1960s 34 Items

The archetype for the '60s-era girl group was etched indelibly into stone, like a commandment: three pretty girls with matching outfits and bouffant hairdos would sing, with musical backing supplied by a bunch of guys standing in the shadows. The Quatro sisters shattered that archetype forever with the Pleasure Seekers, an all-girl teenage rock & roll group who played all the instruments themselves and were fully capable of wiping the stage with any male band that crossed their path. Pressed on violet vinyl!

It was standard practice in the 1960s for British beat groups to pepper their repertoires with American R&B songs. Formed by five music-loving schools from Blackpool, the Missfits were no exception. Although they group released no records during their time together, for two brief years they were the toast of Blackpool clubland. They played at the same veues as local bands such as the Rockin’ Vickers, including some gigs at the famous Oasis Club in Manchester and at the short-lived Blackpool branch of the Twisted Wheel.

In February 1964, they won a recording test in a talent competition and travelled to London that summer to commit some of their favourite songs to tape. The tape reel was soon forgotten and thought lost but Janet had thankfully kept it safe, enabling the appearance of the four tracks on this 60s-style vinyl EP. Drummer Janet Baily provides lead vocals on their version of John Lee Hooker’s ‘Dimples’, and bass player Pauline Moran sang lead on Bo Diddley’s ‘You Can’t Judge A Book By The Cover’, Chuck Berry’s ‘I’m Talking About You’ and Ray Charles’ ‘What’d I Say’, with guitarists Andrea Hine, Carola Daish and Liz Hall joining in on backing vocals.

Ace Records has been the go-to source of 1960s girl group compilations since the release of our “Where The Girls Are”, “Girls About Town” and “Stop, Look & Listen” vinyl albums back in the 1980s. The 10-volume “Where The Girls Are” CD series followed over the next 30 years or so, along with a number of standalone CD collections. These days, however, the 12-inch long-player is back as the format of choice for discerning collectors.

“Look But Don’t Touch!”, the fourth in our current series of gorgeously packaged vinyl girl group compilations, drops this month. The album opens with the discotheque-friendly ‘Hey, Rocky’ by front cover stars the Shirelles of New Jersey, the USA’s most successful girl group until the Supremes broke through and stole their thunder, and closes with the Bermudas’ ‘Chu Sen Ling’, a record sure to appeal to those who favour the ethereal West Coast sound.

Other highlights include the Hollywood Chicks’ dance craze disc ‘Tossin’ A Ice Cube’ (sic), which marks the recording debut of Barry White (on handclaps); great tracks by the Witches, the Pussycats and Linda Laurie from the catalogue of genius songwriter/producer Bert Berns; Mayalta Page’s densely produced rarity ‘Don’t Worry About Me Baby (I Feel Just Fine)’; and, and for the girl group buff who has everything, ‘He Calls Me Child’ by Ohio duo the 2 Of Clubs and ‘A Dumb Song’ by the soulful Delicates, both of which are previously unreleased.

This pop art combo hailing from Leatherhead, England were known for their outrageous live concert performances and were 'removed' from a tour with The Who in Germany in 1967 when they 'out-Who'd The Who'. Adding fuel to an already high-octane fire they issued a single that same year "Desdemona", written by Marc Bolan, which was banned by the BBC because of the controversial lyric, "Lift up your skirt and fly." Across the pond their American record label delayed the release of their album, Orgasm for four years from its recording date due to objections from Daughters of the American Revolution (yeah, really). John's Children were out and about being a nuisance for less than two years but in that time, they released six singles and one album, but predictably none troubled the Top 30 pop charts. It wasn't until decades later that they were acknowledged for the impact they had on the music scene by some of the more 'hip' and 'cool' types and those failed to chart singles are now worth a considerable number English pounds to serious collectors - Sir Timothy Trott. o Limited Pressing 750 copies on White Vinyl with flip back sleeve o All tracks remastered in 2020 for vinyl. o Features many tracks with a young Marc Bolan on Guitar & Vocals o Lead Singer Andy Ellison will be issuing his Autobiography in 2021 and this release is part of a series of records to tie in with this book. o Some of johns Children's original singles command huge prices on the collector's market o Reviews expected in Record Collector, shindig, Vive le rock.

In that enticing, enthralling school of 1960s “girls with guitars”, Goldie & the Gingerbreads are top of the class. Self-contained and accomplished as instrumentalists, with an eminently soulful vocal prowess, the Gingerbreads remain true pioneers of women in rock’n’roll, and with a fascinating history to boot.

Born in the discotheques of Gotham, Goldie & the Gingerbreads were a popular club act with a handful of recordings under their belt when an admiring Animals caught them on a NYC visit in late 1964. “Imported” into the UK, the group scored a hit with ‘Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat’ and went on to tour with the Rolling Stones, Kinks and others, as well as maintaining a high visibility in the UK on their own. They made several more worthy if unsuccessful discs with producer Shel Talmy before splitting in 1967.

“Thinking About The Good Times” is the first-ever Goldie & the Gingerbreads collection, and it’s a fine testament to their undoubted abilities. Gathering together their sessions for Scepter, Decca and Atlantic, the versatility of the group is quite apparent on tracks that range from chunky beat and R&B (‘Look For Me Baby’, ‘Think About The Good Times’) through dramatic soul balladry (‘That’s Why I Love You’, ‘Little Boy’) to classic girl group sounds (‘Sailor Boy’, ‘Something Beautiful’).

Connoisseurs of 1960s she-pop have been very well served by Ace Records, particularly those with a predilection for American and British artists. But good music, of course, is not exclusive to the English-speaking world, as those familiar with our collections devoted to the female vocalists of Italy will be aware (not to mention similar projects focusing on Japan, France, Sweden, Hungary and Spain). In a country renowned for its song festivals, most notably the prestigious event held annually in Sanremo, highly orchestrated ballads have always been especially popular in Italy. For this celebratory single, however, we present exemplary uptempo decks by Brunetta and Rita Pavone.

Brunetta was one of the first Italian singers to record rock’n’roll. Among her early releases were the appropriately titled “The Explosive Brunetta” and “Ciclone Brunetta” EPs and the frantic ‘Precipito’, which she performed with wild abandon in the film Urlatori Alla Sbarra. New stars Mina and Adriano Celentano also appeared in the movie, so she was in very good company. Fast forward a few lower-profile years, she released the record for which she would become best remembered. Backed by the Balubas combo, she performed the somewhat non-PC ‘Baluba Shake’ at the Pesaro Song Festival in 1966, scooping top prize. These days, the track is an underground dancefloor favourite, original copies of which change hands for a pretty penny.

A collection of guitar-wielding all-girl bands, drop-dead female frat rock, garage girls and axe-centric she-pop from the 60s. 14 hot nuggets, each one hand-picked with vinyl lovers in mind.

Features a bevy of genuine all-girl bands – namely Goldie & the Gingerbreads from the environs of New York; the Debutantes from Detroit; Florida’s the Belles; the Rums & Coke and Girls Take Over, both from Wisconsin; and Ace favourites She from California, all of whom give their male counterparts a good run for their money. The Belles, incidentally, released only one record – a killer rendition of Them’s ‘Gloria’, gender-switched as ‘Melvin’ – before drifting apart, never dreaming that copies of the disc would one day change hands for $500 a pop.

Some of the other girls receive help from male colleagues. Glenda Collins, for example, is backed by producer Joe Meek’s favoured house band the Outlaws featuring guitarist Richie Blackmore; Merseyside ex-pat Sandy Edmonds is accompanied by the Pleazers, New Zealand’s answer to the Pretty Things; and teenage trio the Chymes are supported by the Turtles.

Pressed on 180g transparent violet vinyl, with a swanky inner bag sporting a fact-filled 4,000-word track commentary and an array of rare photos.

Compilation and note by Mick Patrick.

For those who prefer to own their music on vinyl, here is an eclectic and gorgeously packaged selection of American girl group artefacts from the 60s.

The album opens with ‘Whirlwind’ by producer Gary Paxton protégées the Rev-Lons, the trio’s final recording but also their best, and closes with ‘He’s All Right With Me’ by the Mirettes ( the Ikettes incognito). Other highlights include the Supremes-style ‘Cupid’s Got A Hold On Me’ by the Belles; the Sweethearts’ recording of ‘Beauty Is Just Skin Deep’, a song originally intended for the Ikettes; and ‘Summertime Is Surfin’ Time’ by the Surf Bunnies – three more terrific instances of the West Coast girl group sound. But not all the tracks here emanate from that part of the USA – viz ‘Mr Everything’ by New York-based Little Eva Harris and little-heard examples from the Pets, Tren-Teens and Lovettes, all from New Jersey.

Felice Taylor – here with her unissued-at-the-time ‘Sing Me A Love Song’ – graces the eye-popping jacket, which houses a colourful inner sleeve featuring a 3,000-word track commentary and an array of illustrations. Compilation and notes by Mick Patrick.

Comprising soaring big beat ballads, the occasional guitar-driven nugget and other feminine pop gems of the stylish Italian variety, this much-anticipated follow-up to “Ciao Bella!” (one of Ace Records’ best sellers of 2015) offers further proof that there is musical life beyond the shores of English-speaking countries.

“Bellissima! More 1960s She-Pop From Italy” comprises an equal mix of superstars and obscure artists, performing songs of both Italian and overseas origin. Living legend Mina sings ‘Cartoline’, one of several numbers custom-composed by maestro Bruno Canfora to show off her fantastic vocal technique, and her arch rival Milva delivers the stomping ‘Tamburino, Ciao…’, another top-tier Italian original, while highlights of the selections by lesser-known vocalists include ‘È Proprio Inutile’ by Meri Marabini and ‘Il Beat... Cos’è?’ by La Ragazza 77, groovy covers of the Hollies’ ‘You Know He Did’ and Sonny & Cher’s ‘The Beat Goes On’ respectively.

"The events of May ’68 are seen as a turning point in France’s social history - pictures of the barricades are still potent images. Lines were drawn politically, culturally, socially, and pop music was not exempt.

“Paris In The Spring” is a collection of the new music, put together by Saint Etienne’s Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs, that emerged from France between 1968 and the mid-70s, an extraordinary blend of several previously independent strains – French chanson and yé-yé, American jazz and funk, British chamber pop – shot through with the era’s underlying mixture of optimism, uncertainty and darkness. This is the first collection of its kind, released on the 50th anniversary of the Paris uprising.

Serge Gainsbourg – a jazz pianist with a chanson past and a pop present – was in a position to play a key role in soundtracking France in flux over the next five years. His “Histoire de Melody Nelson”, with its heavily atmospheric arrangements by Jean-Claude Vannier, was the acme of this new, unsettling French sound. “Paris In The Spring” includes other equally dazzling Vannier arrangements (for Léonie) and Gainsbourg compositions (for Jane Birkin and Mireille Darc).

Prior to 1968, 60s French pop had been dominated by yé-yé, the country’s unique brand of upbeat pop, a world of primary colours, mini-jupes and discothèques (a French invention, after all). Its stars either faded fast after May ’68 or adapted to the new era: Jacques Dutronc (‘Le Métaphore’) and France Gall (‘Chanson Pour Que Tu M’aimes un Peu’) discovered a moody side they had previously kept hidden, while Françoise Hardy released the Brazilian-influenced, after-hours classic “La Question”, from which we have picked ‘Viens’.

New bands like Triangle emerged, influenced by Soft Machine and Gong who became regulars on the Paris club scene. French library music from Janko Nilovic and film soundtracks (François De Roubaix, Karl-Heinz Schäfer) reflected the era’s edginess. All are represented on “Paris In The Spring”, making it a continental cousin to Stanley and Wiggs’s hugely popular 2017 Ace compilation “English Weather”..
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To meet the standards of Analogue Productions, our Beach Boys album reissues had a mission to achieve: Present the band's music the way that Brian Wilson — famed co-founder, songwriter and arranger — intended. Mono mixes created under Wilson’s supervision were how the surf rockin’ California crew rose to fame! And we’ve got ‘em!
For the early part of the Beach Boys' career, all of their singles were mixed and mastered and released only in the mono format — they didn't release a single in stereo until 1968. In those days, hits were made on AM radio in mono. And the mono of those times worked well for Wilson, who suffers from partial deafness. In fact, for their first 13 albums, Wilson originally turned in all the final mixed Beach Boy albums to Capitol Records only in mono. The mono mixes were where Wilson paid intense attention, and the dedication paid off!
We’ve taken 10 of the most classic, best-sounding Beach Boy titles ever and restored them to their mono glory!
But there’s no disputing that the close harmonies and one-of-a-kind rhythms of hits like “Surfer Girl”, “In My Room”, “Little Deuce Coupe” and more lend themselves naturally to stereo. So we’ve got your 2-channel needs covered with prime stereo mix versions as well.
Mastered by Kevin Gray, most from the original master tapes, and plated and pressed by Quality Record Pressings, the finest LP pressing facility in the world, these are awesome recordings to experience. And the look of each album befits its sonic superiority! Presented in 'old school' Stoughton tip-on jackets, these time honored favorites shine brighter than the originals!
"Pet Sounds" is famous for its use of multiple layers of unorthodox instrumentation as well as other cutting edge audio techniques for its time. It's considered the best Beach Boys album, and one of the best of the 1960s. The group here reached a whole new level in terms of both composition and production, layering tracks upon tracks of vocals and instruments to create a richly symphonic sound.
Conventional keyboards and guitars were combined with exotic touches of orchestrated strings, bicycle bells, buzzing organs, harpsichords, flutes, Theremin, Hawaiian-sounding string instruments, Coca-Cola cans, barking dogs, and more. It wouldn't have been a classic without great songs, and this has some of the group's most stunning melodies, as well as lyrical themes which evoke both the intensity of newly born love affairs and the disappointment of failed romance (add in some general statements about loss of innocence and modern-day confusion as well). The spiritual quality of the material is enhanced by some of the most gorgeous upper-register male vocals (especially by Brian and Carl Wilson) ever heard on a rock record. "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "God Only Knows", "Caroline No", and "Sloop John B" (the last of which wasn't originally intended to go on the album) are the well-known hits, but equally worthy are such cuts as "You Still Believe in Me", "Don't Talk", "I Know There's an Answer", and "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times". It's often said that this is more of a Brian Wilson album than a Beach Boys recording (session musicians played most of the parts), but it should be noted that the harmonies are pure Beach Boys (and some of their best).
VH-1 named "Pet Sounds" as the No. 3 album in the Top 100 Albums in Rock 'n' Roll History, as judged in a poll of musicians, executives and journalists. It's been ranked No. 1 in several music magazines' lists of the greatest albums of all time, including NME, The Times and Mojo Magazine. It was ranked No. 2 in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.

Recording: in mono

“If you know the 1968 Eurovision song, or the TV kids cartoons tunes which Claude Lombard sang, it will be hard to believe what's happening there...Beautiful pop songs sung in French by this Belgian maverick (who worked with Luciano Berio) swirling upon wonderful 60's abstract-expressionism orchestrations: chimes and ondes Martenots among lovely dream bass lines and organ drifting, with dreamy use of echoes, reverbs and sometimes electronics.
There are incredibly beautiful songs here, and probably one of the unique example of French songs with really gorgeous, untypical sound work, closer to some UK and US proto-psychedelic orchestration in pop world. It was by the time a complete commercial flop… A shame of course considering the quality of compositions offered here by Claude Lombard herself, who have no shame to feel if one compare the elegance of her work to an inspired and electronic version of Michel Legrand...
Any serious fan of Broadcast or Stereolab will fall in love forever with this true secret gem, to say the least...And no need to mention the kaleidoscopic design of the cover, mesmerizing and perfectly illustrating the content. Masterpiece here? Hell yes! And you can forget about the cartoon tunes of your lazy childhood...” - Emmanuel Holterbach

Technically Dusty’s seventh studio album, See All Her Faces is a collection of tracks from the late 1960s and early 1970s, and released on the Philips label in 1972. The original album was never released in the U.S., though some of the tracks had appeared on singles there.Amongst the many highlights was the bossa nova-influenced title track, another bossa style number, Come for a Dream, co-written by Antonio Carlos Jobim, as well as beautifully. orchestrated pop ballads, like I Start Counting, and a stab at a Motown-style groover Girls It Ain’t Easy. There were also some deeply soulful tracks, echoing her ‘In Memphis’ LP, such as Tony Joe White’s Willie & Laura Mae Jones, as well as featuring songwriting royalty in the shape of Goffin & King’s That Old Sweet Roll (Hi-De-Ho), Jimmy Webb’s album-opener Mixed Up Girland Greenwich and Barry co-writes -What Good Is I Love You and Nothing Is Forever. Bonus tracks - This unique package includes an additional LP of rare tracks, recordings from the shelved ‘Faithful’ album along with out-takes from the original album sessions

Just one word to say: Essential!

“You can’t beat the classics” and in the Northern Soul world, no label is more renowned than Mirwood. The Sheppards ‘Stubborn Heart’ has been played since the early days of the scene but is still a guaranteed floor-filler.

Its flip ‘How Do You Like It’ has also picked up many spins in more recent years. As is our habit, to distinguish from the originals, we have changed the label colour - this time we’ve gone for a fetching purple and gold.

Just one word to say: Essential!

Formed in Los Angeles in 1965, The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band was considered by many to be Calfornia's answer to the Velvet Underground. The group created psych/rock music that was both fragile and dreamy. 'Part One' (the band's second LP!) was originally released in 1967 on Frank Sinatra's Reprise Records. Though band leader Bob Markley and his companions didn't achieve the fame or notoriety of other bands from the area, they have nonetheless achieved cult status among collectors. For the first time, this legendary records gets reissued in MONO, with sound from the original master tapes.

Definitive reissue of Nancy’s debut album Includes the bonus tracks, “The City Never Sleeps At Night” and the previously unreleased “For Some”. Newly remastered from the original analog tapes by GRAMMY®–nominated engineer John Baldwin. Vinyl pressed at RTI Q&A with Nancy and GRAMMY®–nominated reissue co-producer Hunter Lea. Never–before–seen photos from Nancy’s personal archive Beautifully packaged and expanded gatefold LP featuring a 20–page booklet.

“Dumb stuff, as Lee used to call it. Dumb doesn’t mean stupid. It means human and understandable. It was the sound of three guitars, drums, and bass. It was simple, very, very simple. I can still see the room, the studio. With Carol Kaye, Glen Campbell, Donnie Owens… I can still see them all sitting there and chunking away. I guess simple was the best way to explain it, uncomplicated.” – Nancy Sinatra

The 1966 debut million-selling debut LP, introduced the sassy, blonde, go-go booted icon. Built around her Lee Hazlewood-penned hits, “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” and “So Long, Babe,” the folk-rock era milestone album features songs by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Hazlewood and more. The catchy and jangly pop hooks performed by the famed Los Angeles session musicians, The Wrecking Crew and Billy Strange’s innovative arrangements provided the perfect sound to help Nancy capture the attention of the world. The new reissue includes two bonus tracks recorded during the album sessions, the non-album b-side “The City Never Sleeps At Night” and the previously unreleased “For Some.”

Official reissue of the super rare Spanish EP from 1966, one of the holy grails in the Spanish 60s collector circles, and a key title from the female ye-ye scene.

Includes a nice cover of Stones’ “Get off of my cloud”, and the label has used a song from another EP of Sonia, “Si tuviera un martillo”, replacing the weak “Concierto para enamorados” that was on the record originally.



Has a 4-page full colour insert with extensive linernotes (Spanish only!) and some photos.



Limited to 450 hand-numbered copies.

Just one word to say: Essential!

Just one word to say: Essential!