Rock 'n' Roll 222 Items

Born in early 1966 as a garage band playing heavy covers by the Rolling Stones, the Byrds, the Who, and the Animals, the Fringe conquered Toronto’s coolest hippie clubs in 1967 with their underground psych vibe. In 1968 they scored a national hit and blasted across Western Canada with their psychedelic light show and transcendent songs like “Token for My Mind,” “Plastic People,” and “Executive Dream,” culminating in a spotlight appearance on CBC TV’s Let’s Go! teen show and at a Love-In festival. Now for the first time on vinyl – all 11 of their 1967-68 trippy songs in glorious mono, including everything on their mega-rare promo EP. Sourced from the original analog tapes. 500 copies, in deluxe gatefold jacket. Includes 12-page booklet insert with interviews, lyrics, unseen photos, charts, clippings and more.

2023 repress
"Indonesian Hard, Psychedelic, Progressive Rock and Funk: 1970-1978
The untold story of indonesia’s various underground 70s musical scenes; extensive liner notes,
photographs and ephemera; fully restored and remastered audio; officially licensed.
The progressive music scenes in 1970s Indonesia were largely underground as a result of strict censorship imposed by the dictator Suharto.
Those who performed music marked by relentless fuzz, over the top, politically charged lyrics, strong rhythms and a cranky low-fidelity were truly
rebellious. And the resulting output has been largely – outside of the confines of this island nation – unheard or ignored. Indonesia, based in large
part on the restrictions imposed by Suharto, is better known for the coffee it exports than the music it creates. This situation hasn’t been remedied
by the rough-hewn Indonesian bootlegs that dotted the psychedelic landscape over the past five years.
Thanks now to the tireless – and expensive – research of Canadian hip hop producer and Southeast Asian music specialist Jason “Moss” Connoy
- and the trust that Indonesian rock legend Benny Soebardja placed in Now-Again Records as he traversed his homeland’s islands securing the
rights necessary for us to offer you this anthology - we feel like we can, in good spirits and conscience, shine the light on some of the most
impressive organizations to offer their take on the psychedelic and progressive rock and funk sounds during the early shocking, shaking days of
Suharto’s regime."

Tri-Color-Vinyl.The bastard love child of Elvis and Lux Interior, Israeli guitarist Charlie Megira brewed a heady amalgam of '50s trash rock, surf-y tremolo, and reverb-drenched goth during his all-too-brief 44 trips around the sun. He recorded seven albums worth of material in 15 years, primarily issued on CD-R, most of which is now unreadable or in a landfill. Armed with only an Eko guitar, a black tuxedo, and his signature wrap-around shades, Charlie Megira was a mold-breaking artist who disintegrated while we were all staring at our phones.On his 2000 debut, Da Abtomatic Meisterzinger Mambo Chic, Megira channels the optimism of post-war America, narcoleptic surf, and the Twin Peaks soundtrack into a lo-fi masterpiece all his own. Sung in both Hebrew and English, Mambo Chic moves at a deliberate pace, unconcerned by the traffic of the modern world and wrapped in a blanket of Tascam 4-track hiss. On "Tomorrow's Gone" Megira achieves the feat of being so far back in time that he's somehow living in the future and waiting for the rest of us to arrive.

Julissa, the Woman Who Was Censored in Mexican Rock! Rock and Roll in Mexico had an impact practically all over the world, yet it was never free from censorship. Several songs made it to the radio, and among them was the track "Ven Cerca," performed by Los Spitfires and their singer Julissa. Julissa entered the entertainment industry at a very young age, as she was only 13 years old when she started singing with The Spitfires, a rock and roll group formed by her brother Luis on bass, Juan Ramón Sordo on drums, José Luis de la Huerta, and Manuel González Galindo, better known as Johnny Dynamo, on guitars. Los Spitfires, a band originating from Mexico City and formed in 1960, were one of five winning groups in a contest organized by CBS Columbia and the Radio Éxitos station, held in November of that same year. Los Escupefuego were the runners-up, as first place went to Los Hooligans, who, in addition to recording an album, would also appear in a movie. The other groups that won the opportunity to record an album with CBS were: Los Loud Jets, Los Blue Caps, and Los Sparks. Los Spitfires only recorded two tracks: "Loco Amor" and "Ven Cerca," Spanish versions of Paul Anka's "Crazy Love" and Johnny Restivo's "Come Closer." Although these songs are not widely known, except among true fans, they serve as a reference to the early rock being made in Mexico during that time. At the time, all rock musicians were copying foreign hits, including the musical arrangements, and simply translating the lyrics into Spanish. For Julissa, this task wasn't difficult, as she was fluent in English. "Ven Cerca" ("Come Closer") with its highly suggestive lyrics, was the first song she recorded with her group. She translated the lyrics exactly as Johnny Restivo sang them in English. It began like this: "Come closer, just a little bit closer, because I want to hug and kiss you, come closer." Julissa sang it with whispers and sighs, and with the microphone so open, all her breaths and gasps sounded like genuine moans. Very soon, the record was pulled from the market. Interestingly, she had no idea what those suggestive expressions implied, as she was almost still a child. That record 45s it is very difficult to find and is a rare piece sought after by collectors from around the world!

A few years back someone released a 10″ boxset comprising of a box, badge, poster and a 10″ lathe cut EP with just 6 tracks taken from the set played at Pukkelpop Festival in Belgium (Aug 26th 1990).

You didn’t get much in the way of music for your hard earned €’s, £’s or $’s….And it was claimed that there were only 10 (?) set’s made.

What you get here is basically the full gig with a great sound pressed on 200 grm coloured vinyl and housed in a high quality, heavy guage sleeve with a beautiful glossy finish. No hand numbering, you can put your own number in up to 100 although it seems 200 have been pressed and what’s more it comes with a fab poster, identical to the poster in the box set !

We’re told only 200 of these were pressed (although a bunch in black no doubt) and we have a couple of boxes coming…As usual it’s a case of 1st come, 1st served.

Is rockabilly perhaps the first white form of rock 'n' roll? It clearly embraces the country component, along with the influence of rhythm & blues, resulting in an explosive mix that never fails to captivate. It's widely known that officially Elvis Presley fired the first shot, recording That's All Right, and Carl Perkins, with Gone, Gone, Gone, alongside Sonny Fisher, with Rockin' Daddy, became the genre's first composers. So its birth could be dated back to 1954, and it was in 1956 when it truly hit the big time on the charts, only to be forgotten in 1957, in favor of a much less savage way to rock. But rockabilly, with its natural rawness, remained there, in the underground, achieving some minor regional success and leaving thousands of wonderful examples of its existence that would later become prized collector's items. Interestingly, in 1956, Eisenhower's interstate highway plan was also born, a turning point in interstate road communications across the USA, which was a genuine revolution for mass population. Two big changes in the same year that we've taken advantage of, to pick up from the roadside of those rock 'n' roll highways a few examples of great 45s, recorded by small record labels that seemed relegated to oblivion. One shot per state, eight record labels, eight different artists, condensing two raw diamonds into the coolest way ever - 8 x 7" 45 rpm wax records box set plus 4 pages 7” booklet! Ready for that Interstate Rockabilly journey?

Desumanos' fresh mixture of guitar driven melodies is as evocative as it is playful.This instrumental project is made up of a dream-team of Brazilian producers and musicians. Kassin, on bass, was member of The +2's band and co-produced Gilles Peterson's Brazilian project Sonzeira, featuring legendary artists such as Elza Soares, Naná Vasconcelos, Wilson Das Neves_ While Liminha, on guitar, is a former member of Os Mutantes. His signature sound is heavily influenced by classic instrumental surf music, but tropical rhythms are also dropped in the mix. The band is completed with Felipe and Manoel Cordeiro (on guitar), one of the lambada originators, and Stephane San Juan (drums), currently playing with David Byrne.Across the tracklist of this Desumanos debut album we can find a unique combination of musical styles that are all filtered through the sieve of instrumental surf music without losing their roots anchored in tropical sounds such as cumbia, African rhythms and, of course, popular genres from Brazil such as forró or lambada. Ten original songs in which the guitar is the undisputed protagonist and the tropical atmosphere emanates through each note.

What we got here is the Gene Vincent EP "Rainy Day Sunshine" released for the very first time ever using the original analog audio session tapes. The four songs on this EP were originally recorded in 1969 as self-financed demo by Gene Vincent himself when he was shopping for a record deal. But don't let the word "demo" fool you. These are professionally made recordings with obviously professional musicians - even though we don't know who each one of them is - of well-arranged songs. Gene Vincent was no longer a trendsetter in the 1960's. But he definitely followed the trends of the day instead of giving up and becoming a golden oldies act, as his last four albums made before his premature death demonstrate. So do these four charming recordings.

The Vampisoul chicas are back. And for the third time. And, although collectors and connoisseurs have never stopped playing the songs by these Spanish female singers, here they are again, sounding as vibrant as they did half a century ago. Because these children of their times, the musical decades of the 60s and 70s covered by this compilation, boldly ventured into the limited spaces of freedom open to female artists back then. And they did so with attitude, in search of the right repertoire, proudly presenting new, daring personal projects often breaking away from the demure tone adopted by mainstream local female singers. And they were canny about it too. Realizing that the censors working back would just listen to the song that the record company flagged up as the listening target on the A side and not bother to flip the single over, they recorded many of their racier songs on the B side. That exciting dark side of singles, which have long tempted collectors. Lacking the freedom and visibility enjoyed today, these daring records by these female singers went as far as they could and a few managed to go beyond. The songs on this compilation tell everyday stories, narrating small socio-musical conquests revolving round the enduring theme of young love. Sass, sex, boy-girl rivalry, the defense of liberating women's fashion and, saying what women think loud and clear, all characterize these grooves. Performed in a variety of musical styles ranging from ye-yé, twist, disco, beat, popcorn, flamenco pop to Northern Soul, and, even more surprisingly, sung in an everyday, natural and self-assured tone that must have ruffled some feathers. As in previous volumes of "¡Chicas!", this third compilation includes female singers from outside Spain but whose career, their decision to sing in Spanish or their long tours and local stays, and occasionally permanent residence, meant their albums were created, recorded or produced here in Spain. It's a winning proposition for everyone. Take the band Los Bravos,...

Wailing and thrashing around the melody like candy-fueled maniacs, The Little Bits pack a punch so savage it makes appropriately aged teen rockers hopped up on testosterone and intoxicants sound like they're phoning it in. This is the real deal ' Cajun country's untamed youth. Featuring their killer single and nine newly discovered tracks!

Elvis Presley starred in over 30 movies during his short time on earth. Most of them musicals, accompanied by iconic soundtracks by The King. In the first half of the sixties, three of Presley’s soundtrack albums were ranked number one on the pop charts, and a few of his most popular songs came from his films, such as “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and “Return to Sender”.

This album is a return to the collaborations of Moar with unreleased versions on vinyl and also rare tracks. You will find the boom bap flavor that he likes so much in his hip-hop productions and also some names familiar to the label Trad Vibe! 10 tracks with delicious flavors that will make you travel in time all produced by Moar and his faithful MPC & Sp1200

Mod revivalists the Merton Parkas formed in the anonymous neighbourhood of Merton Park, southwest London, with Danny Talbot on vocals and guitar, brot- her Mick on keyboards, Neil Hurrell on bass, and future Wedding Present drummer, Simon Smith. Discovered by punk journa- list Alan Anger, they signed to Beggar’s Banquet in 1979 for this riveting debut, which included the top-40 single, ‘You Need Wheels,’ as well as power-pop ‘Plastic Smile’ and reggae-influenced ‘Give It To Me Now.’ This brilliant LP captures the band’s dynamic start, emphasising the glory days of their short-lived grea- tness, before Mick Talbot joined Dexy’s Midnight Runners and ultimately formed the Style Council with Paul Weller.

After the success of Keb Darge’s 2023 Ace Rockabilly compilation (chd 1637) the legend returns with another collection of music close to his heart.

On “Keb Darge Presents The Best Of Ace Sixties Garage Punk” the smooth-headed maestro pulls open his curtains to reveal a selection of US garage stompers from the 60s. “Though there are a couple of “never before on vinyl” tunes here for serious collectors, this compilation is aimed at those folk who are just getting into it,” states Keb “I have picked a selection of my favourites from the nice cheap and easy to find stuff up to the four figure and bloody hard to find stuff.” Artists like the Hooterville Trolley, the Litter, the Music Machine, the Venturie 5, the Lyrics and the Nightcrawers reflect back light towards British invasion bands like the Who, the Kinks and the Rolling Stones, home-grown garage flowers and the dark end of the psychedelic street. Laced with fuzzed guitar, enthusiasm, a driving beat and an attitude that was proto-punk this music remains fresh and is already being embraced by a new generation.

With liner notes from Keb and housed in a sleeve by Robin Banks −who also did the artwork for Keb’s Rockabilly compilation − this is an essential purchase.

Joyce Harris was born in Kentucky in 1939 and moved to New Orleans with her family when she was 13 years old. Harris learned to play guitar, write songs and was soon performing duets with her younger sister Judy. They released three singles – ‘He’s The One’ / ‘Hey Pretty Baby’, ‘Washboard Sam’ / ‘Nursery Rock (Beedle De Bop)’ and ‘Hey Little Baby’/ ‘Rock And Roll Kittens’ – as Judy and Joyce in 1958. When her sister got married, Harris spent a year singing in restaurants in Mexico and a first solo single ‘It’s You’ / ‘The Boy In School’ was released on New York’s U.T. Records at the end of 1959. A talent spotter saw her in Mexico and was impressed enough to secure her an audition with the Austin, Texas-based Domino label. Harris was soon in the studio with Tommy Kaspar and Don Burch of Domino’s vocal quartet, the Slades, to record ‘I Cheated’ / ‘Do You Know What It’s Like To Be Lonesome?’ (r-903) in October 1960. ‘No Way Out’ / ‘Dreamer’ (r-905) followed in January 1961 and sold strongly enough to be licensed to Infinity Records. On 7 April 1961, Harris performed ‘No Way Out’ live on TV on American Bandstand. Three more singles would be issued on different labels between 1963 and 1966.

Elvis Presley’s self-titled debut album forever changed popular culture on release in 1956, its earthquake aftershocks still felt some 65 years later. Gritty adaptations of Carl Perkins’ ‘Blue Suede Shoes,’ Ray Charles’ ‘I Got A Woman’ and Little Richard’s ‘Tutti Frutti’ helped make it the first Rock ‘n’ Roll album to top the Billboard charts, where it remained unchallenged for a full ten weeks. The iconic cover image with its distinctive lettering, showing Presley brandishing his acoustic guitar, helped embed the instrument in rock mythology too, indelibly changing how we conceive of the genre and its axemen. Elvis Presley proved that our hero was already the undisputed King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, just as he still is today.

A rock'n'roll band consisting of ROY (Vo,B), Taxman (G,Vo), JIM (G), and Marcy (Dr), who have been classmates since their college days. Their songs are sublimated from their beloved Rhythm & Blues/Rock 'n' Roll roots. The band's style of all-English lyrics has earned them a strong following not only in Japan but also overseas. The Bawdies brings Garage Punk Freaks the Garage Punk of 2022 with their brand-new 4-track EP!!

Includes four bonus tracks.

Farnak. The inspirational nihilist and perpetual droog is the sound of bedroom rock experimentations and insightful lyricism in this 7" single. Lend your ears a listen and give yourself a break.

After the success of Keb Darge’s 2023 Ace Rockabilly compilation (chd 1637) the legend returns with another collection of music close to his heart.

On “Keb Darge Presents The Best Of Ace Sixties Garage Punk” the smooth-headed maestro pulls open his curtains to reveal a selection of US garage stompers from the 60s. “Though there are a couple of “never before on vinyl” tunes here for serious collectors, this compilation is aimed at those folk who are just getting into it,” states Keb “I have picked a selection of my favourites from the nice cheap and easy to find stuff up to the four figure and bloody hard to find stuff.” Artists like the Hooterville Trolley, the Litter, the Music Machine, the Venturie 5, the Lyrics and the Nightcrawers reflect back light towards British invasion bands like the Who, the Kinks and the Rolling Stones, home-grown garage flowers and the dark end of the psychedelic street. Laced with fuzzed guitar, enthusiasm, a driving beat and an attitude that was proto-punk this music remains fresh and is already being embraced by a new generation.

With liner notes from Keb and housed in a sleeve by Robin Banks −who also did the artwork for Keb’s Rockabilly compilation − this is an essential purchase.

This is the debut album from this new band lead by singer and piano player Andreu Ros. It includes 12 original songs on which they display their passion for 50’s rock and roll and 60’s pop. A fresh approach to classic sounds that will make you fall in love with their music.

By the late summer of 1963, Reprise Records — the independent record label founded by Frank Sinatra three years earlier — had run into a few financial difficulties, partly because the label hadn't produced any major chart hits, and was purchased by Warner Bros. Morris "Mo" Ostin, Reprise's vice-president and general manager, had brought in "whiz kid" producer Jimmy Bowen in 1963. Bowen's main job, at least in the beginning, was to produce hits for some of the younger Reprise acts, including a brand-new recording artist, arranger/producer Jack Nitzsche. Those Bowen-produced Reprise singles, released under Jack Nitzsche's own name between July 1963 and October 1965, were compiled together for the first time and released by Hanky Panky Records on “The Reprise Singles 1963-1965.” The focus of this new collection is the work of Jack Nitzsche as arranger and producer for those hopeful Reprise acts, from 1963 to 1969. The number of records supervised, one way or another, by Nitzsche in this time - not only for the Reprise and Warner Bros. labels, but for myriad others -- is simply amazing. Many of them were assembled for the first time by Ken Barnes for a legendary interview with Nitzsche in the Winter ‘76/77 issue of Who Put the Bomp! magazine, entitled “The Arranger As Superman.” The aim of the compilers for this specific collection was to include some of the harder-to-find titles from Nitzsche's Warner/Reprise legacy, along with a few favorites and must-haves, with track-by-track annotation by Barnes himself. Most of the selections feature the talents of the Wrecking Crew regulars as backing musicians, as Nitzsche applies his magic to songs written by David Gates, Ellie Greenwich, Carole King and Gerry Goffin, P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri, Sharon Sheeley and Jackie DeShannon, Sonny Bono, Hal David and Burt Bacharach, Randy Newman, Harry Nilsson and the Everly Brothers themselves, among others! The amount of talent in the grooves is staggering, encompassing the decade’s forever-changing musical landscape.

Eighteen tracks, from harder-to-find titles to must-haves, some of them unavailable since their original release! Four-page insert includes notes and track-by-track annotation by Ken Barnes, with rare photographs and ephemera.

XYZ = the transatlantic (USA/France) duo made of Ian Svenonius (singer extraordinaire with Escape-ism, Chain & the Gang and the legendary Make-Up) on vocals + Memphis Electronic (Dum Dum Boys, NON!) on instruments. Fuzz guitars! Drum machines! Analog synths! Groovy Glam! Sexy soul! Dancefloor rockers! FIVE hit singles on one 12", a real "5 Stars EP

You may recognise this fine fellow as the bass player for such acts as Spoon, Lee Fields' Expressions, Reigning Sound and The Jay Vons. Or perhaps you've heard the man himself wailing away on several well-received 45's released on Wick Records and compiled on the digital EP 'Hey Lovers'.

With 'Do You Still Think of Me?', his debut album for Wick Records, Trokan takes the listener through the full spectrum of 60s influenced music: the moody teen-beat bop of 'Save a Place', the garage dwelling angst of 'Nowhere to Be Found', to the sweet soul sound of the title track. But throughout the records, it's the unique sound of Benny's raspy, vulnerable lead vocal that carries us across this truly stunning collection of modern pop. 'Do You Still Think of Me?' is a breath of fresh air from a well-seasoned veteran. Unquestionably worth the wait.

You may recognise this fine fellow as the bass player for such acts as Spoon, Lee Fields' Expressions, Reigning Sound and The Jay Vons. Or perhaps you've heard the man himself wailing away on several well-received 45's released on Wick Records and compiled on the digital EP 'Hey Lovers'.

With 'Do You Still Think of Me?', his debut album for Wick Records, Trokan takes the listener through the full spectrum of 60s influenced music: the moody teen-beat bop of 'Save a Place', the garage dwelling angst of 'Nowhere to Be Found', to the sweet soul sound of the title track. But throughout the records, it's the unique sound of Benny's raspy, vulnerable lead vocal that carries us across this truly stunning collection of modern pop. 'Do You Still Think of Me?' is a breath of fresh air from a well-seasoned veteran. Unquestionably worth the wait.

Deluxe vinyl reissue of The Meteors' 2012album!

A rock'n'roll band consisting of ROY (Vo,B), Taxman (G,Vo), JIM (G), and Marcy (Dr), who have been classmates since their college days. Their songs are sublimated from their beloved Rhythm & Blues/Rock 'n' Roll roots. The band's style of all-English lyrics has earned them a strong following not only in Japan but also overseas. This is the 8th major album, the first major album in about two years since the previous "Section #11".

(vinyl 150 gram, 500 copies)NYC-Texas based FIREWORKS delivered during the 90s some of the most brutally loud and distorted swamp-noise-psychobilly.FIREWORKS were lead by Darin Lin Wood, who's signature was involved, among other projects, with Black Snakes or Blacktop, for example. 15 years ago, and after releasing their debut album on cult label Crypt, FIREWORKS recorded and released only on CD format and only in the USA this 2nd album where they developed further their sound going further to what seemed to be unreachable levels of swampy trash feedback. This album, released now for the first time on vinyl by BANG! Records, makes you feel like Pussy Galore are covering The Scientists and The Cramps on a psycho bad trip of metallic rusted scrap.This will make your ears bleed, mate...

Limited Edition for Record Store Day 2022.

No one knows summer like Santa Monica's Zach Yudin. "Can you hear it comin'?" he asks, at the start of "Cayucos", the opening salvo by his band Cayucas. With a nod to 60's beach blanket pop gems and bonfire folk songs, Cayucas hits the waves runnin', causing involuntary head bobs, finger snaps, toe-taps and the ability to shake your booty like it's strapped to a brand new set of maracas. Producer/multi-instrumentalist Richard Swift deftly captures Yudin's inimitable voice as it echoes through the barrel of the perfect wave. It's a song for the ages for sure. The B-side "Swimsuit" continues to carry the torch, with its cocktail-lounge organ flourishes painting a picture of young, carefree days spent pining for your summer love. Enjoy just a hint of the party that's still to come, and let Cayucas take you to your inner sanctum where there's always sunshine, and a Pina Colada is always a good idea. Full length to be released early 2013.

“‘Please Stay’, by The Cryin’ Shames, was the last song by producer Joe Meek to enter the UK Top 40, peaking at No. 26. Released on 18 February 1966, the song should have reached the top, but its progress was held back by the fact that the Decca record label had not pressed enough copies to meet demand. The collaboration should have been long and successful for both of them, but the Cryin’ Shames story is cursed with bad luck and, sadly, within a year of the success of ‘Please Stay’ the band broke up and Joe Meek died. This compilation brings together a first part of the material collected by Cherry Red on the double CD ‘The Tea Chest Tapes’ . The group began as The Bumblies, formed in Liverpool in 1963 by bassist George Robinson and singer Joey Kneen who had previously been in a band called The Calderstones, that included Tom Evans, who later went on to form the group Badfinger. The Bumblies’ name was taken from a television series of the same name featuring Michael Bentine. The rest of the line-up included Charlie Crane (vocals, harmonica), John Bennett (guitar), Phil Roberts (keyboards) and Charlie Gallagher (drums). Charlie Crane would be known in addition as ‘Carl’ or ‘Paul’ to avoid confusion with the other Charlie in the group. Joe Meek didn’t like the band’s choice of name so they changed it to The Cryin’ Shames. Ritchie Routledge replaced Bennett (guitar) after the recording of their debut single ‘Please Stay’. Derek Cleary (bass/guitar) replaced Robinson in time to play on their second single ‘Nobody Waved Goodbye’. After the original Cryin’ Shames fell apart, Routledge and Crane formed a group known as Paul And Ritchie And The Crying Shames with new members Brian Norris (bass), Mike Espie (guitar), Pete Byrne (organ) and Paul Commerford (drums). They released one single, ‘September In The Rain’. The group (as The Bumblies) auditioned for Joe Meek in late October or early November 1965 - the exact date cannot be ascertained because Meek’s tapes contain very little information, and only one or two of the more than seven hundred tapes actually bear a recording date...” (liner notes extracted from the Cherry Red’s booklet made by Mr. Craig Newton)

Saigon Supersound Continues… to present more interesting tunes of a musical era that has long been obscured. With the well-received Volume 1, we are very delighted to dig deeper and share with you the beautiful music of a short but significant period in Vietnam‘s history.
Much like the country itself, the music of Vietnam has endured many twists. As the result of the Geneva Accords in 1954, Vietnam was divided into two. From the North, the Nationalist forces fought to reunite Vietnam as a Communist State, while the American troops backed the government of the South. This caused a mass migration of Northerners to the South, which includes many Tân Nhạc (Modern Music) singers and songwriters. Often characterized by its emotive, poetic and prolific personality, Tân Nhạc continued to freely develop in the South and progressively vacating from the influences of its main inspiration, French music. In the North, the Resistance music, or the so-called Nhạc Đỏ (Red Music), which promoted socialism, patriotism and anti-capitalism was the only genre allowed on national radio. Tân Nhạc was something new to the South Vietnamese repertoire. Between 1954–1960, the theme of hometown (quê hương) was a main inspiration for many songwriters such as Hoàng Thi Thơ, Lam Phương and Nguyễn Hữu Thiết. The 9th title of the compilation, “Thôn Trăng Mở Hội Trăng Tròn” showcases a variety of images that were often described in this genre: the harvest moon, playful children, old mother…
Every recording made in this era is then an organic combination of human experiences, communications and uniqueness. In 1965, the first American troop landed in Vietnam, bringing with them the musical influences of the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley… The Vietnamese people quickly integrated it into the repertoire with hope to further diversify the music of Vietnam. Constantly changing and learning from different cultures, the modern music of Vietnam cuts a window into the soul of a Vietnamese person and the country’s history as a whole. With that, we hope that Saigon Supersound Volume 2 would take you on a trip back to the unique atmosphere of Saigon through the many different palettes of music that this beautiful place offers.