KOSMO's VINYL of the Week

John Lee Hooker, "Tupelo"

5/29/2020

KOSMO's VINYL of the Week:
This week we are being taken back to the Tupelo, Mississippi of 1936 by John Lee Hooker's "Tupelo" (AKA "Tupelo Blues"), released on his 1998 compilation "Best of Friends"...

"John Lee Hooker first recorded "Tupelo Blues" in Detroit in 1959 and again on his live "Concert At Newport" LP in 1963, but it is this much later version that edges out the other two for me. Recorded in Sausalito, CA. sometime between the late 80s and late 90s, Mississippi-born (1912 or 1917) John Lee would have been at least 75 years old and probably well into his 80s when he recorded this, and it's the years in his voice that makes it so special.

Bob Dylan once said "one man could blow an entire army off a stage", and here is the proof." - KV

0 Comments

The Easybeats, "Friday on My Mind"

5/22/2020

0 Comments

KOSMO's VINYL of the Week:
This week we are at IBC Studios, London, in September 1966, in the company of Australians - The Easybeats, for their "Friday On My Mind," produced by Shel Talmy and first released on United Artists...

"Formed in 1964 in Sydney, The Easybeats left for "Swingin' London" on 10th July, 1966, which was quite a big deal in Australia. After a false start, they ended up recording with the independent American in London, Shel Talmy, who also produced a fistful of The Who's singles and around a dozen for The Kinks. The song has been much covered, the best two versions known to me are by David Bowie and Earth-Quake (the first single on the Beserkley label).

By the end of 1969, The Easybeats were finding things 'not so easy' and broke up." - KV

0 Comments

Johnny Clarke, "Hold On"

5/15/2020

0 Comments

KOSMO's VINYL of the Week:
This week we are back on Orange Street, Kingston, Jamaica in 1975 for Johnny Clarke's "Hold On", produced by Bunny "Striker" Lee and first released on one of Lee's labels, possibly Jaguar or Attack...

"With an island so overflowing with talent as Jamaica was in the mid 1970s, it's hardly surprising that Whitfield Town born Johnny Clarke is not as internationally well known as he should be. His records with Lee are, for me, his finest work, featuring Lee's "flying cymbal" sound and the backing band, The Aggrovators, in full swing. Johnny Clarke appeared to have no problem handling both militant and lovers styles, and I am pleased to say, at the age of 65, he is still with us."

"PS - The dub is some King Tubby business !" - KV

0 Comments

David Essex, "Rock On"

5/8/2020

0 Comments

KOSMO's VINYL of the Week:
This week we are in Advision Studios, Gosfield St., Fitzrovia, London for David Essex's "Rock On", arranged and produced by Jeff Wayne and first released on CBS Records in August 1973...

"It never ceases to amaze me how certain people managed to come up with a specific record, and this is one of those. David Essex is a singing actor who became a teenage heartthrob and then a family entertainer. For "Rock On", some credit must be given to Herbie Flowers' double tracked bass, which had been employed the year before on Lou Reed's Bowie-produced "Walk On The Wild Side".

Full disclosure: although like myself, Mr. Essex is a West Ham United supporter, that was unknown to me when I bought the single in 1973. I found out many years later via a 50P charity shop purchase, you don't need the LP." - KV

0 Comments

Wynonie Harris, "Lovin' Machine"

5/1/2020

0 Comments

KOSMO's VINYL of the Week:
This week we are at 1540 Brewster Ave, Cincinnati, Ohio on the 2nd July, 1951 for Wynonie Harris' "Lovin' Machine", first released as a 78RPM on King Records...

"Wynonie "Mr.Blues" Harris was born in Omaha in 1915, where he made a name for himself as a dancer and MC on the local club scene. By 1940, he had moved to Los Angeles and within 5 years had made it as a hit "Jump Blues" singer. By all accounts, Wynonie actually lived the wild life he so boisterously chronicled in his records (the subjects of which were usually either sex or booze). His swaggering style of delivery is widely acknowledged as one of the earliest examples of what came to be known as rock'n'roll.

He left us in 1969, aged 53, having seen more 'action' than many might have seen in several lifetimes." - KV

0 Comments