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Ronnie Spector & The E Street Band - Say Goodbye To Hollywood

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Ronnie Spector & The E Street Band Say Goodbye To Hollywood / Baby Please Don't Go Epic S EPC 5185 (1977) During 1977 Bruce Springsteen was engaged in a dispute with his former manager Mike Appel and was for some time legally prevented from recording new material. That meant the members of his band were also unable to work, and Bruce was running low on cash to pay them. Some of the E Street Band had decided that they were going to leave the band and take up session work to pay their bills.   Cleveland International Records executive Steve Popovich suggested working with Ronnie Spector, who had just started singing again after several years of retirement. When Ronnie agreed to record a cover version with the E Street Band she helped ensure that the band could stay together As said by Stevie Van Zandt, the band's guitarist and also the producer of this song: "We all fell in love with that voice, that combination of innocence and a little bit of sensuality and sexuality....
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The Mighty Clouds Of Dust - Mr. Custer

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The Mighty Clouds OF Dust Mr. Custer Dead On Records DOR-001 (1983) This 45 that has a lot of connections to the 80s Irish music scene.  Released in 1983 on Dead On Records, the label was created by the former co-manager of The Nips, Phil Glaston along with Deirdre O'Mahony.  The Nips of course were an early band of Shane McGowan who went on The Pogues. Basically the story goes that Phil Glaston had always wanted to make a cowboy record and this was it.  Phil was the lead singer "Big Dusty" along with Phil Chevron as "Johnny Jukebox" (Phil is better known as the lead guitarist with The Pogues). "Wild Slim Mustapha" was Ben Mandleson from 3 Mustapha 3.  "Chopper" was Ray Cooper (aka Chopper) also from 3 Mustapha 3 and later The Oyster Band.  "Hank Raven" was Charles O'Connor from The Horslips and "Paddy Guitar Paddy" was Jimmy Crashe former drummer with The Radiators. The cover for the release was an A3 printed sheet fo...
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Time Out

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Its that time of the year again when I jump on a plane and take some R&R on a foreign shore.  This year is a bit of a mega trip so there will be no posts for a few weeks but I will be back! If you are wondering where I might be heading there is a big, big clue in the last post (& the picture below).  I expect to return with a few special 45s that will appear in the future on the blog. If you are interested in what I have you can look at my 45cat page in the link below and let me know if there is anything you particularly would like to appear on the blog. So in the meanwhile, take it easy, keep spinning those 45s and check back here later on in the month to see what is next out of my collection. 45cat
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Japan - Life In Tokyo

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Japan Life In Tokyo (Special Remix) / Life In Tokyo (Theme) Hansa HANSA 17 (1982) Written by the famous German producer Giorgio Moroder and band vocalist David Sylvian the track was originally released as a single in 1979 but failed to chart. The 45 made little impact and following the band's success with the 1980  "Gentlemen  Take Polaroids" album it was released for a second time in 1981 and again did not chart in the UK. Following the band's "Tin Drum" album and the successful 45s " Ghosts " & " Cantonese Boy " the track was remixed by Steve Nye and released for a third time in October 1982 where it finally made the UK charts, peaking at #28. The flip side "Life In Tokyo Theme" is in-fact an approximately 2 minutes instrumental version that was almost doubled in length in the mix by being dramatically slowed down. FLAC
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The Champs - Caramba

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The Champs Caramba / Moonlight Bay London HLH 8864 (1959) The Champs were an American rock and roll band, most famous for their Latin-tinged 1958 instrumental single "Tequila". The group took their name from that of Gene Autry's horse, Champion, and was formed by studio executives at Autry's Challenge Records to record a B-side for the Dave Burgess single "Train to Nowhere". The intended throwaway track became more famous than its A-side, as "Tequila" went to number one in just three weeks. Within a few months of being put together some of the band clashed and two members left.  They were replaced by Jimmy Seals and Dash Crofts (and piano player Dean Beard was added).  Seals and Crofts themselves went on to later success as a soft-rock duo. The band attempted with this 45 to continue the Latin infused "Tequila" sound but it was not quiet good enough to have the same success.  Although they released several further 45s none saw the success...
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The Temptations - All I Need

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The Temptations All I Need / Sorry Is A Sorry Word Tamla Motown TMG 610 (1967) Released on Gordy in the States and Tamla Motown here in the UK, this was the first Temptation's 45 that was not produced by Norman Whitfield.  Production duties fell to his protégé Frank Wilson. The title track was written by Frank Wilson along with Eddie Holland and R. Dean Taylor.  The flip was written by Eddie Holland along with Ivy Jo Hunter who also produced the track.   Both tracks are very similar to the songs written by the main Motown song-writing and production team of Holland-Dozier-Holland. "All I Need"  was also recorded the following year by Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers and there is also a slower version recorded in 1971 by The Supremes with Jean Terrel on lead vocals. This particular 45 failed to chart in the UK but did ok in the States reaching #8 on the Billboard Top 100. FLAC
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Catatonia - I Am The Mob

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Catatonia I Am The Mob blanco y negro NEG107CD (1997) Another post from the Welsh band Catatonia. Having formed in 1992, by the time of this release the band were attracting lots of attention being placed in the up and coming britpop scene with Cerys Matthews (the lead singer) gaining lots of press being a leading figure in the "Cool Cymru" movement. This CD Single was released in October 1997 and reached #40 in the UK charts, their second single to reach the top 40.  The single should have done better but suffered from a lack of radio airplay as the lyrics were supposedly considered at the time as not being radio friendly.  The intro to the track is a short sample from a discussion on bullying lifted from the Jenny Jones American talk show. The track also appears on the album "International Velvet" which was released in 1998. FLAC
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