Penfro Sounds

The Selecter On My Radio / Too Much Pressure 2 Tone CHS TT 4 (1979) The Selecter's 1st single had been "The Selecter", a split single with Special AKA's Gangsters. Off the back of that 45 and also after supporting The Specials on tour, they were signed to 2 Tone and given £1,000.00 to record this 45. Recorded at Coventry's Horizon Studio the band at first did not want to record this as a single but were persuaded by Roger Lomas who was the producer.  The song is noted for its unusual 7/4 time signature, instead of the common 4/4, which lead singer Pauline Black says was "because we just didn't know the rules".  The flip side and a track entitled "Street Feeling" were recorded at the same session. The song reached #8 in the UK charts. CHS TT 4

Prefab Sprout Lions In My Own Garden (Exit Someone) / Radio Love Kitchenware SK4 (1983) Prefab Sprout are an English band who rose to fame in the 1980s. Formed by the brothers Paddy and Martin McAloon in 1978. The first 45 release was on their own Candle record label in 1982; this here is the 1983 re-issue on Kitchenware Records. The song title came about as Paddy wanted a song where the first letters of the words spelled out Limoges, the French city where his then girlfriend was studying. Music journalist Stuart Maconie described the title track as "enigmatic, melancholy, tuneful and therefore perfect for a jobless literature graduate with girlfriend problems" Another important member of the band is Wendy Smith (keyboards and vocals) who joined after this 45 was released. SK4

John Lee Hooker Mai Tai / Don't Be Messing Around With My Bread Planet PLF 114 (1966) Not a great deal of information exists regarding this recording.  Issued in Germany on the Hit-Ton Schallpatten label (HT 300010) , it was issued here in the UK on the Planet label which was a short lived label founded by the producer Shel Talmy. Born in 1920 (or it could be 1912 or 1915 or 1917; his birth year has been a matter of debate for some time but John often stated it was 1920), John's career began with his first record in 1949 (Boogie Chillenon, a 78 shellac on the US Modern label) and he became a well known figure on the R&B scene. In 1962 he toured Europe as part of the American Folk Blues Festival and the exposure saw his first UK chart single in 1964 with "Dimples". In the mid 60s he began recording with several rock bands starting with The Groundhogs.  Prior to this release, two 45s were released on the Planet label credited to John Lee's Groundhogs.   PLF 114

The Sweet Hell Raiser / Burnin' RCA Victor RCA 2357 (1973) Starting life as The Sweetshop they shortened their name and adopted glam rock to become one of the best known bands of the 1970s. The best known line-up was lead vocalist Brian Connolly, bassist Steve Priest, guitarist Andy Scott and drummer Mick Tucker.  Initial 45 releases were very much bubblegum pop which, while providing the chart hits, was not the sound the band wanted.  As they evolved and were given more control their sound became heavier and this could be heard especially on many of their album tracks. This single written by the song writing duo Mick Chapman & Nicky Chinn, released in April 1973 hit #2 in the UK charts.  The flip side written by the band is a heavy guitar driven track that owes a lot to Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song. RCA 2357

The Specials AKA Nelson Mandela / Break Down The Door! 2 Tone CHS TT 26 (1984) The Specials AKA were formed back in 1977 and were the leaders of the UK ska revival.  By the time of this single the band's line-up had changed with lead singer Terry Hall having left in 1981 (to form the Fun Boy Three) Vocals on this single were performed by Stan Campbell who, just as the single was released, also parted ways with the group. He was however persuaded to front the band on two live appearances on the BBC Top Of The Pops programme. Written by band member Jerry Dammers who admitted that just prior to writing the song he had no idea who Nelson Mandela was and at the time not many people outside South Africa knew of him.  He had he in the early 80s been labelled a terrorist by the British Conservative government .  Dammers attended an anti-apartheid concert in London in 1983 which gave him the idea to write the song.  The song had an almost immediate worldwide impact including ...

Johnny Jones And The Casual Kings Purple Haze Brunswick BR 37 (1976) This 45 was released in 1976 with 2 tracks that were popular on the UK Northern Soul scene. Johnny Jones recorded his soul version of Jimi Hendrix's Purple Haze in 1968.  The band was formed in 1962 by Jimi Hendrix and bassist Billy Cox after they were discharged from the army.  Johnny Jones joined 1964 as Jimi's replacement when Jimi embarked on the next stage of his career.  Based out of Nashville the band were active throughout the 60s including a stint as the house band for the local TV show Night Train.  On the flip side is Fred Hughes, a soul singer who originated from Arkansas.  He relocated to Compton, California and recorded this track in 1970.  The track is one of several 45s he released during the period 1965-1971. In the UK this single was withdrawn as Brunswick's licence for Purple Haze had expired.  Purple Haze was then released on Cream Records. BR 37

B.B. King Sweet Thing / Soul Beat Kent K 45x475 (1967) Born in 1925, B.B. King had his 1st 45 released back in 1951 (his 1st shellac release was in 1949).  By the time this 45 was issued he had released over 80 singles and had established himself as one of the premier players in his field. A straight guitar lead blues number this 45 demonstrates his sophisticated playing and vocal style. The flip is a solid instrumental. Earning the nickname "King Of The Blues" he is considered one of the most influential blues musicians of all time. K 45x475

Tenpole Tudor Wunderbar / Tenpole 45 Stiff Buy 120 (1981) Tenpole Tudor were a punk band fronted by Eddie (Edward) Tudor-Pole. The band (and in particular Eddie) were first noticed when he appeared in the Sex Pistols' film The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle and on three of the singles released from the soundtrack. At one point (prior to the band folding) he was touted as a replacement singer for Johnny Rotten (John Lydon).  Initially releasing a 45 in 1980 on Korova Records, this was their 3rd single on Stiff Records and it reached #16 in the UK charts. As well as his musical career Eddie has appeared in numerous film roles including Sid and Nancy, Harry Potter and Les Misérables. He also fronted the TV show The Crystal Maze for 28 episodes in the 1990's. BUY 120

Frank Sidebottom The Magic Of Freddie Mercury And Queen In Tape IT 045 (1987) Christopher Mark Sievey (25 August 1955 – 21 June 2010) was an English musician, comedian and artist known for fronting the band the Freshies in the late 1970s and early 1980s and for his comic persona Frank Sidebottom from 1984 onwards. The Frank Sidebottom character first appeared on an untitled 1984 EP by Chris Sievey & the Freshies, in a spoken-word track wherein Frank talks to Sievey. The character was instantly recognisable by his large spheroidal head, styled like an early Max Fleischer cartoon and his sharp suits. Portrayed as an aspiring pop star from the small village of Timperley, near Altrincham. His character was cheerfully optimistic, enthusiastic, and seemingly oblivious to his own failings. Although supposedly 35 years old (the age always attributed to Frank irrespective of the passage of time), he still lived at home with his mother, to whom he made frequent references. His mother was app...

Frank Kelly And The Hunters  Send Me The Pillow / 'Cept Me Fontana 267242 TF (1962) Originating from a farm in Tichfield, Hampshire, 19 year old Frank Hunter was signed by Fontana and entered the studios on 4th September 1962 to record this 45. Written in 1949 by Hank Locklin this C&W standard has been covered by several artists including Jerry Lee Lewis, Dolly Parton, Dean Martin and Dwight Yoakam. This 45 was not a hit however the band did go on to have three other 45s on the Fontana label before disappearing in 1964. 267242 TF

Neil Diamond Solitary Man / Do It London HLZ 10049 (1966) Released in 1966 on Bang Records in the US and London here in the UK, this was his first 45 release in the UK (his 4th 45 Stateside).   Two versions of the song were recorded, one version had his harmonic vocal track on the refrain of the song, along with accompaniment by a wordless female chorus. The other version was him singing the song alone, without his pre-recorded harmony or the female chorus.  The latter version appears on many reissues of this song. In a 2005 article for Rolling Stone magazine Dan Epstein wrote;  Solitary Man' remains the most brilliantly efficient song in the Diamond collection. There's not a wasted word or chord in this two-and-a-half minute anthem of heartbreak and self-affirmation, which introduced the melancholy loner persona that he repeatedly returned to throughout his career. *****