5 Songs for July 4th

Hey gang -
Now that Sky Saxon's passing has settled in, and we've had it up to here with Michael Jackson tributes on TV, we here at Nitro-Retro have decided we're ready to get back to what we love to do and come at you with 5 tasty nuggets that we hope you all will enjoy.

First up is a sweet ska tune that makes us want to play it again and again and again.
The Heptones, "Pretty Looks Isn't All". Dig it!

download/listen here:
The Heptones - "Pretty Looks Isn't All"


Next up is a chill, but twistin' garage rocker we posted here last year. We don't know much about these losers, but upon hearing this lovers lament last week, it pulled at our heart-strings so much, we had to play it again and again and again! Those harmonies! Sticks to you like glue.
The Oxford 5 - "The World I've Planned" Dig it!
download/listen here:
The Oxford 5 - "The World I've Planned"

Now hear this! WOW! You faithful listeners out there may well know about the great Swiss beat group, The Dynamites, and their fab tunes like "Don't Leave Me Behind" & "Tell Me Yes Or No", but this B-side has somehow has escaped our experienced ears all these years - until now! This may well be our new favorite! The Dynamites - "Too Late" Dig it!
download/listen here:
The Dynamites - "Too Late"
Time to heat things up. This next one is Crazy!! This New York group originally known as The Loved Ones, knew how to rock the house! There's a great article written by one of the band members found here.
This tune can be found on the great "Teenage Shutdown - Move It! Frantic Frat-Stomp Fracas! Revved-up & Rowdy Rockers!"
download/listen here:
Peck's Bad Boys - "Crazy World"

Last but not least is a tune I have to thank my pal, Leah for turning me on to. My first song my first band, The Gargoyles learned was "Venus" by The Shocking Blue.
But it wasn't until a few weeks ago I heard this gem.
I always hoped The Shocking Blue could rock out - and here it is. Dig it!!

download/listen here:
The Shocking Blue- "Send Me A Postcard"

Rest In Peace: SKY "SUNLIGHT" SAXON

I'm very saddened and sorry to report on this crazy day of losing Farah Fawcett and then Michael Jackson, but "Black Thursday" was not through yet:
AUSTIN, Texas — Sky Saxon, lead singer and founder of the 1960s band "The Seeds" has died after a brief illness, his publicist said. Born Richard Marsh, Saxon had recently moved to Austin. He played with his new band just last Saturday and went to the hospital on Monday. Publicist Jen Marchand said he died Thursday but did not know a cause of death and could not immediately provide more information.

The Seeds were best known for their singles "Pushin' Too Hard", "Mr. Farmer" and "Can't Seem to Make You Mine." Saxon had been planning to perform this summer with the California '66 Revue, a tour featuring a lineup of California bands from the 1960s.

From an Austin Texas website: "Newly minted Austinite Sky Sunlight Saxon of garage rock legends the Seeds was hospitalized Monday at. St. David’s, according to a statement from his publicist. Saxon, is in critical condition in the ICU. Doctors suspect an infection of the internal organs; further tests are pending.
Saxon fell ill last Thursday, but performed at Saturday at Antone's.

Sky's wife Sabrina Saxon encourages fans and friends worldwide to send cards and balloons of encouragement, love and support to Sky at his room in the ICU. (No flowers.)

His wife Sabrina was giving frequent Facebook updates on Sky's infection. Her last few entry's were:

"Anybody out there? blood pressure dropping .... please prayers now .... everybody seeing this please ... miracles can happen .... let's make it happen ... love light circle .... encircling sky with white love light .... YaHoWha!!!!!"

Then three hours later she wrote:

"Sky has passed over and YaHoWha is waiting for him at the gate. He will soon be home with his Father. I'm so sorry I couldn't keep him here with us. More later. I'm sorry."

The T.A.M.I. Show

I'll never forget when I first saw the T.A.M.I. show movie in a theater. (Teenage Awards Music International or Teen Age Music International) It was 1987, and I was living in Berkeley CA. I was out with all the members of what would become of The Creeple Peeple, Bart Davenport and The Birminghams, and most of the late-80's Berkeley mod crowd. The night was treated as a real event. The 1964 film featured various mid-60's acts performing live - right in the middle of America's fascination with the English Invasion & Beatle-mania. The stand-out was some of James Brown's finest on screen moments.



Not to mention one of the all-time best garage-punk-minded Brian Jones-period Rolling Stones moments! - we're you watching Greg Provost?)



But what I REALLY remember was when THE BARBARIANS came on! As true-blue garage-nuts, we all jumped out of our seats, and almost as if on cue, we all got in the isle and dropped to our knees and bowed in their honor! Yelling, "We're not worthy!" So crazy.
This pretty much sums it up. Watching open-mouthed Moulty slamming his drums like a wildman-punk - showing off his new, shaggy long hair, totally enveloped in the music, puts a smile on my face and rocks my head to the beat everytime. Dig it & show a friend so they'll understand.
"..and now, from their caves in old Cape Cod, The Barbarians!!"

This one goes out to Copeland. She was in my first band, The Gargoyles, WAY back in the mid-80's. She was our backup vocalist and go-go dancer! I got a call from her today out of the blue; what a Trip! She had a song stuck in her head and called to ask me what it was. So she proceeded to sing it to me over the phone, "I'm on my way down the road...".
So here ya go Copeland! Enjoy!

download/listen here:
The Wig Wags - "I'm On My Way Down The Road"

Here's some old pics and music of The Gargoyles. 1st up is an original instrumental called "Arabian Thing", written by our wild-man guitarist, Paul Campanioli. Where is he now?
Next is another original called "You Lied", and ending up with one of our best songs, "1-2-5" recorded live somewhere in Richmond back in 86. Enjoy!
download/listen here:
The Gargoyles - "Arabian Thing"

download/listen here:
The Gargoyles - "You Lied"

download/listen here:
The Gargoyles - "1-2-5 (live!)"

Dig this great shot of Copeland meeting Bo Diddley when he played in Richmond, VA's small rock venue, Rockitz back in the 80's. (I bet tickets were only 10 bucks!) She writes about that night, "On my 17th birthday I kissed my parents goodnight, closed my bedroom door, pulled on my go go boots and miniskirt, pulled the chain link fire escape ladder from underneath my bed, opened the bathroom window, lowered it down quietly, swung my leg out and over the windowsill, crept down, slowly, through the woods and embankment to the quiet van waiting below, gave it a rolling start, then off to the smoky club to open up for Bo Diddley.

Bo Diddley, RIP.

Did You See His Name?

Recent Pic: Paul & Ringo introduce the new video game "The Beatles: Rock Band" at the Microsoft XBox 360 media briefing at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009 in L.A. The lads are looking pretty good for nearly 70 years old!

Now here's a great KINKS tune I heard today on Pandora, that I've never heard before! It's off the great LP, Kinks Kronikles. "Did You See His Name?" has got to be one of the most overlooked Kinks tunes. Enjoy!

download/listen here:
The Kinks - "Did You See His Name?" - mp3


On another note, I've been listening to one of my favorite 80's LPs, Green on Reds "Gravity Talks". I especially have been digging this great track off the album, "Cheap Wine". Check it out. This one goes out to Jeff K.
download/listen here:
Green on Red - "Cheap Wine" - mp3

There's a video of the boys performing this in 2006:

Hey Cowboy Lounge Mix

Thanks for stopping by!
Now for you people out there who want to chill it down a bit, here's a new mix the gang over here at the Nitro-Retro lounge-cave put together.
It focuses on some great down tempo-ish tunes we've been turned on to and spinning over here on the lounge-cave jukebox. We hope you dig it, baby!
download/listen here:
Hey Cowboy Lounge Mix - 22mb mp3

SetList:
1. "Hey Cowboy" - Lee Hazlewood & Nina Lizell (*thx Sara!!)
2. "O Apocalipse" - The Pops
3. "Amy's Theme" - The Brass Ring
4. "Alageyik Destani" - Mogollar
5. "The Lonely One" - Walter Wanderly
6. "Pageing Sullivan" - London Studio Group
7. "Les Yeux Bleux" - France Gall
8. "Il Profeta (Party Mood)" - Armando Trovaioli
9. *creepy old ad *
10. "Kalumba" - Os Gambuzinos
11. "Old Macdonald" - Ava

The Nitro-Retro Mid-May Selection

For your listening & downloading enjoyment,
We Present
The Nitro-Retro Mid-May Selection

The Top 5 standout tunes currently playing in the Nitro-Retro lounge-cave are:

1. Richard Berry - Have Love Will Travel
2. Jimmy Hanna & The Dynamics - Leaving Here
3. Etta James & Sugar Pie DeSanto - Down In The Basement
4. The Blenders - Decimal Currency
5. Austin Roberts - Scooby Dooby Doo Theme Song - 1970


download/listen here:
Have Love Will Travel - Richard Berry

5 years after it was recorded, we were blessed by The Sonics for resurrecting this little known song and turned it into that classic garage punk twistin-monster that we all know and love.
Richard Berry and the Pharoahs first recorded this hard R&B Doo Wop in 1960; 3 years after he recorded a little song of his called Louie Louie.
Singing and playing in many L.A. doo-wop groups, in 1955 Berry was inspired to write a new calypso-style song, "Louie Louie", based on his band at the time, The Rhythm Rockers' version of René Touzet's "El Loco Cha Cha", and also influenced by Chuck Berry's "Havana Moon". Richard Berry and the Pharaohs, recorded and released the song on Flip Records in 1957, originally as a B-side. It became a minor regional hit, and, when the group toured the Pacific Northwest, several local R&B bands began to adopt the song and established its popularity. "Louie Louie" finally became a major hit when The Kingsmen's raucous version (leaving very little trace of its calypso-like origins other than in its lyrics) - became a national and international hit in 1963. The nearly unintelligible lyrics were widely misinterpreted as obscene, and the song was banned by radio stations and even investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (Inflating it's notorioty & legendary status even more.) The song has been thousands upon thousands of times, but, because Berry sold its copyright cheaply back in 1959, he received little financial reward for its success for many years.

(* fun fact - it was Berry’s uncredited voice as the counterpoint to Etta James on her first record and big hit, "The Wallflower ("Roll with Me Henry" -1955)



download/listen here:
Leaving Here - Jimmy Hanna & The Dynamics

(As best told by Larry over at Funky 16 Corners)
"...Jimmy Hanna and the Dynamics were a white R&B/soul group from the Seattle area. They recorded for the Seafair/Bolo labels, releasing a full length LP in 1964 as well as a number of 45s. The group, which featured not only future jazzer Larry Coryell on guitar, but three future members of garage punkers the Springfield Rifle, recorded their excellent cover of Eddie Holland’s ‘Leaving Here’ in 1965." Great song.


download/listen here:
Down In The Basement -
Etta James & Sugar Pie DeSanto

Speaking of Funky 16 Corners, Thanks Larry, for setting me straight on the correct version of "Down In The Basement" played by DJ Prestige back when you guys rocked the house at Richmond's Cous-Cous a few months ago. And here it is folks. Ever time I hear this it takes me back to dancing all night after doing a 1 hr DJ gig around the corner. It's become kind of an anthem over here at the Nitro-Retro lounge-cave! Turn it up!

download/listen here:
Decimal Currency - The Blenders

I wish I could tell you more about this simple and smooth organ-driven ska instrumental. I know it only from the great Trojan Instrumental Box Set.
The whole series is excellent. Go get one now!
download/listen here:
Scooby Dooby Doo - Austin Roberts

My daughter and I have had a thing for this song for the last 3-4 weeks now. It makes us turn it up loud and dance around the house like crazy people! Anyway, last but not least is the 2nd season only, 'groovy version' of The Scooby Dooby Doo Theme Song. (The first version was more big-band, Flinstones/Jetsons sounding).
Written by Danny Janssen and performed by bubblegummer Austin Roberts. Cartoon gurus Hanna-Barbera hired songwriter Janssen (who had previously written the theme for The Partridge Family, as well as some songs for Bobby Sherman) to write some songs for an 'updated, more hip' 2nd season version of Scooby-Doo. (and later for knockoff Josie and the Pussycats.) 2nd season Scooby Doo featured some very groovy Janssen-penned bubblegum tunes performed by native Virginian, Austin Roberts during many of the chase sequences. Like most of the chase songs, "Groovy Daydreamin'" has absolutely nothing to do with whatever phantom, zombie or ghost is chasing Scooby and the gang. Regretebly to some die-hard scooby fans of the first season, in the second season each episode now had a slapstick chase sequence, accompanied by a song by Roberts. Sounding like a second-rate Beach Boys act and have amusingly eccentric lyrics with only the faintest connection to what is happening on screen. See here for example.

"Ricky Ticky Ta Ta Ta", was Roberts 2nd single turned out being used as the template for the musical direction of a ficticious cartoon "band" being developed for Hanna-Barbera Productions called the 'Mysteries Five'. The project gradually developed into the popular series Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

Here's a mystery - who does this version??

*On a differnt note: Here's an awesome video.
Thanks Ryan!! This has got to be one of he best classic Mod65 WHO videos I've seen. From Shindig. Daddy Rollin' Stone.

The MOD Alligator Dance Mix

Hello one and all from around the world!
It's long overdue, so without further a due, it's time to post a good old fashioned Nitro-Retro mp3-mix for our faithful viewers & listeners out there.
This is a sorted mix of some of our favorites tunes from some of our recent musical acquisitions. All of which are getting heavy rotation over at the Nitro-Retro lounge-cave. So we just HAD to share these with you hipsters out there. We hope you enjoy.

download/listen here:
Mod Alligator Dance Mix - mp3

Here's what's on the platter for tonite:

1. The London Studio Group - "Pageing Sullivan". UK Session men doing a sweet little loungey-mod ditty that sounds like it could have been movie music playing behind a visual montage of young 'Sullivan', a hip mod English lad who often fancied a scooter ride with his girl out in the country.
2. The Beatstalkers - "Baseline" - Great organ-based stomper instrumental from Scotland.
3. Jimmy Stokely And The Exiles - "It's Alligator Time" - Stroke it!! Strip-tease garage music!
4. The Four of Us - "The Alligator"- Now it's time to get down with it. This is what it's all about.
5. Bobby Miller - "Uncle Willy" - More off the great "Twistin' Rumble" compilation I featured in the last post!
6. King Coleman - "Down In the Basement" - I first heard this great track when Larry/Funky 16 corners played it when he came to Richmond a few months back. From The same wild man who brought you 'Lookey Dookey'.
7. Gwen Owen - "I Lost A Good Thing" - Great, gritty soul-sistah workout.
8. 13th Floor Elevators - "You Don't Know" (Live at The Fillmore West - 1967. ) GREAT sound quality, fuzz-drenched killer which must have freaked out the SF hippies.

ENJOY!

1, 2 BOOGALOO!

Ready for the summer?? This track is as hot as the weather outside. I found this dance-inducing nugget the other day while listening to some of the craziness on the Twistin' Rumble series. This one's off the Vol. 6. - "1, 2 BOOGALOO!" By The Nite Lites. (I challenge anyone to turn up any info at all on these cats!) Who cares! Turn it up!

download/listen here:
The Nite Lites - 1, 2 Boogaloo - mp3

Twist & Crawl No. 3 Mix

We're back! Sorry we've been slacking on new posts lately. The team over here at Nitro-Retro has moved to a new location and everything has been rather chaotic lately. But to make up for it, we've put together a big mix for your listening pleasure! Over the last few months we've been doing a bit of DJing locally. The night is christened "Twist & Crawl" by my old pal DJ Lord Thomas. This is the Twist & Crawl set I played, in order, last Saturday at Richmond's own Ipanema. (Thanks to Lord Thomas for letting me kick off the night!) 18 tunes - almost an hour's worth of great vintage garage & soul - great for playing at your next BarBQ~Shindig. So crank it up and put on yer dancin' shoes!

download/listen here:
Twist & Crawl No. 3 - 18 song mix - 41 mb mp3


Mix song list:
1. Booker T & The MG's (live) - Boot-Leg
2. Roger Collins - She's Lookin' Good
3. Standells - Mainline
4. Count 5 - Pretty Big Mouth
5. Painted Ship - Little White Lies
6. Gravedigger 5 - Tomorrow Is Yesterday
7. Vagrants - Respect
8. Bob & Earl - Harlem Shuffle
9. Spats - She Done Moved
10. Eddie Holland - Leaving Here
11. Spencer Davis Group - I'm A Man
12. Beatles - Think For Yourself
13. Chargers - Taxi
14. Seeds - Pushin Too Hard
15. Remains - Diddy Wah Diddy
16. Who - Can't Explain
17. Swingin' Machine - Do You Have To Ask
18. Beatles - The Night Before

•••••

Due to a few requests here's the set list from the last two Twist & Crawl events:

1. Beatles - I'm Talking About You - Live!
2. Dynamites - Tell Me Yes Or No
3. Snobs - Stand & Deliver
4. Pretty Things - I Can Never Say
5. Haunted - 1-2-5
6. Q65 - It Came to Me
7. Easybeats - Woman (Make you Feel Alright)
8. Pretty Things - Rosalyn
9. Rolling Stones - Empty Heart
10. Galaxies IV - Piccadilly Circus
11. Bud & Kathy - Hang It Out To Dry
12. Savages - Roses Are Red My Love
13. Pretty Things - Come See Me
14. Namelosers - But I'm So Blue
15. Marauders - I Can Tell
16. Sonics - Cinderella
17. Hatfields - Yes I Do
18. Dynamites - Don't Leave Me Behind
19. Streys - She Cools My Mind
20. Them - Bright Lights, Big City
21. Sonics - Shot Down
22. Kinks - Everybody's Gonna Be Happy
23. Dragonfly - Celestial Empire

And the month before that: The Twist & Crawl Debut!

1. New Colony Six - At the River's Edge
2. Moby Grape - Omaha
3. Seeds - Satisfy You
4. Jimmy McGriff - I've Got A Woman
5. Bold - Gotta Get Some
6. X - Soul Kitchen
7. Painted Ship - Frustration
8. Human Expression - Love At Psychedelic Velocity
9. The Chocolate Watchband - Are You Gonna Be There (At The Love-In)
10. 13th Floor Elevators - I've Got Levitation
11. Blues Magoos - Gotta Get Away
12. Shadows Of Knight - Bad Little Women
13. Flying Burrito Brothers - Christine's Tune (She's A Devil in Disguise)
14. Captain Beefheart - Diddy Wah Diddy
15. Twilighters - Nothing Can Bring Me Down
16. Galaxies IV - Piccadilly Circus
17. Tree - No Good Woman
18. Savages - Roses Are Red My Love
19. Wig - Crackin' Up
20. Dragonfly - Celestial Empire
21. Streys - She Cools My Mind
22. Danny Burk & The Invaders - Ain't Going Nowhere
23. Jolly Green Giants - Busy Body