Monthly archive

December 2014

Jess and Jill and the Sinners

Jess and Jill and the Sinners formed around 1993 after the Bugaloos went their separate ways. The first line-up was Esther van der Meer (aka Lil’ Esther) and Marja both from the Bugaloos on vocals with Jan van Leewen (ex Chessnuts) on drums,  Peter Crowfield on double bass and Tjarko Jeen on guitar, both from the Tinstars.
After a year with the band, Marga left and was replaced by Diane (now in Laverne and the Rhythm Kings) but the band split in 1996. They played in Holland, of course, and Germany, Swiss, Belgium (where they backed Al Ferrier) and France.
Esther has found memories about this band “It was mostly straight rockabilly harmony stuff but it was so much fun to do.”  She also explains why the band stopped “We did some great gigs but Tjarko and Peter were to busy with the Tinstars at the time so the band just faded away you might say.”
I don’t think they ever released anything (maybe a demo?), if you have more infos, feel free to contact us.

jess-jill
Jess and Jill first line-up, circa 1993.

The Four Star Combo – Wait A Minute Baby!

///
Four Star Combo - Wait A Minute Baby!
Four Star Combo – Wait A Minute Baby!

Man-O-Man Records 1001 [2014]
Wait a Minute, Baby – (I Got) a Hole in My Pocket – Conscience to the Wind – Beehive Baby – Down in the Alley – Buzzsaw – Croc-O-Doll – Lover Not a Fighter – Slipping Out and Slipping In – It’s Love, Baby (24 Hours a Day) – Jeepster – Blue Tricks

Wait A Minute Baby is the band’s debut album, though they already relased one demo with their former bass player.
The Four Star Combo is Ron Scott on lead vocals, guitar and harmonica; Eric Hurtt on lead guitar; Donovan Stokes on double bass and Drake Sorey on drums.
The album kicks off with amid-tempo rockabilly with nice picking from Hurtt and a good balance between the bass and the drums. Things get more frantic with their cover of (I Got) A Hole In My Pocket that even has a slight neo-rockabilly feel in it (but not enough to hurt the purists). Back to a more traditional sound with the hillbilly tinged Conscience to the Wind that has a bit of “Heartache by the Numbers” flair in the melody. Beehive Baby is another one on the neo-side and reminds a bit of Levi Dexter. They turn Memphis Minnie’s Down In the Alley into a solid rockabilly-blues stroller while Buzzsaw is a surf instrumental that shows the diversity and the skill of the band. Next is Crock-O-Doll,a Rockabilly/Rock’n’Roll number that wouldn’t be out of place on the Ripsaw label, think Billy Hancock. Back to Rockabilly-blues with Lazy Lester’s Lover Not A Fighter that sees lead singer Ron Scott playing some harmonica. It’s time for lead guitarist Eric Hurtt to take the lead vocals on a period perfect cover of Slipping Out and Slipping In. It’s Love Baby is straight ahead blues with once again a top notch guitar solo, it’s just too bad that Scott kept his harmonica in his pocket on this one. Some would find surprising to find a cover of T-Rex on Rockabilly album but if you remember the Polecats version you know it suits the genre perfectly. They deliver a good version though Scott seems a little less at ease on this one than on the other songs. Blue Tricks ends this good and eclectic album on a fast paced note.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Maybe Crazy

Maybe Crazy was a German label in activity during the late 80’s to the early 90’s .

Vinyls
The Scannerz – The Scannerz LP001
Scallywags – Speed On 45 LP002
Scallywags – 3 Of A Kind LP003
Mad Sin – Chills and Thrills In A Drama of Mad Sin and Mystery LP004
Various – Crazy, Crazy, Crazy LP005
Mad Sin – Distorted Dimensions LP006
The Polecats – Live In Hamburg – LP007
Mad Sin – Break The Rules – LP009

CD’s
Mad Sin – Chills and Thrills In A Drama of Mad Sin and Mystery – MYCD004
Mad Sin – Distorted Dimensions – MYCD006
The Polecats – Live In Hamburg – MYCD007
Mad Sin – Amphigory – MYCD008
Mad Sin – Break The Rules – MYCD009
The P.O.X – Voodoo Power + demos – MYCD010
Mad Sin – A Ticket To Underworld – MYCD011

Roy Williams – Nervous records

Nervous records second logo
Nervous records second logo

Nervous Records – the Roy Williams interview

-Hey, I’ve just bought the debut album of a psychobilly combo called the Frantic Flintstones.
-Is that any good?
-Of course, it’s on Nervous Records!

That’s the kind of dialog that my psychobilly pals and I used to have. Nervous was for us – and I’m sure we weren’t alone – a reference. Nervous records always had the best stuff coming with nice sleeves too. Judge by yourself: the Polecats, The Sharks, Frenzy, the Ricochets, the Coffin Nails, the Caravans, the Nitros, Restless, the Blue Cats, Buzz & the Flyers, Torment, Skitzo, Nekromantix, Batmobile, the Quakes, the Rattlers… Impressive isn’t it. Reading Nervous records’ back catalog is like reading a Who’s Who of Neo-Rockabilly and Psychobilly.

Of course, there was some exceptions:
-Look that’s the latest Nervous records lp.
-What’s the name of the band?
-Spook & the Ghouls.
– …

Anyway Nervous records is indissociable from the whole genre, and we had to talk to Roy Williams. Now put your favorite Nervous album on the platter or in the player if it’s a cd and read the following interview..

by Fred “Virgil” Turgis

When and how did you discover rockabilly music?
I was collecting old rock’n’roll records in the early 60’s and I came across a listing of SUN 45’s for sales from someone called Breathless Dan Coffey (Breathless Dan Coffey is a well known record collector in Europe and he’s also the brother of Mike Coffey, guitar player for Crazy Cavan – ed.). Before that, the only time I’d heard of rockabilly was from a Guy Mitchell song! In truth, I’d been buying rockabilly records for some time, but never really knew the word in relation the records I had. We used to call it ‘the empty sound’ because of the slap-back echo!
The ‘division’ of rock’n’roll and rockabilly can be subtle and there’s a lot of ‘crossover’. I think of it this way
All rockabilly is rock’n’roll
All rock’n’roll is not rockabilly
or
All ants are insects
All insects are not ants
You can say that we have an interesting linguistic discussion here between etymology and entymology =;-)

Was Rock’n’roll the kind of music played at home when you were a kid?
Oh no! My mother used to sing songs to me when I was very young. These were songs from the 1940’s. The only music my father liked on the radio was religious music. He used to complain that there was too much ‘boogie woogie’…. He used to tell me that our radio couldn’t get Radio Luxembourg (where all the good stuff was). I used to go and watch TV in the village pub with my friend whose parents owned the pub. I saw ‘6-5 Special’ on a small black and white TV, one of only two in the village. Then we moved back to Wales and lived in a village with no electricity for a while, so I missed a lot of 1950’s TV. Then, one day in 1958, I got on my bicycle and rode into the town (Aberystwyth) and walked into the pier. There was the smell of the candy floss and lots of flashing lights and a big jukebox pounding out rock’n’roll. I was lost……
Then we moved closer to the town and had electricity again and my parents bought a new radio and gave me the old one. I spent all my time on this radio listening to radio stations from other countries searching for rock’n’roll.

As a DJ you helped to promote Hank Mizzell’s Jungle Rock, you managed young bands. How did you decide to create your own label?
I saw a bit about how the music business worked from ‘Jungle Rock’ and I thought that I could create another hit with a young good looking British band. At about the same time, I saw that Ronnie Weiser has started his own label and there were lots of new labels in England because of punk. I thought that I could do this, too. I also thought that it was time that I established better financial security for my family because DJ work was not so reliable! I actually started in music publishing and the label came after.

Nervous records first logo
Nervous records first logo

Looking back at the Nervous records back catalog, one thing struck me. Like Sam Phillips who always said he didn’t need two Elvis, it seems that you were always looking for bands that sounded different…
The lesson that I learnt from Rollin’ Rock was NOT to go for a ‘house label sound’. There was a time that everything on Rollin’ Rock was hot, and then suddenly it wasn’t because it all had the same ‘house sound’ and the whole catalogue was out of style. I didn’t want to have this happen to Nervous records, so I deliberately tried to be more ‘diverse’.

You have worked with many of the best psychobilly bands, but strangely you never worked with the originators of the genre, the Meteors. Do you regret it?
Not really. they seemed very shambolic to begin with and after their first EP and LP, I didn’t find them so interesting. The first LP was REALLY good, though and hugely influential.
In the end, when I bought out the Alligator label, I became the owner of the earliest Meteors’ recordings [three songs were released on Homegrown Rockabilly – ed.]

Today I suppose things have changed radically with the mp3’s. But in the heydays of neo-rockabilly / psychobilly what was the average pressing for a Nervous record?
I always remember that when we released the Buzz And The Flyers LP, we pressed 3,000 copies and delivered 2,000 to various customers in the first week! Those days are long gone.

How do you / did you involve in the recording process as a producer? Do you suggest songs to cover, different ways to approach songs, select songs with the artists etc.?
I make all sorts of suggestions. Some bands have all of their ideas ready, and some need more ‘guidance’. Sometimes I give the project to a producer. I can’t force bands to record what they don’t want to. I feel awkward sometimes because I can’t play an instrument and it’s often difficult because of that.

Is there a release in which you had strong hope that failed to sell?
Quite a few! Often because the bands split up just after the recording!

Some of Nervous records releases - photo by: Mitutaka Namie
Some of Nervous records releases – photo by: Mitutaka Namie

Which Nervous records releases are you particularly proud of?
The first Restless album and The Blue Cats ‘The Tunnel’.

And is there one that retrospectively you think “I shouldn’t have released this one”?
That’s too political!

Beside Nervous records, I believe that you were involved with the organisation of the Big Rumble. What memories do you keep from it?
A lot of work, and a lot of fun. I really enjoyed going round the caravans in the morning with a video camera, and finding people in the ‘wrong’ beds! I also had some funny experiences at the reception of the camp. Del used to put me there because I could manage some words in various languages. It was always difficult explaining to French people about the meters for the electricity!

I have the sad feeling that today the rockin’ scene is more and more divided in sub-scenes like neo-rockabilly, modern rockabilly, authentic rockabilly, old school psychobilly, gothabilly, trashbilly (and so on), with much importance given to the clothes rather than anything else. What do you think of the evolution of the scene?
I agree with you. It’s become fragmented and this is BAD news.

You were one of the first to bet on the cd’s then on the mp3’s. How did the internet change the way of selling music?
It’s broken down the national barriers. Really there is only one marketplace now, and everyone is equal in it. This is good. Music is no longer qualified by its rarity. It’s qualified by it’s standard. When I was DJ-ing, there were some people who would not dance to a record if it wasn’t an original 45. This is BOLLOCKS!
The ‘downside’ of all this is that there needs to be a lot more ‘back-office’ computer work to make it all work properly. Most small labels are hopeless at the paperwork side of things and this leaves the ownership of copyright in a bit of a mess. I’ve actually written my own computer program to handle this stuff.

The last word is for you…
I’m more interested in the future of rock’n’roll/rockabilly than the past.


Website: http://www.nervous.co.uk/

Count Orlok records

A dutch label connected to Batmobile (their drummer was involved in it).

count orlok
Note :
B.O.C.K are vinyl releases (ep)
R.O.C.K are vinyl releases (lp)
C.O.C.K are cd releases
F.O.C.K are videos

Count Orlock also had a subsidiary label (Sonovabitch) exclusively dedicated to the Meteors and Paul Fenech.

Batmobille – Bambooland/Kiss Me Now/Raw Dick – k1 B.O.C.K

Batmobile – Bambooland – R.O.C.K.1-C.O.C.K.1
Crackle Rattle Bash – Crackle Rattle Bash – R.O.C.K.2
Batmobile – Buried Alive – R.O.C.K.3-C.O.C.K.3
Bang Bang Bazooka – Self titled – R.O.C.K.4
ScamGambing Fever – R.O.C.K.5
Batmobile – Amazon From Outer Space – R.O.C.K.6-C.O.C.K.6
The Cavemen – Stone Age Beat – R.O.C.K.7
Bang Bang Bazooka – True Rebel – R.O.C.K.8
Batmobile – Is Dynamite – R.O.C.K.9-C.O.C.K.9
Slapping Suspenders – Blood Sucking Freaks – R.O.C.K.10
Batmobile – Sex Starved – R.O.C.K.11-C.O.C.K.11
Rattlers – Gangsters and Loose Women – R.O.C.K.12-C.O.C.K.12
Powerdog – Powerdog – R.O.C.K.13-C.O.C.K.13
Slapping Suspenders – Good, Bad & the 7 Waffles R.O.C.K.14-C.O.C.K.14
Batmobile – Midnight Maniac – C.O.C.K.15
Batmobile – Hard Hammer Hits- R.O.C.K.16-C.O.C.K.16
Ricochets – On Target -C.O.C.K.17
Asmodeus – Psycho On Hell’s Request C.O.C.K.18
Batmobile – Blast From The Past – C.O.C.K.19
Atomics – Fallen Like Her Angel -C.O.C.K.20
Batmobile – Shoot Shoot -C.O.C.K.21
Sin Alley – Headin For Vegas -C.O.C.K.22
Blue Cats – The Rediscovered Masters -C.O.C.K.23
Penguin – Penguin -C.O.C.K.24
Slapping Suspenders – Greece -C.O.C.K.25
Crestlers – I’m A Crestler -C.O.C.K.26
Dave & Deke Combo – Hollywood Barn Dance -R.O.C.K.27
Mad Sin – God Save The Sin -C.O.C.K.28
Fireballs – So Bad It’s Good -C.O.C.K.29
Ubangi 4 – I’m Coming Home-C.O.C.K.30
Frenzy – Nine O Nine -C.O.C.K.31
Batmobile – Welcome To Planet Cheese -C.O.C.K.32
Asmodeus – Diggin’ Up The King -C.O.C.K.33
Lovesteaks – Spending Quality Time With -C.O.C.K.34
Triple Dynamite – Elvis in Wonderland – C.O.C.K.35

Batmobile – Live In Japan – F.O.C.K 1

Nervous records

Nervous records, the legendary rockabilly/neo-rockabilly/psychobilly label formed by Roy Williams (interviewed here), once called by Paul Roman of the Quakes “the Sam Phillips of Psychobilly”.
Website: http://www.nervous.co.uk/

nervous records

Nervous Records discography

The Polecats – Cult Heroes – NERD 001
Deltas – Boogie Disease – NERD 002
Various Hep Cat Hop – NERD 003
Restless – Why Don’t You Just Rock – NERD 004
The Ricochets – Made In The Shade – NERD 005
Buzz & The Flyers – Self titled – NERD 006
Various – Stack-A-Records – NERD 007
The Sharks – Phantom Rockers – NERD 008
Dave Taylor – Midnight Rock – NERD 009
The Blue Cats – Early Days – NERD 010
The Blue Cats – Early Days Vol2 – NERD 011
Big Daddy Sun and Outer Planets – Rockabilly – NERD 012
Freddy Frog – Self Titled – NERD 013
Ronnie and The Jitters – Roll Over – NERD 014
Restless – Do you Feel Restless – NERD 015
Frenzy – Hall Of Mirrors – NERD 016
Various – Hell Bent On Rockin’ – NERD 017
Rochee & The Sarnos – Understanding Sarno – NERD 018
Rapids – Turning Point – NERD 019
Pharoahs – Blue Egypts – NERD 020
The Jets – Session Out – NERD 021
Various – Aussiebilly – NERD 022
Various – Zorch Factor One – NERD 023
Kevin Fayte & The Rocket 8 – Ridin’ In A Rocket – NERD 024
The Torment – Psyclops Carnival – NERD 025
Restless – The Early Years – NERD 026
Get Smart – Self Titled – NERD 027
Skitzo – Skitzo Mania – NERD 028
Various – Zorch Factor Two – NERD 029
Rhythmaires – Losin’ Out – NERD 030
Coffin Nails – Ein Bier Bitte – NERD 031
Torment – Three is a Crowd – NERD 032
Frenzy – Live At The 100 Club – NERD 033
Frantic Flintstones – A Nightmare On Nervous – NERD 034
Batmobile – Bail Was Set At $6000000 – NERD 035
The Caravans – Easy Money – NERD 036
The Quakes – the Quakes – NERD 037
The Jackals – Prowlin’ – NERD 038
Skitzo – Terminal Damage – NERD 039
Pharoahs – Hammer & Sickle blue – NERD 040
Ratmen – Live Fast, Die Young – NERD 041
Various – Zorch Factor Three – NERD 042
Spook & the Ghouls – Whitechapel Murder – NERD 043
Catmen – Catmen – NERD 044
Surfin’ Wombatz – Lager Loutz – NERD 045
Sharks – First & Last Live – NERD 046
Griswalds – Who Framed The Griswalds – NERD 047
Various – American Rockabilly – NERD 048
The Nitros – Stompin’ Beat – NERD 049
Torment – Around The World – NERD 050
Rusti Steel & The TinTax – More Dollars Than Cents – NERD 051
Rattlers – Never Say Die – NERD 052
Various – Home Grown Rockabilly – NERD 053
Lost Souls – Chasin’ A Dream – NERD 054
The Screamin’ Kids – Don’t Get Down – NERD 055
The Nervous Fellas – Born To Be Wild – NERD 056
Torment – Hypnosis – NERD 057
The Quakes – Voice Of America – NERD 058
The Coffin Nails – Who’s he? – NERD 059
The Catmen – Cuttin’ Through The Red Tape – NERD 060
Various – Boppin’ In Canada – NERD 061
The Scamps – Mayday – NERD 062
Nekromantix – Curse Of The Coffin – NERD 063
Beverley Stauber – Nail My Feet To The Kitchen Floor – NERD 064
Frenzy – Clockwork Toy – NERD 065
Various – Live At The Big Rumble – NERD 066
Sonny West – Relentless – NERD 067
Radium Cats – Other Worlds – NERD 068
The Blue Cats – The Tunnel – NERD 069
The Taggy Tones – Viking Attack – NERD 070
Colbert Hamilton And The Hellrazors – Self – NERD 071
Restless – Figure It Out – NERD 072
The Quakes – New Generation – NERD 073
The Rattlers – Scare Me To Death – NERD 074
Three Blue Teardrops – One Part Fist – NERD 075
Colbert Hamilton And The Nitros – Wild At Heart – NERD 076
Voodoo Swing – We’re Usin Code Names – NERD 077
Tim Polecat – Virtual Rockabilly – NERD 078
Mean Cat Daddies – Ghost Of Your Love – NERD 079
The Taggy Tones – Lost In The Desert – NERD 080
Various – Is It Cool – NERD 081
Darrel Higham – Mobile Corrosion – NERD 082
The Elektraws – Shock-rock – NERD 083
The Quakes – Live In Tokyo – NERD 084
Wild – Good To Go – NERD 085
King Memphis – The Astonishing – NERD 086
Restless – The Very Best Of – NERD 087
The Backbeats – Back To The Beat – NERD 088
Bill Mc Elroy – Slimline Daddy – NERD 089
Skitzo – Vertigo – NERD 090
The Muskrats – The Young And Restless – NERD 091
Hayride To Hell – Self Titled – NERD 092
Nine Lives – Roundabout – NERD 093
Rock Island Line – The Very Best Of – NERD 094
Various – The Nervous 45 rpm Collection – NERD 095
The Midnight Dynamos – Do You Wanna Dance? – NERD 096
Bonneville – Trouble – NERD 097
Various – Rockabilly Gold – NERD 098
High Voltage – Danger… – NERD 099
Blue Flame Combo – Rockabillies Go Home – NERD 100
Mystery Gang – Hot’n’Wild Rockabilly Cuts – NERD 101
The Jime – It’s Still Rock’n’Roll To Me – NERD 102
Johnny Black – Extra Chrome – NERD 103
JC Lee – Tokyo Heat – NERD 104
Mick Satan & The Rockin Devils – Teddy Boy Anthems – NERD 105
Vernon & The GI’s – GI Bop – NERD 106