaar's Secret Formula for a Beautiful New You); Capitol WAO-1522; N-/E $25 -- instructional; NY fashion mag presents an accented voice telling how to exercise w/gentle continental/celestial music in the background (a far cry from today's aggressive power workout!); inner leaves give illustrated text; charming, dated, scarce, and it's just so very you!
Beat poets & beatnik -- see beatnik-crime-spy
Vinnie Bell: Pop Goes the Electric Sitar; Decca DL-74938; promo E+/N S $75 (or hole-cutout E+/N- S $65, specify) -- sitar; famous for the artist, jacket, title, & "incredibly strange music"; but perhaps the most significant aspect is the liners, which show & tell about the Coral Electric sitar--a major part of guitar (& pop/rock) history, as well as offer a bio of 1st-call, session-guitarist, superstar Bell; Goin' Out of My Head, Quiet Village(!), Eleanor Rigby, Shadow of Your Smile, Lara's Theme, Somethin' Stupid..
Vinnie Bell: Good Morning Starshine; Decca DL-75138; N/N shrink S $25 (or cutout N/N- shrink S $20, specify) -- guitar/sitar/Moog; desirable at least for the 2 "Hair" cuts (title cut & "Aquarius"--w/sitar & Moog!!!) which probably are leftovers from the historic "Pop Goes the Electric Sitar" session; Hey Jude, Romeo & Juliet theme, Love Me Tonight, Les Bicyclettes de Belsize, Because of You..
Vinny Bell Sitar Special: $15 off, Pop Goes the Electric Sitar + Good Morning Starshine (the pair); ditto for Pop Goes + Airport Love Theme
Vincent Bell: Airport Love Theme; Decca DL-75212; 1970; N/N shrink S $20 -- guitar; showcase for the new "water sound" guitar from Midnight Cowboy; Nikki, Everybody's Talkin', The Damned theme, Shadow of Your Smile..
Clyde Borly & his Percussions: Music in 5 Dimensions; Atlantic/Atco 33-195; 1966; 1st/blue-tan cutout E/N $45 (or same but E-/E- $30, specify) -- pop/jazz/drums/Afro; very good, exotic, percussive-pop legend from France; several great originals; sends up spies & more (something like Michel Magne); Afromania (way-out original--essential!), Bahia, Carioca, Taboo, Fever, Original..
Helen Gurley Brown: Lessons in Love; GNP/Crescendo 604; N-/E+ $40 -- sex instruction/spoken; hilarious, camp advice from the author of "Sex & the Single Girl" (recently reprinted --finally!-- thanks to trendiness of "Sex & the City"); even as an octagenarian she is/was still going strong & preaching the same gospel of better living through regular tango of the boudoir; get it if you're a fan of HGB if you want, but anyone would love the LP even knowing nothing about her; it's that good!
Harry Breuer & his Quintet: Mallet Magic; Audio Fidelity AFSD-5825; 1958; gatefold; silver/deep groove w/catalog insert E+/N- S $25 (or same but E+/V+* $20, specify) -- percussion; superior precursor to "Mallet Mischief" is the ultimate in rinky-dink percussion, truly terrific!; Bumble Bee Bolero just one of several great cuts; dynamic sound more lively than RCA's Stereo Action, Time, or Command & it's a lot more creative, upbeat, & interesting than most in those series; *light surface marks that don't sound
Harry Breuer & his Quintet, Vol. 2: Mallet Mischief; Audio Fidelity AFSD-5882; 1958; gatefold; E+/N $30 (or E-/N- S $20, specify) -- percussion/bongos; fantastic, rinky-dink, non-drum-kit percussion, capped off by hall-of-fame cheesecake/space-age-bachelor-pad jacket (see Incredibly Strange Music cover)
see also Moog for Harry Breuer/J.J. Perrey collaborations
The John Buzon Trio: Inferno!; Liberty LRP-3108; white-label promo, deep groove E+/N S $30 -- classic LP by the trio featuring a Cuban horn man; like the better, later Three Suns (Hammond, sax/flute/clarinet, drums) & "Jungle Exotica" nightclub music if it was as first-rate as this; Caravan, Sheik of Araby, Tzena Tzena Tzena, Mambo Rock, Diga Diga Doo, Mr. Ghost Goes to Town..; jacket back stained but it's hard to beat otherwise; discount available in combination with the Buzon single (listed with 45s)
Al Caiola: Blockbuster Movie/TV Themes; Two Worlds TW-9102; 1972 sealed S $30 -- guitar/spy/crime/themes/western; reissued by UA (as "Theme from the 'Magnificent 7 Ride' '73"), only this spectacular NY original (rare period, never mind unopened & uncut!) gives you the full personnel list (Vinnie Bell plays water-sound guitar & sitar, for instance); 12 great tracks include several standouts--it's one of the few Caiola LPs everyone needs; Mannix, Godfather, French Connection, Mod Squad, Assignment Munich, Diamonds Are Forever, Bonanza '72..
Yvonne de Carlo Sings; Masterseal (no #); 1957; deep groove E+/E+ $30 -- celebrity/golden throat/female vocal/torch singer; w/John Towner; long before the late actress became Lily Munster, just before even her role in the classic Ten Commandments epic, she made this minor collectors item (hard to find!); beautiful jacket, romantic singing
David Carroll: Percussion in Hi-Fi; Mercury SR-60003; 1st, deep groove E+/E+ S $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- percussion/instrumental; his best & one of the best of its kind, for standouts "Cricket" (very Harry Breuer-esque, original, insect tune!) & "Hell's Bells" (both orchestrated by famed percussionist Mike Simpson); also notable: "Malaguena" (scored by Carl Stevens), the original version of the "Discussion in Percussion" suite, & exotica (Jungle Drums, Bali Ha'i)
Jimmy Carroll [& the Percussionists]: Speed the Parting Guest (Hi-Fi Bull in a Chime Shop) 10"; Cook 1041; E+/E+ $50 -- percussion; one of the all-time classics of odd-pop percussion & a prize of the quirky Cook label, it features nice jacket art (sketch, session notes, photos) & a seriously long list of instruments, including a "Quoddyhead Horn" courtesy of the US Coast Guard; Speed the Parting Guest, Tinkle Tinkle Little Bell, Hong Kong Local, Drummers' Parade, Happy Little Woodpile; in the best shape we've ever seen (no wear; noise only a little in the last cut)
Christy Minstrels: East Meets West; Karan AW-14304; 1979; sealed S $100 -- pop rock/vocal; no mention anywhere of this impossibly rare (private press?) Tennessee-made oddball (it's not the New Christy Minstrels), no doubt either a studio one-off that didn't sell or perhaps was withdrawn or forced a name change; we chanced it for the great tacky jacket photo of a rice bowl with cheeseburger-fries-soda combo & were pleased to hear it, too (we're keeping 1 of the 2 sealed copies found; this one can be yours); features great group singing (even some hip vocalese!) but with some funky Nashville touches, such as a couple of clean drum intros, it's more like "Hair" than anything more easily defined; You Need Someone to Love, Make it With You (Bread), Wig Wam, Because (Beatles), Turtles & Trees, Brother, Close to You (Carpenters), Hard to be Without You, South American Getaway (best cut--mod wordless vocalese, like Novi Singers!), East Meets West
The Conti Family; Sounds of America CF-3220; V/V S $30 -- lounge act; 1 of the big 2, for the The Conti Kids' "Hey Boogie Mama" (funky); low-priced for condition--some wear & noise but well worth it (or get all 3 Conti LPs for $50 postpaid US)
The Conti Family: Family Power; Seabird KM-2387; autographed V+/E- S $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- lounge act; whie not one of the famous 2 earlier ones, it's signed, has a group photo & liners, and "You've Got Me Goin' Baby" (Gino Conti solo, disco-funk w/synth) is the best cut; some other interesting moments, such as "Be Careful Boy" sung by the girls
The Conti Family; Seabird [no #]; autographed N/N S $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- reissues "Family Power" but with different liner notes & a different jacket photo (tho from the same session, looks similar)--just what you need to demystify/enshrine the group!
Dominic Cortese: Accordion Continental; Time S/2007; deep groove E+/N- S $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- accordion on a worldy theme; a favorite; nice small group (Tony Mottola, Frank Carroll, Bob Rosengarden) in great stereo sound w/strong arrangements; O Apito No Samba, Piccadilly, Monaco, Desafinado, Babushka, I Wish You Love..
Jack Costanzo -- see beatnik-crime-spy & Latin
Bob Crewe Generation/Charles Fox/The Glitterhouse: Barbarella ST; Dynovoice DY-31908; cutout N/N- shrink S $70 -- mod/space; far-out Jane Fonda space jacket (color sketch, anyway) graces a wonder of hip, funky, psyche-y weirdness: fuzz-tone, "water sound" guitar, & wordless choruses galore
Cuentos del Tio Quico: El Mago de Oz (Wizard of Oz)/El Pajaro Azul/Safari board game; Accion ACP-18; 1976; a "Disco Juego" from Mexico w/insert N/N shrink $30 -- kids/Spanish-language spoken; wow! incredible Mexican kids record features 28.5-minute Side 1 (Oz, Mexican style!); Side 2 is El Pajaro Azul (some Blue Parrot story); insert instructions are for the jacket-back board game--for hours of bonus entertainment!; full-color, as new, rare as blue-parrot teeth
James Darren: Gidget Goes Hawaiian--James Darren Sings the Movies; Colpix CP-418; deep groove E/E $20 -- collectors item in nice shape at a nice price
Lenny Dee: Dee-Licious!; Decca DL-8275; deep groove E-/E $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- Hammond "Hi-Fi Organ Solos with a Beat"; masterful, pre-stereo wonder is one of his scarcest, if not THE hardest to find; Hawaiian War Chant, Jersey Bounce, Honky Tonk Train Blues, Delicious, Fan Tango, Stompin' at the Savoy, Alabamy Bound..
Lenny Dee: Dee-Most!; Decca DL-8308; black label E/E- $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- Hammond; another great early one by the master--hard to find!; Jumpin' On the Organ, Hot Foot Boogie, Yodelin' Organ, Chinga Boy, Ain't She Sweet, Somebody Stole My Gal..
Lenny Dee: Hi-Dee-Fi; Decca DL-8406; black label E/E- $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- Hammond; another great early one by the master--hard to find!; High Tide Boogie, In the Mood, If You Knew Susie, Tara Lara..
Lenny Dee: Hi-Dee-Fi; Decca DL-8406; E-/V+ $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- Hammond; probably the scarcest of all Lenny Dee LPs, it features "Satan Takes a Holiday" & "Big Boogie Dee" (an early incarnation of Plantation Boogie); priced low for some wear but plays nicely
Lenny Dee: Happy Holi-Dee; Decca DL-74146; sealed cutout S $25 -- Hammond/Christmas; the Anita Kerr Singers add punch to 3 songs, but wow!--Dee is at his best & getting some wild tones on some rockin', uptempo zippers; you'll want to mix this w/the Three Suns (their good Xmas LP, that is), Esquivel, & any other primo space-age Xmas pop you can wangle into your stocking; Sleigh Ride, Xmas Song, Rudolph, Let it Snow, Mr. Santa, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bell Rock, Silver Bells, Parade of Wooden Soldiers, Santa is Comin' to Town, Xmas Time is Here, Auld Lang Syne
Frank DeVol: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner ST; Colgems COS-108; 1968; 1st/deep groove E/N- S $25 -- mod/sitar; many are the attractions: rare label/ST, great film/stars (Poitier, Hepburn..), jacket stills, liners by crazy Mort Goode, but you need it for 2 valuable instrumentals: "Drive In" (swinging mod) & "Groovy Delivery Boy," a dynamite, not-well-known, mod-soul/boogaloo w/sitar(!) mover that's perfect for DJs (sounds a bit like Shocking Blue)
Neil Diamond: Velvet Gloves & Spit; MCA 37056 (reissues Uni 73030); sealed S $25 (or sealed cutout S $20, specify) (or E/N S $15, specify) -- hip, weirdbeard Neil Diamond LP!; legendary for the nutty 4-min. wonder "The Pot Smoker's Song," which features confessional interview-narratives by young hipster-dopers punched up by Neil's inscrutably chirpy chorus!--"hip, hip, you want to be hip--you're nowhere at all if you don't take a trip"; also: Shilo, Two-Bit Manchild, Holiday Inn Blues, Brooklyn Roads, Sunday Sun, Practically Newborn..
Walt Disney's The Enchanted Tiki Room [From Disneyland--The Original Sound Track of the Tiki Room & the Adventurous Jungle Room; Disneyland ST-3966; 1968; gatefold w/inner leaves; 1st/purple E+/E+ $25 -- documents 2 classic exotic attractions, "The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room" & the Jungle Cruise; the deluxe inner leaves' photos & sketches may be the best part
Walt Disney World Epcot Center, The Official Album of; Disneyland 2519; 1983; sealed S? $20 -- the orb, the orb, how can you resist the giant orb? HEAR the orb!
Disney: The Official Album of Disneyland/Walt Disney World; -- see Moog
Do'a: Light Upon Light; Philo PH-1056; 1977; "pre-release copy" (unique jacket) E-/E S $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- primordial New Age/occult/sitar/flute/guitar/mbira..; acclaimed, talented Vermont duo Randy Armstrong & Ken LaRoche do exotic earthy fare just ahead of when "New Age" came to mean ersatz crap (this may be ersatz worldbeat, but isn't it all?); you can't go wrong w/tabla, flute, & sitar, we say (or bird calls, conch shells, bean pods, bamboo flutes, ocarina..); Spirit Flow, Kalimba, Flight, Majesty, Light Upon Light, Declaration, Meditation, Celebration for World Peace
Troy Donahue/Connie Stevens/Ty Hardin/Stefanie Powers/Robert Conrad: Palm Springs Weekend ST; Warner Bros. WS-1519; sealed factory re-wrap cutout S $30 -- twist/crime/mod/golden throat/bossa/folk; rarest & best of the great WB ST series (Hawaiian Eye, Cricket, Poncie Ponce are others); Live Young, Palm Springs Scramble, Hurricane Twist, Ox Driver, Shilly-Shally, Go Go Devil, Palm Canyon Bossa Nova..
The Dynamic Batmen: Batman & Robin; Panda PAN-3035; 1966; E/E- $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- Batman/dance rock/r&b/jazz/sound effects; kids label but good; original tunes (Riddle Riddle Riddle, Pow, Bats Away, The Penguin's Walk, Take Off Wheels, Robin the Bird, Zap)--the best is "The Joker Laughs" w/evil laughter; curious color jacket art repeated on back "specially for framing or as a pin-up for your child's room. A most wonderful gift for the favorite children in your life." Yes...spoil the darling kiddies with a demented drawing of all the cuddly widdle forest animals surrounding the Dark Knight.
Dean Elliott: Zounds! What Sounds! Capitol ST-1818 N-/N S $100 (or mono T-1818 N-/E+ $75, specify) -- odd pop/percussion; one of the top 3 or so incredibly strange/"space-age bachelor pad" holy grails; legendary, one-off, powerhouse album of hot big-band jazz material w/super-slick arrangements featuring incredible "found" industrial & domestic sounds; as if Esquivel did "Music from a Surplus Store" or Michel Magne/Andre Popp stuff but WAY OUT, on steroids!; probably the best oddball thing on Capitol of the period (certainly their best ping-pong stereo showcase ever); great jacket of women on cement mixer w/instruments top it off; WE LOVE THIS RECORD!!!
Esquivel/Various: The Merriest of Christmas Pops; RCA Victor LSP-2032; 1959; German pressing V-/V+ S $35 -- Christmas; 1 of his 2 rarest US Victor LPs (we hadn't had it in several years), it's 1/2 Esquivel (6 of 12 cuts) with vocals on 2 by the Skip-Jacks; the rest is Ray Martin (with & without childlike singer Mimi Hines); Blue Christmas, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, Santa Baby, Rudolph, Frosty the Snow Man, Winter Wonderland, White Xmas..
Esquivel: Infinity in Sound; RCA Victor LSP-2225; 1960; deep groove N-/N- S $30 -- instrumental/wordless chorus; "For Hi-Fanatics"; the Mexican maestro's 2 "Infinity" volumes epitomize the sensationally inventive, "Space-Age Bachelor Pad Music" (SABPM) pop sound as well represent his own peak of making VERY expensively produced US LPs (his Mexican recordings tend to be a little different); if you've heard a couple of cuts on compilations be assured the rest of the tunes are just as worthy, & anyway you definitely need vinyl for the total SABPM experience!
Esquivel: The Genius of Esquivel; RCA Victor LPM-3697; 1967; 2s press E-/N- S $90 -- instrumental/wordless chorus; "A Masterpiece in Sound by Esquivel"; his last & rarest LP for US Victor has a spare but swinging mod sound & slick jacket art; probably rarer still is this mono copy!; St. Louis Blues, Agua de Beber, Question Mark, Temptation (3 parts), Amor Amor, Flower Girl from Bordeaux, La Bikina, Surfboard, Malaguena Salerosa, Besame Mucho (2 parts)
Esquivel 45s -- see Latin 45
Leon Everette: Goodbye King of Rock 'n' Roll (A Tribute to Elvis--"The World's Greatest Star Has Come Home"); World Wide/True T-1002-LPS; 1977; gatefold; V+/E S $40 -- rare, original tribute by an early impersonator; w/Pete Wade, Pig Robbins, Sonny Garrish, Charlie McCoy..; missing poster but plenty of photos & liner notes; Goodbye King of Rock 'n' Roll, The World's Greatest Star Has Come Home, I Heard You Calling hi Name, In the Midnight Hour, I'm Tired of Honky Tonk Heroes, I Love that Woman (Like the Devil Loves Sin), Still Loving You..
Bill Faith (w/Frank Hunter): A Guitar to Remember; Chancellor CHLS-5007; deep groove N-/E- S $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- guitar/exotica/chorus; very rare, small-label Philadelphia LP featuring striking jacket art (beatnik-worthy); Faith plays pop-jazz guitar in the cafe style of late-'50s, small-group Caiola, Mottola, Burrell, Lowe, etc.; also impressive are Frank Hunter's backgrounds, w/voice on a couple of cuts (things get ethereal here in a way that presages his legendary exotica masterpiece, "White Goddess")
The Amazing Rock Ferrante: Rock 'n' Rhythm; Savoy 12305; 1973; flexi cutout N-/E- S $20 -- organ (pop & soul-jazz); great little obscurity, oddly enough on the R&B/jazz label Savoy; the artist is won the Grand Prix--Yamaha Organ World Championship in Tokyo, 1973; some uptempo hip tunes (Blues-Ett, Moon Rock, The Beat Goes On, Wave) as well as squarer stuff; some pops (typical of the Savoy pressing) but priced accordingly
[Jim Flora jacket:] The Nick Travis Quintet: The Panic is On; RCA Victor LJM-1010; 1954; gatefold 1st press, deep groove E/E- $50 -- great rare jazz LP w/Al Cohn, but listed here as it will end up w/a Jim Flora collector, no doubt; Flora's jacket art is very impressive, looks great--only flaw some very tiny white spots just in the black background
[Jim Flora jacket:] Toscanini/NBC: Till Eulenspiegel; RCA Victor LM-1891; Red Seal E/E $25 -- very nice jacket for the Jim Flora collector & plays well too
The Flying Dutchman--One Man Band Show; [no label] LP-102576 (live); autographed E/N- S $20 -- lounge act/accordion; yes, a terrible one-man-band act!; local, private-pressed, rare & obscure as the dickens, incredibly strange!; Hound Dog (Elvis!), Goin' Down the Road, Spanish Eyes, Hey Good Lookin', Mountain Due (sic)..
The Folkswingers featuring Harihar Rao on Sitar: Raga Rock; World Pacific WP-1846; deep groove cutout E+/N $40 -- raga rock/pop-psyche sitar; the only LP w/Harihar Rao, famed sitar master who led the seminal Hindustani Jazz Sextet (teaching Emil Richards, Bill Plummer, & other Indo-jazz luminaries) in the early days of California sitar-psyche; also w/Hal Blaine & a slew of first-call West Coast axe-slingers: Dennis Budimir, Tommy Tedesco, Howard Roberts, Herb Ellis; Shapes of Things, Raga Rock (original!), Paint It Black, Eight Miles High, Norwegian Wood, Kicks, Hey Joe, Grim Reaper of Love..
The Fortune Tellers: Song of the Nairobi Trio; Kapp Medallion ML-7534; 1962; white-label promo E/E- $25 -- odd pop/twist; harp superstar Robert Maxwell's legendary treat updates the 1961 single (which was the original theme from the Ernie Kovacs show) & adds much more (14 tunes in all!); truly a classic of first-rate, uptempo, exotic-twistin' odd pop (similar to the LPs by Ross Bagdasarian/David Seville; Bing Bang Boomerang, Jungle Twist, Spaghetti Twist, Camel Train, Nairobi Moonlight, Rose Bud, Pagliacci Cha Cha Cha..
The Free Design: You Could Be Born Again; Command/Project 3 PR-5031-SD; 1968; gatefold white-label promo N/E+ S $50 -- vocal/harmony; rare!; complete w/gushing shades of praise by Phil Ramone; California Dreaming, Eleanor Rigby, An Elegy, Happy Together, I Found Love, Daniel Dolphin..
Rae Girard: The Music of Rae Girard at the Tail of the Fox; Panda sealed $25 -- lounge act/exotica/organ/piano; rec. at the Mount Royal Hotel, just north of Baltimore, where Tail of the Fox was an old country club/restaurant; a rare local favorite (tho the Panda Records custom pressing has a Wisconsin address!); Tabu, Padam Padam, Yellow Bird, Girl from Ipanema, More, My Kind of Girl, Lazy River..
Sir Julian Gould: The 13 Fingers of Sir Julian; RCA Victor LSP-2372 RE; E+/E S $20 -- "Dazzling Electronic Organ"; not the earliest pressing but a good value (any clean stereo is scarce); Caravan, 3rd Man, Sir Julian's Mambo, Peanut Vendor, Lover, Bach Goes Berserk..
Sir Julian Gould: A Knight at the Organ; RCA Victor LSP-2591; 2nd/deep groove E/E+ S $25 -- 2nd of 2 for the label, much rarer than the first & quite exciting for its sparser arrangements (in which bongos figure prominently); Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Isle of Baion..; some pops heard but healthy & nicely priced
Sir Julian Gould: Love is Blue; UA/Unart MS-21029; 1968; N/N shrink S $20 -- organ/mod; last of his 3 LPs & the only on UA; jacket shows a Hammond; You Only Live Twice, Good/Bad/Ugly, A Man & a Woman, Goin' Out of My Head, Green Tambourine, Live for Live, Love is Blue..
Grateful Dead concert-movie posters
Guitar Slim Green's "Stone Down Blues" w/Johnny & Shuggie Otis; Cadet/United US-7764; N-/E+ shrink S $20 -- Shake 'Em Up, Bumble Bee Blues, Make Love All Night, This War Ain't Right, Big Fine Thing..
Dave Harris & the Powerhouse Five: Dinner Music for a Pack of Hungry Cannibals; Decca DL-4113; deep groove/1st press N-/E+ $100 -- very rare, excellent Raymond Scott Quintet tribute (all their greatest hits covered in modern, hi-fi style) led by the featured sax soloist of the original Quintet; the sensational jacket steals the show, however; very slight dishpan warp does not affect play
Shri Ben Hayeem: Song of Kama--the Hindu Rites of Love (Kama Sutra); Jubilee/Jay-Gee/Festival M-6701; 1966; N/E- shrink $60 -- sex ed/Indian; spoken w/music; beautiful exotic jacket; top performance ("with the music of Master Musicians of India") makes it one of the very best records on sex; best of all it's rare!
Lee Hazlewood: Poet, Fool, or Bum; Capitol AT-11171; 1973; cutout N/N shrink S $25 -- vocal/hip country; highly desirable now (the late producer was way ahead of his time); title track is great & other highlights include an update of Nancy & Me & other originals; covers are Come Spend the Morning (Leonard Cohen), Those Were Days of Roses (Tom Waits), & Heaven is my Woman's Love
Jimi Hendrix: Nine to the Universe; Reprise 7599-22299-1; 1980/1969; deep groove, 1st N/N- shrink S $20 -- rare late session of jazz/fusion jams w/legendary soul-jazz organist Larry Young on 1 long cut (also Buddy Miles, Billy Cox, Mitch Mitchell..); unreleased until a decade had passed; different than other Hendrix & really shows where things might have gone if he'd lived
Mel Henke (La Dolce Henke & Dynamic Adventures in Sound) -- see Beatnik-Crime-Spy (if available)
King Henry & the Showmen Volume VIII; King Henry Productions KHP-376; E-/E- S $20 -- lounge act/spy/disco/Moog-ondioline/CB/trucker; private press; one of the most enduring local true lounge acts of the PA-NJ-NY region (here based in Easton, PA and rec. at Virtue Studios), King Henry covers the entire '70s here; notable cuts are Goldfinger, Pinball Wizard, Who Put the Shark, More, and "Roger Dee & the CB Band" (one of the rarer CB-era raps)
Buddy Holly & the Crickets: The Buddy Holly Story; Coral CRL-57279; E-/V+ maroon/red&black deep groove $125 -- the real thing!; plays very well (great sound/very little noise) & priced at a fraction of book value; jacket quite good, seams intact
Buddy Holly & the Crickets; Coral CRL-757405; E+/V 1st press S $75 -- the real thing!; plays very well (great sound/very little noise) but with wear it's priced at a fraction of book value; nice jacket, seams intact; original inner sleeve
Buddy Holly special: both rare collectors items: $150 postpaid (Oh Boy!)
The Holy Modal Rounders: Good Taste is Timeless; Mainstream MD-1039; 1971; promo(!) E+/N- S $40 -- rock/strange; "Good Taste is Timeless"; prod. by Bob Dorough(!), it's another wonder from the wacky '60s duo/group we're reminded of by Ween and Flight of the Concords; Boobs a Lot, City Blues, Alligator Man, Black Bottom, Happy Scrapple Daddy Polka, Generalonely, The Whole World Oughta Go On a Vacation..
Joe Houston: Kicking Back; Big Town BT-1004; 1978; sealed S $40 -- rock/funk; rare, uncut, & sealed!; Hawaiian Disco, T-Bone Disco, Baby What You Want Me to Do, Trippin' In, & Why Don't You Rock Me are in his classic r&b/blues-rock-twist style (won't disappoint fans of his earlier work); "Mr. Big 'H'" is like James Brown, and Kicking Back Parts 1 & 2" is funk/soul (good for funk DJs)
"J" (Connie Z.): The Way to Become the Sensuous Woman; Atlantic SD-7209; 1971; E/E+ S $20 -- sex-ed; the classic, ernestly camp/funny/gassy instructional LP (based on the 1969 best-selling book) that influenced all subsequent sex-ed LPs and inspired several spoofs/tributes, not to mention the zillions of formerly inhibited housewives who found their groove with the help of this LP (or book, or both) & of course the Pill & the mad '60s; essential, hilarious, FUN!
Wanda Jackson; Capitol T-1041; [Capitol logo at top] N-/N- $100 -- rockabilly; not 1st press but spectacular condition (jacket & disc)--plays flawlessly; Long Tall Sally, Let's Have a Party, Money Honey..; just ask & we'll probably be glad to throw in Wonderful Wanda and/or Best of Wanda Jackson
Wanda Jackson: Wonderful Wanda; Capitol T-1776; 3rd N-/E+ $20 (or later cutout E/E+ $15, specify) -- one of her earliest country LPs is one of the toughest to find; has hit "In the Middle of a Heartache"
Wanda Jackson: The Best of; Capitol Starline ST-2883; Singapore issue N/E+ S $20 -- all you need if you don't to bother w/all her country LPs; Let's Have a Party (rock), Right or Wrong, Santo Domingo (in German!), Reckless Love Affair, Tears Will be the Chaser for Your Wine..; bonus: nice EMI-Singapore inner sleeve shows Malay LPs
Michael Johnson: There is a Breeze; Atlantic/Atco SD-7028; 1973; TEST PRESSING generic/N S $50 -- rock/psyche/funky rock; rarest form (likely unique & definitely the only one anyone will ever hear of being on the open market) of a rare LP, w/Chris Dedrick
Spike Jones: Dinner Music for People Who Aren't Very Hungry--Spike Jones Demonstrates Your Hi-Fi; Verve MGV-4005; orange deep groove N-/E+ $25 -- classic of odd pop (jacket seen in Incredibly Strange Music) in top shape; all kinds of crazy instruments & sounds, such as the "Poontangaphone"; scandalous tunes: Wyatt Earp Makes Me Burp, The Sneezin' Bee, Brahm's Alibi, Chloe, Cocktails for Two, The Sow Song..
Mickey Katz: The Hits of; Capitol Starline T-298; N-/N- $20 -- his best early parodies (originally 78rpm singles) now in hi-fi; Kiss of Meyer, Herring Boats, Sound Off, Borscht Riders in the Sky, Yiddish Mule Train, Geshray of Devilde Kotchke, Bagle Call Rag, Duvid Crockett, The Baby the Bubbe & You, She'll be Coming 'Round the Katzkills, Come on'a My House, C'est Si Bon (Ces Tzi-Bon)
Mickey Katz: Mish Mosh; Capitol T-799; 1st label E/N $25 -- packed with some of his best parodies & featuring the famous, original "butcher block" jacket (way yummier than the creepy Beatles imitation); 16 Tons, Schlemiel of Fortune, Tweedle Dee, A Schmo is a Schmo, Patcha-Me, How Much is that Pickle in the Window?..
Mickey Katz: Katz Plays Music for Weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, & Brisses; Capitol T-1021; spectral/deep groove N/E+ $20 (or spectral E-/E+ $15, specify) -- instrumental; 12" update of the rare early 10" LP "The Family Danced" (Capitol H-457) plus 4 more tunes; Katz plays clarinet w/Ziggy Elman, Mannie Klein, Si Zentner, Benny Gill, Nat Farber, Sam Weiss, Larry Breen, Lou Singer--great arrangements/playing--terrific record!!!
Mickey Katz: The Most Mishige; Capitol T-1102; E/N- $30 -- fantastic jacket, music, liners (many consider it his best & most desirable LP); pictured in Incredibly Strange Music; a time-tested asset to the FUN bar mitzvah; hard to get in top shape!
Mickey Katz: Katz Pajamas; Capitol W-1257; N/N- $25 -- "bobbe meises (bedtime stories) with a freilach background for young & old"; great jacket, liners, & music! (one tune even sounds like classic spy/crime); scarce, top shape, way too good for the kids' player!
The Kit Kats: The Very Best of the Kit Kats; Virtue LPV-102067; E+/N- S $50 -- rock/exotic rock; not a compilation but instead a unique, live rocker by hit local Philly group on Frank "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" Virtue's label (rare, lively, worthy addition to any exotic-rock collection); top shape!; recommended for their takes on "Quiet Village" & "Stranded in the Jungle"; the others: Money, You're No Angel, Sweet Little Rock & Roller, From Here On In, Hey Hey Hey, Lucille, Good Lovin', Hoo Che Coo Che Coo, Our Farewell, The End
Eartha Kitt: Down to Eartha; RCA Victor LPM-1109; 1955; 1st press/deep groove E+/E $20 -- torch; marvelous early classic (collectors item) that blends cocktail culture and first-rate female vocal pop-jazz; famous jacket of Kitt holding cigarette on tiger rug; w/Henri Rene; The Heel, I Wantcha Around, Mambo de Paree, Hey Jacques..
Kojak Book & Record Set; Peter Pan BR-518; 1977; sealed $20 -- spoken/kids; inspired by the Telly Savalas TV show; "It's fun to read as you hear...The Powerful Action COMES ALIVE As You Read"; comic-book style color jacket art; "2 Exciting Stories: Five Star Final, A Question of Honor"; always a treat but sealed perfection is a prize--"Who Loves Ya, Baby?"
Irwin Kostal: The Magic of Lassie ST; Peter Pan Orange Blossom Series 155; 1974?; sealed S? $30 -- rare OST offers extensive liner notes, stills from the movie, and brief updates on the actors (Jimmy Stewart, Mickey Rooney, Alice Faye, Pernell Roberts, Stephanie Zimbalist, Lane Davies, Mike Mazurki); new, original music by Mike Curb Congregation, Pat Boone, Debby Boone, Mickey Rooney, Jimmy Stewart; don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get it still unopened
Phil Kraus: The Percussive Phil Kraus; Golden Crest CR-3004; rare color jacket E+/E- $30 (or b/w jacket E+/V- $15, specify) -- percussion/exotica/jazz/vibes; early, exotic, & easily his best (tho more prolific as a first-call sideman), w/a spectacular, dramatic jacket photo too!; best LP on the seldom-scene, tiny NY label that boasts "High Fidelity in Good Taste"; Hindustan, Kashmiri Song, Buffoon, March of the Siamese Children, Nola, In a Persian Market, Liza, Just Flippin', Dizzy Fingers, Japanese Sandman, Chinese Lullaby, Jan
Abbe Lane: The Lady in Red; RCA Victor LPM-1688; 1958; deep groove E/E- $30 (or E-/V+ $25, specify) -- female vocal/torch; rare!; w/Sid Ramin orchestra; Cugat wife without him here (her Victor LPs are great, his are not!); lovely jacket
Abbe Lane: Where There's a Man; RCA Victor LSP-1899; 1959/1958; deep groove E/E S $35 (or mono LPM-1899; 1st press, deep groove E-/N- $25, specify -- female vocal/torch; "Sultry and Sassy"; w/Sid Ramin orchestra & even hubbie Cugat himself on the novel last song (titled "Oh, Cugie.." on the mono, "Go to Sleep, Go to Sleep, Go to Sleep" on the stereo)--worth it just for that; scrumptious jacket
Abbe Lane w/Xavier Cugat: Abbe Lane; Mercury SR-60643; deep groove 1st
press N/N- shrink S $40 -- female vocal/torch; Mustapha, Hava Nagilah, Never on Sunday, Volare..
Abbe Lane: The Many Sides of; Mercury MG-20930; deep groove E-/V+ $20 -- female vocal/torch; her last LP, very swingin'; More, I Love Paris, I Believe in You, Do Me Good Baby, Thank Heaven for Little Boys, Some of these Days, The Facts of Life, Milord..
Mark Laub & the Lowrey Go Hawaiian; Golden Crest CR-3032; E+/E+ $30 -- organ/Hawaiian; this is a crazy record!; not only very rare (as most on the label are), it's got a great jacket (almost beatnik); the tunes aren't all langorous, either; great sound & some wild uptempo ones: Meleheni Mele, War Chant, Grass Shack, Moon of Manakoora, Royal HI'n Boogie, On the Beach at Waikiki, Blue Hawaii, Bali Hai..
Katie Lee -- see beatnik-crime-spy
Dr. Timothy Leary: Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out ST; Performance PERF-389 (REISSUES in stereo the super-rare Mercury MG-21131; 1967); sealed S $35 -- sitar (veena)/Moog/spoken/sex-ed; wow! classic lost, impossibly rare ST from unreleased film; what psychedelic film STs should be but never are...great!
Enoch Light & the Light Brigade: The Best of the Movie Themes 1970; Command/Project 3 PR-5046SD; 1970; gatefold E+/N- S $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- pop; hard to find & much wanted for the great version of Mah-Na Mah-Na (best known from the Benny Hill Show & the Muppets); jacket of nude family w/popcorn in empty cinema ain't bad either; Ma-Na Ma-Na, Everybody's Talkin', Goodbye Columbus, Alice's Restaurant, True Grit, The Wild Bunch..
Alan Livingston/Billy May: Sparky's Magic Piano; Capitol J-3254; N/E $25 -- classic kids set (originally a 78 album) similar to "Rusty in Orchestraville"--hard to find on LP in top shape; features Henry Blair & cast, Billy May, Ray Turner (piano), Verne Smith (narrator), & talking piano by Sonovox; Side 2 is another tale: Sparky & the Talking Train
Alan Livingston/Billy May: Bozo on the Farm/Henery Hawk; Capitol/ZIV International L-6959; 1975; sealed $50 (or E+/E+ $40, specify) -- classic Capitol kids sets (originally 78 albums) reissued in hi-fi (all the wacky words & music w/out noise & inconvenience); Bozo on the Farm (Pinto Colvig--crazy--the best!); Side 2 w/Mel Blanc is "Henery Hawk's Chicken Hunt" & "Henery Hawk"
Alan Livingston/Billy May: Bugs Bunny & the Tortoise/Bozo & his Rocket Ship; Capitol/Wonderland L-6962; 1975; E+/N- $50 -- classic Capitol kids sets (originally 78 albums) reissued in hi-fi (all the wacky words & music w/out noise & inconvenience); Mel Blanc's in charge of side one, which is the Looney Tunes version of "The Tortoise & the Hare" (Henery Hawk makes an appearance); Pinto Colvig's Side 2 is a very politically incorrect tour of the world (Bozo's rocketship doesn't leave the atmosphere, apparently) & some of its, er, cultures; very sampladelic
The London Studio Group: T.V. Suite; De Wolfe DWLP-3164; 1970; E+/N- S $35 -- production (sound library)/drama/suspsense/crime/production; 2/3 John Hawksworth, 1/3 P. Fenn; lots of great odd short cues as well as several nice sets w/variations & links; groovy brown-&-white jacket ranks among the best for production records; Mantari, Magic Mirror, Highway Robbery, Dark Deeds Afoot, Search & Survival, Through the Forest, Ethereal Theme, Scaffold Drum..
The London Studio Orchestra: Driving Force; De Wolfe DWLP-3055; 1967; E/N- $40 -- production (sound library)/industry/suspense/orchestral; Jack Trombey fans will want if for the swinging "World of Strategy" (2 versions); otherwise it's by Keith Papworth, J. Reids, H. Granville; the theme throughout is industrial & in 1967 that meant high drama (orchestra with additional sounds for impact); if you like the music of the old "The Avengers" TV show, you'll like this; jacket shows 3 gears
London Studio Orchestra cond. by Jack Trombey: There's a World Going On 10"; De Wolfe DWLP-3039; 1967; E+/N- $35 -- production (sound library)/industry/suspense/orchestra (high-impact dramatic orchestra w/additional sounds), like the old "The Avengers" TV show & other Britpop; industrial yet expansive/exotic mood w/plenty of interesting ideas, mod horns, drums, etc.; Future of Industry, Assembly Line, Excavation, Rescue Squad, Commotion, Conviction, Rhythmical Interruption #13..
London's Last Trams; Argo DA-78; 1967; deep groove yellow-silver label (U.K. import) E/E $25 -- spoken/documentary; John Holmes narrates the closing of the London tramways in 1950-52 (the tapes were made in what could be the UK's first amateur use of a portable tape recorder); of narrow interest perhaps but definitely a rare find
Julie London: Calendar Girl; Liberty Deluxe Series SL-9002; gatefold; 1st/red label N-/V+ $25 -- her big collectors item (for the cheesecake jacket, which is all it's priced for)
The Alan Lorber Orchestra: The Lotus Palace; Verve V6-8711; gatefold; deep groove cutout E/N- S $30 (or deep groove cutout E-/N- S $25, specify) -- indo-jazz/sitar/gamelan/tabla, etc.; top producer (Ultimate Spinach) made just this 1, classic entry in the tiny idiom of pop-jazz w/sitar--played by Vinnie Bell w/Collin Walcott, Don Robertson, Jerome Richardson, Hugh McCracken, Irving Spice..; great psychedelic jacket art (looks like the Heavy Water Light Show) & mood/sound/quality (well, except a few of the cheesiest tracks); Mas Que Nada (groovy!), The Flute Thing, Up Up & Away, Lucy in the Sky w/Diamonds, Roopala Dha Teri Dhin Dhin, Within You Without You, The Look of Love, Where?, Hang On to a Dream, Djellaba (The Hooded One)
Fred Lowery: Walking Along Kicking the Leaves...; Decca DL-8476; 1957; deep groove E/N- $40 -- whistling; the classic, mono-only, 1st 12" LP by the greatest, most virtuosic whistler ever; piercing, haunting, mind-boggling whistling talent backed by Owen Bradley's orchestra; Indian Love Call (remake of his greatest hit for Columbia), Moon Love, Moon of Manakoora, Far Away Places, Indian Summer, Sunrise Serenade, Happy Hobo, Pagan Love Song, Sentimental Journey..
Fred Lowery w/Anita Kerr Singers: Whistle a Happy Tune; Decca DL-78995; 1959; E/N S $75 (or mono Decca DL-8995; pink-label promo 1st/deep groove DL-8995 E/E+ $40, specify) -- whistling; all-time greatest whistler ever's highly desirable, all-fantastic 2nd of 2 LPs for the label (his only secular LPs) & the ONLY secular Fred Lowery LP in stereo; w/organ & steel guitar in the backing group as well as chorus; excellent hi-fi production!; Over the Rainbow, William Tell Overture, Estrellita, Marie, Tammy, Mockin' Bird Hill, Whispering..
Fred Lowery Whistles Your Gospel Favorites; Word WST-8326; color label E-/V+ S $35 -- whistling; his later gospel whistling LPs are even rarer than the secular turns for Decca & Columbia!; a few marks & noise but not bad, and it's not so gospel (there is some churchy organ in spots) that the world's greatest whistler isn't heard to great advantage; jacket shows a robin on a white picket fence, with branches
Victor Lundberg: An Open Letter; Liberty LST-7547; sealed $30 (or N/N shrink S $25, specify) (or E/E S $20, specify) -- political/commentary/humor/strange; spoken w/music; wow! hilarious & "smart," like a right-wing answer to John Rydgren's Silhouette Segments, as if Charlton Heston were channelling Art Linkletter; "To the Flower Power" is the favorite piece; frightening as it sounds, we love it for being hysterically funny or insightful (or both) & always entertaining; plus the man's voice is compelling (as w/Ken Nordine & Rydgren); WAY TOO HIP FOR TODAY'S "CONSERVATIVES"; you need this!
Victor Lundberg: An Open Letter to My Teenage Son/My Buddy Carl --45 rpm--; Liberty 55996 -- 7" single available w/any order as a sampler for the above LP (just ask)
Henry Mancini -- see spy/crime/suspense
Muzzy Marcellino w/Charles "Bud" Dant: Whistling on the Beach at Waikiki; Coral CRL-757441; 1964; 1st press E+/V+ S $50 -- whistling; very rare must-have for whistling fans; Hawaiian standards, which never sounded so whistled, & a new version of "The High & the Mighty" (he whistled for John Wayne on the ST); a few marks & some noise but generally clean
Muzzy Marcellino & his House Party Group: Art Linkletter Presents House Party Music Time; Capitol ST-1284; 1st press E/E+ S $50 -- whistling/odd pop/kids; great for both rare Muzzy Marcellino performances (the #2 whistler after Fred Lowery) & un-pc songs done originally for TV; Heap Big Chief, Hawaiian Calypso, Bob's Blues, Whistlin' Dixie, Get Happy, Time for the Kids, The High & the Mighty, Anitra's Dance, Freeway Jam, The Continental, Shoo Fly Pie & Apple Pan Dowdy, Barcarolle
Myrna March: Explosive Vocal Percussion; Strand SLS-1033; deep groove V+/E- S $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- female vocal/bongos; "the beauteous Myrna March, five foot two, beautifully framed titian topped terror of the Sunset Strip"; one of our favorite obscurities languishing on a budget label (and it's rare), it's probably the only recording of a red-headed wildcat you'd swear was Ann-Margret in "Kitten with a Whip" mode PLUS the added sensations of Command-level stereo separation and orchestral effects (such as bongos); imagine Ann-Margret with Russ Garcia backing and you have it; best of all, the 12 cuts are unusual too: Love is Coming My Way, Mademoiselle de Paree, Fandango, It Was Written in the Stars, You Can't Have Love, Don't Introduce Me, I Leande on a Man, It Used to Be, Majorca, You Don't Know What Love Is, It's Love, Go If You're Going
Roy Masters: Your Mind Can Keep You Well, Part 1 (Psychocatalysis Part 2); Foundation of Human Understanding ACA-4151; 1968; N/N- shrink $25 -- spoken/occult/stress-relief instruction; "A concentration-meditation exercise to help relieve tension caused by daily pressures and stress"; 49 minutes of glorious Los Angeles feel-good "alt.healing" jive; nifty jacket & extensive liners; cheaper than going to a doctor!
Robert Maxwell: Spectacular Harps; MGM SE-3836; 1st/deep groove E+/N- S $30 -- pop harp; very scarce in top shape/stereo, it's also one of the best in the MGM "Spectacular" series & one of Maxwell's most enjoyable/essential; the multi-dubbed "Caravan" is fantastic as is "Hong Kong Holiday"; also Limehouse Blues, Ebb Tide, Alice Blue Gown, Little David Play on Your Harp..
Robert Maxwell: A Song for All Seasons; Decca DL-74609; cutout N-/N- shrink S $20 -- harp; our absolute fave if only for the spectacular "September in the Rain," which ROCKS (like "Tequila" & the Fortune Tellers LP only better!!!) w/guitar & plunking rain sounds!
Robert Maxwell: Let's Get Away from It All; Decca DL-74723; cutout E+/E+ S $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- harp; Song of the Nairobi Trio (his classic, updated), Carioca, Ebb Tide, Yellow Bird..
Dr. Timothy Leary: Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out ST; Performance PERF-389 (REISSUES in stereo the super-rare mono Mercury MG-21131; 1967); sealed S $35 -- sitar (veena)/Moog/spoken/sex-ed; wow! classic lost, impossibly rare ST from unreleased film; what psychedelic film STs should be...great!
Kay Martin & her Body Guards; Roulette R-25015; 1957; deep groove E/E- $75 -- female vocal/sex/beatnik; bodacious blonde Vegas stripper-singer leads beatnik-y trio in sensational series of LPs, this being the classic; top music/songs supervised by Hugo & Luigi; famous, semi-nude jacket photo; Fever, Big Mamou, The Heel, I Got it Bad, Summertime, Johnny Guitar, Swamp Girl (some wear/noise here only)..
Red McCoy with the Sons of the Soil: Country & Gospel; Mount Vernon Music MVM-157; 1963; E/N- $25 -- rock/[rockabilly]; very obscure budget-label oddball, largely dismissable except for "Rock and Roll Atom" which is just that: a TERRIFIC '50s rock/rockabilly boy-wants-girl song using atom-age science (protons, neutrons, electrons), etc. metaphorically; as tho Hank Snow collided with Tom Glazer!; anyway, so far it's known to only a couple of savvy Masters of Record Science, but it's a winner! (took us long enough to land it)
Buddy Merrill: Electrosonic Guitars; GNP/Accent ACS-5028; white-label promo cutout N/N S $20 -- guitar; some of his best work: Carioca, Bluesette, Hava Nagila, Peanut Vendor, Perfidia, Windmills of Your Mind, Anna, Wabash Blues..
Mrs. Elva Miller: Mrs. Miller's Greatest Hits; Capitol ST-2494; cutout N/N- shrink S $20 -- golden throat/put-on; hard to find in stereo/top shape; These Boots Are Made for Walking, Hard Day's Night, Downtown, Shadow of Your Smile..
Mrs. Miller: Will Success Spoil Mrs. Miller?!; Capitol T-2579; N-/N $20 -- golden throat/put-on; Girl from Ipanema, Sweet Pea, Groovy Kind of Love, Yellow Submarine..
Montgomery County Community College: Latitudes 1973-4; Latitudes 37632; 1974; w/insert (lyrics) E/N S $100 -- psyche/prog/folk/weird/school; as with the previous year's Latitudes, it's freaky '70s local college fare we can hardly believe came out of what is a very right-wing, uptight area today; this one is very desirable for rare Puddleduck ("Tower of Baradur"); as Acid Archives says: "'Latitudes 1973-74' 1974 (private) Students from Montgomery Community County College of interest for some strong tracks by the prog group Puddleduck. Also features several more "bands" in various styles, guitar-rock from Tubular Chamber Ensemble, electric folk rock from an unnamed band, stoned hippy/Dead folkrock from a band called "Y," trad folk from the Ambler Ramblers, folk from Shack People, a brief jazz piece, and a closing electric/acoustic folk psych track."--http://lysergia_2.tripod.com/AcidArchives/lamaArchiveL.htm
Buddy Morrow -- see spy/crime/suspense
Chitra Neogy: The Perfumed Garden; Mercury/Pulsar AR-10600; yellow-label promo E-/E- S $20 -- sex instruction/spoken/sitar; terrific ancient stories in a modern setting (beats even the Kama Sutra LPs); Neogy lived in swinging Chelsea at just the right time to make this artifact of gender, cultural, & sexual liberation; one of the hippest highlights of the idiom epitomized by "How to Become the Sensuous Woman"
Now Brass; Murbo MCS-6018; E+/N S $25 -- mod/brass; mod & brass collectors should pounce, as anything on the tiny NY Murbo label is rare as the dickens; liners list a lot of ringers (Severinson, Clark Terry, Urbie Green, Billy Taylor, Mundell Lowe..); the pick uptempo tune is "Unforgettable"; Armen's Theme, That Old Gang of Mine, When the Red Red Robin..
Claus Ogerman: Soul Searchin'; RCA Victor LPM-3366; 1965; deep groove Dynagroove N/N $35 -- mod/soul/organ; scarce 1st in great series of 4 LPs --all essential-- emphasizes hip soul boogaloo/mod soul jazz; hipper & rarer than the similar "More (Mondo Cane)" LPs he did w/Kai Winding on Verve; Soul Searchin', What I'd Say, The Sidewinder, Green Onions, Fever, Watermelon Man, Shindig, Memphis, Comin' Home Baby, House of the Risin' Sun..
Claus Ogerman: Watusi Trumpets; RCA Victor LSP-3455; 1965; E/N- S $30 (or mono LPM-3455 E-/V+ $15, specify) -- mod; best-of-breed mod LP features THE sound of the swingin' high '60s, like Lalo Schifrin; absurd as the title sounds, it means the "watusi" and other '60s dances done with mod, mod brass (trumpet, etc.); decked out in groovy, hall-of-fame, Mondrian-esque jacket!; w/Dick Hyman's great Lowrey organ, it truly swings; El Watusi, The Joker (absolutely awesome!), Stingray (hip original), It's Not Unusual, Harlem Watusi, Land of 1000 Dances, Downtown, Right Now, La Bamba, Poinciana, One Step Above, Watusi Trumpets (original); priced way low just for a scratch producing pops at start of title track (otherwise nice!)
Claus Ogerman: Latin Rock; RCA Victor LPM-3813; 1967 cutout N-/N- $30 -- Latin soul/mod Latin; last but far from least in the terrific series of 4 LPs; often overlooked bc of its misleading title--it's really mod Latin soul, as you can see from the titles: Cuchy Frito Man (rare Latin soul by Ray Rivera!), Yambo, Tequila, Bang Bang! (Joe Cuba's), San Juan, Mas Que Nada..
OHO: Okinawa; N-/N S $300 -- psyche/weird rock; reminds one of the DKs sound w/more of a Butthole Surfers sense of humor; in any case, it's their rare 1st LP, private press, pink jacket, top shape; terrific!
Old & in the Way; UA/Round RX-103; 1975; E/E+ S $20 -- hip bluegrass w/Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Peter Rowan, John Kahn, Vassar Clements; Wild Horses, Panama Red, Pig in a Pen, The Hobo Song, Land of the Navajo, Midnight Moonlight..
Eddie Osborne: Percussive Baldwin Organ & Bongos; Audio Fidelity DFM-3004; 1960; (jacket: AFLP-1974; 1962) deep groove N-/N $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- organ/bongos (good for collectors of either); jacket features photo of conga player; as with Lenny Dee's early LPs, you have some Vaudeville-era tunes but done in a modern style; here the percussion (bongos) & bass are emphasized; the organ sound is a bit like Dick Hyman's later Lowery (organ fans may disagree, but the tone is distinctive & unlike the ubiquitous Hammond); El Cumbanchero, South of the Border, Frenesi, Muskrat Ramble, Sid's Blues, Ma He's Making Eyes at Me..
Earl Palmer: Drumsville!; Liberty LST-7201; E/N- S $20 -- twist/drums; ubiquitous session drummer plays dance/rock hits (traditionally considered scarce if not a collectors item); One Mint Julep, What I'd Say, Hound Dog, Honky Tonk, Rip It Up, Teen Beat, Raunchy, Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On, Let the Good Times Roll..
Korla Pandit: The Universal Language of Music, Vol. 1; India 400 Series Private Collection; AUTOGRAPHED E/E- $75 -- organ/piano/exotic; signed "Best Wishes to Rose" in Glendale, CA on 11/18/66; 1st of 3 vols., deadly rare (private press) & featuring some of his most interesting & varied work
Korla Pandit at the Pipe Organ; Fantasy 3286; red vinyl, deep groove N-/V+ $20 -- organ; Secret Love, Song of Songs, Greensleeves, Jalousie, Autumn Leaves..; some noise (typical of original Fantasy LPs)
Korla Pandit: Speak to Me of Love; Fantasy 3293; red vinyl N/E+ $35
Korla Pandit: Music of Hollywood; Fantasy 3334; red vinyl E+/E+ $30
Korla Pandit in Paris; Fantasy 8347; 1963; flexi, later pressing E+/N- S $30 -- organ/piano; Gaite Parisienne, La Vie en Rose, April in Paris, Musetta's Waltz, Gavotte, Moulin Rouge, Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup, French March Melody, Paris in the Spring, La Seine, C'est Magnifique, Under Paris Skies
The Dave Pell Singers: Mah-Na-Mah-Na; Liberty LST-7631; promo E/N- S $30 -- mod/vocal; we've hoped for ages to have this rarity for sale, & here it is at last; wanted chiefly for the juicy cover of the famous "Ma Na Ma Na" hit (Benny Hill, Sesame Street) but covers lots of other hits: Keem-O-Sabe, Sugar Sugar, Crystal Blue Persuasion, Laughing (The Guess Who!), Honky Tonk Woman, Sweet Caroline, Get Together..
The People's Victory Orchestra and Chorus: The School; TEST PRESSING S $250 -- literally legendary, private press, NY hippie/freak/psyche/rock album (1st of 3 only, & only the 1st 2 are early '70s/major), here in a form that certainly must be unique; jacket is white generic but has the band name printed (no LP title or other info, no disc labels); Google it for track & further info, image of the released jacket, and plenty of sheer guesswork about just who the heck made it; for instance has "Did You Ever See a Lady Act That Way"--famous for sounding like it's straight out of "Exile on Main Street"; "Black Crow Country" is another standout of several; a large project, all so well-produced & chockablock with substantial ideas/musicianship/singing, one could say the enduring mystery of "Who were the PVOC?" is itself now legendary!
[Andre Popp/Pierre Fatosme as] Elsa Popping & her Pixieland Band: Delirium in Hi-Fi; Columbia Adventures in Sound WL-106; deep groove E/E $30 -- experimental pop/avant garde made weirder by tape manipulation & much more (somewhat a primer for Perrey & Magne); someone once compared finding this original to winning the lottery--we just say we're lucky to be able to offer it clean & cheap; Java, Java des bombes atomiques, Java Martienne, Java du diable..
Andre Popp: Popppppp!; Columbia Adventures in Sound WL-130; deep groove N-/N- $25 (or E/N- $20, specify) -- acclaimed experimental/avant garde pop in the "Delirium in Hi-Fi" vein (something of a sequel), including the original Washerwomen of Portugal, Sexy Sax, Musique Mecanique..
Elvis Presley: Elvis; RCA Victor LSP-1382(e) 1956; "4S/1S" press; N/N shrink ES $250 -- rock/rockabilly; uncut, still in the shrink (fully intact), with original "Elvis catalog" inner sleeve, it is absolute perfection; of course, it's the electronic-stereo "RE" version rather than the mono original, but as such it's even rarer, yields a rare/different listening experience than the mono (tho you can always hit the mono switch on your gear), and is VERY MUCH A PRIZE!!!; as we write and check it, it's pouring out of our JBLs and thrilling us --"Long Tall Sally" sounds HUGE!!!-- ok, we'll save the rest for you
Alvino Rey (Esquivel guitar) -- see Trucker/Steel Guitar
Bob Rosengarden & Phil Kraus: Hot Line for Sound; Project 3 PR-5002-SD; 1966; gatefold; N-/N- S $25 (or N-/E S $20, specify) -- mod/bongo/percussion; "Musical Explorations in Beats...Bongos...Boffs"; scarce, good, early one on Project 3 (when Command tried to get hip) that we like for at least 4 standout cuts (Pussyfoot, Out of Nowhere, Taste of Honey, Bangles Baubles & Beads), although it's all good & fresh from having been scored for stereo exaggeration in glorious sound (rec. on 35mm film); besides the ballyhooed bongos, other interesting instruments (incl. Lowrey organ, mbira, "congo" drums..), & the usual Enoch Light bunch (Lew Davies, Mottola, Bodner..)
Rotary Connection -- see funk
John Rydgren: Silhouette Segments; new/reissue S $75 (or used w/insert E+/N- S $50, specify) -- EXTREMELY STRANGE, HIP, RARE, & HOW!!!; all the necessary best cuts from amazing, ultra-rare, legendary, unique, radio-station promo-only LP of "Silhouettes" by famous HIP-yet-evangelical, lutheran radio DJ; see the scan & learn more; astounding, sexy, funny Ken Nordine-esque raps about LSD, girl-watching, hippies, etc. over killer '60s music ("Dark Side of the Flower's" sitar & everything from "Music to Watch Girls By" to Electric Prunes to "Rinky Dink"); original psychedelic jacket reprinted w/gatefold's liners on a special insert; just 3 left of 1000 pressed!; we recommend also the Victor Lundberg LP above
Jack Scott; Carlton LP-12/107; deep groove E/V+ $50 -- great value on mono; nice shape
Ananda Shankar -- see exotic-foreign
Frank Sinatra/Dean Martin/Sammy Davis, Jr.: Souvenir from Robin & the Seven Hoods; unpublished promo deep groove E-/E $250 -- live recording of comedy & songs produced by Bill Rodstein of the Sinatrama Room in the Latimer Cafe in Philadelphia ("A shrine dedicated to the life & works of Frank Sinatra"-Earl Wilson); "May We Be the First to Wish You A Merry Christmas-1964"; jacket (just 1 face, pasted over an old LP jacket) of the three in Santa suits in front of a stage; "Non Published Album Not Available Anywhere Else COLLECTORS ITEM"; rarest of the 3 versions of "Summit Meeting at the 500, Atlantic City, NJ"
Frank Sinatra/Dean Martin/Sammy Davis, Jr.: Souvenir from Sinatrama Latimer Cafe; unpublished promo deep groove E-/E- $75 (book value $250-350) -- live; 1 of the 3 versions of "Summit Meeting at the 500, Atlantic City, NJ"
The Singing Doctors Keep You in Stitches; American Artists Custom Records AAS-1052; E/E S $25 -- novelty/humor; just what it seems: licensed Missouri professional healers in wounding live performance; "Featuring: The Four Suppositories, Trichomonas Trigger & Bashful Boy Emmett, LaCaruso Lockhart"
Roy Smeck & his Serenaders: Memories of You; Decca DL-8674; deep groove N-/E+
$25 -- steel guitar; top copy of early classic (mono only--predates stereo); hear the guitarist that did everything earlier and better that Les Paul and Hendrix got the credit for "inventing"
Roy Smeck & his Paradise Serenaders: Melodies with Memories; ABC-Paramount ABC-174; deep groove E/E- $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- steel/guitars (mono only--predates stereo); Steel Guitar Rag, Moon Over Miami, Pagan Love Song, Mexicali Rose..
Roy Smeck "The Wizard of the Strings": The Magic Ukulele of Roy Smeck; ABC-Paramount ABCS-279; 2nd label cutout N-/E- S $20 -- uke/guitars; THE classic uke LP w/Joe Puma, Tony Mottolo, Al Casamenti, George Barnes (Milt Hinton bass, Osie Johnson drums)
Roy Smeck & his Dixie Syncopators: The Happy Banjo; ABC-Paramount ABCS-309; deep groove N-/E+ S $25 -- classic banjo LP & essential Roy Smeck; Chinatown, Running Wild, Bye Bye Blues, Sheik of Araby, Somebody Stole My Gal..
Roy Smeck "The Wizard of the Strings" & his All Star Serenaders: Stringing Along; ABC-Paramount ABC-412; N/E+ $25 -- guitars; late great one!; jacket shows 4 photos: banjo, ukulele, guitar, & steel which echo his breakthrough "soundie" film recording in which he ABSOLUTELY beat Les Paul to the multi-track/dubbing punch (that's right, guitar wonks: ROY SMECK WAS FIRST!!!); all instruments are electric (amplified & wired to the mixer); Carioca, 3rd Man theme, Tea for Two, Bye Bye Blackbird, Hayseed Rag..
Ethel Smith: Latin from Manhattan; Decca DL-8457; 1st/deep groove E/E $15 -- Hammond "organ solos w/instrumental accompaniment" gone Latin; one of her most desirable LPs; with new artwork & liners, it reissues the classic "Souvenir Album" 10"/78 set (for the first time in superior hi-fi sound) & adds 4 more tunes: Brazil, April in Portugal, Cose Cose, Hernando's Hideaway
Ethel Smith: The Many Moods of Ethel Smith; Decca DL-74145; cutout N/N S $20 -- Hammond organ; perfect copy of one that's late enough to be true stereo but not too late to be great; the highlight is "Smithtown Special," a train number co-written with Don Sebesky that really moves; also there's an update of her signature samba "Tico-Tico"; Carinhoso, Quizas Quizas Quizas, Brazil, Love for Sale, That Old Black Magic, Ethel Meets the Count (another with Don Sebesky), Carnival..
see 45s for 2 special Ethel Smith 45rpm EP sets (complete/equivalent to the 10" LPs but better: top sound/noisefree)
Johnny Stewart: Secrets of Successful Varmint Calling; Johnny Stewart Wildlife Calls GC-501; 1967/1966 (Waco, Texas); E-/V+ $90 -- hunter instructional/spoken w/sounds; yep, it's one of the rarest & most fantastic items in the proverbial Jacket Art Hall of Fame; it's also one of the very greatest LP titles (literally), not to mention one of only a tiny handful of hunter-instructional LPs (none of which you can expect to find); great liner notes by Stewart plus 3 more photos of dopey animals lured by successful (correct techniques only, please!) varmint calls, which "provides the outdoorsman with many exciting hours of off-season pleasure. The thrill...can be enjoyed year-round, day or night."
Irving Taylor: Terribly Sophisticated Songs--A Collection of Unpopular Songs for Popular People; Warner Bros. B-1254; 1958; deep groove E/E $30 -- novelty; scarce, terrific Spike Jones/Mickey Katz-worthy spoofs of LA music & employment by the man behind Kookie Byrnes & other WB greats!; crazy gags in high style (DJs can slip in with "serious" songs of the same style)
Irving Taylor: The Garbage Collector in Beverly Hills [& other work songs for the odd-job holder]; Warner Bros. B-1254; 1959; deep groove white-label promo E/E $25 (or deep groove E-/E+ $25, specify) -- novelty; terrific Spike Jones/Mickey Katz-worthy spoofs of LA music & employment by the man behind Kookie Byrnes & other WB greats!; first-rate, smartly planned, well-produced, crazy gags in high style (DJs can slip in with "serious" songs of the same idiom): Hawaiian Worm Raiser, Marriage Counselor in a Turkish Harem, Prison Interior Decorator, Rock & Roll Vocal Coach, Cop in a Nudist Colony..
The Three Suns: Movin' & Groovin'; RCA Victor LSA-2532; 1962; deluxe die-cut; deep groove N-/N S $35 (or E/E+ S $25, specify) -- in "Stereo Action--the sound your eyes can follow"; their most prized LP in a DIZZYING exploration of channel separation (one of the very best Stereo Action LPs); chockablock enough w/wacky instruments (jaw harp is one), ideas, & creativity doubtless to appall even longtime fan Mamie Eisenhower; YOU NEED THIS!!!; several cuts have achieved latterday fame thx to comps--get them all!: Stumbling, Caravan, Jungle Drums, Danny's Inferno, Movin' & Groovin'..
The Three Suns: Movin' & Groovin'; RCA Victor LPM-2532; 1962; deep groove N-/E+ S $20 -- "Now! for the first time--RCA Victor's 'ACTION' series in brilliant monaural Hi-Fi" (or, as we like to say, "the sound your glass eye can follow")
The Three Suns: Fever & Smoke; RCA Victor LSP-2310; 1961; deep groove E/E S $20 -- "Exotic 'Percussion' Swing"; 1 of their Big 3 (other 2 are Ding Dong Dandy Xmas & Movin' & Groovin'); essential at least for the famously nutty, gong-break-in version of "Tequila" (comparable to their version of "Caravan" on Movin' & Groovin'!); Fever, Smoke, Like Young, Volare, Misty, Col. Bogey March, Sleep Walk..
[Bob Booker and George Foster Present] Al Tijuana & his Jewish Brass; Capitol ST-2596; 1966; N/N shrink S $25 (or E+/E S $20, specify) (or mono T-2596; N-/E+ $15, specify) -- Mexicali brass/novelty/Jewish/comedy; thx to top music & production values it's one of the best, most lovable spoofs of Herb Alpert (if not also Fiddler on the Roof & Zorba the Greek); stars Lou Jacobi (whose brief spoken introductions to some of the tunes are wonderful); music by Artie Butler; last but not least, a very memorable jacket!; Peter Gunn, A Taste of Honey, People, Chicken Fat, Tsena Tsena, It's Not Unusual..
Torrent-Alexander Duo: X-Plorations; Do-Re-Mi 33233-S; E+/E S $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- organ; Shay Torrent & Axel Alexander on the Hammond X-66 and H-100; 10 standards include More, Java, Moon of Manakoora; dramatic BW jacket art & great sound tho w/some noise (we attribute to the quality of the private pressing rather than wear)
The United States Air Force Presents Two Sides of Christmas; USAF sealed S $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- military/Xmas/pop/country; "It's Christmas" side: USAF Academy Falconaires, Rosemary Clooney, Jack Halloran Choir; "Christmas at Opryland" side: Archie Campbell, Dottie West, Charlie McCoy, Jordnaires
The Ventures: Surfing; Dolton BLP-2022; 1st press, deep groove N/E+ shrink $25 -- surf/guitar; best mono original we've ever seen--not even a cutout!; a few light surface marks are unheard; Pipeline, Cruncher, Surf Rider..
The Ventures in Space; Dolton BST-8027; E+/E S $15 -- guitar/space rock; original Dolton stereo on this one is seriously tough; priced minimally for surface marks but plays fine, so snap it up; Out of Limits, Penetration, Twilight Zone, Moon Child, War of the Satellites, The Bat, Love Goddess of Venus, Exploration in Terror, The 4th Dimension..
Ruth Wallis: Wallis on the Party Line; Wallis Original LPW-10; deep groove N-/N $30 -- vocal/torch/risque; A Man a Mink & a Million, Pink & Purple Pills, Letter from Bermuda, Vulture for Culture, The American Plan, Red Lights & Bells..
Ruth Wallis: Saucy Hit Parade; Wallis Original WLP-11; deep groove E-/E- $20 -- vocal/torch/risque; Men in My Life, The Dinghy Song, Senorita What's Her Name, Down in the Indies (an early calypso), Pull Down the Shade Marie, It's a Scream how Leveene Does the Rhumba, Life of Reilly, Oilman from Texas, Johnny Had a Yo Yo..
Ruth Wallis: Saucy Calypso; Wallis Original WLP-15; E-/E $40 -- vocal/torch/risque/calypso; alternate version of "Cruise Party" (same LP, different jacket)--FANTASTIC!; the funniest blue-eyed calypso LP ever (forget about Robert Mitchum), scarce & highly desirable (generally the most-wanted Ruth Wallis LP); De Gay Young Lad [from Trinidad], Girl with Swingin' Derriere, Yankee Like Girl, Donkey is Jackass, Bahama Mama..
Ruth Wallis: Saucy Hit Parade (Live & Kickin'); King 904; N/E+ shrink $35 -- vocal/torch/risque; recorded live on stage in Australia!; unlike her other King LPs, which make a mess of reissuing her Wallis Original material, this one's a complete, unique LP basically unaltered from its rare WO version (except the jacket); 10 classic Wallis hits all given a lift thanks to a lively audience; one of the rarest & most exciting/unusual Wallis LPs, all the more so in such top shape
Ruth Wallis: How to Stay Sexy Tho' Married; Mercury SR-61210; 1st/only? cutout N/E- shrink S $25 -- vocal/torch/risque; scarce final LP, the only one for the label, & the only way to get such classics as "You've Got to Have Boobs," "The Sexiest Girl in Town," "Marriage Jewish Style," & "It's Great to Be a Broad"
Li'l Wally: Polka A Go-Go; Jay Jay HI-FI-1110; N/N shrink $100 -- polka/cheesecake; "Be Happy & Gay with JAY JAY...featuring 'Mr. HAPPY MUSIC'"; the best jacket of its kind!; sorry about the miserably stitched/incomplete scan, but it is perfect (and impossibly rare as such, rare enough in any shape)
Dottie Walters Reveals the Seven Secret of SELLING to WOMEN; Success Motivation Institute SMI-1345; E-/E- $25 -- spoken/sales/psychology; "80% of the Nation's Buying Power is Controlled by Women"; yes, now you too can learn (finally!) the 7 secrets to duping (er, persuading) the female into buying junk she surely doesn't need--YOURS!; fans of this series (from wacky Waco, no less) will welcome the gender diversity, scarcity, & novelty of this one, not to mention the goofy jacket art, which emphasizes "SELLING...WOMEN" as above; plus it's full of sampleable quotes for the vinyl word hound; and ladies, have we mentioned how quickly & easily this wonderful appliance will transform your life, enhance your already magnificent charms, and help you to bring all men under your power?
The Wheels: Sound of the Hot Rods; Montgomery Ward Presents S-010; custom press E+/N "S" $20 -- rock instrumental/hot rod; despite the packaging (nice jacket), surprisingly good quality (thick vinyl in top shape), & scarcity (always nice), it doesn't quite transcend from budget-label exploitation to the hot-rod winners' circle; BUT, it is a rare studio-band artifact, probably circa 1960, with vintage guitar (like forerunners to the Arrows or Buddy Cole) & other sounds/ideas (like obscure instros heard in early John Waters films) someone would do well to sample/salvage; Wheeler Dealer, 34 Chopper, Acey Deuce, Wing Ding, Hot Velte, Wheels Theme, Shut Down Daddy, Spinout, Floor Boarding, Way-Out Wheeler
James White & the Blacks: Sax Maniac; Animal APE-6002; 1982; promo N-/N S $20 -- avant-jazz-funk-punk? intense out/funky sax, anyway; one of his two essential LPs, exciting, very influential, & well-respected--among the handful of downtown-scene (sorta) '80s records people still want to hear; Sax Maniac, Sax Machine, The Twitch, Disco Jaded, Irrestible Impulse, Money to Burn..
Beryl Williams Pours Giggles for Guzzlers; Bolo B-103-N; smiling-drunk-Beryl-w/bottles jacket E/E- $20 -- adult comedy; rare; one of Philly's own & quite funny, at least by the repressed-yet-decadent standards of the time; we love how the disc label reads "Lobo" instead of "Bolo"
Kai Winding: Mondo Cane #2; Verve V6-8573; N-/N S $20 -- mod/ondioline; rarer than but at least as vital as the 1st "Mondo Cane" (aka "Soul Surfin'") LP (each an essential classic of both mod & the Moog-like electronic instrument, the ondioline); prod. by Claus Ogerman/Creed Taylor, so it's really of a piece with the great 4 LPs Ogerman did for RCA at the time (early-mid-'60s); Simian Theme (FANTASTIC!), Python, Theme from Nowhere, Blue Star/Medic Theme, Warm..
Link Wray: Bullshot; Visa/Instant 7009; 1979; sealed cutout S $25 -- rock/guitar; a great LP, we're told (sometimes these latterday/comeback efforts really do make the grade); w/Link Wray, Billy Cross, Anton Fig, Richard Gottehrer, Chris Robison, Bob Stoner, Howie Wyeth; w/tunes: Good Good Lovin', Fever, Snag, Just That Kind, Switchblade, It's All Over Now Baby Blue, Rawhide, Wild Party, The Sky is Falling, Don't
Various: Background Music for Home Movies Vol. 1 (BEATLES sample!); Folkways FX-6110; 1964; w/insert E+/E $30 -- production (sound library); classic early one (orchestral); rare & special enough in its own right but holds a special place in record history for "Live A Little," which the Beatles sampled for their 1966 Christmas record!; 18 cuts
Uncredited: Col. Sanders' Tijuana Picnic; Mark 56 543; N-/V+ S $25 -- Mexicali/commerce; hall-of-fame concept/"incredibly strange" jacket (classic photo of Col. Sanders under a tree w/hokey "perfect" family enjoying a picnic just behind him); on back each tune is introduced with a priceless anecdote (some "memory" of the Col.) relating the instrumental music (faithful Herb Alpert covers) to some item sold by KFC!; Spanish Flea, A Taste of Honey, El Toro, Green Peppers, Tijuana Taxi, Third Man Theme..
Uncredited: Fornicating Female Freaks; Audio Stag A-1002; N-/N- S $100 -- stag; tackiest, raunchiest, most over-the-top LP series, NOT TAME!!!; "Two sex-hungry house wives...actually hear them enjoying the forbidden and frolicking in orgiastic spasms..."; exploitation-au-go-go as all-American '60s-era gals (w/drinkers in the background) swing ridiculously, w/sound effects; jacket crams in as much Russ Meyer-esque, hyperbolic ad type as possible: "Now you don't have to go to Denmark or Sweden to get this kind of album!" (but you must be over 18)
Uncredited: Making Love--The Album that Makes Love to You; Cream of the Crop 4954; 1976; sealed S $150 -- adult/spoken/funky; exclusive! one of the last, great, RARE, "squeaky bedsprings" LPs mercifully rescued from a warehouse; features unbeatable trifecta of (1) super-sultry modern breasty cheesecake jacket, (2) wicked '70s lady's raunchy talk/instruction/solicitation directed at you, the listener (that's how the album "makes love to you" & it's MUCH more direct than even the best of all prior LPs of this type), & (3) funky music w/subtle synth--that's right: hip, disco-funk that DJs can use; YOU NEED THIS!!!
Uncredited: Midnight Cowpoke; Funky Finger 1007; 1971; E+/E- S $30 -- stag; tackiest, raunchiest, most over-the-top LP series, NOT TAME!!!; enjoy it for the jacket & its copious come-ons or the disc itself, either way it's what it is, a blue record that never takes itself seriously; must be over 18
Uncredited: Sex Love Story; Funky Finger 1006; 1971; E+/E+ S $100 -- stag; one of at least 3 "skinflick spoofs" for the label, super rare; "with a true blue-stag cast of Follywood nookie stars and hanky panky humpers"; absolutely ridiculous with lots to laugh and howl at, including the print hyperbole all over the jacket; must be over 18
Uncredited: Monster Mash; Peter Pan 8126; E+/N- $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- kids/horror/dance; "'Million Seller' Novelty Songs--Fun for the Young of All Ages"; wild, colorful cartoon jacket art by George Peed; jacket back is a "Monster Maze" you can solve; covers all your favorite, essential horror classics (that otherwise are never this clean): Monster Mash, Dinner w/Drac, Mama Look a Boo-Boo, Witch Doctor, Purple People Eater..
Uncredited: The Six Million Dollar Man [Hear 4 Exciting Christmas Adventures]; Peter Pan 8208; 1978; cutout E/N- $25 -- Christmas/spoken/kids/TV/sci-fi; how cool is this?; we just discovered it recently (scarce title) & were thrilled; totally over-the-top, hyper-dramatic, incredible stories--ideal for sampling or straight enjoyment; better still, it's in top shape (other than a little press bump); make your next Christmas bionic!; The Toymaker, The Kris Kringle Caper, Elves' Revolt, Christmas Lights
Uncredited: The Wit & Wisdom of Ronald Reagan; Magic Abra 1 (UK); E/moot $30 -- novelty; there's also one for Thatcher but this is the classic; the disc is present & clean, but "there's no there, there" as Reagan himself said (it's blank, which goes just one step farther than the famously silent Marcel Marceau mime LP); display it behind your vintage pet rock and other tributes to mindless commerce
Various: Broadside Ballads Vol. 1; Folkways FH-5301; 1964; no book N/N- $50 -- folk; collectors item, highly desirable for original rarities by Bob Dylan (dodging contract as "Blind Boy Grunt"): "Jon Brown" & "Talkin' Devil"; rare songs also by Pete Seeger, Freedom Singers, New World Singers, Mark Spoelstra, Matt McGinn, Happy Traum, Peter La Farge, Gil Turner, Phil Ochs
Various: The Cycle Savages ST; AIP ST-A-1033; 1970; E-/E+ S $75 -- psyche/funky rock; rare biker ST prod. Mike Curb & Casey Kasem; one of the better ones (which may not be saying much when it comes to biker STs, but at least it's at the top of the heap), mainly psyche but also some fuzz dirges in the Arrows style; w/Cycle-Mates, Orphan Egg (also seen in hip Les Baxter-scored AIP flick Born Wild), Boston Tea Party, Jerry Styner, & Randy Johnson (whose "Fly, Superman, Fly" is funky rock)
Various: Hi-Fi Jazz Session; Masterseal MSLP-5013; 1957; deep groove E+/N- $30 -- part jazz/part rock; famous collectors item of jazz all stars w/an obscure early rock group (Hen Gates); Sarah Vaughan ("Mean to Me"), Dizzy Gillespie, Red Norvo, Cozy Cole, Charlie Ventura, Coleman Hawkins, Rubber-Legs Williams, H. Carel's Combo (Rose Noire), Hen Gates & his House Rockers (Cravin), Dorothy Donegan (Kilroy Was Here), Sabby Lewis (Edna), Eddie South (Swinging the Blues)..
Various: Light & Easy; NFL Music Library NFL-101; 1977; E/N- $40 -- production; Mexicali/funk/funky rock/jazz/space-electronic; rare Philly "library" series that seems not to have any connection with football but does lots of good stuff for film use; anyway, of the 18 cuts many are in the Herb Alpert vein (some good ones even there) but stick around for the heavy funky stuff with breakbeats and guitar; "Riffrider" & "Down Home" are the top picks for DJs tho the generalist may find most of it useful to work with
Various: Looney Tunes; K-Tel NU-9140; E/N- S $25 -- pop/rock/r&b/novelty/beatnik/horror; the most desirable, best K-Tel compilation has 24 mostly upbeat, terrific tunes; Nervous Norvus (Ape Call, Transfusion), The Rivingtons (The Bird's the Word, Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow), Edd "Kookie" Byrnes, John Zacherle, Ernie K-Doe, Tiny Tim, Harv Norman, The Coasters, The Hustlers, Sam the Sham, Ray Stevens, David Seville, Buzz Clifford, Alan Sherman..
Various: Rock Opus 171/172; MusiCues MCS-171/172; 2-LP gatefold; N-/N $100 -- production (library)/rock/acid rock; incredible instrumental-guitar set that sounds like 1969-era Michael Bloomfield and the like--but on an obscure NYC library label it's impossibly rare, never to be seen again!; author credits are Kaiser, Kaye, Venitsky, Rubinstein; Hot Pants, Cycle, Mouth Off, Heads Up, Tip Top, Put Down, Slo' Blues, Cry'n, Going Nowhere..
Various: Where It's At (Cheetah); Audio Fidelity AFLP-2168; 1966; E-/E+ $150 -- psyche/garage/funk; recorded live at the famous NYC psychedelic-au-go-go nitery, The Cheetah (at the time a huge, months-old makeover of a ballroom into essentially a mod-psyche shopping mall), it's a super-rare document/artifact of a scene that really didn't get much such attention until too late (a year or too later things had changed); the funk is a spirited, very faithful cover of "Papa's Gotta Brand New Bag" (follows "Good Lovin") by Mike St. Shaw & the Prophets (stars of unreleased, lost Joe Sarno film "Step Out of Your Mind"); Side 1 is all fine covers by The Esquires (Paint It Black, Get Off of My Cloud, Goin' Out of My Head, Up Tight), but the original psychedelic payoff is our own local boys The Thunder Frog Ensemble's "Baby Please Don't Put Me On" and "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" (very "Nuggets"-worthy); other nice touches are a wild jacket (Cheetah logo), including both long notes that start with words on the music scene by Allen Ginsberg and instructions for an inflatable pink Cheetah pillow (no used copies that have turned up seem to have have it still, not surprisingly)
Various: Wild Hi-Fi Drums; Capitol T-1553; N/E- shrink $15 (5 $15 LPs for $50) -- bongo/drums; excellent record; except 2 throwaway cuts, it's drawn from 3 collectors items, the best percussion LPs on the label!: (1) the super bongo/bongobop of Pepe Dominguin from the LP Rolley Polley: Mad Drums; (2) Les Baxter's Teen Drums; and (3) Dick Harrell's Drums & More Drums; get hip w/this inexpensive gem while drooling for the individual LPs; Bangkok Beat, Blue Rhumba, Bongo Bash, Uncle Tom Tom, Rocket Racket..
See also:
- 45s for pop/rock (vocal & instrumental) & vocal group/doo wop 45s
- Truck-C&W for trucker, country, steel guitar
- Christian & puppet for strange religion & puppet LPs
- Moog for space pop, electronic, avant-garde, production, etc.
- beatnik-crime-spy for hep jive, crime, suspense, spy STs
- soul/funk for funky rock, drum breaks, soul-rock
- Latin for Latin rock & Latin twist
Wanted LPs:
- Aki Aleong & the Nobles: Shambalor (surf)
- Les Brown, Jr.: Wildest Drums Yet!; GNP Crescendo; 1962
- Jack Burger: Progressive Bongo Instruction; Phonic JB-1001
- The Coasters: On Broadway; King LP 1146; 1972
- Esquivel (Mexican LPs, inquire)
- Woody Leafer (any)
- Kay Martin (inquire; any rec. in Hawaii)
- Libby Morgan: Ad-Libby
- Ukulele Ike (Cliff Edwards): I'm a Bear in a Lady's Boudoir; Yazoo L-1047
Pop & Rock 45s:
See 45s for general pop/rock 45s & EPs (vocal groups, male & female pop vocalists, instrumental pop, oldies, pop/strange, mod, comedy, kids, etc.).
© Hip Wax
to order