KOSMO's VINYL of the Week

Henry Thomas, "Bull Doze Blues"

4/30/2021

KOSMO's VINYL of the Week:
This week we are in Chicago on the 13th June 1928, with Henry Thomas and whoever recorded his "Bull Doze Blues", first released as 78 RPM 10" on Vocalion in January 1929...

Henry Thomas is believed to have been born into a family of freed slaves in Big Sandy, Texas in 1874. He was something of a traveling man and he recorded 24 sides in just over 2 years, before falling off the map circa 1930 - perhaps he died ?

This song is better known to us as "Going Up The Country" by Canned Heat, and I have often wondered what Henry would have made of half a million hippies grooving to it at Woodstock, 40 years after he recorded it ?" - KV

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Ennio Morricone, "Once Upon a Time in the West"

4/23/2021

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KOSMO's VINYL of the Week:
This week we are in RCA Studios, Rome, for Ennio Morricone's theme for Sergio Leone's classic western film "Once Upon A Time In The West", which was first shown in December 1968...

"Italian composer Maestro Ennio Morricone was born in Rome in 1928, the son of a professional trumpet player. The person 2 kids over to the right in Ennio's 1937 primary school class photo is Sergio Leone !

Ennio would record over 400 film scores in his lifetime, which ended in 2020. This soundtrack is one of the best selling of all time and the theme features Edda Dell'Orso on the wordless vocal.

I actually first knew this record as a 45 that belonged to a friend of my Dad's, she would play it with the record player arm up, so that it would repeat and repeat. I never saw the film until about 7-8 years later !" - KV

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Bert Jansch, "Needle of Death"

4/16/2021

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KOSMO's VINYL of the Week:
This week we are at 5 North Villas, Camden, London, sometime between September 1964 and January 1965, for Bert Jansch's "Needle of Death", first released on his self-titled debut LP by Transatlantic...

"Glasgow-born guitarist/singer/songwriter Bert Jansch has been cited as a major influence by many British rock stars who came of age in the 1960s, most notably Jimmy Page. He moved to London in 1963, aged 20, and soon became part of a then thriving folk scene.

This record was made in producer Bill Leader's makeshift 'studio' in his own home. The song has also been performed live Neil Young, who cited Jansch as an influence on his "The Needle And The Damage Done".

A heavy drinker, Bert managed to defy predictions of his demise from alcohol, dying from lung cancer in 2011 aged 67." - KV

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Television, "Marquee Moon"

4/9/2021

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KOSMO's VINYL of the Week:
This week we are in A&R Recording Studios, Midtown Manhattan, in September 1975 for Television's "Marquee Moon", released as the title track of their debut LP on Elektra in February 1977...

"The New York City based band, Television, had originally featured both Tom Verlaine and Richard Hell, who had been to high school together in Delaware. But by 1975 they had settled down to this line up: Verlaine, Billy Ficca, Fred Smith and Jimmy Rip.

When this record came out, it was clearly considered a Punk LP, and I think it helps show how much variety there was available under the banner Punk at that time.

An attitude or an approach, but never a formula." - KV

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Wilson Pickett, "Ninety Nine And A Half (Just Won't Do)"

4/2/2021

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KOSMO's VINYL of the Week:
This week we are back in Stax Studios, 926 E. McLemore Ave, Memphis, on the 20th December 1965 for Wilson Pickett's "Ninety Nine And A Half (Just Won't Do)", first released on "The Exciting Wilson Pickett" LP by Atlantic in 1966...

"Alabama born in 1941, Wilson Pickett moved to Detroit in his early teens and soon became involved in the Motor City's gospel scene. He eventually came to the attention of Atlantic's Jerry Wexler as the co-writer of a Solomon Burke hit. Once teamed with the set up at Stax in 1965, and then with Muscle Shoals' Fame Studios in 1966, Wilson had a heap of hits of his own.

He also had his problems with alcohol, cocaine and a fiery temper and left us, aged 64. I once read an interview he gave which he concluded by saying "Don't write anything nice about me, remember I am known as the Wicked Pickett"." - KV

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