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PANDORA

Pandora were a four-piece glam/hard rock outfit from New York City. In 1974, the group traveled to Cleveland and recorded a demo. That session was released on the Space Amazon CD in 1997, yet the identities of the band members were completely mysterious—and continued to be—until now.

The members of Pandora were:

Frank LaRocka, drums (David Johansen, Scandal, Bryan Adams) Martin Butler, guitar (The Demons, The Very Few) John “Buzzy” Verno, bass (Cherry Vanilla, David Johansen) Rick Prince, vocals (Plum Nelly, Black Widow, Twisted Sister)

Pandora’s mind-blowing mix of the New York Dolls, David Bowie, Alice Cooper, Led Zeppelin and KISS, complete with over-the-top vocals and out-of-this-world lyrics, is so unforgettable it seems unthinkable it would take so long for the group to be identified.

Here's "Hot Rocker" from the Space Amazon CD:

UPDATE – DECEMBER 2016: The new issue of Ugly Things contains Doug Sheppard’s excellent article on Pandora. Doug discovered their long-forgotten demo in 1992, which led to the release of Space Amazon, and in 2014 we worked together to identify the band. He talked to guitarist Martin Butler and I interviewed singer Rick Prince for the piece. Order a copy of the magazine here.

UPDATE – APRIL 2021: Space Amazon is about to be reissued on vinyl for the first time. Pre-order yours via Bandcamp.

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Too Smooth LP on Tiger Lily

Recently I’ve been in contact with Jeff Clark of the Austin, Texas act Too Smooth, whose self-titled LP was released by the purported tax shelter label Tiger Lily in 1976. Too Smooth recorded an album for Just Sunshine in 1974, but the label was acquired by ABC/Dunhill and their album was subsequently shelved—or so they thought. Jeff and his band-mates didn’t even know about the Tiger Lily LP, one that is now super-rare and highly desired, until a few days ago. There has been some speculation as to where the sessions that comprise the album originated from, but Jeff has confirmed the songs were in fact recorded at the Record Plant in Sausalito, California for Just Sunshine.

Check out a track from the record, "Long Hair Drug Band" (a/k/a "Drug Band," as it's named on the Tiger Lily LP). It's a mighty fine slice of ‘70s southern hard rock.

[thecircaprogram]

Shadoks Music reissues

The German label Shadoks Music has just reissued three obscure late ‘60s/early ‘70s albums. Details and songs below:

1. Farm – Farm

These guys were from Southern Illinois and this, their lone album, came out in 1971. Farm were a boogie rock band and you can hear the Allman Brothers and Canned Heat here, as well as shades of Santana and Neil Young. But “Let That Boy Boogie” sounds like—instrumentally, at least—what AC/DC might have resembled, had they existed in the early ‘70s. The lyrics leave much to be desired, but just imagine Bon Scott singing and it’ll be alright.

2. The Old Man & The Sea – The Old Man & The Sea

Hailing from Denmark, this Scandinavian group’s self-titled album was released in 1972 and limited to 500 copies. Most of the record is fairly standard prog rock, with a large debt owed to the group Yes. The prog genre is known for its busy arrangements and professional musicianship, where it’s very possible just as much attention was paid to the structure of the song as was to the writing of the tune itself (sometimes even more so). That seems to be largely the case here, though “Lady Nasty,” one of two bonus cuts, is a highlight. “The Monk Song Part 2” finds the band in a heavier, Deep Purple mood, and it’s the best of the bunch.

3. Los Speakers – En El Maravilloso Mundo De Ingeson

The Speakers were a Columbian unit and had released four LPs by the time this one came out on the Columbia label in 1968; it would prove to be their last. The group is obviously influenced by the zaniness of the Mothers of Invention, but other times they bring to mind the psych pop of the Electric Prunes and mid-period Beatles. The majority of the tracks actually sound like folk rock demos. On “Oda A La Gente Mediocre” (translation: “Ode To Mediocre People”) they crank up the fuzz for an Os Mutantes-meets-Fugs freak out.

[thecircaprogram]

AllMusic writing

My AllMuisc (a/k/a All Music Guide) contributions:

AllMusic biographies

Balcony Cold Crank Crime Grandpaboy The Koala Rock ‘n’ Roll Monkey & The Robots

AllMusic reviews

Airport 5 – Life Starts Here Balcony – 777 Balcony – Before Needs The Bellrays – Grand Fury Beauregard Ajax – Deaf Priscilla Buffalo – Dead Forever… The Buzzcocks – Fast Cars Alex Chilton – Lost Decade Circus Devils – Pinball Mars Circus Devils – Ringworm Interiors Crime – Hate Us Or Love Us Michael Des Barres – I’m Only Human Michael Des Barres – Somebody Up There Likes Me Jackie DeShannon – Best Of…1958-1980: Come And Get Me The Easybeats – Live: Studio And Stage Generation X – Perfect Hits The Gentle Rain – Moody Go Back Snowball – Calling Zero The Goddamn Gentlemen – Sex-Caliber Horsepower Grandpaboy – “I Want My Money Back” Grant Hart – Ecce Homo Guided By Voices – An Earful O’ Wax Guided By Voices – “I Am A Tree” Guided By Voices – Suitcase 2: American Superdream Wow Guided By Voices & Airport 5 – Selective Service Hello – New York Groove: The Best Of Hello The Koala – The Koala Laptop – “End Credits (The Sequel)” Laptop – Opening Credits Chris Mars – Anonymous Botch Chris Mars – Tenterhooks The Melvins – Singles 1-12 The Minus 5 – Down With Wilco The Monks – Five Upstart Americans The Moping Swans – Lightning Head To Coffeepot New York Dolls – Actress: Birth Of The New York Dolls Nirvana – XXII MCMXCIV Robert Pollard – Motel Of Fools Psycho And The Birds – All That Is Holy The Replacements – Inconcerated Live The Replacements – It Ain’t Over ‘Til The Fat Roadies Play Sagittarius – The Blue Marble Bon Scott & Fraternity – Complete Sessions, 1971-72 Silver Apples – Beacon Silver Apples – Contact Silver Apples – Silver Apples Silverhead – 16 And Savaged The Stooges – Rubber Legs The Takeovers – Bad Football The Takeovers – Turn To Red The Young Fresh Fellows – A Tribute To Music The Young Fresh Fellows – Beans & Tolerance The Young Fresh Fellows – Gleich Jetzt The Young Fresh Fellows – Hits From The Breakup Album The Young Fresh Fellows – It’s Low Beat Time The Young Fresh Fellows – Take It Like A Matador: Live In Spain

~Bart Bealmear

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Hotgun and R. Stevie Moore

I was doing some research tonight on a “tax scam” record credited to a group called Hotgun, when I discovered that early lo-fi collaborators R. Stevie Moore and Victor Lovera appear on the LP. As was often the case with these types of records, the label never notified the artists, and Mr. Moore just told me he had never heard of the record (it came out in 1977). Here’s one of the fantastic RSM/VL songs included on the Hotgun LP:

UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2015: My article on the Hotgun album and the tax shelter record labels of the '70s & '80s is on Night Flight.

[thecircaprogram]

A Look Back: The "Tribute to Ron Asheton" Concert

April 19th, 2011 marked the hometown return of the Stooges. Ann Arbor, Michigan is where the band began, so it was only fitting that the tribute to departed guitarist Ron Asheton take place there. But it was also the first time a representation of the Raw Power-era group, with James Williamson on guitar, had played within state lines since the final Stooges gig in 1974. So, this was A BIG DEAL. I was one of the lucky 1,700 to see the show in the flesh.

Iggy Pop, here a couple of days shy of 64, is a sight to behold. Running out to the opening riffing of “Raw Power” like it’s 1973, Iggy still commands the stage like no other rock performer. Though he may be healthy, wealthy and surprised as anyone to be alive, he nonetheless comes off like the same outsider who sang about being dirt and having no fun, executing those songs with conviction over forty years later. And what a joy it is to see him playing again with James Williamson, even if the reunion is bittersweet, having only occurred due to the death of Ron Asheton.

You can’t help but be wowed by the power that still hides in plain sight during “Gimme Danger,” or smile like you haven’t in years watching the on-stage pandemonium that takes place during “Shake Appeal,” but it’s the tribute that Iggy and Williamson worked up for the evening, “Ron’s Tune,” that is the emotional highlight. “You never get to say goodbye,” Iggy sings in a requiem for, as he said moments before, “the first guy that would ever get behind me.”

Welcome home, Ron. Welcome home, Stooges.

All profits from the show and the DVD release of the concert, Tribute to Ron Asheton featuring Iggy & The Stooges and special guests, benefit the Ron Ashteon Foundation.

Here’s a peak at the DVD:

[thecircaprogram]

CIRCA5 #6: Homemade Records

“The personality, the human being was right there in the music, not hidden behind it.” –Paul Major, Enjoy The Experience

The world of the American private pressing (a/k/a vanity pressing) is a world that is both weirdly wonderful and wonderfully weird—if you know where to look. But where to start? Thousands of records were churned out in limited runs with basically zero promotion, often given away to family and friends or sold as souvenirs by local bands playing the area Hotel Inn. These LPs were often made by people just trying to document their creative side.

The new coffee table book Enjoy The Experience: Homemade Records, 1958-1992 (Sinecure Books) will not only steer you in the right direction, it just might lead you down a path you didn’t know existed. CIRCA5 #6 hopes to do the same.

1. Robbie the Werewolf – “Vampire Man” (At the Waleback, 1964)

Folk singer Robbie Robison had been playing in coffee houses since the late 1950s when he developed a new persona. He began appearing on stage in makeup and costume, which was a bold and unusual move in a scene that prided itself on authenticity and humorless subject matter. The fact that he made himself up to look like a werewolf—well, no one could have seen that coming.

Recorded live in front of a certainly bemused but obviously appreciative audience, “Vampire Man” is a send-up of “Greenback Dollar,” a then-recent hit for the Kingston Trio. The concept, taken as a whole, is really a stab at dead serious folkies, and Robbie the Werewolf’s brand of horror-comedy-folk-punk, while much-needed in such a stuffy scene, surely irritated a few sedate coffee house beatniks back in the day. Hopefully, at least.

Robison would eventually shed his werewolf skin and was one of the founders of the psychedelic group Clear Light, though he was quickly excused for being, as a band mate put it, “a terrible guitar player and absolutely insane.”

2. Dennis the Fox – “Bazooka” (Mother Trucker, 1975)

Aspiring songwriter Dennis “The Fox” Caldirola recorded an album’s worth of demos in the early ‘70s in an attempt to score a major label deal. Caldirola wrote in as many styles as possible, not knowing what type of music would interest a record label. It was ultimately self-released a few years later when no takers were found. The classic-truck-driver-country-colliding-into-new-funk heard on “Piledriver” (about a “mean mother trucker of a girl”) is a highlight that has been making the rounds as of late, but “Bazooka” is the most interesting of the LP tracks.

On the surface, this is a groovy piece of sunshine pop, at times reminiscent of the song “Yellow Balloon” (a 1967 hit for the group of the same name), with a heavy dose of solid-but-lite lead guitar (imagine Jimi playing on a Monkees session). It’s easy to get lost in the breezy melody, the “sha-la-la’s,” and the inspiring, child-like calls to “just write a song,” but there’s something else going on here. The protagonist of “Bazooka” is a down-on-his luck songwriter—so down he has “nothing left to lose” and is willing to do anything for fame, even if it means altering both his material and his appearance (with the most drastic of measures—plastic surgery—on the table). It appears The Fox is writing about himself here—we know now that he was purposefully composing in a variety of styles to increase his chance of making it in the big leagues—but the song also has meta qualities. The title itself refers to the bubblegum nature of the tune, the intro drives home our hero’s slumped state with a nod to Hendrix’s “Manic Depression,” and it sure feels like Caldirola was trying to kick himself in the pants by writing a catchy song about writing a catchy song in order to show off his pop song sensibilities, which would, in turn, lead him to his very own pot of gold.

3. Michael Farneti – “ESP Switch” (Good Morning Kisses, 1976)

When listening to Good Morning Kisses it’s as if you boogied on into an alternate ‘70s reality, where dramatic Broadway show tunes peppered with crazy synth squiggles and spacey background vocals make perfect sense. It’s a world where “You better turn your ESP switch on” is advice you really should take.

4. Gary Wilson – “I Wanna Lose Control” (You Think You Really Know Me, 1977)

Endicott, New York native Gary Wilson self-released You Think You Really Know Me in 1977. It might be looked back upon as a minor event in rock history (if even at all), but this little-record-that-could foreshadowed synth-pop, awkwardly confessional singer/songwriters, and the one-man funk of Prince. Wilson’s DIY sensibilities proved to be inspiring as well, helping to set the stage for college radio and the indie rock movement. Not bad for a record that was limited to just 600 copies.

The songs spoke of loneliness, doomed relationships, and obsession for members of the opposite sex, who Wilson often singled out in his songs using their real names. Some tunes were funky and upbeat, while others were creepy and stalker-like. If Prince and Lou Barlow bumped into each other at the same hotel in upstate New York and, after collaborating with the resident lounge band, Steely Dan, roped in a local loner with a James Brown fixation to sing their new composition, it might sound something like “I Wanna Lose Control.”

“I have always been interested in making my own records,” Wilson told me when I interviewed him in 2004. “If I couldn’t get any interest from the record labels, I would release the records myself.” A simple concept, but in 1977 few in the rock world had the guts to do just that.

5. The Shaggs – “My Pal Foot Foot” (single and Philosophy of the World, 1969)

Philosophy of the World has been called the greatest album ever made—and the worst album ever produced. There are those that love the Wiggin sisters for their naïve charms, and then there are others that think they never should have been allowed within fifty feet of a recording studio. Just seconds into hearing them for the first time, it’s impossible to not have an opinion. It’s probably the most famous private press LP, and was likely the first vanity record to be given the reissue treatment (on Rounder in 1980).

My favorite Shaggs story: In a moment of doubt, after the sessions for the album ended, Austin Wiggin—father of the girls and Shaggs’ Svengali—hired a session drummer to “fix” the drum tracks. After giving it a few tries, the professional drummer gave up, realizing he would never be able to duplicate the rhythm at the heart of the Shaggs.

Profiles of Robbie the Werewolf, Michael Farneti, the Shaggs, and others can be found in the massive (512 pages!) coffee table book Enjoy The Experience: Homemade Records, 1958-1992, along with hundreds of mind-blowing album covers, records reviews, an mp3 download card, and more.

[thecircaprogram]

CIRCA5 #5: Iggy Pop – Solo Anomalies

When the uninitiated ponder Iggy Pop, they likely think of his proto-punk band The Stooges, or recall the Motown swing found in the ubiquitous solo number, “Lust For Life.” But not only does the man have a slew of additional material he recorded on his own, much of it doesn’t resemble what most would categorize as typical Iggy Pop. So, with the imminent release of the first Stooges album with James Williamson in forty years, Ready to Die, let’s check out five Iggy tracks that might take you by surprise. And hey, today just happens to be his 66th birthday.

1. “Funtime” (The Idiot, 1977)

Goth is a genre that one doesn’t usually associate with Iggy Pop, but his post-Stooges debut has many of the shadowy markings that would later be associated with it, and “Funtime” could very well be its ground zero. As with the majority of The Idiot, a dark fog permeates this track, but its the lyric “Talkin’ to Dracula and his crew” that helped make the song a touchstone for future Goth groups like Bauhaus, whose first single was an homage to The Count of the silver screen (“Bela Lugosi’s Dead”). Bauhaus front man, Peter Murphy, even covered “Funtime” on his album Love Hysteria.

2. “New Values” (New Values, 1979)

For his third record, Iggy fully embraced the emerging New Wave. This approach is most evident on the title track, where keyboards are featured prominently and a vocoder is used near the song’s conclusion, giving his vocal an inhuman, robot-like tone. As he often does in song, Iggy finds himself in a world lacking principles (“I’m looking for one new value, but nothing comes my way”), but as with most of his work there’s a playfulness here that offsets the bleak worldview, what with its handclaps, driving guitar and occasional smile-inducing lyric (“I’ve got a hard-ass pair of shoulders.”).

3. “Eggs on Plate” (Party, 1981)

If Party was Iggy’s attempt—at his record label’s insistence—to create an album suitable for the Top 40 marketplace, then “Eggs on Plate” is when that plan goes off the rails. Here Iggy is fully rebelling against the idea, calling out the powers that be and their promises of victory, wondering, once success arrives, “Who does my name belong to then?” In fact, he’s perfectly content with his four walls, thank you very much. But those walls often seem like they’re closing in on our hero, and never before had it sounded as if he might be cracking up mid-song (though, like many Iggy numbers, it’s just as silly as it is serious). It’s a wonder this subversive track, which is also profane and not politically correct, even made it on an album that was supposed to be his golden ticket (it wasn’t).

4. “Cry For Love” (Blah Blah Blah, 1986)

As much as Party was his first stab at commercial success, no previous Iggy LP sounded more like the year it was released in than Blah Blah Blah (“Baby, It Can’t Fall” bears a striking resemblance to Huey Lewis and The News, for crying out loud). But on even the weakest of Iggy’s solo records there are gems afoot, and “Cry For Love” is one of them. Co-written by Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, it includes a line that could double as Ig’s raison d’etre (“’Cause imitation’s boring”). The presence of strings—hit-or-miss in rock-n-roll—here only adds to the power of the track.

5. “A Machine For Loving” (Preliminaires, 2009)

Both Preliminaires (2009), and the follow-up Apres (2012), his first solo albums since the Stooges reunited, can be viewed as the yin to that band’s yang, with Iggy going for a sound that doesn’t much resemble rock at all. These records are largely jazzy affairs, with Iggy singing in French on many of the tracks. “A Machine For Loving” is a beautiful, atmospheric ode to dogs. It’s a genuinely touching tribute, paid not just for the unconditional love they offer us, but also for schooling us on the very idea of love.

[thecircaprogram]

CIRCA5 #4 – (Don’t) Shoot The Piano Player

Here’s five moody, piano-driven numbers for those who, even with the sun blazing and the spring temperatures rising, still feel like a rainy fall day.

1. Guided By Voices – “The Military School Dance Dismissal”

Since a reunited Guided By Voices started releasing new material in late 2011, they’ve let loose 87 songs. That’s right: 87 songs. And they’ll be adding to that total on April 30th, when English Little League, their fourth LP since January 2012, is due. With so much of their output being of such high quality, and coming so quickly, there’s bound to be great tunes that fall by the wayside, just waiting to be discovered. “The Military School Dance Dismissal,” from their third reunion long player, The Bears For Lunch, is one of those tracks. It’s a fantastic example of the lo-fi aesthetic working perfectly for the band, where a strong melody and enigmatic lyrics are magnified by the intimate recording technique.

2. Big Star – “Dream Lover”

One of the fascinating stories involving Big Star’s Third is that leader Alex Chilton sabotaged his own music so that it would have less commercial potential. True or just part of the mythology surrounding the record, the druggy, off-kilter pop of “Dream Lover” is a perfect example of such a process.

3. Wilco – “We’re Just Friends”

Summerteeth (1999) was a giant leap forward for Wilco. Keyboards were featured prominently for the first time, and the sway of ‘60s Pop titans The Beatles and The Beach Boys was on full display. “We’re Just Friends” illustrates the influence of Dennis Wilson’s 1972 Beach Boys ballad “Cuddle Up,” while the production is layered with the darkness of Big Star’s Third. After Summerteeth, which paved the way for the even more experimental Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, no one could ever label Wilco “Alt Country” with a straight face again.

4. Coloured Balls – “See What I Mean”

Coloured Balls were an Australian band known for their aggressive boogie rock, and “See What I Mean” is an anomaly in their catalogue. The song resembles something John Lennon would’ve come up with at the Sgt. Pepper/“White Album” crossroads, and includes a very Dennis Wilson-like vocal. Aside from the fact that the track doesn’t sound like their typical fare (and was released on an album called Heavy Metal Kid), it surely must have sounded completely out of time when released in 1974, an era not exactly known for its Beatles and/or Beach Boys-inspired output. “See What I Mean” undoubtedly still shocks new fans of Coloured Balls to this day.

5. Dennis Wilson – “Time”

Though always overshadowed by the talents of his brother Brian, Dennis Wilson was also a gifted songwriter, having contributed gems to Beach Boys records since Friends (1968). By 1977, the year his only solo LP was released, the drummer had been dealing with personal demons for many years. He managed to pull it together long enough to complete the album, but a subsequent tour was cancelled and he never completed a follow-up. When listening to “Time,” like the other songs on POB, it’s as impossible to deny Dennis’ abilities as it is to overlook the deep sadness ingrained in his voice. The “Hold On” coda is notable for its optimism and complete change in mood. Somehow, it works.

Dennis may never reach the stature of his brother Brian, but Pacific Ocean Blue was quite an achievement, and stands as the best solo record (and the first, oddly enough) ever released by a member of the Beach Boys.

[thecircaprogram]

CIRCA5 #3: The Beatles – 6 More From The Vault

Fifteen years ago, back when I was co-editing and writing for Rebel Route magazine, there were reports that after the huge success of The Beatles Anthology collections (the multi-disc sets of outtakes released as companions to the massively popular documentary TV series, The Beatles: Anthology), even more unreleased material was going to see the light of day. So, I came up with six songs I wanted included on the next compilation, and we published the article in RR. Unfortunately, no such set ever materialized (ok, I’ll face it—these reports were nothing more than rumors). Still, I would love to see those recordings on an upcoming collection of Beatles outtakes—if such a thing were to actually appear again.

“The Beatles – 6 More From The Vault” was included in the third issue of Rebel Route, dated Summer, 1998. Four of the songs had been bootlegged at the time of writing, but the other two still haven’t slipped through the cracks. Here’s the article:

During 1994 and 1995, EMI-Capital Records released six CDs (nine LPs) worth of unreleased Beatles’ recordings to coincide with the British-produced documentary television special, The Beatles: Anthology. While this more than satisfied the average Beatles fan, it left collectors and diehards wanting more. The audio series, Anthology, did included a horde of previously unavailable outtakes, many of which had, in some circles, grown to legendary status, yet many intriguing tracks have remained in the can. In 1999, The Beatles are expected to relinquish more of this material, so we have compiled a wish list of six tracks we would like to hear in the coming year.

1. “She’s A Woman” (Take 7, EMI Studios, London, October 8, 1964): On this day, The Beatles recorded seven takes of the McCartney rocker “She’s A Woman” (take six was used for release). What at first sounds like a standard run-through, ends with a bit of jamming—Lennon scales his fingers up and down the fret-board, while Harrison squawks it up on slide—and some extremely odd yelling/screeching from McCartney that is truly beyond words (when else has he made those sounds?).

2. “I’m Down” (Shea Stadium, New York, August 15, 1965): The Beatles began their only 1965 U.S. tour by playing, at the time, to the largest crowd ever assembled for a rock concert (attendance exceeded 55,000). In an interview segment for Anthology, a stone-faced Ringo Starr stated that during this show Lennon “Just went mad. Not mentally ill, I mean, just got crazy.” In the clip, John is seen playing the electric piano with his elbows, hitting wrong notes (instrumentally and vocally), and whooping it up in typical Lennon fashion—albeit atypical for the concert stage. John later defended himself by saying that he had never played the piano before during a performance and that “I really didn’t know what to do ‘cause I felt naked without the guitar. You know, I was doing it for a laugh.”

This version of “I’m Down” documents what may be the only time one of The Beatles improvised on stage (their concerts lasted, at most, thirty minutes, and were often lip-synced due to the fact that neither they, nor the crowd, could hear them above the screams) during the hectic and often stressful days of Beatlemania.

3. “Untitled” a/k/a “Carnival Of Light” (Take 1, EMI Studios, London, January 5, 1967): The Beatles were commissioned to record a piece of music for an event christened “Carnival Of Light,” which would take place at the Roadhouse Theater in London later in the month. After recording a vocal for “Penny Lane,” McCartney took charge of the session and The Beatles laid down the basic track—which at thirteen minutes and forty-eight seconds was their longest unbroken track to date.

The recording of many overdubs followed, including distorted guitar, drums and organ, as well as various sound effects and tape echo. John and Paul added vocals, screaming various random phrases. Producer George Martin reportedly called this session “ridiculous,” but the tape for “Carnival Of Light” was The Beatles’ first taste of the avant-garde, and a hint of things to come in the strange, experimental tracks—“Revolution 9,” “What’s The New Mary Jane,” “You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)”—they would produce in the future.

4. “Helter Skelter” (Take 3, EMI Studios, London, July 18, 1968): The holy grail of the unreleased, this twenty-seven minute take of McCartney’s bruising “Helter Skelter” is the longest unbroken Beatles recording. The first three takes—basically rehearsals—of “Helter Skelter” were recorded on this day, and all three were extended workouts. No overdubs were ever recorded. Take two was, unfortunately, edited down from over twelve minutes to under five for Anthology 3, but it is take three we are waiting for anyway. On October 9th of that year, Paul raided EMI’s library for his own copy, but otherwise, take three has remained in the vault.

5. “Stand By Me” (Twickenham Film Studios, London, January 8, 1969): During the filming of Let It Be, The Beatles got nostalgic and ended up embracing songs from their youth. Ben E. King’s signature tune “Stand By Me” was one of many oldies The Beatles played during those sessions. What makes this one special is not the band’s performance—which is characteristically sloppy, as they were playing these songs on the spur of the moment—but McCartney’s operatic interpretation. What begins with a few rounds of “Figaro, figaro, figaro” at the end of the first verse, eventually develops into a full-fledged Pavarotti-esque vocal. Hysterical.

6. “I Lost My Little Girl” (Apple Studios, London, January 24, 1969): After two weeks at Twickenham, The Beatles moved to Apple Studios and began recording material that would eventually make up the Let It Be album. “I Lost My Little Girl” is the first song Paul McCartney ever wrote (at age fourteen), but the lead vocal on this version is handled by John Lennon (The Beatles had previously recorded this song in 1962 for their Decca Records audition tape). You can hear McCartney, off-mike, feeding long-forgotten lines to Lennon (“Her hair didn’t always curl,” being one), and later singing a nice harmony vocal. “I Lost My Little Girl” remained unreleased in any form, until McCartney recorded a version of this Buddy Holly-inspired number for MTV’s Unplugged in 1991, nearly thirty-five years after it was written.

And here’s a bonus track of sorts, one that would’ve made the cut, had I been aware of it at the time of the original article.

7. “Bad To Me” (Demo, c. May 1963): With a melody that is simply irresistible, this stands as one of the finest tunes Lennon and McCartney gave away to another artist. “Bad To Me” was made to order for Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas, and their version was released in July 1963 (and made it to #1 in the UK), not long after this intimate John Lennon home demo of the song was recorded.

[thecircaprogram]

CIRCA5 #2: DAVID BOWIE (Spaced Oddities)

With David Bowie fans the world over totally psyched for The Next Day—his first album in ten years (and out this week)—CIRCA5 lays out five vintage Bowie recordings you may have missed:

1. “Can’t Help Thinking About Me”

Credited to David Bowie with The Lower Third and released on a 45 in 1966. Written by the future Ziggy, this is the very first song he recorded after changing his last name from Jones to Bowie, and it’s one of the highlights of his pre-“Space Oddity” period. Fantastic title, too.

2. “Let Me Sleep Beside You”

Taped for the BBC in 1969, this was the public debut of another notable early song.

3. “Lightning Frightening”

A bluesy folk tune with hints of R&B and rock, this 1970 recording was included as a bonus track on Ryko’s 1990 reissue of The Man Who Sold The World. That version of the album has long-since been deleted, thus “Lightning Frightening” is long gone.

4. “My Death” (final Ziggy concert, 1973)

Written by Jacques Brel, it was Bowie’s hero Scott Walker who had it translated into English, and it’s Walker’s version he is covering here. Bowie had been performing the song live, but since this is the last time he would appear as Ziggy Stardust, the airing is filled with so much more meaning. Surely emotions were high for such an event, and during his execution of the ending verse of “My Death,” what seems to be a tear turns up on Bowie’s face. Playing off audience members' attempts to fill in the final line, he coyly omits the closing lyric.

5. “Foot Stomping”/I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate” (The Dick Cavett Show)

Here’s a covers medley from a 1974 TV appearance. What’s immediately noticeable is the familiar guitar riff, which would soon be used to great effect on one of Bowie’s biggest ‘70s hits, “Fame.” It's often said that his guitarist, Carlos Alomar, stole the phrase, but the riff is nowhere to be heard in the original “Foot Stomping” by The Flames. Duly, Alomar received a share of the writing credit on “Fame.” “I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate” is a jazz standard with its own controversial history (it was likely based on a Louis Armstrong number, but it wasn’t formerly credited to him). A so-so quality taping of the medley was released (though without Bowie’s consent) on Rarest One Bowie.

Listen to CIRCA5 #2 via the YouTube playlist.

[thecircaprogram]

CIRCA5 #1: Friday Night FUNK

Man, is it cold here in the former and forever Motor City. Before you go out, FIRE UP and GIT DOWN with the very first CIRCA5. ~Bart

1. E.T. White and His Great Potential Band – “Funky Soul Shake”

Named for a novelty dance from the 1960s. Are you ready?

2. Bobby Dee – “Sweet Thing, Part 1”

This slice of soul-funk was produced, co-written and released by Detroit legend Dave Hamilton on his Demoristic label.

3. The Showmen Inc, - “The Tramp, Part 2 (From Funky Broadway)”

I love any song that successfully combines two already established hits (in this case, “Tramp” And “Funky Broadway”), AND gives Detroit a high five (aren’t we all suckers for the hometown shout-out?).

4. The T.M.G.’s – “The Hatch”

Here’s a HOTT instrumental from the west side of the Mitten (Grand Rapids). Led by teenage organist Tommy McGee, who taught his band this horn-drenched number the day it was recorded in 1967.

5. Gordon Jackson, Anthony Green, Denise Jackson and the Co-Real Artists – “What About You (In The World Today)”

A bit of social commentary from 1974, brought to you by a Los Angeles collective that produced black history programs and occasionally released 45’s penned by their founder, Genie Jackson. This was RAP before anyone knew what to call it.

You can also listen to the tracks continuously via the YouTube playlist.

[thecircaprogram]

CIRCA5

Since ending my radio program of nearly fourteen years, I haven’t been able to shake the bug. So, I’ve decided to re-launch the former page for my show as a music blog. CIRCA5, much like the sets I used to construct for radio, will consist of around five songs that sound good together. Whenever possible, links to purchase the tracks will be provided. I will also post the occasional record or DVD review here, and the blog will continue to serve as an archive for “The Circa Program.” ~Bart

[thecircaprogram]

Why have you stopped doing shows at CJAM? Thanks, Rick, Windsor

I decided to pursue other interests, including my own music. 

[thecircaprogram]

July 20th, 2012 playlist

Final show:

Opener:

Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville – Au Clair de la Lune [a/k/a By The Light Of The Moon]

1st set:

Andre Williams and The Don Juans – Bacon Fat

Wynonie Harris – She Just Won’t Sell No More

Redd Foxx – It’s Fun To Be Living In The Crazy House

Jim Jackson – Some Love With Soul

Richie Barrett – Some Other Guy

Melvin Davis – I’m The One Who Loves You

Otis Redding – A Hard Day’s Night (live)

2nd set:

Wee Willie Mason – Funky Funky {Hot Pants}

Pearly Queen – Quit Jive’in

Popcorn Wylie – Funky Rubber Band

The Afros Band – Right On Right Off

James Brown – There It Is, Part 1

Betty Davis – Don’t Call Her No Tramp

3rd set:

The Beat – I Don’t Fit In

Rock ‘n’ Roll Monkey and The Robots – Toxic House

The Bonnevilles – The Belgians Are Coming

The Hentchmen – Why Don’t You Do Me Right

Chris Spedding & The Vibrators – Pogo Dancing

The Briefs – Where Did He Go?

Guided By Voices – Class Clown Spots A UFO

4th set:

The Cult – Bad Fun

AC/DC – Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be

Left End – Cyclone Rider

Van Halen – Top Jimmy

KISS – Rock and Roll All Nite (live)

Closer:

Jules Blattner and the Warren Groovy All-Star Band – Classical Clash (live)

[thecircaprogram]

July 13th, 2012 playlist

Opener:

Troy Gregory – Cinderella On Ice

1st set:

Leonard Cohen – Crazy To Love You

Fleetwood Mac – That’s All For Everyone

Nilsson – Together

Richard Davies – Cantina

The Beach Boys – Pacific Coast Highway

Iggy Pop – Endless Sea

2nd set:

S.F. Seals – Pulp

The Wedding Present – Let Him Have It

Urusei Yatsura – Siamese

The Fall – Reckoning

Tsunami – Left Behind

Nirvana – Turnaround

Dieselhed – Pizza Box

3rd set:

Tyme – Land Of 1000 Dances

Gonn – Doin’ Me In

Mudhoney – Sweet Young Thing {Ain’t Sweet No More}

Ty Segall Band – Tell Me What’s Inside Your Heart

The Mummies – Justine

The Junk Monkeys – Wig Shop

4th set:

DAS – All The Things

Joseph – I Ain’t Fattenin’ No Frogs For Snakes

George Brigman and Split – Blowin’ Smoke

Bich Loan and The CBC Band – Heart and Tears

The Good Rats – Joey Ferrari

Psychedellic [sic] Guitars – Take A Trip

Closer:

The Chessmen – Meadowlands

[thecircaprogram]

July 6th, 2012 playlist

Opener:

The Motions – Bumble Bee ’65

1st set:

Ed Camp – I’m Gonna Put The Whammy On You

Willis Brothers – Give Me 40 Acres {To Turn This Rig Around}

Johnny Darrell – Mental Revenge

Wanda Jackson – This Gun Don’t Care {Who It Shoots}

Townes Van Zandt – Don’t Let The Sunshine Fool You

Jim Ford – Under Construction

Pee Wee Crayton – Texas Hop

Roy Hall’s Alley Cats – Dig Everybody Dig That Boogie

2nd set:

The Raveonettes – Love Can Destroy Everything

Mike Rep & The Quotas – This Island Earth

Guided By Voices – Tyson’s High School

Diamond REO – Electricity

Simply Saucer – Low Profile

The Spits – Black Kar

The Intelligence – Hippy Provider

3rd set:

The Iveys – And Her Daddy’s A Millionaire

The Delicate Balance – The Night Is Almost Gone

The Good Feelins – Shattered

Dry Ice – Mary Is Alone

J. K. & Co. – Speed/Crystal Ball

Smoke – That’s What I Want

The Kaleidoscope – A Dream For Julie

The Action – Brain

4th set:

R.E.M. – Good Advices

The Coolies – 40 Foot Stretch

The Clash – Straight To Hell

Young Fresh Fellows – My Friend Ringo

Dinosaur Jr – Freak Scene (censored version)

Closer:

Mike Khoury and Will Soderberg – Track 4