V/A - Anthologie du Rock Français 1960-1960
France is not quite a reference when it comes to Rock'n'Roll, so one might think. And you'd be dead wrong. The reason why it didn't make a millimeter outside of its homeland was probably due to the fact that all vocals were in the local idiom. At least, I've not come across a single record from a French Rock'n'Roller that is sung in anything but. So, if you're into the seriously exotic, this 3-CD set is for you and for you only.
It covers the ground when our neighbours plunged into the deep end without looking back. Apart from England, I believe this was the biggest scene in Europe to cover this genre. The other main market, Germany, didn't have much in the way of Rock'n'Roll artists, joining the game rather late when Beat reared its head. Rock'n'Roll in its infancy in France sounds funny and strange at the same time, but it's highly entertaining and the musicianship is up there where it counts. You just have to get used to the language, especially if you think it shouldn't be allowed to sing in anything else but English on a Rock'n'Roll disc.
The big ones are all here, Johnny Hallyday, Les Chausettes Noires, Les Chats Savages, Les Pirates, Danny Boy et ses Pénitents and a bunch of others. I believe there are even a few foreigners who made some kind of career over there, taking a liking to the French language. And I assume not just the language. Sound is very good throughout the 3 dics and there's a 20-page booklet included, part of it in English. However be warned, the thing makes you greedy and you want to hunt for full albums of these artists, so while the CD-set is quite affordable, you better worry about the fallout.
This has been released in 2013 on the Frémeaux & Associés label (FA 5418): www.fremeaux.com and off you go with your mademoiselle to a Rock'n'Roll hop the French way.
Cheers
Devon
Wilko Johnson - Live In London
Thanks to Julian for this one as well. An apparently "Limited Edition" from Japan again. This time it's our man at the Koko Gig in 2013 plus some live footage from 2009 and 2010 plus his Japan trip in 2013 (and then some). The set is made up of two CDs and one DVD. Not much more I can tell you, as this one's making its way to my place at the moment.
Cheers
Devon
Makoto Ayukawa - Ayukawa Size
Just got an e-mail the other day (thanks, Julian), pointing this Japanese release out to me. Makoto Ayukawa of "The London Sessions #1 and #2" fame. This set consists of three CDs and a DVD. The CDs seem to be the aforementioned "London Sessions" plus "Rokket Size". No idea what's on the DVD. My copy is still on the way to my letterbox. Not sure how serious the "Limited Release" claim is. But you've been warned.
Cheers
Devon
Hunter Davies - The Beatles / The Only Ever Authorised Biography (40th Anniversary Edition)
I've never been a Beatles fan. And there was never a life or death decision between the Liverpool foursome and the Rolling Stones. I was neither's man (or kid, at that time). Back then I listened to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones as they were played on the radio. "Lady Madonna" anyone? And to this day, I can still listen to both bands, if I don't overdo it. Although, I do have to admit, I know more of the Rolling Stones Story than of their competitors. The Beatles were in every magazine that you could think of (and they still are) and that's all I needed to know, and then some.
The Beatles were the first to do this and don't forget that and before it eludes my mind they also came to the forefront with the other thing and ... bla bla bla. In fact, to this day I'm quite fed up with what the Beatles did first, even when it's not true (and in my book, this is most of the time). But this is a problem they share with most "supergroups". Just thinking of ABBA and what they were supposed to have done before anyone else was thinking of it. Urban myths, the lot.
For the 40th anniversary Edition, Hunter Davies has reissued the book as it were back in 1968, just adding a few thoughts during the lengthy introduction (which comes to around 75 pages). He does mention that he didn't even change the wording for the new release, where he was wrong the first time around. And it does show, but I applaud him for this decision. This way you get a glimpse of what the take on the Beatles was when they stood at the top of the game.
One thing I never believed, is, that John Lennon was supposed to be the intellectual in the band. My arse! He comes across as a died in the wool idiot, not the least bit funny (although he thinks he is), selfish and of limited capability to even grasp the fundamentals of life itself. In a way, this book cemented my opinion about Mr. Lennon, which I had nursed the last couple of decades. The book itself is easy to read with a good layout of the timeline. Even if you're not into the Beatles, it might be worthwile to pick this up.
Cheers
Devon
Deep Purple - Made In Japan (Vinyl Box Set)
I treated myself to this 9-LP monster, because a) I do like box sets, b) to get all the Japanese live shows from 1972 in one go is just to tempting and c) at least the early Deep Purple outfits (up to around "Burn") are right up my alley. I don't go into the importance of these recordings. This is like carrying water into the river Rhine.
In fact, this is me whining about the set. The CD box comes with a DVD and I can't understand for the life of me, why those cheapskates couldn't include this here as well. Don't give me the word about costs, what with a box set that costs around EUR 130.00 in your average local record dealer's shop. I admit, I probably wouldn't have sat down watching interviews, but this is the public being led around the block with a ring through their nose.
Cheers
Devon
Imelda May - Tribal
A new CD by the Irish Rockabilly singer is always welcome. Especially since it's been a while since the last album was thrown ioto the market. Actually, I wanted to wait for the vinyl release that's coming out at the beginning of August, but the CD was in the racks of a local record store and I still can, and probably will, buy the two versions. Just one word, Imelda, if you're thinking again about re-issuing the same album in a fortnight with a few additional songs tucked to the original album, forget it! You did this before and this is nothing but scalping your fans.
I've read a few reviews re this CD and what can I say, around 70% are negative, starting with the songs not being up to scratch and moving over to the loudness war and the awful mix for the MP3 generation and extremely bad sound on this offering. Sometimes even guessing that this is a radio friendly mix. Bollocks! The album sounds excellent on my stereo and the songs are what I'd expect from Imelda May. No idea where some folks got their opinion about a wall of noise from (they must listen on equipment I wouldn't touch with a pole). The tracks are well crafted and leave nothing to be desired.
Having said that, I'm still very interested to hear the vinyl version in August, actually expecting the same mix, but who knows. There're a few ballads on offer, which she delivers extremely well. As always, I have to add. But there's also the Rockabilly bit, of which there's no shortage. If you're in to listen to a contemporary Rockabilly artist, check the M section at your local dealer. Imelda May doesn't pretend her songs date from the 50's, this is modern stuff, although I do not condemn artists doing it the retro way. It's just so you know.
Cheers
Devon
Wilko Johnson / Roger Daltrey - Going Back Home (7")
It's the year 2014 and, no, this is not about a village in the Normandy fighting the Romans, we get a Wilko 7". New! Vinyl! Who would have thought? I can't remember when the last regular 7" was issued, but at a guess, it must have been "Red Hot Rockin' Blues" in Japan. That was, well, ages ago. O.K., there was, more recently, the "Help Me Jesus" 7" by the Urban Voodoo Machine featuring Wilko Johnson. Anyway, when this here arrived a few days earlier, I was in paradise.
You might argue that this is exactly the same as can be found on the recent album, but this is not something I'd be paying any attention to. This comes, btw, with a jukebox strip, which had me wondering, does anyone still know what jukeboxes were? You know, those big monsters playing those very same 7"s? Nice touch, but my copy will not end up in my Wurlitzer, which, I suppose, has about a ton of pressure on the needle. I'm not sacrificing a Wilko Johnson release.
Cheers
Devon
The Reptiles - European Rockabilly
The Reptiles. A Swiss Rockabilly band who seems to have been going for an eternity. Yet this is their 3rd album only. I've seen these cats in concert years ago and I was blown away. Although, at a later stage, I played one of their earlier CDs to a friend and he remarked after a couple of songs "not bad, but the guitar player irritates me a bit, he's playing the same part, no matter what the song". O.K., that's what you get, talking shop with someone who does play a couple of instruments himself.
This band, however, is one of the few Rockabilly outfits to play their own songs. On this CD there are exactly zero cover versions, all 14 tracks having been written by their drummer (and vocals). As it goes along with the title of this release, this is a journey around Europe and the tracks are very much up to Reptiles standard. That's to say, very enjoyable Rockabilly and not a boring second in sight. The guitar player (the one who looks a bit like a young Johnny Cash) might still play the same track throughout the tracks on offer here, but, without being told, I bet most folks wouldn't realise this.
One thing you can be looking for here, for forever and a day, is, dirt. You won't find it. This is a very slick piece of Rockabilly (All of their releases are like this) and although I do prefer the rougher version, this here pulls the right strings. In my book, this is simply the best Rockabilly outfit to come out of this neck of the woods. TCY Records TCY-06.
Cheers
Devon
