Search "nas+life+is+good" 36 Items

Formed in Edinburgh in 1992, The Kaisers set out to bring the excitement and joi de vivre of the early ‘60s beat era back to the Scottish music scene. Armed with junk shop guitars and tiny amplifiers, they quickly gained a reputation as one of the country’s most exciting live bands, belting out forgotten rock ‘n’ roll gems and their own period-perfect compositions with unsurpassed rawness. As their fame spread, they were soon firing their beat salvos at audiences from America to Japan. The broadcasting authorities took notice and radio sessions for John Peel, Mark Radcliffe and many others followed, both at home and abroad. The Kaisers released seven albums plus many singles and EPs – all on vinyl and always in mono. One EP was recorded during a particularly wild night at New York’s famous Cbgb. Although their records featured plenty of the good-humoured sonic violence that their fans craved, heartfelt yet visceral ballads were never off the musical menu. After a 13 year hibernation, The Kaisers returned to the stage via the festivals circuit and continue to appear at festivals across Europe. The resurgence of interest in the band has led to the writing and recording of a brand-new album ‘More From The Kaisers’.

Linda, you already know her, without really knowing her. Because in 2002, she piloted The beat goes on, DJ Bob Sinclar's house hit. because she directed Gospel pour 100 voix, an XXL choir that filled Bercy several times. It's a big difference, in keeping with the way she embraces music: a matter of emotions and feeling, not labels. A deep love that goes back to the childhood of this American native of North Carolina. When her father's amateur gospel group rehearsed at home, when the microphone was a hairbrush in front of a mirror reflecting a little girl imitating Aretha, Otis and Michael. As a young adult, winning a singing contest in a Pennsylvania club gave her confidence. Linda is gifted at embodying songs and drawing audiences along with her. Word of mouth opened doors for her. Under her spell, several bands recruited her in the seventies, until she set up her own band in 1980. And then she was hired by a musical that ran for several years in Atlantic City. A few years on the Caribbean island of Saint-Martin followed, before a guardian angel extricated her from a nightlife that was beginning to burn her wings. Off to Paris. In June 1991, Linda settled in for good. A godsend for France, its studios and touring artists. Nino Ferrer, Bernard Lavilliers, Gloria Gaynor, Percy Sledge, Ray Charles and many others called on Linda's expertise. As did Ben l'Oncle Soul in 2013 for Hallelujah!!! (J'ai tant besoin de toi), the lead single from his second album "À Coup de Rêves". Ben knew that this treasure of a voice deserved a new light. He introduced her to his great guitarist & accomplice Christophe Lardeau. The collaboration is immediately crystal-clear, naturally fruitful, and the compositions are deep and meaningful. For the first time, Linda has her own album. Drawing on the rich roots of Afro-American music and her own personal experience, "Spirit & Soul" encapsulates all the vitality of a hidden gem that we are at last truly discovering. With a repertoire like this, upcoming concerts promise to be particularly intense moments.

After crisscrossing the nation for the last half-decade looking for a home, Pokey LaFarge found himself in Mid-Coast Maine. Upon arriving, the Illinois-born singer/songwriter/actor pursued a major life change, working 12-hour days on a local farm—a turn of events that catalyzed an extraordinary burst of creativity and redefined his sense of purpose as an artist. Rhumba Country was initially shaped from material that emerged while LaFarge was deep in work on the farm. “I’d be pushing a plow or scattering seeds, and the songs would just come to me,” he recalls. “It was tremendously inspirational and made me realize that apart from singing, farming is perhaps the oldest human art form.” While farming, LaFarge began dreaming up a kaleidoscopic sound informed by his love of music from far-ranging eras and corners of the globe, including mambo, tropicália, rocksteady, and mid-century American rock-and-roll. “The songs that naturally come to me are upbeat and make you wanna dance or at least bop your head—they’re all very colorful,” says LaFarge. “I used to think of my music in dark blue, but now I see it in technicolor.” Co-produced along with Chris Seefried and Elliot Bergman and recorded in L.A., the resulting Rhumba Country is an invitation to come together to celebrate life and love.

After crisscrossing the nation for the last half-decade looking for a home, Pokey LaFarge found himself in Mid-Coast Maine. Upon arriving, the Illinois-born singer/songwriter/actor pursued a major life change, working 12-hour days on a local farm—a turn of events that catalyzed an extraordinary burst of creativity and redefined his sense of purpose as an artist. Rhumba Country was initially shaped from material that emerged while LaFarge was deep in work on the farm. “I’d be pushing a plow or scattering seeds, and the songs would just come to me,” he recalls. “It was tremendously inspirational and made me realize that apart from singing, farming is perhaps the oldest human art form.” While farming, LaFarge began dreaming up a kaleidoscopic sound informed by his love of music from far-ranging eras and corners of the globe, including mambo, tropicália, rocksteady, and mid-century American rock-and-roll. “The songs that naturally come to me are upbeat and make you wanna dance or at least bop your head—they’re all very colorful,” says LaFarge. “I used to think of my music in dark blue, but now I see it in technicolor.” Co-produced along with Chris Seefried and Elliot Bergman and recorded in L.A., the resulting Rhumba Country is an invitation to come together to celebrate life and love.

If one thing seems certain in the realm of downtempo and instrumental hip-hop sounds, it's the arrival of another high quality Bust Free compilation chock full of amazing producers, both known and new. Cold Busted is now issuing Bust Free 22 — yes, the 22nd in the acclaimed series — and it might be the best one yet. These 14 beat-lab concoctions bring out the best in Cold Busted, with previously unheard delights from a global gathering of top notch artists. From Es-K to Sim Nagai, Leo Low Pass & Emapea to DJ Taek — there's much to discover, whether on boomin' systems or cozy earbuds. Highlights include Bay Area beatsmith Nu Vintage and his frequent collaborator, the multi-instrumentalist Pat Van Dyke, exploring the futuristic edges of a beachside hip-hop lounge with the flute-laden feel-good tune "Daylight." Gentle piano, a serene saxophone, and breezy vibes float over tough downtempo beats on "On The Way Home," a delightfully laid back cut from Polish freestyle-footballer turned beat-maker MichRyc. There's "In A Good Mood," sonically shuffling its way out of the '70s and into today's head-nodding beat-zone. Produced by Cologne's Midan, this cut glides by with smooth guitar licks and keyboard melodies, delivering on the promise of its title. Maria Whoat brings some deep heat to bear with the subdued bop of "Between You And Me." Lowdown bass moves, swirling tones and textures, and a tough-as-nails slo-mo drum track recall the trippiest moments of the trip hop canon. Listeners will also uncover "Overpass," a lively and upbeat track from sus9th that proves the old adage that the early bird catches the earworm. An instantly memorable melody guides a percussive rhythm, filtered chords, and percolating synths. Japanese crate digger and turntable maestro Pigeondust ventures to exotic locales with "Nova," a cut that aims to dazzle with bewitching vocal motifs, chiming electric piano chords, and a killer drum beat that's more than ready for prime time. These cuts and more will fulfill any discerning listener's craving for high protein Bust Free beats.

From his first self-released album in 2001, through sixteen more, over thirty singles, and collaborations with the likes of King Khan, Mark Sultan, Jon Spencer, Deke Dickerson, and the 5.6.7.8’s, Bloodshot Bill has parlayed his unique blend of rockabilly, R&B, and garage rock into feverishly prolific productions that tap into the very roots of mutant rock’n’roll. As his reputation has grown, Bloodshot Bill has been deemed a rockabilly wildman, a primitive, a seminal punk, a throwback to the wild ’50s, and the deranged spirit of psychobilly madness. His latest album, Psyche-o-Billy, on Goner Records, exudes raw energy and authenticity via a frenzied, stripped down soundscape that defies all rules and descriptions.

Written during the Covid-19 pandemic and recorded at Bloodshot Bill’s home studio in Montréal, Québec, Psyche-o-Billy is equal parts joyous, moody, plaintive, searching, and deeply steeped in that old weird America documented via the otherworldly tunes captured on Harry Smith’s Anthology Of American Folk Music. “My music is for weirdos,” Bloodshot Bill confirms. “I want ‘em to feel good...or bad… Whatever way they wanna feel!”

“Like Roy Orbison with a head injury!” —John Waters

Legendary international DJ, Keb Darge, fell under the spell of this music when his Japanese girlfriend forced him to go down to a ‘Rockabilly’ night back in 1989. As soon as the DJ dropped the needle on Johnny Burnette’s ‘Rockabilly Boogie’ Keb was mesmerized. He was soon hunting down the hideously rare top tunes and slipping thousands of pounds into specialist collectors like Boz Boorer’s back pocket, when the legendary guitarist was not recording or touring with Morrissey. Of course, Keb was then taking these records and introducing them to new audiences in his DJ sets worldwide.

Although it has taken an age to persuade him, Keb has now applied his perfectionist compiling skills to pick 14 killers to grace this fantastic collection. Ranging from the bopping Glen Glenn’s ‘Blue Jeans and A Boy’s Shirt’ to the almost hillbilly Jimmy Johnson’s ‘All Dressed Up’. This is a must-have compilation not only for those who have been oiling their quiffs for decades, but also those wondering what this “rockabilly” is all about. Keb drops you in at the deep end with no easy-going fillers, and you’ll be glad he did.

Keb has written the sleeve notes and with cover art by the legendary Robin Banks – this album looks as good as it sounds.

Shaghayegh was an Iranian rock band that emerged in the mid-1960s. They only released one EP, which was released under two different labels (Royal and Monogram), both versions rare as hell and go try find one. and their original vinyl records are some real highly rarity. Only four tracks are known to exist from the band, and they were printed on two different labels at the time.

Now it’s reissued thanks to the mighty Juzz label out of Tehran, bringing their garage-beat particular sound to a new life, in a well-cared production, limited to 500 copies in grey vinyl and beautiful cover.

THEODOR is a psychedelic sweet soul band formed by members with diverse musical backgrounds.
Whilst on a road trip to Italy Rob and Lui were listening to tapes of contemporary soul music. The idea was born to record an album channeling a moody and relaxed soundscape. „Right after our trip we called up our good friends Max and Greg, who were immediately on board. We wrote and recorded deep in the pandemic. Those weekend sessions captured this peaceful solitude“ The outcome was their self-titled debut album which will be released in February 2023 on the french label Broc Recordz. The rich sonic texture and unconventional arrangements of their very first single SHEPARD’S LULLABY gives a hint on what is to be expected on their forthcoming LP. THEODOR created a perfect soundtrack for a hot and humid summer day having a magic dash in your twelve o’clock tea. Playful melodic bass lines and the soulful acoustic drums build the playground for the warm and dreamy keys such as farfisa organs, fender rhodes and 80's synths. The lush instrumentals are spiced by the very different yet complementary voices of Max and Lui.

UK rockin psychobilly from the late 80's /early 90's, holding together nearly all they put on record, that is the cold cold sunday single, the caught in a dream EP and the rest of the sessions that conformed the CD version Mental Disorder records put out in the 90's, only recording to stay out due to time limitations has been the Psycho vision 12" EP. This brilliant band could be compared at some points with The long tall texans adding on the rockin psycho sound influences of ska and garage punk. Raucous Records put out in the day their original vinyl recordings and they have become very collectable despite their poor package, The artwork has been newly done and also includes an inlay with a good fistful of never seen before pics , all from the bands private collection, aswell an extensive and very interesting interview done this year with the members, audio has been fully remastered to get the best possible sound out of it.

"from Bern Switzerland the old-school No-Hit Hobo Psycho-Western-Punkabilly Sensation: BOGOS !!!! 1st album Recorded by Zeno Tornado, Punk v/s Ennio Morricone Banjo - ONCE UPON A TIME IN OLD BERN - Have a beer or 10 with me and let me tell you the story of the 4 young barflies, in 2009 near Bern they formed as: "Baseball Bat Boogie Bastards" as an old-school Psychobilly band, 3 young Punks and school friends who were no strangers to wild uncouth rock n' roll around semi-acoustic guitarist Ädu Bogo, double bass player Ritchu Bogo and stand-up drummer Mitchu Bogo crushed 50s rockabilly with country and trash beats from the 60s garage punk area and the simplicity of 70's punk bands into a wild mix of their own, in 2018 they took another step forward and morphed into the no-hit hobo-billy-punk sensation: BOGOS !!!! With Adri, an important component came into the band 'the Banjo from Hell' and they are now committed to Blue Grass Country or Hobo Folk... that was very good for them during the Corona period and they were therefore able to play a lot of acoustics, and with Mitchu Bogo is very active in the Bern scene as concert promoter and with his radio show "Swamp Digger Radio Show" on Radio Rabe the entire recordings and mixings where made by Zeno Tornado at Zeno's Living Room in 2020"12" LP: + Free Download Card CD: comes in double gatefold jacket incl 12 side booklett (no plastic exept the CD)

"After a gap of seven years, Jintana & Emeralds have returned to charm once again with their genre-hopping blend of doo-wop melodies and futuristic electronic productions. Across these ten tracks, the band seek out fragments of beach-pop, surf and soul of the sixties, and feed them into a Japanese built revival machine. P-vine is delighted to be bringing this album to vinyl format in what’s been a year of celebrating past and new for a band who continue to take life in their stride. The celebrations get underway without hesitation on album opener ‘Oh! Southern Wind,’ where hitomitoi’s spell-binding vocals pull down the covers, setting off a hall of swaying melodies and glistening strings as the corkscrews fly. ‘Love Again,’ with a guest appearance from Stones Throw Records’ almighty Los Retros, is an album highlight, and in the context of the record, his vocals take on peculiar likeness to Tetsuro Yamashita as the band deliver a dreamy modern-day city-pop classic.

El Palmas Music are back with a third instalment of rare Venezuelan sounds from the 60s and 70s, a wild trip through salsa, boogaloo, garage rock, jazz and delinquent pop. Venezuelan music was moving at such a pace through the 60s and 70s that almost as soon as a new craze was born, another was preparing to eclipse it. In barely 10 years, musicians latched on to the sound of the Latin big bands of Cuba, New York and Colombia, turned to the 60s pop and rock ‘n’ roll of England and the US, before heading back to salsa as it took root across Latin American, before forays into jazz, psych rock and Afro-Venezuelan rhythms took hold in the 70s. This fertile musical period, coming at a time when Venezuela was economically abundant and culturally as relevant as any other developed country, has always been the focus of the Color de Trópico series, and continues to be the case on this third instalment, though it should also be noted that the tracks are getting rarer and rarer, indicative of the curatorship of DJ El Palmas and El Drágon Criollo and their constant search for new sounds that reflect Venezuela’s musical treasures at this time. Color de Trópico Vol. 3 starts with Un, Dos, Tres Y ... Fuera’s “Aquella Noche”, a song that’s fully indicative of Venezuela’s coastline with the much-loved Un, Dos, Tres Y ... Fuera giving a llanero rhythm (normally played on a harp and other stringed instruments in its rural incarnation) a fully Afro-Caribbean makeover with pulsating bass and an electric keyboard that teases and energises the groove. It possesses some of that same mid-70s vitality and need to experiment as Grupo Vaquedanus, the band of sax maestro Santiago Baquedano, and their cover of Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five”, here fashioned as “Toma Cinco”. This version strips away all the niceties of the original, turning it in to a psych-fuzz jazz romp with Baquedano’s raspy sax leading the way. Step back 10 years and the energy remains even if the musical terrain was different. Girl group Los Pájaros hit hard with a boogaloo whose instruction is simple enough: “shake it baby, kiss for you, take the rhythm, and do the boogaloo”. Los Pájaros were one of a number of groups who were taking inspiration from the 60s sounds of the US and Britain but repackaging it for Venezuelan youth. Pop stars Geminis 5 were at it too with a fuzzy ballad “Tus 16 Años”, and Junior Squad even injected a bit of San Francisco hippy charm into affairs with their loose adaptation of The Turtles “She’d Rather Be With Me”, retitled as “Siempre Para Ti” and sounding as rough, ready and full of youthful vim as anything made north of Mexico. On the farthest end of the pop spectrum is The Pets with their cult hit “El Entierro de un hombre rico que murió de hambre” (“The Burial of a Rich Man Who Died of Starvation”), a true countercultural anthem that even dips into “The Funeral March” for a minute, and which is much desired by record collectors. Finally, we must mention the salsa ensembles and their big band predecessors, always an important element of any Color de Trópico compilation. On Volume 3, we find one of the earliest salsa groups in Venezuela, Los Megatones De Lucho, who recorded a pachanga, “Yo Se Que Tu”, long before salsa was even a thing. Influenced by Venezuela’s very own Los Dementes and Joe Cuba’s sextet, Principe Y Su Sexteto were one of Venezuela’s most prominent salsa ensembles. On their 1969 track “San De Manique” we get a different vibe altogether, it’s a creeping son with just vocals, bass and congas for its opening minute, before really kicking into action with a twisted guitar line and wild percussion, while always retaining a raw, Afro-Latin feel. Last, but not least by any means, is one of Venezuela’s most beloved salseros, Johnny Sede, who pipes up with a classic salsa, “Guararé”, showing how the style had developed in just a few short years. You could accuse El Palmas and El Dragón Criollo, the curators of this collection, as getting some sort of a sick thrill at throwing such a weird and unwieldy bunch of tracks together, and that may be true, but there is logic too. These are songs full of life and creativity that signalled an era of boundless optimism. Listen to them now, and you’ll find yourself feeling those emotions once again.

Ben Vaughn's unstylized singing and guitar is filtered through his quirky sense of humor, resulting a collection of clever lyrics and catchy tunes scented with vintage aroma.It sounds just as fresh today as it did back then and sees now its first reissue in 35 years!The Ben Vaughn Combo blazed the trail for American music that was way off kilter compared to the competition. Their tri-state type Tex-Mex sound really shook things up. Their reputation as a live act grew exponentially with every show they played. Theirs was a twist on the roots rock scare with a reach something like The Fleshtones, outside of the standard 80s ranch stash. The sort of thing that has a tendency to get written out of history despite being timeless, it doesn't easily fit into any premeditated narrative.When "The Many Moods Of Ben Vaughn Combo" appeared in 1986, the Combo literally had the world at its feet. Many of the hits you hear when you see him (and the Quintet) today are on this platter. Long out of print and somewhat sought after, this was the first time that Ben's Rambler car was heard on a record. And not the last.The Andy (then Adny) Shernoff inspired 'I Dig Your Wig' is like The Cramps with a Doug Sahm infusion. The accordion is the secret weapon here. Little used in rock 'n roll and often scoffed at, it allows these songs a setting that your conventional instrumentation would just flatten. Reading the sleeve info you'll see the legend "DEDICATED TO THE GEATOR", a nod to the legendary Philly DJ that inspired Ben to come up with his sound. It sounds just as fresh now as it did back then.Perhaps you're too young to have been around when this record album was first available? Maybe you wore your three copies out? Whatever your story is, these "Many moods_" will lift yours in these perilous times. Don't end up sorry (like Brenda Lee).The man himself (and the aforementioned players) will be revving up their engines for an appearance at Surforama 2022 in Valencia and appearing at other locations a...

Keith's Fifth Solo Album - And His First Self-Produced Effort - 'The Rhythm Of The City' Finds Him Expanding His Approach On A Horn-Heavy 10-Song Collection That's In Thrall To The Classic Sounds Of Bluff City Soul And Rock And Roll. "I Was At My Home In Memphis One Evening And Heard A Car Pass By Blasting Al Green's 'Love And Happiness,' Which Was Recorded Just A Couple Miles Away," Says Singer-Songwriter John Paul Keith. "I Was Struck By How Howard Grimes' Drumming Just Seems To Embody Something About The Feel And The Pace Of Life For Me Here. I Thought To Myself, 'Howard Grimes Is The Rhythm Of The City.' My Next Thought Was, 'That Sounds Like A Title Track.'" Conjuring Up His Own Unique Musical Mélange -A Sweet Spot Where The Sound Of Sun Blues, Stax Soul, And Hi R&B All Meet - It's A Record Steeped In The Geography And Culture Of Memphis, Which Keith Has Called Home For The Last 15 Years. "The Vibe Came About Organically From Playing Beale Street And Graceland And Working With Horn Sections More Frequently The Last Few Years," Says Keith. The Rhythm Of The City Was Recorded To Tape At Electraphonic Studios, And Engineered By Keith's Frequent Collaborator, Scott Bomar (Bandleader Of The Bo-Keys, Don Bryant Producer, And Film Composer For Dolemite Is My Name).

The Wizzz ! saga continues with a fresh selection of 60s and 70s rarities gathered from the unchartered nooks of the French-pop galaxy. Stars, underbosses and unknown artists rub shoulders on this tangy new compilation. Take off on a sonic journey through the starry night of the late sixties. Al Awni Bouarane, better known as Abdelwahab Doukkali, was born on January 1st 1941 in Fès, Morocco. Drawn to the world of arts from his earliest years, he took an interest in theatre, drawing and painting before starting to sing in Casabalanca at the beginning of the sixties. In 1962, he leaves Morocco to settle down in Cairo, where his fame burgeoned. A singer songwriter awarded a number of honorary titles of international significance, he became, through the decades, one of the greatest figures of Middle-Eastern music. His repertoire, mostly traditional, fills the grooves of about twenty albums and some thirty singles. It holds a few surprising gems that bring together his eastern sensibility with the rhythms and harmonies of western rock: a handful of twists at the beginning of the sixties and more particularly the notable Je Suis Jaloux, sung in French and released on the label Philips in 1967. The track, recorded “as a matter of curiosity” according to the singer, is an outsider of the master’s discography. In an interview for the daily Aujourd’hui le Maroc in February 2017 he expressed his regrets for not pursuing a broader career in France: “One day I got to Paris and found people dancing to my song Je Suis Jaloux. Unfortunately I left Paris – that was a mistake. The company I was working with had offered great conditions but I am a child of the sun and the spring; I came across a cold period that lasted and led me to leave this city I still dream about”. Today Abdelwahab Doukkali shares his time between singing and painting and lives in Casablanca. Tom – a crepuscular mid-tempo with a touch of Soul produced for Barclay in 1968 – is François Bernheim’s first solo release. The arrangements are the work of Jean-Claude Petit, the recording was carried out by Bernard Estardy while the finest of French studio musicians played the instruments: Francis Daryzcuren on the bass (he appeared on Brigitte Bardot’s Harley Davidson, Le Sud by Nino Ferrer…), Marc Chantereau on the drums (Alexandrie, Alexandra by Claude François, Quelque chose de Tennessee by Johnny Hallyday, Je suis venu te dire que je m’en vais by Serge Gainsbourg…), and playing the six-string Sylvano Santorio (conductor for Jacques Brel) as well as Jean-Pierre Martin (stage guitar player for Johnny Hallyday). The session, held at the CBE studio of Paris’ rue Championnet, tests the young singer’s nerves who out-does himself in a vocal performance of great intensity. And yet, François Bernheim’s musical career had been flourishing for some time: as a youngster he had joined the Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois, a choir for which he was made soloist at the age of 10. Without any formal musical background, he starts learning the guitar by himself at age 14 and, like many musicians of his generation, trains to the instrumentals of the Shadows or the Fantômes, then to the Beatles. He later evolves as a vocalist and songwriter with Roche-Martin along the Sanson sisters, Véronique and Violaine, met while they were singing on a beach. The band, produced by Michel Berger and Claude-Michel Schönberg, records two EP’s in 1967 for the label Odeon. Following the EP Tom, François Bernheim releases a second EP, on which appears yet another successful track, the dreamy Miami-Beach, then dedicates himself to artistic direction and discovering new talents. As he is still a law student, he chooses to hide his identity under the alias Gilles Péram, for fear his musical activities would discredit his status as a future lawyer. It’s with this new name he launches the Poppys, spurred by Eddie Barclay, and releases hits like Noël 70 and Non, non, rien n’a changé. Through his career, François Bernheim/Gilles Péram recorded seven albums and some twenty singles, worked with the likes of Esther Galil, Renaud, Louis Chedid, Patricia Kaas, Marie Laforêt, Brigitte Bardot, Nicoletta, Marc Lavoine, Carlos, Serge Reggiani, Richard Cocciante, Gérard Lenormand, Pierre Richard, Guillaume Depardieu, Elizabeth Depardieu, Gérard Depardieu and Chimène Badi, worked as an actor and made music for a number of ads (Cachou Lajaunie, Carte Kiwi, Malabar, Club Med, Mini Mir…), and even composed a track sung by Kanye West (Power). This chameleon of variétés made in France now works with the likes of the comedian Sandrine Sarroche and the singer Dani. Michel Handson signs this B-side with a touch of hip-hop in 1973 for the label Butterfly. The arrangements are the work of the Costa (authors of a dozen of singles between 1967 and 1987) and Gabriel Yared, a prolific movie score composer (Scout Toujours, 37°2 le Matin, L’Amant…). Before passing into oblivion, Michel Hanson records two more singles, of which L’Heure du slow traditionnel in 1978, languid slapstick track, kitsch and over the top, much appreciated by amateurs of the genre.“There’s no going out naked on the streets, Boeing!” This track from the Swede Matty Kemer’s only single, a tribute to freedom and aviation, was recorded for the label Disque d’Or. The lyrics weren’t the work of some unknown writer but of Ezra Bouskéla, member of the mythical Zorgones (from which hailed future members of Magma, like Zabu, and of Dynastie Crisis) and lyricist for Johnny Hallyday (Rendez-moi le soleil, Le monde entier va sauter, Dans ton univers) but also Herbert Léonard (L’oiseau d’argent). A real French-style beatnik, Ezra leaves for India regardless of his promising debut, leaving behind all of his musical projects, from which a collaboration with Jacques Lanzmann orchestrated by Lee Hallyday. His trip (by bus, and not by Boeing!) is the subject of the hectic autobiographical novel Shambo.

Gilles Janeyrand, piano and guitar player, witnesses two memorable stage acts in his early years: Jacques Brel’s farewell at the Olympia in 1964, then the Beatles at the Palais des Sports in 1965. It’s a revelation: coming out of the Beatle’s concert he decides he ought to become a singer. A few years later, a friend shows Gilles a classified ad published in France Soir: Robert Stigwood, producer for the Bee Gees, the Whos and Cream, is looking for French artists to showcase on his label, RSO. Gilles Janeyrand follows up on the ad and auditions at the Polydor studios, where he meets Claude Ebrard, head of RSO France. Gilles plays four songs at the guitar, from which Amour 2000 and Filles 2000, two tracks he composed for texts written by friends. Claude Ebrard chooses to record the two tracks with the arranger Jean-Claude Petit, and suggests adding flutes, in reference to Jacques Dutronc who had just released Il est cinq heures, Paris s’éveille. The track is recorded in 1969 at the Studio des Dames. Gilles remembers: “There were 25 musicians around me, and I thought it was perfectly normal! I was 18 and that’s the image I had of a career as a variété singer.” At the moment of the contract’s signature, Robert Stigwood sends a Jaguar and a photographer to pick Gilles up at this parent’s were he still lives. They’re taken to RSO’s headquarters, located near the Théâtre des Champs Élysées, and get off the car right as Jacques Brel comes out of the theatre, where he’s rehearsing his show L’Homme de la Mancha. Jacques Brel is familiar with the photographer and editor but doesn’t know Gilles yet, to whom he is introduced. Upon hearing Gilles is signing his first recording contract Jacques Brel utters a “Good luck” he’ll never forget.

Gilles leaves the choice of the A-side to the producers and Filles 2000 becomes the single’s B-side. Gilles promotes Amour 2000 on television, during a show hosted by Michel Drucker, who’ll invite him again repeatedly through the 70s. The record receives critical acclaim but the sales don’t follow. In 1974, at the Ferber studios, an LP is recorded with the musicians of the singer Christophe. The record, produced by St Preux for Heloïse Music, benefits from a rather important production: the crew enjoys over a month in the studio, not always even working full-days, preferring to round them off in the closest bar. Gilles is given full artistic freedom: Saint Preux, who lives with leopards, spends his afternoons at the cinema rather than behind the mixer. The period is one of hedonism, and Gilles adopts a psychedelic lifestyle. Some of the album’s tracks evoke the spirit of the first single: Les martiens and La fleur magique (of which a short version exists, intended for a single that never came out, probably lost in Heloïse Music’s archive). Overall, the album is a nice assemblage in the flamboyant progressive style of the mid 70s. Many more singles come out until the mid 80s, of which Je suis un passant, a minor success. But the big hit never comes and Gilles Janeyrand gradually turns to theatre, cinema and television. His name appears in the credits of Clara et les chics types (Jacques Monnet, 1981), La vie et rien d’autre (Bertrand Tavernier, 1989), J’accuse (Roman Polanski, 2019) as well as of another dozen of movies and TV series.

Albert-Henri Rykaert aka Alain Ricar was born in 1922 in Charleroi, Belgium. His father sold monkeys and, one day, exchanged a marmoset for a small accordion found in Berlin’s rubbles. He offered the instrument to his son. The latter first disregarded it, though it was to resurface in his life decades later. Peddler, birthstone merchant, he tries to lead a “normal” life before embarking on an artistic career later on, at the end of the 50s. During his first stage appearance playing the part of a dark, handsome character, the crowd bursts out laughing; Ricar involuntarily discovers his comical potential, which he was to exploit throughout his career. Comedian, singer, songwriter, he performs in cabarets or for the theatre, in Paris and in Belgium, then on RTB (Belgian TV). He namely appears in Les Aventures du Capitaine Long, a musical soap opera of his creation in which he plays the role of a lonesome singing sailor whose Camembert cheese-filled ship sank near a deserted island… Following the rediscovery of his accordion while looking through the families’ attic, Alain Ricar creates a comical singing act, which he presents at memorable concerts (for the opening act of Serge Gainsbourg in 1964, then of Johnny Hallyday in 1966). Through the 60s, he records five singles, of which I like sex is the only incursion into pop music. Alain Ricar who once wrote: “I have no age and I don’t miss it much”, dies in 1998 at the age of 92.

A cigar in his right hand, a gun in the left, binoculars around his neck complete with a predatory smile, Paul Dupret captivates us with the debonair B-side of the one and only single he released for the label Vogue in 1970.

Richard Hertel was born in Paris in 1947. At age 7 he’s the Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois choir’s solo singer; he then goes on to study percussions at the Conservatoire de Paris. In 1966, he creates the Gottamou with Nino Ferrer and Bernard Estardy; they record two EPs at the CBE studio for the label Riviera. Meanwhile he plays for various French-variété stars: Nicoletta, Hugues Aufray, Claude François, Nino Ferrer. Towards the end of the 60s, Richard Hertel (nicknamed Totoche in the musical world) releases a first single as a singer on the label Liberty, Patatras Hola, on which he also plays the drums and the organ. Perfect groove, amused lyrics, and atonal gimmick: the title track is a success but the record doesn’t sell much and quickly sinks into oblivion. He releases a second single for Liberty, the score for the film Chitty chitty bang bang by Richard Hertel and his orchestra. The record though is no more than a dull commission. Richard Hertel then becomes Patcho and releases two funk-infused singles on Atlantic in 1971 and 1972, produced by the avant-garde composer Igor Wakhévitch. Close to the drummer Kenny Clark, he discovers the universe of Jazz which he integrates at the beginning of the 70s, playing the drums with the likes of Bill Coleman, Joe Newman, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Guy Lafitte and many others. In 1974, he settles down in the Gers (Southwestern France) and develops a passion for traditional Occitan music. He starts teaching percussions at the Conservatoire Occitan de Toulouse, and plays alongside the singers Martina e Rosina De Peira. Richard Hertel passed away in 2016.

In 1968, Michel Didier lands on the French scene with five simultaneous single releases on the label Fontana. From a mainly folk corpus emerges this flashy cover of Rainbow Chaser by the English band Nirvana, here renamed Comme un arc-en-ciel, orchestrated and soaked in trippy effects by Jean-Claude Vannier.

Vedette internationale, or the lament of an inmate frustrated not to be a star of show business, is the work of the mysterious Liberatore (nothing to do with the illustrator of graphic novel RanXerox). Probably of Belgian origin, the track was released on Vogue in 1969.

Alain Serco signs a frantic homage to his best friend Kiki, the B-side of his sole single, released on South Records at the beginning of the 70s.

Gérard Gray, fond of poetry, starts signing after discovering Charles Beaudelaire’s The Flowers of Evil (Les Fleurs du mal) through Léo Ferré. From the mid 60s he regularly sings in Parisian cabarets (l’Écluse, la Contrescarpe, Chez Georges, Villa d’Este, Chez Monique Morelli…) and shares the stage with a number of celebrities such as Alain Barrière, Pierre Perret, Antoine, Jacques Dutronc and Claude François. Le Poisson vert, recorded in 1970, was created with his friend Frédéric Rochel, who first composes the music in a “nostalgic, ironic and joyful” spirit. The duo then undertakes a sound research inspired by François de Roubaix, with whom Gérard Gray and Frédéric Rochel had become friends. Sensitive to rare or exotic instruments, they search for a “different” sound and put together demos tinkering with a Revox tape deck and a variety of objects: dictionaries replace drums, water-filled crystalware simulate an organ while a whole array of flutes, jaw harps, decoys and whistles is used to create an uncanny, surrealist soundscape. With the melody and the themes clearly defined, Gérard Gray writes the beautiful lyrics inspired by underwater visions and submarine mysteries. The song is recorded in Lausanne for the Swiss label Évasions, with the label’s usual musicians. Even though they use traditional instruments, the original demo’s atmosphere is brought forward by the sound recording of Stephan Sulke (aka Steff, German singer and producer of numerous unknown sixties gems). ! Manque l’annonce de la démo dans les bonus de la version téléchargeable !

Le grand méchant loup by François Faray revisits Charles Perrault’s tale at the time of the sexual liberation, yielding an ambitious glam-rock track. Oddly enough, the singer goes off the radar right after releasing this one and only single in 1973 on the label Pathé.

Patrice Lamy, born Jacques Desachy, is a romantic singer from Lausanne. He self releases a single in 1969 under the alias Patrice Leman, then four more through the 70s. Laisse-moi médire que je t’aime is the B-side of his third record, entirely written, composed, arranged and directed in 1974 by Pascal Dufar (or Duffard, depending on the sources) to whom we owe a handful of variété songs but mostly the 1976 experimental album Dieu est fou. The musicians playing on Laisse-moi médire all hail from successful pop formations: Magma’s Francis Moze on the bass, Zao’s Mauricia Platon on backing vocals, Paul Stanissinopoulos and Demis Visvikis from the Greek band Avis on the drums and keyboards. Catherine Lara plays the electric violin while the cosmic-style cover is the work of Armande Altaï. After a short, uneven career, Patrice Lamy dies of sunstroke at age 35 in 1984.

The Tunisian crooner K.R. Nagati becomes well known at the end of the 60s with a cover of the Franco-Arab track Yasmina, originally by the Algerian albino signer Blond Blond. His repertoire goes from Arabic adaptations of Western hits (Strangers in the night, Doctor Jivago, Guantanamera…) to traditional and religious songs. Sidi Bou, the lyrics of which are sung in French, English, German, Arabic and Italian, pays tribute to a summer romance and the town of Sidi Bou Saïd, perched on the cliffs overlooking Carthage and Gulf of Tunis. De l’Orient à l’Orion, Yasmina’s beautiful B-side, can be found on the Born Bad compilation Mobilisation Générale.

Les Missiles are a group of four buddies from the city of Oran (Algeria). Together they first play instrumental pieces inspired by The Shadows, as Jupiter, before scattering all over France after Algeria’s independence. Micky Segura, drummer and later solo singer, ends up in Port-Vendres, close to the Spanish border. Well intent on reuniting the band, he leaves on a moped to find Robert Suire (the bass player) who had settled in Aubagne (South). From there they head to Jura (East), home to Bernard Algarra (rhythm guitar). With the last member impossible to locate, the trio makes its way to seek help from the mummified relics of Saint Claude, in the town of the same name. The very next morning they receive a postcard from their friend Manu Gonzalez (solo guitar), who proposes they should meet in Saint-Raphaël, were an apartment is waiting for them, or so he says. Upon their arrival, the three companions realise the apartment is in fact inhabited. They spend many weeks on the street, and then decide to get closer to the heart of French show business, Paris, and settle in Aulnay-sous-Bois (North-East suburbs). An audition takes them to Boulogne-Billancourt, were they perform their instrumental repertoire, before adding they can sing, too. The artistic director keenly asks for a demonstration, following which they sign a contract with the label Ducretet-Thomson. The name Jupiter is changed to Les Missiles, in reference to one of the directors’ car model. In 1964 they become famous with Sacré Dollar (a cover of the Kingston Trio’s Green black dollar) but also Maryline, a great success in Belgium and Switzerland. Three years of fame and concerts ensue, along with the release of two albums and over a dozen of singles. For six months the band tours with Claude François and even replace the Fléchettes on the backing vocals for the idol’s concert. Two members of the Missiles get married in 1966, and the band dissolves. Micky Segura sings as second voice and backing vocalist for Claude François, to whom he remains loyal until his death. He also sings along the likes of Nicoletta, Charles Aznavour, Gilbert Bécaud and Gérard Lenormand, as backing vocalist. La (nouvelle) guerre de cent ans, anti-beatnik jerk, comes from the band’s very last EP, which differs from the previous releases in that it features no covers and shows greater artistic freedom. The band’s sound veers towards garage, or even pre-psychedelic music, with the dissenting Publicité, filled with sound effects.

An exceptional live concert for this band, formed at the beginning of the ’60s in San Francisco, where are interpreted the great songs such as “Shake Some Action” and “Feel A Whole Lot Better” on this evening of August 17, 1979 at Whiskey A Go-Go.

Under the leadership of talented Cyril Jordan, this quintet of musicians will influence many groups, embodying a spirit of rebellion and freedom.

A band that will always be a bit out of step with the world of rock and, that will develop the myth of cult-popular musicians, influential but more commercially discreet: the good ingredients of cult/legendary band.

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."

Summer is finally here. No more jukeboxes and smoky bars, long live turntables on the beach, with rubber rings and frisbees...
The black vinyl crêpe, like the wheel of firtune, never stops spinning, carried along by a music full of life, love and good vibes. Today, just as in 1957, the ideal soundtrack for this coastal excursion.

Chuck Berry created a body of work that stands today as not only the first but arguably the best in rock’n’roll. He was something of a child prodigy and gave his first public performance while still at school. His first release on the Chess label was in July 1955. Featured here are his greatest hits such as "School Day", "Sweet Little Sixteen", "Johnny B. Goode" and many more.

Charismatic showman Richard blazed a trail with his sequined jackets and frenetic pounding of the piano keys.
His breakthrough track, "Tutti Frutti", would not only make him a star and kick off an influential career that would span over half a century, but was one of the templates for what we now know as popular music. Indeed, as People magazine proclaimed
"There could not have been a Michael Jackson if there had not been a Little Richard" .Enjoy this 3LP set including "Long Tall Sally", "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Tutti Frutti"

"It's the most personal album I've ever written, and it is very daunting to put such a raw, exposed, vulnerable part of yourself out there," remarks Tami Neilson of her new album Don't Be Afraid. Don't Be Afraid was nearly left unfinished. With two songs completed and six weeks left to write Tami Neilson unexpectedly lost her father, the patriarch of The Neilson Family band who Tami had toured across Canada with as a young girl opening for the likes of Johnny Cash. It was with her mother and brother's encouragement that she finished the record as a way of honouring her dad. "I actually inadvertently wrote the title track (without realizing it would be for the album) the week Dad died. 'Don't Be Afraid' was the last song Dad wrote, while in the hospital. He had written the melody, lyrics and everything, but he was on oxygen and could barely breathe to speak. He told me that it was driving him crazy that he had this new song stuck in his head, but had no way of offloading it. It's an awful feeling, I know, so I said I would bring him in his guitar so he could play it and I'd record it on my phone. He did a verse, so I got the melody, but then his levels dropped dramatically (that's the hidden track on the album, Dad's Demo'), but we didn't get the chorus, or the melody for the chorus." Don't Be Afraid finds the soul taking precedence over the country as Tami found herself listening to a lot of gospel around the time of her father's death and finding a kinship with the legendary singer Mavis Staples: "I've always been a massive Staples fan. I had ordered the new Pops album, it was released days before Dad died, and I ordered it in Canada so I could take it into the hospital for him to listen to. It arrived the day after he died, and of course I sobbed about that, but I will always be so grateful for that album helping me get through that grieving process." Recorded in Ben Edwards' New Zealand Sitting Room studio, the songs were again recorded live, the musicians all in the room playing together. The album features Delaney Davidson and all the boys that were on Dynamite! including harmonies from Marlon Williams on the soon-to-be classic 'Lonely'. The album features a Tina Turner throwback, 'Holy Moses', the swinging country of 'Only Tears', a bluesy swagger in `So Far Away' and the southern soul of 'Burn My Body'. The album is bookended by the title track, including the haunting hidden demo track sung by Tami's father. "There are a lot of reasons I chose Don't Be Afraid as the title, and one of them is that, musically, as an artist it's a departure for me. There are definite moments where I have had to go, 'Don't be afraid of this, this is who you are,- Neilson says. "This album is the guts of me. I guess 'departure' is the wrong word because it's all the same palette and same family, but whereas Dynamite! was a lot of light, bright colours, Don't Be Afraid is deeper, richer colours - still in that same family but a different level." Tami moved to New Zealand from Canada 8 years ago and has become one of the country's biggest acts. Tami is the most highly awarded artist of any genre in New Zealand, having just picked up NZ's highest songwriting honour, the APRA Silver Scroll, for 'Walk (Back To Your Arms)' off 2014's Dynamite!, which also won her (yet another) Best Country Album Tui in May this year. Don't Be Afraid marks Tami as a new soul staple. It's a raw, deep and hopeful album that finds Tami singing out her grief. "Last year was an insane year, I had the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows all in one year," she recalls. "And I guess that is what the album is, it reflects that constant cycle of life."

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.

As anyone who worked in a record store from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s can relate, the two Shimmy Disc albums released by the Rev. Fred Lane were the weirdest, most bizarre, abstractly enigmatic releases any of them had ever heard. From the dadaist titles and surrealist cover artwork to the absurdly peculiar lyrics and dementedly brilliant musical bent that careened from country to jazz to Morricone-inspired Western soundtracks, From The One That Cut You and Car Radio Jerome bewitched listeners with Lane’s eccentric take on music and, by extension, life in general. Early internet chat rooms and message boards were devoted to solving the mystery. For decades, rumors swirled about them. “We would just stare at the album covers and kinda make up our own stories,” Eric Friedl of Goner Records says of the misleading recording notations, fictitious back catalogs, and vague artistic allusions that dropped mostly fake clues for Lane’s most astute fans to decipher. Then, in 2013, Lane himself surfaced at the University of Alabama for an exposition. Seven years later, Icepick To The Moon, a documentary about Lane by filmmaker Skizz Cyzyk, premiered. The film, which took more than twenty years to piece together, filled in most of the blanks that had stumped generations of fans. Learning the details of Lane’s albums doesn’t change their inscrutability. The alternate Alabama universe that Lane and his compatriots conjured up—in, of all places, the southern college football town of Tuscaloosa—is a metaphysical place as vast and imbued with meaning as Faulkner’s Yoknapatawpha. As Friedl raves, “They’re still different from any other record out there.”

As anyone who worked in a record store from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s can relate, the two Shimmy Disc albums released by the Rev. Fred Lane were the weirdest, most bizarre, abstractly enigmatic releases any of them had ever heard. From the dadaist titles and surrealist cover artwork to the absurdly peculiar lyrics and dementedly brilliant musical bent that careened from country to jazz to Morricone-inspired Western soundtracks, From The One That Cut You and Car Radio Jerome bewitched listeners with Lane’s eccentric take on music and, by extension, life in general. Early internet chat rooms and message boards were devoted to solving the mystery. For decades, rumors swirled about them. “We would just stare at the album covers and kinda make up our own stories,” Eric Friedl of Goner Records says of the misleading recording notations, fictitious back catalogs, and vague artistic allusions that dropped mostly fake clues for Lane’s most astute fans to decipher. Then, in 2013, Lane himself surfaced at the University of Alabama for an exposition. Seven years later, Icepick To The Moon, a documentary about Lane by filmmaker Skizz Cyzyk, premiered. The film, which took more than twenty years to piece together, filled in most of the blanks that had stumped generations of fans. Learning the details of Lane’s albums doesn’t change their inscrutability. The alternate Alabama universe that Lane and his compatriots conjured up—in, of all places, the southern college football town of Tuscaloosa—is a metaphysical place as vast and imbued with meaning as Faulkner’s Yoknapatawpha. As Friedl raves, “They’re still different from any other record out there.”

Vinyl Lovers present a reissue of The Jam's second album This Is The Modern World, originally released in 1977 just after their debut record. Despite generally bad reviews from critics at the time, the album does have its shining moments ("Life From A Window" and "The Modern World", for example). But it is also interesting as a piece of history for its lyrical content, which, as the album's title promised, is a snapshot of a day in the life of the declining British Empire during the late 1970s. Includes eight bonus tracks from the BBC sessions.

Del Shannon did not fit the typical teen-idol mould other pop singers of the early Sixties were shoehorned into. Although he certainly had the required good looks, his songs had a brooding intensity to them, with recurring themes of loss and rejection that didn't sit well with the typical pop-star image of the time. In many respects he was similar to the UK's John Leyton and did a lot to pave the way for the British Invasion and the huge expansion to the boundaries of what could be considered pop music.

We already have Weirdsville & Wowsville and now the collection is complete with ‘WILDSVILLE’…..Oh yeah, 16 tracks of weird and wonderfully whacky tracks including the Gamma Goochee himself…The Creep, The Lifeguards and sooo much more. If you don’t already have the other couple of volumes in this series, you really should….These were compiled by the same folk that originally did the Born Bad series…..Good enough pedigree for you ?