obsessing over the shangri-las

'Leader Of The Pack' is a classic that I love dearly, but this is the first time I've come across this version (1), where the instrumental background is louder than the vocals, and harmonizing after the crash bit ("Look out, look out, look out!") drags a bit longer than in the version I'd heard before (2). I was thinking that this could be due to some remastering process, but does anyone know which version should be the norm? Or which version appears on the original single? Personally I prefer version (1), because with the louder instrumental background, it sounds better blasted loud!

1. Shangri-Las - Leader Of The Pack (loud instruments)
2. Shangri-Las - Leader Of The Pack (loud vocals)

Splendida Project

Splendida Project is a new music blog to bookmark! With contributors from various music blogs, it's an diverse mix of sights and sounds. Some posts are up already, so do check it out!

Only You Can Do It...

It's been a while since I last posted any French Ye-Ye, so here's the lovely Francoise Hardy with her English version of "Je veux qu'il revienne".

Francoise Hardy - Only You Can Do It

On YouTube! Francoise sings "Only You Can Do It" in Italian.

Dreaming of Jeannie

Merseybeat with a difference - this is a female fronted band, which was something of a rarity. Jeannie was quite a strong vocalist, but unfortunately the band didn't have much success.

From All Music Guide:

"Jeannie and the Big Guys were a Chester quintet, originally called Four Hits & A Miss, the "Miss" being teenaged lead singer Rita Hughes, the daughter of a Chester pub owner, who fronted the group as lead singer for a year or so. As Four Hits and A Miss, their repertory included songs like "Lullaby of Birdland." They became the hottest group in Chester and were signed to Pye in 1963, when Hughes was 17, changing their name to Jeannie and the Big Guys in the process. They cut "Boys" by the Shirelles, which they'd likely heard the Beatles perform, and "Sticks and Stones, " an old Ray Charles number, but saw no chart action. They had a pretty fair Mersey-style r&b sound, but the group broke up when "Jeannie" exited, after a dispute over dressing room decorum, according to the music press of the period, moving over to front Earl Royce and the Olympics, a Liverpool band led by Billy Kally aka Earl Royce (but never recording with them), before going solo-she cut a pair of singles, "A Love Like Yours" and "Lonely City Blue Boy, " under the name Cindy Cole. She later became a successful cabaret artist in her home town, before passing away in 1989."

Jeannie & The Big Guys - Don't Lie To Me

More Merseybeat rarities available on this cd.

Twice as nice!

Listening to a Stereo Total album is like opening a treasure box of musical treats. Among the energetic originals are cover versions of songs that can sometimes be as obscure as the one featured here. And all in a multitude of languages! French Ye-Ye seems to be a favourite of the band, as they've covered Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin among others. Personally I don't quite like their latest, 'Discotheque', because as its name suggests, it's a little too 'electro' for my taste. But their past albums, especially 'Monokini' and 'My Melody', are fantastic!

Stereo Total - Ringo, I Love You
Cher (as Bonnie Jo Mason) - Ringo, I Love You

Apparently Stereo Total was listening to this track on the Girls in The Garage comp, but at the wrong speed. Sure enough, their version is twice as fast as Cher's original. But twice as good!

Visit its official site, here.
Download an entire album worth of b-sides/rarities, here.

Katherine and the Firebyrds!

I didn't have enough information or a photo about Katherine and the Firebyrds when I first posted this, but now I do! And I like this song so much that I think that warrants a repost. =) The band only had 1 album, this EP. One of the tracks featured was written by Robert Suriya, of The Boys. EMI was interested in signing a contract with Katherine but without her band so she declined. She later married one of the band's guitarists. Thank you to Sharon and Chiau, for photos and background info.

Katherine and the Firebyrds - He's Sure To Remember Me

call it Shanty!

Another instrumental! This is a repost request from YEYEOHYEAH. The Quests scored their first big hit in Singapore with this original composition, which stayed at the top of the charts for 12 weeks. Impressively, this tune has also been covered by other bands in Europe, when usually it's the other way around!

The Quests - Shanty (1964)

I must add that '"Call It Shanty!" The Story of The Quests' is a must-read! It is written by the man who wrote Shanty, the bassist of The Quests, Henry Chua, and also has background information on the music scene in Singapore in the Sixties. Order it here.

The Official Quests homepage, here.
Quests photos and very comprehensive background, here.

the boys without naomi!

Robert Suriya and his band The Boys, also recorded without his sister Naomi. Many of these recordings were original country-twinged compositions, either instrumentals or ones where Robert takes lead vocals. This is an instrumental written by their organist Peter Richards, from the same EP as the Naomi track posted below.

The Boys - Blue Mist

naomi and the boys!

My favourite Singaporean Sixties band! Naomi has a super voice, and the band recorded original compositions (courtesy of her brother, Robert Suriya), as well as covers. This is taken of their debut EP:

Naomi and The Boys - It's All Over

From the liner notes:
"Here then, fresh from their many successful nightspot engagements in Malaysia, are THE BOYS firing the first stage of their rocket to stardom, taking with them on this trip a vivacious and talented young vocalist, NAOMI SURIYA.

For a girl of only 16, NAOMI's voice has a distinctive quality that makes the lyrics of "IT'S ALL OVER" (Robert Suriya) worth listening to. There's something acutely touching about this tite which rivets the attention so that you are sitting on the edge of your chair, hanging on every word. "

more Polar Five

Here's another track by The Polar Five. Somehow, 'Shagedelic' describes this instrumental very well! Unfortunately I can't read its title, and it doesn't seem to be a cover.

Polar Five - Unknown title

contrast podcast

Head over to Contrast Podcast and check out the most exciting podcast I've come across. There's a diverse group of contributors, and the latest edition proves that Sixties ye-ye sits in well with today's indie music. To fit with the colour theme, I posted 'Golden Lights' as performed by The Smiths. Also featured in the podcast is 'Marie Douceur, Marue Colère' by Marie Laforet.

off beat dance music

Buying thrift store records is sometimes like taking a shot in the dark, especially when I had never heard of the band/singer before. Like this record for instance - based on appearance, I was expecting the band to have a beat sound, like The Zombies, since their photo looks a lot like this one of The Zombies. As it turned out, the album consists of strange, cha-cha instrumentals like this tune:

Polar Five - Where's Your Mama Gone

This sort of genre (or sometimes refered to as 'off-beat' music) were popular in Asia in the Sixties, with bands like Polar Five and The Stylers performing cha-cha instrumentals of Western and local songs. I am guessing that Polar Five were from Hong Kong, like The Stylers.

Thrift Store Records has compiled some selections of off-beat dance music in a cd, available here.

The name is Billy J. Kramer

Born William Howard Ashton, Billy J. Kramer chose his stage name from the local telephone directory. Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas were among the flurry of Merseybeat groups who emerged with the success of The Beatles. Sharing the same manager as The Beatles meant perks like having George Martin as their record producer, and better still, the cast offs of Lennon/McCartney! This song was supposed to be exclusive to Billy J. Kramer, but The Beatles later recorded their own version of this song, with a faster arrangement.

Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas - I Call Your Name fixed link

Billy j. Kramer continues to perform! Visit his official site here.
Official site of The Dakotas, here. Also includes biographical info on their days in the 60s.
Condensed biography at BBC Radio 1, here.