Crate Expectations

If the only thing that comes to mind when you think of Canada is mounties, maple syrup and snow - lots of snow, you’d only be half right.

Canada also has a very active music scene and one that’s been going strong for a long time. These days it feels like the indie band of the day comes from Canada. Arcade Fire? Death From Above 1979? Broken Social Scene? Peaches? Feist? Crystal Castles? Yep we’re bursting with talent up here. In case you just noticed, we’re going to explore the “BedRock” of the country and look into the nooks and crannies and explore some real vinyl treasures from our home and native land.

First up, but in no particular order are a couple of garage records that have collectors in a tizzy every time they come to market.

(”Somewhere Outside”, Yorktown 50001, 1968)

Toronto’s own The Ugly Ducklings are perhaps the best known Canadian garage band. Formed in 1965 they played coffeehouses in the Yorkville area, which in its day drew artists like Neil Young and Joni Mitchell among others. Yorkville was ground zero for the burgeoning folk, hippie and rock scenes in 60’s Toronto (Haight Ashbury North? Lower East Side North?). My how times have changed. Now, it’s arguably one of the most exclusive shopping districts in the country. Now if that’s not irony I don’t know what is.

Anyway, the band started off as a Rolling Stones cover band but branched out and began writing their own songs. Their first single “Nothin‘” on Toronto’s Yorktown label became a hit. This lead to the band opening for the Rolling Stones in 1966 in Maple Leaf Gardens (one of the holiest of hockey rinks in the country). Both Elvis and the Beatles played there! You couldn’t really play a bigger venue unless you were outdoors.

Next ,in 1967, they had a hit with “Gaslight” on the Yorkville label. This song is probably their biggest  and most instantly recognizable tune. If there’s a Canadian garage band compilation out there somewhere this one is bound to be on it. It’s a classic. Every garage collector should own this one.

Hot on the heels of a successful single, their full-length LP “Somewhere Outside” followed in 1968 (again on Yorktown). Now I’m not sure if the Rolling Stones got wind of our hometown heroes cover band past but that same year Mick Jagger proclaimed that The Ugly Ducklings were were his favourite Canadian band! Things were looking up!

(The Ugly Ducklings in 1966)

Well here’s the sad part. Even though they sold well in the Toronto area, they failed to get national distribution . Given no marketing and no real airplay anywhere else in the country (except for a few hot spots on the east coast) that was pretty much that - they broke up not long after.

Success may have been fleeting, however they left behind a vinyl treasure in “Somewhere Outside”. Among garage collectors this is considered to be a holy grail of sorts. I’ve seen mouldy copies with pizza toppings go for more than $100. In fact pristine copies can command much much more. I’ve seen at least two label variations and I’ve seen one variation listed at $2,500 (if you know send the info along!). It might have been a promo copy and if so would be extremely rare as promo copies from this period in Canada are scarce to say the least. Practically non-existent really.

However…

If you want to award Canada’s most pricey garage artifact the honour would probably have to go to Montreal’s The Haunted.

(”The Haunted”, TRANS-WORLD 6701, 1966)

The short history of the band goes something like this:

In 1965, the Haunted entered a Battle of the Bands competition in the Montreal Forum and they won! The prize was a recording session where they cut the single “1-2-5″ which became a hit in April 1966. This single was so popular it was also picked up in Europe and Australia!

(By the way vinyl collectors, early Canadian pressings of this single have a misprint and erroneously spell the name of the band as “The Hunted”. These pressings fetch higher prices than the correctly spelled ones which typically sell for $50-$100 or more. “Land of Make Believe” is another 45 that is quite sought after and so is the band’s French version of “Purple Haze”!)

In 1966, the band released it’s debut LP on the Transworld label. This puppy rarely comes to market and if you’re lucky enough to find a copy be prepared to spend $1,000-$1,500+ for a mint copy…or more. Mind you before you actually spend the money on this LP BEWARE, many counterfeits exist! The genuine article has a colour cover. It was never issued in a black and white cover EVER - those are most definitely counterfeits.

This is one of the holy grails for garage collectors around the world so bootleg copies are bound to turn up.
In fact, this LP is so highly coveted I heard that a band member has had a copy stolen from his home - twice!

(The Haunted group members)

Well that’s a couple of Canadian treasures. I’ll be posting some more rare and wonderful gems from the Great White North in the coming weeks.

Until Then!
Patrick

Now here’s a little nugget I came across about a year ago.

The sounds on this LP are decidedly weird – hard to place in terms of influence – part western soundtrack, part Hawaiian/Polynesian vibe, part chugging country swing beat…and then it sounds like someone’s playing the saw as an organ kicks in and you wonder what the hell is going on here?

Why it’s the “Man With The Golden Guitar And Magical Violin”…the one…the only…Van Shipley!

First I have to say the cover had me from the beginning. The slightly out of focus shot is of a couple outdoors. She’s gently laying her head on his bright pink shirt while he strums guitar…she’s gazing off into the distance…a smile on her lips. The title “Romantic Airs” is in this looping script but then Van Shipley’s name is emblazoned across the cover in a bold psychedelic font. It jumps out at you the way Superman tiles did in the movies – POW! VAN SHIPLEY!

According to the lore, Van Shipley was the first electric guitarist in India. He studied Indian classical music under Ustad Alaudin Khan, a contemporary of Ravi Shankar and esteemed Indian classical musician. He also studied Western classical music from a German teacher, who taught him how to play the violin. As well as a gifted instrumentalist, he would go on to design and build his own electric guitar and electric violin.

That DIY aesthetic gives his music a unique sound – one you just can’t quite put your finger on. What’s that? Or perhaps it’s the way Van Shipley plays Indian melodies on western-style instruments. OR maybe it’s the other way round. I’m not sure, but I’ve never really heard anything quite like this.

Like a lot of popular Indian music, much of the music on this LP was featured in Bollywood films and their soundtracks. Released in 1970, “Romantic Airs” is an LP of 12 tracks from 10 different films. I haven’t had a chance to track down many of these LPs and if they exist, it would be great to hear what other tracks might be lurking out there just ready to be discovered.

I understand a lot of this material may be available as 78’s which were actually commercially available in India throughout the 1960s. After that period I’m not so sure. As for Van Shipley’s discography, what I’ve found has been spotty and mostly singles-based in nature. So what’s really great about “Romantic Airs” is that it gathers all these tracks on LP.

There are a lot of interesting tracks on this LP but I have a couple of favourites.

The first is “Pretty Pretty Priya” which has a great chugging guitar sound to it and a great funky little organ bit followed by a sitar! What’s not to love about that? Then the electric guitar kicks in, sitar please and drum roll! The pace on this song is really frenetic and the riff is really catchy. It almost feels like it’s being played so fast everyone might just fall off the cliff…at 2:20 or so it packs a punch! The drumming on this track is tight and the organ well-placed. In a word – sweet! If you need one dose of Van Shipley this may be it.

However, my next-in-line track is just as sweet. “Mere Naseeb Me Ae Dost” starts with what sounds like the strings of a harp being plucked ever so gently and then the strumming of a guitar breaks through the clouds and then some nice Indian drums/percussion rolls in. While “Pretty Pretty Priya” was more western in flavour this one is definitely more eastern in flavour. For me this song typifies what Van Shipley was doing with Indian melodies on western instruments. It really does like someone’s playing a saw on this track but it’s really really beautiful! Romantic Airs indeed!

In fact the LP is full of sounds that I can’t quite place. True to their film-based roots some songs were designed to mimic certain sounds – like a train for instance. The song “Mere Sapnon Ki Rani” starts off with a chugging choo-choo beat sounds almost like Johnny Cash to my ears. Well minus the accordion and surf guitar-esque phrasing but maybe that’s just me.

(According to the liner notes, the song is from “Aradhana” but further investigation shows that S.D Burman (father of Rahul Dev Burman) composed the score to that film. In fact I watched a grainy bootleg copy of the film to catch the credits and Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar and S.D. Burman were there but no Van Shipley. If anyone has a copy of this soundtrack it would be interesting to see if this track is on there).

According to the back liner notes, Van Shipley emphasized “the folk effect of flutes in the song ‘Main Hun Gunwaar’. Indeed flutes introduce the track but then you’re taken into an almost Morricone-esque landscape that suddenly morphs into some Polynesian call and response tune. Oh then the pipes come back in…and so on. The flutes get the last word on this track though. Are you interested yet?

This LP is a great fusion of two great musical traditions – both east and west. It never really veers too closely to either tradition but blends the two into a new and interesting hybrid. In much the same way that Ananda Shankar melded classical eastern sounds and western psychedelic sounds in the 60’s and 70’s, Van Shipley is doing the same thing here. OK maybe he was a generation earlier and more 40s’s country swing than psychedelic rock but it’s the same approach. Both were truly pioneers in this regard.

So without any further ado, go out and seek this little treasure. It may have you scratching your head but the effort will be worth it.

Until Next Time!
Patrick

P.S. Here’s a track listing for the LP. Song titles are first and their corresponding films come second:

SIDE ONE:

1. Jaane Kahan Gaye Vo Din – “Mera Naam Joker”

2. Tik Tik Tik Mera Dil – “Humjoli”

3. Roop Tera Mastana – “Aradhana”

4. Shoukhion Me Ghola Jae – “Prem Pujari”

5. Tum Bin Javoon Kahan – “Pyar Ka Mousum”

6. Mere Sapnon Ki Rani – “Aradhana”

SIDE TWO:

1. Pretty Pretty Priya – “Priya”

2. Mere Naseeb Me Ae Dost – “Do Raaste”

3. Ang Lag Ja Balma – “Mera Naam Joker”

4. Beqarar Dil – “Door Ka Raahi”

5. Main Hun Ganwaar – “Ganwaar”

6. Chale Ja Chale Ja – “Jahan Pyar Miley”

According to the legend, or at least the liner notes, “Music From ‘Lil Brown” was recorded in a small brown garage somewhere in the Baldwin Hills of South Los Angeles around 1968. Whether or not they recorded these songs inside a small brown garage is debatable but what I do know is that this LP is a great example of pyschedelic rock’s influence on soul music.

The band Africa was comprised of members of L.A.’s The Valiants, who were also employed as L.A. studio musicians (see last post on “Dylan’s Gospel”).

The cover of “Music From ‘Lil Brown”, as well as the title, are a sly takeoff on The Band’s “Music From Big Pink”. The comparisons kind of end there though. I read it as a subtle reference to black musicians more humble digs. The Band got a house. We got the garage! This was recorded about 2 or 3 years after the Watts Riots in Los Angeles, the civil rights movement was in full swing, Black Power was here. To say African Americans were enjoying a new state of consciousness is an understatement.

When you hear the opening lines of “Paint It Black” you can hear what I’m talking about. Here’s one Rolling Stones cover that deserves some circulation and really runs with the songs more inherent psychedelic elements. Psych fans will love this track for it’s trippy guitar and spacey conga beats. At over 7 minutes in length it’s plenty long to extend all those elements and then some.

The next cover is The Door’s “Light My Fire” which jazzes it up the song in an interesting way. While it’s far from my favourite track on the LP it should still prove interesting enough an interpretation for a listen and for fans of the song, you might want this on your iPod. The next track ends things on a pretty straight ahead soul feel with “Here I Stand”.

The second side opens with a cover of “Louie Louie”. The band stretches things way out and weaves the song into a cover of “Ode To Billy Joe”. Again everything is extended and weaved in and out for that tripped out effect. You’ve never really heard these songs done this way and it bears repeated listens. It really feels like you’re in the room with all that echo and chanting background vocals going on. This is another stand-out number for me.

The next song “Widow” is downright funky and one of my favourites on the whole LP. A real killer tune that I’ve been playing for years. Some great drums and congas on the end of this song and a bit of a call out to Sly & The Family Stone’s “Dance to the Music” with a few “Na Na Na Na Na’s” thrown in for good measure.

“Savin All My Love” is the ballad of the LP and opens with some really nice percussion. The background harmonies really add a nice element to this number. I’ve got to say it grows on you. The last song “You Take Advantage of Me” opens with some vibes and congas. Did I say vibes and congas? Sweet bass-line too. What’s not to like? Again it’s a more soul-type ballad than lycergic workout but it’s a nice closer.

I see this LP turn up on occasion but I haven’t seen a copy in awhile. I doubt this was a huge seller in its day so it might take some digging or some time on eBay to find a copy. However I think the effort will be worth it if you’re at all curious about the cross-town traffic going on between rock and soul in the late 60’s. It bears repeated listens and is definitely worthy of a space in your collection.

Until next time!
Pat

Even if you’re not a religious person, you should religiously go to church sales. Sure you might come across the odd Tammy Faye Baker single but every now and then you hit pay-dirt.

Case in point is this little nugget that’s become a real favourite of mine - “Dylan’s Gospel” by The Brothers and Sisters from 1968. It’s essentially a who’s who of L.A. studio musicians doing gospel-tinged renditions of Dylan tunes. There’s a lot of real deep-down soul going on here. Patrice Holloway (sister of Brenda) is on here, as well as Gloria Jones.

Chester Pipkin, Ed Wallace, and Fred Willis are on here also. They were probably better known as members of The Valiants and in a complete aside, I love these musicians for the LP “Music From ‘Lil Brown” which they put out under the name Africa. Genius! But that’s another post.

What’s amazing is how easy Dylan’s songs lend themselves to gospel arrangements and one wonders if this LP actually influenced his gospel period in the 70’s. It begs the question.

Songs like “The Times They Are A Changing” start off with a big organ solo, some really tasteful drum work, and some great soulful vocals. This song’s a real winner and a great way to introduce the rest of the LP. “Lay Lady Lay” sounds positively jazzy in the vocal department and “All Along the Watchtower” sounds like it was initially written as a soul song.

The stand out track for me however is “The Might Quinn” and I’ve included a link here: The Mighty Quinn by The Brothers And Sisters.

If you ever come across this one, I wouldn’t hesitate recommending it as something you should pick up. It’s a real treasure that will intrigue Dylan fans and soul fans alike. And as for church sales, this copy will be staying in my collection for the foreseeable future!

Till next time!
Pat

Welcome to Orange Vintage Vinyl’s official blog!

Over the coming months I want to share my love of vinyl culture with you. I’ve been a collector for over 22 years and music has always played an important role in my life. I bought the record, went to the concert and bought the T-shirt too. I’m just that kind of guy.

Record collecting has always been about the thrill of the chase for me. Words can’t describe how thrilling it is to actually hold a record in your hands that you’ve been looking for for years. Persistence is everything in this business!

But it’s also more than that. Over 100 years of musical history is on these shellac and vinyl discs. Our musical heritage is here. Truth is that some music would be lost forever without some intrepid vinyl junkie nosing about that dusty box of records you’ve got stuffed in the basement. And truth is that some stuff is just too bizarre or obscure to ever make it onto CD or any other format.

So in that spirit, I want to share some artifacts I’ve come across over the years. Your ideas and opinions matter to me so please contact me if you have any ideas or suggestions. I’d love to hear from you.

Till we meet again!
Patrick