ADAM BEST "WALL OF SOUND" (1970)

«...the "Wall of Sound" Adam Best created may well prove to be the most significant musical event of the '70s...»

[from the liner notes of "Wall of Sound"]



...well, that is - of course - an overstatement, an hyperbole used to create a strong impression in the people flipping through the vinyls stacked in record shops in those glorious days during the early '70s... But it's undeniable that the mysterious Adam Best - or anyone who has chosen to hide behind that name for some unknown reason - has crafted a little groovy record that can still make a good impression more than forty years later.

So, who was Adam Best? According to Mista Tibbz, «...there is strong suspicions of his relations to Music De Wolfe sound libraries due the similarity in certain library records and this one, but nothing is proved...».

Some people discussing in an Internet forum - here - link Adam Best to Barry Stoller, a composer of Library Music who is better known for the theme he created for "Match of the Day", the popular BBC's football television programme. It seems that Meatball's "Atomic Butterly" features a backing track identical to one of those contained on "Wall of Sound" with different solos over the top... Uhm, I would be quite curious to listen to that record...

Anyway, the only certainty I can offer is that the album liner notes mention veteran composer and director Harold Geller's involvement in the making of the record. Then we have the fact that the original six compositions on "Wall of Sound" - the other six are covers of famous tunes - are signed by Hugh Cortley and a certain Supran. Well, I guess I should write five originals and seven covers since one of the originals seems to be a plagiarism... More on this if you continue to read below.

I wasn't able to find anything relevant about Supran, but Cortley is often associated with Musi Silvio, another Library Music composer. Their tune entitled "Export" (...available here...) is very similar to the material contained on "Wall of Sound"; it is included on the album "New Generation" credited to The Laurence Stephen Orchestra...



Here's a complete transcription of the original liner notes that appear on the back cover of "Wall of Sound":

«Once in a while a person or group of people comes along with a style of music which surpasses anything done before. They are usually self-centred ruthless people - they don't get results unless they are - who know to the letter what they want, and nothing is allowed to stand in their way. Such a man is Adam Best. 24 year old Adam Best studied electronics at college, and music at the Royal Academy. He has been playing guitar, bass and drums on the pop scene for a number of years, but it was not until 14 months ago that he gave up playing in public to concentrate full-time on his own project. He was aided by one Harold Geller, one of London's most successful music directors and publishers, who recognised that his ideas were valid, and encouraged him to begin work on the new sound. Electronic music is not in itself new. People have been making musical sounds with electronics for years, but the great majority of it can hardly be called music, for it lacks - for want of a better word - soul. For the first time a musician entered the field, with the knowledge of electronics and the knowledge and ability of musician. The sound he has manufactured successfully fills the gap between vocal and instrumental music, based on the solid rhythm foundation played by Adam, augmented by section work by electronics. Just over a year ago Adam began work in a North London coal cellar to build by hand the machines he needed to complete his work. The things he required were not commercially manufactured so everything had to be designed and constructed by him. What little spare time was available was spent in discotheques up and down the country listening and learning from the types of music that were popular. The idea was to provide music that was danceable, and at the same time made pleasant listening. This was achieved by many hours of sessions between Harold Geller and Adam Best and many long involved telephone calls at all odd hours of the day and night when one would think of an idea which would immediately have to be put down in sound. They both laughingly refer to their nocturnal sound effects with neighbours thinking that a crime has been committed when they hear the weird noises emanating from their various houses in the still of the night. However, on reflection, they both feel that it was all very worthwhile. How well he succeeded can be gauged from the reactions of Philips Records. On hearing the first tracks played to them by Adam and Harold Geller, they immediately asked that they were given the opportunity to release all forthcoming material. The first complete Album "Wall of Sound" was presented to them in January, and was immediately scheduled for rush-release. Adam's dream had at last proved worthwhile. The first album is just the beginning for Adam; the sound can only get better. There are no limits on the medium, it is as much or as little as he chooses to make it, and the "Wall of Sound" Adam Best created may well prove to be the most significant musical event of the '70s.»

"Wall of Sound" contains the following tracks:

01. Wall of Sound (5:21)
02. I Can't Go On Without You (2:09)
03. I Guess I'll Always Love You (2:46)
04. Twenty Five Miles (3:09)
05. Lana's Past (2:32)
06. Gimme, Gimme Good Lovin' (1:57)
07. I'm a Man (3:06)
08. Walk Away Renée (2:39)
09. High In Grass (3:21)
10. When You're Young and In Love (2:33)
11. You Shouldn't Say (2:36)
12. Spread Out (3:02)

All tracks were remastered from the original vinyl in May 2013 and are available in FLAC lossless format or high-quality 320 Kbps MP3 files. Both formats include complete printable artwork as PDF files. Please have a look at the comments for the download links.



So, let's explore this Funky / Easy Listening little gem... The album opens with the title track; clocking at over five minutes, "Wall of Sound" is the longest number and probably the coolest original composition too: sustained by forceful guitars and a raw rhythm section, keyboards (...Hammonds? Moogs?) are the undisputed leaders here, as on the rest of the record.

"I Can't Go On Without You" is another original composition, a short Easy Listening number with a more polished sound. It is followed by "I Guess I'll Always Love You", a cover of a 1966 Motown hit by The Isley Brothers which was also recorded by The Supremes. The Isleys' version was reissued in the U.K. in 1969 and became a hit there, hence probably the inclusion on this early 1970 album.

In 1968 "Twenty Five Miles" was a huge hit for Edwin Starr, who co-wrote the song along with Johnny Bristol and Harvey Fuqua. This instrumental version begins with a short break and keeps in line with the hectic nature of the original uptempo beat; one of the best tracks on the album.

"Lana's Past" is another original mellow tune written by the Cortley / Supran team that remains in an Easy Listening territory which doesn't add much to the album's recipe... Side One finishes with "Gimme, Gimme Good Lovin'", a cover of a 1969 hit by Crazy Elephant, a short-lived American Bubblegum Pop band.



Side Two opens with a great cover of "I'm a Man", a 1967 Hammond organ-driven Blues Rock single by The Spencer Davis Group written by Steve Winwood and Jimmy Miller. This song was sampled by DJ Format on his album "Music For the Mature B-Boy" in 2003. It is followed by the cover of another tune taken from the immense Motown catalogue: originally made popular by The Left Banke in 1966, "Walk Away Renée" became a hit for the Four Tops in 1968.

"High In Grass" is a track signed by Cortley / Supran which sound very similar - if not a plain plagiarism - to "Cold Sweat" by James Brown... "When You're Young and In Love" was written by Van McCoy and brought to success by Ruby & The Romantics in 1964, and later also by The Marvelettes in 1967; during the '70s it was covered by many other artists.

"You Shouldn't Say" is another high-quality original composition; I'm quite sure that its breakbeat has been sampled and used by someone during the '90s, probably Beck or Imani Coppola, I will investigate and update the post at a later date if I'm successfull.

The album ends with "Spread Out", an average track which doesn't affect the album as a whole: a nice combination of Funk / Soul and Easy Listening with some real standouts!

The only available picture of the mysterious Adam Best...

The following videos offer a preview of the remastered album: enjoy "Wall of Sound", "Twenty Five Miles", "I'm a Man" and "You Shouldn't Say"!

A few more information about "Wall of Sound" and related people is available here:

http://taukojalka.com/mrtibbz/2011/02/05/adam-best-wall-of-sound/

http://www.whosampled.com/sample/view/196954/DJ%20Format-English%20Lesson%20%28Remix%29_Adam%20Best-I%27m%20a%20Man/

http://www.turnipnet.com/mom/haroldgeller.htm

http://www.verygoodplus.co.uk/showthread.php/1411-Barry-stoller

http://www.librarymusicinfo.com/?s=barry+stoller&searchsubmit=

http://www.discogs.com/artist/Barry+Stoller

http://www.discogs.com/Meatball-Atomic-Butterfly/release/1814004

http://www.librarymusicinfo.com/1043/new-generation-dwlp-3160/

If you have any other useful information about Adam Best and "Wall of Sound" - especially corrections and improvements to this post - or if you spot any dead links, please get in touch with me at stereocandies [at] hotmail [dot] com or leave a comment in the box below, thank you!

MONEY MARK "PERFORMING CHICKEN" (1994)

I've always loved you, I never told no-one
I think about you, everyday till the set of sun
And at night, when I'm alone again
I cry, I cry

I can't get next to you, I don't really try
That's way I wrote this song, that's why I cry
I'll send it to you, you could play it in your box
I cry, I cry

I don't really feel like a man, I'm feelin' low
Man on the keyboard, I'm gonna play my organ solo

[from the lyrics of "Cry"]



As the story goes, Mark Ramos-Nishita first came into the fold when some girl ran her car into the entrance gate of the G-Spot, an incredible '70s-type pad that the Beastie Boys rented in 1989 during the recording of "Paul's Boutique". The Dust Brothers were working on the album and asked Mark to fix the front gate. Mark was given an address and he went there.

He fixed the gate and after the job was done, he didn't see anybody around and wondered how he was going to get paid. Adam Horowitz (one of the Beasties, a.k.a. Ad-Rock) drove into the scene and paid Mark for his carpentry. Then Adam invited Mark to a party the Beastie Boys held that night.

The Beastie Boys were planning to build a studio, they needed a carpenter for that job and Mark helped building their G-Son Studios in Los Angeles. Mark also played keyboards, so he was a dual purpose member of the group.

Nishita's Fender Rhodes funkiness redefined the Beasties' sound into more Jazz-Funk-influenced grooves on "Check Your Head" and "Ill Communication", along with the new percussionist Eric Bobo. Completed by the original Beastie Boys, Michael Diamond on drums, Adam Yauch on bass and Adam Horowitz on guitar, they were a true groove machine.

After the success of the Beastie Boys albums, Mark decided to release the old tracks he had been playng long before he met them. The tunes on his debut EP "Performing Chicken" released in 1994, which are the subject of this post and were also included in his first full-lenght release entitled "Mark's Keyboard Repair" the next year, are just what he's been doing for a long time.



Money Mark has created a style and a sound of his own; his music may sound a bit weird or amateurish at first, but after a couple of listenings one gets sucked into his funky grooves and simple hooks.

The secret of Mark Ramos-Nishita's unique sound lies behind the warm heart of his analog synthesizers and keyboards. Among his organ grooves Mark also includes guitars, bass, flutes, even kazoo and other unusual stuff. The basic drumlines in his music seem to come out straight from a cheap Casio keyboard, but definitely with more feeling and life in it. Mark's lyrics aren't complicated or tricky, just plain and direct.

Mark has a special relationship with his keyboards. The following quotes are excerpted from an interview by Miguel D'Souza published in The Sidney Morning Herald, January 5th 1996:

«It's some thing I can fix on my own, that's what I feel most comfortable about. I have little relationships with my keyboards; these digital keyboards, I can't have any relationship with them. I look at them and, if they could look at me, they'd stare and go, "ha ha ha, there's nothing you can do, you can't alter me at all." I just recently bought a new car; it was the first new car I'd bought and when I opened up the hood and looked at the engine I thought I could never fix this! I can't even get to the spark plugs, I'd need special tools, oscilloscopes, all these other things to tune it up. I have this old '63 Chevy. When I look in there, I just... I get happy. I can fix it, I can see all the parts, I can see how this motor works and I can really see what's wrong when I open it up. It's the same with my analogue synths, if it is malfunctioning, there really isn't much that can go wrong, there's only a few parts that can go wrong. If you're talking about an IC or a chip you're at the mercy of some manufacturer, who you have to buy the chip from and then there's really no satisfaction in fixing it, all you've done is change a chip. It's hard for me to deal with this new-world, this new technology. Well, when I learn about a keyboard and I learn how it's made I have an idea of what it's going to sound like. I know, for example, that a Hammond organ is going to sound great, because of what's going on in there: there's a motor turning, the metal wheels are spinning and these electrons are flying and these pickups are picking them up... I take an idea like that and I... I get my motor drill and plug it in and stick it next to the pickups and it makes a sound. It has to do with having a little knowledge. I'm not going to buy a keyboard because it looks nice or it's the thing to buy, the trend. Some of these things look like little monsters, but if I know how it's made, I can look at it and say, "hey, this thing is going to be great." I have the idea that a musician should be a technician. It helps to know what's going on with the instruments, it helps the musician create new things, to know what's really going on in there and then you mix that in with some emotions and then when you make things they are really full because they have the best of both worlds, you know - left brain, right brain. A little bit of technical knowledge could lead to something where you can say, "Hey, if I cluster these kinds of notes together because I know that if I do these frequencies will bump into one another and create this other thing." Science is not usually connected with emotion, except maybe Einstein connected it. I just love to study keyboards and I do try to get some technique, I try to keep a balance between the technical thing and the musical thing as well. A person who is just strictly a musician may not have the same kind of sensitivity towards the keyboards they're playing, maybe they see the notes as just notes, the sounds are a secondary thing. They're rather more interested in the harmonic structure than how the tones are happening; but I try to consider the whole thing.»

"Performing Chicken" contains the following tracks:

01. Sunday, Gardena Blvd. (2:31)
02. Insects Are All Around Us (2:21)
03. Three Movements For the Wind: Theme For the Innocent Hostage (1:08)
04. Three Movements For the Wind: Poets Walk (1:00)
05. Three Movements For the Wind: Spooky (1:08)
06. Cry (2:21)
07. Pretty Pain (3:11)
08. No Fighting (1:28)
09. Ba Ba Ba Boom (1:35)
10. Have Clav Will Travel (1:23)
11. Don't Miss the Boat (2:31)

01.07.2013 Update: sorry guys, the big bosses of the Music Industry have knocked on my door and kindly asked to remove the audio files related to this post, download links are not available anymore...



Money Mark's music conveys a profound optimism and a sense of joy. This time instead of babbling about the eleven short pieces of "Performing Chicken", I prefer to offer you a short writing by Mark himself that I found on the Internet and saved to my computer some fifteen years ago. I can't remember the original source, I googled for it but it seems that it is not available online anymore, so I'm particularly proud to bring you...

"My year as a ball boy for the 1971-72 world champion Los Angeles Lakers" by Mark Ramos-Nishita

«My dad used to take me to basketball games because I wanted to be a basketball star. But who didn't? I mean, everybody did. I know Bob Mack did. I know Ricky Powell did. I know Adam Horowitz did. So when I was 12 years old, I wrote the Lakers a letter on my college-ruled paper - I was supposed to be doing my math homework - and I said: "To whom it may concern, I want to be a ball boy. How do I do that?" I really didn't think they'd respond me at all. But about a month later I got this card from Laker GM Pete Newell's secretary. So I bought some new Adidas Superstars and went to what was then called "The Fabulous Forum", or "The House That Jack Built" (as in former Laker owner / current Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke). I walked right through The Forum Club into Pete Newell's office, and Sam Winston was there! You know, the famous tire guy? He was good buddies with Jerry West. Then they gave me a ball boy uniform, which was like Lakers' own warm-ups. Next came the long walk down a hallway that led right into the locker room. I don't know how I'm gonna write this - sorry Mom - but what I saw next was Laker forward Jim MacMillan taping his penis to his thigh with some white adhesive tape. Seriously! I don't think he did this all the time, I think he just had a groin injury. And other players were taping other shits. Like Gail Goodrich was taping up his weak knees. That was my first impression of the locker room, but basically they were just getting ready to play the Phoenix Suns. I watched while the pros soaped their socks so they didn't get blisters; take two pair of socks, put one on, get a fresh bar of ivory soap, rub it all over the bottom of the first sock, then put the other sock over it and the soap will act like oil between the two socks asd thus prevent blisters. They had a way to tie their shoes, too, called "Russian Bow Tie", which never came loose. At this point I was acting really nonchalant because like any big fan I felt really close to the team already. So there I was, hangin' in the locker room, trying to act cool, watching all the guys crack jokes and talk shit. Incidentally, even then I noticed that one of the only players who was not dicking around but acting more serious was Pat Riley. Things didn't seem as glamorous back in the locker as they did out on the court, either...



...Eventually I was introduced to the head ball boy, who debriefed me on my duties. We went out on the court with the players for warm ups, and the first thing I noticed was that even though the baskets looked kind of big, the players were fucking huge! Anyway, I was supposed to hand out towels, and my mop was my best friend because I always had to be ready to wipe the sweat up off the court. Of all the players, probably Wilt Chamberlain sweated the most, but it was always sweaty under the hoop. If someone fell, then that was like a big mess. So during that first game against the Suns, I was wiping up some sweat near the free throw line while all the players were down at the other end of the court. I thought I had enough time, but suddenly the Suns' hairy-backed big man, Neil Walk, stole the ball from somebody like Mel Counts and came barreling down the court. By the time I looked up he was right on my ass and I had to make a head-first dive for the baseline to get out of his way. Then I heard the whistle. I was interfering with the game or something. Of course I had always dreamed of someday seeing some NBA action, but this was definitely not what I had in mind. I was pretty embarassed and turned red. You would too if 17,505 people were looking at you. I was afraid to even look up because I thought the ref called a foul on me or something. Even so, I actually did make it into the NBA - which is more than Bob Mack, Ricky Powell or Adam Horowitz can say! In the end, I only worked six or seven home games that year, probably because of that interference call. Who knows? Maybe Pete Newell got wind of it. Nevertheless, despite some embarassing moments, it's still one of my fondest memories...

Money Mark as pictured by Phil Knott, promotional shot for the album "Push the Button" (1998)

...By far the biggest highlight of my experience was witnessing the classic rivalry between Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul Jabbar, who played for Milwaukee then. Just being able to see those two go at it inside was something else. It was the first time I ever saw anyone block Kareem's hook shot, and I was right there, watching Chamberlain do it! He was the first and only guy to challenge the shot that would later be known as the allegedly unblockable "Sky Hook". Of course, I wouldn't be telling the truth if I didn't admit that it got kind of boring after a while, just sitting there under the basket, wiping up sweat. But the plusses definitely outweighed the minuses. It was the Lakers' greatest season (in fact the best season of any team in NBA history), and I was part of it. I also got to eat before the games at the M&M cafe near The Forum, where players like Harold "Happy" Hairston ate soul food (and where, to this day, Magic often munches). I got to meet Laker announcer Chick Hearn, definitely, who by the way still looks exactly the same. I also became buddies with one player, the great Connie Hawkins, though he never knew my name. Plus, it was just cool being on the court during the game. This was before all the frills. No cheerleaders, no band, no TV timeouts, no Cable TV. Finally, the players were cooler then, and security wasn't as tight around them. There was a lot of partyin' going on after each game, especially in The Forum Club bar. You could see movie stars in there like Billy Barty. You could see Wilt smoking cigarettes. But you never saw Jerry West. In other words, it was dope, both then and now. Back then, it gave me a sense of identity which was cool to have at school and stuff. Something that other kids couldn't front on and that I could prove. And nowadays, it's just cool to go to the games, look at the new ball boys and remember how it was. Something that I can take with me.»

Here's a few videos courtesy of YouTube, including a 1995 audio interview, a recent live rendition of "Insects Are All Around Us", a 2004 Moog-based improvisation with Woody Jackson and a complete Beastie Boys MTV special / live performance broadcasted in 1992, enjoy!

A few more information about Money Mark is available here:

http://www.moneymark.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Money_Mark

http://www.discogs.com/artist/Money+Mark

http://www.beastiemania.com/whois/nishita_mark/

http://solesides.com/winblad/beastie%20boys/moneysmh010596.html

http://adamconnors.net/network/revue/revmusin_monmark.shtml

http://www.pitch.com/kansascity/money-talks/Content?oid=2164171

If you have any other useful information about Money Mark and "Performing Chicken" - especially corrections and improvements to this post - or if you spot any dead links, please get in touch with me at stereocandies [at] hotmail [dot] com or leave a comment in the box below, thank you!

A.A.V.V. "CANDIES FROM A STRANGER VOL. 3"

Welcome back to the "Candies From a Stranger" series! Compared to the previous installments, this third issue is more firmly rooted in the 90s; it mostly features artists that have been prime-movers in the Trip Hop / Downtempo scene and explores different aspects of Modern Jazz, keeping a groovy and relaxed mood althought sometimes smoky and gloomy, with just a few exceptions.

As usual all tracks are mixed together to create an uninterrupted flow, here's the complete tracklist of "Candies From a Stranger Vol. 3":

01. A SMALL, GOOD THING - Cooling System (6:15)
02. RECOIL - Allelujah (5:23)
03. HOWIE B - How To Suckie (4:07)
04. BARRY ADAMSON - Busted (Michelangelo Version) (5:23)
05. SPACER - It's a Nano World (5:26)
06. SLICK RICK - All Alone (No One To Be With) (3:50)
07. DEADLY AVENGER - The Bayou (4:28)
08. BETH ORTON - Stars All Seem To Weep (4:35)
09. DJ SHADOW - The Number Song (4:30)
10. JOSEPH ARTHUR - Eyes On My Back (3:54)
11. MILES DAVIS - Mystery (3:51)
12. KID LOCO - Relaxin' With Cherry (5:40)
13. PORTISHEAD - Roads (5:03)
14. DJ KRUSH - 3rd Eye (3:17)
15. TRANQUILITY BASS - They Came In Peace (7:52)
16. GLOBAL GOON - Twiggy (5:02)

All selections were compiled and mixed in April 2013, tracks 06-08 are taken from Volume 6 in the excellent "Back To Mine" series and were mixed by Ben Watt of Everything But The Girl.

This compilation is available as a single FLAC lossless format file or high-quality 320 Kbps MP3 file. Both formats include complete printable artwork as PDF files.

Before you burn the compilation on CD-R using the provided CUE file you will need to convert the original files to WAV format using an appropriate software. Here's an option for FLAC to WAV conversion and one for MP3 to WAV conversion.

As usual, please have a look at the comments for the download links.

01. A SMALL, GOOD THING - Cooling System
original CD issue: Block, Leaf (1997)
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Borrowing their name from a story by Raymond Carver, A Small, Good Thing were a U.K.-based project by Andrew Hulme, Mark Sedgewick and Tom Fazzini. "Cooling System", which was also released as a promotional 12" single, is the opening track on their third full-lenght CD release entitled "Block". Compared to their previous calm Ambient output released on Soleilmoon in the U.S., "Block" is notable for its approach to Dub and Hip-Hop from a distinctly Avant-garde / Experimental perspective.

02. RECOIL - Allelujah
original CD issue: subHuman, Mute Records (2007)
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Recoil is the solo project of ex-Depeche Mode member Alan Wilder. During the years Recoil's music has incorporated every imaginable musical genre from Trip Hop to Gospel, and gathered on albums of complex sonic imagery and expansive dynamic range. Taken from "subHuman", the latest Recoil studio album at the time of writing, and also released as part of the "Prey / Allelujah" CD-single, the dreamy "Allelujah" was co-written by English singer-songwriter Carla Trevaskis, who also performed vocals on the song speaking in ethereal tongues.

03. HOWIE B - How To Suckie
original CD issue: Music For Babies, Polydor (1996)
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London-based, Glasgow-born, disc jockey and producer, Howie Bernstein pioneered the fusion of Dub, Jazz, Ambient and Hip-Hop. His own early productions gained him credentials to work with giants such as U2, Sinead O'Connor, Everything But The Girl, Soul II Soul, Sly and Robbie, Tricky and Björk. The Jazz Fusion "How To Suckie" is taken from his debut album "Music For Babies", a collection of eight instrumental numbers that bestow a spiritual flavor onto the Trip Hop movement.

04. BARRY ADAMSON - Busted (Michelangelo Version)
original CD issue:  The Negro Inside Me, Mute Records (1993)
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Before embarking on a solo career, Barry Adamson has been a founding member of the seminal Post-Punk band Magazine in the late '70s and has served as bassist in the first consistent line-up of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in the first half of the '80s. With his cinematic debut album entitled "Moss Side Story", Adamson has created one of the earliest soundtrack to a non-existent movie. Subsequently he has produced several albums of the highest value, which incorporated Jazz, Electronica, Soul, Funk and Dub styles.

05. SPACER - It's a Nano World
original CD issue: Atlas Earth, Pussifoot Records (1996)
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Spacer is an electronic music project by renowned engineer/producer Luke Gordon. Following the usual compilations appearances, 1996 saw the release of Spacer's debut album "Atlas Earth" for Howie B.'s Pussyfoot Records. During the years Gordon had the chance to work with, or remix, the likes of Goldfrapp, The Cure, Red Snapper, Coldcut, Roots Manuva, Juryman and Unkle. He has also composed music for numerous BBC television series and documentaries, including Natural World.

06. SLICK RICK - All Alone (No One To Be With)
original CD issue: Behind Bars, Def Jam Recordings (1994)
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Richard Walters a.k.a. Slick Rick began his career in Hip Hop in 1983; he is best known for the use of narrative in his raps and has been called Hip Hop's greatest storyteller. His music has been frequently sampled and interpolated by other artists such as TLC, Black Star, The Notorious B.I.G. and Snoop Doggy Dogg, with many of these songs later becoming hit singles. Among his best known songs we remember "La Di Da Di", "Mona Lisa" and "Children's Story", with the latter being coverered or referenced by a plethora of colleagues.

07. DEADLY AVENGER - The Bayou
original 12" issue: Milo's Theme, D.C. Recordings (1995)
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British producer and DJ Damon Baxter is best known for his atmospheric and cinematic work as Deadly Avenger, with whom he has released several 12" EPs and two full-lenght albums. His production skills have led him to remix bands such as Travis, Manic Street Preachers, Elbow, and The Charlatans, which were all seduced by the overly emotional strings, blended with dirty beats and enigmatic arrangements. His music has also been used in many high-profile commercials and in the C.S.I. series.

08. BETH ORTON - Stars All Seem To Weep
original CD issue: Central Reservation, Heavenly (1999)
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Beth Orton is an English singer-songwriter, known for her Folktronica sound, which mixes elements of Folk and Electronica. She was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit and the Chemical Brothers in the mid-'90s. "Stars All Seem To Weep" was produced by Ben Watt of Everything But The Girl: «...working off the original guitar-demo, I laid the basic beat and synth chords down one morning before Beth came to the studio. She just got up and sang it straightaway in one take».

09. DJ SHADOW - The Number Song
original CD issue: Endtroducing....., Mo Wax (1996)
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Born Joshua Davis, DJ Shadow is an American music producer and DJ. He is considered a prominent figure in the development of instrumental Hip Hop. Shadow's first full-length work, "Endtroducing.....", was released in late 1996 to critical acclaim. The album would go on to make the Guinness World Records book for "First Completely Sampled Album" in 2001. In November 2006 Time magazine named it one of its "All-Time" 100 best albums. "The Number Song" is characterized by its usage of various breakbeats and vocal samples of count-offs.

10. JOSEPH ARTHUR - Eyes On My Back
original CD issue: Come To Where I'm From, Real World Records / Virgin (2000)
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Joseph Arthur is an American singer-songwriter and artist from Akron, Ohio. Combining poetic lyrics with a layered sonic palette, Arthur has built his reputation over the years through critically acclaimed releases and constant touring. Arthur was discovered by Peter Gabriel in the mid-'90s, and signed to Gabriel's Real World label as the first North American artist on the label's roster. Arthur is also an acclaimed painter and designer; his artwork has graced the sleeves of his entire discography.

11. MILES DAVIS - Mystery
original CD issue: Doo-Bop, Warner Bros. Records (1992)
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"Doo-Bop" was Miles Davis' final studio album; the project stemmed from Davis sitting in his New York apartment in the summer with the windows open, listening to the sound of the streets. He wanted to record an album of music that captured those sounds. However, when Davis died on September 28, 1991, only six pieces for the album had been completed; to finish it off, producer Easy Mo Bee was asked to take some of the unreleased trumpet performances and build tracks that Miles «would have loved» around the recordings. "Mystery" is one of the tracks completed when Davis was still alive.

12. KID LOCO - Relaxin' With Cherry
original CD issue: A Grand Love Story, Yellow Productions / EastWest (1997)
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An easy-listening trip-hopster similar in style and intent to his countrymen Air and Dimitri from Paris, Kid Loco has an even stronger kinship with the long tradition of French Pop characterized by Serge Gainsbourg. Born as Jean-Yves Prieur, he played in several Punk groups during the early '80s and moved on to Reggae and Hip Hop by the end of the decade. By 1996, he released the "Blues Project" EP for Yellow Productions. The full-length debut entitled "A Grand Love Story" appeared the next year, earning praise from the Indie-Rock and Electronica communities.

13. PORTISHEAD - Roads
original CD issue: Dummy, Go!Beat (1994)
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Portishead are an English band formed in 1991 in Bristol, they consist of Geoff Barrow, Beth Gibbons and Adrian Utley. Taking their cue from the slow, elastic beats that dominated Massive Attack's "Blue Lines" and adding elements of Cool Jazz and soundtrack music, Portishead created an atmospheric, alluringly dark sound. In 1994 their debut album "Dummy" became an unexpected success in Britain, topping most year-end critics polls and spawning legions of imitators.

14. DJ KRUSH - 3rd Eye
original CD issue: Meiso, Sony Music (1995)
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Hideaki Ishii (石井 英明), better known as DJ Krush, is an alternative Hip Hop producer and DJ. He is known for his atmospheric instrumental production which incorporates sound elements from nature and extensive use of Jazz and Soul samples. Aside from being considered one of the pioneers of Japanese Hip Hop, Ishii has established himself as one of the most respected artists and producers in the Hip Hop industry, both in Japan and abroad.

15. TRANQUILITY BASS - They Came In Peace
original 12" issue: They Came In Peace, Exist Dance (1991)
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One of the original innovators in the Ambient movement of the early '90s, Tranquility Bass' Mike Kandel submerged for most of the decade before finally issuing his debut album "Let the Freak Flag Fly" in 1997. Kandel grew up in Chicago but moved to Los Angeles in the early '90s; inspired by his hometown's Acid-House ideals, he formed the Exist Dance label in 1991 and produced classic tracks like "They Came In Peace" and "Mya Yadana", which were included on many compilations.

16. GLOBAL GOON - Twiggy
original CD issue: Goon, Rephlex (1996)
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Jonathan Hawk a.k.a. Global Goon released his first album "Goon" on Richard D. James' label Rephlex. Rumours that Global Goon actually was an alias for Aphex Twin persisted even after the release of his second album "Cradle of History" two years later... «I used to call my music, 'health music': I use special software architecture I developed which channels frequency and pitch information through various software filters. The bag behind this is to produce restful soundscapes which don't overtax the brain or the heart...».

All your inputs are more than welcome, if you want to get in touch please write to stereocandies [at] hotmail [dot] com or leave a comment in the box below, thank you!

LANCE CURTIS & THE UNIQUES "LEAHI / SYMPATHY" (1960)

Aia Le'ahi, 'uhe'uhene
Kaimana Hila, 'uhe'uhene
Hoku kau 'ale kai a'o Mamala
'Uhe'uhene

Malama pono 'oe, uheuhene
I ka poe pele, 'uhe'uhene
'O ili kaua la ilaila
'O ili kaua i ka puko'a
'Uhe'uhene

'O ka po'e kaulana, 'uhe'uhene
Kau i ka nuku, 'uhe'uhene
Nana a'o ho'owale nei i ka moana
'Uhe'uhene

Ha'awi ke aloha, 'uhe'uhene
Lulu lima, 'uhe'uhene
Me na huapala maka onaona
'Uhe'uhene

Kau aku 'oe, 'uhe'uhene
I ke ka'api'o, 'uhe'uhene
Pa ana ka uwepa kiani
'Uhe'uhene

Kupaianaha, 'uhe'uhene
Kahi kalaiwa, 'uhe'uhene
Ka lawe no a kiki'i pau
'Uhe'uhene

Ha'ina 'ia, 'uhe'uhene
Mai ka puana, 'uhe'uhene
O ka poe kaulana kau i ka nuku
'Uhe'uhene

Ha'ina 'ia, 'uhe'uhene
Mai ka puana, 'uhe'uhene
Goodbye kaua e ke aloha
'Uhe'uhene

[From the lyrics of "Leahi"]



Dick Jensen was a live musical performer of the Rhythm and Blues, Soul, and Gospel genres; a native Hawaiian athletic song stylist and a prime mover of nightclub shows. For a more detailed biography about him, I suggest that you have a look at this other post available here on Stereo Candies.

Born Richard Hiram Jensen in 1942, he first became interested in music through the numerous luaus his family would attend. When the family was back from the barbecue, his mother would often play the guitar and Dick, along with his five brothers and sisters, would sing, and play along on the ukulele, or a nearby spoon and ladle, or whatever might be handy. His first experience on stage was in the fourth grade when he put together a group for a teacher's show.

Dick continued to sing through his formative years and began to gain a local reputation. While he was at Honolulu's Farrington High School, he entered a local talent contest, winning first place, and adopted the stage name of Lance Curtis at the suggestion of Tom Moffatt and Earl Finch, both active as promoters in the local Hawaii scene; the name was choosen for its illusory Hollywoodian qualities.

The award gained Jensen a spot on one of Hawaii's major television shows and led to his first single recording Bye Bye Baby / Lover's Paradise published by Teen Records in 1959, which was the subject of a previous post.

Sympathy / Leahi, credited to Lance Curtis & The Uniques, was released on the same label the following year.



On side A we find "Leahi", which is reported to be the first Hawaiian song ever recorded with a rock beat. On the label the song is credited to a certain Owens, which I easily guess is Harry Owens, but other Internet sources credit the song to Johnny Noble and Mary Pula'a Robins... A version recorded in the early 70s by Gabby Pahinui was included in the soundtrack of "The Descendants" in 2011. Leahi is a 760-foot tuff crater and one of Hawaii's most famous landmarks. More information about the song and a translation of the lyrics are available here.

The flip side offers "Sympathy", a simple Doo-wop number which was penned by Jensen himself. The song features the usual vocal harmonies that this style implies and unobtrusive musical accompaniment.

The Uniques, exact date unknown, probably taken in 1959-1960

Here's the track list for this 7" single:

01. Leahi (1:56)
02. Sympathy (2:07)

Both tracks were remastered from vinyl in April 2013 and are available in FLAC lossless format or high-quality 320 Kbps MP3 files, both formats include scans of the original item in PDF format. Please have a look at the comments for the download links.

The following video offers a preview of the remastered single; the original vinyl was pretty worn, especially the flip side, it was a particularly difficult task this time so don't expect miracles... Anyway, I hope you will enjoy "Leahi"!

More information about Dick Jensen is available here:

http://archives.starbulletin.com/2006/06/22/news/story02.html

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Jun/22/il/FP606220304.html

http://www.oahuislandnews.com/May05/Home.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Jensen

I'm currently compiling a Dick Jensen biography, the first part of this work-in-progress covers the period 1942-1972 and is available here.

I'm also trying to compile a Dick Jensen exhaustive discography, my work-in-progress is available here.

Last but not least, I'm also trying to build a collection of Dick Jensen pictures and memorabilia, my work-in-progress is available here.

All my posts dedicated to Dick Jensen on this blog are available here.

I will post more Dick Jensen stuff in the next weeks, if you have any other useful information about him and his releases or if you spot any dead links, just get in touch with me at stereocandies [at] hotmail [dot] com or leave a comment in the box below, thank you!

LOLITAS "SÉRIES AMÉRICAINES" (1987)

Ton visage d'ange est sexy sexy
ta voix est sexy sexy sex
ta bouche aux larges lèvres en forme de coeur
oh toutes mouillées à l'interieur
de tous les garçons de toute la terre
c'est toi qui as le plus de sex-appeal
et dans mes rêves des nuits entières
je t'appelle

Tes jambes sont sexy sexy sexy
tes hanches sont sexy sexy sex
quand tu te balances quand tu te déhanches
quand tu déambules dans le vestibule
je n'entends plus rien quand tu me parles
mon désir est trop fort il me fait mal
je ne vois que ta bouches que ta bouche que ta bouche que ta bouche
je veux que tu me touches yeah yeah yeah

Oh sexy sexy, sexy sex
sexy animal
quand tu le fais mal
tes yeux sont sexy
dans ton miroir
tes mains sont sexy
sur ton sexy sex

[from the lyrics of "Sexy Sex"]

Cover of the German edition of "Séries Américaines" released by What's So Funny About.. in 1987

Lolitas were a French-German rock band influenced by Punk, Rockabilly, U.S. Garage, French 60s Ye-Ye Music and Pop. Founded by Françoise Cactus and Coco Neubauer, they were active since the mid 80s for about eight years.

Their name was inspired by the famous Stanley Kubrick's movie "Lolita". The group mainly used the French language in their own music, reserving English mostly for covers of famous songs they regularly included on their albums.

Françoise Van Hove was born in Villeneuve-l'Archevêque, a small village in Burgundy, France. She earned the nickname "Cactus" for her habit of spending her spare time hanging around in the greenhouse behind her parents' house.

During the first half of the 80s she started writing songs and moved to West Berlin; here she joined the Geniale Dilettanten (Ingenious Dilettantes) movement, a merger of the New Wave and Post-Punk scene. During those days she used to make a living by giving French lessons.

Guitarist Coco Neubauer, also known as Coco Nut, was born in southwest France and then used to live in Paris for many years. At age 9 he was fascinated by an early Rolling Stones record played for him by his cousin and fell in love with the Rhythm & Blues genre.

Cover of the French edition of "Séries Américaines" released by New Rose in 1988

Françoise and Coco met in Berlin, they soon became friends and decided to form a band. Their common interest were focused on American music, from Gospel to Hardcore via Rock'nRoll, Country, etc. Morevoer, having spent her youth listening to the radio, Françoise has always had a soft spot for la Chanson Française, some of her idols were Sylvie Vartan, Christophe, Antoine, Françoise Hardy, Jacques Dutronc, Johnny Halliday...

In early 1986, with the complicity of an unnamed Irish girl on the bass, they founded Lolitas and began to play live in Berlin. Since the original bassist soon returned to Ireland, Italian guitarist/bassist Michele "Tutti Frutti" Bordini (...described as "a mixture of Adriano Celentano and Sid Vicious"...) was chosen as a replacement.

With this new and more stable line-up, Lolitas expanded their sphere of activity playing in other venues across Germany. Despite their French lyrics (...or perhaps exactly because of them...)  the band fascinated the audience exuding a naïve atmosphere, sexy, kitsch and slightly perverse.

In October 1986, What's So Funny About.. - an independent label from Hamburg - released their homonymus first album which was highly welcomed by the German press. "Lolitas" catched the attention of New Rose who re-released it with a completely different cover in early 1987 for the French market: althought they have never played live in France, the band has made a mark with the Rock'n'Roll aficionados.

New Rose was THE french indie label of the 80s. Created by Patrick Mathé and Louis Thevenon, the label knew ten years (1981/1992) of magnificence and fame; during its existence it was one of the most important independent labels worldwide.

At that point the trio expanded with bassist Olga La Basse - a German girl from the Black Forest region - allowing Tutti Frutti to dedicate himself to the guitar, his preferred instrument.

Back cover of the German edition of "Séries Américaines" released by What's So Funny About.. in 1987

"Séries Américaines", the second Lolitas album, was mostly recorded during Summer 1987 at Vielklang Studio in Berlin with the help of acclaimed Australian record producer and sound engineer Tony Cohen, best known for his work with The Birthday Party and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. The album was released later the same year by What's So Funny About.. in Germany and in 1988 by New Rose in France, once again with two completely different sleeves.

As their relation with New Rose intensified, Alex Chilton - who was already collaborating with the label and was a fan of the band - accepted to produce their third album. Chilton was a famous American songwriter, guitarist and singer known for his work with the Box Tops in the late 60s.

"Fusée d'amour" was recorded in Memphis in August 1988. Lolitas discovered the U.S. and had a very good time: not only they lived the big adventure of recording with the legendary Chilton (...who also produced The Cramps and Tav Falco's Panther Burns...) in the city of Sun Studios and Stax, and with the participation of Jim Dickinson at the piano in a few songs, but also made the most of their trip playing some shows in New York, Baltimore, Memphis and down to New Orleans.

The album was released in early 1989 by Vielklang in Germany and by New Rose in France and... Can you guess it? Yes, the two editions featured a completely different artwork! This was also the first Lolitas release available in CD format. Once, again, the album was well received by the press.

Back cover of the French edition of "Séries Américaines" released by New Rose in 1988

New songs were recorded under the supervision of German producer Andy Young in May 1989, and five of them appeared later the same year on a 12" EP entitled "Hara Kiri" released by Vielklang in Germany and by New Rose in France and... Can you guess it again? No, you're wrong, this time the cover artwork was exactly the same...

Compared to the band's previous output, the five cuts on the EP were unusually melancholic... What could be the reason for this? Maybe it is just pure coincidence, but exactly at this time Tutti Frutti decided to quit the band and returned in Italy to devote himself to a more traditional form of Rockabilly music with his new band, the A-Bombers; sadly I wasn't able to find traces of these activity of him.

Tex Morton - born Peter Hajunga - former guitarist of the German Psychobilly band Mad Sin and the Hard-Rockers Lüde & Die Astros, joined Lolitas in late 1989. According to Coco, he was the only one who could replace Tutti Frutti.

During the previous years Lolitas had already released a few singles, but most of them contained tracks from the albums with no exclusive material. In 1990 Vielklang published a very special item: a gatefold 7" double single which, althought credited to Lolitas, featured four tracks by the individual members (...plus guests...) recorded in late 1988 (Tutti Frutti) and 1989 (all the others).

But let's go back to 1989: in October Lolitas shared the stage with Chris Spedding at a New Rose party during the Berlin Independent Days festival. Spedding is one of the UK's most versatile session guitarists, and has had a long career that saw him tackle nearly every style of Rock'n'Roll as well as sporadically attempting a solo career. Charmed by the freshness of their Rock sung in French, which for once didn't sound at all like a bad copy of American Rock, Chris confirmed he was ready to produce their fourth album in his adopted new hometown of New York.

Lyrics sheet included in the German edition of "Séries Américaines" released by What's So Funny About.. in 1987

In April 1990 Lolitas made their second trip to the USA, excited by the collaboration with Spedding, who gifted them with his warmth, charisma and immense creativity producing the songs and also playing piano, organ, cello, squeeze box (accordion) and backing vocals for them. In May the group toured across the U.S. for the second - and last - time.

"Bouche-baiser", the result of the sessions at Baby Monster Studio in N.Y.C., was released in September by Vielklang in Germany and New Rose in France, it was highly praised by the French and German rock medias.

During Autumn 1990 Lolitas extensively toured across Europe and recorded their performances directly to DAT; the best of these recordings were released in 1991 by Vielklang on "La fiancée du pirate", a sort of official bootleg whose audio quality sits somewhere in between an audience tape and a soundboard recording.

A new album was recorded in July 1991 at the group's rehearsal room in Berlin. "My English Sucks" was released by Vielklang in 1992. All the songs on this release are sung in English, it includes brand new songs and new versions of old songs that already apparead on Lolitas' previous albums.

In 1992 New Rose was sold to Fnac and quickly disappeared. Coco moved away to Guadeloupe to start a new life and the group disbanded. In 1995 Françoise Cactus met Brezel Göring at a local supermarket and founded Stereo Total, but this is a completely different story...

A selection of tracks taken from "Fusée d'amour" and "Bouche-baiser" was released in 1998 as "New York - Memphis" by Last Call Records, a label created in 1994 by Patrick Mathé, one of the original founders of New Rose.

"Séries Américaines" contains the following tracks:

01. Toute la nuit (1:39)
02. Sexy Sex (3:37)
03. Avec ma valise (3:00)
04. J'ai tué tout ce que j'amais (2:44)
05. La chatte de gouttière (5:04)
06. Le malheur c'est moi (1:04)
07. Séries Américaines (3:20)
08. Fantômes (3:30)
09. Coup de fil (1:20)
10. Canelle (2:29)
11. Jolly Jumper (3:05)

All tracks were remastered from the original vinyl in March 2013, they are available as a single FLAC lossless format file or high-quality 320 Kbps MP3 file. Both formats include complete printable artwork as PDF files.

Before you burn this album on CD-R using the provided CUE file you will need to convert the original files to WAV format using an appropriate software. Here's an option for FLAC to WAV conversion and one for MP3 to WAV conversion.

As usual, please have a look at the comments for the download links.

Labels of the German edition of "Séries Américaines" released by What's So Funny About.. in 1987

Muffled street sounds and a police siren introduce the Rock'n'Roll riff of "Toute la nuit"; in this short but effective track chosen to open the first side of "Séries Américaines", Françoise tells the joys and pleasures of a one-night stand with a cute boy... And again she celebrates her object of desire in the following "Sexy Sex", a slower number that was also included as the flip side of the "Canelle" single released the next year by New Rose; this song features a nice harmonica solo by Tutti Frutti.

"Avec ma valise" is a calm piece that slowly builds from a simple guitar riff and features a carefully engineered drums sound which, along with a fat bass, support the sad lyrics: Françoise has packed her bags and she's leaving to start a new life.

"J'ai tué tout ce que j'amais" is the only song on the album that wasn't produced by Tony Cohen, it was recorded in a a basement in Berlin, probably in the band's own rehearsal room. It is a welcome comeback to a more immediate and urgent sound that expresses well the vitality of the band.

With its five minutes, "La chatte de gouttière" is the longest track on the album and, despite maintaining a certain linearity throughout its duration, it shows a more complex interaction between the various instruments and a richer arrangement. In the lyrics Françoise clearly identifies herself in an alley cat as she warns a rich suitor against her free behaviour and the risks he's taking.

Side 2 opens with the very short "Le malheur c'est moi", a simple song where Françoise's voice act the part of a problematic dark lady and is accompanied only by an acoustic guitar, with an electric guitar tiny reinforcement towards the end... The title-track follows and is one of the best and more energetic songs on the album, a little modern rock anthem about winter depression and the passivity and inactiveness that goes with it.

Once again, "Fantômes" deals with the night - a recurring topic on many songs of the album - and offers a melodic reconnaissance through the city's lights and shadows... "Coup de fil" is another very short acoustic number coupled with sad lyrics about a lost love.

Cactus' infatuation for la Chanson Française returns in "Canelle", a cover of "Je l'appelle canelle" a track originally performed by Antoine in 1967. This song was chosen and released as a single by New Rose in 1988; with the help of friends John Boy at the piano and Frank Mandolino on drums, it shows Lolitas' most funny side.

The album closes with "Jolly Jumper", a top instrumental number entitled after the horse character in the Franco-Belgian comics series Lucky Luke. With its twangy guitars, tribal drums and American indian war cries, this song is clearly inspired by the myth of the Far West, one of the many influences in tha band's rich palette.

Labels of the French edition of "Séries Américaines" released by New Rose in 1988

Here's the credits list of "Séries Américaines":

Françoise Cactus: vocals, drums, guitar
Coco: guitar, vocals, piano
Tutti Frutti: guitar, harmonica, bass
Olga: bass

All songs written by Lolitas except "Cannelle" by Antoine.

Frank Mandolino: drums on "Cannelle"
John Boy: piano on "Toute la nuit" and "Cannelle"
Claudia Carey: tambourine on "Coup de fil", backing vocals on "La chatte de gouttière" and "Jolly Jumper"
Michael Scarati and Matzke: voices on "Jolly Jumper"

Photos: Michael Scarati and Tomas Rusch [What's So Funny About.. edition]

Video: Max Müller [What's So Funny About.. edition]

Photos: Françoise Cactus and Michael Scarati [New Rose edition]

Cover idea: Coco [New Rose edition]

Drawings: Coco [What's So Funny About.. edition]

Recorded at Vielklang Studio Berlin, except "J'ai tué tout ce que j'amais", recorded in a Berlin basement.

Mixed at Tritonus Studio Berlin.

Engineered by Tony Cohen.

Produced by Tony Cohen and Lolitas.

Lolitas in 1987 as pictured on the back cover of the French edition of "Séries Américaines"

The following videos offer a preview of the remastered album; here's my favourite tracks: "Sexy Sex", "Avec ma valise", "Séries Américaines", and "Jolly Jumper", enjoy them along with the original version of "Canelle" by Antoine!

A few more information about Lolitas is available here:

http://www.lastcallrecords.com/frenchbiogs/lolitaf.html

http://pirate.family.free.fr/pages/Lolitas.html

http://www.myspace.com/leslolitas/

http://www.45toursderockfrancais.net/rockfrancais/lolitas45t.htm

http://www.rockmadeinfrance.com/encyclo/lolitas/

http://euthanasie.records.free.fr/discographie/Zgroupe-L/Lolitas.htm

http://namaste-baba.blogspot.com/2011/04/des-lolitas-stereo-total-mettez-une.html

http://www.discogs.com/artist/Lolitas

If you have any other useful information about Lolitas and "Séries Américaines" - especially corrections and improvements to this post - or if you spot any dead links, please get in touch with me at stereocandies [at] hotmail [dot] com or leave a comment in the box below, thank you!

PANCY LAU (劉鳳屏) "山前山後百花開" (1969)

Pancy Lau (Lau Fung Ping, 劉鳳屏 or 刘鳳屏, also referred to as Liu Feng Ping) was born sometimes in the late 40s / early 50s in a family of musicians; her father Lau Bak Lok (劉伯樂) - also known as Tin Ngai (天涯) - was a well-known Cantonese Opera Star. He was her very first music teacher, and guided her through the entertainment world.

Her career started when she was around 8 or 9 years old singing Cantonese Opera. As a teenager she transitioned to singing songs she enjoyed: Pop music. During the early 60s she participated two times in the Sing Tao Daily Singing Competition in Hong Kong with no significant results. In 1965 at last she won the Mandarin section of the 6th edition of the contest with the song "三年" (Three Years). Upon winning the competition, she became a resident singer at the prestigious Golden Crown Night Club (金冠).

Television Broadcasts Limited (電視廣播有限公司), commonly known as TVB, commenced broadcasting in Hong Kong on 19 November 1967. Pancy Lau was one of the first musical artists who participated in the popular show "歡樂今宵" (Enjoy Yourself Tonight), which was the longest running variety show in Hong Kong's television history.

In 1968 Fung Hang Records released her debut album entitled "My Heart Is Beating - 我的心蹦蹦跳". It was the first in a long series of recordings that continued for more than fifteen years.

"山前山後百花开" ("When the Flowers Bloom On Mount Qian Shan"), the EP which is the subject of this post, was released in 1969 and features four songs that were also included on Pancy Lau's second and most successful album entitled "快回頭望一望" ("Quickly Take a Look Behind").

For a more detailed biography of Pancy Lau I suggest that you read a previous post I dedicated to her here on Stereo Candies: "The Very Best of Pancy Lau Volume 1 [1968-70]".

Here's the track list for this 7" single:

01. 山前山後百花開 (2:18)
02. 媽媽您在何方 (2:30)
03. 送君 (3:07)
04. 寂靜的夜 (2:29)

All tracks were remastered from the original vinyl release in March 2013 and are available in FLAC lossless format, along with scans of the complete original artwork.

As usual, please have a look at the comments for the download link.





All the tracks on this EP were arranged and conducted by Joseph Koo (顧嘉煇). Koo is a famous composer and arranger, and one of the most respected authors of Cantopop songs; he is considered the Godfather of Hong Kong pop music. During his career he has created more than 1.200 original compositions and many of them have become classics, including various themes of popular TV series.

In 1962, he composed his first hit (Mandarin Chinese) song "夢" (Dream) and later another hit song "郊道" (Country Road). In 1974, he wrote the first Cantonese TV theme song "啼笑姻緣" (Between Tears and Laughter), which became the actual first popular Cantopop song.

Here's what I discovered searching information about the songs included on this EP; the translations of the song titles are approximate in most cases, but anyway...:

01. The original version of the sweet "山前山後百花开" ("When the Flowers Bloom On Mount Qian Shan") was recorded in 1962 by 劉韻 (Liu Yun, available here). The song was also later covered by 姚蘇蓉 (Yao Su Rong, available here) and 奚秀兰 (Stella Chee, here), among others.

02. "媽媽您在何方" ("Mother, Where Are You?") is a very sad song adapted from a Japanese composition which was originally performed in 1952 by 美空ひばり (Misora Hibari, available here - the song begins at about 00:30). In early 2013 the song was used in a bizarre commercial performed by Will Ferrell.

03. "送君" (Farewell) was originally performed in 1939 by singer / actress 周璇 (Zhou Xuan), one of China's seven great singing stars; you can listen and watch the original version here.

04. "寂靜的夜" (The Silence of the Night) is a Mandarin version of the Japanese classic "ウナ・セラ・ディ東京 - Una sera di Tokyo" (One Night in Tokyo), which was initially performed in 1963 by vocal duo ザ・ピーナッツ (The Peanuts) with the title "東京たそがれ」" (Tokyo Twilight). When touring Japan in1964, famous Italian singer Milva recorded her own version adding the 'Una sera di Tokyo' line to the refrain. The song became successfull and The Peanuts re-recorded it with the new title and lyrics.

Joseph Koo, circa late 60s / early 70s

The following clip offers a preview of the remastered single, enjoy the title track: "山前山後百花开" ("When the Flowers Bloom On Mount Qian Shan")!

More information about Pancy Lau is available here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Hong_Kong

http://home.ied.edu.hk/~hkpop/music/hkpophistory.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dk_gilbert/sets/72157608139056712/

http://www.goldenage.hk/b5/ga/ga_article.php?article_id=1079

http://paper.wenweipo.com/2007/04/21/EN0704210024.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUIeOiDudhg&feature=related

http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/vinyl-history/article?mid=42&l=f&fid=12

http://www.funghang.com/200610/asp/disc_list.asp?class1=6&singer=%E5%8A%89%E9%B3%B3%E5%B1%8F

http://blog.roodo.com/muzikland/archives/2578425.html

http://baike.baidu.com/view/5637119.htm

http://www.vinylparadise.com/4pop_can/1/066LFP0A.htm

http://www.inkui.com/a1/A/A4A8B8CB7ABE6FF6C1CF_a.html

http://robokon.orgfree.com/5080/5080_LauFungPing.htm

http://mypaper.pchome.com.tw/chrishui/post/1276979467

http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/%E5%8A%89%E9%B3%B3%E5%B1%8F

http://www.whatsinmag.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1004%3A2012-04-02-19-44-12&catid=75%3A2012-03-30-21-17-42&lang=tw

I'm currently trying to compile a Pancy Lau exhaustive discography, my work-in-progress is available here.

All my posts dedicated to Pancy Lau on this blog are available here.

In the next months I will post more Hong Kong/Taiwan/Singapore/etc. Pop/Instrumental records released in the late-60s / mid-70s. As usual, I would like to provide information about these releases and their authors.

Unfortunately the Internet doesn't offer much information - written in English - about these artists and this is the reason why I need help: if you can translate from Chinese to English please get in touch with me at stereocandies [at] hotmail [dot] com or leave a comment in the box below, thank you so much!

It's been difficult to obtain these vinyls, some are not in the best conditions and I'm currently working hard to properly master them. It seems that these artists and their music are poorly known in the West, of course it's a real pity because they made stunning releases: I'd like to share them with you with a proper presentation, hope that someone will be able to help.