Scotty McKay – Rocks
Bear Family BCD 17519
Rollin’ Dynamite – Tommy & The Tom Toms: Baby Let’s Play House – The Girl Next Door – Bad Times (Acetate) – I’ve Got My Eyes On You – You’re So Square – I’ve Been Thinkin’ – Little Miss Blue – Be-Bop-A-Lula – Let It Rock – Evenin’ Time (Acetate) – Midnight Cryin’ Time – Tommy & The Tom Toms: Somebody Help Me – Don’t Wait (Key C) (Acetate) – Tommy & The Tom Toms: Oh Boy – Roberta – Rollin’ Danny (Acetate) – Tommy & The Tom Toms: So Tough – Pull Down The Sky – Who Do You Love – All Around The World – Waikiki Beach – Cry Me A River (Acetate) – Little Lump Of Sugar – Sea Cruise – Tommy & The Tom Toms: You Can’t Catch Me – Dixie Doodle Dandy – Tommy & The Tom Toms: Jambalaya – Evenin’ Time – Scotty McKay Quintet: The Train Kept A Rollin’ – Don’t Wait (Key F) (Acetate) – Tommy & The Tom Toms: It’s Too Late.
Scotty McKay – real name Max Lipscomb – first made a name by playing guitar and piano with Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps during the December 1957 sessions that resulted with, among other gems, Baby Blue.
His tenure with Vincent was brief, and Lipscomb/McKay debuted a solo career. This compilation gathers sides recorded between 1959 and 1967. This period saw the music changing fast, and it’s not very surprising to find a wide array of styles performed by McKay and his different bands.
The connection with Gene Vincent remains strong with covers of Be Bop A Lula and Rollin Danny. But there’s also some sizzling Rockabilly with Baby Let’s Play House recorded under Tommy and The Tom Toms’ name. Next to these sides, one can find a bit of Rhythm’n’Blues (Roberta, Midnight Crying Time), and a fantastic soul-tinged number with mean guitar and harmonica (I’ve Got My Eyes On You.) McKay proves to be a more than competent singer on the more tuneful sides whether he shows inspiration from Elvis (The Girl Next Door) or Ricky Nelson (You’re So Square.) But he excels when he sings frantic rockers like Bad Times, Evenin’ Time, and of course Rollin’ Dynamite. Highly recommended to is All Around the World, a garage/psychedelic influenced version of Titus Turner’s tune and an amazing garage version, inspired by the Yardbirds of The Train Kept A Rollin.